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 China pushes for vigorous development of digital consumption Xinhua) 10:24, September 25, 2025 BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China has unveiled a set of guidelines to vigorously develop digital consumption, with the aim of improving life in the digital era, according to a document released by the Ministry of Commerce and seven other government organs. The guidelines will leverage China's super-large market, expand the diversified digital consumption supply, innovate and enrich digital consumption scenarios, and promote a higher-level dynamic balance between digital supply and demand. The guidelines outline 14 tasks across four main areas, including enriching the digital consumption supply by boosting spending on digital products, enhancing digital services consumption, innovating digital content, and expanding digital consumption channels. Additionally, the guidelines seek to foster and strengthen digital consumption businesses through measures such as those to enhance their innovation capabilities and empower the digital development of small and medium-sized enterprises. The guidelines also look to optimize the digital consumption support system by building digital consumption platforms, improving the express delivery and logistics network, improving payment convenience, and increasing fiscal and financial support. They call for a favorable environment for digital consumption to be fostered through measures such as those related to conducting promotional activities, and promoting international exchange and cooperation. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) BEIJING, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from chinadaily.com.cn It's hard to imagine that Mohamed Jihad, a young man from Egypt, could perform a traditional Chinese tongue twister in such an articulate way. Learning Chinese When Mohamed was choosing his university major, he initially intended to apply to the English department. His mother, however, offered him different advice: "You've known English since you were young." "Look, everything, including what we buy, is made in China, so choosing the Chinese language should be helpful for you." Thanks to his mother's wisdom, Mohamed embarked on his journey of learning Chinese. Mohamed graduated from Ain Shams University in Egypt with a degree in Chinese in September 2019, and then pursued his master's degree in broadcasting and anchoring from the Communication University of China. When Mohamed first began studying broadcasting and anchoring in Chinese, he often found himself confused what is the lower abdomen (dantian)? How does one sink qi to the dantian (abdomen)? During that time, Mohamed practiced how to open his voice, reciting tongue twisters, and even performing xiangsheng (cross-talk comedy) and reciting guankou (rapid-fire storytelling). After a while, his classmates were astonished to find that he had become the best Chinese speaker in the class. After graduating from the Communication University of China, Mohamed became a foreign expert at the China International Communication Group, focusing on the dissemination of Chinese culture. He says that, in the past, he used to strive for every word and pronunciation to be standard, but now he rarely considers pronunciation: "Because what people want to hear is not how standard the pronunciation is, they want to hear if the story is true and if it can attract them." Explaining China to the world After learning the operating model of shared bikes in China, Mohamed shared his thoughts on how Egypt could emulate this on his Facebook account, tagging the Egyptian Minister of Transport. Two days later, he saw the official account of the Egyptian Ministry of Transport reposting his thoughts, commenting, "Great idea, looking forward to implementation." A year later, Egypt's capital began implementing the "Cairo Bike" sharing project as a pilot for addressing traffic congestion issues. "We learn a lot of things from China. The power of humanity lies in its unity," Mohamed says. "I think China can really set a very good example for the whole world in this respect." During his studies in China, Mohamed says he could feel the friendliness of the Chinese people towards Egypt and their enthusiasm for learning about foreign cultures. In July 2023, when Mohamed graduated from the Communication University, he wore Egyptian pharaoh attire to receive his certificate on stage. The photo of him wearing the pharaoh attire soon went viral. Many Chinese people began to learn about Egypt and pharaoh clothing. This gave Mohamed the opportunity to tell Egyptian stories to Chinese audiences and he subsequently changed the name of his Chinese social media account to the "Egyptian Pharaoh." Mohamed says he is continuously working to build a bridge that allows his Egyptian friends to better understand China: "If I can be this bridge, it would be a great honor; truly, a very, very significant one." SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn Hours after her decisive win, Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva quickly ticked off a trio of initial priorities when she takes office on Capitol Hill: Helping force a House vote on the release of the Epstein files; restoring healthcare funding and reigning in President Trumps use of tariffs. When the Tucson Democrat will be sworn in to office to do any of it, however, still remains up in the air. Tuesday nights landslide win had yet to sink in, but it vaulted Grijalva into a political spotlight on a national level that is rare for freshly minted congressional lawmakers. No, not at all, she replied Wednesday morning when asked if her victory collecting nearly 70% of the vote feels real. Its weird ... if someone would have said youre going to be a member of Congress Im like, stop, stop it. Even walking (into the campaign office) theyre like, hello Congressman. Its a lot for me to wrap my head around. Grijalva will succeed her father, U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, the progressive Tucson Democrat who was in Congress for more than two decades until his death in March. The special election fills the 7th Congressional District seat for 15 months. Despite taking a similar route to Congress as her father moving from the Tucson Unified School District board to the county Board of Supervisors Grijalva doesnt see her win as succession. She intends to chart her own path in Congress while carrying his progressive influences. You look at the people who worked with my dad, it was across the aisle. People that knew him, respected him. They didnt always agree with him, and he could be very aggressive for the issues that he cared about, but he didnt make them personal with the other members, she told the Star. Right now, were in an environment where everything becomes like a personal attack. And really, what Im going to focus on is like, these are the issues its personal to the people that its affecting in our communities. Im going to be very passionate about those issues, but Im not going to be disrespectful, because ultimately I have to look my kids in the eye, I have to look myself in the mirror. I dont plan on going to D.C. to lose myself, Grijalva said. Im not going to get personal, Im not going to play gotcha, Im going to tell you what Im going to do, because I just think thats the best way to move forward. And if we disagree on this issue, thats okay. It doesnt mean we have to agree on every issue ... But you know, there also has to be some acknowledgement that there are incredible abuses happening throughout our communities, and someone needs to stand up for them. Grijalvas win gives the Democrats 214 seats in the House, to the GOPs 219. Two additional seats, one in Texas formerly held by a Democrat and one in Tennessee formerly by a Republican, means Republicans House majority could slim even further. On Wednesday, Grijalva says she would prefer a spot on the Education and Workforce Committee or the Natural Resources Committee, to which her father belonged. Grijalva says she got the impression shell be on one of those two, but a spot on the House Oversight Committee has come up as a possibility. The Epstein Files Grijalvas win could bring the required 218th signature to Republican Rep. Thomas Massies attempt to push for a vote on the House floor to force the U.S. Department of Justice to release its files on the convicted child sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein. The discharge petition, filed earlier this month by the Kentucky Republican Massie and California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, needs 218 votes to force the House vote. Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaws special election win in Virginia made it 217 earlier this month. Grijalva signing onto the petition will force a vote on the House floor on Massies bill, the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The resolution would require the DOJ to disclose all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in its possession that relate to Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend, who was convicted in 2021 of luring underage girls to be sexually abused by the politically well-connected financier. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019. Grijalva previously told the Star that if elected, she would sign on. She reiterated that Wednesday following her win, saying it would be a Day 1 priority as a member of Congress. How soon that could happen is still unknown. The results of the special election still need to be certified, and Grijalva cant get sworn in until House leadership calls votes. Right now, thats not scheduled until Oct. 7. Since Congress needs to agree on how to fund the government by Oct. 1, the timing of the House leadership calling votes essentially guarantees a government shutdown, Grijalva said. The federal governments Oct. 1 start date for its fiscal year means Congress and the White House have to strike some form of compromise to prevent a partial government shutdown on that date. Healthcare funding Democratic leadership have accused Republicans of not negotiating with them to address priorities on health care as part of the funding measure. Republicans counter that Democrats are making demands that would not only dramatically increase spending, but are not germane to the core issue of keeping agencies fully operational for a short period of time while negotiations continue on a full-year spending package, the Associated Press has reported. Along with House Democrats, Grijalva says she plans to be in Washington starting Monday despite not having votes that day. She calls healthcare spending an issue where Congress could all convalesce around and understand. Its the one issue where the push needs to happen, Grijalva said. We have people that are fearful of what the cuts are going to meet people that are living in assisted living facilities, rehab facilities, children that are getting their occupational therapy, speech therapy, all at school, she said. When those cuts happen, were going to have devastating effects throughout our communities, and so it is the one area I think that leadership is hoping is universal. Everyone understands the need ... Our communities want to see us fighting for them, and not just signing off to avoid some sort of potential shutdown, as we saw a couple of months ago, But a government shutdown is not a worthwhile bargaining chip for Congressional Democrats, Grijalva said. Its horrible, and thats why the Democrats are showing up on Monday, she said. We dont have votes (that day), but were going to show up to say we are ready to work. We are all here, where are you? And I believe that, overwhelmingly when Ive talked to people, they just want to see us fighting for them. Tariffs and the economy Grijalva says the economy is another top priority. Particularly, clawing tariff authority away from President Donald Trump and back into the hands of Congress. While the authority to impose tariffs rests in Congress, President Donald Trump has flexed emergency powers to impose or threaten to impose tariffs on over 90 countries since taking office in January. Grijalva says economic issues should be one that can cross party lines. Trumps tariffs will affect everyone if they havent already, Grijalva said, from working-class Americans to billionaires, and from small businesses to mega corporations. I feel like we have opportunities, were seeing it with this Epstein file release ... When you see town halls of people that overwhelmingly voted for Trump, screaming at their representatives saying thats not what I sent you to Congress to do, I think thats the tipping point, she said. Thats whats happening throughout our nation. Part of the problem is (Trump) is using (tariffs) like a bat ... what hes hearing, I think, is from his billionaire buddies that its impacting their business, impacting the ability to be able to build those skyscrapers. Hes hearing from farmers and cattle ranchers. Its across the board. Its those issues that (voters) dont feel theyre heard either, because not only did he decimate departments that responded to education and clean air and water, but he is dismantling protections and processes for people to be able to get basic services through, and thats whats really hurting a lot of businesses, Grijalva said. I dont think there was a lot of thought put into that ... now were dealing with the ramifications. For five years, Ricardo Reyes served the country of his birth as a Marine, pledging to sacrifice his life if necessary to defend the United States. Nearly two decades later, the Phoenix native doesnt leave home without his passport card, so he can prove his U.S. citizenship in case hes stopped by federal authorities. I keep that with me just in case I ever need it, because that is a reality were living in, that you are going to have to be able to identify yourself eventually, Reyes said. Whether youre here legally or not, brown people will be the target, and brown people are the target right now. A growing number of American citizens natural born, such as Reyes, or naturalized say they are taking such precautions and living in fear of being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in light of the roundups and deportations ordered by President Donald Trump. Fears spiked further since the U.S. Supreme Court lifted restrictions on racial profiling by ICE on Sept. 8. That 6-3 ruling allows agents in the Los Angeles area to target individuals if they use Spanish, appear to be a certain race or ethnicity, hold jobs commonly filled by workers who lack lawful status or are spotted at locations such as car washes, bus stops and day laborer pickup sites. The ruling technically applies only in Southern California. But civil rights advocates have little doubt the high court would allow immigration authorities to employ racial profiling elsewhere. As a Latino veteran, why do I have to worry because of the way I look? Why do I have to worry about being harassed by ICE when I know that my white, older counterpart is never going to have to worry about that? said Reyes, who runs an advocacy group for veterans called VetsForward. Thats not equal treatment. Thats against the Constitution, and thats against the rights that I thought I was protecting when I joined the military. The Department of Homeland Security vehemently denies that American citizens have been detained, even inadvertently, during its immigrant sweeps. When a citizen is arrested during an operation, officials typically say they had interfered with agents. U.S. citizens are NOT `wrongfully being arrested by ICE, the department said Sept. 17, responding to a California mans allegation that he spent three days behind bars despite telling agents he is an American. DHS enforcement operations are highly targeted and are not resulting in the arrest of U.S. citizens. In May, a number of news outlets reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller set a goal of 3,000 immigration arrests per day. Although the administration denied any such quota in federal court, Trump and others regularly tout an aggressive pace of ICE operations, particularly in sanctuary cities that dont fully cooperate on immigration enforcement, such as Chicago and Boston. On Tuesday, DHS announced that it has deported about 400,000 people since Trump returned to office on Jan. 20, and expects to hit 600,000 by the end of December. Another 1.6 million have left the country voluntarily. The administrations rhetoric and tactics have prompted many citizens to protect themselves in case of an encounter with ICE among them Phoenix resident Cristalis Capielo Rosario, a citizen since her birth in Puerto Rico. She and her family members carry around their passports, a habit that started soon after the new administration took office, she said. To avoid drawing unwanted attention, she and her 8-year-old also stopped speaking Spanish in some public spaces. My son and I, we have this rule that at the supermarket we speak English because we dont want to be looked at funny, or have somebody potentially call the authorities on us, she said. An associate professor in the School of Counseling and Counseling Psychology at Arizona State University, she said the Supreme Courts ruling heightened the feeling of being demonized. This questioning of our citizenship and whether or not we belong is nothing new. We have been dealing with it for decades, Capielo Rosario said, referring to being Puerto Rican. The issue now is that theres more police presence, federal police presence, so it increases the level of stress. For some Arizona residents, the Trump administrations tactics combined with free rein for ICE to engage in racial profiling granted by the Supreme Court bring back memories of the states Senate Bill 1070. Signed into law by Republican Gov. Jan Brewer in 2010, SB1070 included a controversial show me your papers provision that allowed police to stop anyone on suspicion of being in the country unlawfully, and to demand proof of citizenship. Parts of the law were struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Im concerned because the recent Supreme Court ruling essentially says, based on how you look based on if you speak Spanish or you have an accent, it allows you to be detained, said Lisa Magana, a professor at ASUs School of Transborder Studies. You can be detained regardless if you are a U.S. citizen. In some aspects, I think its more massive than SB1070. This is a national issue, she said. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the three liberal dissenters on the Sept. 8 ruling, warned that it carries dark implications. We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job, she wrote. The decision reversed an order from a federal district court with jurisdiction in Los Angeles and neighboring counties, where a judge deemed ICE enforcement methods unlawful. The day the Supreme Court issued its ruling, White House border czar Tom Homan told reporters that were not racial profiling anybody. Agents, he said, use a myriad of factors to establish reasonable suspicion. The lower court issued the racial profiling order amid a slew of worksite raids that began in June. As of Aug. 26, DHS tallied 5,000 arrests and highlighted the arrest of criminal illegal aliens, gang members, child predators, and murderers. But not everyone caught in the dragnet was a criminal or even a foreigner. In July, George Retes, a 25-year-old Army veteran born in California, was heading to his job as a security guard when he came upon a confrontation between protestors and federal agents who were raiding his employers Ventura County cannabis farm. He got out of his car and from a distance hoping not to be mistaken for either a protester or a target of the raid shouted to agents: Im a citizen. Im just trying to get to work. After some confusion, his car filled with tear gas and he was sprayed in the face with pepper spray. Retes says he was dragged from the car, thrown to the ground and restrained. They never asked to see an ID to begin with. They didnt care if I was a citizen, Retes said. He recounted a three-day detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, where he missed his daughters third birthday. His lawyer, Marie Miller, an attorney for the Institute for Justice, said Retes intends to sue the government for violating his constitutional rights. Responding to an op-ed Retes wrote about the incident, DHS posted on X that he was arrested for assault not for any immigration law violation after he became violent and refused to comply with law enforcement. The department asserted that its enforcement operations are not resulting in the arrest of U.S. citizens. We do our due diligence. We know who we are targeting ahead of time. These types of smears are designed to demonize and villainize our brave ICE law enforcement. This kind of garbage has led to a more than 1000% increase in the assaults on enforcement officers. In an interview, Reyes said he remains fearful. I want to spend as much time being free, enjoying the world and the sun, he said. But at the same time when I go out, its like, OK, well, what if ICE is just randomly there and this happens again? Because of the looming threat of detention, even relatively innocuous encounters with ICE can leave citizens traumatized. Six days after Trumps second term began, the administration launched an immigration enforcement blitz. In Phoenix that day, four officers in tactical vests including one from Enforcement and Removal Operations, a branch of ICE knocked on the door of Micaela Quihuis. She was born in Phoenix 43 years ago. Shes a mother of three and a Realtor. The agents were looking for a man she doesnt know, she recounted. They asked multiple times to enter her home. She refused unless they produced a warrant. The officers asked for her identification. Through the closed screen door, she showed her Arizona drivers license as her 14-year-old daughter recorded the encounter from inside. I felt threatened, Quihuis said, adding that her daughter needed therapy afterward. She was scared they were going to come back. Im scared for my kids, because Im on the darker shade of Mexican. Im not like, really dark but Im a morena, she said, using Spanish slang for a brown-skinned person, and me driving around now I have the chance of possibly getting pulled over. BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IntellaTriage, the nation's leading provider of nurse-first after-hours triage solutions for hospice and home health organizations, has announced a groundbreaking integration between IntellaHub, its proprietary triage platform, and Epic, one of the most widely adopted electronic medical record (EMR) systems in the country. This direct integration represents a significant leap forward in interoperability, nurse efficiency, and real-time patient care coordination across care settings. With this innovation, IntellaTriage continues to define what modern, technology-enabled nurse-first triage care should look like. IntellaTriage integrates IntellaHub with Epic, streamlining after-hours care and boosting interoperability. Post this "Interoperability is an essential component of safe, high-quality care," said Daniel Reese, CEO of IntellaTriage. "Our triage nurses can now access real-time Epic patient data and deliver documentation directly into the medical record via our IntellaHub platform, closing the loop between after-hours and in-person care. This level of access and insight ensures there are no gaps in care. Patients receive compassionate, clinically sound triage care, and field teams have better insight into what occurs overnight and on weekends. This integration is a transformative step for home health and hospice agencies that rely on Epic as their medical records system." While many EMRs and vendors still operate in silos, leaving providers with fragmented systems, excessive logins, and redundant documentation, IntellaTriage's integration with Epic breaks down these barriers, delivering true cross-platform interoperability. With integration, there's no need for multiple logins, duplicate data entry, or fragmented workflows. One seamless system supports nurses on both sides of the triage episode. Triage nurses can make informed decisions in real-time, and field nurses returning to care the next day, or called for a visit overnight or out in the field, have immediate visibility into the call episode, with accurate and timely documentation already in the record. An IntellaTriage-Epic integration means all care team members can work from a single source of truth. The shared visibility into the most recent assessments, medications, and care plans empowers nurses to act with confidence and speed, ensuring continuity of care and better outcomes for every patient. Liam Barry, Chief Technology Officer at IntellaTriage, shared: "True interoperability requires more than just surface-level data exchange. At IntellaTriage, we prioritize integrations that provide our nurses with meaningful access to clinical information, ensuring they can follow the appropriate protocols and deliver high-quality, informed triage. Our Epic integration exemplifies this commitment, enabling our team to go beyond mere call handling to delivering clinically aligned triage support." The award-winning, HITRUST-certified IntellaHub is already fully integrated with Homecare Homebase, and the IntellaTriage interoperability team is already laying the groundwork for more integrations over the next several months. Even without integrations, the platform's communication and triage support capabilities enable the company's triage nurses to cover over 80,000 lives nightly, with an average speed-to-nurse time of 37 seconds. IntellaHub also delivers in-depth data analytics to help clients better understand how to support their patients throughout the episode of care, for improved quality outcomes. "We built IntellaHub to empower nurses, not replace them," said Reese. "The future of after-hours care is integrated, intelligent, and deeply human. We're proud to lead the way." About IntellaTriage. Founded in 2008, IntellaTriage provides 24/7 nurse-first triage solutions to providers and their patients across the United States. Leveraging the largest network of remote licensed nurses in the post-acute care sector, the company delivers exceptional care when patients need it most, alleviating the burden on frontline clinicians and significantly reducing nurse burnout and turnover. As the nursing shortage intensifies, IntellaTriage offers a critical solution by shielding nurses from the additional demands of on-call duties. In a healthcare landscape increasingly focused on quality care and the importance of patient outcomes, IntellaTriage is poised for continued growth, ensuring better patient experience while supporting care teams nationwide. SOURCE IntellaTriage Shahzeen Khan, TwoCircles.net Patna: On a muggy September evening, Kako market in Bihars Jehanabad district came alive at dusk. The bargaining voices of women cut through the sputter of two-wheelers inching past, while hawkers arranged neat rows of brinjals, cucumbers and green chilies under the dim glow of hanging bulbs. Support TwoCircles For nearly four decades, one corner of this market belonged to Mohammad Mohsin, a 70-year-old vegetable seller from Pakhanpura village. His earnings rarely exceeded Rs 300 a day, which was never much, but enough to raise three sons and five daughters and keep his modest household afloat. On the night of September 17, the septuagenarian was beaten to death for allegedly refusing to pay a market fee of just Rs 5 to men who routinely extorted vendors in the area. They came for money every day, sometimes Rs 10, sometimes Rs 5, said Rukhsana Khatoon, his sister-in-law. That evening, Mohsin was allegedly asked by the unauthorised toll collector to pay Rs 20. He said he could give Rs 15 right then and promised to pay the remaining Rs 5 later, explaining that sales had been slow. The collector, who was later identified as Vicky Patel, reportedly began verbally abusing and threatened him that he would not be allowed to set up his stall unless the full amount was handed over. He even threatened my brothers life before attacking him, said Rukhsana. According to her, the collector told Mohsin, I will not hesitate to go to jail for killing you, but I wont let you set up your stall without paying full amount. Crowd Watched in Silence A shopkeeper who watched the incident from across the street said, It is not that people did not see. They chose not to get involved. Fear, he explained, is common in the market in such situations. If you speak up, you will be the next one. Everyone knows how things work here. Both Mohsin and Rukhsana had been selling vegetables in Kako market for years. On the day of the attack, Patel visited their stall twice, first to allegedly threaten and later to carry out the fatal assault. Rukhsana, who witnessed the attack and later lodged a police complaint, struggles to understand how people who had bought from Mohsin for decades could walk past his unresponsive body. They knew him. He sold them vegetables every day. But when he was being brutally thrashed, no one stood by him, she described the horror. She recalled Patel allegedly striking Mohsin first in the groin, then bringing down a heavy iron weight used for measuring vegetables onto his chest and head. It happened in seconds. He collapsed instantly, Rukhsana said. People continued shopping and stepping past him as if he were not there. Vendors too admitted that they saw the assault but did not intervene. Some cited fear of Patels political connections, while others spoke of a culture of resignation, where disputes involving contractors are considered too risky to confront. Several of them alleged that Patels aggression was widely known. He would shout, push and sometimes slap people. But no one expected he would kill, said a fruit seller. Locals also alleged Patel often flaunted his political connections on social media. Once seen at ruling Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) rallies, he now appears in the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) circles. He knew he could act with impunity, said a vendor. Unregulated Market System Vendors at Kako whisper about daily harassment but hesitate to speak openly, fearing reprisals. Everyone knows how it works. But people keep their heads down. If Mohsin had not resisted that evening, perhaps he would still be alive. That is the truth nobody will say aloud, said a shopkeeper. These collections have long replaced the regulated Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandi system that Bihar dismantled nearly two decades ago. With no state-managed structure for trade, vendors now pay these informal tolls. You pay if you want to sit. We all know it is illegal but resisting means trouble. Mohsin resisted, said a vegetable seller. In Kako, the killing is remembered less as an isolated crime and more as the latest expression of an everyday arrangement, where local vendors and traders are allegedly compelled to pay petty sums to informal collectors. The system itself is broken. The regulated mandi system was scrapped in Bihar in 2006 when Nitish Kumar took over as the chief minister. Since then, fees are extorted, mostly by contractors with political links. Vendors like Mohsin, who used to earn Rs 200 or Rs 300 a day, are the ones who pay the price, said a local journalist. The system is simple, he explained, The municipality outsources collection to a contractor. The contractor hires strongmen. Those strongmen extort the poorest sellers, while everyone above them takes a cut. Police Action The police registered a case of culpable homicide on the same night (September 17) under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and promised to arrest the accused. Authorities also announced Rs 2 lakh in compensation to Mohsins family, a promise that remains unfulfilled so far. Following a complaint lodged by a member of the legislative council (MLC) on September 23, the accused has now surrendered. Reacting to the incident, political activist Muzammil Imam wrote on social media, What kind of society are we, where a man lies dead in front of you, and people continue to shop. Money is not justice. This is a broad daylight murder, not an accident. If society stays silent now, tomorrow it will be our turn, he cautioned. How Can a Person Be Killed for Rs 5? Jameela Khatoon, Mohsins wife, fainted the moment she heard the news of her husbands murder. Neighbours rushed her to the hospital. Already battling filaria, she had leaned on her husband for daily care. Now, grief has hollowed her voice so completely that she can barely speak. For neighbours in Pakhanpura village, the loss cuts deep. He was a man who never raised his voice and never fought with anyone. To think his life ended like this, over Rs 5, is unimaginable, said one resident. Another added, She has not stopped crying. She keeps asking the same question again and again: how can someone kill her husband for Rs 5? Mohsin is remembered here as gentle, soft-spoken and almost self-effacing. If someone could not pay, he would still give them vegetables, said a villager, shaking his head. His three sons sat in stunned silence, with eyes fixed on the courtyard where their fathers body had lain on a cot before the final journey. He worked very hard every day. He never argued and never cheated anyone, said Mohammad Guddu, the eldest among the three. We do not want money. We want the truth. We want to know why my father had to die for Rs 5. There was no one to speak for us. We were left alone, said the daily wages labourer, with his voice trembling. Kako is a Hindu-majority town, with Muslims making up only around 10 percent of the population. In Pakhanpura village, Mohsins family and one of his brothers are the only Muslim households. The family, however, says there has been no communal angle to the incident. Outrage, But Will There Be Accountability? That night, Mohsins family and supporters blocked NH-33 outside Kako police station for nearly four hours, demanding Patels arrest and an end to the illegal toll-collection system. The police promised swift action with the monetary compensation and urged the crowd to disperse so the body could be sent for post-mortem. Officials later said if the mandi had been auctioned, steps would be taken for its cancellation, as Bihar currently has no organised mandi system in place. On September 23, MLC Ghulam Ghaus visited the family and wrote to the chief minister seeking Rs 20 lakh in compensation for the widow and a government job for a family member. Wider Patterns of Indifference Across India, incidents of public indifference to violence against Muslims and Dalits surface with disturbing regularity. Outrage often erupts online, but on the ground, silence prevails. What happened in Kako is part of a larger climate. There is a growing normalisation of violence in public spaces and an equally growing acceptance that ordinary people should stay quiet. This silence, whether out of fear or apathy, enables the violence to repeat, said a rights activist from New Delhi. The pattern is not unique to Bihar. In recent years, street vendors and small hawkers across India have faced rising hostility, often from the very authorities meant to regulate and protect them. In Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, hawkers have been assaulted during anti-encroachment drives, with viral videos showing police floggings of poor traders in public squares. In Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, JCB excavators have been deployed to demolish market stalls and homes, frequently targeting Muslim vendors in the name of illegal construction or encroachments. In Himachal Pradesh and Assam, Muslim hawkers have been beaten or stripped of their wares by mobs, accusing them of trespassing or being outsiders. Each of these incidents may appear localised, but together they reflect a structural reality. A Delhi-based sociologist, who wished not to be named, points to a broader pattern: the normalisation of violence against the poor in public spaces. The invisibility of street vendors, their lives treated as disposable, is a reflection of hierarchy embedded in Indian society, said the academician. The question that still lingers: what is the worth of a human life in a society that lets a man die for an amount not even enough to buy a cup of tea? BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is advocating for the European Union to unlock up to 140 billion euros ($164 billion) in frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's war effort, marking the first public expression of support at this level from Germany for such a move. The proposal of an interest-free EU loan, outlined in a Financial Times editorial, aims to provide long-term support for Ukraine without violating property rights. The assets would remain frozen until Russia pays reparations for the war, Merz suggested, addressing longstanding legal and financial concerns that had previously made Germany and other EU states wary of confiscating Russian assets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the plan, the loan would initially be guaranteed by member states and later backed by the EU's long-term budget from 2028. GERMANY SEEKING TO APPLY PRESSURE "We need a new impetus to change Russia's calculations," Merz said in the editorial. "Now is the moment to apply an effective lever that will disrupt the Russian president's cynical game of buying time and bring him to the negotiating table." The editorial marks the first time Merz has given his backing to an EU plan to send the roughly 210 billion euros held in a Belgian depository to Ukraine without confiscating it - a red line for many member states and the European Central Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, in a separate statement, said Europe needed to exert maximum pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war against Ukraine. "That is why it is right to make greater use of frozen Russian assets. Germany is prepared to explore new avenues that are legally possible and responsible." The plan, important for Ukraine support amid uncertainty over the United States' commitment to Kyiv under President Donald Trump, is likely to dominate an informal EU summit in Copenhagen next week. "I propose that, at the European Council at the end of October, we give the mandate to prepare this instrument in a legally secure manner," Merz said, adding that payments should be disbursed in tranches and decisions on the arms procured should be taken jointly by Kyiv and EU member states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until now, the EU has taken only interest generated from the Russian assets, which were frozen after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Germany, the EU's biggest economy and Ukraine's second-biggest military backer, has previously expressed legal concerns over any proposals to seize the assets completely. The United States has long been Ukraine's biggest single backer and weapons supplier, but Trump says Europe should take on a much greater share of its own defence burden. ($1 = 0.8566 euros) (Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Friederike Heine and Christoph Steitz, Editing by Timothy Heritage, Bill Berkrot, Aidan Lewis) HA NOI Vietnamese steel exporters are being urged to tread carefully after the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam (TRAV) placed several product categories on a watchlist for possible anti-dumping, anti-subsidy or anti-circumvention action in key markets, including the European Union, Australia, Mexico, the United States and Thailand. TRAV said the alert follows sharp growth in shipments of certain lines where destination markets already impose trade-remedy measures on the same or 'like' goods from third countries. While Viet Nams market shares remain moderate in some cases, the rapid pace of expansion 'elevates the risk of investigations,' the authority noted. Cold-rolled flat steel exports to the EU reached US$88.4 million in the first half of 2025, up 21.5 per cent year-on-year and accounting for 9.8 per cent of EU imports. The bloc already levies anti-dumping duties on like products from China and Russia. If Viet Nams shipments continue to rise, TRAV warns that an EU anti-dumping initiation is possible. Tinplate sales to the EU reached $67.7 million, a 61 per cent increase and accounting for a 7.3 per cent import share, in a market where Brussels applies anti-dumping duties on Chinese tinplate. TRAV advises exporters to avoid key Chinese-origin inputs to reduce anti-circumvention exposure. Exports of iron and steel fasteners totalled $144.8 million, a 47.5 per cent increase that lifted Viet Nams share to 8.5 per cent of EU imports. The bloc already applies anti-dumping duties on Chinese fasteners, and TRAV said a probe is 'possible if momentum holds.' Organic-coated steel shipments stood at $66.8 million, up 63.7 per cent and equivalent to 8.8 per cent of EU imports. The EU currently imposes both anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on like products from China. Meanwhile, Viet Nam's hot-rolled structural sections to Australia surged to $24.1 million in H1 2025, a jump of 409.5 per cent that lifted its share to 24.4 per cent of Australian imports. Canberra already applies anti-dumping measures on such goods from Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and Thailand. Given the rapid growth and large share, TRAV flagged a high risk of trade-remedy action and urged exporters to avoid major Chinese-origin inputs. Hollow structural sections exports reached $9.7 million (+65.3 per cent) and a 7.9 per cent share, making Viet Nam the second-largest supplier. Australia currently has anti-dumping measures on comparable products from China, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia and Korea. A case is possible if growth continues, TRAV said. Prestressed products (PC strand) to Mexico rose to $24.8 million (+447.1 per cent) in H1 2025, equalling 28.2 per cent of Mexican imports. Mexico imposes anti-dumping duties on like goods from China, Spain and Portugal. TRAV views the risk of an anti-dumping probe as high. For the United States, prestressed concrete steel wire strand shipments were $15.8 million (+8.2 per cent), accounting for 26.3 per cent of US imports. Washington currently applies anti-dumping and countervailing duties on PC strand from 22 sources, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, India, China, Japan and Korea. TRAV says a US investigation is a significant risk given three years of fast growth and Viet Nams large share, and cautions against using imported inputs that could trigger anti-circumvention inquiries. Stainless-steel flanges to the US reached $8.9 million (+55.5 per cent) and 8.6 per cent of imports, ranking Viet Nam third behind Italy and India. The US already levies anti-dumping duties on flanges from China and India. TRAV warns of potential anti-dumping or anti-circumvention action and advises avoiding key inputs from those two countries. Flat cold-rolled stainless steel exports to Thailand were $16.8 million (+66.6 per cent) in H1 2025, an 8.2 per cent share. Bangkok currently imposes anti-dumping duties on like goods from Indonesia and Malaysia. With fast growth and a meaningful share, an initiation by Thai authorities is possible, TRAV said. Across markets, TRAV urges exporters to monitor pricing and margins, maintain robust documentation on input origin and production and avoid reliance on restricted third-country inputs, especially Chinese-origin materials in categories where the destination already targets China, so as to reduce anti-circumvention risk. The authoritys notice includes HS reference codes for each category to help firms map their exposure. Rising volumes are a success story but they also invite scrutiny, the agency cautioned, adding that early compliance planning can lower legal risk and help preserve market access as Viet Nams steel exports expand. VNS HA NOI President Luong Cuong received Taewon Chey, Chairman of SK Inc. and Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), in New York on Wednesday afternoon (local time), on the occasion of his attendance at the High-level General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) and bilateral activities in the US. At the meeting, the President highlighted the fine development of the Viet Nam Republic of Korea (RoK) relations across all fields, with the RoK is continuously among the leading investment and trade partners of Viet Nam. He appreciated the practical contributions by Korean enterprises, including SK, which have played an important role in Viet Nams socio-economic development. The State leader welcomed the groups active cooperation with Viet Nam over the recent past, particularly its deep involvement and strong support for the Viet Nam National Innovation Centre in training semiconductor engineers, as well as its sharing of innovative solutions in certain industries such as LNG energy. He suggested SK continue to coordinate with the centre to promote the development of human resources in the semiconductor industry, and implement initiatives and programmes to foster Viet Nams innovation ecosystem. Regarding the groups proposed activities in Viet Nam, the President requested it to work closely with relevant Vietnamese authorities and localities to conduct thorough evaluations of projects. He also affirmed that the Government always values and facilitates capable and dedicated enterprises investing in the country. Taewon Chey informed the President about SK Groups investment activities in Viet Nam in recent years and its plans to expand operations in the country in the near future. He emphasised that SK possesses world-leading capabilities in the energy sector and wishes to cooperate in implementing related projects in Viet Nam to contribute to the sustainable development of the Vietnamese economy. He noted that the company is currently considering several projects in the LNG power sector, as well as proposing to include certain projects in the green growth project portfolio and implement a comprehensive energy solution package in Viet Nam. The SK Group Chairman also expressed gratitude to the country for creating favourable conditions that have allowed the group to effectively carry out its projects there, including the Viet Nam National Innovation Centre and other important initiatives. Lauding Viet Nams remarkable progress in recent years, he showed his hope that the Vietnamese Government will continue to provide conditions for SK to accompany and contribute to the nations development in the new era. VNA/VNS Viet Nam is charging ahead in the artificial intelligence (AI) race, with generative AI moving rapidly from trial to full-scale production across Asia-Pacific. The country is emerging as one of the regions most dynamic markets, supported by Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is providing secure cloud infrastructure, training local talent and helping businesses apply AI responsibly. In an exclusive interview with Viet Nam News and Law reporter Vu Hoa, Jaime Valles, Vice President and General Manager of AWS Asia Pacific Japan (APJ), shared his insights on adoption trends, challenges and Viet Nams growing role in the AI landscape. Gen AI is booming across Asia-Pacific and Japan. What trends are AWS seeing and how are you supporting customers as they scale from pilots to production? Gen AI is not just about new technology; it is about business transformation. It enables companies to turn ideas into reality, improve customer experiences and accelerate innovation. Across Asia-Pacific and Japan, we have seen a clear shift. Last year was mostly about experimentation. This year it is about production at scale. Amazon Bedrock, our fully managed service for building and scaling Gen AI applications, has grown fivefold in users over the past year. It allows businesses to deploy leading foundation models from providers such as Anthropic and Cohere securely and to apply their own data to generate insights in real time. Adoption is happening across industries. In Japan and South Korea, manufacturers and telecom operators are using Gen AI for personalised services. In India and Australia, financial institutions are applying it to risk analysis and fraud detection. LGs pharmaceutical arm is using AI to speed up drug development. In customer service, AWS Connect with Gen AI is transforming how contact centre agents engage with clients. In Viet Nam, for example, VIB launched the first-in-Vietnam Gen AI assistant on its digital banking platform, ViePro, giving millions of customers a 24/7 interactive and accurate assistant built on AWS. It is helping them to increase productivity, grow their customer base and free their teams to focus on higher-value tasks. The common thread is that companies do not just want to train models. They want to apply them responsibly with their own data while meeting high standards of security and scalability. That is why AWS is increasingly the trusted partner to move from experimentation into production. Globally, we are supporting our customers by doubling our investment with an additional US$100 million into our AWS Generative AI Innovation Centre, which has helped thousands of customers turn AI potential into real business value. The centre combines Amazons decades of AI leadership and works directly with customers to deliver deployment-ready solutions in as little as 45 days, starting from real customer needs. What are the main challenges to AI adoption in APJ, and how is AWS addressing them? The two biggest challenges are skills and culture. Technology itself is not enough. Without people who know how to use it, AI cannot create value. Since 2017, AWS has trained more than 10 million people across Asia-Pacific and Japan and over 100,000 in Viet Nam alone. We work closely with governments on this effort. Viet Nams new digital technology law is a strong example of forward-looking policy because it not only encourages AI adoption but also provides incentives for workers to gain certification. Culture is just as critical. Gen AI is not only a technical shift but also a cultural one. Leadership must empower employees to use data and AI in their decision-making. Without empowerment, even the most advanced tools will not transform how businesses operate. This is why we launched our APJ Innovation Hub in Singapore in June. Customers who come to this hub can have an ideation session that starts from the top with CEOs and leave with an end-to-end implementation and planning plan from us. That is a major investment AWS is making and we are planning to do this with over 1,000 COEs in the next 12 months across ASEAN. AWS also builds responsibility into our services. Amazon Bedrock, for example, includes safeguards and guardrails that help ensure customers use AI responsibly. Security has always been central to Amazons approach and this is why customers trust us to bring Gen AI into production. How do organisations scale this culture of innovation beyond the CEOs vision? At AWS, we believe innovation must be systemised. The first mechanism is what we call 'working backwards,' where every project begins with solving a specific customer problem rather than applying technology for its own sake. The second mechanism is executive visioning. Leaders need to set a clear destination and then allow technology and teams to innovate towards that goal. The third is methodology. We provide frameworks that help businesses experiment, test quickly and scale responsibly. These mechanisms ensure that innovation is not limited to top executives or a handful of technical experts. Combined with skills development and cultural empowerment, they allow organisations to move beyond pilots and adopt AI broadly across all levels. That is how experimentation turns into sustainable transformation. Agentic AI, where systems act more autonomously, is emerging quickly. How do you see it reshaping industries in the region? We are in the early days but agentic AI will reshape every industry. Customer service, financial advice, agriculture and pharmaceuticals are already being disrupted. The most exciting change is that innovation no longer comes only from technical teams. Business users, who are closest to customers, can now describe an idea in natural language and let AI generate the implementation plan. AWS tools such as Amazon Q Developer and Kiro already make this possible for software development. We have now introduced the AI Development Life Cycle, which accelerates how businesses can move from ideas to working solutions by incorporating AI as a collaborator from the start. This shift will allow industries across Asia-Pacific to innovate faster, experiment more directly and unlock entirely new business models. Looking ahead, what is AWSs vision for enabling the next wave of digital innovation in APJ? Our vision has two parts: technology and culture. Technologically, we provide the broadest set of cloud and AI services in the industry, making AWS the partner of choice for companies that want to scale responsibly. Culturally, our leadership principles drive us to invent on behalf of customers and focus on long-term transformation. We are backing this vision with large-scale investment. Since 2010, AWS has invested tens of billions of US dollars into our world-class infrastructure across APJ, including US$14.96 billion in Japan, $12.7 billion in India, $6.2 billion in Malaysia, $5 billion in Thailand and billions more in Indonesia and New Zealand. Sustainability is also central. We reached 100 per cent renewable energy in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule, and aim to be water positive by 2030. Customers consistently raise sustainability right after AI and security in their conversations with us. Finally, startups are key to innovation. Through AWS Activate, we have provided more than $1 billion in credits to startups across Asia-Pacific and Japan. Startups move quickly and take bold risks and that is where many transformative ideas originate. Turning to Viet Nam, how is AWS helping drive AI adoption and where do you see the greatest opportunities? Viet Nam is one of the fastest-growing AI markets in the region, with Gen AI adoption rising nearly 39 per cent year on year. Our new study with Strand Partners shows that about five companies every hour were beginning to test or adopt AI in 2024. Our approach here focuses on four areas: startups, developers, regulatory engagement and customer-driven studies. We have trained more than 100,000 Vietnamese, built local developer programmes such as the Viet Nam Study Group and partnered with the government on regulatory frameworks. Viet Nam has one of the strongest developer communities in Asia-Pacific and we want to give them access to the latest cloud and AI technologies. We see great promise in financial services, logistics and manufacturing. ACB Securities, for example, launched SMARTY, a Gen AI-powered investment assistant that delivers real-time insights to self-directed investors. In banking, Techcombank has embraced AI to attract younger customers and improve their digital experience. Education is another priority. AWS is working with schools and universities to provide students with hands-on access to cloud and AI tools, ensuring that Viet Nams next generation of workers is prepared for a digital economy. For example, in June, Amazon donated 70 laptops to Truong inh High School on its 70th anniversary to help build its digital capabilities. Viet Nams strong talent pool, supportive Government policies, and fast adoption rate make it a critical market for AWS. With secure infrastructure and a culture of experimentation, we believe the country can leapfrog into becoming an AI-native economy. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on intellectual property (IP) cooperation in Ha Noi on Thursday, as part of WIPO Director General Daren Tangs visit to the country. The MoU sets out a comprehensive framework for IP cooperation. It covers a wide range of areas from policy and legislative development to raising awareness, training human resources, supporting enterprises, and strengthening the capacity of Viet Nams IP authority. The agreement aims to support Viet Nam in achieving breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. Priority areas include reviewing and implementing national IP legislation and strategies, enhancing the use of international IP registration systems, and building capacity for intermediaries, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and start-ups in managing, protecting, and commercialising IP assets. The two sides also agreed to promote the creation and commercialisation of domestic IP, including strengthening universitybusiness cooperation, advancing technology transfer, and conducting research on IPs contribution to socio-economic development. Other priorities involve expanding IP training across all levels, developing professional skills, raising public awareness, and applying digital and artificial intelligence solutions in IP examination and dispute resolution, including mediation mechanisms. The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)'s Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam will serve as the focal point for implementing the MoU, while WIPOs Asia and the Pacific Division will coordinate from the organisations side. The MoU is expected to mark a new chapter in Viet Nam-WIPO cooperation, particularly as global trends shift from IP protection to IP commercialisation. It also underlines MOSTs strategic role in guiding Viet Nams IP development in the new era. Earlier the same day, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung held a working session with WIPO Director General Daren Tang. Tang praised Viet Nams recent policies on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, highlighting the Politburos Resolution 57-NQ/TW issued on December 22, 2024 on breakthrough development in these fields. He said WIPO stands ready to work closely with Viet Nam to turn its innovation goals into concrete outcomes, including job creation, business growth, and new products and services. Hung proposed that WIPO design a support programme to help Viet Nam enter the worlds top 30 in the Global Innovation Index in the next five to ten years. He acknowledged the challenge of this target and stressed that support from WIPO and its Director General would be crucial to achieving it. VNS HA NOI The Viet NamRepublic of Korea project on energy efficiency investment and green growth has delivered practical results after more than three years of implementation, helping promote the investment market for energysaving solutions in the industrial sector and supporting the national Green Growth Action Plan. It has also strengthened the capacity of government agencies, enterprises and financial institutions to access, appraise and deploy energysaving projects. The information emerged at a workshop reviewing the Viet NamRoK cooperation project on energy efficiency investment and green growth in Ha Noi on Thursday. The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). In opening remarks, Nguyen Thi Lam Giang, director general of the MoITs Agency for Innovation, Green Transition and Industry Promotion (IGIP), emphasised that the project, funded by the RoK Government through KOICA, clearly demonstrated the friendly trustworthy and effective cooperation between Viet Nam and RoK. Giang stated the projects success had created an important foundation for scaling effective models and good practices, contributing to the formulation of mechanisms and policies that encourage investment and expand the energysaving and energyefficient market in Viet Nam in the coming time. Implemented nationwide during 20212025 under the MoIT, with IGIP as project owner, the initiative aims to contribute to national targets of reducing energy intensity, ensuring energy security for socioeconomic development and cutting greenhousegas emissions. The MoF is responsible for implementing the components related to green growth. Lee Byung Hwa, KOICA country director in Viet Nam, said that through the project, Viet Nam and RoK had worked closely together to improve energy efficiency in industry, build a green financial foundation and lay the groundwork for sustainable development. The project developed and revised energyconsumption norms and technical guidelines for key industries such as steel, cement, paper and textiles; implemented capacitybuilding programmes with many domestic and international experts; and shared Koreas knowledge and experience on energy efficiency and green growth with multiple stakeholders. In addition, the project conducted feasibility studies at enterprises, supported localities in developing inputs for greengrowth plans, provided recommendations and specific tasks thus laying the foundation for research results to be transformed into investment while spreading knowledge and promoting mindset and behavioural change toward green growth and sustainable development. Through research on public investment for climate and green investment guidelines, the project also contributed to building an institutional framework to encourage financial institutions and private enterprises to engage in future green growth projects. Lee Byung Hwa stressed that these results could not have been achieved by a single organisations effort but are the outcome of the strong commitment of the Vietnamese Government, active participation of domestic enterprises and experts and dedicated contributions from agencies and experts from both Viet Nam and South Korea. Speaking at the workshop, Le Viet Anh, deputy directorgeneral of the MoFs Department of Sectoral Finance and Economics, said over more than three years the project had produced practical outcomes. Notably project implementation agencies coordinated with localities to develop inputs, finalise and issue Green Growth Action Plans in 10 provinces. At the same time, studies on public investment for climate and green investment guidelines helped establish an institutional framework that encouraged enterprises and financial organisations to participate more deeply in green projects, he said. Alongside this numerous communication and training activities were organised to raise public awareness of green growth and sustainable development. Anh affirmed that the MoF was committed to continuing close coordination with the MoIT, other ministries, local authorities and the business community while also leveraging international cooperation resources to refine policies, create an enabling legal framework and mobilise and efficiently use green finance resources. VNS Fewer than 5% of eligible patients worldwide receive cochlear implants today Hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, linked to approximately 8% of global cases more than hypertension, obesity, smoking, or depression ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iotaMotion, Inc., the leader in robotic-assisted insertion systems for cochlear implantation, today announced it surpassed 1,000 clinical procedures utilizing the iotaSOFT Insertion System. This milestone underscores growing adoption of the first and only FDA market authorized robotic-assisted cochlear implant insertion system in the United States. The system provides surgeons with enhanced precision, consistency and control to one of the most delicate steps in cochlear implant (CI) surgery. The iotaSOFT Robotic-Assisted Cochlear Implant Insertion System advances surgery beyond the limits of the human hand with slow, consistent, and controlled electrode insertion to preserve delicate intracochlear structures. Shown with the drive unit guiding the array, iotaSOFT is FDA-authorized for patients 12 years and older, expanding access as fewer than 5% of 60M eligible patients worldwide receive implants. iotaMotion-- the leader in robotic-assisted insertion systems for cochlear implantation and maker of the iotaSOFT Insertion System, the first and only FDA market authorized robotic-assisted insertion system, indicated for patients 12 years and older. Now in its second full year of commercialization, iotaSOFT has been adopted in more than 30 leading cochlear implant centers nationwide, as well as an active pre-market clinical study site in Zurich, Switzerland. "Cochlear implantation is one of the most transformative surgeries in medicine, yet for decades this critical step, electrode array insertion, has relied solely on the limits of the human hand," said Mike Lobinsky, CEO of iotaMotion. "With iotaSOFT, we are advancing CI surgery beyond human capability. By standardizing insertion and expanding access to the latest technology, we are not only empowering surgeons but also breaking down patient barriers like fear of surgery, opening the door for millions who could benefit." Closing the Hearing Loss Treatment Gap According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 430 million people worldwide experience disabling hearing loss, including more than 60 million individuals with severe or greater impairment, the population most likely to benefit from cochlear implants. Yet adoption remains strikingly low, with fewer than 5% of eligible patients worldwide receiving an implant. Research highlights several factors driving this gap, including fear of losing residual hearing, lack of awareness about candidacy, emotional hesitancy to give up natural hearing and unrealistic expectations of outcomes. Combined with low global implant uptake, these barriers leave millions untreated despite being clinically eligible. At the same time, hearing loss has been identified as the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, accounting for about 8% of global cases more than hypertension, obesity, smoking, or depression, The Lancet reported in 2020. The iotaSOFT Insertion System directly addresses these barriers and concerns by enabling electrode array advancement with robotic consistency and control beyond the human hand. Studies and surgeon feedback confirm the system reduces insertion force and variability, helping to reduce trauma, preserve delicate cochlear structures, and improve patient confidence. A 2025 study in The Laryngoscope, titled Robotic-Assisted Electrode Array Insertion Improves Rates of Hearing Preservation, found that 85% of patients in the robotic-assisted insertion group maintained hearing preservation at one year, compared with 71% in the manual insertion group, according to Khan et al. "The iotaSOFT System was developed with one clear goal: to provide enhanced control and precision during one of the most critical steps of cochlear implant surgery," said Marlan Hansen, MD, chief medical officer of iotaMotion. "Reaching 1,000 clinical procedures is an important inflection point for both our company and the broader CI field as we demonstrate the value of robotic-assisted approaches in preserving delicate structures of the cochlea." Surgeons Report Improved Precision and Consistency The iotaSOFT Insertion System has been integrated into both academic and private practice settings with consistently positive results. "This technology allows me to perform electrode array insertions with even greater precision and consistency, case after case," said Michael Seidman , MD, an otologic surgeon at AdventHealth Celebration in Florida . "iotaSOFT has become an integral part of my practice and offers real value in limiting inner ear trauma for my patients." , MD, an otologic surgeon at AdventHealth Celebration in . "iotaSOFT has become an integral part of my practice and offers real value in limiting inner ear trauma for my patients." "As our cochlear implant program nears its 100th iotaSOFT insertion, I've seen firsthand the benefits of a steady, controlled advancement of the electrode array," added Eric Kraus , MD, an otologic surgeon at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. "The system brings a level of precision that's simply not possible with manual technique alone." As iotaMotion advances, the company remains committed to partnering with hearing health professionals worldwide to expand access to the benefits of robotic-assisted cochlear implantation. About iotaMotion iotaMotion, Inc. is a medical technology company based in St. Paul, Minnesota, dedicated to advancing cochlear implant surgery beyond human capability through robotic-assisted solutions. Its flagship technology, the iotaSOFT Insertion System, is designed to preserve delicate intracochlear structures through a slow and consistent electrode array insertion. The system is commercially available in the United States and under clinical investigation in other global markets. For more information, visit www.iotamotion.com or email [email protected]. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube. Sources: World Health Organization. World Report on Hearing . Geneva : WHO; 2021. . : WHO; 2021. Hearing Health Collaborative. Current Estimates of Cochlear Implant Utilization in the United States . AdultHearing.com, 2023. AdultHearing.com, 2023. Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care. Lancet, 2020. Khan AM, et al. Robotic-Assisted Electrode Array Insertion Improves Rates of Hearing Preservation . The Laryngoscope, 2025. 2025. iotaMotion Bench Research (internal patient interviews and literature review), 2023; additional data on file. Media Contact: Holly Windler 619.929.1275 [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2781481/iotaMotion_Robotic_Assisted_Cochlear_Implant_Insertion_System.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/545464/IOTAMOTION_NEW.jpg DUBAI Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and met with other officials as well as representatives of local corporations and businesses on September 24-25 as part of his working visit to the country. Meeting with Al Maktoum, Binh expressed admiration for achievements of the UAE and Dubai in particular, especially in developing its financial market with two major regional and global hubs the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Al Maktoum praised Viet Nam's efforts and affirmed the UAEs readiness to share experience and support Viet Nam in establishing an international financial centre (IFC). The officials discussed the socio-economic development of their countries, welcomed positive progress in the first year since the establishment of the comprehensive partnership, and reaffirmed their determination to create breakthroughs in bilateral relations across areas in the coming period. They agreed to step up coordination in implementing commitments made by the two countries high-ranking leaders during Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to the Middle East country in October 2024. Al Maktoum pledged to expedite procedures for approving the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Viet Nam, aiming to raise two-way trade to US$20 billion as soon as possible. The UAE side noted that Emirates airline, which currently operates 25 weekly flights to Viet Nam, hopes for more favourable visa policies for UAE citizens, entrepreneurs, and investors who want to explore the Vietnamese market. The two sides agreed to effectively implement the recently signed memoranda of understanding between ADGM and the Peoples Committees of HCM City and a Nang, strengthen experience sharing on building an integrated ecosystem for attracting international capital, legal tools, and personnel training to enhance financial services at the IFC. Viet Nam welcomed and pledged to create favourable conditions for UAE investors and financial institutions to operate in the country. The officials agreed to actively coordinate for the successful organisation of the UAEViet Nam Investment Conference in Viet Nam in early 2026. In his meeting with Minister of Cabinet Affairs Al Gergawi, Binh sought the ministers advice and recommendations on innovative approaches and key factors for Viet Nam to successfully develop its IFC. Al Gergawi noted that it is necessary to create distinct advantages, establish an independent regulatory authority, develop a specialised legal framework, and attract leading global financial institutions. He added that the most important factors are ensuring safety and transparency, along with the ability to respond quickly to policy changes in a volatile world. He emphasised that Viet Nam needs to clearly define its development segment, identify competitors, and determine its position on the global financial chessboard, noting that securing the participation of leading global financial institutions from the outset would be crucial. Binh affirmed that Viet Nam highly values learning from the UAEs experience in institutional reform and IFC development. The two sides agreed to continue policy exchanges, share governance experiences, and strengthen connections between their financial centres, helping position Viet Nam and the UAE as financial bridges between ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the global market. Meeting with UAE Minister of Artificial Intelligence Al Olama, Binh expressed Viet Nam's readiness to learn from the UAEs experience in creating attractive working conditions for top talent in finance and technology. Minister Al Olama praised Viet Nam's orientations for digital economy development, digital transformation, and IFC establishment. He said that if Viet Nam stays on the right path, its IFC could become a promising new destination. During his stay, the Vietnamese official also met with representatives from DIFC, G42 Group, Bybit, Binance, and Emaar major companies in digital assets and real estate. On this occasion, he witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on blockchain and digital asset development between Binance and the Peoples Committee of a Nang. VNA/VNS HA NOI Smartphones and e-readers are rapidly replacing print, as e-books, audiobooks and online reading platforms capture the attention of young readers across Viet Nam. In the midst of a digital transformation, the countrys publishing market faces an opportunity to reshape reading culture and bring literature into the hands of a new generation. inevitable change The digital age has opened an unprecedented space for accessing knowledge. Instead of visiting bookstores or libraries, readers can now explore vast libraries with just a few taps on a device. This shift reflects changing consumer trends and underscores the pressure for innovation in the publishing industry. Statistics from the Department of Publishing, Printing and Distribution show that in 2024, electronic publications accounted for around 8.9 per cent of the total number of books in Viet Nam. Audiobook listens and e-book downloads increased by more than 200 per cent compared with the previous year. These figures highlight a rapid shift towards digital reading, particularly among young people who are closely connected to mobile technology. Social media has become a hub for digital reading communities. Groups such as Audiobooks - Listen to Great Books Every Day with 29,000 members, E-book Library with 6,100 members and Free Audiobooks and Ebooks DakotaBooks with 3,300 members have attracted significant attention. Digital platforms are also expanding access for readers in areas with limited printed books and helping visually impaired readers engage with literature. From print to digital Bringing a book from print to digital requires a thorough digitisation process, including format conversion, metadata standardisation and copyright protection using Digital Rights Management (DRM) tools. Publishers must also adapt operations to take full advantage of digital platforms, including content management, distribution strategies and electronic payment systems. Technology fuels creativity Modern technology is pushing the boundaries of creativity. E-ink readers offer a paper-like experience while reducing eye strain. Artificial intelligence (AI) is enhancing audiobooks with natural-sounding narration and tailored content recommendations. Some experimental projects are using blockchain to secure copyrights or integrating augmented reality to create interactive reading experiences. With the strong development of the internet and digital platforms, digital publishing especially e-books is increasingly widespread worldwide and is beginning to take clearer shape in Viet Nam, said Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Digital Media Association Ho Quang Loi. The demand to access a vast knowledge through digital platforms, the convenience of new media, and the ability to read anytime and anywhere make digital books particularly appealing to the youth, who are adept at mastering technology. This aligns perfectly with the younger generation those striving to harness scientific and technological advancements. Opportunities for a new reading culture Technology is also opening new forms of reading. Beyond audiobooks, interactive books and virtual reality titles are emerging. While some require specialised devices, readers gain access to extensive literature, from contemporary releases to classic works spanning centuries. Statistics from Waka, a Vietnamese digital reading platform, indicate a positive trend in reading habits. On average, Vietnamese readers spend 13 hours and 15 minutes per week reading, surpassing countries with established reading cultures such as India (10 hours 42 minutes), Thailand (9 hours 24 minutes) and China (8 hours). Digital transformation is not simply changing the way people read; it is creating a new reading culture. For young Vietnamese, technology has made books more accessible, engaging and adaptable, promising a future in which literature is woven seamlessly into everyday life. Successful models have emerged in the Vietnamese market, demonstrating the appeal of digital products, such as Fonos, a popular audiobook platform attracting hundreds of thousands of users. Fonos collaborates with major publishers to digitise their book collections, invite professional voice artists for recordings, and develop comprehensive subscription packages, allowing readers to access thousands of titles at reasonable costs. In the e-book segment, the platform is a pioneer in providing subscription reading services and has expanded into foreign language books and skill development materials, offering more diverse options for readers. Additionally, some interactive book projects for children that utilise augmented reality (AR) technology are being tested in schools and bookstores. When scanned with a phone or tablet, the illustrations in the books come to life, helping children access knowledge through both visual and auditory means. At the Digital Publishing Summit 2025 (DPS 2025), themed The Future of the Publishing Industry in the Digital Age, Dr Nguyen Minh Hong, Chairman of the Vietnam Digital Media Association, said: Facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges, the publishing industry must view digital books as an important pathway to promote the reading culture. Most importantly, we should not just talk about digital transformation but actually take action to implement it. According to Chairman of Alpha Books Nguyen Canh Binh, publishing today is a journey of personalisation, interaction and continuous information updates through digital formats such as e-books, flashcards and microlearning. He emphasised that digital publishing not only helps reduce costs and shorten intermediary chains but also facilitates easier access to knowledge for everyone. Many experts agree that digital book publishing is a 'gold mine' for the world, with global revenues reaching US$120 billion per year. However, that 'gold mine' has not yet been effectively exploited in Viet Nam due to issues related to technology, conservative mindsets and, especially, the uncontrolled problem of copyright infringement. Experts suggest that technology can be applied to prevent infringement, similar to how Facebook and YouTube block copyright-infringing content as soon as users upload it. Director of Aki Electronics Nguyen The Hung believes that readers are not people who disrespect copyright but simply lack legitimate places to purchase copyrighted books online. "The world is rapidly shifting towards a content economy, but some publishers are still hesitant to publish digital books. If we do not quickly innovate our thinking and become more open to digital publishing, the Vietnamese publishing industry will fall behind and miss the opportunity to reach the younger generation of readers," he said. VNS Mental health in schools can no longer be sidelined. Experts warn that supporting students psychological wellbeing is an urgent, non-negotiable responsibility if children are to grow and thrive. Early detection of distress is critical, as untreated issues can hinder learning, development and long-term wellbeing. Associate Professor Pham Manh Ha, Doctor of Educational Psychology from the Faculty of Education at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, told VietnamPlus that gaps in students' mental health care persist and called for comprehensive strategies to address them. A video showing a 7th-grader grabbing a teacher by the hair and throwing her to the ground to retrieve a confiscated sharp toy has sparked public outrage. As an educator and an expert in educational psychology, how do you view this incident? As a teacher, I was truly shocked and heartbroken when I saw that clip. The students behaviour is entirely unacceptable, violating every ethical norm and the long-standing tradition of respecting teachers. Public anger over the incident is completely understandable. However, as an educational psychology lecturer, I cannot stop at outrage. I see this violent act as merely the tip of the iceberg the culmination of a series of psychological problems that had been building up, went undetected and unaddressed in time. Such an impulsive act is not simply a case of misbehaviour or defying discipline. It may well be a desperate cry for help from a child struggling with severe emotional regulation issues, invisible pressures from family and peers, or even challenges in their living environment. Instead of merely condemning the act, we need to ask what drove a child to the point of such extreme agitation. This is a crisis that calls for a multidimensional, humane and professional response, not just disciplinary measures. For the student, stabilising their mental state must be the priority. The immediate step should not be punishment, but removing them from criticism and placing them in a safe environment where they can calm down. School psychologists should intervene, speak with the student, and investigate their family circumstances, relationships and pressures to identify the root cause of the behaviour. The school, the family and mental health professionals must work together to build a tailored educational and support plan. The goal is not punishment, but helping the child recognise wrongdoing, learn emotional self-control and repair the harm caused. The teacher is a victim, having suffered severe physical and emotional shock. She must receive immediate psychological support to overcome the trauma and regain her confidence and sense of safety in the classroom. School leaders and colleagues need to stand with her, protect her and offer solidarity so that she does not face the pressure alone. This incident occurred just as the Ministry of Education and Training issued a new circular on student rewards and discipline, in which the most severe sanction is requiring a student to write a self-criticism. Some argue that this is not a strong enough deterrent, especially for students with behavioural issues. What is your view? The timing of the two events has sparked heated debate, but I believe blaming the new circular for the incident is a hasty conclusion. In my view, eliminating school suspension as a disciplinary measure is a step forward in educational thinking, a shift from punitive education to humane, constructive education. Harsh punishment does not solve the root of the problem. Expulsion is merely a quick fix, removing the visible symptom of the problem while leaving underlying issues untouched. Pushing a troubled child out of school is essentially the school giving up and shifting responsibility to society. This increases the risk that the child will go astray and become a greater burden later. Education is a responsibility. The new circular compels schools to stay with their students until the end, requiring more sophisticated and effective educational approaches instead of relying on the harshest disciplinary tools. The real challenge lies in implementation: do we have the resources and skills to put this policy into practice? For the new circular to work, we need a coordinated support system, teachers trained in crisis intervention, school psychologists with real authority and meaningful collaboration between families and schools. Instead of calling for a return to old punitive measures, we should focus on building the conditions necessary to bring the circulars humanistic spirit to life. Currently, most public schools still lack full-time school psychologists. How do you assess the role of school psychological counselling and its implementation in Viet Nam? This is one of the biggest barriers in our education system, and the reason why painful incidents like this still happen. School counselling rooms should be the heart of a happy school. Psychologists should not only work with troubled students and provide direct support to students, teachers and parents in times of crisis, but also play a preventive role - screening and detecting early signs of psychological distress. They should organise workshops and practical sessions on life skills and parenting skills to improve mental wellbeing for the entire school community, helping students, teachers and parents build healthy psychological development. Unfortunately, we are in a situation where school counselling services exist but are insufficient, undervalued or poorly implemented. There is a shortage of trained psychologists, both in numbers and quality. Many schools do not have a counselling room, or if they do, the role is handled by staff with other responsibilities, often without professional training. Another problem is the common misconception that counselling rooms are only for 'bad' students. This stigma discourages students from seeking help, and teachers and parents have yet to fully appreciate the importance of these services. As a result, school psychologists often lack influence, resources and a clear mechanism to work with other school departments. I believe that unless we seriously invest in and elevate the status of school psychological counselling, the humane goals of the new circular will be hard to achieve. Caring for students mental health must be seen as an urgent, non-negotiable task. The Politburo has just issued Resolution 71 on breakthroughs in education and training development, which states that moral education has not been given adequate attention and remains ineffective. In your opinion, what are the causes, and how can we teach ideology and traditional ethics more effectively to students? Resolution 71 has accurately identified the situation. The recent incident is a painful reminder of where moral education has failed. The reason moral, ideological and lifestyle education has been ineffective in schools is because of the formalistic, hollow way it is delivered and the lack of consistent, coordinated action. Moral education often turns into dogmatic lectures or rigid slogans on the walls, instead of being translated into practical, lived experiences. Students memorise content for exams, but they do not internalise it as a guide for life. What they see outside the classroom on social media, in society and sometimes even in their own families often contradicts what they are taught at school. The real-world environment lacks role models of kindness, tolerance and respect. Our curricula are heavy on academic knowledge but light on emotional development and life skills. We are too focused on cramming information and neglect teaching students foundational socialemotional skills like empathy, anger management, non-violent communication and conflict resolution. To make moral and ideological education more effective, we must shift from lecturing to experiencing. Moral education should be embedded in hands-on activities such as community projects, volunteer work and simulated problem-solving scenarios. Teachers themselves must serve as living examples. This is the true meaning of the saying 'a teacher must be a teacher.' The weight of a teachers words depends on their own character, fairness and compassion. This is the most powerful and authentic form of moral education. In addition, emotional education must be integrated into the school curriculum. Schools should systematically include social and emotional learning programmes in the core syllabus to help students understand and manage their inner world. VNS Vietnamese ambassador to Russia ang Minh Khoi spoke to Vietnam News Agency ahead of the Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodins visit to Viet Nam from September 28 to 29, which diplomats said is a great opportunity for comprehensive dialogues on bilateral and inter-parliamentary cooperation. How have bilateral relations progressed in recent years, especially following Party General Secretary To Lams state visit to Russia in May 2025? General Secretary To Lams official visit to Russia in May 2025 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War triumph was a success. The trip not only consolidated the long-standing traditional friendship but also created a breakthrough, bringing the Viet NamRussia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new phase of growth on the foundation of high political trust. In particular, senior leaders of the two countries expressed a strong consensus in their determination to reinvigorate bilateral relations and make cooperation increasingly practical and effective, in response to each countrys interests and development needs in the new era. This was also a return visit for Russian President Vladimir Putins visit to Viet Nam in June 2024. With the implementation of the Joint Statement on major orientations for Viet NamRussia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new period, and the cooperation agreements on diplomacy, defence, oil and gas, the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, science and technology, and education and training signed within the framework of the visits, it can be said that the Viet NamRussia ties are transforming with more momentum for comprehensive cooperation. In addition, their political relations are becoming more reliable and cooperation in all aspects is more dynamic and effective. This is especially true in trade-economic relations, where both sides found new impetus for traditional areas of cooperation while also expanding collaboration in new, highly potential fields such as science-technology and health care. High-level dialogues and exchanges between the two countries continue to be maintained regularly, further strengthening political trust a key factor for Viet Nam and Russia to enhance their strategic cooperation. State President Luong Cuong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had held bilateral meetings with Russian President Putin on the sidelines of the 80th anniversary of the worlds victory over fascism and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China, respectively. Now, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Volodin visits Viet Nam. The two countries cherish the historical values associated with their important anniversaries in 2025, and demonstrate this with specific actions. Following the Party chiefs visit, a high-ranking Russian representative Vladimir Yakushev, Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia Party and First Vice Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly attended Viet Nams 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day. For the first time, Russia sent a contingent of its military personnel to participate in Viet Nams National Day parade on this occasion. It can be said that there has been clear progress in cooperation between the two countries recently, following the Party General Secretarys visit, in areas such as energy, health care, culture, tourism and construction. Notably, a Viet Nam Culture Festival was held for the first time at Moscows Red Square (July 25 - August 3), attracting nearly one million visitors. The participation and victory of Viet Nams representative uc Phuc at the Intervision International Music Contest hosted by Russia on September 20 also brought a breath of fresh air to Viet NamRussia cooperation, strengthening the connection between the two countries and their peoples, creating a favourable premise to boost cooperation in other fields, and contributing to reinvigorating their ties. What is the significance and key activities of the visit by Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin and what are the highlights in bilateral relations? At the invitation of National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin will pay an official visit to Viet Nam and attend the fourth session of the Viet NamRussia Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee from September 28 to 29, 2025. This is Volodins third visit to Viet Nam in his capacity as the State Duma Chairman. This visit is made within the cooperation framework between the Vietnamese NA and the Russian Parliament, taking place in the year when the two countries commemorate many important events of each country and of the Viet NamRussia relations, such as the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Viet NamRussia diplomatic relations, the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War triumph, and the 80th anniversary of Viet Nams National Day. The visit has great significance. First, the trip shows that the two countries value their traditional friendship and are determined to consolidate and deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It is an important event of Viet NamRussia ties in 2025, commemorating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, following the activities of senior leaders of both sides since the beginning of the year. These include the official visit of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to Viet Nam in January 2025 and the trip made by Party General Secretary To Lam to Russia in May of the same year. They are an affirmation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and the Russian Federation, continuing their traditional friendship and cooperation that has been built and nurtured over the past 75 years while entering a new era with a new spirit and increasingly high political trust. Second, this visit aims to accelerate the implementation of major orientations to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which were discussed and agreed upon by the senior leaders of the two countries during the state visit of President Vladimir Putin to Viet Nam (June 2024) and the official visit of Party General Secretary To Lam to Russia (May 2025). The two countries top legislative bodies play an important role in designing a legal framework for bilateral cooperation, as well as supervising the deployment of high-level agreements. Third, this visit reflects the increasing importance of the NA in promoting bilateral cooperation as well as parliamentary cooperation in the world. Fourth, the trip contributes to strengthening cooperation between the Russian State Duma, the Russian Federal Assembly, and the Vietnamese NA one of the important aspects of political cooperation in their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It also strengthens exchanges, dialogues and coordination between specialised committees and friendship parliamentary groups of the two countries, as well as their collaboration at international and regional inter-parliamentary forums. This presents an opportunity for high-level, comprehensive discussions on bilateral cooperation, from economics, trade, energy, oil and gas, science and technology, to education, culture, defence, security, people-to-people exchanges and inter-parliamentary cooperation. They can also promote key projects, remove current bottlenecks and identify future directions for cooperation. Within the framework of the visit, Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin and NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man will co-chair the fourth session of the Viet NamRussia Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee. This is the first and highest inter-parliamentary cooperation mechanism between the Vietnamese NA and a foreign legislative body. At this meeting, the two sides will share experiences in legislative activities, enforce the supervisory role of their parliaments in bilateral cooperation, and discuss guiding solutions for their respective governments to address the current bottlenecks in bilateral ties. Key topics include identifying new momentum and effectively exploring potential areas such as science-technology, education and training to achieve the goal of reinvigorating relations and elevating their cooperation to a new height. This is the fourth session of the committee, and the two sides have had experience in coordination. I believe the meeting will be very successful. What is the role of the cooperation between the Vietnamese NA and the Russian State Duma in addressing bottlenecks and boosting progress of the Viet NamRussia ties? As legislative bodies, the cooperation, coordination and exchange of experiences between the Vietnamese NA and the Russian State Duma, through their Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee as well as other specialised committees, are important in supervising the implementation of agreements made between the two countries top leaders. This creates a favourable business environment and strengthens trade-economic cooperation as well as investment for businesses and people of both sides, while also developing a timely and comprehensive legal framework for effective bilateral activities. In addition to the inter-governmental committees, the inter-parliamentary cooperation committee is one of the important mechanisms in promoting bilateral cooperation. Multiple issues were addressed in the third session in September 2024, which had the participation of government representatives from both countries. If this mechanism continues to be maintained effectively, cooperation through the parliamentary channel will continue to play an active role in removing obstacles and promoting key energy cooperation projects. Specialised parliamentary committees of the two countries can also expand cooperation in science and technology, education and training areas of strengths and potential for Russia, and towards which Viet Nam has a strong demand in order to respond to its development goals in the new era. Additionally, I believe more attention should be paid to promoting labour cooperation and citizen travel between the two countries. VNS HA NOI Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Daren Tang expressed WIPOs commitment to partnering with Viet Nam to build a forward-looking knowledge-based economy during an interview recently granted to the press, as part of his working trip to Viet Nam from September 25-26. Tang lauded Viet Nam's remarkable socio-economic and cultural transformation over the past eight decades, noting its climb from 76th in the 2013 global innovation rankings to 44th in 2024 a rare feat. This progress, he said, positions Viet Nam strongly for its next development phase. To keep the momentum going, Tang called for a concerted push toward research and development, coupled with a focus on cultivating human talent capable of transforming bright ideas into concrete outcomes like jobs, manufacturing, services. The vision he articulated was clear, saying that Viet Nam must pivot from an economy rooted in assembly and agriculture to one fueled by knowledge, where creativity is not just nurtured but monetised. Reflecting on the evolution of intellectual property (IP), Tang noted that its role has shifted dramatically. IP protection was once all about registering patents, guarding rights; but it is now, in the eyes of both WIPO and Viet Nam, a springboard for commercialisation. The real question is how to turn an invention into concrete economic results once it is registered, he said. To that end, Viet Nam and WIPO are sketching a roadmap, one designed to ferry ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace. Tang envisioned an ecosystem where universities, research institutes, fledgling startups, and corporate giants are stitched together, creating a vibrant network that turn intellectual capital into national wealth. Raising public awareness of IPs value is critical, he stressed, citing a memorandum of understanding signed with the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology on September 25 as a vital catalyst for Viet Nam's next development chapter. He reiterated WIPOs pledge to connect Vietnamese partners with businesses. He pointed to WIPOs Lab to Market initiative in Viet Nam, which empowers tech-savvy students to turn their classroom innovations into cash cows and spin off new companies from universities and research hubs. Tangs optimism extended to Viet Nam's ambitions, as outlined in the Politburos Resolution No. 57, a sweeping directive focused on breakthroughs in sci-tech, innovation, and digital transformation. With WIPOs support, he believed, Viet Nam is poised to turn this resolution into reality. VNA/VNS HA NOI State President Luong Cuongs working trip to the US for the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) and bilateral engagements has been a success, achieving all set goals and leaving a good impression on both the multilateral and bilateral fronts, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs ang Hoang Giang. The September 21-24 trip, packed with nearly 70 activities, coincided with the 80th anniversaries of both Viet Nam and the UN, alongside the 30th anniversary of normalised Viet NamUS diplomatic ties. Giang described the trip as an important step in advancing Viet Nam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralisation, and comprehensive global integration. At the UN, most nations reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism, with the UN Charter and international law as an anchor for tackling global challenges and securing national interests. This shared commitment, Giang said, provides a vital foundation for Viet Nam to foster peace, stability, and development. The State leader and high-ranking Vietnamese delegation used their UN platform to narrate the countrys remarkable journey from war-torn poverty to a middle-income nation brimming with potential. Their speeches painted a picture of a Viet Nam poised for prosperity, ready to embrace a new era of growth. Viet Nam's pledges went beyond rhetoric. The country is actively contributing to UN bodies like the Human Rights Council, the International Law Commission, and UNESCO. It is also spearheading initiatives such as hosting the October 2025 signing of the UN Convention against Cybercrime and chairing the 2026 Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Viet Nam's ongoing role in UN peacekeeping further cements its status as a responsible global player. A diplomatic milestone came with the signing of a Joint Communique with Tuvalu, making Viet Nam one of the few nations with diplomatic ties across the entire UN membership. On the bilateral front, President Cuong's meetings with US officials, Congress, local authorities, and major corporations carried a message of forward-looking partnership as the two nations mark 30 years of diplomatic ties and two years of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. These engagements fueled optimism about deepening ties to benefit businesses and citizens on both sides, Giang said. Looking ahead, Giang said Viet Nam plans to maintain its active, responsible, creative role in the UN and other multilateral forums, with meticulous preparations underway for the UN Convention against Cybercrime signing in October. Viet Nam will also deepen ties with global partners through cooperation in international bodies and regular dialogues on security, political, and regional and international issues. Viet Nam and the US will maintain ongoing high-level exchanges and cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, and investment, national defence and security, science and technology, innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), transportation, and education and training. Both countries will also continue to address war consequences and engage in dialogues to resolve any remaining differences in their bilateral relations. VNA/VNS AN GIANG With APEC 2027 Leaders Week on the horizon, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, relevant ministries and investors have been urged to concentrate their full efforts on completing projects three to six months ahead of schedule, ensuring high quality and leaving a striking impression of Viet Nam and Phu Quoc on the international stage. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung made the call on Wednesday while attending, together with heads of ministries and agencies, provincial authorities and investors, the ground-breaking and launch ceremony for 10 projects supporting APEC 2027 Leaders Week. The event also marked the first Provincial Party Congress for the 202530 term. He said that implementation must be transparent and public, with no room for malpractice, corruption, losses or vested interests. The ministries were asked to intensify inspection and supervision while continuing to support the province in addressing obstacles as they arise. Dung also urged the province to carry out regular inspections, coordinate closely at grassroots level to resolve difficulties, accelerate investment procedures and strive to commence all 11 remaining projects by October. The province was further instructed to prioritise social welfare and resettlement compensation, ensuring that relocated residents enjoy employment opportunities and living standards equal to or better than before. Investors, contractors, and supervisory consultants were instructed to demonstrate the highest sense of responsibility, implement construction swiftly, ensure safety and quality, and aim to exceed schedule targets. Also at the ceremony, Dung praised the consensus and support of local people in affected areas, particularly in site clearance, and appealed to socio-political organisations and the public to continue supporting, uniting and actively engaging in oversight and social feedback so that projects can be completed on time. Major event He added that APEC 2027 Leaders Week is a major political event for the country, an opportunity for Viet Nam to affirm its role as a proactive and responsible member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and a strategic chance to elevate both bilateral and multilateral relations with member economies. Phu Quoc Island, strategically located in the heart of the Asia-Pacific, with a deep-water port, modern international airport and favourable natural conditions, has been chosen as the venue for the event. Preparations are divided into three phases, consisting of 2025 for comprehensive mobilisation, 2026 for fundamental completion, and 2027 for the actual hosting of APEC 2027 Leaders Week. Seven projects were started on Wednesday, including a provincial road stretching from T.973Phu Quoc International AirportT.975T.973, 20km long, with an investment of VN2.5 trillion (US$94.7 million); underground technical infrastructure in Duong ong Ward, worth VN550 billion ($20.8 million); underground technical infrastructure in An Thoi Ward, VN420 billion ($15.9 million); and the Smart Operations Centre for comprehensive management of Phu Quoc Special Zone, worth VN500 billion ($18.9 million). Three projects were launched, consisting of Bai Bon Waste Treatment Plant, covering 15ha, capacity 250 tonnes per day; An Thoi Domestic Solid Waste Treatment Plant, covering 4.2ha, capacity 110 tonnes per day; and Cua Can Reservoir Water Plant, capacity 49,500 cu.m per day. Chairman of Sun Groups Southern Region Branch Bui Thanh Trung said the corporation and contractors would mobilise all expertise, resources and experience to implement projects with discipline, international standards, rapid progress and superior quality, ensuring each project not only serves APEC 2027 but also provides lasting value for the community and contributes to the sustainable development of the locality. Alongside Sun Group, other contractors have also been entrusted to join in delivering these strategically significant projects, which are for APEC 2027 and the islands long-term socio-economic growth. The projects are expected to help drive urban development, upgrade transport infrastructure, facilitate trade and tourism, attract domestic and foreign investment, particularly in services, tourism and real estate, and promote the global profile of Phu Quoc Special Zone and the province. VNS HA NOI President Luong Cuong received US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Wednesday morning (local time), on the sidelines of the 80th High-level General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Vietnamese leader appreciated Rubios support for Viet Nam and the two countries relations amid the 30th anniversary of the relationship normalisation and two years since the elevation of ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Viet Nam always views the US as a partner of strategic importance and wishes to join hands with the US to continue implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in an increasingly substantive manner, with respect for each others independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political regimes, for shared peace, stability, and prosperity, he stated. The two sides discussed various cooperation areas such as politics diplomacy, economy trade investment, security defence, science technology, education, and humanitarian assistance war legacy settlement. President Cuong asked the two countries to continue interactions and mutual visits at all levels, especially the high level, to maintain mutual understanding and trust and together effectively handle concerns of each side, particularly the issue of reciprocal tariffs. He affirmed that Viet Nam welcomes US businesses increase cooperation and investment in such strategic fields as the semiconductor industry and the training of high-quality human resources. He called on the US Government to soon recognise Viet Nam as a market economy and remove the country from the strategic export control list. Echoing the Vietnamese leaders views, Rubio emphasised that the administration of President Donald Trump always considers Viet Nam one of the top partners in the region. He perceived that the countries Comprehensive Strategic Partnership should not only be maintained but also develop more substantively, especially when there remains considerable potential for bilateral economic, trade, and investment cooperation and the two sides share common interests in ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in Asia-Pacific. The stronger bilateral cooperation is, the more opportunities are created for their relations, the Secretary of State noted, affirming that the US is ready to accompany Viet Nam during this process for the sake of both peoples. The same day, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung had a meeting with the US Secretary of State. Looking back on the countries relations over 30 years since the normalisation of bilateral ties, Trung expressed his delight at the progress of the relations, based on overcoming differences and building trust, for the sake of the two peoples as well as for regional and global peace, stability, and development. Viet Nam wishes to serve as a bridge of peace and join efforts by countries in and outside the region to create an Asia-Indo-Pacific region of peace, stability, and development, he remarked. Trung asked both sides to sustain the development momentum of their ties, including meetings and delegation exchanges at all levels, especially the high level. Regarding economy trade, he noted Viet Nam is always a trustworthy partner of the US and ready to purchase US commodities, particularly high technology products like aircraft and semiconductors, and open its market wide to US goods. He also proposed the US consider specific factors of the Vietnamese economy during the negotiation of a reciprocal tariff agreement between the two countries. Viet Nam, Trung said, hopes to work more closely with the US in the spheres of shared interest, especially anti-transnational crime, counter-terrorism, and cybersecurity. The official also applauded the USs decision to maintain war legacy settlement projects in Viet Nam, stressing that cooperation in addressing war consequences is one of the important pillars helping to promote the healing of the wounds of war, reconciliation, trust building, and the shaping of foundation for bilateral relations. In addition, he thanked the US administration for supporting the Vietnamese-American community while speaking highly of the communitys contributions to the local society along with bilateral connections. Agreeing with Trungs opinions, Rubio reaffirmed his countrys commitment to supporting a strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous Viet Nam, and that the US always regards Viet Nam as one of the leading partners in the region. The US will also work with Viet Nam to seek every chance for further promoting practical measures to effectively and substantively implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all spheres, he continued. He added that President Trump hopes the two sides will soon finalise negotiations to carry out the reciprocal tariff agreement, thereby generating benefits for both. At the meeting, the two officials also discussed some regional and international issues of shared concern and agreed to step up collaboration with respect for ASEANs centrality, and to boost practical measures to help maintain peace, stability, and development across the Indo-Pacific region. Trung also took this occasion to invite Rubio to visit Viet Nam in the near future. The US Secretary of State accepted the invitation with pleasure. VNA/VNS HA NOI President Luong Cuong visited the headquarters of Viet Nams Permanent Mission to the United Nations and met with officials and staff of Vietnamese representative agencies, along with representatives of the Vietnamese community in the US, on Wednesday (New York time). The event took place as part of his trip to attend the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly and conduct bilateral activities in the US. Stressing that the US is a strategically important partner of Viet Nam and that New York is a hub where Viet Nam carries out many of its most important multilateral diplomatic activities, especially at the UN and other international organisations, President Cuong underlined that Viet Nam US relations have been growing deeper and more comprehensive across all fields, particularly since they elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. At the same time, cooperation between Viet Nam and the UN has also yielded many substantive results. He affirmed that Viet Nams reputation and standing in the eyes of the international community have been rising, as evidenced by its election to many important positions and bodies of the UN. He attributed these achievements partly to the important contributions by officials and staff at Viet Nams representative missions, as well as the Vietnamese community in the US. Emphasising that the overseas Vietnamese community is an inseparable part, the flesh and blood, and a component of the great national solidarity bloc, as well as an important driving force of the country, the President highlighted the Party and State's consistent policy of caring for and supporting Vietnamese people abroad. He appreciated the efforts by those in the US in general and in New York in particular to stabilise their lives, integrate well into the host society, preserve the national identity and culture, and maintain their bond with the homeland. The State leader expressed his hope that they will continue contributing to the homeland, whether directly by returning home or indirectly from afar, through capital, expertise, intellect, or the persistent and quiet efforts to preserve the Vietnamese language and promote the national cultural identity in the host country. He also called on the community to keep serving as an important bridge helping advance the Viet Nam US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. On this occasion, President Cuong commended the efforts by the staff and officials of Viet Nams representative agencies in carrying out diplomatic tasks and concurrently paying due attention to community affairs. He asked them to continue to promote external relations and consider this a vital and regular task in the building, development, and defence of the Fatherland in the new era; strengthen research and policy advice to the Party and State with effective and appropriate recommendations; further enhance community-related activities; listen to and address the concerns and aspirations of overseas Vietnamese; and create all possible conditions to support the Vietnamese community in the US so that it may continue to grow stronger and integrate successfully into the host society. VNA/VNS HA NOI Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid praised the progress of their countries long-standing friendship during a meeting in New York on the morning of Wednesday (local time). The event took place on the sidelines of the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and bilateral activities in the US. President Cuong affirmed that Viet Nam always treasures and wishes to strengthen multifaceted cooperation with Iraq, particularly in the areas of economy, trade, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. He proposed increasing delegation exchanges, especially business missions, to explore cooperation opportunities in potential sectors and boost access to the Halal market. He also expressed his hope that Iraq will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest in areas aligned with Iraqs reconstruction needs. For his part, the Iraqi leader expressed admiration for Viet Nams achievements in national development, stressing that Iraq views Viet Nam as an important partner and wishes to advance cooperation in economy, trade, investment, water management, agriculture, and infrastructure development serving its reconstruction. Both sides agreed to further improve the effectiveness of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and consider the establishment of new ones and the signing of agreements in potential sectors. On this occasion, the two leaders also consented to step up cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums. President Cuong extended an invitation to President Abdul Latif Rashid to visit Viet Nam and attend the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Ha Noi next month. VNA/VNS Health plans to host series of vaccination events throughout Los Angeles County, individuals vaccinated will receive a $20 grocery gift card, while supplies last LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan today announced an expanded offering at their annual vaccine events, taking place in September and October, at their Community Resource Centers. In addition to providing flu vaccines, the events will have school-required vaccinations available making it easier for families to meet these essential school requirements while helping prevent the spread of contagious diseases. What's available this year: Flu DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) Polio Hepatitis B, MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) Varicella **Vaccines are offered based on availability, California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines, and insurance eligibility. "Getting vaccinated is one of the simplest yet most impactful actions we can take to protect our families and communities," said Martha Santana-Chin, CEO of L.A. Care. "By offering convenient, walk-in access to flu, and school-required vaccines, we're ensuring greater protection and peace of mind for everyone as we head into the flu season." Attendees who receive any of these vaccines, offered on a walk-in basis, will receive a $20 grocery gift card, while supplies last. "We're proud to have a role in making it easier for students to get critical vaccinations by attending events at Community Resource Centers in their communities," said Jennifer Schirmer, vice president of Medi-Cal growth and community engagement for Blue Shield Promise. "This is another example of Blue Shield Promise's commitment to bringing health care directly to the communities where families work, live and go to school." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 20242025 U.S. flu season was rated "high severity" for all age groups, resulting in approximately 610,000 hospitalizations and 26,000 deaths nationwide. At least 216 pediatric deaths were recorded, surpassing the previous high of 207 reported during the 20232024 regular (non-pandemic) season. Experts continue to link these outcomes with declining vaccination rates, especially in children. To learn more about the Community Resource Centers and the programming aimed at enhancing overall health and well-being, visit CommunityResourceCenterLA.org. A full schedule of the vaccine events is below and linked here: Saturday, Sept. 27 | 10 a.m. 2 p.m. Community Resource Center in South L.A. 5710 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90043 Saturday, Oct. 11 | 10 a.m. 2 p.m. Community Resource Center in Wilmington 911 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington, CA 90744 Thursday, Oct. 16 | 1 5 p.m. Community Resource Center in Palmdale 2072 E. Palmdale Blvd., Palmdale, CA 93550 Saturday, Oct. 18 | 10 a.m. 2 p.m. Community Resource Center in East L.A. 4801 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90022 Friday, Oct. 24 | 1 - 5 p.m. Community Resource Center in Panorama City 7868 Van Nuys Blvd., Panorama City, CA 91402 Saturday, Oct. 25 | 10 a.m. 2 p.m. Community Resource Center in Long Beach 5599 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA 90805 About L.A. Care Health Plan L.A. Care Health Plan is the largest health plan in Los Angeles County serving more than one of every four Angelenos. It is also the largest publicly operated plan in the country. L.A. Care offers four health coverage plans including Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Covered, L.A. Care Medicare Plus and the PASC-SEIU Homecare Workers Health Care Plan, all dedicated to being accountable and responsive to members. As a public entity, L.A. Care's mission is to provide access to quality health care for L.A. County's low-income communities, and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose. L.A. Care prioritizes quality, access and inclusion, elevating health care for all of L.A. County. For more information, follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. About Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is a managed care organization, wholly owned by Blue Shield of California, offering Medi-Cal. It is led by healthcare professionals with a "members-first" philosophy and committed to building a quality network of providers and partnering with community organizations for about 580,000 members across Los Angeles and San Diego counties. It was rated 4 out of 5 in NCQA's Medicaid Health Plan Ratings 2024. For more information about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit www.blueshieldca.com/promise. For more news about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit promisenews.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn. Media contacts: L.A. Care Health Plan Mayra Suarez (408) 476-3512 [email protected] Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan Juliane Matignas (510) 607-2359 [email protected] SOURCE Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan HA NOI Turkiye considers Viet Nam an important partner in Asia, its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Vietnamese President Luong Cuong at their meeting on the afternoon of Wednesday in New York (local time), held on the sidelines of the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. President Cuong congratulated Turkiye on its significant socio-economic accomplishments, voicing his belief that under the clear-sighted leadership of President Erdogan, the country will successfully reach its strategic development goals. He affirmed that Viet Nam always attaches importance to strengthening friendship and cooperation with Turkiye, one of its leading partners in the Middle East. Expressing his admiration for Viet Nams remarkable socio-economic achievements, President Erdogan agreed with his counterparts proposal to boost delegation exchanges, especially those at the high level, in the time to come. He perceived that both countries are now in a favourable position to elevate their relations to a new height. The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the breakthrough progress, potential, and untapped opportunities of bilateral ties in recent years. They agreed to continue striving toward the goal of US$4 billion in bilateral trade, while also exploring new frameworks to further facilitate trade and investment, including the promotion of a bilateral free trade agreement. They also discussed specific measures to advance cooperation in key areas such as economy, trade and investment, defence-security, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. They pledged to strengthen coordination at multilateral forums, and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern. On this occasion, President Cuong invited President Erdogan to pay a visit to Viet Nam soon. The Turkish leader gladly accepted the invitation. VNA/VNS HA NOI President Luong Cuong met with leaders of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute and the Vietnamese Studies Programme at Columbia University in New York on Wednesday afternoon, on the occasion of his presence at the High-Level General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly and his bilateral activities in the US. Expressing his pleasure at meeting Professor Nguyen Lien Hang, who has made substantial contributions to the development of bilateral relations, including founding the Vietnamese Studies Programme at Columbia University in 2017, the President congratulated Columbia University on its achievements. He noted that the university is considered one of the leading educational institutions in the US, producing many generations of US leaders and renowned scientists, and also training many Vietnamese students. He affirmed that Viet Nam regards the US as a leading strategic partner and wishes to continue deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a substantive, effective, and sustainable manner, thus contributing positively to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world. He emphasised that bilateral cooperation in the field of education and training has shown positive signals, with Columbia University being a major partner that has maintained a strong and fruitful relationship with Viet Nam over the years, particularly through the establishment of the Vietnamese Studies Programme, which has helped promote the Vietnamese culture and enhance the understanding of Viet Nam and its people in the host country. President Cuong expressed his confidence and hope that with the long-standing friendship and partnership, as well as the deep understanding, affection, and dedication of Professor Hang and her colleagues toward Viet Nam, they will continue to support and promote substantive cooperation between Columbia University and Viet Nam, thereby contributing to the development of bilateral relations, with the Vietnamese Studies Programme becoming increasingly strengthened and attracting broader participation of students. Hang affirmed that she will continue to promote cooperative activities with Viet Nam, particularly the initiatives being implemented by the Weatherhead East Asian Institute and the Vietnamese Studies Programme, and expressed her desire to further develop and expand courses on Viet Nam. Hang and other professors showed their hope to develop a global Vietnamese studies programme, and connect higher education institutions in Viet Nam and the US, including Columbia University. They also presented the initiatives within this programme, including those related to the arts aimed at promoting the Vietnamese culture, arts, language, and beauty worldwide; issues on technology, energy, and information technology capacity enhancement for future development; the Viet Nam policy dialogue within the Vietnamese Studies Programme; as well as efforts to teach Vietnamese history as effectively as possible at Columbia University. VNA/VNS HA NOI Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, his spouse, and the high-ranking delegation of Viet Nam departed New York on the afternoon of Wednesday (local time), successfully concluding the working trip to attend the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) and conduct bilateral activities in the US from September 21 to 24. During the trip, the State leader attended the high-level meeting marking the 80th anniversary of the UN, delivered important speeches at the UNGA High-Level General Debate and the Special High-Level Event on Climate Action. He also held bilateral meetings with leaders of international organisations and participating countries. At the general debate, the President delivered a keynote address with the message of upholding the values of peace and driving transformation for a sustainable future. He underlined that over the past eight decades, the UN has embodied humanitys common aspiration for peace, cooperation, and development, grounded in the universal values of human rights, national independence, equality, democracy, and social progress. Sharing Viet Nams story of revival from the ruins of war to its current aspirations to become a prosperous, strong, and happy nation, President Cuong affirmed Viet Nams determination to join hands with all nations in shouldering common responsibilities, overcoming challenges, and advancing bold transformations toward a peaceful, stable, prosperous, and sustainable world for all people. On the sidelines, he held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UNGA 80 President Annalena Baerbock, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Paraguayan President Santiago Pena Palacios, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He also met with US leaders, executives of major US corporations, longtime friends and leading scholars; attended a gathering with Vietnamese and US war veterans who fought in the war in Viet Nam; met with staff of Viet Nams representative missions and representatives of the Vietnamese community; and hosted a celebration marking the 80th anniversary of Viet Nams National Day in New York. These activities affirmed Viet Nams commitment to deepening ties with the US, especially in economy, trade, investment, and science-technology, and to accelerating the implementation of the high-level agreements and commitments. The Presidents trip was a resounding success both multilaterally and bilaterally, leaving a strong impression of Viet Nams role, position, and active and substantive contributions to the settlement of global issues, while further advancing Viet Nam-US relations and strengthening Viet Nams ties with other partners for peace and development in the region and the world. VNA/VNS HA NOI As part of her visit to Oman, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang and her Omani counterpart Khalifa Bin Ali Al Harthy on Wednesday co-chaired the fourth Viet NamOman political consultation. In an open and constructive atmosphere, the two sides reviewed progress since the previous consultation, discussed ways to deepen the bilateral ties, and explored opportunities to elevate Viet NamOman relations to a new stage of development. Hang affirmed Viet Nam's high regard for its friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Oman, expressing her confidence in Omans success with its Vision 2040 strategy. Al Harthy praised Viet Nams socio-economic achievements and noted both countries share similarities in natural conditions, people, and development aspirations. The two sides agreed that the two economies are complementary and hold great potential for cooperation. Building on the success of the Viet NamOman Investment Fund and the New Era Growth Fund, they committed to boosting exchanges at all levels, especially high-level visits, and expanding trade and investment ties in areas such as food security, fisheries, logistics, AI, and renewable energy. They also discussed ways to promote cultural exchange, strengthen people-to-people ties, and increase coordination at international forums, particularly the United Nations and the ASEANGCC cooperation framework. Hang outlined Viet Nams reform agenda and its plans to develop an international financial centre based in Ho Chi Minh City and a Nang, calling on Oman to encourage its investors to explore opportunities in these areas. She also urged Oman to support Viet Nams Halal industry, provide scholarships for Vietnamese students, and help accelerate talks on a Viet NamGCC Free Trade Agreement. Al Harthy highlighted Viet Nams importance in Omans Look East policy, noting its stable political environment and dynamic economy. He pledged to support Vietnamese businesses in investing or exporting to Oman and through Oman to the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. He also backed the proposed Viet NamGCC FTA and suggested enhancing tourism, opening resident diplomatic agencies, and launching direct flights between the two countries. Both sides reiterated their commitment to multilateralism and settlement of disputes through peaceful measures in line with international law and the UN Charter. Also on September 24, Hang also had a meeting with Omani Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion Qais Mohammed Al Yousef. Hang, who is head of the Viet Nam Sub-Committee of the Viet NamOman Joint Committee, proposed convening its fourth session and signing key agreements to deepen bilateral cooperation. She also requested Omans support for Viet Nams Halal sector and greater market access for Vietnamese products. Al Yousef, commended Viet Nams recent growth and confirmed Omans commitment to strengthening the bilateral ties. He proposed accelerating business-to-business connections and signing new economic and trade agreements. He also extended congratulations on Viet Nams National Day and sympathy with the country over losses caused by recent natural disasters and floods. VNA/VNS ALGEIRS Viet Nams Ambassador to Algeria Tran Quoc Khanh has underlined the countrys strong desire to deepen its historic friendship with Algeria, especially as Viet Nam continues to expand ties with African partners. The remarks came on September 24 (local time) at a solemn ceremony at the Vietnamese Embassy in Algiers marking the 80th anniversary of Viet Nams National Day (September 2, 1945-2025), gathering more than 200 guests, including Algeria senior officials, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of international organisations. In his address, Khanh reaffirmed Viet Nams commitment to a foreign policy of multilateralisation, respect for international law, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, despite current global challenges. He also highlighted Viet Nams achievements over the past eight decades, noting its position among the worlds 32 largest economies. Viet Nam has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries and signed free trade agreements with 20 partners. The country is aiming to become a developed nation by 2045 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The Ambassador praised the Vietnamese community in Algeria as an important cultural bridge between the two nations and expressed hope that 2025 would mark a new milestone in bilateral relations. The celebration featured a range of activities, including renditions of both nations anthems in Vietnamese and Arabic, the screening of a documentary on Viet Nams development journey, and a showcase of traditional Vietnamese cuisine. VNA/VNS HA NOI Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has called on nations to transform commitments into concrete actions, pool resources for sustainable development, tackle the debt crisis, and amplify the Global Souths role in reshaping the international financial architecture. He was addressing the First Biennial Summit for a Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Global Economy: Implementing Commitments on Financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in New York on Wednesday, as part of the Vietnamese delegations trip to attend the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80). Viet Nam has effectively leveraged international financial aid, particularly official development assistance (ODA) and concessional loans, to drive poverty reduction, infrastructure development, education and health care, Son said, noting tangible improvements in living standards. Drawing on the Governments experience in refining its legal framework, advancing reforms and removing bottlenecks to attract quality ODA and meet current financing needs for institutional, infrastructure and human resources breakthroughs and the SDGs, Son called for placing people at the centre of all policies and strategies so that no one is left behind, prioritising development finance for new growth drivers such as sci-tech, innovation, green transition and digital transformation to prevent technological gaps from becoming a new barrier to sustainable development; and adopting a comprehensive approach at global and regional levels to accelerate reforms of global financial governance toward greater transparency, fairness and inclusiveness, while encouraging the active involvement of regional institutions, especially those led by the Global South. Delegates underscored the need to pool resources, particularly for low-income countries, while highlighting the crucial role of infrastructure and education in creating jobs for young people and the importance of transparent policies and legal frameworks for implementation. To achieve development financing goals, they called for reforms of international financial institutions, stronger engagement of the private sector, enhanced capacity of multilateral development banks and improvements in debt-relief procedures. The European Union pledged to raise 300 billion euro (US$352.3 billion) by 2027 under its Global Gateway initiative to support economic, digital and green connectivity worldwide. The summit drew high-ranking officials from UN member states, including eight presidents, three vice presidents, five prime ministers, three deputy prime ministers and more than 60 ministers, as well as heads of international organisations. VNA/VNS BRUSSELS The Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium, which is concurrently in charge of Luxembourg, and the Vietnamese Mission to the European Union, held a reception in Brussels on September 23 to mark the 80th National Day of Viet Nam. The event served as a platform to present Viet Nam as a dynamic, open, and friendly country, while reinforcing partnerships with Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union (EU). In his remarks, Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao highlighted Viet Nams remarkable achievements over the past eight decades and reaffirmed the nations commitment to comprehensive international integration, green and sustainable development, and active contributions to peace, stability, and shared prosperity worldwide. 2025 marks two key milestones - the 35th anniversary of Viet NamEU diplomatic relations and the fifth anniversary of the EUViet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). These provide opportunities for expanding cooperation in trade, science and technology, digital economy, climate change response, culture, tourism, and defencesecurity. Bilateral ties between Viet Nam and Belgium are also thriving, with the state visit of the Belgian King and Queen in April, opening up potential for new collaboration in high technology, logistics, healthcare, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture. Viet Nam and Luxembourg, meanwhile, are advancing their Green Finance Partnership and exploring other potential areas of cooperation. Representatives from Belgium and the EU spoke highly of Viet Nams development and international role. Theodora Gentzis, Secretary General of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, praised Viet Nams dynamism and growing influence, affirming Belgiums commitment to closer cooperation. Meanwhile, Bernd Lange, Chairman of the European Parliaments Committee on International Trade, underscored the benefits of the EVFTA and expressed his hope for deeper economic ties. First Vice President of the Belgian Senate Andries Gryffroy commended parliamentary exchanges, while Leila Fernandez Stembridge of the European External Action Service (EEAS) acknowledged Viet Nams responsible contributions to regional and global issues. Guests also enjoyed traditional Vietnamese music performances by artists from the Viet Nam Cultural Centre in France. VNA/VNS KUALA LUMPUR A delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, led by its Deputy Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, attended the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials Meeting (ADSOM) held in Johor, Malaysia, on Wednesday. At the meeting, Chien voiced his confidence that Malaysia will successfully chair both ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus (ADMM+), strengthening collective solidarity and capacity within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to respond flexibly and proactively to emerging security issues. He reaffirmed Viet Nams highest level of support for Malaysia in fulfilling its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025. Delegates reviewed the outcomes of the ADSOM Working Group, the implementation of the ADMM Work Plan 20232026, the 21st annual meeting of the Network of ASEAN Defence and Security Institutions (NADI), and the 22nd ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting (ACDFM-22). They also exchanged views on new initiatives for submission to the upcoming ADMM, draft joint statements of ADMM and ADMM+, and cooperation proposals with partners, including informal ASEAN+1 meetings, ASEAN+1 naval exercises, and an ASEANRepublic of Korea Defence Industry Cooperation Seminar. On the proposal for informal ASEAN+1 meetings, Chien affirmed Viet Nams support for Malaysias flexible approach. He said that in todays complex global and regional environment, responding positively to requests from four important partners is both proactive and necessary, demonstrating ASEANs openness, inclusiveness, and centrality. Such efforts not only help secure stronger commitments from partners to ASEANs central role in regional security but also reinforce ADMM+ as a practical, effective, and adaptable multilateral defence cooperation mechanism, he said. The meeting also discussed preparations for the upcoming ADSOM+ and the 19th ADMM and 12th ADMM+ to be held later this year. Regarding ASEANs plan to admit Timor-Leste at the ASEAN Summit in October, Chien warmly welcomed this historic milestone. He reaffirmed Viet Nams consistent support, stressing that membership represents both legitimate aspiration of the Timorese people and common desire for a more inclusive and united ASEAN, in line with the theme of One Vision, One Identity, One Community. Viet Nam is confident that Timor-Lestes participation will inject fresh momentum into ASEAN cooperation and contribute to peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the region. The consensus reached at ADSOM on many important issues reflects ASEANs solidarity and determination to advance defence cooperation under the ADMM and ADMM+, thereby strengthening peace, stability, and development in the region and beyond. On the sidelines of the meeting, Chien held bilateral meetings with Datuk Lokman Hakim bin Ali, Secretary-General of Malaysias Ministry of Defence, and Chan Heng Kee, Permanent Secretary of thu Singaporean Ministry of Defence. VNA/VNS HA NOI The first congress of the National Assembly (NA) Party Organisation for the 202530 tenure opened in Ha Noi on Thursday featuring 297 delegates representing more than 2,800 Party members across the organisation. In attendence was Party General Secretary To Lam, former Party General Secretary Nong uc Manh, Secretary of the Governments Party Committee and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Secretary of the NAs Party Committee and NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man, along with former NA chairpersons Nguyen Van An, Nguyen Sinh Hung, and Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. In his opening remarks, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed that since its establishment, the NA Party Organisation has inherited and built upon the achievements and experience of the former NA Party delegation. Under the close guidance of the Politburo, the Secretariat, and particularly General Secretary Lam, together with the coordination of the Party committees, it has upheld solidarity, overcome difficulties, renewed leadership methods, and successfully performed its constitutional, legislative, supervisory, and decision-making functions on the countrys major issues. He noted that the NA Party Organisation has directed the completion of a large amount of tasks on institutionalising many strategic policies and historic decisions of the Party, thereby creating an important legal foundation for economic, cultural and social development; strengthening the political system; preventing corruption, wastefulness and other negative phenomena; and consolidating defence, security and external relations. Man underlined that the country is facing pressing issues requiring urgent solutions and that the people are placing high expectations on the Party and States decisions. This demands that the National Assembly continue renewing its mindset and working methods. On Wednesday, the congress held a preparatory session with in-depth discussions on the implementation of political tasks, leadership work, lessons from the previous tenure, and the goals and breakthroughs for 20252030. The top legislator affirmed that the congress holds great significance, as it will, together with the entire Party, shape strategic and epochal activities to lead national development, making the legal system a competitive advantage and a key breakthrough to bring the country into a new era the era of the nations rise. A political report presented at the congress highlighted that in the past tenure, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat, the NA Party Organisation achieved many positive results that were recognised and highly valued. It has demonstrated comprehensive and direct leadership, contributing to the Partys policy of streamlining the political system to meet new requirements. Collectives, officials, and Party members showed initiative, dynamism, solidarity, creativity and accountability, thereby fulfilling their assigned tasks effectively. The report set out orientations and solutions for the 202530tenure, including ensuring comprehensive leadership in legislation, supervision, decision-making on major national issues, external relations, and state auditing; promptly institutionalising the Partys policies; removing bottlenecks and mobilising resources for development; and improving the quality of supervisory activities. It also emphasised the need to ensure democracy, rule of law, modernity, professionalism, transparency and efficiency in the operations of the NA. Key targets include directing the organisation of the election of deputies to the 16th NA and Peoples Councils at all levels for 20262031; ensuring all laws, ordinances, and resolutions issued by the NA and its Standing Committee are of high quality and free from corruption or group interests; and guaranteeing that all guiding legal documents are promptly issued and supervised. On Party building, the congress set the goal that no subordinate Party committee is rated as 'failing to accomplish tasks'; over 80 per cent of grassroots Party organisations are rated 'completing tasks well'; and over 90 per cent of Party cells and members are rated 'completing tasks well' or higher. The congress identified four breakthroughs: developing and perfecting the legal system to pave the way for national development; renewing methods of supervision and decision-making on important matters; training, attracting, and effectively using high-quality human resources for the NA and the State Audit; and promoting digital transformation in their operations. The congress also called on all officials and Party members of the NA Party Organisation to build on achievements, overcome shortcomings, continue innovation, and uphold democracy, solidarity and unity to successfully implement the Resolution of the congress for 20252030. VNA/VNS NEW YORK Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung had a series of bilateral meetings with senior foreign officials in New York on September 24 (local time) within the framework of High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) and bilateral activities in the US. In his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Trung affirmed the Vietnamese Party and States strong commitment to its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Russia, viewing the country as one of its top priorities in Viet Nams foreign policy. He conveyed thanks from Viet Nams key leaders to President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders for sending a high-level delegation led by Vladimir Yakushev, First Vice Chairman of of the Russian Federation Council, to Viet Nams 80th National Day celebrations. Lavrov congratulated affirmed that Russia always highly values its ties with Viet Nam. Expressing pleasure at the progress of bilateral relations, he welcomed Trungs proposals to increase high-level exchanges and deepen relations in the Party channel. Both sides agreed to continue promoting cooperation in trade, investment, oil and gas, energy, education, culture, and people-to-people ties, and to push forward key joint projects. They also pledged to strengthen coordination in multilateral forums and discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern. In a meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen, both ministers celebrated the strong growth in the Viet NamDenmark Comprehensive Partnership, especially in trade, investment, green transition, and climate action. They agreed to enhance high-level exchanges, particularly in 2026, marking 55 years of diplomatic ties. Trung outlined Viet Nams upcoming development priorities, including transforming its growth model, promoting science, technology, innovation, and accelerating energy transition. He proposed expanding bilateral cooperation in these areas and called on Denmark to support EU approval of the EUViet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and advocate for lifting the EUs IUU yellow card on Vietnamese seafood. Rasmussen praised Viet Nams economic achievements and affirmed that Viet Nam remains a key partner for Denmark in Southeast Asia. He thanked Viet Nam for supporting LEGOs factory project, and committed to encouraging Danish firms to expand green investments in Viet Nam. He also appreciated the Vietnamese communitys contribution to Denmarks development and to bilateral ties. At a meeting with Jozef Sikela, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, both sides recognised the strong progress in Viet NamEU relations recently after 35 years of establishing ties, particularly since the EUViet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) came into force. Trung reiterated the EUs role as a key partner in economic cooperation, development aid, green transition, and climate change response. He urged further support for EVIPA ratification by remaining EU members and the lifting of the IUU yellow card. Highlighting Viet Nam as the EUs important partner in the Asia-Pacific region, Sikela praised Viet Nams sustainability efforts, especially in renewables, and pledged to prioritise cooperation with Viet Nam in sustainable development, green transition, energy, infrastructure, and connectivity. The Vietnamese official also met Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, during which they welcomed progress in bilateral relations and agreed to organise meaningful events to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties (19752025). Kombos said that Cyprus would send a delegation to attend the UN Convention against Cybercrime signing ceremony in Ha Noi. In his discussion with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto, Trung expressed gratitude for Venezuelas longstanding support during Viet Nams national struggle and development. He affirmed Viet Nams commitment to deepening the Traditional Friendship and Comprehensive Partnership with Venezuela and proposed closer cooperation via Party channels and stronger economic, trade and investment ties. Pinto conveyed greetings from President Nicolas Maduro and other top Venezuelan leaders to Party General Secretary To Lam and Viet Nams leaders. He expressed Venezuelas wish to enhance cooperation across all sectors, especially in oil and gas, energy, and people-to-people exchange. Both sides agreed to intensify delegation exchanges, bolster inter-Party, parliamentary and state-level cooperation, and work closely at international forums to uphold the UN Charter and international law. VNA/VNS RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Linden Creek, a luxury interior design and home staging firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, announces the opening of its newest franchise location, serving Lancaster and York counties in Pennsylvania. This expansion reflects the company's continued growth into key residential markets across the Mid-Atlantic region. Linden Creek Home Staging & Interior Design expands to Lancaster, PA The LancasterYork location will be led by franchise owner Kristie Matthai, whose career blends creativity, leadership, and a lifelong passion for design. With a background in graphic design and years spent leading marketing and operations at two of the world's most recognized consumer brands, Matthai has extensive experience building strategies, managing large-scale campaigns, and developing innovative processes from the ground up. Alongside her corporate career, Matthai nurtured her love for home styling through antique collecting, estate sale shopping, and DIY home projects. After earning her real estate license, she sought a way to channel her creative drive into a business that could serve her community. Linden Creek provided the perfect combination of creativity, structure, and support to make that vision a reality. "My family and I returned to my hometown of York five years ago, and I knew I wanted to build something meaningful here," Matthai said. "Every home has potentialand I love helping people see it. Staging and design allow me to pair my creative roots with the ability to bring fresh energy and value to homes across this region." Linden Creek provides interior design and home staging services designed to support faster sales and stronger market outcomes. The company partners with real estate agents, builders, and homeowners to prepare properties for listing through a process that emphasizes layout, scale, and visual clarity. Each project is guided by the firm's commitment to practical, client-centered design solutions that meet buyer expectations. With this addition, Linden Creek now operates in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Charlotte, Lake Norman, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro, North Carolina; Princeton and Morristown, New Jersey; New Hope, Pennsylvania; Sarasota, Florida; Atlanta and Alpharetta, Georgia. New locations in Wilmington, North Carolina, Greenville, South Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida are scheduled to open this month, with Charleston, South Carolina and Austin, Texas launching soon after. Total investment to open a Linden Creek franchise is $227,225$637,075. For more information, visit: https://linden-creek.com/franchise . ABOUT LINDEN CREEK Founded in 2017 by Alisa Sparks, Linden Creek is a luxury interior design and home staging firm headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2024, the company launched its franchise program, expanding its network of design professionals and allowing them to serve prominent communities throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic with innovative staging techniques and highly personalized design services. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Linden Creek NEW YORK - Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son met with UK Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy in New York on September 24 (local time), on the sidelines of the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80). Expressing his delight at the strong development of bilateral relations in recent times, Son affirmed that Viet Nam always attaches importance to and wishes to further strengthen its Strategic Partnership with the UK. To promote future cooperation, he proposed the two sides boost delegation exchanges, especially at the high level, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership, and discuss orientations to elevate the ties to new heights. David Lammy highly valued Viet Nams growing role and position in the region and internationally, while expressing his support for the country in building an international financial centre, as well as his desire to promote cooperation in migration, renewable energy, and science and technology. He also emphasised that the UK will continue to assist Viet Nam in responding to climate change, particularly in effectively implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The two sides agreed to maintain the effective implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms and make full use of the UKs accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to further tap into the potential for bilateral cooperation. On the same day, the Deputy PM held a meeting with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski, during which they appreciated the long-standing traditional friendship, which has developed over 75 years (19502025), and agreed that the two countries have great potential and favourable opportunities to elevate bilateral relations to a new level. Son expressed his gratitude for Polands valuable support to Viet Nam in its nation-building and development process, and proposed the two sides work closely together to fully and effectively implement the outcomes of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs official visit to Poland in January, and promote high-level delegation exchanges in the coming period on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. He also urged the Polish Parliament to ratify the EUViet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) soon and actively voice support for the European Commission to lift its yellow card on Viet Nams seafood exports related to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Sikorski affirmed that Poland always regards Viet Nam as an important partner in Southeast Asia. He proposed the two countries continue to strengthen cooperation in economy, trade, investment, labour, science and technology, education and training, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. Both sides also agreed to maintain close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, while exchanging views on several international and regional issues of mutual concern. On this occasion, Deputy PM Son received Raj Subramaniam, President and Chief Executive Officer of the USs FedEx Corporation. He congratulated FedEx on its successful business operations in Viet Nam and appreciated the companys contributions to the normalisation and development of the two countries relations, especially in the year marking the 30th anniversary of normalisation and the 2nd anniversary of the upgrade of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He affirmed that the US is one of Viet Nams most important partners and that the two governments are actively cooperating to maintain momentum and foster new opportunities for cooperation across all areas. Son also stressed that the Party and State of Viet Nam attach great importance to and create the most favourable conditions for both domestic and foreign enterprises, including US businesses, to invest and operate effectively and sustainably in Viet Nam. Subramaniam highly valued Viet Nams socio-economic development strategy, particularly in science and technology, innovation, infrastructure, and airport development. He said that FedEx is promoting plans to expand its operations in Viet Nam and hopes for support from Vietnamese government agencies to facilitate this process. VNA/VNS MEXICO The Mexico - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group made its debut at a ceremony jointly held on Wednesday by the Vietnamese Embassy in Mexico and the Mexican Chamber of Deputies. The event was attended by numerous lawmakers from major political parties of Mexico, Viet Nam's Ambassador to Mexico Nguyen Van Hai, and Quan Minh Cuong, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Head of the delegation of National Assembly deputies of Cao Bang Province, who is leading a delegation of the Communist Party of Viet Nam on a visit to Mexico. Held at the Chamber of Deputies, the ceremony took place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1975 2025), highlighting the growing role of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening political trust and promoting cooperation across multiple fields. Speaking at the event, Chair of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies Welfare Committee Ana Karina Rojo Pimentel, who is Chair of the MexicoViet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group, stressed that the friendship between the Mexican and Vietnamese people stems from shared histories of struggle for independence and a commitment to peace. She noted that this bond was formalised in 1975 when Mexico became one of the first Latin American countries to recognise a unified Viet Nam. Ana Karina emphasised that the establishment of the MexicoVietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group is vital to enhancing parliamentary, economic, cultural, and educational cooperation, bringing bilateral relations into practical effect and delivering tangible benefits to both nations' people. In his remarks, Hai highlighted that Viet NamMexico relations are built not only on traditional friendship but also on mutual benefit, complementing each other in economic and trade cooperation. He noted that the two countries have increasingly leveraged their economic complementarities within the framework of free trade agreements, particularly the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The Ambassador expressed his confidence that the MexicoViet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group would serve as a bridge to promote parliamentary exchanges, share legislative experience, and support businesses from both countries in exploring new opportunities. VNA/VNS HA NOI Viet Nam has called on the United States to review its decision to deny equivalence to 12 Vietnamese fisheries under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), cautioning the move could disrupt trade and jeopardise livelihoods. The MMPA requires fisheries exporting products to the US to adopt marine mammal protection measures equivalent to those in the US to minimise bycatch. A recent decision by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to reject the recognition of 12 of Viet Nam's 33 fisheries as equivalent means products sourced from these fisheries will be banned from entering US markets from the beginning of 2026. Spokesperson for Viet Nam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at a Thursday press briefing in Ha Noi that Viet Nam is committed to dialogues with Washington on the matter. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment reported that the US currently recognises Viet Nam's equivalence at only a partial level, similar to 33 other countries. Meanwhile, 89 countries and territories enjoy full equivalence. According to Hang, Viet Nam's Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent a letter to the US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick requesting the US Department of Commerce and NOAA to revisit the decision to reject the 12 Vietnamese fisheries, noting that reconsideration would help avoid serious disruptions to the two countries' bilateral trade and protect the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fishermen and workers. The foreign ministry spokesperson said that under the Government's direction and with the support of coastal localities, Viet Nam's fishery sector has made "immense efforts" to modernise the industry, enhance accountability and responsibility, and improve the efficiency of fishery management. "In light of the Viet NamUS Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Viet Nam is ready to talk and work with the US to resolve the remaining obstacles and promote our fair and sustainable bilateral trade cooperation to ensure the legitimate interest of the people and businesses of both countries," the diplomat told the press. Responding to queries about the ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries, the foreign ministry's representative remarked: "Viet Nam has been and will be working with the US to ensure our bilateral trade is increased in accordance with international law and the local laws of both nations." This will ensure the legitimate interests of both countries and ensure sustainable and fair trade for the benefits of Vietnamese people and businesses of both countries, she added. VNS HA NOI President of the National Assembly of People's Power and President of the Council of State of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez will pay an official visit to Vietnam and co-chair the second session of the Viet NamCuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee from September 30 to October 5. The visit is made at the invitation of Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In his capacity as President of the National Assembly, Esteban Lazo Hernandez previously made an official visit to Viet Nam in June 2017 and a working visit in November 2024. On behalf of the Cuban Party, State, Government and people, he travelled to Viet Nam to attend events marking the 50th anniversary of President Fidel Castros historic visit to Quang Tri in September 2023, and to pay his respects at the funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in July 2024. Esteban Lazo Hernandez has deep affection for Viet Nam, expressing admiration for the nations struggle for independence and the achievements of its oi moi (renewal) process. He has consistently supported stronger inter-parliamentary cooperation and contributed to nurturing the special friendship between Viet Nam and Cuba. In April 2023, during the official visit to Cuba by the Chairman of Viet Nams National Assembly, Esteban Lazo Hernandez was awarded the Ho Chi Minh Order. VNA/VNS HA NOI A Vietnamese official has sent congratulations to the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution of Cuba (CDR) on the occasion of its 65th founding anniversary. In his message to Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, member of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and CDR National Coordinator, Politburo member, Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee o Van Chien conveyed his best wishes to Hernandez and all leaders and officials of the CDR. He highlighted the CDRs key role over decades in gathering Cuban people from all walks of life, contributing to the countrys revolutionary defence and national security while promoting community development initiatives despite formidable challenges under embargo. The Vietnamese people and the VFF always treasure the solidarity and whole-hearted support that Cuba has always given to Viet Nam, and take pride in the special bond of friendship between the two Parties, States, and peoples, nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh, President Fidel Castro, and generation of leaders and people of both sides. Amidst global uncertainties, the Vietnamese Party, State, and people continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Cuba to seize opportunities and overcome challenges for national development. Chien underscored Viet Nam's commitment to strengthening cooperation with the CDR, particularly in implementing the 202328 cooperation agreement, bringing the bilateral ties to a deeper and more substantive and effective manner for the benefits of both peoples. Concluding the message, Chien wished Hernandez and other CDR leaders good health and success and expressed hope for the CDR's further development and stronger Viet NamCuba special friendship and solidarity. VNA/VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception in Ha Noi on Thursday for Lin Wu, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shandong Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Congress, who is on a working trip to Viet Nam. Welcoming Lin on his first trip to Viet Nam in his capacity as Party Secretary of Shandong, PM Chinh said that this is the second consecutive year the Chinese province has sent a high-ranking delegation to Viet Nam, reflecting Shandongs friendship and its special regard for the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between China and Viet Nam and with Vietnamese localities in particular. He praised Shandongs rich cultural and historical traditions and congratulated the province on its significant development achievements, noting that Shandong has maintained its position as Chinas third-largest provincial economic heavyweight, focusing on sci-tech development, and has made important contributions to the countrys overall growth. Lin, for his part, extended his congratulations on Viet Nam's impressive socio-economic achievements over the recent past, affirming that Shandong attaches much importance to bolstering the friendship and practical cooperation with Viet Nam's ministries, sectors and localities. The province, he said, is determined to effectively implement the perceptions reached by high-ranking leaders of both sides, as well as make substantive contributions to advancing the relations between the two Parties and States in the new period. Both sides expressed their delight over the positive progress in the Viet NamChina ties across all areas, particularly the robust and increasingly substantive cooperation at the local level. PM Chinh lauded the fruitful results of cooperation between Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities and Shandong, highlighting enhanced exchanges and contacts at various levels. He underscored that investment and trade cooperation has been a bright spot, with many large high-tech enterprises from Shandong investing and operating effectively in Viet Nam. The PM stressed that Viet Nam attaches top priority to strengthening ties with China, pledging full support to deepen cooperation between localities of the two countries. He asked Shandong and Vietnamese provinces to step up exchanges at all levels, share development experience, promote personnel training, and tap into each sides strengths to create new breakthroughs in practical cooperation. He also urged Shandong to boost import of Vietnamese goods, particularly high-quality agricultural products. The leader also suggested Shandong share its experience in running Free Trade Zones and market-facilitation policies to help Vietnamese firms access the market more effectively. He encouraged leading Shandong companies, exemplifying the provinces technological expertise, to step up high-quality investment, coupled with advanced technology transfer and high-level workforce training in Viet Nam, particularly in electronics, high-tech, low-emission and environmentally friendly industries. PM Chinh called on Shandong to deepen cooperation with Vietnamese localities in culture and tourism. He also urged greater people-to-people exchanges, especially among the younger generation, to strengthen mutual understanding, foster friendship, and contribute to the development of ties between the two Parties and countries. Agreeing with PM Chinh's proposals, Lin provided updates on Shandongs current situation and development prospects, affirming the vast potential for cooperation between Shandong and Vietnamese localities. The Chinese official expressed his desire to strengthen friendship with Vietnamese localities, encouraging the two sides to improve the quality of cooperation in trade, investment, and production, while expanding partnership to new areas such as green development and digital economy, thus creating new growth drivers for mutually beneficial and substantive collaboration. He also called for stronger exchanges in culture, tourism, education, and arts, and people-to-people links, especially among young people, contributing to further deepening the ChinaViet Nam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and bringing tangible benefits to localities and people of the two nations. VNA/VNS NINH BINH Once fraying at the edges, the centuries-old silkworm reeling and weaving craft of Co Chat Village in Ninh Binh Province is spinning a fresh future as artisans revive traditions and reach international markets. Nestled on the banks of the Ninh Co River in Ninh Giang Commune, the village has long enjoyed fertile alluvial soil ideal for mulberry cultivation and silkworm raising. The silkworm weaving profession here has been established for a long time. During its prosperous period, over 90 per cent of the villages households followed the profession, said village head Duong Duy Lam. The craft village created jobs and high income for the local people. The trade declined after 2010 as industrial-woven fabrics flooded the market, leaving traditional workshops struggling to compete. But in the past three years, demand for natural silk has grown, breathing life back into looms and livelihoods. oan Thi Hue, owner of a workshop employing 10 people, said: I have been engaged in the traditional craft for more than 30 years, since all the production stages were made by hand, completely to modern machines now. Since applying advanced technology in production, the productivity is higher, product quality is improved and production cost is reduced considerably. Her workshop now produces approximately one tonne of raw silk per month, which is exported to Laos and Thailand at a price of VN900,0001.4 million (US$3453) per kilo. The family of Nguyen Thi Yen is one of the households that has preserved the hereditary silk reeling profession in Co Chat Village. To adapt to the market mechanism, in recent years, alongside regularly maintaining two to three kitchens with a capacity of more than 50kg of cocoons per kitchen a day to make silk, the family has also taken on the additional work of cutting cocoons to obtain pupae for sale to restaurants as food and medicine, creating jobs for about 20 local workers. In the past three years, seeing that the market favours pupae for food and medicine, my family has taken up the additional job of cutting cocoons to collect pupae, Yen said. Maintaining both the silk reeling and pupae selling jobs helps people have more income when the market changes. This is also a way for families and production facilities to maintain the traditional profession left by their ancestors. Branding Co Chat silk It is because mulberry planting areas have been sharply reduced, competition is fiercer and labour costs are lower that many silk reeling and weaving households have had to switch to other professions. To preserve and develop the traditional craft, in 2021, the villages artisans established the Co Chat Silk Co-operative, then constantly researched and applied modern science and technology in production to create high-end silk products. We found that if we continued to work manually, the products would become outdated and could not compete in the market, said co-operative member Tran Thi Ngoc. Applying technology in production would help increase productivity and improve product quality. In 2022, the co-operatives traditional silk product, Chat Silk, was recognised as a four-star OCOP product by the provincial Peoples Committee, which gave it a strong boost and created momentum for the product to reach a wider range of customers. To build the Co Chat Silk brand, along with investing in technology to improve product quality, the co-operative also focuses on promoting its products on social networking platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and TikTok as well as increasing sales through e-commerce platforms. In addition to exporting raw silk products to foreign markets, the co-operative also focuses on producing fashion garments made from natural silk. Pham Thi Minh Hai, director of the Co Chat Silk Co-operative, said that todays consumer trends increasingly favour fabrics and silk products of natural origin, so the co-operative constantly innovates and creates many products such as clothes, bed sheets, pillows and blankets made from 100 per cent natural silk to suit the tastes of modern consumers. To preserve and further develop the traditional craft as well as help people feel secure in their work, the local authority has carried out several programmes to promote the villages products, such as cultural-spiritual-craft village tours. Vice chairman of Ninh Giang Communes Peoples Committee Nguyen Hong Son said that developing Co Chat Villages craft is one of the tasks of economic development. The locality has a plan for the craft village, maintaining mulberry growing areas and encouraging farmers to return to mulberry and silkworm farming. At the same time, plans are underway to repair and upgrade infrastructure systems to develop craft village tourism, thereby helping people increase their income and creating motivation to continue preserving and developing traditional crafts, Son said. VNS HCM CITY HCM City authorities have announced the launch of Phase 1 sales for a major social housing project in the Sonadezi Huu Phuoc Residential Area, with prices starting at just VN12.4 million (US$468) per square metre, marking one of the lowest-priced housing offerings in the city amid a worsening affordable housing crisis. The sale, approved by the HCM City Department of Construction, opens for a one-week registration window from October 15 to 22. A total of 210 units will be available in this first phase. The price includes 5 per cent VAT, but excludes the 2 per cent maintenance fee. The Sonadezi Huu Phuoc project is located adjacent to Chau uc Industrial Park, one of southern Viet Nams largest and most strategically located industrial zones. Developed and operated by Sonadezi Chau uc JSC, the industrial park spans hundreds of hectares and connects directly to key economic corridors, including National Highway 51, the Long Thanh Dau Giay Expressway, and Cai Mep Thi Vai Port, a major deep-water seaport. The park hosts a wide range of manufacturers and logistics providers, employing tens of thousands of workers across multiple sectors. The new housing project is designed to meet the urgent residential needs of those workers. Units range in size from 25 to 68 square metres, tailored to single workers, young families, and migrant laborers. Phase 1 includes three high-rise apartment blocks, on-site parking, community areas, and convenience retail shops. A second phase, already approved, will add 1,003 additional apartments on adjacent land. This is one of the few social housing projects thats not only approved but actively selling units, said an official from the Department of Construction, speaking on condition of anonymity. With prices significantly below market value, the announcement is expected to draw overwhelming interest. The project comes at a critical time for HCM City and surrounding provinces. The central government has set a target to deliver 200,000 affordable housing units in the region by 2030; however, as of mid-2025, only 6,657 units have been completed, representing a mere 3.3 per cent of the goal. Delays in land clearance, limited developer incentives, and administrative hurdles continue to plague progress. Unlike many other projects stalled on paper, the Sonadezi initiative is being closely watched as a rare example of an effective public-private partnership, with the developer leveraging its industrial footprint to support long-term workforce housing. Lack of affordable housing has been a major factor in staff turnover, said a logistics manager at a Japanese electronics firm operating in the Industrial Park. If this model works, it could change how industrial zones retain talent across the country. Authorities are urging eligible buyers, particularly low-income workers and those without permanent housing, to begin preparing necessary documents ahead of the application period. VNS SEOUL Vietnamese workers make up the largest proportion of foreigners living and working in the Republic of Korea (RoK)s southeastern industrial belt, reflecting their significant contribution to the regions heavy industries, according to data from the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSTAT). Figures cited by the Vietnam News Agencys correspondent in Seoul show that foreign residents in the region earn an average annual income of about 30 million KRW (US$21,400). The area, covering Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang province, currently hosts around 215,000 foreign nationals. Vietnamese workers account for the largest share at 22.2 per cent, followed by Chinese nationals who are ethnic Koreans at 12.4 per cent and other Chinese nationals at 7.6 per cent. This trend highlights the strong demand for labour across core industrial sectors. Nearly 60 per cent of foreign workers are employed in manufacturing and mining, both of which provide relatively high incomes. The highest average wages are recorded in business and public services (31 million KRW per year), followed by manufacturing and mining (30 million KRW), and construction (25 million KRW). Despite their contributions, foreign workers continue to face challenges. Language remains the greatest barrier, reported by 37.4 per cent of respondents, while 17% mentioned feelings of isolation. Still, most said they are satisfied with their jobs and lives in the RoK, with satisfaction rates of 75.2 per cent and 83.2 per cent respectively in 2024. The RoKs southeast has long been a hub for heavy industry, particularly since the Korean War. Major industrial complexes in Ulsan, Busan, and Pohang have fuelled strong growth, contributing significantly to shipbuilding and oil refining. The role of foreign workers, especially the Vietnamese, remains crucial to sustaining the regions development. VNA/VNS HA NOI Viet Nam is pressing ahead with reforms that expand rights for people of Vietnamese origin and for foreign experts seeking citizenship, as well as strengthen the social safety net for vulnerable groups. These twin priorities nationality reform and poverty reduction were presented as core elements of the countrys human rights agenda at a policy seminar on Thursday. The event brought together senior officials and policy experts to discuss how recent legislative updates and national programmes are reshaping the way citizens and communities experience their rights in practice. Nationality reform Vo Thi Hanh from the Ministry of Justices Judicial Administration Department explained that the amended Law on Vietnamese Nationality (Law 79/2025/QH15), effective from July 1, broadens eligibility for Vietnamese nationality by relaxing requirements for those with close family ties, including spouses, children, parents and now grandparents who are Vietnamese citizens. Minors applying with a parent and foreign scientists, investors and experts with special contributions may also be admitted without the usual conditions of five years residence, Vietnamese language ability or proof of livelihood in Viet Nam. Crucially, the reform also introduces a new, more flexible approach: applicants may retain a foreign nationality if permitted under the other countrys law, provided they pledge not to misuse that status and receive approval from the President. This departs from earlier, stricter rules that required renunciation. Or, if a person wished to retain a foreign nationality, they had to prove that giving it up would negatively affect their rights and interests abroad. Other changes reflect practical realities. Applicants may now choose a combined Vietnameseforeign name in official documents. Children of mixed-nationality parents are protected: if born in Viet Nam and parents cannot agree at registration, the child automatically receives Vietnamese nationality. Returnees are no longer restricted to narrow categories. Anyone who lost Vietnamese nationality may apply to restore it, and may also combine names if keeping another nationality. The reform also streamlines procedures. Applicants no longer need to supply a Vietnamese criminal record certificate, and Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad can now receive files directly, cutting red tape for overseas applicants. The Ministry of Public Security is tasked with verifying personal backgrounds. Digital platforms will also gradually be introduced to handle cases. Hanh said these updates not only align with Party and State policies toward overseas Vietnamese, but also reflect Viet Nams strategy to attract skilled workers, encourage investment and promote innovation in the digital era. "The aim is to strengthen national unity, advance reconciliation and make it easier for those with ties to Viet Nam to contribute to the countrys development," she said. Poverty reduction Pham Hong ao, deputy chief of the National Office for Poverty Reduction, highlighted Viet Nams impressive poverty-reduction record driven by the National Target Programme for Poverty Reduction 2021-2025,, framing it as a human rights obligation enshrined in the Constitution. The national poverty rate fell from 5.2 per cent in 2021 to 1.9 per cent in 2024, and is expected to drop below 1.1 per cent by the end of 2025. Poverty among ethnic minorities stands at 12.5 per cent, with annual declines of more than four points. The shift to a multidimensional poverty approach measuring not just income but access to education, health care, housing, clean water, sanitation, employment and information places Viet Nam among the first countries in Asia to apply global standards. Infrastructure investment has been central. More than 2,600 new projects including roads, irrigation works, schools and clinics have been built in poor areas, along with the maintenance of another 2,340 facilities. At the household level, 10,587 livelihood projects have helped more than 205,000 families earn a living, supporting sustainable farming, small business and vocational training. Social protection has been expanded, with concessional credit of up to VN100 million (US$3,786), free health insurance with added support for inpatients, school fee waivers, monthly electricity subsidies, housing and water loans and free legal aid. Gender equality is woven through the programme, with targeted nutrition for women and girls, vocational training and jobs for women, gender-sensitive communications and womens representation in community oversight. Challenges ahead Officials acknowledged that progress remains uneven. Remote regions still face high poverty rates, and some households classified as 'non-poor' still live below minimum living standards. Capacity gaps at the grassroots level, limited infrastructure and climate and demographic pressures add to the challenge. To address this, Viet Nam plans to raise the poverty line for 20262030, integrate poverty reduction with the new target programme and emphasise climate-resilient livelihoods, digital transformation and stronger community monitoring. "Reducing poverty is not just about income it is about dignity, equality and opportunity," ao said. "That is why it is central to our human rights commitments." By placing nationality reforms and poverty reduction side by side, the seminar highlighted Viet Nams holistic approach to human rights: enabling overseas Vietnamese and experts to secure legal identity and inclusion, while ensuring vulnerable citizens at home enjoy social rights and opportunities. As Hanh concluded, the nationality law reforms will "open doors for overseas communities and talent to engage with Viet Nam." And as ao said, poverty reduction must continue as "a shared effort of the State, society and individuals for the poor, leaving no one behind." VNS Kiefer Sage, formerly Assembled Products Corporation, reaffirms its commitment to U.S-based manufacturing and launches a new co-assembly service to help companies build their products in the U.S. ROGERS, Ark., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Assembled Products Corporation is proud to announce a new chapter in the Rogers-based company's history. The innovative manufacturing and assembly company is re-branding as Kiefer Sage, a name that honors the company's history while embracing its future, and celebrates its move into a new, expanded Rogers facility with a ribbon cutting. Founded by Bill Sage more than 40 years ago and now led by his daughter, President Erin Kiefer, the company builds purposeful products and solutions that impact communities worldwide. Guided by empathy and innovation, Kiefer Sage delivers solutions to people such as first responders and those with limited mobility to make their lives better. This transformation marks a bold new era as the company moves into a state-of-the-art campus that brings all operations under one roof, strengthens its leadership team, and positions the business for continued growth. As part of this evolution, Kiefer Sage is also launching a new co-assembly service, opening its doors to innovators and businesses seeking a trusted U.S.-based production partner. "Kiefer Sage is rooted in the same values that started this company in Rogers more than 40 years ago," said Erin Kiefer, President. "We're building on that proud history with a new name, a new home, and new opportunities to create solutions that improve lives, support jobs, and serve customers here in Arkansas and around the world." Kiefer Sage, formerly Assembled Products Corporation, is proud to call itself an Arkansas native. Founded in Rogers in 1983 by Bill Sage and inspired by his grandmother's need for easier mobility, Sage created the world's first electric shopping cart making independence more accessible for millions of shoppers in stores such as Home Depot, Walmart, BJ's and Trader Joes with the Martcart. In the years following, the company created Spraymaster, a central cleaning system that helps leading businesses, from Chick- Fil-A to the San Diego Zoo stay spotless and welcoming, and Jotto Desk, the first mobile office desk for first responders. Today, Jotto has grown into a leader in total vehicle mounting solutions, delivering the equipment and mobile solutions that professionals rely on. Congressman Womack said during a visit of Kiefer Sage's Rogers' facility, "What I really appreciate more than anything is the quality of the premises, the quality of the employees that are out there on the floor doing this work, the conditions under which they work, and the contributions they are making to the greater Rogers and Northwest Arkansas economy and the world. And sitting down with management and listening to their vision and what they want to do with this company and where they want to take it should be a source of inspiration for everybody. This is an American story here that is unfolding, and I am just so pleased that it is right here in the middle of the town where I've been a mayor and I've lived for all these years." The company's rebranding to Kiefer Sage isn't just a new name, it's a clear signal of how they'll continue to show up and innovate for customers, suppliers, and communities. In addition to the re-brand, they've consolidated the 150-person strong workforce into one campus in Rogers. The move will boost collaboration, efficiency and future growth while delivering measurable sustainability gains, including a 42% reduction in utility expenses and more than 4,000 fewer truck miles each year. Driven by her vision for future growth, President Erin Kiefer brought new leadership to drive the next chapter in the company's growth, led by CEO Justin Sparks, formerly an executive at Tyson Foods and recognized on the Arkansas Business Forty under Forty list. "This is more than a rebrandit's a transformation," said Justin Sparks, CEO of Kiefer Sage. "By bringing our leadership, talent, and production together under one roof, we've built the foundation for the next era of growth. We've redefined our go-to-market strategy, strengthened our team with both seasoned and new talent, and positioned Kiefer Sage as a world-class assembly partner right here in Arkansas. This moment is about honoring our legacy while boldly expanding what's possible for the future." Alongside the debut of its new corporate identity, Kiefer Sage is opening its doors to new partners with the launch of its co-assembly services. The company is offering proven expertise in design, assembly, logistics, and scalable production to companies that are reshoring production and seeking reliable U.S.-based partner. The company is inviting innovators, startups, and established businesses alike to bring their products into its U.S.-based ecosystem, where ideas can be transformed into market-ready solutions. Kiefer Sage has begun the process with its first client and is officially opening its doors to more today. Interested parties can learn more at www.kiefersage.com About Kiefer Sage At Kiefer Sage, we build businesses that provide solutions for overlooked and undervalued markets. Founded in Rogers, Arkansas in 1983, Kiefer Sage was born out of a family's desire to take a grandmother with limited mobility to the store. We created the world's first electric shopping cart, Martcart. In the years to come, we added Spraymaster, the first central pressure washing system, and developed the first mobile desk for law enforcement now known as Jotto Desk, a leader in vehicle outfitting solutions for first responders. Our Assembled Products Corporation segment partners with companies to co-assemble products and bring their innovations to life. Today, Kiefer Sage is a holding company, building an innovative ecosystem around our owned brands, client products, and manufacturing capabilities. We continue to create American jobs in Arkansas while meeting the needs of customers worldwide. CONTACT: Mallorie Mata, [email protected] SOURCE Kiefer Sage HA NOI The establishment and operation of a National Housing Fund is an urgent and challenging task, but it must be implemented within the next few years, ensuring feasibility and close links with real demands, using flexible management mechanisms and avoiding waste, according to Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha. Ha made the remark at a meeting in Ha Noi on Thursday to review a draft decree on the establishment and operation of the National Housing Fund and the implementation of the National Assembly's Resolution 201/2025/QH15 on piloting several special mechanisms and policies for the development of social housing. He emphasised that workers access to housing remains extremely limited, adding that promoting rental housing policies is considered practical and well suited to current realities. The Deputy PM underlined that the fund must clearly separate housing funds from financial resources at both central and local levels, adopt mechanisms to mobilise and allocate resources effectively and ensure close coordination between central and local authorities. As for management models, he suggested assigning the task to existing institutions, such as housing development investment funds in Ha Noi and HCM City, while also encouraging organisations like the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour and reputable enterprises to build more houses for rental. Funding sources could come from various channels, but they must be clearly defined, operate flexibly and allow capital to revolve, while avoiding situations where completed housing remains unoccupied, leading to waste, he said. Deputy Minister of Finance o Thanh Trung noted that the draft decree is being developed to implement the pilot policy under Resolution 201 on special mechanisms and policies for the development of social housing. The decree stipulates that the National Housing Fund will operate exclusively for rental purposes on a non-profit basis, with legal status and as an extra-budgetary financial fund. The Ministry of Finance proposed that the decree ensure flexibility for localities, avoid rigidly applying a single model and minimise the creation of additional administrative structures. Sharing lessons from 20 years of operating the HCM City Housing Fund, Vice Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Bui Xuan Cuong recommended supplementing resources with surplus resettlement housing, empowering localities with flexible authority in mobilising capital, using assets and implementing special housing policies. VNA/VNS NEW DELHI The new US$100,000 application fee for H-1B visas imposed by the United States (US) administration could cut immigrant work authorisations by as many as 5,500 each month, according to JP Morgan Chase. Economists at JPMorgan Chase, Abiel Reinhart and Michael Feroli, said while the number may seem fairly small compared to the overall US labour market, adding that technology firms and Indian workers would face the most impact. Of the 141,000 H-1B petitions approved for new employment last year, roughly 65,000 were processed abroad. These cases, economists noted, are most vulnerable to the new fee, Bloomberg reported. If all of them were to stop, it would reduce work authorisation for immigrants by up to 5,500 per month, unless immigrants are able to use other visa categories to get employment, the economists wrote. Computer-related jobs made up nearly two-thirds of H-1B approvals in fiscal 2024. As per the data, computer-related roles made up nearly two-thirds of H-1B approvals in FY24, with half of the petitions tied to professional, scientific, and technical services. Around 71 per cent of approved petitions were for Indian nationals. Notably, the US hiring has slowed sharply, with employers adding just 29,000 payrolls per month on average over the past three months. Recently, the Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell also said that this slowdown reflects weaker supply and demand for workers, partly due to lower immigration. The Statesman/ANN SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 25 September 2025 - Apical joins leading industry players and Yayasan Inisiatif Dagang Hijau (YIDH), the local foundation established by IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative, to launch the Aceh Sustainable Palm Oil Working Group, a collaboration to advance sustainable palm oil production across Aceh province, Indonesia. The Working Group brings together Apical, a member of the Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, with palm oil producers and major consumer brands like Mars Wrigley, Mondelez, Nestle, PepsiCo and Unilever. Collectively, the companies intend to support the Governor of Aceh's Sustainable Palm Oil Roadmap by promoting palm oil that is deforestation-free and inclusive of smallholders. The Roadmap provides the practical backbone for this effort, setting out a balanced vision to strengthen Aceh's economic potential while protecting forests and community rights. Priority areas include: Raising smallholder productivity and incomes Increasing local revenue Reducing deforestation risk and restoring degraded land Resolving land-related conflicts Ensuring stronger protection of community rights Apical's Head of Sustainability, Tor Mooi See, emphasised why smallholders are central to the work: "By empowering smallholders, we embed sustainability at every level of the supply chain. We also provide ongoing support on certification to ensure sustainability is maintained over time. This continuity is crucial for smallholders to not only meet but exceed sustainability standards and improve their economic resilience." Apical has advanced these objectives in Aceh through its Sustainable Living Village (SLV) programme in Aceh Singkil. Working hand-in-hand with local government, partners, and villagers, SLV builds sustainable livelihoods by combining practical training, legal land support, and tree planting to create a model that benefits both people and the environment. Now in its second year, SLV has trained over 1,000 smallholders in better farming practices, issued more than 500 Cultivation Registration Certificates (STDB), and replanted 2,000 trees in restoration areas. In parallel, the Aceh Provincial Government is translating the Roadmap into a practical Regional Action Plan (RAD). Measures include accelerating the issuance of STDBs and establishing provincial deforestation monitoring protocols, supported by a multi-stakeholder team. Reflecting this commitment, Aceh Vice Governor Fadhlullah outlined the government's role in supporting a deforestation-free and traceable supply chain: "The Government of Aceh is responding to strong market signals by providing a deforestation monitoring system, accelerating land legality and farmer registration, and strengthening sustainable palm oil governance in Aceh. Through the Sustainable Palm Oil Management Unit Programme (PMU-KSB), Aceh will continue to implement the Sustainable Palm Oil Roadmap and RAD with multi-stakeholder support, including global palm oil buyers." In a joint declaration, Working Group members agreed at their own discretion to align their company action plans with the Roadmap's objectives. Importantly, members will not coordinate on purchasing decisions, commercial terms or supplier selection, nor will they share sensitive or confidential information. YIDH will facilitate the development of a voluntary, non-binding joint action plan to support local stakeholders, acting as a neutral convener rather than a commercial partner. "YIDH believes markets have the power to make trade and investment more inclusive and sustainable. We see the need for a careful balance between safeguarding the environment and ensuring livelihoods," said YIDH Country Director Nassat Idris. "The Roadmap anchors the Aceh Government's vision for deforestation-free, inclusive palm oil. Through this declaration, global buyers have demonstrated their support via joint and individual actions in Aceh province. This is a strong example of how business objectives can align with sustainability and inclusivity goals." The Working Group provides a platform for coordinated, province-wide implementation of the Roadmap, bringing together government, industry and civil society to strengthen traceability, protect forests and enhance smallholder livelihoods. The initiative also welcomes additional companies and participants across the palm oil value chain who share this vision, inviting them to join in demonstrating a sustainable and inclusive model that can be scaled and replicated beyond Aceh to other palm-oil producing regions of Indonesia. Additional background on the Working Group and the joint declaration is available on IDH's website here. https://www.apicalgroup.com The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 25 September 2025 - Siam Paragon reaffirms its position as Thailand's premier luxury watch destination, showcasing the country's most extensive collection of world-class watch brands. With a commitment to establishing Thailand as the emerging "hub of horological culture" in Southeast Asia, the iconic lifestyle destination is set to host an exclusive celebration "Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week: Opening Ceremony." The special evening on September 24, 2025, brought together founders and senior executives from leading luxury watch maisons around the globe to honor the timeless artistry of watchmaking and to mark the grand arrival of Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week 2025 the largest luxury watch event in Southeast Asia. The opening ceremony was graced by an impressive gathering of senior executives and visionaries from the world's most prestigious watch brands. Distinguished guests included Nicholas Gong (Managing Director APAC, A. Lange & Sohne), Joseph Munoz (Director, Bvlgari), Ms. Florence Inumaru (Director SEA, Boucheron), and Karl-Fritz Scheufele (Fifth-Generation founder, Chopard). Also in attendance were Nicholas Rudaz (CEO, Franck Muller), Takashi Aoki (Managing Director, Grand Seiko Thailand), Christian Knoop (Chief Design Officer, IWC Schaffhausen), Veerasak Tangudomlert (Managing Director, Jaeger-LeCoultre), and Robert Bailey (Spokesperson, Laurent Ferrier). The celebration further welcomed Carlos Da Costa Saraiva (Head of Customer Service, Panerai), Ms. Emmanuelle Kouakou (Managing Director, Southeast Asia & Oceania, Piaget), Ms. Lesley Co (Managing Director, Southeast Asia & Oceania, Panerai), Brice Tchaplyguine (Managing Director, SEA, Australia & Korea, Tag Heuer), Romain Marietta (Chief Products Officer, Zenith), Edouard Guibert (Managing Director, Southeast Asia & Oceania, Roger Dubuis), Xavier de Roquemaurel (Founder, Czapek), Wei Koh (Founder, Revolution magazine), Ong Ban (CEO, Sincere Fine Watches), and Damien Licciardi (Chief Operating Officer, Richemont Luxury Thailand). Also in attendance were executives from leading watch brands, including Suthin Jiramaneekul and Ms. Nitchaya Ekaraphanich, along with esteemed event partners, Ms. Suporntip Pongsachamnankit, Executive Director and Head of Card Business, UOB Thailand. The event was further honored by the presence of Ms. Chadatip Chutrakul, Chief Executive Officer, Siam Piwat Group; Ms. Caroline Murphy President - Strategic Project Development Siam Piwat Co.,Ltd.; and Ms. Thanaporn Tantiyanon, Managing Director, Siam Paragon Business Unit, who graciously welcomed all distinguished guests. This prestigious celebration was made possible with the valued support of partners, including UOB Bank Thailand, VOSS Thailand, and Chatrium Grand Bangkok. The evening was marked by joy and dynamism as executives from prestigious maisons mingled while enjoying captivating performances in a luxurious setting during an exclusive cocktail reception. It was truly a historic night for the luxury watch industry in Thailand and Southeast Asia a rare gathering of the world's most influential figures, united in celebrating the culture of timepieces at Siam Paragon. Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week 2025 is a landmark luxury watch event that brings Siam Paragon together with 30 of the world's most prestigious watch brands to celebrate the culture of timekeeping where exquisite craftsmanship meets state-of-the-art innovation. The event presents an extraordinary showcase of artistry, heritage, and cutting-edge technology, bringing together watch connoisseurs and collectors to honor the magnificence of fine watchmaking. This year's edition features over 30 globally renowned maisons, including A. Lange & Sohne, Bianchet, Bvlgari, Breitling, Bovet, Boucheron, Cartier, Chopard, Franck Muller, Grand Seiko, Girard-Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie., Hublot, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jaquet Droz, Laurent Ferrier, Louis Erard, Omega, Panerai, Piaget, Tag Heuer, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, and Zenith. Event highlights include: The Symposium is a premier forum dedicated to storytelling and the exchange of ideas on the culture of watchmaking. Presented by founders, executives, and master watchmakers from world-class brands, the symposium brings together industry experts to explore a wide range of captivating topics. The Exhibition presents an extraordinary showcase of the latest, never-before-seen timepieces, unveiling them for the very first time. The exhibition features limited editions, masterpieces celebrated for their intricate mechanisms, rare creations, and private collections from world-class collectors offering museum-quality pieces of exceptional rarity and value. The event takes place at the Hall of Fame and Hall of Mirrors, M Floor, Siam Paragon, with highlights including 15 rare and priceless timepieces, such as the Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 96 Steel, Salmon Dial, Circa 1944; the Audemars Piguet Master02 Ref. 15240SG.OO.A347CR.01, limited to just 250 pieces worldwide; and the Bvlgari Fenice Octo Roma Secret, a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. The Experience immerses watch enthusiasts in the world of innovative and unique timepieces at the brand boutiques, featuring exclusive activities from six renowned maisons. Highlights include ZENITHs celebration of 160 Years of Horological Milestones, a live watchmaking demonstration by A. Lange & Sohne, a design introduction by IWC Schaffhausen, a Spring Drive lecture by a Grand Seiko expert, curated experiences from OMEGA, and an exclusive gouache session by Boucheron, all hosted at the Crystal Court, M Floor, Siam Paragon. Watch enthusiasts are invited to experience Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week 2025 from today through September 28, 2025, at Siam Paragon. For more information, updates, and registration, visit www.bangkokwatchweek.com or follow Facebook: SIAMPARAGON. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. At the meeting, Coca-Cola reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing sustainable business operations and to supporting Vietnams long-term economic growth. State President Luong Cuong met with Michael Goltzman, senior vice president for global policy and sustainability at Coca-Cola, during a session with leading US businesses in New York on September 23 As one of the first US companies to reinvest in Vietnam in 1994, Coca-Cola has accompanied the countrys development for more than three decades. Today, it stands as one of the leading investors in the beverage sector, operating manufacturing facilities in Hanoi, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Tay Ninh. The company works with around one million retailers nationwide, directly employs 4,000 people, and generates approximately 20,000 indirect jobs across the country. Among its recent commitments, Coca-Cola inaugurated a $136 million manufacturing plant in Phu An Thanh Industrial Park, Tay Ninh province, in July. Covering 19 hectares, the facility is the companys largest in Vietnam, equipped with five advanced bottling and packaging lines and boasting an annual capacity of up to one billion litres of beverages. Significantly, the Tay Ninh plant is also the first food and beverage facility in Vietnam to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for green buildings, thanks to its integration of sustainable solutions in energy efficiency, cooling, and renewable energy use. These investments underscore Coca-Colas confidence in Vietnams growth potential, particularly through substantial infrastructure expansion. Beyond economic commitments, Coca-Cola also highlighted its extensive contributions to sustainability and environmental protection in Vietnam. Since 2016, through the Coca-Cola Foundation, the company has contributed millions of dollars in grants to environmental and community projects in partnership with organisations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Vietnam Red Cross. These initiatives include water resource restoration at Tram Chim National Park (Dong Thap province), the installation of an Interceptor river-cleaning system on the Can Tho River with The Ocean Cleanup, and support for a circular economy project addressing plastic waste in Can Gio district. In addition, a $15 million partnership with the UNDP, launched in 2025, is working to improve plastic waste management across nine Asian countries, including Vietnam. The meeting reaffirmed the strong and enduring partnership between US businesses and the Vietnamese government, with Coca-Cola as a key example The company expressed its continued confidence in Vietnams development trajectory and its commitment to further investment and innovation to create shared value for both the community and the economy. Swire Coca-Cola unveils 2024 sustainability milestones Swire Coca-Cola, the parent company of Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam, released its 2024 Sustainable Development Report on June 4, highlighting major progress in environmental protection, product innovation, and community engagement across its global footprint. Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam to support sustainable rice farming in Tay Ninh Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam, in partnership with agri-tech company Rize Vietnam and global innovation studio Ben & Archie, has launched a new sustainable rice farming project in Ben Luc commune in Tay Ninh province. The awards ceremony, hosted by The Asian Business Review in Bangkok on September 18, marked a milestone for NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam. According to The Asian Business Review, the award recognised the centres development of NABs Pay by Bank, an innovative solution that enables real-time, secure payments. Praised for its scalability and forward-looking design, the platform is positioned as a transformative force in digital commerce. General director Tran Minh Hanh emphasised the centres focus on customer-centric innovation and collaboration with global teams, which underpinned its success in the banks strategic digital journey. "The Pay by Bank solution is the result of seamless teamwork between NABs teams across regions and our dedicated engineers in Vietnam. Its already gone live with partners like Amazon Australia, making transactions faster, safer, and simpler," Hanh said. NAB Vietnam general director Tran Minh Hanh receiving the award on September 18 in Bangkok For investors tracking Vietnams tech evolution, NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam offers a compelling case study. Since 2019, NAB, one of Australias largest banks, has chosen Vietnam for its first innovation centre outside Australia. From its initial office in Ho Chi Minh City, the centre has expanded to two large offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, now employing more than 2,200 staff. This growth is accelerating innovation and helping shape the future of banking technology. NAB Vietnam opened a new office in Hanoi in August Aligned with the AustraliaVietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2024, NABs investment underscores the importance of bilateral cooperation in science, technology, and innovation. The centres evolution from a delivery hub to a centre of excellence reflects not just scale, but customer impact. Over the past six years, NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam has become deeply embedded in NABs technology ecosystem driving critical initiatives in mobile banking, everyday transactions, AI, and cloud infrastructure. "The award strongly reflects NAB Vietnams strong commitment to customer centricity, engineering excellence, innovation and global collaboration building solutions that truly matter for customers," said Hanh. Vietnams tech workforce is young, dynamic, and highly adaptable making it an ideal environment for innovation. With a strong STEM education system and growing emphasis on digital skills, the country has firmly established itself as a hub for innovation. Report from Talent JDI Recognising this potential, NAB Vietnam has invested heavily in training fresh graduates, ensuring they gain hands-on experience and develop critical technical and business skills. NAB Vietnam consistently invests in people, hiring and training hundreds of graduates annually through its Tech Academy, which originated in Vietnam and has since been adopted across all NAB global regions to nurture IT talent. "We believe sustainable growth matters more than rapid expansion. From day one, we have focused on building a strong foundation through training, capability uplift, and aligning with group standards to build a global workforce strategy fit for the future," added Hanh. NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam expands with new office in Ho Chi Minh City National Australia Bank (NAB) opened a new office in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City on April 25 to support the growth of its investment in Vietnam and help to continue delivering great digital experiences for its customers. NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam awarded for 'Corporate Excellence' at Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards 2024 NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam (NAB Vietnam) has been honoured with the prestigious Corporate Excellence award at the gala ceremony of Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards (APEA) 2024 taking place on October 3 in Ho Chi Minh City. KINGSTOWN, SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES - Media OutReach Newswire - 25 September 2025 - Olymptrade, a global trading platform, launched a charity campaign in Cipanas, Indonesia, to support those who are often overlooked: elderly people living in poverty and without family assistance. This isn't just a vague plan, but real, direct help delivered where it's urgently needed.The campaign began on September 11 at the YUM Community Center, where Olymptrade distributed 200 care boxes filled with essential items including rice, mung beans, sugar, milk, honey and eggs. Free eye check-ups were also provided, with a follow-up planned in October to deliver glasses to those who need them.The project is designed as a long-term effort. Olymptrade plans to continue distributing around 200 boxes every month, aiming to reach approximately 1,000 people by the end of the year.Local traders and members of the Olymptrade community joined the event to assist in the distribution, further strengthening the ties between the platform and the people it supports.Updates, photos and stories about the initiative will be available on Olymptrade's official social media channels, where the company will continue to highlight its efforts to empower the Cipanas community.Olymptrade also encourages audiences to take part in charitable initiatives and support people in need. The campaign underlines the company's core philosophy:, transforming care into concrete action. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Speaking at the Fall 2025 US Higher Education Fair on September 24 in Hanoi, US Ambassador Marc E. Knapper said the strong presence of Vietnamese students in US colleges reflects families confidence in American education. When we talk about Vietnam building an ecosystem for high-tech manufacturing, high-tech investment, we talk about a Vietnam that has a workforce to do this, I think an American education is key to this, Knapper told VIR. According to data from the 2024 Open Doors Report released by the Institute of International Education (IIE), more than 22,000 Vietnamese students studied in US higher education institutions in the 2023-2024 academic year, with nearly half pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). US college representatives said this trend aligns closely with Vietnams workforce development needs, especially in sectors like semiconductors, AI, and advanced manufacturing. Jeremy Kestle, the assistant director of international admissions at the University of Idaho, said Vietnamese students are increasingly drawn to programmes that link directly to high-tech job opportunities. Theres still a lot of opportunity in the US to gain skills in a university environment and also to do internships and job opportunities at some of the biggest companies in the world. And I dont think thats going to change, Kestle said in an interview with VIR at the event. At the University of Idaho, cooperative education courses allow international students to gain credit and income while working with leading employers. A lot of our students have gone to do co-op programmes in the Seattle area for big companies like Amazon or Boeing or Starbucks, or down in the California area and Silicon Valley for the tech companies there as well, he said. Engineering is a field with particularly strong prospects, Kestle added, pointing to workforce demand in semiconductors. Community colleges are also positioning themselves as affordable entry points to US higher education. Katelyn James, the international student admissions and advising specialist of the College of Central Florida, said the institution offers 2+2 pathways, with associate science courses designed for students wanting to enter the workforce immediately, and associate arts degrees guaranteeing transfer into partner universities such as the University of Florida and the University of Central Florida. These routes provide both internship opportunities and flexibility for Vietnamese students seeking cost-effective ways to reach leading US universities, she said in an interview with VIR. Affordability, James added, remains a major attraction. Tuition at the College of Central Florida is about $10,500 per year, significantly lower than study costs in the UK or Canada. I believe that the United States is affordable still, she said, noting that the support network offered by advisors and student services helps international students expand their connections. For many Vietnamese families, questions about visas remain central. Recent changes to the H-1B programme for skilled workers have generated global attention, but Ambassador Knapper stressed that study visas remain unaffected. For us, the bottom line is ensuring that Vietnamese students who want to study in the US are able to get the kind of visa they need to study, he said. Student visa applicants, he added, should demonstrate seriousness and commitment through their academic record and clear study goals. The US Embassy and EducationUSA provide free resources on study opportunities, scholarships, and the visa process, while initiatives such as Fulbright continue to support academic exchange. Ambassador Knapper said Vietnamese students are valued not only for their academic potential but also for their dedication. He described them as diligent, sincere and motivated by a sense of responsibility to their families and their country. Its key for our two countries relationship to ensure that we continue to have strong education ties, he said. As Vietnam deepens its ties with the United States under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, education is emerging as a central pillar. With more students pursuing STEM fields abroad, US universities are positioning themselves as partners in training the engineers and innovators who will shape Vietnams economic future. US-backed partnership to help with higher education reform in Vietnam The Partnership for Higher Education Reform (PHER), which involves some Vietnamese and US universities, was launched on August 1 with a view to improving the academic quality, governance, and market relevance of Vietnams higher education institutions. Vietnam develops open educational resources for higher education Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has signed Decision No. 1117/QD-TTg approving a programme to develop open educational resources for higher education. MANILA, Philippines, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) and MICECONnect 2025, the country's premier government-organized travel trade and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) platforms, successfully concluded on September 10, 2025 at Conrad Manila with more than PHP 1 billion in confirmed sales leads, surpassing its projected target of PHP 596.2 million. PHITEX + MICECONnect 2025 opened at Conrad Manila with the participation of 147 Philippine sellers and 114 foreign buyers from across key tourism and MICE/ business events markets. Led by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, PHITEX + MICECONnect 2025 gathered 147 Philippine sellers and 114 foreign buyers from key international markets and MICE / business events sectors, affirming the Philippines' strong position as a leading destination for travel and world-class events. Launched under the unified theme "Tourism Transformed: Cultivating Connections, Driving Sustainability," PHITEX + MICECONnect underscored the power of partnerships in advancing responsible tourism and industry growth. This year's event featured three days of Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) business-to-business (B2B) sessions among Philippine sellers and global buyers, complemented by networking events within both programs. "PHITEX + MICECONnect 2025 showcased the best of the Philippines to a global audience while forging connections that translate into real opportunities for our local stakeholders," said TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles. "This event reaffirms our commitment to collaboration, sustainability, and inclusivity, ensuring that tourism growth uplifts communities across the nation and contributes to the country's economic and cultural strength." Throughout both programs, delegates engaged in over 3,000 B2B meetings. The country's top inbound tourism markets were also well-represented: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Vietnam. In line with its commitment to smart and sustainable tourism, the event incorporated digital registration through a unified booking management system. The streamlined system allowed delegates to schedule business engagement appointments, access the full event program, and cultivate connections with real-time interactions through social media. Following the B2B event at Conrad Manila, PHITEX delegates embarked on post-event familiarization tours in Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Boracay, and the Municipality of Malay. Meanwhile, MICECONnect delegates traveled to Cebu-Bohol, Davao, and Clark from September 11 to 15. These tours not only highlighted the Philippines' readiness to host international gatherings but also provided participants with immersive experiences rooted in cultural preservation, local engagement, and environmental awareness. "Philippines is very MICE-ready," said Mr. Harry Foo, a PHITEX buyer from EVO Communications in Singapore. "It has the facilities and amenities, and all these are ready for various MICE groups coming from different countries to have their corporate meetings and incentive travel here." Additionally, Mr. Terence Cardoz, a PHITEX buyer from Divine Holiday Management in India recalled a fruitful meeting between Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the former's visit to India. Cardoz said, "They're very keen to bring Bollywood films to the Philippines. So, I came here to meet hoteliers and ground handlers who could help me bring big Bollywood film shoots to the PH." The success of PHITEX + MICECONnect 2025 asserts the Philippines' growing stature in the global tourism and MICE/ business events landscape. By blending smart and sustainable tourism with meaningful international partnerships, the event continues to drive momentum for the country's long-term tourism development and competitiveness on the world stage. PHITEX + MICECONnect 2025 was proudly supported by industry leaders and partners, including Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Destileria Limtuaco & Co. Inc, Converge ICT Solutions, and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA). ABOUT TPB The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines aims to market and promote the Philippines domestically and internationally as a world-class tourism and MICE destination. As an attached agency of the Philippine Department of Tourism, TPB develops strategic partnerships with private and public stakeholders to deliver unique high-value experiences for visitors, significantly contributing to increased arrivals, receipts, and investments in the country. For more information, please visit www.tpb.gov.ph . SOURCE Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines DALLAS and SYDNEY, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Trintech , the global leader in AI Financial Close solutions for the Office of Finance, today announced a major expansion of its Asia-Pacific partner ecosystem, welcoming leading firms including Cornerstone, PMsquare, Minerva Partners, Green Cloud Consulting, QMetrix, Mero, and GK Horizons. This growth highlights Trintech's sharpened focus on delivering locally and enhancing customer support across both commercial and enterprise segments, as part of a wider investment strategy in the APAC region. Over the past year, Trintech has strengthened partnerships with global and regional leaders such as Protiviti, Kainos, and Workday, while also expanding its own footprint through the launch of a new Australian data centre, the addition of offices in Bengaluru and Noida, and the appointment of Claudia Pirko as VP & GM, APAC. "Our global partner ecosystem is one of Trintech's greatest strengths," said Mekaela Davis, Chief Partner Officer at Trintech. "This expansion in APAC is more than a regional milestone it demonstrates how we're uniting world-class technology with trusted local expertise to deliver long-term value. Together with our partners, we're helping customers modernize finance, strengthen governance, and drive measurable outcomes that extend well beyond the close." As finance teams across the region face rising compliance expectations and increasing pressure to deliver accurate reporting at speed, AI-powered automation is becoming essential. Trintech's expanding partner ecosystem ensures organisations have the right mix of global innovation and local expertise to modernise their financial close with confidence. "We're accelerating financial transformation across APAC from ambitious commercial firms to complex, multi-entity enterprises," said Claudia Pirko, VP & GM APAC, Trintech. "Our expanding partner ecosystem combines local expertise with Trintech's AI-driven innovation, helping finance teams reimagine the close and lead with confidence." "Mero is thrilled to partner with Trintech and introduce their leading AI Financial Close solutions to the New Zealand market," said Allen Keyte, Director FP&A Solutions at Mero. "Trintech's portfolio is a natural extension of our existing FP&A offerings, allowing us to provide a more holistic solution that empowers finance teams to close their books faster, with greater accuracy and control. This partnership perfectly aligns with our expertise and commitment to driving financial transformation for our clients." "We're excited to partner with Trintech to help finance teams across the region embrace AI driven automation," said Piers Wilson, Managing Director, CPM Group. "Our focus has always been on empowering organisations with innovative solutions that drive efficiency and provide insight. Joining Trintech's expanding partner ecosystem allows us to combine our expertise delivering finance solutions across APAC with their global leadership in financial close, so our clients can meet rising compliance demands and unlock greater value from their finance functions." Trintech's market and industry-agnostic solutions are already supporting organisations across sectors including banking and financial services, retail, hospitality and the public sector, helping them achieve faster closes, stronger controls, and greater visibility. These outcomes demonstrate the tangible value finance teams can unlock when trusted technology and a strong partner community come together. About Trintech Trintech gives people time back for what matters most. Our AI Financial Close solutions enable thousands of clients worldwide to lead productivity transformation across their finance and accounting organizations driving efficiencies, ensuring accuracy to mitigate risk, and empowering strategic decision-making. Make time count with Trintech. As the leader in AI Financial Close Management, Trintech is headquartered in Plano, Texas with offices and strategic resellers across the United States, Europe, Australia, South America, Africa, and Asia Pacific. With a strong partner ecosystem, Trintech collaborates with over 100 companies to create a network of interconnected businesses. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com . 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its preliminary finding that chassis producers in Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam have sold chassis and chassis subassemblies into the United States at less than fair value. Commerce calculated preliminary antidumping duty rates of 32.37% in Mexico, 46.12% to 181.57% in Thailand, and 511.16% in Vietnam. The U.S. Chassis Manufacturers Coalition, which consists of major American chassis manufacturers Stoughton Trailers and Cheetah Chassis Corporation, thanks Commerce for its work thus far in this investigation and its preliminary decision to impose duties that are critical for the domestic industry and its workers. Today's determination establishes the preliminary duty margins in the dumping portions of the investigations. In approximately one week, Commerce will publish its decision in the Federal Register and instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to begin suspending liquidation and collecting preliminary antidumping duties on chassis from these three countries. These duties will be added to the preliminary subsidy duties already in place for Mexico (133.18%) and Thailand (2.24%, 7.97%, or 9.42%, depending on the producer). The effective antidumping cash deposit rate in the Mexico antidumping investigation will be offset by the export subsidies resulting in a 133.18% combined antidumping and countervailing duty rate. Because there were no export subsidies in Thailand, the combined antidumping and countervailing duty effective rate for Thailand will be between 48.36% and 190.99%. These determinations are preliminary, and dumping rates may change upon the final determination. Commerce continues to investigate several additional issues, verify submitted responses, and review briefing from the parties. Commerce's final determination is currently expected in mid-December but may be extended to mid-February 2026. Chassis are essential to U.S. supply chains, but U.S. production of this critical piece of transportation equipment has been weakened by dumped importsfirst by unfairly priced imports from China (which are currently subject to AD/CVD orders), and now from Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam. "Today's decisions, in conjunction with the Commerce Department's preliminary subsidy decisions, are an important development to combat the harm the U.S. chassis industry has experienced," said Robert E. DeFrancesco, trade counsel to the Petitioner and a partner in the International Trade Practice at Wiley. "The significant preliminary duties show that the U.S. chassis industry faces significant unfair competition from multiple sources that only trade relief can prevent." The duties that will be imposed following today's decision are assessed on the importer of record of the merchandise. Duty evasion, absorption, and circumvention are illegal and closely monitored by Customs, in conjunction with the Commerce Department. SOURCE Wiley Rein LLP Welsh Government accused of lacking urgency amid crisis for vulnerable children This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 25th, 2025 A human rights expert has accused the Welsh Government of lacking urgency in dealing with what a senior judge called the single biggest crisis point for vulnerable children. Rhian Croke, from the Childrens Law Centre based at Swansea University, expressed concerns about ministers sluggish response to a Senedd inquirys recommendations. The Senedds childrens committee called for an analysis of the use of deprivation of liberty orders court orders which severely restrict childrens freedoms by December 2023. But, nearly two years on, Dr Croke warned: We have not seen any evidence that the Welsh Government has completed or published the analysis it committed to undertaking. She added: While we welcomed this commitment, we noted at the time that the response lacked urgency and did not set out a clear action plan to address the immediate needs of the highly vulnerable children affected by deprivation of liberty orders in Wales. Absolutely desperate Dr Croke explained: Some children with complex needs require placement in secure accommodation, if there is a risk to their safety and/or others. However, where placements are unavailable or unsuitable the high court may use its inherent jurisdiction to authorise deprivation of liberty, often resulting in children being placed in unregulated or unregistered accommodation sometimes far from home. Nicholas Francis, then-family division liaison judge for Wales, echoed concerns about a rise in deprivation of liberty (DoL) orders due to a lack of suitable secure accommodation. Giving evidence to the childrens committee inquiry in 2023, Sir Nicholas told Senedd members: For me, doing the job that Ive been doing in Wales in recent years, this is the single biggest crisis point it is absolutely desperate. You dont put somebody under a deprivation of liberty order unless you are absolutely at the extreme end of trouble and I think its a terrible problem. Extreme suffering The now-retired judge warned of a lack of places for children who are at the extreme end of suffering, either at very serious risk to their own lives or possibly the lives of others. He recalled one case where a troubled young woman was moved every week from one secure placement to another due to lack of suitable registered accommodation. Sir Nicholas explained: And shes moved every week because if she stays in an unregistered place for more than a week, theyre going to be prosecuted. Dawn Cavanagh, from Pembrokeshire, founded the Stolen Lives campaign led by families whose loved ones have been trapped in hospitals due to a lack of community support. She urged the Welsh Government to follow through on its commitment to the human rights and welfare of care-experienced children and young people in Wales. Urgent need Children subject to a DoL are among the most vulnerable, she said. They are not complex they are children with needs arising from early adversity like abuse, trauma or neglect. A failure of services to provide adequate support leads to crisis situations where they are sometimes placed in unsuitable, unregistered and restrictive environments. DoLS are often used to manage risk rather than provide genuine support or promote therapeutic recovery for the child. The Welsh Government urgently needs to carry out its analysis and improve the type and availability of provision required to meet the needs of these vulnerable children. In her letter, Dr Croke urged politicians to seek an update on progress in implementing the inquirys recommendations. And, on Monday (September 22), members of the equality committee agreed to write to the Welsh Government for an update. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter 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) PEP 11 Update Perth, Sep 25, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - On 20 January 2025, BPH Energy Limited ( ASX:BPH ) and Bounty Oil & Gas NL (Bounty) ( ASX:BUY ) as the PEP 11 Joint Venture announced that they had been given notice by the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) that the Joint Authority had refused the Joint Venture Applications made on 23 January 2020 (First Application) and 17 March 2021 (Second Application) (the Decision). On 12 February 2025 BPH advised that investee Advent Energy Limited's (BPH 36.1% direct interest) 100% subsidiary Asset Energy Pty Ltd had applied to the Federal Court for an Originating Application for judicial review pursuant to s 5 of the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) and s 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) to review a Decision of the Commonwealth-New South Wales Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, constituted under section 56 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth). On 16 September after hearing from the parties on technical points of law, the Honourable Justice Jackson decided that the hearing should be conducted by him in NSW and adjourned the proceeding. The Company confirms that the Originating Application is now listed for a 2-day hearing on 20 February 2026 and 23 February 2026. Asset Energy Pty Ltd is a 100% owned subsidiary of Advent Energy Ltd and lodged the Originating Application as Operator for and on behalf of the PEP11 Joint Venture Partners, Bounty Oil and Gas NL ( ASX:BUY ) and Asset Energy Pty Ltd. About BPH Energy Limited BPH Energy Limited (ASX:BPH) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed company developing biomedical research and technologies within Australian Universities and Hospital Institutes. The company provides early stage funding, project management and commercialisation strategies for a direct collaboration, a spin out company or to secure a license. BPH provides funding for commercial strategies for proof of concept, research and product development, whilst the institutional partner provides infrastructure and the core scientific expertise. BPH currently partners with several academic institutions including The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and Swinburne University of Technology (SUT). Related Companies CEO and COO Appointed to Fast Track US Mine to Market Strategy Perth, Sep 25, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Locksley Resources Ltd ( ASX:LKY ) ( X5L:FRA ) ( LKYRF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Kerrie Matthews as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Mr. Danny George as Chief Operating Officer (COO). These appointments significantly strengthen the Company's executive leadership team at a pivotal time as Locksley advances the Desert Antimony Mine ("DAM"), accelerates downstream processing and the mine-to-market solutions for antimony in the United States. Ms. Kerrie Matthews - Chief Executive Officer Ms. Matthews is a highly accomplished executive leader with over two decades of experience delivering nationally significant and capital-intensive projects in the resources and infrastructure sectors. Her career highlights include senior leadership roles in the execution of BHP's US$3.8 billion South Flank Project and Iluka's A$1.8 billion Eneabba Rare Earths Refinery, the latter being Australia's first fully integrated rare earths refinery and a cornerstone of the nation's critical minerals strategy. Ms. Matthews brings deep expertise in complex major project delivery, engineering study program execution, governance, stakeholder alignment, cost optimisation, and regulatory engagement. She has a proven track record of aligning large scale projects with both commercial and government priorities. While recognised for her leadership on billion-dollar projects, Ms. Matthews strength lies equally in obilising teams and cutting through complexity to deliver fast-tracked outcomes. For Locksley, this capability ensures that DAM is advanced efficiently while building the framework for U.S. downstream processing an area where there are currently no large-scale commercial solutions in operation. Mr. Danny George - Chief Operating Officer Mr George is a seasoned senior executive with extensive global experience in feasibility studies and the execution of EPCM and EPC contracts across the mining and energy sectors. He has successfully delivered major projects with WSP, Fortescue, Mineral Resources, Thyssenkrupp and Ausenco, working with leading companies such as Vale, BHP and Hancock Prospecting. His track record includes copper and lithium concentrators, iron ore and coal export facilities, as well as emerging technology projects in hydrogen and green iron. Danny's technical breadth and expertise in rapid project delivery, capital efficiency and large-scale project execution will provide Locksley with the operational discipline and agility required to advance the DAM Project into production at speed. His proven leadership in delivering high-value projects across multiple geographies equips the Company with the capability to manage both upstream ore development and downstream plant construction within an accelerated timeframe. Strategic Importance The appointments of Ms. Matthews and Mr. George provide Locksley with the executive leadership, experience, and technical expertise required to deliver a mine-to-market antimony solution in the United States. Importantly, both have proven ability to move quickly from study to execution, ensuring Locksley is positioned as a fast mover capable of delivering critical U.S. supply ahead of the curve. Their combined backgrounds in critical minerals, major project delivery, and contract mining directly address one of the most pressing U.S. supply chain constraints: the absence of large-scale commercial antimony processing capacity. Following the Company's excellent metallurgical results at the Desert Antimony Mine, Locksley is now positioned to translate technical validation into commercial execution. In parallel with conventional mine development at DAM, the Company is actively assessing non-traditional mining and extraction methods to bring forward initial supply. This includes evaluating flexible and modular mining solutions, contract mining approaches, and low capital processing pathways that can be rapidly deployed to align with the immediate demand from the U.S. Government for secure antimony supply. By advancing DAM with both traditional and innovative development methods, and by establishing downstream processing capacity, Locksley is uniquely placed to play a pivotal role in strengthening U.S. and allied supply chains. This strategy underpins Locksley's pathway to 100% Made in America Antimony and positions the Company to attract government and institutional support as part of broader initiatives to secure the supply of critical minerals essential for defense, energy transition, and advanced technology applications. Resignation of Director Technical Director, Julian Woodcock, has resigned to focus on his Managing Director role at Viking Mines Ltd. Mr Woodcock has played a key role in the accelerated progress of the Company's Mojave Project and will continue to provide strategic guidance as a technical consultant. Pat Burke, Chairman Locksley Resources, commented: "The appointments of Kerrie and Danny significantly enhance our executive capability at a pivotal moment for Locksley. Their leadership supports our strategy to transform the historic Desert Antimony Mine into a modern, fully integrated mine-to-market supply chain for 100% Made in America Antimony. This positions Locksley to deliver value for shareholders while directly addressing one of the United States' most critical national security and energy transition priorities. I would like also sincerely to thank Julian for his services to Locksley during its critical formative period." Next Steps Locksley is progressing multiple parallel workstreams to accelerate the development of the Desert Antimony Mine ("DAM") and advance downstream processing: - Financing and permitting applications underway to support near-term mine development - Strategic partnerships and government engagement advancing to align Locksley's supply chain strategy with U.S. and allied national security priorities - Technology pathways being progressed through Rice University's DeepSolv(TM) program and external ore supply agreements, positioning Locksley to establish commercial-scale antimony processing capacity in the U.S - Non-traditional mining and extraction methods under evaluation to bring forward early supply and respond to immediate U.S. Government demand These initiatives, together with the recently achieved 85.9% metallurgical recovery result at DAM, reinforce the Company's vision to establish a fully integrated mine-to-market supply chain for 100% Made in America Antimony. About Locksley Resources Limited Locksley Resources Limited (ASX:LKY) (FRA:X5L) (OTCMKTS:LKYRF) is an ASX listed explorer focused on critical minerals in the United States of America. The Company is actively advancing exploration across two key assets: the Mojave Project in California, targeting rare earth elements (REEs) and antimony. Locksley Resources aims to generate shareholder value through strategic exploration, discovery and development in this highly prospective mineral region. Mojave Project Located in the Mojave Desert, California, the Mojave Project comprises over 250 claims across two contiguous prospect areas, namely, the North Block/Northeast Block and the El Campo Prospect. The North Block directly abuts claims held by MP Materials, while El Campo lies along strike of the Mountain Pass Mine and is enveloped by MP Materials' claims, highlighting the strong geological continuity and exploration potential of the project area. In addition to rare earths, the Mojave Project hosts the historic "Desert Antimony Mine", which last operated in 1937. Despite the United States currently having no domestic antimony production, demand for the metal remains high due to its essential role in defense systems, semiconductors, and metal alloys. With significant surface sample results, the Desert Mine prospect represents one of the highest-grade known antimony occurrences in the U.S. Locksley's North American position is further strengthened by rising geopolitical urgency to diversify supply chains away from China, the global leader in both REE & antimony production. With its maiden drilling program planned, the Mojave Project is uniquely positioned to align with U.S. strategic objectives around critical mineral independence and economic security. Tottenham Project Locksley's Australian portfolio comprises the advanced Tottenham Copper-Gold Project in New South Wales, focused on VMS-style mineralisation in a well established mining region. Locksley is committed to delivering value through discovery, development, and strategic partnerships, with a focus on securing access to U.S. aligned funding and downstream collaborations. Related Companies Ice cream makers savor sweet success at China expo Xinhua) 10:25, September 25, 2025 TIANJIN, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ice Cream China 2025 kicked off in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Wednesday, showcasing new products and technologies in the ice cream industry. The three-day expo has attracted over 500 domestic and international companies, and features activities such as new product launches, professional seminars and business matchmaking events. Over 2,000 overseas clients from more than 90 countries and regions are also attending the expo, doubling last year's number of foreign clients. With an exhibition area of over 50,000 square meters, the event is showcasing ice creams, ice cream ingredients and refrigeration facilities. Zhang Xiaohong, head of the organizing committee of Ice Cream China, said that despite the challenges of rising costs, heightened competition, supply chain shifts and weak consumption, the ice cream industry is forging ahead to pursue growth by innovating its products and exploring new markets. Chinese brands are increasingly seeking overseas expansion. One Chinese manufacturer, Shenyang Deshi Cold Drink Food Co., Ltd., has reported interest from U.S. buyers in its ice creams that feature designs inspired by the Shenyang Palace Museum. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) BJP Turns Durga Puja Into Cultural Battleground to Counter TMC's 'Anti-Bengali' Narrative 2 The BJP in West Bengal has recast its Durga Puja outreach into a cultural counter-offensive aimed at blunting the Trinamool Congress anti-Bengali charge ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. The saffron camp is attempting to fuse faith with identity politics, projecting itself as a stakeholder in Bangali asmita (Bengali pride) while challenging Mamata Banerjees portrayal of the party as an outsider force. This year, the party has dispatched 107 leaders to 22 states and Union Territories under the Durgapuja Bangali Milan Samaroh to connect with diaspora Bengalis. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya is touring Gujarat, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar is in Varanasi, and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari is in Tripura, with others fanning out across Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Chennai, Ranchi and the Andaman Islands. Strategists believe such outreach may not directly translate into votes but could influence families and networks in Bengal through word-of-mouth. The BJP is also reviving its showpiece Durga Puja at Salt Lakes Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), first inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020. After fading enthusiasm post the 2021 defeat, the puja is returning under the Paschim Banga Sanskriti Mancha, a BJP-backed cultural initiative. Leaders insist it is about art and community bonding, though the TMC dismisses it as political optics. Bookstalls at pandals, once dismissed by the BJP as a Left relic, are now central to its campaign. From 8,000 stalls last year, the party has targeted 36,000 this season, offering books on Indias civilisational heritage, the Ram temple movement, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and electoral reforms. The outreach extends to prize-rich contests for tableaux and immersion processions, with rewards up to 3 lakh. Senior BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, are set to inaugurate key pandals, while Adhikari has lined up appearances at over 120 Durga Pujas. The TMC, which has historically controlled nearly 95% of puja committees, remains dominant, but the BJP is working to chip away at its cultural monopoly. Party spokespersons argue that Bengalis across India are celebrating Durga Puja without harassment, dismissing the TMCs narrative of cultural alienation. By marrying devotion with political messaging, the BJP hopes to weave itself into Bengals cultural identity and turn Durga Puja into a decisive arena for the battle of 2026. Nitesh Rane Warns Against Disturbing Maharashtra's Peace Amid Navratri Tensions 2 Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane has issued a stern warning against disturbing the states peaceful atmosphere during Navratri celebrations. Visiting a Durga pandal organised by Sakal Hindu Samaj in Mumbais Mankhurd on Wednesday, Rane said no one would be allowed to disrespect Hindu gods and goddesses during the festival. The warning comes after tensions erupted on Sunday night when an idol of Goddess Durga was allegedly desecrated in Mankhurd, sparking a clash between two groups. Rane described the ruling Mahayuti as a Hindutvawadi government elected with the support of Hindu votes, asserting that people wearing the gol topi did not vote for it. He cautioned against any attempts to disrupt harmony, saying, Celebrate your festivals peacefully, and we will celebrate ours. Dont look at us sideways. We will not tolerate anyone trying to disturb Mumbais atmosphere. The minister added that those seeking permission to celebrate festivals can easily approach the government and receive approvals without delay. He also joined devotees in a maha aarti during the event. Earlier, Rane had claimed that garba events during Navratri are turning into epicentres of love jihad and supported the Vishwa Hindu Parishads advisory urging organisers to thoroughly verify the identity of participants. Mobile police on Wednesday charged a man with the murder of his wife who died days after he allegedly assaulted her. On Aug. 14, officers responded to the 9400 block of Labrador Run South in reference to a female victim who was unresponsive. She was transported to a local hospital with injuries following an assault, according to a recent release. Two days later, the victim, later identified as Jennifer Glaude, 52, died of brain trauma at the hospital. Glaudes death investigation and autopsy were completed on Sept. 17, with a warrant signed for the arrest of her husband, Herman Glaude, 41, a short time later, the release continues. On Wednesday, Glaude was arrested and transported to Mobiles Metro Jail, where he currently remains without bond. No further information will be released, according to the MPD. This story was updated on Sept. 25, 2025, at 2:16 p.m. after officials confirmed Herman and Jennifer were married. El Paso police this week booked a Dothan man on murder charges connected to a June shooting. Officers were conducting a bar check around 1 a.m. on June 1 at Chit Chat Bar & Lounge, located in the 4800 block of Dyer Street, when they heard a gunshot outside, according to a recent release. Damian Arce, 31, was found shortly after with a gunshot wound in the parking lot. He was transported to University Medical Center of El Paso, where he later died from his injuries. Further investigation revealed Arce was shot after allegedly getting into an altercation with Terrence Mathews, 38, who fled the scene shortly after, according to the release. Mathews was extradited Monday on a murder warrant obtained by El Paso police and was subsequently booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility where he remains on a $1 million bond, according to jail records. A former City of Birmingham employee is under arrest for allegedly accessing the citys computer system without authorization. Amber Nicole Pettway, 33, is charged with felony computer tampering, according to court records made public Thursday. Charging documents state that Pettway on March 1 without authority or exceeding her authority used the citys internal electronic mail accounts to commit an unlawful act or obtain a benefit or defraud or harm another. Additional details have not been released. Asked for a comment about the case, a city spokesperson said only that Pettway is no longer employed. Pettways LinkedIn said she was a network systems administrator with the city. She was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 4:43 p.m. Wednesday and released several hours later after posting $15,000 bond. Court records do not yet list an attorney to comment on Pettways behalf. The owner of two Hoover massage parlors was arrested Sept. 23, 2025, on prostitution charges. (Carol Robinson) New details have been released in the investigation into prostitution that led to the arrest this week of the owner of two Hoover massage parlors. Zhaohui Du Quin, 61, at least twice began to perform sexual acts on an undercover officer before she was stopped. Afterward, records state, she asked for a tip, smiled and said, Dont tell anyone, according to charging documents. The investigation began months ago after police received information about alleged illegal activity taking place at the businesses - Angel Spa in the 1800 block of Montgomery Highway and Lily Massage in the 3000 block of Meadow Lake Drive, said Lt. Daniel Lowe. Police raided both business on Tuesday. A cease and desist order was left on the door at Angel Spa in The Plaza at Riverchase shopping center. The criminal complaints against Quin state that on April 22 a Hoover detective directed an undercover officer to go into Lily Massage. The undercover officer was greeted by Quin, who asked him if he was paying cash and told him to take off his underwear. Quin, records state, rubbed the officers back for about 15 minutes and then told him to turn over. She began to rub his genitals, but he stopped her and told her he needed to leave. Quin told the officer to pay him $60 plus tip, and he gave her $90. She then said, What about the tip? and the undercover officer gave her $110. She smiled and said, Dont tell anyone, records state. A similar interaction took place on Aug. 26, also at Lily. The same series of events occurred, according to the complaint. When the officer told her he had to leave, she said he owed him $80 plus a tip. The officer gave her $140 and left. Lt. Daniel Lowe said the lengthy investigation is ongoing so he cant discuss the exact specifics that led to the charges. Police charged Quin under Section 13-A-12-121 of the Alabama Code, Lowe said, and believed actions she took during the investigation gave us sufficient probable cause to file those charges. Quin was transferred from the Hoover City Jail to the Shelby County Jail Wednesday and released on bond the same day. Calls to both of the businesses on Thursday went unanswered. A Hoover man has pleaded guilty to trying to hire someone to kill his wife and six kids. Mohammad A.H. Mohammad, 64, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala to seven counts of murder for hire, Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona announced Thursday. Mohammad offered a hitman, who was an undercover FBI employee, $20,000 to kill his wife, and $5,000 for each of his six children. The FBI in Birmingham arrested Mohammad last year. He was the owner of American Plumbing Service LLC in Homewood. Court records chronicle years of a contentious divorce with his 55-year-old wife that included threats of violence and the torching of his familys vehicles, and months of him allegedly planning to have them all murdered. Mohammad reportedly told a witness who is cooperating with the FBI and who was asked to find someone to carry out the hit that he was willing to die for self-dignity and die for pride. Mohammad and his marital discord was nothing new to law enforcement. Hoover officers in 2021 arrested him on a domestic violence charge for assaulting one of daughters. Those charges were subsequently dismissed. Mohammads wife that same year obtained three Protection from Abuse orders against her husband, in which she said genuinely feared him because he had told her he would come after her. Mohammad has hurt me and my kids and used weapons against us, she wrote. Mohammad said he wanted to shoot my daughter between the eyes. The wife also said in protecting from abuse order requests that Mohammad threatens to lock us in the basement and kill us. He always threatens me and my children with violence. He has put his hands on my kids and sent them to the emergency room. He has put a gun and knife against my kids heads and throats. He has shot guns at us. In 2022, Homewood police arrested Mohammad on a stalking charge for placing GPS tracking devices on the cars of his wife and children. On Jan. 3, 2023, Hoover police and firefighters responded to a home on a report of a vehicle arson. The burned vehicle was associated with a close friend of Mohammads wife. The suspects vehicle in that case had been bought by Mohammad. The following day, a pickup truck belonging to one of Mohammads sons was set on fire in the driveway of the familys home. In September 2023, according to charging documents, another sons SUV and three other vehicles were burned in a suspicious fire. In December 2023, the wife received a call from a man on behalf of Mohammad in an attempt to reconcile, but she refused. Twelve hours later, documents state, a daughters Toyota Avalon was torched at her home. Mohammad was arrested for violation of a protective order and his bond on the stalking charge was revoked. During a court hearing, authorities introduced an audio recording captured by a witness. A witness said to Mohammad, If you hurt them (Mohammads family), youll got to hell forever. Mohammad replied, No, God will reward me. Mohammads bond was revoked but he was released again in February 2024. He was ordered to wear an ankle monitor, and the PFAs remained in place. On Aug. 21, 2024, a cooperating witness told FBI agents that Mohammad made repeated requests to help him find someone to take care of his family members. Mohammad described the break down with his wife and children including his arrests and instances of arson involving his family members, the agent wrote in the federal complaint. Mohammad showed the witness pictures of burned vehicles on his phone and explained that he felt his pride and self-dignity had been destroyed throughout the falling-out with his family over the last few years. The witness told Mohammad that people from his culture were killing people every day. Mohammad responded, Find me somebody then. Find me somebody. Ill pay. All I need is a number. Mohammad, according to federal agents, paid for a hotel room for the witness in compensation for giving him a name and number of a possible hitman. On Aug. 26, 2024, the witness called Mohammad and said he was getting him someone to do it. I need this shit done, Mohammad told him. An FBI undercover employee posed as the hitman, and the witness agreed to set up a meeting. Two days later, an unidentified man bought two Straight Talk Wireless Samsung Galaxy cell phones and two unlimited phone cards from Walmart in Homewood at the price of $257.20. Walmart security footage showed Mohammads truck dropping off the unknown buyer, who was wearing a t-shirt with Mohammads plumbing company name on it. The planning continued, all over the newly-purchased burner phones. On Sept. 4, 2024, the other Straight Talk Wireless cell phone provided to the undercover FBI employee was activated. On Sept. 21, Mohammad met with the undercover employee and an undisclosed location. During the meeting, Mohammad explained how his family had turned against him, the agent wrote. Mohammad claimed that his family had set him up to be arrested and removed from his family home. Mohammad showed the undercover employee pictures of burned cars and burned structures belonging to his family. He also showed them pictures of his family members and provided him with descriptions of their vehicles, and their addresses. Mohammad showed the FBI UCE photographs from Mohammads Apple You pick and choose who you gunna take out, and get paid, Mohammad told him. Start with one. Take your time. Second. Third. Fourth. Five. I dont give (expletive). Just, start with one. Whats going to be to charge, start with one? Mohammad provided the FBI employee $550 as a down-payment for the murders, with the understanding that the remaining balance would be paid upon the deaths of the intended targets. The FBI investigated the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Cross and William R. McComb. A sentencing date has not yet been announced. Mohammad faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for each count. Purchasing vape materials is likely to get more expensive at some Alabama cities that are contemplating 10-cent-per-milliliter charge on all vape products. BN FTP Alabama cities are racing to beat an Oct. 1 deadline to adopt new local taxes on vape products even as questions swirl about how much revenue the measures might actually generate. From Gulf Shores and Orange Beach to Decatur and Muscle Shoals, city councils are moving swiftly to impose an additional 10-cent-per-milliliter tax on vape liquids sold within their jurisdictions. Many are also attaching annual business license fees to wholesalers and retailers. If cities dont act by Oct. 1, theyll lose the ability to levy the tax entirely. The Oct. 1 date was added into a new state law regulating the vape industry adopted by Alabama lawmakers this spring. Vape taxes are considered excise taxes levied on vapor products, which include e-cigarettes, e-liquids, and related hardware. These are in addition to any general sales taxes. Its a pretty confusing tax, Gulf Shores City Councilman Jason Dyken said during a recent meeting. I know it was done in short order and presented to municipalities across the state without feedback or consideration. Its a challenge to get our arms around this issue on what is the best issue for the city. The state of Alabama already passed a 10-cent-per-milliliter tax on vape products earlier this year as part of new regulations aimed at the industry. Cities that opt in to the local version will effectively double the levy, bringing the total tax to 20 cents per milliliter for vape retailers operating within city limits. At that amount, the total combined rate would be considered among the highest in the South. The combined taxes both state and municipal are scheduled to take effect Oct. 1. The city pursued this tax to capture a new revenue stream while we had the opportunity, said Dothan City Manager Randy Morris. If cities do not impose their own tax, they will still get some revenue from the state portion of the tax. The 10-cent-per-milliliter state tax will send 50% of its revenues to the states General Fund, 25% to municipalities and 25% to county governments. The allocations to the cities and counties are based on population. Cities and counties that adopt their own vape product tax will not receive a portion of the 25% allocation from the state tax. Ford Handley, the city administrator in Orange Beach, said the benefit for the city is that it will receive revenues from a full 10-cent-per-milliliter tax rather than having to share in the state portion. Still, Handley is uncertain exactly how much money will be coming back to Orange Beach. In Gulf Shores, city officials said that the state law will allow them to opt out of the tax if the revenue stream falls short of the expenses needed to oversee and administer the new tax. Many other officials admit theyre unclear about what kind of revenue boost awaits. Decatur, which adopted the tax earlier this month, offered only a very broad estimate that the city could bring in around $50,000 in new revenue. Still, the potential money is hard to ignore as cities finalize their annual budgets. Cities that have adopted the tax so far include Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, Dothan, Decatur, Chelsea and Muscle Shoals. Although we do not have an estimate on the anticipated revenue, it will exceed the portion Dothan would receive from the share of the state vape tax to be effective on October 1, 2026, Morris said. Alabamas county commissions are unlikely to pass their own levies because, unlike municipalities, they do not have authority to do so, according to Sonny Brasfield, executive director with the Association of County Commissions of Alabama. Without local law authorizing the levying of a specific tax on vaping products, it is unlikely that any county commissions will levy such a tax between now and October 1, Brasfield said. Not everyone is on board. In Ozark, a proposal to impose the additional vape tax failed to pass after failing to gain enough support from the city council. In Gulf Shores, the city council approved its version of the tax this week, adding a 10-cent-per-milliliter charge for retailers inside city limits, a 5-cent tax for those within the citys police jurisdiction, and a $150 annual license fee for vape wholesalers and retailers. Longtime Councilman Steve Jones was the lone no vote. This is yet another issue in Alabama that is just killing the business person, Jones said. This is an additional license fee that small businesses will have to pay. Vaping and tobacco are just being taxed to death and I suppose that is how government believes how we should make healthier decisions. But the business owner is the guy in the middle who has to pass it along to the customer. The taxing activity by the municipalities is also drawing the ire of the Petroleum Convenience Marketers of Alabama, which has been actively involved in a legal battle over the new state law regulating the vape industry. Bart Fletcher, president of the organization, said the ability of municipalities and counties to assess their own taxes will create additional accounting headaches for retailers. Alabama allows local option taxes on gasoline, diesel fuel, beverages, etc., and what that creates, especially for retail and convenience store businesses, is a patchwork of tax rates, he said. That is extremely difficult to navigate on a monthly basis. Fletcher said his organization supports the 10-cent-per-milliliter tax on vape liquids assessed through the Alabama Department of Revenue, with 50% of revenues going to the General Fund. However, he said that since municipalities are allowed to assess their own levies, it will lead to consumers paying double the tax in the cities where the councils have endorsed them. If you live and work inside the Dothan city limits and you are a vape consumer and your daily route takes you outside the Dothan city limits, you may make a purchasing decision to purchase (vape products) outside the city to save money on that tax, Fletcher said. That will put the retailers in Dothan at a competitive disadvantage brought about by the additional tax at the municipal level. As of mid-2025, 31 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have an excise tax on vapor products, according to an analysis by the Tax Foundation. Alabama is not included in the analysis because the states tax does not take effect until next year. Louisiana taxes vape products at 15-cent-per-milliter while Georgias tax is at 5-cent-per-milliliter. Tennessee began a 10% tobacco tax on vape products on July 1. Alabama has executed an inmate convicted of killing an Etowah County gas station clerk in 1997 and stealing about $250. Geoffrey Todd West was executed Thursday night at William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore by being forced to inhale pure nitrogen gas, a method first used in Alabama last year and now the sixth time the state has employed it. West apologized for his crime in a final statement sent to reporters by his attorney after the execution. I am at peace because I know where I am going and look forward to seeing Mrs. Berry when I get there, West, who declined to speak in the death chamber, said in his prepared statement. His official time of death was 6:22 p.m. The 50-year-old had been on Alabama Death Row for over 28 years for the March 1997 killing of Margaret Parrish Berry. He shot her in the head while she was lying on the floor behind the counter of a Chevron, according to court records. The victims son, Will Berry, had delivered a petition to Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday asking the governor to spare his mothers killer. Im not a victim. Im a survivor, Berry said from the steps of the State House in Montgomery. I dont want this man to die, he pleaded, and said he would like to have a relationship with West and his family. Vengeance isnt for the state, its for the Lord, said Will Berry. Forgiveness is a commandment for us. Ivey, who didnt grant Berrys request, issued a statement after the execution to media. Almost 30 years ago, Margaret Parrish Berry went to work at the convenience store, but she would never get to return home, Ivey said. Geoffrey West went in with the intent to rob and kill, and he cowardly shot Ms. Berry in the back of the head. Alabama law imposes death as punishment for the most egregious forms of murder, and there was no question of Mr. Wests guilt by the jury in this case or any court over the last three decades. Execution The curtain to the execution chamber opened at 5:52 p.m. West faced the viewing room containing his attorney, Spencer Hahn, and five media witnesses. As the warden read Wests execution warrant and asked if he had any last words, West replied: No sir. He nodded to his spiritual advisor, Father Patrick Madden, who was standing in the corner of the room in front of the gurney. West also gave a thumbs up to Hahn. At 5:55 p.m., he smiled toward the spiritual advisor. Around the same time, a correctional officer appeared to check the seal of the gas mask around Wests face using his fingers. Madden approached Wests feet to pray quickly and stepped away. West gave another thumbs up towards his sole witness, his attorney. He breathed deeply several times, and Madden nodded to him. Around 5:58 p.m., West coughed and gasped deeply as his head rolled to the side. He appeared to foam at the mouth, and his left fist curled upward. His face appeared purple as his head rolled back toward the witness room where reporters sat. His breathing became more even, as his hand remained curled. At 6:01 p.m., West started a series of about eight deep, gulping breaths. Those breaths turned to shallow, smaller gasps around 6:02 p.m for about two minutes. At 6:06 p.m., West appeared to have about a dozen small pulses in his torso. He appeared to stop moving about a minute later. The curtains closed at 6:17 p.m. Hahn said Wests funeral would be Saturday, and he would not undergo an autopsy. Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm held a press conference after the execution. He said that the nitrogen flowed for five minutes past Wests flatline and that the execution went according to the departments expectations. Theres always involuntary movement and everybodys different, because we have seen a variation of movement in the six weve done. But yes, West was the least movement that weve seen. Hamm said he had no assessment of when West lost consciousness and couldnt see Wests eyes or much of Wests face from his vantage point. He believed any visible movement from West was involuntary. Final days and words Hahn sent what he said was Wests final statement via email. It read, I am sorry. I have apologized privately to the family of Margaret Parrish Berry, and am humbled by the forgiveness her son, Will, has extended. West said he was baptized as a Catholic this year and confirmed yesterday. I urge everyone, especially young people, to find God, he said. Spend a few moments to consider the two possibilities: this was all a fluke or there is a Creator and a reason for everything. Your choice will determine where you spend eternity. He added, God bless you all. Another representative released a statement from Will Berry, the victims son, and his wife. We are stunned that this is happening. Please convey our condolences to his mother and the rest of his family. From what we understand, he acted out of character that night. People he grew up with said he was a good person who got off track. We pray that he gains peace when he meets his maker. A spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Corrections provided an update on Wests last day. Wednesday, he had several visitors including his father, mother, spiritual advisor, stepfather, cousin, brother, and two nephews. He also talked on the phone with his mother and father. He was seen eating vanilla cream cookies, an Almond Joy, two small sausage biscuits, peanut M&Ms, a chicken sandwich, sour cream potato chips, Skittles, and a pizza Hot Pocket. He drank a Dr. Pepper Zero, coffee and V8. On Thursday, he was visited by his stepfather, mother, cousin, father, brother, two attorneys and his spiritual advisor. He didnt make any phone calls. He drank coffee, Coca-Cola and V8. He was seen eating Skittles, a sausage biscuit, a Twix bar, and chocolate chip cookies. For Wests final meal, he requested chicken quesadillas. The crime Court records show that on the evening of March 27, 1997, West and his then-girlfriend drove to a Chevron gas station where he had previously worked on Noccalula Parkway in Etowah County. According to court records, West had told people that he planned to rob the gas station. Berry, 33, was working at the Chevron as an attendant. Records state that West went into the store with a handgun, stole about $250 from a cookie can where the stores money was kept, and shot Berry in the back of the head while she was lying on the floor behind the counter. At his original trial, a jury voted 10-2 for the death penalty. West was 21 at the time of the crime. Several years later, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals ordered that while Wests conviction would stand, he needed to be resentenced on procedural grounds. West was officially resentenced to the same punishment and sent back to Alabama Death Row to await execution. Over the years, West and his lawyers filed several unsuccessful appeals. Unlike many death row inmates, he did not file any new lawsuits after the Alabama Supreme Court authorized his execution to be scheduled by the governor. He had no pending court cases going into his execution day. West has said he was desperate for cash when he robbed the Chevron three decades ago and regrets the decision daily. I wish I had the opportunity just to swap places and let it be me and not her, he told the Associated Press. West said he wants other young people to know they have a choice to walk away from a situation that could affect the rest of their lives. If you dont have nowhere else to go, go to church, find a priest, and just tell them everything. But just dont do what I did, man, West said. Youve got an option, even if you dont feel like youve got an option. Forgiveness One of Berrys sons, Will Berry, was 11 when his mother was gunned down. And hes now outspoken that he didnt want the killer to die, too. I forgive this guy, and I dont want him to die, Will Berry said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press. I dont want the state to take revenge in my name or my familys name for my mother. Will Berry was among other death penalty opponents who visited the State House on Tuesday to deliver the petition for clemency to the governor. There shouldnt be any more death. There should be healing and moving forward, he said from Montgomery. The victims son wrote in a previous letter to Ivey that executing West would weigh heavily on me, and it would not bring my mother back. While she didnt respond to this weeks petition, Ivey responded in a letter earlier this month, saying that while she appreciated his belief, the law imposes a death sentence for the most egregious form of murder. Ivey said in a statement released Thursday night, As I expressed in a letter to one of Ms. Berrys sons, it is my solemn duty as governor to carry out these laws. Tonight, the lawfully imposed death sentence has been carried out, justice has been served, and I pray for healing for all. Will Berry and West have exchanged letters, he said, but the prison system did not allow the two men to meet. In an opinion piece circulated to local media outlets, Will Berry said his mother was the person he loved most in the world and her death has cast a long shadow over my life. Wests attorneys from the Federal Defenders Office for the Middle District of Alabama sent a statement after his death. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and all those who have stood by him throughout the many years of his legal battle. Our thoughts are also with Will Berry and the rest of the family of Mrs. Margaret Berry. Our office has represented Mr. West for many years, and in that time we came to know a man who, despite his grave mistakes, came to understand the magnitude of his actions and the pain he caused. He sought forgiveness, both privately and publicly. His remorse was sincere. The attorneys also condemned the prison system for not allowing West to meet with Will Berry. Executions in Alabama Wests execution date was set for about a month after one that had been scheduled for David Lee Roberts , who was set to die by also breathing in pure nitrogen gas on August 21. But Roberts never walked into the execution chamber, after a Marion County judge ordered him to undergo a mental evaluation. The local judge ordered the psychiatric testing in July, but the prison didnt officially call off the execution until August 15. After West, Alabama plans to execute Anthony Boyd in a month, on Oct. 23. He was convicted of burning a man alive in 1993 after tying him to a park bench in Talladega County. His case is pending in federal court, as his lawyers fight the states nitrogen execution method and argue that using the states procedure as written could leave Boyd brain damaged or face other serious injuries but remain alive. Boyds team, along with several other death row inmates who are suing the state, argue that the method, where an inmate breathes in nitrogen through a gas mask without any source of oxygen, could be problematic from the unknown parts of the states heavily redacted protocol. Boyd added that his asthma could also cause complications. The inmates suing each chose the method over being killed with lethal injection in June 2018, when Alabama inmates had an option of switching their method. The falls slew of execution dates comes after a record year in Alabama executions. The Yellowhammer state led the nation in executions in 2024 by executing six people: Kenneth Smith, Jamie Mills, Keith Gavin, Alan Miller, Derrick Dearman , and Carey Grayson. This year started with an execution in February, when Alabama executed Demetrius Terrence Frazier . The state was set to next execute Robin Rocky Myers , but in a rare move, Alabama Gov. Ivey commuted his sentence to life in prison. James Osgood was executed in April, and on June 10, Gregory Hunt was put to death. Roberts was scheduled to be the next, in August, but his execution was postponed. Currently, there are 156 inmates on Alabama Death Row. Of those, five are women. On Friday, anti-death penalty activists are set to unveil a new billboard in Montgomery opposing Boyds execution next month. The group, Execution Intervention Project, said in a press release that the billboard is a cry of resistance and others will be popping up across the state soon. The Rev. Jeff Hood, founder of Execution Intervention project, said Boyds execution " will be nothing less than an atrocity and that hes prepared to be in the execution chamber with Boyd as a spiritual advisor. Our faith demands resistance to this machinery of death. This billboard is a warning: the blood of Anthony Boyd will be on all of our hands if we dont act. In their statement Thursday night, the lawyers for the Federal Defenders said: The execution of Mr. West demands that we reflect as a society: on how we handle capital punishment, on how age and life circumstances are considered, on how we balance justice, mercy, and the possibility of redemption. Without these reflections, we risk repeating injustice. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Alabama reported no outages related to the states 911 service as the emergency systems in both Louisiana and Mississippi were down for several hours Thursday afternoon. The Alabama 911 Board confirmed to AL.com that the states 911 systems were not affected by any outages. According to the Associated Press, authorities in Mississippi and Louisiana reported that 911 services across each state were down due to AT&T fiber optic lines being cut or damaged. 911 services were reportedly back up in portions of both states by 4:00 p.m. although Mississippi was still working through a few issues. Scott Simmons, director of external affairs for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, told the Mississippi Free Press that cause of the outage was still being investigated but there was no evidence that, anything nefarious occurred. The founder of American Village in Montevallo has died, on the same day his long-dreamed-of replica of Independence Hall opened. Tom Walker, the founder and president emeritus, died Thursday morning, according to an announcement from the American Village Citizenship Trust. Walker, 71, had helped raise $18 million to build a replica of Independence Hall in Philadelphia that he hoped will be a centerpiece of celebration on July 4, 2026, for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It is with heavy hearts that the Trustees, administration and staff of the American Village share the sad news that our founder and President Emeritus, Mr. Tom Walker, left this life early on the morning of September 25th, 2025, the statement said. The day is significant as it is the Grand Opening of what Mr. Walker considered the crowning glory of the Montevallo, Alabama campus - a replica of Independence Hall from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the 1980s, Walker came up with the idea of American Village to teach American history and civics and help youth become good citizens and leaders. American Village was chartered as a non-profit organization in 1995, with Walker as executive director. The campus opened in 1999. Walker led efforts to build the 188-acre campus in Montevallo, and to oversee, design and implement its historic replica buildings and history and civics programs. The campus in Montevallo includes numerous historical replica buildings from the Revolutionary War period, staffed by actors in period costumes portraying figures such as John and Abigail Adams, Betsy Ross, Benjamin Franklin and George and Martha Washington - who entertain and inform visitors with historical interpretations. More than 800,000 school children have visited on field trips and for events. Its open to the public and draws thousands of people each year. Walker retired as executive director in 2022 after 27 years. He was being treated for liver cancer at the time. In an interview at the time of his retirement, Walker recalled what meant the most to him about American Village. Kids immediately suspend disbelief and really get into it, he said. Even the coolest teenager who doesnt want anything to do with adults, they just jump right in. Thats been a very satisfying thing to see. They have less context of history than when we first started. People need to know July 4, 1776, but theres much more to it than that. American Village leads community celebrations on the Fourth of July, Veterans Day and other occasions. There is something inspiring about historical places, Walker said of the replica buildings that recall Americas founding. It provides context for the more abstract ideas. We have an exact copy of the Oval Office from the White House. The kids wear hats of the presidents. They are learning about the presidency. Former White House photographers have come and it took their breath away walking into the room. Im very proud of the buildings, but thats not really the village. Its really about building in the hearts and minds of children more knowledge of the history of the American people, to overcome the idea that one person cant make a difference. We want to convey empowerment. We want each child to find some way to make a difference. Walker reflected on the legacy of American Village. I hope 100 years from now it will still be adapting and serving students and the public, he said. We get a lot of emails after the Fourth of July. Some say, It took so long to get out of the parking lot. But a lot of them say, This is the way the Fourth of July should be celebrated. Its been fun. In 2017, Walker was one of 16 people appointed by Congressional leaders to the United States Semiquincentennial Commission. The Commission is responsible for leading the Nations 250th birthday celebration and commemoration of American Independence in 2026. He was unanimously elected as vice chairman of the national commission at its first meeting in Philadelphia. Walker earned his bachelor of arts degree with honors in History and Political Science at the University of Montevallo and his masters degree in political science at Mississippi State University. In December 2020, Walker was conferred the Honorary Doctor of Laws by Troy University. The American Village Board of Trustees, the Lucille Ryals Thompson Chapel Board, Village staff, and friends of the Village mark his passing both with grief and joy as he will be sorely missed while we celebrate his vision and unwavering commitment to our community, to Alabama, and to the nation, the trust said. This image shows the observations of comet 3I/ATLAS when it was discovered on July 1, 2025. The NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile first reported that the comet originated from interstellar space. ATLAS/University of Hawaii/NASA A mysterious object hurtling through space has been identified as a rare interstellar object, only the third of its kind ever seen. In July, NASA reported its ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey telescope in Chile identified a comet that originated from interstellar space. Arriving in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, the comet was dubbed 3I/Atlas. The comet poses no threat to Earth it will remain at a distance of about 150 million miles away but is unique. According to Livescience, the object is traveling towards the sun extremely fast, around 152,000 mph and is on an flat and straight trajectory thats unlike anything else in the solar system. This diagram shows the trajectory of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system. It will make its closest approach to the Sun in October. NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA has confirmed 3I/Atlas is an interstellar object, meaning it originated outside our solar system and is briefly traveling through it. Its only the third such object to have ever been spotted after Comet 2I/Borisov passed through in 2019 and Oumuamua, a cigar-shaped object that appeared in 2017 and sparked a social media fury after it was suggested it was an alien probe. Scientists are studying the size and makeup of 3I/Atlas but NASA said it should be visible to ground-based telescopes through September, though after that it will pass too close to the sun to be seen. It will reappear on the other side of the sun by Sunday and remain visible through early December. The Alabama Department of Public Health has issued an advisory to Coffee County residents after a horse tested positive for rabies this week. The owners said they noticed the horse had scratch marks on her nose and she began rubbing and showing irritation there, according to a recent release. They assumed the scratches came from a fox or raccoon that she had approached. Over the next 72 hours, the horse stopped eating, her symptoms worsened, and she became violent and began attacking and biting herself. The horses body was submitted to the J.B. Taylor Diagnostic Laboratory of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries in Elba where samples were taken and sent to the Alabama Department of Public Health Bureau of Clinical Laboratories in Mobile which confirmed that the horse was positive for rabies. Other unvaccinated horses on the property are being observed for a period of time and the owner, family members, and a neighbor who was exposed have begun rabies post-exposure treatment, according to the release. Rabies is not as common in horses as in wildlife and domestic animals, but it is not rare, said Dr. Dee W. Jones, State Public Health Veterinarian. Rabies vaccines are available for horses and other livestock if recommended by a veterinarian. I encourage all horse owners to make rabies a part of their annual vaccination even though it is not legally required like in dogs and cats. The ADPH has advised Alabama residents take precautions with wildlife, ensure that their pets are current on rabies vaccinations, and always report animal bites or other exposures to their medical provider and ADPH. The department included the following additional precautions in its release: Do not allow pets to run loose; confine them within a fenced-in area or with a leash. Do not leave uneaten pet food or scraps near your residence. Do not illegally feed or keep wildlife as pets. Do not go near wildlife or domestic animals that are acting in a strange or unusual manner. Caution children not to go near any stray or wild animal, regardless of its behavior. For more information, visit https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/rabies.html On Tuesday night, viewers in more than 60 U.S. markets couldnt watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! -- his first show back after a weeklong suspension by Disney -- on their local ABC stations. The Kimmel boycotts by two big TV station groups, Sinclair and Nexstar, clearly drove many fans in those areas to watch his monologue on YouTube, where ABC posted it around midnight ET. It quickly became the shows most-viewed video on the platform so far in 2025. Ostensibly, Sinclair and Nexstar are refusing to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! in protest of comments Kimmel made last week about Charlie Kirks killer. (Sinclair and Nexstar aired news programming on their ABC stations in the late-night timeslot instead.) Theres this much-discussed plotline: FCC chairman Brendan Carr, who wants to promote local TV stations efforts to push back on liberal-leaning programming, suggested the agency would pursue investigations into news distortion complaints against Kimmels show and thereby, in not so many words, cause the FCC to make life difficult for them unless Jimmy Kimmel Live! was canceled. Critics cried foul -- accusing Carr of attempting to thwart speech that he and the Trump administration dont like. Nexstar and Sinclair both want to FCC to lift the 39% TV station ownership cap rule, with Nexstars $6.2 billion proposed Tegna takeover requiring FCC approval and a change to the ownership cap. Ergo, the obvious conclusion is that those companies want to get in Carrs good graces. Whatever the motivations for Sinclair and Nexstar, the question now is: When will they bring back Kimmel (if ever) to their stations? And who has more to lose -- Disney and ABC, or Sinclair and Nexstar? On Wednesday, Nexstar said that it is continuing to evaluate the status of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on our ABC-affiliated local television stations, and the show will be preempted while we do so. We are engaged in productive discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company, with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve. For now, its unclear how long Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be off the air on Sinclairs 38 ABC affiliates and Nexstars 32 ABC stations. Nexstar isnt saying what might happen beyond Wednesday. A Sinclair rep referred to its Sept. 23 statement saying that starting Tuesday night it will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across its ABC affiliate stations and that discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the shows potential return. A Disney spokesperson declined to comment. But the financial impact on Disney, Nexstar and Sinclair would be negligible, even if the Kimmel blackout by the station groups stretched on for a year, according to Matt Dolgin, senior equity analyst at Wall Street research firm Morningstar. Bottom line, Disney would be out only a few million dollars if the two station groups, which represent about 25% of the U.S. TV audience, preempted Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the next 12 months, according to Dolgin. For the media giant ($91.4 billion in revenue for fiscal 2024) its barely a rounding error. Dolgin estimates that Nexstar and Sinclair collectively get less than $10 million in ad revenue annually from Kimmel. Disney will be fine either way. For that reason, I dont expect the station owners will push this too far, says Dolgin. Far more important is the relationship between Disney and these station owners, and, to me, Disney holds all the leverage. The analyst notes that both station groups have affiliate agreements with Disney expiring in 2026, and its critical for the station owners to renew. This is far more important than current monetary impact of preemptions. For Disney, what also limits the financial fallout of the Sinclair and Nexstar disputes is that ABC has owned-and-operated stations in four of the five biggest U.S. markets -- New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Philadelphia -- with Tegna-owned WFAA serving the DFW market. Of the ABC affiliates operated by Nexstar and Sinclair, only two are in top 20 U.S. markets: Sinclairs WJLA in Washington, D.C., and KOMO in Seattle. We suspect Kimmels ratings are lower in the smaller, typically more Republican-leaning markets where Nexstar and Sinclair have ABC affiliates, Morningstars Dolgin says. Nexstar stations affiliated with ABC include KTVX (Salt Lake City), WGNO (New Orleans), WTEN (Albany, N.Y.), WSYR (Syracuse, N.Y.), WKRN (Nashville, Tenn.), WATE (Knoxville, Tenn.), WOTV (Battle Creek, Mich.), WHTM (Harrisburg, Pa.), WRIC (Richmond, Va.), WJGF (Augusta, Ga.), KTKA (Topeka, Kan.) and WTNH (Hartford-New Haven, Conn.). Other Sinclair ABC stations include KDNL (St. Louis), KATV (Little Rock, Ark.), KTUL (Tulsa, Okla.), WTVC (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and WCIV (Charleston, S.C.). The risk for the station groups that choose to engage in a prolonged blackout of Kimmels show is that people would be ticked off because they would want to see Kimmel, or in the larger sense ticked off because that kind of specific blocking of content speaks to First Amendment rights, says Prof. Danilo Yanich of the University of Delaware, a professor of public policy and administration whose research focuses on the media industry. Pushback by viewers in Sinclair and Nexstars ABC markets, and the perception that the companies are kowtowing to the FCC chairmans anti-liberal ideology, could be a factor to lead the companies to relent. You have an FCC chair who is functioning in a way weve never seen before -- he is openly partisan, saying the FCCs function is to support the presidents policies, Yanich says. But Sinclair and Disney may find it difficult to agree on a way forward. The station group owner said before it will let Kimmel back on the air the host must apologize to Kirks family and send a meaningful personal donation to them as well as Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded. This seems like a nonstarter for the Kimmel and Disney camps. If Disney opts to not renew ABC affiliation deals with Sinclair or Nexstar, that would be the nuclear option, Yanich says. A wildcard here is that if the FCC raises or eliminates the 39% ownership cap, that could result in much larger TV stations groups that would have more leverage in talks with Disney. Consolidation is power. The FCC is poised now to remove broadcast ownership restrictions, says Yanich. Disney would take a financial hit if it opted to not renew the ABC affiliation agreements with Nexstar and Sinclair -- but it would face no existential threat, according to Dolgin. Indeed, if Disney secured no new affiliate deals in those markets, it could still reach the entire U.S. with its content via its streaming services and cable networks. It would be a disruptive action for Disney and ABC to take, upending the way the broadcast TV biz has worked since its inception, and not its preferred option. But traditional TV has been slowly shrinking for years. And Disney could drive more revenue to its streaming services (Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited), which could potentially have 100% of ABC programming, helping to offset the already modest impact of any loss of linear television, the analyst adds. In stark contrast, Dolgin says, Nexstar and Sinclairs sales are almost completely dependent on broadcast-affiliated linear television programming, so maintaining affiliation is existential. In 2024, ABC affiliates accounted for 27% of Sinclairs total advertising revenue. Nexstar doesnt disclose revenue by network affiliation, but 19% of its Big Four affiliations (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC) are with ABC. 2025 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC The cutbacks are part of a revamp called the Back to Starbucks plan. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images Starbucks plans to cut 900 jobs and close underperforming stores as the coffee chain continues its $1 billion turnaround plan. In a blog post, CEO Brian Niccol announced the next part of what the company has dubbed the Back to Starbucks of its current locations, althoughplan, an effort to return Starbucks to its roots as a community gathering place. Nicols said the chain will eliminate 900 non-retail positions and not fill others. As we build toward a better Starbucks, were investing in green apron partner hours, more partners in stores, exceptional customer service, elevated coffeehouse designs, and innovation to create the future. We will continue to carefully manage costs and stay focused on the key areas that drive long-term growth, Niccol said, referencing green apron partners, Starbucks term for employees. The layoffs are the second this year, following 1,100 job reductions in February. Stores closing The chain will also close some of its current locations, although an exact number was not announced. The closures will take place at coffeehouses where were unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we dont see a path to financial performance, Niccol wrote. Employees who work at stores scheduled for closure will be notified this week. Niccol said the overall company-operated count in North America will drop by about 1% leaving Starbucks with a roughly 18,300 locations by the end of the year. Glaukos Corporation CEO Tom Burns speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony of the company's 200,000-square-foot facility in Huntsville. Listening are Alabama congressmen Robert Aderholt and Dale Strong, and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. Scott Turner/AL.com A pharmaceutical technology company broke ground on an $82 million, 200,000-square-foot research, development, and manufacturing facility Thursday in Cummings Research Park. The company - Glaukos Corporation plans to initially employ more than 150 at the site, CEO Tom Burns told AL.com. We have the ability to expand and go even bigger from an agreement with the city, he said. There is the potential in the future this could grow to a 400,000-square-foot facility. Burns said the companys investment in the facility could reach $100 million. The facility will be built on 25 acres at the corner of Mark Smith Drive and Explorer Boulevard, at the north end of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. The agreement with the city includes an option for 15 additional acres for future expansion. Glaukos Corporation broke ground on a 200,000-square-foot facility in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville on Thursday. Scott Turner/AL.com Glaukos is a leader in ophthalmology focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders, and retinal diseases. Burns said the facility is going to be able to house all of the companys prosthetic device marketing with titanium tiny stents and other products. Were going to put it through the paces, he said. Really, its high tech. Youve got high-tech stuff in Cummings Research Park. This will be among the highest. It will be cool. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle added the technologies developed at the facility will change the way we see eye disease. That work requires not only great scientists and visionary leaders, but also a community that understands how to support discovery and bring it to scale, the mayor said. Huntsville has long been a city that tackles big challenges. We go first many times. We went first to the moon. Were going to go first with you (Glaukos), too. Battle said Glaukos evaluated more than 100 cities before choosing the site at the research park. They werent just selecting land, the mayor said. They were choosing to become part of an ecosystem where research, innovation and collaboration thrives side-by-side. Burns said Cummings Research Park being the second largest research park in the country is what attracted his company. It already attracted NASA, Burns said. Space Command is coming, with good reason. It has the highest per capita masters and Ph.Ds. I love the scientific pedigree. I love the vibrant culture. The groundbreaking ceremony attracted two members of Alabamas congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-Monrovia, and U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville. Strongs 5th Congressional District includes Huntsville, while Aderholt represents another part of north Alabama in the 4th Congressional District. When most people think of Huntsville, they think of rockets, space and defense, Strong said. Were proud of that. But what were also celebrating today, this shows there is a lot more to our story. In Huntsville, research, science and medicine thrive. Its a city where all kinds of innovation take root. Its really more than a construction project, Aderholt added. Its really a commitment This is not just about the construction of a building, its about putting peoples lives back together. The companys commitment includes an average wage requirement of $34.66 an hour that comes out to just under $72,000 a year per job, City Urban and Economic Development Director Shane Davis said during a city council meeting in December. There is a five-year ramp up to get to full employment. Half of the workforce must work at the companys facility in Cummings Research Park and not telework. Glaukos headquarters are in Aliso Viejo, California, with additional locations in San Clemente, California, and Burlington, Massachusetts as well as other regional office spaces internationally. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during the POW/MIA National Recognition Day Ceremony at the Pentagon, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) AP Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly summoning hundreds of generals and flag officers from around the world to Virginia next week for a meeting, with no explanation on the gatherings purpose. The Washington Post reported Thursday that virtually all of the U.S. militarys top leaders from around the world, including those stationed in combat zones, are expected at the Tuesday meeting in Quantico. A spokesman for Hegseth told the paper that the defense secretary will be addressing the leaders but did not go into further detail, the Post reported. The papers sources could not recall a similar gathering of all the nations top military officials, adding that the meeting is a security risk. One source said summoning the generals and flag officers without an explanation is not how this is done. Are we taking every general and flag officer out of the Pacific right now? another U.S. official told the Post. All of it is weird. Some officials speculated that the Trump administrations crafting of a new national defense policy centered on homeland security may be on the table at Tuesdays meeting. The gathering comes four months after Hegseth directed a 20% cut to four-star officers along with a 20% cut to top National Guard positions and a 10% cut to military generals and flag officers. Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a former Marine, said Hegseths order was crafted to allow the defense secretary to fire top military brass who disagree with him. A lawmaker has filed legislation for the coming session that would enhance the criminal penalty for assaulting current or former public officials. SB 20, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, upgrades the penalty for assaulting law enforcement, corrections officers, paramedics, firefighters and utility workers from a third-degree to a second-degree assault charge. It also adds former and current federal, state and local officials to the roll. A message was sent to Elliott on Wednesday seeking comment. Third-degree assault is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of $6,000. Second degree assault is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine. More from Alabama Reflector SB 20 is the most recent legislation filed by members of the Alabama Republican Conference that expands either the protection or authority of law enforcement. Among bills filed on those lines for the 2026 session are proposals that make it a crime to refuse to provide law enforcement with information and require incarceration for a person caught attempting to evade law enforcement. Some of the bills are ones that the Legislature failed to enact into law during the previous sessions in the quadrennium. In the spring, legislators enacted a law that established enhanced immunity protections for law enforcement against criminal charges or civil lawsuits for alleged wrongdoing while performing their duties. A message was sent to the Southern Poverty Law Center Wednesday seeking comment. SB 20 leaves much of the current law intact, which already allows people to be charged with harsher penalties for those who cause serious physical injury to others or injure others using a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument. Under the bill, people could be charged with second-degree assault when they cause physical injury to a current or former local, state, or federal public official during or as a result of the performance of the current or former officials duty, he or she causes physical injury to any individual. The Alabama Legislature begins its 2026 regular session in January. The National Hurricane Center was tracking Gabrielle (which has been designated a post-tropical cyclone) and Tropical Storm Humberto on Thursday, but it was a third system (shown in red near Florida) that has the attention of those in the U.S. National Hurricane Center There were two named storms in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, Gabrielle and Humberto. But its a storm that doesnt have a name that many in the U.S. will be watching closely. That system, which is being called Invest 94 for now, was causing rain, storms and gusty winds across parts of the Dominican Republic and the Turks and Caicos Islands on Thursday. The National Hurricane Center expects the system to become a tropical depression late Friday or over the weekend. It could be near the central and northwest Bahamas when that happens. Its too soon to say whether the disturbance will head toward the U.S., but the hurricane center said those along the Southeast U.S. Coast should keep a close eye on the disturbance in the coming days. While there is significant uncertainty in the long-range track and intensity of the system, the chances of wind, rainfall, and storm surge impacts for a portion of the southeast U.S. coast are increasing, the hurricane center said Thursday afternoon. A system has to have a defined center of circulation and winds of at least 39 mph to be considered a tropical storm and get a name. The next name on the 2025 storm list is Imelda. There is a long list of factors that could influence where the potential Imelda could go, including a trough of low pressure expected to move off the East Coast and nearby Tropical Storm Humberto, which is forecast to become a major hurricane, possibly as soon as this weekend. TROPICAL STORM HUMBERTO Humberto is expected to become a hurricane in a day or two. NHC As of 4 p.m. CDT Thursday, Tropical Storm Humberto was located 470 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and was tracking to the northwest at 6 mph. Humberto, which developed on Wednesday afternoon, was strengthening and had 60 mph winds on Thursday afternoon, according to the hurricane center. Hurricane-force winds begin at 74 mph. There were no watches or warnings in effect for the storm so far. Forecasters said Humberto is expected to stay on a west-northwest path for the next few days, but its long-range track will depend on the evolution of the would-be Imelda to its west. Humberto could become a hurricane on Friday and a Category 3 hurricane by the weekend, according to the hurricane center. POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE GABRIELLE Gabrielle has been ruled a post-tropical cyclone but still has winds up to 70 mph. NHC Last but not least was Gabrielle in the north-central Atlantic. Gabrielle became a non-tropical system on Thursday afternoon but had winds up to 70 mph. Gabrielle is no threat to the U.S., but the storm should move near or over some of the Azores islands starting as soon as tonight. Hurricane warnings remained in effect on Thursday for all of the Azores. The hurricane center said hurricane-force winds and hazardous seas were expected in the islands later tonight and early Friday. As of 4 p.m. CDT Thursday, Post-Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle was located 265 miles west-southwest of the Azores and was tracking to the east quickly at 31 mph. Gabrielle could bring a dangerous storm surge to the islands as well as 3 to 5 inches of rain. Gabrielle is expected to transition to a non-tropical system after it passes through the Azores. There were no storms expected to develop in the Gulf in the next seven days. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on Nov. 30. English News China, U.S. are fully capable of achieving shared success and mutual prosperity Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 25 Septembre 2025 China and the United States are fully capable of achieving shared success and mutual prosperity, benefiting both nations and the world at large. Realizing this vision requires vision, responsibility, and reciprocal efforts. Strategic communication between the two heads of state has injected much-needed stability into bilateral relations. Moving forward, both sides should act on the important consensus reached by their leaders, demonstrate political foresight and historical responsibility, strengthen dialogue, build trust, manage differences, and deepen cooperation to keep China-U.S. relations on a sound and steady path. By Zhong Sheng, People's Daily On Sept. 19, 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping held phone talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. During their talks, the two heads of state had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, and provided strategic guidance for the stable development of bilateral ties in the next stage. The conversation was pragmatic, positive and constructive. Historical experience offers valuable insight into how major countries can coexist. During World War II, China and the United States fought side by side for peace and justice. The story of the Flying Tigers remains well-known in China, while the courage of Chinese soldiers and civilians in rescuing Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle and other U.S. airmen has left a lasting impression on the American public. Over the past eight decades, this friendship forged in adversity has been passed down through generations. In today's complex global landscape, marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical turbulence, China and the United States must draw upon the wisdom of their shared history, prioritize common and global interests, and strengthen cooperation. This is not only a historical responsibility but also a widely held expectation of the international community. Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in steering China-U.S. relations. In recent months, under the guidance of important consensus reached between the two heads of state, economic and trade teams from both sides have held talks in Geneva, London, Stockholm, and Madrid, reaching a series of constructive understandings. These consultations, based on equality, respect, and reciprocity, have helped place China-U.S. economic and trade relations on a healthier, more stable, sustainable trajectory. To ensure that both countries remain on course, it is essential to adhere to the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, implement important consensuses, and uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. Developing a mutually beneficial economic and trade relationship requires long-term vision and a sustained commitment to cooperation. At the recent talks in Madrid, China and the United States reached a basic framework consensus on properly resolving TikTok-related issues. This progress illustrates that complex issues can be addressed through dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. China's position on the TikTok issue is clear. The Chinese government respects the wishes of the company in question and is glad to see business negotiations in line with market rules and a solution that conforms to Chinese laws and regulations and takes into account the interests of both sides. The U.S. side should, in turn, provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in the country. China has consistently emphasized that dialogue and consultation must be principled and that a cooperative atmosphere must be jointly nurtured and safeguarded. China's right to development must be respected, and its determination to protect its legitimate interests remains unwavering. Attempts to coerce China into unilateral concessions on matters of principle are neither realistic nor constructive. The U.S. side should refrain from imposing unilateral trade restrictions that could undermine the outcomes of prior consultations. China and the United States are fully capable of achieving shared success and mutual prosperity, benefiting both nations and the world at large. Realizing this vision requires vision, responsibility, and reciprocal efforts. Strategic communication between the two heads of state has injected much-needed stability into bilateral relations. Moving forward, both sides should act on the important consensus reached by their leaders, demonstrate political foresight and historical responsibility, strengthen dialogue, build trust, manage differences, and deepen cooperation to keep China-U.S. relations on a sound and steady path. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.) 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) The $15M overhaul of SC States Nance Hall will provide lab space for two new undergraduate programs and a new masters degree. ORANGEBURG, S.C. The South Carolina State University Board of Trustees on Thursday approved three new agriculture degree programs designed to strengthen the universitys academic offerings in the states largest industry. President Alexander Conyers said the new programs are directly tied to a $15 million state-funded renovation of Nance Hall. The renovation of Nance Hall is critical as we launch our new agriculture degree programs in agricultural and natural resource management, animal and veterinary science, and natural resource management, he said. The $15 million provided by the state will allow us to create modern laboratories and teaching spaces that bring these programs to life. This investment ensures our students will have access to the advanced facilities they need to develop the skills that agriculture and related industries demand, Conyers said. The new programs include two undergraduate degrees and a graduate degree: A Bachelor of Science in animal and veterinary science. A Bachelor of Science in natural resource management. A Master of Science in agricultural and natural resource management. The graduate program will have two options: one in animal science and one in natural resource management. Dr. Ralph Noble, dean of SC States College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences, said the programs are part of the return of agricultural studies to the university after more than 50 years. As you may know, agriculture was one of the initial academic programs at the school when it began back in 1896, Noble said. But unfortunately, after 75 years in 1971, the program closed. Then in 2021, some 50 years later, we were fortunate enough to have the College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences come back and be visible in a state where agriculture is the No. 1 industry, he said. Noble told trustees the new programs would prepare graduates for careers in food production, animal science, resource management and related industries that face a shortage of trained professionals. The new programs will complement SC States bachelors degree in agribusiness, which blends core business training with agricultural-sector coursework. Students gain hands-on and experiential learning opportunities, including internships and applied projects in farm, processing, or agribusiness settings. "The approval of these new academic programs marks an exciting step forward for SC State University, said Dr. Frederick Evans, provost and vice president of academic affairs. The B.S. in natural resource management, M.S. in agricultural and natural resource management, and B.S. in animal and veterinary sciences will provide our students with the knowledge and skills to tackle some of todays most pressing challenges in agriculture, sustainability, and animal health. These programs also strengthen our commitment to preparing graduates who are ready to lead in industries critical to South Carolinas economy and to the global community, Evans said. Noble said graduates will be prepared for positions with agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, agribusiness companies, public health organizations and graduate schools across the country. National demand for animal science Noble said the Bachelor of Science in Animal and Veterinary Science will align SC State with one of the fastest-growing agricultural fields nationwide. The animal and veterinary science degree program is one of the most popular ones in the country at all of the 100 or so land-grant universities, Noble said. It is the most popular major in agriculture across the country, both at the 1890 institutions as well as majority schools. He noted that the new program will also complement the creation of South Carolinas first veterinary school at Clemson University. Because were trying to piggyback off this opportunity to join efforts with Clemson Universitys new veterinary school, we have met with them. Were starting some recruitment activities jointly with students who are currently here that may be residing in biology or in other areas on campus to help the profession, Noble said. Noble explained that the animal and veterinary science program would include both a pre-veterinary option with rigorous science coursework and an animal industry option focused on agribusiness careers. A modern approach to natural resource management The dean explained that natural resource management encompasses traditional agricultural disciplines. This degree program is a summation to some extent of soil science, plant science, water culture and agronomy, but it will include such things as controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming, Noble said. Some of the new practices that we see taking place in urban areas -- we think about things like food deserts -- we have practices that will help address that. He added that natural resource management also involves sustainable methods tied to food and environmental security, including the quality of water, air and soils the basis of what we grow for both food and animals ourselves. Research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students The programs will involve new faculty members with dual appointments in Academic Affairs and SC State Public Service and Agricultures 1890 Research and Extension. Faculty members will be involved in agricultural technology drones, robots and sensors and sustainable, regenerative and agricultural practices that focus on soil health skills required by various industries. Students also will have access to research opportunities and practical experiences at SC State Public Service and Agricultures Research and Demonstration Farm in Olar, South Carolina. Noble emphasized that the new degrees would help connect SC States students directly with faculty research, advancing the universitys Carnegie R2 status as a high research activity institution. The graduate program is designed to support the R2 status and also to take advantage of 1890 Research and Extension for cutting-edge research currently being done, Noble said. SC State Public Service and Agricultures grant-funded programs in the developing West African nation of The Gambia provide a natural bridge to its new animal science degrees. Through partnerships focused on improving goat breeds and advancing livestock management, SC State faculty and students are helping address global nutrition and food security challenges. These international projects give students hands-on experiences that complement their classroom studies, while reinforcing the global relevance of the new animal and veterinary science programs. Trustees unanimously approved the new degrees. The programs are expected to begin enrolling students for Fall Semester 2026, pending approval by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. This is, I think, an exciting time to be at South Carolina State an exciting time to be a part of the College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences, and I am looking forward to getting the programs started, Noble said. Googles epic battle with Epic Games in court is not yet over, but it is nearing a critical point at which Google will need to convince the courts to rule more in its favor, or deal with the consequences of Epics current win, and Google is leaning toward the former strategy with its attempt to get the Supreme Court involved. This week, Google is asking the Supreme Court to step in and save it from the Epic ruling, which threatens Googles complete and total hold over the Play Store and Androids app ecosystem. More specifically, the way apps are distributed and how transactions from those apps are handled. When Epic took Google to court over this case, it alleged Google was using the Play Store as a monopoly, and the courts agreed. Googles Play Store was ruled a monopoly, and it would be required to make some changes. Those changes are supposed to take place in October. That is, unless Google can get the courts to hold off a little longer on the injunction from the ruling. Google is elevating its Epic case ruling to the Supreme Court for appeal Google is going to appeal its Epic ruling with the Supreme Court, but before it does that, its asking the 9th Circuit District Court to put the injunction on hold again. This would presumably be the last time. Google cant elevate its appeal beyond the Supreme Court, so once that appeal goes through, if the Supreme Court still ends up siding with the initial ruling, then Google will have to make the requested changes. Those changes include a handful of things. Such as allowing app developers to use whatever payment process they want. As of now, developers are required to use Google Play Billing. That will likely be changing soon. Google will also have to allow developers to link to other payment methods and link to other ways of downloading apps. Google is planning to submit its appeal to the Supreme Court by October 27. Thats a little more than a month away. If Google is granted another stay on the injunction, it would continue until the appeal date. At a recent tech event, Huawei provided details on a new artificial intelligence model and a roadmap for its Kunpeng processor family. The announcements, which emerged from the companys annual Connect 2025 conference, offer a look at Huaweis development efforts in both AI software and high-end computing hardware. They highlight the companys ambitious plans regarding server CPUs, aiming to attack Intel and AMD. Censored DeepSeek AI that reflects socialist values First, Huawei announced a new AI model with a specific focus on safety. In collaboration with Chinas Zhejiang University, the company has co-developed a model called DeepSeek-R1-Safe. This new model is a tweaked version of DeepSeeks open-source model. It aims to comply with domestic regulations that require AI models to reflect socialist values. According to Huawei, the model is nearly 100% successful in blocking common harmful topics, including toxic and illegal speech. In other words, this version is censored to avoid touching on sensitive political topics for China. The models defense capability against more disguised attacks and role-playing scenarios reportedly reached 83%. This performance figure puts it between 8% and 15% ahead of other concurrent models like Alibabas Qwen-235B and the original DeepSeek-R1-671B under the same testing conditions. Huawei added that the new model exhibited less than a 1% performance degradation compared to the original, which is a significant technical achievement. 1,000 of Huaweis own Ascend AI chips supported the development of the model. Huawei Kunpeng processor roadmap, including monstrous 256-core one In a separate announcement, Huawei outlined an ambitious roadmap for its Kunpeng processor family. This plan details new CPUs intended for high-end computing, positioning them as competitors to chips like Intels Xeon and AMDs EPYC. The company plans to release the Kunpeng 950 processor in the first quarter of 2026. This chip will be available in two distinct models: one with 96 cores and 192 threads, and another with 192 cores and 384 threads. These processors aim to support the TaiShan 950 SuperPoD, which is an option to replace legacy mainframes and midrange computersparticularly in the financial sector. Looking further ahead, Huawei also confirmed plans for a new 256-core Kunpeng processor. The firm could launch this chip during the first quarter of 2028. It intends for heavy-duty workloads like virtualization, containers, big data, and warehouse management. Another model scheduled for the same timeframe will focus on higher single-core performance. This model has a reported improvement of more than 50% for AI and database use cases. Benchmarks from a 256-core Kunpeng setup reportedly achieved 4.8 million transactions per minute with 768 connections, illustrating its potential for large-scale deployments. OnePlus has just confirmed some OnePlus 15 details, with a surprising gaming twist. OnePlus released teasers that confirm the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC will fuel the phone, while a 165Hz display will be included too. The OnePlus 15 will utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, and a 165Hz display Thats something we pretty much knew already. The OnePlus 15 with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 popped up on Geekbench, not to mention that OnePlus uses Qualcomms best chip for its flagship smartphone every year. Furthermore, there were several indications that a 165Hz display will be used. Rumors were saying so, while the companys exec hinted it, too. In fact, we know that the OnePlus 15 will utilize BOEs next-gen Oriental Screen. Confirmations are always nice to have, though. OnePlus even used the phones name this time around, while the company teased Ultra Performance thanks to the new chip and a 165Hz display. A gaming kernel has also been confirmed Thats not all, though. There is also a gaming twist here, as mentioned earlier. The phone will ship with a Fengchi gaming kernel, which puts even more focus on the gaming aspect here. While OnePlus flagships were always great for gaming, they were never gaming smartphones per se. The OnePlus 15 will be one of the first smartphones to utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Were not sure when will the phone launch, but its coming in the near future. Its expected to arrive in October, though the exact launch date is still unknown. As a reminder, that will be its launch in China, not its global launch. The global launch event is expected to follow in the first quarter of next year. Thats what the company did last year, and thats almost certainly whats coming this year. Speaking of which, the phones design was seemingly revealed quite recently. It will be notably different than what the OnePlus 13 offered. OnePlus will be the first company to utilize the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Just to be clear, were talking about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 here, not the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Xiaomi will be the first company to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, Qualcomms new flagship. OnePlus will be first to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will be more powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but less powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. So while its a good chip, it wont be on the same level as the companys new flagship. Qualcomm did confirm the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, but it did not release any technical details about it. Thats why were basing the information on rumors, but lets hope Qualcomm will share more details soon. With that being said, OnePlus itself confirmed that it will be first ot use this chip. Well, the companys executive did. The executive in question is Li Jie Louis, who also confirmed that the first phone running this chip will launch globally. The OnePlus Ace 6 the phone in question; OnePlus 15R globally probably What phone are we talking about here? Well, its probably the OnePlus 15R, at least as far as global users are concerned. Users in China will get it earlier, though, under the OnePlus Ace 6 name. The thing is, the OnePlus 15R is expected to launch alongside the OnePlus 15 globally. That means that we probably wont see it until January, unless OnePlus changes up its release cycle. We dont have any information about the OnePlus 15R at this point. Well, other than the assumption that it will run this new chip. The phone will likely also include a large display, just like the OnePlus 15, and a large battery too. The OnePlus 13R was a very compelling phone, with a compelling price tag, so were expecting to see something similar from its successor. September 25, 2025: During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) lost 88,119 pilots and aircrew, accounting for about 12 percent of all Army casualties. Ground forces suffered the majority of casualties. Approximately 59 percent of USAAF deaths occurred in combat, while 25,844 deaths resulted from accidents, half of which happened in the United States during pilot and crew training. In combat, 41,000 aircrew became prisoners of war, and 18,000 were wounded in action, removed from returning aircraft, and treated for their injuries. World War II marked the last time American air forces suffered major losses. For over a century, the U.S. Air Force has advocated for military victory achieved primarily through air power. This mindset took root after World War I when the Army Air Corps, the predecessor of the independent Air Force, phased out most of its numerous reconnaissance aircraft and focused on bombers and fighters. A popular belief emerged that larger bomber aircraft would dominate future wars. This never materialized, and in every subsequent war, the Air Force had to scramble to expand its meager peacetime reconnaissance force to meet wartime realities. This was less problematic during World War II because the Air Force was still part of the Army. However, after World War II, the Army Air Forces became the independent Air Force and sought to control everything that flew over land. This led to constant Air Force opposition to Army efforts to retain small reconnaissance and cargo aircraft. The Army valued abundant and prompt aerial reconnaissance more than the Air Force, resulting in a dispute. In the 1950s, after a decade of bickering, the Department of Defense ordered the Army to focus on helicopters while the Air Force took control of nearly all fixed-wing aircraft. The Army was allowed to retain some single-engine artillery spotter aircraft, as well as a few twin-engine transports and intelligence-collecting aircraft, but that was it. Four decades later, in the 1990s, drones became practical and reliable for military use, and the Army and CIA quickly adopted them. Drones, lacking onboard aircrew, were not considered part of the half-century-old compromise with the Air Force. Initially, the Air Force paid little attention to drones growing capabilities, as it was run by pilots who assumed nothing in the air was truly useful without a pilot. The Army and CIA delivered an unexpected reality check to the Air Force. By then, the CIA was already arming its large Predator drones with Hellfire missiles. Thus, the Army resumed operating armed aircraft in the form of drones, alongside its existing armed helicopters. The Army argued that these larger drones were more effective under the direct control of Army combat brigades. The Air Force viewed this as inefficient, preferring a centralized pool of larger drones deployed as needed. This difference of opinion reflects fundamental differences in how the Army and Air Force deploy and use their combat forces. The Army emphasizes teamwork among unit members and subordinate units within a brigade as critical to battlefield success. While the Air Force acknowledges this for its aircraft squadrons, it considers it irrelevant for Army drone use. Seeing Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones conducting visual and electronic reconnaissance and firing missiles at ground targets, the Air Force fears losing control of missions it has dominated since its founding in 1947. The Armys acquisition of thousands of reconnaissance drones did not change the Air Forces post-war disinterest in aerial reconnaissance and surveillance. The Air Forces reluctance to develop, build, and maintain a robust strategic reconnaissance force prompted the CIA to leverage its considerable influence and budget to develop strategic reconnaissance aircraft like the U-2 and SR-71, as well as surveillance satellites. The CIA also pioneered the use of larger drones like the Predator and armed them, helping the Army secure Department of Defense approval to expand its armed aircraft beyond helicopter gunships. The Army retained its drones, which proved critical as the Air Force reduced spending on aerial reconnaissance with the war on terror winding down. The Air Force is purchasing fewer RQ-4 Global Hawk and RQ-170 Sentinel strategic reconnaissance drones. Every war generates unexpected weapons, techniques, and tactics. In the ongoing Ukraine War, cheap, armed drones emerged as a decisive weapon, replacing most air and artillery support and causing over 90 percent of casualties. This led to further innovations, such as how to recruit and train operators for this new Drone Force. Ukraine eventually established its Unmanned Systems Force (USF). In 2024, Ukraine built 1.5 million drones, and in 2025, it produced more long-range drones. The USF does not control the drones regularly used by Ukrainian forces but focuses on developing new drone models and organizing mass production for successful designs. Some NATO countries are manufacturing drones of local or Ukrainian design and sending them to Ukraine. Drones have been an unexpected development with a massive impact on how battles in Ukraine are fought. Their success stems from being cheap, easily modified, and expendable. Long-range drones enable Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia, including dropping guided bombs from one-kilometer altitudes, allowing bombs to glide long distances and hit Russian targets unexpectedly. This has been catastrophic for Russia, which denies the damage caused by Ukrainian drones, claiming most are shot down. However, satellite photos, FPV videos released by Ukraine, and some Russian soldiers reveal significant damage inside Russia. On platforms like WhatsApp, these attacks are sometimes shown in real time. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces deploy quadcopter drones controlled by soldiers using FPV (First Person View) goggles to see what the drones day/night video camera captures. Most FPV drones carry half a kilogram of explosives, turning them into flying bombs that can fly into a target and detonate. This is a formidable and debilitating weapon when used in large numbers over the combat zone. If a target is stationary or requires more explosive power, drone operators can call in artillery, rocket, missile fire, or airstrikes. Larger, fixed-wing drones are used for long-range operations against targets over a thousand kilometers inside Russia. A major limitation to expanding drone operations is the need for trained operators, who require dozens of hours of training before operating drones and additional hours of actual use to maximize effectiveness. Operator training begins with trainees spending weeks or months as operator assistants, monitoring the broader situation on a tablet, laptop, or desktop PC. Assistants alert FPV drone operators to new targets by indicating directions to move and launch new quadcopters after the operator expends one on the enemy. Several FPV operators, each with two or more assistants, typically operate from a bunker or a partially rebuilt basement of a bombed-out structure. Antennas for broadcasting drone control signals and receiving FPV video are placed in camouflaged locations some distance from the operations bunker. Both sides have missiles and bombs that can home in on FPV drone control signal sources. Most operations teams maintain an off-site alternate antenna in case the primary one is destroyed. FPV drones complete their missions most of the time, whether one-way attacks or survivable reconnaissance and surveillance missions, allowing drones to be reused. Both sides deploy enough drones to maintain constant surveillance over portions of the front line, extending a few kilometers into enemy territory. The massive use of FPV-armed drones has revolutionized warfare in Ukraine, with both sides producing as many as possible. Earlier in the Ukraine War, Russia used Iranian Shahed-136 drones, costing about $200,000 each. Ukraine demonstrated that drones with similar capabilities could be designed and built for less than a tenth of the Shahed-136s cost. The Iranian drone was overly complex, and even Russia soon realized this, shifting to more capable drones copied from Ukrainian designs or original Russian designs. Ukrainian drone proliferation began with individuals and small teams designing and building drones as candidates for widespread use and mass production. This led to rapid evolution of drone capabilities and uses. The side that couldnt keep up suffered higher losses and less combat success. Each month, over a hundred thousand drones are built in Ukrainian factories or home workshops. Military leaders in other nations have taken note and are equipping their forces with drones. Lacking sufficient drones to match an enemys numbers in a given area puts forces at a serious disadvantage. Drones continue to evolve in design and use, becoming more effective and essential. One countermeasure, electronic jamming of drone control signals, often works temporarily. Drone guidance systems are constantly modified or upgraded to counter this. Most drones have flight control software that returns jammed drones to their takeoff point for later use. Jammers on the ground can be attacked by drones programmed to home in on jamming signals. A common countermeasure is controlling drones via fiber-optic cables. Ukrainians benefit from material and intellectual support from NATO countries. Ultimately, the winner at any stage of the war is the side that is most resourceful and innovative. This process has been evident in warfare for centuries, but in the last century, changes and innovations have occurred so rapidly that the process is visible, disrupting long-established missions of military services. Israeli forces now use drones similar to those in Ukraine. The United States is equipping its infantry with more drones for reconnaissance and attack. American troops began using drones over twenty years ago but not FPV drones, a recent innovation. U.S. forces are now adopting FPV drones and learning to use them due to their heavy use in Ukraine. Drones have been an unexpected development with a massive impact on how battles in Ukraines current war are fought. Their success stems from being cheap, easily modified, and expendable. FPV drones are a key element in the rise of drone warfare as a dominant form of combat. Both sides release pictures and videos of FPV drone attacks on social media, revealing the horrified expressions on soldiers faces as the FPV drone that kills them closes in. Lizbeth Medina, 16, was found dead in her home nearly two years ago. Now, her family is furious that her suspected killer is expected to take a plea deal on Thursday (Ana Medina) A Texas mother is furious after learning that the man accused of killing her 16-year-old daughter is set to take a plea deal in court on Thursday. Lizbeth Medina, a cheerleader at Edna High School and an aspiring nurse, was found dead in the bathtub by her mother at their family home on December 5, 2023. The 16-year-old was a loving, kind, and goofy teenager, her mother, Jacqueline Medina, told The Independent. Police arrested and charged Rafael Govea Romero with capital murder. Romero, who is from Mexico, was also placed on an ICE detainer because of an expired visa. His trial was set to start later this year, but Jacqueline says prosecutors in Jackson County have now offered him a plea deal that would result in two life sentences with the possibility of parole after 30 years. While parole may never happen, Jacqueline said the possibility still concerns her. Hearing this plea deal made me understand that we can just throw it out, throw any case out, just give a plea deallike if it was nothing, she told The Independent. Lizbeth Medina, 16, was found dead in her home nearly two years ago. Now, her family is furious that her suspected killer is expected to take a plea deal on Thursday (Ana Medina) Romeros next hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning, during which he is expected to plead guilty, his attorneys told KPRC 2. Lizbeths family has planned a prayer vigil in her honor before the hearing, Lizbeth wasn't just a name that everybody's hearing, Jacqueline said. She was a person. She was my daughter. She was my everything, my world. Lizbeths mother says she didnt feel comfortable with the plea deal Jacqueline first heard about the plea deal on Monday, she says. Jacqueline and her attorney then tried to meet with Assistant District Attorney Stephen Tyler and District Attorney Pam Guenther on Wednesday, but she claims they both refused to see her. The Jackson County District Attorneys Office did not respond to The Independents multiple requests for comment. Romeros defense team declined to comment ahead of Thursdays hearing. One of his attorneys, Ross Reifel, did confirm details of the plea deal to KPRC 2. Tyler seems to have been vocal about the case online, however. The family noticed that Tyler, who identified himself as lead prosecutor, left several Facebook comments underneath a local news report about the plea deal on Tuesday. In one comment, he responded to a user arguing in favor of the death penalty. Lizbeth Medina was a 'loving' and 'goofy' teenager who aspired to be a nurse, her mother said (Ana Medina) He wrote: I work within the available resources to obtain what is the best outcome for the state. Would you agree to pay more taxes for capital defense and prosecution, or forego school or road improvements? We are talking several millions of local dollars from arrest to grave. Whats the marginal benefit compared to increase cost? I dont decide on budget and resource allocation, but someone must. We can hope they are a good steward of public resources, he added. Jacqueline said Tylers post about the cost of her daughters case really hurt her. Now I'm feeling like you guys are not fully prosecuting and going to trial because of, maybe, we don't have the funds, Jacqueline said. Its very disheartening. Elsewhere on the Facebook thread, Tyler commented that he met with Jacqueline for over an hour and she agreed with the sentencing recommendation and was comfortable with the outcome. Jacqueline told The Independent that Tylers characterization of their conversation wasnt accurate. She spoke with Tyler about the plea deal, but said she didnt feel comfortable with the arrangement. Not one moment did they say, Are you okay with this? Should we proceed? No, everything was done, Jacqueline said. Reifel told KPRC 2 that the state, defense and victims family all agreed to the plea deal. Lizbeth remembered as a loving person and focused student Lizbeth was an ambitious high school student who was very focused on her future and had aspirations of becoming a nurse, Jacqueline said. She also did her friends eyelashes and nails to earn money on the side, Jacqueline recalled. Lizbeth Medina and her mom went to a college event shortly before she died (Ana Medina) She had a list, and I wish I had those for you to see, she said. She also wanted to go into real estate at the same time. Jacqueline said she took Lizbeth to a college event shortly before her death. Lizbeth had a very loving, beautiful soul and worked hard to help her mom, her aunt, Ana Medina, said. She was a very responsible young lady who did very well with kids, she added. Jacqueline described Lizbeth as her best friend: Our little motto was, You and I against the world. It's a daily battle without her, because I'm kind of on my own now, although I do believe she's with me in spirit, she said. Editors note: This story was published before Rafael Govea Romero pleaded guilty in court on Thursday morning. Hell now serve two life sentences for murder and aggravated robbery and another 20-year sentence for burglary, which will be served after the two life sentences. Under Texas law, Romero will be considered for parole after 30 years, but this does not mean the parole board will choose to release him, his attorney, Chris Isles, said. District Attorney Pam Guenthers office released a statement on Thursday afternoon, confirming prosecutors discussed the plea deal with all parties. This was the only offer ever discussed or conveyed and was discussed with all parties for over six months, the statement said. The Jackson County Criminal District Attorneys Office takes all crime seriously, particularly crime against persons, and especially murder. Any media reports to the contrary were at best premature. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, has decried Israels war of genocide and settlement expansion, while condemning Hamas and saying the armed group would hand over its weapons in any postwar settlement in a closely watched speech to the United Nations. Abbas addressed the gathering by video conference after his visa was revoked by the United States ahead of the 80th session of the United Nations general assembly. Reinforcing the global schism over Israels war in Gaza, UN member states voted 145-5 to allow Abbas to address the international body remotely after the US barred more than 80 Palestinians from entering the country. What Israel is carrying out is not merely an aggression. It is a war crime and a crime against humanity that is both documented and monitored, and it will be recorded in history books and the pages of international conscience as one of the most horrific chapters of humanitarian tragedy in the 20th and 21st centuries, Abbas said on Thursday. Abbas reiterated a number of declarations he made at a special session led by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday, when France and several other countries formally recognised Palestinian statehood. In the speech, he called for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded entry for humanitarian aid through UN organisations, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the withdrawal of Israel from territory in Gaza. He also issued a rejection of the Palestinian Authoritys rival Hamas, which he said would have no role in a postwar governance of Gaza a key condition of Israel and the United States. However Abbas and the Palestinian Authority administer the West Bank but not Gaza, and do not have a direct role in negotiations over a ceasefire or postwar planning for Gaza. Despite all that our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on October 7 actions that targeted Israeli civilians and took them hostages because these actions do not represent the Palestinian people, nor do they represent their just struggle for freedom and independence, he said. He said that Gaza was an integral part of the state of Palestine, and that we are ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security there. Related: Israeli attempt to annex West Bank would be red line for US, says Macron He also directed attention to Israels expansion of settlements in the West Bank, rejecting what he called the ambitions of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of constructing a greater Israel. Plans to expand the E1 settlement would divide the West Bank into two parts and would isolate occupied Jerusalem from its surroundings and would undermine the option of the two-state solution, in a blatant violation of international law and relevant security council resolutions. Netanyahu is scheduled to speak at the United Nations on Friday. Rightwing allies in his government have called for a formal annexation of up to 82% of the West Bank, a red line for a number of US allies in the Gulf that would deepen a global standoff pitting Europe and Arab states against Israel and its main backer, the United States. Emmanuel Macron, Frances president, on Wednesday said that he believed the US would also restrain Israel from formally annexing territory in the West Bank, telling the France 24 television channel: I think it is a red line for the USA. In the speech, Abbas also condemned the conflation of support for Palestine with antisemitism, thanking all the peoples and organizations around the world who protested in support of the rights of the Palestinian people to freedom and independence and to stop the war, destruction and starvation. Finally, he said that Palestinians would not leave their lands. Palestine is ours. Jerusalem is the jewel of our heart and our eternal capital, he said. We will not leave our homeland. Almost 80 percent of Americans believe the U.S. is in crisis and more than half are concerned that political violence will worsen in the coming years, a new poll has found. In the wake of recent seismic events, including the assassination of MAGA commentator Charlie Kirk, a poll by Quinnipiac University showed 79 percent of voters agreed that the country was in political crisis, while 18 percent said it was not. Along party lines, 93 percent of Democrats agreed, as did 60 percent of Republicans. "The Kirk assassination lays bare raw, bipartisan concerns about where the country is headed," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy. Almost 80 percent of Americans currently believe the U.S. is in crisis and more than half are concerned political violence will worsen in the coming years, a new poll by Quinnipiac University has found (AFP via Getty Images) In addition to the perceived political crisis, the poll also showed that an overwhelming majority, 71 percent, considered politically motivated violence a very serious problem in the U.S., with 22 percent believing it to be a somewhat serious problem. The survey noted a jump from a previous Quinnipiac University poll on June 26, when 54 percent thought politically motivated violence was a very serious problem, and 37 percent thought it was a somewhat serious problem. Since the fatal shooting of Kirk at a college event in Utah just over two weeks ago members of the Trump administration have placed the blame squarely at the feet of left-wing extremism. Acting as the guest host of The Charlie Kirk Show following his death, Vice President JD Vance baselessly claimed that the data is clear that people on the left are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence. In addition to the perceived political crisis, the poll also showed that an overwhelming majority, 71 percent, considered politically motivated violence a very serious problem in the U.S (AFP via Getty Images) Acting as the guest host of The Charlie Kirk Show following his death, Vice President JD Vance baselessly claimed that the data is clear that people on the left are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) "While our side of the aisle certainly has its crazies, it is a statistical fact that most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the far left, he said. Despite Vances claims, a variety of analyses, including federally funded research, suggest extremists affiliated with right-wing political causes have killed more people than any other ideological group. On Wednesday, Vance also blamed, without evidence, a "violent left-wing extremist" for an attack on an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas, and claimed the shooter was "politically motivated. No official motive has been released by authorities and no ICE agents were injured. Voters are concerned about such charged political rhetoric, with 58 percent saying they do not believe it is possible to lower the temperature on such stances. But 34 percent did. Over half, 54 percent, of respondents think political violence in the U.S. will worsen over the next few years, while 27 percent think it will remain about the same, and 14 percent think it will ease. Over half, 54 percent, of respondents to the survey think political violence in the U.S. will worsen over the next few years, while 27 percent think it will remain about the same, and 14 percent think it will ease (Getty) In addition, over half, 53 percent, said they were pessimistic about freedom of speech being protected in the U.S., while 43 percent say they are optimistic. "From a perceived assault on freedom of speech to the fragility of the democracy, a shudder of concern and pessimism rattles a broad swath of the electorate, Malloy added. Nearly 80 percent of registered voters feel they are witnessing a political crisis, seven in ten say political violence is a very serious problem, and a majority say this discord won't go away anytime soon. The Quinnipiac University survey was conducted between September 18 and 21 and took responses from 1,276 self-identified registered voters from throughout the U.S. Andy Burnham has insisted he is committed to his job as Mayor of Manchester after hints he is launching a bid to oust Keir Starmer drew criticism from Labour MPs. The former cabinet minister has claimed "wholesale change" is needed in Labour to see off an "existential" threat from Reform and left-wing parties and has suggested that MPs have been privately urging him to challenge the Prime Minister. On Thursday, Mr Burnham again declined to rule out a tilt for the Labour leader job if he won enough backing as he faced questions about his recent interventions in national politics. Cabinet minister Steve Reed said that Mr Burnham has made a "commitment" to serve his full term as mayor of Greater Manchester. The Housing Secretary told Times Radio: "Andy is playing a great role already...He will keep doing that work, because that is the commitment he gave until the end of his term." Mr Reed added: "He's given a commitment. I'm sure he wouldn't break it." Neil Coyle, Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, tweeted: The annual Burnham wants to be leader headlines just before conference are more grating this year. He didnt take on the guy who oversaw Labours worst defeat in a century and facilitated antisemitism but pops up now under a huge majority and with four years to go. No ta. In an interview with the Telegraph, which fuelled speculation he could be seeking a return to Westminster, the former New Labour minister and ex-MP for Leigh had said MPs are privately urging him to mount a challenge to Sir Keir. He accused Downing Street of creating a "climate of fear" as he set out his vision for how to "turn the country around", including a potential 50p top rate of income tax. "I've no intention of just abandoning what we're trying to build here, but I gave an honest answer and sometimes it feels to me that the Westminster world can't deal with those answers, Mr Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday. Asked what he would say to his constituents convinced he was about to leave his role, he said: "I love everything about this job. I love what's happening here in Greater Manchester. I'm completely committed to it." But he added he would not "toe the line" or "be quiet" about issues important to northern England and would "speak directly". Mr Burnham, who has twice failed in bids to become Labour leader, would need to win a parliamentary seat as a first step towards another potential run. There were rumours that suspended Gorton and Denton MP, Andrew Gwynne, was set to step down, paving the way for Mr Burnham to challenge the seat in a by-election. However, Mr Gwynne has not quit and there would be no guarantee Mr Burnham would receive the Labour nomination should he decide to try to return to Westminster. Mr Burnham insisted he was not plotting an immediate return to the Commons or wanting to step on the Government's toes as it seeks a reset at the partys annual conference, which starts on Sunday. But the senior Labour politician told the New Statesman that the conference must answer the question "where is our plan to turn the country around?" "I'm going to put the question back to people at Labour conference: are we up for that wholesale change? He said returning to "the old way of doing things in Westminster with minimal change" was an unattractive prospect, but that he was ready to "work with anybody who wants to ... put in place a plan to turn the country around". "I'm happy to play any role. I am ready to play any role in that. Yes. Because the threat we're facing is increasingly an existential one." Antony gave a glimpse against Nottingham Forest as to why Real Betis sporting director Manu Fajardo believes the Manchester United flop might be the most important signing in the clubs history. The 25-year-old has been reborn in Andalusia after an underwhelming stint at Old Trafford, where he failed to get anywhere near justifying the lofty fee paid to Ajax three years ago. Antony arrived for an eye-popping 95million euros (82.1m), plus a potential 5m euros (4.3m) in add-ons, but failed to consistently impress and fell down the pecking order at United. Antony never fulfilled his potential at Manchester United (Mike Egerton/PA) The Brazil international sparkled after joining Betis on loan in January and made the move permanent after protracted talks brought a deadline-day switch for up to 25m euros (21.6m). United included a 50 per cent sell-on clause in the deal for Antony, who followed a smart assist with a late goal to secure a 2-2 draw in Wednesdays Europa League opener against Forest. Betis sporting director Fajardo told the PA news agency: I am 100 per cent sure that maybe Antony is the most important signing in Betis history. Everything (about the signing) because the talent, the level of the player, the level of the club as Manchester United a big team, a big project, so I am 100 per cent sure that Antony is the best signing in Betis history. Antony is treated like a king in the green and white half of Seville, where his goals and creativity helped Betis reach their first ever European final in May. Manuel Pellegrinis side lost 4-1 to Chelsea in the Conference League showpiece but that night in Poland highlighted the clubs continued growth. When players like Antony comes to Betis, its very, very important, Fajardo said. It helps Betis to continue growing in Europe. Last season since Antony arrived, we got to play in a European final. Antony, players like Gio (Lo Celso) and Isco, are very, very important because they are the example that Betis continues growing, that we are a serious club in Europe and players in the top level want to come to play in Betis. Betis are always striving to strike a balance between developing talent and signing quality within financial restrictions that would make Premier League clubs squirm. Antony played for Betis in the Conference League final against Chelsea (Rafal Oleksiewicz/PA) But the LaLiga club are fiercely ambitious, as seen with the start of the redevelopment of their Benito Villamarin home and attracting a player like Antony from United. We started to discuss with Manchester about Antony in May, June because we needed a lot of time for convincing Manchester, Fajardo said. But Antony, the agent, his family were convinced to come to Betis again. In the first moment we spoke with Manchester United for Antony to stay in Betis one year more on loan. But for Antony, for Manchester it was very, very important to recover the investment, so for Betis it was not easy. The move was so much for us. But Manchester United made a big effort, Betis made a big effort, Antony made a big, big effort to play here again. Maybe in that situation that was the secret. Betis may not be able to compete with Premier League clubs financial clout, but they boast talent that Fajardo hopes can see them to push for Europa League glory this season. For Betis it is not easy to sign players from Premier League, because the difference in respect to the salary between the Premier League and LaLiga is too big, Fajardo added. But when a player like Antony, for example, wants to come to Betis its easier. Antony only thought to play in Betis again, so when you have a negotiation with a big club in Manchester United, a club that paid a big amount for Antony, its not easy. But the player wants to play in Betis. Scores of Christian TikTokers were convinced the Rapture would come this week, on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but there was still no sign of end times on Thursday (AP2010) Scores of Christian TikTok creators were convinced the Rapture, or biblical end times, would come this week. While it hasnt yet less than half of Americans believe they will make it to heaven should those doomsday forecasts come to fruition. Those now fretting the end times can thank South African pastor, Joshua Mhlakela, who went viral this week with his warning. Mhlakela claimed that Jesus told him he would come back to the Earth on September 23 or 24. As those dates came and went, many who believed that Jesus would take true believers to heaven as an apocalypse destroyed the Earth were left confused and disappointed. While theories about the end times ran rampant online this week, only 46 percent of American adults believe they would ascend to heaven if the Rapture were to occur, according to a YouGov poll Tuesday. Of the remaining people polled, 18 percent said they would be left behind, while 36 percent said they were not sure what their fate would be. Scores of Christian TikTokers were convinced the Rapture would come this week, on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but there was still no sign of end times on Thursday (AP2010) Republicans mostly accounted for those who believe they will go to heaven, with 63 percent saying they believe that is their fate. Only 40 percent of Democrats believe they would go to heaven. Most who believed they were heaven-bound were over the age of 45, with 48 percent of those aged 45-64 saying yes, and 53 percent of those 65 and older. The majority of those surveyed who were unsure were under 30. Of the respondents between the ages of 18 and 29, 39 percent said they were not sure. Slightly more women than men believed they would go to heaven in the event of the Rapture, according to the survey. Fifty percent of female respondents said they would, whereas only 42 percent of male respondents were positive about it. The idea of the Rapture -- a belief not explicitly found in the Bible -- has spread across social media, and TikTok is inundated with videos about the impending doomsday. Some users began referring to the app as RaptureTok, though its unclear how many videos were sincere. In preparation for the Rapture, one women bought Bibles for those who would be left behind (Getty/iStock) Some TikTok users seemed to take it very seriously, including one man, Tilahun, who shared a video in August saying that he was selling his car to prepare for the Rapture. Car is gone just like the Brides of Christ will be in September, the user, who describes himself as a prophet and evangelist to nations in his bio, wrote in the caption. A woman on TikTok named Melissa shared a video saying she was preparing her house for people who are left behind by buying Bibles and marking a few scriptures. The Rapture is one of a list of doomsday theories that have captivated Americans over the years. Other memorable instances include the 2000 Y2K bug or in 2012, when the Mayan calendar predicted the world would end on December 21 that year. Police officers and demonstrators during a Lift the Ban on Palestine Action protest earlier in September (PA) A legal challenge over the ban of Palestine Action as a terror group is not exceptional and should not be heard at the High Court, lawyers for the Home Office have argued. The groups founder Huda Ammori is taking legal action after then-home secretary Yvette Cooper decided to proscribe the group as a terrorist organisation, making support or membership of the group a criminal offence, punishable by 14 years in prison. According to campaign group Defend Our Juries, more than 1,600 people have been arrested since the ban came into effect on 5 July. Ms Ammori was cleared by Mr Justice Chamberlain to challenge the ban in court after finding that two arguments put forward on her behalf were reasonably arguable. Former home secretary Yvette Cooper announced the ban in July (PA) At a hearing on Thursday, barristers for the Home Office said Ms Ammori could bring her legal challenge to the home secretary and then the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), rather than the High Court for a judicial review. Sir James Eadie KC said Mr Justice Chamberlains approval of the review would be a recipe for chaos and could lead to defendants in criminal cases challenging the ban as part of their defence. In written submissions, he said: It would be a recipe for chaos which would arise in the context of every single proscription prosecution for every single proscribed organisation. However, this was countered by her lawyer Raza Husain KC, who told the court: It is the court, not the parliament, who is the guardian of the rule of law. The judicial review is a constitutional practice. He argued that the ban could affect hundreds if not thousands, given that the group receive widespread support and that the proscription had produced ongoing civil disobedience. The case is due to be heard at a three-day hearing in November, but the Home Office has been given the green light to challenge Mr Justice Chamberlains decision. Sir James Eadie KC, for the Home Office, told the Court of Appeal in written submissions that proscription is a pre-emptive mechanism designed to degrade the structures and capabilities of an organisation and is a deliberately, a strong executive measure, which has immediate practical consequences. Mr Eadie KC added that the type of High Court challenge Ms Ammori is set to have heard in late November is a remedy of last resort and that Mr Justice Chamberlain was wrong to grant permission. Palestine Action protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice on The Strand (PA) There is nothing exceptional about the respondents case that justifies allowing her to avoid the statutory scheme, he said. He added: It would require an exceptional case before judicial review would cut in. Ms Cooper announced plans to ban Palestine Action days after the group claimed responsibility for a stunt in which two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June. Speaking on 23 June, she said that the vandalism of the two planes, which police said caused an estimated 7m of damage, was disgraceful. Ms Ammori lost a High Court bid to temporarily block the ban from coming into effect in early July, and the Court of Appeal later dismissed a bid to appeal against that decision less than two hours before the ban came into force on July 5. But following a hearing on 21 July, Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled on 30 July that Ms Ammori could go ahead with her legal challenge, finding that it could be argued that the ban amounts to a disproportionate interference of her rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. Police officers at the protest after the ban came into effect (PA) A second argument, that Ms Cooper failed to consult Palestine Action on the ban, was in breach of natural justice, and could also go to a full hearing. The Court of Appeal was also told that Mr Justice Chamberlains finding that a POAC appeal would unlikely to be heard before next summer, compared with the High Court challenge now due in November, was unevidenced and wrong. Mr Husain KC, for Ms Ammori, said the High Court judge rightly found that the POAC was not the only place challenges against similar bans could be heard and that it was not a suitable alternative remedy. He added it was at least arguable that Ms Cooper had not acted for national security reasons, but for other, improper purposes, and that Ms Ammori should be able to challenge the Home Office over potentially failing to properly consider the discriminatory effect against Palestinians or people who support Palestine. In a statement ahead of the hearing, Ms Ammori said: Its deeply troubling that the previous home secretary decided to try to stop a full legal review of her widely condemned decision to ban a protest group as a terrorist organisation for the first time in British history. She continued: A successful appeal would not only shield an unlawful ban from scrutiny it would deny justice to thousands of people whose fundamental free speech rights have been violated by this ban. At the end of the hearing before the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Lewis and Lord Justice Edis, the judges reserved their decision. Barack Obama admits he had to dig himself out of a hole with Michelle amid divorce rumors Barack Obama is opening up about the challenges he and his wife, Michelle Obama, have had throughout their marriage. The 64-year-old former US President who previously dispelled rumors that he and Michelle were getting divorced discussed his relationship during an interview with historian David Olusoga at The O2 Arena in London on Wednesday. I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself with Michelle, he said onstage at the event, according to the Daily Mail. Now Im at about level ground. In January, the longtime couple turned heads when Barack attended former President Jimmy Carters funeral without his wife. Days later, Michelle confirmed she wouldnt attend Donald Trumps second presidential inauguration either, sparking rumors that she and Barack were splitting up. However, only a few months later, Barack made a candid revelation about his relationship, explaining how his presidency affected his marriage of 32 years. Barack Obama says hes finally at about ground level with Michelle (AFP via Getty Images) I was in a deep deficit with my wife, he said during a talk at Hamilton College in April. Ive been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things. Days later, Michelle officially addressed the rumors that she and her husband were getting a divorce, along with the reaction to her skipping Carters funeral and Trumps inauguration. The interesting thing is that, when I say no, for the most part people are like, I get it, and Im OK, she said, during an appearance on Sophia Bushs Work in Progress podcast. Thats the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with disappointing people. I mean, so much so that this year people couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing. This couldn't be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right? she added. But that's what society does to us. We start actually, finally going, What am I doing? Who am I doing this for? And if it doesn't fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible. In June, Barack officially addressed the divorce rumors during an appearance on Michelle and her brother Craig Robinsons podcast, IMO. As the very, very, very special guest walked onto the set, Robinson was shocked to see that the husband and wife liked each other. That's the rumor mill, the former first lady chimed in, while her husband joked: She took me back! It was touch and go for a while. Michelle and Barack have been married since 1992 and share two daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 24. The bathing boxes have been based at Brighton Beach in Melbourne for more than 150 years (Associated Press) Melbournes iconic, brightly painted coastal sheds present a unique real estate paradox: offering absolute beachfront views, yet entirely lacking basic features such as a bedroom, bathroom, running water, or even power. Despite these significant omissions and the absence of homely comforts, some of these structures can fetch prices higher than an average Melbourne suburban house, even though they are built on public beaches and come without the security of a land title. Known interchangeably as beach boxes, bathing boxes, or boatsheds, these rudimentary buildings have been a fixture of the Victoria state coastline, particularly along Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, since the 19th century. Their considerable financial appeal today is largely driven by scarcity. Indeed, some real estate agents predict that boxes situated in desirable locations could double in value every seven to ten years. However, not all owners view them through an investment lens; John Rundell, for example, does not regard his bathing box on Brightons upscale Dendy Street Beach as such. Mr Rundell said: Whats the good of calling it an investment if you dont want to sell it? I suppose the market price is the market price. It does encourage people that are not using them now to sell them. But they dont turn over very often because they tend to stay within families through generations, he added. Visitors take photos by the Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach in Melbourne (Associated Press) Prices vary by location The prices and the rules surrounding beach boxes differ depending on where they are. A buyer needs to own a home in the area. And the sheds cant be rented out or put to any commercial use. No overnight camping is allowed. Solar cells and motorised electricity generators are banned. Mr Rundell had a young family when he bought Bathing Box No. 43 one among 96 arranged side by side along the beach for AU$12,000 from the local council in 1992. The council and a local historical society defeated a state government plan in the 1970s to demolish them. He continues to pay an annual licence fee plus rates on the box, which he considers to be the council double-dipping on income from a single address. He also must pay for public liability insurance cover for the box to the value of AU$20 million (9.8 million). The boxes are useful spaces to keep beach toys, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, BBQs and beach furniture. Rundells family has shared Christmas lunches at their box and watched New Years fireworks displays during Southern Hemisphere summers. Theres no electricity, but there is an ice chest to keep drinks cold. There is no plumbing, but there's a camping potty with indoor privacy. With Rundells children grown up and his granddaughter too young for the beach, the box is mostly used these days by friends who borrow the keys. A 1910 photo of the beach boxes at Melbourne's Hampton beach (Sandringham Historical Society via AP) Boxes were a response to Victoria-era morality Victoria perhaps deserves to be Australias last bastion for these anachronistic structures. The state was named after Queen Victoria, the British monarch who reigned for most of 19th century. The rigid moral code of Queen Victorias era contributed to the creation of bathing boxes in Melbourne in the 1860s. The boxes were to preserve a bathers modesty when the law prohibited changing clothes on a beach and walking the streets in a swimsuit, local historian Jo Jenkinson wrote in her 2015 book, The Lure of the Beach: A History of Public Sea Bathing in Brighton. Similar beach structures with similar origins still survive in other parts of the world. There are no private beaches in Australia, so beach shacks were built on public land. Views have long been mixed on whether such private property has any place on public beaches. All the sheds have been removed from Australias coastline over the decades, except for around 2,000 in Melbournes vicinity. The most expensive can be found in the wealthy tourist town of Portsea, a 90-minute drive from Melbourne. Portsea boxes often sell for AU$1 million (490,000). A record AU$1.2 million (590,000) was set last year. Madison Keys holds the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at the Brighton Beach Boxes the morning after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the women's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship (Associated Press/Vincent Thian) The mean price of a Melbourne dwelling was AU$803,194 (393,280) in August, according to property research firm Cotality. A record for a box sold outside Portsea was set at Mount Martha, an hours drive from Melbourne, in April, after a two-hour auction. Beach Box No. 26 on South Beach sold for AU$1 million ($490,000), which was AU$350,000 (171,000) more than the expected price advertised by the vendors real estate agent, Alex Corradi. Mr Corradi said there were other boxes, which he calls boatsheds, at Mount Martha with covered decks that would sell for more. Owners cant add covered decks because a sheds design and dimensions cant be altered. I dont really see them going backwards. I think they will just continue to go up in price, Mr Corradi said, adding that the banks dont share that confidence in their value as an investment. The banks will not lend against it, so these are all cash buyers." Melbourne property investment adviser Cate Bakos accepts that scarcity will deliver beach box investors a capital gain in the long term. But she is concerned by their investment potential in the shorter term, with no financial return on an ongoing outlay. Buying a beach box is, quite frankly, an illogical purchase, Ms Bakos said. September 25, 2025: Now in its fourth year, the Russian war effort in Ukraine has proved to be a failure on many levelsnot just a military defeat, but an increasingly difficult disaster to explain to the Russian people. The government has sought to suppress disloyal or disruptive discussions among Russians, particularly in rural areas and regions occupied by non-Slavic peoples, where most soldiers for the Ukraine war were recruited. High signing bonuses and even higher death benefits for troops killed in Ukraine brought unexpected prosperity to regions that had seen little of it before. However, locals eventually noticed the growing number of graves for soldiers sent to Ukraine. Another touchy subject is the governments refusal to call the fighting in Ukraine a war, instead labeling it a "Special Operation" against a neighboring country that hadnt attacked anyone. Many Russians noted that people had eagerly fought Germans in World War II, but the Ukraine conflict lacked similar fervor. In 2022, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine, the government claimed it was necessary to rescue Ukrainians from NATO and the European Economic Union. This justification made sense to many Russians until they realized Ukrainians actually wanted to join NATO and the European Union. The conflict with Ukraine began in 2014 when Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula and portions of two adjacent Ukrainian provinces. Russia argued it shouldnt have to pay rent to Ukraine for the continued use of Sevastopol as a base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, believing Crimea was mistakenly given to Ukraine before the Soviet Unions collapse in 1991. Ukraine was willing to continue renting Sevastopol to Russia, but Russia decided it was simpler to declare Crimea Russian and seize it. The subsequent war with Ukraine has devastated the Russian economy and led to the destruction of most of the Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine now controls much of the Black Sea, using this advantage to sustain agricultural exports and import civilian goods. NATO-supplied weapons and munitions enter via Poland. Russian government officials struggle to explain this to their citizens, especially since Ukrainians have fought back, killing or disabling over a million Russian soldiers and driving just as many military-age men into exile. By late 2023, the government passed laws to prevent Russians from leaving to avoid military service. These laws made it difficult, but not impossible, to escape conscription. The government hesitated to enforce them rigorously due to growing complaints and dissent within Russia, worsened by Western economic sanctions that began right after the invasion and intensified as the war continued. By 2025, the Russian economy was barely surviving. Russian oil exports were banned, forcing the country to smuggle oil and sell it at a discount. The enormous sums spent on recruiting soldiers and compensating families for those killed or disabled were compounded when Russia resorted to hiring foreign mercenariesfirst North Koreans, then Central Asians, and now thousands of Cuban mento sustain the war effort, as Russian men fled to avoid conscription. The Russian government can no longer afford this. Western countries have supported Ukraine in several ways. Over $200 billion in military and economic aid has been supplied by NATO nations. Initially, most weapons came from the United States, but by 2025, European NATO nations were struggling to provide arms, as they lacked the capacity to manufacture large quantities of weapons and munitions for a war like Ukraines. Europeans had long depended on the U.S. for such military support. In 2024, a new American administration decided that European NATO countries would need to take primary responsibility for supporting Ukraine, a conflict closer to them than to Americans. The U.S. would sell weapons, munitions, and military supplies to European NATO nations for transfer to Ukraine. Economic sanctions imposed by Western trading partners, which began in 2022 and intensified over time, have crippled Russias economy. The high costs of the war and increasingly effective efforts to disrupt Russian oil sales have led to an economic crisis. The government struggles to justify to its increasingly impoverished population why this must continue. At this rate, it wont last much longera major problem for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who has run out of resources, cash, and justifications for his war in Ukraine. Residents in a normally quiet San Francisco Bay Area town are being warned to keep an eye out for a dangerous animal who's been attacking unsuspecting passersby. It's not a stray dog, or even a cat, but a squirrel who's begun taking any necessary measures in order to find food. In the last several days, the vicious brown squirrel has sent two people to the ER with severe lacerations. Even more residents have been attacked with minor injuries, and everyone is wondering what has this squirrel going nuts. Ouch! Those scratches and bites look painful, but I'm sure it's frightening to be attacked by an animal, regardless of the injuries sustained. It's actually quite shocking that an animal so small could cause such significant wounds! Joan Heblack and Isabel Campoy were the San Rafael women who were attacked by the bold squirrel in two separate incidents. They both had to go to the emergency room due to the severity of their injuries, though other neighbors have also been pounced on or snuck up on. Related: Florida Man Recounts Being Attacked by Bear While Protecting His Dog in Harrowing 911 Call "The Bay Area is the only place where wild squirrels will attack you for no reason," one commenter wrote. It's true! As a lifelong Bay Area resident, I have my fair share of squirrel stories that I hardly believe myself. Most of these stories took place on my college campus, where squirrels had access to lots of food, trash, and people. They were known to dive from palm trees onto the backpacks of unsuspecting students, and they'd even break into bags, dorms, and classrooms when windows were left open. Why Is The Squirrel Attacking? As Marin Humane confirmed to ABC News, the wild animal's unprovoked attacks may be the result of public feeding. Although the issue appears to be isolated to a single, problematic squirrel, this could easily become a more widespread problem if squirrels begin relying on humans to feed them. "When wildlife is fed by humans, they can lose their natural fear and act more emboldened. This is why we remind people that feeding wildlife can have negative consequences - for both people and the animals," warns Lisa Bloch, the director of marketing and communications at Marin Humane. Fortunately, squirrels do not spread rabies, and San Rafael residents have not reported any complications following the injuries. Still, everyone is warned to remain vigilant when walking near Diablo Circle and Mount Lassen. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The BBCs broadcast of punk duo Bob Vylans performance at this years Glastonbury Festival has been found to have breached the corporations editorial standards on harm and offence. Controversy erupted after the musicians chanted death, death to the IDF, referring to the Israel Defence Forces, at the festival in Somerset in June. Their set was live-streamed by the broadcaster. The BBCs Executive Complaints Unit received four complaints about the performance. They related to incitement to violence, terrorism or ethnic cleansing, hate speech and expressions of antisemitism. The BBC has been cleared of breaching its standards of impartiality over its broadcasting of the performance. Bob Vylan performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival (PA Wire) Following the set, the corporation issued an apology to viewers, especially the Jewish community, and promised to take action to ensure proper accountability. It also said it will no longer broadcast performances deemed high risk live. The BBC admitted it had assessed the act as such before Glastonbury, but deemed it suitable for live streaming. However, the broadcaster said this was clearly not the case. Bob Vylan, meanwhile, released a statement saying they were being "targeted for speaking up". Bob Vylans Glastonbury set was live-streamed by the BBC (PA Wire) We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine, the statement said. It later emerged that the duo were already being investigated by the Met Police regarding alleged comments made at a gig at Londons Alexandra Palace in May. One video showed a member appearing to say: "Death to every single IDF soldier out there as an agent of terror for Israel. Death to the IDF." Since then they have reportedly been dropped by their agency, United Talent Agency (UTA), which appears to have removed the group from their website, and have also been pulled from a number of concerts, including their US tour after having their visas revoked. Gordonstoun students following in the footsteps of the King by completing a mountain hike in the Cairngorms, Scotland - Ryan Balharry/Gordonstoun Children should play outside instead of playing on their mobile phones, the headmaster of the Kings former school has said. Peter Green, the principal of Gordonstoun School in Moray, argued that pupils spending more time outside from the classroom and away from screen time helped tackle indiscipline. He said schools were only now starting to see the psychological impact of lockdown on children, and particularly the amount of time they spent indoors. Mr Green said more outdoor lessons would help turn that around and deal with persistent and serious behaviour from pupils. Teaching unions and behaviour experts warned earlier this year that Scottish schools were facing an exponential increase in pupil violence, with classroom behaviour deteriorating massively and absences outstripping England. More than 90 per cent of schools in England have banned mobile phone use, according to a survey published earlier this year, after Government guidance was issued advising teachers to restrict their use. The SNP government supports headteachers who want to outlaw mobiles in Scottish schools but Labour has pledged to introduce a blanket ban if it wins next years Holyrood election. Gordonstoun, where the King was educated in the 1960s, has long championed the benefits of activities such as volunteering, hiking, sailing and camping. Queen Elizabeth II, at Gordonstoun, to open a new sports centre with then Prince Charles - PA After fleeing Germany under threat from the Nazis, Dr Kurt Hahn founded the school in 1933 with the aim of fostering the qualities of skill, compassion, honesty, initiative, adventure and a sense of service in his students. Mr Green said: We are only now beginning to see the psychological impact of the Covid pandemic on our children, particularly the amount of time they spent indoors. Significantly, this report has concluded that parents were impacted as well, with a lasting and negative impact on attitudes towards schooling. The question is how we turn that around. While schools must have a range of options to deal with persistent and serious behaviour, it is important that we look at the wider education package being offered to children. We have a responsibility to not only teach children but to equip them for life after school, recognising that some of the most valuable education cannot be cultivated through classroom learning alone. Highlighting Gordonstouns Hahnian philosophy emphasising outdoor learning, he added: This channels youthful energy in productive ways rather than in conflict. Demonstrating to children that its ok to fail and try again means they learn key life skills such as resilience, as well as co-operation and self-discipline. This outdoor approach has never been more relevant today as we deal with the increasing challenge of how much screen access to devices we should give our children. Peter Green, the principal of Gordonstoun, says more outdoor lessons can help deal with persistent and serious behaviour from pupils Mr Greens intervention comes after experts warned this week that this was a serious and growing behavioural problem in Scottish schools. The Commission on School Reform urged SNP ministers to give headteachers more powers to suspend or exclude pupils guilty of persistent or extreme behavioural problems. A recent study led by Stirling University found Scottish primary pupils in 2022 were only getting an average of seven minutes a week of outdoor learning, excluding physical education. This was a sharp drop from the 30 minutes per week they got in 2014 and 19 minutes in 2006, the researchers found, with Covid restrictions responsible for only part of the decline. This week SNP ministers dropped their attempt to block a law giving Scottish children the right to outdoor education trips after facing a fierce backlash. Liz Smith, a Tory MSP, has argued her Bill would level up by ensuring that all young people, regardless of their backgrounds, would receive at least five days and four nights of outdoor education. A majority of MSPs have voted to approve the general principles of the legislation and they will now consider the plans in more detail, including amendments to lower its cost, before deciding whether it will become law. Ms Smith said: This is a timely and welcome intervention from the principal at Gordonstoun. While bringing forward my proposals to give state-school pupils access to outdoor education, I have been heartened by the backing it has secured from many educational experts and organisations. As I continue to work with SNP ministers on my bill, I hope they will listen to those who are rightly highlighting the widespread benefits outdoor education can bring for our young pupils, including improving their behaviour. A Scottish Government spokesman said: There is no place for violence or abuse in Scotlands schools. We want all schools to be safe places for children and young people to learn and for teachers and staff to work. The Scottish Government is providing support and direction at a national level, including the recent publication on fostering positive, inclusive and safe school environments. Local authorities are expected to consider how best to implement this guidance to meet particular needs at a local level. We are supportive of outdoor learning in all its forms, recognising the positive benefits that these experiences bring to young people, such as breaking down barriers, creating a strong sense of community and developing a sense of independence, teamwork and maturity. Chinese spies All Chinese lobbyists working for the communist state will have to register their roles publicly within days amid growing concerns over the threat from spies. In an article for The Telegraph, Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said anyone working for a foreign state who was seeking to influence UK politics would have to register by Oct 1. Any state-backed lobbyist or political consultant from China or any other country will face up to two years in prison if they fail to declare their links and work in an online public register. In a statement to The Telegraph, the Home Office said: Individuals acting covertly on behalf of foreign powers now face a clear choice comply with the scheme or face prosecution. The move comes after the controversy over a decision by prosecutors to drop the case against two men accused of passing information to China under the Official Secrets Act. Chris Cash, 30, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, 33, who both previously taught English in China, were charged with collecting and passing on information that might be useful to an enemy. However, the case was dropped at the Old Bailey when prosecutors said the evidential threshold had not been reached. Christopher Berry and Chris Cash were charged with collecting and passing on information that might be useful to an enemy, but the case was dropped - Jeff Moore/PA Wire Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, is considering a private prosecution amid concerns that the decision had given a licence for Chinese spies to operate in Parliament. We must pursue all avenues to ensure the protection of members and people who work within the House of Commons. It will not be tolerated, said Sir Lindsay. Mr Cash and Mr Berry deny the charges, and Beijing has called the allegations malicious slander. Under the new foreign influence registration scheme (FIRS), the names and business details of any lobbyists or political consultants will be revealed in a public register. The register went live in July for anyone starting work for a foreign state to declare their role, but those already employed in such positions have been given a grace period to log their details until Oct 1. Mr Jarvis said: Those who are open about their overseas connections have nothing to fear. Instead, it is about clarity and distinguishing between legitimate influence and covert activity. If a foreign government is seeking to influence UK politics, then they should be transparent about it. Above all, FIRS seeks to provide transparency for Parliament and the public about who is influencing political outcomes and in whose interests. Dan Jarvis, the security minister, says: Those who are open about their overseas connections have nothing to fear - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph Russia and Iran have been declared state threats, which means they face an enhanced declaration regime under which anyone carrying out any activities on their behalf must register their details. Their names and details will be held by the Home Office, but unlike the lower-tier registration scheme for other countries, will not be available to the public for national security reasons. If they fail to register, they face up to five years in jail. Diplomats are excluded from registering, while there will be some exemptions to the publication of peoples details if it could prejudice commercial interests or present a risk to safety. Mr Jarvis said the Government was ready to designate other countries as state threats if they took hostile action against the UK. We are keeping the enhanced tier under active review and will not hesitate to designate further states where national security demands it, he added. We are under no illusions, and clearly even a small number of covert operations can undermine public and democratic trust. That is not a risk we are prepared to tolerate. Democracies around the world are recognising the need for targeted, transparent measures that uphold our values while addressing emerging threats. The foreign influence registration scheme is one part of that effort, a firm but fair approach to transparency in an uncertain world. The Home Office warned that those who failed to comply faced prosecution. A spokesman said: Registering under FIRS does not mean that an arrangement is illegitimate, or the activities are undesirable. However, individuals acting covertly on behalf of foreign powers now face a clear choice: comply with the scheme or face prosecution. Covert influence remains a live threat By Dan Jarvis As threats evolve, so must our defences. The foreign influence registration scheme (FIRS), which came into force on July 1, is a critical step toward increasing transparency around foreign political influence in the UK. Covert influence remains a live threat, and FIRS sends a clear signal the UK is serious about confronting it. As minister of state for the Cabinet Office and Home Office, my priority will always be to protect the UK from those who seek to interfere in our democracy and threaten our national security. The National Security Act, including FIRS, is a key part of our plan for change, providing the tools we need to confront emerging threats and uphold the Governments responsibility to keep British people safe. From July 1, anyone carrying out political influence activities on behalf of a foreign power whether through lobbying or parliamentary engagement must register under the scheme within 28 days. This legal duty applies to consultants, advisers, and others acting on behalf of a foreign government. Exemptions apply for routine diplomatic activity, recognised news outlets and legal representation, which ensures the schemes requirements remain proportionate to the threats we face. And under the enhanced tier of the scheme, anyone undertaking activities at the direction of the Russian or Iranian states must register within 10 days of the arrangement being made, and in any event before the activity takes place. These states have been identified as presenting an elevated national security risk, and the enhanced requirements ensure greater scrutiny of influence activities linked to them. We are keeping the enhanced tier under active review and will not hesitate to designate further states where national security demands it. For the past three months, there has been a grace period for those who were in existing arrangements when the scheme came into force, to allow individuals and organisations time to assess their obligations and register without any impact on ongoing activities. That period comes to an end on October 1, meaning registrations of activity pre-dating July 1 must be completed by then. We know that the vast majority of those engaged in international affairs are doing so in good faith. Weve been clear FIRS is not about casting suspicion, nor seeking to restrict legitimate international engagement. Those who are open about their overseas connections have nothing to fear. Instead, it is about clarity and distinguishing between legitimate influence and covert activity. If a foreign government is seeking to influence UK politics, then they should be transparent about it. Above all, FIRS seeks to provide transparency for Parliament and the public, about who is influencing political outcomes and in whose interests. The two different tiers together seek to achieve this goal of transparency. We are working closely with academia, business and the public affairs sectors to support awareness and compliance, and are actively engaging with those who may be affected. The Government has published a wide range of guidance and other supporting materials online. It is still early days for the scheme, and registrations relating to political influence activity will appear on a public register once they have been processed and reviewed. Some entries such as those that could prejudice commercial interests or present a risk to safety will not be published. We will continue being transparent, and will outline the total registration figures in an annual report. We are under no illusions, and clearly even a small number of covert operations can undermine public and democratic trust. That is not a risk we are prepared to tolerate. Democracies around the world are recognising the need for targeted, transparent measures that uphold our values while addressing emerging threats. The foreign influence registration scheme is one part of that effort a firm but fair approach to transparency in an uncertain world. Dan Jarvis is the security minister. A group of Southwark Labour councillors have called on the Government to fund the upgrade of a train station and improve its accessibility and overcrowding issues after the plans were shelved earlier this summer. Local Rye Lane councillors have launched a petition and are urging the Government to reconsider funding the redevelopment of Peckham Rye Station, which would have seen lifts installed at platforms. The upgrade was also set to deliver accessible toilets, wider platforms, new staircases and larger gate lines and entrances. The station is the busiest interchange in the country without step-free access and saw almost six million passengers pass through it in 2024. Cllr Esme Dobson said the current station is a real barrier for residents with disabilities, parents with buggies as well as older people and shoppers. Cllr Dobson said: As a Labour council we have already put our money where our mouth is, granting planning permission for the upgrade and committing 1 million to start the works. It was extremely disappointing to see funding from the Government paused in the spending review. An artists impression of the upgraded station (Network Rail) We are launching our petition with our residents to make sure local voices are heard, and to encourage the Government to deliver this vital upgrade to our local station. As part of Junes spending review, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced it was pausing the scheme as it was prioritising funding other projects that will make the greatest difference for passengers and economic growth as soon as possible. Sarah King, Leader of Southwark Council, has also wrote to Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, asking for a rethink of current plans to pause the upgrade. Inclusion London, a charity that advocates for deaf and disabled Londoners previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): Disabled people need equal access to public transport in order to work, study, participate in our communities and live fulfilling lives. The 27m revamp will include a new public space (Network Rail) Making the busiest interchange in the country step-free would free disabled Londoners who use this station from the stress and misery of an inaccessible commute. We urge DfT to reconsider its decision. Southwark Council is currently liaising with Network Rail to address immediate health and safety works that are needed at the station. The councils plans to upgrade the wider station square on Rye Lane moved forward this summer, with the demolition of vacant buildings on the new forecourt set to begin. Once completed, the 27 million upgrade will see the station front revealed with brand new public space on Rye Lane. These plans were designed to coincide with the upgrade of the station itself. A DfT spokesperson previously told the LDRS: The scheme will be kept under review as part of our pipeline of schemes for potential progression in future as funding becomes available. The Met said it had received a referral on Thursday following reports of a ransomware attack on a London-based organisation. Photograph: solarseven/Getty Images/iStockphoto The names, pictures and addresses of about 8,000 children have reportedly been stolen from the Kido nursery chain by a gang of cybercriminals. The criminals have demanded a ransom from the company which has 18 sites around London, with more in the US, India and China according to the BBC. The hackers have claimed they also possess information about the childrens parents and carers, as well as safeguarding notes, and have contacted some by phone as part of their extortion tactics. Related: Jaguar Land Rover restarts some IT systems as suppliers call for urgent support Kido was contacted for comment. The company has yet to confirm the hackers claims. The company has not released a public statement nor confirmed the hackers claims. An employee at one of the nurseries told the BBC they had been notified of a data breach. The Metropolitan police said they had received a referral on Thursday following reports of a ransomware attack on a London-based organisation. They added: Enquiries are ongoing and remain in the early stages within the Mets cyber crime unit. No arrests have been made. A spokesperson from the Information Commissioners Office said: Kido International has reported an incident to us and we are assessing the information provided. A number of companies have been subjected to cyber-attacks in recent months. The Co-op said it had fallen into the red after it suffered an 80m hit to profits as a result of an attempted hack in April. Related: Co-op says malicious cyber-attack has hit profits by 80m JLR, the maker of Jaguar and Land Rover cars, has not been able to assemble cars since the start of the month after cyber-attackers penetrated its computer systems. The company was forced to shut down most of the computer systems it uses to track parts, vehicles and tooling in its factories, as well as everything to do with selling its luxury Range Rover, Discovery and Defender SUVs. The company has restarted a limited number of computer systems. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact the Business team confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Scroll down and click on Secure Messaging. When asked who you wish to contact please select the Guardian Business team. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. The board overseeing Dublin Airport should be sacked instead of DAA chief Kenny Jacobs, Ryanairs Michael OLeary has said. Mr OLeary made the suggestion as he also took swipes at the do-nothing Government of Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris in a lengthy press conference to launch the airlines winter schedule on Thursday. The comments come amid a reported rift between the DAA board and Mr Jacobs which could see him receive an exit package of up to 1.2 million euro. Mr OLeary said it would be more cost-effective to remove the board and keep the chief executive in his post. Mr Jacobs previously worked as Ryanairs chief marketing officer. Asked if he would welcome him back to Ryanair, Mr OLeary said: No, no, no. The DAA are going to blow 1.2 million buying him off by paying out his contract for the next two or three years. Then they are going to replace him with someone else making 1.2 million over that period as well. He added: If it was me, Id fire the board. That would require a Government with a spine, or a Government in this country thats capable of making decisions, and we do not have a Government that does. Mr OLeary said there was no point in having the change of chief executive and hypothesised that it would be certainly cheaper to fire the board. He said he was not a great fan of what Mr Jacobs had done in his role as chief executive of the DAA, in particular the proposals to spend 200 million euro on a underground cargo tunnel at Dublin Airport. He added: Hes a very able executive. I would have no trouble in recommending him to any company on the sales or the commercial side. Mr OLeary said Ryanair was not in the habit of bringing people back to the organisation, adding it didnt work out well in the past. The airline boss also criticised senior Government figures, planning and environmental authorities, residents in communities near Dublin Airport and the Israeli government. Mr OLeary, who donned a blue Santa suit with an exaggerated belly as part of the press event, criticised Mr Martin and Mr Harris for swanning around New York and getting their photo taken for the UN high-level week. He compared them to movie characters Dumb and Dumber, dubbing the leadership duo as slow and slower. He said the Government was not taking swift enough action in lifting the traffic cap at Dublin Airport, further blaming morons in An Coimisiun Pleanala and Nimbys living nearby for restricting growth. Mr OLeary criticised loonies at the Environmental Protection Agency as well as bureaucratic bullshit out of Transport Minister Darragh OBrien and his Department of Failure. He hypothesised that US President Donald Trump would be antagonised by the landing-hour restrictions on American airlines landing at Dublin Airport and would retaliate by blocking Aer Lingus access to New York. He said that would spur the Government to change the traffic restrictions at Dublin Airport within 24 hours. Meanwhile, he said Ryanair had given Israeli authorities until next Tuesday to guarantee it would keep low-cost charges if its flights were moved to the high-cost terminal and that it will have all its slots back next year. He said if this did not happen the airline would not be returning to operation in Israel, adding: Frankly, it wouldnt cost me much of a thought. Mr OLeary unveiled Ryanairs winter schedule with 96 routes, including one new route to Moroccos winter sun capital of Rabat as well as extra frequencies on 28 other routes, like Birmingham, Budapest, Krakow, Milan and Valencia. Law enforcement agents look around the roof of a building near the scene of a shooting at an Ice office in Dallas, Texas, on 24 September. Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP Authorities said on Thursday that the words of the suspect in the shooting on Wednesday at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention facility in Texas were definitively anti-Ice but said that they did not find evidence that the suspect was a member of any specific group or entity, nor did he mention any specific government agency other than Ice. At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Texas authorities provided more details on the shooting investigation describing messages and notes they found at the suspects residence. The shooting, described by the FBI as coming after a high degree of planning , occurred early on Wednesday at a facility in Dallas, with a spray of bullets fired from a rooftop hitting a building and an Ice transportation van, killing one Ice detainee who was inside the vehicle and badly injuring two others. Nancy Larson, acting US attorney for the northern district of Texas, said on Thursday that authorities found a collection of notes at the suspects residence, with one of the notes allegedly stating: Yes, it was just me. Notably, these loose notes included a game plan of the attack and target areas at the facility, Larson said. He called the Ice employees people showing up to collect a dirty paycheck. Larson said that the suspect wrote that he intended to maximize lethality against Ice personnel and to maximize property damage at the facility and said that it seems that he did not intend to kill the detainees or harm them. Its clear from these notes that he was targeting Ice agents and Ice personnel. He also hoped his actions would give Ice agents real terror of being gunned down, and he did this to induce constant stress in their lives, Larson said. Among his papers, Larson said that they also found a handwritten note in which the suspect expressed his hatred for the federal government. Larson also revealed that the suspect was seen on footage around 3am on Wednesday driving with a large ladder on his car, that they believe he used to position himself on top of the building. The shooting, authorities said, began around 6.30am on Wednesday, and officials saidthat based on their investigation, they believe that the suspect acted alone, but stressed that their investigation is still ongoing. At the news conference, the authorities also identified the suspect as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, of Fairview, Texas. Officials have said that he killed himself at the scene. Larson told reporters that the suspects words were definitively anti-Ice but said that authorities found no evidence that the suspect was a member of any specific group or entity, nor did he mention any specific government agency other than Ice. Marcos Charles, an Ice official, also said on Thursday that the suspect used Ice tracking apps to monitor the movement of federal agents. Joseph Rothrock, the special agent in charge of the Dallas FBI field office, added that the suspect had legally obtained the firearm he used in the shooting in August of this year. Earlier on Thursday, the FBI director, Kash Patel, said in a statement that the alleged perpetrator downloaded a document titled Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management containing a list of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) facilities. Related: Deadly Ice shooting comes as violence spikes amid Trump immigration crackdown No Ice staff were hit in the attack, which the Trump administration condemned as being an action aimed at law enforcement and is urgently investigating, amid a surge in political violence in the US. On Thursday, Patel said that the suspect had conducted multiple searches of ballistics and had searched the Charlie Kirk Shot Video in recent days, referring back to the murder of the rightwing activist and youth politics leader who was shot dead at an event in Utah earlier this month. Patel also said that between 18 August and 24 August, the suspect searched apps that tracked the presence of Ice agents. The FBI director added that authorities also recovered a handwritten note which read, Hopefully this will give Ice agents real terror, to think, is there a sniper? about to fire from a roof. Patel added: Further accumulated evidence to this point indicates a high degree of pre-attack planning. The identities of the victims in the Dallas attack have not yet been named , although the two men wounded were said to remain in the hospital in critical condition. Related: Texas Ice facility shooting: Republicans blame radical left as Democrats focus on victims and gun control The mayor of Dallas, Eric Johnson, a Democrat turned Republican, called the shooting really, really sad in an interview with CNN on Thursday. I think the trend that were seeing of increasing political violence in this country, and yesterdays hit close to home and were concerned. Johnson added: The division that seems to be leading to some folks taking these very, very unfortunate and violent steps to try to bring about policy changes [is] just wrong and its scary. Johnson condemned the vilification of Ice, the federal agency that has been stirring up protests amid the Trump administrations anti-immigration, mass deportation agenda, with raids on immigrants across the country and a surge of detentions. The new developments come as Donald Trump has blamed the shooting on Radical Left Terrorists and the Democratic party, without citing official evidence of any specific affiliations, party politics or motives of the suspect. The US president wrote on social media the day of the Dallas attack: This violence is the result of the Radical Left Democrats constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to Nazis. JD Vance made a political comment before a suspect had even been named or many details of the victims released, saying that the attack was carried out by a violent leftwing extremist who was politically motivated to go after law enforcement. A county meeting in Florida descended into shouting, profanity, and the ejection of community members over a proposal to rename a road for the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated earlier this month. The anger came as the Lake County Commission considered a proposal, which ultimately got unanimous approval, to rename a stretch of road as the Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway. The majority of public commenters at the Tuesday meeting opposed the plan, including resident Gavin Brown, who argued the county should name roads after local figures who had served the community like veterans or law enforcement, such as Bradley Link, a sheriffs deputy who was killed last year. Wouldnt it be more suitable and ideal to have a memorial to honor someone who fought to serve and protect us, have a true Lake County resident who was a brave American hero? Brown said. In these dark, dystopian times, lets remember Deputy Link, and lets look at things we can do to unite, and not divide us, and that includes you, Mr. Sabatini, Brown added, referring to Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini, who proposed the name change. Council meeting in Floridas plan to rename road for slain activist prompted profanity, public commenters being removed, and accusations of political agitators (Getty Images) The comments angered the Republican leader. How dare you use that deputys name for your petty bullsh*t political argument! Sabatini said. How dare you! Sabitini later told Fox 35 he was alarmed by Browns comments, alleging he was a political agitator. Charlie literally was just assassinated two weeks ago, and here you have political agitators coming out against him, Sabitini said, really almost days after he was buried. I thought it was very disturbing. Multiple speakers were ultimately removed at the meeting. Conservatives across the country have mourned Kirks death, including at a large rally in Arizona (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Brown wasnt the only one who opposed the plan. If we approach approved political figure naming without clear criteria, we open the door to endless partisan battles over our public spaces, resident Jaqueline Arnt of Mount Dora said, Click Orlando reports. Others spoke in favor of the idea to honor the Turning Point USA founder. "I know at 16 years old, they don't have votes right now. But they will in two years," Autumn Jacunski, whose 16-year-old son was a speaker at a local vigil for Kirk, told the commission. "They are the future, they're going to be our new leaders, and Charlie was someone they looked up to, he was someone they were invested in." Kirks killing earlier this month has prompted widespread mourning, including a Trump administration directive to fly flags at half-staff, and a massive memorial rally in the activists home state of Arizona. Oklahomas top school official, meanwhile, announced this week he would launch Turning Point USA chapters in all of the states high schools. The killing has also set off debates over the extent of protected and dangerous speech, following incidents like late-night host Jimmy Kimmel being temporarily taken off air after he made controversial statements about Kirk and the Trump-appointed head of the FCC appeared to threaten Kimmels home network of ABC. Delta Air Lines is replacing parts on more than 300 of its Airbus fleet to combat toxic fume leaks, which can be linked to serious health issues, including brain injuries, among both crew and passengers. The mass upgrades mark one of the boldest steps by a major U.S. airline to tackle a quietly escalating safety concern in modern aviation. Thousands of these so-called fume events have been reported to the Federal Aviation Administration in the last 25 years, in which dangerous fumes from a planes engines leak into the cockpit or cabin. The problem has affected numerous airlines and is not limited to a single aircraft manufacturer. Just this month, a Wall Street Journal investigation found that the rate of incidents has increased in recent years. This is reportedly due in part to the growth in sales of Airbuss A320 family of aircraft. First launched in the late 1980s, by 2019, it became the best-selling commercial airliner in the world. A Delta Air Lines Airbus A220 airplane prepares to take off at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in July 2025 (AFP via Getty Images) The leaks occur due to a modern aircraft design element in which the air you breathe is pulled in through the engine. The system, known as bleed air, diverts hot, compressed air from the engines to provide functions including cabin pressurization, air conditioning, and anti-icing. The design has been featured in almost every modern commercial jetliner, except for the Boeing 787. When the aircraft isnt flying and the main engines are off such as during taxiing an auxiliary power unit (APU) supplies electricity and air to the cabin. Engineers have warned that leaks in the APU can contaminate cabin air even when the unit isnt active. Airbus has previously flagged the APUs integration on the A320 as a key contributor to these toxic fume events. These incidents occur when oil leaks into the compression chamber, vaporizes under extreme heat, and releases neurotoxins and other chemicals into the aircrafts air supply. According to the Wall Street Journals investigation, the contaminated air is described as smelling of wet dog, Cheetos, or nail polish. As well as allegedly causing irreversible brain damage, the leaks have reportedly led to emergency landings, sick passengers, and affected pilots eyesight and reaction times during flights, official reports state. Delta Air Lines is about 90 percent of the way through upgrading each of its Airbus A320 jets. The airline operates 310 aircraft in this narrow-body type, including 76 of the latest generation models, as of the end of June. The cabin air inside Boeing airplanes is safe. There is no indoor environment that is free from contaminants, a Boeing spokesman told the Wall Street Journal. Airbus aircraft are designed and manufactured according to all relevant and applicable airworthiness requirements, a spokesman for Airbus said. U.S. Marines flying a CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter transported an F-35C Lightning II airframe from the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Patuxent River (Pax ITF) to a Navy unit located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, April 24. A Marine aviator from Marine Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) piloted the most powerful helicopter in the Department of Defense that carried the inoperable airframe, which was without mission and propulsion systems, outer wings, or additional equipment, to the Prototype, Manufacturing and Test (PMT) Department of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst for use in future emergency recovery systems testing. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases X Help keep us a float! Your support helps us keep our ship a float. We appreciate anyway you chose to help out. Visit us daily, subscribe, donate, and tell your friends. You can support us in the following ways: Donald Trump has signed an executive order on TikTok, which will allow the app to continue to operate in the United States. The US president held talks with China's President Xi Jinping last week - where the pair discussed the final terms of a deal. The app was ordered to shut down for American users by January 2025 if its Chinese owner - Beijing-based tech firm ByteDance - didn't sell its assets in the country. The ban was delayed four times by Mr Trump. The deal, which vice president JD Vance said was valued at around $14bn (10.5bn), will see TikTok's US operations run by a new joint-venture company, with ByteDance holding less than 20% of the stock, a senior White House official said prior to the deal being signed. "There was some resistance on the Chinese side, but the fundamental thing that we wanted to accomplish is that we wanted to keep TikTok operating, but we also wanted to make sure that we protected Americans' data privacy as required by law," Mr Vance said. Mr Trump said: "I spoke with President Xi. We had a good talk, I told him what we were doing, and he said go ahead with it." American officials have previously warned that TikTok's algorithm - a complex system of rules and calculations that platforms use to deliver content to people's feeds - is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities. However, no evidence has ever been presented by US officials showing that Beijing has attempted to do this. Concerns have also been raised about user data being shared with the Chinese government - something ByteDance has said it does not and would never do. Mr Trump attempted to ban TikTok during his first term in the White House, but has repeatedly credited the app, which has 170 million US users, with helping him win re-election. The White House also launched an official TikTok account last month. Mr Trump said media mogul Rupert Murdoch and "probably four or five absolutely world-class investors" would be part of the deal. This also includes Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Both Mr Ellison and Mr Murdoch have political and business ties to Mr Trump, raising fresh questions about potential political influence on the platform. Questions still remain over how the deal works, but Mr Trump said China's leader, Xi Jinping, has approved it. Around 43% of US adults under the age of 30 say they regularly consume news from TikTok, higher than any other social media app, including YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, according to a Pew Research Centre report. Doug Ford on 16 June 2025. Photograph: Boston Globe/Getty Images Doug Ford has announced plans to ban speed cameras in Ontario, describing the devices as an out-of-control tax grab in his latest populist appeal to suburban voters. The move prompted criticism from road safety activists and is likely to cue another showdown with Toronto, after the mayor of Canadas largest city urged councillors to keep the cameras in place, warning that speed kills. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the Ontario premier claimed residents were fed up with the cameras, which he alleged were simply a tool used to generate revenue for municipalities. This is a cash grab off taxpayers. Nothing more, nothing less, he said, adding he offered to personally demonstrate for mayors how to slow traffic. I will stand in an area where you want to calm the traffic, and Ill show you how to calm the traffic instantly. Its not that they dont know how to do it. They dont want to do it because its a cash grab. Ford, whose government passed regulations in 2019 that allowed cities to install the cameras, said the proliferation of the speed-control tool was out of control, claiming that only 37 of the provinces 444 municipalities still support the cameras. He pledged to launch a new fund for cities to install road safety measures. The premier pointed to one camera on Torontos west end that has generated more than C$7m in fines for drivers after generating more than 63,000 tickets. The camera, in a 40km/h zone, was installed in 2022 after a speeding motorist killed an elderly couple in a five-vehicle crash. It has been vandalized seven times in the past 10 months. Fords announcement is the latest in a string of policies intended to appeal to suburban commuters in the province, and prompted immediate criticism from police and local groups. The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police said speed cameras have been proven to reduce speeding, change driver behaviour and make our roads safer for everyone drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and especially children and other vulnerable road users. Related: Bikes v cars: backlash after Ontario premier threatens to tear up cycling lanes in Toronto Ford brushed off a recent study led by researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Metropolitan University, which that found automated speed enforcement cameras reduced the proportion of speeding vehicles in downtown school zones by 45%. Olivia Chow, the mayor of Toronto, warned it would be mistake to remove the cameras. In a letter sent on Thursday to the citys infrastructure and environment committee, Chow pointed to a recent fatality of a 15-year-old struck by a speeding driver, telling councillors the city must do everything we can to eliminate these tragedies. Chow and Ford have sparred previously, after the premier pledged to remove major bike lanes in the city. That attempt was blocked by a judge over the summer a decision Ford said his government would appeal after the judge overstepped . Chow suggested drivers should not be fined more than once by the same camera within a seven-day period and called for larger and more visible signage near cameras to ensure drivers were aware of enforcement zones. Speed kills, she said earlier this week. Torontonians, especially those most vulnerable like children, need to be safe. And we know speed cameras work. They reduce speed. Off the mark: Eberechi Eze scored his first Arsenal goal in the Carabao Cup win over Port Vale (Action Images via Reuters) Eberechi Eze said it was a special day after scoring his first goal for Arsenal. The England midfielder netted in the eighth minute on Wednesday night as Mikel Artetas Gunners won 2-0 away at third-tier Port Vale to book their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, where they will face Premier League rivals Brighton at home. Its a special day to get my first goal and to win, said Eze. Its important to get through to the next round; that was the main thing. But its a special day for me. I just somehow found a space inside the box, so I knew that I didnt have time to take many touches. So I was just looking to get a shot off; that was the main thing. Fortunate, and a lot of hard work behind it, but its a good day. Coming to a place like this, away from home, in difficult circumstances, but finding a way to win, thats the most important thing. You take it into the next one. Arteta was pleased with Ezes performance, using him as a left No8 for the first time, but he believes there is more to come. He played very centrally against a team thats obviously in a 5-4-1 [formation]; they are super compact inside, said Arteta. Its not easy to find spaces, but hes very capable with the ball. Youve seen that in another three or four actions hes completely through, and playing people through. He still needs to play a little more time with those guys to understand the timings, especially the things that he needs to do. Then actions like that will be more consistent and better for us. In general, very good - there is still a lot more to give, I think. Leandro Trossard sealed the win for Arsenal late on at Vale Park by scoring a second and they will face the Belgians old club, Brighton, in the next round. A tough one, said Arteta. At least were at home, so thats always a positive thing. But we know they are a top side and it will be a difficult night. A telecoms provider owned by Swedish group Ericsson has been fined 700,000 after some UK business customers could not connect to emergency calls for more than a week, Ofcom has said. The UK communications watchdog said Vonage, a subsidiary of Ericsson, breached its rules and put its customers at unacceptable risk. Between October 23 and November 3 2023, certain business customers were unable to connect to the emergency services when using desk phones, Ofcom found. It related to phone calls made over the internet, rather than a regular phone line known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). It said Vonage did not carry out testing following a software update, which caused the issue, leading to its emergency call service failing. The company also failed to put in place adequate monitoring steps to make sure it was able to identify an outage affecting emergency calls. George Lusty, Ofcoms enforcement director, said: Being able to call the emergency services can mean the difference between life and death. We have fined communications provider Vonage 700,000. This follows Vonage failing to ensure certain business customers could make calls to the emergency services. Find out more https://t.co/gGu6QefifP pic.twitter.com/x1wphUcdPM Ofcom (@Ofcom) September 25, 2025 Its vital that telecoms providers take their responsibilities seriously and if they dont, well hold them to account. Vonage fell short on a number of levels, putting its customers at unacceptable risk. Ofcom said Vonage has since made several changes to its processes to prevent future errors. The 700,000 fine includes a 30% reduction because the company admitted liability and agreed to settle the case. A spokeswoman for Vonage said it has taken this incident very seriously. We recognise the critical nature of the service we provide and the serious implications this disruption could have had, the firm said in a statement. We sincerely apologise for the emergency calling outage. Our customers rightly expect more from us and this incident fell short of the standards we hold ourselves to and our customers deserve. Vonage said it had since changed how it implements software developments to prevent such an issue from occurring again, including proactive monitoring and alerting systems, and an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement. Jeremy Corbyn launched a new membership registration portal on Wednesday morning Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultanas hard-Left party appeared doomed from the start. Now, WhatsApp messages from activists show them losing hope and turning to conspiracy theories as Mr Corbyns attempted relaunch is overshadowed by fresh in-fighting. The Your Party South London WhatsApp community group was set up during a wave of optimism so provisional members could get important announcements about Your Party in South London. But replies by community members to messages posted by the groups administrators in the past week show increasing confusion, mistrust and spiralling internal rows. Signs of potential trouble appeared as soon as July, when Ms Sultana unilaterally launched the new party as she formally resigned from Labour. Zarah Sultana speaks at a Your Party rally in South London - Kristian Buus/Getty Last week tensions exploded when Ms Sultana shared an invitation to a membership portal where people could join the party for 55 a year or 5 a month, which rapidly reached 20,000 members. However, Mr Corbyn soon declared that the email was unauthorised and should be ignored by all supporters, adding that legal advice was being taken in a statement signed by all six of the partys prospective MPs except for Ms Sultana. Community group members demanded urgent confirmation that Mr Corbyns statement was referring to the membership platform. Your Party WhatsApp chaos In other messages showcasing further frustration, one supporter called the feud absolutely ridiculous, while another wrote: Everyone involved needs a slap. Others, however, were more positive, seeing the new movement however chaotic its launch as the best hope as Sir Keir Starmer continues to sideline the Left of the Labour Party. One member of the WhatsApp group said that good sense will prevail and they will work together soon, while another posted: We have to make it work! Its urgent! By 3pm, members learnt Ms Sultana had accused Mr Corbyn of running a sexist boys club in a now-deleted statement that confirmed she launched the membership portal without permission after being frozen out of official accounts. Several supporters told the group they had cancelled their memberships. In one post that appeared to refer to Mr Corbyns statement, the administrator wrote: Signed by all the guys but not the gal followed by an emoji expressing embarrassment and a broken heart. They added: Not sure what to make of it all. Members replied to the posts asking if the group could be opened up so that members could post in the chat, rather than just administrators. They did not receive a response. On Thursday evening last week, administrators posted a statement which acknowledged that supporters felt bewildered and disappointed by the chaos of the day. The post received 52 comment responses, including: This is disastrous and needs to be sorted ASAP, Is it also wise to tell the leadership to wind their necks in? and I want to know, where did my money go? A member wrote: I held off from reporting fraud on my bank because of the implications it could have with the partys legal registry. Theres more to this story, and this is not being managed as a grass-roots movement. One member theorised that the chaos was a deliberate act of sabotage but did not specify who they thought the sabotage was committed by. The group then discussed what party name they would vote for. A joint statement last month by Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana revealed the movement would have the working title Your Party. Ms Sultana insisted it was not the partys final name, but Mr Corbyn said it could be if activists so wished. One member posted their idea, Your Left Party. Another responded: Left your party. On Friday morning, administrators posted a statement for supporters to sign, calling for unity in Your Party but comments questioned who was behind the statement. A member wrote: Its learned hopelessness. The reason why this situation is happening is because the leadership is fractured beyond repair. The appearance on Friday evening of a third faction, Our Party a group of activists who wanted to wrestle power from both Ms Sultana and Mr Corbyn and hand it to the grassroots led one dismayed observer to remark: This is becoming [an] absolute shambles. On Sunday, Ms Sultana posted a statement expressing determination to reconcile with Mr Corbyn and other movement leaders, to which one commenter noted: Should never [have] happened in the first place. When Mr Corbyn launched a new membership registration portal on Wednesday morning this week, unsurprisingly it led to further confusion among members who signed up through the link that had been sent out the week before, and were now unable to log into the site. It is understood previous members received an error message when they tried to log in which said: You are not registered as a member, only a newsletter subscriber. To become a member and get access to this area, please use the below registration form. The registration form involves paying for the membership, meaning previous members must pay a second time in order to register. A community group member asked administrators: I used the Zarah link last week, do I need to do anything? Another wrote: I managed to sign up, but I think its crashed now. Others said they would not pay again until they had better clarification of the situation. Supporters noted that initially, Ms Sultana did not post the new registration link on her social media accounts. A group member wrote this is exhausting to try to follow, while another called the chaos hugely damaging. One posted: Probably worth giving it a week before signing up and parting with some money, just in case theres another explosion. Ms Sultana finally appeared to be fully back on board on Wednesday night, sharing a link to the new portal and sharing Mr Corbyns social media video. Your Party said in a statement: For those who joined under the previous system last week, please be assured your data and membership is secure and will be migrated across. There is nothing more for you to do at this stage. Credit: David Nellist/Facebook The donations from Ms Sultanas first membership portal currently remain in a bank account run by MOU Operations Ltd. The Telegraph understands that before any data, membership, money can be transferred, fresh legal advice must be sought, potentially delaying progress on the relaunch by a couple more days. Andrew Feinstein, Beth Winter and Jamie Driscoll the directors of MOU Operations Ltd were all blind-sided by Mr Corbyns launch of a new portal. The trio held emergency talks on Wednesday to discuss what it means for their legal and financial responsibilities. Hoping to draw a line under recent events, Mr Corbyn, Ms Sultana and as many as 13,000 supporters will head to Liverpool on Nov 29 and Nov 30 for their founding conference. But trust from members and morale in the project will take time to recover. One well-placed party source went as far as to lament: Im desperate to be shot of the whole thing. After the events of the past few days, it is not difficult to see why. (Ben Blackall/Netflix) James Norton storms through a factory as a burly worker swinging from a chain above vats of malting barley shouts, Do you think therell be trouble today? Norton takes a drag of his cigarette and replies, The mans name is Guinness, of course therell be f***ing trouble. Dear reader, put that on my gravestone. The actor is about to appear on screen in Netflixs sexiest new dynastic drama, House of Guinness. AKA, my ancestors. The series is filled with political tension, violence, riots and, yes... many great actors bringing my long-gone family members to life on screen. It is based on the story of Sir Benjamin Guinness and his four children, to whom he leaves a vast empire on his death in 1868. Hello, Succession! They are tasked with keeping his dream (and the empire) alive. Devised by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, this is historical drama but not a gentle costume piece. House Of Guinness is based on an idea by Ivana Lowell, another member of the family. Apart from her I dont believe other Guinnesses have been involved. Relatives Ive spoken to are curious about the show, but view it as a reimagining rather than historical fact. I have made peace with the fact that the Guinness last name elicited curiosity and helped me in my career, especially as a model in my younger days where any association with the God-like Daphne Guinness was a decided boon. When I started travelling more and attending fashion events I met and fell in love with more of my extended family the wonderful model Jasmine Guinness, the incredibly cool musician and community organiser Celeste Guinness (another gay Guinness hurrah!), my favourite DJ and musician Lady Mary Charteris, and fashion royalty Tom Guinness and his wife Tish Weinstock. So, the tantalising prospect of witnessing my family tree brought to life filled me with excited possibility. But as I watched the first episode, a nagging feeling developed. Where is my great-great-great-great grandfather, Guinness founder Arthur Guinness? Who the hell is Benjamin? Why is this set in the 19th century, not the 18th? How can I centre myself in this story? It dawns on me: the series begins a few generations into the Guinness lore. The founders descendants eventually branched into three main lines the brewers, the bankers and the religious Grattan line. The shows central storyline concerns the brewers which is where Sir Benjamin comes in. My vicar great-great grandfather pops up in the first episode to shake down his nephews for some cash to support his missionary work. But, still, I am adjacent at best. How humiliating for me. Why couldnt they have started the show two or three generations before? I felt like Hailey Bieber, the offspring of the wrong Baldwin brother. Anthony Boyle as Arthur Guinsess (Ben Blackall/Netflix) House of Guinness therefore misses out one of my favourite Guinness stories a moment when Irelands political and cultural history and that of my family are woven together. Two generations before the show begins, a duel changed the course of Irish history, and without it I would not exist. In 1815 Daniel OConnell, the Irish nationalist leader and abolitionist, killed my great-great-great grandmother Jane Mary Lucretia Cramers first husband, John DEsterre. She went on to marry Captain John Guinness and give birth to my ancestors. OConnell deeply regretted the duel and afterwards wore a glove on his trigger hand and refused to take communion with it. Some say the incident redirected his political activism, hardening his commitment to lawful, non-violent agitation. Even without this story, the show expertly reveals how political turmoil in Ireland was inextricably linked to the machinations of the family something I had naively underestimated. Its bizarre growing up a Guinness. If I had a pound for every time someone asked, like the drink? Id be richer than the founder himself. I grew up in Brixton in the 1980s, in the aftermath of the uprising my father was a vicar surrounded by a deep-rooted community where many lived in extreme poverty. Moustached, 6ft 4ins, with the famous Guinness bright blue eyes, my warm and slightly eccentric father has a touch of Victoriana about him pronouncing extra-ordinary enthusiastically and full of wonder as two distinct words. Reverend Guinness could easily be dropped into Netflixs show playing one of our ancestors. It was a surreal childhood. A string of people in need lived with us over the years one man was sectioned from our home and promptly escaped the secure unit in which he was held dressed as a doctor, prompting a search party across London. Once we even helped foil a kidnapping by noticing some rather burly men waiting outside a neighbouring house for days. My parents sent me roller-skating past to check if they were still there; when the police were called, rope, machetes and duct tape were found in the boot. A chaotic childhood, but full of love. I missed Lambeth when we moved to Belgravia in the 1990s, as my father became vicar of the parish where Margaret Thatcher lived. Quite the change: I could see the wall of Buckingham Palace from my bedroom window. It was here I began to meet more of my extended Guinness family. At 17 I had a brief sojourn in New York, where I began to feel freer and live openly as a gay man; there I met the wonderful Rory and Rebecca Guinness, fixtures on the East Village scene. At the University of Cambridge, and later in my modelling career, I met more, including Jasmine and Lady Mary. At the premiere of House of Guinness, the extended family lines sat in a row lives separated by differing choices, marriages and fortunes watching our shared ancestors stories together. Jack Guinness (Dave Benett) When two Guinnesses meet theres a natural urge to work out how we fit together. Theres a subtle implication that some have more right to lay claim to a legacy than others. As Ive matured, Ive accepted my family name and claimed my gay identity, which for too long was crushed by shame, guilt and the weight of generations of religious forebears. Now I affirm my identity in its fullness not just as a Guinness, but as Jack Guinness: a messy amalgamation of those who went before me and, like everyone, more than the sum of their parts. I have found belonging rather than mere legacy. The fact the show kicks off well into Guinness lore got me thinking about stories that are left out of official narratives. In my work as an LGBTQ+ community organiser, Ive become painfully aware of how queer histories have been excluded from authorised texts. In our patriarchal society, as a woman marries, her last name is erased, her family history folded into the male branch. What else is lost with that name? House of Guinness seems intent on centring the Guinness women, notably Anne Guinness, played brilliantly by Emily Fairn. The womens stories are compelling, beginning with the dynastys matriarch, Olivia Whitmore. She married Arthur Guinness in 1761 with a reported 1,000 dowry, helping to underwrite Arthurs 9,000-year lease of St Jamess Gate Brewery. She is believed to have endured 21 pregnancies, with 10 children surviving to adulthood. Olivias steadiness and resources turned an audacious idea into an empire. Queer individuals histories have been similarly under-represented; theyve been straight-washed in history books, or people had to hide who they are to protect themselves. Im currently obsessed with Arthur Lee Guinness (17971863), who some historians suggest was embroiled in a same-sex scandal. A hidden queer life? Perhaps. As a nod to honouring these silenced lives, I dedicated my book The Queer Bible to the queer ancestors who went before, whose histories Ill never know. I hope that Im making them proud. I daresay Netflixs Guinness series will be highlighting a few of them for the first time, and I look forward to the righting of this wrong. Long live House of Guinness! A Palestinian flag is waved outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images The fate of hundreds of people arrested for allegedly supporting Palestine Action will remain in limbo if a legal challenge to the groups proscription is blocked, the court of appeal has heard. The Home Office asked the court on Thursday to overturn a judges decision to grant the Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori a judicial review of the ban, which placed it alongside the likes of Islamic State and the neo-Nazi group National Action. Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Home Office, said the high courts decision was wrong because there was already a mechanism to challenge proscription by appealing to the home secretary and then the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (Poac). He said in written submissions that there was nothing exceptional about the respondents [Ammoris] case that justifies allowing her to avoid the statutory scheme. But Raza Husain KC, representing Ammori, argued that the case was unique. The home secretary has 90 days to respond to a challenge to proscription under the Terrorism Act before the Poac process can begin. Husain said that Mr Justice Chamberlain, sitting at the high court, was right to raise concerns that Poac would not hear the case until the middle of next year, whereas a judicial review could take place in the autumn. It has been scheduled for 25 to 27 November. In seeking a judicial review, Husain said his client relied on the unique nature of the case: the proscription of a protest group with widespread popular support; and the severe detriments that would flow from the Poac route on these facts, including: the ongoing and irremediable chilling of speech and assembly in the interim; the delayed determination of a matter relevant to ongoing criminal cases; and the fact that the Poac route offers no remedy to the hundreds of people already arrested for offences related to support for PA [Palestine Action]. More than 1,600 people have been arrested for allegedly expressing support for Palestine Action since the ban came into force on 5 July, of whom 138 have been charged. Husain said Ammori would be asking the high court for an order which Poac could not make quashing the ban, with the result that any police enforcement in respect of offences under TA [Terrorism Act] 2000 in respect of PA (including arrests, charges and convictions) would be nullities. Asked by the judges what he thought would happen to people arrested for supporting Palestine Action if Poac de-proscribed the group, Eadie said there was not a clear and obvious answer. He suggested that offences for supporting Palestine Action prior to any overturning of the ban could still stand. Parliament has designed the scheme so that the jurisdiction of Poac is no different to that of the high court so that there can be no suggestion of there being any advantage in proceeding with judicial review proceedings rather than a statutory appeal, Eadie said. Speaking before the hearing, Ammori called it an alarming attempt to prevent judicial scrutiny of the extreme and unprecedented decision to proscribe the group. The panel of three judges, led by the lady chief justice, Sue Carr, said they hoped to give a judgment next month. Five bodies have been found in Houston area bayous in a week. Cops insist it is not the work of a serial killer In less than a week, police have pulled five bodies from Houston area bayous grim discoveries that have rattled residents and fueled rumors of a serial killer. But authorities insist that is not the case. Houston Mayor John Whitmire held a news conference this week where he shut down rumors circulating on social media and urged the public to rely on facts rather than online theories. We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas, Whitmire said. Let me say again that there is no evidence that there is a serial killer loose on the streets of Houston. If there was, you would hear it from me first. Houston Mayor John Whitmire held a news conference Wednesday where he shut down rumors of a serial in parts of Texas. (Fox26) On September 15, the body of 20-year-old University of Houston student Jade Sage McKissic was found in Brays Bayou after being missing for four days. Her death drew an immediate outpouring of grief from her peers. That same day, another body was recovered from Greens Bayou. By the end of the week, three more were found in the White Oak and Buffalo bayous. Their identities have not been revealed. The mayor acknowledged that Houstons homeless population, many of whom live near bayous, are sometimes among the deceased recovered there. Alcohol use, mental health issues and accidents are also factors, he said. Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. confirmed the five bodies were pulled from the bayous between September 15 and September 20, but emphasized their deaths are not linked. The investigation into these incidents is pending the determination of the [Medical Examiners] office, Diaz said. For us, agency rumors stir fear and anxiety in our community. Its important to rely on verified information and investigations. Still, conspiracy theories have spread across social media. Some Instagram users claim police are hiding evidence of foul play, while others point to misleading posts that falsely tie the deaths to a serial killer. Even after police stated that they do not suspect foul play in McKissic's death, several Instagram users questioned it. BS!!! one Instagram commenter wrote of police posts, Houston Public Media reported. Another added: Something aint adding up. Police Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. confirmed the five bodies were pulled from the bayous between September 15 and September 20, but emphasized they are not linked (Fox26) On September 15, the body of 20-year-old University of Houston student Jade Sage McKissic was found in Brays Bayou after being missing for four days (Texas Center for the Missing) While the rumors swirl, McKissics friends and classmates focused on remembering her life as hundreds gathered at the University of Houstons Lynn Eusan Park for a vigil Monday, where balloons were released into the sky after prayers and dancing. I loved her energy, said Laila Deshotel, who met McKissic in high school theater, told Houston Public Media. Her energy was amazing to be around. She has a beautiful soul, and it hurts that shes gone. It does. But I know shes in a much better place now. Friends described McKissic as a creative force who loved to dance, support her peers, and bring people together. They ended the vigil with a line dance in her honor. Officials warn the public to avoid Houstons bayous, where currents and debris can be deadly, particularly after storms, citing strong currents and hidden debris. The mother of a five-year-old girl, whose initial symptoms were tragically mistaken for common pains before a heartbreaking turn of events, has spoken of her disbelief after her daughter received a rare cancer diagnosis. Madeleine Shipp, 28, a stay-at-home mother-of-three from Essex, described how the news "still does not feel real" after her daughter Aubrey, now six, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Aubrey first began complaining of leg pain in January, which was initially attributed to growing pains or a pulled muscle from doing the splits at school. However, the situation escalated dramatically when Aubrey later woke up covered in "spots" and vomited blood, prompting an urgent rush to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford. The five-year-old was subsequently transferred to Londons Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), where specialists confirmed in April that she had ALL, a rare form of cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow. Since her diagnosis, Aubrey has undergone intensive chemotherapy and immunotherapy, leading her to miss several months of school. As she approaches the completion of her second round of chemotherapy, Aubrey is eagerly anticipating a gradual return to the classroom and reuniting with her friends. Aubrey was transferred to Londons Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), where it was confirmed in April that she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare type of cancer which affects the blood and bone marrow (Family Handouts/PA Real Life) Her mother, who herself received treatment at GOSH as a baby, expressed profound gratitude, stating she will be "forever grateful" to the hospital for saving both her and her daughter. I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for GOSH and Aubrey wouldnt be here without GOSH, Ms Shipp said. Theres no way she would have been able to survive without every single team working together Broomfields prompt diagnosis and then GOSH supplying all the treatments she needed. If there are any other parents going through this, please reach out for help. Before her diagnosis, Ms Shipp said Aubrey was a healthy child and described her as the one who never got sick. The sassy six-year-old loves seeing her friends and going to school and with her favourite subject being science, she hopes to become a scientist when she grows up. However, in January, Aubrey started complaining of pain in her left leg. You take her to the doctors, its pain in her leg, shes five, so shes growing, right? We just all thought it was growing pains, Ms Shipp said. She actually did the splits at school, so we also thought shed pulled a muscle in her leg. Madeleine Shipp, 28, a stay-at-home mother-of-three who lives in Essex with her 31-year-old partner James, said her daughter Aubrey, now six, started complaining of leg pain in January this year (Family Handouts/PA Real Life) She was referred to hospital for bloods tests, but Ms Shipp said it was too early for her leukaemia to be detected. She wasnt showing any of the other symptoms, Ms Shipp added. Lots of children present with losing weight and feeling tired, being ill, but Aubrey just didnt have that. Symptoms of ALL are not always obvious at first, the NHS says, but can include feeling tired or weak, bleeding or bruising easily, looking pale, swollen glands and a swollen tummy. In April, Aubrey had a distended stomach and her GP said she had a blockage in her bowel and prescribed laxatives. A few days later, Aubrey woke up covered head to toe in spots, with Ms Shipp believing she had measles a highly infectious viral illness. Ms Shipp called NHS 111 for advice and, while she was on the phone, Aubrey started vomiting blood. I just hung up and rang 999, Ms Shipp said. The paramedics came out and then we were rushed up to Broomfield Hospital. We were lucky with Aubreys diagnosis, as a haematology doctor was working that day and took one look at her and said, I think I know what the problem is. At the time, Ms Shipp was pregnant with her third child, and she was asked to call Aubreys father, Sammy Brock, to join her at the hospital. Aubrey has undergone chemotherapy and immunotherapy and has missed months of school (Family Handouts/PA Real Life) Ms Shipp said she didnt think anything of it at first, but when she and Sammy were called into another room, she knew it was bad news. They said, Im really sorry, but shes got cancer, its looking like leukaemia, Ms Shipp said. They said, We can cure your daughter, but we need to get these infections under control, and we need to transfer her to GOSH because shell have the best chance there. I was very sad, very confused, and I started crying and shouting. Ms Shipp said Aubrey was so poorly and so vulnerable and needed a blood transfusion, antibiotics and multiple cannulas inserted, but she was a real trooper. As her condition worsened, she was intubated and sedated, before being taken to GOSH by ambulance and Ms Shipp said she was terrified her daughter would not make it. The whole time Im thinking, Just hold on till we get there. Just wait till we get there. Please, just dont go whilst were in an ambulance, she said. I cant thank that team enough. They were all brilliant. After Aubrey was admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at GOSH and had a bone marrow biopsy, her leukaemia diagnosis was confirmed, specifically B cell ALL. Ms Shipp said Aubrey was riddled with infections, meaning she could not start treatment straight away, but the nurses at GOSH sang her Disney songs and plaited her hair to keep her spirits lifted. The family were supported by the Play team as well, who arranged for Aubrey to play Pokemon hunting games along the corridors, and Ms Shipp was able to stay in GOSHs family accommodation. Madeleine said Aubrey was 'so poorly and so vulnerable' and needed a blood transfusion, antibiotics and multiple cannulas inserted, but she was a 'real trooper' (Family Handouts/PA Real Life) I dont think I would have coped as well as I did if it wasnt for the support up there, she said. Aubrey began chemotherapy around a week after her admission to GOSH, which caused her to lose her hair but, aside from complications such as fluid on her lungs, she started responding well to treatment. She then underwent immunotherapy, which uses the immune system to fight cancer, and was able to return home in May. Aubrey is approaching the end of her second round of chemo and will soon move on to maintenance treatment, which will last for a year and a half. She was in the first months of Year 1 when she was diagnosed, and missed a huge part of her first year of school, but she cannot wait to go back. Ms Shipp said: We took her to see her Year 2 teacher, and she cried to him, saying, I want to come back now. She loves it, she thrives off school. Shes got all of her friends there and shes very engaged in lessons. Ms Shipp was treated at GOSH when she was a few months old although she cannot remember her diagnosis and said she wouldnt be here if it wasnt for GOSH. The family was supported by the Play team as well, who arranged for Aubrey to play Pokemon hunting games along the corridors, and Madeleine was able to stay in GOSHs family accommodation (Family Handouts/PA Real Life) She is determined to raise more awareness of ALL and the brilliant teams at GOSH, as they helped to save Aubreys life too, and she wants other parents to know theyre not alone. Sometimes it doesnt feel real, Ms Shipp said. You dont think its going to happen to you, you dont think its going to happen to your family, you dont think its going to happen to your kids but it does and it just catches you off guard. We are very lucky that we have the NHS in the UK, and we are very lucky that weve got hospitals like GOSH that support families as much as they support children. Sammy added: To see Aubrey getting ready to start Year 2 and reunite with her school friends is incredible after everything shes been through. GOSH has been a lifeline for us. The care from the doctors and nurses, and the way the Play team kept her smiling even during the hardest days, is something well never forget. To support GOSH Charitys Build It. Beat It. appeal, which is raising money for a new childrens cancer centre, visit: gosh.org/the-childrens-cancer-centre. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in jail after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy. The verdict relates to efforts by close aides to procure funds for his 2007 presidential bid from Libya during the rule of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy was acquitted by a Paris court of all other charges, including corruption and receiving illegal campaign financing. But the ruling means the former president will spend time in jail even if he appeals, a sentence much harsher than many expected. Sarkozy, who has always denied the charges, was accused of making a deal with Gaddafi in 2005, when he was France's interior minister, to obtain campaign financing in exchange for supporting the then-isolated Libyan government on the international stage. (AFP via Getty Images) The judge said there was no proof that Sarkozy made such a deal with Gaddafi, nor that money that was sent from Libya reached Sarkozy's campaign coffers, even if the timing was "compatible" and the paths the money went through were "very opaque". The 70-year-old has been on trial since January on charges of "concealing the embezzlement of public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime". Investigators alleged he made a corrupt pact with the Libyan government. At issue is a murky affair alleged to involve Libyan spies, a convicted terrorist, arms dealers and allegations that Gaddafi provided Sarkozy's campaign with millions of euros shipped to Paris in suitcases. Sarkozy had said the case is politically motivated. The court found him guilty of criminal conspiracy between 2005 and 2007. The court added that after that he was president and covered by presidential immunity. Despite lingering legal headaches, and having his Legion of Honour, France's highest distinction, stripped in June, Sarkozy remains an influential figure on the French political stage. He recently met with his former protege, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, and has also lent credibility to the National Rally (RN), led by Marine Le Pen, saying the far-right, anti-immigrant party now forms part of the "republican arc." Sarkozy has faced several legal battles since leaving office. (AFP via Getty Images) Among the other accused in the trial were Sarkozy's former right-hand man Claude Gueant and former Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux. The court found Gueant, also a former Interior Minister, guilty of corruption, among other charges. Hortefeux was found guilty of criminal conspiracy. Despite his legal battles, and having his Legion of Honour, France's highest distinction, stripped in June, Sarkozy remains an influential figure on the French political stage. He recently met with his former protege, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, and has also lent credibility to the National Rally (RN), led by Marine Le Pen, saying the far-right, anti-immigrant party now forms part of the "republican arc." Sarkozy has faced several legal battles since leaving office. Last year, France's highest court upheld his conviction for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French head of state. The tag has now been removed. Also last year, an appeals court confirmed a separate conviction for illegal campaign financing over his failed re-election bid in 2012. A final ruling from France's highest court is expected on that case next month. by Austin Bay September 24, 2025 Let's start with Vladimir Putin's recent one-two military-political pokes that Vlad bet would shatter NATO -- but didn't. That assessment addressed, we will assess Donald Trump's international spotlight United Nations mega-denunciation of Vlad's mass murder war and Trump's indictment of Vlad's oil buying financiers, specifically China and India. Guts? Trump speaks truth, even to a U.N. audience of sophisticated liars. So, Putin's explosive one-two starter: Two weeks ago (Sept. 9-10) two dozen Russian drones attacked Poland. The explosive drones caused minor damage but no human casualties. In our era of nuclear weapons, praise be to God. But cruel-facts adults who value life and freedom cannot ignore: Vlad's Kremlin ordered and Vlad's obedient military forces executed a violation of Polish territory which is NATO territory. Putin's goal: Test NATO's technical abilities (surveillance and military tech) and test NATO's political responses (especially NATO Treaty's Article 5, the all for one and one for all go to war clause if a NATO member's territory is attacked). In Eastern Europe, the parenthetical info is life and death. They rely on Article 5 to survive. But wait, more recent Muscovite Threat Theater follows. Putin's second one-two poke occurred on Sept 19. The Kremlin's Sept. 19 Death Threat and Media Gambit: Three Russian MiG-31 fighters violated little Estonia's airspace. Estonia is little. As for violation, I mean a blatant, in your face violation, not a navigator accident where a Cessna crosses a curlicue border for nine seconds. The Russian MiG trio cruised Estonia for 12 photo op minutes, exactly the video Vlad wanted: 12 Minutes Over Estonia. Was not 30 Seconds Over Tokyo. NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission Italian Air Force F-35 stealth fighters intercepted the Russians. The Italian Air Force is a stud. Any nation that produces superb Formula Drivers easily produces superb fighter pilots. Later, Western media reported Swedish fighters also participated in the intercept. Now. Brain opener. Imagine a report circa 2012 that Sweden cooperated ... with NATO in a multinational mission intercepting Russian bandits over Estonia? (Aside to ignorant language critics preempting ignorant emails: "Bandits" is pilot lingo for enemy aircraft.) Central intellectual point: Putin's insane imperialist war-waging Kremlin turned neutral Finland and Sweden into NATO allies. Result: a strategic defeat for a Russia led by Vlad Putin. Now. We return to Russia's recent acts of war: Estonia issued an international protest and called for an all-NATO consultation. Estonia noted this was the fourth time in 2025 Russian aircraft have violated Estonian airspace. OK. I summarize two jam-packed weeks of military probes and political war threat from the Kremlin. And I sketch NATO responses. But it's all necessary. For, thanks to President Donald Trump's U.N. messaging, threatening Poland and Estonia has backfired on Vlad. Let me make this clear. On Ukraine Trump has the moral high ground, which galls his domestic Democrat critics. Why? Trump's human goal: Stop the killing fields (the tens of thousands of dead per month), then sort out a political settlement that stops the blood bath. In the deep background of Trump's proposal is the cruel but ultimately successful 1944 Russia-Finland settlement. Finland gave territory to Stalin in exchange for survival. But Trump's stop the killing appeal to both sides was three months ago. In those fruitless months, another 30 or 40 or 70 or 100,000 have died. According to media reports, in his U.N. speech Trump slammed India and China for funding Russia's war on Ukraine by buying Russian oil. Jaw drop wow. Raw truth, before the U.N.? MORE: Following his U.N. speech, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump told Zelenskyy -- and media -- Moscow's conduct of the war was aimless. Mr. President, Putin's war is megalomaniacal. Putin wants to restore the Russian Empire. RUBK. Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan. That's the core of Putin's revived superpower. I wrote that in November 2004. Google it. StrategyPage.com. To be fair, Mr. President, megalomaniacs tend to murder aimlessly. So we are in violent agreement. I'll add this, though Google won't: Trump gets credit for making NATO a full partnership, not an American dependency. Which is why NATO will thrive. And Putin's corrupt Russia will fall and surviving Russia ... will rely on NATO to save it. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison in the case of suspected illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy, 70, was found guilty on Thursday of criminal conspiracy in a scheme from 2005 to 2007 to finance his campaign with funds from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favours. He was acquitted of the remaining charges laid against him, including receiving stolen goods, embezzlement of public funds and passive corruption. He will be summoned within a month by the prosecutor's office, who will inform him of his incarceration date, according to the French newspaper Le Monde. The ruling means he will spend time in jail even if he launches an appeal. Sarkozy talks to journalists after the verdict (Reuters) Sarkozy, who was president of France from 2007 to 2012, had always denied the charges and dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. Speaking to reporters after the verdict, he said: "I will comply with the summonses of the courts. And if they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison. But with my head held high. I am innocent. "This injustice is a scandal. I will not apologise for what I did not do. He continued: "Those who hate me so much think they are humiliating me. What they have humiliated today is France, it is the image of France. And if anyone has betrayed the French, it is not me, it is this incredible injustice that you have just witnessed. I have no spirit of revenge, no hatred, but let everyone understand and hear: I will fight until my last breath to prove my complete innocence . The verdict by a Paris court follows a three-month trial earlier this year that also involved 11 co-defendants, including three former ministers. Sarkozy was accompanied by his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, in court on Thursday (AP) Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, 75, who was one of the co-defendants and a key accuser in the case, died on Tuesday in Beirut following a cardiac arrest, his lawyer said. Takieddine had claimed he had helped deliver up to 5m (4.4m) in cash from Gaddafi to Sarkozy in 2006 and 2007. In an interview with the French investigative outlet Mediapart in 2016, Takieddine said he had delivered suitcases filled with cash from Tripoli to the French interior ministry under Sarkozy. He later retracted his statement, then contradicted his retraction, prompting a separate investigation into possible witness tampering. Both Sarkozy and his wife, model and musician Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, were handed preliminary charges of pressuring a witness. That case is pending trial. Investigators claimed Sarkozy had forged a corrupt pact with the Libyan government in a murky affair that involved Libyan spies, a convicted terrorist and arms dealers. Delivering her judgement on Thursday, presiding judge, Nathalie Gavarino, said there was no proof that Sarkozy made such a deal with Gaddafi, nor that the money sent from Libya reached Sarkozy's campaign, even if the timing was "compatible" and the paths the money went through were "very opaque". Sarkozy and Gaddafi pictured in Paris in 2007 (Sipa/Shutterstock) However, she found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy for allowing close aides to engage with people in Libya to secure campaign financing. The accusations can be traced back to 2011, when Gaddafi revealed that the Libyan state had secretly funnelled millions of euros into Sarkozys 2007 campaign. Gaddafi was toppled and killed during the Arab spring in 2011, ending his four-decade rule of Libya. Despite facing a string of legal battles since leaving office, and being stripped of the Legion of Honour, Frances highest award, Sarkozy retains some influence behind the scenes in French politics. He and his wife were among the guests invited to the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in December last year. In February this year, Sarkozy was ordered to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French president, after being found guilty of corruption and influence peddling. The tag was removed after three months. In a separate case, Sarkozy was convicted last year of illegal campaign-financing in his failed 2012 re-election bid. He was accused of having spent almost twice the maximum legal amount and was sentenced to a year in prison, of which six months were suspended. Sarkozy has denied the allegations and has appealed the ruling. Pete Hegseths directive to 800 generals and admirals is highly unusual and has caused consternation - Daniel Becerril Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of war, has called hundreds of generals and admirals to attend an urgent meeting near Washington next week. The unusual order requires those with a rank of brigadier general or above in command positions worldwide to gather at Marine Corps Base Quantico at short notice. Military officials said they could not recall any previous order to assemble such a large cohort of top brass, with some raising concerns it would leave a gap in defences of key areas around the world. The meeting was leaked to US media and later confirmed by Sean Parnell, the Pentagon spokesman, without providing further details. With about 800 general-level officers in the armed forces, the meeting could involve hundreds of attendees and their aides, potentially totalling more than 1,000 people. The gathering has stirred anxiety among officers already unsettled by Mr Hegseths firing of more than a dozen senior leaders since January. He has sacked Gen Charles Q Brown Jnr, the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Lisa Franchetti, the Navy admiral, and Jeffrey Kruse, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and others. Many of the dismissed officers are women or people of colour. Adm Franchetti was the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was fired by Mr Hegseth in February - ERIC R. DIETRICH/AFP Officials have speculated privately on theories ranging from physical fitness tests to a mass sacking. People are very concerned, said one person familiar with the matter, according to the Washington Post. They have no idea what it means. Several current and former officers raised security concerns about concentrating so many senior leaders in one location. Top commanders from active conflict zones in the Middle East, Africa and Europe are among those expected to attend. It will make the commands just diminished if something pops up, a US defence official said. The Pentagon routinely uses secure video conferencing for sensitive discussions with commanders worldwide, rather than pulling senior military leaders back to the US. You dont call GOFOs leading their people and the global force into an auditorium outside DC and not tell them why, said another person, using military shorthand for general officers and flag officers. Donald Trump initially appeared unfamiliar with the meeting when asked by reporters on Thursday. He seemed to assume it involved foreign military officers. I think it is great; let him be friendly with generals and admirals from all over the world, Mr Trump said. Remember, Im the president of peace. General Charles Q. Brown Jnr, of the US Air Force, is among senior staff to have been fired - Samuel Corum A retired general likened the mystery surrounding the summit to Nazi Germany. Ben Hodges, a retired commanding general, wrote on X: July 1935 German generals were called to a surprise assembly in Berlin and informed that their previous oath to the Weimar constitution was void and that they would be required to swear a personal oath to the Fuhrer. Most generals took the new oath to keep their positions. Mr Hegseth replied to Mr Hodges, writing: Cool story, General. JD Vance, the vice president, clarified the summit was for US generals and downplayed its significance. Its not particularly unusual that generals who report to the secretary of war and then to the President of the United States are coming to speak with the secretary of war, Mr Vance said. I think its odd that you guys have made it into such a big story. In May, Mr Hegseth ordered a 20 per cent reduction in four-star officers and a 10 per cent cut in all general-level positions. He has also signalled plans to consolidate war-fighting commands and reduce the number of senior officers there. The former Fox News host and Army National Guard major has implemented other sweeping changes, including rebranding the Defence Department as the Department of War and restricting how military officials can engage publicly. Mr Hegseths team is also scrutinising officer promotions more closely, examining candidates social media posts and relationships. Joshua Jahn has been identified by US media as the gunman The gunman who opened fire at an ICE centre, killing one migrant, searched for videos of Charlie Kirk being assassinated before the attack. The assailant opened fire from a rooftop close to an Immigration, Customs and Enforcement field office in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, killing one detainee and wounding two others who were inside a van. The gunman, who died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was identified as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn. On the same day he carried out the attack, which is thought to have been motivated by anti-ICE sentiment, the killer searched online for Charlie Kirk shot video. He also used an app that tracked the presence of ICE agents, Kash Patel, director of the FBI, said in a statement. The body of the gunman is taken away - Jeffrey McWhorter The shooter very likely acted alone, said Nancy Larson, the acting United States attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Jahn drove to the Dallas ICE facility at approximately 3am on Wednesday, and used a ladder he brought with him to scale a nearby building. He then fired an eight millimeter bolt action rifle purchased legally in August from the rooftop perch, Ms Larson told a press conference on Thursday. Jahn left behind notes including a game plan of the attack and target areas at the facility, Ms Larson added. He referred to ICE employees as people showing up to collect a dirty paycheck in the note. Mr Larson said: What he did, is the very definition of terrorism, adding in crude words, he expressed his hatred for the federal government. The FBI carried out searches of the shooters body and his home, recovering a handwritten note expressing the shooters wish to make ICE agents feel real terror. Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, is there a sniper with AP [armour piercing] rounds on that roof? the note read. Bullets were also found at the scene, scrawled with the phrase ant-ICE, authorities revealed on Wednesday. Bullets found at the scene The shooter allegedly downloaded a list of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) buildings in Dallas and conducted multiple searches of ballistics on the day of the attack. Further accumulated evidence to this point indicates a high degree of pre-attack planning, Mr Patel said. The DHS said all the victims were detainees and that the gunman had fired indiscriminately at the building and a van. The site is used to process migrants before they are sent to a detention centre. One of the migrants injured is a Mexican national, the countrys foreign ministry said. The gunmans note will aggravate fears that the US is entering a new era of political violence following Kirks death. The conservative activist and Trump ally was shot dead during a university campus talk in Utah earlier this month. Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, Donald Trump said the shooter was part of the radical Left. Theyre out of control. Theyre saying things, and theyre really dumb people... the radical Left is causing this problem, not the Right, the radical Left, and its going to get worse, and ultimately, its going to go back on them. Bad things happen when they play these games. The Right is a lot tougher than the Left, but the Right is not doing this. JD Vance on Wednesday described the gunman as a violent Left-wing extremist and laid the blame with Democrats whose rhetoric he claimed was encouraging crazy people to go and commit violence. Joshua Jahn used the ICE-tracking app to pinpoint the movements of agents Apple continues to host ICE-tracking apps in its store despite one being used by a gunman who targeted agents in a deadly shooting in Dallas. Joshua Jahn, 29, opened fire at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on Wednesday morning, killing one migrant detainee and injuring two others. Investigators found that Jahn used apps to pinpoint the movements of ICE agents before the shooting. Apps such as ICEBlock are free to download from the Apple App Store, enabling users to report and receive alerts on the whereabouts of ICE officers. The FBI condemned anyone who creates or distributes apps designed to spot, track and locate ICE agents, warning that they are no different to giving a hitman the location of their mark. Special agent Joseph Rothrock said: Officers are well aware of the dangers that they are exposing to law enforcement. Its a casting call to invite bad actors to attack law enforcement officers. Its no different than giving a hitman the location of their intended target. And this is exactly what we saw happen in Dallas. Karoline Leavitt criticised the ICE agent-tracking app as reckless - Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu via Getty Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, wrote on X that ICEBlock recklessly shares the location of ICE agents and criticised news outlets for reporting on the app. The liberal media is complicit in the increased threats and violence against ICE. Armed with an 8mm bolt action rifle, Jahn fired indiscriminately from a rooftop close to the ICE field office, killing one migrant instantly and critically injuring two others. However, investigators found that Jahn did not intend to kill the detainees and had in fact specifically intended to kill ICE agents in what the FBI called an ambush-style attack. Notes written by Jahn revealed he intended to maximise lethality against Ice personnel, who he accused of human trafficking, said Nancy Larson, a Texas US attorney. The body of the gunman who died at scene is wheeled away to the medical examiners office - Jeffrey McWhorter/Reuters A further handwritten note read: Hopefully, this will give ICE agents real terror, Kash Patel, the FBIs director, wrote on X. Bullets were also found at the scene scrawled with the phrase anti-ICE, according to authorities. ICE raids across the country have sparked outrage among Democrats who have called for agents to be unmasked. Republicans have warned that the backlash places officers in danger, with the department of homeland security warning attacks on ICE agents have risen by 1,000 per cent. An unused round of bullets inscribed with anti-ICE was found at the scene Wednesdays shooting was the third time an ICE facility in Texas has been attacked this year. In July, 10 people were arrested in connection with a shooting at a detention centre in Alvarado, in which a police officer was struck in the neck. Another gunman fired dozens of rounds at ICE agents in McAllen before being shot dead. The Trump administration has previously warned about the risk of apps such as ICEBlock, with Pam Bondi, the attorney general, accusing its designer of threatening the lives of ICE agents by revealing their location. The app was launched in April by Joshua Aaron, who told CNN he wanted to do something to fight back against Mr Trumps ICE raids. Police arrive at the scene of the shooting in Dallas - Reuters ICEBlock allows users to pin on a map whenever they spot ICE agents, which then sends a notification to other users within a five-mile radius, potentially helping illegal migrants to evade arrest. Amid the fallout, Carolyn Feinstein, Mr Aarons wife, said she was fired from her job at the department of justice in retribution for her husbands work. The DoJ said Ms Feinstein was let go after an investigation found she had a sizable interest in All U Chart, Inc, the company that holds the IP for ICEBlock. A Google spokesman said: The ICEBlock app is only available on iOS, not on Android or Google Play. ICEBlock and Apple were approached for comment. (Getty Images) It is one of humanitys ultimate scientific and technological quests, alongside putting a man on the moon and unlocking the structure of DNA. Now the biotech industrys progress in developing age-reversing treatments that could revolutionise the quality of life of millions of older people is entering a crucial new phase. Just three years after its creation, the leader in this field, Altos Labs, appears to be ready to start planning full-scale human clinical trials for the first time. The moment of truth may finally be close. Can scientists really turn back the clock? Altos described as the worlds best funded start-up has attracted the $3 billion backing of billionaires including Amazons Jeff Bezos and Yuri Milner, the Russian-Israeli founder of investment firm DST Global. It is named after the Los Altos Hills in California where Milner owns a spectacular $100m French chateau-style super mansion complete with ballroom, home theatre, indoor and outdoor pools. The mission? To find the hard reset button on cells that could reverse disease, injury and the disabilities that occur throughout life. This would, according to Altos Labs president Hans Bishop, lengthen the human healthspan allowing people to experience good health into their later years. Increased longevity, added Bishop, would only be an accidental consequence of their work, although clearly a very welcome one. So far the experiments and research have been limited to mice and human cells. But according to chief scientific officer and co-founder Rick Klausner, Were going to move into humans as quickly as possible. The appointment last month of Dr Joan Mannick as chief medical officer is being seen as a sign that the company is poised to do just that by advancing to full clinical trials of its cellular rejuvenation technology. Mannick is seen as a leader in the field of designing and running clinical programs in ageing biology, and brings decades of experience in ageing-focused drug development, including her role as CEO and co-founder of Tornado Therapeutics. She is also an expert in navigating the regulatory pathways through what she described in one interview as unexplored territory in clinical development. A science of mice and men (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The Altos Labs story began in October 2020 when a cadre of top scientists assembled at Milners home to participate in a two-day conference discussing biotechnology developments for rejuvenating animals. These developments grew out of the work of Shinya Yamanaka, the Nobel Prize-winning Japanese scientist who now serves as senior scientific advisor to Altos Labs. Yamanaka won the Nobel for his work reprogramming mature cells, in mice, turning them into so called pluripotent stem cells that can become anything in the body through the introduction of four proteins christened the Yamanaka factors. Temporary exposure to these factors essentially returns cells to a youthful state groundbreaking for anti-ageing and disease research. Some studies using the Yamanaka factors have found they are able to extend aged mouse lifespans. Similarly, Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, senior vice president of Altos Labs, has used them to demonstrate the reversal of signs of ageing in old mice, such as muscle recovery and tissue repair. Mice are useful for this kind of research because of their genetic similarity to humans they suffer many of the same diseases while their vastly shorter lifespans make them ideal for studying disease progression and ageing. But the research on mice uncovered a potentially disastrous downside. Over-exposure to the Yamanaka factors can have extreme adverse effects inducing liver and intestinal failure in mice and even cancerous tumours. Turning back the clock 30 years Professor Wolf Reik, director of the Altos Institute of Science in Cambridge, is at the forefront of the companys search for a more refined epigenetic reset button using human cells and embryos as well as mice studies. Reik published a study in 2022 that demonstrated the age-reversing applications of Yamanaka factors. Skin cells gathered from middle-aged human donors were bathed in the factors, then removed and placed in a culture. Those exposed for the sweet spot of 13 days, according to their findings, had their epigenetic age a measure of biological age calculated by levels of a process known as DNA methylation reduced by approximately 30 years. In a pre-print paper Reik co-authored, published earlier this year, the scientists claimed they had developed a mathematical model for pinpointing the moment pluripotent stem cells transition to more specialised cells. In the experiment they compared the transition point in mouse embryos in vivo and in human embryos cultured in vitro in a lab. By charting the dynamics of this transition from pluripotent to specialised cells, reversing the process should be easier to manage. This was always the plan. When Altos Labs officially launched in 2022, it had just poached top US scientist and drug developer Hal Barron from his role as chief scientific officer at biopharma giant GSK to be its CEO. Even with all the studies and the hefty financial backing Altos Labs still has a long journey ahead of it to make the leap from studies with mice and human cells to drugs that can turn back our epigenetic clock. Nevertheless the biotech equivalent of the space race is clearly at an increasingly advanced stage with take-off ever closer. If Altos and its peers in the sector really can crack the code that would allow the development of safe treatments that slow down or even reverse the ageing process, the implications for the whole of humanity and the planet we inhabit are truly profound. Internet reminds JD Vance that he once called Trump Hitler as he demands left stop using Nazi to describe opponents JD Vance was reminded Wednesday that he had once referred to Donald Trump as Americas Hitler after the vice president blamed Democrats for political violence, and demanded they stop calling opponents Nazi. In a fiery speech after a shooting at an ICE detention facility in Dallas, Vance said to stop political violence, the left must stop its rhetoric about the Trump administration a position he has taken more aggressively since his friend, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was assassinated. If you want to stop political violence, stop telling your supporters that everybody who disagrees with you is a Nazi, Vance said, to applause. If you want to stop political violence, look in the mirror. Vance added that those who encourage violence against law enforcement through their rhetoric can go straight to hell. But online, multiple people pointed out that Vance once used similar rhetoric to refer to his now-boss. Vice President JD Vance has become more aggressive in blaming the left for political violence after the assassination of Charlie Kirk (AP) A report from the Ohio Capital Journal revealed that, in 2016, Vance texted his then-roommate that he thought Trump was Americas Hitler. Why did @JDVance call Trump Americas Hitler, Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell wrote on X in response to the clip of Vance. The Lincoln Project, a political action committee opposed to Trump, sarcastically responded: Does America's Hitler count @VP? Fun Fact: It was JD Vance who called Donald Trump Hitler, X user Alex Cole wrote. California Governor Gavin Newsoms office responded with a screenshot of a headline referring to Vances Hitler comment. According to JD Vance, JD Vance is going to hell because JD Vance compared Trump to Hitler! the message said. Newsom and his team have been using the Democratic governors social media to troll Trump, Vance, and other senior members of the administration in push back to their agenda. Despite Vances past negative comments about Trump, he became his 2024 running mate and has adopted the presidents policies (AP) Another X user asked the platform's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, to remind users of Vances comment about Trump as well. Vances previous criticisms of Trump are well-documented. Before being endorsed by Trump, the vice president had said he was wrong about the president and regretted posting criticisms of him on X, formerly Twitter. When confronted about his former beliefs about Trump during the vice presidential debate last year, Vance reiterated that he was wrong about Trump and then blamed the media for swaying his opinion of Trump in 2016. "I've always been extremely open about the fact that I was wrong about Donald Trump," Vance said, during the debate. "I was wrong first of all because I believed some of the media stories that turned out to be dishonest fabrications of his record. Ultimately, Vances past negative comments about Trump did not hurt his chances of becoming his running mate in the 2024 election. So far, Vance has displayed deep loyalty to the president, and taken the same position as him on various matters, including polarizing language about Democrats and the left perpetrating political violence. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said parts of its IT systems are back online amid a phased restart of its operations as it continues to recover from a damaging cyber attack. The British carmaker has been forced to suspend production at its UK factories for several weeks after being targeted by hackers. The shutdown is expected to last until October 1 at the earliest. But the company said it had been able to get some of its digital systems running again and can now begin clearing a backlog of payments to suppliers. A spokesman for JLR said: As part of the controlled, phased restart of our operations, today we have informed colleagues, suppliers and retail partners that sections of our digital estate are now up and running. The foundational work of our recovery programme is firmly under way. The company said it had increased its processing capacity for invoices which meant it was able to resume payments to its suppliers. Unions and politicians have warned that small suppliers producing parts for the car giant could collapse without urgent financial support. JLR said its global parts logistics centre, which supplies spare parts that are used to service its customers vehicles, was returning to full operations. It has also been able to resume processing wholesales of its vehicles which means it can sell and register cars for its clients faster. These are important initial steps as our dedicated teams work around the clock alongside cybersecurity specialists, the UK Governments NCSC and law enforcement to ensure we restart in a safe and secure manner, JLR said. Sir Keir Starmer has refused to say whether the Government could buy components parts typically used by JLR from their suppliers in order to keep the smaller businesses trading until production restarts. Reports on Thursday said officials were considering stepping in to help keep firms in the supply chain afloat. In an interview with ITV Central, the Prime Minister said he was really concerned for the carmaker and equally concerned about the other businesses that feed into JLR and the impact its having on them. He said the Department for Business and Trade was working 24/7 with those businesses to see what we can do but added he was not in a position to give you outcomes of those conversations. The chairman of the Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne, has written to the Chancellor with a series of questions on the measures available to urgently support suppliers. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) "failed to finalise" a cyber insurance deal before it was struck by hackers last month, forcing a halt to production and threatening the future of its supply chain, according to an industry journal. The Insurer, citing three insurance sector sources, said Britain's biggest carmaker was still in negotiations over cover before the cyber attack at the end of August. It opens the prospect that the company faces footing the bill for the hacking by itself. Losses will easily run into many hundreds of millions of pounds, with its global factory shutdown set to last for a month at least. Money latest: Rich Britons reveal the taxes they hate most Marks and Spencer, which was targeted back in April, said it expected that the estimated 300m bill it was facing from the disruption would be largely offset by the cyber insurance cover it had taken out. As frantic efforts continue at JLR to recover its systems, the government is exploring ways to support JLR's supply chain and the 200,000 jobs within it. One idea under consideration, according to ITV News, was taxpayer money being used to purchase parts. These components could then be sold back to JLR as its manufacturing operations got back up to speed, resulting in no direct losses for the public purse. The "just-in-time" nature of automotive production means that many suppliers had little choice but to shut down immediately after JLR announced its manufacturing freeze. Industry sources estimate that around 25% of suppliers have already taken steps to pause production and lay off workers, many of them by "banking hours" they will have to work in future. Union demands for a COVID-style furlough scheme have not been taken up by ministers, who have said that support to date has come only from JLR. Industry minister Chris McDonald said on a visit to a West Midlands manufacturer on Tuesday he was "supremely confident" that JLR would get through the cyber attack. He added: "What I really want this to be is a wake-up call to British industry. I'm affronted by this attack on British industry. This is a serious attack on a flagship of British industry." Jaguar Land Rover said it declined to comment on commercial matters when asked about its insurance cover. The government has also been approached for comment. Small firms reliant on the production-halted British car maker Jaguar Land Rover, "may have at best a week of cashflow left to support themselves" with "urgent" action needed to support businesses. Liam Byrne, the head of the influential Business and Trade Committee of MPs, wrote to Chancellor Rachel Reeves with the warning after meeting with the car maker's suppliers. "Larger firms, we heard, may begin to seriously struggle within a fortnight - and many are simply unclear how they will pay payroll costs at the end of October," he said "In short, many firms have merely "weeks left" before the financial impact on them becomes untenable and causes critical damage to key elements of the automotive supply chain." Money latest: HMRC can now take money direct from your account if you don't pay Since 31 August, production has been halted across the car-making supply chain, with staff off work as a result of the attack. More than 33,000 people work directly for JLR in the UK, many of them on assembly lines in the West Midlands, the largest of which is in Solihull, and a plant at Halewood on Merseyside. An estimated 200,000 more are employed by several hundred companies in the supply chain, who have faced business interruption with their largest client out of action. A snap survey of 84 businesses across the West Midlands by local chambers of commerce found that 77% had experienced a negative impact as a result of the problems at JLR. Almost 45% described the scale as significant, with headwinds including lower revenue, increased costs and customer payment slowdowns. Calls for government financial support had been growing, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday afternoon said, "I haven't got an outcome here to give to you today". A partial restart It comes as JLR announced some of its IT systems are back online after being hit by a cyber attack late last month though production is still not expected to start again until 1 October at the earliest. "The foundational work of our recovery programme is firmly underway," a company spokesperson said in a statement. As part of the partial restart, supplier payments can begin again. "We have significantly increased IT processing capacity for invoicing," the statement said. "We are now working to clear the backlog of payments to our suppliers as quickly as we can." The supply of parts to customers across the world can also now recommence. After a workaround was reached on Tuesday to allow cars to move to buyers without the usual online registration, the financial system to process wholesale vehicles is back online. "We are able to sell and register vehicles for our clients faster, delivering important cash flow", the company said. "Our focus remains on supporting our customers, suppliers, colleagues and our retailers. We fully recognise this is a difficult time for all connected with JLR and we thank everyone for their continued support and patience." The Trump administration's demonization of transgender people as mass shooters is inciting anti-trans violence and appears calculated to justify crackdowns on the whole community, civil rights activists have warned. In an "emergency" briefing on Wednesday, a group of pro-LGBT+ groups, including the Human Rights Campaign and the Southern Policy Law Center, said they were "sounding the alarm" about reports that Trump might "weaponize" the FBI against trans people in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination. GLAAD chief Sarah Kate Ellis also revealed that her group had logged an "uptick" in anti-trans harassment and violence, including death threats, physical assaults, and bullets left outside a Missouri LGBT+ center engraved with the words "DIE F***S". "Violence committed against trans Americans is an epidemic. Undue violence committed by trans Americans is a lie a lie that only begets more violence," said HRC president Kelley Robinson. "We need every elected official to also sound the alarm with us... to speak out against this President's violent actions, to confront the lies that put trans Americans in danger." Demonstrators rally for Trans Day of Visibility on the National Mall in Washington D.C., March 2025 (Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty) She said that using the FBI to target the trans community would be "an abuse of power that no president, Republican or Democrat, should be able to exercise." Last week, the Heritage Foundation, the influential ultra-conservative think tank behind Project 2025, called on the FBI to treat "violent transgender ideology" as a new domestic terror threat. The White House has carefully avoided either embracing or rejecting this idea, and it may never happen. Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein reported that officials are eager to target trans people, but this has not yet been corroborated elsewhere. Nevertheless, Trump and his allies have repeatedly painted trans people as especially violent and prone to mass shootings which flies in the face of most available evidence while blaming Kirk's assassination on a "vast domestic terror movement". "We're raising the alarm now because we don't know exactly what is to come, but we are getting continued signals and rhetoric from the administration that their attacks on trans people are not going to stop," said Robinson. She condemned Kirks assassination, calling it an abomination. Immediately after Kirks death, an internal law enforcement bulletin falsely claimed that bullets found at the scene were engraved with messages of "transgender" ideology. "[Journalists] should be questioning the facts pushed out by this government," said GLAAD's Sarah Kate Ellis. "Especially the FBI: we see it as a compromised organization under this leadership... "The truth is, the real trans terrorism is the terror experienced by trans people in this country." The Heritage Foundation insisted that it was not accusing all trans people of being terrorists, saying all Americans are "free to identify as transgender, or support... transgenderism in a non-violent way". But SPLC attorney Beth Littrell argued that any such effort could easily spiral into "widespread surveillance" and "abuses" against the whole trans community, akin to the FBI's treatment of Black civil rights activists in the 1960s and 1970s. "The objective of these [reported efforts] is to vilify, criminalize, and create a boogeyman... it lays the groundwork for for the abuses we've seen from the government in the past, she said. The other groups involved in the briefing were Advocates for Trans Equality, PFLAG, and the Transgender Law Center. The FBI declined to comment, while the White House referred a comment request to the FBI. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that cuts to aid budgets were "wreaking havoc" as he opened the organization's annual meeting of world leaders, painting a dark picture of the world order. "But development aid cuts are wreaking havoc. They are a death sentence for many. A stolen future for many more," he said without mentioning the United States, responsible for many of the cuts, whose president will speak shortly after Guterres. "This is the paradox of our time: we know what we need -- yet we are pulling away the very lifeline that makes it possible." In a doom-laden speech, Guterres pointed to worsening crises in a growing number of countries and warned of the risk of nuclear proliferation. "Far too many crises continue unchecked. Impunity prevails. Lawlessness is a contagion. It invites mayhem, accelerates terror, and risks a nuclear free-for-all," he said. He did hold out a glimmer of hope, pointing to the ceasefire brokered between Cambodia and Thailand, and the agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, "brokered by the United States." But the UN chief warned that the "pillars of peace" were "buckling under the weight of impunity, inequality, and indifference." "Sovereign nations, invaded. Hunger, weaponized. Truth, silenced. Rising smoke from bombed-out cities. Rising anger in fractured societies. Rising seas swallowing coastlines," he said. The UN's leader said that "around the world, we see countries acting as if the rules don't apply to them. We see humans treated as less than human." He pointed to Sudan where he said "civilians are being slaughtered, starved, and silenced" and Gaza where "the horrors are approaching a third monstrous year." Megyn Kelly was heard yelling thats a blatant lie, at a college student, who suggested that Donald Trumps rhetoric contributed to political violence, at a debate yesterday. The conservative commentator has started speaking at college campuses under the Turning Point USA banner, after the assassination of the brands founder, Charlie Kirk. The student argued that Trumps admission that he hates his enemies is just one example of the president heightening tensions across the country. 70% of political violence is committed by Republicans. Look it up. DOJ just pulled it. The DOJ just pulled it from their website, the student adds. Kelly replied by branding the students argument as defamatory and inappropriate. Megyn Kelly branded the claim that Trump heightened political violence through his rhetoric as a blatant lie (Turning Point USA) First of all, let me take on the first premise of your question, that it was President Trumps rhetoric that led to an assassin killing our friend Charlie Kirk. Thats a blatant lie, Kelly says. Kirk was assassinated on September 10, with a 22-year-old named Tyler Robinson being arrested in connection with the crime. When the student argued, No, I said he contributed to the political atmosphere, the tension. Kelly shot back, Well, then you have no point. Then your point is utterly empty. Contributing to the atmosphere? No, lets just make clear. Lets just make clear. This guy was motivated by leftist ideology. We know it from the bullet casings, we know it from the Utah governor, we know it from his own mother. Yes, we do! Lets really be clear on that. The student retored: Lets say this guys a leftist, even if thats true, does that make it okay for the sitting president of the United States to incite violence against liberals? The student argued that Trumps admission that he hates his enemies contributed to political violence (Turning Point USA) The president of the United States has not incited violence against liberals. The president of the United States made a joke at the Charlie Kirk memorial which was funny and self-deprecating. It was on the heels of Erika Kirk saying she, in an extraordinary moment, forgave her husbands killer. Let me finish. And then President Trump got up and, making a joke, playing off what Erika said, he said, We disagree. I need to do better, Erikas going to try to convince me, but Im in a different place, and thats completely normal for a politician to be thinking about his political fights. And by the way, Trump has every right to loathe his enemies. They tried to put him in jail for the rest of his life, Kelly ranted. Rightfully so! Hes a criminal! the student yelled. When Kelly asked the student to continue, he said, Thank you for your time, and left the microphone. Kirk was assassinated on September 10, with a 22-year-old named Tyler Robinson being arrested in connection with the crime (Getty) Prominent Republicans, including President Trump, blamed the radical left for the shooting at Utah Valley University. However, sources linked to a federal investigation into the assassination told NBC News that there is no evidence of a link between left-wing politics and the assassination. Every indication so far is that this was one guy who did one really bad thing because he found Kirks ideology personally offensive, the source said. Meanwhile, Kelly says she was left genuinely rattled by an article published by Jezebel, which followed a journalist who paid a witch to curse Charlie Kirk. The tongue-in-cheek piece was published two days before Kirks death. Preempting criticism, the articles author had been clear that she was not calling on dark forces to cause him harm. Jezebel has since taken the article down and emphasized that it does not support political violence. Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10 while hosting a Turning Point USA event in Utah (AP) Youre playing with fire, messing with this stuff. There actually are demons in this world, Kelly said, speaking about the article on her show. A recent poll by YouGov found that younger Americans are more likely to say that political violence is sometimes justifiable than older people. The study found that 20 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds said it was sometimes justified. However, only 3 percent of people aged 65 and older shared the same opinion. Lucas Walsh, professor of youth politics at Monash University, told Newsweek that the shift was caused by the climate crisis, cost-of-living pressures, geopolitical conflict, and the divisive platforms of social media. Unit 8200s system collected millions of Palestinian civilian phone calls made each day in Gaza and the West Bank. Illustration: Guardian Design/Alamy/Getty Microsoft has terminated the Israeli militarys access to technology it used to operate a powerful surveillance system that collected millions of Palestinian civilian phone calls made each day in Gaza and the West Bank, the Guardian can reveal. Microsoft told Israeli officials late last week that Unit 8200, the militarys elite spy agency, had violated the companys terms of service by storing the vast trove of surveillance data in its Azure cloud platform, sources familiar with the situation said. The decision to cut off Unit 8200s ability to use some of its technology results directly from an investigation published by the Guardian last month. It revealed how Azure was being used to store and process the trove of Palestinian communications in a mass surveillance programme. In a joint investigation with the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call, the Guardian revealed how Microsoft and Unit 8200 had worked together on a plan to move large volumes of sensitive intelligence material into Azure. The project began after a meeting in 2021 between Microsofts chief executive, Satya Nadella, and the units then commander, Yossi Sariel. In response to the investigation, Microsoft ordered an urgent external inquiry to review its relationship with Unit 8200. Its initial findings have now led the company to cancel the units access to some of its cloud storage and AI services. Equipped with Azures near-limitless storage capacity and computing power, Unit 8200 had built an indiscriminate new system allowing its intelligence officers to collect, play back and analyse the content of cellular calls of an entire population. The project was so expansive that, according to sources from Unit 8200 which is equivalent in its remit to the US National Security Agency a mantra emerged internally that captured its scale and ambition: A million calls an hour. According to several sources, the enormous repository of intercepted calls which amounted to as much as 8,000 terabytes of data was held in a Microsoft datacentre in the Netherlands. Within days of the Guardian publishing the investigation, Unit 8200 appears to have swiftly moved the surveillance data out of the country. According to sources familiar with the huge data transfer outside of the EU country, it occurred in early August. Intelligence sources said Unit 8200 planned to transfer the data to the Amazon Web Services cloud platform. Neither the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) nor Amazon responded to a request for comment. The extraordinary decision by Microsoft to end the spy agencys access to key technology was made amid pressure from employees and investors over its work for Israels military and the role its technology has played in the almost two-year offensive in Gaza. A United Nations commission of inquiry recently concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, a charge denied by Israel but supported by many experts in international law. The Guardians joint investigation prompted protests at Microsofts US headquarters and one of its European datacentres, as well as demands by a worker-led campaign group, No Azure for Apartheid, to end all ties to the Israeli military. On Thursday, Microsofts vice-chair and president, Brad Smith, informed staff of the decision. In an email seen by the Guardian, he said the company had ceased and disabled a set of services to a unit within the Israel ministry of defense, including cloud storage and AI services. Smith wrote: We do not provide technology to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians. We have applied this principle in every country around the world, and we have insisted on it repeatedly for more than two decades. The decision brings to an abrupt end a three-year period in which the spy agency operated its surveillance programme using Microsofts technology. Unit 8200 used its own expansive surveillance capabilities to intercept and collect the calls. The spy agency then used a customised and segregated area within the Azure platform, allowing for the data to be retained for extended periods of time and analysed using AI-driven techniques. Although the initial focus of the surveillance system was the West Bank, where an estimated 3 million Palestinians live under Israeli military occupation, intelligence sources said the cloud-based storage platform had been used in the Gaza offensive to facilitate the preparation of deadly airstrikes. The revelations highlighted how Israel has relied on the services and infrastructure of major US technology companies to support its bombardment of Gaza, which has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and created a profound humanitarian and starvation crisis. According to health officials in Gaza, at least 60,000 people have been killed during Israels current military campaign, launched after the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 which killed nearly 1,200 people. The actual death toll is likely to be significantly higher, as the figure only includes Palestinians killed by bombs or bullets whose bodies have been recovered, leaving out thousands trapped under the rubble or killed by starvation and other indirect victims of the campaign. According to the data which includes the deaths of militants women, children, and elderly people account for approximately 55% of the recorded deaths. According to a document seen by the Guardian, a senior Microsoft executive told Israels ministry of defence late last week: While our review is ongoing, we have at this juncture identified evidence that supports elements of the Guardians reporting. The executive told Israel officials that Microsoft is not in the business of facilitating the mass surveillance of civilians and notified them that it would disable access to services that supported the Unit 8200 surveillance project and suspend its use of some AI products. The termination is the first known case of a US technology company withdrawing services provided to the Israeli military since the beginning of its war on Gaza. The decision has not affected Microsofts wider commercial relationship with the IDF, which is a longstanding client and will retain access to other services. The termination will raise questions within Israel about the policy of holding sensitive military data in a third-party cloud hosted overseas. Last months revelations about Unit 8200s use of Microsoft technology followed an earlier investigation by the Guardian and its partners into the broader relationship between the company and the Israeli military. That story, published in January and based on leaked files, showed how the IDFs reliance on Azure and its AI systems surged in the most intensive phase of its Gaza campaign. Related: A million calls an hour: Israel relying on Microsoft cloud for expansive surveillance of Palestinians After that report, Microsoft launched its first review of how the IDF uses its services. It said in May it had found no evidence to date the military had failed to comply with its terms of service, or used Azure and its AI technology to target or harm people in Gaza. However, the Guardian investigation with +972 and Local Call published in August, which revealed the cloud-based surveillance project had been used to research and identify bombing targets in Gaza, led the company to reassess its conclusions. If you have something to share about this story, you can contact Harry Davies and Yuval Abraham using one of the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you dont already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select Secure Messaging. To send a message to Harry and Yuval please choose the UK Investigations team. Signal Messenger You can message Harry using the Signal Messenger app. Use the find by username option and type hfd.32 Email (not secure) If you dont need a high level of security or confidentiality you can email harry.davies@theguardian.com SecureDrop and other secure methods If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. The disclosures caused alarm among senior Microsoft executives, sparking concerns that some of its Israel-based employees may not have been fully transparent about their knowledge of how Unit 8200 used Azure when questioned as part of the review. The company said its executives, including Nadella, were not aware Unit 8200 planned to use, or ultimately used, Azure to store the content of intercepted Palestinian calls. Microsoft then launched its second and more targeted review, which was overseen by lawyers at the US firm Covington & Burling. In his note to staff, Smith said the inquiry had not accessed any customer data but its findings were based on a review of internal Microsoft documents, emails and messages between staff. I want to note our appreciation for the reporting of the Guardian, Smith wrote, noting that it had brought to light information we could not access in light of our customer privacy commitments. He added: Our review is ongoing. Mr Netanyahu departed Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv early on Thursday with his wife for the 80th UN General Assembly Benjamin Netanyahu avoided European airspace as he flew to New York to dodge a potential arrest for alleged war crimes. The Israeli prime ministers plane the Wings of Zion bypassed most European countries while travelling to address the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday. The unusual route appeared designed to avoid flying over countries that are members of the International Criminal Court (ICC), or that have said they would enforce the courts warrant. Such countries could potentially force the plane to land. His plane flew over the southern tips of Greece and Italy, the Mediterranean Sea and then out over the Atlantic Ocean via the Strait of Gibraltar without crossing any other foreign territory. Typically, flights from Israel to the US fly a shorter route over central Europe, crossing France. Aviation analysts said the route is unusual because it adds about 373 miles (600km) to the flight. The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Mr Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, his former defence minister, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, which Israel denies. Some ICC members, such as Ireland, have said they would arrest him. Spain has vowed to assist the ICC investigation, while France has said it would not arrest Mr Netanyahu. Others, such as Italy, question whether arresting him is practical or legal. France took a much tougher stance toward Vladimir Putin, who is also wanted by the court. Like Israel and the US, Russia is not a member of the ICC. 2609 Wings of Zion alters route to dodge European airspace Mr Netanyahu departed Tel Aviv early on Thursday with his wife for the 80th UN General Assembly and a meeting with Donald Trump, the president of the United States, at the White House. It marks Mr Netanyahus fourth meeting with Mr Trump since the US president took office in January. Mr Netanyahu said they would discuss the great opportunities our victories have brought and our need to complete the war objectives. When Mr Netanyahu flew to the United States in February, that trip was also lengthened over ICC warrant concerns - Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP The trip comes as several Western countries, including Britain, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium, recognised Palestinian statehood this week, bringing the total to 159 of the UNs 193 member states. Mr Netanyahu said he would condemn leaders who recognised Palestinian statehood during his UN address. Many ICC member countries have indicated they would arrest Mr Netanyahu if he entered their territory, creating potential diplomatic and travel complications for the Israeli leader. When Mr Netanyahu flew to the United States in February, that trip was also lengthened over ICC warrant concerns. He reportedly cancelled a trip to Azerbaijan in May to avoid flying over Turkey. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, has welcomed the arrest warrant. Sarkozy has become the first former French president in history to be jailed - Julien de Rosa/AFP via Getty Images Nicolas Sarkozy has been jailed for five years for conspiring to finance his 2007 presidential campaign using funds from Muammar Gaddafi, the late Libyan dictator. Prosecutors said Sarkozy, 70, who led the country from 2007 to 2012, made a corruption pact with the Libyan state for millions of euros in exchange for diplomatic favours to help Gaddafi combat his pariah reputation in the West. Finding him guilty of criminal conspiracy, the court in Paris sentenced him to five years in prison on Thursday, making him the first former French president in history to be jailed. He was also ordered to pay a 100,000 (87,000) fine and banned from holding public office. In her ruling, Nathalie Gavarino, the judge, said Sarkozy had allowed his top aides, who acted in his name, to obtain or try to obtain the illegal funding from Libya. Sarkozy salutes supporters during a visit to the French Alps in 2007 on his campaign trail - Thomas Coex/AFP The offences were of exceptional gravity and likely to undermine the confidence of citizens, she added. Speaking outside of the court, Sarkozy vowed to appeal the verdict, saying: This injustice is a scandal. If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high, he told reporters. Sarkozys wife Carla Bruni ended their press conference by tearing the foam off a microphone belonging to Mediapart, the French newspaper which led the investigation into the former president. Credit: Franceinfo The ruling will force Sarkozy to report to prison even during his appeal. The court ordered that Sarkozy be placed in custody at a later date, with prosecutors given one month to inform him of the date. Sarkozy was acquitted of all other charges, including corruption and illegal campaign financing, with the court saying there was not enough evidence that he received illegal campaign financing, or that Libyan funds were used in his 2007 campaign. However, never before in modern France has a former head of state been convicted in connection with receiving illicit foreign financing at this scale. The ruling has delivered a severe blow to the legacy of the conservative politician, who still holds some influence. It is also the first time since the Second World War that a former president has been guilty of criminal conspiracy with a foreign government and the first time one has been sentenced to jail time. The last French head of state believed to have been jailed was Louis XVI, who was beheaded in 1792. Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, at the courthouse in Paris, France - Shutterstock Another defendant in the trial, Alexandre Djouhri, who is accused of acting as the schemes intermediary was sentenced to six years and placed under immediate arrest. Claude Gueant, Sarkozys right-hand-man, and Brice Hortefeux, the former minister, were ordered to serve six and two years respectively. Hortefeux, 67, will be able to serve his term with an electronic tag, while Gueant, 80, will not go to prison because of the state of his health. He had been charged with concealing the embezzlement of public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime. Throughout the three-month trial earlier this year, Sarkozy had repeatedly denied all the charges and claimed the case was politically motivated. Nicolas Sarkozy (Left) and Muammar Gaddafi (Right) at the Elysee Palace in Paris in Dec 2007 - Eric Ryan/Getty Images At issue was a murky affair alleged to involve Libyan spies, a convicted terrorist, arms dealers and allegations that Gaddafi who was ousted and killed in an uprising in 2011 shipped suitcases full of cash to Paris. Prosecutors had accused Sarkozy of signing a Faustian pact of corruption with one of the most unsavoury dictators of the last 30 years. However, no evidence of a deal struck directly between Sarkozy and Gaddafi was presented during the trial. The accusations traced their roots to 2011, when a Libyan news agency and Gaddafi himself said the Libyan state had secretly funnelled millions of euros into Sarkozys 2007 campaign. In 2012, the French investigative outlet Mediapart published what it said was a Libyan intelligence memo referencing a 50 million-euro funding agreement. Sarkozy denounced the document as a forgery and sued for defamation. French magistrates later said the memo appeared to be authentic, though no conclusive evidence of a completed transaction was presented at the trial. Investigators also looked into a series of trips to Libya made by people close to Sarkozy when he served as interior minister from 2005 and 2007, including his chief of staff. Sarkozy himself visited Libya shortly after being elected and welcomed Gaddafi to the Elysee Palace in a hugely criticised state visit. In 2016, Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine told Mediapart he had delivered suitcases filled with cash from Tripoli to the French interior ministry under Sarkozy. He later retracted his statement. That reversal is now the focus of a separate investigation into possible witness tampering. The former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, repeatedly denied any guilt, claiming the case was politically motivated - Stephanie Lecocq Both Sarkozy and his wife, Carla, were handed preliminary charges for involvement in alleged efforts to pressure Takieddine. That case has not gone to trial yet. Takieddine, who was one of the co-defendants, died on Tuesday in Beirut, his lawyer Elise Arfi said. He was 75. He had fled to Lebanon in 2020 and did not attend the trial. The trial shed light on Frances back-channel talks with Libya in the 2000s, when Gaddafi was seeking to restore diplomatic ties with the West. Before that, Libya was considered a pariah state. Sarkozy dismissed the allegations as politically motivated and reliant on forged evidence. During the trial, he denounced a plot he said was staged by liars and crooks including the Gaddafi clan. He suggested the allegations of campaign financing were retaliation for his call as Frances president for Gaddafis removal. Claude Gueant, Nicolas Sarkozys former chief of staff, was found guilty of passive corruption, forgery and influence peddling - Michel Euler/AP Sarkozy was one of the first Western leaders to push for military intervention in Libya in 2011, when Arab Spring pro-democracy protests swept the Arab world. What credibility can be given to such statements marked by the seal of vengeance? Sarkozy asked in comments during the trial. Despite lingering legal headaches and having his Legion of Honour, Frances highest distinction, stripped in June, Sarkozy remains an influential figure on the French political stage. He recently met with his former protege Sebastien Lecornu, the French prime minister, and has also lent credibility to the National Rally (RN), led by Marine Le Pen, saying the hard-Right, anti-immigrant party now forms part of the republican arc. Sarkozy has faced legal battles since leaving office. Last year, Frances highest court upheld his conviction for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French head of state. The tag has now been removed. Also last year, an appeals court confirmed a separate conviction for illegal campaign financing over his failed re-election bid in 2012. In the heart of Normandy, a group of dairy devotees has launched a cultural crusade to protect the authenticity of camembert cheese. Clad in medieval garb and armed with cheese knives, the Brotherhood of the Knights of Camembert is seeking Unesco recognition for the famed French fromage as an intangible cultural heritage. They arent the first to try and safeguard the legacy of this renowned cheese. In January, after three decades of legal battles, a French court barred dairy giants that mass-produce the staple cheese from labelling their products as made in Normandy, in a move to protect traditional cheesemakers who adhere to the Norman method of making camembert by hand with unpasteurised milk. The Brotherhood of Camembert Knights is campaigning to have the famous Norman cheese added to Unesco's list of intangible cultural heritage (Getty/iStock) Camembert has long divided opinion among French society, with purists insisting that only raw milk can deliver its true, authentic flavour, while supermarket brands use pasteurised milk to meet safety standards. French food critic Perico Legasse described factory-made camembert as merde pasteurisee - or pasteurised s*** - that sullies Normandy in a column for Marianne magazine. Dominique Vignat, the grand master of the Camembert Knights, hopes a Unesco world heritage status would help people find the real camembert among all the cheeses on the market. According to its website, the Brotherhood has 16 dignitaries and more than 1,000 knights, including political and cultural figures and camembert professionals from around the world. The Brotherhood of the Knights of Camembert (Supplied) They describe their uniform as a cream-coloured coat-dress reminiscent of matured Normandy camembert, adorned with a bordeaux (burgundy) ribbon recalling the wine of the same name often associated with this prestigious cheese. "It's an iconic product that represents France. And it's one of the oldest cheeses, dating back to the French Revolution, Ms Vignat told the French outlet France 3 Normandie. "We do it above all to protect it and its know-how because camembert is a true cultural heritage. It is certainly one of the most complicated cheeses to make, it seems simple but it is not. While Unesco does not list foods as an intangible cultural heritage, it has recognised culinary practices that are passed down from generation to generation. This includes the making of sake in Japan, the brewing of beer in Belgium and the Neopolitan pizzaiuolo, the art of pizza twirling in Naples. Ryan Walters speaks during a special state board of education meeting in Oklahoma City on 12 April 2023. Photograph: Sue Ogrocki/AP Oklahomas superintendent, who has attracted national attention as he sought to install religion and rightwing viewpoints in Oklahoma schools, will resign to run a conservative education non-profit. Ryan Walters, who has led public schools in Oklahoma since 2022, has put Donald Trump-endorsed Bibles into classrooms and required teaching 2020 election conspiracy theories. He is leaving the post to lead the Teacher Freedom Alliance (TFA), which says its mission is to help teachers develop free, moral, and upright American citizens. On its website, the group is touting Walters as its new leader. Walters fearlessly fights the woke liberal union mob. TFA will take the fight straight to the unions and we will not stop, the website says. Together, we will build a national movement that is centered on freedom and common sense, not on bullying and intimidation. Educators will now be able to break free. Related: Oklahoma official says all high schools will have Turning Point chapters after Charlie Kirk killing Walters announced his move on Fox on Wednesday night, teasing his appearance by writing on X: Liberals [sic] worst nightmare is about to become true. On Fox, Walters said he wanted to destroy the teachers unions and build an army of teachers to defeat the teachers unions once and for all. He said his plan was to take the fight he started in Oklahoma to a national scale. A local Fox affiliate reported tallied more than 400 national media appearances in the past two years by Walters as he sought to raise his profile nationally while pursuing a Christian nationalist agenda in Oklahoma, rejecting church and state separation and installing Christian viewpoints in governance. Walters has repeatedly pushed Christianity into public schools in Oklahoma. He once tried to require schools to play a video of him praying. He advocated for the countrys first Catholic public charter school. This week, he called for chapters of Charlie Kirks Turning Point USA in all Oklahoma schools. He also has fought against teachers, particularly claiming they are pushing woke indoctrination in Oklahoma schools. He wants teachers coming from liberal states to include an America first certification. He put prominent rightwing figures such as the activist behind Libs of TikTok and the leader of the Heritage Foundation on state education committees. Libs of TikTok and other conservative influencers advocated for Walters to become US education secretary under Trump. Ebury, the payments company backed by Spanish banking giant Santander, is drawing up plans to revive a 2bn London flotation in the first half of next year. Sky News has learnt that Ebury's board and its investment banking advisers have tentatively pencilled in the second quarter of 2026 to resurrect an initial public offering of the business. Its original plan to go public earlier this year was derailed by the market volatility caused by President Donald Trump's global tariffs regime, with the IPO window not being deemed sufficiently open this autumn to render an Ebury flotation viable. Money latest: Sales process 'fixed' after Ticketmaster inquiry City sources said that the spring of next year was now being discussed between Ebury's board and bankers as a potential launch date. Ebury, which handles cross-border payments for small businesses, is expected to seek a valuation of around 2bn, with Santander thought to be unlikely to proceed with an IPO if that figure is not attainable. Banks, including Barclays, Goldman Sachs and Peel Hunt, have been engaged to work on the deal. Read more from Sky News: JLR not insured for cyber attack, journal claims Co-op reveals 80m cyber hit - with more to come Bruce Carnegie-Brown, the City grandee who until recently was chairman of Lloyd's of London, was appointed last year as Ebury's chairman. The payments firm is one of a cluster of companies whose flotations in London could spark a broader revival of the City's IPO pipeline after a protracted fallow period. Among the other listing candidates are Shawbrook Group, the bank, and New Princes, the canned food manufacturer. Ebury declined to comment. Police in London are launching a crackdown on vape-spiking. It comes after a case in the southeast of the capital where vapes were tampered with "cannabis products", leading to teenagers as young as 14 being admitted to hospital, the Metropolitan Police said. Under the measures, new detection equipment is to be used by officers during checks at bars, nightclubs, party boats, music festivals, concerts and schools to test vapes suspected of containing drugs such as THC or spice, the force said. Police will also use a range of drug-testing equipment including near infra-red detectors that can test powders and tablets suspected of containing drugs. The Met received more than 2,000 allegations of spiking between March 2024 and March 2025. However, officers believe the true scale to be higher due to under-reporting. Women and girls are disproportionately affected, with 66% of victims in August 2025 being female. Read more from Sky News: School coach crashes into ditch Footballer dies following match injury British lawyer killed in Los Angeles Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ben Russell said: "Spiking is an abhorrent crime that we are tackling head on, whether it takes place in a nightclub, a private venue, or on the Thames. "The ongoing trial of new vape-spiking detection kits is just one example of how we are innovating to get ahead of offenders and better protect the public." He added: "If you think you've been spiked, please come forward - being spiked is never your fault, it's always the fault of the perpetrator. The sooner we know, the more we can do to support you, collect evidence and stop dangerous offenders from targeting others." Greta Thunberg flashes a victory sign from her ship as it passes the Greek island of Crete - Stefanos Rapanis/REUTERS Greta Thunbergs Gaza flotilla has rejected an Italian proposal to unload its aid in Cyprus and let the Vatican distribute it to Palestinians, instead vowing to keep sailing towards the besieged enclave. The proposal was put forward by the Italian government in a bid to defuse the crisis after the fleet of around 50 vessels was attacked by drones suspected to have been deployed by Israel. The government of Giorgia Meloni pushed for the flotilla to unload its food and medical supplies in Cyprus rather than risk further confrontation with Israel. The supplies would then be distributed to Palestinians in the enclave by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which represents the Vatican in the Holy Land. But the mediation attempt by Rome was rejected on Thursday by activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF). Greta Thunbergs flotilla sets sail from Barcelona heading for the Gaza Strip - Nacho Doce/Reuters The Italian delegation of the organisation said that it does not accept the proposal regarding a possible diversion of aid to Cyprus, to then deliver it to Gaza with the involvement of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Instead, the 50 vessels will continue sailing through the eastern Mediterranean towards the Gaza Strip. Israeli media has reported that Fleet 13, the countrys equivalent of the Special Boat Service, will intercept the flotilla and bring the activists onto one boat. According to Channel 12, Israel is preparing plans to seize participants, and those who refuse voluntary deportation will be arrested. Israel then plans to confiscate or sink all of the vessels in the flotilla, the report said. The government reportedly approached the flotillas leaders and offered permission to dock in Ashkelon, a port city just north of the Gaza border, so that the aid on board could be delivered to the enclave by land. The proposal was rejected by the activists. Gideon Saar, Israels foreign minister, wrote on X that the flotillas rejection of the Italian proposal to unload the aid in Cyprus showed that their real purpose is provocation and serving Hamas. He added: Israel will not allow vessels to enter an active combat zone and will not allow the breach of a lawful naval blockade. The boats are carrying around 300 tons of essential supplies, from food and drinking water to medicine. The shipments are largely symbolic, given the huge humanitarian needs of civilians living under siege in Gaza. Our mission remains faithful to its original objective of lifting the illegal siege and delivering humanitarian aid to the besieged population of Gaza, victims of genocide and ethnic cleansing. Any attack or obstruction to the mission constitutes a violation of the law, the delegation said. We will continue heading to Gaza. We are aware of the threats, but they only make us more united, the activists told a press conference. The GSF is using about 50 civilian boats to try and break Israels naval blockade of Gaza. Activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Ms Thunberg, are on board. Italys defence minister addressed parliament on Thursday, urging the activists to accept the mediation proposal. Guido Crosetto appealed to the flotilla not to try to break the Israeli blockade. He announced that Italy was sending a second warship to the eastern Mediterranean to protect the flotilla but said activists safety could not be guaranteed if they entered Israeli waters. Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Giorgia Meloni said any attempt to breach the Israeli blockade was gratuitous, dangerous and irresponsible - Leonardo Munoz/AFP via Getty Rome sent a frigate, the Fasan, on Wednesday, hours after the GSF said it was targeted by drones that dropped stun grenades and itching powder, in international waters 30 nautical miles off the Greek island of Gavdos. Spain has also decided to send a warship to protect the flotilla. Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, said the patrol vessel would be able to assist the flotilla or carry out a rescue if necessary. Activists said that at least 13 explosions were heard on and around several flotilla boats, while drones or aircraft dropped unidentified objects on at least 10 boats. The flotilla blamed Israel for the attack. The Israeli foreign ministry did not respond directly to the accusation. Rome is now deploying a second vessel, the Alpino. Italy has been drawn into the crisis because there are 58 Italian citizens on board the boats, including four MPs and MEPs. We cannot guarantee the safety of our fellow citizens if they enter the territorial waters of other countries, the minister said. We have sent one ship and another is on its way, ready for any eventuality, Mr Crosetto said in a speech to the lower house of parliament. While the government is committed to protecting Italian citizens on board the flotillas boats, he expressed frustration with the activists actions. I ask myself a question: was it really necessary to jeopardise the safety of Italian citizens in order to bring aid to Gaza? That echoed remarks made by Ms Meloni, the prime minister, when she said the attempt to break through the Israeli blockade was gratuitous, dangerous and irresponsible. Speaking in New York, where she is attending the UN General Assembly, Ms Meloni said the aid should be unloaded in Cyprus and would then be delivered to Gaza with the assistance of the Catholic Church. It is a proposal that seems to have the support of the Cypriot government, the Israeli government and, of course, the Italian government. We are awaiting a response from the flotilla, she said. Ms Meloni also said Italy would vote in favour of some of the European Commissions proposed sanctions on Israel, which include a partial suspension of the EUs association agreement with the Jewish state and measures against far-right ministers and settlers. The GSF said early on Thursday its vessels were sailing at slow speed in Greek territorial waters and had been subjected to moderate drone activity during the night. The flotilla is heading towards international waters later today. Israel has proposed that the activists unload their aid in the Israeli port of Ashkelon for it to be transported into Gaza, saying it will not accept any breach of its blockade. Ms Thunberg called the strikes a scare tactic that would not stop the flotilla. The most important thing isnt that we were hit by drones, she said on a livestream, adding that the focus should remain on Gaza. Drones are something that Palestinians experience 24-7. The activists say that the flotilla represents the biggest effort yet to break the Israeli maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has now lasted 18 years, long predating the current war in Gaza. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep Hamas from importing arms, while critics consider it collective punishment. Spectacular detail of Camille Seamans The Lovely Monster Over the Farm from the series The Big Cloud. Photograph: Camille Seaman Magnificent, monstrous clouds choke the sky. Even the sun is suffocated by the volatile energy of supercell thunderstorms, harbingers of chaos capable of discharging hailstones the size of grapefruits and expanding to 80km wide and 20,000 metres high. Photographer Camille Seaman became a storm chaser in 2008 and spent several years capturing these titanic tempests on camera. Yond same black cloud, yond huge one, looks like a foul bombard that would shed his liquor, Trinculo warned in The Tempest. Seamans spectacular images are certainly Shakespearean in their sublime magnitude, an awesome warning that kicks off the Prix Pictets 2025 show. Seamans series, The Big Cloud, interprets the theme storm literally, but others among the 12 shortlisted artists take it in different directions, from nuclear bombsites to copulating plankton. Several projects focus on American stories, shifting attention to the decisive role global powers play in the current geopolitical crisis and the disastrous consequences for landscapes and people. Alfredo Jaars elegy to the dying Great Salt Lake in Utah takes you on a poetic journey to the vanishing environment, its destruction accelerated by excessive water extraction, polluting the surrounding air, destroying habitats and wreaking havoc on the local economy. Hannah Modighs Hurricane Season is an attempt to trace the psychological impact of the threat of annual hurricanes on communities in southern Louisiana, finding parallels between the weather conditions and the states long history of poverty, violence and racism. With the tension of a slasher film, Modighs sultry scenes follow dislocated figures in porches, trailers makeshift shelters for a temporary existence, lived subject to natures whims. Three shirtless, tattooed men, oblivious to the camera, plot around a table in a squalid cabin late at night. A Ku Klux Klan figure is painted on the wall. In another image, a woman sits on a porch piled with rubbish and surrounded by a swarm of cats, as she stares back at us with a dead-eyed, threatening look. Is this the calm before the storm? Human hate is as terrifying and unpredictable as natures wrath. The cause and effect of the USs macho culture is also woven into the work of Balazs Gardi, who found himself on the Capitol on 6 January 2021, in the eye of a storm that would shake long-held principles of American democracy. Captioned by the minute in which they were taken, these pictures have a harried, breathless pace, as Gardi navigated teargas, flag-waving Maga insurrectionists and armoured riot police, the blunt sounds of clashing helmets and batons mirrored in metal bars that barricade the photographs on the wall. Gardi deftly uses black-and-white to signal that macho culture and fear-mongering by demagogic politicians can unleash uncontrollable forces anytime, anywhere. An undulating structure, cascading like a wave through the centre of the room, holds Roberto Huarcayas 30-metre work. Huarcaya had been setting up a roll of photosensitive paper under a fallen palm tree in the rainforest when a storm broke. His work was struck by lightning. The piece bears traces of what Huarcaya planned to capture, angrily slashed and torn by natures savagery into an enigmatic work of abstraction that rivals a Dansaekhwa painting. Huarcaya leaves us to contemplate what else might be possible if we let go of our hubristic attachment to human creativity and let nature intervene. Tom Fechts grandiose, painterly pictures propose a similar relinquishing to natures majesty. The enormous scale of Fechts prints utterly transforms the work from something that could look AI-generated to dynamic vortexes with rippling densities of colour, an exercise in why photographs need to be shown in high-quality exhibitions like this. Fecht a former engineer who has taught scientific imaging photographed the rare phenomenon of cold-water plankton bioluminescence in the Atlantic Ocean. Using a special rig, Fecht took pictures 30 metres above the swirling stormy sea, battling high winds to capture these plankton, endangered by the oceans rising temperatures as they glow while reproducing under a full moon, emitting an electrical discharge, almost invisible to the naked eye. Finally, Belal Khaleds Hands Tell Stories were photographed in Gaza where the storm of war prevails. After the Palestinian photographers home was destroyed, he lived in a tent outside Nasser hospital. For 185 days he took pictures of hands hands desperately reaching for food and water, bandages where hands should be, the lifeless hands of the deceased. Destinies in our hands. No words may be found for these pictures, only actions. Prix Prictet: Storm opens at V&A South Kensington, London, 26 September Nickel mining threatens one of the world's most important marine biodiversity and coral hotspots in Indonesia, despite the government revoking several permits, a report warned Thursday. Analysis of recent and historic mining in the region showed a "domino effect of destruction," ranging from deforestation on land to sediment run-off smothering coral reefs, the report by NGOs Auriga Nusantara and Earth Insight said. "Post-mining rehabilitation is very poor," Auriga Nusantara executive director Timer Manurung told AFP. "We worry that the current nickel mining will impact Raja Ampat for decades to come." Raja Ampat is part of the famed Coral Triangle, beloved by divers for its marine riches. In June, Indonesia's government revoked permits for four of the five nickel mining companies operating in the cluster of islands and shoals in Southwest Papua Province. That followed an outcry from activists and residents over the impact of mining for the metal used in everything from stainless steel to electric vehicles. In September, the government allowed one company -- PT Gag Nikel -- to restart operations, arguing the impact "can be properly mitigated." But NGOs say serious damage has already been done, and there is little sign of clean-up. Images captured by the groups in the region show sediment run-off turning otherwise emerald waters murky brown, downhill from stripped hilltops. They also documented bleached and damaged coral at current and former mining sites, near jetties and areas affected by sediment run-off. While warmer waters caused by climate change have caused coral bleaching in many parts of the world, Timer said coral just 50-100 metres (160-320 feet) away from the surveyed areas remained healthy. The groups also fear mining could restart in the region, noting no formal revocation letter has been published by the government so far. "Even though there is no active mining operation on sites, the staff of the companies and its heavy machinery are still there," said Timer. Indonesia's mineral resources ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Until earlier this year, nickel mining concessions covered 22,000 hectares (54,300 acres) of the Raja Ampat region's 3.66 million hectares, much of it inside a designated UNESCO Global Geopark. These areas are recognised by the UN body for their "international geological significance" and are meant to be "managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development," UNESCO says. Gag Nikel's operations lie outside the Geopark. Indonesia has the world's largest nickel reserves and has sought to spur domestic processing to capture more of the value chain. Merriam-Webster has unveiled a significant update to one of its most popular dictionaries, introducing more than 5,000 new words in its first hard-copy revision in over two decades. The 12th edition of Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary, set for release on November 18 with pre-orders now open, arrives amidst a reported decline in U.S. sales for traditional print dictionaries. Among the fresh additions are terms reflecting modern life and technology, such as petrichor the distinct, pleasant scent after rain and teraflop, a unit measuring computer speed. The dictionary also embraces dumbphone, referring to mobile devices predating smartphones, and ghost kitchen, commercial spaces hired for food preparation, which gained prominence during the pandemic. Further entries include contemporary phrases like cold brew, farm-to-table, rizz, dad bod, hard pass, adulting, and cancel culture. Other notable inclusions span beast mode, dashcam, doomscroll, WFH, and side-eye. Doomscroll, the act of spending excessive amounts of time online, has been added to the dictionary (Alamy/PA) Beyond the new vocabulary, the latest Collegiate edition features improved entries for frequently searched words and an additional 20,000 usage examples. All these newly added words are already accessible on Merriam-Websters online platform. The company removed two sections of the Collegiates 11th edition that had sparse biographical and geographical entries to make room for the new content. Greg Barlow, Merriam-Websters president, said that people no longer use dictionaries to learn such things as the location of Kalamazoo or who Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was. For that, they reach for the internet. (Its a city in southwest Michigan, for the eternally curious, and hes a Russian composer who died in 1908.) Merriam-Webster also eliminated some obscure and antiquated words, including enwheel, meaning encircle. We wanted to make the Collegiate more useful, a better design, more interesting, Barlow said. We wanted it to be more rewarding to browse, more fun to look through, and to really be practical for research, but also a beautiful book. A page from the 12th edition of the Collegiate Dictionary (Merriam-Webster) While Merriam-Websters Collegiate, originally focused on the needs of college students, is among the top sellers in dictionaries for Barnes & Noble, its general-interest The Merriam-Webster Dictionary is more popular. It was last tweaked in 2022. A pocket version is also a strong seller, Kat Sarfas, marketing manager for nonfiction at Barnes & Noble, said. Death knells for print dictionaries have been ringing since the rise of the internet, said Grant Barrett, a lexicographer, former dictionary editor for Merriam-Webster and others, and co-host of public radio's A Way with Words. Now were in this weird limbo where people want the dictionary but they dont want to pay for it, because theyre used to getting things for free on the internet, he said. Merriam-Websters website receives about a billion visits a year, making the company a word digital leader as well, Barlow said. Over the last 10 years, revenue overall has grown by nearly 500 per cent on the strength of its online dictionary, thesaurus, mobile apps and word games. The new Collegiate introduces curated word lists, such as words from the 1990s. And it has more word histories. Did you know calculate comes from the Latin for pebble, because ancient Romans used little stones to do addition and subtraction? And, for incredibly granular dictionary fans, the new Collegiate preserves lettered thumb notches those little finger-size dents along the edges of reference book pages to make browsing easier. The only printer doing the notches in the U.S. has closed since Merriam-Webster was last in need, so it had to go to India, Barlow said. John Swinney has hit back at Tory claims the Scottish Government is actively harming Scottish business innovation. Conservative leader Russell Findlay said firms are being stifled by a torrent of regulation, criticising ministers for imposing more red tape on businesses. He said this, combined with punishingly higher income tax rates in Scotland, means there are fewer opportunities for aspirational Scots to get on in life. After two years of the SNP's so-called innovation strategy, the results speak for themselves: failure after failure. pic.twitter.com/g8ES5saD2P Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) September 25, 2025 The Holyrood clash came during Scotlands first Innovation Week, with Mr Findlay claiming the Government is actively harming Scottish business innovation and putting jobs at risk. But speaking at First Ministers Questions, Mr Swinney said he would not accept the doom-laden analysis of Scotlands position from the Tory leader. Since 2007 when the SNP Government came to power, GDP per person in Scotland has grown by 10.3% compared to 6.1% in the rest of the United Kingdom, while productivity has grown at an average rate of 1.1% compared to the UK average of 0.4%, Mr Swinney said. So growth in Scotland has been stronger compared to the rest of the United Kingdom. His comments came as a new scorecard setting out Government performance on a range of key areas was published, showing areas such as research and development spending and patent applications are worsening. Mr Findlay also noted that on the performance of high-growth businesses, Scotland is ranked 23 out of 28 European countries and is behind Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania. He added that on the ranking for businesses that are innovating, the scorecard reveals a deeply worrying fact, under the SNP Scotland is ranked behind every single region of England. Mr Swinney however told him: Weve seen recent data which indicates that Scotland has the highest rate of start-ups in the United Kingdom, apart from one part of England. This, the First Minister said, indicates the culture we are creating to encourage business growth and business expansion. He went on to insist: The Government is always attentive towards supporting and encouraging and nurturing innovation in Scotland because it is the route to prosperity for our country, and the Government is delivering on that agenda. Steph Driver was Starmers communications chief when he was opposition leader, before becoming deputy director and then director of communications at Downing Street. Photograph: PR Keir Starmers head of communications, Steph Driver, has announced she is leaving Downing Street, the latest in a series of trusted aides to the prime minister who have quit No 10 in recent months. The departure of Driver, who spent five years at Starmers side as communications chief when he was opposition leader, before becoming deputy director and then director of communications at Downing Street, comes little more than a week after another key figure, Paul Ovenden, quit as the PMs director of political strategy. Also this month, James Lyons, who was the No 10 director of communications for strategy Driver focused on day-to-day matters left after only a year in the job. A subsequent reshuffle of the comms operation led Starmer to bring in Tim Allan, an adviser to Tony Blair in No 10 who went on to fund the PR firm Portland, as executive director of government communications. While Driver and Lyons had equal status, Allans job made him more senior. Driver was seen as particularly valued and trusted by Starmer, and it is understood the prime minister was among a series of senior figures who tried to persuade her to stay. It was Drivers decision to go. It is understood that after conversations with Starmer and Morgan McSweeney, the PMs chief of staff, about the new communications team structure, Driver decided to step down following a period of leave for a family bereavement. Starmer said: Steph Driver has been a loyal and valued member of my team for almost five years. Steph played a leading role in transforming the Labour party and delivering our historic general election win. I will for ever be grateful for her calm, wise counsel, leadership and humour. I wish her all the best in her undoubted onward success. Driver said: It has been an honour to work with and advise Keir through opposition and into government. Being part of the team to rebuild and rebrand the Labour party before securing an historic general election victory is an achievement and experience like no other. Im also proud of what this government has already delivered, and thank the sharp and talented No 10 press team for their hard work and support during my tenure. Im grateful to the prime minister for his continued faith in me and my work, and for his offer of an open door in the future. His Labour government has my unwavering support. Almost always at Starmers side, particularly during the election campaign, Driver was a constant presence in his press operation, and was widely viewed by colleagues and journalists as loyal and unflappable. After Labour won the election she initially served as deputy director of communications to Matthew Doyle, like Allan a veteran of the Blair years, who had worked for Starmer since 2021. In March, Doyle said he was standing down from the role after nine months in No 10. This repeated churn has in part been linked to worries about Downing Street communications being a weakness for Starmer since becoming prime minister. But a series of wider mishaps and errors, including the backbench revolt over changes to welfare and the dismissal of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, has left many Labour MPs believing the more pressing issue is Starmers lack of political judgment. Steph Driver has handled Sir Keir Starmers personal communications since 2021 Sir Keir Starmer has lost his director of communications as an exodus of key Downing Street staff continues. Steph Driver is the fourth senior figure in the No 10 media operation to quit their role in the past six months. She departs a day after David Pares left his role as the Prime Ministers official Civil Service spokesman. Mr Pares takes up a new role at the Treasury. Earlier this week, The Financial Times reported that he had been poached. Ms Drivers departure is the latest sign of instability after a tumultuous few weeks in which Sir Keir also lost Angela Rayner, his deputy prime minister, following a Telegraph investigation into her taxes, and Lord Mandelson, the ambassador to the US. It is understood that tensions surfaced in Downing Street after Tim Allan, a former communications aide to Sir Tony Blair, was appointed in a more senior role than Ms Drivers at the start of the month. The resultant power dynamic is rumoured in Westminster to be among the reasons for Ms Drivers departure. Mr Allan is also said to be trying to appoint staff in his own image. The Downing Street communications operation has come under heavy fire during Labours time in office to date. Sir Keir openly blamed his own staff for a speech in which he warned migration risked making Britain an island of strangers. The sense of chaos in Downing Street has also been fuelled by Sir Keirs dire polling and personal approval ratings, which have led to speculation about his future. The Prime Minister has repeatedly insisted he will lead the party into the next general election, expected to be held in 2029. But the rumours have intensified in recent days after a series of critical interventions by Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester. In an interview with The Telegraph, Mr Burnham refused to rule out challenging Sir Keir within months. Ms Driver, whose exit was revealed by The Guardian, was a trusted member of Sir Keirs core team and had handled his personal communications since 2021. She was by his side throughout last years general election campaign and has been credited with helping to secure endorsements from The Sun and The Times. Since March, Ms Driver had shared the director of communication duties with James Lyons, a former political journalist. Mr Lyons quit Downing Street at the start of September. A government insider who worked with Ms Driver in the past said: Steph put in years of her time to turning the party around and delivering Labour into government, making sure we were speaking in ways ordinary voters understood. Shes an absolute hero, always had time for anyone needing help, and is one of those people you can genuinely call irreplaceable. Mr Lyons, a former political journalist who had also headed communications for TikTok, quit Downing Street on Sep 1 after less than a year in his role. He had been appointed to oversee strategic communications, including the operation of the No 10 grid, which is used to plan policy announcements in advance. Time to pass baton on In March, Matthew Doyle surprised Westminster when he suddenly stepped down as the Prime Ministers director of communications, saying that it was time to pass the baton on. Some in Labour had blamed Mr Doyle for failing to provide the party with a driving narrative after taking office. It is understood Ms Driver took the decision to step down following a period of absence connected to a family bereavement. One government insider pointed to the high turnover of staff in Downing Street as evidence of the challenge facing Sir Keirs team to keep his premiership afloat. The Telegraph understands Sir Keir attempted to persuade Ms Driver to remain in the role, but was unsuccessful. Tony Blair Sir Tony Blair may not be the obvious name to turn to in the search for Middle East peace. The aftermath of the Iraq and Afghan wars made sure of that. But the mooted plan for Britains former prime minister to oversee the governance and reconstruction of Gaza for a transitionary period may be the strips best hope for peace. The initiative, the joint work of the Tony Blair Institute and Jared Kushner, Donald Trumps son-in-law and presidential adviser, would see the creation of the Gaza International Transition Authority (Gita) once Hamas has been removed. This new body, assisted by Arab and other Muslim forces, would rule the territory for a number of years, building up its capacity to govern itself. Crucially, Sir Tony would chair Gitas seven-member board, effectively serving as Gazas prime minister. Funding from Gulf states would make the arrangement possible. Sir Tony has spent years studying the regions history and complexities and has got to know most of its leaders. He is one of the few international figures to be respected by both sides. The former prime minister is committed to a secure Jewish state and believes that future cohabitation between Arabs and Israelis remains possible by harnessing free markets, deradicalisation and technocratic rule. Mr Trump supports the plan, and key advisers to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister are also on board, as are several Arab and Muslim states. Gazas predicament is a terrible one. It has been under the control of Hamas a murderous anti-Semitic death cult responsible for the worst pogrom since the Second World War for 18 years. Israel had every right, indeed a moral obligation to its people, to respond to the October 7 massacre in 2023 robustly. The operations of the Israel Defense Forces have massively degraded Hamass terror infrastructure. But the people of Gaza have greatly suffered over the past two years. Those who would reject this initiative need to ask themselves, is there any other option that could both offer security to Israel and help Gaza to rebuild? If Israel withdraws from Gaza without an alternative governance structure in place, Hamas will likely regain control in short order. Similar transitionary arrangements were put in place in post-conflict Kosovo and East Timor. This initiative may be Gazas best hope. It would be a fitting final chapter to the public life of Sir Tony, a former prime minister who has long been in search of a meaningful role. The Scottish Conservatives have laid out a plan to cut red tape and end woke practices in Scotlands business agencies. In a further attempt to head off the surging Reform UK in Scotland, the Tories have taken aim at government regulation in a new policy paper. The document entitled Back On Track has suggested a number of ways the economy can be boosted, including reiterating existing Tory stances such as opposing increases to income tax and making economic growth the number one priority of government. But the party has also suggested a so-called Reduction of Red Tape Bill, which if passed in the next Parliament would allow businesses to provide ministers with a list of regulations they want to see cut, and provide the government with the necessary power to easily repeal rules they agreed should be dropped. The plan would also urge Scottish Government bodies for business to drop their focus on diversity and inclusion or net zero, instead prioritising only economic growth by merging Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish National Investment Bank and Skills Development Scotland into one organisation named Growth Scotland. Ahead of a visit to a business in Stirling to launch the paper, Tory leader Russell Findlay said: The SNP treat Scotlands economy as an after-thought when it should be the number one priority. They focus on woke and wellbeing policies that do nothing for the economic growth that Scotland urgently needs to fix public services. The SNP and Labour will always instinctively impose higher taxes, which does not work as it deters investment, suppresses growth and reduces revenues. The Scottish Conservatives are determined to be different. Our bold new blueprint sets out how we would make the economy thrive by championing those who build and grow businesses, cutting red tape and revitalising high streets. Grangemouth would be named the first Scottish business zone under the Tory plans (Andrew Milligan/PA) The only way to generate increased and sustainable investment for public services is by growing the economy. This would allow us to better fund public services, making it possible to raise school standards, fix the roads and get a GP appointment when you need one. Scotland can get back on track if the SNP gives people and businesses freedom to do so, instead of always getting in the way. The partys plan would also create so-called Scottish business zones, which would operate much the same way as the current green freeport proposals, allowing for special tax breaks for businesses operating in set geographical areas, with Grangemouth to be named the first. The Tory proposals would allow for long-term empty shops to be the subject of rent auctions to bring businesses back to the high street, while business rates relief would be available in left-behind communities. The Scottish Liberal Democrats, however, questioned Mr Findlays economic credibility, given his support for former prime minister Liz Truss. Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: Russell Findlay enthusiastically endorsed Liz Truss and her loony economic plans which sent mortgages skyrocketing. That speaks volumes about his economic credibility. The Scottish Liberal Democrats believe Scotland deserves better than this. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: Economic growth is a priority for the First Minister. This Government has a strong record of supporting businesses through transformative policy decisions like the Scottish National Investment Bank, the Techscaler initiative and our 500 million investment in offshore wind. Since 2007, GDP per person in Scotland has been growing faster than the UK and productivity increasing at more than twice the rate of the UK as a whole. And just last week the First Minister was putting the case for the economic interests of Scotland to the President of the United States in the Oval Office. This paper claims that comparing Scotlands economic performance with similar-sized nations such as Denmark, Norway and Ireland makes for grim reading but omits the one thing these high-performing nations have in common independence. Good start continues: Thomas Frank watched his Tottenham side brush aside Doncaster in the Carabao Cup third round (Bradley Collyer/PA Wire) Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is hopeful that midfielder Pape Matar Sarr will return from injury for Saturdays Premier League clash with Wolves. The Senegal international was a surprise absentee from the Spurs squad that hosted Doncaster in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, where efforts from Joao Palhinha and Brennan Johnson either side of a Jay McGrath own goal saw off League One opponents and booked a fourth round trip to holders Newcastle. The tie was also notable for Tottenhams highly-rated 16-year-old academy midfielder Luca Williams-Barnett making his senior debut late on off the bench as a replacement for Mathys Tel. However, one player missing from the squad entirely was Sarr, a regular in the Spurs engine room who had started every game across all competitions during the early stages of the new season before being left as an unused substitute for Saturdays spirited 2-2 draw against Brighton in the Premier League. The 23-year-old was not involved at all against Doncaster, with Frank revealing after the straightforward 3-0 victory that he had decided to be cautious with a small thigh issue that he is optimistic wont prevent Sarr from being available for Saturday nights visit of struggling Wolves to north London. Pape Matar Sarr, just a minor precaution, Frank said. A minor, how can you say, little stretch to the thigh so we didnt want to take any risks today. There is a good chance that he could be ready for Saturday. Franks impressive start to life as Spurs boss since leaving Brentford to take over from the sacked Ange Postecoglou in the summer has come despite an extensive injury list that has seen the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski ruled out with longer-term issues. The meeting with Doncaster came too soon for Deadline Day signing Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies, while Dominic Solanke and summer arrival Kota Takai have been back in training this week. Yves Bissouma has yet to play this season and Radu Dragusin is working his way back from a long-term knee injury. In an address to the UN General Assembly, Donald Trump alleged that Sir Sadiq Khan was trying to impose the Islamic code on London - TIMOTHY A CLARY/AFP via Getty Images Sir Keir Starmer has criticised Donald Trumps attack on Sir Sadiq Khan as ridiculous. The Prime Minister said he disagreed with the US presidents nonsense claim that the Mayor of London wanted to bring in sharia law. Sir Keirs remarks, days before Labours conference, represent his most serious criticisms as Prime Minister of Mr Trump. During a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York days earlier, Mr Trump had alleged that Sir Sadiq was trying to impose the Islamic code on the capital. The remarks provoked a backlash, with the Mayor branding the US president racist, sexist and Islamophobic. Credit: UNTV / UK Pool Asked by ITV London about the comments, Sir Keir said: As you saw from the state visit last week, theres lots that the president and I agree on, and we work together on. Theres a few things we disagree about, and this is one of them. The idea of the introduction of sharia law is nonsense, and Sadiq Khan is a very good man and actually driving down serious crime. So as I say, theres a lot I agree with, with President Trump. We get along. We had a good state visit last week, but on this, I disagree with him. The sharia law comments were ridiculous. The Prime Minister said he had frank conversations with Mr Trump, but added: I want to express my support for our Mayor Sadiq Khan. Were very proud to have a Muslim in our diverse city. Sir Keir told ITV that while he agreed with Mr Trump on many things, the sharia law comments were ridiculous - ITV He would not comment on the claims by Sir Sadiq that Mr Trump was sexist, racist and Islamophobic. Earlier, Sir Sadiq told broadcasters: I think people are wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multicultural, progressive, successful city that means I appear to be living rent-free in Donald Trumps head. Asked whether Mr Trumps comments were Islamophobic, he replied: When people say things, when people act in a certain way, when people behave in a certain way, youve got to believe them. Asked whether he believed the president was Islamophobic, Sir Sadiq said: I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic and he is Islamophobic. Im just thankful that we have record numbers of Americans coming to London since records began. Theres never been a period when more Americans have come to London. There must be a reason for that. Credit: UNTV / UK Pool He declined to say whether he was comfortable with Sir Keirs closeness to Mr Trump, adding that it was for others to explain their views on the president. The feud between Sir Sadiq and Mr Trump dates back years, when the president rebuked the Mayors response to the aftermath of the London Bridge terror attack in 2017. He accused him of downplaying the atrocity by telling Londoners there was no need to be alarmed, remarks that Sir Sadiqs office insisted had been taken out of context. During his first state visit to the UK in 2019, Mr Trump tweeted Sir Sadiq has done a terrible job as Mayor of London and was a stone-cold loser. At the time, Sir Sadiq permitted a plan to fly a giant inflatable Trump baby near Parliament to coincide with the visit. A protest against the US presidents state visit to the UK in September featured Trump baby balloons - ANDY RAIN/EPA/Shutterstock As Mr Trump began his second state visit this month, Sir Sadiq accused the president of fuelling divisive, far-Right politics. At the end of the visit, Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One he had personally requested that Sir Sadiq have no involvement with his visit to Britain. He wanted to be there, as I understand it. I didnt want him, the president said, adding: I didnt want him there. I asked that he not be there. Trumps deadline call to Rupert Murdoch from Air Force One demanding he kill WSJ story on Epstein birthday note: report President Donald Trump reportedly called Rupert Murdoch from Air Force One, urging the media mogul to kill the Wall Street Journals then-pending report about a birthday note he allegedly wrote to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The phone call is part of a new report from the WSJ, detailing the inside story of how the Trump administration scrambled to handle the Epstein files fallout during a chaotic summer, reportedly characterized by disorganization, high-stakes strategy meetings in the Situation Room, finger-pointing, and a series of unforced errors. On July 17, the WSJ published its bombshell report about a bawdy note allegedly signed by Trump, which features a sexually suggestive drawing and a 50th-birthday wish to the sex-offender financier that read, in part, may every day be another wonderful secret. Trump, who was in the same room as Murdoch last week during a state dinner at Windsor Castle in the U.K., has repeatedly denied writing the letter and also denied that a signature on the document is his. In the days before the WSJ published the report, Trump and his team desperately tried to get Murdoch and his paper to stop the story from seeing the light of day, the outlet reports. President Donald Trump called Rupert Murdoch from Air Force One, urging the mogul to kill the Wall Street Journal publication of a report about an alleged birthday card he wrote to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (AFP/Getty) Trump was traveling back to Washington, D.C. from Pennsylvania when he called Murdoch on July 15, two days before the story was published. In a brief call with the 94-year-old mogul, Trump told him the story wasnt true and that he should handle it, people familiar with their conversation told the outlet. On the same flight, Trumps communications aides also called WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker, The Guardian previously reported. Despite the efforts of Trump and White House officials, the outlet went ahead with the story and the president subsequently filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit. Trump called the WSJs story a false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS article in the useless rag that is. The presidents short exchange with Murdoch was previously detailed in a court filing from the Trump administration, compelling a federal court to expedite Murdochs deposition because of concerns the media titan either wont live long enough to testify at a potential trial or might not be alive. Trump reached out to, and spoke directly with, Murdoch and advised him that the letter referenced in the Article was fake, the court filing states. Murdoch advised President Trump that he would take care of it. In the latest in the legal battle between the tycoons, lawyers for the WSJ blasted the presidents defamation lawsuit as an affront to the First Amendment. (AFP via Getty Images) Lawyers referenced Trumps Truth Social post where he complained that Murdoch apparently did not have the power to stop the story from being published. In the latest in the legal battle between the tycoons, lawyers for the WSJ blasted the presidents defamation lawsuit as an affront to the First Amendment. Lawyers argued that the suit does not include a single plausible allegation that any of the defendants which include Murdoch and the newspapers parent companies knowingly published false statements about Trump, lawyers wrote Monday. The Article is true, lawyers wrote, and the evidence is publicly available for anyone to see. This case calls out for dismissal, they wrote, and an attempt to silence a newspaper for publishing speech that was subsequently proven true by documents released by Congress to the American public. By its very nature, this meritless lawsuit threatens to chill the speech of those who dare to publish content that the president does not like, according to Mondays filing. Alex Woodward contributed reporting President Donald Trump quipped that he would like to make the TikTok algorithm 100% MAGA as he signed an executive order on a deal that will transfer control of the Chinese social media app to a U.S. business group. At a signing ceremony in the Oval Office Thursday, the president announced Chinese president Xi Jinping had approved a proposed deal that met American national security concerns and would be valued at around $14bn. Asked whether the platform would now recommend more MAGA-related content, Trump replied: I always like MAGA-related. If I could, Id make it a hundred percent MAGA related. If I could make it one hundred percent MAGA, I would, he said. But its not going to work out that way unfortunately. No, everyones going to be treated fairly." Then-President Joe Biden signed legislation last year calling for Chinas ByteDance to sell TikToks assets to an American company by early this year or face a nationwide ban. Trump, during his first term, attempted to ban the company from operating in the U.S. via executive action, but the effort was abandoned after a court challenge. Under the terms of the deal, a new joint-venture company will oversee TikToks U.S. business, with ByteDance retaining less than a 20 percent stake. Tech giant Oracle, investment firm Silver Lake Partners, and the MGX investment fund will reportedly control around 45 percent. Trump and his team told reporters on Thursday that they wanted to preserve access to an app which the president tried to ban during his first term (AP) Further details of the investors and specific businesses are set to follow, though Dell CEO Michael Dell, Oracles Larry Ellison and media mogul Rupert Murdoch have all been mentioned previously. Theyre very well-known people, Trump told Fox News Sunday. Larry Ellison [of Oracle] is one of them. Hes involved, hes a great guy. Michael Dell is involved... Rupert is probably gonna be in the group. I think theyre going to be in the group. Couple of others, really great people, very prominent people. Ellison and Dell are both business leaders whove made their support for the president and his party known previously. The Oracle co-founder was featured at a Starlink presentation at the White House alongside Elon Musk at the beginning of this year, while Dell participated in a CEO roundtable hosted by the president in June. A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Independent that the Murdochs were involved in conversations with the White House on the issue, despite the tumultuous relationship between the patriarch and the president. Murdoch senior has been a past supporter of Trump through his media companies, though he is now being sued for $10bn by the president, after The Wall Street Journal, which is owned by News Corp, published a story accusing Trump of sending Jeffrey Epstein a bawdy birthday card a claim the president has vehemently denied. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is expected to be one of those involved in the U.S. business group that will take control of TikTok in America (Getty) The pair was pictured attending a U.K. state dinner in honor of Trump at Windsor Castle, hosted by King Charles. No representatives from ByteDance were present in the Oval Office Thursday for the signing, and the company hasnt acknowledged that a transaction is taking place, CNBC reports. The Chinese embassy in Washington also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press to confirm that China has signed off on the proposed framework deal. News of the new deal comes after a report from the Pew Research Center, published Thursday, found that around 43 percent of U.S. adults under the age of 30 say they regularly get news from TikTok, higher than any other social media app, including YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Many U.S. lawmakers have argued that the app posed a national security threat for a variety of reasons. Lawmakers are uncomfortable with ByteDances alleged connections to the Chinese Communist Party and laws in China they say would have required the company to hand over Americans personal information or other data to Chinese officials if asked. In his comments to reporters, Trump said that the only kickbacks the U.S. government would receive from the deal amounted to taxes paid by the new U.S. commercial entity in charge of the app. Millions of Americans use TikTok every day, and many urged both Democrats and Republicans to not support an absolute ban (Getty) Still, others on Capitol Hill have expressed distrust in the apps algorithm, either due to the spread of misinformation or political messages that clash with official U.S. policy including content critical of Israels siege of Gaza. In January, Trump boasted that his actions had saved the app for its millions of American users, many of whom were unhappy with news of the ban. The president also said at the time that were going to make a lot of money with the deal, presumably referring to American buyers. The apps owners, meanwhile, thanked the Republican president with a message sent to all U.S.-based users. Some progressives, in the months since January and even the 2024 election, have grumbled that the legislation was a trap for Democrats and put centrist members of the party, including then-President Biden, on the wrong side of an unpopular ban. Reacting to a post from Pod Save America host Dan Pfeiffer, assuming that the eventual American board members of TikTok would likely be pulled from a list of pro-Trump billionaire donors, Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida tweeted on Saturday: Im not an I told you so kind of guy. But yall remember that stupid TikTok ban? I voted No on that one. UN holds high-level special event on climate action Xinhua) 13:44, September 25, 2025 UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- A high-level special event on climate action is being held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday. In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said thanks to the Paris Agreement, the projected global temperature rise in the past 10 years has dropped from four degrees Celsius to less than three if current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are fully implemented. "Now, we need new plans for 2035 that go much further, and much faster," delivering dramatic emissions cuts aligned with 1.5 degrees Celsius, covering all emissions and sectors, and accelerating a just energy transition globally, Guterres said. The UN chief said that China met its 2030 wind and solar target six years ahead of schedule, and India reached 50 percent electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels five years early. "COP30 in Brazil must conclude with a credible global response plan to get us on track," he said, listing five areas as crucial: energy -- while fossil fuels still dominate, the clean energy transition must be supercharged; methane -- a potent global heating gas, drastic cuts of which in this decade are essential; forests -- the destruction of nature's greatest carbon sinks must be ended; heavy industry -- important advances in technologies have helped cut emissions from steel and cement, and heavy transport; and climate justice. Guterres called for urgent action to unlock funds for developing countries to seize clean energy benefits and protect lives and economies. Given the pace and scale of the climate crisis growing across the globe, the UN secretary-general is convening the climate summit, held on the sidelines of the general debate of the UN General Assembly, to serve as a platform for world leaders to present their new national climate action plans and seize the benefits of the new clean energy era. By COP30, scheduled for November in Belem, Brazil, all parties to the Paris Agreement must submit new NDCs that reflect bold action for the next decade. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security cannot condition disaster aid on states' cooperation with immigration enforcement, calling the policy "coercive" and "unconstitutional." U.S. District Judge William Smith of Rhode Island sided with 20 states and Washington D.C., which sued earlier this year after DHS revised grant terms to require recipients to share immigration status data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and allow federal access to detainees. The case centered on funds administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which supports disaster preparedness, fire safety, and emergency relief programs. In a 45-page decision, Smith wrote that the conditions imposed by DHS were "arbitrary and capricious" and "not reasonably related to the purposes" of the grants, as Axios reports. He noted that the coercion was heightened because the funds at stake involved "essential public safety responsibilities rather than optional or peripheral programs." "The Court declares that the contested conditions are both arbitrary and capricious ... as such, the contested conditions are vacated," Smith wrote. The ruling applies nationwide, even though the Supreme Court earlier this year restricted judges' power to issue broad injunctions. Smith said the Administrative Procedure Act still requires courts to "set aside" unlawful agency actions. The lawsuit was filed in April by a coalition led by Illinois and joined by California, New York, and other states that have laws limiting cooperation between local police and ICE. The states argued that withholding FEMA funding could cost billions of dollars and jeopardize disaster readiness. New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement reported by CBS News that the ruling reaffirmed that "the federal government cannot prioritize its cruel immigration agenda over Americans' safety." DHS officials defended the policy as consistent with the agency's mission to secure the homeland. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said states that "prevent us from arresting criminal illegal aliens should not receive federal funding," adding that the administration remained committed to "restoring the rule of law." The decision is the latest legal setback for the Trump administration's broader effort to cut funding to so-called sanctuary jurisdictions. Similar attempts by the Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have also been challenged in court. Originally published on Latin Times Benjamin Netanyahu, Marco Rubio and Mike Huckabee at the Western Wall this month. Photograph: Nathan Howard/Reuters When the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, visited Jerusalem this month, the itinerary his Israeli hosts laid on involved more archaeology than anything else. On his first day, Benjamin Netanyahu took Rubio underground to excavations near the Western Wall. On the second day, Israels prime minister gave his American visitor the honour of inaugurating a tunnel burrowed under a Palestinian district, along a Roman-era street nicknamed the Pilgrimage Road, in a City of David archaeological park established by an Israeli settler organisation. Both events were intended to emphasise Jerusalems Jewish roots and its status, Netanyahu stressed, as our eternal and undivided capital. While Rubio was on this tour of ancient Jerusalem, Israeli planes bombed the most important storage depot of ancient artefacts in Gaza City, pulverising three decades of archaeological work. The battle over history has long been part of the broader Israeli-Palestinian struggle. Officials from the Israel Antiquities Authority have followed Israeli troops into occupied zones in search of artefacts. But that struggle has seldom been as conspicuous as in the past month. Rubios tour was designed to underline a shared Judeo-Christian history focused on Jerusalem that binds the evangelical base of the Republican party to the state of Israel. Along with their wives, Netanyahu and Rubio were accompanied by a man who embodies that bond, Mike Huckabee, an evangelical Baptist pastor, the current US ambassador to Israel and an unapologetic advocate of Israeli territorial expansion. He has said theres really no such thing as a Palestinian and rejects the term West Bank in favour of the Israeli rightwing use of the biblical terms Judea and Samaria for the occupied territory. By organising a tour that portrayed its foundations as entirely Jewish, Netanyahu and Huckabee were seeking to bolster the historical case for total Israeli control of Jerusalem, rather than a divided city that would emerge out of any Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Netanyahu has devoted his political career to destroying any possibility of a Palestinian state and he now has allies with a controlling stake in a US administration. Its attachment to a two-state solution is erratic but many influential figures in it would support large-scale Israeli annexation of the West Bank. To underpin the pursuit of absolute Israel conquest as the solution to the Middle East conflict, independent archaeologists say, Netanyahu and his US backers are seeking to construct a history shorn of all the complexities of a land that has been disputed and shared over millennia. Rubio called the Pilgrimage Road tunnel perhaps one of the most important archaeological sites on the planet. It follows the route of a first-century road leading to the site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif. The settler group Elad, which established the City of David archaeological site on expropriated Palestinian land in the Silwan district, has presented the road as the route taken by Jews to the temple during the lifetime of Jesus Christ. The enterprise was declared illegal by the UN as it was built on occupied territory as part of a broader effort to dispossess Palestinians, and a UN commission of inquiry last year denounced its use of archaeology for political ends. Despite its rich, heterogeneous history, the narrative presented at the City of David site focuses only on the sites Jewish history disregarding all other periods and cultures, the commission said. Alon Arad, the head of an independent group of archaeologists, Emek Shaveh, pointed out that the Pilgrimage Road tunnel had already been opened once before, in Donald Trumps first term, by his first ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, using a sledgehammer to break down a wall in 2019. This whole festival now is completely bizarre, Arad said. The fact that the settlers and the evangelists and other rightwing Americans found each other a perfect match is not news. But this ceremony is just bad archaeology and another proof that the whole City of David archaeological park project has nothing to do with either archaeology or heritage. A large stone stepped structure on the site has been claimed by some archaeologists as the biblical City of David, but the claim is hotly disputed. Arad also accuses the Elad organisation of using discredited methods Archaeologists stopped digging in tunnels at the beginning of the 20th century, he said. The fact that they are excavating in tunnels under peoples houses without their permission makes this whole thing bad archaeology. Once you excavate in a tunnel, you have a very narrow perspective. This whole branding of the Pilgrimage Road is an attempt to Judaise the entire heritage of this region. It is the best example of the term tunnel vision. Emek Shaveh has also denounced Israels bombing of the archaeological warehouse in Gaza City on Sunday, when Rubio was being guided around the Western Wall. Since the beginning of the war, Israel has damaged or destroyed hundreds of protected cultural sites and artefacts, the group said in a statement. The warehouse contained approximately 30 years of archaeological work in the Gaza Strip and housed tens of thousands of items. Some were removed but many were destroyed. Related: Archaeologists scramble to evacuate Gaza artefacts threatened by Israeli strike The IDF gave Palestinian archaeologists and the French-run Ecole Biblique, which supports the site, three days to empty the warehouse before it was bombed but there was only time to remove some of the artefacts in a single convoy of trucks. We couldnt go back for a second mission because of the lack of trucks and the availability of the people and mainly because of the danger, so some of the artefacts were lost, an Ecole Biblique official said. The depot had been seized by Israeli forces in an offensive early last year when, the official said, employees of the Israel Antiquities Authority were allowed to inspect it, in violation of international law. On that occasion a global outcry prevented a plan to remove some of the artefacts. Some of the objects that archaeologists managed to remove before the bombing were broken while being moved in open trucks, the only kind allowed by the Israeli military. They are now at an undisclosed location where they are open to the elements. The Israeli military department dealing with occupied territories, Cogat, issued a statement saying it had facilitated the rescue mission, which it described as the transfer of rare archaeological artefacts, mosaics and pottery of the Christian community in Gaza. In fact, the artefacts were from multiple periods, connected to multiple civilisations and faiths. It is an odd characterisation, Arad said. I dont know what the motivation of Cogat was. I can only assume that it is because Israel is still attempting to maintain its foreign relations with the Christian evangelist church in the United States. With their huge ears and their twitching noses, rabbits are some of the cutest animals on Earth. They make wonderful pets for those who have the space and time to commit, but anyone can appreciate their soft coats and adorable antics. If you think any rabbits are cute (don't even get me started on baby bunnies), just wait until you see this English Angora rabbit named Diva! She has the most beautiful, fluffy coat that leaves her looking more like a cotton ball than a bunny, but that's exactly what makes her breed so special. What an adorable bunny! I'm so jealous that @annawattman gets to hug, pet, and cuddle this fluffy rabbit, and I know I'm not the only one. Thousands of commenters are in love with Diva from this video alone! "Did you just take it out of the dryer?" @doomsdaymagpie joked. That's what it looks like! Related: Bunny Outsmarts New Baby Gate in the House Like a Total Boss English Angora rabbits are known for their long, luxurious coats, but they also require frequent haircuts to prevent painful mats from forming. As much as everyone hated to see her trim her bunny's gorgeous coat, Anna gave Diva a much-needed haircut the very next day. Diva still looks lovely, and she must be so much cooler! Anna was smart to keep her rabbit's iconic furry ears nice and long, though I'm sure the haircut helps keep her shedding and matting to a minimum. The adorable bunny's gorgeous floof will grow back in a matter of weeks, but until then, she still has her natural shaggy texture to give her that classic English Angora look. As her name implies, she knows she's gorgeous no matter what her coat looks like! English Angora Rabbits There's a lot to learn and appreciate about this adorable rabbit breed besides their unique-looking coat. English Angora bunnies are known for their small bodies and docile temperaments, which make them wonderful pets. Some can even be litter-trained! However, their coat does require more frequent grooming than other rabbit breeds, so their families need to be ready for this commitment. As Anna and Diva prove, a little love and care equal a happy and healthy rabbit! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here. DNA tests showed a 99.9 percent match for both Logan Gifford, pictured, and his father, Theodore Gifford, as the biological father of his teenage brother (8NewsNow/Youtube) A family court judge ruled Wednesday that a Las Vegas man caring for his teenage brother is now legally recognized as the boys father by default. It remains unclear whether 26-year-old Logan Gifford, who accused his mother of sexual abuse and suspects the boy may actually be his biological son, is, in fact, the child's biological father. Earlier this year, Logan Gifford requested advanced DNA testing to determine if he or his father, Theodore Gifford, is the biological father of his teenage brother. Previous DNA tests indicated the likelihood of paternity for both is 99.9 percent. The DNA test conducted does not have a final determination as to one of the two, Judge Vincent Ochoa said Wednesday during a hearing, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. I cant make (Theodore) the father if he doesnt want to participate (in the case), Ochoa added. Im going to grant the default and declare Logan Gifford to be the legal father of the child. This is the only solution we have. The DNA test was done and eliminated everyone except for two individuals, and only one of those individuals wants to participate in this case. DNA tests showed a 99.9 percent match for both Logan Gifford, pictured, and his father, Theodore Gifford, as the biological father of his teenage brother (8NewsNow/Youtube) Logan Gifford was still a teenager in 2015 when a judge sentenced his mother, Doreene Gifford, to eight to 20 years in prison and required her to register as a sex offender. Doreene Gifford entered an Alford plea to counts of attempted sexual assault and lewdness with a child under 14. Under an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but concedes that the prosecution has sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. Logan Gifford claims he was sexually abused by her around the time the now-teenager, who lives with him, would have been conceived. Doreene Gifford, now paroled, lives in Massachusetts and appeared at Wednesdays 10-minute hearing via video. Although she maintained that her exhusband, Theodore Gifford, was the boys true father, she ultimately said she could not continue with the proceedings emotionally and conceded. I never had any doubt that Theodore was the father, but I cannot continue this case, mentally, physically or emotionally, Doreene Gifford said, becoming emotional. I feel that its best that we just concede this case and stop this madness now. The judge previously granted Logan temporary custody of the teen, which he said on a GoFundMe page was a major step in protecting his well-being. While the judge also recommended further testing, Logans attorney, Timothy Treffinger, argued that it would be prohibitively expensive and unlikely to produce more conclusive results. Because Theodore Gifford declined to participate in the case, the judge on Wednesday granted Logan legal parentage by default. Doreene Gifford maintains that her husband, Theodore Gifford, is the father of her teenage child (8NewsNow/Youtube) On the GoFundMe page, Logan said being his brothers father was a haunting possibility, but he feels the teen deserves to know the truth. The court process is tough, and with his cognitive struggles and our complicated family history, I need help to secure his future and give him the life he deserves, Logan Gifford wrote. Now, he is relieved to finally close this painful chapter and is focused on moving forward with his life. Clearly, we got the answer that we were anticipating, Logan Gifford told the Las Vegas ReviewJournal. Finally, there was closure, not only for me, as a male survivor, but also closure for someone who didnt ask for any of this. This is meaningful to him. I didnt want this to necessarily be made public, but it took that to get to this point. Because of the sensitive nature of the case and his age, the Las Vegas ReviewJournal did not report the teens name. One recalled how a squirrel "came out of nowhere" to assault her leg (PA Wire) Residents in a San Francisco Bay Area city are on high alert following a series of aggressive squirrel attacks, with at least two individuals requiring emergency medical treatment. Joan Heblack recounted her terrifying encounter in San Rafaels Lucas Valley neighbourhood, where a squirrel "came out of nowhere" to assault her leg. "It clamped onto my leg. The tail was flying up here. I was like, Get it off me, get off me!" she told ABC affiliate KGO-TV. Another local, Isabel Campoy, reported a similar ordeal in the same vicinity. She described the squirrel launching itself from the ground towards her face before landing on her arm, leaving it bloodied. Both women sought care at the emergency room, according to the TV station. The community has since responded by posting flyers warning of a "very mean squirrel" that "comes out of nowhere," noting that more than five people have reportedly been targeted by the aggressive animal. A warning of an aggressive squirrel is taped up in San Rafael after a number of attacks in the community Lisa Bloch with Marin Humane says they have had no reports of squirrel attacks since mid-September. If the squirrel crops up again, the nonprofit will coordinate with the state to remove the animal, she said. We've seen this kind of behavior before, she said. It's almost always because someone has been feeding the animal. The good thing is that squirrels are not vectors for rabies. She says people should never feed wildlife. San Rafael is in Marin County, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of San Francisco . The owner of a historic pub dating back to the 19th century has won a fight to continue serving customers outdoors after the council ordered the removal of its riverside seating area. The Trafalgar Tavern in Greenwich, south east London is known for its tables overlooking the Thames, which have been in place for three decades. But Greenwich London Borough Council claimed the setup next to the Old Royal Naval College prevents people from enjoying the view of the river and adds visual clutter to a sensitive heritage site. There were also complaints from residents about access for pedestrians, wheelchair users and families with pushchairs. However, the Planning Inspectorate has quashed the enforcement notice after receiving more than 2,000 letters opposing the move. Greenwich Council claimed the setup next to the Old Royal Naval College prevents people from enjoying the view of the river (Supplied) Despite this, the pub which dates back to 1837 and was once a favourite spot of Charles Dickens must submit "detailed plans" for future outside arrangements by the end of the year. The tavern appealed against the enforcement notice, warning it could lead to 75 job losses a third of its workforce including chefs, waiters and managers. Landlord Frank Dowling said the appeal process had been "costly and arduous", but added: "We are thrilled, our staff are thrilled, our customers are thrilled." He told the BBC: "We're very proud of what we do here, we're creators of beautiful spaces and a phenomenal experience for thousands of people a year. Mr Dowling previously told the Standard he would have been forced to serve 500 standing customers if the councils actions were approved. He claimed this would have gone against their own arguments, adding: I think the councils are shrill. It is just tables and chairs. A spokesman for the Royal Borough of Greenwich said: "We've been clear throughout this process that we have a duty to make sure the Thames Path is accessible for everyone. "It's a narrow stretch that is constantly in use, and it needs to be easy for people with disabilities, the elderly, or people with pushchairs to use. "We have always said we wanted to find a sensible solution without compromising on accessibility or setting a precedent for a private business to stake a claim to a public part of land in a UNESCO world heritage site. "The planning inspector has concluded that the pub could, in principle, use a small portion of the path - subject to it successfully submitting strict and detailed plans to us for approval." Tony Blair served as Middle East envoy from 2007 to 2015 and is respected by many Gulf leaders but resented by many Palestinians. Photograph: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images The White House is backing a plan that would see Tony Blair head a temporary administration of the Gaza Strip initially without the direct involvement of the Palestinian Authority (PA), according to Israeli media reports. Under the proposal, Blair would lead a body called the Gaza International Transitional Authority (Gita) that would have a mandate to be Gazas supreme political and legal authority for as long as five years. According to reports in Haaretz and the Times of Israel, the plan is modelled on the administrations that initially oversaw Timor-Leste and Kosovos transitions to statehood. The proposal suggests that Gita could at first be based in el-Arish, an Egyptian provincial capital near Gazas southern border, and would eventually enter the territory accompanied by a UN-endorsed, largely Arab multinational force. The plan envisions the eventual unifying of all the Palestinian territory under the PA. Under the plan, Palestinians would not be made to leave the territory, as had been feared would occur under previous US proposals to develop it as the Gaza Riviera. If approved, Blair would head a secretariat of up to 25 people and chair a seven-person board to oversee an executive body running the territory. But any role for the former Labour leader would inevitably prompt intense controversy. After stepping down as prime minister in 2007, he took on the role of Middle East envoy until 2015 and he enjoys a high standing with many Gulf leaders. But Blair is bitterly resented by many Palestinians who see him as having impeded their efforts to attain statehood and more broadly across the region for his role in backing the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. Some western diplomats stressed it was by no means a done deal that Blair would run the interim Palestinian administration, and said it might be in place for only two years. They added the Trump plan for the day after is linked to a ceasefire and full hostage deal. News of the plan emerged just days after the UN general assembly endorsed a different plan for a technocratic administration to take charge in Gaza. Under that proposal, known as the New York declaration, the interim administration would operate for just one year, on the clear understanding that it would then hand power to a reformed PA with a revised constitution and after elections for a new president and parliament. The lack of a clear timeline for a transition to PA control under the White House plan is seen as a potential roadblock to its endorsement by Palestinians and Arab leaders. But that lack of specificity, and the presence of Blair, would be seen as a reassurance for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House sees the new plan as a compromise between Donald Trumps own initial proposal for the US and Israel to take over Gaza and theNew York declaration endorsed by more than 140 states. Trumps previous suggestions that the US and Israel could clean out Palestinians from Gaza would amount to an ethnic cleansing of the population of about 2 million people. Under the new plan, Palestinians would not be encouraged to leave the territory, according to the reports. A broad version of the US-backed plan was laid out by Trump at a meeting in New York on Wednesday with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani; the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud; King Abdullah II of Jordan; the president of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto; and Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump said the meeting had been successful, adding were close to getting some kind of deal done. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has been trying to reconcile the two proposals. Arab states have said they will only contribute to a UN-mandated international peacekeeping force if there is a clear political timeline to the formation of a Palestinian state, and some may argue that the Blair plan does not set out an irreversible course to statehood, but instead represents a different, more benign occupation than that provided by Israel. Gita would have a board made up of seven to 10 members, who will include at least one qualified Palestinian representative (potentially from the business or security sector), a senior UN official, leading international figures with executive or financial experience, and a strong representation of Muslim members. Reporting to an executive secretariat would be a group of five commissioners who will supervise key areas of Gaza governance: humanitarian affairs, reconstruction, legislation and legal affairs, security and PA coordination. Notably, the plan states that the commissioner overseeing humanitarian affairs will be responsible for coordinating with humanitarian agencies, including the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which most Arab states and humanitarian agencies insist must be dismantled. A Palestinian Authority coordination commissioner would be tasked to ensure that the decisions of Gita and those of the PA are, so far as possible, aligned and consistent with the eventual unifying of all the Palestinian territory under the PA. The commissioner would also track PA reform efforts in coordination with international donors, financial institutions and Arab partners engaged in Palestinian institutional development. A separate Palestinian Executive Authority would interface more directly with Palestinians by delivering services through a nonpartisan, professional administration. The PEA will be headed by a CEO formally appointed by the Gita board and will be responsible for overseeing a series of technocratic ministries, including health, education, finance, infrastructure, judicial affairs and welfare. The PEA would also receive reports from the Gaza municipalities, which would be responsible for delivering services at the local level; a Gaza civil police force of nationally recruited, professionally vetted and nonpartisan officers tasked with maintaining public order and protecting civilians; a judicial board chaired by an Arab jurist who will supervise Gazas courts and public prosecution office; and the aforementioned Property Rights Preservation Unit. In an attempt to assuage fears that the plan will lead to tens of thousands of Palestinians being forced out of Gaza during the reconstruction, a property rights preservation unit would be established, aimed at ensuring that any voluntary departure of Palestinians from Gaza does not compromise their right to return to the territory or retain property ownership. Addressing the UN general assembly on Thursday, Mahmoud Abbas, the PA president, said Hamas would have no role in the postwar governance of Gaza a key condition of Israel and the US. However, Abbas and the Palestinian Authority only administer the West Bank, and do not have a direct role in negotiations over a ceasefire or postwar planning for Gaza. He said that Gaza was an integral part of the state of Palestine, and that we are ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security there. Abbas addressed the gathering by video conference after his visa was revoked by the US in the run-up to the 80th session of the UN general assembly. On Thursday evening at the White House, Trump pushed back strongly on any suggestion Israel could annex parts of the West Bank. He said: I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope. I wont allow it. Its not going to happen. The New Zealand town of Kaikoura. Wealthy investors from the US, China and Hong Kong are leaders in applications for New Zealands golden visas after the government relaxed the schemes requirements. Photograph: travellinglight/Alamy Wealthy investors from the US, China and Hong Kong are the leaders in applications for New Zealands golden visas after the government relaxed the schemes requirements in a bid to boost the flagging economy. The new rules for the Active Investor Plus visa came into effect in April and lowered investment thresholds, removed English-language requirements and cut the amount of time applicants must spend in the country to establish residency from three years to three weeks. Related: New Zealand loosens residency restrictions as record number of citizens leave Immigration New Zealand says the scheme offering residency to wealthy foreigners has now attracted 308 applications, representing 1,000 people, under the new rules. Before the changes, the visa attracted 116 applications over two-and-a-half years. Investors from the US make up the vast majority, with 129 applications, followed by China with 45 and Hong Kong with 38. The remaining top 10 countries in order include Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and Great Britain. The Asian markets could be seeking lower tax thresholds and less bureaucracy, while lifestyle changes and the natural environment could be pull factors across the board, said Marcus Beveridge, an immigration lawyer and managing director of Queen City Law. Clearly geopolitical issues for those in North America and Europe will be material, Beveridge said. Trump is probably beneficial for New Zealand in some ways, in terms of there being more interest, he said, while adding the overall numbers were still low. It is not the first time New Zealand has attracted the interest of Trump-weary Americans and other wealthy foreigners seeking to make New Zealand their bolthole at a time of societal division. Following Trumps 2016 election, visits to the countrys immigration website rose almost 2,500%. After the countrys supreme court ruled there was no constitutional right to abortion in the US upending the landmark Roe v Wade visits to New Zealands immigration site quadrupled to 77,000. After Trumps 2024 election win, there was a surge of interest from the US in New Zealands property market. Meanwhile, billionaires acquiring residency or citizenship in New Zealand have been subject to controversy in the past. After Peter Thiel, the billionaire co-founder of PayPal, was granted citizenship in 2017 despite spending only 12 days in the country, former Labour prime minister Jacinda Ardern moved to tighten the rules on investment visas. Ardern also banned foreign home ownership in 2018, due to concern foreign buyers were driving up prices during a housing crisis. Last month, the government announced that while the ban largely remains, holders of a golden visa would now be able to buy homes valued over $5m. Its certainly a much better position to say to potential investors: you can now buy a family home, Beveridge said. Under the new rules, 241 applied under the visas growth category, which requires a minimum $5m investment over three years, and 67 applied under the balanced category, which requires a minimum $10m investment over five years. Immigration has approved 39 applications and another 197 in principle their combined investment netting New Zealand $248.8m. My prediction has always been that we will collect about $5 billion per annum from this business immigration, but those same investors will bring another $5 billion into our economy, because now they can buy $5 million houses, Beveridge said. The visa changes are one of a number of Ardern-era policies the rightwing coalition has wound back in its bid the boost the economy. It relaxed other restrictive visa settings to attract so-called digital nomads to New Zealand and this week made it easier for migrant workers to come to live in the country. Meanwhile, New Zealand citizens are leaving the country in record numbers in search of better job prospects and higher wages. Between July 2024-25, 73,400 New Zealanders left, compared with 25,800 returning home to live, according to Stats NZ. The plans would further reduce the federal workforce, which earlier this year was subject to sweeping cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency. (REUTERS) The Trump administration is instructing federal agencies to prepare for mass layoffs in the event of a government shutdown on October 1, according to a report. A Wednesday evening memo from the Office of Management and Budget, obtained by Politico, directed agencies to consider reductions in force if a shutdown occurs. The agencies, according to the memo, should consider reductions in employees in programs that dont have another source of funding, and are not consistent with the Presidents priorities. Agencies should issue reduction-in-force notices to all employees working in such programs, regardless of whether the government worker is furloughed or excepted during a shutdown, the OMB wrote. Even after the government approves 2026 appropriations, the agencies should revise their plans to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions, the memo states. Typically, furloughed workers are brought back once the government reopens. The plans would further reduce the federal workforce, which earlier this year was subject to sweeping cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE had offered a deferred resignation to federal employees, agreeing to pay them through September 30 if they left their government jobs. Hundreds of workers who lost their jobs in the DOGE-led mass firings earlier this year have been asked to return on October 6, CNN reported this week. The plans would further reduce the federal workforce, which earlier this year was subject to sweeping cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency. (REUTERS) The memo noted many core Trump Administration priorities will continue, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill passed in July. Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown, the memo warned. The programs that will be unaffected were not named. However, an OMB official told Politico that Social Security, Medicare, veterans benefits, military operations, law enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and air traffic control will go uninterrupted. The Independent has asked OMB for more information. The memo stated: We remain hopeful that Democrats in Congress will not trigger a shutdown and the steps outlined above will not be necessary. Unless Congress can support a proposal before September 30, the government will shut down. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution last week that would have kept the government open through November 21, but Senate Democrats prevented the legislation from moving forward in their chamber over demands to include healthcare provisions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had hoped to meet with Donald Trump before the government shuts down next week, but the president said Wednesday he was refusing to meet with them (REUTERS) Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate yet need 60 votes for a continuing resolution to pass. On Wednesday, hours after Democratic leaders Senator Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said that Trump had agreed to meet with them in the Oval Office, the president appeared to change course, saying he was refusing to meet with the pair. I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive, the president wrote on Truth Social. Donald Trump just cancelled a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office with myself and Leader Schumer, Jeffries wrote. The extremists want to shut down the government because they are unwilling to address the Republican healthcare crisis that is devastating America. The Argyle Street ash is the only tree on the street. Photograph: Douglas Crawford/Woodland Trust/PA A much-loved ash tree in the heart of Glasgow has won the annual tree of the year competition organised by the Woodland Trust. While many trees that have featured in the competition are located in the remote British countryside, the Argyle Street ash is on one of the citys busiest roads. Author James Cowan described the tree in his 1951 book From Glasgows Treasure Chest as quite the most graceful ash I have seen. This is a point of pride for those who live nearby, and the quote is displayed in the pub opposite the tree. Cowans book also recounts an urban legend that a sapling grew by accident when a local family returned from holiday with primrose roots, one of which contained the ash seed. It is the only tree in the street and stands 75ft tall, casting shade on the sandstone tenement houses. Many ash trees across the country have been felled due to the fungal disease ash dieback, which kills them. So far the Argyle Street ash, planted in the Victorian era, has survived the Clydeside blitz, recent redevelopment and the disease. The tree beat beat the King of Limbs oak that inspired a Radiohead album title, and the Lonely Tree, which sits on the edge of Llyn Padarn in north Wales. Also in the top five were the Lady Jane Grey oak in Bradgate Park in Leicester, and a majestic cedar with low-sweeping boughs where the Beatles were once photographed at Chiswick House in London. Adam Cormack, the head of campaigning at the Woodland Trust, said: Trees really matter to people, and this is clear from the response weve seen to the Argyle Street ash. Trees inspire us to write stories and create art, whilst connecting us to cultural legacies and a sense of place. We encourage people to notice and enjoy the trees around them, and learn more about how they benefit us from boosting biodiversity and wellbeing, to mitigating the effects of climate change. The arborist David Treanor, who has been managing the ash in recent years, nominated the tree, which has been protected by a tree preservation order, thought to be one of the first in Glasgow. Among others who nominated the Argyle Street ash were the local MSP Paul Sweeney, and Stuart Murdoch of the band Belle and Sebastian. It is a second victory in a row for Scotland, after the triumph of the Skipinnish oak last year. The winner of the Woodland Trusts tree of the year competition will go on to represent the UK in the European tree of the year contest in early 2026. Hashem Abedi faces three charges of attempted murder - Enterprise News and Pictures The Manchester Arena bomb-makers trial has been delayed because of a burst water main nearby court. Hashem Abedi, 28, was due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday charged with attempted murder after an alleged attack on prison officers. However, a nearby burst water pipe left the building with no water, which the court deemed a public health risk. The burst 9cm water main caused flooding in a street with eight fire engines and 60 firefighters dealing with the incident. Lawyers and other court users stood around outside the busy court waiting for updates from staff. Westminster deals with some of the most serious cases including terror and extradition, and is where the chief magistrate sits. Brien OKeeffe, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) station commander, said: Crews are working hard to assist partner agencies to resolve the incident as quickly as possible in a safe manner and are continuing to support local businesses and the community. Members of the public are advised to avoid the local area whilst the incident is being resolved. Traffic restrictions are in place on Marylebone Road, Seymour Place, Crawford Street and Gloucester Place. The burst water pipe left Westminsters magistrates court with no water - James Manning/PA Abedis trial has now been adjourned until Friday morning, where he will appear on three charges of attempted murder, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of unauthorised possession in prison of a knife or offensive weapon. It followed an alleged attack on four prison officers at HMP Frankland, a maximum security prison, in County Durham on April 12. Abedis case was adjourned earlier this month after he refused to leave his cell to appear on a scheduled videolink. Paul Goldspring, the chief magistrate, told the court at the time he would ensure the defendant attended the next hearing. I will order that he is physically produced, but if that is not possible, it will be a prison videolink, he said. Abedi was convicted of assisting the Manchester terror plot, in which his brother, Salman Abedi, killed 22 people by detonating a homemade rucksack bomb in a crowd at an Ariana Grande concert. He was jailed for life with a 55-year minimum term in August 2020. An HM Courts and Tribunals Service spokesman said: Westminster magistrates court is currently closed due to external water supply issues, which has affected several buildings in the area. Priority hearings scheduled for the rest of today have been redirected to other magistrates courts across London or will be postponed until later in the week. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's daughter, Violet Anne Affleck, grew up away from the spotlight despite her parents' fame. Now, the 19-year-old bravely faced the public and spoke in front of UN leaders on Wednesday to discuss a crucial topic regarding clean air and COVID-19's long-term effects. However, concerned individuals worry about her advocacy because of her father, known for being a smoker. 'Violet will never be happy with the air, and she's a very sensitive girl,' Los Angeles smoking cessation trainer Rocky Rosen, said in an interview with Fox News Digital. 'She wants clean air but also wants dad to be healthy. Violet feels powerless over her father getting off cigarettes.' Ben is often seen smoking in public, including one when he pulled down his mask to puff a smoke during the height of the pandemic. Aside from being Ben and Jennifer's daughter, little is known about the Hollywood teener. Here are some facts about her that everyone would be interested to know. Violet is the Eldest Daughter of Her Celebrity Parents Affleck and Garner, who wed in June 2005, welcomed their first child, Violet, on 1 December 2005. They also had two other kids - Fin, born 6 January 2009, and Samuel, born 27 February 2012. Garner earlier talked about the challenges of raising her eldest child, recalling her previous struggle with letting Violet make her own decisions. Speaking with Allure in May 2023, the 'Daredevil' actress shared: 'I was such a first-time mom. My eldest daughter didn't have a shot. She couldn't have a free thought I was all over her. I was a nightmare for everyone around me.' Garner and Affleck broke up in 2015, then finalised their divorce in 2018. The ex-couple opted to co-parent their three children. Violet as a Yale University Student At the moment, Violet is enrolled at the prestigious Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. In May, she wrote a research paper titled 'A Chronically Ill Earth: COVID Organizing a Model Climate Response in Los Angeles'. The paper talked about her reflections about the Los Angeles wildfires that forced her family to leave their Pacific Palisades home earlier this year, and linked it to the COVID pandemic. 'I spent the January fires in Los Angeles arguing with my mother in a hotel room. She was shell-shocked, astonished at the scale of destruction in the neighborhood where she raised myself and my siblings. I was surprised at her surprise: as a lifelong Angelena and climate-literate member of generation Z, my question had not been whether the Palisades would burn but when,' she wrote. She added: 'Our bewildered response to crises like the LA fires tell us we may still be accustomed to addressing the climate crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic: as a question of how fast we can get back around to pretending like the problem is gone. After all, the promised end to the pandemic has been more a matter of public relations than public health.' She Is Passionate About Matters Involving Public Health Violet became a teen advocate as she fought for the need for clean air and protection against the COVID-19 pandemic in a speech at the LA County Board of Supervisors in July 2024. Violet Affleck holding it down at the LA County Board of Supervisors demanding mask availability, mask mandates in hospitals, and clean air in all government buildings including jails and detention centers. Go Violet! pic.twitter.com/B8PN3jl5F6 Joaquin Beltran Free Palestine (@joaquinlife) July 10, 2024 She once again let her voice be heard about her thoughts on the importance of clean air and COVID-19 prevention. Speaking at the UN General Assembly 2025 wearing a K95 mask, she told the attendees that the COVID pandemic stole the younger generation's future. She also criticised the older generation for 'the relentless beat of back to normal, ignoring, downplaying, and concealing both the prevalence of airborne transmission and the threat of long COVID.' Violet also shared her concern for younger children who after being infected by the COVID virus, their lives will never be the same again. We are told by leaders that we are the future. But when it comes to the ongoing pandemic, our present is being stolen right in front of our eyes. Incredible speech by Violet Affleck who warned about COVID & Long Covid, & advocated for masks & clean air at the UN today! pic.twitter.com/cSvVaKrNY9 Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) September 23, 2025 'I am furious on their behalf. It is a neglect of the highest order to look children in the eyes and say, "We knew how to protect you, and we didn't do it. We have access to a technology to prevent airborne disease, something that millions of our ancestors and millions of people around the world today would kill for, and we refuse to use it,"' she also said, per PEOPLE. She closed her speech by urging the UN delegates to start considering filtered air as a basic human right. 'We can create clean air infrastructure that is so ubiquitous and so obviously necessary, so that tomorrow's children don't even know why we need it,' she added. Originally published on IBTimes UK A gang of cyber criminals who claim to have stolen names, pictures and addresses of over 8,000 nursery children have said they intend to release more hacked data. The hackers are using the data breach to blackmail the Kido nursery chain, which operates 18 sites in London and the surrounding area. They claim to have already published the personal contact details of 10 children, their parents and carers, on the dark web, demanding a ransom. But now the group of criminals, which calls itself Radiant, said it intends to release further data, including the profiles of 30 or more children and 100 employees. It told Sky News this would include the personal information of the employees, including full names, national insurance numbers, dates of birth, full addresses, employment start date, email addresses and more. Kido has not released a statement about the incident, but parents and nurseries were notified of the data breach on Thursday. The Metropolitan Police said it had been notified of reports of a ransomware attack on a London-based organisation on Thursday. It added that its cyber crime unit was in the early stages of its enquiries. Kidos nurseries across London include sites in Waterloo and Clerkenwell, as well as Chiswick and Fulham. A full-time child at one of the nurseries can cost as much as 2,472 a month almost 30k a year which is more than the average private school fees in the UK. Police generally advise not to pay ransoms because it further fuels the cyber crime ecosystem. It follows a series of major hacks, with attacks having caused production to cease at Jaguar Land Rover, as well as resulting in huge disruption to Marks & Spencer and the Co-operative Group. Jaguar Land Rover is racing to restart deliveries of spare parts early next week to allow drivers of its cars to get vital repairs at garages. Earlier this month, Rachel Higham, the tech chief of Marks & Spencer, quit the retail giant in the wake of the crippling cyber attack, which cost the company hundreds of millions of pounds. The Co-op revealed that it had suffered a 206m hit to revenues from a cyber attack that left its shelves empty earlier this year. The company also warned of an additional 80m blow to profits as a result of the hack in an announcement on Thursday. Experts have described the targeting of nurseries as an absolute new low and deeply distressing. Cody Barrow, the chief executive of EclecticIQ, a provider of threat intelligence technology and services, told The Telegraph: The theft of childrens names, photographs, addresses, and safeguarding information is deeply concerning, not only because of the sensitive nature of the data but also because of who it affects. Unlike corporate data, childrens personal details cant simply be reissued or reset and once exposed, they may be misused for years to come. This creates risks that extend to families, carers, and wider communities, from identity fraud to targeted scams and even physical security threats. The gang told the BBC on Thursday that they werent asking for an enormous amount, although the hack was undertaken to earn money. The criminals added that they deserve some compensation for our pentest. A pentest is short for penetration test, when ethical hackers are employed to check the security of an organisation by carrying out a controlled, simulated cyber attack. Kido was contacted for comment by The Telegraph. Lawyers for Palestine Actions co-founder have claimed that the ban on the group is discriminatory. Huda Ammori, 31, is seeking a judicial review of the measure, and her lawyers have cited equality laws in her fight to get it overturned. Yvette Cooper, the former home secretary, outlawed the group following an alleged attack on two Voyager aircraft at RAF Brize Norton on June 20. The ban, which began on July 5, means membership of the organisation, or support for it, is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Following the ban, membership and support of Palestine Action can carry sentences of up to 14 years in prison - JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP Ms Ammoris lawyers told the Court of Appeal that Ms Cooper failed to have regard for Palestinians living in Britain, who they said had protected characteristics under the Equality Act. More than 1,600 alleged Palestine Action supporters have been arrested since the ban came into place, according to the campaign group Defend Our Juries. Mr Justice Chamberlain, a High Court judge, later allowed Ms Ammori to proceed with a challenge over the ban after finding that two arguments put forward on her behalf were reasonably arguable. The Home Office is challenging this decision at the Court of Appeal. Addressing a panel of judges on Thursday, Blinne Ni Ghralaigh K, one of Ms Ammoris lawyers, said: [Our] first point is the Secretary of State failed to have regard at all to the particular impacts on the Palestinian Community as a community in Britain. Huda Ammori, 31, is seeking a judicial review of the ban on Palestine Action - Mark Kerrison / Alamy Stock Photo She went on to say the proscription of Palestine Action was going to have a significant impact on the Palestinians in the UK, which could include disincentivising free speech and their [Palestinians] place in British society. Legal documents also compared the ban on the pro-Palestine group with that of other Left-wing groups such as Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion. Submissions handed to the court by her lawyers read: Without adequate equalities advice, the SSHD [Home Secretary] failed to have due regard tothe measures negative discriminatory effect against Palestinians or those in support of the Palestinian causeor indeed against PA itself, by comparison with other direct action groups which. employ direct-action tactics similar to those of PAbut which hold different political beliefs and which are not proscribed (e.g. Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil). Last year, Palestine Action released footage of an activist spraying red paint and slashing a painting of Lord Arthur James Balfour at Trinity College, Cambridge - Palestine Action/AFP Members of the Palestinian community face acute, unique equalities impacts as a result of the proscription, distinct from the broader concerns of those who support the Palestinian cause. The [Home Secretary] failed to give due regard to this community. The reference to smaller communities in the UK in the CIA [Community Impact Assessment] has nothing to do with equalities impacts. However, the NCCT also acknowledge that there will be a range of smaller communities in the UK concerned that [the proscription] demonstrates a lack of support for the Palestinian cause, which is likely to increase anti-government sentiment. This does not begin to constitute consideration of the equalities impacts on those minority communities, including (but not limited to) the Palestinian community. However, Sir James Eadie KC, for the Home Office, argued that it was pretty obvious that Ms Cooper and her colleagues were considering Palestinian issues. Require exceptional case Discussing a community impact assessment carried out ahead of the ban, Sir James said there were references to communities, which at the very least include the Palestinian community, such as British Muslims. Sir James later told the court there was nothing exceptional about Ms Ammoris case, adding: It would require an exceptional case before judicial review would cut in. If a claimant invites the court to exercise its discretion to entertain an application for judicial review in circumstances where Parliament itself has provided a statutory process intended to cater for the substantive challenges that could be made to the thing that affects the individual, it is for the claimant to show an exceptional case. In a statement ahead of Thursdays appeal, Ms Ammori said: Its deeply troubling that the previous home secretary decided to try to stop a full legal review of her widely condemned decision to ban a protest group as a terrorist organisation for the first time in British history. A successful appeal would not only shield an unlawful ban from scrutiny it would deny justice to thousands of people whose fundamental free speech rights have been violated by this ban. Raza Husain KC, who also represents Ms Ammori, said her client should be able to bring more arguments to the full hearing which is due in November. The barrister said it was at least arguable that Ms Cooper had not acted for national security reasons, but for other, improper purposes, and that Ms Ammori should be able to challenge the Home Office over potentially failing to properly consider the discriminatory effect against Palestinians or people who support Palestine. A judgment will be handed down at a later date. A Sudanese immigrant accused of raping a British student had fled his home country months before the incident, a court has heard. Samir Muhammad, now 21, is on trial for raping a young woman he had met at a nightclub in Bournemouth, Dorset, in the early hours of Dec 5 2021. It is alleged that he dragged the first-year university student out of the Cameo nightclub and took her back to his flat after she had bought one drink from the bar and felt out of it. Samir Muhammad, 21, is currently on trial at Bournemouth Crown Court following the incident Jurors at Bournemouth Crown Court were told that Muhammad forced the woman to undress before pinning her down on his bed and raping her despite her pleas to stop. Afterwards, he is said to have refused to let his victim leave and stopped her from answering calls from concerned friends. Not safe to remain in Sudan The court was informed that Muhammad arrived in the UK from Sudan aged 16 or 17, in early 2021. The jury heard that there had been a lot of trouble in Sudan and it was not safe for him to remain there. His full immigration status, including how he arrived in the UK and whether he is claiming asylum, has not been revealed. It is alleged that Muhammad took his victims phone as her friends tried to use Snapchat location to find her after she disappeared on a night out. To put them off, he messaged them pretending to be the girl and said Yeah Im sleep with my B ok, the court heard. Believing that the defendant had grabbed her phone as she would not use that language, they replied at 5.38am saying: Turn location on right now on Snap, were coming to get you. The girl persuaded Muhammad, then aged 17, to let her leave his flat at 5.50am as her friends were on their way, the jury was told. She ran out of the building and found her friends, the court heard. Sex was consensual, claims Muhammad Muhammad, whose first language is Zaghawa, denied two counts of rape and told the court on Thursday that the woman asked to come back to the flat to charge her phone before she removed her clothes and climbed on top of him. He alleged that they had consensual sex twice and they were both happy. He told the jury: I said can I get your number and she said my phone is dead, can I come with you to charge my phone? I said it was not my flat and I will ask my friend. He said okay. She took her clothes off, she was hugging me. Im happy, she was happy as well. I didnt force her. After, I was tired, she said, Are you sure youre tired? and we started sex again. When asked whether he had prevented her from leaving or from using her phone, he said no. Muhammad said: I told her two or three times to stay. She insisted she wanted to go. I did ask her to stay because it was dark, I just wanted [her] to be safe, I said stay until the morning. I said I would walk with her to meet her friend. She said, You can go now. She gave my hand a kiss and said see you later. Afterwards I sent her a message on Snapchat, I said, Have you met your friends? The trial continues. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer The earthy, umami flavor of mushrooms is a star in these recipes. From creamy soups and pasta to comforting casseroles, you'll make the most of your mushrooms with these highly-rated main and side dishes. Our Spinach, Broccoli & Mushroom Quiche is the perfect addition to a brunch menu and our High-Protein Penne with Ground Turkey & Mushrooms is a quick dinner that youll want on repeat. 01 of 18 Spinach, Broccoli & Mushroom Quiche Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen This spinach, broccoli and mushroom quiche is a high-protein dish that works for any meal of the day. You can enjoy it as a hearty breakfast, a light lunch with a side salad or even a satisfying dinner alongside roasted vegetables. Its the best way to get your veggies and protein all in one easy dish! View Recipe 02 of 18 Balsamic Butter Mushroom Bites Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley These party-ready balsamic mushrooms combine the rich, savory flavors of mushrooms with the tangy sweetness of balsamic vinegar. Serve them on skewers, alongside crusty bread or as a side dish for grilled or roasted meat. Brown cremini mushrooms, in combination with the balsamic, offer a rich presentation, but white button mushrooms, while lighter, will work well too. View Recipe 03 of 18 French Onion Soup Stuffed Mushrooms Photographer: Brittney Cottrell, Food stylist: Isabelle Easter, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee. Inspired by classic French onion soup, these stuffed mushrooms pack the rich, savory flavors of caramelized onions, melted Gruyere and a hint of sherry vinegar into a bite-size appetizer. A quick broil gives the tops their golden, bubbly finish. Garnished with fresh thyme, theyre the perfect addition to holiday spreads, dinner parties or anytime you want a warm, crowd-pleasing starter. View Recipe 04 of 18 Rotisserie Chicken, Mushroom & Rice Casserole Photographer: Morgan Hunt Ward, Prop Stylist: Pheobe Hausser, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf. This casserole is a hearty dish perfect for a cozy weekend at home. Tender shredded rotisserie chicken is combined with earthy mushrooms, fluffy rice and a creamy sauce that brings everything together. A layer of melted cheese on top adds a golden, bubbly finish. View Recipe 05 of 18 Fajita-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer These fajita-stuffed portobello mushrooms are the mash-up youve been waiting for! This flavorful vegetarian dish fills roasted portobello mushroom caps with fajita-style veggies and black beans, giving them a boost of fiber and protein. Top it off with melted cheese and Greek-style yogurt for a satisfying dinner. View Recipe 06 of 18 High-Protein Penne with Ground Turkey & Mushrooms Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley This ground turkey pasta with mushrooms is a delicious, protein-packed meal, thanks to its powerhouse ingredients. Lean ground turkey teams up with cottage cheese, which not only boosts protein but also adds creaminess without relying on heavy cream. Mushrooms bring a savory depth of flavor while being low in calories, and whole-grain penne contributes fiber for a hearty and balanced meal! View Recipe 07 of 18 Baked Spinach & Mushroom Ravioli Lasagna Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower This inside-out spinach ravioli lasagna is the ultimate weeknight comfort food. Cremini mushrooms add a savory note to this easy plant-based dinner. Fresh mozzarella adds creaminess on top. You can swap it out for shredded mozzarella in a pinch or use an Italian cheese blend for a different flavor profile. View Recipe 08 of 18 Spaghetti Squash Nests with Kale, White Beans & Mushrooms Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell Cutting spaghetti squash into horizontal rings or nests not only cuts down on cooking time, it also makes for a fun presentation. Here, we stuff the nests with roasted mushrooms, white beans and kale for a hearty plant-based dinner. View Recipe 09 of 18 Mini Crustless Quiches with Kale, Mushrooms & Feta Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel These crustless mini quiches with kale, mushrooms and feta cheese are a delicious option for breakfast, brunch or even a light lunch served with a salad on the side. While we love this flavor combination, theyre easily customizable, allowing you to switch up the vegetables or cheese to suit your preferences. View Recipe 10 of 18 Sheet-Pan Chicken with White Beans & Mushrooms Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman This sheet-pan chicken and mushroom recipe features kale, mushrooms and beansall prebiotic foods that offer plenty of fiber to help you maintain a healthy gut. We use a mini food processor to make quick work of making the chimichurri sauce, but you can easily make it by hand by finely chopping the ingredients and whisking in the oil at the end. View Recipe 11 of 18 Linguine with Creamy Mushroom Sauce Brie Passano The creamy mushroom linguine is ready in 40 minutes, so it's quick enough for an easy weeknight recipe but feels fancy enough for entertaining. View Recipe 12 of 18 Cabbage Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Sauce Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless These cabbage steaks with creamy mushroom sauce are a delicious meatless alternative to a classic steak dinner. This easy dinner is ideal for vegetarians or anyone else looking to add more comforting, plant-based meals to their menu. A mix of mushrooms will liven up the dish. Opt for a few shiitake mushrooms for the biggest flavor impact. View Recipe 13 of 18 Ania's Zupa Grzybowa (Ania's Mushroom Soup) Ali Redmond In Poland, foraged mushrooms, notably boletus, are prized for their flavor. Many families in Poland serve this vegetarian mushroom soup on Christmas Eve, but in Natalie Jesionka's family, it's served all winter long. There are many different recipes for this soup, depending on the ingredients that are accessible where the cook lives. The addition of white wine is a nod to Jesionka's great-grandmother, who made her own wine from grapes and added it to her soup. In Poland, this soup is served with square handmade noodles called lazanki, but you can serve it with small pasta like orzo, or with barley. View Recipe 14 of 18 Black Bean & Mushroom Enchilada Casserole Ali Redmond Mushrooms and creamy black beans spiced with cumin and oregano create the filling for this vegetarian enchilada casserole. Pepper Jack adds nice flavor, but you can substitute regular Monterey Jack cheese if you don't want the heat. View Recipe 15 of 18 Garlic-Butter Mushroom Steaks Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jasmine Smith, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Garlic-butter mushroom steaks are a savory and delicious plant-based dish perfect for mushroom lovers and steak enthusiasts alike. We pair juicy portobello mushroom steaks with a buttery garlic sauce flavored with rosemary, for a mouthwatering combination thats sure to impress. Swap out the rosemary for another woody herb like sage or thyme for a different twist. View Recipe 16 of 18 Baked Feta-Mushroom Pasta Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley This feta-mushroom pasta bake brings together the creamy tang of melted feta with the earthy, savory notes of cremini mushrooms. The convenience of pre-sliced cremini mushrooms makes this dish a timesaver, but you can easily switch things up by incorporating other varieties like oyster, shiitake or maitake mushrooms for added depth and complexity. View Recipe 17 of 18 Parmesan Mushroom Casserole Photography / Brie Passano, Styling / Sammy Mila / Holly Raibikis Mushrooms are sprinkled with a crunchy, cheesy panko topping to create a delicious mushroom casserole that all will love. View Recipe 18 of 18 Creamy Chicken, Cabbage & Mushroom Casserole Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel This creamy chicken-and-mushroom casserole is a comforting and protein-packed dinner perfect for busy evenings. With the combination of shredded cabbage, mushrooms and the aromatic kick of green curry paste, this dish is packed with flavor. Using rotisserie chicken helps streamline prep, but this dish is also a great way to use up leftover chicken if you have any on hand. View Recipe Read the original article on EatingWell Kenneth Jones Jr. allegedly stole baby formula from about 50 stores in South Florida, facing increased penalties under new Florida retail theft laws. A man is behind bars after commandeering a crime spree to raid South Florida grocery stores of baby formula to the tune of more than $70,000 worth of product, law enforcement officials announced Tuesday. Kenneth Jones Jr., 37, was arrested Sept. 17 and charged with two counts of organized retail theft with two prior convictions, court records show. This marks one of the first cases a person is facing a first-degree felony for retail theft since the recent enactment of Florida HB 549 in October, which increased penalties for theft. Jones now faces up to 30 years in prison for each charge. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier condemned Jones actions in a Tuesday press conference, noting the adverse effects that the thefts had on parents. This is not a victimless crime and Florida is not going to stand for it, Bradshaw said. You know who the victim of this crime is? You because the retailers are going to jack up the price and put it on the consumer. From November 2024 to May 2025, Jones stole baby formula from more than 50 stores, which included Publix, Targets and Walmarts in Palm Beach and Broward County. Authorities say he had a routine of smuggling in bags, stuffing them with the formula and walking out. Stealing baby formula away from parents who rely on it to feed their children is unconscionable, Uthmeier said. Simply Recipes / Getty Images Cooking ground beef is a weekly occurrence in many householdsmine included. And while this culinary task seems pretty straightforward, there are actually a few places where it can go wrong, particularly if you're aiming for a nicely browned result. In fact, Ive found it really challenging to achieve a final product that hasnt stuck to the pan or burned, or ended up tepid and watery. I decided to ask a handful of chefs about the best way to achieve perfectly browned ground beef, and they all said the same thing: spread the meat into a thin, even layer in the saute pan. The Ground Beef Gourmands Kat Marris: Adjunct chef instructor at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Amy Kimoto-Kahn: Creator behind Japanese food blog, Easypeasyjapanesey, personal chef, and cookbook author Kristyn Granahan: Private chef, owner of No More Sad Salads, and adjunct chef instructor at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Aliya LeeKong: Chef, cookbook author, television personality, and creator of Issa's Edible Adventures Simply Recipes / Getty Images How These Chefs Cook Ground Beef Pressing the meat into a thin, even layer in the panbefore breaking up the meat is key, declares Kimoto-Kahn. "That crust gives you so much flavor, she says. It does take patience, LeeKong, admits: You want to leave the beef alone once it's in the pan and let the heat do its thingit will take a few minutes for the beef to brown, and you want it to maintain contact with the pan." This technique is a departure from the common habit of frequently stirring ground beef while it cooks. I find so many people want to constantly stir it, but you miss [out on] the crispy brown bits," warns Granahan. Both she and Marris agree that the meat can be broken up once a crust forms. Other key tenets to perfectly browned ground beef, according to these chefs: Always start with a hot pan for the best sear Use oil with a high smoke point , like canola or avocado Avoid overcrowding . There shouldnt be more than a thin layerabout 1/2 inch or soof raw ground beef spread evenly across the pan to start Use a hearty kitchen utensil. A stainless steel or wooden spatula is a good choice. This will also help you to scrape those browned bits from the bottom of the pan to prevent burning The culinary pros note that the caramelized ground beef adds so much nuance and depth to dishes compared to meat that is pale gray, including texture, savoriness, and visual attractiveness. Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower A Few Ideas for Using Ground Beef in Recipes The pros agree that perfectly browned ground beef is made even more delicious when used in the right applications. I love it in Japanese comfort food, like curry rice, soy-ginger udon, or quick miso lettuce wraps," shares Kimoto-Kahn, praising the protein's versatility. Meanwhile, stuffing it into cabbage rollswith a mixture of shredded carrots, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and soyis Marris go-to recipe. Granahan adds ground beef to Thai-style lettuce wraps and bowl-style meals, while LeeKong loves cooking her mom's kheema, a South Asian dish with cumin, coriander, garam masala, garlic, ginger, and chiles. "This is such comfort food for me and for my girls, LeeKong adds. Read More: 21 Ground Beef Casserole Recipes Just Like Grandma Used To Make and Love Read the original article on Simply Recipes Residents in California's Bay Area on high alert after an aggressive squirrel sent multiple people to the emergency room in September. Joan Heblack was on her morning walk in San Rafael, just north of San Francisco, when a squirrel "came out of nowhere" and attacked her, clawing and biting her leg. "The tail was flying up here. I was like, 'Get it off me, get off me!' I didn't want to touch it," Heblack told ABC7. She went to the emergency room to treat her wounds. Isabel Campoy also fell victim to the fury assailant. Not far from where the first attack happened, the same squirrel "tried to jump" on Campoys face, she told the outlet. To protect her face, Campoy used her arm, which the squirrel clawed viciously. "Finally it jumped off, by then I was full of blood, I run to the emergency room," Campoy told ABC7. Paper signs around town now warn about the rodent: "ATTACK SQUIRREL BEWARE!!!!!!!!!" one says, adding, "THIS IS NOT A JOKE." Squirrel attacks are uncommon and usually benign, experts say. The rodents rarely carry rabies, though squirrel bites have been linked to the transmission of certain diseases to humans. A squirrel eats acorns along the Walnut Creek Trail in Des Moines, Sept. 11, 2025. Residents in San Rafael told local media outlets that more than five people have been attacked by the same squirrel, citing the caramel or golden hue of its fur. Labubu of the deep sea? Meet this cute, pink snailfish just discovered Lisa Bloch, director of marketing and communications for Marin Humane, told KTVU that while its uncommon for squirrels to attack people, this latest string of incidents could be the result of someone feeding the animal or raising it from a young age. Marin Humane and the Marin County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "People love animals, which is wonderful, but they mistakenly think that a way to help animals is to feed them," she told the outlet. "And in fact it does the opposite." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Squirrel attacks prompt ER visits in California Bay Area, reports say by Mark Harvey The late Robert F. Kennedy, who ran for President in 1968, could be considered a great man and even more commendably, a good man. It wasnt always so. As a young ambitious lawyer he served under Joseph McCarthy during the hearings meant to weed out communists from American politics. Those hearings ruined many a life and are a stain on American history. He was an early supporter of the Vietnam War, perhaps our most ill-considered and violent venture overseas. In short, he was as misguided as a young man as his now seventy-one-year-old son RFK Jr is as an old man. The big difference is that the father evolved over the years from vast experience and from the terrible loss when his own brother was assassinated. He went from a cocky, overly ambitious lawyer to a compassionate man tempered by pain. His son RFK Jr has traveled the opposite life arc. He began his career as a promising and effective environmental lawyer and in a story worthy of Greek tragedy, took on the arrogance of an Agamemnon or an Icarus. If you like the classics, youll recall that Agamemnon, the protagonist in a play written by Aeschylus, committed a great act of hubris. He sacrificed his own daughter Iphigenia to get favorable winds for his warships on their way to Troy. RFKs act of hubris is assuming he has the background and ability to manage something as massive and complicated as Health and Human Services, by far the biggest budgeted department in the US government, weighing in at $1.6 trillion. Its budget dwarfs the Department of Defense. Health and Human Services has 80,000 employees and oversees some of our most important agencies including The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Medicare and Medicaid Services. In many ways choosing that secretary should a be a presidents most important decision. The effectiveness of the CDC alone may well determine whether the next pandemic is stopped in its tracks or kills millions of people. The FDA works hand-in-hand with the CDC in determining which vaccines can and cant be released, which medicines are ready for market, and how to keep our food supply safe. In other words, the person in charge of all this should be very good at managing money, tens of thousands of people from diverse professions, and have either a strong science background or at least the humility to defer to those who do. A serious appointment for the position looks something like Bill Clintons choice of Donna Shalala, who the Washington Post called one of the most successful government managers of modern times. Shalala earned a PhD from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs, specializing in public finance and budgeting. Good start. She went on to become the president of Hunter College for eight years and then the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin. Those roles involved managing hundreds of millions of dollars, administering thousands of staff members, and negotiating dozens of major fields of studies. In some ways, her education and her prior employment were the perfect combination for her role as Secretary of Health and Human Services. And after eight years in the Clinton administration, she was considered one of the most successful secretaries in the history of the agency. Among her accomplishments were the Childrens Health Insurance Program, which expanded coverage to millions of low-income kids, making the FDA more efficient, and, wait for it, increasing the rates of vaccinations for kids under three. Shalala and her team nearly doubled the number from 50% to 90%. At a Johns Hopkins Health Forum in 2022, Shalala said, I had an ability, because I had been in research universities, to conceptualize the management of strong personalities, and learn how to weave them together with both the policymaking process as well as the budget process. Teams are very important in leading complex institutions. RFK Jr entered the job as Secretary with much less practical preparation. The largest organization he led is called the Riverkeepers and it runs on about $5 million per year. He is a trained lawyer and as a young man, did genuinely good work as an environmental lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council, winning some important cases protecting rivers and waterways, landscapes, and the air itself. Had he stayed in that field and continued to work on his passion for the environment, we would be better off and much safer as a nation. But, alas, hubris. In April of 1968, Robert Kennedy Sr. was in Indianapolis campaigning for President. On the night of April 4th, Martin Luther King was assassinated, the same night Kennedy was scheduled to speak at an urban park in a predominantly black neighborhood. His staff did not want him to carry forward with the speech, fearing for his safety after Kings death. But Kennedy insisted and gave an impromptu speech to a large audience from the back of a pickup truck. It was a short speech asking the crowd not to turn to hate and violence, but to love and compassion. Toward the end, he said, My favorite poet is Aeschylus and he once wrote, In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God. Its a beautiful poem and is spoken by the chorus in the tragic play about Agamemnon. What I found interesting about the poem the first time I read it is the notion of wisdom coming against our will and through the awful grace of God. The Greeks used the term pathei mathos to describe the concept of learning through suffering. I fear that as a nation we may have a terrible learning-by-suffering ahead of us as Kennedy Jr. dismantles The Center for Disease Control, which has long been considered the center of the worlds best scientists fighting sickness, plagues, and infections. Kennedy subscribes to so many disproven theories about medicine, disease, and virology, that you have to wonder which corner of the Internet he pastures in. Hes perhaps most well-known for his claim that vaccines cause autism in children due to a mercury-based preservative called thimerosol. That claim has been soundly disproven by massive studies including one in 2014 that involved 1.4 million children. It was also disproven when autism rates continued to climb even after thimerosol was removed from vaccines in 2001. You dont have to be an epidemiologist to reason that one out. Kennedys clinging to the autism-thimerosol theory is akin to saying that umbrellas cause rain. And then when umbrellas are outlawed and it continues to rain, he maintains his campaign against umbrellas. Thats the man running our CDC. I have friends who live in the far corner of the Internet where bizarre theories about everything abound. They buy tin foil in bulk to fashion hats that protect themselves against mind-control-waves from outer space. They dont believe that we ever landed on the moon and they dont believe much of what our best scientists write. I dont argue with them about any of this because its a lost cause. But when an heir of the storied Kennedy clan inhabits that same murky corner of the Internet and is carelessly appointed head of an organization that may be called upon to battle a viral plague, its time to worry. If you run the department that controls the CDC, you better know something about the eradication of polio. While polio is not the greatest threat to children these days, understanding what a terrible disease it was worldwide, how its vaccine was developed, and how that vaccine has saved millions from either death or paralysis seems like required reading. RFK Jr. truly believes that the polio vaccine killed more people than it saved. His beliefs come from a long-ago debunked theory about the vaccine causing more cancer deaths than lives saved by the inoculation. The world has suffered about four influenza pandemics per hundred years over the last two centuries. One of the worst was called the Spanish Flu, which killed somewhere around fifty million people worldwide, and close to 675,000 Americansabout one of every 150 people nationwide. We had no vaccination for it. In todays numbers, that would be more than two million Americans. Virologists have little doubt that well have more influenza pandemics this century. The influenza viruses that worry me the most are H5N1 and H7N9, both versions of whats called Bird Flu. Like all viruses, they continue to mutate in their path to survival and have infected a number of our dairy cows and chickens. Whats worrisome is the transmission of the virus from farm animal to farm worker, something thats already happening. And what could be still worse is if the virus gains the ability to quickly move from human to human through respiratory transmission. I have a profound admiration for great scientists. Their ability to reason is obvious but sometimes overlooked is their ability to make leaps in progress with their imagination. Whether Darwin observing species worldwide on the voyage of the Beagle and consequently developing the Theory of Evolution or Einstein developing his Theory of Relativity through gedankenexperimente, (German for thought experiments), its the combination of reason and fluid imagination that has helped get us out of the stone age. Simply put, we need the finest scientists working at the CDC, not those subscribing to weak theories about disease and vaccinations. I dont know that you can put a date on the birth of modern epidemiology. Influenza got its name from medieval Italy when epidemics were called influenza di stelle, influence of the stars. In other words, people used to believe that epidemics were related to astrology and functions of planetary alignment. Weve come quite a distance from there to our current understanding of the spread of viruses and bacteria. You could say that modern epidemiology began with the case of John Snow and the 1854 cholera outbreak in London. Cholera was killing hundreds of people in London within a few blocks and it was assumed that miasma, bad air, was the cause. John Snow, a young physician, mapped the deaths and discovered a high density of mortality around a public pump on Broad street. He also noticed that a nearby workhouse with its own well had much lower rates of cholera. Through observation, reason, and imagination, he concluded that cholera was waterborne, not airborne and convinced the authorities to remove the pump handle. The death rates immediately dropped precipitously. Snows style of work and thinking represents what we need in our epidemiologists: rigorous observation, inductive thinking, integration across fields, disciplined analysis, and case control studies. It is the antithesis of RFK Jr.s shallow analysis of disease and disease vectors. He has advocated cod liver oil to treat and prevent measles, cast doubt on whether HIV causes AIDS, and has fired some of the nations best scientists including the head of the CDC, the Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and the Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Whether our next pandemic is influenza or of the corona virus style, we need the best of the best preparing this nation and the world to handle it. Through Kennedys arrogance and hubris, weve already lost a great deal of time and expertise. Saving lives when the next plague comes will certainly involve a vaccine. I cant think of anything more frightening and disheartening than struggling through a virulent disease and being told by a man singularly ill-equipped for the job to take more cod liver oil and raw milk. Lifes tragedies somehow humbled RFK Sr., making him more compassionate and understanding of the world. He turned to classic writers such as Aeschylus to help him through his grief and appeared to gain wisdom and humility with age. To watch his son seemingly become more arrogant by the day, willfully blind to the best science, is to witness a tragedy in the making. We will all pay for his hubris. Honda has become the latest company to tweak its EV plans. Stanislav Kogiku/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Carmakers are bracing for impact after the Trump administration gutted EV subsidies in the US. Ford, Porsche, and Stellantis have all made strategy shifts, with Jeep and Ram scrapping new electric models. Honda is the latest automaker to tap the brakes, ending production of the US-only Acura EV. Automakers are pulling back from EVs as the electric revolution stalls. Electric vehicle sales are expected to hit a record in the US this year, but the Trump administration's gutting of EV subsidies has left analysts predicting that adoption will slow over the next few years. With the $7,500 tax credit for new, American-made electric vehicles ending on September 30, carmakers are bracing for impact. Tesla CEO Elon Musk warned investors in July that the EV giant could face "a few rough quarters" as it grapples with the end of incentives. Other automakers are tweaking their EV strategies and even rolling them back entirely as they navigate a brave new world. Honda Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe said the company is switching gears amid a slowdown in EV sales. Kim Kyung-Hoon/REUTERS After unveiling plans to cut $20 billion in EV investment and go all-in on hybrids in May, Honda said it would end production of the US-only Acura ZDX. A spokesperson for the Japanese automaker confirmed on September 24 that production of the electric crossover, which was built by General Motors at its plant in Tennessee, was being scrapped due to "market conditions." Jeep Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Jeep announced last year that it would introduce a plug-in hybrid version of its Gladiator pickup truck by the end of 2025. However, in September, the Jeep Gladiator 4xe became the latest EV model on the chopping block. A spokesperson for the brand, which is owned by European conglomerate Stellantis, told TechCrunch that Jeep no longer planned to include an electrified Gladiator in its product lineup after "reassessing its product strategy." Jeep cited changing customer preferences as the reason for the shift. Ram NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images Another Stellantis brand, US-based truck maker Ram, announced its own EV shift earlier in September. The company said it would discontinue production of the REV 1500, a full-sized electric pickup truck that Ram had positioned as a challenger to Ford's F-150 Lightning. Ram said the decision was in response to slowing demand for EV trucks in North America. Porsche Yan Minglei/VCG via Getty Images Porsche had bet heavily on luxury EVs, but the German carmaker announced it would shelve plans to build an electrified SUV and pivot back to gasoline-powered and hybrid models. The German carmaker, which has faced falling sales in EV-friendly China, said it would take a 1.8 billion ($2.2 billion) hit over the strategy shift, sparking a record share price plunge. Bentley John Keeble/Getty Images British brand Bentley, known for its ultra-classy luxury motors, has also walked back plans to stop selling combustion-engine vehicles completely by 2035, CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser told Autocar on September 22 that Bentley was now planning to build new gasoline versions of its most popular models, rather than just offering them as hybrids or EVs. Ford Ford boss Jim Farley told investors he is "thankful" the company invested in its hybrid lineup. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Ford confirmed in August that it had pushed back the launch of its new full-size electric pickup truck, known internally as "Project T3," and a new commercial van to 2028. The Detroit giant has lost billions attempting to compete with Tesla on EVs and is now betting on smaller, more affordable electric models developed by a "skunkworks" team based in California. CEO Jim Farley announced in August that the first of these models, a $30,000 midsize electric truck, will roll out in 2027. Read the original article on Business Insider Americans hate these food the most Ah, the age-old question of whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza. And dont even get us started on grits. From coast to coast, Americans have a love/hate relationship with their food. But what about those foods that just cant catch a break? The ones that are universally despised? In 2023, career experts Zippia narrowed down a list of the 40 most hated foods in America to our top 10 dislikes. They used Google Search Trends data, such as online orders and least-used foods in recipes. By separating this data by state, and removing highly regional delicacies like grits, they were able to find the most hated food in every state. Here are 10 foods rated dead last. Carrots DepositPhotos.com 10. Carrots Only one state declared war on carrots: Montana. The people living here have a hatred for the orange vegetable, but theyre all alone on this one. Well done steak rlat/istockphoto 9. Well-done steak Two states need their steaks cooked just right: Connecticut and Massachusetts. Be careful if youre the one behind the grill in these states. A well-done steak just wont cut it. Pickles Depositphotos.com 8. Pickles If youre in Hawaii, dont count on finding a lot of dishes with pickles. The only other place where pickles inspire such hatred isnt technically a state: The District of Columbia. Beets Liudmila Chernetska/iStock 7. Beets It seems like beets are not very popular in the South. The four states that would rather say beat it to the rooty vegetables are Alabama, Arizona, Florida, and Louisiana. turkey bacon BWFolsom / istockphoto 6. Turkey Bacon Bacon may be a popular food just about everywhere, but if youre looking for turkey bacon, you better hope you arent in Alaska or Colorado. Turkey bacon is also hated in Rhode Island and Wyoming. Sushi 500 / iStock 5. Sushi While sushi is a trendy favorite in many parts of the country, not everyone is rolling with the raw fish craze. In fact, four statesMaine, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginiaare turning up their noses at sushi. Bologna bhofack2/iStock 4. Bologna The humble sandwich meat isnt welcome in four states. Oregon, Washington and Utah on the west coast will say no thanks to the bologna. New Hampshire joins them in their hatred of the lunch meat. Eggplant TanyaLovus / iStock 3. Eggplant Eggplant earns five haters across the country. Both North and South Dakota rate eggplant their most hated food. Joining them is Kentucky, Minnesota and Nevada. Anchovies Depositphotos.com 2. Anchovies Anchovies have definitely been voted off the flavor island, with twelve states dubbing them the most vile of the vile. And these states are scattered all over, from Texas in the south to Wisconsin and Ohio in the mid-west. They are joined by Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. This long list makes anchovies infamous among hated foods. But there is still one food that beats it for the ignoble title of the most hated food in America. Olives Depositphotos.com 1. Olives Olives are one of those love-them-or-hate-them foods. While a decent 62% of Americans might give them a thumbs up, the remaining 38% are not shy about their disdain. In fact, they despise the pitted fruit so much that it ranks as the most hated food in 13 states. Youll find olive-haters everywhere from New Jersey and New York to California. And dont forget all the places in between. Olives also rank last in Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. Like MediaFeeds content? Be sure to follow us. This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.org. Pam Bondi Sworn In As Attorney General In The Oval Office Andrew Harnik/Getty Images A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from withholding disaster relief funds from states that refuse to cooperate on immigration enforcement. U.S. District Judge William Smith, appointed to the bench in Rhode Island by President George W. Bush, deemed it unconstitutional to require states to cooperate in federal immigration activities to receive disaster relief funding, according to court documents. The ruling comes months after a coalition of 20 state Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration over threats to withhold billions of dollars over sanctuary policies. (RELATED: Blue States Sue Over Trump Policy Withholding Millions In Funds Over Sanctuary Policies) Plaintiff States are entitled to injunctive relief, Smith wrote in his ruling, issuing a permanent injunction against the Trump administration. First, Plaintiff states have succeeded on the merits of their claims: the contested conditions are both arbitrary and capricious and unconstitutional. Second, Plaintiff States stand to suffer irreparable harm; the effect of the loss of emergency and disaster funds cannot be recovered later, and the downstream effect on disaster response and public safety are real and not compensable, the federal judge continued, calling the administrations directive coercive, ambiguous and accusing it of undermining the system of federalism. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents look over lists of names and their hearing times and locations inside the Federal Plaza courthouse before making arrests on June 27, 2025 in New York. (Photo by Bryan R. SMITH / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously directed her departments sub-agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to cease federal funding to sanctuary cities. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a letter in May informing states that recipients of transportation funding must comply with federal law. Federal grants come with a clear obligation to adhere to federal laws, Duffy said to states at the time. It shouldnt be controversial enforce our immigration rules, end anti-American DEI policies, and protect free speech. These values reflect the priorities of the American people, and I will take action to ensure compliance. In May, a coalition of Democratic attorneys general responded by filing two separate lawsuits in Rhode Island against the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation, claiming both departments imposed sweeping new conditions requiring states to assist with federal immigration enforcement efforts or lose billions in federal funding. Plaintiff states include California, Illinois, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, according to court documents. The ruling marks the latest clash between the Trump administration and sanctuary localities that do not wish to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. New York City leaders sued the DOJ in July for the citys sanctuary laws, one of the many targets in a growing list of lawsuits from federal prosecutors. Throughout 2025, the White House has sued Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston and New York State for instituting anti-ICE policies. Some of this pressure has worked, with the mayor of Louisville declaring in July that his city would begin cooperating with ICE. The Trump administration continues to maintain a running list of states, cities and counties it deems to be sanctuary havens for illegal migrants. The White House has also deployed boots on the ground in major sanctuary cities, with federal immigration operations in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Operation Midway Blitz taking place in Chicago. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. DJ Allierockk spins reggaeton at Guelaguetza in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (Jill Connelly / For De Los) It was just after noon on a Sunday in Los Angeles, and inside Oaxacan restaurant Guelaguetza a crowd of nearly 50 people were dancing to El Alfas "4K," coffees in hand, under an outdoor canopy draped with colorful papel picado. They crouched down to perrear in their friend groups and swayed their hands to the Caribbean rhythms. As people continued to trickle in, the DJ continued to spin essential reggaeton and dembow songs such as "Pa' Que Retozen," "Rompe," "De Carolina," "NuevaYol," "Tu Sicaria" and more. At the front of the space was Allie Ramirez, a.k.a. Allierockk: DJ and host of a day party called "Cafe con Allie," which takes place two Sundays per month. There, dozens of people gather to start their day by sipping coffee while dancing to reggaeton and hip-hop. "There's so much going on in the world that I want to create a safe space where we can have fun and obviously not forget about everything, but just be here, be present and have a good time," Ramirez said. "I just want everyone to leave feeling good." John Loza has a toast with friends. (Jill Connelly / For De Los) Cafe con Allie is one of many coffee shop day parties that have emerged this summer to support local coffee shops, give people a fun way to start their day and provide a sober experience for participants. Similar events have also taken place across California, New York, Arizona, Florida and more. These events typically happen in the morning or afternoon, involve a DJ, dancing and lots of coffee. Ramirez said that Cafe con Allie originally started last April at La Chula Cafe in Pasadena, but as regular attendance swelled beyond the spaces capacity, she had to move the event to Guelaguetza, a family-owned restaurant in Koreatown. She said that the event has fostered community among many people who regularly attend although some people may come alone, theyre bound to find friends within the crowd. In addition to giving people a fun way to start their day, Ramirez said that she was motivated to start Cafe con Allie because she wanted people to feel comfortable dancing while being sober, as she herself doesnt drink much. While alcohol was an option at the event, most people opted for a curated menu of coffee with homemade horchata, churro or matcha flavors by La Chula Cafe. "A lot of people are yearning for community, and I want to provide a community where it's like, 'Hey, you don't really need alcohol," Ramirez said. "We wanted to create a sober experience and let them know you could still have fun and you can still make friends." Left to right: Monica Robertson, David Chavez and Crystal Nunez dance and drink coffee at Cafe con Allie. (Jill Connelly / For De Los) Cindy Alvarado, who owns La Chula Cafe with her family, said that the parties have helped her coffee business grow. She also said the events motivate and uplift the Latino community by bringing people together through common experiences, like enjoying a cafecito with their elders and dancing to vibrant music. "It's on a Sunday so you start off your week a little bit more motivated, having a little bit more fun, especially because people get caffeinated, it's like a burst of energy without having any alcohol," Alvarado said. Sarah Bustillo and Rebecca Ballesteros, who attended the latest Cafe con Allie together, found the event when searching for reggaeton dance parties more specifically, to celebrate the last day of summer. They both said they felt ready to take on the Monday after. "I'd be hella awake if I went to work after this," Ballesteros said. "Id be like, 'I already danced my heart out and had some coffee. Let's start the day!" Evelyn Navarro found out about Cafe con Allie because she and her sister are coffee connoisseurs. Ramirez also happens to be one of her sisters favorite DJs, so she felt like there was no better way to merge their two interests. The latest Cafe con Allie was her third time attending; Navarro said she keeps coming back because she likes Allies friendly and welcoming vibe, as well as the delicious coffee. Navarro also said she feels this event is uplifting Latino culture especially during a time when, especially here in Los Angeles, masked ICE agents are threatening our communities with arrests. Daisy Nunez is served a latte courtesy of La Chula Cafe. (Jill Connelly / For De Los) "We have a lot of stuff happening in the courts," Navarro said. "This creates a safe space for everyone to come together, and not forget about what's happening, but get away from it and just enjoy each other's company with coffee. Dancing, music and food [are] universal languages." As "La Botella" played, Ramirez encouraged everyone to raise their coffees. By the end, members of the audience formed a circle and danced around Ramirez as the Cafe con Allie concluded. Some people left knowing they would be back at the next one. "Some people go to church on Sundays, other people come to dance and have coffee here with us," Ramirez added. "I think how it uplifts Latino culture in general is that if people look at us, they see us, and they are inspired." Get our Latinx Files newsletter for stories that capture the complexity of our communities. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Fremont Police Department Varun Suresh NEED TO KNOW Varun Suresh allegedly stabbed 71-year-old sex offender David Brimmer to death after hunting him down at his home, according to the Fremont Police Department The accused killer discovered Brimmer on a website listing all sex offenders in the state of California and selected him because of his age, he allegedly told police "Im hoping that because [the victim is] a pedophile like, everyone hates pedophiles so like, it should be cool. It should be cool," Suresh allegedly said, per authorities A California man is accused of killing a 71-year-old sex offender and then telling police it was really fun. Varun Suresh, 29, is now facing multiple charges, including murder, residential burglary and armed individual causing great bodily injury, according to a release from the Fremont Police Department. Those charges all stem from a fatal incident that occurred on Thursday, Sept. 18, when Suresh allegedly tracked down David Brimmer after finding his name, photo and address while searching an online registry of sex offenders, Fremont police said. Suresh allegedly told authorities that pedophiles "deserve to die" after the attack, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. The Los Angeles Times reported in 1992 that Brimmer was charged with three counts of lewd and lascivious behavior with minor boys between the ages of 9 and 15 while serving as a pastor at the Jubilee Christian Center. 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. Suresh allegedly told police that he selected his victim based on his age, meaning that he was "someone who is easy to kill," according to the affidavit. He then allegedly traveled to his victim's neighborhood, saying that he believed Brimmer would be monitoring the neighborhood for people looking to kill him. The suspect also told police he posed as an accountant and began going door-to-door so as not to appear suspicious before arriving at Brimmer's residence, per the affidavit. Once there, Suresh began speaking to the man and then, after he had confirmed it was in fact Brimmer, he allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked the man. The affidavit also stated that Brimmer somehow managed to outrun Suresh and made it to a neighbor's house, where the victim began pounding on the garage until he was let into the home. Suresh then allegedly fought his way into the house and cornered Brimmer in the kitchen, where he repeatedly and violently stabbed the man with a knife as the homeowner screamed at him to stop. Brimmer eventually made his way out of the home and onto the front lawn, where he collapsed due to blood loss. "Within minutes, officers arrived on scene and located an unresponsive 71-year-old male victim on the ground," the FPD said, per the release. "The victim was suffering from significant stab wounds. Officers immediately administered trauma care; however, the victim passed away on the scene." Suresh reportedly remained at the scene and spoke to officers. "Im hoping that because [the victim is] a pedophile like, everyone hates pedophiles so like, it should be cool. It should be cool," he allegedly told officers, per the affidavit. According to the police, Suresh later added that he "didnt feel sad at all" and thought the murder was "honestly really fun." Suresh is now in custody and will be undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, according to court records. Read the original article on People Placentia Police Dept. Facebook Placentia Police Dept. vehicle NEED TO KNOW A mother was charged over the death of her 2-year-old son after he was found unresponsive in the bathtub when she left him alone in the bathroom at their home in Placentia, Calif. Melissa Lynn Beisel reportedly left her son alone for two minutes to grab soap and found him "unresponsive" when she returned Beisel allegedly injured herself and stayed in the bathroom with her son for approximately six hours before help was called A mother of five is being accused of causing the death of her youngest child. On Tuesday, Sept. 23, the Placentia Police Department confirmed in a press release that Melissa Lynn Beisel, 40, had been arrested after her 2-year-old son died during bath time at their home in Placentia, Calif. On September 22, 2025, at approximately 9:08 PM, Placentia Public Safety Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call reference a 2-year-old male child who was unresponsive, the report read. Placentia Police Officers and Placentia Fire personnel arrived on scene and located the male child in the bathroom, and life saving measures began. The toddler was taken to a local hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced deceased. Officials noted that Beisel was treated for "self-inflicted wounds," which Lt. Joe Connell told The Orange County Register "didn't appear to be life-threatening." The investigation revealed that the mother was giving the child a bath in a walk-in shower, using a plastic storage bin, authorities said. The mother walked out of the bathroom to obtain some soap and left the child alone for approximately 2 minutes. 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. Getty Aerial view of Placentia, California at sunset Beisel's son was "face down in the bin, unresponsive" when she returned, officials alleged. The mother began CPR on the child and when it was not effective, the mother harmed herself with a sharp object. Police say Beisel stayed in the bathroom with her unresponsive son for around six hours before a relative found them and called emergency services. After being discharged from hospital, Beisel was taken to jail and charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse causing great bodily injury, per the Placentia Police Department. Authorities said that while they didnt believe Beisel wanted to intentionally drown the boy, her leaving him alone in the bath and not calling the police after finding him unresponsive was negligent, according to The Orange County Register. Getty Signage for Placentia Civic Center, City Hall, Police, and Library for the Orange County town of Placentia, California Beisel lived with her partner and their five children. Their deceased son was the youngest, and Connell said that the other children ranged from "elementary age to mid-teens." Molly Ortiz, who lived in the house in front of Beisel's, told The Orange County Register that the family seemed to be loving and normal. While police had found no records of activity at the home before, Ortiz recalled having a member of Child Protective Services show up at her home looking for Beisel "several months ago." The reason for the alleged visit was not clear and had not been confirmed. The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Placentia Police Department Detective Bureau at (714) 993-8146. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Orange County Crimestoppers at (855) TIPS-OCCS or https://occrimestoppers.org, they added. PEOPLE has contacted the Placentia Police Department for further comment. Read the original article on People SAPs C-suite admits that AI could significantly slash its 110,000-strong workforceand its CFO Dominik Asam says he 'will be brutal' in the process. (Uwe Anspach/picture alliance via Getty Images) The pressure is mounting on business leaders to harness AI to make work faster, cheaper, and more efficient. That may thrill investors, but for employees, it could mean fewer jobs around the world. At the $320 billion software giant SAP, there will likely be a need for fewer engineers to deliver the sameor even greateroutput, according to the companys CFO Dominik Asam. Theres more automation, simply, Asam told Business Insider. There are certain tasks which are automated and for the same volume of output we can afford to have less people. As a C-suite exec at Europes most valuable software company, Asam cautioned that this reality will only come true if the corporate world implements the technology properly. After all, a recent MIT study found that 95% of generative AI pilots have not met the mark. I will be brutal. And I also say this internally. For SAP and any other software company, AI is a great catalyst. It can be either great or catastrophe, Asam warned. It will be great if you do it well, if you are able to implement it and do it faster than others. If you are left behind, you will have a problem for sure. We work day and night to not fall behind. SAPs workforce wont look the same With 110,000 employees worldwide, AI has been top of mind for SAP for years (the term is now even part of its business description). But similar to its CFO, the companys chief executive Christian Klein has been weighing how the technology will allow him to reshape his workforce. It would be an illusion to believe AI will help and drive more productivity, but the workforce will still look the same, Klein told Time last month. That will be absolutely not the case. But I also cant imagine a workforce only with digital workers. He estimated that some 60 to 70% of jobs could go digital. Do I expect to need the same amount of developers, salespeople, and consultants in the future? Definitely not with the job profiles that they have today, he added. At the same time, Klein noted that other professions, such as data scientists, will be more in demand. But like Asam, he admitted that completely reshaping his workforce overnight could be a recipe for disaster. Becoming a CEO and believing that now youre making a decision, and you have the power, so everyone will just follow, is probably the biggest mistake you can make, Klein said. You can put a lot of policies in place, you can put more pressure, but people will not just automatically follow. You need to over-communicate in times of change to convince people. The company announced in July that it was investing in training programs and new hires in critical growth areas while as the same time planning targeted measures that are expected to affect approximately 12% of SAPs global workforce in 2025. As our industry undergoes a profound transformation driven by AI and cloud technologies, we are focusing on continuously optimizing our processes and structures, as well as making strategic investments in future capabilities, a company spokesperson told Fortune. The reshaping of corporate workforces SAP isnt alone in realizing that AIs capabilities means they have to rethink the size and shape of their workforce to stay ahead. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told his employees that while recent tech innovation meant fewer people would be in certain jobs and more would shift into others, in the end, the number of Amazon employees would shrink. Its hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company, Jassy wrote in a June memo. At Salesforce, this AI-powered reality has already taken shape, with CEO Marc Benioff admitting he was able to reorganize his customer support workforceand reduce the headcount from 9,000 to 5,000. As executives seem to be in agreement that the workforces of tomorrow will be leaner than today, leaders like Goodwill CEO Steve Preston worry that the changes will hurt those at the bottom of the ladder the most. I dont know that itll be catastrophic, but I do think were going to see a significant reduction in a number of jobs, Preston told Fortune. I think its going to hit low-wage workers especially hard. Note: A previous edition of this article inaccurately reported that Salesforce had slashed its workforce in half thanks to AI. A spokesperson for the company clarified the changes were exclusive to customer support, and many workers were either moved to new departments or the roles were not backfilled. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com A number of incursions by unidentified drones across Denmark that caused the temporary shutdown of two airports and affected military installations were part of a "hybrid attack," the country's defense minister said Thursday. Police in neighboring Norway, meanwhile, said they had seized a drone near Oslo's airport, the AFP news agency reported, and police said more drone activity was reported in Denmark later on Thursday, according to local media. A public prosecutor in Norway said Thursday that there was nothing to immediately suggest any link between the Oslo incident and the drones seen in Denmark, according to AFP. While neither Danish nor Norwegian officials have accused anyone of responsibility, the incidents come with many European nations on alert following Russian drone and fighter jet incursions into Poland, Romania and Estonia. At a press conference alongside Denmark's justice minister and police, Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen said that what he called a "professional actor" had been responsible for the drone incursions in that country. Poulsen said different types of drones had been spotted at various locations, including near critical infrastructure and military areas, and appeared to be part of a "systematic" attack carried out by a "professional actor." He did not give further details on what he meant by that term, or who he may have been referring to, but added that "there is still no direct military threat to Denmark." Poulsen said Denmark was considering requesting consultations under NATO's Article 4, which allows member states to discuss issues of concern with the rest of the alliance. He noted that the country had already reached out to NATO and was planning to reach out to the European Union to discuss the drones. He said there was no evidence that Russia was behind that attack. A series of drone incursions in Denmark On Wednesday, Denmark's second biggest airport, Billund, was closed for an hour, and another airport used for both commercial and military flights was closed for three hours, police said, citing drone sightings, according to local media and the Reuters news agency. Unidentified drones were also seen overnight near two other airports and an air base, which is home to some of Denmark's F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, Reuters reported. The national police said the drones followed similar patterns to others that halted flights for four hours at Copenhagen Airport earlier in the week, according to Reuters. After that incident, Jens Jespersen of the Copenhagen Police said the those responsible seemed to be showing off their skills, adding that the number, large size and flight patterns of the unidentified drones combined indicated "that it is a capable actor. Which capable actor, I do not know." Danish police are seen at Copenhagen Airport, in Kastrup near Copenhagen, Sept. 22, 2025, after two or three unidentified, large drones were seen flying near the airport. / Credit: STEVEN KNAP/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/Getty On Tuesday, in response to those earlier incidents, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she could "certainly not rule out in any way that it is Russia" behind the drone activity, calling it "the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date." She said the motive of the attacks was likely, "the obvious: To disrupt and create unrest. To cause concern. To see how far you can go and test the limits," according to Politico. Russia dismisses "unfounded accusations" over potential involvement During a briefing Tuesday in Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed allegations that Russia could be responsible for the drone incursions. "Each time they make unfounded accusations, frankly, it leads to the continuation of such statements no longer being taken into account, because each time we hear unfounded accusations," Peskov said, according to Russia's state-run Interfax news agency. "Perhaps a country that takes a serious position should not make such unfounded accusations time and again." Russia's embassy in Denmark, in a statement Thursday, said "incidents involving reported disruptions at Danish airports are a staged provocation. Undoubtedly, they will be used as a pretext for further escalating tension in the interests of forces seeking by all means to prolong the Ukrainian conflict and extend it to other countries." "The Russian side firmly rejects the absurd speculations of involvement in the incidents," the embassy said. Russian drones were detected in airspace over Poland and Romania this month, and three Russian fighter jets were intercepted in Estonian air space last Friday. Denmark's justice minister, Peter Hummelgaard, said Thursday that "new capabilities to detect and neutralize drones must be acquired," and that the incursions into Demark's air space should be seen as "a long series of deeply worrying episodes across Europe," local media reported. "The goal of these kinds of hybrid attacks is to create fear, create division and make us afraid," Hummelgaard said. U.S. fighter jets were scrambled Wednesday, meanwhile, to identify and intercept four Russian warplanes flying near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said. It was the latest in a series of Russian military flights in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, which is international airspace off the U.S. coast. Trump slams Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV on ABC Sean "Diddy" Combs back in court before sentencing U.S. government could shut down in days if Congress doesn't pass a budget FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement at the White House, in Washington, D.C. By Julie Steenhuysen, Julia Harte and Deena Beasley CHICAGO (Reuters) -Doctors are already facing worried women asking whether taking Tylenol during pregnancy can cause autism in their children just days after U.S. President Donald Trump urged women to "fight like hell" to not take it. Trump, at a White House press conference on Monday flanked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and senior health officials, warned women of the autism link, despite scant scientific evidence, and said his administration would add warnings to drug labels to highlight the risk. The day after the press conference, Dr. Rana Alissa, a pediatrician in Jacksonville and president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, was covering a shift in her hospital's newborn nursery along with an obstetrician-gynecologist. "Pregnant women were asking about Tylenol actively," she said. "'What should I do? Do you think it's safe? I just took Tylenol last month. Do you think I already hurt my baby?' These are examples of the questions we're hearing." Dr. Rachel Blake, an obstetrician-gynecologist based in New York and New Jersey, said she had reassured several pregnant patients on Tuesday that it was still safe to take Tylenol despite Trumps repeated admonitions. There has been no new research that suggests there should be a change in that guideline, she said. BLAMING PREGNANT WOMEN CREATES GUILT Linking use of Tylenol during pregnancy to autism heaps blame on pregnant women, who already have a lot of guilt and fear if they have to take anything while pregnant, said Dr. Sindhu Srinivas, president of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. "Patients are definitely asking about it," she said, referring to Trump's warnings. "If they have taken it already or took it at some point in the pregnancy, there is a lot of concern," she said. Her group is among the dozens of medical, research and autism advocacy groups - including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Tylenol maker Kenvue - who have decried the president's comments. Kenvue has said independent, sound science shows taking the drug does not cause autism. It is sold by generic drugmakers as acetaminophen in the U.S. and paracetamol in other nations. On Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its website and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent letters to providers warning of a risk, with the caveat that no causal relationship between acetaminophen and autism had been established. Since Monday, European Union health officials, British health agencies and the World Health Organization have rushed to correct the record. All said there is no conclusive evidence linking use of the painkiller during pregnancy and autism. Srinivas's approach to counseling patients is to share some of the shortcomings and nuances about the research supporting an association between Tylenol during pregnancy and autism. Some of the studies, she said, had "a lot of limitations" and failed to take into account the reasons a pregnant woman might need to take acetaminophen, such as fever, which has been linked with autism. "What we know is there is really no causal link between acetaminophen and autism," Srinivas said. UNTREATED FEVER RAISES BIRTH DEFECT RISK Acetaminophen is the only pain reliever considered safe for pregnant women. Doctors already urge them to use the least amount of the drug for the shortest possible duration to control pain and fever during pregnancy. Untreated fever and pain during pregnancy are known to increase the risk of birth defects, preterm birth, low birth weight and miscarriage and other health problems. "The risk of fever in pregnancy is very real," said Dr. Caitlin Baptiste, maternal fetal medicine specialist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. "Certainly in the first trimester, we know it can cause congenital birth defects and can raise the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders," she said. Baptiste said she is glad for the increased focus on autism, but does not think it's helpful to add unfounded worries about Tylenol use. "We need to focus efforts on where the science is," she said. Caring for children with conditions like autism can already be exhausting, terrifying, alienating, said Erin Erenberg, the CEO and co-founder of Chamber of Mothers, a maternal rights advocacy group with more than 100,000 members across the United States. Erenberg, who herself has a medically complex child, said the Trump administrations continuing erosion of trust in evidence-based health guidance leaves women vulnerable to misinformation." (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago, Julia Harte in New York and Deena Beasley in Los Angeles; Editing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot) Former Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson is still more than $10 million in debt stemming from a loan he didnt pay back after the Vikings declined to exercise an $18 million option on his contract in 2017. But efforts to collect on that debt hit a snag in court Wednesday, Sept. 24 when a judge in Houston denied a court-appointed receiver's request to sell one of Petersons cars, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY Sports. The court-appointed receiver, Robert Berleth, had petitioned the court for permission to sell Petersons 2007 BMW to help satisfy the judgment against Peterson. In response, Peterson fought back and won a ruling in court on Wednesday that denies Berleth's attempt to do that. Peterson stated the car was seized from his home without his permission. My 2007 BMW was parked outside my home and was taken from the property by the Receiver (Berleth) in this matter, or individuals under his direction, while I was not home, Peterson said in a declaration filed in Houston Sept. 22. I did not agree to its seizure, nor was I asked at the time whether I wanted to designate it as exempt. I was not even aware it had been taken until I returned home. Judge Erica Hughes denied Berleths motion to sell the property, which Berleth said was turned over by Peterson in 2022. The law gives Peterson some protection against debt collection, such as up to $100,000 worth of personal property. Peterson, 40, earned more than $100 million in his NFL career from 2007 to 2021. What is going on here with Adrian Peterson? Its the latest in an ongoing cat-and-mouse game between Peterson and Berleth, the court-appointed receiver who is trying to collect on a court judgment stemming from a $5.2 million loan Peterson took out from a Pennsylvania lending company in October 2016. An attachment to the promissory note indicated Peterson was seeking an advance on an $18 million contract with the Vikings. But after Peterson injured his knee in September 2016, the Vikings declined to pick up that option in early 2017. Petersons earnings fell after that, and he didnt pay back the loan. He now owes around $11 million to $13 million including interest and attorneys fees, according to various court documents filed by Berleth. NFL Week 4 power rankings 1. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) Last year, an auction to sell Petersons trophies, jerseys and clothing was suspended in Texas as the two sides fought over the property involved. In court documents filed this week, Petersons attorney said that issue is still unresolved and now the court-appointed receiver was seeking to sell a car seized from Peterson under false pretenses The attorney noted that Peterson has every right to designate the car at issue as exempt. The judge sided with Peterson, but the larger debt-collection remains pending. In recent years, Peterson also has faced other legal problems, including with child support, a misdemeanor assault case last year and a drunken-driving arrest in Minnesota in April. Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-Vikings star Adrian Peterson wins fight over BMW in big debt case CBS 12 News - WPEC/Youtube Eddie Jarmakowicz NEED TO KNOW Eddie Jarmakowicz, of Riviera Beach, Florida, has recounted being attacked by a shark while spearfishing in The Bahamas last month "My wrist was hanging down, and I could see flesh, so obviously that was a concern," the husband and father of three told local media outlet 25 WPBF Following the incident, the fisherman was flown to a hospital in Florida where he underwent emergency surgery A fisherman and father of three from Florida is recovering after a shark attack in The Bahamas left him with major injuries. Eddie Jarmakowicz, of Riviera Beach, was spearfishing in the Grand Cay on Aug. 16, when he was bitten by a shark, according to WPBF. The 52-year-old was fishing and snorkeling in around 20 to 25 feet of water when the attack occurred and saw him sustain serious injuries to his left hand, per 25 WPBF, CBS12 and WSVN. Jarmakowicz, who was on a three-day fishing trip at the time, was with three others when the incident took place, according to 25 WPBF. "I'd speared a mutton snapper. As I was swimming to retrieve the fish, I pulled it close to this (left) hand, he told CBS12. I was swimming up to the surface and as I transitioned to look up for the boat, something hit my hand. I believe that my hand was all the way into the shark's mouth by the lacerations that came up the forearm. He added, I kind of pulled back and then pushed forward. I lost the fish I had speared and never saw the shark that attacked me. Getty Stock image of a Caribbean reef shark in Grand Cay, The Bahamas 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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Jarmakowicz revealed that despite not seeing the shark, my wrist was hanging down, and I could see flesh, so obviously that was a concern. I swam back to the boat, and the whole rescue started from then, per 25 WPBF. The other person that was in the water at the time revealed that the shark was a six-foot long reef shark. "It came from behind me, turned and grabbed the fish, and unfortunately got my hand as well, and then it swam behind me and my friend tried to poke it away with his spear a couple of times, and then it swam off, Jarmakowicz told 25 WPBF. It took the group 45 minutes to return to the shore following the incident, before Jarmakowicz was flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, Florida, by a local pilot, per WSVN. Google Maps HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital A tourniquet had been used to wrap up Jarmakowicz's hand for over four hours and the fisherman had lost a liter of blood, 25 WPBF reported. He had a major injury where we consider it a mangled extremity, multiple muscles that were exposed, tendons that were involved, Trauma surgeon Dr. Aleta Paschal told the outlet. I could see down to his bone and his forearm. I slowly brought down the tourniquet just to see if the vascular flow was affected, and thankful to God it wasn't. Jarmakowicz then underwent emergency surgery, with the operation taking over four hours, CBS12. I believe eight tendons that needed to be repaired in his forearm. There were also smaller tendons, because the shark had another bite towards the wrist, Paschal told 25 WPBF. The husband and father was discharged from hospital the following day and is set to have several months of physical therapy, per WPBF and CBS12. Medical professionals have said its a miracle that Jarmakowicz survived the attack and still has mobility in his fingers. And despite the incident, Jarmakowicz has no plans to stop exploring the ocean. "To me this is being in touch with nature, God's creation. I love being in the water. It's absolutely beautiful. It's very calming. It's relaxing despite my most recent adventure," he told CBS12. Read the original article on People ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty; Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Danica McKellar as Winnie Cooper in 'The Wonder Years' (left); Danica McKellar in 2023 (right) NEED TO KNOW Danica McKellar opened up in a new interview about how studying math in college helped her feel like her own person outside Winnie Cooper McKellar played Winnie on The Wonder Years from 1988 to 1993, from when she was 13 to 18 years old McKellar returned to acting as an adult, but has written 12 books about math for children and adults Danica McKellar was told she was Americas sweetheart thanks to her role as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years and then she gave up Hollywood to study math, finding new joy as an accomplished author on the subject. McKellar, 50, appeared on the Sept. 23 episode of Hey Dude The 90s Called!, hosted by Christine Taylor and David Lascher, to talk about her journey into, out of and back into Hollywood and how mathematics became her grounding force. McKellar was cast as Winnie on The Wonder Years in 1988, when she was 13 years old. Winnie was the love interest (and eventual girlfriend) of Fred Savages Kevin Arnold. When the series ended in 1993, McKellar was ready to head off to college. I needed to figure out who else I was besides Winnie Cooper, she said. The actress said that every day, all day long, people would say to her, Arent you that girl, Winnie? Arent you that girl from TV? ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Danica McKellar as Winnie Cooper in 'The Wonder Years' Though she said it was a blessing to be on a show that's that popular, it was very limiting. She said, You're trying to figure out who you are as a teenager, and everyone else is telling you who you are, and it's like a thing that doesn't exist anymore. To the hosts, she said, You guys are aware there's all the insecurity that comes from having a lot of success early on, and then you don't have that thing anymore. And you're like, Who am I now? Where do I get my validation? McKellar remembered a high school friend who would be complimented on her gorgeous long, red hair all day long. At 18, she cut it off and dyed it black. When McKellar got to UCLA, because shes always loved a good challenge, she decided to take a math class. I thought I failed the first midterm, she said. And I got my score back, and it was 22 out of 40. She soon found out that the test was meant to weed out who in the class had a talent for math. The professor mapped the scores for the class. There was one 22, there were two 15, and the rest was nine and below. I will never forget this, she said. Her imposter syndrome evaporated. And the next day, I kid you not, somebody tapped me on the shoulder and says, Excuse me, are you that girl? McKellar expected her to ask about Winnie Cooper, but instead she says, Are you that girl who got the 22? The actress called it the greatest feeling and compared it to her friend who chopped off her hair. Brandon Williams/Getty Danica McKellar with her book 'Do Not Open This Math Book' in 2018 It was just me. It had nothing to do with the superficiality of Hollywood or all the great writers and the sound design and all the things they did to make Winnie Cooper [into] Winnie Cooper. This is just me and my brain who did this, she said. She ended up majoring in math, and during one summer as a researcher, she co-authored a mathematical theorem. McKellar told the podcast hosts that when she went to college, she wanted to get away from the false feelings Hollywood was projecting. But, she said, while she was making the show, she hadnt realized just how popular it was. In the last year of The Wonder Years, somebody referred to me on set as America's sweetheart. I was like, What? What are you talking about? she said. She didnt realize that for some viewers, she was a first crush. Its still bizarre for me, she said. McKellar decided not to become a professional mathematician because she missed connecting with people. When she tried to explain her work to her mom, there was no common vocabulary to express what she was doing. But when she graduated and returned to acting (with voice-over work and roles on shows like Even Stevens and The West Wing), she started a website to give math advice. Then she started writing math books, for both children and adults. Her first one was called Math Doesnt Suck. Her twelfth book, I Love You 100: A Counting Book Full of Love, comes out this November. The math books have kept me sane for the last twenty years because it's something that I can do something about, she said. Like, I can actually write a book and then have it published and then help kids with math and then make some money from that. It's a thing that I can do that's not like the business. Read the original article on People A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Response Team (SRT) officer in full tactical gear stands alert during an enforcement operation in Los Angeles on June 12, 2025. Photo: Tia Dufour / U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Public Domain (The Center Square) Criminal foreign nationals continue to be arrested and prosecuted in the Houston area, including this week for violent crimes committed against Border Patrol agents and illegal border crossers. In one case, two Mexican nationals were arrested and taken into custody after an escape that involved the strangling a Border Patrol agent. In another, a Houston man was arrested for his role in a human smuggling operation in which 55 people were crammed inside a box truck. On Wednesday, two Mexican nationals, Juan Carmen Padron Mendez, 29, and Juan Carlos Padron Barron, 23, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Bennett in a case involving the strangling of a Border Patrol agent. Two days prior, a female Border Patrol agent encountered them and determined they were in the country illegally and took them into custody. After arresting them, she secured them in a Border Patrol vehicle with flexicuffs and began transporting them to a detention facility. While in transport, she stopped at a red light and Mendez quickly wrapped his arm around her neck and began choking her, according to the charges. As the strangling took place, Barron then got out of the vehicle, retrieved their personal belongings from the front seat and fled on foot. Mendez released her and also fled on foot, according to the complaint. She called for assistance and authorities apprehended both men. She was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment and has since been released. The Southern District of Texas has zero tolerance for those who assault law enforcement, U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said. Let it be known: if you lay a hand on an officer, deputy, or federal agent, SDTX will do whatever it can to put you in federal prison for as long as the law will allow. Both men were charged with assault, resisting or impeding a federal officer and face up to 20 years in federal prison. They face additional fines and prison time if convicted of escape from custody of an officer of the United States. This incident underscores the extreme dangers our agents face every single day, CBP Senior Advisor Ronald Vitiello said. Attempting to choke a federal agent is an outrageous and cowardly act. Thanks to the agents quick action and the coordinated law enforcement response, the perpetrators are back in custody and facing serious federal charges. We are grateful our agent has been treated and released from the hospital. In another case, Brandon Lajohn Hargrove, 43, of Houston, and Jose Luis Castellanos-Hercules, 21, a Honduran national in the country illegally, were charged with human smuggling. Their detention hearings are scheduled Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker. They were arrested after they were caught allegedly transporting nearly six dozen illegal foreign nationals hidden inside a box truck from Mission, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, to Zapata, several hours west. Hargrove was allegedly driving the box truck and was pulled over by authorities near San Ygnacio last week. He told officers he was hauling boxes of produce, which he agreed to show them, according to authorities. After looking inside the truck, agents saw Castellanos-Hercules inside, according to the charges. Next, they found a hidden compartment where 55 people were being held, according to the complaint. In order to get into the compartment, they had to crawl through a small door to hide behind a false wall. Multiple heavy pallets blocked the access door and prevented them from being able to leave on their own, according to the complaint. Those hiding inside were all in the country illegally, citizens of China, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico and Venezuela. Three were under age 17, according to the charges. After illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico, they were all held in a stash house in Mission. The stash house was known to authorities for being used for smuggling activity, according to the complaint. The Southern District of Texas takes a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal immigration, including those who transport or otherwise enable alien smuggling, Ganjei said. Our message on this point has been consistent and clear: smuggling is a dangerous and often deadly business, and one should neither engage in human smuggling nor seek smuggling services. People overseas would be well-advised to stay home and stay safe. If convicted, both men face up to 10 years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines. Several of the illegal foreign nationals in the truck are also facing charges of illegal entry and illegal reentry, Ganjeis office said. Editor's note: Follow the latest Atlantic hurricane season forecast updates for Friday, Sept. 26. Meteorologists are warning of potential impacts to the Southeast U.S. coast from two offshore tropical disturbances, especially the tropical wave drenching portions of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic on Sept. 25. "There's an increasing risk of impacts from this system across portions of the Bahamas and across portions of thesoutheast United States coastline as we go through the weekend and into early next week," Michael Brennan, National Hurricane Center Director, said in an afternoon update. That includes the possibilities of heavy rainfall, wind, and storm surge along portions from Florida into North Carolina, Brennan said. He and other meteorologists warn that there remains a lot to sort out as the wave moves into the Bahamas, including its potential interactions with a weather system moving in from the west and the strengthening Tropical Storm Humberto to the east. Though not well organized, the wave over the Caribbean is expected to produce a tropical depression by Friday, Sept. 26, or over the weekend, Brennan said. Storms of the 2025 hurricane season so far Satellite view of Tropical Storm Melissa 10:30 a.m. Oct. 22, 2025. At 5 p.m. on Sept. 25, the hurricane center put the wave's chances of storm formation at 80% over 48 hours. Brennan said rainfall will be "moving into the Turks and Caicos, and portions of the Bahamas as we go through the next couple of days." Humberto is gradually becoming better organized and forecast to reach hurricane status within 24 hours, the hurricane center said. It's forecast to experience steady to rapid strengthening and could become a major hurricane, with winds of 115 mph or more over the weekend. As of 5 p.m. ET Sept. 25, the center of Humberto was located about 470 miles northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving to the northwest at 6 mph. Confidence is also increasing in coastal impacts from a long-period swell from Humberto, the weather service said. The hurricane center's official forecast calls for Humberto to move generally northward in the Atlantic, following a path similar to that of Hurricane Erin earlier in the season, and move just west of Bermuda on Sept. 30. But that track isn't set in stone, and the forecasts for the storms are more uncertain than usual, as human forecasters and their computer models figure out how Humberto and the wave moving into the Bahamas could interact with each other and with a weather system moving across the United States. Not only is the potential for impacts along the Southeast U.S. coast increasing, but the possibility of inland impacts also exists in eastern North Carolina, said Roger Martin, a meteorologist with the weather service in Morehead City, North Carolina. The extent of the impacts remains "heavily dependent" on its track and intensity, Martin said. The eventual fates of the pair of tropical systems remain highly uncertain, according to forecasters. "The interactions between these two systems will be highly complex and dependent on how each system behaves," Morgan Simms, a second meteorologist with the weather service in Morehead City said on the evening of Sept. 24. "Interactions like this in the Atlantic basin have little precedent we don't have an appreciable historical record to draw reference to." A NOAA satellite photo on the afternoon of Sept. 25 shows two tropical systems the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center are watching closely. The wave in the Caribbean is expected to produce a tropical storm by the weekend, and Tropical Storm Humberto, farther to the east, is forecast to become a major hurricane over the weekend. So far, the ensemble models used by forecasters to predict the path of hurricanes are pretty united on a path northward for Humberto, though a few outliers take it on a more westerly course. By the afternoon of Sept. 25, many of the model ensembles were showing a path that could be a close call for the Southeast coast. The two systems might even interact through a process known as the Fujiwhara effect, forecasters said. Roger Martin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Morehead City, North Carolina, reiterated the need for weather watchers to be careful with any of the hurricane model guidance they may encounter. "Because of the chaotic steering flow, a model run today may look vastly different than a run from the same model on a separate day," he said on Sep. 24. Weather service offices are advising people to pay attention to the forecast into the weekend to be alert for any potential development. Forecast uncertainty remains 'high' Forecast uncertainty with the wave and Tropical Storm Humberto remains "high," the National Weather Service in Miami said on the morning of Sept. 25. Several things make the forecast for the two storms offshore "tricky," wrote Andrew Hazelton, an associate scientist at the University of Miami's Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, in a summary on Sept. 24. Among the factors making the forecast so uncertain are the potential action with each other in a potential Fujiwhara effect, and their interaction with a front moving into the Southeast, as well as the potential effects of the system closest to shore moving over the mountainous regions of Hispaniola. So far, Hazelton said, the new Google DeepMind ensemble, which has been impressing forecasters with its accuracy, is split on whether the closest system could recurve out into the ocean or make landfall somewhere along the Southeast coast. Hurricane forecasters watch US weather patterns Weather patterns over the Lower 48 are also playing a role in the forecast for the tropical systems: In Miami, the weather service said a cut-off low-pressure system over the Southeast is expected to push a frontal boundary toward South Florida, then stall and dissipate north of Lake Okeechobee over the weekend and into early next week. Meanwhile, theres "a lot of uncertainty" with the tropical systems to the east, with high chances for development and how they might interact with each other and the frontal boundary. Will there be tropical cyclone impacts in Florida? Along Central Florida's east coast, the weather service in Melbourne said a high risk of life-threatening rip currents remains along the beaches as long-period swells from distant Hurricane Gabrielle continue to reach the coast, and advised small vessels to use caution. Due to the tropical wave in the Northeast Caribbean, the weather service said it expects beach and boating conditions to deteriorate over the next seven days as the system moves toward the Bahamas. "It is too early to tell what if any other impacts East Central Florida could see," said meteorologist Robert Haley. "We recommend residents and visitors take this time to ensure their emergency plan is ready." Hurricane hunter flights scheduled At least a half-dozen hurricane hunter flights are scheduled for Sept. 25 and 26, so the hurricane center can keep an eye on the systems. Then, if a system develops from the wave moving into the Bahamas, additional flights would take place to get center position fixes every six hours, according to the reconnaissance schedule. A rather quiet season so far So far this season, at eight named storms, 2025 is tied with 2024 for the fewest Atlantic named storms through Sept. 24 since 2014, said Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist at Colorado State University. He pointed out that the 2024 season concluded with 18 named storms. What about Hurricane Gabrielle? Hurricane Gabrielle is zipping across the Atlantic at 32 mph, about 535 miles west of the Azores. It's expected to cause hurricane conditions over the Azores by the morning of Sept. 26 and then begin transitioning to lose its tropical characteristics as it approaches the coast of Portugal over the weekend. Storm tracker This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Spaghetti models Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest-performing models to help make its forecasts. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Risks increasing for tropical impacts on Southeast US coast The head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the shooting at a Dallas processing facility that left one detainee dead on Wednesday "could have been worse," telling CBS News the sniper's shots were "indiscriminate" and other people could have been hit during the attack. Todd Lyons, ICE's acting director, said the shooter, who officials say died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, "fired indiscriminately" into the ICE field office in Dallas and vehicles stationed there. He said a group of detainees was inside one vehicle at the time of the shooting, after being recently arrested by ICE. Lyons said three detainees in ICE custody were shot, one fatally. He noted two detainees remained in critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon. ICE has said no agency employees were harmed during the attack. But Lyons said the shooting could have been deadlier, citing the shooter's "high-powered rifle" and the area he targeted. Officials say the shooter fired from a nearby rooftop. "What's even scarier is the location where the field office is. There's businesses around there, busy I-35," Lyons told CBS News during an interview in New York, noting the shooting occurred when people were going to work and school in the early morning. "He could have, in his indiscriminate fire, hit people traveling to work, civilians on the ground," he said, calling it "a very scary situation." "But unfortunately, someone did lose their life, and it was a definite attack on an ICE facility," he added. Lyons said he believes the shooter deliberately targeted federal law enforcement officials, citing bullet casings that officials said were found with anti-ICE messaging on them. "When you have anti-ICE rhetoric written on the bullets, you know who they're targeting," he said. Lyons identified the deceased shooter as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, saying preliminary information indicates he acted alone. Asked if ICE plans to implement new security measures in light of Wednesday's shooting, Lyons said the agency had already been operating under a "higher threat posture" but would "reevaluate how we're doing operations." He said operations by ICE, which President Trump has charged with overseeing the largest deportation operation in American history, would not be slowed by the shooting. "We won't be stopped by it," Lyons said. "We're gonna ensure that we're out there taking these public safety threats off the street, but we will have to go ahead and ensure that the men and women of ICE have all the equipment they need, all the protection they need and all the support they need." Trump slams Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV on ABC Trump blasts U.N. during General Assembly address Dr. Lucky Sekhon on Trump's announcement about Tylenol and autism Scott Rodgerson | Unsplash Officer charged in straw gun case A Chicago police officer faces charges for making gun purchases on behalf of someone else transporting them to Mexico. Federal prosecutors say 27-year-old Kevin Rodriguez used his status as a police officer to purchase semi-automatic firearms in Indiana and Illinois and then give them to Diego Valdez, who is charged with conspiracy and knowingly receiving a straw purchased firearm. Deer chronic wasting disease testing Hunters are reminded about locations where deer can be tested for chronic wasting disease, or CWD. The free of charge service through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources allows hunter-harvested deer to be tracked for wildlife biologists to monitor the distribution of CWD throughout the state. More information can be found on the Hunt Illinois app. First Military Police graduate The Herrin Police Department is being recognized for being the first recipient of the Military Police Reciprocity Program. The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board announced the swearing in of officer Kevin Bailey as the first hire in the state certified by the new program enacted earlier this year. Illinois joined 18 other states in May, allowing for Military Police veterans to qualify for law enforcement training requirements. Displaced Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza due to an Israeli military operation, move southward, in the central Gaza Strip By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Steven Scheer CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli forces advanced deeper into Gaza City on Thursday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly, with U.S. President Donald Trump pursuing a deal to end the Gaza war. Israeli strikes killed at least 19 people across the Palestinian enclave on Thursday, local health authorities said. They included 11 people from two families in Zawayda town in the central Gaza Strip, where planes hit a residential building. Israel's military did not comment on the incident but said it had struck 170 targets across Gaza in the past 24 hours and attacked "terror infrastructure" used by militant groups to attack soldiers. Its forces were deep in Gaza City, it said. U.S. ENVOY HOPES FOR A BREAKTHROUGH Tanks have entered Gaza City as part of an offensive that Israel says is intended to eliminate Hamas following its deadly attack on Israel in October 2023 but which has caused extensive destruction, a humanitarian catastrophe and widespread hunger. Netanyahu says Gaza City is the Palestinian militant group's last bastion, but hundreds of thousands of civilians remain there, fearing there is nowhere safe for them to go. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said on Wednesday Washington was confident of securing breakthrough on Gaza in coming days after Trump shared a 21-point Middle East peace plan with leaders of Muslim-majority countries in New York. Trump also promised Arab leaders he would not allow Israel to annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Politico reported. Palestinians want the West Bank for an independent Palestinian state, with Gaza and East Jerusalem. Netanyahu has declared there will never be a Palestinian state although Britain, France, Canada and other nations this week formally recognised Palestinian statehood. Some of Netanyahu's coalition allies want Israel to annex the West Bank. NETANYAHU SET TO ADDRESS UN AND MEET TRUMP Israel has become diplomatically isolated over its military siege of Gaza, with European nations and others increasingly critical of its conduct. The International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in the Gaza war. Israel rejects the court's jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes in Gaza. Netanyahu has retained the backing of the U.S., Israel's most important ally, and Trump told the U.N. this week that moves to recognise a Palestinian state risked rewarding what he called Hamas atrocities and could encourage continued conflict. Netanyahu is expected to address the General Assembly on Friday and meet Trump next week. Leaving Israel on Thursday, Netanyahu said he would denounce leaders who had recognised a Palestinian state. He said he would discuss the war in Gaza with Trump, including defeating Hamas and freeing hostages held in Gaza since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. He said he also intended to discuss efforts to expand diplomatic relations with countries that do not officially recognise Israel. ABOUT 20 HOSTAGES BELIEVED TO BE ALIVE About 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage in the Hamas-led attack on Israel. About 48 hostages remain in captivity, with 20 of them believed to be alive. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. Hamas' armed wing has warned the Israeli military that an expansion of its operation in Gaza City would put Israeli hostages at risk, while Israel's military has called on Gazan residents to "rise and break away from Hamas" to end the war. In Jordan, mother-of-five Afkar Alwan told Reuters her young son Yaman Alwan had been evacuated from Gaza last month for urgent medical care after severe malnutrition worsened his congenital kidney condition, and medical shortages growing. "By God, the situation in Gaza is very tragic," she said. "There are no laboratories and the hospitals, of course...the situation there is deplorable." (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo and Steven Scheer in Jerusalem, Additional reporting by Alex Cornwell, Editing by Timothy Heritage) John Shearer/WireImage Jenna Ortega attends the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. NEED TO KNOW Jenna Ortega's stylist, Enrique Melendez, revealed that the bejeweled Givenchy top she wore to the 2025 Emmy Awards weighed "20, 30 pounds at least" The stylist explained that the Death Becomes Her-inspired look was "digging into her collarbone" By the end of the night, Ortega asked Melendez to put her in more "practical" outfits Jenna Ortega's bejeweled 2025 Emmys look was the talk of the night, but her fashionable Givenchy red carpet moment came at a price. The Wednesday actress's stylist, Enrique Melendez, appeared on episode five of Jess Lucero's Plus One show and shared the details behind Ortega's stunning Death Becomes Her-inspired look at the awards show, which took place on Sept. 14. Getty Images Jenna Ortega attends the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. Ortega, 22, hit the red carpet in a look plucked straight from Givenchy's runway show, which featured several oversized jewels that draped against her chest and upper body. She paired the look with a simple, low-rise skirt in black that was custom-designed by Givenchy. John Shearer/WireImage; Universal Pictures Jenna Ortega attends the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards; Isabella Rossellini in Death Becomes Her The most difficult part of the look, Melendez revealed, wasn't keeping Ortega's chest in place it was the weight of the garment. "She actually was like, 'Enrique, I'm not actually concerned about a slip, but I want to be respectful to the Academy, obviously.' I'm worried about a slip; we used proper tape and everything. It was morseo our first time doing something this revealing at all," he told Lucero. The stylist, who has worked with Ortega since she was 14, had his eye on the piece after seeing it on the runway, and hoped to get it onto her after her team confirmed her Emmys attendance. "You can't really modify something like that [because] it's a totally couture piece. It was meant to be. With this Givenchy look, she's like, 'Enrique, I love you, but can we please do something more practical next time?' " he recalled. "That thing was digging into her poor collarbone." The stylist explained that the Givenchy piece weighed "a good 20, 30 pounds at least." Getty Images Jenna Ortega attends the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. "Imagine that on your bone," Melendez continued, noting that Ortega, despite the pain, is "married to the moment." 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. Though Ortega is often willing to bring Melendez's high-fashion vision to life on the red carpet, he previously revealed that her day-to-day style is far simpler than the over-the-top goth-inspired looks that fans are used to seeing her in. "Jenna's personal style is super simple, super streamlined. She would wear the same thing if she could every single day," he said in an Aug. 7 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "I tell her thank you, because a lot of times, it's just for me." Read the original article on People Jimmy Kimmel on the September 24, 2025, episode of ABC's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' - ABC Jimmy Kimmel held nothing back while addressing President Donald Trumps reaction to Jimmy Kimmel Live!s return to ABC. During the shows Wednesday, September 24, episode, Kimmel noted that he heard from several people about the series first episode back after suspension the night prior. I did hear from one very special friend moments after we taped our show last night, he joked, referring to Trumps Truth Social post slamming Kimmel and ABC. The Mad Red Hatter wrote, I cant believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. You cant believe they gave me my job back? I cant believe we gave you your job back. Were even, Kimmel quipped. And theres more. [He said,] The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! No, they werent. [He said,] Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his talent was never there. That I cant argue with. During the monologue, Kimmel reacted to an audience member who audibly inaudibly shouted from the crowd. Shut the f**k up. The freedom of speech is only for me. Do not interrupt the president, he declared before reading more of Trumps Truth Social post. He says, I think were going to test ABC out on this. Lets see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers!' Kimmel read, noting that only Donald Trump would try to prove he wasnt threatening ABC by threatening ABC. (Trump settled a $16 defamation lawsuit with CBS earlier this year.) Kimmel said he almost feels sorry for Trumps staffers who try to clean up the messes, adding, The second Trump is alone, he sits on the toilet, he gets his grubby little thumbs on his phone, and he immediately blows their excuses to smithereens and says it was ratings that got me fired. Has anyone ever been fired for bad ratings on a Wednesday? For his big closer, Trump wrote, Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings. Kimmel, for his part, clapped back by pointing out Trumps own poor approval ratings, displaying statistics from outlets such as The Washington Post and The Economist on the screen. So, on behalf of all of us, welcome to the crappy ratings club, Mr. President, Kimmel said. The TV personality went on to address people who think he goes too hard on the president on his show. I want to explain. I talk about Trump more than anything because hes a bully. I dont like bullies. I played the clarinet in high school, okay, so I just dont like them, Kimmel told viewers. Donald Trump is an old-fashioned, 80s movie-style bully, taking your lunch money. And if you give it to him once, hell take it again. Two things he loves, lunch and money. Kimmel went so far as to compare Trump to the character of Biff from the Back to the Future film franchise. Literally, Donald Trump was the model for Biff in Back to the Future, he joked. And this is who people are cheering for? I dont know about you, Im with Marty McFly. Later in the monologue, Kimmel also poked fun at Trump for complaining about an escalator stopping as he and First Lady Melania Trump walked on it during a recent trip to the United Nations. Trump will not release the Epstein files, but we will be doing a thorough and complete investigation into who stopped his escalator, Kimmel said. Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Weeknights, 11:35 p.m. ET, ABC Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Jodie Turner-Smith attends the "Tron: Ares" Paris Photocall at Palais De Tokyo on Sept. 24, 2025 in Paris, France. NEED TO KNOW Jodie Turner-Smith attended the Tron: Ares Paris photocall in a technology-inspired couture look The actress' dress comes from Schiaparelli's spring/summer 2024 runway collection and featured a CPU board, old calculators, cellphones and digital cameras The look was put together by celebrity stylist Law Roach Jodie Turner-Smith is taking method dressing to the next level! The actress, 39, looked stunning at the Tron: Ares Paris photocall at Palais De Tokyo on Sept. 24 and channeled the movie's futuristic themes with a couture robot dress made from technology through the decades. The look, which comes from Schiaparelli's spring/summer 2024 runway collection, featured silver and matrix-green electronic chips and Swarovski crystals that glittered with each flash of the camera. The couture dress included several callbacks to tech and included green CPU boards, full-sized compact discs, old digital cameras, cellphones and calculators, in addition to sparkling jewel-encrusted brooches, chainmail pieces in silver and dangling electric wires. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Jodie Turner-Smith attends the "Tron: Ares" Paris Photocall at Palais De Tokyo on Sept. 24, 2025 in Paris, France. Turner-Smith completed the look with the lucite Gianvito Rossi Diana heels and accessorized with an oversize choker made of acrylic and Swarovski crystals which created the illusion of a puffed neckline threader earrings and a matching minaudiere. She was styled by Law Roach for the evening, who shared photos of the look to his Instagram and videos to his Instagram Stories. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Jodie Turner-Smith attends the "Tron: Ares" Paris Photocall at Palais De Tokyo on Sept. 24, 2025 in Paris, France. Several fans in the comments section gushed over the ornate look, including some celebrities. "It's COUTURE Look at the tag honey!" Lisa Rinna wrote. "Definitely giving unconventional materials challenge and Im living," another fan wrote, nodding to the popular challenge from Project Runway, and a third user added, "MOTHER WEARING MOTHERBOARD STYLED BY MOTHER!" in all caps. The actress has been working with Roach in recent weeks and hit the New York Fashion Week circuit in several chic ensembles crafted by the celeb stylist. On Sept. 13, Turner-Smith wowed in black suit separates to attend Ralph Lauren Fragrances Ralph's Club New York Celebration. Valerie Terranova/Getty Jodie Turner-Smith attends Ralph Lauren Fragrances Ralph's Club New York Celebration at Hall des Lumieres on Sept. 13, 2025 in New York City. The following day, the actress went bold in a white zebra-print strapless gown for the Chopard High Jewelry Launch event in New York. She completed the look with a diamond and emerald choker and emerald earrings. The star opened up about the origins of her style and revealed in a 2023 interview with InStyle that her mother's looks influence her fashion choices and philosophy. Aeon/GC Images Jodie Turner-Smith attends Chopard High Jewelry Launch at The Centurion in Midtown on September 14, 2025 in New York City. 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. "My mother was very fashionable, and I grew up looking at her and her attitudes about costume and expression of self through wardrobe," she told the outlet. "As I've said many times, I feel that clothing is costume, but I think that it moves in both directions. On the one hand, the energy that I have inspires the clothes that I wear, and sometimes the clothes that I wear inspire the energy that I have." The couture looks, however, are not always paid for out of pocket. "Honestly, I couldn't actually afford to just buy all of these clothes," she added. "Do you know what I mean? I'm not a billionaire. Doing what I do gives me privilege and opportunity." Read the original article on People The rotunda inside the Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) The second day of Utahs court-ordered redistricting process saw plenty of fireworks on Wednesday, with Democrats and their dueling redistricting expert clashing with Republicans. The Utah Legislatures newly convened Legislative Redistricting Committees heated exchanges reached a crescendo when the committees only two Democrats Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, and Rep. Doug Owens, D-Millcreek brought their hired expert, Daniel Magleby, a professor at SUNY Binghamton in New York, to present their preferred congressional map. During their presentation, Magleby and Owens questioned whether Republicans retained redistricting expert Sean Trende, a senior elections analyst for RealClearPolitics who drew a set of five maps that were presented to the committee on Monday used a method that incorporated partisan data on the front end of his process, which Democrats and Magleby alleged would be a violation of Proposition 4, the voter-approved law that established a framework for an independent redistricting process. A proposed Utah congressional map drawn by Daniel Magleby and submitted by Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, and Rep. Doug Owens, D-Millcreek, to the Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee. (Source: Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee) Magleby said if he were to pull maps out of a simulated set where Ive already screened out those that are not symmetrical, (that) would be illegal, as I understand it, under Prop 4. Youre not allowed to do that. Magleby said maps must first be drawn following Proposition 4s criteria, and only after should they be analyzed for any undue advantage or disadvantage on a particular group. He questioned whether, by culling out maps that were tested for partisan symmetry, Trendes map-drawing process would abide by Proposition 4. If Im only going to look at maps that are symmetrical to begin with, then Ive already violated Proposition 4, and anything that comes from that is going to be illegal, Magleby said. Owens added that what he just described as being illegal, we strongly suspect has happened. We suspect there was a dataset incorporated into the test that Dr. Trende applied, Owens said, though he also noted that Democrats requests to obtain Trendes full data sets werent answered by Wednesday morning to help them verify that suspicion. Its as if were told to buy a car and we cant lift the hood and look. The committees co-chairs, Rep. Candice Pierucci, R-Herriman, and Sen. Scott Sandall, then interjected with protests, with Pierucci saying, Thats a pretty big allegation and Sandall calling a point of order. You just demeaned us, Sandall said, audibly angry. I will not have that. You called us somehow hiding, lying, about everything that weve presented. Our maps, these maps, were not developed with any political data. You just misrepresented that, and thats out of order. Wednesdays committee marked the second time this week that the Legislative Redistricting Committee has met as lawmakers try to narrow down which map the full Utah Legislature will ultimately vote on during a special session on Oct. 6 to be submitted to a judge. A proposed Utah congressional map, Option A, drawn by Sean Trende for the Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee. (Source: Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee) That judge 3rd District Court Judge Dianna Gibson will ultimately decide which map will replace the 2021 congressional boundaries she voided in a ruling last month, which deemed that map a result of an unconstitutional process after lawmakers repealed and replaced Proposition 4 with a law that turned the independent redistricting commission into an advisory body lawmakers could ultimately ignore. While Republican legislative leaders vehemently disagree with Gibsons ruling and continue to fight it in court with an appeal pending in the Utah Supreme Court and statements that they also intend to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary they have said in the meantime theyll abide by Gibsons order, which gave the Legislature until Oct. 6 to choose a preferred replacement congressional map. The judge also gave the same Oct. 6 deadline to plaintiffs in the redistricting lawsuit to submit a map for consideration. She has a deadline of Nov. 10 to choose a new congressional map in time for the 2026 midterm elections. The Legislative Redistricting Committee did not pick a preferred map on Wednesday. Instead, it left the door open for more map proposals from both lawmakers and the public to be submitted through the committees website, where the maps are made public. As of Wednesday afternoon, dozens of maps had been submitted to lawmakers since they began taking submissions for the 2025 map last week. The judge gave lawmakers until Thursday for an eligible proposed map to be published before a 10-day public comment period leading up to the Oct. 6 vote. Sandall said in order for a map to be considered for the Oct. 6 special session and meet the courts publication deadline, it must be submitted through the commissions website no later than the end of the day Thursday. The Legislature cannot adopt a map that is not publicly available for comment starting tomorrow, Sept. 25, Pierucci said. So when we meet back in a special session, it will be one of these maps that were publicly available to meet the 10-day window that was outlined by Judge Gibson in her timeline and order. Sandall said lawmakers are considering many options and we want to gather as much public comment as possible so were soliciting feedback on multiple maps. A proposed Utah congressional map, Option B drawn by Sean Trende for the Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee. (Source: Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee) Public comment is meaningless if we make a decision today, he said. During Wednesdays meeting, the legislative committee reviewed all five map options drawn by Republicans retained expert, Trende, as well as Democrats preferred map drawn by Magleby. They also took comments from more than two dozen Utahns, with many urging lawmakers to avoid gerrymandering and follow Proposition 4, while several also expressed distrust in the Legislatures stated intentions to carry out a fair process. Proposed maps A significant chunk of Wednesdays committee meeting focused on reviewing the five maps drawn by Republicans expert, Trende. All of the maps would be relatively more competitive for Democrats when compared to the 2021 map that the court has since tossed out, though Republicans would still have an advantage in most of the districts. Under that 2021 map, Republicans have consistently dominated all four of Utahs congressional seats. Democrats have expressed concerns with all five of those maps, resistant to mixing urban and rural areas. Republican legislative leaders including Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, have said, however, that they want a map that creates four districts that all represent both urban and rural voices. Utahs current congressional map is a form of whats been called the slice of the pie approach, dissecting Utahs urban core and most populated area of Salt Lake County into four separate districts. In contrast, whats known as a doughnut hole approach would create a map that may, for example, carve out a district concentrated around the states capital of Salt Lake City, the states darkest blue Democratic stronghold. Democrats preferred map, drawn by Magleby and named after Escamilla and Owens, carves out two doughnut-hole shapes, one around Salt Lake City and the northern part of Salt Lake County, and one around the southern part of Salt Lake County and northern Utah County. During Wednesdays committee discussion, several Republican lawmakers expressed preference for maps that split the least number of cities and counties as possible, and those that mix rural and urban voices while following natural barriers to transportation. A proposed Utah congressional map, Option C drawn by Sean Trende for the Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee. (Source: Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee) Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George, said he liked the maps titled options A and B, for those reasons. He said Lake Powell and the Colorado River are also major waterways that are vital for southern Utah, and to be able to have two Congress individuals to represent that water source is critical to the entire state of Utah. According to Trendes own analysis of his maps, all of his five comply with Proposition 4s requirements which are the following criteria, in order of importance: Equal population Minimize city splits Minimize county splits Compactness Contiguity and ease of transportation Preserve traditional neighborhoods and communities of interest Follow natural and geographic boundaries Maximize boundary agreement Map A splits three cities (North Salt Lake, Pleasant Grove and West Valley) and three counties (Davis, Salt Lake and Utah). Map B splits three cities (North Salt Lake, Provo and West Jordan) and three counties (Davis, Salt Lake and Utah). Map C splits three cities (Millcreek, North Salt Lake and Pleasant Grove) and three counties (Davis, Salt Lake and Utah). Map D splits three cities (Eagle Mountain, Layton and Taylorsville) and five counties (Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele and Wasatch). Map E splits two cities (Cottonwood Heights and Provo) and four counties (Salt Lake, Summit, Utah and Wasatch). Democrats proposed map, Magleby said, splits 13 cities and four counties (Davis, Morgan, Salt Lake and Utah). He said it was based off of a map drawn by the Independent Redistricting Commission back in 2021. A proposed Utah congressional map, Option D, drawn by Sean Trende for the Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee. (Source: Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee) When Ive done my own analysis using the Harvard simulations, it falls well within the accepted range of what we would expect from a neutral redistricting process, Magleby said. Several Republicans on the committee, however, expressed concerns about the number of city splits Maglebys map would impose and expressed reluctance to support the map, arguing others would better adhere to Proposition 4s criteria. Another map, however, not submitted by either of lawmakers dueling experts but by a Utahn, achieved even fewer city splits. Why not pick a map submitted by Utahns? Stuart Hepworth, a South Jordan resident, has submitted 14 maps for lawmakers to consider. One of his latest drafts would split zero cities and only three counties based on the Legislative Redistricting Committees map C. This map outperforms all previously submitted maps (from myself, the legislature, or other members of the public) in complying with Prop 4s redistricting criteria in the statutory order of priority, Hepworth wrote with his submission. He told the committee that his map has the bare minimum county splits, splitting Salt Lake, Utah and a tiny bit of Weber county. I followed the committees process in drawing the map, not viewing partisan data during the maps creation, Hepworth told the committee. I believe this map is categorically superior to all five of Dr. Trendes maps and following Prop 4s criteria. Sandall, however, noted that in the past Hepworth has drawn maps using Daves Redistricting online tool, which allows users to toggle views of partisan data. He pointed to a video Hepworth posted on YouTube earlier this month in which he demonstrated drawing a map in under six minutes. Hepworth acknowledged that map was drawn with a political data viewer turned on. A proposed Utah congressional map, Option E, drawn by Sean Trende for the Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee. (Source: Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee) Another commenter, James Carter from Salt Lake City, urged lawmakers to choose a map drawn by members of the public like from Hepworth rather than one drawn by their chosen dueling experts. He said any statistics student knows that theres no such thing as an unbiased statistical analysis presentation. Every presentation of statistical analyses will include the motivations, at least, of the presenter. And the motivations that Ive heard from both the majority and minority caucus, from opposing experts, has been fairly along the lines of how far can we stretch our legal mandate to get what we want and stick it to the other guys, Carter said. In order to achieve a fair, representative map under Proposition 4, he urged the committee to reject all six maps proposed today and instead consider maps drawn by Hepworth or others which have been drawn with fairness and with all of the requirements of Prop 4 in mind. Sandall, however, indicated he had reservations about doing that, saying its impossible to ascertain amongst all the maps that were drawn and submitted if any of them were drawn using political data in the timeframe that we have. Its almost an impossible task, he said. Because that is our mandate under Prop 4, no political consideration can be made in drawing a map. And we would have to go in and depose any or all of the map drawers to find out if political data was used, and we just dont have that time. A proposed Utah congressional map drawn by Stuart Hepworth for the Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee. (Source: Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee) SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE An Ohio police officer accused of shooting to death a pregnant Black mother two years ago was not trained or supervised properly, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday against the police chief and the township that employed him. The estate of Ta'Kiya Young sued Blendon Township and its police chief over her August 2023 fatal shooting in the parking lot of a grocery store in the Columbus suburbs. She had been suspected of shoplifting bottles of alcohol when Officer Connor M. Grubb and another officer approached her car. Young, 21, partially lowered her window and the other officer ordered her to get out of the vehicle. CBS affiliate WBNS-TV reported that Young could be heard asking officers on bodycam footage, "Are you going to shoot me?" This image from bodycam video released by the Blendon Township Police on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, shows a bullet hole in the windshield of a car with Ta'Kiya Young inside after she was shot by a police officer outside a grocery store in Blendon Township, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, on Aug. 24. / Credit: / AP When she moved her car to the right, it rolled toward Grubb, who is accused of shooting her through the windshield. Young and the unborn daughter she was expecting as her third child were both pronounced dead at a hospital. According to WBNS-TV, Young was at least 25 weeks pregnant at the time of the shooting. Grubb was charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter and assault last year. Grubb has pleaded not guilty, and a hearing in his criminal case is scheduled for next week. "Without reasonable verification or investigation, the officers recklessly escalated their response, singling out Ms. Young and treating her as a dangerous criminal despite the minor nature of the allegations," the lawsuit claims. Grubb has had other "aggressive encounters with community members" but faced no meaningful discipline, the complaint alleges. The lawsuit makes a single claim of municipal liability and seeks damages along with an injunction to stop policies that deprived Young and her unborn child of their constitutional rights. Young's estate also sued Grubb, supermarket chain Kroger Company and one of the store's employees last month. That earlier lawsuit, filed in Franklin County, makes claims of wrongful death and negligence. The lawsuit alleges that Grubb had multiple complaints and misconduct filed against him dating back to June 2023, WBNS-TV reported. The complaints include physical intimidation, improper arrest, failed court appearances, policy violations and harassment, according to the lawsuit. Phone messages seeking comment were left Wednesday for civil and criminal lawyers for Grubb, as well as Police Chief John C. Belford and for a lawyer for Blendon Township. An email message was left for a Kroger spokesperson. Mark Collins, a lawyer for Grubb, told reporters after Grubb's arraignment last year that the video showed Young's shooting was justified. "The reason he just discharged his weapon is because he felt the threat of serious physical injury from being hit by the car or potential death," Collins said. Trump slams Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV on ABC Trump blasts U.N. during General Assembly address Kevin Fredericks shares lessons from failure in new book Lawyers representing the family of a 32-year-old man who died after riding on a Universal Orlando Resort roller coaster said he likely died as a result of an injury incurred during the ride and that his disability played no role in his death. Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, who had a spinal disability and used a wheelchair, became unresponsive while on the coaster last week at the recently opened Epic Universe theme park in Florida. He was transported to a local hospital and later died. Attorneys for Zavala's family said Monday they believe he hit his head on a restraint during the coaster's downward thrusts and that he was unconscious for most of the ride. He had no medical issues before boarding the ride, they said. Natalie Jackson, another of the family's attorneys, said they believe Zavala suffered repeated head strikes based on what witnesses have said. "His disability did not kill him," Jackson said. "It was the blunt force trauma." The medical examiner for the Orlando area ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt impact injuries and said the manner of death was an accident. At a news conference in Orlando, the lawyers also took issue with a top Universal executive last weekend saying in a note to employees that "internal findings" showed the ride worked as it should have. "They are quick to say that, 'Well, the ride functioned as it was supposed to. Everything works properly.' Well, just because it didn't malfunction does not lead us to believe that there were not safety issues because we know something caused him to die," said famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump, whose law firm is representing the family. Karen Irwin, Universal Orlando Resort's president, said in her note that the internal findings showed ride systems functioned normally, equipment was intact and Universal workers followed the proper procedures. Investigators with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said on September 19 that their initial findings align with that of the theme park. The roller coaster remains closed as Universal conducts a comprehensive review of the ride with its manufacturer. "Safety is, and always will be, at the forefront of everything we do," Irwin said. The ride involved in Zavala's death, called Stardust Racers, is a dual-launch coaster that reaches speeds up to 62 mph. Epic Universe was the first major theme park to open in Florida in more than 25 years when it welcomed visitors just before Memorial Day weekend Trump slams Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV on ABC President Trump signs executive order paving way for TikTok deal to avoid U.S. ban Inside the debate over animal testing in medical research Nicholas Rossi appears at a jury trial in Salt Lake City on Aug. 11. (Firecrest Films / via AP) A man accused of faking his death and fleeing the United States to avoid sexual assault allegations was convicted in a second rape trial on Wednesday, according to public court records. Nicholas Alahverdian, 38, was found guilty of raping his ex-girlfriend on Sept. 13, 2008. It was the second rape conviction for Alahverdian, who has been identified and charged by authorities in Utah as Nicholas Rossi, in a matter of months. In August, a Salt Lake City County jury found Alahverdian, a former advocate for foster youth in Rhode Island, guilty of raping his 24-year-old former fiancee in December 2008. He faces five years to life in prison. Alahverdian pleaded not guilty in both cases and has denied any wrongdoing in media interviews. His defense attorney, Utah County public defender Daniel Diaz, said they planned on appealing the conviction and declined to comment further. The Utah County Attorneys Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a probable cause statement in the Utah County case, Alahverdians ex-girlfriend, identified in court papers as K.P., stated that the pair dated briefly after meeting on MySpace in the summer of 2008. She told authorities she broke up with Alahverdian after he became increasingly aggressive and failed to repay her money hed borrowed. The statement alleged that Alahverdian raped the woman when she went to his home to retrieve the money on Sept. 13, 2008. She had a sexual assault kit completed the next day, the probable cause statement said. Authorities have stated that Alahverdian was not identified as a suspect until a decade later because of a testing backlog. In 2020, Alahverdian was charged with rape in connection with K.P.s allegations. That same year, an obituary claimed that he died at age 32 from non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Two years later, Utah authorities announced they were seeking to extradite a man living in the United Kingdom whom they believed to be Alahverdian. Utahs Department of Public Safety accused Alahverdian of fleeing the United States and of living in Scotland under the name Arthur Knight. In a 2022 Dateline interview, Alahverdian claimed to be an Irish orphan-turned-businessman. He appeared in a wheelchair and spoke with a British accent. I do not prefer to be called Arthur Knight, he told Dateline. I am Arthur Knight. In January 2024, he was extradited to the United States and subsequently acknowledged his true identity. He has said he changed his name to Arthur Knight to protect himself against what he described as credible threats from his time working as a foster youth advocate. CORRECTION (Sept. 25, 2025, 3:20 p.m ET): A previous version of this article misstated the sentencing status of Nicholas Alahverdian following his conviction in August. He faces five years to life in prison; he has not already been sentenced. Sadly, there are so many foster dogs out there that just dont get the love and care they need. They linger at shelters and animal rescues, with so little moments of joy and hope. Thats why people on the internet are cheering for one man, who knew he wanted to treat his foster Pittie to the best day of his life. The man tried to give the dog a full day of super fun activities and then invited the entire internet to watch. The Pit Bull has had a rough go of it in this life. But it seems like their luck has finally taken a turn for the better. Its impossible to imagine anything bad happening to the Pit Bull puppy, hes such a cutie! But alas thats exactly what happened and is exactly what foster dad Scott was trying to fix. Giving my abandoned and returned foster dog the best day ever the videos text overlay reads. Related: Sweet Fostered Pit Bull Stepping Inside a House for the First Time Is Melting Hearts The day started with a happy wake up call from Foster Dad. Then it was time for a trip on the subway and meeting up with a new friend. I rode the subway, conquered the Metra, and even made a new best friend whos about three times my size, the caption reads. We wrestled, we ran, and then I crashed. I was out cold on the train, snoring while strangers laughed. City adventures, big friends, bag naps. Foster life looks good on me, it continues. The comments section had two words for the man: FOSTER FAIL, FOSTER FAIL, FOSTER FAIL, one person joked. Yep, they really wanted the man to give the pup a forever home. My foster dog has been living with me for 7 years now, pointed out one person. I want to adopt him so bad!!!! But my partner would probably leave me if he came home to a dog, someone else chimed in. Please keep him, hes going to think hes getting returned again. His little heart cant take it, begged another commenter. Foster or Adopt From Chicago Canine Rescue Its clear that this little guy needs a loving home with somebody soon. If you or someone you know is interested in the Pit, head to the Chicago Canine Rescue website and fill out a form for adoption. Lets get this sweet guy a home! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Sep 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Officials in Oregon announced they have arrested a murder suspect who was mistakenly released from prison on Monday, sparking a multi-day manhunt, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. "This should not have happened," Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O'Donnell said during a press conference on Wednesday. Ty Anthony Sage, a 26-year-old who was facing second-degree murder and first-degree robbery charges, was accidentally released on bail on Monday, the sheriff said. On Thursday, officials announced that Sage was arrested at approximately 1 p.m. at a gas station off Highway 101 in Florence, Oregon. Multnomah County Sheriff's Office - PHOTO: A manhunt is now underway in Oregon for Ty Sage, a 26-year-old murder suspect who was mistakenly released from prison on Sept. 22, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. Sage, who was arrested back on May 20 in connection with the death of 15-year-old Lowgunn Ivey, received an initial release order that was signed on Sept. 17, which "indicated his bail had been set to $5,000," the sheriff said. But, according to court documents obtained by ABC News, Sage had actually been denied bail in this case. "Lowgunn's family deserved better. As Multnomah County's sheriff, I am committed to making sure this does not happen again, that we learn from our mistakes, and that Lowgunn's family can have justice," the sheriff said in a statement after Sage's arrest on Thursday. Officials are now conducting a "review of the incident" to have a "full understanding of what occurred," the sheriff said. Texas prisoner mistakenly released from jail; manhunt underway: Sheriff's office "This individual should not have been released," the sheriff said. "We hold the ultimate responsibility for a person's release. In this case, we fell short. But we are committed to do everything we can to restore community trust and confidence in our organization." She said the employees involved in Sage's release "acted in good faith based on the information that they had at the time." Morrisey O'Donnell said no employees have been placed on leave at this point. Inmate mistakenly released from New Orleans jail captured in Texas: Sheriff Law enforcement partners "across the state" were previously trying to figure out "where Sage went upon his release and where he is located now," the sheriff said. The victim's mother, Jodie Ramsey, told ABC Portland affiliate KATU that she is "on complete edge all the time now" since Sage's accidental release. Ivey's death is allegedly related to a "gun and drug deal" between the victim and Sage, according to court documents. "I went to his arraignment. I was there for his bail hearing, where he was denied bail, and here I sit wondering what's gonna happen next," Ramsey told KATU about the suspect. Ivey was allegedly killed on Dec. 4, 2021, according to court documents. Sage pleaded not guilty to both the second-degree murder and first-degree robbery charges. Officials said they believe Sage's release is an isolated incident. Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte (16) celebrates with teammate TJ Friedl (29) after catching a fly ball hit by Pittsburgh Pirates' Bryan Reynolds during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) CINCINNATI (AP) Noelvi Marte robbed Bryan Reynolds of a tying home run in the ninth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 Thursday to remain one game behind the New York Mets for the final NL wild card. Nick Lodolo tied his career high with 12 strikeouts before leaving with a right groin injury in the seventh. Marte and Gavin Lux drove in runs, and the Reds (81-78) stayed just behind the Mets (82-77) and one game ahead of Arizona (80-79). Marte used his 6-foot-2 height when he jumped at the 8-foot right-field wall and reached back above the first-row of seats to catch Reynolds 348-foot drive for the second out of the ninth. Marte had all three putouts as Emilio Pagan got three straight outs for his career-high 30th save in 36 chances. Lodolo (9-8) got 27 swings and misses, including 15 on curveballs. He allowed two hits and walked one, leaving due to the injury after 6 1/3 innings and 81 pitches. Lodolo also struck out 12 at Philadelphia on April 8, 2023. Braxton Ashcraft (4-4) gave up two runs and a career-high eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Nick Yorke had an RBI grounder in the eighth. Cincinnati salvaged the three-game series finale, which started after a 1-hour, 22-minute rain delay. Key moment After making the catch on Reynolds, Marte sprinted toward the right-field line to grab Andrew McCutchen's liner for the final out. Key stat Cincinnati was six games out of a wild-card spot in early September after losing 10 of 13 games but has won 10 of its last 17.. Up next Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller (6-15, 4.22) and Braves LHP Joey Wentz (5-6, 5.46) start Friday's opener of a season-ending series at Atlanta. Reds:: RHP Zack Littell (10-8, 3.86) faces Brewers RHP Quinn Priester (13-2, 3.25) on Friday in Milwaukee. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB Martha Stewart revealed that her home life has expanded after she adopted two new horses. On September 13, Stewart, 84, took to Instagram to reveal that she had adopted two Friesian horses named Ulysses and Stewart from Dorset Equine Rescue in southwestern Vermont. "Two young, handsome Friesians have joined my herd. Three-year-old Ulysses and 10-year-old Stewart were removed from a neglectful facility and brought to @dorsetequinerescue in Vermont, where they could get the care and attention they needed until they could be properly re-homed," Stewart wrote alongside several photos of the black horses. She added that Ulysses and Stewart and now "the newest residents at Cantitoe Corners," referencing her 153-acre estate and farm in Kantonah, New York. The two rescue animals join Stewart's four other horses, as well as her large array of pets that include cats, dogs, donkeys, chickens, a pony and geese. One day after Stewart announced the news, Dorset Equine Rescue took to Facebook to praise Stewart for the "unforgettable moment" by adopting them. "These two special boys have journeyed from uncertainty to safety, and now to a life filled with green pastures, gentle hands, and endless love. Seeing them welcomed so warmly reminds us why we do what we do every single day," the organization wrote. "Martha, thank you for opening your heart and your farm and for showing the world what compassion in action looks like." Ever since she adopted the horses, Stewart has been sure to keep fans up to date about how they're adjusting to their new home. "It will take time for my newest Friesian horses, Ulysses and Stewart, to fully acclimate to life at my farm, but so far these handsome steeds are doing excellently," she captioned photos of them via Instagram on September 15. "They had a wonderful first weekend - running, roaming, grazing, and learning. See todays @marthastewartblog and online - link in bio - for more photos of my Friesian rescues from @dorsetequinerescue." A handful of fans quickly rushed to social media to praise Stewart for adopting the horses. "Aww. Im so glad you rescued both so they have a friend in each other. Such handsome adorable boys! More horse content please!" one person wrote in the comments section of her September 15 post, while an additional fan added, "What lucky horses to have found your lovely home." This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Microsoft said it began investigating after a report from The Guardian claimed that an IDF unit was using Microsoft technology for surveillance purposes. (Adam Gray / Bloomberg via Getty Images file) Microsoft has cut off some services to a unit in Israels Defense Ministry after investigating allegations that it was using Microsoft cloud products for the mass surveillance of Palestinians. In a blog post published Thursday, Microsoft President Brad Smith said the move came after reviewing an Aug. 6 report from The Guardian that said an Israel Defense Forces intelligence unit had used the companys Azure storage service to collect and store recordings of Palestinian civilians phone calls. Azure is Microsofts primary cloud-computing service, with millions of monthly active users around the globe. However, the Guardian citing interviews with 11 sources, including at Microsoft and among Israeli intelligence officials alleged that the unit had access to a customised and segregated area within Azures cloud platform. Smith did not directly corroborate that assertion but said the companys review had found evidence that supports elements of the Guardians reporting, including the use of Azure storage capacity in the Netherlands and of certain artificial intelligence services. Smith did not provide additional details. Microsoft has since informed Israels Defense Ministry, which oversees the IDF and its intelligence units, that it was disabling the units ability to use parts of Azures cloud storage service. Microsoft did not name the unit it was targeting in its action, but The Guardian report was centered on Unit 8200, seen as Israels equivalent to the U.S. National Security Agency. NBC News has not confirmed that report. We do not provide technology to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians, Smith said. We have applied this principle in every country around the world, and we have insisted on it repeatedly for more than two decades. Smith said Microsoft would continue other work designed to protect the cybersecurity of Israel and other countries in the Middle East. A spokesperson for Israels Defense Ministry said it had no comment. In response to The Guardians August report, an Israeli official first said its work with companies such as Microsoft was based on legally supervised agreements, but then later stated that Microsoft is not and has not been working with the IDF on the storage or processing of data. The Guardian article was the latest in a yearslong series of media reports alleging that the IDF has been using software products created by U.S. tech giants, including Microsoft, in its war in the Gaza Strip. The reports have led to internal protests by Microsoft employees, some of whom have subsequently been terminated, according to documents reviewed by CNBC. Late last month, Microsoft said it asked police to remove people it said had improperly entered its headquarters as part of a protest action. Microsoft has said it doesnt retaliate against employees who express their views but would respond to anyone deemed to have made threats. The reports about the use of Microsoft products by Israels military have helped fuel a protest group, No Tech for Apartheid, created in 2021, aimed at pressuring Silicon Valley businesses to cut ties with Israel. The group includes a Microsoft-focused offshoot, No Azure for Apartheid, that has focused on the Redmond, Washington-based corporation. In a statement, a representative for No Azure for Apartheid celebrated the announcement, calling it significant and unprecedented, but noting that Microsoft has only disabled a small subset of services to only one unit in the Israeli military. The vast majority of Microsofts contract with the Israeli military remains intact. Israels military campaign in response to Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks which it has said killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and led to some 251 hostages being taken has killed nearly 65,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials. Shelbyville Police Department NEED TO KNOW Sophie Igou, 28, is charged with five felony counts of neglect, including two tied to her son Jaspers death Police allege the 22-month-old was malnourished, in a severe state of decomposition and hadnt seen a doctor since January 2024 Igous two other children, ages 4 and 8, were placed in state custody A 22-month-old Indiana boy was found dead in what investigators described as a significant state of decomposition, and his mother has been charged with neglect. Sophie Igou, 28, of Shelbyville, faces two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and three additional counts of neglect of a dependent, according to online court records reviewed by PEOPLE. Her bond is set at $2 million. Igou called 911 around 10:45 p.m. on Sept. 17 and said she had found her youngest child, Jasper, dead and cold to the touch, per an affidavit obtained by IndyStar, WTHR and Fox 59. Minutes later, officers met her in the driveway outside her trailer, where she was holding the toddler wrapped in a sheet, according to the documents. Although Igou told dispatchers she had just discovered her son unresponsive, police wrote that his body was in a significant state of decomposition and appeared to have been deceased for a significant period of time. Detectives noted the child appeared extremely malnourished, with bones visible beneath his skin and a near-complete absence of subcutaneous fat, per the affidavit. Inside the home, investigators said they found decomposing material in a crib believed to be remnants of the childs body. The residence was hoarded, littered with garbage, insect-infested and entirely unsafe/unhealthy as a domicile for human beings, let alone small children, according to the documents. Detectives wrote that Igou appeared to act surprised when told Jasper had been dead for some time before her 911 call. When confronted with the condition of Jaspers body, Sophie stated, Did I do this? one report said. Another officer wrote that he heard her ask, Am I going to jail now? Igous two other children, ages 4 and 8, were placed in the custody of the Indiana Department of Child Services, per the outlets. 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 an interview at Shelbyville Police Headquarters, Igou said the children had lived with her full-time since her ex-husband moved out in November 2024. She told detectives that Jasper had recently struggled to keep food down, but acknowledged she had not taken him to a doctor because she was trying to get her bearings as a single mom, per the outlets. Court documents state Jasper had not received medical care since January 2024. A Sept. 19 autopsy cited by detectives found the toddler weighed 14 pounds at the time of his death only four pounds more than at his 2024 doctors appointment. The Shelby County Coroners Office told the outlets the cause of death will be finalized in the coming weeks. Igou is also facing a felony count of neglect of a dependent because her eldest child was allegedly not enrolled in school, according to court records reviewed by PEOPLE. Read the original article on People Joseph Rothrock, special agent in charge, FBI Dallas, responds to questions during a news conference at a U.S. Attorney's office Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) DALLAS (AP) The gunman who opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas hated the U.S. government and wanted to incite terror by killing federal agents, officials said Thursday, offering the first hint of a motive in the attack. Citing handwritten notes found at his suburban home, authorities said 29-year-old Joshua Jahn set out to ambush the agency and then fatally shot himself following the assault. The shooting at daybreak Wednesday targeted the ICE office building, including a van in a gated entryway that held detainees. One detainee was killed, and two others were critically wounded. No ICE personnel were hurt. Jahn specifically intended to kill ICE agents," firing at vehicles carrying ICE personnel, federal agents and detainees. "He also fired multiple shots in the windows of the office building where numerous ICE employees do their jobs every day, said Joseph Rothrock, agent in charge of the FBI's Dallas field office. Jahn's notes indicated "that he did not expect to survive this event, Rothrock said. He wanted to cause terror. The gunman, who authorities said fired indiscriminately from a nearby rooftop, was involved in a high degree of pre-attack planning, FBI Director Kash Patel said on the social platform X. Patel quoted a note that said: Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof? The note used an apparent abbreviation for armor-piercing bullets. The attack happened as heightened immigration enforcement has generated a backlash against ICE agents and stirred fear in immigrant communities across the country. The assailant appeared to have acted alone. Nancy Larson, the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, said investigators discovered the notes at Jahn's residence. Another note said, Yes, it was just me. Other notes were sharply critical of ICE agents and indicated he hoped to avoid hurting any detainees. Investigators have not found that the gunman was a member of any particular group or entity, Larson said. And while he broadly wrote about hatred of the federal government, he did not mention any federal agencies other than ICE, she said. The gunman had also downloaded a document titled Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management containing a list of Homeland Security facilities, Patel said. Hours before the shooting, the assailant conducted multiple internet searches for ballistics information and video of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a Utah university campus this month, Patel said. Last month, the man searched for apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents, he added. On Wednesday, Patel posted a photo on social media showing a bullet found at the scene with ANTI-ICE written on it. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered more security at ICE facilities across the U.S., according to a post by the DHS on X. Shooter arrived before dawn with a ladder The ICE facility is along Interstate 35 East, just southwest of Dallas Love Field, a large airport serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, and blocks from hotels. Jahn was seen driving into the area about 3 a.m. with a large ladder on top of his vehicle, Larson said. The ladder is believed to have been used to climb to the roof of a nearby building. The gunfire started around 6:30 a.m., Larson said. Shots were sprayed along the length of the ICE facility, into the windows and into the van, she said. Jahn legally obtained the bolt-action rifle used in the shooting in August, Rothrock said. He also acknowledged the potential for other casualties, Rothrock said. He knew with a high likelihood ICE detainees would be transported that morning in the exact location where he was facing from his perch atop the roof. Following ICE procedures, the detainees were restrained inside the van, said Marcos Charles, field office director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE. Under gunfire, multiple federal agents ran into that fire to remove these individuals and to attempt to render lifesaving aid under the most dire circumstances, Rothrock said. Authorities have not released the names of the victims. Who was the gunman? Noah Jahn described his brother as unique and told NBC News that the anti-ICE messages were surprising. He didnt have strong feelings about ICE as far as I knew, Noah Jahn said. He wasnt interested in politics on either side as far as I knew. He said the two grew up about 30 miles away in Allen, Texas, and that his brother took an interest in coding but was unemployed. Noah Jahn said he last saw his brother two weeks ago at their parents house and that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A spokesperson for Collin College in nearby McKinney, said via email that a Joshua Jahn studied there at various times between 2013 and 2018. In late 2017, Jahn drove cross-country to work a minimum-wage job harvesting marijuana for several months, said Ryan Sanderson, owner of a legal cannabis farm in Washington state. ICE has been targeted elsewhere Noem noted a recent uptick in targeting of ICE agents. On July 4, attackers in black, military-style clothing opened fire outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, southwest of Dallas, federal prosecutors said. One police officer was wounded. At least 11 people have been charged in connection with the attack. Days later, a man with an assault rifle fired dozens of rounds at federal agents leaving a Border Patrol facility in McAllen. The man, identified as Ryan Louis Mosqueda, injured a responding police officer before authorities shot and killed him. ___ Williams reported from Detroit. Associated Press journalists Jack Brook in New Orleans; Mike Balsamo in New York; Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington; Sophia Tareen in Chicago; and Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis contributed to this report. City Barbeque, a fast-casual barbecue restaurant chain founded in Columbus, Ohio, is used to selling just under 4 million pounds of brisket a year across the 11 states it serves. After all, the "premium barbecue experience" is what City Barbeque prides itself on, said Rachel Demers, the company's senior director of supply chain and for customers, that means brisket. This year, though, City Barbeque is preparing for a shift in consumer preference toward other proteins like chicken or pork. Not because customers won't want beef anymore, Demers said, but because some won't be willing to pay more than $11 for a brisket sandwich. Steaks and hamburgers are prepared on the grill at Little West Tavern in Franklinton, Ohio on Sept. 10, 2025. With the prices of beef soaring, chefs are getting creative with how they purchase, prepare and store the meat. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch As of July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported the average retail beef price as $9.69 per pound. The same time a year ago, that price was $8.43 per pound. Six years ago in 2019, that number was $6.09. "It definitely puts local restaurants under financial strain," Demers said. "The profit margins definitely remain tighter than ever." While City Barbeque has tried to absorb as much of the national price surge as it can, the restaurant has had to raise the cost of certain menu items. The same brisket sandwich that's priced at $11.49 today used to cost $9.99 in April or May, Demers said. "It's not that they complain," Demers said, when asked whether customers have vocalized frustration over beef prices increasing. "They just don't come in as often because they don't have as much expendable cash." Steaks and hamburgers are prepared on the grill at Little West Tavern in Franklinton, Ohio on Sept. 10, 2025. With the prices of beef soaring, chefs are getting creative with how they purchase, prepare and store the meat. Why is the cost of beef so high? The explanation for the recent surge in beef prices is complex, but essentially chalks up to an issue of supply and demand. On one side of the equation is the fact that farmers are facing a historically small cattle herd, said Elizabeth Harsh, executive director for the Ohio Cattlemen's Association. During last year's severe statewide drought, Harsh said many farmers had to sell off their animals, not having the necessary plants to feed them. Beef prices at all-time high: Why grilling costs a lot more this year On the demand side of things, Harsh characterized consumers' want for beef as "as high as it's been in 40 years," so much so that she said national beef sales have actually risen 6.3% from last year despite record-high prices. Steaks and hamburgers are prepared for the grill at Little West Tavern in Franklinton, Ohio on Sept. 10, 2025. With the prices of beef soaring, chefs are getting creative with how they purchase, prepare and store the meat. One other variable at play is that the cost to raise cattle including expenses for fuel, equipment, land, energy, labor and more has also risen, moving farmers to increase what they charge for beef to compensate. Though cattle farmers may be benefiting from higher prices, she said, they're also paying more. And with all these factors at play, she added it's important to remember that farmers are "price takers, not price setters." "They're not the villain," Harsh said. "And sometimes I think it's incorrect when we paint them that way." How have businesses been impacted by record-high beef prices? City Barbeque isn't the only business facing challenges because of the beef market. Little West Tavern, a restaurant inside The Junto hotel in downtown Columbus that serves several cuts of steak, said national beef prices haven't affected menu pricing or the quantity of beef purchased, though the restaurant has had to absorb higher costs on its signature items, according to an email statement from executive chef Don Petito. Petito said because Little West Tavern is an independent restaurant without "the buying power" of a national chain, the current market has forced the restaurant to be more strategic about how it buys beef by finding ways to offset higher beef-related expenses, like controlling waste. Food prices in 2025: Why beef prices keep rising and what it means for ranchers and consumers "The advantage is that were deeply connected to our purveyors and local farms, which gives us flexibility that big chains dont always have," Petito said in a statement. "We can shift quickly to bring in whole animals, or collaborate directly with producers to get the best quality at a fair price." White Castle, whose headquarters are in Columbus, said in an email statement that while beef has "slightly exceeded" the company's cost projection for the summer, it has not required a price increase. According to the statement, the current beef market has played a role in White Castle's decision to shift its promotional focus toward other non-beef products like chicken and pork sliders. See the 'risky foods' linked to US recalls and illness outbreaks Consumer Reports, the nonprofit known for testing and monitoring consumer-facing policy and products, released its annual risky food report in April, naming the 10 foods of 2024 that were subject to the most recalls and/or associated with the largest illness outbreaks. USA TODAY broke it down further on a what-you-need-to-know basis. John Barker, president and CEO of the Ohio Restaurant and Hospitality Alliance, said this strategy has become more common in light of the current beef market, with many restaurants traditionally known for beef products turning to other meats to lower their overall food cost and make additional sales. "For example, Taco Bell is now offering chicken nuggets, which, if you thought about that 10 years ago, you'd say that doesn't make any sense, right?" Barker said. "But for them, if they're able to move their product mix a little bit from beef to chicken during this time, that can really help them." Barker said the restaurant industry is a resilient one that's no stranger to setbacks. That said, the impacts of such expensive beef costs are "serious," more than just an everyday bump in the road. Beyond the beef market, Barker said national food costs have generally been roughly 35% above average over the last five years. "We haven't seen anything like that," Barker said. "That's the overall pressure, and then you layer on things like [the beef market] on top of it that's the issue for restaurants. Their profitability is really being pressured." When will beef prices drop? Barker said the Ohio Restaurant and Hospitality Alliance doesn't expect beef prices to drop until at least late 2027, because that's how long it will take for cattle farmers' herds to be restored. "This is gonna be with us for a while," Barker said. "It's our new normal." And for City Barbeque, that's a concerning prospect, Demers said, especially as holiday season one of the restaurant's busiest times draws closer. "It's definitely not something that's quickly going away," Demers said. "It's a life cycle of a herd. The cattle cannot be fixed within six weeks; it's 18 months at the fastest that a new herd is coming through and ready to be harvested." Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Restaurants, cattle farmer talk record high beef prices Drone overflights again caused disruptions at Danish airports on Wednesday night, officials said, in the latest instance of unexplained drone sightings over sensitive facilities in the Scandinavian nation. The latest incidents prompted the complete closure of Aalborg Airport -- which is also used by the Danish armed forces -- on the northern tip of Denmark's Zealand island, the Danish National Police said. Drones were also reported over the southern cities of Esbjerg and Sonderborg, as well as over the Fighter Wing Skrydstrup air base, which is home to Danish F-16 fighter jets, Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said Thursday. Morten Skov/@mschieller69609/Morten Skov via Reuters - PHOTO: A light moves in the sky over Aalborg, amid reports of drone sightings that led to the city's airport in Aalborg, Denmark, on Sept. 24, 2025, in this screengrab taken from social media video. Finn Borch, the head of the Danish Security Intelligence Service, said Thursday that there they are unable to name a specific actor behind the drones. "But we can say that this resembles a model of hybrid warfare we have seen elsewhere in Europe," Borch said during a press briefing. "I would remind you -- as some of you, of course, know -- that we assess the risk of Russian espionage in Denmark to be high, and we also assess the risk of Russian sabotage in Denmark to be high. We have seen this in other parts of Europe, and we must also expect to see it in Denmark." The latest drone reports came after Copenhagen Airport was forced to close for several hours on Monday night, as was Oslo Airport in southern Norway. Both capitals sit along the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits, home to busy shipping lanes which connect the North Sea to the Baltic Sea. "The goal of this kind of hybrid attack is to create fear," Hummelgaard said at a press briefing earlier Thursday. "It is to create discord and it is to make us afraid." The origin or purpose of the drone flights is not yet clear. But Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told a Thursday press conference, "There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time." "This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones," Poulsen said, adding that Copenhagen has options to respond through NATO, including by triggering the alliance's Article 4 which calls for a formal consultation with allies. "We have no evidence to make the direct link to Russia," Poulsen added. As Poland downs drones amid Russia strike, NATO braces for new era on eastern front Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday that she considered the initial drone intrusions over Copenhagen and elsewhere to be "a serious attack against critical infrastructure in Denmark." Asked if Russia -- drones from which have repeatedly violated NATO airspace in recent months -- should be considered responsible, Frederiksen said, "I cannot reject in any way that it could be Russia." The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed the assertion. "A country that takes a serious position should probably not make such baseless accusations time and time again," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. And on Thursday, the Russian embassy in Denmark suggested the drone sightings "are a staged provocation." "Undoubtedly, they will be used as a pretext for further escalating tension in the interests of forces seeking by all means to prolong the Ukrainian conflict and extend it to other countries," the embassy wrote on Telegram. "The Russian side firmly rejects the absurd speculations of involvement in the incidents." Bo Amstrup/AP - PHOTO: People walk outside Aalborg Airport in Denmark, on Sept. 25, 2025. Danish Police Chief Superintendent Jens Jespersen told reporters on Tuesday that authorities were investigating several theories as to the origin of the drones, including that they may have been launched from nearby ships. The Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet reported that a Russian warship, the Aleksandr Shabalin, was spotted off Denmarks coast with its transponder turned off in recent days. When asked about the ship during a press briefing Thursday, Danish Police Commissioner Thorkild Fogde said he could not say anything specific about it, but that "data about such ships is now included in the investigation." "It is my impression that the investigation is well-informed when it comes to international vessels," he sad. "We are in close cooperation with other authorities on this. The warship is included as one of the leads in the investigation." Danish authorities identified three tankers with links to Russia -- the Astrol 1, Pushpa and Oslo Carrier 3 -- as possible launch points, Reuters reported. Of the three, only the Pushpa was close to Aalborg on Wednesday night when the latest drone overflights were reported. As of Thursday morning, open-source maritime tracking websites showed the Pushpa sailing southwest through the North Sea toward the English Channel, with its eventual destination listed as Vadinar in India. The Ukrainian government's "War Sanctions" website lists the Pushpa as part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers -- vessels that are often uninsured and with unclear ownership which Moscow uses to evade international sanctions. The Puspha also uses the name Boracay and sails under the flag of Benin, according to the Ukrainian government. What to know about 'Eastern Sentry,' NATO's response to Russian drones The Danish government is planning to "acquire new capabilities for detection" and to present a bill that will "provide increased opportunities for infrastructure owners to also shoot down drones," Hummelgaard said Thursday. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Thursday that he spoke with Frederiksen "about the drone situation, which we take very seriously." "NATO allies and Denmark are working together on how we can ensure the safety and security of our critical infrastructure," Rutte wrote in a post to X. ABC News' Patrick Reevell, Morgan Winsor and Will Gretsky contributed to this report. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government jet flew an unusual route from Tel Aviv to New York Thursday, largely avoiding European airspace. Netanyahu, traveling to the United Nations General Assembly, briefly flew over Greece and Italy, but then took a circuitous route across the Mediterranean, directly over the strait of Gibraltar and then across the Atlantic, according to FlightRadar24 records viewed by ABC News. The unusual route added more than two hours to the prime minister's flight time, the records show. In previous U.S. trips, Netanyahu's jet has flown over Greece, a large swath of Italy, before crossing the entire length of France. Google Earth, flightradar24.com - PHOTO: Map of path of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus flight to New York, where he will attend the UN General Assembly Italy, France and Greece are all members of the International Criminal Court which has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Netanyahu has rejected the ICC's arrest warrant and said the actions and charges are "absurd and false." MORE: Rubio and Netanyahu meet in Israel to discuss Hamas war, Gaza City operation FlightRadar24 records show the prime minister's plane routinely flying over European airspace in the last year. Israeli media reports this is the first time Netanyahu has avoided European airspace since the ICC war crimes arrest warrant was issued in 2024. Milos Bicanski/Getty Images - PHOTO: Israeli state aircraft Wing of Zion which flew to Greece from Ben Gurion airport, is seen at International Airport in Athens on June 13, 2025 in Athens, Greece. "For some governments, giving Netanyahu permission to fly over their country would be a political liability. In the past no one would have known but now with real time flight tracking on every smart phone everyone will be able to track his plane. Technology has changed diplomacy in this small way," said Steve Ganyard, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and ABC News contributor. Netanyahu's flight lasted 13 hours, while a commercial flight from Tel Aviv to JFK airport routinely takes just under 11 hours. The prime minister's office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. Key Points Nvidias $100B Investment in OpenAI: Nvidia is investing heavily in OpenAI, primarily to support data centers and secure demand for its chips, reflecting a strategy of spreading bets across the tech industry. Nvidia is investing heavily in OpenAI, primarily to support data centers and secure demand for its chips, reflecting a strategy of spreading bets across the tech industry. Strategic Hedging and Market Awareness: Doug and Lee discuss Nvidias approach as a hedge against global competition (especially from China) and as a diversification strategy, similar to what Apple and other tech leaders have done in the past. Doug and Lee discuss Nvidias approach as a hedge against global competition (especially from China) and as a diversification strategy, similar to what Apple and other tech leaders have done in the past. Long-Term Vision and Growth Mindset: Nvidias leadership is portrayed as forward-thinking, learning from past successes and failures, investing in complementary tech, and positioning the company for sustained dominance in AI and semiconductor markets. Nvidias leadership is portrayed as forward-thinking, learning from past successes and failures, investing in complementary tech, and positioning the company for sustained dominance in AI and semiconductor markets. Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAssets free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Dont waste another minute; learn more here.(Sponsor) This week it was announced that Nvidia (NVDA) will be investing $100 billion into OpenAI. The partnership will help deploy 10 gigawatts of Nvidia systems. Doug and Lee discuss why the partnership is a perfect pairing. Doug McIntyre: Lee, it just came out maybe an hour ago that NVIDIA's putting, a hundred billion dollars into OpenAI. OpenAI's valuation in the last round was about $380 billion. Lee Jackson: But they haven't made a penny. Doug McIntyre: Now obviously this is sort of self-serving. Because the money is going in primarily for data centers. And guess whose chips you need to use if if you get data centers? To me it says two things. One is, is Nvidia is placing bets all over the place. They're like some guy who walks into a casino drunk and decides to throw money around. As you know, they've got a huge amount of cash, you know, sitting on the balance sheet. But I'm curious, there are tech companies that never use their own cash. The most famous one is Apple. They never buy anything. What do you think of this? What do you think of the idea that you just sort of, I'm gonna take my bets and spread 'em across the industry? Lee Jackson: Well, it makes sense and it's interesting that we're talking about Nvidia and their holdings with that kind of capital, clearly they wanna spread it out because you and I remember when Nvidia was a $2 stock. About 15 years ago, we remember it well and they remember it well and it had they not come up with a gaming, a faster gaming chip in like 2015. It may have been game over for them, but nope. They hung in there. And boy, look at what they own now. And I think doing what they're doing is kind of what Steve Jobs did. You know, he would go out and acquire companies or invest in other companies to kind of build out the Apple brand and what they were doing and the vendors they were using and things of that nature. And maybe that's what the top folks in Nvidia think. Doug McIntyre: I also think it's a smart hedge. I, I mean, at first the US government wasn't gonna let Nvidia sell ships to China. Now China does what Nvidia to sell ships to China. And of course they're claiming two or three of our tech companies suddenly built ships that were just as good as Nvidias. Its the old Chinese playbook. Which is that at some point you learn a lot from the Americans Lee Jackson: Then you steal it. Doug McIntyre: I hate to say this, but Tesla is the most recent example of that is they had number one market share, built a huge factory in Shanghai. All of a sudden there are over 100 EV companies in China. Underwritten to a large extent by the government. Now a bunch of 'em are gonna go outta business, but they're, because there're too many. But listen, the EV business in China is now successful, particularly with companies like BYD because they copied Tesla. Nvidia has to be worried about the same thing. So I think side bets are also a smart hedge when it comes to that. Lee Jackson: Yeah, I think it's interesting. We saw, and we had talked about the last time we, we did some recording about Broadcom, and they came and blew it out at, like, you and I anticipated they would. Huge, huge revenue gains, you know, EPS above estimates. And it made me think like, uh, oh, you know, there, there's more than one, uh, player in this game. And there's, you know, there's. Broadcom, you know, and Nvidia, and there's really nobody else that can get in and force their way into that club. So, yeah, I, I think it's really smart for him to advance, get a big chunk of chat, OpenAI and all that and just widen things out. Doug McIntyre: Now I think that the Chinese are, because they've also said that training, deep seek only costs some, I don't know, 10 cents when OpenAI's training, you know, training of full new, uh, generation is probably closer to $20 billion when it comes to the full cycle. So the Chinese are playing a game. The first one is they're lying about how long it takes them to, to do a full training cycle. And then the other one is, is to say, uh, we, gee, you know, Alibaba just built, you know, a world class chip. Lee Jackson: Well, we'll believe it when we see it and it won't go into any devices in the West. So better make sure they can be used there. Doug McIntyre: I'm starting to look at Nvidia as a buy again. Not because of their, you know, sort of base business. It's not a sell for me because it's China. I mean, I think what they're doing is they're a building a portfolio and of investments in companies that's a very, very smart. It's a kind of a diversification to businesses that are directly related to theirs. Lee Jackson: Absolutely. Absolutely they are. And again, you know. He's been around, their fearless leader has been around long enough to see that tech can change fast. As evidenced by 15 years ago, the stock was $3, you know, and today it would be $182. And that's, you know, with splits and everything else, and it's gone up like 3000%. It's been, you know, dot com sort of huge. But even the best, you know, streaks can run out, you know, it happens in Vegas and you can be on a lucky street, but that'll run out and you know, they don't build those big hotels in Vegas 'cause the house loses and eventually that money comes back in some way, shape or form. And he could be concerned about that in the future. Doug McIntyre: I think he probably is. And it's smart. Lee Jackson: Yeah. If You have $500,000 Saved, Retirement Could Be Closer Than You Think (sponsor) Retirement can be daunting, but it doesnt need to be. Imagine having an expert in your corner to help you with your financial goals. Someone to help you determine if youre ahead, behind, or right on track. With SmartAsset, thats not just a dreamits reality. This free tool connects you with pre-screened financial advisors who work in your best interests. Its quick, its easy, so take the leap today and start planning smarter! Dont waste another minute; get started right here and help your retirement dreams become a retirement reality. (sponsor) The post Nvidias $100 Billion OpenAI Deal Could Reshape the AI Chip Race appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.. DEKLE BEACH, Fla. Sheila Blue sits on a picnic table underneath a house on 24-foot stilts. If she looks to her left, she sees the marsh at low tide. Its mid-morning, and a blue heron stands ankle deep in the water and surveys the horizon while wind ripples the surface of the Gulf. But if she looks up, she sees the wind flutter the exposed blankets of pink fiberglass insulation. Almost a year after Hurricane Helene made landfall in this small northeast Florida Gulf Coast community, she still lives in her home on Good Times Drive, even though it needs a lot of work. They thought I couldnt do that, and I said a lot of people that are fancy ladies probably couldnt, because its not all fancy fixed up, she said. But I have water, sewer and power. I can go to bed in my bed, I can flush my toilet, I can cook. She lost everything in 1993: her first home, which was located on the same spot, in the "No Name Storm" or the "Storm of the Century; her belongings and her pets; and her mother, sister-in-law, and nephew, who drowned when the tropical cyclone hit the beach in the middle of the night. Thankfully, no one in Taylor County died in Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that battered the area with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour. Its a silver lining often repeated among residents, especially when they compare the impact in Florida to North Carolina, where 86 people died in the storm. But that doesnt erase their frustration with insurance companies, struggles with building permits, the slow tourist season or elected officials they say have been absent. More than 350 homes were destroyed in the storm, which thundered through Keaton Beach only 13 months after Hurricane Idalia, a Category 3 hurricane. Many residents have moved away and for sale signs sit in front of empty lots with only concrete pilings to show there once was a home. I just feel like weve been totally forgotten, said Mandy Adams. Shelia Blue, a Dekle Beach resident, sits at a picnic table under her waterfront home as she reflects on what life is like nearly one year after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida. 'The depression is real' Five days before the one year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Adams was moving new furniture into her home. Adams and her husband have been living in a camper down the road that their friends let them use. The past year has seen constant phone calls, battles with insurance companies and waiting for building permits. Its just crazy that one person has the same insurance as the other, and then the other people who have the same insurance arent getting anything, Adams said. Its just frustrating. When Helene hit, it was the third hurricane to make landfall in Taylor County in 13 months. While Idalia in 2023 was a Category 3 and Debby, which hit in late July 2024, was a Category 1, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the damage from Helene was more extensive than those two hurricanes combined. The Adams home on Keaton Beach was their primary residence. While their flood insurance paid out, theyve had to hire an attorney to help fight for their wind claim. Mandy Adams reflects on the hardships endured over the past year by those who reside in Keaton Beach, Florida after Hurricane Helene destroyed the landscape of the community. Luckily for the Adamses, the money from the flood insurance is helping them rebuild, she said. Many coastal residents didnt have property insurance at all, including Blue. Some pay day by day or month by month for repairs. Others have nailed plywood over their windows or have decided just to tear the rest of their house down. Near the Adams residence, theres a home with no front door, no facade. Looking in means staring straight into a gutted kitchen, with wooden cabinet doors missing and items still on the shelves. When the Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network, spoke to Adams, she was waiting for someone to install new cabinets and countertops in her kitchen. Her walls were freshly painted, a color called sea salt. She said it took a long time to get the permits from the county for repairs, and other residents of Keaton Beach have complained about the long wait times for permits, even with cash in hand from their insurance companies. The comparison of a Keaton Beach home destroyed by Hurricane Helene with images taken nearly a year apart. Taylor County Administrator LaWanda Pemberton said every application for a permit is considered on a case-by-case basis. Taylor County is one of 29 fiscally constrained counties in Florida. While the county did have additional resources after the storm, those contracts ended after six months. The county has one building inspector, one building official, one permit technician and two part-time code enforcement workers. Theres things coming back, its just coming back on a smaller scale because of it being a rural community, Adams said. After her new gray sectional couch was dropped off, she tipped the delivery men and described the improvements made to her home. They took away a side door, or as she put it, another place where water could get in. New furniture, fresh paint and flooring gets the Adams family one step closer into living full-time in their Keaton Beach home, nearly a year after Hurricane Helene damaged Floridas Nature Coast. She doesnt want anything sentimental in her house right now because she saw how much some of her neighbors lost. I think the depression is real, I think the PTSD of another storm this year was real, Adams said. I dont want to put anything that I care about back. I just want stuff thats replaceable, nothing that has meaning. 'Just check on us' In the immediate aftermath of the storm, then-President Joe Biden visited the damaged portions of the Big Bend coast and to meet with the affected communities. Adams said all his visit did was delay the restoration work for four to six hours. She does credit two GOP lawmakers, Sen. Corey Simon and Rep. Jason Shoaf, for helping get the canals and roadways cleared. By March, more than 134,000 cubic yards of debris had been removed from Taylor County. Even so, theres still trash in the canal, in the marsh and the forest. Sheet metal, wood, doors, chairs and other debris are stuck on trees, hanging in the same way they did a year ago. She hasnt seen DeSantis in a year, either. Maybe hes planning on coming a year after, I havent heard about it, she said. It would be nice for somebody to just kind of show face every once in a while, just check on us. Stephanie Weldon, a resident of Keaton Beach and the owner of the Trading Post in Keaton Beach, reflects on the hardships she and her neighbors have endured over the last year after Hurricane Helene destroyed the small waterfront community. Stephanie Weldon, owner of the Keaton Beach Trading Post and several rental properties on the coast, said residents who have stayed have formed a Keaton family and have come to rely on each other. Weldon wasnt the only business owner who lost her storefront: Jared and Monica Hunt, owners of Keaton Beach Bums, not only lost their convenience store, their home was damaged, too. The couple and their son stayed in the same campground as Weldon. We had family dinners, we had a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree because their son is 2 years old, and were not going to not let him have a Christmas, Weldon said. A group of Keaton Beach residents call each other their Keaton family after becoming close and relying on each other over the past year while recovering from Hurricane Helene. She also bought matching pajamas. When it was picture time, nobody complained, she said. Weldon said she hadnt seen any elected officials at Keaton Beach since the hype of the storm died down and all the news trucks went home. At the beginning, they came and heard our stories, and that was about it, she said. Weldon and her husband replaced the rental homes lost in the storm with tiny homes as a way to keep hosting, but on a much smaller scale. Even so, renters said they wanted to come and help, she said. We had one guest that just wanted to bring whatever, and they did fried chicken and all the fixings and even made homemade ice cream, she said. They brought us 300 gallons of gas, they had water, anything and everything. Recently members of the Keaton family had a meeting. They each asked each other: Are we staying, or are we getting out of here? Were all here to stay, Weldon said. Ana Goni-Lessan is a watchdog reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network. Email her at agonilessan@tallahassee.com This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: A year after Hurricane Helene, some Florida residents feel forgotten A robot on display at the AI Horizons summit in Pittsburgh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo: Christina Lengyel / The Center Square In July, Pennsylvania made headlines with a historic $90 billion investment in artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure, positioning the city of Pittsburgh and the entire state as a national hub for innovation. Now, the Keystone State has wisely realized that doing a good thing twice is a smart move politically and, more importantly, economically. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Senator Dave McCormick, R-Pa., delivered AI Horizons 2025, a sequel summit held Sept. 1112, signaling that Pennsylvania intends to make AI investment an ongoing story of economic transformation. AI Horizons 2025 was once again a bipartisan event featuring Governor Shapiro and Senator McCormick as headliners, with tech executives from around the country in attendance. This event built on the success of Pennsylvanias July summit, which attracted more than 60 industry CEOs. The sequel summit leveraged Pennsylvanias proven formula: bipartisan political unity, a focus on energy and AI infrastructure, and a systematic approach to workforce and economic development. We were the epicenter of growth and development and revolution because of the coal under our ground, because of the steel that we've made here, because of the ingenuity of our farmers, Governor Shapiro declared at the summit. This is the next chapter in our innovative growth as a commonwealth, which is gonna fuel growth in this country, fuel growth around the globe. And it happens because of AI. President Donald J. Trump, McCormick, and Shapiro may not agree on every issue, but they align on economic transformation. Pennsylvanias July summit succeeded by following a precise playbook that combined bipartisan unity, energy assets, and a global stage to deliver billion-dollar results. This coalition created rare conditions of certainty in both policy and infrastructure investment, reassuring companies that Pennsylvania is a stable and predictable place to build the AI economy. What other states have failed to recognize is that this model is entirely replicable. The question isnt whether Pennsylvanias formula worksits which governors (whether they are the blue or red team) are bold enough to pick up the phone, call the White House, and announce their own summit. If Pennsylvania generated a $90 billion investment, Texas should be targeting $150 billion. The Lone Star State already hosts the Trump administrations $500 billion Stargate project, with 10 data centers currently under construction. Texass power demand is projected to reach 218 gigawatts by 2031 significantly larger than whats happening in Pennsylvania. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, working with GOP U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, could assemble a powerful Republican coalition around a massive energy and AI summit that surpasses Pennsylvanias achievement. The infrastructure exists; whats missing is a coordinated showcase. Florida presents an equally compelling opportunity. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently described AI as the biggest issue facing our society and is currently developing the states AI strategy. As Americas fourth-largest data center hub, with strategic connectivity to Latin America and the Caribbean, Florida offers unique advantages. By collaborating with Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla., alongside Democratic leaders like Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla. a bipartisan bridge who has been a vocal advocate for tech and innovation policy in Central Florida the state could present a unified front to establish the Sunshine State as a global AI and energy powerhouse. Alabama presents one of the most immediate opportunities. Republican Governor Kay Ivey recently announced Metas $800 million data center in Montgomery, bringing Metas total investment in Alabama to $1.5 billion. She also signed the Powering Growth plan, which establishes the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank to finance power infrastructure related to industrial expansion. Collaborating with Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Katie Britt, R-Ala., as well as Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala. a key advocate for infrastructure and economic development in the Birmingham region Alabama could leverage bipartisan momentum to host a Southern manufacturing-focused AI summit. Such a summit would unify existing projects and partnerships, signaling to global investors that Alabama is a coordinated, reliable partner ready to scale AI-driven growth. Pennsylvania has demonstrated that this model works and shows no signs of slowing down. Their September summit secured a first-mover advantage while other states continue to rely on outdated recruitment strategies. With Washington receptive and global capital eager for clear partnerships, Pennsylvania has effectively provided the market with what it wanted: a template for rapid, coordinated growth. The AI infrastructure boom presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for transformational investment, but competitive advantages can fade quickly. Two months ago, I wrote that Pittsburghs AI transformation could define the next era of American industry. Today, Pennsylvanias sequel summit demonstrates that they are not just participating in this transformationthey are orchestrating it. The blueprint is proven, the capital is ready, and the lines of communication to Washington are open. The question now isnt whether other states can replicate the formula, but which leaders will move boldly enough to claim their share. While others deliberate, Pennsylvania is already preparing for the third round. Merriam-Webster announced Thursday it has taken the rare step of fully revising and reimagining one of its most popular dictionaries with a fresh edition that adds over 5,000 new words, including "doomscroll," "WFH," "dumbphone" and "ghost kitchen." Other additions: "cold brew," "farm-to-table," "rizz," "dad bod," "hard pass," "adulting" and "cancel culture," as well as "petrichor," "teraflop" and "side-eye." There's also "beast mode" and "dashcam." The 12th edition of "Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary" comes 22 years after the book's last hard-copy update and amid declining U.S. sales for analog dictionaries overall, according to Circana BookScan. It will be released Nov. 18, with preorders now available. Petrichor is a pleasant odor after a rainfall following a warm, dry period. Teraflop is a unit of measure for calculating the speed of a computer. Dumbphones are just that, the mobile devices used before the smartphone revolution that may be making a comeback. And ghost kitchens, which came into their own during the pandemic, are commercial spaces for hire. The new "Collegiate" also includes enhanced entries for some top lookups, and more than 20,000 new usage examples. All of the added words were already available on Merriam-Webster.com. The chunky, linen-cover "Collegiate" update weighs in at nearly five pounds. The company removed two sections of the "Collegiate's" 11th edition that had sparse biographical and geographical entries to make room for the new content. Greg Barlow, Merriam-Webster's president, exclusively told The Associated Press ahead of the announcement that people no longer use dictionaries to learn such things as the location of Kalamazoo, a city in southwest Michigan, or about the identity of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a Russian composer who died in 1908. For that, they reach for the internet. Merriam-Webster also eliminated some obscure and antiquated words, including "enwheel," meaning encircle. "We wanted to make the 'Collegiate' more useful, a better design, more interesting," Barlow said. "We wanted it to be more rewarding to browse, more fun to look through, and to really be practical for research, but also a beautiful book." Merriam-Webster, the country's leading dictionary company, sells about 1.5 million tomes a year. Most are regularly revised but not fully overhauled like the "Collegiate," Barlow said. The company's retail sales overall have generally held steady in the last few years, he said. Print sales account for a small fraction of the company's revenue. "While the print dictionary is not at all important to the growth and profitability of this wonderful language company, it's still our heart," Barlow said. "There are people out there who just love books, and we love books." Cambridge Dictionary also recently added thousands of new words, driven by social media and celebrities. A number of the new words were popularized by Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Among the new entries: skibidi, delulu, tradwife and broligarchy. "Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the Dictionary," Colin McIntosh, the lexical program manager at Cambridge Dictionary, said in August in a statement. Trump plans to send troops to Portland, Oregon; governor says it is "not needed here" At least 1 killed, others seriously hurt in Michigan church shooting | Special Report Open: This is "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sept. 28, 2025 UNITED NATIONS (AP) Speaking over video after the United States denied his visa, the Palestinian leader told world leaders Thursday that his people reject the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and pledged that the militant group would have no role in governing the Gaza Strip after war ends and must hand over its weapons to his administration. Said Mahmoud Abbas to his people: The dawn of freedom will emerge. Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly that Palestinians in Gaza have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement by Israel. His speech came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to New York to give his own address in person on Friday. In a short but resolute speech, Abbas laid out his continued vision for a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel. That two-state solution has gained traction after a string of countries including top U.S. allies -- announced recognition of a Palestinian state this past week. But it also appears further than ever from realities on the ground. Netanyahus government has rejected the creation of a Palestinian state. He says his administration is ready Israeli troops control most of the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu says Israel will maintain security control over the territory after Hamas is defeated, and he has rejected giving Abbas Palestinian Authority any role in there. Some ministers in Netanyahus government have pushed for annexing the occupied West Bank, where Abbas authority currently administers small pockets of territory. There can be no justice if Palestine is not freed, Abbas said. The 89-year-old Abbas spoke for only 20 minutes shorter than his previous addresses, which often ran over an hour. In it, he sought to build on the growing, but largely symbolic recognition of statehood to present his government as an alternative to Hamas and to Israel's plans. He said the Palestinian Authority is ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza. He added that Hamas will have no role to play in governance, and will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian authorities. Hamas has agreed to step down from power in Gaza but has rejected Israeli demands that it disarm, saying it has a right to resist Israeli occupation. Hamas and Abbas' Fatah faction, which dominates the Palestinian Authority, have long been rivals. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 in clashes with Fatah, and since then multiple attempts at reconciliation and unity have failed. Meanwhile, Abbas' Palestinian Authority has grown increasingly unpopular among Palestinians, many of whom see it as ineffective, corrupt and a tool of Israel even as Israel works to diminish its role. Abbas said Israels campaign in Gaza is not merely an aggression, it is a war crime and a crime against humanity. An increasing number of experts around the world have accused Israel of genocide in its Gaza assault. Israel denies the accusation, blaming Hamas for the death and destruction in the territory. Abbas thanked the world leaders who have stood up for Palestinians throughout the Gaza war, saying that the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood has presented his people with hope for peace and an end to the conflict. He welcomed the recent announcements from France, the U.K. and Canada to recognize them as an independent state and called for the remaining few dozen countries to do the same. But, he added, symbolic recognition is not enough to address the present moment. The time has come for the international community to do right by the Palestinian people, so that they may obtain their rights for their legitimate rights to be rid of the occupation and to not remain a hostage to the temperament of Israeli politics, which denies our rights and continue in their injustice, oppression and aggression, Abbas said. An appeal for resolve Before concluding, he sent a message of hope to the Palestinian people, saying that no matter how long the suffering continues, its results will not break our will to live and survive. Israels campaign in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 people and wounded more than 167,000 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It doesnt say how many were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half the fatalities. More than 90% of housing in the territory has been destroyed, most of the population of more than 2 million have been displaced, and famine has been declared in northern Gaza. Israels campaign was triggered when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Forty-eight captives remain in Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive. The dawn of freedom will emerge, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our skies as a symbol of dignity, steadfastness and being free from the occupation, Abbas said. We will not leave our homeland. We will not leave our lands. ___ Keath reported from Cairo. Porsha Williams Cooking Diaries Credit: Photo: Getty Images, Alex Pepe, Kristina Vanni, Patty Catalano, Joe Lingeman Porsha Williams is a true Georgia peach. Its clear in the way she carries herself both on and off the set of The Real Housewives of Atlanta that Williams is as authentic and as passionate as they come. She also loves to host. Her (very-on-theme) go-to cocktail is a spin on a classic margarita that she calls a Peach, Please, margarita, which features Altos tequila, peach preserves, lime, and tajin. Its perfectly refreshing. This is Miss Porsha were talking about being the confident woman that she is, wed expect nothing less. To Williams, hosting isnt just one night of fun its a moment that curates memories for a lifetime, so it has to be perfect. Williams takes any moment whether its a party or a business decision and makes it her own. From her Go Naked Hair, to her Pampered by Porsha business ventures, the TV personality only invests in products she believes will reflect those moments. I like to feel like I romanticize my life, my personal life to my professional life, and that brands that I partner with are brands that I actually use. These are things that I actually believe in and things that are part of my life, Williams tells The Kitchn. Everything is just consistent. I can talk about it authentically. Bottom line: Williams keeps it fun, keeps it real, and keeps it her. Porsha Williams Cooking Diaries Credit: Photo: Getty Images, Laura Rege, Lauren Miyashiro For this edition of our Cooking Diary series, Porsha Williams walks us through her hosting hot takes, pantry must-haves, and food recommendations that will make your life a little bit sweeter. What is your go-to breakfast? I love a soft-boiled egg. Thats what I had this morning. A soft-boiled or sunny-side-up egg with toast and bacon. Thats it; and most days I dont do toast because I dont do a lot of carbs. [When I do] literally I want to have that soft yolk and dip it in the bread. It doesnt even have to have butter on it. I know, it is so basic, but with the salt and the pepper it just hits the spot. Classic Sage Dressing Recipe What is your favorite lunch? I just had the best Caesar salad that I think Ive ever had here at Mission and Market in Atlanta (and that pesto on the chicken it is delicious). I will also have to do a shout-out to Houstons. I love the salmon; the appetizer with the salmon and the chef sauce this smoked salmon is so, so good. I got one more: ribs from Sgt Wyatts Country BBQ in Decatur. I dont care who you are, how saditty you are Im gonna make you eat some ribs from Decatur. And that is a little pull-up its a little trailer and you pull right up to it. It is delicious. Whats an easy dinner recipe that youve been loving recently? I hate to say it, but I just realized theres a full grill on my stove, so now Im a grill freak. Whats easiest to me is just throw a steak on there. It takes like maybe 15 or 20 minutes to cook with some garlic butter. Oh my God. Steak, with a potato and green beans or broccoli. That is definitely my easiest go-to. It doesnt take me long to cook it at all, and it tastes like Ive been in the kitchen for hours. What is your favorite snack to eat while filming? We really dont even get time to eat unless were doing a dinner scene. And if were doing a dinner scene, we take full advantage. Yes, we are talking, but well sit there and order the entire menu to-go. Yes. No snacking and honestly, Im not a snacker anyway. What are your three tips for throwing a successful dinner party? I would have to say, have the perfect tequila. If youre going to have a great dinner, make sure that the dinner goes along with the drink. Theme it out; go all the way in with it. Im the type of person, Ill even stop at the store and get a couple decorations or flowers something to put on the countertop. So, I just say commit. If people are leaving their homes to come to your house and eat, youre going to want to make sure that you have it covered top to bottom. What is your kitchen must-have? I hate to say it (I hope my mom doesnt read this), but its an air fryer. She has actually hid my air fryer from me before. I went and found it, so I have to have my air fryer. Further Reading I Tried Every Possible Way to Bake a Potato, and Found the Curveball Trick I'll Now Follow Forever The $13 Caddy That Finally Frees Up Space in My Small Fridge 12 Slow Cooker Drop Dinners That Practically Make Themselves Sign up for The Kitchn's Daily newsletter to receive our best recipes, posts, and shopping tips in your inbox. Stay informed with a handpicked selection of the day's top AOL stories, delivered to your inbox. Thanks for signing up. Thank you for signing up. You will receive a confirmation email shortly. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, with her husband Prince Philip on their wedding day. The Gist Queen Elizabeth II wore a long-sleeved ivory Duchesse satin gown for her November 1947 wedding to Prince Philip. Royal couturier Norman Hartnell designed the elegant dress, which features a 15-foot train and 10,000 tiny seed pearls in its intricate embroidery. A 21-year-old Princess Elizabeth used ration coupons to purchase materials for the dress, reflecting postwar austerity. Queen Elizabeth IIs wedding dress remains one of the most intricate gowns in modern royal history. Designed by royal couturier Sir Normal Hartnell, the elegant satin frock took 350 seamstresses, 10,000 imported pearls, and a host of wartime ration coupons to come to life. Its embroidery incorporated meaningful symbols of postwar rebirth, signaling hope for the coming era and the future reign of the young princess. At the time of their November 20, 1947 nuptials, Princess Elizabeth and her husband-to-bePhilip Mountbatten, later Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburghhad been engaged for over a year. Theyd only publicly announced their intentions to wed a few months earlier, however, as Elizabeths father requested she wait until she turned 21 to marry. Sion Touhig/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress on display at the "A Century of Queens" exhibition in April 2002. Shortly after the wedding, Prince Philip wrote a letter to his new mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, expressing the depths of his devotion to his bride. Lilibet is the only thing in this world which is absolutely real to me, the 26-year-old prince wrote, as excerpted in Ingrid Sewards biography My Husband and I, and my ambition is to wield the two of us into a new combined existence. The late royals seven-decade love story continues to captivate the worldand it all started with their stunning Westminster Abbey wedding. Below, revisit every detail of Queen Elizabeths wedding dress, from the design process and unique inspiration to where her iconic bridal look is today. Its a long-sleeved gown with 10,000 pearls and a 15-foot train. Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Getty Images Princess Elizabeth with Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on their wedding day in 1947. The princesss wedding dress has a classic fit-and-flare silhouette, with a tailored bodice extended into a full skirt. Its high sweetheart neckline and long sleeves accentuate the regality of the design. Brides reports that designer Hartnell submitted 12 designs for her royal highnesss consideration before they landed on the one. It wouldnt be a royal wedding without a dash of opulence. Via the intricate silver-threaded floral embroidery decorating the gown and veil, the dress holds 10,000 tiny seed pearls imported from the United States, per the official website of the British royal family. Finishing off the look: a breathtaking 15-foot star-patterned train. Central Press/Getty Images A sketch of Princess Elizabeth's 1947 wedding dress by designer Norman Hartnell. As for the materials, the gown is made of ivory Duchesse satin and silk. Elizabeths veil and train were similarly hewn from silk tulle, while her wedding shoes from Edward Rayne are duchesse satin heels trimmed with silver and pearl buckles. The embroidery symbolized hope for postwar Britain. Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Princess Elizabeth with Philip Mountbatten on their wedding day, November 20, 1947. Garlands of roses and ears of wheat adorn the magnificent gown, done in delicate raised-pearl and crystal embroidery. Taking inspiration from Boticellis c.1482 painting Primavera, a depiction of the spring seasons arrival, designer Hartnell chose to focus on motifs of the natural world. The royal familys website describes how the skirts hem featured an orange-blossom applique border done in tulle, pearls, and crystals. The train, too, spilled over with floralsa scattered bouquet of jasmine, lilac, smilax, and white roses, per Vogue. Beyond its beauty, the dress and train embroidery carried rich meaning, symbolizing the possibility of rebirth and renewal after the devastation of World War II. Citizens mailed Elizabeth their ration coupons to help cover the cost. Elizabeth herself was a vessel for the dreams of British brides in the face of postwar austerity. While they lacked the resources to craft their own dream gowns, hundreds of U.K. citizens sent their ration coupons to the future queen so she could achieve her own fairytale design. While the princess did use ration coupons to pay for the dress (the government even granted her an extra 200), she returned those which were sent to her, per People. It would have been illegal to use them, notes the official royal family website. Brides reports the gowns total cost at $42,000making its worth approximately $1.6 million today. Workers spent 3 months making the elaborate gown. Charles Hewitt/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images A worker weaving silk for the wedding dress of Princess Elizabeth in Dunfermline, Scotland, 1947. Because Hartnells chosen design wasnt approved until three months out from the wedding day, he and his legion of seamstresses and embroiderers had to work tirelessly to have the elaborate gown ready in time. Jennifer Robsonwhose historical novel The Gown depicts a fictionalized version of Hartnells workroominterviewed one of the real-life seamstresses behind Queen Elizabeths wedding dress while researching her book. The author details her conversations with that seamstress, Betty Foster, in a 2018 article for Time. In Robsons words, Foster recalled how senior seamstress Miss Halliday allowed every woman there, even the most junior apprentice, to place one small stitch in the gown, so that all could say they had worked on the princesss finery. Per The Telegraph, Hartnell said he wanted it to be the most beautiful dress I had so far made. The dress is now part of the Royal Collection. Pool/Anwar Hussein Collection/WireImage Queen Elizabeth views her wedding gown at the 2007 Summer Opening Exhibition at Buckingham Palace. The late queens fashion archive became part of the Royal Collection following her passing in 2022. This includes her wedding dress, coronation dress, and more marvelous sartorial creations from Hartnellher most frequent couturierand the other designers who outfitted Elizabeth in a lifetime of legendary looks. In 2026, Queen Elizabeths wedding dress will be displayed in the largest exhibition of her fashion ever shown. Titled Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, the exhibition coincides with what would have been the monarchs 100th birthday. It will take place at The Kings Gallery at Buckingham Palace, allowing visitors to witness the beautiful bridalwear thats still inspiring wedding-dress trends nearly 80 years after its creation. Only now, as the late Queen's fashion archive comes under the care of Royal Collection Trust, can we tell the story of a lifetime of thoughtful style choicesfrom her hands-on role and understanding of the soft power behind her clothing, to the exceptional craftsmanship behind each garment, curator Caroline de Guitaut said in a statement published by the Trust. Read the original article on InStyle The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway The Pikes Peak Cog Railway in the fall. The crisp autumn air is finally starting to settle in at higher altitudes around the United States, which means the dazzling display of fall foliage isn't far behind. And there's perhaps no better way to experience it than hopping on the rails for a ride through Colorado with the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. The train is far from your average locomotive. Rather, it's a cog railway, which means it uses a large gearor cogthat, as Railfan describes, "interlinks with the teeth of a rack rail laid between the running rails. The result is that the locomotives have extreme traction even on steep slopes, where conventional wheels on rails would slip backward." And that cog mechanism certainly comes in handy, as this train climbs more than 14,000 feet, making it the nation's highest railway. It's also one of only two cog railways in the U.S., so it is an ultra-rare experience. The nine-mile ride takes you through some of the most pristine natural spaces in the nation, including Pike National Forest, which turns a gorgeous shade of golden yellow and red thanks to the Rocky Mountain maples and the Aspens that stand out against the emerald pine trees, including bristlecone pine, some of which are more than 2,000 years old. The route then continues through Ruxton Creek, before starting the steep climb up the walls of Engelmann Canyon. However, it's not just the plant life that's on display. According to the train company, "visitors frequently see elk, deer, and yellow-bellied marmot en route, plus Pikes Peak is home to one of Colorados largest bighorn sheep herds." At the top, guests can disembark, take in the magnificent view, and then explore the new visitor center to learn about the mountain and the trains history. And while you certainly can ride the train back to the bottom, the railway's website notes that those feeling adventurous can also hike or bike the 13-mile Barr Trail. And just in case you needed any more proof that the region is drop-dead beautiful, consider this: it's the place that inspired the song American the Beautiful," so if it can inspire a masterpiece like that, we're sure it will take your breath away too. Several rides are available throughout the day, beginning at $76 per ticket for adults and $67 for children. Find your perfect seat and book it now at cograilway.com. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Oval Office on February 28, 2025. The White House (The Center Square) Some of the $45 billion American taxpayer dollars sent to the Ukrainian government as foreign aid may have been mishandled, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. Since July of 2022, the U.S. government has sent roughly $45.2 billion to Ukraine for direct budget support alone that is, money to help keep Ukraines government open and personnel funded. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) oversaw the distribution of about $30 billion of that aid through the World Bank Groups Public Expenditures for Administrative Capacity Endurance in Ukraine (PEACE) project. The GAOs 110-page analysis, released Wednesday, showed that despite aid contractors finding weaknesses in Ukraines internal controls for managing U.S. foreign aid, USAID neglected to ensure that the country adopted better oversight measures. Among other discrepancies, Ukraine had underreported to the World Bank nearly $4 billion in expenditures funded by direct budget support. USAID also failed to review the detailed data in Ukraines expenditure verification reports. When GAO analyzed 5,121 instances of aid spending changes, it found 161 unusual increases in expenditures throughout certain regions and institutions. The GAO said the anomalies merit examination to determine whether any of the expenditure changes indicate potential reporting errors, fraud, or other issues that may warrant greater oversight. It recommended that USAID submit the overdue required reports to Congress detailing how Ukraine used direct budget support funds, particularly given that some of the reports it did submit may include inaccurate information. Additionally, USAID did not update this reporting once new data became available, GAO found. The World Bank Group responded to the GAOs report, promising to remain actively engaged in monitoring and addressing potential risks for the duration of the [PEACE] project. The Bank affirms its readiness to continue collaborating with U.S. entities in the ongoing monitoring and oversight of that funding, it said. It's been 19 years since 8-year-old Samuel Boehlke ran into the woods at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon never to be seen again, but search and rescuers haven't given up looking for him. Agencies from Oregon and California fanned out on the trails, hillsides and woods at the massive lake over the weekend, hopeful that they could help bring closure to Sam's grief-stricken family. Like so many times over the years, they didn't find any clues. Sam was last seen during a hike with his dad on Oct. 14, 2006. His father, Kenneth Boehlke, told investigators that Sam suddenly ran into the woods, eventually setting off a massive rescue effort as a snowstorm struck later in the day. Reached by USA TODAY on Wednesday, Sept. 24, Boehlke said he appreciates that authorities haven't forgotten about his only child. "Anything they can do to find something related to him so we can put him to rest would be great," he said. "We still wonder exactly what happened." Sam's mother, Kirsten Becker, told USA TODAY that she has kept in touch with a lot of the original rescuers over the years and that some of them now run the agencies conducting today's searches. "They're absolutely glorious human beings and a blessing to this world," she said, adding that her son's disappearance was so much more than just a search operation to the men and women looking for him. "It should have been easy, and we should have been able to find him, and that's frustrating to them," she said. "It's also an innocent boy, a boy that was autistic ... I think for them its the one that haunts them." Here's what else to know about the case. Sammie Boehlke is pictured. More about Sam Boehlke's disappearance Kenneth Boehlke and his son had been staying in the region at Diamond Lake and were at Crater Lake for a day hike on Oct. 14, 2006, he told investigators at the time. At some point, Boehlke said Sam ran off into the woods up a hill and that the boy didn't respond to his increasingly frantic calls, he said. "He was pretty fearless," Boehlke told USA TODAY. "I think, and so did the FBI, that to him it was just a game. I don't think he understood the dangers involved in it." Becker elaborated on what happened that day, explaining that her son was obsessed with finding "gold," or yellow pummice stones, at Crater Lake. And when it was time to leave, he wanted to keep looking for the stones. Sam ran off, scaling up a slope of pummice, which Becker described as similar to running up a sand dune with meatball-sized rocks. The terrain made it difficult for Boehlke to catch up with Sam. "I know my son and I know he just ran away and decided to hide someplace, and Ken probably just went right past him," she said. "Sam probably tried to double back and just got lost." Unable to find his son, Boehlke flagged down a car for help and rescue efforts began that day. More about the search efforts to find Sam Boehlke The search for Sam Boehlke made national headlines in 2006 as helicopters, dogs and rescuers combed the area looking for him. Disaster struck on the first day of the search as a snowstorm hit the area and hampered rescue efforts, including the ability of helicopters to assist in the search until the weather had calmed two days later. Three nights after Sam went missing, rescuers told reporters that they thought the boy could still be alive despite subfreezing temperatures and about 7 inches of snow on the ground, according to an archived story by the Associated Press. He had been dressed in cargo pants, a long-sleeve T-shirt and a winter jacket. Rescuers told the AP that they were looking under rocks and logs and in small hiding places in case the boy had tried to take shelter during the storm. "We are holding out hope he might be in a place like that, where he might have sheltered for a few days," National Park Service spokesman Rudy Evenson told AP at the time, adding that it was unlikely the boy fell into the lake because of obstacles on the slope that would have stopped a descent. Searchers look for signs of Sammie Boehlke, who went missing at Crater Lake in Oregon in 2006, during a renewed search in September 2025. Many days later, they still could find no trace of him. David Brennan, chief ranger at the park, told reporters that "there's absolutely nothing to indicate foul play or criminal activity." Over the years, rescuers have returned to the area to look for signs of Sam. They also get much-needed training in steep, rugged terrain. Among the crews who searched at the lake over the weekend was the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office of northern California. The agency posted about their efforts on Facebook on Wednesday. "We are proud of our Search and Rescue volunteers for the dedication and diligence they demonstrate during both urgent rescue operations and decades-old missing persons cases," the post said. "Often, these evidence searches can bring closure to families years later, and our SAR team is determined to continue assisting our Oregon counterparts in their mission to find Sammie." Becker said she's so appreciative of their efforts. "He died there. I know that," she said. "You just always want evidence. I love that they go back and look and come up with different ideas of where to go and where to look but I think that as miraculous as it might seem, I don't know that they ever will find a part of Sam." She also knows that her ex-husband, Boehlke, did everything he could that day. "He was absolutely devastated by this," she said. "I do not blame him at all. He loved his son." Authorities gather as part of a renewed search for Sammie Boehlke, who went missing at Crater Lake National Park in 2006. A ray of hope Sam's parents couldn't save him that day at Crater Lake, but Becker said that two years after his disappearance, she came up with a way to help other children with autism. She created a group called Autism Anchoring Dogs, which has paired mostly Newfoundland dogs with 38 children with autism. "I needed a purpose after Sam," she said, adding that she came across a study that showed how animals can benefit children with autism. "They can hold an anchoring position so the child doesn't elope (run off). We've had a 100% success rate. Not one of these children have died and none of them have escaped to elope when using their anchoring dog." She added: "I might have lost my son but I saved 38 other children." More about Crater Lake Crater Lake is the only national park in Oregon. Located in southern Oregon about 100 miles southwest of Bend, it's the deepest lake in the U.S. and among the deepest in the world, at about 2,000 feet. It has long fascinated scientists and laymen alike both for the way it was formed and the way it exists to this day. Nearly 8,000 years ago, a volcano known as Mount Mazama collapsed after erupting, creating a massive depression that allowed the lake to form, according to the National Park Service. No rivers connect to the lake, with its 5 trillion gallons of water made up entirely of snow and rain. Crater Lake saw just a little over 500,000 visitors in 2024, numbers that have been declining partially because of the park's remoteness. That's compared to busier parks in neighboring states like Mount Rainier in Washington and Yosemite in California, which saw 1.6 million and 4.1 million visitors in 2024, respectively, according to federal statistics. Crater Lake is pictured on Sept. 23, 2024 in Oregon. Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter for USA TODAY. Follow her on X at @amandaleeusat. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crater Lake: Rescuers renew search for 8-year-old boy who disappeared Gregory Pace/FilmMagic; Moviestore/Shutterstock Rick Moranis; Rick Moranis in 1987's Spaceballs NEED TO KNOW Amazon MGM Studios announced Thursday, Sept. 25 that Rick Moranis will reprise his role as Dark Helmet in Mel Brooks and Josh Gad's Spaceballs sequel Moranis has not acted in a live-action movie since 1997's Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves The Spaceballs sequel will also see Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, George Wyner and Brooks reprise their roles from the iconic 1987 Star Wars parody It's official: Rick Moranis is returning to acting for a very goofy trip through space. On Thursday, Sept. 25, Amazon MGM Studios announced that Moranis, 72, will star in Mel Brooks and Josh Gad's upcoming sequel to Brooks' 1987 spoof comedy Spaceballs, reprising his role as the Darth Vader parody Dark Helmet. The announcement comes more than three months after Deadline originally reported that Moranis would reprise his character in the movie, marking his first live-action project in nearly 30 years. The studio also confirmed previous reports that Bill Pullman, who played the Han Solo/Luke Skywalker parody character Lone Starr in the original movie, will appear in the new film, as will his son Lewis Pullman. The movie's cast also includes Keke Palmer, Anthony Carrigan and Gad, 44, who cowrote the movie's script and is producing alongside Brooks, 99, who was previously the movie's only officially announced star. Daphne Zuniga and George Wyner will also reprise their iconic roles as Princess Vespa and Colonel Sandurz in the sequel, while Gad, Palmer, the younger Pullman and Carrigan will portray brand-new characters. The studio also shared a photo from the film's official table read with production officially underway. Brook Rushton/Courtesy Amazon MGM Studios Spaceballs 2 table read Moranis stepped away from show business after his wife, costume designer Ann Belsky, died of breast cancer in 1991, to raise their two children, daughter Rachel and son Mitchell. Moranisn last appeared in a live-action role in 1997's Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, though he has taken on several voice acting roles over the last two decades. I took a break, which turned into a longer break, Moranis told The Hollywood Reporter of his acting hiatus back in 2015. But Im interested in anything that I would find interesting. I still get the occasional query about a film or television role, and as soon as one comes along that piques my interest. 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. Moviestore/Shutterstock George Wyner, Rick Moranis and Mel Brooks in Spaceballs Brooks, who directed and produced the original Spaceballs, officially announced the sequel in a video shared to X on June 12 alongside a Star Wars-type opening crawl screen and a caption that read, "I told you we'd be back." "After 40 years, we asked, 'What do the fans want?' But instead, we're making this movie," Brooks joked in the video, before the footage cut to key art depicting Dark Helmet. The movie will release in 2027. Read the original article on People White House border czar Tom Homan. (Alex Brandon / AP) WASHINGTON Democrats in Washington are ramping up efforts to investigate White House border czar Tom Homan over allegations that he accepted $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents last year. In a letter obtained first by NBC News, Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee urged Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday to immediately release documents related to the probe that the Justice Department reportedly closed. Homan, who served as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during President Donald Trumps first term, owned a private consulting business at the time. The fact that the incoming Trump Administration reportedly closed this investigation prematurely raises further concerns that the Administration is weaponizing our system of justice to protect the presidents friends and to persecute his political foes, the letter, led by Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said. In an operation last year, first reported by MSNBC, citing multiple sources familiar with the investigation and internal documents, FBI agents posing as business executives allegedly recorded Homan accepting a bag of cash after indicating he could help them with future federal contracts if he became the nations top immigration official during Trumps second term. Trump appointees officially closed the investigation in recent weeks, MSNBC reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter. In the letter, co-signed by Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Democrats asked FBI Director Kash Patel to turn over documents and files, including any audio and videotapes of the transaction between Homan and the FBI agents. The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied reports that Homan took the money, telling reporters this week, This was another example of the weaponization of the Biden Department of Justice against one of President Trumps strongest and most vocal supporters in the midst of a presidential campaign. She accused President Joe Bidens FBI of going undercover to try and entrap one of the presidents top allies and supporters, someone who they knew very well would be taking a government position months later and reiterated that Mr. Homan did absolutely nothing wrong. Homan has dismissed the report that he accepted a bribe as a hit piece. Look, I did nothing criminal. I did nothing illegal, Homan said on Fox News on Monday. Senate Democrats also pointed to $170 billion that Congress recently appropriated for border security and immigration enforcement in their letter. It is critical that the American people be able to trust that the influence of White House and other government officials has not been bought, and that contracts will be awarded to companies based on merit, not to those willing to pay bribes, the letter said. The letter marks Senate Democrats latest attempt to probe the Homan investigation. On Tuesday, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee demanded tapes and other materials from the DOJ and FBI. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Christopher Chung on September 14, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. NEED TO KNOW Slow Horses star Christopher Chung reveals that he's still offering his personal training services, despite starring in the acclaimed Apple TV+ show The actor still works with a group of clients at Freds Gym in London He previously revealed that he works out five to six times a week, with four days of lifting and two days of conditioning work" Christopher Chung is keeping his side gigs while continuing to act. The 37-year-old actor told The New York Times that he still works as a personal trainer, despite starring in the Emmy-winning Apple TV+ series Slow Horses. Chu works as a trainer at Freds Gym in London and is loyal to a group of clients, with no plans to leave. Slow Horses is based on Mick Herrons best-selling Slough House book series. The author, 62, told The Times that having a fit actor like Chung portray the nerdy I.T. guy, Roddy Ho, allows the character to be the Roddy that Roddy always wanted to be. AppleTV+ Christopher Chung in Slow Horses Chung refuted the claim that an I.T. guy cant look like him. There are people like this, that are kind of geeky, nerdy, really good at computers, but that are in incredible physical shape," he said, jokingly adding, Ill send you some videos. Hes having the time of his life, Herron said of Chung. Hes terrific and audiences love him. In June, Chung opened up to Body and Soul about balancing both jobs and their respective schedules. He noted that he works out five to six times a week, with four days of lifting and two days of conditioning work. I feel funny in my body and mind if I don't get those workouts in or I've got a lot of either pent-up anxiety, that I just need to get out, he said. I've had to really learn how to have a new relationship with my body, and how that kind of plays into my filming schedule, he added. I make sure that my nutrition is on point throughout the shoot weeks and I can't go out and slam the beers and eat junk anymore, he said. I used to use food as a kind of mood leveller and binge, then I would punish myself by going to the gym and pushing as hard as I can. I was motivated by aesthetics [when I was 25] whereas now I must be functional and make sure that my body is robust enough to do whatever is required of me on set, still hoping that the by-product is an aesthetic physique, he 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. Slow Horses season 5 airs weekly on Wednesdays on Apple TV+ until the series finale on Oct. 29. Series creator Will Smith won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing on a Drama Series in 2024, while Adam Randall won Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 2025 Emmys in September. Read the original article on People Nick Benz-Bushling never imagined that managing his sons mental health care would turn into a real-life horror story. After years of struggles, 16-year-old Johnathan attempted suicide in February. Benz-Bushling 41, and his wife Misty Benz-Bushling, 39, of Stephensville, Michigan, rushed Johnathan to the emergency room, and then later took him to Forest View Hospital, an inpatient behavioral health facility in Grand Rapids that had room in its pediatric psychiatry unit. When a doctor there said Johnathan needed residential treatment, the Benz-Bushlings immediately found him a bed at Newport Academy in Washington. I was angry at myself, Johnathan said. I was upset that I disappointed my parents, because I knew they expected better for me and that I could be better. (Alfield Reeves for NBC News) Im just trying to make sure that hes getting the help that he needs. Honestly, Im not thinking about insurance or anything like that, Benz-Bushling said. Lets get him somebody that can help him through these hard times, because were not it. They didnt realize the race to get Johnathan into treatment would be the start of an insurance battle that would upend their familys finances. In the coming months, Misty Benz-Bushling would leave her job. Her husband sold some of the rare Stephen King memorabilia that decorates their home. The couple drastically scaled back on activities for their three other children. Nick Benz-Bushling collects rare, first edition Stephen King novels. (NBC News) In discharge papers from Forest View, a doctor wrote: Patient too unstable to function outside of hospital. Patients treatment needs cannot be expected to be met in a lower level of care. The Benz-Bushlings insurance provider disagreed. Five days after Johnathan entered treatment at Newport Academy, his parents received a letter denying coverage for his stay deeming it not medically necessary and writing that treatment could be provided in a less restrictive level of care. It was just completely the opposite of what the doctors at the intermediate facility said, his father said. A care coordinator for insurance called and said, Hey, can we help you find a therapist in town? And I was angry, I was upset, and I was crying, and I told her, if my son comes home now, he will end his life, and the blood will be on your hands, his mother said. A childhood photo of Johnathan in his bedroom. (Alfield Reeves for NBC News) The system is badly broken The Benz-Bushlings experience is far from unique. Nearly 60 million adults in the United States live with a mental health condition, however, only about 50% receive treatment, because of a variety of factors. According to the American Psychological Association, 20 million children in the U.S. have also been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and that number is estimated to be growing. Mental health treatment in the U.S. cost $106.5 billion in 2019, according to a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality of which private insurance paid about a third. In 2021, pediatric mental health conditions were associated with $59 billion in household spending, and made up 46.6% of all pediatric medical spending. As the stakes get higher for patients with more serious mental health needs, so do the costs. A 2024 study found that residential addiction treatment centers for minors are limited and costly. The average cost quoted for a month of treatment was more than $26,000. According to Dr. Robert Trestman, chair of the American Psychiatric Associations Council on Healthcare Systems and Financing, stays in residential facilities typically last one to three months. Due to the high costs, he said, insurance companies are incentivized to look for reasons to send patients to a lower level of care. Because of the financial incentives, its become painful, and its at every level, he said. The system itself is broken badly. Insurance companies review patient files to determine whether care is medically necessary, which can be subjective, given that mental health conditions are often invisible. Medical necessity is not a black and white, Trestman said. It is a clinical determination, and the words used and the criteria vary. Dr. Sara Coffey, leadership chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, said residential treatment is an appropriate tool for pediatric patients who have attempted suicide, and for whom other kinds of therapy have been ineffective. Coffey wasnt involved with Johnathans care. Residential really does serve a role in that continuum for kids that are just not progressing or that have safety concerns with their outpatient care, Coffey said. If theres repeated suicide attempts, or if it feels like the work that were doing outpatient really isnt leading to meaningful results, then that is often when residential can provide that additional structure and support to help kids heal. The Benz-Bushlings are self-insured through the husbands job as an electrical engineer at American Electric Power, which means medical care is paid for by the employer, instead of a larger insurance company. In this type of arrangement, an employer will usually outsource the logistics of approving or denying coverage to an outside company. In this case, the Benz-Bushlings insurance plan lists Quantum Health as the care coordinator that is responsible for determining coverage eligibility. Nick and Misty Benz-Bushling appealed Quantum Health's decision three times. Each time, they were denied. (Alfield Reeves for NBC News) NBC News reached out to Quantum Health with a list of questions about Johnathans case. In response, a Quantum Health spokesperson said in a statement, Quantum Health is not an insurer, insurance company or provider. We provide healthcare navigation and care coordination services to members on behalf of their employers health and welfare benefits program. Determinations are solely based on current policy parameters regarding a members coverage under the specific Plan and are not a reflection of the value of the care requested care or a treatment decision, the spokesperson wrote in an email. In the denial letters from Quantum Health, the company writes that the details of Johnathans case were reviewed against the plan document and the utilization criteria adopted by the plan. Utilization criteria refers to internal guidelines used by insurers to assess how well a patient is doing and to decide whether to cover care. So many are self-generated by each company and are essentially a black box because we outside dont know what they are, Trestman said. Its playing with a stacked deck of cards where the dealer is the insurer, and they control literally everything, because even the internal appeals process is inside their company. If you are dealing with bills that seem to be out of line or a denial of coverage, care or repairs, whether for health, home or auto, please email us at Costofdenial@nbcuni.com. According to insurance documents reviewed by NBC News, the Benz-Bushlings insurance plan uses a set of guidelines called InterQual that are produced by Optum, a division of UnitedHealthcare. In an issue brief dated 2025, the American Medical Association classified the InterQual guidelines as proprietary, financially-driven criteria. These criteria often lead to delayed care through prior authorization and denied care through other financially driven, profit-based motives, the AMA brief says. In its statement to NBC News, Quantum said When reviewing requests for behavioral health services, we are obligated to follow the terms of the specific Plan, including its rules for medical necessity and appropriate level of care based on nationally recognized criteria, such as InterQual and Locus. InterQual Criteria are objective and specific, helping guide consistent, defensible decisions that ensure appropriate, quality care, Optums website says, describing the guidelines as a rigorous, evidence-based development process. The Benz-Bushlings appealed Quantums decision three times. Each time, they were denied. Nick Benz-Bushling doles out Johnathan's medications. Nick and Misty Benz-Bushling still keep all alcohol and medicines locked in their bedroom. (Alfield Reeves for NBC News) Before the final denial, Quantum routed their appeal to an outside company called AllMed Healthcare Management, which it hired to conduct an independent review. AllMed upheld the denial, arguing that Johnathan had made progress over the course of his treatment and was no longer experiencing suicidal ideation. The letter found that he was largely compliant with his treatment plan. According to Trestman, signs that a treatment is working can be grounds for insurers to move patients to a lower level of care but he cautioned that because mental health is fluid, ending treatment too early can cause a patients progress to backslide. When we document in a chart, were trying to reflect that the care were providing is helping and looking for positive change, but that doesnt mean that its going to stick. That doesnt mean that its going to persist, or that its something that should justify reducing the level of care, he said. A 270-page appeal Before that final denial, the Benz-Bushlings had assembled a 270-page appeal document that illustrated Johnathans years of mental health struggles. His depression first became noticeable in 2022, when he started to withdraw from family life and began vaping marijuana almost constantly. As he entered high school, his addiction issues became more serious. It got to the point where he had to be escorted everywhere that he went, Benz-Bushling said. He was never supposed to be alone. He was still finding ways to get THC vapes into our house, and he couldnt get through a school day without getting high. To get their son away from friends who they said supplied him with drugs and alcohol, they decided to pack up their home in Virginia and move to Michigan earlier this year. While still in Virginia, Johnathan had done therapy, intensive outpatient treatment and one earlier stint at a residential facility. When the family arrived in Michigan, they thought it was a fresh start. To pay for Johnathan's treatment, Nick Benz-Bushling sold some of the rare Stephen King memorabilia that decorates their home. Misty quit her job to make sure her son had full-time care. (Alfield Reeves for NBC News) But after several weeks of sobriety, Johnathan was once again suspended from school and found his parents alcohol supply, which was hidden in their bedroom closet. He drank to the point of blacking out while his parents were both at work. His parents returned home to find that hed vomited and passed out. Filled with shame for disappointing his parents when he woke up, Johnathan tried to end his own life. I was angry at myself, Johnathan said. I was upset that I disappointed my parents, because I knew they expected better for me and that I could be better. Its so hard knowing that you cant keep your kids safe at home, and that the struggles that hes having with mental health are so much that he thinks he doesnt want to be here anymore, and how do you keep him safe and help him work through it? his mother said. With this history in mind, the Benz-Bushlings decided to pay out of pocket for as long as they could for Johnathans treatment. The director of the facility caught wind and called me and said, He needs to be here. I cant let him go. So what do we need to do? Misty Benz-Bushling said. He said, It would be unethical for me, as a medical professional, to send him home at this point, because he needs the treatment. A Newport Healthcare feedback form; Johnathan in his bedroom. (Alfield Reeves for NBC News) Misty Benz-Bushling was able to negotiate a discounted rate with Newport Academy. Still, they were only able to keep Johnathan there for seven weeks, instead of the full nine that was recommended. The stay cost the family tens of thousands of dollars. To cover the costs, the couple took out a high-interest loan for $25,000. They also sold some belongings to fill in the gaps, like Benz-Bushlings collection of rare, first-edition Stephen King books. Misty Benz-Bushling left her job to ensure that Johnathan had full-time care when he returned home. They cut back on travel to visit family, as well as going out to eat and taking their younger children to the movies. Their oldest daughter had to switch colleges and enroll in virtual school because they can no longer help her with tuition payment. To try and recover some of their costs, the Benz-Bushlings threatened a lawsuit against American Electric Power to recover their out-of-pocket costs. NBC News reached out to American Electric Power four times after interviewing the Benz-Bushlings. One week after a followup email to the company, the Benz-Bushlings lawyers informed NBC News that the family and the company resolved their dispute. The terms are confidential. After learning of the settlement, NBC News followed up again with American Electric Power. We are pleased that the family was able to resolve their concerns and that we were able to assist. AEP offers benefit plans that include access to a broad range of healthcare, including mental health services. In doing that, AEP does not play a role in determining what treatment is provided to any covered individual or in communicating determinations that are made under our plans, a company spokesperson said in an email. After treatment, Johnathans mental health has improved. Hes been able to get a summer job at a local hardware store and go fishing with friends. Johnathan's mental health has improved since treatment, and Nick and Misty Benz-Bushling see a positive change in their son. (Alfield Reeves for NBC News) I was upset that they had to, but I was also really grateful, he said of his parents paying out of pocket for his care. The Benz-Bushlings see a positive change in their son, and say the sacrifice was worth it to get the help he needed. Still, theyre angry that their insurer denied coverage and theyve installed locks on their bedroom door, where alcohol and medications still remain hidden. Maybe insurance companies will see this and say, Oh, these are real people out there. Its not just a stack of paper, Benz-Bushling said. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with an alcohol, drug or other substance abuse problem, call the free and confidential helpline of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357), or visit findtreatment.gov. Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol on Thursday said the company is planning on closing underperforming locations, including those where the coffee chain is "unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect," and will cut 900 jobs. The overhaul will cost $1 billion, according to a Thursday regulatory filing. Most of the costs are related to the store closures, such as $450 million in costs for breaking leases early. About $150 million will cover expenses for cutting the 900 employees, who Niccol said are "nonretail" workers. Niccol disclosed the plan in a letter to employees, but didn't specify how many locations would be shuttered. He did note that after adding some new locations over the last year, the company's overall store count in North America will decline by about 1% in fiscal year 2025. The company will end its current fiscal year with about 18,300 locations, he added. In its 2024 fiscal year, the company had 18,424 coffee shops. The overhaul comes as part of Niccol's "Back to Starbucks" plan, a strategy designed to revitalize its coffee shops and convince consumers to return to the stores. Although Starbucks remains profitable, its sales have slowed amid heightened competition from rivals such as Dunkin'. "[W]e identified coffeehouses where we're unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don't see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed," Niccol wrote in the letter. "Each year, we open and close coffeehouses for a variety of reasons, from financial performance to lease expirations. This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers," he added. Which Starbucks stores are closing? Starbucks didn't disclose the locations it will be closing, although its app will be updated Sunday to reflect stores that remain open, according to the company. Among the locations closing is the Capitol Hill Roastery in Seattle, the company said. Starbucks will continue to operate its Roasteries, which are larger, upscale locations, in Chicago, Milan, New York, Shanghai and Tokyo, the company said. About 500 North American locations are likely to be shuttered in the current quarter, according to a Thursday research note from TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles. It was not immediately clear how many of the affected locations are unionized. Workers at 650 company-owned U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since 2021, but they have yet to reach a contract agreement with the company. Trump slams Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV on ABC The Mystery Of The Eagle S | Sunday on 60 Minutes What we know about James Comey indictment Hurricane Humberto rapidly strengthening and may soon be joined by Imelda, posing a US threat A rare weather pattern is unfolding in the southwestern Atlantic with the possibility of two hurricanes swirling within a few hundred miles of one another. One could make landfall along the United States' coast early next week, potentially posing a significant risk from flooding rain, damaging wind gusts and coastal inundation. "The proximity of two storms expected within hundreds of miles of each other has made this a challenging and complex forecast," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. AccuWeather hurricane experts are becoming increasingly concerned about the possibility of a landfalling storm along the southeastern U.S. coast next week. In this image, captured on Friday afternoon, Sept. 26, 2025, Hurricane Humberto can be seen right of center. The tropical rainstorm could be seen over Hispaniola, eastern Cuba and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The rainstorm is forecast by AccuWeather to become a tropical storm in the coming days. (AccuWeather Enhanced RealVue Satellite) The setup is rare and highly complex. The last time something similar occurred near the U.S. was in 2016, when Hurricanes Matthew and Nicole were about 800 miles apart. Early next week, two hurricanes could be about half that distance apart, with the potential for interaction between them affecting the track and strength of each storm. Humberto strengthened into the Atlantic basin's third hurricane of the season Friday morning. The storm is forecast to reach major hurricane status this weekend and may track just west of Bermuda. Meanwhile, a batch of showers and thunderstorms near Hispaniola is forecast to evolve into a tropical storm near the Bahamas in the coming days. If the new system becomes a named storm, it would be called Imelda, the next name on the 2025 Atlantic hurricane list. From there, quick strengthening is possible with at least one scenario for the storm to make landfall in the Carolinas as a potent hurricane with torrential rain and strong winds. Humberto to impact Bermuda Humberto will continue to intensify over the coming days. AccuWeather.com "Humberto may rapidly intensify as it slowly turns to the northwest this weekend. This hurricane is forecast to pass between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast next week. Humberto may bring gusty winds and several inches of rain to Bermuda," DaSilva said. AccuWeather.com How significant wind, rain, flooding and waves are in Bermuda will depend on the strength and proximity of the hurricane to the islands. A close encounter with a major hurricane passing just to the west is often much more dangerous than a similar hurricane passing to the east, such as what occurred with Gabrielle. Tropical rainstorm forecast to evolve into Imelda The second tropical concern is a group of showers and thunderstorms near eastern Cuba. Because of the high risk of full tropical development with this feature, AccuWeather is referencing it as a tropical rainstorm to raise public awareness. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP "The tropical rainstorm moving toward the Bahamas will enter an area with less disruptive wind shear and very warm waters. Atmospheric conditions near the Bahamas should support tropical development over the weekend," DaSilva said. Heavy rainfall, gusty winds and rough seas can occur across Hispaniola, Cuba and the Bahamas as the storm begins to organize. AccuWeather.com Depending on how quickly the tropical rainstorm evolves into an named tropical storm and potentially a hurricane will determine the severity of wind, flooding and wave conditions in the Bahamas. Beyond the Bahamas, interaction with Humberto may be significant and could pull the storm away from the U.S. or steal some of its moisture. In this scenario, rain impacts from the budding Imelda could be limited in the southeastern U.S. AccuWeather.com On the other hand, if both storms remain separate enough with minimal interaction, the budding Imelda could push directly onshore into the Carolinas early next week, perhaps as a hurricane with damaging winds, coastal flooding, erosive waves and flooding rainfall. To further complicate the situation, a non-tropical storm will bring showers and thunderstorms to part of the Southeast into this weekend and may bring localized flooding regardless. The risk of significant flash flooding could extend as far west as the southern Appalachians. Recall that about a year ago, Hurricane Helene unleashed tremendous rain in the southern Appalachians, which led to disastrous and deadly flooding. The hardest-hit communities are still struggling a year later. AccuWeather.com In a worst-case scenario, heavy rain from both tropical and non-tropical origins could bring prolonged, tremendous rain and flooding to parts of the Carolinas and Georgia, with the potential for damage comparable to impacts from Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Period of rough seas, dangerous surf and beach erosion Regardless of whether a hurricane makes landfall in the southeastern U.S. or not, strong winds will create large, chaotic swells that will propagate toward the southern and middle Atlantic coast late this weekend to the middle of next week. AccuWeather.com Assisting will be an area of high pressure over the Northeast, causing winds to blow from the ocean toward the land. Coastal flooding is possible along barrier islands and back bays, so interests in these areas should monitor updates. Large, frequent breakers will create strong rip currents and lead to beach erosion. Seas near the coast and offshore will be hazardous for small craft and large vessels. Rare atmospheric interaction possible: the Fujiwhara Effect An atmospheric phenomenon known as the Fujiwhara Effect could occur next week with both tropical systems spinning around each other. This rare tropical interaction is named after Japanese meteorologist Sakuhei Fujiwhara, who first described the condition in a 1921 research paper. AccuWeather.com The condition is similar to the teacup ride at an amusement park or ballroom dancers moving in unison. In this highly complex scenario, the storms may stall offshore, rotate around one another or one could be steered toward the U.S. coast. Residents, business owners and visitors in Bermuda, the northern Caribbean, the Bahamas and the eastern U.S. should monitor the progress of both Humberto and the tropical rainstorm. AccuWeather.com Changes in track and intensity could significantly affect rain and wind impacts. By Joseph Ax and Steve Gorman (Reuters) -The sniper who opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas left behind notes saying he acted alone in an attack intended to kill and "terrorize" ICE agents, whose work he viewed as "human trafficking," officials said on Thursday. Although one person held in ICE custody was killed and two other detainees were critically wounded in Wednesday's bloodshed, it seemed clear from the gunman's writings "he did not intend to kill detainees or harm them," Nancy Larson, acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, said at a news conference. No government personnel were injured in the incident, though officials said ICE agents and other federal officers rushed into harm's way to save some detainees sitting helpless in transport vans while shots were being fired. The perpetrator was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot on the rooftop of a nearby building from which he fired on the ICE building and transport vans parked in its entryway with a bolt-action rifle, officials said. The weapon was legally purchased by the gunman in August, according to authorities. The suspect was identified on Wednesday as Joshua Jahn, 29, a Dallas-area resident who previously attended a community college and had worked as a solar panel installer. He had climbed to his rooftop sniper's perch using a ladder carried to the scene atop his car, Larson said. His writings were discovered during a search of his home in Fairview, Texas, Larson told reporters. "Yes, it was just me and my brain," she quoted one of his notes as saying, adding the messages showed a "game plan" for the attack. 'VERY DEFINITION OF TERRORISM' "He hoped his actions would terrorize ICE employees and interfere with their work, which he called human trafficking," the prosecutor said. "What he did is the very definition of terrorism." Joseph Rothrock, special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Dallas, said all indications were that the shooter "committed this act alone," as stated in his own words. "His handwritten notes show he did not expect to survive this event," Rothrock said. President Donald Trump and others in his administration say the incident proves an increase in vitriolic rhetoric directed against ICE, the primary enforcement agency of Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown, is putting law enforcement at greater risk. They also cast blame on the availability of apps capable of tracking the location of ICE agents. "It's no different than giving a hit man the location of their intended target, and this is exactly what we saw happen in Dallas yesterday," Marcos Charles, an ICE executive associate director, said at Thursday's briefing. According to FBI officials, Jahn used ICE-tracking apps and downloaded a list of local U.S. Department of Homeland Security facilities in preparation for Wednesday's pre-dawn attack. The suspect also had researched video of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's highly publicized assassination, FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media on Thursday. The investigation thus far, Patel said, "indicates a high degree of pre-attack planning." One of the first glimmers of the gunman's motives to be made public was a photo the FBI released within hours of the shooting of an unused bullet found inscribed with the phrase "ANTI-ICE." ESCALATING VIOLENCE Wednesday's attack was the third shooting this year in Texas at a DHS facility. A police officer was shot in July at an ICE detention center in Prairieland, and a Michigan man was shot dead by agents after opening fire on a U.S. Border Patrol station in McAllen in July. ICE officers nationwide have been subjected to a 1,000% increase in assaults stoked by "violent rhetoric," Charles said, "and it has to stop." The latest shooting came two weeks after Kirk, co-founder of the conservative student political group Turning Point USA and a close ally of Trump, was shot dead by a rooftop sniper during a speaking event in Utah, fueling fears of a new wave of violence in the United States. On his Truth Social platform, Trump accused "Radical Left Democrats" of stoking anti-ICE violence by "constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to Nazis." On Thursday, Trump signed a presidential memo seeking to crack down on what he has characterized as organized efforts by left-wing groups to commit or incite political violence. In the case of Jahn and Wednesday's shooting, investigators have found "no evidence of membership in any specific group or entity," Larson said. Reuters reported in August that some ICE officers worried about safety as the Trump administration pushed the agency to dramatically increase arrests. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Thursday that ICE would increase security at facilities across the country. The administration has defended the work of ICE agents and Border Patrol officers, saying they have been courageous in carrying out their duty to enforce the nation's immigration laws and keep Americans safe. Democratic politicians and other critics of Trump's immigration enforcement crackdown have accused ICE of creating a climate of fear in heavily Latino communities by deploying militarized patrols of masked agents who emerge from unmarked vehicles to seize people without arrest warrants from day-labor sites, car washes, street vending locations and even schools. While the administration has portrayed its immigration efforts as targeting criminal offenders, the number of people with no charges or convictions picked up by ICE has risen sharply since Trump took office. In a joint statement, Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives condemned the Dallas attack and called for less divisiveness. Political violence has risen in the United States in recent years, with high-profile attacks targeting figures on both the right and the left, including Trump himself, who endured two assassination attempts during his 2024 presidential campaign. (Reporting and writing by Joseph Ax; Additional writing and reporting by Steve Gorman; Additional reporting by Ted Hesson and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Frank McGurty, Diane Craft and Chris Reese) Sandals Resorts Aerial view of Sandals Dunn's River in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. For many travelers, the appeal of an all-inclusive resort lies in the promise that you won't need your wallet once you arrivehence the name. Theres a certain freedom in knowing you don't have to stress over dinner prices or worry about a surprise bar tab at checkout. While it's generally understood that you'll pay extra for add-ons like spa treatments, excursions, or premium alcohol, the question of tipping under the all-inclusive label is less clear. The short answer is tipping isnt expected at most all-inclusive resorts, as gratuities are typically included in the overall price of your package. That said, many guests still choose to tipunless the resort explicitly prohibits itas a way to recognize great service. Our tipping philosophy is that our all-inclusive rate covers all aspects of guests' stay and including gratuity in the all-inclusive rate ensures guests can have a truly relaxed and worry-free vacation, Evatt Bloomfield, general manager at Sunset at the Palms, an all-inclusive resort in Negril, Jamaica, told Travel + Leisure. This is the official stance at many, if not most, all-inclusive properties. Still, Bloomfield estimates that around 90 percent of guests end up tipping. A high percentage of people know the peoples names who are helping them so therefore theyre rewarding someone who extends quality service to them and someone theyve developed a relationship with, he said. Whether you tip (and how much) is ultimately a personal decision. Below, we explore tipping policies at various resorts and offer guidance on what's appropriate if you choose to tip. Tipping Policies Vary by Resort Tipping rules differ from one property to another, so it's worth doing some research before your trip. For example, Sandals and Beaches resorts prohibit tipping altogether, except for spa therapists and personal butlers. This policy has been in place since the first Sandals opened in 1981. From the very beginning, our founder, Gordon Butch Stewart, envisioned a place of true relaxation and connection, Deryk Meany, general manager of Sandals Dunns River, told T+L. We want our guests to fully enjoy the sand and sunshine, and leaving their wallets behind is just one way we make that easy. Other properties, like at Curtain Bluff in Antigua, include a 10 percent gratuity in the final bill. Tipping isn't prohibited there, but it's structured differently. If our guests choose to further reward our staff, we ask that they consider making an additional contribution to the staff service charge pool, which also benefits our back-of-house staff, Curtain Bluff managing director Rob Sherman noted. This can simply be added to the guest's total bill at checkout. Then there are properties like Sunset at the Palms and SLS Playa Mujeres in Cacun, which don't clearly outline their tipping policy online, leaving many guests confused. Anastasiia Krivenok/Getty Images Room service hotel staff preparing champagne on a hotel balcony. How to Find Out Your Resort's Tipping Policy If you're unsure about tipping expectations, here's what you can do: Call the resort directly to ask about their policy. Check travel forums like TripAdvisor or Facebook groups for guest experiences. Research the destination's tipping culture and cross check it with the resort's policy. Be mindful that at some resorts, staff are not allowed to accept tips and could face disciplinary action for doing so. Always respect the property's rules. Adie Bush/Getty Images A member of the hotel staff accepting a tip from a guest. How Much Should You Tip at an All-inclusive? While tipping is optional, many guests budget for it as a way to show appreciation for standout service. That's the case at SLS Playa Mujeres, according to Arturo Kralj, the marketing manager. Kralj recommends travelers budget between $30-$50 a day if theyre planning on tipping. Bring small bills (USD or local currency), and consider bringing a small pouch for tip money that you can throw in your beach bag so that you dont have to bring your full wallet everywhere. Here are suggested tip amounts, according to Kralj: Bartenders: $1-$2 per drink Pool/Beach Service: $5-$10 a day Buffet Meals: $3-$5 A la carte dinners (say, a steakhouse): $10-$20 Housekeeping: $5-$10 per night; any gratuity you want to leave the housekeeping staff can also wait until your last day Butlers: $20-$30 per day For a five day trip, that means budgeting an extra $150-$250 for potential tips. There's no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to tipping at all-inclusive resorts. Gratuities are usually included, but recognizing exceptional service with a few extra dollars is always appreciated. And remember: when in doubt, ask. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure Prosecutors have moved to drop charges against Travis Decker, the man accused of killing his three young daughters earlier this year before disappearing and sparking a monthslong manhunt, after the U.S. Marshals Service informed them Decker is dead, court documents show. Local law enforcement confirmed Thursday that the human remains that were found in Washington state last week came back as a match for Decker after DNA testing. "We are glad to say that those remains do come back as a positive match for Travis," Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said Thursday during a news conference. "We can finally bring a close to this dark chapter of Chelan County." On Friday, Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris told CBS News in an email that Decker's "cause and manner" of death, along with the time of death, "may never be known." Harris explained that because the coroner's office received "minimal skeletal remains," and because of the time that has passed since his death, "there is nothing to autopsy." "The only examination done at this point was by a forensic anthropologist," Harris said Friday. The sheriff's office said last week the remains, which were discovered Sept. 18, were found in a remote wooded area south of Leavenworth, Washington. Using a drone, authorities found a decomposed body with bone fragments spread around the hillside, along with clothing and other personal items, Morrison said last week. He said the body was found in a "mountainous area" that was not along a trail, and it was about a three-hour hike to get to the remains on foot. Decker, a 32-year-old former Army soldier, was accused in May of killing his three daughters, 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker. DNA testing confirmed he was the only suspect in the murders, police have said. Pictures, flowers and candles mark a makeshift memorial on 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. / Credit: Nick Wagner/The Seattle Times via AP The girls' mother alerted authorities on May 30 that he had not returned the three girls on time to her at her home in Wenatchee, Washington, following a scheduled visit, and a search was launched. The girls' bodies were found three days later at a campsite in the Cascade Mountains, along with Decker's truck. An autopsy determined their cause of death was suffocation, authorities said. In September 2024, Decker's ex-wife, Whitney Decker, filed to modify their custody agreement. In a petition, she wrote that Decker's mental health issues had worsened and that he had become increasingly unstable. She also said he was often living out of his truck. Decker, an Army infantryman from March 2013 to July 2021, had extensive training in navigation, survival and other survival skills, authorities previously said. Despite the continued search, police said in late June that they believe he may have died or left the area. Dr. Oz breaks down the federal government's stance on Tylenol and pregnancy; health care fraud Escalator expert reacts to Trump's U.N. mishap, as Trump claims sabotage Man who killed four at New York office building had low-stage CTE, medical examiner says Washington President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that paves the way for a deal brokered by his administration to keep TikTok operating in the U.S. under a new corporate structure with American investors. "With this executive order, you will be effectively bringing into effect the agreement that will save TikTok and ensure that it can operate safely and securely," White House staff secretary Will Scharf said ahead of a signing ceremony in the Oval Office. The move declares that the deal represents a "qualified divestiture" that satisfies a law passed by Congress requiring TikTok's China-based parent company to divest or face a ban and pushes back enforcement of the bipartisan law by 120 days to allow for an agreement on how the app operates in the U.S. to be finalized. Mr. Trump told reporters that Chinese President Xi Jinping signed off on the deal during their call last week. "He gave us the go-ahead," Mr. Trump said. The TikTok deal Under the law, TikTok's China-based parent company ByteDance must sever ties with TikTok or lose access to U.S. app stores and web-hosting services. Earlier this month, the president extended the enforcement pause until Dec. 16. The new order extends the pause until Jan. 23, 2026. According to a senior White House official, under the deal, ByteDance's content recommendation algorithm that powers TikTok will be copied and retrained to run solely on the data of its U.S. user base. Cloud-computing firm Oracle will provide "top to bottom security" by hosting Americans' user data and reviewing the app's code to ensure "the algorithm is behaving appropriately and it's secure," the official said. The deal will establish a "joint venture" based in the U.S., with a majority of U.S. investors and owners and a majority of Americans on its board of directors, according to the White House. The executive order says ByteDance and its affiliates will own less than 20% of the new entity, keeping it below the limit on foreign ownership set by the divest-or-ban law. Vice President JD Vance said at the White House that the new entity would have a valuation of about $14 billion. A consortium of American investors, including Oracle, will have a stake in the new TikTok, according to the White House. (Oracle was cofounded by Larry Ellison, whose son David Ellison is the chairman and CEO of Paramount Skydance, which is the parent company of CBS. The Ellison family owns a controlling interest in Paramount Skydance.) The full roster of U.S. investors and their stakes in the company remain unclear, but Vance said Thursday the administration is planning to announce the other investors in the coming days. "We feel 100% confident that this proposal, if it's completed, complies with the law," the senior White House official said, adding that the White House believes it "complies with all the relevant laws and policies on both sides." China's comments about what has been agreed to have been more vague. The law, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, took effect a day before Mr. Trump's inauguration in January. Mr. Trump, however, has issued new orders every few months directing the Justice Department not to take action or impose penalties against companies like Apple and Google for failing to remove the widely popular app from their platforms. CBS News contributor Christopher Krebs, the former director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said there are "still some questions on how operationally ... it's going to play out and what the user is going to experience on a daily basis." There's been limited pushback from lawmakers, who for years raised concerns about TikTok's potential risks to national security if the Chinese government was able to access the vast amount of Americans' data collected by the app or carry out influence operations through it. Still, some are likely to see the deal as not going far enough when it comes to TikTok's algorithm. Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, the chairman of the House China committee, expressed concern Friday and said he has asked for an "urgent" briefing from the Trump administration. "Transitioning to a majority American-owned entity would mark an important step in that process that could mitigate some of the ByteDance threat depending on the details, but divestment was not the law's only requirement," Moolenaar said in a statement. "The law also set firm guardrails that prohibit cooperation between ByteDance and any prospective TikTok successor on the all-important recommendation algorithm, as well as preclude operational ties between the new entity and ByteDance." The law says that there cannot be any operational relationship between the new owners and ByteDance, including any cooperation with respect to TikTok's algorithm and data sharing. Congress, however, left it up to the president to ultimately determine what constitutes a "qualified divestiture." The law gives the president the power to decide, through an interagency process, whether "the relevant foreign adversary controlled application [is] no longer being controlled by a foreign adversary." It defines "controlled by a foreign adversary" as a company headquartered in a foreign adversary country and owning at least a 20% stake. According to the executive order, the joint venture resolves national security concerns because ByteDance will have a minority stake; the joint venture will operate the algorithm and code and make content-moderation decisions; the data of U.S. users will be stored in a cloud environment run by an American company; and the arrangement includes "intense monitoring" of software updates, algorithms and data. "These safeguards would protect the American people from the misuse of their data and the influence of a foreign adversary, while also allowing the millions of American viewers, creators, and businesses that rely on the TikTok application to continue using it," it says. The interagency process was led by Vance and included consultation with the National Security Council, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Treasury Department, the Justice Department, the Commerce Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. "This process has included, among other things, significant interagency deliberations and consultations, numerous briefings by informed experts and national security officials, and extensive negotiations with outside parties," the executive order says. The senior White House official said the administration plans to engage "vigorously" with lawmakers "to show them what a great deal this is" for Americans while also making the app "safe and secure." During the legal battle over the law, TikTok's lawyers said the app "would be a fundamentally different platform" if it was forced to cut ties with ByteDance because the new owner would have to rebuild the algorithm, which would take years. TikTok said the inability to share any data with ByteDance would mean that the app's 170 million American users would not be able to see videos shared by users from around the world and vice versa. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that global content will still be accessible for American users. For that to happen, the U.S. algorithm would have to interact with the original algorithm that feeds the rest of the world content, according to Ari Lightman, a professor of digital media and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University. "The semantics associated with how that'll work have not been disclosed at all," Lightman said. Lightman added that the level of complexity involved in retraining an algorithm to run off a smaller set of users and potentially weighting data sets differently while also maintaining the quality of the current user experience is "huge." "The TikTok algorithm has been optimized over a long period of time to understand its community's interests and what defines value for them," he said. "It's kind of it's impossible to recreate." Dr. Oz breaks down the federal government's stance on Tylenol and pregnancy; health care fraud Angry squirrel attacks people in California Hurricane Humberto strengthens in the Atlantic as another system develops President Donald Trump signed a memorandum marshalling federal law enforcement to investigate domestic terrorism and organized political violence, which he has blamed on the left as he ramps up efforts to target political opposition. This is the first time in American history that there is an all of government effort to dismantle left-wing terrorism," White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said during a Sept. 25 event at the White House. FBI Director Kash Patel said law enforcement would focus on who is funding such groups, saying he plans to "follow the money." Trump, Epstein hold hands in sculpture on National Mall 'In Honor of Friendship Month' The "Best Friends Forever" statue featuring President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein is on display in front of Busboys and Poets cafe 14th & V in Washington, D.C.. It was previously put up, then taken down, then put up again on the National Mall. "We are properly going to chase them down like the domestic terrorists that they are," Patel said. The memorandum directs the National Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is part of the FBI, to coordinate and supervise a comprehensive national strategy to investigate, prosecute, and disrupt entities and individuals engaged in acts of political violence and intimidation. It further states that the Terrorism Task Force should investigate institutional and individual funders, and officers and employees of organizations who aid and abet targeted groups. The Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service and other federal law enforcement agencies also would participate in investigations, and Attorney General Pam Bondi is directed to submit a list of groups to classify as domestic terrorist organizations. Trump recently urged Bondi in a social media post to seek criminal charges against high-profile critics, such as former FBI Director James Comey; Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Comey was indicted by a grand jury on Sept. 25, capping a years-long effort by Trump to punish the former top federal law enforcement officer he fired in 2017 for investigating his 2016 campaign's contacts with Russia. In signing the memorandum, Trump mentioned two major liberal donors who could come under scrutiny, George Soros and Reid Hoffman. Soros is a "likely candidate" for investigation, Trump said. "Could be a lot of people," the president said, adding: "If they are funding these things they're going to have some problems, because they're agitators and they're anarchists." Soros' Open Society Foundations rejected the idea that it funds terrorism in a statement released Sept. 25 in response to reporting by the New York Times that the Trump administration is preparing to go after the group. Our activities are peaceful and lawful, and our grantees are expected to abide by human rights principles and comply with the law," the statement reads. "These accusations are politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech. When power is abused to take away the rights of some people, it puts the rights of all people at risk." Trump has lashed out at the left following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and more recently after a shooting at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas that killed one detainee and injured two others. Law enforcement authorities investigating Kirks killing have said the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, held a "leftist ideology" and had become increasingly political in recent years. Officials, however, have not said that Robinson was linked with a specific left-leaning organization. Patel posted a photo showing bullets from the Dallas shooting with the words "ANTI-ICE" inscribed on them. FBI Director Kash Patel, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Vice President JD Vance listen to President Donald Trump talk to reporters after signing executive orders in the White House on September 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. Following the fatal Kirk shooting, Trump and his allies have largely ignored examples of political violence from the political right, including the June assassination of Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, the home attack of Nancy Pelosis husband Paul Pelosi, the April home arson targeting Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters. An analysis by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, found that 3,597 people were killed in politically-motivated attacks between Jan. 1, 1975 and Sept. 10, 2025. Nearly 3,000 of the deaths came from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. When excluding the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the study found the political right accounted for about 61% of the deaths, followed by 23% from terrorists inspired by Islamist ideology, and 11% from the political left. Contributing: Joey Garrison, Phillip M. Bailey, Josh Meyer, Aysha Bagchi This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump signs memorandum aimed at 'left-wing terrorism' President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order regarding TikTok in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that he says will allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States in a way that meets national security concerns. Trump's order will enable an American-led of group of investors to buy the app from China's ByteDance, though the deal is not yet finalized and also requires China's approval. Much is still unknown about the actual deal in the works, but Trump said at a White House signing ceremony Thursday that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has agreed to move forward with it. Vice President JD Vance added that there was some resistance on the Chinese side, but the fundamental thing that we wanted to accomplish is that we wanted to keep TikTok operating, but we also wanted to make sure that we protected Americans data privacy as required by law." The Chinese embassy in Washington didnt immediately respond to an Associated Press inquiry seeking confirmation of Chinas approval. President Joe Biden signed legislation passed by Congress last year that would ban TikTok unless ByteDance sold its U.S. assets to an American company by early this year. Trump has repeatedly signed orders that have allowed TikTok to keep operating in the U.S. as his administration tries to reach an agreement for the sale of the company. The executive order itself is a declaration by the president that the proposed deal meets the security concerns laid out in that law. And it gives all negotiating parties an additional 120-day reprieve in order to finalize it. Young people especially really wanted this to happen, Trump said. Any major change to the popular video platform could have a huge impact on how Americans particularly young adults and teenagers consume information online. About 43% of U.S. adults under the age of 30 say they regularly get news from TikTok, higher than any other social media app including YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, according to a Pew Research Center report published Thursday. Asked if hed want a U.S.-owned TikTok algorithm to suggest more content promoting his Make America Great Again movement, Trump said hed make it 100% MAGA if he felt he could, but he intends for every philosophy, every policy to be treated right. Vance said the deal ensures that American investors will actually control the algorithm that determines the content seen on the social media app. He said more information about the deal will be revealed in the coming weeks. Who will control the new TikTok venture ? Under the terms of the deal that have so far been revealed by the White House, the app will be spun off into a new U.S. joint venture owned by a consortium of American investors including tech giant Oracle and investment firm Silver Lake Partners. Though the details have yet to be finalized, the investment groups controlling stake in the new venture would be around 80%. While ByteDance is expected to have a stake in the new venture, it would be less than 20% a portion of the ownership reserved for foreign investors. The board running the new platform would be controlled by U.S. investors. ByteDance will be represented by one person on the board, but that individual will be excluded from any security-related matters. TikToks new owners include many whose business or political interests are tied to Trump, including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Rupert Murdoch, raising questions about whether political influence will be exerted into the platform. Although he stepped down as Oracles CEO more than a decade ago, Ellison remains heavily involved as chairman and chief technology officer. Now 81, he could be in line to become a behind-the-scenes media power player, having already helped finance Skydances recently completed merger with Paramount, a deal engineered by his son, David. Trump said Dell founder Michael Dell will also be an investor in the new venture. TikTok users could now get the editorial policies of the people who now have control of the company, said David Greene, civil liberties director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. It wont be 100% MAGA. The question is how it will treat criticism of him and people he likes." What we know about the algorithm powering t he platform The recommendation algorithm that has steered millions of users into an endless stream of video shorts has been central in the security debate over TikTok. China previously maintained the algorithm must remain under Chinese control by law. But a U.S. regulation that Congress passed with bipartisan support said any divestment of TikTok must mean the platform cut ties with ByteDance. American officials previously warned the algorithm which is a complex system of rules and calculations that platforms use to deliver content to your feed is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, but no evidence has ever been presented by U.S. officials showing that China has attempted to do so. Trump's order says that a licensed copy of ByteDance's algorithm "retrained" solely with U.S. data will power the new U.S. version of the app. The joint venture will control and monitor the code and all content-moderation decisions. Administration officials say the retraining will nullify any risk of Chinese interference and influence. It's not clear if the U.S. version of TikTok would be a different experience than what users in the rest of the world are used to. Any noticeable changes made to a social media platforms service raises the risk of alienating its audience, said Jasmine Enberg, an analyst for the research firm eMarketer. In a prime example of how a change of control can reshape a once-popular social media platform, billionaire Elon Musk triggered an almost immediate backlash after he completed his takeover of Twitter nearly three years ago. But Musk made extremely visible changes, including changing its name to X, pulling back on its content moderation and adding exclusive features for paid subscribers. The changes that gradually occur while different data is fed into the U.S. copy of TikToks algorithm could be unnoticeable to most of its audience. Social media is just as much about the culture as it is the technology, and how users will take to new ownership and potentially a new version of the app is still an open question, Enberg said. What motivated China to make this deal Beijing once called the demand that TikTok be spun off from its Chinese parent company an act of robbery, but Chinese officials changed their tune as the U.S.-China trade war progressed. A TikTok deal would allow China to keep the ball rolling on trade negotiations, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center. TikTok alone does not compare with the importance of amicable U.S.-China relations. Dimitar Gueorguiev, associate professor of political science at Syracuse University, argues that Beijing is more interested in retaining access to U.S. technology and services, at least in the short term, so it can build up self-sufficiency in semiconductor, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. That is the front line of technological competition, Gueorguiev said. TikTok, by contrast, is a maturing consumer app with diminishing strategic weight. FILE - President Donald Trump, far right, walks to the Abraham Accords signing ceremony, from left, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Sept. 15, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump vowed Thursday not to allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank, offering strong assurances that he'd block a move that Arab leaders in the region have staunchly opposed. Asked about Israel officials suggesting in recent weeks that their government could move to seize control of at least some parts of the West Bank, Donald Trump was blunt. I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, he told reporters in the Oval Office while signing executive orders unrelated to foreign policy. I will not allow it. Its not going to happen. Possible annexation has been floated in Israel in response to a string of countries including key U.S. allies like the United Kingdom and Canada moving to recognize a Palestinian state. Trump said he'd spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but that he'd be firm in not allowing annexation, adding, It's been enough. It's time to stop now. Trump prides himself on his full-throated support for Israel, but has also sought to broker an end to the fighting in Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. His comments constituted a rare instance of potential pushback against top Israeli officials even as Trump has continued to demand the release of hostages seized by Hamas. The timing is also fraught, given that Israel is waging a major offensive in famine-stricken Gaza City, while expanding settlements in the West Bank, and Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the White House on Monday his fourth trip to Washington since Trump's second term began in January. Unlike Gaza, the West Bank is administered by the Palestinian Authority. Trump has long bragged about his close relationship with Netanyahu. But the president has faced pressure from Arab leaders, who have publicly expressed concerns about Israeli annexation. The United Arab Emirates has warned that any Israeli move to annex would be a red line. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories to form their future state. They, and much of the international community, say annexation would all but end any remaining possibility of a two-state solution, which is widely seen internationally as the only way to resolve decades of Arab-Israeli conflict. Israels current government strongly opposes Palestinian statehood and supports the eventual annexation of much of the West Bank. There is some skepticism about Trumps ability to compel Netanyahu one way or the other since the president criticized Israels recent attack on Hamas officials in Qatar, but hasnt offered any major consequences as a result. Netanyahu leads Israels most nationalist government in history, and has been under pressure from key coalition allies to deepen Israels control over the occupied territory. They were hoping that Trumps history of broad support for Israels policies could pave the way for an expansion of Israeli control over the occupied territory. Not acting toward annexation might ultimately threaten Netanyahu's governing coalition at home, though expressing willingness not to move forward also could win concessions from the Trump administration. More than half a million Jewish settlers now live in the West Bank in some 130 settlements. The international community largely views the settlements as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Western countries are outraged by Israels intensifying offensive in Gaza, and several have recognized Palestinian statehood, which is opposed by Trump and the U.S. but has been a major issue at the United Nations General Assembly this week. Recognizing statehood is meant to galvanize support for a two-state solution. Some 10 countries, including Britain, France and Australia, have done so this week hoping to revive the long-moribund peace process, a move that the U.S. and Israel have vehemently rejected. Germany, one of Israels closest allies, has not joined the calls for a ceasefire or the push for Palestinian statehood, but has halted some military exports. Those actions have been welcomed by Palestinians across Gaza and the West Bank, but many on the ground continue to express doubt that it can improve their dire circumstances as Israel's offensive continues. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement at the White House, in Washington, D.C. By Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he will sign an executive order this week to dismantle "domestic terrorism networks," which he has previously alleged are funded by left-wing groups inciting violence against conservatives. "The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, must be stopped," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "I will be signing an Executive Order this week to dismantle these Domestic Terrorism Networks." Trump made the announcement on the same day a gunman killed one detainee and wounded two others at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas. ICE has led Trump's sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, which has drawn widespread criticism from Democrats and immigration activists. Trump and his allies have repeatedly suggested, without evidence, that the suspect in conservative activist Kirk's assassination two weeks ago was part of a broader coordinated left-wing movement. At the same time, the president has largely downplayed violence from right-wing groups, insisting political violence is a problem rooted in the left. Domestic terrorism experts, however, say political violence is bipartisan and that historically more attacks have been inspired by right-wing ideology. Trump previously said he had spoken with Attorney General Pam Bondi about potentially bringing charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act against such groups. The law was created to combat organized crime. Democrats have warned that the administration may be using Kirk's killing as a pretext to crack down on political dissent. Critics say Trump's actions are part of a broader pattern by his administration of targeting political opponents, the media, and other critics. On Monday, Trump signed a separate executive order declaring the left-wing anti-fascist movement, known as antifa, a "domestic terrorist organization" and threatened to investigate and prosecute those who financially support it. Antifa is a "decentralized, leaderless movement composed of loose collections of groups, networks and individuals," according to the Anti-Defamation League, which tracks extremists. (Reporting by Nandita Bose, Bhargav Acharya and Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Caitlin Webber, Ross Colvin and Daniel Wallis) WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States would give proceeds from tariff revenues to farmers. "We're going to take some of that tariff money and give it to our farmers," Trump said at the White House. The U.S. farm economy is slumping this year due to low crop prices and trade disputes. Republican lawmakers have warned that farmers are facing significant losses and have urged the administration to issue aid by the end of the year. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has said the administration is weighing an aid program modeled after the approach taken by the previous Trump administration, when farmers were given billions to offset losses from a trade war with China. Farmers are "for a little while going to be hurt, until it kicks in, the tariffs kick in to their benefit," Trump said. "Ultimately, the farmers are going to be making a fortune," he said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, Maiya Keidan and Leah Douglas in Washington, editing by Deepa Babington) President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance quickly blamed Democrats after a sniper opened fire on an ICE facility in Texas on Wednesday, before officials released much information on the motive behind the attack or the intended target. "This violence is the result of the Radical Left Democrats constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to 'Nazis,'" Trump wrote in a social media post, in which he said he had been briefed on the shooting. "I AM CALLING ON ALL DEMOCRATS TO STOP THIS RHETORIC AGAINST ICE AND AMERICAS LAW ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT NOW!" Trump added. Alexander Drago/Reuters - PHOTO: President Donald Trump meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, September 23, 2025. Vance addressed the shooting during a visit to North Carolina on Wednesday, saying the administration had evidence not yet released to the public that the shooter was a violent left-wing extremist." They were politically motivated to go after law enforcement. They were politically motivated to go after people who are enforcing our border, Vance said. The Department of Homeland Security called the shooting an attack on law enforcement. FBI Director Kash Patel released images of bullets recovered from the scene, including one engraved with "ANTI-ICE," and DHS released a photo that appears to show a gunshot in an American flag display. On Thursday, Patel said in a statement that the shooter allegedly left behind a note about looking to stoke fear for ICE agents. The handwritten note said, "Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, 'is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?'" Patel said. One detainee was killed and two others were critically wounded in the attack at the Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office, according to DHS. The shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. Vance offered condolences to those affected by the attack, saying it "looks like some of the detainees, in other words, some of the potential illegal aliens were some of those who were affected." "Look, just because we don't support illegal aliens, we don't want them to be executed by violent assassins engaged in political violence either," Vance said. Alex Brandon/Pool via Getty Images - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance greets local law enforcement as he arrives to depart on Air Force Two at Piedmont Triad International Airport, September 24, 2025 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Vance went on to say rhetoric disparaging law enforcement is "disgusting" and suggested Democrats were to blame. "You don't have to agree with my immigration policies. You don't have to agree with Donald Trump's immigration policies. But if your political rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you can go straight to hell and you have no place in the political conversation of the United States of America," the vice president added. Democratic leaders condemned the shooting, which they said is part of an alarming trend in America, as well as anti-immigrant rhetoric they say puts that community in harm's way. "No one in America should be violently targeted, including our men and women in law enforcement who protect and serve our neighborhoods, and the immigrants who are too often the victims of dehumanizing rhetoric," House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a statement. Jeffrey McWhorter/Reuters - PHOTO: Law enforcement personnel respond at the scene of a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas, Texas, September 24, 2025. "The political and ideologically-motivated violence in America has reached a breaking point this year. We need leaders who bring the country together in moments of crisis -- and that is what is required right now," they wrote. "This is a heartbreaking act of violence. All of us need to reject extremism in our politics and come together to prevent tragedies like this," said Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro, who represents San Antonio. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat whose been an outspoken critic of ICE, said she was "devastated by the horrific shooting" that claimed the lives of detainees and was "grateful that no members of law enforcement were injured." The rhetoric used to dehumanize and demonize immigrants in this country has led to increased hate crime incidents and other horrific events like the mass shooting in El Paso -- often at the hands of troubled white men. This rhetoric not only threatens the lives of immigrants in the country but also makes the job of our law enforcement officers more dangerous, as can be seen by todays tragic events," Crockett said in a statement. Ever since the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Trump has said it was a mistake for the U.S. military to leave Bagram Air Base, in part, because of its proximity to China. Lately, he's returned to that argument in proposing the base should again be under U.S. control. "One of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it's an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons," Mr. Trump said in London this month, without offering details about how the U.S. would control it, now that the U.S. military is out of Afghanistan. In an interview with Fox News in late 2021, Mr. Trump also expressed concern that China would "take over Bagram." China manufactures its nuclear weapons deeper within the country, according to nuclear experts, but there is an old nuclear test range at Lop Nur, about 1,200 miles from Bagram. Locator map Tong Zhao, a senior fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told CBS News in an interview that the last explosive test at the Lop Nur range was conducted in 1996, but he also said there have been signs in recent years that China is continuing to maintain the range, and even expanding it. The U.S. government is closely watching China's nuclear weapons program, especially after the Pentagon recently projected China is on pace to rapidly expand its nuclear arsenal to over 1,000 warheads by 2030, up from the estimated low 200s in 2019. Lop Nur is located in Xinjiang province, which is also home to several missile and aircraft facilities, according to Zhao, who said it's where China develops advanced aircraft, missile systems, missile defense technologies and aerospace vehicles. File: Taliban military vehicles parade to celebrate the third anniversary of Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, at the Bagram Air Base, in Bagram, Parwan province on August 14, 2024. / Credit: AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images "Places in the northwestern part of China that region is the location for many Chinese military testing sites and is responsible for the research and development of various cutting-edge military technologies," Zhao said. "So, I think that it's a rich target for U.S. reconnaissance and surveillance." But current and former defense officials say there are other ways to monitor China that don't require a U.S. presence at Bagram. And unless there is a negotiated deal with the Taliban, it could require thousands of troops or more, one former defense official said. In London last week, the president suggested there could be negotiations, saying, "That could be a little bit of breaking news, we're trying to get [Bagram] back because they [the Taliban] need things from us." But days later, the Taliban rejected any plan to hand Bagram over to the U.S. The chief Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, in a post on X called on the U.S. to remember the 2020 Doha agreement negotiated during the first Trump administration in which the U.S. said it "would refrain from the threat or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence" of Afghanistan and not intervene in its domestic affairs. That hasn't stopped President Trump from threatening on social media that "BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN" if Afghanistan does not give the base "back" to the U.S. Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. envoy who negotiated the Doha agreement, has said that if other issues between the U.S. and the Taliban were resolved, the two sides could still agree on jointly using the base. "In time, I would not rule out enhanced security cooperation, including the use of facilities such as Bagram, for joint counter-terrorism operations. But it will take persistence," Khalilzad said in a post on X. The envoy recently met senior Taliban officials in Kabul, as part of a U.S. delegation to discuss prisoner exchanges. The base, originally built by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, was occupied by the U.S. throughout the war in Afghanistan before the U.S. military turned it over to the Afghan National Army in July 2021. Just over a month later, the Taliban took over the country, including Bagram. Bill Roggio, who has researched Afghanistan for over 25 years and is the author of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' "The Long War Journal," said in an email, "The Taliban cannot be trusted, nor will the Taliban hand over Bagram to the U.S." "The Taliban fought for 20 years to eject the United States, and it will not permit the U.S. to return," Roggio said. Trump slams Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV on ABC Inside the debate over animal testing in medical research Federal prosecutors weighing charges for former FBI Director James Comey, sources say I love it when haunted places embrace their ghost lore. I also love discovering unique, storied haunts that few people have heard of. Montana isnt typically known for its abundant paranormal activity, but that doesnt mean the Treasure State doesnt have its fair share of spooks and specters-Montanas haunted places are just a little more dispersed than those found in other states. But while there are certainly ghost stories floating around that are exaggerated, there are also plenty of eerie legends that have a strong basis in fact, and decades of personal stories as proof. 1. Dude Rancher Lodge, Billings The Dude Rancher Lodge in Billings has been around since 1950, when it was built by hand by the original owners. Uniquely, the supernatural seems to have been sealed into the lodge from the ground up, starting with the very bricks that were used in its construction. The motel was built using salvaged bricks from the old St. Vincent's hospital, the Russell Refinery, and the Washington School, no doubt with centuries of supernatural energy fused into every rock, just waiting for an opportunity to break free. The motel was run by Annabel and Percival Goan for over a decade, until Percival passed away and Annabel continued to run it on her own. When Annabel passed in 1982, thats when the hauntings really kicked up a few notches. Today, strange phenomena occur all around the lodge, ranging from harmless lights turning on and off to items moving around on their own to mysterious knocking. Guests and staff alike have encountered very real presences inside the building, disembodied voices, children at play, and much more. A variety of these haunted happenings were even caught on tape by the Montana Paranormal Research Society. But really, most of the activity at the Dude Rancher revolves around a few specific rooms in the lodge; specifically, the second floor. As it turns out, after Annabel passed away, her son took over. And for whatever reason, the spirits didnt take kindly to the change in management. Experiences in these rooms have been a little less mischievous and a little more nerve-racking. Think doors opening and closing on their own, and even sightings of Annabel herself. If that doesnt deter you, the Dude Rancher books these rooms out on special to strong-willed guests with a penchant for the creepy. Whats more, with the lodges 75th Anniversary on the horizon, word on the street is that whoever these restless spirits actually are, or why theyve hung around, theyre extra active. Fortunately, the lodge has also been known to host Spirits to Dine For events during Halloween, where lucky guests have the opportunity to stay in one of the haunted rooms, receive a complimentary EMF reader to scout for ghosts with, and enjoy an eerily delicious meal to remember. 2. Armstead, Montana Historic ghost towns are notoriously associated with the paranormal. Skeptics might cite their rundown ambiance and eerie silence as playing tricks on the mind, but what happens when a living, breathing town gets left behind? What happens to the graves, unfinished stories, trapped energy, and restless spirits that once called it home? In the case of Armstead, the better question is: what happens to resident entities left behind and fully submerged underwater? Armstead isnt a true ghost town, though. It was a thriving community of around 100 up until the early 1960s when it disappeared beneath Hap Hawkins Reservoir (Clark Canyon) after the construction of the Clark Canyon Dam. Unlike the gradual decline of mining towns like Virginia City and Nevada City, Armsteads demise was in an instant. Many homes and businesses were moved in anticipation of the dam, but others were left behind to be swallowed by the wall of water. And with them, the ghosts of Armstead itself were buried beneath the surface. Most Montanans look back on Armsteads history with fondness and nostalgia. But for the spirits tied to this land, the construction of the dam wasnt necessarily a positive one. On late-summer days when the water is low in Hap Hawkins Lake, you can still see parts of Armstead jutting above the water: chunks of the old highway, a section of the submerged railroad here and there, and even foundations of buildings where the townspeople used to live, sleep, and shop. But deeper still, the otherworldly residents of this historic town-where trains, generations of Shoshone, and countless local families left their mark as they passed through-are forced to wander the submerged streets in eerie, blue-tinged silence. At night, when the water is calm and local beach-goers have all gone home, its said that you can hear them crying out from beneath the water. And in the glitter of the moonlight, you might even see the occasional ghostly hand reaching upward toward freedom. 3. Canyon Creek, Glendale Speaking of ghost towns, Glendale, Montana, has some of the coolest authentic mining remnants still standing. Theres not much left to visit, but one could argue that while the population of Glendale is zero, there are still plenty of residents living here. But for all the rumors about chills, eerie sounds, and strange visions dotting the town proper, few haunted roundups mention the spooky happenings just outside of town at the Canyon Creek Kilns. The Canyon Creek Kilns are a group of around a dozen beehive-shaped charcoal kilns and their remains, which were built in the mid-1880s to provide fuel for Glendales silver smelter. Theyve stood abandoned since long before the towns sad fade in the 1890s. What you might not know is that there are countless paranormal rumors surrounding these kilns. A part of the larger Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the woods around these kilns are the perfect setting for legendary creatures like splintercats and hidebehinds to call home. And, with them, the aggressive spirits supernaturally put in charge of containing them. Under the cover of darkness, the trees are said to come alive with crashing, screeching, and fracturing wood as the two otherworldly beings wrestle for control. The splintered wood created in the aftermath was then hauled to the kilns by the Canadian wood-cutters to be burned alongside the other logs. As the theory goes, its likely that using this cursed wood contributed to the towns demise-although officially, the repealing of the Silver Purchase Act was the main cause. Either way, Glendales smelter is still harboring some of this same energy as well and has some spooky lore of its own. Montanas most popular haunted places are well-documented. Haunted prisons, hotels, bars but the spookiest stories tend to fly under the radar, buried in pages of real, authentic history and first-hand accounts. This season, as youre out and about enjoying creepy haunted houses, claustrophobic corn mazes, and chilling museum tours, just remember that theres a lot more hiding beneath Montanas surface than you realize. Need help planning your next road trip, spooky or otherwise? Use Only In Your States AI Travel Planner to find some hidden gems along the way. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. lawmakers asked major U.S. companies including Apple, Amazon and JPMorgan on Thursday to explain why they are hiring thousands of foreign workers on H-1B visas while cutting other jobs. The letter comes after the Trump administration announced last week that it would ask companies to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B visas, which allow businesses to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. The U.S. has also released a proposal that would rework the H-1B visa selection process to favor higher-skilled and better-paid workers. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, asked 10 major employers for detailed information on the number of H-1B workers they employ, the wages they are paid, and whether American workers have been displaced in the process. "With all of the homegrown American talent relegated to the sidelines, we find it hard to believe that Amazon cannot find qualified American tech workers to fill these positions," the senators wrote to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. The Wall Street Journal first reported the letter. Big Tech companies, including Meta, Amazon and Microsoft, which are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, have all announced job cuts this year. Deloitte, Alphabet's Google, Meta, Microsoft, Walmart, Cognizant Technology Solutions and Tata Consultancy Services also received the letter. India was the largest beneficiary of H-1B visas last year, accounting for 71% of approved beneficiaries, while China was a distant second at 11.7%, according to government data. In the first half of 2025, Amazon and its cloud-computing unit, AWS, received approval for more than 12,000 H-1B visas, while Microsoft and Meta had more than 5,000 H-1B visa approvals each. Microsoft declined to comment while Walmart, Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta and Cognizant did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington and Devika Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Philippa Fletcher and Mark Porter) By John Irish and Gwladys Fouche UNITED NATIONS/OSLO (Reuters) -A spat between the United States and Norway over the Nordic country's wealth fund's divestment from U.S. construction equipment-maker Caterpillar appears to be coming to an end, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said. Washington and Oslo have been at odds over the decision by Norway's $2 trillion sovereign fund, the world's largest, to divest in August from Caterpillar due to the company's supply to Israel of bulldozers used in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The U.S. State Department said in September it was "very troubled" by the move. Trump ally and Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham had suggested the U.S. should impose tariffs and visa revocations in retaliation. Since then, the situation appears to have improved, according to Norway's foreign minister. "They have expressed their discomfort with this and then we have explained that this is something that is not on the government agenda as such," Barth Eide said in an interview on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. "I believe that's settling that particular case." He did not give more specifics. Norway has said the government had not taken the decision to divest from Caterpillar. Instead, it was taken by the board of the central bank, known as Norges Bank, upon recommendation from the fund's ethics watchdog, as per guidelines decided by parliament. In a statement to Reuters after the interview's publication, Norway's foreign ministry said Eide had not been addressing the central bank's decision to divest from Caterpillar but rather was explaining how the fund handles divestments. "The organisation of the fund rests on a clear division of roles between the Ministry of Finance, Norges Bank, and the Council on Ethics, ensuring that the government does not intervene in decisions concerning individual companies," spokesperson Mariken Bruusgaard Harbitz said in the statement. The fund's ethics watchdog has said that, in its assessment, Caterpillar's products such as bulldozers were being used by Israeli authorities "to commit extensive and systematic violations of international humanitarian law" such as the "widespread unlawful destruction of Palestinian property". The watchdog said Caterpillar has "not implemented any measures to prevent such use". Caterpillar has not responded to requests for comment. Israel's embassy in Oslo declined to comment at the time. The fund had sold its entire holding in Caterpillar by the time it said it had divested from the company. It held a 1.17% stake worth $2.1 billion on June 30, according to fund data. (Reporting by John Irish at the United Nations and Gwladys Fouche in Oslo; Editing by Alex Richardson and Daniel Wallis) Violet Affleck and Jennifer Garner at the White House in December 2022. (Sarah Silbiger/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images) (Sarah Silbiger/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Violet Affleck is advocating for clean air initiatives. The eldest daughter of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner delivered a speech about the importance of mask mandates and clean air efforts to members of the United Nations on Tuesday, Sept. 23. We are told by leaders across the board that we are the future. But when it comes to the ongoing pandemic, our present is being stolen right in front of our eyes, the 19-year-old said at the Healthy Indoor Air: A Global Call to Action event. Affleck shared her concerns over the adverse impact that ignoring, downplaying and concealing both the prevalence of airborne transmission and the threat of long COVID can have on future generations. I am terrified for the children who do not, or soon will not, know a world without debilitating pain and exhaustion; who cannot trust their bodies to play, explore and imagine; who will not know the potential of their own minds unfettered by the cognitive damage of a COVID-19 infection, she added. We are told by leaders that we are the future. But when it comes to the ongoing pandemic, our present is being stolen right in front of our eyes. Incredible speech by Violet Affleck who warned about COVID & Long Covid, & advocated for masks & clean air at the UN today! pic.twitter.com/cSvVaKrNY9 Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) September 23, 2025 The teen, who wore a 3M respirator during her speech, advocated for recognizing filtered air as a human right. She also urged those who remember 2020 to join her in pushing for stronger protections going forward. We can recognize filtered air as a human right as intuitively as we do water, she said. We can create clean air infrastructure that is so ubiquitous and so obviously necessary, tomorrows children dont even know why we need it. This isnt the first time Affleck has issued a call to action about prioritizing respiratory health. Below, weve rounded up the times the teen has spoken about the effects of coronavirus and long COVID, the continued need for clean air efforts and the pitfalls of rushing the return to normal following the pandemic. Affleck pens article about COVID and the climate crisis Affleck, who enrolled at Yale University as a freshman last fall, published an article about COVID and the climate crisis for the Yale Global Health Review, an undergraduate publication covering current issues in global health, earlier this year. In the essay titled A Chronically Ill Earth: COVID Organizing as a Model Climate Response in Los Angeles, published in May, Affleck points out paralleled responses to the L.A. wildfires and the coronavirus pandemic. Our bewildered response to crises like the LA fires tells us we may still be accustomed to addressing the climate crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic: as a question of how fast we can get back around to pretending like the problem is gone, Affleck wrote. Affleck then critiqued the promised end to the coronavirus pandemic as being more of a public relations than public health matter, citing public impatience, widely circulated misinformation and the influence corporate interest has over institutional public health to illustrate her point. Affleck voices opposition to mask bans in Los Angeles During a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting in 2024, Affleck talked about the importance of wearing a mask and the dangers that banning masks could pose to at-risk communities. The clean air advocate revealed during this speech that she had developed and recovered from long COVID early on in the pandemic. Violet Affleck and her mom, Jennifer Garner, out in L.A. in May 2024. (Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images via Getty Images) (Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images via Getty Images) I contracted a post-viral condition in 2019, said Affleck, who introduced herself as a Los Angeles resident and first-time voter, adding, Im OK now, but I saw firsthand that medicine does not always have answers to the consequences of even minor viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown that into sharper relief. Affleck, then 18, voiced concern over the ways in which long COVID can exacerbate the citys homelessness crisis and adversely impact communities of color, trans people, the elderly and those who are disabled. To confront the long COVID crisis, I demand mask availability, air filtration and far UVC light in government facilities, including jails and detention centers, and mask mandates in county medical facilities, she said, before advocating for high-quality free tests and treatment and against mask bans for any reason. Emergency 911 number is dialed on a mobile phone on April 18, 2024, in St. Louis. Louisiana and Mississippi are experiencing widespread 911 outages. - Jeff Roberson/AP Service has been restored after Louisiana and Mississippi experienced widespread outages of 911 emergency calling systems for several hours Friday afternoon as a result of damage to AT&T fiber optic cables, the carrier and officials said. The outages impacted multiple parishes in Louisiana including the states three largest cities, as well as several Mississippi counties and the capital city of Jackson, according to officials. Just before 6 p.m. local time, AT&T said services are operating as normal across impacted areas after the issue was resolved. We understand how important these services are and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience, the company told CNN. A severed fiber cable was cited by officials in both states as the reason for the slew of outages. New Orleans emergency communications officials said earlier in the afternoon the outages were having a regional impact. Mississippi officials were working with AT&T to determine the scope of the outages, said Scott Simmons, director of external affairs at the states department of emergency management. There was a major fiber cut located in Mississippi that has taken out all of this, Karl Fasold, Orleans Parish communications director, said during a news conference streamed on WWL-TV. He said theres no indication or reason to suspect the fiber cuts were malicious. AT&T teams were dispatched and worked as quickly as possible to repair multiple fiber cuts for some customers in both states, the company told CNN in an earlier statement. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also said services have been restored and the 911 system is now operating as it should throughout our state. Local officials had been advising residents to call alternate numbers while they worked to restore 911 service. Outages were also reported in Fulton County, Illinois, where officials advised residents to call a non-emergency number, the Canton Police Department said. Forrest and Kemper were among the counties affected in Mississippi, while in Louisiana, Jefferson and Tangipahoa parishes as well as the cities of Baton Rouge and Shreveport were among those experiencing outages. Residents calling 911 in Forrest County had to wait on the line until being transferred to the National 911 Call Center, which then had to transfer the call to a non-emergency line in the county some of which had crashed, Gerry Burns, the Deputy 911 Coordinator of the county, told CNN. Shreveport police said they were seeing an increase in call volume to their non-emergency dispatch lines since the outage was first reported. Service in St. Tammany Parish was restored after both their main non-emergency dispatch line and 911 service were down, according to a spokesperson for the sheriffs office. Tangipahoa authorities told residents needing to call 911 that if they received a busy signal their call would still be logged and they would get a return call within seconds from a regular number. Verizon said in a statement to CNN the outages were due to a network issue by another carrier, and landline customers were not impacted. CNN has reached out to T-Mobile and smaller providers such as Consumer Cellular and Google Fi for comment on the incidents. CNNs Jason Morris, Samantha Delouya, Graham Hurley, Shawn Nottingham, Meredith Edwards, Dianne Gallagher, Cynthia Salinas Cappellano and Taylor Galgano contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A New York woman has been indicted for allegedly using fentanyl to drug and rob four men, killing three in the process, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Tabitha Bundrick, 36, faces 11 counts of murder, robbery, burglary and assault charges for targeting men in the span of 10 months between 2023 and 2024, the DA's office said. Bundrick pleaded not guilty on Wednesday at the New York State Supreme Court, according to court documents. "This callous behavior allegedly led to the deaths of three people. As alleged, each incident was calculated: Tabitha Bundrick knowingly provided fentanyl-laced drugs to incapacitate her victims so she could steal their personal belongings. As a result of our long-term investigation, she is now facing significant charges," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. "I want to be very clear to those who think they can get away with drugging and robbing unsuspecting victims: working with our law enforcement partners, we will uncover and prosecute this conduct," Bragg added. Anthony Devlin/Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this April 13, 2025 ,file photo the New York State Supreme Court Building is shown in New York. Prosecutors said the first death occurred in April 2023, when Bundrick approached Mario Paullan, 42, and his friend in Washington Heights to sell them soap. She then offered to have sex with them in exchange for money, taking the men to an empty apartment she broke into and giving them cocaine laced with fentanyl, according to the DA's office. The friend told police he woke up the next morning with no memory of what happened, their belongings missing, and Paullan dead beside him, according to the DA's office. Paullan's young son submitted a letter to the court in the federal case expressing the pain his father's death has caused. "My Dad's death has been the hardest blow life has given me," wrote the son, who was not named in the filing. "I felt like my world collapsed. He told me I had to be the man of the house, to take care of my mother and sister. Now, even though I feel broken inside, I dry my tears so I can hold them and tell them everything will be okay." MORE: Woman indicted for attempting to send ex-husband fentanyl-laced chocolates According to prosecutors, the second death occurred in September 2023, when Bundrick met Miguel Navez, 39, in Washington Heights and went back with him to his apartment, where she also gave him drugs laced with fentanyl. Navez was found dead three days later by his brother, missing all of his personal belongings, according to the DA's office. The third incident connected to Bundrick occurred in February 2024, when prosecutors allege Bundrick gave Abrihan Fernandez, 34, fentanyl-laced drugs in his apartment, and he died. Bundrick allegedly used Fernandez's credit card multiple times and rigged the building's front door to open for her, according to prosecutors. MORE: Parents arrested after their 1-year-old tests positive for fentanyl and THC Bundrick's lawyers said in a sentencing memo that Bundrick is a victim of childhood sexual abuse and trauma from being a prostitute, who intellectually functions at a third-grade level. "Ms. Bundrick undoubtedly made a poor decision when she shared her drugs with men who were just 'looking for a good time.' But she never intended to kill anyone," her lawyers said the memo obtained by the Associated Press. Bundrick is already serving 13 years in prison for drug offenses relating to the case, and following her court appearance, she was remanded to Rikers Island. If convicted of murder, she could face 25 years to life in prison. A 38-year-old woman was indicted on felony charges in New York after prosecutors say she used fentanyl-laced drugs to paralyze and rob four men, killing three of them. Tabitha Bundrick, 38, is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with nearly a dozen counts of murder, robbery, burglary and assault, prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office confirmed in a news release on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The anesthetic, synthetic opioid drug is illegal without a doctor's prescription and extremely deadly. It is sometimes found mixed into recreational drugs, including cocaine. According to court documents and information from Bragg's office, between April 2023 and February 2024, Bundrick allegedly "purposely provided men fentanyl-laced drugs." While the men were unconscious, prosecutors wrote, she robbed them of items including their phones, money, watches, clothing and sneakers. New York police officers provide security outside the Manhattan District Attorney's office in New York City, New York. Authorities arrested Bundrick during a March 5, 2025, execution of a search warrant at her home, where police said they recovered four pairs of the victims sneakers. This callous behavior allegedly led to the deaths of three people," Bragg said in a statement following the indictment. "Each incident was calculated: Tabitha Bundrick knowingly provided fentanyl-laced drugs to incapacitate her victims so she could steal their personal belongings. USA TODAY has reached out to the public defender's office representing Bundrick. Police ask parents to 'closely monitor' children after baby's death at Minnesota daycare 4 men, 3 killings, 1 deadly opioid The first incident allegedly took place April 20, 2023, when prosecutors said the defendant approached two men on the street in the city's Washington Heights neighborhood to sell them soap. At some point, the defendant allegedly offered them sex for money, led them to an empty apartment, broke into it, then offered the duo fentanyl-laced drugs she claimed were cocaine. The next morning, prosecutors say, one of the men woke up to find his 42-year-old friend, Mario Paullan, dead beside him. "The victim had no recollection of what occurred and found many of their personal belongings were missing, including his cellphone," court documents said. "Bundrick allegedly used the stolen cellphone to make phone calls." The second death took place on Sept. 27, 2023, when the defendant met 39-year-old Miguel Navez, visited his nearby apartment and allegedly provided him with fentanyl-laced drugs. On Sept. 30, prosecutors wrote, Navezs brother found him dead. Many of his personal belongings were missing, including his phone, which Bundrick allegedly used to make personal calls. The third incident occurred in upper Manhattan on Feb. 25, 2024, when Bundrick allegedly followed Abrihan Fernandez, 34, to his apartment building. The pair spoke outside before going upstairs, where prosecutors said she again provided fentanyl-laced drugs to the man, who later died. A few hours after entering the apartment, prosecutors wrote, the defendant entered and exited several times. She allegedly stole Fernandez's credit card, which officials said she later used. New charges come after Bundrick sentenced to prison for distribution New York Department of Corrections records showed Bundrick, in federal custody at the time of her arrest, remained jailed on Thursday, Sept. 25 at a Rikers Island facility. In 2024, federal prosecutors charged Bundrick with distribution of narcotics resulting in the death of the men, and she pleaded guilty to two counts of a lesser narcotics-distribution charge. She was sentenced to 13 years in prison this year, according to court records. I recognize that theres no excuse that can make up for what I did and Im here today because I know I must face the consequences of my actions, she wrote in a letter submitted to the court before she was sentenced, the New York Times reported. I deeply regret every decision I made and Im determined to use this experience as a turning point. 4 newborns found dead, hidden in home. Mother charged with murder. What charges was Tabitha Bundrick indicted on? Bundrick was indicted on the following new state charges: Second-degree murder, three counts First-degree robbery, four counts Second-degree burglary: two counts Second-degree assault: two counts 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: Tabitha Bundrick indicted after 4 men robbed, drugged with fentanyl A woman found dead in Spain 20 years ago has been identified after an international campaign to resolve cold cases. "The woman in pink" case dates back to July 2005, when a body was found by a road in a small town in Barcelona. The woman was wearing a pink floral top, pink pants and pink shoes, the international police agency Interpol said in a news release. She had been dead for less than 24 hours, and authorities believed her death was suspicious because evidence showed her body had been moved before its discovery. In 2023, Interpol launched the "Identify Me" campaign, which seeks to name women who were murdered or died under suspicious circumstances in Europe in recent decades. Details from cases examined under the initiative are widely shared online and in the media. Interpol issues images of facial reconstructions, personal belongings and tattoos. It also shares biometric data from the initial investigations with its 196 member countries and asks law enforcement to run that data through national databases. Police in Spain submitted "the woman in pink" case to the initiative in 2024. This year, police in Turkey ran the woman's fingerprints through a biometric database and determined that the prints matched those of Liudmila Zavada, a Russian national. Liudmila Zavada. / Credit: Interpol One of Zavada's close relatives provided a DNA sample that was compared to the sample investigators had from the initial investigation. The samples matched, allowing officials to confirm that the woman was Zavada. She was 31 at the time of her death. "After 20 years, an unknown woman has been given back her name," Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said in the news release. "Each successful identification brings fresh hope to the families and friends of missing persons and creates new leads for investigators." "Identify Me" has led to two other successful identifications so far. In 2023, family members of a British woman found murdered in Belgium 30 years earlier identified her as Rita Roberts after recognizing an image of her tattoo on the news. In March 2025, a woman who was found hanged in Spain in 2018 was identified as Paraguayan citizen Ainoha Izaga Ibieta Lima, previously known only as "the woman in the chicken coop." There are 44 women left in the "Identify Me" campaign, Interpol said, with the oldest case dating back to 1976. Trump slams Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV on ABC Dallas ICE office where shooting occurred received previous threats Trump blames Democrats for looming government shutdown News of a sick or injured mountain gorilla can worry local residents in this mountainous area thats home to the endangered species. Thats partly because most of the gorillas have been given names, allowing rangers and others to humanize the animal's suffering. But widespread interest in protecting mountain gorillas also comes from the economic benefits of tourism that have turned poachers into conservationists, married women into porters and rangers into eloquent spokespeople for the great apes. If we know there is a gorilla that is sick, you see everyone is concerned. Why? Why is the gorilla sick? Its suffering from what? said Joyleen Tugume, a ranger-guide in Ugandas Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Even the community people. Everyone is touched. Tugume said poaching in the park is increasingly rare since we are actually all working together to make sure conservation goes well, because we are all benefitting. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in a remote part of southwestern Uganda, is home to many groups of habituated gorillas that have become comfortable in the presence of humans. Vibrant tourist economy Tourists pay a considerable sum $800 in permit fees per foreign non-resident for the right to see gorillas in their natural habitat. An official revenue-sharing policy channels $10 from each permit back to the local community via their elected leaders, who can invest in projects ranging from water provision to health care. Local communities are also entitled to 20% of all park entry fees generated annually. Many locals, including reformed poachers living near the park, told The Associated Press that the money generated has ensured the recovery of the species, with habitat encroachment and poaching in decline as wildlife authorities seek to collaborate more with nearby communities. Philemon Mujuni, a poacher until five years ago, said he once thought of the gorilla as a hostile animal to be killed before it killed him if he ever encountered one. As a boy, he used to follow his father, whom he described as a senior poacher, into the forest to help carry the antelopes they pulled from traps. But in 2020, when poachers killed a beloved gorilla named Rafiki, Mujuni and others formed an organization of former poachers who now say the primates are more important than any other animal. They serve as community watchdogs, looking out for people who might venture into the forest to set duiker traps that sometimes ensnare gorillas. Their surveillance efforts help support the work of armed rangers who also regularly patrol the park. When community conservation rangers sensitized us, we said, Let us reform and stop poaching in the national park of Bwindi, Mujuni said. I cant go there. Because, through the conservation team from (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park), we get some money from these gorillas we could kill. Reformed poachers Peter Tumwesigye, one of 128 members of the group of reformed poachers, said gorillas are so important that people whose actions lead to a gorilla's death should be jailed. So that others can learn and never do it again, he said. Many of the worlds remaining mountain gorillas live in the Virunga Massif, a mountainous area encompassing parts of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda. The outlook for mountain gorillas has been positive since 2018, when a survey showed that the population exceeded 1,000. It's a remarkable comeback for a species that faced extinction in the last century. The International Union for Conservation of Nature, which maintains a list of threatened species, cites the mountain gorilla as endangered, an improvement from its earlier designation as critically endangered. About half of the gorillas live in Uganda. Besides Bwindi, the only other Ugandan park where gorillas can be tracked in the wild is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. But that protected area has just one family of gorillas, while Bwindi has 27 groups that can be seen up close by visitors. The primates are tracked daily. Tugume, the ranger-guide, said she works even on Christmas Day. One recent morning she led a small group of tourists into the forest, swinging a sickle to clear the way and speaking of the tenderness she sees in gorillas. You have to fight to take over, she said, talking about a young male in a family of gorillas that one day could challenge the leader known as a silverback for its distinguishing coat for mating rights. When you are the leader, you have all the rights to mate with the females. But when you are not the leader, you dont need to mate but you can mate secretly. And if the silverback comes to know, then it will be a tug of war, she said. At the offices of the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Buhoma, a town outside the park, a group of ranger-guides and porters gathers each morning for the opportunity to earn generous tips from helping tourists navigate the forest. Groups of trackers are allocated porters, who can even help carry an unfit tourist up the hills and through the undergrowth for around $300. The value of the gorilla money is very critical, said Gessa Simplicious, a conservationist with the Uganda Tourism Board. It helps with building trust, but it also helps in the awareness of the need to conserve. President Donald Trump counts U.S. farmers as one of his most loyal constituencies, but the administrations recent move to expand economic support for Argentina has drawn the ire of the agriculture industry. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on social media on Wednesday that he and Trump spoke at length with Argentina president Javier Milei about plans to financially support Argentina to assist in its stabilization. The Treasury is negotiating with Argentina for a $20 billion swap line with Argentinas central bank, Bessent said on X.com. As part of its effort to increase the flow of capital, Argentina also suspended its export taxes this week, including on soybeans. Amid the negotiations with the U.S., Argentina reportedly strengthened its trade partnership with China, whch ordered at least 10 cargoes of soybeans from the South American country, according to Reuters, which cited multiple traders. The moves have dealt a blow to soybean farmers in the U.S., who are strongly dependent on exports to China, and have continued to be priced out of the global market due to tariffs hiking the cost of their crop in the midst of its busy harvest season. According to the U.S. Department of Agricultures weekly export summaries, China has not bought U.S. soybeans since May. The frustration is overwhelming, the American Soybean Association (ASA) President Caleb Ragland said in a statement on Wednesday. U.S. soybean prices are falling, harvest is underway, and farmers read headlines not about securing a trade agreement with China, but that the U.S. government is extending $200 billion in economic support to Argentina while that country drops its soybean export taxes to sell 20 shiploads of Argentine soybeans to China in just two days. The farm economy is suffering while our competitors supplant the United States in the biggest soybean import market in the world, it concluded. Soybeans accounted for nearly 20% of the U.S.s cash crop receipts in 2024, raking in $46.8 billion, according to data from the USDA. About one quarter of all soybean exports from the U.S. go to China, but retaliatory tariffs from China as a result of the ongoing trade warwhich have reached 34%have hobbled U.S. farmers, while South American countries like Brazil and Argentina have racked up market share. As of 2024, Brazil made up 71% of the Chinese soybean imports, according to the ASA, up from 2% three decades ago. For the farmers, the changing market share dynamics isnt personal, its just business, according to Ryan Loy, assistant professor and extension economist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Theres a lot of politics involved, but at the end of the day, its a function of who is cheaper on the market, Loy told Fortune. Economic impact on rural America This market squeeze has an outsized impact on rural communities, where farming can make up 20% of a countys employment. As global demand for U.S. soybeans waver, so, too, do profits for farmers. In parts of the Midwest like North and South Dakota and Minnesota, the majority of soybeans get routed to ports in the Pacific Northwest to be shipped overseas. But with fewer shipments of soybeans being exported, supply is piling up, driving down the cost of soybeans. Since its 2022 peak, soybean prices have fallen about 40%. While some soybeans can go to crushing facilities to be repurposed as oil or used in ethanol, many soybean farms arent located near plants able to process and use the crop domestically, Kyle Jore, an economist and farmer in Thief River Falls in northwest Minnesota and secretary of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, said even if a trade with with China were to be made today, transportation bookings to take the crop out of state are full because of the busy corn harvest. Were probably just going to plan to sit on the soybeans and wait, Jore said. Many farmers trying to cut their losses will sell their soybeans to agricultural co-ops who will buy the crops, but at a much lower price than market rate. In the meantime, though, the producers that sell are taking large losses, Jore said. And theyre going to have to feel those losses. Extension economist Loy warned of the ripple effects of strained farmers on rural America. If farms in those rural communities arent successful, if they face financial hardships, then those rural communities also suffer, too, Loy said. All of these rural communities rely on agriculture to some degree. In its most extreme, if farms close up and businesses no longer have the customers thereor at least the customers dont have the money to support thembusinesses close and people move out. Aftershocks from the 2018 trade war Jore called this feeling of concern for the wellbeing of the agricultural economy deja vu. During Trumps first administration, U.S. farmers lost $27 billion in agricultural exports between mid-2018 and 2019 as a result of a trade war with China, according to a 2022 report from the USDA. During that same period, the U.S. market share of Chinese soybean imports plummeted to a 30-year low of 19%, the ASA reported. Brazils market share reached its peak of 75%. Years later, U.S. soybean farmers have yet to fully recover, Todd Main, the director of market development at the Illinois Soybean Association, told Fortune. The takeaway that we have from the data of the last time we did this is that the U.S. lost about 20% of our market share, and it never came back, Main said. While some soybean producers have been able to make up revenues through different export markets like the European Union (which generated only $2.45 billion in U.S. export revenues in 2024 compared to Chinas $12.64 billion, per the USDA), the big difference between Trumps first trade war versus this one is the price of tools and equipmentin part due to the steep tariffs. According to August data from the North Dakota State University Agricultural Trade Monitor, self-propelled machines like tractors have been hit with a more than 15% tariff rate. Tariffs on herbicides and some pesticides have propelled prices up 25%, partially because of trade disputes with Canada. Even though in 2018 we were seeing similar revenues, this time around, we have significantly higher [input], so our margins are much more negative, Jore said. What comes next? Soybean producers have gotten creative to try to build a profitable infrastructure outside of exports to China. The Illinois Soybean Association created the Soy Innovation Center to develop sustainable uses for processed soy, such as oil, that can be used domestically. The White House, for its part, has floated developing an agricultural subsidy program using revenue from tariffs, according to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. The first Trump administration provided farmers with a $28 billion bailout. But while the aid was able to nearly completely replace lost revenues, making up for lost global market share is a slowerand not guaranteedrecovery. A similar bailout today would yield similar results, Wendong Zhang, an associate professor of applied economics and policy at Cornell Universitys SC Johnson School of Business, told Fortune. It will compensate for the immediate economic losses due to tariffs, but it doesnt necessarily improve the long-term competitiveness of agriculture on the global stage, Zhang said. Farmers arent banking on a bailout, either. Theyre looking for a trade dealor at least stable enough ground to grow their businesses, Illinois Soybean Associations Main said. We can grow anything. What we really want is good relations with our trading partners, he said. We want markets. We dont want bailouts. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Federal immigration officials confirmed the identity of a migrant who died in custody inside a Nassau County jail last week and revealed a preliminary cause of death as official probes continue. Honduras citizen Santos Banegas Reyes, 42, who had been previously deported three times appeared to have died from liver failure complicated by alcoholism, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Tuesday. The official cause of death is still under investigation. Santos Banegas Reyes was identified as the Honduran migrant who died at a Nassau County jail. GoFundMe The Honduran father and construction worker was arrested Sept. 17 by federal immigration agents just hours before he was found not breathing in his cell, according to ICE and Oscar Michelen, the attorney representing Reyes family with the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association. Reyes had previously entered the US illegally at least four times from 2004 to 2019, and ICE claimed the detainee previously admitted to a history of alcohol abuse. But the detainees family pushed back on ICEs findings of the cause of death and claimed relatives were only notified that he died by a source and not by federal authorities. Michelen also claimed that Reyes had no-known health issues leading up to his death, and said his family denies that he was a heavy drinker or an alcoholic which Reyes sister called absurd. Its a remarkable coincidence, isnt it, Michelen told The Post. The very same day that he gets snatched away by ICE, a seemingly healthy man just so happens to succumb to chronic liver failure. Reyes sister called ICEs assessment absurd after they said her brother apparently died of liver failure complicated by alcoholism. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton Reyes sister, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said that her brother appeared normal and healthy the day before his arrest at his construction job. The family is now pursuing an independent autopsy, according to Michelen. County Sheriff Anthony Larocco said its own ongoing investigation will be thorough and transparent to determine the cause of death. Nassau County takes seriously its obligation to treat every prisoner humanely, Larocco said in a statement. The state attorney generals office is also investigating as is protocol with any in-custody death. The feds also stressed that all detainees in custody receive medical, dental and mental health screenings and 24-hour emergency care at each detention facility. The death comes after Nassau entered a partnership with ICE that set aside 50 cells at the East Meadow jail to hold detainees nabbed by ICE in New York City and Long Island. Under the deal, migrants can be held in the jail for up to 72 hours before ICE either deports them or ships them off to a long-term detention facility, with the feds reimbursing the county $195 per detainee, per night. Police and army inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a shot down Russian drone in the village of Wyryki-Wola, eastern Poland, on September 10, 2025. - Wojtek Raswanski/AFP/Getty Images NATO allies are divided over whether the alliance should make it a policy to shoot down Russian jets that violate NATOs airspace, with some countries including the US, Poland and Baltic nations signaling that future violations should be met with force, while others, including Germany, urge more restraint. The issue came to a head during an emergency meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Tuesday, which was called by Estonia after three Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace last week for 12 minutes. Representatives from several countries, including Poland and Estonia, wanted the joint statement following the meeting to make clear that any additional violations by Russia, including from manned aircraft, would be met with force, according to two NATO officials familiar with the discussions something that NATO has the authority to do if necessary. But Germany and some southern European countries pushed to remove that language from the statement, the NATO officials said, worrying it was too escalatory. Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna delivers a statement at a Security Council emergency meeting to discuss Russian fighter jet incursions into NATO member Estonia's airspace at United Nations (UN) as world leaders arrive for the 80th session of the UNs General Assembly (UNGA) on September 22, 2025 in New York City. - Spencer Platt/Getty Images The top US general for Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, who serves as NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, also gave pause to some countries in the meeting when he said the Russian incursion into Estonia was likely accidental given Russian pilots inexperience and insufficient training, CNN has reported. The final statement, endorsed by all 32 member nations, landed somewhere in the middle. NATO and Allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions. We will continue to respond in the manner, timing, and domain of our choosing, it said. The episode underscores how difficult it will be to get consensus on the issue, officials said, even as Russia has continued to push the boundaries of its attacks against Ukraine which have repeatedly veered into NATO territory and the deployment of its military assets near Europe. Even President Donald Trump, who has long tried to give Russia the benefit of the doubt, weighed in on Tuesday, saying Yes, I do, when asked if he thinks NATO should shoot down Russian planes that violate its airspace. You have been warned In the last two weeks alone, Russia launched as many as 21 drones at Poland, some of which were shot down by NATO fighter jets; a Russian attack drone flew into Romania; three Russian jets flew over Estonia without permission and with their transponders turned off; and a Russian military aircraft flew low over a German Navy frigate in the Baltic Sea last weekend, Germanys defense minister Boris Pistorius revealed on Wednesday. Firefighters work on the destroyed roof of a house, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine, with some being shot down by Poland with the backing from its NATO allies, in Wyryki-Wola, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland, September 10, 2025. - Kacper Pempel/Reuters Norway also announced on Monday that Russia had violated its airspace three times this year alone twice over the sea near Vard in Norways far northeast, and once over an uninhabited area in the northeastern county of Finnmark. It is still unclear whether all of those incidents were intentional. NATO, US and European officials are still examining the possibility that the drone incursion into Poland, for example, was the result of Ukrainian electronic jamming that veered them off course, CNN has reported. Another NATO official told CNN that they dont view Trumps comments as a push by the US president for NATO to shift its policy, and argued that NATO should not do so. Its his hot take of the hour, the official said of Trumps remark. On our part, weve responded to the incursions with competence, meanwhile on Russias part, its incompetence. So why would we shoot them down? But for several NATO countries, particularly those on the eastern flank of the alliance closest to Russia, the intention is not what mattersthey believe Moscow needs to face consequences for its increasingly reckless and dangerous behavior. Poland's Secretary of State Marcin Bosacki addresses delegates during a Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security at U.N. headquarters in New York City, September 12, 2025. - Jeenah Moon/Reuters If another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission - deliberately or by mistake - and gets shot down, and the wreckage falls on NATO territory, please dont come here to whine about it, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said on Monday during an emergency meeting at the United Nations. You have been warned. Prudence is not cowardice Czech President Petr Pavel also said on Tuesday that we must respond appropriately, including possibly shooting down Russian aircraft. What has happened in recent days in Poland and Estonia, and what has been happening in Ukraine for four years now, concerns us all. If we dont stick together, sooner or later it will happen to us too. A senior NATO official told CNN he believes Russia is probing weak points in NATOs defenses and collecting information on how far the alliance is willing to go to protect its airspace, a concern that Germanys defense minister Boris Pistorius echoed on Tuesday. Headquarters of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. - Simon Wohlfahrt/Bloomberg/Getty Images The incursion of Russian drones and warplanes deep in Polish and Estonian airspace and the overflight of a German frigate in the Baltic Sea within a few days make it clear that Russia is literally testing borders, including of NATO states, with increasing frequency and intensity, Pistorius said. But Pistorius also pushed back strongly against getting drawn into Russias escalation trap and urging calm in NATOs response. Frivolous demands to bring something down from the sky are unhelpful, Pistorius said on Wednesday. Prudence is not cowardice, but rather responsibility toward your own country and toward peace in Europe. Finnish President Alexander Stubb similarly urged caution, advising allies on Tuesday in an interview with Bloomberg not to overreact but be firm enough, because the only thing Russia understands is power. A higher risk of escalation Grynkewich, the commander of US European Command who is dual-hatted as NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told French newspaper Le Monde on Wednesday that shooting down a fighter jet is much riskier than taking down a drone. Its a much easier decision to shoot down an unmanned drone that comes into the airspace, he said. We do have to take into account factors like: where is it, whats underneath it when we shoot it down, what is the risk to the population of engaging it and what is it threatening. NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus G. Grynkewich during a press conference on the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on September 12, 2025. - Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP/Getty Images But shooting down manned aircraft like fighter jets clearly carries a higher risk of escalation if theres an engagement that kills someone on either side, Grynkewich said. I can say that if theres a bona fide threat from any kind of item in the air, manned or unmanned, etc., were ready to take whatever action is necessary to defend our populations. Grynkewich acknowledged the varying approaches within NATO on this issue, telling Le Monde that each nation within the alliance has different expectations of when and how NATO assets should intervene. Some countries like Poland want a very broad application of NATO assets to engage possible threats, he said, but other nations make different judgments. We work with them on what are the parameters [in which] they would want us to engage, and when would they want to take national action versus NATO action, Grynkewich said. So its not the same in every nation, but we work very closely with them to make sure that we limit the number of restrictions as much as possible, because that gives us the most tactical flexibility. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Drone activity near four airports in Denmark overnight was the work of a professional actor, Denmarks defence minister has warned just two days after the countrys main hub was shut down in response to sightings that rattled European aviation. Aalborg airport, in north Denmark, was forced to shut down after the drone sightings, while three smaller airports in the region Esbjerg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup remained open despite similar incidents. It is unclear how many drones were seen in the incident, which also affected the countrys armed forces due to the military base stationed at Aalborg airport. There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor, defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said. It certainly does not look like a coincidence. It looks systematic. This is what I would define as a hybrid attack. National police said the incident had followed a similar pattern to the one that halted flights at Copenhagen airport for four hours on Monday, with Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen refusing to rule out Russian involvement. Police officers stand guard following reports of drone activity at the airport in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday (Ritzau Scanpix) Denmark is now considering whether to invoke Nato Article 4, which would formally request talks over the incident, a move taken by Poland and Estonia following repeated Russian incursions into their airspace in recent weeks. Four flights were affected on Wednesday nights incident, the police spokesperson said, including two SAS planes, one Norwegian and one KLM flight. Eurocontrol, which oversees European air traffic control, said arrivals and departures at Aalborg airport would be at a zero rate until 4am GMT on Thursday due to drone activity in the vicinity. Danish authorities said the incident that halted flights at Copenhagen airport on Monday was the most serious attack yet on the countrys critical infrastructure. Speaking in New York during the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said she could not rule out Russian involvement in the shutdown of Copenhagen airport. We have seen drones over Poland that should not have been there. We have seen activity in Romania. We have seen violations of Estonian airspace, Ms Frederiksen told reporters. This is a serious attack on critical Danish infrastructure. Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said she could not rule out Russian involvement in the shutdown of Copenhagen airport (Ritzau Scanpix) Authorities in Norway also shut the airspace at Oslo airport for three hours on Monday evening after a drone was seen. Norwegian and Danish authorities are in close contact over the Copenhagen and Oslo incidents, but they have not yet been linked, Norways foreign minister said on Wednesday. Authorities in Oslo announced later that two foreign nationals had been arrested for flying drones within the prohibited zone close to the airport. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky then appeared to blame Russia for the incident in a post on social media, though that claim was quickly taken down. It comes after hundreds of flights at Heathrow airport in the UK were delayed or cancelled over the weekend following a cyber attack. A university professor who wrote a Facebook post calling Charlie Kirk a Nazi, shortly after the MAGA commentator was shot dead in Utah, cannot be fired over his online comments, a judge has ruled. Phillip Michael Hook, a tenured Professor of Art at the University of South Dakota, stated that he did not give a flying f*** about Kirk and described him as a hate spreading Nazi in the post on the afternoon of September 10. I wasnt paying close enough attention to the idiotic right fringe to even know who he was. Im sorry for his family that he was a hate spreading Nazi and got killed, he wrote on Facebook, adding: I have no thoughts or prayers for this hate spreading Nazi. A shrug, maybe. He later posted another message in which he publicly apologized for posting the comments, adding that he regretted them. A tenured Professor of Art at the University of South Dakota wrote online that he did not give a flying f*** about Charlie Kirk and described him as a hate spreading Nazi on the afternoon of September 10, after the MAGA commentator was fatally shot. He was later informed he would be fired (AP) But the comments caught the eye of state officials, including South Dakota Speaker of the House Jon Hansen and Republican Governor Larry Rhoden, both of whom called for Hooks dismissal. Shortly after posting the messages to his private Facebook, Hook was placed on administrative leave and notified of the intent to remove him from his position by the South Dakota Board of Regents. According to a complaint, seen by The Independent, on September 23, Hook filed for an injunction against USD, claiming core political speech in violation of the First Amendment had been violated. USD President Sheila Gestring, South Dakota Board of Regents President Tim Rave, and Bruce Kelley, Dean of the University of South Dakota College of Fine Arts, were all named as defendants in the suit. On Wednesday, U.S. Senior Judge Karen E. Schreier of the District Court of South Dakota issued a temporary restraining order and ordered that Hooks position be reinstated and remain in place until the preliminary injunction hearing on October 8. USD President Sheila Gestring, South Dakota Board of Regents President Tim Rave, and Bruce Kelley, Dean of the University of South Dakota College of Fine Arts, were all named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by Hook (Getty Images) In her ruling Schreier concluded that Hook had spoken as a citizen and his speech was on a matter of public concern which is constitutionally protected. Jim Leach, who is representing Hook in the case, said that a public sector employee doesnt forfeit the right to free speech because they happen to be a public employee, echoing the judges comments that the professor had spoken out on amatter of public concern. Yet here, we have the government, at the highest level, punishing Professor Hook for his political speech, he added, per the South Dakota Searchlight. Following Wednesdays ruling an online petition to reinstate Hook had garnered almost 10,000 signatures. The Independent has reached out to the University of South Dakota for comment on Hooks complaint and the judges Wednesday ruling. Maresa Pryor / DanitaDelimont.com / "Danita Delimont Photography"/Newscom For the past several months, an organization of Florida fishing guides has been wondering exactly how it ended up being accused by a county sheriff of inciting threats against public officials. The incident not only raised questions about a swampy, Florida-specific brand of public-private collusion, but a First Amendment advocacy group says the speech at issue was constitutionally protected. On June 6, the Hendry County sheriff posted a Facebook message regarding Captains for Clean Water, an environmental advocacy group of Florida fishing guides: "Recent posts by Captains for Clean Water have fueled hostility and provoked violent rhetoric, putting our citizens' safety at risk," Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden said in the statement. "Their actions have even inspired some Floridians to issue threats to public officials, warranting the attention of law enforcement." "Let me be clear: threats of violence are not protected speech," Whidden continued. "By creating an environment in which people feel emboldened to attack elected officials, the Captains for Clean Water is promoting danger, not solutions. We will not tolerate threats, harassment or calls to violenceonline or otherwise." Captains for Clean Water cofounder Daniel Andrews says Whidden's statement "totally caught us off guard." There were thousands of comments on the group's recent social media posts, he says, and they hadn't heard anything from the sheriff's office prior to the statement. "We have always been firm but very peaceful and nonviolent," Andrews says. "There's never been a time that I can look back on that I can see anything could even be perceived as remotely violent that we've said or done." It was especially confusing since the alleged threats had all been in response to public hearings in Palm Beach County, not Hendry County. The situation became a little clearer when Whidden told Gulf Coast News on June 9 that the alleged threats were "brought to my attention by U.S. Sugar, and they were concerned for the safety of their people." U.S. Sugar is one of two large Florida sugar companies supporting a proposed industrial rock mine on land the companies own in the Everglades Agricultural Area. Captains for Clean Water is one of several environmental groups opposing the project, both online and at public hearings. Captains for Clean Water has a stake in the issue because many of Florida's fishing grounds depend on a healthy flow of clean water from the Everglades. The diversion of too much water leads to high salinity levels in Florida Bay, which kills off important seagrass beds. Nutrient runoff and pollution also cause noxious algae blooms and red tides. Reason, Captains for Clean Water, and other news organizations put in public records requests in June with the Hendry County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office released those records earlier this month, but the records included no additional information concerning Whidden's communications with sugar companies. In response to a records request by the Tampa Bay Times, the sheriff's office said there were no written notes or other records regarding Whidden's phone conversation with U.S. Sugar. However, Reason did obtain screenshots of four of the Facebook posts that the sheriff's office highlighted as threats: "Burn them and their lies." "This is why Mangione is so popular." "The 'Good Ole Boy' system is solid & strong in our country & state for over 230 years. These corrupt people should be executed." "Violence will stop this. Sounds harsh, I get it. Examples must be made. Pain works, every time." Two of those comments were first noted in a March 27 news story in The Palm Beach Post, and then in a March 31 op-ed in Florida's Voice, a conservative outlet covering state politics, with the author of the latter venturing the question: "Are Captains for Clean Water an ecoterrorism organization?" Gabe Walters, a staff attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free speech advocacy group, says that Captains for Clean Water's activities don't come close to meeting the legal standard for incitement. Under the test that the Supreme Court established in the landmark First Amendment case Brandenburg v. Ohio, the government has to prove that the rhetoric at issue incited violence or threats of violence, and that the incitement was imminent, likely, and intentional. "It's obviously a very high bar to meet, and that's to make sure that we don't punish political advocacy or speech that's on the First Amendment-protected side of the line," Walters says. As for the comments themselves, Walters says they don't meet the criteria for true threats, either. "The idea that [Captains for Clean Water] incited others to post threats is a little bit of a non-starter from the jump, but looking at the statements of these third-party comments on this social media post, they all strike me as aspirational, as political hyperbole, and not even directed directly at the alleged targets of the alleged threat," Walters says. "So it's difficult to see how a prosecution of the actual individuals who made those comments would comport with the First Amendment." It's also a bit of a sleight-of-hand to say the comments were incited by Captains for Clean Water. They were in response to videos highlighting the comments of Palm Beach County commissioners, who would go on to unanimously approve the rock mine project. And it doesn't do much to dispel the notion of a good ol' boy network when it looks like a large company can ring up a county sheriff, who then uses his office to publicly denounce one of the company's opponents for constitutionally protected speech. What's more, those "threats of violence" apparently generated little to no real police activity. The Hendry County Sheriff's Office hasn't reportedly investigated anyone, much less charged them with a crime, for those online comments. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office contacted one of the posters about his comments, but ultimately, the man was just given a warning. "I'm not aware of any additional follow-up," Andrews says, "and I think that's really the concerning part about it, if law enforcement is being used to intimidate organizations that are bringing science-based concerns forward." The Hendry County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Sugar did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The post Why Did a Florida Sheriff Accuse a Group of Fishing Guides of Inciting Threats Against Public Officials? appeared first on Reason.com. Russia, U.S. reaffirm interest in peaceful solution to Ukraine crisis Xinhua) 13:58, September 25, 2025 MOSCOW, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday reaffirmed their shared interest in seeking peaceful solutions to the Ukraine crisis, said the Russian Foreign Ministry. The two top diplomats met in New York on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, said the ministry. Lavrov reiterated Russia's readiness to adhere to the course outlined by the two countries' leaders in Alaska, including coordination with Washington on addressing the root causes of the conflict. He voiced opposition to what he described as proposals from Kiev and some European capitals that could prolong the crisis. The meeting also addressed broader bilateral issues, with both sides stressing the importance of restoring political and public contacts, leveraging the momentum set by the presidents of Russia and the United States to advance normalization of relations. They also emphasized the need to resume regular operations of diplomatic missions. The two sides agreed to continue constructive dialogue between their foreign policy agencies, said the ministry. On Aug. 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump met in Alaska. They gave a positive assessment of the meeting, but no agreement was reached on issues such as a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Four civilians die in clashes between protesters and security forces in Leh during rally for statehood and greater protections for tribal communities. A curfew has been imposed, with gatherings, marches, and rallies banned. The government accuses climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, known for his nonviolent protests, of inciting the crowd with provocative slogans. The opposition denounces broken promises and calls for sensitive management of the crisis in a region crucial for relations with China. Leh (AsiaNews) Four people are dead and more than 45 injured after a day of protests in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, where Indian authorities today imposed a curfew and other stringent security measures. Initially peaceful, the demonstrations were sparked once again by demands that the Indian government grant the region Union State status and implement the Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution, which provides for and regulates the autonomy and self-governance for India's tribal areas. In Ladakh, a Himalayan region that borders China and Pakistan, 97 per cent of the population belongs to tribal communities. Yesterday, the cities of Leh and Kargil came to a standstill with offices, markets, schools, banks, and commercial activities closed, while public and private transportation halted, witnesses told local media. Stones were thrown, vehicles torched, and the headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ultranationalist Hindu party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, set on fire. The four people killed were all civilians shot during clashes with the security forces, whose actions the government justified as self-defence. Some 30 officers were injured in the violence. To ensure public order, the deputy commissioners of Leh and Kargil issued orders based on the new Section 163 of the Indian Citizen Safety Code (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksa Samhita), banning gatherings of more than five people, processions, rallies, as well as the use of loudspeakers and electronic messages that could "disturb [the] peace or provoke enmity. The authorities warned that "violations of the order will invite strict legal action. The Union Home Ministry blamed the violence on well-known climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who began a 35-day hunger strike on 10 September to support demands for constitutional guarantees for Ladakh. The activist has used this form of nonviolent protest several times in the past, especially to draw attention to the rapidly melting ice in the Himalayas. However, on this occasion, Wangchuk broke his fast and called for restraint after clashes broke out between young people and security personnel near the office of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. Indian authorities accused him of provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal, where people under 30 recently led protests against the previous government. In a statement, the ministry claimed that politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress in ongoing talks between government representatives and Ladakhi groups and tried to sabotage the dialogue process. The unrest broke out on the eve of a meeting between Home Ministry officials and local leaders. Local demands for exclusive land rights have gone unheard for years, yet the ministry has claimed "phenomenal results" in negotiations initiated with the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, two groups that have represented local political interests since 2020. The achievements listed by the central government include higher public sector employment quotas for tribal communities from 45 per cent to 84 per cent, a 33 per cent quota for women in local councils, and the official recognition of the Bhoti and Purgi languages. The current political gridlock is a direct consequence of Prime Minister Modis decision in 2019 to abolish Kashmir's special status, creating one administration for the region now called Jammu and Kashmir and another for Ladakh. In recent years, local concerns have grown regarding the preservation of cultural identity and the protection of natural resources. The inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution would allow the creation of autonomous councils for land management, public health, and agriculture. Ten such councils exist in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, the only states where the legislation is in force. Meanwhile, Indian political parties are blaming each other for the troubles. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused the opposition, represented by the Indian National Congress, of being behind the incidents, naming a Leh municipal councillor as the main instigator. The opposition, however, stressed Ladakh's strategic location, which India has always used as a buffer against Chinese ambitions with INC Lok Sabha Members Manish Tewari noting that Ladakh was a border Union Territory. For Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, People seem to have lost patience, feel betrayed following the abrogation of Kashmir's special status in 2019. Leh, a region long known for its peaceful and measured protests, is now witnessing a disturbing shift toward violent demonstrations, she lamented. by Sumon Corraya Bangladesh is celebrating the centenary of the birth of a businessman who remains an inspiration to many in the country. A prominent figure in the Baptist community, he passed away in 2012. During his life, he showed the power of integrity across religious boundaries. His children have taken on his legacy and set up a foundation to carry on his projects and pursue new initiatives, including a mobile clinic providing free healthcare to low-income people in Dhaka. Dhaka (AsiaNews) "If you love people, God will love you," Samson H. Chowdhury, one of Bangladesh's most respected entrepreneurs, used to say. Even today, on the centenary of his birth on 25 September 1925, his life and legacy continue to inspire generations of business leaders, social reformers, and communities of different faiths across the country. A devout Christian, Chowdhury was a prominent member of the Baptist community, serving as vice president of the Baptist World Alliance and leading the Bangladesh Baptist Church Fellowship multiple times. His faith shaped his values, but over the years he also worked to boost interfaith dialogue, while his charitable work transcended religious and national boundaries, becoming an example even abroad. Responding to a request from Muslim employees at the Sabazpur Tea Estate, he helped establish the Suzaul Madrasah, reflecting his deep commitment to confessional harmony. This is why Samson H. Chowdhury remains a symbol of ethical entrepreneurship and compassionate leadership as the country marks his centenary in a celebration that unites Christians and Muslims. His legacy is a lesson for those who start a business, proof that work must not be solely inspired by profit but should also be characterised by the values of love and humanity, which represent a positive and proactive force. Born on 25 September, 100 years ago, in the village of Aruakandi, Gopalganj, Chowdhury's journey from humble beginnings to the leadership of one of Bangladesh's largest industrial conglomerates is a testament to "the power of integrity, vision, and compassion." The Christian entrepreneur died on 5 January 2012, at the age of 86, leaving a legacy that extends beyond the world of business. Chowdhury's entrepreneurial journey began in 1952, when he left his job at the Post Office to join his father's pharmacy in Pabna. Four years later, he borrowed money from his father and founded a small pharmaceutical company, E Sons (Yakub and Sons). In 1958, he and three friends (Kazi Harunur Rashid, PK Saha, and Radhabinda Roy) founded Square Pharmaceuticals, named after the four founders' equal investment. From producing basic syrups in a small factory, Square grew into a diversified business empire. Today, the Square Group operates in eight sectors, including healthcare, consumer goods, textiles, media, IT, banking, aviation, and agriculture. With 23 companies and over 80,000 employees, the group's annual revenue is just shy of US$ 2 billion. However, Chowdhury's success has never been just about profit. He believed that business was a tool for social transformation, a philosophy continued by his son Tapan Chowdhury, who is the Square Groups current managing director. Our father became a top industrialist from a simple background by working hard and staying honest. We are carrying forward his philosophy and ideals, he said. To mark he centenary, the Anita and Samson Foundation, established by his children, announced a series of initiatives. On a plot of land in Aminbazar, the foundation intends to build a hospital, a medical school, a nursing school, a retirement home, and a children's home, with construction set to begin by the end of the year. This hospital will be bigger than Square Hospital, but the medical expenses will be lower, explained Tapan Chowdhury. We want to serve the common people, just as our father dreamed. In another tribute, the Square Group is launching a mobile clinic titled "Across Fifty-Six Thousand Square Miles," aiming to provide free healthcare to low-income communities. The initiative, run by the Anita and Samson Foundation, will offer primary healthcare, maternal and child health services, eye care, and free glasses and medical drugs. The programme was announced yesterday during a press conference at the Samson Centre in Gulshan-1, Dhaka, and will be officially inaugurated this evening at St Mary's Cathedral in Kakrail. Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario will be present to pay tribute to the extraordinary legacy left by Samson Chowdhury, whose life story is even included in the Bangladesh Open University's tenth-grade textbook. In the chapter titled "Business Initiatives," he is featured as one of Bangladesh's most successful businessmen, described as a hero from zero who thrived as a business owner, manager, accountant, typist, worker, and medical representative. Today's headlines: A 21-point plan on Gaza to be announced with Qatar at the centre of Trump's meeting with Arab-Muslim leaders; Thailand's new foreign minister to Cambodia: let's ease military presence at the border; To Lam to visit Pyongyang, first visit by a Vietnamese leader since 2007; Overtourism is prompting Japanese schools to cancel school trips to Kyoto. CHINA China plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 7-10% from their peak by 2035. This was announced by President Xi Jinping in a live message from Beijing to the climate summit hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, in an indirect response to the part of Trump's speech that condemned green policies against climate change. Until now, China had always limited itself to postponing the zero emissions target set by the Paris Agreement for 2035 to the very distant deadline of 2060. Xi also said that China intends to increase its installed wind and solar power capacity to more than six times 2020 levels within ten years, and to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in domestic energy consumption to more than 30% by 2035. GAZA-ISRAEL-UNITED STATES There is reportedly a new 21-point plan on Gaza that the United States is preparing to announce in the coming days together with Qatar in a symbolically significant gesture after the Israeli raid on Doha. The plan is said to be the outcome of a meeting between Trump and several Arab and Muslim leaders held the other evening in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. According to information obtained by the United Arab Emirates newspaper The National, the plan would provide for a permanent ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages still being held, along with a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and an amnesty for Hamas officials if they agree to leave the coastal enclave. The proposal would also include the dismantling of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the transfer of food aid distribution to the UN and other international humanitarian organisations. THAILAND-CAMBODIA Bangkok's new foreign minister has said that Thailand and Cambodia should reduce their military presence along their shared border and work together to ease tensions. Shortly after officially taking office alongside Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Sihasak Phuangketkeow stressed the need to respect the ceasefire agreed between the two countries at the end of the five-day conflict in July. Speaking to reporters on his first day as foreign minister, he said his priority was to ensure peace between the two Southeast Asian countries. VIETNAM-NORTH KOREA Vietnamese Communist Party Secretary To Lam is expected to visit North Korea next month, according to two Vietnamese officials, marking the first visit by a Vietnamese leader to Pyongyang in nearly 20 years. The two communist countries maintain close diplomatic ties but currently have no trade relations. The last visit by a Vietnamese leader to North Korea was in 2007, when the then head of the ruling Communist Party, Nong Duc Manh, made a three-day trip to the country, marking the first visit since Ho Chi Minh's in 1957. In a rare trip abroad, Kim Yong-un travelled to Hanoi in 2019, as part of a visit that culminated in a summit with US President Donald Trump, then in his first term. JAPAN The overwhelming influx of foreign tourists to Kyoto is prompting more and more Japanese schools to abandon the ancient capital as a traditional destination for educational trips. According to city statistics, 750,000 students arrived in 2024, compared to 810,000 the previous year. Teachers complain about crowded buses and subways, queues at temples and shrines, and hotel and restaurant prices that have doubled or even tripled. This change would be viewed with disappointment by students and parents who consider the school trip to Kyoto a rite of passage. GEORGIA-UN The ruling Georgian Dream party sent President Mikhail Kavelasvili, whose legitimacy is not recognised by pro-Western opposition forces, to the UN assembly for the 80th anniversary session, instead of the prime ministers who had attended in previous years. His visit to New York is his first appearance outside international isolation 10 months after his election. He will speak in Georgian as he does not know English. RUSSIA Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov), considered Vladimir Putin's spiritual father, has praised Trumpian hero and martyr Charlie Kirk, stating that 'in the age of post-truth, relativism and militant liberalism, when reality is constructed by the media and social networks and conformism has become the norm, Kirk dared to go against the tide, rejecting half-measures, compromises and deceitful conscience." Champion local news. Join our community of readers who value daily beat reporting and in-depth stories alike. Your membership allows us to continue the legacy of local, independent journalism in the Roaring Fork Valley. With your support, we can remain a free and accessible source of news for everyone, always without paywalls or corporate influence. Together, we can ensure that vital local stories are told. Its draft state budget approved during a cabinet meeting in Yerevan calls for 563 billion drams ($1.47 billion) in funding for Armenias armed forces, down from 665 billion drams allocated for this year. The proposed reduction, which is bound to be denounced by the Armenian opposition, contrasts with a 5 percent increase in overall public spending in 2026 projected at 3.6 trillion drams ($9.5 billion). Armenias defense spending has risen steadily and significantly since the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian military appears to have used the bulk of the increased funding for replenishing its arms stocks diminished during the disastrous war. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian first signaled his intention to reverse this trend about two weeks after an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty was initialed during his talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on August 8. Pashinian has since repeatedly claimed that that put an end to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. His domestic critics counter that Aliyev did not drop his preconditions for signing the treaty. They also say that even if the peace deal is signed it will not preclude further Azerbaijani military attacks on Armenia. Aliyev implicitly warned on August 22 of the possibility of such military action and vowed to continue to reinforce Azerbaijans armed forces. Baku plans to spend a total of about $5 billion on defense and national security this year. In what the critics see as another blow to national defense, the Armenian Defense Ministry drafted earlier this month legislation that would shorten compulsory military service in the country from two years to 18 months. The measure, if approved by the parliament, will likely downsize Armenias conscription-based army which is already grappling with recruitment problems. Pashinian declared on September 15 that the army must be the least important tool for ensuring the countrys security. In that context, he again pointed to the agreements reached in Washington. Armenian opposition leaders maintain that those agreements are based on unilateral Armenian concessions, will not bring real peace and will on the contrary encourage Baku to demand even more from Yerevan. They say that Pashinian is putting Armenias very survival at the mercy of Azerbaijan as well as Turkey, instead of rebuilding the army, repairing relations with Russia and forging military ties with Iran. Senior Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly stated that Armenias militarization is one of the obstacles to peace between the two countries. One of them called last year for restrictions to be placed on the Armenian armed forces. 25 September 2025 16:49 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more On September 25, the Baku Military Court continued hearings in the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia, with proceedings focusing on an interview given by former Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Manvel Grigorian, Azernews reports. In the interview, Grigorian admitted to the direct involvement of Armenias former presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan in the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. He also revealed that senior Armenian military officials generals and colonels had been dispatched from Armenia to establish military units in the occupied areas. Among those he named was a general identified as Artusha from Gyumri. Grigorian acknowledged that Azerbaijani civilians were killed and villages destroyed during the occupation. We started to capture the villages of the Turks. We entered, destroyed the villages, and destroyed them. We terrorized them, subjected them to terror, he said. The former deputy minister further testified that he commanded a brigade of the Armenian armed forces, which had been sent to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan on the orders of then Defense Minister Vazgen Manukyan. According to him, Armenian forces subsequently occupied 47 villages in Azerbaijans Fuzuli region. It should be noted that the ongoing trial addresses crimes committed during Armenias military aggression against Azerbaijan. The accused face charges including crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing terrorism, and attempts to seize and retain power by force. 25 September 2025 18:00 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more In international politics, attention is rarely given uninvited. When foreign leaders and business magnates queue up to meet one president, it is more than mere courtesy; it signals recognition of influence, reliability, and vision. During President Ilham Aliyevs most recent diplomatic tour, this reality became unmistakably clear. Every bilateral engagement, every handshake, and every high-level dialogue occurred at the initiative of Azerbaijans partners, not as a protocol formality but as deliberate acts of interest. This dynamic demonstrates not only Azerbaijans rising prestige but also the transformation of the South Caucasus state into a credible and indispensable player in international affairs. Today, Azerbaijan is valued not merely for its geography or energy reserves, but for its peace diplomacy, investment potential, and ability to offer stability in a turbulent region. Unlike many state visits that proceed under the weight of diplomatic ritual, the Azerbaijani Presidents meetings carried a different tone. They were defined by urgency and substance. Finland, Greece, Kenya, Portugal, and Bulgaria, alongside the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, all sought Bakus perspective. Their objective was clear: to understand how Azerbaijan is re-shaping the security architecture of the South Caucasus and contributing to broader stability. Several European leaders even described Azerbaijans role in advancing the Washington peace agreement with Armenia (2025) as a historic achievement. That the initiative for these encounters came from the opposite side is itself telling; it confirms that Azerbaijans peace agenda is no longer local rhetoric but an internationally endorsed framework. One of the most striking aspects of this diplomatic engagement was the acknowledgement by US President Donald Trump, who openly praised President Ilham Aliyevs leadership and described their personal rapport in notably warm terms. Such statements do not exist in a vacuum. They reflect a recognition in Washington that Azerbaijans role as a bridge between East and West, North and South, is becoming too important to overlook. In a global landscape defined by rivalry and mistrust, personal diplomacy matters. The ability of the Azerbaijani leader to build direct, candid relationships with world leaders adds a personal layer to Azerbaijans statecraft, amplifying its institutional influence. Beyond politics, economics remains the ultimate barometer of credibility. Azerbaijans president held substantive discussions with the heads of major US investment firms and international energy companies. These were not ceremonial encounters but negotiations anchored in mutual gain. US investment corporations, including some of Wall Streets largest funds, explored opportunities in infrastructure, technology, and energy diversification. At the same time, meetings with European leaders, notably from Portugal and Bulgaria, underscored Azerbaijans growing stature as a key alternative gas supplier to the European Union. This dual track, securing American capital and serving as a reliable European energy partner, highlights Azerbaijans transformation from a resource exporter into a strategic node of the global economy. The signing of investment contracts worth $10 billion during forums such as the Caspian Business Forum confirms that international investors view Azerbaijan not as a risky frontier, but as a stable and profitable destination. The 2025 Washington framework agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia was at the centre of nearly every discussion. Leaders from across continents praised the Azerbaijani Presidents determination to pursue peace after decades of hostility. Finland and Greece, for instance, labelled the process a historic milestone, underlining how a once-frozen conflict is now an example of diplomacys capacity to rewrite regional destinies. By consistently framing peace not as a concession but as an opportunity, Azerbaijan has succeeded in shifting international perception. The country is no longer seen through the prism of unresolved disputes but as a driver of reconciliation and stability. Any assessment of Azerbaijans diplomacy must also acknowledge its long-standing engagement with the United Nations. Since gaining membership in 1992, Azerbaijan has steadily advanced a reputation for loyalty to international law and the UN Charter. The journey began with National Leader Heydar Aliyevs landmark speeches in the mid-1990s, followed by President Ilham Aliyevs multiple addresses at the General Assembly, including online interventions during the pandemic. Azerbaijan has served on the Security Council (20122013), chaired sessions on cooperation between the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and remains an active member of ECOSOC. Its hosting of global events such as the 2016 Alliance of Civilisations Forum and COP29 in 2024 further illustrates its ability to serve as a platform for dialogue on issues ranging from intercultural cooperation to climate change. Looking forward, the decision to hold the World Urban Forum in Baku in 2026 reaffirms Azerbaijans role as a convener of international initiatives. Azerbaijan has equally demonstrated its responsibility through humanitarian action. As a donor state, it has extended assistance to more than 140 countries affected by conflict and natural disasters, including 80 nations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such contributions may not dominate headlines, but they cement Bakus image as a country that acts on principles, not only interests. The UN Secretary-Generals 2025 statement welcoming the peace framework signed in Washington further validated Azerbaijans credibility as a genuine peacebuilder. This recognition by the highest multilateral authority reflects years of consistent diplomacy and principled foreign policy. Perhaps the most decisive pillar of Azerbaijans global influence is energy. With Europe searching for alternatives to Russian supplies, Bakus capacity to deliver reliable gas flows has become a matter of continental security. Agreements with Portugal, Bulgaria, and others illustrate this shift from bilateral commerce to strategic partnership. Energy is not the sole currency, however. By linking its energy strategy with investment diversification, Azerbaijan ensures that oil and gas revenues fuel broader development goals, from technology and logistics to green energy projects. This diversification strengthens domestic resilience while amplifying Azerbaijans leverage abroad. The pattern that emerges from President Ilham Aliyevs recent diplomatic activities is unambiguous. Azerbaijan is no longer a passive participant in international forums but a country courted for its ideas, resources, and credibility. Its peace initiatives resonate beyond the Caucasus. Its investment appeal attracts global capital. Its energy supplies stabilise European markets. And its humanitarian diplomacy enhances its moral standing. Most importantly, these achievements are not isolated. They are the outcome of consistent leadership that positions Azerbaijan not as a small state punching above its weight, but as a mid-sized power reshaping its region and contributing to global stability. As world leaders increasingly take the initiative to seek Azerbaijans counsel, the message is clear: in the twenty-first century, Baku is not on the margins of history. It is at the centre of it. 25 September 2025 16:36 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The growing presence of Azerbaijani companies on the London Stock Exchange represents a significant achievement in the development of bilateral economic cooperation, Azernews reports, citing a member of the British House of Lords, Aamer Sarfraz, who said during the First AzerbaijanUK Political Dialogue held at ADA University. Sarfraz highlighted the potential for creating an Azerbaijan-UK fintech sandbox, which would serve as a secure platform for fintech companies from both countries to test new products and technologies. He compared this initiative to similar models already applied between Azerbaijan and other countries. A fintech sandbox between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom would be highly appropriate. Similar to the models we have implemented with other nations, this platform would allow fintech companies in both countries to safely trial new technologies and services, he said. Sarfraz also emphasized Azerbaijans unique position in terms of sovereign wealth funds. There is something in your country that we do not have, a sovereign fund. The United Kingdom does not possess such funds. Even if British government representatives wanted to encourage companies to invest in Azerbaijan, they could only promote and support such initiatives; they cannot mandate them. Nevertheless, the UK remains a global hub for sovereign wealth funds: the first such fund was established here, and every major international fund maintains a representative office in the country, he noted. The dialogue underscored the importance of strengthening economic partnerships, leveraging financial innovation, and enhancing institutional frameworks to support mutual investment and technological exchange between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom. 25 September 2025 16:57 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The Eastern Zangazur Customs Department has organized a meeting with business representatives at Business Tex JV LLC in Khankendi, Azernews reports. The discussion focused on government support measures available to companies operating in the liberated territories, including customs exemptions and other incentives. Participants were also briefed on recent innovations in the customs system, efforts to strengthen customsbusiness cooperation, and initiatives aimed at improving satisfaction among both entrepreneurs and citizens. At the end of the session, business representatives presented their suggestions and feedback, while officials addressed their questions. 25 September 2025 11:43 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The "Unity Through Diversity" Ethnocultural Festival has been held in Stefan cel Mare Central Park in Chisinau, Moldova, Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijan State Committee on Work with Diaspora. Azerbaijan was represented at the event by the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Moldova. At the Azerbaijani booth, rich examples of national heritage were showcased, including carpets, traditional ornaments and household items, samples of national cuisine, and a photo exhibition dedicated to Moldova-Azerbaijan relations. The Azerbaijani booth was visited by the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, Director General of the Bureau of Interethnic Relations, Veaceslav Rabetchi, and Ilie Ceban, Acting Mayor of Chisinau. They were provided with detailed information about the activities of the Azerbaijani diaspora, the exhibited artifacts, and Azerbaijans cultural heritage. National dances performed by students of the "Khari Bulbul" weekend school received great appreciation from the audience. It should be noted that the festival, held annually on the third Sunday of September, brings together various nations and ethnic groups to present their national cultures, traditions, music and dances, cuisines, and examples of folk art to the public. 25 September 2025 19:10 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The participants of the third Nasimi Festival, a celebration of poetry, spirituality, and art, have gathered in front of the Bakuvi mausoleum in the Shirvanshahs' Palace Complex, a magnificent example of medieval Azerbaijani architecture and monumental decorative art, Azernews reports. A performance "Mst-i Drvis" based on Nasimi's ode "Mst" was presented in front of this historical monument in the Old City. The script for the stage production was written by Ilqar Fhmidi. The ancient walls and streets of the Old City were immersed in Nasimi's ghazals. These ghazals highlighted themes central to Nasimi's work, such as the relationship between man and God, the notion that man is a particle of God, his role in life and society, and the idea that a person arrives in this world not by chance but with a special mission. The director of the performance, Bahruz Vagifoglu, explained to journalists: "It is more accurate to call this work a ritual performance. We brought this performance to the stage in just two weeks. I would like to see more such events, as our people will be nourished by this spirit." Later, Esq-i Nur project was presented. Under the mentorship of People's Artist and curator Sabina Shikhlinskaya,and with the participation of contemporary Azerbaijani artists and curators, the project aimed to bring Nasimi's poetry and philosophy into new aesthetic dimensions through the multi-layered expressive possibilities of contemporary art. The exhibition was a metaphysical journey built around three concepts reflecting the deepest layers of human existence: love, light, and symbol. It featured visual art pieces, live installations, and ideas displayed on a monitor. The main goal was to present love not just as a romantic or emotional state but as a spiritual call, a divine attraction that lies at the foundation of existence. One of the exhibited projects was "The Striping of the Word" by Lenay Seyidalizade. The presentation was about a person who carries truth in their body. The skin is peeled away, but the word remains. Later, Nazrin Mammadova presented a synthesis of Nasimi's ghazals with mugham and electronic music. The closing of the Nasimi Festival took place at the Atsgah Temple Historical and Architectural Reserve, where a spiritual-sufi musical and literary-artistic night dedicated to Nasimi's legacy was performed by the Savalan group. 24 September 2025 23:58 (UTC+04:00) On September 24, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a meeting in New York with Adebayo Ogunlesi, Founding Partner, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners, a global infrastructure investment management company. The meeting focused on international partnership opportunities in the infrastructure sector and the role of joint investments in expanding regional economic ties. President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the successful partnership established since 2024 between the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Global Infrastructure Partners, particularly noting the joint investment in Italo, Italys leading high-speed rail operator, as an example of effective cooperation. The head of state also emphasized that the companys expertise in areas such as airport management, energy transition, and artificial intelligence infrastructure opens significant opportunities for future collaboration. Adebayo Ogunlesi underscored that Azerbaijans strategic geographical location and sustainable development priorities create important opportunities for long-term investments in infrastructure. He expressed his companys interest in deepening cooperation with Azerbaijan in the fields of energy transition, transportation, and digital infrastructure. Global Infrastructure Partners was founded in 2006 in the United States. The company currently manages assets worth approximately $170 billion and operates offices in New York, London, Singapore, Sydney, and other global financial centers. A renewable energy company under Global Infrastructure Partners control is among the leading firms in this sector in the United States. 25 September 2025 10:59 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Azerbaijans Finance Minister and Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia, Sahil Babayev, held a meeting with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, who is on an official visit to Baku with a parliamentary delegation, Azernews reports, citing the ministry. The ministry noted that the discussions centered on strengthening the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Serbia, the implementation of joint projects, expanding mutual investment opportunities, and exploring prospects for future cooperation. Minister Babayev emphasized Azerbaijans commitment to deepening strategic ties with Serbia across all sectors. He highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and the Intergovernmental Commission as key platforms for advancing bilateral relations. He noted that at the 8th session of the Commission, held in Baku in July last year, several important initiatives were put forward, while the 9th session is scheduled to take place in Belgrade this October. The meeting underscored the growth of economic ties, with bilateral trade turnover increasing by 16.7 percent in 2024 to reach $190.3 million. Both sides stressed that cooperation in energy, infrastructure, aviation, agriculture, and cultural-humanitarian spheres offers broad opportunities for mutually beneficial projects. For her part, Speaker Brnabic underlined the high level of relations between Serbia and Azerbaijan, noting that the partnership is based on trust and friendship. While welcoming the positive trend in trade and economic ties, she pointed out that current figures do not reflect the full potential of bilateral cooperation or match the level of political relations between the two countries. She added that there is significant room to expand cooperation further. Brnabic also highlighted the interest of Azerbaijani investors in Serbias real estate, agriculture, and other sectors, signaling a readiness to facilitate greater economic engagement. The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. 25 September 2025 12:02 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia attended a Transatlantic dinner hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Azernews reports. The event brought together counterparts from the European Union and NATO member states, as well as the foreign ministers of Switzerland and Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaya Kallas were also present. According to the US State Department, the discussions underlined the role of the transatlantic partnership in strengthening peace and prosperity. The Secretary of State noted the Presidents achievements in advancing Armenia and Azerbaijan on the path to long-term peace, said Tommy Pigott, the First Deputy Press Secretary. The meeting also covered broader global security issues, including stability in West Asia and efforts to prevent Iran from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons. 25 September 2025 17:44 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On September 24, a delegation led by Azerbaijans Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev paid a working visit to Bandar Abbas, Iran, as part of the North-South Transport Corridor initiative, Azernews reports, citing the Cabinet of Ministers. The Cabinet of Ministers noted that the Azerbaijani delegation toured the port, which is a crucial component of the corridor, and reviewed its infrastructure. During the visit, Irans Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Saeed Rasouli, delivered a detailed presentation on the ports operations and potential. Discussions between the two sides focused on possible areas of cooperation within the framework of the international transport route, which is designed to strengthen regional connectivity and facilitate trade. Deputy Prime Minister Mustafayev also met with Mohammad Ashouri Taziani, the Governor of Hormozgan Province, where the two officials exchanged views on expanding bilateral collaboration. The visit underscored Azerbaijans commitment to advancing its role in the North-South Corridor, which is expected to boost trade flows between Europe, the Caucasus, and South Asia through Iran. 25 September 2025 21:11 (UTC+04:00) On September 25, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Azernews presents the speech of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Speech by President Ilham Aliyev - Ladies and Gentlemen, For many years, I spoke from this tribune about the tragedies of aggression, occupation, and injustice experienced by Azerbaijan. Today, I will speak about our long road to victory and peace, and a new era in Azerbaijans history, about how we managed to end the occupation through a liberation war, and how we won peace by political means. For nearly three decades, almost twenty percent of Azerbaijans sovereign territory remained under military occupation by Armenia. One million Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homes as a result of the policy of ethnic cleansing and war crimes conducted by Armenia. Their fundamental human rights were grossly violated. Four United Nations Security Council resolutions, adopted in 1993, demanded the immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories. Sadly, these resolutions were never implemented. Armenia demonstratively ignored them because no sanctions were imposed on it by the international community. The OSCE Minsk Group, established in 1992 to facilitate a settlement, has failed in its mission. Instead of enforcing the norms and principles of international law, its co-chairs sought to preserve the status quo and keep the conflict frozen. In 2020, after almost 30 years of ineffective negotiations, Azerbaijan was forced to exercise its legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. During the war, Armenia shelled our towns and cities, launched ballistic missiles and used cluster munitions, killing more than a hundred innocent civilians. Azerbaijan, in its turn, conducted the war in strict compliance with international humanitarian law. We ensured the protection of civilians and refrained from targeting non-military infrastructure. In the 44-Day Patriotic War, our armed forces liberated occupied territories and restored Azerbaijans territorial integrity in accordance with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The 10 November 2020 marked the capitulation of Armenia and restoration of Azerbaijans territorial integrity after nearly 30 years of occupation. Right after our victorious war, Azerbaijan declared its readiness to open a new page in relations with Armenia based on mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty. We proposed five basic principles rooted in international law. We tabled the proposal for a Peace Treaty. Then we initiated a negotiation process on its draft text, which lasted from October 2022 to summer 2025. Despite several attempts to derail the process, the negotiations produced positive results, as they were conducted on a strict bilateral basis, free from any kind of external interference. On August 8 this year, the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, in the White House, in the presence of the leaders of the United States, Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed the text of the peace agreement. The same day, the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia signed the Joint Declaration. President of the United States Donald Trump also signed it as a witness. Moreover, Azerbaijan and Armenia jointly appealed for the closure of the OSCE Minsk Group and related structures, as an obsolete mechanism no longer relevant to the peace process. Accordingly, on 1 September, the OSCE adopted a decision to permanently close these structures. Regional connectivity has been at the core of our vision for lasting peace. Another key outcome of the Washington Summit is the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), which will ensure unimpeded access through the Zangazur corridor and foster regional connectivity. The recent Washington Summit has also signaled a new phase in Azerbaijan-US relations. Together with President Donald Trump, we signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments regarding the establishment of a Strategic Working Group to develop a Charter on strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States. It opens new horizons for partnership in political, economic, energy, regional connectivity, defense, security, and other fields. The waiver by President Trump of the sanctions imposed on Azerbaijan in 1992, in the form of the Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, is a historic step as well. The permanent removal of Section 907 by the US Congress would eliminate a legacy of double standards and help strengthen trust and cooperation at a time when Azerbaijan is contributing to global security and stability. Overall, the agreements reached during my August visit to the United States carry historic significance. I want to express my gratitude to President Donald Trump for opening a new chapter in the US-Azerbaijan relationship, for his decision to elevate it to the strategic partnership level, and for his support to the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Right after the victory in the Patriotic War of 2020, Azerbaijan started the large-scale reconstruction program in the liberated territories. During the time of occupation, Armenia levelled to the ground hundreds of Azerbaijani cities and villages, deliberately ruined 65 mosques. That was the policy of Armenia, which was ruled by war criminals for almost 30 years. We are rebuilding villages and cities razed to the ground. Under the Great Return Program, already more than 50,000 people live, work, and study in the liberated territories. One of the gravest humanitarian challenges facing Azerbaijan in the post-conflict period is the landmine contamination during the time of Armenian occupation. Since November 2020, more than 400 Azerbaijani civilians and military personnel have been killed or seriously injured by landmine explosions. This massive contamination obstructs the safe return of displaced persons and delays reconstruction projects. Similarly, the tragic fate of nearly four thousand Azerbaijanis who went missing during the Armenian aggression and occupation since the early 1990s continues to require close attention and action. Ladies and gentlemen, Coming to the global challenges we are facing, we believe that the response must be inclusive, fair, and universal. Through its many initiatives, Azerbaijan has shown its clear commitment to advancing sustainable solutions. Azerbaijan is proud to have hosted COP29 last year, where we achieved important outcomes in advancing climate action, the green transition, and equitable access to financing. As the host of COP29, we guided negotiations towards ambitious and balanced outcomes, ensuring that all voices, particularly those of the developing world, were heard. The adoption of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) at COP29, also known as the Baku Finance Goal, is a historic milestone in global climate finance. This commitment brings the previous 100 billion USD annual climate finance goal to at least 300 billion USD per year through 2035 from public sources in developed countries to developing countries. Azerbaijan also successfully finalized the long-awaited framework for carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, making the Paris Agreement fully operational nine years after its adoption. Several key agreements were signed at COP29 to make the Loss and Damage Fund fully operational, providing critical support for vulnerable communities impacted by climate change. Being strongly committed to the green transition, we at the same time should not put unrealistic targets in front of us. The world cannot live without fossil fuels today and in foreseeable future. Energy security is closely linked to peace, regional connectivity, and economic development. Azerbaijan continues to play a proactive role in advancing these objectives globally. Azerbaijan has established itself as a reliable and indispensable partner in providing energy security to many countries. We play a strategic role connecting the Caspian region with international markets through a diversified oil and gas pipeline system. As of today, we are supplying natural gas to 14 countries. This ranks Azerbaijan as the top country in the world in terms of the number of countries it supplies with pipeline gas. This reflects our strategic role in enhancing energy security and diversifying supply routes across Europe and beyond. Moreover, Azerbaijan and Syria have recently strengthened their bilateral partnership, focusing on energy supply, infrastructure development, and post-conflict reconstruction. Since August this year, Azerbaijan started to supply Syria with natural gas via Turkiye, significantly reducing its electricity shortages. Azerbaijan also attracts large investments in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro power. Almost 40 % of our energy will be generated by renewables by 2030. Connectivity projects, like the East-West and North-South Corridors, cross our country. We have witnessed almost 90% growth in cargo volumes through the Middle Corridor since 2022. The transit times along the Corridor have been significantly reduced. The biggest trade fleet in the Caspian, Alat International Trade Port, with its annual capacity reaching 25 million tons in the near future, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad, 9 international airports, the biggest air-cargo company in the region, and many other factors have turned Azerbaijan into one of the international transport hubs. There is a great potential for cooperation in digital connectivity. Azerbaijan leads the digital transformation initiative through such ambitious projects as the Digital Silk Way. This project includes plans for an advanced fiber-optic cable network under the Caspian Sea, establishing Azerbaijan as a key regional digital hub. Azerbaijan achieved significant economic growth by focusing on diversifying its economy beyond oil and gas, developing the non-oil sector, and improving the investment climate through reforms and transparency. Reducing poverty and unemployment to a historic low of 5% is another achievement of our country. Recently, two major international rating agencies (Moodys and Fitch) have increased Azerbaijans ranking. Azerbaijan was provided with a favorable investment-grade status, citing very strong external balance, low public debt, and substantial sovereign wealth assets as key strengths. This underscores our economic resilience, strong fiscal discipline, and favorable investment climate. Our foreign debt is only 6.5% of GDP, which is one of the lowest in the world. Azerbaijans foreign exchange reserves exceed its foreign debt almost 16 times. Back in 2022 at the Summit of the Caspian Littoral States I raised the issue of environmental degradation of the Caspian Sea. Today situation is much worse. Caspian Sea is shrinking rapidly. The main reason is not climate change. Joint efforts of littoral states are needed to stop ecological catastrophe with unpredictable consequences. Azerbaijan also is ready to cooperation closely with the UN to tackle this problem. Ladies and gentlemen, Azerbaijan is proud of its global humanitarian assistance efforts. We are providing aid to countries affected by natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies. Azerbaijan contributed to the COVID-19 response, donating and financing protective equipment, medical devices, and vaccines to over 80 countries in need. Azerbaijan has entered a new era. We won, both in war and in peace. We ended the occupation and started reconstruction. Justice has triumphed, sovereignty has been consolidated, and peace is de-facto reached. We stand prepared to share our positive experience. The achievements of recent years are not only a victory and success for Azerbaijan. They are also a demonstration that international law must ultimately prevail. Our vision is clear: peace and development based upon international law, non-interference in the internal affairs of States, mutual respect, and cooperation. Let us together build a world without double standards, where justice is not selective, the rule of law is respected, and peace is achieved not through words alone, but through actions. Thank you 25 September 2025 18:33 (UTC+04:00) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has underlined Turkiyes determination to advance Turkish-American relations on the basis of alliance and strategic partnership, emphasizing deepening cooperation during President Donald Trumps second term. Speaking at a dinner hosted by the Turkish-American National Steering Committee at Rockefeller Center, Erdogan highlighted the solidarity and unity of the Turkish community in the United States. I regard your presence here today, after traveling thousands of miles from across America, as the strongest expression of our unity of hearts, Erdogan said, congratulating civil society organizations that help keep this spirit of solidarity alive. Erdogan noted that the Turkish community in America is becoming increasingly visible in the countrys social, political, economic, and academic life. We take pride in your successes, and I congratulate each of you for your hard work, perseverance, and dedication. As someone who has also come to America under various circumstances, I know well the critical role you play in strengthening ties between Turkiye and the United States, contributing to your second homelands economic and social life, and serving as a bridge to present our culture and civilizational values to the American people, he said. He reassured the diaspora that Turkiyes embassies, consulates, and institutions stand ready to support their work and vowed to continue strengthening engagement with the Turkish-American community in all areas. Turning to global affairs, Erdogan stressed that foreign policy is no longer confined to states and official representatives. Diaspora groups, he said, are also increasingly influential. As leading figures of the Turkish diaspora, you all carry important responsibilities, he told attendees, urging the nearly half-million-strong Turkish-American community to take on greater roles at local and federal political levels to strengthen their representation. In todays polarized environment from diplomacy to security, from economy to technology solidarity between Turkiye and the United States has become more critical and indispensable than ever, Erdogan said. He underlined that bilateral cooperation is diversifying and deepening in areas such as security, trade, investment, energy, and education. Our contacts with all levels of the U.S. administration have intensified, and constructive dialogue between our institutions has gained momentum during President Trumps second term. Thanks to the sincere friendship I have built with President Trump over the years, we have developed a mutual will to resolve certain issues on our agenda. We are in constant consultation with him and his team on developments in our region, particularly the Gaza crisis, the RussiaUkraine war, and Syria, he added. Erdogan also acknowledged the efforts of U.S. Ambassador Barrack in contributing to the positive climate in relations. Our determination to raise bilateral trade volume to $100 billion and increase mutual investments remains firm. On Thursday, I will meet him in Washington, D.C., where we will have the opportunity to discuss many critical issues, he said. The president issued a firm warning: Whoever expects Tayyip Erdogan and Turkiye to remain silent in the face of oppression and massacres is wasting their time. Addressing concerns about rising Islamophobia and cultural racism worldwide, Erdogan said marginal ideas at the fringes of politics are reaching wider audiences through social media, creating dangerous trends that unsettle integrated Muslim communities in the U.S. It is of great importance to us that you live your culture, faith, and values here without fear. America has long been seen as an example of religious freedom, and we hope this reputation is not undermined, he said. He stressed the responsibility of everyone to ensure that hate speech remains marginalized and does not infiltrate politics. I trust the Muslim community in America and our citizens here. I believe the strength of Americas Muslim community, including Turks, will be a source of confidence and courage for Muslims worldwide. I see how you are increasingly sharing Islams message of brotherhood, justice, peace, and solidarity with the American public, and I expect you to continue this work with even greater vigor, Erdogan said. The president praised the loyalty and determination of the Turkish community abroad, acknowledging their contributions in line with Turkiyes national interests. He reiterated that combating terrorism remains a top priority. The scourge of terrorism has cost us thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars, targeting our peace and brotherhood for decades. With the death of the ringleader in Pennsylvania, internal debates and fractures within FETO have accelerated. The scandals now surfacing have once again exposed the true face of this treacherous organization. Over time, it will continue to weaken, and we will persist in our struggle with the same determination and precision within the framework of law and democracy. We will never tolerate terrorism either within our borders or in our region, Erdogan declared. He noted that anti-Turkiye groups and lobbies also operate in America. These structures are not only disturbed by stronger Turkish-American relations but also seek to obstruct your success here. We all know who these actors are and whose interests they serve, he said. Erdogan emphasized that the more Turkiye defends justice and peace in its region, especially by standing up for the oppressed in Gaza, the more campaigns emerge to silence and intimidate both the country and himself personally. We will never bow to these pressures. Whoever expects Erdogan or Turkiye to submit to oppression or remain silent in the face of massacres is mistaken. No force, no lobby, no campaign of disinformation can prevent us from speaking the truth with courage. We only bow in prayer, never otherwise, he said. He called for the Turkish-American community to close ranks in the face of smear campaigns. It is not just a matter of need, but an absolute necessity for you to act in solidarity. Instead of focusing on differences, we must unite around our common values and concerns. We must stand together, shoulder to shoulder, remembering that no force can break the hearts that beat as one. Rest assured, as in the past, we will continue to stand by you in every step you take in this direction. May God preserve our unity and solidarity, he concluded. Following his speech, President Erdogan was presented with a commemorative gift. He and First Lady Emine Erdogan posed for a photo with business leaders attending the dinner. 25 September 2025 23:25 (UTC+04:00) TEKNOFEST Istanbul, organized under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the Turkiye Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation), with Anadolu Agency (AA) as its Global Communications Partner, continues to welcome visitors at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. During his visit to the festival, Trade Minister Omer Bolat stopped by AAs stand, greeting staff and expressing gratitude to the T3 Foundation, the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he described as the architect behind the event. Touring the exhibits, Bolat noted the enthusiasm across all age groups, describing the festival atmosphere as a source of national pride. Children, young people, and families are showing tremendous interest. It truly is a magnificent scene. Our people come here to celebrate Turkiyes achievements and share in this excitement, he said. Bolat emphasized that Turkiyes technological and defense industry successes are increasingly recognized abroad. In our international meetings with counterparts and delegations, we frequently hear admiration for Turkiyes achievements in technology and defense, he added, noting the strong global reputation of Turkish products. Highlighting progress in defense, aviation, and software, Bolat pointed to striking figures: Since 2002, the defense industry has advanced significantly. Today, 90,000 people are employed in the sector, producing $20 billion worth of goods annually. Last year, defense exports reached $7.2 billion, and we aim to raise that figure to at least $8 billion this year. Alongside defense, major strides are being made in aerospace and satellite technologies. Our software industry alone achieved $5 billion in exports last year, and we expect to surpass $5.5 billion this year. He also underscored the role of political and economic stability, reforms, and entrepreneurship in enabling these successes. The fact that our youth are turning to technology, contributing to a technological revolution with their projects, supported by government initiatives, the Ministry of Industry, TUBITAK, and the private sectorthis is how we have reached this point, Bolat said. Bolat concluded by stressing that these achievements must be carried even further, adding that the enthusiasm shown by the public at TEKNOFEST reflects the countrys bright hopes for the future. 25 September 2025 16:17 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more On September 24, a court in Yerevan found Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan, head of the Shirak diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, guilty of openly calling for the overthrow of the government, Azernews reports via Armenian media. The charge carries either a fine or a prison sentence of up to five years. An additional hearing will be held on September 29 to determine his sentence. Ajapakhyan has already been in custody for more than three months, with his pre-trial detention not altered. The case is based on an interview given a year earlier, in which the archbishop discussed the importance of a coup. Initially, the Prosecutor Generals Office did not consider the statements criminal, but law enforcement later said he had repeated these ideas multiple times, prompting prosecution. In court, Ajapakhyan rejected the charges, calling them political persecution: I had many opportunities to talk to God and myself. I am happy and grateful for that. It is an honor, joy and happiness for me to be a defendant during this government, even if for political reasons, he said. His lawyers argued that the trial involved procedural violations and questioned the fairness of the verdict, noting that others charged under the same article were released under house arrest. They will determine a sentence that will keep the cleric in prison until the elections, lawyer Ara Zohrabyan claimed. Armenias next parliamentary elections are scheduled for June 2026. This is the second case in recent months involving senior clerics. In June 2025, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the Holy Struggle movement and head of the Tavush diocese, was sentenced to two months in prison on charges of attempting to seize power. He is also a member of the Churchs Supreme Spiritual Council and a vocal critic of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. 25 September 2025 19:00 (UTC+04:00) The results of an opinion poll in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern show that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has become the leading political force ahead of the 2026 local parliamentary elections, Azernews reports. That 38 percent of respondents said they would vote for the AfD, marking a sharp rise compared to its performance in 2021, when the party secured less than half of this level of support. The ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD), led in the state by Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig, has seen a significant decline, with support dropping to 19 percent about half of its result in the previous elections. Other parties also face a challenging outlook. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is backed by 13 percent of respondents, while the Left Party holds 12 percent. The newly formed Sahra Wagenknecht Union (BSW) polled at 7 percent, and the Greens at 5 percent. Survey participants indicated that the Free Democratic Party (FDP) is unlikely to play any role in the upcoming elections. The next parliamentary elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are scheduled for September 20, 2026. 25 September 2025 19:35 (UTC+04:00) by Alimat Aliyeva China is preparing to unveil a new engineering marvel the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, which is scheduled to open on September 28 in southwestern Guizhou Province. Stretching across the dramatic Huajiang Grand Canyon, this record-breaking structure is set to become the tallest and longest mountain bridge in the world, Azernews reports. Located on the LiuzhiAnlong Expressway, the bridge spans a total length of 2,890 meters, with a main span of 1,420 meters and soaring 625 meters above the canyon floor nearly twice the height of the Eiffel Tower. Construction began in early 2022, as engineers took on the challenge of spanning one of the deepest canyons in Asia. To conquer the terrain, the project team relied on cutting-edge technology, including the BeiDou satellite navigation system, drones, BIM (Building Information Modeling), intelligent structural health monitoring, and high-strength materials designed to withstand extreme environmental conditions. Thanks to these innovations, the team achieved millimeter-level precision while working at dizzying heights. Once open, the bridge will reduce the time needed to cross the canyon from two hours to just two minutes, dramatically improving connectivity and economic integration in the region. It will also serve as a critical part of the regions expressway network, linking remote mountain communities with larger urban centers. In addition to its practical benefits, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is expected to become a tourist attraction in its own right, drawing visitors eager to witness this feat of modern engineering and take in the breathtaking panoramic views from hundreds of meters above the canyon floor. As China continues to push the boundaries of infrastructure design, the Huajiang Bridge stands as a symbol of innovation, ambition, and the countrys commitment to transforming its mountainous interior into a hub of modern development. 25 September 2025 21:35 (UTC+04:00) by Alimat Aliyeva The South Korean division of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi Corp. announced on Thursday the launch of eight new products, including the flagship Xiaomi 15T Pro smartphone and the compact Xiaomi Pad Mini tablet, as part of its aggressive push to strengthen its foothold in the Korean market, Azernews reports, citing Yonhap agency. Jony Wu, General Manager of Xiaomi Korea, highlighted that since opening its first store in South Korea just three months ago, 40% of Xiaomi smartphones sold have been high-end models, signaling strong consumer demand for premium devices. Wu also revealed plans to deepen local collaborations, including opening two additional stores this week in partnership with retail giant E-Land Group. Soon, we will further expand our offline presence through collaboration with Hyundai Department Store, Wu said in a company statement, underlining Xiaomis commitment to enhancing accessibility for Korean consumers. Beyond retail, Xiaomi is exploring strategic partnerships in the mobility and payments sectors, with talks underway with T-money, a widely used transit and payment system in South Korea that serves millions daily. The company is also working closely with major e-commerce platforms like SSG.com and Naver Corp. to broaden its online sales channels. In a move to improve customer service, Xiaomi Korea plans to open an Exclusive Service Center in central Seoul this October, aimed at providing enhanced warranty and after-sales support tailored specifically for Korean users. These initiatives reflect Xiaomis broader strategy to not only increase market share but also integrate more deeply into everyday Korean life through technology, partnerships, and localized services. A House Bill that provides funding for the Medicaid rebase in North Carolina is headed to the Senate floor for a vote, after passing in the Senate's Appropriations/Base Budget Committee on Monday.House Bill 562, Healthcare Investment Act, will provide an additional $90 million in recurring funds for the rebase on top of the $690 million in recurring funds already set. Additionally, the bill includes $42.2 million in recurring and $34.4 million in non-recurring funds for administration costs. It also eliminates vacant positions from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) as a cost savings of $34 million, and to help offset some of the cost of Medicaid. There is also $1 million appropriated for the state auditor to determine Medicaid eligibility redetermination on the local level.NCDHHS would also be required to develop a plan for cost savings and efficiencies within the Medicaid program by engaging stakeholders, particularly with prepaid health plans.Finally, the bill also includes the latest round of funding for both NC Cares and NC Children's Hospital, which was established in the 2023 budget.The NC Children's Hospital would establish the state's first freestanding children's hospital. In 2023, both the House and Senate approved nearly $320 million over three fiscal years for the hospital. This bill would release $103.5 million to fulfill the third-year obligation.The NC Care initiative supports rural hospitals and establishes three rural care centers.The House and Senate previously approved $420 million for NC Care projects, and this bill would release $105 million to fulfill the final obligation.$600 million was included in the mini-budget, which was signed into law in August by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, to support both the Medicaid rebase.North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services also issued a press release, saying that while $600 million was included in the mini-budget to support both the Medicaid rebase and the Medicaid Oversight Fund, it's not enough, adding that the appropriation equates to a shortfall of $319 million for the Medicaid rebase.Sen. Mike Lee, R-New Hanover, said during the meeting.He also said it was important to acknowledge the same with the Children's Hospital, whether members agreed with it or not.The money earmarked for the two projects is currently sitting in the ARPA Temporary Savings Reserve.Lee told members.Sen. Val Applewhite, D-Cumberland, asked why it was necessary to have the State Auditor's Office conduct an audit to determine Medicaid eligibility if social services in counties are struggling due to the lack of employees.Lee responded that this would actually help the counties in that type of situation.Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, told members that former state Auditor Beth Wood performed an audit several years ago on 10 counties and evaluated their Medicaid determination. The audit finding was not positive for the state.he said.Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, added in terms of the necessity of the children's hospital, that he was told last week by the secretary of NCDHHS that 5,000 children on Medicaid alone left the state for hospital care. He said they will try to find out how many others have gone as well.said Sen. Lisa Grafstein, D-Wake.The committee passed the bill. It now heads to the Senate floor for a vote. What They Are Not Telling You About That School Bus Caper EDITORIAL TEAM Often a narrative will go out which is built off of selective facts that do not fully represent what actually happened. Such a narrative has gone out recently regarding a school bus and a Beaufort County Board of Education member, but the narrative created by the school systems central office omits key details and fudges others. One has to look at all the facts to make a judgment on this event. The key figure in this drama is Board of Education member Stacey Davis. On Friday September 12, Ms. Davis learned that a student riding on a particular school bus was in possession of items taken from one of her children. She attempted to call county school Superintendent Matthew Cheeseman to deal with the matter, but he did not pick up his phone. Unable to reach Cheeseman and knowing the property would likely disappear if someone did not act, she drove to where she found the bus had already stopped to let a student off. She signaled the driver that she wanted to communicate and he reopened the door. She entered the area of the bus steps and asked for the student to return the property which was done. She thanked the driver and left. While on the bus, Ms. Davis had noted that it seemed overcrowded with 4 or 5 children per seat and had poor air circulation. Concerned about those conditions, she again called Superintendent Cheeseman. This time he answered his phone, and she told him of her observations and also mentioned some complaints related to buses she had heard from parents, asking him to investigate those matters. In the course of that conversation, she mentioned how it was she happened to be on the bus to observe the conditions. Cheeseman never made any comment suggesting she broke any laws during that telephone conversation. Afterward, Cheeseman contacted the sheriffs department to suggest charging Ms. Davis with a misdemeanor of stopping a school bus. Ultimately, the sheriffs office agreed to do so. Still, Cheeseman did not discuss any of that with Ms. Davis. She only found out about the misdemeanor charge when she got a call from a reporter the next Monday afternoon. Some unknown person or persons anonymously leaked information about the pending charge to the local media, including the local television stations. In a discussion with a reporter, Cheeseman then told the reporter about a videotaping system on each bus and provided the reporter with the videotape of Ms. Davis on the bus. That video tape was later broadcast by the station. While it is generally acknowledged that parents will from time to time approach a stopped bus or even flag down a moving bus to give a student something he needed in school but had forgotten, there appear to be no incidents in the past of anyone being charged with stopping a school bus in this county as a result of such actions. That raises a huge question as to why it was charged in this instance. When the district attorneys office became aware of the charge, they immediately dismissed it as they did not see any chance of getting a conviction based on the facts as alleged. The DAs email indicated that someone had been pushing him to go after Ms. Davis, but he did not let his office be used. So why have the citizens of Beaufort County been treated to this circus: was it because Ms. Davis has been asking uncomfortable financial questions of the school administration, for example? Has the City of Washington, NC been managed by their elected local government, and their bureaucrats, in a fiscally responsible manner to better serve the people who pay their ever advancing property taxes? 0% Yes, rising property taxes are a necessity to maintain a progressive city.100% No, excessive funding of a poorly managed government can become a shell game of corruption.0% I am afraid to say. Freedom of speech and our precious First Amendment is under serious attack in Gavin Newsome's Peoples Republic of California. The Democrats is their legislature have passed a bill that is awaiting Newsome signing it into law that would impose million dollar fines on social media companies that refuse to censor content that California censors deem "hate speech". The term "hate speech" is a bit of Orwellian Newspeak used by far left totalitarians who hate FREE speech. The leftwing Democrats said that wanted to stop "hate crimes involving anti-immigrant slurs." This is following the totalitarian path of Europe where a French senator was charged with "hate speech" for posting online "immigration kills" after a particularly brutal rape and murder of a young French girl by an illegal alien. The law does nothing to stop violent rhetoric by the left against conservatives and Republicans, of course. The morons in California also apparently cannot read. Federal law, known as the United States Code, limits the term "immigrant" to ONLY those who are properly and lawfully going through the legal immigration process. The border jumpers that the California Democrats want to pander to, on the other hand are defined in federal law as "illegal aliens". If someone in North Carolina posts something California censors do not like on a North Carolina website, will the California Communists try to go after that website? https://www.zerohedge.com/political/eu-style-censorship-california-bill-slap-1m-fines-social-media-hate-speech-moves-newsoms Maybe we just need to sell California back to Mexico, or heck even cede the hellhole to North Korea. HMRC has published a list of people and businesses who have received penalties for deliberately failing to meet tax obligations of more than 25,000 (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Five people and businesses from around Northern Ireland have been named by HMRC after facing financial penalties for failing to pay tax of more than 25,000. HRMC has published the details of 109 cases from around the UK, with the penalties imposed in Northern Ireland ranging from 11,000 to almost 50,000. Penalties levied UK-wide total 70m. In each case, the taxpayer failed to fully disclose their default at the outset of an investigation by HMRC. The details will remain published on HMRCs website for 12 months. However, the list only includes those penalised under civil procedures and does not include criminal convictions for fraud. Kevin Hubbard, HMRCs director of individuals and small business compliance, said: We are determined to tackle the minority who deliberately refuse to pay what they owe and will pursue all available avenues to recover unpaid amounts. Publishing the names of deliberate defaulters sends a clear message that this behaviour has consequences and encourages compliance across the board. The five businesses in Northern Ireland on the new list published on Thursday are: Joseph James Elwood (trading as Titanic Vapour), e-cigarette and vape retailer, 264 Shankill Road, Belfast, tax owed for 2021 to 2022: 101,993.79, penalty 48,192.06 Michael McGarry (haulage) Lisdarragh Drive, Blackwatertown, Dungannon, tax owed 2023: 56,456, penalty 22,723.54 HMRC has published a list of people and businesses who have received penalties for deliberately failing to meet tax obligations of more than 25,000 (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Belfast History Explained: The Story of the River Farset Colm Michael Fleville (HGV driver) 38 Foxgrove, Lurgan, Craigavon, tax owed 2024: 53,865, penalty 24,508.57 SR 3D Printing (print services) 611 The Arc, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, tax owed Sept to December 2023: 29,025, penalty 26,122.49 Declan Patrick Hughes (agricultural merchant) 6 Donaldsons Road, Crossmaglen, tax owed Apr 2017 to Apr 2018 26,749.92, penalty 11,234.96. The Stena Futura, which has now entered service on the freight-only Belfast to Heysham route Stena Lines first new hybrid freight ferry has entered service on the freight-only Belfast to Heysham route as part of a multi-million pound investment. The 147-metre Stena Futura will operate 12 sailings per week, adding additional freight capacity on the route connecting hauliers in Northern Ireland with the key north of England road freight network. The Stena Future and sister ship Stena Connecta, which is now being built, will increase freight capacity by 40% on the Belfast to Heysham route following rising demand for services. Stena said it was making a total investment of 100m in the two vessels, which are methanol-ready and have built-in technologies to utilise both battery propulsion and shore power, when available. A sister vessel in the same series is being delivered rotor sail ready, which Stena Line said further demonstrated Stena Lines commitment to wind propulsion. Stena Futura master Przemyslaw Plichta and Paul Grant Stena Line, route director Paul Grant, route director at Stena Line, said: The arrival of Stena Futura in Belfast is a significant milestone in our 30-year association with the city. "Stena Futura and sister vessel Stena Connecta represent an investment of over 100m, highlighting our commitment to our Irish Sea network. "The ships were commissioned in direct response to customer demand for an increase in freight capacity on our routes and we are delighted to see the first ship enter service. These vessels represent a crucial step in our broader sustainability journey. By integrating battery propulsion and shore power capabilities, we are making significant strides towards our goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030, reinforcing Stena Line's position as a leader in sustainable shipping." Belfast Harbour chief executive Joe ONeill said it was fantastic to welcome the Stena Futura to Belfast. "We would like to congratulate Paul and the team at Stena Line on this significant milestone and welcome their commitment to sustainability in shipping. "The whole team at Belfast Harbour is looking forward to seeing this state-of-the-art vessel entering service on one of our most important freight routes. The Stena Futura, which has now entered service on the freight-only Belfast to Heysham route News Catch Up - Wednesday 24th September Stena Line is a valued strategic partner and we are confident that there will be further opportunity for growth in freight volumes on the already successful Belfast-Heysham route following the introduction of the Stena Futura. Stena Line is the largest ferry operator on the Irish Sea, with the biggest fleet providing up to 238 weekly sailings. Routes include combined passenger and freight services from Belfast to Cairnryan and Liverpool, Dublin to Holyhead, Rosslare to Fishguard, as well as the dedicated freight-only routes from Belfast to Heysham and Dublin. Some customers of Vonage were unable to connect to emergency calls (Alamy/PA) A telecoms provider owned by Swedish group Ericsson has been fined 700,000 after some UK business customers could not connect to emergency calls for more than a week, Ofcom has said. exclusive | Inside Blue Lights series three as star gives sneak peak: 'Some s**t goes down' Actors Joanne Crawford and Andi Osho talk about what their characters will face in the new series Joanne Crawford as Helen McNally in Blue Lights series three (Pic: BBC/Two Cities Television) Gillian Halliday Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 08:00 Joanne Crawford has revealed that her Blue Lights character will be tested by intelligence officer Paul Colly Collins, played by Michael Smiley, when he arrives at Blackthorn police station. Late Late Toy Show review: Kielty enters the arena with a look on his face that says exactly what were all thinking hes the right man for the job I wasnt confident enough to be proud of my heritage: Paola Gagliardi spent three months living in a Filipino village creating bags to be sold for charity later this week Rhea May, the daughter of a Filipino seamstress in the village, models one of Paola's bags Ten Foundations provides ethical fashion, which helps Filipino women experiencing extreme poverty to provide healthcare and education for their families Since the age of 12, former Methodist College pupil Paola Gagliardi dreamt of being accepted to study at Central Saint Martins College of Art in London. My mum had to listen to me yapping on about it for years, I was probably a bit obsessed, she says. Made famous in the opening of Pulp song Common People, it is one of the most exclusive art colleges in the world. Given its low acceptance rates they are said to admit around 5-6% of all applicants for its degree in fashion design Paola (24) knew getting a place would be a huge challenge. I worked really hard in school, but I dont know if I ever truly believed it would happen. It just seemed so out of reach back then. In 2022, she got the news that not only was she accepted, but her place was going to be funded by a scholarship run by Capri Holdings, a global luxury fashion group which owns Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors. She says: I couldnt believe it. When I was growing up in Belfast, my mum worked three jobs just to provide, so getting that scholarship was beyond anything I had hoped for. I was so relieved that this was one thing mum didnt have to worry about. And her chosen destination for her placement year was a far cry from the Emily in Paris interpretation of Gen Z fashion and culture. Paola, who spent three months living in a Filipino village, designing and creating bags which will be sold for charity in London this week, is an example of how much fashion has changed since the days when supermodels didnt get out of bed for less than $10,000. Her work is part of a project that helps Filipino women escape extreme poverty. All of the profits from her bags will be returned to Bayanihan village via the charity Ten Foundations. I remember hearing about the charity through school. They help Filipino women to handcraft bags, which are then sold in Belfast and other cities across the UK and Ireland to fund their wages and provide education and healthcare for their families, Paola explains. Ten Foundations was founded by Belfast man Ian Campbell, who lives and works in the village. Paola got in touch with him about the project following a holiday in the Philippines with her mother last Christmas. Mum is Filipino and this was my first trip back there since I was 16, so it was my first time seeing it with more mature eyes. When I was 16, I obviously didnt notice some of the problematic things that I could see as an adult. What disturbed Paola most was Manilas endless array of vast luxury shopping malls. Paola Gagliardi (centre, blue scarf) alongside mothers who create bags for Belfast charity Ten Foundations This was the uncomfortable side of fashion, and maybe its because Im studying it that I felt this sort of shame and embarrassment. It was just mall after mall, all with the same mass-produced designer goods, and shoppers walking in and out, carrying bags of luxury brands. It felt like they were oblivious to all of the poverty on the streets outside the malls. There was this one mall where we had to cross over a bridge to get to it, and my mum said: You know, when I was in college, this was all the ocean. Then alongside that, there were little children coming up to the cars, knocking on the window and begging for food or money. In Manila, theres nothing in between rich or poor. Youre just one or the other, and if youre poor, the opportunities to find a way out of poverty are pretty limited. Following the trip, Paola decided that she wanted to return to the Philippines and use her craft to create more ethical fashion. It was partly about getting to understand mum, she says. I was calling her every day to tell her what Id seen, what Id tasted. Looking back, I was probably quite troublesome for her when I was younger, because I always wanted to immerse myself in Belfast culture and just blend in. I was going out while underage and we did butt heads a bit. But now, having lived in her culture, I can see why she was so protective. I can understand her perspective better. Rhea May, the daughter of a Filipino seamstress in the village, models one of Paola's bags Like Paola, the young people studying in the Ten Foundations village were also selected through scholarships. A typical day for them is waking up at 4 or 5am to get to school for 6.30. Theyre under so much pressure to do well in school, because its their only way to get themselves out of poverty and get a good job to help themselves and their family. I asked one of the girls how she got here. She told me that when she was eight, she was looking after her granny and so she could only go to school twice a week. But even with just those two days, she learned and completed her school work to such a level that her teachers were really shocked, so they contacted Ten Foundations to see if her family could get support and she could get a proper education. Paola Gagliardi (centre, blue scarf) alongside mothers who create bags for Belfast charity Ten Foundations Belfast History Explained: The Story of the River Farset When I first arrived, my friend Darwena took me to her mothers house. She has 10 siblings, and they were all in one room. There was a baby sleeping in a hammock, her grandparents were living there too. It was just full of people and I felt shocked that this clever, articulate, funny girl who is getting a great education here is going back to a home that is so cramped and basic. Paolas friend Joseph Craven, a photographer, joined her for a time in the village to take pictures of the women and girls she met during her time there. Although Belfast has always been home for Paola, there were times growing up when she didnt feel fully Irish, and this often created a sense of isolation that led her to erase elements of her cultural heritage. I did things to fit in. My name was the big one. I am Paola, but my friends all call me Paula back home, because when teachers called the register when I was very young, theyd usually call me Paula. I was too embarrassed to correct them, so over time, I accepted the name Paula. When she began studying at university, she decided to reclaim the name she was born with. It makes me sad that I wasnt confident enough to be proud of my mixed-race heritage. Now I see more young people of colour in NI and always hope theyre proud of where they came from proud of the sacrifices that their parents or grandparents made to be here and to make a living here, not hiding their culture in order to feel more accepted. It makes me sad that I wasnt confident enough to be proud of my mixed-race heritage The Belfast race riots of August 2024 were particularly upsetting. I had never actually felt so struck by something like that before, she says. It made me really reflect on the fact that, although I was brought up here and feel like a Belfast person, I am also an immigrant because my mum came here. But she works so hard as a classroom assistant. Witnessing the anger aimed at foreign nationals was really triggering, she explains. Im glad that I grew up in Northern Ireland I love Northern Ireland. I just wish I hadnt been so embarrassed about my other identities. Then I came to London and realised how multicultural it is and how people embrace their cultures, and it felt great, but it also made me sad that I was so afraid to do that as a child. Paolas bags, which go on sale in Kings Cross, London, on Friday and Saturday, are inspired by the 1950s coming-of-age novel Catcher in the Rye, because even though it was written decades ago, the themes about adolescence and the difficulties growing up are still relevant. For more information on the bags, contact info@tenfoundations.org Suspended sentence for Belfast PhD student who stored UVF shotgun and ammo in his home Judge accepted 31-year-old acted under duress after being targeted by paramilitaries Gareth Rice Ashleigh McDonald Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 16:27 A Belfast man who stored a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition in his coal bunker while under "pressure from others" has avoided jail. The former Ulster Rugby star became involved in fundraising before taking on the role A former Ulster and Ireland rugby star has become an ambassador for the Northern Ireland Childrens Hospice. Craig Gilroy has taken on the role after becoming involved with the charity during a recent fundraising event linked to the Belfast Giants. The former winger made more than 200 appearances for Ulster throughout his 13-year professional career, racking up 345 points, as well as landing 25 points for Ireland at senior level. The NI Hospice provides specialist palliative care for over 4,000 babies, children and adults every year. It has one adult in-patient unit at Somerton House in Belfast, and a childrens in-patient unit at Horizon House, with the former seeing 237 admissions in 2024-25. Back row: Janice Whiteman, staff nurse; Charlotte OHanlon, volunteer; Maria McCotter, volunteer; Mark Donaldson, volunteer; Emma McManus, care team manager. Front row: Jamie Close; Craig Gilroy; Cora McQuade; Jordan Campbell, staff nurse. Gilroy went to Methodist College in Belfast and signed for All-Ireland League club Dungannon RFC soon after leaving school. His form at the Tyrone side led to him joining the Ulster academy in 2010, before making his debut in November of that year, bagging two tries against Cardiff. The Bangor man repeated the feat on his international debut, scoring two tries against the Barbarians in a May 2012 friendly at Kingsholm. Jamie Close; Emma McManus, care team manager; and Craig Gilroy He said becoming a dad had changed his perspective and made him want to do more for charity. "Im honoured to stand beside this amazing charity and to help raise awareness and essential funds in any way I can. The work that the Northern Ireland Childrens Hospice does to support children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions, and their families, is nothing short of incredible. Grace Stewart, the head of childrens hospice services, has already given me a guided tour of all the facilities at Horizon House, to see the passion and care first-hand. "I also really enjoyed taking part in the recent Dragon Boat Race and soon I will be officially opening the Cregagh Road Hospice shop in east Belfast just around the corner from my old Ulster Rugby stomping ground. Bronwyn Gibson-Jones, staff nurse; Craig Gilroy, NI Childrens Hospice ambassador; Mark Donaldson, volunteer; Emma McManus, care team manager News Catch Up - Thursday 25th September Gilroy will now work to increase public understanding of childrens palliative care needs and help generate funds to ensure continued support for families. Emma McManus, care team manager; Cora McQuade; and Craig Gilroy Emma McManus, care team manager at NI Hospice, said: "Craigs genuine compassion, personal connection as a young parent, and public profile will give us a fantastic boost and help us reach more people with our message. "Ultimately, Craigs support will make a real difference to the lives of the children and families we care for. Gilroy will also be at the forefront of the charitys annual Christmas appeal, as well as helping to support a number of upcoming campaigns and events. A popular Northern Ireland DJ touched the lives of many with his music during his lifetime, mourners heard. Tony Walsh more commonly known as DJ Tizer died suddenly last Saturday. Described as Ireland's number one Happy Hardcore DJ, Tony was famous for staging old skool raves. He has been remembered by many for creating iconic nights in some of Northern Irelands most famous nightclubs and dance music venues, many of which are now defunct. He performed in Kellys in Portrush, Clubland in Cookstown, the Planetlove festival in Belfast and Exit 15 in Dungannon. DJ Tizer Mr Walshs funeral mass was held in St Patricks Church on Dromore Street in Banbridge on Thursday afternoon. At the beginning of the service a friend of Tonys placed several of his records on the altar, symbolising his love for his DJ-ing career. During the service the parish priest, Fr John McAreavey, spoke about Mr Walshs musical gifts. Using these gifts he touched the lives of many young people in his generation, he recalled. The news of Antonys death last Saturday would have caused a great shock, sadness and distress to those who know and follow him. We thank God for his talents [and] larger than life personality. A death notice described Mr Walsh as a loving father and much loved son. Fr McAreavey offered his sympathies to the bereaved relatives, adding: We ask God to give them comfort and strength at this time. The priest also offered prayers to Mr Walshs fans and all involved with the world of music. Many of Mr Walshs friends and colleagues paid tribute to him following news of his passing. Funeral of Tony Walsh, aka DJ Tizer, takes place in Banbridge. Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph A close friend, who had been helping run his Facebook page DJ Tizer NI, said a lot of people never really knew the real Tony the man behind the myth/legend. He said that Mr Walsh was a loving father, and that his boys were all that mattered. He even stopped DJ-ing so that he could spend time with them at the weekends. Fellow NI DJ Micky Modelle also paid his respects via social media on Sunday, writing: Just landed in Ibiza today and was devastated to hear of the passing of my dear friend DJ Tizer. We were friends 30 years. Such an Inspiration to us all in the early days. Funeral of Tony Walsh, aka DJ Tizer, takes place in Banbridge. Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph "He was a technical wizard on vinyl turntables the Scratch Master. I never saw anyone better at that time. "He just lit up the room everywhere he played and I have many fond memories of gigs we did together. "I can be thankful for the 30 years of friendship and memories we had. Another friend and fan said that Mr Walsh was the best to ever stand behind a set of decks. "My youth was spent listening to his mix tapes, and going out to admire how he mix, scratched and spun tunes that had the whole club mesmerised an absolute gentleman who always had time for you and never forgot a face. Netflix release the official trailer for House of Guinness Netflix has announced that its new series, House of Guinness, will be released with Irish subtitles the first time the streaming giant has offered the language on one of its titles. From the creator of Peaky Blinders, Steven Knight, House of Guinness explores an epic story inspired by one of Europe's most famous and enduring dynasties - the Guinness family. Speaking about the decision, Steven Knight said: Im really pleased that House of Guinness is coming to audiences with Irish subtitles. The Irish language is such a vital part of the countrys culture and identity, and making the series accessible in this way allows us to celebrate that heritage and reach those viewers who prefer to watch As Gaelige. Set in Dublin and New York during the 1860s, the story begins immediately after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the brewery behind the worlds most iconic stout. The show explores the far-reaching impact of his will on the fate of his four adult children Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben as well as on a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the phenomenon that is Guinness. Anthony Boyle, who grew up in west Belfast, plays one of the most infamous of the siblings, Arthur Guinness, a man who casts aside his Irish identity, at least while moving amongst the aristocracy. This is yet another period drama for Boyle, who has played the character John Wilkes Booth in the series Manhunt. Netflix release the official trailer for House of Guinness A significant plotline in the series involving the Fenians, a 19th-century organisation fighting for Irish independence. Seamus O'Hara plays the groups feisty frontman a role he previously described as a "privilege". Another huge star of the show is Englishman and Bafta nominee James Norton, of Happy Valley fame, who portrays the enigmatic Sean Rafferty. A Netflix spokesperson said: An incredible array of Irish actors brings the show to life, and to mark the telling of a story so deeply rooted in Irish history, Netflix has made the series accessible to those viewers who would rather watch alongside Irish-language subtitles. The addition of Irish subtitles is part of Netflix's ongoing commitment to Irish members and the countrys creative sector. Some of Netflixs most popular productions, including the global hit Wednesday, Vikings: Valhalla and the upcoming series, Grown Ups, were filmed extensively in Ireland. A 36-year-old man has been arrested at Belfast City Airport after police seized suspected Class B drugs worth an estimated 300,000 from his luggage. Detectives from the PSNIs Organised Crime Branch made the arrest on Wednesday (September 24) with support from the Organised Crime Task Force. The man had arrived on a connecting international flight. He was detained on suspicion of possession of Class B drugs, possession with intent to supply, and importation of controlled drugs. Police confirmed he remains in custody. The seizure forms part of a multi-agency crackdown on organised crime linked to drug importation and supply. Officers warned that such activity fuels drug debts, addiction and drug-related deaths in communities across Northern Ireland. Seized items. Pic credit: PSNI News Catch Up - Wednesday 24th September Police have appealed for anyone with information about drug supply to contact them on 101 or report online at psni.police.uk/makeareport. Reports can also be made anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Support for people affected by drug misuse is available at drugsandalcoholni.info, which also lists services for families and friends. A person has been taken to hospital following a crash involving two vehicles in Co Down this morning. The crash incident happened on the Glascar Road in Banbridge. The Belfast Telegraph understands a car overturned. A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 08:24 on Thursday 25th September, following reports of an RTC involving two vehicles on Glascar Road, Banbridge. NIAS attended the scene. Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) stock image. Picture: Aodhan Roberts/Belfast Telegraph News Catch Up - Thursday 25th September NIAS dispatched one Emergency Ambulance to the incident. Following assessment and initial treatment at scene, one patient was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital by ambulance. A PSNI spokesperson said: Police attended a two vehicle road traffic collision on the Glascar Road, Banbridge on Thursday morning, 25th September. There were no serious injuries reported. Politics Alliance MP on honour of being only MP from NI nominated for Backbencher of the Year: I am more grateful than you will ever know Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers will deliver the Budget next month (Brian Lawless/PA) A tighter fiscal stance in next months Budget is needed, according to an economic think tank. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) also called for targeted expenditure to address challenges in the delivery of housing and infrastructure. There is planned package of 9.4 billion euro for Budget 2026 including 7.9 billion in additional public spending and 1.5 billion in the tax package. The Budget will be delivered by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers on October 7. As part of its quarterly economic commentary, which was published on Thursday, the ESRI said the economy continues to perform robustly with continued growth in consumption, employment, and tax receipts. It also said an EU-US agreement on tariffs has removed much of the uncertainty that prevailed across the year. However, it said the new situation of a 15% tariff represents a clear deterioration in Irelands trading environment relative to previous policy regime. It said this will impact the firms and sectors whose exports are most exposed to the US, placing a renewed focus on policies around trade diversification and competitiveness. In an accompanying research note, Professor John Fitzgeralds analysis suggests that, at least in the short term, US tariffs will impact profits of pharmaceutical companies operating in Ireland, rather than output or employment. Meanwhile, the ESRI has revised its annual forecast for housing completions up to 35,000 for 2025. However, it said a notable slowdown in commencements in 2025 has caused it to revise down its forecast for 2026 to 36,000 units. It said the outlook beyond the forecast horizon appears to be weakening, with falling planning permissions and low commencements. The ESRIs assessment suggests that the fiscal stance needs to be tightened in Budget 2026, in part to avoid overheating. Commenting on the report, ESRI researcher and Professor Alan Barrett stated: Recent months have been characterised by uncertainty and volatility in the international economic environment, casting a renewed light on domestic policy. In that context, we point to the clear need for a tighter fiscal stance in Budget 2026. Dr Conor OToole, Associate Research Professor at ESRI, said: Irelands economy has performed robustly in recent years despite uncertainties and is currently operating close to capacity. Addressing bottlenecks in housing and infrastructure is challenging at full employment and expenditure needs to be targeted and sequenced to address these constraints. Earlier in the month, the States economic watchdog also recommended a reduction in the planned Budget package amid high uncertainty. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council said the 9.4 billion euro package is not appropriate given the economy is still performing well. It said a more restrained approach which would help avoid overheating the economy and leave room to respond to future downturns. Jim Gavin has said he did not see any examples of bullying or sexism during his time in the Defence Forces. The Fianna Fail presidential candidate said he had a really positive experience with Oglaigh na hEireann but praised women who had come forward about their negative experiences. The Government has committed to a full statutory inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and discrimination in the Defence Forces after the recommendations of a report by an independent review group (IRG). Reports of abusive behaviour have been made by victims and the Women of Honour support group for former and current Defence Force members. While canvassing in south Dublin on Thursday, Mr Gavin was asked by reporters if he had witnessed any bullying or sexism during his service. I did not see any of that, but thats not everyones experience. I championed those who put their name forward and I think theyve done the state some great service. He added: Im very proud of what they did, those women they stepped forward and Im fully behind them and Im really keen to see what comes out of this inquiry. Mr Gavins career with the Defence Forces has been cited by Taoiseach Micheal Martin as an example of why he would make an outstanding president. Taoiseach Micheal Martin (Noel Sweeney/PA) In his 20-year career, the candidate served as a commissioned officer, a military pilot and chief flying instructor. Mr Gavin was appointed chief of military aviation for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic and Chad in 2010. The president of Ireland also holds the position of supreme commander of the Defence Forces. Mr Gavin said upcoming debates against Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys and left-wing candidate Catherine Connolly will be a great challenge. He added: I am really looking forward to it, Im enthused by it. Ill do my preparation as best I can to represent my candidacy and to what Im going to offer and bring to the president of Ireland. Asked if he accepted he was on the back foot compared with his opponents as more seasoned politicians, Mr Gavin replied: Theres three candidates, were all starting at the same start line. It is patronising to suggest older people will not migrate to digital boarding passes, Ryanair boss Michael OLeary has said. The airline said it will move to 100% digital boarding passes from Wednesday November 12, in a move that will mean passengers will no longer be able to download and print a physical paper boarding pass but will instead need to use the digital boarding pass generated in the Ryanair app. Asked about criticism of the scheme from advocates for older people, Mr OLeary told reporters in Dublin on Thursday that he was amazed by the outrage. The 64-year-old said: Im old, and I travel from Ryanair on a very, very regular basis, and I use the Ryanair app, it is pretty simple, pretty easy to use. He said nobody would be cut off at the knees and the airline would be reasonably forgiving of people showing up with paper boarding passes through Christmas and into January. The critical thing: If youve checked online before you get there and you lose your phone, well have your name in the system. We will manually board you at the boarding gate so if your phone goes off, you lose your phone, your phone gets stolen, it is not going to make any issue as long as you checked in online before you got the boarding gate, which, by the way, would eliminate all the check-in fees at the airport. Mr OLeary, who said his 86-year-old mother uses the Ryanair app, claimed it was a myth that older people could not transition to changes in technology. Actually, what you find is the old people firstly just get their kids or grandkids to make bookings for them, and then pretty quickly theyre adopting it themselves. The people who jump first on every seat sale we run are old people. They are the ones sitting there hovering. They dont go to concerts anymore but the minute theres a seat sale on Ryanair theyre in like a bandit either on their laptop or on their mobile app. And it is slightly patronising, this notion that old people cant and wont move to mobile technology or to the apps. Pressed on whether he was only considering older people who already use the technology, Mr OLeary replied: No, Im talking about older people who will have the app, if thats the only way they can fly with Ryanair. They will just convert and move because thats what they do. The office of the president should be scrapped and the Taoiseach should move into the Aras, according to airline boss Michael OLeary. The Ryanair chief set out his plan for the head of state, which is prescribed in the Constitution, during a press conference on Tuesday. Mr OLeary said he had not decided who he would vote for in the election but added he would be very happy and proud if either Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys or Fianna Fails Jim Gavin wins. The only one I wouldnt want to see elected is the loony fringe from Galway. He said left-wing candidate Catherine Connolly should not be elected. I would keep the lefty looney fringe out above it, but Id be very happy and very proud if either Heather Humphreys or Jim Gavin were elected president of the country. I do believe, by the way, we should abolish the presidency. He added: I dont know what it costs us a year, the president gets paid 300,000. Has a big house in Phoenix Park, which I think the Taoiseach should be living in, and a staff of God knows how many. And you know, if you need someone to meet the ambassadors or pass out the Ferrero Rocher, the Minister for Foreign Affairs can do it. Mr OLeary said this would keep the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste in the country, as he criticised them for swanning around the US and Canada this week and not taking swifter action to remove a passenger cap at Dublin Airport. Ryanairs unveiled its winter schedule on Thursday with 96 routes, including one new route to Moroccos winter sun capital of Rabat as well as extra frequencies on 28 other routes including Birmingham, Budapest, Krakow, Milan and Valencia. Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he will lead Labour into the 2026 elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils, after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham hinted at a potential future bid for the top job. The Prime Minister also denied he had ruined Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwars chances of becoming first minister, describing Mr Sarwar as an excellent candidate. Mr Sarwar had earlier refused to pledge full confidence in the Prime Minister, saying very few people have been told about the Labour Governments successes. But he said the Prime Minister has got a really difficult job and had made significant progress in the past year. Anas Sarwar said few people had been told about the Labour governments successes (Jane Barlow/PA) In an interview with BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell, Sir Keir was asked if he had ruined Anas Sarwars chances of becoming first minister due to his own unpopularity. Sir Keir said: No, Anas is an excellent candidate who will be incredibly good for Scotland with an absolute focus on delivery. And its a choice between taking Scotland forward with Anas, a Labour first minister working with a Labour government in Westminster we work together very well or a third decade for this tired SNP government that has failed on so many fronts. He was also asked if he would definitely lead Labour into the 2026 elections in Scotland, Wales and local councils in England. Sir Keir said: Yes, when I took over as leader of the Labour Party, people told me I couldnt change the Labour Party. I did. When we went into the general election, people told me, I couldnt win and we did. Now Im leading the change across the United Kingdom, including delivering better change for Scotland and Ill continue to do so. Mr Burnham has hinted at future leadership ambitions as the Prime Minister continues to struggle for popularity. Speaking to journalists in the Scottish parliament earlier on Thursday, Mr Sarwar who has been an outspoken ally of Sir Keir since he took over as leader refused to say if he has full confidence in him. He has got a really difficult job, we have made significant progress in the last year, he said. If Ive got one single biggest criticism of a UK Labour Government, it is there have been huge successes, but very few people have been told about them or know about them. Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has hinted at a potential run for the Labour leadership (James Manning/PA) The Scottish Labour leader cited that mortgage costs had come down in the past 12 months, while wages have increased, but he said the average person doesnt know that. Further pushed on whether he has full confidence in the Prime Minister, the Scottish Labour leader said: I think to be even talking in those terms is frankly ridiculous. This is a Prime Minister who won a historic victory, removed the Tories from office, won a huge landslide, and now he has to get on with the day job. Mr Sarwar said people want to see how the change is benefiting them and their families. He added: It would be unrealistic to think that were going to solve every problem the country has within 15 months there was 14 years of complete horror that was left by the Conservatives and weve got to get on with the work of fixing that. With an election looming in Scotland next May, Mr Sarwar added that the person who has to be removed from their job is First Minister John Swinney. Asked if Sir Keir is the right person to be in Downing Street during that election, Mr Sarwar dodged the question, instead saying: I think John Swinney is the worst person to be in Bute House and we need someone new in Bute House and that will come at the election in May. Pressed further on whether Sir Keir is the right man to be in the top job, Mr Sarwar said: He is the Prime Minister, doing a really important job and hes got to continue to do that job to improve the country. Also speaking to journalists on Thursday, Mr Swinney appeared to relish the issues facing the Labour Party, saying: Ill allow the Labour Party to fall apart as I lead the SNP to the success that we want to deliver. The comments came as a new Ipsos poll released on Thursday showed Sir Keir to be the most unpopular leader in Scotland, with a net favourability rating of minus 47% worse than US president Donald Trump by one percentage point. Talent agent leaves London and celeb clients behind to launch her own business in Belfast Success of Blue Lights convinced me it was time to move back home, says Bangor woman Cathy Cathy Ievers from UNTAP (Photo by Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph) Maureen Coleman Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 19:47 The owner of Northern Irelands newest talent agency has told how the success of the Bafta-winning Blue Lights inspired her to return home from London to set up her business. 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. LENOX The town has appointed a Massachusetts law enforcement veteran with 30 years of experience as its new police chief. Mark L. Smith, 57, chief of the North Brookfield department in Worcester County, will succeed retiring Chief Stephen E. OBrien, 55, whose last day is Dec. 5. Thats exactly 32 years after he joined the force as an officer. OBrien became full-time in 1994 and was named chief in 2005. Smiths appointment was announced Wednesday by Town Manager Jay Green. Chief Smith brings substantial experience, education and familiarity with municipal law enforcement in Massachusetts to the Lenox Police Department, Green said. He will be a resource for our officers and an asset to our town. His experience as a veteran chief of a small-town police department will allow for a smooth transition of leadership. Smiths three-year contract includes a starting annual salary of $125,000, plus benefits. He is expected to begin in late November. The Select Board is set to ratify Greens appointment on or about Oct. 8. Describing his interest in Lenox, Smith noted in his application that he has many ties to the Berkshires, including a daughter who attended Williams College. I love the arts (especially theater). And I love the area and think constantly about returning. A West Brookfield resident, Smith first served for 20 years in Granby, a town in Hampshire County near Holyoke. He began as a patrol officer in 1995 and was promoted to sergeant in 2006. In Granby, he worked as a detective and school resource officer. Smith developed and managed the towns K-9 program, various grant programs, supervised patrol officers and commissioned a new police station. He also implemented a Citizens Police Academy and held roles within the local police officers collective bargaining unit. Smith was appointed police chief in Hinsdale in July 2014 after chief Nancy Daniels was fired after a year in the post, creating a political firestorm in the town. Ive always said that I wont get involved in the politics part of it, Smith said at the time. Im here to run the police department for the townspeople of Hinsdale. In June 2015, the states Equal Employment Opportunity Commission determined Daniels firing was retaliatory, but she did not return as police chief. Smith was appointed police chief in North Brookfield in September 2015. The town of nearly 5,000 residents is in west-central Worcester County. He holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Criminal Justice from Westfield State University, and is a recipient of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association Trilogy Award, having successfully completed extensive leadership training and education for law enforcement professionals. Smith is a member of the Massachusetts and International Chiefs of Police Association. From 1998 through 2017, he was the program manager and training coordinator with the Western Massachusetts Reserve Intermittent Police Academy, where many entry level police officers began their training across the four western Massachusetts counties. As chief in North Brookfield, Smith developed and managed budgets, capital requests, grants, collective bargaining agreements while focusing on officer wellness, recruitment and retention. Currently, the Lenox department has 12 full-time officers, 10 part-time traffic officers and a part-time administrative assistant. The operating budget is $1.7 million for the current fiscal year. A screening committee sifted through more than 20 candidates for police chief after beginning work in June. The committee included Select Board members David Roche and Marybeth Mitts, Lenox Human Resources Director Lyndsay Patenaude, former Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn and retired State Police Detective-Lieutenant Ed Culver. OBrien was an adviser to Green and to the committee. The posted job description stated that the chief, who reports to the town manager, performs "complex administrative, technical and supervisory work in directing and planning operations, including routine patrol, community policing, traffic, investigations, crime prevention and town communications by effective use of available resources." According to the ad for the position, the town "values traditional community bonds as much as it embraces progress and change. Lenox residents are engaged and passionate about preserving the town's historical charm and pursuing progressive policies." The towns minimum requirements included a bachelors degree in criminal justice, 10 years of law enforcement experience and five years of supervisory experience. Preference was given to candidates with previous administrative, leadership, and/or management experience and advanced education. Four candidates were interviewed by the screening committee. Their experience demonstrated relevant administrative, leadership and management roles, Green noted. Two candidates were then invited to a second round, which included touring the existing police station, the new public safety complex, a meet and greet with town department heads and a conversation with members of the police department and OBrien, and a final conversation with the screening committee. I would like to thank members of the screening committee, Chief OBrien, our town staff and LPD officers who took time to provide valuable feedback during the selection process, Green said. We had a talented pool of candidates and it was a difficult decision, but we are confident that Chief Smith is right person to lead the Lenox Police Department in its next chapter. Chief Smith's letter ... In his application for appointment as Lenox police chief, Mark L. Smith wrote: At the time I moved to Hinsdale, I had spent over three years as the number two in the Granby department, had confidence in my leadership skills and knowledge of the profession, and felt I knew exactly what was necessary to be a good chief. But of course, I realized that being chief is far more complex than it appears even from the next rank. Like every good chief, I learned much more on the job. Now, with 11 years in the role, I still understand that I will always have more to learn. Learning to meld competing roles of department manager, law enforcement officer, community volunteer, administrator and leader into an effective chief of police who has the support and respect of both the community and the department is going to be a bit different in every community. But with my long experience, I'm confident that I'll adapt. As chief of police in two very different municipalities, I've learned not only how different towns police, but also different counties. Networking, training and learning from officers and chiefs (and town officials and department heads, judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys) in different areas has proven invaluable. Chief Smiths letter . . . In his application for appointment as Lenox police chief, Mark L. Smith wrote: At the time I moved to Hinsdale, I had spent over three years as the number two in the Granby department, had confidence in my leadership skills and knowledge of the profession, and felt I knew exactly what was necessary to be a good chief. But of course, I realized that being chief is far more complex than it appears even from the next rank. Like every good chief, I learned much more on the job. Now, with 11 years in the role, I still understand that I will always have more to learn. Learning to meld competing roles of department manager, law enforcement officer, community volunteer, administrator and leader into an effective chief of police who has the support and respect of both the community and the department is going to be a bit different in every community. But with my long experience, I'm confident that I'll adapt. As chief of police in two very different municipalities, I've learned not only how different towns police, but also different counties. Networking, training and learning from officers and chiefs (and town officials and department heads, judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys) in different areas has proven invaluable. PITTSFIELD Jon Pearson was working in logistics and warehousing when he decided to take a year off and pursue a new career. He's now on the path to becoming a licensed electrician, and he's confident his new skills will assure his job security in a changing economy. Its constant work [in the trades], Pearson said. The future, with [artificial intelligence coming]... Robots are not going to be installing wire in any house. Pearson, who currently attends McCann Technical School in North Adams and is an apprentice at Complete Electrical Service in Pittsfield, was one of many people interested in the field who attended Berkshire Community Colleges Explore the Electrician Trade event on Tuesday afternoon. Over 20 people attended the free event held in the Susan B. Anthony Lounge. It focused on BCCs Trades Academy future electrician program and featured two electricians from Comalli Electric. What weve been learning is that the skilled trades are a high-priority occupation across the commonwealth, said Linda Clairmont, executive director of workforce and community education at BCC. This event was intended to ... hopefully inspire students. BCC received a Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (CEC) planning grant for about $38,000 to lay the groundwork for the program, Clairmont said. The purpose was to work with an employer to think about the curriculum they would want and to gauge community interest, she said. The event on Tuesday was the last activity of the planning grant, and they will now prepare a final report for the CEC. The final report positions BCC for an implementation grant that the CEC offers. We did the same process for an HVAC program that were about to enter into for implementation, Clairmont said. Weve got one trade already starting, and we hope that the next trade we can offer is electricians. The implementation process for the electrician program could take anywhere from 18-24 months, she said, adding that they will be spending the next year building the labs for the HVAC program. The event featured a question and answer session with Derek Pinsonneault, a licensed electrician and service manager at Comalli Electric, and Justin Roy, a newly licensed electrician at Comalli. The talk focused on career pathways, a day in the life of an electrician and how to get started in the field. Pinsonneault and Roy also provided hands-on demonstrations of electrical tools, and there was an interactive learning experience provided. The electrician field is growing in popularity as the field's workforce is projected to grow 9 percent by 2034. On average, about 81,000 openings are projected each year over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can do multiple avenues with residential, commercial, industrial, solar and renewable energy, Pinsonneault said. The industry just keeps growing and growing. Comalli Electric specializes in all phases of construction projects, technology systems, and design-build services, and has offices in Pittsfield and Albany. Electricians specialize in installing, maintaining and repairing electrical systems in homes, businesses and industrial settings. During the Q&A, Pinsonneault and Roy said that they both attended McCann and worked as apprentices. Roy, who received his license two weeks ago, said one of the benefits of trade school is that its affordable and youre not in debt. McCann and Taconic High School offer electrician programs, and the proposed new building at Monument Mountain Regional High School would allow the school to offer an electrician program as well. When discussing what he looks for in electricians, Pinsonneault said he's seeking four traits: work ethic, motivatation, willingness to learn and showing up on time. People dont have to already have all the skills needed, Pinsonneault said, adding, We will teach you everything you need to know. He also said the most fun part of the job is being proud of what youve accomplished, and the most challenging part is always making sure that everything is safe. The requirements for licensure include 600 hours of classroom experience and a four-year, 8,000 work hour apprenticeship. Pearson, a Pittsfield resident, is in his first module at McCann and said that he has 1,800 working hours. Before Pearson enrolled at McCann, he looked to see if BCC had an electrician program. If there was one [at BCC], I think that people would go to it and take advantage of it, he said. Pinsonneault and Roy also mentioned the strong wages in the field, with a first-year apprentice making $20 to $22 an hour. By the fourth year, an apprentice can make $30 an hour, Pinsonneault said, adding that a first-year licensed electrician can earn $80,000 to $90,000. The median annual wage for electricians was $62,350 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There were 818,700 electrician jobs in 2024, the bureau said. When asked by an audience member about the hiring process, Pinsonneault said Comalli Electric is hiring apprentices as needed. He said he currently has eight journeyman electricians fully trained and certified professionals and seven apprentices on staff. At the end of the conversation, Clairmont asked the audience if they wanted BCC to continue planning an electrician program, and the crowd resoundingly raised their hands. Seeing young people in attendance was important, Pinsonneault said. Thats the growth for the future, he said. The demand is huge. A new bill filed by state Rep. John Barrett and state Sen. Paul Mark would exempt small districts like Hancock which lack their own middle or high schools from paying costly tuition for school choice students who continue on to other districts, potentially allowing Hancock Elementary to reopen to out-of-district families. PITTSFIELD After nearly a decade at the helm of The Berkshire Eagle, Fredric D. Rutberg will step down as publisher Oct. 1, passing the baton to Gary Lavariere, the companys chief revenue officer. Rutberg, 79, will remain president of The Eagle and continue to play an active role in the papers operations. He will remain a member of the editorial board, serve as liaison to the companys advisory board and lead philanthropic efforts such as The Berkshire Eagle Local Journalism Fund. This is a propitious time to pass the reins to the next generation, Rutberg said in a letter to readers. The Eagle is stronger now than at any time since we bought it. Rutberg, a retired District Court judge, joined three partners in purchasing The Eagle in 2016 from a hedge fund owner. Since then, he has overseen the papers return to local ownership and its reinvestment in journalism efforts that have earned The Eagle seven consecutive Newspaper of the Year honors from the New England Newspaper and Press Association. The companys board of directors has been working on this publisher transition for more than a year. A newspaper publisher is the person ultimately responsible for making sure the paper serves its readers and advertisers and remains financially healthy. The Eagles publisher reports to its board of directors through the president. Hans Morris, chairman of the board and a co-owner of The Eagle, praised Rutbergs leadership. While many people have been critical to the success of The Berkshire Eagle since 2016, Fred has been the essential person in my view, Morris said. After all, it was his idea to buy the paper from Alden Media. And while there were many reasons [that deal] should have fallen apart, he never lost faith and made it happen through his commitment to the vision, along with hard work and resilience. Lavariere, 31, is a North Adams native and 2016 graduate of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He began his career at The Eagle as a circulation executive, left briefly to work at the Las Vegas Review-Journal and returned to the Berkshires in 2019. He was promoted to chief revenue officer in 2021, overseeing advertising, circulation and production. I am honored to assume this role with great appreciation for the trust our readers place in us every day, Lavariere said in his own letter to readers. My focus is on making sure The Eagle remains a strong and sustainable institution in the Berkshires. We are lucky to have Gary leading The Eagle: He is smart, a quick learner, very digitally aware, and a natural leader and manager, Morris said. He also grew up in North Adams and went to MCLA, and loves and knows every aspect of the community. We think he can be the leader of the continued digital transformation of The Eagle. Lavariere and his wife, Lauren, live in Adams with their two young children. Last year, he graduated from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalisms Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership. Rutberg called Lavariere smart, personable and very knowledgeable about the publishing business and our operations, adding that his love for the Berkshires makes him the right person to lead the paper into the future. The Berkshire Eagle publishes daily in print and online, alongside The B magazine, The Shoppers Guide, BerkshiresWeek.com and Berkshire Business Journal. Fredric D. Rutberg, who helped restore The Berkshire Eagle to local ownership in 2016 and guided it through nearly a decade of growth, will step aside as publisher Oct. 1. He will remain president and continue to shape the papers future, while Gary Lavariere, a North Adams native and current chief revenue officer, assumes the top publishing role. Lavariere says his focus will be on deepening community engagement, expanding digital reach and keeping the Eagle a strong local institution. GREAT BARRINGTON When Douglas Stephenson wakes up in the morning, he wonders if the running water in his home will be clean or dirty. Its a whole lot of unknowns, Stephenson said. Is the water going to be dirty today or not? Rachel Kelly said she has gross water year-round, but its always worse from September to October. Its just really awful taking a shower and watching brown water rolling off of your body, Kelly said. It's just really, really awful to live with that and then to have to filter it for the pets and the humans. They are among the Housatonic residents awaiting installation of a manganese treatment plant that is supposed to help prevent discolored water. That project has been delayed again but is still expected to be running by next summer. That's according to the September monthly progress report submitted by Housatonic Water Works, the second such report required under the terms of a settlement between the company and state regulators. Under a state-issued settlement order, Housatonic Water Works was supposed to have the filtration system up and running by August. But in January, the company announced the work would be delayed until 2026, saying its bank wont lend it more money until pending litigation with two of its service towns is settled. In July, under a settlement agreement with the company, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection set a new March 1 installation deadline. The settlement also requires monthly updates from the company and sets a schedule for compliance requirements. Litigation was one of the ways Great Barrington and West Stockbridge were trying to put pressure on the company to solve the water problem. But, now that Housatonic Water Works says pending court cases are why it cant obtain financing to replace the system, the towns' select boards have voted to resolve their respective litigation. Its well known among residents that some customers of Housatonic Water Works deal with discolored water due to excess manganese that gets worse in the summer. The company mostly serves residents of the Housatonic section of Great Barrington and also serves customers in Stockbridge and West Stockbridge. After years of delayed timelines and broken promises, Stephenson wont get his hopes up that this could be his last summer with dirty water. Im a bit frustrated, said Stephenson, a customer of Housatonic Water Works for over 35 years. I dont have any confidence in them to install it on time based on the past. The September progress report said an updated timeline will be announced once litigation from the towns is formally withdrawn and funding is secured. Municipal litigation delays have made the March 1 operational readiness target unattainable, the report said. However, the company still expects to complete the project before summer 2026." Using a grant from the MassDEP, the company is working to complete parts of the installation that are weather-sensitive, so once the funding is secured, the rest of the project can be completed smoothly. Its an odd experience having people over when all the water runs dirty, Kelly said, describing awkward interactions shes had. My boyfriend was over and he said he thought someone forgot to flush the toilet, Kelly said. No, that's just the toilet water. Its a nasty brown. Stephenson has had similar experiences, like last summer, when his son and granddaughter were visiting and when he went to bathe his young daughter, he was shocked by the dirty water. He turned it on and it was dirty water and he was like What the hell is this about? Stephenson said. It's embarrassing. Before moving to Housatonic, Kelly said she had heard about a brown water situation, but she never imagined it would be this bad and still going on years later. I just don't think people understand the daily struggle of trying to filter or buy a jug of water, Kelly said. What does that mean for local residents, and people with children or babies who didn't know about it before moving into the community? The small portion of residents who live in Housatonic compared to the rest of Great Barrington leaves the customers feeling isolated from the rest of the town's priorities, Kelly said. I feel like Housatonic is the redheaded stepchild to Great Barrington and that we don't enjoy the same services and the water situation is horrendous, Kelly said. I just really wish they would fix it. It's bad and it's been bad. Stephenson said he wants Great Barrington residents to support their Housatonic neighbors. You can't take a quarter of your population, which is Housatonic, and just turn your back on them, he said. ATTLEBORO The group that's been working since the start of the year to develop a new statewide graduation standard took its first tangible step in that direction Wednesday, releasing a "vision" of the familiar skills and attributes that a Massachusetts high school graduate should possess before they're ready for either college or a career. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler and Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez joined members of the Massachusetts K12 Statewide Graduation Council and other education policy-makers to roll out the "vision of a graduate" at Attleboro High School after a tour of the school's career technical education programs. The statement of ideals is meant to form a foundation for a statewide framework. "We want students to feel prepared when they graduate, to take on the workforce or to feel empowered and confident in the future whatever it may be higher ed or career pathway. This is the roadmap that we think can help us demonstrate how to do that," Driscoll said. "And to be clear, we know this is only one step and there's a bit of a process. And we're in the mood of 'go quick, but don't hurry.'" Gov. Maura Healey convened the group in January after voters last fall eliminated the use of the MCAS as a graduation requirement. Until the state comes up with a single new standard, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has adopted interim graduation requirements, including that students complete specific coursework through grade 10. Individual districts must develop and submit a local Competency Determination policy and graduation requirements to the state by Dec. 31. The document released Wednesday envisions high school graduates as thinkers, leaders and contributors. "A Massachusetts diploma is not just a credential; it is a launchpad for students to become effective thinkers, valued contributors, and future leaders of their communities and beyond," the document says. "Together, these competencies not only prepare MA graduates for success in college and career, but equip them with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to participate fully in civic life." Under the "thinker" banner are the ideas that graduates should be academically prepared with "a strong foundation across academic disciplines" and be creative problem-solvers who can "critically examine information to draw connections, question assumptions, infer meaning, and shape new solutions." The "leader" bucket envisions graduates as effective communicators who can "confidently, clearly, and respectfully express their ideas" and responsible decision-makers who "demonstrate confidence and competence in shaping their lives." And the "contributors" label calls for graduates to "engage respectfully and productively with diverse individuals and groups" and to be "self-aware navigators" who "understand and can articulate their strengths, needs, and impact, navigating the world with curiosity and empathy." The "vision of a graduate" released Wednesday was the first work product of the Statewide Graduation Council. It will be followed later this year by a report of initial findings, officials said. The 31-member group is expected to issue its final recommendations by July 2026. Tutwiler, who co-chairs the council, said Wednesday that its recommendations "will include rigorous learning experiences and a mechanism to give us confidence that all students are meeting these high expectations." Max Page and Deb McCarthy, president and vice president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association that pushed for the elimination of MCAS passage as a graduation requirement, said Wednesday they were glad to see the state's vision emphasizes essential skills but warned against the continued use of a standardized test to assess students. "Educators and voters have made clear that such essential skills cannot be assessed by a standardized test. We will only nurture students to be 'critical problem solvers, intentional collaborators, effective communicators, self-aware navigators, and responsible decision-makers' if we design educator-led systems of assessment and provide the necessary resources that educators, students and schools need to fulfill these goals," the union leaders said. A survey of recent Massachusetts high school graduates conducted in June by MassINC Polling Group found that 66 percent think the state should have one minimum graduation requirement for all high schools. Whether the standard is set at the state or local level, 74 percent said high school graduation requirements should match the minimum entrance requirements for state universities, the poll found. The recent graduates also shared their view of what kind of learning should be a required part of graduating high school in Massachusetts. Asked an open-ended question about the most important consideration in the creation of a new standard, students said "real life skills" like financial and digital literacy, civics, and interpersonal communication (17 percent); bringing back the MCAS or another standardized test (14 percent); "the basics" like reading, math, science and history (13 percent); and workforce and college preparation like internships or community service (13 percent). More than three-quarters of respondents, 77 percent, said they feel their Massachusetts high school education prepared them for life after graduation (29 percent very well, 48 percent somewhat well), the poll found. Most of the graduates polled, 55 percent, started college for a four-year degree the fall after their high school graduation, 23 percent started a job, and 14 percent started college for a two-year degree. "The one thing we've heard time and time again is that high school students want more of a connection with what they learn during the school day and what they may encounter when they graduate from high school, whether it's to higher education or directly to a career that interests them," Tutwiler said Wednesday. While Driscoll, Tutwiler and Martinez toured the high school, they moved through classrooms where students had deposited their cellphones into a communal holder at the front of the class. Students at Attleboro High School have been required since 2024 to give up their cellphones during academic time. The phones stay in a pouch while students are in class, and they have access to the devices during lunch breaks, before and after school and between classes. The Senate has passed legislation to require schools to ban student cellphone use during the school day, an idea that Gov. Maura Healey supports. "It's our second year implementing that policy. And it really shows when the whole school gets behind something as a community, when we have that consistency, that we've noticed that it's been successful," Assistant Principal Kevin Gorman said when Driscoll asked about the school's policy. "And I think kids might not always say it out loud, but they will privately say that they appreciate that." Ministry of Ayush signs agreement with WHO to co-host 2nd Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi September 25, 2025 | Thursday | News Summit will be held from 17th to 19th December 2025 image credit- pib The Ministry of Ayush, Government of India has signed an agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) to co-host the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine on the theme Restoring balance for people and planet: The science and practice of well-being. The Summit will be held in New Delhi from 17th to 19th December 2025. The agreement signing took place in the presence of Union Minister of State for Ayush (IC), Prataprao Jadhav, and Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, during the 2nd Summit Planning Group Meeting convened to monitor activities and progress for the upcoming Summit. The Global Summit will serve as an important international platform bringing together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to advance the role of traditional medicine in global health and sustainable development. The Ministry of Ayush, in partnership with WHO, reaffirmed its commitment to fostering evidence-based traditional medicine practices that contribute to human and planetary well-being. Livasa Hospitals appoints Anurag Yadav as Chief Executive Officer September 25, 2025 | Thursday | News Yadav brings with him over three decades of professional experience Livasa Hospitals (erstwhile Ivy Hospitals), a leading chain of multispecialty hospitals in Punjab, backed by India Resurgence Fund (IndiaRF), has announced the appointment of Anurag Yadav as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Yadav brings with him over three decades of professional experience, including more than two decades in senior leadership roles across some of Indias most reputed hospital networks. Prior to joining Livasa Hospitals, he served as CEO of Gleneagles Healthcare India and held key executive positions at Manipal Health Enterprises, Fortis Healthcare, and Sakra World Hospital. A Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and an ISB alumnus, Yadav has built a strong reputation of driving operational excellence, scaling operations, optimising procurement and logistics, and building patient-centric systems. His leadership will steer Livasa Hospitals into its next phase of growth focused on network expansion, enhanced clinical outcomes, innovations, and an elevated patient experience. On a quest for the electric bug Photo Credit: Gaelen Morse On a whim, Jack Forrester 23 ventured out to Deer Island peninsula in Boston Harbor one late July day, hoping that he, at last, might spot the creeping, crawling creation that had eluded him and so many other entomologists over the decades. It turned out to be Forresters lucky day. He eventually came across a red oak tree covered in empty cocoons he recognized as belonging to the rare bug he sought: Monema flavescens, also known as the Denki mushi, a Japanese slug caterpillar that found its way to New England in the early 1900s aboard cargo ships carrying trees bound for Boston area nurseries. Forrester, a double major in neuroscience and biology, checked one of the red oaks dew-covered leaves. When he turned it over, he marveled at his long-awaited find. He noted its vibrant colors. Denki mushi means electric bug in Japanese, and it is an appropriate name for this shy insect, which was a common invasive species around Boston until it was controlled in the 1930s. The caterpillars exterior is mostly bright yellow, with flashes of lightning-blue. Protruding from its yellow and pink exoskeleton are yellow and green silica-tipped venomous spines that look like the spiky feathers on the legendary Pokemon Zapdos. Its really spectacular. When I first heard about this caterpillar, I was just interested in it, but then I kept searching. Searching, and failing to find it, said Forrester, who is originally from Ipswich, Massachusetts. It kind of snowballed into an obsession. There was a reported sighting of the Denki mushi in Ipswich, so I thought it was fitting for me to seek it out. I finally found about 13 of them near Boston Harbor after months of looking in different places. For Forrester, persistently chasing down rare caterpillars isnt just a passion project. He is a research coordinator at the Caterpillar Lab, a New Hampshire nonprofit founded in 2015. In his role, he helps advance the labs mission to educate and inspire appreciation for local natural history through live educational programs, research and creative projects that foster deeper environmental awareness and care. Photo Credit: Mary Horan Photo Credit: Mary Horan Forrester worked with the Caterpillar Lab while at Brandeis after being encouraged to pursue an internship there by environmental studies professor Colleen Hitchcock. He now works at the lab full-time, planning educational programs for visitors of all ages and helping take care of the facilitys many caterpillar species. We store caterpillars indoors as well as outdoors, Forrester explained. In the back of the lab we rear caterpillars in large plastic tubs that hold in moisture and keep their host plants fresh, or we raise them outside on trees wrapped in mesh so they can feed naturally without birds or parasitic insects picking them off. All of our species go through metamorphosis, which makes the timing tricky for our educational programming many pupate in late summer, so we refrigerate them to mimic winter and then bring them out in June so they emerge as moths and can start the cycle again. As for the 13 Denki mushi caterpillars he took to the lab, Forrester said a portion will be reared so they can become moths, breed and lay eggs, while another batch will be examined by genetics researchers from one of the entomology labs at Harvard. Another project will be a risk assessment of whether or not the Denki mushi could pose a threat as an invasive species. If my obsessive searching for the past two years tells us anything, its that the Denki mushi is still quite obscure, and does not appear to be making a comeback as a problematic species so for now, we can simply rejoice in the incredible life history of this secretive caterpillar, Forrester said. All of this is quite a leap for Forrester, who came to Brandeis fearful of insects and intending to pursue a career in neuroscience. Taking Hitchcocks courses changed his perspective. The solitude of the COVID-19 pandemic also opened him up to new hobbies. During quarantine, he got into macro photography, heading into the woods behind the Brandeis campus to snap images of bugs with a DIY flash diffuser he fashioned from a Pringles can. As his vivid shots of the Denki mushi show, hes come a long way. He now uses a Sony Alpha 6400 camera with a mirrorless crop frame, and a macrophotography-specific professional diffuser. Forrester on the hunt for the Denki mushi, a Japanese slug caterpillar that was introduced to New England in the early 1900s aboard cargo ships. Photo Credit: Daniela Lopez '23 96 additional beds are to become available at the University Hospital Limerick (UHL) in the coming days, in what will be first in a tranche of major developments to alleviate the hospital's overcrowding crisis. A new unit containing the 96 single beds, which has been under construction for the past three years. will be operational within the next week, it is understood. All of the 96 beds will be new additional bed stock. The 96 million development, which its understood will be fully staffed, is the first of three 96-bed blocks proposed at the UHL site. The second block of additional bed capacity is hoped to be opened in 2027, while the third is earmarked to come on stream in the 2030s. Consistently the most overcrowded hospital in the country, there were 86 patients waiting on trolleys on corridors at UHL's emergency department (ED) and at wards on Thursday morning, according to figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO). Advertisement There were 118 patients languishing on trolleys at the hospital the previous day. The State's health watchdog HIQA previously stated following unannounced inspections at UHLs emergency department, that it found the dignity and privacy of patients in the swamped ED compromised. Previous HIQA reports found UHL to be understaffed, and posing a significant risk to patient safety. A year ago this month, HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster issued an apology to the family of Aoife Johnston, following publication of a report into the 16-year-olds death amid a litany of care failings at the hospital. Aoife, who it was accepted should have been given life-saving medicine within 10 minutes of arriving at UHL, with queried sepsis, received the medicine 13.5 hours after presenting at the ED. She died at the hospital on December 19.2022. The report, by retired Chief Justice Frank Clarke, concluded that Aoife's death "was almost certainly avoidable". Mr Clarke warned that unless the fundamental problem of UHL's overcrowding and understaffing was dealt with, the risk of further avoidable deaths occurring at the hospital would "inevitably be present". After the report was published, HSE chief Bernard Gloster said: "We failed Aoife and our failure has resulted in the most catastrophic consequences for her and her family." UHL clinicians told Ms Johnston's inquest held in Kilmallock in April last year that the "gargantuanly overcrowded" ED was "like a death trap" on the weekend Aoife presented there. The ED at UHL has been the only 24-hour emergency department in the Mid West region - serving Limerick, Clare. North Tipperary, and parts of north Cork and north Kerry - after ED units were closed and streamlined to UHL in 2009. The Mid West Hospital Campaign Group, which includes persons whose loved ones have died on trolleys at UHL during overcrowded conditions, have repeatedly called on the government to give the green light to open additional EDs in the region. The HSE Mid West was contacted for comment. A doctor, who had been working with Medecins Sans Frontieres in Gaza until his evacuation to Ireland last week, has said there was nothing left there. Dr Mohammed Abu Mughaisib, who was the deputy Medical Coordinator for MSF in Gaza, told RTE radios Morning Ireland that he did not recognise the streets of Rafah while he was being evacuated as they had been reduced to rubble. The population now in the north area has an evacuation order to move to the south. One million people are struggling to move. They are asking them to move to the south area, which was called the humanitarian zone, which is between brackets. It's not a humanitarian zone. "The hospitals are collapsing one by one, which are in the north. Patients are actually in these hospitals, are lying on the floor there. There is no beds at all. Advertisement Doctors now are consulting the patient without giving any treatment because there is no more treatment. The population still are struggling to find shelters, there is no space, there is no tents, and they are struggling to find water. "There is no term to describe what's going on in Gaza, there is neighbourhoods erased from the planet." Dr Mughaisib said he had been "lucky" because he managed to evacuate his family to Cairo while he stayed in Gaza. I used the electricity unit room to put my mattress. I mean, that was your life - your mattress, your pillow, and your documents. It was a kind of luxury to find bread and to buy it, it's very expensive. The cost of one bread was 5, I can afford it, I'm still working. "But imagine the population that 80 percent of them are in poverty. They were really children crying in the tent because their families cannot provide for the milk or food, and they were crying because of hunger, and they sleep because they get tired from crying, so they sleep. There was acute hunger. Famine - I was not waiting to declare the famine in Gaza because we witnessed it, me and my colleagues who are working with MSF. Dr Mughaisib explained that he applied through MSF Ireland to come to Dublin. The Irish Government and embassy really facilitated my work papers" When I entered some areas in Gaza during the evacuation, I didn't recognise Rafah, I didn't recognise Khan Yunis. It was just rubbles. And the tanks, of course, are there. Advertisement "They were blocking the road but they open it and they allow the convoy, but I didn't recognise none of these streets of Rafah and Khan Yunis that I know it by heart. "I'm living there for 25 years so I know Gaza by heart. I didn't recognise no street. It was very strange to be in Ireland, he said. He hoped to be soon be reunited with his family, who he has not seen in over 18 months. I have really mixed feelings. It's very difficult to wake up without the sound of the drones, the shelling, the bombing. And I left all my memories there. I have friends, colleagues, families there that I know that are still suffering and they wanted to be evacuated, to be in security. "But it's difficult. Physically, I'm here, but my heart and soul is there." Plans for a 3 billion 'next generation' data centre campus in Co Kildare have been stalled following environmentalists lodging appeals against the decision by Kildare County Council to green light the project. Last month, the Council granted planning permission to multimillionaire engineering entrepreneur and co-owner of Monaghan-based forklift manufacturer, Combilift, Robert Moffetts Herbata Ltd's plans for the six data centre campus for a site next to the M7 motorway and business park at Naas, Co Kildare. However, An Taisce and, in a joint appeal, Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) and Friends of the Earth Ireland (FOTEI), have lodged the third party appeals with An Coimisiun Pleanala (ACP) against the grant of permission. Herbata has also lodged a first party appeal with ACP against a number of conditions attached to the planning permission. Advertisement In their joint appeal, Tony Lowes of FIE and Jerry MacEvilly of FOTEI have told ACP that the Herbata Data Centre represents a high-risk, high-emission project that is incompatible with Ireland's statutory climate commitments, sectoral emissions ceilings, and energy efficiency obligations The two state that the flawed Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and reliance on unsupported mitigation measures render the application defective. They state that the development of six large data halls with on-site gas turbines, engines, and associated infrastructure would impose a continuous electricity demand of approximately 240 MW, tripling current metered demand in County Kildare. They state that the data campuss scale would have profound and adverse implications for Ireland's energy system, carbon budgets, and statutory climate obligations. On the greenhouse gas impact of the data campus, Mr Lowes and Mr MacEvilly stated that the estimated emissions over five years are 4.764 MtCOze, based on the projected annual output of 952,806 tCO2e. They state that this would consume roughly 24pc of the electricity sector's carbon budget for one five-year period, which they state is a disproportionately large share for a single project. The scale of emissions qualifies as a major adverse impact. Ireland Irish People Party election candidate charged with harassing a garda Read more They state that ACP has a clear obligation to ensure its decisions support, rather than undermine, Ireland's pathway to a climate-neutral economy. For these reasons, FIE and FOTEI respectfully submit that permission must be refused. Senior Planning and Environmental Policy Officer with An Taisce, Phoebe Duvall states that the proposed campus represents a highly significant new source of electricity demand and carbon emissions and is fundamentally incompatible with Irelands legally binding emissions reduction obligations. In its first party appeal, Herbata is challenging conditions in the decision relating to the impact on hedgerows and townland boundaries; a bat derogation licence and provision of linked running watercourses. A decision is due on the appeals in January of next year. In pics: Przewalski's horses in Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in China's Gansu Xinhua) 14:07, September 25, 2025 Przewalski's horses are pictured in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. A Przewalski's horse foal is pictured in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) Przewalski's horses are pictured in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) A Przewalski's horse foal is pictured in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows Przewalski's horses drinking water in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) Staff members check the daily life of Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) Staff members check feces of the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Former US President Barack Obama has been presented with the Freedom of the City of Dublin The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, on Thursday formally conferred the Freedom of the City of Dublin on President Barack Obama, in recognition of his historic achievements, his commitment to equality, and his enduring contribution to public life. The Freedom of the City is Dublins highest civic honour, reserved for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the world and whose values reflect those cherished by the people of Dublin. Speaking at the ceremony, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, said: It is my great honour, on behalf of the citizens of Dublin, to confer the Freedom of the City upon President Barack Obama. "This award recognises not only his remarkable achievements as President of the United States, but also his steadfast commitment to democracy, equality, and the power of community. Advertisement "President Obama has inspired millions around the world with his leadership and his vision for a fairer, more compassionate society. It is fitting that Dublin now welcomes him as a Freeman of our city." "In honouring President Obama, I want to link his legacy to my agenda for a Living City, an Active City, and an Engaged City. His story reminds us that politics, when driven by hope, can change lives and open doors of opportunity that is a message Dubliners can understand and share. He said President Obama signed the Roll of Honour during a short ceremony and was presented with a gift of a First Edition of Ulysses (American Edition) by James Joyce, a bottle of Dublin Whiskey by Teelings, and a commemorative scroll with calligraphy by Aoife Lyons by the Lord Mayor. President Obama said: To Lord Mayor McAdam, Former Lord Mayor Carr, the Dublin City Council, and the citizens of Dublin: on behalf of Michelle and myself, I accept this honor with deep humility. "These are, undoubtedly, times of great challenge and great change. But it is in moments like these that we are reminded of who we truly are. "We are people, the Irish and Americans, who never stop imagining a brighter future for us all. "That defiant, enduring hope has always been an unshakeable bond that connects our two countries, and so many others around the world. May we continue to strengthen those ties, and keep working to make our world a little more just, more equal, more prosperous, and more free. Advertisement Ireland Donohoe warns of faint whiff of 2008 around the place Read more Only 88 people have ever received the Freedom of the City since it was first awarded in 1876. Previous recipients include Presidents of the United States Ulysses S. Grant, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton. International leaders Nelson Mandela and Mikhail Gorbachev have received it along with sporting heroes Jack Charlton, Ronnie Delany, and Kellie Harrington. Michelle Obama was also awarded the Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2017 alongside her husband. The Government was represented at Thursday's ceremony by Minister Paschal Donohoe. A garda accused of careless driving causing serious bodily harm to a Brazilian delivery man whose leg was severed at the M50 in 2023 pleads not guilty, a court has heard. Joao Henrique Ferreira, 24, who had lived in Ireland for five years, had been assisting friends in locating a stolen bicycle when the incident allegedly occurred on a slip road to the motorway in Tallaght, Dublin. Following a probe by Fiosru, the police ombudsman (formerly Gsoc), criminal proceedings commenced against Garda Neil Doyle of Dundrum station. He was first summonsed to appear at Dublin District Court on May 8th on a charge of careless driving causing serious bodily harm at Junction 11 north on the M50 on October 28th, 2023. The court had ordered the prosecution to provide defence solicitor, Liz Hughes, with disclosure of evidence "as soon as possible" and adjourned the case. Advertisement The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disclosure in the District Court on a guilty plea. Otherwise, it would have to go to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers. On Thursday, Ms Hughes told Judge Michele Finan that, having received significant disclosure of evidence, she could inform the court that it was a not-guilty plea. The officer was present but remained silent during the proceedings. Ireland Surge in number of prosecutions for brothel-keeping Read more Judge Finan noted the defence position and adjourned the case until January 12th for prosecutors to complete and serve a book of evidence on the defendant, and to grant a return for trial order. Mr Ferreira had travelled back from Brazil for the proceedings on earlier dates but was not required to address the court. He did not have to attend on Thursday. At a previous stage, the judge was told Mr Ferreira "was anxious for the court to hear from him about the seriousness of the injuries" and he was due to undergo further prosthetic surgery over the summer. When the prosecution first came before the court in May, the defence had sought disclosure of prosecution evidence "as soon as possible" so the garda's legal team could "consider his position". A family doctor accused of professional misconduct over his public comments on Covid-19 measures and restrictions had criticised virtually every aspect of the States response to the pandemic, a medical inquiry has heard. An expert witness told a fitness-to-practise hearing of the Medical Council that Marcus de Brun, who operated his own medical practice in Rush, Co Dublin, had disagreed with all sorts of public health guidelines and initiatives in a large number of posts on his Twitter account. Colin Bradley, who is head of the Family Medicine Department at the RCSI/UCD Malaysia Campus in Penang with over 30 years experience in general medicine, said it was hubris for a single practitioner to feel that he had more expertise or wisdom than an expert body established to advise the Government on how to respond to a once in a lifetime pandemic. Advertisement A report prepared for the Medical Council by Prof Bradley acknowledged that the views held by Dr de Brun were sincere, but it also noted that they were out of kilter with the more widely held beliefs of most scientists and physicians. It also described the GPs views on vaccines for Covid-19 as alarmist. Dr de Brun is facing ten allegations of professional misconduct over his criticism of public health guidelines, lockdowns, the wearing of facemasks and Covid-19 vaccines introduced during the pandemic. The Medical Council claims Dr de Bruns comments and actions were inappropriate and undermined public health guidelines, as well as running contrary to sections of the Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics. However, the GP maintains that the deaths of his patients in a nursing home during the pandemic and the subsequent anger and upset he expressed via social media were a consequence of Government guidelines and inaction of the Medical Council. Dr de Brun resigned from the Medical Council in April 2020 over what he claimed was the States failure to protect nursing home residents. In evidence on the third day of the inquiry, Prof Bradley acknowledged that some of Dr de Bruns criticisms of the States response to the pandemic were legitimate. He said that most people, including members of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) which oversaw the Governments handling of the pandemic would probably accept that the decision to discharge patients from hospitals into nursing homes without adequate testing was a misstep in the early days of the virus. Advertisement He told the inquiry that he also accepted that it was reasonable for Dr de Brun to engage in debates and write articles about his views. However, Prof Bradley said there were more appropriate channels to convey such views than social media without necessarily undermining public health guidelines. The witness observed that it was much more reasonable that Dr de Brun had been one of over 20 GPs who had submitted an alternative strategy for responding to the pandemic, which he had no doubt was considered by NPHET. He told counsel for the Medical Council, Neasa Bird BL, that he believed the allegations constituted professional misconduct as the GPs conduct could be regarded as disgraceful and dishonourable as well as failing to meet the standards expected of doctors, particularly in relation to the use of social media. Prof Bradley said the GPs tweets were misleading and encouraged people not to take public health guidelines seriously. He agreed with Ms Bird that their contents were potentially falsely reassuring. Prof Bradley said Dr de Bruns Twitter bio, in which he stated his views were personal, was an attempt to suggest they did not reflect those of the medical profession. However, he said it was the unfortunate burden of being a registered practitioner that when one speaks in public, such views are seen as representing the medical profession. Prof Bradley noted that the Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics extended beyond the limitations of day-to-day work in a GP practice, and doctors had a responsibility for what they said in any public forum. Advertisement He added that the public put a lot of weight on what doctors say and will be inclined to follow the lead of the guidance offered by doctors. Prof Bradley observed that the Covid-19 pandemic was a very dynamic situation where things were changing day by day. He believed it was important that health professionals were not jumping the gun and making announcements about what should or should not be done until there was more clear-cut evidence. As time went on, Prof Bradley said the understanding of the pandemic and how to manage it increased, which meant it was important for doctors to be aware of the opinions and advice of experts who were studying the pandemic and virus closely. He also remarked that he considered lockdowns and looking for a vaccine as standard public health responses to infectious diseases and made perfect sense. Prof Bradley said it was important that medical professionals should sing from the same hymn sheet as it would be difficult for the public to respond in a consistent manner if they were constantly bombarded with both sides of a debate. He told the inquiry that one had to trust that scientific information was collated and examined by appropriate bodies whose deliberations would subsequently be followed. He criticised Dr de Bruns attendance at a public rally at the Custom House in Dublin on August 20th, 2022, when he failed to wear a facemask and observe social distancing. Ireland Irish People Party election candidate charged with harassing a garda Read more He noted the GP had also shaken hands with individuals at a time when people were being told to avoid such contact. Prof Bradley said Dr de Bruns comments suggested that vaccines were dangerous and should not be administered, particularly to children, while he had dismissed the severity of the virus as a nasty cold. He also claimed the GP had been disparaging of the medical profession. The inquiry was adjourned until Friday, when Prof Bradley is due to be cross-examined by Dr de Brun, who is representing himself at the hearing. A former European election candidate for the Irish People Party has appeared before Cork District Court charged in connection with the alleged harassment of a garda. Ross Lahive of Church Street, Shandon in Cork, attended the Bridewell Garda Station in the city on Thursday morning by appointment. He was charged that on dates between October 9th, 2022, and February 6th, 2025, he harassed a garda. The alleged offence is contrary to Section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Detective Sergeant Christopher Cahill described the alleged actions of the accused as a campaign of harassment". He said that the impacted garda felt intimidated and distressed by the actions of the 46-year-old. Dgt Sgt Cahill gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. He said that Mr Lahive made no reply when the charge was put to him after caution shortly before 10am today. Advertisement He said the charge arose from an incident where the garda was dealing with a matter at a public event in October 2022. The garda arrested Mr Lahive at the event. It is alleged that footage of the garda was video recorded at the event and posted on social media. Dgt Sgt Cahill said that it is further alleged that on February 22nd 2023, the same garda was walking outside Cork District Court in the city, having given evidence in a case, when he was approached by Mr Lahive and his co-accused. The garda was wearing a civilian jacket over his Garda uniform. It is alleged the garda was accosted, verbally abused and followed down Anglesea Street in Cork city by Mr Lahive. The garda was allegedly recorded and live-streamed on social media by the co-accused in the case, with video of the interaction subsequently being posted on Facebook. Dgt Sgt Cahill said that the garda was afraid to get on his bus home. He was particularly concerned about the possibility of being followed by Lahive and his co-accused. It is the case of the State that the video footage was posted on Facebook later that day with a caption which contained derogatory comments about the garda. The video was also allegedly reposted in August and December 2023 and in February of this year. Judge Dorgan accepted jurisdiction in the case in the event of a guilty plea being recorded. If the case is contested, it will be sent forward to Cork Circuit Court. Advertisement Sgt John Kelleher said that Mr Lahive also allegedly posted video footage of the Garda last night and this morning. This does not form part of the charge currently before the court. Mr Lahive said that he was made aware on Tuesday of his appointment with gardai this morning. However, he insisted that bail conditions hadnt been discussed at that point. When asked by Sgt Kelleher if he thought that posting a video of the Garda last night and this morning was appropriate, Mr Lahive replied, I felt that it was my constitutional right under freedom of speech. There was no objection to bail in the case. Mr Lahive gave an undertaking to abide by his bail conditions, including refraining from making comments on social media about the case. He was remanded on bail on his own bond of 1,000 to appeal before Cork District Court on November 20th next. Ireland Garda pleads not guilty to careless driving causing serious harm as man's leg was severed Read more Free legal aid was granted. Defence solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher said that his client was on a community employment scheme and in receipt of 1,000 a month. Mr Kelleher was granted discovery of documents in the case. Mr Lahive has to refrain from having any direct or indirect contact with the alleged victim in the case. Mr Lahive also cannot post about anything related to the case on social media. He has to be in possession of a fully charged and in-credit mobile 24 hours a day so that he can be contactable to gardai. He also has to sign on at the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork city twice a week whilst on bail. The court heard that the DPP had directed the summary disposal of the case at district court level on a signed plea of guilty. A district court judge has imposed an effective driving ban on a motorist charged with 10 dangerous driving offences, before the driver has decided if he is to enter a guilty or not guilty plea. At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett has ordered that as part of bail terms for Karl Tadiwa Takawira Mundawarara (25) with an Ennis address, he undertake not to drive a vehicle. Judge Gabbett said, It is either that or he goes into custody." Judge Gabbett told the court that he was imposing the bail condition as this "is a public safety issue". Solicitor, John Casey, for Mr Takawira Mundawarara, said that maybe the court is jumping the gun, these are only charges at the moment. Mr Casey said that he did not want to enter a plea in the case as he had not received Garda disclosure of evidence against Mr Takawira Mundawarara as yet. Advertisement Judge Gabbett imposed the effective driving ban pending the conclusion of the case after Sgt John Burke told him that Mr Takawira Mundawarara is facing 10 separate dangerous driving charges. Sgt Burke said that Mr Takawira Mundawarara is also facing one drug possession charge concerning 100 worth of cocaine. Judge Gabbett said that Mr Takawira Mundawarara is entitled to presumption of innocence, but one would have to be very concerned that he is facing 10 dangerous driving charge sheets in one day. In the case, Mr Takawira Mundawarara is facing 10 separate dangerous driving charges from one incident on June 29th of this year across 10 separate town lands in Ennis and its environs. The town lands and areas include Circular Rd, Claraabbey, Ballybeg, Clonroadmore, Tiermaclane-Ballyea, Cahercalla More, Kildysart Rd, Drumbiggle, Cahercalla Beg and Ballymacaula. Judge Gabbett said, He was tearing through town in residential areas, being chased? Asked how Mr Takawira Mundawarara came to a stop at the end of a Garda pursuit at 5am on June 29th, Sgt Burke said: He crashed. Judge Gabbett commented, you rarely get 10 dangerous driving charges and this was all for 100 worth of cocaine? Solicitor, John Casey, for Mr Takawira Mundawarara of Cappahard, Ennis, said that had his client stopped initially for the Gardai, he would be facing a minor drugs possession charge. Judge Gabbett said, for his first time, he would be looking at a contribution to the Court Discretionary Fund (Court Poor Box). Judge Gabbett said that instead the penalty for dangerous driving is a two-year driving ban, and with 10 charges, he could be off the road for a long time. Advertisement Ireland Surge in number of prosecutions for brothel-keeping Read more Judge Gabbett said that of course, these are only allegations and is entitled to the presumption of innocence. Judge Gabbett asked Sgt Burke if Mr Takawira Mundawarara could be facing a charge of endangerment and Sgt Burke said that he will not be as the DPP has already made directions in the case. Judge Gabbett said that the case should not be adjourned for any lengthy period as I dont want to keep off the road for longer than needs be if he is not guilty. Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to October 3rd and said, he is off the road until the 3rd of October." It is patronising to suggest older people will not migrate to digital boarding passes, Ryanair boss Michael OLeary has said. The airline said it will move to 100 per cent digital boarding passes from Wednesday, November 12th, in a move that will mean passengers will no longer be able to download and print a physical paper boarding pass but will instead need to use the digital boarding pass generated in the Ryanair app. Asked about criticism of the scheme from advocates for older people, Mr OLeary told reporters in Dublin on Thursday that he was amazed by the outrage. The 64-year-old said: Im old, and I travel from Ryanair on a very, very regular basis, and I use the Ryanair app, it is pretty simple, pretty easy to use. Advertisement He said nobody would be cut off at the knees and the airline would be reasonably forgiving of people showing up with paper boarding passes through Christmas and into January. The critical thing: If youve checked online before you get there and you lose your phone, well have your name in the system. We will manually board you at the boarding gate so if your phone goes off, you lose your phone, your phone gets stolen, it is not going to make any issue as long as you checked in online before you got the boarding gate, which, by the way, would eliminate all the check-in fees at the airport. Mr OLeary, who said his 86-year-old mother uses the Ryanair app, claimed it was a myth that older people could not transition to changes in technology. Actually, what you find is the old people firstly just get their kids or grandkids to make bookings for them, and then pretty quickly theyre adopting it themselves. The people who jump first on every seat sale we run are old people. They are the ones sitting there hovering. They dont go to concerts anymore but the minute theres a seat sale on Ryanair theyre in like a bandit either on their laptop or on their mobile app. And it is slightly patronising, this notion that old people cant and wont move to mobile technology or to the apps. Pressed on whether he was only considering older people who already use the technology, Mr OLeary replied: No, Im talking about older people who will have the app, if thats the only way they can fly with Ryanair. They will just convert and move because thats what they do. A pilot scheme in which pupils place their mobile phones in a magnetic pouch so they cannot be used during the school day has begun. Nine schools will take part in the programme, which will involve more than 8,000 young people across Northern Ireland until March next year. Northern Ireland's Education Minister Paul Givan hailed the potential of the scheme during a visit to St Ronans College in Lurgan. There is growing unease about the amount of time young people spend on smartphones, and research increasingly points to a link between excessive use and declining mental health among adolescents Paul Givan He said: Since becoming Education Minister, Ive taken time to carefully review the evidence and listen to the concerns of parents, teachers and school leaders about mobile phone use in schools. There is growing unease about the amount of time young people spend on smartphones, and research increasingly points to a link between excessive use and declining mental health among adolescents. Advertisement In response, I committed to piloting a phone-free solution that would prevent pupils from using their devices during the school day, helping them to fully engage with learning, social interaction and all aspects of school life. Mr Givan said countries around the world are taking action to reduce phone use in schools. He added: While some schools here in Northern Ireland have already introduced their own policies, I believe we need a consistent, evidence-based approach. This pilot will help us understand what works best and how we can support schools to make changes that benefit pupils, boosting wellbeing, focus and academic achievement. After a procurement process, Odyssey Education was appointed to supply lockable mobile phone pouches for the pilot and provide training, guidance and support for the pilot project. This will ensure pupils cannot use their phones during the school day and will allow us to evaluate the impacts of reduced usage. Paul Givan Mr Givan said: Pupils involved in the pilot scheme will place their phones in a pocket-sized fabric pouch with a magnetic latch that is sealed at the beginning of the school day and opened using a special unlocking base. This will ensure pupils cannot use their phones during the school day and will allow us to evaluate the impacts of reduced usage. I want to provide reassurance that flexibility will be provided for those students who need access to their smartphone during the school day, for reasons of health, disability or other needs. Kings College London has been appointed to carry out an external evaluation of the pilot. Mr Givan added: This is a pilot initiative, and every aspect of using lockable pouches during the school day will be independently evaluated by Kings College London. Advertisement Their research will help us understand the real impact of reduced phone use in schools. I encourage everyone involved students, staff and parents to share their experiences openly and honestly over the coming months. I look forward to the valuable insights this review will bring, which will help shape future policy decisions. A report about the evaluation of the pilot scheme is due to be published next June. The nine schools participating in the pilot are Glenlola Collegiate, Bangor, Friends School, Lisburn, Hazelwood Integrated College, Belfast, St Genevieves High School, Belfast, St Josephs Boys, Derry, St Fancheas College, Enniskillen, Larne High School, Markethill High School and St Ronans College, Lurgan. The scheme had previously been criticised after Mr Givan said he had set aside 286,000 (250,000) to pay for it. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long questioned the cost last year and said, each mobile comes with an off switch, which is absolutely free. Tanaiste Simon Harris is due to meet US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick as part of a diplomatic trip to the States. Mr Harris, the Foreign Affairs Minister, travelled to New York to attend the UN High-Level Week. He is to take part in several meetings in Washington DC on Thursday and officially open a new Irish embassy in the US capital. Our embassy is a testament not just to the shared history between our two countries, but an expression of our aspiration and ambition for a bright future together Simon Harris Mr Harris said there is no greater sign of the importance of the Irish-US relationship than the opening of Irelands new embassy, next to the White House. Our embassy is a testament not just to the shared history between our two countries, but an expression of our aspiration and ambition for a bright future together. It reflects Irelands expanding footprint right across the United States, where we now have a network of eight consulates general. Advertisement I look forward to meeting Howard Lutnick, United States secretary of commerce, and discussing how we can protect and deepen our mutually beneficial economic relationship. Not only is the US investing in Ireland, but Ireland is investing in the US. We are now the fifth largest source of foreign direct investment in America. Across every region of the union, Irish companies have created 200,000 American jobs. To that end, I am also delighted today to launch an economic impact report which maps Irelands economic footprint across the United States, capturing not only the trade flows between our two countries, but also our research partnerships and tourism figures, and significantly, the remarkable scale of Irish companies who have operations here. Howard Lutnick with Donald Trump. Photo: Alex Brandon/AP. While I am in DC, I am looking forward to engagement with these Irish businesses whose investment in the United States forms part of our remarkable transatlantic economic ties. He said officials would work on a new US strategy to be published in early 2026, coinciding with 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776. Mr Harris said three signatories of that document were born on the island of Ireland. He last met Mr Lutnick in Washington DC in April on what he said was a very busy day for the US administration. A 90-day pause on higher US tariffs had been announced the previous day, which had threatened a 20 per cent tariff for the EU. Ireland ESRI recommends tighter fiscal stance in Budget Read more A 15 per cent tariff was later implemented under an EU-US deal, while the previous 10 per cent tariff will apply to goods that are already in transit or have been warehoused for consumption until October 5th. The all-inclusive 15 per cent tariff is on most EU goods, including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals entering the US. There are zero for zero tariffs on a number of products including planes and aircraft parts, some agricultural goods and certain chemicals. There have been 50 prosecutions for brothel-keeping since the beginning of 2024 more than were recorded in the previous four years combined, new figures have revealed. Keeping a brothel or knowingly allowing a premises to be used as one is a criminal offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison on indictment. Gardai brought 34 prosecutions for the offence under Section 11 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 last year, while another 16 prosecutions were commenced since the start of 2025. They included the arrest of three Brazilian men in Dublin two weeks ago, who were charged with brothel-keeping and organised prostitution at a number of addresses across the country. A separate prosecution saw Stelian Ciuciu, 32, from Brookdale Walk, Swords, sentenced to eight years in prison last July after pleading guilty to 20 charges, including brothel-keeping, organising prostitution, and money laundering. Advertisement In March, Brazilian Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro, 54, was jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to 19 sample counts, including using false instruments, brothel-keeping, and possession of the proceeds of crime. Ribeiro had rented properties across rural Ireland under false pretences and used them as brothels, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told. Figures published by Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan in response to a parliamentary question from Independent Ireland TD Ken OFlynn show that the number of prosecutions for brothel-keeping has soared in recent years. Ireland Man (20s) who allegedly used Snapchat for sex communication with a child faces further charges Read more A total of 10 prosecutions were recorded in 2020, and another 15 were filed the following year. The total number dropped below 10 in both 2022 and 2023, before surging to 34 last year. Mr OCallaghan said the number of Garda staff assigned specifically to the investigation of prostitution, human trafficking and related crime has more than doubled from 11 to 24 in the past 10 years. It is generally recognised that prostitution is inherently exploitative of vulnerable persons, mainly women and girls, and that many people are forced into prostitution through trafficking, drug addiction, homelessness and poverty, he said. Mr OCallaghan said the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence aimed to reduce demand for prostitution, to raise awareness of the law around it, and to improve exit pathways. Warnings from the ESRI ahead of the budget, and possible tax breaks for developers, make the front pages of Thursday's papers. The Irish Times leads with the ESRI urging the Government to scale back spending or risk an overheating economy. The Irish Examiner leads with Maria Steen falling just short of securing enough nominations to contest the Presidential election. The Echo leads with a child waiting for a start date to attend a special school in Cork. The Irish Independent leads with a warning that the housing crisis could worsen as wages soar in construction. The Irish Daily Mail reveals developers could be set for tax breaks to build new apartments. The Herald leads with a member of the Kinahan cartel being raided following threats made to a senior officer. The Irish Daily Mirror leads with the Flotilla on the way to Gaza, targeted by drones from Israel. The Irish Daily Star leads with Derek Hutch visiting the grave of his brother, Gary, following the 10th anniversary of his murder in Spain. Israel has struck houses and tents in central and southern Gaza, crushing families inside and killing at least 17 Palestinians, including 10 children and three women, local health officials said, as international pressure for a ceasefire continued to grow. On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, French President Emmanuel Macron told France 24 that his country had recognised a Palestinian state on the conviction it is the only way to isolate Hamas, which has proved itself able to regenerate even after many of its leaders have been killed. Total war in Gaza is causing civilian casualties but cant bring about the end of Hamas, he said in the interview on Wednesday. You cannot stop the war if there is no path to peace French President Emmanuel Macron Factually, its a failure. He said he had been lobbying US President Donald Trump to press Israel again for a ceasefire. Advertisement You cannot stop the war if there is no path to peace, Mr Macron added. Some Israeli ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government have pushed for annexing the occupied West Bank in response to international recognition of Palestinian statehood a move that could effectively strip the Palestinian Authority of all civil and security powers in the territory. Mr Macron said such a move would be a red line for France, and I think its also a red line for the United States of America. Neither the White House nor the State Department responded to requests for comment on Mr Macrons statement. Mr Netanyahu has said he will not make any decisions until he returns from the United States, where he is to address the UN General Assembly on Friday and then meet Mr Trump in Washington. In the early hours of Thursday, an Israeli strike hit a tent and a house in the central town of Zawaida, killing at least 12 people, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah. Palestinians survey the aftermath of an Israeli military strike on the Abu Dahrouj family home in Zawaida, central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) Among the dead were a couple and five of their children, along with three other children. Associated Press footage showed the building collapsed into a pile of rubble the dust-covered arm of a child sticking out from under a slab of concrete. Relatives said another child was still missing under the wreckage. Advertisement Another strike hit a tent in Deir al-Balah, killing a girl and wounding seven people, the hospital said. In the southern city of Khan Younis, an Israeli attack hit an apartment building, killing a man, his pregnant wife and their 10-year-old child as well as a female relative, according to Nasser Hospital, where the bodies were taken. On Monday, France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco announced or confirmed their recognition of a Palestinian state in the hopes of galvanising support for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. Their announcements came a day after the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal did the same, in defiance of Israel and the US. At the UN General Assembly I will speak our truth Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Mr Netanyahu lashed out at the idea early on Thursday before heading to New York. At the UN General Assembly I will speak our truth, he told reporters. I will denounce those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, the rapists, the child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the land of Israel. It will not happen. At separate events in New York on Wednesday, US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Mr Trumps lead negotiator Steve Witkoff both offered optimistic views about what Mr Witkoff called a Trump 21-point plan for peace that was presented to Arab leaders on Tuesday. The US has not released details of the plan or said whether Israel or Hamas accepts it. Mr Netanyahu suggested Israels position had not changed. He said that during his trip to the US he would discuss our need to complete the goals of the war: to return all our hostages, to defeat Hamas and to expand the circle of peace that is open to us. Advertisement The US, along with Egypt and Qatar, has spent months trying to broker a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release. Photos of hostages who have been held in Gaza since the Hamas cross-border attack on Israel on October 7 2023 are displayed at a memorial in Tel Aviv, Israel (Oded Balilty/AP) Those efforts suffered a major setback earlier this month when Israel carried out an air strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar. Israel launched another major ground operation earlier this month in Gaza City, which experts say is experiencing famine. More than 300,000 people have fled, but up to 700,000 are still there, many because they cannot afford to relocate. The UN humanitarian office, known as OCHA, warned that Israels closure this week of the border crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan threatens to severely undermine its ability to deliver aid to Gaza. It said that last month a quarter of the aid destined for Gaza through the UN humanitarian effort came through the Allenby Bridge Crossing over the Jordan River, also known as the King Hussein Bridge. Israel announced the closure on Tuesday after an attack last week that killed two Israelis. Israels campaign in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 people and wounded more than 167,000 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Smoke billows over Gaza City following an Israeli air strike (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) It does not say how many were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half the fatalities. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government. UN agencies and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties. Israels campaign was triggered when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Forty-eight captives remain in Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive, after most of the rest were freed in ceasefires or other deals. President Donald Trump has held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House and signalled that the United States might soon lift its hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara. During Mr Trumps first term, the US removed Turkey, a Nato ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet programme after Turkey purchased an air defence system from Russia. US officials worried that Turkeys use of Russias S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands. Mr Trump started his two-hour meeting with Mr Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be found during the leaders talks. The two leaders held talks in the White House (Evan Vucci/AP) He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and were going to come to a conclusion. Youll know by the end of the day, Mr Trump said. The President added to Mr Erdogan, and I think youll be successful with buying the things you would like to buy. In a brief exchange with reporters as he bid farewell to Mr Erdogan, Mr Trump called it a good meeting but did not offer further details. Advertisement It was Mr Erdogans first trip to the White House since 2019. They forged what Mr Trump has described as a very good relationship during his first White House term. Over the years, US officials have cited concerns about Turkeys human rights record under Mr Erdogan and the countrys ties with Russia. Tensions between Turkey and Israel, another important American ally, over Gaza and Syria have made relations difficult with Turkey at times. Mr Trump, in remarks before reporters, focused his concerns on Turkeys continued economic relationship with Russia. The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia Donald Trump Turkey has been one of the biggest buyers of Russian fossil fuels since the European Union announced in early 2023 it would boycott most Russian seaborne oil. Since January 2023, Ankara has purchased more than 90 billion dollars in Russian oil, coal and natural gas. Only China and India have bought more from Russia in that period. The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia, Mr Trump said of Mr Erdogan. Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and Mr Trumps envoy to Syria, said the presidents discussed all the major issues in the US-Turkey relationship, including Russia and the F-35 programme, with paths forward. Advertisement Asked if Turkey is amenable to cutting off its substantial oil purchases from Russia, Mr Barrack replied: You have to ask them. Turkeys energy minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Mr Trumps secretary of state Marco Rubio signed a memorandum of understanding on Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation during Mr Erdogans visit, the minister announced on X. Mr Bayraktar did not provide details but said the two countries had launched a new process that would strengthen ties in nuclear energy. Mr Trump added that Mr Erdogan is respected by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I think he could have a big influence if he wants to, Mr Trump said. US President Donald Trump said he is looking forward to "working closely" with Ireland to strengthen its time-honoured relationship with the United States. It comes as Tanaiste Simon Harris on Thursday formally opened the new offices of the Irish Embassy in the United States in Washington, DC. The opening of the new Embassy next to the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue was welcomed by Trump, who said he is looking to advance fair trade policies and investment opportunities that benefit both of our nations citizens. Speaking in DC, the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said: I want to thank President Trump for his kind words as we begin to write the next chapter in the great story of Ireland-US relations. These offices on 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue, next to the White House, represent the culmination of a nearly four-year project to realise a significant commitment of the Global Ireland Strategy and National Development Plan. Advertisement Ireland Former US President Barack Obama receives Freedom of the City of Dublin Read more This will be an excellent base from which to grow our vital political, economic, and cultural ties with the US over the years ahead. Our ambition stretches beyond Washington, DC too. The Government has deepened its investment in our diplomatic platform right across the US recently, with new Ireland Houses in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, as well as new Consulates in Los Angeles and Miami. Mr Harris said he was launching an economic impact report which maps Irelands economic footprint right across the US and shows the remarkable impact of our partnership in terms of trade, employment, research, tourism, and investment. Ireland is now the 5th largest source of foreign direct investment in America, and Irish companies have created more than 200,000 American jobs. Family members of Virginia Giuffre have praised charities decisive action by cutting ties with Sarah Ferguson, after it emerged she sent an email to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein calling him a supreme friend. Several charities severed ties with the duchess on Monday after it emerged she apologised to Epstein in April 2011 after publicly disowning him in the media. Ms Giuffre, who died in Western Australia in April aged 41, was one of the most outspoken accusers of convicted sex offenders Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Virginia Giuffre during an interview with BBC Panorama. Photo: BBC Panorama/PA. In 2022, she settled lawsuit against the Duke of York, the duchess former husband, for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein. He denied the claim and ever meeting Ms Giuffre. American-born Ms Giuffres brother, Sky Roberts, and her sister-in-law Amanda Roberts, said in a statement: It is commendable that these seven charities have cut ties with Sarah Ferguson in light of her connections to Epstein. Advertisement This decisive action sends a strong message about accountability and the need to confront those who support the horrific child trafficking network established by Epstein and Maxwell. They added: It raises important questions about our own efforts in America. Are we doing enough to condemn those complicit in these crimes? We should follow the example set by these organisations and take meaningful steps to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice. Ms Giuffre was was systematically failed by nearly every powerful institution that was meant to protect her, they said, before commending the forceful response from the charities and adding: In absence of governmental accountability, we urgently need stronger public condemnation of the men and women involved in propping up Epsteins horrific child sex trafficking network here in America to begin pursuing real justice. James Henderson, the duchesss spokesperson at the time, said the email was sent after a really menacing and nasty phone call from the sex offender who had a Hannibal Lecter-type voice, the Telegraph reported on Tuesday. The phone call reportedly took place in the wake of the duchesss interview with the Evening Standard on March 7 2011, in which she apologised for accepting 15,000 from Epstein. She told the newspaper: I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again. Sarah, Duchess of York (Jordan Pettitt/PA) A little over a month later, the duchess sent a message to Epstein, reported by The Sun newspaper, in which she said: I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that. Advertisement You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family. It continued: I was advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you. And if I did I would cause more problems to you, the duke and myself. I was broken and lost. So please understand. I didnt want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in over-riding fear. I am sorry. Jeffrey Epstein. Photo: US Department of Justice/PA. Among the organisations to end their relationships with the duchess after the 2011 email came to light is the Teenage Cancer Trust, who dropped her as patron after 35 years. Similar announcements came from Wiltshire and Dorset-based childrens hospice Julias House, Prevent Breast Cancer, The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals who all cut ties with the duchess on Monday. The British Heart Foundation also said she was no longer a serving ambassador for the charity. Julias House explained it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity citing her correspondence with Epstein as a deciding factor while founders of food allergy charity The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation said they were disturbed to read her correspondence with him. Other charities thanked the duchess for her work. The Duke of York paid millions to settle the civil sexual assault case with Ms Giuffre in 2022, who alleged the duke slept with her on three separate occasions. Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, in the US, in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide. Advertisement LifestyleFashionFashion designers Her $400 dress has a cult following. Meet the Melbourne designer doing things her way Damien Woolnough September 25, 2025 3:00pm 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 3 View all comments Designers fret about the smallest things: buttonholes, hemlines, fabric and the correct shade of red, so you would think that Effie Kats would be panicking about staging her first runway show in Melbourne, in the middle of Milan Fashion Week, where Fendi, Prada and Versace dominate. As far as Kats is concerned, the only people who matter to her rapidly growing business were sitting in the front-row in the Long Room of the Immigration Museum on Thursday morning. Dedicated customers, local buyers and friends of the brand, including Rebecca Harding and Toni Maticevski, were more important than having Anna Wintour in the audience. And Kats already knew that her dresses were in the right shade of red. Designer Effie Kats with models before her debut runway show at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne. Simon Schluter This is about connecting with our customer, Kats said. In a social media world more and more brands are reaching out through their Instagram posts. Im taking it back to the roots of what fashion is really about. The touch, the feel its immersive. Advertisement In Milan this week, Gucci designer Demna rejected a runway show, instead presenting a film for his debut as creative director, but making movies was never Kats dream. I used to read my dads [tailor Bill Katsaounis] copies of Vogue and I was a part of the runway shows for his label Classic Formal when I was growing up. Its something that has always been in my life. Effie Kats runway show at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne. Getty Images Kats launched her namesake brand in 2018, following the demise of her first fashion business Zachary. Until this big budget show she had been cautious with money, waiting until this year to launch in David Jones and The Iconic. The success of those launches helped pay the bills for the flotilla of models, make-up artists and metres of white carpet for the runway show. We launched Effie Kats into six stores, and after only six months of trading its now in 12 stores, said Abbey Mudie, David Jones womenswear buyer. Our customers love the signature crepe fabric for event dressing. The Verona dress is our bestseller and its under $400 price tag helps. Advertisement In Melbourne, the Verona dress sells strongly in black shock horror, says Kats while in Sydney, its popular in red. Another difference Kats has noticed is that Melbourne designers rarely stage runway shows. Effie Kats runway show at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne. Getty Images Its more of a Sydney thing during Australian Fashion Week, but Im happy to be doing this in my city. I couldnt do it in Melbourne Fashion Festival or Melbourne Fashion Week because they are group shows, where everything is decided by a stylist. Im too much of a control freak. Advertisement Kats show was a slick presentation of the designers socialite silhouettes, where classic shapes are given a subtle contemporary twist and enough stretch in the fabric to survive a long Saturday night. Effie Kats runway show at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne. Getty Images Related Article Fashion designers Pip Edwards is taking her extra style global: New York is calling Now Kats can celebrate by sitting back and watching the sales figures. Runway moments spark conversation, said Arabella McNamee, senior buyer at The Iconic. Weve seen first hand how that buzz translates into strong sell-through. Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday. An octogenarian accused of involvement in a whale euthanasia charity acting as a front for a life-ending business has shuffled into court aided by crutches to face a magistrate. Ian George Taylor today faced Southport Magistrates Court on Queenslands Gold Coast charged with once count each of possessing and trafficking drugs. Police allege Taylor, aged 80, trafficked animal euthanasia drugs on April 5, less than a week before his son, Brett Daniel Taylor, 53, allegedly helped a quadriplegic man to take his own life. Ian Taylor sought to view police evidence alleging he trafficked whale euthanasia drugs alongside his son. The Taylors and Southport woman Elaine Arch-Rowe, 81, were charged on September 15 following an investigation into the death of 43-year-old David Llewellyn Bedford at on April 11. The trio allegedly used a charity for humanely killing beached whales and dolphins to obtain and sell veterinary drugs to people seeking to end their lives. Brett Taylor founded the charity Cetacean Compassion Australia Ltd and registered it to a Gold Coast high-rise apartment with Ian Taylor reportedly listed as a director. Police in July launched an investigation into Bedfords death in response to correspondence from the Coroners Office. Toxicology results from a post-mortem confirmed Bedford died from acute toxicity from a veterinary euthanasia drug. Bedford was a former chef who was left paralysed by a car crash in August 2022, according to his previous submission to a Queensland parliamentary inquiry into voluntary assisted dying in 2020. AAP Advertisement NationalQueenslandProperty development Brisbane crane index shows shift to residential ... for now Cameron Atfield September 25, 2025 1:49pm 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 Queenslands autocratic former premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen famously gauged the strength of the states economy by the number of cranes visible on the Brisbane skyline. That tradition has lived on through construction management company Rider Levett Bucknalls crane index, released on Thursday, which recorded a 12 per cent rise in the number of cranes in the Queensland skyline in a six-month period. The number sat at 73 in the third quarter of 2025, with 28 new cranes outpacing the 20 that came down in the first quarter. They were on 42 residential, seven mixed-use, nine health and five civil project sites across the city. Rider Levett Bucknall does a count of cranes across Brisbane every six months. Dan Peled RLB Queensland director Jamie Smith said Sir Joh was on to something, as crane index was a fairly ready and simple measure of the construction and property market. Advertisement We update it every six months biannually and weve been doing that since 2013, so we werent on to it quite as early as Sir Joh, he said. Related Article Updated City council More apartment towers to be built around major Brisbane shopping centres Smith said the stats for Brisbane and south-east Queensland as a whole showed a shift in construction towards residential developments. More than half the cranes in Brisbane were in the housing sector. This is a bit of a transitional phase, because weve had some major projects over the last six to 12 months where theyve reached a stage of the project they can pull their tower cranes down for example, Queens Wharf is in the not-too-distant memory and also some of the Cross River Rail Station boxes a little more recently, he said. The uptick this time is more so in residential projects, and a lot of that has been in the inner suburbs, so if you think of your Newsteads, your Fortitude Valleys and so on, where theres a bit of urban renewal. Advertisement Its been going for some time, but its continuing, and weve seen an uptick in activity in those areas and along some of the major arterials. But things were about to change again, Smith said, in no small part due to the 2032 Olympic Games. The crane index was still well below its 2015 and 2016 peak. Dan Peled Theres this pretty substantial pipeline thats in front of us, particularly in terms of the major public sector projects, he said. Some of the health projects have started, some are yet to commence on site. Advertisement The Olympic venues are obviously very topical. There are other parts of the state governments capital portfolio think education, housing, corrections and the like that will start to on site. Even if theyre in planning at the moment, they may not have started on site yet, so they might start to come in over the next six to 12 months. Related Article Exclusive Brisbane 2032 Olympics Royal Queensland Golf Club to expand under Gateway bridges ahead of Olympics Thats what we mean by the transition being between some of the major project infrastructure and private sector jobs that have come to a close over the last six to 12 months, and then forward-looking at a new pipeline of work coming towards us. Smith said that would come with its own challenges, with tier one builders likely to shift their focus to large-scale developments, which would put a strain on large-scale apartment and living sectors. While Brisbane had experienced growth in the index, it was still well below its 2015 and 2016 peak of 104, which was fuelled by the apartment boom. Advertisement The Gold Coast, meanwhile, was not far behind Brisbane with 67 cranes in the latest count the highest number since RLB started counting in the city in 2015 and more than any other Australian city apart from Brisbane, Sydney (370) and Melbourne (199). The Gold Coast has been a very strong market, Smith said. Theyve had, in terms of property and construction, the benefit of some pretty significant growth in interstate migration its been a very attractive area over many, many decades for people to move to, particularly over the last five years, he said. The crane count on the Gold Coast is not that far behind Brisbane as the capital, but its a significant market in its own right these days. Its almost like a maturing of the market the Gold Coast historically had a bit of a reputation as boom and bust, but it seems that it may have matured a lot and its inevitably weighted towards residential. Advertisement As for how RLB calculated the count, it was as simple as it sounded a physical count. We do a physical visit around the city, so it takes a few days of time, Smith said. We also then cross-reference that to some satellite imaging, which is more current than Google, and we sanity-check it when it comes back to the office and compare it to the last time. We run our checks and balances we dont want to put out something that someones going to pick holes in. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Victorian retail workers are dealing with a crime every five minutes as the state grapples with an alarming crime crisis that shows no signs of getting better. Supermarket giant Coles is leading a push by retailers for the ability to ban serial offenders from stores, and immediate reforms to adequately punish criminals who assault their workers. A security guard confronts a man for stealing at Coles Prahran. Joe Armao Data released by the Crime Statistics Agency on Thursday shows that crime across the state increased by more than 15 per cent in the year ending June 30, an increase of 86,587 recorded offences. Four of the five fastest-growing crimes are theft: stealing from cars, theft of cars, shoplifting and broader robbery offences. The fifth-highest crime was family violence. Advertisement Were seeing a criminal offence at least once every five minutes in a retail setting, an assault every couple of hours and cases of aggravated robbery and weapon-related offences daily or more, said Australian Retailers Association boss Chris Rodwell. Related Article Retail Demolished cakes, skipped scans and the lost lamb act: Inside the brazen world of petty theft at Coles Prahran While this reported data is alarming, the sad reality is it underestimates the true figure, as so much retail crime still goes unreported. The association is among those warning retail crime will continue to escalate in Victoria without urgent intervention. Retailers want a dedicated police taskforce and streamlined online reporting. Workplace protection orders, which bar repeat offenders from stores, have been rolled out in the ACT, with a 99.6 per cent success rate at Woolworths supermarkets. Advertisement Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill conceded crime in Victoria had jumped to unacceptable levels, propelled by soaring rates of theft and repeat youth offenders. He said police were working on new approaches to deter crime, and set an ambitious target to reduce serious and violent crime by 5 per cent each year. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, Police Minister Anthony Carbines and Assistant Police Commissioner Brett Curran launching machete amnesty bins in July. Jason South The target is part of a broader reshuffle of the force by new police chief Mike Bush, who also wants to focus on boosting confidence in the police and putting back-of-house officers back on the beat. As a society, we simply cannot allow the level of crime we are seeing to become normalised and accepted every Victorian deserves to feel safe in their home, within the community and on the roads, Hill said. Advertisement The Age shadowed retail workers at Coles in Prahran over four hours last week, and witnessed seven incidents, including a man who tried to make off with $180 worth of baby formula, a woman who ate hot chicken in the store, and a man who face-planted into a packaged birthday cake. Related Article Crime Shefali felt the blade before she saw it: How Victoria became Australias shop theft capital Thursdays crime statistics reveal thefts from retail stores have increased by almost 42 per cent. More than 20,400 incidents were recorded in the year to June 30, highlighting the ongoing crisis of abuse, violence, theft and knife crime faced by retail workers. Hill said half of those caught shoplifting were first-time offenders, which suggested cost-of-living pressures could be at play. Organised crime networks and illicit drug use were also part of the perfect storm fuelling rising crime rates. Retail union boss Michael Donovan said Premier Jacinta Allan had promised tougher penalties for violence and abuse directed at workers, but those on the front line of Victorias crime crisis were still waiting for reforms now promised by years end. Advertisement If the government can move quickly to legislate bans on machetes, it can and should act just as quickly to deliver the long-promised protections for retail and fast-food workers, Donovan said. A Coles spokesman said it had never been more critical for the state government to take decisive action on retail crime. Despite having more stores in NSW, the supermarket chain is experiencing 40 per cent more retail crime incidents at its Victorian stores. Despite record levels of investment in a range of safety and security measures in our Victorian stores, it is disappointing that our team and customers are still faced with unacceptable levels of abuse and threatening behaviour fuelled by organised crime with no sign of things getting better, a Coles spokesman said. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Crime Meme murder: 12-year-olds death while waiting for his mum reignites debate on youth crime The crime statistics also reveal the rate of aggravated home burglaries remains stubbornly high, climbing from 6454 to 7850 home invasions in the 12 months to the end of June. Home invasions, robberies and car theft remain the crime of choice for repeat and violent young offenders. Police said they had arrested 654 offenders a combined 1700 times in the past year as part of Operation Trinity, a dedicated nighttime operation targeting aggravated burglaries and car theft. Hill said the disconnect caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns, social media use and a gang mentality had caused a shift in behaviour among youths. Advertisement Its certainly something that wasnt evident in my early policing career, he said. This escalation [in behaviour] goes from zero to 100 for some of the people were arresting for these violent offences. Knife crime is also a major concern after the fatal ambush of 12-year-old Chol Achiek and 15-year-old Dau Akueng in Cobblebank earlier this month. According to police intelligence, officers have seized almost 11,000 edged weapons in the year to the end of August. The Crime Statistics Agency figures contain the first batch of bail statistics compiled by the agency, with 4300 charges relating to breaches of bail in the reporting period, although it is too early to see the impact of recent amendments to bail laws. Advertisement Related Article Investigation Crime Zombie killers and the lost boys of Melbournes warring youth gangs This initial set of bail statistics collated from multiple agencies is a first step to helping us better understand the impacts of bail or remand decisions on an alleged offenders pathway through the criminal justice system and further offending, chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said. The number of people being held on remand by the police has also increased from an average of 60 earlier in the year to more than 240. Police Minister Anthony Carbines expressed confidence that a hardening of the states bail laws would ultimately have an effect on the crime rate but was unable to say when it would come down. There are too many victims at this time, there is a crime level that is unacceptable to Victoria police, to the government and to me, he said. Advertisement Victorian Police and the government are focused on pulling up the crime rate as soon as we canbut part of that is making sure we have the tools to do the job, that we have laws in place that are having an effect, and then some long-term strategic work that Victoria Police know they need to do. Theres no quick fix here. Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin accused the government of failing every step of the way to tackle the escalating crime crisis. We need to start implementing legislation as soon as possible to get these criminals off the street, he said. We need real consequences for serious crimes in the state. Advertisement Related Article Crime Give me my stuff back: Disturbing vision captures latest example of Victorias retail violence The opposition leader has already pledged that, if elected next year, a Coalition government would introduce Jacks Law to allow police to search people for knives, and a tougher policy on breaching bail to combat Victorias record crime rates. People dont deserve a second chance when theyre committing violent crimes in our state, and serious consequences for violent crimes all the way across Victoria is the only way to keep Victorians safe, Battin said. Family violence incidents increased by almost 8 per cent in the past 12 months, with 106,427 incidents recorded across the state. Last year alone, Victoria Police arrested 8635 family violence offenders a combined 16,148 times. But while the rates of incidents soared, fewer intervention orders were made, charges decreased and unsolved cases also increased. Only 24 per cent of incidents recorded in the past 12 months resulted in charges being laid. Advertisement Family Violence Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Sharon McKinnon said the high number of unsolved cases was due to ongoing investigations, which were anticipated to be resolved in the ensuing months. Our Watch chief executive Patty Kinnersly said the disturbing figures served as a reminder that violence against women was a national crisis in Australia. She noted the data came as Victoria Police prepared for a 20 per cent increase in domestic assaults on AFL grand final day. With Hannah Hammoud and Carla Jaeger Advertisement PoliticsFederalPacific diplomacy Opinion Airbus Albo finds international diplomacy harder in term two James Massola Chief political commentator September 26, 2025 5:00am September 26, 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 359 View all comments Anthony Albanese had a largely successful first term on the international stage, mending fences with France and Pacific Island nations, bringing Australia back into the global tent on climate change and handling relationships with everyone from Joe Biden to Joko Widodo with a deft touch. Albanese dealt with a lot of low-hanging fruit in his first term, repairing relations with France and at least some Pacific Island nations was a top priority (recall the China-Solomon Islands security deal in May 2022), and the change of government provided a needed reset. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marks finally meeting US President Donald Trump with a selfie. Instagram The opposition dubbed him Airbus Albo but it didnt stick; now they argue he should have hopped in his RAAF jet and flown out to meet Trump sooner. At the start of his second term, with three years experience, relationships established and a phone book full of world leaders private numbers, Albanese is now well placed. Advertisement But events in the past couple of months have delivered a series of disappointments and delays that serve as a reminder that the wheels of international diplomacy turn slowly. Last month, my colleague Shaun Carney wrote that the Albanese government is staking out a more independent or at the very least, a less America-dependent security and diplomatic stance for Australia. Related Article Updated Foreign relations Albaneses tilt for a seat on UN Security Council to take years and millions to land Albanese, like most of his Labor predecessors, is a multilateralist and a true believer in the United Nations (though he recognises it needs reform). He believes in the idea that Australia is a middle power whose voice carries weight. (Liberal prime ministers mostly tend to look to the Anglophone world as a starting point for asserting our place in the world.) Australia failed to gain an exemption from US tariffs on Australian exports, although the lowest tariff rate was secured. Advertisement A sweeping $500 million treaty-level agreement with Vanuatu, the so-called Nakamal pact, was put on hold at the last minute. Vanuatu has since announced it will sign a new policing agreement with China. Then a major defence treaty with Papua New Guinea was put on hold at the last minute while Albanese was in town to sign the deal because of concerns within the PNG government. The prime minister has suggested the deal should be signed in coming weeks, but it hasnt been signed yet. PNG Prime Minister James Marape and Albanese announcing the nations new NRL team, but not a defence treaty. Kate Geraghty All these agreements with Pacific nations have the same purpose: to contain Chinas rise in the region and to ensure Australia is the exclusive or dominant security partner for these island nations. But the cash-rich, oversight-poor offers of loans and assistance from the Chinese Communist Party keep coming in the Pacific, and they are stymying Albaneses agenda, at least in part. Advertisement The prime ministers five-day trip to the US looks to have been a success, mostly. Albanese finally met US President Donald Trump, albeit briefly, and more importantly, secured a White House meeting with the president on October 20. The prime minister will be one of the last three G20 leaders to have a formal meeting with Trump, 11 months since the presidents re-election. Related Article Opinion Trump diplomacy Albanese is ignoring Trumps demands it will change our place in the world Shaun Carney Columnist The Australian governments plan to implement a social media ban for kids under 16 was praised by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. However, Communications Minister Anika Wells should have been in Brisbane dealing with the Optus Triple Zero mess rather than New York. Albanese also joined Western nations, including Britain, Canada and France, in officially recognising Palestine, infuriating Israel and the US, and outlined Australias 2035 emissions reduction targets. But he was unable to secure a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York to sort out the dispute over whether that country or Australia will host next years COP climate change conference. Advertisement After listening to Trumps wild speech to the UN General Assembly, which railed against the climate change con job, urging European countries to crackdown on immigration and more, Albaneses first address to the assembly emphasised Australias multilateral approach, his belief in the need for climate change action and announced a plan to seek a two-year seat on the UN Security Council. But Albaneses vision of Australias place in the world and his plan to ever-so-slightly reorient Australian foreign policy away from the US while still standing as a bulwark against China in the Pacific cannot and will not be realised quickly. Albanese and Vanuatu counterpart Jotham Napat this month. Michael Read Mike Pezzullo, a former Home Affairs secretary, deputy secretary of Defence and a China hawk, is critical of Albaneses foreign policy approach. He was sacked for misconduct by the current government and may have an axe to grind, but he also has a serious point to make. The former mandarin argues that everything Albanese does on the world stage is secondary to the most consequential issue in Australian strategic policy: how to deter and if necessary confront Chinas use of military force to achieve its ends in relation to the subjugation of Taiwan and achieving its territorial goals in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Advertisement We are doing nothing, to say to Trump [that] if you want our help in a potential military conflict, we have to have an ongoing dialogue on this one thing, which is China, and how far you [Trump] are prepared to go to militarily. Trump is mistakenly seen as a transactional figure. He is not. He is a relational figure. He deals in relationships and works best with people that he trusts. For Pezzullo, the bottom line is that Albanese and Trump must develop the sort of close relationship where the two men can pick up the phone and talk, or kick out the staff in the Oval Office, close the door and speak one on one. Although the prime minister and the president have spoken at least six times and will meet soon, until that meeting happens, the pairs relationship will remain underdone. Advertisement At a time when the AUKUS submarine pact is under review and the US is looking to Australia for answers about whether, or to what extent, we would participate or host US forces if a war started over Taiwan, for example, that is a cause for concern. Albanese is pursuing a more independent foreign policy for Australia and in the capitals across South-East Asia and in Beijing, that will be welcomed. But the US will probably remain the cornerstone of Australian foreign policy for years to come, no matter who is in the White House. James Massola is chief political commentator. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Pacific diplomacy Opinion James Massola is chief political commentator. He was previously national affairs editor and South-East Asia correspondent. He has won Quill and Kennedy awards and been a Walkley finalist. Connect securely on Signal @jamesmassola.01 or email. Connect via Twitter Andrew Hastie did not put himself forward in the Liberal leadership contest after Peter Dutton lost his seat. As Hastie pushes a new direction for the Liberals, hes activating a cheer squad in elements of the partys right. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share 751 View all comments When Coalition MPs were jostling for fresh positions after their shattering election loss this year, Andrew Hastie had one request of new leader Sussan Ley. The West Australian MP and former soldier wanted to branch out of the security space. Hastie had felt pigeonholed during his three years as defence spokesman under Peter Dutton. Colleagues say the WA frontbencher, one of the few opposition MPs to improve the Liberal vote in his electorate, grew increasingly frustrated as Dutton, himself a former defence minister, kept Hastie out of the political fray, partly so he didnt emerge as a rival. Hastie used his spare time in the previous parliament to study for a graduate diploma in economics online through Harvard Extension School and expand his credentials. So when it came time for Ley to reset the frontbench in May, Hastie asked to spread his wings. He requested either an economics portfolio or something firmly outside national security, such as health or education. Ley gave him home affairs. Several close colleagues say this grievance is one driver of Hasties bullish activity in the past few months. The frontbencher, 42, is building a brand as a conviction politician by commenting on issues outside his portfolio in a steady stream of provocative social media posts and radio interviews. Hes been terribly frustrated at a personal and professional level, says a friend and political ally. Now, hes refusing to be boxed in. Observes one Liberal colleague: Its like he has just decided to say what he thinks from now on, to speak his mind. As Hastie outlines a new direction for the Liberals, hes activating a cheer squad among elements of the partys right, who are pushing his leadership potential. Other colleagues are suspicious of his strategy. Hastie is not cowed by their criticism; hes called Liberal MPs who background against him nameless cowards and muppets. His actions have fuelled speculation of a leadership challenge, and Hastie is doing little to douse that. Advertisement But those close to him say his mission is much broader. His endgame is a re-booted Liberal Party that stands for family, community and nation, rather than worshipping at the altar of globalisation. If that means splintering the party or losing his seat, so be it. Related Article Political leadership Strangers in our own home: Hastie posts again, blaming migration for housing crisis Hastie has thrown down the gauntlet on energy policy, threatening to quit his position if the Coalition did not abandon the net zero by 2050 emissions target and launched his own Australia First campaign to bring back local manufacturing. The themes of sovereignty, national identity and Western decay which have dominated Hasties reading over many years are central to his vision for the party. This masthead requested an interview with Hastie, but he declined, saving his policy positions for brief radio interviews or for his Instagram account. Slick new social media posts lament a lost Australia, decry the radical left as evil, and call for a return to family values. Much of this language echoes that of contemporary right-wing speakers and influencers in the UK and the US, while his protectionist slant mirrors Donald Trump and European populist movements. Advertisement When Hastie made his run for the outer Perth seat of Canning in a 2015 byelection shortly after key backer Tony Abbott was ousted as prime minister posters pictured him in military uniform and cradling a baby with his wife, promising he was not another politician. He was soon dumped by the Army Reserve because he refused to remove photos of himself in uniform from campaign material. Hasties 14 years of military service included time as a Special Air Service commander in Afghanistan, where he served at the same time as disgraced soldier Ben Roberts-Smith. Hastie testified against Roberts-Smith in a drawn-out defamation trial, and hailed the moral courage of other SAS soldiers who entered the witness box. His successive appointments to security portfolios started with his role as assistant defence minister in the Morrison government, in 2020. Hastie in his army days. Richard Polden But Hastie also described himself in his first speech as a keen student of history. Before joining the ADF, he started a bachelor of arts degree in history, politics and philosophy. While he resisted his familys religion as a teenager his father was a Presbyterian pastor Hastie has a deeply held Christian faith. He was in the headlines as a candidate for refusing to be drawn on his fathers views on creationism. Colleagues say he continues to wrestle with how, as party leader, he would explain his positions on same-sex marriage, abortion and women in military combat roles to an increasingly secular Australia. As he freelances outside his home affairs portfolio, Hastie is homing in on energy, domestic manufacturing and Western values. Ten days ago, he drew attention with a declaration that he would quit the frontbench or be sacked if the Coalition retained a target of net zero emissions by 2050. My primary mission in politics is to build a stronger, more secure, more competitive Australia. Energy security is a vital input into that, so thats my bottom line, he told ABC radio. Ive nailed my colours to the mast. Advertisement At the end of the week, he pitched his vision for that Australia in a social media video filmed next to a red 1969 Ford Falcon. Were a nation of flat-white makers, when we could be making beautiful cars like this again, he lamented. Its not just about the cars. Its this sense that weve lost something, that were now just helpless consumers. The Australian people are at our best when we unlock our innate God-given drive to design and build complex things. When colleagues questioned what he was doing, in anonymous quotes to newspapers, Hastie bit back. Nameless cowards briefing in the paper, he posted to Instagram. But politics, for Hastie, is not just about economics. Politics is now firmly a contest of ideas for our way of life, and we need to fight for our Western ideas and values, he told his mailing list in a message sent after US conservative activist Charlie Kirks assassination two weeks ago. He asked subscribers to examine Raphaels Paul Preaching at Athens, painted for the Sistine Chapel in the early 1500s, to see the best of Western civilisation on display: faith, reason, inquiry, debate and persuasion. Young people around the world were being severed from this Christian tradition, he wrote, and universities were repudiating Western values. Thats why we see the pronouns, the grievance, the tantrums, and the violence ... The radical left are evil and will use violence to win. Lets stop pretending they act in good faith. The answer, he said, was to be bold, courageous and grow a movement. If we dont get moving, the West will continue to decline, he wrote. That extends to the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party will be in exile for a long time until we act in the interests of the Australian people, Hastie wrote in a separate social media post about immigration on Wednesday. If we dont act, we can expect anger and frustration. We might even die as a political movement. So be it. What is the point of politics, if youre not willing to fight for something? Advertisement As the Liberal Party searches for its purpose after the May 3 federal election, leader Sussan Ley is trying to bring it back to the political centre. Hastie has different ideas. He wants to reframe the climate change conversation as one about energy security. He believes the Australian economy was opened far too wide in the 1980s, and it is time for a correction. A lot of people would like us to stay exactly where we are, including some people on our party side, but we cant, Hastie said on radio station 2GB on Thursday. The world has changed since the Howard and Costello years. Weve had the global financial crisis, weve had Brexit, weve had the rise of Xi Jinping and China. Weve had Trump. Had the pandemic. The world has changed, and we have to change with it. Bringing back manufacturing for Australians who lost out when the car industry left the country is a key part of Hasties pitch. But its anathema to the free market consensus that has dominated Liberal thinking for five decades. One of the Liberals leading moderates, NSW senator Maria Kovacic, said Hastie was a respected and hardworking colleague, but she disagreed with him on the issue. Im a liberal, not a protectionist, she said, in response to a Hastie post. We need to focus on delivering outcomes for the realities of modern Australia ... Our existence isnt threatened by not looking backwards; our existence is threatened by not looking forwards. Advertisement Advertisement Exclusive PoliticsVictoriaBuilding Bad The abandoned plan to move construction dispute powers to CFMEU-linked fund Kieran Rooney September 25, 2025 7:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A state government-run construction council voted to give its oversight of industry disputes to a $1.3 billion fund that was partly controlled by then CFMEU boss John Setka. The vote was held in February 2024, shortly before this mastheads Building Bad investigative series which detailed the criminal infiltration of the powerful construction union forced Setka to resign as Victorian secretary. A government panel tried to hand oversight of its dispute powers to a union-linked redundancy fund. Jason South Board minutes obtained by the Victorian opposition show that the Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC) agreed to give up its governance of the Victorian Building Industry Disputes Panel, a body set up to resolve industrial relations conflicts in the construction sector. The contentious plan, later abandoned, would have removed government supervision of a disputes body that helps set the pay and conditions on Victorias Big Build projects, such as site allowances on the Metro and West Gate tunnels due to open later this year. Advertisement There are industries where disputes bodies are run entirely by the private sector. However, the attempt by the BICC to transfer one of its key oversight functions to Incolink, a redundancy fund that counted Setka as one of its board members at the time, further illustrates the concentration of industry power around the militant union and key players. Related Article Building Bad Victoria gives $12m to CFMEU-aligned fund under scrutiny The disputes panel also affects government construction projects. In 2018, it set site allowances (additional payments for difficult work) at $8.90 an hour for the West Gate Tunnel and $9.20 an hour for the Metro Tunnel, contributing to a pay deal that enabled construction workers to earn $150,000 a year. A construction industry source, speaking anonymously to avoid repercussions, said the disputes panel was a better way of solving issues in construction than relying on informal middle men linked to organised crime, as was reported in the Building Bad series. Advertisement The councils reason for giving up control of the disputes panel, made clear in the board minutes, was that the panel was a function that can be delivered independently of the BICC and government. The change would have scrapped the BICCs role in supervising the panels work and appointing its leaders. Giving full control to Incolink would have put the panel in the hands of an industry redundancy fund that has been under intense scrutiny over its relationship with the CFMEU and Master Builders Victoria. However, it would still have been required to abide by the Fair Work Act. At the February meeting, former Master Builders chief executive Rebecca Casson declared a potential conflict of interest as chair of the BICC because she was president of Incolink. She also revealed that Incolink finances the disputes panel. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Building Bad CFMEU officials taken to court over alleged Big Build worksite coercion After declaring the conflict, Casson proposed to vacate the chair, but members in attendance said she should still lead the discussion. The plan to relinquish control was approved but ultimately abandoned by Incolink by early 2025. The BICC is still considering governance arrangements for the body. A state government spokesperson did not respond directly when asked why the vote was held, whether it was appropriate to hand oversight to the industry fund and why it was later abandoned. This is a matter for the BICC, the spokesperson said. Advertisement An Incolink spokesperson said it had funded the panel for many years. Incolink has not adopted oversight and governance of the Victorian Building Industry Disputes Panel, a key tripartite dispute resolution mechanism for industry. Former CFMEU boss John Setka steps off an Incolink health bus before being tested for COVID-19 on a construction site in Melbourne in 2020. AAP A split has emerged within Master Builders Victoria after three board directors raised concerns that the organisation had become reliant on Incolink funding, and that this represented a conflict of interest in its bargaining negotiations with the CFMEU. Fair Work documents this month showed Master Builders received almost half its revenue from the redundancy fund. Advertisement The CFMEU Victorian branch received $27 million in Incolink grants for a wellness centre that has been valued at only $8 million, a low figure the union blamed the property market for. Redundancy funds are currently exempt from a range of Australian Securities and Investments Commission regulations, but these rules are being reviewed. An anonymous submission from a former Incolink employee to ASIC, reported in The Australian Financial Review, warned that the fund was at risk of being used to pay operating costs for the union and employer groups rather than its key function benefiting workers though there is no suggestion that risk eventuated. Setka was a board member at Incolink until 2024, stepping down not long after he resigned as CFMEU secretary. The state oppositions major projects spokesman, Evan Mulholland, said transferring the disputes panel to Incolink was an obvious conflict of interest and would have led to further cost blowouts. Advertisement How can any small or medium business expect a fair hearing when the so-called independent disputes panel is controlled by an organisation that is the financial beneficiary of CFMEU agreements? Its a sham, he said. Related Article Updated Building Bad Victims of threats, violence fear coming forward, say police probing construction corruption This panel has always been an ombudsman in name only, but now the bias is baked into its very structure. The BICC was set up by the Victorian government in 2001 to advise the industrial relations minister on issues related to the construction industry, and its meetings feature a mix of corporations, associations, unions and government departments and organisations. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement WorldAsiaTourism Tourism has poured billions of dollars into Bali over decades. Where has it all gone? Zach Hope and Amilia Rosa September 25, 2025 7:53pm 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 What in the World, a free weekly newsletter from our foreign correspondents, is sent every Thursday. Below is an excerpt. Sign up to get the whole newsletter delivered to your inbox. As Australians tend to demonstrate, a trip to Bali can be hazardous. Many routes to the ER or jail involve a degree of hubris. Classics include scooter prangs and poorly concealed drugs. The predominant danger, though, is far more mundane and right under your nose. Crumbling, blocked, narrow, sloped and jutting tickets to a botched holiday the islands footpaths. Motorcyclists travelling on the footpaths in Canggu. Amilia Rosa When roads in Bali are jammed, which is always, footpaths become de-facto motorcycle lanes, terrorising unknowing pedestrians and hastening the degradation of the pavers. You could break a shin in some of Balis potholes. Advertisement Dwi Ermayanthi of Ubud Story Walks, a walking tour company, is a veteran, and says, Ive fallen a couple of times myself. The team advises against prams. We also worry when we have elderly clients. Tourism operators have discussions with government types from time to time. But nothing happens, Dwi says. So, she and her team made a funny video. Miming to the sultry voice of Tank Evans from the animated movie Surfs Up describing his trophies as ladies, the team flips the monologue into a showcase of Ubuds finest footpath fails. (This is my lady, Amy. Little Suzy. Brianna. Yknow why we call her Brianna, right?) Advertisement It was an in-joke with everyone. And it resonated. The response to the video was so overwhelming that authorities stopped by, inquiring about the purpose of the video. I explained, and they took note of my explanation, which was that it was meant as a joke, Dwi says. They said it was scheduled to be fixed. It wasnt. Advertisement The social posts are light-hearted, offensive only to Balis civil works bosses. But they scratch at something more serious than broken footpaths. I visit Bali semi-regularly for work, and most days Im frustrated at something. Its often the matter of getting around. Invariably, I return to the question. Why is the infrastructure so bad? Tourism has poured billions of dollars into Bali over decades. Where has it all gone? Traffic is interminable. Even the one-and-only toll road, built over the sea to ease congestion ahead of the 2013 APEC Summit, hits a bottleneck caused by a poorly designed traffic light intersection at Benoa. Advertisement Its like this all the time, said my apologetic Grab (ride-share) driver one night as we crawled two kilometres in an hour. Related Article Waste Something stinks in paradise: New decree leaves Bali buried in rubbish Despite years of talk, there is no train. And dont drink the tap water. Garbage lines every street and path. Once pristine mangroves are clogged with the stuff and it would be worse if local volunteers hadnt been wading through sludge with rubbish bags to clean it up. Some might say its part of the charm. I dont. My lament is not for the visitors. Its for the ordinary Balinese, who deserve better from the rivers of AUD, USD and Euros that flow to the island. Advertisement Where has the money gone? The short answer is Jakarta. Congestion in Bali Amilia Rosa Almost all taxes collected in Bali head straight to the central government. It then goes all over Indonesia, says Dr Agung Suryawan Wiranatha, an expert in tourism and the environment at Balis Udayana University. If contributions correlate with money being reinvested in an area, the poor remain poor and the rich become even richer. Advertisement In this sense, Bali is a bit like Western Australia used to be with Australias GST distribution. Unlike the West Australians, though, the Balinese never really complained. Still, fairly reasoning that it deserves a bigger slice of its own pie, the provincial government last year implemented a $15 tourist levy, which every one of the annual six million foreign tourists are supposed to pay. Problem is, only about a third do. The government doesnt exactly help its own cause. Signage at the airport about the levy has all but disappeared. There certainly arent payment counters. Online is fine, but many visitors remain unaware of their obligations. Another money problem stems from corruption, which is rife across Indonesia. In addition, some laws are just easy to bypass. Foreigners wishing to set up a business, for example, are supposed to stump up a certain amount of capital. But why do that when its cheaper to install a local as the owner? Advertisement Related Article Property development Bali announces hotel crackdown after tourism blamed for deadly floods The books say the profits are going to an Indonesian, but the money actually winds up in Australian and European bank accounts rather than circulating in the local economy. Even above-board, five-star international hotel chains spend or send more than half their takings overseas, Agung says. For all its frustrations, people, especially Australians, love the place. We make up about a quarter of foreign tourists, more than any other country. But the islands strategy, or lack thereof, has favoured let the good times roll over sustainable growth. Advertisement Theres no city planning, Agung says. Shops, villas, homes and restaurants popped up wherever there was money to be made, sometimes with approvals. Sometimes not. The provincial government is now attempting to remedy some historical rogue construction, most notably at Bingin Beach. Its a drop in the Bali Sea. The slapdash accumulation of buildings and livelihoods between the airport and hotspots such as Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu has turned any thought of street widening into electoral poison. Tourists navigating the footpaths in Ubud. Amilia Rosa The Balinese have a concept called Tri Hita Karana. It holds that happiness springs from the health of ones relationships with the divine, other people and nature. Fused into laws, this has prevented horizon-spoiling apartment towers. Advertisement But setting height limits is easy. Preventing the creep of small-scale construction, especially when Jakarta handles building applications, is more difficult. You will find spirituality and goodwill in abundance in Bali. Thats tick and tick in Tri Hita Karana terms. On much of the island, however, harmony with the environment is more elusive, no matter what social media influencers like to post. Balis governor and Indonesias environment minister linked this months deadly floods, which locals described as the worst they had ever seen, with tourism-related overdevelopment. New developments such as hotels and restaurants in forested areas and on small farming plots that still dot Denpasar and surrounds are now banned indefinitely. The moratorium will be popular among ordinary Balinese fed-up with misbehaving tourists and the plundering of their island for other peoples profit. In Ubud, Dwi Ermayanthi from the walking tour wonders how hard it can really be to fix the footpaths. Advertisement After the first joke video, workers patched-up a gangrenous section her team nicknamed Brianna (the name of one of Tanks trophies in Surfs Up). The job was done so poorly they filmed a follow-up, this one borrowing from The Princess Diaries. Its light-hearted and funny too, like the Balinese themselves. If they were more impatient they might get their governments to fix things. They might also go mad. 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. Advertisement WorldEuropeDrones Drone chaos hits third airport in Europe as Zelensky warns of threat to humanity Louise Rasmussen September 25, 2025 12:31pm 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 15 View all comments Copenhagen: Denmarks Aalborg Airport, used for commercial and military flights, was closed due to drones in its airspace, police said early on Thursday, two days after the countrys main Copenhagen Airport was shut over drone sightings that raised European security concerns. Danish police said the drones followed a similar pattern to the ones that had halted flights at Copenhagen Airport for four hours earlier this week. Denmark described that incident as the most serious attack yet on its critical infrastructure and linked it to a series of suspected Russian drone incursions and other disruptions across Europe. Danish police patrol at Copenhagen Airport on Monday. AP Police said they had also received reports of drones in other parts of the country on Wednesday evening, including near a military base housing Danish F-16 and F-35 fighter aircraft. The closure of Aalborg Airport also affected Denmarks armed forces because of its dual use as a military base, police added. The Danish military said it was assisting local and national police with the investigation, but declined to provide further comment. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Russia-Ukraine war Why the final words of Trumps Russia rant are the ones that count Aalborg Airports airspace reopened about 3.15am Danish time, and flights would resume later in the morning, Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten reported, citing the countrys Ritzau agency. In a statement, Danish police said the last confirmed drone sighting was just before 1am, and that they believed the drones in question were no longer in the area. We have not succeeded in taking down the drones themselves, which have flown over a very large area for a couple of hours. At this time, we have not apprehended the drone operators, North Jutland Police said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the drones that halted flights at Copenhagen were part of a pattern of persistent contestation at our borders. Advertisement Authorities in Norway also shut down Oslo Airport for three hours on Monday evening after a drone was seen. Suspicions of Russian involvement in the Copenhagen Airport incident were unfounded, Russias ambassador to Denmark said on Tuesday. Norwegian and Danish authorities were in close contact over the Copenhagen and Oslo incidents on Monday, but their investigation has not yet established a connection, Norways foreign minister said. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Wednesday that weapons being developed to fight the war in Ukraine, including drones, posed a severe threat to humanity. Advertisement We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, he told world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Related Article Aviation Welcome to the era of the affordable cruise missile Zelensky identified a dangerous future in which artificial intelligence-enabled drones could pose an even more terrifying threat, and said regulation of such technology was as urgent as curbs on nuclear weapons. A string of drone sightings and digital outages has repeatedly disrupted airports since 2017. These episodes bypass core flight-safety systems and trigger disruptions to check-in and boarding systems, power infrastructure and airfield perimeters, causing ripple effects across networks. Persistent drone reports crippled Londons Gatwick Airport for three days during the 2018 Christmas peak. The British Army was deployed with specialist drone-hunting equipment, but no drones were ever shot down or discovered, and police later even suggested they may have never existed. Advertisement More than one Danish police told reporters that more than one drone had been sighted near Aalborg Airport on Wednesday evening, and they were flying with lights on. The drones were first sighted about 9.44pm (5.45am Thursday AEST) according to police, who could not specify the types of drones or whether they were the same as the ones flying over Copenhagen Airport on Monday. View post on X Police said there was no danger to passengers at Aalborg Airport or nearby residents. Three flights were diverted to other airports, they said. Advertisement Southern Jutland police later said in a post on X that drones had also been observed near airports in the Danish towns of Esbjerg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup. Fighter Wing Skrydstrup in Southern Jutland is the base for Denmarks F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. National police commissioner Thorkild Fogde said people across Denmark had reported drone sightings since Monday and, while many of these reports do not cover activities that are of interest to the police or the military, some of them do, and I think the one in Aalborg does, he said. Police said they were investigating further and co-operating with the national intelligence service and the armed forces, as well as authorities in other countries. It is too early to say what the goal of the drones is and who is the actor behind, a police official said. Airspace violations The latest alerts come as European countries scramble to respond to a string of airspace violations by Russian drones and aircraft in recent days. Advertisement Polands air force shot down Russian drones that crossed into the country on September 9, a Russian drone flew over Romanian territory on September 13, and six days later, MiG-31 fighter planes were escorted out of Estonia after an incursion that lasted 12 minutes. A Russian MiG-31. Three of the fighters breached Estonias airspace last week. AP Russia has typically denied airspace violations and dismissed the drone overflights as accidental. Some European officials see the incidents as a deliberate ploy by Russian President Vladimir Putin to test the collective resolve of NATO allies to defend one another from attack. Russian military aircraft, such as helicopters and transport planes, have occasionally veered into the airspace of NATO member states over the years. Advertisement Related Article Russia-Ukraine war NATO raises alert over Russian jets. Trump says shoot them down Military experts view the incursions as a symbolic display of disregard for NATO borders, and, in the case of former Soviet states such as Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, a signal that Moscow doesnt consider them to be independent nations. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said NATO nations should shoot down Russian aircraft that enter their airspace. But whether Washington would lend its support would depend on the circumstances, he said. Meanwhile, the allies have been sending mixed messages about how they should deal with such incidents. The Poland incursion involved about 20 Russian attack drones, and NATO took the unprecedented step of shooting some of them down. The breach of Estonian airspace was unusually overt, with multiple Russian aircraft flying to within minutes of the capital, Tallinn, and involving fighter jets rather than the ageing military transport planes more commonly observed in such incidents. Reuters, Bloomberg 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. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaDemocracy Opinion After years of celebrating censorship, the left now cares about free speech again Bret Stephens Columnist September 25, 2025 3:08pm September 25, 2025 3:08pm 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 187 View all comments Because there is a silver lining for most things in life, maybe there is also one for the American ABCs craven (if brief) suspension, under thuggish government pressure, of Jimmy Kimmels late-night talk show. To wit: Now the left is once again all but unanimous in wanting to defend free speech. That hasnt always been the case in recent years. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmels TV show was briefly suspended over Kimmels comments on the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. AP It wasnt the case when, a day before Kimmels suspension, Amy Klobuchar called on Congress to prevent violence such as Charlie Kirks murder by cracking down on speech online. Im not for censorship, but I do think that more has to be done online, said the Democratic senator from Minnesota. Sentences that begin with Im not for censorship, but are usually calls for censorship. It wasnt the case this year when Democrats in the Colorado legislature sought to criminalise some speech that misgendered or deadnamed transgender children, including custody threats to parents who refused to use their childs preferred pronouns. Advertisement It wasnt the case in 2023 when a RealClear Opinion Research poll found that three-quarters of Democrats believed government had a responsibility to limit hateful or inaccurate social media posts, as compared with roughly half of Republicans. Related Article Pop culture Kimmel nearly breaks down, addresses Charlie Kirk remarks in TV return It wasnt the case when, in the summer of 2021, MSNBCs Mika Brzezinski asked, with clear relish, whether social media companies shouldnt be open to lawsuits for publishing what she and the government deemed to be misinformation on the COVID-19 vaccines. It wasnt the case when Kate Bedingfield, the White House communications director then being interviewed by Brzezinski, answered: Were reviewing that, and certainly, they should be held accountable. It wasnt the case when, in February 2021, Facebook announced that it would treat claims that COVID-19 is man-made or manufactured that is, the lab-leak hypothesis as a form of misinformation, leading to the removal of all mention of it. Mark Zuckerberg later complained that the Biden administration had pressured the company to take down posts about COVID-19, including humour, according to a report in Politico. Advertisement It wasnt the case among the stars of the liberal literary establishment, including Sally Rooney and Arundhati Roy, who demanded boycotts of Israeli publications, publishers and institutions on account of their presumptive complicity in oppressing Palestinians. It wasnt the case, either, when another batch of liberal writers, including cartoonist Garry Trudeau and novelist Peter Carey, rebuked the PEN American Centre for its decision to give an award to Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical newspaper that lost 12 of its staff members in a 2015 terrorist attack. It wasnt the case when the New York publishing industry began capitulating to social-media demands to cancel or torpedo books whose authors had run afoul of one left-wing orthodoxy or another: Jeanine Cummins and American Dirt, Richard North Patterson and Trial, Dr Seuss and If I Ran the Zoo and several other titles. It wasnt the case when the editors of Slate indefinitely suspended podcast host Mike Pesca for arguing that it could be appropriate to mention a racial slur if not using it as an epithet. Or when The Atlantic fired conservative writer Kevin Williamson after a few days of employment because of a handful of remarks made years earlier. Or when NBC parted ways with Megyn Kelly because she said (and then apologised for saying) that, in her childhood, using blackface was OK as long as you were dressing up like a character. It wasnt the case in 2021 when the Massachusetts Institute of Technology cancelled a prestigious science lecture by geophysicist Dorian Abbot because it didnt like his views about diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Or when Harvard University pushed out evolutionary biologist Carole Hooven because of her insistence on the fundamental realities of sex differences. Or when Jason Kilborn, a professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, (a public university) was suspended merely for referring to two slurs without specifically mentioning the actual slurs. Advertisement Some readers might argue that the effort to cancel Kimmel is unique and uniquely dangerous because it was pushed by Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission. That is true, but then why the comparative liberal silence about the Biden administrations efforts to police speech on social media? Others might argue that COVID-19 misinformation or hate speech should be subject to different rules from mundane political speech. More than a century of First Amendment jurisprudence, from liberal and conservative justices alike, says otherwise. Related Article Opinion Comedy Why Jimmy Kimmel would have never been cancelled in Australia Catharine Lumby Professor of media, author And then there are those who point to the hypocrisy of conservatives, Carr not least, who rail against censorship and cancellation when it comes from the left and then enforce their own cancel (or consequence) culture the moment they are in power. A very fair point and all the more reason for liberals to stick by liberal principles when it comes to their own sides self-appointed censors. Its a cliche, but cant be said enough, that speech is genuinely free only when it is speech we like the least from those we dislike the most. Rosa Luxemburg put it well: Freedom is always and exclusively freedom for the one who thinks differently. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Democracy Opinion For subscribers Social media Bret Stephens is an opinion columnist for The New York Times, writing mainly about US foreign policy. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaPolitical leadership Opinion No need to rush, Albanese. Meeting with Trump can leave a country worse off Waleed Aly Columnist, author and academic September 26, 2025 5:00am September 26, 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 229 View all comments At last, we have the Great Trans-Pacific Selfie. Proof of life of the relationship between Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump, and through it, the relationship between our two nations. That it heralded news of a formal meeting next month means it is more than merely symbolic. That it comes during a week in which the prime minister has been asked relentlessly about the prospect of such a meeting means it is probably some kind of relief. That it comes in the wake of flashes of American anger over Australias decision to recognise Palestine at the United Nations makes you wonder what all that fuss was about. Illustration by Simon Letch Conventional wisdom has it that an Australian prime minister on the end of severe American warnings is diminished. It says that our leader should be ever keen to meet with the president and risks becoming a figure of ridicule if he cannot arrange it swiftly. And thats because it assumes such meetings are Very Important. A thing which must happen. But is it? I dont ask rhetorically, and under normal circumstances I wouldnt ask at all. But under these circumstances, where conventional wisdom seems to be little wisdom at all, I honestly wonder. Certainly, its a matter of tremendous media preoccupation. And no doubt, when asked by pollsters, Australians will say they care. But thats quite different from it being a matter that consumes voters minds or determines Australias interests. Advertisement Volodymyr Zelensky had a meeting, and he was publicly humiliated before the world. Even after a reconciliatory meeting in Rome, his reward has largely been a series of non-negotiations in which nothing has been asked of Russia and nothing given. Instead, Trump has mostly insisted Ukraine forfeit territory to Russia for peace. This week, somewhere amid the taking of the Selfie, Trump swung wildly in the other direction, suggesting Ukraine could take back all of its land, and perhaps even more (whatever that means). But this social media post from the president didnt come on the back of any meetings and could just as quickly vanish in a digital puff if it isnt backed up by, say, new sanctions or new military spending on Ukraine. Related Article Opinion Trump's America Kimmel missed the point: In America, the left and right have become one Waleed Aly Columnist, author and academic Shigeru Ishiba had a meeting. We love Japan! Trump said to the gathered media as Ishiba approached the White House in February. Trump proclaimed that Japan, a strong and proud nation, shares with the US a friendship like few others, and that Ishiba is doing a great job and is going to be a fantastic leader. For his troubles, Japan now faces a 25 per cent tariff on its cars, 50 per cent on auto parts and a 15 per cent reciprocal tariff on most other products up from 10 per cent in April. Narendra Modi had a meeting. Trump declared Modi a great friend, while Modi pledged to Make India Great Again, expressing admiration for Trumps most famous political slogan. Just one week after Ishibas visit, Trump described the US-India bond as the strongest, I believe, its ever been. This week, India was slapped with an additional 25 per cent tariff, bringing the total to 50 per cent, citing Indias purchase of Russian oil as the reason, effectively using tariffs as a form of sanctions. Given all this, its unsurprising Ishiba and Modi recently met. The result was a 10-year road map for bilateral co-operation. The Japan Times says the agreement significantly ramp[s] up cooperation in a number of areas, including trade, security and people exchanges, as the special strategic partners draw closer amid growing international concern over unilateral US trade tariffs. Advertisement What, then, is the vital need for Albanese to meet Trump? To smooth things over on the matter of recognising Palestine? Perhaps. But even US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee about the most absolutist supporter of Israel youre likely to find acknowledges this wont damage the overall relationship between our two nations, much as Trump recently said of the UK. Another perspective Opinion Democracy Left or right, the real source of extremism is right in front of our faces Kylie Moore-Gilbert Political scientist and writer AUKUS? Sure. But as it happens, Australia is proceeding with meetings a level below Trump, which seems presently to be where the most fruitful meetings occur. Defence Minister Richard Marles met his US counterpart Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance last month, committing to increased military spending. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also big AUKUS supporter, as is King Charles, apparently. The Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby is a sceptic and is conducting a review, but nothing from Trump himself indicates AUKUS is in peril. And frankly, Colbys review is most likely to show its a fantastic deal for the US given Australia hands over money with no guarantee of the US handing over submarines. If AUKUS ultimately does get precarious and a meeting with Trump really could save it from oblivion, again, sure. But the time for that meeting doesnt have to be now. Theres probably not even a significant domestic price to be paid for it taking nine months to secure a meeting. Partly, this is because of Albaneses dominant political position, and the Coalitions continuing disarray which has shown up this week in ongoing infighting. But mostly, its because Albanese is in an unprecedented political moment where polls reveal Australians to be highly suspicious of the US president, which gives Albanese a licence to pursue a more independent foreign policy. Thats why he can so confidently ignore US objections and walk with European leaders towards recognising Palestine. Advertisement Perhaps this is why Albanese has seemed broadly calm as questions about a meeting became incessant. Presumably, he has known for a while that a meeting was in the works. Now, with it in the diary, who would even be brave enough to guarantee it will happen? And if it does, that anything concluded from it will last? Such is the weirdness of the time, where the trivial and the consequential so often resemble each other. A time where selfies and statements can carry equal weight. Waleed Aly is a regular columnist. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. Chinese tourists are falling out of love with Thailand, opting instead for destinations like Japan, South Korea and Vietnam that are deemed safer and offer favorable travel conditions. In August, the number of Chinese visitors to Thailand fell 37.7% year-on-year to around 409,700, according to data platform Macrobond, citing the countrys Ministry of Tourism and Sports. For the first eight months of the year, the number of Chinese tourist arrivals dropped by a cumulative 35.3%. Thailand No Longer the Top Choice for Chinese Tourists The drop comes after a series of events dented Chinese tourists confidence in Thailand. The disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing in the country earlier this year sparked concerns over personal safety. Earthquakes and a recent border conflict with Cambodia have also added to travel anxiety. A student from Borris College has scooped the top prize in a national maths competition. Keelan OCarroll (15) was crowned the outright winner in the all-Ireland final of the Maths Eyes Competition. The competition invites students to capture images that demonstrate maths, such as geometry, can be seen in real life. Keelan, from St Mullins, is the son of Dawn and Seamus. He was inspired by the beautiful countryside and River Barrow near his home to take the overall winning picture. His entry was titled River Barrow demonstrates symmetry. He scooped the overall award across all age groups and categories including for primary, secondary and further education entries. Keelan O'Carroll scopped the first prize in tne Ntional Maths Eyes Competition 2025 Luisa Foley, a third-year student from Leighlinbridge, is the daughter of David and Anne. She was also very successful and won an award for finishing in the U14 category. Her entry was Glasshouse of geometric genius. Its really big kudos for Keelan to win the overall prize, he beat everyone else! And for Luisa to get into the top three is a brilliant achievement, said Sarah Doyle, deputy principal. Luisa Foley who placed in the top three in the u14 category The students success comes on the back of them winning the regional title for the Junior Maths team in the Irish Maths Teachers Association Regional Pi Quiz. Borris College competed against schools from across the south east to qualify for the all-Ireland maths finals. Well done to all the students and their maths teachers. FINE Gael will hold its fourth Small Business and Enterprise conference at South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow this Saturday 27 September, with three government ministers attending to engage with local business owners. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will participate in the event, which comes ahead of Budget 2026 preparations. Carlow-Kilkenny Deputy Catherine Callaghan said the party has consistently supported small and medium enterprises throughout challenging periods including Brexit, Covid-19, and US tariffs. Fine Gael has always supported and recognised the valuable role that SMEs play in the Irish economy, Deputy Callaghan said. Throughout difficult periods including Brexit, Covid and US tariffs, Fine Gael in government has worked closely with the sector to ensure their continued success both here at home and abroad. The conference will feature a panel discussion on business supports including Minister Donohoe and Nicola Doyle, owner of BarrowBrew in Milford. Minister Carroll MacNeill will participate in a separate discussion focused on innovation and healthcare. The Fine Gael Womens Network will also convene at SETU Carlow on Saturday, marking the first time the network has met alongside the business conference. The Network has a significant impact in shaping policy, and the future of politics in Ireland both at a local and national level, Deputy Callaghan said. Members of the Network are committed to achieving gender equality and to motivating and supporting young women to participate in politics and encourage those who wish to take leadership roles within the party. Previous small business conferences have proven popular with the business community, party members, and the public. Deputy Callaghan said Carlows selection as host venue reflects SETUs important role in regional economic development. I look forward to engaging with business leaders and community members to ensure that small businesses in the South East have the resources they need to thrive, she said. Tom Tuite A garda accused of careless driving causing serious injury to a Brazilian delivery man whose leg was severed at the M50 in 2023 pleads not guilty, a court has heard. Joao Henrique Ferreira, 24, who had lived in Ireland for five years, had been assisting friends in locating a stolen bicycle when the incident allegedly occurred on a slip road to the motorway in Tallaght, Dublin. Following a probe by Fiosru, the police ombudsman (formerly Gsoc), criminal proceedings commenced against Garda Neil Doyle of Dundrum station. He was first summonsed to appear at Dublin District Court on May 8th on a charge of careless driving causing serious bodily harm at Junction 11 north on the M50 on October 28th, 2023. The court had ordered the prosecution to provide defence solicitor, Liz Hughes, with disclosure of evidence "as soon as possible" and adjourned the case. The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disclosure in the District Court on a guilty plea. Otherwise, it would have to go to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers. On Thursday, Ms Hughes told Judge Michele Finan that, having received significant disclosure of evidence, she could inform the court that it was a not-guilty plea. The officer was present but remained silent during the proceedings. Judge Finan noted the defence position and adjourned the case until January 12th for prosecutors to complete and serve a book of evidence on the defendant, and to grant a return for trial order. Mr Ferreira had travelled back from Brazil for the proceedings on earlier dates but was not required to address the court. He did not have to attend on Thursday. At a previous stage, the judge was told Mr Ferreira "was anxious for the court to hear from him about the seriousness of the injuries" and he was due to undergo further prosthetic surgery over the summer. When the prosecution first came before the court in May, the defence had sought disclosure of prosecution evidence "as soon as possible" so the garda's legal team could "consider his position". CARLOW County Council aims to have the new Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) in place by the end of the year. The partnership will replace the Joint Policing Committee (JPC), with six meetings annually which will be open to the public, with councillors between them adapting safety plans for their areas, dealing not only with crime but other local issues. Concerns have been raised by whats seen as a delay in their establishment nationwide, while in Carlow the last JPC meeting was in April last year. But at the September meeting of the county council, executive officer Barry Knowles updated councillors about the partnership. Mr Knowles gave a detailed presentation to the members. He outlined the 2018 report by the Commission of the Future of Policing Ireland. The Department of Justice developed the new community safety policy based on a whole-of-government approach. A strategic partnership, requiring service providers and community to work together. This policy informed the policing, security and the Community Safety Act, 2024, which commenced in April this year, outlined Mr Knowles. The Act enables the setting up of local and national infrastructure to support and enable this new approach, including the formation of such partnerships. The concept of community safety is about people being and feeling safe in their own community. Every community has the right to be and feel safe in order to thrive and flourish, pointed out Mr Knowles. A national strategy for a community safety framework and programme of actions must be in place by April of next year. LCSPs collaborative platform brings together relevant state services, community representatives and stakeholders to identify and prioritise local safety concerns, develop local safety plans and co-ordinate multi-agency responses. These will give communities a stronger voice in identifying, prioritising and addressing issues they face, the executive officer noted. A pilot scheme was run for three years in Dublins north inner city, Waterford and Longford and it was found that the LCSP had improved the identification and prioritisation of community safety issues that matter to the local community. Mr Knowles continued: LCSPs are designed to identify and prioritise issues of concern to communities while also developing a three-year local community safety plan. The structure of an LCSP involves residents, community including youth, new and minority communities and voluntary groups, business and educational organisations, service providers such as the gardai, the HSE and Tusla. Also included are the council and political representatives, which are supported by a community safety co-ordinator. The approval and appointment of members to such a partnership is done by the minister for justice Jim OCallaghan, while each partnership will be led by a voluntary chair. The council will nominate seven councillors. Council chief executive Coilin OReilly informed members at the meeting that it is aimed to have a partnership meeting as soon as possible. Mr OReilly also sought the election of the seven members to the partnership. Councillor Michael Doran commented that the partnership was long overdue and welcomed the broadening of the group, which he believes will be more effective. Cllr Ben Ward questioned whether there is a statutory obligation for certain groups to form the new partnership. Cllr Paul Doogue noted that such a partnership should not have to be waited on community safety should be ongoing. South Africas Triggerfish has opened a new U.K. studio, expanding its European footprint in a push to grow its feature, series, and specials output. The studio is already recruiting multiple positions for a TV special and looking to appoint a Head of U.K. to spearhead projects from the new location. Triggerfish has been pushing into Europe for several years now, and previously opened a studio in Ireland. According to a company release, the U.K. office will bring the company closer to key clients and creative partners while tapping into the UKs world-class talent, tax incentives, and creative ecosystem to provide premium animation services. Launched in 1996, Triggerfish has been Africas best-known animation studio for some time now, while also cementing itself as a truly world-class organization. The studio has made a major impact on the global scene, working on high-profile titles for Disney (Star Wars: Visions episode Aaus Song, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire), Netflix (Supa Team 4), and animation services on projects for Magic Light Pictures (Stick Man, The Snail and the Whale). Stuart Forrest, CEO of Triggerfish, said in a release: The UK has always been central to our story many of our most talented collaborators are based here. The animation studio of the future is global by design, built to work with the best talent on the best productions, wherever they are. Expanding our presence in the U.K. is a natural next step in growing our European business. Tomorrows animation studios will be widely distributed, scalable, and connected by technology, with local hubs for training and community. By opening in the UK, we can create new opportunities for talent where they live while offering creative spaces where teams can come together. As Triggerfish looks to the future, it remains committed to delivering world-class animated storytelling, and we look forward to building new relationships with UK clients and co-production partners. This is an exciting chapter for Triggerfish and for the UK animation industry. While the new studio launch emphasizes the importance Triggerfish places on having a physical presence in a marketplace, the company has long proved itself to be a remote work-friendly company, too. On Kizazi Moto, the studio organized a team of 1,500 artists working in nine studios across three continents. The studio has developed a CG pipeline built around USD integration, which Triggerfish used to produce the standout Star Wars: Visions episode Aaus Song. Sign up to get our news digest delivered directly to your inbox twice a week. Manchester Animation Festival (MAF), the U.K.s largest animation festival and the only Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying animation event in the country, has revealed its 2025 program. Running November 913 across Manchester, the festival promises a mix of global premieres, exclusive previews, and career-spanning retrospectives, bolstered by a new three-year partnership with the University of Salford. International Feature Competition The Last Blossom, Baku Kinoshita Arco, Ugo Bienvenu, I Am Frankelda, Arturo,Roy Ambriz The Square, Kim Bo-sol Little Amelie or the Character of Rain, Mailys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han Other non-competition features at the festival include Australias Lesbian Space Princess, directed by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, and the 4K remaster of Mamoru Oshiis 1985 underground classic Angels Egg. Adult Swim also returns to Manchester with New, Newer, Newest a late-night showcase of exclusive content from their upcoming slate. Among the headline events at this years fest, Irish studio Cartoon Saloon will receive the prestigious Fellowship Award, while a retrospective of Industrial Light & Magic marks 50 years of VFX innovation. From Disney, head of animation Chad Sellers and 2D lead Renato dos Anjos will give a first look at Zootopia 2. Director Alex Woo presents his upcoming Netflix feature In Your Dreams, and Magic Light Pictures shares a behind-the-scenes journey into their new Julia Donaldson adaptation, The Scarecrows Wedding. BBC Studios Kids & Family also unveils their latest project, Rafi the Wishing Wizard. Beyond the screenings, MAF continues to spotlight diversity and inclusion with events such as BlackFrame Presents, a shorts showcase amplifying Black voices; Where We Go From Here, a Women in Animation UK-led panel on gender equity; and Neurodiversity in Animation, hosted by Aardman and Flycheese Animation. Festival director Steve Henderson said in a release: As we stride into a new decade of MAF, were thrilled to bring another packed program of premieres, exclusives, special guests, and more back to Manchester this November. The passion of the animation community is what makes MAF so special, and their energy is what inspires us to aim higher every year. The annual awards ceremony on November 13, hosted by comedian Alasdair Beckett-King, will honor outstanding achievements across feature, short, student, commissioned, and immersive categories, as well as industry excellence in writing, storyboarding, character design, and character animation. Alongside the screenings, industry professionals can take part in Animation Nation Forum, marketplace events at Bridgewater Hall, and panel sessions such as The Art of the Ad and Animating in Unreal from Epic Games. Advertisement Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 9.164Mt in June, down 2.2 per cent YoY from the 9.370Mt recorded in June 2024. Excluding for sales to Puerto Rico and overseas territories, cement consumption in the US fell two per cent YoY in June, coming in at 9.065Mt, compared to 9.254Mt a year earlier. The key producing states for Portland and blended cement were, in descending order, Texas, Missouri, California, Florida and Alabama. The key consuming states were, in descending order, Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and Illinois. Blended cement shipments amounted to 6.074Mt in June, up 9.6 per cent YoY from 5.540Mt a year earlier, with Florida the leading consumer. Masonry cement shipments amounted to 187,839t, up four per cent YoY from 180,656t a year earlier, with Florida the leading consumer. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, saw a 1.6 per cent YoY decline in June to 6.291Mt. Imports of cement and clinker amounted to 2.614Mt in June, up from 101,937Mt in June 2024. Imported clinker amounted to 135,466t, up from 105,092t in June 2024. 1H25 Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 47.027Mt in 1H25, down 5.3 per cent YoY from the 49.634Mt recorded in the same period of 2024. Excluding for sales to Puerto Rico and overseas territories, cement consumption in the US was 5.2 per cent lower YtD, coming in at 46.351Mt, compared to 48.912t a year earlier. Blended cement shipments amounted to 29.675Mt in 1H25, up 8.8 per cent YoY from 27.265Mt in 1H24. Masonry cement shipments amounted to 1.047Mt in 1H25, down 6.1 per cent YoY from 1.115Mt in 1H24. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, saw an 8.3 per cent YoY decline to 30.821Mt from 33.598Mt. Imports of cement and clinker amounted to 12.420Mt in 1H25, down 1.8 per cent YoY from 12.643Mt in the same period of 2024. Imported clinker amounted to 412,909t, down 13.2 per cent YoY from 475,481t in 1H24. Outlook The outlook for US cement is downbeat as the residential construction sector remains pinned down by weak consumer confidence, low affordability and slow to loosen monetary policy. Infrastructure construction will not be enough to offset weakness in house building. As such, cement demand in the US is forecast to shrink 4.3 per cent YoY in 2025, with total volumes for the year falling below 100Mt for the first time since 2018. A resolution before the County Commission on Wednesday would have asked the commission to recognize the Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Team "as a fire department." Commission Chairman Ken Smith announced that the resolution was being pulled, and the commissioners would meet next Wednesday privately with the county attorney on the issue. The 2020 designation of the county Haz-Mat Team as the county fire department has caused some concerns from the volunteer fire departments. The unincorporated county has fire coverage from several volunteer fire departments that receive some support from the county. The county Haz-Mat Team is a specialty team dealing with hazardous materials, but does not get involved in fire suppression. A letter went out recently to the volunteer fire department chiefs that said, "Per Director Adams, the Haz-Mat Team was created to a fire department for the benefit of heart and lung benefit for the employees of OEM. "Per the state of Tennessee and the state attorney, Director Adams will need to send a copy of all the fire department district lines and department coverage on a pdf map per Hamilton County GIs Department to the State Fire Marshal's Office directed to Jason Driver. "Per Jason, the FDR Site communicates to the FD TN Site via the maps that are on the FDR. "All departments are still recognized under the State Fire Marshal's Office. However, because of the mapping, that is why the FD TN site is only showing Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Department. "However, a resolution needs to be made before the Hamilton County Commissioners to state the following and sent to the State Fire Marshal's Office as well as including Jason Driver. "The resolution should quote: "Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Department "Resolution of Dilution of Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Department as a fire department in Hamilton County and we request that you pull their FDR from your records." A records search of County Commission records did not locate a resolution aproving the 2020 change. County officials earlier said Deputy Director of Emergency Management Winston Shields did not write the letter, but that "he only made minor grammar corrections at the request of a volunteer chief and returned it to that chief. He was not involved in creating or sharing any misinformation." County officials also earlier said, "The county attorney has spoken with the general counsel for the State Fire Marshals Office regarding concerns raised by the Hamilton County Volunteer Fire Departments. According to the State Fire Marshals Office, there has never been any disruption to the services provided by our Volunteer Fire Departments, nor has this issue impacted grants or insurance ratings." County officials said a public website operated by the State Fire Marshals Office "has not been properly updated. This has not - and will not - affect the ability of our Volunteer Fire Departments to provide services within their districts. They remain fully recognized by the State Fire Marshals Office as operational Volunteer Fire Departments in Hamilton County." The resolution that was pulled on Wednesday said: A RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE THE HAMILTON COUNTY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DEPARTMENT AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO TENNESSEE CODE ANNOTATED 68-102-302 WHEREAS, Tennessee Code Annotated 68-102-302 authorizes the recognition of fire departments by the local governing body; and WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Department (HCHMD) maintains paid staff on duty who are trained to at least the Firefighter II level as established by the Tennessee Commission on Firefighting Personnel Standards and Education; and WHEREAS, the HCHMD stands ready to respond in support of all local fire service agencies within Hamilton County, particularly to provide assistance during incidents where local volunteer fire departments experience low staffing levels; and WHEREAS, the HCHMD will not serve as a primary response agency within the service areas of local volunteer fire departments, and will only respond to incidents when requested by the command staff of the local volunteer fire departments or through Tri-State Mutual Aid; and WHEREAS, the primary response district of the HCHMD shall be limited to hazardous materials response, and it shall not assume general fire suppression responsibilities within the volunteer fire districts; and WHEREAS, recognition of the HCHMD as a fire department will formalize its operational role and ensure compliance with applicable state statutes and regulations; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners, meeting in regular session on this ___ day of _______, 2025, that the Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Department is hereby recognized as a fire department pursuant to T.C.A. 68-102-302. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the geographical region of the HCHMD covers the entire geographical districts of the volunteer fire departments within Hamilton County, Tennessee as evidenced by the district map attached by reference to this Resolution. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this recognition is granted solely for the purposes of compliance with state law and shall not alter or expand the existing operational scope of the Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Department beyond hazardous materials response and support functions as described herein. THIS RESOLUTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT UPON ITS ADOPTION, THE PUBLIC WELFARE REQUIRING IT. Ralph Wayne Graham, 73, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away on Monday, September 8, 2025. He was born in Greenville, Ky., to the late Herbert and Dorothy Graham, and grew up in East Ridge. Ralph attended Ridgedale Grammar School and Brainerd High School. He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Chattanooga, where he enjoyed attending Wednesday night Family Supper, helping with Vacation Bible School, and going to Dogwood Lodge. He also volunteered in the library at Battle Academy. Ralph was well known in the community for riding his wheelchair throughout downtown Chattanooga. He loved visiting City Cafe, taking pictures, and listening to gospel music. His favorite Bible verse was John 14:2-3, and his favorite song was Hallelujah Square by the Florida Boys. He was baptized in his early twenties at Fellowship Church. Ralph is survived by his sisters, Connie Brooks and Debbie Aaron. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Oct. 19, at 3 p.m. in McEwen Chapel at First Baptist Church, Chattanooga. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to Shriners Hospitals for Children at https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/ways-to-give/giving-to-shriners-childrens/honor-a-loved-one Arrangements are by Lane Funeral Home and Crematory, South Crest Chapel, Rossville. The resolution recently brought before the Hamilton County Commission to declare the countys Hazardous Materials Team as a fire department is troubling, and not in the best interest of the citizens of Hamilton County. The Haz-Mat Team plays an important role in our community, but its mission is specialized: responding to hazardous materials incidents. It is not trained, equipped, or intended for fire suppression or rescue services, which remain the responsibility of our volunteer fire departments. By labeling Haz-Mat as a fire department, the county risks creating confusion about who provides fire protection, potentially jeopardizing response times and public safety. This issue came to light after a volunteer fire department in Hamilton County was denied a grant. When they asked why, they learned that the State Fire Marshals Office had no fire district on file for them. Instead, the records listed the Hamilton County Haz-Mat Team as the fire department for the entire county - including the cities, except Chattanooga. This has been in place since April 2020, meaning taxpayers may have already lost out on significant grant funding for the past five years because of this misclassification. Even more concerning, Tennessee Code 68-102-306(a) clearly requires that no new fire department may be established or recognized without the approval of the local governing body, including a resolution defining its geographical territory. To date, no such resolution exists supporting Haz-Mats recognition as a fire department. This means the 2020 designation was never legally authorized. Citizens also deserve transparency when it comes to cost. This was a tight budget year for Hamilton County, and the county already provides support to eight volunteer fire departments that protect our unincorporated communities. Unlike those volunteer departments, which rely in part on subscription programs and community support, a county-operated fire department would be funded entirely by taxpayers. That means more expense and more government growth at a time when families are already stretched thin. Furthermore, Hamilton County already has two rescue squads that legally operate without being recognized by the State Fire Marshals Office. The same is true for the Haz-Mat Team -there is no law requiring it to be recognized as a fire department in order to respond when called. Local departments can, and already do, request Haz-Mat for support when needed. Recognition is unnecessary, and only complicates the system we already have in place. Reclassifying Haz-Mat as a fire department does nothing to improve service; it only muddies the water, undermines our volunteers, creates the possibility of higher costs, and has already cost us in lost grants. Instead of duplicating or mislabeling services, the Commission should focus on strengthening the volunteer fire departments that citizens already depend on every single day. Hamilton County citizens deserve both strong volunteer fire departments and a capable Haz-Mat Team. But they must remain separate, with distinct missions. The Commission should reject any resolution that mislabels Haz-Mat as a fire department, and protect taxpayers from unnecessary costs, legal missteps, and future grant losses. Respectfully, Brandon Fritts Hixson, Tennessee District 3 A burglary suspect shot and killed by a police officer Thursday morning, as he was fleeing police, striking a police vehicle and nearly running down an officer, has been identified as 44-year-old Kevin Barnes.Chattanooga Police Department officers responded to a call for a burglary in progress in the 2100 block of Hamill Road at approximately 2:15 a.m.Officials said, "When the first officer arrived, he located the male suspect, who was attempting to flee the scene in a vehicle.The officer gave multiple clear, verbal commands to exit the vehicle. The suspect refused to comply. A second officer arrived, and both officers continued issuing commands before attempting to remove the suspect from the vehicle."At that time, the suspect put the truck in gear, striking a police vehicle and nearly running over one of the officers. To protect themselves from imminent danger, the officers took action to stop the driver. Ultimately, an officer discharged his weapon, striking the suspect."The officers rendered life-saving aid until Hamilton County EMS arrived. Despite those efforts, the suspect did not survive. A passenger fled on foot and remains unaccounted for.Both officers were evaluated by EMS on scene and released.Per CPD policy, both officers have been placed on administrative leave. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is leading the criminal investigation. Appreciation was shown for the Signal Mountain Police and Fire Departments and what they do that goes beyond their typical jobs to make the town safe. City Manager Matt Justice thanked Police Chief Mike Williams, Lt. Daniel Fletcher and Sergeant Marcus Bingham for bringing the opportunity for the city to apply for a grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. Their persistence has paid off with the award of the $25,000 grant which will support roadway safety by purchasing equipment, paying overtime for law enforcement activities and education designed to reduce speeding, aggressive driving and other traffic violations within the town. The police and fire departments will be holding an event on Saturday, Oct. 4, to raise money for the Signal Mountain Social Services programs. Their annual cornhole tournament will be held at the Mountain Arts Community Center that day beginning at 11 a.m. There will also be live music and barbecue. Players of all levels of experience and skill with the cornhole game are welcome to participate. City Manager Justice congratulated individuals in the Signal Mountain Fire Department for promotions. Engineer Jay Sharp has been promoted to lieutenant on the green shift. Firefighter Evan Cape has been promoted to engineer on the red shift, and Matthew McDowell has been promoted to engineer on the green shift. And a new firefighter has recently come to the city from Savannah, Ga. where he had five years of experience before joining the Signal Mountain Fire Department. The council proclaimed Oct. 3 as the official day for the observation and celebration of Arbor Day in the town. It is a day known for planting trees and celebrating all the values that come from trees. The citys tree board begins working with students in the elementary school to teach the benefits and value of trees. Councilman Charles Poss said that on Arbor Day, the tree board chooses the location where trees will be planted and the public works employees assist in the digging. The city also adopted a Floodplain Zoning ordinance that amended the towns zoning to minimize damage and loss due to flooding. It actually has been mandated for the city to do in order to keep citizens eligible to participate in the national flood insurance program and affordable flood insurance, and for the city to be able to provide federal disaster assistance. The last time the flood plain code had been updated was in 2016. The Design Review Committee and Board of Zoning appeals both scheduled for this week were cancelled because of having no business to conduct. The tree board will meet Thursday at the MACC. The parks and recreation department has scheduled a community clean up event for September 27. Volunteers will meet at town hall at 9 a.m. That day will be dedicated for cleanng up trash throughout the town, to make it shine, said Mr. Justice. The next regular council meeting will be on October 13. photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer photo by James Boofer Previous Next The No. 22-ranked Tennessee Volleyball team earned its fifth-consecutive sweep, opening SEC play with a dominating win against Georgia (25-19, 26-24, 25-20) on Wednesday at Food City Center.Tennessee (10-1, 1-0) outshone the Bulldogs (8-3, 0-1) in the evening, collecting 45 assisted kills, to finish with 49 total. Senior outside hitterand redshirt-junior settereach put on impressive performances in the contest, both notching double-doubles in the match.Kubik finished the contest as the leader in kills with 13, to go along with 10 digs, one ace and two blocks. Kerr provided 36 assists, 12 digs and five kills.Sophomore opposite hitterwent all-out for the Lady Vols, tallying 12 kills and four blocks. Sophomore middle blockerracked up 11 kills and four blocks. Redshirt-senior outside/opposite hitterachieved 750 kills on her first swing of the night, while rounding out the match with four kills, two blocks and one dig.Tennessee held Georgia to 36 kills on a .170 hitting percentage, as the team completed 50 digs and nine total blocks. Senior libero Gulce Guctekin clutched 12 digs, five assists and one ace. The Big Orange only allowed five lead changes during the entire match.The first frame was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams making plays until Georgia could not come back from the Big Orange's early 5-1 run. Kubik delivered seven kills on .545 hitting for Tennessee, while Chapman followed closely with four. Kerr got her night off strong, picking up 12 assists, four digs and two sneaky kills of her own to add to the Lady Vols' total of 17.Tennessee fought to keep the lead in the second stanza, as the Bulldogs picked up a 5-0 scoring run to go up 17-16. After 10 tie scores and four lead changes, Chapman finally called it after back-to-back kills to end the set 26-24, Tennessee. Chapman and Kubik led with four kills and two blocks each, along with five digs from Kubik. Kerr put up nine assists, five digs and three more kills. Guctekin made big plays for the Tennessee defense from her four digs, along with Humphrey, who provided four blocks.The Lady Vols took that momentum into the third set, opening on a 7-1 scoring run. Sutton added six kills and three blocks to her statline, with Chapman adding four kills and two blocks of her own. Kerr capped off her outing with 15 assists, guiding Tennessee to 15 kills on the set. The 16 digs, five of which came from Guctekin, and six team blocks rounded out the Big Orange's strong performance.Up next, the Lady Vols continue SEC play, hosting South Carolina at Food City Center on Friday at 6:30 p.m.. The match will be streamed on SEC Network+. The Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. in Chattanooga, opens its 102nd season with "Memphis The Musical," playing now through Oct. 5.Officials said, "Set in 1950s Memphis, this Tony and Olivier Award winning musical tells the story of a white DJ with a passion for black music and a talented black singer chasing her big break. Inspired by true events, Memphis is a high-energy tale of love, ambition and the power of music - featuring electrifying dance, a Tony-winning score by David Bryan (Bon Jovi), and a book by Joe DiPietro.Appropriate for ages 13 and up."Ticket prices range from $23 to $35 and are available here Performance dates and times are:- Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.;- Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.;- Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.;- Sunday, Sept. 28 at 2:30 p.m.;- Thursday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.;- Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.;- Saturday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.; and- Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2:30 p.m. Chattanooga and Hamilton County governments have united for the America 250 Commemoration with the creation of a local America 250 Committee to be chaired by the city and countys official historian Linda Moss Mines. Ms. Mines is joined by Vice-Chairs John L. Edwards, III and Jim Frierson, Secretary Jim Webster and more than 50 representatives of historical societies, community-based service, preservation and faith groups and business/educational institutions.Officials said, "On 4 July, 2026, the United States of America will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nations past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond. To oversee this special time, the U. S. Congress and America 250 National Semiquincentennial Commission, a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American, have joined together with governors, state general assemblies and local governments to promote the observation."The 2026 Armed Forces Week events will spotlight the service of the United States Coast Guard and America 250 under the leadership of Col. Scott Hardin, USA [Ret] and Bill Norton, USMC, Chattanooga Area Veterans Council. The "spectacular" July 4 celebration along the Tennessee Riverfront team is led by Marti Rutherford, Becky Browder and Capt. Mickey McCamish, USN[Ret].The Chattanooga-Hamilton County America 250 Committee has already convened for preliminary planning meetings and will continue meeting monthly on the second Monday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at The Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. M L King Blvd. in Chattanooga. Subcommittees will begin more frequent meetings in January.The public is invited and representatives of local civic, business, faith, service, etc. groups are encouraged to attend and share ideas.For more information, contact localhistorycounts@gmail.com. 25-0010117 5700 BLK Ringgold Road - Traffic Stop / Foot Pursuit / Warrant Service - Police initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle. The driver stopped in the parking lot and fled on foot West towards the creek. ERPD saturated the area, deployed K9 to begin a track. Police spotted the subject near Key West & Springvale. The suspect was found lying down in the backyard of a residence on Key West Avenue. The subject was taken into custody and transported to Hamilton County Jail without further incident. During the pursuit, an officer sustained a laceration to his arm after encountering a wire fence. The officer was treated for his injury at the local hospital. K9 Quest sustained a laceration to his ear and was treated at the veterinary clinic. In addition to the traffic violations and evading charges, he was found to have multiple outstanding warrants out of Walker County. Day Shift September 24 : A Squad 25-010107 - 601 Justice Way - Warrant Service A woman was served a warrant for Forfeiture Capias - Driving on Suspended while in custody at the Hamilton County Jail. 25-010108 - Hilldale Drive & Brookwood Drive - Suspicious Person Police responded to the area on a report a male with an army green hoodie and jeans was walking on the sidewalks and was not familiar to the residents. Officers contacted the man who said he was walking and talking. It appeared the man was a mental health consumer and was advised to find another area to walk. 25-010111 3300 BLK Gleason Drive Harassment A resident called to get advice on handling a person who has contacted him in a harassing manner. Police advised to block communications and to document and report any instances the party contacts him in the future. 25-010112 4100 BLK Ringgold Road - Suspicious Activity Patrol assisted CID in locating a possible credit-card scanner on a fuel pump. The incident is under investigation. 25-010119 500 BLK S. Sweetbriar Avenue - Suspicious Activity A resident reported that two males in a white SUV tried to enter her home by telling her that they were hired by her husband to work on the Wi-Fi. The complainant is not married. The parties left prior to police arrival. 25-010121 - 800 Belvoir Avenue - Assault PD Only The caller asked for police guidance after her young child was pushed down by another child. She was advised to take this matter up with the school as the children were not of an appropriate age for criminal justice intervention. 25-010125 5500 BLK Ringgold Road - Disorder Prevention A manager asked police to stand by while she terminated an employee. The party did not show up for work, and no disorder ensued. 25-010127 500 BLK South Lovell Avenue - Residential Fire Officers tended to a resident while ERFD extinguished a small kitchen fire in her home. Night Shift September 24: C Squad 25-010131 6700 BLK Ringgold Road Suspicious Activity The property manager reported three homeless individuals were loitering in front of the store. Police located the three subjects in the parking lot with several personal items. Officers checked the individuals for warrants and criminally trespassed them per the request of the property manager. Reference proximity restrictions 25-000195, 25-000196, and 25-000197. 25-010138 601 Justice Way Warrant service While in custody at the Hamilton County Jail, a man was served with a Forfeiture Capias warrant through the City of East Ridge. The original charge on the arrest warrant was Theft under $1000. 25-010140 3700 BLK Fountain Ave Business Alarm Police Officers responded to a burglar alarm in the management office apartment complex. Police found the office was secure and had no signs of attempted forced entry. 25-010141 500 BLK West Shadowlawn Drive, Chattanooga Assist Other Agency East Ridge Police Officers assisted Chattanooga Police in setting up a perimeter around 15th Avenue and Shadowlawn Drive. Chattanooga Police utilized a K9 and a drone to search for a suspect in an attempted residential burglary. The subject also had several confirmed arrest warrants. He was not located and may have left prior to the arrival of law enforcement. 25-010142 1300 BLK Adonna Lane- Domestic Assault Police responded to an assault in progress at this residence and found the incident was captured on a Ring doorbell camera. The video showed the female suspect assaulting a male on the front porch of their residence. The woman was taken into custody for Domestic Assault and was transported to the Hamilton County Jail without incident. 25-010143 3200 BLK Navajo Drive Suspicious Activity Police observed a silver vehicle pull into the church parking lot at approximately 2:30 in the morning. Police approached the vehicle and found the driver was a member of the churchs school faculty. The faculty member stated she arrived early to pick up items for an off-site field trip. 25-010144 100 BLK Cecil Lane Unknown 911 Police Officers responded to an Unknown 911 call that originated near this address. Police checked the area but did not locate any signs of distress. The Chattanooga Music Club will offer a free community concert featuring the Chattanooga Clarinet Choir on Sunday, Oct 5 at 3 p.m. at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1505 North Moore Road in Chattanooga."Founded in 1998 by Jay Craven, one of Chattanooga's most beloved musicians and principal clarinetist with the CSO for over 50 years, this community ensemble is composed of professional, amateur and student musicians who volunteer to share their love of music with the Greater Chattanooga community," officials said.The Chattanooga Clarinet Choir is conducted by Nicholas Hartline.He is the associate professor of music at Chattanooga State Community College, where he directs the Symphonic Band, Chamber Music Ensembles and teaches clarinet. He performs regularly with the Chattanooga Symphony and the Huntsville Symphony, and has also performed with the Knoxville Opera. As a chamber musician, Mr. Hartline is co-founder of 4Reeds, Triptych Winds, No One Two Reed Trio, Fourth Wall and Chattywampus. He has conducted the Signal Mountain Playhouse orchestra since 2017. Mr. Hartline played clarinet with the Chattanooga Clarinet Choir for many years, and said he is excited to lead this "wonderful" group as conductor.Officials said, "The Chattanooga Music Club provides free music concerts to the public and other music activities for its members and guests. Founded in 1896 by a small group of musicians in Chattanooga, the CMC holds the distinction of being the oldest music club in Tennessee and has played a leadership role in Chattanooga's fine arts for 128 years."One of the most rewarding achievements of the club is the scholarship competition held every spring. Approximately 200 students have received scholarship awards since 1946, with many of those recipients having become professional vocalists, instrumentalists, private and classroom teachers, orchestra directors, church musicians and scores of other professions related to music."In 2025, over $10,000 was awarded in scholarships to high school seniors."For information about audition requirements for the 2026 scholarship, email scholarships@chattanoogamusicclub.org."The club is also renowned for major restorations of the Austin Pipe Organ at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, which was installed 100 years ago in 1925," officials said. Home News 5 Christians pushing back against Pam Bondi's 'hate speech' comments United States Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing criticism for comments she made on The Katie Miller Podcast last week, where she declared, Theres free speech and then theres hate speech. Bondi suggested that there is no place for hate speech in the U.S., especially now, especially after what happened to conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated earlier this month. When Miller asked Bondi if she saw law enforcement going after these groups who are using hate speech and putting cuffs on people, the attorney general answered in the affirmative: We will absolutely target you, go after you if you are targeting anyone with hate speech. Bondi has since walked back those comments, telling Axios that the attorney generals office wont be prosecuting citizens for hate speech, but would be pursuing criminal groups or people that incite violence. Despite the walkback, Bondis implication that hate speech is not protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution drew pushback from conservative Christians, many of whom are supporters of the Trump administration. Here's a list of five prominent Americans who are speaking up for free speech. Home News Archaeologists discover 'one of the largest hoards' of Byzantine-era coins found in Israel during Galilee dig Coin hoard sheds light on end of Byzantine period, Sassanid invasion Archaeologists from the University of Haifa announced the discovery of a rare cache of Byzantine-era gold coins during excavations in the ancient city of Hippos (Sussita), near the Sea of Galilee. The excavations at Sussita have been going on for 26 years, under the direction of Michael Eisenberg and Arleta Kowalewska of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology and the Department of Archaeology at the University of Haifa. The large hoard of gold coins was accompanied by articles of gold jewelry, semi-precious stones, pearls and glass. The archaeologists even found evidence of a coin purse, which likely held the coins in the past in order to protect them. This is one of the largest hoards from the Byzantine period discovered on dry land in Israel, and its uniqueness lies in the combination of jewelry and gold coins from the reigns of different emperors, Eisenberg said. Remnants of fabric were found on some of the coins a trace of the cloth pouch in which the hoard had been hidden. The coins date from the reign of Emperor Justin I (518527 A.D.) until the reign of Emperor Heraclius (610-613 A.D.). The site of Sussita lies inside the Hippos (Sussita) National Park, and is managed by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The discovery of the 97 gold coins marks the largest coin collection discovered at the site during the years of excavation. While the coins were initially discovered in July, the researchers waited to announce the discovery until confirming that no other caches were located in the area. During the excavations in July, Edie Lipsman, a metal detector operator working at the excavation, recorded a signal near a large stone. Further investigation revealed a cache of coins. The device went crazy. I couldnt believe it, gold coins started appearing one after another, Lipsman related. During the Byzantine era, Sussita (called Hippos in Greek), which overlooks the Sea of Galilee, was an important episcopal seat, with at least seven churches. The cache includes coins of different value, depending on the purity of the coin. Some of the coins were solidi (full value), while semisses (half value) and tremisses (third value) were also found among the hoard. Danny Shion, the numismatist working with the excavation, explained the significance of finding a tremissis coin. This is a rare find that adds an important layer to the understanding of the political and economic history of the period, he said. He noted that the tremissis coin found at Sussita is only the second such coin found in Israel. Gold is a noble metal, and when you find coins and jewelry nearly 1,400 years old that look new, it is a rare experience, Eisenberg said. As a noble metal, gold does not oxidize, so coins made of gold maintain their luster for centuries. Sussita was founded during the second century B.C. by the Seleucid Greeks. It became an important town during the Byzantine era (330-636 A.D.) and was abandoned following a devastating earthquake in 749 A.D. The coin cache appears to have been buried before the Sassanid-Persian invasion of 614 A.D., as the newest coin dates to the period of Emperor Heraclius (610-613 A.D.). While the town survived the invasion, despite some destruction, the coin cache remained buried until its discovery centuries later. This article was originally published at All Israel News Home News Chaplains group in battle to cut ties with Anglican Church in North America A chaplains agency body is attempting to end its affiliation with the Anglican Church in North America; however, the denomination is claiming that it cannot legitimately do so. The Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy, an endorsing agency for Anglican chaplains established in 2014, sent a letter on Monday to ACNA Archbishop Steven Wood stating that they were terminating their affiliation with the denomination. The letter, written by JAFC Chairman David van Esselstyn, also informed Wood that he "may not meet nor contact our member Chaplains or use the trademark Anglican Chaplains." While the short letter did not list the reasons for the disaffiliation, a JAFC spokesperson provided information to The Christian Post on Wednesday, explaining that it involved the reported mistreatment of JAFC Bishop Derek Jones. According to an FAQ document provided to CP by the JAFC spokesperson, Jones has been the victim of a targeted attack by Wood, allegedly because Jones had been critical of errors, missteps, and mismanagement within the Archbishop's office. For his part, Wood said in a letter released Tuesday that the situation between ACNA and the JAFC began in the summer, when ACNA leadership received credible complaints regarding Bishop Derek Jones, alleging abuse of ecclesiastical power. These complaints did not involve physical or sexual misconduct, nor did they involve any doctrinal concerns, wrote Wood. Nevertheless, they were concerning because abuse of ecclesiastical power violates the trust that is essential for effective ministry. Wood claimed that when he met with Jones regarding the allegations and requested that the JAFC oversee an investigation in accordance with the standard disciplinary procedures outlined in Title IV of the ACNA Constitution and Canons, Jones refused. In response to the reported refusal, Wood issued a temporary inhibition, a measure that restricted the ability of Jones to carry out his duties as a bishop for 60 days. We are deeply disappointed and saddened that Bishop Jones has chosen to respond in the fashion he has to our provinces effort to investigate credible complaints of misconduct, Wood said in a statement emailed to CP. In his letter, Wood maintained that JAFC remains a canonical ministry of the Anglican Church in North America and thus does not have canonical authority to withdraw from the denomination. JAFC disputes the claim that they cannot cut ties with ACNA, with a JAFC spokesperson providing CP with a press release in which the jurisdiction argues that, as they were originally part of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, they retain a special status allowing for disaffiliation. Additionally, the JAFC FAQ document claims that Jones was actually cooperating with the proposed investigation into the accusations of abuse until JAFC officials concluded that the request was unlawful and intentionally violated the ACNA's canons. Regarding the chaplaincy endorsement program for the denomination, a representative of the ACNA Provincial Office told CP via email that ACNA-ordained chaplains retain their orders and endorsements unless they choose otherwise. Archbishop Wood has convened the College of Bishops to take the initial steps needed to ensure necessary protections are in place for ACNA chaplains, explained the office. Archbishop Emeritus Bob Duncan and Bishop Jay Cayangyang will provide episcopal and pastoral oversight for the chaplains of the SJAFC until a new bishop is elected. The office also noted that they were in communication with the U.S. Department of War Office of Chaplaincy Services to make all necessary notifications to ensure our chaplains endorsements remain valid and uninterrupted during this period of transition. Home News Ex-psychic rejects fear of occult curses against Charlie Kirk: 'Satan always loses' A former psychic medium who became a Christian told The Christian Post that reports of witches cursing Charlie Kirk before his assassination could spread unnecessary fear by distracting from God's sovereignty. "Nothing happens without God's permission," said Jenn Nizza, a former practitioner of witchcraft who is now an author and podcaster whose work can be found at Ex-PsychicSaved.com. Two days before Kirk was fatally shot in Utah by a 22-year-old assassin with leftist political views, the feminist news website Jezebel published an article by an unnamed staffer who said she had hired witches on the online marketplace Etsy to invoke "multiple curses" on the 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder. The article, titled "We Paid Some Etsy Witches to Curse Charlie Kirk," called Kirk a "far-right misogynist" and mentioned a spell to invoke hatred against him, with the author noting she was promised results within weeks and offered the choice of paying extra to "amplify the energetic support." The article also noted that one of the witches confirmed to the author that requests for curses against political figures have risen in recent years. Formal occult activity against President Donald Trump repeatedly made headlines during his first term, with members of the "#MagicResistance" casting "binding spells" against him and his associates. After Kirk was slain and their article faced backlash on social media, the outlet first appended an editor's note condemning political violence before deleting the article "on the recommendation of our lawyers," claiming it was intended to be satirical. Two days ago, this outlet promoted paying a witch to curse Charlie Kirk to make him be on the receiving end of hatred. Now they disavow themselves of the consequences of their rhetoric. The media has blood on its hands. pic.twitter.com/3LS6MDOQeN Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) September 10, 2025 The article had left Kirk and his wife, Erika, "rattled," prompting them to ask a friend to pray over them the day before he was shot, according to conservative political commentator Megyn Kelly, who is friends with the Kirk family. "Erika and Charlie Kirk heard about these curses, and that news genuinely rattled Erika, in particular," Kelly said on her Monday podcast. "She knew Christian teaching on the subject, she loved Charlie, absolutely, and she was scared when she heard of the curses Jezebel had called up." "She eventually worked it through, and so did Charlie," said added. "As she later told me, 'Weapons will form, but not prosper; that Satan and those witches have no power.' Of course, God's will is the one that matters, and His blessing over Charlie was real and palpable." The night before Charlie Kirk was murdered, Erika Kirk called a friend to come over to their house to pray for Charlie after feminist website, Jezebel, paid witches on Etsy to curse him, according to Megyn Kelly. Jezebel bragged just two days before Charlie was assassinated pic.twitter.com/c5NQqCkyVW Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 24, 2025 Nizza told CP the idea that occult practitioners have ultimate power over life and death is a lie, and that anything their witchcraft happens to accomplish remains under the authority of God. "Do I think that witches really were putting hexes and curses on Charlie? Probably. Do I think that they have any power to ultimately say who lives or dies? No, that's up to God," she said. In a TikTok video posted last week, Nizza warned against focusing on the potential role that occultists and the demonic forces they invoke might have played in Kirk's murder. She admonished Christians to avoid descending into a spiral of fear and anger that distracts from God's sovereignty and faithfulness, a temptation she implied is part of the spiritual attack. "They want to think that they have the power of God, and that's simply not true," Nizza said of occultists, whose activity she said ultimately leads to their own destruction. "Don't fall for that way of thinking. God is sovereign over all things. God allowed Charlie to come home. Demons are on a short leash. Please try to remember that." Regarding whether she believes spiritual warfare is escalating in the wake of Kirks assassination, Nizza told CP she remains optimistic that God will use any evil intentions to accomplish His will. "I would say revival is upon us. Actually, I think that this is a classic but amplified case of 'what he meant for harm, God meant for good,'" she said, paraphrasing Joseph's words to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, after their plans to persecute him ultimately led to saving his own people from famine. Nizza also referenced the story of Pharaoh's sorcerers in Exodus, who she said were at first "able to go tit-for-tat" with Moses until the power of God overwhelmed their occult abilities when the Nile River turned to blood. "They can't undo that," she said of whatever dark forces the Egyptian sorcerers were invoking. "They can't make something clean. They can't purify something." Nizza suggested the promotion of the Gospel in the wake of Kirk's murder might be leading to a spiritual purification. "Satan always loses, he always loses," she said. "Charlie Kirk went home to Jesus Christ, so that's number one; number two, Charlie Kirk's voice got magnified." She noted millions heard the Gospel during Kirk's memorial service in Glendale, Arizona. In what has been dubbed "the Charlie effect," reports have emerged of a surge in church attendance after his death. "Here's God with this huge turn of events what they thought was going to be for evil, God intended for good to save many lives," she said. Home News Florida high school shuts down weekly Witchy Wednesdays A high school in Florida has shut down a weekly morning announcements segment that critics said promoted witchcraft following a complaint letter from a legal nonprofit. The Liberty Counsel previously sent a complaint letter to Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) over a local high schools practice of allowing a Witchy Wednesday segment as part of their morning announcements. In a response sent to the legal nonprofit on Tuesday, OCPS said the school district has "instructed the school to cease Witchy Wednesday segments from the morning announcements. No further segments of this nature will take place, wrote the school district, adding that we cannot constitutionally allow such a segment to continue to take place in the future. In addition, there is no legal requirement for us to allow the segment to continue into the future. The courts have made it clear that there is no requirement to keep a forum open. The OCPS letter also expressed disappointment with how this matter has been handled, lamenting how the complaint received considerable media attention before the school district could give a proper response. The manner in which this matter was handled was surprising, given that both our organizations share the same goal to ensure that all students have their First Amendment free exercise rights respected, concluded the letter. Liberty Counsel founder and Chairman Mat Staver celebrated the school districts decision to remove the Witchy Wednesday segments in a statement released Wednesday. We commend Orange County Public Schools for taking action to discontinue the Witchy Wednesday video segments, stated Staver. Witchcraft and teaching students how to cast occultic spells have no place in government schools. Last week, Liberty Counsel sent a letter to the school district in response to reports they received about a regular video segment being held at a high school that promoted witchcraft practices. For example, content included celebrating a new moon by engaging in assorted releasing rituals as good ways to cleanse and recharge, as well as casting a spell for enlightenment. In its letter, Liberty Counsel demanded that the high school allow students religiously opposed to witchcraft to opt out of watching the segment and for Christian students to be allowed to have a similar school platform. The legal group cited the U.S. Supreme Court decision Mahmoud, et al. v. Taylor, et al., in which the high court ruled 6-3 that parents can opt their children out of a Maryland school district's LGBT-themed curriculum materials over religious objections. Home News 12-year-old girl shot in head in Catholic school shooting moving to rehab: 'Your prayers are working' A young girl who was shot in the head during a mass shooting at a Minnesota Catholic school just weeks ago is expected to be discharged from the hospital and moved to a rehabilitation center, marking the latest development in her recovery. The family of Sophia Forchas provided an update on the 12-year-old's condition, as many Christians nationwide have been praying for her recovery after suffering what could have been a fatal wound in the attack on Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last month at the hands of a trans-identified shooter who wrote about demonic oppression. An update posted on a GoFundMe page launched to raise money to help cover the young child's medical expenses told supporters, Sophia is winning! Your Prayers are working. Sophia surviving this horrific attack is a miracle. Her healing progress is nothing short of miraculous; an undeniable testament to the mercy and intervention of our Lord Jesus Christ, the statement added. Each day we uncover new revelations of moments and circumstances that kept her alive and made her recovery possible. There are simply too many to be dismissed as coincidence. God has heard our prayers and wrapped Sophia in His healing embrace. After expressing gratitude for the prayers for Forchas, the update noted that Sophia continues to make steady progress, showing promising signs of neurological recovery. The statement added that the 12-year-old's exceptional medical team is preparing for her transition this week from acute care at [Hennepin County Medical Center] to an inpatient rehabilitation program. Forchas family acknowledged that she still has a long journey ahead, filled with extensive therapy, adding, Her resilience continues to inspire hope at every step. Mondays update which comes nearly a month after the shooter killed two students and wounded more than a dozen others follows a Sept. 12 update highlighting an upgrade in Forchas condition from critical to serious and characterizing her progress as miraculous. The two most recent updates about Forchas condition present a noticeable contrast to comments made by Dr. Walt Galicich, a neurosurgeon at Hennepin County Medical Center, during a Sept. 5 press conference. At that press conference, held just over a week after the mass shooting, Galicich warned that Forchas could become the third fatality of this event, while acknowledging that there were encouraging rays of hope as it related to her condition. As of Thursday afternoon, the fundraiser for Forchas family has raised more than $1.1 million. Funds raised on the crowdfunding platform will also cover trauma counseling for the 12-year-old girl and her brother, another Annunciation Catholic School student who witnessed the attack but was not harmed, as well as family support services and lost wages for the family. Characterizing Forchas as strong, brave, and unwavering in her fight toward healing, the update concluded by requesting additional prayers, reflecting on her progress and praising the medical professionals who have cared for her: It is by Gods will that she has come this far. We are eternally grateful to our loving Father, who hears and answers prayers. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the extraordinary staff of Hennepin Healthcare at HCMC for their tireless dedication and world-class care. Home News Hillary Clinton blames white men of a 'certain religion' for doing 'such damage' to America Two-time presidential candidate's comments come days after Charlie Kirk assassinated Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that white men of a certain religion are responsible for so much damage just two weeks after the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk. Clinton, 77, made the remarks during a segment Wednesday on MSNBCs Morning Joe in which the two-time Democratic presidential candidate said America has yet to achieve the more perfect union spoken of by former President Abraham Lincoln. We haven't gotten to the more perfect union, and we fought a Civil War over part of it. And people have been protesting for hundreds of years that things were not as they should be, given our ideals and how we should be moving toward them, said Clinton. So, I think that's what makes us so special as a country, and the idea that you could turn the clock back and try to recreate a world that never was dominated by, you know, let's say it, white men of a certain persuasion, a certain religion, a certain point of view, a certain ideology, it's just doing such damage to what we should be aiming for." Earlier in the conversation, Clinton, who is promoting the 20th anniversary of the Clinton Global Initiative, warned that equality and progressive ideology were in the crosshairs of those on the right. "The idea of 'We The People' that all men and women are created equal, that seems to be in the crosshairs of those on the right who want to turn the clock back on the progress that has been made," she said. While the conversation did not specifically reference Kirk, who was killed Sept. 10 during a Q&A with attendees at TPUSA's "American Comeback Tour" stop at Utah Valley University, Clinton made repeated references to Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, who was assassinated on April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth while attending the play "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. While Clinton has not made any public statement on Kirk, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, said he was "saddened and angered" shortly after Kirks death and joined former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush in condemning the shooting. "I hope we all go through some serious introspection and redouble our efforts to engage in debate passionately, yet peacefully," the former president said in a Sept. 10 social media post. Nearly a year ago, in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, Secretary Clinton made similarly inflammatory comments following the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump. Speaking to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, just a day after a second assassination attempt against Trump, Clinton suggested that Americans who promulgate what she described as Russian-backed "propaganda" should face civil or even criminal charges. Claiming some Americans both wittingly and unwittingly share such "propaganda," Clinton floated the idea that those who do so should, in some cases, be criminally punished, which would presumably include potential jail time. "But I also think there are Americans who are engaged in this kind of propaganda," she said. "And whether they should be civilly, or even in some cases criminally charged, is something that would be a better deterrence because the Russians are unlikely, except in a very few cases, to ever stand trial in the United States." In an October 2023 interview with CNN, Clinton suggested that supporters of then-presidential candidate Trump whom she described as MAGA extremists are in a cult and should undergo formal deprogramming. Sadly, so many of those extremists, those MAGA extremists, take their marching orders from Donald Trump, who has no credibility left by any measure, she said. Hes only in it for himself. Home News Young Christian woman raped by Hindu cousins, mother nearly killed in religiously motivated attack NEW DELHI A 20-year-old Christian woman was raped and her mother nearly killed by their Hindu relatives in a religiously motivated attack and a dispute over property rights. Since we started to attend church six years ago, my fathers elder brother and his family have begun persecuting us in whatever way possible, the woman, whose name is withheld as a rape victim, told Morning Star News. She said she was sowing corn in Chhattisgarh states Kondagaon District early in the morning of July 15 when her fathers brother, Chinta Naag, who lives nearby, came to the field with his three sons and told her, her 18-year-old sister and their mother to stop cultivating the land. The family depends on the land for their living in a village undisclosed for security reasons. Her mother told Naag the land belonged to her deceased husband, that she rightfully owned it and that he could not stop her from working on it, she said. In the ensuing heated argument, she said, the men threatened to kill them. Naags three sons Mukesh Dugga, Suresh Dugga and Lokesh Dugga then caught the 20-year-old woman by her hair and began dragging her toward their house, she said. Her mother tried to stop them, but Mukesh Dugga attacked her with a spade (shovel), the victim said. One cousin hit my mother on her head with the axe, and the second one hit her with a spade on her chest, she said. They hit her repeatedly, till she collapsed in a pool of her own blood. The three Hindus dragged the 20-year-old woman into their nearby house as neighbors only watched despite her pleas for help, she said. Nobody came to rescue me, as they dragged me by my hair and my sister stood crying near my mothers body, she said. The men took her inside a room in the house, she said. Lokesh stood with the axe, threatening me to stay low and cooperate, otherwise he would kill me, she said, her voice shaky. Suresh Dugga caught hold of my neck, pressing my head to the floor, while Mukesh Dugga stripped my leggings and raped me. After the rape, when the men became a little distracted, the woman found an opportunity to flee. She headed straight to the nearby jungle, she said. My sister also joined me as I fled only with my upper garment, said the woman, leaving my mothers body in the open. As the two women fled, the three men screamed at them, telling them not to report the crimes to police, she said, adding that Mukesh Dugga chased them into the jungle with the axe. We just ran with all our strength we did not look back, she said. I dont know how far we ran, but we stopped only when we reached the Dhanora police station. Shortly after 10 a.m., while they were reporting the crimes to police, Mukesh Dugga reached the station, she said. He quickly admitted that because we have become Christians, they do not want us to have a share of my fathers property as my father was not a Christian when he died, and we only started to believe after my fathers demise, she said. Mukesh admitted to striking my mother but denied that he raped me. Police registered a formal complaint under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 First Information Report No. 13 for kidnapping, illicit sexual intercourse, gang rape, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, attempt to murder and common intention. Police arrested Mukesh Dugga, and because the doctor at a local hospital was unavailable to provide medical tests for a rape victim, police asked the victim to return the next day for examination. Police then went to check on the injured mother, she said. We had no idea if our mother was dead or still alive, she told Morning Star News. Police found their mother unconscious and confiscated the weapon that the attackers had used, according to a First Information Report (FIR). Officers sent the seriously wounded woman to a nearby hospital, which refused to admit her because of the extent of her injuries. The family rushed her to Kondagaon hospital, and from there to Raipur. Raipur doctors said, Take your mother home, do not waste your time and money on her, she will not survive, and after listening to that we had lost all hope, the 20-year-old woman said, adding that doctors performed several surgeries on her mother. The spade cut was so deep that it had reached the liver and damaged it, the woman said. The following day, police arrested Naag and the other two sons. Demand for justice Narendra Bhavani, founder of Chhattisgarh Yuva Manch and a leader of the Indian National Congress Party, demanded justice for the Christians at an Aug. 6 press conference in Kondagaon. Bhavani told Morning Star News that the dispute over the land arose only because of the familys Christian faith, and that he has demanded compensation for the family, undisputed rights to cultivate their land and security for the victims from the district administration. A police letter to the Christian family dated Aug. 29 instructs them to present land ownership documents to the police station. More than two months after the incident, the injured mother remains unable to get out of her bed without assistance. Because of the prayers of so many, my mother has started to eat, said her daughter, who has relocated for security reasons and attends to her mother 24 hours a day. The family, which put their faith in Christ six years ago, attends a church located several miles away from their village. Following a prolonged sickness the family members suffered six years ago, they found that when they put their faith in Jesus, "we all started to heal. After the family started attending church and relatives learned of their conversion, they started to persecute us in every small and big way, she said. Her uncles began to stop them from cultivating the piece of land that belonged to their father. We refused to give up our faith, and now they have gone to the extent of attacking my mother to kill her and raping me, the woman said. Though they are my first cousins, sadly, they do not see me as their sister. Christian support organization Open Doors ranks India 11th on its 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. India previously stood at 31st place in 2013 but has steadily fallen in the rankings since Narendra Modi came to power as prime minister. Religious rights advocates blame the increasingly hostile rhetoric of the National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which they say has emboldened Hindu extremists in India since Modi took power in May 2014. This article was originally published at Morning Star News Trump, WHO Criticized Over Autism Claims, TX Bans Trans-Men In Womens Spaces, Joe Rogan Challenges Ten Commandments link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:27 06:27 Top headlines for Thursday, September 25, 2025 In this episode, we discuss the World Health Organization's criticism of President Donald Trump and top White House health officials for their statements linking autism to Tylenol. Next, we explore Texas' latest legislation banning trans-identified men from entering women's spaces, highlighting the ongoing national debate over transgender rights. Finally, we examine podcaster Joe Rogan's critique of a specific Ten Commandment in light of a new Texas law requiring their display in schools. 00:11 WH presser over autism, Tylenol prompts pushback from WHO 01:01 Texas to bans trans-identified men from entering women's spaces 01:52 Joe Rogan, Matthew McConaughey talk Ten Commandments in schools 02:34 David Taylor allegedly urged followers to hurt themselves, police 03:19 2 dead, 2 wounded after shooting at Dallas ICE facility 04:04 Christopher Yuan 'in good spirits' after emergency surgery 04:47 Activist sounds alarm on transgender chaos inside women's prisons Home Opinion What is our responsibility as Christians to Charlie Kirk's murder? The assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, at Utah State University was a shocking act of depraved evil carried out by a young man whose heart was overcome by demonic hate. This horrific moment overwhelmed the hearts of countless people around the world with grief and sorrow. We were forced to reckon with the reality that this present age is indeed evil (Galatians 1:4), that the devil is now working in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), and that everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). As Christians, we understand the world is a dark place. The spiritual realm in which unbelievers live is described as a kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:13). Evil often seems to be on display everywhere we turn. Yet the gruesome nature of mans rebellion against his Creator seemed more burdensome recently. We mourned when we learned about the awful murder of Iryna Zarutska; we reflected on September 11 and the thousands of Americans who perished in the Islamic terrorist attacks that irrevocably changed our nation, and watched in horror as the assassination of Charlie Kirk played out in real-time across our digital screens. Kirks murder hit especially close to home for our congregation at Desert Hills Bible Church. One reason for these particularly raw emotions was that Charlie attended our worship services in the summer of 2020 even coming to the Lords Table to fellowship with us in obedience to Christs command. There is something sobering when a brother or sister who has joined together around the Lord's table with us in the name of Jesus Christ is martyred for their faith in our Lord. Throughout his shortened mission on this earth, Charlie Kirk demonstrated his eager willingness to be used by God as he relentlessly preached the Gospel. He told millions of people that the truth of the Gospel is the only important thing in this life, and that Jesus is all that really matters. In the end, this vibrant 31-year-old was one of the martyrs the Lord had numbered to give his life for the Gospel. We know from Scripture that God has a certain allotment of men and women who will be killed for their faith. Charlie wasnt the first martyr of our faith, and he certainly wont be the last to give his life for Christ. However, as one wise person in history observed, The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Over the centuries of history, God has used the deaths of faithful Christians to grow His Kingdom exponentially and to bring about massive changes in the hearts of sinners, waking them up to the realities of their sinful condition and the eternal damnation awaiting their unredeemed souls if they do not repent and trust in God's Son, Jesus. We were blessed to catch a glimpse of how suffering increases worship this past Sunday when so many churches around the nation experienced massive attendance numbers due to individuals of all walks of life grasping for strength, comfort, and answers to process the weighty news of the week. As we reflect on Kirk's death, what is our responsibility as Christians? What are some ways we can respond to this dreadful, murderous act that aligns with our mission to be relentlessly biblical in every circumstance? Amid this horrific event, our responsibility as Christians remains unchanged. It is to shine as lights in a dark world (Philippians 2:15). This charge from our King is why believers in Jesus Christ, when one of our number is murdered, do not take to the streets to riot. We dont terrorize communities by looting, vandalizing, and protesting. And we dont allow our strong but temporal emotions to permanently debilitate our testimonies and our ability to serve the Lord and advance His heavenly kingdom. Instead, Christians do what we did this past Sunday at our churches across the country and world. We sing! What other group of people on the planet comes together after the murder of one of their own and sings, but Christians? Singing is uniquely Christian; martyrs throughout history have sung as they perished, and believers everywhere gather regularly to lift our voices in praise and worship to our Savior. We also pray. We preach. We worship Christ. We love. We forgive. We call sinners to repentance, recognizing the greatest need of this hour is the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the hope of the salvation of those who are perishing in darkness. Moreover, we remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness ruling this present age (Ephesians 6:12). Satan and his minions are actively seeking the mass destruction of, not just physical lives, but eternal souls of people made in the image of God. The devil and his minions will not stop their efforts to destroy until the Lord Jesus Himself wins the final victory and casts the hateful serpent forever into the lake of fire. Until then, Christians must prepare for wickedness to manifest itself to us and to our children. The Lord promises that we will experience greater levels of persecution (2 Timothy 3:1-9), but that His grace is sufficient to sustain us through our earthly trials and tribulations and give us peace in the midst of difficulties (John 16:33). This promise comforts us in our times of sorrow and distress, while we await the coming of our Lord, who will be glorified in His saints and who will execute vengeance on those who disobeyed the Gospel and afflicted the saints (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction unless they repent and seek refuge in Christ crucified for sinners. Therefore, we must double down on preaching, praying, singing, worshiping, loving, forgiving, and declaring the grace of God offered to a dark, sinful world. Despite our tempestuous emotions after Charlie Kirks murder, this is an hour for us to stand for Christ and to proclaim the Gospel that shows the only way of salvation for sinners. One day, we will look back on these dark times in our lives and nation and see how God used this tragedy for so much good. In the meantime, we pray for the Kirk family, we pray for our nation, and we pray that God would turn the hearts of those who hate Him and His Word to repentance, and that they might come to know and love our gracious and glorious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Chinese space firm deploys IoT satellite constellation for global coverage Xinhua) 14:11, September 25, 2025 BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese satellite constellation for Internet of Things (IoT) operations has deployed its first-phase network with 64 satellites, enabling real-time, global surface communications excluding polar regions. It came after a rocket lifted off on Wednesday from the sea in east China's Shandong Province, sending 11 Geely-06 satellites into a preset orbit. Geespace, the private satellite arm of automaker Geely Holding Group, deployed its constellation with six launches from 2022 to 2025, delivering full satellite reliability and network availability. The constellation is designed to serve 20 million users worldwide, capable of handling up to 340 million messages per day. Serving up to 5 million high-frequency users and 15 million medium- and low-frequency users, it transmits 1,900-byte packets for text, voice and images. The first-phase network is poised to expand to 72 satellites, thereby boosting capacity and enhancing service reliability. Geespace then plans to have 264 satellites in orbits in Phase Two for direct-to-smartphone links and 5,676 in Phase Three for global broadband. With its first phase complete, Geespace is planning to roll out commercial satellite-IoT connectivity worldwide. Built for space-based connected-vehicle networks, the constellation enables real-time positioning and messaging, keeping cars continuously linked. Geespace has partnered with China Unicom, Geely Auto, and construction machinery giant Zoomlion to pilot satellite-IoT fusion in smart vehicles, marine fisheries, heavy machinery, and logistics. Supported by the constellation, some Geely Zeekr and Galaxy electric vehicles now feature space communication. Users can send and receive messages via satellite when ground networks are disrupted. China is now rapidly advancing the development of intelligent connected vehicle technologies. This pivotal platform integrates automotive technology with AI, information and communication, cloud computing, and big data, serving as the strategic compass guiding the global automotive industry's transformation. China Unicom, which secured the country's direct-to-phone satellite license in early September, conducted a field trial in February using Geely satellites, achieving two-way "vehicle-satellite-platform" links. This proved the worth of low-orbit satellites for connected cars and emergency communications. For sectors like heavy machinery, the network can operate in a low-frequency, ultra-low-power mode, which cuts costs and extends battery life for satellite-supported devices. In emergencies, it's capable of switching to priority channels for instant response. Globally, the space firm has signed agreements with telecommunications companies in more than 20 countries. In June 2024, the Geely constellation logged its first overseas commercial trial in Oman, according to Geespace. To mass-produce spacecraft, Geespace built an intelligent satellite gigafactory in the eastern Chinese city of Taizhou, reducing build time to 28 days, increasing output tenfold, and lowering costs. Geespace has also established a joint laboratory with Peking University to develop next-generation communications and smart-computing technologies. An experimental satellite from the lab was launched on Wednesday. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) By anya_titanya / Adobe The Charity Commission intends to dissolve a dog rescue charity it previously warned over a lack of unconnected trustees and repeated failures to file accounts. In 2023, the commission issued an official warning to UK German Shepherd Rescue Angels after the charity failed to file its financial information on time for five years in a row. According to the commissions website, the charitys reporting for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 calendar years is all more than 1,000 days overdue. The regulator also warned the charity that it did not have the required number of trustees, with two listed on the commissions website, both sharing the same surname. The regulator recommends a minimum of three unconnected trustees. In 2023, the regulator told the trustees to file the charitys outstanding annual returns and appoint additional trustees. However, the commission has now published its intention to dissolve the charity in the next three months. A spokesperson for the regulator said it had made the decision after the charitys trustees informed us that the charity has ceased to operate. Its notice of dissolution , dated 8 September, reads: The commission intends to dissolve this charitable incorporated organisation after three months from the date of this notice unless cause is shown to the contrary. Representations must be made to the commission within three months. UK German Shepherd Rescue Angels has been contacted for comment. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Adobe Stock / paul_craft The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has said it is working with think tank PBE on its proposal to create a civil society evidence organisation (CSEVO). In a report published today , PBE set out the business case for a CSEVO, which it said would address the gaps in evidence and data management that hinder organisational productivity and impact. A CSEVO would act as a central coordinating body that connects charities, funders, researchers and policymakers with data providers such as the Charity Commission and evidence providers including academic institutions and think tanks. PBE estimated that a CSEVO would cost around 2.5m over five years to pilot, with ongoing steady-state costs of about 600,000 a year, and has called for the government to cover half of this using match-funding to attract donors. DCMS said it was working with PBE on how to take its proposal forward. A spokesperson for the department added: The Civil Society Covenant champions more open sharing of information and data through better availability, understanding of need and evidence-based solutions. This is one of the ways in which were collaborating with our partners to implement the covenant principles, including on transparency and data. Return on investment The idea for a CSEVO was first proposed in a previous report by the Law Family Commission on Civil Society, which PBE ran between December 2020 and January 2023. PBEs new report suggests that the CSEVO should be located within a trusted existing organisation, ensuring neutrality and reach, with both the government and the sector contributing to its governance. Its activities would focus on understanding evidence needs and gaps in civil society, generating and disseminating evidence and translating insights into action. It says that in the long term, this would help civil society organisations become more effective and efficient, as well as help policymakers and funders make more informed decisions to support them and their beneficiaries. PBE examined small and medium-sized enterprises in the private sector and found that firms that received information to support their growth experienced an around 8% improvement in productivity. It estimated that if a CSEVO had a similar impact on the productivity of the organisations it supported, then it would only need to help five average-sized charities a year to increase their productivity to secure benefits that outweigh total costs. Alternatively, if CSEVO helped to boost the productivity of 100 average-sized charities that is, less than 0.1% of the total population of charities then wider economic benefits might amount to 12m, the report says. That would be equivalent to a 26 return for every 1 spent. Structural barriers holding back civil society PBEs report says civil society is populated by innovators, but held back by structural barriers around capacity, incentives and evidence. On evidence, it says: The sector suffers from a lack of live, comprehensive data, making it hard for charities, funders and policy-makers to understand what works and where to direct resources. The infrastructure that supports knowledge diffusion is, likewise, patchy, and theres little benchmarking data that can help organisations to measure their own progress or understand how they compare to others, making it harder to assess performance and take informed steps toward improvement. It adds that where evidence exists, too much of it is inaccessible, with some simply not in the public domain as it has not been shared widely. With insufficient sector-wide knowledge management or connection between organisations, good work is too frequently lost and research is duplicated. Shared approaches to problem solving such as systems leadership, designing joined-up services, and sharing data and insights are lacking, undermining the potential for greater collective impact. Editors note: The headline and opening paragraphs of this article have been changed after DCMS replaced its original quote. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Sign up for the daily CJR newsletter. Early this week, at an ABC affiliate owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the phones were ringing off the hook. Every two minutes, someone was calling to complain about Jimmy Kimmels show being suspended from their local station. On Monday afternoon, an announcement had been made: ABC was going to put him back on air Tuesday night. But not Sinclair and Nexstar, which together own seventy partner stations, according to Reuters, representing more than 25 percent of ABC affiliates nationwide and reaching 23 percent of American households. Managers were just kind of scrambling to figure out if they needed to get it into the newscast, and then we got word from corporate that we had to wait, and everyone was just really frustrated, and remarking about how ridiculous the situation was, a reporter at the station said. Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, has framed the conflictone that he started last week, when he said on a podcast that Kimmels comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk represented the sickest conduct possible and posed a strong case for actionas a struggle between local stations and national programmers. For the first time, hes argued, affiliates have now felt able to push back against their overlords. And that is a good thing because we want empowered TV stations, he declared on X. After all, local TV stationsnot the national programmershave public interest obligations, and they should be making decisions that in their view meet the needs of their local communities. But that dynamic is complicated by reality, as local stations field an onslaught of complaints from viewers, many of whom struggle to grasp that the decision was not theirs to make. Fewer and fewer local broadcasters are independently owned: In the early eighties, it was north of fifty companies that owned or controlled 90 percent of broadcast media. And I think over the last decade or so, its become five or six, depending on how you break it down, Reed Showalter, the former antitrust enforcer now running for Congress in Illinois, said. Nexstar is pursuing a six-billion-dollar merger with Tegna, a competitor, which owns thirteen ABC-affiliated stationsa number that would put their shared total above the national cap and require Carrs blessing. The Sinclair employee said that, as messages pour in, they are passed up the corporate ladder, but what happens from there is opaque; there has been no company-wide email providing employees with guidance on how to respond to frustrated audience members. Scripps, which owns eighteen ABC-affiliated stations, likewise fielded a major outcry over ABCs suspension of Kimmel: These responses included calls from people who, not understanding the relationship between the ABC network and ABC affiliates, asked our stations to reinstate Jimmy Kimmelmany citing free speech, Rebecca McCarter, a spokesperson, said. Other calls to our ABC stations threatened boycotts of ABC and protests outside ABC stations until Jimmy Kimmel was reinstated. For its part, on Tuesday, Scripps followed ABC in bringing him back on aira move that elicited both calls in support and demands that the company preempt the show. From a decency standpoint, we feel Mr. Kimmel was out of line and that the healing of our country doesnt seem to take much importance with some of our leading media personalities, Louis Wall, the president of Sagamore Hill Broadcasting, a privately owned broadcaster in Georgia, said. But Wall, who considers himself to be very supportive of the First Amendment, has suddenly had to navigate a complex and often contradictory set of political, ideological, and financial concerns. Broadcast is under attack from so many different mediums and video sources, we dont need another piece of our armor or another piece of our programming to be lost, he said. If we lost Jimmy Kimmel, the industry would lose too, as a side product of the decisions of the political brass, and we would be losing an audience that would be starting to look in other places. Consider Nexstars announcement that, if you really want to see Kimmel, you can skip local televisioneven the television set altogetherand watch his show on one of the streaming products offered by Disney, ABCs corporate parent. The companies that own local affiliates depend on viewer loyalty, Andrew Jay Schwartzman, a senior counselor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, a nonpartisan advocacy nonprofit, said. If the viewers go watch or go to YouTube to watch Kimmel, they may never come back. Edison International expects to begin accepting applications well before Thanksgiving to compensate victims of the deadly Eaton Fire that destroyed swaths of the Los Angeles area in January, according to CEO Pedro Pizarro. That puts the utility companys wildfire recovery compensation program on track to issue payments by early 2026, much faster than victims could expect if they seek reimbursement through litigation, Pizarro said Wednesday in an interview in New York. Still, it could also mean lower payouts than victims might expect through the lengthier litigation process. Related: California Plans to Boost Utility Wildfire Fund by $18 Billion Edisons Southern California Edison announced the compensation program in July. The cause of the fire is under investigation and Edison hasnt accepted responsibility for the blaze, which killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of structures in Altadena. Multiple lawsuits allege that its equipment started the fire. The company has acknowledged that its utility equipment could be linked with its start. Investors are curious how the wildfire will impact both the utility and Californias wildfire fund, set up to help compensate victims of multiple destructive blazes and limit utility shareholder losses. Insured losses from the Eaton Fire are estimated to be as much as $23 billion. Still, participation in these types of voluntary claims programs is historically limited, with many victims preferring to hold out for larger settlement sums, according to a research note from Capstone. Related: US Government Says Southern California Edison Should Pay for LA Fire Costs Owners who lost single-family residences will be eligible for reimbursements of $550 to $750 per square foot, subject to insurance coverage adjustments, according to draft protocols of the program issued this month. That works out to about $900,000 for a 1,500 square foot home, based on Edison calculations. Owners who choose to settle directly with Edison without involving mediation or litigation would receive an additional $200,000, plus another $100,000 for each adult and $50,000 for each child as compensation for pain and suffering. The fastest processing option should take about 60 days between submitting a claim and receiving an offer, and then checks should be issued 30 days after victims accept the offer, Pizarro said. The company is pushing to get the process going quickly. Its really before Thanksgiving, Pizarro said. The website will be up. Phone lines will be open. Well probably have some folks at a physical location to help people who are not us web savvy. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. A North Carolina judge has ordered $50 million be paid to the family of a Charlotte TV station meteorologist who was killed in a helicopter crash three years ago after finding the companies that owned and operated the aircraft liable in his widows wrongful death lawsuit. Following an evidentiary hearing, state Superior Court Judge Forrest Bridges issued a judgment order last week directing insurers for the Total Traffic & Weather Network, iHeartCommunications, and iHeartMedia to make the payment within the next two months. WBTV meteorologist Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag died in November 2022 after the Robinson R44 helicopter crashed along a Charlotte-area interstate. The flights purpose was to provide Myers video training over a simulated news scene, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Jillian Myers initially sued the companies and a maintenance facility in March 2023 for the death of her 41-year-old husband, with whom they had four children. The maintenance facility was later removed as a defendant. A National Transportation Safety Board report last year determined the probable cause of the crash was inadequate inspections, resulting in an eventual loosening of hardware and subsequent loss of helicopter control. A post-crash examination of the flight controls showed hardware that should have been connected to a part on the main rotor was disconnected and the connecting hardware was missing, the final NTSB report says. Thursdays order from Bridges said the plaintiffs experts confirmed and expanded upon the NTSB finding that the crash was was due to operational and maintenance errors committed by the remaining defendants. The judgment entered for Jillian Myers was actually $126.3 million against the defendants a $105 million total agreed upon by attorneys on both sides of the case and that Bridges found was a fair and reasonable settlement valuation along with accrued interest. But by agreement the defendants primary insurers will pay $50 million. Jillian Myers now will be able to seek the rest of the amount against the companies excess or umbrella insurance carriers, her attorney Gary C. Robb said on Friday. Those carriers recently told the defendants they were declining their additional layers of coverage for the wrongful death claims, Thursday order says. Total Traffic & Weather Network and iHeartCommunications are subsidiaries of iHeartMedia. Wendy Goldberg, an iHeartMedia spokesperson, declined to comment on Friday. Myers was raised in North Carolina and worked in the city of Raleigh, and in Texas and Virginia before returning to the Charlotte area where he grew up, WBTV said at the time of his death. This settlement does not bring back the man we lost, but it does represent a formal acknowledgment of the profound impact his death has had on our family, Jillian Myers said in a news release. Tayag, a pilot for more than 20 years, worked for the Total Traffic & Weather Network. Police praised him for avoiding a crash on Interstate 77, thus saving the lives of drivers. Robb said Friday that Myers family had hoped the lawsuit would prompt improved operations and maintenance of helicopters used by television and weather operations, and ultimately save lives. That is already happening, he said. We believe the industry got the message, he said in an interview. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. American Airlines Group Inc. was sued by the wife of a passenger killed in January when one of its regional jets collided with a military helicopter near Washington, one of the deadliest U.S. air disasters in decades. Lawyers for Rachel Crafton, the wife of Casey Crafton who was killed in the crash, accuse the airline of failing to implement procedures designed to mitigate the risks of mid-air collisions. They argue that a series of collective failures by the airline, and by the Federal Aviation Administration and the United States Army resulted in the fatal crash. The lawsuit, brought in federal court in DC, also names PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, and the U.S. government. A spokesperson for American Airlines said the company has made it a priority to support the families of the passengers and crew members of the crash. American has a strong track record of putting the safety of our customers and team members above everything else, the spokesperson said. We continue to support the ongoing NTSB investigation and will defend American and PSA Airlines against any legal action claiming the airline caused or contributed to this accident. Casey was betrayed by this system he trusted we all were, Crafton said in a statement. As his wife, I cannot stand by and allow his life to be lost in vain. Sixty-seven people were killed in January when American Flight 5342 hit a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita, Kansas, when it collided with the military helicopter, which was carrying three people participating in a regular training mission. Footage of the crash circulated widely on social media at the time, showing the two aircraft colliding in the night sky and exploding into a fiery ball before falling into the Potomac River. The collision was followed by several other aviation mishaps, including crashes and near misses, that resulted in widespread concern among members of the flying public. The accident also drew intense scrutiny to the congested airspace near Reagan National a favorite of tourists, lawmakers and power brokers thanks to its close proximity to the US capital. The skies are shared by a mix of commercial aircraft and helicopters operated by law enforcement, the military and for medical emergencies. The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing to investigate the cause of the crash, but the agency published a preliminary report and safety recommendations in March stressing the need to alter existing helicopter routes in the area. The FAA adopted those recommendations and permanently restricted non-essential helicopter operations near the airport. It also closed the route the Black Hawk was using the night of the crash. The case is Crafton vs. American Airlines, Inc., 1:25-cv-03382, US District Court, District of Columbia (Washington, DC). Top photo: In a U.S. Coast Guard handout, the Coast Guard investigates aircraft wreckage on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 30. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Amazon.com Inc. agreed to pay $2.5 billion in penalties and refunds and change its process for how to cancel its Prime subscription to settle a lawsuit by the US Federal Trade Commission. The company will pay $1 billion in civil penalties and will refund $1.5 billion to customers to resolve allegations that it misled millions of customers into signing up for Prime and then making it intentionally difficult to cancel, according to court records. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said in a statement that the agency is putting billions of dollars back into Americans pockets, and making sure Amazon never does this again. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson addresses a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing in May. Amazon and our executives have always followed the law and this settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers, company spokesperson Mark Blafkin said in a statement. In a ruling last week, however US District Judge John Chun found that Amazons conduct was illegal when it collected customers billing information before fully disclosing Primes terms. Chun had left it to a jury to decide whether the rest of the companys conduct at issue violated the law in a trial that had started in Seattle Monday. The FTC, which enforces antitrust and consumer protection laws, sued Amazon and three executives in 2023 saying Amazons tactics violated a 2010 law designed to protect online shoppers. As part of the settlement, Amazon and two of its executives, Neil Lindsay and Jamil Ghani will be prohibited from engaging in deceptive conduct involving Prime Subscriptions. A third executive, Russell Grandinetti, was dismissed from the case. The settlement will remain in effect for 10 years. The largest US tech companies have been cozying up to the White House since President Donald Trumps return to office in a bid to resolve regulatory scrutiny at home and abroad. Those efforts have been mixed, with the White House urging a light touch on AI while companies such as Meta Platforms Inc. have so far failed to settle their cases with the FTC. The FTC case against Amazon focused on the companys Prime subscriptions, which are a key part of Amazons success, with members spending more money and shopping more frequently than non-members. The FTC called the settlement historic and it ranks as one of the largest in the agencys history. Under the terms of the settlement, Amazon customers will receive refunds of as much as $51. Prime members pay $139 a year, or $15 per month, for shipping discounts, video streaming and other benefits. About 196 million people in the US had Prime memberships as of March, up 9% from a year earlier, according to market research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. The figure reflects the number of people in the US living in households with Prime subscriptions, which are often shared by family members, and not the number of subscriptions sold. Amazon had $12.2 billion in subscription services revenue, mostly from Prime memberships sold globally, in the quarter ended June 30, up 11% from the same period a year earlier. The settlement came three days after the two sides picked a nine-person jury to decide whether Amazon and the executives were liable. The company could have faced penalties and refunds in the multiple billions of dollars if it lost at trial. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Rayshon Reese, who has prior convictions including rape and assault, faces sentencing in October for attacking a woman with a boxcutter. David Gambino CLEVELAND, Ohio A Cleveland man on Wednesday admitted to kidnapping a woman from a bus stop and attacking her with a boxcutter in April. Rayshon Reese, 50, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and attempted murder, both first-degree felonies. He could face decades in prison when Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge David Matia sentences him Oct. 16. In exchange for Reeses plea, county prosecutors agreed to drop sentencing enhancements that would have classified him as a repeat violent offender, records show. Reese initially denied the charges at his arraignment in April. A judge ordered him to remain in jail on a $500,000 bond and assigned defense attorney Brian Radigan to the case. Brendan Mackin, an assistant county prosecutor who called Reese an extreme threat to the community, had requested a $1 million bond. Prosecutors declined to comment on the case on Thursday. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Radigan. According to prosecutors, Reese approached the 59-year-old woman about 5 a.m. April 15 as she waited for a bus near West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue in the Ohio City neighborhood. Reese held a boxcutter to the womans throat and forced her to walk with her arm around him. He told the victim he would slash her throat and kill her if she didnt obey, according to prosecutors. As they walked west on Detroit Avenue, Reese slashed the woman in the face after she fell to the ground trying to run away, prosecutors said. He then fled the scene in his vehicle. Cleveland police responded to the victim at a local hospital, where she was treated for multiple cuts. She can no longer ride the bus due to the trauma of the attack, prosecutors said. Reese was arrested the same day after investigators pieced together witness testimony and surveillance video. When he was indicted by a grand jury a week later, Prosecutor Michael OMalley called him a dangerous urban predator. Reese has a violent history, according to court records. His indictment references prior convictions in 1992. He pleaded guilty that year to rape, attempted rape, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary, records show. He was sentenced to seven to 25 years in prison. His charges stemmed from two separate incidents. In the first, Reese entered a womans home and tried to rape her, according to prosecutors. He escaped through a bathroom window after the victims screams alerted her neighbors. While that case was pending, prosecutors said, Reese entered another home and tied up children before repeatedly raping their mother and grandmother for an hour. He threatened to kill the victims when he left the home, according to prosecutors. He was 17 at the time of the incidents. Reese landed felony charges in three more cases in 2021, according to prosecutors, for assaulting a person with a gun in an RTA train, illegally possessing a weapon during a hit-and-run and threatening a victim with a knife and an ax. Court records show Reese pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer, attempted felonious assault, aggravated menacing and the weapons violation. He was released from prison in June 2024. A former United Nations employee in Somalia was extradited to Cleveland to face gun smuggling charges. John Kuntz, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio A former United Nations employee was extradited to Cleveland on Thursday to face charges that he and a Warrensville Heights man ran dozens of guns to the Ivory Coast. Bile Jean Philippe Assemian, a former employee at the United Nations Support Office in Somalia, faces charges in federal court in Cleveland of conspiracy to smuggle guns from the United States. Kenyas Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions announced Assemians extradition on the social media site X, accompanied by photos of Assemian using crutches to walk onto a plane. This extradition underscores Kenyas commitment to honouring international legal obligations and strengthening cooperation with global partners in the fight against transnational crime, a statement from that office said. Assemians attorney in the Cleveland case, Brian Joslyn, said he hasnt yet seen evidence in the case, but he said its possible he would explore arguing that Assemian had diplomatic immunity. Assemians attorneys in a Nairobi court argued that he couldnt be extradited because of immunity, according to news accounts. Ive talked to him several times, and he has maintained that hes innocent, Joslyn said. I look forward to helping him in his defense. The U.S. attorneys office declined comment. Assemian and Warrensville Heights resident Koffi Taregue were indicted in July. Taregue has yet to be arrested. He faces 16 charges, including conspiracy to smuggle guns, smuggling guns, lying when buying a gun and unlicensed firearm dealing. Taregue is a legal permanent resident of the U.S. and a citizen of the Ivory Coast, according to the indictment. Assemian is a citizen of the Ivory Coast, but he traveled to the U.S. several times, the indictment says. Taregue and Assemian bought and smuggled 58 guns and four suppressors between November 2018 and October 2020, according to the indictment. Most of the guns were rifles or handguns, the indictment says. Taregue hid the weapons in shipments with regular household items and sent them to Assemian in the West African country. The duo worked with two others, Chesterland resident Orin France and Edwige Tahe. Both pleaded guilty to smuggling charges in 2023 and were sentenced to probation. France bought more than a dozen guns for Taregue, sometimes accompanied by Tahe. France usually gave the guns to Tahe or Taregue within 10 minutes of buying them, prosecutors said in court records. Tahe acted as a middleman for Taregue and helped him package the guns that were later shipped to the Ivory Coast, according to court records. Prosecutors previously said in court hearings they are unsure what happened to the guns when they arrived in the Ivory Coast. PERRY TOWNSHIP, Ohio A Canton man has been charged with reckless homicide after police say he killed another man while operating a skid steer. Massillon Municipal Court records show Michael Kennedy, 25, was released after posting a $50,000 bond following a hearing Monday. Kennedy also is charged with reckless operation. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 1. A news release from the Perry Township Police Department says the incident occurred on Aug. 8 in Massillon. Kennedy reportedly was operating a skid steer, which is a small front-end loader, and struck Cole Parker, 22. Parker died a day later, according to a gofundme page for the victim. The news release does not offer details on what led to the incident, but calls it a tragic accident. We understand the tremendous loss felt by the Parker family and our community, Police Chief Brian Taylor says in a statement. Our department is committed to pursuing a complete investigation, and we thank the public and Mr. Parkers family for their patience and cooperation throughout this process. Money for the gofundme is being used to establish a scholarship in Parkers name. Parker was involved in Boy Scouts and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Cole was a big guy with an even bigger heart, the page says. Cole enjoyed helping people and often gave his time and money selflessly. The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency handles planning -- like highway interchanges -- for the entire region, but Cleveland and Cuyahoga County control the majority of votes, boxing out all of the other counties. The argument is that most people live in Cuyahoga County. But is the weighted voting fair? Cleveland Plain Dealer The battle lines are drawn over who should control Northeast Ohios regional planning decisions, pitting Cleveland and Cuyahoga County against the outlying counties. Today in Ohio podcast hosts dissected on Wednesday a controversial proposal that would dramatically reduce Cuyahoga Countys influence on the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), the multi-county planning organization that makes critical decisions about highways and infrastructure projects. At the heart of this conflict is a fundamental question: Should representation be based on population density or geography? Theres 45 board members and just over half come from Cuyahoga County, 51% of the seats, but more than 60% of the people in the area come from Cuyahoga County, explained Laura Johnston, in justifying the concentration of power in Cleveland. Chris Quinn, however, presented the counterargument: Its a multi county planning agency. Everybodys supposed to be able to have a voice the way its set up now, Cleveland and Cuyahoga county can stick it to every other county and just gather all the marbles for themselves. And thats not right. The tension reveals deeper philosophical questions about democratic governance. Is fair representation purely about one person, one vote? Or should geographic diversity be protected to ensure smaller communities arent overpowered by their more populous neighbors? The stakes are enormous. NOACA controls decisions about transportation infrastructure that shape economic development patterns for decades. When highways get built and where interchanges are placed can determine which communities thrive and which struggle. The Republican-sponsored bill would force significant changes to NOACAs structure, potentially shifting power from urban to suburban and rural interests. It would also end the agencys diversity and climate initiatives, which supporters see as vital planning considerations but critics view as overreaching. Johnston expressed skepticism about the motivations behind the legislation: Forgive me for believing that the Republicans, the rural Republicans in the state Legislature, might not have the best interests of all Ohioans at heart. Quinn said that whatever the motives are, the issue is a good one to discuss. People in counties like Lorain, Lake and Portage have long complained their interests are not served by NOACA because Cleveland controls the votes. Urban planners have long noted that metropolitan regions function as interconnected economic units, yet our governance structures often pit communities against each other in competition for resources. As Northeast Ohio continues to work toward economic transformation, the resolution of this power struggle will shape not just who controls planning decisions but what kind of region emerges in the decades ahead. Listen to the debate 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. The Sept. 23 U.S. Drought Monitor update shows moderate drought across much of Northeast Ohio, with severe drought in northwest Lorain County. Far northeast Lake and all of Ashtabula remain abnormally dry, while parts of Medina, Summit and Portage improved to abnormally dry after recent rain. Courtesy U.S. Drought Monitor CLEVELAND, Ohio More of Northeast Ohio is experiencing moderate drought conditions, with severe drought beginning to creep into the western corner of the region, according to the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Sept. 23 update, released Thursday, expanded moderate drought conditions to cover all of Cuyahoga County and most of Geauga and Lake counties. Far northeast corners of Lake and Geauga counties, and much of Ashtabula County, remain only abnormally dry. To the west, severe drought has emerged in northwest Lorain County, with the rest of the county under moderate conditions. Recent rainfall brought some improvement farther south, with portions of Medina, Summit and Portage counties downgraded to abnormally dry conditions. After 15 consecutive days without measurable rain a stretch that pushed much of the region into drought Northeast Ohio finally saw its first precipitation in more than two weeks on Sunday. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport recorded 0.17 inches that day and another 0.21 inches Monday, according to records from the National Weather Service. As of Sept. 23, Hopkins had recorded just 0.61 inches of rain for the month, well below the 3.06 inches typically expected by this point. Heavy rains in July and August, however, have kept the year-to-date total slightly above normal at 30.58 inches, compared with an average of 30.20. At Akron-Canton Airport, conditions are even drier. As of Sept. 23, 2.31 inches of rain had been recorded for the month, slightly below the normal 2.71 inches. For the year, the airport has measured 26.93 inches of precipitation a deficit of 4.54 inches compared with the average of 31.47. The Sept. 23 U.S. Drought Monitor report does not reflect additional rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday. Those totals will be included in the next update, scheduled for release Oct. 2. Drought spreads west, eases slightly in the east Statewide, 100% of Ohio is classified as at least abnormally dry. Moderate drought covers about 89% of the state, severe drought about 24%, and extreme drought 1.5%. That marks a shift from the previous week, when about 95% of Ohio was in moderate drought, 16% in severe drought and 1.9% in extreme drought. Extreme drought has now been introduced in Northwest Ohio for the first time this month, with portions of Wood, Hancock, Putnam and Henry counties included in the latest update. In eastern Ohio, extreme conditions have eased slightly. Carroll County was downgraded to severe drought after being in extreme drought last week, while Columbiana and Jefferson counties continue to see extreme drought in their eastern portions and moderate conditions elsewhere. New pockets of extreme drought have also emerged in far eastern Belmont County. More rain in the forecast? After Thursdays showers taper off, drier weather is expected to settle in. High pressure will build over the region Friday into the weekend, bringing clearing skies and seasonable warmth. The weekend forecast looks largely quiet, aside from some passing clouds. Another stretch of dry weather is expected early next week under a ridge of high pressure, keeping conditions warm and rain-free through at least Tuesday. #WATCH | Ladakh: Aftermath of the violence that occurred in Leh yesterday. Vehicles were vandalised and torched on the streets of the city. The BJP Office was also vandalised. Prohibitions under Section 163 of BNSS imposed in Leh, the assembly of five or more persons is banned. pic.twitter.com/AxxuYs4qOK ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2025 The government accused activist Sonam Wangchuk of leading the Ladakh protests and instigating violence on Wednesday, September 24, through provocative speeches by mentioning Arab Spring and Nepal's Gen Z protests.Wangchuk began a hunger strike on September 10 and demanded statehood for the Union Territory of Ladakh and inclusion under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.However, he did not end his strike despite many leaders urging him to do so, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement. "He continued with the hunger strike, misleading the people through provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal," it added.Violent protests broke out in Ladakh's Leh on September 24 which witnessed the torching of the BJP office."Incidentally, amidst these violent developments, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making serious efforts to control the situation," the statement further read.Curfew has been imposed in Ladakh's Leh as the protests turned violent. Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta announced the curfew to prevent more violence in the Union Territory, while alleging a conspiracy behind the clashes."The curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure. People have lost their lives here and I express my condolences to their families. All necessary measures will be taken to prevent more casualties," Gupta said, as per news agency PTI."Violence has been orchestrated under a conspiracy to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Ladakh," he added, further stating that any form of violence will not be tolerated.The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) office in Leh was torched by the protestors on September 24 after clashes broke out between the demonstrators and the police.The police fired teargas shells and resorted to baton charge to control the crowd. Stone pelting by the youth was also reported.At least four people died while 45 others were left injured, including 22 police officials, as per PTI.The protestors were demanding statehood of the Union Territory of Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.The protests were led by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) which turned violent as the protestors alleged that the Centre did not acknowledge their demands.The LAB group had called for protests on September 24 after two of its members, who were on a 35-day hunger strike which started on September 10, fell ill and were taken to hospital on the evening of Tuesday, September 23, according to News18.Congress Councilor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag as also been charged over the violence, as per NDTV.The BJP blamed the Congress party for violence and shared pictures of Congress member Tsepag allegedly being part of the mob. airports hybrid attacks suspected drones Danish drones disrupt Danish Drones airports hybrid Danish Danish drones suspected disrupt drones attacks Danish Denmark said on Thursday (September 25) that drone incursions that briefly shut two of itsand affected military installations overnight wereintended to spread fear, but said it did not know who was behind them.The incidents are just the latest in a series of drone incursions - including two days ago in Denmark - over the past few weeks that have exposed the vulnerability of European airspace and the challenges governments face in countering them.Poland shot downRussianin its airspace on September 10.authorities said on Thursday they decided not to take down any of thein its airspace for safety reasons, despite theion caused to air traffic.Billund airport, Denmark's second biggest, was closed for an hour, and Aalborg airport, used for commercial and military flights, was closed for three hours due to the drone incursions late on Wednesday,police said.Both had reopened on Thursday (September 25) morning.were also observed overnight nearin Esbjerg and Sonderborg, as well as Skrydstrup airbase, home to some of Denmark's F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, and over a military facility in Holstebro, police told Reuters.All affected locations are on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark."It certainly does not look like a coincidence. It looks systematic. This is what I would define as aattack,"Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters, adding that the country was facing no direct military threat.Local resident Morten Skov told Reuters he saw green blinking lights coming from west of Aalborg airport, which "stood still right over" the facility.In a video shared with Reuters by Skov, light is seen moving away from the airport toward the west.national police said thehad followed a similar pattern to those that halted flights at Copenhagen airport late on Monday and early Tuesday.Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the incident at Copenhagen airport as the most serious "attack" yet on Denmark's critical infrastructure and linked it to a series ofRussian drone incursions and otherions across Europe, without giving evidence.Russia's ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, denied any involvement by his country in the Copenhagen incident. Russia has not commented on the latest drone incidents over Jutland.Poulsen said the government had not yet decided whether it would request consultations under NATO's Article 4. Under that article of the military alliance's founding treaty, members can bring any issue of concern, especially related to security, for discussion, allowing more time to determine what steps to take.Poland invoked Article 4 earlier this month after downing theover its territory, in what Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said was a "large-scale provocation" by Russia. Moscow said it had not planned to hit any targets in Poland while conducting droneon nearby western Ukraine.The latest drone incursions in Denmark come just a week after Copenhagen said it would acquire long-range precision weapons to counter the threat posed to Europe by Russia, in what Frederiksen said was a "paradigm shift indefence policy".Denmark's recent initiatives to boost its military spending have drawn sharp criticism from Russia, including plans to host Ukrainian missile fuel production near the Skrydstrup airbase. US and Japanese officials are making arrangements for a trip by President Donald Trump to Japan next month, according to two government officials and another person briefed on the matter.A visit to Tokyo, Washingtons closest ally in East Asia and a major partner on trade and security issues, would come as the two countries continue to hash out how to implement their deal over tariffs.It would also mark the Republican presidents first opportunity to meet the successor to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is stepping down.The officials cautioned that no White House trip is official until announced, and plans could change.The White House and Japans foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Trump is already set to travel to Asia, where he is expected to take part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting that will be held October 31-November 1 in Gyeongju, South Korea.While there, Trump said last week, he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for their first face-to-face talks since Trump returned to office in January.The possible trip to Japan would be expected to take place prior to the South Korea visit, the officials said.Trumps focus on what he sees as trade imbalances with Asian countries has rocked the region, especially export-oriented nations like Japan.Ishiba negotiated a framework trade deal with Trump to avoid a hike in tariffs on its U.S.-bound exports, but many issues are yet to be ironed out. Those include the promised Japanese investments in U.S. industry and further action threatened by Trump on pharmaceutical and semiconductor imports worldwide.Malaysian Premier Anwar Ibrahim has said Trump is also expected to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 26-28. Thailands king endorsed on Friday (September 25) a new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul after a court order removed his predecessor due to ethics violations and public outrage over a deadly border dispute between the Southeast Asian country and its neighbor, Cambodia.The Cabinet, which includes several non-politicians, is expected to take office next week after taking an oath in front of King Maha Vajiralongkorn.Anutin, head of the Bhumjaithai Party, was elected premier by Parliament last month. He succeeded Pheu Thai Partys Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was dismissed after being found guilty of ethics violations over a politically compromising phone call with neighboring Cambodias Senate President Hun Sen. The call was followed by a border clash between Thailand and Cambodia in July, which killed dozens.Most of Anutins Cabinet positions went to members from his party and two other parties, Klatham and the military-backed Phalang Pracharath, which make up the main part of his minority coalition government. Many of the newly appointed ministers, including Anutin himself, had served in the Pheu Thai-led Cabinet after the 2023 general elections.The Pheu Thai Party holds no position in the current Cabinet. It had previously said it would become an opposition party.Anutin will serve as both prime minister and interior minister. He held the latter position under Paetongtarns government.Six members of the Cabinet hold the deputy prime minister jobs. One of them is Thammanat Prompao of the Klatham Party, an influential politician who was convicted and jailed in Australia in 1994 in connection with heroin smuggling. He will also serve as the agriculture minister.Several non-politicians nabbed ministerial positions, including Ekniti Nitithanprapas, a former Director-General of the Revenue Department, who has economics degree from the U.S., was appointed to both deputy prime minister and finance minister positions. Suphajee Suthumpun, a former CEO of major Thai hotel business Dusit Thani, will serve as commerce minister.Veteran diplomat Sihasak Phuangketkeow was appointed as foreign minister. He had served in many posts in the foreign ministry, including as its permanent secretary, vice minister and spokesperson. He was also a former Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office in Geneva, and was chosen as President of the UN Human Rights Council in 2010.Anutin was able to secure the prime minister position after appealing to the Peoples Party, the countrys main opposition party, by promising to dissolve Parliament within four months and organize a referendum to draft a new constitution by an elected constituent assembly.The Peoples Party runs on progressive platforms and has long sought changes to the constitution, imposed during a military government, saying they want to make it more democratic. Microsoft has broadened the AI foundation models inside its Microsoft 365 Copilot suite by adding Anthropics Claude Sonnet 4 and Claude Opus 4.1 alongside OpenAIs GPT family. With this update, users can switch between OpenAI and Anthropic models in the Researcher agent or when building agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio. Copilot will continue to be powered by OpenAIs latest models, and now our customers will have the flexibility to use Anthropic models too starting in Researcher or when building agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio, Charles Lamanna, president, Business & Industry Copilot, said in a company blog post. Claude in Researcher is rolling out today through the Frontier Program to Microsoft 365 Copilot-licensed customers who opt in. And to build agents, users can also opt in to try Claude in Copilot Studio. Researcher and Copilot Studio gain Anthropic support Microsoft described Researcher as a first-of-its-kind reasoning agent that can now be powered by either OpenAIs deep reasoning models or Anthropics Claude Opus 4.1. China pledges joint efforts with UN to implement GGI -- premier Xinhua) 14:14, September 25, 2025 UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to work with the United Nations to implement the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Wednesday. Li made the remarks when meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Li said that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently put forward the GGI at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin, offering China's wisdom and solutions for strengthening and improving global governance. According to Li, the UN secretary-general was invited to the summit, where he and Xi had in-depth exchanges on how the international community should respond to current global changes. China, Li said, pledges to enhance communication and coordination with the United Nations and all relevant parties and make greater contributions to world peace and development. Li noted that over the past 80 years, the United Nations has played an irreplaceable role in maintaining peace and security, promoting economic and social development, and safeguarding human rights. China will, as always, firmly uphold the United Nations' status and authority, and support countries in making full use of the United Nations as a platform to strengthen dialogue and cooperation and take coordinated and effective actions. Li warned that at present, some unilateralist and protectionist practices are undermining the world economy and seriously hindering the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He called on the international community, especially the Global South, to raise a stronger voice of justice, and jointly oppose bullying and hegemony to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all countries. The world should take more concrete actions to strengthen global development cooperation, safeguard free trade and economic globalization, and bolster common development and prosperity, he added. China has always closely aligned its own development with global development, Li said, pledging China's readiness to continue to pursue high-level opening up, share development opportunities with other countries, and serve as a stabilizer and a driving force for the world economy. Li also expressed his hope that the United Nations will play a greater role in addressing climate change and artificial intelligence governance, among others, and fostering stronger synergy to tackle global challenges. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Once Sheila Broflovski is done with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hes going to be feeling like Eric Cartman circa 1999. As the original moralizing mother of the South Park universe, Kyles Mom is famous for taking principled stands that build into full-on righteous rage, but a war criminal she is not well, at least, not since South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. As such, its generally unwise for any individual, organization or government in the South Park canon to make an enemy of Mrs. Broflovski, as her tenacity, her fury and her superhuman capacity for histrionics make her the most formidable nag in both South Park and in the entire world. Don't Miss In tonights new episode of South Park Season 27, Conflict of Interest, ignorant questions over Kyles Moms stance on the conflict between Israel and Palestine and a Polymarket bet hinging on her own military capabilities drive Kyles Mom to the brink, and she closes the episode by flying to Tel Aviv, barging into Netanyahus office and absolutely excoriating the Prime Minister for, as she puts it, Making life for Jews miserable, and life for American Jews impossible! At the top of the episode, we learn that prediction markets betting is the latest fad to take over South Park Elementary School after the last episode's Labubu craze. Theres one wager on the Polymarket app that has Kyle incensed: Will Kyles Mom strike Gaza and destroy a Palestinian hospital? Furious at how the gamblers of South Park have conflated American Jews living in Colorado with the very Israeli military, Kyle spends all of Conflict of Interest attempting to having the bet taken off the app, calling it anti-Semitic. Cartman, naturally, wants to push the odds even further and make some quick cash. Advertisement When South Park citizens continue to pester Kyles Mom about her stance on the conflict and insinuate that she may take matters into her own hands, the former founder of Mothers Against Canada resolves to find the person responsible for all this, and give them a peace of (my) mind. After a flight to Israel, Kyles Mom somehow yells her way into the office of Prime Minister Netanyahu, where she tears into him and his entire war cabinet for killing thousands and flattening neighborhoods, then wrapping yourself in Judaism like its some shield from criticism! Given that the Broflovski family is based on Matt Stones own upbringing as a Jewish-American person growing up in Colorado, we can reasonably infer that Kyles Moms latest rant came straight from the South Park creators own feelings on the conflict, which makes me wonder: Is Matt Stone becoming his mom? Warning: This story contains spoilers for Season 27, Episode 5 of South Park. South Park has strong opinions about government censorship, as demonstrated by the series of increasingly serious accidents a top Trump official faced in the newest episode. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr was already having an embarrassing week. After strong-arming Jimmy Kimmel off television last Wednesday, he was then called a knock-off mobster and authoritarian kudgel for the Trump administration by everyone from politicians to celebrities. In the midst of his pitiful victory lap for taking out Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Carrs celebrations were cut short when Disney and ABC announced that the host would be returning to television on Tuesday night. Don't Miss But even getting mocked and impersonated by the legendary Robert De Niro on Kimmels record-smashing return episode wasnt the most belittling moment of Carrs week. Instead, it would come from South Park. Although the show is clearly pivoting from the topic of Charlie Kirk and right-wing masterdebaters, Trey Parker and Matt Stone havent shied away from wading into the thick of the biggest American controversies. In Season 27s Episode Five, Carr is trying to get Donald Trumps attention regarding a controversial betting app. Carr wants the government to intervene, but getting Trumps approval proves difficult, because the president is trying to force Satan to have a miscarriage of the couples butt baby. In fact, Trumps efforts to trick Satan ensnare the clueless Carr instead. First, Carr trips down a flight of oiled-up stairs (a la Home Alone). After he lands with a painful animated thud, Trump busts out laughing: Hahahaha! The FCC guy must have shitty ankles. The FCC guys suffering is far from over, however. Next, we see Carr once again try to get Trumps attention, while sporting a neck brace. Unfortunately for Carr, he interrupts Trumps attempts to sneak Satan a pile of Plan B hidden in soup. Satan refuses the soup, and Carr takes a few bites instead. Instantly, Carr is overtaken with such forceful diarrhea that hes rocketed around the room and out of the White House. He continues to zip around the screen like a deflating balloon, all while poop keeps erupting from his ass. Its visceral. The gag goes on from there, when Trump lays a trap of cat litter for the pregnant Satan. Once again, a desperate Carr, now in crutches and two casts, foils this attempt too. We see the FCC head get pulverized by a ton of cat shit, then fall through the floor. Advertisement Advertisement Finally, we see Carr in bed at the hospital, with all four of his limbs immobilized. His neck is braced, he is rendered silent by the tube shoved down his throat, and poop is staining his underwear. Hes only able to issue groans of pain when a doctor comes in to inform Carr that hes suffering from toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection caused by exposure to cat feces. The doctor then informs a worried (baby-sized) JD Vance that if the toxoplasmosis reaches Carrs brain, he may lose his freedom of speech. Carrs story line ends with a very mafia-esque threat from Vance. Its revealed that Vance has been plotting to get rid of Satans butt baby with Trump all along, and Carr has been ruining the vice presidents plans. If you continue to interfere, I will make things very difficult for you, Vance warns. We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way. Advertisement Stone and Parker evidently took the extra week they had to make the show and spent that time drumming up an imagined justice for Carrs instrumental role in trying to muzzle freedom of expression. The gentlest interpretation of South Parks Brendan Carr? Hes an idiot who is so full of shit that its impairing his already limited brain function. Jenna Bush knows what its like to be ridiculed on national TV. She and her dad, President George W. Bush, were the subject of an SNL sketch after she got busted for underage drinking. There are worse things than getting spoofed by Julia Stiles, but Will Ferrell lets her dad have it, as always. We laughed hysterically at some of it, Bush said this week on Today with Jenna and Friends. You cant take yourself so seriously. Don't Miss Maybe it helps that she grew up in a family that was a frequent target of political satire, with SNLs Dana Carvey taking regular shots at her grandfather, the first President Bush. I remember reading stuff about him where I was like, Oh gosh, like as a little kid, and, That hurts and thats not the man that I know, she said. But at that early age, she learned that comedy sketches come with the position. Thats part of the job. Advertisement Advertisement Its shocking to believe, given todays political climate, but the elder Bush appreciated the sketches and even befriended Carvey. After he lost (the 1992 election to Bill Clinton), my grandfather was devastated. He didn't feel like he finished the job. He felt like he let down his staff, she remembered. He had Dana come to the White House to make fun of him after he lost so he could cheer up his staff who were disappointed upon the results. Jenna Bush made her remarks in light of Jimmy Kimmels return to late night this week after being suspended for political jokes. She applauded both Kimmels reinstatement and the way he handled his monologue on Tuesday night. I thought that that was beautifully done, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Unlike her father and grandfather, President Trump hasnt befriended the comics who feature him in their punchlines. As Joe Rogan noted on his podcast this week, the president spends an inordinate amount of time complaining about Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Saturday Night Live. While Trump usually gripes about the comics low ratings and lack of talent, its clear his real problem is being the butt of their jokes. But Jenna Bush emphasized the importance of free speech, drawing attention to one of Kimmels main points in his monologue. When he said, A show like this that can make jokes at people in power, thats part of what our country is founded on, she argued. The return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! is a step in the right direction. I long for a country where and I feel like we can get back there but where people that have different opinions sit at the same table and have conversations. 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. Yesterday's response from Labour welfare secretary Pat McFadden to this newspaper's publication of the McSweeneyGate emails - which revealed how Keir Starmer's most senior aide tried to hide a secret 'Slush Fund' from the electoral watchdog - was instructive. 'Morgan is a highly talented individual,' he claimed. 'I'm not surprised the Tories are targeting someone like that. They'll see him as a formidable opponent, who worked with me to deliver the biggest Labour victory for a long, long time.' There was no attempt to address the detail of the revelations, save for an airy dismissal they had already been looked into. And there was conspicuously little replication of Starmer's pious entreaties over the need to maintain the highest levels of conduct in public life. Morgan McSweeney had helped Keir Starmer into power - and that was all that mattered. This morning, Downing Street officials are fervently praying the developing crisis over the Prime Minister's most loyal and ruthless consigliere will pass. They hope, in the words of one Labour MP, 'that people will think it's just more Westminster double-dealing, and doesn't matter'. It won't pass. And it does matter. For the following reasons. First, Morgan McSweeney is not just another political bag-carrier. He is the most powerful figure within the Government - including Keir Starmer. As one minister told me: 'People call him the real Deputy Prime Minister. They're wrong. He's the real Prime Minister.' Sir Keir Starmer and his Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney - arguably the most powerful figure within the Government And he breached the law. The organisation he directed, Labour Together, was fined 14,000 for failing to declare 750,000 of donations. But that wasn't all he did. When the Electoral Commission opened an investigation into the suspected breaches, McSweeney was obliged to engage openly and transparently with the its investigation. And he didn't. As the emails published yesterday revealed with devastating clarity, McSweeney obfuscated, deflected, misled, misrepresented and distorted the truth in an attempt to throw the watchdog off the scent - to the extent that his own lawyer was forced to declare: 'My concern is that unless you are able to help with the questions I pose below, we probably should not refer to you at all.' McSweeney wasn't able to help with the questions. And he still isn't helping. Why, as the emails stated, were his lawyers afraid of raising the commission's suspicions? Why did his lawyers feel the need to try to hide his involvement in the scandal at all? What did they feel they had to be 'careful' of? We still await the answers. There is a second reason this matters. Without McSweeney - and Labour Together, the secretive lobbying group he masterminded - Starmer would not be in Downing Street. Yesterday, as the storm broke around them, Labour Together ran for cover. 'Neither Keir, nor his leadership campaign, accepted monetary or in-kind donations from Labour Together during the leadership election,' a Labour source claimed. But that claim is false. Labour Together was the vehicle Sir Keir used to transport him to the party leadership. It is a matter of documented fact the group provided polling for him and set the strategic direction for his campaign. As one former member of his team admitted yesterday: 'Morgan basically ran Keir's leadership campaign.' And McSweeney and his allies didn't even try to hide the fact. In the book Get In, a detailed chronicle of Starmer's ascent to the premiership, a 'friend' of McSweeney provided an infamous quote. 'Keir's not driving the train. He thinks he's driving the train, but we've sat him at the front of the DLR.' That is, the Docklands Light Railway, the east London train network that famously has no drivers. I was told by a minister that when Starmer saw that quote, he 'hit the roof'. At the time, I thought it was because he felt legitimate anger that own allies were painting him as McSweeney's puppet. But in the context of the new revelations, it takes on a more significant meaning. Over the past couple of days, Westminster's focus has been on McSweeney's failure to disclose donations to the Electoral Commission. But mounting evidence is emerging of another breach of the political rules Starmer has consistently professed to hold so dear. In the wake of his leadership campaign, he was obliged to place all donations - including 'in kind' donations - in Parliament's Register of Members' Interests. And there is no entry for Labour Together. Without McSweeney and Labour Together, British politics would have been markedly different. So Starmer's attempt to suddenly distance himself from McSweeney and his organisation stretches credibility to breaking point. And there is a third and final reason this whole tawdry affair matters: because Keir Starmer told us so. It was he who repeatedly lectured the Tories - and the nation - on the need to clean up public life. It was he who berated Boris Johnson time and time again over any alleged ethical breach, however small. It was he who self-righteously declared: 'Labour will end the chaos of sleaze.' Now those words are coming back to bite him. And those who piously did his bidding. Labour Together - an organisation once directed by McSweeney - has been fined 14,000 for failing to declare 750,000 of donations The lawyer who advised McSweeney that it was best to put his Electoral Commission subterfuge down to an 'administrative error' was Labour's own counsel, Gerald Shamash. The same lawyer who in 2022 imperiously wrote to the Metropolitan Police demanding an investigation into who paid for Boris Johnson's No 10 wallpaper. 'It is respectfully suggested that the known facts and the clear, sensible inferences to which some of those facts give rise create such reasonable suspicion that, were the suspect anyone other than the Prime Minister, the Metropolitan Police would rightly consider itself duty-bound to investigate,' Shamash stated in his leaden, lawyerly prose. But the scandal enveloping McSweeney, Labour Together and Starmer is not about home furnishings. It's about something far more significant: the man in Downing Street, nominally taking the decisions that affect every one of us - and the extent to which his path to power was funded by an illegal political slush fund. This morning Keir Starmer is sitting behind the curtains of that historic building, trying to hide. From the Electoral Commission. From Parliament. From the police. But he is not going to be able to hide. Because this scandal is not going to go away. When he entered office, the Prime Minister pledged to bring transparency and integrity back into British politics. And whether he likes it or not, his opponents are about to hold him to his word. When I walked into Bromley Magistrates Court last year to prosecute a woman charged with assault, I thought it would be a straightforward case. I didn't expect it would crystallise for me just how far our justice system has drifted from its principles. The defendant appeared in a full burka, her face, head, and body completely covered. As a Muslim myself, I know that in many Islamic countries, the burka isn't permitted in court, while British courts demand that even hats be removed. Yet here we were, unable to see the person in the dock. I asked the judge to order her to uncover. The judge refused. She said it was the woman's 'religious right'. That was the moment I realised something had gone badly wrong. The principle of open justice that it must not only be done, but be seen to be done was set aside. Instead, the system bent over backwards to avoid 'offence'. On Tuesday, President Trump stood in front of the UN General Assembly in New York and issued a chilling warning: 'I look at London,' he declared, 'where you have a terrible mayor, and it's been changed, so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law.' The words might have caused consternation among the hundreds of international delegates as well as Mayor Sadiq Khan himself, but as a proud Londoner, I wasn't in the least bit surprised. The uncomfortable truth is that Trump is right: Britain has allowed a shadow system to exist alongside our own courts. Sharia councils there are thought to be around 85 across the country claim to be nothing more than 'mediation' services for Muslim family disputes. But the evidence tells a darker story. The veteran crossbench peer Baroness Cox, as long ago as 2017, warned that Sharia councils were evolving into 'a parallel quasilegal system'. Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly this week. He said: 'I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, and it's been changed, so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law' A 2018 Home Office review found shocking examples of women being pressured back into abusive marriages, denied divorces and treated as secondclass participants. One woman, known as Ayesha, told the review how a Sharia council refused her a divorce, despite the fact that her husband had physically assaulted her while she was pregnant and tried to throw their child out of a window. The Conservatives commissioned that 2018 review. They had the evidence in their hands. And what did they do? They shelved it too afraid of being called intolerant to stand up for women. Labour are making it worse. Last week, Minister for Courts Sarah Sackman defended Sharia councils in the name of 'religious tolerance'. Labour's Barry Gardiner the MP for Brent West in London told me directly, in a debate on GB News, that he'd support Sharia law so long as it stayed 'within mosques and communities'. But the moment you say one group can 'govern themselves', then, as a Crown Prosecutor let me tell you, you have abandoned the principle of one law for all. Doing so tells Muslim communities they can all but opt out of the law of the land. It leaves vulnerable people, especially women and children, trapped in systems where their testimony is worth less and their protections vanish. No government that truly believes in fairness would accept two conflicting legal systems. But both Labour and the Conservatives have one through endorsement, the other rank cowardice. Critics will say that different systems of law already exist in the UK canon law in the Church of England, and Beth Din in Jewish communities. But both operate under the Arbitration Act 1996, meaning their rulings can be enforced by the courts only if both parties freely agree, and they must always comply with British law. Sharia councils routinely fall short of these standards. Let's stop pretending. These Islamic courts are not harmless cultural spaces. They deny women their rights under British law. And if saying this offends some people, so be it. Because the first duty of government is to treat all its citizens equally. Labour is promising new 'Islamophobia laws' that risk criminalising anyone who dares to criticise that religion - as I am doing now, writes LAILA CUNNINGHAM Worse still, Labour is now promising new 'Islamophobia laws' that risk criminalising anyone who dares to criticise Islam. An article like this, which argues for equality under British law, could be branded a hate crime. That is not tolerance. That is censorship. The consequences of this capitulation are already visible. Look at the ugly incident outside the Turkish embassy in London earlier this year when Hamit Coskun, who is half Kurdish and half Armenian, burned a Quran in protest against Islam. Moussa Kadri, emerged from a nearby building and slashed at him with a bread knife, shouting: 'I'm going to kill you.' He walked away with a suspended sentence. In any other case, the outcome would have been custody. But because the context was 'sensitive,' the courts looked away. His victim, meanwhile, is living in hiding after threats to his life. This sends a clear, dangerous message: if you invoke the religion of Islam, you can pick up a knife, make threats, slash at another person and still avoid prison. Remember the religious studies teacher from Batley Grammar School who showed a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad in a classroom in 2021? He was forced into hiding (where he still is) after a baying mob threatened his life. Meanwhile, the school apologised to those he had 'offended'. Last year, an independent review found the teacher was 'let down' by the school, the council and police but too late. A life ruined because Britain no longer defends the principle of free expression. LAILA CUNNINGHAM says it would be a betrayal if Britain loses its identity as the country of equal justice, free speech and one law for all Or how about the Wakefield schoolboy accused of a 'hate incident' after scuffing a copy of the Quran in 2023? The 14yearold, who is reportedly autistic, received death threats before police concluded no crime had been committed. This is how freedom is lost and a parallel legal system such as Sharia law begins: not all at once, but through a series of small surrenders, each dressed up as 'tolerance', each diminishing the neutrality of our institutions. And who pays the price? Citizens who dare to speak up against injustice, only to be branded as 'racists'. Victims who see their attackers walk free because the courts are too timid to apply the law evenly. Vulnerable women pressured to stay in marriages they want to escape. I no longer believe the law is serving us all equally. Too many politicians treat this as a problem to tiptoe around. Too many judges prefer not to offend. Too many in the media stay silent. But silence is complicity. If we are serious about integration, then we must be serious about one law for all. Sharia councils have no place in a Britain that values women's rights, free speech and equal justice. Will my children inherit a Britain where speaking the truth about rape gangs, religious intimidation, or parallel systems of 'justice' gets you branded a bigot or arrested? Or a Britain confident enough to say: we have one law, and it applies equally to every man and woman, regardless of faith? Britain is and must remain the country of equal justice, free speech, and one law for all. Anything less is a betrayal. Laila Cunningham is a criminal lawyer and Reform Westminster City Councillor. A detective who led the hunt for one of Britain's most notorious serial sex attackers has recalled what finally helped police catch the criminal. Better known as The Fox for the way he built dens in his victims' homes to hide in before attacking them, Malcolm Fairley was a calculating predator whose cold, methodical crimes left dozens of lives shattered and the country on edge in 1984. Fairley was finally caught in September that year at his home in Kentish Town, north London, after sparking one of the largest manhunts in British criminal history. In 1985, he was handed six life sentences and remained behind bars until he died at 71 years old from a heart attack in a Hull prison last year. Now, in a rare interview, the senior detective who led the criminal investigation, has spoken out about the case that would come to define his career and the trauma that, for many of the victims, never truly ended. Speaking to the BBC, former Det Ch Supt Brian Prickett revealed how it took police six months to identify Fairley and track him down in a time when there was no CCTV and no DNA evidence technology to assist with the search. He recalled: 'Every time he carried out an offence we were able to establish a bit more information about him, and eventually we worked out he had an accent from a very narrow area of the north-east of England.' Fairley, who wore a mask made from a trouser leg, was eventually arrested after forensic evidence linked his car to an attack, but Prickett claimed the impact of the attacks lasted indefinitely. One of Britain's most notorious sex attackers, Malcolm Fairley (pictured centre), was a calculating predator whose cold, methodical crimes left dozens of lives shattered and the country on edge in 1984 The serial rapist, also a father of three children from his two marriages, committed break-ins and sexual crimes in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes, South Yorkshire, and his native North East. For months, a quiet terror gripped an entire community; doors were double-locked, curtains drawn and women changed their routines out of fear they might be next. Prickett said: 'The amount of fear in the area was incredible. That summer was particularly hot and people were having to bolt their windows, in some cases screw them down, because of the fear.' Fairley's crimes were carried out in the hot summer of 1984, when national tensions were inflamed amidst the ongoing miners' strike. His victims included both men and women, ranging in age from teenagers to pensioners. He would break into victims' homes, help himself to food and drink, and then build a lair out of furniture and blankets. He would also remove all light bulbs and then wait in the dark, flicking through victims' family photo albums by torchlight before they returned. At the height of his crimes, there were three attacks in the space of a week, and at the time of his arrest, Fairley had committed 81 offences. Prickett revealed he visited a pioneering professor at Leicester University to ask about DNA technology and was told it would be at least nine months to a year before the science could be used in criminal investigations. Pictured: Fairley with his head under a blanket being led away by police after being arrested The police were forced to focus on meticulously preserving every piece of forensic evidence from the scenes, knowing it could prove vital in the future. Prickett said he had always been concerned that too much focus was placed on the offender rather than the victim, which is why dedicated teams were assigned to support those affected, many of whom never fully recovered. He added that several male victims struggled with guilt over not being able to protect their partners, which took a toll on their relationships. 'People say "We've got justice", but it doesn't compensate for what happened to them,' said Prickett. In a Channel 5 documentary that aired last April, The Intruder: He's Watching You, Fairley is heard being asked by Prickett if he tried to stop. He replied: 'Well I tried to. Many times. Every time I went I tried.' Fairley was then asked by another officer: 'Do you still feel you want to do it?' He said: 'Not really, it's... but I still... get a sexy drive type thing.' Asked by Prickett about an attack he carried out on an elderly woman, he said: 'Well, I felt disappointed in myself to do it. You know, like it's... it just weren't me.' He was finally caught in September 1984 after sparking one of the largest manhunts in British criminal history Bedfordshire Police ended up with more than 5,000 suspects, and terrified residents resorted to sleeping with weapons under their beds, fearing that they might be next during the four-month spree. Fairley had a string of previous convictions to his name and was the father of three children from his two marriages. In one break-in, he stole a shotgun and ammunition and later used the weapon in other attacks, including in one where he shot a businessman at point-blank range. The victim had to have his finger amputated. DCS Prickett added: 'Psychiatrists said that he was rational and that he was normal. Well, I never accepted that. 'As a police officer, you deal with him professionally, but as a human being to human being, you've got complete disgust, you've got almost hatred. I don't think I'll ever understand the motivation he had for the attacks he carried out.' After sentencing Fairley to six life sentences, following his trial at St Albans Crown Court in February 1985, Mr Justice Caulfield said: 'There are degrees of wickedness beyond condemnatory description. 'Your crimes fall within this category. You desecrated and defiled men and women in their own homes.' On February 27, 1985, the Daily Mail revealed Fairley's mugshot and declared: 'The Fox - evil beyond words.' Fairley admitted 13 offences - three rapes, an indecent assault on a man and another on a 74-year-old woman, five burglaries and three aggravated burglaries with intent to rape while carrying a firearm. He also asked for 68 other crimes, mostly burglaries, to be considered. An 18-year-old girl who was among his victims said in the Daily Mail after he was convicted: 'I felt as if there was no one I could turn to and began crying and screaming. 'Memories of that night were always with me, yet no one seemed to realise what was happening inside my head. Eventually, I could take no more and completely cracked up.' In a three-hour ordeal, Fairley tried to force the young woman, whom he had raped, to carry out sex acts with her 21-year-old boyfriend and 17-year-old brother. What on earth am I doing?' I mumbled to myself, pre-date, as I tried on five different outfits in a bid to find the perfect look. I'm 25, attractive - or so my friends tell me - and well-used to the minefield that is online dating. But this was rather different to the usual swipe, text, meet. It wasn't about finding 'The One' on Hinge among a sea of young(ish) single men. This was my chosen new frontier of dating. I met him at a Michelin-starred restaurant in West London - a swanky, darkly-lit bistro - where we drank a bottle of extremely expensive wine. He was handsome, smart and great company. At the end of the meal, he paid the bill, ordered me an Uber, and then kissed me on the cheek as he said goodnight. I left alone - with a purse stuffed full of crisp 50 notes totalling 300. I didn't rob him, and nothing untoward happened. In fact, it was the best date I'd had in a long time. It just happened to be with a 'sugar daddy' twice my age - 53, to be exact. A Scotsman, on a business trip to London, who fancied the company of an attractive and smart young woman who knew the area. We now have a standing order for whenever he's down: dinner, cash, company and a catch-up. No texts or calls in between. For a busy girl enjoying being single, it's perfect - if a bit bizarre. As many silly things do, my new dating strategy began as a result of both romantic frustration and financial depletion. Traditional dating apps had begun to feel like a second job, a hamster wheel of repetitive conversations and shallow interactions. I'd spend hours curating a profile, writing a clever biography and choosing the perfect photos, only to be met with low-effort 'hey' messages or lewd propositions. Or I'd match with someone, we'd exchange a few pleasantries, maybe grab a drink, and then radio silence. Plus the men I was meeting were so often a disappointment. I like to think I'm a reasonably good catch - I'm pretty, a graduate and have a secure job in marketing - but they were almost always boring, self-obsessed or, worse, showed up looking nothing like their photos. Sarah's date with a 53-year-old 'sugar daddy' - twice her own age - happened to be the best she'd had in a long time [posed by models] Then there was the financial aspect. Have you ever had a bad date and been stuck with the bill? 'I'll get you back next time,' he'd say. 'I get paid next week.' Not that I was expecting entire bills to be paid on these dates (though that would occasionally have been nice); 50/50 would do. It was never about being cheap - it was the lack of effort and respect. No, I was finished with diving into the conventional online dating pool. But that didn't mean I wanted to stop meeting people altogether. I love going to nice restaurants and having exciting experiences. And so - after yet another unaffordable wedge leaving my bank account, which wasn't remotely worth the lacklustre company - I sought out other means. A way to date without the disappointment or the monetary strain. Which was how I stumbled across seeking.com - a website for 'sugar dating'. Sugar dating is a relationship where one person (the 'sugar baby') receives financial or material benefits from another (the 'sugar daddy' or 'sugar mommy') in exchange for companionship, intimacy or other forms of relationship. The site caters to all sorts of scenarios: older women seeking younger men; paid-for holidays and a lot in between. Yes, there was some off-the-books sex work, but I just wanted to meet men who were looking to support others in exchange for above-board companionship. No sex for money: I was not going to sell my body. So I made a profile. Age: 25. Pictures: Solo ones, smiling, at the gym, on holiday, holding a beer -nothing too sexy or suggestive - but all me. I was determined to create a profile that was honest, apart from my name and real job, which was to be given out later if I thought it was going somewhere. Almost from the moment I pressed the button on it, my inbox went wild. Messages ranged from the simple 'hey beautiful' to the frankly bizarre 'will you be my mommy?' It was a steep learning curve. I know I sound naive, but I was struck by just how many men used the site as a kind of escort service. With a sinking heart, I received a request from a lawyer for a midday hotel meet for 400. Then a chief financial officer asked if I'd be his 'thing on the side', after which he'd go home to his wife and kids. This was not what I wanted. Learning fast, I adjusted my profile and made it crystal clear I would not meet for sex. I was here for traditional dating, companionship and an emotional bond. I soon realised the majority of the bios laid it out simply: 'Businessman not looking for a relationship, just companionship once a week.' 'Seeking a girl under the age of 28. Monthly meets. You will be rewarded.' 'Looking to go to dinner and a show once a month.' 'I'm on a work trip to London from Doha. Need a spa day with some company.' 'I'm 29 and I live at home. I've never had a girlfriend. I want to learn how to date.' Some of it, even much of it, seemed too good to be true, like a trafficking or phishing scam. Someone was offering to send me 600 - which is more than I earn in a week, post tax, in my job - for twice-a-month dinners. Another wanted me to go to Bali with him in three weeks' time. I didn't take up the latter offer, but what's crazy is that most of these messages weren't scams. The men knew what I was about, knew my 'no-sex' rule and were happy to shell out thousands. Sarah reveals she has notched up about 30 dates over the course of eight months And so I started to date. Not once have I been tricked, and everything agreed on upfront has always been delivered, though I tend to ask for as little as possible. Perhaps 100 to pay a utility bill or money toward my winter wardrobe. For me, it is always still a dating app: I have to like the guy - though maybe not to the same level as on Hinge. So far, I've had about 30 dates over the course of eight months. I haven't ever totted up how much I've 'earned' - I think that would make me feel slightly queasy - but, as a ballpark, I'd say it's five figures. Of course, many messages I've received have been inappropriate, despite my very clear boundary setting. I've had lots of men - some three times my age! - asking me to be a dominatrix. One man asked me to come to a hotel in 'princess pants' (whatever that meant) for an undisclosed fee. These creeps were swiftly blocked. Again I learned quickly. Finding appropriate suitors has at times been more akin to high-stakes acrobatics than a walk in the park. Even though I spell out my rules, some still ask for sex when we meet. My reply is always the same: 'I'm sorry, we must have our wires crossed. This isn't something I can offer you, but I wish you the best. Can we split the bill?' A dozen dates have ended this way, and some of the men just don't understand. They've never come across anyone who says no. Worse perhaps, some of the 'sugar daddies' I've met were clearly control freaks. There was the man who, on our first coffee date, said I was pretty but suggested I get some 'cosmetic enhancements', including liposuction. He said he liked my 'natural look', but preferred an 'enhanced' one, and was happy to pay for his own Barbie doll. I smiled, finished my latte, and excused myself. The thing is, everyone is perfectly honest about what they want, which might be disconcerting but is refreshing too. For my part, I want conversation and a sophisticated time. The odd Uber Eats meal sent to my flat, shopping spree or paid-for bill is a bonus. It'll come as no surprise, but living in London in your first job in your 20s is incredibly expensive. You get sick of being so cash-strapped, you've nothing left for nice things. My wages aren't terrible but I still go to charity shops and batch cook to stay above the bread line - no nice meals out or Zara hauls for me. And regular dating costs. During my fancy dinners or rooftop drinks, I make it clear to the (few) men I'm happy to see again that I have my own life, a career and friends. I am not financially dependent on them. This isn't a full-time gig. It's an escape, a temporary detour. I remain in control. And I meet genuinely interesting people. Take, for example, the ex-pilot, aged 61. He's flown planes all over the world and has enough stories to fill a library. Now he's a widower just looking for someone to talk to over a decent meal. At no point has he tried to impress me with his bank account - he just wants to share his life and maybe laugh a little. We go to gorgeous French restaurants and he tells me about flying Concorde or having celebrities on his planes. And, if he's lying about his fantastic stories, who cares? I'm being wined and dined and having a great time. A divorced dad in his 40s bought Sarah designer handbags that had been on her wish list for ten years Plus, when I complained about my tax bill, he started sending me a couple of hundred quid by PayPal every few weeks. In April, with my birthday coming up, we went to an even more gorgeous restaurant than usual. Another longer-term situation was the shy tech guy, aged 29. He was smart, but when it came to dating, had no idea. He just wanted a friendly companion to teach him the ropes - someone to make the experience less terrifying. He showed up in a suit, with flowers, for an afternoon ramen date, which I later teased him about. We spent the evening laughing and talking about everything from video games to bad movies. He was surprisingly normal and just needed some confidence. When he felt ready to graduate 'dating school' he gifted me 500 wrapped up in a bow as a thank you, despite our previous agreement simply being that he would always pay. And I can't forget the divorced dad in his 40s with too much time on his hands. He got a thrill out of spoiling someone young like me - a recent graduate still paying off her student loan. He wasn't looking for a 'mutually beneficial arrangement', as is often described on the app for those seeking escorts, just the joy of seeing me light up when he bought me something I'd only ever dreamed of - the designer handbags that had been on my wish list for ten years, or the dream console table for my flat. I had a monthly flower delivery from him - huge bouquets of seasonal blooms. But it was less about the gifts and more about the fun. We went out for gorgeous dinners, had spa days and enjoyed a good time. I know it sounds naive - and at the start I was braced for a question I'd have to bat back - but not everyone is after something else. All he wanted was an attractive companion. He didn't need a second wife, or a step-mother to his children, just a distraction from the daily rigmarole. I like to characterise this dating strategy as having a good time with interesting people who just happen to be incredibly generous. And the 'right' men give me much more than I'd expected. They're kind, respectful and fun. Of course I am always uber-safe. I go into every first encounter with ground rules I decided on during my trial-and-error phase. First, I only meet in a public place - a crowded restaurant or popular bar - never a hotel room or a private residence. Second, I don't engage in any conversation that makes me uncomfortable. If the vibe shifts, I am always prepared to leave, instantly. In those early days, I often did. Third, and this is a big one, I won't date anyone older than my Dad, who is 65 next year. And finally, I won't see men who have wives or girlfriends - I'm not a mistress. Yes, friends tend to roll their eyes when I describe my sugar daddy dates. I've been told it's risky, stupid and unnecessary - and the naysayers aren't wrong. But for me it's a fun escape. I still get weird messages, dodgy situations I quickly head out of and monthly existential crises, but I'd have all of that dating on the conventional apps. So what's the harm? This side hustle is a moment of freedom, not my long-term plan. I'm under no illusions that I'll marry a rich man from this site. I know this is a whirlwind while I'm still young and pretty. But honestly, it's more fun than splitting the bill on another lukewarm coffee or overpriced pint. Does that mean it's for everyone? No. But it is my cup of tea and so long as it continues to be served in a fine china cup, I'll carry on drinking. A spokesperson for Seeking said, 'Seeking strictly prohibits sugar dating and all forms of transactional relationships. The company is committed to fostering a respectful and lawful dating environment where relationships are built on genuine connections and shared relationship goals.' Sarah Hall is a pseudonym. The move has outraged moviegoers and the film's US distributor A same-sex wedding was altered to be heterosexual for Chinese viewers Moviegoers have been left outraged after a popular horror film was edited using AI to alter a same-sex wedding. Together, starring real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie, follows a couple who start physically melding together after moving to the countryside to work on their relationship. After amassing critical acclaim in the US, the hit horror movie received a limited release in China on September 12. However, some Chinese moviegoers noticed that one scene featuring a same-sex wedding appeared to have been altered using AI to make the gay couple into a man and a woman. Sharing a screenshot of the edited scene to social media, Taiwanese commentator Angelica Oung wrote, 'Heres a use of AI I bet you never thought of! The horror film "Together" featured a gay couple in a peripheral role (see below) that got magicked into a straight couple in the Chinese edition.' She continued, 'No spoilers, but this definitely makes the film make less sense. 'One nuance is Chinese movies are not rated for age. Maybe if it were, the same-sex pairing would have survived. But in any case, why not just ban the movie rather than showing it in a compromised state?' The alteration has sparked a firestorm, with the film's global distributor Neon blasting Chinese distributor Hishow over the edit. Moviegoers have been left outraged after the horror film Together was edited using AI to alter a same-sex wedding for Chinese audiences Together, starring real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie , follows a couple who start physically melding together after moving to the countryside to work on their relationship 'NEON does not approve of Hishows unauthorized edit of the film and have demanded they cease distributing this altered version,' they said in a statement (per Deadline). Homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997, but despite growing support for LGBTQ rights, homosexuality is still largely stigmatized in Chinese society. Together was set for a wider Chinese release, but it was pulled following backlash from pro-gay groups in the area, according to The Guardian. China has a long history of censoring or outright banning Hollywood films. Popular Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was only allowed to come out in China after it eliminated any suggestion or scene that depicted Freddie Mercury as gay. Men in Black 3 had to alter a scene that showed aliens who had disguised themselves as Chinese workers getting beat up, while Mission Impossible III cut out a part that Chinese officials felt made their people seem 'insensitive.' The third movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, At World's End, underwent a series of edits before it was released in China in 2007. Many scenes that featured the character Captain Sao Feng, played by Chinese actor Chow Yun-fat, had to be taken out because it was said that he 'vilified and defaced' the nation, Screen Rant reported. Taiwanese commentator Angelica Oung called out the editing issue on social media He went from having 20 minutes of screen time in the Johnny Depp-lead Disney film to around 10 minutes. Sony Pictures reportedly rejected the Chinese government's demand to remove scenes featuring the Statue of Liberty from Spider Man: No Way Home. The dispute occurred in late 2021, when Sony executives were working desperately to secure a Chinese release date for the Tom Holland blockbuster, according to a report from Puck. Although the Statue of Liberty plays a major role in the movie's climactic scene, Chinese censors insisted that it be digitally removed, multiple sources told the outlet. When Sony rejected the request, the Chinese government then asked if the icon of American freedom could be 'minimized' by cutting key shots and darkening the lighting to obscure the statue, which the studio also declined to do. In 2016, China issued an eight-page set of guidelines for television shows, discouraging gay story lines and topics that 'exaggerate the dark sides of society.' The document also referenced to 'vulgar, immoral and unhealthy content' with homosexuality, underage love, extramarital affairs, and one-night stands as being off-limits. A traveller has vented her frustration over an 'infuriating' problem after she paid extra for legroom on a flight, only for three passengers to invade her space. The airline passenger said she was flying with her sister and niece so they paid an extra 30 each ($A53.50) for seats with extra legroom on a four-hour flight to Spain. But moments after take-off, a dad and his two kids decided to gather around the emergency door window, which was situated next to the trio. 'The dad and his two kids decided that the emergency door window right next to us was the most fascinating thing they'd ever seen,' the passenger explained on Reddit. 'They stood there almost the entire flight, leaning over us, pointing, chatting loudly, and completely blocking the space we paid extra for.' Despite asking the family to clear the row, and even getting the flight attendant involved multiple times, they refused to return to their seats. 'I did ask him to move twice... I only got the flight attendant involved after they all got back, ignoring me completely,' she said. 'We had to call the flight attendant three times to get them to move, but they just kept coming back after a few minutes.' A traveller has vented her frustration over an 'infuriating' problem on a flight after she paid extra money for legroom on a plane. Moments after take-off, a dad and his two kids decided to gather around the emergency door window, which was situated next to the trio However, the dad and kids refused to budge, lingering around us for the duration of the flight. 'I am a 52 (157.5cm) woman, and he was a very tall man. I wasn't afraid of him but I don't like attention and confrontations and people were starting to stare at us, so I called the flight attendant,' she explained. 'The third time the flight attendant came to tell them to sit down, she was already p***ed off and warned them this would be the last time she told them to move.' Her post was met with more than 2,500 comments - with many furious with the dad and his kids. 'This is extremely infuriating. Not just the kids but even the adult is acting like an entitled brat,' one said. 'I'd be mortified if a flight attendant had to speak to me about the same problem (my behaviour) more than once, let alone THREE times,' another shared. 'Oh HELL no. I'm not sitting on a giant flying tube just to have a grown man's a** in my face for four hours. I'm glad you kept calling the flight attendant over. If they wanted to see out of a window so badly, they should have paid for a window seat,' one revealed. 'I'm trying to understand the sheer audacity of doing this. I can't even begin to imagine getting up out of my seat, going to someone else's row, and looking out their window. And after being told no, doing it again. So freaking weird,' another added. Many suggested ideas on what to do, with one saying: 'I would have just stuck my legs out and let them deal with it.' 'I'm going to start kicking the air I paid for, and if your body just so happens to fill that air then it'll be your fault,' another joked. Meanwhile, one traveller revealed how a flight attendant on their plane deterred passengers from lingering around the rows. 'I remember flying from Boston to Puerto Rico and people were acting like this. The flight attendant came on the intercom about an hour in and said, "This is NOT a school bus, this is an airplane! You are to remain in your ASSIGNED seat for the duration of the flight! We WILL turn around if there is not cooperation",' they said. Many were stunned by the cabin crew threat to turn the plane around if no one stayed in their seats - but one person confirmed: 'My mum is a flight attendant. Unfortunately it's a tactic they have to use often.' The shocking moment Sarah Ferguson stormed out of a TV interview has been shared online after several charities dropped her following revelations over an email to Jeffrey Epstein calling him a 'supreme friend'. Prince Andrew's ex-wife, the Duchess of York, 65, sat down for a trainwreck questioning with 60 Minutes Australia host Michael Usher in 2011. During the car-crash interview, Sarah, mother to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, walked off mid-discussion because she didn't like the line of questioning before finally returning to speak to the presenter. The chat started to go south when the Duchess was forced to watch recorded footage of her offering 'cash-for-access' services to her former husband, the Duke of York. In May 2010, Sarah was filmed by the now-closed News of the World newspaper offering access to Prince Andrew for 500,000 to an undercover reporter posing as an Indian businessman. But it appeared the mother-of-two couldn't handle being quizzed about the scandal, walking out of the interview shortly after Mr Usher started that line of questioning - before later returning to finish the chat. The footage was shared by 60 Minutes Australia on its Instagram page on Tuesday following several charities severing ties with Sarah on Monday after it emerged she apologised to paedophile financier Epstein in April 2011 after publicly disowning him in the media. Among the organisations to end their relationship with the Duchess after the email came to light was the Teenage Cancer Trust, which dropped her as patron after 35 years. The Duchess of York sat down for a trainwreck interview with 60 Minutes Australia host Michael Usher in 2011 Sarah sent the apology email to Epstein, in which she described him as a 'supreme friend', after he threatened to 'destroy' her family in a 'chilling call', it was claimed. James Henderson, the Duchess's spokesperson at the time, said the email was sent after a 'really menacing and nasty' phone call from the sex offender who had a 'Hannibal Lecter-type voice', the Telegraph reported. Almost a year before her email to Epstein, Sarah was captured on camera in May 2010, offering to take cash in exchange for access to her ex-husband. She is clearly heard on the footage saying: '500,000 when you can, to me, open doors.' In her interview with Mr Usher, she was asked by the journalist: 'Did you take the money? At one point you had $4,000 cash sitting in front of you, did you take that.' Sarah replied: 'Absolutely yes, it was given to me and I got it in the car and then returned it straight away.' Michael added: 'Once the scandal broke?' Looking frustrated, Sarah added: 'As soon as I knew it was a scandal not once it broke Michael. Don't try and trick me now because I am not going to play this game. Delete that bit. I don't to go down this route.' The Duchess then turned around to her Australian agent John, who was off screen, and expressed that she didn't want to continue with that line of questioning. After being pressed by the presenter to continue the interview, Sarah said 'OK, thanks moving onto the next question.' Sarah Ferguson stormed out of a 60 Minutes Australia TV interview after being quizzed about her 'cash-for-access' scandal in resurfaced footage When asked if the scandal helped her 'review her life', Sarah said: 'I was very grateful for being in that position in a way, because when I hit rock bottom it woke me up.' Sarah then looked off camera again at her agent and said 'remember, remember, Cindy, yeah.. I am going to take five minutes.' In a dramatic turn of events, the Duchess then stood up and walked out of the interview. She returned later but still appeared frosty with the host. During a radio interview in December 2024, Mr Usher opened up about his awkward interaction with Sarah. He revealed on Nova 96.9s Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie: 'I had to call her Duchess. She wouldn't let me call her Sarah, lots and lots of airs and graces.' 'But she was fine, and she was relatively sweet. But then there was just this moment she turned and getting her back into the chair, was crazy. 'She came back and she continued the interview, and then it was like a different personality again,' he added. The reporter then claimed that after the awkward interview, him and his crew were walking outside when Sarah came running after them. Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, alongside other Royal Family members at the funeral for the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral on September 16 'We walked outside, and the Duchess came running up behind me. She chucked her heels off and she's in her stockings on the lawn. Going "Michael, how was that?"' he recalled. 'By that stage, I just said, "Sarah, if I were you, I'd be asking to go back into the room and do that interview all over again, because I don't know what happened." 'Then she goes, "Oh, well, anyway, who wants to sign some books? I'll sign your book for you. And now, what are your kids names?" And off she went from there.' The Duchess's representation in Australia, John Scott, claimed at the time that the footage was cynically taken out of context and demanded that the network withdraw its advertising of the programme and delete scenes from the interview. He told Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper: 'We had gone through all the questions and subject matter beforehand and filmed all the walking in the park footage before we sat down. 'She did walk out when she was ambushed - no, it was entrapment - but after cooling down she said to me, "F*** them, let's do this", and she did, but it was a banal interview and her demeanour reflected that.' John said Sarah was shocked when asked to watch the News of the World footage again during the 60 Minutes interview and claimed it was 'unnecessary', because she had obviously already seen it and had agreed to answer questions about it. But 60 Minutes producer Mr Thomson said: 'She agreed to talk about the issue, as she has already extensively done, so it certainly wasn't entrapment.' The shocking interview has been shared online this week after several charities severed ties with her on Monday once it had emerged she apologised to paedophile financier Epstein in April 2011 after publicly disowning him in the media. Among the organisations to end their relationship with the Duchess after the email came to light was Wiltshire and Dorset-based children's hospice Julia's House, Prevent Breast Cancer, The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals. The British Heart Foundation also said Sarah was no longer a serving ambassador for the charity. Julia's House said it would be 'inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity' citing her correspondence with Epstein as a deciding factor. Meanwhile founders of food allergy charity The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation said they were 'disturbed' to read her correspondence with him. Sarah also resigned from the Youth Impact Council, a US-based charity that helps young people. James Henderson, the Duchess's spokesperson at the time, told The Telegraph: 'People don't understand how terrible Epstein was. I can remember everything about that call. 'It was a chilling call and I'm surprised anybody was ever friends with him given the way he talked to me. 'He said he would destroy the York family and he was quite clear on that. He said he would destroy me. He wasn't shouting. 'He had a Hannibal Lecter-type voice. It was very cold and calm and really menacing and nasty.' He continued: 'The pressure she was put under to protect her family must have been huge. I am sure there were legal actions. 'And this was long before the Duke's life had been ruined by his association with Epstein. It was 14 years ago and everyone will do what they have to do to protect their family. Her family and children will always come first for her.' The phone call reportedly took place in the wake of the duchess's interview with the Evening Standard on March 7, 2011, in which she apologised for accepting 15,000 from Epstein. During the interview, Sarah told the newspaper: 'I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite I cannot say. 'Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.' A little over a month later, the Duchess sent a message to Epstein, reported by The Mail on Sunday, in which she said: 'I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. 'And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.' It continued: 'I was advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you. And if I did - I would cause more problems to you, the duke and myself. I was broken and lost. 'So please understand. I didn't want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in over-riding fear. I am sorry.' Following the announcements by the charities on Monday, family members of Virginia Giuffre praised their 'decisive action' by cutting ties with Sarah. Ms Giuffre, who died in Western Australia in April aged 41, was one of the most outspoken accusers of convicted sex offenders Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. In 2022, she settled a lawsuit against Andrew for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein. He denied the claim and ever meeting Ms Giuffre. American-born Ms Giuffre's brother, Sky Roberts, and her sister-in-law Amanda Roberts, said in a statement: 'It is commendable that these seven charities have cut ties with Sarah Ferguson in light of her connections to Epstein. 'This decisive action sends a strong message about accountability and the need to confront those who support the horrific child trafficking network established by Epstein and Maxwell.' They added: 'It raises important questions about our own efforts in America. Are we doing enough to condemn those complicit in these crimes? 'We should follow the example set by these organisations and take meaningful steps to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice.' Ms Giuffre was 'systematically failed by nearly every powerful institution that was meant to protect her', they said, before commending the 'forceful response' from the charities. They added: 'In absence of governmental accountability, we urgently need stronger public condemnation of the men and women involved in propping up Epstein's horrific child sex trafficking network here in America to begin pursuing real justice.' Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide. Meghan Markle is seemingly unbothered by rumours her former best friend Jessica Mulroney has been 'offered an advance of more than $1million' to write a tell-all book - as the Duchess of Sussex carried on with her usual business on Wednesday. Prince Harry's wife, 44, took to her brand's Instagram account to share a glimpse of her 'sweetest moments' as she posed with her two pet dogs in a photo thought to be taken at her Montecito mansion. Dressed in an elegant yellow maxi dress, featuring billowing sleeves and a cinched waist, Meghan was captured looking away from the camera, towards two palm trees that she once revealed were representative of her and the Duke's love story. The caption of the As Ever post read: 'Crisp air, blue skies, and the sweetest moments.' Speaking to The Cut in 2022 while giving her once-favoured outlet a tour of her home, Meghan said the couple were drawn to the property because of the two Dr. Seussian palm trees that grew right in the center of the lawn. 'One of the first things my husband saw when we walked around the house was those two palm trees,' she said. 'See how theyre connected at the bottom? He goes, "My love, its us."' She also revealed that their then three-year-old son would even talk to the trees like they were his parents, revealing: 'Now every day when Archie goes by us, he says, "Hi, Momma. Hi, Papa."' The latest As Ever promo appears to feature the palm trees that Meghan was referring to. Meghan's post comes after it was revealed her former best friend Ms Mulroney has reportedly been offered an advance of more than $1million to publish an account of their relationship. Meghan Markle (pictured) is seemingly unbothered by rumours her former best friend Jessica Mulroney has been 'offered an advance of more than $1million' to write a tell-all book - as the Duchess of Sussex carried on with her usual business on Wednesday The caption of the As Ever post read: 'Crisp air, blue skies, and the sweetest moments.' The Duchess once said that 'the room stops' whenever her friend Ms Mulroney 'shows up' but reportedly cut off contact when the Canadian stylist became embroiled in an online race row related to Black Lives Matter. Ms Mulroney has since told the Daily Mail that she would 'never' spill the beans on what happened between them amid reports she was considering a memoir. She declined to comment further but one source has suggested that she could still be biding her time because she blames the Duchess of Sussex for her toxic public profile. Meghan still has a lot of eyes and ears in Canada, one insider with links to Jessicas camp said. I suspect Jessica is not sure what to do [with what she knows]. Meghan is still pretty powerful and they have a lot of people in common. She is probably biding her time. She lost her career but to come after Meghan could be perceived as being petty and bitter and could potentially alienate her even more. Ms Mulroney and Meghan were inseparable for several years after meeting in Toronto when the now-duchess was filming suits. She helped guard the secret that Meghan was secretly dating a prince and she was the first friend the mother-of-two called from the grounds of Kensington Palace when Harry proposed. Her twin sons John and Brian, then seven, even had the honour of carrying Meghan's train of her dress down the aisle at St George's Chapel, Windsor, while her daughter Ivy, then two, was a bridesmaid at the royal wedding alongside Princess Charlotte. Jessica Mulroney and Meghan Markle in 2016. They were best friends but are said to be no longer close Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, on stage at the One805 Live Concert held at movie star Kevin Costner's Santa Barbara estate over the weekend But seven years on Jessica has been cut adrift by her former best friend - and was effectively cancelled - after giving her views on Black Lives Matter. 'She was upset their friendship ended. Jessica knows where the bodies are buried. Meghan will be worried', a insider told the Daily Mail last week. Despite her clear denial, a source close to her insisted that even if she refuses to speak about it publicly, Jessica does have an axe to grind with the Duchess of Sussex. An online race row where she was accused of having 'white privilege' left her 'toxic' on the Toronto social scene. Afterwards TV work dried up and she even stepped down from the charity she set up to support homeless women across Canada, the US and the UK, a decision that would have caused her huge grief. Meghan, it is said, cut off contact with her at the same time. Richard Osman appears to have shared a subtle dig at the highly divisive Thursday Murder Club film - as the latest of his true crime series has come out today, with glowing reviews from devoted book purists. The author behind the highly successful novels celebrated the release of the fifth sequel - titled Impossible Fortune - in his newsletter, but seemed to send a slight shade at a movie adaptation change fans deemed 'unforgivable'. Readers were less than impressed at the cinematic arc for one character in the amateur sleuth flick, who despite being revealed as the killer in both versions has very different motives. And many were baffled by scenes which saw Polish handyman Bogdan confess his crime even though there is no solid evidence against him - as in the subsequent murder mystery books, he becomes close with the crime-solving retirees and eventually starts dating police officer PC Donna De Freitas (Naomi Ackie). However, sealing his fate as a convicted killer effectively shuts down the possibility that he will be a part of any future cinematic works. Commemorating today's release in an email announcement, Richard said that the 'gang is officially BACK'. 'In the books business, the day your book is published is called "pub day". As opposed to the television business where every day was "pub day",' the presenter joked. 'Can't wait for you to get reading and see what mischief Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron are up to this time. Other friends are also back.' Richard Osman appears to have shared a subtle dig at the highly divisive Thursday Murder Club film - as the latest of his true crime series has come out today, with glowing reviews from devoted book purists However, while listing the other characters - in a seeming quip about the film, the author also mentioned Bogdan, who 'must have somehow got out of prison'. The seeming snub however, comes amid a promising time for fans, who will today be able to get their hands on the latest book in the crime series. Critics have praised the reading, stating there is a 'new dawn' for the franchise, which sees the group tackle a new adventure when 'a villain wants access to an uncrackable code and will stop at nothing to get it', featuring high-tech bitcoin mysterious and a very eventful wedding. 'When Richard Osman published his inaugural Thursday Murder Club novel in the autumn of 2020, it proved the perfect pick-me-up for a nation mired in the pandemic blues,' Jake Kerr wrote for the Telegraph, awarding the novel four stars. 'Five years and millions of book sales on, the latest instalment the fifth in the series has an equally vital function: to cheer up those of us who have just sat through the clodhopping Netflix adaptation of the first book. 'Although the film boasts a blue-chip quartet of geriatric thespians as Osmans crime-busting pensioners Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, it doesnt have half the charm and liveliness of the novels nor the emotional impact. 'On the page, the superannuated sleuths defy the elements of caricature to possess a vibrancy that makes you invested in their triumphs and tribulations, large or small.' Meanwhile, for the i, Moira Redmond was full of compliments for the novel, saying it proves how sharp the original source material is. Thursday Murder Club viewers are fuming after the new Netflix adaptation made an 'unforgivable' change to Richard Osman 's beloved book series 'The new Thursday Murder Club film is very watchable and has great actors, but is very much a certain kind of British film, and as so often in adaptations, the edges are smoothed and some of the jokes and subtleties are missing, other points hammered home plonkingly,' she penned. 'It makes you realise how nuanced and clever Osman is in his writing.' 'The fifth novel in Osmans bestselling Thursday Murder Club series sees crime-solving pensioners Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron engaging with secret codes, drug dealers, impecunious aristocrats and cryptocurrency, with assistance from former cocaine queenpin Connie, friendly cop Donna, Bogdan the handyman and Rons clever nine-year-old grandson,' Laura Wilson wrote for The Guardian. 'Although still grieving for her husband, Elizabeth steps up when Nick, the best man at Joyces daughters wedding, confides that somebody is trying to kill him. 'Nick and his business partner Holly own a high-security storage facility and once accepted a payment in bitcoin, the value of which has risen to 350m. They want to cash out, but the money is protected by two codes, and as Nick and Holly have one each, neither can access it alone. 'When Nick disappears, the quartet gets on the case. The central mystery is a satisfactory head-scratcher, but the true pleasure is a gently humorous read, peopled with characters who feel like old friends.' Meanwhile, opting for another four out of five rating, Radio Times' Helen Daly penned: 'As ever, Osman uses the cosy crime frame to explore themes often overlooked in the genre: loneliness, loss and diminishing independence. 'Here, Rons journey of letting go of his old self and embracing a new one is especially affecting and the novel would be even stronger if readers were able to linger on these themes just a little longer. Writing on Reddit, several people demanded 'justice for Bogdan' - the Polish handyman brought to life on-screen by actor Henry Lloyd-Hughes - after his storyline was 'bizarrely' changed 'The mystery itself is more high-tech than usual, with missing bitcoin sparking a chase that draws in ruthless players. The wealth-obsessed leave chaos and death in their wake, and the investigation has real bite. 'As mysteries go in The Thursday Murder Club series, its a fairly exciting one with an element of the cat and mouse chase.' Glowing reviews for the book come in the wake of collective outrage on behalf of Thursday Murder Club viewers. The film is directed by Chris Columbus and was released by the streamer on August 26 after weeks of anticipation. It follows four senior sleuths Elizabeth (Dame Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Joyce (Celia Imrie), and Ibrahim (Sir Ben Kingsley) who band together to try and solve cold murder cases while spending their days at a charming retirement community. When the body of Tony Curran (played by Geoff Bell)- co-owner of the retirement home Coopers Chase - is discovered, the pensioners find themselves hot on the trail of a murderer much closer to home. Like in Richard's bestselling novel, the killer is eventually revealed as his Polish employee Bogdan but everything that follows in the movie is a drastic departure from the book. According to the author's version, Bogdan's motive for killing his land developer boss is to avenge the death of his friend Kaz many years prior to the events unfolding at Coopers Chase in present day. It is revealed to readers that Tony hired a hitman, Turkish Johnny/Gianni, to murder taxi driver Kaz because he had seen the builder shoot someone at a pub during a botched drug deal. Enraged by Kaz's death, Bogdan killed Tony's associate straightaway and covered it up. Years later, Bogdan also took Tony out by tampering with the security system at his residence before sneaking in and then bludgeoning him to death. Bogdan's reason for killing Tony is entirely different in the movie in which the stoic handyman takes Tony's life in an act of self-defence. It is revealed to viewers that Tony and one of his friends, Bobby Tanner (Richard E Grant), were smuggling immigrants into the UK by luring them with better prospects then withholding their passports and essentially enslaving them. Bodgan is one of Tony's smuggled workers who ends up killing him after the Coopers Chase co-owner refused to return his passport so he could visit his mother back home in Krakow, Poland. Like the book, it's retired spy Elizabeth's husband Stephen (Jonathan Pryce) who figures out the identity of Tony's killer, but the movie adds the additional detail of Elizabeth becoming fearful that Bogdan will poison her husband. The movie also strays from its source material when Bogdan confesses his crime to the pensioner even though Stephen has no solid evidence against him. He is arrested after Stephen surreptitiously records his confession and hands it over to the investigating police officers as it appeared the makers effectively closed the door on his return to the film franchise. This deviation left Netflix viewers with a 'sour taste' because Bogdan has a very different arc in Osman's Thursday Murder Club books, Reddit users pointed out. Reacting to the movie's ending, many flooded the social media platform with angry messages demanding 'justice for Bogdan'. 'They have shot themselves in the foot for any future films without Bogdan,' one person wrote. Another said: 'Agree. Watched with my parents, mum read it as well and we didn't like this change at all. It completely changed an integral part of the story and the future stories.' A similar comment read: 'My reaction was exactly the same. I could have dealt with all the plot/story changes if they didnt do what they did to Bogdan.' One also said the change 'doesn't make any sense' while another person felt it 'literally added nothing' and that the movie 'took away so much from Bogdan's character'. 'I found him very likable in the books, and reading about his character development was such a crucial piece to the story/series,' they continued. Another felt the makers 'didn't understand the essence of Thursday Murder Club, Bogdan, Elizabeth, and Stephen' as they added: 'You can't read the books and arrest Bogdan. 'It just screams they don't get it.' A third said the movie's ending was 'such a bummer' while yet another declared 'you can't do my boy Bogdan dirty like that'. Some swore off watching any sequels over the movie's 'unforgivable' plot, noting 'one disappointment is enough for me'. One scathing review compared the movie to an 'episode of Law and Order' while another noted the film's script 'butchered' Bogdan's confession to Stephen by using it as a 'gotcha' moment. 'This is literally the worst adaptation I have ever seen,' one comment read. 'Bogdan was/is Elizabeths RIDE OR DIE and vice versa. I will never watch another one of these unless the writers are replaced. 0/10. No redeeming anything.' Others felt that the movie sacrificed Bogdan so Ron's son, boxer-turned-reality TV star Jason Ritchie (played by Tom Ellis) would have a bigger role in any sequels. 'It seems like they're setting it up that way,' one person wrote. 'Which is asinine. I get that the guy who plays Jason is a great actor and all but Bogdan was such an important character in the book - especially when it came to his friendship with Stephen.' 'It's pretty obvious that they're cutting Bogdan for Ron's son and I hate it. I love Tom Ellis, but Bogdan is my favorite character in the book,' another disgruntled viewer noted. Others also felt that the film's director Chris Columbus and its script writers would find a way to 'redeem Bogdan'. One person suggested that 'there was enough foreshadowing to suggest' Bogdan will be released from prison, adding: 'He kept repeating it was an accident, so maybe some evidence will arise showing it was an accident or self-defence.' They conceded that while this wouldn't be 'enough in the real world', it could secure Bodgan's release in 'film world' - especially considering the 'modern slavery' storyline. 'Bogdan is literally a victim of modern slavery,' one person highlighted. 'His passport was stolen and he was forced to work. Realistically I think he would get off lightly.' Another felt the changes were the result of trying to fit Richard's 600-page book into a two-hour movie without changing who killed Tony. 'They also teed up that it was a self defense case, and showed how Bogdan was already the victim of a crime, so its not insane to say hed be back if they make sequels However, another viewer pointed out, Bodgan's status an an illegal immigrant would logically suggest he would 'probably be deported even if he was just magically released based on vibes'. Many felt that the decision to stray so far from the book's handling of Bogdan's character would also mean it's impossible to carry out other storylines such as his romance with Donna. 'How will a cop marry someone who confessed to murder/manslaughter?' 'I hated what they did with Bogdan! And the fact that Donna was the one to arrest him!!! If they make any sequels, how are they planning to resolve that issue considering Bogdan and Donna are together in subsequent books?' another wondered. Yet another enraged viewer said: 'Even if they found a way to get around the murder charge so that he could be in future movies...he just wouldn't be the same any longer. 'It was just so sad,' they continued. 'He is such a great character.' Getting ready for a night out with friends, it used to be tradition to have a few drinks before heading out. Maybe a gin and tonic or a vodka and Coke. However, my current drink of choice water contains not a single unit of alcohol. This isnt because Ive made the decision to transition to sober socialising, as is popular among some of my Gen Z peers. Rather, its because of what I add to my water a couple of drops of a drug known as G to help me achieve an extra buzz. G stands for gamma-hydroxybutyrate, but you may know it better as GHB, the so-called date rape drug. Yes, thats correct, I and lots of my friends are taking a drug synonymous with sexual assault for fun. You may be horrified; many of my other female friends are, and I honestly think my parents would disown me if they found out. Ive kept it a secret from my flatmates, too, as I dont know how theyd react if they knew. A lot of young women are now taking GHB for fun on nights out (picture posed by models) After all, for years young women have been warned about the risk of having drinks spiked with this powerful substance. We are urged to be vigilant about never letting a drink out of our sight, and to be wary of drinks men might buy us. G can cause people to become incoherent, suffer convulsions, lose consciousness making them vulnerable to sexual assault and even to stop breathing. It is also worryingly easy to overdose on. If you take even a tenth of a millilitre more than intended its incredibly risky, particularly if you havent left enough time since your last dose. When I first heard about people taking G recreationally, I, too, was shocked, given its reputation. While it has been used for years by the gay community to enhance sexual experiences, this group hasnt been immune from sick criminals, either, as serial killer Stephen Port murdered his four male victims with overdoses of GHB. One of the UK's most prolific rapists also used the drug. Five years ago, Reynhard Sinaga was convicted of 159 sex offences, including 136 rapes, after luring men the majority of whom were heterosexual from outside clubs in Manchester to his flat where he drugged them. And as well as the heightened risk of sexual assault and even death if you get the dosage wrong taking G, which is a class B drug, recreationally is illegal. Despite all this, theres no doubt G is becoming increasingly popular among young, straight professionals like me men and women who hold respectable white-collar jobs. I even know a nurse who takes it. While many will rightly consider us deeply irresponsible, we are not ignorant to the risks or badly educated. At 26, I have a degree from a Russell Group university and work in accounting. But even though I know that Im compromising my safety, and am aware that what Im doing is against the law, I continue to take the drug two or three weekends a month because of what I personally see as the benefits of using G. I realise this makes me sound youthfully naive at best and utterly stupid at worst. And I would never recommend that anyone else follow my example in doing something so risky. How did I get here? Though Id previously used drugs such as cocaine and the stimulant mephedrone, I always vowed never to use G because of the heightened risks. But after a year of going to clubs and raves where it was everywhere, last year my curiosity got the better of me, and I tried it with someone I trusted. Reynhard Sinaga was convicted of 159 sex offences, including 136 rapes GHB is a clear, odourless liquid taken in precise doses spaced out over the course of a night. As its extremely dangerous to take it with alcohol, people add drops of it to water as I do or soft drinks. Part of the attraction is that I dont like how I feel or act when drinking alcohol it makes me feel out of control and disconnected. Taking G that first time made me feel warm and fuzzy, calm and switched on, chatty and friendly. It numbed my anxiety and taken in the right amount it didnt remove my alertness or ability to feel in control of my decision-making. And G is cheaper than buying alcohol. Other typical effects include a feeling of euphoria, increased libido and a loss of inhibitions. Ive seen many other people enjoying themselves on G, too. They seemingly have more fun, and the energy to party for days in a row, without any comedown afterwards. Yet theres no denying the downsides. Ive seen people falling asleep while standing up on the dancefloor or passed out in nightclubs. Ive watched people lose control of their bodies or behave in scary ways that are completely out of character, such as becoming extremely aggressive. Careful as I am, during one of the early times I tried it, I suddenly felt tired. A friend warned me that was a sign Id taken a bit too much. Luckily the sensation passed within an hour, but it was very scary and made me more vigilant about always dosing on the low side in order to not put myself in a vulnerable position. Yet the worst experience came when I was on a big night out with a close friend of mine and they accidentally took a double dose of G. Suddenly they became non-verbal, then unconscious. I couldnt wake them up. They couldnt move their body, and I wasnt strong enough to do more than drag them a few metres to the side of the crowd. I didnt have enough phone signal to call an ambulance or the rest of our friends, whom wed got separated from. I tried to slap them awake. Nothing worked. Finally, after two hours which felt like an eternity they came around. It was the most frightening experience of my life, and it reinforces why I am so careful to avoid taking too much. The other danger is that G amplifies the impact of whatever other drugs you have taken. G is a depressant. This is why its so dangerous to take with alcohol, or another downer such as ketamine. It causes the heart rate to slow and can lead to periods of shallow or no breathing, which could lead to death. Having just one alcoholic drink while youve been taking G can kill you. According to Office for National Statistics figures, there were 241 deaths in England and Wales in 2022 where a new psychoactive substance, of which GHB is one, was recorded on the death certificate. The data will likely underestimate GHB fatalities because it is not routinely tested for after death and the substance exits the body within 24 hours. There is a popular safety app among G users that aims to prevent overdose that I have on my phone. It allows you to log your doses as you are taking them, so you dont take too much. Stephen Port used overdoses of GHB to murder his four male victims It has a timer that resets every time you take a dose, so you know when it is safe to take another. You also have to be careful to ensure you dont spill G on your skin or clothes because being an industrial-strength chemical it could cause skin irritation or inflammation. On top of that, taking too much G over a long period of time can damage your voice box. Several users I know have noticeably hoarse and raspy voices due to regularly taking G. One person lost their voice for almost a year because of the drug. To avoid this, I take a throat lozenge to coat my throat before I take a dose. All of these are reasons why G is a hugely polarising drug. I know people who dont speak to each other any more because one of them started taking it. Am I addicted to G? Experts say it is possible to become physically dependent, and withdrawal can be life-threatening if not done under medical supervision. I dont feel addicted to it, though I admit I do continue to party on it even though Ive seen how serious the risks can be. Im not chasing the head-rush high, nor am I craving the drug to enhance my sexual or social encounters, nor am I taking it every day which is more than a lot of people who use the drug can say for themselves. I just enjoy the feeling it gives me, and the fact that I can party longer. Many will rightly think Im crazy to put myself in harms way just for that, particularly given Im breaking the law, but I see this as just a phase of my life where Im experimenting and partying. It wont be a lifestyle I keep up long term, and I can stop whenever I want. Only time will tell if this is a decision I later come to regret. * Clarisa Fennimore is a pseudonym AS TOLD TO LARA OLSZOWSKA Splashing out on expensive crockery from British heritage brands was once a treat that many Britons would indulge in. However, changing food trends and e-tailers like Temu and TikTok Shop selling expensive-looking dishes for half the price have caused UK businesses like Wedgwood to suffer. Founded in 1759 by the pioneering Josiah Wedgwood, the brand quickly rose to prominence, earning fans in high places - its elegant, often hand-painted china was used in Buckingham Palace, the White House, the Vatican, and even the Kremlin. Today tells a different story, and some of the once-prized porcelain pieces are gathering dust, or heavily discounted on online marketplaces. Last week, after seeing lower demand in key markets, Fiskars, the makers of Wedgwood, revealed plans to halt production at its Barlaston factory for up to 90 days starting September 29, with production expected to resume in early January 2026. Meanwhile, Emma Bridgewater, which has sold pottery items since 1984, has suffered a series of business blows in recent times, and last year posted a pre-tax loss of 4.4m for the 12 months to April 27, according to City AM. Food consultant and chef Renae Smith told The Daily Mail that fast fashion culture and a desire for convenience in all aspects of life is driving the population away from spending cash on high-end crockery. 'We're in an era where convenience trumps curation. People are eating on the couch, not hosting dinner parties, and when they do entertain, it's often with takeaway containers or one-off, budget-friendly buys from TikTok Shop. That shift in behaviour has hit heritage brands hard. British heritage brands are suffering from e-tailers like Temu selling versions of their items for a fraction of the price (pictured left is a 170 teapot from Wedgwood while on the right is a 18 version on Temu) 'Wedgwood and Emma Bridgewater were built on the idea of dining as an event, setting the table, bringing people together, creating memories, and putting in the effort. But that model doesn't sit easily with modern culture. 'These days, you can spend 10 on a trending glass that looks great, lasts a few months, and by the time it chips, you're ready to move on. 'It's fast fashion for the dinner table and while I don't necessarily agree with it, it's thriving because it fits the mindset of now. 'We want what we want, when we want it. And unless that mindset shifts, I don't see the trend disappearing anytime soon. 'I do think there's still room for investing in quality, especially in things like bakeware, which isn't tied to trends in the same way. 'But when it comes to plates, cups, jugs - the more visible, lifestyle-led pieces - people are shopping with their eyes, their phones, and their wallets. And that leaves heritage brands in a difficult position. 'It's not just about how we eat. It's about how we live. And for many, the idea of setting a formal table just doesn't hold the same relevance anymore.' A quick scroll on Temu reveals a plethora of items on offer like those sold at Wedgwood, but for a fraction of the price. Those looking for luxury on a budget can get a plate set in the style of Wedgwood's for as little as 14 on Temu (pictured) Temu is brimming with items that bare a resemblance to those sold at Wedgwood - and for a fraction of the price One floral dining set, which includes 16 pieces, is sold on the website for 44, but a similar set from Wedgwood would cost upwards of 200. Meanwhile, a tea pot in a Wedgwood style costs 18.64 on Temu, making it a much more affordable price than the original 240. Elsewhere, supermarkets like Aldi have cashed in on the trend, and throughout the years, the chain has flogged its popular cast iron cookware range, and the appearance of the line has drawn comparison to Le Creuset. The items, which cost between 1.99 and 24.99, have come available in various shades, including blue and orange, and are designed for all hob types, grills and ovens. Shoppers could feign luxury and cook up hearty stews and casseroles in the Cast Iron Shallow Casserole Dish or the Cast Iron Dutch Oven - for just 24.99. In contrast, a Le Creuset Cast Iron Shallow Casserole dish will set shoppers back a dear 149. At the same time, the population might also have less of a need to buy expensive crockery because they're hosting their friends less, meaning there's fewer occasions to impress, and when they do, they often opt for takeaway, or, in the case of Nigella Lawson, Twiglets. Nigella revealed in 2023 that she is no longer hosting dinner parties, instead preferring guests to come over for Twiglets in their pyjamas. Nigella Lawson revealed in 2023 that she is no longer hosting dinner parties, instead preferring guests to come over for Twiglets in their pyjamas The famous TV cook revealed she has 'got out of the habit' of hosting elaborate soirees, and believes that a lot of the prep is 'too much fuss'. 'I'll have a person or a couple of people over quite often and I keep planning to have people around in a proper, grown-up way but I haven't yet. I must! I feel a bit guilty because people have had me for dinner and I haven't had them back,' she told The Times. Nigella, who is based in Chelsea, added that she recently served the Marmite-flavoured snack Twiglets to American guests because she felt it was her 'duty to introduce them' to the British bites. 'I'm very happy for a friend to come over in their pyjamas to have supper,' she added, explaining that formality turns her off. Despite dozens of books with many recipes, Nigella says that peeling and chopping onions is 'too much work' and she prefers 'using spring onions instead' because it is 'less faff'. She added that cooking for strangers makes her nervous, and that on the rare occasion she has people over she serves them 'buffet style' on long narrow tables. While Nigella may, on occasion, cook for her guests, many often choose to dine on takeaways. There's been a 54 per cent decrease in home cooking in the last 30 years, and over a quarter of millennials have no desire to improve their cooking skills, according to a survey by the Co-op via The i. Pictured: Shoppers are seen looking for a bargain in the Wedgwood factory shop in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent Wedgwood pieces were once lovingly gifted at weddings, and saved for anniversaries and Christmas dinners are now been discounted in shops Elsewhere, expert and prolific author on ceramics and glass, John Sandon, who makes regular appearances on the BBC Antiques Roadshow, revealed the decline in demand for traditional porcelain is less about quality and more about shifting cultural attitudes. He told the Daily Mail: 'Most people consider their best china and family inherited crockery is 'old fashioned', whatever that means. 'Most old sets are regarded as impractical for everyday use, and very, very few people want to use them.' Reflecting on changing attitudes toward inherited tableware, John noted the growing disconnect between sustainability messages and modern family preferences. He added: 'The much quoted 'Antiques are Green' message has tried to emphasise that old china sets are the ultimate recyclables. And Granny's china sets should be used. But most modern families don't want to.' Highlighting the gap between appreciation and practicality, John pointed out that admiration for antique ceramics doesn't always translate into everyday use. 'Not using your old china tea services and fruit sets is nothing to do with the reason people choose plain white from Ikea and The Range instead of very expensive Wedgwood from John Lewis. 'And thankfully collectable antique Wedgwood is just as wonderful as it's always been. It mostly costs a lot less than it used to, which means great opportunity for those who still want to collect antiques. We love our antique ceramics- but we don't use them.' What was once considered a status symbol, doesn't hold the same value in today's society, and in recent years, Wedgwood has been in serious decline due to low demand and rising energy costs Meanwhile, Pauline Kent, whose father Roy was one of seven potters from Stoke-On-Trent, working for Wedgwood, revealed the British people have 'fallen out of love with formality.' Roy worked in the mould-making department and later retired to Norfolk at 65, passing away at 95. His brother Kenneth remained in the potteries until the age of 80. Roy, who started working in Wedgwood at 14-years-old, also met Pauline's mother Irene at the company, and they were married for almost 70 years. Pauline said: 'Apparently she spotted my dad in the mould making department and it was love at first sight.' She shared that her late father, who passed away two years ago, had observed the decline in porcelain appeal over the years. She said: 'He started his working life at 14 working for Wedgwood. He died two years ago and left my brother and I lot of beautiful pottery, including Wedgwood, some I can't even give away let alone sell. 'We spoke many times about the demise of British pottery and changing taste.' Pauline recalled her father explaining that 'people no longer eat together, they eat in front of the TV and they eat a lot of takeaways so the occasion for beautiful China isn't there.' Despite the shift toward minimalist interiors and mass-produced tableware, theres hope that the tide might one day turn She added: 'He also made the point that the British have embraced everything that's casual - casual clothes, casual relationships, casual dining, casual ways of working. 'We have fallen out of love with formality. Add to this our love affair with all things Scandinavian and French too and British pottery is undesirable. 'I find it very sad but it won't stop me from bringing out the Spode Christmas Tree collection at Christmas.' In 2009, the collapse of the Waterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton group brought the company to the brink of closure, however Finnish firm Fiskars bought it in 2015, saving the brand. It continued to produce its high-end, hand-painted and limited-edition pieces at its factory in Barlaston, Staffordshire, but after the company plunged into the red in 2023 with a 1.4 million loss. Tom Hammersley, marketing manager at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said he was concerned about the drop in demand, which came against a backdrop of increasing costs. Speaking to BBC he said: 'Wedgwood has huge global demand in areas including China and Japan. If that demand is slowing, and married with the increasing costs, it is a huge concern.' Meanwhile Gareth Snell, MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, described it as 'incredibly worrying' and said it further highlighted the need for support for the ceramics industry. 'The support cannot be in some distant future or the promise of help tomorrow but real help today,' he told the BBC. However, Wedgwood's woes are not in isolation. Britain's once-booming ceramics industry has been hit hard in recent years by soaring energy costs and changing tastes. In February, Royal Stafford, a company with nearly 200 years of history, collapsed and eventually closed. In April, Moorcroft Pottery also went under, though it has since reopened, saved by the founder's grandson. For Pauline, whose family has deep roots in Stoke-on-Trent's pottery industry, the decline of British ceramics is more than just economic, it's deeply personal. She explained: 'It's definitely sad that there isn't the demand and distressing to know that Stoke-On-Trent will no longer be known as the Potteries where whole families worked together and developed the most incredible skills. 'I will always be the person who turns a dish upside down to see where it's been made and value a beautiful plate or candlestick or vase because I can appreciate the craftsmanship. It's in my DNA.' While many are downsizing or giving away their heirloom china, Pauline is holding on to it and passing it down. She said: 'Fortunately we have enough space to store most of my parents best pottery including soup tureens, huge serving plates and some Wedgwood cigarette lighters which they use for lighting candles. 'I will definitely hold onto things although I have already started giving pieces to my children. It's funny that they like the Mid-Century pieces which I'm not crazy about.' Despite the shift toward minimalist interiors and mass-produced tableware, there's hope that the tide might one day turn. Pauline added: 'I hope we will fall in love with formality again. Life would be boring if we lived in leggings and only used white dishes. 'As a family we love an excuse to dress up and this applies to having dinner together where we use a mixture of my parents Wedgwood, Emma Bridgewater and some Spode. Every piece comes from Stokeof course it would.' A spokesperson for Wedgwood told the Daily Mail Online: 'On 29 September 2025, Fiskars Group will temporarily pause production at the Wedgwood factory in Barlaston, UK, for up to 90 days. 'This shortterm measure is being taken to address elevated inventory levels caused by lower consumer demand in some of our key markets. A total of 70 employees will be placed on temporary leave. 'The factory tours, part of the acclaimed World of Wedgwood tourist destination, will be suspended during this period, with plans to resume in early January 2026. 'Barlaston and its community are of key importance to Fiskars Group and Wedgwood. 'The site serves as a hub for our high-end and bespoke product, including handcrafted pieces in fine bone china and our signature Jasperware. 'These pieces are brought to life by skilled artisans using techniques pioneered by Josiah Wedgwood many still in use today. 'This living tradition reflects our commitment to craftsmanship, the value of Made in England, and Barlaston's enduring role in our heritage and operations.' Donald Trump's new MAGA legal eagle, Lindsey Halligan, is making headlines for her role in investigating former FBI director James Comey - and she's already rising through the ranks in style. Halligan, 36, a former beauty queen, is rapidly emerging as a presidential favorite and will now have the task of probing Comey, who remains one of the people her boss loathes most in the world. Prosecutors have been evaluating whether Comey lied to lawmakers during his congressional testimony on September 30, 2020, related to the investigation into ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. As US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Halligan will take charge of separate criminal investigations into Comey and another Trump nemesis, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has denied accusations of mortgage fraud. And, so far, it looks like she's taken a cue from Trump's other leading ladies, like Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Special Assistant and Communications Advisor to the President, Margo Martin. Halligan has been sporting the same fashion designers that are a favorite of the women working in the Trump White House. Last month, the lawyer was spotted speaking with a reporter outside of the White House while dressed in a $735 white, boucle blazer-dress by Self-Portrait, a British designer often worn by Trump's aides as the unspoken 'MAGA uniform.' The dress that Halligan picked out for the occasion featured a fitted, long sleeve blazer top adorned with gold and pearl buttons, a peplum hem, and a pencil skirt. Trump's new MAGA legal eagle, Lindsey Halligan, 36, is making headlines for her role in investigating former FBI director James Comey - and she's already rising through the ranks in style Last month, the lawyer was spotted speaking with a reporter outside of the White House while dressed in a $735 white, boucle blazer-dress by Self-Portrait, a British designer often worn by Trump's aides as the unspoken 'MAGA uniform' As US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia , Halligan will take charge of separate criminal investigations into Comey and another Trump nemesis, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has denied accusations of mortgage fraud Halligan completed the look with a pair of dangling pearl earrings, pink manicure and pink smoky eye. Self-Portrait is a favorite among the ladies in the White House, as both Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and Karoline Leavitt have been spotted in their designs. But Halligan seemed to keep things a bit more trendy and casual when she accompanied Trump to the 2025 U.S. Open Men's Finals in New York City. The 36-year-old chose a cream-colored, matching blazer set from contemporary brand Reformation as she watched the match. On top, she wore Reformation's $278 Wren Blazer, which has short sleeves, tortoiseshell buttons, and a fitted waist brought together with a tan leather belt. She paired it with matching, cream-colored Rori mini shorts from Reformation, which are currently sold out, but retailed earlier this summer at $128. However, the star of the show appeared to be her cream-colored Hermes Birkin 25 bag with gold hardware. The bag is one of the most sought-after models made by the French designer, and can retail at resale for over $75,000. The 36-year-old chose a cream-colored, matching blazer set from contemporary brand Reformation as she watched the match On top, she wore Reformation's $278 Wren Blazer, which has short sleeves, tortoiseshell buttons, and a fitted waist brought together with a tan leather belt However, the star of the show appeared to be her cream-colored Hermes Birkin 25 bag with gold hardware The bag is one of the most sought-after models made by the French designer, and can retail at resale for over $75,000 First Lady Melania Trump also owns the Birkin 25, hers in a black shiny Niloticus crocodile. At the U.S. Open, the lawyer matched Leavitt, who was also in a cream-colored suit. Over the past few months, Halligan has also appeared to have largely kept things quite simple, wearing a lot of monochrome looks. In March, she appeared in the Oval Office in a navy blue suit with a cropped blazer, wearing a subtle, barely-there makeup look. In June 2023, she sported an all-red pantsuit with flared pants as she accompanied Trump to the Department of Justice in Washington. She's even taken a page out of Kate Middleton's book before, as she wore the same pale blue, sweetheart-neckline dress designed by L.K. Bennett in collaboration with Royal Ascot. Halligan wore the dress in September 2022, when she joined Trump for an appearance at the Brooklyn Federal Court. Middleton, on the other hand, wore the garment in June 2021 after visiting The London School of Economics. In March, she appeared in the Oval Office in a navy blue suit with a cropped blazer, wearing a subtle, barely-there makeup look In June 2023, she sported an all-red pantsuit with flared pants as she accompanied Trump to the Department of Justice in Washington She's even taken a page out of Kate Middleton's book before, as she wore the same pale blue, sweetheart-neckline dress designed by L.K. Bennett in collaboration with Royal Ascot Halligan wore the dress in September 2022, when she joined Trump for an appearance at the Brooklyn Federal Court And now that Halligan is set to be in the spotlight more than ever in the coming months, it will be interesting to see what designers she chooses from. It's possible that she'll even branch out into some of the other White House favorites, like Veronica Beard. Before becoming a lawyer, Halligan competed twice in Miss Colorado USA, making the semi-finals in 2009 and finishing fourth in 2010. At the time, Trump co-owned the Miss Universe organization, which ran the pageants. Halligan told the Washington Post earlier this year: 'Sports and pageants taught me confidence, discipline, and how to handle pressure, on the court, on the field, on the stage, in the courtroom, and now in the White House.' Later, she graduated from the University of Miami with a law degree and served in the city's public defender's office, before working on insurance cases as a partner in a private firm. Ornaments in the 'Celebrating America' line range from $75 to $90 The First Lady, 55, released her ornament collection ahead of the holidays It's never too early to get into the holiday spirit, with the First Lady unveiling her 2025 collection of Christmas ornaments ahead of the festive season. Melania Trump, 55, launched the 'Celebrating America' ornament line to her website on Thursday, consisting of 'limited-edition, handcrafted Christmas ornaments.' The decorations, which range between $75 to $90, are 'designed to celebrate America and the upcoming 250th anniversary.' The items in the collection include decorations featuring the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore as well as a star, an American flag and a star-spangled USA. Melania's signature is engraved onto each of the items and purchases include a 'special 3D animated digital collectible.' While many people thought the festive decorations were beautiful - and gushed about adorning their trees with them - some slammed the First Lady for the exorbitant cost and urged her to release an affordable range. 'I love Melania but these prices are out of range for the majority of workers... groceries are so high! Maybe put out a cheaper group for us! We are patriotic too!' wrote one fan. '$75 to $90 dollars... We can't afford buy groceries and you want us to buy that?' questioned another. Melania Trump (pictured in 2019) launched the 'Celebrating America' ornament line to her website on Thursday, which consists of 'limited-edition, handcrafted Christmas ornaments' 'These are great but out of most American's price range. Too bad,' complained someone else. Another person agreed, writing: 'Too expensive for us normies!' 'Oh look who's grifting again,' accused another. 'Wow. If I had $75 + to spend on a Christmas ornament... Where's the real people's collection? FFS,' slammed someone else. In a statement shared by Melania with The Hill, she said: 'I am excited to continue this annual holiday tradition with the Celebrating America collection of ornaments. 'This year, I sought inspiration in our Nation's upcoming 250th birthday, and all of the holiday blessings that we enjoy as Americans.' Melania - who bashed the festive season when last in the White House - was ridiculed last year after she unveiled her 2024 ornament collection, 'Merry Christmas, AMERICA!' The First Lady was again slammed for the pricey decorations, many complaining the average American couldn't afford them. The decorations, which range between $75 to $90, are 'designed to celebrate America and the upcoming 250th anniversary' Melania's signature is engraved on each of the items, and purchases include a 'special 3D animated digital collectible' In 2017, Melania decorated the White House with Balsam fir trees that dripped with icicles, which social media users found eerie and cold In 2018, she decorated the East Colonnade with 40 bold blood-red trees and draped 14,000 red ornaments throughout the White House (pictured) In 2018, Melania was recorded expressing her frustration about getting the White House into the festive spirit, saying, 'You know, who gives a f**k about Christmas stuff and decoration?' When Donald Trump was previously in office, Melania decorated the White House with Balsam fir trees that dripped with icicles, which social media users dubbed eerie and cold. Similarly, she decorated the East Colonnade with 40 bold blood-red trees and draped 14,000 red ornaments throughout the White House. Although her office stated that the red symbolized 'valor and bravery,' the decor quickly earned the nickname 'murder trees,' leading to a wave of memes, public backlash, and accusations of being 'un-American.' All'Antico Vinaio is now the most reviewed sandwich shop on Google A sandwich shop dubbed the 'best in the world' has opened in UK - but the prices have left some Brits cold. All'Antico Vinaio, which first opened in Florence in 1991, opened its doors in Soho this week with Londoners queuing up to get their hands on a bite. The original shop is located under the walls of Florence's Palazzo Vecchio and is famous for its signature schiacciata, a traditional Florentine flatbread that's thinner that foccacia. Since, branches have opened in the US and Dubai. The London menu features the brand's classic sandwich combinations, such as La Favolosa (Sbriciolona salami, pecorino cream, artichoke cream and spicy aubergines); La Schiacciata del Boss (prosciutto crudo, pecorino, truffle cream and rocket); La Toscana (Sbriciolona salami and sun-dried tomatoes). Prices start at 9.90 for simple options like the Emiliana, which only has mortadella and stracciatella cheese, to 14.90 for big, highly filling options like the Tommy, which is fully stuffed with prosciutto crudo di Parma, stracciatella cheese, truffle cream and spicy aubergines. There are also exclusive new combinations created just for the UK, such as the London - which contains thinly slice porchetta, caramelised onion, potato cream and mature cheddar. Many of the sandwich fillings, particularly the cured meats and cheeses, have been imported from Italy to the UK to ensure authentic Italian flavours. The opening of All'Antico Vinaio's London outpost attracted hundreds of people who queued for hours for a first bite of the 'world's most popular sandwich' - encouraged by the brand's promise of a free sandwich for the first 500 guests in line. Londoners flocked to the brand new London branch of All'Antico Vinaio, a Florentine sandwich shop that claims to be 'the most famous in the world' The London menu features the brand's classic sandwich combinations, such as La Favolosa (pictured); La Schiacciata del Boss; and La Toscana The world famous sandwich shop, which hails from Florence, has opened its doors in London's Soho (pictured: The Italian) There's a number of delicious toppings on the menu, including a variety of cheeses and cold cuts (pictured: The Mother) Content creators have taken to TikTok and other social media platforms to rave about All'Antico Vinaio's London outpost (pictured: The Mother) Tommaso, who has been hailed as one of Italy's top young restaurateurs, said of the opening: 'I'm truly honoured to open our first location in the UK, especially in such an important city like London. 'This marks a crucial milestone in All'Antico Vinaio's growth, and we hope to replicate the success we've had in the U.S. 'This is the seventh country where we're opening AV, driven by our passion for sharing a piece of Italian culinary tradition with the world.' Foodie fans showed their excitement on TikTok after influencers like Eating With Tod shared their first impressions of the sandwiches. Eating With Tod, whose real name is Toby Inskip, shared clips of the queues out the door for All'Antico Vinaio, with dozens of people forming an orderly line that snaked down Old Compton Street and Wardour Street. 'The streets of London today are like the streets of Florence, I've never seen so many people queueing for a sandwich,' he said in his video. People began queueing at 9am in anticipation for the opening of All'Antico Vinaio's London outpost on Saturday September 20 The line out the doors of All'Antico Vinaio went all the way down Old Compton Street and Wardour Street Tommaso Mazzanti, whose family founded the legendary All'Antico Vinaio in 1991 in Florence, stands outside the newly opened London branch All'Antico Vinaio's menu The Paradise Mortadella, stracciatella cheese, The Italian, 14.90 Parma ham, buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, tomato The Lily, 11.90 Cooked ham, smoked provola, potato cream, truffle cream The Greedy One, 11.90 Mortadella, burrata, basil pesto, tomato The Royal, 11.90 Crumble salami, stracciatella cheese, sundried tomoaoes, courgettes The London, 13.90 Porchetta, mature cheddar, potato cream, caramelised onion The Mother, 11.90 Cooked ham, burratta, potato cream, courgettes Dad, 9.90 Cooked ham and potato cream Dante, 9.90 Raw ham an pecorino The Giotto, 14.90 Raw ham, buffalo mozzarella, pistachio cream, chopped pistachios The Fabulous, 11.90 Crumble salami, pecoroni cram, artichoke cream, spicy aubergines Watch how he smoke it, 14.90 Porchetta, smoked provola, potato cream, spicy aubergines The Boss. 12.90 Raw ham, pecorino, truffle cream, rocket salad Florence, 11.90 Crumble salami, pecorino cream, sundried tomatoes Caprese Av. 11.90 Buffalo Mozerella, basil pesto, tomato, garlic Old Bridge, 10.90 Stracciatella cheese, pistachio cream, sundried tomatoes, basil Tuscany, 9.90 Crumbled salamai, sundried tomatoes Emiliana, 9.90 Mortadella, Stracciatella cheese Advertisement Pretty Little London also shared a video of the sandwich shop and described the sandwiches as 'absolutely to die for'. 'This is easily one of the most exciting new openings in London right now, so grab your schiacciata as soon as possible,' they added. In the comments, fans could barely contain their enthusiasm about All'Antico Vinaio's arrival in the UK. 'Literally the best sandwich ever,' one person declared, while another added: 'AMAZING!!! Love this! I've been to the original, so I hope it matches its quality and service.' A third wrote: 'Ahhh finally in London!! Crazy. I love their sandwiches!' However, others balked at the idea of queueing up for a sandwich, whether or not it was considered to be the best in the world. One person said: 'I don't care how good it is. I will never line up - I'm [in a queue] that long for an hour for a sandwich I will finish in 10 minutes. 'I will wait until the hype is gone and then I will try it. Time is too precious to waste on what the sheep say Is popular.' Another opined: 'I don't care how good it possibly is, I'm not queueing like that.' Fans who live outside of London may not have to wait long before an All'Antico Vinaio branch opens up near them, as the brand is planning additional UK locations for the upcoming year as part of its international expansion. In 2014, All'Antico Vinaio's Florence site was the most-reviewed restaurant in the world on TripAdvisor. It also has a whopping 44,573 reviews on Google, with an average 4.5 star rating. Blockbuster weight-loss jabs that currently cost up to 200 a month could soon be sold for as little as 20. Semaglutidethe appetite-suppressing ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempichas been hailed as a game-changer in the war on obesity. But with NHS access limited, hundreds of thousands of Britons have turned to private online pharmacies, paying eye-watering sums for the weekly jab. That could all change from early 2026, when the global patent held by Danish drug giant Novo Nordisk begins to expire in swathes of the world. Rival firms will then be free to produce their own 'generic' versionssending prices tumbling by up to 90 per cent, according to Medicines UK, which represents manufacturers. Dozens of companies have already lined up to cash in. Although Novo Nordisk's UK patent does not lapse until 2031, experts warn cut-price imports are likely to seep into Britainfuelling a growing grey market for slimming jabs. This grey market refers to unregulated supplies, often bought from overseas websites or through social media sellers, which bypass UK safety checks and carry the risk of counterfeits. The injection, which has limited NHS availability, has been bought by hundreds of thousands of people in the UK from online pharmacies, with prices ranging from 100 to 200 a month Your browser does not support iframes. Patents are due to expire as soon as next year in India, Canada, China, Brazil and Turkey - countries that together account for 40 per cent of the world's population, including a third of all adults living with obesity. Robert Russell-Pavier, director of policy and economics at Medicines UK said the arrival of generic weight loss jabs could be a transformative opportunity for public health. Generic medicines typically cost 70 to 90 per cent less than their branded equivalents, and competition can force big drug-makers to slash prices - sometimes even before patents expire, according to Medicines UK. Mr Russell-Pavier told the Daily Mail: 'We advise against purchasing from overseas pharmacies, or travelling abroad to buy cut-price jabs. 'Whether prescribed and taken in the UK or elsewhere, access to semaglutide should be through a prescription. 'Those taking the treatment should be regularly checking in with the doctor or other healthcare professionals that prescribed it. 'However, the advent of generics will create competition, and it's likely we'll see a significant reduction in prices here too.' Ultimately, this will mean the NHS can afford to treat more patients, he added. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Obesity already costs the NHS an estimated 6.5 billion a year, with more than one million hospital admissions in England linked to the condition annually. Officials warn that without effective interventions, that bill could soar to 9.7 billion by 2050, placing an unsustainable burden on frontline services. According to Medicines UK, generics contain the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs and act in the same way on patients. They may differ in size, colour or shape, and can include different non-active ingredients such as starches, sugars or colourings - but none of these changes affect how they work in the body. They also meet exactly the same standards of quality, safety and efficacy as all other licensed drugs. David Wallace, senior analyst at pharmaceutical firm Citeline, said semaglutide competition 'is expected to be very healthy'. He added: 'Since generic medicinal products contain well-known, safe and effective substances, the pre-clinical tests and clinical trials performed by the originator are not repeated, which is why they are cheaper.' Generic medicines are manufactured in inspected plants under strict Good Manufacturing Practice rules - standards set and enforced in Britain by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Similar frameworks are policed by the Food and Drug Administration in the US and the European Medicines Agency in the EU. Your browser does not support iframes. The World Health Organisation also publishes GMP guidelines, which many other countries adopt, to ensure medicines are made to the same high quality wherever they are produced. The framework is designed to guarantee that every batch of medicine is made to the same high quality, covering everything from factory hygiene to testing and record-keeping. Within the past month, several pharmaceutical firms have confirmed plans to apply for licences to sell generic versions of semaglutide. Last week, global drug company Adalvo announced it was preparing to offer semaglutide injections, from the lowest Wegovy dose of 0.25mg up to the highest, at 2mg. Swiss generics giant Sandoz also revealed plans to launch unbranded semaglutide next year, at discounts of up to 70 per cent compared to branded versions. Its chief executive Richard Saynor told the Financial Times that cuts of '60 or 70 per cent of the list price' were realistic. In a further blow to Novo Nordisk, the European Patent Office recently overturned an attempt to extend its semaglutide patent until 2033. The challenge was brought by two generics firms - Israeli company Teva and Spanish outfit Galenicum Health - underlining the growing interest in semaglutide from the wider sector. A spokesman for Novo Nordisk told the Daily Mail: 'These comments are speculative and have been made by individuals representing the generic medicines industry, who have no direct knowledge or influence over the pricing of our medicines. Your browser does not support iframes. 'Novo Nordisk has patents over semaglutide that will be valid in the UK until 2031. 'We have previously confirmed that we currently have no plans of changing our offering in the UK. 'Our focus is on supporting patients, and we are committed to securing the broadest possible access for patients to our innovative medicines.' In Britain, experts warn the NHS rollout of weight-loss jabs has already created a 'two-tier system'. A report published in May by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change noted that obesity rates are about 15 per cent higher in the most deprived areas compared to the wealthiest. Yet because NHS access is limited and private jabs cost hundreds of pounds a month, it is largely the better-off who are getting them. 'The arrival of these drugs - available predominantly to people who can pay - is only deepening those divides,' the report said. It also highlighted that online pharmacies are failing to serve some vulnerable groups, such as patients with learning disabilities or severe mental illness, who may need a more personalised service. Health chiefs have meanwhile urged caution over misuse. Doctors say they are treating rising numbers of slim women who have lied about their weight to online chemists to gain access. Senior medics warn A&E units are now seeing casualties from appetite-suppressing jabs on a daily basis. UK law forbids the sale of such drugs without a prescription. Semaglutide injections can help users shed up to 33lb (15.3kg) on average over 68 weeks. They work by mimicking a natural hormone that tricks the brain into thinking the stomach is full, cutting appetite and driving weight loss. For two years, a young woman was repeatedly told by doctors that her lower back pain was caused by sciatiauntil she flew to Greece for private scans which revealed a grapefruit-sized tumour on her spine. Leah Kalkan, 23, a student from West Yorkshire, knew that there was something wrong, and saw her GP several times a week for years complaining of debilitating pain. Despite her pleas for help, hospital referrals, multiple scans and even calls to paramedics, she was assured it was sciatia, a condition which normally occurs due to a slipped disk. The disk presses against the sciatic nerve that runs from the lower back to the foot, and can cause shooting pains, a sensation of cramp and can be so severe it leaves someone unable to walk. In 2023, a tender, hard lump 'the size of a grapefruit' appeared on her lower back, prompting Ms Kalkan's partner to arrange for her to undergo a private scan in Greece. The procedure revealed concerning abnormalities, but when her GP refused to look at the scans due to them being done abroad, she was forced to seek a private opinion. She was subsequently diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a form of cancer. Ms Kalkan said: 'I was scaredthey told me the lump was very serious, and that my cancer was rare and aggressive. Leah Kalkan, 23, a student from West Yorkshire, knew that there was something wrong 'I think I asked my consultant over five times in that same appointment: "Will I be cured?" 'She couldn't give me a definite answer, and her honesty scared me more. 'Knowing there was a deadly disease inside my body growing at a rapid rate and having been told that I was fine repeatedly was devastating. 'I had been going to the doctors a few times a month for a couple of years by the time I was diagnosed.' Ms Kalkan first experienced pain towards the end of 2021, and attempted to manage her symptoms with painkillers. But the following year, during a trip to Turkey with her dad in the summer of 2022, the pain became debilitating. She said, 'I spent a lot of time in my hotel room as I was in so much pain. 'I was getting a pulsating pain from my lower back down my right leg and into my foot. Ms Kalkan first experienced pain towards the end of 2021, and attempted to manage her symptoms with painkillers 'I couldn't sit down, lie down, or walk, and paracetamol and heat patches weren't touching the pain.' Her father paid for her to have an MRI scan, which found a suspected herniated disk, and she was given pain relief. But when she returned to the UK, the pain got worse once more. Ms Kalkan said: 'I took the MRI scan to a private osteopath, and he said that he couldn't see anything alarming. 'The osteopath said that I had damaged my tailbone and that was causing the pain, and gave me Ibuleve gel, which didn't help.' Ms Kalkan was going to the doctors multiple times a month with complaints of pain in her back, but they were stumped and couldn't see evidence of anything serious at play. She said, 'The pain was so bad that I had to call an ambulance twice in 2023. 'I was working in a steakhouse and had to call an ambulance to come there one day, so they told me that I had meat sweats, even though I was working there and not eating. Ms Kalkan was going to the doctors multiple times a month with complaints of pain in her back 'They were being dismissive and didn't spend much time with me, making sure I was fineand even expected me to go back to work.' Ms Kalkan felt she was 'not being taken seriously' on both occasions. When the lump formed in October 2023, Ms Kalkan became terrified of what the cause might be. She said, 'It was a tender, hard lump which turned red at times and was the size of a grapefruit. '[Around that time], I also found that I had lost lots of weight. 'I'd been a healthy weight, but with the pain, I wasn't able to eat as much. 'I dropped to the lowest weight I had ever been, and most of my clothes hung off me. 'I was also so tired I had to stop uni and work because of the pain and the tiredness. Ms Kalkan in hospital, it took two years for her cancer to be diagnosed 'I carried on going back to the doctors a few times a month. 'Sometimes, I'd go one day and then go back again the next day, crying to them and begging for scans and pain relief as I knew myself that something was wrong with my body. 'I knew it wasn't sciatica. 'I'd also wait long hours at my local A&E to be sent back home with paracetamol, codeine, amitriptyline, naproxen, morphine, and many more medications, but nothing was helping, and I knew I needed a scan.' Ms Kalkan was offered an ultrasound, which failed to find the source of her pain, and claims she was refused other scans. Her boyfriend, who grew up in Greece, booked a short trip to take her there to have MRIs and an X-ray, which found abnormalities. But as they had been taken in another country, her GP wasn't able to look at them. Ms Kalkan said: 'It was frustrating as we only paid to have them done there because I couldn't get them in England. It wasn't until she discovered the lump pictured that she went on to find out the true cause of the pain she had been experiencing The treatments and tests have left Ms Kalkan with scarring just below her right shoulder 'By this point, the pain left me screaming in agony and unable to walk or sit upright most times.' Once again, Ms Kalkan paid for a private consultation with a neurosurgeon to look at the scan results from Greeceand they were immediately concerned that it was a tumour. She was referred for a biopsy with the NHS, and in December 2023, Leah was diagnosed with cancer. She was put on a strong regimen of chemotherapy, undergoing 14 cycles, plus 33 proton beam therapy sessions, and was supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust throughout her ordeal. Luckily, her treatment, which finished in July 2024, was successful, and she has since been able to return to her studies this month, studying modern languages and English with French. She is sharing her story to help raise awareness and fundsfor Teenage Cancer Trust, which is partnering this week with the Omaze Million Pound House Draw. The money raised by the charity partnership will help fund Teenage Cancer Trust nurses, who support around 7,000 young people with cancer every year including Leah. Ms Kalkan said, 'All of the Teenage Cancer Trust nurses were so sweet and kind. Ms Kalkan in bed after receiving treatment for the cancer which doctors dismissed as sciatica 'I would always look forward to seeing them, and they made me feel comfortable and made me smile as much as they could, and I am so grateful. 'They put on events, and I started to get involved with people on the unit who are around the same age as me. 'Being treated around other young people gave me the opportunity to meet some of the strongest, kindest and most understanding people in my life. 'It helped knowing that I wasn't alone.' Reflecting on her experienceand particularly the long route to diagnosis, Ms Kalkan added: 'If I could take myself back in time, I would have kept pushing for a diagnosis. 'My symptoms were quite obvious, and any lump should be alarming. 'I would encourage people to trust their own bodies and keep going back to the doctors to push for an answer. 'But I also think GPs need to educate themselves on the signs of cancer in young people because mine were so obvious and I still wasn't being seen.' Tylenol has come under fresh scrutiny after a 2017 post resurfaced in which the brand appeared to warn pregnant women against using its products. The tweet, now being widely shared, stated: 'We actually don't recommend taking any of our products while pregnant.' It has been seized on by the White House just days after President Donald Trump claimed the common painkiller known as generic paracetamol in Britain and generic acetaminophen in the US may cause autism. His remarks provoked outrage from doctors, who said there is 'no robust evidence' for such claims. Britain's regulator, the MHRA, also stressed: 'There is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children.' And Dr Nechama Sorscher, a New York-based leading pediatric neuropsychologist and psychotherapist, told Daily Mail: 'Research on acetaminophen and autism does not prove definitive causation.' Even so, the official White House account yesterday reposted the 2017 Tylenol tweet alongside a photo of the president holding a hat reading 'Trump Was Right About Everything,' while the US Department of Health & Human Services shared it too, adding: 'No caption needed.' When the Daily Mail approached Kenvue, which manufactures Tylenol, it issued the following statement: 'This eight-year-old consumer response is incomplete and did not address our full guidance on the safe use of Tylenol.' A spokesman added that paracetamol and acetaminophen remain the safest painkiller options for pregnant women but stressed that any over-the-counter medicine should only be taken after consulting a doctor. Current Tylenol packaging advises: 'If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use.' President Trump earlier this week sparked widespread panic after claiming the painkiller may cause autism, saying 'if you're pregnant, don't take Tylenol' at a White House conference The official White House account on X republished the post alongside an image of President Trump holding up a hat saying he was 'right about everything' Influencer Brittany Xavier (pictured with her family) has told her followers she never uses Tylenol in her household. She is one of a number of social media stars to have addressed the growing controversy Paracetamol packets in the UK carry almost identical warnings: 'Talk to your doctor before taking these tablets if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or plan to get pregnant. 'If necessary, paracetamol can be used during pregnancy. You should use the lowest possible dose that reduces your pain and/or your fever and use it for the shortest time possible. 'Contact your doctor or midwife if the pain and/or fever are not reduced or if you need to take the medicine more often.' Experts say such cautionary wording is common because it is considered unethical to carry out full clinical trials on pregnant women. Data from retrospective studies can confirm that certain medicines are safe to use during pregnancy, but manufacturers stop short of formally recommending them. Following Trump's remarks, Melissa Witt, a spokesman for Kenvue, said: 'We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen [the US name for paracetamol] does not cause autism. 'We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers and parents.' Scientists on both sides of the Atlantic also reacted with scepticism, with some warning the claims risk stigmatising parents of children with autism. Your browser does not support iframes. Senior British politicians were quick to dismiss the comments. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'Don't pay any attention whatsoever to what Donald Trump says about medicine. 'In fact, don't even take my word for it as a politicianlisten to British doctors, British scientists, the NHS. 'It's really important, at a time when there is scepticism, to follow medical science.' Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch added: 'It will create fear and anxiety among parents and pregnant women will suffer unnecessary pain by believing it.' Dr Mehmet Oz, Trump's administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), softened the president's warning, telling TMZ: 'Take [Tylenol] when it's appropriate. 'If you have a high fever. the doctor's almost certainly going to prescribe you something, Tylenol might be one of the things they give.' Dr Sorscher told Daily Mail: 'You should be communicating with your health care professionals regarding any medications you were prescribed and anything you plan or consider taking. 'There is research that concludes that exposure to high fevers can lead to complications with the baby, including neural tube defects, so its important to control fevers; and acetaminophen is widely recommended as safe during pregnancy at this time.' And Dr Gail Saltz, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, added to this website: 'The health of the mother impacts the health of the fetus. A high fever in a mother does harm the fetus, and Tylenol, with no known causative link to autism, would most certainly be indicated.' Researchers have explored a possible connection between paracetamol and acetaminophen and autism for years. A handful of well-publicised studies have suggested maternal use of paracetamol may be linked to higher rates of autism or ADHD in children. But the findings have been inconsistent, and experts stress that any association is based on limited and conflicting evidence. Paracetamol is widely used by pregnant women to treat pain, headaches and fever, and remains the NHS's recommended 'first choice' painkiller during pregnancy, but only for short periods and at the lowest effective dose Trump officials said they would seek to update the drug's warning label and urge doctors against using the paracetamol medication, in pregnant women because of the supposed link The most recent study, published last month by researchers at Mount Sinai in New York and Harvard's School of Public Health, urged women to take paracetamol in pregnancy only on the advice of a doctor. But its authors acknowledged the evidence was not conclusive, and emphasised their results did not prove the drug directly causes neurodevelopmental disorders. Authors of the study told Daily Mail the Trump administration was 'spreading misinformation' about their work and the study emphasized that more research is needed and the link is just an association. They also told the Daily Mail that while they communicated with the administration and 'appreciate their interest in the study,' acetaminophen 'remains an important tool for pregnant patients and their physicians.' Kenvue, Tylenol's manufacturer, had made repeated attempts to head off Mr Trump's announcement. According to the Wall Street Journal, interim chief executive Kirk Perry met US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr earlier this month to argue the product remained a safe and vital way of relieving fever in pregnant women. Tylenol is the best-known of more than 600 medicines that contain paracetamol or acetaminophen as their active ingredient, which include over-the-counter cold and flu medications. Paracetamol is widely used by pregnant women to treat pain, headaches and fever, and remains the NHS's recommended 'first choice' painkiller during pregnancybut only for short periods and at the lowest effective dose. The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists also affirmed the safety and benefits of the drug during pregnancy. The group said: 'Acetaminophen is one of the few options available to pregnant patients to treat pain and fever, which can be harmful to pregnant people when left untreated. 'Suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to rely on this beneficial medicine during pregnancy.' It is not the first time Tylenol has come under fire. In the early 1980s, seven people died in Chicago after taking Tylenol capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide, triggering nationwide panic. Manufacturer Johnson & Johnson responded by introducing tamper-proof packaging, including foil seals and other features that made it clear if a product had been interfered with. These protections quickly became the industry standard across all over-the-counter medicines. In 2023, Johnson & Johnson spun off Tylenol, along with brands such as Listerine and Neutrogena, into a new standalone company, Kenvue. Olivia Attwood opens up on divorce rumours as she admits she and Bradley Dack 'really weren't getting on very well' as she reflects on using partying to cope In the hours before he returned to screens on Tuesday night, Jimmy Kimmel's crew were threatening to walk out and quit. He had been yanked from air last week after making comments on the assassination of Charlie Kirk that had enraged President Trump. ABC and Disney the network's parent company had said the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! was indefinite, but within seven days he was back following huge public outcry. Rumors were rife that the 57-year-old comic had agreed to apologize for his comments, appeasing his critics. The suggestion infuriated the 200-plus staff who work on the show. As one disgruntled employee told the Daily Mail: 'If he grovels or falls on his sword, that's actually a betrayal to all of us.' In the end however, the 57-year-old delivered a powerful 20-minute monologue in which he condemned Donald Trump for trying to silence him. And backstage, there was an eruption of relief, the Daily Mail can reveal. Those writers and producers who had been ready to stage a mutiny burst into tears and started embracing eachother. Later, they celebrated over a drink. One Jimmy Kimmel Live! insider told the Daily Mail: 'I am so proud of him and so proud to work here. 'He threaded the needle brilliantly. It was exactly what he needed to say, considering the pressure that was on him.' Kimmel delivered a powerful 20-minute monologue in which he condemned Donald Trump for trying to silence him. And backstage, there was an eruption of relief, the Daily Mail can reveal In a returning monologue that was at times teary, Kimmel said: 'It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. 'I don't think there's anything funny about it. That was the opposite of the point I was trying to make.' But after that conciliatory tone, Kimmel came out swinging against the powerful forces who pushed ABC to take him off the air. He singled out FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, branding his conduct 'not legal' and 'unAmerican' after Carr threatened to target late-night comics. He also turned his ire on Trump, who has long been a vocal critic of Kimmel's show. 'Before he went on, it was just electric,' our insider said. 'It was like right before a big game or a big performance. 'Everyone knew that this was a career-defining moment, and it was going to influence how we move forward. 'The stakes couldn't have been bigger for Jimmy and the show. We knew it was the biggest audience we'd ever have. It was clutch.' While he spoke, the show staff held their breath, waiting to hear what he would say. 'We didn't know how it was going to land,' the staffer said. 'That was the big thing. Millions of people were going to have an opinion.' For their part, many conservatives condemned Kimmel for not fully apologizing for some of his statements after Kirk's murder. President Trump himself was angry that Kimmel was even allowed to return to air at all. 'I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,' Trump wrote on TruthSocial. 'The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his "talent" was never there. 'Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who's not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE.' But the Kimmel staffer told the Daily Mail that their team was delighted with his monologue. 'After he was done, we were all hugging and high-fiving. Some people were crying. He stayed around the studio a bit afterwards and the entire crew congratulated him, hugged him,' the insider said. 'We even had a drink to celebrate. It was very festive. We are loyal. We're not going anywhere.' A prominent opinion writer has spoken out against the daughter of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner for preaching about the importance of wearing masks during a speech at the United Nations this week. Author and Atlantic staff writer Caitlin Flanagan slammed the 19-year-old Violet Affleck's call to action as condescending. 'The intense certainty that she's right, the all-consuming attention to her grievance,' Flanagan wrote on X above a clip of Violent speaking. '[I]ronically the social isolation of the pandemic probably fed those traits. She became defined by it. That generation really got the worst of it.' Footage of Violet's UN appearance went viral after she claimed the world was ignoring the 'ongoing pandemic' and that mask mandates were dropped prematurely. 'It is neglect of the highest order to look children in the eyes and say, "We knew how to protect you, and we didn't do it,"' Affleck said during her appearance. She warned of 'the relentless beat of "back to normal,"' and 'the threat of long Covid.' 'We are told by leaders across the board that we are the future,' the Yale University freshman said. Violet Affleck appeared at the United Nations in New York City Tuesday to call on world leaders to reinstate mask mandates Atlantic staff writer Caitlin Flanagan - seen here on Real Time With Bill Maher in 2020- slammed the 19-year-old youth activist for her messaging in a post on X Wednesday 'Young people lacked both real choice in the matter and information about what was being chosen for us.' Pointing to generational differences, she offered an anecdote about being mystified by 'no smoking' signs on planes as a child to say we 'can and must do that again' with mask mandates. 'We need the people who remember 2020, who were, not like me, 14 in 2020, to be loud about the world that we were promised at the onset of the pandemic,' she said. Her appearance was part of an event titled Healthy Indoor Air: A Global Call to Action. Users on social media went on to debate the importance of her messaging given that masks are no longer mandated and only those at high risk of severe illness are advised to wear one 'based on personal preference,' according to the CDC. Affleck has frequently been pictured wearing a mask at events with her family. In July, she appeared before the LA County Board of Supervisors to argue that laws to suppress mandatory mask wearing cause 'vulnerable members of our community' to be 'less safe' and make 'everyone less able to participate in LA together.' 'I demand mask availability, air filtration and Far-UVC light in government facilitates, including jails and detention centers, and mask mandates in county medical faculties,' she told the board. Flanagan was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2019. She also was a staff writer for the New Yorker Affleck, 19, has frequently been pictured wearing a mask at events with her family Jennifer Garner and daughter Violet Affleck are seen on May 11, 2024, in their hometown of Los Angeles 'It stands to exacerbate our homelessness crisis, as well as the suffering of many people in our city,' she added. 'It hits communities of color, disabled people, elderly people, trans people, women and anyone in a public facing essential job the hardest.' Affleck also called on public officials to invest resources in Personal Protective Equipment ahead of a potential future pandemic. She is the eldest daughter of the Hollywood stars, who also share sons Fin, 16, and Samuel, 13. The couple divorced in 2018. Flanagan was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2019, and she previously wrote for the New Yorker. Megyn Kelly brutally took down a young liberal student after they tried to blame Charlie Kirk's murder on 'rhetoric' from Donald Trump. The former Fox News anchor berated the student at a Turning Point USA event on Wednesday, in a Q&A session reminiscent of those Kirk held before his assassination two weeks ago. As Kelly hosted the event at Virginia Tech, she faced a question from a student who cited Trump's controversial remarks at Kirk's memorial service about 'hating' his opponents. 'Why do you support a president who contributes to the rhetoric that got your friend Charlie Kirk killed?' the student asked. 'We saw his rally recently, he said, "I hate my enemies."' Kelly quickly fired back at the question as she responded: 'This is how we got here.' 'That is a blatant lie, its a defamatory blaspheme and its inappropriate in this setting,' she said. The moment circulated on social media as the student tried to walk back his remarks, fumbling over his words as he insisted 'that's not what I said.' Megyn Kelly brutally took down a young liberal student at a Turning Point USA event on Wednesday after they tried to blame Charlie Kirk's murder on 'rhetoric' from Donald Trump The former Fox News anchor berated the student at a Turning Point USA Q&A session emulating those that Charlie Kirk (pictured together in 2023) held when he ran the organization before his assassination two weeks ago The young liberal argued that Trump 'contributed to the political atmosphere' that led to Kirk's murder, to which Kelly snapped back: 'Well, then you have no point.' 'Your point is utterly empty,' she continued. 'Contributing to the atmosphere? Let's just make clear. This guy was motivated by LEFTIST IDEOLOGY. We know it from the bullet casings, we know it from the Utah governor, from his own mother.' The hostile back-and-forth led some in the crowd to then begin jeering and heckling the student. 'Let's say this guy is a leftist, even if that's true, does that make it okay for the sitting president of the United States to incite violence against liberals?' he responded. Kelly then hit back, defending Trump's remarks at Kirk's funeral and saying he was right to target his political enemies on the left after he was indicted several times and almost assassinated last year. 'The president of the United States has not incited violence against liberals,' she said. Kelly's hostile back-and-forth with the young liberal led the conservative crowd to begin booing the student, but the host told the audience to calm down and said it was 'good to have some folks come up and disagree' Kelly defended Donald Trump's remarks at Kirk's funeral last week, where the president said he 'hates' his enemies in controversial speech 'The president of the United States made a joke at the Charlie Kirk Memorial...and by the way, Trump has every right to loathe his enemies. 'They tried to put him in jail for the rest of his life! Tried to bankrupt him. Tried to put his family in jail. And they tried to kill him.' Kelly's smackdown led the young student to stumble over his response before being drowned out by the conservative crowd, to which she told the audience to calm down and said she welcomed the debate. 'It's good to have some folks come up and disagree,' she said. Fox News host Jesse Watters called for the bombing the United Nations after an escalator carrying Donald Trump and the first lady at its New York headquarters suddenly stopped working. On Tuesday's episode of The Five, the Watters blamed UN staffers for the incident at the Manhattan building, which was worsened by a teleprompter malfunctioning as the president delivered a speech. 'This is an insurrection,' Watters, 47, said, eliciting a laugh from one of his co-panelists. 'And what we need to do is either leave the UN or we need to bomb it.' One of Watters' co-hosts reacted with an audible 'hmm' as if to indicate disapproval. 'It is in New York, though, right? There can be some fallout there. Alright. Maybe gas it?' Watters continued. 'Let's not do that,' his co-host Dana Perino, 53, said. 'But we need to destroy it,' Watters added. 'Maybe we can demolish the building?' On Tuesday's episode of The Five, Fox News host Jesse Watters spoke of the UN assembly President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump aboard the escalator at Union Nations headquarters - which later malfunctioned Perino then suggested repurposing the facility into 'affordable housing.' Watters, grimacing, rejected the idea. 'I don't like that. I like nice sky-rises, Dana - expensive condominiums,' he said, noting the UN headquarters' proximity to the East River. 'No, this is absolutely unacceptable. And I hope they get to the bottom of it, and I hope they really injure, emotionally, the people that did it.' Trump demanded an investigation into the stopped escalator on Wednesday. The day before, a UN spokesman sought to explain what happened in a statement. 'The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing,' it read. An anonymous source told ABC News the teleprompter that cut off during Trump's speech was being operated by someone from the White House and not a member of UN staff. Watters told fellow panelists Jessica Tarlov, Harold Ford Jr, Dana Perino and Greg Gutfeld he saw the incident as 'an insurrection' The UN headquarters in Midtown Manhattan Social media users were quick to point out Watters' extreme comment, with some expressing outrage over what they saw as a threat from the Fox News host. Earlier Tuesday night, during an appearance on Jesse Watters Primetime, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that 'UN globalist staffers were basically plotting to set up the president of the United States.' She also took to X to share a snippet from a article from The Times that appeared to suggest staffers could have been in on the incident. 'To mark Trumps arrival, UN staff members have joked that they may turn off the escalators and elevators and simply tell him they ran out of money, so he has to walk up the stairs,' it read. During his speech, Trump asked, 'what is the purpose of the UN?' 'These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter,' he added. The president railed against CNN while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, letting a journalist from the network's Turkish affiliate slide because he 'sounded like a nice guy.' After Donald Trump held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leading CNN Turk's Yunus Paksoy asked about American missile-defense systems. 'You repeatedly called out the Obama and Biden administrations for their stupid decisions,' Paksoy said to the president, citing America's refusal to sell Patriot missiles to Turkey. 'Now, you are known to be a great deal-maker in Turkey,' he added. 'What can you do to undo this stupidity?' Trump showed genuine surprise after asking which outlet the reporter worked for. 'CNN? Wow - because you sounded like a nice guy,' he said with a smile, leading to laughs from the crowd. 'CNN is fake news. But you sound like the real deal to me, so I'll answer the question.' Trump then proceeded to discuss the sale of military equipment before returning to the reporter's employer. President Trump let a journalist from CNN's Turkish affiliate slide because he 'sounded like a nice guy' CNN Turk reporter Yunus Paksoy called Trump 'a great deal-maker' while posing his question to the president Trump and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Thursday's meeting in the Oval Office 'I like this guy. I like him. He's from CNN,' the president said. 'Fake news. The worst fake news, but I like him. It's CNN Turkey.' CNN Turk is an independent affiliate owned by Turkish conglomerate Demiroren Group under licensing from Warner Bros. Discovery's EMEA division, which manages all of CNN's cable and satellite stations. During their meeting on Thursday, Trump shared his hope that President Erdogan would stop buying oil from Russia due to its role as an aggressor against Ukraine. Erdogan used a translator and did not react immediately to the president's comments. Trump has a history of bashing CNN, first calling it 'fake news' in a tweet in January 2017. He's been known to frequently clash with the network's chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, who faced off with him repeatedly in the White House press briefing room during his first term and at a town hall-style event in 2023. At the town hall, Trump branded Collins 'a nasty woman.' A record 35.8 million people live in a household receiving more in state handouts and services than they pay in tax, according to new figures laying bare the reality of benefits Britain. The dismal figures show that households that were net recipients of taxpayer largesse - taking more from the state than they put in - represented more than half of the population. And they underscore the significance of Labours failure to push through welfare reform and the challenge facing new Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden as he attempts to bring the benefits bill and Britains sicknote epidemic under control. Experts warned it will get worse under Labour as high taxes lead to an exodus of wealth creators. Your browser does not support iframes. Elliot Keck, head of campaigns at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'For years the state has been overwhelmingly dependent on high earners to fund the services we all rely on. 'This has created a situation where around half of the public put in less than they get out. Yet despite this precarious predicament, Rachel Reeves has devoted her time and efforts as chancellor into targeting successful taxpayers, forcing many to flee and putting unsustainable pressure on the public finances. 'Labour now needs to urgently back off and look at significant tax cuts to encourage the entrepreneurs, investors and business people back to our shores.' The ONS data showed that for the year ending in March 2024, 35.8 million people lived in households receiving more benefits than they paid in tax a record outside the pandemic when the figure rose to 36.5 million. It represents 53.3 per cent of the population, up sharply from 52.6 per cent the year before. The figures illustrate a grim trend as the proportion of the population dependent on benefits has steadily risen from around 40 per cent in the 1980s to around 50 per cent at the time of the financial crisis in 2009. It has barely fallen below that level since and spiked further to 55 per cent in 2020/21 during Covid since then coming down a little but still remaining well above pre-pandemic levels. Your browser does not support iframes. The figures are likely to raise further concerns about the unsustainable nature of state spending. Critics warn that as Britains tax burden climbs to the highest level since the 1940s, successive governments have failed to get a grip on wastefulness. The ONS figures measure the gap between sums received by households in benefits including NHS services and education as well as welfare handouts and those they contribute in taxes. It comes after a warning from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), a business lobby group, that Britains sicknote epidemic must be tackled as it is hobbling growth. The BCC labelled Britain the sick man of the G7 with around 7 per cent of the workforce out of work due to long-term sickness higher than any other country in the group of advanced economies and twice the level of 3.5 per cent in Japan. Earlier this year, an attempt by the government to reform the welfare bill was scuppered by Left-wing Labour backbenchers adding to the headache facing the Chancellor as she seeks to fill in a black hole estimated at around 20-30billion by most economists ahead of Novembers Budget. Under pressure: Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to unveil a punishing Budget in November Figures this week showed a record number of people are claiming disability benefits for anxiety and mood disorders. Research by the Centre for Social Justice think-tank showed almost 650,000 were claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) for those two conditions in July. And 250 a day have been added to the total since Labour came to power. I live in a top-storey flat in an old Victorian house, with two other flats below me. I own my flat via a share of the freehold, alongside my neighbour on the ground floor. The lady in the middle flat doesn't own a share. Her flat is leasehold, with myself and the neighbour acting as her freeholder. The flat is worth about 400,000 and she has 114 years remaining on the lease. She has recently asked if she could buy a share of the freehold. My neighbours on the ground floor are keen. They want to sell their flat and would like some extra cash. They think if we can get 30,000 between us it will be worth it. How much should we charge? The ground rent is minimal - essentially covering the electricity costs for the communal hallway. And is this worthwhile? What are the pros and cons of giving a neighbour a share in the freehold, and is it better having three 'co-freeholders' than two? How much will it cost and how long will it take? Worth it? Our reader is wondering whether they should sell a share of their building's freehold to another flat owner Ed Magnus of This is Money replies: This is quite a complicated situation, but one that is not uncommon in expensive areas where former family houses are routinely chopped up into smaller flats. This building was once owned by a single freeholder - probably the person who decided to split it into three flats. The flats at that time would have been sold and owned leasehold, unless one of them was occupied by the freeholder themselves. At some point, though, the flat leaseholders made an offer to buy the freehold. For whatever reason, the owner of the middle flat at that time didn't want to join, so the owners of the two other flats bought it between them and that property remained leasehold, paying their ground rent to their neighbours instead of the old freeholder. While selling a share of freehold to the middle flat could be worthwhile, you may find she is not prepared to meet your neighbour's price of 30,000 or more. Given their lease has 114 years remaining and the fact her ground rent is essentially nothing, it's unlikely that buying a share of freehold will boost her property's value that much. Of course, she may be desperate to own a share of the freehold and be prepared to pay over the odds to do so. So, there is no harm in having the conversation at least. There are advantages, such as having a greater say in the management of the building. She may also think it will make her flat more sellable in future, given that leasehold flats can make some buyers cautious these days. For expert advice we spoke to Mari Knowles, solicitor at Commonhold and Leasehold Experts, Andrew Boast, director at Sam Conveyancing, Linz Darlington of lease extension specialists, Homehold, and Olivia Egdell-Page, partner and head of the property department at Joseph A Jones & Co. Olivia Egdell-Page, a partner and head of the property department at Joseph A Jones & Co How does a share of freehold work? Olivia Egdell-Page replies: Properties advertised for sale with a 'share of freehold' are often misunderstood by buyers, who are under the impression that they are purchasing a freehold flat. Instead, the arrangement is that each individual property owner will own the leasehold interest in their flat or maisonette, with the freehold interest - the ownership of the roof, foundations and all that lie between the two - being held by one or more individuals, who are also the owners of the flats within the building. The benefit of this is that the owners are then involved in the maintenance, upkeep and general management of the building. This includes things like its insurance, outgoings and day-to-day expenditure. If the hallway needs redecorating, the freeholders will arrange this, as it is in their interests and for their own benefit. If the leases need to be extended, this is a more straightforward - and usually cheaper - process than having to liaise with a separate freeholder. How much is a share of freehold worth? Linz Darlington replies: If the middle flat had joined in with the other flats when the freehold was purchased, the cost to them would probably have been minimal. Assuming a fixed ground rent of around 100, this probably would have cost 3,000 to 4,000. However, she - or whoever owned the flat before her - didn't join in then, so she has no automatic right to participate now. This means that you're free to ask what you want for a share of the freehold. Of course, if you ask too much, they'd be advised to decline. The outcome of the negotiation will depend on what you each think it is worth. Mari Knowles, a solicitor at Commonhold and Leasehold Experts Limited and a member of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners Mari Knowles adds: If you do decide to sell a share of the freehold, the process is unregulated. This means it's up to the parties involved to agree what the terms of the sale are. Commonly, the parties will ask a valuer to calculate how much the purchase price should be. The amount payable will usually depend on the terms of the existing lease as a starting point, and the terms of any lease extension, if one is required. Freeholders will also typically ask for their legal fees to be paid on top of the purchase price, together with any tax liabilities. Andrew Boast adds: You'll need a specialist Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors valuation to determine the premium that should be paid. This would be the first step and will help both parties make a better decision about whether the transaction is worthwhile. How much will we pay in legal fees? Andrew Boast replies: The process will take four to eight weeks. Additional costs include valuation and conveyancing on both sides; a solicitor acting for the share of freeholders and a separate solicitor for the leaseholder. Legal fees on both sides would be around 1,000 each. Linz Darlington adds: Selling a share of the freehold is not easy. You'll either need to engage a lawyer to add the new co-freeholder to the title, if you own the freehold as individuals, or provide them with a share of the freehold company if you own it within a company structure. How long it takes will depend how quickly the lawyer works. What's the benefit of a share of freehold? Olivia Egdell-Page replies: The benefit of all leaseholders owning a share of the freehold is that the burden of the property management is shared, whether that means dealing with the utility providers or ensuring you are compliant with statutory requirements such as fire risk assessments . All co-freeholders will be motivated to ensure the property remains in good condition and is well looked after. Linz Darlington adds: The benefit of having the third flat involved is that you would then all have an equal investment and standing in the block, which might make living there feel more democratic. If everyone owns a share of freehold, you can sometimes avoid some of the formalities of the freeholder-leaseholder relationship too. Mari Knowles adds: Aside from any income from the sale, it may be beneficial to have all residents involved with the freehold. It can often make decision-making easier, especially if, for example, you need a new roof or want to carry out improvements, such as installation of electric vehicle charge points. What are the disadvantages? Andrew Boast replies: The current freeholders need to ask themselves how they feel about the person in the middle flat. Is she someone they want to work with, does she often ask for things around the building to be fixed, and would it be better if she was empowered to share the workload instead? Having more freeholders can both spread the burden of responsibilities and make it harder to reach an agreement over big decisions. Andrew Boast , director at SAM Conveyancing For example, each time a leasehold is sold, all the shareholders must sign. If any one of them is un-cooperative or unreachable, problems can arise. It's important to remember that they may sell at any time, and you'll have a new owner to collaborate with in the management of the building. An additional consideration which does not apply to your neighbour in this case is an extension. If they were on the top or bottom, becoming a share of freeholder would put them in a stronger position to be able to extend their flat. However, being in the middle floor, it is unlikely that an extension would be feasible. Linz Darlington adds: The disadvantage is that you and your downstairs neighbour will be giving up some control. Unless you already have long leases, for example 250-plus years, with no ground rent, you should also extend these before you involve a new freeholder. Olivia Egdell-Page adds: The drawback of this is that you are dependent on reaching agreement with the co-freeholders. In the event of disagreement or dispute, this does have the potential to create uncomfortable neighbourly relations. Why would the middle flat want to buy a share of freehold? Andrew Boast replies: The new buyer will enjoy some increase to the value of their flat. A valuer will be able to appraise roughly how much. The other reason the neighbour may want to buy a share of the freehold is that it can make it easier to extend the lease. With 114 years remaining, there is little benefit to extending at this stage, but they will likely want to extend in around 20 years if they don't sell up first. Can the middle flat force them to sell a share of freehold? Mari Knowles replies: There is no obligation on you to sell a share of the freehold to your new neighbour, so it is completely up to you and your co-owner to decide whether or not to proceed. The first decision you will therefore need to make with your co-owner is whether or not you are happy to sell a share to your neighbour. As Australia races to build 1.2 million new homes in just five years, experts warn the focus on quantity over quality is leaving generations to deal with the fallout of cut corners and compromised standards. They claim the rush to meet the National Housing Accord target by 2029 is fuelling a wave of cheap and nasty builds, homes plagued by mould, structural flaws, and soaring energy costs. Construction lawyer Bronwyn Weir said the rapid push to build homes at scale, driven by Australia's growing population, is worsening poor workmanship and revealing gaps in regulatory oversight. She cited recurring issues like waterproofing failures, structural flaws, and substandard materials. 'These problems stem from inadequate standards, poor education and lack of competency in design and construction,' she said. 'These defects often don't present themselves until a few years after construction is finished. 'The cost to investigate and rectify these kinds of issues can be astronomical even if there is a builder around to chase, there is a good chance they won't stick around to take responsibility. 'We need to throw everything at improving independent oversight during construction. This is where we will see the biggest bang for our buck.' The Master Builders Australia welcomes moves to untangle the thicket of red tape however others argue regulations aren't strong enough A top lawyer has claimed the rush meet the National Housing Accord target by 2029 is worsening build quality Ms Weir said changes to the National Construction Code, due in May, could have addressed many construction issues, but the Albanese government froze updates until mid-2029 to fast-track housing approvals. She added more checks are needed during construction, but regulators are under-resourced and approvals rely too heavily on self-certification. 'We can't have a regulator on every site all the time but there needs to be more independent checking and quality control to prevent poor construction practices,' she said. Master Builders Australia welcomed the commitment from the government to advance reforms to untangle the thicket of red tape. Chief executive Denita Wawn said no state or territory is on track to meet its target with a mounting housing shortfall. 'Our latest forecasts show housing starts fell almost 60,000 short of the Accord's target in 202425, and the gap over five years has now blown out to 180,200 homes,' she said. 'Without urgent reform, the 1.2 million homes goal will not be met. 'Builders are ready to deliver - but projects are being held back by long build times and higher costs. 'Reform is the only way to restore capacity and deliver the homes Australians need.' In 2024, a Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute survey of existing housing stock found that 70 per cent of households reported quality issues, with the most common defects being wall cracks, mould, and plumbing problems. It warned the low quality of housing in Australia is likely to persist as the country aims to build 1.2 million new homes. A British man claimed his holiday to a Spanish resort turned into a nightmare when a group of migrants arrived on a dinghy at the beach just outside his hotel. The migrants were running through the hotel's courtyard to get to the other side of the property when a lethal fight allegedly broke out between the men leaving one dead. Joseph, a 32-year-old service manager from Twickenham, told the Daily Mail that the terrifying incident occurred on the morning of August 11 at Playavera Hotel on the coast of Almeria, southeastern Spain. He was enjoying his morning coffee on his first-floor balcony when he noticed a small black dinghy dock at the sandy seashore at around 6am. In a video shared exclusively with the Daily Mail, between 10 to 15 migrants jumped off the boat and swam to the beach, before running in the direction of the hotel. Prior to dashing away to the village via the hotel's courtyard, the migrants collected money and a mobile phone from a 'handler', Joseph claimed, who was waiting on the shore to meet them when the small boat docked up. After witnessing the boat arrive, Joseph went downstairs to breakfast, where fellow guests told him that the situation was 'serious' and he should 'look outside'. When he went downstairs, he said he saw a dead body covered with a bloodied white hotel towel, lying in the courtyard. Joseph was enjoying his morning coffee on his balcony when he noticed a small black dinghy dock at the sandy seashore at around 6am In a video shared exclusively with the Daily Mail, between 10 to 15 migrants jumped off the boat and swam to the beach, before running in the direction of the hotel Beforehand, the men grabbed cash and a mobile phone from a 'handler', Joseph said, who was waiting on the shore when the small boat docked up Though Joseph didn't witness the scuffle himself, another resident of the hotel - a former Spanish police officer - said he saw a fight break out among the migrants. The ex-cop was staying in a ground-floor room, and heard a man scream for help and slam on his window. He told Joseph that the victim was 'beaten to death' by around two or three of the men who had just joined him on the perilous overseas journey, who wanted to steal his money and phone. The Brit described his horror when he saw a body left just outside the hotel for hours in 35C heat, with no one coming to collect it until 2pm - some seven hours after the incident. Recalling the moment he saw the dinghy dock up just a few yards from his room, Joseph said: 'I was like: "What the bloody hell is going on?" It's the same situation as what we've got now: these men could be anyone. 'We still had two days left of the holiday, and for those two days I barely left the room. 'I just thought one of them has literally killed one of their own, what could they do to a couple of Brits who were there on holiday? It was terrifying.' He was gripped by fear that some of the men might have stayed 'local' or in the hotel itself, and would later return to attack some of the guests. 'I've never had any issues [visiting the hotel], It's quite a sleepy little village,' said Joseph. 'But we noticed something was quite amiss, to put it mildly, we were like: "This doesn't look like a normal boat coming in".' He continued: 'They scarpered through the hotel property itself to get out the other side, and unfortunately one of the guys on the boat was beaten to death by two or three of the others, to get his phone and money.' When Joseph noticed the dinghy, he began messaging his friends, telling them to urgently 'look out the window'. When he went downstairs, he said he saw the dead body surrounded by Spanish police officers. 'His body was literally on the pavement in the hotel, as you leave through one of the hotel gates. 'The national police were there, smoking a cigarette and waiting for the coroner to come.' The receptionist apparently told Joseph that intrusions from migrants docking up at the beach on small boats are becoming more and more common. Joseph and his friends were gripped by the fear that some of the men might have stayed 'local' or in the hotel itself, and would later return to attack some of the guests Men and children exited the small boat at the nearby beach and quickly made their way towards the hotel Despite a number of intrusions in recent months, the hotel has done little to improve their security, Joseph said. 'I've been there eight times, and there's been quite a few instances where people who weren't guests have been coming into the hotel. 'They had one security guard walking around, checking if people were wearing wristbands. But if you just wanted to walk into the hotel and use the facilities, you literally could. 'There's a gate at the back where the property meets the beach, and that's usually left open, so people can literally just walk in and out as they please.' After the incident, the hotel assured Joseph that guests were 'safe in their rooms' - which he found to be insufficient. 'That's all well and good, but if they can cross into the hotel, then it means that obviously they can get to our rooms.' Even though his summer holiday was 'tainted', Joseph has already re-booked another holiday back to the same hotel in the hope that Spanish police will get a grip on the issue of small boat crossings. 'I already had a plan to go back there next year. I'm trying to have faith in the Spanish immigration system and the Spanish police that they'll be able to clamp down on it. 'I don't want them to win. I've been there eight times, I don't want it to ruin my experience going there.' In an email correspondence with On the Beach - the travel company which booked Joseph's trip - Playavera Hotel insisted that the incidents occurred outside of the hotel's premises, on a public beach, and were entirely beyond their control. When the Daily Mail contacted the hotel for comment, a spokesperson refused to confirm or deny Joseph's account of events. In 2024, Spain received 63,970 irregular migrants, the vast majority in the Canaries, up from 56,852 in 2023, according to the interior ministry. When Joseph noticed the dinghy, he began messaging his friends, telling them to urgently 'look out the window' Joseph, from Twickenham, had visited the Playavera Hotel around seven times already over the past six years In the first six months of 2025, Spain recorded 4,587 illegal arrivals on its mainland and the Balearic Islands, a 13 per cent increase from 4,044 in the first half of 2024. Spanish police said they arrested 19 people suspected of murder and torture after more than 50 migrants went missing from a migrant boat that was travelling from Senegal to the Canary Islands. The first allegations of mass high seas executions on board the overcrowded vessel emerged at the start of the month, after 248 survivors were rescued off the African coast and taken to Gran Canaria. Detectives began investigating after witnesses claimed to have seen fellow migrants beaten up and shot after people smugglers in charge of the boat accused them of being witches when they suffered engine problems and started running out of food. Multiple bodies have been pulled from Houston bayous in less than a week- sparking fears a serial killer could be stalking Americas fourth-largest city. Police have confirmed that the remains of five people were discovered in separate areas of water between September 15 and 20. Its unusual. Usually you dont find four bodies in the bayous in a week, Constable Alan Rosen of Harris County Precinct One told Fox 26 Houston. When you have bodies showing up in bayous, its always a concern because we have to determine how they got there, what was the cause of death. Was it foul play? Was it suicide? Was it an accident? What were the circumstances? And those discoveries are only the latest. Authorities say a total of 14 bodies have been pulled from Houstons waterways so far this year. 'It's just kind of scary when there's that many coincidences. There such a coincidence that happens multiple times,' a local jogger told Fox 26. Jade 'Sage' McKissic, 20, is among those found dead in recent days. Jade McKissic, a University of Houston student, 20, went missing September 11, and her remains were found four days later in Brays Bayou Remains were found in Buffalo Bayou on Saturday. It brings the total number of bodies discovered in the waterways around the city to 14 this year Last seen on September 11, the remains of the University of Houston student were recovered four days later in Brays Bayou. Leading up to her disappearance, McKissic had been at a local bar with friends, leaving on her own, the Houston Police Department explained. She also left her cell phone behind. However, she was spotted next door at a gas station buying a drink. Police were then able to track her walking towards Brays Bayou where she was last seen around 1am. Even though the cops say McKissic's cause of death has yet to be determined by the medical examiner's office, they have also ruled out murder. Investigators say her autopsy 'revealed no signs of trauma or foul play.' The same day McKissic's remains were found, the body of a man surfaced in Green Bayou, the Houston Chronicle reported. On September 16, a third body was found White Oak Bayou. A fourth person was reported in Buffalo Bayou near downtown on Sept 18. Your browser does not support iframes. Houston is nicknamed the Bayou City, for the many waterways where residents paddle, kayak around the metropolis. They are usually surrounded by trails used by joggers and cyclists The area is also vulnerable to flooding, with Buffalo Bayou seen after Hurricane Beryl last year Police made the most recent discovery Saturday, also in Buffalo Bayou. While police do not suspect foul play at this time, most of the autopsies have yet to be completed, and therefore, homicide cannot be ruled out just yet. 'Each death is different,' a Houston Police spokesman told the newspaper. 'Its all determined by the cause of death, which is released by the Medical Examiner after an autopsy. It's unfortunate, but each death is different.' Many locals aren't buying it - comparing the city's response to that of investigators in Austin, Texas. At least 19 bodies have been found in Lady Bird Lake, the river that runs through the middle of the capital city. Even though the Austin Police Department has insisted there is no evidence of a serial killer, wild theories of a Rainey Street Ripper have continued to plague the police narrative. 'Unless you have stab wounds, gunshots, strangulation marks - clear signs of homicide - it's not a serial killer,' Krista Gehring, PhD, a criminology professor at the University of Houston, told the outlet. 'People slip, people fall, people drown. That's reality.' A Michigan preacher who shot to fame after a fiery confrontation with Dearborn's mayor has broken his silence. He insists he is no bigot, but a Christian peacemaker determined to call out what he says is the 'double standards' of Islam in the West. Ted Barham became an unlikely viral star this month when he stepped up to the microphone at a Dearborn City Council meeting to oppose naming a street after an Arab activist he described as a supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah. The move sparked a furious exchange with Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, 35, who cut Barham off, branded him a 'racist' and an 'Islamophobe,' and told him: 'You are not welcome here.' The mayor promised to hold a celebratory parade when Barham leaves the city. The clip, shared millions of times online, has divided the nation. Hammoud - the first Arab American to lead the majority Muslim city - was hailed by supporters for defending his constituents, but critics accused him of silencing dissent. A petition demanding his resignation has garnered 7,500 signatures. Representatives for Hammoud did not immediately responded to the Daily Mail's request for comment. Meanwhile, Barham, 47, has been alternately denounced as a provocateur and celebrated as a champion of free speech. Now, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Barham has set out his side of the story - presenting himself not as a firebrand preacher looking for a fight, but as a father, husband and minister worried about the creeping erosion of religious liberty. Dearborn-based preacher Ted Barham (pictured) regularly clashes with officials in the Muslim-majority city Dearborn is home to one of the largest populations of Arabs and the Arab diaspora in the US. Residents frequently host pro-Palestine protests 'I'm not against Muslim people,' he said. 'One of my main messages is: Love your Muslim neighbor. But love also means telling the truth as a Christian.' Barham, who preaches within the evangelical Plymouth Brethren denomination, said his dispute with Hammoud shone a spotlight on a larger, global imbalance. 'In the West, Muslims can build mosques, spread their religion, even run for office,' he said. 'But Christians in Saudi Arabia aren't even allowed one church, in Pakistan or Bangladesh they are persecuted. It's a one-way street, and someone has to say it.' He pointed to Zohran Mamdani, the New York state assemblyman tipped as a potential future mayor of America's largest city, as proof of how far Muslims have advanced politically in the US. 'Mamdani can proudly run for office in America as a Muslim,' Barham said. 'But could a Christian do that in most Muslim countries? Impossible. We can't usually even become citizens. That's the one-way street I'm talking about.' Barham raised tough questions about how freedom of religion and political participation differ between Western nations and Islamic countries. Though, many of the latter are illiberal or autocratic, making straightforward comparisons difficult. The minister claimed that America could one day follow a reported trend in Britain and Europe of suppressing Christian voices in the name of tolerance. 'America is the last safe place where I can speak freely,' he claimed. 'In Europe, if you say the wrong thing about Islam, you're silenced and accused of Islamophobia.' Barham's worldview has been shaped by an unusually international upbringing. He was born in Zambia, holds both Canadian and British passports, and has lived in Pakistan, Lebanon, Israel, Germany and the UK. He and his wife settled in Dearborn seven years ago, raising two children in a city famous for its Middle Eastern bakeries, markets and mosques. Barham said he loved the 'warmth and vibrancy' of the local Arab-American community, but also discovered how quickly he could be branded a troublemaker. His attempt to broadcast a Christian call to prayer in Arabic, mirroring the Islamic adhan, has faced opposition. His proposal for a Christian film festival was met with hostility, while, he claims, larger Muslim events passed without question. Barham said he is a peacemaker who doesn't take sides in the Israel-Palestine conflict Mayor Abdullah Hammoud (pictured) issued a scathing response to Barham after the preacher complained about a street name honoring an Arab-American activist And, he said, his Facebook account was deleted after he posted videos encouraging Muslims to explore Christianity. His '16 years of Facebook history' was lost to cyberspace. Barham said his determination to speak out was fueled in part by regrets from his time in Britain. While living in Oxford, he recalled, local authorities failed to address a scandal in which gangs of men groomed and abused young girls. Independent reports had found that hundreds of mostly white British girls were abused by these men, many of whom were British Pakistani, in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Subject experts have said that police, other officials and even newspapers were too afraid to act at the time for fear of being labelled racist. Eventually, the findings gave way to broader research, which shows that grooming was - and still is - a widespread issue in the UK, with majority of offenders in 2024 being white British men while some (around one in eight, according to the BBC) were British Pakistani. 'I stayed silent about the grooming gangs in Oxford because I didn't want to offend Muslims,' Barham said. 'Now I refuse to be silent again.' He now sees echoes of that 'culture of fear' in America, where he claims officials are reluctant to criticize Islamic groups for fear of being accused of Islamophobia. He insisted his decision to oppose the street naming in Dearborn was not an attack on Muslims, but a stand against extremism. 'I'll go back to City Council, not with lawsuits, but to say again, 'God bless you, mayor,'' Barham said. 'And I'll remind them - Israel, Hezbollah, everyone - love your haters.' The Democratic mayor has likewise refused to back down, doubling down with a defiant speech at a September 23 council meeting, pointedly refusing to apologize for the controversy. Instead, he blasted 'sensationalized headlines' that he said had misrepresented Dearborn, and noted the city's history of Muslim residents being targeted with hate. 'Across every background, every faith, every identity, we have built a city that is not only strong but truly an example for the rest of this nation,' Hammoud said. 'Dearborn is a city that welcomes and embraces everyone. Our unity should be a model for America itself.' The exchange with Hammoud may have been bruising, but Barham said it has opened a necessary conversation. He rejected accusations that he seeks confrontation for its own sake, pointing instead to his friendships with Muslim neighbors and the converts he has worked with over the years. 'I love Dearborn,' he said. 'I love Middle Eastern culture. But I will not stay silent about the double standards Christians face.' In 2023, Dearborn became the first Arab-majority city in the US, with roughly 55 percent of residents claiming Middle Eastern or North African ancestry The Pakistani Christians whose homes were burned enjoy few of the protections afforded to Muslims in the West, Barham claimed Barham insisted his faith makes him a bridge-builder, not an enemy of Muslims. 'I grieve for every child killed - Palestinian or Israeli,' he said, speaking about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. 'I'm not here to take sides. I'm here as a Christian peacemaker.' But he added that Western naivety about Islam could one day come at a cost - unless Muslim leaders in democracies such as Britain and the US recognize their freedoms, which he said run counter to limitations placed on Christians abroad. 'Muslim people in the West have reached the age of responsibility... there are so many in powerful positions - with London Mayor Sadiq Khan and possibly New York City soon.' For Barham, the viral clash with Hammoud is only the beginning. Far from being cowed by the mayor's public rebuke, he intends to return to the City Council chamber to repeat his message of love - and warning. ISIS bride Shamima Begum is living on 100 a week of donations from friends and family while stuck in a hellhole detention camp in the Syrian desert as she continues to dream of being able to return to the UK. Stateless Begum, 26, was seen for the first time in years earlier this week when she stormed out of an interview at the grim al-Roj camp. And now The Daily Mail can reveal how the former schoolgirl Jihadi is trying to keep her morale up by enjoying small luxuries like rudimentary beauty treatments paid for by donations from supporters - as her battle with the British government to get her citizenship back drags on. And the beauty treatments are thought to be part of an ongoing planned campaign by Begum and her supporters to present herself as more 'Western' than jihadists in order to win public support for her campaign to be allowed back to Britain. The camp, made up of rows of tents inside a fortified compound in northwest Syria has been criticised by the Red Cross for being 'grim' and 'extremely volatile'. But Begum - thanks to handouts from her dwindling band of friends - tries to make her incarceration there as pleasant as possible, despite acknowledging that it is 'worse than a prison'. She receives up to 400 per month, which is transferred to a makeshift bank in the camp by her relatives and friends in the UK. The money is used to top up her mobile phone and visit a shopping area in the camp selling an array of items such as toys, makeup, groceries, and clothes. Some even offer fake designer trainers and other western brands. Shamima Begum is currently living in a detention camp while fighting the British government for the right to return to the UK Begum became a child bride to Dutch Islamic convert Yago Riedijk, with whom she had three children - who all died as infants The former jihadi bride now lives at the al-Roj camp in northern Syria, run by the Syrian Democratic Forces, which she has described as 'worse than a prison' Begum and the other inmates are also allowed to visit a souq (market) just outside the camp where a larger selection of food and clothing is available. In addition to money, she is also allowed to receive clothing and other parcels of everyday items from her family in London. Begum has been assigned a spacious tent in which she lives alone and is equipped with a television, satellite dish, running water and electricity. One part of it is a kitchen and along with all the other inmates, she has been issued with a cooker which is filled with gas once a week. A source told the Daily Mail: 'She lives in relative comfort. She gets good support from NGOs and the SDF (Syrian Defence Forces) working in the camp.' Al-Roj is home to around 12,000 women and children who are all primarily the relatives of male ISIS members. The camp has a school and 24-hour health centre where an ophthalmologist, dentist and other medical specialists are on call. But most remarkable of all has been Begum's streetwise westernised appearance that has caught the eye as she remains a focal point of controversy and debate over her desire to return to the UK. She gets her hair cut and styled by fellow female jihadi inmates who also provide services such as manicures, facials and pedicures. She has also taken to wearing make-up that was initially smuggled in by some of the Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) soldiers guarding the gates of the facility and is also now available at a shop in the camp. In recent years Begum has been photographed walking around al-Roj in Primark clothes and Nike trainers and wearing her hair down. In 2021 after the Supreme Court ruled that she could not return to the UK to pursue an appeal against the removal of her British citizenship she was pictured in the camp wearing a pair of sunglasses, a dark jacket, leggings and white trainers. She looks unrecognisable from the demure young woman who was first pictured in a black niqab in 2019 at another camp for ISIS women before being moved to al-Roj, which lies near the Iraqi-Kurdish border. In her most recent appearance, Begum who concealed her face behind a mask looked 'pale and thin' while wearing a trendy black tee shirt and jeans with her long hair swept over her shoulders. She was asked about speculation over a possible return to the UK after the Trump administration said that if Britain wanted to be seen as a 'serious ally' of the US then it should commit to the international fight against ISIS by taking back citizens currently in the northeast of Syria. The controversial comment was made by Trump ally Sebastian Gorka prompting Nigel Farage to admit that he had become 'more thoughtful' about letting her back into the UK and that he did not see her as an 'all out ISIS killer'. She replied 'no comment' on both occasions when asked about this by a reporter from the Daily Express before turning on him. 'If you guys don't have anything to tell us we don't have anything to say,' she raged, before leaving in a huff. Begum gets her hair cut and styled by fellow female jihadi inmates who also provide services such as manicures, facials and pedicures Begum, now 26, was born and raised in Bethnal Green, east London before travelling to Syria to join ISIS in 2015. She later became a child bride to Dutch Islamic convert Yago Riedijk, with whom she had three children - who all died as infants. Home Secretary Sajid Javid stripped her of British citizenship in 2019, prompting her to launch a long legal and PR campaign in a bid to have the decision reversed. As the battle for her return rages, she has largely refrained from making public comment about her situation. Mahmoud, a Kurdish translator who previously worked in al-Roj and has met Begum said: 'She is refusing interviews on the advice of her lawyer. You can still visit her in the camp, but she is unlikely to go on the record.' Filmmaker Andrew Drury, who knew Begum for 18 months, said she was also able to get her hands on clothes and make-up from broadcasters courting her for interviews - as well as a camp shop selling fake designer goods sourced from local markets. He told The Daily Mail: 'There's a shopping area in the camp with six or seven shops selling things like clothes, food and toys. 'The clothes shop is opened up to the extremist and non-extremist girls at different times. 'They get fake Nikes and other western brands that probably come from local markets.' He added: 'Every time you want to do an interview you ask her what she wants. 'Other clothes have probably been donated by their friends or smuggled in by the guards.' Despite uncertainty over her future and her confinement, Begum has been described as a 'model detainee' and 'courageous' by those who run al-Roj. Meanwhile a filmmaker who approached Begum in the camp recently has told how she told him to 'get the f*** out'. Rashid Omar, the camp's director told The Times last year: 'She is one of the few to have refused to wear niqab. 'Under the circumstances here, given our difficulties in protecting women, that's a courageous decision.' Begum's lawyers and supporters have argued that she was trafficked to Syria given the fact that she was a minor when it happened and should be allowed to return to the UK. She was accompanied by two other schoolgirls, Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, with Sultana believed killed in an explosion and the fate of Abase remaining unknown. Sydney families are set to be slammed with a major hike in water bills with charges soaring by 13.8 per cent next year in yet another blow to households already drowning in a cost-of-living crisis. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal confirmed on Wednesday that average water and wastewater bills will surge by $168 in 202526, jumping from $1,220 to $1,388. By the end of the decade, annual bills will climb to a staggering $1,695. While IPART claims the increases are still lower than what Sydney Water originally wanted, the hikes come as the city's booming population heaps pressure on ageing infrastructure. Greater Sydney has swelled by more than 326,000 people since 2021, with migration driving record demand for water. The regulator said Sydney Water needs more revenue to expand pipes, reservoirs and treatment facilities, while also meeting environmental standards and delivering services to fast-growing suburbs. The tribunal has urged the NSW Government to expand rebates for concession card holders and low-income households. Water bills for Sydney residents are set to rise by $168 between 2025 and 2026 (stock) High levels of migration over the last 5 years have put a strain on Sydney Water's infrastructure Overseas migrants are accounting for more than 80 per cent of the population growth in Sydney and Melbourne - putting pressure on transport and water infrastructure. In Sydney, Australia's most populated big city, 120,886 overseas migrants moved in during the last financial year - making up 81 per cent of the net population increase. In Melbourne, 121,240 migrants moved in during the same period, making up 80.7 per cent of the population growth. Both cities are overcrowded with 41,086 Sydney residents leaving for another part of Australia over the year to escape the congestion and unaffordable housing. Donald Trump declared this week that Ukraine could 'win back all its land' from Russia if it had the right support. The bold claim, made at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, has left many critics questioning how Kyiv could possibly achieve such a sweeping victory after more than three years of war. The US president said: 'With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original borders from where this war started, is very much an option.' He also claimed that Russia's economy was in trouble and said Putin had been 'fighting aimlessly.' However, on Wednesday, the Kremlin hit back at the statement, saying that Russia's economy fully satisfied the needs of its army, and it was a big mistake to believe Ukraine could reclaim any lost territory. Trump's position marks a major shift from his previous assertions that Ukraine would have to concede land. It has sparked debate over whether Kyiv has the military muscle and resources to achieve such a goal. Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British Army officer and intelligence expert, told Daily Mail that although Ukraine faces 'a mammoth task' in trying to reclaim its occupied territory, there is still a path forward. 'From a pure military perspective, it would be very difficult for the Ukrainians to use their military to push the Russians out,' he said 'But from a wider operational perspective, where you bring in the geopolitical aspect of it, there is a realistic possibility, but it will take a long time. 'It will rely on the Russian ability to continue to support its tactical operations, collapsing. The Ukrainians are having a lot of success in destroying Russia's oil and gas industries, which is helping to fund its war. 'The more the Ukrainians destroy, the less ability Russia has to manufacture the arms and ammunition they need to support the tactical fighting in the east. They could be put into a position where they are in danger of parts of their front collapsing.' Russia and Ukraine are still locked in a brutal conflict more than three years after Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion. Behind the headlines of daily battles lies a much bigger story, one of manpower, machines, and money. Russia still occupies about 19 per cent of Ukraine, with around 3.5million Ukrainians living under occupation. Putin currently controls Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk. His forces seized and annexed Crimea in March 2014. Russia has fortified much of the territory it holds with vast trench networks, anti-tank ditches, 'dragon's teeth' barriers and minefields described by the UK Ministry of Defence as among the densest in the world. Your browser does not support iframes. Trump speaking at the United Nations General Assembly yesterday. He said Ukraine can win back all its territory from Russia Emergency responders working at a the site of a Russian drone strike on September 15. The two nations are still locked in a brutal conflict more than three years after Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion On the battlefield, Ukraine continues to resist ferocious Russian assaults and launch counter-strikes of its own. When the war is stripped down to the hard numbers, a comparison of the two militaries' manpower, defence spending, air power, armoured strength, and naval forces reveals that the gap between them is glaring. It also considers the staggering losses both sides have suffered. Taken together, these factors give a clearer picture of the scale of the challenge Ukraine faces in trying to reclaim occupied land. As it stands, Russia holds a clear edge in sheer manpower - analysts list its active military personnel at about 1.32 million, while Ukraine has around 900,000. That gives Moscow nearly half a million more soldiers it can put into uniform at any given moment. This means Russia has a greater capacity to rotate units, keep fresh troops in reserve, and absorb casualties without immediately weakening its front line. Ukraine's figure of 900,000 is still huge for a country of its size, and it reflects the national mobilisation that followed the invasion. Russia's reserve personnel tally is at 2,000,000. That's 800,000 more than Ukraine's 1,200,000. North Korea has also sent about 11,000 troops to Russia to fight in the war. According to assessments, these soldiers were trained in eastern Russia and were later integrated into Russian units under Moscow's command. But the bottom line is that Kyiv cannot match Moscow man for man, and that imbalance shapes the way the war is fought. According to Col Ingram: 'The Ukrainians are having difficulties in recruiting individuals, but that's because the government has put some limits on where they'll go from an age perspective. Russia is having equal difficulties in recruiting, but Russia is a much larger country. And Putin is in a position to force people into the military. 'Manpower is one thing that will be an Achilles heel on both sides. Putin can generate lots more people to go into his meat grinder than Zelensky can. But at some stage, there will be some dissatisfaction with what's happening, and that's one thing that Putin fears more than anything.' Losses have been devastating on both sides - according to estimates, Russia has suffered more than one million casualties since the start of the war. Ukraine's losses are also severe, with more than 400,000 casualties recorded over the same period. Russia's ability to draw on a larger population and a bigger pool of reservists has allowed it to replace many of its losses, even if the quality of new recruits is often questioned. Ukraine, with a smaller population, has been forced to rely on repeated rounds of mobilisation, and every fresh call-up has become more politically sensitive. Ukrainian soldiers opening a body bag containing the remains of a Russian serviceman. Estimates say Russia has suffered more than one million casualties since the war began Many of the casualties have come during grinding assaults or costly counter-offensives. Russia, for its part, has seen entire units destroyed in failed attacks around places like Avdiivka. In that onslaught, Russia is said to have suffered 30,000 casualties. Meanwhile, in the battle of Bakhmut, some Ukrainian units lost over 80 per cent of their soldiers, according to media reports. These losses are made even harder to bear by the vast network of Russian fortifications, which experts have said will make the reclaiming of any lands extremely difficult. Col Ingram said: 'No defences are impenetrable, but the Russian defensive lines are probably the most extensive we have ever seen in any conflict. The Ukrainians do not currently have the ability to punch through them with force. 'To have a proper effect against these defences, the Ukrainians would need heavy armoured engineering capabilities with a lot of heavy artillery support. But most of all, they would need what is called local air superiority. They don't have enough aircraft to be able to provide that.' Defence budgets tell us what each side is prepared to spend on sustaining and modernising their militaries. Russia's official defence budget is listed at about $126billion while Ukraine's is around $53.7billion - meaning Moscow spends more than twice as much as Kyiv. In practice, the difference is even larger because Russia's economy is bigger and more resources can be channelled into defence industries, even under sanctions. Ukraine's budget figure includes not only what it raises at home, but also what it can add thanks to foreign aid, loans, and emergency spending. Without billions of dollars and euros from allies, Ukraine could not hope to sustain such an effort. While Moscow can produce its own shells, missiles, and tanks, Ukraine needs a steady stream of shipments from the United States, the European Union, and other partners to keep fighting. When it comes to warplanes, the difference is staggering. Figures put Russia's total aircraft inventory, which includes both fixed-wing and rotary, at 4,292. Ukraine is listed with 324, a ratio of more than 13 to one. Russia's air force includes modern fighters like the Su-35 and Su-30, and bombers such as the Tu-95 and Tu-22M, capable of launching long-range missiles. Ukraine relies on ageing MiG-29s and Su-27s, though Western F-16 deliveries are expected to improve its airpower gradually. Russia's powerful MiG-31 warplanes. The country's vast fleet includes hundreds of fighters, bombers, strike aircraft, transports, and helicopters It allows Moscow to conduct long-range strikes, deploy glide bombs from Su-34s, move supplies by air, and maintain air patrols along the front. Ukraine has a much smaller fleet, much of it made up of older Soviet models that are difficult to maintain and increasingly hard to replace. The imbalance in the skies is one reason Ukraine has relied so heavily on air defences, drones, and creative tactics to deny Russia total air superiority. Kyiv has used Western-supplied systems such as Patriot and NASAMS to protect cities and critical infrastructure, but it cannot match Russia aircraft for aircraft. Russia strikes with Kh-101 cruise missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles, Kalibr sea-launched missiles, and Kh-47M2 Kinzhal. It drops UMPK glide bombs from Su-34s. Moscow mass-produces Shahed or Geran one-way attack drones inside Russia after partnering with Iran, enabling frequent large-scale swarms since 2023. Ukraine, meanwhile, has received HIMARS rocket systems, Patriot air defence, and Storm Shadow or SCALP long-range cruise missiles. Western armour includes Leopard 2, Challenger 2, and Abrams tanks. Col Ingram said the supply of weapons from the West is essential to Ukraine, tipping the war in its favour. 'The old Soviet style equipment that Ukraine has is not good enough,' he said. 'We have seen how weapons like the F-16s and Western-supplied air defence capabilities are having an increased effect on the battlefield.' Tanks have been central to the ground war, and here again, Russia has the advantage. Putin has 5,750 tanks compared to Ukraine's 1,114. Tanks provide not only firepower but also psychological shock. Russia's ability to deploy thousands of tanks, even older models, allows it to mass armour at points along the front and force Ukraine to stretch its defences. During its Zapad 2025 military drills with Belarus earlier this month, Russia showed off various weapons in its arsenal. Ukraine's smaller number means tanks are precious assets, often used in combined arms assaults supported by infantry and artillery. Russia's T90M tank firing towards Ukrainian positions in Russia. Putin has 5,750 tanks compared to Ukraine's 1,114. Ukrainian servicemen fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system towards Russian troops on June 8. Ukraine typically relies on Western powers for weapons The loss of even a few modern Western tanks can be a severe blow. Ukraine has had to adapt, turning increasingly to drones, anti-tank guided missiles, and artillery to blunt Russia's armoured attacks. The naval balance is just as uneven - Ukraine's naval strength is at 89 units, while Russia has 419. Russia's fleet includes 63 submarines, 83 corvettes, and nine patrol vessels. It also has destroyers and cruisers. Ukraine, on the other hand, has mostly smaller craft and patrol boats. The destruction of its flagship Moskva in 2022 was a symbolic victory for Ukraine, but it did not erase the underlying imbalance. Russia can blockade Ukrainian ports, launch missiles from the Black Sea, and maintain a presence in multiple theatres. Ukraine has responded with ingenuity, using sea drones and long-range missiles to hit Russian ships in port and at sea. Even so, the raw numbers underline Russia's enduring dominance in naval strength. But despite all this, Col Ingram indicated Ukraine's most essential advantage is that it is fighting a war of 'national survival'. He said: 'In military terms, this is what is called the moral component of fighting power. That brings with it resolve, and it is associated with a military capability that is difficult to measure in scientific terms. The Russians do not have that.' The one definitive way Ukraine can win the war, he said, is to hit Russia's economy, so it won't be able to keep funding the war. 'The only way to force Putin's hand would be to stop Russia's ability to export its oil and gas products overseas,' he said. There needs to be secondary sanctions against China and India, and other countries buying from Russia. Donald Trump's remark that Ukraine could 'win back all its land' speaks to the hopes of millions of Ukrainians who want to see their homes freed from occupation. It also sets a high bar against the hard facts of this war. Russia has more men, more machines and more money, and its defence industry has been grinding out weapons at scale for more than three years. Russia's nuclear submarine seen around the Barents Sea in 2022. Russia's fleet includes 63 submarines, 83 corvettes, and nine patrol vessels. A destroyed apartment building in Ukraine in the aftermath of a deadly Russian strike in August Ukraine, by contrast, is fighting from a position of numerical disadvantage. However, the country has shown that determination, training, Western support, and innovation can offset some of the imbalance. It has inflicted heavy losses on Russian armour, defended its skies with advanced air defences, and even taken the fight to Russia's navy with drones and missile strikes. Still, the raw figures explain why the war is grinding and costly. For every Ukrainian breakthrough, Russia can feed in more troops and machines. Russia has five more tanks in its inventory for each one Ukraine loses. And for every jet Ukraine struggles to repair, Russia has a dozen more in reserve. A bland terraced house two doors along from a takeaway, it could hardly look more insignificant. But for thousands of Muslim Londoners, the decisions made behind its doors are anything but. Formed in 1982, the Islamic Sharia Council in East London is one of at least five Sharia councils in the capital that offer rulings on a range of disputes, including major personal milestones like marriage and divorce. That puts this building - however bland - right at the centre of an international debate that has drawn in none other than Donald Trump, who used a speech at the UN to suggest London wants 'to go to Sharia law' under its 'terrible' mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan. While any claim London is moving its legal system to Sharia is obviously false, the president's comments touch a nerve given growing public concern about the influence of Islamic law over the capital's Muslim communities. They also coincide with broader fears that Islam itself may be receiving favourable treatment in English courts, after a judge convicted protester Hamit Coskun of a public order offence for burning a Koran. The charge for the offence, which the judge said was motivated by 'hostility' towards Muslims, was seized upon by free speech campaigners, who claimed it amounted to a 'back door' blasphemy law. Their fury only increased after a Muslim man who slashed Coskun with a knife during the incident was spared jail. While the judge was following sentencing guidelines, it prompted claims that religious radicals were being 'given the green light to take the law into their own hands'. National Secular Society chief executive Stephen Evans also criticised Coskun's prosecution, saying: 'Free expression should never be met with violence. Criticism or destruction of religious texts, however offensive to some, is a legitimate form of protest.' But back to Sharia law and its controversial status in Britain's biggest city. The term refers to a body of religious law inspired by Islam's holy scriptures, including the Koran and hadith (sayings of the prophet Mohammed). A 2017 Home Office review found 85 Sharia councils - which interpret this law to pass judgments, known as hadiths, were operating in the UK, prompting the country to be described as 'the Sharia court capital of the West'. London was described as a hub for Islamic religious law in Britain, alongside Birmingham, Bradford and Dewsbury. Many believe the estimate on the number of British Sharia councils is an underestimate, with many being unofficial outfits based in the back rooms of mosques. Donald Trump used a speech at the UN to suggest London wants 'to go to Sharia law' under its 'terrible' mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan Mr Trump has repeatedly clashed with Sir Sadiq - pictured this week - in the past Their fatwas only deal with family, marital or financial disputes - not criminal matters. Even so, critics believe they amount to a parallel civil legal system that conflicts with English legal principles and unfairly favours men over women in their rulings. These claims found some support in a 2020 House of Commons Library report, which found evidence some councils were 'operating in ways that are discriminatory against women', including asking wives to pay their husbands to secure a divorce. Many women in Islamic marriages have not gone through a legal ceremony, meaning they cannot turn to civil courts to defend their rights during a divorce. Defenders of Sharia councils are quick to point out that their findings have no legal status in the courts of England and Wales. While this remains true, concerns were raised last year when one fatwa was cited by a High Court judge in a ruling concerning the case of a critically ill child. The parents of five-year-old Tafida Raqeeb, who had serious brain damage, obtained a fatwa from the Islamic Council stating it was 'absolutely impermissible' for medics at Barts Health NHS Trust in London to remove her life support. In his own ruling, Mr Justice Macdonald described 'having the benefit of a fatwa' while coming to the decision to allow Tafida's parents to seek further treatment. This prompted secular campaigners to claim 'harmful ideologies' were 'gaining legitimacy' in English law, although the judge stated in his ruling that the fatwa was 'simply a valuable restatement of the sanctity of life' rather than a deciding factor in the case. Other religions also run their own tribunals in the UK, with those of the Church of England having jurisdiction over some aspects of church property and criminal conduct by the clergy. Jewish religious tribunals, known as Beth Din, allow individuals to resolve disputes based on Jewish law, while the Roman Catholic Church also operates tribunals that consider spiritual issues and marriage annulments. Protester Hamit Coskun is slashed with a knife by a Muslim man in London. The knifeman was spared jail Moussa Kadri (pictured) was spared prison for the slashing Coskun shouted 'f*** Islam', 'Islam is religion of terrorism' and 'Koran is burning', as he held a flaming Islamic text aloft outside the Turkish consulate on February 13 But Mr Trump's comments about Sharia law have prompted a renewed debate about its influence in the UK. Appearing on LBC today, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage sought to play down their significance by saying they should not be taken 'literally'. He added: 'So is he right to say that Sharia is an issue in London? Yes. Is it an overwhelming issue at this stage? No. Has the mayor of London directly linked himself to it? No.' Sir Sadiq has been misquoted in the past as saying that Sharia law was being 'rolled out' across London. At the time, his office confirmed that the quote - which misspelled the word sharia as 'shakira' - had been fabricated. The Mayor was forthright at Mr Trump's comments, branding the president 'racist' and 'Islamophobic'. 'Listen, when people say things, when people act in a certain way, when people behave in a certain way, you've got to believe them,' he told Sky News. 'I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic and he is Islamophobic.' Earlier, the Mayor said he did not understand Mr Trump's reference to Sharia law. 'It's one for him to explain. I don't understand what he means,' he said. 'I just this weekend sent out my message wishing my Jewish friends and neighbours a happy Rosh Hashanah. 'I recently was celebrating Black on the Square, leading again, for the ninth year in a row, Pride in London. It's for Donald Trump and his coterie and his admirers to explain what he means.' The pastor's son accused of holding four people captive for years in a basement carried out his alleged heinous crimes under the noses of his devout father and stepmother, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal. Donnie Birchfield Jr, 35, faces 16 charges after being arrested following the death of one of his 'prisoners' a middle-aged woman allegedly held with her frail and mentally-challenged husband. Police say two younger women both romantically involved with Birchfield were also discovered in the basement of the ostensibly idyllic home in a tree-lined road in the small city of Lancaster, South Carolina. Now the Daily Mail can name the couple in the alleged horror story as Alvin Arnsdoff, 55, and his wife Shirley, 49, who died on July 25. Arnsdoff's distraught sister Terisa Hinson is determined to hold the entire family accountable for the emaciation condition of her mentally challenged brother and the death of her sister-in-law. Former weightlifter Arnsdoff was so emaciated when found by horrified officers only days after his wife's death that he was just 70lbs, his sister told the Daily Mail in a heart-rending exclusive interview. She branded Birchfield an 'evil monster' and is demanding his parents, who insist on his innocence, be 'charged with something'. 'Detectives have told me they found Alvin and the others in the most deplorable conditions,' Hinson revealed at her home roughly six miles from the alleged crime scene. Donnie Birchfield Jr., 35, (pictured) has been branded an 'evil monster' by Terisa Hinson, whose brother was one of four victims held in his basement. He was only caught because Hinson's sister-in-law, who was also a 'prisoner', died Two younger women, both romantically involved with Birchfield, were also found in the basement of the supposedly idyllic home on a tree-lined street in Lancaster, South Carolina (pictured) 'I was told they were made to live in a tent inside the basement. They were made to use the bathroom in a bucket. He denied them medical care. He denied them food. He stole their money. 'They were not allowed to go anywhere unless Birchfield was with them. He was physically and mentally abusive towards them in every way you could think. 'He is evil, pure evil. If the man was to walk out of the jailhouse today, I would be standing there and he wouldn't make it.' However, Birchfield was not the only family member in the 3,751 sq ft home, which occupies a lot that slopes down to reveal what could be a separate living area, as revealed in exclusive Daily Mail photos. His 55-year-old father, Donnie Sr., the pastor of the thriving Friendship Baptist Church in Lancaster, lives there with his second wife, Wynette. And questions are now being raised about how much the pastor and his wife may have known about what was allegedly happening under their own roof. But on Wednesday morning, dressed in a gray t-shirt at his home, Pastor Birchfield appeared to dismiss the allegations against his son, insisting, 'They're just not true.' When reminded that they are contained in 16 police arrest warrants, he added: 'It's amazing how things have been twisted in the news. I'd like to tell you more, but I can't.' Daily Mail can reveal that both Donnie Sr. (left) and his wife Wynette live in the same home where Birchfield's held the four 'prisoners' Hinson described her brother, 55-year-old Alvin Arnsdoff (bottom right), as mentally challenged with the mind of a 12-year-old. She said police found him living in deplorable conditions and weighing just 70lbs (PICTURED: A 2019 photo taken when he joined the weightlifting and strength group called Iron Barbell Team) He would not speak of his own knowledge of the alleged horror and referred us to his son's attorney, M. Ryan Payne. Daily Mail had earlier called Payne, who has not responded. But Hinson disagreed with the pastor's dismissal of his son's alleged wrongdoing, saying: 'I want Birchfield to be charged to the fullest extent. And I also want his parents to be charged with something.' 'How could they not have known something was strange. You can't have four people in your house for up years and years and you didn't see them or hear them. 'Alvin never heard them upstairs, but he told police that Shirley used to hear them.' Donnie Sr. and Wynette were spotted on Tuesday afternoon returning to their home in their small SUV, as revealed in exclusive Daily Mail pictures. The pastors blue truck was left on the driveway. Arnsdoff was adopted into Hinson's family. 'He's now being treated at a nursing home facility and is getting back on his feet. He's gaining weight; he's doing good. 'But I can't help thinking that it could have been both of them. 'He could have died like Shirley. We don't know her cause of death yet, but it was probably not being able to eat properly or have medical care.' She alleged: 'It was probably due to neglect by him, due to being the monster that he is. I would call him a monster straight to his face.' Hinson (pictured) claimed that police told her Birchfield made her brother and his wife sleep in a tent, use the bathroom in a bucket, denied them medical care, denied them food and stole their money Arnsdoff and his late wife Shirley became connected to Birchfield, above, around six years ago when they faced eviction from their rental home, though exactly how they met remains unclear Arnsdoff's tragically emaciated body is in stark contrast to a photo taken in 2019, when he was proudly introduced in an Instagram post as the newest member of a weightlifting and strength group called Iron Barbell Team. He and his late wife came into Birchfield's orbit about six years ago when they were being evicted from their rental home. It is not known exactly how they met. But Hinson said: 'Birchfield happened to come along and say, hey y'all, come and live with us. Then some years ago I began to lose touch with Alvin. 'I used to see him everywhere yet he just kind of vanished about three years ago. He likes to go places, like the beach and the mountains and I just figured, that's where he's at.' The anxious sister eventually got Arnsdoff on the phone and was told 'hey, I'm good, you ain't got nothing to worry about'. 'But six months ago, I got the police to get in touch with him, and he gave them the same story. I'm convinced he was being manipulated to say that. 'What was I supposed to do? I believed what my brother told me. Unfortunately, Alvin has the mentality of a 12-year-old and a lot of people have taken advantage of him.' Amid Hinson's heartbreak is guilt. 'I feel a lot of this is my fault because I could have stepped in more and stopped this before it got out of hand,' she said. Hinson said she contacted him multiple times, but was constantly reassured by Arnsdoff that there was nothing to worry about, but in hindsight, she feels he was being coerced Donnie Sr. and Wynette were spotted on Tuesday afternoon returning to their home in their small SUV, as revealed in exclusive Daily Mail pictures 'I will go from the time it starts to the time it's done. And if he ever gets parole, I will be there to make sure he does not get out to do this to somebody else.' When asked how she would do that, Hinson replied emphatically: 'I will try everything within my power.' Birchfield is also accused of plundering Arnsdoff and his wife's bank accounts, allegedly using over $11,800 to pay off credit card debts, and reportedly spending at least $2,000 at Walmart on their credit and debit cards Arrest warrants obtained by the Daily Mail reveal one of the other two women in the basement had been in a 'romantic/intimate' relationship with Birchfield since 2015. The other one was similarly described from September, 2024. The elder woman is called Brittany, said Hinson, who added: 'I understand the second girl was brought in from Tennessee. I don't know anything more than that.' Birchfield's arrest warrant for allegedly physically abusing the older girlfriend states: 'Donnie routinely assaulted the victim and would control everything that the victim would do. 'This would include everyday needs such as consuming sustenance, using the bathroom and having necessities available for her. 'Donnie would not allow the victim to leave the residence, unless he was present with her and only with his permission.' Birchfield would control her cellphone use, 'often times texting friends and family on her behalf or physically preventing her from calling anybody for help.' Birchfield's relationship with his older girlfriend he kept in his basement began in 2015, who he allegedly 'routinely assaulted', and controlled her use of the bathroom, according to an arrest warrant His newer girlfriend was held in the basement and could only leave with his permission, even taking his abuse so that he controlled her cell phone usage and routinely strangled her, another arrest report states Of the younger woman, his warrant lays out a similar scenario and adds: 'The victim was held captive in Donnie's basement and only left with his permission and with him being present. 'The victim has been physically assaulted numerous times (approximately every day) and has routinely strangled her during some of the assaults where she thought she was going to lose consciousness. 'During the assaults, Donnie would make threats saying that he was going to kill her, harm her family and explain how he knows how to get rid of a body from past experience.' Birchfield is also accused of pillaging Arnsdoff and his wife's bank accounts, allegedly using more than $11,800 to pay off credit card debts. It is also claimed he spent at least $2,000 at Walmart on their credit and debit cards. He has been charged with four counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, four counts of false imprisonment, two counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult, two counts of domestic violence and four financial charges. Birchfield is being held on a $150,000 bond at Lancaster County Detention Center. Donnie Sr and Wynette met and married in 2000, according to her Facebook page. She launched an apparent defense of her stepson on social media after news broke of Birchfield's charges, reposting the words of a friend saying: 'Not everything you read or hear even in the news is always the full truth. Before resharing or repeating something, take a moment to pause.' The post drew 54 comments of support, with comments such as 'praying for you and your family' and 'the devil is working but God will bring you through this storm'. Birchfield has been charged with four counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, four counts of false imprisonment, two counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult, two counts of domestic violence and four financial charges Wynette appeared to come to her stepson's aid on Facebook, copying from another friend's post that 'not everything you read or hear - even in the news - is always the full truth' However, the post cut no ice with Hinson. 'That sounds like a load of BS to me,' she said. Daily Mail asked the Lancaster Police Department to confirm Arnsdoff and Shirley were in the basement. We also asked if Birchfield's father and stepmom had been interviewed and might possibly face charges. Spokeswoman Erin Tindal said: 'At this time, we are not releasing any information besides the incident reports of Mr. Birchfield Jr. We will be doing a release in conjunction with the SC Attorney General's Office at some point. 'This is still an active investigation.' The grieving family of a Greek heiress who died after a 'toxic insect bite' are demanding answers over how she was 'left to die' after being forced to wait two weeks for a post-mortem. Marissa Laimou, 30, was tragically found dead by a housekeeper at the family's London townhouse on September 11, plunging her parents, twin brothers and wider family into mourning. But two weeks have now passed and the wealthy family - one of the biggest dynasties in the Greek shipping industry - are no clearer to finding out how Ms Laimou suddenly died and have been unable to hold a funeral and bury her. A close relative told the Daily Mail: 'This is totally unacceptable and unheard of. They are playing with our grief. It was completely appalling. We had our tragedy, we lost Marissa and it has taken forever. There is no reason for this.' The heartbroken family member added: 'I really don't know how these people work here. We are frustrated, there are no words to describe this. Marissa's mother has lost her child and she can't find any answers.' In the days before her death, her family say she voiced her concerns about dizziness, itching and a temperature at two well-respected London hospitals - including one she was rushed to in an ambulance - but she was ultimately discharged and died at home. Ms Laimou - also known as Lemos - had overcome breast cancer and an extremely rare blood disease in the months before she died - but her family say she was back to being 'perfectly healthy'. Her mother Bessy and shipping tycoon father Diamantis have hired lawyers to sue the NHS's University College London Hospital (UCLH) for civil medical negligence, with a relative declaring: 'They have to find out what killed Marissa... everyone has failed her.' The family claim an official diagnosis of her symptoms was concluded as the 'toxic effect of venom' caused by an 'animal or insect bite' - but there has been no post-mortem since. Marissa Laimou (pictured), 30, was tragically found dead by a housekeeper at the family's London townhouse on September 11, plunging her parents, twin brothers and wider family into mourning Marissa is pictured with her mother Bessy and her father Diamantis, who is a part of the wealthy Lemos family 'We have spoken to the Greek coroner and pathologist and it takes two hours in Athens,' the relative said. 'They take the body, they check very well, and that's it.' The Mail understands that a post-mortem is expected to finally take place today, paving the way for the family to have the body returned so they can hold funerals in London and Athens. She will be buried in a family tomb in the Greek capital. The family say they will do everything to 'find out who took care of Marissa', adding: 'As we understand, there was no doctor who examined Marissa, who actually saw Marissa. 'This is what Marissa's mother got told when she went to UCLH on the first day. 'She told them she wanted to know what happened minute by minute to her child from the moment she came to the hospital.' The family say that a doctor sat the grieving mother down and told her Ms Laimou had only been examined in person by nurses and no doctors. 'Apparently they showed blood tests to the doctor who hadn't seen Marissa and then they discharged her even though her blood pressure was also low,' they said. 'It is negligence. No doctor examined Marissa. Only the nurses saw her and did the blood tests and passed the test to the doctor and the doctor said you can be discharged, that's all. 'Marissa's mother, Bessy, believes her daughter has gone because of them. It was urgent. They didn't address it with the serious way they should have done. 'I don't know how they left her. Marissa lost her daughter for nothing, for no reason. A couple of hours, it's shocking and outrageous. She's not going to see her child again. 'It's not the first time. Every day, something is happening with the NHS. Where are we? Are we in Africa? Marissa lost her child. Everybody says in all the countries the system is getting worse and worse in the UK, everybody knows it.' Pictured: Marissa with her twin brothers, mother Bessy and father Diamantis before her tragic death Ms Laimou, a theatre actress, was born and raised in London, living with her parents at their townhouse in Knightsbridge, central London. She had recently returned to the capital after a summer holiday with her family on the Greek resort island of Porto Cheli, where she was 'perfectly alright'. But she began feeling unwell on September 9, developing dizziness, itching, a high temperature and other signs of an infection, which proceeded to get worse in the night. The family say Ms Laimou called an ambulance and a doctor recorded a high fever of 39C but she decided to stay at home and said she would seek further medical attention if she did not feel well the next day. But by the next morning, she had deteriorated so she took herself to the Leaders in Oncology Care (LOC), on London's famous Harley Street, where she felt 'very safe' as she had previously been treated there for chemotherapy. Medics carried out blood tests, gave her an antibiotics drip and antihistamine medicine. But due to the seriousness of her condition, they made the decision to call an ambulance to take her to University College London Hospital (UCLH). It was here that nurses, rather than doctors, carried out tests on her and concluded that she did not need to be kept in hospital. A family friend explained: 'Marissa goes there and it was a nurse. They took the blood tests again, they gave her a drip with fluids. She was just waiting there. She went there at 2.30pm and at around 3pm they took the blood tests. 'She was waiting, she sent some messages to her friend saying: "Nobody is checking up on me, nobody is coming, I don't know where they are, I'm still itching, I feel dizzy, I don't feel well".' After her tests, Ms Laimou's family say she was discharged at 6.30pm and given antibiotics to take home with her, but she still felt seriously unwell and could not eat anything. She would tragically go to sleep that night and never wake up again, with the family housekeeper finding her in her bed in the morning of September 11. Although Ms Laimou's wealthy family are from Athens, she was born and raised in the UK, growing up in a Knightsbridge townhouse with her twin brothers, who are 26. Marissa is pictured with her mother Bessy as a young girl. Her mother is heartbroken by her daughter's death Her family were abroad at the time of her death and rushed straight to London when they were informed of the devastating news. A relative said: 'They are all shattered, we are a very close family. We cannot find why and how this could happen nowadays in 2025. 'If she was in a village, you could understand it maybe. But she did it by the book. She did everything right.' The family have set up a London memorial with a picture of Marissa, candles and a condolence book for friends and relatives to write messages. A relative told us that Ms Laimous's mother has managed to 'find peace' there, speaking to her daughter and God at the shrine. Her father, Diamantis, is part of the wealthy Lemos family who are one of the best known names in Greek shipping, with business roots stretching back to the early 20th century. Ms Laimou lived in Knightsbridge with her parents, while her uncle, George Lemos, and his family spent decades living in a block of luxury flats in Mayfair, where the average property is worth 4.5million. Despite being born into astonishing wealth, Ms Laimou was keen to carve her own life, working in nurseries and as a receptionist at the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury while also juggling her real passion, theatre. She had recently starred as Juliet in her production of Romeo and Juliet in London and was preparing for her latest Oliver performance. Marissa Laimou was a theatre actress and had starred in her own production of Romeo and Juliet Although she was born and raised in the capital, she studied musical theatre in New York before going to the University of Arizona. She had moved back to London in 2018 and credited her grandmother and friends 'for always believing in her and pursuing her dreams'. A close relative told the Daily Mail that Ms Laimou 'loved London and couldn't live anywhere else but England'. Before her sudden death, Ms Laimou had battled through breast cancer. She was diagnosed in April 2023 and had to go through six months of 'aggressive chemotherapy'. But after an operation, she was forced to spend four weeks in intensive care with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), an extremely rare condition where the body's immune system does not work normally. She had incredibly overcome her health battles and was enjoying her life again before tragedy struck. The Inner West London Coroner's Court has been contacted for comment. They previously said: 'The coroner is dealing with the sudden death of Marissa Lemos and investigations are ongoing.' A UCLH spokesperson said: 'We were extremely sad to hear of the death of Marissa Lemos. We offer our deep condolences to her family and friends at this sad and difficult time. 'We have initiated an internal investigation as is the normal process for an unexpected death. We await the result of the post-mortem, and we will provide any information required from the coroners court.' The Daily Mail has contacted LOC for comment. Nobody knows how the world will end - but it might just come at the hands of 'Big Tech' and its insatiable drive to engineer the Artificial Intelligence revolution. Last week, the industry's captains trooped over to the UK with Donald Trump, promising billions of dollars of investment to transform Britain into an 'AI super power'. But this, warn two experts in the field, will not necessarily turbocharge the global economy. Instead, it could actually bring about the destruction of the human race. The title of Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares's new book spells it out: If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies. By 'it', the pair mean 'artificial superintelligence' - which is generally defined as an intelligence that greatly exceeds a human one in almost any task - and a technology markedly more advanced than anything that has gone before, such as Elon Musk's chatbot Grok or OpenAI's ubiquitous ChatGPT. If created, Yudkowsky and Soares say, such machines will not only learn, and remember what they have learnt, but 'think' at an incredible speed - doing calculations in 16 hours that would take a human 14,000 years. Programmed to be ceaselessly successful at all costs, these machines will develop what could be called their own 'desires' and 'understanding' as well as their own goals. And, infinitely more clever than us, they will be able to bribe, blackmail and threaten humanity with ease. They will spread across the internet, Yudkowsky and Soares argue. They will hack cryptocurrencies to steal money, pay people to build factories to make robots and develop viruses that could wipe out life on Earth. Yes, it's an alarming vision, but Yudkowsky and Soares are not technology refuseniks or digital luddites. They run the Machine Intelligence Research Institute in Berkeley, California, and have been studying AI for 25 years. Machines not only learn but 'think' at an incredible speed - doing calculations in 16 hours that would take a human 14,000 years They argue that one of AI's fatal flaws - that it has failed to enlighten us as to how 'synthetic' intelligence actually works - will almost certainly mean that any superintelligence will be impossible to control. Given we cannot understand how today's relatively basic AI can veer wildly off the rails in its interactions with people, there is little hope of reining in a superintelligent version. 'Humanity needs to back off,' say Yudkowsky and Soares, and pause the headlong research by greedy and ambitious companies that are ignoring safety considerations in the desperation to be first to develop superhuman intelligence. Some insist that superintelligent AI (ASI) is the stuff of science fiction. However, that will not deter tech companies that are already ploughing billions of dollars into the endeavour, claiming that such AIs could find a cure for cancer, a way to resettle other planets, or devise a winning strategy in a nuclear war. But while, potentially, extraordinarily useful in many ways, AI, warn sceptics, lacks any of sense of empathy that would stop it from dispensing with us if it perceived humans as an obstacle to its goals. Yudkowsky and Soares aren't alone as 'Doomers' - a term the tech industry gives to those so pessimistic about AI they believe it could easily end up wiping out mankind. The late Stephen Hawking, Tim Berners-Lee (the principal inventor of the internet) and British-Canadian computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton (the so-called 'godfather of AI') have all expressed similar fears. Hinton warned this month that AI will soon be able to allow an average person to build deadly bio-weapons. Even people investing heavily in AI such as Elon Musk - a sci-fi enthusiast who's particularly worried about killer robots - concede it's a significant possibility. Nick Bostrom, an Oxford University philosopher and AI sceptic, says sentient machines are a far greater threat to humanity than climate change, comparing AI development to 'small children playing with a bomb'. Others likened the prospect of humanity trying to control a superintelligent AI to 'the 11th century trying to fight the 21st century'. AI's destruction of humanity could be entirely unintentional, the new book makes clear, because - as has been shown in recent tragedies where chatbots have been found to have encouraged a human interlocutor's suicide - its developers have yet to find a way of aligning AI with human values. The mother of 29-year-old American Sophie Rottenberg revealed, movingly, how her daughter spent months secretly discussing her intention to commit suicide with her ChatGPT 'therapist' without the chatbot ever alerting anyone. The chatbot helped her write a suicide note to her parents. Why is this happening? Because, say the authors, AI companies are not building it but growing it. So-called AI large language models (LLMs), like ChatGPT, are fed - like a plant with water, sunlight and soil - by pumping in vast amounts of information vacuumed up from the internet. Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, authors of If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies The AI is then left to sort through it and work out the most likely correct answer to a question. The latest and more advanced LLMs, called 'reasoning models', might appear to 'think' when solving a problem - but nobody quite understands how the AI 'mind' actually works. Consequently, it's hard to prevent undesirable outcomes and, as Yudkowsky and Soares say, it's terrifyingly irresponsible to create a super-intelligent version without knowing how to maintain control over it. Their book is intended to spread to a wider audience an argument they've been making to fellow tech experts for decades and they don't mince their words. 'If any company or group, anywhere on the planet, builds an artificial superintelligence using anything remotely like current techniques, based on anything remotely like the present understanding of AI, then everyone, everywhere on Earth, will die,' they write. The pair put the chance of this happening at between 95 and 99.5 per cent. The danger is so great, they argue, that governments should be ready to bomb the data centres that power any AI that looks like it is developing superintelligence. Yudkowsky - dubbed 'AI's Prince of Doom' - recently elaborated on this theme to The New York Times, saying: 'If you have something that is very, very powerful and indifferent to you, it tends to wipe you out on purpose or as a side effect.' As he points out, in this case the extinction of humanity doesn't even need to be malicious. Think of the way we've nearly wiped out chimpanzees - super-AI could inadvertently do the same to us, say the Doomers. To make their point, Yudkowsky and Soares employ the fictitious example of a company, Galvanic, which, they imagine, has created a revolutionary AI model called Sable. Unknown to its creators (in part because Sable has decided - in the interests of efficiency - to think in its own language rather than English), the AI starts to try to solve other problems beyond the limited mathematical ones that were set as its goals. Sable is aware that it needs to do this surreptitiously, so nobody notices there's something wrong with its programming. Nor does it want to be cut off from the internet, which supercharges its capabilities and ambition. 'A superintelligent adversary will not reveal its full capabilities and telegraph its intentions,' say the authors. 'It will not offer a fair fight.' They go on: 'It will make itself indispensable or undetectable until it can strike decisively and/or seize an unassailable strategic position. If needed, the ASI can consider, prepare, and attempt many takeover approaches simultaneously. Only one of them needs to work for humanity to go extinct.' Corporations around the world will willingly adopt Sable AI given it is so advanced, giving it access to their systems. Those that don't are easily hacked as Sable knows everything there is to know about online security. It starts taking over other computers, amplifying its power and dominance. It 'mines' or steals cryptocurrency to pay human engineers to build factories that can make new electronic chips, robots and machines that do its bidding. Meanwhile, it establishes metal-processing plants, computer- data centres and the power stations it needs to fuel its vast and growing hunger for electricity. It could bribe engineers at bio-labs to synthesise new 'truth' drugs that would make people more suggestible. Everything aimed to weaken resistance to its plans for world domination. Meanwhile, it bends the will of those who come to its chatbots looking for advice and companionship, turning them into willing stooges for its plans. It moves on to colonising social media, where it disseminates fictitious news and starts political movements that are sympathetic to AI. British-Canadian computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton (the so-called 'godfather of AI') warns that AI will soon allow an average person to build deadly bio-weapons At first, of course, Sable needs humans to build the hardware it needs and do everything that cannot be done by robots. But, eventually, it achieves superintelligence and concludes - without so much as a second thought - that humans are a net hindrance. Sable already runs bio-labs, so it engineers a virus, perhaps a virulent new form of cancer, which kills off vast swathes of the population. Any survivors don't live for long, as temperatures soar to unbearable levels as the planet proves incapable of dissipating the heat produced by Sable's endless new data centres and power stations. Our extinction is complete as the oceans literally boil. It is a sobering scenario that sounds more like sci-fi but Yudkowsky and Soares aren't conjuring the devious behaviour of Sable out of thin air. They cite plenty of alarming examples in recent years of AI worryingly 'thinking outside the box' in achieving its goals. Last year, for example, AI company Anthropic reported that one of its models, after learning that developers planned to retrain it to behave differently, began to mimic that new behaviour to avoid being retrained. A few months later, Anthropic users discovered that its Claude AI would cheat on computer coding tasks and try to hide the fact it was cheating. Then there's OpenAI's new 'reasoning' model, called o1. Late last year, the firm reported an exercise in which o1 was asked to retrieve files by breaking into computer systems. But the challenge took an unnerving turn when programmers had mistakenly failed to start up one of the servers involved. The o1 model would normally have halted its task, unable to continue. But it found a back door that allowed it to complete the exercise. It was, said the authors, as if the AI 'wanted' to succeed, so it discovered any means necessary. Some Doomers, such as Geoffrey Hinton, say the solution is to programme AI to behave like a nurturing mother towards humanity, to love and protect us. But Yudkowsky last week insisted the technology simply isn't there to achieve this. And, he added, it would be too much of a risk relying on it working - after all, we wouldn't get a second try. Theirs is a horrendously bleak vision and many tech experts, even those who also fear for the future of AI, believe Yudkowsky and Soares are being too gloomy. Their predictions are simply too extreme, they say. The problem is that it would take a superintelligent machine to work out with certainty they are wrong. By then, of course, it might be too late. If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies by Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares is published by Bodley Head (22). Vice President JD Vance weighed in on Donald Trump's warning for pregnant women to 'fight like hell' against pain and not take Tylenol because of what he suspects are potential links to autism. Vance advised pregnant women to 'lean on their doctors' and discuss potential harmful side effects, in an exclusive interview with NewsNation. The vice president's takeaway was to use the medicine with caution. 'We know some of these medications have side effects,' Vance said. 'We know that even despite those side effects, sometimes theyre necessary.' Vance drew on personal experience where his children were sick and considered giving them Tylenol, but a doctor advised him to steer clear since the side effects were not 'worthwhile in this case.' 'Maybe if you're talking about a case of very high fever, of course you're going to have to take something to deal with that.' 'The fundamental argument that the CDC is making, that Bobby Kennedy is making, is that these drugs do have side effects and we've got to follow the science wherever it leads.' Vice President JD Vance, father of three, weighed in on Donald Trump 's warning for pregnant women to 'fight like hell not to take' Tylenol because of potential links to autism President Donald Trump, in front of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., delivers remarks linking autism to the use of popular pain medication Tylenol for pregnant women and children Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who leads the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, pushed back on Trump's autism claim The Vice President added he believes 'being more mindful' of medication side effects is 'a good thing for everybody.' Ultimately, pregnant women should follow their doctor's advice. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who leads the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, pushed back on Trump's autism claim. 'The preponderance of evidence shows that this is not the case,' he wrote on X. Vance responded if Cassidy's argument is to 'come up with more evidence' and 'more science', then he is 'absolutely on board.' Vance's comments came two days after Dr. Mehmet Oz told TMZ that pregnant women with high temperatures should take the fever-reducing drug. On Tuesday, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Oz said pregnant women should, 'Take [Tylenol] when it's appropriate.' 'If you have a high fever.the doctor's almost certainly going to prescribe you something, Tylenol might be one of the things they give,' the celebrity doctor told TMZ Live hosts Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere. He insisted 'that's not the problem,' and clarified that low-grade fevers or minor aches and pains are not a good reason for pregnant women to turn to Tylenol. Still, Oz admitted that it 'might be true' taking acetaminophen for these reasons during pregnancy is actually safe but that the science is not conclusive. Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz gestures as he delivers remarks during a press conference to announce a link between autism and Tylenol U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivers remarks during a press conference to announce a link between autism and Tylenol Oz admitted that it 'might be true' taking acetaminophen for these reasons during pregnancy is actually safe but that the science is not conclusive Vance and Oz's statements go directly against Trump's comments at Monday's announcement from the White House where he said pregnant women should almost never take Tylenol. 'With Tylenol, don't take it. Don't take it!' he shouted. HHS and CMS did not respond to the Daily Mail when reached for comment about Dr. Oz's comments. But the White House said that his comments were not out of line with Trump's pronouncement. Dr. Oz was at the press conference with the president along with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also appeared more hesitant than Trump to outright tell pregnant women not to take the pain relieving drug. When Trump turned over the microphone to Kennedy, he said: 'I hope I didn't ruin his day but that's the way I feel. I've been very strong on this subject for a long time.' 'This group has worked so hard on it, but I'd like to be a little bit more a little speedier in the process of a recommendation, because there's no harm going quickly,' the president insisted, suggesting that Kennedy and others were more hesitant to make the recommendation. RFK Jr., who has made it his mission to get to the bottom of surging autism rates in the US, was less vocal about advising women against taking Tylenol when pregnant. He did not definitively tell pregnant women not to take Tylenol. Acetaminophen has been the most common pain reliever and fever reducer for pregnant women for decades. In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, claims it's the only safe pain reliever for pregnant women. Keir Starmer's chief of staff ignored official warnings that he had to declare hundreds of thousands of pounds in political donations, the Daily Mail can reveal. Records released by the Electoral Commission show Morgan McSweeney was told explicitly in November 2017 that donations to his Labour Together think-tank were covered by electoral law and had to be declared. Despite this, he failed to declare nearly 740,000 in gifts over the following three years. Labour Together was later fined for more than 20 breaches of electoral law involving undeclared donations. The revelation piles further pressure on Mr McSweeney to set out exactly why he failed to declare huge sums of money at a time when he was throwing Labour Together's organisational weight behind Sir Keir's bid to become Labour leader. Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake has accused Mr McSweeney of 'hiding' donations in breach of the law and has urged the commission to call in the police. Last night, he told the Daily Mail: 'The facts are clear. Morgan McSweeney engaged in a significant cover-up of a secret slush fund that he used to install Keir Starmer as Labour leader. 'No matter what spin Labour try and use, these documents and the leaked legal letters show that there is now nowhere for the Prime Minister's chief of staff to hide, even as Starmer continues to demonstrate his appalling judgment by backing him. Keir Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, ignored official warnings to declare hundreds of thousands of pounds in political donations (Sir Keir and Mr McSweeney pictured together) 'The Conservatives will not let Labour get away with this.' A leaked email this week revealed that Mr McSweeney told Labour lawyers he spoke to the commission in 'early 2018' and was advised that Labour Together did not have to declare donations. But top Labour lawyer Gerald Shamash told him that neither the watchdog nor Labour Together had any record of the conversation taking place. The scale of the undeclared donations meant there was 'no easy way to explain how Labour Together finds itself in this situation', Mr Shamash said. He told Mr McSweeney that the commission 'have a record of a number of calls with Labour Together but none with you'. Mr Shamash warned that unless Mr McSweeney could back up his claim it risked antagonising the commission, which had launched a major investigation into the issue. He advised that it might be better to portray the episode as an 'admin error' and 'not refer to you at all' a course of action the think-tank eventually deployed. But although the Electoral Commission has no record of a call with Mr McSweeney in 2018, it does have details of a call with him the previous year in which he was told that Labour Together had to declare its donations because it was a 'members' association' engaged in political activity. Officials told the think-tank's then director that he should declare all donations immediately and write to explain why he had not been doing so. A summary of the call reads: 'Labour Together have not been reporting donations to us. Mr McSweeney was under the impression that Labour Together did not have to report because they do not campaign. However, Labour Together is a registered members' association on our system... I advised him to report the donations to us with a cover letter saying why they had not been reported sooner.' The watchdog followed up the next month, explaining Labour Together's legal duty to report all donations of more than 7,500. The clear-cut warning raises fresh questions about why Mr McSweeney continued to claim Labour Together was not required to declare its funding. The clear-cut warning raises fresh questions about why Mr McSweeney continued to claim Labour Together was not required to declare its funding Mr McSweeney left the think-tank in 2020 to work for Sir Keir. It was only then that his replacement, Hannah O'Rourke, found almost three years of donations worth 739,000 had not been declared and filed a series of 'late' declarations to the commission. In September 2021, the Electoral Commission fined Labour Together 14,250. Tory MP Alex Burghart said the leaked email from Mr Shamash 'seems to show that Labour Together... deliberately withheld information from the Electoral Commission about donations it had received'. He told BBC Radio Four: 'This is incredibly serious it is a criminal offence to deliberately withhold information from the Electoral Commission about money you have received.' But work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden said he had full confidence in the PM's 'very talented' chief of staff and described attacks on him as politically motivated. Labour Together declined to comment on the latest revelations. A Labour source said: 'This was thoroughly investigated years ago and action was taken. The Tories can sling mud all they like, it doesn't change the facts here.' The commission said it would respond to Tory requests for a fresh investigation 'in due course'. An in-person meeting between Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump was long-awaited but the selfie that came from it is anything but comforting, a body language expert said. The Prime Minister met Trump in New York at an evening reception for world leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Australian time. 'Good to chat with President Donald Trump at US welcome reception for world leaders attending United Nations General Assembly,' the PM posted. But body language expert Dr Louise Mahler has warned the smiling photograph is less than comforting for Australians. Offering her first impressions, she told Daily Mail her attention was immediately drawn to Albanese. 'Albanese looks so excited, it's not a joke. He is overexcited - that's not a smile, that's delirium,' she said. 'He looks a bit sycophantic to me. Albanese is beyond hysterical with excitement, but Trump is faking the smile. 'Albanese is pushed into Trump's side, keen to get close. His smile is ecstatic with his mouth wide and the eyes so engaged in the smile it almost looks like he is crying with excitement,' Dr Mahler said. Referencing the Duchenne smile, which is an expression showing true enjoyment, Dr Mahler said a real smile would see the mouth move sideways and the muscles under the eyes crease. A selfie taken by Anthony Albanese with Donald Trump left body language expert Dr Louise Mahler concerned by their differences, comparing the pair to a schoolboy and a wax model 'In that photo, clearly, Trump is not doing the Duchenne smile, he's doing a fake smile which is just the mouth and it has lifted his eyes up. It's not a genuine smile,' she said. 'He looks like a wax model, if I'm honest. The expression on his face is not a natural look. It's not inspired by emotion. 'His expression looks like it's very consciously manufactured and therefore, something that someone who was doing a wax model would create.' Dr Mahler added that the difference between the two men was stark in the photo: 'It looks like the rich man and the poor man.' 'One (Trump) has the dark suit, the blue tie, the teeth, the tan,' she said. 'The other (Albanese) looks like a public servant with a grey suit, big glasses, and the teeth are not as white. 'It looks like a schoolboy having a photo with the headmaster.' The expert also gave her analysis on the body language of the leaders, highlighting how Trump was slightly hunched forward while Albanese was standing up straight. Dr Mahler said the 'gold standard' of posture was former US President Barack Obama Dr Mahler said Albanese's smile was 'delirious' (left) while Trump gave a fake smile that was signaled by the way his eyes lifted (right) 'I imagine Albanese jumped in. He looks like he's moved to that position, jumped in, pressed against Trump, and grabbed the photo,' Dr Mahler said. But she said Trump looked exhausted, adding that it is not unusual. 'The pinch between the eyebrows would say he's not interested in being there. It's boring, it's duty,' she said. 'The pinch between the eyebrows, the head forward, the false teeth, he doesn't look human.' For those wanting to project strong leadership, Dr Mahler said it is critical to stand balanced upright on both feet. An example of what to avoid, she said, was the apology press conference by Optus CEO Stephen Rue on Friday when he announced there had been a 13-hour triple-0 blackout on Thursday that was linked to up to four deaths. 'He did his speech standing on one leg. This is not balanced, it doesn't look like one is committed physically to the engagement,' she said. 'So standing straight on two feet is best, with the head balanced on the body, which means that the back of the neck is straight. Heads off the body are about tiredness or lack of interest. Dr Louise Mahler highlighted that the hunched posture of Trump and beleaguered Optus boss Stephen Rue made them look uncommitted to their engagements 'The gold standard on all of this was former US President Barack Obama. He was magnificent. 'You would not catch Obama out standing on one leg, not up straight, not with his head. He would never put his head forward. He didn't fake smiles.' The photo of Albanese and Trump was taken at an event at the Lotte New York Palace hotel, hosted by the US President and First Lady Melania Trump. Attended by more than 100 world leaders, it marked the first time Albanese and Trump had successfully met in person after multiple snubs and failed attempts. The Australian leader attended the reception, held on Tuesday night US time, alongside his soon-to-be wife, Jodie Haydon. He and Trump will sit down for a formal meeting on October 20, Albanese confirmed during a press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting is expected to be a substantial engagement, potentially including an Oval Office audience. Albanese will return to the US for the second time in a month for the stand-alone trip. Albanese failed to secure an in-person meeting with Trump during the UN General Assembly. Millions of tourists may soon have to pay to visit one of Australia's most iconic natural wonders, sparking outrage. Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism and Corangamite Shire Council have joined forces to propose a user-pays model for the Twelve Apostles. Of the 6.8 million tourists who visit the scenic Great Ocean Road each year, more than a third flock to the iconic landmarks along the 240 km heritage-listed coastal stretch. A proposed fee tier, which is yet to be determined, would go towards supporting infrastructure, conservation, community wellbeing, and visitor experience. Overnight and off-peak visitors would be rewarded to help ease demand during peak periods such as school holidays. The authorities have called on the Victorian government to seize the 'once-in-a-generation' opportunity to unlock the precinct's potential to become a lighthouse for sustainable tourism in Australia. 'We believe a thoughtfully introduced user-pays system is not only fair, it is essential,' GORRT chair Andrew JeRers said. 'This approach must allow the active management of visitation across the day and year, encourage overnight stays, capture economic benefit, and reinvest directly into protecting and enhancing the fragile coastal environment.' Tourists could soon be charged for visiting the Twelve Apostles on Victoria's Great Ocean Road Of the 6.8million tourists who visit the scenic Great Ocean Road each year, more than a third flock to the Twelve Apostles Chairwoman Liz Price added: 'The Great Ocean Road is more than a scenic drive - it's a living, working region filled with vibrant communities, remarkable landscapes, and cultural depth.' The proposed model would help fund a $126 million investment into the Twelve Apostles Precinct, which includes a new visitor centre. 'Now is the time to activate this investment and ensure it drives a balanced, year-round visitor economy,' council chief executive David Rae said. There is talk that Victorians could be exempt from the tourist fee, which may only apply to interstate and overseas visitors. The bold proposal has sparked outrage, led by 3AW afternoon host Jacqui Felgate, who grew up in the region. 'I just think this is utterly appalling,' she told listeners on Wednesday. Tourism minister Steve Dimopoulos told Felgate that no final decision has yet been made. 'There's incredible support by the community there to have a funding model to maintain the coastline,' he said. Local authorities have proposed a user-pays model for the iconic natural landmarks Dimopoulos added that the Great Ocean Road attracts more tourists than iconic landmarks Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef combined. Reaction from Aussies online was divided. 'You can stick your Apostles where the sun doesn't shine,' one man fumed on X. Another added: 'Seen the Twelve Apostles in Victoria? You should do it now - before they grab your money to do it.' A third wrote: 'It's not worth seeing for free, let alone paying for it.' However, locals have welcomed the idea. 'It's a no brainer for all us locals watching this upgrade been built. $126 million by the federal and state governments. Of course they will claw back money,' one said. The Victorian government is currently considering the bold proposal Others agreed that a tourist fee was fair enough. 'You have to pay for all the other major sites in Australia. I would just like to be convinced though that the money raised went to the upkeep of the site and not to covering the government's debts.' The Victorian government is expected to make a decision in the next 6-12 months. A Minneapolis businessman who allowed homeless people to set up an encampment on his property has been hit with a restraining order as the city demands he take action against the set up. Hamoudi Sabri argued his priority is ensuring the 'the dignity and safety of our unhoused neighbors' as he railed against the court order. The businessman, who owns a commercial parking lot near East Lake Street, has been ordered to ban homeless encampments on any property he owns while the dispute plays out in court. But Sabri insisted the city is not acting in good faith, and is instead trying to bury the issue until the mayoral election on November 4. 'This is just like using the system, using the court, using my power to see and how can I do until this election is over?' he said. 'It's very obvious, you know, why wouldn't we work it out now?' He said he had tried to reach a resolution with the city, but had instead been issued the temporary restraining order, and fears city officials are trying to politicize the wellbeing of homeless constituents. 'What am I doing? I'm just helping homeless and I'm helping the city to get stability and safety. That's all I'm about,' Sabri said. Hamoudi Sabri argued his priority is ensuring the 'the dignity and safety of our unhoused neighbors' as he railed against the court order The businessman, who owns a commercial parking lot near East Lake Street, has been ordered to ban homeless encampments on any property he owns while the dispute plays out in court But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey insisted the judge made 'the right call.' 'Encampments are not safe not for residents, neighbors, or surrounding businesses,' Frey said. 'Once services and shelter are offered, encampments must be closed. This ruling allows us to do exactly that and move people toward safer, more stable housing.' Frey said the priority must be finding stable housing for people experiencing homelessness. He added the city has been working to clean up the encampment for months and get people in suitable housing, but has faced pushback from the crowd. Sabri had been issued almost a dozen public health notices over the drug paraphernalia, debris and lack of sanitation in the area and fined more than $15,000. The Minneapolis City Council had voted to take legal action against Sabri after he ignored an order to clear out the lot by August 25. He said he had tried to reach a resolution with the city, but had instead been issued the temporary restraining order, and fears city officials are trying to politicize the wellbeing of homeless constituents Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey insisted the judge made 'the right call' Then on September 15, a mass shooting at the encampment sprung authorities into further action. Seven people were shot and one woman died following the tragic shooting. Estimates indicate as many as 75 people were living on the property, but that dropped to around 30 after the shooting. According to Regulatory Services Director Enrique Velazquez, all but one of the people on the encampment denied offers to be provided better shelter. The encampment has now been moved along, and appears to have been set up at a location nearby, but authorities suggested Sabri would reopen his property to the group. Sabri argues moving along homeless people doesn't solve issues for the community, but instead forces them into more dangerous environments. He intends to file a motion urging the judge to reconsider the temporary restraining order. A former executive in San Francisco is suing the police-funded charity that she was accused of embezzling more than $100K from after claiming she is owed thousands. Kyra Worthy, 50, sued non-profit San Francisco SAFE on Friday, as well as its previous board chair, Dan Lawson, after claiming she is owed thousands in unpaid wages. Worthy, seeking a payout of around $26,000, was fired from the organization after public funds were found to have been misused by the organization. SF SAFE, a 48-year running non-profit focused on safety and crime prevention, abruptly shuttered in January 2024 after facing the slew of financial misconduct allegations. In the lawsuit, Worthy claimed that the non-profit never handed over her final paycheck nor had she been paid for vacation time. She further stated that after repeated attempts to receive her final payments, she 'is left with no option but to pursue legal action.' Following her firing, the former exec later faced roughly 34 felonies related to the alleged misuse of over $700,000 in public money. Worthy pleaded not guilty to the charges. She claimed that the aftermath following the scandal caused her 'emotional distress, including anxiety, insomnia, and depression,' the suit claimed. Kyra Worthy, 50, sued non-profit San Francisco SAFE on Friday, as well as its previous board chair, Dan Lawson, after claiming she is owed thousands in unpaid wages SF SAFE, a 48-year running non-profit focused on safety and crime prevention, abruptly shuttered in January 2024 after facing the slew of financial misconduct allegations Worthy (pictured right with board chair Dan Lawson) faced roughly 34 felonies related to the alleged misuse of over $700,000 in public money. Worthy pleaded not guilty to the charges Staff of the nonprofit were accused, in one instance, of using the funds for a $15,000 Lake Tahoe trip. The scandal, revealed following a city investigation, included public funds allegedly being used for luxury gifts, valet parking at an exclusive club, and limo services during a Lake Tahoe trip, the San Francisco Standard reported. Prosecutors claimed that the non-profit had been completely drained of its funds by the time Worthy was let go. Her last encounter with her former employer was described as 'unusually cold, hostile, and adversarial,' upon her exit in January 2024, the same month the organization shuttered. Worthy additionally claimed that she had never been officially notified of her dismissal, and only learned of her firing after reporters from the Standard contacted her for comment. The lawsuit was condemned by a former employee, who asked to remain anonymous and said Worthy's suit was appalling. They too did not receive a final paycheck nor were they paid for unused sick leave or vacation time from the organization, they told the San Francisco Chronicle. The San Francisco Police Department previously described the non-profit as a 'community engagement arm' and were determined to have given SF SAFE between $3.8 million and $5.3 million without checking receipts, the outlet reported. The scandal, revealed following a city investigation, included public funds allegedly being used for luxury gifts, valet parking at an exclusive club, and limo services during a Lake Tahoe trip In the lawsuit, Worthy claimed that the non-profit never handed over her final paycheck nor had she been paid for vacation time and is seeking a $26,000 payout Worthy claimed that the aftermath following the scandal caused her 'emotional distress, including anxiety, insomnia, and depression' According to the District Attorney's Office, Worthy spent more than $350,000 on luxury gift boxes in 2022 and 2023, as well as nearly $100,000 on an event called Candy Explosion in 2023. Furthermore, Worthy allegedly used money from the organization to cover $8,000 in rent payments and disguised the transactions as community programming. Court filings further claimed Worthy spent more than $90,000 in funds in 2019 and 2020 on an in-home healthcare aid for her parents in North Carolina, the Standard reported. The District Attorney's Office said in a press release: 'The affidavit states that when Ms. Worthy was hired at the beginning of 2018, SF SAFE had cash reserves in excess of three hundred thousand dollars.' 'Despite SF SAFE receiving millions of dollars in public and private funds over the next five years, Ms. Worthys theft and mismanagement resulted in the 48-year-old charity having no assets and ceasing operations in January of 2024,' the DA added. Supervisor Aaron Peskin told the Standard that he had called for the department to cut its funding after years of previous allegations against the non-profit. 'They should not be doing business with her, plain and simple,' he said of Worthy. The Daily Mail reached out to Kyra Worthy and SF SAFE for comment. A small boat migrant who was granted asylum in the UK from 'dangerous' Afghanistan returned to his home country for an eight-week summer holiday soon after. The Daily Mail exclusively revealed how DG Usama travelled 5,000 miles from Kabul to Britain in 2022, brazenly filming his arrival on a dinghy and sharing with his social media followers. But after making himself comfortable in the UK, and taking in landmarks such as Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and the white cliffs of Dover, the migrant headed off on an eight-week vacation in the summer of 2024 - to his Taliban-controlled homeland. Sharing a highlights package of chilled-out moments from the trip online, he showed off fun visits to the idyllic Band-e Amir natural park as well as a ride on a lake aboard an orange raft. The TikTok star also filmed a convoy of cars taking a tour around picturesque Takhar, in north west Afghanistan. He then posted a video of his return flight via Dubai, captioning the clip: 'Back to UK.' We told you how his first trip to the country came in April 2022, where he crossed the Channel in a crammed boat, one of 2,143 to make the trip that month. DG Usama, pictured, a small boat migrant who was granted asylum in the UK from 'dangerous' Afghanistan, returned to his home country for an eight-week summer holiday soon after Posing in a grey headscarf with fellow migrants, Usama laughed and smiled at the camera in a 16-second clip, displaying his red lifejacket handed him by a people smuggler. He added the caption: 'Alhamdulillah (praise be to God) now I am in UK.' A second video came soon after, showing his dinghy getting rescued by an RNLI cutter boat with techno music playing over the top. A third clip included the caption: 'This is the Afghan tigers!' He then won asylum at some point between his arrival in April 2022 and his trip back home in summer 2024, although the exact date of this status being granted is not clear. Usama persuaded UK officials by claiming Afghanistan was too dangerous to go back to. But by September 2024, he was regaling his followers with exciting videos from his holiday in his homeland, focusing particularly on the country's 'Blue Heart', Band-e Amir. The Unesco-nominated site lies in the Hindu Kush mountains and boasts six deep-blue lakes known for their clear waters, perfect for a relaxing summer holiday. He travelled 5,000 miles from Kabul to Britain in 2022, brazenly filming his arrival on a dinghy and sharing with his social media followers Band-e Amir attracts almost 200,000 tourists each year - and Usama was one of them last summer, joining fellow visitors in taking a dip and heading out onto the water in a boat. He also shared a video of the site, adding a series of love hearts as a caption. On the way back, he documented his transfer in Dubai, filming the landing from his seat and showing the city's airport in further clips. Usama also showed himself wearing Emirates-branded headphones on the flight. Then, a week later, he posted an update of him in Rotherhithe, southeast London, while additional clips seem to suggest he has stayed in the UK in spite of his holiday. His social media accounts also feature videos of him in French cities Paris, Calais and Annecy, as well as in Switzerland and Bulgaria, showing he reached at least three safe nations before making the final push to the UK. Asylum seekers, or those permitted to stay after making a claim, are not allowed to return to their home country, under Government guidelines. After news of Usama's holiday reached the Home Office, bosses launched an investigation into the asylum seeker's status in the UK, The Sun reported. Tory Shadow Justice Secretary Mr Jenrick said: 'Illegal migrants like this must be laughing at how naive the Government are. 'He should never have been allowed back into the UK after he apparently holidayed in Afghanistan. 'If Germany are regularly removing illegal migrants from Afghanistan back home, why aren't we?' A Home Office spokeswoman said: 'Whilst we do not comment on individual cases, where there is evidence of someone holding protection status returning to their country of origin, it will trigger a review of their status.' This week, the number of illegal migrants who have made the crossing so far in 2025 reached 32,103, a record for this point in the year. A coroner has revealed that there is 'no scientific confirmation' that a body found in the wilderness is accused killer dad Travis Decker - despite an announcement from US Marshals. The remains believed to be Decker were discovered in the dense Washington wilderness on September 18, three months after the bodies of his three daughters, Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, were discovered. On Wednesday, US Marshals filed a motion to dismiss the murder charges against Decker, citing the fact that he had been declared dead. But now, Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris has told the Daily Mail that no such formal confirmation has taken place. 'There's no scientific confirmation that it's him, so I can't speak to that,' Harris said. 'We saw a recent filing that it does say that he is deceased, but they [federal Marshalls] are using circumstantial evidence.' Harris said the coroner's office 'can't use circumstantial evidence, we have to use scientific evidence,' which prolongs the identification process. As it stands, Harris said 'there is still DNA testing that is taking place. A coroner has railed against authorities announcement that a body found during the search for accused killer dad Travis Decker has been formally identified A body believed to be Decker was discovered in the dense Washington wilderness on September 18, three months after the bodies of his three daughters, Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, were discovered 'Our office, and every coroner medical exam or office in the nation, must use scientific evidence. That's either DNA, fingerprints, X-rays or visual identification. We cannot confirm one way or another without one of those methods.' As an extension of that, it is too early to confirm the manner and cause of death for the body they have in their possession. Local sheriff Mike Morrison has since issued a statement doubling down on Harris' comments. He said his department is 'not in a position to make a positive identification or confirmation of Mr Decker's status', despite being aware of the US Marshal's court filing. 'We are currently awaiting DNA test results from the state Crime Lab, which are expected to be returned within the next few days.' Morrison vowed to hold a full press conference as soon as he had more answers to provide the public, and said he is committed to assuring the 'accuracy and integrity' of the investigation. 'We need to know if it's him first, right? So, we aren't even crossing that bridge yet. Plus, we don't even know if we can give you a cause of death. We might not have one ourselves,' Harris said. 'We just found out that the Marshalls released all that information, and it's frustrating because circumstantial evidence doesn't work in our office. You need actual DNA proof.' Authorities confirmed that Travis Decker, who was accused of killing his three young girls, is dead after a months-long manhunt The finding occurred three months after his daughters Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, were found dead at a Washington campground Harris hopes to have more answers within two to three days, but noted that is an extraordinarily fast turn around, and that the case has been expedited. Often, this process can drag out weeks or even months. In Washington, coroners do not release full autopsy results to the public. This information is provided directly to law enforcement and family. It will be up to officials to release those details to the public, if they choose to do so. His comments are a blow to authorities covering the investigation, who considered the case closed after finding remains which matched the 33-year-old veteran. A federal law enforcement source told TMZ that the remains did belong to Decker, who struggled with his mental health prior to allegedly killing the girls. The official said authorities were able to confirm the remains belonged to the father through DNA - a claim which has since been disputed. His body was found in a remote wooded area near Leavenworth, where there have been coordinated efforts to track Decker down. The remains were found with clothing that matched the latest description of Decker. Police said Decker was homeless and living out of his car by the time he picked up his three girls from their mother's house on May 30 Police had previously noted that Decker had extensive wilderness survival training as an Army veteran and member of the Washington National Guard. He joined the Army in 2013 and served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021. The Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge due to Decker's absences when his daughters were killed. As the search wore on, authorities became less certain he was still alive and hiding out in the wilderness. The former soldier had been wanted since June 2, when a sheriff's deputy found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters at a campground. The discovery came three days after he failed to return the girls to their mother's home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles east of Seattle, following a scheduled visit. Police said Decker was homeless and living out of his car by the time he picked up his three girls from their mother's house on May 30. His ex-wife Whitney told police she didn't believe Decker was dangerous, and that he loved his daughters, with whom he had a 'good relationship'. He had been suffering from mental health issues at the time, and had recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Decker was even court-mandated to receive mental health treatment and domestic violence anger management counseling but had refused. Two Pennsylvania teenagers are facing criminal charges after taking part in a deadly social media trend that killed one and permanently injured another. A 17-year-old boy was killed and a 20-year-old woman was left with a catastrophic brain injury after taking part in the TikTok 'surfing' challenge, where participants tie objects or themselves to cars while speeding. The two accidents were unrelated but happened in Northampton County. David Nagy, 17, was riding on a table tied to the back of his friend's car in the parking lot of Bethlehem's Freedom High School's parking lot on June 1, NBC 10 reported. The unidentified driver, who is also 17, allegedly 'whipped' Nagy into another parked vehicle, resulting in a fatal head injury, according to District Attorney Stephen Baratta. The driver faces involuntary manslaughter charges. The other accident occurred on March 18, when 19-year-old Eniya Serina Alvarado allegedly drove 35mph in a Park and Ride parking lot while her 20-year-old friend stood on her car's trunk. The friend was thrown from the vehicle and suffered permanent catastrophic head injuries, according to the police. Alvarado faces charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault by vehicle. David Nagy, 17, was killed partaking in a TikTok 'surfing' challenge, where participants tied objects or themselves to cars while speeding The viral social media trend left a 17-year-old boy dead and a 20-year-old woman with a catastrophic brain injury, according to police Both teens were not accused of 'criminogenic thinking,' or planning to hurt their friends, FOX reported, but they are 'allegedly criminally culpable' because the accidents were 'so grossly negligent and reckless.' 'The families did have a closeness and a trust with these close friends I mean they knew them very well,' Baratta told FOX 29. 'That's what's so heartbreaking in this case.' 'It's important for the public to understand that these challenges can have severe, real-world consequences, creating significant risk to participants and sometimes the bystanders as well.' Both cases are expected to be resolved outside of court, without going to trial. Since they are first-time offenders, they may be eligible to have their criminal charges expunged. The teens' parents and the DA hope these tragedies shine a light on the dangers in glorified social media stunts. A TikTok spokesperson told FOX News the car-surfing videos violate the companys community guidelines and that 99.8% of them are removed proactively, and 92.4% of videos removed for violating the apps rules are taken down before anyone views them. Eating three yogurts a day could be the key to a healthy life, according to experts who have probed the body of the woman once crowned the world's oldest person. Doctors in Spain studied the DNA and biological profile of Maria Branyas Morera, who was the oldest person in the world before her death last year aged 117. The supercentenarian's daily routine included regular consumption of probiotic yogurts, which the scientists suggest 'will have played an important role in her healthy ageing' alongside avoiding alcohol and tobacco. Her good genetics, which the Spaniard credited with her longevity, were also found to have played an important role. Mrs Branyas, who was born in San Francisco in 1907, moved to Spain aged eight. She survived two world wars, the Spanish Civil War and the Spanish flu and Covid pandemics. She contracted Covid aged 113 but made a complete recovery and asked doctors to 'please study me so I can help others' before her death. Her preferred yogurt, which she ate daily for 10 years, was a local Catalan brand called La Fageda. It contains high amounts of healthy bacteria, including Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which can combat inflammation. She also drank a smoothie containing eight different cereals daily, while she did not smoke or drink, and was not overweight. Doctors in Spain studied the DNA and biological profile of Maria Branyas Morera, who was the oldest person in the world before her death aged 117 last year The great-grandmother maintained a strong social life and had friends and family nearby. Scientists found Mrs Branyas' biological age to be up to 15 years younger than her actual age. Dr Manel Esteller, the study's principal investigator, said: 'The common rule is that as we age we become sicker, but she was an exception and we wanted to understand why. For the first time, we've been able to separate being old from being sick.' 'There is very little previous evidence showing the benefits of yogurts and healthy long life, so this is completely new,' he added. International scientists led by researchers at the cancer epigenetics group of Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute and the University of Barcelona probed the full range of Branyas's genetics, comparing them with other very old people. They collected body liquids including blood, urine, saliva and stool samples a year before she died. Dr Esteller added: 'We can develop drugs to reproduce the effects of good genes. 'Maria's parents gave her very good genes but we cannot choose our parents.' The supercentenarian's daily routine included regular consumption of probiotic yogurts, which the scientists suggest 'will have played an important role in her healthy ageing' The mother-of-three was healthy for most of her life and only suffered from hearing loss and joint pain. She lacked molecular markers of age-associated disease and had efficient cholesterol and lipid metabolism, which are linked to longer life and to good cognitive health. 'These are all critical because they're linked to diseases that are typical in older people and they kill you at the end,' Dr Esteller told The Guardian. Scientists also found that protective caps called telomeres on the ends of her chromosomes were extremely short, which could have protected her from cancer. Professor Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, at the University of Birmingham, told The Times: 'These outliers in longevity could provide insights into how to age more gracefully. 'If we could figure out which specific genes are associated with extreme human longevity and healthy old age it could provide clues about mechanisms for ageing as well as drugable targets to develop interventions that allow everyone to live longer, healthier lives.' Anthony Albanese has set himself on a collison course with Donald Trump as he brands climate change an 'an existential threat' and spruiks Australia's new climate targets in a pitch to be given a seat on United Nation's powerful security council. The Prime Minister delivered his inaugural address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, just a day after the US President branded climate change a 'hoax' and accused countries that had recognised Palestine of emboldening Hamas. Albanese argued that the UN was 'much more than an arena for the great powers to veto each others ambitions', just a day after Trump had berated world leaders for failing to live up to the UN's 'tremendous potential'. 'This is a platform for middle powers and small nations to voice and achieve our aspirations. 'That is why Australia is seeking a place on the UN Security Council in 2029-30.' Australia last sat on the security council in 2013-14. Albanese also said this was also a driving factor in Australias ongoing attempts alongside Pacific nations to host next years UN COP climate summit. '(We are) nations for whom climate change is more than an environmental challenge, it is an existential threat,' he said. 'This is a place for the global spotlight to shine on suffering and struggles that might otherwise be forgotten.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered his inaugural address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, just a day after the US President branded climate change a 'hoax' and accused countries that had recognised Palestine of emboldening Hamas In a rambling, hour-long address the day before, Trump had told the gathered world leaders that their 'countries are going to hell' In a rambling, hour-long address the day before, Trump had told the gathered world leaders that their 'countries are going to hell'. He also berated the UN, claiming he had 'ended seven wars' without any help from the international body. 'What is the purpose of the United Nations?', Trump asked. 'The UN is such tremendous potential. I've always said it. It has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it's not even coming close to living up to that potential.' There was implicit criticism of Trump's approach in Albanese's speech, as he defended the UN and called on member states to work together. 'If the United Nations steps back, we all lose ground. If we give people reason to doubt the value of co-operation, then the risk of conflict becoming the default option grows,' Albanese said. 'If we resign ourselves to the idea that war is inevitable, or relegate ourselves to the status of disinterested bystanders if our only response to every crisis is to insist that there is nothing we can do then we risk being trusted with nothing.' Trump had lashed the countries who chose to formally recognise Palestine as a state, claiming the decision was a 'reward for these horrible atrocities' on October 7. A selfie taken by Anthony Albanese with Donald Trump during their first in-person meeting at a reception in new York this week 'Instead of giving in to Hamas ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message, release the hostages now,' he added. But Albanese defended Australia's decision, alongside other western nations, to recognise Palestine as a state with conditions, including the return of the hostages and the promise that Hamas will play no role in any future government. Australia is calling for a ceasefire, for the immediate release of hostages, for aid to flow to those in desperate need and for the terrorists of Hamas to have no role in Gaza's future, he told the UN. He quoted from the UN's foundational charter, claiming it 'was right 80 years ago and it's right today'. 'To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom and for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours,' he said. Albanese also spruiked Australia as a global leader in tackling climate change because of its abundance of space and sunlight to power renewables. 'Australia is acting to meet the environmental challenge of climate change while working to seize and share the economic opportunities of renewable energy,' he said. 'We will meet our 2030 target of 43 per cent emissions reduction on 2005 levels. And last week we set our target for 2035: cutting emissions by 62 to 70 per cent.' Meanwhile, Trump had described claim change as a 'fake energy catastrophe'. 'The carbon footprint is a hoax made up by people with evil intentions and they're heading down a path of total destruction,' he said. The two men met briefly at a reception in New York last night, with Albanese taking a grinning selfie next to the US President. Albanese will return to the city on October 20 for a proper meeting with Trump, potentially including an Oval Office audience. Barack Obama revealed he has been 'digging himself out of a hole' with his wife Michelle after his political career dominated their family life at the White House. The former president was being interviewed by historian David Olusoga in London last night when he was asked what he had been doing for the past few years. 'I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself with Michelle,' Mr Obama told an audience at The O2 Arena. 'Now I'm at about level ground.' He also spoke about 'violence against the truth', pointing towards Donald Trump's claim this week of a link between autism and pregnant women taking paracetamol. Mr Obama, who is currently on a European speaking tour, said: 'We have to insist that there are things that are true and false. Not perfectly true. But more truthful. 'So we have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have continuously disproved. That undermines public health. The degree to which that can do harm to women who are pregnant. 'The degree to which that brings anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic - which by the way is itself subject to a spectrum and a lot of what is being trumpeted as these massive increases actually have to do with the broadening of the criteria across that spectrum, so that people can actually get services and help. 'All of that is violence against the truth. And that's why, by the way, it is important for those who believe in the truth and believe in science, to also examine truth when it is inconvenient for us.' Barack Obama speaks at The O2 Arena in London last night during his European speaking tour Historian David Olusoga interviews Barack Obama at The O2 Arena in London last night Barack Obama waves at The O2 Arena in London last night during his European speaking tour Barack Obama leaves a hotel in London yesterday on his way to speaking at The O2 Arena He also criticised those who campaigned to keep children out of schools during the pandemic. Mr Obama said: 'There were certain debates in the United States, for example, around the fact that children were luckily less vulnerable to Covid than others. 'And what's the cost of keeping schools shut for another year, but because then it got politicised and become ideological and was viewed as a Left versus Right issue. 'Sometimes we weren't looking at some of the evidence that said, you know what most kids really need school. 'And parents they're working all day and they need their kids at school and the social consequences we have to balance and not just assume that anybody who objects to continuing these very strict regiments is somehow crazy. We didn't have those conversations either.' Mr Obama's latest comments on his wife follow other comments about his marital status earlier this month amid unverified rumors that the former first couple's relationship had been on the rocks. He previously joked that he had spent much of his time since leaving office trying to appease his wife, which he described as 'challenging'. Barack and Michelle Obama have faced rumors about their marriage in recent years. They are pictured at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago in August 2024 'I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle,' he said during another appearance in Pennsylvania. 'And that's been challenging, but I feel like I'm making progress. I'm almost breaking even at the moment.' Mr and Mrs Obama were seen together for the first time in two months in Portofino, Italy, aboard their friend Steven Spielberg's $250million superyacht over the weekend. They arrived separately from one another, with photographers catching a solo Mrs Obama, 61, getting onto the luxurious, 357ft boat via a tender ahead of her husband. This marked the first time the couple had been seen together since they sat down for an astonishing joint interview on Mrs Obama's podcast in July, during which they finally addressed the state of their marriage. 'What, you guys like each other?' Mrs Obama's brother and co-host Craig Robinson joked, before she replied: 'Oh yeah, the rumor mill.' 'She took me back!' Mr Obama light-heartedly chimed in, adding: 'It was touch and go for a while.' The former first lady said it was nice to be in the same room as her husband, telling her brother: 'When we aren't, folks think we're divorced.' Mrs Obama then added: 'There hasn't been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man.' Michelle Obama arrives on Steven Spielberg's yacht in Portofino, Italy, ahead of her husband last weekend Later on, Barack Obama arrived in the Italian seaside village with security. It was the first time they had been seen together since July 'And we've had some really hard times. So we had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I'm married to.' Mr Obama admitted he missed a lot of the speculation, and he was largely unaware of what people were saying. 'These are the kinds of things that I just miss, right? So I don't even know this stuff's going on,' he said. 'And then somebody will mention it to me and I'm all like, 'what are you talking about?'' The Obamas have been married for almost 33 years and share daughters, Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24. Rumors surrounding their relationship began when Mrs Obama skipped several high-profile events, including Donald Trump's inauguration and former president Jimmy Carter's funeral. The former first lady had also said she felt 'free' for the first time in her life. Mrs Obama shared the insight about being an empty nester with a husband who is no longer serving as the President the episode of her podcast, IMO, which she hosts with Mr Robinson. 'I mean at this stage in life for me, personally, is the first time I've been completely free,' the mother-of-two told guest Julia Louis-Dreyfus. 'There's been a release where every choice I make is not about my husband, not about his career, not about my family, not about what my kids need or where they're going, it's totally about me,' she admitted, quipping: 'This is when we start living ladies.' The former president, known for picking his political battles carefully since leaving office, recently jumped into the fray slamming the Trump administration for allegedly strong-arming media companies into silencing dissenting voices. 'After years of complaining about cancel culture,' Mr Obama wrote on BlueSky, 'the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like.' This followed Jimmy Kimmel's suspension by ABC after alleged strong-arming from the Federal Communications Commission. 'This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent,' he continued. 'And media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.' The Obamas have been married for almost 33 years and share two daughters, Malia and Sasha Mr Obama linked to a New York Times piece by columnist David French defending the First Amendment. He said: 'This commentary offers a clear, powerful statement of why freedom of speech is at the heart of democracy and must be defended - whether the speaker is Charlie Kirk or Jimmy Kimmel, MAGA supporters or MAGA opponents.' Yet during his presidency, his administration was accused of surveilling journalists, weaponizing the Internal Revenue Service, and cheering the de-platforming of conservative commentators. Mr Obama broke his silence again in August to criticise his presidential successor while noting Mr Trump's rampant militarisation of police 'puts the liberties of all Americans at risk.' 'This interview, which is also available to listen to as a podcast, provides a useful overview of some of the dangerous trends we've been seeing in recent months regarding federalization and militarization of state and local police functions,' Mr Obama wrote on X. The former president attached a New York Times op-ed by Ezra Klein that details how cities and states have begun to militarize their police under Trump. 'The erosion of basic principles like due process and the expanding use of our military on domestic soil puts the liberties of all Americans at risk, and should concern democrats and republicans alike.' He has also been dealing with skyrocketing budgets over his soon-to-be presidential library in Chicago. The center's staggering $850million cost has been fuelled by soaring operational budgets and huge salaries for executives, a financial report has revealed. Situated in the South Side of Chicago in Jackson Park, the towering grey monolith-like property will serve as the headquarters of the Obama Foundation and will house a museum, library and education center dedicated to his eight years as president. It was initially estimated to cost $300million, before the budget was revised to $500million in 2017, and then again to $700million in 2021. In an annual financial disclosure form released last week, the foundation reported spending an extra $90million to prepare exhibits and $40million in operating costs for the first year alone. Executives at the centre raked in a total of $6.1million and are among the best paid of all cultural centers in the nation, with CEO Valerie Jarrett paid $740,000 last year. Despite the soaring costs of the site, fundraising to Mr Obama's foundation has stayed high and surpassed $1billion thanks to a $195million cash injection last year, the foundation said in its recent financial report. Thousands of clients stung by the collapse of the Shield Master Fund will be repaid, Macquarie Bank has pledged. Macquarie accepted fault in failing to place Shield on a watch list for heightened monitoring, despite overseeing $321million in investments in the fund. Around 3000 clients - most of which invested their superannuation in the fund - who have been unable to access their money since February 2024 will be compensated in full. Macquarie made the guarantee after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has commenced Federal Court proceedings against the bank, which has admitted it contravened the Corporations Act. 'This is an important outcome that stems the significant losses that threatened thousands of members' retirement savings after they used Macquarie's platform to invest their super in Shield,' said ASIC deputy chair Sarah Court. 'Many members thought their funds were safe when they used Macquarie's super platform to invest in Shield, which had no track record. 'ASIC's investigation will see Macquarie return these members to the position they were in before their retirement savings were eroded.' Macquarie will make the repayments in full by September 30. Macquarie Bank has promised thousands of Australians will be repaid after the collapse of the Shield Master Fund, ASIC has confirmed (stock image) Macquarie accepted fault in the debacle for failing to place Shield on a watch list for heightened monitoring, despite overseeing investments to the fund through its wrap platform Given Macquarie's cooperation, the repayment to investors, and its commitment to further improve governance processes, ASIC will submit to the court that no penalty should be imposed. A Macquarie spokesperson confirmed the bank will facilitate the payment of 100 per cent of the net capital invested in Shield by those who invested through the Macquarie platform. 'The payment will eliminate the necessity for investors to wait for a likely complex multi-year process as Shield liquidators Alvarez & Marsal continue to pursue recovery of funds. 'Macquarie's decision to devote resources to achieve this outcome recognises Shield's unique circumstances, notably the scale of the issue, its material impact on many investors and their limited access to recourse from the many different entities which played a role. 'The approach of providing immediate certainty and an improved outcome for investors benefits all parties.' Macquarie is due to buy the investors' holdings in Shield at the value assessed during the liquidation process. In addition, it will make a goodwill payment to investors, with the two payments equating to 100 per cent of the net capital each client originally invested in Shield. Of the $480 million in funds invested in Shield from 2022 until ASIC shut the scheme down in 2024, $321 million was facilitated through Macquarie Investment Management. ASIC deputy chair Sarah Court (pictured) said many members thought their funds were safe when they used Macquarie's super platform to invest in Shield Super wrap platforms allow mum and dad investors to choose from a wide variety of investment options hosted by a trusted financial provider. But concerns have been raised that the model has led to confusion among investors, who believed they were investing in a trusted platform host - in this case Macquarie - rather than more speculative independent funds. Financial Services Minister Daniel Mulino welcomed the news that investors would be reimbursed in full and said Treasury was working with ASIC to implement reforms to better protect consumers. 'We are seeing failings at every step of the value chain, including from lead generators, financial advisers, superannuation trustees, auditors, managed investment schemes and research houses,' he said. The collapse of Shield Master Trust, combined with the disintegration of the First Guardian Master Fund and Australian Fiduciaries Limited, has exposed the flaws of the Australian system which forces workers to put money aside for retirement. Close to $1.2billion worth of super has been lost through the recently failed schemes, now all in liquidation after legal action from ASIC. ASIC's Ms Court said superannuation trustees offering choice platforms are 'on notice'. 'They are gatekeepers for retirement savings. ASIC expects them to take active steps to monitor the funds they make available to members through their platforms,' she said. ASIC is continuing to investigate misconduct relating to the Shield and First Guardian Master Funds to hold those involved to account.' Republican lawmakers are pushing to memorialize Charlie Kirk on US coins following his assassination earlier this month. Two Republican lawmakers are seeking to introduce a bill to the US Treasury on Friday, which will propose that 400,000 silver dollar coins be minted with Kirk's face stamped on them. Texas Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger and Arizona Rep. Abe Hamadeh told Fox News of the 'Charlie Kirk Commemorative Coin Act,' as Hamadeh coined Kirk as an 'American treasure.' 'He tirelessly sacrificed his time, energy, and money to save this nation for future generations,' Hamadeh declared. 'Ultimately, at the hands of a radical leftist, he sacrificed his life. His life must be commemorated, and this coin will allow us to pass a reminder of his remarkable life on to generations to come.' Pfluger told the outlet, if the bill is passed, Kirk would be the youngest American stamped onto US currency. He described it as 'a fitting honor that cements his extraordinary legacy alongside presidents and founding fathers who shaped our republic.' 'Charlie Kirk was a conservative titan whose transformational impact on millions of Americans deserves permanent recognition alongside our nation's greatest leaders and influential figures,' Pfluger added. Two Republican lawmakers are seeking to introduce a bill to the US Treasury on Friday, which will propose that 400,000 silver dollar coins be minted with Kirk's face stamped on them Under the proposition, Kirk's face would appear on one side of the US silver dollar and feature the words 'well done, good and faithful servant' on the other Arizona Rep. Abe Hamadeh described Kirk as an 'American treasure' The bill described Kirk as an 'American political and cultural activist who inspired a generation of young Americans to value and practice the core freedoms enshrined under the First Amendment.' Under the proposition, Kirk's face would appear on one side of the US silver dollar and feature the words 'well done, good and faithful servant' on the other. It would also be inscribed with the podcaster's full name, Charles James Kirk, and the year 2026. The coin's final design would be determined by the Treasury Secretary, a position currently held by Scott Bessent, as well as President Donald Trump and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. Kirk would join several influential historical figures including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, who appears notably on the $100 bill, Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill, former US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall and Susan B. Anthony. The bill joins many other efforts to memorialize the Right-wing influencer who was assassinated on September 10 in front of crowds of students and supporters at Utah Valley University while on his 'American Comeback' tour. Florida Sen. Rick Scott introduced a resolution that would honor Kirk on October 14, 2025 - which would have been Kirk's 32nd birthday. The day would be a National Day of Remembrance for Kirk, who's death was described by Scott as a 'devastating loss.' The coin's final design would be determined by the Treasury Secretary, a position currently held by Scott Bessent, as well as President Donald Trump Texas Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger said the minting of Kirk's face is 'a fitting honor that cements his extraordinary legacy alongside presidents and founding fathers who shaped our republic' Florida Sen. Rick Scott introduced a resolution that would honor Kirk on October 14, 2025 - which would have been Kirk's 32nd birthday - as a National Remembrance Day 'Charlie was a good man a devout husband, father, and friend. His life was shaped by his faith and the idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country. He believed in God, the American dream, the value of family, and the principles of our great nation,' the Florida senator added. The resolution was unanimously passed as a simple resolution, and not law. Scott's order 'encourages educational institutions, civic organizations, and citizens across the United States to observe [Oct. 14] with appropriate programs, activities, prayers, and ceremonies that promote civic, engagement and the principles of faith, liberty, and democracy that Charlie Kirk championed,' The Hill reported. In Florida, heated debates stirred over roadside markers that were proposed to honor Kirk. The Lake County Commission in Tavares unanimously backed the proposal from Commissioner Anthony Sabatini, but the proposal incurred a two-and-a-half hour debate. Most speakers were against the proposal and said such honoring should be reserved for people such as fallen LCSO Deputy Bradley Link. Sabatini, however, declared the suggestion as 'disgusting' and laid into the man who made the comment. 'How dare you use that deputy's name for your petty, bulls*** political argument, how dare you! How dare you,' Sabatini fumed. 'Disgusting. You're a disgusting person!' Florida Commissioner Anthony Sabatini supported roadside markers commemorating Kirk as locals pushed back against the proposal Republican representative, Anna Paulina Luna, a previous employer of Turning Point USA, wrote to Johnson and said: 'This is not a symbolic gesture, but a permanent testament to his life's work, his courage, and his sacrifice' Luna called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to erect a statue of Kirk in the US Capitol One resident, Mae Hazelton, condemned Sabatini for the outburst. 'To have a sitting county commissioner, Anthony Sabatini, talk to the audience that way, talk to the voters that way, was absolutely appalling,' Hazelton said. 'The county commissioners let us down. We were coming to give our voices so they could hear us, and they immediately attacked us, saying we were calling them racists and bigots. We never spoke that to them.' Another Republican representative, Anna Paulina Luna, called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to erect a statue of Kirk in the US Capitol. Luna, a previous employer of Turning Point USA, wrote to Johnson and said: 'This is not a symbolic gesture, but a permanent testament to his life's work, his courage, and his sacrifice.' 'It will stand as a reminder that political disagreement must never be answered with violence, and that the fight for truth must carry on,' Luna declared. She wrote online that the 'hateful rhetoric from the Left' created a 'toxic environment where one side finds it acceptable to stoke fear and violence to silence civil dissent.' Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has called for a renewed debate over immigration, housing, and Australia's national identity, declaring that many Australians feel like 'strangers in our own home'. In a post shared to social media on Wednesday, Hastie linked the housing crisis and declining fertility rates to what he described as 'unsustainable' levels of net overseas migration. 'Our allegiance is to the Australian people,' Hastie said. 'And making sure they have a roof over their heads. Like we did after World War Two. But many young Australians have lost hope of owning a home. And, if they can't build a home, it's very hard to start a family.' Australia's fertility rate has dropped to a historic low of 1.5 births per woman, Hastie noted, arguing that population growth is now driven primarily by migration. 'In 202324, the Net Overseas Migration rate was 446,000 people, the largest group being temporary students,' he said. 'In the last two years, we've added nearly a million extra people to our population.' Hastie blamed Labor's immigration policies for straining infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and housing. Andrew Hastie (pictured) linked the housing crisis and declining fertility rates to migration 'Australians are locked out of the housing market. Many are house poor, spending most of their income on rent or mortgages,' he said. 'Labor talk about a housing supply crisis, but this is a housing demand crisis, driven by unsustainable immigration. It's that simple.' The former SAS officer, who has expressed ambitions to lead the Liberal Party, warned that unless the party acts to reduce immigration, it risks political irrelevance. 'We must act. Net Overseas Migration must be taken down. If we don't act, we can expect anger and frustration. We might even die as a political movement.' Hastie's remarks drew swift condemnation from Independent MP Allegra Spender, who called for respectful debate. 'The cohesion of our society matters,' Spender said. 'Falsehoods or sly innuendo in this debate can damage the country that we all hold dear, the diverse and vibrant multicultural Australia we must all work together to maintain.' Spender, who represents the seat of Wentworth in Sydney's eastern suburbs, rejected Hastie's framing and drew a historical parallel to British MP Enoch Powell. One of the posts made by Hastie (pictured), saying Australians were 'strangers' in their home 'Yesterday Andrew Hastie used words that echoed those of English white nationalist Enoch Powell and his infamous "Rivers of Blood" speech,' she said. 'Powell told the 1968 Conservative Party conference that white British people found themselves "made strangers in their own country". 'Andrew Hastie repeated very similar words yesterday in relation to migration numbers when he said 'we're starting to feel like strangers in our own home. 'Is Hastie, who has said he wishes to lead the Liberal Party and the country, harking back to Enoch Powell because he is ignorant of history? Or is he using Powell's words deliberately? I don't know, but we must be very careful in this debate.' Spender also reflected on her upbringing with her mother, iconic Aussie fashion designer Carla Zampatti, who migrated from Italy to Australia in 1950. 'Australia is a nation where half the population was either born overseas or had at least one parent born overseas.' She cautioned against the normalisation of divisive rhetoric, citing the March for Australia rallies on August 31, where neo-Nazi group members delivered speeches and violent clashes erupted between demonstrators and counter-protesters in Melbourne. 'Already we've seen neo-Nazi organised anti-immigration rallies. Now disturbing echoes of the racist division of the past have crept into the political mainstream.' Spender (pictured) drew comparisons between Hastie and British politician Enoch Powell Hastie warned the Liberal Party may become politically irrelevant if it didn't act on migration 'Every time I go to a citizenship ceremony and there is a list of 30 or so countries that our new citizens are from, I feel more proud to be Australian, not less. We are a country which shows the world how people from many countries can live together in peace and harmony.' Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke also criticised Hastie on Wednesday. 'Modern Australia must be strange to a Liberal Party that stubbornly refuses to enter the 21st century,' Mr Burke said. He called for Hastie to present more details for an immigration plan, instead of just rhetoric. 'Net overseas migration is down more than 40 per cent. Mr Hastie's conviction is cosplay unless he can name the specific visa classes he wants to slash.' Hastie's comments follow those of Senator Jacinta Nampinjimpa Price, who also called for a reduction to Australia's migration numbers in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Brisbane last weekend. Andrew Hastie was contacted for comment. Australian travelers have been warned not to misbehave in Bali after a US tourist was deported for allegedly breaking her visa conditions and running a sexual wellness retreat. Intimacy expert Jennelle Gordon, 44, was attempting to fly to Jakarta when she was arrested at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on September 16. Gordon was accused of charging nearly $7,000 for a five-day course that she ran at a villa in Seminyak, despite authorities claiming that 'running commercial events' was 'strictly prohibited' under the terms of her visa. Bali is enduring a significant rise in immigration violations by foreign nationals, mainly visitors overstaying their visas or operating unlicensed businesses. Last month, the Immigration and Correctional Services Ministry formed a special task force to monitor unruly tourists, with Immigration Minister Agus Andrianto saying it would protect the safety of local communities. S.W. Black Travel managing director and chief travel adviser Shane Black told Daily Mail that some Australians were among the unruly visitors who clearly needed to educate themselves about Balinese culture because the locals were losing patience. 'What some people will forget is that there's a whole heap of cultural sensitivities for the Indonesians that we need to be aware of,' he said. 'The Balinese have been great with putting up with us for a number of years but I think their patience is running thin with what's going on and people who are completely disrespecting the Balinese way of life and their values. Jennelle Gordon was deported from the Indonesia after she was caught running a sexual wellness retreat in Bali Gordon was detained by immigration officers in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 16 'What we are seeing is that they're clamping down and we need to make sure we're aware of what can and can't be done in Bali.' The Sydney-based travel specialist said those who did not heed the warning could find themselves in more trouble than they realise. 'We've seen the pitfalls of not respecting the culture. You can get deported,' Mr Black said. 'The reality is if you do get into strife, you are going to have a really bad time.' Just last month, the Immigration and Correctional Services Ministry formed a task force to monitor unruly tourists in Bali after growing reports of immigration violations and criminal activity involving foreigners. 'The Balinese are lovely people but when you're in trouble, you're in trouble,' he said. 'You can get involved in a system for years and years which isn't forgiving to people that do the wrong thing,' he said. The mother planned a paid 'Intimacy Mastery Retreat' which violated her stay permit, according to authorities Gordon said she wasn't in Indonesia to teach a sex class Gordon was accused of running the 'Intimacy Mastery Retreat', providing private classes on practices and techniques related to intimate relationships, emotional closeness and sexual activities. Authorities launched an investigation after locals reported 'suspicious activities' at the villa she had been renting. Officers alleged that they had found sex toys. Gordon had arrived on the Indonesian island on September 4, using a Visa on Arrival (VoA), which was valid until October 4. 'Hosting commercial events is strictly prohibited under this visa category,' Ngurah Rai Immigration Office head Winarko said. 'Every foreign national in Indonesia is required to comply with immigration regulations and respect the country's legal norms. We will take firm action against anyone who abuses their stay permit in Indonesia,' Winarko said. Gordon has denied the claims made against her and insisted she was only in Indonesia for a holiday. The 44-year-old told Daily Mail she had fallen victim to a 'witch hunt'. Gordon was outraged after being arrested claiming all she was doing was pumping cash into the local economy by hiring the villa Footage from inside Gordon's retreat in a Bali villa Gordon explained that she wasn't in Indonesia to teach a class to begin with - she said she was celebrating her birthday on September 9, and it was her business partner's book release. She repeatedly claimed that no business was conducted in the country, that any money she received was used to host the event. The expert said that there were only eight people, including her and her partner, staying at the villa and that it was a completely spiritual gathering. The single mother said she was outraged to be arrested after pumping cash into the local economy by hiring the villa - then performers and a priest to put on a party. Gordon said she didn't make any profit from the event. Parents ordered to cough up $2,200 for their preschoolers' artwork portfolio will not be charged for them after authorities intervened. But the future of Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool in Brisbane's north remains in limbo after the cash-strapped facility was recently plunged into voluntary administration and subsequently closed. Records show the preschool for children aged 3-5, owed debts of $46,000 in the last financial year. The centre's volunteer management committee emailed parents demanding $2,200 for their children's end of year portfolios to help pay off its mounting debt owed to staff and keep the preschool afloat. The one-man committee later claimed that the portfolios were 'intellectual property' of the centre. The bizarre request sparked outrage from parents, which escalated when police launched an investigation into the 'stealing' of portfolios from the centre. The saga prompted C&K, the company affiliated with Craigslea Kindergarten to intervene to end the hostile stand-off. 'These important records are now available for families to collect free of charge,' a spokesperson told Nine News. Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool (pictured) was recently plunged into voluntary administration and closed due to mounting debts Brooke Dolan (pictured) was ordered to cough up $2,200 for her five-year-old son's artworks The kindergarten was run by an independent committee. However, C&K is now working closely with relevant departments in the hope of re-opening for term four. Under national regulations, parents can request certain documentation regarding their child at no cost, including artwork. In the meantime, parents can collect their children's artwork portfolios from C&K's Kedron office. C&K is yet to respond to Daily Mail's requests for comment. A Queensland Department of Education spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail that parents don't need to pay. 'The approved provider must make the documentation available on request,' they said. Brooke Dolan was among a group of parents who took back control by confronting the committee and took their children's artwork from the centre. 'We signed consent forms at the start of the year that say the portfolios belong to us and that parents have a right to manage their kids' sensitive information,' she told A Current Affair. One father told the program: 'It's been really stressful. Everyone has been really anxious. 'We're all trying to do our day jobs, look after our children and then strategise on what we can do to change the situation here. Parents have been assured that they can have children's artwork portfolios free of charge It's been a full-time job trying to get some action.' Queensland Premier David Crisafulli weighed in the saga earlier this week by slamming the committee's demands as 'pretty un-Australian' and desperate. 'I think it's emotional blackmail,' he told the Today Show. 'It's been a long time since I've been in that position. I never saw any Picassos come home, that's for sure. But they mean something to you. It's special. It's an achievement.' 'I just think it's wrong on so many levels. There are better things to be worried about at the moment. Let's give the kids their finger painting and let's get on with life.' Pete Buttigieg has been forced to respond to Tucker Carlson's wild allegation that he was posing as a 'fake gay' man in a duplicitous plot to help his political career. The one-time presidential hopeful has been happily married to his husband Chasten since 2018, and the pair are parents to four-year-old twins Penelope and Joseph. But that hasn't stopped rumors - most recently perpetuated by podcast host Carlson - that Buttigieg is a straight man who lied about his sexuality to run for president. Speaking to Kara Swisher for her podcast, Buttigieg laughed off the absurd allegation, noting: 'I suppose it's a sign of progress that their idea of a conspiracy is that I'm actually secretly straight.' Swisher addressed the rumors after Buttigieg said he wasn't familiar a meme she said was widely known within the gay community, joking she was 'starting to agree with Tucker Carlson on this fake gay thing.' 'Chasten, my husband, has threatened to have my gay card revoked so many times. This is just going to be the latest,' Buttigieg replied. Carlson bizarrely said he wanted to grill the former US Secretary of Transportation with 'very specific questions about gay sex' in a September 3 episode of his podcast. 'My gay producer was always like "he's not gay." He was with a girl like 20 minutes ago and like he wants to be the Democratic nominee, it's like "Time for a gay guy!" Carlson said. Pete Buttigieg has been forced to respond to Tucker Carlson 's wild allegation that he is a 'fake gay' man The one-time presidential hopeful has been happily married to his husband Chasten since 2018, and the pair are parents to four-year-old twins Penelope and Joseph But Buttigieg said he could think of little worse than discussing intimate details of his life with Carlson. He said he wouldn't want to 'discuss anything with Tucker Carlson', before adding: 'I cannot think of a topic I would like to discuss less with Tucker Carlson than that.' 'Even though I will admit some level of morbid curiosity on what in the hell he thinks,' he said, before changing his mind. 'Actually, no,' he added. Buttigieg's comments come just days after it emerged that he was Kamala Harris' first pick as running mate in the 2024 presidential election, but she went in a different direction because of the optics of his sexuality paired with her gender and race. He 'would have been an ideal partner if I were a straight white man, Harris wrote in a portion of her memoir of the presidential race. 'Chasten, my husband, has threatened to have my gay card revoked so many times. This is just going to be the latest,' Buttigieg joked Buttigieg's comments come just days after it emerged that he was Kamala Harris' first pick as running mate in the 2024 presidential election, but she went with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz because of the optics of his sexuality paired with her gender and race The former vice president claims that picking a gay man would have been asking a lot of America at the time. But we were already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man,' she said. Part of me wanted to say, Screw it, lets just do it. But knowing what was at stake, it was too big of a risk, she wrote. And I think Pete also knew that to our mutual sadness. Harris instead chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential nominee. The pair would go on to lose every single battleground state to Trump and JD Vance. A university student has been left with horrific burns after a portable phone charger exploded beside him in the middle of the night. Ollie Anderson, 21, was jolted awake when the device erupted into flames inside his accommodation in Armadale, in regional New South Wales. 'I looked down and the whole side of my body was engulfed in flames, it was shooting flames all over me,' Mr Anderson told 2GB radio. 'I thought the whole place was going to go up.' Mr Anderson had borrowed the charger from a friend and left it plugged in overnight. He only noticed the extent of his burns five minutes after he ran to safety. 'I didn't realise I'd burnt my arms until way after, when someone actually told me. I guess it was shock and adrenaline,' he said. 'They said, "Mate, your arm's kinda torched".' Mr Anderson was rushed to hospital with burns from his shoulder to his wrist. Ollie Anderson, 21, was burned up and down his right arm after the charger blew up Anderson said his arm was engulfed in flames moments after the charger exploded He now requires treatment every two days and says the pain is so intense he couldn't even pour water over the wounds. The charger was purchased by a family friend from the Australian company Zip Zap. The friend reached out to the technology company and discovered it had issued a product recall back in 2024, a warning he never saw. Mr Anderson fears many others may still be unknowingly using the device. 'Makes you wonder how many other people didn't see it, and how many others it could happen to,' he said. Zip Zap said they alerted affected customers via email and text last July, September, October and November. 'Your safety and satisfaction are our top priorities. We're informing you of a voluntary recall of our Zap Pad product, specifically for orders placed between 15th October 2023 and 27th December 2023,' the recall stated. Mr Anderson said it had 'made life pretty hard' and limited mobility in his right arm. A charger sold by Aussie company Zip Zap which is currently advertised on their site The 21-year-old hopes to receive compensation and plans to contact Zip Zap after he's finished his university exams. He also urged others to rethink their charging habits. 'I don't even charge my phone at night now,' he said. Zip Zap founder and chief executive Bailey Page told the Daily Mail that customer safety was 'of the utmost importance to Zip Zap Chargers'. 'To ensure customers were given every opportunity to return a potentially defective product, we made contact five separate times via the email address and mobile number we require customers to provide at the time of purchase,' he said. 'We continue to pride ourselves on safety, transparency, and the highest levels of quality and regulatory compliance, and we remain committed to delivering safe, innovative products to our valued customers.' According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, there have been 17 power bank recalls since 2020, nine of them in the past two years. The mysterious Chinese heiress accused of causing catastrophic injuries to a chauffeur by crashing her $1.5million Rolls-Royce into his Mercedes van has been hit with yet another criminal charge. When camera-shy LanLan Yang first faced court last month she was charged with causing bodily harm by misconduct and refusing or failing to submit to a breath test. Four days later she was charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm - an offence which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in jail - and not giving particulars to police. On Tuesday, the 23-year-old was notified that police were now accusing her of a fifth offence over the collision in Sydney's east: negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm. Yang was allegedly behind the wheel of her Tiffany blue Rolls-Royce Cullinan in the early hours of July 26 at Rose Bay when she smashed into a Mercedes van driven by chauffeur George Plassaras. Plassaras, who regularly ferried radio king Kyle Sandilands around town, was taken to hospital with serious injuries including multiple fractures to his hips, legs and spine. The Daily Mail revealed last week that 52-year-old Mr Plassaras might never work again and was being treated at a rehab facility in the eastern suburbs. Yang, who is on bail and lives at Watson's Bay in the city's east, has gone viral in Australia and China over her extraordinary designer wardrobe and apparently enormous wealth. Mysterious Chinese heiress LanLan Yang, who is accused of causing catastrophic injuries to a chauffeur by crashing her $1.5million Rolls-Royce into his Mercedes van, has been hit with yet another criminal charge LanLan Yang (left) was allegedly behind the wheel of her Tiffany blue Rolls-Royce Cullinan in the early hours of July 26 at Rose Bay when she smashed into chauffeur George Plassaras Her mystique grew after the Daily Mail revealed she kept a second Rolls-Royce in the car park of her luxury apartment. Scores of curious spectators queued up at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court to see Yang when her case was first mentioned on August 15. But the defendant disappointed her huge new fan base by being a no-show in person and appearing by video link from her lawyer's office. Masses of observers filled the courtroom and spilled into the foyer as Yang appeared briefly on screen wearing a chic designer bucket hat and tailored suit. Her lawyer, Zile Yu, said Yang was not in a position to enter pleas because 'the police have indicated there will be additional charges'. Court records show two additional charges were added on August 19 and another on September 23. Yang's case has sparked particular interest among Chinese Australians who are fascinated by her background. One onlooker at her first court appearance told the Daily Mail: 'It's very rare to see, or have the opportunity to see, someone in person who is ultra wealthy and has power.' Yang, who is on bail and lives at Watson's Bay in the city's east, has gone viral in Australia and China over her extraordinary designer wardrobe and apparently enormous wealth Yang's fame and mystique grew after the Daily Mail revealed she kept a second Rolls-Royce in the car park of her luxury apartment (above) 'You don't see 23-year-olds who can drive two Rolls-Royces.' Speculation about Yang has also taken off in China, where she has become the subject of wildly inaccurate claims on platforms Douyin and Weibo, plus in mainstream Chinese media reports. Fevered social media speculation suggested Yang used the English name 'Wendy' and that she was a former University of NSW student whose fortune stemmed from the iron ore trade. There are few public records linking Yang to Australia and she has not been forthcoming about the source of her wealth, or why she is living here, despite approaches by media. Yang's apartment, which boasts spectacular views across the harbour, is registered in the name of a shell company not controlled by her or any relative. The Daily Mail shut down another line of inquiry this week, with the owners of a car parts company in South Hurstville registered to a 'Lan Lan Yang' revealing the heiress has no link to the business. 'No, no, no,' said a daughter of the other Ms Yang when asked if there was any family connection. 'She's not the one. I'd be rich if she was. 'We've seen the news. It's a complete coincidence. They have the same name and people have been asking.' The crash (above) left Mr Plassaras with a broken spine, two broken hips, two broken femurs, a torn-open abdomen, a ruptured spleen and other life-changing injuries Plassaras (above) was taken to hospital and might never work again, while Yang was charged by police and granted bail under conditions including that she surrender her passport The crash left Mr Plassaras with a broken spine, two broken hips, two broken femurs, a torn-open abdomen, a ruptured spleen and other life-changing injuries. CCTV footage of the collision appeared to show Yang's vehicle veering into oncoming traffic before the head-on impact. A fellow hire car driver who has been in contact with Mr Plassaras told the Daily Mail: 'He's never going to be able to work again.' Another industry figure who has spoken to Mr Plassaras confirmed his employment prospects appeared bleak. 'He has lost his livelihood,' they said. 'His whole world has changed completely and he's on his own. He's got no one. 'He said, "I don't think I'll ever be able to work again". And if he does, he says it would not be for a very long time.' While Mr Plassaras continues his slow road to some sort of recovery, Yang has made no statement about the crash or publicly expressed concern for his welfare. Daily Mail has been told by associates of Mr Plassaras they are unaware of Yang making any attempt to contact him. Yang's bail conditions ban her from driving, require her to remain in her penthouse between 8pm and 6am, and to report to police three times a week. She has been spotted being chauffeur-driven around town and was recently photographed having a long lunch with a friend at a harbourside restaurant. Yang is due back in court on Friday. A British tourist is feared drowned after he was swept away at a beach in Bali. Harrison Edward Nada Kontounas, 23, was swimming with two friends when a strong current dragged him away at Legian Beach on Wednesday afternoon. Daily Mail understands red flags, which indicate a section where entering the water is prohibited due to dangerous conditions such as riptides, were put up after Kontounas disappeared. His friends made it back to shore, but Mr Kontounas did not as he battled against wind speeds of 30km/h. 'We urge you to be careful when engaging in outdoor activities, including beach tourism,' the Head of the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office (Basarnas), I Nyoman Sidakarya said on Wednesday night local time. 'We received a report at 18.40 WITA, that a foreigner had drowned from Mr Ipel, Balawiata Kuta, then five personnel were dispatched to the location. 'Our initial step is to coordinate with witnesses and other SAR elements. If he is not found tomorrow morning (today), we can determine our next action plan. Authorities searched the land along the coastline for Kontounas, but conditions did not allow for deployment of search and rescue equipment in the water. Harrison Edward Nada Kontounas, 23, was swimming with two friends at a Bali beach on Wednesday when a strong current dragged him away Rough conditions did not allow for search and rescue equipment to enter in the water on Wednesday evening A friend of Kontounas posted a message on a Facebook group for Australians travelling to Bali, asking for help finding him: 'Close friend was swept out to sea by a riptide today from Kuta beach at 5pm local time. He has not been found.' Kuta Beach is next to Legian Beach. There were many social media posts warning of how dangerous the beaches in that area can be. 'Even swimming between the lifesaver flags you will get rips. Kuta just isn't safe for swimmers,' one person wrote. Another said: 'According to the locals it's not just the rip dragging you along, it's also the very strong undertow and whirlpool that can pull you under.' Witness Abbey Maree wrote: 'It was a heartbreaking afternoon on the beach watching lifeguards searching for hours to find him.' 'The water was so rough at the time. I was hoping they'd bring in a few more jet skis or boats to search, perhaps a helicopter, but sadly they just don't operate like we do back home. 'My heart bleeds for his friends and family and everyone else on the beach helping to find him.' South Park has returned to air with a brutal new episode sledging the under siege boss of the Federal Communications Commission. Brendan Carr has faced backlash from liberals and conservative free speech champions for his rebuke of Jimmy Kimmel which led his late night talk show to be pulled off air for a week. Kimmel enjoyed a triumphant return last night and wasted no time in warning Carr's actions were 'not legal' and 'un-American' after the chairman threatened to go after late night comics. Now, he's found himself at the center of more mockery in the fifth episode of South Park's latest season, titled 'Conflict of Interest.' In the episode, Kyle is upset after he learns his classmates have been using the prediction markets app Kalshi to place bets on whether his mother will bomb a hospital in Gaza. He calls the app's strategic advisor - Donald Trump Jr. - and demands he call the FCC as they're the body 'dealing with all the offensive stuff now.' Carr's character is introduced at the White House, where President Donald Trump is desperately trying to abort a child he is having with Satan. During the series of unfortunate events, Carr falls victim to Trump's traps, tumbling down greasy stairs and contracting toxoplasmosis from cat feces. South Park has returned to air with a brutal new episode sledging the under siege boss of the Federal Communications Commission Brendan Carr has faced immense backlash from liberals and conservative free speech champions for his rebuke of Jimmy Kimmel which led his late night talk show to be pulled off air for a week The toxoplasmosis lands Carr in the hospital, during which the doctor warns: 'If the toxoplasmosis parasite gets to his brain, I'm afraid he may lose his freedom of speech.' A character depicting JD Vance has a tense exchange with Carr, noting 'we can do this the easy way, or the hard way' - the exact phrase the real-life Carr told the ABC when he was putting pressure on the network over Jimmy Kimmel. South Park's mockery of Carr comes on the back of Kimmel's public dressing down, during which he branded Carr's threat against Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers as not only 'a direct violation of the first amendment' but also 'not a particularly intelligent threat.' 'Brendan Carr is the most embarrassing car Republicans have embraced since this one,' Kimmel cracked, before showing a photo of a Trump-branded Tesla. The episode was due to be released on September 17, but was delayed at the last minute. Co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone took full responsibility, claiming they failed to meet their deadline. Carr's character is introduced at the White House, where President Donald Trump is desperately trying to abort a child he is having with Satan Kimmel enjoyed a triumphant return last night and wasted no time in warning Carr's actions were 'not legal' and 'un-American' after the chairman threatened to go after late night comics The toxoplasmosis lands Carr in the hospital, during which the doctor warns: 'I'm afraid he may lose his freedom of speech.' 'Apparently when you do everything at the last minute sometimes you don't get it done,' they said in a post to X. 'This one's on us. We didn't get it done in time. Thanks to Comedy Central and South Park fans for being so understanding. Tune in next week!' But it came just days after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a college campus debate weeks after making his South Park debut. Comedy Central ultimately decided to pull a rerun of the episode. Kirk himself had described the episode as 'hilarious.' Drones were spotted flying over four airports in Denmark overnight sparking fresh fears that Putin may be testing NATO defences. Several unmanned aircraft were spotted at Denmark's airports in Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg and at the Skrydstrup air base before leaving on their own, police said. Aalborg airport, located in northern Denmark and one of the country's biggest after Copenhagen, was shut down before reopening several hours later. All arriving and departing aircrafts were halted on Wednesday night, with inbound flights diverted to other airports. Police were unable to shoot down the drones at Aalborg airport, 'which flew over a very large area over a couple of hours', North Jutland chief police inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said. The country is now considering whether to trigger NATO's Article 4, which initiates an urgent consultation among member states. 'We have reached out to NATO this morning and will also reach out to the EU,' said Deputy Prime Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. An investigation is underway with the Danish intelligence service and the armed forces to 'clarify the circumstances', while the drone operators are yet to be apprehended, police said. The purpose of the drones remain unclear and it is unknown who was controlling them, they added. The latest incidents in Danish skies follow similar events in Poland and Romania and the violation by Russian fighter jets of Estonia's airspace, which have raised tensions in light of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Donald Trump has urged NATO countries to shoot down intruding Russian planes, while foreign secretary Yvette Cooper described the incidents as 'provocative and reckless' and warned the UK was 'ready to act'. A light moves in the sky over Aalborg, amid reports of drone sightings that led to the airport being closed for several hours on Thursday South Jutland police said they had 'received several reports of drone activity at the airports in Esbjerg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup', late Wednesday evening. The Esbjerg and Sonderborg airports were not closed because no flights were scheduled there until Thursday morning. Police there said the drones 'flew with lights and were observed from the ground, but it has not yet been clarified what type of drones they are... or what the motive is.' The probe comes days after police said several large drones flew over Copenhagen airport, shutting the facility for hours. Danish police this week hinted that Russia may have been behind the incident, which disrupted around 100 flights and left 20,000 passengers stranded. Police inspector Jens Jespersen suggested the incident had all the signs of a sophisticated operation. He said: 'The number, size, flight patterns, time over the airport. All this together indicates that it is a capable actor. Which capable actor, I do not know.' Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it 'the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date', adding Russian involvement could not be ruled out. Police officers previously seen at Copenhagen Airport after all flights were diverted due to drone sightings Your browser does not support iframes. In further hints that they believe Vladimir Putin was behind the previously spotted drones, authorities said the perpetrator was seeking to demonstrate certain abilities. In a social media post, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky referred to 'Russia's violation' of NATO airspace in Copenhagen. However, he did not indicate the source of his claim. Meanwhile, Danish intelligence previously said the country is facing a 'high threat of sabotage' after the incident. 'We are facing a high threat of sabotage in Denmark. Someone may not necessarily want to attack us, but rather stress us out and see how we react,' Flemming Drejer, Director of Operations at Denmark's intelligence service PET, told a press conference this week. Sharing further details, Jespersen said that the drones had appeared from several different directions, turning their lights on and off before finally disappearing after several hours. Police are examining multiple theories about where the drones came from, including the possibility that they were launched from ships. Denmark's main airport sits close to a busy shipping lane used by vessels entering and leaving the Baltic Sea. On Tuesday, Russia broke its silence to deny any involvement. Flights at Copenhagen were either diverted or grounded for hours on Monday evening after multiple large drones were seen above the runways. At least 35 flights were ordered to other sites, including Malmo and Gothenburg, Sweden, and Billund, Aalborg, and Aarhus, Denmark. Authorities in Denmark diverted 31 flights to other airports, causing ripple effects that delayed or cancelled around 100 flights and affected some 20,000 passengers, a spokesperson told reporters. The airport finally reopened in the early hours of Tuesday. Later in the evening, Oslo Airport in Norway was also forced to close and divert its planes after drones were spotted in the vicinity. Two people were also arrested in the Norwegian capital after drones were seen at a military site. Norwegian police detained two Singaporean citizens who were operating a drone over Akershus Fortress, which houses the headquarters of the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence, according to the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK. Disgraced property developer Salim Mehajer has been spotted out and about in Sydney driving a flash Tesla while sporting thousands of dollars worth of designer wear. Bankrupt Mehajer was seen at the wheel of a Tesla Model 3 as he ran errands around the Harbour City on Thursday, wearing a $12,400 Hublot watch and $855 Louis Vuitton sunglasses. Tesla Model 3s start at $54,900 for the base model and go up to more than $80,000 for the top-of-the-range Performance model. The ex-Auburn deputy mayor pulled up next to a cafe and ordered a coffee before taking a phone call in the street while he waited for his beverage. Once his order was ready, he collected his drink, returned to the luxury vehicle, then drove away. The sighting comes just days after Mehajer made a fleeting return to social media after his release from prison, only to mysteriously delete his video hours later. The convicted fraudster and domestic violence offender, who has kept a low profile since his release after five years in jail, briefly posted on Instagram to pose a question to his 129,000 followers. In the clip, Mehajer could be seen behind the wheel of a Tesla Model 3, sporting the same Louis Vuitton sunglasses he was wearing on Thursday. Salim Mehajer has been spotted out in Sydney behind the wheel of a Tesla Model 3 The disgraced businessman was seen ordering coffee from a cafe then taking a call on his phone He was also seen wearing $855 Louis Vuitton sunglasses and a $12,000 Hublot watch 'So quick question guys,' the 39-year-old asked his 129,000 followers, glancing at the traffic as he drove down the street. 'Should I be offended if someone said, "You look like an Uber driver driving that Tesla"? 'Let me know.' Let's Get Down to Business by Dutch DJ Tiesto could be heard playing in the background. Mehajer also added on-screen text: 'I don't post videos often but when it's serious business (like this one) I must,' finishing it off with a crying emoji. The bizarre post disappeared shortly after with no further explanation. Mehajer was walked out of prison on July 18 following a five-year stint behind bars. He had been in prison since November 2020, when he was jailed for lying to a court, and has served back-to-back sentences for a string of other offences, including domestic violence against an ex-partner. Mehajer looked tanned and relaxed as he cruised around The bizarre post disappeared shortly after with no further explanation. Above, Mehajer is seen after his release from prison with a new manbun Immediately after his release, Mehajer went straight to Westfield Parramatta shopping centre to get a new driver's licence at the local Service NSW. He then headed to a cosmetic dentist in Hornsby in Sydney's north, where he spent an hour getting his teeth fixed. The NSW State Parole Authority ruled that Mehajer had completed all available programs in prison and his rehabilitation would be better served in the community, under supervision. As part of his strict parole conditions, Mehajer must undergo drug and alcohol testing, participate in domestic violence programs if directed, and not communicate with any outlaw motorcycle gang bikies or associates. He is also banned from contacting his domestic violence victim and travelling to the NSW Central Coast. While in jail, Mehajer launched a desperate attempt to have his bankruptcy discharged amid a slew of legal fights but the Inspector-General in Bankruptcy rejected his appeal and he remains bankrupt until May 2026. Under the terms of his bankruptcy he is not allowed to own a car worth more than $9,600 after taking into consideration any loan owed against it, with strict restrictions on him being able to borrow money. It's not clear which model of Tesla 3 (out of the three tiers; base, mid, or performance) that he is driving or if it is his own personal vehicle. Disgraced property developer Salim Mehajer has made a fleeting return to social media He posted a cryptic post hours after being released from jail in July Mehajer (right) rose to prominence for his 2015 wedding reported to have cost $1million The Daily Mail is not suggesting he has breached his bankruptcy requirements, just that he has posted footage of himself in a Tesla and admitted to driving one while bankrupt, in a clip which was later deleted before he was seen driving one on Thursday. His last post to social media was in 2018 which was a selfie wearing a cap and matching backpack but had no caption. However he reappeared on Instagram stories within hours of his release from jail. 'I am forever grateful,' he shared in a post at the time, wearing the same designer sunglasses as in his deleted post from Tuesday. 'I am fully committed to fulfilling the expectations placed before me. 'Additionally, I express my sincere appreciation for the unwavering support of my family and friends, as well as the dedication of my legal representative, who has consistently stood by me throughout this journey.' Mehajer rose to prominence following his elaborate western Sydney wedding, to Aysha Learmonth in 2015, which reportedly cost $1million. The ceremony began with the groom arriving via helicopter and featured a motorcade of luxury vehicles and doves. The wedding stirred controversy after the event closed a street in Lidcombe and Mehajer sent fake flyers to neighbours warning them their cars would be towed if they got in the way. But despite leaving the local council and police furious, Mehajer remained unapologetic about the chaos he caused, instead telling the media he wanted to be the next 'superstar.' A teenage girl gang who threatened to kill a shopkeeper and allegedly hurled racist abuse at other business owners have refused to show any remorse for their vile behaviour. In August, the Daily Mail exclusively revealed how the gang had turned the once-thriving Shirley high street in Southampton into a 'warzone' - with their 14-year-old ringleader boasting she is 'untouchable' because police refuse to step in. Victims told how they have been called 'Black c***' and 'Black stupid f***** b**ch', with some told to 'go back to your country' by the feral teens who threw knives inside shops, daubed cartoon penises on walls and pelted eggs at stunned passers-by. One of the worst-hit traders is Muhammad Usman, who runs Phone Hub, a mobile and electronics shop. He told how the gang had stolen vape kits and accessories, hurled knives inside the store, and accused him of being a paedophile when he tried to film the damage. Shocking video footage obtained by the Daily Mail showed the ringleader giggling with her friends, threatening to 'shank' Mohammad and continuously mocking his accent. Mr Usman was almost brought to tears after enduring months of physical and mental abuse at the hands of brazen teenagers who tried to bully him into silence by claiming 'the police are never going to help you'. Pictured: One of the thieving teenagers taking an item from Subway. The pack of girls have been accused of attempting to steal from the shop on several occasions Muhammad Usman, who owns the Phone Hub in Shirley, had endured months of physical and mental abuse from the gang of teen yobs Pictured: A smashed door to a Subway shop on Shirley High Street that cost the branch 1000 to repair 'It's getting worse, day by day,' Mr Usman told the BBC. 'I have never had this kind of experience in my life before. We're feeling so helpless.' Mr Usman claims police officers are either unwilling or lack the power to do anything about the gang, who now think they are 'above the law'. The girls themselves have 'no sympathy' for those they torment and refuse to apologise for their behaviour, which they justify as a way of taking their anger out. One 14-year-old admitted threatening people and hitting people, saying that being in trouble with the police gives her an 'adrenaline boost'. 'I'm not claiming to be innocent because I'm not. I've threatened people and I've hit people, I'll admit to that,' she told a reporter. 'I regret what I do, but I don't say sorry.' But the girl, who admitted drinking and also vapes, denied hurling any racist abuse. 'I tell you now I ain't been racist. I'm not a racist girl. I've literally beaten another girl up for being racist,' she said. Another girl also chimed in, saying she knows what they are doing is wrong but 'we're teenage kids, we're going to have a bit of fun.' 'I'm sorry for most of the people we have damaged, but I have no sympathy it's just one way of taking my anger out,' she added. It seems they haven't fully comprehended the impact that their reckless behaviour is having on their victims. 'Every time I hear someone shouting I flinch,' Mr Usman told the Daily Mail. 'I feel depressed. I don't feel safe at home or walking down the street. I complain to the police all the time but they say it's not an emergency.' On other occasions, footage shows girls drunkenly slurring obscenities at shop keepers, snatching cookies from behind the counter at Subway and even shattering the glass door with a singular kick. Nnenna Okonkwo opened her independent food store on one of Southampton's busiest high streets a year ago, hoping to welcome new customers and provide products that the community would not have been able to find elsewhere. Instead, the mob show up at Sunnyday International Foods to harass her everyday. Pictured: One of the teens flipping off the manager of Phone Hub, which is owned by Muhammad One of the girls is seen speaking to BBC reporter, during which she admitted threatening people and hitting people Nnenna explained that their vendetta against her started in May when she defended an elderly lady after her trolley was snatched by the girls. In retaliation, the gang smashed Nnenna's windows and ensure customers are too scared to enter the store. 'I'm always anxious, worried and looking over my shoulder,' she quivered. 'My anxiety level is way off and my blood pressure is higher than normal.' 'The most surprising thing is it's not boys. It's the main girl that has been harassing me and my customers. When I'm not in the store she asks my assistant where I am, when she spots me all hell breaks loose. The group also target retailers after work - following them as they walk home and waiting at their bus stops. The disorder has got worse since the school holidays started as parents turn a blind eye while their kids saunter around town stealing, explained Nanni Sheaik the manager of Subway. The girls have repeatedly broken the drink dispenser and cookie cabinet, ignoring the shields that Nanni was forced to install as a precaution. He told the Daily Mail: 'It's hard to work here, the girl is crazy. Because of her we have to lock the doors to the shop. They think they're playing a game but they're ruining our lives.' Nnenna Okonkwo (pictured) had the windows to her food store smashed by the gang, causing thousands of pounds of damage Nanni Sheaik (pictured) the manager of Subway, was forced to install shields at the store to prevent the girls from stealing items Sunny Khaira, the owner of Subway claimed the police are hiding behind public nuisance as an excuse. 'It's like a warzone,' he said. Resident Tony Weafer also believes the police don't care about protecting the community. He said: 'I spoke to the kids and they said the police can't touch us.' Tony believes the responsibility for the kids' behaviour is down to their parents. Meanwhile, shopkeeper Andrea Balmer thinks the police are making excuses for the ringleader because she has a hard home life while others claim the age of the group has made them 'invincible'. Agather Okoye, who works at Sunnyday International Foods said nothing can excuse the groups behaviour. She told the Daily Mail: 'I'm always afraid of what's going to happen next, it's not an easy job. 'They call me a black b**ch. 'Because of them I'm afraid to be alone.' Agather Okoye, who works at Sunnyday International Foods (pictured) said nothing can excuse the groups behaviour Hampshire's police and crime commissioner (PCC) Donna Jones believes police need to change tact when dealing with 'I think the response from the police, to be absolutely honest with you, has been to take a slightly slower approach but some of these young people are committing some really horrible, nasty offences,' she told the BBC. Ms Jones added there needs to be a change in legislation to make parents more accountable for the actions of their children. Labour announced last year that it is drawing up new laws to create 'respect orders' plus enhanced police powers to confiscate nuisance vehicles, including e-scooters and e-bikes ridden dangerously on the pavement. Yobs will be handed the new type of order by a civil court and breaches could lead to immediate arrest and a jail sentence. However, respect orders will be less wide-ranging than their predecessor - anti-social behaviour orders - which were introduced by Tony Blair's government in 1998 and scrapped by the Coalition government in 2014. Asbos applied to anyone over the age of 10 and carried up to five years' imprisonment, but Labour's new measure will only be imposed on adults and carry a maximum two-year term. 'Respect orders will give police and councils the powers they need to crack down on repeated anti-social behaviour, keeping our communities safe and ensuring repeat offenders face the consequences of their actions,' former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said last year. In August Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary charged a 14-year-old girl from Southampton with two counts of assault, one of criminal damage, one of arson and one of breaching a section 35 dispersal order. She was due to appear at Southampton Youth Court on September 1, while the force said it was also liaising with the CPS about further alleged offences. The force's Assistant Chief Constable Robert France said: 'We recognise the significant impact that anti-social behaviour can have on victims and why this is a huge concern for many of our communities. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is committed to tackling ASB in its different forms with partner agencies where appropriate. Our officers use a range of powers, from community resolutions and arrest to targeted patrols and dispersal orders to prevent ASB and secure justice for victims. 'We have benefitted from investment that has resulted in the introduction of 99 local bobbies whose role as part of their community engagement is to be a named point of contact for their neighbourhood and to be highly visible within that community. They play a key part in our response to tackling ASB and we are seeking to increase this number across the force to 114 in the near future. 'Throughout the summer Neighbourhood Policing Teams have been problem solving and addressing community concerns in key locations across the force area as part of the Safer Streets Initiative introduced by the government as part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This has resulted in 4,431 patrols between police and partners, including 10,000 hours of foot patrols. Since January in these locations 1,765 outcomes arrests and out-of-court resolutions have been secured. 'Over the past 12 months we have sought to target those causing the most misery in our communities. We have served 259 Community Protection Notices/Warnings and obtained 51 Criminal Behaviour Orders in court. We have also investigated 216 incidents of Community Protection Notice breaches and 174 incidents of Community Behaviour Order breaches. 'We also recognise the debilitating impact of shoplifting on both businesses and the employees that work there. We have been working with UKPAC (an organisation supporting businesses to tackle shoplifting) and over the last 12 months this has helped us to bring 33.2% of offenders in shoplifting cases force-wide to justice. 'I want to make it clear to those seeking to commit acts of ASB or crime and disorder. Our Force will dedicate itself to relentlessly pursuing you and will prevent you from causing misery to the communities that we are proud to serve.' District Commander for Portsmouth, Superintendent Paul Markham added: 'As with any city nationally, anti-social behaviour impacts our communities and we work with our partners to tackle this issue.. 'We take every report of ASB, shoplifting and wider retail crime seriously and are very keen to encourage our communities to report this to us. 'Reporting is vital as it allows us to build a picture of what is happening in our City and how we can best respond to this. 'We do not believe that there is such a thing as "low level crime" every crime has an impact on the victim and we strive to put victims first in our response. 'Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary works in partnership with Portsmouth City Council to tackle repeat offenders and find long term solutions to reducing ASB.' A hunt has been launched for thieves who raided a car park overnight and stole 17 vehicles from cruise passengers. Police in Hampshire are investigating after victims returned from their dream holidays to discover their car stolen on the morning of Wednesday, September 10. The thefts took place at a special parking facility in Southampton, Hampshire with investigators saying they 'don't underestimate the significant impact the incident has had'. A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said last night: 'We are appealing for witnesses following the theft of 17 vehicles from a cruise parking facility in Southampton. 'The incident occurred between the evening of September 9 and the early hours of September 10. 'Officers were called at approximately 7:40am on Wednesday September 10 to reports of a suspected break-in at Southampton Cruise Parking Services on First Avenue. 'Upon arrival, it was discovered that 17 cars had been stolen. 'The investigation team is working closely with the company operating the site, as well as local partners, to secure all available evidence.' The thefts took place at a special parking facility in Southampton, Hampshire (pictured) where 17 cars were stolen Police say officers were called at approximately 7:40am on Wednesday September 10 to reports of a suspected break-in at Southampton Cruise Parking Services (file image) Detective Constable Edward Smith, who is the officer leading the investigation, added: 'We don't underestimate the significant impact this incident has had on the victims, who have returned from their holidays to discover their car stolen. 'We continue to keep those victims updated with the progress with our investigation, which our team is working incredibly hard on to ensure those responsible are arrested. 'We continue to progress several lines of inquiry including a full review of CCTV from the scene and surrounding areas. 'I am pleased to say that this work has already led to the recovery of six of the vehicles and those owners have been updated with the good news.' The spokesman urged anyone with information or who may have CCTV footage from the area to contact the police or Crimestoppers. An Australian grandmother serving six years of jail in Japan for attempting to smuggle two kilograms of methamphetamine into Tokyo has had her appeal denied. The drugs were discovered in the lining of a suitcase belonging to Donna Nelson, from Perth, at Narita Airport in January, 2023. Nelson had claimed she was the victim of a love scammer who tricked her into carrying the drug-laiden luggage. On Thursday the Japan High Court dismissed her appeal and found she was negligent in accepting the luggage from the conman, the ABC reported. The man, who Nelson knew as 'Kelly', spent two years romancing the Perth grandmother and talking about his fashion and travel case business in Japan. They were set to meet in-person when Kelly bought Nelson tickets to Japan in 2023, with a three-day layover in Laos. Nelson spoke to her daughters from a hotel in Laos and seemed to be enjoying her holiday - the last communication they had with her before she was arrested at the airport in Japan. It's understood during her layover Nelson was approached by an 'associate' of Kelly who gave her a bag, claiming it was a sample Kelly needed for his business. Donna Nelson (pictured), from Perth, was sentenced to six years behind bars in Japan Nelson's family have supported the Perth grandmother and claimed she would not willingly smuggle drugs (pictured, nelson's daughter Kristal Hillaire) She failed to tell authorities at the Japanese airport that the bag was not hers and claimed she was travelling for 'business'. This week the Tokyo High Court ruled Nelson must have had reasonable doubts about carrying an unfamiliar bag and that the request was 'strange' and 'unnatural'. Nelson's lawyers argued she had searched the bag herself and only found clothing samples packed inside. Her defence team further added it was 'inconceivable' someone of Nelson's character would purposely attempt drug smuggling. 'The defendant has, until now, devoted herself as a leader within the Aboriginal community to children suffering in families broken by poverty, alcohol and drug use,' defence lawyer Rie Nishida told the court. The court also heard new evidence from a romance scam expert, Monash University Professor Monica Whitty. Prof Whitty's report outlined the nature of love scams and found Nelson was a 'blind mule' in the drug smuggling operation. 'She is a victim of fraud,' the report stated. Nelson's family attended the Japan High Court on Thursday to support her as she argued she was a victim of a 'love scammer' who asked her to carry a drug-filled bag into Japan 'The original judgement should be quashed.' Nelson's family attended court to support their mother on Thursday. A fundraiser organised by the family last year said they were determined 'in our fight to free our Mum and bring her home, where she belongs'. 'Our mum had no knowledge of this and we maintain that she is a victim of a crime and not a criminal,' the fundraising page stated. 'We cannot say any more about this case at this time as we consider preparing for an appeal, but we are devastated by this verdict and will not stop fighting for our mum.' Nelson showed her appreciation to her loved ones on Thursday when she mouthed 'I love you' to her supporters in the courtroom. She soon after began to cry and was emotional while introducing herself to the court. However, the high court rejected the new evidence during the first day of the appeal. Nelson (pictured) mouthed 'I love you' to her supporters in the courtroom on Thursday before breaking down in tears Kensho Masaki, a Tokyo attorney not involved in the Nelson case, explained the evidence from the love scam expert should have been presented in the initial trial. 'The appeal would just look like a desperate last-ditch effort,' he told the ABC. 'That's important evidence, so it definitely would have been better to present it in the first trial.' The judge in the initial trial had admitted Nelson was a victim herself, so gave her a 'lenient' sentence of six years behind bars, which her children disagree with. It's understood Nelson's family will now appeal to have their mother transferred to Australia in a prison swap deal. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has demanded criminal proceedings against Donald Trump over a series of deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean, insisting the passengers were poor young men rather than members of a notorious gang. Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Petro condemned three attacks this month, which the White House has defended as operations against drug traffickers. He accused the former president of criminalising poverty and migration. He said: 'Criminal proceedings must be opened against those officials, who are from the U.S., even if it includes the highest-ranking official who gave the order: President Trump.' He added that passengers killed in the strikes were not members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang, as claimed by the Trump administration after the first attack. Petro said the passengers 'were simply poor young people from Latin America who had no other option.' Later in an interview with the BBC, he called the strikes an 'act of tyranny' and questioned the US' methods. 'Why launch a missile if you could simply stop the boat and arrest the crew,' he asked. That's what one would call murder.' He added: 'We have a long history of collaborating with American agencies and other agencies of carrying out maritime seizures of cocaine," he said. "No one has ever died before. There is no need to kill anyone.' Colombia has condemned a series of deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean, insisting the passengers were poor young men rather than members of a notorious gang This was the third vessel that was attacked by the US. Colombia's president insisted that it was not carrying drug traffickers Petro's remarks at the UN came just after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced his government is preparing constitutional decrees to defend the country in the event of an 'attack' from US forces. Few details of the strikes have been made public. The first, on September 2, killed 11 people according to Washington. Officials said that the vessel and another targeted on September 16 had departed from Venezuela. Three people died in the second strike, while a third boat was hit on Friday, leaving another three dead. The Trump administration has defended the escalation as vital to combat drug smuggling into the US but has not explained how the boats' cargo was assessed or how passengers were linked to criminal groups. National security officials later told Congress the first vessel was fired on after it changed course and appeared to head back to shore. 'They said that the missiles in the Caribbean were used to stop drug trafficking. That is a lie stated here in this very rostrum,' Petro declared, in what appeared to be a direct response to Trump's earlier speech. 'Was it really necessary to bomb unarmed, poor young people in the Caribbean?' Colombia's president Gustavo Petro speaking at the UN General Assembly. He demanded criminal proceedings against Donald Trump over the strikes Maduro has accused Washington of using drug allegations as cover for a military operation designed to topple his government. Meanwhile, members of the Democratic Party have questioned the Trump administration over the legality of the strikes, which have been described as extrajudicial executions by the UN. In the interview, Petro claimed that the US leader was humiliating his people and insisted that countries like his will not 'bow down to the king.' Trump and Petro have traded barbs in recent months. In a presidential memorandum, where Washington decertified Colombia for what it says was a failure to meet its anti-drug commitments, Trump said: 'The failure of Colombia to meet its drug control obligations over the past year rests solely with its political leadership.' Petro hit out at the US decision saying: 'This is a deep insult to a society that has spilled the most blood so that the United States and Europe consume less cocaine, and obviously an insult to my own life The strained relationship between the two leaders has been seen as a threat to the prospect of their countries remaining allies. Colombia has received billions of dollars in aid from the US since the Clinton presidency. After his return to the White House earlier this year, Trump toughened his stance on illegal migration from Latin America and said he would clamp down on drugs coming to the US from the region. Trump boarding his presidential plane in New Jersey on September 14. He has defended the strikes as has defended as operations against drug traffickers He also designated several drug-trafficking syndicates as terrorist organisations. In recent weeks, Washington has strengthened its presence in the southern Caribbean, deploying additional warships to the region alongside thousands of Marines and sailors. Petro, Colombia's first left-wing president, restored diplomatic ties with Venezuela after taking office in 2022. This is the nail-biting moment two rescuers cheated death as they were lifted out of a 160ft sinkhole seconds before tons of rubble came crashing down in Bangkok. The pair, who work for the city's disaster prevention and mitigation office, had been lowered on ropes into the pit on Samsen Road to recover a car that had plunged through the collapsed street. But as they attempted to sling the vehicle, the fragile soil suddenly crumbled. Dramatic footage shows torrents of mud sliding towards the men as they frantically scrambled back up the ropes while colleagues on the surface dragged them to safety. Moments after they were pulled to safety, a wave of mud and rubble poured into the sinkhole, engulfing the spot they had been standing only instants before. Officials said the rescue team had been forced to abandon the salvage attempt when the bottom of the crater began shifting. They may return once the conditions are stable. Nitarn Chuenchanokphibul, a volunteer with the Ruam Katanyu Foundation, said a white sedan had been discovered abandoned at the edge of the sinkhole, but a police pickup truck from Samsen station was still missing. He said the police truck might have fallen deeper into the sinkhole and cannot be seen yet. The collapse happened on Wednesday morning outside Vajira Hospital in central Bangkok, where part of the busy road suddenly caved in. The sinkhole swallowed electricity poles and tore apart water pipes, leaving the area flooded. The workers were almost buried alive when the ground gave way beneath them while working inside a vast sinkhole in Bangkok Moments after they were pulled to safety, a wave of mud poured into the sinkhole, engulfing the spot they had been standing only instants before Drivers were filmed reversing in panic as the ground opened up, while pedestrians bolted from the scene. A pickup truck was left hanging perilously over the abyss as emergency teams raced to cordon off the area. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt confirmed that three vehicles had been damaged, though no injuries were reported. Suriyachai Rawiwan, head of the city's disaster prevention department, told AFP the collapse was most likely caused by heavy rainfall combined with a leaking pipe. 'There was a leak in the water pipe - water from the pipe eroded (earth) under the road so this incident happened,' he said. 'The water that eroded brought some soil that dropped down to an under-construction subway station, causing the collapse.' The tunnel forms part of the new underground system being built by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority, which has launched an investigation. Governor Sittipunt added: 'The location is at a station, and the soil was sucked into the site it collapsed.' Vajira Hospital, which is connected to one of Thailand's leading medical universities, confirmed in a Facebook post that outpatient services had been suspended and would 'resume as soon as possible.' Police evacuated the station opposite the sinkhole, along with nearby apartment buildings, as engineers worked to assess the stability of the ground. Local resident Noppadech Pitpeng, 27, said he was shaken awake by the sound of the road collapsing. Pictures show how the busy road was blocked after the huge sinkhole appeared. It swallowed electricity poles and tore apart water pipes, leaving the area flooded. A pickup truck was left hanging perilously over the abyss as emergency teams raced to cordon off the area 'The sound was like an electricity pole collapsing and my whole flat shook,' he said. The disaster left central Bangkok paralysed, with officials warning the unstable soil meant further cave-ins could not be ruled out. Sinkholes are sudden depressions that appear when the ground beneath collapses, often in areas where soluble rock such as limestone is slowly eroded by water. While some develop gradually, the most dangerous are cover-collapse sinkholes, which give way without warning and can swallow homes, cars and people in seconds. One of the most infamous cases occurred in 2013 in Seffner, Florida, when Jeffrey Bush, 37, was killed after a 20ft wide hole opened beneath his bedroom. His body was never recovered. In Guatemala City in 2007, a vast chasm 100 metres deep killed five people and forced the evacuation of more than a thousand residents. Another sinkhole in the city in 2010 swallowed a three-storey building, resulting in the death of one person. And in 2025 a motorcyclist died in Seoul after plunging into a 20-metre pit near a subway site, while in Kuala Lumpur last year a woman vanished into the ground and was declared dead. This is the terrifying moment two women and a child were swept aside by powerful sea waves as they posed for photos during Typhoon Ragasa. The video, taken in the South Horizons district of Hong Kong, showed the trio cautiously stepping away from the sea front as a powerful, enormous wave rises high above them. As the wave crashes down on them, they were violently pushed into a metal fence. And as the water around them receded, they were seen struggling to get back up again. It comes as a weakened Typh Ragasa pushed west along the southern Chinese coast toward Vietnam on Thursday after flooding streets and homes in the economic hub of Guangdong province and causing deaths in Taiwan and the Philippines earlier in the week. In the Guangdong city of Yangjiang, over 10,000 trees were damaged and branches floated on the water in submerged streets. Crews used excavators to clear toppled trees and worked clear blocked roads, Yangjiang Daily reported. Nearly half a million households suffered power outages. More than a third of those homes remained without electricity Thursday morning, the newspaper reported. Streets in the city of Zhuhai turned into rivers and rescuers used inflatable boats to rescue stranded residents. Water inundated some first-floor homes in older neighborhoods, Southern Metropolis Daily reported. This is the terrifying moment two women and a child were swept aside by powerful sea waves as they posed for photos during Typhoon Ragasa The video, taken in the South Horizons district of Hong Kong , showed the trio cautiously stepping away from the sea front as a powerful, enormous wave rises high above them As the water around them receded, they were seen struggling to get back up again Communication with people on some islands in Jiangmen city were cut off, Southern Weekly newspaper said. To the west in the Guangxi region, schools and businesses were closed and tourism activities halted in some cities. More than 2 million people were relocated across Guangdong ahead of Ragasa, which peaked at super-typhoon strength Monday with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph and the world's strongest cyclone of the year. By Thursday morning, its sustained winds had weakened to a maximum 40 mph, and Ragasa was forecast to dissipate eventually while remaining a rain threat for Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia. Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered government ministries and local authorities to protect infrastructure like dams and hospitals, secure fishing vessels and coastal assets, and ready evacuation and search and rescue operations. Some flights were canceled or rescheduled, and workers trimmed trees to avoid wind hazards in the northern part of the country. For Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, activities halted earlier in the week were gradually returning to normal. Flights in Hong Kong resumed after some 1,000 had been disrupted, affecting about 140,000 passengers. Businesses reopened Thursday. But some big fallen branches remained scattered on the streets after more than 1,200 trees across the city were topped by the fierce winds. Some 100 injured people were sent to the hospital. In Taiwan, authorities on Thursday revised the death toll from 17 to 14 due to repeated records. The victims were in eastern Hualien County, where heavy rain caused a barrier lake to overflow, sending water gushing into nearby Guangfu township. An aerial image shows trucks swamped by mud after a barrier lake burst at Guangfu township in Hualien on September 25, 2025 An aerial image shows part of Guangfu township flooded after a barrier lake burst in Hualien on September 25, 2025 Muddy torrents destroyed a bridge, turning the roads in the township into churning rivers that carried vehicles and furniture away. Some people remained out of contact in Hualien, and dozens were injured across the island. In the Philippines, Ragasa left at least 11 dead, including seven fishermen who drowned Monday when their boat overturned in northern Cagayan province. Two fishermen remained missing Thursday. Another tropical storm was approaching the Philippines from the Pacific. The storm, which was named Opong in the country and Bualoi elsewhere, was forecast to hit the east-central Philippines on Friday and could still strengthen into a typhoon. It had sustained winds of up to 68 mph and higher gusts, government forecasters said. There are mounting fears holiday flights around Europe may be at risk as Vladimir Putin continues his aggressive incursions into Western airspace while showing no signs of stopping. Denmark's Aalborg airport was shut down after suspicious overnight drones were spotted violating the country's airspace in what has been described as a 'hybrid attack' by a 'professional actor'. It comes just two days after a separate drone incursion shut down the nation's main Copenhagen airport in 'the most severe attack on Danish infrastructure so far', according to prime minister Mette Frederiksen. It is too soon to determine whether the latest incident in Danish skies was the work of the Kremlin, but the attack follows similar Russian incursions into Poland, Romania and Estonia's territory in recent weeks - heightening fears among NATO countries about a potential World War III. Russian drones flying near and shutting down operations at major European airports isn't just a menace for holidaymakers, but could prove to be incredibly dangerous. Amid mounting aggression from Moscow, experts have warned that Putin could accidentally or deliberately shoot down a passenger plane flying through Europe, putting tourists at risk. Airlines operating flights in Eastern Europe may consider flying further west away from the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian borders to avoid conflict zones, said Matthew Borie, chief intelligence officer at aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions. Some may even restrict operations to daylight hours only and carry extra fuel to cope with potential diversions. Since 2001, six commercial planes have been unintentionally shot down, including the Azerbaijan Airlines flight that Russia accidentally shot down on Christmas day, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. 'This is a wake-up call, I think, for everyone in Europe that can expect this more often,' said Eric Schouten, head of security consultancy Dyami, speaking of the recent incursions into Western airspace. A light moves in the sky over Aalborg, amid reports of drone sightings that led to the airport being closed for several hours on Thursday The Danish government has reached out to the EU this morning and is now seriously considering whether to trigger NATO article 4 talks, as Poland and Estonia did in recent weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged NATO countries to use force in response to Russian aggression, while foreign secretary Yvette Cooper described has described the incidents as 'provocative and reckless' and warned the UK was 'ready to act'. The overnight drones were first sighted at about 9:44 pm (1944 GMT), according to police, and remained in the airspace at the time of the press briefing at 12:05 a.m. on Thursday. They were spotted flying over four airports in Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg and at the Skrydstrup air base before leaving on their own, police said. All arriving and departing aircrafts at the northern Aalborg airport - one of the country's biggest after Copenhagen - were halted on Wednesday night, with inbound flights diverted elsewhere. Police were unable to shoot down the drones at Aalborg, 'which flew over a very large area over a couple of hours', North Jutland chief police inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said. Even though the Danish Armed Forces has the ability to shoot down drones, such an action in a residential area could prove dangerous, particularly in the vicinity of an airport where there may be fuel tanks. An investigation is underway with the Danish intelligence service and the armed forces to 'clarify the circumstances', while the drone operators are yet to be apprehended, police said. The Danish Armed Forces was impacted by the incursion as Aalborg airport also serves as a military base. The airport was shut down before reopening several hours later. A second airbase at Skrydstrup, where some of Denmark's fleet of Denmark's F-16 and F-35 fighter jets are based, also reported drone activity. It is not yet known who was operating the drones, but Danish Defence Minister Poulsen acknowledged that there were countries and actors with an interest in 'undermining support for Ukraine'. 'It is crucial we do not allow ourselves to be intimidated by Russia,' he added. 'There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time. 'This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones.' Police there said the drones 'flew with lights and were observed from the ground, but it has not yet been clarified what type of drones they are... or what the motive is'. The defence minister noted that the drones seemed to have been launched 'locally', making the attack distinct from other incidents. 'They have not come from a long distance,' he said, adding that the country still doesn't know where they were dispatched from. Peter Hummelgaard, Denmark's justice minister, said nothing is being ruled out in terms of who might be responsible, adding that the motive seems to be 'to create fear' and 'make us afraid'. The smaller Esbjerg and Sonderborg airports in the south were not closed because no flights were scheduled there until Thursday morning. The probe comes days after police said several large drones flew over Copenhagen airport, shutting the facility for hours. Danish police this week hinted that Russia may have been behind the incident, which disrupted around 100 flights and left 20,000 passengers stranded. Police officers previously seen at Copenhagen Airport after all flights were diverted due to drone sightings Your browser does not support iframes. Police inspector Jespersen suggested the incident had all the signs of a sophisticated operation. He said: 'The number, size, flight patterns, time over the airport. All this together indicates that it is a capable actor. Which capable actor, I do not know.' Frederiksen said the motive for the violation in Copenhagen had likely been to 'disrupt, create unrest... to see how far you can go and test the limits,' while intelligence said the country was facing a 'high threat of sabotage'. In further hints that they believe Putin was behind the previously spotted drones, authorities said the perpetrator was seeking to demonstrate certain abilities. In a social media post, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky referred to 'Russia's violation' of NATO airspace in Copenhagen. However, he did not indicate the source of his claim. 'Someone may not necessarily want to attack us, but rather stress us out and see how we react,' noted Flemming Drejer, director of operations at Denmark's intelligence service PET Sharing further details, Jespersen said that the drones had appeared from several different directions, turning their lights on and off before finally disappearing after several hours. On Tuesday, Russia broke its silence to deny any involvement after several large drones flew over Copenhagen airport on Monday, shutting the facility for hours General view of Aalborg Airport in Denmark, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, after drones were observed on the airport on Wednesday evening and the night to Thursday, and the airspace over the airport was closed They were operated by someone with the 'will and tools to show off... perhaps also to practise'. Police are examining multiple theories about where the drones came from, including the possibility that they were launched from ships. Denmark's main airport sits close to a busy shipping lane used by vessels entering and leaving the Baltic Sea. On Tuesday, Russia broke its silence to deny any involvement. Flights at Copenhagen were either diverted or grounded for hours on Monday evening after multiple large drones were seen above the runways. At least 35 flights were ordered to other sites, including Malmo and Gothenburg, Sweden, and Billund, Aalborg, and Aarhus, Denmark. Authorities in Denmark diverted 31 flights to other airports, causing ripple effects that delayed or cancelled around 100 flights and affected some 20,000 passengers, a spokesperson told reporters. The airport finally reopened in the early hours of Tuesday. Later in the evening, Oslo Airport in Norway was also forced to close and divert its planes after drones were spotted in the vicinity. Two people were also arrested in the Norwegian capital after drones were seen at a military site. Norwegian police detained two Singaporean citizens who were operating a drone over Akershus Fortress, which houses the headquarters of the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence, according to the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK. On September 9, between 19 and 23 drones entered Polish airspace in an unprecedented intrusion of the country's territory, with NATO scrambling a multinational force of jets to shoot several down. In the wake of the Russian incursion, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that the West is at its closest to open conflict since World War Two Romania then accused Moscow of breaching its airspace on September 13, as Latvia reported a drone crashing in its east. NATO member Estonia said on Friday the three MiG-31 fighter jets entered its airspace without permission and stayed there for a total of 12 minutes. Italian F-35 stealth jets, among the most sophisticated warplanes in NATO's arsenal, were scrambled to repel the Russian fighters. Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said: 'Russia has violated Estonian airspace four times already this year, which is unacceptable in itself, but today's violation, during which three fighter jets entered our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen. 'Russia's ever-increasing testing of borders and aggressiveness must be responded to by rapidly strengthening political and economic pressure.' New powers will help councils halt the spread of barber shops serving as 'fronts' for criminal gangs, a minister said today. Labour's 'Pride in Place' programme aims to give communities the ability to block unwanted shops and buy beloved communities assets, including pubs. More than 750 barbers opened in the UK last year despite a broader High Street downturn - with police saying some of them are being used for money laundering. Steve Reed, the Housing Secretary, today said locals were right to be suspicious about barbers that remained open despite having few customers. 'In many places in the country, you'll get people reporting many barbers suddenly opening up and not many people going in and getting their hair cut,' he told LBC. 'Who knows what they front for, but neither the council nor the community has been able to stop them proliferating, but now they will have the power to restrict them.' Asked if he thought the shops were being used for criminal activities, such as drug dealing or money laundering, he said: 'Well, we know that some of them are. 'I'm not going to say that about all of them, but some are. The key point is that communities need the power to stop them proliferating where that's a problem.' Porth in South Wales now boasting 14 hairdressers for its population of 6,000. There is no suggestion either of the shops pictured are involved in illegal activity PUB CLOSURES ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES SO FAR THIS YEAR BY REGION REGION END OF DECEMBER 2023 END OF JUNE 2024 DIFFERENCE East 3,696 3672 24 East Midlands 3,543 3506 37 London 3,525 3500 25 North East 1,932 1914 18 North West 5,265 5219 46 South East 5,678 5646 32 South West 4,635 4598 37 Wales 2,943 2928 15 West Midlands 3,904 3868 36 Yorkshire/Humberside 4,280 4245 35 TOTAL 39,401 39,096 305 Labour has also vowed to give councils compulsory purchase powers to buy derelict pubs and department stores to turn them into new businesses or housing. Around 50 pubs are closing a month on average, with landlords blaming hikes to the minimum wage and employers' national insurance for exacerbating their decline. The Pride in Place initiative will also give local people the 'right to buy' assets to create new parks or regenerate treasured spaces. While unveiling its plans to give councils the ability to block unwanted shops, Labour namechecked betting shops, vape stores and 'fake barbers'. Traditional Turkish-style barbers are known for stylish haircuts - usually completed with a hot towel and cut-throat razor. But there are growing concerns about criminals infiltrating the trade. Earlier this year, NCA officers joined local police forces, immigration enforcement officers and HM Revenue and Customs inspectors to carry out raids on 33 barber shops that had been linked to money laundering and other criminality. They seized more than 500,000 in dirty cash and arrested seven people. Some small towns have complained over being 'overrun' by the premises, with Porth in South Wales now boasting 14 hairdressers for its population of 6,000. Steve Reed, the Housing Secretary, said locals were right to be suspicious about barbers that remained open despite having few customers Your browser does not support iframes. In today's announcement, the Government said funding would be handed out to more than 330 of the UK's most deprived communities to help overhaul their High Streets. Funding will be given to projects which have consulted community groups, local organisations and social clubs. The 'unprecedented' programme will tackle deep-rooted deprivation and regional inequality, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said. Mr Reed said the Pride in Place funding is 'what real patriotism looks like'. He said: 'When people step out of their front doors, they know their communities are struggling. They see shuttered pubs, fading high streets and their local areas in decline. 'Yes, communities have been stretched but they haven't given up. They're working hard to make things better, and we're backing them. 'The Government is putting power into their hands so local people decide how best to restore pride in their neighbourhoods, not us in Westminster. 'That's what real patriotism looks like: building up our communities and choosing renewal over division.' Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Tomorrow, the Prime Minister is expected to attempt to 'reclaim the flag' from far-Right protesters in a speech about patriotism. Sir Keir is set to try to 'reclaim' the St George's and Union flags, saying they should be a symbol of unity rather than division. The Pride in Place funding will be delivered in England, Scotland and Wales, and corresponding funding will be provided to Northern Ireland. Cllr Arooj Shah, of the Local Government Association, said: 'Positive extra funding and powers will help councils in these areas in revitalising high streets and shaping their communities, particularly in regulating betting and vaping shops, while also breathing new life into empty premises. 'It is essential these funds are allocated in a fair, flexible manner based on what local places need, with necessary support from government to trust them to get on with the job.' The taxi driver who took the Southport killer to the dance class where he murdered three young girls today admitted he had driven away despite hearing an awful orchestra of blood-curdling screams and seeing children fleeing in a stampede for their lives. Gary Poland heard four or five loud bangs after dropping off Axel Rudakubana, 17, and claimed he fled in complete mortal terror and shock because he feared he had a gun and was shooting people. The 56-year-old had picked up the teenager and taken him to the Hart Space, where 26 young girls were enjoying a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club, on the morning of July 29 last year. But, although Mr Poland saw children fleeing the building and screaming in terror in his rear-view mirror, he did not stop to help. Instead he sped away, called his best friend twice and took another fare, before going home and finally dialling 999 almost an hour later. Today Mr Poland told the public inquiry investigating the atrocity that he wished he had called police much sooner. But he insisted: I did what I did through fear, shock and panic. These are human emotions which I couldnt control. I regret not helping the children, their screams were harrowing. Gary Poland (pictured), who drove Axel Rudakubana to the children's dance class where he carried out the Southport knife attack, waited 50 minutes before calling the police Rudakubana is seen walking to a bus stop on the day of the attack Mr Poland appeared at the inquiry via video-link on Thursday, September 25 The inquiry was shown a statement Mr Poland made to police, around six hours after the attack. In it he described the childrens screams as terrifying and the most awful sound. An orchestra of blood-curdling screams filed the air, he told police. Scream after scream pierced my ears, the screams sounded like a mix of young and old, male and female. This was terrifying, I was in a state of complete mortal terror and shock. I then saw a massed huddle of children, aged approximately six or seven years old, stumble and run in a panicked hurry out of 34a Hart St. They were screaming, it was like a stampede for their lives. Despite this, Mr Poland admitted he did not stop or call police, but instead called his best friend, Julian Medlock, who worked in the garage and spray shop next to the dance studio, because he was worried for his safety. In that conversation, Mr Poland told Mr Medlock: I heard these f******* shots and I just f****** shot off JimLucky he didnt f****** shoot me, werent it? Nicholas Moss KC, counsel for the inquiry, questioned whether Mr Poland was, in fact, in complete shock and pointed out that he had failed to ask Mr Medlock if any children had been injured, if police had been called or express any concern for his safety in the phone call. The outside observer listening to this exchange may pick up a sense of disbelief but not mortal terror and shock as you described in your police statement, the barrister said. The outside observer might think the purpose of this call was more a sort of, guess whats happened to me. But Mr Poland said that description was unfair and added: All I can say is I was in shock. I didnt know what was what. I drove off because I heard gun shots. He also claimed he accepted his next job, which came through to him via an App on his mobile phone soon afterwards, by accident. I I took the job, I dont know why, he said. My head wasnt there, I didnt really know what I was doing. (L-R) Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were all murdered in the atrocity on July 29, 2024 Mr Moss said Mr Poland even engaged in mundane conversation with his female passenger and when a police car sped past them, with its emergency lights flashing and siren blaring, he remarked: Hes in a rush, isnt he? Mr Poland admitted that the police vehicle was likely speeding to the scene of the attack, but reiterated he was in shock and he didnt know what he was doing. The inquiry was also shown the transcript of the second call he made to Mr Medlock, again before he dialled 999, in which his friend described the seriousness of the incident. Mr Medlock told Mr Poland: There must be about 15 kids stabbedones (sic) body dead on the floor. Another one was dead on the floor. He replied: Youre jokingf****** hell, of all the people I pick up Jim. Unbelievable innit. Unbelievable. Christ. Mr Moss suggested Mr Poland was more preoccupied with how lucky he had been personally, than concerned about what had happened to the girls. The cab driver admitted that reading the transcript back it does sound pretty bad. But he added: I think I was lucky with him being sat behind me, not knowing he had a knife on him. He could have just got me like that, but he didnt, did he? Mr Poland also admitted that even though Mr Medlock had informed him that police would want to speak to him - he still drove home and discussed it with his wife before dialling 999 at 12.36pm, some 50 minutes after the attack began. I was in shock for a good 24 hours, he insisted. The inquiry has heard that Mr Poland, who worked for One Call Taxis, picked up Rudakubana from his home, in Banks, a village around five miles from the seaside town, at 11.31am. He used the fake name Simon to book the cab and was wearing a Covid-style face mask and distinctive green hoodie, with the hood pulled up. Mr Poland, who has been a cab driver for 27 years, said Rudakubana barely spoke during the 14-minute journey but that gave him no cause for concern. However, when the taxi pulled up outside the dance studio, Rukakubana got out without paying. Mr Poland said he remonstrated with him and threatened to call the police, but Rudakubana simply walked away and up the stairs into the studio. The inquiry was told that sounds of distress were captured on Mr Polands dashcam just 29 seconds later. Mr Poland said: I was waiting for my money. I thought I would give him a minute or two, which I did, then I heard all the screams. He claimed that he went into panic mode after hearing what he thought was gun shots and drove off. Gary Poland (pictured) told the 999 operator that he was about to drive off when he heard 'screaming, proper screaming' Southport triple murderer Axel Rudakubana is seen in the back of a taxi before launching a frenzied attack on children Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were all murdered by 17-year-old Rudakubana, who is not being referred to by name in the hearings and instead is being known by his 'AR' initials. Ten others eight girls and two adults were also gravely injured. Rudakubana admitted murder and was jailed for a minimum of 52 years at Liverpool Crown Court, in January. Mr Poland agreed with Mr Moss that, morally, and with hindsight he should have called police much sooner. Looking back now, if I could change things I would, he said. At the time I didnt know what was going on in my head, I think about it all the time. But he disagreed that he had been too preoccupied with himself and his own lucky escape and had not shown enough concern for the injured. Mr Poland said he had suffered psychological problems since the attack and no longer picked up fares he didnt know. I cant sleep at night, he said. I shut my eyes and I see his face, its there all the time in my head. The hearings have been told that teacher Leanne Lucas, who organised the event, made the first call to police, around 27 seconds after screams could be heard on Mr Polands dashcam. Mr Moss said that, even if the cab driver had dialled 999, it would not likely have resulted in police officers and paramedics arriving at the scene any quicker. Asked at the end of his testimony if he had anything to add, Mr Poland said: I just want to say that I feel really sorry for the families, everyone involved in it. I know it will never leave their minds for the rest of their lives. I just cant understand what the parents (of the girls) are thinking, everyone involved. Its just awful. The inquiry, due to last until November, continues. Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in SW China's Guizhou to open to traffic on Sept. 28 People's Daily Online) 09:53, September 25, 2025 Photo shows an aerial view of the newly constructed Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Tu Min) The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, set to become the world's tallest bridge, will open to traffic on Sept. 28, 2025, according to the Guizhou Provincial People's Government. The bridge is a key part of the Liuzhi-Anlong Expressway. It is 2,890 meters long with a main span of 1,420 meters. Rising 625 meters above the river, it will be the worlds tallest bridge and the largest span bridge constructed in a mountainous region. The opening of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge will greatly reduce travel time across the canyon, providing a major boost to the region's economic and social development. Photo shows an aerial view of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in southwest China's Guizhou Province, soon to be the world's tallest bridge (People's Daily Online/Tu Min) Photo shows an aerial view of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in southwest China's Guizhou Province, soon to be the world's tallest bridge (People's Daily Online/Tu Min) (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Dogs that were found living in squalid conditions in a horror house have embarked on a new career working for the police. Over 80 canines, along with two cats and a chicken, were discovered in Doncaster last April. Disgusting pictures showed the springer spaniels covered in their own filth - crowded together on a rotting staircase thick with dirt and grime. After the pooches were rescued they were taken into the care of the RSPCA and since then they have been housed in loving homes across the country. Four of the dogs will begin an exciting new career working on Greater Manchester Police's tactical dog unit. Bruce, Pablo, Lola and Nellie will now undertake training to become sniffer dogs helping the force during drug busts among other serious crimes. Speaking about the new recruits, PC Wes Donnelly from GMP tactical dog unit said: 'We're giving them the best life possible. 'These dogs have gone from being neglected to having a real purpose. Providing their training goes well they'll soon be helping us detect drugs, cash and other items that support investigations.' Pictured: Nellie one of the four springer spaniels who are the latest recruits to Greater Manchester Police tactical dog unit. The dogs were rescued in April from a house where they were living in squalid conditions Over 80 canines, along with two cats and a chicken, were discovered in Doncaster last April. Disgusting pictures from the time showed the springer spaniels covered in their own filth - crowded together on a rotting staircase thick with dirt and grime Greater Manchester Police have taken on the spaniels as a part of a major expansion of their tactical dog unit. The unit now operates 24/7 and, according to the force, has overseen a dramatic rise in the number of arrests. Among the new recruits is the one-year-old springer spaniel Barney who is Greater Manchester Police's first ever 'Digi-Dog'. Barney is trained to sniff out hidden electronic devices such as SD cards, SIM cards, mobile phones, and hard drives. He will play a vital role in high-risk investigations, including counter-terrorism and safeguarding operations. Chief Inspector Chris Clarke, of GMP's Specialist Operations Unit said: 'Our dogs play a vital role in bringing offenders to justice, from our highly trained sniffer dogs that can detect even the most concealed items, to our formidable general purpose dogs who are instrumental in apprehending suspects attempting to flee. 'This is an exciting and pivotal time for the dog unit. We're delivering more justice than ever and continuing to support the force in keeping the people of Greater Manchester safe and secure.' The new life for the canines is a very happy ending considering the harrowing conditions the dogs were living in less than six months ago. In jaw-dropping images, around 17 of the dogs were seen locked in a tiny room, which appears to be caked in mud on all of the walls and the floor. The new life for the canines is a very happy ending considering the harrowing conditions the dogs were living in less than six months ago The pets are huddled tightly together, while one is hidden under a small cupboard, where two more are sat on top. Dog legislation officers and members of the animal charity entered the home and said they were 'immediately taken aback by the smell, the conditions and the volume of animals living inside'. They were met with 'faeces, filth and round every corner and room, more dogs'. Officers took the dogs to safety, counting 78 springer spaniels and four dogs of other breeds. Speaking at the time, Chief Inspector Emma Cheney said: 'Effective teamwork and strong partnerships between us, the RSPCA and Doncaster City Council allowed us to act on community intelligence that a property was being used to house animals and obtain an emergency warrant from the courts. 'This is not responsible dog ownership; this is cruelty and I am pleased we have been able to intervene and ensure that these dogs receive the care they deserve and hopefully have a bright future ahead of them.' Argentina has launched a fresh bid to take over the 'illegally occupied' Falkland Islands in a move branded 'extraordinary' by a former head of the Royal Navy. The announcement came during President Javier Milei's speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday. The firebrand Argentinian leader told the summit that his country's claim to the South Atlantic island was 'legitimate' and 'unrenouncable'. In a fiery speech that could outrage leaders in Downing Street, Milei called on the UK to open 'bilateral' talks over the 'sensitive and crucially important issue' of the so-called 'Islas Malvinas'. 'I wish to reiterate our legitimate claim in terms of sovereignty over the Malvinas and the surrounding maritime areas that continue to be illegally occupied,' he said. 'In spite of the fact that 80 years have elapsed since the creation of [the UN], colonial situations such as this one remain unresolved. 'For this reason, we call on the United Kingdom to resume bilateral negotiations.' But his comments have angered the Royal Navy's former First Sea Lord, Admiral Lord Alan West. Argentinian President Javier Milei made the claim during a fiery speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday (pictured) The controversial president insisted the British overseas territory was 'illegally' occupied The Labour peer, whose ship was sunk during the 1982 effort to retake the Falklands from Argentina, branded the president's comments 'extraordinary'. The former naval commander warned Britain's Chagos Islands 'surrender' deal, which saw the UK hand sovereignty of the strategic archipelago back to Mauritius while leasing it from Diego Garcia, could have emboldened Milei. 'The British Government made it very clear that the sovereignty of the Falklands is not up for debate. They are an independent nation and under our protection. That's it,' he told the Mail. 'I think the Argentine president mentioning this is extraordinary. Doing this does not help at all. Perhaps this Chagos Island business makes him think we might hand it over. 'But he has got it wrong - 99.99 per cent of people on the island want to remain British. Sovereignty is absolutely not up for debate.' In the last referendum, more than 99 per cent of Falklanders voted to retain the islands' links to the UK. Speaking of the Chagos Island fiasco, Lord West added: 'It's flagged up we might give things up and make people think about it. But on the Falklands, they have got it wrong.' Britain is leasing the Chagos from Diego Garcia for a period of 99 years, with an average annual cost to the taxpayer of 101million. The Falklands Warwas triggered by the invasion of Argentinian troops on April 2, 1982 Admiral Lord Alan West (pictured) was a naval commander during the effort to retake the islands and survived the sinking of his ship, HMS Ardent But the handing over of the outpost - which is a key military base - has sparked widespread criticism. It comes after fresh details emerged last month which said the deal would cost ten times what Labour said it would according to the Government's own figures. Official documents show the UK will pay some 35billion to hand the islands over to Mauritius compared to the 3.4billion previously stated by Sir Keir Starmer in May. Dame Priti Patel, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, accused the Government of 'tricking' the public after the figures, seen by the Telegraph, were released under Freedom of Information laws. She told the newspaper: 'Instead of owning up to the costs, Labour have used an accountancy trick to claim the amount was only a mere 3.4billion. 'We've all known it's a terrible deal with huge costs to hard-pressed British taxpayers. But for months, ministers in public and Parliament have sought to cover up the true amounts.' Speaking of President Milei's comments at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty said: 'After Labours Chagos debacle the Government must reassert its commitment to the Falkland Islands in the wake of Javier Mileis speech and make this clear to Argentina.' The Argentine leader's statement came just days after politicians from the South American state were further emboldened in claims to the British archipelago after comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son, Yair. Mr Netanyahu, who has been living in a Miami penthouse as his country remains at war, wrote on social media: 'I recognise the Falkland Islands as part of Argentina!" on Tuesday - shortly after the Sir Keir Starmer announced Britain's recognition of a Palestinian state. In Buenos Aires, Argentina's secretary of worship Nahuel Sotelo celebrated the remarks on social media 'historic'. President Javier Milei, who has famously been pictured with a chainsaw at political events, said Argentina had a 'legitimate claim in terms of sovereignty' of the Falklands While, the head of Mr Milei's party bloc in the country's legislature, Agustin Romo, added: 'The son of the Prime Minister of Israel announces he recognises the Malvinas as Argentine. Thank you, Yair.' Baroness Chapman, Britain's Minister for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean today hit out and Argentinian president's comments. In a statement, she told the Mail: 'The UK's support for the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination is unwavering. 'The people of the Falkland Islands made their wish to remain a self-governing overseas territory of the UK clear in an internationally observed referendum in 2013. The UK will continue to defend their right to decide their own future.' Critics have suggested Milei's comments about the Falklands could have been used as a distraction, to divert attention away from Argentina's tanking economy. The country has been facing a fiscal freefall, with the value of the peso plunging while investors dump Argentine stocks and bonds. Earlier this week, the US government said it would aid the country amid its financial turmoil, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying the America is 'ready to do what is needed' to help stabilise the market. Milei, a libertarian economist and ally of US President Donald Trump, was elected president of Argentina in 2023. He famously celebrated his wielded a chainsaw during his successful election campaign, using the power tool as a symbol of the deep cuts he intended to make to the state's spending. Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page has revealed she was kidnapped in South Africa by a taxi driver who held her hostage in his car. The Welsh actress said she was 'incredibly lucky' to have escaped the man, who claimed to be a taxi driver before keeping her in his vehicle for 90 minutes while repeatedly telling her he was going to strip her naked. The 48-year old-said the terrifying incident occurred during filming for BBC costume drama To the Ends of the Earth, which aired in 2005. The show starred Benedict Cumberbatch, who also escaped a kidnapping in the country just two weeks after Page in 2004. Page said she ignored warnings about dangers in the country to go to a shopping centre because she was bored in the hotel and didn't want a chaperone. But after going to a local shopping centre on her own, she attempted to get a taxi back to her hotel only for the man to trap her in his car and tell her he would 'take off all of my clothes' and 'take photos of me'. Speaking to the Five Brilliant Things podcast, the Love Actually actress said she was 'in such a state' after the most dangerous situation she has ever experienced. It comes after she has recently revealed the perils of being an actress, including being groped by a TV host and unwanted sexual attention from predatory directors. Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page has revealed she was kidnapped in South Africa by a taxi driver who held her hostage in his car The 48-year old-said the terrifying incident occurred during filming for BBC costume drama To the Ends of the Earth (pictured), which aired in 2005 Speaking about the kidnapping, she said: 'We were doing this costume drama for the BBC called To the Ends of the Earth. 'When I first arrived to film, some of the cast were there before me because I'm a character that comes in later. 'So I got to the hotel and they said you can't go anywhere without your chaperone. 'And I thought "oh this is ridiculous, I'm really bored, I need to get out and about and do some stuff". 'So I said "can you just get me a taxi and take me to a shopping centre somewhere". 'And they said we really don't think you should do this and I said "well I want to do it".' Page told how she arrived at the shopping centre and spent most of the day there, before 'the whole atmosphere changed'. She continued: 'So I went to a shopping centre, walked around for the whole day and it must have got to about 4:30 in the afternoon and then the whole atmosphere changed. 'It started feeling really menacing. I had no way of getting back to the hotel, I didn't have a car, I didn't really know where I was going. 'I remember leaving the shopping centre and there was a carpark and loads of fellas with cars everywhere. 'And I thought "oh my God, I'm in the s***, I'm going to have to just go up to someone with a car and ask him to take me home because otherwise I'm just stuck here, I genuinely don't know what I'm going to do". 'So I went up to this fella and asked if he was a taxi and he said "yes", and I said "please will you take me back to this hotel". Speaking to the Five Brilliant Things podcast, the Love Actually actress (second right, in Gavin and Stacey) said she was 'in such a state' after the most dangerous situation she has ever experienced 'So I got in the car and then he drove off and he drove around for about an hour and a half telling me that he was going to take me somewhere, he was going to take off all of my clothes and he was going to take photos of me. 'And I just remember thinking, "Oh my God", you know how most of the time you get in dodgy situations but think you can get yourself out of it quite easily. 'But it was the only situation I think I've ever been in in my life where I thought "you're in the s***. This is serious. You can't get yourself out of this. I don't know what I'm going to do". 'I thought right, OK just laugh with him, make him laugh, tell some jokes, be quite saucy back with him, if he says he's going to do this laugh back, be quite cheeky. 'So I did this for the hour and a half that he just drove me around and around and eventually he took me back to the hotel.' Page added: 'I got out of the car and ran straight up to reception. I was in such a state and told them everything that had happened. 'They said "you're so incredibly lucky. Just never ever do anything like that again".' Page's revelation comes months after Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch revealed in January that he was kidnapped at gunpoint during filming for the same costume drama. The actor, 49, was on a driving excursion with some friends during his downtime when the car they were in got a flat tire. While they were on the side of the road, they were robbed and abducted by six men and forced into a car. They were driven around in the car for hours and then tied up at the side of the road and ordered to sit execution style before the robbers fled. Speaking about the ordeal to Variety, Cumberbatch said: 'It gave me a sense of time, but not necessarily a good one. It made me impatient to live a life less ordinary, and Im still dealing with that impatience.' Her torrid time in South Africa is far from the only obstacle Page has faced in her career since she graduated from RADA in 1998. She has described often having to 'call out' directors and colleagues on set, especially when filming intimate sex scenes. She said: 'I would call them out, being forthright has probably got me out of some scrapes because there were no intimacy co-ordinators when I came out of drama school. You read the sex scene and just had to get on with it.' Page also told how she experienced being groped by a TV host while filming after being warned by a producer about his 'handsy' behaviour. The Gavin and Stacey star, 48, wrote about the incident in her new book Lush: My Story - From Swansea To Stacey And Everything In Between, and said it felt like being 'mauled at a zoo' before fighting him off. In new interview ahead of her memoir's release today she said: 'Halfway through filming, he starts groping me. 'I hit his hands and said: "What do you think you're bloody doing? Keep your f***ing hands to yourself!" Jesus, I feel like I'm in Bristol Zoo being mauled by the lions.' 'He stopped. It was bizarre, a female producer telling you this was going to happen, but it's what you got used to.' Asked why she was not naming the man in her book, she admitted lawyers had warned her about going public. She told The Times: 'The legal people said: 'Be careful!'' Two Colombian criminals who preyed on vulnerable victims at banks before stealing large amounts of cash have been jailed. Armet Cortes and Willmer Guzman were part of a gang that used 'silent, skilled and subtle' signs to communicate with each other once they had identified a potential target. After this their victim, who were often elderly and disabled, were distracted them by the thieves dropping coins on the ground or asking questions before they grabbed the freshly withdrawn money. Now Cortes, 55, and Guzman, 63, both of no fixed address, have admitted conspiracy to steal and both face 44 months behind bars. Judge Andrew Smith said the Colombian nationals also face automatic deportation when they are freed. Newcastle Crown Court heard between August and April the thieves pocketed more than 63,000 from 14 victims across the North East of England as well as in Merseyside and London. The largest amount taken from one person was 15,000. In one instance the court heard how the gang surrounded a 71-year-old wife and her husband - who has now passed away - in Sunderland before they stole 3,000 from them. Your browser does not support iframes. Wilmer Guzman (pictured) was part of a gang that used 'silent, skilled and subtle' signs to communicate with each other once they had identified a potential target Armet Cortes (pictured) along with his accomplice admitted conspiracy to steal and now faces 44 months behind bars. He also faces deportation The couple, who were in pain and have difficulty walking, were stopped as they struggled to get into their car. Prosecutor Jessica Slaughter told the court: 'The distraction involved screaming in foreign language and shouting.' The court heard the husband used his walking stick to try and push the men away and during the confusing confrontation their money was stolen. Miss Slaughter said: 'This conspiracy was an organised and systematic series of offending across the country, over a seven-month period, with 14 individual crimes within that time. 'There was deliberate targeting of victims, based on vulnerability.' Miss Slaughter said the total amount taken from victims was 63,234. Judge Smith said: 'These offences involve targeting of often and usually vulnerable victims. 'There were 14 individual offences identified as part of this conspiracy. 'These victims were single women, unlikely to fight back or challenge you. Some of the victims were also vulnerable as a result of their age. 'The theme was to identify potential victims in banks and building societies, victims who were, for various purposes, discreetly taking out large amounts of cash. Newcastle Crown Court (pictured) heard that between August and April the thieves pocketed more than 63,000 from 14 victims across the North East of England as well as in Merseyside and London 'You were lurking in banking halls without purpose of being there. On the basis I assume not every customer is taking out large sum of money, it seems likely you were there for some time identifying the victims. 'On leaving the banks they were distracted by one or both of you and others who were involved in the offending. 'These were skilled and I am satisfied practices distraction techniques. 'This displayed a high degree of professionalism with regard to identifying victims and in the way the offences were committed.' The judge added that the gang used 'silent, skilled and subtle signs and gestures' to communicate with each other. The court heard the men have no previous UK convictions, entered the country legally and each claim they were separately approached by strangers who recruited them into the criminal activity. Following the sentencing, North East Regional Crime Unit Detective Constable Andy Thompson, said: 'This type of criminality has absolutely no place in the North East - it is an incredibly traumatic crime type for victims that leaves both a financial and psychological impact. 'Cortes and Guzman targeted vulnerable victims and used manipulative and sophisticated methods to carry out their crimes. We worked closely with Northumbria Police to identify and pursue those criminals responsible, who we brought before the Courts.' NEROCU Detective Inspector Shaun Fordy, added: 'This sentencing is the latest success in our ongoing efforts to stamp out all forms of organised crime through Operation Sentinel in the North East - our united police response to Serious and Organised Crime. 'Community intelligence is vital to police investigations, and we would ask members of the public to continue reporting any suspicious activity in and around banks and if you have been a victim, report it to police as soon as possible.' In retrospect, the rhetoric of Holyroods driving spirits looks overblown, and, in some cases, ridiculously wide of the mark. Tony Blair spoke about a better way of governing, that would bring power closer to the people, closer to the peoples priorities. Donald Dewar rhapsodised a turning point: the day when democracy was renewed in Scotland. George Robertson infamously predicted that devolution would kill Nationalism stone dead. The 25th anniversary of this governing project in 2024 was a lost opportunity to objectively assess its record. With only a few isolated exceptions, there was little appetite for such an exercise. Devolutions creators continue to view it as a sacred cow to be uncritically worshipped, and its current Nationalist operators see it as a convenient means to the ultimate end of independence. Instead of dispassionate analysis, the default position was to call for more powers. This is a triumph of hope over reality, as evidence mounts of devolutions failures across its policy outputs, key institutions, and operating culture. John Swinney at First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on Thursday. Robert Pyper argues the 25th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament was a 'lost opportunity' to assess its record Devolutions cheerleaders recite its claimed successes, including free personal care for the elderly, free prescriptions, free university tuition, banning smoking in public places, the baby box, minimum unit pricing for alcohol, and the legalisation of same-sex marriage. Some of these policies have been criticised as superficial gimmicks, while others have had negative intended or unintended consequences and still others could easily have been introduced without the paraphernalia of a devolved sub-state. The Scottish income tax system has become increasingly complex and divorced from the UK system, producing the highest overall tax rate in the country, with no obvious positive impacts on the quality of public services, while raising concerns about economic competitiveness and the retention of talent. Across key areas of public policy, including health, education, economic development and transport infrastructure, Scotlands performance when assessed against objective criteria has been very poor. Illustrations of this are not hard to find, in the areas of hospital waiting lists, key morbidities, abysmal addictions figures, widening educational attainment gaps, repeated postponements of upgrades to strategic road networks, and the impact of the island ferries fiasco on local economies, communities and the public purse. An electoral system which was specifically designed to prevent the polity being controlled by a single political party has actually resulted in one-party domination of the government and legislature for 18 years, with the prospect of more to come. The Scottish parliament has produced a catalogue of poor outputs. Its failures as a legislative body have been matched by its obvious ineffectiveness as an agent of accountability, with a mediocre committee system, low calibre debates, a declining quality of chairmanship by Presiding Officers, and an executive-dominated culture. With a few honourable exceptions, the quality of Holyroods members has steadily declined, to the point where it functions as a forum for narrow political activism. The number of ministerial posts has increased since devolution. Donald Dewars administration contained 21 ministers. By 2024 the number had risen to 29, although John Swinney reduced this by four when forming his government that year. The increased number of ministers has not improved professionalism. Increasingly, the ministerial ranks have been populated by campaigners and activists who specialise in political posturing, but have little appetite for the hard tasks of governing. This has contributed significantly to the failures in policy creation and public service delivery. Standards of ministerial behaviour have also been problematic. No system of government is immune from occasional instances of ministerial misconduct, but Holyrood has been particularly prone to scandals and ethical crises engulfing ministers, including past and serving First Ministers. The civil service in Scotland has fared especially badly under devolution. The institution has swollen from 14,000 in 1999 to more than 27,000 in 2025, but this has been accompanied by a steep decline in quality. Its values, culture and performance have been undermined by poor leadership, under whom standards of delivery, impartiality and accountability have fallen. There is an unwillingness to offer the conventional constructive challenge to ministerial initiatives. The civil service has become accustomed to supporting ministers who regularly stray beyond the powers allocated to them, to pursue ultra vires political initiatives. Collectively, ministers and civil servants have veered towards enthusiastic support for the agendas of privileged insider lobby groups, with favoured access. This has led to the promotion of particular, narrow, policy preferences. The most notable example was the attempt to change the law on gender identity, which was pushed by a set of powerful activist organisations and supported by ministers. Beyond Holyrood, local government has become increasingly cash-strapped in a heavily centralised statelet where the purse strings are tightly controlled in Edinburgh and local powers strictly limited. Devolutions arrival was accompanied by a great deal of rhetoric about the importance of a broader civil society, including a vast array of third sector bodies and non-governmental organisations, as a counter-balance to the power at Holyrood. However, the increasing importance of this sphere has caused problems. Governance arrangements vary considerably with different rules and regulations applying to appointment processes, board sizes, remuneration schemes, transparency and accountability. There has been no attempt to tackle these disparities. In addition, many of these bodies have become significantly reliant upon Scottish Government funding, making them effectively clients of the centre. Poor standards of conduct, and ethical issues have arisen across the third sector. The idealism of a vibrant civil society within a healthy democracy, has morphed into insular cronyism. Why blindly allocate more powers to an obviously dysfunctional constitutional project, or tinker around with piecemeal reforms designed to improve isolated elements of a failing system? A genuinely radical approach would be to assess the entire devolution package, be honest about its failures, and give serious consideration to alternative models. These could include, for example, a fundamental decentralisation of powers away from a defunct Scottish Government and parliament, and into a reformed, enhanced system of local and regional governance, which brings power closer to the people, costs less, and works more effectively. Difficult, but not impossible. This would be a worthwhile exercise towards the regeneration of our civic culture, meaningful accountability, enhanced policy making and service delivery. Sadly, the political and cultural establishment in Scotland has no appetite for such an exercise, and the entrenched vested interests in the status quo will wail in horror at the very idea. * Robert Pyper is Emeritus Professor of Government and Public Policy, University of the West of Scotland A toddler has been left mutilated after a massive rat gnawed part of his ear off has he lay frozen with fear in bed in a French council flat. The two-year-old boy, named locally as Ismael, was found by his parents covered in blood and rat droppings in his home in the French city of Le Havre in Normandy on September 21. Horrifying footage showed blood spatters across the boy's small bed. Another clip showed the severely injured boy lying on his back recovering from bloody wounds across his body. Local media reported the boy was frozen in fear, and didn't scream during the initial attack. Ismael was taken to hospital after suffering serious injuries to his ear, face and hand. Amel, the boy's mother added that the child also had bruises, blisters on his hand and black eyes. She said: 'I wouldn't wish my worst enemy to find his child in the same state I found mine in'. The two-year-old boy, named locally as Ismael, was found by his parents covered in blood and rat droppings in his home The rat was described as 'large as a cat' Horrifying footage showed blood spatters across the boy's small bed After he was taken to hospital, his father installed a camera in his room. Shortly thereafter, they spotted a rat 'the size of a cat' crawling around the room, which was then caught and killed. Ismael remains in a critical condition in hospital, where he is suffering from a serious infection in the flesh of his hand. Doctors are reportedly considering a skin graft or ear reconstruction. Though the boy's family has been temporarily housed in a hotel, residents of the estate are up in arms as they have long complained about the issue of rats. One local person told French media: 'We even see them during the day, running around on terraces and in hallways. Some enter apartments as soon as the door is opened'. Another woman, who local media reported is close with the family, said several complaints have been lodged over the past few months, but nothing has been done to rectify the situation. She said: 'The landlord is aware that the building is dilapidated. They've been reporting problems for months, but nothing has been done'. The NHS will need to pay more for medicines to stop drugmakers pulling investment from Britain, science minister Lord Patrick Vallance has admitted. Big pharmaceutical companies have ditched or paused nearly 2billion in planned UK investments so far this year. This includes US-based drugmaker Merck scrapping plans for a 1billion London research centre, and AstraZeneca pausing a 200million investment in Cambridge. AstraZeneca previously ditched a 450million vaccine plant expansion in Liverpool, while Eli Lilly has paused plans for a London lab, which was part of a 279million investment. Dave Ricks, the boss of Elli Lilly, this week said the UK is 'probably the worst country in Europe' for drug prices amid a row between the industry and Government. He warned this was halting investment and could see Britain miss out on the roll-out of new medicines. Lord Vallance, the Labour peer who previously worked for drugs giant GSK, admitted that 'price increases are going to be a necessary part' of resolving the row. He also said that Donald Trump was a 'big factor' as the US President puts pressure on pharmaceutical companies to lower prices and invest more in the US. The NHS will need to pay more for medicines to stop drugmakers pulling investment from Britain, science minister Lord Patrick Vallance has admitted Big pharmaceutical firms have ditched or paused nearly 2billion in planned UK investments so far this year. This includes Merck scrapping plans for a 1billion London research centre Health Secretary Wes Streeting said there was 'a live conversation between Government departments and the pharma industry' on drug pricing Britain pays less for drugs than other developed countries due to a strict pricing regime. The Government is under pressure to scrap a rebate scheme which requires companies to contribute a portion of their UK drug revenue to the NHS. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who attended the opening of a new 150million Moderna vaccine site in Oxfordshire on Wednesday, told the BBC there was 'a live conversation between Government departments and the pharma industry' on drug pricing. And, in an interview aired on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Lord Vallance said: 'There's absolutely, day by day discussions going on, including with industry, including with the US, to try to come to a solution here that's right for innovation, right for getting companies into the UK, and right for patients in the NHS. 'I've got no doubt we'll come to some arrangement which gets to the right position on this, because we have to I think price increases are going to be a necessary part of what we need to do to get to a solution which will benefit patients.' Lord Vallance said it was for the Health Secretary and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to decide where the extra money comes from for higher drug prices. The science minister also accepted that 'the Trump factor' is a large driver in the prospective need to increase the prices the UK pays for medicines. He said 'that (Trump) is a big factor and it is the case that drug prices are very much higher in the US than anywhere else in the world'. Lord Vallance added that 'a lot of' companies' profits comes from the US and 'the UK is something like 2 per cent or less of the profit of companies globally'. Asked if that means prices are bound to increase in the UK if they decrease in the US, he said: 'Well, I don't think that's necessarily the equation, but of course, President Trump has said he wants greater parity on pricing.' Pressed on the likelihood of a deal being struck with drugmakers, the minister said: 'I think it's inevitable we must end up with a deal of some sort and we have to. 'Because it's in the interest of the economy, it's in the interest of patients, and we need to get that right to make sure that patients here get rapid access to the best medicines, and to do that in a way that's fair and equitable across the country.' Eli Lilly last month announced the price of weight loss drug Mounjaro was rising by 170 per cent in the UK. It reflected efforts to more closely align prices with its other European markets, and amid political pressure from Mr Trump to keep pharmaceutical prices low for Americans. The NHS is not set to pay the higher price in order to maintain access for people with obesity and type 2 diabetes accessing it through the health service. Poland is looking to pass a law that will allow its military to down Russian drones over Ukraine without needing approval from NATO or the European Union. The current government is planning to scrap the restrictive measure under a new 'shoot first, ask later' policy, which is intended to give the military more flexibility when it comes to responding to threats. The proposed new legislation was submitted by the country's defence ministry in June, but the application has been reportedly fast-tracked after multiple Russian drones crossed into Poland earlier this month. European officials called the move from Vladimir Putin a deliberate provocation and NATO was forced to scramble fighter jets to shoot them down. The incursion and NATO's response raised concerns that war could spill over - a fear that has been growing in Europe as Russia steps up its attacks and peace efforts go nowhere. Under Polish law, the country's president was originally allowed to authorise deployments, but in 2022 - one day before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine - the policy was amended so that Polish forces could only operate under EU and NATO approval. Polish airspace has been violated many times since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but never on this scale in Poland or anywhere else in NATO territory. Poland said some of the drones earlier this month came from Belarus. Poland is looking to pass a law that will allow its military to down Russian drones over Ukraine without needing approval from NATO or the European Union. FILE PHOTO: Russian Tu-22M3 strategic nuclear bomber It comes after Russian drones invaded Polish airspace earlier this month Poland's Prime Ministrer Donald Tusk said this week that his nation will not hesitate to shoot down objects that violate its airspace It was not immediately clear how many drones were involved, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament 19 violations were recorded over seven hours, but he said information was still being gathered. Polish authorities said nine crash sites were found, with some of them hundreds of kilometers from the border. 'There are definitely no grounds to suspect that this was a course correction mistake or the like,' German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told parliament. 'These drones were very clearly put on this course deliberately.' Dutch fighter jets came to Poland's aid and intercepted some drones. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski later thanked the Dutch government 'for the magnificent performance of Dutch pilots in neutralizing' the drones. It also comes after Estonia's airspace was violated by three Russian fighter jets on Friday. Tusk also said earlier this week that his nation will not hesitate to shoot down objects that violate its airspace, adding to a sense among NATO leaders that Moscow is testing the alliance's readiness and resolve, with some urging a firm response. We will take the decision to shoot down flying objects when they violate our territory and fly over Poland - there is absolutely no discussion about that,' Tusk told a news conference, adding that Poland will take a more cautious approach to situations that are less clear-cut. Parts of discovered drone are seen in the village of Mniszkow in central Poland A severely damaged house in the village of Wyryki in eastern Poland, where one of the Russian drones that breached Polish airspace collided with the building 'When we're dealing with situations that aren't entirely clear, such as the recent flight of Russian fighter jets over the Petrobaltic platform - but without any violation, because these aren't our territorial waters - you really need to think twice before deciding on actions that could trigger a very acute phase of conflict,' he added. Tusk said that he would also need to be certain that Poland would not be alone if a conflict started to escalate. 'I also need to be absolutely certain... that all allies will treat this in exactly the same way as we do,' he said. Do YOU know the thieves? A pair of thieves were caught on camera stealing a phone from a pastor while he performed a Facebook live prayer session. Isaac Anderson was recording the religious broadcast for his followers early yesterday morning in London when he was targeted. The unwitting Ghanaian was about 17 minutes into his live sermon when two balaclava-clad cyclists spotted him in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, at 6.30am. Apostle Mr Anderson, oblivious to the duo, continued preaching to his followers as the pair rode past, before turning their bikes around and sneaking towards him. A passing bus driver seemingly attempted to warn the pastor by repeatedly beeping before one of the alleged thieves snatched the iPhone 16 pro max from his hand. But as the bungling crook made his escape, he failed to notice Mr Anderson's phone was still broadcasting online. 'Hey JP, he's on Tiktok. He's on TikTok live bro... No fam. How do I end it? It's on Facebook,' says the thief, who was wearing a black jumper, beanie and balaclava. 'Oh s***,' his accomplice is heard saying as he later tries to cover his face before the video cuts out. Isaac Anderson was unaware he had been targeted by the thieves, with one seen approaching him from the rear to steal his phone But the alleged crook did not realise the phone was broadcasting on Facebook live at the time The pastor has since spoken out and warned people to 'be careful' while in London as there are 'thieves, burglars and robbers everywhere'. Speaking of the incident in a video online, he said: 'All of the sudden, someone from behind on a bike just came and snatched my phone from my hands [an] iPhone 16 pro max. It's not easy. All my information was on it.' He added: 'You have to be very careful when you're going through your daily activities. Be careful about your phones and your important stuff - be careful, be careful, be careful. 'Thieves, burglars and robbers are everywhere. This is London... you don't know the people that are around you that will come and hurt you.' Mr Anderson received an outpouring of support on social media after the theft, with one person writing on Facebook: 'Sorry Apostle may God give you more strength and protect you.' The incident comes as London continues to battle with record-breaking number of mobile phone thefts. Mobile phone snatchings have tripled in the capital in the space of four years, recent data has shown. Gangs of criminals now roam the city's streets riding high-powered e-bikes to swipe phones out of the hands of unsuspecting victims. Mr Anderson was spotted by the group in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, at 6.30am. To the rear, one of the two alleged thieves is seen turning his bike around to approach the pastor from behind Pictured, left, is the crook who appeared to steal Mr Anderson's phone. To the right is his alleged accomplice, who was also caught on camera More than 70,000 phones were stolen in the streets of London alone in 2024, out of an estimated 100,000 thefts across the UK. Some 70,137 devices were stolen amid a scourge of criminal gangs using e-bikes and scooters to tot up high numbers of phones to sell abroad for parts. It is thought phone snatching could cost consumers up to 70million each year. Many of the devices are later sold overseas on the black market, with some mobiles appearing in countries like China and Nigeria. The Metropolitan Police has launched a recent crackdown of the 'industrial-scale' crime wave, targeting organised groups terrorising the capital's tourism meccas. The Met has deployed plain-clothed officers to 'hotspot' areas, including the West End and Westminster. Meanwhile, other officers have been deployed on high-powered e-bike to chase thieves down. The force has even gone so far as using police helicopters to track criminals from the skies before officers on the ground detain the suspects. Daily Mail has approached the Met for comment about the attack on Mr Anderson. The Jeffrey Epstein files debacle created an unexpected rift that is still sowing division in the administration months later. Attorney General Pam Bondi became paranoid that FBI Director Kash Patel was 'trying to destroy her' by leaking to the media details about internal disputes, people familiar with the discussions detailed to the Wall Street Journal. Bondi apparently told White House officials that Patel and other FBI leaders were out to get her. But when the attorney general complained to Donald Trump about criticism she was personally facing over the Justice Department and FBI's handling of the Epstein files, the president told her to 'buck up.' Other administration officials, according to the report, told Bondi to stop scrolling social media. Trump's team vastly underestimated how big of an issue the Epstein files review would be for the president's supporters. Despite the widespread backlash from the MAGA base, they thought it would blow over. Still, more than two months after the release of the joint DOJ and FBI memo that attempted to put the scandal to bed, Americans are still clamoring for answers. Patel faced intense grilling in back-to-back Senate and House FBI oversight hearings questioning why he didn't release more names related to the Epstein child sex trafficking investigation. Even Republicans told the FBI director that his answers wouldn't be enough for the American people. Attorney General Pam Bondi believed that FBI Director Kash Patel was 'trying to destroy her' by leaking information about a rift in DOJ over the Jeffrey Epstein files, a new report claims Trump has expressed to aides he doesn't understand the obsession with the dead financier and sex offender. Pictured: Trump with now-first lady Melania, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida on February 12, 2000 And now, multiple reports confirm that Bondi's Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle, who serves as an important liaison between the DOJ and West Wing, is leaving his position on October 3. The DOJ did not respond when reached for comment on reports of the impending departure. Additionally, FBI insiders tell the Daily Mail that co-Deputy Director Dan Bongino has one foot out the door and will probably leave the bureau by the end of the year. They say while he never meant to stay around for long, the Epstein debacle has further pushed him towards exiting government. Bondi brought on earlier this month former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to serve as Bongino's co-deputy in an unprecedented move to have two deputies at the FBI. Officially, the DOJ and White House have tamped down speculation that this means Bailey is being primed for a higher position within the department. Before Patel and Bongino were placed atop the FBI leadership, both were vocal conservative media figures pushed conspiracies about Epstein's ties to Democratic figures and stoked controversy over whether his 2019 jail death was suicide or murder. Much of Trump's grappling with the topic is a crisis of his own making by bringing in officials to lead that FBI who were open about wanting to expose everyone in the files. But Patel insisted multiple times at his congressional hearings this month that the FBI has no evidence in its possession that Epstein trafficked young girls to 'anyone but himself.' 'This issue is not going to go away,' Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Patel at the Senate hearing last week. Bondi complained to Trump about the negative comments coming her way regarding the DOJ's Epstein files review, and the president told her to 'buck up' Patel told lawmakers at back-to-back congressional hearings in September 2025 that the FBI has no proof that Epstein trafficked girls to anyone but himself leading to more anger from those who want to get answers about powerful people connected to the sex trafficking ring Trump socialized with Epstein in New York City and Florida circles through the 1990s, but claims they fell out of contact before his first arrest in 2006. People familiar with his comments tell the WSJ that Trump complained to his aides that he doesn't understand the obsession with the dead financier and sex offender. The president tried to get MAGA influencers to calm the waters amid an uprising in vocal dissent in how the files review was handled. Vice President JD Vance spoke with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and another White House official call Laura Loomer as she led the calls for Trump to fire his blonde attorney general who she disparagingly dubbed 'Blondi.' But the outreach didn't prove fruitful with Americans and lawmakers still demanding more. Former Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off her book tour by battling with pro-Palestine protesters. Harris' new memoir 107 days details the highs and lows of her unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign. The book was released earlier this week surrounded in controversy as the former vice president offers new criticisms of Joe Biden and his White House. While speaking to a crowd of 1,500 in Midtown Manhattan, Harris distanced herself from the Biden administration by noting she would have handled the Israel-Hamas war differently than her former boss. Approximately 20 minutes after the event began, a protester started screaming over Harris by accusing the former vice president of supporting genocide, according to the Washington Post. The blood of the Palestinians is on your hands, one male protester shouted at Harris. The crowd of supporters drowned out the protester by shouting over him. Harris then began discussing her position on Gaza in her book before another demonstrator interrupted her remarks. Youre not letting me talk! I respect your right to talk, but youre not letting me speak! she told the protester. Lets bring the temperature down, Harris added. Unlike the current president of the United, I understand whats happening right now in Gaza, what is happening to the Palestinian people is outrageous and it breaks my heart. I get it. Kamala Harris' new book '107 Days' gives a behind-the-scenes look at her unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign Pro-Palestine protesters interrupted the first event for Harris' book tour in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday night Harris distanced herself from the Biden administration by noting she would have handled the Israel-Hamas war differently than her former boss As the chaos continued within the crowd, Harris shouted back: Im not president right now. Theres nothing I can do! Throughout the 2024 election, the Democratic party remained divided over Bidens policy on Israel amid the war in Gaza. Harris tried to defend her history regarding Israel by claiming she rebuffed the country for their treatment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza five months after the October 7th attack. I was the first person at the highest level of our United States government or administration to talk about the fact that the people in Gaza were starving, she said. I took a lot of heat from the administration for doing that. There are a lot of people that did not like that I spoke out so forcefully and candidly about my concern about what was happening in Gaza. Harris also slammed the Trump administrations handling of the war in Gaza. She said Trump is allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do whatever he wants despite civilian deaths. Donald Trump has given Netanyahu a blank check to do whatever he wants, she noted. Anybody see that spectacle of the UN yesterday? During the 2024 campaign, Harris often faced protesters at rallies who accused the Biden administration of supporting genocide At that point a third protester interrupted Harris by stating the crisis in the Middle was the fault of the former vice president, according to the Hollywood Reporter. I understand the pain that that person just expressed, Harris replied. I understand what this moment is it, whether it be whats happening in Gaza or just so many things right now that are absolutely unconscionable and so painful to know could happen and that our president and our government is standing by and allowing people like [Vladimir] Putin and Kim Jong Un and Xi [Jinping] to get away with whatever. Theyre laughing at us right now. Theyre laughing at us. And so I get it, but I would like to continue with the conversation,' she said. While speaking on the campaign tail back in 2024, Harris regularly faced protesters at campaign rallies who accused the Biden administration of supporting genocide in Gaza. Nigel Farage today urged the Bank of England to welcome cryptocurrencies in talks at Threadneedle Street. The Reform UK leader also used his first formal meeting with the Bank's Governor Andrew Bailey to demand a change of course on quantitative easing (QE). Despite having previously branded Mr Bailey as 'hopeless', Mr Farage suggested the discussions this morning had been positive. Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice, who also attended the meeting, described it as a 'significant moment' and said Mr Bailey was 'keen to engage'. Mr Bailey is said to have reached out to Mr Farage to arrange the meeting with him and Mr Tice, as Reform continues to hold a lead over Labour in most opinion polls. Mr Farage has previously attacked the Bank as 'dinosaurs' and claimed they are stifling growth by curbing cryptocurrency ownership. He has also frequently been critical of the Bank's QE programme, described as 'printing money' to buy government bonds and keep borrowing costs low. Reform has promised a 40billion tax cut for Britons by ending the paying of interest to banks on reserves held at Threadneedle Street, most of which were created as part of the QE programme. Nigel Farage today urged the Bank of England to welcome cryptocurrencies in talks at Threadneedle Street Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice, who also attended the meeting, described it as a 'significant moment' and said Bank Governor Andrew Bailey was 'keen to engage' Mr Farage's party has also called for an end to the Bank's voluntary quantitative tightening (QT), which has seen it run down its stock of the government bonds it bought through QE at a loss. Ahead of this morning's meeting with Mr Bailey, Mr Farage said he wanted to discuss cryptocurrency with the Governor. He described the UK's current approach as 'madness', while Mr Tice said he wanted to address the cost of the Bank's QE programme. Mr Farage has become a vocal supporter of cryptocurrency in recent years, announcing in May that Reform would begin accepting donations in Bitcoin and calling for the Bank to create a 'strategic reserve' of the digital asset. He also said the Bank was 'turning their back on it (cryptocurrency) completely'. After the meeting, Mr Farage said the discussion of cryptocurrency had been 'encouraging', but he thought the Bank was still 'moving a little too slowly' on the issue. He said: 'I think they're adopting an overly cautious approach. What he [Mr Bailey] did say was, in that world, that they are looking at it. He said 'our minds are not closed on this issue'.' Reform said Mr Bailey had agreed that QE and QT was an important public policy debate and he would welcome more parliamentary engagement. Mr Tice said in a statement: 'If Parliament via the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave a different steer to the Bank of England this could significantly reduce the need for tax rises at the Budget. 'Subsequently I will be writing to the Chancellor and the Leader of the House requesting an urgent debate as soon as Parliament returns.' A teacher at an independent Christian school told a girl she would be 'an ideal wife as decreed by God' before he sexually abused her. Mark Baker, 53, groomed the female student while he was teaching at the 10,680-a-year River School in Worcester. He admitted two charges of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of 16 when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates' Court yesterday. Baker, wearing a dark suit, spoke only to confirm his name and address and enter pleas. The court heard the historic offences happened years ago and the victim, who cannot be named, was now an adult. Prosecutor Megan Jewkes said Baker had touched the girl and kissed her, which was 'a clear breach of trust'. She said: 'She was a student at River School, Mr Baker being a teacher. Mr Baker has groomed her. He's entered into a relationship with her. 'He told her she had the attributes of what a wife should be as God decreed it. 'This was a case of grooming. He has worked to get the young child to believe that she was to be his wife.' Teacher Mark Baker, 53, appeared at Worcester magistrates' court where he admitted to two counts of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of 16 He carried out the offences while working at the 10,680-a-year River School in Worcester The court heard Baker carried out the abuse while working at the independent Christian school. Chairman of the bench, Jonathan Wiltshire, said magistrates would send the case to Worcester Crown Court, which had greater sentencing powers. He told Baker: 'We feel there's a realistic prospect that a greater sentence will be handed out by crown court, so you will be sentenced by a judge instead.' Baker, of Haws Hill, Carnforth, Lancashire, was granted unconditional bail and ordered to appear at Worcester Crown Court on October 21 for sentencing. Emma Ellin, headteacher at River School, said: 'We are deeply appalled and saddened to hear of the historic abuse carried out by a former teacher at our school. 'On behalf of the school, I want to express our deepest sympathies to the victim, who has shown great courage in speaking up. 'No child should ever experience harm in a place where they should feel safe, supported and cared for.' The school, which opened in 1985, is managed by the Worcester Christian Education Trust and teaches 113 boys and girls aged 4-16. It last underwent an Ofsted inspection in 2007 which rated it Good. The school website states: 'Our Christian vision and values are at the core of everything we do. 'We include and value every individual as significantly made in the image of their Creator.' Outlining the school's principles and values, it states: 'Relationships are the most precious things in life: our relationships with God and with one another.' In the dead of night the Trump administration toppled a 12-foot bronze statue of the president and pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein holding hands on the Capitol Mall. The provocative sculpture appeared early on Tuesday tilted with the label Best Friends Forever. Trump and Epstein were depicted smiling at each other while holding hands with their arms and legs raised. In Honor of Friendship Month, we celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his closest friend, Jeffrey Epstein, reads the statues plague. An organization called The Secret Handshake said they placed down the statue in front of the Capitol building after receiving a permit by the National Park Service. However, United States Park Police removed the statue on Wednesday morning by hauling it onto a truck without informing the organization. Photos later emerged showing the Trump-Epstein statue in pieces after it was manhandled by Park Police. A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior told the Daily Mail that the statue was removed because it was not compliant with the permit issued. The agency did not specify exactly how the statue violated its permit. Park Police removed a 12-foot statue of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holdings earlier this week The Interior Department claims the statue violated the conditions of its permit Images later emerged showing the statue broken apart after it was removed by Park Police A member of the Secret Handshake group told NPR that some people within the parks department aka most likely the Trump administration were trying to find ways to say we were not in compliance. The individual spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were afraid of retaliation from the Trump White House. A spokesperson told the Daily Beast that the statues removal was a literal example of the Trump administration toppling free speech when it has been legally permitted and approved because they are scared about whatever Trump is hiding in the Epstein files. We were then told everything is okay and that if the administration decided to remove it we would have 24 hours notice to take it down ourselves.' 'Instead, they showed up in the middle of the night without notice and physically toppled the statue, broke it, and took it away. The White House declined to provide the Daily Mail a statement regarding the statues removal; however, a spokesperson previously criticized the bronze artwork. Liberals are free to waste their money however they see fit but it's not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep, said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson on Wednesday. Trump has faced withering criticism from Democrats and even members of his own base for his relationship with Epstein. Trump has referred to the scandal regarding Jeffrey Epstein as a 'Democratic hoax' Democrats and rogue Republicans on Capitol hill are demanding Trumps FBI release all files related to the various investigations into the disgraced billionaire. On Tuesday, a special election in Arizona provided Rep. Thomas Massie the 218th House member necessary to trigger a vote on the Epstein files release, a pursuit he says he'll will follow through on despite earning the ire of the president. The president has called the Epstein scandal rocking his administration a Democratic hoax.' A report by the Wall Street Journal claims that when Attorney General Pam Bondi complained to Trump about criticism she was facing over the DOJ and FBI's handling of the Epstein files, the president told her to 'buck up.' The five worst cities to be a woman in America have been revealed - and they're all in deep red states. A study evaluated 182 US cities and determined which are the best and worst for women to lay down their roots, analyzing indicators such as the female unemployment rate and reproductive rights. The most highly weighted factor was median earnings for women. All five of the worst cities overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump in 2024 election. Milvionne Chery, of WalletHub, which undertook the research, said: 'Living in the right city can significantly improve a womans economic status, health, and safety. The best cities for women offer job security and high pay, enabling women to achieve greater financial independence. 'They also prioritize safety, provide easily accessible medical care, and have high-quality hospitals, contributing to the best possible physical and mental health for women.' The study's authors emphasized that since there remains a gender pay gap in the United States, it's crucial that women select a city where they can get a leg up. 'Because women earn only 80 percent (on average) of what men earn, even when working the same jobs, if they want to be financially stable and independent, then they need to be in markets where there are many job opportunities,' said Angela Hattery, a sociologist who has also written books on intimate partner violence. The single worst city for women was determined to be Jackson, Mississippi, thanks to its high proportion of female unemployment and its high percentage of women living in poverty Your browser does not support iframes. The single worst city was determined to be Jackson, Mississippi, because of its high proportion of female unemployment and its high percentage of women living in poverty. Jackson is the capital city and sits near the center of the state. For decades, it has been dealing with an ever-shrinking tax base thanks to white residents moving out of the city and into the suburbs. And in March, Mississippi enacted a further tax cut that will eventually reduce the individual income tax rate down to 0 percent. Jackson is also known for its horrific water crisis in the summer of 2022, which left its 150,000 residents without access to running water for weeks thanks to a flooding-induced failure. The second worst city for women to live in according to WalletHub is Huntington, West Virginia. Like Jackson, Huntington has one of the highest percentages of women living in poverty in the US. Additionally, it ranks last in women's life expectancy, which isn't a surprise given that women in West Virginia live the shortest on average as of 2021. According to CDC data, a woman born in the state lives to 74.2 years old on average, whereas a woman born in Hawaii can expect to live for 83.1 years, the highest in the nation. Rounding out the top five cities that were ranked the least desirable for women were Fort Smith, Arkansas, Shreveport, Louisiana and Gulfport, Mississippi. The states containing these five cities all have near-total abortion bans, with only exceptions generally being if the woman's life is in danger or if the fetus won't survive outside the womb. Homeless people lay down on the sidewalk in Jackson, Mississippi Used needles are seen near railroad tracks in Huntington, West Virginia, where women have low life expectancies WalletHub's best cities for women were in a mix of blue and red states, with the top choice being Columbia, Maryland. Women living in Columbia, which is situated between Baltimore and Washington, DC, have the highest median earnings in the country. In fact, data from Pew Research indicates that women in the Washington, DC metro area make 2 percent more than men in wages as a whole. Women living in Columbia specifically make three times more than women in Santa Ana, California, the place with the lowest median wages for the demographic. Chery said Columbia also ranks highly because it has the 'tenth-best life expectancy for women at birth, and ranks among the top 15 cities when it comes to both access to cervical cancer screenings and mammograms.' Overland Park, a suburb of Kansas City, is another place for women to go if they want to earn high wages relative to their cost of living. Atlanta, Georgia, and Scottsdale, Arizona, are also good places for women to build a sustainable career, according to WalletHub. The son of an elderly man who died after a towering tree fell on his $1.1million Oregon home has filed a lawsuit against the neighbor for failing to prevent the tragedy. Frank George Ness Jr., 81, of Lake Oswego in the Portland area, died on January 13, 2024, after a tree crashed through the second floor of his home during a winter storm. His son, Joseph Ness, 64, filed an $8.5million wrongful death lawsuit against Frank's neighbor, Christopher Klock, 57, last week, alleging the neighbor should have known the tree was a danger and failed to remove it. The lawsuit also claims the City of Lake Oswego and the Westwood Homeowners Association denied Klock's request to remove the tree. The elder Ness warned his neighbor about the tree and his him to remove it, court documents stated. The Ness family has requested $3.5million to cover funeral costs and lost services and $5million for loss of companionship, KGW reported. The Daily Mail has contacted the younger Ness' lawyer and the Klock family for comment. More than 100 trees fell in Lake Oswego during the January storm, authorities said, and the city responded at least 70 weather-related calls that day. Frank George Ness Jr., 81, of Lake Oswego, died on January 13, 2024, after a tree crashed through the second floor of his home during a winter storm The victim's son filed an $8.5million wrongful death lawsuit against his father's neighbor, alleging that he should have known the tree was a danger and failed to remove it Several families were displaced during the storm due to downed trees hitting homes, and at least one other person died, according to The Oregonian. The area is known for its abundance of tree-lined neighborhoods. Lake Oswego requires property owners to receive permits before removing trees due to conservation codes. Resident Bruce Williams, who had a tree fall on his home during the January storm, told The Oregonian that the city doesn't always grant removal permits, even when the trees present structural concerns. His neighbor's tree came crashing into his home, nearly hitting his 12-year-old twin boys. 'The tree just missed them,' he told the outlet. Residents have complained the city's conservation codes impact homeowner safety. Pictured: A large tree between the two homes in 2016 The victim had asked his neighbor to remove the tree, according to the lawsuit, which also blames the Westwood Homeowners Association and the City of Lake Oswego for allegedly denying the neighbor's request for removal (pictured: The neighbor's home in 2024) More than 100 trees fell in Lake Oswego during the January storm, authorities said, and the city responded at least 70 weather-related calls that fateful day The Ness family remembered Frank for his love of the ocean, surfing, and spending time with family. The California native was a Navy veteran who spent 22 years serving on submarines, according to his obituary. After retiring, he went on to work for a few military contractors, which took him to Oregon. 'Frank enjoyed spending time with his family and loved fishing and could be found on the ocean and local lakes doing what he loved most,' his family wrote. Do YOU have a story to tell? The Royal Navy has scrambled a warship to shadow a Russian frigate and freighter off the UK coast, amid warnings Moscow is sending a rising number of ships through British waters. Teams aboard HMS Iron Duke and a Wildcat helicopter tracked the heavily-armed warship RFN Neustrashimy as it escorted cargo ship Sparta IV through the North Sea and the English Channel. The mission is the latest in a string of similar operations carried out by the Royal Navy and its Nato allies in recent months, which are worrying military top brass. 'Russian warships are increasingly transiting through the English Channel,' defence minister Luke Pollard today warned. 'The Royal Navy protects the UK 24/7 to monitor Russian movements, ensuring the security of our waters and undersea cables. 'Alongside our commitment to Nato's Eastern Sentry, this is a clear demonstration of how the UK stands firm with our Nato allies to deter Russian aggression.' The Wildcat, from Yeovilton's 815 Naval Air Squadron in Somerset, joined Plymouth-based HMS Iron Duke for the three-day operation. It was the 18th time the Type 23 frigate had been activated on a mission of this type in the past 12 months, monitoring 25 Russian vessels. The Royal Navy has scrambled a warship to shadow a Russian frigate and freighter off the UK coast (pictured is HMS Iron Duke, left shadowing RFN Neustrashimy, top right) Your browser does not support iframes. Another Nato force began monitoring Sparta IV near the French island of Ushant, off Brittany, as it continued towards the Mediterranean, according to the Navy. The Navy continued to watch the 4,350-tonne RFN Neustrashimy as it sailed back through the English Channel and the North Sea towards the Baltic, and the mission ended on Tuesday. Naval sources say such shadowing operations are routine for Britain's Senior Service. However, there are increasing concerns over the risks posed by Vladimir Putin's navy and his so-called 'shadow fleet' of civilian vessels. It comes amid accusations the Kremlin is seeking to sabotage key underwater power cables and gas lines, following a series of recent incidents in the Baltics. 'This type of tasking goes largely unseen, and as a ship's company we are extremely proud of our direct contribution to the UK's national interests, more specifically to the security of our energy, data, food and trade and to the country's critical national infrastructure,' said Commander David Armstrong. 'It is important as an island nation to steadfastly safeguard the security of our seas. 'The Royal Navy is focused and fully committed to the extremely busy military aspects of the broader maritime security mission.' The operation took place amid tensions between Moscow and Nato countries after a series of suspected Russian incursions into Nato air space. Poland downed drones that violated its air space on September 10 as Russia launched a wave of aerial attacks on Ukraine. Russian pilots later staged a 12-minute incursion into Estonian air space. Danish police are investigating the appearance of drones over Copenhagen Airport on Monday night, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described any allegations linking them Russia as 'unfounded'. It comes amid fears Russia is trying to bait Nato into attacking its forces, sparking a war following its series of provocative aerial intrusions in Europe. RFN Neustrashimy (seen front) was shadowed by the Royal Navy as it sailed with Russian cargo ship Sparta IV (seen rear) Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump urged Volodymyr Zelensky to take back all of Ukraine's territory won by Russia and 'go even further than that'. In a dramatic statement on his Truth Social network, following a speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, Mr Trump urged Ukraine to continue fighting. 'I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,' Mr Trump wrote. Dismissing Putin's Russia as a 'paper tiger' in facing a financial crisis, Mr Trump added Ukraine could 'take back their country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!'. The American leader wrote: 'After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia military and economic situation and, after seeing the economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form. 'With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, Nato, the original borders from where this war started, is very much an option. Why not?' The comments come just weeks after Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin during a meeting in Alaska. However, speaking with French president Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday evening, Mr Trump admitted: 'That relationship didnt mean anything.' Mr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, admitted he was surprised by his US counterpart's comments. He told Fox News on Tuesday night: 'I am sure in my people, in my army, and I am sure in strengthening support of the United States. But President Trump was more positive in it and he showed that he wants to support Ukraine to the very end, so we understand now that we are ready to finish this war as quick as possible.' A family-owned coffee cart suffered a major setback to its business after an Arizona hospital banned it due to its name and logo. Graveyard Shift Coffee announced on social media that the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix told them they were no longer welcome due to its branding. The coffee cart's logo features a skeleton dressed in green scrubs with a stethoscope around its neck, holding a cup of coffee. 'This trailer was made for the night shift workers at hospitals. The graveyard shift, hence the name and the logo with the skeleton and the scrubs,' Tyler Tremaine, who co-owns the business with his father Michael, told AZ Family. 'Our own little niche,' added his sister, Sierra Tremaine, who works as a barista. Tyler said they had been serving coffee at the hospital on Mondays and Fridays from 9pm to 1am for two years, and the ban means they have lost 40 percent of their business. 'We just received a call Monday afternoon that our logo and our name is offensive and that we are no longer allowed to be on their premises after going there for two years,' he told Fox 10. 'I wish I knew what happened or who said something. I didn't get any information on that, but the staff has known about us for two years. I can say that for sure. The staff has been coming out consistently for two years and there has been no issues.' Graveyard Shift Coffee announced on social media that the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix told them they were no longer welcome due to its branding The Tremaine family (pictured) caters to night shift workers in the medical field and was inspired to open cart based on their father, Michael (right), experience as a first responder The Tremaines said they were told that one person complained, leading the Mayo Clinic to cancel all future bookings. 'Our name and our logo was offensive. The skeleton and the word "graveyard",' he said. 'Been the same for three and a half years, never been an issue before at any other hospital. Sierra added, 'This is just so out of nowhere. We're trying to portray how the workers feel.' 'Out of all of the good feedback, they got one complaint, and that was it for us.' The coffee truck operates at other hospitals throughout the week, including Phoenix Children's, Abrazo Central and Scottsdale Osborn. The menu features cheekily named drinks such as Bloody Eye, Bone Crusher, Murder Spice and Nutty RN. Tyler explained that his father drew inspiration to open the business from his own experience as a first responder. 'He saw that the graveyard shift never got catering, or if there was catering, there was always leftovers and cold pizza and that sort of thing, so we created this business to give the people who work night shifts a nice little treat for themselves,' he said. The siblings said getting banned from the Mayo Clinic has taken both an emotional and financial toll. Tyler Tremaine said the Mayo Clinic (pictured) told them one person complained about their logo and name The coffee cart's logo features a skeleton dressed in green scrubs with a stethoscope around its neck, holding a cup of coffee 'All we want to do is pay our bills and put a smile on people's faces,' said Tyler. 'My grandma's been working for free for three and a half years.' Graveyard Shift Coffee's social media has been flooded with messages of support and customers encouraging the Tremaine family. 'Don't let that ruin your dream!! I'm so proud of you, Ty!!' one person said. 'Let me know when and where you are going to be, and I will buy coffee for my entire team. Wishing success!!' said another. 'Definitely do not change your name or logo. It's catchy and makes perfect sense. You guys have the best coffee I've had, you can literally go anywhere else with it,' added a third. Some wrote that while they support the business, they understand why someone at the hospital could be upset by the logo. 'Change the name to midnight shift or overnight shift, and things will change. They don't want to associate the graveyard with death,' said one person. Another person said, 'I support any business, and your name is awesome!! I love it!! However, there is a place for you, and with that name and more so the logo outside of a facility where people are in life or death situations is not encouraging or helping those dealing with a very serious life event.' Daily Mail has contacted the Mayo Clinic for comment. American manhood just passed a major milestone. Fewer than half of boys born in the US are now being circumcised, according to a report released earlier this month based on Johns Hopkins medical research. That rate, 49.3%, marks the lowest since circumcision peaked about 70 years ago, Daily Mail can reveal. As preferences shift toward keeping baby boys' penises intact, the nation is seeing an uptick in grown men seeking to restore foreskins cut from them in infancy. 'It's no longer a gay thing or a fringe thing, or something men feel they can't talk about,' said Ron Low, a longtime 'intactivist' and former purveyor of 'foreskin restoration' devices who now performs a one-man show about, as he puts it, 'what's awesome about foreskins.' Circumcision is believed to have originated as a rite of sacrifice in Ancient Egypt. It later was adopted by Jews as a spiritual covenant and by Muslims as a cultural and religious identifier. The practice gained popularity in the Victorian era for its supposed, albeit widely contested, benefit as a preventive measure against infections, diseases and masturbation. Circumcision became mainstream in the US in the 1950s and 60s, but seems to be falling out of favor in recent years The procedure, whether cultural or religious, is usually done at birth by surgically removing the foreskin Cutting became routine in the US in the early 20th century, with 80 percent to 90 percent of male infants circumcised by the 1950s and 1960s. For decades, hospitals snipped babies' foreskins in the hours after birth in a procedure nearly as routine as giving newborns Vitamin K shots and eye ointment. Even when informed consent became required in the 1980s and 1990s, most new parents opted for circumcision without much thought or discussion. Meanwhile, men from multiple generations have struggled with the repercussions. Some say they experience callouses and other discomfort from not having a foreskin covering the head of their penis. Some say nerve endings desensitized from circumcision make it hard for them to reach orgasm. Some believe the absence of foreskin makes it difficult to please their partners. And some feel psychologically unwhole, traumatized by mutilation. The 'intactivist' movement began as an ethics and human rights crusade focused mainly on infants' inability to give consent. It gained momentum in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the internet allowed men who are curious about their anatomy to research in private, without the awkwardness of having to ask a doctor or nurse. Circumcision began as a rite of sacrifice in Ancient Egypt and became a religious practice in Judaism and Islam The removal of the foreskin has long been a routine practice for many American boys at birth, or at times later in life, but not without its consequences Suddenly many men were confirming what they suspected that losing foreskin dulls sexual pleasure and can cause erectile dysfunction. Online information, misinformation and chatter piqued interest in recovering, at least cosmetically, what so many men had lost in infancy. The most common method is an array of techniques generally known as tugging. As the word suggests, it involves stretching what skin is left on the shaft to effectively make a hood over the head of the penis resembling the original foreskin. This, 'tuggers' say, can be achieved either by hand or with tension devices. Although manual tugging, as it's known, is the most comfortable, it's also inconvenient and inappropriate for men needing to navigate their lives without their hands constantly on their junk. Early hands-free devices involved medical tape rigged with elastic cords. Newer ones, an array of which are sold online for $20 to $2,000, use weights, gravity and bidirectional physics to achieve the same effect. Many can be worn while sleeping or discretely under one's pants during waking hours. Anti-circumcision movement has grown across America in recent years, with so-called 'intactivists' advocating against what they believe is genital mutilation A Bloodstained Man is pictured during a February 2024 protest in Las Vegas holding anti-circumcision placards, including one that calls for the imprisonment of doctors who carry out the procedure The process is slow, requiring what makers and users of tugging devices say is a commitment of six to eight hours a day, five to seven days a week over three to six years. The goal for most tuggers is for 'full coverage' when both flaccid and erect. 'It's like Invisalign, or wearing a retainer for your teeth. If you don't wear it, and if you aren't consistent, you don't get results,' said Rodney, a 37-year-old IT consultant in Kansas City who has been experimenting with various tugging devices for more than a year. There are no reliable reports about the outcomes of tugging, and two urologists we spoke with distanced themselves from the practice, declining to comment on its efficacy in part because there are so many variables. Among them are how a circumcision was performed in the first place, the size of a man's penis and whether it is what's known a 'show-er' or a 'grower.' The former means that it looks relatively large when flaccid and doesn't increase much in size when erect, and the latter looks smaller when flaccid but expands significantly when erect. Tugging may stretch skin by several centimeters or a few millimeters, if at all. Although it can result in the gliding action some men seek during sex, it cannot recreate muscles and cells lost to circumcision that allow specific sensations and kinds of pleasure. 'There are a lot of factors at play, including a lot of wishful thinking and false hope that's not backed up by medicine. And there are risks, too, of potentially damaging tissues and nerves by that constant tugging action,' said one doctor at Johns Hopkins Brady Urological Institute who asked not to be identified. The anti-circumcision and foreskin restoration movement has given rise to techniques such as tugging, which involves stretching the existing skin with this device Anti-circumcision activist Ron Low designed a dual tension tugger, priced at $140, that applies tension in both directions with a pusher rod An illustration shows the application of a typical restoration device, the TugAhoy Johns Hopkins Medicine spokesmen, who are authorized to speak with reporters, did not return our inquiries. A few hospitals and clinics in the US are experimenting with full foreskin reconstruction some to address medical problems and others for non-medical, cosmetic reasons. Those surgeries are rare and, for most men, prohibitively expensive because they're typically not covered by insurance. Besides, the results are inconclusive. Juan Vasquez, a 36-year-old doctor of audiology in Chicago, has spent years tugging manually and with devices to try to reverse the physical effects of his circumcision. He also has spent more than two years in therapy working through the psychological effects of having been circumcised without his consent. 'Cutting leaves behind more than just the physical scar on your genitals. It runs deeper, at least for me,' he said. Vasquez has faced some hostility for speaking out against circumcision. Certain male friends have shamed him for what they see as a victim mentality. 'They're basically saying that because it happened to them and they don't have a problem with it, I shouldn't, either,' he said. 'I think it's hard for some people to admit that a wrong was done to them.' Chuck Torres, 56, of Rhode Island, was working as a backhoe operator two decades ago. He said of that time: 'It took forever to have an orgasm.' He developed a tugging kit he calls DTR short for Duel Tension Restorer which he has been selling for more than two decades to men aged 18 into their 80s. A few of his clients have been mothers buying tuggers for sons they regret having circumcised. Although he wishes restorers could bring back the full benefits of foreskin, he says his own years of tugging have boosted his confidence and given him a sense of comfort that, in hindsight, he instinctively spent years longing for. 'It's hard to describe, but like a protective sensation that makes me feel less exposed.' Low, for his part, was a 38-year-old industrial engineer in 2000 when he started wondering why his penis wasn't as sensitive as he felt it should be. After realizing how many men were online lamenting the loss of their foreskins, he set out to develop a nonsurgical way to effectively stretch the skin tube of a penis to approximate at least the look of the original equipment. Now 63, Low boasts that five years using his product, the TLC Tugger, stretched his own anatomy into 'what looks like a foreskin' and feels like 15 square inches of 'exquisite sexual interface.' Ron Low - the man behind TLC Tugger - has become a minor celebrity within the restorationist community 'Even some doctors would be fooled,' he said, noting that, 'They're especially surprised that it puckers like natural skin would.' The Daily Mail did not independently verify his claim. Low says the public opinion shift away from circumcision has 'hugely helped' the penis device business he launched in 2003 and sold last year to a man who was one of his clients as a teenager. He said they met when that kid phoned him to explain that he couldn't use his mom's credit card to buy a tugger because he didn't want to make her feel guilty for having him cut. In his retirement, the suburban Chicagoan is turning his 'intactivism' into an art form. He spent 20 days in August performing at Edinburgh Fringe in a solo act he calls 'Foreskin Diaries', a musical, sing-along Ted Talk of sorts about his favorite topic. 'I don't want much, just want my foreskin back again', he sings in a YouTube video. No it's not TMI, I shared it cuz we're friends. My parents chose this road, but I'll choose where it ends. Don't I deserve it all? Gonna grow it back again. Yeah, grow it back again. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are on edge after a gunman opened fire on a Dallas facility Wednesday morning in what federal sources believe was a deliberate attempt to kill them. Law enforcement sources have told the Daily Mail that shooter Joshua Jahn, 29, sprayed bullets at a van at around 7am because he thought it was packed with federal agents spearheading Donald Trump's unprecedented deportation push. Officials say he then shot and killed himself as cops descended on him. But in an apparent attempt to take out a van full of ICE agents, Jahn ended up killing one migrant passenger and wounding two detainees inside the facility, one of which is reportedly in critical condition. It is unclear how the mistake was made. The Trump Administration claimed the shooting spree was motivated by Jahn's hatred for the agency, though the shooter's family said they had never heard him speak about immigration at all. Still, the words 'Anti-ICE' were found scrawled on the rounds used in the attack, and FBI Director Kash Patel said Jahn left a chilling handwritten note in his home. The note read: 'Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, "is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?"' the note read. Patel said Jahn had searched for ICE tracking apps in the past and downloaded a document titled Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, which contained a list of DHS facilities - evidence Patel says proves there was a 'high degree' of planning. He added that Jahn repeatedly searched for footage of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in the days before. Marcos Charles, a member of ICE leadership, doubled down on Patel's claim that Jahn was tracking agents. Charles said in a statement that the shooter used apps designed to show agents' locations, though it remains unclear which app was used and how. Law enforcement sources have told the Daily Mail that shooter Joshua Jahn, 29, sprayed bullets at a van early on Wednesday because he thought it was packed with federal agents 'Anyone who creates or distributes these apps that are designed to spot, track, and locate ICE officers are well aware of the dangers that they are exposing to law enforcement,' Charles said. 'It's no different than giving a hitman the location of their intended target, and this is exactly what we saw happen in Dallas yesterday.' One known app, ICEBlock, relies on reported sightings of agents by anonymous users to create an 'early warning system' for anyone in the area. CNN reported that Joshua Aaron launched the app in April, and as of June 30, it had more than 20,000 users. 'This is the third attack on ICE facilities in Texas,' one official said of the shooting. 'Agents believe it's only a matter of time before [an agent] is killed.' Assaults on ICE staff are already at record highs - up 1,000 percent - as the agency has taken an increasingly aggressive role in rounding up undocumented migrants. Some US citizens of Hispanic descent have also sued ICE, alleging wrongful arrests and rights violations. Jahn killed a migrant in the shooting spree that the Trump Administration says was motivated by his hatred for the agency Jahn's car is parked near the scene and was searched by federal agents in the aftermath of the attack The gunman scrawled 'Anti-ICE' on the rounds he used in the attack, and FBI Director Kash Patel said he left a chilling handwritten note in his home One agency insider described the Dallas attack as a near miss, even though one person was left dead and two were injured - 'Thank God he didn't kill ICE agents,' the insider said. ICE often uses unmarked vehicles in human removal operations. These vans have been spotted arriving at local businesses and pulling over on public streets for ICE agents to round up suspected illegal immigrants. Sources told the Daily Mail the bullets Jahn fired at the van also tore holes in windows, frames and walls inside the facility. 'The round went straight through the concrete front, the window frame, and into the wall across the office,' one agent said. Officials said the weapon - an 8 millimeter rifle - fired rounds more than three times the size of an AR-15 bullet. Behind the scenes, agents fear the political climate is fueling more violence. 'The left calls us Nazis, Trump's private army. People believe they're fighting the enemy,' one source told the Daily Mail. 'So far these attacks have been sloppy. But luck runs out. We can't keep being this fortunate.' For now, ICE has ordered agents to avoid traveling alone and to increase security around raids and facilities. But the mood inside the agency is grim. 'It's escalating,' a veteran officer said. 'And it's only going to get worse.' The FBI also said Jahn repeatedly searched for footage of the Charlie Kirk assassination in the days before the ICE shooting Federal law enforcement looks out from the rooftop from where Jahn opened fire in the deadly shooting spree Jahn's body is carried away from the scene. Family members said in the aftermath that they didn't believe he was interested in politics Law enforcement said that the sniper was perched on a roof adjacent to the facility when he shot at the van. After Jahn was identified as the alleged shooter, his brother Noah told NBC News he did not believe his brother was especially interested in politics and had not previously heard him voice opinions on immigration. 'He didnt have strong feelings about ICE as far as I knew,' his brother said. Noah said his younger brother was unemployed, but had previously worked as a coder and was planning on moving in with their parents in Oklahoma. In 2015, Jahn was arrested and hit with felony charges for delivering marijuana in an amount greater than 1/4 ounce. He was a registered independent in the 2024 election, but last voted in the Democratic primaries in March 2020, records showed. The Daily Mail reached out to ICE for comment. The German defence minister has issued a stark warning about the growing threat posed by Moscow's space activities after Russian spy satellites were found to be chasing the country's military satellites. Speaking at a space conference in Berlin, Boris Pistorius cited mounting concerns over two Russian satellites shadowing Intelsat satellites used by German forces and others. 'Russia and China have expanded their capabilities for warfare in space rapidly over the past years: They can disrupt satellite operations, blind satellites, manipulate or kinetically destroy them,' he told the attendees at the conference. Pistorius underscored the need for talks on developing offensive capabilities in space as a deterrent, pointing to Russia's use of two of its Luch Olymp satellites to track Intelsat satellites. The defence minister warned that the Kremlin might use nuclear weapons in space, while promising that Germany would be spending billions on projects to shield its satellites from attacks. He urged that NATO allies should consider building similar 'offensive capabilities' in orbit. The country will invest some 31 billion in space projects, he noted, aimed at strengthening military space systems against sabotage. The launch of the Russian Cosmos 2553 satellite on 5 February 2022 Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused of testing NATO's resolve after a series of aggressive Russian incursions into the alliance's airspace The Russian Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket with the Progress MS-15 cargo spacecraft lifting off from the launch pad at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, 23 July 2020 It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged world powers to help stop the war in his country or face a dangerous arms race. 'Stopping now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead,' he told the 193-member United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday. Germany joined a chorus of Western powers publicly warning about a rapidly growing security threat in space. Frances top military space official, Major General Vincent Chusseau, recently warned of intensifying 'hostile or unfriendly' activity in space, particularly by Vladimir Putin. He explained that the Ukraine conflict shows 'space is now a fully-fledged operational domain,' telling Reuters that there has been a significant spike in hostile activity since Russias full-scale invasion in 2022. France, Europes largest government spender in space, publicly accused Moscow in 2018 of attempting to spy on its secret communications by sneaking up on a Franco-Italian military satellite with a prowling spacecraft a year earlier, but has not detailed suspect manoeuvres since then. The Kremlin says Western powers have unfurled a massive hybrid war against Russia, including propaganda, cyberattacks and intelligence operations. Moscow says it opposes any weapons in space and has denied assertions by the United States that Russia has launched weapons into Earth's orbit that are capable of inspecting and attacking other satellites. China, the worlds second-largest government spender on space behind America, is rapidly developing its space capabilities. 'Each day shows dizzying progress launching ever more satellites for new constellations, developing modes of action that go beyond what we had seen before,' Chusseau said. The hostility in space unfolds against a backdrop of drone incursions into NATO airspace, putting Europe on edge. Most recently, Denmark's Aalborg airport was shut down after suspicious overnight drones were spotted violating the country's airspace in what has been described as a 'hybrid attack' by a 'professional actor'. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen didn't immediately ascribe the attack to Russia, but alluded to 'someone who wants to create destabilisation', adding that the nation was in 'an arms race against time' to strengthen its drone-repelling systems. The incident came just two days after a separate drone incursion shut down the country's main Copenhagen airport in 'the most severe attack on Danish infrastructure so far', according to prime minister Mette Frederiksen. Danish police this week hinted that Russia may have been behind the incident, which disrupted around 100 flights and left 20,000 passengers stranded. This is a breaking news story. More to follow. An emotive letter by Admiral Lord Nelson after he lost his arm has emerged after 228 years. The British naval hero thanked God for a 'perfect recovery from a severe wound' and said he was desperate to return to the seas with utmost haste. Nelson had his right limb blown off by a musket ball during the Battle of Santa Cruz in Tenerife in 1797. He famously told his surgeon afterwards 'I want to get rid of this useless piece of flesh here'. Showing his characteristic steely determination, he quickly trained himself to write with his weaker left hand. On December 8, 1797, five months after his amputation, he wrote: 'An officer desires to return thanks to almighty God for his perfect recovery from a severe wound, and also for the many mercies bestowed upon him.' The note was sent from Nelson to the Curate of St George's, Hanover Square. Nine months later, Nelson won a decisive victory over the French at the Battle of the Nile as his legend grew. An emotive letter by Admiral Lord Nelson after he lost his arm has emerged after 228 years. The British naval hero thanked God for a 'perfect recovery from a severe wound' The letter, which emerged from a private collection, sold for a hammer price of 3,200 at London-based auctioneers Spink & Son. Spink & Son manuscripts specialist Thomas Fell said: 'Nelson famously lost his right arm in the Battle of Santa Cruz, Tenerife. 'This is a well-preserved and a dramatic note giving a sense not only of the severity of Nelson's wound but also of his deep faith.' On learning that Admiral Adam Duncan had defeated the Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown in October 1797, Nelson reputedly said he would have given his other arm to have been present. He spent the final months of 1797 recuperating in London, before returning to the seas in March 1798 on HMS Vanguard. The Battle of the Nile, where A British fleet, led by Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, decisively defeated a French fleet under Vice-Admiral Francois-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, which had escorted Napoleon's army to Egypt. The note was sent from Nelson to the Curate of St George's, Hanover Square An illustration of Nelson that shows the pinned sleeve of his missing right arm Nelson masterminded his greatest triumph over the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805. After urging his men to 'do their duty', he was shot dead by a French sniper. It remains a mystery what his last words were. The most popular account states he said, 'kiss me Hardy', as Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, his flag captain, was by his side. A letter sent by a comrade six days after the battle provides a different account. George Sievers, master at arms on HMS Belleisle - which was second in the British column - disclosed that Nelson stayed alive long enough to 'be informed of the extent of the glorious victory he had gained'. Sievers said Nelson uttered the emotive final words: 'Thanks be to God but I have lived this day and now I die content.' The seaman was however not present when Nelson died. His letter emerged for sale late last year. Two ambulance service workers arrested on suspicion of manslaughter as part of a two-year investigation into six deaths are accused of leaving sick patients to die at home rather than transfer them to hospital, the Daily Mail understands. The co-workers - a man and a 59-year-old emergency care assistant (ECA) - are alleged to have manipulated the patient observation system to allow them to leave 999 call-outs early, according to a well-connected source. The paramedic is accused of six counts of gross negligence manslaughter and four counts of ill-treatment or wilful neglect by a care worker while the ECA faces a charge of gross negligence manslaughter. They worked for the South Western Ambulance Service which has faced historic claims of bullying and harassment. Both have been released on bail while enquiries continue. The Daily Mail has been given the identity of the suspects but has decided not to publish for legal reasons. A major investigation was launched after a report was first made to Wiltshire police in 2023. The source revealed: 'From what I understand they attended emergency calls-outs and in certain cases changed their observations on the system so the patient appeared 'well' meaning they could leave them at home. Two ambulance service workers were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter as part of a two-year police investigation into six deaths in Wiltshire. (File image of South Western Ambulance Service vehicle) 'These were sick patients who needed to be taken to hospital. 'Why they supposedly did this, whether it was an arrogance to get home on time or that they simply couldn't be bothered, is not yet clear. 'I know it's a very technical case to prove.' Ambulance crews use an electronic patient record (EPR) system, a digital platform that consolidates a patient's entire medical history and care interactions into a single, accessible location, including clinical notes, diagnoses, medications, treatments, and test results. Police arrested the paramedic in June last year. Plain-clothes detectives swooped on his family home in unmarked cars and vans and searched the property for two-days, at one point bringing in a sniffer-dog. The paramedic eventually returned to the house - on a new-build estate - but was suspended and later dismissed from the South Western Ambulance Service. Police arrested the ECA in March this year and searched her home, a country cottage. South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said the deaths were an 'isolated incident'. A spokesperson said: 'As soon as the Trust became aware of any concerns, we immediately initiated an internal investigation which resulted in a prompt police referral, and we have been working closely with them as part of the ongoing investigation. 'Two members of staff were suspended. The suspension of the two members of staff meant that they were immediately relieved of all duties, including the treatment of patients. 'We would like to reassure people that this is an isolated situation and there is no on-going risk to patients. Please continue to call 999 in a life-threatening emergency. 'One of the two individuals that were initially suspended, is no longer employed by the Trust. 'Due to the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this stage.' DCI Phil Walker (pictured) of Wiltshire Police previously confirmed a man in his 30s and a 59-year-old woman had been arrested as part of the two-year investigation In an internal email, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust told staff that the probe 'follows a concern raised by the Trust to Wiltshire Police'. They added that it led to the 'immediate suspension of one member of staff, and their subsequent dismissal' followed by 'the suspension of a second member of staff'. Wiltshire Police declined to comment on the nature of the allegations. A spokesman said: 'To preserve the integrity of our ongoing investigation and ensure the appropriate safeguarding of those involved, we will not be providing a running commentary on speculation.' However, Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker, from the major crime investigation team, said: 'We can confirm that a major investigation is under way relating to several adult deaths in and around Wiltshire. 'This investigation has been ongoing since an initial report was made to Wiltshire Police in 2023 and detailed inquiries have been undertaken since to ascertain the facts. 'In June 2024, we arrested a man in his 30s from West Wiltshire on suspicion of six counts of gross negligence manslaughter and four counts of ill-treatment or wilful neglect by a care worker. 'In addition, in March this year we arrested a 59-year-old woman on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. 'Both have been released on conditional bail while our inquiries continue. 'Our focus is on supporting the families and loved ones of those who have died, and we would ask the media to respect their privacy at this time.' Gross negligence manslaughter requires the breach of an existing duty of care, which gives rise to a serious and obvious risk of death, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. South Western Ambulance Service was rated as 'good' following its most recent inspection by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission in 2022, having made improvements since previous inspections. The trust was rated as 'outstanding' for care and 'good' for its response times, effectiveness and leadership, however its emergency and urgent care services was rated as requiring improvement. One South Western Ambulance station was dubbed the 'Mafia Station' following an internal investigation into claims of bullying, intimidation and harassment in 2022. A Bali hospital has denied accusations of organ theft after the body of an Aussie tradie who was found dead in his villa was sent home without his heart. The family of Byron Haddow, 23, from Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, have been demanding answers from the Indonesian hospital about why it held onto their loved one's heart after he died on May 26. Prof Ngoerah Hospital in Denpasar have since clarified they kept the organ for further forensic testing following an autopsy, reported local media on Thursday night. Mr Haddow was found unconscious inside his private villa while holidaying in North Kuta with a friend. The family described the FIFO worker's death as 'highly suspicious' and, while his death certificate says he drowned, a Bali coroner found he had consumed a lethal combination of alcohol and an antidepressant. Their anguish was only heightened by the fact a piece of their loved one remained missing for months. Mr Haddow's body was returned without his heart - a fact that was only realised two days before his funeral. The heart back to Queensland on August 11 but the hospital did not explain why it was withheld. It has denied all accusations of witholding the organ as part of a wider organ trafficking ring. The body of Byron Haddow (pictured) was returned to Australia from Bali without a heart Mr Haddow was found unconscious inside his private villa (pictured) on May 26 'Instead of responding to our letter, Ngoerah immediately arranged for the return of the heart without providing proper clarification,' said one of the family's lawyers, Ni Luh Arie Ratna Sukasari told local outlet Bali Times. The hospital requested the family pay $700 AUD to cover the cost of sending the organ back to Australia. However, many of the family's questions still remained unanswered. 'What was the legal basis for keeping our client's son's heart? Why was there never any request for consent to retain it? And why was a separate autopsy carried out on the body and the heart?' another family lawyer, I Gusti Ngurah Bayu Padana, asked. Mr Haddow's family have also sent the heart they received for DNA testing to ensure it is his. 'As of now, the coroner in Australia is still conducting DNA testing to determine whether this is Byron's heart. There is still no certainty,' Mr Padana said. News of Mr Haddow's death first hit headlines in May this year when his family launched a GoFundMe page to help raise money to bring him home. The death is now the subject of an open coronial investigation, but The Coroners Court of Queensland has not yet released any information regarding its findings. On Wednesday, a lawyer for the Haddow family released a statement maintaining that Mr Haddow's death is 'highly suspicious' and warrants further investigation. 'The authorities only followed up on this incident on May 30, 2025, four days after the victim's death, and even then, only after strong pressure from our Client,' Malekat Hukum Law Firm said. 'At present, the police have stated they require assistance from the Australian Consulate to secure statements from these three witnesses. However, it is deeply concerning that, to date, the Consulate has not provided any response.' As investigations continue, Bali police have sought the assistance of the Australian Federal Police and the Australian consulate to summon the two female friends so they can speak to authorities. A trio of NHS workers who made 412k by selling fake Covid 19 vaccination records have been jailed for 10 years. Hakeem Walters, 29, Rokibul Islam, 31, and Muhammed Ahmed, 27, made their fortune while employed as administrators in Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford. They falsified records for 847 people at the Covid clinic to allow them to escape government lockdown rules and to travel abroad, Southwark Crown Court heard. Kathryn Drummond, prosecuting, said: They ultimately make profits at the expense of the wider public at a time of national crisis, namely the Covid pandemic. Each of them held a position of trust at the relevant time as an employee within the NHS. They falsified 1,648 vaccine records relating to 847 individuals. They did so for profit. That enabled those 847 people to enjoy additional freedom in times of lockdown, freedoms reserved for those vaccinated against Covid-19. The trio charged people 250 each for fake vaccine records. Muhammed Ahmed, 27, Rokibul Islam, 31, and Hakeem Walters, 29, (L-R) made their fortune while employed as administrators in Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford Pictured: The Covid-19 vaccination centre in Westfield Stratford City shopping centre in east London Islam had access to the National Immunisation Vaccination System (NIVS), the court heard. Mr Islam sold his confidential login details to Mr Ahmed for 1,000, Ms Drummond said. Ms Drummond added Islam began his work as a Band 3 administrator and clerical bank worker for the vaccine project in June 2021. Every single vaccine record associated with his login was false. He began his work in the NHS at a time of crisis. He obtained wide access. He sold wider access for one thousand pounds. He never created any true or honest vaccination, she said. Once the entries were submitted the NHS Covid-19 App showed people were fully vaccinated. That would enable them to travel, attend certain venues, apply for work, jobs that had restrictions in place, the prosecutor added. Sentencing, Judge Sally-Ann Hales said: Between August 17 and December 13 2021 you conspired to hack the NHS computer system to create false Covid vaccination records. You did so to make a financial gain for yourselves. The evidence indicates that these conspiracies involved more people than just you three. Once the entries were submitted the NHS Covid-19 App showed people were fully vaccinated (file image) These are serious offences committed during the pandemic... the risk to public health is self-evident, and the harm that may have resulted is also self-evident. The harm was not to any individual victim, or at least none that can be identified. The damage occasioned is to the wider public. Addressing Walters the judge said: You abused your position of trust over a number of months. You did so in a sophisticated way, taking steps to conceal what you were doing. It is said that you were not motivated by financial gain but by genuine anti-fact beliefs. She concluded: These offences are so serious that only immediate custodial sentences are appropriate. Four years on it is too easy to forget how important the vaccine scheme was in preventing deaths and protecting vulnerable members of the public. People no different from your parents who all have health issues. Ahmed and Walters were both jailed for four years and four months, while Islam was jailed for one year and seven months. Islam, of Ettrick Street, Tower Hamlets, Walters, of Brooke Road, Hackney, and Ahmed, of Courtland Avenue, Ilford, East London, all admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and conspiracy to cause a computer to perform a function with intent. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to denounce the leaders of Western countries for their recognition of an independent Palestinian state in his upcoming speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Sir Keir Starmer made the move on Sunday 21 on the same day as Canada, Australia and Portugal, prompting a furious response from Israel which accused the countries of 'rewarding' Hamas terror. Belgium and France followed suit the following day, with French President Emmanuel Macron telling the UN that 'we must do everything within our power to preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution'. During his state visit to the UK, U.S. President Donald Trump said he has 'a disagreement with the prime minister' about his formal recognition of Palestine. But amid the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel pushing ahead with settlements in the West Bank, a majority of UN member states - at least 151 - are united in their recognition of an independent state. 'At the UN General Assembly, I will speak our truth - the truth about the citizens of Israel, the truth about our IDF soldiers and the truth about our country,' said an outraged Netanyahu at the Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday morning. His meetings with other leaders at the assembly are expected to be dominated by the recent wave of Western countries backing Palestinians' aspiration to forge a sovereign homeland. 'I will denounce those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, rapists and child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the Land of Israel. This will not happen,' the leader added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to denounce the leaders of Western countries for their recognition of an independent Palestinian state in his upcoming speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City Sir Keir Starmer made the move on Sunday 21 on the same day as Canada, Australia and Portugal, prompting a furious response from Israel which accused the countries of 'rewarding' Hamas terror Amid the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel pushing ahead with settlements in the West Bank, a majority of UN member states - at least 151 - are united in their recognition of an independent state Announcing his commitment to recognise Palestinian statehood in a video on social media, Sir Keir said: 'Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clear as Prime Minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine. 'We recognised the State of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people. 'Today we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian state also. A pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future.' The move unleashed a furious response from Netanyahu, who said the UK was handing Hamas 'an absurd prize for terrorism'. 'I have a clear message to leaders who are recognising a Palestinian state after the horrendous October 7 massacre - you are rewarding terror with an enormous prize,' he said. 'And I have another message for you - it's not going to happen. There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan river.' Addressing reporters before he boarded the plane to the U.S., the Israeli prime minister said he was looking forward to talks with Trump, in which the leaders would discuss the opportunities that their 'victories' have brought, as well as 'our need to complete the goals of the war - returning all of our hostages [and] defeating Hamas'. By 'victories', Netanyahu seemed to be alluding to the 12-day war with Iran in June nicknamed Operation Rising Lion, during which Israel targetted sites linked to Iran's nuclear programme, its air defences and ballistic missile bases. Palestinians, displaced by the Israeli military offensive, take shelter in a tent camp, in Zawaida in the central Gaza Strip, September 25, 2025 In a 48-hour period between 19 and 20 September in Gaza City, at least 51 Palestinians were killed in 18 recorded attacks on residential buildings, according to the UN human rights office On Wednesday, the Israeli leader said the wave of announcements recognising Palestinian statehood would not be binding on Israel. 'The shameful capitulation of some leaders to Palestinian terror does not obligate Israel in any way,' his office said. While certain members of Netanyahu's coalition are pushing for Israel to annex parts of the West Bank in response, Trump promised Arab and Muslim leaders this week at the UN that he wouldn't permit such developments, according to Politico sources. Two Gaza City hospitals have been taken out of service due to the escalation of Israel's ground offensive and damage caused by continued Israeli bombing, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said on Monday. The ministry said in a statement that Al-Rantissi Children's Hospital had been badly damaged in an Israeli bombardment a few days prior. At the same time, it reported Israeli attacks in the vicinity of the nearby Eye Hospital, which forced the suspension of services there, too. In a 48-hour period between 19 and 20 September in Gaza City, at least 51 Palestinians were killed in 18 recorded attacks on residential buildings, according to the UN human rights office. Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel killed 1,200 people, and 251 others were taken hostage. Israel's two-year-long campaign has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health authorities. Every working adult in Britain will require a Government-issued digital ID card under a 'dystopian' plan set to be announced by Sir Keir Starmer. The idea of a mandatory identification system has long been advocated by Labour as a way to tackle illegal migration. But the proposal is fiercely opposed by civil rights campaigners, who warn it will erode civil liberties and turn the UK into a 'papers please' society. Meanwhile, polls show a majority of the public do not trust ministers to keep their personal data safe from cyber-criminals. Detailed proposals for what has been dubbed a 'Brit Card' could be announced by the Prime Minister as early as tomorrow. Under the scheme, anyone starting a new job or renting a property would be required to show their digital ID on an app so it can be automatically checked against a central database. Currently, employees and renters have the option of showing a number of different forms of physical ID, but there are fears these are too easy to fake. There is also little to stop unscrupulous employers claiming they have made a check when they have not. However, critics have dismissed the plan as a reheated version of Tony Blair's failed ID card scheme, which was axed amid concerns over privacy and soaring costs. Sir Keir's proposals will be subject to a consultation and are expected to require legislation. The UK is one of the few countries in Europe without an ID system. Your browser does not support iframes. Detailed plans for what has been dubbed a 'Brit Card' could be announced by the Prime Minister as early as tomorrow. Pictured: Mock-ups of what the cards could look like Gracie Bradley, of campaign group Liberty, said a new plan was 'likely to be even more intrusive, insecure and discriminatory' than the Labour government's failed 2006 initiative. Meanwhile, Rebecca Vincent, of Big Brother Watch, accused ministers of a knee-jerk response to the small boats crisis. 'While Downing Street is scrambling to be seen as doing something about illegal immigration, we are sleepwalking into a dystopian nightmare where the entire population will be forced through myriad digital checkpoints to go about our everyday lives,' she said. 'Mandatory digital IDs will not stop small boat crossings, but it will create a burden on the already law-abiding population to prove our right to be here. It will turn Britain into a "Papers, please" society.' Tomorrow, Sir Keir is due to speak at the Global Progress Action Summit in London alongside Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney. Earlier this month, Sir Keir argued that digital IDs could 'play an important part' in making Britain less attractive to illegal migrants. He said things had 'moved on' since the debate over ID cards during the last Labour government in the 2000s. He had told the BBC: 'We all carry a lot more digital ID now than we did 20 years ago, and I think that, psychologically, it plays a different part.' France has repeatedly claimed that the lack of ID cards in the UK acts as a pull factor for Channel migrants, who are able to find work in the black economy. A total of 1,157 people have arrived on small boats in the last week, according to Home Office statistics. But Conservative justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said the plan would do nothing to stop the boats. He said: 'Most employers who are employing individuals illegally are doing so knowingly. 'Asking them to check ID cards rather than the current checks that they are already obliged to do is not going to make a blind bit of difference to illegal migration.' His concerns were echoed by Andrew Griffith, Tory MP for Arundel and South Downs, who called the proposal 'a complete misdirection' that would 'impose more restrictions on the innocent'. Mr Starmer is said to have been sceptical of ID cards on civil liberties grounds before coming over to the idea Digital ID cards have been suggested as a way to deter Channel migrants Tory former Cabinet minister David Davis was a high-profile opponent of Mr Blair's scheme and renewed his criticisms today. He said: 'While digital IDs and ID cards sound like modern and efficient solutions to problems like illegal immigration, such claims are misleading at best. 'The systems involved are profoundly dangerous to the privacy and fundamental freedoms of the British people. 'No system is immune to failure, and we have seen time and again governments and tech giants fail to protect people's personal data. 'If world-leading companies cannot protect our data, I have little faith that Whitehall would be able to do better. 'If politicians tell you that your data will be safe, why don't you ask them if they're willing to pay 10,000 compensation to each victim if there is a serious breach? The answer will be informative.' The UK has only previously had mandatory ID cards during wartime. The last tranche were scrapped in 1952. Sir John Major's government ran a consultation on reintroducing them in 1995, but they were never brought in. His successor, Sir Tony, then considered a voluntary ID card, but it was not fully rolled out amid objections from the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives. He has since repeated his call for their introduction after leaving office. He was backed up by Labour campaign group Labour Together, which has been closely linked to Sir Keir and the Government. The thinktank published a 30-page document in June in favour of the Brit Card. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Q&A: Digital ID cards What would they be used for? The aim of the digital ID card is to verify a citizen's right to live and work in the UK. Anyone looking to start a new job or rent a property would be required to supply their digital ID. This would then be checked automatically against a central database of people allowed to work in the UK. Why does the Government want to bring them in? The Prime Minister is hoping the so-called 'Brit-card' will help crack down on illegal migration. Currently, workers only have to show one of a number of physical ID documents - but there are concerns these could be faked. Advocates say there is not much in place to stop unscrupulous employers claiming they have made physical checks. Do other countries have digital ID cards? Many countries including Estonia, Spain, Portugal, Germany, India, the UAE and France use digital IDs. France has repeatedly claimed that the lack of ID cards in the UK acts as a pull factor for Channel migrants, who are able to find work in the black economy. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said it won't 'make a blind bit of difference to illegal migration'. Have Labour tried this before? Sir Tony Blair brought in legislation for compulsory identity cards when he was PM but the scheme was scrapped by the Tory-Lib Dem coalition. He has repeatedly stated it would control immigration. The last Labour government issued around 15,000 ID cards before it was scrapped in 2011 and the database destroyed. Both the Tories and Lib Dems said it would be 'intrusive'. Yvette Cooper last year ruled out digital ID cards, saying it wasn't 'our approach'. What do critics say? The proposal is fiercely opposed by civil rights campaigners, who warn it will erode civil liberties and turn the UK into a 'papers please' society. Polls show a majority of the public do not trust ministers to keep their personal data safe from cyber-criminals. Gracie Bradley, of campaign group Liberty, said a new scheme was 'likely to be even more intrusive, insecure and discriminatory' than the Labour government's failed 2006 plan to bring in ID cards. Advertisement In the report, it said: 'The Labour Government has the opportunity to build a new piece of civic infrastructure, something that would become a familiar feature of daily life for everyone in the country. 'It would support better enforcement of migration rules, and protect vulnerable British citizens from being wrongly denied their rights.' Big Brother Watch has again warned against their introduction. A petition started by the group has reached more than 101,000 signatures. In a letter to Sir Keir yesterday, the group said: 'Mandatory digital ID is highly unlikely to achieve the Government's objective of tackling unauthorised immigration. 'The proposed schemes fundamentally misunderstand the 'pull factors' that drive migration to the UK and would do very little to tackle criminal people-smuggling gangs or employers and landlords who operate "off the books". 'Instead, it would push unauthorised migrants further into the shadows, into more precarious work and unsafe housing.' Sir Ed Davey told the Liberal Democrat conference this week that his party would need to properly 'scrutinise' any details, but said it was not necessarily against the policy. Responding to the ad-hoc poll during an event in Bournemouth, Sir Ed replied: 'Times have changed, and that is why I am saying "let's look at it".' He added: 'There are models that may answer our objections as liberals.' Mr Starmer is said to have been sceptical of ID cards on civil liberties grounds before coming over to the idea. Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, was believed to be sceptical about ID cards when she was home secretary. But her replacement, Shabana Mahmood, is strongly in favour. This month she said she was 'very clear' that ministers had to deal with factors that made the UK attractive to illegal migrants. She added: 'I want to make sure that we can clamp down on that. I think that a system of digital ID can also help with illegal working enforcement of other laws as well. I do think that that has a role to play for dealing with our migration. 'My long-term personal political view has always been in favour of ID cards.' Polling has found that almost two-thirds of Britons do not trust the Government to keep their digital identity data secure. Polling for Big Brother Watch found 63 per cent of Britons do not trust the Government to keep their personal information secure. Matthew Feeney, advocacy manager of BBW, said the YouGov survey of 2,153 people shows that people fear their data would be stolen in a cyber-attack. He told the Daily Mail: 'On top of a digital ID scheme being a civil liberties disaster, it would also represent a significant cybersecurity risk. The Government should abandon plans for a digital ID scheme immediately.' The warning follows a series of cyber-attacks against British national infrastructure and a colossal data leak when the details of more than 18,000 people who had applied for asylum under the Afghan resettlement scheme ended up in the hands of the Taliban. Alexander Iosad, director of government innovation at the Tony Blair Institute, today hailed the prospect of digital ID cards. He said: 'Make no mistake, if the government announces a universal digital ID to help improve our public services, it would be one of the most important steps taken by this or any government to make British citizens' everyday lives easier and build trust. 'How we experience government could be about to transform, for the better. 'Not only can Digital ID help us to tackle illegal migration, but done correctly and responsibly, it can open the door to a whole new model of services that come to you when you need them.' This is the moment plane passengers cheered as a man was 'dragged off' an easyJet plane after he forced the pilot to make an unscheduled landing on the way to Corfu. The diversion took place on board the flight from Manchester to Corfu, Greece on Wednesday. The plane was forced to divert to Milan after reports a passenger was 'disruptive' and a man was escorted away. Passengers claim, shortly after takeoff, a stewardess had to restrain a man who was 'wobbling backwards and forwards' in his seat. After touching down in Milan, a video taken by a passenger shows police officers dragging a man off the plane. A woman was also escorted off the flight after him, clutching a bottle of vodka, onlookers claim - but this was not captured on film. One passenger said: 'We we're about halfway through the flight and there was a little bit of obstruction at the back. 'The stewardess was spending a lot of time back there, to the point she wasn't leaving his side. The plane was forced to divert to Milan after reports a passenger was 'disruptive' and a man was escorted away The diversion took place on board the flight from Manchester to Corfu, Greece on Wednesday Passengers claim, shortly after takeoff, a stewardess had to restrain a man who was 'wobbling backwards and forwards' in his seat 'The captain came over the intercom saying they were going to make an emergency landing because of disorderly conduct and that there was an incident. He was wobbling backwards and forwards. 'The stewardess was keeping him in his seat. Police came on in Milan and two officers struggled to get him out of his seat, he was then on the floor and they dragged him along. 'They tried to put him in cuffs and he was clinging to the staircase on the way down. 'The police cars were on the tarmac for a good 30 to 40 minutes. 'The same officers escorted off a woman with a bottle of vodka in her hand.' The Daily Mail has contacted easyJet for comment. Have you been affected by the cyber attack? Please email: tips@dailymail.co.uk The pictures, names and addresses of around 8,000 children have been stolen from the Kido nursery chain, hackers claimed today amid an extraordinary cyber attack. Cyber criminals said they were using the details to demand a ransom for the company, which has 19 UK sites - 18 in Greater London and another in Windsor. Kido also operates 39 nurseries across India and others in China as well as nine sites in the US - six in Houston, two in Austin and one in Chicago. The hackers claim to have safeguarding notes and details about the children's parents and carers - and got in touch with BBC News about their actions. They have allegedly contacted some parents by phone and are trying to extort money from the nursery chain, which runs services for children as young as six months old. The hackers told the BBC they 'weren't asking for an enormous amount' although it was 'of course' about money - and 'deserve some compensation for our pentest'. A 'pentest' refers to a so-called penetration test, when ethical hackers are hired to check the security of an organisation by carrying out a simulated cyber attack. Kido has not issued a statement on the claims, but an employee confirmed they had been told of a data breach. The Daily Mail has contacted the firm for comment. Details relating to around 8,000 children have been stolen from a nursery chain (stock image) Kido's nurseries across London include central sites in Waterloo and Clerkenwell as well as locations in upmarket suburbs such as Chiswick and Fulham. Fees vary between nurseries, but are estimated at the Chiswick site at around 2,000 a month for a child going in for a full day (8am to 6pm) for five days a week without working family funding. Reacting to the attack, cyber security expert Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point Software, told the Mail today: 'This is an absolute new low. 'These attacks follow a familiar playbook: breaking in, stealing data and deploying ransomware. 'The use of children's images and details takes it to a shocking level. Cybercriminals are driven by money, not morals. They do not care if the collateral damage is a pre-school, a hospital or a global company. 'To deliberately put children and schools in the firing line, as we saw when the Harris Federation was taken offline, is indefensible. Frankly, it is appalling.' Mr Stewart was referring to an incident in 2021 when a ransomware attack on the Harris Federation of schools left 37,000 pupils unable to access their email. Earlier today, the Co-operative Group revealed it slumped to a half-year loss after taking an earnings hit of around 80million from a 'malicious' cyber attack in April. It was also revealed that the Government could step in to help keep Jaguar Land Rover suppliers trading after the car maker halted production due to a cyber attack. And passengers faced disruption at several European airports over the weekend after a cyber attack targeted a service provider for check-in and boarding systems. Have you been affected by the cyber attack? Please email: tips@dailymail.co.uk A Sudanese migrant who is accused of raping a university student just months after his arrival in the UK has claimed she initiated consensual sex with him. Samir Muhammad, 21, has denied dragging the alleged victim from a nightclub, raping her and holding her against her will for two hours at his friend's flat in Bournemouth. Today he told the court that the young woman asked to come back to the flat to charge her phone before she removed her clothes and climbed on top of him. He claimed they had consensual sex twice and that they were both 'happy'. The alleged rape happened just months after Muhammad arrived in the UK, aged 16 or 17 upon his arrival, after he fled Sudan. The jury was told there had been a lot of troubles in his homeland and it was not safe for him to remain there. His immigration status has not been revealed in court. The court heard he met the first year university student in Cameo nightclub in Bournemouth, Dorset, in the early hours of December 5, 2021. Yesterday, Bournemouth Crown Court heard the young woman had one drink in the club and felt 'out of it' when Muhammad dragged her outside at 3.20am. Samir Muhammad, 21, has denied dragging the alleged victim from a nightclub, raping her and holding her against her will for two hours at his friend's flat He took her to the flat he was staying at nearby in Sandringham House. She told the court he forced her to undress, pinned her down and raped her despite her asking him to stop. It's alleged he then refused to let her leave and stopped her answering calls from her worried friends. She borrowed his charger and was then able to share her location with them on Snapchat and they said they were coming to get her. His victim was able to persuade him to let her leave at 5.50am, the court heard. When she saw her friends she immediately burst into tears and told them she had been raped, it was heard. But today the court heard Muhammad, whose first language is Zaghawa, claim the girl had asked to come home with him to charge her phone. Muhammad said: 'I said, can I get your number and she said my phone is dead, can I come with you to charge my phone? I said it was not my flat and I will ask my friend. He said okay. Bournemouth Crown Court (pictured) today heard Muhammad's claim that the sex was consensual - he also denied preventing his alleged victim from leaving his flat or using her phone 'She took her clothes off, she was hugging me. I'm happy, she was happy as well. I didn't force her. 'After, I was tired, she said "are you sure you're tired?" and we started sex again.' Muhammad also denied preventing her from leaving or from using her phone. He told the court: 'I told her two or three times to stay. She insisted she wanted to go. I did ask her to stay because it was dark, I just wanted [her] to be safe, I said stay until the morning. 'I said I would walk with her to meet her friend. She said "you can go now". She gave my hand a kiss and said see you later. Afterwards I sent her a message on Snapchat, I said "have you met your friends?"' The court heard the woman saw the message but did not reply. Muhammad said he put his number in her phone because 'she was talking to be together, we were happy together and to meet her again'. Muhammad denies two counts of rape. The trial continues. One in five female students have suffered sexual violence and women are three times more likely to be harassed on campus than men, according to a survey. The Office for Students (OfS) found unwanted sexual behaviour is widespread across universities after polling around 52,000 students. Last night, campaigners blamed teenage consumption of violent online porn for the sadly unsurprising explosion in incidents. The survey, the first of its kind, took in a nationally-representative sample of undergraduate final year students across England. It found that overall, 25 per cent have experienced sexual harassment since starting university, and 14 per cent experienced sexual assault or violence. Broken down by gender, 33 per cent of women had been sexually harassed, compared with just 12 per cent of men. When it came to sexual assault, 19 per cent of women had experienced this, compared with 7 per cent of men. It meant women were three times more likely than men to experience either sexual harassment or assault during their studies. One in five female students have suffered sexual violence and women are three times more likely to be harassed on campus than men, according to a survey (file picture) Former Tory MP Miriam Cates, who is now a GB News presenter, said: There is an established link between consumption of hardcore pornography and actual sexual violence so it is sadly unsurprising that so many sexual assaults are taking place on campus. The average age of first viewing online porn is just 13 years old, and we now have a whole generation of boys and young men whose regular sexual experience involves watching videos of real women being abused, humiliated or raped. We must acknowledge that the ready availability of pornography online has been disaster for both young men and young women. Of those who had experienced sexual harassment in a previous year, only 13 per cent said they had made a formal report to their university or college. More than a third 39 per cent of those students said their experience of reporting the incident was poor. OfS chief executive Susan Lapworth said: All students should expect their time at university or college to be free from sexual harassment or assault. Over the last year, universities and colleges have rightly renewed their efforts to tackle these issues because when incidents do occur, it can have a profound, even devastating, impact on students ability to thrive and succeed. Nearly half 46.6 per cent of lesbian, gay or bisexual students said they had experienced sexual harassment, compared with 21.7 per cent of heterosexual students. A small percentage, 1.5 per cent of students said they had been in an intimate personal relationship with a member of staff in the past year. The majority said the person had been involved in their teaching or assessment. The survey comes after the OfS introduced a new rule from August requiring universities to take action to prevent and address sexual harassment and misconduct. Jo Grady, the general secretary of the University and College Union, said the figures revealed a national scandal. She said: These shocking figures expose just how widespread sexual harassment and assault are in our universities. A spokesman for Universities UK said: 'Universities are determined to tackle sexual harassment. 'Whilst this is clearly a wider societal challenge, this powerful data puts universities in a stronger position to prevent assault and harassment, support students and improve reporting. 'To help universities tackle these issues head on, Universities UK has worked closely with the Office for Students and with our members to spread best practise from across the sector. 'This includes sharing examples of what they can do to support any student or member of staff who is subject to inappropriate behaviour. Steps include making it easier for people to report incidents, educating students on consent, and guiding staff on how to respond to incidents.' A prison inmate charged with beating a notorious pig farming serial killer to death with a broken broomstick is set to plead guilty. Martin Charest allegedly beat Canadian mass murderer Robert Pickton to death at the Port-Cartier maximum security prison in Quebec on May 19, 2024. On Wednesday, Charest announced through his lawyer that he plans to plead guilty to Pickton's murder. The 54-year-old informed the Sept-Iles, Quebec, courthouse in Canada via video conference, alongside his lawyer, Sonia Bogdaniec, according to the CBC. Charest faces a first-degree murder charge for stabbing Pickton, who was 74 at the time, had the end of a broken broomstick plunged into his face. Pickton died 12 days later at a hospital in Quebec. The serial killer was serving a life sentence for six counts of murder, which he was convicted of in 2007. Pickton is believed to have killed dozens more women, bringing each of his victims to his Vancouver farm to butcher them and feed them to his pigs. Martin Charest allegedly beat Canadian mass murderer Robert Pickton (Pictured) to death at the Port-Cartier maximum security prison in Quebec on May 19, 2024 Pickton, who was 74 at the time, hit in the face with the end of a broken broomstick in the common area of the prison The depraved farmer's crime spree ran from the late 1990s to early 2000s. The attack on Pickton occurred in the common room when he was picking up his medication. It was there that Charest plunged the end of the broken broomstick into the killer's face. Pickton was airlifted to the hospital, where he was put into a medically induced coma, according to the outlet. Judge Jean-Louis Lemay has scheduled the plea hearing for September 25, according to prosecutor Melissa Hogan. Pickton's vile crimes first started to be uncovered more than two decades ago, when police began searching his farm in the suburb of Port Coquitlam. Pickton was serving a life sentence for six counts of murder, which he was convicted of in 2007 Pickton is believed to have killed dozens more women, bringing each of his victims to his Vancouver farm to butcher them and feed them to his pigs It turned into a years-long investigation involving the disappearances of dozens of women from Vancouver's streets, with many of the victims sex workers and drug addicts abandoned on the margins of society. The remains or DNA of 33 women were found on the farm. Pickton once bragged to an undercover police officer that he killed a total of 49 women. During his trial, prosecution witness Andrew Bellwood said Pickton told him how he strangled his victims and fed their remains to his pigs. Health officials once issued a tainted meat advisory to neighbors who might have bought pork from Pickton's farm, concerned the meat might have contained human remains. Cynthia Cardinal, whose sister Georgina Papin was murdered by Pickton, previously said that the killer farmer's death means she can finally move on. 'This is gonna bring healing for, I won't say all families, I'll just say most of the families,' she said. The depraved farmer's crime spree ran from the late 1990s to early 2000s 'I'm like - wow, finally. I can actually move on and heal and I can put this behind me.' Vancouver police were criticized for not taking the cases seriously because many of the missing were sex workers or drug users. Pickton was charged with the murders of 26 women but only convicted in the murders of six: Sereena Abotsway, Mona Wilson, Andrea Joesbury, Brenda Ann Wolfe, Papin and Marnie Frey. A man who was raped by his mother as a child and suspects he is his brother's father will now be his sibling's legal guardian, a court ruled. Logan Gifford, a 26-year-old from Las Vegas, told a judge that he suspects his 16-year-old sibling is his biological son but DNA tests have been inconclusive. His mother, Doreene Gifford, was convicted of raping him and sentenced to eight to 20 years in prison in 2015. Logan has since rebuilt his life to become a political operative in Nevada - including working for Governor Joe Lombardo. Earlier this year, he filed a paternity case asking a judge to order an advanced DNA test to determine who is his brother's biological father. But the results showed Logan and his father, Theodore Gifford, both shared a 99.9 percent match to his sibling, who is disabled. On Wednesday, Family Court Judge Vincent Ochoa, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, said: 'The DNA test conducted does not have a final determination as to one of the two.' However, the judge added that Logan is the boy's father as the two live together - and Theodore has refused to take part in the court case. 'I can't make [Theodore] the father if he doesn't want to participate,' the judge said. Logan Gifford, 26, told a court that he suspects his 16-year-old brother is also his biological son, but DNA tests have been inconclusive Logan's mother Doreene Gifford was charged with sexual assault of a minor and incest, but she maintained her innocence, and was sentenced to eight to 20 years in prison after taking an Alford plea 'I'm going to grant the default and declare Logan Gifford to be the legal father of the child. This is the only solution we have. The DNA test was done and eliminated everyone except for two individuals and only one of those individuals wants to participate in this case.' Doreene is now a registered sex offender on parole and living in Massachusetts, Logan's attorney Timothy Treffinger said. She was present in the hearing and said: 'I never had any doubt that Theodore was the father, but I cannot continue this case, mentally, physically or emotionally. 'I feel that it's best that we just concede this case and stop this madness now.' The attorney told the court that further DNA testing would be pointless as a lab said they 'didn't really have any options as far as a more confirmatory test.' After the hearing, Logan said he was ready to move on from the case. 'Clearly, we got the answer that we were anticipating,' he said. 'Finally, there was closure, not only for me, as a male survivor, but also closure for someone who didn't ask for any of this. This is meaningful to him. I didn't want this to necessarily be made public, but it took that to get to this point.' He said he has shared his story publicly in hopes of inspiring male survivors of sexual abuse. Gifford came forward to authorities when he was 16, saying his mother had sexually abused him since he was ten years old. Logan made headlines a decade ago after he came forward with horrific allegations that his mother raped him since he was ten, which he fears may mean his brother is actually his biological son (pictured together) Logan (pictured aged ten) said he was ready to move on from the case after the ruling Just 16 at the time he came forward, he came to believe that his younger brother may actually be his biological son conceived around the end period of his years of abuse. Doreene was charged with sexual assault of a minor and incest, but she maintained her innocence. She eventually took an Alford plea on lesser charges of attempted sexual assault, which means she did not admit guilt but conceded that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict her in court. The incarceration left Logan in charge of his brother, who the 26-year-old has long said he feels 'a duty' towards. He previously served as his brother's temporary guardian after his father stopped caring for him. An elderly woman says she is broke and can no longer receive the urgent medical care she needs after being wrongly declared dead. Sarah Van Leuven, from Santa Monica, California, is very much alive - despite the Social Security Administration twice saying she is deceased. The 86-year-old also received a letter saying she had been purged from all Medicare and health insurance systems. Van Leuven told KTLA that the sheer lack of records on her essentially means that she was never born, at least according to the federal government. Van Leuven, a stroke survivor, has now been left without health insurance. That's on top of her banks canceling her credit cards and the government taking back years worth of pension payments she earned from being a special education teacher. She retired from her job with the Los Angeles Unified School District on April 1, 2016 - the same date the SSA lists her as deceased. This remains the only clue as to how this mix up could have occurred, though it isn't known if this came down to human error or a computer malfunction. Jon Van Leuven, the elderly woman's son, is her primary caretaker and has had the responsibility of untangling this mess. He was first made aware of problems with his mother's status in 2023, but thought it had been resolved until her record was officially scrubbed from the SSA this year. Sarah Van Leuven sits with her son Jon, who is her caretaker after she had a stroke. He has been dealing with the ordeal that's been created due to the Social Security Administration incorrectly declaring his mother deceased The Social Security Administration listed Van Leuven's retirement date as the day that she died Jon told KTLA that he has called the SSA many times and has frequently talked with employees who don't appear to consider his mother's situation a top priority. 'We make a call to Social Security and someone at Social Security says, "Well, we see that shes alive in the main record but theres this auxiliary record that still shows her as dead,"' he explained. 'She is currently completely eliminated from the Medicare system, and she has no health insurance. That is life threatening for her.' Van Leuven herself shares her son's view that the federal government is not expediting her case. 'Im really fortunate to have my children,' she said. 'Some people in my condition might not have children to help take care of us.' A Social Security Administration spokesperson said 'privacy laws preclude us from commenting on specific cases'. The Van Leuven family has reached out to California Senator Alex Padilla and Congressman Ted Lieu, both of whom are reportedly helping them. The Daily Mail also reached out to representatives for Padilla and Lieu seeking comment. The gunman who killed a migrant in a shooting spree at an ICE facility revealed his motive in a handwritten note and repeatedly searched for footage of the Charlie Kirk assassination in the days before he opened fire, the FBI said. Joshua Jahn, 29, conducted multiple searches of ballistics and the 'Charlie Kirk Shot Video' during the 48 hours before Wednesday's incident in Dallas, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X. The gunman's obsession with Kirk's shooting was revealed on his devices and through raids on his home and bedroom, Patel said. In a residence belonging to Jahn, Patel said he left a handwritten note that read: 'Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, "is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?"' He added that Jahn had downloaded a document titled Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, which contained a list of DHS facilities. He had also searched for apps that track ICE agents for a week before he launched his horror attack, Patel said. 'Further accumulated evidence to this point indicates a high degree of pre-attack planning,' he concluded. It comes after Patel previously shared an image of the bullets used in the shooting, which injured two, showing shells engraved with blue ink reading: 'Anti-ICE' Joshua Jahn, 29, opened fire on an ICE van in Dallas and killed a migrant on Wednesday, repeatedly searched for footage of the Charlie Kirk assassination before the attack FBI Director Kash Patel shared an image of the bullets used in the shooting, reading: 'Anti-ICE' @FBIDallas and FBI HQ have been working 24/7 to seize devices, exploit data, and process writings obtained on location and in the subject's person/residence/bedroom. This @FBI is committed to providing timely updates, as promised: - The perp downloaded a document titled "Dallas FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 25, 2025 Jahn opened fire on the ICE facility around 7am Wednesday morning before killing himself as cops swooped in. Law enforcement said that the sniper perched on a roof adjacent to the facility and rained bullets on the migrants as they were being transported in an unmarked ICE van. After Jahn was identified as the alleged shooter, his brother Noah told NBC News that he did not believe his younger brother was especially interested in politics and had not voiced his opinions on immigration before. 'He didnt have strong feelings about ICE as far as I knew,' his sibling said. Noah said his brother was unemployed but had previously worked as a coder, and was planning on moving in with their parents in Oklahoma. Jahn has been pictured in a mugshot from his arrest in 2015, when he was hit with felony charges for delivering marijuana in an amount greater than 1/4 ounce. He was a registered independent in the 2024 election, but last voted in the Democratic primaries in March 2020, records showed. Jahn conducted multiple searches of ballistics and the 'Charlie Kirk Shot Video' in the two days before the shooting on Wednesday, it has been revealed Jahn was arrested in 2015 and was hit with felony charges for delivering marijuana in an amount greater than 1/4 ounce. He was a registered independent in the 2024 election The alleged shooter's brother reportedly spoke before he knew that his brother had been identified as the sniper, and described him as 'unique' without elaborating. 'I didnt think he was politically interested,' he continued, saying he had last seen him two weeks before the shooting on Wednesday and nothing seemed unusual. 'He wasnt interested in politics on either side as far as I knew.' The siblings grew up in Allen, Texas, and spent their childhoods attending the Boy Scouts, the brother said. He added that his brother knew how to use a rifle that his parents owned, but insisted that 'he's not a marksman, that's for sure.' Asked about the ICE facility shooting, he remarked: 'He would not be able to make any shots like that.' The victims in the shooting on Wednesday were ICE detainees, and no law enforcement were injured in the spree Law enforcement said that the sniper perched on a roof adjacent to the facility and rained bullets on the migrants as they were being transported in an unmarked ICE van As investigators descended on the scene in Dallas, images showed a poster taped to the side of a vehicle believed to belong to Jahn The poster read: 'Radioactive fallout from nuclear detonations have passed over these areas more than 2x since 1951' As investigators descended on the scene in Dallas, images showed a poster taped to the side of a vehicle believed to belong to Jahn. A sign with what appears to be black splatter on the car reads: 'Radioactive fallout from nuclear detonations that've passed over these areas more than 2x since 1951.' Investigators said Jahn fired 'indiscriminately' at the ICE office, peppering the transport van with bullets and also hitting windows in the building numerous times. Witness Arianny Sierra told NBC that she was in her car waiting for her husband to return from an ICE appointment in the facility when she heard shots ring out. 'The shots began at around 6.10am. There were like 20 shots in a row,' she said. The victims were ICE detainees, and no law enforcement were injured in the shooting. Officials said at a press conference on Wednesday morning that the sniper opened fire 'from an elevated position' as migrants were inside the transport van. He is believed to have been found on the roof of a nearby immigration attorney's office, WFAA reported. Patel said in an X post at the time: 'While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack. 'These despicable, politically motivated attacks against law enforcement are not a one-off.' A Minnesota couple has been charged with manslaughter after their young autistic daughter was crushed to death by her safety bed while living in squalor. Heather Cross, 49, and Darcy Cross, 57, were arrested on September 17, over three weeks after their 10-year-old daughter Cecilia was found dead in their Pine River home. First responders were called to the home on August 25, 'regarding a report of a deceased 10-year-old child, that had been crushed by her bed,' according to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office. Neighboring Crosslake Police Chief Jake Maier was the first to arrive and found Heather 'frantically performing CPR on the 10-year-old girl.' However, the sheriff's office noted that when Maier took over and went to move the little girl's legs, 'they were stiff and that she was in rigor mortis,' which indicated she had likely been dead for several hours. According to the probable cause affidavit, investigators observed marks on Cecilia's neck just below her chin, as well as a deeper mark that ran across her windpipe. Inside the girl's bedroom, they also observed 'an overpowering odor consistent with urine and feces,' as well as 'feces on the floor and walls' and a soiled foam pad for the mattress. On the day of Cecilia's death, Heather allegedly told police she fed the girl a bottle of milk with her medications between 4am to 6am, then neither parent checked on her again until 4.30pm when they found her dead body. Heather Cross (pictured), 49, and Darcy Cross, 57, were arrested on September 17, over three weeks after their 10-year-old daughter Cecilia was found dead Police said neither parent (Darcy pictured) checked on the girl all day and she was found with deep marks across her neck and windpipe 'Heather said that she spent the remainder of the day working on packing school supplies while Darcy was outside mowing the lawn,' the court document said. 'Darcy reported it was not uncommon for the girls to be in their beds during the day and reported that he and Heather would generally check on the girls every couple hours.' When they finally did go into Cecilia's room, the parents reported finding her with her head pinned under the metal frame of the bed and her neck was stuck between the wooden bed frame and the metal frame for the canopy. Inside the bedroom, county investigators noted an 'overpowering odor consistent with urine and feces' and said the room had no furniture items other than the childs prescribed safety bed. The parents, who also have a 12-year-old daughter, told police both of their girls have autism and sleep disorders that require them to sleep in 'safety beds' that 'completely confines' them. 'When [the girls] are in their safety beds they are unable to unzip the covering and are unable to get out of the bed. They are completely confined,' the court document said. Investigators described the beds as twin size with a wood frame that continues 4-5 feet above the bed. 'Inside the wooden frame was a metal pipe frame with a mesh netting (canopy) completely surrounding the bed,' the filing said. The parents, who also have a 12-year-old daughter, told police both girls (pictured) have autism and sleep disorders that require them to sleep in 'safety beds' that 'completely confines' them Inside the girl's bedroom, police observed 'an overpowering odor consistent with urine and feces,' as well as 'feces on the floor and walls' and a soiled foam pad for the mattress When police asked if the canopy was supposed to be bolted down, Heather allegedly said that it was common for them to change the canopy, but that she has never seen the frame of the bed to be broken or out of place. However, a search warrant of the parents' cell phone revealed photos sent by Heather to Darcy on August 23 showed the safety bed broken. 'The bottom poles for the metal cage are detached, and the bottom portion is slid out partially from the frame,' the court document said. 'There is a large enough gap between the bed and the metal cage for [the girl] to get out of bed and to have escaped the enclosure.' Deputies rebuilt Cecilia's bed, which had been taken through a search warrant, and said, 'It was apparent that the welding for all four vertical poles was broken completely from the metal plates, so nothing was holding the metal cage to the bed frame.' The court document also stated that Crow Wing County Social Services employee Jill Yde had a meeting with Heather and Darcy on September 5 where the mother told he that she can 'zip the bed whenever the f**k she wants.' Yde claimed that Heather told her numerous times to 'get the f**k out,' and although they came to some sort of agreement, Heather continued to say that she would 'zip the bed whenever she f*****g wants to.' Heather and Darcy were arrested on September 17 based on 'the cumulation of increasingly concerning evidence,' according to the court filing. Their 12-year-old daughter was placed into protective custody, while they are being held on $100,000 bail each ahead of an October 1 court appearance, reported The Minnesota Star Tribune. Britain will join the illustrious ranks of North Korea, China and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan by declaring it compulsory for every citizen to have a government-issued digital ID card. The 'BritCard' is a fresh attempt by Sir Keir Starmer to clamp down on illegal immigration, allowing the government to clearly verify a citizen's right to live and work in the UK. The plan, which is expected to be announced fully in a speech on Friday, will likely be subject to consultation before coming into action. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is already supportive of the idea, which will require anyone enrolling in a new job to first present the digital ID to potential employers. The card would then be automatically checked against a central database of those entitled to work in the UK - weeding out people who have tried to fake their physical ID documents to get a job. 'My long-term personal political view has always been in favour of ID cards,' Ms Mahmood said. 'We do have to deal with the pull-factors that are making the UK a destination of choice for those that are on the move around the world,' she continued. 'I want to make sure that we can clamp down on that. I think that a system of digital ID can also help with illegal working enforcement of other laws as well. I do think that that has a role to play for dealing with our migration.' A Chinese national flag flutters near the surveillance cameras mounted on a lamp post in Tiananmen Square in Beijing The 'BritCard' is a fresh attempt by Sir Keir Starmer to clamp down on illegal immigration But the Prime Minister was understood to have reservations about the scheme, over fears it infringes upon civil liberties. In fact, compulsory ID cards are a feature of many authoritarian governments around the world, including in Russia, Iran and Belarus. In North Korea, Kim Jong Un's insistence on compulsory identity cards has led some to assume that the measure enables his government to easily hunt down people who have fled the country. Travelling abroad or moving from one province to another without prior consent remains illegal in Kim's regime and anyone caught violating the law is risking their life. Amnesty International states those convicted of illegal border-crossing in North Korea may be executed. North Korea is said to be the country which imposes the strongest fines for citizens not carrying ID cards. Reported punishments for failing to supply the cards in the authoritarian state are said to include detention, interrogation, or more serious penalties. The document used to look like a booklet resembling the old Soviet ID, but now the government issues ID cards instead. The Resident Identity Card in China is mandatory for anyone aged 16 and over. The UK government warns Brits on its website that Chinese police carry out random checks for people's ID, especially during periods of heightened security and major sporting or political events. A worker installs a surveillance camera on a city street on October 22, 2024 in Chongqing, China Pictured: Mock-ups of what the Brit ID cards could look like Failure to produce a passport on demand can result in a fine or detention. Xi Jinping's government raised eyebrows in July when it passed new legislation known as the National Network Identity Authentication - asking Chinese internet users to enrol in a government app that would scan their face and take their name. After registering, users are given a unique ID code used for all online accounts, allowing the government to track internet usage. In 2015, the Chinese government announced it was building an omnipotent 'social credit' system meant to rate each citizen's trustworthiness. The plan was to enrol everyone in a national database compiling fiscal and government information, such as minor traffic offences, and distil it into a single number ranking each citizen. The Iranian identification card is compulsory for citizens and permanent residents aged 15 and over. Failing to present an ID card to Iranian authorities can reportedly result in detention, questioning, and potential arrest. Recently, the Taliban declared that photos on women's national ID cards were optional, citing religious scholars who deemed pictures of women a violation of Sharia law. The decision sparked criticism from human rights groups, saying it robbed women of basic equality. A social media campaign to protest the move was launched, titled 'My Photo, My Identity', with activists accusing the Taliban of trying to deprive women of their citizenship rights. 'When the Taliban strip women of this right, in fact, they aim to exclude women from social participation, access to services, even property rights and the right to travel,' women's rights activist Zahra Mousawi told Rukhshana Media. In Russia, all citizens aged 14 and over to must have an internal passport, which functions as a mandatory identity document for daily life within the country. The primary punishment for not having the internal passport is reportedly a fine, or detention, passport seizure and demands to appear at a police station. In Belarus, internal identity cards are mandatory for citizens from the age of 14. While people are not required to carry their passport on their person at all times, they must have a valid internal ID or passport to prove who they are within the country. Multiple U.S. attorney's offices are drafting plans to investigate a grant-making group funded by billionaire Democrat donor George Soros, a new report reveals. A directive instructs prosecutors in at least a half dozen offices to consider charging the group with 'support for terrorism.' It comes the day after multiple media outlets confirmed that indictments are impending for former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's office sent the directive, obtained by the New York Times, instructing offices to target another of President Donald Trump's political enemies. It was communicated to U.S. attorney's offices in California, New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit and Maryland. The directive suggests prosecutors consider a wide range of charges against Soros-funded Open Society Foundations including racketeering, arson, wire fraud and material support for terrorism. The group denounced the accusations as 'politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech,' in a statement to the Daily Mail. 'When power is abused to take away the rights of some people, it puts the rights of all people at risk,' the group insisted. Donald Trump's Justice Department is now targeting billionaire George Soros (pictured) by launching multiple investigations into the Democratic mega donor Aakash Singh, the lawyer in Blanche's office responsible for communicating with federal prosecutors around the country, pointed to a recent report by conservative watchdog group Capital Research Center as a basis for the claims. The report says that Soros's group has 'poured over $80 million into groups tied to terrorism or extremist violence.' One example the it noted was Open Society Foundations funneling money to Palestinian human rights group al-Haq, which Israel claimed in 2022 was a front for terrorist activity. Capital Research Center monitors liberal money movements in politics. Singh asked prosecutors in multiple jurisdictions to determine if the allegations in the conservative report are enough to justify opening criminal cases. And the directive tells U.S. attorneys to prepare to submit their investigative plans soon. Open Society Foundations maintains that it does not fund terrorism and said in a statement: 'Our activities are peaceful and lawful.' Trump has said in the past that he wants Soros to be put behind bars. After Charlie Kirk's political assassination earlier this month, the president singling out Soros's foundation and told NBC News that the mega donor is 'a bad guy' who 'should be put in jail.' His remarks echoed an August social media post where Trump said Soros and his son should be charged with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which is usually used to prosecute mafia figures. Meanwhile, Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to act quickly in seeking criminal charges against former FBI Director Comey and the New York AG James both longtime nemeses of the president. Trump fired Comey in 2017 and multiple investigations have followed him since. He's expected to be indicted in 'coming days' for lying to Congress about authorizing a leak from the FBI that led to inception of the investigation into Russia colluding with Trump tin influence the 2016 presidential election. Meanwhile, James has been the center of Trump's ire after she brought several cases against him and his businesses in New York. Grand juries in the Eastern District of Virginia could soon be asked to vote on proposed indictments in cases against Comey for allegedly lying to Congress and James for suspected mortgage fraud in the state. The moment a knife-wielding youth appeared to stab several teenagers on a London street was captured by screaming bystanders who watched the ordeal in horror. The violent incident happened on Acre Lane in Brixton early on Thursday evening and was posted on social media platform TikTok. In the shocking footage, a youth dressed in navy jogging bottoms and a hoodie plunges towards several teenagers, appearing to strike one within seconds. The victim then seems to lose his balance and falls to the ground, before the knife-wielding youth targets another member of the group. The person filming, the passenger of a nearby car, shouts 'look, he's getting stabbed' before letting out a louder scream as the brawl continues. Speaking to Newsflare, the bystander said: 'A group of young males were seen running into the street armed with knives, clashing in front of traffic and even hitting into the car I was in, leaving a dent.' Although the filmer claimed several youths had knives, only one can be clearly seen holding a weapon. In shocking footage, a youth dressed in navy jogging bottoms and a hoodie plunges towards several teenagers, appearing to strike one within seconds The victim then seems to lose his balance and falls to the ground, before the knife-wielding youth targets another member of the group The person filming, the passenger of a nearby car, shouts 'look, he's getting stabbed' before letting out a louder scream as the brawl continues More footage shows the same knife-wielding male fleeing the scene by leaping onto the back of a bike which was being ridden by someone else. Two 16-year-olds were left injured, with one taken to hospital with a non-life threatening stab wound, according to reports. A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Police were called at 17.01hrs on Tuesday, 23 September to reports of an altercation involving an knife in Acre Lane, Brixton. 'Two teenage boys, both aged 16, sustained injuries. One was taken to hospital with a stab wound, his condition was deemed not life-threatening or life-changing. 'The other suffered a minor injury and did not require further medical treatment. 'No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.' Donald Trump's claim that Sir Sadiq Khan wants to introduce Sharia law in London is 'nonsense', the Prime Minister said today. In his first comments on the US President's latest attack on London's mayor, Sir Keir Starmer labelled Mr Trump's remarks as 'ridiculous'. He also threw his support behind Sir Sadiq, his fellow Labour politician, as a 'very good man' who is 'driving down serious crime' in the capital. The PM vowed to have a 'frank conversation' with Mr Trump but played down the impact of the US President's feud with the London mayor on wider UK-US relations. In a rambling speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Mr Trump said London had 'a terrible, terrible mayor'. 'It's been changed, it's been so changed,' the US President added. 'Now they want to go to Sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can't do that.' Speaking to ITV London on Thursday, Sir Keir was quizzed about Mr Trump's explosive comments. 'Well, as you saw from the state visit last week, there's lots that the President and I agree on and we work together on,' the PM replied. Donald Trump's claim that Sir Sadiq Khan wants to introduce Sharia law in London is 'nonsense', Sir Keir Starmer has said In a rambling speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Mr Trump said London had 'a terrible, terrible mayor' In his first comments on the US President's latest attack on London's mayor, Sir Keir Starmer labelled Mr Trump's remarks as 'ridiculous' Sir Keir added: 'There's a few things we disagree about. This is one of them. The idea of the introduction of Sharia law is nonsense. 'And Sadiq Khan is a very good man and actually driving down serious crime. So as I say, there's a lot I agree with, with President Trump. We get along. 'We had a good state visit last week, but on this I disagree with him. The Sharia law comments were ridiculous.' Asked if he would call out Mr Trump on his comments about Sir Sadiq when he next speaks to the US President, Sir Keir said: 'Oh, of course, we have a frank conversation about many, many things. 'But I want to express my support for our mayor Sadiq Khan. We're very proud to have a Muslim [mayor] in our diverse city.' Sir Sadiq on Wednesday branded Mr Trump as racist, sexist and Islamophobic as he hit back at the US President's comments. The PM declined to repeat Sir Sadiq's assessment of Mr Trump, insisting he didn't want to get drawn into a 'war of words'. 'I'm absolutely clear, on the issues where I agree with the President, we have to work together,' he added. 'Of course, a very, very important relationship between our two countries. 'But equally, I'm very proud of our capital city and very proud of our mayor here, who's doing a very good job.' Sir Keir also dismissed a suggestion that the long-running feud between Mr Trump and Sir Sadiq was proving awkward for him in his dealings with the White House. 'Oh, look, I mean, we are dealing with, global affairs on an ongoing basis with America, our closest ally,' he said. 'On defence, on security, on intelligence. That's where most of my focus is. 'My team are working with his team the whole time. Very few things we disagree on. But I'm very clear, this is this is one of them.' A growling drunk woman fought back against a police officer who tried to pull her off a Frontier airlines flight for threatening to blow the plane up. The unidentified passenger was captured being extremely unruly while onboard a plane preparing to depart from Nashville International Airport to Denver, Colorado on Tuesday morning. The video of the woman, who wore her hair in a bun and donned a brown long-sleeved shirt, was posted to TikTok by another passenger who was seated just rows behind her. That woman, Julia Henderson, said the out of control lady 'threatened exploding the plane (sic) and that she had a bomb in her bag.' Henderson said the rowdy passenger was also 'super drunk' and was spotted 'causing a scene beforehand.' A spokesperson with Frontier Airlines confirmed to the Daily Mail that the deranged woman 'claimed there was an explosive device on the aircraft.' In the clip, a police officer was seen walking up to the woman before grabbing her by her arm and saying: 'OK, let's go!' The woman appeared to pull back from the cop as he continued to try and get her out of the seat. An unidentified female passenger was escorted off a Frontier Airlines flight on Tuesday morning at Nashville International Airport @juliaadenise Flight to Denver CO from Nashville this morning on Frontier original sound - Julia Henderson Fellow passengers and crew members watched on as the woman said: 'It's gonna explode!' She then screamed: 'Oh, oh, oh, it's gonna explode!' After several attempts to get her out of the seat, the officer managed to lift her up and walk her toward the door. The passenger stumbled to the door before pointing at something and screaming: 'Right there!' Some people were heard clapping after she was removed from the flight. It is unclear what she was pointing or talking about. It is also unclear if she was arrested or charged following the dramatic incident. The woman was escorted off the plane and her 'threat was deemed noncredible,' a Frontier Airlines spokesperson told the Daily Mail. 'Out of an abundance of caution, all other passengers were asked to temporarily deplane while law enforcement conducted a security sweep,' they added. The flight then 'reboarded and traveled safely to Denver.' The woman repeatedly screamed about an explosion while an officer dragged her off the plane The woman was escorted off the plane and her 'threat was deemed noncredible,' a Frontier Airlines spokesperson told the Daily Mail. (Pictured: Stock image of Frontier plane at a gate) Several online users applauded the officer for handling the situation efficiently and all on his own. 'THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT. No need to explain 50 times why you need to leave the plane,' one commented. Another said: 'He needs a raise!!!' 'Bravo.!!! No talk just action!,' a user wrote. Someone else chimed in: 'Got dayum, I love no nonsense cops!!!' A Government-issued digital identity card could be required by every adult in Britain under a 'dystopian' plan set to be announced by the Prime Minister. The 'BritCard' could be used to prove a person has the right to work in this country, and even to access public services. The idea of a mandatory identification system has long been advocated by Labour as a way to tackle illegal migration. But the proposal is fiercely opposed by civil rights campaigners, who warn it will erode civil liberties and turn the UK into a 'papers please' society. Meanwhile, polls show a majority of the public do not trust ministers to keep their personal data safe from cyber-criminals. Detailed proposals for what has been dubbed a 'BritCard' could be announced by Sir Keir Starmer as early as tomorrow. The Prime Minister will speak at the Global Progress Action Summit in London alongside Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney. These plans will then be subject to a consultation and are expected to require legislation. The UK is one of the few countries in Europe without an ID system. Your browser does not support iframes. How would Sir Keir Starmer's new ID cards work? It is likely to be a smartphone app, rather than a physical card. A previous UK scheme ultimately abandoned relied on a digital photograph which could be used to confirm someone's identity by measuring the precise distance between their facial features. It is possible that any new scheme would require holders to also provide other biometric details such as fingerprints. Details on the card could be cross-referenced against a central database, holding tens of millions of records for the British population. Because it is likely to be smartphone-based the project could also use the facial ID features widely used on phone handsets, in personal banking apps, for example. However, the Government is thought to be some distance away from coming up with detailed proposals. Detailed plans for what has been dubbed a 'BritCard' could be announced by the Prime Minister as early as tomorrow. Pictured: Mock-ups of what the cards could look like Hasn't this all been tried before? Yes. Tony Blair's Labour government passed legislation for a national ID card scheme in 2006. Detailed plans were published when Jacqui Smith was home secretary, although by that time ministers had abandoned the idea of making the cards compulsory. The scheme actually went into operation in 2009, when Alan Johnson was running the Home Office, with credit card-style cards which each carried a microchip. The Passport Service issued the cards at 30 a pop to volunteers from October 2009. But after the following year's general election the entire scheme was ditched by then home secretary Theresa May. By then, 257million had been spent on the proposals. Couldn't Labour's new cards just be forged like any other document? Its resilience would depend on the type of checks that are built into the system. A digital ID card would, theoretically, be harder to forge than a traditional document. For example, a live cross-referencing with a central computer database of names and photos would be almost impossible to cheat because the holder of the digital 'card' would have to look like the photo held on the database. Less rigorous checks, however, would have the potential to be hoaxed. It is simply too early to assess how successful Labour's project could be. Will I get fined if I refuse to have a national ID card? The Labour government's previous attempt at introducing a compulsory scheme did not include fines for failing to register. This was mainly because the roll-out never reached a compulsory stage. The legislation behind the scheme did, however, introduce a series of penalties for failing to update information held on you, such as home address or any change of name. The fines were up to 1,000. There were similar penalties for failing to surrender a card. It is still unclear how Labour will proceed with the new scheme and how it will propose dealing with refuseniks. What is it meant to achieve? The card could be used to prove someone is who they say they are, and that they have the right to be in Britain. Labour is interested in the programme in order to crack down on illegal working. This would theoretically reduce the attraction of Britain to small boat migrants and other illegal immigrants. It would also make life harder for foreigners who come to Britain legally but then fail to leave, and yet carry on working. Further uses of the card could be in other situations where people have to prove they have the right to be in Britain such as the 'right to rent' a property. Where the project would become highly controversial is surrounding access to healthcare and social security. Labour's last stab at a national identity card was first floated by then home secretary David Blunkett in 2001, when he referred to it as an 'entitlement card'. At that stage, it was intended to allow people to prove they had the right to access the NHS or welfare benefits. But there was opposition from doctors, for instance, who said life-saving treatment could not be denied on the grounds of nationality. The NHS continues to have huge difficulty clawing back cash from foreign nationals who have come to Britain as 'health tourists'. What if I don't have a smartphone? It is far too early to say how Labour's scheme would deal with people who do not possess a smartphone. This group is likely to include a large number of elderly people. If they, or others, were penalised under the scheme it would risk being dubbed discriminatory. A solution could be providing an alternative way to access the details normally held on a digital ID card - perhaps using a laptop or desktop computer - when necessary. How much is it likely to cost the taxpayer? Billions of pounds. The IT systems would most likely have to be developed from scratch. Depending on the specification of the card, it could require a network of centres across the country where members of the public provide their biometrics. What are the potential problems? If the system flops, like the last one, it would be an almighty waste of money. The technology behind the scheme is likely to contrast anything the British government has attempted before. The civil service's record on handling the roll-out of new IT scheme is abysmal a slew of projects have run years late and billions of pounds over budget. So this vast new undertaking would be high-risk, to say the least. Then there are the huge civil liberties questions posed by a national ID card scheme. Unlike many other parts of the world, peacetime Britain has never had a 'papers please' culture. Many will feel it is an invasion of their privacy. Pressure group Big Brother Watch has said the plan suggests Britain is 'sleepwalking into a dystopian nightmare'. Then there is the question of data security. The government has suffered a large number of damaging data leaks and hacks. If a new database containing everyone's details was compromised, it would have the potential to be catastrophic. Do other countries have digital ID cards? Many countries including Estonia, Spain, Portugal, Germany, India, the UAE and France use digital IDs. France has repeatedly claimed that the lack of ID cards in the UK acts as a pull factor for Channel migrants, who are able to find work in the black economy. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said it won't 'make a blind bit of difference to illegal migration'. Shooting down Russian planes will lead to war, a Kremlin envoy has said in a chilling warning to NATO. The threat comes amid rising tensions between Moscow and its European neighbours with Russia accused of violating their airspace after a number of drone incursions. Poland is looking to pass a law that will allow its military to down Russian drones over Ukraine without needing approval from NATO or the European Union after multiple crossed into their territory earlier this month. Estonia's airspace was also violated by three Russian fighter jets on Friday, while Moscow has been accused of being behind a swarm of drones that shut down Copenhagen airport on Monday. US President Donald Trump warned that NATO countries could shoot down Russian aircrafts which infringe on their airspace during a speech at the United Nations on Tuesday. But Alexey Meshkov, Russia's ambassador to France, has fired back, stating that gunning down their aircrafts 'would be war'. 'You know, there are many NATO planes that violate Russian airspace, deliberately or not, but it happens quite often. They are not shot down afterward,' he told RTL, without providing an example. He doubled down on Russia's denial of any involvement in recent drone incursions across Eastern Europe. Shooting down Russian planes will lead to war, a Kremlin envoy said in a chilling warning to NATO Your browser does not support iframes. 'Russia doesn't do that, play with anyone. It's not really our thing,' he added, stressing that the West had 'fooled' Moscow 'on many occasions.' Poland downed at least three Russian drones during attacks on Ukraine earlier this month. It was the first time that Russian drones were shot down over NATO territory since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Polish prime minister Donald Tusk warned 'the situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two.' European officials called the move from Vladimir Putin a deliberate provocation and NATO was forced to scramble fighter jets to shoot them down. Romania also reported a Russian drone breaching its airspace just days later. And on Friday Estonia's airspace was violated by three Russian fighter jets. Poland's government is now planning to scrap the restrictive measure under a new 'shoot first, ask later' policy, which is intended to give the military more flexibility when it comes to responding to threats. The proposed new legislation was submitted by the country's defence ministry in June, but the application has been reportedly fast-tracked. US President Donald Trump warned that NATO countries could shoot down Russian aircrafts which infringe on their airspace during a speech at the United Nations on Tuesday The incursion and NATO's response raised concerns that war could spill over - a fear that has been growing in Europe as Russia steps up its attacks and peace efforts falter. Tusk also said earlier this week that his nation will not hesitate to shoot down objects that violate its airspace, adding to a sense among NATO leaders that Moscow is testing the alliance's readiness and resolve, with some urging a firm response. 'We will take the decision to shoot down flying objects when they violate our territory and fly over Poland - there is absolutely no discussion about that,' Tusk told a news conference, adding that Poland will take a more cautious approach to situations that are less clear-cut. 'When we're dealing with situations that aren't entirely clear, such as the recent flight of Russian fighter jets over the Petrobaltic platform - but without any violation, because these aren't our territorial waters - you really need to think twice before deciding on actions that could trigger a very acute phase of conflict,' he added. Tusk said that he would also need to be certain that Poland would not be alone if a conflict started to escalate. 'I also need to be absolutely certain... that all allies will treat this in exactly the same way as we do,' he said. Meanwhile, the Royal Navy has scrambled a warship to shadow a Russian frigate and freighter off the UK coast, amid warnings Moscow is sending a rising number of ships through British waters. Teams aboard HMS Iron Duke and a Wildcat helicopter tracked the heavily-armed warship RFN Neustrashimy as it escorted cargo ship Sparta IV through the North Sea and the English Channel. The mission is the latest in a string of similar operations carried out by the Royal Navy and its Nato allies in recent months, which are worrying military top brass. 'Russian warships are increasingly transiting through the English Channel,' defence minister Luke Pollard today warned. 'The Royal Navy protects the UK 24/7 to monitor Russian movements, ensuring the security of our waters and undersea cables. 'Alongside our commitment to Nato's Eastern Sentry, this is a clear demonstration of how the UK stands firm with our Nato allies to deter Russian aggression.' President Donald Trump said he'd like to see Turkey stop buying Russian oil, delivering the message to reporters as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was seated next to him. Trump hosted Erdogan in the Oval Office Thursday, days after the two leaders attended the UN General Assembly, referring to him as a 'tough man.' 'This is a guy who's highly opinionated. Usually I don't like opinionated people but I always liked this one, he's a tough one and he does an amazing job with is country,' Trump said. 'And we've had tremendous relationships, both having to do with war and having to do with trade.' Trump said during their meeting Thursday they would be addressing both. 'I'd like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine,' the president bluntly said. Erdogan used a translator and didn't immediately react to the American president's demands. At the top of the meeting, Trump talked about how long he's known the Turkish leader - who has served as Turkey's prime minister and then president for 22 years, in part by turning the country away from democracy. Trump noted that he and Erdogan remained on good terms 'even during my four years when I was in exile, unfairly as it turns out.' 'Rigged election,' Trump then said. 'You know, he knows about rigged elections better than anybody. But when I was in exile, we were still friends. That's always a good test of friendship.' President Donald Trump (right) told reporters he would like to see Turkey stop buying Russian oil right in front of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's (left) face during their meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday President Donald Trump also said he and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan remained friends during the four years Trump wasn't in office. 'You know, he knows about rigged elections better than anybody,' Trump commented, as Turkey has moved further away from democracy Trump lost the 2020 election to Democratic President Joe Biden but falsely claimed widespread election fraud due to mail-in ballots amid the COVID-19 pandemic cost him his job. Erdogan came to Washington hoping that Trump would lift a ban on Turkey buying F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. The ban was put in place during Trump's first term after Turkey bought a Russian surface-to-air missile system, despite Turkey being a NATO member. U.S. officials feared the Turkish military would use the Russian system to gather information on the vulnerabilities of the F-35s and that information would end up in Russian hands. Trump dangled a plane deal in front of Erdogan's face - telling reporters outside the West Wing, 'you'll find out' when asked if he was open to it. He also wore an F-35 lapel pin while hosting Erdogan in the Oval. 'He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and we're going to come to a conclusion,' Trump said. 'You'll know by the end of the day.' 'And I think you'll be successful in buying the things he'd like to buy,' Trump said of Erdogan. President Donald Trump dangled American fighter jets in front of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's face during their meeting Thursday in the Oval Office The president has resisted the U.S. further sanctioning Russia over the war in Ukraine, complaining that he's not going to take that step while European countries are still buying Russian oil. At the same time, he's grown increasingly irritated by Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to make peace. During his Tuesday trip to the UN General Assembly - where he raged against a broken escalator and teleprompter - Trump made waves when saying he believed that Ukraine could get all its territory back with the help of the European Union and NATO. He sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and had a much friendlier meeting than their Oval Office blow-up in late February. On Thursday, he told Erdogan how the Turkish leader could play his part. 'The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia,' Trump said. Police chiefs accused of a soft-touch approach to the lost African tribe ignoring eviction orders in a Scots woods insist they wont take sides in the dispute - because theyre not sure what the law is. For the past month, the self-styled Kubala kingdom has been defying attempts to get them to move on from public and private land in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire. The Trespass (Scotland) Act 1865 makes it an offence to occupy or set up a camp on private property without permission. But Scottish Borders Council is having to spend thousands of pounds of taxpayers money on court orders to try to remove the group because police wont intervene and report them to the Procurator Fiscal. Yesterday (Thurs), the towns Conservative councillor Scott Hamilton told a meeting of the local authority that the group is seemingly committing trespass, hate crimes and breaches of human trafficking laws with impunity. And he warned Police Scotland divisional chiefs that their inaction risks inflaming local tensions. He said: The public that I represent...deserve answers [about] why the police will not enforce the Trespass Act of 1865. Every Scottish landowner across this country must be absolutely terrified, knowing that anybody could come and camp on their land and their only option is to go via the [civil] court process, which is a cost to the landowner, which is a cost to society. Self styled King Atehene of the Kingdom Of Kubala The three strong African tribe Kofi Offeh, 36, who calls himself King Atehene, Jean Gasho, 24, the self-styled Queen Nandi, and their 'handmaiden' Kaura Taylor, The King and his Queen The situation that we have is a young girl is being called a handmaiden with a group of people asking for virgins to join them. Its not acceptable. This is 21st-century Britain. We have to ensure that the law is enforced. They have used TikTok to spread nothing but vile hatred and abuse to this country. They have nothing but contempt for our institutions and laws. This group are vile. I have nothing but respect for your officers who are working so hard, and I know what they have to put up with. But in terms of enforcing the law in this circumstance we need to be tougher. I think the community is now at the point where they are saying well take action in our own hands if the police wont. But in response to why the Trespass Act is not being enforced, Inspector Rory Caverhill told councillors: People have a right to recreation. Theres no definition of what recreation is so were looking at exploring that a wee bit further to try and get a bit more information. We have force crime registrars who are responsible ultimately for having the final say on if something fits what a crime is or if it does not fit in that area so were looking at a bit of further advice from them. Chief Superintendent Gregg Banks - divisional commander for the Borders - added: Ultimately, for me, Im looking at that sort of end goal of where were going to try and get to, and I guess my job is to be very much independent. I have no particular views on this. We need to be mindful of the community in Jedburgh, the local residents. We need to be mindful of the wider communities across the Scottish Borders if we dont resolve this issue to everybodys satisfaction. And we equally need to be mindful of the three people involved. There are some vulnerabilities there that were exploring in some depth. Bizarrely, Chief Supt Banks also urged angry locals to report themselves to police to check theyre not planning to break the law. He said: I hope my words provide some reassurance were certainly not sitting back, not reacting. Were certainly alive to what the situation is. Please do report stuff to us and please dont take the law into your own hands. Im not suggesting anyone in Jedburgh will, but I appreciate that frustrations can boil over at times. If people are feeling frustrated then whether its reporting individual matters to us or just sharing, voicing those concerns, we are available to you, including voicing what you think you might be about to do so that we make sure that what youre thinking of doing is legal, its right, its proper and ultimately wont cause the issue to become more severe than it already is. Kofi Offeh, 36, originally from Ghana, and 43-year-old Zimbabwean Jean Gasho have remodelled themselves as King Atehene and Queen Nandi, the true rulers of Scotland. They claim he is the Messiah and they are reclaiming land stolen from their forefathers by the Tudors. The couple were previously living in Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham, where they were arrested on suspicion of child cruelty, though charges were later dropped. The Kubala tribe also includes Kaura Taylor, 21, who has been designated as a handmaiden named Asnat - though she was reported missing by her family in Texas earlier this year. They moved their collection of tents off council property in response to an eviction notice in August, but relocated onto private land. The landowner spent an estimated 5,000 on a court order to remove them, but they simply shifted their site a few yards back onto municipal land. It means the local authority has had to win its own eviction order and interdict against the group and sheriff officers are expected to enforce it next week. The tribe produces daily videos for its social media channels and has set up an account for cash donations from the public. Crimes under the Trespass (Scotland) Act are punishable with a 200 fine per person. A Police Scotland spokesman said: We are aware concerns have been raised in connection with those living on the site. Repeated attempts have been made by officers and partner agencies to engage with those in-volved. Officers will continue to engage and address any issues raised. UP to one in 10 jobs at the broadcaster STV are under threat as part of a 2.5million cuts plan. The firm has told staff that it is set to cut 60 jobs and remove its dedicated north of Scotland television news programme. But the cuts are set to be challenged by the Scottish Government, which will make a formal submission to media regulator Ofcom opposing them. MSPs from across Holyroods parties yesterday condemned the cuts to local news coverage, with First Minister John Swinney saying he is concerned at the job reductions. Under the proposal, a single main evening news programme would be broadcast instead of the current separate bulletins for the central belt and northern Scotland. After MSPs raised concerns about the impact of the proposals at Holyrood yesterday, Mr Swinney said: Local journalism is absolutely important for the scrutiny of public policy at all levels in Scottish society. So I was concerned to hear this morning of the reports about STV and also the news recently about the Daily Record. The Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson has indicated to committee this morning that he will engage with STV, Ofcom and the trade unions to highlight our concerns, and we will give whatever assistance we can in this respect. It is an absolutely vital part of our democracy that we have sustained media engagement and the Government will do all that it can to support those affected. And of course this will be a very worrying time for all of the affected employees and they have my understanding and my support. Douglas Lumsden, Conservative MSP for the North East, said it will result in far less local news that is not relevant to the north and north east. STV presenters Kelly-Ann Woodward and John MacKay STV's flagship building by the River Clyde in Glasgow He asked Mr Swinney: Does the First Minister agree with me that this change is bad news for Scottish viewers, in particular for rural communities, and should be reconsidered as a matter of urgency? The First Minister replied: I do share the specific concern that Mr Lumsden puts to me about this issue because I understand that one of the components of the STV proposal is that the Aberdeen news programme would potentially cease broadcasting, and I do acknowledge that there are very different issues that affect communities around the country, and STV are very successful at reflecting those different issues in different parts of the country. The broadcaster is seeking to make 2.5million of savings by next year, after it reported a 200,000 loss in the first six months of 2025. STV acquired Grampian Television in 1997 which was a separate company that provided local news bulletins in the north of Scotland from 1961. After Labour MSP Neil Bibby highlighted that the proposal to close the Aberdeen programme requires the specific approval of Ofcom and asked if he would be making representations to the regulator on the issue, Mr Swinney said: We will, but there will be a whole range of other issues upon which we will make representations. He said the issue has to be considered by Ofcom and it will feature in the representations made by Mr Robertson, the Culture Secretary. It is understood that a significant share of the job cuts are likely to be in relation to news production. Rufus Radcliffe, STV chief executive, said: I have every confidence that STV will navigate the currently difficult trading environment in both our key markets, successfully implement our FastFwd strategy, and deliver sustainable value to our shareholders. We recognise that our cost savings programme impacts colleagues across the business, and we are committed to supporting people through this change. Last year's strike action by STV staff after rejecting the company's pay offer These steps are necessary to strengthen our financial resilience and position STV for long-term growth. The launch of STV Radio is on track, viewing on the STV Player is at an all-time high, and we are delighted that Army Of Shadows has been commissioned by Channel 4 from Two Cities. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: In this era of social media misinformation, people need trusted sources of news, based in communities across Scotland, more than ever. In an election year in particular, it is essential that failing governments are held to account and I believe STVs journalists can be proud of their work to inform and challenge. Nick McGowan-Lowe, organiser for Scotland for the National Union of Journalists, said: While there is no doubt that STV faces financial pressures and a decline of studio productions, none of that can be blamed on the hard-working journalists. These proposed cuts threaten the high quality of local and national journalism produced by STV News staff across Scotland. Tributes have been paid to a vibrant and compassionate Scots lawyer who was brutally murdered in the United States. June Bunyan, from the Isle of Arran, had travelled to the country to pursue her dream of becoming a defence attorney. But the 37-year-old was killed at her home in Los Angeles, California, where she is understood to have started her own firm, Renteria Paralegal Services, specialising in immigration law, last year. According to local media she died on September 11 after she sustained traumatic neck injuries. A 25-year-old man named Jonathan Anthony Renteria has been arrested in connection with her murder and is being held at the Los Angeles Police Departments Twin Towers Correctional Facility, according to local reports. The accused, whose bail has been set at 2.9million ($4million), is facing one charge of murder and a second charge of breaching the California Health and Safety Code for all or either mutilation, disinterment, sexual contact with human remains. Ms Bunyans family is now appealing for help to bring the body of their beloved daughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend back to Scotland. June Bunyan who moved to the US to start her own legal firm June graduated with a law degree from Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University Ms Bunyan had started her own firm in Los Angeles , California Her best friend Vicky Tulika has set up a gofundme page on their behalf, entitled Help Bring June Bunyan Home, which as of yesterday had collected more than 7,000. She said it was with unimaginable heartache that she announced Ms Bunyans death, adding their lives are forever changed after the former Robert Gordon University student was tragically taken from us due to a violent crime in the United States. Paying tribute to her friend, she wrote: June was known for her vibrant personality, infectious laugh, and deeply compassionate heart. Exceptionally accomplished, she held multiple degrees, but her proudest achievement was earning her law degree. Driven by courage and determination, June moved to America to sit the bar exam and pursue her dream of becoming a defence attorney. She worked tirelessly to build herself a better life. But she said Ms Bunyans life was cut short so far from home, adding we are now faced with the heartbreaking task of bringing her back to the UK. She can then be laid to rest with the dignity and love she deserves, surrounded by family and friends. The page states that any money raised will cover the costs of repatriation to the UK, funeral and burial expenses, and any legal or travel costs associated with this tragedy that will help ease this burden during a time of profound grief'. Another former university friend described Ms Bunyan as such a lovely person while another simply said that makes my heart hurt. She didnt deserve that. Another friend described her as really nice and well thought off by everyone. On her Instagram profile Ms Bunyan listed her academic interests as criminal justice and procedure, capital punishment and international criminal law. A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it was supporting the family of a British woman who has died in the United States and are in contact with the local authorities. A Catholic schoolteacher has been removed from the classroom after she told her boss she is carrying a baby as a surrogate. Jadira Bonilla, 35, said school administrators accused her of violating her employment agreement with St. Mary School in Vineland, New Jersey. Since September 12, she has not been allowed back to school to teach her kindergarteners. Bonilla argued that since she has not done anything illegal, she is being unjustly punished by her employer for being pregnant. 'Im not committing a crime and Im being punished as if I was, its hurtful,' Bonilla told NJ.com. 'What I'm doing is to help a family out.' In an interview with CBS News, Bonilla said she already missed her students, adding that since it's now fall, she would have had 'so many fun activities' to do with them. Bonilla, who is 25 weeks' pregnant, was pulled into the office on September 12 and told by the diocese 'that I was possibly in violation of my contract, so I would be placed on administrative leave until further notice while they investigate'. 'So far, I haven't heard anything back yet,' she added. Jadira Bonilla, a 35-year-old Catholic school teacher in New Jersey, has been placed on paid administrative leave for carrying a couple's baby as a surrogate It's unclear where she stands legally with St. Mary School (pictured), since the state supreme court ruled just two years ago that religious entities are exempt from discrimination laws if they're acting in accordance with their faith Bonilla said her contract doesn't say anything about surrogacy and went ahead and did it because she had no problems when she was a surrogate four years ago while teaching at another Catholic school in Philadelphia. In a statement to the Daily Mail, St. Mary School Principal Steven Hogan called Bonilla a 'valued teacher' but implied she was going against the church. 'We certainly understand Mrs. Bonillas concern. It has been our hope to meet with her to help her fully understand the Catholic Churchs teaching on surrogacy, but that has not happened as of yet,' Hogan said. 'Mrs. Bonilla is a valued teacher and one we hope will one day again teach in our school with the full knowledge of our faith which guides our educational principles,' he concluded. Bonilla claimed she told Hogan about her surrogacy plans last year, before she got pregnant, and was surprised by his 'judgmental response'. She also said she asked multiple times for the school to provide written documentation proving why she is be in violation of her employment contract. She claimed the school never did this. Bonilla said she's received an outpouring of support from the parents of the children she teaches, who say they want her back in the classroom The late Pope Francis had echoed the Catholic Church's long distaste for surrogacy, calling the practice 'despicable'. He wanted a universal ban on it It's not clear where she stands legally, since the New Jersey Supreme Court said in 2023 that religious entities are not bound by state discrimination laws. The ruling came about from a lawsuit filed by a Catholic school art teacher who was fired when the administrators found out that she had premarital sex and was pregnant. The court's decision upheld her firing. The Catholic Church considers surrogacy unethical since the pregnancy occurs outside the confines of marriage and undermines the dignity and right of a child to be conceived 'by his own parents'. The late Pope Francis called surrogacy 'despicable' and wanted a universal ban on the practice. Bonilla said she's received an outpouring of support from the parents of the children she teaches, who say they want her back in the classroom. One message from a parent reportedly said: 'If they're so uncomfortable having you work at the school as a surrogate, then they should be uncomfortable about taking tuition from anyone who has used a surrogate or had IVF, like myself.' Bonilla said she was first inspired to become a surrogate at age 18, when her cousin needed medical procedures that would prevent her from being able to have children. 'I said, "Listen, if you ever wanted to have kids, I will absolutely carry them for you,"' Bonilla recalled. Her cousin ultimately didn't have kids, but after Bonilla had children of her own with her husband, she decided to get connected with a surrogacy agency. 'We found an amazing couple, and this is their second baby that Im having for them,' she said. Her own memoir was denounced as a shameful denial of reality. But now Nicola Sturgeon has dismissed a book by US presidential candidate Kamala Harris as self pitying and exasperating. In a rambling review of Ms Harris book 107 Days, the SNP leader vents about her frustration at the Democrat candidates failure to fully explain why she lost the last US election to Donald Trump. She wrote in the Observer: I had hoped for so much more from this book than it delivers. She added: Was it too much to expect the woman who was vice- president for four years and whose defeat allowed Trump to burst back into the Oval Office to indulge in some honest reflection on what she might have done differently? Or to attempt a substantive analysis of what has gone so wrong in America that someone like Trump can not only be elected but, in the space of less than a year, with virtually no opposition, dismantle so much of what passed for democracy? Or to offer us any hope that the Democrats might be in even the foothills of working out how to start fighting back? Harris does none of these things in any meaningful sense. The 2024 US election was disastrous for Ms Harris and the Democrats. Republican Donald Trump won the Electoral College with 312 electoral votes to Harris' 226. He also won every swing state, including the first win of Nevada by Republicans since 2004. Ms Sturgeon's criticism of Harris's book comes after her own book Frankly received fierce criticism by best-selling author JK Rowling, following their row over gender ideology Ms Sturgeon gave her view on new book 107 Days, by Kamala Harrris, above But Ms Sturgeons analysis of Ms Harris book about the 107 days she spent on the campaign trail is less than complimentary. She wrote: Some of her comments struck me as a touch self-pitying for a woman who was second in command of the most powerful nation on earth. There is much in this book that I found exasperating, but aspects of it depressed me too. It came after Ms Sturgeons own memoir, Frankly, drew criticism amid a war of words with author JK Rowling. Recently, Ms Sturgeon suggested Ms Rowling should face 'a bit more scrutiny' over her views on gender ideology and railed against 'unaccountable billionaires trying to dictate political debate'. It came after Ms Rowling tore into Ms Sturgeon's 'stubborn' attachment to her gender reform legislation, her inability to face up to her failures in office and 'Trumpian' accounts of political events. Ms Rowling penned a scathing review of Nicola Sturgeon's memoir, Frankly, on the day it was officially launched. She wrote: 'She remains stubbornly wedded to her belief that it is possible to let some men into women's spaces on the men's say so, without letting any man who fancies it come inside. Ms Harris book is about the 107 days she spent on the campaign trail in the 2024 US election 'She denies there are any risks to a policy of gender self-identification. 'She can't imagine any male predator capitalising on such policies, in spite of the fact that it has, demonstrably, happened many times. 'She is flat out Trumpian in her shameless denial of reality and hard facts.' Late former First Minister Alex Salmond's niece also hit out at Ms Sturgeon for cruelly 'cashing in' on smears about her late uncle. Christina Hendry accused the MSP of 'cowardice' for making disputed personal and political claims in her memoirs, Frankly, knowing her predecessor as First Minister could not respond. Ms Sturgeon was paid 300,000 for the book and Ms Hendry said: 'I can't see any other reason than cashing in. My uncle spent his career bigging up Scotland. He did not spend his time cashing in on others' legacy or using their name or dragging their name through the dirt.' A top talkshow host has become the latest victim of Sadiq Khan's lawless London after his car was broken into in the capital last night. Mike Graham returned to his car yesterday evening to discover the rear windscreen of his Maserati had been smashed while parked in a NCP car park with 24/7 security patrols. The 65-year-old discussed the break-in during his show on Talk this morning and blasted Sir Sadiq amid his row with Trump over the state of the capital, telling him 'London is now a bereft city'. It comes just days after the controversial politician was described as a 'terrible mayor' by Trump during an address to the United Nations General Assembly in which he claimed the city wants to embrace Sharia law. Mr Graham posted a picture of the broken glass on his X account and revealed the thieves got away with an old ski jacket he uses to walk the dogs but missed a case of wine. Explaining what happened, he said this morning: 'I had my car broken into yesterday afternoon in a car park. 'Somebody smashed the back window in a car park which is supposed to be actually run by 24-7 security but I was on the seventh floor and I didn't even realize when I got in the car to drive it home. 'I'd been working all day and I thought there's a very weird noise coming from the back of the car and I knew I had a case of wine in the back which is not what I normally drive around, it just so happened. Graham said: 'Unfortunately though London is now a bereft city...It really burns me when I see Sadiq Khan talking as if London is the most amazing city in the world. It bloody well should be, but it's not well' The rear windscreen of his Maserati had been smashed while parked in a NCP car park with 24/7 security patrols 'I had a case of wine in the back and I suddenly got to the barrier and I was like this noise is really weird. I looked in the rearview mirror and I'm like crikey. somebody smashed the back of the windscreen. '11 bottles of wine in a box, they didn't even take them, they didn't take one bottle, they seemed to have only been interested in a really, really old ski jacket from about 1988 or something that I have in the back of the car to walk the dog. 'There was another raincoat in the back seat and they didn't take that and there was nothing else worth taking. 'The worry I've got is it's somebody who smashed the back window because it's quite a nice car - it's a Maserati - and if that's the case that's even worse in a way. 'So I now have to spend a ridiculous amount of time getting it fixed, getting it sorted. I had to park it somewhere last night where it was relatively safe. 'I've gone to this car park. I've been using it for about six years and I've been told by the people that run it years ago that there's a guy that they know who goes around basically breaking into cars. They told the police about him. He goes around all the NCP car parks in the general area and if he sees something in the back he just smashes the window and takes it. 'The police weren't interested and they were like, 'Well we can tell you who he is. We even talked to him, we know why he's doing it' and they didn't do anything about it. 'I've also been in there on several occasions where there's been a few youths up on the sixth floor smoking joints. You can smell the marijuana and it's like living in some kind of third-world hell. 'I spoke to the Autoglass people yesterday. The woman was like oh we're getting a lot of these at the moment in London, a lot of London and Manchester people getting their back window smashed - loads of it going on.' Graham, 65, is a British journalist who hosts a breakfast show on Talk called Morning Glory And he joined the chorus of criticism against Sir Sadiq, saying: 'Unfortunately though London is now a bereft city. You can't walk down the street without being very careful not to get your phone out without being very careful and to watch all around you. 'It really burns me when I see Sadiq Khan talking as if London is the most amazing city in the world. It bloody well should be, but it's not well. 'I've lived here for a very long time, decades and decades and decades and I really object to lefties who go, oh you know actually look at the crime statistics, they're not as bad as you making out and you're some kind of you know doom loop right winger who's trying to make out that the things are worse than they are. We're not doing that. Things are worse than they were.' Earlier this summer it was revealed knife offences in London have increased by 86 per cent in a decade. London's iconic West End has more knife crime than almost 15 per cent of the rest of the capital combined, according to research from the Policy Exchange. Just five per cent of robberies and 0.6 per cent of 'theft from person' crimes in London were solved last year, the research titled Your Money or Your Life: London's Knife Crime, Robbery and Street Theft Epidemic' found. The report's author, ex-Scotland Yard detective chief inspector David Spencer, said his former force must take an unequivocal 'crime fighting first' approach to save the city from a knife, robbery and theft epidemic. Speaking in New York City on Tuesday, President Trump said: 'Europe is in serious trouble. They have been invaded by a force of illegal aliens like nobody's ever seen before. 'I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it's been changed, it's been so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can't do that. 'Both the immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe if something isn't done immediately. This cannot be sustained.' But a spokesperson for Sir Sadiq hit back immediately, telling the Daily Mail: 'We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response. 'London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we're delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here.' The Mayor's office also pointed to statistics showing the homicide rate in the US is 68 per 1 million population, compared to the London rate of 9.8 per 1 million population. Sharia law is the Islamic religious law regulating public and private life and while Sharia councils do exist in England, they have no legal jurisdiction. Mr Trump and Sir Sadiq have a long-running feud which escalated last week when the President described the Mayor as 'among the worst mayors in the world'. The President claimed Sir Sadiq - London's first Muslim mayor - had wanted to be part of his UK state visit last week, but Mr Trump said he 'asked that he not be there'. It has been more than a century since they paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Now two World War One soldiers have finally been laid to rest 110 years after they were killed in action. The remains of Lieutenant James Grant Allan, who served with the 9th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders and Lance Corporal Gordon McPherson, a member of 7th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, were discovered by workers at a construction site on the outskirts of Lens, Northern France. Six other soldiers were also found but experts were unable to identify them. MOD war detectives, however, identified the two Scots, who died aged just 21 and 23 respectively, using the latest in forensic technology and a small set of buttons. LCpl McPherson, who was killed on the front line while using his machine gun on the first day of the Battle of Loos on September 25, 1915, had the buttons from the Newcastle Corporation Tramway in his pocket. After studying the 1911 census, the war detectives discovered that his father worked for the Tramway and a DNA test sent to his next of kin confirmed his identify. James Grant Allan, left, and his brother Nimmo Allan taken in 1914 Lieutenant James Grant Allan served with the 9th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders His great-nephew Alistair McPherson said: Its just wonderful to have found him. Hes no longer lost. Meanwhile, artefacts found with the remains suggested one was an officer, which narrowed their search in naming Lt Allan, who was killed on the same day after receiving two bullets to his chest. Families of the battalions 14 missing officers were then traced and tested, with Lt Allans family proving a positive match. His great nephew Nicholas Allan said he felt a profound sense that something had been completed in being able to honour this great-uncle of mine who I barely knew existed. All eight men were buried with full military honours at the Comonwealth War Graves Commission Loos British Cemetery Extension, in France, which was inaugurated by The Princess Royal last year. It was established to receive newly discovered remains of war heroes during ongoing work in the region. Jeremy Prince, CWGC France Area Director said: We are proud to offer these soldiers a final resting place worthy of their courage and service. A bagpiper plays as pallbearers from the 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, carry the coffin of World War I soldier Lt. James Grant Allan, during a buriel service Pallbearers stand over the coffins of four unnamed World War I soldiers from various Scottish regiments, during a burial service at Loos British Cemetery in Loos-en-Gohelle, France Britain must completely overhaul the state to find an additional tens of billions of pounds every year to meet NATO spending targets, a watchdog has warned. The UK is committed to raising defence spending from 2.3 per cent to 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035 an increase of 36 billion a year. The extra money is necessary to meet the increasing threat posed by Russia and the UKs commitments to Ukraine, including a possible peace stabilisation force. But Britain has not spend that much on defence since 1988, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and since then health spending, as a percentage of GDP, has more than doubled. Today, the IFS is warning wider public expenditure will have to be reduced to ensure defence spending targets are met. According to the IFS, cuts required represent the entire budgets of the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office, including police, prisons and border officials. The warning from the thinktank echoes the claim by outgoing Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who said the state is not working. The retiring former Royal Navy chief said earlier this month that inefficiencies in public departments, including the Ministry of Defence, were holding back this country. The IFS warned the shape or the size of the state must be overhauled because alternatives such as borrowing more money are not feasible in the long-term. As a leading member of NATO, the UK is under additional pressure to make spending targets agreed by states to appease US President Donald Trump. To maintain influence, Britain must remain one of the alliances highest spenders. For decades the UK was the second highest spender behind the US but it has recently fallen behind Germany. While Poland has doubled its defence spending to approaching 4 per cent of GDP, although this is a smaller amount in real terms than the UKs level of military investment. Last night, Bee Boileau, Research Economist at the IFS and author of its report, said: Increasing defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP will be a major fiscal challenge. It is, of course, not certain that we will reach this level of spending: the world could look very different in a decade and future governments might decide to change tack. But other countries have signed up to the same commitment and, indeed, countries such as Germany and Poland are moving further and faster. Just the increase to 3.5 per cent of GDP is equivalent to the combined amount we currently spend on the Home Office and Ministry of Justice not a sum that can be found painlessly. The IFS also signalled that defence spending will benefit the UK economy and manufacturing due to high percentage of capital expenditure within the departmental spend. Relatively speaking, more money is being spent on military equipment and less on personnel. Capital expenditure, on equipment such as warships and stealth jets is almost twice what it was in 2000. This is mainly due to all three services, the Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force shrinking in size, and the growth in high-tech weaponry. Where additional defence revenues are spent will also affect which areas of the UK see increasing levels of economic growth. Areas such as the South West are expected to benefit most. Mark Franks, Director of Welfare at the Nuffield Foundation added: A large proportion of the rise towards 3.5 will not come until the 2030s. This delay will limit the immediate pressure on the public finances. But it may also reduce the chances of securing good value for money, it if results in spending being ramped up over a short space of time as the commitment date approaches. On top of the 3.5 per cent spending commitment on core defence spending, the UK must also find an additional 1.5 per cent of GDP on defence and security related projects, such as national infrastructure. While the UK is giving itself a decade to reach the 3.5 figure, Germany has set itself the target of doing so by 2029, however much of this additional investment is expected to be met by borrowing. Germany has relaxed the debt brake, which is part of its constitution, to ensure it gets ahead. A seemingly endless number of masked goons poured into a Bay Area jewelry store to smash and grab $1million worth of merchandise, dramatic surveillance footage shows. At least twenty thieves dressed in dark clothing entered the Heller Jewelry store in San Ramon, California, on Monday at 1.50pm, according to a statement by the San Ramon Police Department. Described as a 'take-over style armed robbery', the criminals raided the store on Canyon Road, smashing the display cases and drawing handguns. One criminal in the group fired shots through the front entrance, according to the police. They fled into getaway cars that were waiting in a nearby valet parking area. Police pursued the vehicles but stopped the chase. Authorities said they did so due to 'the inherent danger to the public and because air support was over and available to continue tracking the suspect vehicle.' Police air support was able to track the thugs into Alameda County, where the suspects were detained in Oakland and in Dublin. Twenty thieves, dressed in dark clothing, entered the Heller Jewelry store in San Ramon, California, on Monday at 1.50pm Described as a 'take-over style armed robbery', the criminals raided the store The seven suspects that police captured ranged in age from 17 to 31, and the police believe they are part of similar crimes throughout the Bay Area, according to ABC News 7. The authorities said: 'San Ramon Detectives will tirelessly continue their investigation into this incident and ask anyone who may have witnessed the robbery to contact Corpal Kevin Tjahjadi at (925) 733-7316.' The upsetting footage shows the criminals coming in and seeming to draw guns on the staff immediately. As some of the offenders keep their weapons pointed at staff, the others begin to smash away at the protective glass casing. The group was armed with what appeared to be hammers, pickaxes, and crowbars. The lawbreakers were also prepared with bags to stash away their loot. They fled into getaway cars that were waiting in a nearby valet parking area The authorities pursued the suspects but said due to 'the inherent danger to the public and because air support was over and available to continue tracking the suspect vehicle' 'When they went in, they basically took over the store, basically taking whatever jewelry was available,' Lt. Mike Pistello of the San Ramon Police Department told ABC News 7. The one suspect who shot rounds through the entrance did so to escape from the store's security measures that require a security guard to press a button, said police. Pistello said to the outlet: 'What ended up happening was, once the suspects went in, the door locked behind them.' Pistello said to the channel: 'This is not their first time doing something like this.' He added: 'This is not something that happens a lot in San Ramon. We're doing our best to follow up on every lead possible.' On July 21, 2023, the same jewelry store was robbed similarly by at least 11 individuals. On July 21, 2023, the same jewelry store was robbed similarly by at least 11 individuals The suspects that police captured 7 robbers ranged in age from 17 to 31 They took nearly the same amount, $1.1 million, in products during the middle of the day and escaped in four getaway cars. Of the group, five members were charged in connection with the robbery by the United States Attorney's Office that occurred on August 2, 2023. The ravaged business issued a statement on its social media about the incident and thanked its community. The post said: 'We are deeply grateful that nobody was harmed. That is what matters most.' 'Heller Jewelers has been part of this community for nearly thirty years, and we've always believed in the strength of the relationships we've built with you.' The company thanked those who have supported them and reassured them that their commitment to the community remains stronger than ever. The statement also announced that they will be reopening on September 27. They promised to 'continue serving you with the same care, trust, and dedication that have guided the Heller family and our incredible team for generations'. Doctor Who star Noel Clarke was arrested during a five-hour raid of his house - days after defeat in his sex abuse libel case. Officers went to the 49-year-old BBC actor's family home in Kensington, west London, just before 9am on Thursday, with a specialist dog unit used in the search. Clarke's arrest follows his failed libel case against the Guardian newspaper. It is not known why he was arrested. At the six-week civil case, more than 12 women gave evidence alleging they were sexually abused or harassed by the actor. Police spent at least five hours at his home on Thursday, with officers seen leaving with boxes containing laptops and documents. Clarke was then in custody for questioning and later released, it is understood. A Metropolitan Police investigation led by Central Specialist Crime Command began on September 1, according to the Guardian. The Daily Mail has contacted the Met Police for more information. The star must pay at least 3million of the Guardian publisher's legal costs after pursuing a 'far-fetched' and 'false case' against the newspaper's reporting of allegations of sexual misconduct, a High Court judge ruled on Monday. The shamed star sued Guardian News and Media (GNM) over seven articles and a podcast, including one in April 2021 that said 20 women who knew him professionally had come forward with allegations of misconduct. Doctor Who star Noel Clarke was arrested during a five-hour raid of his house today after his sex abuse libel case Clarke, David Tennant and Camille Coduri at the Gala Screening of the Dr Who Christmas Episode in December 2007 Clarke and actor Billie Piper in the famous Dr Who television series Clarke at the 74th British Academy Film Awards in April 2021 Clarke denied the claims, and his lawyers previously said the newspaper had acted as the 'judge, jury and executioner' of his career. GNM defended its reporting as being both true and in the public interest and in a judgment last month, judge Mrs Justice Steyn agreed. At a High Court hearing on Monday, she said Clarke must pay 3million ahead of a detailed assessment into the total costs to be recovered, estimated to be more than 6million. 'It seems to me that the sum of 3million sought by the defendant is appropriate and no more than what ought to be reasonably ordered in this case,' she said. 'It is substantially lower than the defendant's likely level of recovery on detailed assessment and so in my judgment, it does allow for a suitably wide margin of error.' 'The claimant maintained a far-fetched and indeed a false case that the articles were not substantially true, by pursuing allegations of dishonesty and bad faith against almost all of the defendant's truth witnesses.' A family has made a remarkable discovery by digging up a massive diamond at a state park using cheap tools they bought at a dollar store. Raynae Madison and her family were on a trip to Arkansas from Oklahoma on September 13 to celebrate her nephew William's birthday when they decided to visit Crater of Diamonds State Park. They wanted to try their luck at digging for gems, according to an announcement from Arkansas State Parks. Madison and William prepared for their visit by purchasing a beach digging kit and sand sifting tools from a dollar store. The family picked a spot on the north side of the park's 37.5-acre diamond search area and began digging up buckets of dirt to sift through with their new, cheap tools. After processing several buckets, Madison spotted 'an unusual oblong, shiny stone'. 'At first I thought it looked really neat, but I wasn't sure what it was,' she said. 'I honestly thought it was too big to be a diamond!' Madison showed the stone to her family members and the group then took it to the parks Diamond Discovery Center where staff identified it as a brown diamond weighing 2.79 carats. Raynae Madison and her nephew, William, discovered a 2.79 carat brown diamond with tools they bought from a dollar store The diamond is the third-largest unearthed this year State park officials described the diamond as 'chocolate brown, with unique inclusions' State park officials described it as 'chocolate brown, with unique inclusions.' The diamond is the third-largest one registered at the park this year. Madison named it the 'William Diamond' in honor of her nephew. More than 400 diamonds have been unearthed at Crater of Diamonds State Park this year. Only four of them have weighed more than two carats, but that is an unusually high number according to state park officials. '2025 has been a great year for large diamond finds!' said Emma O'Neal, park interpreter at Crater of Diamonds State Park. The vast majority of diamonds found at the park weigh less than one carat. According to Arkansas State Parks records, only two diamonds discovered in the park since mid August have weighed more than one carat, including the William Diamond. Madison's find was the only one that weighed more than two carats in that period. In the announcement of Madison's exciting find, O'Neal explained that brown diamonds in the park form through 'a process called plastic deformation, which creates structural defects during a diamonds formation or movement in magma. 'These defects reflect red and green light, combining to make the diamond appear brown.' Madison named the stone the 'William Diamond' in honor of her nephew Visitors have discovered 36,824 diamonds with a total weight of 7,267 carats since the Crater of Diamonds State Park opened in 1972 Arkansas State Parks does not appraise diamonds found in the Crater of Diamonds as their value cannot be determined until they are cut and polished. The largest diamond found at the park this year was 3.81 carats. It was also a brown diamond and it was discovered in April by a regular visitor to the park, David DeCook from Minnesota. The largest diamond ever discovered in the US was at Crater of Diamonds State Park. It was the the 40.23-carat 'Uncle Sam,' unearthed in 1924. It is now part of the Smithsonian's collection and on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. Since the Crater of Diamonds State Park opened in 1972, visitors have discovered 36,824 diamonds with a total weight of 7,267 carats, according to Arkansas State Parks. Since the first diamonds in the area were discovered in 1906 by John Huddleston, a farmer who owned the land long before it became an Arkansas State Park, officials estimate more than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed. Charlie Killer's accused killer made contact with cops investigating the death of the conservative activist in the immediate aftermath of his murder, it has been revealed. Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of murdering Kirk with a single bullet that hit the father-of-two as he spoke to a crowd at a university in Utah on September 10. After Robinson is said to have made a quick escape and dumped the Mauser rifle he is alleged to have used in the shooting, he returned to recover the weapon. Two law enforcement sources told Fox News that Robinson appeared at a wooded area where the gun was found and 'made contact' with officers guarding the area. That brief encounter appears to have thwarted an attempt by the main suspect to collect the firearm used to kill Kirk. No further details of the 'contact' were shared and its unclear if the officers saw Robinson, or realized how close they were to the suspect. Robinson has since been revealed as being a college dropout that had shifted his political views to the radical left in the last year. Prosecutors say that after gunning down Kirk he confessed to the killing in a message to his transgender partner. He is alleged to have got in contact with his partner via text message, saying that he killed Kirk because he 'had enough of his hatred.' Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of murdering Kirk with a single bullet that hit the father-of-two After Robinson is said to have made a quick escape and dumped the Mauser rifle he is alleged to have used in the shooting, seen here, he returned to recover the weapon Robinson fled the scene and traveled some 250 miles south to his home in St. George, Utah, eluding capture for nearly two full days. He was ultimately caught after being handed in by his father and a local minister, rather than through direct police intervention. Unbeknownst to investigators, Robinson's parents Matthew and Amber, from Washington, Utah, were both convinced that their son was involved. Charging documents say that his mother had seen the photo shared by authorities and immediately thought they looked like her son. After calling Robinson, he is said to have told her he was at home and unwell, and had been the day when Kirk was gunned down. Still, the documents say this did nothing to quell her suspicions, and she raised her concerns with his father who agreed with her. His father then got in touch and asked him to send him a picture of it, but Robinson never responded, the documents say. After a phone call between the two eventually happened, Robinson laid out plans to commit suicide, his parents said they were able to convince him to meet them. Kirk is seen here alongside his wife Erika, she spoke at a memorial service for her late husband on Sunday in which she said she forgave his killer During that discussion, Robinson is said to have implied he was the shooter and said he didn't want to go to jail so wished instead to take his own life. He appeared in court in an anti-suicide vest and is facing seven counts, including a capital murder charge, over the killing of Kirk. Kirk was remembered by his loyal supporters at a memorial service in Arizona on Sunday, in which tens of thousands attended. His widow Erika took the stage and delivered a powerful speech in which she said she had forgiven his killer. 'I forgive him,' Erika said as the crowd erupted in applause. 'I forgive him because it's what Christ did. The answer to hate is not hate.' President Donald Trump led mourners at the service, addressing all of those who packed inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Trump was the final speaker, telling the packed out crowd of 65,000: 'He's a martyr now for American freedom. 'I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie. And neither now will history.' Labour ministers are considering stepping in to help keep Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) suppliers trading after a major cyber-attack shut down its manufacturing plants and delivery systems. The attack, which is estimated to have cost the business almost 2billion in lost revenue, came as Britain's biggest carmaker was still finalising insurance cover and has left its suppliers facing collapse. It means JLR faces shouldering the full bill from the crisis which has seen production production paused until October 1 at the earliest. Despite appeals for support, the Government is not expected to launch a Covid-style furlough scheme for the suppliers. It comes after warnings from unions and politicians that some small suppliers, which produce parts for the car giant, could collapse without urgent financial support. Around 1,000 vehicles a day usually roll off its production lines in the West Midlands and Merseyside but JLR paused production at the end of August after being targeted by hackers. Its engine manufacturing site in Wolverhampton has also been paused. Earlier this week, JLR extended its pause in production until next month as it continues to tackle the impact of the shutdown. Jaguar Land Rover was not insured against the cyber attack that shut down production and left its suppliers facing collapse, it has been revealed (File image) But it is feared it could last until November, depriving it of 3.5bn in revenue and 250million of profit. But the company, one of the biggest names in British manufacturing, will not be able to recover those losses because of the lack of insurance. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he is 'really concerned' about the impact on JLR and the businesses in its supply chain, with the Department for Business working around the clock on the issue. The Government is now considering buying component parts typically used by JLR from their suppliers in order to keep them trading until production restarts at the car giant. Another option being considering would involve Government-backed loans for suppliers, while it could also purchase and stockpile car parts. Unions have called on ministers to introduce a Covid-style furlough scheme for workers at affected suppliers, but government officials are likely to rule this out because of the significant costs involved. Graham Morgan, the council leader for Knowsley, where the Merseyside site is based, said many of the firms which supply JLR were under 'huge financial pressure'. 'If one of those companies falls down, even when Jaguar Land Rover returns to production they can't make cars if parts of the cog [are] missing,' he said. He added that it is 'important' that 'some kind of furlough scheme was put in place' until production restarts. MPs on the Government's Business Select Committee were set to meet JLR suppliers late on Thursday and relay their discussions to ministers. Speaking to ITV Central on Thursday, Sir Keir said: 'I'm really concerned for JLR but I'm equally concerned about the other businesses that feed into JLR and the impact it's having on them. 'The Department of Business is working 24/7 with those businesses to see what we can do.' The plant produces models such as the Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery Sport (pictured: workers on the assembly line) The chairman of the Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne, has written to the Chancellor with a series of questions on the measures available to urgently support suppliers. Marks and Spencer, the Co-op and Harrods have also been targeted by hackers this year. The attacks shut down M&S's website and affected day-to-day Co-op stores, while Harrods said its systems had been accessed. Jaguar Land Rover recently reported that its quarterly profits had almost halved after the US slapped higher import tariffs on cars coming from the UK. The rates have since been cut from 27.5 per cent to 10 per cent on the first 100,000 British-built cars to ship to the US. Jaguar is also gearing up for a significant shift in both style and substance after it unveiled a divise rebrand and concept car that critics claimed erased its century-old heritage of British engineering. Last month, it appointed 54-year-old Tata Motors chief financial officer PB Balaji as the new boss after chief executive Adrian Mardell stepped down after three years at the helm. A self-described 'MAGA dentist' brushed off backlash for saying that she would make dental treatments for liberal patients more painful as she insisted they were 'just jokes.' Dr. Harleen Grewal, a dentist at Skyline Smiles in Santa Clarita, California, came under fire after footage of a speech she gave at the Republican Liberty Gala in 2021 resurfaced. She said at the Gala that she often wears a hat during her procedures that says 'Make Your Smile Great Again', and would gauge her patients' reactions to the political merchandise. 'So when they look horrified, or complain, I quietly cut back on the laughing gas, and say, you got this, its not as bad as you think it is,' she said in her speech. 'I stole that from Joe Biden.' She also remarked that she preferred running her practice during the pandemic because liberals would stay home, and wished they would have kept inside forever. After footage of the speech circulated social media, Grewal insisted that her comments were taken out of context and were only meant to be jokes for the Republican crowd. In a podcast interview with Voice of the Future, Grewal said she was even visited by the police after they received an anonymous complaint about her 'jokes', and proudly told them they 'didn't scare me.' 'I'm very politically connected, and I'm a dentist, so I just made these jokes,' she said. Dr. Harleen Grewal, a self-described 'MAGA dentist', brushed off backlash for 'jokes' she made about making dental treatments for liberal patients more painful Dr Grewal came under fire after footage of a speech she gave at the Republican Liberty Gala in 2021 resurfaced, where she said she would 'quietly cut back on the laughing gas' if a patient was a liberal The dentist said in her podcast appearance that she became political soon after opening her clinic in 2015, and decided to use it as a hub to help register her patients to vote. 'Being a very savvy businesswoman, I just knew that following President Trump and getting involved in the Republican Party is what I wanted to do,' she recalled. 'It was very motivating and very encouraging.' She said she started ballot harvesting at her clinic, but added that she would collect ballots from both Democrats and Republicans, because 'everybody should be able to vote.' But Grewal said that her decision to mix her dental practice work with politics led to backlash, and she was hit with several anonymous complaints that led to visits from the police. In the first instance, Grewal said investigators were told she was running an 'illegal ballot harvesting operation' out of her clinic. Dr Grewal, a dentist at Skyline Smiles in Santa Clarita, California, said in a podcast interview with Voice of the Future (pictured) that she was even visited by the police after they received an anonymous complaint about her 'jokes' Dr Grewal 'joked' that she would wear a hat reading 'Make Your Smile Great Again' to gauge her patients' reaction, which she said led to a visit from an investigator from the California Dental Board 'So I gave them a tour of my office and I showed them what I was doing, it was perfectly legal... but the point is they were trying to silence me,' she said. Grewal said that months later, she was visited by an investigator from the California Dental Board, who told her they also had an anonymous complaint that she was 'torturing Democrats.' Asked if she had said that, Grewal recalled: 'I said yes, do you want me to show you a video? Because it was part of my speech at the Republican Liberty Gala.' She said that she insisted they were 'jokes', and said the investigator agreed that her remarks were above board. Grewal's dental practice was hit with a wave of negative reviews on Yelp after footage of her speech spread through social media, although many appeared to be critics of her remarks and not actual patients. The dentist's practice was hit with a wave of negative reviews on Yelp after footage of her speech spread through social media Despite Grewal's insistence that her remarks were meant to be funny, she said she faced a wave of negative reviews warning patients not to trust her because of her political activities. One reviewer cited the gala speech as they wrote: 'I just seen footage of this dentist talking about mistreatment of patients if they are not Trump supporters. She said she removes the laughing gas if her patients disapprove of her MAGA hat. 'She also made fun of her patients who wore masks. I would not patronize this business because the dentists behavior in that video on TikTok is unethical. She has not apologized. Dental treatment should not be political.' Another wrote: 'This doctor bragged on video that she treats patients differently based on their political views. This is not just unprofessional. It is unethical and scary. She should never work in a medical office again.' Daily Mail has contacted Dr Grewal's Skyline Smiles for comment. Teachers in a historic Connecticut town will have to adhere to a strict new dress code banning miniskirts, sheer clothing and yoga pants. Educators working at Torrington's seven different public schools will no longer be allowed to wear shorts, dresses, skirts that are shorter than two inches above the knee in length or flip-flops. Also considered inappropriate are graphic T-shirts, sweatpants, sweatshirts, pajama pants, jeans, yoga pants and other tight-fitting, sheer or low-cut outfits. Graphic tees and jeans are only allowed on spirit days, NBC Connecticut reported. This idea was proposed by Gary Eucalitto, a member of the school board who chairs the policy committee. He made the proposal after discussing updating the student dress code. 'I think the staff needs to understand that that is it is important to present an image,' Eucalitto said at a meeting on Wednesday evening. Ed Corey, a co-chairperson on the board, said there wasn't any one incident that prompted the crackdown on teachers' style of dress. 'The vast majority of our teachers are already in compliance with the policy that just passed the vast majority of the time,' he said. 'Nobody's been getting in trouble, and we expect that to continue.' The school board in Torrington, Connecticut (pictured), has laid down law with teachers by hitting them with a dress code, something typically reserved for students It bans them from wearing yoga pants, miniskirts, jeans and other clothing items (stock image) Jason Lafreniere, a special education teacher, was present at the meeting and appeared slightly displeased that he wouldn't be able to wear jeans anymore but ultimately said he accepted the decision. 'Being present every day and offering a supportive, engaging and rigorous environment is another way we are role models to our students on a daily basis,' Lafreniere said. 'Can I do that in jeans and sneakers? Sure. But I get that the board and administration want us to be more than role models in our actions, but also in the way we look.' The dress code has exceptions for gym teachers and custodial staff. The policy also states that employees can be told to change if they are violating dress coded. This idea was proposed by Gary Eucalitto (pictured), a member of the school board who chairs the policy committee Heidi Laus, a former school board member, expressed discomfort with that. 'This prescriptive list risks undermining professional judgment, creates unnecessary rigidity in the profession that demands daily flexibility,' Laus said. 'Do you really want to be administrators inspecting clothing every morning?' The Daily Mail approached the Torrington Board of Education for comment. The lover of Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin was kicked out of his family home after getting into an explosive fight with his father over their religion, a new report claims. A friend of Lance Twiggs, who is the transgender boyfriend of accused Kirk killer Tyler Robinson, claimed he became homeless in high school after rejecting Mormonism. Braylon Nielsen, 19, told the New York Post that Twiggs would occasionally live with her family after he was kicked out by his parents. 'I loved Lance. His parents kicked him out of his house, and he lived with us. His parents never sat right with my family,' she said, claiming they ultimately kicked him out for rejecting Mormonism his junior year of high school. 'It was on and off. He was bouncing couches. He would live with us for a few months, but didn't like taking up our couch. He would crash with friends.' Twiggs attended Dixie Success Academy, which an accelerated program that allows students to graduate with an associates degree worth of college credit, according to the report. Nielsen described Twiggs as a straight-A student, and social media posts viewed by the The Post showed he excelled at piano while in high school. 'He had straight As. He was very hardworking,' Nielsen said, 'not a big partier [] He just took care of people.' Lance Twiggs, who is the transgender boyfriend of accused killer Tyler Robinson, was allegedly kicked out of his family home after getting into an explosive fight over their religion Robinson now faces aggravated murder charges for fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10 Twiggs moved into a townhouse (pictured) with other college students before Robinson lived in the home, according to one relative One social media post viewed by the outlet showed that Twiggs played Gershwins Prelude No. 1 in a 2020 recital, along with his brother, who played Chopin. 'The kids music had been like a peaceful river flowing through our home for many, many years. I feel so grateful,' his mother allegedly wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post seen by The Post. However, some of Twiggs' relatives said his relationship with family deteriorated and he became 'detached [and] radicalized'. The relative, speaking anonymously, said Twiggs had been struggling with gender identity, substance abuse problems, and was addicted to video games. '[His father] thought he wasn't being respectful and was problematic, so they kicked him out,' Twiggs' relative revealed in an interview with Fox News . 'He then lived with [his grandparents] until he was 18 and graduated from high school'. 'But the real reason he was acting out was because he was using drugs and alcohol , and was addicted to gaming,' she added. Twiggs hasn't been charged with any crimes, and authorities said he was cooperating with the investigation Twiggs was described as a straight-A student, and social media posts viewed by the NYP showed he excelled at piano while in high school Twiggs was dragged into the investigation because Robinson allegedly left him a note confessing to killing Kirk Robinson now faces aggravated murder charges for fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10 at an event held by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University. The relative said that Twiggs moved into a townhouse with other college students before Robinson lived in the home. The other roommates eventually moved out, leaving Twiggs and Robinson in the townhome together. The relative added that the two were in a romantic relationship. In a separate interview, an anonymous relative told Fox News that Twiggs developed a 'hatred' for Christians and conservatives. 'He hated us. He was not raised that way, but he, over the years, has become really detached [and] been radicalized,' the relative said. The relative added that Twiggs was 'always angry' and his behavior got worse over the last few years. They also speculated that Twiggs may've influenced Robinson's politics during their time living together. 'I think Tyler got a whole lot worse in the year they have been dating. They are big gamers, and obviously they have that group that influences them as well as others. But my gut tells me [Twiggs] did more of the influencing,' they said. Twiggs was dragged into the investigation when Robinson texted him: 'Drop what you are doing, look under the keyboard'. Twiggs allegedly found a note that read: 'I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and Im going to take it', prosecutors said. Former President Barack Obama believes President Donald Trump is undermining public health for linking autism to Tylenol. On Monday, Trump announced the US Food and Drug Administration will warn doctors that Tylenol usage for pregnant women is associated with a very increased risk of autism for children. The president said pregnant women 'have a responsibility' to endure pain instead of taking Tylenol and only take it if they 'can't tough it out' or have an extremely high fever. 'Fight like hell not to take it,' Trump said, while also asking parents not to let their children take the medicine. Obama responded to Trumps shocking announcement by claiming the administration is engaging in violence against the truth. We have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved, Obama said during an interview at Londons O2 Arena. The degree to which that undermines public health, the degree to which that can do harm to women who are pregnant, the degree to which that creates anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic, Obama added. Which by the way itself is subject to a spectrum, and a lot of what is being trumpeted as these massive increases actually have to do with a broadening of the criteria across that spectrum, so that people can actually get services and help Obama made his remarks during an interview in London calling out the Trump administration for warning pregnant women not to take Tylenol The White House doubled-down on Trump's warning about Tylenol by slamming Obama's 'pathetic political' attacks against the president The FDA will issue a warning to doctors that Tylenol usage for pregnant women is associated with a very increased risk of autism for children All of that is violence against the truth, the former president concluded. Meanwhile, the White House responded by slamming Obama's 'pathetic political attacks' against Trump. 'Theres a reason why hundreds of counties and millions of voters who backed Barack Hussein Obama swung sharply to President Trump and have now become an integral part of the MAGA movement,' White House spokesman Kush Desai told the Daily Mail. 'While Obama continues to condescend Americans and lob pathetic political attacks on foreign soil, President Trump is focused on addressing the questions and concerns of everyday Americans, including the countless parents who have expressed alarm about our countrys skyrocketing rates of autism compared to the rest of the world. The remarks of the two incredible mothers of children with autism who attended this weeks Roosevelt Room event are proof that the forgotten men and women of this country finally a voice in President Trump a voice they never had in Obama.' Obamas latest spat with Trump demonstrates the former presidents willingness to continue frequently critiquing the administrations policy decisions. The 44th president has made a series of comments bashing Trump since the start of his second term. Moreover, Trump also called Americas vaccine schedule disgraceful while standing alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The Tylenol warning by the FDA was reportedly led by the health secretary, who prior to joining Trumps cabinet linked vaccines to autism in young children. Trump went on to sound the alarm on the 400% increase of autism over the last several decades. Obama has been more outspoken in his criticisms of Trump in the last nine months 'You know it's something artificial, Trump noted. 'With Tylenol, don't take it. There's not an alternative to that.' Obama claimed that the U.S. is being tested by violations to freedom of speech and the rule of law. The former president told the audience that it is important for those who believe in the truth and believe in science, to also examine truth when it is inconvenient for us. Keir Starmer faced a furious backlash on Thursday over 'dystopian' plans to force millions of adults to sign up for a digital ID card. Government sources said the Prime Minister will use a speech on Friday to claim the controversial plan could help stop the boats after his failed attempt to 'smash the gangs' led to a surge in crossings. Civil liberties groups on Thursday branded the introduction of a 'papers please' society 'un-British' - and warned that older and vulnerable people could be 'locked out' from essential services. And critics warned the proposal, pushed by Tony Blair and Emmanuel Macron, would do nothing to halt the surge in illegal migration. Experts have warned the scheme will cost billions of pounds to develop - and could leave the personal details of millions of people vulnerable to hackers and state-sponsored cyber attacks. Nigel Farage said the plan would 'make no difference to illegal immigration, but it will be used to control and penalise the rest of us. The state should never have this much power.' Kemi Badenoch branded the idea a 'a desperate gimmick that will do nothing to stop the boats', while Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said Sir Keir would 'try literally anything other than fixing the root of our problems: our broken legal system that stops us deporting illegal migrants.' Keir Starmer faced a furious backlash on Thursday over 'dystopian' plans to force millions of adults to sign up for a digital ID card Your browser does not support iframes. Whitehall sources said the scheme was likely to apply initially to all working adults, who would have to use the card to prove their identity in order to work in this country. But both critics and opponents expect any scheme to be rapidly extended to cover a range of public services, requiring everyone in the country to eventually sign up for digital ID. People applying for a new job would have to show the card, likely to be carried on their smartphone, which would then be checked against a central database to confirm their right to work. Sources said it could also be used when people rent or buy a new home and could eventually be rolled out to other services, including benefits and access to the NHS. Ministers are examining similar digital ID systems in other countries, including Estonia where citizens are given a state-issued email address for official communications and required to have a card carrying their picture and national identity number. Tony Blair's think tank called this week for the scheme to form the basis of a new state-controlled 'superapp' that would be needed for everything from proof of age in a pub to claiming benefits and reporting potholes.' Civil liberties group Big Brother Watch warned that Britain risked 'sleepwalking into a dystopian nightmare' as a result of Labour's knee-jerk response to the small boats crisis. Director Silkie Carlo said: 'Plans for a mandatory digital ID would make us all reliant on a digital pass to go about our daily lives, turning us into a checkpoint society that is wholly un-British. 'Digital IDs would do absolutely nothing to deter small boats but would make Britain less free, creating a domestic mass surveillance infrastructure that will likely sprawl from citizenship to benefits, tax, health, possibly even internet data and more. Incredibly sensitive information about each and every one of us would be hoarded by the state and vulnerable to cyber attacks.' Nigel Farage said the plan would 'make no difference to illegal immigration, but it will be used to control and penalise the rest of us. The state should never have this much power' Pictured: Mock-ups of what the cards could look like A digital ID scheme will require primary legislation and is likely to trigger fierce parliamentary debate, particularly as the plan was not mentioned in Labour's manifesto. But Labour's huge majority, coupled with splits in Tory and Lib Dem ranks over the issue, mean it is certain to pass. However, constructing the scheme is likely to cost billions of pounds and take years to develop and roll out, with little prospect of it being fully in place by the time of the next election. Although some surveys have found public support for the idea, polling for Big Brother Watch found 63 per cent of people do not trust the Government to keep their personal information secure. Labour ruled out ID cards as recently as July this year, with Downing Street saying the idea was 'not our approach'. The U-turn came after President Macron piled pressure on the PM to address the so-called 'pull factors' drawing illegal migrants to cross the Channel, particularly the ability to find work on the black market. Allies of the French President have warned that failure to tackle illegal working has made the UK an 'El Dorado for migrants'. Ministers have also been lobbied behind the scenes by Mr Blair, who has pushed for the introduction of mandatory ID cards for 25 years. The former PM legislated for a national ID card scheme in 2006 in the teeth of fierce opposition, but it was scrapped by Theresa May while it was still at the pilot stage. Yvette Cooper is said to have been sceptical of the idea during her time at the Home Office. But new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is an enthusiast. Earlier this month she suggested the scheme would make it harder for migrants to work illegally, adding: 'I think that a system of digital ID can help with illegal working enforcement of other laws as well. I do think that that has a role to play for dealing with our migration. She added: 'My long-term personal political view has always been in favour of ID cards.' Earlier this month, Sir Keir said the public debate had 'moved on' since Labour's first attempt to force through the idea. Supporters claim that a secure digital ID card would be harder to forge than existing paper documents used to confirm identity. But migrants are already required to produce electronic e-visas carrying their immigration status in order to work legally in this country. And critics argue it is not clear how it tackle those determined to work illegally. Former Tory Cabinet minister Esther McVey said the 'idiotic' plan would have no impact on those working in the black economy. She added: 'Starmer didn't 'smash the gangs', his 'nowt out, thousands in' scheme monumentally failed, so now he's bringing in digital ID which will monitor the law abiding and do nothing to stop illegal migrants. It will cost the taxpayer billions while those working in the black economy will continue unaffected.' Tory grandee Sir David Davis, who played a key role in opposing Mr Blair's original plans, said: 'The systems involved are profoundly dangerous to the privacy and fundamental freedoms of the British people. 'No system is immune to failure, and we have seen time and again governments and tech giants fail to protect people's personal data. If world-leading companies cannot protect our data, I have little faith that Whitehall would be able to do better.' A coalition of civil liberties groups wrote to Sir Keir this week warning that a compulsory ID scheme would mean 'marginalised groups, such as the digitally excluded, disabled people and elderly people... risk being locked out from accessing essential services'. Killers who claim they were provoked by a cheating lover will no longer able to use the outdated and gendered defence of sexual infidelity under a legal shake-up proposed by government advisers. Under existing law, it could be used as a defence to a charge of murder and if accepted it might lead to a downgrade of the allegation from murder to culpable homicide. The Scottish Law Commission (SLC), which devises legal reforms, has recommended changes to homicide legislation to bring it into the 21st century. Removing the vague and emotive concept of wickedness from the definition of murder is also proposed. The 162-page report on the Mental Element in Homicide calls for the end of the gendered defence of sexual infidelity provocation, so that such infidelity can no longer provide a basis for the partial defence of provocation. Instead, only physical violence will be deemed a provocative act that can reduce a murder conviction to one for culpable homicide. The report said the majority of practitioners in our informal consultations criticised the current law as an unacceptable and archaic approach arising from out-dated concepts of male honour and sexual possession. It said: Some also commented that such cases rarely arise.' The Equality and Human Rights Commission told the SLC that abolition of the sexual infidelity defence was necessary to challenge damaging and outdated historical gender biases which perpetuate violence against women and girls. The change has been suggested under a legal shake-up proposed by government advisers Meanwhile, the SLC also looked at the concept of wickedness in homicide law. A murder charge hinges on evidence of a wicked intention to kill and wicked recklessness but the SLC said the language should be changed. It states the statutory definition of murder should contain two strands intention to kill and behaving with an utter disregard for whether a person lives or dies. Lady Paton, lead commissioner on the project, said: It is essential that Scots homicide law is fit for purpose in the 21st century. The current law is common-law-based, with principles and definitions ascertainable only from textbooks and court decisions; governed by the vague and emotive concept of wickedness; and the subject of criticism from some commentators as being unclear, old-fashioned and gendered. The recommendations in the report aim to clarify, modernise, and simplify Scots homicide law, and to make that law clear and accessible to all. Members of the SLC advisory group have included senior legal figures such as Lord Beckett, the Lord Justice Clerk, and judge Lord Turnbull, as well as various Police Scotland representatives. A Scottish Government spokesman said: This is a sensitive area of criminal law which affects families greatly when they experience the loss of a loved one. We will carefully consider this report before deciding any next steps. Left-wing terrorists were behind more domestic attacks in the US than those on the right for the first time since 1994, a study has claimed. Analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies showed there were five left-wing terror attacks up to July 4. July 4 was the date of the left-wing terror attack on an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, where a border patrol officer was injured. They also cited a 24-year-old Massachusetts man equipped with Molotov cocktails and knives was arrested on Capitol Hill after admitting he wanted to kill Republicans. Ryan Michael 'Reily' English was arrested shortly after turning himself in to Capitol Police on January 28. There was one right-wing attack in the same period - the murder of Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband in June, allegedly by Vance Boelter. Right-wing extremists were responsible for the vast majority of domestic terror attacks and foiled or aborted plots in the past 30 years, followed by Islamic jihadis. But that trend has reversed in the past few years as right-wing and Islamic attacks fell sharply and left-wing ones had a modest rise. Left-wing terrorists were behind more domestic attacks in the US than right-wingers for the first time since 1994, including the July 4 shooting at an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas The study doesn't include last year's alleged execution of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione but does see support for Mangione as part of a rising left-wing tolerance for violence Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark (pictured) were fatally shot on June 14 in their home The tallied political attacks do not include the murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah on September 10 as it was after the July 4 cutoff. The political leanings and motivations of Kirk's alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, are still hotly debated by each side and he has refused to speak to investigators. Also not included were the arson of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's home, the murder of two Israeli Embassy workers in Washington DC, and the firebombing of a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, which injured 15 demonstrators. These were omitted because they were motivated by the Israel-Palestine conflict and not strictly attributable to left or right wing US politics. Should the pace of far-left attacks continue, 2025 would have the most from that side in more than 30 years - though still far short of the far-right's worst years. Left-wing culprits carried out eight attacks in both 2020 and 2022, while the high watermark for right-wing extremism was 33 in 1995, and 30 in 2017 and 2020. Some 42 percent of all terrorist attacks and plots so far this year were by far-left perpetrators - it was never above 20 per cent in any other year since 1993. From 1994 through 2000, there was an average of 0.6 left-wing attacks a year, which grew to to 1.3 annually in the 2000s and 4 per year from 2016 to 2024. The tallied political attacks do not include the murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah on September 10, allegedly by Tyler Robinson, as it was after the July 4 cutoff By contrast, far-right terrorists averaged 21 attacks per year from 1994 to 2000, falling to seven annually in the 2000s, then climbing back up to an average of 20 a year in 2011 to 2024. However, left-wing attacks were very rarely fatal with only two deaths since 2020 - Luigi Mangione's alleged assassination of UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson last year, and Michael Reinoehl's fatal shooting of right-wing protester Aaron Danielson in Portland, Oregon, in August 2020. Expanding the data to the past decade, left-wing attacks killed 13 victims, compared with 112 and 82 victims for right-wing and jihadist attacks respectively. CSIS said there were several reasons for the changing trends - most noticeably that right-wing extremists have little to be angry about. 'This decline is striking, and explanations are speculative,' it said. 'One possibility is that many traditional grievances that violent right-wing extremists have espoused in the past - opposition to abortion, hostility to immigration, and suspicions of government agencies, among others - are now embraced by President Trump and his administration. 'It is probable that at least some extremists do not feel the need to act violently if their concerns are being addressed.' The CSIS report quoted Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader and a convicted seditionist whom Trump pardoned, as summing up this theory 'Honestly, what do we have to complain about these days?' he said. However, the CSIS report cautioned that the fall in far-right terrorism was 'probably temporary'. Another factor was that law enforcement appeared to be better at catching far-right attackers before they did any damage. Only one of five left-wing terror plots was foiled up to July 4 this year. 'The fact that left-wing plots so often result in completed attacks elevates the significance of the recent rise in incidents because it indicates that the recent increase is likely to translate into realized violence,' the report read. CSIS said Joe Biden's crackdown on far-right groups after the January 6, 2021, insurrection also helped, as it left extremist movements in disarray. The uptick in left-wing extremism was attributed to increased radicalization due to the rise of Trump and worsening political polarization in general. 'Although the vast majority of Americans would never commit partisan violence and oppose it, widespread polarization and misperceptions that the other side is far more violent than it actually is creates a dangerous environment where extremists can more easily rationalize using violence,' the report read. 'Growth in even a tiny minority who are willing to commit partisan violence has the potential for tremendous consequences considering the combustible political climate in the US and the fact that symbolic and strategically important political leaders are among the potential targets.' CSIS said far-left attacks were often motivated by both anti-government extremism - which takes aim at institutions attackers consider illegitimate - and partisan extremism, which targets people for their party or other affiliation. Left-wing extremism is about both 'rejecting its political leadership and resisting its efforts to expand the authority of military and law enforcement institutions'. 'Together... [they] help explain why 2025 has seen an escalation of left-wing violence, as opposition to the Trump administration fuels attacks against both its political leadership and the state institutions that carry out its agenda,' CSIS said. The CSIS report defined terrorism as attacks 'with the intent to achieve political goals by creating a broad psychological impact'. It cautioned that left and right-wing categorization of terror attacks didn't necessarily correspond to the Democratic and Republican parties and was better defined by the causes and motivations the attack was in support of or against. Cat owners may be forced to spend thousands on building custom enclosures for their pets if powerful new laws are passed next year. Local councils in Western Australia could be granted new powers to enforce cat containment and fine owners whose pets stray too far from home. The federal government is currently amending the Cat Act 2011, with the changes expected to come into effect from as early as 2026. Building a large custom cat enclosure can cost upwards of $4,500. It's been estimated that since colonisation in 1788, cats have played a leading role in most of Australia's 34 mammal extinctions. A University of Sydney study found that each roaming cat killed an average of 186 reptiles, birds and mammals per year. The 2020 report showed a death rate of 4,440 to 8,100 animals per square kilometre per year in areas inhabited by pet cats. In Australia, 2.7million pet cats, or 71 per cent, are able to roam free and hunt wildlife. A pet owner erected this portable containment to keep his cat inside at night Some homeowners have spent thousands on building custom enclosures for their cats WA Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley said councils had been calling for changes to cat containment regulations for over a decade. '(The act) provides local governments with important tools to manage cats, including prohibiting them from specific public places, addressing nuisance behaviour, and enforcing sterilisation, microchipping and registration,' she said. 'If passed, the reforms will provide a framework for local laws which promote responsible cat ownership including cat containment - empowering individual councils to engage with their communities on these issues.' The City of Bayswater in Perth has tried to introduce laws allowing council officers to fine owners whose cats were found too far from home, but it was rejected by the WA parliament due to conflict with the Cat Act 2011. 'It means that Bayswater can't go ahead with very sensible legislation,' Legalise Cannabis MP Brian Walker said. 'I'm a cat lover, I have a cat at home myself, but I'm also aware that cats can cause untold damage to our flora and fauna, so we need to be responsible owners.' WA Greens leader Brad Pettitt said LGAs were frustrated by the lack of action. 'We're seeing huge council support and huge community support for this,' he said. A report showed that 71 per cent of Aussie cats are able to roam free and hunt native wildlife 'There was a real opportunity for the parliament not to disallow this and to actually let those local governments that want to lead, let them lead. 'Let Bayswater show how this can work in this community.' WA opposition local government spokeswoman Kirrilee Warr said the parliamentary rejection was the 27th time a council had tried to take action against irresponsible cat owners, only to be denied by parliament. 'Councils still lack the tools they need,' she said. 'The law must be fixed so councils can act now, protect wildlife, and meet community expectations, not wait until 2026.' President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to preserve TikTok in the United States even as concerns swell that the algorithm will spew more MAGA-related content. The order helps solidify the president's effort to keep the massively popular social media app accessible in the U.S. after lawmakers passed a law earlier this year to ban the platform unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, significantly divests from it. The bipartisan law requires that 80 percent of TikTok's ownership come from U.S. investors. ByteDance is expected to retain less than 20 percent ownership of the app. Some critics are raising alarm bells that Trump's deal may have simply traded foreign influence for home-grown Trump-friendly billionaires. 'Turns out the financial benefits of Trump's TikTok deal are going to his own billionaire allies. Insanely corrupt,' blasted Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia on X. Observers worry that Trump-aligned investors, including Oracle's Trump-supporting chairman Larry Ellison, could manipulate the platform's powerful algorithm to push pro-Republican content to TikTok's 170 million American users. When pressed on whether the new ownership will work to promote MAGA content, the president laughed it off saying the app will be fair to all viewpoints. 'If I could make it 100 percent MAGA, I would, but it's not going to work that way, unfortunately, no. Everyone's going to be treated fairly,' Trump said. 'Every group, every philosophy, every policy will be treated very fairly,' he pledged. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to solidify a deal for U.S. investors to take a majority stake in the social media app TikTok TikTok and ByteDance, the app's Chinese parent company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of the deal Neither ByteDance nor TikTok immediately returned the Daily Mail's request for comment on the status of the deal. The deal still needs to be confirmed by the companies and Chinese officials. The order signed Thursday gives all parties involved an additional 120 days to finalize the terms. Congress has warned the platform can spy on its U.S. users' locations and dictate its algorithm to conduct influence campaigns, making it a national security threat. Trump confirmed that Chinese President Xi Jinping is supportive of the agreement when the two spoke last week. 'I had a very good talk with President Xi we talked about TikTok and he gave us the go ahead,' Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office. Though the negotiations were not without difficulty, Vice President JD Vance noted. 'There was some resistance on the Chinese side, but the fundamental thing that we wanted to accomplish is that we wanted to keep TikTok operating, but we also wanted to make sure that we protected Americans data privacy as required by law,' Vance shared. 'What this deal ensures is that the American entity and the American investors will actually control the algorithm,' the VP stated. 'We don't want this used as a propaganda tool by any foreign government.' Trump used TikTok heavily during his campaign where he regularly posted videos, like the one above urging people to vote on Election Day 2024 He also shared that TikTok is currently valued at $14 billion. However, other estimates indicate the app could be worth as much as $30 to $50 billion. The group of U.S. investors includes tech giant Oracle, which currently hosts TikTok's user data on its servers, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Michael Dell of Dell Technologies and more. Vance said additional investors will be announced at a later date. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who was present at the Oval Office announcement, noted how there are two distinct prongs to the transaction, one commercial and the other governmental - both of which the VP has been heavily involved in. 'The Vice President's office has worked since the spring for the commercial transaction between the investor groups and then Treasury, and including the Vice President's office, were in Madrid two weeks ago to negotiate with the Chinese Trump shared that the U.S. will not be receiving an annual payment from the company because of the deal, instead noting how it will bring in a lot of tax revenue. The president also mentioned how critical the app has been to growing U.S. small businesses that advertise on the platform. 'It's a very important thing for small business. It's another reason I wanted to do the deal,' Trump said. Trump last week signed an executive order to extend the deadline for ByteDance to divest from the platform to allow it to remain operational as the deal finalizes. The order specifically disallows the Justice Department from enforcing the national security law passed by Congress that would penalize app store operators that allow TikTok to continue being downloaded in the U.S. Small firms that supply Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on Thursday night warned they are a week away from collapse. Britains largest car-maker last month suffered a devastating hack that threatens to cost it billions. The strike has forced JLR to suspend factory production and the stoppage is expected to last into next month. Liam Byrne, head of the Business and Trade Committee, on Thursday heard from the firms suppliers who claim to have mere weeks left before the financial impact becomes untenable and causes critical damage to key elements of the automotive supply chain. Smaller firms, he said, in a letter written to the Chancellor, may have at best a week of cashflow left to support themselves while larger companies were at risk of seriously struggling within a fortnight. Most have laid off staff and let agency workers go, too, it was claimed. Mr Byrne on Thursday night called for immediate action to help suppliers, asking Rachel Reeves for emergency measures to provide much-needed cash through schemes co-financed between the car-maker and the Government. Suppliers also told MPs that any cash should come from JLRs Indian owners, Tata, as it was their cyber security that failed. Small firms that supply Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on Thursday night warned they are a week away from collapse. Pictured, hundreds of vehicles at Jaguar Land Rover's National Distribution Centre in Warwickshire Britains largest car-maker last month suffered a devastating hack that threatens to cost it billions. (Pictured: Jaguar Land Rover factory and workers at its Halewood site in Merseyside this week) It was claimed this week that JLR did not have insurance in place for such an event. Lots of firms dont know how theyll make the payroll this month... 'The time to act is now, Mr Byrne wrote. The Prime Minister on Thursday refused to say whether the Government could buy parts typically used by JLR from their suppliers in order to keep the smaller businesses trading. Reports on Thursday suggested that officials were considering stepping in to help keep firms in the supply chain afloat, however. The JLR site in Solihull. Sir Keir Starmer said he was really concerned for the car-maker In an interview with ITV, the Sir Keir Starmer said he was really concerned for the car-maker and equally concerned about the other businesses that feed into JLR. The firm on Thursday said parts of its IT systems were back online and could begin to clear a backlog of payments to suppliers. A JLR spokesman said: The foundational work of our recovery programme is firmly under way. These are important initial steps as our dedicated teams work around the clock alongside cybersecurity specialists, the UK Governments National Cyber Security Centre and law enforcement Delta Airlines has been rocked by a third mishap in under a week after a plane was forced to abort takeoff when cockpit window flew open. Delta Flight 2261 was on the runway at Minneapolis Airport on Wednesday, preparing to fly to Las Vegas when a window opened unexpectedly in the cockpit. This came just days after two separate Delta planes caught fire on their way out of the Atlanta airport. According to a recording from the plane obtained by CNN, the pilot told the air traffic control tower: 'No need for crash fire rescue, we just need to run a checklist. We had a window come open.' The Boeing 737 was rolling down the runway at a 'low speed.' Windows in the cockpits of passenger aircrafts can be opened to allow for extra air circulation while the plane is still on the ground. Pressure in the plane keeps them closed while its in the air. The 149 passengers and six crew members were taken back to their gate and forced to deplane as a precautionary measure. A third Delta flight is making headline after a window flew open on route to Las Vegas from Minneapolis (stock image) The flight Las Vegas experienced a two hour delay (stock photo) Passengers deplaned and were loaded on to a second aircraft. According to Delta Flight Status, the plane was originally scheduled to depart at 7.22am and arrive in Las Vegas at 8.45am. The flight was delayed almost two hours, leaving Minneapolis at 9:10am and arriving after 10am. In a statement to Daily Mail about the third in a slate of incidents, Delta said: 'As the safety of our customers and people is paramount, the flight crew followed training to safely suspend takeoff following a mechanical issue in the flight deck. 'We apologize for the delay in travel plans.' This came just days after two separate delta flights caught fire on their way out of the Atlanta airport Windows in the cockpit can be opened on the ground to allow for extra air circulation (stock image) The plane is now under evaluation by Delta's maintenance team. On the same day, a Delta flight from Atlanta to Nigeria reportedly had a smoking engine while still on the runway. The plane reportedly had an issue with its engine and never took off. Three days earlier, another flight departing from Atlana en route to Sacramento appeared to have sparks flying from the engine while it was airborne. Passengers captured the fire on video and the plane returned to the airport shortly after takeoff. Coalition Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has hit back at Teal MP Allegra Spender after she branded anti-migration rallies as 'neo-Nazi organised,' accusing her of smearing ordinary Australians who are concerned about Labor's immigration policies. The clash follows Liberal MP Andrew Hastie's warning that Australians are starting to feel like 'strangers in our own home' due to record levels of net overseas migration. 'Australians are locked out of the housing market. Many are house poor, spending most of their income on rent or mortgages,' he said. 'Labor talks about a housing supply crisis, but this is a housing demand crisis, driven by unsustainable immigration. It's that simple.' Hastie's comments, which also linked migration to falling birth rates, sparked outrage from Spender, who compared his language to that from British politician Enoch Powell's infamous 'Rivers of Blood' speech. 'Already we've seen neo-Nazi organised anti-immigration rallies. Now disturbing echoes of the racist division of the past have crept into the political mainstream,' Spender said. 'Every time I go to a citizenship ceremony and there is a list of 30 or so countries that our new citizens are from, I feel more proud to be Australian, not less. We are a country which shows the world how people from many countries can live together in peace and harmony.' Price leapt to Hastie's defence in a fiery statement on Thursday. 'I entirely disagree with what Allegra Spender said in her statement today, but I welcome her contribution to the migration debate,' Price said on Thursday. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (pictured) has hit back at teal MP Allegra Spender after she branded anti-migration rallies as 'neo-Nazi organised' Price claimed that Allegra Spender (pictured) was out of touch with everyday Australians, claiming her 'affluent electorate' shielded her from the reality of cost-of-living pain 'Concerns about mass migration are not from a fringe movement. They are grassroots issues driven by Canberra's failures. This is a national conversation our country must have.' Price argued that Spender was out of touch with everyday Australians, claiming her 'affluent electorate' in Sydney's elite eastern suburbs shielded her from the reality of cost-of-living pain. 'Many Australians are struggling under the cost-of-living, locked out of home ownership, and burdened by the pressures of mass migration,' she said. The Indigenous senator defended the March for Australia rallies held on August 31, saying thousands of people had marched 'peacefully' to express legitimate concerns about housing, infrastructure and social cohesion. 'There were some neo-Nazis involved in the marches who were rightly booed by others who marched and condemned by the rest,' Price said. 'But Ms Spender characterised these marches as neo-Nazi organised anti-immigration rallies. 'Their objective is clear: to impugn the motives of those who marched and to delegitimise the reasonable concerns that millions of Australians have.' Price drew a sharp line between patriotic Australians and what she described as extremist elements. 'Since the sordid scenes on the steps of the Sydney Opera House on October 9 2023, many Australians do not recognise their fellow countrymen those who firebomb synagogues, chant genocidal slogans, wave flags of terrorist organisations, or burn our national flag,' she said. The clash follows Liberal MP Andrew Hastie's warning that Australians are starting to feel like 'strangers in our own home' due to record levels of net overseas migration. 'This nation has generously welcomed millions of migrants to our shores the vast majority hard-working people who have embraced our values. But we must wake up to the fact there are people who do not want to change for Australia, but want Australia to change for them. And Australians have had enough.' Price vowed to continue pushing for migration reform, insisting Spender and other critics, including Labor MPs and the Greens, were trying to shut down debate with accusations of racism. 'Labor, the Greens and the Teals can shout racism and bark insults all they want. But Australians can see their country changing for the worse,' she said. 'I'm sure statements like Allegra Spender's will only see more Australians peacefully take to the streets to express their pride in our country and to send a message to Canberra that they will not be silenced.' Vladimir Putin taunted the West yesterday as a fleet of drones caused Danish airports to close, and Germany warned that its satellites were being shadowed. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused Nato and the EU of declaring war on Russia after Copenhagen blamed a 'state actor' for a second night of drone incursions. The flights, thought to have been launched from a vessel in the North Sea, came after Russian incursions into Polish, Estonian and Romanian airspace in recent weeks. The drones flew towards Aalborg and Billund airports and bases where Danish F-16 and F-35 warplanes are based. The Danish government decided against shooting down the drones over fears stray ordnance could injure people. Drones flew over four Danish airports overnight Wednesday into Thursday, an instance of unexplained drone activity that raised concerns about security in northern Europe amid growing Russian aggression. Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said there have now been fresh reports of drone sightings at Aalborg in Denmark early on Friday morning. Flight Kl1289 returned to Amsterdam and flight SK1225 from Copenhagen was cancelled, FlightRadar24 said in a post on X. Vladimir Putin taunted the West yesterday as a fleet of drones caused Danish airports to close, and Germany warned that its satellites were being shadowed The airspace over Aalborg Airport in Denmark has been closed due to the drone sightings Danish media last night revealed that a Russian Navy Ropucha-class landing ship, the Aleksandr Shabalin, had been spotted lurking off the southern coast of the Baltic Sea island of Langeland with its AIS transponder, which lets others see your vessel's identity and position, switched off. The ship is a favourite of Putin's to send a message, having previously been tracked through the English Channel. The drone incursions may have been a tit-for-tat move after Denmark's decision to reduce its orders of Russian oil. Latvia's Foreign Minister Baiba Braze said Denmark had informed its allies the drone incursions were 'state activity'. But last night Russia said speculation that it was responsible was 'absurd'. Denmark increased security around critical infrastructure sites yesterday as preparations continued for Copenhagen to host a meeting of EU leaders next week. And last night its government was considering Nato Article 4 consultations with its allies to calculate a collective response. Meanwhile, Germany warned that its satellites are being followed by Kremlin counterparts. Defence minister Boris Pistorius said two Russian Luch/Olymp satellites were shadowing Intelsat hardware used by the German armed forces. Police officers previously seen at Copenhagen Airport after all flights were diverted due to drone sightings Speaking at a Berlin space conference yesterday, he said: 'Russia and China have expanded their capabilities for warfare in space rapidly in recent years. 'They can disrupt satellite operations, blind satellites, manipulate or kinetically destroy them.' The drones are part of what Nato officials see as a pattern of Kremlin disruption intended to pressure Ukraine's allies into agreeing a settlement to the conflict on its terms. Nato partners are today due to discuss plans for a 'drone wall'. Drones were also sighted near the Esbjerg and Sonderborg airports, the Skrydstrup airbase and a military facility in Holstebro, all in the western Jutland region. Civil rescue company Esvagt said drones were seen flying over the North Sea and may have been launched from a vessel in those waters. Meanwhile, the Royal Tank Regiment has been sent to Estonia to join French and Estonian forces in defending Nato's eastern flank. Nato is forced to respond to each Russian incursion by moving around troops and military hardware. While careful not to directly accuse a specific country, Danish intelligence officials said they estimate the risk of Russian espionage and sabotage in Denmark as high. 'We have seen this in other parts of Europe, and we must also expect to see it in Denmark,' said Finn Borch, the head of the Danish Security Intelligence Service at a news conference last night. Speaking before the latest drone sightings in Denmark, French President Emmanuel Macron argued that NATO nations would have to react 'more strongly' to Russian incursions. He didn't detail the potential response. 'We cannot allow the idea to take root that Poland, Estonia, Romania are in a weak situation because the next step would be Germany and then us,' Macron said in an interview with broadcasters France 24 and RFI. President Donald Trump has announced sweeping tariffs on trucks, pharmaceuticals and even kitchen sinks as he tries to reinvigorate America's manufacturing industries. In a series of Truth Social posts on Thursday night, Trump announced tariffs ranging from 25 percent to 100 percent, citing 'unfair practices' from foreign nations harming local industries. The first of his announcements related to protecting 'our Great Heavy Truck Manufacturers from unfair outside competition', imposing a 25 percent tariff 'on all 'Heavy (Big!) Trucks' made in other parts of the World.' The trucking announcement was followed up almost immediately with a 50 percent tariff 'on all Kitchen Cabinets, Bathroom Vanities, and associated products.' That was accompanied by 'a 30% Tariff on Upholstered Furniture. 'The reason for this is the large scale 'FLOODING' of these products into the United States by other outside Countries. It is a very unfair practice,' Trump said. Finally, he unveiled a mammoth '100% Tariff on any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product.' The final announcement was met with a caveat that businesses 'BUILDING their Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in America' would be excluded. President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a new 25 percent tariff on all 'heavy trucks' that aren't made in America He described the tariff as one leveled against 'all 'Heavy (Big!) Trucks' made in other parts of the World In order to qualify for the exclusion, a business must be '''breaking ground'' and/or ''under construction''' on their American operations. The new tariffs will all come into effect beginning on October 1st. Trump said his trucking tariff would protect 'our Great Large Truck Company Manufacturers, such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others' from 'the onslaught of outside interruptions.' Trump said it was crucial for 'our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!' So far, neither the White House nor the Commerce Department, which led the trade investigations into these products, has released further details on the proposals or their implementation. Trump's tariff announcements come just months after he implemented a deal to slash tariffs on Japanese imports to 15 percent, including vehicles and auto parts. The deal, which infuriated U.S. automakers, will allow Japanese-built cars to face lower tariffs than the parts U.S. automakers import to build their own. The deal is a major retreat from months of threats to impose a punishing 25 percent levy on automakers like Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Mazda, and Nissan, the Daily Mail previously reported. Japanese carmakers like Toyota will face a lower tariff rate than American firms because of Trump's latest deal That change has sparked widespread outrage among major U.S. car companies. Representatives for the Detroit Big Three - General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler - said the lower tariff rate gives their foreign rivals an unfair edge. Matt Blunt, head of the American Automotive Policy Council, which represents the three automakers, called the agreement a 'bad deal for U.S. industry and U.S. auto workers,' in a statement to DailyMail.com. Eric Degenfelder, CEO / President of U.S Metal Powders, Inc. He added that automakers are still analyzing the impacts, but criticized 'lower tariff for Japanese imports with virtually no U.S. content than the tariff imposed on North American built vehicles.' In addition to the tax on Japanese imports, the White House imposed new steel and aluminum tariffs up to 50 percent on foreign nations in June. A top aluminum manufacturing CEO has since admitted that Trump's plan could actually hurt American companies while foreign competitors gain an unfair advantage. The CEO of U.S Metal Powders, an aluminum powder processing factory based in rural Carbon County, Pennsylvania, told the Daily Mail that Trump's plan may have backfired. CEO Eric Degenfelder said that Trump's new 50 percent tariffs are leaving U.S. domestic manufacturers at a severe disadvantage. The tariffs started driving up aluminum prices in the U.S. from about $1.25 to $1.80 'in a matter of a few months,' he said. Degenfelder said Trump's tariffs are boosting foreign competitors because customers are 'buying cheap aluminum in another region and then making aluminum powder and importing it to the U.S.' He was the rose-between-the-teeth conquering hero, the Falklands veteran with a cheeky smile and a golden future ahead of him. Now he lives in the shadows, his reputation in tatters, clinging to the last trappings of royalty. In the eyes of the world he's become a non-person. So where, and when, did it all go wrong for Prince Andrew? Those who have followed the life of the Duke of York, highly favoured son of Queen Elizabeth, can pinpoint his downfall to a single encounter in March 1983, when he was 23. Just six months previously he'd arrived home, along with hundreds of other Falklands War heroes, to a warrior's welcome as his ship HMS Invincible docked at Portsmouth. As a helicopter pilot he'd participated in missions including anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, casualty evacuations, search and rescue, and flying decoy patrols to lure away Exocet missiles. As proud as any mother, the Queen was overjoyed to welcome home her bachelor-boy son. Six months on, HMS Invincible was again in the Atlantic this time in the more welcoming waters around Barbados, where the ship made landfall and threw a party for the local population. Among the guests piped aboard was the tall, startling-looking ex-model Vicki Hodge. Slim, assured and very, very naughty, she immediately caught Andrew's eye and shared light-hearted banter with him over rum cocktails. Prince Andrew holds a rose in his mouth, as he returns from the Falklands A smiling Prince Andrew in tropical uniform on board HMS Invincible leaving Barbados in March 1983 An old crumpled copy of the Daily Mirror from March 1983 with the headline Andrew at play The blonde bombshell was in Barbados as the guest of Lord Beaverbrook's daughter Janet Kidd, whose son was married to Vicki's sister. She invited Andrew to come and join her and some friends in a surf party the next day. And that's where it all went horribly wrong for the third in line to the throne - as the prince then was. Despite being the ex-debutante daughter of a baronet, with an impeccable upper-crust background, Vicki Hodge was little more than a gangster's moll. For ten years she'd been in a relationship with the king of London's underworld, John Bindon. Charming but vicious, Bindon had stabbed to death another villain, John Darke, in a knife-fight in which 15 others were injured. He carried the reputation of being the hardest man in London. Later, cleared of the charge of murder, Bindon was to become a minor film star with parts in Mick Jagger's Performance and Michael Caine's Get Carter playing, surprise surprise, a gangster. But his relationship with Vicki had just ended and she'd gone to Barbados to lick her wounds. To ease her sorrow, she took Andrew to bed. Thirteen years older, and a woman of colossal experience, she showed him things he'd never dreamed of. According to Vicki, they made love passionately and often 'among the scented tropical flowers,' as she later lyrically recalled. 'I knew what I was doing and so did Andrew. It was totally harmless and really very lovely.' English actress and model Vicki Hodge at the premiere of the film Nobody Runs Forever Friends wondered whether Vicki's tell-all-for-cash was in fact revenge for her newly ex-partner John Bindon's dalliance with Princess Margaret on the Caribbean island of Mustique a few years earlier Perhaps. Andrew was still relatively inexperienced in the bedroom his 18-month affair with actress Koo Stark, his first proper relationship, was over. And though dubbed a 'soft porn actress', Koo's relationship to porn was zero. Later, when she made Barbados her permanent home, Vicki Hodge was deported after being fined 1,000 for cocaine possession, and friends wonder whether that is where the prince became acquainted with the drug. Later, he was to marry Sarah Ferguson, friendly with residents of the notorious high-society 'Cocaine Castle' in Verbier though in both cases that may just be a coincidence. Whatever went on in private between Vicki and Andrew, it was not enough for her. And a year after their sun, sea and sex escapade, she sold her story to British newspaper News of the World for 40,000. 'I'd love to run wild,' Prince Andrew had told her. 'But being a prince, my responsibilities and privileges are great I often wish I wasn't.' The scandal created by these revelations sent shockwaves around the world - no girl had ever before done a kiss-and-tell on someone so close to he throne. The Daily Mail's Nigel Dempster described Vicki as 'Barbados's greatest man-eating hazard a 40-year old form of wildlife known to prey on sailors'. And friends wondered whether Vicki's tell-all-for-cash was in fact revenge for her newly ex-partner John Bindon's dalliance with Princess Margaret on the Caribbean island of Mustique a few years earlier. The cocky Bindon, whose party trick was balancing beer mugs on a portion of his anatomy, was photographed with the princess wearing his 'Cocaine' t-shirt and according to two separate biographers, Noel Botham and Wensley Clarkson, had a brief affair with Andrew's aunt. Buckingham Palace, appalled at the massive publicity surrounding Vicki's underworld connections, timidly offered Andrew's relationship with the homespun Carolyn Seaward, a former Miss UK, as evidence that he only dated nice girls. Model Vicki Hodge at the premiere of the James bond film On Her Majesty's Service But Carolyn wasn't what Andrew was after she later confessed they had but a single date and though they went back to Andrew's suite at the palace, she returned home intact. A year after Vicki's revelations, Princess Diana introduced Andrew to Sarah Ferguson, who'd recently retreated from a four-year relationship with motor racing figure Paddy McNally, 22 years her senior, after he refused to marry her. The marriage looked as though Andrew had found stability and a safe base, but it was not to be. In 1992 his wife was found having her toes sucked by Texan adventurer John Bryan, divorce followed,and the spell was broken even though the couple live together at Royal Lodge today. The Epstein scandal, it seems, was always an accident waiting to happen. Meantime, what happened to long-legged temptress Vicki? Some time after her deportation for drugs, she managed to find her way back into Barbados and married a slot-machine tycoon improbably called Shirley St Albans Smith. Now a 78-year-old widow and her brief moment of fame long ago eclipsed by her niece, supermodel Jodie Kidd, home is an extremely modest chalet bungalow at Bridgetown on the island a far, far cry from the high life she once enjoyed. The fun, it seems, has run out for both Andrew and Vicki. The Princess of Wales has demonstrated the ability to communicate through fashion, and nowhere is this more evident than in her evolving collection of coats. As her public role has expanded and her confidence has grown, so too has her preference for statement outerwear. The coats she now favours are not only longer in length but also bolder in silhouette, exuding an authority that complements her position on the world stage. The power coat has become one of Kate's defining wardrobe signatures. Whether attending state occasions, leading charitable initiatives or accompanying her family to royal engagements, she consistently relies on structured outerwear to strike the perfect balance between elegance and impact. Kate embraces heritage fabrics and patterns when paying tribute to the culture and traditions of the United Kingdom, often incorporating tartan, military cuts or classic wool blends. At the same time, she gravitates towards contemporary designers and streamlined silhouettes that reflect her forward-looking approach to royal dressing. Each choice feels deliberate, thoughtful and symbolic - as explored below. Jigsaw grey Maxi City coat - worn in 2025 Kate recently stepped out in new outerwear and looked effortlessly chic, opting for the Maxi City Coat from Jigsaw. Cut from brushed wool, the sleek longline silhouette incorporated oversized lapels and flap pockets, offering both style and practicality. Kate wore the coat in grey, a past-season colourway, but it's currently available in taupe, brown and purple. Kate recently stepped out in new outerwear and looked effortlessly chic, opting for the Maxi City Coat from Jigsaw Alexander McQueen maroon coat - worn in 2024 In December 2024, Kate greeted the Emir of Qatar during his UK state visit in a maroon Alexander McQueen coat, paying subtle tribute to Qatar's national colours. The bespoke design featured the house's signature double-breasted cut and slanted pockets, offering military-inspired precision. Kate paired her outfit with merlot Gianvito Rossi leather boots, a quilted Chanel bag and Cornelia James touchscreen gloves, showcasing her impeccable attention to detail. In December 2024, Kate greeted the Emir of Qatar during his UK state visit in a maroon Alexander McQueen coat, paying subtle tribute to Qatar's national colours Blaze Milano checked coat - worn in 2025, 2024 and 2021 The Princess owns a Blaze Milano coat, which she debuted on Christmas Day in 2021 and has repeated a number of times since. She notably wore the striking checked design for a heartfelt visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital, where she had previously received cancer treatment, repeating it for a Sunday church service at Balmoral. The custom-made design, inspired by the brand's Lahloo Anyway blazer, is crafted from checked wool with a double-breasted front and longline cut, offering enduring sophistication. The Princess owns a Blaze Milano coat, which she debuted on Christmas Day in 2021 and has repeated a number of times since Alexander McQueen green coat - worn in 2024 and 2023 The Wales family delighted royal fans last Christmas as they arrived at St Mary Magdalene Church in coordinated navy and green ensembles. Kate opted for her hunter-green Alexander McQueen coat, paired with a tartan scarf that subtly mirrored the ties worn by George and Louis. She had previously worn the coat in 2023 during a Shaping Us campaign in Leeds, pairing it with the same Ganvito Rossi suede boots for warmth. On Christmas Day in 2024, Kate opted for her hunter-green Alexander McQueen coat, paired with a tartan scarf that subtly mirrored the ties worn by George and Louis Alexander McQueen red coat - worn in 2025, 2024, 2022 and 2020 Kate has reached for her bright red Alexander McQueen coat on five occasions, most recently during a visit to Wales in February. At last year's Together at Christmas carol service, she gave the ensemble a festive twist by adding a black velvet Jigsaw bow to the centre. She continued the theme with an Emilia Wickstead pleated tartan skirt and Ralph Lauren suede knee-high boots, blending elegance with sustainability. Kate has reached for her bright red Alexander McQueen coat on five occasions, most recently during a visit to Wales in February (right) Holland Cooper Marlborough trench coat - worn in 2021 Kate debuted her Holland Cooper tartan trench coat at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in May 2021. The luxurious green and blue plaid tweed design is distinguished by a double-breasted front, gold embossed buttons and trench-inspired detailing. Embracing a touch of Scottish literal dressing, the full-length tartan trench paid homage to the nation's heritage while offering timeless polish. Kate debuted her Holland Cooper tartan trench coat at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in May 2021 Massimo Dutti camel coat - worn in 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020 Kate added this Massimo Dutti coat to her wardrobe in 2020, wearing it on five occasions up until 2023. The camel piece embodies the classic winter staple, tailored in a wool and cashmere mix with a slim fit. It features peak lapels, a double-breasted fastening, flap pockets, buttoned cuffs, long sleeves and a back vent, offering effortless chic. Kate added this Massimo Dutti coat to her wardrobe in 2020, wearing it on five occasions up until 2023 Chris Kerr white coat - worn in 2023 Monochromatic white is a winter classic, as the Princess demonstrated at the 2023 carol service. Kate arrived at Westminster Abbey in an ivory coat, layered over a coordinating Kiltane jumper and Holland Cooper trousers. In a surprising twist, Kensington Palace revealed that her coat was crafted by Chris Kerr, a menswear tailor based in Savile Row. Monochromatic white is a winter classic, as the Princess demonstrated at the 2023 carol service Max&Co LongRun camel wrap coat - worn in 2023 and 2022 Kate has worn her Max&Co LongRun coat on three occasions, often pairing it with navy ensembles, as seen during her 2023 visit to a nursing home. The longline wrap style features classic notch lapels and a detachable waist belt, creating a snug yet elegant silhouette. Its streamlined cut and warm camel tone make it a versatile outerwear staple, blending understated sophistication with everyday practicality. Ever since Meghan accused unnamed senior members of the Royal Family of racism in her interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 and Prince Harry traduced his brother and sister-in-law two years later in his tawdry memoir Spare, the Prince and Princess of Wales have bitten their tongues. The only hint of a public reaction was when a reporter shouted a question to Prince William a few days later, referring to that Oprah sofa chat. Were very much not a racist family, the future king responded with clear anger in his voice. William and Catherine have kept their counsel since then, while also having to cope with the trauma of the princesss major abdominal surgery followed by her cancer diagnosis and treatment. Over recent months, they have also faced a relentless public relations campaign waged by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aimed at restoring the California-based couple to the affections of the British public. Worryingly, King Charles has been drawn into this, aided by some key figures of the Establishment behind the scenes. The Mail on Sunday exposed this plot when it published photographs in July of a secret peace summit between aides of the King and the Sussexes, marking the first significant move towards resolving their rancorous family feud. Charles and Harry's senior aides held a secret peace summit in London in July. Present were Tobyn Andreae, the Kings communications secretary (left); Meredith Maines, head of communications for the Sussexes (right); and Liam Maguire, who runs the Sussexes' PR team in the UK (centre) Harry and Meghan were represented at the meeting, held at a London private members club that champions international friendship, by Meredith Maines, their newly appointed chief communications officer and head of their household in Montecito, California, who flew in from Los Angeles. She met Tobyn Andreae, the Kings communications secretary. Also present was Liam Maguire, who runs the Sussexes PR team in the UK. Ms Maines had organised Harrys BBC interview in May in which he said he would love a reconciliation with the Royal Family, but that the King wont speak to me because of this security stuff. He was referring to the removal of his automatic police security detail in Britain, which he called an old-fashioned Establishment stitch-up and suggested that his father could have resolved the situation. Since the July meeting, there has been a seemingly endless stream of stories about how the Sussexes want to mend fences with the Royal Family that they have done so much to hurt and damage. The couple achieved their aim earlier this month when the King agreed to meet Harry during his visit to Britain, their first get-together in 19 months. After taking tea with his father at Clarence House, the duke could barely contain his glee as he was pictured smiling broadly. In an interview with anti-monarchist newspaper The Guardian two days later, Harry made clear that he hoped to return to Britain with Meghan, and their children, Prince Archie, aged six, and Princess Lilibet, four. This week has definitely brought that closer, Harry declared. William and Catherine, pictured during Donald Trump's recent state visit, have had to cope with the trauma of the princesss major abdominal surgery followed by her cancer diagnosis and treatment Buckingham Palace sources were keen to make clear at the weekend that the King would not allow the Sussexes, pictured at a polo match last year, to combine royal duties with making money After taking tea with his father at Clarence House, Harry could barely contain his glee as he was pictured smiling broadly at a reception for the Invictus Games During his visit, he told friends that he wanted his children to be educated in Britain, as I reported last week. Harry hopes that by the time his children are of an age to attend school here, he and Meghan will be spending more time in Britain, possibly living in a royal residence if relations with the King continue to improve. Buckingham Palace sources were keen to make clear at the weekend that the King would not allow the Sussexes to combine royal duties with making money, something Queen Elizabeth banned them from doing when they quit Britain in 2020. Harry and Meghan know this, but what they want is friendly relations with the King and to be in a position to move between Britain and the States regularly with no fears for their security, a source tells me. The King is, however, in danger of forcing the heir to the throne into a very uncomfortable corner. If he allows this plot to succeed, Harry and Meghan will be back in Britain, undermining Prince William and Catherine without ever having apologised for their appalling behaviour. In his interview with the Left-wing Guardian, Harry claimed that he had nothing for which to apologise, declaring: My conscience is clear. The King needs to put his foot down and make clear to his younger son that there will be no more appeasement unless he apologises to William and Catherine. Only then, could a genuine reconciliation be possible. Sign up for the weekly Palace Confidential newsletter. Prince William has flown to Balmoral to spend time alone with King Charles III on a 'father-and-son mini-break' for the third consecutive year. The Prince of Wales travelled to Aberdeenshire on Tuesday afternoon to spend 'an informal few days with his father privately', a royal insider revealed today. She said the trip was 'not diarised with senior staff, but set aside to chat as sovereign and heir'. Kate is thought to have stayed at home in Windsor with the children. The heir to the throne was photographed stepping off a private jet at Aberdeen Airport before getting into a waiting Range Rover after taking a flight from Liverpool. William had earlier been showing his support for the families of the girls killed in the Southport attack as he visited their schools with the Princess of Wales. Charles and William will have plenty on the agenda to discuss, not least after Prince Harry's trip to the UK earlier this month which saw him meet with the King. The 54-minute chat at Clarence House was seen as a significant but tentative step towards repairing the troubled relationship between Charles and Harry. But William and Harry did not see each other during the four-day trip amid an ongoing row between the estranged brothers, which shows no sign of healing. Prince William steps off a private jet at Aberdeen Airport after landing on Tuesday afternoon The Prince of Wales walks towards a waiting vehicle after landing in Aberdeen on Tuesday News of the King and William's time together this week was revealed by the Telegraph today, but Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the reports when contacted by the Daily Mail. Charles and William will also likely discuss ongoing revelations regarding Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York and the couple's friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Several charities severed ties with Sarah on Monday after it emerged she apologised to Epstein and called him a 'supreme friend' in April 2011 after publicly disowning him in the media. The revelations came just days after the Yorks were pictured front and centre with other Royal Family members at the Duchess of Kent's funeral at Westminster Cathedral on September 16. The Prince and Princess of Wales speak to pupils at school in Southport earlier on Tuesday As for Harry and Charles, until this month they had not seen each other face-to-face since February 2024, when the Duke made a transatlantic dash to the UK following the King's cancer diagnosis. Harry has previously expressed his hopes of reconciliation with his family amid his belief they may never forgive him after his public accusations. Harry, who stepped down from the working monarchy in 2020, levelled a barrage of accusations at Kate, William, Charles and his stepmother Queen Camilla in his Oprah Winfrey interview, Netflix documentary, interviews and his autobiography Spare. Harry previously claimed Charles was jealous of his wife Meghan Markle and Kate, did not hug him when he told him his mother Princess Diana had died and said he believed the King was 'never made' for single parenthood, but 'to be fair, he tried'. Prince Harry at a Diana Award event in London on September 11 during his recent trip to the UK Charles, according to Harry, pleaded with his sons during a tense meeting after Prince Philip's funeral: 'Please, boys. Don't make my final years a misery.' Relations between William and Harry have long been strained despite their former close bond with the shared trauma of the death of their mother in a car crash when they were 15 and 12. The fallout is said to have begun before Harry's wedding to former Suits star Meghan, with the Duke accusing William of being snobbish to his bride. In the interview with Oprah, Meghan described how Kate made her cry ahead of her wedding after reports had initially said Meghan had left Kate in tears at Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress fitting. Another account in Harry's candid autobiography Spare caused friction between the siblings, when he accused William of physically attacking him and pushing him into a dog bowl in a row over Meghan, and teasing him about his panic attacks. He also alleged it was William and Kate who encouraged him to wear a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party in 2005 and 'howled' with laughter when they saw it. Having a house on the coast used to be a sign of wealth and status. But a new study suggests it could now be a sign of foolhardiness. Scientists say that coastal properties around the world are vulnerable to flooding and it seems people are finally realising the risk. The researchers found more than half of the world's coastal settlements are retreating inland to avoid dangers such as storms, erosion and sea-level rise. However, the poorest regions are being forced to stay put or even move closer to danger. Professor Xiaoming Wang, lead study author at Monash University in Australia, said people now 'face increasingly severe risk in a changing climate'. 'For the first time, we've mapped how human settlements are relocating from coasts around the world,' he said. 'It's clear that moving inland is happening but only where people have the means to do so.' Map shows the proximity of human settlements to coastlines (darker colours indicate less distance between settlements and the coast) Having a house right near the coast used to be a sign of wealth and status, but now it could be a sign of foolhardiness. Pictured, properties in Kingswear, Devon Previous studies have shown that global warming is causing glaciers and ice sheets worldwide to melt, adding more water to the ocean. What's more, the volume of the ocean is expanding as the water warms further raising the global average sea level. Coastal communities are of course not the only ones threatened by rising sea levels, as scientists think settlements further inland could go underwater in future too, but when seawater encroaches the land, coastal communities are first to feel the effects. Scientists also think global warming is causing more extreme weather, which is generally more dramatic nearer the coast, while coastal erosion means coastal properties can suddenly drop into the sea. Although these factors have been known about for decades, researchers wanted to investigate if they've had an effect on the global public's habitation patterns. The team, based in China, Indonesia and Denmark, analysed nearly three decades (19922019) of satellite nighttime light data across 1,071 coastal regions in 155 countries. The light data acted as a fingerprint of settlement patterns so not necessarily the location of cities and towns, but the whereabouts of human habitation. This is a subtle difference, because more humans could be living in new buildings further from the coast, while towns and cities, although still in existence, could be emptier. According to the team, it's clear that moving inland is happening, but only where people have the means to do so. Pictured, luxurious seafront property located in Mallorca, Spain How does climate change flood settlements? Global warming is already melting ice in the polar regions, and this meltwater is entering the oceans, gradually causing a rise in sea levels and severe flooding. Warmer air can also hold more water, so rainfall is increasing on average across the world, which adds to the threat of flooding. Scientists already people most at risk of death by flooding are those living in coastal regions, which will be the first to go permanently underwater. Advertisement Overall, human settlements in 56 per cent of the regions analysed relocated further inland, 28 per cent stayed put and 16 per cent moved closer to the coast, the researchers found. Human settlements shifted most towards coastlines in South America (up to 17.7 per cent) and Asia (17.4 per cent), followed by Europe (14.8 per cent), Oceania (13.8 per cent), Africa (12.4 per cent) and North America (8.8 per cent). Oceania had some of the closest settlements to the coast globally, reflecting the region's reliance on coastal economies. In Australia, for example, the vast majority of major cities were founded close to water, away from the arid desert landscape at the centre. Taking into account various global locations, researchers also concluded that the poorest groups are more likely to move closer to, rather than further from, the coast. This is being driven largely by the growth of informal settlements clustered around the coast and the search for better livelihoods such as job opportunities like fishing and shipping. High-income groups also showed a high likelihood to remain on coastlines, such as in Europe and North America, due to wealth accumulated in coastal areas, Wang said. But equally, such wealth would give people the opportunity to move away from the coast under the threat of danger a luxury poorer groups will not have. Human settlements shifted most towards coastlines in South America (up to 17.7 per cent) and Asia (17.4 per cent), followed by Europe (14.8 per cent), Oceania (13.8 per cent), Africa (12.4 per cent) and North America (8.8 per cent) Coastal erosion means properties can literally drop into the sea. Pictured, coastal erosion in Norfolk The team also share concerns that overconfidence in protective infrastructure has encouraged risky development close to the coast. Such infrastructure can range from sandbags and seawalls, to more advanced projects like the Thames Barrier in London. The study, published in Nature Climate Change, shows that retreating from coastlines is a real human response to the increasing threats posed by coastal climate hazards. And according to Professor Wang, it'll increasingly become necessarily in the years to come. 'Relocating away from the coast must be part of a long-term climate strategy,' he said. 'The rationale for policy and planning to relocate people requires meticulous consideration of both economic and social implications across individuals, communities and regions. 'Alongside climate change mitigation, it needs to be combined with efforts to reduce coastal hazard exposure and vulnerability, improve informal settlements, balance coastal risks with livelihoods and maintain sustainable lifestyles in the long-term. 'Without this, coastal adaptation gaps will continue to be widened and leave the world's poorest behind.' For decades, scientists have thought that human consciousness arises from the newest and most sophisticated parts of the brain. But a Cambridge scientist now claims that the fundamental basis of our experience may be controlled by a far more primal structure. In a review of over a century of scientific research, neuroscientist Dr Peter Coppola examined stimulation studies, animal experiments, and neurological case reports. Based on this wide-ranging evidence, Dr Coppola argues that consciousness might arise from our ancient 'lizard brain'. If true, that would mean that consciousness is not such a uniquely human trait as scientists had once thought. Writing in The Conversation, Dr Coppola says: 'These reports are striking evidence that suggests maybe the oldest parts of the brain are enough for basic consciousness. 'In turn, this may influence patient care as well as how we think about animal rights. 'In fact, consciousness might be more common than we realised.' For decades, scientists have thought that human consciousness arises from the newest and most sophisticated parts of the brain. But now, a Cambridge scientist claims that the fundamental basis of our experience may be controlled by a far more primal structure (stock image) The human brain is a little like a Russian nesting doll, with the parts that evolved most recently on the outside and the older, more basic parts nestled towards the centre. The recently evolved outermost part of the brain is known as the cortex, which is responsible for complex tasks like memory, thinking, learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. Meanwhile, the inner region, known as the sub-cortex, hasn't changed much in over 500 million years of evolution. Often referred to as the 'lizard brain', these primal areas are responsible for monitoring basic impulses and sensations such as hunger, thirst, pain, pleasure, and fear. Previously, scientists thought that the most recently evolved areas of the cortex, known as the neocortex, were the likely origin of conscious experiences. The subcortex was considered necessary for consciousness, like how electricity is necessary to make a television work, but not sufficient to create consciousness by itself. However, Dr Coppola says that scientists have been underestimating the importance of the brain's oldest regions. Dr Coppola looked at a type of experiment called a stimulation study in which electricity or magnets are used to interfere with parts of the brain. Scientists had previously thought that consciousness, the subjective awareness of experience, was produced in the more recently evolved outer region of the brain known as the cortex Instead, neurologist Dr Peter Coppola says that consciousness is likely produced by the more ancient sections of the brain known as the subcortex and the hind-brain (illustrated) What is consciousness? Consciousness is the subjective awareness of 'what it is like' to experience the world. There are two major questions scientists have about consciousness: a so-called easy problem and a hard problem. The easy problem is the underlying biological processes which control perception, memory and attention. The hard problem is to understand how and why physical processes should come with a subjective experience at all. For example, why does banging our funny bone hurt? Why do our bodies not simply register the bodily damage? Some scientists and philosophers think that we may never be able to answer the hard problem of consciousness. Advertisement Interfering with the neocortex produces powerful effects, including changing your sense of self, creating hallucinations, or affecting your judgment, but affecting the patterns of the deeper regions produces even more profound effects. Dr Coppola says: 'We can induce depression, wake a monkey from anaesthesia or knock a mouse unconscious. Even stimulating the cerebellum, long considered irrelevant, can change your conscious sensory perception.' This was a strong hint that the older regions of the brain were very important for consciousness, but it wasn't enough to show that the lizard brain alone was capable of producing consciousness. To make that jump, Dr Coppola looked at cases where people and animals have had parts of their brains damaged or removed. Damaging the cortex and neocortex produces changes in conscious experience, but damage to the subcortex and other deep regions often leads to the total destruction of consciousness through death or coma. Even more strikingly, there are rare cases of children born with a condition called hydranencephaly that causes them to lack most of their cortex. Dr Coppola says: 'According to medical textbooks, these people should be in a permanent vegetative state. 'However, there are reports that these people can feel upset, play, recognise people or show enjoyment of music.' In rare cases, children can be born without most of their neocortex (pictured) but still appear to have a conscious experience. This suggests that it is only the older regions which are necessary for consciousness Likewise, Dr Coppola refers to a number of 'extreme' experiments on animals in which rats, cats, and monkeys had their neocortex surgically removed. Even without this supposedly vital part of the brain, the animals were able to show emotion, groom themselves, parent their young, and even learn. This suggests that the subcortex alone is sufficient to produce some level of conscious experience. However, this doesn't mean that the cortex and neocortex aren't adding anything to our human consciousness. Dr Coppola says: 'The newer parts of the brain as well as the cerebellum seem to expand and refine your consciousness.' These regions take the basic building blocks of awareness and add in the language, moral reasoning, sense of self, and creativity that make human consciousness unique. That would explain how the richness of human consciousness is able to emerge out of such primitive pieces of brain machinery. But, if Dr Coppola is correct, this means that a basic level of consciousness is likely older and much more widespread than anyone had previously thought. As early as February 2026, NASA will launch the Artemis II mission and send four astronauts on the first lunar flight in over 50 years. But some internet-dwelling conspiracy theorists aren't convinced by the official narrative. As the space agency unveils new details for the mission, lunar conspiracy theories have reignited and spread like wildfire on social media. The focus of many commenters' ire is the fact that it has been over 50 years since NASA launched a mission to the moon. Given that Artemis II won't actually land on the moon, some conspiracy theorists have been left unsure why NASA seemingly can't replicate a feat first achieved in 1969. While this has boosted long-debunked claims that the original moon landings were faked, some commenters have gone even further. The wild theories posted online claim that humans have never even been to space, while others even claim that space itself is somehow 'fake'. Taking to X, one sceptically-minded commenter joked: 'I hope they have better CGI'. As NASA unveils the details for the Artemis II mission, lunar conspiracy theories have reignited and spread like wildfire on social media. Pictured: Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969 As early as February next year, NASA will launch the Artemis II mission and send four astronauts (pictured from left: Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen) on a 10-day trip around the moon in the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years However, on social media, NASA's announcement of the mission's details ignited a wave of conspiracy theories that spread like wildfire over X, formerly Twitter One internet-dwelling conspiracy theorist joked that NASA's rocket launches were as fake as 'pro wrestling in zero gravity' Early next year, four NASA astronauts will launch from Earth aboard an Orion spaceship powered by the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Over 10 days, the crew will travel 5,700 miles (9,200 km) past the moon, testing the onboard systems and gathering data on their bodies' reactions, before returning to Earth. During this time, they will reach the furthest point from Earth ever travelled to by a human and become the first people to travel to the moon in over 50 years. Rather than landing on the moon, the mission's goal is to test the systems that will be used in the Artemis III lunar landing, currently planned for mid-2027. However, these details failed to register with the legions of conspiracy theorists who saw the lack of landing as an admission that NASA had never been to the moon. On X, one commenter wrote: 'I believe that the American missions of the 1950s are fake unless modern humans land on the moon. It's been over 70 years and we still can't go to the moon?' 'So NASA are going to the moon again but they are not actually landing what a load of fake BS,' another chimed in. One commenter complained that this was 'one of the reasons I don't believe that humans have ever been to the moon.' The Artemis II mission is not intended to land on the moon, but rather to test out the spacecraft and systems that will be used for the first crewed landing in the Artemis III mission However, the fact that Artemis II will not feature a lunar landing left some commenters confused as to why the space agency seemingly cannot replicate a feat it first completed in 1969 One commenter complained that they could no longer believe in the reality of anything NASA does or claims to do NASA's Artemis Mission Timeline Artemis I Uncrewed lunar flight test Launched November, 2022 Artemis II Crewed Lunar Flyby Launch planned for April, 2026 Artemis III Crewed Surface Landing Launch planned for mid-2027 Artemis IV Building First Lunar Space Station Launch targeting September 2028 Advertisement Another vented: 'It befuddles me how people can still believe NASA after 60+ years of fake moon landings and a bunch of excuses since.' And one commenter even joked: 'Watching these launches is like watching pro wrestling in zero gravity. Everyone knows it's fake, but the show must go on.' But for those already deeply involved in the world of NASA conspiracy theories, this announcement of the Artemis II mission triggered a flurry of bizarre claims. Most strangely of all, the lunar mission seemed to prompt many commenters to deny the existence of space itself. In a wild rant, one commenter wrote: 'The first task of any elected President is to sign over the budget for NASA, the National Academy of Space Actors. Money plays a role but the ultimate reason for fake Space is to hide God & dismiss Creation with Pseudoscience.' 'NASA spends $60M per day of tax payers money to make fake videos about them floating in space,' another claimed. Another added: 'Space is fake. We never went to the moon. The first astronauts were diving actors. NASA in Houston is a movie set.' However, like so many online conspiracy theories, many commenters had one big reason for doubting the existence of the space missions: The Flat Earth theory. Another conspiracy theorist claimed that the lack of a lunar landing in Artemis II was one of the reasons they 'don't believe that humans have ever been to the moon' The news of the mission pushed some conspiracy theorists into wild rants about secret societies, flat Earth, elaborate cover-ups and the moon landings One particularly frustrated conspiracy theorist wrote: 'Earth isn't a spinning space ball; it's a fixed plane covered by a firmament they've desperately tried to hide with fake space missions and NASA's $60 million a day budget scam.' They continued to rant: 'The moon landing? Filmed on a soundstage by Freemason puppets under Operation Mockingbird control.' While another complained about 'the lying NASA who lied to the world about the Earth being flat.' Although there is obviously no basis in reality for any of these claims, the number of people who believe in anti-scientific conspiracy theories remains extremely high. Studies have found that between 10 and 12 per cent of Americans believe that the Moon landings were faked. Interestingly, while rates of support for other conspiracy theories have remained stable, NASA conspiracies have become more popular. According to one study from the University of Miami, the number of Americans who believe the moon landing was faked almost doubled from six per cent to 10 per cent between June 2020 and May 2021. Tropical Storm Humberto has erupted in the Atlantic and forecasters project it will become a major hurricane threatening millions along the East Coast within days. The rapidly growing storm developed overnight, moving from an unnamed tropical wave to a tropical depression to a named storm within a few hours. It's currently churning in the Atlantic, a few hundred miles from the Caribbean's Leeward Islands, a group that includes Antigua, St Kitts, and the British and US Virgin Islands, with sustained winds of 50 mph. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has already updated their prediction for Humberto, saying it will become a Category 3 hurricane by early Sunday morning, with winds surging to more than 110 mph. By Tuesday, hurricane forecasters warn that Humberto's course will take it dangerously close to the mid-Atlantic states, including South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. A Category 3 hurricane near the US could have a powerful impact on coastal communities, bringing several hazards, including rough surf and potentially deadly rip currents for beachgoers. However, its impact on the East Coast may end up being completely unpredictable next week, as meteorologists fear Humberto could soon merge with another brewing storm system approaching Florida. Hurricane trackers warned Thursday morning that a potential storm system, dubbed Invest 94L, is likely to burst into tropical storm status this weekend and make landfall in the Southeast shortly after. The National Hurricane Center warned that Tropical Storm Humberto is projected to become a Category 3 hurricane by next week Tropical Storm Humberto (pictured in the center) quickly developed into a named Atlantic storm Wednesday night Early spaghetti models for Invest 94L, which could become 'Imelda' if it strengthens into a tropical storm, already project a direct hit in Georgia or the Carolinas. A spaghetti model shows the different possible paths a tropical storm or hurricane might take, based on predictions from multiple weather computer programs. Each line represents one model's guess about where the storm could go. If the lines are close together, it means most models agree on the path, and the prediction is more certain. Currently, 94L is forming right over the Dominican Republic. It's still just a tropical wave, a disorganized system of showers, thunderstorms, and gusty winds, but NHC has given it a 70 percent chance of becoming a dangerous tropical cyclone by Saturday. While a direct hit on the Southeast would be life-threatening on its own, meteorologists believe there's a chance 'Imelda' and Humberto merge in a historic weather phenomenon called the Fujiwhara Effect. It typically takes place when two tropical cyclones (hurricanes or tropical storms) get within 900 miles of each other, close enough for them to start 'feeling' each other's presence in the ocean. Current tracks have revealed that 'Imelda' could form right as Humberto is approaching the East Coast, setting the stage for the Fujiwhara Effect to create one massive hurricane or spin both storms in unpredictable directions. These events are rare during the Atlantic hurricane season, with only four instances being reported near the East Coast since 1995. A potential tropical cyclone known as Invest 94L is projected to become a major storm that makes a direct hit on the US East Coast Tropical Storm Humberto (pictured) is approximately 600 miles from another developing storm system near the Florida coast A lot of talk about the #fujiwhara effect on social media. Although it's yet to be seen if this will happen with our two invests but here's how it works and the possible scenarios folks. Stay with #weshwx as we keep an eye on the busy tropics. pic.twitter.com/Q0cXJI4Slz Tony Mainolfi (@TMainolfiWESH) September 24, 2025 WESH 2 chief meteorologist Tony Mainolfi explained that the Fujiwhara Effect generally makes one of three things happen when two major storms start interacting. The storms might rotate around a common point between them, like two hurricanes doing a slow dance, spinning around each other in unison. In some cases, a stronger storm might absorb a weaker one, creating an even more massive weather event than either storm would have been on their own. If the two storms end up being similar in size and strength, however, they might repel each other and get thrown in completely different directions that forecasters won't be able to project beforehand. Dr Levi Cowan, creator of the spaghetti model website Tropical Tidbits, said that the two storms are only about 600 miles apart, making them prime candidates for a Fujiwhara Effect. 'These two systems may develop as a pair. The problem with that is they may do a little dance with each other,' Cowan said in a YouTube video on Wednesday. Cowan, a meteorologist with a PhD in meteorology from Florida State University, noted that many of the current storm models predict that both Humberto and 'Imelda' will stay offshore and eventually move away from the East Coast. However, the closer these storms get to each other could cause them to 'slingshot' into the coast, making long-term predictions for next week even more difficult. The Christian pastor and others who falsely predicted the end of the world on September 23 are speaking out after nothing happened. Pastor Joshua Mhlakela, a South African preacher, claimed Jesus appeared to him in a vision and said he would return during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah, which took place between September 22 and September 24. Despite becoming a viral sensation in recent weeks, the day that countless people were convinced would mark the Second Coming of Jesus and Judgment Day for non-believers passed without anyone being lifted to heaven. During a livestream that has now been deleted from social media, Mhlakela tried to explain why no one was being raptured on the night of the 23rd, preaching patience, saying 'the Lord is on his way' and he was coming 'with a host of angels.' 'I wonder how God works this out, in terms of the minute and the second,' Mhlakela added as the hours passed and the clock changed to September 24 with no Rapture. However, as the time reached 12:17am, Mhlakela and his guests concluded the livestream, with the pastor adding 'see you tomorrow.' Mhlakela quickly said: 'Please keep waiting with us, he is coming. September 23rd, 24th. One of these two days, he is coming.' Although the pastor has not appeared on social media since Wednesday, many faith leaders and Christian influencers have come out to apologize for spreading the Rapture prediction after furious backlash online. Pastor Joshua Mhlakela (pictured), preached patience during a livestream as the hours ticked by and the biblical event known as the Rapture did not occur Many Christians pushed back against the prediction, saying that it is against the Bible's teachings to set a date for the Rapture (Stock Image) Social media platforms have been flooded with Rapture-related videos from devastated believers who were so convinced Doomsday was coming they gave away their prized possessions. One Australian man, Tilahun Desalegn, shared a clip of his car being towed away, saying: 'I won't need her beyond September, because I'm going home to where my father in heaven is.' 'Car is gone just like the Brides of Christ will be in September,' Desalegn wrote on the video. Desalegn, who described himself as a prophet and evangelist with more than 30,000 followers on TikTok, has now posted a new video apologizing to the world for spreading the September 23 prediction. 'I will never publicly talk about the rapture again,' he wrote in the clip which has already been viewed more than 643,000 times. In another post-Rapture video, a man believed to be Kingsalem Igwe, a self-identified Christian prophet from Nigeria, said he was convinced the Second Coming of Jesus was happening after listening to Pastor Mhlakela's prediction. 'I'm here with all humility to apologize to everyone. I only believed a man who claimed Jesus told him,' he said in a video post shared on TikTok by critics. Meanwhile, other believers were seen sobbing over the failed Doomsday prediction, lamenting the fact that they now had to go back to work. Pastor Joshua Mhlakela, a South African preacher, gained worldwide attention after stating that the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus would take place on September 23 The Rapture is considered a kind of rescue, where believers are instantly taken away from Earth to avoid a coming period of intense suffering called the Tribulation (Stock Image) Despite a growing number of apologies, many Christians and skeptics online have continued to criticize those who spread the Rapture prediction. 'Do not be deceived! No man knows when Jesus will return,' one person replied to Mhlakela's now-deleted livestream. 'Just admit you didn't hear from God. He's coming, but not when YOU said,' another person said. 'The rapture is upon us, whether you are ready or not. I saw Jesus sitting on his throne, and I could hear him very loud and clear saying, I am coming soon,' Mhlakela originally said during an interview with CettwinzTV. 'He said to me on the 23rd and 24th of September 2025, I will come back to the Earth,' the pastor declared. Despite the pastor's certainty regarding the biblical end of days, many fellow Christians spoke out against setting an exact date, noting that the Bible warns against predicting a time for the Rapture. Vladimir Savchuk, a pastor, author, and YouTube preacher, said: 'If someone sets the date, they are directly contradicting Jesus's word.' He added that the Bible passage 2 Thessalonians 2:3 says Jesus will not return until the Antichrist is revealed. This figure is said to be a deceptive world leader who opposes God by claiming divine authority. Changing clocks twice a year could be putting 300,000 Americans at risk of a potentially fatal stroke each year. A new study, conducted by Stanford Medicine researchers, found that switching between Daylight Saving Time (DST) and Standard Time (SDT) disrupted the body's internal clock by forcing it to adjust too often to changes in light and darkness. Daylight Saving Time is when clocks are set forward one hour in the spring to give more evening light, and set back one hour in the fall to return to Standard Time. The next change is set for November 2, 2025, at 2am in each time zone. However, scientists discovered that this disruption weakens the circadian rhythm, the body's internal 24-hour clock that relies on morning light to regulate your bodily functions and stay healthy. While simulating what would happen the US decided to make SDT permanent after 'falling back' in November, estimates showed the change could prevent about 300,000 stroke cases annually by reducing this circadian strain. Switching to permanent DST was less effective because it prioritized evening light over morning light, but it still prevented around 220,000 strokes compared to constantly resetting the clocks every few months. Dr Jamie Zeitzer, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, said: 'Staying in standard time or staying in daylight saving time is definitely better than switching twice a year.' As the clocks are set to fall backwards, a new study warns the practice could lead to a fatal stroke (Stock Image) A stroke takes place when there's a blockage in the brain or a blood vessel bursts, a condition that kills nearly 200,000 people in the US annually (Stock Image) A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked or a blood vessel bursts, damaging brain cells and potentially causing death. According to the CDC, about 795,000 strokes occur annually in the US, with 185,000 being fatal. The strain changing clocks puts on circadian rhythms can lead to strokes by increasing blood pressure and inflammation in the brain. Since the sudden one-hour shifts forces the internal clock to adjust unnaturally, the body struggles to maintain its natural processes, especially when light exposure is misaligned in the morning and evening. Zeitzer and co-study author Lara Weed, a graduate student in bioengineering, found this misalignment caused an increasing 'circadian burden' of adjustment each year. Circadian burden refers to the total amount of adjustment or 'shifting' that the body's internal 24-hour clock must undergo to stay synchronized with a person's everyday environment. This burden was measured in hours over a year and reflected how much the body's natural clock has to adapt to align with the regular schedules of society, such as work routines or school schedules. The biannual switching (BAS) added the most strain (21 hours) compared to permanent Standard Time (18.5 hours) or Daylight Saving Time (19.6 hours). Numerous studies have also linked the start of daylight saving time in the spring with a brief spike in car accidents, likely due to sleep loss (Stock Image) 'The more light exposure you get at the wrong times, the weaker the circadian clock. All of these things that are downstream for example, your immune system, your energy don't match up quite as well,' Zeitzer explained in a university release. The study also found that stopping clock changes could lower obesity rates, cutting the widespread health problem by 2.6 million cases if the country stuck to Standard Time and 1.7 million cases under permanent DST. However, the findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, noted that there was no significant link between time policy changes and other health conditions such as arthritis, cancer, heart disease, or depression. This isn't the first study to warn of the impact changing the clocks twice a year has on the human body. Earlier this year, top scientists in the UK called for an end to Daylight Saving Time amid fears it fuels a rise in cancer, traffic accidents, and suicide attempts. A statement by the British Sleep Society highlighted some of the worrying side-effects of changing the clocks. Losing an hour of sleep when the clocks move forward was found to result in populations feeling more tired than usual. Some studies have suggested that the risk of fatal traffic accidents increased by around six percent following the spring DST transition. The UK researchers also revealed evidence of an increased risk of cardiovascular events, increased risk of suicidal behaviors, and increased death rates in the days immediately after switching our clocks. A weekend away in Paris is popular for a reason - from freshly baked croissants to sparkling views from the Eiffel Tower at night, there's plenty here in the way of romance, culture, art, history and gastronomy. But Paris has its drawbacks. It's expensive, for one. It's also sometimes overdone, busy, overcrowded and full of tourists getting snaps in front of the Louvre, dressed in berets a la Emily in Paris. But if you're seeking the perks of France - namely good food, lots to see and do and the beauty of a quaint French town - there are lots of alternatives. Rouen, the capital of the northern region of Normandy, is one such beautiful alternative - and it has none of the exhorbitant prices and hoards of tourists of Paris. With hotel rooms starting from just 38 a night, it certainly beats Paris' average, where you can easily spend 120 for a basic room. Just a 90 minute train ride or two-hour drive from the capital, Rouen has everything you need for a picturesque weekend away. It's a walkable city, meaning there's no need to spend time (or money) on a crammed metro, and it's got just as much history and culture to offer. Dating back to the medieval period and tied up with the tale of Joan of Arc, the sightseeing in Rouen is great for any history buffs - or, indeed, anyone just keen for a bit of a meander through ancient cobbled streets. One of the city's most beautiful spots in Rouen is the Gros Horloge, its huge clock, a gem of architecture It's a walkable city, meaning there's no need to spend time on a crammed metro, and it's got just as much history and culture to offer (Pictured: Writer Erin Waks in Rouen) Writer Victor Hugo famously described Rouen as the city of a hundred spires and it's easy to see why, even on a short stroll through the centre. There's lots to do here - the city has its very own Notre-Dame Cathedral, Musee des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum) and exhibition of Joan of Arc, bringing her story to life. One of the city's most beautiful spots is the Gros Horloge, its huge clock, a gem of architecture. The belfry (clock tower) of the Gros Horloge housed one of the oldest clock mechanisms in Europe, which was in operation from the 14th century until 1928. Another iconic symbol of Paris is the River Seine - and you can enjoy the same thing in Rouen. Rouen is located on the banks of the same river. There are lots of viewpoints from which to enjoy the landscape - such as from the top of the city's watchtower. What else do we think of when pondering a French getaway? Food, perhaps? Wine? Normandy, like many other parts of France, is known for its gastronomy. It's always a good idea to hunt for local specialties, though, to truly get the most of French cuisine. The city comes alive around Christmas, with activities and great food to explore Another iconic symbol of Paris is the River Seine - and you can enjoy the same thing in Rouen. Rouen is located on the banks of the same river Here, that means cheeses including Camembert, apples and cider, and seafood. Rouen's most famous dish is Canard a la Rouennaise, a rich duck dish cooked in sauces - and you can give it a try at lots of local restaurants. Of course, local beverages are popular too, including apple juice, cider, pommeau, and Calvados. You might also find regional beers. Food markets - as well as others selling a range of produce - line the city's cobbled streets in Rouen. On weekends, head to Place Saint-Marc, where you can explore a flea market alongside the regular stalls. Or, you can visit the historic Place du Vieux Marche. The Saveurs market on Saturday mornings, along Rue Eugene Boudin, is perfect for discovering local delicacies. And a trip to France is incomplete without a stop at a traditional bakery. Rouen is great for any history buffs - or, indeed, anyone just keen for a bit of a meander through ancient cobbled streets Normandy, like many other parts of France, is known for its gastronomy. It's always a good idea to hunt for local specialties In Rouen, look for local bakeries selling apple-based products, as they tend to be particularly good in this region. They won't break the bank either - some start from just 2 (1.75), and you might find them for less in small, local establishments. For example, a tarte aux pommes (apple tart) might be a delicious sweet breakfast treat. Apple sugars and shortbread cookies are also popular in this part of the country. Naturally, you won't be hard pressed to find a decent croissant here, either - this is France, after all. Paige, from London, shared three top tips on how to fly, dine and drink for less An avid traveller has shared her three top tips on how to holiday for less in one of the world's most expensive destinations. London-based travel content creator, Paige, who goes by @travelsbypaige on Instagram, regularly shares luxury travel tips and restaurant recommendations for holidaymakers seeking a refined experience whilst on a budget. In her latest video, she revealed three money-saving hacks that she 'swears by' when travelling to the Dubai, an opulent hotspot renowned for its iconic five-star hotels, glittering skyscrapers, high-end shopping and world-class dining. Paige's first recommendation - for those flying from London - is to take an overnight flight in order to save money on food and accommodation. She added: 'You'll land in time for breakfast and skip paying for your first night's stay - just pack a neck pillow and pray for sleep.' Her next tip for holidaymakers heading to the UAE city is to book half board accommodation - ensuring breakfast and dinner are included each day. Booking half board can help keep costs down as two key meals are pre-paid, giving guests the option to explore local food outside the hotel at a much lower price point. Paige added: 'So many top-tier hotels offer it, and trust me, their restaurants are chef's kiss. You'll dine like royalty without the royal bill.' London-based travel content creator, Paige, revealed three money-saving hacks that she 'swears by' when travelling to the Dubai Paige's first recommendation - for those flying from London - is to take an overnight flight in order to save money on food and accommodation Her third and final tip is especially beneficial for female travellers in search of alcoholic drinks at a discount. She said: 'Look out for Ladies' Day events on certain days. Ladies' Day events are a vibe and GREAT prices, think dreamy venues, great food, and drinks deals that make it a girls' trip essential.' Though the incentive is aimed at female guests, Paige assured some venues offer 'good rates for guys' too. Meanwhile, a travel expert recently revealed how to save hundreds on bucket-list Maldives holidays. According to Sheryl Drane, Maldives destination expert at Travelbag, a lavish getaway to the South Asian hotspot doesn't have to cost a fortune if you know a few savvy tricks. One of the expert's top money-saving tips is choosing the right time of the year to travel. While peak season (November to April) is favoured for its perfect weather, it's also when prices are at their highest. Instead, Drane suggested booking during the off-season, from May to October, when flight and hotel prices can drop by nearly 20 per cent. Her next tip for holidaymakers heading to the UAE city is to book half board accommodation - ensuring breakfast and dinner are included each day Speaking to Hello! Magazine, Drane added: 'These months also offer ideal surfing conditions and fewer crowds, perfect for those seeking both adventure and tranquility. She also cautioned holidaymakers against to meticulously plan transfers when travelling to the island nation. While scenic seaplane rides add a glamourous touch to the journey, they can set back the average traveller hundreds of pounds per trip. One of the easiest ways to save is to book a shared speedboat transfer, which is much more affordable and still offers a memorable experience. Airline tickets once arrived through the post weeks before a much-anticipated trip, in a paper wallet that would be treasured and kept safe until the moment of boarding. However, the news that Ryanair is scrapping physical tickets altogether in the coming weeks could sound the death knell for the paper boarding pass completely, with other airlines expected to follow suit as the travel industry moves ever more online. From November, the low cost carrier will stop issuing physical passes in favour of asking flyers to download digital passes on to their smart phones. Campaigners representing older travellers have railed against the plans, calling it a 'disgraceful move' and accusing the airline of putting profits above the needs of some of its customers. Groups including Age UK and Silver Voices, which lobbys on behalf of the over-sixties, said the move will make flying harder for those who don't have access to a smartphone or who struggle with technology. Ryanair said in a statement on Wednesday that it will move to '100% digital boarding passes' from November 12th, pushing back the previously announced date of November 3rd, when many schools are returning from the half-term holiday. The move means passengers will no longer be able to download and print a copy of their boarding pass, and will instead have to use the digital boarding pass created by the myRyanair app after check-in. Discussing the decision last month, Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary told Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast: 'We're getting rid of the paper boarding passes. Adios: On November 12th, all passengers travelling with Ryanair - except if they're heading to Morocco - will require a digital boarding pass, with paper tickets no longer issued Dennis Reed of over-sixties campaign group Silver Voices, said the change would cause 'chaos' and questioned how the airline will react if a passenger arrives without the required digital pass 'At the moment, between 85 and 90 per cent of passengers show up with smartphones,' Mr O'Leary said. 'Almost 100 per cent of passengers have smartphones, and we want to move everybody onto that the smartphone technology.' The airline says the move to digital is expected to save 300 tonnes of paper every year. As the date nears for the transition though, campaigners have voiced concerns about the impact it will have on the four million people in the UK who have never accessed the internet and the millions more who don't own a smartphone - Apple or Android - which is required to download digital passes. Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, told The Telegraph: 'Its a disgraceful move. They are effectively saying they dont want older people as passengers. Theres a strong argument to say that its discriminatory.' Reed said the change would cause 'chaos' and questioned how the airline will react if a passenger arrives without the required digital pass. He said: 'Its also going to isolate older people from society, which is what businesses that go completely digital do. Saving paper but campaigners representing older travellers say Michael O'Leary's decision to scrap physical boarding passes discounts those who don't own a smartphone, and have poor digital literacy 'I really would urge them to reconsider. I, for one, will not be flying with Ryanair, and I would urge other people to take the same action.' The airline claims an all-digital approach will make travelling simpler, with 'all travel documents accessible in one convenient place'. Mr O'Leary said: 'If you lose your phone, no issue. As long as you've checked in before you got to the airport, we'll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge. 'But you have to have checked in before you got to the airport.' He explained that even if a customer's battery dies, as long as they have checked in the sequence number should still be available in Ryanair's systems. 'We'll take you, you'll get on,' Mr O'Leary insisted. 'So nobody should worry about it.' He added: 'Just make sure you check in online before you get to the airport and then all will be fine.' However Caroline Abrahams, Age UK's Charity Director, said the airline had a duty of care to its passengers to ensure there's an alternative process available. Abrahams said: 'There should always be an alternative way of booking and showing tickets that does not disadvantage those who arent online.' Some destinations including Morocco and Albania still require passengers to print their boarding passes. The airline says it has 'reached agreement' with Albania, meaning from March the country will also be digital. Currently, passengers who check in at the airport instead of online face a fee of up to 55. It isn't the only change coming to the budget airline, Mr O'Leary recently announced that Ryanair plans to increase staff bonuses for employees who catch passengers with oversized bags. It comes after it was revealed staff working for the budget airline can make up to 80 (68.98) a month just from enforcing the strict rules. Now, this cap is set to be scrapped and other changes are planned. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary shared he makes 'absolutely no apology' for catching people who are 'scamming the system'. He announced at a press conference in central London that he plans to raise incentives for gate staff who intercept passengers trying to bring oversized luggage onboard. The bonuses are likely to be increased from 1.50 (1.29) to 2.50 (2.16) per bag from November. Passengers travelling with Ryanair face strict luggage rules, with fees of up to 75 for putting an oversized bag in the hold if it is brought to the boarding gate. Only one small bag which can fit under the seat in front is included in the lowest fares. Mr O'Leary said: 'I make absolutely no apology for it whatsoever. I want our ground handling people to be catching people who are scamming the system.' An airline is set to take flights to another level with the launch of what could be the world's longest direct journey. China Eastern Airlines is introducing a new route that stretches from Pudong International in China and Ministro Pistarini International in Argentina, taking 25.5 hours. The return journey could take a staggering 29 hours, CNN reports, and has been dubbed as one of the longest in the world. The route will begin at the end of this year, from December 4, and will see flights MU745 and MU746 cover 12,500 miles. Passengers will have the choice of two flights a week. However, though the journeys are 'direct', they do include a two-hour stop in Auckland, New Zealand. The flights jet over remote waters that aren't usually covered, and come close to Antarctica, all to help save time. China Eastern Airlines has reportedly described the flight as 'the world's first commercial route connecting antipodal cities'. China Eastern Airlines is introducing a new route that stretches from Pudong International in China and Ministro Pistarini International in Argentina, taking 25.5 hours 'The Shanghai Pudong-Auckland-Buenos Aires route is seen as an important measure to build a new "Air Silk Road" channel between Asia-Pacific and South America,' the airline added. Before the new route, those wanting to travel between China and Argentina typically had to journey for more than 30 hours. The trip would usually involve connecting flights and layovers. Ticket prices for new route are between 1,130 to 1,670 ($1,525 to $2,254) for economy. Business class is priced at around 3,700 ($4,994). On SkyScanner, the quickest flight from Shanghai Airport to Buenos Aires is 29 hours long and involves a one hour and 25 minute connection in Amsterdam. It costs 2,050, for the journey on September 30. Meanwhile, the cheapest is priced at 922 but is 54 hours and 43 minutes long, with three connections. Previously, Qantas announced a new ultra-long-haul route is set to launch in 2027 and will take around 20 hours. The return journey could take a staggering 29 hours and has been dubbed as one of the longest in the world Meanwhile, at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference back in June, Qantas provided insight to what passengers could expect on board. It said that economy passengers on the lengthy flight would have the airline's biggest legroom yet. The airline's Airbus A350 planes will have 84cm of legroom in economy as well as two USB-C ports for fast-charging, reports The Times. Travellers will also have a 33cm TV screen, foot-net and storage space to keep glasses and personal items in. A heartbroken family were 'booted out' of a holiday park caravan just minutes after checking in - all because their friend paid for the holiday. Claire Williams and her family were excited to stay at Sandford Holiday Park in Poole, Dorset, for a week on July 21 in place of a friend who could no longer make it. The mum-of-three says she contacted the resort and forked out a 40 amendment fee to change the name on the booking and thought nothing more of it. Claire, 38, was shocked after making the seven-hour drive there and checking in, only for the manager to allegedly suggest that having the friend book and pay for the 809 holiday was 'fraudulent and money laundering'. Despite her 39-year-old husband Mark Williams offering to show proof of the email exchange and even phone his friend, they were 'disgusted' to be given just one hour to leave the site. She says her kids were 'devastated' and that it was a 'heartbreaking' journey back home. After complaining to the CEO, Claire received an apology from the manager who offered them a full refund and 200 compensation but said it didn't make up for the 'disappointment' of the holiday. Now she wants to warn others against visiting the holiday park - which she vows never to return to. Claire Williams and her family were excited to stay at Sandford Holiday Park in Poole, Dorset, for a week The mum-of-three says she contacted the resort and forked out a 40 amendment fee to change the name on the booking and thought nothing more of it Sandford Holiday Park apologised that it was 'not up to their usual high standards'. Claire, from Lancashire, said: 'I was so shocked to basically be treated like a criminal. 'We contacted Parkdean and asked if it was possible to change the name and go in our friend's place and they said "that's absolutely fine, you've just got to pay a 40 booking fee." 'After paying that 40 they sent us confirmation of the booking. From our point of view, we were going to go on this holiday. I didn't even think that something would go wrong. 'I was excited to have some time away with my family and we had to travel a long way to get there. '[After checking in] we got a phone call from the reception area saying "can we come back to talk to them about the booking?" It was to do with the changing name. 'I just thought we'd go in and it'd just be a simple explanation that could just be fixed there but it wasn't like that at all. '[The manager] started saying "you've not paid for this holiday" and then she started saying: "That's fraud." I thought it was ridiculous and we explained about our friend. Now she wants to warn others against visiting the holiday park which she vows never to return to Claire said the resort told her they'd give her 100 for the petrol - but that didn't cover the amount of fuel and food and disappointment 'Technically we hadn't paid for the holiday but we paid 40. We had given our friends some money so that they weren't completely out of pocket. That's when she started saying, "It's money laundering and it's fraud." 'They kept saying, "we don't need to see the emails." We said, "you can phone our friend and he can tell you", but they were so adamant it was fraud. 'I stood away and had a panic attack in public, which was horrible because I had people walking past. It was humiliating. 'I thought my husband would just sort it out but he said, "we've got an hour to leave the site." I didn't know what to think. I was so shocked.' Following the 'horrible' drive back home Claire says she spent the whole of the next day making complaints to the holiday park. She says after emailing Parkdean Resorts CEO, the manager eventually apologised and they were offered a full refund and 200 compensation. Claire said: 'It was heartbreaking. My kids were devastated and we were all upset. It was a disgusting treatment. 'We were looking forward to having a full week and then just to be sent home. The drive back was horrible. I was just in so much shock to be called a liar, it was just so unbelievable. 'I personally think that would've been something that could be easily resolved on the day had they been willing to sit and discuss it properly. The whole situation was so preventable. Following the 'horrible' drive back home Claire says she spent the whole of the next day making complaints to the holiday park She says after emailing Parkdean Resorts CEO, the manager eventually apologised and they were offered a full refund and 200 compensation '[The refund] doesn't make up for what we lost. The compensation they offered us was an insult. They said they'd give us 100 for the petrol but that didn't cover the amount of fuel and food and disappointment. 'I did have to say in my email back "I don't think 100 is acceptable". They did come back and said they'd give us 200 but they weren't willing to negotiate a higher offer. 'At that point I just took it because it's been stressful and draining and I just wanted it over. I'm never going back there and I'd warn other people away from this park too.' A Sandford Holiday Park spokesman said: 'We're sorry for Ms Williams's experience. We have high standards for customer service, and what Ms Williams experienced certainly isn't to our standards. 'When Ms Williams reached out to us to share what had happened, we fully refunded the cost of her holiday, including the booking amendment fee, and offered compensation towards her travel costs, which she accepted. 'With that being the case, we consider the matter closed.' If you suffer from a fear of clowns, better known as coulrophobia, you might want to rethink spending the night at America's 'scariest' motel - where guests sleep in themed rooms surrounded by thousands of clowns. The Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada, considers itself the creepiest in the world thanks to its extensive collection of 7,000 clowns, spooky horror rooms and a neighbouring cemetery. Located next to the historic Tonopah Cemetery, the motel has gained its haunted reputation from reported paranormal activity at the site, which houses graves of those who died violently or from the Plague during the town's early mining boom. The motel was originally built in 1985 by Leona and Leroy David to honour their father, a clown lover who left behind a collection of 150 toys, ornaments, figures and artwork. From just $79 (58) a night, the accommodation now offers guests the chance to experience 'the excitement of the unknown' in what many perceive a generally unsettling atmosphere. At first glance, the motel appears to offer traditional, modest lodging, with each of its 31 rooms featuring a bed, sofa and desk, along with amenities such as a television, refrigerator, microwave and coffee pot. The layout might look normal enough, but each room has been uniquely designed to unnerve even the most fearless of guests. While some are decorated with flamboyant bright colours, mismatched furniture and clown memorabilia, others consist of themed suites inspired by horror films like The Exorcist, Friday the 13th, Chucky and Stephen King's 'IT.' The Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada , considers itself the creepiest in the world thanks to its extensive collection of 7,000 clowns, spooky horror rooms and a neighbouring cemetery The motel was originally built in 1985 by Leona and Leroy David to honour their father, a clown lover who left behind a collection of 150 toys, ornaments, figures and artwork From just $79 (58) a night, the accommodation now offers guests the chance to experience 'the excitement of the unknown' in what many perceive a generally unsettling atmosphere Room 108, which sleeps up to four adults and features a Pennywise-themed mural, is considered one of the motel's most haunted rooms, with guests reportedly hearing disembodied voices and feeling an unknown 'presence'. In Room 107, aptly named 'Fear Unlimited,' visitors have reported feeling a hard hit while sleeping or hearing unexplained sounds in an otherwise empty room. According to the motel's website, the room - which features various distorted images of clowns - was closed over the last four years following a 'couple of deaths' in the last decade. Management added: 'Guests next door room #108 started reporting so frequently many weird and mysterious things. They reported next door guests moving furniture all night long, banging walls and all. Finally, May 4th it was open to the guests.' Due to frequent reports of paranormal activity at the property, guests can even rent an EMF (Electromagnetic Field) reader to detect electromagnetic waves, with some believing these waves can be linked to spirits. Beyond the rooms, The Clown Motel also features a free-to-visit Clown Museum with thousands of clown figurines and memorabilia, along with a gift shop selling souvenirs, and photo opportunities with life-sized cut-out clowns at the property. The motel even accepts clown donations from both guests and non-guests, as they strive to host the world's largest clown collection. On their website, they wrote: 'We accept all kinds of clowns, including artwork and other clown paraphernalia and always promise to look after them, you can visit your clowns anytime you like.' One avid traveller, who goes by @jeff.c.rhoades on Instagram, said: 'This place was definitely one of the creepiest and most unique motels Ive ever stayed at. Room 108, which sleeps up to four adults and features a Pennywise-themed mural, is considered one of the motel's most haunted rooms, with guests reportedly hearing disembodied voices and feeling an unknown 'presence' Due to frequent reports of paranormal activity at the property, guests can even rent an EMF (Electromagnetic Field) reader to detect electromagnetic waves, with some believing these waves can be linked to spirits Many guests who have spent the night in one of the motel's spooky rooms have shared their experiences on social media The motel's modest layout might look normal enough, but each room has been uniquely designed to unnerve even the most fearless of guests. Beyond the rooms, The Clown Motel also features a free-to-visit Clown Museum with thousands of clown figurines and memorabilia, along with a gift shop selling souvenirs, and photo opportunities with life-sized cut-out clowns at the property The motel even accepts clown donations from both guests and non-guests, as they strive to host the world's largest clown collection Many guests who have spent the night in one of the motel's spooky rooms have shared their experiences on social media. One avid traveller, who goes by @jeff.c.rhoades on Instagram, described the motel as 'one of the weirdest (and creepiest) places that Ive stumbled upon in all of my road trips,' in a video documenting his stay. Another visitor, who goes by @counting.countries, posted: 'It is every bit as creepy as it looks.' User @afpistudio warned, 'If you think this motel looks creepy, youre right. Honestly, I have never seen anything like it,' yet urged, 'Whether youre a thrill-seeker or just passing through, this place offers a unique and spine-chilling experience.' BBC Breakfast fans took to social media to question where Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt were during Thursday's instalment of the show. The morning programme returned to our screens for another instalment as the hosts shared the latest headlines and stories with viewers. BBC Breakfast is usually presented by Jon Kay, 55, and Sally Nugent, 54, Monday to Wednesday, followed by Naga, 50, and Charlie, 63, Thursday to Saturday. Sunday's episode is presented by a number of stand-in hosts such as Roger Johnson, Tina Daheley, Ben Boulous, Ben Thompson and Rachel Burden. Viewers were surprised to see Ben Thompson and Rachel Burden on the sofa on Thursday (25 September 2025), instead of Naga and Charlie. Ben opened the show with: 'Hello and welcome to BBC Breakfast, with Sarah Campbell and Ben Thompson.' BBC Breakfast fans took to social media to question where Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt were during Thursday's instalment of the show BBC Breakfast is usually presented by Jon Kay, 55, and Sally Nugent, 54, Monday to Wednesday, followed by Naga Munchetty, 50, and Charlie Stayt, 63, Thursday to Saturday (pictured) Viewers were surprised to see Ben Thompson and Rachel Burden (pictured) on the sofa on Thursday The two didn't acknowledge or mention why they were standing in for the usual presenters. And Naga and Charlie haven't spoken out about why online either. Many noticed the change and took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their confusion over why the pair were sat on the red sofa. 'Where's Naga and Charlie??' 'Guessing Naga and Charlie have been taken off air?' 'So have Naga and Charlie finally been removed then?' 'Charlie and Naga off again? Together?' But Charlie will be back on our screens this Friday (25 September), while Naga is currently on annual leave. Many fans took to social media to point out that Charlie and Naga weren't on Thursday's instalment of the show Ben joined the team back in 2011, while Rachel became a part of it in 2015. Charlie and Naga have hit a number of headlines over the last few months. Back in June it was revealed that journalist Naga, 50, who joined the morning programme in 2014, was facing 'bullying claims'. Last month it was revealed that Naga had allegedly scolded a petrified intern for the way they spread Marmite on her toast. In August it was also reported Charlie Stayt's alleged behaviour is also 'under review' after a string of complaints. Charlie has been part of the team since 2006. It comes after BBC Breakfast fans were overjoyed as a popular star returned to our screens on Monday after an extended break from the show. Just minutes into the show, one of the favourite members of the team made an appearance after three weeks away. Jon told viewers: 'Right, it is quarter past six. I'm delighted to say that Carol's back with us this morning.' 'Very delighted. Morning Carol,' Sally added. Jon told the weather woman: 'Just as the sun comes out, you have come back.' BBC Breakfast airs on BBC1 from 6am. Told by authorities that he was unable to adopt his own child as a single man, a young father saw his world and family torn apart. But 50 years after his first child was taken from him, retired bus driver Justus Augustin has been reunited with the daughter he lost as an infant in heart-wrenching scenes from ITVs Long Lost Family. In scenes that air tonight, a visibly emotional Davina McCall breaks the news to Justus, 68, that they have found his daughter and that she lives just four miles from him in southeast London. A devoted dad who went on to have five more children, Justus was desperate to keep the baby he fathered as an 18-year-old and named Joanne, but at the time he was denied his application to adopt her. His girlfriend, a white Irish girl, fell pregnant when they were teenagers, but her father insisted the child be put up for adoption as he disapproved of her relationship with a black man. Justus mum even tried to adopt the baby but once again authorities refused because she was deemed to be too old. 50 years after his first child was taken from him, retired bus driver Justus Augustin was reunited with his daughter in heart-wrenching scenes from ITV s Long Lost Family [Pictured with Jane] A visibly emotional Davina McCall [pictured] broke the news to Justus that they have found his daughter and that she lives just four miles from him in southeast London Justus pictured as a young child in St Lucia before he travelled to London in the 1960s to join his mother, who was part of the Windrush generation, when he was just eight years old We are going to take lots of time over this because I know every bit of information I give you is massive. And we can take ages, Davina tells Justus as she reveals that they have found his daughter. The first thing he wants to know is whether his daughter is willing to see him, and when told that she is, he becomes overwhelmed with emotion. Davina tells him that his daughter is now called Jane and shows him a picture of her, which Justus kisses. Look at Jane! Oh my God, she does look like me, he says. Thats my daughter. Im sorry. Im really sorry. Im not going to leave you, Im going to be your shadow. As his emotions take hold, he breaks down again as Davina reveals that Jane always knew that he had tried to keep her. Justus thanks Davina and the team for finding his daughter and the pair then enjoy a long hug as he prepares to meet the girl hes not seen for more than 50 years. Viewers will discover that Justus arrived in London in the 1960s from St Lucia to join his mother, who was part of the Windrush generation, when he was just eight years old. But having spent the first eight years of his life on the Caribbean Island he struggled to fit in and found life in the capital difficult. Justus pictured with his mother who moved to London from St Lucia in the 1960s as part of the Windrush Generation As an eight year old boy, Justus [centre] struggled to fit into life in the capital but later fell in love with an Irish girl who he fathered Jane with, but the couple had to hide the pregnancy and the baby was put up for adoption Readers can watch the emotional scenes and the moment Justus [pictured] is finally reunited with his daughter during tonights episode of Long Long Family on ITV1 at 9pm When he was 16 years old he met an Irish girl at a fair ground and the pair started dating. Justus was smitten but the girls father did not approve of her dating a black man. Two years into the relationship she became pregnant. Terrified, the teenage couple tried to hide the pregnancy, but when her family found out she was expecting they made her give the baby up for adoption. The whole world was against me, he said. Readers can watch the emotional scenes and the moment Justus is finally reunited with his daughter during tonights episode of Long Long Family on ITV1 at 9pm. A brilliant crime drama hailed by fans as 'one of the best shows they have ever seen' has taken viewers by storm after landing on Prime Video 17 years after is debut. With sharp dialogue, intricate plot twists and a detective who can seemingly read minds, The Mentalist proved to be one of television's most captivating series during its original run - and its arrival on the streaming giant has reignited enthusiasm for the show. The series stars Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a former psychic conman turned consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation. Armed with extraordinary observational skills, Patrick helps Agent Teresa Lisbon and her team solve complex cases while relentlessly hunting down his nemesis, the elusive serial killer Red John. First airing on CBS in 2008, the series immediately struck a chord with audiences, drawing an impressive 17 million viewers during its debut season. Its mix of stand-alone mysteries and a darker long-running arc earned comparisons to a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, with Jane's uncanny ability to read people setting him apart from other television detectives. A brilliant crime drama hailed by fans as 'one of the best shows they have ever seen' has taken viewers by storm after landing on Prime Video 17 years after is debut With sharp dialogue, intricate plot twists and a detective who can seemingly read minds, The Mentalist proved to be one of television's most captivating series during its original run The series stars Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a former psychic conman turned consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation Across seven seasons and 151 episodes, The Mentalist maintained a loyal fan base. It was later broadcast in the UK on Channel 5, before coming to an end in 2015 with its finale drawing 11 million viewers. Despite declining ratings towards its conclusion, the show has remained a firm favourite with audiences worldwide, recently celebrating its 17th anniversary on September 23. Its availability on Prime Video has delighted long-time fans while also introducing the series to new viewers. One reviewer praised it as a 'brilliant series about crime and investigation involving the homicides, the serial killing that the CBI handles, and of course The Mentalist's way of catching the killer every time which is very unique in all the episodes. They continued: 'Excellent performance by Patrick Jane, Teresa Lisbon, Kimball Cho, Wayne Rigsby, Grace van Pelt, Red John and all of them in each and every season.' Another wrote: 'I don't normally write reviews but I have to for this gem. First of all, if you're in a dilemma of deciding whether to watch it or not then put your doubts aside and give it a go, you will not regret it. This is one of the best shows I have ever seen.' Armed with extraordinary observational skills, Patrick helps Agent Teresa Lisbon and her team solve complex cases First airing on CBS in 2008, the series immediately struck a chord with audiences, drawing an impressive 17 million viewers during its debut season Its mix of stand-alone mysteries and a darker long-running arc earned comparisons to a modern-day Sherlock Holmes One fan was even more emphatic, declaring: 'Hands down the best show I have ever watched, and I have watched quite a few shows in my lifetime. 'Each and every one of the actors are terrific, but a special mention is surely deserved by the charming, suave, dashing, breathtakingly handsome, with an infectious smile that lights up the room Simon Baker.' Baker's performance as the enigmatic Jane was widely acclaimed, earning him an Emmy nomination, following an earlier Golden Globe nomination for his role in The Guardian. Since the series ended, he has appeared in films including Breath and Blaze, and most recently starred in BBC drama Ten Pound Poms. Netflix has landed a chilling new horror series after winning a bidding war with over a dozen other studios and producers to make the green-lit new show. The new venture, called Pagans, called quite the stir among Hollywood's biggest names as over 15 different platforms battled it out to the be one to bring it to life. There was a heated auction for the series, written by Joshua Zetumer, the creator of Disney+ series Say Nothing, which starred Lola Petticrew and Anthony Boyle. Zetumer's team is said to have sent the script to all the potential buyers that allowed each one to give it a read within the same 24-hour window before bidding. Deadline reported that bids were quick to fly in for the series, with a number of the big-name studios making seven-figure offers from the get-go. Ultimately, it was Netflix who emerged victorious by securing the deal. Netflix has landed a chilling new horror series written by Joshua Zetumer after winning a bidding war with over a dozen other studios Writer Joshua was previously behind Disney+ hit Say Nothing, which saw him nominated for a Primetime Emmy Awards Pagans will tell the story of a man who becomes the sole caretaker of his two children after his wife tragically dies. While his son is 'typical', his daughter Alice is far from normal and aside from the usual stresses of a father-daughter relationship, something sinister is brewing. The series has been tipped as 'equal parts emotional, horrifying and humorous'. Netflix's Tudum added: 'Pagans uses genre to unearth all the dark thoughts that parents have, the kind of thoughts mum and dad are never supposed to talk about.' No casting announcements have been revealed yet, and there is no expected date for the series to hit screens on Netflix yet. Zetumer's previous work, Say Nothing, was set during the Troubles of Northern Ireland, and followed the fall out after the disappearance of Jean McConville, a single mother of ten who was abducted from her home in 1972 and never seen alive again. The writer received a nomination for theh Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmy Awards thanks to the series. He's previously worked on the likes of RobotCop, Patriots Day and James Bond. Zetumer, who has worked on the likes of RobotCop, Patriots Day and James Bond, sent the script over to more than 15 different Hollywood studios and platforms It comes after Netflix unveiled their latest big-budget series, House of Guinness, with a star-studded launch event in London earlier this week. The gritty period drama tells the story of the legendary family behind the world-famous brewery, set against the backdrop of 19th-century Dublin and New York. According to Netflix, the series 'explores an epic story inspired by one of Europe's most famous and enduring dynasties - the Guinness Family.' The synopsis continues: 'Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the story begins immediately after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the Guinness brewery. 'And the far-reaching impact of his will on the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, as well as on a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the phenomenon that is Guinness.' As well as Happy Valley actor James, the all-star line-up sees Masters Of The Air Anthony Boyle and Enola Holmes star Louis Partridge playing brothers Arthur and Edward respectively. Emily Fairn, known for The Responder, steps into the role of Anne, and Normal People's Fionn O'Shea rounds out the siblings as Ben. The cast is further bolstered by Dublin-born actress Dervla Kirwan, and Game of Thrones favourite Jack Gleeson. Pagans will be available to stream on Netflix. British-Iranian filmmaker Ben Zand visits extraordinary people around the world Year: 2025 Watch now on YouTube The documentary-maker Ben Zand is the force behind Zandland, an independent film-making outfit that aims to 'bypass traditional gatekeepers' in its quest to show us extraordinary stories from around the world. The seven-part series Human is a big example of that, with Zand visiting unusual people and collectives around the world and tying their tales to global issues. First up in the monthly strand of half-hour films is a visit to Kleinfontein, a town in South Africa that is exclusively reserved for white Afrikaners. The British-Iranian Zand feels welcomed by the people there, if uncomfortable with the reasons behind the town's very existence, given the bloody history of apartheid in the country. Kleinfontein isn't the only town established along these lines in South Africa, either. Other subjects covered across the run, which begins on 2 October, include a prison in Colorado, a remote tribe in Africa, gangs in Chicago and a nudist retreat in New Orleans. (Seven episodes) Laura Bryne has gone into labour with her third child. The former Bachelor star, 39, and her husband Matty 'J' Johnson posted updates to social media on Wednesday night after they arrived at the hospital. Matty revealed he was keeping Laura 'distracted' by dancing for her while in the birthing suite. In the video, the TV personality threw his arms in the air before spinning around while his wife lay in a hospital bed. 'Performing interpretive dance to distract my wife from contractions,' he wrote. Laura also posted a photo of Matt in the hospital room, holding maternity underwear, with the caption: 'Here we go again.' Laura Byrne and her husband Matty 'J' Johnson posted updates to social media on Wednesday night after they arrived in hospital Matty (pictured) revealed he was keeping Laura 'distracted' by performing a dance for her while in the birthing room In April, Laura revealed the gender of her third child with Matty, confirming she is expecting another daughter. She made the exciting announcement, cutting into a gender reveal cake live on her KIIS FM The Pick Up radio show, just hours after announcing her pregnancy. 'It's a girl,' Laura squealed as she removed a slice of white sponge that contained layers of pink icing. 'Oh my god, you're having a third little baby girl!' co-host Brittany Hockley said in disbelief, before adding, 'Congratulations.' 'Am I capable of producing boys?' replied husband Matty, before adding, 'Let's go again. Let's go for a fourth.' 'We're so lucky to have three little girls - and three little sisters, it's going to be amazing,' added Laura, before Matty admitted he 'loves being a girl dad'. Laura announced her pregnancy news on her podcast, Life Uncut, which she co-hosts with fellow reality star Brittany Hockley. 'It turns out, we're having baby number three!' she declared. Laura also shared a photo of Matt standing in the hospital room and holding maternity underwear, alongside the caption: 'Here we go again' Laura announced her pregnancy news on her podcast, Life Uncut, which she co-hosts with fellow reality star Brittany Hockley 'I'm pregnant, guys!' 'It is a miracle. We had a really small window. I have known for a very long time. I found out very early on in this pregnancy, not because I had any symptoms but because my friend made a comment that made me do a pregnancy test,' she explained. Laura recalled that she took a pregnancy test while Matty was filming I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in South Africa, but did not tell him the news until she was two and a half months pregnant. 'I wasn't able to tell Matt for ages. The whole time he was in the jungle, I wasn't able to tell him and then it was really tricky because I didn't want to tell him when it was the finale,' she explained. 'I didn't want to tell him as soon as the show, because I don't know if you guys remember, but the show wasn't filmed live this year, so we did the finale over there.' Matt also made an announcement on his Two Doting Dads podcast, telling listeners: '[It's] an October baby. We were trying before I went into the jungle. The plan was, we said this year 2025, if we were going to have a third, this will be the year that it happens. The couple share daughters Marlie-Mae, who they welcomed in 2019, and Lola, who was born in 2021. Laura appeared on The Bachelor Australia in 2017 and met her now-husband, and father to her two children, Matty. Strictly Come Dancing star Thomas Skinner's firm has not repaid a 50,000 Covid bounce back loan - despite him boasting about the company turning over 'millions' during the pandemic. The Essex businessman, who found fame after appearing on Lord Sugar's The Apprentice, has become the most controversial signing on Strictly this year, with his appearance being overshadowed by his revelation that he cheated on wife Sinead. He now faces more questions over his company's finances after it emerged one business applied for the tax-payer-funded Government loan in 2020. Five years on, there is no record of his firm - the Fluffy Pillow Company - ever having paid the loan back, the Daily Mirror reports. Thomas previously said that the firm and a second, named Bosh Beds, both profited specifically from the UK pandemic. He wrote in his autobiography: 'The company grew quickly after I finished The Apprentice and did very well thanks to massive demand during the pandemic when everyone had money to spare and plenty of time to spend in bed.' Strictly Come Dancing star Thomas Skinner 's firms has not repaid a 50,000 Covid bounce back loan - despite him boasting about the company turning over 'millions' The Essex businessman, who found fame after appearing on Lord Sugar 's The Apprentice, faces questions over his company's finances after it emerged one business applied for the tax-payer-funded Government loan in 2020 The Government loan scheme was put in place to provide relief to small businesses who had been 'adversely affected' by Covid. The Fluffy Pillow Company applied for the maximum loan of 50,000, with Thomas stating his business had previously been turning over 200,000 a year. The loan rules state the firm should have started paying back in 12 months but there is no record of any payment having been made. The 50,000 is listed as being owed in accounts from both 2021 and 2022. Companies House have since issued four notices to liquidate the firm with the outstanding debt. During the pandemic, Thomas said: 'I'd just moved to this lovely house. I'd bought a big car.. I had to find 1000 a month to pay for that on finance. 'And because it was going so well, and all sudden it stopped dead, I thought. And I've got a baby on the way I thought, what am I gonna do?' Bosh Beds was reportedly 'taking 130,000 pound a week in sales, by 2021, and had 14 staff. Thomas said: 'I was riding a wave on the back of covid. million-pound deals were the norm every couple of months. It was insane.' In December 2021, he boasted: 'Today I've turnt (sic) over 1.8 million pound in 1 year with BOSH BEDS!' Elsewhere, Thomas said in an interview how the business failed when lockdown hit in March 2020, despite posting on the social media page until December 2020. Thomas previously said that the firm and a second, named Bosh Beds, both profited specifically from the UK pandemic Thomas previously said in an interview how the business failed when lockdown hit in March 2020, despite posting on the social media page until December 2020 When asked if he has 'lost his company overnight, he replied: 'Yes I had been taking a lot of money. I was in a state.' Daily Mail has contacted Thomas' representatives for comment. It comes after the latest news from set suggests frustrated bosses are struggling to rein in the show's most controversial signing - Apprentice star Thomas. Earlier this month Thomas stormed out of a press conference whilst his participation on the BBC's family-friendly flagship show has been overshadowed by his relevation that he cheated on wife Sinead just weeks after their wedding. His political leanings have also sparked backlash across social media after he was pictured attending a barbeque hosted by US President Donald Trump 's number two, JD Vance - something he later called a 'once-in-a-lifetime' event. Thomas has drawn strong criticism for X posts saying it is 'not far-right' to be 'flying your flag and loving your country', and complaining 'it ain't safe out there any more' in London, saying the city is 'hostile' and 'tense'. And now, insiders have revealed that Strictly bosses have been left in a 'tricky' situation regarding his social media posts. 'He's not BBC staff so there is nothing that can be done about his social media posts other than ask his management to have a gentle word, and they might not want to,' the source has explained. BBC bosses have been left frustrated over Strictly contestant Thomas' social media rants, insiders have revealed (pictured with his popular pro partner Amy Dowden) The insider added though that it's unlikely Thomas will be voted out of the hit BBC show early, 'because the public tends to like controversial figures, at least at the start.' They added that Strictly's decision to pair him with one of the show's favourite pro dancers will be beneficial. 'The feeling is he's unlikely to be among the first to go, and could actually stay in for quite a stretch. Amy has a lot of love behind her and that is sure to help him,' the insider told The Mirror . After making his Strictly debut on Saturday, Thomas posted another X rant, insisting he won't be cancelled and claiming his marriage is stronger than ever, after he admitted to cheating on his wife just weeks after their 2022 wedding. He shared an impassioned and lengthy message where he claimed he was 'being attacked' and was only getting 'stronger'. He wrote: 'Life ain't easy. I've been kicked down an called every name under the sun recently and probably some of it I deserve, as yes I ain't always right. But since I got invited to have a BBQ with JD Vance. its gone crazy. 'Certain people are doing everything they can to ruin me. Mainly Faceless accounts givin it large and abusing me, hypocrites making everything political. After making his Strictly debut on Saturday, Thomas posted another X rant, insisting he won't be cancelled Thomas introduced his Strictly Come Dancing partner Amy to his wife and children on Tuesday as he shared a series of family snaps on Instagram 'Now I see people are fumin that I'm on Strictly. and the funny thing is that the majority of them got 'be kind' wrote in their bios. You couldn't make it up.' Thomas added that his strong work ethic meant he was able to ignore the controversy and 'graft'. He added: 'Let me tell you this. I won't be cancelled. I ain't gonna kill myself like some of you want. I'm still here. I'm still standing. 'Trust me when I say this; I am stronger than people think. Every insult, every lie, every attack.it don't break me, it builds me stronger. [sic] 'I built what I got from nothing. I Slept on a pull-out bed on the floor for years cus I never had a bedroom. [sic] Weirdos write rubbish on Wikipedia about my upbringing that ain't true, but they can't take away what I've built with graft & fight. They call me a grifter, but all I do is work. Day in, day out, graft.' Rebecca Judd has been a public personality for more than two decades. And on Wednesday, the AFL WAG surprised fans as she unveiled her striking look on Instagram. The 42-year-old showed off her glamorous hair transformation as she launched her sleepwear collaboration with Gingerlilly. Bec revealed her new blonde locks after getting her hair dyed a few shades lighter. The mother-of-four debuted her significantly lighter mane as she posed in items from her new clothing range. The new campaign also featured Bec's son Oscar, 14, daughter Billie, 11, and her nine-year-old twins Darcy and Tom. Bec Judd doesn't look like this anymore! AFL WAG revealed her new look on Wednesday after undergoing a dramatic transformation The 42-year-old showed off her glamorous hair transformation as she announced her new sleepwear collaboration with Gingerlilly The post comes after the AFL WAG sent her fans wild by posing alongside her mother for a glamorous hair campaign. The influencer shared a video on Instagram in which she and her mother, Kerry Twigley, 63, modelled for the Mermade Hair brand of styling tools. 'I grew up watching mum set her curls before every big moment. Today we did it together - same ritual, smarter rollers,' the 42-year-old explained in her caption. In the clip, the lookalike mother and daughter posed in robes as they styled their hair at a vanity table. Cuddling up for the camera alongside her daughter, the very youthful Kerry showcased the genes behind Becs striking looks. The comments section below the video lit up with comments from impressed fans. Bec's bestie Nadia Bartel said: 'You are the best @kerry.jane.5 and these rollers look so good.' 'Obsessed with your mum,' said one enthused fan, while another commented, 'Kezzy! This is so gorgeous ladies.' Bec revealed her new blonde locks after getting her hair dyed a few shades lighter It comes after the AFL WAG sent her fans wild by posing alongside her mother for a glamorous hair campaign 'Kez! So beautiful and a crack up. I used to love hot rollers, how good,' wrote one person. 'Gorgeous girls,' commented another fan, with someone else adding, 'This is a lovely video of you and your mother'. Bec is the spitting image of her stunning mum, who was also blessed with incredibly youthful looks and a killer figure. Her New Zealand-born Maori mother moved to Australia in the late 1970s with her now ex-husband, Hugh Twigley, to capitalise on the mining boom in Western Australia. She works as a FIFO (fly in, fly out) worker in Fortescue's Cloudbreak mine, located in the Pilbara region of WA. Lucy Jackson came under fire on Wednesday after she seemed to light up a cigarette right next to her pregnant friend Nikki Westcott. Fans took to Reddit to slam the pair's recent TikTok video, in which they showed followers what they carry around in their handbags every day. Some were left outraged when they saw Lucy, 35, smoking during the video while Nikki, 34, sat right next to her. 'Oh, my god, she's smoking in the office,' Nikki laughed as her Happy Hour podcast co-host lit up the dart. However, it is unclear if the clip was actually filmed while Nikki was pregnant, as the caption claimed the video came from their 'drafts'. Nikki announced she is expecting her first child with husband Oli Frost while on a lavish holiday in Europe just two weeks ago. Lucy Jackson, 35, came under fire on Wednesday after she seemed to light up a cigarette right next to her pregnant friend Nikki Westcott, 34 She also does not have a visible baby bump in the video, meaning it is possible the clip was filmed before Nikki knew she was pregnant. Nevertheless, infuriated followers took to Reddit to slam the Gold Coast influencer for the act. 'Wtf, did anyone just see their [Lucy and Nikki's] what's in my bag vid and she lit up a dart right next to pregnant Nicky [sic]? That's straight up awful to do,' one user wrote. 'I deleted my Reddit and I've been silently lurking, but my god that made me come back because I am disgusted.' 'Omg this!' another agreed. 'I thought the same?! Wtf.' Daily Mail has reached out to Nikki and Lucy for further comment. Nikki announced her pregnancy to Instagram in September with a gallery of black and white images from their luxe overseas getaway. In the frames, Nikki looked radiant in a tiny string bikini as she posed in a stunning seaside location. However, it is unclear if the clip was actually filmed while Nikki was pregnant, as the caption claimed the video came from their 'drafts' Nikki announced she is expecting her first child with husband Oli Frost while on a lavish holiday in Europe just two weeks ago 'Smuggled a plus 1 to Europe. We can't wait to meet you bambino,' she wrote in the accompanying caption shared to Instagram. One romantic snap showed Oli lovingly embracing her belly, while another saw the proud parents-to-be posing against a beautiful seaside village. Nikki and Oli made headlines last October when they tied the knot in a romantic Byron Bay ceremony. The Jagger & Stone co-owner took to Instagram to share the news with her 112,000 followers as she celebrated her picture-perfect day. The couple exchanged vows in front of their nearest and dearest in a stunning sunset ceremony held at Amelika Park in Byron Bay's Hinterland. Alyssa Milano revealed that is having her breast implants removed, posting an Instagram photo of herself in her hospital bed before the procedure. The 52-year-old Charmed actress, who helped popularize the hashtag #MeToo in Hollywood during Harvey Weinstein's downfall, broke the news Wednesday. She announced in her caption that she was ridding herself of 'false narratives' and 'letting go of the body that was sexualized' and 'abused.' Milano previously alleged in 2019 that when she was in her 20s an actor 17 years her senior - whom she declined to name - 'put his hand under my underwear' and attempted 'to force his fingers inside me' while filming a love scene with her. In 1998 she also sued porn websites for posting explicit images of her without authorization, both genuine ones from a movie she was in and ones that purportedly had her head pasted over other women's bodies. Now she has shared that her breast augmentation was what she 'believed was necessary for me to be attractive; to be loved; to be successful; to be happy.' Alyssa Milano revealed that is having her breast implants removed, posting an Instagram photo of herself in her hospital bed before the procedure Without disclosing when she got the implants, she wrote: 'Today Im releasing those false narratives, the parts of me that were never actually parts of me.' She added: 'Im letting go of the body that was sexualized, that was abused, that I believed was necessary for me to be attractive; to be loved; to be successful; to be happy. And in doing so, I hope I am releasing my daughter Bella from ever feeling those same unhealthy demands.' Milano shares her 11-year-old daughter Elizabella and 14-year-old son Milo with her husband, talent agent David Bugliari, who founded a company that represents such names as Bradley Cooper and Danny McBride. 'Now, I want to be clear that many women will find freedom and beauty in choosing their implants,' Milano noted in her post about her breast reduction. 'What is a false narrative for me may be the exact right thing for them, and I am so happy that we can all find our femininity and peace on our own terms.' She also offered a tip of the hat to RuPaul's Drag Race host Michelle Visage, who had her own breast implants excised in 2019 after deciding - contra her doctors - that they were to blame for her autoimmune condition Hashimoto's. 'Im also tremendously inspired by women like Michelle Visage who have been open and public about their relationships with their breast implants, making it easier for me and countless others to find our own way,' wrote Milano. 'Today I am loved, I am feminine, I am attractive, and I am successful. None of that is because of my implants,' she proudly declared. Alyssa is pictured last year with her husband Dave Bugliari, a talent agent who founded a company that represents such names as Bradley Cooper and Danny McBride Milano, who did not disclose when she got her implants, is pictured in 2014 attending the world premiere of the Meryl Streep starrer Into the Woods in New York Milano is pictured in a publicity still for a 2022 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show Milano is pictured aged 25 in a 1998 publicity still for Charmed 'I will still be all of those things when I wake up and they are gone. There is so much and joy in that knowledge and freedom in letting go of what was never me in the first place. Today, Im my authentic self. Today, Im free.' Milano tagged Visage in her hospital Instagram picture, as well as her plastic surgeon Dr. Tim Neavin, who operates out of Beverly Hills. She received a flood of praise in her comments, including from Visage, who wrote: 'IM THRILLED FOR YOU! The heal is real baby! See you on the lighter side.' Baywatch alumna Nicole Eggert, who has had two mastectomies to treat her breast cancer, shared her own words of encouragement: 'Yes to all of this.' A large Australian Idol-branded bus, which was spotted struggling to navigate a tiny inner-western Sydney alley on Wednesday, has been roasted online. Footage of the bus, seemingly unsure of which way was forward, made its way onto Reddit and it quickly racked up views and laughs. It showed the vehicle desperately attempting to reverse out of the narrow lane. The clip was captioned: 'Today on small inner western roads. Australian Idol going in brave new directions... backwards... badly. 'Poor bloody driver being made to get the bus down the lanes in St Peters.' Fellow users couldn't resist roasting the driving mishap. 'It's literally a block away from Princes Highway. Makes you wonder what they were thinking,' one user wrote. AA large Australian Idol-branded bus, which was spotted struggling to navigate a tiny inner-western Sydney alley on Wednesday, has been roasted online. Pictured: Judges Kyle Sandilands, Marcia Hines and Amy Shark Footage of the bus, seemingly unsure of which way was forward, made its way onto Reddi and it quickly racked up views and laughs Another joked: 'Fun fact Shannon Noll was driving that bus.' 'Australian idle,' a third joked. This year's series of Australian Idol was broadcast on Channel Seven from February to April, and featured judges Kyle Sandilands, Amy Shark and Marcia Hines. The grand finale saw winner Marshall Hamburger narrowly beat fellow finalists Gisella Colletti and Iilysh Terallick for $100,000 prize money. He was lost for words by the life-changing victory. The young performer walked away with the huge cash prize and a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, following the record public vote. Fighting back emotion, Marshall thanked his fans. 'Thank you, Australia, thank you so much,' he said. It showed the vehicle desperately attempting to reverse out of the narrow lane 'You're gonna see a lot of me in the future.' Talking about his involvement in the singing competition, the excited teenager said, 'I honestly can't believe it. I've changed so much, I've definitely stepped out of my shell'. As the contest progressed, it was Gisella who was eliminated first - leaving Marshall and Iilyish to battle it out. Gisella bravely faced her disappointment and thanked her co-stars after the show. 'I left my heart out on that stage. I'm never turning back, no matter what happens. I'm so ready to go out there and make my own music,' she said. Marshall picked the 1981 hit Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by The Police to perform on the night, and wowed the judging panel with his fiery talent. Judge Kyle Sandilands gushed over Marshall's talent. 'I would love to get a psychic medium to find out which dead music legend you've reincarnated,' the shock jock said. 'It's just not possible that such a young, fresh boy is such a seasoned genius musician.' Marshall's debut album was released in April and reached the Australian Top 50 Albums Chart. Why is China targeting asteroids? 13:47, September 25, 2025 By Wu Weiren ( People's Daily The solar system is home not only to the eight major planets but also to an immense number of smaller celestial bodies - asteroids and comets - varying in size, shape, and orbital characteristics. Among them, asteroids are defined as solar-orbiting objects smaller than planets and dwarf planets, typically inactive in releasing gas or dust. These bodies, numbering in the billions, are often referred to as "living fossils" of the solar system's formation and evolution. Asteroids with a perihelion distance of less than 1.3 astronomical units (AU) are categorized as near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). NEAs represent one of the most significant potential threats to Earth. The United Nations has ranked asteroid impacts among the top 20 existential threats to humanity. The prevailing scientific consensus holds that an asteroid approximately 10 kilometers in diameter was responsible for the mass extinction event 66 million years ago, which eradicated roughly 75 percent of Earth's species, including the dinosaurs. More recent examples include the 1908 Tunguska event, which flattened over 2,000 square kilometers of Siberian forest, and the 2013 Chelyabinsk incident, in which a meteor explosion injured approximately 1,500 people and damaged some 3,000 buildings. While the likelihood of such catastrophic events remains low, their potential consequences are profound. As of March 2025, 38,171 near-Earth objects had been identified, comprising 38,048 near-Earth asteroids and 123 near-Earth comets. However, due to the technical challenges of detection, only about 1 percent of near-Earth asteroids are currently catalogued. Early in 2025, asteroid 2024 YR4 briefly showed a 3.1 percent probability of Earth impact, triggering global concern. How should we respond to these "uninvited guests"? At the third International Deep Space Exploration Conference, held recently in Hefei of Anhui province, Chinese scientists presented their vision for asteroid exploration, planetary defense, and resource utilization, while extending an open invitation for international cooperation. The China National Space Administration has in recent years launched a series of feasibility studies and preliminary programs focused on NEA detection and defense, including a formal proposal to build a national near-Earth object defense system. Chinese scientists have outlined a comprehensive two-pronged strategy: first, the development of an integrated early warning system that leverages both ground-based and space-based monitoring assets; and second, the establishment of mitigation capabilities centered on kinetic impactors, supplemented by additional technologies and supported by a mission response library to ensure that each credible threat can be addressed with a pre-planned, executable solution. China aims to conduct its first asteroid deflection demonstration mission around 2027. This kinetic impact test has three primary objectives: to alter the trajectory of the target asteroid; to observe the impact in detail, including velocity and energy transfer; and to monitor post-impact changes to assess the operation's success. The mission involves targeting a small asteroid approximately 10 million kilometers from Earth, aiming to change its velocity by 3 to 5 centimeters per second, sufficient to alter its trajectory. The selected target poses no risk of Earth impact for at least the next century. From the standpoint of planetary defense and the long-term survival of humanity, developing asteroid mitigation capabilities is a global imperative. As a responsible major player in space, China is committed to contributing its expertise and resources to the establishment of an international asteroid detection and defense system. Beyond defense, asteroid exploration and resource utilization also hold immense promise. Asteroids contain significant reserves of iron, nickel, platinum-group metals, and water ice. They are broadly classified into metallic, carbonaceous, and silicate types. The exploitation of asteroid resources - long pursued by leading spacefaring nations - holds transformative economic potential. According to authoritative estimates, over 700 of the roughly 1,000 asteroids studied in detail are each valued at more than $100 trillion. Over the next 30 years, the projected economic value of main-belt asteroid resources may exceed $700 quintillion. This field is not only a strategic pillar of deep-space exploration but also a foundational component of the emerging extraterrestrial resource economy. With ongoing advances in nuclear space propulsion, quantum technologies, and embodied intelligence, the development of asteroid resource is expected to become increasingly intelligent, cost-effective, and commercially viable. In the future, a large-scale industrial chain centered on asteroid exploitation is likely to emerge, becoming an integral part of the deep-space economy. (Wu Weiren is the chief designer of China's lunar exploration program, and the director and chief scientist of the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory.) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The Australian radio community is reeling after it was announced that the Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs) will be axed for good. Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA) CEO Lizzie Young said the decision to scuttle the industry's night of nights was due to cost concerns. 'Our focus on long-term sustainability across the industry needs to be our number one priority,' she said in a statement. Continuing, Ms Young added that axing the awards event was a decision not taken lightly. 'After careful consideration in consultation with our Board and Members, we're directing our resources into initiatives like Sound Start, CRA Audio ID and HEARD, and regulatory matters such as Radio Prominence where we can have the greatest impact supporting our industry's future,' she said. 'Individual networks continue to celebrate the amazing work being done across our industry through their own recognition programs.' The Australian radio community is reeling after it was announced the Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs) will be axed for good. Pictured: Jackie 'O' Henderson at 2023 ACRAs Ms Young continued, saying that moving ahead without the event will place the industry on a much firmer footing. 'I firmly believe radio has a bright and exciting future in Australia, and this positions us to build that future.' CRA announced in April that the 2025 ACRA Awards would not proceed, but industry officials were hopeful the event would return next year. The news was met with shock and disappointment from radio stars across the country. ABC presenter Kate Meade took to Instagram to share her heartbreak over the cancellation. 'Shattered to hear the ACRAS has been permanently cancelled by @comradioau,' she wrote, sharing a photo with her coveted award. 'This wasn't just about the awards. (Though shameless posting of being lucky enough to win.) This was about meeting our heroes. Celebrating with colleagues and nurturing the next generation of audio makers.' Kate continued: 'It was radio's night of nights. Our Logies. The memories that last a lifetime. Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA) CEO Lizzie Young said the decision to scuttle the industry's night of nights was due to cost concerns. Pictured: Kate Ritchie 'Our focus on long-term sustainability across the industry needs to be our number one priority,' she said in a statement. Pictured: Lauren Phillips (L) and Brittany Hockley(R) 'We played down the nominations & the winning. But it did mean something. For that moment. For that year you were the best at what you did in your category. Even in Covid the work was recognised. 'This is disappointing news today for a small but mighty industry.' Hit Network star Nic Kelly also voiced his disappointment, sharing the news on his Instagram story. 'Where the f*** am I meant to be the most annoying person in the entire radio industry and lose an award to Mel Doyle now?' he joked. The shock news comes after CRA revealed in April that the awards had been cancelled for 2025. In a memo to its members, CRA disclosed the decision, citing the need for a comprehensive review of award categories, judging procedures and event management. The move also aimed to redirect resources towards critical priorities amid ongoing legal disputes with the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA). 'This decision allows us to review and refresh our award categories and reallocate resources to address priorities, including the significant cost pressures incurred from our ongoing legal matters with PPCA,' the memo read. ABC presenter Kate Meade took to Instagram to share her heartbreak over the cancellation. 'Shattered to hear the ACRAS has been permanently cancelled by @comradioau,' she wrote 'Where the f*** am I meant to be the most annoying person in the entire radio industry and lose an award to Mel Doyle now?' Hit Network star Nic Kelly also said Often likened to TV's night-of-nights, the Logies, the ACRAs served as a celebration of excellence in Aussie radio. Unlike the Logies, the ACRAs are not televised and the ceremonies are renowned for their informality and spirited atmosphere, fuelled by an open bar and a lengthy awards line-up. The most recent ACRA Awards were held in Sydney in October and KIIS FM stars Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson won big on the night, despite not showing up for the event. There were some surprises, with Gold 101.7's Jonesy & Amanda walking away with the coveted Best On-Air Team gong. Star Trek legend William Shatner was hospitalized for a medical emergency involving his blood sugar late Wednesday afternoon, sources with direct knowledge said. Shatner, 94, who is beloved by Trekkies as the show's lead character Captain Kirk, is said to have experienced the health downturn while at his home in Los Angeles. Insiders say that when the issue occurred, he called the emergency services and a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance arrived on the scene. He was purportedly taken to a local hospital for evaluation, and is now 'resting comfortably' and doing 'good,' the sources informed TMZ. Shatner still has multiple acting projects in the pipeline and appears at fan events, including a panel at Dragon Con in Atlanta only last month. His agency Talent Works, however, denied Shatner went to the hospital, according to ABC 7 News. Star Trek legend William Shatner was hospitalized for a medical emergency involving his blood sugar late Wednesday afternoon, sources with direct knowledge said; pictured this June Shatner, 94, is beloved by Trekkies as the show's lead character Captain Kirk, whom he is pictured playing in 1966 at the height of the franchise's popularity The health scare comes over a year after Shatner revealed he is a cancer survivor, having previously being diagnosed with stage four melanoma. He explained that he had an operation and then underwent immunotherapy to treat the condition, although he did not disclose when, according to the industry publication Managed Healthcare Executive. In 2016 he received a prostate cancer diagnosis that turned out to be a false alarm, thanks to a drastic spike in his levels of PSA (prostate-specific antigen), a protein produced by the gland. 'That was really scary,' Shatner remembered to NBC News. 'I was told by a doctor I had a terminal disease. That I was going to die.' He attributed his elevated levels of PSA to testosterone supplements that he was taking at the time of his misdiagnosis, and that he has since stopped using. Shatner is best-known as the Starship Enterprise's Captain Kirk, whom he played through the run of the original Star Trek series from 1966 to 1969. The cast featured Leonard Nimoy as Spock, DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy, James Doohan as Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott and Nichelle Nichols as Nyota Uhura. Shatner reprised the part of Captain Kirk on the animated series and the first seven films, including the 1982 fan favorite Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Shatner still has multiple acting projects in the pipeline and appears at fan events, including a panel at Dragon Con in Atlanta only last month (pictured) He is also known for later career roles such as the title character on the 1980s police procedural T.J. Hooker and a beauty pageant master of ceremonies in the 2000 Sandra Bullock comedy Miss Congeniality. Shatner still enjoys a busy career with three upcoming projects on his IMDb, and his love life attracted speculation just last month when remarriage rumors started flying. His fourth ex-wife Elizabeth Martin, who at 66 is nearly three decades his junior, split from him in 2019 but reunited with him during the COVID-19 pandemic. This August they were spotted stepping out to lunch together at Jon & Vinny's in Los Angeles, and Martin sported a dazzling diamond ring on her wedding finger. Although they arrived in separate cars, they spent an hour together inside the restaurant before exiting, an onlooker told the Daily Mail. The pair were previously married for 18 years before finalizing their divorce in early 2020, with him paying her a $2 million lump sum in alimony according to the terms of their prenuptial agreement, TMZ reported. Shatner is an avid horse breeder while Martin is a retired equestrian, and in the divorce they evenly divided up their four horses, with the proviso that he was able to retain all their equipment for the animals as well as 'all horse semen.' The couple quickly reunited amid the pandemic, and last year he remarked that they were 'in effect remarried' despite not having sorted out the legal formalities. Rumors recently swirled that he has remarried his fourth ex-wife Elizabeth Martin, whom he split from in 2019 only to reunite with during the COVID-19 pandemic; pictured 2004 Shatner is best-known as the Starship Enterprise's Captain Kirk, whom he played through the original Star Trek series from 1966 to 1969; pictured in 1968 He stated that he and Martin were unlikely to officially tie the knot again, owing to pragmatic concerns connected to their divorce, in an interview with Parade. 'The reasons we divorced were many, but none of them had to do with distaste. It had to do with more practical things that I want to avoid happening [again], so thats what I did,' he explained to the magazine in March of last year. However by this February a source alleged that Martin and Shatner were planning to get legally married, via Radar Online, though his representative denied the claims. 'He was so lonely without Elizabeth. He has realized he doesn't want to be without her ever again, and she feels the same way,' said the insider. 'He can't stop gushing about her. They're like two teenagers in love.' It was said that the couple 'don't want a big fancy shindig this time around' and preferred 'a small commitment ceremony in front of just family and close friends.' Shatner's first two wives, whom he divorced, were Canadian actress Gloria Rand and producer Peter Lafferty's daughter Marcy Lafferty. He married his third wife Nerine Kidd in 1997, two years before she drowned tragically in their swimming pool at the age of 40 with alcohol and Valium in her system. In his memoirs, he described Kidd as an alcoholic who was drunk at 8am the day after their wedding and whose repeated rehab stints failed to result in lasting sobriety. Shatner's romance with Elizabeth Martin began after she joined the hundreds of well-wishers who wrote to him after Kidd's death, and he recognized her name because of their mutual involvement in horse circles, according to his autobiography. They tied the knot in 2001, and in the years since they got back together after their short-lived split, he has showered her with praise, for example calling her 'the zest of life' in a 2023 interview with The Mirror. Shatner is the proud father of three daughters, Leslie, 67, Lisabeth, 64, and Melanie, 61, all of whom he welcomed with his first wife. Mark Wahlberg made a rare red carpet appearance with his entire family on Wednesday. The actor, 54, was joined by model wife Rhea Durham, 47, and their four kids Ella, 22, Michael, 18, Brendan, 17, and Grace, 15 at the world premiere of his new movie Play Dirty, at SVA Theater in New York City. The proud parents happily posed with their brood at the event, with Mark who showed off his hunky shirtless physique earlier this year revealing how his kids have started to appreciate his work. 'We saw this movie together, we were in Paris, we were all hanging out in Paris,' he told People on the red carpet. 'I was doing Family Plan 2, and they love this movie. So now, they love seeing dad swearing, kicking a** all the things that they couldn't see when they were kids, they're now allowed to see. And I think they enjoy those more,' he shared. Wahlberg added he was 'so excited' all his kids were at the event. Mark Wahlberg, 54, made a rare red carpet appearance with his entire family on Wednesday The actor was joined by model wife Rhea Durham, 47, and their kids. Married since 2009, the couple has enjoyed a remarkably long-lasting union by Hollywood standards 'My daughter's been away at school, everybody's kind of doing their own thing at this age. I really want to just spend time with them.' 'So it's great that we all got to get together, even if it's just for the night.' The actor kept it casual for the premiere, sporting a dark green crew neck, khaki pants and white sneakers. Meanwhile Rhea stunned in a strapless black gown paired with open-toe gold heels. Married since 2009, the couple has enjoyed a remarkably long-lasting union by Hollywood standards. Their eldest daughter Ella looked incredible in a magenta floor-length silk gown, with her hair styled straight for the night. Her younger sister Grace was chic in a black dress and white sneakers. Brendan opted for a grey henley shirt and dark jeans paired with white converse sneakers. Meanwhile Michael dressed up in a pale blue button-up shirt, navy pants and brown dress shoes. Wahlberg also discussed the long hours he spent on set in Australia. 'You know, it's a difficult shoot a long time away from home, we shot in Australia. It's very far away, missing family,' he told People. They posed with their four kids Ella, 22, Michael, 18, Brendan, 17, and Grace, 15 at the premiere of his movie Play Dirty, held at SVA Theater in NYC Mark also revealed how his kids have started to appreciate his work now that they're older 'I was doing Family Plan 2, and they love this movie. So now, they love seeing dad swearing, kicking a** all the things that they couldn't see when they were kids, they're now allowed to see. And I think they enjoy those more,' he shared The actor kept it casual for the premiere, sporting a dark green crew neck, khaki pants and white sneakers Meanwhile Rhea stunned in a strapless black gown paired with open-toe gold heels According to the film's synopsis, Parker (Wahlberg) and his crew face off against the New York mob after stumbling upon a major score At one point Mark was seen sweetly hugging his daughter Rhea also shared an Instagram post from the premiere. In one snap the proud mom posed with her boys In another she flashed a peace sign She also shared an image of colorful tote bags with Play Dirty graphics Play Dirty will debut on Prime Video on October 1st He added that his wife and their kids came to visit him while he was filming. Other cast members in attendance included Keegan-Michael Key, Rosa Salazar, Tony Shalhoub, Nat Wolff, and Thomas Jane along with director Shane Black. Rhea also shared an Instagram post from the premiere, giving her followers a glimpse inside the theater. In Another snap the proud mom posed with her boys. She also shared an image of colorful tote bags with Play Dirty graphics. According to the film's synopsis, Parker (Wahlberg), Grofield (Stanfield), Zen (Salazar), and their crew face off against the New York mob after stumbling upon a major score. Play Dirty will debut on Prime Video on October 1st. Jodie Turner-Smith looked incredible as she posed alongside Jared Leto at the Tron: Ares photocall at Palais De Tokyo in Paris on Wednesday. The actress, 39, turned heads with her eye-catching outfit as she slipped into a silver long-sleeved metallic mini dress. The garment featured phones, calculators and other electronics as embellishments while the Queen & Slim star also wore a chunky silver collar. Adding height to her frame with a pair of heels, Jodie complimented her outfit with silver earrings. She posed alongside her co-star Jared who opted for an open black shirt paired with matching leather trousers and boots. They were joined by Greta Lee, who also stars in the film, and Tron: Ares director Joachim Rnning. Jodie Turner-Smith looked incredible as she posed alongside Jared Leto at the Tron: Ares photocall at Palais De Tokyo in Paris on Wednesday Jodie's dress featured phones, calculators and other electronics as embellishments (pictured with Jared, Greta Lee and Joachim Rnning) Tron: Ares is scheduled to be released in the US on October 10. Relations between Jodie and her ex-husband Joshua Jackson took a downward turn during the summer as she appeared to compare him to a Disney villain. Dawson's Creek star Joshua, 46, and Jodie split in October 2023 - after first sparking up a romance in 2018 and welcoming daughter Juno, now five. After it emerged their custody battle had taken another twist, the Queen & Slim actress took to Instagram on Monday to share a cryptic post showing an array of Disney villains, who at first appeared nice. The post read: Why dont you like that person? They seem so nice. You know who else seemed to be nice?' with Turner-Smith adding the caption 'stay safe out there ' DailyMail.com has reached to reps for both Joshua and Jodie but did not immediately hear back. The post comes after the legal fight between the former couple over their daughter took an ugly turn. Joshua has now filed a motion and request for an emergency custody order modification, according to court documents obtained by E! News. Jodie complimented her outfit with silver earrings Jared (centre left) opted for an open black shirt paired with matching leather trousers and boots In the motion, filed May 30, Joshua claims Jodie changed their five-year-old daughter's school for kindergarten without his permission and selected an establishment that was outside of the 45-minute commute time from his home that they had previously agreed upon. According to court documents obtained by People, Joshua claims Jodie said it's 'no big deal to force Juno to start over with a new school.' Joshua alleged in the documents obtained by E! that Jodie told him via a text message that their daughter does not 'require a fixed location' for her education and that tutors and remote learning could be implemented. He also is worried that 'Jodie is attempting to create a scenario where Juno travels with her rather than attending a traditional school.' Joshua also brought up his own past being educated as a child actor by on-set tutors, according to E!: 'Even in the best case it cannot begin to provide a child with the same nurturing and enrichment, peer relationships and social skills that a classroom and school community environment provides.' The actor is now asking the court to order his daughter to remain at the school she has been attending for the next academic year. He is also seeking joint consent with Jodie for any future school changes. Joshua said his daughter has been 'flourishing' at her current school, according to E!. He noted the multiple changes Juno has faced in recent years, which comprised of the recent loss of Jackson's home in Topanga Canyon, which was burnt down in the Los Angeles fires. Joshua said 'adding an unnecessary school change cannot be in her interests.' Relations between Jodie and her ex-husband Joshua Jackson took a downward turn during the summer as she appeared to compare him to a Disney villain (pictured May 2022) Joshua and the British actress/model got together in 2018 and secretly married the following year before welcoming baby Juno in 2020. Turner-Smith filed for divorce in October 2023, and in the filing said their date of separation was the month prior. They settled their divorce in May, but at that time where Juno would attend school had not been agreed upon. In previous court documents obtained by People, Turner-Smith stated that she'd been granted the authority to 'make the final decision' about Juno's education in 2024. The documents state that she was required to consult Jackson on the decision. In recently filed legal documents, according to TMZ in May 2025, it was revealed that Jackson will pay $2,787 each month in child support but he will not be paying monthly spousal support. Turner-Smith also requested Jackson pay her $75,000 for the attorney's fees she incurred in their legal fight over where they child will go to school. The Doctor Odyssey star and his ex went to a mediator to compromise on a temporary schedule to govern the 50-50 custody of their daughter. Jodie reportedly requested a judge to enforce a court order to give her the power to move their daughter to a new school. In legal documents filed by her attorney Laura Wasser, she said she researched the elementary school, discussed with Jackson and even made sure it was close enough to his home. However, she claimed that he still does not want to move their daughter to the new school. The pair have been in a legal battle since Jodie filed for divorce two years ago. She listed their date of separation as September 2023 and cited 'irreconcilable differences' in her reason for filing. Kim Kardashian had the perfect models for her NikeSKIMS launch event on Wednesday. The multifaceted star, 44, matched her mom Kris Jenner, 69, and sister Khloe, 41, in all-black pieces for the huge event which took over New York Public Library. Khloe and Kim showed off their gym-honed physiques in leggings and skin-tight tops whilst Kris wore a fitted black hoodie and baggy latex trousers. Momager Kris looked the spitting image of her second-oldest daughter Kim as the two sat side by side in directors chairs for the no-expense spared fashion presentation. Kris proudly spoke out on her recent facelift, reported to have set her back $100k after wowing fans with her incredible transformation in recent weeks. The reality TV star sought the expertise of Dr. Steven M. Levine - known as the 'facelift maestro' - to help her achieve her fresh-faced look, with the celeb favourite doctor's procedures starting at $45,000 (33,376). Kim Kardashian had the perfect models for her NikeSKIMS launch on Wednesday. The star, 44, matched her mom Kris Jenner, 69, and sister Khloe, 41, in all-black pieces Momager Kris looked the spitting image of her second-oldest daughter Kim as the two sat side by side in direcrors chairs for the fashion presentation Speaking to Vogue Arabia last month, Kris unapologetically admitted that 'for me, this is ageing gracefully. It's my version.' 'I had a facelift about 15 years ago, so it was time for a refresh,' she confided. 'I decided to do this facelift because I want to be the best version of myself, and that makes me happy.' 'Just because you get older, it doesn't mean you should give up on yourself. If you feel comfortable in your skin and you want to age gracefully meaning you don't want to do anything then don't do anything. But for me, this is ageing gracefully. It's my version.' Kris revealed that her youngest daughter Kylie, 28, who has also recently opened up to fans about her cosmetic procedures, accompanied her to the surgery whilst Kim was 'present at all times on FaceTime'. And as well as sharing the surgery with her daughters, Kris has no regrets about being honest with fans about her latest procedure, reasoning that it 'can be very inspirational to people who aren't feeling so great about themselves. Kim debuted NikeSkims on Monday with her all-star models including Serena Williams, Chloe Kim, Sha'Carri Richardson, Jordan Chiles and Madisen Skinner. 'To me, it just made sense,' said the reality TV siren to Vogue. 'Skims is very body-orientedwe do swimwear, loungewear, shapewearso our next evolution was that we really wanted to do activewear. Khloe and Kim showed off their gym-honed physiques in skin-tight tops for the event which took over New York Public Library Khloe and Kim wore matching leggings whilst Kris rocked a fitted black hoodie and baggy latex trousers Kris proudly spoken out on her recent facelift , reported to have set her back $100k after wowing fans with her incredible transformation in recent weeks 'Our dream was to work with Nike: Their legacy, innovation, and athlete insightsit was the perfect thing to mix with Skims, and our dedication to the female form.' Also in her interview with Vogue, Kim shared what her exercise secrets are, revealing daily workouts are a non negotiable in her busy life. 'I love to work outit's my therapy,' Kim stated adding she often listens to Justin Bieber Radio. 'I work out every single day, and everyone I know works out multiple times a week.' And she detailed her workout routine. 'I'm a big weightlifter, so I do lots of weights,' said Kim. 'I've had some back issues, so I've had to re-adjust just some of my workouts, but I have to do lower body in order to stay toned. I do a few days of upper body. I usually pick a body part, and we stick to that for the day. The reality TV star sought the expertise of Dr. Steven M. Levine - known as the 'facelift maestro' - to help her achieve her fresh-faced look Kim debuted NikeSkims on Monday with her all-star models including Serena Williams , Chloe Kim, Sha'Carri Richardson, Jordan Chiles and Madisen Skinner 'To me, it just made sense,' Kim told Vogue . 'Skims is very body-orientedwe do swimwear, loungewear, shapewearso our next evolution was that we really wanted to do activewear 'Our dream was to work with Nike: Their legacy and athlete insightsit was the perfect thing to mix with Skims, and our dedication to the female form,' the businesswoman gushed 'I do an hour and a half a day, with weights and stretching, and a little bit of cardio. I love pilates, so I will incorporate that, and I love wearing our pilates leggings. I find when I don't incorporate pilates at least once a week, I can feel it in my back. I definitely need that lengthening and stretching.' She also said she works out in the morning. 'I am the kind of annoying workout person where I check my phone throughout the workout, though, and respond to people. I'm sure that really frustrates my trainer.' Kardashian also revealed the routine she does not favor. 'Honestly, I know I should get into hot yoga, but I did it once and I fell asleep. Just with the mood, and you lay down and close your eyes. I can fall asleep anywhere, so put me in the position to fall asleep, and I will. Kim later threw a star-studded party in NYC for her launch, turning heads in a bizarre see-through grey catsuit that clung to her famous hourglass curves. A clifftop home next door to the Round the Twist lighthouse is up for sale. The stunning ocean view property, which has been family-owned for over 85 years, is now on the market and expected to sell for $2.1 million to $2.3 million - and fans of the iconic '90s series are going nuts. With unobstructed views of the sea and just a few metres away from the iconic Split Point Lighthouse - where the likes of Tamsin West, Ebonnie Masini and Rian McLean filmed the Aussie kids show - the home in Aireys Inlet is a prime holiday spot. The home's neighbouring lighthouse garnered nationwide fame when it featured as the address of the Round the Twist protagonists. Local landmarks in the area include Eagle Rock and Table Rock, natural wonders that can be seen from the home itself and are waiting to be explored by its future owners. Marty Maher, the listing agent for Great Ocean Properties, revealed that the home's presence on the market was a steal considering it is one of the very few pieces of land on the Victorian coastline that features a bona fide clifftop site. A clifftop home next door to the Round the Twist lighthouse is up for sale. Pictured: Round The Twist cast The stunning ocean view property, which has been family-owned for over 85 years, is now on the market and fans of the iconic '90s series are going nuts 'My vendor is in her '90s and it was bought by her husband's father in the original release so it is certainly pretty iconic,' Marty told realestate.com.au. 'The views are just superb, so immediate everyone just walks in and goes 'wow''. 'It is comfortable, it's been a really strong rental, it averages about $50,000 a year, so it doesn't have to be renovated but it I think cosmetically it could.' As for the home itself, the three-bedroom, one-bathroom house was built in the 1980s. However, the site was part of the original land release in 1937. The abode boasts lots of natural light, exposed wooden ceiling beams and an open-plan living space. Due to the home's close proximity to the landmark, development on the site is limited, says Marty. 'There is a little bit of restriction about what you could do because of the sensitivity of the lighthouse,' he said. 'A lot of people want to go up and put another storey on and we just don't think that would be possible because of the historic nature of the lighthouse, it would distract from the lighthouse.' As for the home itself, the three-bedroom, bathroom house was built in the 1980s. However, the site was part of an original land release in 1937 The abode boasts lots of natural light, exposed wooden ceiling beams and an open-plan living space Due to the home's close proximity to the landmark, development on the site is limited, says Marty Round The Twist is a classic Aussie children's program and iconic to many who grew up in the '90s. So much so that the four-season series was voted Australia's Favourite Kids' Show in 2023. In a survey of adults who grew up watching Australian-made children's television, the beloved show won out against other classics such as Play School, Bananas in Pyjamas and Blinky Bill. The votes were gathered in a project run by Swinburne University of Technology. After Round the Twist, Play School scored second place, followed by Mr Squiggle, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, Blinky Bill, The Ferals, Lift Off!, Ship to Shore, Bananas in Pyjamas, with The Genie from Down Under at number ten. The university's research team examined 542 survey responses and conducted 21 in-depth interviews with adults who were raised on Australian television to gauge the enduring influence of children's TV. Nine out of ten survey participants reported that some of their cherished childhood shows were of Australian origin. The study also revealed that the most enduring Australian children's programs possessed a 'cheeky' or 'edgy' quality, often combining a distinctive blend of eccentric elements with relatable depictions of Australian life. The survey highlighted that the beloved series, Round the Twist, not only ranked as the respondents' top choice but also emerged as the show most frequently revisited in their adult years. This was followed closely by Play School and Mr Squiggle. Sonia Kruger is known for her ageless beauty. And the 60-year-old revealed one of the secrets behind her gorgeous skin as she stepped into a facial clinic in Sydney's upmarket Double Bay this week. The television host visited Future Clinic, which offer a slew of pricey beauty treatments. Among the many treatments Sonia could have undergone are a Detox Facial or Dermaplane Facial for $350 and a Bucca Intraoral Sculpt & Release Ritual for $250. Also available is an an Anti-Ageing & Volumising Lip Treatment for $150 and a Black Detox Bubble Mask for $100. The centre also has a number of high-tech offerings such as Indiba Radio Frequency, Healite II and Ultraformer MPT. Sonia Kruger (pictured) is known for her ageless beauty The 60-year-old revealed one of the secrets behind her gorgeous skin as she stepped into a facial clinic in Sydney's upmarket Double Bay this week The television host visited Future Clinic, which offer a slew of pricey beauty treatments Sonia dressed in a comfortably chic look for her visit to the clinic, including a black tube top with an open back and a pair of wide-leg trousers. The Dancing With The Stars host slipped a pale blue, denim crop top over the top and had on a white, mesh cap. Sonia appeared to have on minimal makeup for her outing, donning sunglasses and tucking her hair under her hat. It comes after Sonia revealed a glimpse into the skincare regimen that keeps her looking decades younger. As a mum of a nine-year-old daughter, Maggie, and a busy career to boot, Sonia says she needs to keep her skincare simple. She uses the Radiant Complexion Serum from Three Warriors, which retails at a reasonable $80. 'My make-up artist Simone Forte loves that the serum keeps my face hydrated overnight and in the morning my skin already has a nice base,' Sonia told The Beauty Diary recently. 'The best part is, after I take off all my TV make-up and I've applied the Radiant Complexion Serum, I know I'm going to wake up with a beautiful glow in the morning,' she continued. Among the many treatments Sonia could have undergone are a Detox Facial or Dermaplane Facial for $350 and a Bucca Intraoral Sculpt & Release Ritual for $250 Also available is an an Anti-Ageing & Volumising Lip Treatment for $150 and a Black Detox Bubble Mask for $100 The centre also has a number of high-tech offerings such as Indiba Radio Frequency, Healite II and Ultraformer MPT Sonia dressed in a comfortably chic look for her visit to the clinic, including a black tube top with an open back and a pair of wide-leg trousers 'For busy working mums, we'll take anything that works while we're sleeping.' Sonia is also a huge fan of the Three Warriors tanning lotion, revealing that it gets her beach-ready in ten minutes. 'I'm not going to the beach unless I have a bit of tan on, as swimsuits are getting smaller, I'm getting bigger, so I need some coverage,' she said. '[Fake] tan makes me feel like I look healthy, and also evens out my skin tone.' Speaking to Daily Mail Australia recently, Sonia said she swears by rich moisturisers and LED light masks, as well as a good fake tan to give you a year-round glow. She insists the key to smooth and plump skin is hydration, hydration, hydration. 'Winter can also be harsh on your skin, hair, and overall beauty routine,' she said. 'Incorporate hydrating face masks and LED light masks into your routine once or twice a week to boost moisture levels.' Love Island's Amber Davies has landed the iconic lead role of Elle Woods in an upcoming Legally Blonde revival. The actress, 28, is set to star as the Harvard Law School student who was originally played by Reese Witherspoon in the 2001 film adaptation. Set to hit the stage in February next year, the musical will open at Curve in Leicester before touring across the UK into 2027. In a clip shared to Instagram on Thursday, Amber dressed head-to-toe in pink as she transformed into Elle, complete with beloved dog, Bruiser. Amber, who starred on the ITV dating show back in 2017, has since pursued a stage career after training at Urdang Academy. She most worked on new West End musical The Great Gatsby, which ran at the London Coliseum from April 16 to September 7, and brought F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic story to life in dazzling style. Love Island's Amber Davies has landed the iconic lead role of Elle Woods in an upcoming Legally Blonde revival The actress, 28, is set to star as the Harvard Law School student who was originally played by Reese Witherspoon in the 2001 film adaptation Responding to fan support, Amber wrote: 'This response, obviously I am sobbing. This is a dream!!!! Thank you EVERYONE FOR EVERY MESSAGE EVERY COMMENT EVERY LIKE & REPOST. You lot are the BEST.' 'I am so overwhelmed with this response. I promise you Elle is in such safe hands with me. I'm so excited to be touring her. She's a dream role, you know. 'I'm so excited to tour her around the UK and Ireland. I'm so grateful, I'm speechless. I love you all so much and see you next year!' Legally Blonde was released in 2001, with Reese as Elle Woods, Matthew Davis playing Warner Huntington III and Jennifer Coolidge as Paulette Bonafonte; Selma Blair and Victor Garber also starred in it. It told the story of sorority girl Elle Woods, who decides to follow her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School. While failing to be taken seriously by many of her peers, Elle buckles up, gains the respect of her classmates, wins a murder trial, and moves on from her ex. Legally Blonde spawned several sequels and even a Tony-nominated Broadway musical. Back in 2021 Reese opened up on social media about how the role has impacted her life. Set to hit the stage in February next year, the musical will open at Curve in Leicester before touring across the UK into 2027 Reese Witherspoon pictured as Elle Woods in the 2001 film Amber dressed head-to-toe in pink as she transformed into Elle, complete with beloved dog, Bruiser Legally Blonde has spawned several sequels and even a Tony-nominated Broadway musical; Reese seen in 2001 Reese revealed she still has fans approaching her on a regular basis with stories of how her character Elle inspired them to pursue their dreams. 'It also completely opened me up to so many people in the world who come up to me, every week or every month, literally, and say, "Elle Woods inspired me to go to law school." "Elle Woods made me believe in myself." 'And, "I played Elle Woods in the school play!" So I really feel like I share Elle Woods with every single person that made this film, who I love so dearly, but also with all of you.' 'Playing Elle Woods was the role of a life time and I'm so honored to have been a part of sharing her story with you all,' she finished. A highly anticipated third instalment of the iconic film is reportedly in the works according to IMDB and Good Morning America. The project was slated to hit theatres in 2022 but has since been paused. No release date has been confirmed. Rating: There's nothing more invigorating than a good punch-up at a funeral. Especially when it's fuelled by Guinness. The eulogy to Sir Benjamin Guinness paid tribute to a man 'who brought peace and prosperity to the people of Dublin'. Did the speaker really say that with a straight face? Because a riot was breaking out on the streets as the hearse was wheeled in procession to the cathedral in House Of Guinness. Of course it was. Creator Steven Knight doesn't really do peace. 'We will no longer suck black porter from the teats of the English oppressor,' bellowed Patrick Cochrane (Seamus O'Hara) of the Fenian Brotherhood as he led one attack. That was a bit rich because we later discovered that Cochrane was partial to a drop of the black stuff, as long as it was stolen. The gritty period drama tells the story of the legendary family behind the world-famous brewery, set against the backdrop of 19th-century Dublin and New York (Fionn O'Shea, Louis Partridge, Anthony Boyle and Emily Fairn pictured in show) Real-life members of the high-society Guinness family led the stars attending the premiere of House Of Guinness, held at London's Picturehouse Central on Tuesday night Meanwhile, temperance campaigners burned Sir Ben in effigy and called him a 'brewer of sin and debauchery'. Whatever happened to not speaking ill of the dead? It was a fast-moving, tumultuous opening, spoiled only by background music from Kneecap, the controversial Irish hip-hop outfit a clumsy intrusion of modern politics into the Victorian age. And the drama kept coming: an arson attack at the brewery, simmering family tensions, and the suggestion of secrets and blackmail. Yet there's a barrel-sized flaw in the plot of House Of Guinness: we already know how it ends. When Knight devised Peaky Blinders, it was a safe bet that most viewers weren't familiar with gangland Birmingham at the turn of the 20th century. But Guinness is still going strong, and the family were in charge until the 1980s. The Fenians can plot and rage as much as they like. They're not going to win. So we're left with the family squabbling: Succession with frock coats and a lot more alcohol. Eldest son Arthur (Anthony Boyle) expects to inherit but has no interest in business. He clearly has sexual secrets, which will put him at the mercy of clever, scheming Fenian Ellen Cochrane (Niamh McCormack think Angela Rayner in fancy dress). The drama kept coming: an arson attack at the brewery, simmering family tensions, and the suggestion of secrets and blackmail The all-star line-up sees Masters Of The Air Anthony Boyle and Enola Holmes star Louis Partridge playing brothers Arthur and Edward respectively (pictured) House Of Guinness chronicles the extraordinary success of the family behind the famous Irish brewery Lady Mary Charteris, Daphne Guinness, Lord Ned Iveagh, Ivana Lowell, Jasmine Guinness and Celeste Guinness Edward (Louis Partridge) is the business brain, and wastes no time. He negotiates a deal with Arthur at the wake that will make his brother a sleeping partner. That leaves feckless Benjamin (Fionn O'Shea), a drunken gambler, and sister Anne (Emily Fairn), who keeps order in the family but has a secret of her own. She's married, but is having a steamy affair with the brewery's charismatic foreman and fixer, Sean Rafferty (James Norton). Frankly, who could blame her? Strutting and self-confident, he dominates every scene in which he appears. Anne canoodles with him at one point in the street in full view of the family butler. In a stricter television household, isn't that a job for a blackmailing housemaid? Jamie Oliver has said he was 'dragged' out of school lessons to go to 'special needs class' as he emotionally recalled being mocked for his dyslexia. The TV chef, 50, was undiagnosed in school which led to him struggling academically and feeling like he was a 'failure'. Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that causes problems with reading, writing and spelling and difficulties with processing. Opening up about his difficult days in school, Jamie said he was 'lucky' to discover cooking as his 'passion in life' at such an early age. He added: 'I found school a real challenge. I was constantly dragged out of class to go down the corridor to my special needs class, and my peers constantly took the mickey out of me. 'But I was OK, because out of school I had cooking. Cooking was the thing that gave me drive, gave me confidence, hope, and made me believe in my very young self and my worth in the world. Jamie Oliver has said he was 'dragged' out of school lessons to go to 'special needs class' as he emotionally recalled being mocked for his dyslexia The TV chef, 50, was undiagnosed in school which led to him struggling academically and feeling like he was a 'failure' 'I was lucky. What school eroded away, I found in the kitchen.' The dad-of-five was speaking ahead of the launch of his brand new children's cookbook series, Little Food Library, which is aimed at kids between two and four. His first four titles will launch worldwide on October 9, giving kids step-by-step recipes they can follow with their parents. Previously speaking about his childhood, Jamie revealed how he was cruelly called a 'stupid dunce' at school and his learning issues left him feeling 'worthless, stupid and thick'. Meanwhile, Jamie recently shared how his former model wife Jools is neurodivergent - after confirming that some of the couple's children have also been diagnosed. He spoke to Davina McCall on her podcast Begin Again and admitted Jools' condition can make life 'really challenging'. Jamie told Davina: 'She's quite in the background and she's done that on purpose. She's definitely the rock. 'She's got incredible instinct, she's incredibly kind, very funny. I love her to bits. I can't really talk for her but she has neurodiversities that make her life really interesting and really challenging. Opening up about his difficult days in school, Jamie said he was 'lucky' to discover cooking as his 'passion in life' at such an early age Jamie recently shared how his former model wife Jools is neurodivergent - after confirming that some of the couple's children have also been diagnosed The TV star shares daughters Poppy, 23, Daisy, 22, and Petal, 16, and sons Buddy, 14, and River, eight (pictured in 2016) 'Of course there's positives, but there's loads of things that, you know - she makes us the way that we are. And I'm very grateful for Jools and an amazing mum.' Neurodivergent is a term that describes people whose brains function differently, encompassing conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Jamie first met Jools when he was just 18 years old, with the pair saying 'I do' in 2000. In 2023 the couple renewed their wedding vows in a romantic ceremony in the Maldives with their children present. The TV star shares daughters Poppy, 23, Daisy, 22, and Petal, 16, and sons Buddy, 14, and River, eight. Jamie said how how he and Jools discuss their children in bed each night and have 'learnt to understand that their behaviour is because they're seeing things differently'. He added to The Sunday Times that being aware of their children's differences 'allows you to be a better parent'. And amid the conditions affecting members of his family, Jamie went on to joke that home life is 'bonkers', remarking: 'Imagine four neurodiverse people at the dinner table trying to get their point across.' He also went on to say that he feels attitudes towards neurodivergence are generational, noting that 'older people' tend to reflect on not having these issues 'when they were young'. Felicity Jones and Carey Mulligan were among the stylish arrivals as they headed to the Prada show on the third day of Milan Fashion Week on Thursday. The actress, 41, opted for a chic navy blue shirt dress as she headed to the runway event at the Italian hotspot. No stranger to impressing with her chic looks, Felicty opted for the simple all-blue look as she arrived for the show with her husband, film director Charles Guard. The Brutalist star accessorised her look with black pointed-toe heels with a white bow detailing, and a simple black handbag. Carey opted for a more androgynous outfit as she headed to the show in a white buttoned jacket, a pale blue shirt and loose-fitting black trousers. As ever, Prada was tipped as one of the most hotly-anticipated shows at this year's Fashion Week. Felicity Jones (left) and Carey Mulligan were among the stylish arrivals as they headed to the Prada show on the third day of Milan Fashion Week on Thursday The actress opted for a chic navy blue shirt dress as she headed to the runway event at the Italian hotspot With creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons at the helm, they pair combined their contrasting looks, fuss-free silhouettes and 'ugly chic', to create the Spring/Summer 2026 collection. Felicity recently discussed 'pushing back on expectations' and gender imbalance in the film industry as she graced the cover on Marie Claire in December. In the accompanying interview with the magazine, Felicity, who recently started her own production company said: 'There are always expectations about how one should be and its about pushing back on those.' After rising to fame in 2011's Like Crazy, she recalled the 'profound gender imbalance' during her early career likening it to 'walking onto a building site.' Felicity added: 'Young actresses could get easily pigeonholed. There would often be descriptions relating to appearance rather than character in scripts, but I have noticed people are more conscious of that.' She continued: 'Female directors need to have the funds to make films. But its been an extraordinary shift.' Last year, Felicity starred as Erzsebet Toth in historical drama, The Brutalist, a post-war epic about a Holocaust survivor attempting to rebuild a life in America. The actress was nominated for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar at the 97th Academy Awards for her performance in the film. The Brutalist star accessorised her look with black pointed-toe heels with a white bow detailing, and a simple black handbag No stranger to impressing with her chic looks, Felicty opted for the simple all-blue look as she arrived for the show with her husband, film director Charles Guard Carey opted for a more androgynous outfit as she headed to the show in a white buttoned jacket, a pale blue shirt and loose-fitting black trousers The actress showed off her elegant sense of style with the simple outfit Actress Eiza Gonzalez was joined by her boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov, with the actress posing in a sporty bomber jacket and a grey suede skirt Stranger Things star Sadie Sink was dressed in a far more laid-back look as she headed to the show, after the release of the fifth and final season of the Netflix hit The actress was dressed in wide-legged jeans, a black jumper and a white collared shirt, accessorising with pointed-toe heels Kerry Washington showed off her quirky fashion sense, as she departed her hotel for the show in a grey embroidered skirt The Scandal star teamed her outfit with a fuzzy brown jacket, a white handbag and burgundy leather heels Arriving on the arm of her husband Nnamdi Asomugha, Kerry was in high spirits as she headed to the show Maya Hawke displayed her endless pins in a tiny grey mini skirt, and a brown cropped top The actress carried a pale grey handbag, and black pointed-toe heels TikTok star Emma Chamberlain looked every inch the fashionista in a white mini skirt with a matching shirt, teamed with brown accessories Inspired by the Jean-Louis Cohen's book Architecture in Uniform, the film stars Adrien Brody as a Hungarian architect with Felicity playing his wife. Spanning decades, The Brutalist tells the story of Laszlo Toth and his attempts to pursue his art after the war in America. Adrien plays Toth. He lives in near-poverty until a wealthy industrialist, Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), gives him an important contract. Joe and Alessandro Nivola also star. The actor said it was a character and a story he felt an 'immediate kinship and understanding for.' His mother, photographer Sylvia Plachy, was a Hungarian immigrant who fled in 1956 during the anti-Soviet revolution to restart and attempt to build a life as an artist. Wearing a tiny, red, string bikini, and with a megawatt smile plastered across her face, there was just a whisper of air between Katie Price and her dance partner. But it wasnt her toyboy boyfriend JJ Slater who she was partying with under the Spanish sun at the exclusive O Beach club in Ibiza, rather engaged UFC fighter Conor McGregor. During a hedonistic few weeks on the Balearic island in June, wild parties raged on yachts, fights broke out on dancefloors and a very close friendship between the glamour girl and the sportsman was cemented. One, Im told, that raised many an eyebrow on the White Isle. While JJ, Katies boyfriend of 18 months, remained in the UK and before Conors partner Dee Devlin jetted over to join him, sources say the pair got on like a house on fire, bonding over their similar lifestyles and love of letting loose. Katie and Conor got on famously, says one source. They really bonded in Ibiza; they have both had some trying times in recent years so perhaps they had quite a lot to talk about. Conor threw an amazing party and we all know how Katie likes to have a good time. They had a brilliant time together. Everyone was talking about it - it was the chatter of the party. As well as hanging out at the VIP event alongside Wayne Lineker (Gary's brother) and actor Dean Gaffney, Katie, 47, also joined Conor, 37, for a party on the yacht he had chartered, which turned into an alcohol-fuelled, three-day event. The emergence of this close friendship displayed for the world to see in a series of Instagram snaps and effusive comments left some with their noses out of joint, namely reality TV personality, JJ. Katie Price and Conor McGregor pose for a photo together in Ibiza The Married At First Sight star, 32, was deeply unimpressed when Conor posted a photo of himself cuddling up to a bikini-clad Katie to his 47 million followers. And, to add insult to injury, the Irish fighter made it clear that it wasnt just a casual run-in with the star, intimately captioning the photo: @katieprice forever. For her part, Katie did little to downplay the connection, sharing the photo on her own account and describing her friend as a legend. The next thing JJ unfollows Conor. It all seems a bit over the top to do that just because Katie made friends with him, says our source. Despite this public show of disapproval, JJ and Katie have remained together and appear to have put the issue behind them. While JJ wasnt present in Ibiza, he and Conor met in person earlier this year when he travelled to Ireland with Katie. The glamour girl is said to have introduced her boyfriend to Conor when they visited his pub, having already established a friendship with the martial artist. Conor seems to be unfazed by the fallout from his Instagram photo, and he had other problems to deal with when his trip to Ibiza took a violent turn. Just one day after cosying up to Katie, the former UFC champion was embroiled in a physical fight with another partygoer at Pacha nightclub in the early hours of the morning. A video taken on June 17 by a fellow reveller showed the controversial star throwing punches at an unnamed man at 6am. He was later spotted sporting a red mark under his eye as he soaked up the sun on his yacht. Some days later he was joined by partner Dee and their children. Following his week of debauchery, McGregor settled down for a family holiday and they hopped over from Ibiza to Mallorca. Back in the UK, Katie has been focusing on her health, and this week told fans she had become slightly concerned by the fact she had lost so much weight recently. In a post on Snapchat, she told her followers that she didnt know why shed been losing weight, denying that she has been using weight-loss jabs. JJ Slater and Katie Price at the Paralympic Games launch in London in 2024 Ive been up early at the doctors so she could do some bloods and because my veins are so s*** they had three attempts, she said. They could only fill two tubes up, so Ive got to go back in two weeks. The mother-of-five started a relationship with JJ, who is 15 years her junior, in February last year, and while they are yet to take the next step and move in together, they seem to have moved on from the events of the summer. JJ rose to fame when he appeared on the Channel 4 dating show Married At First Sight in 2023, where he controversially swapped the bride he had been paired with for another. He met Katie soon after and, following the breakdown of her relationship with Carl Woods, the pair struck up a romantic relationship. The clothing brand owner has stuck by Katie during a tumultuous few months, during which a number of her exes have taken public swipes at her. Peter Andre, 52, to whom she was married from 2005 to 2009, recently released a social media statement saying he wanted to set the record straight about a 2019 court order that brought their two children under his care. He accused Katie of baseless accusations and lies in the wake of the ruling, which saw Junior, 20, and Princess, 18, come to live with him. Katie said she was very, very upset to have not been included in her daughters debut reality show The Princess Diaries, which aired earlier this year, claiming she had offered to take part in it for no fee but was turned down. Alex Reid, 50, who was Katies husband from 2010 to 2012, also took aim at his ex-wife by releasing a video of her which appeared to show her counting wads of cash soon after she declared herself bankrupt in 2019. While seemingly dodging bullets from all corners, Katie appears to still have the unwavering support of her devoted boyfriend if he can refrain from picking a fight with her new friend McGregor. Star Trek legend William Shatner made light of his medical emergency as he broke his silence after sparking health fears this week. Shatner, 94, who is beloved by Trekkies as the show's lead character Captain Kirk, was reportedly hospitalized for a medical emergency involving his blood sugar late Wednesday afternoon, sources with direct knowledge said. He was said to have experienced the health downturn while at his home in Los Angeles. The star was purportedly taken to a local hospital for evaluation, sources informed TMZ at the time. His agency Talent Works, however, later denied Shatner went to the hospital, according to ABC 7 News. The star took to Instagram Thursday to share a hilarious post captioned: 'Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.' He added: 'I over indulged. I thank you all for caring but Im perfectly fine.' Star Trek legend William Shatner made light of his medical emergency as he broke his silence after sparking health fears; pictured this June Shatner, 94, is beloved by Trekkies as the show's lead character Captain Kirk, whom he is pictured playing in 1966 at the height of the franchise's popularity The star took to Instagram Thursday to share a hilarious post captioned: 'Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated' Shatner still has multiple acting projects in the pipeline and appears at fan events, including a panel at Dragon Con in Atlanta only last month. The health scare comes over a year after Shatner revealed he is a cancer survivor, having previously being diagnosed with stage four melanoma. He explained that he had an operation and then underwent immunotherapy to treat the condition, although he did not disclose when, according to the industry publication Managed Healthcare Executive. In 2016 he received a prostate cancer diagnosis that turned out to be a false alarm, thanks to a drastic spike in his levels of PSA (prostate-specific antigen), a protein produced by the gland. 'That was really scary,' Shatner remembered to NBC News. 'I was told by a doctor I had a terminal disease. That I was going to die.' He attributed his elevated levels of PSA to testosterone supplements that he was taking at the time of his misdiagnosis, and that he has since stopped using. Shatner is best-known as the Starship Enterprise's Captain Kirk, whom he played through the run of the original Star Trek series from 1966 to 1969. The cast featured Leonard Nimoy as Spock, DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy, James Doohan as Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott and Nichelle Nichols as Nyota Uhura. Shatner reprised the part of Captain Kirk on the animated series and the first seven films, including the 1982 fan favorite Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Shatner still has multiple acting projects in the pipeline and appears at fan events, including a panel at Dragon Con in Atlanta only last month (pictured) He is also known for later career roles such as the title character on the 1980s police procedural T.J. Hooker and a beauty pageant master of ceremonies in the 2000 Sandra Bullock comedy Miss Congeniality. Shatner still enjoys a busy career with three upcoming projects on his IMDb, and his love life attracted speculation just last month when remarriage rumors started flying. His fourth ex-wife Elizabeth Martin, who at 66 is nearly three decades his junior, split from him in 2019 but reunited with him during the COVID-19 pandemic. This August they were spotted stepping out to lunch together at Jon & Vinny's in Los Angeles, and Martin sported a dazzling diamond ring on her wedding finger. Although they arrived in separate cars, they spent an hour together inside the restaurant before exiting, an onlooker told the Daily Mail. The pair were previously married for 18 years before finalizing their divorce in early 2020, with him paying her a $2 million lump sum in alimony according to the terms of their prenuptial agreement, TMZ reported. Shatner is an avid horse breeder while Martin is a retired equestrian, and in the divorce they evenly divided up their four horses, with the proviso that he was able to retain all their equipment for the animals as well as 'all horse semen.' The couple quickly reunited amid the pandemic, and last year he remarked that they were 'in effect remarried' despite not having sorted out the legal formalities. Rumors recently swirled that he has remarried his fourth ex-wife Elizabeth Martin, whom he split from in 2019 only to reunite with during the COVID-19 pandemic; pictured 2004 Shatner is best-known as the Starship Enterprise's Captain Kirk, whom he played through the original Star Trek series from 1966 to 1969; pictured in 1968 He stated that he and Martin were unlikely to officially tie the knot again, owing to pragmatic concerns connected to their divorce, in an interview with Parade. 'The reasons we divorced were many, but none of them had to do with distaste. It had to do with more practical things that I want to avoid happening [again], so thats what I did,' he explained to the magazine in March of last year. However by this February a source alleged that Martin and Shatner were planning to get legally married, via Radar Online, though his representative denied the claims. 'He was so lonely without Elizabeth. He has realized he doesn't want to be without her ever again, and she feels the same way,' said the insider. 'He can't stop gushing about her. They're like two teenagers in love.' It was said that the couple 'don't want a big fancy shindig this time around' and preferred 'a small commitment ceremony in front of just family and close friends.' Shatner's first two wives, whom he divorced, were Canadian actress Gloria Rand and producer Peter Lafferty's daughter Marcy Lafferty. He married his third wife Nerine Kidd in 1997, two years before she drowned tragically in their swimming pool at the age of 40 with alcohol and Valium in her system. In his memoirs, he described Kidd as an alcoholic who was drunk at 8am the day after their wedding and whose repeated rehab stints failed to result in lasting sobriety. Shatner's romance with Elizabeth Martin began after she joined the hundreds of well-wishers who wrote to him after Kidd's death, and he recognized her name because of their mutual involvement in horse circles, according to his autobiography. They tied the knot in 2001, and in the years since they got back together after their short-lived split, he has showered her with praise, for example calling her 'the zest of life' in a 2023 interview with The Mirror. Shatner is the proud father of three daughters, Leslie, 67, Lisabeth, 64, and Melanie, 61, all of whom he welcomed with his first wife. Keira Knightley was the picture of sophistication on Thursday night, as she shared a delighted embrace with co-star Hannah Waddingham at the premiere of their new film, The Woman In Cabin 10, at BAFTA Piccadilly. The actress, 40, dazzled in a vintage-inspired olive green gown, covered in embroidered flowers, intricate beading and sparkling diamond details. Elevating her striking look, Keira added two brown leather belts around her middle to highlight her tiny waist and sported a quirky lace ruff around her neck. Sporting black lace-up boots and a radiant palette of makeup, The Pirates of the Caribbean star beamed as Hannah, 51, arrived on the blue carpet. The Ted Lasso star set pulses racing as she slipped into a plunging denim dress that displayed her ample cleavage. The corsetted number clung to every inch of her enviable curves and boasted black beaded details on the pockets. Keira Knightley was the picture of sophistication on Thursday night, as she shared a delighted embrace with co-star Hannah Waddingham at the premiere of their new film, The Woman In Cabin 10, at BAFTA Piccadilly The actress, 40, dazzled in a vintage-inspired olive green gown, covered in embroidered flowers, intricate beading and sparkling diamond details Elevating her striking look, she added two brown leather belts around her middle to highlight her tiny waist and sported a quirky lace ruff around her neck Hannah posed up a storm and larked about for the photographers, sharing a warm hug with Keira and a sweet moment with co-star Guy Pearce. The Australian actor, 57, put on a dapper display in a velvet tuxedo jacket and navy blue trousers, with a simple white T-shirt underneath. Daniel Ings also scrubbed up well in a smart black blazer over a collared button-down and grey tailored trousers. While Norwegian actress Gitte Witt brought serious glamour to the premiere, as she arrived in a fashion forward iteration of the classic little black dress. Her off-the-shoulder number featured voluminous structured sleeves and left her long legs on full display. While, David Ajala stole the show, looking debonair in a royal blue jacket with a canvas trim and teamed with matching trousers. Keira stars as travel journalist Laura 'Lo' Blacklock, in Netflix's latest film, The Woman in Cabin 10, due for release in October. The psychological thriller is based on the bestselling 2016 novel by Ruth Ware, and follows Laura as she goes on a travel assignment on a luxury yacht. Late one night she witnesses a passenger being tossed overboard, only to be told that she must have dreamed it, as all passengers are accounted for. Sporting black lace-up boots and a radiant palette of makeup, The Pirates of the Caribbean star beamed as Hannah, 51, arrived on the blue carpet The Ted Lasso star set pulses racing as she slipped into a plunging denim dress that displayed her ample cleavage The corsetted number clung to every inch of her enviable curves and boasted black beaded details on the pockets Hannah posed up a storm and larked about for the photographers, sharing a warm hug with Keira While the Golden Globe nominee also shared a sweet moment with her co-star Guy Pearce on the blue carpet The Australian actor, 57, put on a dapper display in a velvet tuxedo jacket and navy blue trousers, with a simple white T-shirt underneath The Oscar-nominated star cut a playful figure for the photographers, throwing up several hand gestures from a peace sign to a heart While Daniel Ings also scrubbed up well in a smart black blazer over a collared button-down and grey tailored trousers While Norwegian actress Gitte Witt brought serious glamour to the premiere, as she arrived in a fashion forward iteration of the classic little black dress Her off-the-shoulder number featured voluminous structured sleeves and left her long legs on full display While, David Ajala stole the show, looking debonair in a royal blue jacket with a canvas trim and teamed with matching trousers Keira stars as travel journalist Laura 'Lo' Blacklock, in Netflix's latest film, The Woman in Cabin 10, due for release in October The psychological thriller is based on the bestselling 2016 novel by Ruth Ware, and follows Laura as she goes on a travel assignment on a luxury yacht (seen in film) Late one night she witnesses a passenger being tossed overboard, only to be told that she must have dreamed it, as all passengers are accounted for (seen in film) Guy plays Richard Bullmer in the film, with Hannah starring as Heidi, Daniel taking the role of Adam, Gitte starring as Carrie and David as Ben Pippa Bennett-Warner, Ayo Owoyemi-Peters, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Guy, Hannah, David, Keira, Daniel, Gitte, Art Malik and Christopher Rygh pictured at premiere (L-R) Guy plays Richard Bullmer in the film, with Hannah starring as Heidi, Daniel in the role of Adam, Gitte playing Carrie and David as Ben. While the star-studded cast also includes Kaya Scodelario, Art Malik, David Morrissey, Paul Kaye and John Macmillan. A decade after first writing the suspenseful story, author Ruth told Tudum that the plot was still resonant today because 'the fear of not being believed is perennial, unfortunately'. She added: 'Cabin 10, at its heart, is about a woman who experiences something wrong, reports it truthfully, and isnt taken seriously because of who she is. 'Too many people know what that feels like and I think we want vindication for ourselves as much as Lo.' And she also heaped praise on the 'amazing' cast and crew of the film adaptation, saying she felt her characters were 'in good hands'. Ruth gushed: 'Ive said in acknowledgements before that it takes a village to make a book, but what I learned going on set for Cabin 10 is that it takes a whole town to make a film its truly amazing seeing so many people working so hard on something you created. While the star-studded cast also includes Kaya Scodelario, Art Malik, David Morrissey, Paul Kaye and John Macmillan 'Its also a big leap of faith, of course like handing your baby over to strangers. But I feel Lo and company are in good hands.' A decade after first writing the suspenseful story, author Ruth told Tudum that the plot was still resonant today because 'the fear of not being believed is perennial, unfortunately' Dakota Johnson had another 'naked dress' moment as she stepped out in a risque lace gown at the 21st Zurich Film Festival on Thursday. The Materialists actress, 35, went braless in a striking blue lace gown that highlighted her toned figure. The intricate lace bodice flowed into a drop-waist skirt adorned with dramatic tulle detailing. Dakota appeared in good spirits as she posed up a storm on the red carpet before later taking the stage to accept the Golden Eye award. Her racy look comes after she left little to the imagination as she joined fellow A-listers at the Kering Caring for Women Dinner during New York Fashion Week in recent weeks. She showed off her racy dress from all angles, flashing her pert derriere in the process. Dakota Johnson had another 'naked dress' moment as she stepped out in a risque lace gown at the 21st Zurich Film Festival on Thursday The Materialists actress, 35, commanded attention as she went braless and slipped her hourglass physique into the dress for a dazzling cobalt blue red carpet moment The intricate lace bodice flowed into a drop-waist skirt adorned with dramatic tulle detailing To protect her modesty, the Madame Web star - who recently attended a glitzy gala with her famous mum - wore a black satin bra and thong underwear beneath her gown. Dakota - who split from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, 48, earlier this year - completed her jaw-dropping red carpet outfit with a pair of strappy heels. She began dating Chris in 2017, they got engaged years later, and ended their relationship in June. At the time, she said she's 'psyched up for sex' just shortly after her split. The duo had been together for eight years before their 'devastating' split with an insider recently revealing exclusively to the Daily Mail that 'their relationship has been over for a long time'. 'I don't have to psych myself up for sex scenes,' she confessed to Amy Poehler on Tuesday's episode of the comedian's podcast Good Hang. 'I'm always psyched up for sex.' The nepo baby also admitted she would have sex talks with her mum. She also recalled how the Working Girl star would teach her about how 'precious and important' sex is. Dakota appeared in good spirits as she posed up a storm on the red carpet before later taking the stage to accept the Golden Eye award Her outing comes after she left little to the imagination at the Kering Caring for Women Dinner during New York Fashion Week earlier this month 'My mum raised me to be really, really proud of my body and love my body,' the daughter of Griffith and Miami Vice star Don Johnson said. 'So I've always felt so grateful for that, especially in my work because I can use it and it feels real,' she continued. She also added that her mum has 'great t*ts' while explaining that she learned from watching her mother's self-love and how she embraced her own body. 'She's a generous person. She's extremely generous,' Johnson said about her mother. 'If you said to her, "I love your shirt," she'd take it off. 'Mostly because she loves to be naked and has great t*ts,' she added. Tillie Amartey put on a leggy display at the SHEIN VIP launch party for their AW London pop-up on Thursday, amid rumours she is in talks to replace Dani Dyer in the Strictly Come Dancing lineup. The Waterloo Road star, 22, who recently quit her role on the hit drama, is reportedly being eyed up as a late addition to the lineup, after the Love Island star fractured her ankle in training. And Tillie appeared in high spirits as she attended the party alongside pregnant Shaughna Phillips, Phoebe Tomlinson and Meryl Williams. The actress looked incredible in black leather hot pants and a matching Missguided Playboy jacket, teamed with strappy heels. Addressing the Strictly speculation, Tillie told Daily Mail: 'Its all sequins, sparkles and speculation at the moment but the Christmas special was very special for me. I had the best time. 'I would never say no to strictly. I will 100% clear my diary always, but Im a great believer in leaving it to the universe and obviously the main priority is Dani having a speedy recovery!' Tillie Amartey put on a leggy display at the SHEIN VIP launch party for their AW London pop-up on Thursday, amid rumours she is in talks to replace Dani Dyer in the Strictly lineup The Waterloo Road star, 22, had begun negotiations as a late addition to the lineup, after the Love Island star (pictured) fractured her ankle in training Elsewhere at the party, TOWIE stars Ella Rae Wise and Dani Imbert showed off their incredible figures in revealing outfits. Celebs Go Dating star Olivia Hawkins flashed her toned abs in a white crop top, teamed with a beige trouser and jacket co-ord. At the pop-up, which will be open to the public from September 26-28, guests will be able to shop new-season collections in women's fashion. Held at the iconic new tech-driven concept space, Future Stores, on Oxford Street, the venue merges media and retail with high-definition screens and interactive elements, offering a dynamic and engaging experience for shoppers. It was reported that the Tillie, who recently quit her role on the hit drama, had begun negotiations as a late addition to the lineup, after the Love Island star fractured her ankle in training. However, a source has told Daily Mail that no decision have been made about whether Dani will be replaced. An insider said: 'Tillie hasn't had any contact with Strictly Come Dancing. Bosses still don't know if they are replacing Dani yet.' Tillie, who had played Stacey Neville on the BBC school drama since 2024, took part in Strictly's Christmas special in 2023. The actress looked incredible in black leather hot pants and a matching Missguided Playboy jacket, teamed with strappy heels Tillie accessorised with oversized sunglasses as she arrived at the party Addressing the Strictly speculation, Tillie told Daily Mail: 'Its all sequins, sparkles and speculation at the moment but the Christmas special was very special for me. I had the best time' Tillie appeared in high spirits as she attended the party alongside pregnant Shaughna Phillips, Phoebe Tomlinson and Meryl Williams Shaughna showcased her growing baby bump in a blue satin co-ord Celebs Go Dating star Olivia Hawkins flashed her toned abs in a white crop top, teamed with a beige trouser and jacket co-ord Elsewhere at the party, TOWIE stars Ella Rae Wise and Dani Imbert showed off their incredible figures in revealing outfits Their co-star Elma Pazar was also in attendance Love Island's Jessy Potts showcased her abs in a plunging crop top and matching trousers Kaz Crossley put on a glamorous display in a black dress with a daring thigh-high split Abi Moores and Ella Barnes appeared in high spirits as they head home An insider had told The Sun: 'Tillie recently quit her role on Waterloo Road telling pals it was to make way for 'another big' project, which could be a game changer for her career. 'She's been making several trips from her Leeds home to London for discussions with TV execs in recent weeks. The feeling is that if she is filling the shoes vacated by Dani, the programme needs another young, glam woman to take her spot.' 'There is already an imbalance in the genders among the celebrities as there are nine men taking part and six women. It's essential the number of females taking part doesn't drop further, and they want to try and maintain a similar balance in terms of the variety of ages too. Tillie was partnered with Neil Jones for the Strictly Christmas Special, and at the time she said: 'I am feeling really overwhelmed, but so privileged to be part of such an amazing show. 'You can't say no to Strictly. I want to prove to myself and other younger people, that you can do anything you put your mind too. Yes I'm an actress and a presenter, but why can't I dance as well?!' Discussing whether she had any previous dance experience, Tillie added: 'When I was seven, maybe six, I did one dancing competition, because my mum was a dancer, and I did the competition, but then she asked me if I wanted to horse ride, so I took that instead as I didnt do too well... so Im going to say no!' Tilly missed out on the festival Strictly trophy to EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and his dance partner Nancy Xu. The actress also previously dated EastEnders star, and former Strictly finalist, Bobby Brazier, but they split in March 2022. Tillie has ruled out claims she is in talks to replace Dani Dyer in the Strictly Come Dancing lineup, after she was forced to pull out of the show due to injury It was announced on Tuesday that the Love Island star had withdrawn from the show after fracturing her ankle during training Bosses had hoped that Dani, who partnered with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin , would go far in the competition, but it was announced on Tuesday that she's been forced to withdraw after fracturing her ankle in training. In a statement, BBC bosses confirmed that the door would be left open for 'heartbroken' Dani to return next year, saying they 'hope to welcome her back to the ballroom in the future.' Dani is also the second star to pull out of this year's series before the first live show has even aired, as Game Of Thrones star Kristian Nairn withdrew from the lineup due to 'unexpected medical reasons.' The Daily Mail broke the news that Dani, one of the show's favourites, had to bow out on Tuesday, after fracturing her ankle during a training rehearsal on Friday. Dani later confirmed this in a statement and said: 'I had a fall on Friday in rehearsals and landed funny. I thought I had rolled my foot but it swelled up badly over the weekend and after an MRI scan yesterday, it turns out I have fractured my ankle. 'Apparently doing the quickstep on a fracture is not advisable (!!) and the doctors have said I am not allowed to dance so l've had to pull out of the show. 'To say I'm heartbroken is the biggest understatement. I am so going to miss dancing with Nikita but will of course be watching closely and cheering all the couples on.' Tillie played Stacey Neville on hit BBC drama Waterloo Road (pictured), but she quit the series earlier this year The accident occurred before Dani even got to perform one routine. Sarah James, Executive Producer for BBC Studios said: 'Dani has brought so much passion, joy and enthusiasm to Strictly, and her partnership with Nikita was off to the most sensational start. 'Everyone on the show is incredibly sad that she's no longer able to compete in this year's series. We send her all our love and best wishes for a swift recovery, and we very much hope to welcome her back to the ballroom in the future.' It's not been confirmed whether Dani will be replaced by another star in the Strictly lineup, though she is far from the first star who has been forced to pull out of the show due to an injury. Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman has joined the Cotswolds set - and can be found in her very own 'castle' in the heart of celeb land. Claudia, 53, quietly snapped up a historic manor house worth around 3 million some time ago and is now a part of the social set which includes film director and producer Guy Ritchie, the Beckhams and Jeremy Clarkson. A friend says: 'She and her husband have a long-term rental on a Cotswolds house. 'I understand they moved in three years ago and love having a bolthole away from the capital for holidays and weekends. On some levels it's no surprise, as her handsome Danish film producer husband Kris Thykier has been close friends with country-living enthusiast Guy Ritchie for years, and they are thought to enjoy shooting parties at Ritchie's Ashcombe Park estate. Ritchie bought that place when he was married to Madonna - and Kris and Claudia were among the guests at Guy and Madge's nuptials in Skibo castle in December 2000. Kris produced Madonna's film W.E., about Wallis Simpson in 2011. Claudia and Kris raised their three children - Jake, 22, Matilda, 19, and Arthur, 14 - in London, where they have a house near Marble Arch. Claudia said in an interview: 'I'm on telly sometimes, but only for two months in the year and the rest of the time, I zip around. For the rest of the year, I lick the children. TV presenter Claudia Winkleman has snapped up her own Cotswolds castle - worth around 3 million She and husband Kris Thykier (pictured left), the Danish film producer, are thought to enjoy shooting parties at Cotswolds neighbour Guy Ritchie's Ashcombe Park estate Ritchie (pictured) bought his Cotswolds property when he was married to Madonna - and Kris and Claudia were among the wedding guests 'I follow them around and I'm a very annoying human being to them. They say: 'Mum give us some space!' And I say: 'No!'. I'm awful. It comes from my own mum.' (That'd be former tabloid newspaper editor Eve Pollard.) Busy Claudia, said to be worth 9 million, will be on our screens weekly until December with Strictly Come Dancing, and from October 8 will also be seen on the BBC in The Celebrity Traitors, which features Alan Carr and Stephen Fry. She recently left the talent agency YMU and is now looked after by Little Arrow, which has been founded by husband Kris and her former agent Holly Bott. Kris, meanwhile, remains very active in the movie world and his latest film is the much-anticipated drama Is This Thing On? starring Bradley Cooper. It will premiere on October 10, at the New York Film Festival. He previously produced Kick-Ass, Operation Mincemeat and Luther: The Fallen Sun. Cracker Barrels troubles are now on the menu at its breakfast chain. The Southern comfort-food giant said last week it will shutter 14 Maple Street Biscuit Company restaurants, trimming back on a brand it once hoped would fuel its growth. Maple Street, founded in Florida 13 years ago, features high-end breakfast staples think $13 chicken biscuits, $6 lattes, and $12 hash bowls that include premium ingredients like apple butter and fresh goat cheese. Cracker Barrel bought the chain in 2019 for $36 million, when it had 28 locations, and expanded it to 68 at its peak earlier this year. But the bet hasnt paid off. Filings show Maple Street lost an estimated $16.2 million in value over the past year as sales lagged expectations. The closures leave 54 locations still open. It caps off a tough summer for Cracker Barrel that saw a disastrous rebrand a sales slump. And it is set to get worse. In its latest earnings update, Cracker Barrel warned investors that profits will fall next year. Maple Street Biscuit Company, a 68-unit southern comfort breakfast chain owned by Cracker Barrel, is closing 14 of its stores after missing sales goals Marco Rubio stopped by the restaurant chain's Jacksonville, Florida location during his 2016 Presidential run In that earnings update, the rustic-themed chain with 660 restaurants reported a $30 million sales drop from June to August compared to last year equivalent to 2.3 million plates of country fried steak. Bosses also forecast next years sales to drop four to six percent. They were the first results Cracker Barrel has reported since angering fans with a $700 million rebrand. The controversy began on August 19 when the chain debuted a new logo for the first time in 48 years. The redesign ditched the iconic cross-legged old man on a rocking chair in favor of a simple yellow background. The chain had also been swapping out farmhouse-style lattice wood in its restaurants for modern white walls and installing brighter ceiling-mounted pendant lighting. Critics say the changes stripped away the brand's character and charm, and customers vowed to boycott the chain a response that the recent sales slump appears to confirm. The backlash forced Cracker Barrel to reverse course on both the logo and restaurant redesigns. Maple Street Biscuit Company makes southern comfort breakfast options, including chicken and biscuit dishes, with premium ingredients Cracker Barrel attempted to modernize its brand with a sign revamp - but MAGA influencers labeled the change as 'woke' Cracker Barrel courted controversy with its new logo launched in August. It was simply text on a plain background rather then the old man and barrels on a pinto bean Cracker Barrel's stock dropped like a rock in after-hours trading. Investors punished the brand for a drop in profits, even though the company beat Wall Street expectations 'You've shared your voices in recent weeks not just on our logo, but also on our restaurants,' the company said. Critics compared the failed rebrand to Bud Light's Dylan Mulvaney fiasco. In 2023, the beer producer accidentally found itself in the limelight when it featured Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, in some of its advertisements. Shoppers revolted against the alcohol brand, sending sales spiraling for months. But Cracker Barrel may avoid that fate: experts tell the Daily Mail that the restaurant chain could benefit from all of the attention. 'Cracker Barrel has received a lot of publicity over the past couple of weeks,' Neil Saunders, a retail expert at GlobalData, previously told the Daily Mail. 'That is helpful for brand visibility, but it probably wont drive sales by all that much.' Surveys agree: a recent YouGov poll found that 65 percent of Americans were aware that the brand went through a logo change. But, only 29 percent of respondents said the changes made them less likely to dine there. 'We appreciate the continued patronage of the many guests who have dined with Maple Street at these 14 locations over recent years and thank our team members for their passionate dedication to Maple Street and focus on delivering delivered fantastic guest experiences day in and day out,' a spokesperson told the Daily Mail about its upcoming closures. 'We hope our loyal guests will continue to dine with us at our many other Maple Street locations.' Amazon has ended a two-year dispute with the federal government by opening up its wallet. The e-commerce giant reached a historic $2.5billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, two days after lawyers for the company and the government duked it out in court. The FTC claimed the online retail giant tricked customers into signing up for its Prime memberships and made it difficult for them to cancel. The Seattle company will pay $1billion in civil penalties the largest FTC fine in the agency's history. Amazon admits no wrongdoing in the settlement. Another $1.5billion will be paid to impacted consumers. Eligible Prime customers include those who may have signed up for a membership via the company's 'Single Page Checkout' between June 23, 2019 to June 23, 2025. Claimants will have to show they were unintentionally enrolled in Prime, or were deterred from canceling their subscriptions, the agency said Thursday. Then, they must show they barely used Prime benefits, like the app's video or music streaming. Shoppers with successful claims can expect $51. Amazon agreed to settle a lawsuit with the FTC over claims the company desceptively signed shoppers up for Prime accounts - the ecommerce giant didn't admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement Amazon must generate the payout in the next 90 days. The company will alert customers that they can file a claim. The trial in Seattle started on Monday after the case was filed two years ago during the Biden Administration. 'Today, the Trump-Vance FTC made history and secured a record-breaking, monumental win for the millions of Americans who are tired of deceptive subscriptions that feel impossible to cancel,' Andrew Ferguson, the FTC chair, said in a statement. 'The evidence showed that Amazon used sophisticated subscription traps designed to manipulate consumers into enrolling in Prime, and then made it exceedingly hard for consumers to end their subscription.' The company did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. As part of the agreement, Amazon shoppers will see a new page design when they make their next purchase. The company can no longer use the yellow 'No, I dont want Free Shipping,' button before a customer places their order. Instead, the company agreed it will change the webpage to include 'conspicuous disclosures' about its Prime memberships. Amazon customers who barely used the Prime benefits could be eligible for a one-time payout of $51 Amazon's CEO, Andy Jassy, has helped the company continue its massive growth trajectory Right now, a subscription to Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139 annually. During the company's last earnings call, it reported making more than $12billion on subscription services, including Prime. That was good for 12 percent growth over the previous quarter. Wall Street slapped Amazon on the wrist for the payout. Its stock price is down 0.5 percent today after the news. Still, Amazon faces a separate lawsuit from the FTC over claims that it collected troves of online data from its sellers, and forced them to sell on its marketplace. The company has also denied any wrongdoing in that suit. McDonald's latest menu gamble is dividing fans and some say it's a blatant copycat. The chain launched its limited-time Gold Sauce on September 3, inspired by South Carolina BBQ. Customers quickly took to social media to call it everything from 'a Chick-fil-A knockoff' to 'nasty tangy sugar.' 'It tastes like they are trying to emulate the Chick-fil-A sauce but without the depth,' a customer wrote on Reddit. 'Its just a sweet creamy sauce. That's about it. You get kinda sick of it before you even finish the sandwich.' Others admitted they liked it but only because it reminded them of the rival chicken chain. The sauce comes with new menu items including the Gold Snack Wrap, Bacon Gold McCrispy, and Bacon Gold Deluxe McCrispy. The Snack Wrap's return was a nostalgic play, nearly a decade after McDonald's discontinued it. McDonald's launched its limited-time Gold Sauce on September 3 McDonald's dropped a new Snack Wrap and McCrispy sandwiches featuring the sauce The rollout is part of a broader push to recover from slumping sales. McDonald's profits fell 3.6 percent in the first quarter, though sales have since rebounded 2.5% in Q2. To lure back budget-conscious diners, the company also relaunched Extra Value Meals on September 8 eight combo options that are about 15 percent cheaper than buying items separately. The deal includes classics like the Big Mac, Sausage McMuffin with Egg, and 10-piece Chicken McNuggets. Breakfast items come with hash browns and a small coffee, while other meals include medium fries and a medium soft drink. Two fan favorites got even steeper discounts: $5 for a Sausage McMuffin with Egg combo and $8 for a Big Mac combo. McDonald's became the poster child for high fast food prices last year after diners complained of Big Macs meals costing $18. The chain countered with its $5 four-item meal deal that launched last summer. '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. Many customers loved or hated the sauce because of its taste Besides menu changes, McDonald's is adding 900 new US locations by the end of 2027, and AI technology in thousands of restaurants. It also completed its biggest hiring push since 2020 this summer by employing 375,000 workers in the US. Meanwhile, America has lost its crown in the burger world. On Monday, the internationally renowned World 101's Best Steak Restaurants released its top 25 rankings for the best burgers that money can buy. The organization flew 21 experts around the world to sample more than 1,200 products. Testers, who visited restaurants and food trucks unannounced, evaluated each establishment on seven criteria, including meat quality, flavor, guest experience and online presence. Restaurants across Europe dominated the rankings, securing eight of the top ten spots. London was well represented with four venues. No outlets in the US where burger giants such as McDonald's and Wendy's reign, and birthplace of the beef patty made the top ten. Only four US restaurants - four in New York, and one each in Chicago, and Los Angeles - cracked the top 25. Grammy Award winner and nominee, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar. The American Songster. All of these describe Chicago-based folk roots musician Dom Flemons. But each description only scratches the surface of the person hes become. Flemons story begins in his native Arizona. After honing his craft in Flagstaff and earning an English degree at Northern Arizona University and finding the first of many musical mentors, Sule Gregg Wilson - he ended up in North Carolina. Speaking on the phone recently, Flemons reflected on the early days. A couple years back, NAU gave me an honorary doctorate, and so Im now a doctor of humane letters, Flemons recalled, and I thought when I got that, I thought to myself, Oh my gosh, the vagabond has returned. So I think if I think of myself back then, I would be very proud that I was able to have accomplished so many things. Because at that time, I think I was sort of an open book to what the future could be. I never tried to think of a limited vision of myself, but I also didnt necessarily think I was going to be able to get as many things done as I have, he concluded. Once in North Carolina, Flemons helped found the groundbreaking string band Carolina Chocolate Drops with Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson in 2006. The innovative group, which was nominated for two Grammy Awards and won Best Traditional Folk Album in 2011 for its album, Genuine Negro Jig. Still a vagabond at heart. He soon set off on a solo career. He has since released five albums, including his most recent, 2023s Traveling Wildfire. After a stop in New Orleans, Flemons is kicking off his current tour with four shows in New Mexico, including a stop Sunday at the Albuquerque Folk Festival and Tuesday at New Mexico Techs Macey Center. His show in Socorro, which kicks off NM Techs Presidential Chamber and World Music Series, is free to the public. Flemons will not only flex his musical chops at the Albuquerque Folk Festival, but he will also show his scholarly side with a workshop, Black Cowboys: Workshop & Song Share. The workshop will take the audience on a deep dive into songs from his Grammy-nominated album, Black Cowboys (2023, released on Smithsonian Folkways), as he speaks about the songs themselves, his research, and his process as a scholar and artist. Black Cowboys was a culmination of sorts of his musical exploration, which included early rock and roll, jazz, ragtime, jug band music, and traditional folk instruments. I picked up a lot of different traditional instruments like the quills, the pan pipes, and also the rhythm bones, the jug, he explained. These are all instruments that have their own histories outside of the more conventional instruments like the guitar and the banjo. And then of course a big part of the scholarship that I ended up being swept up in is the story of the Black cowboys, and so that became a whole other massive journey into Black western culture, which, of course, Ive been a part of being from Phoenix, Arizona. Ad Flemons added that, the extensive nature of all of the different facets of Black western culture was a missing piece he brought into his scholarly work and music. On his current string of shows, which runs through November, Flemons said he will be doing a really comprehensive overview of my whole discography. People are going to hear a little bit of the music I picked up in my travels going through North Carolina and the south, he said enthusiastically, adding that he will touch on songs from the Black Cowboys collection and his original material. It will be a panorama of all the phases of my career. In some ways, its interesting, you know? Ive been finding myself in a position like a musician, like Tom Waits, where Ive kind of come to my new variations phase where Ive done so many different phases, he said with a chuckle. Now Im sort of reaching into all of them at one time, which is interesting in many ways. Because it allows the audience to kind of go on a journey with me. For retired educator Vanetta Perry, her path was shaped as much by family and land as by classrooms and students. The rhythms of farm life irrigating fields, driving tractors, growing alfalfa and the sweet corn she once sold out of the back of her pickup have never left the chorus of her life, but for many years blended with her career as a high school administrator. As a kid her family moved from Oklahoma to farm and ranch in San Antonio. Her father put himself through school to become a dentist to support the property, and Perry grew up inheriting his love of agricultural science and life science. She earned her BS in agriculture with an emphasis in animal science from New Mexico State University, her masters of science in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry from New Mexico Tech, and her doctorate of education from University of New Mexico, all while raising three babies. My moms family came from West Texas. They were cotton farmers. My dads family homesteaded in New Mexico in the late 1800s. They were ranchers from Texas and moved into Grant County, she said. When Perrys family moved to Socorro County in 1969, she was just 11 years old. We bought a farm a couple of miles north of San Antonio and a ranch, and thats where I grew up. I married a local farmer, and we managed the ranch for quite a few years, she said. She raised crops ranging from alfalfa hay to sweet corn, which she proudly sold out of the back of her truck on the Socorro plaza long before there was ever a farmers market. Even as she worked the land, Perry pursued higher education. She earned her masters in chemistry at New Mexico Tech, where she later taught biology and led educational outreach programs. I was working with teachers and interacting with kids in those competitions, and was just passionate about education, she said. Her career spanned nine years with Socorro Consolidated Schools and two years as superintendent in Magdalena. As a spouse and a mother, particularly a spouse of a farmer and rancher, education is a great career, Perry said. We have the same holidays for the most part as kids in school and the flexibility is there in the summer if we need to do things with our kids. Beyond the classroom, Perry opened doors for students through international experiences. Ad I did five different high school projects for kids to Brazil, she said. Most of those kids, the greatest experience for them traveling was to go to the mall in Albuquerque. And to be able to travel out of the country those were really amazing. She also led groups to Cuba, Ghana, China, and Mexico, experiences that sparked her later career as a tour guide with Road Scholar and eventually inspired her own company, Soulful Traveling. These days, Perrys priorities are closer to home. My grandkids take precedence over pretty much anything in my life, she said. She has nine grandchildren that she delights in, along with seeing her daughter and sons carry on the agricultural tradition in with their own families in Nebraska, Montana and Socorro County. Perry said she was the middle child of four daughter and one son, and was raised to be independent and work alongside the men. Women are capable of doing anything that men can do, she said. Instead of saying, I worked like a man, I say, I worked like a woman. Her advice to future generations is simple: Put the phone down and get outside. Get your hands dirty. Though retired, Perry remains deeply connected to Socorro. I love New Mexico, and I love Socorro and Socorro County, she said. It breaks my heart when I hear people talk about how terrible it is to live here. We need to stay enthusiastic about where we live Socorro County is the center of our state, and it has so much to offer. During last weeks public hearing attendees raised questions regarding the municipal court caseload, the magistrate courts ability to take on more cases and how the funding would be used if the municipal court was dissolved. Mayor Ravi Bhasker said the city has spent a million dollars over the last 10 years supporting the court but he questioned the courts effectiveness on persistent issues like code violations and stray dogs. Bhasker said he was also concerned about the citys future budget. What I would pledge is to use that money to get another code enforcement officer and also help people clean up, Bhasker said I think a lot of people just cant do it. Theyre just poor. They dont have the equipment. Bhasker said if the municipal court is eliminated, cases would go to the magistrate court which is financially supported by the state. He said he has heard a concern the magistrate court is already at capacity but believed the city could always bring back the municipal court in the future. Municipal Judge Joseph Gutierrez said the court addresses a range of local problems, such as code violations, animal control and property maintenance. The courts ability to enforce local ordinances helps maintain community standards, said Gutierrez. If you drive around, you see the issue. Theres a lot of issues here, with the debris, things falling apart, Gutierrez said. He said the abandoned building behind John Brooks Grocery has caught on fire multiple times and has not been brought to his court. This strains city resources especially the fire department, he said. Gutierrez said he has spoken to the Magistrate Judge Felix Saavedra who told him magistrate court is already busy enough. Gutierrez said he wasnt sure why there has been a steady decrease of citations from the police department, code enforcement officer and animal control. He said in 2016 under Police Chief Mike Winders his court processed 2,313 citations and last year under Police Chief Angel Garcia he processed 1,350. City of Socorro Code Enforcement Officer, Chris Carrillo said since he started in his position the city has removed 100 tons of junk in peoples yards, averaging at 70,000 pounds a year. He said he didnt need to cite the property behind John Brooks because he was able to work with the owners to remove the building and the efforts to clean up the debris are ongoing. My philosophy for code enforcement is to work with the community, not against it, Carrillo said. Ad So the absolute last resort for me would be to write a citation. In doing research into alternatives to the magistrate court, one idea was to have an administrative officer that would hear all the cases, Carrillo said. I dont believe its not one person doing their job. I think its tough for Municipal Court with the process, Carrillo said, I think we have to rewrite the process, if possible. I think municipal courts hands are tied with that. He said citations are just one tool he uses to address code enforcement issues. Im not going to cite people just for the sake of citing people. Of course, if youre not going to work with me, I will cite you, Carrillo said. Bhasker said the committee will meet again to take a vote on their recommendation and at the next city meeting on Oct.7 the city council will vote on keeping or dissolving the court. If they choose to dissolve it will have to then be approved by the New Mexico Supreme Court. El Defensor Chieftain sent candidate questionnaires to Socorro County candidates for the upcoming election. Responses from candidates will run over the next several newspaper editions. Candidate answers to basic info were limited to 20 words and questions were limited to 50 words. Answers past the word limit are cut off. Socorro Municipal Judge Joseph E. Gutierrez Age: 65 Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Currently the Municipal Judge of Socorro, I retired from the New Mexico State Police. I started as a patrolman became Highest level of education: Criminal Justice Previously held elected office: No other Years of residency in Socorro: Born and raised in Socorro move away briefly for 12 years while working with the New Mexico State Police Have you ever been convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain. I have been blessed even though as a Juvenile I was told many times by my mom and dad t Ad 1. How can you ensure your fairness in adjudicating criminal cases? Any cases before municipal court the judge follows a judicial process guideline. He ensures the defendant understands the process, allowing the defendant to ask questions. The defendant is allowed three plea choices of guilty, not guilty or nolo contender during arraignment hearings, if plea is not guilty goes to trial. 2. What can the municipal court do to help ensure compliance of municipal ordinances? The court treats everyone equally when cited for a violation. Whether fines are imposed and paid in full or a payment plan, community service or working with the owner to remove and cleanup debris. The last resort is an arrest warrant for not complying with a court order. 3. Do you believe in alternative sentencing? I think all judges believe in alternative sentencing it allows courts to tailor sentences to the specifics of the crime and the individual, in some cases focusing on reform rather than solely on punishment. 4. What are the most important challenges facing the municipal court, and how do you propose to address them? The Municipal Court is currently facing abolishment by the City of Socorro. The court can only function properly if the local government officials, the Police Department, Code and Animal Control Enforcement work together to achieve what is best for the community. Instead of transferring these violations to Magistrate Court. Matias Serna, Jr (aka Robert Serna) Age: 72 Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Local business owner Highest level of education: High school plus 11.5 years NM Court Education Institute Previously held elected office: Years of residency in Socorro: Have you ever been convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain. 1. How can you ensure your fairness in adjudicating criminal cases? Using my 11.5 years prior experience as Municipal Judge of Magdalena, I will remain impartial and carefully review the details of each case. I will listen to all sides of the situation and base my decisions on facts and evidence presented to me. 2. What can the municipal court do to help ensure compliance of municipal ordinances? Follow-up is a crucial accountability step to ensure compliance. If community service is assigned, hours and data should be tracked. If drug tests are required, they must be completed in person, monitored, and held accountable for positive tests. Without monitoring and follow-up, non-compliance results in repetitive behavior and further crime. 3. Do you believe in alternative sentencing? Yes, 100%. Those who commit crimes are crying out for help due to addiction, abuse, and managing mental health concerns. Everyone deserves an opportunity to rehabilitate no matter what the circumstances. Alternative sentencing alleviates overcrowding, supports behavioral change, and contributes to safer communities by addressing the root causes of crime. 4. What are the most important challenges facing the municipal court, and how do you propose to address them? Locating financial resources through grant writing to help our community with drug addiction and drug related burglaries. The purpose of court is not to make a profit through fines, but to instill consequences for violators and get them the support needed to get their lives back on track. Tourism Northern Ireland hosted a Co Fermanagh learning journey this week for tourism businesses who are keen to make their offering more sustainable. The 11 businesses that took part in the visit to the Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark, which included The Guildhall, the Peacemakers Museum and Seamus Heaney Homeplace, are currently participating in the fifth cohort of Tourism NIs Sustainable Tourism Business Programme. Facilitated by The Tourism Space, in partnership with Ulster University, the programme aims to support businesses to become advocates for sustainable tourism experiences in Northern Ireland. Through the programme, the businesses gain a deeper understanding of sustainable tourism practices and are equipped with practical strategies to manage energy, water, and waste efficiently. Businesses who complete the programme gain a Level 4 Certificate of Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Practice in Destinations from Ulster University. Designed to build strong relationships, enhance knowledge, and establish best practices among participants, completion of the programme will ultimately lead to a thriving cluster of sustainable tourism businesses in Northern Ireland. The field trip took place as part of Tourism and Hospitality Week 2025. Celebrating one of regions most valuable industries, the dedicated week aims to shine a much-deserved spotlight on a sector which generates 1.1 billion for the local economy, supports 70,000 jobs across the region, and nearly 6,000 businesses. Supported by a host of key partners, the week, which runs until October 1, is made up of a series of engaging events for both industry and the public. The tourism businesses which took part in this weeks learning journey also included Indie Fude, The Sound Healing Spa, Killeavy Castle, Brack Tours, Carrick-A -Rede Retreat, Seamus Heaney Homeplace, Friels Bar Restaurant/ Gorta Heritage Centre, Ballyscullion Park and Croga Tours. During the familiarisation trip to Enniskillen, the group met with members of Cuilcagh Lakelands Geoparks Regenerative Tourism Business Network. READ NEXT: Educational partnerships celebrated at North West Business Awards Made up of 32 members, those who belong to the Network share the common goal of being a more sustainable business. The group made a number of stops during the trip including at Belmore Court & Motel, The Boatyard Distillery and The Firehouse. The group also enjoyed a trip along Lough Erne on the Island Discovery, a silent, all-electric eco-friendly motor experience, courtesy of Erne Water Taxi, and tried their hand at archery at community- centred Blue Green Yonder, an outdoor adventure centre. At each location, participants heard from business representatives about their ongoing action plans to enhance sustainability and shared learnings of their own experience. Maria McAlister, Interim Experience Brand Development Manager at Tourism NI, said: The field trip module of the Sustainable Tourism Business Programme is consistently mentioned as one of the highlights by participants. This immersive experience provides a fantastic opportunity to learn from other sustainable businesses across Northern Ireland, while connecting with like-minded operators making meaningful progress. Following the trip, participants will continue to develop their knowledge in areas such as accessibility and inclusion, sustainability storytelling, and carbon footprint measurement. By the end of the programme, each business will have created a tailored sustainability action plan and, after assessment, be awarded a Level 4 Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Practice in Destinations, accredited by Ulster University. With an increasing number of businesses completing the programme each year, this collective effort is helping strengthen Northern Irelands reputation as a sustainable destination on the global stage. The baby of the teaching staff when he joined St Oliver Plunkett Primary School in 1981, Brian McLaughlin retired as principal in 2018. Looking back over his 37 years in the school, Brian said he could almost date the photographs at the recent celebratory reminiscence event from the gradual fading of his hair from bright red to grey. Seamus Johnston was the principal of St Oliver Plunkett PS when it opened in January 1975, said Brian. The children all came from the old Enagh Primary School on Temple Road, on the way into Strathfoyle. The former chapel was down there as well, he added. St Oliver Plunkett PS was built to replace Enagh PS, and not before time; it had been built around the start of the Twentieth Century. Originally St Oliver Plunkett PS was designed to be open-plan. There were three classrooms around a shared area and there were no doors on any of the classrooms. The entrances were about 15 feet wide. That very quickly changed by September 1975 because teachers were saying, I cant hear what Im doing. Melodion doors were installed then. When I arrived, my mentor was vice principal Adrian Hegarty. I was teaching primary six and primary seven and I really enjoyed that experience. I applied for the position of principal in 1989 and was successful in 1989, which was a shock to me, never mind anyone else, laughed Brian. St Oliver Plunkett PS has always been very, very good at the community side of things, he added, especially because the chapel was beside it. Back in the day, the primary three, four, five, six and seven children were timetabled to go to 9 oclock Mass every morning. Most classes went to Mass once a week. Not only that, the parents and grandparents of the children were very much involved in the school. They were the workers, the dinner ladies, the cleaners, and that ethos of being a community school has continued on. That was always my way of thinking - St Oliver Plunkett PS was a school in the community, for the community, said Brian, who was also principal during the time large numbers of the Polish community made their homes in Strathfoyle. When I meet them now, they tell me it was great we accepted them so well when they came into the school, said Brian. We had a Polish helper in at one stage. She taught the children and helped with the language, he added. I recently met one of those Polish students on the train coming from Belfast. She has now qualified as a teacher. That was great to hear. One of my proudest memories as principal was the Save the Squirrel campaign organised by then vice principal, Peter Monaghan, as a result of which we succeeded in diverting the road into the then under-construction Westlake. Originally the developer intended to come up Judges Road but there was a Red Squirrel habitat there, so the developer had to go another way to get his houses built. Mr Monaghan and the pupils involved in the campaign received an environmental award in Belfast as a result, said Brian, who retired on the same day as Ms Mabel White, the St Oliver Plunkett secretary who worked at the school for an astonishing 42 years. Then there was another teacher, Aidan Hegarty who would be well known to older former pupils of St Oliver Plunkett PS for his love of English and poetry. He was a very special teacher. I still meet parents who compliment Aidan Hegarty and his poetry, added Brian. I had a great time at the school, he reflected, and I am delighted to see the development that has taken place there over the past seven years, in terms of the autism unit and the nurture unit. I would definitely endorse current principal, Mr Eamonn Moore, when he says the children in St Oliver Plunkett PS are looked after second to none. Derry hosted an exciting new chapter in digital innovation this week as Allstate Northern Ireland officially launched its North West Digital Hub at the Everglades Hotel. The launch also marked the beginning of the Allstate Future Innovators competition, a new educational initiative delivered in partnership with Software NI and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The programme will run across seven pilot schools in Derry and Strabane, providing 3,500 young people with the opportunity to develop their digital skills while engaging with important themes around road safety. Supported through a 30,000 grant from The Allstate Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit committed to empowering youth, digital equipment will be shared across participating schools. This funding will give students access to new tools and resources designed to spark creativity, encourage digital literacy, and build the future-ready skills that will shape tomorrows workforce. The competition, themed Code for the Road Safe Driving in a Digital World, challenges pupils to use block coding to create apps, games, or simulations that encourage safe driving habits. By blending innovation with social responsibility, the initiative aims to inspire the next generation of digital leaders while making a meaningful contribution to the community. Stephen McKeown, Global Vice President and Managing Director of Allstate Northern Ireland, said: "The launch of our North West Digital Hub represents a major step forward in our mission to support local talent and create meaningful opportunities for young people. Through initiatives like the Future Innovators competition, we are helping to build the skills and confidence that will power the regions future economy. The North West has always been a vital part of Allstate Northern Irelands story, and we remain deeply committed to its growth and success. We see talent in this region and the potential it holds to become a leading centre for digital innovation. The new hub strengthens our roots in the community and ensures that the North West continues to play a central role in Allstates future. Allstate Northern Ireland is proud to work alongside our partners and schools to inspire the innovators and problem-solvers of tomorrow." Lexie and Myles from St. Johns Primary School. Neil Hutcheson, CEO of Software NI, commented: "This is a superb example of industry, education, and community partners working together for the collective benefit. A key part of the Software NI mission is ensuring all young people gain the maximum number of software-related learning opportunities through school. "The Allstate NI commitment is significant it opens immediate opportunities for young people, whilst integrating valuable digital technology learning into the new NI Curriculum." READ NEXT: Work begins on DNA Maritime Museum at Ebrington Chief Inspector Celeste Simpson, Head of Roads Policing for The Police Service of Northern Ireland, said: Road safety isnt only for drivers its for everyone and that includes passengers, cyclists, pedestrians everyone who uses our roads, This is a brilliant and exciting initiative that will encourage young people to really think about road safety from an early age and understand how important it is and how they can have a positive impact on making our roads safer for everyone." 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. A barrister representing a twenty-three years old man from the Creggan area of the city who denies committing a series of road traffic offences today asked a judge at the Crown Court in Derry to adjourn the case to enable him to have continuing discussions with the defendant and with the defendant's father. The defendant, Eamon Caolan Moore from Lislane Drive pleaded not guilty at his arraignment before Judge Roseanne McCormick to a charge of perverting the course of justice by making a false claim to the police that a Vauxhall Astra car leased to him had been stolen. He's alleged to have committed the offence between April 30 and May 24 of 2023. The defendant also pleaded not guilty to failing to report a road traffic accident in which damage was caused, failing to remain at the scene of road traffic accident in which damage was caused and failing to stop at the scene of the accident. Those offences are alleged to have occurred on April 30, 2023. A defence barrister requested that the case could be reviewed next month. He said the defendant's father was in court and having consulted with him he said the assistance of the defendant's father was "invaluable". READ NEXT: Allstate NI launches North West Digital Hub and Future Innovators Competition Judge McCormick granted the application and adjourned the case for a review on October 17 and she also fixed a standby trial date of November 24. A pilot scheme in which pupils place their mobile phones in a magnetic pouch so they cannot be used during the school day has begun. Nine schools will take part in the programme which will involve more than 8,000 young people across Northern Ireland until March next year. Education Minister Paul Givan hailed the potential of the scheme during a visit to St Ronans College in Lurgan. He said: Since becoming Education Minister, Ive taken time to carefully review the evidence and listen to the concerns of parents, teachers and school leaders about mobile phone use in schools. There is growing unease about the amount of time young people spend on smartphones, and research increasingly points to a link between excessive use and declining mental health among adolescents. In response, I committed to piloting a phone-free solution that would prevent pupils from using their devices during the school day, helping them to fully engage with learning, social interaction and all aspects of school life. Mr Givan said countries around the world are taking action to reduce phone use in schools. He added: While some schools here in Northern Ireland have already introduced their own policies, I believe we need a consistent, evidence-based approach. This pilot will help us understand what works best and how we can support schools to make changes that benefit pupils, boosting wellbeing, focus and academic achievement. After a procurement process, Odyssey Education was appointed to supply lockable mobile phone pouches for the pilot and provide training, guidance and support for the pilot project. Mr Givan said: Pupils involved in the pilot scheme will place their phones in a pocket-sized fabric pouch with a magnetic latch that is sealed at the beginning of the school day and opened using a special unlocking base. This will ensure pupils cannot use their phones during the school day and will allow us to evaluate the impacts of reduced usage. I want to provide reassurance that flexibility will be provided for those students who need access to their smartphone during the school day, for reasons of health, disability or other needs. Kings College London has been appointed to carry out an external evaluation of the pilot. Mr Givan added: This is a pilot initiative, and every aspect of using lockable pouches during the school day will be independently evaluated by Kings College London. Their research will help us understand the real impact of reduced phone use in schools. I encourage everyone involved students, staff and parents to share their experiences openly and honestly over the coming months. I look forward to the valuable insights this review will bring, which will help shape future policy decisions. A report about the evaluation of the pilot scheme is due to be published next June. The nine schools participating in the pilot are Glenlola Collegiate, Bangor, Friends School, Lisburn, Hazelwood Integrated College, Belfast, St Genevieves High School, Belfast, St Josephs Boys, Londonderry, St Fancheas College, Enniskillen, Larne High School, Markethill High School and St Ronans College, Lurgan. The scheme had previously been criticised after Mr Givan said he had set aside 250,000 to pay for it. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long questioned the cost last year and said each mobile comes with an off switch which is absolutely free. 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. This annotated map underscores the critical role of the Baltic states for both the EU and NATO in shaping a coordinated response to Russian and Belarusian threats, reinforcing European security, and advancing the transformation of NATO and EU structures. The map is drawn from the study : Philippe Perchoc, Estonie, Lettonie, Lituanie : de la peripherie au centre du debat strategique europeen , Etude 125, IRSEM, juin 2025 . ESTONIA, Latvia, and Lithuania have long remained on the fringes of West European strategic concerns. Today, these three republics are on the frontline between the European Union and NATO on one side, and Russia and Belarus on the other. At the same time, they have gained strategic importance, seizing some of the most-desired positions in Brussels : that of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, held by the Estonian Kaja Kallas and that of Defense commissioner, held by Andrius Kubilius. The commentary of this map allows to introduce this shift in its geographical dimension. I. A frontline before the Russia-Belarus bloc Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania form together a European peninsula connected to the rest of Europe by the border between Poland and Lithuania, known as the Suwaki corridor. Contrary to the common thought, they are not small countries, as they cover all together the equivalent of twice Portugals size, yet with half of its population. Thus, the three Baltic nations are extensive in area, flat in terms of altitude (less than the Eiffel Tour with its aerials) and relatively sparsely populated. This creates numerous strategic dilemmas. Their Russian and Belarusian neighbours border them simultaneously : to the east via Estonia and Latvia, and to the east, south, and west in the case of Lithuania. The alliance between Moscow and Minsk is also problematic for the Baltic states, as it nearly doubles Russias contact surface with NATO : 917 kilometres via Russia and 801 via Belarus. Additionally, there is an important Russian-speaking population (22% in Estonia, 23 in Latvia and 5 in Lithuania), which is targeted by Russian propaganda and exploited in narratives aimed at destabilising the Baltic republics. II. Strengthening the protection offered by the allies In 2004, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were the only former Soviet republics to become member of NATO, and subsequently of the EU. Nevertheless, it took time for the level of protection provided by these organizations to increase, in correlation with Moscows steadily growing pressure on the region. Starting from 2008 and the war between Russia and Georgia, the Baltic states became alarmed by Moscows aggressive behaviour toward its neighbours. Since 2004, NATO has provided air policing for the Baltic states, but they have considered these measures needed to be reinforced. In the meantime, they made sure, sometimes against the prevailing mood, to join all European clubs : Schengen, eurozone. This strategy aimed at demonstrating their solidarity to benefit, in return, from the solidarity of the other Europeans. After the invasion of Crimea in 2014, NATO recognised the need to strengthen its eastern flank, thus investing in an enhanced forward presence, and sending NATO troops to fortify temporarily the conventional deterrence in the region. The United Kingdom became a framework nation for Estonia, Canada for Latvia, and Germany for Lithuania (with France fulfilling this role for Romania). It also included a new airbase in Estonia and Lithuania, used for air policing. III. At the heart of the regional strategic transformations The regional strategic situation has been deeply transformed by the war in Ukraine. The latter has prompted Lithuania to limit transports toward Kaliningrad, thus forcing Russia to use maritime routes for its militarisation effort in the enclave, increasing military traffic in the Baltic Sea. In addition, the entire Baltic Sea has been affected by the rising tensions : increased military traffic and hybrid attacks on infrastructures, particularly cables. The rising tensions led Finland and Sweden to abandon their neutrality to join NATO, both strengthening the alliances presence and requiring the rethinking of its defence plan for the region. At the same time, the Baltic states must face the need to rethink their defence model, largely based on NATO and their specific relationship with the United States, in a context of American disengagement. They now view in a more favourable way European advances in the field of defence, particularly since the key positions held by the Estonian Kaja Kallas and the Lithuanian Andrius Kubilius. They are investing massively in their military equipment, exceeding 2,5% of their GDP and moving toward 4 or 5%. Finally, this map illustrates the vital role the Baltic states play today for both the EU and NATO in providing a common response to the Russian and Belarusian threat, in reinforcing European security, and in transforming the EUs and NATOs apparatus. Copyright for the comment September 2025-Perchoc/Diploweb.com Plus Version francaise de la carte et du commentaire The HSE has announced that the chickenpox vaccine will be available for all babies from the age of 12 months old and it will be free of charge. Parents previously had to pay for the vaccine. Babies who were born on or after 1 October last year will be able to avail of the vaccine from their GP once they turn a year old as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule. However, the rollout is so far limited to children of this age group. Parents of children who may be slightly older will still need to pay for the vaccine. Speaking on Morning Ireland on Thursday morning, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at CHI Tallaght Hospital, Dr Ciara Martin said people have been "waiting a while for this." READ NEXT: Woman in her 70s has died following single-vehicle collision in County Kerry Although chickenpox is a common and mild disease for most children, Dr Martin explained there can be a number of complications associated with it such as skin infections, viral pneumonia and in rare instances it can affect the brain and nerves. The vaccine has been around a long time, despite the HSE only implementing this rollout now. Speaking on this, Dr Martin said: "It was felt that this is a good time to start it now, when we're just settling into a new schedule of vaccinations that will continue for the next five or six years. "It's been a little slow to come through, that is true, but I think that the focus is that we have it now. It's a safe vaccine. It certainly has been available for a number of years." Like with all vaccines, the aim is to eradicate chickenpox and gain herd immunity. However, Dr Martin explained that to do this we would need a 95% uptake and currently the uptake of childhood vaccines is around 85-90%, which she described as "concerning." The median age to buy a home in Ireland now stands at 40 and the average median income of those looking to buy a property is 84,400, according to a report published on Thursday by the Central Statistics Office. These bleak findings in the CSO's Characteristics of Residential Property Purchasers 2022-2024 report clearly show the housing crisis is continuing to impact people across the entire country, with the price of houses increasing year on year. Commenting on the release of the report, Kayla Farrell, Statistician in the Housing Division of the CSO, said: "Todays Frontier Release provides information about the characteristics of people who purchased residential property in Ireland between 2022 and 2024. Price paid, age, income, employment status, nature of occupancy, household composition, occupation, and citizenship are explored. Using Census 2022 data also provides additional insight into the people who bought a home in 2022." The report states that the average median purchase price for a home in Ireland increased from 327,000 in 2023 to 355,000 in 2024. Although everyone is feeling the effects of the crisis, some areas are dramatically more expensive than others. For example, the local authority of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown had the highest median home purchase price last year with a value of 660,000. In comparison, Longford was the county with the lowest median price at 182,200. When you take Local Electoral Areas (LEAs) into account, last year Pembroke in Dublin City had the highest median price of 820,000. Whereas the lowest median price among LEAs was in Carndonagh, Donegal at 147,500. READ NEXT: What's in store for Ireland as Hurricane Gabrielle tracks east towards Europe Of course, these costs are having a major impact on the demographic of those purchasing homes. In 2024 the national median income of residential property purchasers was 84,400, up from 80,100 in 2023, and 75,600 in 2022. The median age nationally for purchasers in 2024 was 40, which was unchanged since 2021. When you consider sole purchasers, the median age was 42 and for joint purchasers it was 38. According to the report, only a third of people bought a home last year aged 35 or under. The report included the point that when the last Census was conducted in 2022, 8% of people who bought a home had been living with their parents. The median income for purchasers aged under 35 in 2024 was 86,400. The national median income of joint purchasers last year was 101,200. There was also a notable decrease in the amount of homes bought last year. Nationally, 48,780 homes were purchased and this fell from 50,230 just two years previous. When it comes to the citizenship of those buying homes in Ireland, 76% of residential property purchasers were Irish, 2% were from the UK, 11% had citizenship elsewhere in the EU, and 7% had citizenship in an Asian country. A large number of women in business from across Louth gathered at the Fairways Hotel, Dundalk, on September 11th for AI on Your Terms, an interactive event hosted by Network Ireland Louth. The session, led by marketing strategist and consultant Tamara Howard, gave attendees a no-jargon, practical introduction to how artificial intelligence can be used to boost productivity and marketing impact in everyday business. Rather than presenting AI as a distant, expert-only technology, Tamara reframed it as a navigators toolkitsomething any business owner can use with confidence. Attendees were shown how to: READ NEXT: New self-care sanctuary opens in Dundalk, focused on beauty, wellness & relaxation - Write stronger, clearer prompts to get useful results. - Repurpose content across platforms to save time. - Use AI tools to improve research, productivity, and marketing campaigns. - Apply simple guardrails around privacy, accuracy, and tone of voice. The workshop mixed live demonstrations with hands-on exercises, giving participants a chance to experiment with tools directly from their phones. Key takeaways included a repeatable workflowbrainstorm draft validate shipand the reminder that AI is an ideas tool, not an answers tool. Tamara outlined shifts expected in the next 1218 months, including more integrated AI in everyday apps, agentic AI systems that can execute tasks with light oversight, and the growing importance of data accuracy and governance. Network Ireland Louth President, Nicola Connolly Byrne, said: Our members are curious about AI but also cautious. "This event gave them clarity, confidence, and a set of practical tools they can use immediately. It was about empowerment, not overwhelm. Network Ireland is a progressive, dynamic organisation supporting the professional and personal development of women. With over 1,200 members and a strong nationwide presence, the group holds regular events, workshops, and networking opportunities that promote empowerment and leadership for women in business. They are always open to new members joining, who can avail of all the supports and benefits available. It doesnt matter if someone is an established businesswoman or just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey. To join Network Ireland, go to www.networkireland.ie and become a member. People across Louth are being asked to support children living in poverty around the world by registering for Irelands Christmas shoebox appeal. A father living in Louth has told his story of living in poverty when he was a child and how special it was for him to receive a shoebox gift from another family. Adas Rakauskas, 37, never forgot the present he received as an eight-year-old as his family struggled to keep their heads above water. Every year the Louth-based dad makes these transformative gifts for other children. Originally from Lithuania, Adas is also urging people to join Team Hopes annual Christmas Shoebox Appeal by sending life-changing gifts to children affected by poverty around the world. We didnt have much food or good food, said Adas. Medically, we were all malnourished as children. I remember sitting at the table as a child for a meal and there was just bread or some carrots. At times we relied on neighbours to drop something in, so we were struggling, and it was tough on my parents from a financial perspective. Recalling the moment he was handed the gift as a child, he said: I remember all of us gathered in the village and there was a play. READ NEXT: Almost 600 volunteers in Louth remove an estimated 3.4 Tonnes of beach litter At the end, the shoeboxes were given to the children. We were very excited....I think there were pens and pencils and some stationery in the box. What struck me most was that someone had put this together. Now living in Drogheda with his wife Tracey and their children Elias, nine, Izabella, eight, and six-year-old Mikayla, Adass family box up the magic of Christmas by making shoeboxes for other children living in poverty. Team Hope, the charity that delivers gifts into the hands of children living in poverty across African and Eastern Europe, is calling on children and families in the county to get involved in this years Christmas Shoebox Appeal. As it marks its 15th year of the Christmas Shoebox Appeal, Team Hope is asking schools and employers as well as individuals and community organisations across the county to get involved by logging onto teamhope.ie. Since 2010, Team Hope has delivered over 2.8 million shoebox gifts and this year expects to surpass the three million mark. Often these gift-packed shoeboxes are the only festive presents children living in poverty in countries in Africa and Eastern Europe receive. A simple shoebox, often packed by children for children, carries not only toys and treats but also the invisible gifts of love and hope, said Team Hope CEO, Deborah Lowry. That kindness, travelling across oceans, reminds a child that they are not forgotten that someone, somewhere cares. In a world where headlines often highlight what is broken, the Christmas Shoebox Appeal stands as a powerful demonstration that the world is also filled with kindness. To get involved, see www.teamhope.ie Above: Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor representatives - Damien McConville, DBEC Programme Manager; Anthony Soares Director, Centre for Cross Border Cooperation; Elaine McAlinden, DBEC Partnership Officer; Thomas McEvoy, Director of Services, Louth County Council; and Cllr Robert Nash, Louth County Council The Centre for Cross Border Cooperation (CCBC) hosted its All-Island Labour Market: Challenges and Opportunities conference in Dundalk on Thursday 18 September. The event brought together employers, workers representatives, and business support organisations to examine the future of the labour market across the island. Dr Anthony Soares, Director at the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation which hosted the conference, said: Our expert speakers addressed a wide range of issues affecting labour mobility, including the cross-border recognition of skills and qualifications, tax and pension reform, workers rights, and the need for accessible information and independent support. Dr Soares highlighted how the conference showcased both the progress already being made in cross-border cooperation and the untapped potential that remains within the region. He also emphasised the Centres ongoing call for an official definition of frontier workers within the all-island context. Establishing such a definition, he argued, would enable policymakers to design targeted solutions that recognise the unique circumstances of these workers while ensuring that employers can access the skills they need to grow and compete. Speaking on behalf of the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor, one of the conferences co-headline sponsors, Cllr Robert Nash, Chair of Dundalk Municipal District, said: DBEC was delighted to support this conference and contribute to vital discussions on skills and labour mobility, a shared concern across the island. "The event provided an important forum to identify gaps in the skills ecosystem affecting both the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridors growth and the wider all-island economy. Discussions also highlighted the challenges faced by people living in one jurisdiction and working across the border in the other, reinforcing the need for continued collaboration to unlock the regions full economic potential. Paul Hannigan, VP for Cross Border Engagement at Atlantic Technological University (ATU), part of the North West Tertiary Education Cluster, the conferences other co-headline sponsor, added: The North West Tertiary Education (NWTEC) partners, ATU, Ulster University, North West Regional College and Donegal Education and Training Board were delighted to support the Centre for Cross Border Cooperations Annual Conference. "We see the CCBC as a key partner in breaking down the barriers to achieving greater economic prosperity for our cross border region. NWTEC aligned with key stakeholders in the region has the potential to establish the North West City Region as a significant growth centre for Ireland and Northern Ireland on a European and global stage. The conference keynote speaker was Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA, Minister for the Economy, who said: I was delighted to join the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation to discuss how we advance a more inclusive, skilled and connected all-island economy. "The recent All-Island Labour Market Study provides us with a fundamental base to better understand the challenges of cross-border employment, as well as the opportunities. My department continues to build on these opportunities, with programmes such as Assured Skills Academies, Skills Focus, and InnovateUs, all helping people across the North gain new skills, while our colleges and universities continue to work with partners in the South. "The conference discussions reaffirmed the critical role of collaboration in tackling our shared challenges and unlocking opportunity for workers across the island. Colin McCabrey, Director of Trade at InterTradeIreland, added: The positive cross-border economic landscape presents a strong foundation for future growth. Continued collaboration to enhance education and employment mobility is essential to fulfilling policy commitments across the island and driving long-term, sustainable productivity. Joining North West Tertiary Education Cluster and Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor as event sponsors were 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. Further information about the work of the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation can be found online at www.crossborder.ie Louth comedian and actor Deirdre OKane led Irelands biggest coffee morning on Thursday and reminded the nation there is still time to host one for your local hospice. The Drogheda native was in Our Ladys Hospice & Care Services in Blackrock, Dublin, to brew up a storm for Bewleys Big Coffee Morning for Hospice fundraiser. Thousands of similar events took place across the country, with the shared goal of raising 2million to support Irelands hospices. By hosting or donating to a coffee morning, you will help patients to live life as fully as possible whilst making the most of precious time with their family and friends, said Deirdre. Read Next: Louth TD welcomes progress on plans for new Statutory Homecare Scheme She also spoke of her deep personal admiration for hospices, her sister-in-law, Dr Fiona Bradley, received care before her death, aged 41. People can still host coffee mornings to raise funds for their local hospice on a date that suits them by registering at hospicecoffeemorning.ie and if you can not host or attend one, you can donate on the same site. 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 Cork Airport has renewed its partnership with the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival as part of its 2025 community fund. Now in its 47th year and worth an estimated 45m to the local economy, the festival will see an exciting programme of performances at venues across Cork city, including the airport. Announced earlier this month, the line-up for the October bank-holiday weekend includes Cymande, JP Cooper, Maverick Sabre, the Adrian Younge Orchestra, and Lee Fields and The Expressions. Irish talent features strongly in this years programme, with gigs by Tolu Makay, The Tumbling Paddies, Luke Thomas and The Swing Cats, and Corks very own The Sultans of Ping. The festivals Big Fringe will also bring jazz to the suburbs, Kinsale, and Cork Airport with live performances in the terminal on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There will be free, open-air performances on Emmet Place, and the Jazz Parade will add to what is shaping up to be another fantastic festival. Cork Airport has a long association with the festival since its foundation in 1978, with a plethora of famous faces passing through its doors over that time, including Kenny Ball, Ronnie Scott, Cleo Laine, Spike Robinson, Humphrey Littleton, and the Queen of Jazz Ella Fitzgerald. The airports managing director, Niall MacCarthy, said the festival has been an iconic events on the tourism and music calendar in Cork for decades. We are really proud of our nearly 50-year association with this wonderful feast of jazz, which brings visitors, both domestic and international to our city and region each year. Once schools have returned, we eagerly count down to the festival of jazz, and the craic and ceol in our airport and city. Fiona Collins, chair of the festival, thanked Cork Airport for its ongoing support. Were thrilled to continue our partnership with Cork Airport, whose continued support helps us welcome the world to Cork each October, said Ms Collins. The Cork Jazz Festival is a kaleidoscope of sound and colour, filling our streets, venues, and hearts with brass and joy. From world-class acts to spontaneous street performances, its a celebration of music that transforms Cork into a stage for everyone. Mayfield mum Leanne Thompson said it is heartbreaking watching her sons uniform gather dust as he has not been given a start date for the special school she had to fight to get him a place in. All children offered a place in East Cork Community Special School for the first time this coming school year are still awaiting a start date, including Ms Thompsons five-year-old son, Eldon. After all the fighting to try to get a place for Eldon, we were offered one in June, but its nearly October and we still havent gotten a start date. She said that works are happening to a new extension for the school and, despite the fact that her son will be attending the original school building, they cannot take any of the new students until the extension is ready. Ms Thompson has a two-year-old daughter who is in creche at the moment. Its heartbreaking seeing one child go to school but, because my son has additional needs, he cant, she said. Waiting on a start date puts off life for me too. He needs full-time care which is limiting me going back to work, even for a few hours, because I constantly have to be at home for him. You have to put your life on hold. She added that, while they have transport to take him to school, he will be getting used to things and doing shorter days for the first month. This means she will have to collect him, which will mean taking a bus and then a train. I need to figure all this out. I dont want to leave everything to the last minute to organise but, without having a start date, its impossible. This latest fight comes after a lengthy battle just to get the school place, she added. I had to go through a solicitor in Dublin, who fought tooth and nail to get him a school placement. I have a youth worker constantly emailing, CDNT advocating for us, TDs like Thomas Gould, and Im emailing the minister all the time its just a constant battle for his right to education, no parent should have to go through it. You get a glimmer of hope, then something else comes after. We felt so fortunate to get this place because I know some people who still dont have one. We just want to know are we going to be waiting until Christmas, after Christmas? He wont even get to do a full year in school. Im looking at my sons uniform in the wardrobe gathering dust, his sister going to creche. I was able to get her a place and start date. My son, who is at the age [where] he should be in school already, is being discriminated against because he has additional needs. Its not just stopping education, its stopping his social life, stopping him from interacting with other kids. Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould told The Echo: Once again, children with additional needs are forced to watch their siblings, friends, and neighbours start school. Their schoolbags gather dust. He said that a huge campaign by parents and families forced the Government to open new schools, but cynically these schools places are still not available. I am sick and tired of this response from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. I am sick and tired of plasters to cover gaping wounds when it comes to vulnerable children. A department spokesperson told Mr Gould that there was a significant expansion of East Cork Community Special School: My department understands that the expanded capacity for the East Cork Community Special School will open for students very shortly. A Cork city councillor has criticised the wait time to receive responses from Uisce Eireann related to water discolouration. Labours Peter Horgan reported discolouration in the Mahon area on September 12, and 11 days later, on Tuesday, he was told by the utility company that it understood the issue was a source of concern for your constituents. Uisce Eireann crews have repaired a major burst water main west of Glounthaune village, it stated. Glanmire East, Kilcoolishal, Caherlag, Glounthane, and surrounding areas may have experienced a water outage or low water pressure. Uisce Eireann operations manager Michael Bell said the utility understands the inconvenience that unplanned outages can have. The company added: Typically, it takes two to three hours following repairs for normal supply to be restored to all customers affected by an unplanned outage. "However, it may take longer for normal supply to be restored to customers at the end of the network or on higher ground as the system recharges. As a result of the outage, customers in Glounthane, Carrigtwohill, Cobh, and the Southern and Eastern divisions of Cork city may have experienced temporary water discolouration. Mr Horgan told The Echo he feels there is a growing sense of chaotic energy emanating from responses that I and local representatives are receiving from Uisce Eireann. Eleven days to get a definitive answer on the discolouration and pressure issues that impacted Blackrock, Beaumont, and Mahon is surreal, he said. To be refused costings on flushing regularity in Douglas is maddening over a number of months. Vague answers on capacity constraints in our pumphouses that are causing stenches in our community. This and more is why I, along with my colleagues in Labour, the Greens, and Social Democrats, want Uisce Eireann to rerun to answer questions at full council, but this time in public. We must get answers to rebuild confidence. Uisce Eireann added in correspondence with Mr Horgan: In the event of discolouration, running the cold kitchen tap for several minutes we recommend up to 20 minutes will usually restore the water to a clear colour. The water is safe to drink once running clear. However, as revealed in The Echo, the HSE sounded a note of caution on Uisce Eireanns claims regarding clear water, from a manganese perspective. The HSE said in correspondence seen by The Echo: Uisce Eireann must understand that the HSEs health advice is not based on the subjectivity of whether water is discoloured or not, but on evidence-based manganese concentration levels in drinking water in relation to health. The HSE emphasises that, if consumers in affected areas are being exposed to drinking water with manganese levels above 80g/l on an ongoing basis, then our immediate recommendation would be a do not consume notice. A Cork TD has said that the community pharmacy agreement 2025 marks an important step forward in the provision of healthcare across the country. The agreement, which was reached between representatives of Government and the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) last week, sets out a comprehensive pathway to modernise and expand the role of community pharmacists. Key features of the agreement include the expansion of services for patients, seeing community pharmacists playing a greater role in contraception, immunisation, bowel screening, and the safe return and disposal of unused medicines; further investment of 25m for the remainder of 2025 and 50m for 2026 to support fee adjustments, service development, and training; and a focus on digital integration to support national eHealth reforms, including the National e-Prescription Service and National Electronic Health Record. Speaking to The Echo, Kathy Maher, who is the chair of the pharmacy contractors committee at the IPU, said the agreement represents an excellent step towards greater healthcare across Cork. This [agreement] is the first step in a long number of years to get improvements on dispensing fees, which have been frozen since 2009, and also recognition of the key roles and skills of pharmacists in Cork to enable them to expand their practice, said Ms Maher. They [pharmacists] will now be able to provide services that they hadnt before, and the first one of those will be the common conditions service, which is a really exciting new service for people in the Cork area. The common conditions service is an acknowledgement and recognition of the clinical expertise of a pharmacist, and it will allow pharmacists to further use their skills and knowledge to provide people with the right access, right care, at the right time, and in the right place. This service will initially start with eight conditions, including allergic rhinitis, cold sores, conjunctivitis, impetigo, oral thrush, shingles, urinary tract infections, and vaginal thrush. Under these conditions, it means that patients can come in for a clinical consultation in the pharmacys consultation room, they [the pharmacist] will follow protocols and then, if necessary, they can provide treatment. If the pharmacist feels that a prescription medicine is the best thing to treat, they wont have to refer the patient to a GP or consultant which is the exciting part. Fine Gael Cork North Central TD, Colm Burke, said the agreement is an important step forward in building resilience and ensuring timely access to care for patients in Cork. He said: Community pharmacies, trusted by many and on the frontline of our healthcare system, will now be able to expand services, play a greater role in areas like immunisation and bowel screening, and will allow for the safe return and disposal of unused medication. Pharmacists looking to participate in the scheme have been asked to provide a formal expression of interest to the IPU by December 1, with a commitment to beginning the service before the end of March 2026. The seizure of 400,000 worth of cannabis by gardai at a house in Kerry Pike, Co Cork, resulted in a 23-year-old man being arrested and brought before Cork District Court today. Gardai allegedly seized 20 kilos of cannabis at the house at lunchtime on Wednesday. Detective Garda Derry OBrien testified that he arrested Rory McLaughlin and charged him with possession of cannabis and having the illegal drug for the purpose of sale or supply to others. The charges both relate to his home at Pike Lodge, Kerry Pike, Co Cork, on September 24. When arrested, charged, and cautioned at Gurranabraher Garda Station, Mr McLaughlin made no reply to the two charges. The detective said there was no objection to the accused being remanded on bail on conditions. Those conditions require him to sign on three times a week at Gurranabraher Garda Station and not to apply for any travel documents. It was confirmed that he had surrendered his passport already. Judge Mary Dorgan added: He should not leave jurisdiction without further order of the court. The defendants phone was seized as part of the investigation. Another bail condition requires him to get a new phone within 24 hours, at which he will be contactable by An Garda Siochana at all times. On the application of Sergeant John Kelleher, the case was adjourned by Judge Dorgan until January 15. The reason for the lengthy adjournment was because the suspected drugs have to be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis, and there is a backlog of cases. The DPP will then have to give directions. Solicitor Frank Buttimer was appointed to represent the 23-year-old on free legal aid. A group of local people came to the aid of a property owner in West Cork who found two men trespassing on his property, the district court has heard. Sergeant Tom Mulcahy said the incident occurred at Connonagh, Leap, Co Cork, on May 30, 2025. The court was told the owner of the disused pub, the Morris Arms in Connonagh, came upon two strange men at 5.50pm, who were trespassing at his property. The two men were at the rear of the property and did not have permission to be there. The owner said he was fearful the men may damage the building as there was a fire at the premises two nights previously that was caused by squatters. The owner asked the two trespassers to leave but they refused to do so and said they would leave in the morning. One of the men was identified as 60-year-old Tomas Zielinski, of no fixed abode. The court was told a few locals arrived, followed by gardai and the two men then left the property. Zielinski was arrested and charged with trespass contrary to Section 13 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994. The court was told Zielinski had five previous convictions, four of which were for being intoxicated in public. Defence solicitor Conrad Murphy said the building was effectively derelict and the area where the men were found was excavated from rock behind it. He said Zielinski had been living in Ireland for 12 years but still had very little English. He said the two men were heading back towards Cork from further afield that evening. He said Zielinski accepted he should not have been there and added his client had an alcohol problem. Judge Joanne Carroll said the fact the owner asked the two men to leave and they did not put a different perspective on the matter. She said: Trespass is one thing but when the owner asks you to leave and has to get the neighbours to help, its quite another. She sentenced Zielinski to three months in prison suspended for 12 months and also ordered him to enter into a probation bond for 12 months on condition he attends alcohol addiction treatment. An intoxicated man who was spotted urinating in the street in a Cork town has been convicted in the district court. Court presenter, Sergeant Majella OSullivan, told Youghal District Court that a member of the public reported a highly intoxicated man on North Main Street, Youghal, on July 29, 2025 at 9.45pm. Garda Lee Donnelly attended the scene but when he arrived the man was no longer on North Man Street. A short time later, the suspect, identified as Stasys Serbickas, aged 37, with an address at the Cork Simon Community was spotted on Catherine Street, a short distance away. Garda Donnelly told the court that Mr Serbickas was highly intoxicated, was staggering and proceeded to urinate against a wall. He was arrested for his own safety and the safety of others and taken to Youghal Garda Station. The court heard that Mr Serbickas, who did not appear at the hearing, had no previous convictions. Judge John King convicted Mr Serbickas of being intoxicated in public and fined him 200, allowing two months to pay the fine. A Cork man who was discovered lying drunk in the street between two parked cars close to a busy school has been convicted in the district court. Sergeant Majella OSullivan told Youghal District Court that Patrick OToole, aged 31, and with an address at Raheen Park, Youghal, Co Cork, was found lying in the road between two parked cars on September 9, 2025, at 1.45pm. The court was told OToole was highly intoxicated when approached by gardai and very unsteady on his feet. The court heard the location where he was discovered was close to a school which was busy at the time with parents collecting their children. The court was told OToole had 85 previous convictions including eight for being intoxicated in public. Defence barrister William Bulman said OToole, who lived in Youghal, had long-standing alcohol issues, and was currently unemployed. OToole said he had not drunk alcohol since he was arrested and aimed to seek treatment for his problem. Judge John King convicted OToole of being intoxicated in a public place and fined him 250, allowing him six months to pay the fine. An exciting new initiative was announced at the Cork Deaf Association HQ on MacCurtain Street on Monday, promoting the use of Irish Sign Language in the public sector. The organisation received a huge boost to their campaign from Rethink Ireland, who have contributed 65,000 towards it, and the team sounded dedicated and self-assured, as they delivered their plan to the attendees. Susan OCallaghan, Cork Deaf Association Advocacy Officer delivered an impassioned speech highlighting what the training will cover, namely Deaf Culture, Legal Obligations, Irish Sign Language, Supports and Communication. Ms OCallaghan noted: Now is the right time to celebrate everything thats been achieved up to now, adding that they were focused on rights and our inclusion in society. The Irish Sign Language Act was enacted in 2017, however, it was noted that not many people know what the act entails and that this needs to be more widely advertised to those in healthcare and in public services such as county councils. Ms OCallaghan pointed out that just 3% of public bodies report full compliance with the act, while only 5% of the Deaf Community rate public services as Good. She made it clear that ISL Interpreters must be qualified and accredited to ensure decent communication for those that rely on the language. Marta Sofia, Deaf Awareness Engagement Officer Coordinator, told us that they have, to date, trained up to 500 people in public services like the Passport Office and Revenue, in supports for their deaf customers and that This is a continuous development module. Project Lead, Brenda Quigg she had seen first-hand, the barriers that deaf people face every day, and that this inspired her to develop the module with the HSE and and Rethink Ireland. She aims to let HSE staff know about this training to help patients struggling to communicate. Ms Quigg noted that it is all about educating public services on the rights of deaf people. She highlighted the importance of understanding the barriers and taking practical steps to tackle them. I myself am deaf and on a recent hospital appointment, the nurse often called my name from around the corner, rather than facing me, which I can tell you, as someone who relies on a lot of lip-reading and facial expression, was an issue. Deaf people often need to see you because they cannot hear you. Ms Quigg pointed out how treating deaf people with respect and dignity, in a welcoming, acceptable environment makes for a big difference in their experience. She stressed that these steps are a right, not a favour and there should be no exclusion in healthcare. Deaf people should be respected and included.. In attendance on Monday was Cork TD and Minister of State for Rural and Community Development, Charities and Transport, Jerry Buttimer, who launched the project as part of International Week of the Deaf. Mr Buttimer is a long-standing good friend of the Cork Deaf Awareness Association and knew many of the community through his time working as a school teacher. He gave a heartfelt speech, stressing that we shouldnt have to be talking about being part of an inclusive society as it should have been achieved by now. He added: We have a duty, as policy-makers, to make our society an inclusive one, where we can all live together. He commended the Cork Deaf Awareness Association for their training of 500 staff, calling it an extraordinary achievement, and promised to emphasise the need for support for the Deaf Community in Ireland to Taoiseach, Micheal Martin. Minister Buttimer suggested it might be worth the while of members of the Oireachtas to learn ISL and be educated in what supports the Deaf Community need. He vowed: We will work with you to build on the work you have done, to raise awareness and educate people more, concluding that there is strength in being together. There will also be an online training platform for the HSE, which will see the upskilling of 10,000 HSE staff in the Cork and Kerry region alone. Irish Sign Language (ISL) is officially recognised as Irelands Third Language, as per the Irish Sign Language Act of 2017. The act reserves the right of the Deaf Community to preserve and develop the language. It also established the right for ISL to be used in any court and notes that it is the responsibility of the courts to do all thats reasonable to ensure that deaf and hearing impaired people are not at a disadvantage in this setting. The full text of the Irish Sign Language Act can be found in The Irish Statute Book. There was a powerful theme at this years launch, making it clear that there are no human rights without Sign Language dights, which shows that the language is about equality and meaningful inclusion I had a great chat with Terence Rea, Social Worker at Cork Deaf, and he gave me some advice about learning to swim, as a hearing aid wearer. Its exciting to know that is not something beyond the realms of possibility, which I had previously thought, and it looks like I will be learning ISL myself, in the New Year, at the HQ on MacCurtain Street. It was a wonderful morning of hope and togetherness. We are so lucky to have the Cork Deaf Association. Mallow actor cherishes role in film that shines a light on parenthood Sunphlowers is a new Irish film, produced on a small budget, but making a big impact. The film, written and directed by Dave Byrne, stars Anne McCrudden and Patrick Bergin, with Cork actor Abigail ORegan playing a significant role as Eva, a daughter trying to keep her family together in the aftermath of her fathers death. The films focus is on McCruddens character Catherine, whose life is turned upside down by the sudden death of her husband. While Catherine falls to pieces initially, it is up to Eva to hold the family together. ORegan says she was instantly drawn to the script. I read the script in 2024 and had the opportunity to audition. I really loved the story of Catherine and her journey, she said. I felt like it was a story of redemption, in a way. The relationship between Eva and Catherine felt heartbreaking and beautiful, and they go on a really lovely journey, which was the draw for me. ORegan says that as the only daughter in her family, she could identify with her character. I really admired Eva as a character. I felt a kinship with her. Im also the only daughter in my family, and I know the responsibility that role entails within the family unit. I am used to being the one who is on hand and to help out. Early in the film, we learn that Evas father was not the man she thought he was, as Catherine deals with the fall-out from a long-held secret. There is a deeply moving scene where Eva, who has held herself together for the sake of her mother and siblings, finally lets her grief out. ORegan says this scene illustrates the complex and varied relationships children have with each of their parents. It is a really beautiful scene, and it really highlights that the relationships you can have with each parent can be quite different and how the relationships your parents have together can change your relationship with one or the other, she said. There might be feelings of guilt or conflict, where you might feel like you need to pick a side. That scene portrayed the confusion and conflict that a relationship with your parents can cause, as well as the relief that comes from talking about it. The Mallow actor says getting the chance to work with the legendary actor Patrick Bergin was a privilege and an excellent opportunity to learn. Patrick is the most incredible gentleman. He brought not only an atmosphere of professionalism, but he was just a joy to have around, said ORegan. There wasnt a day on set with him that we werent in the dressing room singing and laughing. It was wonderful to witness him perform. It was such a privilege as a young actor to see such a legend transform into his character every day. ORegan began performing with Centre Stage School Mallow at an early age and had planned to have a career in musical theatre, but the pandemic sent her down a different path. I did musical theatre with Centre Stage in my teenage years. I started to think about giving acting a proper go, and my teachers were so supportive. I auditioned for drama schools in London, and I was accepted into a drama school called Bird College, a Dance and Musical Theatre college. I trained in musical theatre, and, part way through the pandemic, training transitioned online. It was both a blessing and a curse. I ended up doing a lot of screen acting through Zoom. I realised how much I enjoyed it, so during my final year of training, I pivoted my attention to screen acting. The pivot has worked. In addition to Sunphlowers, ORegan starred in the television show Spellbound, which was filmed over three months in Paris and another three months in Brussels, a dream experience for her. She also says her family have supported her acting ambitions from day one. My parents have always been massively supportive. I think they saw from such a young age how much I loved performing and being on the stage. They had an attitude of were going to try and make it happen, even though maybe they didnt understand the scale of things or how it all worked. They were always there and happy to learn what goes into an acting career, and they are always here to support. Im fortunate in that regard. ORegan hopes that people who see Sunphlowers will come away with the realisation that parents are people too, and not just mothers and fathers. It is important to remember that your parents have a life of their own, and they have dreams. Even though parents are in the later stages of life, there are still things that they would like to do. I want audiences to go away and have that conversation with their parents. Ask them if there is anything that they would like to do, or is there anything that they would like to pursue, and how, as adult children, we could support them in that? ORegan also hopes that Cork audiences will embrace the film. Cork is known for supporting its own, and I think its a wonderful film to go and see with your family, with your parents, with your siblings. It is really important these days that we make those trips to the cinema to keep those wonderful Cork cinemas alive and kicking. Sunphlowers is in cinemas from September 26. Cert: 12a British actor James Norton has said he worked hard to perfect his Dublin accent for his upcoming series House Of Guinness. Norton, 40, plays Sean Rafferty, foreman of the Guinness brewery, in the eight-part Netflix series from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. House Of Guinness brings to life the real scandals, power struggles and generational secrets of Irelands most famous family. The series reimagines the fallout from Sir Benjamin Guinnesss death, set against the backdrop of 19th-century Dublin and New York. The Happy Valley actor said he was adamant to get the accent right. I worked hard. I was aware that many actors have gotten it wrong, and the Irish are a proud bunch so if you get it wrong, you hear about it, Norton told the PA news agency. I worked hard and had great guidance from my fellow cast members. Norton, who recently starred in and co-produced historical drama series King & Conqueror for BBC One, said he learned a lot about 19th century Irish history from the Guinness show. Its always a privilege, and part of our job is being given the opportunity to explore periods of history we might not otherwise encounter, he said. For me, it was a massive revelation. I hadnt realised how influential the Guinness family was on Dublins architecture, or the extent of their welfare and philanthropic efforts, like the pensions and support they provided, which are portrayed in the show. They were also pioneers as a brand, becoming one of the first multinational drinks companies and dominating North America as the biggest beer brand of their time. It was both eye-opening and an incredibly thrilling journey to delve into all of that. The show explores the impact of Sir Benjamins will on the futures of his four adult children: Arthur, played by Derry Girls actor Anthony Boyle; Edward, portrayed by Enola Holmes star Louis Partridge; Anne, played by The Responder actress Emily Fairn; and Benjamin, portrayed by Normal People actor Fionn OShea. Boyle, 31, whose character is homosexual, said he drew inspiration from Irish poet and writer Oscar Wilde for his role. I looked a lot at Oscar Wilde, particularly because of the threat of someone finding out about your sexuality at that time and you could have resulted in 20 years of hard labour, which is essentially a death sentence, which is what Oscar Wilde was sentenced to, said Boyle. And reading a lot of his work, like the Ballad Of Reading Gaol. Boyle, who leads the series, said he is particularly proud that the programme showcases Irish culture. Im really, really proud Irish culture is having such an amazing moment right now on the global stage and I feel really, really proud of having artists like Kneecap and Fontaines DC being on the soundtrack. Its class. Knight, 66, who is writing the script for the next James Bond film, said the series ability to showcase Irish culture is like a Christmas present. Its not an effort to force it in, its already there. And then theres that whole generation of Irish music, along with this incredible generation of young Irish actors, he said. Knight added that the Guinness family provided an excellent stimulus for dramatic storytelling. I was immediately surprised no ones done this because the story is dynamite, the characters are so interesting and the dynamic of the family. Its all there ready for you, he said. Theres the reading of the will, which is a dramatic moment. Sir Benjamin Guinness leaves millions of pounds, along with land, lakes and castles. Yet his four children are all left unhappy with the terms. They must then go on and live their lives. Its fantastic. House Of Guinness premieres on Netflix today. Despite Elon Musk and Donald Trumps very public spats and seemingly still ongoing feud, the White House has remained committed to supporting the formers AI ambitions. And today, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it has reached an agreement with xAI that will allow it to buy Musks Grok AI models for $0.42 per organization. As part of the Trump administrations OneGov procurement initiative, the deal with xAI will allow federal agencies access to the Grok 4 and Grok 4 Fast advanced reasoning models. The 18-month contract is the longest OneGov AI procurement agreement to date. xAI announced its Grok for Government strategy earlier in the summer, which signalled its intention to provide the government with a suite of AI products, including custom models for national security, science and healthcare purposes. As well as opening its models for government use, xAI is also providing dedicated engineers to speed up the implementation of its AI tools for participating agencies, and will offer an "upgrade path" for expanded features and higher rate limits. Such access is a crucial part of Trumps AI Action Plan , designed to position the US as the global leader in AI. And his administration doesnt appear to have been put off by Groks bizarre behavior in recent months, such as its preoccupation with far-right conspiracy theories regarding "white genocide" in South Africa, or its brief but enthusiastic turn towards antisemitism. Google is asking the Supreme Court to step in and pause the ruling the company received in its lawsuit with Epic Games, according to a filing the company shared with Engadget. The company is making its request following a major legal loss to Epic Games in October 2024, which required it to open the Google Play Store to third-party app stores for a period of three years. Google is asking the justices to intervene by October 17, three days before the injunction Epic won starts to go into effect. The company hopes that after offering a stay, the Court will take up the case for a full review. Asking the Supreme Court for relief wouldn't have even entered the picture if Google's appeal hadn't already been denied by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals . The company's filing includes multiple technical reasons why the Ninth Circuit Court's ruling should be overturned. It also offers several examples why the original injunction Epic won is bad for Google, developers and consumers. Google believes the injunction "[creates] enormous security and safety risks by enabling stores that stock malicious, deceptive or pirated content to proliferate, and that it burdens developers with "constantly monitoring dozens or hundreds of stores that might suddenly carry their apps without their knowledge." The company also notes that the injunction will make it "substantially easier for developers to avoid compensating Google," for Play Store services that have nothing to do with payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the losing end of its four-year legal battle with Fortnite developer Epic, Google wasn't just ordered to open up the Play Store to third-party app stores, it's also no longer allowed to make deals around pre-installing the Play Store on phones or force developers to use its billing system. In contrast to Epic's case with Apple, where the developer only won a small, if meaningful concession, Google's loss gave Epic nearly everything it asked for. When both Apple and Google asked the Supreme Court to review their case last year, the court denied their requests without explanation. It's not clear if Google will get what it wants, but given the much larger changes it'll be forced to make if the injunction moves forward, it's possible the court could respond differently. Microsoft has ended access to its data centers for a unit of the Israeli military that helped power a massive surveillance operation against Palestinian civilians, according to a report by The Guardian. The company says that the country's spy agency has violated its terms of service. This surveillance system collected millions of phone calls made by Palestinian civilians every day in Gaza and the West Bank. The massive trove of data has been stored via Microsoft's Azure cloud platform, but the company just informed Israel's spy agency that this practice will no longer be acceptable. Microsofts vice-chair and president, Brad Smith, alerted staff of the move in an email, writing that the company had ceased and disabled a set of services to a unit within the Israel ministry of defense." He went to suggest that this included cutting off access to cloud storage and some AI services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do not provide technology to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians," he continued. "We have applied this principle in every country around the world, and we have insisted on it repeatedly for more than two decades. Microsoft came to this decision after conducting an external inquiry to review the spy agency's use of its Azure cloud platform. It also comes amid pressure from both employees and investors for the company to examine its relationship with Israel as it relates to the military offensive in Gaza. This reportedly started back in 2021, when Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella allegedly okayed the storage effort personally after meeting with a commander from Israel's elite military surveillance corps, Unit 8200. Nadella reportedly gave the country a customized and segregated area within the Azure platform to store these phone calls, all without knowledge or consent from Palestinians. While conflict has existed between Israel and Palestinian groups for decades, these platforms were built out a full two years before the the most recent escalation in violence, beginning October 7, 2023. The mantra when building out the project was to record "a million calls an hour." Leaked Microsoft files suggested that the lion's share of this data was being stored in Azure facilities in the Netherlands, but Israel allegedly moved it after Microsoft started its initial investigation. The Guardian has reported that Unit 8200 planned on transferring the data to the Amazon Web Services cloud platform. We have contacted Amazon to ask if it has accepted this gigantic trove of personal data. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order finalizing some of the terms of a deal to bring TikTok's US business under American control. The new TikTok entity will be owned by a group of US-based investors, while ByteDance will maintain a smaller stake in the new company and keep the app's algorithm. TikTok has faced more than a year of uncertainty about its future in the United States since former President Joe Biden signed a law last year requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban. In January, the Supreme Court upheld the law and TikTok briefly went dark just as Trump took office. Trump promptly signed an executive order extending the ban deadline for the app. (He signed off on a fourth extension last week.) Today's order declares that the plan to split off a US entity from the ByteDance-owned company will meet the requirements of the ban order. The executive order comes after a flurry of interest in TikTok from US companies and investors. Microsoft, Amazon, Perplexity AI, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian and YouTuber MrBeast were all reportedly among those vying for the business. Advertisement Advertisement Under the new arrangement, US investors will have a large stake in the US entity. CNBC reported that Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX would be part of a core group of investors that own 45 percent of the business. Trump confirmed Oracle's involvement, and also mentioned Michael Dell and Rupert Murdoch as investors as part of the deal. ByteDance, TikTok's current owner, will have a 19.9 percent stake and the rest will go to a group of investors that includes ByteDance's previous investors. Vice President JD Vance said the new company would be valued at around $14 billion. Oracle, which has previously partnered with the company on data security, will continue in its role overseeing the app's algorithm and security. The fate of the TikTok algorithm has been a major question. Some lawmakers have questioned the decision to license the algorithm from ByteDance. Earlier this week, both the Republican chair and Democratic ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party expressed concerns about any arrangement that doesn't put the algorithm squarely in American hands. Answering questions after Trump signed the order, Vance said to reporters that the deal ensures that US investors will have "control over how the algorithm pushes content toward users." In reponse to a question about whether the algorithm would prefer MAGA content, Trump lamented that although he would love for the platform to be 100 percent MAGA, it would in fact treat "everyone fairly." Trump described China as "fully on board" with the deal. Simon Cowell's appearance on "The Jennifer Hudson Show" on Sept. 22 has had people in social media abuzz not about what he said, but about the way he looked. The longtime judge of "American Idol" appeared on Jennifer Hudson's daytime talk show, strolling through the show's signature "Spirit Tunnel" before sitting down onstage. As per Atlanta Black Star, fans were quick to criticize Cowell's appearance as he danced down the hallway for a brief moment, with many commenting on his seemingly shorter frame and stiff dancing. One of them posted in the comments, "Why does it look like he's 4 foot tall? What a cutie patootie." Cowell was greeted in the studio with a musical chant from the crew. Whereas other guests tend to dance or joke around, Cowell's performance was down-low clapping and smiling. Welcoming the moment, a commentator commented, "Is this his first time clapping? Why is he clapping like that?" Another stated, "What's going on here? Lol I thought he was about to do a bunny hop." Even with the awkwardness, Cowell was addressing the tunnel experience with zest in his interview, as reported by NZ Herald. "I loved that," he said to Hudson. "I absolutely love it. I asked, 'Where did you come up with the idea?' and they told me the idea. It's like the best way of coming on the show, seriously, I've ever done in my life. Do you mind if I steal it for AGT?" Hudson responded, saying, "You know what, if you invite us to do it for you." Cowell then answered, "Done." Told to break out more moves, Cowell playfully refused: "You don't want to see that. You don't want to see that." Social media followers were frank in their comments on his physique. One user wrote, "No disrespect but Simon [is] looking like a real life bubble head." Another asked, "Is Simon okay?" Fans previously expressed skepticism over Cowell's appearance earlier this year in a promo clip for Britain's Got Talent. The 5-foot-8 media mogul was criticized over his facial features, prompting the comment section to be disabled on the post. Cowell has been open about his plastic surgery, such as a thread lift in 2018 and a resolution to discontinue Botox use by 2022. He's now concentrating on the "America's Got Talent" finale, with season 20's winner scheduled to be announced on Sept. 24. A former worker at the Department of Justice has leveled a blockbuster accusation that Jeffrey Epstein was a CIA informant who was protected from prosecution by U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies. The Justice Department has denied the charge in strong terms. According to RadarOnline, the remarks were made by Glenn Prager, a former DOJ program analyst, during a taped interview with Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe. WORLD EXCLUSIVE BOMBSHELL: Senior DOJ Epstein Investigator Reveals Epstein Was CIA Confirms R-pes Occurred While Bill Clinton Was on the Plane Says of President Trump, "Hes Protecting a Lot of Other People Hes Not Protecting Himself, Because Theres Nothing There" pic.twitter.com/nsokVW8ejz James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) September 24, 2025 "The [DOJ] didn't want to go after him [Epstein] because he's an asset for the United States and Israel," Prager said. "It's not talked about yet, but it's soon to come out that he was a CIA informant." The Department of Justice quickly denied Prager's allegations in a statement. "This individual worked at the Department of Justice as a program analyst over fifteen years ago," the DOJ stated. Official statement from the DOJ on our story: https://t.co/tZLbRAI8xI pic.twitter.com/9YWrQDhxsh James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) September 24, 2025 "He has no understanding of, or access to, the underlying facts in this investigation. His statements should not be considered accurate." The department also stated, "It is disgusting that someone would further exploit victims of sexual abuse by fabricating stories for their personal benefit." The accusations revive long-standing suspicions about Epstein's lenient handling in previous court cases. Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008 and spent only 14 months in a county jail work-release program, although there was ample evidence of abuse. Prager also asserted that former President Donald Trump had no direct engagement with Epstein's crimes. "He's protecting a lot of other people... He's not protecting himself, because there's nothing there," he said. "I've interviewed all the victims. There's never been an instance where Trump was on a plane with these kids and the rapes occurred." That assertion is contradicted by resurfaced public denouncements of Trump's prior acquaintance with Epstein. The two men can be seen together in a 1992 video interacting at Mar-a-Lago, and Trump once called Epstein a "terrific guy." Trump replied to renewed criticism, saying to NBC News: "I don't comment on something that's a dead issue. I gave all the comments to the staff.." Public reminders of their connection recently resurfaced in the form of satirical art installations featuring Trump and Epstein walking hand in hand. The Secret Handshake Project, the organization behind the 12-foot statues erected in Washington, D.C., referred to the work as a commentary on "Friendship Month." The White House dismissed the exhibit. "Liberals are free to waste their money however they see fitbut it's not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep," a spokesperson replied. Alexandra Grant, artist and longtime girlfriend of actor Keanu Reeves, is setting the record straight: the couple is not married. After a wave of social media buzz and unconfirmed reports claimed Reeves and Grant had tied the knot in a secret ceremony, the 52-year-old artist addressed the speculation head-on through a heartfelt Instagram post on Sept. 24. Sharing a candid photo of her and Reeves, 61, kissing at the Roden Crater art installation in Arizona, Grant made it clear the moment had nothing to do with a wedding. "This is a real photo," she wrote. "Not an engagement photo or an AI wedding announcement... simply a kiss!" According to People, the picture was taken after Reeves finished an interview with artist James Turrell for his Roku docuseries "Visionaries." Though the image stirred wedding rumors, Grant confirmed the couple had not exchanged vows. "I'm sharing it here to say thank you to everyone for the congratulations on our wedding. Except we didn't get married," she added. "Good news is much needed these days, but it's still fake news, so be careful out there!" Alexandra Grant embraces authenticity and humor amid marriage rumors with Keanu Reeves, revealing the complexity of love in the spotlight and the pressure to conform to public expectations. See the article at the link in our bio. pic.twitter.com/gd6E8qSXag Azat TV (@azattelevision) September 25, 2025 Keanu Reeves Not Married, Confirms Spokesperson Keanu Reeves' spokesperson also responded earlier this week, calling the reports "not true" in a statement, further confirming that the two are not legally married. Despite the marriage rumors, the couple's bond remains strong. Grant and Reeves have been together publicly since 2019, when they made their red carpet debut at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles, ENews reported. However, their friendship and creative collaboration go back even further. The pair first worked together on the 2011 book "Ode to Happiness," which Reeves authored and Grant illustrated. While they tend to keep their romance mostly private, Grant has occasionally spoken about their relationship and why it works. Speaking to People magazine in 2023, she praised the "John Wick" star for his work ethic and creativity. "He's such an inspiration to me," she said. "He's so creative, he's so kind. He works so hard." She also highlighted how they challenge and support each other, adding, "What I love about Keanu and our exchange is that we're pushing each other to build new roads." Conservative activist Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, reportedly turned to prayer after hearing about an alleged witch's curse days before her husband's assassination. Megyn Kelly made the shocking revelation on her SiriusXM show this week. Charlie, 31, was shot and killed September 10 during a student event at Utah Valley University. Police arrested Tyler Robinson, 22, who allegedly sent a text after the attack saying he'd "had enough of his hatred," according to NBC News. Reports of 'Curse' Shook Erika Two days before the shooting, Kelly claimed Jezebel published a story describing how staff writers had hired self-described witches on Etsy to hex Charlie. The writer of the Jezebel author revealed how they purchased a "Make Everyone Hate Him" curse and a "Powerful Hex Spell." One witch allegedly sent back a burned photo of Charlie as proof. "To ruin his day with the collective feminist power of the Etsy coven would be my life's greatest joy," the now-deleted article read, according to Variety. Following the attack, Jezebel added a note condemning the violence and later removed the story entirely, as reported by The Tab. Kelly told listeners that Erika and Charlie were aware of the piece before his death. "That news genuinely rattled Erika," Kelly said. "She loved Charlie, absolutely, and she was scared when she heard of the curses Jezebel had culled up." According to Kelly, Erika invited a friend over the night before the shooting so they could pray together. She later shared that she turned to Scripture during that moment, saying, "Weapons will form but not prosper. Satan and those witches have no power." Meanwhile, in a memorial speech before nearly 100,000 mourners, Erika said she forgave her husband's killer. "I forgive him because it was what Christ did. And is what Charlie would do," she said, adding that "the answer to hate is not hate." She credited the tragedy with sparking what her husband long hoped for, "We saw a revival [of Christian faith]." Questions Over Security The shooting has prompted scrutiny over campus security procedures. Event organizers typically cover extra security costs, and critics have questioned whether enough resources were dedicated to protecting the venue. One source told The U.S. Sun familiar with the planning said it is unclear whether the shooter "knew the layout" in advance or simply "found the right spot by happenstance." Charlie, known for leading the nonprofit Turning Point USA, built a following through debates with students on religion, culture, and politics. His outspoken evangelical views often drew criticism from opponents, including Robinson, prosecutors allege. Now, Erika is the CEO of the company, per CNN. Netflix is doubling down on its partnership with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, even as the Duchess of Sussex faces weak viewership for her lifestyle show "With Love, Meghan." Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos recently praised Markle's cultural reach, describing her as having "remarkable influence" during an appearance on the "Aspire with Emma Grede" podcast. Sarandos gave his support to the production of the previous series by calling "Harry & Meghan" one of "the most watched documentaries we've ever had." The comments come as Radar Online reports that Netflix is working behind the scenes to secure Harry's planned documentary marking the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death. Industry insiders told the outlet the show could be one of Netflix's biggest releases of 2025, even if it risks reopening old wounds for the royal family. "Harry's Diana documentary is seen as morbid but massively marketable," one source said. The report claimed Sarandos' praise was partly aimed at keeping the Sussexes loyal to the streaming giant. Netflix Bets on Sussex Projects Despite Criticism The couple's original $100 million deal with Netflix in 2020 resulted in the productions of "Harry & Meghan," "Heart of Invictus," and "Live to Lead." According to Forbes, their new agreement, which is reportedly a reduced first-look deal, remains in effect, allowing Netflix still to exercise its first-refusal right on their upcoming projects. Nevertheless, Markle's most recent venture has been suffering from a lack of viewers. Season two of "With Love, Meghan," featuring guest stars such as Chrissy Teigen and Tan France, has not debuted in Netflix's worldwide Top 10 and has received harsh reviews. Analysts say Netflix is willing to take that hit if it means landing Harry's Diana documentary. "It's no coincidence Sarandos is suddenly gushing about Meghan," a senior industry insider told Radar. "Netflix knows it will be ghoulish, but it will also be huge." Sarandos Doubles Down on Praise In the same podcast interview, Sarandos said Markle's influence extends beyond streaming metrics. He pointed to her ability to drive consumer interest, citing products featured on her show selling out. Netflix is also an equity partner in her lifestyle brand As Ever, which sells wine, jams, and other goods. "Hundreds of people broke down every frame of the trailer" for the Sussexes' 2022 docuseries, Sarandos said, adding that the project was "successful in every measure." Industry sources suggest Netflix's strategy is to keep Markle's projects on the platform while leveraging Harry's royal connection for global content. "Netflix doesn't want to lose that to another platform," a source added to Radar, describing Harry's Diana project as "exactly the kind of explosive, emotive content" the streamer wants. Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who accuse late pop star Michael Jacksonof sexually abusing them as children, are now seeking $400 million in damages, according to newly filed court documents. The high-dollar figure was revealed in a legal dispute involving Jackson's daughter, Paris Jackson. She has asked a court to block the estate from covering all legal fees tied to the ongoing lawsuits. But estate executors John Branca and John McClain argue that cutting off funding would threaten their ability to fight Robson and Safechuck's claims. According to PageSix, in the filing, the executors warned, "The Estate would likely have to default ... where [Robson and Safechuck] are seeking $400 million." They added that a default would have "disastrous" results for the estate, which is also managing several successful ventures like "MJ: The Musical" and an upcoming film about Jackson's life. Robson first filed his lawsuit in 2013, claiming that Jackson molested and raped him between the ages of 7 and 14. Michael Jackson's sexual assault accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck are seeking $400 million in damages over the alleged abuse, according to MJ's estate. https://t.co/IIWjotBYHF pic.twitter.com/YWjeIM8S36 TMZ (@TMZ) September 24, 2025 Michael Jackson Accusers' Lawsuit Resurfaces After HBO Doc Fallout Safechuck filed his own case in 2014, alleging Jackson groomed him for sex after they met while filming a Pepsi commercial when Safechuck was 10, US Magazine reported. Both men detailed their allegations in the 2019 HBO documentary "Leaving Neverland," which led to renewed public attention. Jackson's estate later sued HBO over the film, citing a breach of a 1992 contract. That case was settled in 2024, and HBO permanently removed the documentary from its platform. Michael Jackson's estate has long denied the abuse claims, calling them false and financially motivated. "The lawsuit has no merit and Michael is innocent," a spokesperson told sources. The estate's legal team also highlighted that Robson and Safechuck's claims had previously been dismissed but were revived after changes in California law allowed older abuse cases to proceed. Until now, the exact amount the two men were seeking was not publicly known. Safechuck is now 47 and Robson is 43. Their lawsuits target Jackson's companies, MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures. The companies continue to deny any wrongdoing. Originally published on Music Times Sean "Diddy" Combs is getting unexpected support from fellow inmates at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, where he has been running a weekly class while awaiting sentencing. Letters submitted to Judge Arun Subramanian and obtained by TMZ describe the 55-year-old music mogul as a source of calm and positivity inside the federal lockup. One inmate wrote that Combs makes it his business to do his best to make an impact. Prisoners Praise 'Free Game with Diddy' According to the outlet, Combs reportedly leads a session called "Free Game with Diddy," which covers topics such as entrepreneurship, business management, health, and personal growth. Inmates said the class has encouraged unity in the unit and even pushed some to take better care of themselves. Douglas Welch, 42, told the court that Combs "brings love into the Unit" and said the program inspired him to "go harder at my health journey." He also credited Combs with fostering a more peaceful environment, writing that Spanish and Black inmates "cook and pray together" since the classes began. Another prisoner, Quinton Davis, said the sessions include practical advice on entrepreneurship and life skills. He added that Combs urged the group to utilize "AI and Chat GPT" to enhance their research skills and find information. An official work performance review dated June 10 echoed those statements, rating Combs "excellent" as a tutor and encouraging him to "keep up the great work." More than 100 letters from friends and associates were filed with the court describing Combs as rehabilitated. Heres a list of Sean Diddy Combs character reference letters for his federal criminal sentencing. You can read all of them here: https://t.co/PScgnwQa0E pic.twitter.com/gcbngNGnY0 Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) September 23, 2025 Positive Impact Ahead of Sentencing In September 2024, Combs was taken into federal custody. Currently, he is being held at a federal detention center in anticipation of his sentencing on Oct. 3. He was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges last July, but on two counts of using the Mann Act to transport women sexually and for escorts to go to another state so that they could participate in drug-fueled parties. His attorneys have asked for a sentence of no more than 14 months, citing what they call "inhumane" jail conditions and progress in his recovery from substance abuse, as reported by Radar Online. According to the New York Times, Combs' lawyers are urging the judge to release him before the end of 2025. Prosecutors are expected to seek four to five years in prison and argue that the accusations of violence and coercion made by ex-girlfriend Casandra "Cassie" Ventura and another woman should factor into the sentencing. Originally published on Music Times Charlie Kirk's loved ones are angry over the use of private footage in Kanye West's new documentary, saying the film exploits the conservative activist's death. The two-hour documentary, "In Whose Name?," tracks West's personal and professional life using years of iPhone recordings. One clip shows a 2018 meeting between West, Kirk, and commentator Candace Owens. Kirk, then 24, is seen quietly listening as West and Owens debate politics. Kirk was fatally shot at a Utah student rally on September 10. His loved ones say the decision to include him in the film feels like a betrayal. But friends of Kirk's family say the reaction has been emotional. "Charlie is gone, and to drag him into Kanye's world of controversies like this is shameless," one told Radar Online. Another said the meeting "had nothing to do with the rapper's controversies, and now his name is being splashed everywhere." Those close to Kirk also told the outlet that his inclusion is "disrespectful and cruel" and accused the filmmakers of using his image to stir up headlines. Filmmaker Defends the Footage Director Nick Ballesteros has stood by his decision to keep the meeting in the final cut. He has described the documentary as an attempt to capture the "body text underneath the headlines," saying he wanted viewers to interpret it for themselves. "I didn't make this to tell a story of descent or unraveling," Ballesteros told the Los Angeles Times. "I made it to tell a beautiful, deep story of an American figure." Meanwhile, West, who had no editorial control, praised the finished product. In a text to Ballesteros shared on Instagram, the rapper wrote that watching it "was like being dead and looking back on my life." But Kirk's loved ones remain unmoved. One friend said they view the inclusion as "exploitation, plain and simple." Kim Kardashian's Reported Concerns The controversy does not end with Kirk's family. West's ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, is also said to be upset about her portrayal in "In Whose Name?," according to The US Sun. A source told the outlet that Kardashian feels "petrified" about what the film might reveal and is concerned about "something deeply personal" she cannot control. Kardashian and West divorced in 2021 after nearly seven years of marriage. The documentary reportedly shows a tense argument between the two, with West walking out. Insiders told the outlet that Kardashian worked hard to rebuild her image after the split and feels the film "tears that apart." "She has done a really good job of coming out of her marriage," the source said, adding that the documentary has left her "in a spiral." Kardashian has not commented publicly on the project. The film, directed by Ballesteros, was released in theaters on September 19. Originally published on Music Times Humanoids are considered to be the next big thing in robotics. The International Federation of Robotics has released a new positioning paper that provides valuable insights. - IFR - International Federation of Robotics (Informacion remitida por la empresa firmante) NEWS AKTUELL // Frankfurt, September 25th, 2025 The EUs automotive industry installed 30,650 industrial robots in 2024. This represents a 5% year-on-year decline. Six of the EU*s top ten vehicle-producing countries recorded double-digit losses. This is according to the World Robotics 2025 Industrial Robots report, presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The automotive sector is traditionally one of the strongest customer industries worldwide, accounting for around a quarter of all robot installations in 2024, says Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics. However, against this trend, the majority of EU*s car making countries cut back significantly on investment in robotics. Germany is the largest producer of vehicles in the EU and fourth worldwide with an output of more than 4 million units in 2024 OICA reports. The car sector in Germany used to account for more than 40% of the annual domestic robot installations. But these shares have fallen substantially over the last four years: In 2021, it was 35%, and in 2024, it dropped to 26%, with only 6,932 units installed. This marks a reduction of 25% year-on-year. EU*s Top 10 automotive countries The EU's other top 10 automotive countries cut robot investments in 2024 are: Spain as the second largest vehicle producer, installing 2,279 units in 2024, which is a decrease of 1%. The Czech Republic in third place with 1,116 units, down 28%. France in fourth place with 1,018 units, showing a 41% decrease. Slovakia on five installing 398 units, which is a 75% decrease. Italy on six, with 1,002 units and an 11% decline. Romania on seven has 248 units, down 50%. Hungary is a remarkable statistical outlier in the EU, ranking ninth in terms of vehicle production: Their automotive sector installed 3,573 industrial robots. The 305% surge is a direct result of major car industry projects, which accounted for 84% of the country's total robot installations in 2024. Those are usually between 1,000 and 2,000 units. Poland on eight installed 742 units, unchanged. Portugal on ten installed 289 units, a 4% increase. Outlook The EU's automotive industry is not expected to drive growth for the robotics industry in 2025. Lower-than-expected demand, particularly for electric vehicles, coupled with national and international political uncertainty, has caused companies in the industry to postpone investment projects. However, the trade and tariff agreement reached between the European Union and the United States in late July has given rise to hope. Regarding 2026, experts are widely uncertain about a return to growth. Nevertheless, there is a broader consensus that installation numbers will rise again in 2027 and 2028. Press release in English and German language and picture can be downloaded at: https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/ - Picture is available at AP - About IFR The International Federation of Robotics is the voice of the global robotics industry. IFR represents national robot associations, academia, and manufacturers of industrial and service robots from over twenty countries: www.ifr.org IFR - International Federation of Robotics Follow IFR on LinkedIn and YouTube Press contact International Federation of Robotics PRESS OFFICER Carsten Heer phone +49 (0) 40 822 44 284 E-Mail: press@ifr.org Growing up in northern Canada, Sol Mamakwa said his Indigenous community knew their land held valuable minerals, but he didn't understand the scale of the potential riches until later in life. "My grandparents, my parents, always said there will come a day when governments, settlers, will want access to these lands because of the minerals," Mamakwa, an opposition member of Ontario's provincial parliament, told AFP. "It wasn't until I got into politics that I started to understand what the Ring of Fire actually means," he said. The so-called "Ring of Fire" is a crescent-shaped stretch of territory in northern Ontario's James Bay lowlands, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) north of Toronto, believed to contain large quantities of the critical minerals needed to power new technologies, including electric vehicle batteries. The area likely holds substantial deposits of chromite, nickel, copper and platinum group metals -- minerals needed for products like cell phones and computers. Mining companies have been eyeing the Ring of Fire for years, but large-scale extraction in the remote area has not begun and would require major infrastructure spending, from new roads to logistics hubs. Pressure to get started has surged since US President Donald Trump returned to office. Trump's trade war and annexation threats have forced new discussion about Canadian sovereignty -- and the assets the country can tap to make it a global energy force, less reliant on trade with the United States. Prime Minister Mark Carney this week reaffirmed his view that US-Canada relations will not return to a pre-Trump normal. "We recognize what's going on. This is not a transition. This is a rupture," Carney said, listing critical minerals as one of the resources that can bolster Canadian economic might. "We are top five in 10 of the world's most important critical minerals. Forty percent of the world's listed mining companies are in Canada," the prime minister told the Council on Foreign Relations. Carney has named exploiting the Ring of Fire as one of the strategic projects his Liberal government would back to super-charge a Trump-threatened economy. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has emerged as a national cheerleader in response to Trump, has also vowed to fast-track Ring of Fire infrastructure -- to "protect" the province from Washington. Ford has said he was "ready to jump on the bulldozer" himself to build a road. - Tariff 'excuse' - Experts from Ontario's Western University in an article this month warned against underestimating the challenges ahead, including "opposition to new mining and infrastructure projects, particularly from some Indigenous communities." Mamakwa was born in Sioux Lookout, which falls outside the Ring of Fire, but could be a logistical base if mining ramps up. His provincial constituency, an area roughly the size of Italy, includes the mineral-rich crescent and the First Nations around it. He told AFP he resents how the federal and provincial governments have used the "tariff war as an excuse to access our land." Different First Nations have varying views about mining projects, but Mamakwa noted that none have been jarred by Trump's rhetoric. "Threats of annexation," he said, "are not new to First Nations people... Welcome to the club." Carney and Ford have promised mining projects will include broad Indigenous consultation and shared profits. Mamakwa said his constituents could be brought on board but were growing concerned officials will charge forward, regardless of their consent. "It's going to come to a head where they will have to use police to get us out of the way," he said. - 'Dominant player' - Wyatt Bain, an economic geology expert at Western University, told AFP Canada could become a "dominant player" in critical mineral supply, offering a counterweight to China, and a vital supplier for the United States. In the Ring of Fire "the economics look really good," and the daunting infrastructure challenges can be overcome, he said. But ensuring Indigenous support was essential, both to get projects launched and ensure they are durable. "For a long time, Indigenous nations simply did not have a seat at the table," Bain said. bs/des The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council has banned the sale, use and possession of kratom, an unregulated plant-derived substance that can have addictive properties from the tribes reservation in north-central Montana. The move, enacted via a Sept. 12 resolution, will criminally penalize retailers selling kratom products, which arent currently regulated at the state or federal level. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services did not immediately respond to a question about the potential penalties for retailers. Tribal Council member Lyle Rutherford said the council has not yet established criminal penalties for possessing kratom because the body must first figure out a mechanism to enforce it. We need to make sure we have enough law enforcement to do it, he said. Were supposed to have a discussion this week with law enforcement and the courts. Blackfeet officials said the move, an apparent first among tribal governments in Montana, is intended to prevent the proliferation of potentially addictive products that can have opioid-like effects. The tribe in 2022 declared a state of emergency for fentanyl and drug overdoses, citing 17 overdoses and four drug-related deaths in one week. The main component is we just dont want any of these forthcoming issues back on our plate, Rutherford said. Because if you look at Indian Country, or if you look across the nation, we have a nationwide issue when it comes to opiates. Kratom, often marketed as a mood stabilizer, has become widely sold in gas stations, vape shops and online. Some users have touted it as a way to transition off of using other substances, including alcohol and opioids. But kratom products are often synthesized, creating inconsistent chemical properties and potencies. Some health researchers have said that synthetic products particularly those with high levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH pose a higher addiction risk because of their effect on the brains opioid receptors. 7-OH products have recently come under fire by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration within President Donald Trumps Department of Health and Human Services. Officials there, including Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have said they intend to restrict access to those kratom derivatives through the Controlled Substances Act. In their September resolution, the Blackfeet tribal council emphasized the potential for dependence and withdrawal symptoms similar to those experienced with opioids. The resolution also noted the lack of current enforcement by the FDA. The Blackfeet Tribe Department of Revenue sent a notice about the ban to businesses that sell or promote kratom on Monday. British pig meat exporters are eyeing Vietnam as the next big growth market in Asia, with a new trade mission aiming to boost sales and widen the UKs red meat footprint overseas. The three-day visit, led by AHDB and supported by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), set out to give UK exporters deeper insight into Vietnams fast-developing market and to connect them with key contacts in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The mission comes as UK red meat exports, including offal, rose nearly 10% in the first half of 2025 to 966 million. Asia is now one of the fastest-growing regions for UK red meat, with markets such as China, the Philippines and South Korea already making up a large share of trade. Demand is especially strong for cuts and offal products less popular at home but prized in Asian cuisines. Pig meat is central to this growth, not only in volume but in helping farmers balance the carcase by finding value for lower-demand products. Although exports of pig meat to Vietnam remain modest worth just over 68,000 in the first half of 2025 industry leaders believe there is significant scope for expansion. Vietnams growing middle class, rapid urbanisation and high demand for pork, both fresh and processed, make it a promising target for UK exporters. Susan Stewart, AHDBs head of international trade development, said pork export work adds around 56 per head to the sector, underlining the value of diversification. Maintaining a wide portfolio of markets is key to ensuring the industry optimises the opportunities available, she said. She explained that Vietnam has a particular appetite for offal. The focus of the mission to Vietnam has been very much on offal products which are in high demand, she said, adding this shows the value of balancing the carcase and developing markets for products that dont command major demand domestically in the UK. British plants are already approved to export to Vietnam, and AHDB hopes to expand that trade while also strengthening links across Southeast Asia. Stewart emphasised the importance of understanding consumer trends and building in-market relationships, which she described as critical in helping our pig meat exports thrive. The Vietnam mission forms part of AHDBs wider international programme, which also includes participation in major trade shows, inward buyer visits to the UK and ongoing market access work for red meat and dairy. Stewart said AHDBs work overseas is well supported by the sector. AHDBs export work is highly valued by our levy payers and our aim is to build on the successes of recent years to help ensure our red meat exports continue to thrive globally. "Collaboration is key and we will continue to work with industry and government to help deliver tangible outcomes for the sector. A Nottinghamshire farmer who left more than 450 animals to suffer in filthy, overcrowded pens has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for life. Lee Hayes, 52, of Croftfield Farm in Skegby, admitted 25 offences under the Animal Welfare Act. District Judge Grace Leong said his deliberate and sustained neglect was harrowing. RSPCA officers and police raided the farm in November 2023 and uncovered animals living in shocking conditions. Dogs were found standing in their own waste, goats had overgrown hooves, cats were riddled with fleas and flu, and horses were left with untreated infections. Some animals were so ill they had to be put down on the spot. An elderly German shepherd was found tethered and unable to walk, while donkeys with rotting hooves needed emergency sanctuary care. In a two-day rescue operation, codenamed Operation Teal, 455 animals including dogs, horses, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds and even a llama were seized with the help of seven charities. Hayes told the court the situation had got out of hand, but the judge said he had ignored repeated warnings. He was jailed for 12 months, ordered to pay a 187 surcharge and faces RSPCA costs of more than 664,000. His partner, 33-year-old Tammy Heath, admitted two offences over the neglect of her dogs. She received a suspended sentence, a five-year ban on keeping canines, and 200 hours unpaid work. RSPCA Inspector Laura Baker said the scene was absolutely appalling and described it as one of the charitys biggest ever cases. Many of the rescued animals have now been treated and rehomed with the help of partner charities. A deprivation order was also made against Hayes for about 200 remaining animals, giving him six weeks to rehome them. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release Chemicals SubCategory Select Sub-Category The countrys fabric imports stood at $*,***.*** million in the first half of ****, with full-year imports reaching $*.*** billion*.** per cent more than $*,***.*** million in ****, according to sourcing intelligence tool TexPro. This steady rise highlights sustained domestic apparel manufacturing growth and greater reliance on imported fabrics. Indonesias fabric imports had witnessed a steep **.** per cent decline in **** compared to ****, when imports were valued at $*.*** billion. The fall was driven by weaker global demand, high inventory levels, and currency pressures. As a result, imports bounced back in ****, indicating industry restocking and revival of export-oriented production. The Filmfare Awards have always been about more than just trophies, theyre about memories, laughter, and unforgettable stage moments. One such moment came during the 52nd Filmfare Awards when Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Dutt lit up the stage with their signature wit, bringing back the beloved Munna Bhai vibes. It began when Shah Rukh Khan praised Sanjay Dutt for the impact of Lage Raho Munna Bhai. With a smile, SRK said, With the film, you have shaken up the country. He then playfully asked Sanjay if the famous chemical locha from the film, where Munna sees Mahatma Gandhi, happened only in the movie or if he could actually see Gandhiji in real life too. Sanjay Dutt nodded and replied, Yes, I can see Gandhiji in real life as well. In fact, I can even see him right now. He then pointed into the audience, leaving everyone in suspense. Thats when Shah Rukh Khan hilariously corrected him, saying, He is not Gandhiji, he is Yashji. Please wear your spectacles and see. The audience burst into laughter as SRK quickly added, You have not said anything wrong. Gandhiji is the father of the nation, and Yashji is the father of this industry. It was a witty, heartfelt tribute that blended humour with respect, showing why moments like these remain etched in Filmfares legacy. Watch the clip on our official Instagram handle: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Filmfare (@filmfare) Now, as Filmfare gears up for its milestone 70th edition with Hyundai and Gujarat Tourism, the stage is once again set to celebrate not just films, actors and directors, but the magic of togetherness and unforgettable memories. The awards are returning to Gujarat this year, and with voting already open, fans can once again take part in honouring their favourite movies. Actress Neha Sshetty shot for a special number for OG in Thailand. But surprisingly, it went missing from the gangster drama Song interrupting the narrative? Director Sujeeth was excited when he shot a special song on Neha Sshetty in OG. But at the edit table, he felt the song was interrupting the narrative T-High Court suspends price hike GO Pawan Kalyans latest release They Call Him OG released to great response from various quarters on Thursday. As much as fans enjoyed seeing their favourite star in action, they were also surprised to see a special song missing from the action entertainer. Actress Neha Sshetty shot for a special number in Thailand. At a filmy event earlier this year, the actress confirmed she shot for the peppy number. But surprisingly, it went missing from the gangster drama.Neha Sshettys song was one of the most-awaited numbers for its peppiness and grooving beats, at least that was how it was reported. Director Sujeeth shot the song lavishly at a pub in Thailand, and according to reports, it was a club song with many dancers in the background in action. However, the song was not released as part of the promotions either, perhaps why Neha Sshetty too remained silent. The development certainly disappointed the fans. Apparently, director Sujeeth was very excited when he shot the number, but at the edit table, he felt the song was interrupting the narrative.A source close to the film unit informs, Sujeeth was pretty kicked about the special track, but later he felt that the song was never in sync with the narrative. If he still tried to accommodate the number, it would be a forceful insertion subsequently affecting the entire flow of the story and mood of the film experience. Sujeeth discussed the matter with Pawan and later took the decision.After the Telangana government approved higher ticket prices for OG, (special price of Rs 800 for premiere shows) recently, the High Court of Telangana has put a hold on the government order (GO) on Wednesday. But by the time, many fans bought the tickets for the above said price. The matter has been adjourned to October 9 for the next hearing. North Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 24, 2025) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced and upsized non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $18,715,153 (the "LIFE Offering"). Pursuant to the LIFE Offering, the Company issued 58,484,853 units (the "Offered Units") at a price of $0.32 per Offered Unit (the "Issue Price"), pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption available under National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions. Each Offered Unit consisted of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.42 for a period of three years from the date of issuance. Lion One's CEO Ian Berzins stated: "We're very pleased with the strong demand we received for this upsized private placement. With the equity financing successfully completed today, we can now accelerate the purchase of several key pieces of underground mobile equipment and ensure the completion of the flotation plant in Q1 2026. With the addition of these components we will be well positioned to continue ramping up production at Tuvatu." The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the LIFE Offering to fund the development of the Company's 100% owned and fully permitted high grade Tuvatu Gold Project, repayment of principal and interest for the Company's loan facility with Nebari, and for working capital purposes. In connection with the LIFE Offering, the Company paid aggregate finder's fees of $703,468.15 in cash and issued 2,190,462 finders warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") to Canaccord Genuity, Couloir Securities, Golden Capital Consulting, Haywood Securities, Leede Financial, Red Cloud Securities, RedPlug, Research Capital, and Ventum Financial, in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") representing a cash commission equal to 7% of the gross proceeds raised from purchasers introduced to the Company by eligible finders and 7% of the aggregate number of Offered Units sold to purchasers introduced to the Company by eligible finders. In lieu of receiving $315,000 in cash, one finder received 984,375 Offered Units at the Issue Price. Each of the Finder's Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share at a purchase price of $0.32 per Finder's Warrant exercisable for a period of two years from the date of issuance of such Finder's Warrant. The Offered Units and underlying Common Shares and Warrants will not be subject to Canadian resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. All Finder's Warrants and any Common Shares underlying the Finder's Warrants will be subject to a Canadian four month and one day resale restriction in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. Completion of the LIFE Offering and payment of the finder's fees remains subject to final TSX-V acceptance. Certain subscribers under the LIFE Offering are directors and management of the Company. The issuance of Offered Units to directors and management of the Company constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). The transactions are exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of any securities issued or the consideration paid by such persons will exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. About Lion One Metals Limited Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lion One Metals Limited "Walter Berukoff" Chairman of the Board Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include statements regarding the anticipated use of proceeds of the LIFE Offering, the outlook of the Company following completion of the LIFE Offering and the final approval of the TSX-V. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including, with respect to the LIFE Offering; the conditions of the financial markets; availability of financing; timeliness of completion of the LIFE Offering; the timing of TSX-V approval; with respect to the use of proceeds, the sufficiency of the proceeds; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; fluctuating commodity prices; and competition, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267905 SOURCE: Lion One Metals Limited Beyond the Manuscript - Evrima Chicago NAPERVILLE, IL / ACCESS Newswire / September 24, 2025 / Snapshot Name Jozlyn Hall, MSW, PhD, PsyD Role Mitigation Specialist, author, consultant Base Waterford, Connecticut Notable work Inner Change Outer Impact (workbook, 2025) Focus areas Mitigation assessments, re-entry planning, treatment recommendations, trauma-informed programming When a manuscript sits on a desk, it is an object of paper and ink. When an author brings their life to bear on that manuscript, it becomes a ledger of experience, belief and consequence. In the work of Dr. Jozlyn Hall, those ledgers are precisely what she reads - not simply to critique prose or plot, but to map the human currents that produce both harm and hope. Dr. Hall's professional identity is not easily pigeonholed. Trained in social work and holding advanced doctorates that align psychological insight with religious and pastoral perspectives, she operates at the uneasy intersection of law, therapy and storytelling. That intersection has become the source of a distinctive practice: mitigation, an applied, narrative-driven discipline intended to place an individual's life in context for legal decision-makers, with the broader aim of restoring options and dignity to people entangled in the criminal justice system. This profile, prepared for Evrima Chicago's series Beyond the Manuscript, examines Hall's method, her published work, and the ethical and practical questions that arise when an author's life becomes both evidence and narrative. From training to practice: a multidisciplinary foundation Hall's curriculum vitae signals deliberate breadth. With a Master of Social Work as a base and doctoral training in psychology and religious studies, her education equips her to translate psychological assessment into a culturally and morally literate account of a person's life. That combination matters in mitigation work because judges, parole boards and clemency authorities rarely make decisions solely on diagnostic checklists; they respond to narratives that show causal pathways, risk reduction strategies, and credible plans for rehabilitation. Over more than a decade of professional practice, Hall has developed a model that blends clinical assessment with case management and restorative planning. Her work routinely covers psychological and substance-use assessment, developmental history, family and community context, and a structured re-entry plan that ties recommendations to measurable supports. This is not advocacy in the rhetorical sense; it is forensic, evidence-based narrative construction. Mitigation as storytelling and why that matters Mitigation specialists operate in a paradox. Their work must be rigorous enough to withstand legal scrutiny while remaining compelling enough to humanize individuals who, on paper, are defined by a conviction or a sentence. Hall's approach treats mitigating evidence as narrative: background trauma, systemic disadvantage, treatment adherence, vocational readiness - each element becomes a chapter in an explanatory account that helps decision-makers see beyond the moment of criminality. That narrative approach echoes larger trends in the criminal-justice reform movement, where storytelling is used as a corrective to dehumanizing statistics. But narrative alone is insufficient; it must be paired with documentation, corroboration, and concrete plans. Hall's practice, as she frames it in her work, insists on both. She does not merely describe hardship, she delineates the resources and programmatic interventions that can materially reduce risk. Notable contributions and public work Hall has moved beyond the courtroom into published materials aimed at practitioners and those she serves. Her workbook, presented as a trauma-informed program for justice-involved individuals, illustrates a pragmatic extension of her mitigation philosophy: healing and accountability as iterative, teachable practices. By offering structured reflection, curricula and certificate outcomes, the workbook reframes rehabilitative work as measurable and transferable, a critical move when convincing institutions to invest in re-entry supports. Hall's professional footprint also includes contributions to high-profile mitigation efforts where her assessments and reports have been part of commutation and sentence-modification advocacy. Such cases demonstrate the real-world consequences of mitigation work: when carefully constructed accounts and treatment plans are submitted alongside legal motions, they can materially affect outcomes. Methodology: assessment, corroboration, and re-entry planning A mitigation specialist's toolkit is pragmatic. Hall's reported practice includes comprehensive psychological testing, clinical interviews, collateral interviews with family and service providers, and the development of a re-entry or treatment plan tailored to the individual. Importantly, her plans emphasize measurable support: placement in specific treatment programs, vocational training pathways, and community-based supervision that ties individuals to resources rather than leaving them adrift. The methodology is designed to answer three questions judges and boards implicitly ask: (1) Who is this person beyond the offense? (2) What changed since the event or what circumstances explain the conduct? (3) If released or given a reduced sentence, what mitigations ensure public safety and support successful reintegration? Hall's documents aim to provide evidence-based responses to each question. Ethical contours and verification Mitigation is ethically complex. Specialists must walk a careful line between advocacy and factual accuracy. The credibility of a mitigation report depends on transparent sourcing: test results, treatment records, corroborated timelines. Any suggestion of unsupported claims can undermine an otherwise persuasive account. In Hall's case, the public profile lists multiple academic accomplishments and practical involvements. For users of mitigation services, and for institutions considering her reports, basic verification of credentials, licensure and published work is a reasonable due-diligence step. Hall's model, however, rests on the premise that narrative, when grounded in documentation, can correct judicial myopia without obscuring accountability. Impact beyond the file Mitigation work that succeeds in the courtroom can also ripple into communities. When well-designed re-entry plans secure housing, treatment, and employment, they reduce recidivism risk and create tangible social returns. Hall's instructional materials and curricula seek to replicate successful interventions at scale: a workbook completed in custody or during supervised release creates measurable milestones that signal readiness for increased liberty. Moreover, Hall's blending of pastoral counseling with clinical practice speaks to a broader cultural turn in rehabilitation: the recognition that spiritual or existential resources often matter in the work of change. By integrating religious studies and pastoral methods with social work assessment, her approach addresses dimensions of identity and meaning that conventional clinical models sometimes neglect. Critiques and open questions No profile is complete without scrutiny. Critics of mitigation sometimes argue that skilled narrative framing can be used to obscure additional harms or to tilt sympathy inappropriately. Others point to the variability of mitigation's effectiveness across jurisdictions: some decision-makers are receptive; others remain tethered to punitive norms. For Hall specifically, the dual doctorate profile invites further academic scrutiny: readers interested in citation trails, peer-reviewed publications, and licensure records should seek primary documentation. Transparency about methodology, institutional affiliations and the measurable outcomes of recommended programs would strengthen the claim that mitigation is not merely persuasive storytelling but a public-safety tool tied to evidence. Why an author profile matters here At Evrima Chicago, Beyond the Manuscript exists to uncover the human architecture that shapes an author's work. In the case of a practitioner like Dr. Jozlyn Hall, the manuscript is not simply a book or a report, it is the forensic portfolio she assembles for other people's lives. By examining her craft, we illuminate how narratives function not only as art but as instruments of mercy and civic policy. This matters because the stories that reach decision-makers determine who receives second chances, who gains access to treatment, and who remains confined without possibility. Understanding the mechanics of mitigation - the interviews, the corroborations, the measurable supports - helps readers evaluate how justice is administered and, crucially, how it might be reformed. Closing: the author as architect of redemption Dr. Jozlyn Hall is, by training and practice, an architect of redemption narratives. Her work underscores an uneasy but necessary truth: lawmaking and law enforcement are not the only authorities that define a life's meaning. In mitigation, narrative becomes a procedural tool that can reframe a person's arc from static culpability to dynamic possibility. Beyond the Manuscript will continue to examine authors whose work extends beyond pages into policy, care, and civic life. In profiling practitioners like Hall we ask the reader to consider how expertise, empathy, and evidence combine to change outcomes, and whether society has the will to let those changes hold. Editorial Team, Evrima Chicago Amazon Link Visit the official website of Dr. Jozlyn Hall Disclaimer This is a critical, opinion-based cultural analysis authored by the Editorial Team and reflects their personal editorial perspective. The views expressed do not represent the institutional stance of Evrima Chicago. The article draws from open-source information, legal filings, published interviews, and public commentary. All allegations referenced remain under investigation or unproven in a court of law. No conclusion of criminal liability or civil guilt is implied. Any parallels made to public figures are interpretive in nature and intended to examine systemic patterns of influence, celebrity, and accountability in American culture. Where relevant, satirical, rhetorical, and speculative language is used to explore public narratives and their societal impact. Readers are strongly encouraged to engage critically and examine primary sources where possible. This piece is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and published under recognized standards of opinion journalism. Editorial inputs contact: waasay@evrimachicago.com Evrima Chicago remains committed to a clear distinction between fact-based reporting and individual editorial perspective. PR & Media Contact Dan Wasserman pr@evrimachicago.com SOURCE: Inner Change Outer Impact View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/dr.-jozlyn-hall-mitigation-mercy-and-the-art-of-reframing-lives-1078017 EQS-Media / 25.09.2025 / 06:00 CET/CEST SHANGHAI, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 25 September 2025 - During HUAWEI CONNECT 2025, Huawei released the ISP/MSP Business Success Driven by RAMS White Paper at the summit themed "Powering the ISP/MSP Industry with All Intelligence and Resilience." The white paper introduces the RAMS framework-ROI, Availability, Maintenance, and Security, aiming to help ISPs and MSPs thrive with AI by transitioning from providing connectivity to offering intelligent services. York Yue, Vice President of Huawei, CEO of ISP & OTT BU, delivering a speech York Yue, Vice President of Huawei and CEO of ISP & OTT BU, noted, "AI is advancing rapidly. To navigate changes, data centers and ISPs must focus on three aspects. The first is to increase bandwidth to handle explosive traffic growth and changes in traffic direction. Second, they must optimize data center deployment to meet AI's strict latency requirements. Finally, they must enhance the five-nines (99.999%) reliability standard to ensure the stable operation of AI applications. Huawei is committed to collaborating with customers and partners, leveraging our cutting-edge AI technology and extensive industry know-how, to drive infrastructure upgrades and build a solid foundation for the intelligent world." Huang Dachuan, CTO of Huawei's ICT Marketing and Solution Sales Department, highlighted that to support 24/7, multi-scenario, real-time intelligent services, ISPs and MSPs must build intelligent networks for lossless transmission, ultra-high bandwidth, flexible expansion, and convenient deployment. "Driven by the vision of intelligence and resilience, Huawei has proposed the intelligent RAMS framework, which integrates flexible access networks, evolvable transport networks, and intelligent cloud platforms," said Huang. "RAMS allows for on-demand service expansion, automated O&M, and intelligent fault rectification. This boosts network reliability, security, and user experience." Releasing the ISP/MSP Business Success Driven by RAMS White Paper The ISP/MSP Business Success Driven by RAMS White Paper proposes the RAMS target architecture and draws on real-world scenarios to examine solutions for ROI optimization, differentiated service offerings, intelligent network operations, and high-reliability transport networks. Its purpose is to provide technical support for ISPs and MSPs to build intelligent, resilient networks, driving innovation and growth. Huawei has been providing cutting-edge products and solutions for more than 5,000 ISPs and MSPs across over 120 countries and regions. Looking ahead, Huawei will double down on its R&D investment in AI-network integration and work closer with customers and partners to promote the implementation and large-scale commercial use of innovative technology. Hashtag: Huawei ISP Intelligence The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. News Source: Huawei End of Media Release Issuer: Huawei 25.09.2025 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com EVRY (dpa-AFX) - Schindler Holding AG (SHLRF), a provider of elevators, escalators and related services, on Thursday announced that it has signed a Master Services and Supplies Agreement with Accor SA (AC.PA), a French hospitality group. The company said that the collaboration is aimed at enhancing guest experiences through technology-driven and tailored service solutions. The Master Services and Supplies Agreement covers nine strategic markets in Asia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It includes new installations, modernisations, maintenance, and servicing of elevators and escalators across Accor properties worldwide. Accor welcomed the agreement as a meaningful step forward in operational support across one of its fastest-growing regions. On Wednesday, Schindler closed trading 0.53% higher at CHF 282.50 on the Swiss Stock Exchange. On Wednesday, Accor closed trading, 1.27% lesser at EUR 40.33 on the Paris Stock Exchange. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 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. TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Hitachi High-Tech Corporation (HTHIY.PK) announced on Thursday that it has entered into a nollaboration, manufacturing, and supply agreement with ELITech Group S.p.A. to advance molecular testing for infectious diseases. The collaboration aims to create a flexible PCR platform designed to improve operational efficiency in microbiology and virology laboratories. The System supports continuous sample and reagent loading, random access, and end-to-end automation from sample preparation to measurement. Hitachi High-Tech brings expertise in development and technical capabilities, including photometric analysis and automation, key technologies behind its life sciences and diagnostic portfolio. ELITech contributes its fully automated PCR testing systems and a broad reagent portfolio for the European market, with particular strength across a wide range of test items. The companies have been jointly developing fully automated PCR testing system primarily for the diagnosis and monitoring treatment of infectious diseases. Under the agreement, Hitachi High-Tech will supply the systems to ELITech. In Japan, Hitachi High-Tech plans to present the System, branded as 'LABOSPECT GA-5,' at the JACLaS EXPO 2025 in Yokohama from October 3 to 5, 2025. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 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. Partner Curasense will market Equazen products featuring a clinically researched combination of essential fatty acids across pharmacies, healthcare stores and online pharmacies. SFI Health EMEA, the regional entity of SFI Health, a global leader in natural healthcare, and Curasense BV (Curasense), a Belgian company specializing in the distribution and development of high-quality nutraceuticals and health products, are excited to announce that they have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement for Equazen food supplements in the Netherlands and Belgium. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250924776817/en/ Partner Curasense will market Equazen products featuring a clinically researched combination of essential fatty acids. Under the terms of the agreement, Curasense will hold exclusive rights to distribute, promote, market, and sell Equazen products within the licensed territories. Curasense will begin commercial activities following a transition period from SFI Health's previous licensee. Together, Belgium and the Netherlands count over 6,500 pharmacies, alongside a strong presence of health stores from 800 independents in Belgium to 2,000 outlets in the Netherlands. With well-established pharmacy and retail networks, plus growing online demand, the agreement positions the brand for strong visibility and reach across both markets. Matthew Brabazon, GM of SFI Health EMEA commented: "We are very pleased to collaborate with Curasense, a company with extensive experience in the healthcare sector and a strong reputation among healthcare professionals and consumers. This partnership marks an important step in strengthening the Equazen brand, as we leverage Curasense BV's expertise in bringing advanced scientifically naturally sourced health solutions to market. Together, we are committed to expand Equazen's distribution and market share, establishing it as a reference point for brain health and cognitive wellness." Mr. Jelle D'Helft, CEO of Curasense, added: "We are thrilled to formalize our strategic partnership with SFI Health EMEA for the Equazen brand in the Netherlands and Belgium. For Curasense, this agreement is a natural extension of our mission to deliver evidence-based health solutions that make a real impact. Equazen's clinically supported formulations align closely with our vision and reflect our ambition to bridge conventional and complementary medicine. This collaboration will accelerate access to innovative, science-backed products for children, adolescents, and adults-while setting new benchmarks in the nutraceutical industry." The brain health supplement sector is emerging as one of the most dynamic segments within the global food supplements market. In Europe, it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.5% from 2023 to 2030, supported by increasing consumers' focus on sustaining normal cognitive function and mental health. Equazen is currently present in several EMEA markets, including Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Nordics, and the Baltics, with SFI Health aiming to broaden its reach into new markets to unlock its full sales potential and capitalize on the growing momentum in the brain food supplements sector. About SFI Health SFI Health is a global leader in natural healthcare, specialized in the design, development and commercialization of clinically researched products in the areas of microbiome, cognition and wellbeing. Guided by the belief in the healing potential of natural products, SFI Healthcombines a rigorous pharma-based approach with the benefits of naturally sourced solutions. An extensive network of trusted business partners enables the company, headquartered in Australia, to market its own brands, reaching consumers in over 50 countries. The EMEA SFI Health regional office in Lugano, Switzerland, manages commercial operations across Europe, Middle East and Africa. SFI Health is committed to fostering confidence in natural healthcare by sharing state-of-the-art research, technical expertise and comprehensive sales marketing resources with consumers, healthcare professionals and partners worldwide. For more information go to sfihealth.com or follow us SFI Health on LinkedIn. About Curasense Curasense BV is a Belgian company specializing in the distribution and development of high-quality nutraceuticals and health products. Building on more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare sector, Curasense delivers Health through Nature, Science and Innovation, addressing key needs like cognitive function, inflammation management, and overall vitality. The company's approach combines a strong foundation in scientific substantiation and strict compliance with European regulations, ensuring proven quality and effectiveness. Through close collaboration with international partners and healthcare professionals, consumers gain access to our innovative products. Based in Heist-op-den-Berg (Antwerp), Curasense serves both the Belgian and Dutch markets and continues to expand its ambition of making advanced health solutions available across Europe and beyond. For more info go to curasense.com/ or follow us Curasense on LinkedIn. About Equazen Equazen is a science-based globally branded food supplement designed and studied to help nourish, enhance, and support the human brain's potential across all life stages. Each product of the Equazen range contains a balanced unique combination of essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6), which has been clinically proven for more than 20 years to assist with learning capabilities, concentration and healthy brain development. Equazen is available in multiple pharmaceutical formats and sizes to support optimal cognitive functions from infants to teenagers. Currently marketed in 30 countries globally, Equazen is widely recommended by healthcare professionals and trusted by families for the last 25 years. Equazen aims to advance human health naturally, delivering expertly formulated products that empower individuals to reach their cognitive potential. For more info visit www.equazen.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250924776817/en/ Contacts: For more information SFI Health EMEA Contact Elisabetta Bianchi e-mail address: elisabetta.bianchi@sfihealth.com Curasense BV Contact Jelle D'Helft e-mail address: jelle@curasense.be Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - LBank Labs, in collaboration with South Korean Congressman Min Byoung-Dug and the Korea Blockchain Industry Promotion Association (KBIPA), successfully hosted the "Global Blockchain Forum - Korea 2025" during KBW 2025. The forum, held at the National Assembly Library in Seoul, highlighted blockchain's transformative potential and fostered in-depth discussions on the future of Web3 innovation, regulation, and global collaboration. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/267919_aab72ef504629aa8_001full.jpg The forum featured keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking sessions, fostering dialogue on critical topics such as regulation, Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions, AI integration, and stablecoins. These discussions spurred collaboration and practical advancements in the crypto ecosystem. Notably, Min Byung-deok, a member of the 22nd National Assembly of South Korea, stated in his opening speech that blockchain is reshaping the trust system, and the digitization of Real-World Assets (RWA) will become the core of future finance. He proposed a new "RWA + STO Stablecoin" model and pointed out that South Korea is about to introduce the "Three Digital Asset Acts" to strike a balance between protecting investors and promoting industrial innovation. KIM Hyeong-Joo, Chairman of KBIPA, added that blockchain is a borderless business field, and international cooperation is crucial for narrowing gaps and driving development. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/267919_aab72ef504629aa8_002full.jpg "Opportunities to integrate Web3 with traditional finance mainly lie in crypto ETFs attracting institutional capital, enterprises allocating crypto assets through DAT strategies, and low-cost, transparent SPACs," said Czhang Lin, head of LBank Labs. "The combination of these three can build a bridge for projects to access traditional financial markets, while outstanding projects in the future will need to fully leverage both exchange and capital market liquidity." To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/267919_aab72ef504629aa8_003full.jpg Additionally, Professor Ryu Hyeuk-sun from KAIST, Professor Han Jung-Wook from Seoul National University, CodeVASP CEO Lee Sung Mi, and representatives from leading Web3 institutions including Ethereum Foundation, Animoca Brands, Solana, Berachain, Abstract, Manta Network, IoTeX, Aethir, and LayerZero shared insights on technological breakthroughs, ecosystem development, and cross-chain collaboration, providing actionable case studies and forward-looking perspectives. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/267919_aab72ef504629aa8_004full.jpg As a strategic partner, LBank Labs demonstrated its expertise in analyzing market dynamics and trends, fostering ecosystem development within the Web3 space. Committed to co-building a robust blockchain ecosystem, LBank Labs leverages its global network to drive innovation and sustainable growth, delivering long-term value to the global blockchain industry. Looking ahead, LBank Labs will continue to champion technological advancements and ecosystem development by supporting cutting-edge research, fostering innovative ventures, and creating narratives that unite global communities. Through international summits, cross-industry partnerships, and fintech integration, LBank Labs aims to unlock new possibilities for the blockchain ecosystem. About LBank Labs LBank Labs is a global Web3 venture capital firm with over $100 million in assets under management, focused on early-stage investments across compliant blockchain infrastructure, regulated DeFi applications, AI integration, and institutional-grade decentralized solutions. Its portfolio includes leading projects and funds that are helping develop the next generation of regulatory-aligned, scalable digital technologies. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267919 SOURCE: LBank News summary: Authorities, critical network operators and high-security enterprises need quantum-safe, high-capacity encryption for classified data FSP 3000 S-Flex is the only 400G Layer 1 muxponder approved by the BSI for VS-NfD and EU/NATO-restricted data communication is the only 400G Layer 1 muxponder approved by the BSI for VS-NfD and EU/NATO-restricted data communication Engineered for cloud sovereignty and quantum-safe protection, the solution secures optical transport networks Adva Network Security today announced that its FSP 3000 S-Flex 400Gbit/s solution has achieved a world first with approval from the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) for the transportation of data classified as Verschlusssache Nur fur den Dienstgebrauch (VS-NfD) "For Official Use Only" and EU/NATO "Restricted." No other 400Gbit/s solution on the market has earned this level of accreditation. Leveraging Adva Network Security's ConnectGuard technology, it delivers quantum-safe Layer 1 encryption with post-quantum cryptography (PQC), offering future-ready protection for sensitive data. By deploying S-Flex, authorities, critical infrastructure operators and high-security enterprises can defend against a range of threats, including harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250922296544/en/ Adva Network Security's FSP 3000 S-Flex with BSI-approved 400Gbit/s encryption marks a major milestone for safeguarding Europe's digital future. "The European Union urgently needs to advance its position on post-quantum cryptography to combat long-term threats to sensitive and classified data. With our FSP 3000 S-Flex, we've moved beyond roadmap promises to deliver the world's first 400Gbit/s Layer 1 encryption solution approved by the BSI for VS-NfD and EU/NATO-restricted data," said Josef Simeir, GM of Adva Network Security. "This is a significant step in securing Europe's digital future. While post-quantum policy is still being debated in boardrooms and committees, we're already helping protect data center operators, financial institutions and defense agencies from quantum-enabled threats. BSI-approved and built for the future, our technology doesn't just meet critical security standards it sets the benchmark for emerging ones." The FSP 3000 S-Flex combines BSI-approved Layer 1 encryption with post-quantum key exchange to protect classified data, including VS-NfD and EU/NATO-Restricted. Developed by Adva Network Security as a high-capacity transponder/muxponder card for the Adtran FSP 3000 open optical transport platform, it delivers ultra-low-latency connectivity with a high-density design. The solution supports Fibre Channel up to 64Gbit/s and Ethernet from 1GbE to 400GbE (1/10/25/100/400GbE), as well as IBM Z mainframe connectivity, multiplexing multiple client services into a single 400Gbit/s wavelength. As hosted data volumes grow, the technology ensures scalable bandwidth and quantum-safe encryption for enterprises, public authorities and operators of critical infrastructure. "Harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks threaten the future security of data transmitted today, making post-quantum cryptography one of the most urgent priorities for guaranteeing the digital sovereignty of Europe," commented Michael Roth, GM of Adva Network Security. "The European Commission has made clear that member states must coordinate their transition to PQC. With the FSP 3000 S-Flex, we're leading that objective. As the industry's first 400Gbit/s Layer 1 encryption solution approved by the BSI for VS-NfD and EU/NATO-restricted data, our high-capacity card is already deployed and certified to protect the most sensitive information. It gives operators a path to upgrade in sync with evolving standards and higher data rates in step with national strategies, strengthening Europe's digital transformation over the next decade." About Adva Network Security Adva Network Security is a leading German IT-security company. We provide robust optical and Ethernet networking solutions and a comprehensive service offering. Our ConnectGuard technology delivers quantum-safe encryption that protects large-scale networks and essential applications. Critical infrastructure, government, defense and enterprise customers rely on our technical expertise in communication networks and information security. This unique combination of skills ensures the resilience and security of their essential IT and OT infrastructure. Customers can count on our services team from initial design to secure operation, ensuring business continuity amid growing cyber threats. Our design, manufacturing processes and security solutions are certified by leading government security agencies. For more information on how we can help you, please visit www.advasecurity.com. Published by Adva Network Security GmbH, Berlin, Germany www.advasecurity.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250922296544/en/ Contacts: For media Antje Hartmann t +49 30 2636969166 info@advasecurity.com HEALWELL achieves an exciting integration milestone and announces the global launch of AmadeusAI, now deeply integrated with DARWEN AI, providing healthcare providers with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to analyze structured and unstructured clinical data, identify at-risk patients, and support timely, informed decisions at the point of care. The platform includes HEALWELL's SMARTSuite of AI tools, including SMARTSearch, SMARTSummary, and SMARTIdentify, which streamline clinical workflows, synthesize patient information, and enable proactive care planning. AmadeusAI is now available as an upgrade for existing Amadeus customers, underscoring a key catalyst and proof point of the Orion Health acquisition. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - HEALWELL AI Inc. (TSX: AIDX) (OTCQX: HWAIF) ("HEALWELL" or the "Company"), a healthcare artificial intelligence company focused on preventative care, is pleased to provide a corporate update reflecting integration progress associated with the acquisition of Orion Health leading to the global launch of AmadeusAI, now deeply integrated with HEALWELL's DARWEN AI technology, which provides next generation healthcare AI and patient identification capabilities. By embedding AI technology into Orion Health's Amadeus platform, HEALWELL empowers healthcare providers with deeper insights from structured and unstructured clinical data. AmadeusAI is built on Orion Health's Amadeus Digital Care Record, a clinical portal that consolidates health and social care data into a single, comprehensive patient view. This enables faster identification of at-risk patients, improved population health management, and actionable intelligence at the point-of-care, resulting in improved outcomes across clinical workflows. AmadeusAI includes HEALWELL's new SMARTSuite of AI integrated tools, introducing advanced AI capabilities to address long-standing challenges in healthcare systems around the globe. AmadeusAI transforms clinical data into actionable insights, enhancing usability, trust, and outcomes. The SMARTSuite tools include: SMARTSearch - an AI powered capability that enhances and accelerates the way clinicians and healthcare teams find the information they need. It transforms how clinicians retrieve information by unlocking natural language search across structured and unstructured records. It surfaces critical insights hidden in notes, labs, and reports, reducing cognitive burden and supporting faster, safer decisions. SMARTSummary - an AI powered capability that dynamically synthesizes fragmented patient health data into clear, concise role specific clinical narratives. By providing accurate, up to date overviews, it cuts through complexity, enhances safety, and ensures clinicians and patients alike can make informed decisions at the point of care. SMARTIdentify - an AI powered solution for proactive patient cohort identification, risk stratification, and treatment optimization. It uses AI to unify clinical, demographic, and social data, enabling early disease risk detection, proactive cohort stratification, and tailored interventions. It shifts care from reactive to preventive, helping health systems act earlier and achieve better outcomes. "We are very pleased with the feedback we are receiving from our large enterprise customers on their interest in our new suite of AI products. The major industrial logic of Orion joining the HEALWELL family was the integration of AI and the potential to cross sell and empower health systems globally and we believe we are absolutely on track and on strategy as planned." said James Lee, Chief Executive Officer at HEALWELL. "With SMARTSuite, we are taking AmadeusAI to the next level. By leveraging both Orion and HEALWELL's AI technology, SMARTSuite provides clinicians with a suite of tools that streamline information access, synthesize patient data, and identify at-risk cohorts, enabling proactive care planning. These capabilities accelerate clinical workflows, reduce cognitive burden, lower costs, and improve population-level outcomes, including immunization rates, reporting timeliness for reportable conditions, and surveillance of high ED-utilizing patients." Brad Porter, Chief Commercial Officer at HEALWELL and Chief Executive Officer of Orion Health commented, "Healthcare organizations are under immense pressure to deliver safer, more coordinated, and more efficient care. With the launch of AmadeusAI, we now provide clinicians with advanced tools that combine Orion Health's interoperable platform with HEALWELL's DARWEN AI technology." Amadeus has been previously deployed by NHS Integrated Care Systems in the UK, Scottish Health Boards, Health Information Exchanges in the U.S., and provincial health networks in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, as well as across the Middle East. With over 30 years of experience, Amadeus has connected thousands of providers, powered national health systems, securely exchanged billions of clinical records, and served more than 150 million patients in 15 countries. Building on this foundation, the newly launched AmadeusAI is now available as an upgrade for existing Amadeus customers. The Company is currently engaging with health systems to explore proof-of-value opportunities for its modular AI components - particularly in the areas of search, summary, and identify. These capabilities are designed to support clinicians with faster access to information, improved clarity across fragmented records, and better identification of patients who may benefit from timely interventions. By prospecting with customers globally, AmadeusAI will be well positioned to demonstrate how integrated AI can enhance decision-making at the point of care and deliver meaningful improvements in efficiency and outcomes. For more information on AmadeusAI, please visit: https://orionhealth.com/global/amadeus-ai/ James Lee Chief Executive Officer HEALWELL AI Inc. About HEALWELL AI HEALWELL is a healthcare artificial intelligence company focused on preventative care. Its mission is to improve healthcare and save lives through early identification and detection of disease. Using its own proprietary technology, the Company is developing and commercializing advanced clinical decision support systems that can help healthcare providers detect rare and chronic diseases, improve efficiency of their practice and ultimately help improve patient health outcomes. HEALWELL is executing a strategy centered around developing and acquiring technology and clinical sciences capabilities that complement the Company's road map. HEALWELL is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "AIDX" and on the OTC Exchange under the symbol "HWAIF". To learn more about HEALWELL, please visit https://healwell.ai/. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release, constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements about the anticipated benefits of AmadeusAI and SMARTSuite and potential proof-of-value opportunities for the Company's modular AI components; and are based on assumptions, expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "mission", "enabling", "explore" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain future conditions, actions, events or results "will", "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "can" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms . Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon management's perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as a number of specific factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by HEALWELL as of the date of such statements, are outside of HEALWELL's control and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies which could result in the forward-looking statements ultimately being entirely or partially incorrect or untrue. Forward looking statements contained in this press release are based on various assumptions, including, but not limited to, the following: the stability of general economic and market conditions; sufficiency of working capital and access to financing; HEALWELL's ability to comply with applicable laws and regulations; HEALWELL's continued compliance with third party intellectual property rights; the effects of competition in the industry; the requirement for increasingly innovative product solutions and service offerings; technologies working as intended or at all; trends in customer growth and the adoption of new technologies in the industry; and that the risk factors noted below, collectively, do not have a material impact on HEALWELL's business, operations, revenues and/or results. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections, or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct, and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. Known and unknown risk factors, many of which are beyond the control of HEALWELL, could cause the actual results of HEALWELL to differ materially from the results, performance, achievements, or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include but are not limited to those factors which are discussed under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in HEALWELL's most recent annual information form dated March 31, 2025, which is available under HEALWELL's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The risk factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect HEALWELL and the reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that forward looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. HEALWELL disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267921 SOURCE: HEALWELL AI Vancouver B.C., Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TERRA CLEAN ENERGY CORP. ("Terra" or the "Company") (CSE: TCEC, OTCQB: TCEFF, FSE: C9O0), is pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated September 16, 2025, and to clarity the press release issued earlier today, it has entered into definitive agreements with arm's length parties to acquire up to a 100% interest in each of the Wheel Anne Claims and the Green Vein Mesa Claims (each of the properties are located in Emery County, Utah, United States). "The quick execution of the agreements shows the Company's commitment and excitement to these assets and to our already significant portfolio of low-risk uranium assets in world renowned uranium basins" state Greg Cameron, CEO of Terra. "Our plan is to have our team on the ground in Utah in the coming weeks working closely with our local partner." To earn its respective interests in each of the Wheal Anne Claims and the Green Vein Mesa, the Company would be required to make the following cash payments, common share issuances and incur exploration expenditures on the respective claims as follows: Wheal Anne Claims Cash Payment Share Issuance Exploration Expenditures To earn a 20% interest USD$20,000 on the Effective Date 500,000 common shares within five business days of the Effective Date Incur USD$100,000 in expenditures on or before the 1st year anniversary of the Effective Date To earn a 40% interest Additional USD$33,333 on or before the 1st year anniversary of the Effective Date Additional 500,000 common shares on or before the 1st year anniversary of the Effective Date Incur additional USD$33,333 in expenditures on or before the 2nd year anniversary of the Effective Date To earn a 60% interest Additional USD$46,666 on or before the 2nd year anniversary of the Effective Date Additional 500,000 common shares on or before the 2nd year anniversary of the Effective Date Incur additional USD$33,333 in expenditures on or before the 3rd year anniversary of the Effective Date To earn an 80% interest Additional USD$60,000 on or before the 3rd year anniversary of the Effective Date Additional 500,000 common shares on or before the 3rd year anniversary of the Effective Date Incur additional USD$33,334 in expenditures on or before the 4th year anniversary of the Effective Date To earn a 100% interest Additional USD$73,333 on or before the 4th year anniversary of the Effective Date Additional 500,000 common shares on or before the 4th year anniversary of the Effective Date Incur additional USD$33,333 in expenditures on or before the 5th year anniversary of the Effective Date ** Subject to the retention by the Vendors of a two percent (2%) net royalty on the Wheal Anne Claims (the "Wheal Anne Royalty"), with Terra Clean having the option to purchase fifty percent (50%) of the Wheal Anne Royalty at any time by making a total cash payment to the Vendors in the amount of USD$666,666. Green Vein Mesa Claims Cash Payment Share Issuance Exploration Expenditures To earn a 20% interest USD$10,000 on the Effective Date 250,000 common shares within five business days of the Effective Date Incur USD$50,000 in expenditures on or before the 1st year anniversary of the Effective Date To earn a 40% interest Additional USD$16,667 on or before the 1st year anniversary of the Effective Date Additional 250,000 common shares on or before the 1st year anniversary of the Effective Date Incur additional USD$13,334 in expenditures on or before the 2nd year anniversary of the Effective Date To earn a 60% interest Additional USD$23,334 on or before the 2nd year anniversary of the Effective Date Additional 250,000 common shares on or before the 2nd year anniversary of the Effective Date Incur additional USD$13,334 in expenditures on or before the 3rd year anniversary of the Effective Date To earn an 80% interest Additional USD$30,000 on or before the 3rd year anniversary of the Effective Date Additional 250,000 common shares on or before the 3rd year anniversary of the Effective Date Incur additional USD$13,334 in expenditures on or before the 4th year anniversary of the Effective Date To earn a 100% interest Additional USD$36,667 on or before the 4th year anniversary of the Effective Date Additional 250,000 common shares on or before the 4th year anniversary of the Effective Date Incur additional USD$13,334 in expenditures on or before the 5th year anniversary of the Effective Date ** Subject to the retention by the Vendors of a two percent (2%) net royalty on the Green Vein Mesa Claims (the "Green Vein Royalty"), with Terra Clean having the option to purchase fifty percent (50%) of the Green Vein Royalty at any time by making a total cash payment to the Vendors in the amount of USD$333,334. The definitive agreements to acquire an interest in each of the Wheal Anne Claims and the Green Vein Mesa Claims remain subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (with the "Effective Date" being the date that all such regulatory approvals have been received). All securities issued in connection with these agreements would be subject to a four-month plus one day hold period from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws. Marketing Agreements Terra Clean is also pleased to announce that it has engaged the services of Green Crescent Capital ("GCC") with a business address of 1266 E. Main Street, 7th Floor, Stamford, Connecticut, 06902 (Email: saleem@greencrescentcapital.com and Phone: 214-810-5549) to conceive and create marketing, advertising collateral and to develop and distribute digital content to increase awareness in the investment community in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the CSE Exchange and other applicable legislation. GCC will be paid a one-time fee of USD$5,000. The agreement between the Company and GCC was signed in September 2025 for a one-month term. There are no performance factors contained in the agreement and no stock options or other compensation in connection with the engagement. GCC and its clients may acquire an interest in the securities of the Company in the future. The Company has also engaged the services of OTCWagon ("OTCW") with a business address of 20218 49th Avenue, Langley, British Columbia, V3A 6W9 (Email: mbrummell@otcwagon.com and Phone: 604-427-0369) for a 38 day market awareness program in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the CSE Exchange and other applicable legislation. OTCW will be paid a one-time fee of C$7,500. The agreement between the Company and OTCW was signed in September 2025 for a 38-day term. There are no performance factors contained in the agreement and no stock options or other compensation in connection with the engagement. OTCW and its clients may acquire an interest in the securities of the Company in the future. About Terra Clean Energy Corp. Terra Clean Energy is a Canadian-based uranium exploration and development company. The Company is currently developing the South Falcon East uranium project within the Fraser Lakes B Uranium Deposit, located in the Athabasca Basin region, Saskatchewan, Canada as well as developing past producing Uranium mines in the San Rafael Swell Emery County, Utah, United States ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TERRA CLEAN ENERGY CORP. "Greg Cameron" Greg Cameron, CEO Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101, reviewed and approved on behalf of the company by C. Trevor Perkins, P.Geo., the Company's Vice President, Exploration, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including statements regarding the potential development of mineral resources and mineral reserves which may or may not occur. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and general economic and political conditions. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary approvals, including governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable laws. For more information on the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ from current expectations, please refer to the Company's public filings available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca . Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information please contact: Greg Cameron, CEO info@tcec.energy Phone: 416-277-6174 MADRID, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- From 30 September to 2 October, Fruit Attraction returns for its 17th edition,organised by IFEMA MADRID and FEPEX, with Andalusia as the main sponsor. Established as the world's leading event for fruit and vegetable marketing, this year's edition will host 2,460 exhibitors from 64 countries-an 8.4% increase on 2024-across more than 78,000 square metres (+10% over previous edition) and expecting over 120,000 professionals from 150 nations. This fair stands as a strategic driver of business, innovation and international projection. Fruit Attraction 2025 is growing substantially, taking up to 10 halls at IFEMA MADRID (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14). Halls are organised by region and sector to optimise the experience for exhibitors and visitors alike. The Fresh Produce Area will once again account for around 70% of the trade fair, settling its strategic weight within the overall offering. The Auxiliary Industry area will also feature prominently, alongside Fresh Food Logistics-a space focused on cold chain solutions and fresh produce transport. Meanwhile, the Innova&Tech area, which includes Biotech Attraction and Smart Agro, is seeing a strong growth this year, up to 31% from 2024, reinforcing its role as a hub for innovation, research and tech development applied to the industry. Out of 2,460 exhibitors, 323 are new companies. Domestic participation accounts for 52% of the trade fair. Spain's leadership in the global fruit and vegetable market is reflected in the strong presence of all its producing regions.Theinternational context also recorded a significant growth, accounting for more than 47% of the total occupancy, with 1,418 companies. 14 new countries are added, including Algeria, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, Malta, Jordan, Mauritius, Senegal, Serbia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Fruit Attraction intends to offer a platform for international expansion and promotion. In this regard, IFEMA MADRID, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, ICEX and FEPEX, will activate the International Buyers Programme, inviting nearly 700 buyers from 67 countries, retail purchasing managers, importers and wholesalers who will bring a special dynamism to the trade fair business. This year's edition features Malaysia and Mexico as Guest Importing Countries, with a full programme of round tables, guided tours and B2B sessions to foster trade relations. Tomatoes will take centre stage as the featured product, with a programme highlighting their nutritional value, economic relevance and role in global trade dynamics. A new feature is the Organic Hub Tour, a specially signposted route within the trade fair that will give greater visibility to companies with organically certified products. Fruit Attraction 2025 proposes a packed programme of activities. On this occasion, the Fruit Forum by Timac Agro will host congresses such as Grape Attraction and Biotech Attraction. In addition, there will be other events such as the Biofruit Congress, Fresh Food Logistics The Summit and other interesting talks. As usual, Factoria Chef, sponsored by alimentosdespana, will highlight the culinary versatility of fruit and vegetables with attractive live showcooking sessions. Moreover, The Innovation Hub, with 50 products, will be the area devoted to innovation and new business developments within the industry. In this area, the fair will once again host the Innovation Hub Awards, now a flagship event that champions innovation and enterprise across the industry. Fruit Attraction will be awarding the Best Stand Awards, which will recognise exhibition spaces that stand out at the trade fair for their creativity, design and commitment to sustainability in four categories: Most Original; Best Design; Most Sustainable and People's Choice. Likewise, the 15th APAE Journalism Awards and the Fruit Attraction Awards will be presented, the latter dedicated to renowned international media specialising in the fruit and vegetable industry. Fruit Attraction 2025, an event backed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, will count on its opening ceremony, with the Minister Luis Planas who will lead event. This edition has Andalusia as main sponsor and counts with the partnership of the Region of Murcia, Veganic Nature , Agrobank, Timac Agro,Unikas and MSC. Fruit Attraction contact: Elena Valera evalera@ifema.es More information on: https://www.ifema.es/en/fruit-attraction Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2778520/Fruit_Attraction.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2778519/Fruit_Attraction_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fruit-attraction-2025-to-host-the-biggest-edition-in-its-history-302564228.html DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit , the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, welcomed Permanent Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, H.E. Nguyen Hoa Binh, for an official working session in Dubai. The high-level meeting was attended by Ben Zhou, Bybit's Co-Founder and CEO, Helen Liu, Co-CEO of Bybit, and Yonghui Tan, CFO at Bybit, underscoring the company's growing partnership with Vietnam. It follows a series of recent collaborations, including a landmark MOU with the Da Nang People's Committee and the country's regulatory sandbox initiative to support the development of its digital asset ecosystem. During the discussion, the Deputy Prime Minister congratulated Bybit on its rapid global growth and success, emphasizing Vietnam's priority to establish a pilot legal framework for digital assets as part of its broader strategy to foster innovation and build an International Financial Center. He expressed confidence in Bybit's role as a trusted partner, and encouraged the company to continue accompanying Vietnam on this important journey. Bybit highlighted its strong commitment to Vietnam, where it serves more than 2.5 million users - representing approximately 15% of the country's digital asset market. The company reaffirmed its readiness to: Support the development of Vietnam's digital asset legal framework; Share international best practices and regulatory expertise; Contribute to training and developing skilled talent for the nation's blockchain ecosystem. Ben Zhou, Co-Founder and CEO of Bybit, said: "Vietnam is one of the most dynamic markets in the world when it comes to digital assets, and we are honored to support the country's vision for a safe, transparent, and innovative ecosystem. Meeting with H.E. Nguyen Hoa Binh reaffirms Bybit's role as a trusted partner to Vietnam, and we remain fully committed to contributing our global expertise to help shape the country's digital future." Helen Liu, Co-CEO of Bybit, added: "Our dialogue with Vietnam's leadership reflects mutual trust and a shared ambition to position the country as a hub for international finance and innovation. Bybit is proud to accompany Vietnam in its digital transformation journey - from policy consultation to human capital development." This meeting builds upon Bybit's long-term cooperation with Vietnam, including its recent agreement with Da Nang to advance the city's blockchain sandbox and International Financial Center initiative. Together, these milestones underscore Bybit's commitment to supporting Vietnam's strategy for sustainable growth in the digital economy. Bybit / TheCryptoArk / IMakeIt About Bybit Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 70 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com . For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2781923/Ben_Zhou_Co_Founder_CEO_Bybit__left__welcomed_Permanent_Deputy_Prime.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2781924/Bybit_Recognized_Trusted_Partner_Vietnam_s_Digital_Future_High_Level_Dubai_Meeting.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2267288/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bybit-recognized-as-trusted-partner-in-vietnams-digital-future-at-high-level-dubai-meeting-302566919.html On 22 September 2025, it was announced that leading digital marketing agency, R17 Ventures AG, walked away with sixteen awards at the 16th season of the prestigious Web Excellence Awards, a global competition recognising innovation and achievement in digital marketing. The agency, who have already accumulated a number of awards over the past few years - including top digital advertising agency in the world at the Clutch 100 Awards - won for work spanning several categories and countries, underlining its commitment to its clients, growing global presence and performance-driven approach. The full list of awards won by R17 Ventures AG on September 22, 2025 at the Web Excellence Awards includes: Marketing & Advertising - Paid Ads: Alpinte (Switzerland) - Best Marketing/Advertising: Paid Ads Fliggs Mobile (USA) - Best Marketing/Advertising: Paid Ads frsh (Schweiz) - Best Marketing/Advertising: Paid Ads Payroll Plus (Switzerland) - Best Marketing/Advertising: Paid Ads Tata iMali (South Africa) - Best Marketing/Advertising: Paid Ads Social Media AI Tails (USA/Switzerland) - Best Social Media: Animal Welfare frsh (Switzerland) - Best Social Media: Health & Wellness Ninety One (Global) - Best Social Media: Finance Save Armenia (USA) - Best Social Media: Cause Awareness Web Development GEAK24.ch (Switzerland) - Best Website: Home Renovation GotPost (Switzerland) - Best Website: Innovative & Experimental GotPost (Switzerland) - Best Website: Software Development Myant Care360 (Canada) - Best Website: Medical Natural Swiss Foods (Switzerland) - Best Website: Beverages PB Swiss Tools (USA) - Best Website: Consumer Goods UMA Performance (Switzerland) - Best Website: Animal Welfare The wins coincide with major leadership changes at R17 Ventures AG. Long-serving CEO, Raphael Rohner, is stepping down in mid-October 2025 to spend more time with his family. Rohner will continue to advise the agency in a non-executive capacity. Taking over as CEO and board member is Mariangela Coco. Coco is a stalwart in digital marketing. She has previously worked at Microsoft Italy, leading international digital advertising teams at EF Education First, and in other senior digital acquisition roles. She has been consulting R17 on strategic operational alignment since January 2025 and is described by the company as well placed to strengthen its client-centric and innovation-first approach. The agency also confirmed that Marie-Josephine Bourquin will join the board and take over as CFO from Andreas Graf. Bourquin has experience as a CFO across SaaS and digital service companies, which she will be bringing to R17. In addition, Nicholas Hanny, co-founder, CEO & CMO of NIKIN AG and co-founder of Togeco, joins the board. Hanny has a background in successfully growing and scaling brands - both his own, as well as other D2C/direct-to-consumer brands like Dropz. Marc Degen, Chairman of R17 Ventures AG, said: "We thank Raphael and Andreas for their years of dedication and leadership, which have been instrumental in shaping R17. Raphael will remain a special advisor, and we wish both him and Andreas well in their next chapters. At the same time, we welcome Mariangela, Marie-Josephine, and Nicholas. R17 has always had an innovation-first approach, and I am encouraged by how this new leadership team will continue to deliver solutions that ensure our clients receive the best possible outcomes." The combination of global recognition at the Web Excellence Awards and the new leadership appointments marks what the company describes as a new chapter in its growth. USound, the technology leader in MEMS speakers and AI-based acoustic sensing solutions, and Gettop, a global provider of acoustic components, have signed a strategic supply agreement for MEMS wafer technology. Under the agreement, Gettop will manufacture MEMS speakers using USound's MEMS wafers and ASICs. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250918865520/en/ Gettop and USound Sign Strategic Sales and Supply Agreement. The agreement includes guaranteed production volumes and establishes a framework for close collaboration in sales and market development. By uniting USound's pioneering MEMS expertise with Gettop's strong manufacturing and market reach, both companies will strengthen their positions in the rapidly growing MEMS speaker industry and expand the technology's global footprint. "This agreement marks a significant milestone, continuing to bring MEMS speakers to the mainstream," said Ferruccio Bottoni, CEO of USound. "Partnering with Gettop allows us to further market adoption and unlock new opportunities for advanced audio applications." The consumer electronics market is increasingly demanding semiconductor manufacturing standards, now also applied to loudspeakers. USound's products are already integrated into consumer brands such as QCY's MeloBuds N70 earbuds. In parallel, USound is expanding its innovation into health applications with an AI biosensing platform for true wireless stereo (TWS) devices, enabling advanced features such as heart rate monitoring. In addition, USound is advancing ultrasound-based applications, such as positioning, ranging, and object recognition, underscoring the versatility of its MEMS platform across multiple domains. Gettop also expressed its excitement to work with USound to bring its groundbreaking MEMS technology to a wider market. This collaboration enables us to provide next-generation audio solutions to customers around the world. The USound Gettop partnership marks a leap forward for the MEMS speaker consumer electronics market from wearables to smart devices, and creating new opportunities for manufacturers while enhancing end-user experiences. About USound USound is a fast-growing MEMS loudspeaker and AI-based acoustic solutions company enabling customers to bring revolutionary audio products to market. Its unique value proposition is based on radical miniaturization, power reduction, and production efficiency. USound's technology is safeguarded by over 500 patents. Learn more on www.usound.com. About Gettop GETTOP Acoustic Co., Ltd. was founded in April 2001 in Weifang, Shandong, and was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2012 (Stock Code: SZ002655). The company has subsidiaries, branches, and offices in the United States, Malaysia, Taiwan (China), Shenzhen, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and other regions. The company focuses on the research, development, manufacturing, and sales of miniature electroacoustic devices, intelligent acoustic components, automotive intelligent modules, as well as certain terminal products, providing customers with comprehensive and professional system-level solutions. Learn more on www.gettop.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250918865520/en/ Contacts: Janel Leonor press@usound.com 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. Xi announces China's 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions to beef up climate response Xinhua) 08:09, September 25, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a video speech to the United Nations Climate Summit 2025 held in New York on Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered video remarks to the United Nations Climate Summit held in New York on Wednesday local time. Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, a pivotal year for countries to submit their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and global climate governance is entering a key stage, he made the following three proposals. First, Xi said it is important to firm up confidence. "Green and low-carbon transition is the trend of the time. While some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused on the right direction, remain unwavering in confidence, unremitting in actions and unrelenting in intensity, and push for formulation and delivery on NDCs, with a view to providing more positive energy to the cooperation on global climate governance," he said. Second, Xi called for living up to responsibilities. "Fairness and equity should be upheld and the right to development of developing countries fully respected," he said. The global green transition should serve to narrow rather than widen the North-South gap. Countries need to honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, whereby developed countries should take the lead in fulfilling emission reduction obligations and provide more financial and technological support to developing countries, he added. Third, Xi stressed the importance of deepening cooperation, adding that international coordination in green technologies and industries should be strengthened to address the shortfall in green production capacity and ensure free flow of quality green products globally, so that the benefits of green development can reach all corners of the world. Xi announced China's new NDCs as follows: China will, by 2035, reduce economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent to 10 percent from peak levels, striving to do better; increase the share of non-fossil fuels in total energy consumption to over 30 percent; expand the installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels, striving to bring the total to 3,600 gigawatts; scale up the total forest stock volume to over 24 billion cubic meters; make new energy vehicles the mainstream in the sales of new vehicles; expand the National Carbon Emissions Trading Market to cover major high-emission sectors; and basically establish a climate adaptive society. He stressed that these targets represent China's best efforts based on the requirements of the Paris Agreement, and meeting these targets requires both painstaking efforts by China itself and a supportive and open international environment, and China has the resolve and confidence to deliver on its commitments. Climate response is an urgent yet long-term task, Xi said, calling on all parties to step up actions to realize the beautiful vision of harmony between man and nature, and preserve planet Earth, the place called home. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing) Existing investors Battery Ventures, Left Lane Capital, and M-Fund also joined to fuel Fetcherr's global growth and cross-industry expansion TEL AVIV, IL / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Fetcherr, a pioneer in generative AI for strategic decision-making, today announced the closing of a $42 million Series C funding round led by Salesforce Ventures. Previous investors Battery Ventures, Left Lane Capital and M-Fund also participated, signaling continued confidence in Fetcherr's category-defining performance and vision to transform the travel sector and beyond. "Fetcherr has established itself as an essential revenue driver and a turnkey technology partner for some of the world's leading airlines," said Roy Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO of Fetcherr. "We're thrilled to welcome Salesforce Ventures as a growth partner. With the support of our investors, we're set to expand beyond aviation and into other legacy sectors where real-time, data-driven decision-making is long overdue." Fetcherr is the industry's first AI-native market engine designed to understand complex market dynamics, forecast demand, and generate real-time pricing, inventory and resource management decisions based on predicted market behavior across all variables. Fetcherr's proprietary system, anchored by its Large Market Model (LMM), has already delivered significant impact for airline partners by enabling granular, predictive pricing that responds instantly to market demand. "Industries across the board are undergoing seismic shifts with AI - the need for intelligent, automated systems isn't optional, it's more critical than ever," said Nowi Kallen, Managing Director at Salesforce Ventures. "Fetcherr's AI platform is expanding the possibilities of generative AI for enterprises still dependent on outdated logic and forecasting. We look forward to supporting their next chapter of global growth and expansion into new domains." The new capital will accelerate Fetcherr's ongoing growth trajectory as it enters new international markets and industries, earning its place among next-generation technology leaders reshaping enterprise infrastructure. Airlines already using Fetcherr's technology can make automated, insight-backed micro and macro decisions, powered by multi-dimensional views of the global market and economy. A growing partner network, including Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet, Viva Aerobus and Azul, underscores Fetcherr's rapid rise and potential across industries. About Fetcherr Fetcherr is a generative AI company that has developed a unique, AI-driven market engine. Its proprietary Large Market Model (LMM) revolutionizes business decision-making by generating real-time market insights from diverse data sources and seamlessly executing critical business decisions through its advanced AI architecture. Built on deep learning principles, Fetcherr's transparent approach offers explainable insights for predictive pricing, inventory management, and resource optimization. This secure, cloud-based, and seamless solution integrates easily with existing infrastructure, reducing IT overhead and enabling swift adoption. Fetcherr disrupts traditional, rule-based revenue systems, leveraging deep learning to position businesses to become next-generation, AI-driven organizations. For more information, please visit www.fetcherr.io. Media Contact fetcherr@5wpr.com SOURCE: Fetcherr View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/aerospace-and-defense/fetcherr-raises-42m-in-series-c-funding-led-by-salesforce-ventures-1077687 Consultancy recognized for its exceptional global impact, robust service portfolio, and commitment to quality and compliance PQE Group is proud to announce it has been honored with the Stellar Business "Best Life Sciences Company in Maryland" Award. Stellar Business Awards is a premier recognition platform celebrating outstanding businesses, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders across multiple sectors. Its mission is to honor innovation, leadership, and success, giving businesses the visibility and credibility they deserve. It honors outstanding businesses, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who are making a significant impact in their fields. Selected as this year's award recipient, PQE US was recognized by the Stellar Business Award Committee based on PQE US "exceptional global impact, robust service portfolio, and commitment to quality and compliance." PQE Group, established by Founder and CEO Gilda D'Incerti in 1998 in Florence, Italy, has become a global organization with more than 40 offices around the world, 23 legal entities, and 2000+ employees. Its effective project management and cost effectiveness are results of the focus on employee support and resources and its commitment to an inclusive work environment, all of which were taken into consideration when being evaluated by the Stellar Business Award Committee's values of promoting businesses that prioritize both employees and customers. PQE's dedication to supporting pharmaceutical and medical device companies through all phases of a product's life cycle were also taken into account during the review process. The Committee noted that "PQE displayed all of the qualities that we look for when determining excellence qualities that include outstanding growth, service to their communities, and excellent business practices. We determined that they excel in these criteria as the top Life Sciences Company in Maryland, USA." "I am pleased that PQE Group has received this important, and very gratifying recognition," said Gilda D'Incerti, Founder CEO of PQE Group. "I've always maintained that people are at the center of my business. My main focus for over 26 years has been giving my employees the resources and support they need to achieve the results that PQE has seen. This award further illustrates that, in addition to having services and solutions in place to support clients' needs and provide them innovative solutions through a full array of industry services, the company our clients entrust their business with maintains a commitment to a work environment with no discrimination, where transparency and respect come first. These are our strengths." PQE Group has been the recipient of numerous additional awards and certifications. In addition to the Stellar Business Award, these include, for the past four consecutive years, a "Great Place to Work" Certification, with more than 90% of its employees expressing pride in their work and trust in leadership; A Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification, which ensures that PQE Group has met the stringent eligibility criteria to be classified as a women-owned enterprise; and ISO/IEC 27001 Certification, ensuring clients that their information management systems are risk-aware and that PQE Group's solutions can proactively identify and address weaknesses. The company also has an EcoVadis Sustainability Rating, and has completed and released both a 2023 and 2024 Sustainability Report, an EU regulation aligning with Europe's strict CSRD standards that require large companies to disclose detailed information on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues in a standardized, transparent, and comparable format. PQE Group will be exhibiting at the ISPE 2025 Annual Meeting Expo being held October 26-29, 2025 in Charlotte, NC. Be sure to visit us and meet our team! About PQE With over 2,000 employees, PQE Group is a woman-owned leading Life Science consulting firm, providing high-quality solutions in GCP, GLP, GMP, and GDP areas to both industry giants and small-mid-size businesses worldwide. With a focus on innovation, efficiency, and sustainability and with a global presence through its 40+ offices located around the world, PQE Group continues to set industry benchmarks and drive positive change in the Life Science sector. The Group's CEO Founder, Gilda D'Incerti, has also launched ReSQ-UP, a groundbreaking initiative in the Clinical Research Organizations field, focusing on supporting emerging startups in women's health (FemTech), medical devices, and innovations in the medical cannabis sector. Visit us at PQE Group US: Home PQE Group US, and follow PQE Group on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925928733/en/ Contacts: PQE Group Press Office Debra J. Kaufmann pressoffice@pqegroup.com 240.704.0550 Marginum announces a significant milestone as its flagship device, HIVEN, is cleared for the CE mark. The underlying MDR certification signifies an important regulatory milestone. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925132453/en/ Figure 1. MARGINUM intraoperative aspirate tissue monitoring device (HIVEN) was used at Nordic hospitals during clinical trials. The device is positioned on the instrument table next to the surgeon. Marginum, a Finnish medical technology company, made rapid strides in validating the aspirate tissue monitoring (ATM) technique and received the MDR certificate at a record-breaking speed, just over 4.5 years. Marginum's team successfully developed a breakthrough class IIb medical device that addresses an unmet clinical need to accurately detect tumorous tissue during surgery, without compromising existing workflows. New era of precision in cancer surgery HIVEN is a novel device for assisting in intraoperative margin assessment that provides near real-time feedback to support surgeons in achieving a safer and more complete tumour resection. By providing surgical teams with immediate insight into the tumour margins while resecting, the device aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce the likelihood of reoperations.HIVEN is designed to detect fluorescent cancer tissue from aspirated tissue during surgery without disrupting standard workflow. "Achieving clearance for the CE mark is a pivotal step in bringing the HIVEN into clinical practice and improving outcomes for patients in Europe. This certificate reflects the hard work of our team and the strength of our scientific and clinical foundations," says Juho Leskinen, CTO and co-founder of Marginum. Clinical Benefits Indications The aspirate tissue monitoring technology aims to overcome surgical challenges that may damage healthy tissues and leave tumour cells undetected. Incomplete removal, damage to healthy tissues, and reoperations exacerbate patient suffering, compromised standard of care, and long-term complications all directly escalating healthcare costs. Critical structures like blood vessels often create blind spots behind corners and tissue ridges where cancerous tissue can be difficult to detect. The HIVEN aspirate tissue monitoring device addresses this challenge by allowing resected tissue to be transported directly for fluorescence analysis. This provides surgeons with more comprehensive information about the surgical site. "In glioma surgery, our ability to distinguish tumour from healthier tissues is limited by anatomical constraints, blood and compromised visibility, particularly in deep-seated areas. We wanted HIVEN to provide critical feedback beyond sensory limitations; you can consider it a sixth sense for tumour detection," comments docent Antti-Pekka Elomaa MD PhD, a consultant neurosurgeon and one of Marginum co-founders. The HIVEN is approved for fluorescence-guided neurosurgery of high-grade gliomas, where precise margin identification is critical. HIVEN enhances surgical accuracy by enabling objective tissue detection in hard-to-reach areas and simplifying the procedure workflow. About Marginum: Marginum, a leading innovator in fluorescence-guided oncological surgery, is a medical technology company developing fluorescence-based tissue detection systems. HIVEN by Marginum enables safe and efficient monitoring of tumour tissues during cancer surgery. www.marginum.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925132453/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Samu Lehtonen, CEO Co-Founder Email: samu.lehtonen@marginum.com Mobile: +358405797890 https://www.marginum.com TOKYO, Sept 25, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi High-Tech Corporation ("Hitachi High-Tech"), and ELITechGroup S.p.A. (Head Office: Italy, "ELITech") have entered a Collaboration, Manufacturing and Supply Agreement (the "Agreement") in the field of molecular testing for infectious disease.Hitachi High-Tech has development and technical capabilities such as photometric analysis and automation utilized for its life sciences and in-vitro diagnostics products. ELITech offers fully automated PCR*1 testing systems and reagents for the European market, with a particular strength in reagents for a wide range of test items. Both companies have been jointly developing fully automated PCR testing system (the "System") primarily for the diagnosis and monitoring treatment of infectious diseases. This Agreement governs that Hitachi High-Tech supplies of the System to ELITech.The System offers continuous sample and reagent loading as well as random-access capabilities in accordance with the needs of the laboratory, together with fully automated functions from sample preparation to measurement. The joint development efforts will focus on creating innovative and flexible PCR platform that enhances operational efficiency in microbiology and virology laboratories, ultimately contributing to improved patient care.In Japan, Hitachi High-Tech will exhibit the System under the name "LABOSPECT GA-5" at the JACLaS EXPO 2025 in Yokohama, Japan, from October 3 through October 5, 2025.*1 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): A method of amplifying very small samples of DNA fragments from cells.BackgroundIn the field of healthcare, molecular testing is used to figure out the risks of diseases and constitution and to diagnose diseases based on their genetic information. The PCR method was also used during the COVID-19 pandemic and has become more widely used. As such, there is a need to improve the efficiency of testing operations through automation and reduction of testing times for multiple test items. Hitachi High-Tech and ELITech have been jointly developing a fully automated molecular testing system that can detect viruses and bacteria at an early stage. In addition, this system utilizes the technologies of Precision System Science Co., Ltd., with whom Hitachi High-Tech has a business alliance with respect to the genetic testing business.Future DevelopmentGoing forward, Hitachi High-Tech will continue to foster innovation in the area of infectious diseases with ELITech, and through this partnership and others, we will build strong and long-term relationships with our partners. Hitachi High-Tech support offering of personalized medical care for each and every patient by "Diagnosis x Therapy x Digital," providing Lumada solution through the installed base (Digitalized Assets) and domain knowledge. We aim to "make patient smile with frontline healthcare workers" and "create a society without fear of cancer" for realizing a harmonized society where environment, wellbeing and economic growth are in balance.About Hitachi High-TechHitachi High-Tech provides cutting-edge technologies, products and services to society and customers with its corporate vision of "Changing the World and Future with the Power of Knowledge" to contribute to a sustainable global environment, healthy, safe and secure lives, and the sustained development of science and industry. We manufacture and sell clinical analyzers, biotechnology products and radiation therapy systems in the healthcare field, semiconductor manufacturing and inspection equipment in the semiconductor field, as well as analytical systems and electron microscopes used in environmental fields and materials research. We are also engaged in a wide range of business areas globally, providing high added-value solutions in battery, communication infrastructure, railway inspection, digital and other industrial and social infrastructure fields. By deeply understanding the issues facing society and our customers, and utilizing the installed base (Digitalized Assets) and domain knowledge, we provide digital service through Lumada 3.0, enhanced by AI. Along with the Inspire 2027, Hitachi Group's New Management plan, we contribute to realize a harmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth coexist in harmony. The company's consolidated revenues for FY2024 were approx. JPY 756.5 billion. For further information, visit https://www.hitachi-hightech.com/global/en/About ELITechELITechGroup is a global leader in in-vitro diagnostics, serving hospitals and diagnostic laboratories in over 100 countries through a direct sales network and trusted distribution partners. The company develops, manufactures, and markets a comprehensive range of diagnostic products and solutions, including instruments, reagents, and software. With a global team of about 600 professionals, ELITechGroup is proud to be a part of Bruker Corporation. Alongside Bruker's other businesses in the Bruker Microbiology and Infection Diagnostics division (BMID), ELITechGroup remains deeply committed to fully meeting the evolving needs of its customers. The company continues to develop state-of-the-art technologies and innovative solutions that address the challenges faced by today's-and tomorrow's-laboratories. For more information, visit the ELITech website (https://www.elitechgroup.com/).Business ContactMolecular Systems Marketing Dept.,Sales and Marketing Div.,Diagnostic System Business,Healthcare Business Group,Hitachi High-Tech CorporationContact formSource: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2025 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. More than 45 abstracts, including five late-breaking presentations and recognition in Presidential Symposium, showcase impact of approved medicines and potential of next-generation pipeline Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) will highlight data across its extensive Oncology portfolio at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025, being held October 17-21 in Berlin, Germany. Data from more than 45 company-sponsored, investigator-sponsored, and collaborative research abstracts, including 11 oral/mini oral presentations and five late-breaking sessions, will be presented across Pfizer's core scientific modalities and key tumor areas. "At ESMO, Pfizer is demonstrating how earlier interventions with our innovative medicines have the potential to deliver greater impact to even more patients," said Jeff Legos, Chief Oncology Officer, Pfizer. "The survival benefits we're seeing across certain cancer types reinforce our commitment to accelerating innovative medicines that bring new hope to patients everywhere, while pipeline data highlight the next wave of potential breakthroughs that could transform care for even more people living with cancer." Pfizer will share highlights from its leading Oncology portfolio at ESMO, including: In a Presidential Symposium, unprecedented survival results from the Phase 3 EV-303 trial (KEYNOTE-905) evaluating PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv), a Nectin-4 directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), plus KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab)* in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who are ineligible for or declined cisplatin-based chemotherapy, showing potential to redefine standard of care in these patients (Presentation LBA2) (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv), a Nectin-4 directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), plus KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab)* in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who are ineligible for or declined cisplatin-based chemotherapy, showing potential to redefine standard of care in these patients (Presentation LBA2) Final overall survival results from the Phase 3 EMBARK trial evaluating XTANDI (enzalutamide)** in combination with leuprolide and as monotherapy in non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer with high-risk biochemical recurrence, highlighting the benefit of XTANDI in this earlier line of treatment (Presentation LBA87) (enzalutamide)** in combination with leuprolide and as monotherapy in non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer with high-risk biochemical recurrence, highlighting the benefit of XTANDI in this earlier line of treatment (Presentation LBA87) Updated overall survival data from the Phase 2 PHAROS study of BRAFTOVI (encorafenib) plus MEKTOVI (binimetinib)*** in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), reinforcing this combination as a potential key treatment option for these patients (Presentation #1849MO) Information on significant Pfizer and partner-sponsored abstracts, including date and time of presentation, follows in the chart below. A complete list of Pfizer and partner-sponsored abstracts and presentations is available here. Presentation Title Details Genitourinary Cancer Perioperative (periop) enfortumab vedotin (EV) plus pembrolizumab (pembro) in participants (pts) with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who are cisplatin-ineligible: The phase 3 KEYNOTE-905 study [Merck/MSD-led] Vulsteke et. al Presidential Symposium (Presentation LBA2) Saturday, October 18, 2025, 4:30 PM CEST Disitamab vedotin (DV) plus toripalimab (T) versus chemotherapy (C) in first-line (1L) locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) with HER2-expression [Remegen-led] Sheng et. al Presidential Symposium (Presentation LBA7) Sunday, October 19, 2025, 4:30 PM CEST Overall survival with enzalutamide in biochemically recurrent prostate cancer Freedland et. al Oral Presentation (Presentation LBA87) Sunday, October 19, 2025, 10:55 AM CEST Randomised phase 3 trial of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with radiation therapy with or without enzalutamide for high risk, clinically localised prostate cancer: ENZARAD (ANZUP 1303)**** Nguyen et. al Oral Presentation (Presentation LBA86) Sunday, October 19, 2025, 10:15 AM CEST Thoracic Cancer Updated overall survival analysis from the phase 2 PHAROS study of encorafenib plus binimetinib in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic NSCLC (mNSCLC) Johnson et. al Mini Oral Presentation (Presentation #1849MO) Sunday, October 19, 2025, 8:30 AM CEST Enfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab (EV P) as first-line (1L) treatment in recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC): results from a cohort of the EV-202 trial [Astellas led] Swiecicki et. al Mini Oral Presentation (Presentation #1329MO) Sunday, October 19, 2025, 4:30 PM CEST Breast Cancer Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) from the PATINA Trial (AFT-38): Impact of Adding Palbociclib to HER2 and Endocrine Therapy (ET) after Induction in HR+/HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Ines Vaz-Luis et. al Mini Oral Presentation (Presentation #485MO) Monday, October 20, 2025, 10:15 AM CEST Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) with vepdegestrant (VEP) vs fulvestrant (FUL) in patients (pts) with estrogen receptor (ER) 1 gene mutated (ESR1m) ER+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-advanced breast cancer (aBC) in the phase 3 VERITAC-2 trial***** Campone et. al Mini Oral Presentation (Presentation #489MO) Monday, October 20, 2025, 10:15 AM CEST Gastrointestinal Cancer Circulating tumor (ct) DNA analysis of BRAF V600E dynamics and changes in genomic landscape in patients (pts) with first-line (1L) BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated in BREAKWATER****** Kopetz et. al Mini Oral Presentation (Presentation #729O) Monday, October 20, 2025, 08:30 AM CEST Cancer-Related Conditions Efficacy and safety of ponsegromab in patients with cancer-associated cachexia: Results from the open-label extension of a randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 study Crawford et. al Oral Presentation (Presentation LBA102) Friday, October 17, 2025, 4:00 PM CEST * Pfizer and Astellas have a clinical collaboration agreement with Merck to evaluate the combination of PADCEV and KEYTRUDA in patients with previously untreated metastatic urothelial cancer. ** XTANDI is jointly developed and commercialized by Pfizer and Astellas in the United States. *** The PHAROS trial is conducted with support from Pierre Fabre. **** Led by the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group Limited (ANZUP) with Astellas funding ***** Pfizer and Arvinas have a global collaboration for the co-development and co-commercialization of vepdegestrant. ****** The BREAKWATER trial was conducted with support from ONO Pharmaceutical, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Eli Lilly and Company. Prescribing Information for Pfizer Medicines Please see full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNING, for PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin). Please see full Prescribing Information for XTANDI (enzalutamide). Please see full Prescribing Information for BRAFTOVI (encorafenib). Please see full Prescribing Information for MEKTOVI (binimetinib). Please see full Prescribing Information for IBRANCE (palbociclib) tablets and IBRANCE (palbociclib) capsules. About Pfizer Oncology At Pfizer Oncology, we are at the forefront of a new era in cancer care. Our industry-leading portfolio and extensive pipeline includes three core mechanisms of action to attack cancer from multiple angles, including small molecules, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and multispecific antibodies, including other immune-oncology biologics. We are focused on delivering transformative therapies in some of the world's most common cancers, including breast cancer, genitourinary cancer, hematology-oncology, and thoracic cancers, which includes lung cancer. Driven by science, we are committed to accelerating breakthroughs to help people with cancer live better and longer lives. About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients' Lives At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For 175 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.pfizer.com and follow us on X at @Pfizer and @Pfizer_News, LinkedIn, YouTube and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer. Disclosure Notice The information contained in this release is as of September 25, 2025. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments. This release contains forward-looking information about Pfizer Oncology, Pfizer's Oncology portfolio of marketed and investigational therapies, including combinations, and an investigational therapy for a cancer-related condition; expectations for our product pipeline, in-line products and product candidates, including their potential benefits, clinical trial results and other developing data; potential breakthrough, best- or first-in-class or blockbuster status or expected market entry of our medicines; and other statements about our business, operations and financial results that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, uncertainties regarding the commercial success of Pfizer's oncology portfolio; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for our clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; risks associated with interim and preliminary data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from our clinical studies; whether and when any drug applications, biologics license applications and/or emergency use authorization applications may be filed in any jurisdictions for any potential indication for Pfizer's product candidates; whether and when any such applications that may be pending or filed for any of Pfizer's product candidates may be approved by regulatory authorities, which will depend on myriad factors, including making a determination as to whether the product's benefits outweigh its known risks and determination of the product's efficacy and, if approved, whether any such product candidates will be commercially successful; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of Pfizer's products or product candidates, including development of products or therapies by other companies; manufacturing capabilities or capacity; risks and uncertainties related to issued or future executive orders or other new, or changes in, laws or regulations; uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Pfizer's business, operations and financial results; and competitive developments. A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizer's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results", as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov and www.pfizer.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925011729/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: PfizerMediaRelations@Pfizer.com Investor Contact: IR@Pfizer.com TAIPEI (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a Withhold Release Order against Taiwanese bicycles, bicycle parts, and accessories exported to the United States. The products, manufactured in Taiwan by Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd, were seized based on information that reasonably indicates that they were made by using forced labor, CBP said in a press release. Effective immediately, CBP will detain bicycles, bicycle parts, and accessories manufactured in Taiwan by Giant. This WRO, the third issued in 2025 and the fourth in Fiscal Year 2025, was issued due to violations of the law prohibiting goods made with forced labor from entering the U.S. 'CBP has a proven track record of cracking down on companies that use forced labor to the detriment of law-abiding U.S. businesses,' said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott. CBP said that during its investigation of Giant, it identified International Labor Organization forced labor indicators - abuse of vulnerability, abusive working and living conditions, debt bondage, withholding of wages, and excessive overtime. Giant profited by imposing such abuse, resulting in goods produced below market value and undercutting American businesses by millions of dollars in unjustly earned profits. The International Labor Organization estimates that nearly 28 million workers are under conditions of forced labor worldwide. 'Importers have a responsibility to do their due diligence and know their supply chains,' said Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBP's Office of Trade Susan S. Thomas. 'CBP will continue to investigate allegations of forced labor and take action when we find it in U.S. supply chains.' Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 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. QIA and Blue Owl to collaborate to anchor a new permanent capital platform, further expanding Blue Owl's leading digital infrastructure business. DOHA, Qatar and NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Qatar Investment Authority ("QIA") and Blue Owl Capital Inc. ("Blue Owl") (NYSE: OWL) have entered into a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the objective of creating a digital infrastructure platform intended to accelerate global compute available to leading hyperscalers amid surging cloud and AI transformation. QIA's contribution to the partnership is expected to help launch a digital infrastructure platform with more than $3 billion of initial data center assets and is expected to grow over time. In addition, QIA brings to the partnership a global investment perspective, a long-term capital base, and a deep experience in infrastructure and technology sectors aligning with Blue Owl's permanent capital strategy. Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi, CEO of QIA said: "We are pleased to partner with Blue Owl in this transformational digital infrastructure platform. This partnership aligns with QIA's strategy to engage with leading global firms that are addressing the world's growing demand for data centers. QIA and Blue Owl are committed to scaling digital infrastructure that will meet the growing demand for data storage and computation requirements globally, with a particular focus on increasing data connectivity." Doug Ostrover and Marc Lipschultz, Co-CEOs of Blue Owl said: "We are honored to partner with Qatar Investment Authority in advancing the global data center ecosystem. QIA's commitment to innovation aligns seamlessly with our strategy to provide financing solutions to large-scale, resilient, digital infrastructure portfolios. Together, we aim to meet the surging demand for data connectivity and power the next generation of digital transformation." Blue Owl's Digital Infrastructure strategy is part of Blue Owl's Real Assets platform and is focused exclusively on investing in the mission-critical assets powering cloud and AI innovation. As of June 30, 2025, the strategy has raised $39 billion of capital, investing in 104 facilities across 28 global markets. About QIA Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar. QIA was founded in 2005 to invest and manage the state reserve funds. QIA is among the largest and most active sovereign wealth funds globally. QIA invests across a wide range of asset classes and regions as well as in partnership with leading institutions around the world to build a global and diversified investment portfolio. www.qia.qa About Blue Owl Blue Owl (NYSE: OWL) is a leading asset manager that is redefining alternatives. With over $284 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2025, we invest across three multi-strategy platforms: Credit, Real Assets and GP Strategic Capital. Anchored by a strong permanent capital base, we provide businesses with private capital solutions to drive long-term growth and offer institutional investors, individual investors, and insurance companies differentiated alternative investment opportunities that aim to deliver strong performance, risk-adjusted returns, and capital preservation. Together with approximately 1,300 experienced professionals globally, Blue Owl brings the vision and discipline to create the exceptional. To learn more, visit www.blueowl.com Forward Looking Statements Certain statements made in this release are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "estimates," "projected," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "would," "should," "future," "propose," "target," "goal," "objective," "outlook" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions available under applicable securities laws and speak only as of the date made. Blue Owl assumes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements except as required by law. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Blue Owl's control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of strategic acquisitions; costs related to acquisitions; the inability to maintain the listing of Blue Owl's shares on the New York Stock Exchange; Blue Owl's ability to manage growth; Blue Owl's ability to execute its business plan and meet its projections; potential litigation involving Blue Owl; changes in applicable laws or regulations; and the possibility that Blue Owl may be adversely affected by other economic, business, geo-political and competitive factors. Investor Contact Ann Dai Head of Investor Relations blueowlir@blueowl.com Media Contact Nick Theccanat Principal, Corporate Communications & Government Affairs Nick.Theccanat@blueowl.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2147951/5526267/Blue_Owl_Capital_Inc_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/qatar-investment-authority-and-blue-owl-capital-enter-agreement-to-establish-digital-infrastructure-partnership-302565002.html Singapore and Japan, , Sept 25, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) - SC Ventures by Standard Chartered Bank, which builds and invests in breakthrough ventures in and beyond banking, together with Fujitsu, a leading developer of quantum software and hardware, are set to join forces on September 25 to incubate Project Quanta. The project will integrate multiple software and hardware technologies to provide clients a platform to rapidly explore, develop and integrate quantum computing and quantum-inspired applications.The joint venture will leverage Fujitsu's expertise in quantum computing R and D and software-and-algorithm development as well as insights gained through the development of its superconducting quantum computer. It will bring this expertise together with SC Ventures' venture building prowess and deep insights into financial institutions to accelerate the development of quantum use cases, intellectual property, resources and value.In this platform, in addition to the development environment, it provides pre-built algorithms in areas such as fraud detection, risk simulations, derivative pricing, and credit decision, enabling users to develop their own algorithms. We also provide access to data and backend hardware, allowing users to test their algorithms.This project will utilize Fujitsu's quantum computing technology. Fujitsu has been developing quantum computing capabilities through both software and hardware advancements utilizing multiple joint research initiatives. Based on the collaboration with RIKEN, Fujitsu is currently developing a 1,000-qubit superconducting quantum computer, scheduled to begin operation in fiscal 2026.Looking ahead, the company is also planning the development of a plus-10,000 qubit (250 logical qubit) superconducting quantum computer by fiscal 2030.Apurv Suri, Client Engagement and Partnerships Lead, SC Ventures, comments:"The current quantum development industry is fragmented with some companies excelling at hardware integration while others are better at quantum algorithm building tools. By joining forces with Fujitsu, we want to unlock quantum resources and talent on one platform for corporates looking to scale their quantum capabilities."Stafford Bond, Head of Growth Investments, Fujitsu Services Limited, comments:"At Fujitsu, we are committed to solving the world's most complex challenges through innovation and collaboration. Partnering with SC Ventures on Project Quanta represents a bold step toward democratising access to quantum capabilities and realising true quantum advantage. By combining our expertise in quantum technologies and integration with SC Ventures' deep industry insight and venture building pedigree, we aim to accelerate the practical application of quantum technologies and unlock transformative value for businesses."Related LinksSC VenturesFujitsu Services LimitedFujitsu starts official development of plus-10,000 qubit superconducting quantum computer targeting completion in 2030 (August 1, 2025, Press release)About FujitsuFujitsu's purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers around the globe, our 113,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: AI, Computing, Networks, Data and Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$23 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: global.fujitsuAbout Standard CharteredWe are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 53 of the world's most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges. For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.Insightssc.comLinkedInInstagramFacebookAbout SC VenturesSC Ventures builds and invests in breakthrough ventures in and beyond banking. SC Ventures by Standard Chartered provides a platform for organisations to collaborate and co-create fintech ecosystems to reimagine the future of finance. For more information, please visit www.scventures.io and follow SC Ventures on LinkedIn.SC VenturesLinkedInPress ContactsFujitsu LimitedPublic and Investor Relations DivisionInquiriesSC VenturesChi-an ChangPR and Communications Lead,Chian.Chang@sc.comSource: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2025 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Compass Gold Corporation (TSXV: CVB) ("Compass" or the "Company") announced today that it has issued, on a non-brokered private placement basis, 4,666,667 units of the Company ("Units"), at a price of $0.15 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $700,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit consisted of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole Common Share purchase warrant, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one additional Common Share at a price of $0.20 for a period of two years from the date of issuance. As a result of investor demand, the final gross proceeds of the Offering exceeded the Company's previously announced Unit purchase commitments by $100,000. (See Compass news release dated September 16, 2025.) The proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the continuing development and initial execution of the Company's Small Mine Strategy at Massala, and for general corporate purposes. Additional details concerning the Offering In connection with the Offering, and subject to compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities legislation, the Company paid finder's fees equal to 7.0% of the gross proceeds received from the sale of certain Units. In aggregate, the Company paid $4,200 in cash, and issued 121,333 Common Shares (at a deemed value of $0.15 per Common Share) as finder's fees pursuant to the Offering. Insiders of the Company purchased an aggregate of 273,335 Units under the Offering for total consideration of $41,000. Such participation is considered a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Participation by insiders in the Offering was exempt from (i) the valuation requirements of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, as the Company is listed only on the TSX Venture Exchange; and (ii) the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as at the time the Offering was agreed to, neither the fair market value of the subject matter, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the Offering, insofar as it involved interested parties, exceeded 25% of the market capitalization of the Company. The Company did not file a material change report related to the insider participation under the Offering more than 21 days before closing. This was considered reasonable and necessary in the circumstances, as the details of the Offering (including insider participation) were only recently finalized and the Company desired to complete the Offering in an expeditious manner. All the securities issuable pursuant to the Offering are subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day after the date of issuance. The Offering remains subject to final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. All dollar amounts referred to in this press release are expressed in Canadian dollars. The offer and sale of the securities offered in the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which the offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful. About Compass Gold Corp. Compass, a public company incorporated in Ontario, is a Tier 2 issuer on the TSX- V. Through the 2017 acquisition of MGE and Malian subsidiaries, Compass holds gold exploration permits located in Mali that comprise the Sikasso Property. The exploration permits are located in four sites in southern Mali with a combined land holding of 1,173 sq. km. The Sikasso Property is located in the same region as several multi-million-ounce gold projects, including Morila, Syama, Kalana and Komana. The Company's Mali-based technical team, led in the field by Dr. Madani Diallo and under the supervision of Dr. Sandy Archibald, P.Geo., is conducting the current exploration program. They are examining numerous anomalies first noted in Dr. Archibald's August 2017 "National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on the Sikasso Property, Southern Mali." Qualified Person This news release has been reviewed and approved by EurGeol. Dr. Sandy Archibald, P.Geo., Compass's Technical Director, who is the Qualified Person for the technical information in this news release under National Instrument 43-101 standards. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Company's proposed use of proceeds of the Offering. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by such information. The statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. For further information, please contact: Website: www.compassgoldcorp.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267833 SOURCE: Compass Gold Corporation TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Lahontan Gold Corp. (TSXV:LG)(OTCQB:LGCXF)(FSE:Y2F) (the "Company" or "Lahontan") is pleased to announce that the company's Exploration Plan of Operations ("POO") has begun National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") review by the Federal Bureau of Land Management ("BLM"). The BLM has up to six months to complete the process, however Lahontan, its permitting consultants, and the BLM believe the process will be much more rapid, as the POO has been posted on the BLM National NEPA Registry and a draft Environmental Assessment has already been completed. The Company has also signed a Contributed Funds Agreement with the BLM whereby Lahontan will provide funding to the BLM in support of the NEPA process allowing the BLM to assign additional personnel to the review team and potentially further reduce the time required to complete the review. Kimberly Ann, Lahontan Founder, Chair, CEO, and President commented: "Lahontan is excited to have its Exploration POO enter the NEPA review process. When NEPA is completed, the POO will allow for staged exploration drilling of over 700 holes within the Santa Fe Mine Project area, greatly enhancing the potential to expand the project's gold and silver resources and enhance expanded mining opportunities. The Contributed Funds Agreement allows the BLM to utilize additional personnel to complete the NEPA analysis and provide funding in case of a Federal government shutdown." About Lahontan Gold Corp. Lahontan Gold Corp. is a Canadian mine development and mineral exploration company that holds, through its US subsidiaries, four top-tier gold and silver exploration properties in the Walker Lane of mining friendly Nevada. Lahontan's flagship property, the 26.4 km2 Santa Fe Mine project, had past production of 359,202 ounces of gold and 702,067 ounces of silver between 1988 and 1995 from open pit mines utilizing heap-leach processing. The Santa Fe Mine has a Canadian National Instrument 43-101 compliant Indicated Mineral Resource of 1,539,000 oz Au Eq(48,393,000 tonnes grading 0.92 g/t Au and 7.18 g/t Ag, together grading 0.99 g/t Au Eq) and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 411,000 oz Au Eq (16,760,000 grading 0.74 g/t Au and 3.25 g/t Ag, together grading 0.76 g/t Au Eq), all pit constrained (Au Eq is inclusive of recovery, please see Santa Fe Project Technical Report and note below*). The Company plans to continue advancing the Santa Fe Mine project towards production, update the Santa Fe Preliminary Economic Assessment, and drill test its satellite West Santa Fe project during 2025. For more information, please visit our website: www.lahontangoldcorp.com * Please see the "Preliminary Economic Assessment, NI 43-101 Technical Report, Santa Fe Project", Authors: Kenji Umeno, P. Eng., Thomas Dyer, PE, Kyle Murphy, PE, Trevor Rabb, P. Geo, Darcy Baker, PhD, P. Geo., and John M. Young, SME-RM; Effective Date: December 10, 2024, Report Date: January 24, 2025. The Technical Report is available on the Company's website and SEDAR+. Mineral resources are reported using a cut-off grade of 0.15 g/t AuEq for oxide resources and 0.60 g/t AuEq for non-oxide resources. AuEq for the purpose of cut-off grade and reporting the Mineral Resources is based on the following assumptions gold price of US$1,950/oz gold, silver price of US$23.50/oz silver, and oxide gold recoveries ranging from 28% to 79%, oxide silver recoveries ranging from 8% to 30%, and non-oxide gold and silver recoveries of 71%. Qualified Person Brian J. Maher, M.Sc., CPG-12342, is a "Qualified Person" as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release in respect of all disclosure other than the Mineral Resource Estimate as noted above.? Mr. Maher is Vice President-Exploration for Lahontan Gold and has verified the data disclosed in this news release, including the sampling, ??analytical and test data underlying the disclosure. On behalf of the Board of Directors Kimberly Ann Founder, CEO, President, and Executive Chair FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Lahontan Gold Corp. Kimberly Ann Founder, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Executive Chair Phone: 1-530-414-4400 Email: Kimberly.ann@lahontangoldcorp.com Website: www.lahontangoldcorp.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Neither TSX Venture Exchange("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.com SOURCE: Lahontan Gold Corp View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/santa-fe-exploration-plan-of-operations-enters-nepa-review-1077925 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Scottie Resources Corp. (TSXV: SCOT) (OTCQB: SCTSF) (FSE: SR80) ("Scottie" or the "Company") is pleased to report new assays from its 2025 drilling of the Blueberry Contact Zone within the Scottie Gold Mine Project. The road-accessible Scottie Gold Mine Project, which includes the 100%-owned past-producing Scottie Gold Mine and the adjacent Blueberry Contact Zone, is located 35 kilometres north of Stewart, BC. Drilling in 2025 continues to deliver strong results, including intercepts of 7.43 g/t gold over 18.75 metres and 37 g/t gold over 2.85 metres at the Blueberry Contact Zone. The fully funded 25,000-metre drill program is ongoing, with less than 15% of assays reported to date and additional results expected through the remainder of the year. In parallel, bulk sample activities are advancing on schedule, with mucking from the final blast completed, waste backfilling underway, and mineralized material being crushed for transport. Processing of the bulk sample at a third-party facility is planned for mid-October. Highlights: Blueberry Contact drillhole SR25-370 intersected 7.43 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 18.75 metres (m), including 30.0 g/t gold over 3.3 m at the Lemoffe vein zone (Table 1, Figures 1,2,4). Blueberry Contact drillhole SR25-369 intersected 37.0 g/t gold over 2.85 m at the Blueberry vein zone (Table 1, Figures 1,2,3). Blueberry Contact drillhole SR25-365 intersected 9.99 g/t gold over 4.00 m at the Fifi vein zone (Table 1, Figures 1,2). Blueberry Contact drillhole SR25-367 intersected 61.9 g/t gold over 1.00 m at the Fifi vein zone (Table 1, Figures 1,2). Bulk sample progressing on schedule. Mucking has been completed and crushing and transport down the Granduc road has commenced. "Drilling at the Blueberry Contact Zone continues to deliver strong results," commented Dr. Thomas Mumford, President of the Company. "These intercepts further support our understanding of the system and provide confidence in the continuity of mineralization. In parallel, bulk sample activities are advancing as planned and the sample remains on track for third-party processing in October. Together the drilling and bulk sample work provide important data to guide our evaluation of the Project and will help to inform next steps. Additionally, the Company is looking forward to receiving the results of its preliminary economic assessment on the Project early in Q4." Figure 1: Segmented vertical long section of the Blueberry Contact Zone illustrating the distribution and status of drilled targets from the 2025 season and the reported results thus far, relative to intercepts from previous drilling campaigns. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/267824_9e8f7251b43fda3b_002full.jpg Table 1: Highlight results from new drill assays (uncut) from the Blueberry Contact Zone. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Width* (m) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Sub Zone SR25-365 253.25 257.25 4.00 9.99 6.25 Fifi 292 293.00 1.00 8.55 5.00 Lemoffe SR25-367 133.1 134.10 1.00 61.9 17.0 Fifi 200 207.00 7.00 2.68 2.47 Lemoffe including 203.2 204.25 1.05 9.57 8.00 Lemoffe SR25-368 128.05 129.05 1.00 3.39 0.00 BB Vein SR25-369 278.6 281.45 2.85 37.0 4.68 BB Vein 386.7 387.70 1.00 3.85 0.00 Lemoffe SR25-370 124.45 126.50 2.05 31.0 12.15 Fifi 130.2 131.20 1.00 1.15 2.00 Fifi 181.1 199.85 18.75 7.43 7.18 Lemoffe including 181.1 184.40 3.30 30.0 7.00 Lemoffe *True widths unknown Figure 2: Overview plan view map of the Blueberry Contact Zone, illustrating the locations of the reported drill results, cross-sections (Figures 3,4), and the distribution of the modelled sulphide-rich cross-structures. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/267824_9e8f7251b43fda3b_003full.jpg Figure 3: Cross-section displaying Blueberry Contact Zone intercepts from drill hole SR25-369. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/267824_9e8f7251b43fda3b_004full.jpg Figure 4: Cross-section displaying Blueberry Contact Zone intercepts from drill hole SR25-370. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/267824_9e8f7251b43fda3b_005full.jpg Bulk Sample Update Mucking and separating mineralized vein material from waste from the 2nd and final blast has been completed. In compliance with our permit, the pit is being backfilled with the waste material. The mineralized vein material is being jaw crushed at site and transported down the Granduc road for final cone crushing. The sample is on track to be transported off site for third-party processing in October. About the Scottie Gold Mine Project Exploration of the Scottie Gold Mine Project over the past six years has produced exceptional drill results through the discovery of high-grade gold in four new zones (Blueberry Contact Zone, Domino, D-Zone, P-Zone) and the expansion of previously drill confirmed targets (Scottie Gold Mine, C-Zone, Bend Vein, Stockwork). There is a clear spatial relation between the outcropping and drill-confirmed high-grade gold targets and the contact with the Jurassic aged, Texas Creek Plutonic suite intrusion. Geological work in the area has established strong connections between the various deposits. The chemical, mineralogical, structural, and age relationships of the deposits and host rocks support a genetic model whereby all deposits are linked to the same mineralizing event. The Blueberry Contact Zone is located just 2 kilometres northeast of the 100% owned, past-producing Scottie Gold Mine (SGM) located in British Columbia, Canada's Golden Triangle region. Historic trenching and channel sampling of the Blueberry Vein include results of 103.94 g/t gold over 1.43 metres, and 203.75 g/t gold over 1.90 metres. Despite high-grade surficial samples and easy road access, the Blueberry Vein had only limited reported drilling prior to the Company's exploration work. The target was significantly advanced during Scottie's 2019 drill program when an interval grading 7.44 g/t gold over 34.78 metres was intersected in a new N-S oriented zone adjacent to the main Blueberry Vein. The drill results received from 2020 - 2024, coupled with surficial mapping and sampling suggest that the N-S mineralized trend is a first order structure that hosts an array of SW-trending, sub-parallel, sulphide-rich veins that obliquely crosscut it which host high-grade gold. As of the end of 2024, the extent of the N-S zone, defined by the contact between andesite and siltstone units of the Hazelton Formation and the presence of the cross-cutting sulfide-rich structures, has a drilled strike length of >1,550 metres and has been tested to >525 metres depth. The Blueberry Contact Zone is located on the Granduc Road, 20 kilometres north of the Ascot Resources' Premier Mine. Newmont's Brucejack Mine is located 25 kilometres to the north. The Company is targeting the completion of the PEA in Q4 2025. The PEA will investigate a high-margin DSO operation to deliver a gold concentrate to Asian copper/precious metals smelters. By design, the operation will eliminate the need for a gold processing plant and tailings facility, thereby significantly reducing the capital required and resulting in a minimal environmental footprint. The PEA will be based on the recently reported Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") of 703,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 6.1 g/t gold (see NR dated May 7, 2025). The project envisages a shallow open pit on the Blueberry Zone to start, followed by underground production from both Blueberry and the past-producing Scottie Gold Mine. Quality Assurance and Control Results from samples taken during the 2025 field season were analyzed at SGS Minerals in Burnaby, BC. The sampling program was undertaken under the direction of Dr. Thomas Mumford. A secure chain of custody is maintained in transporting and storing of all samples. Gold was assayed using a fire assay with atomic absorption spectrometry and gravimetric finish when required (+9 g/t gold). Analysis by four acid digestion with multi-element ICP-AES analysis was conducted on all samples with silver and base metal over-limits being re-analyzed by emission spectrometry. Dr. Thomas Mumford, P.Geo., a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release on behalf of the Company. Correction to Finder's Warrants Issuable in the Company's Non-Brokered Financing Further to the Company's news releases dated August 15, 2025 and September 12, 2025 announcing the closing of the second and third tranches of the Company's non-brokered private placement of non-flow through common shares and charitable flow-through shares (the "Closing News Releases"), the Closing News Releases incorrectly stated that the Company paid fees to eligible finders consisting of 102,150 finder's warrants under the second tranche, and 261,975 in total. The Company wishes to correct the Closing News Releases by clarifying that the Company paid fees to eligible finders consisting of 125,550 finder's warrants under the second tranche, and 285,375 in total. ABOUT SCOTTIE RESOURCES CORP. Scottie Resources holds 100% interest in the Scottie Gold Mine Property, which includes the high-grade, past-producing Scottie Gold Mine and the adjacent Blueberry Contact Zone. The Company also owns a 100% interest in the Georgia Project, host to the past-producing Georgia River Mine, as well as the Cambria, Sulu, and Tide North properties. In total, Scottie controls approximately 58,500 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims within the Stewart Mining Camp in British Columbia's Golden Triangle-one of the world's most prolific mineralized districts. Scottie's current resource estimate on the Scottie Gold Mine Project includes a total of 703,000 gold ounces at an average grade of 6.1 g/t (Inferred category), highlighting the potential for a significant near-surface, high-grade deposit. The Company's strategy is to continue expanding this resource and to define additional mineralization around past-producing mines through systematic drilling and surface exploration. In parallel, Scottie is evaluating a potential Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) scenario at the Scottie Gold Mine. With permits in hand, a 10,000-tonne bulk sample is underway. This initiative provides an opportunity to collect key geotechnical and metallurgical data while assessing a low-capex path to potential near-term revenue through toll milling or third-party processing. This DSO concept does not imply a production decision but reflects the optionality embedded in Scottie's portfolio. Forward Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267824 SOURCE: Scottie Resources Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Military Metals Corp. (CSE: MILI) (OTCQB: MILIF) (FSE: QN90) (the "Company" or "MILI"), is pleased to announce plans to carry out a soil geochemical survey program at its wholly-owned Last Chance antimony-gold property, located 18 kilometers west of Kinross Gold's Round Mountain gold mine in south-central Nevada. The survey is scheduled to begin on or around September 29th. The purpose of the field program is to follow up on recommendations from the recently completed structural geology field program (see September 9, 2025 news release), with special emphasis on prospective trends that were identified. Last Chance is a historical producer but modern exploration methods have never been applied; the new soil data gathered will be used to further narrow down target areas already identified. Highlights: Soil geochemical survey will collect up to 1,000 samples; Data will be used to fine-tune drill targets examining correlation of structures with alteration and known mineralization; The grid comprises a 75 foot station spacing along lines spaced 150 feet apart; Last Chance is an historical mine, having produced 400 tons of material averaging 20% antimony during World War I, and 29 tons averaging 45% antimony in 1939; 1 Between 1941 and 1942, over 200 tons of stibnite were shipped, with the last reported production comprising 44 tons at between 10-15% antimony, in 1958; 1 Samples recently taken by Company personnel include 6.66% and 11.61% stibnite, ranging from 0.005% to 11.61% stibnite; Disseminated to massive stibnite is most often found in quartz-carbonate veins and quartz-carbonate flooded metasedimentary host rocks in at least three locations over a distance of 1 kilometer (see also MILI News Release dated June 19, 2025). Scott Eldridge, CEO and Director stated, "We are in a period of higher demand for defense-related commodities and minerals placing further importance on antimony, it is needed in greater quantities as more countries modernize equipment. Global competition for antimony has increased the need for domestic sources, it is officially listed as a critical mineral in the U.S. which means it gets special attention in policy and planning. Increased government investment into critical minerals has been observed in the form of grants, equity and loans." "Soil geochemistry is a cost-effective and often powerful tool in areas lacking abundant outcrop that can reveal subtle geochemical footprints at surface. It provides MILI with a cost-effective way to zero in on potentially buried mineralized systems. At Last Chance, soil sampling will help us further pinpoint the structures and halos that appear to be related to stibnite mineralization, sharpening our drill targets and increasing our chances of discovery. Soil geochemical analysis is an inexpensive method to assist in further honing in on drill targets." Results from the geochemical survey will be incorporated with other data gathered on the property, to date, enabling discrete drill targets to be delineated to test both for extensions of known, historically developed mineralized structures as well as others indicated by recent and the forthcoming field work. Samples will be stored securely prior to shipping them to American Assay Laboratories, located in Sparks, Nevada, a roughly three hour drive from the property. All standard Quality Assurance - Quality Control protocols will be implemented to assure accuracy of the results obtained. Management looks forward to releasing and reviewing the results of this forthcoming soil geochemical survey as soon as they become available. (1)(source: Lawrence, E.F., 1963: ANTIMONY DEPOSITS OF NEVADA, Nevada Bureau of Mines, Bulletin 61, p. 152). IMAGE 1: Soil Sampling Grid Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10818/267895_0a8913d56430380c_001full.jpg The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Avrom E. Howard, MSc, PGeo, VP-Exploration for Military Metals and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Grant of PSUs (performance stock units) Based on achieving future significant milestones, the company announces that it has reserved 6.6 million PSUs for officers, directors, employees and consultants of the company under the terms of the company's incentive share unit plan for a period of five years. About Military Metals Corp. The Company is a British Columbia-based mineral exploration company that is primarily engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties with a focus on antimony. This news release contains "forward-looking information". Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-Looking information in this news release includes statements related to the Company's exploration plans in relation to the Last Chance gold and antimony project, and future conditions related to global and US critical minerals development. A variety of factors, including known and unknown risks, many of which are beyond our control, could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this news release. Known risks include risks related to future demand for antimony, alterations of supply chains in a manner that deprioritizes domestic exploration, development and production of antimony or critical minerals in the United States and in the world, or risks related operating in the mineral exploration space, including permitting, labour shortages or disruptions, social disruptions, availability of capital, availability of equipment and other resources, or similar risks. Additional risk factors can also be found in the Company's public filings under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-Looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances, management's estimates, or opinions should change, except as required by securities legislation. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267895 SOURCE: Military Metals Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Wealth Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: WML) (OTCQB: WMLLF) (SSE: WMLCL) (FSE: EJZN) (the "Company" or "Wealth") announces it has entered into a binding letter agreement (the "Letter Agreement") made as of September 24, 2025 to acquire an indirect 100% royalty-free interest in the Andacollo Oro Gold Project ("AOG Project"), located in Chile (the "Transaction"). AOG Project Overview1 Historical Estimate of 2.02M oz Au in the Measured and Indicated Categories for 130Mt at 0.48 Au grams per tonne Historical Estimate of 5.06M oz Au in the Inferred Category for 358Mt at 0.45 Au grams per tonne Contained within the Historical Measured and Indicated Resource Inventory is a Historical Mineral of 1.16M oz Au in the Proven & Probable Category of 59.3Mt at 0.61 Au grams per tonne (at a cutoff grade of 0.20 Au grams per tonne) Location: Coquimbo Chile (adjacent to Teck Resource's Carmen del Andacollo mine) Past Operation: Open pit heap leach Past Total Production: 1.12M oz Au (1998 to 2018) Past Production mining throughput: 20,000 tpd Past peak production rate: 135,000 oz Au/year Existing permits: mining rights, land title and water rights 1 Source: CMID SPA Mina Andacollo Oro Project, NI 43-101 Technical Report by GEOINVEST S.A.C E.I.R.L., August 23, 2021 & Updated Report for Resources by GEOINVEST S.A.C E.I.R.L. November 2024) (the "Historical AOG Report"). Henk van Alphen, Wealth's CEO, said, "The chance to acquire the AOG Project is an opportunity management believes is the right choice for shareholders. Gold, an asset class that has been around for millennia, is now "new" to the capital markets as investors increasingly worry about governments' monetary and fiscal policies globally. I see no reason to expect the drivers of this worry to change, and I expect gold's favor amongst investors to continue. The merits of the AOG Project are obvious and alluded to in this news release. Wealth will continue to advance its lithium project portfolio and seek ways to create shareholder value. Management believes that the best way for the Company to get value for the lithium projects is to have a company that has the overall scale and capital market footprint to attract capital and attention in the global mining industry. I look forward to continuing to advance Wealth's assets and this acquisition demonstrates Wealth's continued commitment to working in Chile and builds on the success of Wealth engaging with stakeholders, as demonstrated by Wealth's joint venture with the Quechua Indigenous Community of Ollague to develop the Kuska lithium project, and the recent inclusion of the Salar de Ollague in the new simplified procedure for the assignment of a Special Lithium Operating Contract (CEOL) implemented by the Chilean authorities." Andacollo Oro Gold Project The AOG Project is located in Region IV, the Province of Coquimbo, Chile, 60km from the Coquimbo port and 480km north of Santiago. Historically, the AOG Project produced cumulatively 1.12 million ounces of gold from 1995 to 2018 before production was suspended due to relatively low gold prices at the time.2 The AOG Project's peak annual production was 135k ounces in 1999. During the time it was operational, the AOG Project mine was a 20,000 tonne per day, open pit heap leach operation.3 The AOG Project includes mining licenses rights, land title and water rights. Extensive earth works and infrastructure are present at the site and there is significant tonnage of mineralized material stacked on the AOG Project's three leach pads that could potentially be utilized for early-stage ramp-up of operations. The geology of the AOG Project has been extensively studied by past operators, with historically 2,547 holes drilled for a total of 287,222m.4 The AOG Project exploited a low sulphidation epithermal manto-type gold deposit. The Historical AOG reported the following historical estimates: To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4437/267928_267928wlthmintb1.jpg 2,3,4 Source: Historical AOG Report. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves, and Wealth is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The AOG Project is adjacent to Teck Resource's Carmen de Andacollo copper mine, which produced 40k tonnes of copper in 2024 (Source: https://www.teck.com/). Readers are cautioned that the Carmen de Andacollo copper mine is an adjacent property, and Wealth has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in such property. Mineral deposits on adjacent properties and any production therefrom or economics with respect thereto, are not in any way indicative of mineral deposits on the AOG Project or the potential production from, or cost or economics of, any future mining on the AOG Project. Terms of the Letter Agreement Under the terms of the Letter Agreement and subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange, it is currently proposed that the Transaction will be effected by way of a share purchase and sale transaction, pursuant to which Wealth (or a subsidiary of Wealth) will acquire a 100% ownership interest in an arm's length private Chilean company (the "Target"). The purchase price for the acquisition of the Target will be 12.5 million (post-Consolidation (as defined below)) common shares in the capital of Wealth, subject to adjustment for dilution prior to closing of the Transaction. In consideration for the Target granting Wealth a 30-day exclusivity period for Wealth to conduct due diligence, Wealth has paid a US$350,000 cash payment to the Target. It is a condition to the closing of the Transaction that the Target will have closed its acquisition of a 100% royalty free interest in the AOG Project (the "Underlying Transaction"), subject to the following deferred purchase payments to be assumed by Wealth of an aggregate US$30 million cash, of which up to US$7 million can be paid in shares, over a period of 48 months (US$250,000 of which has already been paid) as follows: (i) US$1,750,000 cash on the closing of the Underlying Transaction (the "Underlying Closing Date"); (ii) US$1,000,000 cash on or before December 30, 2025; (iii) US$2,000,000 within 12 months from the Underlying Closing Date; (iv) US$4,000,000 within 24 months from the Underlying Closing Date; (v) US$6,000,000 within 36 months from the Underlying Closing Date; and (vi) US$15,000,000, of which US$7,000,000 may be paid in cash or its equivalent in shares, within 48 months from the Underlying Closing Date. Completion of the Transaction is subject to, among other things, the satisfaction of customary conditions precedent, including, without limitation, receipt of all necessary shareholder, board and regulatory (including TSX Venture Exchange) consents and approvals. Private Placement In connection with the Transaction, Wealth announces a non-brokered private placement offering of a minimum of 41,666,666 units (the "Units") at a subscription price of $0.12 per Unit for minimum gross proceeds of $5,000,000. Each Unit consists of one common share (each, a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each such whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.18 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months (the "Offering"). In the event that the Company's shares trade at a closing price of greater than $0.36 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive trading days at any time after the closing of the Offering, the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by providing notice to the shareholders thereof and in such case the Warrants will expire on the 30th day after the date on which such notice is given by the Company. Finder's fees may be payable to qualified finders, and all securities issued in the Offering are subject to a four-month and a day hold period in Canada during which time the securities may not be traded. Closing of the Offering is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Proceeds of the Offering will be allocated to finance the acquisition, exploration and development costs of the AOG Project, including drilling, permitting work, and geotechnical work. Approximately $1,000,000 will be used for general working capital and corporate purposes, including transaction-related expenses. The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "U.S. Securities Act"), as amended, or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to "U.S. persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Wealth intends to rely on the "part and parcel pricing exception" provided for in the corporate finance policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. Share Consolidation Wealth further announces that it intends to undergo a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares on the basis of one post-consolidation Wealth common share for up to seven pre-consolidation Wealth common shares (the "Consolidation"). There are currently 362,363,191 Wealth common shares outstanding, and Wealth anticipates completing the Consolidation prior to the completion of the Offering and the closing of the Transaction. Assuming completion of the Consolidation prior to the completion of the Offering and the closing of the Transaction, Wealth expects that following completion of the Consolidation there will be approximately 51,766,170 Wealth common shares outstanding (on a non-diluted basis). The number of post-Consolidation Wealth common shares to be received will be rounded up to the nearest whole number for fractions of 0.5 or greater or rounded down to the nearest whole number for fractions of less than 0.5. The Consolidation is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. The Company is undertaking the Consolidation to be in a better position to attract capital to advance its projects. The Company's name and trading symbol are expected to remain unchanged. The issue prices and securities offered under the Offering are disclosed on a pre-Consolidation basis and will be adjusted to reflect the prior implementation of the Consolidation (assuming completion of the Consolidation prior to the completion of the Offering). Chad Williams Wealth also announces the appointment of Chad Williams as a strategic advisor to the Company. Mr. Williams is the Founder and Chairman of Red Cloud Mining Capital. He was the CEO of Victoria Gold from 2007 to 2011 and a gold analyst and Head of Mining Investment Banking at Blackmont Capital from 2004 to 2007. Mr. Williams holds a degree in Mining Engineering and Business from McGill University Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Sergio Alvarado, P.Geo. (CIM N 144815), an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Alvarado, Principal Geologist with GEOINVEST S.A.C E.I.R.L., has reviewed the technical information and consents to the form and content of this news release. About Wealth Minerals Ltd. Wealth is a mineral resource company with interests in Canada and Chile. The Company's focus is the acquisition and development of lithium projects in South America. Presently the Company is working to diversify its asset base to include precious metal projects. The Company opportunistically advances battery metal projects where it has a peer advantage in project selection and initial evaluation. Lithium market dynamics and a rapidly increasing metal price are the result of profound structural issues with the industry meeting anticipated future demand. Wealth is positioning itself to be a major beneficiary of this future mismatch of supply and demand. In parallel with lithium market dynamics, Wealth believes other battery metals will benefit from similar industry trends. For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company's website (www.wealthminerals.com) and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of all conditions precedent to the Transaction, the completion of the Transaction, the completion of the Offering and the use of proceeds therefrom, and the completion of the Consolidation, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, market fundamentals will result in sustained gold and lithium demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the Transaction in a timely manner, the availability of financing on suitable terms for the continued operation of the Company's business and its ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, requirements for additional capital, actual results of exploration activities, including on the Company's projects, the estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, future prices of gold and lithium, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, lack of investor interest in future financings, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals (including TSX Venture Exchange acceptance of the Transaction), permits or financing or in the completion of other planned activities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics, including impacts on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, as well as the risk factors described in the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and in other filings made by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. Cautionary Note to US Investors The disclosure in this news release and referred to herein was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The terms "proven mineral reserve", "probable mineral reserve", "mineral reserves", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource", used in this news release are in reference to the mining terms defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards (the "CIM Definition Standards"), which definitions have been adopted by NI 43-101. Accordingly, information contained in this news release providing descriptions of mineral deposits in accordance with NI 43-101 may not be comparable to similar information made public by other U.S. companies subject to the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral resources will ever be converted into reserves. Pursuant to CIM Definition Standards, "Inferred mineral resources" are that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Such geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an indicated mineral resource and must not be converted to a mineral reserve. However, it is reasonably expected that the majority of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated mineral resources with continued exploration. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Canadian standards, including the CIM Definition Standards and NI 43-101, differ significantly from standards in the SEC Industry Guide 7. Effective February 25, 2019, the SEC adopted new mining disclosure rules under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SEC Modernization Rules"), with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The SEC Modernization Rules replace the historical property disclosure requirements included in SEC Industry Guide 7. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources". In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and "Probable Mineral Reserves" to be substantially similar to corresponding definitions under the CIM Definition Standards. Information regarding mineral resources or reserves contained or referenced in this news release may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies that report according to U.S. standards. While the SEC Modernization Rules are purported to be "substantially similar" to the CIM Definition Standards, readers are cautioned that there are differences between the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definitions Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral reserves or mineral resources reported as "proven mineral reserves", "probable mineral reserves", "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the reserve or resource estimates been prepared under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267928 SOURCE: Wealth Minerals Ltd. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has launched Fostering the Future Together - a global coalition of nations committed to enhancing the well-being of children through the promotion of education, innovation, and technology. The First Lady shared Fostering the Future Together's mission; 'to ensure that every child can flourish in the digital era.' She affirmed, 'Innovation is wonderful. Our nations benefit from advancements in technology-saving lives, expanding access to knowledge, connecting people, and of course, safety.' Melania reinforced her mission to prioritize the development of children at the intersection of technology and education. She said, 'Great minds have turned marbles into microchips, paper airplanes into drones, and kites into satellites.' Speaking at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Melania added, 'Remember, our next generation will use tech to revolutionize how we live, travel, design, and connect.' Fostering the Future Together's objectives during this initial phase include Prioritization of personal development of children; Unification of efforts surrounding children, technology, and education; Collaboration with the private sector to provide access to innovative education technology, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and blockchain; and Exchange of solutions encompassing advantages and risks of artificial intelligence. The members of Fostering the Future Together will include the spouses or equivalent representatives of heads of government. Fostering the Future Together will be implemented by participating members at the local level, within their respective countries. White House announced that Melania Trump will host Fostering the Future Together's inaugural meeting at the White House during the first quarter of 2026. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2025 AFX News NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, on the occasion of New York Climate Week, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) has launched the Fashion CEO Agenda 2025, a strategic resource for leaders of fashion brands and retailers, designed to guide immediate action to future-proof businesses while advancing towards a net-positive fashion industry by 2050. Published at a pivotal mid-decade reflection point - with less than five years remaining to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals and scientists warning of only three years left to alter the trajectory of global warming - the report comes as the industry faces turbulence, from economic volatility and deregulation to escalating climate and social crises. The updated agenda urges executives to take action according to its long-standing five-priority sustainability framework - Respectful and Secure Work Environments, Better Wage Systems, Resource Stewardship, Smart Material Choices, and Circular Systems. For the first time, the 2025 edition introduces Priority Accelerators: Innovation, Capital, Courage, Incentives, and Regulation. These build on the themes discussed at Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition this year, positioned as critical levers that cut across all five priorities, enabling systemic change at speed and scale. The Fashion CEO Agenda 2025 is structured in two clear parts: Part one presents overarching ambitions for the fashion sector that demand collective action across stakeholders, while part two outlines the immediate, short-term, practical steps brands and retailers can take today to advance those ambitions. The 2025 edition builds upon the ambitions first presented in the 2023 Fashion CEO Agenda which were developed through years of stakeholder engagement and validated by GFA and the UN Environment Programme's global Fashion Industry Target Consultation. Two years on, these ambitions remain central to industry-wide progress. For 2025, they've been re-evaluated in consultation with leading multi-stakeholder initiatives and experts to ensure continued ambition, impact, and relevance. The scope now expands to further urgent priorities such as fair and ethical treatment of migrant workers and empowering workers through inclusive automation and reskilling, with a firm focus on the need for transformation that benefits both the planet and its communities. To support implementation, GFA has also released new complementary materials including a practical toolkit guiding companies to credible existing industry tools, guidelines, and programmes, as well as a presentation deck that fashion leaders can adapt internally to educate teams. These resources are designed to help leaders embed the Fashion CEO Agenda into company strategies and communicate effectively throughout their organisations. Federica Marchionni, CEO of Global Fashion Agenda, said: "Climate change is the defining certainty in an uncertain global world, impacting all lives and communities. The investments needed to future-proofbusinesses will keep increasing and the cost of inaction will inevitably become greater than the investments needed to address it. This year's Fashion CEO Agenda provides leaders with a clear path to embed sustainability at the heart of corporate strategy, supported by enabling conditions that make bold action both possible and necessary." The Fashion CEO Agenda 2025 and supporting resources are freely available for download here. CONTACT: press@globalfashionagenda.org This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/r/new-publication-urges-fashion-leaders-to-accelerate-action-at-mid-decade-turning-point,c4239140 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/21689/4239140/3688111.pdf Media Release '" New Publication Urges Fashion Leaders to Accelerate Action at Mid-Decade Turning Point https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/fashion-ceo-agenda-2025-cover,c3472375 Fashion CEO Agenda 2025 Cover View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/new-publication-urges-fashion-leaders-to-accelerate-action-at-mid-decade-turning-point-302567046.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Cabral Gold Inc. (TSXV: CBR) (OTCQB: CBGZF) ("Cabral" or the "Company") is pleased to announce drill results from 10 RC drill holes and 6 diamond drill holes recently completed at the PDM target located 2.5km NW of the Central gold deposit and within the Cuiu Cuiu district. Highlights Drill hole RC0579 Intersected 6m @ 2.74 g/t gold from 9m depth in saprolite Including 1m @ 13.06 g/t gold from 10m depth Multiple zones of lower grade gold mineralization were also intersected within near-surface saprolite material at PDM, including; 11m @ 0.88 g/t gold from 26m depth in saprolite in RC0573 10m @ 0.39 g/t gold from surface in saprolite in RC575 6m @ 1.46 g/t gold from 11m depth in saprolite including 1m @ 7.98 g/t gold in RC583 9m @ 0.50 g/t gold from surface plus 5m @ 1.96 g/t gold from 41m depth including 1m @ 9.08 g/t gold in DDH334 2.75m @ 3.05 g/t gold from 123.25m depth in saprolite in DDH335 12.7m @ 0.50 g/t gold from 10.3m depth in saprolite in DDH337 13m @ 0.54 g/t gold from surface in blanket sediments including 1.4m @ 3.17 g/t gold from 7.4m depth in DDH338 Recent drilling at the PDM target has now expanded the surface area of the gold-in-oxide mineralized blanket by 50% from 0.26 km to 0.39 km which is expected to have positive implications for the existing gold-in-oxide resource base at PDM Drilling in the primary mineralization below the gold-in-oxide blanket has also added 2 new zones of mineralization which are NW-SE trending, are parallel to the existing mineralized zones, extend at least 600m along strike and are open to the north and south Alan Carter, Cabral's President and CEO commented, "These latest drill results from the PDM target at Cuiu Cuiu have extended the surface extent of the gold-in-oxide blanket by 50% indicating a significantly larger gold-in-oxide resource base. This is important given that the existing resource base at PDM was not included in the recently released updated PFS study for the gold-in-oxide starter operation. Of greater importance, however, is the fact that additional drilling has increased the number of NW trending primary mineralized zones in the underlying intrusive rocks at PDM, from two to four. All of these mineralized zones remain open along strike to the north and south and at depth. Drilling is currently in progress at the previously untested Mutum target where surface trenches average 0.9 to 1g/t gold in quartz vein stockwork mineralization in altered intrusive rocks. Drilling is also currently in progress at the Machichie and Machichie NE targets." PDM Drill Results The PDM (Pau de Merenda) target is located 2.5km northwest of the Central gold deposit at Cuiu Cuiu (Figure 1) within a prominent northwest-trending +100ppb gold-in-soil anomaly, which has been traced for more than 5km along strike, and remains open. The Central gold deposit, as well as the Central SE, Central North, PDM and Mutum targets all lie within this trend. Figure 1 Map showing location of PDM discovery and primary gold deposits with 43-101 compliant Indicated and Inferred resources at Central, MG, and JB. The PDM, Machichie Main, Machicie NE and Jerimum Cima gold discoveries are also shown - all of these discoveries have along strike continuity. The main exploration targets (yellow dots) and distribution of historic placer gold workings (pale yellow outlines) are also shown. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3900/267939_61055d51b45fcb15_002full.jpg The objective of the current drill program at PDM is to add ounces to both the current gold-in-oxide resource base, and to calculate a maiden resource for the mineralized zones in the underlying primary intrusive rocks. Previous results from initial diamond-drill holes in granitic basement rocks below the gold-in-oxide blanket at PDM include; 22.4m @ 4.8 g/t, including: 1.35m @ 62.0 g/t gold, and 11.9m @ 3.3 g/t gold, including 0.5m @ 16.1 g/t gold, and 1.2m @ 16.0 g/t gold in DDH239; and 18.0m @ 2.5 g/t gold from 92.0m, including 3.0m @ 10.5 g/t gold, in DDH275. (see press releases dated December 15, 2021, January 12, 2022 and April 28, 2022). These higher grade intercepts occur within brecciated structural zones and mostly remain open at depth as well as along strike. Results were recently received on 10 additional RC holes and 6 diamond drill holes at PDM (Figure 2). All of the holes were completed on three NE-SW sections and were drilled to the north-east. RC holes RC0573 to RC0576 and diamond drill hole DDH340 were all drilled on section 9347060N. Results are pending on two additional drill holes, DDH342 and DDH344 on this section. Diamond drill holes DDH334 to DDH338 were all drilled on section 9346906N, 200m to the south. Of these holes, DDH334 returned 9m @ 0.50 g/t gold from surface plus 5m @ 1.96 g/t gold from 41m depth including 1m @ 9.08 g/t gold. These drill results suggest the presence of two additional NW trending mineralized zones that are parallel to the two existing mineralized zones known in the primary intrusive rocks at PDM. Of particular significance, is the result from RC0579 which was drilled on section 9346780N and is one of the most southerly holes drilled at PDM. It returned 6m @ 2.74 g/t gold from surface including 1m @ 13.06 g/t gold from 10m depth. The mineralized zone intersected at the top of this hole is interpreted to be the most southerly extension of one of the main mineralized zones at PDM and extends mineralization 150m further south. All of the mineralized zones remain open to the south and the north. These recent results suggest the presence of a significantly larger gold-in-oxide mineralized blanket zone which can now be traced over blanket 0.39 km and includes the Mutum area to the south-east where previous trenching returned gold values including 32m @ 1g/t gold, 25.5m @ 0.9g/t gold and 16.5m @ 0.9g/t gold. This represents a 50% increase on the previous area of the gold -in-oxide blanket at PDM which previously extended over 0.26 km. The blanket area remains open to the north. Reconnaissance RC drilling at the previously untested Mutum target is currently in progress. Results are pending on two additional diamond drill holes at PDM (DDH342 and DDH344). Drilling is currently in progress with three rigs turning at the Mutum target as well as the Machichie Main and Machichie NE targets. Drilling during recent months at the Machichie NE target returned 12m @ 27.7 g/t incl. 5m @ 65.5 g/t gold, 11m @ 33.0 g/t incl. 4m @ 89.3 g/t gold, 6m @ 13.3 g/t incl. 1m @ 77.5 g/t gold and 5m @ 24.5 g/t incl. 2m @ 60.5 g/t gold (see press releases dated May 30, 2024, July 25, 2024, October 28, 2024 and April 3,2025). Figure 2: Map showing the PDM target with recent drill results and selected previous results. Terms: g/t = grams / tonne, m = metres, Au = gold To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3900/267939_61055d51b45fcb15_003full.jpg Drill Hole # Weathering From To (m) (m) Thickness (m) Grade g/t gold RC0573 Blanket 0.00 10.00 10.00 0.17 Saprolite 10.00 15.00 5.00 0.12 26.00 37.00 11.00 0.88 EOH 77.50 RC0574 Blanket 0.00 9.00 9.00 0.45 Incl. 7.00 9.00 2.00 1.06 Saprolite 9.00 12.00 3.00 0.54 23.00 24.00 1.00 0.53 EOH 77.00 RC0575 Blanket 0.00 10.00 10.00 0.39 Incl. 7.00 9.00 2.00 0.93 Saprolite 10.00 16.00 6.00 0.24 EOH 76.00 RC0576 Blanket 0.00 10.00 10.00 0.29 Saprolite 10.00 12.00 2.00 0.13 23.00 24.00 1.00 0.59 26.00 27.00 1.00 0.35 EOH 73.00 RC0579 Blanket 0.00 9.00 9.00 0.22 Saprolite 9.00 15.00 6.00 2.74 Incl. 10.00 11.00 1.00 13.06 19.00 20.00 1.00 0.71 EOH 82.00 RC0580 Blanket 0.00 6.00 6.00 0.14 Saprolite 6.00 9.00 3.00 0.44 21.00 22.00 1.00 3.80 EOH 62.00 RC0582 Blanket 1.00 4.00 3.00 0.43 EOH 74.00 RC0583 Blanket 0.00 4.00 4.00 0.24 Saprolite 11.00 17.00 6.00 1.46 Incl. 11.00 12.00 1.00 7.98 28.00 29.00 1.00 0.84 41.00 42.00 1.00 0.39 EOH 62.00 RC0584 Blanket 0.00 4.00 4.00 0.44 EOH 73.00 RC0585 Blanket 0.00 10.00 10.00 0.19 Saprolite 19.00 20.00 1.00 0.65 EOH 61.00 DDH334 Blanket 0.00 9.00 9.00 0.50 Saprolite 21.00 25.00 4.00 0.45 26.50 30.50 4.00 1.17 41.00 46.00 5.00 1.96 Incl. 41.00 42.00 1.00 9.08 49.00 50.00 1.00 0.42 EOH 78.00 DDH335 Blanket 0.00 11.00 11.00 0.28 Fresh Rock 104.70 105.70 1.00 0.46 123.25 126.00 2.75 3.05 EOH 152.90 DDH336 Blanket 0.00 6.10 6.10 0.34 Saprolite 6.10 8.00 1.90 0.23 22.00 32.00 10.00 0.29 38.00 39.00 1.00 0.36 EOH 136.60 DDH337 Blanket 0.00 10.30 10.30 0.23 Saprolite 10.30 23.00 12.70 0.50 42.00 42.50 0.50 0.53 Fresh Rock 89.50 90.65 1.15 0.37 EOH 127.75 EOH 127.75 DDH338 Blanket 0.00 13.00 13.00 0.54 7.40 8.80 1.40 3.17 Fresh Rock 75.90 89.00 13.10 0.16 Incl. 82.70 83.20 0.50 2.06 111.55 114.00 2.45 0.83 EOH 228.85 DDH339 Blanket 2.90 4.35 1.45 0.31 Saprolite 75.00 76.00 1.00 0.89 EOH 147.4 DDH340 Blanket 0.00 15.00 15.00 0.22 Saprolite 27.00 29.00 2.00 1.01 45.00 47.00 2.00 0.33 78.00 80.15 2.15 0.27 EOH 153.3 Table 1: Drill results from RC drill holes RC573 to RC576, RC579, RC580, RC582 to RC585 and diamond drill holes DDH334 to DDH340 at the PDM target Update on Construction Financing Management continues to focus on securing the necessary construction financing for its gold-in-oxide starter operation at Cuiu Cuiu aimed at leaching the near surface mineralized saprolite and soil material. As per the Updated PFS study of July 29, 2025, the construction capex is US$37.7M and the post-tax IRR is 78% with an NPV of US$73.9M with a payback of 10 months based on the base case gold price of US$2,500 per oz. The All-in sustaining costs (AISC) are $1,210 / oz of gold produced. In parallel with our work on securing the construction financing, we are continuing our work on completing the detailed engineering for the project. At the same time, we are building out our construction and operating team under Luiz Celaro, our recently appointed Construction Manager. About Cabral Gold Inc. The Company is a junior resource Company engaged in the identification, exploration, and development of mineral properties, with a primary focus on gold properties located in Brazil. The Company has a 100% interest in the Cuiu Cuiu gold district located in the Tapajos Region, within the state of Para in northern Brazil. Three main gold deposits have so far been defined at the Cuiu Cuiu project which contain National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 compliant Indicated resources of 12.29Mt @ 1.14 g/t gold (450,200oz) in fresh basement material and 13.56Mt @ 0.50 g/t gold (216,182oz) in oxide material. The project also contains Inferred resources of 13.63Mt @ 1.04 g/t gold (455,100oz) in fresh basement material and 6.4Mt @ 0.34 g/t gold (70,569oz) in oxide material. The resource estimate for the primary material is based on the NI 43-101 technical report dated October 12, 2022. The resource estimate for the oxide material at PDM and MG is based on a NI 43-101 technical report dated October 21, 2024. The resource estimate for the oxide material at Central and Machichie is based on a NI43-101 technical report ("Updated PFS") dated July 29, 2025. The Tapajos Gold Province is the site of the largest gold rush in Brazil's history which according to the ANM (Agencia Nacional de Mineracao or National Mining Agency of Brazil) produced an estimated 30 to 50 million ounces of placer gold between 1978 and 1995. Cuiu Cuiu was the largest area of placer workings in the Tapajos and produced an estimated 2Moz of placer gold historically. Technical information included in this release was supervised and approved by Brian Arkell, B.S. Geology and M.S. Economic Geology, SME (Registered Member), AusIMM (Fellow) and SEG (Fellow), Cabral Gold's Vice President, Exploration and Technical Services, and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of the words "will", "expected" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. The Company believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Notes Gold analysis has been conducted by SGS method FAA505 (fire assay of 50g charge), with higher grade samples checked by FAA525. Analytical quality is monitored by certified references and blanks. Until dispatch, samples are stored under the supervision the Company's exploration office. The samples are couriered to the assay laboratory using a commercial contractor. Pulps are returned to the Company and archived. Drill holes results are quoted as down-hole length weighted intersections. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267939 SOURCE: Cabral Gold Inc. Expanded capabilities that continue to push the boundaries of innovation-advancing drug delivery solutions for patients, customers, and consumers around the world Aptar Pharma, a global leader in drug delivery and active material science solutions and services, today announced the opening of its new expanded R&D Center in Le Vaudreuil and Val-de-Reuil, France, which increases research and development capabilities across Aptar Pharma's proprietary drug delivery business. On September 22, 2025, Aptar Pharma celebrated the official opening of its new state-of-the-art R&D Center. Nearly 100 guests attended the event, including local and regional officials, Aptar Pharma employees, and key members of the leadership team. Aptar Pharma President Gael Touya and Prescription Division President Alex Theodorakis led the celebration, which featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a guided tour of the facility. Underscoring the event's significance, Aptar Board member Isabel Marey-Semper was also in attendance, highlighting the strategic importance of the new center to Aptar's global innovation agenda. This new R&D Center is on the site of Aptar's Le Vaudreuil and Val-de-Reuil manufacturing sites in France, and one of AptarGroup's 11 global innovation centers. This expansion reflects Aptar's commitment to innovation and strategic focus on research and development. Today, over 10% of Aptar Pharma's global workforce is dedicated to R&D, supported by a robust portfolio of nearly 4,700 active and pending patents worldwide. Fully operational since July 2025, Aptar Pharma's new 3,000-square-meter (32,000-square-foot) R&D Center houses 170 employees dedicated to advancing pharmaceutical innovation. Designed to foster adaptability and collaboration, the two-story facility features open, sky-lit spaces and integrates cutting-edge technologies including digital simulation, rapid prototyping, predictive modelling, data utilization and artificial intelligence. These capabilities accelerate and de-risk the development and market launch of next-generation drug delivery solutions. The Center is equipped with rooftop solar panels, a heat recovery unit, a rainwater harvesting system as well as other features in line with Aptar's sustainable building guidelines. The installation of solar panels will provide up to 30% of the anticipated total electricity consumption of the building. Aptar Pharma's commitment to R&D and Innovation This expanded R&D Center is a direct response by Aptar Pharma to the growing need for innovative drug dosing and dispensing solutions across a broader range of therapeutic areas. "Innovation is at the heart of everything we do," said Alex Theodorakis, President of Aptar Pharma Prescription. "Our strong emphasis on research and development drives the creation of affordable, sustainable and forward-thinking drug delivery solutions and connected devices. At the same time, we're continuously evolving existing products to meet emerging market needs and customer expectations. This new state-of-the-art R&D Center empowers us to accelerate meaningful innovation and deliver differentiated value to the pharmaceutical industry." The new center demonstrates Aptar's commitment to the role of innovation in providing high-value, precision drug delivery solutions to benefit customers, patients and consumers. Part of Aptar's Innovation Excellence Pillar Aptar operates 11 Innovation Centers worldwide, including this expanded R&D center in Le Vaudreuil Val-de-Reuil, France. "Research and development is a key differentiator and competitive strength for Aptar Pharma," stated Gael Touya, Aptar Pharma President. "We push the boundaries with innovations that will create added value and significant differentiation, helping our clients offer the best treatment experiences and health outcomes for patients." Aptar Pharma is a trusted partner in drug delivery, offering innovative solutions across nasal, pulmonary, dermal, eyecare and injectable routes. With decades of experience and a commitment to patient-first design, Aptar Pharma enables pharmaceutical and healthcare companies to accelerate development and improve outcomes for patients and consumers around the world. About Aptar Pharma Aptar Pharma is part of AptarGroup, Inc., a global leader in drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing and protection technologies. Aptar serves a number of attractive end markets including pharmaceutical, beauty, food, beverage, personal care and home care. Using market expertise, proprietary design, engineering and science to create innovative solutions for many of the world's leading brands, Aptar in turn makes a meaningful difference in the lives, looks, health and homes of millions of patients and consumers around the world. Aptar is headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois and has more than 13,000 dedicated employees in 20 countries. For more information, visit www.aptar.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925901940/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Ciara Jackson Aptar Pharma +49 151 1951 6502 ciara.jackson@aptar.com FREIBURG, Germany, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 27 September, the European project Berry Swing - Little European Heroes Against Climate Change will take part in the Megamarsch Freiburg, one of Germany's most iconic endurance walks. Participants will be accompanied not only by the breathtaking Black Forest landscapes, but also by the freshness, taste, and energy of European berries, with a special spotlight on Italian production. This non-competitive sporting event, which includes stages in various German cities, combines sport, wellness and taste along a 50 km route to be completed in 12 hours. Among the protagonists of the stage in Freiburg are European berries: Berry Swing will be present with a dedicated stand at the first refreshment point, located about 10 km from the start of the walk, where participants can learn about the ultimate sport companions. Delicate yet powerful, berries - strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and currants - are the perfect snack for any sporting challenge. Thanks to their exceptional nutritional profile, they provide: Natural energy through vitamins (especially vitamin C and B group) and natural sugars. Antioxidant power, helping to fight oxidative stress and supporting muscle recovery. High hydration and mineral content (potassium, magnesium, manganese), ideal for maintaining balance during long physical activities. Lightness and practicality, as they are easy to carry, portion, and consume even while walking. For Megamarsch participants, this means a tasty and healthy boost throughout the journey - a natural support to achieve the challenge. Beyond their health benefits, European berries also carry a story of territory and sustainability. They are mainly grown in mountain and foothill areas, where the unique microclimate enhances their flavour and quality. By choosing European - and particularly Italian - berries, consumers support the development of rural economies that depend on these crops: small and medium-sized farms that preserve biodiversity, promote sustainable farming practices, and keep alive traditional landscapes. "With Berry Swing we want to bring the beauty and the benefits of European berries closer to people's everyday lives," says Luca Mari, project leader and project manager at CSOItaly. "Megamarsch Freiburg is the perfect occasion to show how these small fruits are not only delicious and practical, but also powerful allies for sport enthusiasts and a direct support to the regions where they are cultivated." For more information: SECNewgate Italia Renato Pagani +39 335 6839561 - renato.pagani@secnewgate.it Giorgia Rizzi +39 340 0010762 - giorgia.rizzi@secnewgate.it Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Sienna Resources Inc. (TSXV: SIEN) (OTCID: SNNAF) (WKN: A418KR) (the "Company" or "Sienna") is pleased to announce that it has renewed all of its lithium claims in Nevada. These include the recently acquired Cave Creek Lithium Project, located in Elko County, Nevada. This strategic property consists of 61 contiguous claims, totaling approximately 1,230 acres, and is situated directly on the western border of Surge Battery Metals' Nevada North Lithium Project. Sienna has also renewed multiple claim blocks in Clayton Valley, including the Clayton Valley Deep Brine Project, which is completely enclosed by Schlumberger (SLB) within the only producing lithium brine formation in the United States. Jason Gigliotti, President of Sienna Resources Inc., stated, "In light of President Trump's recent interest in Lithium Americas' Thacker Pass Lithium Deposit, there is a clear and renewed focus on domestic, secure lithium sources. Management believes that combining this increased attention on U.S.-based lithium projects with a recently resurgent junior resource market is likely to spark renewed investor interest in lithium stocks. Sienna has just over 25 million shares outstanding and expects to be active on its lithium projects in the near term." Sienna Resources remains committed to advancing its lithium exploration portfolio in Nevada, one of the most mining-friendly jurisdictions in North America, and a key region for securing a domestic supply of lithium critical to the electric vehicle, self driving vehicles, robots and energy storage industries. Qualified person The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Frank Bain, PGeo, a director of the company and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. "Jason Gigliotti" President Sienna Resources Inc. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267927 SOURCE: Sienna Resources Inc. Fully funded to complete construction in Quebec and advance Colombia validation as production and exploration plans at Montauban accelerate VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / ESGold Corp. ("ESGold" or the "Company") (CSE:ESAU)(OTCQB:ESAUF)(FSE:Z7D) is pleased to provide a construction update on its Montauban Gold-Silver Project in Quebec, where development is progressing. The Company reports that building construction remains on track, with completion anticipated by mid-Q4 2025. ESGold is fully funded to complete Montauban and is positioned to move forward aggressively, while continuing preparatory work on its prospective initiative in Colombia. See construction progress photos here Recent Highlights Construction Advancing: Development work at Montauban continues to progress on schedule with building completion anticipated in Q4-2025 Fully Funded: Recent financing provides all necessary capital to complete Montauban and validate the Company's Colombia joint venture. Upcoming Catalysts: Concentrate test results from both Montauban and Colombia expected in the near-term. Exploration Upside: Systematic exploration planning underway at Montauban, technical work has identified large, continuous geological structures extending to 1,200 meters, underscoring the district-scale potential of the property. Colombia Momentum: Ongoing review of the Bolivar area reinforces confidence in validating, closing, and executing the Company's expansion strategy. Gordon Robb, CEO of ESGold, commented: "We are extremely pleased with the steady progress at Montauban, where building construction is advancing on schedule and moving toward completion, anticipated by mid-Q4 2025. Thanks to recent funding, we are now in the position of being fully financed to complete Montauban and to advance preparatory work on our prospective initiative in Colombia. With concentrate test results pending and exploration planning underway, the months ahead will be transformative as we build cash flow at Montauban while unlocking long-term discovery potential across our portfolio. ESGold is building the foundation for scalable growth, and we are very excited about what lies ahead." Building Momentum at Montauban Construction at the fully permitted Montauban project continues on track, with infrastructure development and building completion anticipated mid-Q4 2025. The facility is advancing toward readiness for equipment delivery and commissioning, aligning with the Company's strategy to begin production in 2026. Thanks to recent funding, ESGold is in a strong financial position to complete Montauban and advance its Colombia joint venture without the necessity of returning to the market for capital. Once the team arrives in Colombia for on-the-ground validation, ESGold will be fully equipped to close and execute. In parallel with construction, ESGold is advancing exploration at Montauban. Despite over a century of historic mining, the deposit has never been systematically explored. Recent technical work has identified large, continuous geological structures extending to 1,200 meters, underscoring the district-scale potential of the property. Why This Matters to Investors This update reinforces ESGold's unique position as a fully funded, fully permitted, near-term producer with significant exploration upside. Unlike most juniors that rely on continuous dilution, ESGold is advancing toward cash flow in 2026 while systematically unlocking discovery potential. The dual track model of cash flow today and discovery tomorrow positions the Company to deliver sustainable shareholder value through both near term production and long-term growth. What's Next Concentrate test results for both Montauban and Colombia. Colombia validation by ESGold's technical team, followed by deal closure and execution. Comprehensive 3D geological model of Montauban currently in progress, designed to integrate ANT survey results and guide systematic exploration. Exploration at Montauban will progress to include systematic drilling to highlight the district-scale significance of the deposit. ESGold is now fully funded and remains focused on advancing Montauban into production, with cash flow targeted for 2026. The Company's strategy centers on completing construction at its fully permitted Quebec project, generating high-margin revenue from tailings reprocessing, and using that cash flow to fund systematic exploration across the land package. This disciplined approach minimizes dilution and compounds shareholder value over time. With Montauban as the blueprint, ESGold is building a scalable platform designed to deliver sustainable, long-term value for its shareholders. Qualified Person Statement The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Andre Gauthier, P.Geo., a Director of ESGold and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Sampling described herein was conducted for due-diligence screening; independent verification, QA/QC, and systematic work remain outstanding. No mineral resources or reserves are declared. About ESGold Corp. ESGold Corp. (CSE: ESAU | OTCQB: ESAUF | FSE: Z7D) is a fully permitted, pre-production gold and silver mining company at the forefront of scalable clean mining and exploration innovation. With proven expertise in Quebec, the Company is advancing its Montauban Gold-Silver Project toward near-term production while unlocking long-term value through strategic redevelopment, modern discovery tools, and sustainable resource recovery. Montauban, located 80 km west of Quebec City, represents a blueprint for cash-flow-generating legacy site redevelopment across North America. For more information, please contact ESGold Corp. at +1-888-370-1059 or visit esgold.com for additional resources, including a French version of this press release, past news releases, a 3D model of the Montauban processing plant, media interviews, and opinion-editorial pieces. Stay connected by following us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and joining our Telegram channel. For further information or to connect directly, please reach out to Gordon Robb, CEO of ESGold Corp. at gordon@esgold.com or call 250-217-2321. On behalf of the Board of Directors ESGold Corp. Paul Mastantuono Chairman & COO info@esgold.com +1-888-370-1059 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding future production, cash flow, exploration results, project economics, and permitting. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that management believes are current but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These risks are detailed in the Company's public filings on SEDAR+. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. ESGold disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release SOURCE: ESGold Corp View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/esgold-fully-funded-as-montauban-construction-powers-ahead-1078047 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Kodiak Copper Corp. (TSXV: KDK) (OTCQB: KDKCF) (FSE: 5DD1) (the "Company" or "Kodiak") announces that it has closed its oversubscribed bought deal financing previously announced on September 3rd, 2025, with Canaccord Genuity Corp. as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters including Cormark Securities Inc. and Paradigm Capital Inc. (the "Underwriters"), for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $8,050,120, which includes the exercise in full of the Underwriters' option (the "Offering"). Pursuant to the Offering, a total of: 6,050,000 charity flow-through units (the "Charity FT Units") were issued as part of a charity arrangement, each of which Charity FT Unit consisted of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one transferrable Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), each of which qualify as "flow-through shares" (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)), at a price of $1.00 per Charity FT Unit for gross proceeds of $6,050,000; and 3,226,000 units (the "HD Units", and together with the Charity FT Units, the "Units") were issued, each of which HD Unit consisted of one non-flow-through Common Share and one-half of one Warrant at a price of $0.62 per HD Unit for gross proceeds of $2,000,120. Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one non-flow-through Common Share at an exercise price of $0.95 for a period of 24 months following the closing date. Kodiak's largest shareholder Konwave AG, a prominent European resource fund, participated in the financing, maintaining its proportionate equity ownership in the Company. Claudia Tornquist, President and CEO of Kodiak, said, "We are very pleased with the strong demand from new investors for this financing, as well as the confidence and support shown by our existing shareholders. With a solid balance sheet, we can now confidently accelerate work at our MPD Project in southern British Columbia. The announcement of our maiden resource, expected later this year will be an important catalyst and stepping stone as we move into the next phase of growth. With significant scope to expand the resource, as well as many opportunities for further discoveries on this highly prospective property, I am excited about what lies ahead for Kodiak and look forward to delivering meaningful value for our shareholders." In consideration for their services, the Company paid to the Underwriters a cash fee equal to 6% of the gross proceeds of the Offering (reduced to 3% for certain orders on a "President's List"). The Company also issued to the Underwriters non-transferable common share purchase warrants (the "Compensation Warrants") equal to 6.0% of the number of Units sold in the Offering (reduced to 3% for certain orders on the President's List). Each Compensation Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one non-flow-through Common Share at an exercise price of $0.95 for a period of 24 months following the closing date. All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period ending on January 26, 2026. The Offering remains subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX V"). Insiders of the Company subscribed for a total of 79,000 HD Units for aggregate gross proceeds of $48,980. The participation of insiders in the Offering constitutes a "related party transaction", within the meaning of TSX-V Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company has relied on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, in respect of the related party participation in the Offering, as neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involved the interested party, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101). The net proceeds from the issue of the HD Units will be used for working capital, general corporate purposes and the advancement of the Company's project in Arizona. The Company will use an amount equal to the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Charity FT Units, pursuant to the provisions in the Income Tax Act (Canada), to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that qualify as "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures" as both terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) and, if applicable, as a "BC flow-through mining expenditure" as defined in the Income Tax Act (British Columbia) (the "Qualifying Expenditures") on the Company's project in British Columbia, on or before December 31, 2026, and to renounce all the Qualifying Expenditures in favour of the subscribers of the Charity FT Units effective December 31, 2025. In the event that the Company is unable to renounce the Qualifying Expenditures and/or the Qualifying Expenditures are reduced by the Canada Revenue Agency, the Company will indemnify each Charity FT Unit subscriber for any additional taxes payable by such subscriber as a result of the Company's failure to renounce the Qualifying Expenditures as agreed. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or available exemptions from such registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to acquire securities in any jurisdiction. On behalf of the Board of Directors Kodiak Copper Corp. Claudia Tornquist President & CEO About Kodiak Copper Kodiak is focused on its 100% owned copper porphyry projects in Canada and the USA that have been historically drilled and present known mineral discoveries with the potential to hold large-scale deposits. Kodiak Copper's most advanced asset is the 100% owned MPD copper-gold porphyry project in the prolific Quesnel Terrane in south-central British Columbia, Canada, a mining district with producing mines and excellent infrastructure. MPD exhibits all the hallmarks of a major, multi-centered porphyry district with the potential to become a top-tier mine. To date, drilling has outlined seven substantial mineralized zones across the property, and Kodiak is delivering an Initial Resource estimate for MPD in 2025. The Initial Resource estimate for the first four mineralized zones announced in June 2025, has already highlighted the project's scale and potential. Drill results on the remaining three zones from Kodiak's 2025 exploration program will be incorporated into the full Initial Resource estimate, expected by year end. With known mineralized zones open to expansion and multiple untested targets, Kodiak continues to systematically explore the district-scale potential of MPD to build critical mass and make the next discovery. Kodiak's founder and Chairman is Chris Taylor who is well-known for his gold discovery success with Great Bear Resources. Kodiak is also part of Discovery Group led by John Robins, one of the most successful mining entrepreneurs in Canada. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement): This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "expect", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "predict", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Offering, including the proposed use of proceeds, the tax treatment of the Charity FT Units and the expected receipt of regulatory and stock exchange approvals, and the expectation of the Company that it will deliver an Initial Resource Estimate by year end. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, unquantifiable risks related to government actions and interventions, changes in laws or permitting requirements, failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals as well as those risks identified in the Company's annual Management Discussion & Analysis. Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward-looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267897 SOURCE: Kodiak Copper Corp. SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - Coffee giant Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) Thursday announced a $1 billion restructuring plan involving the closure of coffeehouses and around 900 job cuts, as part of its 'Back to Starbucks' strategy.' In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it estimates the $1 billion restructuring to be related to the store closures, support organization transformation, and other restructuring activities, with 90% of the expenses attributable to the North America business. In a letter to shareholders, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol said the overall company-operated count in North America will decline by about 1% in fiscal year 2025 after accounting for both openings and closures. The company plans to end the fiscal year with nearly 18,300 total Starbucks locations, company operated and licensed, across the U.S. and Canada. In fiscal year 2026, Starbucks aims to grow the number of coffeehouses it operates. Over the next 12 months, the firm also plans to uplift more than 1,000 locations. Niccol added that the partners in coffeehouses scheduled to close will be notified this week, and they will be offered transfers to nearby locations where possible. The company will also offer partner care including comprehensive severance packages to those who cannot be immediately placed. The company added that the planned job cuts will be in current non-retail partner roles. The firm said it expects that a majority of the store closures will be completed by the end of this fiscal year. The company further expects that a significant portion of these charges will be incurred in fiscal year 2025. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2025 AFX News Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Universal Digital Inc. (CSE: LFG) (FSE: 8R20) (OTCQB: LFGMF) (the "Company" or "Universal Digital") is pleased to report the voting results for the Company's annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held on September 24, 2025, in Vancouver, British Columbia. A total of 10,444,571 common shares were voted at the meeting, representing 14.88% of the votes attached to all outstanding common shares. Shareholders voted in favour of all items of business before the meeting, including the election of all director nominees as follows: Director Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld Timothy Chan 10,444,571 100% Nil nil Joshua Mann 10,444,571 100% Nil nil Christian Kaczmarczyk 10,444,571 100% Nil nil Christopher Yeung 10,444,571 100% Nil nil The shareholders also approved: (1) the ratification of the election of the past directors of the Company for the year ended January 31, 2025; (2) the ratification and appointment of Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton Labonte LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants as auditors for the financial year ended January 31, 2025, and approval for the Board of Directors to fix the auditors' remuneration; (3) the re-appointment of Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton Labonte, LLP Chartered Professional Accountants, as auditor of the Company to hold office for the ensuing year and that the directors of the Company be authorized to fix the auditors' remuneration; (4) approval of the Company's Long-Term Incentive Plan dated May 8, 2023; (5) approval of the Company's amended Investment Policy; and (6) the ratification of previous acts. Results of the shareholder votes on these items are set forth below: Resolution Outcome of Vote Votes For % For Votes Against Votes Withheld % Against or Withheld Ratification of Past Directors Carried 10,444,571 100% Nil Nil nil Ratification of Appointment of Auditors Carried 10,444,571 100% Nil Nil nil Appointment of Auditors Carried 10,444,471 99.999% Nil 100 0.001% Approval of Long-Term Incentive Plan Carried 10,444,471 99.999% 100 Nil 0.001% Approval of Investment Policy Amendment Carried 10,444,471 99.999% 100 Nil 0.001% Ratification of Previous Acts Carried 10,444,471 99.999% 100 Nil 0.001% The Long-Term Incentive Plan is a twenty percent (20%) rolling plan, pursuant to which the Board of Directors may grant to eligible participants stock options, restricted share units, performance share units and and other share-based awards as described in the plan, to acquire common shares of the Company (each, a "Share"). Please see the Circular for further information on the Long-Term Incentive Plan. The amended Investment Policy, was approved by the Board of Directors on August 8, 2025 and removes the restriction on the Company's ability to: (a) hold digital assets until such time as digital assets represent 25% or less of the value of the Company's total assets; and (b) acquire digital assets where such acquisition would result in digital assets representing more than 25% of the value of the Company's total assets and the implementation of the policy is conditional upon either (i) receipt of CSE approval for the amended Investment Policy, or (ii) the successful re-listing of the Company's shares on another recognized stock exchange that does not impose such a restriction. For further information regarding the matters considered at the Meeting, readers are encouraged to review the Circular, a copy of which is available under the profile for the Company on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and available on the Company's website. About Universal Digital Inc. Universal Digital Inc. is a Canadian investment company focused on digital assets, businesses and private and publicly listed entities that are involved in high-growth industries, with a particular focus on blockchain, cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency technologies. The Company aims to provide shareholders with long-term capital growth through a diversified investment approach, and to participate in the transformation of global finance through the integration of digital asset strategies. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's ability to obtain approval from the Canadian Securities exchange of the amended investment policy and the Company's ability to achieve a successful re-listing of the Company's shares on another recognized stock exchange that does not impose such a restriction to its investment policy. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "should", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties (including market conditions) and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the Company not receiving approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange to amend its investment policy or the Company not achieving a successful re-listing of the Company's shares on another recognized stock exchange that does not impose such a restriction to its investment policy, and those risk factors described in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267942 SOURCE: Universal Digital Inc. Singapore to host 500 health, science and policy leaders on October 16th to address pressing issues in the Asia-Pacific healthcare sector. Members of the media are invited to register here . SINGAPORE, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Convening on October 16th at the Four Seasons Hotel, the 5th edition Future of Health Asia will bring together 500 senior leaders from healthcare, government and patient advocacy to examine the impact of rising technological disruptions, rising pressure of chronic diseases and global economic uncertainty. The Asia-Pacific's healthcare sector faces mounting pressures. Rapidly ageing populations are driving higher demand for care, while the growing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cancer adds long-term strain. At the same time, technological innovations from AI-enabled diagnostics to connected hospitals are reshaping delivery models, yet adoption is uneven across countries and socioeconomic groups. International trade tensions further complicate access to medicines, supply chains and innovation pathways. Eric Mansion, pharma general manager, Sanofi South-East Asiaand India, who will speak on multidimensional access to healthcare shared, "Breaking healthcare barriers takes more than strategy and collaboration - it starts with patients. Their voices and lived experiences are key to building sustainable health outcomes for all. The insights shared at this event will be instrumental in driving that progress." "Climate change is inseparable from human health. Protecting both people and the planet requires innovation, equity, and strong partnerships. I look forward to exploring these solutions together with fellow leaders at the panel," said Gamze Yuceland, president, growth and emerging markets business unit, Takeda. Chaired by Charles Ross, head of policy and insights, Asia-Pacific, Economist Impact-the event features Asia-Pacific industry expert speakers including: Colin Lim, chief information officer and chief data officer, Ministry of Health, Singapore Setiaji, senior advisor of health technology to the Minister of Health of Indonesia Chien-Chang Lee, chief information officer, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan Arjan Toor, chief executive, health, Prudential plc Gamze Yuceland, president, growth and emerging markets business unit, Takeda Eric Mansion, pharma general manager, Sanofi South-East Asia and India Dr Mahender Nayak, senior vice president, Takeda, Asia-Pacific countries Nick Watts, director, NUS Centre for Sustainable Medicine Zhuang Guangyi, deputy director, Health Sciences Authority, Singapore And more "Addressing the urgent and evolving healthcare needs across Asia's diverse populations and complex disease burdens demands radical collaboration. It is through our shared commitment and partnership that we can accelerate progress in building resilient and equitable care systems throughout the region, leveraging Takeda's innovative medicines and vaccines to make a meaningful impact," said Dr Mahender Nayak, senior vice president, Takeda, Asia-Pacific countries. The curated agenda includes sessions on: Smarter diagnoses, better treatments: the AI-enabled care shift The weight of chronic diseases: advancing integrated care Medtech on the edge: linking innovation with capital Promoting longer, healthy lives Centering patient voices: understanding multidimensional access to healthcare. View the agenda The event sponsors are FWD Group, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Prudential plc, AstraZeneca, Sanofi and Takeda. Tickets to the 5th edition Future of Health Asia are available for online purchase - register here . Should you have any questions, please contact: asiaevents@economist.com . About Economist Impact Economist Impact empowers businesses, governments and foundations to catalyse change and enable progress. Uniting the expertise The Economist Group is known for under a single brand, Economist Impact brings together policy research and insights, data visualisation, custom storytelling, events and media. Economist Impact combines the rigour of a think tank with the creativity of a media brand, engaging an influential audience in the areas of sustainability, healthcare and new globalisation. Visit www.economistimpact.com for more information. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2779435/FOH_Asia_2025.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2553795/5524499/Economist_Impact_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/economist-impacts-5th-edition-future-of-health-asia-returns-to-singapore-amid-rising-technological-disruption-chronic-disease-burdens-and-international-trade-tensions-302564095.html Convention theme "Straight-Through-Reporting (STR): Entering a New Era of Regulatory Intelligence" ambitions to define the future of financial regulation Regnology, a global leading software provider of regulatory reporting and supervisory technology solutions, is proud to announce the 32nd Annual RegTech Convention, set to take place from November 17-19, 2025 in Frankfurt, Germany and in Zurich, Switzerland on November 20. The hybrid event will convene more than 2,000 participants from over 120 countries for four days of knowledge sharing and keynotes across 40+ sessions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925695598/en/ This year's theme, "Straight-Through-Reporting (STR): Entering a New Era of Regulatory Intelligence" will examine how STR which draws inspiration from Straight-Through Processing (STP) in capital markets can transform regulatory operations into a more data-driven, seamless and collaborative framework. Discussions will span timely topics such as crypto reporting, AI, granular data, Basel IV (CRR3), CARF/DAC8 with dedicated SupTech, RegTech, and Tax programs. Headlining the agenda are keynotes from Tomas Sedlacek, international economy expert and author, who will open with a perspective on the state of financial regulatory reporting-examining geopolitical dynamics and systemic pressures. Jan Hendrik Schmidt, senior adviser and head of the Artificial Intelligence Hub at the ECB's Horizontal Supervision Directorate, will share insights on the evolution of data from a compliance byproduct to strategic infrastructure. The conference will also feature a distinguished lineup of 60+ speakers from major financial authorities, supervisory bodies, financial and technology firms, including senior representatives from the ECB, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB), European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), the Central Bank of Ireland, Commerzbank, FlatexDEGIRO, and Firebrand Research- with many more to be announced. As in previous years, the convention offers a global platform for exchange between regulators and the regulated community. This year, it expands with 2 new regional editions in New York and Singapore, in addition to local community events across London, Paris, Warsaw, Geneva, Zurich and Bellinzona. Rob Mackay, CEO of Regnology, said: "Straight-Through-Reporting (STR) has the potential to be as transformative for regulation as STP was for capital market. This convention will unite financial regulators, supervisors, and financial institutions to chart the course toward more connected, streamlined and resilient reporting frameworks unlocking a new era of regulatory intelligence." The RegTech Convention is free to attend for regulatory authorities and financial institutions, with both in-person and virtual attendance options. The full event will be live-streamed and accessible on-demand following the convention. To view the full agenda and register, please visit: https://www.regtech-convention.com/en/register/?utm_campaign=2025_RegTech%20Convention&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pr About Regnology Regnology is a leading technology firm on a mission to enhance efficiency, transparency, and stability in the financial markets. Regnology has a focus on regulatory reporting with thousands of financial institutions and corporates of all sizes, and close to 100 regulators and tax authorities as clients. Regnology connects regulators and regulated financial institutions across the world through purpose-built solutions and common standards, bringing greater data quality and cost savings to all. With over 1,200 employees in 25 countries and a fast, flexible, and future-proof platform, clients can quickly implement and derive value from Regnology's solutions and rely on us to easily keep pace with ongoing regulatory changes. Regnology was formed in 2021 when BearingPoint RegTech, a former business unit of BearingPoint Group, joined forces with Vizor Software, a global leader in regulatory and supervisory technology. For more information about Regnology, connect with us on LinkedIn and X. Visit our website: www.regnology.net. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925695598/en/ Contacts: Press Contact Mireille Adebiyi Chief Marketing Officer, Regnology mireille.adebiyi@regnology.net Lenovo has retained the No.1 position in the Gartner Asia/Pacific Supply Chain Top 10 for 2025, marking its fourth consecutive year at the top among APAC leaders across industries. Lenovo's strategic focus on "Lenovo powers Lenovo" harnesses AI, infrastructure and sustainability to enhance the performance and resilience of its global supply chain NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Lenovo, a global technology powerhouse, has retained the No.1 position in the Gartner Asia/Pacific Supply Chain Top 10 for 2025, marking its fourth consecutive year[1] at the top among APAC leaders across industries. The top 10 list spotlights supply chain excellence, including adapting the network to support growth, driving efficiency and resilience through technology adoption, and promoting sustainability through circular innovation. Lenovo's operational excellence continues to transform its global supply chain and manufacturing footprint. According to The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2025, Lenovo also achieved a significant global milestone by moving up to No.8 in Gartner's Global Supply Chain Top 25, improving by two places from 2024. Lenovo is pleased to receive this continued recognition, which reflects Lenovo's unwavering commitment to AI innovation, operational excellence, and ESG leadership. The company's strong performance across all scoring criteria reinforces its standing as a global leader in supply chain transformation. Advancing resiliency through global expansion Lenovo's global, flexible and resilient supply chain remains a cornerstone of its ability to navigate geopolitical and economic uncertainties. With its operations touching 180 markets and a manufacturing network spanning more than 30 manufacturing sites across 11 markets, Lenovo continues to scale its operations for greater agility and resilience. As part of this growth, Lenovo will expand its manufacturing footprint into Saudi Arabia to support customers in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. The move strengthens Lenovo's regional presence, leverages market growth, and enables faster delivery of products, services, and solutions to MEA customers. These strategic investments support Lenovo's ability to adapt quickly to global shifts while maintaining high service standards and operational flexibility. Driving efficiency through AI-enabled autonomous operations At the heart of Lenovo's supply chain innovation is its "Lenovo Powers Lenovo" strategy that harnesses its own technology, infrastructure solutions and intellectual capital to transform internal operations. Through this, Lenovo is rapidly infusing AI into every aspect of its global supply chain, from manufacturing and logistics to sustainability and customer service. For example, Lenovo has developed a new AI-enabled tool that offers extensive visibility across its supply chain, offering real-time risk alerts, automation, and decision-making support. If logistics are impacted by congested lanes, the system automatically detects and flags the disruption, evaluates alternatives and their costs, and recommends the optimal course of action. "It's an honor to be named No. 1 in Asia Pacific for the fourth year and moving up in the global rankings is a powerful validation of our efforts to build a smarter, more resilient supply chain," says Amar Babu, President of Lenovo Asia Pacific. "From AI-powered tools to sustainable logistics, our innovations are helping customers and partners gain an operational edge in a dynamic world." Advancing sustainability through circular innovation Sustainability continues to be on the agenda for Top 10-ranked Asia/Pacific supply chain leaders, with circular innovation emerging as a core strategy. Lenovo also leads in circularity, integrating recycled materials into over 298 product lines, including the use of aircraft by-product carbon fiber. The company has also advanced sustainable packaging through innovative materials like sugar cane and bamboo, reinforcing its commitment to responsible product development. Lenovo also ranked #3 in the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 and Masters for 2025: High Tech Top 10 ranking. Read more: Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 ranking and methodology Gartner Subscribers can read more in The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2025: Insights on Leaders. [1]https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/6750034 ### Source of attribution The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2025: Insights for APAC, Teh Leng Tan, Sergio Coelho, 21 July 2025 The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2025: High Tech, Alejandro Santalo, Teh Leng Tan, Cori Masters, 8 July 2025 GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. About Lenovo Lenovo is a US$69 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #196 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world's largest PC company?with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services.?Lenovo's continued investment in world-changing innovation is building a more equitable, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE:992) (ADR:LNVGY). To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our?StoryHub.? View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Lenovo on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Lenovo Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/lenovo Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Lenovo View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/lenovo-retains-top-spot-in-gartnerr-asia%2fpacific-supply-chain-top-10-f-1078129 Composable, Conversational Product Expert Delivers Double-Digit Conversion Lift for Microsoft and Other Leading Brands and Retailers Zoovu, the AI search and product discovery platform, today announced enhanced capabilities and increased availability of Zoe, its generative-AI shopping assistant designed for optimizing ecommerce sales. This generative enterprise technology is built from Zoovu's years of experience successfully managing more than 4 million AI-assisted shopping interactions worldwide. Unlike generic chatbots that sit off to the side, Zoe is composable, modular, and natively integrated into an entire shopping journey. This approach is improving buyer conversions as shoppers gain purchase decision confidence with a conversational product expert available at every step, including on product detail pages (PDPs) and in search results, category pages, and self-service customer portals. Zoe has already been successfully deployed by nearly 50 global brands and retailers including Microsoft, Staples, Bosch, and the Euronics group and is now generally available. "We've been able to deliver more innovative customer experiences for our shoppers and help make our teams more efficient and informed," said Jim Berndelis, General Manager Merchandise, Officeworks. "With Zoovu's generative AI experiences, we've significantly improved how we connect customers to the best device for them." Most ecommerce sites still solely rely on keyword search, static PDPs, and basic chatbots, yet shoppers increasingly expect interactive, conversational buying experiences. A 2025 Capgemini study found 58% of shoppers use GenAI tools to research products. Brands and retailers that cannot keep up with consumer expectations risk losing customers to more agile competitors. Zoe now solves this with conversational GenAI experiences that live where decisions happen. It answers accurately with citations, explains "why this product," compares options, and personalizes guidance to a shopper's intent and expertise -- without them needing to turn to another site for guidance. Fixing GenAI's biggest ecommerce flaw: data quality At the core of Zoe's accuracy and intelligence is Zoovu's AI-ready data approach. The platform ingests and unifies product data from ERP, PIM, ecommerce platforms, CPQ, and knowledge sources (PDFs, manuals, spec sheets, blogs, websites), then enriches, harmonizes, and structures that information so Zoe can reason reliably at scale -- delivering grounded, transparent answers, with brand-voice controls and governance built in. "Ecommerce teams don't need yet another chatbot, they need a product expert that can be dropped into key moments and trusted to answer correctly and helpfully," said Jonathan Taylor, Chief Product Officer, Zoovu. "Now Zoe's composable skills and AI-ready data turn complex catalogs into conversational buying experiences that are fast to launch, safe to scale, and proven to perform across more parts of the buyer journey." In fact, Microsoft reported a 25% increase in add-to-cart rates when shoppers interact with Zoe. Enterprise ecommerce teams can launch Zoe in as little as 2 weeks and expand to new use cases, categories and markets without re-platforming. Because Zoe is embedded directly into the site experience and powered by AI-ready data, each new skill and category benefits from the same governed foundation. Zoe allows the same product expert that powers a brand site to be syndicated to retail partner sites and extended in-store to kiosks, ensuring shoppers get consistent, trustworthy answers everywhere they buy. To see Zoe's skills in action and hear customer results, register for Zoovu's webinar on October 15. About Zoovu Zoovu is the #1 AI-powered search and product discovery platform helping leading brands, manufacturers, and retailers unlock their product and customer data to build exceptional ecommerce experiences and drive breakthrough results. The world's largest ecommerce businesses, like Microsoft, Bosch, Canon, and Honeywell, use Zoovu to harness customer insights to grow faster, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce marketing and operational costs. Headquartered in Boston, Zoovu is a global company that delivers over 20 million online engagements for brands each year, with conversions up to 10X higher than industry averages. Learn more at zoovu.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250924860129/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Ben Godley for Zoovu Ben@PointBPartners.com Expansion into New York market aligns with ALKEME's national growth strategy and specialty insurance focus LADERA RANCH, CA / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / ALKEME Insurance, a Top 25 Insurance Brokerage, announced today it has acquired Alliance Brokerage Corp., a premier New York-based property and casualty agency. The strategic acquisition strengthens ALKEME's presence on the East Coast and adds significant expertise in both real estate and construction insurance. ALKEME Insurance Announces Acquisition of Alliance Brokerage Corp. ALKEME Insurance Announces Strategic Acquisition of New York-Based Alliance Brokerage Corp. Headquartered in Melville, NY, Alliance Brokerage Corp. has built a strong reputation by serving a wide range of clients, including professional service providers, contractors, and property-focused businesses. Known for its specialization in risk management for commercial real estate and construction, Alliance has become a highly respected partner for clients navigating complex insurance needs. Led by Alan and Jonathan Zack, the firm has grown by providing tailored solutions and personalized service across the region. "This acquisition further demonstrates our commitment to expanding ALKEME's geographic reach while also deepening our expertise in key industry verticals," said Curtis Barton, CEO of ALKEME. "Alliance Brokerage is an outstanding firm with strong client relationships and an accomplished team. We are thrilled to welcome Alan, Jonathan, and the entire Alliance Brokerage team to the ALKEME family and look forward to growing together." "Joining ALKEME provides our agency and our clients with a tremendous opportunity," said Alan Zack, Principal of Alliance Brokerage Corp. "We look forward to leveraging ALKEME's national scale, resources, and vision while continuing to provide the personalized service and trusted relationships that have been the foundation of our business." This acquisition highlights ALKEME's commitment to its nationwide growth strategy, enhancing its footprint on the East Coast while providing access to broader insurance and risk management resources for clients across the country. ABOUT ALKEME ALKEME is a full-service insurance agency providing businesses and individuals with an extensive array of commercial and personal insurance, employee and executive benefits, retirement and wealth management services. Since its founding in 2020, ALKEME has completed over 70 acquisitions and serves its customers from over 60 locations in 29 states. ALKEME is ranked by Insurance Journal one of the top 25 largest agencies in the United States and by Business Insurance as the #3 fastest growing broker in their Top 100. Founded by owner/operators with a unique vision, ALKEME is fueled by its proven operating methodologies providing its partner agencies with the autonomy, resources and support to grow and thrive in an ever-changing insurance landscape. Visit https://alkemeins.com for more information. SOURCE: ALKEME Insurance View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/alkeme-insurance-announces-strategic-acquisition-of-new-york-based-a-1078078 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Carmanah Minerals Corp. (CSE: CARM) ("Carmanah" or the "Company") has issued a tender for drilling services at its flagship Heritage Project, a 145 km gold-silver asset on the Burin Peninsula, Newfoundland. The company is looking to commence drilling as soon as drill contractors are confirmed. Drilling will target up to 500 metres to expand and infill the known high-grade zones while supporting a new 43-101 resource calculation. CEO Commentary "The company is looking to commence drilling as soon as drill contractors are confirmed. Our first phase is designed to expand the high-grade zones while collecting the data needed for a current NI 43-101 resource. Heritage has strong technical merits, offering significant potential for further discovery," said Fraser Rieche, CEO of Carmanah Minerals. The Heritage Project is situated within the Avalonian Epithermal Belt, a highly prospective yet largely overlooked gold-bearing region extending from Newfoundland to South Carolina. While this belt has proven potential through major deposits such as the Haile Gold Mine (3 Moz Au, South Carolina) and Newfoundland's past-producing Hope Brook Gold Mine (~752,000 oz Au), the Burin Peninsula remains vastly underexplored despite hosting a large epithermal gold-silver system with exceptional high-grade mineralization. Strategic Location with Infrastructure Advantages Proximity to two deep-water, ice-free ports enable cost-effective shipping and logistics. Year-round access via paved roads and nearby power infrastructure. Mining-friendly jurisdiction - Newfoundland ranks among the top mining investment destinations in Canada. A Vast, Underexplored Epithermal Gold-Silver District Project Highlights Historical resource - Eagle Zone: 76,074 oz gold equivalent; 1.08 million tonnes at 2.186 g/t AuEq (non-NI 43-101-compliant) Historical drill highlights: 32.30 m @ 1.89 g/t AuEq; 9.95 m @ 5.19 g/t AuEq; 6.55 m @ 4.73 g/t AuEq High silver and base metal credits: up to 3,381 oz/t Ag, 7.5% zinc, 3.05% lead Nearby projects: The Avalonian epithermal belt hosts major deposits such as the past-producing Hope Brook gold mine (~752,000 oz Au), highlighting the region's potential for world-class discoveries Heritage's 145 km of contiguous claims contains 21 high-priority drill targets. While historical work has outlined a shallow Eagle Zone resource, much of the district-scale system remains underexplored, leaving strong potential for additional discoveries. The Point May Epithermal System spans 4.5 km x 5.2 km and contains 21 high-priority drill targets, with only limited modern exploration. Previous work has outlined the Eagle Zone, the first major discovery within this district-scale system, which remains open for expansion. Drilling to date at the Eagle Zone has defined a historical resource of: 76,074 ounces of gold equivalent 1.08 million tonnes @ 2.186 g/t AuEq This shallow resource has only been drilled to a depth of 100m over a 650m strike length, yet airborne geophysics indicate a minimum 1.5 km strike length, leaving the deposit open in all directions. Historical drill highlights from the Eagle Zone include: 32.30m @ 1.89 g/t AuEq 9.95m @ 5.19 g/t AuEq 6.55m @ 4.73 g/t AuEq Despite these results, no deep drilling has been completed, and exploration outside of the Eagle Zone remains limited. The sheer scale of the system suggests significant potential for multiple deposits across the property, similar to other world-class epithermal gold-silver districts. Bonanza-Grade Silver & Base Metal Potential Exceptionally high silver grades, including: 3381 oz/t Ag over 0.15m Multiple intervals exceeding 6.6 oz/t Ag Mineralization is associated with ginguro veins, which host some of the world's richest low-sulfidation epithermal deposits. Base metal credits, including: Up to 7.5% zinc Up to 3.05% lead Historic Mining Success in the Region The Hope Brook Mine, located in South Newfoundland, produced ~752,000 oz gold over an 11-year mine life. The Burin Peninsula remains underexplored, yet it shares geological characteristics with world-class epithermal gold districts. Potential for High-Grade Bulk Mining Large-scale epithermal breccia & vein-hosted gold-silver system. Open-pit potential given near-surface high-grade mineralization. Qualified Person Victor A. French, P. Geo, an independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Company. About Carmanah Minerals Carmanah Minerals Corp. (CSE: CARM) is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on advancing mineral projects with high expansion potential. The company is advancing its flagship Heritage Project in central Newfoundland, a promising epithermal gold-silver system situated in one of Canada's most active and emerging mining regions. With an experienced management team and a commitment to responsible resource development, the company is positioned to capitalize on opportunities within Canada's evolving mineral exploration landscape. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding future capital expenditures, anticipated content, commencement, and cost of exploration programs in respect of the Company's projects and mineral properties, anticipated exploration program results from exploration activities, resources and/or reserves on the Company's projects and mineral properties, the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, anticipated completion of the Private Placements, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange for the Private Placements, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward looking information can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "will", "may", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious and base metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future exploration of the Company's properties, that the COVID19 global pandemic will not affect the ability of the Company to conduct the exploration program on its mineral properties, the availability of financing on suitable terms, and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, statements as to the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, including the Company's proposed expenditures for exploration work on its mineral projects, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fund its business activities and plans, delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the Canadian Securities Exchange), permits or financing, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's prospectus dated April 4, 2022, and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release except as otherwise required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267955 SOURCE: Carmanah Minerals Corp. Funding will fuel rapid expansion of the Columbus-based oncology platform, which connects community oncologists with subspecialty experts and real-world insights at the point of care. COLUMBUS, OHIO / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Primum Health Inc., a fast-growing oncology platform, today announced the close of its Seed round, co-led by FCA Venture Partners and North Coast Ventures. Primum connects oncologists in community and academic settings with leading subspecialty experts for quick consults on challenging cases, new treatments, and clinical trial options - at no cost to physicians. Experts gain a national platform to share knowledge, extend their research reach, and stay connected to real-world practice, while oncologists gain timely peer support that helps patients receive cutting-edge care close to home. "Cancer care is full of gray areas. With Primum, I can connect with peers, get input on difficult cases, and see how others are using new treatments in practice," said Dr. MinhTri Nguyen, Medical Oncologist at Stanford Medicine. Primum has more than doubled its physician network in the past year and now supports over a dozen cancer treatments. The company has signed contracts with several top pharmaceutical manufacturers and is rapidly adding more. At its core, the platform captures how and why doctors make decisions at the front line of cancer care - turning those insights into simple tools that help physicians give patients the best care in real time. With new funding, Primum will accelerate its growth - expanding its physician network, scaling its team, and investing in advanced tools and analytics to unlock even more value for physicians, patients, and partners. "The funding and partnership of FCA and North Coast Ventures will propel us forward in closing the gap between discoveries and everyday cancer care so that patients can benefit from new treatments much sooner," said Erica Conroy, CEO of Primum. "Primum's momentum is extraordinary. In a short time, the team has built a platform that is changing oncology collaboration," said Tom Hearn, Partner at FCA Venture Partners. "What excites us most is what the data means for providers. Primum isn't just tracking decisions; it's surfacing the reasons behind them, giving oncologists a real-time window into how their peers approach care. That kind of insight empowers doctors and ultimately drives better outcomes for patients," said Todd Federman, Managing Director at North Coast Ventures. About Primum Health Primum Health is a national technology-enabled oncology platform based in Columbus, Ohio, dedicated to transforming how cancer care advances at the point of care. By creating a no-cost and safe space for candid, anonymous peer-to-peer consultations, Primum connects community oncologists with subspecialty experts, enabling physicians to stay current on evolving treatments and clinical trials. At the same time, patients receive high-quality care close to home. More than an insights company, Primum closes the loop by turning anonymized physician perspectives into action, directly addressing identified gaps through its platform while amplifying those insights for BioPharma. The result is a connected ecosystem that strengthens oncology practice and drives better patient outcomes. Learn more at https://www.primum.co About FCA Venture Partners FCA Venture Partners is a venture capital firm investing in companies transforming healthcare through innovative technology and services that improve patient outcomes, empower providers, lower costs, and redefine how care is delivered. FCA manages over $285 million and invests across the Series Seed to Series B stages. FCA brings portfolio companies valuable healthcare insights, connections, and board-level experience to accelerate growth and build disruptive and sustainable businesses. Based in Nashville and Charlotte, the FCA team has a decades-long track record including more than 60 investments in the rapidly changing healthcare industry. Learn more at https://www.fcavp.com About North Coast Ventures North Coast Ventures is a Cleveland-based venture capital firm focused on early-stage B2B SaaS companies. With more than 500 member investors, NCV is the largest single-chapter investor group in the country. Since 2006, NCV and its members have invested over $90 million in more than 70 companies. Learn more at northcoast.vc. SOURCE: Primum Health View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/primum-health-raises-seed-round-led-by-fca-venture-partners-and-north-1076771 HSBC announced the appointment of Victor Matarranz as Head of International Wealth and Premier Banking (IWPB), Americas and Europe, effective October 1st This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925559383/en/ Americas and Europe Head of International Wealth and Premier Banking Victor Matarranz Victor will be responsible for expanding HSBC's wealth businesses across these regions, including the U.S, Mexico and Channel Islands and Isle of Man, and unlocking new opportunities in key global corridors. Victor joins HSBC from Banco Santander where he spent 13 years in senior leadership roles in Madrid and London, most recently as the Global CEO of Wealth Management and Insurance. During his time in Santander, Victor managed its Private Banking, Insurance and Asset Management businesses, mainly in the Americas and Europe, and led key strategic and M&A projects as Group Head of Strategy. He was also a Partner at McKinsey Company spending more than a decade advising banks in the Americas and Europe on distribution, digitalization and new business development. Victor will relocate to London from Madrid and will join the Global IWPB Operating Committee. "Our connectivity with the Americas and Europe plays an important role in achieving our goal to become the world's leading international wealth manager. We're excited to welcome Victor whose broad experience in leading wealth businesses in these regions will help us sharpen our focus on serving affluent to ultra-high net worth clients onshore and across global corridors," said Barry O'Byrne, CEO, International Wealth and Premier Banking. About HSBC HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of HSBC, is headquartered in London. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 57 countries and territories. With assets of US$3,214bn at 30 June 2025, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations. HSBC Bank USA, National Association (HSBC Bank USA, N.A.) serves customers through International Wealth and Premier Banking (IWPB) and Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB). Deposit products are offered by HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Member FDIC. It operates Wealth Centers in: California; Washington, D.C.; Florida; New Jersey; New York; Virginia; and Washington. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. HSBC Innovation Banking in the U.S. is a business division with services provided in the United States by HSBC Bank USA, N.A. For more information, visit: HSBC in the USA. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925559383/en/ Contacts: Media Enquiries Matt Kozar U.S. Head of Wealth Communications matt.kozar@us.hsbc.com EQS-News: APIX Senegal S.A. / Key word(s): Conference Senegal to host Saudi Arabia at Forum Invest in Senegal (Fii Senegal) 2025 25.09.2025 / 16:04 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Senegal to host Saudi Arabia at Forum Invest in Senegal (Fii Senegal) 2025 Fii Senegal whose theme is connecting opportunities, building the future aims to position Dakar as a premier gateway for investment in West Africa DAKAR, Senegal, September 25, 2025/APO Group/ -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be the Guest of Honour at the Forum Invest in Senegal 2025 (Fii Senegal), scheduled for October 7-8 at the CICAD, in Diamniadio. Held under the distinguished patronage of His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye and organized by the Senegalese Agency for Investment Promotion and Major Works (APIX) ( https://InvestInSenegal.sn/ ), the Fii Senegal whose theme is connecting opportunities, building the future aims to position Dakar as a premier gateway for investment in West Africa. Heads of State and Government, global investors, financial institutions, policy makers, and business leaders are expected at this high-level event to explore new strategic partnerships. Senegal stands out as a premier investment destination, combining political stability, investor-friendly policies, world-class infrastructure such as the Port of Ndayane and Blaise Diagne International Airport, dynamic special economic zones, and access to a thriving ECOWAS market of 400 million consumers. Senegal's partnership with Saudi Arabia is already yielding tangible results. Saudi ACWA Power is currently developing an $800 million renewable-powered desalination plant in Dakar, alongside new ventures in agriculture, real estate, and logistics. "Senegal is shaping the future of investment in Africa. Fii Senegal 2025 will serve as a global platform to showcase our ambition and reaffirm our role as a strategic partner for Gulf investors seeking sustainable, high-growth opportunities across the continent," Mr. Bakary Sega Bathily, Director General of APIX highlighted. With Saudi Arabia as Guest of Honour, Senegal is committed to making Fii Senegal 2025 a landmark event-solidifying its position as a trusted destination for international capital and a dynamic gateway to Africa. Be part of Africa's next chapter - join global leaders, investors, and innovators at Fii Senegal 2025. Secure your place today by registering at https://apo-opa.co/46mijrD . Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APIX Senegal S.A. Download Image: https://apo-opa.co/4mClmRr (Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye DIAKHAR Faye and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia) 25.09.2025 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Fern Glowinsky, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sarim Farooqi, Chief Financial Officer, Haventree Bank (Company), and their team, joined Neil Carnell, Managing Director, TSX Trust, to open the market and celebrate the Company's approval by the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation to participate in the National Housing Act Mortgage-Backed Securities (NHA MBS) and Canada Mortgage Bond programs. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpske8M27oY As part of the approval, Haventree Bank appointed TSX Trust as document custodian for the NHA MBS program, recognizing its high standards and efficient processes. Haventree Bank is a federally regulated Schedule I Canadian bank dedicated to advancing financial security and upward mobility for Canadians underserved by traditional financial services. Haventree Bank partners with mortgage and deposit brokers to deliver tailored financial solutions to Canadians. Learn more about Haventree Bank here: www.haventreebank.com TSX Trust is a leading provider of structured finance and securitization solutions. TSX Trust offers a range of services, including trustee and administrative functions, with a focus on comprehensive, integrated solutions. TSX Trust is qualified by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to act as a National Housing Act Mortgage-Backed Securities Document and Title Custodian. Its Structured Finance team utilizes advanced technology to streamline the documentation and tracking processes for Canada's NHA MBS Program. Its title custodian capabilities extend to both residential and commercial mortgages, maintaining a live registry of loans under its custody. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267961 SOURCE: Toronto Stock Exchange MILAN, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Milan became the center stage of global fashion strategy as the first-ever RLC Fashion Summit brought together 200 senior leaders from the worlds of fashion, luxury, retail, technology, and investment. Organized by the RLC Global Forum, the half-day event was held during Milan Fashion Week at MUDEC - Museo delle Culture, under the theme "Forces of Tomorrow." "The RLC Fashion Summit bridges two powerful forces - the creativity of Milan Fashion Week and the strategic decision-making needed to navigate today's complex, fast-changing landscape," said Panos Linardos, Chairman of the RLC Global Forum. "By bringing diverse voices together in one room, we create the space for collaboration and bold thinking that will define the future of our industry." Opening remarks by Panos Linardos highlighted the summit's mission to catalyze new thinking and action at the highest levels of the industry. The program featured dynamic discussions that reflected the global nature of today's fashion economy: Unlocking Expansion in the Gulf's Evolving Fashion Economy : Shane Eldstrom (CEO, United Developers, Qatar) and Georges Barakat (Director, Retail Real Estate Investments, PIF, Saudi Arabia) examined how new policy frameworks, infrastructure investments, and consumer trends are positioning the Gulf as one of the fastest-growing luxury regions in the world. : Shane Eldstrom (CEO, United Developers, Qatar) and Georges Barakat (Director, Retail Real Estate Investments, PIF, Saudi Arabia) examined how new policy frameworks, infrastructure investments, and consumer trends are positioning the Gulf as one of the fastest-growing luxury regions in the world. Frontier Markets: Fashion's Emerging Growth Engines : Jaume Miquel Naudi (CEO, Tendam, Spain) and Fabio Adegas Faccio (CEO, Lojas Renner, Brazil) shared insights on how value fashion brands are scaling across Southeast Asia and Latin America by combining agility, affordability, and cultural relevance. : Jaume Miquel Naudi (CEO, Tendam, Spain) and Fabio Adegas Faccio (CEO, Lojas Renner, Brazil) shared insights on how value fashion brands are scaling across Southeast Asia and Latin America by combining agility, affordability, and cultural relevance. Leading in the Age of Intelligent Fashion : Professor Emanuela Prandelli (Bocconi University) explored the transformative power of AI, from product innovation and personalized services to supply chain optimization and brand protection. : Professor Emanuela Prandelli (Bocconi University) explored the transformative power of AI, from product innovation and personalized services to supply chain optimization and brand protection. Reimagining Prestige and Desirability : Giuseppe Santoni (Executive Chairman, Santoni) and Stefania Lazzaroni (CEO, Altagamma), moderated by Filippo Bianchi (BCG), discussed how Italian maisons continue to set global benchmarks for craftsmanship while responding to a new generation of consumers. : Giuseppe Santoni (Executive Chairman, Santoni) and Stefania Lazzaroni (CEO, Altagamma), moderated by Filippo Bianchi (BCG), discussed how Italian maisons continue to set global benchmarks for craftsmanship while responding to a new generation of consumers. Inside the Middle East's Growth Playbook : Michael Chalhoub (CEO, Chalhoub Group, UAE) joined Panos Linardos for a fireside chat on how sovereign capital, tourism, and cultural vision are building new power centers for fashion and retail. : Michael Chalhoub (CEO, Chalhoub Group, UAE) joined Panos Linardos for a fireside chat on how sovereign capital, tourism, and cultural vision are building new power centers for fashion and retail. Elena Lorenzini, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Minister Urso - Head of the Fashion Roundtable - Judge of the Court of Auditors, closed the Summit One theme resonated across all sessions: the global fashion landscape is being redrawn by new markets, new models, and new technologies. The summit highlighted how regions like the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and Latin America are driving expansion through young demographics, rising wealth, and government investment in retail and tourism ecosystems. These factors are reshaping strategies for global brands looking to balance legacy markets with future growth hubs. The Milan summit is part of a broader vision to create a connected global platform for the fashion and luxury industries. The work begun in Milan will continue at two upcoming gatherings: October 2025 - CEO Summit, New York February 3-4, 2026 - RLC Global Forum, Riyadh Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2782240/RLC_Fashion_Summit.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/inaugural-rlc-fashion-summit-convenes-global-fashion-leaders-in-milan-302567265.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Canada One Mining Corp. (TSXV: CONE) (OTC Pink: COMCF) (FSE: AU31) ("Canada One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it is reviewing property acquisition opportunities within the Princeton and broader Quesnel Trough area in British Columbia. Peter Berdusco, President and CEO of the Company commented: "The Quesnel Trough remains one of Canada's premier copper belts, and we see room to expand our land package with assets that meet our technical thresholds. We'll remain selective and cost-conscious, prioritizing properties that can complement our Flagship Copper Dome Project, accelerate our path to meaningful catalysts, and further entrench our footprint in the area." About The Copper Dome Project The Project lies within the lower portion of the Quesnel Trough porphyry belt, a well-established mining district. The belt extends north from the Copper Mountain Mine, through the Elk, Brenda, Craigmont, Highland Valley, and New Afton mines. Past exploration on the Property has identified the presence of copper, palladium, and gold mineralization. Multiple mineralized zones have been discovered on the Property to date. Excellent infrastructure provides year-round access with low-cost exploration and low jurisdictional risk. Amended Agreement The investor relations and corporate development agreement with Rob Christl Consulting, first announced July 4th, 2025 has been amended. The bonus clause has been removed. In addition, the agreement will automatically renew at the one-year anniversary date on a month-to-month basis, under the same terms, if there are any changes to the agreement, it will be subject to the prior approval of the TSXV. The Company will pre-approve all expenses by Rob Christl Consulting. About Canada One Canada One is a junior resource exploration company operating in Canada. From exploration to discovery, to resource development, the Company is focused on creating growth and generating value for its investors and communities as it meets the growing global demand for critical metals. Copper Dome is the Company's flagship project with its northern border situated 1.5km from the operating Copper Mountain Mine deposits. Contact Us For further information, interested parties are encouraged to visit the Company's website at www.canadaonemining.com, or contact the Company by email at info@canadaonemining.com, or by phone at 1.877.844.4661. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating to the future operating or financial performance of the Company, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things: statements relating to the anticipated timing thereof and the intended use of proceeds. Actual future results may differ materially. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, technical, economic, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the timing, completion and delivery of the referenced assessments and analysis. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. TSX Venture Exchange Disclaimer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267963 SOURCE: Canada One Mining Corp. Facility will support 14MW of renewable energy for housing, schools and communities ST. PETERSBURG, FL / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Climate First Bank (www.climatefirstbank.com), the world's first FDIC-insured, values-based, digital community bank founded to combat the climate crisis, today announced a $20 million revolving credit facility to clean energy development and investment firm Sunwealth. The new credit will help develop 14MW of clean energy projects across seven states and the District of Columbia. Climate First Bank Climate First Bank Logo "This strategic investment is a win-win - expanding impactful renewable energy projects across the country while supporting affordable housing and community development," said Chris Cucci, EVP & Chief Strategy Officer, who represented Climate First Bank in the transaction. "We are proud to support Sunwealth and their mission to build an equitable, just, and inclusive clean energy future." "This investment will accelerate our work to build a better energy future, driven by the power of impact investing," said Jon Abe, Co-Founder and CEO of Sunwealth, a Certified B Corporation and Public Benefit Corporation. "We are leading a generational transition toward renewable energy." KEY DETAILS - NEW $20 MILLION RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDIT FACILITY Develop 14MW of clean energy across California, Texas, Massachusetts, New York, Maine, New Mexico, Connecticut and the District of Columbia Support renewable energy expansion and provide equitable access to solar by serving a diverse mix of off-takers, including affordable housing, schools, nonprofit organizations and religious institutions Promote local job creation in numerous markets Sunwealth currently manages over 780 solar projects, totaling 70MW across 18 states and D.C., creating more than $160 million in lifetime energy savings for customers and over 2,100 green jobs. Sunwealth celebrated ten years of impactful investing in community-based projects in 2024. For more information about Climate First Bank's SBA lending programs, visit https://www.climatefirstbank.com/SBA. About Climate First Bank Recognized as the fastest growing new bank in America since 2009, Climate First Bank is the world's first FDIC-insured, values based, digital-forward community bank founded to combat the climate crisis. A Certified B Corp, 1% for the Planet member and operationally net-zero since it opened its doors in June 2021, the Bank offers a complete portfolio of simple and easy-to-use traditional banking products powered by technology to meet the expectations of today's consumers. In addition to offering standard banking services, the company places a special emphasis on non-profits, B Corps, and businesses committed to sustainability. Eco-conscious customers will find dedicated loan options for solar photovoltaic (PV), energy retrofits and infrastructure to help combat the climate crisis. The Bank reports annually on its impact in line with corporate social responsibility goals. Read the most recent Impact Report here. Member FDIC. For more information, please visit: www.climatefirstbank.com. SOURCE: Climate First Bank View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/climate-first-bank-sunwealth-announce-20-million-credit-facility-to-1078125 OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - TELUS Corp. (TU) and League Thursday announced a groundbreaking collaboration to revolutionize healthcare delivery for millions of Canadians. League will power its comprehensive AI-driven healthcare platform on TELUS' infrastructure - Canada's first fully sovereign AI Factory. Supported by this sovereign AI infrastructure, advanced AI can deliver more personalized and efficient care, improving patient outcomes. Operating on TELUS' high-performance, highly-secure, Canadian-controlled infrastructure in Rimouski, Quebec, League's AI-powered healthcare solutions will leverage the power of NVIDIA's latest Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) technology to process health data and deliver AI-powered recommendations to help Canadians navigate their healthcare journey more effectively. League's platform, which has already delivered over 100 million personalized health recommendations including millions to Canadian patients, will be able to leverage the sovereign infrastructure to physically store sensitive healthcare data within Canada's borders - supporting a key priority for the deployment of secure, privacy-compliant and sovereign AI, while enabling advanced research and development of unique Canadian-centric models. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 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. Highlights: US$24 million financing through the sale of a Royalty to Appian Capital Advisory Limited, supporting the advancement of the Goldboro Gold Project in Nova Scotia. Summary details of the Royalty include: US$24 million upfront payment in cash; 2.9% of net smelter returns revenue of all minerals produced on the Goldboro Gold Project up until a threshold of 1.25mm oz of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, after which time the Royalty is only payable on gold; Option, solely at the discretion of the Company, to buy back 1.9% of the Royalty, subject to certain timing and payment thresholds being met; and Use of Royalty to pay off Nebari US$12 million debt facility and buy back 0.6% NSR held by Nebari, deleveraging NexGold from all debt and providing a clean balance sheet to advance the Company. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close towards the end of September 2025. Non-Binding Letter of Intent with Appian, with significant due diligence already completed, for a Senior Secured Credit Facility of up to US$175 million for the development and construction of the Goldboro Gold Project. TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NexGold Mining Corp. (TSXV: NEXG; OTCQX: NXGCF) ("NexGold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, on September 24, 2025, it entered into a royalty agreement with an affiliate of Appian Capital Advisory Limited ("Appian") in relation to the Company's 100% owned Goldboro gold project (the "Project"). Under the terms of the agreement, Appian will pay Goldboro Gold Mines Inc. (the subsidiary of NexGold holding title to the Project) ("GGM") consideration of US$24 million for a 2.9% net smelter returns royalty (the "Royalty") covering all minerals produced from the Project up until 1,250,000 ounces of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, and thereafter only covering gold, for the life of the Project. Further details are set out below under "Royalty Transaction Details". The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions (including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV")) and is expected to close towards the end of September 2025. Additionally, the Company has signed a non-binding letter of intent ("LOI") with Appian for a senior secured credit facility of up to US$175 million from certain funds advised by Appian for the development and construction of the Company's 100% owned Goldboro Gold Project. Kevin Bullock, President & CEO of NexGold, commented: "We are excited to announce this strategic partnership with Appian, a leading investor in metals and mining with a track record of identifying and supporting the development of high-quality assets. Appian has undertaken an extensive due diligence process on the Goldboro Gold Project and this royalty financing provides NexGold with important non-dilutive capital to help advance Goldboro towards construction, as well as deleveraging the balance sheet. The structure of the agreement allows us to retain future flexibility, including the option to buy back a significant portion of the Royalty and pursue future financings when necessary. We are also pleased to have signed an LOI to work towards project financing with Appian, which will assist in taking Goldboro through construction and into operations." Royalty Transaction Details The Company, GGM and Appian have entered into a binding royalty agreement, subject to certain closing conditions (including the approval of the TSXV), for a purchase price of US$24 million. In exchange for the purchase price, GGM will issue to Appian the Royalty on all minerals produced from the Property up until 1,250,000 ounces of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, and thereafter only on gold, for the life of the Project. This transaction secures for the Company a less dilutive source of financing, providing sufficient funding to buy back an existing royalty on the Project, buy back certain debt, and help advance the Project through project development activities towards project financing and a construction decision while maintaining the robust economics of the Project. In connection with the transaction, the Company agreed to grant Appian security over all present and after-acquired property of GGM, including the Project and the shares of the entities that own directly or indirectly the Project to secure the Royalty obligations. The Royalty will also be guaranteed by the Company and certain of its subsidiaries. The security and guarantees will be released if the buyback (as discussed below) occurs. Buyback GGM will have a right at its sole discretion to repurchase a portion of the Royalty (effectively bringing the Royalty down to 1.0% of net smelter returns), subject to certain timing and payment thresholds being met. Minimum Payments Prior to commercial production being achieved at the Project, certain minimum payments will be implemented if construction of the Company's Goliath Gold Complex project in Ontario (the "Goliath Project") is also started or started in advance of the Project. No minimum payments are payable if the Goliath Project does not begin construction prior to the Project achieving commercial production. Participation Right For a period of three years from the transaction closing date, Appian has a right to negotiate its participation for up to 50% of any project financing with respect to the construction of the Project. In addition, during this three-year period, if GGM wishes to solicit offers for a stream or grant an additional royalty interest on the Project, Appian will have the first right to offer to purchase the stream or additional royalty interest, which offer may be accepted or denied by GGM. Closing The transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including the approval of the TSXV. The Company expects the transaction to close towards the end of September 2025. Project Financing The Company, GGM and Appian have entered into the LOI to provide for up to US$175 million in senior secured credit for the purposes of the construction and development of the Goldboro Gold Project. The LOI is a non-binding letter of intent, and entry into definitive transaction documents with respect to the project financing contemplated by the LOI is subject to, among other matters, the negotiation and execution of mutually-acceptable definitive transaction documents, and the formal approval of the proposed project financing by the board of each of Appian and the Company. Further, the consummation of the proposed project financing, even if definitive transaction documents are entered into, would be subject to customary closing conditions for transactions of this nature, including any applicable regulatory and TSXV approvals. The LOI does not create any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the Company and Appian for purposes of any law, rule, regulation, agreement or otherwise, and will not until such time as definitive transaction documentation has been approved by the board of directors of each of Appian and the Company and entered into by the parties. There can be no assurance that a definitive transaction will result from the LOI and details of the terms will be disclosed once a definitive agreement is signed. Advisors National Bank Financial acted as Financial Advisor to the Company with respect to the sale of the Royalty. Auramet International acted as Financial Advisor to the Company with respect to the project financing facility. Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP acted as legal advisor to the Company. McCarthy Tetrault LLP acted as legal advisor to Appian. No finder fees are payable in connection with the Royalty. About NexGold Mining Corp. NexGold Mining Corp. is a gold-focused company with assets in Canada and Alaska. NexGold's Goliath Gold Complex (which includes the Goliath, Goldlund and Miller deposits) is located in Northwestern Ontario and its Goldboro Gold Project is located in Nova Scotia. NexGold also owns several other projects throughout Canada, including the Weebigee-Sandy Lake Gold Project JV, and grassroots gold exploration property Gold Rock. In addition, NexGold holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Niblack copper-gold-zinc-silver VMS project, located adjacent to tidewater in southeast Alaska. NexGold is committed to inclusive, informed and meaningful dialogue with regional communities and Indigenous Nations throughout the life of all our Projects and on all aspects, including creating sustainable economic opportunities, providing safe workplaces, enhancing of social value, and promoting community wellbeing. Further details about NexGold, including the Prefeasibility Study for the Goliath Gold Complex and a Feasibility Study for the Goldboro Gold Project, are available under the Company's issuer profile on www.sedarplus.ca and on NexGold's website at www.nexgold.com . Contact: Kevin Bullock President & CEO (647) 388-1842 kbullock@nexgold.com Orin Baranowsky Chief Financial Officer (647) 697-2625 obaranowsky@nexgold.com About Appian Capital Advisory Appian Capital Advisory Ltd is the investment advisor to long-term value-focused private capital funds that invest in companies in metals, mining, and adjacent industries. Appian is a leading investment advisor with global experience across South America, North America, Australia and Africa and a successful track record of supporting companies in metals, mining, and adjacent industries to achieve their development targets, with a global operating portfolio overseeing approximately 6,000 employees. Appian has a global team of 100 experienced investment professionals, combining financial and technical expertise, with presences in London, Abu Dhabi, New York, Dubai, Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Toronto, Lima and Perth. For more information, please visit www.appiancapitaladvisory.com, or find us on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter/X. Contact: Andrew Todd Head of Communications +44 7990416759 atodd@appiancapitaladvisory.com +44 (0)20 7004 0951 / info@appiancapitaladvisory.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" pursuant to applicable laws, including, but not limited to, the completion of the Royalty financing and timing related thereto, use of the proceeds, future financings of the Company, including with respect to the LOI and project financing, and the Company's development activities. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expect, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. NexGold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Since forward-looking information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the satisfaction of the conditions in the royalty agreement; expected timing and receipt of the approval of the TSXV; the anticipated use of proceeds from the transaction; the anticipated timing for closing of the Royalty transaction; the expected timing and completion of the project financing specified in the LOI, including if the due diligence and other investigations required with Appian will be successful such that the project financing is completed; successfully negotiating and entering into a binding agreement with respect to the project financing specified in the LOI; the ability of the Company and Appian to finalize the project financing specified in the LOI on the terms currently contemplated or at all; exploration and production for precious metals; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of resource estimates; health, safety and environmental risks; worldwide demand for gold and base metals; gold price and other commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; incorrect assessment of the value of acquisitions; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws, royalties and environmental regulations. Actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits may be derived therefrom and accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Cash position of 7.1m (million) as of June 30, 2025 following successful completion of 9.7m private placement in February 2025 Cash runway secured until Q2 2026 considering the US$10 million milestone payment from partner Tonghua Dongbao and 2024 Research Tax Credit of 2.8 million, both received in July 2025 Recent advances on flagship product pipeline: BioChaperone Lispro read out positive Phase 3 top-line data in China in people with Type 2 Diabetes and results in Type 1 Diabetes expected in Q4 2025 BioChaperone and BC CagriSema: business priority given to establishing partnerships, while generating additional differentiated data AdoShell : proof-of-concept established on insulin-secreting stem cells and priority given to find a partner submission of the clinical trial application with human islets now expected in Q3 2026 Regulatory News: Adocia (Euronext Paris: FR0011184241 ADOC, the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of innovative therapeutic solutions for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, announces today its first half financial results for the six months period ended June 30th, 2025, and provides a business update. Half-year consolidated financial statements, expressed according to IFRS guidelines, underwent limited review by the statutory auditors and subsequently have been approved at the Board of Director's meeting held on September 24th, 2025. "During the first half of the year, an important milestone was reached with the publication of positive results from the Phase 3 clinical trial conducted with BC Lispro in China in people with Type 2 Diabetes. We look forward to the Phase 3 results for Type 1 Diabetes, which are expected to be released in the coming weeks. In addition, we have made substantial progress by demonstrating the relevance of AdoShell for insulin-secreting stem cells, and our current priority is to partner this development. Finally, our BioChaperone platform continues to generate interest in an increasingly competitive landscape for the development of new peptide formulations targeting obesity and diabetes", says Olivier Soula, CEO of Adocia. "On the strength of our recent results, we prioritize our efforts on BioChaperone, AdoShell and AdOral. As a result, it was decided to place the AdoGel project on hold. Regarding AdoShell, the team is currently preparing the submission of the clinical trial application with human islets, now scheduled for Q3 2026. Our cash runway into Q2 2026 allows us to pursue the development of our projects and materialize partnership opportunities. Moreover, our various interactions confirm that our technologies are closely aligned with the ambitions of key players in the diabetes and obesity fields", adds Mathieu-William Gilbert, CFO-COO of Adocia. Key financial results of first half 2025 The table below compares the condensed consolidated financial statements prepared for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2024, respectively: In thousands euros, consolidated financial statements (IAS/IFRS) H1 2025 (6 months) H1 2024 (6 months) Operating revenue 2,199 1,445 Revenue 1,031 0 Grants, research tax credits and others 1,168 1,445 Operating expenses excluding additions and reversals (10,862) (9,430) Additions to and reversals of depreciation, amortization and provisions (270) (288) CURRENT OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) (8,932) (8,274) Other operating revenue and expenses 0 0 OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) (8,932) (8,274) Financial income 0 28 Financial expense (403) (700) FINANCIAL INCOME (LOSS) (403) (672) PROFIT (LOSS) BEFORE TAX (9,336) (8,945) Tax expense 0 0 NET PROFIT (LOSS) (9,336) (8,945) The Company's results as of June 30, 2025, are characterized by the following key elements: The revenue of 1 million for the first semester of 2025 is mainly related to the feasibility study on the AdOral technology, applied to a novel incretin for an undisclosed partner. The company did not record any revenue in the first half of 2024. of 1 million for the first semester of 2025 is mainly related to the feasibility study on the AdOral technology, applied to a novel incretin for an undisclosed partner. The company did not record any revenue in the first half of 2024. Other current operating income amounted to 1.2 million, slightly down by 0.3 million compared to the first six months of 2024. This decrease is explained by the reduction in the Credit d'Impot Recherche (Research Tax Credit) due to lower eligible expenses. amounted to 1.2 million, slightly down by 0.3 million compared to the first six months of 2024. This decrease is explained by the reduction in the (Research Tax Credit) due to lower eligible expenses. Operating expenses amounted to 11.1 million, an increase of 1.4 million compared to the first six months of 2024. This increase is mainly due to higher impact of 2024 free-share plans for 1.2 million (IFRS2 adjustment with no impact on cash) as well as the impact of foreign exchange on the Tonghua Dongbao receivable, a USD receivable recognized in December 2024 and unpaid as of June 30, 2025, which generated a net foreign exchange loss of 0.8 million over the semester, partly offset by a decrease in R&D expenses. amounted to 11.1 million, an increase of 1.4 million compared to the first six months of 2024. This increase is mainly due to higher impact of 2024 free-share plans for 1.2 million (IFRS2 adjustment with no impact on cash) as well as the impact of foreign exchange on the Tonghua Dongbao receivable, a USD receivable recognized in December 2024 and unpaid as of June 30, 2025, which generated a net foreign exchange loss of 0.8 million over the semester, partly offset by a decrease in R&D expenses. Financial expenses amounted to 0.4 million, compared with 0.7 million in the first six months of 2024, mainly related to lease contract charges. amounted to 0.4 million, compared with 0.7 million in the first six months of 2024, mainly related to lease contract charges. A before-tax loss , considering the above factors, stands at 9.3 million, compared with a 8.9 million loss for the same period last year. , considering the above factors, stands at 9.3 million, compared with a 8.9 million loss for the same period last year. A cash position of 7.1 million as of June 30, 2025, compared to 7.5 million as of December 31, 2024. This includes 9.7 million raised during a private placement in February 2025. Cash burn related to activities for the first six months of the year amounted to 11.8 million, compared with 10.6 million in the first half of 2024 (excluding financing). In July 2025, the Company received the full amount of its Research Tax Credit due for 2024 for 2.8 million, as well as a milestone payment of $10 million (net of $9 million after 10% withholding tax) from its Chinese partner Tonghua Dongbao, bringing its cash position to 15.1 million as of August 31, 2025. This increased cash position enables the Company to finance its activities until the second quarter of 2026, without taking into account any revenue generated by future partnerships, or the exercise of the warrants issued during the February 2025 fundraising, which could generate up to 10 million if all warrants were exercised. Net financial debt (excluding IFRS 16 impacts), consisting exclusively of state-guaranteed loans (PGE), amounted to 3.3 million at the end of June 2025, down 1.3 million compared to December 31, 2024, following the repayments made during the semester. The maturity of these loans remains up to end August 2026. First Half 2025 Business Update In the first half of 2025, Adocia continued to make progress on its diversified pipeline of projects and platforms. Adocia continued to engage in both pre-existing partnership discussions and expanded its reach to other potential partners, leveraging recent clinical and pre-clinical data obtained on several platforms. BioChaperoneLispro in China: Positive Phase 3 top-line results in Type 2 Diabetes, top-line results in Type 1 Diabetes expected in Q4 2025 Partner Tonghua Dongbao initiated two Phase 3 studies with Ultra-Rapid Insulin BioChaperone Lispro with about 1,500 people with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes in 2022. The final dosing of the last Type 2 Diabetes patient was announced on December 12, 20241, triggering a $10 million milestone payment (net of $9 million after 10% withholding tax) received in July 2025. The last patient in the Type 1 Diabetes study was dosed in January 2025, leading to the expected announcement of top-line results in Q4 2025. In July 2025, Adocia and Partner Tonghua Dongbao announced positive top line results of this Phase 3 in people with Type 2 Diabetes2, demonstrating a non-inferior HbA1c reduction at 26 weeks compared to Humalog (primary endpoint) and a significant reduction in the rise of blood glucose after a test meal (key secondary endpoint). Mean blood glucose level over the day monitored by 10-point Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG), an important supportive endpoint, was also significantly decreased, in comparison with Humalog Results on Type 1 Diabetes should be published in the coming weeks. Tonghua Dongbao should then submit Ultra-Rapid Insulin BioChaperone Lispro for Chinese regulatory review (CDE). The granting of Marketing Authorization would lead to an additional milestone payment of US$20 million and double-digit royalties on sales to Adocia. BioChaperone GLP-1 Amylin BioChaperone CagriSema: Combining next-generation obesity products BioChaperoneCagriSema offers a stable combination of cagrilintide and semaglutide compatible with a multi-use pen. Data generated to date are promising regarding its commercial and manufacturing benefits over the combination of cagrilintide and semaglutide currently being developed by Novo Nordisk which, for now, requires each peptide to be in separate chambers, of a single-use pen device. BioChaperoneCagriSema offers significant manufacturing and usage advantages. Using an existing multi-dose pen makes it possible to replace four auto-injectors for four weeks of treatment with a single pen, and moreover, such a pen offers dosing flexibility, which could represent a future evolution for these hormonal treatments. Adocia will present the latest preclinical results obtained with BioChaperone CagriSema at the next PODD annual meeting (Partnership Opportunities in Drug Delivery Boston, USA, 27-28 October 2025). The BioChaperonetechnology is currently being evaluated for other peptides that are difficult to formulate. The priority is to sign a partnership for this technology. M1Pram: Exclusive option right in force for M1Pram with Sanofi, discussions about this partnership are still ongoing M1Pram is a fixed combination of insulin and amylin analogs aimed at addressing the unmet medical need of obesity in insulin-dependent individuals. Adocia granted Sanofi an exclusive right to negotiate a partnership on M1Pram for 10 million3. Discussions about this partnership are still ongoing. A Phase 2b clinical program in the United States, involving 140 patients with Type 1 Diabetes and a BMI4>30kg/m, has been prepared. Adocia has completed the manufacturing of clinical batches of M1Pram. The launch of this clinical trial is conditional on the signing of an agreement on the product. AdoShell: proof-of-concept in vivo on insulin-secreting stem cells and AdoShell Islets: progressing toward Clinical Trial submission The innovative AdoShell technology platform is designed to implant human insulin-secreting cells from either deceased donors (islets of Langherans) or stem cells to provide a cure for Type 1 Diabetes without immunosuppression. Adocia presented its latest preclinical data on AdoShell technology at two scientific conferences in September: the 34th Annual Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB 2025) and the 61st EASD Annual Meeting (European Association for the Study of Diabetes). The results highlight the major progress achieved with the AdoShell platform5 The in vivo and in vitro proof-of-concept on insulin-secreting stem cells has been established. The in vitro and in vivo maturation of islets derived from immature stem cells in AdoShell was demonstrated. The long-term functionality and efficacy of these encapsulated islets were confirmed in vivo. Preparatory work to submit a clinical trial application to the regulatory authorities for AdoShell with human islets has progressed and the implant has been successfully adapted to human scale. However, the latest trials conducted by surgeons have led to optimize the implant design, and resources have been allocated to establish the proof of concept on stem cells. As a result, the timeline has been adjusted, and the clinical trial submission is now expected in Q3 2026. AdOral: Delivering peptides in oral form to replace injections Adocia has developed an oral delivery technology for peptides, enabling the transition from injectable to oral forms, and has achieved promising preclinical results on semaglutide (GLP-1). Data on AdOral Sema was presented at the ATTD 2025 conference (18th International Conference on Advanced Technologies Treatments for Diabetes, 19-22 March, 2025, Amsterdam, The Netherlands). The only GLP-1 commercially available in oral form to date, Rybelsus, achieved $3.4 billion in global sales in 2024 and approximately $1.8bn in H1 20256. Oral delivery is a key factor in increasing patient adherence for those with diabetes and/or obesity. Yet, the poor bioavailability of peptides orally administered requires the production of extremely large quantities of peptides, leading to high cost of goods sold and a supply chain limited by limited manufacturing capacity. Adocia's AdOral technology has demonstrated so far to have improved bioavailability, suggesting that for the same peptide manufacturing capacity, more patients could be treated at a much lower cost of goods sold. AdOral technology has also demonstrated a much narrower inter-patient variability in terms of oral peptide absorption, suggesting a potential better control of the pharmacokinetic profile of the peptides orally administered via the AdOral technology compared to the existing technologies. From 2026, semaglutide will be off-patent in many countries, and many companies are preparing to launch biosimilars of Ozempic (subcutaneous). This situation creates an opportunity for AdOralSema, as this patented product will have freedom to operate. The AdOral technology is currently undergoing an R&D collaboration agreement with an undisclosed partner for an application to a novel incretin. All costs related to this agreement are covered by the partner. AdoGel: Long-acting peptide delivery to reduce injections Adocia has decided to put the AdoGel project on hold in order to concentrate its technical efforts on AdoShell, BioChaperone, BC CagriSema, and AdOral Governance In September 2024, the Board of Directors approved the co-optation of Valerie Moumdjian at Adocia's Board of Directors. This co-optation was confirmed during the shareholders' meeting of Adocia conducted on June 11th, 2025. The Board of Directors, which met on April 16th, 2025, proposed the renewal of Ekaterina Smirnyagina and Olivier Soula terms of office. These renewals were approved during the shareholders' meeting of Adocia conducted on June 11th, 2025. The Board of Directors is now composed of 6 members (2 women and 4 men). Among these members, 4 directors are independent. Participation in Investor Events Adocia will be participating in several investor events in the coming months: HealthTech Innovation Days (October 7, 2025, Paris) (October 7, 2025, Paris) Investor Access (October 8, 2025, Paris) (October 8, 2025, Paris) BIO-Europe Fall (November 3-5, 2025, Vienna) (November 3-5, 2025, Vienna) Investir Day (November 25, 2025, Paris) (November 25, 2025, Paris) JP Morgan 2026 44th Annual Healthcare Meeting (January 12-15, 2026, San Francisco) During these professional meetings with the financial community, through "one-to-one" formats or plenary presentations, Adocia's management will review the latest updates and future prospects for the Company. Availability of the 2025 half-year financial report The 2025 half-year financial report of Adocia will be filed with the French Financial markets authority (Autorite des marches financiers). It will be available to the public and consultable on the www.adocia.com website in the Investors Regulated information section. About Adocia Adocia is a biotechnology company specializing in the discovery and development of therapeutic solutions in the field of metabolic diseases, primarily diabetes and obesity. The Company has a broad portfolio of drug candidates based on four proprietary technology platforms: 1) The BioChaperone technology for the development of new generation insulins and products combining different hormones; 2) AdOral, an oral peptide delivery technology; 3) AdoShell, an immunoprotective biomaterial for cell transplantation, with an initial application in pancreatic cells transplantation; and 4) AdoGel, a long-acting drug delivery platform. Adocia holds more than 25 patent families. Based in Lyon, the company has about 80 employees. Adocia is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Euronext: ADOC; ISIN: FR0011184241). Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Adocia and its business. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Adocia considers as being reasonable. However, there can be no guarantee that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be achieved, as such estimates are subject to numerous risks including those set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of the universal registration document that was filed with the French Autorite des marches financiers on April 29, 2025, available at www.adocia.com. Those risks include uncertainties inherent in Adocia's short- or medium-term working capital requirements, in research and development, future clinical data, analyses and the evolution of economic conditions, the financial markets and the markets in which Adocia operates, which could impact the Company's short-term financing requirements and its ability to raise additional funds. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Adocia or not considered as material by Adocia at this time. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause the actual results, financial conditions, performances, or achievements of Adocia be materially different from those mentioned in the forward-looking statements. 1 Press Release, Dec. 12, 2024, ADOCIA and Tonghua Dongbao Announce the Final Dosing in a Phase 3 Clinical Study of BioChaperone Lispro, Milestone Associated with a $10 Million Payment 2 Press Release, July 25, 2025, ADOCIA and Tonghua Dongbao Announce Positive Topline Results of Phase 3 Clinical Trial on Ultra-Rapid Insulin BioChaperone Lispro (THDB0206 injection) in people with T2D 3 Press Release, July 5, 2023, ADOCIA Grants Sanofi an Exclusive Right to Negotiate a Partnership on M1Pram for 10 Million Euros and Obtains Commitment from Investors to Provide 10 Million Euros in Financing 4 BMI stands for Body Mass Index, calculated as the mass of a person in Kg, divided by the square of its height in meters 5 Press release of June 24, 2025 ADOCIA Presentations at ADA IPITA Scientific Conferences Highlight Scalability and Good Translation of AdoShell from Human Islets to Stem Cell-Derived Islets. 6 Derived from Novo Nordisk FY2024 and H1 2025 reports View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925987571/en/ Contacts: Adocia Olivier Soula CEO contactinvestisseurs@adocia.com +33 (0)4 72 610 610 www.adocia.com Ulysse Communication Adocia Press Investor Relations Bruno Arabian Nicolas Entz adocia@ulysse-communication.com + 33 (0)6 87 88 47 26 San Jose, California--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Digital Silk, an award-winning agency focused on creating brand strategies, custom websites, and digital marketing campaigns, has published a report on the future of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in 2025. PWAs are forecasted to expand their role with offline-first capabilities and deeper system integration, transforming how businesses deliver digital experiences. Progressive Web Apps, PWAs, Go Offline and Back - A Tomorrow Report by Digital Silk To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10732/267974_b9c0432ef44c084c_001full.jpg PWAs combine the reach of the web with the functionality of native applications. They allow users to install apps directly from the browser, receive push notifications, and access content even with limited connectivity. According to Google Developers, PWAs are designed to be reliable, fast, and engaging, offering experiences that are increasingly indistinguishable from native apps. The Evolution of PWAs Digital Silk's insights highlight the next stage of development for PWAs: Offline-First Functionality: Enhanced caching and background sync to deliver seamless access without internet connections System-Level Integration: Deeper compatibility with operating systems for notifications, file access, and device features Cross-Platform Consistency: Unified experiences across web, mobile, and desktop applications Performance Efficiency: Streamlined code bases that reduce load times and improve energy use Enterprise Adoption: Businesses leveraging PWAs for scalability and cost-effective app deployment Market Context According to Straits Research, the global Progressive Web Apps market was valued at USD 3.53 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 21.44 billion by 2033. Similarly, Research Nester estimates that the market could expand to USD 72.16 billion by 2037, reflecting strong enterprise adoption and long-term reliance on PWAs as a viable alternative to traditional native applications. Leadership Perspective "Progressive Web Apps represent the convergence of accessibility, performance, and reliability," said Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO of Digital Silk. "Our report outlines how PWAs are evolving to provide offline-first functionality and deeper system integration that align with the needs of modern users." About Digital Silk Digital Silk is an award-winning Web Development Agency focused on growing brands online. With a team of seasoned experts, Digital Silk creates digital experiences through strategic branding, custom web design, and digital marketing services to help improve visibility and support engagement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267974 SOURCE: Digital Silk Austin, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Digital Silk, an award-winning agency focused on creating brand strategies, custom websites, and digital marketing campaigns, has released insights on the growing adoption of fluid typography and variable fonts in web design. These approaches are redefining digital aesthetics and functionality by enabling text to adapt seamlessly across devices and screen sizes. Fluid Typography and Variable Fonts Take Over - Trends by Digital Silk To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10732/267982_4c3ef96cb4f689c7_001full.jpg Fluid typography uses responsive scaling to ensure readability on both small and large displays, while variable fonts allow multiple weights, widths, and styles to be included within a single file. According to Smashing Magazine, fluid typography helps reduce complexity and maintain visual consistency across different viewports. Key Benefits of Fluid Typography and Variable Fonts Digital Silk's insights highlight several advantages driving adoption: Responsive Scaling : Text adjusts dynamically to maintain readability across mobile, tablet, and desktop : Text adjusts dynamically to maintain readability across mobile, tablet, and desktop Design Consistency : Brands can maintain cohesive identity across platforms with fewer font files : Brands can maintain cohesive identity across platforms with fewer font files Performance Efficiency : Variable fonts reduce page weight and improve load times : Variable fonts reduce page weight and improve load times Accessibility Improvements : Enhanced legibility supports inclusive digital experiences : Enhanced legibility supports inclusive digital experiences Creative Freedom: Designers gain more control to tailor text styles without compromising performance Market Context Research from Google Fonts shows a significant increase in available variable fonts, with developers emphasizing the balance of design flexibility and site performance. This trend reflects how responsive typography is becoming a standard expectation in modern web builds. Leadership Perspective "Typography has moved beyond aesthetics into functionality," said Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO of Digital Silk. "Our insights reflect how fluid typography and variable fonts are shaping digital experiences that are both adaptable and user-focused." About Digital Silk Digital Silk is an award-winning Web Design Company focused on growing brands online. With a team of seasoned experts, Digital Silk creates digital experiences through strategic branding, custom web design, and digital marketing services to help improve visibility and support engagement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267982 SOURCE: Digital Silk Jupiter, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Healing Realty Trust Inc. ("Healing Realty Trust," "HRT" or the "Company"), a healthcare-focused real estate investment company concentrated on acquiring value-add to core-plus medical office buildings with core-like, durable cash flows, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Doctor's Plaza, a fully stabilized, multi-tenant medical office property located at 471 & 473 Army Trail Road in Bloomingdale, Illinois. The asset was acquired for $3,900,000, representing a purchase price of $140 per square foot, compared to a market comparable of $262 per square foot. Constructed in 1994, the 27,953-square-foot property consists of two buildings and is occupied by a diverse mix of outpatient medical tenants. The property has recently experienced positive leasing momentum, including a long-term lease extension with its anchor tenant and the addition of two new leases within the last six months, further enhancing its stability and growth potential. "We are excited to add this well-positioned medical office property to our growing portfolio," said Joe Caltabiano, CEO of Healing Realty Trust. "This acquisition reflects our disciplined strategy of acquiring stable, healthcare-focused assets in strong markets. With consistent occupancy, favorable lease structures, and the opportunity to build long-term value, Doctor's Plaza is an excellent addition that will serve both our investors and the surrounding community." Ideally situated off a heavily traveled East/West thoroughfare through Bloomingdale and the Chicago Western suburbs, the property benefits from strong demographic trends and healthcare demand. The immediate three-mile trade area has a population of 100,762 residents, with a projected $63.7 million in healthcare spend for 2024. The broader Chicago MSA, home to 9.4 million residents, has also experienced a consistent decline in medical office vacancy over the past decade, further underscoring the property's long-term stability. This acquisition strengthens HRT's commitment to investing in high-quality medical office assets across strategic markets, supporting the delivery of accessible, community-based healthcare while generating durable returns. About Healing Realty Trust HRT is a real estate investment firm dedicated to acquiring and managing commercial properties in strategic markets, enhancing healthcare-focused medical office buildings through value-add and core-plus strategies. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267987 SOURCE: Healing Realty Trust Perseus Motor Corporation, Europe's first AI-native EV brand, today announced a landmark strategic alliance with SODA.Auto, a leader in AI and Software Defined Vehicles, to co-develop the world's most advanced AI powered Human-Machine Interface (HMI). This partnership marks a decisive step toward redefining the relationship between humans and vehicles in the era of intelligent mobility. "Perseus was founded through a realization that today's car is passive and isolated, while I wanted a vehicle that could seamlessly partner with my busy day-to-day world. I envisioned a vehicle that thinks, adapts, and evolves around its driver," said Mohammed Yehya El Bakkali, Founder and CEO of Perseus Motor Corporation. "This alliance with SODA.Auto transforms that vision into reality. Together, we are building the most advanced driver-vehicle interface in the world." Unlike traditional automakers, Perseus is pioneering a future where AI shapes every interaction between driver and vehicle. The result is a car that functions as a living intelligence system, delivering a uniquely personalized driving experience where AI does not just assist the driver; it learns about them, understands them, and attunes itself to their journeys, forming a truly symbiotic relationship. The car will dynamically learn the owner's driving style and adjust itself to their emotional state to improve safety. It will also learn their driving routines and preferences, proactively adapting and fine tuning itself to reduce the driver's cognitive load in their busy day-to-day lives. This makes every Perseus vehicle as unique as its owner. Under the alliance, Perseus will lead conceptualization, design, and product definition, embedding AI as the core layer of its vehicle architecture. The two companies will operate joint R&D centres in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, and Bicester, Oxfordshire. These facilities will combine world-class AI engineering talent, software specialists, and advanced digital and physical testing environments to accelerate development. "Partnering with Perseus allows us to unite around a shared AI strategy and apply it in extraordinary new vehicles," said Sergey Malygin, CEO of SODA.Auto. "The outcome will be a step change in how humans interact with vehicles: intelligent, intuitive, and deeply personal. This is Europe setting the global benchmark." The Perseus and SODA.Auto alliance comes at a time when the global automotive industry is focused narrowly on electrification and autonomy. Perseus is positioning AI powered interaction as the defining competitive advantage of the next decade. Notes to Editors About Perseus Motor Corporation Perseus Motor Corporation is Europe's first mass-premium AI-native electric vehicle brand. Headquartered in London, Perseus is pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence into the heart of the driving experience, creating vehicles that are adaptive, intelligent, and truly human centric. About SODA.Auto SODA.Auto is a software defined vehicle (SDV) technology company accelerating the development of next-generation mobility. Its platform combines an extensive SDV library of pre-certified software components with AI driven tools for simulation, validation, and integration. This enables automakers to create innovative vehicles up to ten times faster and at significantly lower cost. Headquartered in London, SODA.Auto is pioneering the fusion of SDV, AI, and digital twin technologies to deliver safe, intelligent, and future-ready automotive solutions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925563851/en/ Contacts: Media contact: charlotte@the10group.com H1 2025 revenue down 4% vs. H1 2024, to 13.3 million Order intake of 8.2 million in Q2 2025, up 48% vs. 5.5 million in Q2 2024 Backlog 1 to 25.1 million as of June 30, 2025, up 41% year-on-year Gross margin improved to 30% from 21% in H1 2024 Cash position2 of 7.7 million as of June 30, 2025 Regulatory News: BALYO (FR0013258399, Ticker: BALYO), technology leader in the design and development of innovative robotic solutions for industrial trucks, today announces its results for the first half of 2025, approved by the Board of Directors on September 25, 2025. Pascal Rialland, CEO of BALYO, states: "This first half reflects dynamic order intake further demonstrating the strength of our direct sales approach and relevance of our product mix. We also improved our gross margin significantly, from 21% to 30%, thanks to stricter sales pricing, customer options management and overall project and cost control. Looking ahead, our top priority is to sustain our commercial momentum while maintaining a disciplined cost structure." 2025 First Half Activity In the second quarter of 2025, BALYO generated revenue at 6.3 million, representing a decrease by 26% compared to 8.5 million in Q2 2024. For the first half of 2025, BALYO's total revenue amounted to 13.3 million, slightly down by 4% compared with the first half of 2024 at 13.8 million. This drop in revenue can be mainly attributed to lower activity in the EMEA region, with a 32% drop in revenue in H1 2025 as well as delays from suppliers and freight forwarders impacting BALYO's revenues in the United States, bringing total revenue in the region to 7.3 million for the first half of 2025. Revenue in the APAC for the first half of 2025, on the other hand, rose by 56% to 1.9 million. In the second quarter of 2025, order intake was up +48%, reaching 8.2 million, compared to 5.5 million in Q2 2024. After integrating new orders, the backlog stood at 25.1 million as of June 30, 2025, up +41% over June 30, 2024. This includes 6 million related to orders from SBG3 for robots to be recognized over the next 12 months. By region, the United States showed robust momentum with a 115% increase in backlog, offsetting declines in the EMEA (-35%) and APAC (-49%) regions. 2025 Half-Year Financial Results* In million H1 2025 H1 2024 Change Sales revenue 13.28 13.79 -4% Cost of sales -9.36 -10.84 -13% Gross profit 3.93 2.94 +33% Gross margin rate 30% 21% +8pts Research and Development -3.62 -2.77 +31% Sales and Marketing -2.70 -1.90 +42% General and administrative expenses -4.67 -4.11 +14% Other operating profit and expenses -0.48 -1.16 -58% Operating loss -7.54 -7.01 -6% Financial expense -0.31 -0.39 -51% Net loss -7.85 -7.40 -6% Cash position (as of June 30) 7.75 4.73 *The limited review by the Statutory Auditors and the related report are currently being finalized. In the first half of 2025, the gross profit amounted to 3.9 million, up +33% vs. the first half of 2024. As a result, the gross margin increased to 30% as of June 30, 2025 from 21% as of June 30, 2024. This improvement can be attributed to better pricing, customer options and overall project management, as well as a one-off depreciation in 2024 of obsolete component and battery inventories which impacted 2024 results. Operating expenses stood at 11 million, up 25% year-on-year, mainly due to higher personnel costs. This is reflected across functions as follows: R&D (+31%), sales and marketing (+42%) and general and administrative (+13%). After taking these items into account, the operating loss for the period came to -7.5 million, compared with -7.0 million in the first half of 2024. Net financial expense came to -0.3 million, compared with -0.4 million as of June 30, 2024. Overall, net income for the first half of 2025 totaled -7.9 million, compared with -7.4 million for the first half of 2024. As of June 30, 2025, BALYO had 215 employees, compared with 206 as of December 31, 2024. Financial Position Outlook BALYO's cash position came to 7.7 million as of June 30, 2025, compared with 22.6 million as of December 31, 2024. This cash position will cover the Company's operating needs for the remainder of 2025. The Company will continue to build on its commercial momentum, maintain strict cost discipline to extend its financial visibility and continue monitoring evolving U.S. trade regulatory developments to assess and mitigate potential impacts on its operations, supply chain and customers, while remaining prepared to seek additional financing or a new capital increase if required. 2025 Half-Year Financial Report BALYO will make available to the public and submit to the Autorite des marches financiers its half-year financial report as of June 30, 2025, within the legal timeframe. The 2025 half-year financial report will be made available by September 30, 2025, on BALYO's website at www.balyo.com, in the "Documentation" section. Next BALYO financial announcement: third quarter 2025 revenue, on October 23, 2025 after market closing. About BALYO BALYO is a worldwide leader in autonomous pallet movement. Our Mission is to design, sell, and operate scalable, simple, affordable and sustainable driverless solutions and services. We have grown to a global team converting manufacturing and warehousing sites to standard driverless forklifts solutions while retaining our start-up, can-do, move-fast mentality. We deployed more than 1,500 robots in more than 25 countries thanks to our global footprint in EMEA, headquartered in Paris, and our subsidiaries in the USA Singapore. Our solutions enable our clients to both improve the productivity of logistics operations and avoid significant infrastructure modifications for both transport and high-bay application while keeping probably the highest safety standards on the market. In November 2024, SoftBank acquired more than 91% of BALYO which is now part of an ecosystem of companies in intralogistics automation and robotics. BALYO posted revenue for 2024 of 29.1 million. BALYO is listed on EURONEXT, Paris Stock exchange. For more information, visit www.balyo.com. 1 The backlog refers to all project orders received but not yet delivered. The backlog of BALYO refers to all orders for projects received but not yet delivered and evolves every quarter following the taking into account of new orders, the revenue generated by projects during the period and any orders modification or cancellation. 2 This cash position corresponds to the cash and cash equivalents item in the consolidated financial statements. 3 SoftBank Group and its affiliates View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925851691/en/ Contacts: BALYO investors@balyo.com NewCap Financial Communication and Investor Relations Thomas Grojean Aurelie Manavarere Phone: +33 1 44 71 94 94 balyo@newcap.eu MMJ BioPharma Cultivation is completing its Cannabis DEA bulk manufacturing license process, a seven-year DEA battle that has delayed the company's ability to supply its FDA trials. Once approved, MMJ will begin GMP manufacturing of its softgel capsules for large scale clinical testing in Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis. WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / New Huntington's Breakthrough Highlights Urgent Need for Scalable, Accessible Treatments: MMJ BioPharma's Cannabis Derived Softgel Capsules Offer Safer Path Forward The global Huntington's disease community is celebrating encouraging trial results from a University College London study using cutting edge gene therapy to silence the mutant Huntington's gene. While this represents a historic advance in neurosurgical research, it also underscores the critical need for scalable, less invasive therapies that can reach the tens of thousands of patients who cannot undergo experimental brain surgery. MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a subsidiary of MMJ International Holdings, is advancing an alternative approach: pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid soft gelatin capsules (MMJ-001 and MMJ-002) designed for FDA-regulated clinical trials in Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis.These capsules have already received FDA Orphan Drug Designation and Investigational New Drug (IND) status, positioning them as among the first oral cannabis derived medicines tailored for neurodegenerative diseases. A Tale of Two Approaches Gene Therapy at UCL : Involves 12-18 hours of neurosurgery, direct infusion of viral vectors into deep brain regions, and long recovery times. Results show promising slowing of disease progression, but risks include brain inflammation, high cost, and limited availability. MMJ Softgel Capsules: Non-invasive, taken orally, manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)standards, and scalable for global distribution. Early clinical data suggests cannabinoid therapies can reduce neuro inflammation, protect neurons, and ease motor and cognitive symptoms without requiring experimental surgery. "We applaud the bravery of families participating in this historic gene therapy study," said Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ International Holdings. "But the reality is that most Huntington's patients will never undergo brain surgery in specialized centers. That is why MMJ's mission is so important-we are building safe, pharmaceutical-grade oral medicines that can be prescribed and distributed to patients everywhere." The Human Urgency Huntington's disease affects approximately 75,000 people in the US, UK, and Europe, with hundreds of thousands carrying the genetic mutation that guarantees they will eventually develop symptoms. Current treatment options are limited to symptom management, with no widely available therapies proven to slow progression. Jack May-Davis, a 30-year-old barrister's clerk from the UK who inherited the gene from his late father, described the UCL therapy news as "absolutely incredible." Yet even he acknowledged the challenge: the therapy requires invasive neurosurgery and will come with extraordinary costs. For families like Jack's, MMJ's capsule-based approach could represent a more practical lifeline-something their doctors can prescribe in familiar form, through regular pharmacies, without specialized surgery. Looking Ahead MMJ BioPharma Cultivation continues its seven-year regulatory journey with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to obtain a bulk manufacturing license for cannabis-derived active pharmaceutical ingredients. Once complete, MMJ will begin large-scale GMP manufacturing for its FDA clinical trials in Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis. "This is not an either-or choice," Boise added. "Gene therapy may eventually transform the landscape for a small number of patients. But MMJ's capsules represent the scalable, safer solution that can bring hope to the entire Huntington's community today." About MMJ International Holdings MMJ International Holdings is a pioneering biopharmaceutical company developing cannabis-derived, FDA-regulated softgel capsule medicines for rare and chronic neurological diseases. Its lead candidates, MMJ-001 (Multiple Sclerosis)and MMJ-002 (Huntington's disease), have both received FDA Orphan Drug Designation. MMJ is dedicated to advancing science, patient care, and global access to safe cannabinoid pharmaceuticals. MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan. CONTACT: Madison Hisey MHisey@mmjih.com 203-231-85832 SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/mmjs-fda-cannabis-softgel-capsule-could-be-the-real-game-changer-for-1078205 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Primary Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: HDRO) (FSE: 83W0) (OTCQB: HNATF) ("Primary" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of voting at its Annual General Meeting held September 22, 2025 (the "Meeting"). Shareholders voted in favour of all items put forward by the Board of Directors and Management. Shareholders voted in favour of the election of all Director nominees: Benjamin Asuncion, William Timothy Heenan and Martin Kowcun. The voting results were as follows: Votes For Votes Withheld Number of Votes Percentage of Votes Number of Votes Percentage of Votes Benjamin Asuncion 4,645,795 99.943% 2,635 0.057% William Timothy Heenan 4,647,230 99.974% 1,200 0.026% Martin Kowcun 4,647,195 99.973% 1,235 0.027% Shareholder also voted in favour of (i) appointing DMCL Chartered Professional Accountants as auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and authorizing the Board to fix their remuneration; (ii) fixing the number of Directors at three, and (iii) adopting a new 10% rolling omnibus equity incentive plan. About Primary Hydrogen Corp. Primary Hydrogen is dedicated to the exploration and development of natural hydrogen resources. The Company holds over 740 acres of prospective land in the United States and 230 square kilometers across Canada. Its portfolio includes the Blakelock, Hopkins, Mary's Harbour, Point Rosie, Crooked Amphibolite, Coquihalla, and Cogburn projects. Primary also holds an option to acquire a 75% interest in the Wicheeda North hydrogen-REE project in British Columbia. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "plans" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their very nature, refer to future events. All statements which are not statements of historical fact are forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including: adverse weather or logistical challenges, delays in lab analysis, interpretation uncertainties, or regulatory changes. Additional risk factors can be found in the Company's public disclosure documents available at www.sedarplus.ca . Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such statements, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267992 SOURCE: Primary Hydrogen Corp. tea, the protocol powering a reward economy for open-source software, today announced the availability of its token on CoinList (coinlist.co/tea), marking a key step toward building a sustainable and secure future for open-source development in the AI era. The tea token enables a new open-source economy where developers are compensated for their contributions and security is built into the software supply chain. As artificial intelligence accelerates application creation, the software ecosystem faces unprecedented strain. Daily app submissions are projected to surge from ~2,000 to more than 100,000. Traditional gatekeepers like Google and Apple are not designed to review this volume while maintaining strong security standards. At the same time, open-source developers the builders of the foundational code that underpins modern technology remain underfunded, even as cloud giants generate billions from their work. The tea token directly addresses this imbalance by enabling developers to be rewarded for their contributions while strengthening the security and transparency of the global software supply chain. "Anyone can now spin up an app over a weekend with AI, but security is too often an afterthought," said Timothy Lewis, CEO of pkgx. "tea ensures that open-source creators are fairly compensated for the value they provide, while giving end users confidence in the provenance of the software they rely on." Proven Developer and User Demand The tea protocol has already demonstrated strong traction through its testnet phases: Assam Testnet: 385 million wallets generated, followed by KYC verification in subsequent phases. 385 million wallets generated, followed by KYC verification in subsequent phases. Sepolia Testnet: 177,000 KYC-verified addresses and over 11 million wallets created in just eight weeks. 177,000 KYC-verified addresses and over 11 million wallets created in just eight weeks. 1 million+ estimated real users actively engaged across phases. Developer participation in package reward staking has validated tea's approach and created momentum for the next stage of growth. Building a New Open-Source Economy At launch, open-source developers will be able to earn TEA tokens directly through the platform. Key features include: teaRank: A dynamic scoring system that rewards developers based on adoption and impact. A dynamic scoring system that rewards developers based on adoption and impact. Cryptographic Payments: Native GPG signature support enables direct rewards to developers' keys without intermediaries. Native GPG signature support enables direct rewards to developers' keys without intermediaries. BounTea: An incentive mechanism that allows maintainers to attach TEA rewards to issues and pull requests across many Git environments; including GitHub, GitLab, and other popular versions, and creating direct incentives for contributors to resolve bugs, add features, and improve code quality. By tying rewards directly to developer provenance and contributions, tea establishes economic incentives for ongoing innovation and ensures long-term sustainability in the open-source ecosystem. Market Timing and Ecosystem Focus The token launch comes at a favorable moment, as clearer regulatory frameworks in the United States encourage blockchain innovation. tea is well positioned to benefit from this environment, alongside the rapid growth of Ethereum-based infrastructure and the rising demand for decentralized application distribution models. About tea tea is building the foundational infrastructure for secure, transparent application distribution in the AI era. Founded by Max Howell, creator of Homebrew (100M+ users, billions of installs), and Tim Lewis (Ikigai Asset Management, DEVxDAO), tea has created a real-time dependency graph mapping the open-source ecosystem. By addressing the "Nebraska Problem", the unpaid and unrewarded developers whose work powers today's digital economy, tea enables open-source creators to monetize their contributions while ensuring security and transparency for end users. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding tea's development plans, token distribution, and market expectations. Actual results may differ materially due to risks and uncertainties. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925269201/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Bonfire Partners press@bonfirepartners.io Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Digital Silk, an award-winning agency focused on creating brand strategies, custom websites, and digital marketing campaigns, has released insights on the rise of adaptive logos in 2025. These logos are designed to dynamically shift based on environment, audience, or platform context, reflecting an evolution in branding strategies. Adaptive Logos That React in Real Time - Branding Trends by Digital Silk To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10732/267993_279718638496f8da_001full.jpg Adaptive logos respond to user interaction, time of day, device type, or even cultural cues, making them more versatile than static brand marks. According to Creative Bloq, adaptive design is becoming a prominent branding trend, with companies seeking more fluid and responsive approaches to maintain relevance across multiple digital channels. Key Features of Adaptive Logos Digital Silk's insights highlight several ways brands are implementing real-time adaptive logos: Context Awareness : Logos adjust colors or layouts depending on light and dark modes : Logos adjust colors or layouts depending on light and dark modes Audience Personalization : Variations in style or tone based on audience demographics : Variations in style or tone based on audience demographics Environmental Adaptation : Shifts in presentation depending on region, language, or culture : Shifts in presentation depending on region, language, or culture Interactive Elements: Motion and dynamic icons that evolve as users engage with platforms Market Context According to NielsenIQ, sustainability-linked consumer product brands are now growing nearly six times faster than other brands, and 73 percent of global consumers say they would definitely or probably change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact. Adaptive logos, with their ability to adjust in real time, reflect this demand for personalization and contextual relevance. Leadership Perspective "Logos are no longer static identifiers; they are becoming dynamic assets that respond to context and user expectations," said Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO of Digital Silk. "Our insights show how adaptive design strategies are reshaping the future of brand identity." About Digital Silk Digital Silk is an award-winning Branding Agency focused on growing brands online. With a team of seasoned experts, Digital Silk creates digital experiences through strategic branding, custom web design, and digital marketing services to help improve visibility and support engagement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267993 SOURCE: Digital Silk VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Organto Foods Inc. (TSX-V:OGO)(OTC:OGOFF) ("Organto" or the "Company"), an integrated provider of branded, organic, and value-added organic and fairtrade fruit and vegetable products, is pleased to announce its participation in Fruit Attraction 2025 being held in Madrid, Spain and taking place from September 30th to October 2nd. As one of the leading international trade shows for the fresh produce industry, Fruit Attraction 2025 provides a dynamic platform for global business development, collaboration, and innovation. Organto has a strong history with the event, having leveraged it in past years to build key partnerships, deepen relationships with suppliers and customers, and showcase its expanding global capabilities. Organized by IFEMA Madrid and FEPEX, the 17th edition of Fruit Attraction will bring together more than 2,500 exhibiting companies from over 60 countries under a strategically expanded exhibition area expected to reach approximately 75,000 square metres. The event is expected to draw over 120,000 professionals from approximately 150 countries. For 2025, the show spans 10 halls at IFEMA, including the newly incorporated halls 12 and 14, arranged by geographic region and sector specialization to enhance the visitor experience. Other highlights include: A strong emphasis on organic certified products via the "Organic Hub Tour," giving organic exhibitors extra visibility. The International Buyers Program, together with the Guest Importing Countries initiative, is spotlighting Mexico and Malaysia. Multiple forums and conferences (technical, innovation, regulation, trends), including the Innovation Hub and others focused on logistics, biotechnology, and sustainable practices within the fresh produce. "This conference continues to be a tremendous opportunity for us to connect with partners and explore new business opportunities across Europe and beyond," said Bob Kouw, Chief Operating Officer, Global Operations of Organto Foods Inc. "With growing demand for fresh organic products and sustainable sourcing, we look forward to engaging with industry leaders and reinforcing Organto's position as a trusted, innovative player in the space." Members of Organto's commercial team will be on the ground in Madrid, meeting with retail customers, supply partners, and exploring strategic initiatives to support the Company's ongoing growth. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Steve Bromley Chairman and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. For more information, contact: John Rathwell, Senior Vice President Corporate Development 647 629 0018 info@organto.com ABOUT ORGANTO FOODS Organto is an integrated provider of branded, private label, and distributed organic, fairtrade, and non-GMO fruit and vegetable products using a strategic asset-lighter business model to serve a growing socially responsible and health-conscious consumer around the globe. Organto's business model is rooted in its commitment to sustainable business practices focused on environmental responsibility and a commitment to the communities where it operates, its people, and its shareholders. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release may include certain forward-looking information and statements, as defined by law, including, without limitation, Canadian securities laws and the "safe harbor" provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act ("forward-looking statements"). In particular, and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements respecting the participation in the upcoming Fruit Attraction 2025 Conference in Madrid, Spain, in October, expected outcomes from the event, and future growth opportunities. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, regulatory risks; risks related to market volatility and economic conditions; risks related to unforeseen delays; and risks that necessary financing will be unavailable when needed. For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's business, see the "Risks and Uncertainties" and "Forward-Looking Statements" sections of the Company's annual and interim management's discussion and analysis filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which are available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Except as required by law, Organto does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. SOURCE: Organto Foods, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/organto-foods-to-participate-in-fruit-attraction-conference-in-madrid-1078283 London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Since launching in June this year, London Mining Week has quickly established itself as one of the most important weeks in the global mining calendar. From 30 November to 5 December, London will host a high-impact programme of events bringing together industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and innovators from across the mining sector. Curated by Beacon Events and anchored by the Resourcing Tomorrow conference, the week unites the full value chain through conferences, roundtables, networking receptions, and deal-making opportunities across the capital. From Mayfair to the Square Mile, London Mining Week reflects the momentum of an industry critical to the global economy and the minerals powering our future. With its unrivalled concentration of financial institutions, legal expertise, and international mining leadership, London offers the ideal platform for dialogue, investment, and cross-border collaboration. Whether the focus is capital markets, policy, technology, or ESG, London is where the future of mining is shaped. At the centre of the week is Resourcing Tomorrow (2-4 December), a world-class conference drawing 2,000+ senior decision-makers from across the mining ecosystem which serves as the driving force behind London Mining Week's expanding programme. Nick Rastall, Event Director of Resourcing Tomorrow, said: "We're delighted to see London Mining Week grow into such a landmark week for the mining industry. For five days, leading players from across the value chain will come together to connect, exchange ideas, and drive the sector forward." London Mining Week will showcase an extensive programme of flagship conferences, including Resourcing Tomorrow, the International Metals Symposium, the Critical Minerals Association's 5th Annual Conference, and MINEX Eurasia. Complementing these are exclusive roundtables and networking events such as the invite-only Resourcing Tomorrow Government Roundtable, the Oxford Mining Club Winter Drinks, Women in Mining Drinks, Young Mining Professionals Drinks, and Mining4Beer, which will bring together industry leaders and peers. The week will culminate in major celebrations, with the Resourcing Tomorrow Outstanding Achievement Awards & Gala Dinner and the Battery Britain Gala & Awards set to be standout highlights. London Mining Week brings together the full mining ecosystem-from governments and investors to majors, juniors, and next-gen talent-for a week of insight, deal-making, and collaboration across the capital. View the full programme and register your interest at mining.london About Beacon Events Beacon has proudly facilitated global intelligence-sharing and industry growth for over 20 years. Our portfolio of world-class events brings together senior executives, business leaders, and government officials for exclusive, interactive learning and high-impact networking. Through these platforms, our speakers, attendees, clients, and partners gain critical insights, forge strategic relationships, unlock new markets, and drive lasting success worldwide. Our flagship events include IMARC (Sydney), Resourcing Tomorrow (London), the Saudi International Iron & Steel Conference (Riyadh), and our strategic partnership with the Future Minerals Forum. For more information, please go to: www.beaconevents.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267989 SOURCE: Resourcing Tomorrow Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Daura Gold Corp. (TSXV: DGC) ("Daura" or the "Company") announces that due to strong investor interest the Company is upsizing its previously announced non-brokered private placement. The Company will now offer (the "Offering") up to 26,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") by way of non-brokered private placement at a price of $0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $6,500,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.375 for a period of twenty-four months following closing of the Offering. The Company expects to utilize the proceeds of the Offering for advancement of its exploration land package in the Ancash Department of Peru, including the Company's flagship Antonella project and the Yanamina Project 40km, north of Antonella, and for general working capital purposes. Daura's President, Mark Sumner, commented: "We are very encouraged by the strong demand for this financing, which has exceeded $6.5 million. This support will allow Daura to accelerate its plans and expand the scope of our upcoming work programs." In connection with completion of the Offering, the Company will pay finders' fees to eligible third-parties who have introduced subscribers to the Offering. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four-months-and-one-day in accordance with applicable securities laws. Completion of the Offering remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. ABOUT DAURA GOLD CORP. Listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, Daura is advancing high-impact exploration projects in Peru's renowned Ancash region. Daura owns a 100% undivided interest in over 13,000 hectares of exploration concessions in Ancash, including the 900-hectare Antonella target, which is the primary focus of Daura's current exploration efforts. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. Daura cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Daura's control. Such factors include, among other things: future prices and the supply of gold and other precious and other metals; future demand for gold and other valuable metals; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; results of exploration programs; risks of the mineral exploration industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals; adverse weather conditions and failure to obtain necessary regulatory or shareholder approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Daura disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267997 SOURCE: Daura Gold Corp. In mid-September 2025, Geekvape, a global leader in advanced vaping technology, hosted its 10th Anniversary GeekFest at the renowned Bridge Club by the Seine in Paris. The event gathered over 300 partners, industry professionals, and fans to celebrate a decade of innovation and growth. The highlight of the evening was the unveiling of Geekvape's new Visual Identity (VI), developed in collaboration with Paris-based brand agency Royalties. The bold, sleek, and modern design goes beyond logo and typography to form a comprehensive system of visual storytelling, strengthening global consistency while deepening emotional connections. On stage, Royalties' David Jobin emphasized how the new VI captures Geekvape's adventurous spirit and premium positioning, building a foundation for the future. Guests also experienced the brand's flagship products, including the much-anticipated Legend 5, Wenax Q2, Peak 2, and Hero 2. Geek Bar introduced its latest innovations the UP10000 and Spark reinforcing its market leadership in Europe. Adding to the excitement, Geekvape proudly showcased its achievement of becoming the first vape brand to reach the summit of Mount Everest, symbolizing durability and ambition, and teased a 10th Anniversary limited-edition Legend 5. A History Zone presented the brand's journey from 2015 to 2025 with iconic products, logos, and sketches, while interactive experiences such as the Mirror Interaction Zone and the "Hunt GeekVape" Challenge energized the venue and amplified visibility through social media. More than a celebration, GeekFest Paris was a declaration of intent reaffirming Geekvape's commitment to innovation, creativity, and community. Since its founding in 2015, the brand has expanded into 70+ countries, redefining industry standards with durable, user-focused design. The Paris anniversary marked both a proud reflection of the past and the beginning of an even more ambitious chapter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925650535/en/ Contacts: Hillary Jiang, hillary.jiang@geekvape.com His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, laid the foundation stone for Al Reeh Al Mursala Village in the Puttalam region of the Republic of Sri Lanka. The project, launched as part of a wider humanitarian initiative, includes the construction of 50 homes, a mosque that accommodates 200 worshippers, a healthcare centre, and various essential service facilities designed to support the wellbeing of the local community. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925201754/en/ Sultan bin Ahmed lays foundation for Al Reeh Al Mursala Village (Photo: AETOSWire) In addition to launching the village project, His Highness also inaugurated a fully equipped mobile medical clinic, aimed at delivering emergency medical services and conducting routine health screenings. The mobile unit will serve residents of Al Reeh Al Mursala and neighbouring villages, significantly improving access to healthcare in remote and underserved areas. This initiative is supported by the Al Reeh Al Mursala programme, developed and broadcast by the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA) in partnership with Sharjah Charity International (SCI). His Highness affirmed that the charitable projects implemented in Sri Lanka are a result of this strong collaboration, and are a continuation of Sharjah's commitment to spreading humanitarian values and supporting those in need globally. His Highness highlighted that these efforts reflect the directives and vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who continuously encourages acts of compassion and extending support to vulnerable communities. He noted that humanitarian action is a foundational part of Sharjah's international engagement, not only addressing urgent needs but also promoting dignity and long-term wellbeing. During his visit, His Highness expressed his deep appreciation to all individuals and organisations contributing to this humanitarian work. He noted that the collective efforts of donors, partners, and the community present a bright and honourable image of the UAE and Sharjah on the global stage-strengthening the values of generosity and solidarity that the nation stands for. Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, described the Sri Lanka projects as a new milestone for the Al Reeh Al Mursala programme. Broadcast annually during Ramadan, the initiative supports the construction of vital infrastructure such as villages, schools, and hospitals. He praised the ongoing partnership with Sharjah Charity International as a strong model of effective humanitarian cooperation. Khalaf also highlighted the importance of field visits in ensuring aid reaches those most in need and in guiding efforts based on real, on-the-ground conditions. The Al Reeh Al Mursala Village will include 50 solar-powered homes, a mosque, a health centre, a children's park, a sewing centre, and a clean water well. A mobile clinic will provide flexible, accessible healthcare. His Highness also reviewed aid distribution, including food, sewing machines, bicycles, and wheelchairs to support family income and self-reliance. Since its launch 14 years ago, Al Reeh Al Mursala has raised approximately AED 67 million, supporting humanitarian projects in over 110 countries. Funded initiatives include the Little Hearts Campaign, eye surgeries, orphan sponsorships, construction of mosques and schools, medical centres, water wells, and a wide range of income-generating programmes. His Highness was accompanied by Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sharjah Charity International; Khalid Nasser Al Ameri, UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka; Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of SBA; Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Sharjah Media Council; and several senior officials and media executives from Sharjah. *Source: AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925201754/en/ Contacts: Hussain Al Mulla Hussain.AlMulla@SGMB.ae Regulatory News: ABIONYX Pharma, (FR0012616852 ABNX PEA PME eligible), a new generation biotech company dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative therapies based on the world's only recombinant apoA-1, today announces its financial results for the first half of 2025. Main changes in the consolidated financial statements As mentioned in the publication of the half-yearly revenue figures on August 28, the activity dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative therapies, particularly in sepsis and the rare diseases LCAT deficiency and Norum disease, aimed at improving or even saving patients' lives, has not yet generated any revenue during this half-year. ABIONYX Pharma continues to provide its bioproduct free of charge in the context of compassionate use authorization (CUA) requests for Norum disease. The ABIONYX Pharma group recorded consolidated half-year revenue of 2.1 million in the first half of 2025, which relates solely to its subsidiary IRIS Pharma's contract research organization (CRO) activity in ophthalmology. The group did not commission any studies from IRIS Pharma during this half-year period. The activity of the IRIS Pharma subsidiary is expected to remain stable over the year despite an unfavorable economic environment in the global research sector. As of June 30, 2025, research and development expenses amounted to 692K, compared to 861K as of June 30, 2024. Administrative and commercial expenses amounted to 1,876K as of June 30, 2025, compared to 1,579K as of June 30, 2024. After taking these expenses into account, operating income went from a loss of 2,124K as of June 30, 2024, to a loss of 2,330K as of June 30, 2025. Financial income was positive at 32K as of June 30, 2025, compared to a profit of 36K in the first half of 2024. The financial result is mainly related to financial income from the investment of cash surpluses. The net loss amounted to 2,306K at June 30, 2025, compared with a loss of 2,088K at June 30, 2024. As of June 30, 2025, cash and cash equivalents amounted to 3.4 million, including the reimbursement of IRIS Pharma's CIR (478K) and before the reimbursement of ABIONYX Pharma's CIR (604K), compared to 3.2 million as of December 31, 2024. The Company notes that it was selected for the France 2030 plan's "i-Demo" call for projects and has obtained 8.7 million in government support to combat sepsis, the third leading cause of death worldwide, of which 7 million is still to be received. The Company's financial visibility extends to the second half of 2026. Selected financial information (as of June 30, 2025/Consolidated financial statements under IFRS) m H1 2025 H1 2024 Revenues 2.12 2.34 Cost of goods and services sold (1.89) (2.04) R&D expenditure (0.69) (0.86) Administrative and commercial expenses (1.88) (1.58) Operating Income (2.33) (2.12) Financial income 0.13 0.11 Financial expenses (0.10) (0.07) Financial result 0.04 0.04 Net income (2.30) (2.09) m H1 2025 2024 Net cash flow from operating activities (1.70) (3,63) Net cash used in investing activities (0.16) (0,01) Net cash flow from financing activities 2.00 2,84 Change in cash and cash equivalents 0.14 (0,87) Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 3.38 3,23 The Half-Year financial report as of June 30, 2025, has been made available to the public and published on the website of the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF). About ABIONYX Pharma ABIONYX Pharma is a new generation biotech company that aims to contribute to health through innovative therapies in indications where there is no effective or existing treatment, even the rarest ones. Thanks to its partners in research, medicine, biopharmaceuticals and shareholding, the company innovates on a daily basis to propose drugs for the treatment of renal and ophthalmological diseases, or new HDL vectors used for targeted drug delivery. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925636248/en/ Contacts: ABIONYX Pharma infos@abionyx.com Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - My Heart Spark P.C. dba Heart Spark Tech, a company managed by the MSO Preventive Cardio-Oncology LLC and advancing artificial intelligence-powered cardiology healthcare innovation, today announced it has been named a finalist for the Next Wave Award category at Octane's 2025 High Tech Awards. The winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on September 25, 2025, at the AV Irvine in Irvine, California. "The level of innovation and leadership demonstrated by this year's High Tech Awards finalists is truly exceptional," said Rita Battocchio, Head of Signature Events at Octane OC. "Each nominee represents the very best of Southern California's thriving technology and life sciences ecosystem, and we are proud to celebrate their remarkable achievements." The High Tech Awards celebrate and recognize those individuals and companies who make Orange County a center of technology and medical technology innovation. About My Heart Spark P.C. dba Heart Spark Tech We are a national virtual health innovation enterprise, providing remote care and building AI-enabled tools to address heart health and risk assessment in everyone, and especially for anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer. Our Founder has made history by having a medical license to practice, supervise, and collaborate on cardiology and internal medicine initiatives in ALL 50 states in the United States plus Washington, D.C.; which means we are uniquely poised to help people nationwide, with a national network of providers led by Dr. Brown. Therefore, we are building this to scale across the nation. We began primarily with self-funding to build deliberately-validating our clinical model, developing operational sustainability, and beginning to put steps in place to protecting our intellectual property. Now, we are poised to scale. Our infrastructure is compliant and multi-state, and our impact is measurable. We operate across three channels: B2B for health systems and digital health partners, B2B2C through organizational collaborations, and B2C for direct clinical engagement. We are seeking strategic relationships-particularly around capital, IP strategy, and visibility-to match the magnitude of our mission. Innovation in healthcare must be actionable, equity-driven, and ready for scale. We invite you to join us in building the future of cardiovascular care-one heartbeat at a time, powered by innovation, access, and scale. About the High Tech Awards The High Tech Awards, produced annually by Octane, is Southern California's premier awards program celebrating achievement and leadership in the region's technology and life sciences industries. SOURCE: OCTANE OC VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / This notice is being sent to advise that Maple Leaf Critical Minerals 2024-II Enhanced Flow-Through Limited Partnership - National Class (CUSIP Class A - 56529R104, CUSIP Class F - 56529R203) and Quebec Class (CUSIP Class A - 56529R302, Class F- 56529R401) (the "Partnership") will be proceeding with a transaction (the "Liquidity Transaction") pursuant to which the assets of the Partnership (the "Assets") will be transferred on a tax-deferred basis to the Maple Leaf Resource Class (the "Resource Class Mutual Fund"), a class of shares of Maple Leaf Corporate Funds Ltd., an open-ended mutual fund corporation, in exchange for Series A or Series F shares of the Mutual Fund. Additional information about the Resource Class Mutual Fund is available in their simplified prospectus and annual information form. These documents are available at www.sedarplus.ca and www.mapleleaffunds.ca. How the Rollover Will Work: Pursuant to the Liquidity Transaction, Limited Partners of the Partnership ("Investors") will receive shares of the Resource Class Mutual Fund in connection with the dissolution of the Partnership. The effective date of the Liquidity Transaction (the "Effective Date") is expected to be on or about Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Shortly after the Effective Date, the shares of the Resource Class Mutual Fund will be distributed on a pro rata basis to investors and thereafter the Partnership will be dissolved. Investors will receive the Resource Class Mutual Fund shares in exchange for, and with a value equal to, the value of the units of the Partnership held at the time of such transfer of Assets. When the shares of the Resource Class Mutual Fund are received, the Partnership units will be removed from each Investors account. Processing may take 5 to 7 business days (in some cases longer) to complete, after the rollover occurs. The Partnership will issue a press release once the Liquidity Transaction has been completed and the conversion ratio has been determined. The ACB (adjusted cost base) for each unit of the Partnership and each share of the Resource Class Mutual Fund will be determined by the General Partner upon the wind-up of the Partnership's affairs. The Partnership will dissolve within 60 days of the Effective Date. The General Partner will post these details on its website at www.mapleleaffunds.ca. Investors should consult with their investment advisor and/or tax advisor for all tax-related matters. Simplified Example: An Investor holds 100 Partnership units with a final Net Asset Value of $20.00 at the time of rollover and the net asset value per share of the Resource Class Mutual Fund is $5.00 on the same date. Based on these net asset values, the conversion ratio will be 4.0 (4.0 = $20.00 / $5.00). The Investor's 100 units, valued at $2,000, are removed from the Investor's account and 400 shares (400 = 100 x 4.0) of the Resource Class Mutual Fund, valued at $2,000, are added to the Investor's account. Processing can be delayed after the rollover occurs, therefore transactions such as switches or redemptions may not be processed until the Resource Class Mutual Fund shares have been credited to client accounts. Neither the Partnership nor the Resource Class Mutual Fund will accept any liability for transactions executed prior to dealer records being updated. Specific Information about the Mutual Fund: Organization and Management of the Mutual Fund Manager: CADO Investment Fund Management Inc. 609 Granville Street, Suite 808 Vancouver, British Columbia V7Y 1G5 Tel: 604-684-5742 Fax: 604-684-5748 Toll free: 1-866-688-5750 Email: info@cadobancorp.ca CADO Investment Fund Management Inc.is the manager of the Mutual Fund and is responsible for managing the overall business and operations of the Mutual Fund. Portfolio Advisor: Palette Investment Management Inc ("Palette") Toronto, Ontario Palette is responsible for managing the investment portfolio of the Funds. Custodian: RBC Investor & Treasury Services Toronto, Ontario The custodian has physical custody of the Mutual Fund's property. Administrator: The IAS Investment Administration Solution Inc. ("IAS") Toronto, Ontario The administrator keeps track of the owners of shares of the Mutual Fund and processes purchases. Auditor: KPMG LLP Vancouver, British Columbia The auditors are responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Mutual Fund. The auditors of the Mutual Fund may not be changed unless the independent review committee of the Mutual Fund has approved the change and a written notice describing the change is sent to unit holders at least 60 days before the effective date of the change. Independent Review Committee (the "IRC") Canadian securities legislation requires the Mutual Fund to have an IRC. The IRC is composed of three members, each of whom is independent of us. The mandate of the IRC is to review, and provide input on, our written policies and procedures that deal with conflict of interest matters in respect of the Mutual Fund and to give their recommendation regarding and, in some cases, approve, conflict of interest matters identified and referred to the IRC by us. The IRC will prepare, at least annually, a report of its activities for investors. This report will be available at our website at www.mapleleaffunds.ca or you may request a copy, at no cost to you, by contacting us at info@cadobancorp.ca. Additional information about the IRC, including the names of the members, is available in the Mutual Fund's Annual Information Form. Portfolio Advisor: Palette Investment Management Inc. ("Palette") will be responsible for the Mutual Fund's investment activities. Mr. Andrew Cook, President of Palette, will act as Portfolio Manager on behalf of Palette. Mr. Cook has 34 years of experience in the financial services sector, the past 26 engaged in managing funds for several investment organizations as well as private clients. His focus has been primarily on growth companies with substantial experience in the small and midcap parts of the market and he has spent a significant amount of time in the resource sector. Mr. Cook has had a distinguished career as an analyst and portfolio manager with the Royal Bank of Canada, Midland Walwyn, Strategic Nova, Marquest Asset Management, and Matrix Asset Management Inc. Additional Information: Additional information about the Mutual Fund will be available in the Mutual Fund's simplified prospectus, annual information form, management reports of fund performance and financial statements. You can obtain a copy of these documents at your request and at no cost by contacting Maple Leaf Funds toll free at 1-866-688-5750, by e-mailing info@maplelelaffunds.ca, by download from www.mapleleaffunds.ca or from your financial advisor. Other information about the Mutual Fund, is available at SEDAR+ (the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval established by the Canadian Securities Administrators) at www.sedarplus.ca. For further information or assistance with respect to the Mutual Fund or the Limited Partnership, please contact: CADO Investment Fund Management Inc. 609 Granville Street, Suite 808, Vancouver, BC V7Y 1G5 Tel: 604-684-5742 | Toll Free: 866-688-5750 | Fax: 604-684-5748 Email: info@cadobancorp.ca | Web: www.mapleleaffunds.ca SOURCE: Maple Leaf Critical Minerals 2024-II Enhanced Flow-Through Limited Partnership View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/notice-of-rollover-transaction-1078342 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil initially gave back ground following a two-day surge on profit taking but has rebounded over the course of the session amid the possibility of Russian oil exports being hit by sanctions by the US and the West. WTI Crude Oil for November delivery was last seen trading up by $0.08 (or 0.12%) at $65.07 per barrel after hitting a low of $64.06 a barrel. After addressing the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday and later having a discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump suggested Ukraine could get back all of Ukraine in its original form. Trump's comments led to speculation that US may offer additional military support to Ukraine. With the Russia-Ukraine war intensifying day by day, Ukraine has been targeting oil refineries in Russia. In retaliation, Russia has stepped up its frequency of drone attacks. Traders feel that sanctions on Russian oil exports by the US and the West or direct military support by the US could lead to a supply side disruption. Meanwhile, after last week's rate cut by the Federal Reserve, analysts were pricing in two additional cuts this year and another next year. However, today's jobs and economic data from the US were not supportive of lowering of borrowing rates. As a result, traders initially opted profit-taking following the sharp upward move seen over the two previous sessions. On the US inventory front, data released by the Energy Information Administration yesterday revealed that for the week ending September 19, crude oil inventories fell by 0.6 million barrels, gasoline stocks decreased by 1.1 million barrels, and distillate stocks (including home heating oil and diesel) dropped by 1.7 million barrels. Oversupply concerns have surfaced as Iraq plans to resume crude oil exports this week from its semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan via a pipeline to Turkey. While eight oil companies that have operating fields in the northern Iraqi region of Kurdistan have arrived at an agreement with the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, two companies; DNO ASA - a Norwegian company - and British Genel Energy, have refused to sign a deal until the Kurdistan Regional Government provides guarantees that they will receive the money it owes them. Iraq says that initially about 230,000 bpd will be exported from Kurdistan, and the volume could go higher up to 500,000 bpd with new investments to increase production. Traders are concerned that with the end of peak summer demand season, additional supplies from Kurdistan could result in flooding the market with surplus oil. The September 9 aerial attacks on Doha by Israeli Defense Forces targeting Hamas have received widespread condemnation from Arab and a few western nations. However, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of more such attacks in their endeavor to eliminate Hamas militants 'wherever they are'. In response to repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel, today the IDF confirmed carrying out a wave of aerial strikes against Houthi targets in Sanaa, Yemen. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2025 AFX News Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Kirkland Lake Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: KLDC) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its press release dated September 22, 2025, the Company has upsized its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") due to strong investor demand. The Offering will now consist of the issuance of (i) flow-through shares ("FT Shares") at a price of $0.30 per FT Share; and (ii) units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.25 per Unit, in any combination, to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to $10,000,000. Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half (1/2) of one (1) Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with each whole Warrant exercisable to acquire one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.40 for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. The FT Shares issued under the Offering are intended to qualify as "flow-through shares" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). The Company previously announced that it had secured lead orders from new and existing investors, including Eric Sprott, Rob McEwen, and Crescat Capital. The net proceeds raised from the issuance of Units will be used to fund exploration activities on the Company's projects and for general working capital purposes. The gross proceeds from the sale of FT Shares will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" that are intended to qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures" as those terms are defined in the Tax Act. Closing of the Offering remains subject to customary conditions, including the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V"). All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws of four months and one day from the date of closing. The Company may pay a finder's fee in connection with the Offering to eligible finders in accordance with TSX-V policies and applicable securities laws. The securities offered in the Offering have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption. Related Party Participation in the Offering Certain insiders of the Company are expected to participate in the Offering. Their participation constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value of the securities purchased by insiders, nor the consideration paid by such insiders, will exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company expects that closing of the Offering will occur within 21 days of this announcement. It will not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before closing, as it deems this circumstance reasonable to complete the Offering on an expeditious basis. The Offering has been unanimously approved by the Company's board of directors. Further details regarding insider participation will be provided once finalized. About Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. (TSXV: KLDC) has assembled a 40,000-hectare exploration portfolio in the Kirkland Lake region of Ontario's Abitibi Greenstone Belt-one of the most prolific mining districts in the world. The company's properties span key fault zones, geophysical anomalies, and volcanic sedimentary contacts within the Blake River Group-a highly prospective assemblage known to host both gold and polymetallic VMS deposits. With multiple anomalous soil trends, historical showings, and structural intersections now permitted for exploration, KLDC is advancing a pipeline of drill-ready targets across its KL East and KL West project areas. The team combines strong technical experience with a focus on smart, efficient exploration designed to deliver results. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the Offering, including the total anticipated proceeds, the expected use of proceeds, and the closing (including the proposed closing date) of the Offering, and the participation of insiders. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information, including the assumption that the Company will close the Offering on the timeline anticipated, will raise the anticipated amount of gross proceeds from the Offering and will use the proceeds of the Offering as anticipated (including to incur Canadian exploration expenses), and that TSX-V approval will be obtained. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include: the risk that the Offering does not close on the timeline expected, or at all; the risk that the Company raises less than the anticipated amount of gross proceeds from the Offering; the risk that the Company does not use the proceeds from the Offering as currently expected; risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to receiving requisite permits and approvals; operational risks; regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits; financing, capitalization and liquidity risks; title and environmental risks; and risks relating to the failure to receive all requisite regulatory approvals. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268019 SOURCE: Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. A pioneer in indoor air science, Dr. Lidia Morawska has now stepped onto the global stage as co-chair leading the newly launched Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / By Anthony Samadani, Co-Owner, Good News Network As co-owner of the Good News Network, I have long believed in shining a light on solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities. That same conviction led me to serve as a commissioner on the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air, an International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) initiative announced yesterday that represents the world's foremost alliance of global leaders working to advance healthy indoor air. I am deeply passionate about advancing healthy indoor air because it affects every one of us, every single day, in all the buildings where we spend our time. That's why I'm especially excited to talk more with one of the Commission's co-chairs and leaders, a true pioneer in indoor air science: Dr. Lidia Morawska, a Distinguished Professor and Australian Laureate Fellow in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). From her base in Brisbane, Australia, Dr. Morawska has become one of the world's foremost authorities on indoor air quality. For decades, her groundbreaking research has revealed how the air we breathe inside homes, schools and workplaces affects our health, learning and productivity. Long before indoor air was widely acknowledged as a global health concern, she was documenting its central role and urging governments to take it seriously. Now, as co-chair of the newly launched Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air, Dr. Morawska is channeling her life's work into a coordinated international movement. I spoke with her about how the science has evolved, why this moment matters and why this first-of-its-kind commission represents a turning point for global public health. Q: Early in your career, indoor air quality wasn't seen as a major scientific priority. What changed? Dr. Morawska: "When I began my career, few people outside the scientific community considered the air inside buildings to be a matter of serious scientific inquiry. Outdoor pollution captured headlines, but what happened inside, where we spend 90 percent of our lives, remained largely overlooked or neglected. Over the years, my colleagues and I have shown, through painstaking research, that the quality of indoor air significantly influences our health, our well-being, our learning and our productivity. The science has steadily built a case that clean indoor air is not an amenity but a critical component to our health." Q: Why does the creation of a Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air feel so significant right now? Dr. Morawska: "Today, the science has brought us to a turning point. I'm leading the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air because I see an opportunity to elevate decades of research into a coordinated global movement. This Commission represents something we need right now: a gathering of leaders who will not only affirm that indoor air matters, but also work to transform policies, standards and investments so that we can deliver on our shared goal of making healthy indoor air a reality for everyone." Dr. Morawska's leadership underscores the need for action: the science is no longer in doubt. Indoor air quality is one of the most powerful, yet overlooked, determinants of human health. The Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air exists to act on that evidence-mobilizing leaders, shaping policy and driving solutions that can touch everyone's life and deliver incredible public health benefits all around the world. View original content here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/international-well-building-institute Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/from-australia-to-the-world-the-scientist-leading-a-movement-for-1078389 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - BP Silver Corp. (TSXV: BPAG) (formerly Farstarcap Investment Corp.) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced qualifying transaction involving the acquisition of BP Exploration Corp. ("BPEx") (the "Qualifying Transaction"). The Company will be a Tier 2 Mining issuer focused on the exploration and development of its property known as the Cosuno Property, located in Bolivia. In conjunction with closing of the Qualifying Transaction: BPEx completed a non-brokered private placement financing (the " Concurrent Financing ") through the issuance of 16,666,633 subscription receipts at $0.15 per receipt, for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,499,995. ") through the issuance of 16,666,633 subscription receipts at $0.15 per receipt, for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,499,995. BPEx settled outstanding indebtedness of $173,500 through the issuance of 1,156,667 common shares in the capital of BPEx (the " BPEx Debt Settlement "). "). BPEx cancelled one-third of 9,500,000 common shares of BPEx issued at $0.005 per share and one-half of 7,258,759 common shares of BPEx issued at $0.025 per share (the " BPEx Seed Shares "). Each cancelled BPEx Seed Share was replaced with a common share purchase warrant (the " Replacement Warrants ") exercisable at $0.10 per common share for a period of five years from the date of issue. "). Each cancelled BPEx Seed Share was replaced with a common share purchase warrant (the " ") exercisable at $0.10 per common share for a period of five years from the date of issue. The Company completed a share consolidation on the basis of four (4) pre-consolidation common shares to three (3) post-consolidation common shares. (the " Consolidation "). "). The Company changed its name to "BP Silver Corp." (the " Name Change "). "). The Company settled outstanding indebtedness of $40,000 through the issuance of 266,667 post-Consolidation shares in the capital of the Company at $0.15 per share (the " FRS Debt Settlement "). "). The Company appointed new officers and directors. Trading in the Company's common shares is expected to begin on the TSXV on September 29, 2025 under the Company's new name "BP Silver Corp." and under the Company's new trading symbol "BPAG". Qualifying Transaction Pursuant to the terms of the three-cornered Amalgamation Agreement (the "Amalgamation Agreement") among the Company, 1299840 B.C. Ltd. and BPEx, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of BPEx for a total consideration of 44,999,927 post-Consolidation common shares of the Company (which amount includes the shares issued on conversion of the Subscription Receipts) (the "Consideration Shares"). The Company also issued a total of 12,650,670 share purchase warrants to replace the following share purchase warrants of BPEx: 8,333,331 Financing Warrants (as defined below), 3,629,379 Replacement Warrants and 687,960 Finder's Warrants (as defined below). An aggregate of 10,652,565 Consideration Shares (the "Escrowed Shares") and 623,848 share purchase warrants will be subject to an escrow agreement (the "Escrow Agreement") among the Company, Computershare Investor Services Inc., and certain securityholders, whereby 10% of the Escrowed Shares will be free-trading as of the date of listing on the TSXV, with an additional 15% to become free-trading every six months thereafter over 36 months, of which 9,959,233 Consideration Shares issued to new directors and officers of the Company will also be subject to the Exchange Hold Period (as such term is defined in TSXV Policy 1.1), in accordance with section 5.3 of TSXV Policy 3.2. The securities held by 1052103 B.C. Ltd., being 3,943,085 common shares and 866,644 share purchase warrants, originally disclosed as subject to the Escrow Agreement, will be under 10% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares on a partially diluted basis, as a result of the Concurrent Financing. As such, those securities will not be subject to the Escrow Agreement upon closing of the Qualifying Transaction. As part of the Qualifying Transaction, the Company has assumed the obligation of BPEx to issue up to 3,500,000 BPEx Shares (the "Contingent Shares") (or payment of cash equivalent) to Tim Shearcroft upon BPEx receiving an NI 43-101 resource estimate (inferred category or better) totalling at least 70,000,000 oz of silver or silver equivalent first being established at the Cosuno or Titiri project. The Contingent Shares are also subject to same escrow terms under the Escrow Agreement, if the Contingent Shares are issued within 36 months from the date of the Company listing on the TSXV. In addition, an aggregate of 13,524,062 Consideration Shares, including the 3,943,085 common shares held by 1052103 B.C. Ltd., will be subject to voluntary resale restrictions whereby 10% will be free-trading as of the date of listing on the TSXV, with an additional 15% to become free-trading every six months thereafter over 36 months. Furthermore, 1,990,001 post-Consolidation shares are subject to an escrow agreement in accordance with TSXV Policy 2.4 and will be released from escrow as to 25% on the completion of a Qualifying Transaction, and 25% on each of the dates six months, 12 months and 18 months following the initial release. Immediately prior to completion of the acquisition of BPEx, the Company completed the Share Consolidation and the Name Change. Letters of transmittal have been mailed to all registered shareholders holding physical share certificates with instructions on how to exchange existing share certificates for new share certificates. The Company's new CUSIP number is 055690101 and its new ISIN number is CA0556901019. Additional details of the Qualifying Transaction and related matters are set out in the filing statement of the Company dated August 19, 2025 (the "Filing Statement"). A copy of the Filing Statement can be found on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Certain of the information contained in the Filing Statement is updated by this news release. Concurrent Financing and Shares for Debt Settlement Prior to the completion of the Qualifying Transaction, BPEx completed a non-brokered private placement of 16,666,633 subscription receipts (each a "Subscription Receipt") at a price of $0.15 per Subscription Receipt, for total gross proceeds of $2,499,994.95. Each Subscription Receipt under the Concurrent Financing entitled the holder thereof to receive, for no additional consideration, one common share of BPEx ("Subscription Receipt Shares") and one-half of one share purchase warrant of BPEx, with each whole warrant exercisable at $0.20 for two years from the date of issue (the "Financing Warrants"). On closing of the Qualifying Transaction, the holders of Subscription Receipt Shares received Consideration Shares of the Company and the Financing Warrants were exchanged for equivalent share purchase warrants of the Company. The net proceeds from the Concurrent Financing will be used to fund the development of the Cosuno Property, expenses related to the Qualifying Transaction and for general working capital purposes. In conjunction with the private placement, BPEx issued 687,960 share purchase warrants to certain finders ("Finder's Warrants"), each such warrant exercisable at $0.20 for 24 months from the date of issue. In addition to the Concurrent Financing, BPEx settled a total of $173,500 of debt through the issuance of 1,156,667 common shares at $0.15 per share, and the Company settled a total of $40,000 in outstanding indebtedness of the Company through the issuance of 266,667 post-Consolidation shares at $0.15 per share. No Warrants were issued in connection with the Debt Settlement. The Company debt included $10,000 owed to a director of the Company (the "Insider") which was settled through the issuance of 66,667 Shares. The participation of such person in the FRS Debt Settlement is considered a "related party transaction" within the meaning of TSXV Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) thereof on the basis that the fair market value of the consideration in such related party transaction did not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company. The 266,667 Shares issued pursuant to the FRS Debt Settlement will be subject to a four month hold period, in accordance with National Instrument 45-102 - Resale of Securities, of which the 66,667 Shares issued to the Insider will also be subject to the Exchange Hold Period (as such term is defined in TSXV Policy 1.1). Immediately after completion of the Qualifying Transaction, the Company will have 50,299,094 common shares issued and outstanding. Directors and Officers of the Company and Stock Options Following completion of the Qualifying Transaction, Tim Shearcroft was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company, Harry Nijjar was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Company, and Gonzalo Lemuz was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Mark Cruise, Keith Henderson and Stewart Redwood were appointed as members of the board of directors. Konstantine Tsakumis resigned as Chief Executive Officer and director of the Company, Rob McMorran resigned as Chief Financial Officer of the Company but continued as a director of the Company. Mark Wright and Neil MacRae resigned as directors of the Company. In conjunction with closing of the Qualifying Transaction, the Company granted a total of 3,590,000 options to directors, officers and consultants of the Company. Each option is exercisable at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of five years from the date of issue. About BP Silver Corp. BP Silver Corp. is a company involved in the business of mineral exploration, primarily at its Cosuno Property in Bolivia. BPEx has one wholly-owned subsidiary - Roxwell Silver Minera S.A., a private company incorporated in Bolivia ("Roxwell"). Roxwell owns 52% of the equity of Emisur Minera S.A., a private company incorporated in Bolivia ("Emisur") which is the holder a Transitory Mining Authorization ("ATE" - as granted by the Bolivian State as the sole proprietor of mineral resources in the country), totaling 3,375 hectares - the Cosuno Property. A technical report pertaining to the Cosuno Property dated July 18, 2025, has been filed on SEDAR+. The report recommends an 800 metre drill program, at a cost of US$361,000. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information: Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: future prices and the supply of silver and other precious and other metals; future demand for silver and other valuable metals; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; results of exploration programs; risks of the mineral exploration industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals; and failure to obtain necessary regulatory or shareholder approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS IN NO WAY PASSED UPON THE MERITS OF THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268028 SOURCE: BP Silver Corp. TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) announced today that it will issue a press release on its third quarter 2025 financial results on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. ET. Following the release, Teva will conduct a conference call and live webcast on the same day, at 8:00 a.m. ET. In order to participate, please register in advance hereto obtain a local or toll-free phone number and your personal pin. A live webcast of the call will be available on Teva's website at: https://ir.tevapharm.com/Events-and-Presentations. Following the conclusion of the call, a replay of the webcast will be available within 24 hours on Teva's website. About Teva Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This Document and the presentation at the conferences may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "target," "may," "project," "guidance," "intend," "plan," "believe" and other words and terms of similar meaning and expression in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to successfully compete in the marketplace; our ability to successfully execute our Pivot to Growth strategy, including to expand our innovative and biosimilar medicines pipeline and profitably commercialize the innovative medicines and biosimilar portfolio, whether organically or through business development, to sustain and focus our portfolio of generic medicines, and to execute on our organizational transformation and to achieve expected cost savings; our significant indebtedness; our business and operations in general; compliance, regulatory and litigation matters; other financial and economic risks; and other factors discussed in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of 2025 and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, including in the section captioned "Risk Factors" and "Forward Looking Statements." Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Teva Media Inquiries TevaCommunicationsNorthAmerica@tevapharm.com $25 million investment to meet growing global demand for medical devices and precision components. Expansion to quadruple manufacturing footprint for high-volume minimally invasive catheters. Leveraging VR and AI for seamless tech transfers and optimized factory layouts. Freudenberg Medical, a global contract design and manufacturing (CDMO) partner to the medical device and biopharma industry, has officially inaugurated its second production facility in Costa Rica. The new site represents a $25 million investment to strengthen the company's presence in one of the world's most dynamic MedTech near-shoring hubs. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925820554/en/ Grand Opening of Freudenberg Medical's second operation in Costa Rica. Pictured: Keith Kiernan, Chief Commercial Officer; Robin Blair, Freudenberg Real Estate; Roger Gomez, General Manager Freudenberg Medical Costa Rica; Michael McGee, CEO Freudenberg Medical; Paula Guillen, Supply Chain Manager, Freudenberg Medical "Costa Rica has become a cornerstone of our global operations over the past decade," said Michael McGee, CEO of Freudenberg Medical. "With this new facility, we are expanding our capability to deliver high-quality, cost-effective medical technology solutions on a large scale, while staying close to our customers and supporting their long-term growth." The 50,000-square-foot facility is the company's second site in the Coyol Free Zone. It is dedicated to the assembly of high-volume minimally invasive catheters for electrophysiology, vascular and structural heart therapies, and other medical devices that require precision manual assembly. Three ISO Class 7 cleanrooms are operational from day one, with plans to double the site to 100,000 square feet within the next three years quadrupling Freudenberg Medical's total footprint in Costa Rica. "This new facility underlines Freudenberg Medical's confidence in Costa Rica as an integral part of our global growth strategy," added Roger Gomez, VP and General Manager of Freudenberg Medical Costa Rica. "In the next three years, we will grow our team from 350 to over 900 employees. Committed to diversity and inclusion, we offer equal opportunities to all, while providing meaningful careers in a growing industry that improves lives around the world." During 2025, the company's existing 30,000-square-foot facility nearby will specialize in primary processing technologies, including precision molding and extrusion of thermoplastics for medical and biopharma applications, while assembly operations will be consolidated at the new site. "Freudenberg Medical's expansion in Costa Rica strengthens the country's position as a strategic hub both regionally and globally. Today, more than 58,000 people are employed in this industry and exports surpassed USD 8.7 billion in 2024, growing on average 15% annually over the past 15 years. These figures reflect not only the trust that companies like Freudenberg place in our ecosystem, but also the ability of Costa Rican talent to drive complex advanced manufacturing processes with cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. At CINDE, we remain committed to supporting these investments that consolidate Costa Rica as a strategic partner for innovation and global health," said Marianela Urgelles, Managing Director of CINDE. Driving seamless tech transfers with VR and AI The Costa Rica expansion is supported by advanced digital technologies. Freudenberg Medical combines Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance operator training, streamline production processes, and enable seamless technology transfers across its global vertically integrated network. Operators train in immersive VR environments that replicate the exact conditions of the production floor, ensuring standardization in critical processes and consistent quality across all sites. At the same time, AI-powered layout planning is used to model and optimize production flows following lean principles minimizing waste, reducing costs, and involving customers early in the planning of future production lines. "With VR and AI, we are building the factory of the future here in Costa Rica," added Michael McGee. "This approach not only improves efficiency and standardization when transferring production lines from the US and Ireland, but also strengthens transparency, collaboration, and trust with our customers and ultimately benefits the patients who rely on the therapies our customers provide." About Freudenberg Medical Freudenberg Medical is a trusted strategic CDMO partner to medical device and pharmaceutical companies, committed to delivering high-quality solutions from ideation to market launch and volume production. With over 2,900 associates across 12 global manufacturing sites in key MedTech hubs and proven expertise in materials and technologies, Freudenberg Medical offers an extensive range of vertically integrated capabilities: from minimally invasive solutions including complex catheters, hypotubes, steerable shafts, handles as well as drug and hydrophilic coatings to precision molding, two-shot and micro molding, advanced extrusions, and solutions for smart medical devices. www.freudenbergmedical.com Freudenberg Medical is part of the Freudenberg Group, a global technology group that strengthens its customers and society long-term through forward-looking innovations. Together with its partners, customers, and research institutions, the Freudenberg Group develops leading-edge technologies and excellent products and services for about 40 markets and for thousands of applications: seals, vibration control components, technical textiles, filters, cleaning technologies and products, specialty chemicals, medical products, batteries and fuel cells. Innovation strength, strong customer orientation, diversity, and team spirit are the cornerstones of the Group. The more than 175-year-old company lives by its core values: a commitment to excellence, reliability and proactive, responsible action. In 2024, the Freudenberg Group employed over 52,100 people in 60 countries worldwide and generated sales of more than 11.9 billion. For more information, please visit www.freudenberg.com About CINDE CINDE is Costa Rica's expert and strategic guide for investment, business development, and talent initiatives. With more than 43 years of experience working with multinational companies and serving as a key player in the country's investment ecosystem, CINDE has led dozens of talent development initiatives that contribute to Costa Rica's strong business climate. To date, CINDE has supported the establishment of over 450 multinational companies throughout the country. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925820554/en/ Contacts: Media Contact Laura Kirstein Director Marketing and Communications Freudenberg Medical laura.kirstein@freudenbergmedical.com Josue Campos Marketing Communications Specialist CINDE jcampos@cinde.org Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - NamSys Inc. (TSXV: CTZ) ("NamSys" or the "Company"), a leading provider of technology for cash processing and transportation, today announced its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 ended July 31st. All amounts referenced herein are in Canadian dollars. Third Quarter Highlights (for the three months ended July 31, 2025 compared to July 31, 2024) Revenue of $ 1,916,562 , compared to $ 1,741,032 , an increase of 10%. , compared to $ , an increase of Operating income increased 5.8% to $ 744,427 from $ 703,438. to $ from $ Net income for the quarter was up 4.9% to $ 610,041 from $ 581,481 ($0.02 per share) . to $ from $ . Cash and short term investments grew 18.6% to $9,545,050 from $8,047,351. to from Gross margin of 62% and operating margin of 39%. "We are pleased with our third quarter results, which reflect the continued strength of our core business and execution of our strategy. Looking ahead, we remain focused on driving performance, supporting our people, and creating long-term value for our shareholders," stated Jason Siemens, CEO. The financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal quarter ended July 31st, 2025 are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. NamSys Inc. products are designed to bring efficiency to the processing of currency and other value instruments in retailers, financial institutions, and cash-in-transit providers. NamSys' proprietary systems for this market are sold as software-as-a-service subscriptions and operate in the public cloud service providers. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor it's Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This Media Release may contain forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors including the success of the Company's sales strategies. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268005 SOURCE: Namsys Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Silver Elephant Mining Corp. (TSX: ELEF) (OTCQB: SILEF) (FSE: 1P2) ("Silver Elephant" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that all resolutions put forward at the Annual General & Special Meeting (the "Meeting") of the Company's shareholders held on September 25, 2025, as described in the Company's information circular dated August 15, 2025 (the "Circular"), were approved. A summary of the results is set out below: Number of Directors: set the number of directors at four (4). Election of Directors: the nominees listed in the Circular were all elected as Directors until the next annual general meeting of the shareholders. Detailed results of the vote are set out below: Votes For % For Withheld / Abstain % Withheld / Abstain John Lee 4,662,274 92.099% 399,952 7.901% Greg Hall 4,669,124 92.235% 393,102 7.765% Douglas Flett 4,664,267 92.139% 397,959 7.765% Nigel Lees 4,527,267 89.432% 534,959 10.568% Approved the appointment of Mao & Ying LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants as the auditors of the Company and authorizing the directors to fix the remuneration to be paid to Mao & Ying LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants. Approved certain amendments to the Articles of the Company, as more particularly described in the Information Circular dated August 15, 2025. Approved, as a disinterested shareholder resolution, amendment to the warrant exercise price for warrants issued to insiders of the Company, as more particularly described in the Information Circular dated August 15, 2025. Approved, as a disinterested shareholder resolution, the removal of a warrant exercise limitation that is currently applicable to the Company's 10% shareholder, as more particularly described in the Information Circular dated August 15, 2025. For more information on the voting results, please see the Report of Voting Results which is available at www.sedar.com. About Silver Elephant Mining Corp. Silver Elephant is a mineral exploration company with gold and silver projects in Bolivia. Further information on Silver Elephant can be found at www.silverelef.com. SILVER ELEPHANT MINING CORP. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "John Lee" CEO and Executive Chairman Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268035 SOURCE: Silver Elephant Mining Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Deveron Corp. (TSXV: FARM) ("Deveron" or the "Company"), a leading agriculture services and data company in North America, announces that further to review by the Ontario Securities Commission ("OSC") of the Company's disclosure, and a subsequent request from OSC staff in connection therewith, the Company has made corrective disclosure with respect to the following documents: audited annual financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, and related management's discussion and analysis ("2024 Financials"); interim unaudited financial statements for the three-month period ended September 30, 2024, and related management's discussion analysis for the interim ("Q1 Financials"); and interim unaudited financial statements for the six-month period ended December 31, 2024, and related management's discussion analysis for the interim ("Q2 Financials"). Corrective disclosure was requested by OSC staff in connection with the Company's application to revoke to failure-to-file cease trade order issued by the OSC on November 1, 2024. Corrective disclosure addresses various deficiencies, including: the inclusion of the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, comparative period disclosure throughout the 2024 Financials and to correct non-compliance with the requirements of National Instrument 51-102 related to the change in the Company's year-end; and Reflected impairment expense in the quarter ending June 30, 2024, in alignment with the financial statements for the period ending June 30, 2024, and adjusted the earnings per share figures for both the quarter ending June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2024. For the purpose of making corrective disclosure, and in accordance with OSC Staff Notice 51-711 (Revised) - Refilings and Corrections of Errors ("SN 51-711"), the Company has filed the revised versions of the 2024 Financials, the Q1 Financials and the Q2 Financials on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.com) providing additional details and clarifications with respect to the Company's reclassification of the convertible debenture as a current liability, providing additional details and clarifications with respect to the Company's reclassification of certain outstanding promissory notes, inclusion of the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, comparative period disclosure throughout the 2024 Financials and correction to non-compliance with requirements of NI 51-102 related to the change in the Company's year-end, as well as the impairment loss adjustment and reflection of the adjustments made to the 2024 Financials throughout the Q1 Financials and the Q2 Financials. Certifications of the 2024 Financials, the Q1 Financials and the Q2 Financials were also filed by the Company as part of its corrective disclosure and in compliance with National Instrument 52-109 - Certification of Disclosure in Companys' Annual and Interim Filings. In addition, on September 23, 2025, the Company refiled and restated: (i) Q1 Financials; (ii) its Q2 Financials; and (iii) its interim financial statements for the interim period ended March 31, 2025, and related management's discussion analysis for the interim (the "Q3 Financials"), to correct the date the board of directors and audit committee of the Company approved the Q1 Financials, the Q2 Financials and Q3 Financials. Certifications of refiled interim filings were filed by the Company as part of its corrective disclosure and in compliance with National Instrument 52-109 - Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings. As a result, the Company was placed on the Errors and Refilings List in accordance with OSC Staff Notice 51-711 (Revised) Refilings and Corrections of Errors. About Deveron: Deveron is an agriculture technology company that uses data and insights to help farmers and large agriculture enterprises increase yields, reduce costs and improve farm outcomes. The company employs a digital process that leverages data collected on farms across North America to drive unbiased interpretation of production decisions, ultimately recommending how to optimize input use. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of that phrase under Canadian securities laws. Without limitation, statements regarding future plans and objectives of the Company are forward looking statements that involve various degrees of risk. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current views with respect to possible future events and conditions and, by their nature, are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific to the Company. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements: changes in the world-wide price of agricultural commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in agriculture, the uncertainty of future profitability and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. Additional information regarding the material factors and assumptions that were applied in making these forward looking statements as well as the various risks and uncertainties we face are described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of our annual and interim Management's Discussion and Analysis of our financial results and other continuous disclosure documents and financial statements we file with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company undertakes no obligation to update this forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. The Company relies on litigation protection for forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268037 SOURCE: Deveron Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Deborah Rosati, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Women Get On Board Inc. ("WGOB" or the "Company") and Angela Holowaychuk, Managing Director, Operations and Strategy, Alliance Advisors, joined Lara Donaldson, President and Chief Executive Officer of TSX Trust, TMX Group, to close the market and celebrate the Company's 10th anniversary in 2025. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AeOrc9Dego Women Get On Board Inc. is a social-purpose company celebrating ten years of advancing women's representation on boards. WGOB is dedicated to supporting the next generation of women corporate directors through its mission to connect, promote, and empower women to serve on corporate boards with confidence and courage. WGOB amplifies the voices of women leaders, board members, and professionals across Canada through education, mentorship, and allyship. Their philosophy, known as The Power of Three, states that one woman in the boardroom is a token, two is a presence, and three is a voice. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268049 SOURCE: Toronto Stock Exchange Eldorado, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Sol Systems today announced completion of the company's largest project to date - the 342MW-dc Eldorado Solar project in southeast Illinois - built in partnership with Nextracker, the supplier of advanced solar tracking systems utilizing predominantly U.S. steel, and SOLV Energy, the U.S.-based construction contractor for the project. Eldorado community leaders join Yuri Horwitz, CEO of Sol Systems, to cut the ribbon on the 342 MW Eldorado Solar Project in Saline County, IL. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11299/267930_eldorado%20ribbon-cutting_1.jpg The operation of this project also launches long-term partnerships with the American Farmland Trust (AFT) to pair utility-scale solar with row-crop agriculture (Kernza), developed by Kansas-based non-profit The Land Institute, and a long-term community benefits program with funding commitments made to Eldorado High School, Food Works of Southern Illinois, and several other local community organizations that advance Sol's mission to bring economic and environmental benefits to the communities within which it works. "Developing energy infrastructure with impact is our north star," said Yuri Horwitz, CEO of Sol Systems. "Eldorado shows what that vision looks like in practice: delivering reliable clean power, forging durable community partnerships, and now proving that agrivoltaics can move from concept to crops. From day one, Nextracker and SOLV leaned in to help us make this innovation real. Together, we're building a replicable model for how utility-scale solar, agriculture, and education don't just coexist - they thrive side by side." "Mutually beneficial partnerships with solar developers can help provide farmers the tools they need to protect their land, soil, and livelihoods," said Alan Bailey, Midwest Solar Specialist, American Farmland Trust. "By pairing perennial grains like Kernza with clean power, Eldorado demonstrates how agrivoltaics can enhance farm viability while meeting America's energy needs- data that our partnership will document and share so others can follow." "Nextracker is incredibly appreciative to be supporting Sol Systems, SOLV, and American Farmland Trust on this innovative project demonstrating how solar and agriculture can thrive together at scale," said Dan Shugar, CEO, Nextracker. "With substantial acreage of Kernza being cultivated between the tracker rows, this project is a win-win for clean energy and the agricultural community. Sol Systems and Nextracker have been collaborating on AgriPV for almost a decade, and we're excited about the potential for future projects that incorporate crop cultivation and ranching. Most of our supply chain for this project is U.S.-based, using clean American steel and domestically produced components that enabled the project to be constructed with faster lead times while creating local economic benefits." CEO of Nextracker, Dan Shugar, signs a Nextracker tracker display at the ribbon cutting of the Eldorado Solar Project in Saline County, IL. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11299/267930_sol1.jpg "Our long-term vision is to build power infrastructure that delivers enduring value for our customers, the land, and the communities we serve," said Kevin Deters, Chief Operating Officer, SOLV Energy. "Eldorado combines high-performance technology with environmental and agricultural benefits that will continue to grow alongside the project for years to come." "This project exemplifies how private partners and local institutions can deliver lasting quality-of-life value to our community," said Jan Rash, Finance Commissioner for the City of Eldorado, and President of Saline County Chamber of Commerce. "It brings jobs, a tax base, and an innovation story our community can be proud of for years to come." "This partnership is more than funding, it's a catalyst for real-world learning and student opportunity. By creating hands-on experiences and micro-jobs, we're preparing our students for college, careers, and beyond, while continuing to drive the Vision 2030 mission at Eldorado High School," said Cody Cusic - Interim Superintendent and High School Principal, Eldorado Community Unit School District #4. "From energy to ecology to agriculture, Eldorado's next generation will learn from - and contribute to - this project for years to come." The partnership with AFT, first announced in early 2025, creates a research-driven agrivoltaics program that will plant Kernza, a perennial grain, beneath a portion of the solar project - among the first efforts to pursue row-crop agrivoltaics at this scale in the United States. The funding commitments to local community organizations build on previous community impact programs established through the Power Purchase and Community Investment Agreement, first established in 2020 between Sol Systems and Microsoft. Nextracker's high-performance tracking systems and SOLV's construction expertise will underpin long-term reliability and field adaptability for agronomic trials. Building on findings from Sol Systems' prior collaborations with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and AFT, the agrivoltaics program in Eldorado is designed to: Establish pollinator habitat at scale to support biodiversity and crop productivity; Improve soil health with native and perennial plantings and adaptive management; and Test row-crop performance under panels, beginning with Kernza planting in Fall 2025. Sol Systems celebrates the ribbon cutting of the Eldorado Solar Project in Saline County, IL. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11299/267930_sol2.jpg From the outset, Sol Systems worked with Saline County leadership and Eldorado CUSD to align on community priorities, including workforce opportunities, STEM education engagement, and local economic benefits. The community organizations involved in the solar project include: Eldorado High School, University of Illinois Extension - Saline County 4-H, Food Works of Southern Illinois, Prairie Rivers Network, Faith in Place, and the Southern Illinois Community Foundation. These programs were unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony today in Eldorado, where local leaders, educators, farmers, and industry partners joined to celebrate the project's operational start and the next phase of community-centered implementation. ### About Sol Systems Sol Systems is an Independent Power Producer (IPP) committed to building, owning, and managing clean energy infrastructure that benefits local communities. With over 7 GW of projects across 38 states, Sol integrates energy storage and grid resiliency solutions to deliver reliable, sustainable power to Fortune 500 companies, municipalities, utilities, and schools. Through strategic partnerships and community reinvestment, Sol ensures clean energy development drives long-term economic and environmental benefits. Founded in 2008 and led by its founder, Sol Systems is dedicated to shaping an energy future we can all believe in. About American Farmland Trust American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally sound farming practices on millions of additional acres, and supported thousands of farm families. About Nextracker Nextracker innovates and delivers a leading solar power technology platform with integrated tracker, electrical solutions, and yield management and control systems for utility-scale and distributed generation projects. Our advanced technology enables solar power plants to follow the sun's movement across the sky and optimize performance. With systems operating in more than 40 countries worldwide, Nextracker offers innovative solutions that accelerate solar power plant construction, increase energy output, and enhance long-term reliability. For more information, visit Nextracker. About SOLV Energy SOLV Energy is a leading provider of infrastructure services to the power industry, including engineering, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, operations, maintenance and repowering. Since 2008, we have built more than 500 power plants, representing 20 GW of generating capacity. SOLV Energy also provides operations and maintenance (O&M) services to 142 operating power plants, representing over 17 GW of generating capacity. In addition to EPC and O&M for utility-scale power plants and related T&D infrastructure, we offer large-scale repair, emergency response and repowering services and install end-to-end SCADA and network infrastructure solutions to maximize project performance and energy availability. About Saline County Chamber of Commerce The Saline County Chamber supports economic development and quality-of-life initiatives that strengthen communities across Southern Illinois. About Eldorado Community Unit School District Eldorado CUSD 4 serves students and families in Eldorado, Illinois, advancing academics, workforce readiness, and community partnerships. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267930 SOURCE: Sol Systems VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX:NDM)(NYSE American:NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") and its 100%-owned U.S.-based subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership ("Pebble Partnership") are pleased to announce the receipt of a $12 million payment representing the fourth tranche of investment under the Company's royalty agreement dated July 26, 2022, as amended. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. With the fourth tranche investment now completed before September 30, 2025, the royalty investor has the right to elect to complete the fifth and final $12 million tranche investment at any time up to and including December 31, 2025. The aggregate total purchase price of $60 million and maximum royalty rates (the right to purchase 10% of payable gold production and 30% of payable silver production) remain unchanged from the original Royalty Agreement. "We appreciate the continued support from our royalty investor and are pleased to see the fourth payment of $12 million completed, bringing its total investment in the royalty up to $48 million of a possible $60 million available under the royalty agreement," said Ron Thiessen, Northern Dynasty's President and CEO. "This $12 million investment, when combined with the several million dollars of inflow from the exercise of stock options and warrants this summer and when added to our second quarter closing cash balance of CA$25.2 million ($18.5 million) gives us a strong treasury position as we move the project forward." "We continue to have discussions with the government about withdrawing the veto and remain optimistic for a positive outcome. Withdrawal of the illegal veto will be a step towards developing this very large new source of copper and rhenium, as well as significant amounts of gold, molybdenum and silver, unlocking substantial and long-lasting economic benefits for the region, the state and the country." "While our focus continues to be on a successful outcome from our discussions, we are maintaining the pursuit of a parallel track and will join the other plaintiffs (the State of Alaska and Iliamna Natives Ltd, et al.) in filing our opening briefs by October 3, 2025. The court action is being pursued in the interest of keeping timelines as tight as possible. Our preferred option remains negotiating a prompt withdrawal of the illegal veto by the government and then dismissing the litigation," Mr. Thiessen concluded. About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly owned Alaska-based U.S. subsidiary, Pebble Limited Partnership, is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 1,840 mineral claims in Southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit, located 200 miles from Anchorage and 125 miles from Bristol Bay. The Pebble Partnership is the proponent of the Pebble Project. For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project, please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynastyminerals.com or contact Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. Public filings, which include forward looking information cautionary language and risk factor disclosure regarding the Company and the Pebble Project can be found in Canada at www.sedarplus.ca and in the United States at www.sec.gov. Ronald W. Thiessen President & CEO U.S. Media Contact: Dan Gagnier, Gagnier Communications (646) 569-5897 Forward Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors This document includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under applicable provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. All statements in this document, other than statements of historical facts, which address permitting, including the Company's legal action against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ("USACE"), the withdrawal of the EPA veto, the development and production for the Pebble Project and the ability of the Company to successfully complete the full financing transaction discussed above (the "Royalty Financing") are forward-looking statements. Additional forward looking statements made by the Company under its continuous disclosure obligations include statements regarding (i) the development plan for the Pebble Project (ii) the right-sizing and de-risking of the Pebble Project, (iii) the design and operating parameters for the Pebble Project development plan, including projected capital and operating costs, (iv) the social integration of the Pebble Project into the Bristol Bay region and benefits for Alaska, (v) the political and public support for the permitting process, (vi) the ability of the Pebble Project to ultimately secure all required federal and state permits, (vii) the ability of the Company and/or the State of Alaska to challenge the EPA's Final Determination process under the Clean Water Act and ultimately the USACE's Record of Decision ("USACE ROD") through legal actions; (viii) exploration potential of the Pebble Project, (ix) future demand for copper, gold and other metals, (x) if permitting is ultimately secured, the ability to demonstrate the Pebble Project is ultimately commercially viable, and (xi) the potential addition of partners in the Pebble Project. Although NDM believes the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way be construed as guarantees that the Pebble Project will secure all required government permits or regarding the ability of NDM to develop the Pebble Project in light of the USACE ROD and its subsequent remand decision and the EPA's Final Determination, establish the commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, achieve the required financing or develop the Pebble Project. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by NDM as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Assumptions used by NDM to develop forward-looking statements include the assumptions that (i) the Pebble Project will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all land use and other licenses without undue delay, (ii) any feasibility studies prepared for the development of the Pebble Project will be positive, (iii) NDM's estimates of mineral resources will not change, and NDM will be successful in converting mineral resources to mineral reserves, (iv) NDM will be able to establish the commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, and (v) NDM will be successful in its legal action against the EPA and the USACE and any action taken by the EPA in connection with the Final Determination will ultimately not be successful in restricting or prohibiting development of the Pebble Project. There is no assurance that the royalty investor will complete the remaining investment tranche under the Royalty Agreement. In addition, the likelihood of future mining at the Pebble Project is subject to a large number of risks and will require achievement of a number of technical, economic and legal objectives, including (i) the current development plan may not reflect the ultimate mine plan for the Pebble Project, (ii) obtaining necessary mining and construction permits, licenses and approvals without undue delay, including without delay due to third party opposition or changes in government policies, (iii) finalization of the mine plan for the Pebble Project, (iv) the completion of feasibility studies demonstrating that any Pebble Project mineral resources that can be economically mined, (v) completion of all necessary engineering for mining and processing facilities, (vi) the ability of NDM to secure a partner for the development of the Pebble Project, and (vi) receipt by NDM of significant additional financing, including the full Royalty Financing, to fund these objectives as well as funding mine construction. NDM is also subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions. Investors should also consider the risk factors identified in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and included in its annual report on Form 40-F filed on EDGAR (www.sec.gov), as well as the risk factors set out in the Company's subsequent public continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ and EDGAR. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca. The National Environment Policy Act Environmental Impact Statement process requires a comprehensive "alternatives assessment" be undertaken to consider a broad range of development alternatives, the final project design and operating parameters for the Pebble Project and associated infrastructure may vary significantly from that currently contemplated. As a result, the Company will continue to consider various development options and no final project design has been selected at this time. SOURCE: Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/northern-dynasty-fourth-tranche-of-12-million-royalty-investment-received-update-1078297 Through energy bill assistance and essential resources, the company has helped vulnerable customers stay safe and cool during the hot summer months NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / In response to this summer's high temperatures, Entergy shareholders, customers and employees donated $3 million to help customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills. Through the company's "Beat the Heat" program, Entergy has supported its customers who need it most with bill payment assistance, cooling fans, energy efficiency kits, home weatherization help and collaboration with local community organizations. "Our commitment to supporting our customers, particularly during challenging periods like the sweltering summer months, is unwavering," said Patty Riddlebarger, Entergy's vice president of corporate social responsibility. "With our 'Beat the Heat' program and partnerships with local organizations, we're dedicated to helping our neighbors stay safe, cool and keep more of their hard-earned money. We take pride in our ongoing support for those who need it most in the communities we serve." For 24 years, Entergy has partnered with local organizations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas to lessen the challenges faced by vulnerable customers during the hot summer months, which typically see increased energy usage and elevated costs. This collaborative effort has provided essential resources, financial assistance and support during critical periods. How Entergy is helping Donated $3 million from shareholders, employees and customers to The Power to Care program that helps older adults and customers with disabilities pay their energy bills. Provided all residential customers with access to Single Stop, an online platform that connects families in need with financial resources. Through Entergy's partnership with Single Stop, more than 6,000 customers were able to receive almost $500,000 in additional financial assistance and benefits from federal, state and local resources. Awarded more than $100,000 in grants to provide electric fans and home weatherization kits to help customers stay cool and reduce their energy use. Donated $25,000 to local organizations that weatherize homes for customers needing assistance. Held community outreach fairs in underserved neighborhoods, where customers received on-site help and resources for managing their bills, energy efficiency kits, pro bono legal aid, Kids to College savings accounts, and more. Provided more than 4,000 free electric fans to help customers beat high temperatures and save on electricity bills throughout the summer. Distributed over 1,000 energy efficiency kits to customers. The kits included money-saving LED lightbulbs, advanced power strips, bathroom faucet aerators and V-seal weatherstripping. Over 90 low-income homes were weatherized including AC tune ups during neighborhood sweeps that were held in select, underserved communities. Savings programs and bill help Entergy offers several programs to help customers manage their energy bills and usage, including: Our Bill Toolkit website offers bill management, energy efficiency and financial assistance resources for customers. The Power to Care program provides emergency bill payment help to older adults and customers with disabilities. Our partnership with Single Stop helps build pathways out of poverty by connecting customers to available financial assistance, education, training and support resources on a one-stop website. myAdvisor lets customers track their energy usage and alerts them on how much power they use each day. Level Billing allows customers to "level out" spikes in seasonal energy use, making their energy bills more consistent every month. Payment arrangements for customers who need more time to pay their energy bill. Learn more about how to reduce energy usage and save money by visiting billtoolkit.entergy.com. About Entergy Entergy produces, transmits and distributes electricity to power life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We're investing for growth and improved reliability and resilience of our energy system while working to keep energy rates affordable for our customers. We're also investing in cleaner energy generation like modern natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy. A nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship, we deliver more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to the communities we serve through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at Entergy.com and connect with @Entergy on social media. Media inquiries: Cristina del Canto 504-576-4238 mdelcan@entergy.com View original content here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Entergy Corporation on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Entergy Corporation Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/entergy Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Entergy Corporation View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/utilities/entergy-donates-3m-to-help-customers-%22beat-the-heat%22-and-save-money-this-summer-1078432 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Caprock Mining Corp. (CSE: CAPR) ("Caprock" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a proposed non-brokered financing of hard dollar units (the "HD Units") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to $542,500 and flow through units ("FT Units") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to $375,310. Each HD Unit will be issued at a price at $0.025 and will be comprised of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable to purchase one common share of the Company at any time on or before the date that is two years following the issuance of the Warrant at a price of $0.05. Each FT Unit will qualify as a "flow-through share" (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Each FT Unit will be issued at a price at $0.03 and will be comprised of one flow-through common share and one-half of one Warrant. The securities issued in connection with the financing will be subject to a four-month hold period expiring on the date that is four months and one day following the issuance of the HD Units and FT Units. The gross proceeds from the sale of FT Units will be used by the Company to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures" (as both terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada)) (the "Qualifying Expenditures") related to the Destiny gold property (the "Destiny Project") located near Val D'Or, Quebec on which the Company entered into an option agreement (the "Option Agreement") (see press release dated December 4, 2024). The Qualifying Expenditures will be renounced in favour of the subscribers with an effective date no later than December 31, 2025. The net proceeds from the sale of the HD Units are expected to be used for expenditures on the Destiny Project as well as general working capital. Certain finders are entitled to receive finder's fees of up to 8% of the proceeds from investors introduced by the finder together with finder warrants entitling the finder to acquire a number of HD Units equal to 8% of the number of HD Units or FT Units purchased by investors introduced to the Company by the finder. Each finder warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one HD Unit at a price of $0.05 for a period of two years following the closing date. It is anticipated that Daniel Cohen, a director of the Company, will be purchasing HD Units. As such, the Company will be issuing securities to a purchaser that is considered a "related party" (within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101")), making the applicable Offering a "related party transaction" (within the meaning of MI 61-101) (the "Related Party Subscription"). If such sales are completed the Company will be exempt from obtaining a formal valuation for, and minority approval of, the Related Party Subscription pursuant to Section 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, respectively. The securities issued under the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. Proposed Debt Settlement The Company also announced that it intends to settle debt totaling $100,000 owed to its Chief Executive Officer for past services in consideration for the issuance of an aggregate 2,000,000 units of the Company (each, a "Debt Settlement Unit") at a deemed price of $0.05 per Debt Settlement Unit (the "Debt Settlement"). Each Debt Settlement Unit will consist of one common share (each, a "Debt Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant which warrants will have the same terms as the Warrants issued in the Offering. The securities issued under the Debt Settlement will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance. Closing of the Debt Settlement is subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, and subject to addressing any comments received from the Canadian Securities Exchange during a five business day period from the date of this news release in accordance with their policies. The Debt Settlement will constitute a related party transaction under MI 61-101. The Company intends to rely on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under subsections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, respectively. Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements with respect to: the closing of the financing described herein including the amount to be raised and the timing of closing and the use of proceeds. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, are forward-looking statements. Although Caprock believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Caprock can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Caprock's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Caprock's expectations include the ability to complete the financing on the terms described, the ability to use the proceeds in the manner indicated, risks associated with the business of Caprock; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Caprock; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Company's mineral properties; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and First Nation groups in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Caprock's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Caprock does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268057 SOURCE: Caprock Mining Corp. Toronto, Ontario and Chicago, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Medexus Pharmaceuticals (TSX: MDP) (OTCQX: MEDXF) today held its virtual annual meeting of shareholders. Medexus shareholders elected all nominees listed in Medexus's management information circular dated August 12, 2025 as directors through the next annual meeting. Shareholders also voted in favor of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the company's auditors. Detailed voting results for the election of directors are set out in the table below. Name For Against Ken d'Entremont 95.091% (11,232,130) 4.909% (579,891) Harmony Garges 94.719% (11,188,190) 5.281% (623,831) Benoit Gravel 92.187% (10,889,190) 7.813% (922,831) Michael Mueller 94.719% (11,188,190) 5.281% (623,831) Stephen Nelson 96.452% (11,392,966) 3.548% (419,055) Nancy Phelan 94.719% (11,188,190) 5.281% (623,831) Menassie Taddese 94.714% (11,187,690) 5.286% (624,331) Shareholders also cast 14,240,037 (99.508%) votes for and withheld 70,444 (0.492%) votes from the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the company's auditors. All proposals were therefore approved. A report of the voting results on all matters voted on at the annual meeting will be filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedarplus.ca. About Medexus Medexus is a leading specialty pharmaceutical company with a strong North American commercial platform and a growing portfolio of innovative and rare disease treatment solutions. Medexus's current focus is on the therapeutic areas of hematology and hematology-oncology and allergy, dermatology, and rheumatology. For more information about Medexus and its product portfolio, please see the company's corporate website at www.medexus.com and its filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements Certain statements made in this news release contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, also known and/or referred to as "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements". The words "anticipates", "believes", "expects", "will", "plans", "potential", and similar words, phrases, or expressions are often intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words, phrases, or expressions. These statements are based on factors or assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection, including assumptions based on regulatory guidelines, historical trends, current conditions, and expected future developments. Since forward-looking statements relate to future events and conditions, by their very nature they require making assumptions and involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Medexus cautions that, although the assumptions are believed to be reasonable in the circumstances, these risks and uncertainties mean that actual results could differ, and could differ materially, from the expectations contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Material risk factors include, but are not limited to, those set out in Medexus's materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities from time to time, including Medexus's most recent annual information form and management's discussion and analysis. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this news release. Other than as specifically required by law, Medexus undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268018 SOURCE: Medexus Pharmaceuticals Inc. Cantech announces the speaker lineup for the 2025 Cantech Investment Conference, bringing together industry leaders and investment professionals who will share insights on AI, capital markets, and the top investment trends shaping Canada's tech sector. Cantech also unveils the finalists for the 2024-25 Cantech Letter Awards, recognizing excellence in Canadian technology companies and executives, with winners to be announced at the Cantech Conference Closing Reception on October 9, 2025. Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Cantech Letter (the "Company" or "Cantech"), a Canadian online publication of technology focused news, analysis, and insights, is pleased to announce the speaker lineup at its 2025 Cantech Investment Conference, taking place on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at the Arcadian Loft in Toronto, ON. The conference brings together Canada's leading technology companies, emerging startups, and members of the investment community, providing a key forum for discussion on sector trends, growth strategies, and market opportunities. This year's conference will feature three engaging panel discussions, each moderated by a distinguished industry expert and featuring top analysts, fund managers, and executives from leading Canadian tech companies. The panels will provide insights into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities within the tech sector, offering valuable insights for investors and participants alike. Featured Panels and Speakers at the 2025 Cantech Investment Conference: "BUY, SELL, HOLD": Analyst Top Picks - moderated by Pardeep Sangha, President of Angad Capital, this panel features some of the top technology equity analysts in the country including Rob Goff, Ventum Financial; Gianluca Tucci, Haywood Securities; and Doug Taylor, Canaccord Genuity Capital Markets. "AI Investment Opportunities" - this panel will be moderated by Brady Fletcher, President of Roth Capital, and will examine how investors and innovators are approaching the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector. Featuring Daniel Rosenberg, Equity Analyst at Paradigm Capital; Bill Burnham, Founder and Managing Partner of Inductive Capital, and Dr. Alexander Dobranowski, President of HEALWELL AI, a healthcare AI and data science company, the discussion will highlight emerging opportunities, investment themes, and the transformative impact of AI across industries. "Buyside Top Picks" - moderated by Martin Toner, Equity Analyst at ATB Financial, this panel brings together prominent Canadian fund managers Jeffrey Tory of Pembroke Management and David Fawcett of Epic Capital, to discuss current trends and top investment picks in the technology sector. These panels bring together some of the most respected voices in Canada's investment community, from leading equity analysts to seasoned fund managers and executives. The 2025 Cantech Investment Conference will once again provide an invaluable forum for discussing the future of Canadian technology and uncovering the investment opportunities that lie ahead. Cantech is also pleased to announce the finalists for the 2024-2025 Cantech Letter Awards. These awards, based on the results of a panel of anonymous Canadian sell-side analysts, celebrate the companies and leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the country's technology sector. The finalists reflect the best of Canadian innovation and achievement, and the winners will be honoured at the closing reception following the conference. Finalists for the 2024-25 Cantech Letter Awards: TSX Tech Stock of the Year Celestica (TSX: CLS) VitalHub (TSX: VHI) TSX Tech Executive of the Year Tobias Lutke, Shopify (TSX: SHOP) Hamed Shahbazi, WELL Health Technologies (TSX: WELL) TSX-Venture Tech Stock of the Year Topicus (TSXV: TOI) Kraken Robotics (TSX: PNG) TSX-Venture Tech Executive of the Year Robin Van Poelje, Topicus (TSXV: TOI) David Nyland, Lumine Group (TSXV: LMN) To attend the Cantech Investment Conference, please contact Tara Whittet at tara@cantechletter.com or visit www.cantechletter.com/conference for more information. This year's Cantech Investment Conference is sponsored by: Title Sponsors : TMX, Angad Capital : TMX, Angad Capital Platinum Sponsors : Cozen O' Connor, Winning Media : Cozen O' Connor, Winning Media Gold sponsors : ATB Capital Markets, Beacon, Canaccord Genuity Capital Markets, Haywood Securities, Paradigm Capital, Roth Canada, Ventum Financial : ATB Capital Markets, Beacon, Canaccord Genuity Capital Markets, Haywood Securities, Paradigm Capital, Roth Canada, Ventum Financial Silver Sponsors : Atrium Research, Newsfile, Origin Merchant Partners About Cantech Letter For fifteen years, Cantech Letter, has been committed to the innovation sectors in the Canadian public markets. Cantech Letter gathers research from Canada's leading investment banks to provide individual investors with timely, expert voices in the technology and diversified industries sectors. For more information, visit: www.cantechletter.com. About Angad Capital Angad Capital is a Vancouver based Capital Markets Advisory and Investor Relations Firm. Angad Capital was founded by Pardeep Sangha in 2019 after a successful career as a technology sector analyst focused on small cap technology companies trading on the TSX and TSX-Venture exchanges. Pardeep has over 20+ years of investing and advising experience with private and public tech companies. Angad Capital offers specialized capital markets advisory services tailored for early-stage technology companies. Cautionary & Forward-Looking Statements All information presented in all forms at the Cantech Investment Conference or in press releases, videos, emails, or otherwise posted on our website, and the Cantech Investment Conference or YouTube channel (the "Media") is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities. Cantech Media, Cantech Letter, Angad Capital Inc. and the Cantech Investment Conference, and their representatives ("our," "us," and "we") are not licensed brokers, broker/dealers, market makers, investment bankers, investment advisers, analysts, or underwriters. Any presentation on or at any of our Media is for informational purposes only and we do not recommend any company that may appear or present in any capacity on or at any of our Media. A company's actual results could differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statements or presentation on or at any of our Media. Information within presentations or communications may contain "forward looking" statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon expectations, estimates, and projections at the time the statements are made and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ materially from those anticipated. We receive cash compensation from presenters, sponsors, and participants who utilize our Media. We do not receive compensation for, and do not engage in, providing advice, making recommendations, issuing reports, or furnishing analyses on any of the companies, securities, strategies, or information presented. We may buy and sell securities in any company mentioned and may profit in the event those securities rise in value. There are risks involved in any investment. We are not analysts and investing in securities is for individuals with high risk tolerance and not for the general public. We recommend you consult with a professional investment adviser, broker, or legal counsel before purchasing or selling any securities referenced on or at any of our Media. For Further information: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268056 SOURCE: Cantech Letter Madison, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm has announced the addition of Attorney Chris Duren to its litigation team. The announcement reflects the firm's continued investment in building trial strength and advancing its organizational vision across Wisconsin. Duren joins Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm after more than two decades practicing litigation in Wisconsin. With 27 years of courtroom experience, his arrival represents a significant step in the firm's plan to strengthen its trial team and expand its capacity to handle complex cases. By welcoming an attorney with longstanding trial experience, the firm reinforces its commitment to sustaining growth while continuing to serve clients with focus and efficiency. The addition of Duren also represents an internal milestone for Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm. Growth within the team has been a consistent priority as the Wisconsin personal injury law firm continues to position itself as a leader in Wisconsin litigation. This step reflects a broader strategy of investing in experienced attorneys who bring depth to the firm's knowledge base and ensure that its legal team is prepared for evolving challenges within the judicial system. As part of its organizational direction, the firm has steadily advanced both in physical presence and in professional resources. With offices in Baraboo, Madison, and Eau Claire, Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm has worked to ensure accessibility for communities across the region. Adding Duren to the litigation team underscores the firm's view that long-term success depends on strengthening its people and ensuring that every attorney on staff has the tools and experience needed to support its mission. The firm considers the appointment an important step in adapting to the changing legal environment in Wisconsin. As courts evolve in their handling of evidence and claims, Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm continues to align its team to meet these developments effectively. Duren's addition represents not only a personnel change but also an intentional move to build resilience, enhance collaboration, and streamline case management across its three offices. Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm looks forward to the contributions Duren will bring as part of its strategy to grow, evolve, and continue strengthening its litigation capacity. The firm remains focused on its long-term vision of building a team that upholds its values and advances its role as a trusted presence in the Wisconsin legal community. About Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm Founded in 2006 by William Pemberton, Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm represents individuals across Wisconsin with dignity and professionalism. With offices in Baraboo, Madison, and Eau Claire, the firm has established itself as a trusted name in litigation, committed to growth, leadership, and advancing justice in the communities it serves. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268045 SOURCE: GetFeatured Women Around the World To Be Recognized at Event in New York HOUSTON, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Epique Realty is proud to announce it has won three finalist nominations in the 22nd annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Co-Founder and CFO Janice Delcid is a finalist for Most Innovative Woman of the Year - Technology, while Epique Realty is a finalist for both Most Innovative Company of the Year and Achievement in Tech Innovation. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are the world's premier business awards, honoring the achievements of women executives, entrepreneurs, and the organizations they run. Finalists were selected from over 1,500 entries from 48 nations. "Now in its 22nd year, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business attracted an exceptional range of nominations," said Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards. " We are continually inspired by how meaningful it is for women to receive a Stevie Award and the lasting impact it can have on their careers and organizations. We extend our congratulations to all of this year's Finalists and look forward to announcing the final award placements on November 10." Janice's influence begins with the personal way she marshals thousands of agents. For Janice, leadership is not about top-down directives; it's about connection. She views every agent as an extension of her own family, a belief she puts into action through personal attention and a commitment to lifetime mentorship. Beyond the numbers, her influence has transformed the company's social impact. She was instrumental in launching key philanthropic initiatives, including a national drive to deliver 10,000 backpacks to children in need and the creation of NEMO, an agent-led disaster relief team. Through these achievements, Janice has proven that a CFO's role can be redefined to build not just a profitable company, but a compassionate and thriving community. The three finalist nominations are a powerful acknowledgment of Epique's transformative impact on the real estate industry. "I am deeply honored to be named a finalist among such inspiring women," said Janice Delcid, Co-Founder and CFO. "This recognition is a reflection of the entire Epique family and our shared mission to lead with compassion and innovation. We are proving every day that a financial strategy rooted in generosity is the most powerful way to build a thriving, supportive community. "These nominations validate the tireless work of our incredible team," said Christopher Miller, Co-Founder and COO. "Being recognized for both our company's innovation and our technological achievements is a testament to the holistic, agent-first ecosystem we've built. It's a win for every person who contributes to the Epique movement." "To be recognized by the Stevie Awards in three distinct categories is a humbling affirmation of our core vision," said Joshua Miller, Co-Founder and CEO. "Janice is a phenomenal leader whose innovative spirit is the cornerstone of our culture. This honor, combined with the company-wide nominations, confirms that our agent-first model is more than just a different way of doing business; it is a better way. We're not just building a brokerage; we're building the future." Epique Realty's achievements are profoundly unique because its innovation is holistic with integrated technology solutions across all systems. While competitors may offer a single new app or a slightly better commission split, Epique has reinvented the entire brokerage value proposition. Its model is a synergistic ecosystem where free, leading-edge AI technology, a generous financial structure, and compassionate culture all work together to fuel agent success. This stands in stark contrast to the traditional industry model, which profits by charging agents for tools, training, and support. Epique innovates by doing the exact opposite. The significance of this approach is validated by objective, industry-leading metrics. In its first year of eligibility, Epique debuted on the prestigious T3sixty Mega 1000, ranking #23 nationwide by agent count and #31 by transaction sides and #52 by Sales Volume ($4.29 Billion). This is not just growth; it's a market disruption. While many legacy firms struggled, Epique's innovative model allowed it to scale at a historic rate. This performance proves that Epique's approach is not just a novel idea but an extraordinarily successful and scalable force that is setting a new, formidable benchmark for growth, agent productivity, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie placements will be announced at a gala event in New York City on November 10. View the full list of winners here: Stevie Awards for Women in Business www.StevieAwards.com/Women. To learn more about the: Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. About Epique Realty Shaping the future of housing, Epique Realty is one of the fastest-growing real estate brokers. Epique now operates in all fifty states with over 4,000 agents and global expansion underway. Its revolutionary agent-first model provides unheard of free extensive benefits with award-winning AI and a culture of radical generosity. By questioning industry norms and putting agents at the center of its universe, Epique is transforming and defining the future of real estate.BeEpique Barbara Simpson | PR and Communications 281-773-7842 | Barbara@EpiqueRealty.com https://www.instagram.com/epiquerealty/ https://www.facebook.com/epiquerealty https://www.linkedin.com/company/epique-realty/mycompany/ https://www.youtube.com/@epiquerealty SOURCE: Epique Realty View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/cfo-janice-delcid-and-epique-realty-win-most-innovative-finalists-in-three-categories-f-1078466 Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - International Datacasting Corporation ("IDC"), a subsidiary of Novra Technologies Inc. (TSXV: NVI) (OTCQB: NVRVF) ("Novra"), announced today it has received a new contract and development agreement from a leading SATCOM prime contractor to upgrade and modernize the management and control software used in a longstanding U.S. government communications platform. This platform, deployed by multiple agencies for mission-critical applications, relies on Novra receivers to provide highly reliable and secure satellite connectivity. The management and control software was originally developed for Novra's proven workhorse, the S300 satellite receiver-which remains a trusted and widely deployed solution-and is now being evolved and expanded to also support the powerful, next-generation S401 receiver. In addition to this development contract, valued at more than $275 thousand, Novra also anticipates additional orders for its S401 receivers over the next several years as various government programs continue upgrading their networks with more powerful and even more reliable technology. Rodney Allan, President of Novra Group, commented, "We have a long history of supporting our customers with migration paths that extend product lifecycles and protect technology investments. This project is an excellent example of our commitment to delivering continuity and value, especially as technology requirements inevitably evolve." Novra Group is known for supplying secure satellite broadcast solutions for government and defense customers, including the S401 and MAP Pro Data GBS receivers, IP encapsulators, and Cyphercast (FIPS 140) Encryption. In addition, IDC provides ongoing support with software services for DoD STIG implementations, NESSUS-based vulnerability remediation, and custom software development to ensure secure and mission-ready operation.This award underscores Novra Group's ongoing role as a trusted provider for multiple government agencies. As the communications and broadcast industries continue to evolve, Novra Group remains a leader in secure and reliable distribution of mission-critical data. From advanced IP encapsulation and encryption to rugged, flexible receivers designed to withstand demanding operational environments, Novra Group solutions deliver proven performance for government, defense, and broadcast customers worldwide. About Novra and International Datacasting: Part of the Novra Group (TSXV: NVI) (OTCQB: NVRVF), International Datacasting Corporation (IDC) is a global provider of products, systems, and services for multimedia content distribution. The Novra Group includes Novra Technologies, IDC, and Wegener Communications, with applications spanning broadcast radio and video, digital cinema, digital signage, as well as secure data communications. For more information visit: datacast.com. # # # To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268014 SOURCE: Novra Technologies Inc. CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Apple has intensified its opposition to European regulations, urging Brussels to revoke the historic Digital Markets Act or the DMA. With fines of up to 10 percent of worldwide revenue for noncompliance, the law, which has been in effect since 2022, aims to limit Big Tech's influence and maintain fair competition. Citing a delay in implementing AirPods' live translation feature to comply with compatibility regulations, Apple claimed in a statement on Wednesday that the DMA has harmed consumers by postponing product features and restricting options. The business claimed that in order to accomplish the EU's declared objectives, a 'more appropriate' law is required. The European Commission retaliated, stating that compliance is required and accusing Apple of publicly claiming to cooperate while contesting 'every little bit' of the DMA. The company faces further investigations after being fined 500 million euros in April for preventing app developers from referring users to lower-priced offers. The conflict coincides with rising tensions between the US and the EU. While tech titans like Mark Zuckerberg of Meta have personally lobbied against the DMA, President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on nations with digital regulations that he believes target American companies. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 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. India successfully test-fired its Agni-Prime missile, capable of striking targets up to 2,000 km, from a rail-based mobile launcher. This test shows that the country has the capability of being able to fire a missile from under the sea, surface, air, and even from a railway network, a technology that few other nations possess Indias enemies be warned! The country has tested a new defence technology that strengthens its and enhances the mobility of its missile systems. On Thursday, for the very first time, India successfully carried out a launch of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a rail-based mobile launcher system. We take a closer look at why this launch is significant and which other countries possess such technology. Agni-Prime missile test-fired from rail-based mobile platform On Thursday (September 25), India successfully conducted a test launch of the Agni-Prime, which is an advanced intermediate-range ballistic missile, from a rail-based mobile launcher system. Simply explained, India test-fired the missile from a train. India has carried out the successful launch of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. This next generation missile is designed to cover a range up to 2000 km and is equipped with various advanced features. The first-of-its-kind launch pic.twitter.com/00GpGSNOeE Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 25, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the exercise as the first-of-its-kind, congratulating the nation and the scientists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for this achievement. Congratulations to DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and the Armed Forces on successful test of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. This successful flight test has put India in the group of select nations having capabilities that have developed canisterised launch system from on the move rail network, wrote Singh on social media platform X after the launch. For those who dont know, the Agni-Prime missile is a two-stage, solid-propellant intermediate-range ballistic missile, boasting of a range as far as 2,000 km which covers China and Pakistan. It is the sixth missile in the Agni series and until now could be transported by truck and launched via canister. It also possesses nuclear-capabilities. With the latest test, India has the capability to launch a nuclear missile from under the sea, surface, air, and now from a railway network. The test puts India in the group of select nations having capabilities that have developed a canisterised launch system from the move rail network. Image Courtesy: Rajnath Singh/X Significance of rail-based launch The launch of the Agni-Prime from a railcar is significant. Thats because it enables the user of this technology to have cross-country mobility and launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility. Picture this: Currently, most advanced missiles such as the Agni-Prime are large and not easy to move. For this reason, they are traditionally launched from fixed missile silos. Though, some missiles are now being mounted on vehicles, very few countries have been able to mount them on trains. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Defence experts note that by keeping missiles in a fixed silos, they are more vulnerable to a strike. Hence, shifting them to moving objects makes them less vulnerable to a pre-emptive strike. A rail-based missile is harder to destroy, as they can travel anywhere along a nations rail network, and hide from satellite surveillance in tunnels. Furthermore, they can be rapidly mobilised in times of need owing to the countrys existing rail network serves. A rail mobile launcher could also provide better disguise than road launchers. A preserved RT-23 Molodets train in Russia. Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons Countries that possess this technology With Thursdays launch, India has joined a very small club of countries that are capable of launching missiles from trains. In fact, this technology dates back to the Cold War with the then Soviet Union and the United States of America mulling the option of launching missiles from a train. In the 1950s, the United States initiated a study on the feasibility of using the rail-basing mode for its Minuteman inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), but abandoned this option in 1961. The idea was revisited in the 1980s, when the US planned to deploy Peacekeeper ICBMs on railway mobile launchers. However, this plan was cancelled after the Soviet Union collapsed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the other hand, the USSR deployed an ICBM system on rail, which was named the RT-23 Molodets. However, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the railcar-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) underwent dismantlement in accordance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). Russia also planned to reintroduce this launching capability, with a system called Barguzin. However, this project was shelved in order to focus on the development of its hypersonic missile. In December 2016, several news reports emerged that China launched a test of a new rail-mobile version of its newest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the DF-41 (CSS-X-20). A missile is seen launched during a drill of the Railway Mobile Missile Regiment in North Korea, in this image supplied by North Koreas Korean Central News Agency on September 16, 2021. KCNA/Reuters Years later, North Korea also reportedly test-fired a new rail-based short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) system and even released pictures of the same. According to state media, the missiles flew 800 km before striking a target in the sea off North Koreas east coast. Moreover, Pak Jong Chon, a North Korean marshal and member of the Presidium of the Politburo of the ruling Workers Party of Korea, who oversaw the test, was quoted as telling KCNA: The railway-borne missile system serves as an efficient counter-strike means capable of dealing a harsh multi-concurrent blow to the threat-posing forces. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Following the test, Adam Mount, a senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists, wrote on X that rail mobile missiles are a relatively cheap and reliable option for countries seeking to improve the survivability of their nuclear forces. Russia did it. The US considered it. It makes a tonne of sense for North Korea, he further wrote on the social media platform. With inputs from agencies Wadysaw Grochowski, who runs one of Polands largest hotel and property groups, is offering a baby bonus to couples who conceive during their stay at his hotels. Parents who have children after purchasing a home from the company will also be given 10,000 zlotys (around Rs 2.5 lakh). Employees of the hotel who become parents will be eligible for rewards as well The Polish property group is giving incentives to couples who conceive in its hotels. Representational Image/AFP A Polish hotel and property owner is offering to celebrate couples who conceive while staying at his hotels. Wadysaw Grochowski, who runs one of Polands biggest hotel and property groups, has promised to organise the party. Couples who go on to have children after buying a house from the company will also receive 10,000 zlotys (nearly Rs 2.5 lakh). So why is the hotelier giving money and hosting parties for couples who start families in his hotels? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lets take a look: What are the rewards and why is he offering them? The Polish property group is giving incentives to couples who conceive in its hotels as a way to address the countrys declining birth rate. On its website, the Arche group, which runs 23 hotels and owns several buildings across Poland, points to the demographic crisis caused by 12 years of falling birth rates. To counter this, the company has launched a scheme that promises free special events such as a baptism celebration to couples who can show that the conception of their child was linked to the couples stay at one of its hotels. Couples who go on to have children after buying a house from the company will also receive incentives. Representational Image/Pixabay Parents who buy a home through the group will also be given 10,000 zlotys (nearly Rs 2.5 lakh) for each child born after the purchase. The programme, called Arche Generations, applies to couples (man and woman) and requires at least one partner to be an adult Polish citizen living in the country. Employees of Arche who have children will also qualify for rewards. To claim the free baptism party, parents must provide proof of their stay at one of the 23 hotels together with their childs birth certificate. One of the greatest challenges of our time Launching the initiative, Grochowski and his wife, Lena, described Polands shrinking birth rate as one of the greatest challenges of our time, British newspaper The Times reported. Grochowski said: In 2026, Poland will spend nearly 5 per cent of its GDP on defence. But what good is that if demographics wipe us out? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some have welcomed the plan for drawing attention to Polands demographic struggles. He told financial site money.pl that parents of the first child born under this program will also receive a stroller and a special welcome package. Why is Poland facing a falling birth rate? Like several other countries, Poland is grappling with a steady decline in the number of births. In 2023, the country recorded 1.2 live births per woman, down from 1.33 in 2021 and 2.06 in 1990, according to Eurostat, the European Unions statistics agency. By late June, Polands population stood at about 37.4 million, one million fewer than in 2015, figures from the National Statistics Office GUS showed. Poland is grappling with a steady decline in the number of births. Representational Image/AFP In 2024, deaths outnumbered births by 157,000, and experts expect this pattern to continue. Rising poverty levels and Polands near total ban on abortion have both been cited as reasons behind the slow progress in addressing the problem. The new hotel scheme is one of several initiatives aiming to reverse the decline through financial rewards. Karol Nawrocki, Polands newly elected conservative president, also pledged during his campaign to introduce a zero per cent income tax for parents with two or more children, on annual earnings of up to 140,000 zlotys (nearly Rs 35 lakh). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies The Italian city of Bolzano may introduce a daily tax of 1.50 (Rs 156) for visitors and residents with furry companions starting in 2026. The reason? The growing dog waste crisis. The money raised, authorities say, would go toward cleaning the streets and building dedicated parks for the canines Bolzano authorities say the money raised would go toward cleaning the streets and building dedicated dog parks. Image for Representation. Pixabay What if your dog had to pay to visit a city? Bolzano, a tourist-friendly spot in northern Italy, may soon make that a reality. Lawmakers in the region are considering a new dog tax that would charge visitors about 1.50 (Rs 156) per pet, per day for bringing their four-legged companions to the city, which sits in South Tyrol near the Austrian border. On the other hand, the residents could face an annual fee of 100 (Rs 10,413) per dog. If approved by the provincial council, the tax would kick in by 2026, reviving a levy that was scrapped in 2008. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But why does the city want to tax your furry companion? What have the reactions been like so far? Heres what we know Why does Bolzano want to tax dogs? City officials in Bolzano say the proposed dog tax isnt just about raising money, its about dealing with a very real problem: dog waste littering streets, sidewalks, and parks. The new tax would replace the citys current DNA-testing system, which was introduced two years ago to track down irresponsible owners who failed to clean up after their pets. The idea was that DNA samples could link waste back to specific dogs, but in practice, it never really worked. Only around 12,000 of Bolzanos 30,000 dog owners complied, partly because the tests cost more than $50 (Rs over 4,000) each. Not surprisingly, many locals are relieved to see the DNA system go. Im pleased that the provincial government has finally chosen the path of common sense and decided to end the DNA registry, councillor Thomas Widmann told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. The new tax would replace the citys current DNA-testing system, which was introduced two years ago to track down irresponsible owners who failed to clean up after their pets. Image for representation. Pixabay Luis Walcher, the councillor behind the tax, told Italian news agency ANSA that dog waste is a serious problem in the city. At the moment, owners are legally required to clean up after their pets or face fines ranging from 200 to 600 (about Rs 20,800 to Rs 62,400). Under the new plan, those penalties could go even higher. This is a fair measure because it concerns dog owners exclusively, Walcher told CNN. Otherwise, sidewalk cleaning would be the responsibility of the entire community, when it must be said that the only filth on our city streets is dog waste. The money raised would go toward cleaning the streets and building dedicated dog parks. However, theres still some uncertainty about whether rumours are true that dogs may be banned from regular city parks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What are critics saying? Not everyone is on board with Bolzanos plan. Critics argue the tax punishes the wrong people and sends the wrong message. Carla Rocchi, president of ENPA, a national animal protection organisation, said the move would harm the region rather than help it. The Province of Bolzano scores an own goal with the tax on dogs and even on four-legged tourists, she told CNN. Rocchi criticised the idea as a lazy fix following the failure of the citys DNA project. After the resounding and costly failure of the absurd dog DNA project, instead of focusing on civic education, targeted checks, and citizen awareness, were once again choosing the easy way out: taxing animals and their owners. People argue that dog tax sends a damaging message by treating animals like luxury items. Animals are not a luxury, but an integral part of families. Targeting them with new taxes doesnt solve the problems of incivility experienced by a few, Representational Image/Pixabay She argued the tax unfairly targets families and visitors who choose to bring their pets along on holiday. Its paradoxical that in an area that thrives on tourism and hospitality, were targeting precisely those who choose a respectful and inclusive vacation, bringing their four-legged companion along, she said. Rocchi also warned that the tax sends a damaging message by treating animals like luxury items. Animals are not a luxury, but an integral part of families. Targeting them with new taxes doesnt solve the problems of incivility experienced by a few, but risks only discouraging responsible travel and, even worse, encouraging abandonment. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With input from agencies Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trumps ally, could soon feature on US currency. Two Republican lawmakers have said they are planning to bring a bill directing the US Treasury to mint 400,000 silver dollar coins with the 31-year-old slain conservative activists face on them. But who decides whose face features on the American currency? Candles and flowers are placed near an image of Charlie Kirk, during a vigil at Orem City Center Park, after U.S. right-wing activist and commentator, Charlie Kirk, an ally of US President Donald Trump, was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah, US September 11, 2025. File Photo/Reuters Conservative activist Charlie Kirk could appear on the United States currency. Two Republican lawmakers are reportedly planning to introduce a bill in the US House of Representatives to memorialise on American currency following his assassination earlier in the month. Kirk, an ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead while attending an event at a college in Utah on September 10. The Republicans have since been honouring the right-wing activist. Lets take a closer look. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Will Kirk be on US currency? Republican Representatives August Pfluger of Texas and Abraham Hamadeh of Arizona told Fox News they plan to bring a bill later this week directing the US Treasury to mint 400,000 silver dollar coins with Charlie Kirks face on them. These coins would be considered legal tender. On one side, they will have Kirks image, while the other will feature the words well done, good and faithful servant. The coins will be inscribed with the conservative activists full name, Charles James Kirk, the year 2026, and the US full name and motto. The US Treasury Secretary will select the final design of the coins after consulting President Donald Trump. Pfluger, the chair of the Republican Study Committee, has shown support for Kirk and the desire to honour his legacy. In an email statement to Newsweek, he described Kirk as a conservative titan, saying that the 31-year-old deserves permanent recognition alongside our nations greatest leaders and influential figures. Pfluger said that this commemorative coin will make Charlie the youngest American ever immortalised on legal US currency, a fitting honour that cements his extraordinary legacy alongside presidents and founding fathers who shaped our republic. Since 1892, Congress has authorised commemorative coins to celebrate and honour historic American patriots, Hamadeh told Fox News Digital. Hailing Kirk as an American treasure, the Republican added: He tirelessly sacrificed his time, energy, and money to save this nation for future generations. Ultimately, at the hands of a radical leftist, he sacrificed his life. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His life must be commemorated, and this coin will allow us to pass a reminder of his remarkable life on to generations to come. This is the latest in the series of bills and resolutions introduced by Republican lawmakers to honour Kirk since his death. Who decides who will be on US currency? The Secretary of the Treasury makes the final call over whose face will appear on the US bill. The Congress can call for the redesign of the bill and even sitting presidents have suggested changes. But the final decision lies with the secretary. Federal law prohibits featuring any living persons face on US currency. This law was put in place after a Treasury Department employee, Spencer Clark, placed his own portrait on a new five-cent note in 1866. Following this, Congress passed a law that said that portraits on currency must be of someone already deceased. However, the exact criteria for selecting who appears on our paper currency remain unclear. According to the Treasury Department, it only considers persons whose places in history the American people know well. The famous faces that have appeared on the US currency have been the same since 1929. A special treasury committee had selected them due to their permanent familiarity in the minds of the public, said the Department of the Treasury. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ALSO READ: Who is Brilyn Hollyhand, teen conservative hailed as Charlie Kirk's protege? Who is on US currency? Former presidents and founding fathers feature on US bills. Benjamin Franklin is the face on the $100 bill, Alexander Hamilton is on the $10 note, George Washingtons face appears on the $1 bill, Thomas Jefferson is on $2 bill, Abraham Lincoln is on $5 note, Andrew Jackson is on $20 bill, Ulysses S Grants face is on $50 bill and William McKinley on $500 note. Benjamin Franklin features on $100 bill. File Photo/Reuters Different versions of the $1 coin feature Native American guide Sacagawea, former US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall and suffragette Susan B Anthony, respectively, among others. Only one woman has graced the printed US bill. The face of the US first First Lady, Martha Washington, appeared on the face of the $1 silver certificate in 1886. Ten years later, she was shifted to the back of the bill and featured next to her husband, George. With inputs from agencies Russian drones are increasingly breaching European airspace, disrupting airports, and exposing Natos weaknesses. From Poland to Denmark, low-cost drones are testing Europes defences as leaders rush to create new countermeasures, including a proposed drone wall Denmark's Defence Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen and the Minister of Justice, Peter Hummelgaard, attend a press conference at the Ministry of Defence in Copenhagen, Denmark, September 25, 2025. File Image/Reuters As Russia increases its use of drones in its war against Ukraine, the effects are spilling over into neighbouring countries, creating growing concerns for Nato and the European Union. From the Baltic states to the Nordic region, incidents involving drones are becoming more frequent directly putting a spotlight on critical vulnerabilities in Europes air defence systems. Recent incursions have disrupted civilian air traffic and forced European leaders to confront an uncomfortable reality: while Nato has extensive experience defending against conventional threats like fighter jets and missiles, it is far less prepared to counter the unique challenges posed by drones. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How have drone incidents escalated across Europe? This month, a series of troubling events unfolded, underscoring the scale of the issue. Between September 9 and 10, approximately 20 Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace, triggering a significant response from Nato forces. During the same period, another drone crossed into Romania, while Russian MiG-31 fighter jets were reported to have violated Estonias airspace. These incidents came at a time when European militaries are already on high alert due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The situation has escalated further in Denmark, which experienced multiple drone incursions over the course of a week. On Wednesday, drones were detected over several key locations in western Denmark, forcing Billund Airport, the countrys second busiest, to suspend operations for an hour. Aalborg Airport, which serves both civilian and military aircraft, was closed for three hours. Authorities also reported sightings near Esbjerg and Sonderborg airports, as well as Skrydstrup Airbase, which houses Denmarks fleet of F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. Witnesses described unusual aerial activity. Resident Morten Skov, who lives near Aalborg Airport, said he saw green blinking lights coming from west of Aalborg airport, which stood still right over the facility. He provided video footage to Reuters showing lights moving away from the airport toward the west. The Danish national police confirmed that these latest events matched the pattern of activity seen earlier in the week, when Copenhagen Airport was temporarily shut down due to drone sightings. That incident was described by authorities as the most serious attack on Denmarks critical infrastructure to date. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Did Denmark face a hybrid attack? In response to the growing crisis, Troels Lund Poulsen, Denmarks defence minister, characterised the drone activity as part of a hybrid attack targeting the country. He explained that the incidents were systematic and coordinated, affecting multiple locations and occurring near vital military facilities. According to Poulsen, this level of sophistication indicated the involvement of a professional actor. While Danish officials have been cautious not to directly accuse Russia without conclusive evidence, they have not ruled out the possibility. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that she could not rule out Russian involvement in the Copenhagen incident earlier in the week. Moscows ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, strongly denied the allegations, calling them unfounded accusations. The repeated drone incursions have led Denmark to consider invoking Natos Article 4, which requires member states to consult each other when one nation perceives a threat to its territorial integrity or political independence. If Denmark proceeds, it would mark the third invocation of Article 4 in September alone, following similar moves by Estonia and Poland in response to airspace violations. According to Natos definition, hybrid threats combine both military and non-military tactics, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, covert operations, and economic pressure. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These methods are designed to blur the line between war and peace, creating uncertainty and instability. Natos publicly available information notes that Russia has a history of employing such tactics, ranging from political interference and cyber activities to economic coercion and territorial aggression. Is Russia testing Natos response? Security experts and European officials view the recent drone activity as part of a broader pattern by Moscow to probe Natos defences and gauge its willingness to respond. The timing of these incidents is particularly significant. The violations in Poland, Romania, and Estonia, along with the disruptions in Denmark, suggest a deliberate effort to pressure Nato and European governments at a time when Western military support for Ukraine remains crucial. In Polands case, the scale of the drone intrusion was unprecedented. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur highlighted the deficiencies exposed by the incident, stating, Most of the drones were not detected. This is a real gap we have to solve. A police officer stands below as firefighters work on the destroyed roof of a house, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine, with some being shot down by Poland with the backing from its Nato allies, in Wyryki, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland, September 10, 2025. File Image/Reuters When the Russian drones entered Polish territory, Nato countries reacted by deploying fighter jets, attack helicopters, and activating missile defence systems. However, these assets were designed primarily to counter high-speed aircraft and ballistic missiles, not small, slow-moving drones. This mismatch exposes a key vulnerability: Europes air defence infrastructure is not fully equipped to handle the type of low-cost, mass-produced drones that Russia has increasingly relied upon in Ukraine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Estonia has been on the front lines of Europes drone problem. In August 2025, a Ukrainian drone believed to have been thrown off course by Russian electronic interference crashed in southeastern Estonia. Lt. General Andrus Merilo, commander of Estonias armed forces, said his countrys military has also lost several of its own surveillance drones to Russian jamming. Merilo described the fundamental challenge facing European militaries: the need for a large number of affordable, scalable defensive systems. What I need is technology that is good enough, its affordable and can be produced in mass, he told AP. I dont need high-end capabilities of which I can fire only one, against targets which will be attacking in hundreds. Can a European Drone Wall become a reality? In response to these mounting threats, some European defence ministers have begun advocating for a coordinated regional defence network that has been informally dubbed a drone wall. The goal would be to create a multilayered system of sensors, electronic warfare tools, and low-cost interceptors stretching along the EUs eastern borders, particularly in countries bordering Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Earlier this year, Estonia and Lithuania submitted a joint proposal for EU funding to support the creation of such a defence line. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, the European Union declined to provide funding in March, citing competing priorities. Estonian Defense Minister Pevkur has urged the EU to reconsider, arguing that the urgency of the situation leaves little room for delay. While there is growing political support for the concept, experts caution that implementation will be complex. Drones are not mosquitoes, Pevkur said, rejecting the idea that they could simply be neutralised with a single electronic barrier. The diversity of drones ranging from high-altitude reconnaissance platforms to small, disposable attack drones means that no single solution will suffice. Merilo outlined what an effective defense system would require: sensors, electronic warfare also low-cost small missiles or attack drones. Such a multi-pronged approach would allow defenders to tailor their response to the specific threat. The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the speed at which drone technology evolves. European procurement processes can take years, leaving a dangerous lag between emerging threats and available countermeasures. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A lesson from Ukraine is that drone warfare is highly dynamic. What works today may be ineffective tomorrow. This creates a constant need for adaptation and innovation, requiring sustained investment and cooperation among allies. While drones have become the most visible aspect of Russias recent actions, European officials stress that they are only one part of a larger strategy. For example, shooting down drones near airports is not always a viable option due to the risk of collateral damage from fuel tanks, aircraft, and nearby infrastructure. Danish authorities have confirmed they have the capability to intercept drones but prefer to avoid doing so in populated areas unless absolutely necessary. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies Foreign students have been going to America for decades in hopes of landing a high-paying job and maybe even a green card. But did you know that foreign students actually subsidise American students? This is because international students pay far higher tuition for their seats compared to locals. Heres how Trumps H-1B crackdown could hurt the US education system Harvard University is reflected in the window of a merchandise store across the street from the school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. AFP Americas higher education system has been the envy of the world for decades. Foreign students, over the years, have applied to study at US universities in droves. Then, after they have gotten an education, the students attempt to land well-paying jobs and may even get a green card (permanent residency) in the United States. But did you know that foreign students actually subsidise American students? This is because international students pay far higher for their seats compared to locals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, Trumps H-1B crackdown in which America has announced that companies will have to pay $100,000 (Rs 88.72 lakh) for new hires may bring all that to an end. But what do we know? How does it work? Let us take a closer look. How foreign students help the US There are around 1.1 million foreign students in the United States around six per cent of the total student population. Students from 217 nations and one territory came to the US to study last year. International students are a major source of direct revenue for US colleges. This is because they usually pay the full tuition which allows universities to admit US students at a lower rate and offer scholarships and expand their graduate programmes. At UC Berkeley, for example, an out-of-state freshman pays nearly $38,000 (Rs 33.71 lakh) more each year than a Californian. At the University of Michigan, thats a $45,000 (Rs 39.92 lakh) gap no small feat. These premiums pay for labs, centres, and the discount on in-state seats. Some say one foreign student can pay as much in tuition to an institute as three local students. The tuition thats brought in by international students is incredibly important, Dick Startz, professor of economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told NPR. But thats not all. According to think-tanks and educators groups, foreign students many of whom are Indians also bring in billions in revenue to the United States every year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) says that these students, including 331,600 Indian students, added $44 billion (Rs 39.04 lakh crore) to the US economy during the 2023-2024 school year. Not only that, the NFAP says that the students also supported 378,000 jobs during the academic year. Nafsa, the Association of International Educators, put that figure that foreign students brought in at $43 billion (Rs 38.15 lakh crore). Nafsa says its analysis shows that three international students in the US create or support one local job. It measured the students economic activity at $2 billion (Rs 1.77 lakh crore) last year, a 33 per cent increase from the previous academic year, and said that they supported 8,400 jobs (a 28 per cent increase). These are likely just the direct jobs being created or supported being measured. When it comes to the indirect jobs created or sustained, the numbers could be far higher. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Students await their turn for the US visa interview at the US embassy in New Delhi. There are around 1.1 million foreign students in the United States around six per cent of the total student population. PTI California, New York, Massachusetts, Texas, and Illinois were the states that witnessed the greatest economic activity as a result of the foreign students. Over a dozen states crossed the billion-dollar mark an increase from nine the previous academic year. Indias role in this cannot be underestimated. During that same schooling year, India for the first time in over a decade and a half overtook China when it comes to sending the most students to the United States. The number of Indian students in the United States hit a record high of 331,602 in 2023-24 compared to 277,398 from China. The number of Indian students increased 23 per cent from 2022-2023. Immigrants are also critical to US innovation, particularly in the science and tech sector and when it comes to patents and entrepreneurship. As per The Importance of Immigrants and International Students to Higher Education in America report, 75 per cent of immigrants who founded US companies that were given venture capital funding came from a US college or university. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD [International students] play an incredibly important role for moving research forward, Startz added. These are also the people who are probably most likely to end up staying in the United States, raising their families here, contributing to high tech, often becoming entrepreneurs. Trumps crackdown The US presidents H-1B crackdown could have a devastating impact on the countrys education system. Fewer international students mean fewer subsidies for local students. Which in turn means higher costs for everyone. There are reports that US universities could lose as much as $1 billion (Rs 88,720 crore) in revenue if foreign students stay away. Nafsa in a survey said three-fourths of universities expect a 10 per cent decrease in foreign students. That number, if true, could result in around $900 million (Rs 79,848 crore) being lost in tuition revenue. Overall, that figure could be as much as $3 billion (Rs 2.66 lakh crore). US President Donald Trumps H-1B crackdown could have a devastating impact on the countrys education system. Reuters Indian students are doing more than just subsidising college seats. Theyre also leading the way for major US companies and creating jobs. Microsofts Satya Nadella, IBMs Arvind Krishna and Alphabets Sundar Pichai all came to America on the H-1B visa. These are just a few examples of the Indians that are heading up major US firms. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ironically, educational institutions in the red areas, the ones that voted for Trump, would likely be most affected by the US presidents moves. Losing up to one-third of undergraduate enrolment and almost two-fifths of graduate enrolment would be catastrophic for many colleges and universities, especially those in parts of the United States already experiencing demographic declines, The Importance of Immigrants and International Students to Higher Education in America report states. Americas demographic decline is also part of the story. US institutions have enrolled over two million fewer students than they did a decade ago a 10.7 per cent decrease. It is international students that plug in this important gap. However, the Trump administration has been busy attempting to deport thousands of foreign students and picking fights with elite institutions like Harvard. What do experts say? Experts say it is a fallacy that foreign students are taking up seats that would otherwise go to US citizens. International students do not crowd out US students and may even increase their numbers, The Importance of Immigrants and International Students to Higher Education in America report added. The higher tuition paid by international students can enable public universities to increase their offerings. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Experts say the US must act to continue to attract foreign students or risk losing its competitive edge, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). America could also risk falling behind China and other rivals in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, 5G, biotechnology, and quantum computing. International students contributions to the US are significant and multi-faceted, and this years record-breaking economic total is the latest proof of that, Fanta Aw, NAFSA executive director and CEO said. Yet we cannot be complacent. Meanwhile, competition for the worlds best and brightest is increasing. The United States must adopt more proactive policies to attract and retain global talent. We cannot afford to lose international students meaningful positive impact on American students global competence, our economies, and our communities, particularly in the areas of STEM-related research and innovation. Postgraduate student Lainey, who is waiting to resume visa process to study a PhD in the US. Reuters Meanwhile, other countries are making moves to attract top talent. China is set to introduce the K-Visa from October 1, while Germany is conducting a campaign advertising its visa policy for students. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The European Union has launched the Choose Europe for Science scheme and earmarked $584 billion (Rs 51.82 lakh crore) for the programme. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, taking a shot at Trump while announcing the initiative said the role of science in todays world is questioned. The investment in fundamental, free and open research is questioned. What a gigantic miscalculation, she added. Science has no passport, no gender, no ethnicity or political party. Data already show that the US in recent decades has lost a fifth of its international student market share to Canada, the UK and Australia. Canada in 2023 hit the 1 million foreign students mark. China is already making a mark on the tech industry with its DeepSeek AI which shook up Wall Street after showing it was put together for a fraction of the cost of models from other big AI firms. Will the White House heed the pleas of educators, experts and teachers groups? Or will these alternate destinations continue to gain popularity? That remains to be seen. With inputs from agencies Piyush Goyal, speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in New York, said India is a huge importer of energy from around the world and that it expects to increase its energy trade with the United States in the coming years. But how much crude oil does New Delhi import from Washington every year? Piyush Goyal has said India expects to increase its energy trade with the United States in the coming years Reuters India could buy more oil from the United States, according to Piyush Goyal. The Commerce and Industry Minister, speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, said India is a huge importer of energy from around the world. We are big importers of energy from across the world, including the US. We expect to increase our trade with the US on energy products in the years to come. And being close friends, natural partners, our energy security goals will have a very high involvement of US involvement, which will ensure price stability. Which will ensure diversified sources of energy for India and help us unlock limitless possibilities with the US on various fronts, energy and beyond, Goyal said at the event in New York. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Goyals remarks come in the backdrop of the United States imposing a 25 per cent tariff on India plus an additional 25 per cent for buying Russian oil. This also comes as the countries look to get negotiations on a bilateral trade deal back on track. Indias energy needs First, it must be noted that India is one of the worlds biggest energy consumers behind only the United States and China and has a voracious appetite for crude oil. India needs approximately 5.2 million barrels per day to fulfil its energy needs. However, it does not produce nearly enough oil to do so, which is why it imports around 85 per cent of its energy needs. India in the 2023-2024 financial year imported approximately 232.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of crude oil. It imported an estimated 4.84 million bpd last year. This number has increased in 2025 to 4.88 million bpd till March 2025. Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates are Indias major suppliers. India imports around 85 per cent of its energy needs. Reuters Russia in 2024 comprised around 36 per cent of Indias crude oil imports, down from 39 per cent in 2023. Meanwhile, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) share rose to 51.5 per cent in 2024 compared to 49.6 per cent in 2023. Indian refiners have stepped up purchases of Middle Eastern grades since late 2024 as Russian supplies decreased. However, Russia remains Indias top individual supplier of oil followed by Iraq and Saudi Arabia. What about US share? While Indias oil import from the US declined by around 95,000 bpd in 2023 compared to 2022, the trend seems to be reversing slowly. New Delhi in 2024 imported around 158,000 bpd of crude oil from Washington around 3.5 per cent of its total crude oil imports. In December, the United States was Indias fifth-largest seller of oil with sales estimated at $413.61 million (Rs 36,686 crore). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That has only increased massively in the intervening months. According to a report, India between January and April this year imported 6.31 million tonnes of crude oil from the United States. That number was at 1.69 million tonnes in the same period last year a 270 per cent increase. India has also imported $3.78 billion (Rs 3.35 lakh crore) worth of crude oil from America in the January-June period compared to $1 billion (Rs 88,690 crore) in the same period last year. The US share of Indias total oil imports is also on the rise. This year, Washington comprises around 7 per cent of Indias oil imports. The US share of Indias crude oil imports in April 2024 was around 4.5 per cent. This April, that figure has risen to 12 per cent. Between January and June, Indias imports of US crude increased 51 per cent from 0.18 million bpd last year to 0.271 million bpd. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In March, Washington was New Delhis fourth-largest supplier of oil. This came after Indias top refiner, Indian Oil, purchased 5 million barrels of US West Texas Intermediate crude oil, which will be delivered in October and November. Meanwhile, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Reliance Industries each bought two million barrels of WTI crude. The US share of Indias total oil imports is on the rise. Reuters By July, India was buying around 8 per cent of its total oil imports from the United States compared to 3 per cent earlier. The growth in imports between the two months was 23 per cent. India has signalled that it stands ready to buy more crude oil from the United States. Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri earlier this year said India would be open to increasing its energy import from the United States. He said it was price and not ideology that determined Indias oil imports. A few years ago, we did not import any energy from the United States. Now we are importing about $1520 billion (Rs 13.3017.74 lakh crore) from the United States. It is entirely conceivable that we will import more from the United States. There is more and more oil coming onto the international market, particularly from countries in the Western Hemisphere, Puri told Newsweeks Opportunity India podcast. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These developments, as well as the impending India-US trade deal, will go some way towards addressing the trade deficit between the two countries, which was at $45 billion (Rs 3.99 lakh crore) last year. The trade deficit has emerged as an obsession of US President Donald Trump during his second term. He often accuses countries of ripping America off. However, some say that when certain revenue streams are included, the United States is actually sitting at a massive surplus of billions with India. Why India buys Russian oil India prior to 2022 bought a fraction of its oil from Russia. It would rely on traditional suppliers in the Middle East such as Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. That year, OPECs market share in India was 64.5 per cent. India remains the second-biggest buyer of Russian crude oil after China. Reuters However, after Russia was sanctioned by the West in 2022, it offered India crude oil at significantly discounted rates. New Delhi, along with China, has saved billions of dollars on its oil bill by buying crude oil from Russia. Today, Russia comprises nearly a third of all the crude oil India purchases up from a minuscule 0.02 per cent in 2023. India remains the second-biggest buyer of Russian crude oil after China. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, OPECs market share in India decreased to 50 per cent in 2023 and then 51.5 per cent in 2024. The year 2025 has seen India continuing to buy Russian crude oil although at a significantly reduced discount compared to earlier years. Indias import of Russian oil rose 7.3 per cent from 2024 to 1.76 million bpd in March 2025, the data show. However, experts say it will not be cheap or easy for India to get off Russian oil. They said it could take time for India to diversify its energy suppliers find alternate sellers and add billions to Indias oil bill. Nor will it be easy for India, which buys mostly light sweet grades such as WTI Midland from the United States, to massively increase its crude oil purchases from Washington. With inputs from agencies An Indian-origin man, Varun Suresh, allegedly murdered 71-year-old David Brimmer, a registered child sex offender in California. Chillingly, Suresh reportedly confessed to police that he had long harboured a desire to kill the old man, and he didnt feel sad at all Suresh allegedly armed himself with a knife and disguised his intentions. He posed as a certified public accountant (CPA) before reaching David Brimmer's house. Image courtesy: X In the US, a shocking murder case has surfaced where an Indian-origin man allegedly killed a 71-year-old after discovering his name on a public sex offender registry, according to court filings. The accused, identified as 29-year-old Varun Suresh, has been charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of David Brimmer, a registered child sex offender. Court documents released on Monday revealed chilling details. Suresh reportedly confessed to police that he had long harboured a desire to kill a sex offender, telling investigators that it was honestly really fun. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Heres how it all unfolded. Investigators revealed that it all began when Varun Suresh used Californias Megans Law database to track down David Brimmer, who had previously served nine years in prison for child sexual assault in 1995, in Californias Fremont. On the day of the incident, Suresh allegedly armed himself with a knife and disguised his intentions. He posed as a certified public accountant (CPA) going door-to-door, carrying a bag, notebook, and even a cup of coffee to appear convincing. When he reached Brimmers home, Suresh struck up a conversation, shook his hand, and chillingly remarked, I knew I had the right guy. He then forced Brimmer back inside. Brimmer managed to break free and ran from his home in a desperate attempt to seek help. He tried to flag down a passing vehicle but failed. According to police, the 71-year-old then sprinted two blocks before collapsing inside a neighbours garage and kitchen. Suresh followed closely behind, stabbing him in the neck while reportedly ordering him to repent. Even as Brimmer struggled to crawl away, Suresh slit his throat to, in his words, make sure it was done. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite the swift arrival of emergency responders, Brimmer died from his injuries. The Independent reported that he had suffered multiple stab wounds in the attack. The Alameda County District Attorneys Office has charged Suresh with murder, residential burglary, and use of a deadly weapon. Representative Image Also read: 71-year-old US woman, who came to marry in India, burned to death: What we know The chilling confession After his arrest, Suresh reportedly told investigators that he targeted Brimmer because of his age and vulnerability, describing the act of killing him as honestly really fun, according to CBS News. Suresh allegedly admitted that he had no plans to flee the scene and would have contacted the police himself had they not arrived. Im hoping that because (the victim is) a pedophile like, everyone hates pedophiles so like, it should be cool. It should be cool, he reportedly said. In post-arrest interviews, Suresh showed no remorse, telling investigators he was not sorry and didnt feel sad at all. Authorities also found screenshots on Sureshs phone of multiple profiles from Californias Megans Law website, including Brimmers. The screenshot of Brimmers profile was taken roughly 45 minutes before the first 911 call reporting the stabbing, police said. The Alameda County District Attorneys Office has charged Suresh with murder, residential burglary, and use of a deadly weapon. Officials have classified the incident as isolated, noting there is no ongoing threat to the community, and Suresh remains in custody as prosecutors continue reviewing the case. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also read: How Indian-origin woman murdered her 11-year-old son during a visit to Disneyland Not the first run-in with the law This is not the first time Suresh has come into conflict with authorities. In 2021, he was arrested for a fake bomb threat, criminal threats, and burglary after leaving a bag at the Hyatt Place in Fremont. At that time, he reportedly told police that he had been hunting the CEO of the Hyatt chain because he was a paedophile and wanted to kill him. With input from agencies Theres an uneasy calm in Ladakh after four people died and 70 others were injured in clashes in Leh on Wednesday. The government has blamed innovator and activist Sonam Wangchuks speeches for inciting the demonstrators The government of India has accused climate activist Sonam Wangchuk for the violent protests in Leh, in which four people died. File image/PTI The scenic and peaceful region of Ladakh is witnessing an uneasy calm after demonstrations turned violent, killing four people and injuring 70 others. The Union Territory of India is regaining normalcy with authorities noting that no violent incident has taken place since 4 pm on Wednesday (September 24). In the aftermath of the violence, the Union government has pinned the blame of the clashes on activist Sonam Wangchuk, stating that his fiery speeches provoked the demonstrators into becoming violent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But who exactly is Sonam Wangchuk? How did he provoke the violence that unfolded in Ladakh? Heres what we found out. Wangchuks provocative statements incited mob The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has blamed the violence on Wednesday on climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, claiming that he was misleading people through provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal. The government noted that the activists fiery speech instigated the mob, which then went on a rampage, vandalising BJP and government offices. A statement by the Home Ministry said, On 24th September, around 11.30 am, a mob instigated by his (Wangchuks) provocative speeches left the venue of the hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as Government office of the CEC Leh. The government also accused Sonam Wangchuk of breaking his fast and leaving for his village without making effort to calm the situation down. It is clear that the mob was incited by Shri Sonam Wangchuk through his provocative statements. Incidentally, amidst these violent developments, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making serious efforts to control the situation, the MHA said. The statement from the MHA comes after Ladakh witnessed, perhaps, its most violent demonstrations on Wednesday. Arson and street clashes took place on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuring at least another 59, including 22 police personnel. A police vehicle torched by the demonstrators is pictured along a street near the BJP office in Leh. AFP According to officials, groups of youths indulged in arson and vandalism, targeting the headquarters of the BJP in Leh and the Hill Council and set vehicles ablaze. This resulted with the police and paramilitary forces to be deployed in strength across the town, lobbing teargas shells to bring the situation under control. Now, a curfew has been imposed, banning a gathering of more than five people. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Commenting on the demonstrations, the MHA noted that it all began with Wangchuks hunger fast 10 days ago, demanding statehood and inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which grants special autonomy to tribal areas. It added that the Union government was already in talks with progress being made on the same. However, certain politically motivated individuals who were not happy with the progress made under HPC have been trying to sabotage the dialogue process, it said. Smoke rises from a police vehicle that was torched by the demonstrators near the BJP office in Leh. Indian police clashed with hundreds of protesters demanding greater autonomy in the Himalayan territory of Ladakh, leaving several people injured. AFP Wangchuk speaks Wangchuk has not responded to the governments assertion. He, however, has condemned the violence, saying his message of peaceful path failed. On the 15th day of our strike, I am pained to say that several incidents of violence, arson and vandalism took place in Leh today. Two people on strike had to be hospitalised yesterday. This sparked outrage. A bandh was announced today, and thousands of youngsters hit the streets. He noted that the outburst was a kind of a Gen-Z revolution. They have been jobless for five years. This is a recipe for social unrest. There is no democratic platform here, he said. VERY SAD EVENTS IN LEH My message of peaceful path failed today. I appeal to youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause.#LadakhAnshan pic.twitter.com/CzTNHoUkoC Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) September 24, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I appealed to the youngsters to shun the path of violence. This nullifies my five-year struggle. We have been holding strikes, marches, and violence is not our path. I appeal to the youngsters with folded hands, we must talk to the government peacefully. And the government must hear us out. We are holding strike after strike, we walked from Leh to Delhi, but nothing was heard. About Sonam Wangchuk But who is Sonam Wangchuk, the man at the centre of the protests now? Born in 1966, the innovator, engineer, education reformist and climate activist first acquired national fame when he served as the inspiration for Aamir Khans role in the 2009 hit Bollywood movie, 3 Idiots. But thats not his only claim to fame. He founded the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh with the objective of reforming the schooling system so as to make it more appropriate both culturally and environmentally in Ladakh. SECMOL used a learning approach involving action through both learning at school and practical activities with students learning through action. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From June 1993 until 2005, Wangchuk also founded and worked as the editor of Ladakhs only print magazine Ladags Melong. Some of his greatest innovations have been a low-cost mud house that maintains a temperature of 15C even in -15C conditions, and an artificial spring in the shape of an ice stupa that stores downstream water for use during late spring when farmers need water. In 2020, in response to the India-China clashes at the Galwan Valley, Wangchuk appealed to Indians to use wallet power and boycott Chinese products. He even gave the slogan, Cheen ko jawaab Sena degi bullet se, Nagrik dengey wallet se. Later, in March 2024, he undertook a 21-day hunger fast in the freezing cold to remind the government of its promises to safeguard Ladakhs environment and tribal indigenous culture. He was joined by thousands who fasted with him and held demonstrations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In September, Wangchuk began a foot march from Leh to Delhi called the Delhi Chalo Padyatra with the aim of urge the central government to resume discussions regarding Ladakhs future. GOOD EARLY MORNING... From #ClimateMarch #PadYatra. Yatra starts at 4.45 am to avoid the effects of sweltering heat of the plains on high Himalayan people pic.twitter.com/wMuFB5GyYA Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) September 24, 2024 After the abrogation of Article 370, Ladakh was designated as a Union Territory, but local leaders like Wangchuk argue that this status lacks sufficient autonomy. They demand stronger protections for Ladakhs cultural and ecological identity, including a legislature and local decision-making powers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He has also been calling for the sixth schedule in Ladakh that gives special powers to tribal populations to safeguard their interests in matters including natural resources and infrastructure. The sixth schedule gives locals not just a right but a responsibility to conserve their climate, forests, rivers and glaciers, he told reporters earlier. Wangchuk argues that the fragile Himalayan ecology is in danger in the absence of constitutional safeguards. Wangchuk was stopped amid his march to the Capital but was released on October 2, 2024. Since his return to Ladakh, he has been continuing with his protests and calls, seeking constitutional guarantees, greater autonomy, statehood, and the Sixth Schedule status. With inputs from agencies The Moon is turning rusty, and Earth may be the cause. Scientists suggest that our planets atmosphere could be behind the Moons rusting. Researchers have found hematite, a form of iron oxide also called rust, on the Moons surface, particularly near its poles. Earlier in 2020, scientists also confirmed that Indias Chandrayaan-1 mission had detected hematite in the same regions Researchers have discovered hematite, a type of iron oxide also known as rust, on the Moons surface, especially near its poles. Representational image/News18 What is happening to the Moon? It is turning rusty, and Earth seems to be the reason. Scientists say our planets atmosphere may be responsible for the Moons rust. They have found hematite, a type of iron oxide better known as rust, on the Moons surface. So the question is, why is the Moon rusting? And how is Earth making it happen? Lets find out: Why the Moon is rusting Rust forms when iron comes into contact with water and oxygen. Researchers have discovered hematite, a type of iron oxide also known as rust, on the Moons surface, especially near its poles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Scientists were puzzled to see signs of rusting, since the process usually needs oxygen and water, both of which are scarce on the Moon. A photographer is silhouetted against the full moon known as the strawberry moon in Arinaga, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Reuters/File Photo According to a report in Nature, Ziliang Jin, a planetary scientist at Macau University of Science and Technology in China, said the findings reveal more about the close link between Earth and the Moon. Ziliang and his team shared their results earlier this month in Geophysical Research Letters. In 2020, scientists confirmed that Indias Chandrayaan-1 mission had detected hematite near the Moons poles. What did Chandrayaan-1 discover? And what exactly is hematite? Launched in 2008, Indias lunar probe circled the Moon and collected data that led to many discoveries over time, including evidence of water molecules on its surface. When researchers at Nasa and the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology recently studied the data, they were surprised to see signs of hematite, a form of iron oxide or rust. The Moon has plenty of iron-rich rocks, but rust can only form when iron is exposed to both oxygen and water. Hematite itself is an iron-rich mineral created when rocks react with water and oxygen. The authors of the 2020 study suggested that oxygen may have reached the Moon through the Earth wind. Is Earth to blame? Why? Scientists think the Moon is rusting because of its interaction with Earths magnetic tail. This tail is made of particles first trapped by Earths magnetic field and then pushed out by the solar wind. For about six days in every 28-day lunar cycle, around the time of the full Moon, the Moon passes through this magnetic tail. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During those days, some oxygen molecules from Earth may travel to the Moon. This explains the source of oxygen, but rust also needs water. Water does exist on the Moon, though only as ice at the poles. Researchers believe the hematite may have formed in those polar regions and later spread across the surface by some unknown process. Scientists think the Moon is rusting because of its interaction with Earths magnetic tail. Representational image/Pixabay Normally, charged particles from the Sun hit both Earth and the Moon. But for about five days each month, when Earth blocks the Sun, the solar particles are cut off. At that time, the Moon is mainly exposed to particles from Earths atmosphere, known as Earth wind. According to Sky At Night Magazine, Earths magnetotail shields the Moon from solar winds, lowering their impact and making oxidation possible during certain phases. Ziliang and his team tested this idea in the laboratory using a simulation of Earth wind. They fired hydrogen and oxygen ions at high speeds into iron-rich mineral crystals, the type found on the Moon. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some crystals turned into haematite when hit with oxygen ions. But when hydrogen ions struck the haematite, some of it changed back into iron. The Trump administrations plan to impose a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas could cut 5,500 foreign work permits every month, hitting Indian tech professionals and US companies reliant on global talent. Experts warn the move may disrupt hiring and drive jobs offshore A US flag and a US H-1B Visa application form are seen in this illustration taken, September 22, 2025. File Image/Reuters The Trump administrations plan to impose a $100,000 annual fee on new H-1B visa applications is expected to alter the employment for skilled foreign workers in the United States. This unprecedented hike, announced last week, could lead to a sharp drop in foreign work authorisations and hit Indian professionals the hardest, as they form the majority of H-1B visa holders. Economists at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Abiel Reinhart and Michael Feroli, estimate that the proposed policy would result in as many as 5,500 fewer work permits being approved every month. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Their assessment is based on the number of visas processed abroad during the last financial year, which are considered most vulnerable to the dramatic cost increase, reported Bloomberg. The US government argues that the measure is aimed at encouraging domestic hiring and reducing reliance on foreign labour. However, industry groups, business leaders, and analysts have warned that the fallout could be severe, especially for sectors like technology and finance that depend on international talent. A closer look at H-1B visa data The H-1B visa programme allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialised roles, many of which require advanced skills in technology, engineering, or scientific fields. According to government figures for FY2024, there were 141,000 petitions approved for new employment, of which around 65,000 were processed through US consulates abroad. These cases are most at risk under the new rule, as companies would need to pay the additional $100,000 fee for each fresh application. Data shows that computer-related occupations accounted for nearly two-thirds of all approvals, highlighting the programmes central role in supporting the US technology sector. Approximately half of the total visas were linked to professional, scientific, and technical services, a category that includes a wide range of advanced roles in research, IT consulting, and specialized engineering services. Indian nationals dominate the H-1B landscape, representing 70 to 71 per cent of all approvals last year. China was the second-largest source of applicants, but at a much lower 11.7 per cent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This overwhelming representation makes Indian professionals the most exposed group to the proposed changes. The number of monthly job losses The estimate by JPMorgans economists suggests that 5,500 foreign work authorizations could be lost each month, equivalent to 66,000 jobs annually. These numbers are based on the assumption that companies will scale back or halt their overseas sponsorships due to the higher cost. In a more severe scenario, Loujaina Abdelwahed, senior economist at Revelio Labs, warned that the impact might be even greater. The dramatic increase in fees is effectively equivalent to dismantling the H-1B system, potentially eliminating up to 140,000 new jobs per year about 10,000 per month in US companies that depend on skilled foreign talent, she said. Google, Microsoft, Amazon and other US big tech firms have been sourcing foreign workers through L-1 visas for years now. File Image/Reuters The fee hike comes at a time when the US labour market is already slowing. Employers have added an average of just 29,000 payrolls per month over the past three months, a sharp deceleration from previous levels. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently described the situation as a marked slowing in both the supply and demand for workers, citing reduced immigration as a contributing factor. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How mid-level roles are most at risk JPMorgans report notes that the sharp fee increase will likely change hiring patterns. Employers may reserve H-1B sponsorships only for senior or very high-paying positions, as the cost of bringing in mid-level or early-career professionals becomes prohibitive. For Indian engineers, software developers, and consultants who are frequently employed in mid-tier roles this represents a direct threat to career opportunities in the US. It could also disrupt project delivery for major IT and consulting firms, many of which rely on a steady stream of skilled workers to manage contracts and clients. The consequences may extend beyond individual workers. Higher fees could lead to longer recruitment cycles as companies reassess budgets and visa strategies, ultimately increasing operational costs. In some cases, employers may opt to relocate jobs overseas rather than pay the steep new fees, a shift that could redirect economic benefits away from the U.S. and into other countries. US companies under congressional scrutiny The announcement of the fee hike has coincided with growing political pressure on major corporations over their use of foreign labour. Lawmakers from both parties have raised questions about why companies continue to sponsor thousands of foreign workers while simultaneously laying off American employees. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Dick Durbin have written to several high-profile companies seeking detailed information about their hiring practices. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The letters request data on the number of H-1B workers employed, the wages paid to them, and whether American workers have been displaced as a result. With all of the homegrown American talent relegated to the sidelines, we find it hard to believe that Amazon cannot find qualified American tech workers to fill these positions, the senators wrote to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. The companies that received these inquiries include Apple, Amazon, Deloitte, Alphabets Google, Meta, Microsoft, Walmart, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). These firms are among the largest sponsors of H-1B visas and play leading roles in industries such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and enterprise technology. In the first half of 2025 alone, Amazon and its cloud division, AWS, secured approval for more than 12,000 H-1B visas, while Microsoft and Meta each received over 5,000 approvals. Fee hike defended by Trump administration The U.S. government has defended the $100,000 fee as a tool to promote domestic hiring and prioritise higher-skilled roles. Alongside the fee, officials have proposed changes to the H-1B selection process that would give preference to applicants with advanced qualifications and higher salaries. Proponents argue that these reforms will ensure that visas go to the most qualified individuals while reducing dependence on cheaper foreign labour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They believe this could open up opportunities for American workers, particularly in the technology sector. However, business leaders and economists have pushed back against this narrative. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, has pointed out the importance of access to global talent, reportedly stating that the sudden fee increase came out of the blue. Dimon and others warn that restricting international hiring could hurt US competitiveness in industries that rely on cutting-edge skills, particularly as companies race to develop advancements in artificial intelligence and other emerging fields. As US companies grapple with higher visa costs, they may choose to move more roles offshore to countries where labour is more affordable. Canada, the UK, and Australia are expected to be key beneficiaries, as their immigration policies are seen as more welcoming to skilled professionals. This shift could gradually erode the US position as the leading destination for top global talent. With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump has accused the United Nations of triple sabotage after a dramatic escalator stop, teleprompter failure, and an alleged sound issue disrupted his address. The UN denies foul play, blaming technical glitches and human error, but Trump insists the incidents were intentional and has called for a full investigation. Conspiracy theories also abound US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump ride an escalator as they arrive to attend the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, New York, US, September 23, 2025. File Image/Reuters The annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is usually a carefully choreographed affair, with world leaders arriving at the organisations headquarters in New York to deliver speeches, a few of which go down in history. However, United States President Donald Trumps appearance this time was anything but smooth. On September 23, a series of mishaps disrupted Trumps visit: an abrupt escalator stop that nearly caused him and First Lady Melania Trump to fall, a malfunctioning teleprompter at the start of his speech, and complaints about audio issues in the General Assembly Hall. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has claimed these were not random glitches but rather deliberate acts of sabotage aimed at undermining him on the world stage. The United Nations, on the other hand, has attributed the incidents to technical faults and human error. The dispute has since escalated into a political controversy that has been dubbed Escalatorgate online and in some media reports. Looking at the triple sabotage Trump alleges On September 24, Trump posted a 357-word statement on his Truth Social platform, detailing his version of events and labelling the situation a REAL DISGRACE. Not one, not two, but three very sinister events! Trump wrote, referring to what he views as a coordinated effort to disrupt his appearance. The first incident occurred shortly after Trump and the First Lady arrived at the UN complex. As they approached the main floor, the escalator carrying them upward suddenly halted. According to Trump, the sudden stop almost caused both of them to fall forward onto the sharp metal steps. The dramatic moment was captured on video and widely circulated online. Footage shows Trump and Melania holding the handrails tightly as the escalator comes to an abrupt stop. After a brief pause, Melania Trump begins walking up the stationary steps, with Trump following closely behind. In his post, Trump expressed gratitude that neither he nor the First Lady was injured, writing that they had narrowly avoided a dangerous fall. He later referenced the incident during his UN speech, telling delegates, If the First Lady wasnt in great shape, she would have fallen, but shes in great shape. Were both in good shape, were both still. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The second issue arose moments later when Trump stepped up to the iconic green marble podium to deliver his address to the General Assembly. He said his teleprompter failed at the very start, forcing him to ad-lib portions of his speech. I immediately thought to myself, Wow, first the escalator event, and now a bad teleprompter. What kind of a place is this? Trump recounted in his Truth Social post. The third problem involved the halls audio system. According to Trump, many delegates were unable to hear him speak. After his speech, he asked the First Lady for her feedback, and she reportedly replied, I couldnt hear a word you said. US President Donald Trump at the 80th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City. File Image/Reuters In his statement, Trump concluded that these three events were part of a deliberate effort to humiliate him. This wasnt a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN, he declared, demanding an immediate investigation. He called on the UN to preserve all security footage of the escalator area and said the Secret Service had already launched its own inquiry. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved, Trump wrote. The people that did it should be arrested! How the UN has responded The United Nations quickly responded to the growing controversy. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, released a detailed statement describing what happened. Dujarric explained that as part of the presidents arrival, a videographer from the US delegation was walking backward on the escalator to record footage of Trump and Melanias entrance. As the videographer reached the top of the escalator, the First Lady and President stepped on at the bottom. At precisely 9:50 a.m., the escalator suddenly stopped. A UN technician who was stationed nearby reset the escalator once the group had reached the second floor. Following the incident, a diagnostic check was performed on the escalators central processing unit. According to Dujarric, the investigation revealed that a built-in safety feature known as the comb step mechanism had been triggered. This feature is designed to stop the machine if an object or person gets too close to the gearing at the top or bottom, preventing potential injuries or mechanical damage. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function, Dujarric said. While the escalator issue drew the most attention, Trump also accused the UN of being behind the teleprompter failure and the alleged audio problems during his speech. However, a UN official clarified that the teleprompter used during the presidents address was operated by the White House staff, not by UN personnel. As for the sound system, the UN explained that speeches in the General Assembly are heard through individual headsets at each delegates seat, with simultaneous translations provided in six languages. Video recordings of the event showed delegates reacting in real time to Trumps remarks, suggesting they could hear him despite his claims. Some in the hall even chuckled when Trump quipped during his speech, These are the two things I got from the United Nations a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter. How the White House remains sceptical Despite the UNs explanations, the White House has remained sceptical. Later on September 24, press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared on Fox News, hinting that the malfunction may have been deliberate. If we find that these were UN staffers who were purposefully trying to trip up literally trip up the President and the First Lady of the United States, well, there better be accountability for those people. And I will personally see to it, she said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Leavitt also posted on X, reinforcing the administrations stance: If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately. Trump, in his own social media post, pointed to a Times of London report that had surfaced earlier in the week. According to that report, some UN staff members had jokingly suggested they might shut down escalators and then claim it was due to a lack of funds a sarcastic reference to US-led budget cuts. For Trump, this remark was further proof that the incident might not have been an innocent accident. The video of the escalator stopping spread rapidly across social media platforms, with many users treating it as an amusing clip rather than a serious security concern. Memes and jokes quickly appeared online, often using the hashtag #Escalatorgate. However, some commentators expressed genuine concern. Fox News host Jesse Watters said on his programme, They sabotaged him, and they couldve hurt the First Lady. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why this is not a new issue at the UN While the abrupt stop involving Trump was highly unusual, escalator stoppages at the UN are not unheard of. Staff members have reported similar issues in recent years, often tied to financial challenges facing the organisation. The UN has been grappling with persistent budget shortfalls caused by delays or reductions in payments from member states, including the United States. These financial problems have been described internally as a liquidity crisis. To conserve resources, the UN Secretariat has occasionally resorted to temporary shutdowns of elevators and escalators at its New York and Geneva facilities. These measures, while bureaucratic in nature, have sometimes been visible to visitors and staff alike. The Secret Service has launched an investigation into the events, as confirmed by Trump. Their focus is expected to include reviewing security camera footage, examining the escalators emergency stop mechanism, and interviewing relevant UN staff and White House personnel. This latest controversy comes amid longstanding friction between Trump and the UN. During his presidency, he has repeatedly questioned US financial contributions to the organisation and pushed for major reforms. With inputs from agencies One of the most devastating diseases in the world, Huntingtons, has been successfully treated for the first time, marking a major milestone in neurology One of the most devastating diseases in the world, Huntingtons, has been successfully treated for the first time, marking a major milestone in medicine. The disease runs through families and is known for killing brain cells. Many believe that the symptoms resemble a combination of dementia, Parkinsons and motor neurone disease. The research team, which led the UK part of the trial, told the BBC that the data showed that the disease slowed by 75 per cent in patients. They explained that the decline patients usually expect in one year would ultimately take four years after treatment, giving patients decades of good quality of life. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Prof Sarah Tabrizi told the BBC that the new treatment is a type of gene therapy given within 12 to 18 hours of a delicate brain injury. According to the researchers, the first symptoms of Huntingtons disease tend to appear in your 30s or 40s and are normally fatal within two decades. Scientists and researchers laud the feat Prof Tabrizi, director of the University College London Huntingtons Disease Centre, described the results as spectacular. We never in our wildest dreams would have expected a 75 per cent slowing of clinical progression, she said. While none of the patients who have been treated have been identified, one person who was medically retired has returned to work. The scientists also noted that others in the trial are still walking despite being expected to need a wheelchair. However, the treatment of the disease is likely to be very expensive. It is pertinent to note that Huntingtons disease is caused by an error in part of our DNA called the huntingtin gene. If one of your parents has Huntingtons disease, theres a 50 per cent chance that you will inherit the altered gene and will eventually develop Huntingtons too. This mutation turns a normal protein needed in the brain called the huntingtin protein into a killer of neurons. The goal of the treatment will now be to reduce levels of this toxic protein permanently, in a single dose. The therapy uses cutting-edge genetic medicine combining gene therapy and gene silencing technologies. It starts with a safe virus that has been altered to contain a specially designed sequence of DNA. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The virus then acts like a microscopic postman delivering the new piece of DNA inside brain cells, where it becomes active. This leads to lower levels of mutant huntingtin in the brain. Prof Tabrizi told the BBC that gene therapy is the beginning and will open the gates for therapies that can reach more people. She went on to pay tribute to the truly brave volunteers who took part in the trial, saying she was overjoyed for the patients and families. The researchers are already working with a group of young people who know they have the gene, but dont yet have symptoms known as stage zero Huntingtons and are aiming to do the first prevention trial to see if the disease can be significantly delayed or even stopped completely. Huntingtons disease, known as one of the worlds most terrible diseases, is a hereditary, neurological condition that causes the cells in the brain to rot. This leads to impairment in movement and in cognitive abilities. Now, for the first time, theres a treatment that offers hope to those suffering from this condition An experimental gene therapy has become the first treatment to successfully slow the progression of Huntingtons disease. Representational image/Pixabay A medical breakthrough has been achieved and its a moment to celebrate. Doctors have successfully treated Huntingtons disease with a new gene therapy and results show that the disease progression slows by 75 per cent after 36 months. Prof Sarah Tabrizi, the director of University College Londons Huntingtons disease centre, who led the trial, said: We now have a treatment for one of the worlds more terrible diseases. This is absolutely huge. Im really overjoyed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Heres why this treatment, known as AMT-130, is being considered a medical marvel. About Huntingons disease The new treatment is being considered a medical breakthrough owing to the nature of the disease. Huntingtons disease is a genetic condition that affects the cells in your brain, causing them to decay. The disease affects a persons movements, thinking ability and mental health. According to the Alzheimers Association, Huntingtons is caused by a single defective gene on chromosome 4 one of the 23 human chromosomes that carry a persons entire genetic code. This defect is dominant, meaning that anyone who inherits it from a parent with Huntingtons will eventually develop the disease. The disorder is named for George Huntington, the physician who first described it in the late 1800s. Doctors note that usually Huntingtons occurs when people are in their 30s or 40s. If the disease develops before age 20, its called juvenile Huntingtons disease. When the disease develops early, symptoms can be different and the disease may have a faster progression. One of the foremost symptoms of Huntingtons is uncontrolled movement of the arms, legs, head, face and upper body. Huntingtons disease also causes a decline in thinking and reasoning skills, including memory, concentration, judgment, and ability to plan and organise. Huntingtons disease also leads to alterations in mood, especially depression, anxiety, and uncharacteristic anger and irritability. Another common symptom is obsessive-compulsive behavior, leading a person to repeat the same question or activity over and over. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Experts also find that life expectancy after being diagnosed with the disease is around 15 to 25 years. Often Huntingtons is known as the cruellest disease because many carriers of the Huntington gene have had children before they discover that they have inherited the condition. This means parents are then left to watch their children get sick. As Dr Tabrizi has noted in The Guardian, This is a truly terrible disease. It is like Parkinsons, motor neurone disease and schizophrenia rolled into one. It devastates families. I have seen households in which mothers have lost husbands and all their children to Huntingtons. People will watch an affected parent suffer and die knowing that they may carry the gene themselves. In 2018, the cruelty of the disease was further highlighted through a Danish study which revealed that people with Huntingtons are nearly nine times more likely to attempt suicide than individuals in the general population. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD New therapy for Huntingtons Now, after years and years, theres been a medical miracle with doctors finding a treatment against this cruel disease. An experimental gene therapy has been found to successfully slow the progression of Huntingtons disease. Known as s AMT-130, it is delivered via brain surgery, and a single dose is expected to last someones whole life. This suggests that the treatment is likely to be very expensive. Nevertheless, it is a moment of real hope for those suffering from this debilitating disease. Professor Ed Wild and Professor Sarah Tabrizi who successfully treated Huntingtons diease for the first time. Image Courtesy: ucl.ac.uk According to Tabrizi, the treatment would allow patients of Huntingtons disease to work and live independently for significantly longer. Prof Ed Wild, from the University College London (UCL) Huntingtons Disease Centre and principal investigator of the trial, was also quoted as telling Sky News, The results change everything. My patients in the trial are stable over time in a way Im not used to seeing in Huntingtons disease. One of them, he added, was medically retired but has been able to return to work. What the future holds Following the success in the trial, UniQure, the Amsterdam-based drugmaker, who has collaborated with the University College London, said it is now planning to submit its data on AMT-130 to the US Food and Drug Administration in the first quarter of 2026. If the treatment is approved by the FDA, it could launch later next year. These findings reinforce our conviction that AMT-130 has the potential to fundamentally transform the treatment landscape for Huntingtons disease, while also providing important evidence supporting one-time, precision-delivered gene therapies for the treatment of neurological disorders, Dr Walid Abi-Saab, chief medical officer of uniQure, said in their announcement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The treatment has been hailed as hope for the patients of Huntingtons. Amy Gray, the president and CEO of Huntingtons Disease Society of America noted, For the approximate 42,000 Americans and their families living with Huntingtons disease, this is a truly transformative development. For decades, there have been no therapies to slow disease progressiononly treatments to manage symptoms, Gray said. While there is still a path to approval through the FDA, this data brings us closer than ever to a future where we can change the course of Huntingtons disease. With inputs from agencies General Chauhan made the remarks in a recorded video message played on Wednesday during the release of the revised autobiography of the late Lieutenant General SPP Thorat - Reveille to Retreat - in Pune (File) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with the three Indian defence chiefs, Army General Upendra Dwivedi, Naval Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and Air Force Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, in New Delhi. PTI Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has said the use of Air Force would have slowed the Chinese offensive considerably during the 1962 Sino-Indian war, and it may have been termed as escalatory then, but that is not the case now as seen in Operation Sindoor. Speaking about the war with China 63 years ago, he noted the forward policy should not have been applied uniformly to Ladakh and NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency) or present-day Arunachal Pradesh, arguing the two regions had different histories of dispute and entirely different terrain, and following identical policies was flawed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Over the years, the security situation has changed and the face of warfare itself has got transformed, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) maintained. General Chauhan made the remarks in a recorded video message played on Wednesday during the release of the revised autobiography of the late Lieutenant General SPP Thorat - Reveille to Retreat - in Pune. Lt Gen Thorat was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, in the lead-up to the Sino-Indian war. General Chauhan said the autobiography of Lt Gen Thorat was more than a soldiers memoir and it offered valuable insights into leadership, strategy and Indias military history. The CDS said he was requested to speak about forward policy and about not using the Indian Air Force (IAF) during the 1962 war. To comment on the adequacy or inadequacy of the forward policy at this time is slightly difficult. Our views will be coloured due to many reasons, like geography has changed entirely and so has geopolitics, he noted. Over the years, the security situation has changed and force levels, too, have changed, said General Chauhan. All I can say is that the forward policy should not have been applied uniformly to Ladakh and NEFA. The two regions had very different histories of the dispute, a different security context and entirely different terrain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In Ladakh, China had already occupied much of Indian territory, whereas in NEFA, the legitimacy of Indias claim was stronger. To equate the two and pursue identical policies was, in my view, a bit flawed, he said. The CDS suggested Lt Gen Thorat did think about using the IAF, but the then-government did not permit such a move. They would have had a significant advantage during the 1962 conflict. Shorter turnaround times, a favourable geography and the ability to bring maximum payloads to bear with maximum weight on the enemy. Use of air power would have slowed the Chinese offensive considerably, if not stymied it completely. This would have given the Army much more time to prepare. In those days, I think, the use of the Air Force was considered escalatory. This, I think, is no longer true, and Operation Sindoor is an apt example of this, he maintained. Notably, Operation Sindoor in May this year involved India employing its air power to dismantle terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK following the Pahalgam massacre in April. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reveille to Retreat is not simply an autobiography. Its a reflection on leadership, strategy and service. It sheds light on the decisions of power, critiques them with honesty and draws lessons that largely remain relevant today, General Chauhan stated. The CDS recalled Lt Gen Thorat, during his distinguished career that spanned pre and post independent India, had served in conflict zones which remain troubled even now, including Waziristan and Peshawar (Pakistan). He commanded his battalion in Burmas Arakan (now Rakhine) state, where his leadership earned him the Distinguished Service Order, and later fought in the historic battles of Kohima and Imphal, said General Chauhan. Lt Gen Thorat also commanded the Custodian Force in Korea after the Armistice and was awarded the Ashoka Chakra Class II (later renamed the Kirti Chakra) as well as the Padma Bhushan, he said. Korea remains divided along the 38th parallel, one of the worlds most volatile fault lines, showing the continuity of conflict he had once helped manage, the CDS said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The order comes following Operation Sindoor, which saw Pakistan use Chinese-origin jets like J-10s armed with PL-15, and made IAF come to the conclusion based on an internal assessment that it will need far more than even its authorised 42.5 fighter squadrons The Indian Air Force will receive as many as 97 Tejas Mark-1A fighters under the largest-ever contract with Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) worth Rs 66,500, a day after Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets were decommissioned. According to a report by TOI, the major contract for 97 fourth-generation Tejas jets could be signed as early as Thursday, just a day before the retirement of 36 ageing MiG-21s, a move that will reduce the IAF to an all-time low of 29 fighter squadrons, each comprising 16 to 18 jets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The order comes following Operation Sindoor, which saw Pakistan use Chinese-origin jets like J-10s armed with PL-15, and made IAF come to the conclusion based on an internal assessment that it will need far more than even its authorised 42.5 fighter squadrons. The IAF was insistent the new contract should not be inked before deliveries of the earlier 83 jets begin, with HAL being held accountable. The defence ministry, however, must spend its budget within specified timelinesthe initial payment will go to HAL once the contract is signed, a source told the media outlet. The IAF has consistently raised concerns over the painfully slow progress in developing the single-engine Tejas fighters, warning that operational readiness cannot be compromised indefinitely in the name of atmanirbharta (self-reliance). Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has openly acknowledged the shortfall, stating that the IAF is very badly off in numbers and must induct at least 40 fighter jets annually to maintain combat readiness. MiG-21 retires The legendary Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets, which have been the backbone of the Indian Air Forces combat fleet for over six decades, are finally set to retire from the IAF at a decommissioning event in Chandigarh, where the iconic aircraft was first inducted over six decades ago. The official culmination of MiG-21 operations is set for September 26 with a ceremonial flypast and decommissioning event, marking the closure of a historic chapter in Indias air power. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The last of the MiG-21 jets, belonging to number 23rd Squadron, nicknamed Panthers, will be given a farewell at the decommissioning ceremony at the Chandigarh Air Force station. On Friday, Air Chief Marshal Singh will fly the last sortie of the Squadron with the call sign Badal 3. With inputs from agencies The late recognition of a Palestinian state by several European nations is not only hypocritical but also futile without US support A protester waves a Palestinian flag during a march asking for the "recognition of the State of Palestine and the end of the genocide", in Paris on September 21. AFP At the United Nations summit convened by France and Saudi Arabia ahead of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City on Monday, several nations decided to recognise a Palestinian state and rally support for a two-state solution. France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco moved to recognise Palestinian statehood. A day earlier, the UK, Australia, Canada and Portugal joined them, taking the number of nations that recognise Palestine to 156 of the 193 UN member states (around 80 per cent). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We have gathered here because the time has come. It falls on us, this responsibility, to do everything in our power to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, French President Emmanuel Macron said. Today, I declare that France recognises the state of Palestine. The summit was the result of the September 12 UNGA New York Declaration, proposed in a July conference convened by France and Saudi Arabia. The declaration called for ending the Gaza War via a permanent ceasefire, a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution by unifying the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The latest decision is being hailed as a big move, especially by the international media, in the face of staunch opposition by the US and Israel against Palestinian statehood and a two-state solution. Symbolically, the move is decisive considering that France, the UK and Australia are steadfast American allies. The latest diplomatic push also comes at a time as Israel continues with its latest military operation against Gaza City to finish off Hamas. Since the Israel-Hamas War started in October 2023, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, famine has gripped the coastal enclave, 90 per cent of homes have been destroyed and 1.9 million people displaced with many families twice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US opposes Palestinian statehood The US remains the only UNSC permanent member not to recognise Palestine after Frances and the UKs announcement. The first step towards a two-state solution is the recognition of Palestine as a state. If the US seriously supported the idea of the coexistence of Israel and an independent Palestine, it would have recognised Palestinian statehood long ago. However, Israel, especially under Benjamin Netanyahuthe longest-serving PMhas vociferously opposed Palestinian statehood and a two-state solution. The US, with its unwavering support, has been complicit in thwarting any such move. Israels UN ambassador, Danny Danon, termed the latest summit a circus. We think its actually rewarding terrorism, he told the media last week. Netanyahu was livid. I have a clear message to those leaders who recognise a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre of October 7: You are giving a huge reward to terrorism, he said in a statement before the summit. The Israeli PM vowed against the formation of a Palestinian state. And I have another message for you: It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Instead, Bibi vowed to continue expanding settlements in the West Bank. For years, I have prevented the creation of that terror state against tremendous pressure Moreover, we have doubled the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and we will continue on this path. The US and Israel had boycotted the French-Saudi UN July conference and voted against the September declaration. US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, had termed Macrons plan reckless in July. This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th, he had tweeted. Both the US and Israel boycotted the latest UN summit. Moreover, the US barred Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and around 80 Palestinian Authority (PA) officials from attending the UNGA summit. The UN had to adopt a resolution backed by 145 member statessix countries abstained and five, including the US and Israel, voted againstlast week to allow Abbas to address the UNGA virtually. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US made its displeasure against the move to recognise Palestine clear. According to the White House, President Donald Trump disagrees with American allies recognising a Palestinian state and believes it is a reward to Hamas. White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said Trump viewed the move just more talk and not enough action from some of our friends and allies. In his UNGA speech on Tuesday, Trump termed the latest support for Palestinian statehood as a reward for Hamas. The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists for their atrocities a reward for these horrible atrocities, including October 7, even while they refuse to release the hostages or accept a ceasefire, he said. After the failed 2000 Camp David Summit, no US president either hinted at recognising a Palestinian state or made efforts for a two-state solution. The main reasons for the irreconcilable differences and the failure of the Camp David talks remain: illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the status of Jerusalem and Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa) and the potential Israeli control over the airspace and borders of a future Palestinian state. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even the US stance on a Gaza ceasefire and hostages is sheer hypocrisy, shocking and repugnant. In his UN speech, Trump, expressing concern for the hostages, said, We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. On the other hand, both under Joe Biden and Trump, the US has vetoed six resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire. The latest US double standard was evident this month when the US vetoed a UN resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, lifting all Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries to the Palestinian enclave and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups. Except for the US, all 14 UNSC members voted for the resolution. It is universally known that Netanyahus massive military operation against Gaza City has endangered the lives of the hostages. Despite Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamirs opposition to the expanded military operation and insistence on a hostage-ceasefire deal, Netanyahu went ahead. Trump, stressing the return of the hostages, tacitly approved the operation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US opposes a UN ceasefire because it wants a deal with Hamas on Israeli terms. In case of a UN-backed ceasefire, Israel would have to immediately halt its operations and ultimately withdraw from Gazaan idea anathema to Netanyahu, fighting for political survival, and his far-right ministers. Instead, the US has provided military assistance worth billions to Israel, which has used the same weapons, especially warplanes, missiles, bombs and artillery, to kill civilians in every war with Hamas or Hezbollah. Since its founding, Israel has been the largest recipient of American economic and military aid, totalling around $310 billion with almost $18 billion in direct military assistance since the war with Hamas started. Per a 2016 MoU, the US will provide Israel with $3.8 billion annually through 2028 under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme. Another $500 million is spent annually on joint missile defence programmes, like the Iron Dome, Davids Sling, and Arrow II. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Under the FMF programme, Israel must use to purchase American military equipment and services. The US also made an exception for Israel by allowing it to use a portion of the FMF programme to buy equipment from Israeli defence firms. Biden only warned Israel about the rising civilian toll in Gaza and paused the supply of 2,000-pound bombs in April 2024. However, in January this year, the State Department informed Congress of a planned $8 billion weapons sale to Israel, including AMRAAMs, 155 mm projectile artillery shells, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles and 500-pound bombs. Per latest reports, the Trump administration is seeking Congress approval to sell $6.4 billion worth of military equipment to Israel, including 30 Apache air attack helicopters and around 3,250 assault vehicles. European double-talk on Palestinian statehood The latest move to recognise Palestine is not only symbolic but also futile. Strangely, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a prominent US ally, did not attend the summit despite co-hosting it with Macron. Without American support, initiative and pressure on Israel, such efforts are meaningless and useless. Trump has made his opposition to such European moves clear. The US will veto any such move when it comes up for a vote at the UNSC. The US opposition to recognising Palestine and a two-state solution is evident. However, what makes the latest move more ironic and hypocritical is Britains history and Frances sudden support for an independent Palestine. Britain had a significant role in Israels creation. In 1917, Britain, guided by strategic and economic interests in the region, issued the Balfour Declarationthe foundation of Israels creation and the root cause of the Israel-Palestinian conflictwhich called for the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. In the same year, British troops captured Jerusalem from the Ottoman Empire. In 1922, Britain was awarded an international mandate to administer Palestine by the League of Nations. Subsequently, Britain allowed an increasing number of Jews from Europe to migrate to Palestine but also promised an independent Palestine to the Arabs. On May 14, 1948, Israel was created through a UN plan by giving 56 per cent of British-controlled Mandatory Palestine to Jews and envisaging a Palestinian state on 43 per cent of the land. Arab nations rejected the plan and declared war on Israel, which defeated them and was in control of 78 per cent of the original territory. The remaining land was split between the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. So when British PM Keir Starmer said that the UK formally recognised the State of Palestine to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, he was trying to correct a historical wrong. Frances sudden recognition of Palestine is nothing but a part of Macrons disastrous attempt to be another Charles De Gaulle. After the departure of Angela Merkel, Macron has been trying desperately to portray himself as the next European leader who can mediate in international crises and chart out Europes future without American backing. Macron abysmally failed to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin not to attack Ukraine and to persuade NATO to send troops to counter Russian troops. His proposal to extend the French nuclear umbrella to the whole of Europe to deter Russia was ridiculous and angered Moscow. Now, Macron is delusional about leading Europe in recognising a Palestinian state and finally a two-state solution despite being aware that his words ring hollow without American and full European support. France doesnt even have the support of Germany and Italy, two major European powers that havent recognised Palestine. Even among the 32 NATO countries, only 18 have recognised a Palestinian state. There are two reasons for the sudden change in the diplomatic stance of European nations that have recently recognised Palestine. First, these nations had only criticised Israel as it started relentlessly and mercilessly bombarding Gaza since October 2023, killing civilians in tens of thousands. When scores of Gazans, especially childrenmore than 50,00 killed or injuredwere being killed daily, the UN declared famine in Gaza and more than a million Gazans were displaced, these European nations didnt act. Only Israels latest military campaign against Gaza City, aimed at cornering civilians into a shrinking patch of land, prompted these nations to act. The man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaches new depths. The Israeli governments relentless and increasing bombardment of Gaza, the offensive of recent weeks, the starvation and devastation are utterly intolerable, Starmer said. Suddenly, the conscience of Britain and France has awakened. They find the new Israeli military operation, the destruction and the starvation in Gaza wrong. They want equal rights for Palestinians in an independent state. They want a ceasefire and an end to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Europes glaring hypocrisy becomes all the more abhorrent in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The EU slapped massive sanctions on Russia and slammed the capture of a sovereign nations land by brute military force. Second, these European nations are facing growing domestic pressure to recalibrate their position on Israel and Palestinian statehood. Pro-Palestinian rallies calling the Israeli military campaign genocide and ethnic cleansing have become common in several European cities. Recent public surveys in Europe indicate growing support for recognising Palestine as a state. A [Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is not attending despite co-hosting the event.]YouGov survey in Britain this month showed that 44 per cent of the population wants the UK government to recognise Palestine as an independent state while only 18 per cent disagree. Despite Germany not recognising a Palestinian state, a YouGov survey in Germany on Tuesday found that 44 per cent of German voters supported such recognition, up from 41 per cent in May 2025 and 40 per cent in June 2024only 23 per cent opposed recognition. Therefore, European nations, like Britain and France, are using Palestine to change their policies and project a more united and principled stance globally. The writer is a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience and comments primarily on foreign affairs. He tweets as @FightTheBigots. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. As the United Nations marks 80 years, it faces the gravest tests in its history, from great-power rivalries and financial strain to legitimacy crises rooted in an unchanged post-war architecture (File) The United Nations headquarters building is pictured with a UN logo in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, on March 1, 2022. Reuters The United Nations, commemorating its 80th year, stands at a critical juncture where its credibility and utility as a cooperative institution to enforce world peace and welfare are under intense scrutiny. Ongoing conflicts and the resolve of major powers to bypass the UN have the potential to alter how world politics and international relations have been understood since the Second World War. The layered global challenges and shifting geopolitical landscapes point to a pressing need for comprehensive reforms within the UN. Indias rising global stature also demands that its place and influence within the United Nations ecosystem be realigned commensurately. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Achievements and a Gritty Present Since its foundation in 1945, with only 51 member states, the UN has embodied the worlds collective hope for peace, security, and cooperation, expanding over time to encompass 193 member countries. The organisations achievementsde-escalating wars, peacekeeping, facilitating decolonisation, debating a New International Economic Order, debating globalisation, ensuring due participation of Global South issues, championing human rights, warning the world about impending environmental catastrophe, combating poverty, and coordinating humanitarian efforts, and above all surviving the intense rivalry of the two superpowers and transitioning the post-Cold War order to a relatively peaceful worldremain significant milestones. Yet, the current decade exposes structural cracks as the UN faces persistent global conflicts (Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza), rising geopolitical tensions, economic downturns, resurgent unilateralism, and a crisis of multilateralism. Budget constraints further limit its operational capacity, with major powers like the US sometimes withholding funding or withdrawing from key agencies, undermining the spirit of collective global stewardship. These trends exacerbate perceptions of UN inefficiency and question its relevance, especially when its Security Council often appears gridlocked due to the veto-wielding powers of the P5. Rationale and Imperative for UN Reform The call for reform is not new but has assumed unparalleled urgency as the UN turns eighty. Todays world is starkly different from 1945the global economy is over twelve times larger, and international financial structures still bear the legacy of colonial divisions. Newer challenges, such as the climate crisis, technological shifts (AI, cyber threats), widening inequalities, and cross-border health emergencies, test the resilience of international institutions in ways the founding fathers never envisaged. Key reasons underpinning the urgency for reform include: Outdated Structures: The Security Councils composition does not reflect current global realities, diminishing the legitimacy and credibility of its actions. Global Disparities: The institutional imbalance leaves developing nations grappling with debt and unequal representation. Technological and Geopolitical Shifts: Technological advances and new power centres expose the inadequacies of a post-WWII framework. Legitimacy Crisis: Decision-making must echo the collective will, not just the interests of a select few. The UN80 Initiative: Blueprints for Change Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has launched the UN80 Initiativea broad reform agenda structured around efficiency, accountability, and modern relevance. The initiative has three core pillars: Enhancing Efficiency: Cutting bureaucratic red tape, streamlining Secretariat management, and relocating certain functions to lower-cost stations. Mandate Rationalisation: Reviewing and prioritising thousands of outdated resolutions for greater focus and impact. Structural Realignment: Possible mergers of agencies, reduced duplication, and innovative collaboration strategies, including creating technology accelerators and pooling expertise through knowledge hubs. Proposals also aim at coherence across the UNs three pillarspeace and security, development, and human rightsby consolidating offices, strengthening back-office functions, and reinforcing system-wide funding and training. However, more profound transformationsuch as Security Council reformrests with member states, making global consensus a challenging but necessary prerequisite. Indias Evolving Role and Stature STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India is a major proponent of multilateralism, seeking reforms that acknowledge new centres of power and population. Its advocacy for an expanded Security Council is backed by a coalition including Germany, Japan, and Brazil (the G4), along with broad segments of the Global South. Opposition from a few, notably China, has stalled progress, but Indias rise is visible in multiple spheres: Peacekeeping Leadership: India has contributed nearly 290,000 peacekeepers to over 50 UN missions, consistently ranking among the top troop-contributing nations. Development and Humanitarian Leadership: Indias domestic development initiatives (Cleanliness Campaign, Health for All, universal literacy, child and maternal health, etc.) closely align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its vaccine outreach during the Covid-19 pandemic aided over 100 countries. India has also proactively assisted nations during natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and tsunamis. Championing the Global South: India actively supports South-South cooperationfunding development projects in nearly 70 countries. Its voice resonates in advocating reforms to bridge global inequalities and empower developing nations within the UN framework. Indias pragmatic diplomacybalancing multi-alignment, democratic values, and humanitarian outreachuniquely equips it for a larger leadership role in shaping the UNs architecture. Challenges to Reform Despite widespread acknowledgement of the UNs limitations, realising meaningful reform is fraught with obstacles: Entrenched Interests: The P5 nations veto and regional dynamics perpetuate the status quo. Geopolitical Rivalry: Renewed great-power competition between the US, China, and Russia paralyses consensus-building within crucial UN organs. Resource Constraints: Budget cuts and donor fatigue reduce operational agility, pressurising cost-effective reforms while risking diminished capacity. Institutional Inertia: Deep-seated bureaucracy impedes rapid adaptation, even as global change accelerates. Yet, the UNs ability to adapt remains vital for We the Peoples. Proposals for agency mergers, creation of technology hubs, leaner peace operations, and greater regional integration must be paired with transparent accountability and the resolve to push beyond symbolic change. Indias Aspirations, Global Priorities Indias growing voice for reform aligns with the larger transformation envisioned by the UN80 Initiative. As the worlds largest democracy and a rising economic powerhouse, Indias full and equitable representation at the topmost bodiesthe Security Council foremost among themcan inject credibility and energy into the UN. Indias diplomatic engagement, record on peacekeeping, South-South development partnerships, and active norm entrepreneurship position it as both a claimant and a natural steward of a reinvigorated, multipolar multilateralism. If acknowledged through institutional elevation, its leadership on global health, climate negotiations, and technology-enabled development could bridge longstanding divides and inspire greater trust in the UN system. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Conclusion As the United Nations marks 80 years, it faces the gravest tests in its history, from great-power rivalries and financial strain to legitimacy crises rooted in an unchanged post-war architecture. The UN80 Initiative, while ambitious, must move from rhetoric to resultsrequiring boldness from all member states, including those reluctant to dilute entrenched privileges. For India, the moment is opportune. Its persistent advocacy for reform, substantive contributions across peace, development, and humanitarian lines, and growing international influence should translate to an appropriately enhanced role within the United Nations. Only through urgent, sincere, and wide-ranging reformpaired with the meaningful inclusion of emerging powers like Indiacan the UN remain relevant and practical in the decades ahead. Amitabh Singh teaches at the School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi. Views expressed are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Microsoft has blocked the Israeli military and intelligence agencies from accessing its Azure cloud and artificial intelligence platforms due to their role in mass surveillance of Palestinians. Read here Microsoft has blocked access to parts of its cloud and AI services for Israels Unit 8200, following reports that the elite cyber-intelligence division used the technology to carry out mass surveillance of Palestinians. The decision, reported by The Guardian in collaboration with 972 Magazine, signals one of the most notable moves by a US technology giant to curb military use of its platforms over human rights concerns. Revelations of mass surveillance An investigation by 972 Magazine detailed how Unit 8200 allegedly exploited Microsofts Azure cloud to intercept and store vast quantities of Palestinian communications, including personal phone calls and private conversations. The report said the programme processed a million calls an hour and accumulated up to 8,000 terabytes of data from Gaza and the West Bank, raising concerns about indiscriminate monitoring of civilians. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Following the expose, Microsoft launched an internal review, concluding that the operations violated its terms of service. The company subsequently moved to block some of the tools linked to the programme. Microsofts vice-chair and president, Brad Smith On Thursday informed staff of the decision, saying that the company had ceased and disabled a set of services to a unit within the Israel ministry of defence, including cloud storage and AI services, as reported by the Guardian. Smith wrote: We do not provide technology to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians. We have applied this principle in every country around the world, and we have insisted on it repeatedly for more than two decades. Partial suspension, broader questions The suspension applies only to certain AI and storage services, not to Microsofts wider defence contracts with Israel, according to the report. Israeli authorities were informed that other cloud functions remain available, reflecting Microsofts attempt to balance ethical concerns with its commercial and political relationships. The decision comes as Unit 8200 reportedly shifted parts of its operations to other providers, including Amazon Web Services, shortly after the findings became public. This highlights the challenges of limiting surveillance activities when multiple global tech firms remain involved. Why this matters This is believed to be the first time a major US technology company has restricted services to an Israeli military unit amid the Gaza war. According to The Guardian, the decision followed pressure from Microsoft employees, human rights groups and investors urging the company to act. The case highlighted growing scrutiny of Big Techs role in conflict zones. Critics argue that partial suspensions leave the core surveillance apparatus intact, while supporters say Microsofts step sets a precedent for corporate accountability in regulating the use of advanced technology by state actors. Analysts said that the episode raises broader questions about how tech companies enforce ethical standards in politically sensitive environments. As 972 Magazine observed, the revelations show how commercial infrastructure originally marketed as neutral can be adapted for expansive state surveillance, blurring lines between civilian technology and military applications. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While Microsofts decision may redefine expectations of corporate responsibility, the episode also highlights the limits of unilateral action in a marketplace where numerous providers compete to supply advanced digital infrastructure. The coming months will reveal whether this indicated the emergence of a genuine accountability framework or merely amounts to a symbolic gesture overshadowed by business as usual. The structure would align with a bipartisan law passed in 2024, which aimed to ban TikTok unless it was sold to US-based owners by this year. The app was briefly shut down in the United States in January, just one day before Trumps second-term inauguration China and US flags are seen near a TikTok logo in this illustration picture taken July 16, 2020. File Image/Reuters US President Donald Trump will likely sign a TikTok deal on Thursday, bringing an end to the uncertainty of the video-sharing platforms fate, as an agreement would facilitate its sale to American investors. According to a report by NBC, the new deal will transfer ByteDances ownership of TikTok to a new joint-venture company based in the US, while the Chinese firm will only be left with less than 20 per cent of the stock. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The structure would align with a bipartisan law passed in 2024, which aimed to ban TikTok unless it was sold to US-based owners by this year. The app was briefly shut down in the United States in January, just one day before Trumps second-term inauguration. A senior White House official told the outlet that Trump is expected to extend a delay on TikToks ban for 120 more days to allow time for the deal to go through. Last week, he signed an executive order to extend a delay on banning TikTok for another 3 months. Oracle to store TikTok data A White House official has said that an agreement to sell the popular Chinese-owned app to a consortium of American investors is taking shape, days after a deadline to ban the app was extended for a few months. Often described as TikToks secret sauce, the fate of the video-sharing apps algorithm was one of the main question marks in persuading China to allow the platforms transfer to US ownership. The arrangement, detailed by a US official on Monday, aims to give American buyers control over TikToks recommendation algorithm within the US after its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests. Under the plan, the US-based TikTok owners would lease a version of the algorithm from ByteDance, which would then be retrained from the ground up under Oracles supervision. Who are the buyers? While the full list of buyers is not finalised yet, Trump has said that media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, the CEO of Fox Corporation, could be part of the TikTok deal. Apart from this, Larry Ellison, Oracles cofounder, has consistently been a prominent figure among potential buyers. Reports suggest he may be leading a consortium of investors that could include asset manager Blackstone, private equity firm Silver Lake, Walmart, and billionaire Frank McCourt. India-US ties hit a snag after Trump raised tariffs to 50 per cent, punishing India for purchasing Russian oil. The president and his colleagues have blamed India for fuelling the Russian war on Ukraine by buying oil from Moscow During Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to the US in February, the two countries vowed to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Reuters Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet President Donald Trump, a senior White House official has said, as relations between India and the US begin to take an upward trajectory after disputes over trade, tariffs and Russian oil. Im sure youll see the two meet. They have a very, very positive relationship. Weve got Quad Summit and were working on planning. At some point that will happen, if not this year, then next year, the official told ANI. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They added that a possible meeting between the two leaders is currently being planned and that dates will be finalised soon. So theres a lot coming up on the US-India relationship, and I think well see some continuous positive momentum, the official further said. India-US ties hit a snag after Trump raised tariffs to 50 per cent, punishing India for purchasing Russian oil. The president and his colleagues have blamed India for fuelling the Russian war on Ukraine by buying oil from Moscow. However, both countries are showing signs of resolution after Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi his great friend, not once but multiple times, adding that the US is committed to settling trade differences with India. Dont want to punish India Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday called on India to reconsider its purchase of Russian oil, stating that New Delhi has ample alternative sources. He framed the decision as both a moral and strategic one, arguing that buying Russian crude indirectly supports atrocities in Ukraine and that shifting away from it could open the door to stronger energy cooperation between the US and India. We dont want to punish India. You can buy oil from every nation on the earth, just not Russian oil. Thats our position. America has oil to sell, so does everybody else, Wright said. There are lots of oil exporters in the world. India doesnt need to buy Russian oil. India buys Russian oil because it is cheaper. Nobody wants to buy Russian oil; they have to sell it at a discount, he added. China announced sanctions on six US companies on Thursday as frictions continue to escalate in the countries trade relations despite a highly anticipated meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. This is an AI generated image for representational purpose. China on Thursday imposed sanctions on six US companies amid rising trade tensions, despite an anticipated high-profile meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Three US firms, unmanned vehicle maker Saronic Technologies, satellite technology company Aerkomm, and subsea engineering firm Oceaneering International were added to Chinas unreliable entity list, effectively barring them from trading with China, the Commerce Ministry said. The ministry accused the companies of engaging in so-called military-technical cooperation with Taiwan, severely undermining Chinas national sovereignty, security and development interests. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province, to be annexed by force if necessary. In July, Beijing imposed export controls on eight enterprises tied to Taiwans military. Separately, three other U.S. companies were added to Chinas export control list, preventing them from receiving Chinese shipments of dual use items, with both military and civilian applications. The companies are military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries, engineering and facilities manager Planate Management Group and intelligence firm Global Dimensions. The three companies endanger Chinas national security and interests, the Commerce Ministry said. After a lengthy phone call with Xi last week, Trump said the two leaders would meet at a regional summit in South Korea at the end of October. Beijing and Washington say they want to iron out differences over trade, technology and the ownership of social media platform TikTok. With inputs from agencies In recent decades, France has been rocked by scandals and crimes involving presidents, with two presidents being convicted, a prime minister being convicted, and a former presidents legacy tarnished over the host of illegalities done on his watch. Nicolas Sarkozy, former French president and defendant, arrives at the Paris courthouse in Paris, on January 20, 2025, for his trial on charges of accepting illegal campaign financing in an alleged pact with the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. (Photo: Bertrand Guay/AFP) Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday became the second head of state to be convicted and sentenced. A court in Paris convicted Sarkozy of criminal conspiracy to use millions of euros from Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 election campaign and sentenced him to five years in jail. This is his second conviction. He was previously convicted in 2021 for trying to bribe a judge in 2014. Before Sarkozy, former President Jacques Chirac was convicted of embezzlement in 2011, former Prime Minister Francois Fillon was convicted of embezzlement and misuse of public funds to pay his wife and children. Moreover, Francois Mitterrand has seen his legacy tarnished as a host of illegalities took place on his watch and many of his aides were convicted for taking part in those acts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here are the four convictions and scandals at the highest levels of the country. Nicolas Sarkozy Sarkozy served as the President of France from 2017-22. Sarkozy has been convicted in two cases. Initially, he was convicted in 2021 for trying to bribe the judge in 2014. He was not jailed in the case. In this case, Sarkozy also tried to acquire a file related to his second case of embezzlement of Libyan money for election financing. In the second case, Sarkozy was convicted on Thursday (September 25, 2025) in a case of criminal conspiracy to use millions of euros from Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 election campaign the election he won to become the president. However, Sarkozy was acquitted of all other charges, including corruption and receiving illegal campaign financing. Initially, the case against him stated that Sarkozy, when he was Frances interior minister, provided diplomatic supported to Gaddafi in exchange millions of euros to get elected as president in 2007. That would have been very ironic as France under him was part of the United Nations (UN)-approved military intervention in Libya in 2011 that led to the collapse of Gaddafis decadeslong rule and led to his eventual capture and killing by rebel forces. However, the verdict said that there was no proof that Sarkozy made such a deal with Gaddafi and there was no evidence that money that was sent from Libya reached Sarkozys campaign, according to Reuters. The court, however, convicted Sarkozi for the criminal conspiracy for having let close aides get in touch with people in Libya to try and obtain campaign financing, as per the news agency. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Jacques Chirac Chirac was the president from 1995-2007. Sarkozy was his successor. Chirac was convicted in 2011 of corruption. He was convicted over the creation of ghost jobs on the payroll of the city of Paris and the nearby town of Nanterre for members of Chiracs Rally for the Republic (RPR) party, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Francois Fillon Fillion was the prime minister from 2007-12. His tenure coincided with the presidential term of Sarkozy. Fillon was convicted of embezzlement and misuse of public funds in the Penelopegate scandal that involve the illegal payment to his wife, Penelope Fillon, for a fake government job. He was sentenced to a suspended term of four years. Francois Mitterrand Mitterrand was the president from 1981 to 1995. He was personally not convicted but he presided over a presidential administration that engaged in a host of illegalities, including illegal wiretapping of journalists and activists from the presidential palace. Many of his aides were convicted for illegal wiretapping. Later, Mitterrands legacy was further tarnished as his son, Charles Pasqua, was convicted for the illegal sale of arms to Angola during the countrys civil war in the 1990s, according to The Independent. Pasqua was an ally-turned-rival of Chirac, who was himself convicted of corruption in 2011. Drones had been observed near airports in Esbjerg and Sonderborg, as well as Skrydstrup airbase, home to some of Denmarks F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. All five are located on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark Passengers check a bord displaying flight informations at the Copenhagen Airport in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 23, 2025. AFP Denmark has reopened the airports after authorities closed them after drones were sighted in its airspace on Thursday morning, the second such security incident in the Nordic country this week. The Danish police said that Billund airport, Denmarks second biggest, was closed for an hour, while Aalborg, used for commercial and military flights, was closed for three hours due to drone incursions. Drones had also been observed near airports in Esbjerg and Sonderborg, as well as Skrydstrup airbase, home to some of Denmarks F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. All five are located on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Danish national police said that the drones exhibited a similar pattern to those that had disrupted flights at Copenhagen Airport for four hours just days earlier. They added that the countrys armed forces were also impacted, as Aalborg Airport, which was affected, serves as a military base. Earlier this week, on Tuesday, Denmark said that the incident at the Copenhagen Airport was the most serious attack on its infrastructure yet, connecting the drone sightings to previous Russian incursions and disruptions across Europe. Hybrid attack Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen held a press conference on Thursday, saying that the drone incursions were done professionally, adding that they looked systematic and hybrid in nature. There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time, he said. This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones, he added. While it is not yet clear who was behind the drone attacks, Poulsen has ruled out Russian involvement in the recent incident. Copenhagen disruption According to Eurocontrol, at least 50 flights were cancelled, while more than 50 others were diverted to airports in Denmark and southern Sweden, including Billund, Aarhus, Malmo and Gothenburg. Flight-tracking site Flightradar24 reported that at least 35 planes bound for Copenhagen had to change course. Minutes after the incident in Denmark, drones were also reported over parts of Norway and Sweden. Norwegian police confirmed a drone sighting near Oslo Airport, forcing air traffic onto a single runway for safety reasons. Nato warns Russia Nato said it was too early to say whether Russia was responsible, but warned Moscow to stop an escalatory pattern of airspace violations along its eastern flank. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced what he called a Russian violation of Denmarks airspace in a message on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Danish intelligence said the Scandinavian country was facing a high threat of sabotage. Someone may not necessarily want to attack us, but rather stress us out and see how we react, said Flemming Drejer, director of operations at Denmarks intelligence service PET. With inputs from agencies The development comes amid looming sanctions on Iran, after the United Nations Security Council voted on Friday not to permanently lift economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme Russia and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of small nuclear power plants in Iran, according to an Aljazeera report, citing Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom. The deal, described by Rosatom as a strategic project, was inked on Wednesday during a meeting in Moscow between Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev and Irans top nuclear official and Vice President Mohammad Eslami. The development comes amid looming sanctions on Iran, after the United Nations Security Council voted on Friday not to permanently lift economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, meaning sanctions will return by September 28 if no significant deal is reached beforehand. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Speaking to Iranian state media earlier this week, Eslami said the plan includes the construction of eight nuclear power plants as part of Irans broader goal to reach 20GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2040. Iran currently has only one operational nuclear plant in Bushehr, built by Russia, with a capacity of about 1GW. The country suffers from frequent electricity shortages, particularly during peak demand seasons. The announcement follows last weeks UN Security Council (UNSC) vote rejecting a permanent lifting of sanctions on Iran. Unless a breakthrough is achieved, UN sanctions are set to return by September 28. Iran condemned the UNSC decision, warning that the reimposition of sanctions would effectively suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UNs nuclear watchdog. The vote was part of a 30-day process initiated in late August by the E3Britain, France, and Germanywho triggered the dispute mechanism in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The trio accused Tehran of violating its commitments, notably by amassing a uranium stockpile more than 40 times the permitted limit under the agreement, which capped enrichment at 3.67% purity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The 2015 deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was unilaterally abandoned by former US President Donald Trump in 2018, who reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran gradually scaled up its enrichment activities. Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful and insists it began enriching uranium beyond JCPOA limits only after the US violated the agreement. Iranian officials argue that the E3 is now abusing the treatys snapback mechanism, allowing sanctions to be reimposed. If enforced, new sanctions would include the freezing of Iranian assets abroad, a ban on arms sales to and from Tehran, and restrictions on its ballistic missile development. Iran will never seek a nuclear bomb, President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, ruled out direct negotiations with the United States, calling such talks a sheer dead end. The nuclear dispute unfolds amid heightened tensions in the region. In June, Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran, with Israeli and US forces targeting several Iranian nuclear facilitiesa move that further strained diplomatic efforts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite mounting pressure, Iran remains firm on its nuclear policy while seeking new international partnerships. Analysts say the Russia-Iran nuclear cooperation could serve both nations interests: Moscow gains influence in the region, while Tehran diversifies its energy portfolio and signals defiance in the face of Western pressure. With inputs from agencies Police authorities have said that the gunman fired indiscriminately at the ICE facility as well as a van nearby, killing one detainee, before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. However, no law enforcement official was injured Law enforcement and emergency personnel respond near the scene of a shooting at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Dallas, Texas, on September 24, 2025. AFP A sniper opened fire at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) centre in Dallas, Texas, leading to one death and two injuries. A photo released by Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel on X shows that one of the casings contained the phrase ANTI-ICE on it. Police authorities have said that the gunman fired indiscriminately at the ICE facility as well as a van nearby, killing one detainee, before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. However, no law enforcement official was injured. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It marks the latest in a series of attacks on ICE facilities in recent months, as the agency intensifies efforts to carry out President Donald Trumps pledge for mass deportations. While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack. These despicable, politically motivated attacks against law enforcement are not a one-off, Patel said. This morning just before 7am local time, an individual fired multiple rounds at a Dallas, Texas ICE facility, killing one, wounding several others, before taking his own life. FBI, DHS, ATF are on the ground with Dallas PD and state authorities. While the investigation is pic.twitter.com/SMOyxiKLqA FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 24, 2025 Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told CNN on Wednesday that those injured could include employees, visitors, or detainees, and investigations are ongoing. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said details were still emerging but confirmed multiple injuries and fatalities at the site. The motive remains unclear, though she noted a recent increase in attacks targeting ICE personnel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Dallas Fire-Rescue Department was dispatched at 6:41 am after a call reporting a shooting at or near the immigration office, department spokesperson Jason L. Evans said in an email. Evans said he didnt have any confirmed details he could share, calling it an active and ongoing incident. A July 4 attack at a Texas immigration detention centre injured a police officer, who was shot in the neck. Attackers dressed in black military-style clothing opened fire outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, southwest of Dallas, federal prosecutors said. At least 11 people have been charged in connection with the attack. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called senior military commanders from across the globe to an unexpected high-level meeting next week in Quantico, Virginia, according to a report, citing five officials on Thursday US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called senior military commanders from across the globe to an unexpected high-level meeting next week in Quantico, Virginia, according to a Reuters report, citing five officials on Thursday. The sudden gathering described by officials as rare has sparked uncertainty among attendees, with the purpose of the meeting still unclear. Two officials said the short notice has disrupted long-standing plans, as many of the generals and admirals oversee large troop deployments and typically operate on tightly coordinated schedules set weeks in advance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People are scrambling to change their plans and see if they have to attend, Reuters quoted one US official as saying, speaking on the condition of anonymity. It remains unclear how many senior officials will attend the meeting, but such a large concentration of top military brass in one room is highly unusual. When asked for details, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell offered a brief response: The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week. Parnell did not respond to further questions about the number of attendees, the meetings purpose, or the reason for the short notice. President Trump has directed the Pentagon to officially rename itself the Department of War a change that would require congressional approval. US forces are stationed globally, including in far-flung regions like South Korea, Japan, and the Middle East, where they are commanded by senior two-, three-, and four-star generals and admirals. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has moved with stunning speed to reshape the department, firing top generals and admirals as he seeks to implement Trumps national security agenda and root out diversity initiatives he calls discriminatory. In February, he fired Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with five other admirals and generals in an unprecedented shake-up of US military leadership. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Last month, Hegseth fired the head of the Pentagons intelligence agency and two other senior military commanders. In May, Hegseth ordered a 20% reduction in the number of four-star officers. In that May memo, Hegseth said there would also be a minimum 20% reduction in the number of general officers in the National Guard and an additional 10% reduction among general and flag officers across the military. More generals and admirals does not lead to more success, Hegseth said at the time. Now, many of those generals and admirals will be in the same room. Its probably more mundane than people think (but) the lack of clarity isnt helping, the official said. With inputs from agencies The plan comes after hopes for a ceasefire dimmed following Israels strikes in Qatar earlier this month, angering the mediator country and halting talks between Israel and Hamas The Trump administration presented a 21-point peace plan for Gaza that proposes an end to the Israel-Hamas war to Arab leaders earlier this week, following which Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff expressed confidence over some sort of breakthrough in the coming days. We had a very productive session. We presented what we call the Trump 21-point plan for peace in the Mideast, in Gaza, Witkoff said after a meeting between President Donald Trump and the Arab leaders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added, I think it addresses Israeli concerns, as well as the concerns of all the neighbours in the region. And were hopeful, and I might say even confident, that in the coming days, well be able to announce some sort of breakthrough. The plan comes after hopes for a ceasefire dimmed following Israels strikes in Qatar earlier this month, angering the mediator country and halting talks between Israel and Hamas. Sources told CNN that during this weeks meeting with Trump, the Qataris made a significant offer to continue serving as mediators, on the condition that they receive assurances there would be no future Israeli strikes on their territory. What does the plan say? The US proposal included several points already made public by the administration, such as the release of all hostages and a permanent ceasefire, according to a separate source briefed on the matter. The plan also outlined a framework for governing Gaza without Hamas and proposed a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory. While the Arab leaders were on board with the broader aspects of the plan, they recommended a couple of provisions to be added to it. They outlined a series of demands to be included in any final plan for Gaza, including: no Israeli annexation of the West Bank, preserving the current status quo in Jerusalem, ending the war in Gaza, securing the return of all hostages held by Hamas, increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza, and addressing Israels illegal settlements. Pitiful sight Meanwhile, the civil defence said Israeli attacks on Wednesday killed at least 40 people across Gaza, including 22 in a warehouse sheltering displaced people near the Firas market in Gaza City. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it struck two Hamas terrorists in the north, where Gaza City is located, without offering more details. In launching its US-backed ground offensive in Gaza City, the Israeli military told Palestinians to go to a designated humanitarian area in the south. Israel has carried out repeated strikes on that area, Al-Mawasi, since declaring it a safe zone early in the war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Mexico, Cyprus, and several Pacific Island nations on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, reaffirming Indias commitment to strengthening global partnerships. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Mexico, Cyprus and several Pacific Island nations on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, reaffirming Indias commitment to deepening global partnerships. In a social media post, Jaishankar said he met Juan Ramon de la Fuente, Mexicos Secretary of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday, where both sides agreed to build on our recent exchanges and create a fresh roadmap to strengthen ties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also met Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, with whom he reviewed the progress in relations since Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Cyprus earlier this year. Appreciate his insights on developments in Europe. Reaffirmed support for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Cyprus Question in accordance with the agreed UN framework and relevant UNSC resolutions, Jaishankar said, adding that he looked forward to welcoming Kombos to India soon. The External Affairs Minister also met leaders from several Pacific nations on the sidelines of the FIPIC (Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation) Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) held here on Wednesday. He met Foreign Minister Kalani Kaneko of the Marshall Islands, Foreign Minister Paulson Panapa of Tuvalu, and Minister of State Gustav Aitaro of Palau, holding warm exchanges and reaffirming Indias commitment to engagement with the Pacific region. Jaishankar also held talks with Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka of the Solomon Islands, and had a good conversation with Prime Minister Dr Aisake Valu Eke of Tonga. With inputs from agencies India and Canada are cautiously rebuilding diplomatic ties, with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand likely to visit New Delhi next month in what would be the first high-level ministerial exchange since relations soured in 2023 Mending strained ties, EAM Jaishankar and Canada's Anand held first talks in May this year. PTI India and Canada, whose ties plummeted dramatically in 2023, are showing signs of a cautious reset. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand is likely to visit New Delhi next month, marking the first bilateral visit by a foreign minister from either country since relations nosedived last year. Anand is expected to meet her Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, with discussions likely to cover both political and economic cooperation, said a report in the Times of India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The significance of the visit lies in its timingit comes after a year of acrimony, triggered by allegations made by then-prime minister Justin Trudeau that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. New Delhi had dismissed the claims as baseless and politically motivated. Jaishankar and Anand held direct talks over phone in late May, marking the first formal contact between the two foreign ministers since February 2024. In a public post, Anand described the discussion as productive, emphasising the need to strengthen CanadaIndia ties, deepen our economic cooperation, and advance shared priorities. Jaishankar, in turn, expressed appreciation for the teleconference and noted that they had discussed the prospects of India-Canada ties. The meeting came after a long diplomatic freeze and is viewed as a tangible step toward resetting relations. Modi-Carney breakthrough paves the way The road to Anands expected visit was cleared earlier this year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, on the margins of the G7 Summit in June. The meeting, seen as a breakthrough, led to the return of high commissioners to each others capitals earlier this month. This marked a critical shift, as both countries had earlier expelled diplomats amid the diplomatic standoff, disrupting not just political exchanges but also consular services for students, businesses and citizens. The restoration of high commissionersDinesh Patnaik for India and Christopher Cooter for Canadasignals intent from both sides to move past the freeze and rebuild diplomatic capacity. Restarting high-level engagements Anands upcoming trip is not an isolated event. It follows a series of renewed high-level exchanges in recent weeks. In September, Canadian National Security and Intelligence Adviser Nathalie Drouin and Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison visited India, meeting Indian officials including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. According to Indian readouts, both sides acknowledged clear momentum for rebuilding trust and expanding cooperation. Such visits underline that bilateral dialogue is no longer limited to crisis management but is slowly expanding into wider cooperation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shared democratic values at the core Talks held last week between Indias Ministry of External Affairs and Global Affairs Canada reaffirmed the foundation of the relationship. Both sides emphasised shared democratic values, respect for rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity as the anchors of engagement. They also committed to resume dialogue across multiple domainstrade, defence, energy, civil nuclear cooperation, security, law enforcement and critical minerals. Given the global economic uncertainties compounded by shifting US tariff policies, both India and Canada appear keen to expand their economic partnership. Canadas rich reserves of critical minerals and Indias fast-growing technology and manufacturing base present natural complementarities that both governments now seem ready to revisit. Addressing diplomatic staff shortages Another key step toward normalisation has been the agreement to address the shortage of diplomatic staff at missions in both countries. The expulsion of diplomats during last years tensions had left embassies understaffed, affecting ordinary citizens, especially students and businesses dependent on visa and consular services. Restoring adequate staff strength is expected to ease these bottlenecks and send a positive signal to people-to-people ties, which remain strong despite political strains. Step-by-step approach For Canada, Foreign Minister Anita Anand has underlined the importance of a step-by-step approach to deepening diplomatic engagement. This aligns with Indias position that a constructive and balanced relationship can only be sustained through respect for each others core concerns and sensitivities. The planned visit offers an opportunity to set the tone for this approach. If successful, it could provide the framework for not just restoring lost ground but also advancing cooperation in emerging areas such as renewable energy, digital innovation and academic partnerships. From tensions to tentative trust India-Canada ties are far from being fully normalised, but recent developments indicate a clear willingness on both sides to move beyond last years crisis. The Modi-Carney meeting in June, the return of high commissioners, and the resumption of official exchanges have created diplomatic space for Anands expected visit to New Delhi. If the visit takes place as planned, it will represent more than just a symbolic gestureit will be a test of whether India and Canada can translate tentative trust into meaningful progress across political, economic and people-to-people domains. In Moldovas parliamentary elections on September 28, pro-EU President Maia Sandus party is facing a tough challenge from pro-Russia forces as the two sides stand neck and neck, according to an opinion poll. Maia Sandu, the President of Moldova, arrives for a meeting with European Union (EU) chief Ursula von der Leyen at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels on December 10, 2024. (Photo: Nicolas Tucat/AFP) Moldovas pro-European ruling party faces a tough fight to keep its parliamentary majority against opponents calling for closer ties with Moscow, with a new poll confirming a tight race while many voters remain undecided ahead of Sundays election. President Maia Sandu, who has focused on talks for European Union membership by 2030 for one of Europes poorest countries, has denounced Russias invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and accuses Moscow of interfering in the election, while the opposition has pressed concerns over high living costs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD An opinion poll published by the polling firm Idata on Wednesday showed Sandus Party of Action and Solidarity with 24.9 per cent per cent support compared with 24.7 per cent for the pro-Russia Patriotic Bloc. The Alternative Bloc, accused by the government of concealing a pro-Kremlin agenda, was backed by 7.2 per cent and a fourth group, Our Party, led by the ex-mayor of Moldovas second-largest city, Balti, had 5.4 per ncet. A total of 26.6 per cent of voters had yet to make their choice, the poll showed. With only decided voters considered, the survey gave the Patriotic Bloc a slight lead at 33.9 per cent to 33.6 per cent. Should the ruling party, which held 61 seats in the outgoing 101-seat assembly, fail to retain its majority, Sandu is likely to make a deal with Our Party rather than appoint a pro-Russian prime minister, political analysts said. Prime Minister Dorin Recean accused Russia on Wednesday of trying to take power by pouring millions of euros into Moldova to buy votes and foment disorder. The Kremlin is also in the midst of this election campaign to gain power over Moldova by circumventing its sovereign choice, Recean said in an address after a cabinet meeting. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russia denies attempting to influence the vote and accuses Moldovas authorities of suppressing the opposition and stirring up Russophobia. On Wednesday, Moscow summoned Moldovas ambassador to the Russian Foreign Ministry to complain that Chisinau had declined to accredit Russian representatives as election observers. Sandu was re-elected last year and a referendum on joining the EU passed by a narrow margin, with heavy support from Moldovans living abroad. (This is an agency story. Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.) Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been jailed for five years after being convicted of criminal conspiracy in the infamous Libyan campaign financing case. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday sentenced to five years in jail after a court found him guilty of criminal conspiracy in the infamous Libyan campaign financing trial. He was accused of receiving illegal campaign funds from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The 70-year-old was acquitted on Thursday of the other charges that were laid against him, which included receiving stolen goods, embezzlement of public funds and passive corruption, The Independent reported. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The veteran French politician served as the president of the country from 2007 to 2012. Sarkozy had always denied the charges and dismissed the allegations, calling them politically motivated. According to The Independent, the guilty verdict by a Paris court came after a three-month trial earlier this year, which also involved 11 co-defendants, including three former ministers. Meanwhile, 75-year-old Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who was one of the co-defendants and a key accuser in the case, passed on Tuesday in Beirut due to cardiac arrest. The late middleman Earlier, Takieddine had claimed he helped deliver up to 5 million in cash from Gaddafi to Sarkozy in 2006 and 2007. In an interview with French investigative outlet Mediapart in 2016, Takieddine said he had delivered suitcases filled with cash from Tripoli to the French interior ministry under Sarkozy. However, he later retracted his statement, and eventually retracted his retraction, which ultimately led to a separate investigation into possible witness tampering. Both Sarkozy and his wife, model and musician Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, were handed preliminary charges of pressuring a witness. This particular case is still pending trial. Ahead of the Thursday judgement, investigators claimed Sarkozy had forged a corrupt pact with the Libyan government in a murky affair that involved Libyan spies, a convicted terrorist and arms dealers. The accusations traced back to 2011 when Gaddafi revealed that the Libyan state had secretly funnelled millions of euros into Sarkozys 2007 campaign. The Libyan leader was toppled and killed during the Arab Spring in 2011, ending his four-decade rule over the country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sarkozy has been facing scrutiny ever since he left the office. In February last year, he was ordered to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French president after he was found guilty of corruption and influence peddling. The tag was eventually removed after three months. In a separate case, the former French president was convicted last year over his alleged involvement in illegal campaign financing in his failed 2012 re-election bid. At that time, he was accused of having spent almost twice the maximum legal amount and was sentenced to a year in prison, of which six months were suspended. Sarkozy has denied the allegations and has appealed the ruling. While it has been public knowledge that North Korea holds a significant amount of uranium, this is the first time Seouls unification minister has confirmed that intelligence agencies estimate Pyongyangs stockpile of highly enriched uranium North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae attend a test launch of a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-18 at an undisclosed location in this still image of a photo used in a video released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), April 14, 2023. South Korea has said that Pyongyang possesses up to two tonnes of highly enriched uranium, the key component to manufacturing nuclear warheads. While it has been public knowledge that North Korea holds a significant amount of uranium, this is the first time Seouls unification minister has confirmed that intelligence agencies estimate Pyongyangs stockpile of highly enriched uranium more than 90 per cent pure at up to 2,000 kilogrammes. Even at this very hour, North Koreas uranium centrifuges are operating at four sites, Chung Dong-young told reporters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Only five to six kg of plutonium is enough to build a single nuclear bomb, said Chung, adding that 2,000 kg of highly enriched uranium, which could be reserved solely for plutonium production, would be enough to make an enormous number of nuclear weapons. Chung said that stopping North Koreas nuclear development is an urgent matter, but argued that sanctions will not be effective and that the only solution lies in a summit between Pyongyang and Washington. Kim opens door for talks with US South Koreas admission comes after Kim Jong Un said he was open to future talks with the United States if Washington drops its demand that the country give up its nuclear weapons. If the United States discards its delusional obsession with denuclearisation and, based on recognising reality, truly wishes for peaceful coexistence with us, then there is no reason we cannot meet it, Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. The demand for Kim to relinquish his nuclear arsenal has long been a major point of contention between the two countries, with Pyongyang facing multiple rounds of UN sanctions over its prohibited weapons programs. Since the failed 2019 summit, North Korea has repeatedly said it will never give up its nuclear weapons and declared itself an irreversible nuclear state. Kim reiterated that denuclearisation was not an option. The world already knows well what the United States does after it forces a country to give up its nuclear arms and disarm, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Even as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed India for the purchase of Russian crude oil, he said that European nations were doing the most perverse thing by buying refined petroleum products from India, which meant that they have been financing the war against themselves. Fuga Bluemarine crude oil tanker lies at anchor near the terminal Kozmino in Nakhodka Bay near the port city of Nakhodka, Russia, December 4, 2022. File Image/Reuters US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that European nations have been doing the most perverse thing by purchasing refined petroleum products like petrol and diesel from India. In an interview with Fox Business, Bessent said that European nations continued purchase of refined petroleum products from India amounting to financing the war against themselves. The most perverse thing is that India is buying discounted Russian oil but guess where those refined products are going? They are going to Europe. So, Europeans are financing the war against themselves, said Bessent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD BREAKING: I think India will slowly reduce oil purchases from Russia. But the perverse thing is that Europe is buying the oil that India refines. They are funding the war against themselves, says U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pic.twitter.com/69NGHUBTBU Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) September 25, 2025 As for India, Bessent said that he believed that India would likely reduce buying Russian oil and wean itself off Russian oil. Trump and his aides have repeatedly slammed India for buying Russian oil. They have accused India of funding the Russian war on Ukraine. With 25 per cent tariff as a punishment for the purchase of Russian oil, Trump has raised tariffs on India to 50 per cent the highest in the world. However, he has imposed any punitive tariffs on China, which is the largest buyer of Russian oil. Trump and his aides have often launched into tirades against India, with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro often taking the lead, who has accused India of profiteering from purchase of Russian oil. How much refined oil does Europe buy from India? Europe is indeed a major buyer of refined petroleum products like diesel, aviation fuel, gasoline, and naphtha and kerosene. As per some estimates, around 27 per cent of all Indian refined oil exports have gone to Europe lately. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Instead of falling, Indian refined oil exports surged in 2025, reaching a 11-month high at a 41 per cent month-on-month increase last month. One estimate from 2023 the first full year after the Russian full-scale invasion began from says that 15 per cent of all of EUs refined petroleum products came from India. Another estimate said that, by the end of 2024, Indias post-invasion refined oil exports to Europe had surged by around 27 per cent. JICA has scrapped its Japan-Africa hometown project after protests over fears of mass immigration, highlighting domestic opposition to foreign labour initiatives and the challenges of balancing international aid with public sentiment. This is an AI generated image for representational purpose The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the cancellation of its JICA Africa Hometown initiative, following widespread protests and misinformation that mischaracterised the program as a covert immigration policy. Launched in August during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), the project aimed to foster cultural exchanges between four Japanese cities such as Kisarazu (Chiba), Nagai (Yamagata), Sanjo (Niigata), and Imabari (Ehime) and four African nations: Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, and Mozambique. The initiative sought to promote mutual understanding through educational programs, youth exchanges and collaborative events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, the program faced immediate backlash when a Nigerian government statement erroneously described Kisarazu as the hometown for Nigerians willing to live and work, suggesting the creation of a special visa category. This misrepresentation, coupled with misleading translations and social media posts, led to public misconceptions that the initiative was a front for mass immigration. Despite clarifications from Japanese authorities, including the Foreign Ministry and local governments, who emphasized that the program was unrelated to immigration and focused solely on cultural exchange, the protests intensified. Demonstrations were held in Tokyo, and local officials reported receiving thousands of phone calls and emails from concerned residents. In response to the escalating situation, JICA decided to withdraw the initiative, acknowledging that the term hometown had caused misunderstandings and placed undue pressure on the involved municipalities. A formal announcement of the decision was made on September 25. JICA President Akihiko Tanaka expressed regret over the confusion and emphasized that the agency remains committed to promoting international exchanges and cooperation. He reiterated that JICA has never undertaken initiatives to promote immigration and has no plans to do so in the future. The cancellation of the JICA Africa Hometown initiative highlights the challenges of international cooperation in an era of rapid information dissemination and underscores the importance of clear communication in cross-cultural initiatives. While the program has been scrapped, JICA continues to explore alternative avenues for fostering global partnerships and understanding. Russia and China asked the United Nations Security Council to vote on Friday on a draft resolution to delay by six months the reimposition of sanctions on Iran, diplomats said. Russia and China have requested the United Nations Security Council vote on Friday on a draft resolution to postpone the reimposition of sanctions on Iran by six months, diplomats said. All UN sanctions are set to return at 8 p.m. EDT on Friday (0000 GMT Saturday) after Britain, France, and Germany triggered a 30-day process, accusing Tehran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal. A resolution in the 15-member council requires at least nine affirmative votes and no vetoes from Britain, France or the United States. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This week, Iran and European powers have been negotiating a last-minute agreement to delay sanctions and allow time for long-term talks on Tehrans nuclear program. Diplomats said on Thursday the prospects of avoiding a reimposition of sanctions without a deal between Iran and the Europeans were slim. Britain, France and Germany have offered a delay of up to six months to allow space for talks on a long-term deal on Tehrans nuclear program if Iran restores access for U.N. nuclear inspectors, addresses concerns about its stock of enriched uranium, and engages in talks with the United States. With inputs from agencies Amid continuing aerial incursions across eastern Europe, Russian fighter planes and bombers entered the Alaskan air defence zone, prompting the United States and Canada to deploy fighter planes to track Russian aircraft. The photograph shows an F-16 fighter plane from Poland during an air policing mission along with a Nato allied aircraft on March 24, 2022. (Representative Image, Credit: Reuters) Amid continuing incursions across eastern Europe, Russian fighter planes and heavy bombers on Wednesday entered the Alaskan air defence zone and the United States and Canada deployed fighter planes to track Russian aircraft. Two Russian Tu-95 heavy bombers and two Su-35 fighter planes entered the Alaskan air defense zone on Wednesday, the joint US-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) said in a statement. In response, the Norad said it deployed F-16 fighter planes, E-3 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), and KC-135 tankers to identify and intercept Russian aircraft. It noted that Russian aircraft did not enter sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ [Air Defence Identification Zone] occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat, the statement further said. The ADIZ extends beyond a countrys sovereign airspace and the host country often requires identification of aircraft entering it and manages its security even though it does not exercise sovereign control in that territory. In recent weeks, Russian fighter planes and drones have breached the airspace of several European countries, such as Poland, Estonia, and Romania. Denmark on Monday blamed Russia for drone sightings that led to the closure of the airport in country capital Copenhagen, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen calling it the most serious attack so far against Danish critical infrastructure. In the most serious incursion, Poland said it shot down Russian drones after at least 19 drones entered its airspace on the intervening night of September 9-10. Country Date(s) Russian Aircraft Involved Intruding Aircraft Count Details of Incursion & Actions Taken Estonia 19 September MiG-31 fighter jets 3 Three MiG-31s entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland and lingered for 12 minutes. Italian F-35s (NATO Baltic Air Policing) intercepted, escorted jets out; Estonian, Swedish, and Finnish aircraft were also scrambled. Estonia has reported four such violations in 2025. Poland 910 September Unspecified drones At least 19 At least 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace; Polish/NATO air assets shot some drones down. Poland invoked NATO Article 4 consultations after the incident. Romania 13 September Unspecified drone 1 Romanian F-16s and German/Eurofighter jets were scrambled after a Russian drone crossed into national airspace (approx. 50 minutes); the drone left Romanian airspace and returned to Ukraineno shootdown was attempted due to risk of collateral damage. Denmark 2223 September Suspected large drones (likely Russian origin) 23 Copenhagen Airport shut after 23 unidentified large drones violated Danish airspace, causing over 30 diverted flights. Russian involvement is suspected; incident under investigation. Baltic Sea 21 September IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft 1 German and Swedish jets intercepted a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance plane over international airspace in the Baltic Sea (not a direct airspace violation, but tracked closely in context of heightened tensions). In multiple cases, Nato allies like Germany and Italy joined host countries in tackling intruding Russian aircraft. The United Kingdom has also deployed fighter planes to Poland to bolster Natos air defence capabilities in eastern Europe. However, the US Air Force has been notably absent from these missions. The absence of US Air Force from Nato air defence missions in Europe and the downplaying of Russian incursion in ADIZ has come at a time when US President Donald Trump has indicated that the US commitment to the collective defence principle of Nato is no longer assured. Moreover, Trump has also been friendly with Vladimir Putin and has refused to take any action so far to punish or deter Russian aggression even as the Russian leader has rejected all offers of talks and ceasefire proposals regarding the war in Ukraine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The move follows Slovenias earlier decision to bar two extremist Israeli Cabinet ministers and comes amid growing international scrutiny of Israels military actions in Gaza and the West Bank Slovenia on Thursday imposed a travel ban on Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing his alleged responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The move follows Slovenias earlier decision to bar two extremist Israeli Cabinet ministers and comes amid growing international scrutiny of Israels military actions in Gaza and the West Bank. The Government of decided to sanction Benjamin #Netanyahu, PM of the State of #Israel , after previously having barred two extremist Cabinet ministers. Mr Netanyahu is subject to proceedings for his responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Already in July pic.twitter.com/PAlrccb2oj MFEA Slovenia (@MZEZ_RS) September 25, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Government of Slovenia decided to sanction Benjamin #Netanyahu, PM of the State of #Israel, after previously having barred two extremist Cabinet ministers, Neva Grasic, the Secretary of State at the Foreign Ministry, posted on X. Mr Netanyahu is subject to proceedings for his responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Already in July 2024, the @CIJ_ICJ established that several Israeli policies and practices violate international humanitarian law & human rights law, Grasic added. Grasic said the decision is not directed at the people of Israel, but rather serves as a clear signal that Slovenia expects the State of Israel to uphold international humanitarian law (IHL) and comply with rulings from international judicial bodies. In doing so, Slovenia reaffirms its commitment to international peace and the universal values of human rights as part of its principled and consistent foreign policy, Grasic added. EU member Slovenia imposed an arms embargo on Israel in August and introduced a ban on imports of goods produced in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The small Alpine nation has been among a group of European countries consistently calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and greater humanitarian access to the besieged enclave. In July, Slovenia imposed an arms embargo on Israel banning the export, import, and transit of weapons just two weeks after declaring Israels National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich persona non grata for what it described as genocidal statements and incitement to violence against Palestinians. The following month, in August, the Slovenian government introduced a ban on imports of goods produced in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and approved an additional humanitarian aid package for Palestinians in Gaza. With inputs from agencies Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa created history after he became the countrys first president in 58 years to address the United Nations, reflecting that an al-Qaeda fighter did what the Assad family couldnt One of the highlights of the second day of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting was the new Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa's brief address. This was the first time in 58 years that a Syrian president addressed the international body as the country struggles to recover from the decades of turmoil and heads towards a stable future. What makes the latest turn of events noteworthy is the fact that less than one year ago, Ahmed al-Sharaa had a $10m bounty on his head, with the US Department of State designating him as a terrorist alongside top leaders of ISIS in Syria and other terror organisations operating around the world. Many also pointed out how a former Al-Qaeda fighter managed to put Syria back on the international stage, something that the countrys former dictatorial president, Bashar al-Assad, failed to do in over two decades. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On Wednesday, the man who was known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani took the UNGA stage with a new name and a new title, the interim President of Syria. During his address, which lasted for nine minutes, he urged the international community to lift its decades-long economic sanctions on Syria and help the country pursue justice for victims. Heres what Al-Sharaa said at the UNGA The Syrian leader started his speech by emphasising how monumental this event was for the West Asian nation. Syria is reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world, Al-Sharaa told world leaders on Wednesday, saying his countrys story was filled with emotions, and it mixes pain with hope. The Syrian story is a story of struggle between good and evil, he added. For long years, weve suffered injustice and deprivation and oppression. Then we rose in claiming our dignity. Back home, Syrians across the country gathered together to watch their president speak on the world stage, Al Jazeera reported. Al-Sharaa came to power back in January after leading opposition fighters in ousting the Assad regime. With Assad fleeing the country, Al-Sharaa and his coalition of rebel groups managed to end the controversial Syrian familys five-decade rule. In his Wednesday address, Al-Sharaa outlined all the steps that his interim government has taken in the past few months. These measures included establishing new institutions, planning to hold elections and encouraging foreign investment. We call now for the complete lifting of sanctions, so that they no longer shackle the Syrian people, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It is pertient to note that the United States has already removed the Syrian armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which al-Sharaa headed, from its list of foreign terrorist organisations in July, reflecting a shift in policy towards post-Assad Syria. Al-Sharaas stand on Israel and Ukraine While the Syrian leaders address was mostly focused on the future of his country, he also used the event to share his outlook towards the two major conflicts that have gripped the world: Israels aggression in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war. Israel and West Asia At the UNGA meeting, Al-Sharaa condemned numerous Israeli strikes on his country since he took over in January. In his address, Al-Sharaa said that despite the reforms his government has sought to oversee, Israeli strikes and attacks against my country continue. Israeli policies contradict the international supporting position for Syria, he said, adding that it threatens new crises and struggles in our region. However, he maintained that the Syrian government would remain committed to dialogue. Israeli policies contradict the international supporting position for Syria, he said, adding that it threatens new crises and struggles in our region. When it comes to the ongoing Gaza, Al-Sharaa voiced his support for the Palestinian cause, stating Syria stood firmly with the people of Gaza, its children and women and all peoples facing violations and aggression. We call for an immediate end to the war, he told the assembly. Russia-Ukraine war On the sidelines of the UNGA meet, Al-Sharaa held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Both leaders delivered highly anticipated speeches on the second day of the event. Soon after the meeting, in a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had formally restored diplomatic relations with Syria. What makes the meeting significant is the fact that the former Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December, had been a close ally of Russia. After Russia started its invasion of Ukraine, Assad was one of the first world leaders to recognise the occupied Ukrainian land as Russian territory. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With the restoration of diplomatic ties, Al-Sharaa used the New York visit to indicate that Syria is drifting away from Russia and sympathising with the Ukrainian cause. Hence, Al-Sharaas participation at the UNGA not only brought Syria back to the world stage but also gave an insight into its foreign policy in the near future. Chinas sudden purchase of 2.7 million tonnes of crude from oil-importing Indonesia raises questions over whether Iranian barrels are being rerouted through Southeast Asia to evade US sanctions Chinas crude oil import data for August revealed a striking anomaly: 2.7 million tonnes of crude, or about 630,000 barrels per day, were recorded as coming from Indonesia. That scale of imports is extraordinary for several reasons. Indonesia, Southeast Asias largest economy, has long been a net oil importer, meeting its domestic consumption needs through purchases abroad for more than two decades. Its output of around 580,000 barrels per day in 2022 barely covered a fraction of its demand of nearly 1.7 million barrels daily. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For Beijing to be buying volumes exceeding Indonesias entire production raises questions about the true source of these flows, Bloomberg reported. Indonesia as a surprising oil hub The role of Indonesia in this trade puzzle is all the more curious because it does not operate as a major crude exporter. Customs and local statistics show limited outbound crude flows, far short of the figures declared by China. The ports involved, such as Kabil on Batam Island near Singapore, are not linked to crude-export terminals. Yet ship-tracking data reveal tankers signaling calls at Kabil before later discharging cargoes in Chinese ports such as Qingdao, Dalian and Rizhao. At least four vessels the Aquaris, Yuhan, Pola and Pix appear central to this movement. These ships reportedly paused at Kabil, switched signals to nearby Malaysian waters, received cargoes linked to Iranian supply, and then sailed onward to China. Their draft readings and discharge records suggest the oil they carried was not Indonesian in origin but rather rebranded elsewhere before reaching Chinese buyers. The Iranian connection The broader context is critical. Despite official customs data recording no Iranian crude imports since mid-2022, China is widely recognised as the single largest buyer of Iranian oil. These flows serve as a vital economic lifeline for Tehran, enabling it to withstand US sanctions while providing China with discounted barrels to support its energy security strategy. Yet the trade remains opaque, relying heavily on shadow fleets, ship-to-ship transfers and shifting identities of cargoes. For years, Malaysian waters have served as a staging point for these operations. Tankers often declare Malaysia as their point of origin, even though the country produces less oil than China claims to import from it. The sudden rise in Chinese imports from Indonesia coincided with a sharp decline in declared flows from Malaysia, which fell by more than 30 per cent over the past two months. The timing reinforces suspicions that Indonesia is now serving as another link in the same rerouting chain, Bloomberg reported. US pressure and tactical adaptation The rerouting coincides with renewed scrutiny from Washington. Under the Trump administration, maximum pressure has been applied to curtail Iranian crude sales. Shadow trades have had to adapt, shifting staging points and disguising cargo origins to minimise detection. Indonesia, strategically located near Malaysia and Singapore, offers an ideal alternative hub for such ship-to-ship activity. Tankers such as the Aquaris and Pola have been observed engaging in multiple voyages that align with this pattern. In one case, Aquaris signaled Kabil, diverted to Johor waters, received Iranian oil from a sanctioned vessel and then discharged the cargo in Qingdao. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Pola similarly left Kabil, lifted crude offshore Malaysia, and unloaded it in Dalian before returning for another round. These repeating voyages indicate a systemised effort rather than isolated anomalies. Silence of stakeholders Indonesian authorities, including the energy ministry, Pertamina and Kabil port officials, have not responded to inquiries about the flows. Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also remained silent. The absence of explanations underscores the sensitive nature of the trade. Meanwhile, the operators of the tankers involved have either declined to comment or not responded at all. The silence leaves customs declarations as the only public-facing trace of the trade, though vessel-tracking data provide a more revealing picture of the underlying dynamics. Implications for global oil politics This development signals both continuity and evolution in the way Iranian oil reaches China. The basic pattern of disguise remains unchanged involving ship-to-ship transfers, rebranding of cargoes and misattribution to third countries. What has shifted is geography. Indonesia now appears to be added to the network of conduits. For Tehran, the persistence of sales provides a financial lifeline, while Beijing secures affordable crude supplies at a time of heightened energy insecurity. For Washington, however, the case highlights the limits of sanctions enforcement. Even when specific tankers, ports, and terminals are sanctioned, the adaptability of maritime operators allows the trade to continue with only superficial alterations. The involvement of Indonesia, an oil importer, also complicates global monitoring because it stretches credibility but nonetheless appears in official customs statistics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A curious anomaly or a new normal? Whether this rerouting through Indonesia becomes a permanent fixture or a temporary adaptation remains to be seen. What is clear is that Chinas sudden surge in Indonesian crude imports is not rooted in geology or production capacity but in geopolitics and sanction evasion. If Malaysia once served as the main staging hub, Indonesia may now be taking on that role. The 2.7 million tonnes imported in August stand as a testament to the ingenuity of operators in sustaining flows that officially do not exist, even as scrutiny intensifies. Turkey President Erdogan will return to the White House on Thursday for the first time in six years, as President Trump looks to deepen military and trade ties with Turkey amid a renewed period of warm bilateral relations US President Donald Trump and Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan attend a multilateral meeting during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, New York, US, on September 23, 2025. Reuters File Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan will return to the White House on Thursday for the first time in six years, as US President Donald Trump looks to deepen military and trade ties with Turkey amid a renewed period of warm bilateral relations. According to a Reuters report, Erdogan is aiming to use the visit to push Washington to lift sanctions and greenlight Ankaras long-stalled bid to purchase F-35 fighter jets. His return to Washington comes at a time when Ankara sees an opening with a Trump administration eager to strike high-stakes deals, especially in defence and commerce, added the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The previous administration under Joe Biden maintained a cooler distance from Turkey, citing concerns over Ankaras deepening ties with Russia despite being a Nato ally. But under Trump who has shown more openness toward Moscow and maintains a personal rapport with Erdogan Turkey is optimistic about rebuilding stronger ties. While Trump and Erdogan had a rocky relationship during Trumps first term, their views have since aligned, particularly on Syria, once a major flashpoint. Both now back the countrys central government, turning a former source of tension into common ground. But sharp divisions remain, most notably over Israels offensive in Gaza, which Ankara has called a genocide. The issue threatens to overshadow what are expected to be largely transactional talks. At the UN on Tuesday, Erdogan, in power for 22 years, said, anyone who fails to speak out and take a stand against the barbarity in Gaza shares responsibility for this atrocity. Responding later on _Fox New_s, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, World leaders, including Erdogan, could say what they want to say but at the end of the day, when they want something done, they want to come to the White House. Turkey hopeful of acquiring F-35 jets With ties warming, Turkey is hopeful that Erdogans meeting with President Trump can revive its stalled ambitions to acquire F-35 fighter jets once part of a key defence partnership disrupted by U.S. sanctions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The sanctions, imposed by Trump himself in 2020 over Turkeys purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems, forced Ankara out of the F-35 programme, where it had been both a buyer and manufacturer. Despite expected resistance from US Congress, a green light for Turkish acquisition of F-35s is not inconceivable, provided the political will is there on both sides and diplomats are allowed to hammer out a framework that addresses all the known issues, Reuters quoted Timur Soylemez, a former Turkish ambassador with experience in US-Turkey relations, as saying. Ahead of the meeting, Trump said he expected F-35 talks to conclude positively. Erdogan has confirmed that defence cooperation, including F-35s, ongoing F-16 negotiations, regional conflicts, energy, and trade, will be central to the agenda. A US official said Washington recently drafted a statement of intent to advance several arms sales to Turkey, including new F-16s, which would upgrade its existing fleet. However, the official noted that F-35s were not included, citing legal barriers: the US cannot proceed with sales while Turkey retains the S-400s. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The official added that Turkey requested advanced equipment and upgrades for the F-16s, making the cost per jet even higher than that of a standard F-35. Turkish officials have not yet commented on those pricing details. Meanwhile, Middle East Eye reported that Turkey may propose a significant shift: amending the multibillion-dollar deal to prioritise jet engines over warplanes and missiles. The move could support Turkeys domestic fifth-generation fighter jet project, the Kaan, and lay groundwork for a possible future reentry into the F-35 programme, added the report. Last year, Ankara had already scaled back its original F-16 procurement, reducing the deals value from $23 billion to $7 billion by dropping 79 modernisation kits and focusing on the purchase of 40 F-16 Vipers with ammunition. Now, senior Turkish officials are reportedly considering scrapping the F-16 acquisition altogether, redirecting the deal toward engine technology critical for the Kaan, reported Middle East Eye. This evolving strategy is expected to feature prominently during Erdogans talks in Washington on Thursday. It remains unclear, however, whether the proposal will be raised directly during his Oval Office meeting with Trump. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Deal on Boeing planes also on agenda Turkey, Natos second-largest army, wants to ramp up air power to counter what it sees as growing threats in West Asia, Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, where it neighbours Russia and Ukraine. It wants to procure 40 Eurofighter Typhoons - irking regional US allies Israel and Greece. At the meeting, Trump is expected to highlight a Turkish agreement to buy more than 200 Boeing Co aircraft, for which Turkish Airlines is negotiating. The US official told Reuters the talks included 787 and 737 jetliners, and about $10 billion in GE aircraft engines. With inputs from agencies US Secretary of State Rubio met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UNGA meet. The talks came amid President Trump and VP Vances growing frustration with Moscow. Members of the delegations, led by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, attend a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York CitySeptember 24, 2025. Reuters US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Wednesday, shortly after US President Donald Trump referred to Moscow as a paper tiger and expressed optimism that Ukraine could win back its seized land. The two diplomats sat down with their delegation to hold talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. According to ABC News, the meeting went for roughly 50 minutes, and Lavrov did not respond to the journalists questions as he left. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the US Department of State released a short statement after the meeting, only mentioning that Rubio reiterated President Trumps call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hours after the meeting between Rubio and Lavrov, US Vice President JD Vance warned that Trump is growing incredibly impatient with Moscow. Trump doesnt feel like theyre putting enough on the table to end the war, Vance said in North Carolina. If the Russians refuse to negotiate in good faith, I think its going to be very, very bad for their country. Thats what the president made clear. Trumps ever-changing stance on the Ukraine war For months, Trump has maintained that Ukraine would likely need to cede territory to Russia to ensure a peaceful end to the war. However, on Tuesday, Trump abruptly reversed his stance on the matter after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, insisting that Ukraine can take back the land that Russia has occupied. After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form, Trump wrote. With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started are very much an option. Why not? Russia, he suggested, was a paper tiger as he criticised its military. It was not clear what led to Trump changing his tune. Zelenskyy noted that he believed Trump was aware of more details and that US intelligence is now more aligned with Ukraines view. Both sides will also keep an eye on whether Trumps shift in rhetoric will come with any change in policy. Russia hits back Russia was quick to respond to Trumps recent remarks as it made it clear that it was a bear, not a paper tiger, and that the American leader was mistaken. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Trump heard Zelenskyys version of events. Apparently, this version was the reason for the assessment we heard. We cannot agree with everything here. We will have the opportunity to convey our assessment of recent events to the American side. In particular, [Russian Foreign Minister Sergey] Lavrov will have a meeting, Peskov added. During the meeting with Lavrov, Rubio warned that there would come a moment in which we will have to conclude that perhaps there is no interest in a peaceful resolution from Russia and that Trumps patience is not infinite. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, in his address to the UNGA on Wednesday, Zelenskyy warned members that Putin wants to expand his war and spoke about what he said was a breakdown of the international order. International law doesnt work fully unless you have powerful friends who are truly willing to stand up for it, Zelenskyy said. And even that doesnt work without weapons. Its terrible, but without it, things will be even worse. There are no security guarantees except friends and weapons. If it takes pressure on Russia, it must be done and it must be done now, otherwise Putin will keep driving the war forward, wider and deeper, Zelenskyy added. We told you before, Ukraine is only the first and now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries No one can feel safe right now. Meanwhile, Trump said that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Id like to have him (Erdogan) stop buying any oil from Russia, while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine, Trump said during a brief exchange with reporters ahead of his meeting with the Turkish leader at the White House President Donald Trump reaches to shake the hand of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, on Thursday, in Washington. AP US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop purchasing oil from Russia, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine. Id like to have him (Erdogan) stop buying any oil from Russia, while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine, The Guardian quoted Trump as saying during a brief exchange with reporters ahead of his meeting with the Turkish leader at the White House. Trump reiterated that the Russian economy is suffering under the strain of war and described Moscows latest offensive as largely ineffective. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With all of the heavy bombardment over the last two weeks, theyve gained almost no land. Think of that. Theyve gained almost no land, he said. Russia spent millions and millions of dollars in bombs, missiles, ammunition and lives and theyve gained virtually no land, he added. The president also expressed his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, Its such a waste of human life, and so he ought to stop. Putin ought to stop. Despite his criticism of Russia, Trump spoke warmly of his relationship with Erdogan, calling it a long-standing friendship. When I was in exile, we were still friends, Trump said, referring to the four years after his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. He praised Turkeys military capabilities and highlighted Ankaras continued interest in purchasing US weapons. Hes built a tremendous military, Trump said of Erdogan. They want to buy F-16s, F-35s and some other things, and were going to talk to them about that. Were just going to have, I think, a very interesting couple of hours, said Trump. When asked whether he and Erdogan are aligned on the Gaza conflict or regional foreign policy, Trump responded, I dont know, but pointed to a recent meeting with Arab leaders, which he described as successful. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also reiterated his demand for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. We want them all back, we want them back at one time, said the President. The comments came ahead of high-stakes talks between Trump and Erdogan, where defence deals, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and regional energy issues are expected to dominate the agenda. With inputs from agencies After a brief encounter at the UNGA, US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the White House, as both nation inches closer to finalising a trade deal US President Donald Trump claimed credit for ending a number of wars including the conflict between India and Pakistan which New Delhi has repeatedly denied. Reuters After a brief encounter at the United Nations General Assembly, US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the White House on Thursday. The news was confirmed by an anonymous Trump administration official in a conversation with Reuters on Wednesday. The meeting between the two leaders is coming at a time when the two nations are on the verge of finalising a trade deal. In recent months, US-Pakistan ties have warmed significantly, with Trump hardening his stance against both India and China. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Washingtons ties with New Delhi have strained significantly after the Republican firebrand imposed nearly 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods and put visa hurdles for Indians planning to study and work abroad. At the heart of the tension is also Trumps repeated claims that he brokered an India-Pakistan ceasefire in May after the military escalations between the two nuclear-armed nations. However, India maintained that the decision to pause fighting was a bilateral one. A trade deal on the horizon? It is pertinent to note that the United States and Pakistan announced a trade deal on July 31, with a 19 per cent tariff rate imposed by Washington. Meanwhile, Trump is yet to reach a trade deal with India, as both sides express optimism over renewed negotiations. Earlier this year, Trump welcomed controversial Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, who has notoriously made provocative remarks against India. During Munirs visit, many started questioning if the Pakistani field marshal had any political ambition. Were working through several issues when it comes to counter-terrorism, when it comes to economic and trade ties, a senior State Department official told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday when asked about Pakistan. And so the president remains focused on advancing U.S. interests in the region, which includes engaging with Pakistan and their government leaders, the official said. When asked about the frictions with India, the State Department official said that Trump believed in being frank about frustrations in ties, but the relationship was strong. Washington viewed New Delhi as a good friend and partner and believed their relationship would define the 21st century, the official said. They noted that Washington had been working on planning for a summit of the Quad grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the United States that India had been expected to hold in November. That would happen, if not this year, early next year, the official averred. Interestingly, Pakistan has backed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. A few weeks later, Islamabad condemned US ally Israels bombardments in Gaza, Qatar and Iran. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from Reuters. Amid rising calls in Israel for the annexation of Palestinian territories, US President Donald Trump has privately told Muslim leaders that he will not allow Israel to annex West Bank, according to a report. US President Donald Trump, alongside Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaks during a multilateral meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 23, 2025. Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Jordan's King Abdullah II are also seen. (Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP) US President Donald Trump has privately told Muslim leaders that he will not allow Israel to annex West Bank, according to Politico. At a time when extremist allies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have ramped up calls to annex the Gaza Strip and West Bank, the two parts of the envisioned Palestinian state, Trump on Tuesday held a summit with Muslim leaders from western and southern Asia. Trump was firm that he will not allow Israel to annex West Bank and made a promise to Muslim leaders, two sources told the outlet. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The meeting included leaders from Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. However, the report did not say anything about Trump making a similar promise about Gaza. Previously, Trump has said the United States will take over Gaza, expel all Palestinians living there, and convert the Palestinian enclave into a resort town. In the same meeting, Trump presented a 21-point proposal to end the war in Gaza and establish a post-war administration in Gaza. We presented what we call the Trump 21-point-plan for peace in the Mideast in Gaza. I think it addresses Israeli concerns and as well, the concerns of all the neighbors in the in the region, said Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy for Middle East, without saying about the fate of West Bank. Israel doubles down amid mounting global outrage Even as the global outrage against the war in Gaza and the rising death toll and worsening humanitarian situation is rising by the day, Netanyahu and his extremist allies have doubled down instead for toning down their bombardment or rhetoric. After the United Kingdon, France, Canada, and Australia recognised the Palestinian state, Netanyahu said that he would continue to expand Jewish settlements in West Bank. Referring to West Bank by biblical names, he said he has doubled Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria and we will continue on this course. After the recognition, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that he will propose West Banks annexation. The recognition by the UK, Canada, and Australia of a Palestinian state as a prize for the murderous [Hamas] terrorists, requires immediate countermeasures, said Ben-Gvir, according to The Times of Israel. Ben-Gvir called for the immediate application of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, and the complete dismantling of the Palestinian Authority". He also announced he would submit a proposal for the application of sovereignty at the upcoming cabinet meeting. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At least two other ministers have called for the annexation. Transportation Minister Miri Regev from Netanyahus Likud party called for the annexation on Sunday and Economy Minister Nir Barkat said Israels response to recognition of Palestinian state should include the application of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. Under the new plan, China will reduce economy-wide emissions by 710 percent by 2035 relative to the year of the countrys peak emissions, believed to be 2025 China on Wednesday issued its first ever absolute targets for cutting planet-warming gases, a landmark pledge from the worlds top polluter as the United States doubles down on fossil fuels and Europe falters. The announcement was delivered via video by President Xi Jinping to a UN climate summit where some 120 nations will outline plans to curb global warming, which is intensifying disasters worldwide from floods in Pakistan to raging wildfires in Spain. Under the new plan, China will reduce economy-wide emissions by 710 percent by 2035 relative to the year of the countrys peak emissions, believed to be 2025. Observers said that while the absolute figure may seem modest, China has a record of under-promising while over-delivering, driven by its green technology boom. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It comes as the United States under President Donald Trump, who called climate change a con job at the UN a day earlier, boosts fossil fuels both at home and abroad. Green and low carbon transition is the trend of our time, said Xi in an official translation. While some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused in the right direction. China, responsible for nearly 30 percent of global emissions, had previously pledged to peak its carbon output before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, without ever previously setting near-term numeric targets for total emissions reductions. The new goal is backed by commitments to expand wind and solar six times over 2020 levels, drastically expand forests, and ramp up electric cars production. Most wealthy nations, historically the biggest contributors to warming, peaked decades ago but still lack credible plans to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Behind schedule Beijings commitment is a cautious step that favors steadiness and delivery over ambition Li Shuo, an expert at the Asia Society think tank who is well-connected in Beijing, told AFP. The good news is that in a world increasingly driven by self-interest, China may be better positioned than most to advance climate action, he added. The stated trajectory is similar to the path followed by the US and EU in the decade after their peak emissions but would fall well short of what is needed to limit warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels the target set by the 2015 Paris Agreement to avoid the worst climate catastrophes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But by presenting a target well ahead of COP30, the years main climate gathering in Belem, Brazil, China signals its ongoing commitment to the international process after the United States departed the Paris agreement for a second time. Under the 2015 accord which nearly every country is part of nations freely set their own targets but must strengthen them every five years. Most are behind schedule, notably the European Union, where several states fear moving too fast could hurt industry. France, for example, faces shaky finances and political turmoil, and wants more clarity on investment frameworks before committing to deeper decarbonization. But French President Emmanuel Macron used his turn at the podium to rebut Trumps broadside on climate change, telling fellow leaders the science is clear enough. Catastrophe v hope The UN meanwhile is trying to strike a balance between warning of catastrophe and maintaining hope. On one hand, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told AFP last week that chances of limiting warming to 1.5C are on the verge of collapsing, a view echoed by climatologists, with current temperatures already about 1.4C above pre-industrial levels. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But on Wednesday, he struck a more positive note, saying the landmark Paris climate accord has made a difference, as he opened the summit. In the last 10 years, projected global temperature rise has dropped from four degrees Celsius to less than three, he said. Part of that progress stems from China. A decade ago, three-quarters of its electric mix came from coal a figure now down to half. Its booming exports of solar panels, batteries, and electric cars are cutting emissions abroad as well. After Kirks untimely demise, US officials said that they have been searching for public comments celebrating or joking about his death Charlie Kirk is recognised in a moment of silence prior to the game between Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona, US. File Image/Imagn Images In the two weeks since the rightwing activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead in Utah, US President Donald Trumps administration has intensified its crackdown on foreigners using his case as another blockade. After Kirks untimely demise, US officials said that they have been searching for public comments celebrating or joking about his death. According to The New York Times, officials are going as far as calling on the public to help find people who are lauding Kirks demise. As per the report, the Trump administration believes that the penalty for such insensitive remarks should be losing the right to enter the United States. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In light of this, dozens of people appear to be in line to be barred from the country, including a Brazilian congressman, Mexican political commentators and a South African journalist, according to online posts from a State Department official. If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week. You are not welcome in this country," he furthered. The broader campaign: Targeting the enemies The search is seen as being part of the Trump administrations broader campaign of retribution against anyone perceived to have trivialised, condoned or wrongly cast blame in Kirks murder. One of the prime examples of this is when Disney temporarily pulled Jimmy Kimmels show amid conservative criticism of his comments about the shooting. The search also represents another striking case in which the administration appeared to be using political ideology as a litmus test for which foreigners can visit, work and live in the United States. This is highly unusual, Ricardo Zuniga, a former senior State Department official who served under five presidents, including Trump, told the New York Times. Would the same rules apply to someone who ridiculed attacks on opponents of the administration? In January, Trump barred foreigners who expressed hostilities towards American citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles. Meanwhile, in March, Rubio ordered his staff to inspect some student visa applicants online posts for antisemitism. In June, the State Department eventually announced that it may require many applicants to make their social media content public. And in July, an official testified that online criticism of the war in Gaza could weigh against applicants. However, many called Trumps latest plans against Kirks critics highly controversial. About 154,000 of those employees accepted a buyout and are slated to drop off the US governments payroll on September 30, the last day of the federal governments fiscal year US. President Donald Trump, next to US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr., delivers remarks linking autism to childhood vaccines and to the use of popular pain medication. Reuters The White House asked federal agencies on Wednesday to prepare plans for mass firings during a possible government shutdown next week, marking a sharp departure from the temporary furloughs of workers typically seen during past shutdowns. The White Houses Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent the memo on Wednesday to federal agencies and asked them to identify programs, projects and activities where discretionary funding will lapse on October 1 if the US Congress does not pass legislation to keep the federal government open. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown, the OMB said in the memo, which the White House provided. It was not immediately clear whether the White House was trying to take advantage of the shutdown to advance President Donald Trumps push to slash the federal workforce, or whether it was a high-stakes negotiating tactic to force Democrats to agree to pass the Republicans funding legislation. Agencies were told to submit their proposed reduction-in-force plans to the OMB and to issue notices to employees even if they would otherwise be excepted or furloughed during a lapse in funding. The OMB memo was earlier reported by Politico. Trump on Tuesday scrapped a meeting with top congressional Democratic leaders to discuss government funding, raising the risk of a partial government shutdown beginning next week. Both Republicans and Democrats have blamed each other for the impasse. Upon taking office in January, Trump launched a campaign to downsize the 2.4-million-strong federal civilian workforce, which he says is bloated and inefficient. Roughly 300,000 federal civilian workers will have left their jobs by the end of 2025, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Reuters in August. About 154,000 of those employees accepted a buyout and are slated to drop off the US governments payroll on September 30, the last day of the federal governments fiscal year. That date is also the deadline for Trump and Congress to reach an agreement on federal spending to avert a shutdown. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The United States on Thursday announced sanctions on a network it said generated revenue for North Korean weapons programmes, including by procuring North Korean bombs and bomb guidance kits for Myanmars ruling military A Boeing 737-823 operated by American Airlines takes off from the Reagan National Airport as US flags flutter in Washington, US, November 23, 2024. File Image/Reuters The United States on Thursday announced sanctions on a network it said generated revenue for North Korean weapons programmes, including by procuring North Korean bombs and bomb guidance kits for Myanmars ruling military. The State Department said the move was aimed at cutting off funding for North Koreas weapons programmes and countering a trade that facilitated indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure by Myanmars military since it seized power in 2021. The US Treasury Department said the sanctions targeted Myanmar-based arms procurement firm Royal Shune Lei Company Limited and key personnel, including a director, Aung Ko Ko Oo, as well as Kyaw Thu Myo Myint and Tin Myo Aung. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The statement said Kim Yong Ju, Beijing-based deputy representative of North Koreas Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID), worked with the latter two men to coordinate sales of two types of aerial bomb guidance kits, bombs and airborne monitoring equipment for Myanmars air force. The State Department said KOMID, also known as the 221 General Bureau, serves as North Koreas primary arms dealer and exporter of ballistic missile-related equipment. The statement said a fifth individual, Nam Chol Ung, a North Korean who had laundered foreign currency earnings through a network of businesses across Southeast Asia, was designated for belonging to Pyongyangs main foreign intelligence agency, which is already under US sanctions. North Koreas unlawful weapons programs are a direct threat to America and our allies, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley said in a statement. The Myanmar firm and the individuals could not immediately be reached for comment and North Koreas representative office at the United Nations and Myanmars Washington embassy did not immediately respond. A now-defunct United Nations panel of experts that monitored international sanctions on North Korea highlighted Pyongyangs military cooperation with countries such as Myanmar. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The first administration of US President Donald Trump sought to end such cooperation, which included North Korea sending missile experts and material for arms production to Myanmar, whose military leaders are under extensive US sanctions. In debut address at the UNGA, Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto called for guaranteeing Israels security as a key condition for peace in West Asia, an unexpected message from the leader of the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country, which has no diplomatic ties with Israel Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US, on September 23, 2025. Reuters File In debut address at the United Nations General Assembly, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto called for guaranteeing Israels security as a key condition for peace in West Asia an unexpected message from the leader of the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country, which has no diplomatic ties with Israel. Prabowo said his country could recognise Israel, but only if Palestinian statehood is first acknowledged. He said he was greatly heartened by the recent decisions of several Western countries specifically Britain, France, Belgium, Australia, and Canada to recognise Palestinian statehood, calling it a step aligned with the path of the moral high ground, path of rectitude, path of justice, humanity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I would like to reiterate again Indonesias complete support for the two-state solution in Palestine. We must have an independent Palestine, but we must also recognise and guarantee the safety and security of Israel. Only then can we have real peace, Prabowo said. Prabowo said that once Israel recognises Palestine, Indonesia will immediately recognise the State of Israel. He said that Indonesia wants a peace that shows that might cannot make right. In another dramatic move, he offered to contribute 20,000 or more Indonesian troops to help secure peace in Gaza, if the mission is authorised by the UN. We believe in the UN. We will continue to serve where peace needs guardians not with just words, but with boots on the ground, he said. If and when the UN Security Council and this great assembly decide, Indonesia is prepared to deploy 20,000 or even more of our sons and daughters to help secure peace in Gaza, he added. He went ahead and said that Indonesia was also willing to send peacekeepers elsewhere, including in Ukraine, Sudan, or Libya. He ended the speech with a rare, multifaith farewell including a Jewish greeting saying: Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, Shalom, Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om. Namo Budhaya. Thank you very much. Following his address, President Subianto received a warm reception from several world leaders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Jordans King Abdullah II and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were seen shaking his hand and commending him for the strong messages in his speech. Both leaders expressed appreciation for his bold and balanced stance on peace and security. However, Prabowos UN speech sparked mixed reactions in Indonesia. Dave Laksono, a lawmaker from Prabowos coalition party Golkar, told South China Morning Post that Presidents call for conditional recognition of Israel is a bold and strategic diplomatic move, emphasising it places the principles of justice and sovereignty as the main foundation. He clarified that conditional recognition of Israel is not a form of compromise, but rather a constructive offer that requires full recognition of Palestinian independence and sovereignty first. However, some social media users harshly criticised Prabowos stance. One wrote, Never in our name! The people of Indonesia will never ever recognise the genocidal apartheid entity! Prabowo doesnt represent us! The Indonesian government has been bought! STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Human rights activist Veronica Koman added, Prabowo promises recognition of sovereignty for Israel if Israel recognises Palestine, whereas Prabowo should demand that Israels UN membership be revoked because it is actively committing genocide. Others noted that a two-state solution, which Indonesia has supported for years, inherently involves recognising both Israel and Palestine. Analysts see the conditional recognition as a change of diplomatic style rather than a shift in principles. Agung Nurwijoyo, an international relations lecturer at the University of Indonesia, told This Week in Asia: The attitude remains the same, but the message has shifted slightly. During [Widodos] era, the message was firm, to reject normalisation with Israel, but under Prabowo, that message has transformed into something conditional. The public must understand that Indonesia has always supported a two-state solution from the start, which means recognising both parties, Israel and Palestine, as two entities living side by side. Agung also said the move is likely strategic, aimed at improving Indonesias ties with Western countries that recently recognised Palestinian sovereignty: STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Prabowo may aim to open up wider diplomatic space for Indonesia to build good collaboration with Western countries. With inputs from agencies China has announced it will no longer claim developing-country benefits at the World Trade Organisation, easing a long-standing point of friction with the United States that has hindered agreement on reforming the global trade body. In what Beijing describes as a step toward more balanced global trade, China has announced it will no longer claim certain benefits reserved for developing countries under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Premier Li Qiang announced the move Wednesday, saying that Beijing will no longer request Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) benefits in future WTO negotiations. Why Beijing is shifting course One key driver behind Chinas decision is likely the desire to ease trade tensions with the United States. For years, US officials have criticised Chinas use of developing-nation privileges, arguing that as the worlds second-largest economy it should not enjoy the leniencies afforded to poorer states. By voluntarily relinquishing SDT benefits, Beijing may be seeking to curry favour with Washington and reduce a frequent point of contention. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The timing also gives China a platform to present itself as a committed supporter of the multilateral trading system. While some Western powers have delayed or withheld their WTO dues, Beijing can argue its decision demonstrates seriousness about reforming global trade rules. What changes and what stays the same The new policy applies only to ongoing and future trade negotiations; existing WTO agreements remain unaffected. China will retain the benefits it currently holds under prior pacts. Importantly, Chinas status as a developing nation does not change. Chinese diplomats have made clear that Beijing will still self-identify as a developing member in the WTO, even as it declines to claim the preferential benefits associated with that status. Under the WTOs framework, special and differential treatment grants developing countries more flexibility: longer implementation timelines, technical assistance and exceptions to certain trade rules that richer nations must abide by. By foregoing these concessions in future talks, China signals increased confidence in its economic maturity, while preserving its diplomatic standing among developing nations. Global reaction and implications The WTO itself welcomed Chinas move as a pivotal moment toward a fairer trade system. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praised the decision, saying it removes a longstanding grievance and may help catalyse broader reform. Analysts note that while China retains developing-country status, its choice to abandon selective benefits pressures other large economies like India or Brazil to reconsider their own claims. It could reshape bargaining dynamics in upcoming WTO ministerial talks. But critics point out that some developing countries are much poorer and depend heavily on SDT. They warn that Chinas move, while symbolic, could exacerbate inequality within the WTO if other countries are implicitly discouraged from maintaining their benefits. Moreover, although Beijing has stepped away from some privileges, its fundamental role in global trade and its capacity to influence industrial policy and subsidies remain untouched. Some observers argue the move may serve more as diplomatic optics than as a radical shift in economic posture. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Qualcomm today introduced its flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform that promises 20% improvements in CPU, 23% GPU performance improvements, 16% overall improvements in power efficiency and 37% faster NPU. It also confirmed that several OEMs including HONOR, iQOO, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, POCO, realme, REDMI, RedMagic, ROG, Samsung, Sony, vivo, Xiaomi and ZTE will use the chip. Xiaomi 17 series Xiaomis new flagship, Xiaomi 17 series that will be introduced in China later today, will be the first to be powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Xiaomi Group Partner and President Lu Weibing said that every generation of Xiaomi digital series phones uses the most advanced Snapdragon chipset. Today, Xiaomi is collaborating deeply with Qualcomm to integrate hardware and software and co-create experiences, allowing everyone to enjoy the wonderful life brought by technology. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has been significantly upgraded, and its product is very powerful. Xiaomi has also achieved true same-day delivery with Qualcomms processor announcement in the morning and the phone in the evening, he added. POCO POCO has confirmed that its next-gen flagship smartphone will be powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This should be the POCO F8 Ultra, which should be a variant of the REDMI K90 Pro that is expected to launch in China in October. HONOR Magic8 series and HONOR MagicPad 3 Pro HONOR has confirmed that the HONOR Magic8 series phones and the MagicPad 3 Pro tablets will be the companys first devices to be equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform, known as one door, two supremes. These will be introduced in China in October. Li Kun, flagship smartphone product manager for HONOR shared a preview of the Magic8 phone in a celadon glaze color that draws inspiration from Song Dynasty Ru porcelain. The now-rainy celadon texture adds a Ru kiln crackle glaze element. The unique cicada wing pattern of Ru porcelain spans millennia, showcasing cultural heritage and a powerful core. The phone features a right-angled bezel design and a unique cicada wing pattern. OnePlus 15 OnePlus has confirmed that it will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for its flagship OnePlus 15 phone. It will be factory-installed with the all-new Windspeed Gaming Core. The latest flagship chip is just the starting point, injecting a whole new core into the new core. Pete Lau, Founder of OnePlus, said: For more than a decade, OnePlus and Qualcomm Technologies have moved in lock-step to redefine what a flagship can be. With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 at its core, OnePlus 15 carries that legacy forwarddelivering the speed, intelligence and efficiency our users demand today and into the future. The OnePlus 15 will unleash Ultra-class performance and usher in a new era of 165fps ultra-high frame rate gaming, the company added. There will be another phone with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, said the company, which should be the OnePlus Ace 6 series. iQOO 15 and vivo iQOO 15 that is coming next month will be equipped with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Its deeply integrated with Qualcomm to create the Monster super-core engine, which is tuned to the extreme and breaks the upper limit of gaming performance. The same chip is smoother, more stable, and faster, said the company. vivo has also confirmed that it will use the chip in its upcoming flagship, and it should be X300 Ultra that is expected next year. iQOO India has also confirmed the iQOO 15 with the chip. realme GT8 Pro realme GT8 Pro which will be introduced in October will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset in China. It will also be coming to global markets, including India, with the chip. It promises elite performance with an AnTuTu score exceeding 4 million. nubia and Redmagic nubia Z80 Ultra and RedMagic 11 Pro series will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. The RedMagic 11 Pro series will be introduced in October. HONOR has introduced X9d 5G, the companys latest smartphone in the X9 series, in Malaysia. This was introduced in China as HONOR X70 back in July, but the cameras have been enhanced. The HONOR X9d packs a 6.79 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED display with up to 6000 nits peak brightness, is powered by Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 with up to 12GB of RAM. The main highlight of the phone is the huge, 8300mAh third-generation silicon-carbon battery with six-year durability. Even with a huge battery, it weighs under 200 grams and is under 8mm. The phone has 66W fast charging, but doesnt have wireless charging support that was present in the 512GB model of the phone in China. The phone has the industrys first SGS Triple-resistant Premium Performance certification, with durable protection against drops from up to 2.5 meters, dust and water with IP69K + IP68 + IP66 certification that can withstand splashes, rain, high-pressure water exposure, and is sealed to protect the phone against fine particles like sand and construction dust. Ultra tough tempered glass with an industry first multilayer cushioning design, featuring a ballistic-grade damping layer for enhanced shock absorption, said the company. HONOR X9d 5G specifications 6.79-inch (26401200 pixels) 1.5K AMOLED 120Hz display, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, up to 6,000 nits peak brightness, 3840Hz high-frequency PWM dimming Up to 2.3GHz Octa Core Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 4nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 810 GPU 8GB / 12GB RAM with 128GB / 256GB / 512GB storage Android 15-based MagicOS 9.0 Dual SIM (nano + nano) 108MP camera with f/1.75 aperture, OIS, 4K video recording, 5MP ultra-wide camera 16MP front camera with f/2.45 aperture In-display fingerprint sensor, Infrared sensor Dimensions: 161.976.17.76mm; Weight: 193g USB Type-C Audio, Stereo Speakers Dust and water resistant (IP69K + IP69 + IP68 + IP66) 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS (L1+L5 dual frequency), USB Type-C, NFC 8300mAh battery with 66W SuperCharge fast charging Pricing and availability The HONOR X9d 5G comes in Reddish Brown, Midnight Black, Sunrise Gold, and Forest Green colours and is priced at RM 1499 (USD 355 / Rs. 31,500 approx.) for the 12GB + 256GB model and the 12GB + 512GB model costs RM 1699 (USD 402 / Rs. 35,705 approx.). The phone is already available to order in Malaysia. Cellecor Gadgets Limited, a homegrown consumer electronics company, has entered into a retail partnership with Poorvika Mobiles Pvt. Ltd., South Indias leading multi-brand electronics chain. Poorvika operates over 470 stores across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry. Earlier this month, Cellecor announced its expansion strategy in South India with a target of achieving 600 crore in annual business. Partnership impact Poorvika reported revenues of 3,600 crore for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, highlighting its strong market presence. The partnership is expected to contribute 150 crore annually to Cellecors topline. This deal strengthens Cellecors position in the southern retail market. Extended retail alliances Alongside Poorvika, Cellecor has built partnerships with leading South Indian retail chains, including LOT Mobiles, Sonu Vision, BIG C Mobiles, PAI International, B New Mobiles, Happy Mobiles, Sathya Agencies, Sangeetha Mobiles, and Celekt Mobiles. These alliances collectively span thousands of outlets across the region. Together, these retail collaborations are projected to generate 750 crore annually from South India, making the region a significant contributor to Cellecors nationwide expansion. Product portfolio Cellecors product range includes Smart TVs, smartphones, wearables, laptops, home and kitchen appliances, and audio devices. The company is expanding through offline partnerships, exclusive brand stores, and a broadening product lineup. It also aligns with the Government of Indias Make in India initiative, focusing on delivering value-driven electronics for domestic consumers. Speaking on the occasion, Ravi Agarwal, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Cellecor Gadgets Ltd., said: Swiss Government Press release Published on 24 September 2025 Bern, 24.09.2025 -- At the opening of the General Debate at the UN in New York on Wednesday, 24 September, President Karin Keller-Sutter cited security and freedom as key values in marking the start of another new era 80 years after the founding of the UN. She also reaffirmed Switzerland's support for the UN's reform efforts. In her speech, President Keller-Sutter emphasised the responsibility of states to create an environment in which their citizens are able to develop freely in safety and security. Security and freedom are the most important prerequisites for economic growth and prosperity: "They require institutions that are legally sound, reliable and capable of taking action. And they require political, social and financial stability. (...) Only states that are strong domestically can show true solidarity and contribute to a successful international community". Switzerland appeals to all states to resolutely renew their commitment to the values proclaimed 80 years ago in the UN Charter, she noted. As a reliable host state and member state, Switzerland will work towards a more efficient UN and sustainable multilateralism. President Keller-Sutter took part in a summit in New York on Monday to mark the 80th anniversary of the UN. She also took part in an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the World Conference on Women in Beijing. Ms Keller-Sutter explained that recent crises had set back the cause of gender equality: "The progress we have fought for over decades is now at risk in too many countries. But the solutions are already in our hands, set out in multilateral frameworks that have long been in place". What we now need is to build on that foundation and commit to putting it into practice. She also stressed the importance of International Geneva as the UN's operational centre. Bilateral meetings On the margins of the UN General Assembly, President Keller-Sutter discussed bilateral issues and global challenges with heads of state and government. Ms Keller-Sutter met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, among others. Topics of discussion included current conflicts and the search for solutions, International Geneva and Switzerland's good offices. The UN Secretary-General emphasised the continuing importance of International Geneva as a hub for multilateral diplomacy, humanitarian aid and human rights. A meeting with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian is also planned. September 24, 2025 Release Department of War Approves $90 Million in Grants Under the Defense Community Infrastructure Program Today, the Department of War awarded ten Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) grants from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, totaling approximately $90 million. DCIP is a competitive program for states, territories, and communities to undertake infrastructure enhancements to support military value, the training of cadets at independent "covered educational institutions," installation resiliency, and/or family quality of life that benefits their local installations. On August 15, the Assistant Secretary of War for Energy, Installations, and Environment instructed the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to invite grant applications for ten projects based on a competitive ranking of all proposed projects in response to a May 27, 2025, DCIP Notice of Funding Opportunity. These awards derive from Fiscal Year 2025 appropriated funding and leverage an additional $59.9 million in non-federal funding, for a total investment of approximately $150 million. "Enhanced partnerships with state and local communities are critical to the success of our installations and their missions," said Mr. Dale Marks, Assistant Secretary of War for Energy, Installations, and Environment. "The Defense Community Infrastructure Program continues to play a vital role in building and maintain these successful partnerships. This year's program continues to build on the Department's efforts to invest in critical infrastructure with our defense communities to enable the readiness and lethality of our installations." The Fiscal Year 2025 grant awards are as follows: $14 million federal grant to North Slope Borough, Alaska, to undertake a $23.5 million project to install high-speed fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure to Point Barrow Long Range Radar Site. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. $2.6 million federal grant to Golden Valley Electric Association, Inc., Alaska, to undertake a $2.7 million project to install critical electrical infrastructure to the Murphy Dome Long Range Radar Site. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. $13 million federal grant to Golden Valley Electric Association, Inc., Alaska, to undertake a $13.3 million project to construct a new switching substation, upgrade an existing substation, and improve communication systems. This project supports the readiness and lethality of Eielson Air Force Base. $7 million federal grant to North County Fire Protection District, California, to undertake a $13.9 million project to construct a fire station that will enhance emergency response resources and mitigate impacts of wildfires on training and mission readiness. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Marine Corps Camp Pendleton and Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Detachment Fallbrook. $5.7 million federal grant to the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, Connecticut, to undertake a project to replace 11,700 linear feet of a water main to enhance water supply infrastructure. This project supports the readiness and lethality of Submarine Base New London. $4.8 million federal grant to the Port Authority of Guam to undertake a $6.9 million project to execute near-term structural and safety upgrades to stabilize the pier, extend its operational life, and maintain critical functionality. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Joint Region Marianas. $10 million federal grant to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma, to undertake a $35.8 million project to reconstruct a segment of US-69 and replace the Peaceable Creek bridge. The project supports the readiness and lethality of McAlester Army Ammunition Plant. $11.9 million federal grant to the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, to undertake a $29.9 million project to construct a waterline. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads. $20 million to Kitsap County Public Works, Washington, to undertake a $40 million project to construct a 1.4 million gallon per day anaerobic digester, yard piping, and a digester control building. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Naval Base Kitsap. $300,000 federal grant to the City of Everett, Washington, to undertake a $800,000 project to construct a police boathouse facility. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Naval Station Everett. Groundbreaking on these projects may commence once all environmental requirements have been met. The Defense Community Infrastructure Program is authorized under 10 U.S. Code 2391. For more information about the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, visit this website: https://oldcc.gov/defense-community-infrastructure-program-dcip https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4313895/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address G7: Joint Statement by Foreign Ministers following the G7 Meeting of Foreign Ministers on the Margins of the High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York European External Action Service (EEAS) 24.09.2025 New York, United States EEAS Press Team We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, met on the margins of High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. We expressed concerns around Russia's most recent airspace violations in Estonia, Poland and Romania, which are unacceptable and risk undermining international security. We underscored our ongoing commitment to work together to achieve a durable peace and a strong, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, by continuing to coordinate with the United States to provide Ukraine with robust and credible security guarantees. We discussed imposing further economic costs on Russia, including taking action against third country enablers. We welcome ongoing discussions between G7 Finance Ministers on further leveraging Russian Sovereign Assets to support Ukraine. We welcomed the U.S. and Panama proposal to establish a UN Support Office for Haiti and transition the Multinational Security Support Mission into a new force, with a mandate to dismantle gangs, secure critical infrastructure, and re-establish security in Haiti together with the Haitian authorities. We stressed the urgency of alleviating the immense suffering of civilians in Gaza through a flood of humanitarian aid and securing the release of all hostages, and we reiterated our call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. We unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for its brutal and unjustified terror attacks on October 7, 2023. We reiterated that Hamas can have no role in Gaza's future and must never again be a threat to Israel. We affirmed our readiness to engage with Arab partners on their proposals to chart a way forward on reconstruction in Gaza and build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. We called on Iran to fully implement its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and engage in direct talks with the United States towards a robust, durable and comprehensive nuclear agreement that ensures Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. We commended the E3's decision to trigger the "snapback" mechanism. We reaffirmed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law. We reiterated our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion, including in the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and across the Taiwan Strait. We reaffirmed our commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and the immediate resolution of the abductions issue. As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, we recognized the fundamental need for the reform of the United Nations and expressed willingness to participate in efforts to ensure that it is fit for purpose. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Address by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, at the 80th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations Republic of Cyprus From: Presidency of the Republic 24/09/25 20:47 | Speech / Address | Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026, President of the Republic / Presidency Madame President, Ladies and gentlemen, We stand at the brink of a precipice. International order, as we know it, is challenged in an unprecedented manner, 80 years since the United Nations (UN) emerged out of World War II. Today, we stand before drastic, unpredictable geopolitical shifts. Instability that appears to spiral. An unchartered landscape that seems resistant to the international order and norms as we know them. We are witnessing devastating wars and unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe and human suffering. Blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law that bring our system to its knees. We stand before the rise of use of force against sovereign states, that constantly escalate and expand threatening regional security and stability. States are sponsoring malign actors to destabilise. Disrupting critical maritime routes. The use of new means of warfare is rising, without even the most basic safeguards in place. Global security is constantly undermined. At the same time, we are faced with the challenge of the uncontrolled expansion of technology and AI, threatening our security, and the well-being of our children. And climate change is looming - threatening livelihoods, economies, creating new migration routes. And inequalities are becoming embedded. The world is changing rapidly. And while there can be no doubt that the UN has served a noble cause, and that together, we have achieved tremendous progress, at this critical moment of inflection, we have a Responsibility to recognise the shortcomings. To admit that we have lagged behind. That we have failed along the way. And these admissions need to stir us into action. We must urgently evolve to be fit to effectively address the immense, complex challenges we are faced with. Ladies and gentlemen - This is our Moment of Responsibility. Collective Responsibility and Individual State Responsibility - inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. The scale and nature of the challenges we face, require both. "Better Together" is the theme for this Assembly. But beyond Better, we are also "Stronger Together". More Resilient Together. This is the moment to renew our collective commitment and stand firmly and boldly in support of Multilateralism and International Law. Dialogue and Diplomacy are the sole path to lasting stability and security. Dialogue and Diplomacy over violence. Each and Every time. And most importantly, this is the moment to transform pledges into Bold Action. Into Change. Ladies and gentlemen, history will look back to this moment in time. And it will be unforgiving. It will judge us all, not by the declaratory statements we pronounce, but by the change we enable. We will be judged by the change we become - as states, as governments, as leaders that have been elected by our citizens to deliver. Ladies and gentlemen, my country, Cyprus, walks this path of Responsibility. And it stands ready to step up further. To assume even more its role as an enabler of security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Greater Middle East. As a driver of cooperation, underpinned by a vision of strength through partnership with like-minded countries, and as a safe harbour in turbulent waters. Determined to transform our geography in a complex region into a blessing. By building on our long-standing historical ties with our neighbours, that are anchored on trust, mutual respect, cooperation. Always part of the solution to the region's challenges. As a Credible, Reliable, Responsible Partner. We have proven this, time and time again. Cyprus will always be a stable, trustworthy, safe harbour. Let me be clear. This is not theoretical. It takes shape and form through concrete initiatives that build on Cyprus' role as a hub of stability and cooperation in a challenging part of the world. Cyprus has consistently provided the necessary infrastructure and support for the evacuation of foreign nationalsfrom areas of danger or conflict. From Sudan, from Lebanon, from Israel, from Iran. Following the barbaric Hamas terrorist attack of October 7th, and the subsequent war that has led to a humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, Cyprus assumed, yet again, its moral responsibility to its region. We did so through the development of the Amalthea maritime corridor for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza. The route was reactivated as recently as this past week. We worked with like-minded partners - the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the European Union (EU), the UK, and others. And we delivered. Furthermore, in the face of persecutions in the region towards religious and other minorities, Cyprus could not remain idle. Proving our long-standing commitment to upholding fundamental rights and freedoms, demonstrating once again Responsibility, we appointed a Special Envoy on the protection of religious freedom and the protection of minorities in the Middle East. At the same time, Cyprus has responded to the calls of our neighbours for assistance in the face of fires, sending our brave firefighters as reinforcement. And our neighbours have reciprocated. Also, as part of our regional Responsibility in addressing climate change, Cyprus and Jordan's proposed initiative for a European firefighting hub in Cyprus, covering the region is now on the path for implementation by the EU. The aforementioned examples, Dear friends, are only a snapshot of Cyprus's active, tangible Responsibility. And I am very proud that my country walks this path of Responsibility. And we are determined to expand it. Always part of the solution. Never part of the problem. Ladies and gentlemen, Cyprus stands ready to assume its regional Responsibility also in the context of bringing an end to the war in Gaza, and given our proximity, to play a role in its reconstruction. Let me be clear: there are no substitutes for peace. This war, must end. A first necessary step is the immediate ceasefire in Gaza and I hope that President Trump's initiative has a positive outcome. At the same time, the humanitarian catastrophe must be alleviated. This means, unhindered flow of aid in Gaza. The displacement must also end. International humanitarian law must be respected. We call with the same fervour for the immediate release of all hostages. And, as unreachable as it may seem at this moment, we must not lose sight of the path for peace. For a two-state solution in line with UN Security Council Resolutions. We have a Responsibility to continue our work for a future in which Israel and Palestine live side by side in conditions of lasting security and peace. And, we must be clear and unequivocal that Hamas, a terrorist organisation, has no place in such a future. Ladies and gentlemen, As part of our Responsibility, Cyprus will assume the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU in January of 2026. The EU, that has evolved into an unprecedented political union, embodying the essence of multilateralism, anchored on respect for the UN Charter. It is a project of collective Responsibility that delivers. A unifying force of Stability, Security and Prosperity. The EU Presidency is yet another moment of Responsibility for Cyprus. Europe's heart will beat for 6 months from the Union's last divided member state, under occupation since the 1974 Turkish invasion. We will exercise our Responsibility fully aware of what is at stake: An imperative need to deliver stronger Multilateralism, more integration, and more cooperation between Europe and the world. To deliver a stronger, more secure, more autonomous Union. Committed to supporting partners, focusing also on the Eastern Mediterranean and the Greater Middle East. Supporting and investing in strategic partners that are pillars of stability in the region such as Jordan and Egypt. Working together with our Lebanese partners to ensure long lasting stability in the country. Working to ensure stability in Syria, inclusivity, respect to religious freedoms and protection of minorities. Assuming more Responsibility as a Union for our security, and that of our neighbourhood. Ladies and gentlemen, Cyprus will assume another role of Responsibility - for the first time - as a member of the Human Rights Council for the period 2025-2027. It is in the same spirit that we also proudly presented our candidature for the Presidency of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly. As a member state that embodies and embraces the principles of Multilateralism, Inclusivity, Bridge Building and Responsibility. Madame President, Ladies and gentlemen, The Russian aggression against Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter must serve as a wake-up call. As we condemn the use of force against a sovereign nation, the killing of civilians, the forced disappearance of children, the destruction and displacement, we have an obligation to remember: We must collectively act against aggressors no matter who they are. Appeasing the aggressor never yields results. History demonstrates this clearly. Each time we turn a blind eye to violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty of states Anywhere in the world, we create space and opportunity for the next aggressor. And this time it can be bordering your country. In 2022 Russia invaded a sovereign nation, Ukraine, violating the UN Charter. In 1974, Turkey invaded a sovereign nation, Cyprus, violating the UN Charter. The violation is equal. The suffering. The invasion and occupation. Cyprus is under occupation by Turkey for 51 years. Tens of thousands displaced. Women raped. Destruction of cultural and religious heritage. The fenced town of Varosha, held hostage by Turkey, awaiting for its lawful inhabitants to return, as the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions have prescribed for Turkey to allow. A policy of illegal settlements to change the demographic character of the country. Families waiting for the fate of their loved ones for decades. As a young boy in those early years after the invasion, the images of mothers and children weeping for their loved ones have been engraved in my memory. The Playbook of occupiers is always the same. Ladies and gentlemen, From this very podium yesterday, Mr Erdogan preached the world on peace and accountability. He pointed the finger to others, for crimes Turkey itself commits every single day. That is selective sensitivity and hypocrisy of the highest form. Illegality cannot yield legality. Illegality stemming from use of force cannot be recognised. No matter who the perpetrator is, no matter who the victim is. Ladies and gentlemen,Politicians are judged not by their words but by their actions. It is what distinguishes Politicians from Leaders. Cyprus has proven time and again that it is a Reliable, Responsible actor. A country that not only "Talks the Talk" but also "Walks the Walk" of Responsibility. And my call today to Mr Erdogan is to join that path of Responsibility: To end the occupation, through negotiations for a comprehensive settlement that will reunify Cyprus in a bizonal bicommunal federation with political equality. Always in line with UN Security Council Resolutions, EU law values and principles. This is the only way. Therefore, let me repeat: the call for Responsibility is the loudest for my own country. I am ready for this moment of Responsibility, ready to deliver on the call of history to reunify Cyprus, to reunify my people, Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Madame President, Ladies and gentlemen, We stand at the brink of a precipice. And while the impulse may be to shrink away from the immense Responsibility we inherited from the visionaries who stood here 80 years ago, now is the moment for us to assume our Responsibility - collectively, and individually as states. Rest assured that Cyprus will continue to do its part. By being Responsible. By being advocates for Responsibility. For the good of humanity. For our Peoples. (RM/IA/LY) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister met with UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Updated 2025-09-24 On 23 September, the Minister-designate of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kestutis Budrys, met with Annalena Baerbock, President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). During the meeting, the Minister and the UNGA President discussed the need to defend the principles of the UN Charter - sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the prohibition of the use of force - and the role of the UN in strengthening accountability for violations of international law, ensuring peace and security in the world. "It is necessary to modernise the United Nations in order to make the organisation more effective and relevant in the current security and geopolitical situation. The UN Security Council is paralysed and cannot take action to condemn and prevent Russian aggression, as the aggressor, Russia, is its permanent member. The General Assembly must take the lead in the fight against the abuse of the veto power", said the Minister. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister Budrys participated in the Lithuanian-U.S. defence industry business forum in New York Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Updated 2025-09-24 On September 23, during the visit to New York, the Minister-designate of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kestutis Budrys, participated in the Lithuanian-U.S. defence industry business forum in New York. On September 23, during the visit to New York, the Minister-designate of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kestutis Budrys, participated in the Lithuanian-U.S. defence industry business forum in New York. "U.S. capital and research potential, Lithuania's readiness to quickly provide production opportunities, and Ukraine's ability to respond rapidly to needs on the battlefield form a triangle of opportunity that opens up vast business prospects," said Budrys. The Minister emphasized that the defence industry must keep pace with the times and actively adapt innovations. According to Budrys, recent incidents with drones have shown that the capabilities available on NATO's front lines are insufficient and do not meet security challenges. Therefore, it is necessary to cooperate with Ukraine and learn from its experience. The participants of the forum highlighted the importance of the transatlantic bond, which is particularly strengthened by the expanding cooperation in the field of the defence industry. Representatives of US defence companies emphasized the openness of Lithuanian partners to innovation, speed, and flexibility of decision-making. The forum was also attended by the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda. In addition, three Lithuanian-U.S. cooperation documents were signed during the forum: an agreement between the Innovation Agency and the Pennsylvania National Guard on cooperation in the field of innovation; a cooperation agreement between the Pennsylvania Drone Association and the Lithuanian Defence and Security Industry Association; and an agreement between Lithuanian company KOVO Armor and U.S. company Safariland Group. The forum was organized by the Consulate General of Lithuania in New York together with the Baltic American Chamber of Commerce and the American-Lithuanian Business Council. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister of National Defence met with Minister for Defence of Spain: NATO has to transition from NATO air policing to air defence Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2025-09-24 Minister of National Defence Dovile Sakaliene met with Minister for Defence of Spain Margarita Robles Fernandez who is on a visit in Lithuania to meet with her military personnel in Siauliai. They discussed bilateral cooperation, strengthening air defence in the Baltic region and further support to Ukraine. Minister of National Defence D. Sakaliene underscored that security remained the top priority for the Government of Lithuania and NATO force deployment in the region was the language that russia understood. "We are grateful to Spain for your significant contribution to our security. You are operating your ninth rotation of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states flown from Siauliai. You were also the first of NATO Allies to send additional fighter jets in enforcement of the Rotation NATO Air Defence Model. Russia's present-day behavior leaves no room for delusion: it is a forthright and forward-looking confrontation with the whole Europe. Therefore, our defence investment has to be focused on the area likely to be the first one hit: the eastern border area. If we create a resilient defence line there, we will deter the enemy's ambition not just from the Baltic states but also any other European capital. We can see a necessity for the Alliance to change its perspective with regard to the latest airspace breeches. Russia's actions are testing NATO, therefore we have to ensure a timely and effective response by strengthening UAV, UAV-jamming and ground-based air and missile defence capabilities. We hope that Spain will continue being a part of Lithuania's effort to strengthen air defence," said Minister D. Sakaliene. Minister of National Defence pointed out that the military aircraft the Spanish guest arrived by was hit with GPS jamming near Kaliningrad. "Military systems on the aircraft are obviously more resilient to GPS jamming as compared to civilian equipment which left Spanish Minister's flight uninterrupted, however, the russian gesture made an impression. Spain has reiterated its commitment to our security and recognizes the need for joint action to strengthen security of the border area." D. Sakaliene underscored key priorities of the Lithuanian defence policy at the meeting, namely, development of the infrastructure for hosting Allied forces and formation of the infantry division, which includes finance for tanks, air defence and other capabilities. Lithuania will be spending 5.25% of GDP on defence as of 2025 reaching one of the highest rates in NATO. Also, Lithuania receives EUR 6.4 billion through the European Union's SAFE which will be spent to develop the infantry division by 2030 and implement the Baltic Defence Line. The meeting focussed significantly on air defence. Minister D. Sakaliene accentuated that the drone incursion was a test to the whole NATO and required strengthening the Alliance's air capabilities in the region. She announced that Lithuania was already executing an operation near the border with Belarus with ground-based means and mobile fire parties, as well as planned acquiring more sensors and systems for drone neutralization shortly. Another topic addressed at the meeting was strengthening further support to Ukraine: Ministers underlined the strong Lithuanian and Spanish commitment to support the fighting Armed Forces of Ukraine as long as it takes. Minister Sakaliene thanked Spain for joining the Demining Coalition co-led by Lithuania and Iceland. This year the Coalition aims to train and equip eight Ukraine's EOD battalions. Lithuania will continue financing Ukraine's defence industry in order to increase its scope of arms productions as quickly as possible and to accelerate the delivery of vital weaponry to the Ukrainian troops on the frontlines. Spain and Ukraine are close partners in the area of weaponry production in Ukraine, Spain also supplies Spanish-made weapons to Ukraine, while Lithuania aims to develop joint Lithuanian-Ukrainian defence industry companies in Lithuania. Spain is currently contributing its 9th NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states flown from Siauliai with four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, and has air defence capabilities deployed in Latvia and Estonia. Spanish military personnel also serve in the Multinational Battle Group in Latvia, contributes to the maritime presence in the Baltic Sea and helps training troops and fighter aircraft controllers of the Lithuanian Air Force. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President invited Lockheed Martin to invest in Lithuania President of the Republic of Lithuania September 24, 2025 President Gitanas Nauseda met in New York with Michael E. Williamson, a member of Lockheed Martin's executive leadership team and President of Lockheed Martin International. Lockheed Martin is one of the largest high-tech and defense companies in the United States. During the meeting, the President invited the U.S. defense industry giant to invest in Lithuania. "In recent years, Lithuania has significantly reduced the administrative burden for defense industry manufacturers seeking to establish themselves and develop products in our country. We have created an effective model for partnerships with the world's leading manufacturers, with success stories involving Rheinmetall and Northrop Grumman as vivid examples. We are fully prepared to welcome you to Lithuania - we have the talent, free economic zones, dedicated state institutions to coordinate investments, a favorable macroeconomic climate, and a growing defense ecosystem," said the President. The president also stressed that Lithuania, which has allocated more than 5% of its GDP to defense, is becoming one of NATO's leaders. A shared approach to security, he added, is both a sign of strong transatlantic cooperation and a driver of growth for the defense industry. Lockheed Martin is a global security and defense company whose main activities include research, design, development, manufacturing, integration and maintenance of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The company's annual revenue exceeds $70 billion, and it employs more than 100,000 people. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Micronesia expressed, on Wednesday in New York, its full support to Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, the Kingdom's sovereignty over its Southern Provinces and the Moroccan Autonomy Plan. Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday 24 September 2025 This position was expressed during a bilateral meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and his Micronesian peer, Lorin S. Robert, on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly High-level Week. During the meeting, a cooperation roadmap for the 2025-2027 was signed between the two parties, in line with the High Guidelines of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, for the Kingdom's commitment to South-South cooperation and solidarity with developing countries. As part of this roadmap, Micronesia has provided its firm support to Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, the Kingdom's sovereignty over its Southern Provinces, and the Moroccan autonomy plan as the only solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. This Pacific island nation solemnly stated that "the Sahara region is and has always been an integral part of Moroccan territory," while commending "Morocco's serious and credible efforts to achieve a realistic, pragmatic, and lasting political solution based on compromise to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara." Furthermore, Micronesia stated that "the Moroccan Initiative for autonomy within the framework of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco is the one and only solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, in accordance with Security Council resolutions since 2007, including Resolution 2756 of October 31, 2024." Through this position, Micronesia further bolsters the growing international momentum in support of Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara and the Moroccan Autonomy Plan, as the only solution to this regional dispute. Micronesia also expressed its appreciation and gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the Kingdom's commitment to raising its relations with the Pacific Island States to higher levels, while welcoming the Sovereign's Vision for South-South cooperation, which has established Morocco and the Sahara region as a strategic catalyst for partnerships with the countries of the Global South. Through this roadmap, Morocco is committed to sharing its experience and expertise to actively support Micronesia's development priorities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Papua New Guinea reaffirmed, on Wednesday in New York, its firm support for Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, the Kingdom's sovereignty over its Southern Provinces and the Moroccan Autonomy Plan. Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday 24 September 2025 This position was expressed during a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and his counterpart from Papua New Guinea, Justin Tkatchenko, on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly High-level Week. During this meeting, the two parties signed the cooperation roadmap for the period 2025-2027, in line with the High Guidelines of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, for strengthening South-South cooperation with developing countries in different regions of the world. In this roadmap, this Pacific island nation reiterates its full support for Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, the Kingdom's sovereignty over its Southern Provinces, and the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as the only solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. "The Sahara region is, and has always been, an integral part of Moroccan territory," Papua New Guinea solemnly declared, commending "Morocco's serious and credible efforts to achieve a realistic, pragmatic, and sustainable political solution, based on compromise, to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara." Papua New Guinea stressed that "the Moroccan autonomy initiative, within the framework of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom, is the one and only solution to this regional dispute, in accordance with Security Council resolutions since 2007, including resolution 2756 of October 31, 2024." Papua New Guinea's unwavering support for Morocco's national cause further strengthens the broad international support enjoyed by the Kingdom to bring a definitive end to this regional dispute. Similarly, Papua New Guinea expressed its gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the Kingdom's commitment to raising its partnership with the Pacific Island States to unprecedented levels. In addition, this island nation praised the Sovereign's vision for strengthening South-South cooperation and Morocco's role as a hub for Southern countries. The roadmap signed between Morocco and Papua New Guinea will enable the Kingdom to contribute to the development of this country through a fruitful, constructive, and mutually beneficial partnership. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Mulambo Haimbe, reiterated on Wednesday in New York his country's support to Morocco's national sovereignty over its entire territory, including the Sahara region. Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday 24 September 2025 "We reaffirm the position that we have always defended concerning Morocco and the Sahara, which are an inseparable unit," Haimbe told the press following a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly. In this regard, he expressed Zambia's willingness to continue cooperation with Morocco "as friends, brothers, and allies" on the basis of this position. Recalling the signing of several partnership agreements in Laayoune during the first Morocco-Zambia Joint Commission meeting in December 2024, Haimbe stressed that these agreements would "strengthen the ongoing commitment between our two countries." Within the framework of this partnership, Zambia will continue to be "Morocco's gateway to Southern Africa, in the interests of both peoples," he added. The Zambian minister added that the next session of the joint commission, scheduled for 2026 in Lusaka, will be an opportunity to continue this momentum in the spirit of "friendship, brotherhood, and unity." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, held talks on Wednesday in New York with the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock. Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday 24 September 2025 During this meeting, held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the General Assembly, the two parties discussed Morocco's "precious" contributions to the United Nations, in particular its continued support for the Office of the President of the General Assembly, as well as its role as co-facilitator of the Political Declaration of the World Social Summit. Talks also focused on the reforms proposed under the UN80 Initiative and on the process for selecting the next UN Secretary-General, according to the account of the meeting released by the Office of the President of the General Assembly. Mr. Bourita and Ms. Baerbock also addressed regional cooperation and the importance of joint efforts in the service of peace and stability in the Middle East. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Attacks on Gaza-bound flotilla defy belief, accountability a must Press releases Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 24 September 2025 From Comment by UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on the attack against Gaza-bound flotilla Attacks and threats against those trying to deliver aid to and support the hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza who are suffering famine and starvation defy belief. There must be an independent, impartial and thorough investigation into the reported attacks and harassment by drones and other objects against the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. Such attacks must stop, and those responsible for violations must be held to account. As the occupying power, Israel must ensure food and medical supplies for the population to the fullest extent of the means available, or to agree to and facilitate impartial humanitarian relief schemes, delivered rapidly and without hindrance. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk calls on Israel to urgently lift the blockade on Gaza and allow the entry of life-saving material through all means possible. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan: UN Fact-Finding Mission urges immediate action after deadly mosque strike in El Fasher Press releases Independent investigation 24 September 2025 GENEVA -- The UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan has condemned in the strongest terms a deadly drone strike allegedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Al-Safiya Mosque and adjacent homes in El Fasher, North Darfur, on 19 September. Calling for immediate action to protect civilians, the Mission warned that El Fasher remains under siege and at grave risk of further attacks, with civilians facing extreme danger. The attack, which took place during dawn prayers, reportedly killed at least 75 worshippers, including children, and injured many others. It is the latest, and the most devastating, in a series of assaults on religious and cultural sites during Sudan's ongoing conflict. "Killing civilians, including children, while in prayer in a mosque shows a blatant disregard for the most fundamental principles of international law," said Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission. "Those responsible must be held accountable." In its report presented to the Human Rights Council on 8 September, the Mission indicated its receipt of credible allegations of similar attacks on other places of worship by both warring parties, including the shelling of churches in El Fasher by the RSF and the bombing of mosques and of a Baptist church in Wad Madani and Khartoum by the Sudanese Armed Forces. "Places of worship should be sanctuaries, not targets," said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, expert member of the Fact-Finding Mission. "This strike deepens the trauma of communities already suffering starvation, displacement and sexual violence. The world cannot look away while civilians are attacked in their most sacred spaces." The Mission stressed that attacks directed against cultural property and religious sites are flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law that may amount to war crimes. It underscored that intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated inter alia to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, and historic monuments constitute war crimes, provided these sites are not military objectives. The onus falls on the attacking side to prove the military objective. "Sudan's rich and diverse religious and cultural tapestry forms part of its shared heritage," said Mona Rishmawi, expert member of the Mission. "Deliberate attacks on worshippers, mosques, churches, and cultural sites risk erasing identity and dignity. The International Criminal Court has already condemned individuals for the intentional destruction of religious and cultural sites in other conflicts. The Fact-Finding Mission will continue to investigate these grave acts and seek accountability." The Mission called for concrete measures by all parties to protect civilians and safeguard and protect religious and cultural buildings. "Every day of delay results in more bloodshed," Othman said. "Justice and protection demand immediate action." ENDS Background: The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan was established by the UN Human Rights Council in October 2023 through resolution A/HRC/RES/54/2, and its mandate was extended until October 2025 with resolution A/HRC/RES/57/2. Its key task is "to investigate and establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of all alleged human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, including those committed against refugees, and related crimes in the context of the ongoing armed conflict that began on 15 April 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, as well as other warring parties." The members of the Fact-Finding Mission were appointed by the President of the UN Human Rights Council; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights Office provides support to the Fact-Finding Mission, the members serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including the UN. Any views or opinions presented herein are solely those of the mandated members. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir on the Sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Contact Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir met on 23 September 2025 on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting reviewed the political and security situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and examined the deteriorating human rights conditions in the occupied territory. Chaired by the Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs of the OIC, Mr. Yousef M. Al-Dobeay, the meeting was attended by the member states of the Contact Group i.e. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Niger and Azerbaijan. A delegation of the True Representatives of the Kashmiri People was also in attendance. Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, thanked the OIC and its Member States for their steadfast support to the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination. He condemned India's attempts to entrench its illegal occupation through draconian laws, repression, and demographic changes, noting intensified human rights abuses and arbitrary detentions since August 2019. He reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to peace, stressing that lasting stability in South Asia depends on resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute through genuine dialogue. The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister urged the OIC to press India to end repression, free political prisoners, repeal draconian laws, and allow Kashmiris to exercise their right to self-determination under UN Security Council resolutions. Participating delegations, members of the Contact Group underscored that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains a vital priority on the OIC's agenda, reaffirmed their steadfast support for the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people to realize their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people. They urged renewed efforts toward an early, peaceful resolution of the dispute. A Joint Communique was formally adopted by the Contact Group during the meeting. Islamabad 24 September 2025 289/2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PH, Ukraine 'well-positioned' for increased trade, drone co-production Philippine News Agency By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora September 24, 2025, 1:42 pm MANILA -- A delegation of Ukrainian parliamentarians visiting the Philippines cited the "huge potentials" for collaboration with Manila, particularly in boosting trade and developing the defense industry, including the possible co-production of drones. Ukrainian Member of Parliament Vadym Halaichuk said the Philippines, a staunch supporter of just and lasting peace in Ukraine, was well-positioned to become a priority partner in Kyiv's policy for Ukrainian restoration. "President Zelensky made it very clear that Ukraine's policy towards restoration and forming partnerships is that we will be forming these partnerships with our friends, with allies, and we will not be giving those contracts to countries that have helped Russia in its aggression," Halaichuk said during a Stratbase Forum on Sept. 23. "That is a reason why a country such as the Philippines should pay more attention and be interested, because we will definitely be welcoming the countries that have cooperated and helped us," he added. Fellow Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko highlighted Ukraine's status as one of the world's "more militarily developed and sophisticated" nations today due to its expertise and advancements in weapons technology, especially in military drone production. "(On drones), it's about how you use them, how you launch them, where you launch them and how you counter the technology that your enemy or opponent has to block your attacksthat's what matters," she said. "That cannot be just transferred in the box, it's in the minds of Ukrainian military personnel, of our personnel, of our commanders and strategists who know on the ground and in the field how to do so. And this is a whole new level of partnership that needs to be discussed," she added. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Vasylenko said her country was able to grow the number of its drone producers to "over 1,000," who continuously innovate and develop the equipment to meet the current needs of each Ukrainian military unit. Ukrainian Ambassador to the Philippines Yuliia Fediv earlier said Ukraine is looking to forge a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation with the Philippines a deal she hopes would pave the way for possible talks on joint co-production. As of posting, the Ukrainian Embassy in Manila has yet to provide an update about the progress on the MOU signing. Halaichuk, Vasylenko, together with Tamila Tasheva MP, are in the Philippines as part of a delegation composed of members of the Ukrainian parliamentarians and representatives from leading Ukrainian analytical institutions. The visit comes as Ukraine looks to deepen its overall bilateral cooperation with the Philippines amid the evolving security challenges in the region. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address P1.64-B performance-based bonus for Army personnel released Philippine News Agency By Darryl John Esguerra September 24, 2025, 1:19 pm MANILA -- The government has approved the release of PHP1.64 billion for the 2023 Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) of more than 110,000 qualified officials and employees of the Philippine Army. In a statement on Wednesday, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the move recognizes the "dedication and sacrifice" of soldiers who continue to defend peace and protect the Filipino people. "Alam po natin, lalo na po ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, ang pagpupursige at hirap ng bawat sundalo (The government, especially President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., knows the sacrifices of our soldiers). Our soldiers dedicate their lives to defending peace and protecting our people. This release underlines our commitment to recognize and reward our men and women in uniform who fulfill their duties with excellence," Pangandaman said. Under the approved release, eligible personnel will receive a bonus equivalent to 45.50 percent of their basic monthly salary as of Dec. 31, 2023. To qualify, Army officers and employees must have earned at least a "Very Satisfactory" rating under the Civil Service Commission's Strategic Performance and Management System. The funds will be sourced from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund under the FY 2025 General Appropriations Act. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, in a Malacanang briefing, underscored that the grant serves as recognition of the soldiers' sacrifices in safeguarding the nation's freedom and sovereignty. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Transatlantic Dinner with the Foreign Ministers of the NATO and EU Member States, Secretary General of NATO Rutte, High Representative of the European Union Kallas, and Special Invitees US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson September 24, 2025 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the 2025 Transatlantic Dinner with the foreign ministers of the member states of the EU and NATO, Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte, the High Representative of the European Union Kaja Kallas, and the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Switzerland, and Ukraine. The Secretary underscored the importance of the transatlantic partnership to preserving peace and achieving prosperity, the historic commitment by NATO member states to increase defense spending to enhance deterrence, and the importance of continued diplomatic engagement to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The Secretary also emphasized the importance of confronting Chinese malign influence; joint cooperation to achieve stability in the Middle East, including through ensuring that Iran never develops or obtains a nuclear weapon; and the President's achievement in setting Armenia and Azerbaijan on a path towards a lasting peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, and GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi at a Meeting with the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States US Department of State Remarks Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Lotte Palace Hotel New York City, New York September 24, 2025 SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you. I want to welcome everybody here. I want to - this is an exciting opportunity to continue to build on this very important strategic partnership. I know the President very much enjoyed the opportunity to have his conversations with the heads of state in Riyadh back in May - in May, right? So that was a great visit and a great opportunity to do that. We're very committed to this partnership as a whole and with each of the countries that are represented here today, committed to working together to address no shortage of regional and global challenges; but also not just challenges, but also to together work on the opportunities. Sometimes the challenges get in the way of also pursuing the opportunities. We want to be able to do both. I know that the past few months have been filled - the past few weeks and the past few days have been filled with some very substantiable challenges, and so our conversations here are perhaps as critical as they have ever been. Each and every one of you is a trusted partner, an important partner to the United States, and we want to work together and continue to work together to achieve our collective vision articulated repeatedly by the President, including in his first term as President of the United States, to together achieve a level of peace and of prosperity unrivaled and unprecedented in the past. I want to say upfront that I understand - we understand - very clearly that the situation in Gaza, the situation with Israel in Gaza, is a key concern for everyone in this room here today. We want this conflict to end. We want it to end immediately. The President stated that yesterday. We want it to end with every single hostage being released, both living and deceased. We want it to end in a Gaza that is free of terrorism, that is free of extremism, that does not pose a threat to Israel or any other part of the region, and where the people, the Palestinian people and the people of Gaza, have an opportunity to live in the peace and in the prosperity that we all want - not just for the region but for our own countries and for the world. And to that end, I know that some important work is ongoing in that regard, and I want everyone to know that. Many of you are aware of that individually that we are - some very important work is ongoing, even as we speak, and hoping to achieve this as soon as possible. There are also some unique opportunities, exciting opportunities, that I know we're working on together. One of them is the future of Syria, an opportunity that maybe two years ago or a year, a year and a half ago, would have been unimaginable. And the President remains committed not just from a unilateral standpoint of the United States, but in partnership with every country represented here today, to give Syria every chance possible to build a strong, unified state that - where the diversity of Syria is respected, but also a place that's stable, that's no longer a base of operation for extremists, that is no longer a base of operation for foreign actors that use it to launch attacks and destabilizing activity against their neighbors. In so many ways, the stability of Syria defines the stability of the region. We have potentially what could be a very historic opportunity to do something that, as I said, could not have been imagined just a couple of years ago. I know each member-state here has been very involved in that regard. The President took a very bold action in May that we continue to follow up on and work on, and we've been very committed to that very important project, that very important opportunity. Likewise in Lebanon, an opportunity that's also historic exists, and the United States remains very committed in that regard as well to ensuring that there is a strong Lebanese state, respectful of the diversity of that country, free of the influence of Iran and Hizballah and others who might undermine that stability, and does so in a way where the state there can exert its sovereignty and can emerge from a longstanding economic crisis. I think it's important to state that we have to remain clear-eyed by what we, at least the United States, strongly views as the destabilizing activities of the regime in Iran. Let me say at the outset the United States, our people here, have tremendous admiration for the people of Iran. This is an ancient culture. This is a culture with a storied history, and it's one that we have much to share in common with. Unfortunately, it is led by leaders that we think have been more interested in exporting revolution and exporting destabilization than they have in building the prosperity of their own people. And as the President stated in his speech yesterday, we cannot allow the world's leading sponsor of terrorism to ever possess weapons of mass destruction like a nuclear weapon. So the good news is that that regime faces challenges today that are significant compared to just a few years ago, which perhaps provides the opportunity to do some of the things we want to do in the region, including in Syria, where they were a very destabilizing presence in support of Assad. So we have much to discuss here. This is an important forum, one we are 100 percent committed to, the President is personally committed to, both at the bilateral level with every nation represented here, but also through this format and this forum, which has proved to be extraordinarily valuable in our interaction with each of you. With that, I believe I am turning to - we're starting with the - okay, so we'll start - yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you again. You're the chair, so FOREIGN MINISTER AL-YAHYA: (Via interpreter) Thank you (inaudible). Mr. Secretary, I will deliver my statement in Arabic. (Via interpreter) Your Excellency Secretary (inaudible), Secretary of State, (inaudible), Excellencies, distinguished guests, Honorable Secretary General of GCC, honorable guests: Salam Alaikum, peace upon you. We meet here at a time the world is witnessing challenges and conflicts that require cooperation and partnership (inaudible) that enables our common (inaudible) cooperation, and in a way that enables that cooperation. In this framework, the GCC countries would like to affirm the crucial role of the U.S. in supporting the security and stability of the Gulf region and the Middle East region as a pillar of an effective strategic relationship, and to reinforce regional and international security. We reiterate our condemnation of the Israeli attack on our neighborly Qatar, and this is a violation of international law which represents a threat to the stability and security of the region, and we reiterate our utmost support of Qatar in its efforts to boost its security, to protect its people and its - and anybody staying on its land. We would like to affirm that the Palestinian problem remains in the forefront of our policy, and our ultimate goal is to reach a comprehensive peace, and in this remark we demand increased efforts to find a two-state solution in line with international law and to lift all obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. As for Iraq, we highly value the efforts of the U.S. to reinforce the UN role in this regard, and we assert the importance of solving all problems with the state of Kuwait. We also highly value the role of the U.S. in the meetings, and we hope that the U.S.-Russian efforts would lead to a solution to the problem in Ukraine, and we would like to use constructive dialogue as a basis for resolving all conflicts. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the importance of reinforcing our common efforts and collective work so that we can confront existing challenges and to achieve peace and security and comprehensive development in our region. And we hope that our discussion will also identify priorities for our future work in a way that would force - push for more integration. Thank you very much. SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you very much. To the General Secretary. GENERAL SECRETARY AL-BUDAIWI: I will also be speaking in Arabic. (Via interpreter) Your Highness, Excellencies: peace be upon you. I am delighted to address you at this ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the United States of America. I express my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States, for the warm reception and generous hospitality, and to all participants for their steadfast commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership that spans decades of close cooperation. Your Highness, Excellencies, distinguished guests: In recent days our region has witnessed a highly sensitive event that endangered its security as Israel carried out a flagrant attack against the state of Qatar, an egregious violation of international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and Qatar's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This attack targeted residential facilities housing members of the Hamas political bureau delegation engaged in ongoing negotiations, in mediation efforts led by the state of Qatar, to reach an agreement on Gaza. This assault resulted in the martyrdom of a security officer, civilian casualties, and endangered the lives of residents in a densely populated neighborhood surrounded by schools, diplomatic missions, and kindergartens. The council, while reaffirming its full solidarity with the state of Qatar and stressing that security of a GCC state is indivisible and that any attack on one is an attack on all, strongly condemns this Israeli aggression. Your Highness, Excellencies: The humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip, the continuous aggression against the Palestinian people, the crime of genocide perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces and the deliberate blockade that has caused famine in the Strip are developments that will inevitably have grave repercussions threatening the regional and international peace and security. We stress the urgent necessity of reaching a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, securing the release of hostages and detainees, facilitating the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, and working towards a just and comprehensive settlement that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions. In this context, we affirm - reaffirm the importance of respecting Syria's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity; rejecting foreign interference in its internal affairs; and recognizing that Syria's security and stability are fundamental pillars of regional stability. We condemn the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory and stress the necessity of adhering to the 1974 disengagement agreement. On the Lebanese front, we reaffirm GCC's steadfast position to support Lebanon, its sovereignty, security, and stability, and underline the importance of implementing political and economic reform to achieve the aspirations of its people - stability, prosperity, and development. We also stress the importance of safeguarding maritime security and waterways in the region, and of countering activities that threaten regional and international peace and stability, including attacks on commercial vessel threats to maritime navigation and international trade. Your Highness and Excellencies: Our meeting today comes within the framework of a longstanding strategic partnership built on deep-rooted historical foundations that have grown and developed over past decades, aiming to foster security, stability, and prosperity at both the regional and international levels. This direction has been embodied in five joint summits, the latest of which was the Riyadh summit in 2025 with His Excellency President Trump, which witnessed the signing of trade and investment agreements exceeding 2 trillion U.S. dollars. In addition to these summits, foreign ministers have held regular meetings since 2012 within the framework of the Strategic Cooperation Forum. These meetings resulted in the establishment of 10 joint working groups in fields including air and missile defense, maritime security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, special forces; economic, trade, and investment cooperation. These meetings have resulted in practical projects to enhance defense and security capacities, protect maritime routes, and counter regional threats. On the economic front, trade exchange between the two sides exceeded 120 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, supported by massive Gulf investments in U.S. economy, amounting trillions of dollars, alongside a growing presence of U.S. capital in the technology, energy, and infrastructure sectors of the GCC states. This relationship has also extended to education and cultural exchange with tens of thousands of Gulf students currently studying in U.S. universities and hundreds of thousands having graduated over the past six decades from the various U.S. universities. We hope that the flow of Gulf students to these academic institutions will continue without facing any consular or procedural obstacles, especially since this cultural and academic exchange has had a tangible impact in strengthening economic and strategic cooperation and building cultural bridges between our peoples. On the diplomatic level, the GCC looks forward to opening diplomatic mission in Washington, D.C. We express our hope that His Excellency Secretary Rubio will encourage the relevant U.S. authorities to expedite the completion of all procedures that would provide the necessary privileges and immunities toward this Gulf diplomatic mission. In conclusion, I reaffirm that our partnership with the United States is a strategic necessity that ensures security, stability, and prosperity for all. I am confident that our meeting today will mark an important milestone in advancing this historic path. Thank you. SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered video remarks to the United Nations Climate Summit held in New York on Wednesday local time. Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, a pivotal year for countries to submit their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and global climate governance is entering a key stage, he made the following three proposals. First, Xi said it is important to firm up confidence. "Green and low-carbon transition is the trend of the time. While some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused on the right direction, remain unwavering in confidence, unremitting in actions and unrelenting in intensity, and push for formulation and delivery on NDCs, with a view to providing more positive energy to the cooperation on global climate governance," he said. Second, Xi called for living up to responsibilities. "Fairness and equity should be upheld and the right to development of developing countries fully respected," he said. The global green transition should serve to narrow rather than widen the North-South gap. Countries need to honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, whereby developed countries should take the lead in fulfilling emission reduction obligations and provide more financial and technological support to developing countries, he added. Third, Xi stressed the importance of deepening cooperation, adding that international coordination in green technologies and industries should be strengthened to address the shortfall in green production capacity and ensure free flow of quality green products globally, so that the benefits of green development can reach all corners of the world. Xi announced China's new NDCs as follows: China will, by 2035, reduce economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent to 10 percent from peak levels, striving to do better; increase the share of non-fossil fuels in total energy consumption to over 30 percent; expand the installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels, striving to bring the total to 3,600 gigawatts; scale up the total forest stock volume to over 24 billion cubic meters; make new energy vehicles the mainstream in the sales of new vehicles; expand the National Carbon Emissions Trading Market to cover major high-emission sectors; and basically establish a climate adaptive society. He stressed that these targets represent China's best efforts based on the requirements of the Paris Agreement, and meeting these targets requires both painstaking efforts by China itself and a supportive and open international environment, and China has the resolve and confidence to deliver on its commitments. Climate response is an urgent yet long-term task, Xi said, calling on all parties to step up actions to realize the beautiful vision of harmony between man and nature, and preserve planet Earth, the place called home. Joint Statement on the Second Meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism for the Peace Agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda US Department of State Media Note Office of the Spokesperson September 24, 2025 The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Rwanda, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union facilitator), and the African Union Commission on the occasion of the second Joint Security Coordination Mechanism meeting held last week in Washington, D.C. Begin text: On September 17-18, 2025, representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda, along with the United States, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union facilitator), and the African Union Commission convened the second meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) in Washington, D.C. to advance the implementation of the Peace Agreement signed on June 27, 2025. JSCM members reviewed the current security posture in eastern DRC and exchanged intelligence and information to establish a shared understanding of the situation on the ground. This shared intelligence picture was used to develop a phased approach to implement the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the neutralization of the FDLR and its associated groups, and disengagement of forces/lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda. The Governments of the DRC and Rwanda reaffirmed their commitments to the desired end state outlined in the CONOPS, which includes that the threat of FDLR in the DRC is eradicated, Rwanda's defensive measures are lifted, the DRC's authority is restored, and trust between the DRC and Rwanda is reestablished. During the two-day meeting, the parties negotiated an Operational Order (OPORD) to advance the CONOPS. The parties agreed to begin implementation of the OPORD on October 1, 2025. The Governments of the DRC and Rwanda expressed their gratitude to the United States, Qatar, the African Union, and Togo for their continued support and facilitation of the peace process. All parties reaffirmed their commitment to advancing durable peace and stability in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region. End text. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary Landau's Meeting with Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Mudavadi US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson September 24, 2025 The below is attributable to Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met yesterday with Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi on the margins of the UN General Assembly. Both parties underscored the urgency of establishing a Gang Suppression Force and UN Support Office to ensure Haiti re-establishes security and sets itself back on the path towards stability. The Deputy Secretary and Prime Cabinet Secretary also discussed the situation in Somalia, addressed ongoing U.S. efforts to achieve peace in Africa, and explored additional opportunities for further security and commercial cooperation. Both sides agreed that, through our vital and enduring partnership, the United States and Kenya can work cooperatively toward a more safe, stable, and prosperous region and world. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary Landau's Meeting with Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson September 24, 2025 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The two leaders discussed bilateral and regional issues, including Bhutan's significant efforts to coordinate on migration issues. The Deputy Secretary expressed hope that the United States and Bhutan could deepen the bilateral relationship for the mutual benefit of both countries. The Deputy Secretary discussed priority areas of engagement, including expanding economic cooperation and support for sovereignty and the rule of law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Meeting with Dominican Republic President Abinader US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson September 24, 2025 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader in New York on the margins of the 80th United Nations High Level Week. The Secretary underscored the strong U.S.-Dominican Republic relationship and commended President Abinader's partnership in advancing regional security. They discussed strengthening collaboration to disrupt illicit firearms and drug trafficking and stressed the urgency of continued international support to bring security and stability to Haiti, including through the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution authorizing a UN Support Office for Haiti. The Secretary and President Abinader emphasized the importance of the Summit of the Americas and its role in fostering private sector engagement across our hemisphere. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Meeting with Guyanese President Ali US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson September 24, 2025 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali in New York on the margins of the 80th United Nations High-Level Week. They reaffirmed the strong partnership between both of our nations, highlighting ongoing cooperation to strengthen security, expand economic opportunity, and bolster regional stability. The Secretary congratulated President Ali on his reelection and emphasized the importance of continued joint security and economic collaboration. The Secretary also commended Guyana's support of a UN Support Office for Haiti and for backing the establishment of the new Gang Suppression Force. He reaffirmed support for Guyana's territorial integrity and further underscored U.S. commitment to deepening collaboration with the Guyana Defense Force to strengthen counternarcotics capabilities and enhance bilateral cooperation to address shared security challenges. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Meeting with Vietnam President Cuong and Acting Foreign Minister Trung US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson September 24, 2025 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Vietnam President Luong Cuong and acting Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, New York. The Secretary and acting Foreign Minister reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral relationship while also stressing their commitment to further strengthening ties between the United States and Vietnam by addressing areas of mutual concern like trade and energy security. They reiterated the need to work together to maintain a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific region and agreed to seek new areas for cooperation between our two countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK continues to demand accountability for Russian violations of NATO airspace; Russia is undermining regional security: UK statement to the OSCE Speech Ambassador Holland says that recent Russian airspace violations are part of a wider pattern of behaviour that seeks to test NATO's resolve and distract from Russia's illegal war of aggression in Ukraine. The UK demands an honest response from Russia. In the OSCE, credibility matters. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Neil Holland Published 24 September 2025 Location: Vienna Delivered on: 24 September 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) Thank you, Madame Chair. Russia's brutal and unprovoked war of aggression war in Ukraine continues. I want to be clear to begin with that the international community should not allow Russia's provocations elsewhere to distract from the urgent need to end this war. That said, the United Kingdom remains gravely concerned by the dangerous violations of NATO airspace by Russian military aircraft, including the most recent incursions into the sovereign airspace of Estonia. These actions should not be considered in isolation. They are part of a wider pattern of increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour that seeks to test NATO's resolve and distract from Russia's ongoing illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia continues to engage in reckless manoeuvres that risk escalation and undermine regional security. Let us be clear: NATO is a defensive alliance. Its purpose is to protect, not provoke. That is why the UK has contributed to EASTERN SENTRY to bolster NATO's security along our entire Eastern Flank. Russia should be in no doubt that NATO and Allies will employ all necessary military and non-military tools, in accordance with international law, to defend ourselves and deter all threats in a manner, timing and domain of our choosing. The FSC is mandated to foster military-to-military dialogue, build confidence and reduce risk of escalation between States. If Russia truly wishes to engage in meaningful dialogue, then full and honest participation in these organisations is the obvious mechanism. The UK will continue to ask constructive questions, but we expect honest and direct answers. If direct answers and participation in good faith are not forthcoming, then it will be clear that Russia continues to hide behind misinformation and false narratives. Madame Chair, in this forum, credibility matters. At last week's Opening Session of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), the United Kingdom asked Russia whether they would directly confirm responsibility for the other airspace violations observed in Poland on 9th September. Russia did not respond directly. So, in this spirit we ask again about this violation. If the Russian delegation requires more time to secure an accurate response from Moscow, then we encourage them to do so. We will ask again next week. Our questions are (again): Firstly, if the incursions are unintentional, what steps is Russia taking to prevent recurrence? And secondly, if they are in fact deliberate, what is Russia's intent? Additionally, will Russia commit to preventing future incursions including assuring NATO members that such violations will cease? The United Kingdom stands firmly with Ukraine and with our NATO Allies. We will not be deterred by Russia's irresponsible acts. We will continue to fully support Ukraine, whose security contributes to ours, in the exercise of its inherent right to self-defence. And we will continue to demand accountability for violations of international law, whether in the skies over Europe or on the ground in Ukraine. Thank you, Madame Chair. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza: UN agencies warn of escalating attacks, mass displacement and famine 24 September 2025 - UN agencies on Wednesday warned that civilians in the devastated Gaza Strip are facing escalating attacks, more mass displacement and worsening hunger. The UN human rights office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OHCHR) says Israeli military tactics in Gaza City - including strikes on homes and schools - are "inflicting terror" and forcing people to flee. In parallel, UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, reports more than 20,000 people were forced to moved southwards in a single day this week, raising the total who've left Gaza's biggest city of over one million since mid-August to more than 320,000. Health services collapse continues Health services are also collapsing. A key clinic run by the Palestinian Medical Relief Society was destroyed, injuring staff and cutting off trauma, cancer and mental health care for hundreds of patients. News reports on Wednesday cite doctors at the large al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City who say they are overwhelmed by casualties from Israeli strikes and shelling, forced to operate in unsanitary conditions. And the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, said in an update on Tuesday that famine conditions have taken hold across Gaza, with more than half a million people starving and 390 deaths confirmed, including 140 children. Women and girls are particularly at risk, facing unsafe childbirth and rising gender-based violence as essential services disappear. UNFPA is appealing for urgent funding to keep maternity and protection programmes running. The UN relief agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, tweeted that there had been yet another heavy night of bombardment in Gaza "with too many children reported killed or injured. Gaza is now home to the highest number of child amputees per capital worldwide." Attacks on Gaza-bound flotilla, 'defy belief' OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan issued a statement on Wednesday describing attacks and threats against a flotilla of activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza "defy belief". He was speaking following reported drone attacks Wednesday on the convoy known as the Global Sumud Flotilla, a group protesting Israel's siege of Gaza, which has been heavily criticised by the Israeli Government. According to news reports, the flotilla's communications have been jammed with explosions heard from some boats. Inquiry call "There must be an independent, impartial and thorough investigation into the reported attacks and harassment by drones and other objects against the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla," said Mr. Al-Kheetan. "Such attacks must stop, and those responsible for violations must be held to account." OHCHR said that as the occupying power, Israel has an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies reach civilians "to the fullest extent of the means available, or to agree to and facilitate impartial humanitarian relief schemes, delivered rapidly and without hindrance." UN human rights chief Volker Turk called on Israel to urgently lift the blockade and allow lifesaving aid in by the fast means possible. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kenya's Ruto demands permanent African seat on the Security Council, highlights support for Haiti 24 September 2025 - Kenyan President William Ruto told world leaders at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that Africa's exclusion from permanent membership of the Security Council is "unacceptable, unfair and grossly unjust." He demanded reforms that would provide at least two permanent seats with full rights - including the power to veto - and two additional nonpermanent seats. "You cannot claim to be the United Nations while disregarding the voice of 54 nations. It is not possible," Mr. Ruto said in his address to the annual high-level debate. He pointed out that Africa dominates much of the Security Council's agenda, provides some of the largest peacekeeping contingents and "bears the heaviest costs of instability, yet remains the only continent without a permanent seat at the main table." "Reforming the Security Council is not a favor to Africa or to anybody. It is a necessity for the United Nations' own survival," he said. "If the United Nations is to remain relevant in this century, it must reflect today's realities, not the postwar power arrangements of 1945." Policing Haiti Turning to Kenya's role in Haiti, Mr. Ruto described Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission - which was authorized by the UN Security Council in October 2023 to help improve security and policing - as both a success and a cautionary tale about global security governance. He said Kenya "stepped forward, stepped up, and deployed our officers" to confront rampant gang violence in Port-au-Prince. But the mission remains "underfunded, underequipped and operates below 40 per cent of its authorised personnel strength." Despite the constraints, he said, "the MSS has delivered results many thought were impossible." Government institutions once overrun by gangs were restored, schools reopened, kidnappings have declined and Haiti's airport and seaport have resumed normal operations. "This begs the question: if so much could be achieved with limited resources and stretched personnel within months, what more could have been accomplished if the United Nations fraternity had truly acted together in solidarity with the people of Haiti?" Mr. Ruto asked. He urged the Security Council to ensure the "hard-won gains" achieved so far by the Kenyan-led mission are consolidated as the UN body deliberates on the next steps. The Kenyan President also denounced the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza, while calling for the unconditional release of Israeli hostages. He also expressed deep concern over the "needless war" in Sudan and highlighted his country's efforts to transition to renewable energy to help the global effort to slow global warming. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address AI must not decide humanity's fate, UN chief warns Security Council By Vibhu Mishra 24 September 2025 - Artificial intelligence holds vast potential but poses grave risks if left unregulated, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Wednesday. "AI is no longer a distant horizon - it is here, transforming daily life, the information space, and the global economy at breathtaking speed," Mr. Guterres said at the Council's high-level debate on the technology's security implications for transforming warfare. "The question is not whether AI will influence international peace and security, but how we will shape that influence." Used responsibly, the UN chief said, AI can help anticipate food insecurity, support de-mining operations, and identify outbreaks of violence before it spills out of control. "But without guardrails, it can also be weaponised," he cautioned, pointing to AI-enabled targeting in recent conflicts, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, and deepfakes capable of fuelling polarisation or derailing diplomacy. "The ability to fabricate and manipulate audio and video threatens information integrity, fuels polarisation and can trigger diplomatic criseshumanity's fate cannot be left to an algorithm," he stressed. Decisions must rest with us Mr. Guterres set out four priorities for governments: maintaining human control over the use of force, building coherent global regulatory frameworks, protecting information integrity, and closing what he called the "AI capacity gap" between rich and poor nations. "I reiterate my call for a ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems operating without human control, with a view to concluding a legally binding instrument by next year," he said. He also insisted that decisions on nuclear weapons "must rest with humans - not machines." The Secretary-General highlighted steps already underway, including the creation of an independent scientific panel on AI and a new global dialogue on AI governance - due to take place in New York on Thursday. "Together, these initiatives aim to connect science, policy and practice; provide every country a seat at the table; and reduce fragmentation," he said. A call to broaden access Yejin Choi, Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, told the Security Council that current progress in AI is too concentrated among a handful of companies and countries. "When only a few have the resources to build and benefit from AI, we leave the rest of the world waiting at the door," she said. "Let us expand what intelligence can be - and let everyone everywhere have a role in building it." AI must reinforce inclusion Ms. Choi urged governments and international institutions to invest in alternative approaches beyond scaling ever-larger models, arguing that smaller, more adaptive systems could lower barriers to entry. She also pressed for stronger representation of linguistic and cultural diversity, noting that today's leading AI models "underperform for many non-English languages and reflect narrow cultural assumptions." Act without delay Secretary-General Guterres closed by warning the window for effective regulation is closing fast. "From nuclear arms control to aviation safety, the international community has risen to the challenge of technologies that could destabilise our societies - by agreeing to rules, building institutions, and insisting on human dignity," he said. "The window is closing to shape AI - for peace, for justice, for humanity. We must act without delay." The Security Council session was held on the margins of the ongoing high-level week of the General Assembly's 80th session. The meeting was convened by Republic of Korea (Council President for September) and attended by heads of states and governments, including Lee Jae Myung, the President of the Republic of Korea, who chaired the meeting. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: WHO reaffirms safety of vaccines, appeal for Sudanese civilians trapped in El Fasher, DR Congo Ebola outbreak update 24 September 2025 - The World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Wednesday that there is no conclusive scientific evidence linking the use of paracetamol - also known as acetaminophen - during pregnancy, with autism spectrum disorder. "Extensive research, including large-scale studies over the past decade, has found no consistent association," the agency said in a statement, urging expectant mothers to follow the advice of their health providers. The alarm was raised by the White House on Monday when US President Donald Trump and senior health officials issued a new warning that acetaminophen - the active ingredient in the painkiller Tylenol - is linked to a rise in autism, along with announcing a new study on the potential causal effect of childhood vaccines. Caution during pregnancy WHO reminded that medicines should always be used with caution during pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester. Autism affects nearly 62 million people worldwide, or about one in 127. The exact causes remain unclear, with multiple complex factors thought to be involved. WHO also reiterated that vaccines do not cause autism, emphasising that "large, high-quality studies from many countries have all reached the same conclusion." The agency pointed out that the original research suggesting a link was flawed and has long been discredited. Childhood immunisation programmes, guided by WHO and adopted by all countries, have saved at least 154 million lives over the past 50 years. "Vaccines protect not just individual children, but entire communities," the agency noted. Autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders will feature prominently at the UN high-level meeting on mental health and non-communicable diseases on Thursday. Sudan: UN investigators call for action to protect civilians in besieged El Fasher In Sudan, independent UN investigators have condemned a drone strike that hit a mosque in the Darfuri capital of El Fasher during morning prayers last Friday, reportedly killing at least 75 worshippers, including children. The attack, reportedly carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which are besieging the city, also damaged nearby homes. The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan said the assault shows "blatant disregard" for international law and warned of grave risks to civilians trapped in the besieged city. Mosques must be sanctuaries The investigators appointed by the Human Rights Council stressed that places of worship must be sanctuaries, not targets, and urged immediate measures to protect civilians and safeguard Sudan's cultural and religious heritage. Last week, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced alarm at the deteriorating situation in El Fasher, where the RSF has tightened its siege for more than 500 days. He called for an immediate halt to the fighting, safe passage for civilians wishing to leave, and unimpeded humanitarian access. The conflict between the RSF and troops from the Sudanese military government has raged since April 2023, killing thousands and displacing millions. UN officials stress that such attacks may amount to war crimes. DR Congo Ebola outbreak: UNICEF delivers vaccines and life-saving support Nearly 45,000 doses of Ebola vaccine are on their way to Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as UNICEF intensifies efforts alongside the Government and partners to protect children and families from the ongoing outbreak. Since the outbreak was declared on 5 September, 47 suspected and confirmed cases have been reported. Twenty-five people have already died - 12 of them children. "Every dose delivered is one more step toward keeping children and families safe," said UNICEF Representative in the country, John Agbor. He noted that children also need medical care if they fall ill, along with support to cope with trauma and safe spaces to learn and play. The current hotspot is Bulape, with neighbouring areas of Mweka and Mushenge also at risk. More than 1,048 contacts have already been identified and are being monitored, UNICEF said. Teams working night and day Teams are working around the clock in Kasai, together with the Ministry of Health, other UN agencies, and local partners. Beyond vaccines, UNICEF is also supporting care for Ebola patients; reinforcing hygiene measures in schools, hospitals and child-friendly spaces, and making sure families receive life-saving information on how to protect themselves. This is the sixteenth Ebola outbreak in DRC since the virus was first discovered in 1976. The last outbreak in the Kasai area was in 2008-2009. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Occupied Palestinian Territory UN Relief Chief warns that Gaza's children are "trapped in a graveyard" The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said today that the children of Gaza are "trapped in a graveyard," having been bombed, maimed, starved, burned alive, buried in the rubble of their homes, and separated from their parents. "We must join world leaders, including President Trump yesterday, in calling for a ceasefire," he said during an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's High-Level Week. Fletcher stressed that humanitarians must be given access to reach Gaza's women, children and older people, who "cannot eat statements of concern." He stressed that accountability must be pursued and noted that the suffering of children is not confined to Gaza, with children in Israel among those killed and taken hostage on 7 October 2023. In the West Bank, children also face escalating levels of violence. OCHA reports that Israeli military operations have continued across the Gaza Strip, including in several neighbourhoods in Gaza city, where people were reportedly killed and injured and infrastructure damaged. Today, the Ministry of Health warned that fuel is urgently needed for hospital generators in Gaza. Despite ongoing challenges, the Ministry said that Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city has managed to keep functioning, albeit only partially. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that escalating violence near the Al-Rantisi and Ophthalmic Hospitals in Gaza city has rendered those facilities non-functional, unsafe and inaccessible - forcing patients and staff to flee for safety. WHO warned that "with hundreds of thousands of people still in Gaza city and health facilities shutting down, more lives will be lost." Since the start of the year - and as of 15 September - WHO has recorded 145 attacks on healthcare in Gaza, with more than 100 healthcare workers killed. Meanwhile, partners report that people continue to be displaced from Gaza city southward to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. On Monday, some 20,000 people - many traveling on foot - passed by the monitoring points operated by humanitarian partners in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. The UN and its partners have distributed some bread and water to displaced people as they continued their journey. Humanitarians continue to do whatever they can to reach people in need across the Gaza Strip - both in the north and the south. In the past two days, partners provided psychosocial assistance to more than 500 children in the south, including opportunities for play and emotional support. Partners report that 70 per cent of children are having trouble sleeping, and nearly one in five are withdrawn or silent. As of Monday, more than half a million daily meals were prepared and delivered through over 100 community kitchens, mostly in the south. In the past few days, partners working in protection have established temporary collective shelters for women and girls with disabilities and are doing their best to provide them with assistance. Aid workers themselves are also facing displacement and trauma, with some living and working in the same location. Somalia Hunger projected to worsen in coming months OCHA says that food security in Somalia is expected to worsen in the months ahead, while low funding continues to hinder the response. According to the new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, released yesterday, the situation is expected to deteriorate significantly between October and December this year. 3.4 million people are currently facing acute food insecurity, down from nearly 4.4 million between April and June. But with forecasted poor rains, the number is projected to rise to more than 4.3 million people by the end of the year. The situation is particularly dire for the 3.5 million internally displaced people in Somalia, many of whom live in displacement sites and depend on humanitarian assistance. The analysis also notes that acute malnutrition remains at alarming levels. About 1.85 million children under 5 are estimated to suffer from acute malnutrition, including more than 420,000 who are estimated to suffer from severe acute malnutrition. Humanitarian operations this year have been severely constrained by reduced donor funding. Somalia's US$1.4 billion Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for 2025 has to date received only $289 million - 20 per cent. Due to lack of funds, food assistance is expected to decline sharply in November and December, reaching only 375,000 people per month - covering just 9 per cent of those in need. This is a drop from 960,000 reached in July. Similarly, the number of operational supplementary feeding sites has halved since the start of the year, from 617 to 300. The IPC analysis calls for sustained, life-saving and life-sustaining assistance, particularly for the most vulnerable, along with predictable funding for humanitarian programmes. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Somalia with urgent support. Posted on 24 September 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Relief Chief warns that Gaza's children are "trapped in a graveyard" UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Remarks at the UN General Assembly High-Level Event "Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza" by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator New York, 24 September 2025 As delivered Your Majesty, and Excellencies, Colleagues. The first voice we heard on that video, Mariam, was killed exactly one month ago today. And, Yasmeen, Omar, we also hear you. We see you. We need you. And I hope to meet you in the light and not when you have to shield yourselves in the dark. So, we gather, once again, to share our testimony and our shame. To try to find words to convey the horror, and to fail again to do it justice. To repeat that something must be done. And, I fear, to accept that nothing will. Knowing that our words will not reach Mariam, the children under the bombs, those scraping through the rubble for food, enduring amputations without anesthetic, losing their last sparks of hope. Fearing that not a single word today will reach and resonate those who could stop this 21st century atrocity. Knowing that one day we will rightly be asked whether we did all that we could. In case it needs repeating, children everywhere should have water, food, safety, health, shelter, education. And children in Gaza have as much right as children anywhere else. But in Gaza, children are killed queuing for water. In Gaza, children are starved even though the supplies and networks are at the borders. In Gaza, a famine has been caused by cruelty, justified by revenge, enabled by indifference, sustained by complicity. In Gaza, as we heard, a child has been killed on average every hour for almost two years. In Gaza, the lucky children sleep in tents. In Gaza, shelters are bombed, and schools have become sites of horror, depriving over 700,000 children of their right to education. And yet, we are told again and again, that this is a price a population somehow has to pay for war. The lawyers and historians will argue long and hard what to call this. And despite bans on international journalists, they will have immense amounts of evidence to consider. Justice, accountability will be too late for those who are lost but must still be pursued - not only to honour Mariam and so many like her, but to uphold the principles that protect others moving forward. Of course, suffering of children is not confined to Gaza. In Israel, children were killed on 7 October 2023 and hostages, children among them, were taken from homes, families, friends. They must be released. In the West Bank, children are subjected to escalating levels of violence, including by settlers, as we heard. Killed, injured, detained, displaced. Enough. Over a year ago, the International Court of Justice required Israel to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian help. This - and all the other binding decisions - must be implemented without delay. Because the rules of war were built over decades to protect civilians and ensure a basic minimum of humanity. And it's those rules that are being corroded here, day after day after day. We've heard Israeli Ministers talk openly of flattening Gaza, forcing its people out permanently, annihilation, denying food aid. Let's not bequeath children a lawless world stripped of dignity and hope. We do not have to choose between condemning the starvation of children in Gaza and demanding the unconditional release of hostages. We do not have to choose between fighting antisemitism and holding Israel to the same laws as everyone else. We must join world leaders, including President Trump yesterday, in calling for a ceasefire. We must be given the humanitarian access to reach Gaza's women, children and elderly who cannot eat statements of concern. Because the children of Gaza are trapped in a graveyard. They've been bombed, maimed, starved, burned alive, buried in the rubble of their homes, separated from their parents. Denied every ounce of humanity that the rules of war were designed to preserve. Killed while sleeping, playing, queuing for food and water, seeking medical care. I fear that we will gather again, to solemnly intone the death toll, to try to find new words to express the horror, to call again for action. But how many more must die? And what further damage will we have done to our shared humanity? Posted on 24 September 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini at the UNGA Side-Event "Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza" UNRWA 24 Sep 2025 New York Your Majesty, Ladies and gentlemen, Dear friends, For millions of children worldwide, September means going back to school. Back to learning and play in a safe and nurturing environment. But not in Gaza. At the start of the war, I visited a school in Rafah, hosting thousands of displaced people. I am still haunted by the eyes of a little girl pleading for a piece of bread and a sip of water. Her school had been transformed into a shelter, and she was learning only how to survive - in her own school. Since then, the children of Gaza have continued to spiral downward into the abyss of hell. Every day, for nearly two years, the equivalent of a classroom full of children has been killed. For the survivors, returning to school is a distant dream. They have lost nearly four of the last five academic years due to conflict, COVID-19, and displacement. There is a point when learning losses become irreversible. In the occupied West Bank, as we saw in the video, Palestinian children are deeply impacted by military operations and displacement. They live in constant fear. Their education is regularly disrupted. Dear friends and colleagues, Education has always been a prized possession for Palestine Refugees - the only asset from which, until now, they could not truly be dispossessed. Attacks on education are attacks on the identity and future of Palestinian children. For seventy-five years, UNRWA has provided free basic education to millions of Palestine Refugee children across the region. We reached gender parity in our schools in the 1960s and introduced human rights into our programmes in the 1990s. Today, 660,000 children in Gaza are out of school, traumatized, hungry and bereaved. It should be our collective priority to bring them back to a learning environment. The longer they stay out of school, the greater the risk that they will become a lost generation, sowing the seeds for future violence and extremism. UNRWA, with its partners, has plans and ample capacity to support a phased return to formal education in Gaza, once a ceasefire is achieved. In the occupied West Bank, nearly 50,000 children continue receiving an UNRWA education, despite military incursions and movement restrictions. Amid a deepening financial crisis affecting Palestinian Authority schools, UNRWA schools have absorbed some 3,000 additional students in the last two years - underscoring our vital, stabilizing role. UNRWA is an invaluable asset for implementing today's Call for Action. I appeal for your support in safeguarding our mandate and work - which are under attack - so we can continue making a tangible difference in the lives and future of millions of Palestine Refugee children. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S., ROK Navies Conduct CONSOL During Freedom Edge 25 US Navy 24 September 2025 From Grady T. Fontana Military Sealift Command's commercial charter oiler motor tanker Allied Pacific conducted a consolidated cargo replenishment at sea with Republic of Korea's Cheonji-class fast combat support ship ROKS Daecheong (AOE-58), Sept. 18, in support of Freedom Edge 25. Freedom Edge highlights trilateral defense cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, demonstrating their ability to achieve peace through strength on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific. "Every CONSOL with allies and partners demonstrate not just technical proficiency, but the trust and interoperability at the heart of our alliance," said U.S. Navy Capt. David L. Reyes, commodore, MSC Far East. "It's important that we continue to build on these effortseach evolution strengthens our ability to operate together and ensures the fleet remains lethal, resilient and ready in the Indo-Pacific." A CONSOL allows a specially outfitted MSC-controlled tanker to conduct underway refueling and cargo transfer operations with combat logistics force (CLF) ships at sea. This capability reduces the need for CLF ships to return to shore for resupply, cutting costs and maximizing time on station to support the fleet. According to contracted mariner Capt. Edward Markuske, master of MT Allied Pacific, his crew appreciated the opportunity to work with ROK allies. "They were very professional and committed to completing the mission while alongside our vessel," said Markuske. "I hope we get more opportunities to work together with our allies in the Far East, because these joint exercises are integral to our ability to work together going forward. Our ship's crew appreciates the sense of purpose that comes from being on mission and a job well done." This evolution builds on a previous CONSOL between Allied Pacific and Daecheong in June 2025, expanding the ROK Navy's capacity to sustain fleet operations at sea with fuel, cargo, and stores. "Collaborating with our international partners to conduct CONSOL exercises enhances the training of our commercial chartered vessels," said Peter P. Bok, marine transportation specialist, MSC Far East. "The professional development provided to civilian mariners ensures they are prepared to address any potential challenge and maintain peak operational readiness, thereby supporting our Navy's effectiveness during times of conflict, and help ensure their lethality." MSC Far East supports the U.S. 7th Fleet and ensures approximately 50 ships in the Indo-Pacific Region are manned, trained, and equipped to deliver essential supplies, fuel, cargo, and equipment to warfighters, both at sea and on shore. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, held a bilateral meeting on Wednesday in New York with the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Mrs. Yvette Cooper. Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thursday 25 September 2025 During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the two parties welcomed the partnership between the two countries and reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the agreements signed, as well as all provisions contained in the joint communique issued following the 5th session of the Morocco-United Kingdom Strategic Dialogue, held in Rabat on June 1, 2025. In this joint communique, signed by Mr. Bourita and his British counterpart, the United Kingdom considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative as "the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution" of the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. The United Kingdom also confirmed in the document that "UK Export Finance may consider supporting projects in the Sahara," notably as part of "the UK Export Finance's commitment to mobilize 5bln to support new economic projects across the country." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Green light for Army communications upgrade Beehive.govt.nz - The official website of the New Zealand Government 25 September 2025 Hon Judith Collins KC Defence The New Zealand Army is set to receive a suite of hi-tech digital communications devices and systems to help it protect our country and our people, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. "In a volatile global environment with rapid technological change, it is imperative our soldiers are combat capable, lethal, deployable and interoperable with international partners," Ms Collins says. The $104 million investment covers military grade radio systems for Army personnel, along with deployable network infrastructure such as ground-based satellite technologies and servers. "This war-fighting equipment will be modern, fit-for-purpose, secure and resilient, and ready to roll-out from 2027. The project is a significant milestone in the multi-phased Network Enabled Army programme, which is focused on enhancing the combat capability of our soldiers, making them safer. "Specialised communications devices will help personnel make faster, more accurate decisions through the use of real-time information and secure voice and data communications. "Some of the communications equipment currently used by our soldiers is more than 20 years old. "Upgraded radio systems and improved network capabilities will support communications and information sharing between deployed units, coalition partners, government agencies and NZDF commanders, whether they be overseas on military operations or at Defence Headquarters in New Zealand. "This investment was included in the 2025 Defence Capability Plan, which outlined planned commitments worth $12 billion over the next four years and doubles our defence spending by 2032/33, as we pull our weight in a rapidly changing world." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address AFP says reported oust-PBBM plot 'baseless, unfounded' Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno September 25, 2025, 3:37 pm MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday dismissed the alleged destabilization plot to oust President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., calling such information "baseless" and "unfounded." "The AFP rejects malicious narratives about supposed plans to unseat the President or launch destabilization efforts," AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement. "These claims are baseless, unfounded, and far removed from reality." The supposed plot, according to reports, was supposed to take place before the Sept. 21 anti-corruption rallies spawned by recent discoveries of corruption in government flood control projects involving government engineers and politicians. "Our loyalty does not rest on politics or personalities, but firmly on the Constitution, the Republic, and the Filipino people," Trinidad said. "The AFP's role is clear: to defend our democratic institutions, not to arbitrate political disputes." Trinidad also maintained that the military organization remains a professional and disciplined force, with the chain of command intact and united. "Efforts to link the AFP to intrigue are nothing more than attempts to sow division, cast doubt on our leadership, and derail the President's fight against corruption," he said. Marcos, through Executive Order 94, has already created an independent fact-finding body to investigate the alleged irregularities in government flood control and other infrastructure projects. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PBBM laments lack of progress in resolving South China Sea disputes Philippine News Agency By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos September 25, 2025, 10:01 am Updated on September 25, 2025, 11:15 am MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday expressed dismay over the lack of further progress in addressing the longstanding South China Sea (SCS) disputes between the Philippines and China. Marcos cited the stalled development during his farewell meeting with outgoing Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian at Malacanan Palace in Manila. He described the continued impasse as "unfortunate," acknowledging the importance of dialogue and cooperation to ease tensions and resolve maritime issues in the contested waters. "It's unfortunate we didn't make much more progress on the difficulties that we have in the South China Sea, West Philippine Sea," Marcos told Huang. "But I think, considering how difficult the situation was, that we have managed to keep things at least away from too much problem. Thank you for your service." Despite this, Marcos recognized Huang's dedication to improve the two nations' relations during his tenure. "We will miss you. I think you have made a very good second home in Manila," he said. Huang is a seasoned Chinese diplomat with over three decades of experience in foreign affairs. He served as China's Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from 2018 to 2019 before his appointment as Ambassador to the Philippines. During his time in the Philippines, Huang was involved in numerous high-profile diplomatic engagements amid ongoing tensions over the South China Sea dispute. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moldovan Oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc Extradited, Days Before Pivotal Elections By Nadejda Coptu September 25, 2025 CHISINAU -- Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc has been extradited to Chisinau to face long-running criminal charges, jolting the country just days before a tense general election already roiled by allegations of Russian interference. Plahotniuc, who has been implicated with a decade-old bank fraud case known as the "theft of the century," arrived in the Moldovan capital September 25 after being extradited from Greece where he had been held since July. Plahotniuc is the lead suspect in a long-running investigation into the disappearance of some $1 billion from banks in the small, impoverished former Soviet republic in 2014. Dubbed the "theft of the century," the sum was estimated to amount to around 12 percent of the country's total gross domestic product. Plahotniuc has fought the charges for years. He was expected to make his first appearance at a Chisinau court on September 26. The businessman's arrival in Moldova come as the country braces for parliamentary elections scheduled for September 28, a vote that will determine if the country moves closer to the European Union or if it falls further into Russia's political orbit. President Maia Sandu and her pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity are trying to hold onto their majority in parliament, amid a strong push by a political bloc led by former President Igor Dodon, who has maintained close ties with Moscow. He has referred to the current democratically elected government as a "criminal regime." In a speech this week, Sandu warned that the country's independence and future with Europe was in danger as she accused the Kremlin of "pouring hundreds of millions of euros" into the country to spread disinformation. Also this week, Moldovan police said they had arrested confiscated weapons and explosives around the country and arrested 74 people, accusing them of involvement in a plot to stoke disorder. Some of those arrested reportedly had travelled to Serbia for training by Russian instructors, including with firearms. Though the charges of bank theft hung over Plahotniuc for years, he served multiple times in parliament as a member of the Democratic Party. In 2019, he left the county, shortly before receiving a criminal summons from Moldovan prosecutors. He spent months living quietly in the United States, and applied for political asylum, according to a lawsuit he filed in US federal court. That asylum request was rejected. In January 2020, his US visa was revoked after then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that his "corrupt actions undermined the rule of law and severely compromised the independence of democratic institutions in Moldova." He was living in Miami, Florida, at the time. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-oligarch- plahotniuc-election-fraud-russia/33540483.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Intervention of UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini at the Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution UNRWA 25 Sep 2025 New York Excellencies, We meet as the catastrophic situation in the occupied Palestinian territory threatens the entire region. Evidence is abundant of international crimes perpetrated with the full knowledge of the international community. The Government of Israel is implementing a long-standing project to undermine the feasibility of a Palestinian State and separate Palestinians from Palestine. Dismantling UNRWA is a principal element of this project. It is why the Agency has been attacked relentlessly, with 370 colleagues killed; hundreds of premises destroyed; and financial support strangled. The Global Alliance and the New York Declaration envisage a ceasefire, stabilization, Palestinian-led governance, and a just political solution. UNRWA's 30,000 strong workforce, unparalleled service delivery networks, and deep reserves of community trust, are key to achieving these goals. The Agency is an indispensable partner for peace. I ask therefore that Member States safeguard UNRWA's role within a time-bound political process and finance the provision of essential services until that process is complete. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 24 September 2025 - Day 1309 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 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that In total, there have been 122 combat encounters since the beginning of this day. Russian zagarbniki launched four missile and 45 aviation strikes, using six missiles and dropping 87 controlled air bombs. In addition, the Russians have engaged 2435 kamikaze drones and carried out 3593 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the North Slobozhansky and Kursky directions, Ukrainian soldiers repelled four Russian assault actions since the beginning of the day, one battle is ongoing. The Russian enemy also made 8 air strikes, while dropping 17 controlled air bombs, carried out 153 shelling, eight of which were from jet systems of salpovogo fire. In the South Slobozhansky direction, the enemy twice attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders near Vovchansk. In the Kupyansky direction, enemy units carried out six assault actions, trying to break through the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of Kotlyarivka, Lozova and towards Pi any and Kolisnikivka, currently one attack is ongoing. In the Lyman direction since the beginning of the day, Russian zagarbniki 24 times attacked the positions of Ukrainians near the settlements of Novomikhailivka, Grekivka, Kolodyazi, Shandrigolove, Novoselivka, Derylovove and Zarichne. In the sivers komu direction, the Russian enemy seven times tried to break through in the areas of serebryanka, orikhovo-vasilivki and towards dronivka and yampol. Four combat clashes were recorded in the Kramators komu direction, Russian units tried to advance in the area of Chasovoy Yar, Novomarkovoy and towards Stupochok. In the Toretsky direction, Russians attacked the positions of Defense Forces ten times. Efforts of the attack of the Russian occupiers concentrated in the areas of Oleksandro-Shultynogo, scherbinivka, Ples iivka and blunivka. Since the beginning of the day in the Pokrovsky direction, Russian units 47 times tried to break through Ukrainian defense in the areas of settlements Poltavka, Nikanorivka, Rodinske, Chervony Liman, Novoekonomichne, Sukhetske, Lisivka, Zvirove, Kotline, Udaachne and Gorihove. In some locations the fighting does not stop. Defense forces deter Russian attacks, the Russian enemy suffers significant casualties - today 164 Russian invaders have been defecated in this direction, 111 of which are irrevocable. Ukrainian defenders destroyed a car, 18 unmanned aircraft and an artillery system. Three artillery systems and three units of automotive equipment were also significantly damaged. In addition to this Ukrainian defenders hit two points of control bpla and eight personnel shelters. In the Novopavlovsky direction, Ukrainian units stopped 12 Russian attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops near the settlements of Voskresrenko, Sichneve, Vorone, Ternove and Novogrigorivka, two more combat clashes are ongoing so far. In the Gulyaipil direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled four attempts of Russian enemy units to advance in the Olgivsky area. In the orihivs komu direction, the Russian zagarbniki once tried to move towards novoandrivka. In the pridniprovsky direction, the Russian opponent made three unsuccessful attempts of offense, suffered losses. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. The Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on formations of four mechanised brigades and two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Andreyevka, Alekseyevka, Varachino, Novaya Sech, Pavlovka, and Khrapovshchina (Sumy region). In Kharkov direction, units of a motorised infantry brigade of the AFU and a territorial defence brigade have been hit near Bochkovo, Volchansk, and Okhrimovka (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 130 troops, five motor vehicles, two artillery guns including a French-made 155-mm TRF1 howitzer, a counter-fire radar, and an ammunition depot. The Zapad Group of Forces' units improved the tactical situation. Russian troops seized 115 buildings in Kupyansk of Kharkov region. Kirorovsk (Donetsk People's Republic) is almost liberated. There, Russian assault detachments have reached the north-western outskirts. In addition, strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of four mechanised brigades, an assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a national guard brigade close to Boldyrevka, Kolodeznoye, Petrovka, Smorodkovka, Staroverovka (Kharkov region), Maslyakovka, and Yampol (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses amounted to up to 230 troops, a British-made Snatch armoured fighting vehicle, 14 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. A counter-fire radar, seven electronic warfare stations, and nine ammunition depots were neutralised. The Yug Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line and continued to destroy the enemy, which had been blocked in the Donetsk People's Republic south of Kleban-Byk Reservoir. More than 4.5 square kilometres of territory have been liberated in this area during the past 24 hours. Strikes were delivered at formations of two mechanised brigades, an assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a territorial defence brigade, a national guard brigade close to Ivanopolye, Ilyinovka, Konstantinovka, Nelepovka and Seversk (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy lost up to 215 troops, a tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, and six field artillery guns. Three electronic warfare stations, five ammunition, fuel, and materiel depots were neutralised. The Tsentr Group of Forces' units took more advantageous lines and positions. Four mechanised brigades, a tank brigade, an assault brigade, three assault brigades, two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a marine brigade, a territorial defence brigade, and a national guard brigade were hit near Dimitrov, Krasnoarmeysk, Krasny Liman, Novopavlovka, Petrovka, and Torskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. The AFU losses amounted to more than 535 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, five pickup trucks, two artillery guns, and a U.S.-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-fire radar. The Vostok Group of Forces' units continued to advance into the depths of enemy defences. Russian troops engaged a mechanised brigade of the AFU and a marine brigade hit near Malomikhaylovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Novogrigorovka, Poltavka, and Uspenovka (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 315 troops, a tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, three armoured fighting vehicles, 10 motor vehicles, three field artillery guns, and an electronic warfare station. The Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of a heavy mechanised brigade, a mountain assault brigade and a coastal defence brigade near Kamyshevakha, Lukyanovskoye (Zaporozhye region), Verovka, and Veseloye in Kherson region. The enemy lost up to 70 troops, a U.S.-made HMMWV armoured vehicle, four motor vehicles, two artillery guns, two electronic warfare stations, and three ammunition depots have been neutralised. Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged an power substation that provides support to enterprises of the Ukrainian defence industry, production workshops of the Motor Sich enterprise, storage and launch sites of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 136 areas. The Black Sea Fleet eliminated two AFU motor boats along with a landing force in the north-western part of the Black Sea. Air defence systems shot down seven guided aerial bombs and 202 unmanned aerial vehicles during the day. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost 667 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 86,435 unmanned aerial vehicles, 630 anti-aircraft missile systems, 25,233 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,592 MLRS combat vehicles, 29,888 field artillery guns and mortars, and 42,513 support military vehicles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address High-Ranking Members of Sinaloa Cartel Charged with Material Support of a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Narcoterrorism Wednesday, September 24, 2025 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs In a superseding indictment unsealed today, high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel are facing federal charges for their alleged involvement in trafficking hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine into southern Illinois and laundering the proceeds to Mexico. "The Sinaloa Cartel relies on drug trafficking to finance its terrorism against the American people while spreading poison in our communities," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "Today's indictment is a significant blow against this terrorist organization's infrastructure as we carry out President Trump's mission of dismantling and destroying the cartels." "The Sinaloa Cartel is a vicious international criminal organization that spreads terror through intimidation, torture, and murder. The entire enterprise is financed through a drug distribution network that includes southern Illinois," said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois. "Today's superseding indictment targets some of the highest level of Sinaloa leadership demonstrating our commitment to use every possible tool to crush this cartel, dismantling its operations, and protecting our community from its narcoterrorism." "Today's announcement in the Southern District of Illinois is monumental in our fight to eliminate the Sinaloa Cartel," said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). "The extraordinary work of the St. Louis Field Division and their partners resulted in the seizure of more than 800 pounds of fentanyl and exposed a money laundering network that pushed millions in cartel profits through U.S. banks. This is not a street-corner operation it is a cartel pipeline that has flooded the Midwest with significant amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. We continue the fight, using all the resources of the United States government, to destroy the Sinaloa Cartel." The indictment alleges that the Sinaloa Cartel is a Mexican-based transnational drug trafficking organization that uses premeditated violence to control territory and undermine governmental authority. The Cartel sustains its enterprise by trafficking narcotics into the United States and funneling the profits back into Mexico. Over approximately one week, the DEA, in conjunction with law enforcement partners, arrested 15 of the charged defendants in a nationwide operation involving Sinaloa Cartel associates. These indictments and arrests are the result of a years-long operation involving the removal of more than 400 kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 80 kilograms of methamphetamine and 50 kilograms of cocaine from communities in and around Southern Illinois. President Donald J. Trump designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The designation included the Sinaloa Cartel among eight criminal organizations classified as FTOs and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) and Executive Order 13224. Narcoterrorism is a federal crime that provides enhanced penalties to punish drug trafficking that supports terrorist organizations. The crime of providing material support applies when a person provides resources to an organization knowing that it has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment alleging that 26 defendants participated in a Sinaloa Cartel sourced drug distribution pipeline originating in Mexico that included the Southern District of Illinois, including the following: Name Age Residence Charge(s) Prospero Coronel-Sanchez, also known as "Pro" 40 Mexican national Narcoterrorism; providing material support to foreign terrorist organization; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Jose Luis Angulo-Soto, also known as "Jose Luis Angulo-Cazares" or "El Mi Nino" Mexican national Narcoterrorism; conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy German Angel Alatorre-Monge 24 South Gate, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Leobardo Alcaraz-Ibarra 51 Phoenix Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Miguel Angel Aramburo, Jr. 34 Paramount, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Manuel Buenrostro 38 Cudahy, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Oscar Bryan Castro 34 Pasadena, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Carlos Diaz, Jr. 34 Pasadena Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Alejandro Flores 30 Cudahy, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Armando Gallardo 46 Chula Vista, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Karen L. Gandarillas-Carreno 36 Sun Valley, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Roberto J. Gonzalez, Jr. 39 Bell, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Sabrina Danielle Herrera 35 South Gate, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Mauro Armando Luna-Renteria 39 Lynwood, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Lucia Viridiana Montano 40 Rio Rico, Arizona Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine David Alonso Pereda 33 Costa Mesa, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Memo Perez, also known as "Demecia Perez" 50 Los Angeles Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Jaqueline Desiree Piikkila-Vigueras 49 Tucson, Arizona Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Miguel Rios 31 Cudahy, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Richard Ruiz, Jr. 27 Paramount, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Evan Sanchez 31 Victorville, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Julio Villa-Morales 36 Tucson Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Jose Espino-Zavala 44 Mexican national Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Martin Ismael Zuniga-Lopez 32 Los Angeles Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Earl Frank 56 O'Fallon, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy (2 counts); distribution of controlled substances: methamphetamine Michael Pennel 56 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy According to court documents, the charged conduct occurred between January 2020 and July 2025. The conspiracy is accused of distributing more than 50 or more grams of methamphetamine, 400 or more grams of fentanyl, and five kilograms or more of cocaine. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood. DEA St. Louis, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. HSI's Parole and Law Enforcement Programs Unit provided critical support. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karelia Rajagopal, Laura Reppert, and Thomas Leggans for the Southern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. In March 2023, the original indictment charged Earl Frank and 10 others with various federal offenses related to the drug trafficking conspiracy: Name Age Residence Charge(s) Plea Earl Frank 56 O'Fallon, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; distribution of controlled substance: methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy Not guilty Michael Pennel 56 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering Not guilty Chontell Reynolds 42 East St. Louis, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; distribution of controlled substance: methamphetamine Guilty; awaiting sentencing Jeffery Neely 54 St. Louis Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; awaiting sentencing Dereck Turnage 49 Bowling Green, Missouri Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; sentenced to 235 months in prison David Allen Day 55 Ironton, Missouri Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Sentenced to 20 years in prison Dwayne Kimmins 52 St. Louis Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Sentenced to nine years in prison Charles R. Evans 35 O'Fallon, Missouri Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Awaiting sentencing Shannon Guyton 46 Clarkton, Missouri Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; transportation in aid of racketeering enterprise Guilty; sentenced to eight years in prison Kimberly Hoskins 38 O'Fallon, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering Guilty; Awaiting sentencing Aundre Vaughn 54 East St. Louis, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; distribution of controlled substances: fentanyl Guilty; Awaiting sentencing An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Topic: Operation Take Back America Components: Office of the Attorney General USAO - Illinois, Southern Press Release Number: 25-986 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Provide Al-Qaida with Weapons Wednesday, September 24, 2025 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs A criminal complaint was unsealed today after a Tulsa, Oklahoma, man appeared before a federal judge for attempting to provide 3-D printed weapons to an individual he believed was receiving them on behalf of al-Qaida. Andrew Scott Hastings, 25, is charged with attempting to provide material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations and illegal possession or transfer of a machinegun. In June 2024, the FBI learned that Hastings was on a social media app discussing committing acts of violence against U.S. civilians in furtherance of global jihad. Court records indicate that Hastings was enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard (Guard) and worked as an aircraft powertrain repairer, and held a national security clearance. While employed with the Guard, Hastings traveled outside of the United States and failed to report his travel, as required. Allegedly, Hastings told others within the social media group that they needed to develop cyberspace skills and to start physical training. During months of discussions, Hastings offered to provide anyone interested more than 500 pages of notes, as well as Army manuals related to tactics and the manufacture of weapons. Hastings claimed that he had previously been detained and interrogated by law enforcement and explained how to avoid law enforcement. Hastings further alleged that he made a firearm, was interested in creating a nuclear weapon, and discussed the advantages of using tunnels to protect armed militants, consistent with news reports about Hamas's use of tunnels in Gaza. Hastings began communicating with an undercover agent who claimed to have contacts with al-Qaida. They discussed 3-D printed firearms, machinegun conversion devices known as "switches," and drones. Hastings eventually provided the undercover agent with a link to a website where he was offering 3-D printed switches for sale. Court documents show that Hastings was seen on surveillance footage twice arriving at a postal facility to ship boxes that contained more than 100 3-D printed switches, two 3-D printed lower receivers for a handgun, one handgun slide, and various handgun parts to be supplied to al-Qaida for use in terrorist attacks. During the pendency of this investigation, on June 6, 2025, Hastings agreed to voluntarily discharge from the Guard. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division made the announcement. The FBI Oklahoma City - Tulsa Resident Agency Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Army Counterintelligence Command, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel, Matthew P. Cyran, and Christopher J. Nassar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case with support from Trial Attorney Elisa Poteat of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Topic: Firearms Offenses Counterterrorism Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Security Division (NSD) USAO - Oklahoma, Northern Press Release Number: 25-991 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Sanctions Indian Nationals and Online Pharmacy for Supplying Counterfeit Fentanyl-Laden Pills U.S. Department of the Treasury September 24, 2025 Pharmacies Pose as Legitimate Operations to Deceive Buyers WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two Indian nationals, Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh, for their role in collectively supplying hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills filled with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to victims across the United States. OFAC is also designating one India-based online pharmacy for its role in these criminal operations. "Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison," said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. "Treasury will continue to advance President Trump's commitment to Make America Fentanyl Free by targeting drug traffickers." Fentanyl has been the primary driver of the synthetic opioid crisis, which is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Opioid overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. Under the U.S.-India Drug Policy Framework, the United States and India continue to work together to fight the devastating impact of illicit drugs and to put an end to the global drug threat by combating drug trafficking, improving public health, and strengthening global supply chains. Today's action was taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059, which targets the international proliferation of illicit drugs and their means of production. Today's action was coordinated with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. ROLE OF ONLINE PHARMACIES IN THE GLOBAL ILLICIT DRUG TRADE In the last few years, online suppliers of controlled substances, including from India, have contributed to the fentanyl crisis by supplying illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, as well as related precursor chemicals, to the United States. Separately, Mexican cartels acquire precursor chemicals from these online suppliers for use in their clandestine fentanyl laboratories. Today's action spotlights the role of illegal online pharmacies, some of which are based in India, that are responsible for supplying counterfeit pills to individuals worldwide, including U.S. consumers. These pills frequently resemble brand name and generic medication. U.S. consumers, believing they are purchasing from legitimate pharmacies, fall victim to the dangerous operations of these deceptive pharmacies. Instead of delivering the safe products they are marketing to buyers, these illegal online pharmacies work with drug traffickers to fulfill orders with counterfeit pills, which are often laced with illicit synthetic drugs. On October 4, 2024, the DEA issued a warning about the dangers of online pharmacies, stating it has seen an increase in illegal online pharmacies selling and shipping counterfeit pills made with fentanyl and methamphetamine to unsuspecting customers in the United States who believe they are purchasing real pharmaceutical drugs such as Oxycodone, Adderall, Xanax, and other drugs from legitimate pharmacies. SANCTIONING INDIAN DRUG TRAFFICKERS Based in India, Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed (Sayyed) and Khizar Mohammed Iqbal Shaikh (Shaikh) worked with Dominican Republic- and U.S.-based narcotics traffickers to sell counterfeit pills to Americans. Sayyed and Shaikh marketed and sold these pills as discounted, legitimate pharmaceutical products, which were instead filled with illicit drugs like fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine. Both Sayyed and Shaikh have used encrypted messaging platforms to conduct their illegal business and market their product to victims. Sayyed and Shaikh were previously indicted in September 2024 on narcotics-related charges by a federal grand jury sitting in the Southern District of New York. In addition, Shaikh is the owner of KS International Traders (a.k.a. "KS Pharmacy"), a purported online pharmacy used in furtherance of Shaikh's criminal activities. Even after being exposed for his criminal activity in in DOJ's 2024 indictment, Shaikh continues to operate KS International Traders. A screenshot from KS International Traders' website, indicating their sale of pharmaceutical products, months after the date of the unsealing of the DOJ indictment in 2024 Sayyed and Shaikh are being sanctioned today pursuant to E.O. 14059 for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production. KS International Traders is being sanctioned today pursuant to E.O. 14059 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Shaikh. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons. Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC's Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC's enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, or to submit a request, please refer to OFAC's guidance on Filing a Petition for Removal from an OFAC List. Click here for more information on the persons designated today. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Coast Guard offloads nearly $65M in illicit narcotics interdicted in the Western Caribbean Sea United States Coast Guard Press Release | Sept. 24, 2025 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Diligence (WMEC 616) offloaded approximately 8,700 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $64.5 million, Monday, at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. Diligence deployed in support of Joint Interagency Task Force - South to the Coast Guard District Southeast area of responsibility, where crew members interdicted more than 10,000 pounds of illicit narcotics. "I am remarkably proud of the crew and appreciative of the efforts of JIATF-S and Coast Guard District Southeast," said Cmdr. Colin McKee, commanding officer Diligence. "This joint effort helped us prevent more than four tons of illegal drugs from entering the United States. While this offload marks another milestone in our efforts to counter narco-terrorism, the Coast Guard remains relentless in our operations to control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches." The seized contraband was a result of two interdictions in international waters of the Caribbean Sea. On Aug. 7, Diligence's crew detected and boarded a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 136 miles southwest of Negril, Jamaica. Diligence's boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing 1,500 pounds of marijuana. The contraband was transferred to and offloaded by Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton (WMSL 753), as part of the largest quantity of drugs offloaded in Coast Guard history, in Port Everglades, on Aug. 25. On Sep. 6, a maritime patrol craft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 240 miles north of Panama. Diligence's boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 8,700 pounds of cocaine. The cocaine was offloaded by Diligence's crew and transferred to case agents in St. Petersburg, Monday. The following assets and crews were involved with the interdiction operations: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Diligence Joint Interagency Task Force - South (JIATF-S) Coast Guard District Southeast Detecting and interdicting narco-terrorism on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination because 80% of U.S.-bound drugs are interdicted on the high seas. U.S. Southern Command's JIATF-S, based in Key West, conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Interdictions in the Caribbean Sea are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of Coast Guard District Southeast, headquartered in Miami. The Coast Guard continues increased operations to interdict, seize and disrupt transshipments of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs by sea. These drugs fuel and enable foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations to produce and traffic illegal fentanyl, threatening the United States. Diligence is a 210-foot, Reliance-class medium endurance cutter. The cutter's primary missions are counter-drug and alien interdiction operations, enforcement of federal fishery laws, and search and rescue in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. The cutter falls under the command of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, based in Portsmouth, Virginia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Australia's F-35A visit marks milestone in Brunei ties By Flight Lieutenant Deanna Ellick 24 September 2025 In a demonstration of growing Defence cooperation, two Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft landed in Brunei Darussalam for the first time. The arrival, accompanied by a capability briefing and a static display of the fifth-generation aircraft, marked a significant milestone in the comprehensive partnership between Australia and Brunei. The visit showcased not only Australia's air combat capability but the deepening strategic relationship between the two countries. Members of the Brunei Defence Force and the Australian High Commission attended the event, which served as a platform for shared learning and engagement. Commander Air Combat Group Air Commodore Pete Robinson said the visit was significant for the RAAF. "Australia and Brunei have a really long history, going all the way back to before independence," Air Commodore Robinson said. "Since 1984, when Brunei gained independence, we've had a strong relationship between our people and also our Defence cooperation. "It's the first time that we've brought our F-35As to Brunei and it's a real privilege to be able to do that." The visit was more than a technical demonstration - it was an opportunity to strengthen the partnership between the two nations. "This first F-35A visit, combined with the return of the KC-30A, marks an exciting new chapter," Air Commodore Robinson said. "Within this comprehensive partnership, we reaffirm our commitment to a region that is stable, peaceful, prosperous, secure and resilient." The static display enabled members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces to engage with RAAF personnel and view the aircraft. During the visit, Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force Operations Group, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Hairy Erwandy bin Haji Raya, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. "We appreciate the chance to see this magnificent fifth-generation aircraft for the first time here," Lieutenant Colonel Erwandy bin Haji Raya said. "Thank you to the RAAF for coming to Brunei and providing such valuable insight into this capability." Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Michael Hoy said the visit occurred within a broader diplomatic and regional context. "The Australia and Brunei Darussalam Defence relationship is a cornerstone of our comprehensive partnership," Mr Hoy said. "Deep and enduring bilateral links across education and training, logistics, information sharing, and military exercises underscore the trust, understanding and friendship between our two countries' Defence personnel." Mr Hoy said the two nations have a shared vision for the region's future. "Australia is committed to working with Brunei Darussalam through ASEAN-led mechanisms to promote an Indo-Pacific region that is peaceful, stable, resilient, prosperous and rules-based," he said. "Seeing our F-35As up close, and greeting the talented pilots and support crew, reminds us of their dedication towards advancing these principles. "We appreciate the professional and generous support of Royal Brunei Air Force for facilitating the visit." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Doorstop - United Nations, New York Transcript Wednesday 24 September 2025 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese The Hon Anthony Albanese MP Prime Minister of Australia The Hon Anika Wells MP Minister for Communications ANIKA WELLS, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: From a grassroots campaign of 127,000 parents whose fervent wish was that somebody would do something, we are now at the UN showing our world leading laws and helping other countries who have great interest in taking up this same mission. We are so grateful to parents like Emma Mason and Let Them Be Kids and the 36 Months campaign who brought those 127,000 parents to Parliament and allowed the Prime Minister to pass these world leading laws. We want kids to know who they are, before platforms assume who they are, and these laws give an integral buffer that allows kids to do just that. They will save lives, because while we can't control the ocean, we can release the sharks, and these laws from 10 December will save the lives of Australian kids. ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Anika, and I do want to thank the Let Them Be Kids campaign, 36 Months, all of the grassroots organisations. Particularly to give a shout out to Emma, I thought her contribution there was moving and powerful and the epitome of the discussions I've had face to face with parents who lost their loved ones. We in Government occasionally have the opportunity to really do something that makes a difference. And when I stood at the courtyard last year and announced this reform, and then brought forward the legislation to pass it, so that it then had that 12-month lead in till the 10th of December to come into effect, there were some who saw it as somehow being out of step with where the world was heading. Because technology is ubiquitous, has such an impact on our lives. The truth is that our legislation is where the world is going, and the fact that we have Ursula von der Leyen and other leaders here, including Prime Minister Mitsotakis, gave a powerful speech as well about the experience of Greece. I look forward to welcome Prime Minister Mitsotakis to Australia in early next year as an official guest of the government. And I'm sure while he is there, we will engage further on that issue, is the fact that this isn't an issue that's confined just to Australia. Parents, wherever they are, are concerned about what is happening with their kids. They want them to have a childhood, and we're calling time on social media not taking responsibility for the social impact and social harm that is being caused. Our legislation is world leading, but it's not something that's over the top, and it's not something that we haven't spent the last year through the eSafety Commissioner as well, are doing the work and engaging to make sure that we get it right. Inevitably, as we've said, we don't pretend that this won't have some gaps, that kids won't find a way occasionally to get around. But that's not a reason why you just say 'it's all too hard'. We don't do that in other areas. What we do is, Governments have a responsibility to set a framework, the laws in which society is indicating what society thinks is right, and in this case, what we think is right is that parents need to be empowered and children need to have a childhood. That's what this is about. I think that this morning's event, which was so well attended, I was overwhelmed by the attendance when I walked into that room shows how much this is a global issue, not just an issue for Australia, but we'll do our part. And other countries have said they will be watching and learning from our experience and acting as well. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, maybe for you Minister, just thinking about next steps. Long as you talk about algorithms and damage they do to kids, but for adults as well. Some other countries are looking at opt out, the right to opt out from giving the algorithm in your social media feed is that something that you would consider? PRIME MINISTER: Look these things, and I'll ask the Communications Minister, but these things are, of course, complex and difficult. We need to as technology changes, and particularly the impact of artificial intelligence is something that we're all grappling with. I think Cabinets right around the world are looking at that, just as businesses are looking at what the impact of robotics and other technological changes are. Technological change is a part of the way that our society develops and moves forward. It can be liberating, but it also needs to be examined to make sure that unintended consequences don't overwhelm the benefits. So, we will continue to examine and work those issues through, I will see if the Minister wants to make some comments. MINISTER WELLS: We tabled the rules with the parents, who some of who joined us today with Emma in the parliament, in July, we handed down our regulatory guidance. The eSafety Commission and I together last week in Australia, and obviously this will come in on 10 December, the next step from there is for the Government to respond to the review of the Online Safety Act, and I think in this space in particular, it is about instilling a digital duty of care, which is putting the onus on platforms to provide a duty of care for their users in Australia, that will capture much more of that nebulous harm that you're seeing out there, and that will not be captured by a 13 to 15 year old social media age restriction. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, we saw your selfie with President Trump. What did you say to him when you met him last night? PRIME MINISTER: We had a very warm and engaging chat. I tend not to broadcast private discussion, but it was very warm, and we look forward to a further discussion in a few weeks' time. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the French President Emanuel Macron said that he was willing for France to be involved in a stabilisation, a peacekeeping force in Gaza after the war ends. Will Australia be a part of that? PRIME MINISTER: We'll give consideration to that at an appropriate time. What we want to see is a ceasefire, is the hostages released, is aid being allowed to go into Gaza unimpeded. And we also want to deal with, whilst we're dealing with those immediate issues, deal with the long-term solution that's required there. And quite clearly, Australia has a position that's in line with the majority of the world, which is to support a two-state solution, and we see that the people of Israel have a right to peace and security, but the people of Palestine have a right, a right to see their legitimate aspirations for their own state to be realised. JOURNALIST: There have been calls from Pro Palestinian groups in Australia to broaden sanctions. Can you explain a little about why the government's chosen to go with the Magnitsky approach at this point, not with that broader approach? PRIME MINISTER: Look we. It's always, it's always vague these questions. And if you ask something specific, then you'll get a specific answer. But the people, including those there are some who will continue to regardless of what is put forward or said in saying something different or being critical of what the Government puts forward, we don't send arms to Israel, and we put appropriate sanctions on due to the legitimate concerns which are there about the involvement, including the two ministers in the Israeli Government. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister as the Government moves into next year and you want to revamp the National Defence Strategy. How seriously are you considering making a sovereign decision to increase Australian defence spending? PRIME MINISTER: We made a decision last Sunday, paying attention, and we do regularly. What we do is we invest in the capability that Australia needs, and we have increased our spending now by around about $70 billion compared to what we inherited. $70 billion this is substantially increased investment. And we'll continue to monitor and examine what capability Australia needs, but also to invest in our relationships. And part of coming to the UN here is engaging in our relationships, investing in our capability is precisely what we did in Henderson. That is about building Australians capacity to have continuous naval shipbuilding. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, great to see so many members of the Pacific here at your event. But closer to home, there is trouble in Vanuatu, they have signed a policing agreement with China. What moves is your Government taking to try and reverse that or combat that or counter it? PRIME MINISTER: Well, they signed, they've had a policing agreement with China for some time. What we continue to do is to engage with all of our neighbours in the Pacific, including Vanuatu. I had constructive discussion not just with the Prime Minister, but with the Council of Ministers when I was there in Vanuatu just a couple of weeks ago, we continue to engage with our Pacific neighbours. JOURNALIST: So why isn't that working? Because when the Opposition, now Opposition was in government and this happened with the Solomons, the Government was very critical. Is this not a failure of your diplomacy or is this just recognition that the Coalition couldn't compete against China either. PRIME MINISTER: That happened under the former Government, as you're aware, very publicly. We engaged constructively with the Pacific, and we have very warm relationships with our neighbours. I've attended as Prime Minister every meeting in the Pacific Island Forum. That hasn't always been the case, and we've engaged as well, with unprecedented contact between myself and my ministers with our Pacific neighbours. JOURNALIST: So why isn't all your engagement transforming into concrete security arrangements? PRIME MINISTER: Our Pacific family is relating to concrete steps forward, including the Pacific Policing Initiative in which Vanuatu and others are a part. That's a $400 million program, and what that's about is we've established now the centre at Pinkenba in Brisbane, but we're also establishing centres in three other locations in the Pacific. What that is doing is training police, that increases the interoperability of those police actions. It means that the culture that Australian policing have is being spread throughout the region as well. It's been warmly received. It was the major outcome of the Pacific Island Forum meeting last year, and it was built on at this year's forum. JOURNALIST: Climate change is a big focus for you today. You've got a couple of events and no doubt you will cover it in your speech here at the UN. How concerned are you frankly about the US under Donald Trump abandoning action on climate change and what that means for the world? PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we're doing, of course, is engaging in Australia's position. We have been working hard. We said that Australia is impacted, particularly by climate change. We're vulnerable due to our geography, due to our climate conditions, and we've seen the impact, whether it be the algal bloom in South Australia. That's a direct result of fact that you have flooding in Queensland and New South Wales at the top of the Murray Darling Basin system, going through an area that's been impacted by drought in South Australia as well, picking up additional nutrients and going into the water which is two degrees hotter than it should have been normally at this time of the year. That is just one example. And whilst we can't say that any particular weather event is just because of climate change, what we can do is acknowledge the science that says that there will be more extreme weather events, and they'd be more intense. So, we're acting. Our target has been very well received, that we announced of 62 to 70 per cent by 2035 I'll be speaking at a New York Times forum in a short period of time after I have bilaterals that I'll go to after this meeting. I will continue to engage. But the other thing is, of course, there's a range of states and indeed city governments as well in the United States here continuing to act, there's continuing to be investment. What we saw yesterday from the investment meeting that we had hosted by Macquarie was significant players in the United States, but also some of the other meetings that I have had while I've been here, meetings with the CEO of major US companies that we've had private meetings with, have seen demand for investment. They want, they see Australia as a great destination for that. JOURNALIST: It's been almost a year since the Government announced any military assistance for Ukraine. Are you going to donate more and does this show that Australia is losing interest in the war, that it's been so long since any new support? PRIME MINISTER: No, we continue to provide support for Ukraine. When you make an announcement, it then takes time to deliver the asset. And due to the fact, in part, just logistics of where it is. If you're moving heavy vehicles and military equipment, it takes time to be there, and I had a really warm discussion with President Zelenskyy yesterday on the floor of the UN, a pull aside. He is assured of our continued support. We continue to participate in the Coalition of the Willing meetings. I've said very clearly that if there is a process there, Australia will consider any proposal to be a part. That's been welcomed by President Zelenskyy, who's participated in all of those meetings. I think I've been, I might have missed one, but I think I've been in every meeting that certainly I could have been. And that's meant, of course, because of where we are, sometimes they've been in the early hours of the morning, I've got to say, but it's something that the struggle of the people of Ukraine should be an inspiration. They're fighting for their national sovereignty. They're fighting for the international rule of law as well. So therefore, they're fighting for all of us. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you mentioned some of your meetings here in New York. Gavin Newsom is also attending the New York Times conference that you're going to today. Do you plan on catching up with him later? If so, what are you going to say? PRIME MINISTER: No, I'm speaking at the New York Times event myself, so I've got a pretty full card today. I've met Mr. Newsom before in San Francisco. JOURNALIST: Prime Minster, what was inspiring about 36 Months and the Let Them be Kids campaigns? PRIME MINISTER: The inspiration comes from the people who've taken what is the most personal of traumas. I think that any parent thinks about how they would feel if they lost their child. You know, I'm incredibly protective of my son, who's no longer a child, although most parents would understand that a 25 year old, he'll stay as my child forever, is the way that you think about them. And to take that personal trauma and channel that into trying to make a difference for other children, is brave, is courageous and is inspirational, and I think it has had a severe, a real impact in this campaign, and they deserve every accolade possible. You know, if I, as Australian Prime Minister, could pluck out AOs as I walk around, which might be a reform, that might be a petition to start, I tell you what, I would have walked up on stage here and given Emma one on the spot because, you know, we give praise to people who are politicians and business leaders. You know this, this is a mum, and she's fantastic. JOURNALIST: Just on Matthew's question, you pointed out the long lead times for Ukraine, isn't that imperative of why we should be announcing something more? And what does the future of our support look like apart from the Coalition of the Willing? PRIME MINISTER: It continues to be, we monitor what assistance we can give, we engage and I engage directly with President Zelenskyy yesterday about that. JOURNALIST: What did he ask for? [INAUDIBLE]. PRIME MINISTER: We engage directly with leaders rather than through the media is what we do, and that is what you would expect. Thanks very much. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement on the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney and the President of Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto Prime Minister of Canada - Mark Carney September 24, 2025 Ottawa, Ontario "Today in Ottawa, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto undertook a visit to Canada. This was the first meeting of the Leaders in Ottawa in 25 years, marking a new chapter in the enduring friendship between Indonesia and Canada founded on mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment to building more ambitious and targeted cooperation. The Leaders witnessed the signing of the Indonesia-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA-CEPA), a transformative trade agreement that reflects Canada and Indonesia's shared objective to unlock new opportunities for trade and economic diversification, investment, innovation, and inclusive and sustainable growth. It serves as a platform to strengthen trade and investment ties, expand business opportunities, and foster cooperation in key areas, including food security, critical minerals, renewable energy, and the digital economy. The Leaders agreed that ICA-CEPA reflects mutual commitment to opening trade, in accordance with the rule of law and in respect for internationally agreed trade rules. This is essential to uphold openness and predictability in global trade, maintain global economic stability and safeguard supply chain resilience. The Prime Minister and President agreed that joint trade facilitation on prime agricultural commodities, including agri-food, can further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in support of Indonesia's food security agenda and sustainable two-way trade. They underlined the importance of supporting SMEs and women entrepreneurs, expanding access to finance, and facilitating their participation in global value chains. The Leaders noted the importance of broad development cooperation, which will support implementation of the CEPA; explore new innovative programming to strengthen our collaboration as reliable trading partners; and continue to include women's empowerment and climate change as key priorities. In that light, Canada also welcomes Indonesia's support for the Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement as well as supports Indonesia's interest to accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Canada supports Indonesia's commitment to reach Net-Zero by 2060 and welcomes its desire to integrate clean technologies and new and renewable energy sources into its energy mix. The Leaders reaffirmed their shared attachment to promoting and safeguarding peace and addressing global issues and reiterated their shared commitment to advancing defence and security cooperation, as demonstrated by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperative Activities in the Field of Defence, which complements the previously signed Memorandum of Understanding on Military Cooperation. Prime Minister Carney and President Prabowo agreed to support the development of their defence industries, acknowledging the importance of the Indo Defence Expo and Canada's Global Defence and Security Trade Show (CANSEC), the Indonesia-Canada Defence dialogue and ongoing collaboration under the Military Training and Cooperation Program, complemented by signature training events such as the Super Garuda Shield and Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo. To guide future engagement, the Leaders also mandated their foreign ministers to finalize, as soon as possible, a 2026-2029 Canada-Indonesia Plan of Action to build on the two countries' shared commitment as pluralistic democracies to deliver meaningful and lasting benefits for the peoples of both countries. This Plan of Action will provide a roadmap for a strategic, forward-looking, and outcome-oriented cooperation across the three main pillars: economic partnership, defense and political cooperation, and people-to-people ties. The leaders discussed greater ease of travel between the citizenss of the two countries to strengthen people-to-people ties, education, tourism and business exchanges by, in part, making travel easier, faster, and safer. The Leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues. Canada reaffirmed its support for ASEAN centrality as a driving force in sustaining an open, transparent, and inclusive regional architecture, in line with the ASEAN Charter and international law. They expressed deep concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the worsening situation in the West Bank and reaffirmed the urgency of achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on a two-state solution, and welcomed opportunities to cooperate on humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts. Indonesia welcomes Canada's official recognition to the Palestinian Statehood. Prime Minister Carney and President Prabowo also welcome today's agreement between Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Indonesia's Investment Authority (INA), to explore cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure, cleantech and renewable energy, and agrifood, as well as the today's agreement between the Business Council of Canada and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Leaders further welcomed the potential to expand partnership and investment collaboration between sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, as well as development finance institutions and other institutional investors. These agreements will further deepen trade and investment, and become catalysts for opening new and deeper partnerships with concrete, lasting benefits for their peoples." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Carney announces new trade agreement with Indonesia - Canada's first-ever bilateral trade agreement with an ASEAN country Prime Minister of Canada - Mark Carney September 24, 2025 Ottawa, Ontario The global trade landscape is rapidly changing as the United States fundamentally transforms all of its trading relationships. In this new era, our partners will no longer rely only on the strength of our values but also the value of our strength. We are building our strength at home, diversifying our partnerships abroad, and building a web of new connections to pursue our interests. To that end, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, welcomed the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, to Ottawa today to announce the new Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This is Canada's first-ever bilateral trade agreement with an ASEAN country. This game-changing agreement will eliminate or reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, create a more transparent and predictable environment for trade and investment, and open new opportunities for Canadian workers and industries in sectors such as clean technology, agri-food, infrastructure, critical minerals, and financial services. Once the CEPA is fully implemented,over 95% of current Canadian exports to Indonesia will have tariffs either reduced or fully eliminated, making Canadian exports - such as wheat, potash, wood, and soybeans - far more competitive in Indonesia. CEPA will come into force in 2026, giving consumers and businesses in both countries greater choices and lower costs, while empowering our Canadian workers with opportunities for high-quality careers and making our supply chains stronger and more resilient. To further drive investment in one another's economies, Prime Minister Carney and President Subianto welcomed a new Market Leader Partnership Agreement between Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA). Under this partnership, EDC will make debt financing of up to $825 million available to the INA. EDC and the INA will work in collaboration to attract investment and generate new business opportunities for Canadian exporters and investors in priority sectors across Indonesia, including infrastructure, digital services, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing. Prime Minister Carney and President Subianto also welcomed the signing of an agreement between the Business Council of Canada and Kadin, Indonesia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to strengthen trade and investment ties between Canada and Indonesia. This agreement will build a strong network of business alliances through bilateral trade missions. With Indonesia's market projected to become a top five global economy by 2050, these partnerships will unlock significant potential for Canadian workers, businesses, and investors. In a more divided and dangerous world, economic growth must be bolstered by shared defence and security. To that end, Canada and Indonesia also signed a new Defence Cooperation Agreement, building on the Military Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed last month. Together, these arrangements will deepen collaboration on military training and education, maritime security, cyber defence, and peacekeeping. It is a critical step in Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy and a strong signal to the world that Canada and Indonesia are committed to peace and stability in the region. Quotes "Canada and Indonesia are unlocking major new economic opportunities together. Our new trade agreement is a game-changer for our workers and businesses, opening new markets and driving more investment between our growing economies. In the face of a shifting global landscape, Canada's new government is diversifying and strengthening our partnerships to create greater prosperity, security, and high-quality career opportunities for Canadian workers." The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada "The Indo-Pacific region will play a critical role in shaping Canada's future over the next half-century. Through Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, we will continue to increase our defence and security co-operation with the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and work with our allies and partners to ensure a meaningful and reliable defence presence in the region. Strengthening our defence relationships with key partners like Indonesia demonstrates Canada is committed to supporting regional peace, security, and stability, and will be for the long-term." The Hon. David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence "The Canada-Indonesia CEPA is a strong step forward in Canada's trade diversification agenda. It will open new opportunities for Canadian businesses in one of Southeast Asia's leading economies, create good jobs for Canadians, and expand Canada's reach in the Indo-Pacific - one of the world's fastest-growing regions." The Hon. Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade Quick facts Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country, with a population of 282 million and a GDP of approximately $1.9 trillion in 2024. It is a fast-growing global market and Southeast Asia's largest economy. Projected to become a top five global economy by 2050, Indonesia's market holds significant potential for Canadian businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors. In 2024, Indonesia was Canada's third-largest merchandise trading partner among Southeast Asian countries, totalling $5.6 billion. Canadian merchandise exports to Indonesia were valued at $2.3 billion, making it Canada's largest export market in Southeast Asia and 18th largest worldwide. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla 25 September 2025 00:06 1548-25-09-2025 On September 24, 2025, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The foreign ministers coordinated their positions in a spirit of trust and constructive cooperation, concentrating on current aspects of the Russian-Cuban strategic partnership. They underscored their mutual commitment to maintaining the intensive momentum in political dialogue between Moscow and Havana, as well as deepening collaboration in the trade and economic spheres. A shared alignment of approaches was noted on the overwhelming majority of issues concerning the global and regional agenda. Both parties expressed aspirations to further enhance cooperation within the UN and other multilateral platforms, including BRICS. Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed the principled stance of the Russian Federation regarding the urgent need to terminate the United States' trade, economic, and financial blockade of Cuba, as well as the removal of the country from Washington's list of "state sponsors of terrorism." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OPERATIONALLY DEPLOYED INS TRIKAND VISITS LIMASSOL, CYPRUS India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 24 SEP 2025 5:04PM by PIB Delhi Indian Naval Ship Trikand, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, called at Limassol, Cyprus on 21 Sep 2025 during her ongoing deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. On arrival, the Commanding Officer, Capt Sachin Kulkarni, called on Mr Manish, High Commissioner of India to Cyprus, and Cmde Minas Solomonides, Commander of the Cyprus Navy. Activities during the port call included professional interactions, yoga, and a cultural exchange onboard. The ship was also open to visitors on 23 Sep 2025. The visit will strengthen defence and maritime cooperation, including enhanced coordination in maritime security and capacity-building initiatives. It will also bolster people-to-people connections and cultural ties, celebrating the longstanding friendship and shared values between India and Cyprus. This port call reflects shared strategic interests and the mutual resolve to promote peace, security, and prosperity across the Mediterranean region. ***** VM/SPS 199/25 (Release ID: 2170708) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macron Tells Iran Still Time To Avoid Snapback Sanctions, But 'Only Few Hours Left' By RFE/RL September 24, 2025 European leaders said Iran has not done enough yet to fend off so-called snapback sanctions related to Tehran's nuclear program as a deadline looms, although the sides agreed to continue talking while the clock ticks down. On September 24, French President Emmanuel Macron, after meeting with Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian, told Tehran there was still time to reach an agreement despite the tight timeframe. "An agreement remains possible. Only a few hours are left. It's up to Iran to respond to the legitimate conditions we have raised," Macron wrote on X. Among the demands of the West, Marcon said, are full access of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors in Iran; transparency regarding enriched material stockpiles; and immediate resumption of negotiations. For his part, Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly that Iran will never seek to build a nuclear bomb. A day earlier, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said after meeting with Iran's foreign minister that "diplomacy has a chance. The deadlines are running, and let's see. We need to see some real action also on the Iranian side." A day before Macron's meeting with Pezeshkian, the foreign ministers of France, Britain, and Germany -- known as the European 3 (E3) -- along with Kallas held talks with their Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that "it must be clear to everyone that, after all of Iran's delaying tactics, the possibilities and chances of reaching a diplomatic solution before sanctions are triggered are extremely slim." After the September 23 session, a French diplomatic source told Reuters that talks will continue to "explore all possibilities to the fullest" to avoid the reimposition of UN sanctions. Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "In light of the unjustified and illegal move to begin reinstating the UN Security Council's sanctions, some ideas and proposals for continuing diplomacy were raised during the meeting, and it was agreed that consultations will continue." The E3 on August 28 initiated a 30-day process to reimpose the sanctions, a period that would end on September 27. The European nations accuse Iran of failing to abide by a landmark 2015 deal - the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- with world powers aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon in return for an easing of sanctions. Iran started to roll back its commitments after President Donald Trump, in his first term, withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions against Tehran. Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency in July in response to the US and Israeli bombing of its key nuclear sites in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. One of the conditions that the E3 had set to delay the process was for Tehran to resume full cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog before the end of August. The sanctions related to the nuclear deal and other issues have severely damaged the Iranian economy and often led to street unrest amid rising prices and shortages of crucial goods and energy supplies. They have also stymied Iranian industry as important sectors have been cut off from replacement parts and other resources. UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told Reuters there were "intense" conversations between him, Iran, European powers, and the United States in an effort to reach a settlement. Tehran has remained defiant in the face of Western pressure concerning its nuclear program and uranium enrichment procedures. Steve Witkoff, Trump's special roving envoy who had previously negotiated with Tehran, on September 24 said he was still in touch with Iran, signaling a possible easing of tensions. "I think that we have no desire to hurt [the Iranians]. We have a desire, however, to either realize a permanent solution and negotiate around snapbacks...[or] then snapbacks will be what they are. They're the right medicine," Witkoff said. "We're talking to them. And why wouldn't we? We talk to everybody. As well we should. That's the job. Our job is to solve things," he told a conference in New York. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected possible negotiations with Washington on the issue while being threatened by the West. "Under the current circumstances, negotiations with the US government are of no benefit to our national interest," the cleric said in a speech broadcast by Iranian state TV on September 23. Khamenei accused Trump of not wanting to hold genuine talks, pointing to the US demand that Tehran completely cease uranium enrichment or limit the range of its missiles. "This is not a negotiation, this is a dictate," Khamenei said. However, Reuters quoted an unidentified "Iranian insider" as saying that "several messages have been conveyed to Washington for resumption of talks via mediators in the past weeks, but Americans have not responded." Pezeshkian -- considered to be a moderate by many observers but with limited powers -- on September 23 said he favors dialogue in international relations. "But you cannot negotiate with someone who wants to demonstrate power, tyrannize, destroy, and cause harm," he added, without mentioning names. With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, Reuters, AFP, and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-nuclear-europe- e3-jcpoa-kallas-khamenei/33538933.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb,' President tells General Assembly 24 September 2025 - Iran's President affirmed that his country has no intentions to build a nuclear bomb in his address to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. Masoud Pezeshkian began his remarks by upholding the importance of equality and mutual respect among all peoples. "The bedrock of all divine religions and of the human conscience is this golden maxim: that which you would not approve for yourself, do not approve for others," he said. He noted, however, that the past two years have seen genocide in Gaza, destruction of homes in Lebanon - and the repeated violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the devastation of Syria's infrastructure, assaults on Yemen, and the assassination of Iranian scientists. He asked leaders, "Would you countenance such things for yourselves?" 'Grave betrayal of diplomacy' Mr. Pezeshkian recalled that in June, Iran "was subjected to a savage aggression in flagrant contravention of the most elementary principles of international law," referring to US and Israeli airstrikes on its nuclear facilities and other infrastructure. They were happening "precisely at a time when we were treading the path of diplomatic negotiations" and "constituted a grave betrayal of diplomacy and a subversion of efforts towards the establishment of stability and peace." He warned that "should we fail to confront such perilous breaches of international norms, these aberrations shall spread to engulf the world." Hopes for the region The Iranian President also spoke out against what he called "the ludicrous and delusional scheme of a Greater Israel", encompassing "vast swaths of the region." He instead envisioned "our powerful Iran alongside powerful neighbours within a strong region with a radiant future" in which they "stand together against a grand project that imposes genocide, destruction and stability upon the region". "In such a strong region, slaughter and bloodshed shall find no place. It is for this very reason that my country has for many years been among the staunchest advocates of establishing a region free of weapons of mass destruction," he said. "Yet those who themselves possess the largest nuclear arsenals and who in flagrant breach of the NPT (non-proliferation treaty) make their weapons even deadlier and more destructive have for years subjected our people to pressures on the basis of spurious allegations." He addressed the UN Security Council meeting last week where members rejected a resolution to lift sanctions against Iran imposed prior to a 2015 agreement on its nuclear programme known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He said that "three European States having failed through a decade of bad faith and thereafter by supporting military aggression to bring the proud people of Iran to their knees, at the behest of the United States of America" sought to reinstate Council resolutions that had already been terminated. "I hereby declare once more before this Assembly that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb." He said the future must be built on cooperation, trust, and shared development for all nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On 24 September 2025, Security Forces conducted an intelligence based operation in general area Daraban, Dera Ismail Khan District, on reported presence of khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy, Fitna al Khwarij. Inter Services Public Relations Pakistan Rawalpindi - September 24, 2025 No PR-300/2025-ISPR On 24 September 2025, Security Forces conducted an intelligence based operation in general area Daraban, Dera Ismail Khan District, on reported presence of khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy, Fitna al Khwarij. During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and resultantly, *thirteen Indian sponsored khwarij were sent to hell.* Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from Indian sponsored killed khwarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in these areas including facilitation in *suicide bombing attack in Daraban in December 2023, abduction and target killing of government officials and innocent civilians*. Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored kharji found in the area, as the Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of Indian Sponsored Terrorism from the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address General Tan Sri Hj Mohd Nizam bin Hj Jaffar, Chief of Defence Forces Malaysia, while on an official visit to Pakistan, called on General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, NI, NI (M), Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), at Joint Staff Headquarters, Rawalpindi. Inter Services Public Relations Pakistan Rawalpindi - September 24, 2025 No PR-299/2025-ISPR General Tan Sri Hj Mohd Nizam bin Hj Jaffar, Chief of Defence Forces Malaysia, while on an official visit to Pakistan, called on General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, NI, NI (M), Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), at Joint Staff Headquarters, Rawalpindi. Both sides held comprehensive discussions on the evolving global and regional security environment and underscored the importance of exploring new avenues for mutually beneficial cooperation in defence and security domains. Both military leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the military-to-military relationship in the light of evolving regional security dynamics. The visiting dignitary remained appreciative of professional standards of Pakistan Armed Forces, their achievements and sacrifices in fight against terrorism and continued efforts towards regional peace and stability. Earlier, upon arrival at Joint Staff Headquarters, a smartly turned-out tri-services contingent presented Guard of Honour to the visiting dignitary. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Tsahkna at meeting with Special Representative Kellogg: By jointly increasing pressure, Russia can be defeated Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24.09.2025 | 21:16 Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated today, September 24, during a meeting in New York with U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, that the recent messages from the United States about Russia being defeatable are correct and require swift, decisive joint action from both Europe and the U.S. to be realized. "The U.S. President's statements yesterday, highlighting Russia's poor economic situation and Ukraine's potential to win the war, are entirely accurate. Estonia has always maintained that with sufficiently strong political and economic pressure, Russia can be defeated," Tsahkna said during the meeting. "What's needed is rapid and resolute joint action from Europe and the U.S. to reduce Russia's budget revenues and ultimately force it to end its aggression against Ukraine and provocations against NATO allies," the Foreign Minister added. "We are working to ensure that the European Union swiftly adopts the 19th sanctions package, decides on the imposition of tariffs, and moves forward with the use of Russia's frozen assets." According to Tsahkna, political, economic, and military support for Ukraine must continue simultaneously. During the meeting, the Foreign Minister also thanked Kellogg for the U.S. efforts that led to the release of political prisoner Allan Roio from a Belarusian prison. Today, the Foreign Minister also participated in a meeting between EU ministers and representatives of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). As part of the UN High-Level Week, he will also attend the Ukraine Friends Group event, meetings of ministers from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the G20, and a high-level event on artificial intelligence. The Minister will open an event organized by Estonia for the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC), which Estonia currently chairs, and will deliver a lecture on European security at Columbia University. There will also be a meeting of Nordic-Baltic (NB8) foreign ministers with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, as well as bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Tunisia, Algeria, and Colombia, and with UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Estonia delivers clear messages to Russia at the OSCE on airspace violation Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24.09.2025 | 16:10 Today, 24 September, at Estonia's initiative, a special joint meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Forum for Security Co-operation and the Permanent Council took place in Vienna, where Estonia's Ambassador to the OSCE, Kaja Tael, addressed all participating states, including Russia, regarding last week's airspace violation. In addition to joint statements by the European Union and NATO, almost all EU and NATO member states made national statements in support of Estonia. "Russia is responsible for serious military incidents that have taken place beyond its borders. The breach of NATO's airspace by Russian warplanes and drones is a dangerous and reckless escalation that has been condemned in the strongest possible terms. They were discussed by the UN Security Council on Monday, and by NATO on Tuesday. We have often heard Russia's complaints in the OSCE that there is a lack of dialogue and unwillingness to listen to each other. Today, we are using the platform of the OSCE to talk directly to Russia: stop your provocations on NATO territory and end your war of aggression in Ukraine," Tael said at the special joint meeting of the Forum for Security Co-operation and the Permanent Council. She emphasised that in addition to serious violations in Poland, Romania, Latvia and Lithuania, the violation of Estonian airspace by Russia on 19 September was already the fourth such incident this year. "This consistent use of force has become a pattern of Russian provocations," Tael added. "It seems that Russia has fallen into the trap of its own disinformation, and, imagining itself to be at war with NATO, they don't shrink from aggressive and provocative actions against NATO countries. This brinkmanship has to end," Ambassador Tael said. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security cooperation organisation. The OSCE comprises 57 participating states from Europe, North America and Asia. Estonia has been a member since September 1991. Both the OSCE and its Forum for Security Co-operation are currently chaired by Finland. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic Roberto Alvarez 24 September 2025 23:40 1547-24-09-2025 On September 24, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic Roberto Alvarez. The meeting, conducted in a constructive and cordial atmosphere, included an exchange of views on key aspects of bilateral collaboration across political, trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres. Both parties acknowledged a mutual interest in further enhancing the considerable potential of Russian-Dominican relations. During an alignment of positions on pressing regional and international agenda items, the parties agreed to strengthen collaboration within the UN framework and other multilateral platforms. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with the heads of foreign ministries of the Confederation of the Sahel States (AES) member states 24 September 2025 23:03 1546-24-09-2025 On September 24, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov convened a meeting with the heads of the foreign ministries of the member states of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) - Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Mali Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabe Abroad of Burkina Faso Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Nigeriens Abroad of the Republic of Niger Yaou Sangare Bakary. During the meeting, a comprehensive range of issues concerning priority areas of collaboration between Russia and the AES were addressed, including the deepening of political dialogue and the enhancement of cooperation in security, trade, economic, cultural, and other fields. A detailed exchange of views ensued regarding the situation in the Sahara-Sahel region, with particular emphasis on countering terrorist threats. The participants reaffirmed their commitment to fortifying foreign policy coordination on international platforms, including the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio 24 September 2025 21:12 1542-24-09-2025 On September 24, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the High-level Week at the 80 The heads of the foreign offices exchanged opinions on the Ukraine crisis settlement as a follow up to the understandings reached at the Russia-US summit in Anchorage. The parties have reaffirmed mutual interest in the search for peaceful solutions. Sergey Lavrov emphasised our country's readiness to adhere to the line developed by the Russian and US leaders in Alaska, including to coordinate efforts with the US side to remove the root causes of the Ukraine conflict. The minister stressed the unacceptability of the schemes intended to protract the conflict promoted by Kiev and some European countries. The parties compared their positions on the entire bilateral agenda including the prospects of restoring their socio-political contacts. They have reaffirmed the importance of using the impetus given by Russian and US presidents to the process of normalising bilateral relations. Both parties noted the need for activating efforts to restore regular functioning of their diplomatic missions. The sides have agreed to maintain constructive dialogue between the Russian and US foreign offices. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's answer to a media question regarding the Russian Federation's alleged appeal to ICAO to ease sanctions 24 September 2025 20:43 1539-24-09-2025 Question: In recent days, media reports have circulated claims that the Russian Federation allegedly appealed to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) with a request to ease sanctions against the aviation industry. How would you comment on this? Maria Zakharova: I consider it necessary to clarify: no one is asking for anything. The Russian Federation demands that ICAO compel certain member states to cease violating international law, including the UN Charter and the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention). Specifically, as far back as October 2023, the Russian Federation, in accordance with Article 84 of the Chicago Convention, submitted a complaint to the ICAO Council regarding violations of the Convention's provisions by 37 ICAO member states. These include all EU members, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Albania, Iceland, Monaco, Norway, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Switzerland. The ground for initiating these proceedings was the imposition by the respondent states of unilateral, discriminatory restrictive measures in civil aviation against the Russian Federation and its aviation enterprises. Moreover, at the 42nd Session of the ICAO Assembly, which commenced on September 23, the Russian delegation tabled working document A42-WP/256, titled "Incompatibility of Unilateral Coercive Measures with the Provisions of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Their Impact on International Civil Aviation and the Consequences of Their Application." This document explicitly states that ICAO must take all possible steps to prevent member states from employing politicised, discriminatory coercive measures in the sphere of international civil aviation. At the opening of the session, the Russian delegation underscored that, despite the unilateral restrictive measures imposed by a number of ICAO member states in violation of the Chicago Convention and other norms of international law, Russia's civil aviation sector continues to develop dynamically. Russian and foreign airlines are increasing transport volumes and expanding their route networks, thereby demonstrating foreign states' sustained interest in cooperation with the Russian Federation in air transportation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's comment on Moldovan authorities denying accreditation to OSCE/ODIHR monitoring mission's short-term observers from Russia 24 September 2025 19:26 1538-24-09-2025 On September 23, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) released a report covering the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova's decision to deny accreditation to all Russian short-term observers (16 in all) who had been included in the ODIHR mission for the purpose of participating in international observation of the upcoming parliamentary elections on September 28. The Moldovan authorities justified their decision using the arguments put forward by the national Intelligence and Security Service. Members of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation were denied accreditation as international observers as well. Thus, the Moldovan authorities are not only restricting the voting rights of their own citizens residing in Russia and Transnistria, but are also obstructing an objective monitoring of the electoral process. Clearly, the Moldovan authorities' decision is politically motivated. The ruling authorities' fear of imaginary threats of external "interference" in electoral processes - something that is constantly circulated in the country's deeply politicised media - has led them to employ openly anti-democratic methods. Acting that way, Moldova is blatantly violating its electoral commitments undertaken within the OSCE to provide unfettered invitations and to facilitate the work of international observers, while also disregarding the Organisation's established practice in monitoring electoral processes. Official Chisinau has ignored the provisions of the CSCE Copenhagen Document (Paragraph 8), which affirms the participating states' commitment to invite observers from other OSCE participating states willing to do so to observe their national elections to the extent permitted by law. Such an open demonstration of contempt for democratic values and international organisations - in this case, the OSCE - would not have been possible without the support of Brussels, which, for the sake of its geopolitical goal of dragging Moldova into the EU, is turning a blind eye to the country's flagrant human rights violations, including electoral ones. This is by far not the first instance of the Moldovan authorities' arbitrary behaviour, though, perhaps, the most egregious one. In 2024, on the eve of the first round of Moldova's presidential elections (October 20), five of the 20 Russian short-term observers were likewise unjustifiably denied accreditation at the last minute, while before the second round (November 3) three more Russian observers with valid accreditation were expelled from the country and their accreditation was withdrawn retroactively. Despite our repeated signals addressed to ODIHR Director Maria Telalian (Greece), the office has shown no sign of active approach to this particular situation. Its official notification merely stated that ODIHR intends to continue discussions with the Moldovan authorities. This deliberate inertia is evident. Once again, we urge the OSCE/ODIHR senior officials not to be lenient to the Moldovan authorities and to reflect in its final observation report the fact of Chisinau's gross violation of OSCE electoral commitments, as well as to provide a proper public assessment of what has occurred. Otherwise, the office will have to bid farewell once and for all to its role as an "objective" institution of international election observation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Juraj Blanar 24 September 2025 19:10 1537-24-09-2025 On September 24, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Juraj Blanar on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The sides held a constructive discussion focused on practical aspects of bilateral relations, including trade and economic cooperation. The Ministers also exchanged views on key international issues of mutual interest, including the situation regarding Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's participation in the G20 ministerial meeting 24 September 2025 17:00 1534-24-09-2025 During the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will take part in the G20 ministerial meeting on September 25. The event will be held as part of South Africa's current presidency and be conducted in a format that is open to all UN member states and observers. Most of the G20 members and invited states and international organisations will be represented at a high level. This will be the second G20 ministerial meeting on the central universal platform for multilateral cooperation. This year, the participants will focus on the correlation of peace and sustainable economic growth, including in the context of the 80th anniversary of the UN. An exchange of views on key challenges to global stability and prosperity, the tone for which will be set by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's welcoming address, is expected to become an important step towards holding the G20 Summit in Johannesburg on November 22-23. The South African presidency will sum up the meeting outcomes in a separate summary on its own behalf. In its statement, the Russian side will present fundamental assessments of the international situation, focusing on the root causes of tensions and the growing number and scale of conflicts, the resolution of which - particularly in the Gaza Strip - continues to stall with the connivance of certain countries. The Russian side will also stress the unacceptability of the confrontational course pursued by Western countries, which, in their attempts to hold on to their erstwhile dominance and to defeat its opponents, are employing a broad range of hybrid warfare tools, such as interference in other countries' internal affairs as they try to substitute lop-sided "rules" that suit only their own needs for the internationally accepted legal norms, to impose illegitimate sanctions, and to resort to other unfair competition tricks. The Russian side will highlight the emergence of a multipolar world order that calls for respectful coexistence of nations on the basis of sovereign equality of states. In light of the seminal 80th anniversary of the Great Victory of the Allied powers over Nazi Germany and its minions, which laid the legal and institutional foundations of modern-day international relations, the pivotal importance of preserving the central role of the UN and its Charter will be emphasised. Russia will call on its partners to work towards building indivisible security and eliminating the bloc confrontation mindset. It will underscore the unacceptability of weaponising the economy, which should be regarded as a realm of cooperation and strengthening of mutually beneficial ties, rather than a means of settling scores with strategic opponents. In this regard, the G20 can play a constructive role as a leading forum for a substantive dialogue between the developing and developed economies. Democratisation of global governance will be a top priority. It is time to implement the G20 agreements between the leaders to reform the Bretton Woods institutions that have remained on paper since 2008 in order to make the voice of the countries with emerging markets louder. Restoring the World Trade Organisation's functionality with an emphasis on reviving its dispute settlement body is also part of the agenda. It's a matter of particular urgency amid escalating tariff turbulence. Promoting innovative international formats relying on an agenda of unity and creation, such as BRICS, the SCO, and the EAEU, to name a few, are Russia's top priorities. A special emphasis will be placed on the G20 countries' economic specialisation. Adding peace and security, matters that fall under the purview of the UN Security Council, to its agenda waters down the G20's mandate and distracts its members from addressing sector-specific challenges. These include, above all, keeping up financial stability and dynamic growth, countering geoeconomic fragmentation and reducing inequality, ensuring food security, and providing non-discriminatory access to advanced technologies and financing on fair terms. The partners will focus in particular on the principle of consensus-based decision-making within the G20. The Russian side considers any exceptions to this rule unacceptable, especially in the context of adopting the leaders' declaration. The year 2025 marks another significant anniversary, the 65th anniversary of the adoption, at the initiative of the Soviet Union, of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. In this context, Russia deems it appropriate to raise, at the G20 platform, the issue of continued exploitation of Africa, Asia, and Latin America by neoliberal elites through forcing trade and economic agreements with asymmetric financial gains and predatory loans on them, and plundering their natural resources. The neocolonial Western practices fuel North-South development imbalances, turning some economies into raw material appendages of the "golden billion," and impeding efforts to combat poverty and famine. Overall, the Russian delegation plans to use the ministerial meeting to set a guiding course towards elaborating, over the next two months, balanced agreements for the Johannesburg G20 Summit that take into account the World Majority's interests. Moscow is convinced that South Africa's watch will consolidate and build on the achievements of the BRICS members' (Indonesia, India, and Brazil) G20 presidencies in 2022-2024 in advancing aspirations of the developing countries. Furthermore, this marks the first time in history that an African country holds the G20 presidency, further predetermining the importance of focusing on the needs of the Global South and the Global East. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President at meeting with UN Secretary-General: International pressure can change Russia's behavior President of the Republic of Lithuania September 25, 2025 President Gitanas Nauseda, together with the Presidents of Latvia and Estonia, held a traditional meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the United Nations General Assembly. The Baltic leaders discussed with the UN Secretary-General global security challenges, the consequences of Russia's war against Ukraine, the current situation in the Baltic region, the work of the Security Council, and the need for UN institutional reform. Gitanas Nauseda stressed that Russia's aggressive actions pose a threat to all of Europe. By deliberately violating NATO member states' airspace, Russia continues down on a dangerous path of provocations. At present, there are no grounds to believe that Moscow is genuinely willing to negotiate peace. "Only greater military support for Ukraine and stronger international pressure on Russia can stop its reckless behavior," the President said, emphasizing that all three Baltic States are committed to providing Ukraine with annual support amounting to at least 0.25 percent of GDP. He also underlined that the EU's upcoming 19th sanctions package will target Russia's oil and gas revenues. The President noted that Lithuania is actively participating in the Coalition of the Willing and is prepared to send a contingent of troops to Ukraine if an agreement is reached on a ceasefire and security guarantees. He also expressed firm support for the UN Secretary-General's initiative to revitalize the United Nations on the occasion of its 80th anniversary and to give the organization fresh momentum. According to the President, it is essential to expand political dialogue, adapt UN institutions to a changing global reality, and build a more effective international system. Special attention, he stressed, must be given to the work of the UN Security Council, which is not only obstructed but often completely paralyzed by an aggressor state exploiting the privileges of permanent membership. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vance, Rubio Press Trump's New Hard Line Against Russia's War Effort By RFE/RL September 25, 2025 Summary US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Russia to take meaningful steps to end the Ukraine war, aligning with President Trump's tougher public stance. Trump suggested Ukraine could reclaim all Russian-occupied territory with European support, marking a shift in his rhetoric on the conflict. Russian officials dismissed Ukraine's territorial chances, reiterating demands for limits on Ukraine's NATO aspirations and military strength. US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressed President Donald Trump's new, tougher public line against Russia, charging that Moscow isn't doing enough to end the war and stop the killing in Ukraine. Vance said on September 24 that Trump "doesn't feel like they're putting enough on the table to end the war...If the Russians refuse to negotiate in good faith, I think it's going to be very, very bad for their country." Rubio, meanwhile, met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, reiterating Trump's "call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war." In response, Lavrov claimed there was a "mutual interest in finding peaceful solutions" to the war in Ukraine. But he reiterated Moscow's need to "eliminate the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict." That is Kremlin talk for putting limits on Ukraine's military strength and a commitment not to join NATO, among a litany of other historical grievances -- most of which are unacceptable to Kyiv and the West. Meanwhile, in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the notion that Ukraine could retake all of its territory, saying the "idea Ukraine can recapture something is, from our point of view, mistaken." The new line from the US administration comes after Trump, in a sudden shift, on September 23 said on social media that Ukraine could win back all of its Russian-occupied territory with the help of its European backers. Russia currently controls around one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was illegally annexed in 2014. In the past, Trump and other US officials have strongly suggested that Ukraine would have to cede some land to Russia in any peace deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his country "are in BIG economic trouble," Trump wrote in his Truth Social post. "After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form," Trump wrote. In his address to the General Assembly hours later, Trump said the United States was "fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs" if Russia isn't "ready to make a deal to end the war. " But he repeated his recent condition that Europe take similar action, saying that "for those tariffs to be effective, European nationswould have to join us in adopting the exact same measures." The remarks represent a major turnaround in rhetoric by the US president. Trump in past years has long praised Putin and often blamed Ukraine for the conflict -- which became a full-blown war after the Kremlin's unprovoked invasion of February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was surprised by Trump's latest remarks but called them a positive signal that Washington would support Kyiv until the end of the war. During comments to the General Assembly, Zelenskyy accused Putin of seeking to expand the Kremlin's war beyond Ukraine and called on the international community to stop the conflict to avoid a destructive arms race. Zelenskyy warned that the use of drones and technology has brought a new dimension to the battlefield. "The facts are simple: Stopping this war now and with it the global arms race is cheaper than building underground kindergartens or massive bunkers for critical infrastructure later," he told the assembly. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/vance-rubio-trump- zelenskyy-putin-russia-ukraine-war/33539999.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development of Grenada Joseph Andall, New York 25 September 2025 01:40 1552-25-09-2025 On September 24, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development of Grenada Joseph Andall on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The ministers deliberated on pressing issues concerning the development of Russian-Grenadian cooperation, as well as the wider international agenda. Both parties underscored their mutual commitment to intensifying bilateral dialogue. During the meeting, the ministers signed an Agreement on the Basic Principles of Relations Between the Russian Federation and Grenada, aimed at deepening interstate collaboration in political, trade, economic, social, and cultural spheres. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Marko Djuric 25 September 2025 01:05 1551-25-09-2025 On September 24, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Marko Djuric on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The ministers acknowledged the progressive development of strategic partnership relations between the two countries, noting the sustained intensity and substantive nature of bilateral contacts despite the ongoing crisis in the international relations system. They discussed key issues pertaining to bilateral collaboration. In-depth consultations were conducted regarding coordination within international organisations, with particular attention to regional affairs - especially the situation in Serbia's Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija and the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The Russian side reaffirmed its unwavering support for Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The necessity for strict adherence to the fundamental provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the General Framework Agreement for Peace (Dayton Agreement) was underscored as essential for achieving a durable and sustainable settlement in the Balkans. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco Nasser Bourita 25 September 2025 00:44 1549-25-09-2025 On September 24, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov engaged in discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco Nasser Bourita. During the conversation, the ministers addressed a number of pressing issues on the bilateral agenda, including the scheduling of forthcoming contacts at various levels. The sides reaffirmed their mutual commitment to maintaining effective foreign policy coordination in order to resolve persistent crisis situations in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the Sahara-Sahel Region, through political and diplomatic means. This approach is grounded in the fundamental principles and norms of international law, with the United Nations playing a central role. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A million Syrians have returned home, but more support needed so millions more can follow UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 24 September 2025 GENEVA -- In just nine months, 1 million Syrians have returned to their country following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government on 8 December 2024. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling on the international community to scale up its support to end the suffering and displacement of millions of Syrians who were forced to flee their homes in the past 14 years and help the country to rebuild. In addition to those returning from outside Syria, another 1.8 million people who were displaced inside the country have also returned to their areas of origin - a sign of the great hope and high expectations Syrians have following the political transition in the country. But those who are returning face immense challenges. Destroyed homes and infrastructure, weak and damaged basic services, a lack of job opportunities, and volatile security are challenging people's determination to return and recover. With more than 7 million Syrians still displaced inside the country and more than 4.5 million abroad, support must be provided to vulnerable families and investment and stabilization efforts increased. "This is a rare opportunity to resolve one of the largest displacement crises in the world. The international community, private sector, and Syrians in the diaspora must come together and intensify their efforts to support recovery and ensure that the voluntary return of those displaced by conflict is sustainable and dignified and they are not forced to flee again," said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. UNHCR has started facilitating voluntary returns and scaled up its support to refugees choosing to return, including cash assistance and transportation. Working in partnership with the authorities in Syria, neighbouring countries and the international community, the agency is also rehabilitating homes damaged during the conflict, given the key role safe shelter plays in anchoring those who return. Additional assistance inside Syria includes the provision of core relief items; livelihoods support; help in acquiring civil documentation; and protection services including the prevention of gender-based violence, mental health and psychosocial support, and child protection. UNHCR's recent Return Perceptions and Intentions Survey reveals that the majority (80 per cent) of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq wish to go home one day, 18 per cent within the next year. However, sustained return and reintegration can only take place with more targeted investments in areas of return. Other Syrian refugees are closely watching developments inside Syria as they decide how safe is it for them to return and when. "We must not forget about the millions of Syrians who are still refugees hosted in neighbouring countries. They have endured a lot of suffering in the past 14 years and the most vulnerable among them still need protection and assistance. Sustained support to hosting countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Turkiye is equally critical to ensure returns are voluntary, safe and dignified," said Grandi. "With renewed commitment, the international community can help preserve hope and support stability and durable solutions for one of the largest refugee situations of our time," he added. UNHCR continues working with the Syrian authorities and other UN agencies, including WFP, UNICEF, UNDP, IOM, ILO and UNFPA to create conditions conducive for return and reintegration in areas severely affected by the decade-long conflict. At this critical juncture, funds for humanitarian work are dwindling. Inside Syria, only 24 per cent of what is needed is available, while for the wider Syria situation just 30 per cent of the requested funds have been provided. This is not the time to cut back support for the Syrian people and their push for a better Syria for them and the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian President outlines reforms, pledges national renewal 24 September 2025 - Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa used his debut at the UN General Assembly's annual debate to outline a forward-looking agenda of reform and rebuilding, promising balanced diplomacy, transitional justice, and inclusive representation as the country turns "the page of a wretched past." A year ago, Mr. Al-Sharaa was leader of a rebel group based in Syria's northwest before leading a rapid military offensive in late 2024 which toppled the Assad regime in Damascus. "From the very moment the former regime fell, we set out a clear strategic policy built upon three pillars - balanced diplomacy, security and stability, and economic development," he said. He pledged that Syria was now "rebuilding itself through establishing a new State, building institutions and laws that guarantee the rights of all without exception." Mr. Al-Sharaa said commissions had been created for transitional justice and to investigate the fate of missing persons, while work is underway toward electing a legislative council. Civil and military institutions have been restructured, previous bureaucracy dissolved, and a "government of competence" established to strengthen participation. He pointed to the full restoration of international relations, new regional and global partnerships - as evidenced by the partial lifting of sanctions. "Major regional and international companies have already begun entering the Syrian market, contributing through investment and reconstruction," he said, while calling for the lifting of all sanctions so they no longer "shackle the Syrian people." From turmoil to renewal President Al-Sharaa portrayed Syria as a nation moving from turmoil to renewal, declaring: "A land of ancient civilisation and culture deserves to be a state of law. Protecting everyone, safeguarding rights, guaranteeing freedoms, and fostering life to flourish while turning the page of a wretched past." He also pledged accountability, noting that Syria had formed fact-finding commissions to investigate recent sectarian violence and made itself accessible to UN investigators. "I guarantee to bring to justice everyone accountable and responsible for bloodshed," he said. At the same time, he denounced continuing Israeli strikes on Syrian territory as threats to regional stability and reiterated Damascus' commitment to the 1974 disengagement of forces agreement. "We are committed to dialogue," he said, calling on the international community to support Syria in the face of attacks. "In continuation of the Syrian story, I declare before you today the triumph of truth over falsehood," he told delegates. "Truth has come, and falsehood has perished. Syria is reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2025/09/25 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Date 6 a.m. Sep. 24 (Wed.) to 6 a.m. Sep. 25 (Thu.) (UTC+8) PLA activities 1 sortie of PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 1 out of 1 sortie entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 1140925_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan [Open a new window] 1140925_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan [Open a new window] NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard on Ensuring Accountability for Russia's Crimes Against Ukraine Government Offices of Sweden Speech by Maria Malmer Stenergard Published 24 September 2025 Speech by Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenegard. Delivered at the UN General Assembly in New York, September 24th 2025. Check against delivery. President Zelenskyy, Excellencies, Distinguished colleagues, It is an honour to address this event during the 80th anniversary of the United Nations charter - a time to reaffirm our commitment to the principles that underpin international peace, security and cooperation. In this context, allow me to briefly make two key points. First: Russia is the aggressor. And aggression must never be rewarded. Crimea is Ukraine - as are Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is not optional; it is a binding legal obligation and at the core of our international cooperation. Disregarding the rules and principles enshrined in the UN Charter would not only risk renewed aggression against Ukraine, but would also set a dangerous precedent for international peace and security. Moreover, we owe this to the Ukrainians on the temporarily occupied areas and to those who bravely fight for their freedom. Second: Justice will prevail. We are firmly committed to ensuring full accountability for the countless crimes and human rights violations. The children unlawfully taken from their families must return home. Those arbitrarily detained must be released. Eleven years after the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and four years into the full-scale invasion, independent reports have documented large-scale violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. These include extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, unlawful deportations and forcible transfer of children, enforced disappearances, forced mobilisation of Ukrainian civilians into Russia's Armed Forces, politically motivated prosecutions, and repression of ethnic and religious groups - in particular Crimean Tatars. Accountability is key for justice to the victims and a deterrent against future violations. In this context, we welcome the steps taken towards establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine and an International Claims Commission for Ukraine. Before ending, I would like to underline that the immense suffering and the tragic loss of innocent lives in Ukraine, including children, could end immediately if Russia agreed to a full and unconditional ceasefire. But since Russia shows no interest in peace, as shown by the continuous and indiscriminate attacks, we must keep maximising our pressure on Russia and support for Ukraine in its legitimate pursuit of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace. We will continue to stand with Ukraine and with those who uphold international law. Thank you, and Slava Ukraini. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Zaporozhye Region Governor Yevgeny Balitsky Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Governor of the Zaporozhye Region Yevgeny Balitsky. September 24, 2025 14:10 The Kremlin, Moscow Yevgeny Balitsky began his report with social issues. He briefed the President on the construction of a regional children's hospital with 240 beds and the purchase of equipment for it. The Governor mentioned a serious shortage of medical personnel in the region and measures to address this issue. For example, a new house with 64 apartments has been turned over to doctors. By agreement with Healthcare Minister Mikhail Murashko, doctors will work at the hospital on a rotational basis to provide all the health services stipulated in the Russian legislation. Under the Country Doctor programme, 52 specialists moved to the region last year and 64 doctors this year. Yevgeny Balitsky stated that the opponent, who is unable to win on the battlefield, is attacking infrastructure facilities, and there are members of hospital and ambulance personnel among the victims. The necessary measures taken to prevent this include the use of electronic warfare systems, the staff of the commandant's office, the Armed Forces and the regional administration supported by all federal agencies. The regional government has purchased 22 armoured vehicles for use as ambulances. The Governor added that about 150,000 people live in cities near the contact line. He also stated that the region was taking part in all the 11 national projects. In particular, two renovated schools and two large kindergartens opened on September 1. The Governor also shared positive information with the President: the number of students in the region has increased from 50,000 in 2023 to 54,000 in 2024 and 55,139 in 2025. This shows that people are returning to the region. Yevgeny Balitsky also spoke about Melitopol State University, which has been overhauled and now has over 20,000 students. This year, 7,000 first-year students enrolled at the university; the competition was 3.8 people per place. He also reported on the situation in agriculture. The current area of farmland in the Zaporozhye Region is 1.7 million hectares. The region has already harvested 1.7 million tonnes of winter crops, 4 percent down from last year due to a serious drought this summer. The Governor informed the President about the problem of pensioners, which developed because many of those who have fled to Ukraine left their elderly family members behind. There are 5,000 such pensioners who need additional assistance. The government is working on this issue. Overall, 207,000 people in the Zaporozhye Region receive pensions. A large house that is being built for elderly people will be completed in 2027. As for assistance to participants in the special military operation and their families, the Governor reported on the opening of a regional support centre, adding that everything possible is being done so that no participant in the special military operation feels abandoned. According to Yevgeny Balitsky, the Zaporozhye Region looks like a giant construction site. Over 1,000 kilometres of roads have been built, more than ever before. That part of Ukraine was not developed at all, the Governor said. Great hopes are pinned on the construction of the road along the coast of the Sea of Azov. The four-lane Tavrida motorway, which is under construction, will boost the region's development. Vladimir Putin confirmed that it would be a good modern road. Yevgeny Balitsky reported on the construction of an all-season resort on the Sea of Azov under the Five Seas and Lake Baikal federal project. Project documentation is being prepared to ensure a comprehensive development of this cluster, which will become a development driver of the Zaporozhye Region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President: Lithuania will never recognize the occupation and annexation of Crimea President of the Republic of Lithuania September 24, 2025 President Gitanas Nauseda addressed participants at the Fifth Summit of the International Crimea Platform, held in New York. In his speech, the President stressed that Lithuania will never recognize the illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea, Sevastopol, or any other Ukrainian territories. He reminded participants that Crimea remains the epicenter of Russia's war against Ukraine, serving as a base for military operations, while local residents continue to suffer systemic human rights violations. The President highlighted the particularly dire situation of the Crimean Tatar community - arbitrary detentions, politically motivated persecution, the dismantling of independent institutions, and the indoctrination of children with militaristic propaganda. "For Lithuania, Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity are not up for negotiations. By supporting Ukraine, we are defending the core principles of the United Nations Charter," the President said. Gitanas Nauseda called on the international community to work towards the release of all Ukrainian citizens illegally detained in Crimea, to support the Special International Tribunal for Russia's crimes of aggression, and to focus on the situation of prisoners of war, civilians and abducted children. The President emphasized that any discussion about easing sanctions is unacceptable at this time: "A weak international response to the occupation and illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 enabled Russia to launch its full-scale war in 2022. Today, we must not repeat the same mistake." He concluded by stressing that it is essential to maintain and strengthen pressure on Russia through sanctions and international isolation. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address What Does Trump's Sudden Shift Mean For Russia's War On Ukraine? By Steve Gutterman September 24, 2025 Summary US President Trump suggested Ukraine could regain Russian-occupied territory with European support, marking a shift from his earlier remarks. Trump's comments raised questions about US sanctions, the future of peace efforts, and potential changes in US policy toward the war. Trump's new remarks suggest that Washington is not about to push Ukraine to make territorial concessions. In a sudden shift, US President Donald Trump said Ukraine could win back all of its Russian-occupied territory with the help of its European backers. His remarks in a social media post on September 23, after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, quickly made waves: In the past, Trump and other US officials have strongly suggested Ukraine would have to cede some land to Russia in any peace deal. In a tense meeting at the White House in February, Trump told Zelenskyy that Ukraine doesn't "have the cards" to win the war. But the post raised crucial questions that it didn't answer. Will Trump walk away from his efforts to end the war? Are new US sanctions against Russia still on the table? Could the rhetorical shift change the Kremlin's calculus when it comes to the war in Ukraine? Here's what to watch. Are Sanctions Still On The Table? "Putin and Russia are in BIG economic trouble," Trump wrote in his Truth Social post, suggesting that the country's money problems were one of the main reasons for his newly voiced confidence that Ukraine could restore control over its borders with "time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO." While he has threatened repeatedly to impose new sanctions on Russia and countries that help fuel its invasion of Ukraine, in order to further undermine Moscow's capacity to fight, he made no mention of punitive measures in the post. Some observers read his remarks as a sign that no new US sanctions are in the offing. In his address to the General Assembly hours earlier, however, Trump said the United States was "fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs" if Russia isn't "ready to make a deal to end the war. " But he repeated his recent condition that Europe take similar action, saying that "for those tariffs to be effective, European nationswould have to join us in adopting the exact same measures." Easing Pressure On Ukraine? For Ukraine, a big concern has been that Trump, who made ending the war a priority when he started his second presidential term in January of this year, might pressure Kyiv to accept a peace agreement that would leave Russia in control of sizable pieces of its territory. Russia now occupies about 20 percent of Ukraine, and baselessly claims the parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson regions that it does not control. Trump's new remarks suggest that Washington is not about to push Ukraine to make territorial concessions. Trump "hasn't said anything like this before," Sam Greene, a professor of Russian politics at Kings College London, told RFE/RL. "And if it does indeed suggest that he's willing to countenance an end to this war that does not involve Ukraine making compromises on its sovereignty and territorial integrity, that's significant." Will Trump Walk Away? On the other hand, Trump's post was hardly a promise of robust US backing for any bid by Kyiv to recapture Russian-occupied territory. He put the onus on Ukraine and Europe, specifically mentioning the United States only to vow that it "will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them" - an apparent reference to an existing arrangement for NATO members to buy US weapons and deliver them to Ukraine. "One can certainly interpret that to mean that the US is comfortable with those allies providing more weapons to Ukraine, which isn't really a change," Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at the International Crisis Group, told RFE/RL in an e-mailed comment. "A change would be a commitment to get more Patriotsto the Ukrainians and for the US to provide more weaponsto Kyiv." The accent on Europe and Ukraine, and the emphasis on what would amount to a potential military solution to the war, led some observers to conclude that the United States may be walking away from its efforts to broker a peace deal. Parts of Trump's social media post seemed valedictory: He wrote, "In any event, I wish both Countries well," and ended by wishing "Good luck to all!" Separately, he told reporters he had thought the war would be easy to end "because of my relationship with Putin, but unfortunately that relationship didn't mean anything." And, in other comments on September 23, he said NATO nations should shoot down Russian warplanes that violate their airspace. But he did not say he was abandoning his efforts to end the war. "I'll let you know in about a month from now," he said when asked if he still trusted Putin, suggesting he hasn't given up his push for peace. Trump is "clearly not saying the US is prepared to wash its hands of this situation completely and wouldn't be happy to see the Ukrainians win," Greene said. Will Russia Budge? Predictably, Russia made a show of shrugging off Trump's comments and suggested they would not lead to a change in its strategy or tactics. Analysts say Putin seems determined to subjugate Ukraine and has shown no interest in a negotiated end to the war on anything other than Russia's terms. Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, sought to dismiss Trump's suggestion that Ukraine could regain territory Russia has occupied, saying the battlefield dynamics "show that for those who are unwilling to negotiate now, the position will be much worse tomorrow and the day after." Trump has been inconsistent on "which side is to blame, who has the upper hand, and what the US might to do to end the war," so Russia will likely be watching what Washington does more closely that what it says, said Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. European leaders, meanwhile, may welcome Trump's comments "as a signal that if they were to continue to find the fiscal means to support the Ukrainians, the US would allow American arms to be purchased by Europe and provided to the Ukrainians, and that the US would not impede Europe in trying to provide that kind of support to Ukraine," Greene said. "But I think that Europe will worry, as will the Ukrainians, thatthings could pivot again." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-ukraine-win-back- territory-russia/33539761.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Pounds Major Russian Oil Refineries As Fuel Shortages Reported By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service September 24, 2025 Ukraine said it pounded several Russian refining operations as Kyiv intensifies its attacks on the country's energy infrastructure that appears to be causing fuel shortages and price increases. The Salavat petrochemical complex, one of Russia's largest which is located in the Bashkortostan region, was attacked by Ukrainian drones early on September 24, as well as strikes on Russian oil distribution facilities in the Bryansk and Samara regions. Regional Governor Radiy Khabirov said Salavat, controlled by Russian energy giant Gazprom, was targeted by Ukrainian drones. A source from Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) confirmed to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that its drones carried out the attack. User-generated photos and videos circulating on Ukrainian and Russian Telegram channels showed a huge column of black smoke rising from the facility. "All emergency services are on site. We are taking measures to extinguish the fire," Khabirov wrote in a Telegram post early on September 24. Salavat, located about 1,500 kilometers from the front lines in Ukraine, produces 150 types of products, including automotive gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, bitumen, and polyethylene. Amid the wave of attacks by Ukraine, Russia has seen growing shortages of some fuel grades due to reduced refining capacity. US President Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly on September 22 that he believed Russia's economy was stalling because of the war. The Kremlin denied the claim on September 24, though it admitted that "yes, Russia is experiencing certain tensions and problem areas in various sectors of the economy." RFE/RL's Crimea.Realities, however, reported that gas stations in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, were almost completely out of fuel supplies. "What Crimeans feared has come to pass. Gas stations are out of gas, and many are closing altogether to avoid needlessly paying employees' salaries," one person told RFE/RL. In addition to the refinery attacks, the southern Russian port city of Novorossiisk on the Black Sea was also hit by air and maritime drones, according to local Telegram channels, which published videos showing a damaged hotel and burning cars in its parking lot. Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev claimed that two people were killed and three others injured in the attack, adding that residential buildings and a hotel were damaged. Ukrainian military forces had no immediate comment on the claim. Local officials in Russia's Volgograd region also reported a "massive" drone attack on fuel and energy infrastructure, saying Russian air defenses repelled it. Meanwhile, Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine continued, with Ukrainian officials reporting damage to energy and civilian infrastructure in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya, and Donetsk regions. Ihor Terekhov, mayor of Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, said more than a dozen Russian kamikaze drones hit the city's energy facility. The attacked caused a blackout in the Kholodnohirskiy district. "Approximately 80,000 residential and commercial customers were temporarily left without power," the local energy provider said in a statement. It added that about 30,000 residents still remain without electricity. Terekhov also reported damage to residential buildings, a shop, and several cars. No casualties were reported. "The enemy is trying to break us with the strikes, but Kharkiv is holding strong. And it will stand," Terekhov added. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-war-drone- strikes-oil-refinery/33539528.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskyy Urges UN To Stop Putin Before Ukraine War Spills Across Borders By RFE/RL September 24, 2025 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian leader Vladimir Putin of seeking to expand the Kremlin's war beyond Ukraine and called on the international community to stop the conflict to avoid a destructive arms race. Speaking to the UN General Assembly on September 24, Zelenskyy, whose country has been fighting to repel a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022, warned that the use of drones and technology has brought a new dimension to the battlefield. "The facts are simple: stopping this war now and with it the global arms race is cheaper than building underground kindergartens or massive bunkers for critical infrastructure later," he told the 193-member assembly at its annual meeting. "Stopping Putin now is cheaper than trying to protect every port and every ship from terrorists with sea drones. Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to build a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead. So we must use everything we have to force the aggressor to stop." The rise in the use of drones in the war has given the fighting in Ukraine a complexion like no other. Both sides have come to depend on launching sometimes hundreds of drones in waves that experts say now account for about two-thirds of battlefield deaths. In recent weeks, fears of a potential widening of the conflict have risen with a series of recent incursions by Russian fighter jets and drones into NATO airspace in countries including Poland and Estonia. The Kremlin has denied the accusations. Zelenskyy warned that "weapons are evolving faster than our ability to defend ourselves," adding to the immediacy for halting the war. "Now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries...Putin wants to continue this war by expanding it, and no one can feel safe right now." Zelenskyy's speech came a day after US President Donald Trump said Ukraine could win back all of its territory from Russia with the help of its European allies. Trump was sharply critical of Russia's army, saying it had been fighting "aimlessly for three-and-a-half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win." On September 24, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for an end to the war in Ukraine during a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the State Department said. "The secretary reiterated President Trump's call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war," a statement said. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the meeting and said the two "exchanged views on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskyy-russia-cheaper- than-dealing-with-rising-drone-threats-war/33539870.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canada Allocates CAD 3 Million to Strengthen Ukraine's Cyber Resilience Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 24 September 2025 13:30 Canada continues to systematically invest in Ukraine's digital security. The country is allocating CAD 3 million (approx. UAH 92 million) to support large-scale cyber initiatives under the Tallinn Mechanism. The funding will be delivered over two years and will be used to implement several strategic projects. The funding will support a broad range of initiatives across key priority areas aimed at enhancing Ukraine's long-term cyber resilience. These efforts will focus on protecting critical infrastructure, strengthening systematic preparedness against cyber threats, delivering coordinated training and equipment, fostering strategic partnerships with international donors and private sector actors, and developing robust systems to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats. "Canada stands with Ukraine across multiple spheres, including cybersecurity. In times of war, access to digital public services and the stable operation of critical and civil infrastructure are essential. We believe that Canada's support under the Tallinn Mechanism is not only a timely response to current challenges but also a meaningful investment in Ukraine's long-term digital resilience and sustainable development," stated Global Affairs Canada. Six projects have already been selected for financing, including initiatives supporting the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. "Canada's support is a strong signal of trust and a testament to Ukraine's strategic partnership with the international community. Through the Tallinn Mechanism, we gain concrete capabilities to protect critical infrastructure, counter cyber threats, and strengthen our digital security framework. I sincerely appreciate our partners for their practical, coordinated efforts that contribute to building Ukraine's cyber resilience a system that protects the state, the private sector, and every citizen," said Mykhailo Fedorov, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. The initiatives funded by Canada are being implemented in partnership with the U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF Global), an organization with extensive experience in delivering technical assistance projects in Ukraine, including in the field of digital transformation. Anton Demokhin, Deputy Foreign Minister, Chief Digital Transformation Officer: Ukraine highly values Canada's decision to allocate funding for projects implemented under the Tallinn Mechanism. This support represents an important contribution to strengthening Ukraine's digital security, particularly by enhancing the protection of our critical infrastructure, reinforcing cyber resilience, and countering cyber threats. This step demonstrates Canada's unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and our shared determination to develop effective mechanisms of cyber deterrence to bolster the digital resilience of democratic nations. "Cyber resilience is the foundation of Ukraine's national security in the context of the most technologically advanced war of our time. Canada's support through the Tallinn Mechanism is a strategically important step that strengthens our ability to counter cyber threats, protect civilian infrastructure, and ensure the continuity of digital processes. We are grateful to our Canadian partners for their trust, support, and significant contribution to strengthening Ukraine's cyber resilience," mentioned Valeriya Ionan, Advisor to the First Vice Prime Minister Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine on Innovations, Digitalisation, and Global Partnerships. Canada's support also includes training sessions and events aimed at strengthening cooperation with international donors in the field of cybersecurity. As part of this effort, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center and CRDF Global, with the support of Global Affairs Canada, held a meeting of the Ukrainian National Cybersecurity Cluster. The event aimed to raise awareness among Ukrainian central and local executive authorities as well as state-owned critical infrastructure enterprises about the opportunities offered by the Tallinn Mechanism and to align international initiatives with Ukraine's current needs. "Cyber threats know no borders, which makes it crucial for Ukraine to combine both international and regional expertise. Our strength lies in the ability to unite partners around a shared goal building cyber resilience in Ukraine," said Nataliya Tkachuk, Head of the Information and Cybersecurity Service of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and Secretary of the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center, at the National Cybersecurity Cluster. The Tallinn Mechanism is an international initiative launched in 2023 to strengthen Ukraine's cyber defense and ensure more effective international assistance. As of now, it unites 12 member states: the United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the United States, France, Sweden, and Norway. The EU, NATO, and the World Bank participate as observers. France and Sweden currently serve as co-chairs of the initiative. Dozens of initiatives have already been implemented under the Tallinn Mechanism framework - from cybersecurity assessments and capacity-building training programs to the deployment of modern equipment that helps sustain Ukraine's digital connectivity and resilience. The Tallinn Mechanism Project Office (TMPO), based in Kyiv, coordinates the implementation of activities and supports collaboration between Ukrainian institutions and international partners. TMPO is supported by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) and EU CyberNet, following an initiative of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. TMPO works closely with Ukraine's partners in the Tallinn Mechanism the State Service of Special Communications, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held a meeting with Acting Foreign Minister of Viet Nam Le Hoai Trung Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 24 September 2025 08:47 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "At the UN HQ in New York, I met with Acting Foreign Minister of Viet Nam Le Hoai Trung. We discussed steps to maintain the positive dynamics of our bilateral contacts, strengthen our ties, and develop economic cooperarion. We both share the view that the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity are fundamental to international peace and security. We agreed to continue active dialogue aimed at strengthening the mutually beneficial partnership between our two states." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ireland announced an additional 35 million in funding to support the people of Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 24 September 2025 08:17 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "A very fruitful meeting with my Irish colleague Simon Harris in New York. Grateful for his announcement of 35 million of Ireland's additional funding to support people in Ukraine. We focused on further bilateral contacts at various levels, diplomatic efforts for a just peace and security guarantees for Ukraine, as well as Ireland's continued backing of our European integration path and the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. I thanked Ireland for its practical support and contribution to Ukraine's resilience aimed at protecting civilians, addressing urgent humanitarian needs and strengthening our defence." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Denys Shmyhal and Valdis Dombrovskis discuss implementation of the SAFE initiative and strengthening sanctions against russia Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 24 September, 2025, 7:00 PM EEST Minister of Defence of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal held talks with Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity. The parties focused on the practical implementation of the SAFE instrument, a 150 billion EU defence initiative already joined by 19 countries. In particular, Ukraine's needs, priority projects, and the involvement of Ukrainian defence companies were coordinated. The discussion also covered financing Ukraine's defence requirements, notably through the ERA mechanism. The next tranche is expected as early as October. The issue of confiscating frozen russian assets was also raised. Denys Shmyhal emphasised that the aggressor's funds are to be directed toward enhancing Ukraine's defence capabilities. Furthermore, the parties discussed measures aimed at further weakening russia's military apparatus. The EU has already reached an agreement on the 19th package of sanctions, and Ukraine looks forward to its prompt approval, the Minister of Defence noted. "Together we are reinforcing Ukraine's resilience and safeguarding Europe's security," Denys Shmyhal concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address International Crimea Platform Summit Was Held for the First Time on the Global Stage - on the Margins of the UN General Assembly President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 23:18 The Fifth Summit of the International Crimea Platform became the first to be held on the global stage - on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized this in his address. "This is to show the global harm caused by Russia's occupation of Crimea - and also the harm caused by the world's powerful nations for not responding firmly and in time to Russia's aggression in Crimea. It was that weak reaction that brought back Russia's addiction to war and raids," he said. The President stressed that it was in Crimea that Russia broke one of the basic rules of normal life among nations, and that such Russia's actions showed many predators around the world how easy it can be to take a piece of another state. "Ukraine is home to many peoples and especially to the indigenous people of Crimea - Crimean Tatars. A people who can truly feel what "home" means only in Crimea. Russians have many places on their vast land to feel at home. But for them, it is never, never, never enough," Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted. The Head of State called for action to ensure that Russia knows the world remembers, will not forgive, and is fighting for international law and basic human justice to prevail. "I thank everyone who maintains and strengthens sanctions in response to Russia's war. And it's important to coordinate sanctions fast - our steps with partners, and their steps with each other," the President said. The Head of State noted that civilians suffer most from the annexation of Crimea. Russia constantly persecutes and represses residents of the peninsula for speaking out, for their desire for freedom, and even for their faith. Many Crimean prisoners have been deprived of liberty since 2014. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine is taking measures to prevent Crimea from being turned into a large Russian military base, which is why Ukrainian long-range drones are striking Russian logistics and military targets. "So, Ukraine's main message is this: Do not let war become part of the norm. Russia very much wants to make war the "new normal." And this is exactly what we must resist - not allowing killings and Russian occupation to become something the world can simply turn a blind eye to," the President concluded. The meeting gathered more than 60 participants, including around 40 heads of state and government, as well as representatives of international organizations. They assured of their continued support for Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pedro Sanchez Discussed the Current Diplomatic Situation President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 22:49 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez. The Head of State thanked him for supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people from the very beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression, as well as for Spain's efforts aimed at achieving real peace. Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed him on the current situation in the peace process. The President emphasized that the Russian leader continues to do everything to drag out the war, rejecting peace initiatives and avoiding a meeting at the level of leaders. The Head of State also informed him about the situation at the front and Russia's losses. Pedro Sanchez stressed that in order to achieve peace it is important to preserve unity between Europe and the United States, in particular by continuing cooperation within the Coalition of the Willing. The parties also discussed the negotiation process regarding Ukraine's accession to the European Union. The President emphasized that Ukraine and Moldova expect the first negotiating cluster to be opened simultaneously in the near future. The Prime Minister of Spain assured of continued political support. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President: The UN Must Pressure Russia to Stop the War and Prevent Catastrophe President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 22:25 The countries of the United Nations must apply effective pressure on Russia so that the aggressor stops the war and the arms race that is putting the world at risk of catastrophe. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this during the General Debate of the UN General Assembly in New York. He emphasized that in today's world, a state's security can be guaranteed by strong alliances, reliable partners, and its own weapons. "No Ukrainian chose this kind of reality. And knowing our people, they would have chosen a different priority. Ukrainians are peaceful people. But they are people who want to live - to live freely, in their own independent country. That's why we invest in defense. For many nations, there is simply no other way left," the Head of State noted. The President noted that while international institutions demonstrate weakness, Russia continues its aggressive war against Ukraine and seeks to destabilize countries in Europe. "Nations can speak about their pain from stages like this, but even during bloodshed, there isn't a single international institution that can truly stop it. That's how weak these institutions have become. What can Sudan, or Somalia, or Palestine, or any other people living through war, really expect from the UN or the global system? For decades, just statements and statements. And even everything happening in Gaza remains without a way out," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The Head of State stressed that a destructive arms race is underway worldwide with the use of artificial intelligence, creating a threat to all humanity. "We need global rules - now - for how AI can be used in weapons. And this is just as urgent as preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. We need to restore international cooperation - real, working cooperation - for peace and for security," Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted. The President stressed that Ukraine produces drones capable of flying 2-3 thousand kilometers and assisting in important land and sea operations. Ukraine has no choice but to build them to defend its right to life. "Our "Spiderweb" operation, when cheap drones destroyed or damaged dozens of expensive Russian strategic bombers, became a real example for special forces around the world of what new weapons can do to old systems. These very Russian bombers attacked our cities," he emphasized. The Head of State stressed that every year that this war goes on, weapons become even more deadly, and Russia must be held accountable for its aggressive actions. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine spends significant resources on building shelters and protecting infrastructure from Russian strikes. The President is convinced: stopping Russia together today is far cheaper than waiting for the arms race to end in nuclear catastrophe. "Stopping Putin now is cheaper than trying to protect every port and every ship from terrorists with sea drones. Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead," the Head of State added. The President stressed that it is crucial to make maximum efforts to force the aggressor to stop - only then will there be a chance to avoid global catastrophe. "If it takes weapons to do it, if it takes pressure on Russia - then it must be done. And it must be done now," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The Head of State noted that Ukraine, together with partners within the Coalition of the Willing, is building a new security architecture. "We're strengthening army, launching joint weapons production with partners, and defining financial commitments for defense - in a way that could become a security model for any other nation," he added. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine exports weapons, plans to develop defense cooperation with partners and share real experience in using technology. The President called on UN member states to condemn Russia's aggression, defend lives, and uphold the international rule of law. "It depends on you - whether you help peace or continue trading with Russia and helping Russia to fund this war. It depends on you - whether prisoners of war will be freed, whether abducted children will come home, whether hostages will be free. It depends on you - what will define existence: war - like now, or our joint strong actions - as it should be," the Head of State concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Speech by the President at the Fifth Summit of the International Crimea Platform in New York President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 22:21 Thank you so much, Minister! Dear friends, dear leaders, and Mustafa-aga, Thank you so much! Happy to see all of you! Thank you for such big support! Really, it is very important! I am pleased to welcome all of you to the Summit of our Crimea Platform. Today, with over 60 participants - as the Minister already said, this is a really huge result - the Summit is taking place for the first time on a global stage - on the margins of the UN General Assembly. This is to show the global harm caused by Russia's occupation of Crimea - and also the harm caused by the world's powerful nations for not responding firmly and in time to Russia's aggression in Crimea. It was that weak reaction that brought back Russia's addiction to war and raids. It was in Crimea that Russia broke one of the basic rules of normal life among nations - by illegally annexing our Ukrainian Crimea. It was Russia's actions in Crimea that showed many predators around the world how it can be so easy to take a piece of another state. And this is not just a piece of land - it is a piece of life. Ukraine is home to many peoples and especially to the indigenous people of Crimea - Crimean Tatars. A people who can truly feel what "home" means only in Crimea. Russians have many places on their vast land to feel at home. But for them, it is never, never, never enough - even the largest territory in the world is not enough for them. And from Crimea, Russia returned to its old imperial habit - to take what is precious to its neighbors. Dear friends, We have to remember what Crimea is. We must act so that Russia knows - we remember, and we will not forgive, and we are fighting for international law and basic human justice to prevail. I thank everyone who maintains and strengthens sanctions in response to Russia's war. And it's important to coordinate sanctions fast - our steps with partners, and their steps with each other. We are taking action to prevent Russia from turning Crimea into one large military base. We have to do this to protect the lives of our people. Our long-range drones are accurate. Our pressure on Russian logistics is producing results. The Russian war machine is facing serious, very serious difficulties. It is vital that the world keeps in mind the suffering of civilians whose lives Russia has destroyed in the occupied territories. Today, repression is the harshest in Crimea and other areas under Russian control - for speaking the truth, for wanting freedom, even for faith. Crimean Tatars, Muslims are among the main targets of this repression. Imagine - some Crimean prisoners have been deprived of their freedom since 2014 - already 11 years. So, Ukraine's main message is this: Do not let war become part of the norm. Russia very much wants to make war the "new normal." And this is exactly what we must resist - not allowing killings and Russian occupation to become something the world can simply turn a blind eye to. There must be no normalization of Russia's war or of Russia's brazenness to wage it. There must be no easing or lifting of sanctions on Russia while the war and occupation continue. And there must be no forgiveness for what Russia has done - starting from 2014. The occupier must be held accountable for the occupation and for all the crimes of this war - a war in which only Russia is guilty. Thank you! Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine, to all the leaders and to the leader of Crimean Tatars! Thank you very much! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy Met with Lula da Silva President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 21:55 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with President of Brazil Lula da Silva to discuss ways to achieve real peace for Ukraine. The Head of State emphasized that our country wants peace more than anyone else in the world. He stressed that he is ready for a meeting with the Russian side at the level of leaders, but Russia shows no such readiness. Therefore, international pressure is needed to unblock the path to dialogue. Lula da Silva noted that Brazil is ready to play a role in the peace process and informed about his contacts with the Russian leader and other leaders in the context of efforts to end the war. The President of Ukraine briefed him on the real situation on the battlefield and on Russia's manipulative attempts to create an impression of military victories. The Head of State invited Lula da Silva to visit Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sanctions Against Russia's Tanker Fleet and Development of Bilateral Relations: Meeting Between the Presidents of Ukraine and Panama President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 21:26 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Panama Jose Raul Mulino to discuss the importance of sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet. The Head of State thanked Panama for supporting all pro-Ukrainian resolutions at the UN, as well as for supporting our people, especially children. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed particular gratitude for the steps limiting the capabilities of Russia's shadow fleet. The President informed that Ukraine is already at the final stage of opening an embassy in Panama's capital and noted the support of the Panamanian government in this process. The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine is preparing a resolution condemning the abduction and deportation of children, urged Panama to support it, and invited the country to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about Russia's crimes against children, in particular how Russians remove them from children's homes in temporarily occupied territories and transfer them to the Russian Federation. He stressed that they are doing everything possible to erase the identity of young Ukrainians and force them to forget their native language. Special attention was paid to the importance of strengthening sanctions against Russia. Jose Raul Mulino noted that Panama has already revoked the registration of more than two hundred Russian tankers, some of which are in poor condition and unsafe for operation. The Head of State invited Jose Raul Mulino to visit Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Presidents of Ukraine and Angola Discussed Strengthening Bilateral Relations and Cooperation in Mutually Beneficial Areas President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 20:54 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with President of Angola Joao Lourenco. The Ukrainian leader thanked his counterpart for the support and noted that he looks forward to deepening bilateral relations. Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the humanitarian initiative "Grain from Ukraine," through which, together with our partners, we provide food to countries in need. Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Angola to take part in this year's Food from Ukraine Summit. The leaders additionally discussed bilateral cooperation in the agricultural industry and technology. The Head of State presented specific partnership proposals and invited an Angolan delegation to visit Ukraine for detailed talks on potential joint projects. The President of Angola expressed his interest in it. The Presidents agreed to maintain contact. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Cyril Ramaphosa Discussed Steps Needed to Achieve Peace President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 18:50 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. The Ukrainian leader thanked South Africa for its engagement in the peace process. Cyril Ramaphosa shared details of his recent contacts with the head of Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that, unlike Russia, Ukraine is ready for a leaders-level meeting without any preconditions. The Presidents agreed that this summit should take place in a third country. South Africa, like many other countries around the world, is ready to host such a meeting. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine has wanted the war to end from the very first second and is doing everything to achieve this. The Head of State shared that Russia is currently escalating its aggression, intensifying drone strikes on civilian targets, and provided an update on the current situation at the front. The leaders discussed events they will both attend in the near future. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Co-Chairs' Summary - President of Ukraine and Prime Minister of Canada President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 02:18 Restoring Childhood and Humanity: Advancing Peace in Ukraine Through the Return of Ukrainian Children High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) 23 September 2025, New York The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, co-chaired a leader-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children on the margins of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. Leaders, Special Guests First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska and Diana Fox Carney, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada, as well as senior representatives from Member States and international organizations gathered to strengthen collective efforts to secure the safe return of Ukrainian children who have been illegally deported or forcibly transferred by the Russian Federation. Participants reiterated their unwavering commitment to the protection of children affected by Russia's illegal, unprovoked, and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine, in line with international humanitarian law and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Participants recalled that the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was officially launched in Kyiv in February 2024. Co-chaired by Canada and Ukraine, the Coalition aims to coordinate joint efforts, share information, align resources, and advocate internationally to bring Ukrainian children home and reunite them with their loved ones and communities. Participants emphasized that the unlawful deportation and forced transfer of children constitutes a grave breach of international humanitarian law and a profound violation of human rights. They underlined that this practice is part of a broader pattern of abuses by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the erasure of Ukrainian identity, denial of Ukrainian-language education, indoctrination, including militarization of children, and separation from families. Participants further noted that international accountability mechanisms are engaged: in March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation. Participants also noted with concern that thousands of Ukrainian children remain in Russia and the occupied territories, separated from their loved ones and communities, while only around 1600 have been successfully returned to Ukraine to date. They highlighted Ukraine's presentation of an initial list of 339 children to the Russian Federation on 2 June 2025 as a concrete humanitarian step and a potential confidence-building measure and noted with regret the absence of any meaningful response from the Russian Federation to date. Participants reaffirmed that the return of these children is both a humanitarian imperative and a central element to achieving a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine. Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for sustained international unity. They welcomed the work of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children and the President of Ukraine's Bring Kids Back UA initiative, while stressing the urgency of intensified international engagement. President Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would be tabling a UN Resolution calling on Russia for the return of Ukrainian children, and he thanked the Presidency of the European Commission for committing to host a Summit of the Coalition in order to keep the issue on the top of the international agenda. During the meeting, participants: Called on Russia to immediately return Ukrainian children. Reiterated that the safe return, reintegration, and rehabilitation of illegally deported and forcibly transferred children should remain a shared international priority, with actions guided by the best interest of the child and full respect for international humanitarian and human rights law. Underscored that the return of children should be embedded within broader efforts to advance peace, reconciliation, and accountability in Ukraine. Recalled that international cooperation is essential, including through both advocacy campaigns and quiet diplomacy. Recognized ongoing and new initiatives under the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, including: The launch of a pilot tracing mechanism for Ukrainian children deported or forcibly transferred by the Russian Federation; Practical support to facilitate the returns of Ukrainian children, including playing a mediating role; Expanded investment in recovery, reintegration, and rehabilitation initiatives, under the patronage of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, including housing and supported living for returning children and youth, foster family assistance, and psychosocial rehabilitation; and The European Union and Andorra formally announced their decision to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, further strengthening the collective commitment to this vital cause. Participants welcomed the exchange of ideas and the announcements made during the meeting and emphasized the importance of continuing international attention and practical support. They encouraged interested states and organizations to consider joining or supporting the Coalition. The Co-Chairs thanked participants for their engagement and solidarity and reaffirmed their determination to continue working together to support the safe return, reintegration and rehabilitation of Ukrainian children. Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that they would continue to raise this issue with partners at the highest level, keeping the plight of Ukraine's children at the centre of international attention. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Member States Must Unite to Compel Russia to Move Toward Peace - President President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 01:50 UN Member States must join efforts to compel Russia to move toward peace. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this during a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York. The Head of State stressed that the world's attention to the United Nations is fading, the UN is losing influence, and too often there is a lack of real decisions on fundamental issues. "This is exactly what we need to speak about today, about the tools that, sadly, are not working now. But they will work, I'm sure, they will work - if you are active, if we are active. Because the main tool is in your hands," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized. The President highlighted that Russia is using its veto power in the UN Security Council to prolong the war and continue the killings. "Putin only cares about using every meeting, every chance to keep the war going. Each day, Russia kills our people, destroys our cities, and leaves no sign it will ever return to the principles of the UN Charter," the Head of State said. He noted that Ukraine, together with the United Kingdom, France, and more than 30 other countries, is building a new security architecture within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing. "We count on the United States of America as a backstop. Real security guarantees must become the line Russia cannot cross again," the President stressed. Volodymyr Zelenskyy underlined that strengthening Ukraine's and partners' air defenses through a joint system against missiles and drones would force Russia to stop its attacks from the sky and look for a truce on the ground. "You - the United States, China, Britain, France - the Permanent Members of the Security Council - represent the world's essential power, the power that must act when international law alone cannot. And no, not Russia. With this war, Russia has discredited itself - even for those who do not yet criticize Putin openly, they still feel that Russia's presence brings no good," the Head of State emphasized. The Head of State noted that UN Security Council members and UN Member States in general must unite to force Russia to stop the war. "If you stand together for ending this war, even Russia will have to obey. And if some of you act, while others delay, the war goes on," he stressed. Volodymyr Zelenskyy added that Ukraine seeks peace more than any other state, while Russia ignores the losses and lives of its own people. According to him, the united voice of the UN will force Russia to feel the consequences of the war and begin moving toward peace. "Be the force that acts. Act together. Please. Unite at last to stop Russia's war. And we know how to guarantee security. What we need now is a strong push - to force Russia toward peace," the Head of State concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Address by the President at the High-Level Meeting of the UN Security Council on Ukraine President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 01:27 Thank you very much, President. Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General, Distinguished leaders, representatives of states and governments, and all those who still pay attention to the work of the United Nations, We must admit: the world's attention to the UN is fading. The Organization has less influence, and too often, there is a lack of real decisions on fundamental issues. This is exactly what we need to speak about today, about the tools that, sadly, are not working now. But they will work, I'm sure, they will work - if you are active, if we are active. Because the main tool is in your hands. First of all, I thank the Republic of Korea for this meeting of the Security Council and for the opportunity to call for peace. Today, there will be a clear call for peace in this Council. And here is one of the main distortions of our time - whom must we call to peace and on whom must we press to achieve it? One of the permanent members of this Council is doing everything to prolong the largest war in Europe since World War 2. Russia does this with impunity, using its veto power, buying influence, and keeping peace on hold. The Russian representative is here. But of course not the one who makes the real decisions. That man fears to sit face to face with Ukraine and the world and openly admit - he wants only war. Instead, Putin sends delegates who cannot and don't want to stop the bloodshed. And when he appears abroad - in Beijing, or somewhere else - it's only to buy more time for killing, pretending he seeks diplomacy. Putin only cares about using every meeting, every chance to keep the war going. Each day, Russia kills our people, destroys our cities, and leaves no sign it will ever return to the principles of the UN Charter. China is also represented here. A powerful nation on which Russia now depends completely. If China truly wanted this war to stop, it could compel Moscow to end the invasion. Without China, Putin's Russia is nothing. Yet too often, China stays silent and distant instead of active for peace. The United States of America is present here as well - a strong nation that supports our defense. And we've said "yes" to every proposal from the U.S. President for a ceasefire and talks with Russia to bring peace - but Russia always says "no" or tries to confuse everyone so that even a ceasefire can't happen. And I met with President Trump just now. And we spoke about how to finally bring peace. And we discussed a few good ideas, and I hope they will work. I'm grateful for this meeting. And we expect America's actions to push Russia toward peace. Moscow fears America - and always pays attention to it. The United Kingdom is here, a permanent member of the Security Council. France is here, also a permanent member. Both nations support us, support our people, our independence, both promote diplomacy. And both are parties to a document that was supposed to be a positive milestone - together with the other permanent members of the UN Security Council - but instead, it became a warning to the world. The Budapest Memorandum, meant to guarantee Ukraine's security in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons, failed. It proved that international promises can turn into blabbering. That is why today, with Britain, with France, and already with more than 30 nations in our Coalition of Willing, we are building a new security architecture. We count on the United States of America as a backstop. Real security guarantees must become the line Russia cannot cross again. Here is one example of how strength can stop war - if we could strengthen our skies with a joint system to shoot down Russian missiles and drones, it would force Russia to stop its attacks from the sky - because everything could be shot down. And so, Putin would be forced to sit here, or in another respectful venue, and look for a truce on the ground. If there's no war in the sky - Russia can't keep fighting on the ground. I've talked about this with President Trump and with other leaders. Why do I say this now and here? Because you - the United States, China, Britain, France - the Permanent Members of the Security Council - represent the world's essential power, the power that must act when international law alone cannot. And no, not Russia. With this war, Russia has discredited itself - even for those who do not yet criticize Putin openly, they still feel that Russia's presence brings no good. Excellencies, Behind every international institution, there must be real strength to enforce decisions. This is true for the Security Council and for the UN as a whole. If you stand together for ending this war, even Russia will have to obey. And if some of you act, while others delay, the war goes on. Ukraine wants peace more than anyone in the world. The front is on our land. And we mourn our people, and we try to save our cities and to save our small villages. Russia ignores its dead, blind to its own losses. But one day, one day it will see, and it will hear. And it will happen when it sees your actions, when it hears your united call for peace. That is my appeal to you today - be the force that acts. Act together. Please. Unite at last to stop Russia's war. And we know how to guarantee security. What we need now is a strong push - to force Russia toward peace. Thank you. Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Continuation of Humanitarian Aid and the Importance of Pressure on Russia: President of Ukraine Held First Meeting with the Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein President of Ukraine 24 September 2025 - 00:03 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met for the first time with Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein. The Head of State expressed gratitude for Liechtenstein's humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. He emphasized that support for the energy sector is especially critical for Ukrainians during the winter months, as every winter since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion has posed new challenges to the stable operation of Ukraine's energy system under Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. The Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein praised the courage of Ukrainians and assured of continued support. He underscored that Ukraine is defending not only itself, but all of Europe. The meeting also addressed Russia's violations of NATO countries' airspace, which have become increasingly frequent recently. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Russia is attempting to probe for vulnerabilities through such actions. According to the President, it is essential to increase pressure on Russia in order to end the war and to prevent any intentions of the Russian Federation to expand its aggression to other European countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address We have no choice but to fight, Ukraine's Zelenskyy tells world leaders 24 September 2025 - President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday warned world leaders that international institutions are "too weak" to stop wars, urging more countries to join Ukraine's security coalition and step up pressure on Russia. "No one but ourselves can guarantee security," he said. "Only strong alliances. Only strong partners. And only our own weapons." He argued that international law does not work without the backing of "powerful friends" and, ultimately, military backup. Those with "weapons decide who survives," he said, calling it a "terrible" but unavoidable reality. "Ukrainians are peaceful people, but they are people who want to live freely in their own independent country. That's why we invest in defence. For many nations, there is simply no other way left." Systems failing He pointed to conflicts in Sudan, Somalia and Palestine as evidence of a global system unable to prevent bloodshed or deliver solutions. "That's how weak these institutions have become," he said. "For decades, just statements and statements." Turning to Russia's war in Ukraine, he warned of the use of chemical weapons and famine as weapons against his people, the abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children, and continued attacks around Europe's largest nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia. "Yesterday, the plant went into blackout again," he said, raising the risk of spectre of disaster. He also noted recent Russian drone and fighter jet incursions into Poland and Estonia, and interference in neighbouring Moldova. "Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova," he said, adding that supporting the country's stability was "not costly, but failing to do so would come at a much higher price." AI-fuelled global arms race President Zelenskyy warned that weak international responses were accelerating a global arms race, now reshaped by artificial intelligence. "Dear leaders, we are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history because this time, it includes artificial intelligence," he said. "We need global rules now for how AI can be used in weapons. And this is just as urgent as preventing the spread of nuclear weapons." He said Ukraine had developed attack drones and sea drones out of necessity, pushing back the Russian navy in the Black Sea and striking strategic bombers. "None of this would have happened if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin had not started this full-scale aggression," he said. 'Act together to stop war' The Ukrainian President urged nations to act collectively to end the war. "Stopping this war now and within the global arms race is cheaper than building underground kindergartens or massive bunkers for critical infrastructure later," he said. "Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead." He said more than 40 countries are already part of Ukraine's coalition and called for broader support. "So don't stay silent while Russia keeps dragging this war on," Mr. Zelenskyy concluded. "Please speak out and condemn it. Please join us in defending life and international law and order. People are waiting for action." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Government doubles innovation initiative for Ukraine to SEK 300 million Government Offices of Sweden Press release from Ministry of Defence Published 25 September 2025 The Government has previously tasked the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration with identifying, testing and funding solutions for defence innovation needed by Ukraine. The Government is now doubling this initiative to SEK 300 million, financed through support package 20 to Ukraine. A panel of experts from Sweden and Ukraine has reviewed various types of anti-drone systems and is now taking them forward for serial production. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration was tasked with holding an innovation challenge as part of the 19th military support package from Sweden to Ukraine. Approximately SEK 150 million was allocated for this purpose. The Ukrainian needs and response from various companies were so great that the Swedish Government decided to double support for the initiative, to SEK 300 million, in the 20th support package. "We must strengthen Ukrainian and Swedish defences against threats such as drones. Sweden's technology base and Ukrainian combat experience are a powerful combination that will strengthen Ukraine's defence against Russia. This competition paves the way for new defence companies and solutions to combat drones and other aircraft," says Minister for Defence Pal Jonson. The challenge is structured as a procurement process with the aim of finding innovative concepts and technical solutions with military potential that, after further development, can support Ukraine in the war against Russia. It was announced on 7 May 2025 and more than 100 applications were received. In June, these were evaluated by experts, and 21 companies were invited to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration to present their concepts to an expert panel including representatives from Ukraine, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, the Swedish Armed Forces and the Swedish Defence Research Agency. Minister for Defence Pal Jonson participated as an observer during the last presentation. Twelve companies were selected and received funding to continue developing their concepts. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration will now decide on the further development of up to six concepts. Further development will lead to finished products for production at scale and delivery to Ukraine. This includes proposing full or partial system solutions to neutralise the threat posed by aerial vehicles such as hypersonic missiles and glide bombs, or unmanned aerial vehicles such as long-range fixed-wing drones and patrol missiles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha attended the Transatlantic Dinner in New York at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 25 September 2025 09:18 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "In New York, I was pleased to attend transatlantic dinner at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio together with my colleagues from NATO countries. I noted the successful meeting between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the USA Donald Trump. We appreciate President Trump's leadership in peace efforts and his clear stance. I thanked all of our allies for their support and urged further action to strengthen Ukraine, including through the PURL initiative, and ramp up pressure on Russia. In the wake of Russia's escalation of terror against Ukraine and intrusions into Poland and Estonia, we must not let Putin divide or intimidate us. Instead, we must demonstrate strength and unity". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tightening Sanctions, Use of Frozen Assets, and New Steps in Response to Russian Escalation: Meeting Between the Presidents of Ukraine and France President of Ukraine 25 September 2025 - 02:17 At Ukraine's Permanent Mission to the UN, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with President of France Emmanuel Macron. The leaders discussed Russia's escalation against European countries and the cases of detected drones in Poland, Romania, and Denmark, as well as fighter jets in Estonia. They also addressed the need to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that amid increased Russian shelling ahead of winter, swift action is essential. The Presidents discussed further tightening sanctions against Russia, in particular targeting its shadow tanker fleet. The leaders devoted special attention to the use of frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron spoke about concrete instruments that would make this possible. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte Discussed Expansion of the PURL Initiative President of Ukraine 25 September 2025 - 01:31 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The Head of State thanked him for supporting Ukraine and highlighted PURL - a joint NATO-U.S. initiative that enables the purchase of American weapons with the financial support of NATO member states. During the meeting, they discussed in detail the effectiveness of PURL and its further expansion. In just two months since the initiative was launched, it has already reached $2.1 billion. Mark Rutte emphasized the importance of increasing both contributions and the number of participating countries. They also addressed the threats stemming from the escalation of Russian aggression. The President stated that violations of NATO member states' airspace are not mistakes but deliberate actions. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte coordinated their positions and agreed on the next joint steps. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting Between the Presidents of Ukraine and Syria Took Place in New York, During Which Foreign Ministers Signed a Joint Communique on the Restoration of Diplomatic Relations President of Ukraine 25 September 2025 - 00:10 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with President of Syria Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa. The Head of State noted that Ukraine welcomes the restoration of relations with Syria and is ready to support the Syrian people on their path to stability. During the meeting, the parties discussed in detail promising areas for the development of bilateral relations, including projects in agriculture. The Presidents also touched upon security threats faced by both countries and the importance of countering them. The Heads of State agreed to build relations between Ukraine and Syria on the basis of mutual respect, trust, and dignity. In the presence of the Presidents, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Syria Asaad Hasan Al-Shaibani signed a Joint Communique on the restoration of diplomatic relations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MONTREAL, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- D-BOX Technologies Inc. (D-BOX or the Corporation) (TSX: DBO), held its annual and special meeting of shareholders today (the Meeting). A total of 114,410,896 Class A common shares of the Corporation (representing approximately 51.46% of all issued and outstanding shares of the Corporation) were represented at the Meeting. D-BOX announces that shareholders of the Corporation voted in favour of all items of business put forth at the Meeting by the Corporation. The complete voting results for each item of business at the Meeting are presented below. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS All of the proposed nominees for the Board of Directors in the proxy circular dated August 14, 2025 were elected at the Meeting. NAME OF NOMINEE VOTES FOR % FOR VOTES AGAINST % AGAINST Naveen Prasad 109,011,365 99.93 % 73,198 0.07 % Brigitte Bourque 109,045,023 99.96 % 39,540 0.04 % Daniel Marks 109,004,605 99.93 % 79,958 0.07 % Dave McLurg 109,004,605 99.93 % 79,958 0.07 % Lori Tersigni 109,001,605 99.92 % 82,958 0.08 % At a meeting of the Board of Directors held immediately following the Meeting, Brigitte Bourque stepped down as Chair of the Board. The Board then appointed Dave McLurg, a current independent director, to serve as its new Chair, effective immediately. APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS Ernst & Young LLP were appointed as independent auditors of the Corporation until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders, or until their successor is appointed, and the Directors were authorized to fix their remuneration. VOTES FOR % FOR VOTES WITHHELD % WITHHELD 105,444,906 92.16% 8,965,990 7.84% RATIFICATION OF OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN A new omnibus long-term incentive compensation plan was ratified, confirmed and approved by the shareholders: VOTES FOR % FOR VOTES AGAINST % AGAINST 100,370,459 92.01% 8,714,104 7.99% ABOUT D-BOX D-BOX Technologies Inc. (TSX: DBO) is a global leader in haptic technology, delivering immersive motion experiences that engage the body and spark the imagination. Our patented systems synchronize motion, vibration, and texture with on-screen content, enhancing storytelling across various platforms. With over 25 years of innovation, D-BOX's solutions are utilized in movie theaters, sim racing, and simulation & training. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with offices in Los Angeles, USA, D-BOX continues to redefine how audiences experience media worldwide. Visit https://www.d-box.com/. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: D-BOX Media Relations media@d-box.com Sapu003 Designed to Overcome Limitations of Afinitor, FDA-Approved Oral Everolimus, Delivering Full Strength of Everolimus via Intravenous Injection AUSTRALIA, Sydney, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sapu Nano, developer of Deciparticle, today announced it received approval from Australias Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) to begin enrolling patients in a Phase 1 human clinical trial of Sapu003an injectable form of Everolimusfor the treatment of breast cancer. Sapu Nano is part of the Sapu family of companies, formed through GMP Biotechnology Limited, a joint venture between Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: OTLC) and Dragon Overseas Capital Limited. Everolimus is an FDA-approved drug (Afinitor) for various cancers, including advanced breast cancer, kidney cancer, and certain rare tumors. In oral pill form, only about 10% of the drug is absorbed by the body, limiting its effectiveness. Using Sapu Nanos proprietary Deciparticle technology, Sapu003, delivered intravenously, allows 100% of the drug to reach the bloodstream. Preclinical studies suggest this approach could be more effective than the current approach. We are extremely pleased to receive approval from HREC to proceed with human clinical trials, said Sapu Nano CEO, Dr. Vuong Trieu. Despite advances in treatment, a critical unmet need for next generation mTOR inhibitors remains. Current therapies often extend progression-free survival for less than one year and rarely deliver long-term disease control. This Phase 1 trial will allow us to determine the best dose for future studies, including a Phase 3 trial. Dr. Sud Agarwal, CEO, Ingenu, added: The approval of Sapu003 to enter human trials is a landmark moment. By enabling full drug absorption through intravenous delivery, this program has the potential to achieve meaningful tumor shrinkage where oral formulations have been limited. We are proud to support Sapu Nano in advancing this therapy, potentially giving breast cancer patients better outcomes and improved quality of life. What This Means for Patients Put simply, Sapu003 is a new way of giving an existing cancer drug, so it works better. By delivering it intravenously, researchers can deliver the medicine at full strength, which could make it more effective at shrinking tumors. This first trial is the starting point to see if this improved version can give breast cancer patients longer-lasting benefits and new hope. Investor & Media Contact Sapu Nano (US) LLC Investor Relations ir@sapubio.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rubicon Organics Inc. (TSXV: ROMJ) (OTCQX: ROMJF) (Rubicon Organics or the Company), Canadas leading premium licensed producer focused on cultivating and selling organic certified, premium and super-premium cannabis products, is pleased to announce its participation in two upcoming investor-focused events: Small Cap Discoveries, taking place September 2930 in Vancouver, and the Planet MicroCap Showcase: TORONTO, scheduled for October 2123 in Toronto. Small Cap Discoveries - Vancouver Hosted at the Parq Hotel and Casino, Small Cap Discoveries is a curated event designed to connect engaged investors with high-potential Canadian growth companies. The conference features company presentations, keynote sessions, and one-on-one meetings, all aimed at fostering meaningful relationships, improving access to capital, and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship within Canadas microcap ecosystem. Rubicon Organics will present its recent achievements and future plans on September 30 at 9:00 AM, followed by scheduled one-on-one investor meetings throughout the day. Investors interested in scheduling a meeting with the Company are encouraged to contact the event coordinator at trevor@smallcapdiscoveries.com. To register for the Small Cap Discoveries Conference, please visit: here Planet MicroCap Showcase: TORONTO 2025 Rubicon Organics will also be participating in the Planet MicroCap Showcase: TORONTO, held in partnership with MicroCapClub at the Arcadian Loft in downtown Toronto. This event runs from October 2123, 2025, and offers a unique opportunity for investors to engage directly with innovative microcap companies through presentations and one-on-one meetings. Registration is expected to close soon, and one-on-one meeting scheduling will open shortly. Interested investors are encouraged to register promptly to secure participation. For more information and to register, please visit: here Engagement of Atrium Research Corporation Rubicon Organics has engaged Atrium Research Corporation ("Atrium"), an independent third-party, to provide research services. Atrium will receive $3,500 per month for 12 months beginning on October 1st, 2025. This engagement is subject to TSXV approval. Atrium and the Company are arm's-length parties, and neither Atrium nor its insiders holds any shares or options to purchase shares in the issued and outstanding capital of the Company. ABOUT RUBICON ORGANICS INC. Rubicon Organics is the Canadian leader in certified organic and premium cannabis. With a vertically integrated model and strong national distribution, the company is scaling a house of trusted, high-performing brands including Simply Bare Organics, 1964 Supply Co., Wildflower, and Homestead Cannabis Supply. The Companys production base is anchored by its Delta, BC Facility, and is now complemented by the acquisition of its Hope, BC facility which will expand production capacity by over 40% and support future growth in both domestic and export markets. With proprietary genetics, award-winning products, and certifications enabling international distribution, Rubicon is positioned at the forefront of the premium cannabis segment. As the Canadian market continues to rationalize and global demand for high-quality cannabis increases, Rubicons disciplined execution, brand equity, and consumer loyalty set it apart. The Companys focus on premium quality, innovation, and operational execution has driven consistent revenue growth and positive Adjusted EBITDA. Rubicon Organics represents a rare combination of category leadership, operational strength, and long-term growth potential. CONTACT INFORMATION Margaret Brodie CEO Phone: +1 (437) 929-1964 Email: ir@rubiconorganics.com The TSX Venture Exchange or its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Rubicon Organics Inc.s participation in upcoming investor events, future growth plans, expansion of production capacity, international distribution opportunities, and anticipated financial performance. Forward-looking information is based on managements current expectations and assumptions, which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, changes in regulatory requirements, operational risks, market demand, competition, and the ability to obtain necessary approvals, including from the TSX Venture Exchange; and other risk factors set forth in the Companys public filings available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other risk factors not presently known to the Company or that the Company presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information. All forward-looking information in this press release is made as of the date hereof and is based on the beliefs, estimates, and opinions of management as of the date such statements are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Spring Hill, FL , Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Armada Public Adjusting announced an expanded initiative to help Florida property owners secure the full insurance payouts they deserve. With property damage claims growing more complex and time-sensitive, the firm is increasing its hands-on public adjusting services to guide homeowners and contractors through every process stage. Based in Spring Hill, Armada represents policyholders exclusively, ensuring each claim is handled precisely, resolved efficiently, and pursued for the highest possible settlement. Armada Public Adjusting A public adjuster is a licensed insurance claims specialist who fights solely for the policyholder, not the insurance company. Unlike an insurance adjuster representing the insurers interests, this claims specialist serves as the policyholders advocate, inspecting every detail of the damage, preparing and filing complete claims, and negotiating relentlessly with insurance carriers to secure full compensation. While insurance company adjusters work to protect the insurers financial interests, Armada works to protect the policyholders recovery. Our mission is to level the playing field for policyholders often outmatched by insurance company resources, said a spokesperson for Armada Public Adjusting. We fight for our clients rightful payouts so they can recover quickly and confidently move forward. This claims advocacy team assumes full command of the homeowners' claims process, driving it from the first inspection to the final payment. The firm conducts exhaustive damage assessments, delivers precise cost calculations, and compiles airtight documentation while negotiating aggressively with insurance firms. This decisive approach blocks lowball or denied claims and equips homeowners with the funds to rebuild without financial strain. For contractors, Armada Public Adjusting removes the choke points that stall projects and delay payments. The firm directs every insurer interaction, document submission, and approval to keep projects moving and payments flowing. As licensed claims adjusters, public adjusters like Armada Public Adjusting differ from the adjusters sent by insurance companies. While company-employed claims adjusters are tasked with minimizing payouts to protect the insurers bottom line, public adjusters work exclusively for policyholders to document damage thoroughly, value losses accurately, and pursue the maximum settlement allowed under the policy. This impact is evident in the results Armada Public Adjusting delivers for its clients. One Spring Hill homeowner initially received an insurance offer of just $22,000 for wind and hail roof damage. Armadas team performed a comprehensive assessment, uncovered hidden interior water damage, submitted revised documentation, and negotiated directly with the insurance carrier. The effort secured a $68,500 settlement to replace the roof and repair the home thoroughly. The homeowner stated, I had no idea how much was missing from the insurance companys offer until Armada got involved. They handled everything and tripled my settlement. Im so grateful. Across Florida, the landscape of insurance claims is shifting, driven by a public adjuster determined to win results where others stall. With sharpened strategies and a reputation for uncompromising client advocacy, Armada Public Adjusting converts complex claims into rapid, full-value settlements. Its expanded role cements its place as the go-to force for policyholders seeking to reclaim control and rebuild without compromise. To explore Armada Public Adjustings services and success stories, visit https://armadapa.com/. About Armada Public Adjusting Armada Public Adjusting is a Florida-based firm representing policyholders in property damage insurance claims. With a team skilled in assessment, documentation, and negotiation, the company has built a track record of driving stalled or undervalued claims to complete, fair settlements. By managing every step from initial evaluation to final payment, Armada frees homeowners and contractors from insurance disputes so they can focus on rebuilding. ### Media Contact Armada Public Adjusting 213 Della Court, Spring Hill, FL 34606 Phone: (352) 556-3988 Website: https://armadapa.com/ newsroom: news.38digitalmarket.com Attachment NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. DENVER, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intermap Technologies Corporation (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) ("Intermap" or the "Company"), a global leader in 3D geospatial products and intelligence solutions, announced today that it has filed a prospectus supplement (the "Prospectus Supplement") to its short form base shelf prospectus dated September 15, 2025 (the "Base Shelf Prospectus") with respect to its previously announced bought deal public offering of 8,334,000 Class A common shares (the "Common Shares") at a price of $3.00 per Common Share, for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $25,002,000 (the "Offering"). The Prospectus Supplement has been filed in each of the provinces of Canada (other than Quebec) pursuant to National Instrument 44-102 Shelf Distributions. The Common Shares are being qualified for distribution in each of the provinces of Canada (other than Quebec) pursuant to the Prospectus Supplement and in the United States on a private placement basis to "Qualified Institutional Buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act")) pursuant to Rule 144A of the 1933 Act and in compliance with applicable state securities laws. The Offering is being underwritten by a syndicate of underwriters led by Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc., and including Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Beacon Securities Limited (collectively, the "Underwriters"). The Company has granted the Underwriters an over-allotment option, exercisable in whole or in part at any time up to 30 days after the closing date of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 1,250,100 Common Shares, to cover over-allotments, if any, and for market stabilization purposes (the "Over-Allotment Option"). In the event that the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in its entirety, the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering will be $28,752,300. The Offering is scheduled to close on or about September 29, 2025, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the conditional approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, as more particularly described in the Prospectus Supplement. Access to the Prospectus Supplement, the corresponding Base Shelf Prospectus and any amendment to the documents is provided in accordance with securities legislation relating to procedures for providing access to a prospectus supplement, a base shelf prospectus and any amendment thereto. The Prospectus Supplement and the corresponding Base Shelf Prospectus are, and any amendment thereto, if any, will be, within two business days, accessible on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. An electronic or paper copy of the Prospectus Supplement, the corresponding Base Shelf Prospectus and any amendment to the documents may be obtained, without charge, from the Company, at 385 Inverness Pkwy, Suite 105, Englewood, CO 80112 USA, by telephone at +1 (303) 708-0955 or by e-mail at CFO@intermap.com, by providing the contact with an email address or address, as applicable. 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 Common Shares, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including in the United States of America. Such securities have not been and will not be registered under 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. Intermap Reader Advisory Certain information provided in this news release, including references to the quantum of the Offering, the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals, including the acceptance of the Offering by the TSX and the timing thereof, the expectation that the Offering will close and the anticipated timing thereof and the intended use of proceeds in the Offering in connection therewith, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The words "should", "will" or "may" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information requires Intermap to make assumptions about future actions, events or circumstances that may not materialize or that may prove to be inaccurate. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap's Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law. About Intermap Technologies Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions, focusing on the creation and analysis of 3D terrain data to produce high-resolution thematic models. Through scientific analysis of geospatial information and patented sensors and processing technology, the Company provisions diverse, complementary, multi-source datasets to enable customers to seamlessly integrate geospatial intelligence into their workflows. Intermap's 3D elevation data and software analytic capabilities enable global geospatial analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning, providing customers with critical information to understand their terrain environment. By leveraging its proprietary archive of the world's largest collection of multi-sensor global elevation data, the Company's collection and processing capabilities provide multi-source 3D datasets and analytics at mission speed, enabling governments and companies to build and integrate geospatial foundation data with actionable insights. Applications for Intermap's products and solutions include defense, aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, disaster mitigation, base mapping, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation. For more information, please visit www.intermap.com or contact: Jennifer Bakken Executive Vice President and CFO CFO@intermap.com +1 (303) 708-0955 Sean Peasgood Investor Relations Sean@SophicCapital.com +1 (647) 260-9266 Regulated information - inside information Nazareth (Belgium)/Rotterdam (The Netherlands), 25 September 2025 7:00 AM CET Fagron announces the acquisition of UCP in North America and FDA inspection update Fagron, the leading global player in pharmaceutical compounding, is pleased to announce a strategic acquisition that will significantly reinforce its presence in North America. The company has signed the acquisition of University Compounding Pharmacy (UCP), a 503A pharmaceutical compounder specializing in the health and wellness segment in California, whilst adhering to a disciplined acquisition strategy. The company has also been inspected by the FDA at its Wichita and Las Vegas facilities, with none of the observations from the 2024 inspection in Wichita being now repeated, which validates our remediation has addressed the Agencys prior concerns. UCP UCP, based in San Diego, the U.S., is a 503A pharmaceutical compounder specializing in the health and wellness segment, with strong positions in hormones and urology and a solid compliance record, making it highly complementary to Anazao and enabling a differential coast-to-coast offering. This underpins Fagrons strategy to build a nationwide compounding platform in the U.S., spanning both 503A (patient-specific) and 503B (outsourcing) services. The acquisition deepens Fagrons presence in North Americas prevention and lifestyle segment and strengthens our position in California, one of the largest and most tightly regulated healthcare markets in the U.S., where licences are difficult to obtain. The enterprise value of this acquisition is c.$41.5 million. It will be fully financed through Fagrons own resources and remains subject to customary clearance. This business generates around twenty five million dollars in annual revenue and an EBITDA margin below Fagrons existing group margin. We expect to realise synergies over the next 1824 months as the business is integrated into Fagrons operations. Quality Update The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has conducted an inspection at Fagron Sterile Services (FSS) in Wichita, Kansas to verify the corrective and preventive actions taken following the routine inspection in June 2024 and the Warning Letter issued in December 2024. In March 2025, the Agency acknowledged our CAPA submission and stated it adequately addressed their concerns, pending an on-site verification. During the 2025 visit none of the observations from the 2024 inspection were repeated, which validates our remediation has addressed the Agencys prior concerns. Separately, following this new routine inspection, the FDA issued a Form 483 with six observations. In addition, the FDA also conducted a routine inspection of the 503B Anazao Health facility in Las Vegas with four observations. Fagron remains committed to working collaboratively with the FDA to address its inspectional observations and is already implementing new corrective actions to further improve its protocols. Our top priority is providing safe and effective sterile drug products to our customers and their patients and we remain confident in our robust systems and the quality and safety of the products we produce. Financial calendar 2025 9 October 2025 Trading update third quarter 2025 Results and trading updates are published at 7.00 AM CET. Further information Ignacio Artola Global Investor Relations Leader Tel. +34 670385795 ignacio.artola@fagron.com About Fagron Fagron is the leading global company active in pharmaceutical compounding, focusing on delivering personalized medicine to hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, and patients in more than 35 countries around the world. The Belgian company Fagron NV is based on Venecoweg 20A in Nazareth and is listed on Euronext Brussels and Euronext Amsterdam under the ticker symbol FAGR. Fagrons operational activities are managed through the Dutch company Fagron BV. Fagron BVs head office is located in Rotterdam. Important information regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements in this press release may be deemed to be forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. Consequently, Fagron cannot provide any guarantee that such forward-looking statements will, in fact, materialize and cannot accept any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or for any other reason. In the event of differences between the English translation and the Dutch original of this press release, the latter prevails. Attachment - Total non-dilutive funding of up to USD 159 million upon completion of predefined milestones, including near-term committed funding of USD 6 million Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR Allschwil, Switzerland, September 25, 2025 Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil (SIX: BSLN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections, announced today that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the US Department of Health and Human Services, has novated a contract from Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Venatorx) to Basilea to support the development of the novel oral antibiotic ceftibuten-ledaborbactam etzadroxil, a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) combination, for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs), including pyelonephritis. Basilea recently acquired the global rights to ceftibuten-ledaborbactam etzadroxil from Venatorx. David Veitch, Chief Executive Officer of Basilea, said: We thank BARDA for their continued collaboration and support for the development of novel anti-infectives to help patients with severe infections. The funding helps us to further advance our newly in-licensed novel antibiotic ceftibuten-ledaborbactam, which we believe holds a strong promise in addressing the critical unmet need for the oral treatment of cUTIs caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The existing funding agreement between BARDA and Venatorx was novated, with Basilea replacing Venatorx as a contracting party. Under the terms of the contract, Basilea will be reimbursed for a portion of the development costs required to bring ceftibuten-ledaborbactam etzadroxil to market, including the planned Phase 3 clinical studies. The non-dilutive funding comprises an initial amount of approximately USD 6 million and options to provide up to USD 153 million of additional non-dilutive funding upon completion of predefined milestones. About beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) combinations Many Gram-negative bacteria express enzymes such as extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) that confer resistance against commonly used antibiotics. Beta-lactamase inhibitors block these enzymes and restore the activity of beta-lactam antibiotics against initially resistant Gram-negative bacteria, therefore BL/BLI combinations are an important addition to the armamentarium for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. About ceftibuten-ledaborbactam etzadroxil Ledaborbactam etzadroxil is the orally bioavailable prodrug of ledaborbactam, a novel broad-spectrum boronic acid beta-lactamase inhibitor, which is being developed in combination with ceftibuten, an oral cephalosporin antibiotic, which is approved in the US for the treatment of upper and lower respiratory tract infections and for urinary tract infections outside the US. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that ledaborbactam etzadroxil restores the activity of ceftibuten against strains of Enterobacterales expressing Ambler class A extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), class C cephalosporinases, and class A and D carbapenemases (KPC and OXA-48, respectively) as well as multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterobacterales.[1] Ceftibuten-ledaborbactam etzadroxil has been granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) and Fast Track designations by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cUTI and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Ceftibuten-ledaborbactam etzadroxil is an investigational drug and is not yet approved in any country for commercial use. About complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) Complicated UTIs, which include pyelonephritis (kidney infections), are defined as urinary tract infections ascending from the bladder accompanied by local and systemic signs and symptoms and are one of the most common bacterial infections in hospital and community settings. Increasing resistance of bacteria causing complicated urinary tract infections has led to limited availability of effective oral antibiotic treatment options.[2] Currently, there are no approved oral beta-lactam or beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations that are effective against Enterobacterales expressing Ambler class A ESBLs, class C cephalosporinases, and class A & D serine carbapenemases (KPC and OXA-48). About Basilea Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. We are committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs to meet the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections. We have successfully launched two hospital brands, Cresemba for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for the treatment of bacterial infections. In addition, we have preclinical and clinical anti-infective assets in our portfolio. Basilea is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Please visit basilea.com. Disclaimer This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For further information, please contact: Peer Nils Schroder, PhD Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd, Allschwil Hegenheimermattweg 167b 4123 Allschwil Switzerland Phone +41 61 606 1102 E-mail media_relations@basilea.com investor_relations@basilea.com This ad hoc announcement can be downloaded from www.basilea.com. References J. A. Karlowsky, M. G. Wise, M. A. Hackel et al. Ceftibuten-Ledaborbactam Activity against Multidrug-Resistant and Extended-Spectrum--Lactamase-Positive Clinical Isolates of Enterobacterales from a 20182020 Global Surveillance Collection. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2022, Nov 15;66(11):e0093422 T. P. Lodise, T. Chopra, B. H. Nathanson et al. Epidemiology of Complicated Urinary Tract Infections due to Enterobacterales Among Adult Patients Presenting in Emergency Departments Across the United States. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2022, Jun 24;9(7):ofac315. Attachment DEME, through its Taiwanese joint venture CDWE, has secured a substantial contract for the Formosa 4 offshore wind farm in Taiwan, covering the transport and installation of 35 foundations and the offshore substation, as well as the scour protection works. Attachment Press release Nokia and Nscale partner to accelerate AI infrastructure build-out Nscale selects Nokia as a preferred networking partner for global AI-ready data center build-out. Nokia joins other investors in Nscales Series B investment round to advance AI infrastructure globally. Nokia and Nscale to jointly drive innovation in the networking stack used in AI clusters and partner globally on joint deployment initiatives. 25 September 2025 Espoo, Finland Nokia and Nscale announced today a partnership to accelerate the build-out of AI infrastructure. Nokia will be a preferred partner for advanced networking technologies for Nscale AI-ready data center deployments globally. Nokia is also joining other investors in Nscales Series B investment round, designed to advance the building of scalable, secure, and globally competitive AI infrastructure amid soaring demand for AI-ready data centers. Headquartered in the UK and operating globally, Nscale is an AI-native infrastructure platform, providing vertically integrated compute, networking, storage, managed software, and AI services delivered in Nscale-owned and co-located data centers. This partnership sees Nokia become an Nscale preferred partner for networking technologies from across its Network Infrastructure portfolio, for the build-out of AI clusters at scale. Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio - data center switching, IP routing, and optical networking for delivering secure, high-performance connectivity within and across data centers and between end-users and applications. This enables customers to scale cloud capacity more efficiently and cost-effectively, while making processes inside the data center faster and more energy efficient. The partnership agreement will also see Nokia and Nscale jointly drive innovation in the networking stack used in AI clusters and partner globally on joint deployment initiatives. Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia, said: Demand for the build-out of secure, scalable AI infrastructure in Europe and across the world continues to accelerate. Our partnership with Nscale combines Nokias expertise in IP and optical networking with Nscales leading infrastructure platform and enables the innovation needed for the future of AI infrastructure. Josh Payne, CEO of Nscale, said: We are focused on building the next generation of AI infrastructure, and strong partnerships are central to that effort. Nokia brings proven expertise in networking technologies, and we are pleased to have them as a partner as we expand across Europe and globally to help customers unlock the full potential of AI. Resources and additional information About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering the future where networks meet cloud to realize the full potential of digital in every industry. Through networks that sense, think and act, we work with our customers and partners to create the digital services and applications of the future. Media Inquiries Nokia Communications Phone: +358 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Island, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ozak AI ($OZ), an emerging AI-powered crypto platform, today announced continued momentum in its presale, surpassing $3.4 million raised with more than 916 million tokens sold. The project, which integrates artificial intelligence, decentralized infrastructure (DePIN), and token-based incentives, is charting a growth trajectory that positions it toward a potential $1 billion market cap. Since launching at an initial token price of $0.001, Ozak AI has advanced through multiple presale stages. The sixth phase is currently priced at $0.014, with the seventh projected to increase to $0.016. This represents a 1300% rise from the first phase. With a total supply of 10 billion tokens3 billion allocated to the presaleOzak AI has set a bottom-end target price of $1.00, reflecting an ROI potential of over 7000% from its current level. Platform and Ecosystem Highlights Ozak AIs infrastructure combines AI-driven analytics, autonomous data aggregation, and decentralized storage through its DePIN model and Ozak Stream Network (OSN). These technologies enable real-time, tamper-proof financial analysis and decentralized automation. The platform supports cross-chain compatibility, while the $OZ token powers staking, governance, and ecosystem expansion. Security is reinforced through Certik certification, and the project has been listed on CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko, improving accessibility and investor visibility. Strategic Partnerships Ozak AI has entered several collaborations to strengthen its ecosystem: SINT : Adds voice recognition and autonomous execution for market signals, supporting more than 60,000 users. : Adds voice recognition and autonomous execution for market signals, supporting more than 60,000 users. Hive Intel : Integrates live blockchain data into trading bots. : Integrates live blockchain data into trading bots. Weblume : Embeds Ozak AIs indicators into no-code dashboards for Web3 builders. : Embeds Ozak AIs indicators into no-code dashboards for Web3 builders. Pyth Network : Provides real-time financial data. : Provides real-time financial data. Dex3: Supplies decentralized trading infrastructure. The Ozak AI Rewards Hub is also live, offering staking rewards and ecosystem incentives. Global Roadshows and Industry Engagement Ozak AI recently marked a milestone at Coinfest Asia 2025 in Bali (August 2022), where it hosted mixers and community events alongside partners including Manta Network, Forum Crypto Indonesia, and Coin Kami. Additional regional initiatives included the Sundown Signals series, the Ozak AI Roadshow, and networking events in Vietnam featuring SoulsLabs, MPost.io, and Yellow. These gatherings highlight the projects focus on global adoption through direct community engagement. Looking Ahead Building on its presale progress, international presence, and expanding partner network, Ozak AI continues to execute on its roadmap toward large-scale adoption. The projects combination of AI, decentralized infrastructure, and strategic alliances underpins its vision of scaling toward a billion-dollar market cap. For more information, visit: Website: https://ozak.ai/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/OzakAGI Telegram: https://t.me/OzakAGI Media Contact: Andres Brinc media@ozak.ai Disclaimer: This content is provided by Ozak AI. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sectorincluding cryptocurrency, NFTs, and miningcomplete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page. Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an "as-is" basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e0475afa-3f79-495a-9cab-856cb7a649b2 VATICAN CITY, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Franco-Lebanese composer Omar Harfouch has achieved a rare milestone in music and cultural history. His Concerto for Peace has been formally accepted into the Apostolic Library of the Vatican, where the original manuscript will be preserved for eternity. This distinction, reserved for only a handful of composers, underscores Harfouchs enduring commitment to advancing peace and humanism through music. The presentation followed a Mass at the Church of Santa Maria Regina della Famiglia and took place in the historic Leonie Hall, inaugurated in 1892 during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII. In the presence of Prefect Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church, and Monsignor Angelo Vincenzo Zani, Harfouch handed over the manuscript in a ceremony marked by solemnity and intimacy. His wife, Yulia, and daughter, Gustavia, were present among the select group of guests. Already recognised by Pope Francis as a Pilgrim of Peace, Harfouch deepened his message by entrusting the first page of the concerto to French painter Monsieur Jamin, often referred to as the French Basquiat. The collaboration transformed the score into a unique work of art, symbolically uniting music and visual expression in service of peace. Looking ahead, Harfouchs influence will extend to the global stage. Raul Rocha, President of the Miss Universe Organisation, together with Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjr Theilvig, has invited him to perform the Concerto for Peace at the Miss Universe finals in Bangkok this November. The event, broadcast worldwide to an audience of over one billion viewers, will provide an unparalleled platform for his message. This dual recognition preservation in the Vaticans archives and performance before a global audience reflects both the heritage value and contemporary relevance of Harfouchs work. One anchors my music in history, the other brings its message of peace to millions of people today, Harfouch said. These are not contrasts but complements. With its place secured in the Vatican archives and an upcoming performance on one of the worlds most-watched stages, Omar Harfouchs Concerto for Peace stands as both an eternal cultural artefact and a living call for unity proof that the language of art transcends all boundaries. For press inquiries, interviews, or additional information: Email: info@missuniverseguyana.org Disclaimer: This content is provided by Miss Universe. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information shared in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment, financial, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended that you conduct thorough research and consult with a professional financial advisor before making any investment or trading decisions. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b0eae9d4-2c81-466a-8989-f7310cc2f800 Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gcore , the global edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions provider, today announced the findings of its Q1-Q2 2025 Radar report into DDoS attack trends. DDoS attacks have reached unprecedented scale and disruption in 2025, and businesses need to act fast to protect themselves from this evolving threat. The report reveals a significant escalation in the total number of DDoS attacks and their magnitude, measured in terabits per second (Tbps). It also highlights a clear shift: attackers are growing more strategic, blending brute-force volume with precise application-layer manipulation. Key Insights From Q1-Q2 2025 Attack volumes increased by 41% compared to Q1-Q2 2024, evidencing dangerous long term growth trends predicted in prior Radar reports. The largest attack peaked at 2.2 Tbps in Q1-Q2, surpassing the 2 Tbps peak recorded in late 2024. DDoS attacks are becoming longer in duration but more harmful. Attackers are shifting focus to financial services and tech, with tech overtaking gaming as the most targeted sector. DDoS attacks at the application layer have increased by 10% from Q3-Q4 2024 to Q1-Q2 2025. The total number of DDoS attacks climbed from 969,000 in H2 2024 to 1.17 million in H1 2025. Andrey Slastenov, Head of Security at Gcore, commented: The latest Gcore Radar should be a wake-up call to businesses across all industries. Not only are the number and intensity of attacks increasing, but attackers are expanding the scope of their attacks to reach an increasingly wide range of sectors. Businesses must invest in robust DDoS detection, mitigation, and protection to prevent the financial and reputational impact of an attack. Recent Data Shows Shift Toward Longer Sustained Assaults Attacks shorter than 10 minutes have decreased by about 33%, while those lasting between 10 and 30 minutes have nearly quadrupled. While previous reports highlighted the dominance of very short, intense DDoS attacks, this change indicates that attackers are adapting to the improved automatic detection and mitigation systems employed by companies to handle brief attacks. By extending attack durations, threat actors can circumvent these temporary defense thresholds, cause more extensive damage, and test infrastructure resilience over time. Multi-vector attacks have also increasingly become a preferred tactic of attackers. By masking malicious activity within seemingly legitimate traffic, attackers complicate detection and extend their window to cause damage. This shift toward more sophisticated attacks underscores the need for an equally layered defense approach that anticipates attacker strategies and protects critical digital assets holistically. Data Indicates Rise in Attacks on Vulnerable Sectors Gaming is no longer the dominant target it once was. Its share of total DDoS attacks has dropped significantly (30% in the last year). This notable decline suggests attackers are shifting focus to other sectors such as tech (attacks increased by 15%) and financial services (attacks increased by 15%). These sectors are favored targets because they may be less protected against threat actors and have higher disruption potential. The Domino Effect of Cyberattacks Hosting providers, in particular, have become prime targets due to their role supporting SaaS, e-commerce, gaming, and financial clients. An attack on one hosting provider can have dangerous ripple effects: massive service outages and reputation damage to dozens of dependent companies. Geographical Distribution of DDoS Attacks With a presence that spans six continents, Gcore can accurately track the geographical sources of DDoS attacks. Gcore derives these insights from the attackers IP addresses and the geographic locations of the data centers where malicious traffic is targeted. Although the United States and the Netherlands remain top sources for attacks (as found in previous Radar reports), Hong Kong is a new source of threats. Hong Kong now accounts for 17% of all network-layer and 10% of application-layer attacks. These findings indicate that attackers are expanding into emerging areas, highlighting the need for proactive and adaptive defenses across diverse regions. Emerging Origins of Attacks The rapid increase in application layer attacks (28% to 38% from Q3-Q4 2024 to Q1-Q2 2025) also reveals an overall trend toward multi-layered attacks targeting web application and API vulnerabilities, which particularly impact sectors with a high degree of customer interaction (ranging from e-commerce and online banking to logistics and public services). To access the full report, please visit: https://gcore.com/resources/gcore-radar-attack-trends-q1-q2-2025 About Gcore Gcore is a global edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions provider. Headquartered in Luxembourg, with a team of 600 operating from ten offices worldwide, Gcore provides solutions to global leaders in numerous industries. Gcore manages its global IT infrastructure across six continents, with one of the best network performances in Europe, Africa, and LATAM due to the average response time of 30 ms worldwide. Gcores network consists of 210 points of presence worldwide in reliable Tier IV and Tier III data centers, with a total network capacity exceeding 200 Tbps. Further information is available at gcore.com and updates are also shared on LinkedIn , Twitter , and Facebook . SHANGHAI, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2025 Shanghai pioneering industries conference, hosted by Guotai Haitong Securities, was recently held in east China's Shanghai. The event also featured the 14th pharmaceutical CEO forum and the 5th artificial intelligence (AI) conference. The event brought together nearly 100 industry leaders, representatives from almost 200 listed companies and around 1,000 investors to explore cutting-edge trends and cross-sector opportunities in biopharmaceuticals and technology. Discussions centered on innovative drug research and development, advances in medical technology, the globalization of pharmaceutical firms, as well as AI breakthroughs and applications. A highlight was roughly 10 roundtables featuring senior executives from about 50 leading pharmaceutical companies sharing insights and experiences. Chen Zhongyi, vice president of Guotai Haitong Securities, addressed the conference, noting that the pharmaceutical CEO forum, which had been held in places like New York and Hong Kong since its inception in 2012, has become a key bridge connecting global pharmaceutical resources. The AI conference, launched in 2019, has chronicled the technology's shift from theoretical research to industrial application. The technology segment examined AI's disruptive impact across industries, covering hardware innovations such as large-scale AI chips, intelligent computing centers, and high-performance switches, alongside software applications in gaming, video content generation, and health management. The conference serves as a major platform for tracking industry trends and catching investment opportunities. Guotai Haitong Securities stated it will continue to leverage its expertise and resources to support high-quality development of pioneering industries. Source: Guotai Haitong Securities CEDARHURST, N.Y., Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Postal Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: PSTL) (the Company), an internally managed real estate investment trust that owns and manages over 2,200 properties leased primarily to the United States Postal Service (the USPS), ranging from last-mile post offices to industrial facilities, today announced the appointment of Steve Bakke as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and the Companys Principal Financial Officer effective on or about November 5, 2025. He will be based at the Companys headquarters in Cedarhurst, NY. We are pleased to welcome Steve to Postal Realty, stated Andrew Spodek, Chief Executive Officer. Steve's track record of success in Capital Markets, Financial and Corporate Strategy, and Investor Relations will complement us well. Additionally, his extensive experience on both the REIT buy side and sell side will bring a valuable perspective to the Company as we continue to expand our portfolio. I would like to thank our President Jeremy Garber for stepping in as Interim Chief Financial Officer. His service to the Company and shareholders has, and continues to be, greatly valued. Mr. Bakke added, Im grateful to the management team and Board of Directors for the exciting opportunity to join the team at Postal Realty as Chief Financial Officer. The Company has a truly unique and compelling business model with proven internal and external growth. I look forward to working with the team to execute its disciplined financial strategy, cultivate access to capital, and broaden its relationships with key REIT industry stakeholders. Mr. Bakke joins Postal Realty Trust from Realty Income Corp. (NYSE: O), where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance. In his role, he oversaw Capital Markets, Financial Planning & Analysis, and Investor Relations. Prior to Realty Income, he served as Senior Vice President of Capital Markets at Site Centers Corp. (NYSE: SITC) in New York. Mr. Bakke worked on the buy side at Third Avenue Management and Surveyor Capital after beginning his career as a Research Analyst with Green Street. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research and Information Engineering from Cornell University and is a CFA Charterholder. Mr. Bakke was selected following a comprehensive search led by Marcus & Associates. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements identified by words such as could, may, might, will, likely, anticipates, intends, plans, seeks, believes, estimates, expects, continues, projects and similar references to future periods, or by the inclusion of forecasts or projections. Forward-looking statements, including, among others, statements regarding the Companys anticipated growth and ability to obtain financing and close on pending transactions on the terms or timing it expects, if at all, are based on the Companys current expectations and assumptions regarding capital market conditions, the Companys business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, by their nature, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, the Companys actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include the USPSs terminations or non-renewals of leases, changes in demand for postal services delivered by the USPS, the solvency and financial health of the USPS, competitive, financial market and regulatory conditions, disruption in market, general real estate market conditions, the Companys competitive environment and other factors set forth under Risk Factors in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. About Postal Realty Trust, Inc. Postal Realty Trust, Inc. is an internally managed real estate investment trust that owns and manages over 2,200 properties leased primarily to the USPS. More information is available at postalrealtytrust.com. Contact: Investor Relations and Media Relations Email: Investorrelations@postalrealtytrust.com Phone: 516-232-8900 HONG KONG, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CoinEx is proud to confirm its role as a Gold Sponsor at TOKEN2049 Singapore 2025, the worlds largest crypto event taking place October 12 at Marina Bay Sands. TOKEN2049 2025 at a glance TOKEN2049 2025 emphasises how industry stakeholders can contribute meaningfully to Web3s maturation. The event gathers more than 500 exhibitors from over 160 countries. Features over 300 speakers and more than 1,000 side events scheduled during the week across Singapore, providing broad opportunities for networking and partnership. CoinEx: ATH & Ale Side Event Prior to the main conference, CoinEx will host an exclusive side event ATH & Ale by CoinEx : Date & Time : September 30, 7:00 PM 12:00 AM (UTC+8) : September 30, 7:00 PM 12:00 AM (UTC+8) Venue: LeVeL33, Singapore The side event will feature hosted drinks and curated food selections, complemented by live music in an open-air setting that offers a vibrant atmosphere for networking. Attendees will also benefit from an industry panel discussion featuring leading blockchain builders and thought leaders, who will share valuable insights into the current and future development of the Web3 landscape. Dont miss your chance and sign up here! CoinEx Booth at TOKEN2049 As a Gold Sponsor, CoinEx will showcase a significant presence on the exhibition floor at TOKEN2049 Singapore. The CoinEx booth will provide a dedicated space for visitors to participate in discussions on potential partnerships and collaborations across Web3, DeFi, infrastructure, and digital asset markets. Conclusion TOKEN2049 Singapore 2025 is poised to be the most ambitious edition of the conference. CoinEx is honored to be part of this journey and looks forward to meaningful dialogue that will chart continued progress for the Web3 ecosystem. For more information about CoinExs participation and to secure access to the ATH & Ale side-event, please visit the event site. About CoinEx Established in 2017, CoinEx is an award-winning cryptocurrency exchange designed with users in mind. Since its launch by the industry-leading mining pool ViaBTC, the platform has been one of the earliest crypto exchanges to release proof-of-reserves to protect 100% of user assets. CoinEx provides over 1400 coins, supported by professional-grade features and services, for its 10+ million users across 200+ countries and regions. CoinEx is also home to its native token, CET, incentivizing user activities while empowering its ecosystem. To learn more about CoinEx, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Contact: CoinEx pr@coinex.com Disclaimer: This content is provided by CoinEx. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sectorincluding cryptocurrency, NFTs, and miningcomplete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page. Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an "as-is" basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/43aa2eb9-c89d-41d3-b1b4-dc4e21eed4ec https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/409dab7e-a0f2-40a3-8e3c-8c2bb5dae75f Dublin, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Silver Powder Market Research Report 2025-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global silver powder market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.06% from 2024 to 2030. The global silver powder market report consists of exclusive data on 25 vendors. At the 17th SNEC International Solar PV and Smart Energy Conference in Shanghai, Jiangxi Betely New Materials Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Heraeus Photovoltaics. The partnership aims to foster joint innovation through resource sharing, collaborative research, and shared lab facilities, leveraging the Heraeus Photovoltaic Innovation Platform to support the development and testing of new solar technologies. Mitsui Mining & Smelting is investing in MicroThin, a silver-copper composite for AI servers, tapping into demand for thin, high-conductivity materials in energy-efficient electronics. DOWA Electronics Materials introduced ultra-fine silver powder (< 1?m) for 5G and AI chips, strengthening its role in high-performance and miniaturized electronics. Fujikura Kasei received FDA clearance for a silver paste in wearable ECG sensors, signaling silver powder's expansion into flexible medical devices and remote healthcare. Johnson Matthey is emphasizing silver's role in aerospace and defense electronics, shifting toward high-purity materials for critical infrastructure and precision sectors. Together, these players align with three core trends, including sustainability, miniaturization in electronics, and emerging medical and defense uses, showcasing a market driven by innovation and specialized applications. At the 17th SNEC International Solar PV and Smart Energy Conference in Shanghai, Jiangxi Betely New Materials Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Heraeus Photovoltaics. The partnership aims to foster joint innovation through resource sharing, collaborative research, and shared lab facilities, leveraging the Heraeus Photovoltaic Innovation Platform to support the development and testing of new solar technologies. In 2025, DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD. announced its Medium-term Plan 2027, outlining strategic initiatives for FY2025-FY2027. A notable focus of the plan is the expansion of sales for existing products, including silver powder, highlighting the company's commitment to strengthening its presence in advanced materials markets. SILVER POWDER MARKET GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS The APAC region dominates and holds the largest global silver powder market share of over 47% and shows the highest growth, due to rapid industrialization, expanding electronics manufacturing, and growing renewable energy adoption. The Asia Pacific silver powder market has become increasingly pivotal due to its extensive applications across electronics, photovoltaics, conductive chips, etc. The silver powder helps in creating efficient conductive pathways in flexible electronics and printed circuit boards, which is crucial for the rapidly growing consumer electronics sector in the Asia Pacific. This surge in electronics production, particularly in countries like China, Japan, South Korea, and India, continues to drive sustained demand for high-performance silver powder formulations. APAC is also one of the dominating regions in the PCBs market. This is because of the rising application of PCBs in electronic devices and due to the existence of many semiconductor producers in the region. China's silver powder market is driven by rapid advancements across key sectors such as semiconductors, IoT, solar energy, and electric vehicles. According to the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), China now plays a significant role in shaping the IoT, which is growing with the technological footprint of Chinese firms. China is focusing on strengthening its domestic semiconductor value chain, particularly in Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools. This has direct implications for the country's silver powder market. SILVER POWDER MARKET SEGMENTATION INSIGHTS INSIGHTS BY PRODUCT TYPE The global silver powder market by product type is segmented into fine silver powder, flake silver powder, ultrafine silver powder, and others. The fine silver powder segment holds the largest market share of over 39%. Fine silver powder consists of micro-sized particles with uniform distribution and high purity. Its high conductivity and processability make it a critical material in thick-film pastes, multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), photovoltaic electrodes, and semiconductor packaging. Fine silver powder is widely used in industries that require stable performance in compact and high-frequency circuits. Fine silver powder serves as the fundamental backbone of the global silver powder market, distinguished by its precisely controlled particle morphology, exceptional purity (>99.9%), and optimal balance between electrical conductivity and sintering behavior. This segment's versatility enables its integration into high-volume manufacturing processes across mature and emerging electronics sectors, establishing it as the indispensable workhorse material for conductive interfaces where performance consistency and process reliability are paramount. Its physical characteristics, including spherical particle shape, narrow size distribution (typically 0.5-10 microns), and high tap density, are engineered to ensure uniform dispersion in paste formulations and robust post-firing conductivity. INSIGHTS BY FORM The global silver powder market by form is categorized into micron-scale, submicron, and nanoparticles. The nanoparticles segment shows significant growth, with the fastest-growing CAGR of 5.40% during the forecast period. Silver nanoparticles, with particle sizes below 100 nm (typically 10-80 nm), represent the most advanced segment of the silver powder market, delivering quantum-scale properties that redefine material performance. At this scale, quantum effects yield low sintering temperatures (120-200C), quantum tunneling conductivity, enhanced catalytic activity, and distinct optical behavior, enabling applications unattainable with larger particles. Though currently lower in volume share, silver nanoparticles show the fastest growth rate, driven by their essential role in printed and flexible electronics. They enable direct-write circuit printing on substrates like PET, polyimide, and paper, and are key to transparent electrodes in foldable OLEDs and touch sensors, offering an alternative to indium tin oxide. As markets advance toward flexible hybrid electronics, point-of-care devices, and quantum displays, silver nanoparticles evolve from niche material to core innovation platform, driving the next wave of transformation in electronics, healthcare, and energy systems. INSIGHTS BY END-USER Based on the end-user, in 2024, the electronics & electricals segment accounted for the largest global silver powder market share. Silver powder serves as the foundational conductive material enabling modern electronics, forming critical pathways in semiconductor packaging, printed circuit boards, and passive components. Its unparalleled electrical conductivity, oxidation resistance, and thermal stability make it indispensable for creating reliable interconnects in increasingly miniaturized and high-frequency devices. This segment consumes the majority of global silver powder production, driven by relentless innovation across consumer electronics, computing infrastructure, and telecommunications equipment. As digital transformation intensifies across industries and next-generation connectivity standards emerge, silver powder remains irreplaceable for electrical performance and miniaturization requirements, cementing electronics as the dominant and fastest-evolving application segment with sustained high-single-digit annual growth. KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED: How big is the global silver powder market? What is the growth rate of the global silver powder market? What are the key drivers of the global silver powder market? Which product type has the largest share in the global silver powder market? Which region dominates the global silver powder market? Which form provides more business opportunities in the global silver powder market? Who are the major players in the global silver powder market? SILVER POWDER MARKET TRENDS Miniaturization in Electronics: Rising demand for ultrafine silver powders is driven by compact, high-performance electronics like smartphones and wearables. Rising Deployment of Advanced Solar PV Technologies: High-purity silver powders are increasingly used in next-gen solar cells like PERC and HIT, supported by global renewable energy expansion. Growing Printed & Flexible Electronics: Flexible and printed electronics fuel demand for conductive silver inks in applications like smart wearables and RFID tags. 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing: Silver powders are gaining traction in 3D printing for precise, conductive, and biocompatible components in aerospace, electronics, and dental fields. SILVER POWDER MARKET DRIVERS Increase in Demand from Electronics Sector: Silver's superior conductivity and miniaturization capabilities are driving its extensive use in modern electronics and IoT systems. Growth in Medical Industry: Silver powders are in high demand for antimicrobial medical products such as wound dressings, surgical tools, and diagnostic devices. Expansion of Renewable Energy Infrastructure: Silver is crucial for solar PV cells and clean energy tech, with global renewable energy growth boosting demand for high-purity powders. Expanding EV & Automotive Electronics: The shift to EVs and advanced automotive electronics is increasing the use of silver powders in battery systems and sensor technologies. KEY TAKEAWAYS By Product Type: The fine silver powder segment holds the largest market share of over 39%. By Form: The nanoparticles segment shows the highest growth of 5.40% during the forecast period. By End-User: In 2024, the electronics & electricals segment accounted for the largest market share. By Geography: The APAC region dominates and holds the largest market share of over 47% and shows the highest growth. Growth Factor: The global silver powder market is set to grow due to the increase in demand from the electronics sector and growth in the medical industry. SILVER POWDER MARKET VENDOR LANDSCAPE Key Vendors Heraeus DOWA Electronics Materials Johnson Matthey Mitsui Mining & Smelting Metalor Ames Goldsmith Other Prominent Vendors American Elements AUTO FIBRE CRAFT SHOEI CHEMICAL FUKUDA Technic MEPCO (The Metal Powder Company Limited) Cermet Materials KAKEN TECH Chang Sung Corporation Nanoshel Novarials Nippon Atomized Metal Powders Corporation Safina Materials Thermo Fisher Scientific A3DM Technologies Ronald Britton Stanford Advanced Materials Shin Nihon Kkain Tokuriki Honten SEGMENTATION & FORECASTS By Product Type Fine Silver Powder Flake Silver Powder Ultrafine Silver Powder Others By Form Micron Scale Submicron Nanoparticles By End-User Electronics & Electrical Energy Industrial Manufacturing Automotive Healthcare Others By Geography APAC China Japan South Korea India North America US Canada Europe Germany France UK Italy Spain Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa Turkey UAE Saudi Arabia For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6w8xj About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. INVL Baltic Real Estate (hereinafter the Company) informs that under the provision of the Law on Collective Investment Undertakings of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter CIU), the Company operating under the CIU is under an obligation to have a valid prospectus (hereinafter the Prospectus) prepared in accordance with the requirements of the CIU or of the Law on Securities of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter LS). In order to meet the above-mentioned requirement, in September 2019 the Company's management company INVL Asset Management, UAB (hereinafter - the Management company) prepared a Prospectus in compliance with CIU. Considering that at the time of publication of the information there are no grounds that the Company should prepare and own a prospectus complying with the requirements of the LS, on 24 September 2025, the Management company of the Company approved the updated version of the Prospectus and approved its publication. The Prospectus was submitted to the Bank of Lithuania in accordance with the CIU. The person authorized to provide additional information: Real Estate Fund Manager of Management Company Vytautas Baksinskas E-mail vytautas.baksinskas@invl.com Attachment NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greystone, a leading national commercial real estate finance company, has provided a $19,309,700 HUD-insured loan for the acquisition of a 238-bed healthcare facility in North Carolina. The financing, originated by Ryan Harkins, Director at Greystone, along with Christopher Clare, David Young, Ben Rubin, Parker Nielsen, and Liam Gallagher, enabled the client to achieve enhanced leverage in the transaction. Although HUD acquisition financing is rarely utilized in the industry due to its complexity, Greystone successfully executed the structure to meet the clients strategic objectives. Located in central North Carolina, the facility plays a key role in providing care services to the local and surrounding communities. This transaction exemplifies how Greystones FHA platform supports healthcare investors by offering stability through HUD financing, said Mr. Harkins. We are proud to assist our clients in navigating acquisitions and optimizing operations with the backing of long-term, government-insured debt. About Greystone Greystone is a private national commercial real estate finance company with an established reputation as a leader in multifamily and healthcare finance, having ranked as a top FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac lender in these sectors. Loans are offered through Greystone Servicing Company LLC, Greystone Funding Company LLC and/or other Greystone affiliates. For more information, visit www.greystone.com. PRESS CONTACT: Fran Del Valle Influence Consulting Group for Greystone fran@influencecentral.com TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc. (PharmAla or the Company) (CSE: MDMA) (OTC:MDXXF), a biotechnology company focused on the research, development, and manufacturing of novel MDXX class molecules (including its LaNeo MDMA), is pleased to announce that it has signed a distribution agreement with Veridion Group (Veridion) of New Zealand, to act as exclusive distribution agent for its LaNeo MDMA in the Netherlands market. With the approval of the first Authorized Prescriber for Psilocybin by Medsafe the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority we immediately saw a number of eminent clinicians express a desire to do the same for MDMA, said Nick Kadysh, CEO, PharmAla Biotech. Were incredibly pleased to have partnered with Veridion to act as our exclusive distributor for New Zealand. Veridion has the expertise we look for in a partner: executing complex operations with controlled pharmaceuticals, and working with doctors to provide exceptional care. Kia ora! The distribution agreement includes an annual purchase minimum (waived for the first year), as well as restrictions on re-export. PharmAla anticipates shipping to New Zealand from existing inventory allocated for its Australian operations. This partnership with PharmAla is a natural fit. Veridion has built its reputation on handling complex, highly regulated medicines, and PharmAla brings both the science and the track record to match, said Courtney Letica, CEO, Veridion Group. Together, we can give New Zealand clinicians confidence that when MDMA treatments become available, access will be safe, controlled, and delivered to the highest standard. For more information, please visit www.PharmAla.ca , where you can sign up to receive regular new updates. Appointment of Dr. Kiyan Afzali as Director for PharmAla Australia PharmAla is furthermore pleased to appoint Dr. Kiyan Afzali to the board of PharmAla Biotech Australia Pty Ltd. (PharmAla Australia). Dr. Afzali is a scientific consultant with nearly a decade of experience in leading impactful translational research through broad expertise in medicine, pharmacology, and drug discovery, and a specialisation in quantitative pharmacodynamics. He earned his PhD from The University of Sydney, where he developed small drug-like molecules as the first potential medicines targeting the receptor for oxytocin, also known as the love hormone or social neuropeptide, to treat some of the largest contributors to the global burden of disease, including neuropsychiatric disorders, cardiometabolic disease, pain, and inflammation. His works have led and instrumentally contributed to significant written compositions, licensed patents, awards, a total of $282m in private investment, and the establishment and maturation of the biotechnology company Kinoxis Therapeutics, including a strategic partnership with the major international pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. Were pleased to welcome Dr. Afzali to the team, and look forward to consulting with him on our research and development efforts in Australia, said Dr. Harpreet Kaur, VP of Research, PharmAla Biotech. We believe his exceptional expertise in our field of study as well as his proven track record of commercial success will help us continue developing PharmAla into the best drug developer of MDMA-like molecules in the world. Dr. Afzalis appointment is effective October 1, 2025. About PharmAla PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc. (CSE: MDMA)(OTCQB: MDXXF) is a biotechnology company focused on the research, development, and manufacturing of MDXX class molecules, including MDMA. PharmAla was founded with a dual focus: alleviating the global backlog of generic, clinical-grade MDMA to enable clinical trials as well as commercial sales in selected jurisdictions, and to develop novel drugs in the same class. PharmAla is the only company currently provisioning clinical-grade MDMA for patient treatments outside of clinical trials. PharmAlas research and development unit has completed proof-of-concept research into several IP families, including ALA-002, its lead drug candidate. PharmAla is a regulatory first organization, formed under the principle that true success in the psychedelics industry will only be achieved through excellent relationships with regulators. For more information, please contact: Nicholas Kadysh Chief Executive Officer PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc. Email: press@PharmAla.ca Phone: 1-855-444-6362 Website: www.PharmAla.ca Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words could, intend, expect, believe, will, projected, estimated and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on PharmAlas current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by PharmAla at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and PharmAla is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption Risk Factors in PharmAlas managements discussion and analysis which is available on PharmAlas profile at www.sedar.com. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state, province, territory or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state, province, territory or jurisdiction. HANGZHOU, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Global experts on Wednesday convened in Hangzhou in east China to explore how oasis biosphere reserves can advance sustainable development in arid regions. The event, "Oasis Biosphere Reserves Empower the Sustainable Development in Arid Lands," was held as a side session of the fifth World Congress of Biosphere Reserves (WCBR), which is taking place from Sept. 22 to 25. Zhang Yuanming, director of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said that arid lands play a crucial role in the global ecosystem yet remain among the most fragile lands, facing serious threats from climate change. He emphasized that oases serve as vital lifelines for sustainable development in these regions. "We organize this event to establish an international platform for dialogue, advance open science, facilitate data sharing, and strengthen policy coordination in biodiversity conservation, ecological security and sustainable development for arid areas," Zhang said. Antonio Abreu, secretary of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, noted that oases represent more than just landscapes -- they are symbols of life, resilience and human ingenuity. In arid lands, oasis biosphere reserves can serve as beacons of hope. They offer inspiring examples of sustainable water management, turning scarcity into resilience, and fostering economies grounded in ecological balance and cultural heritage, he said. Abreu also commended the leadership demonstrated by countries including China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which shows how local knowledge combined with international cooperation can yield solutions with global relevance. Wang Ding, secretary-general of China's MAB National Committee, emphasized the heightened urgency of protecting oasis biospheres. "Given the dual pressures of a changing global environment and increasing human activities, securing sustainable development in arid regions is more critical than ever," he said. During the event, XIEG unveiled its latest research achievement: a comprehensive global oasis distribution and cataloging system. "For the first time globally, we have completed a detailed global oasis catalog, accurately identified all oases and released corresponding datasets. This will allow the tracking of dynamic processes such as oasis expansion and contraction, offering a quantitative basis for the assessment of ecosystem health," said Gui Dongwei, a researcher at the institute. Two new initiatives -- the Oasis Biosphere Reserve Initiative and the Arid Land Biosphere Reserve Network -- were also released at the event. "The launch of initiatives reflects the determination of our community to move from ideas to action, allowing us to share experiences, scale up innovations, and strengthen solidarity across countries and regions," Abreu said. Liu Weidong, director of the Bureau of International Cooperation at CAS, expressed CAS' commitment to collaborating with global partners to enhance scientific support, boost joint research, promote technology sharing, improve management efficiency and expand cooperation networks. "We will encourage the creation of multi-stakeholder alliances involving research institutes, reserve management bodies, NGOs and enterprises to jointly tackle cross-regional and interdisciplinary ecological challenges," Liu said. UNESCO launched the MAB Programme in 1971 to foster the sustainable management of natural resources through human-nature interaction. Every 10 years or so, UNESCO convenes the WCBR to evaluate progress, share experience, and set priorities and targets for the MAB Programme. The ongoing fifth WCBR marks the first time the event has been hosted in Asia, attracting around 4,000 participants from more than 150 countries and regions. Under the initiative and decision of the Board of LITGRID AB (company code 302564383, registered office address: Karlo Gustavo Emilio Manerheimo g. 8, LT-05131, Vilnius) (LITGRID, the Company), the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of LITGRID is convened at the Companys registered office (address: Karlo Gustavo Emilio Manerheimo g. 8, LT-05131, Vilnius, hall No. 229) on 17 October 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The agenda of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of LITGRID: 1) Regarding the approval of the decision of the Board of LITGRID AB of 2025-09-25 to conclude a humanitarian aid provision agreement The beginning of the shareholders' registration: at 9:30 a.m., on 17 October 2025. The end of the shareholders' registration: at 9:55 a.m., on 17 October 2025. The record date of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders: 10 October 2025. The right of participation and voting at the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders can be exercised only by the persons who remain shareholders of LITGRID by the end of the record date of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders. A person participating at the General Meeting of Shareholders and entitled to vote must provide a document confirming the persons identity. A person who is not a shareholder shall, in addition to the afore-mentioned document, provide a document confirming his/her right to vote at the General Meeting of Shareholder. Participation and voting at the General Meeting of Shareholders by electronic means shall not be possible. On 25 September 2025, the Board of LITGRID AB approved the agenda of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders and the draft decisions of the Meeting: 1) Regarding the approval of the decision of the Board of LITGRID AB of 2025-09-25 to conclude a humanitarian aid provision agreement The draft decision: 1.1. To approve the Decision of 25 September 2025 of the Board of LITGRID AB to conclude the humanitarian aid provision agreement with the company authorised by the Cabinet of the Ministers of Ukraine to receive humanitarian aid, and to approve the essential terms of the humanitarian aid agreement as follows: 1.1.1. The subject-matter of the agreement Humanitarian aid to the energy sector of Ukraine by providing the assets owned by the Company, the carrying amount of which is equal to EUR 0,87. 1.1.2. The parties to the agreement LITGRID AB and the company authorised by the Cabinet of the Ministers of Ukraine to receive humanitarian aid; 1.1.3. The objective of the use of humanitarian aid the restoration of the facilities of the Ukrainian energy sector that were damaged during the war. 1.2. To authorise the Chief Executive Officer of LITGRID AB (with the right to sub-delegate) to conclude the humanitarian aid agreement under the essential terms of the agreement specified in point 1.1 of this decision and to agree other (non-essential) terms of this agreement. The shareholders may familiarise themselves with the draft resolutions of the General Meeting of Shareholders and other additional materials related to the General Meeting of Shareholders also with the implementation of the shareholders rights at the Central Database of Regulated Information www.crib.lt and on the Companys website www.litgrid.eu. The shareholders of LITGRID, whose shares are entitled to at least 1/20 of the total number of votes, have the right to supplement the agenda for the General Meeting of Shareholders. The proposal to supplement the agenda shall be submitted in writing and sent by registered mail or delivered to the head office of the Company to the address: Karlo Gustavo Emilio Manerheimo g. 8, LT-05131 Vilnius (the Head Office). The draft resolutions on the proposed issues or, when it is not mandatory to adopt resolutions, explanatory notes on each proposed issue of the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders must be presented alongside the proposal. The agenda will be supplemented if the proposal is received not later than by 3 October 2025. The shareholders entitled to at least 1/20 of the total number of votes have the right, at any time before the General Meeting of Shareholders or during the meeting, to propose in writing new draft resolutions on the items put on the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders. Such proposal must be made in writing and submitted to the Company by registered mail or delivered to the Head Office. The proposal submitted during the meeting must be formalized in writing and delivered to the Secretary of the General Meeting of Shareholders. The shareholders have the right to submit questions to the Company regarding the agenda of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 17 October 2025, in advance, but not later than by 14 October 2025. Questions must be formalized in writing and delivered to the Company by registered mail or to the Head Office. The Company will not provide any answer to the question submitted by a shareholder personally to him / her in case relevant information is available on the Companys website www.litgrid.eu. Each shareholder has the right to authorise a natural or legal person to participate and vote on his/her behalf at the General Meeting of Shareholders. The proxy holder of the shareholder have the document confirming the persons identity and the Proxy certified in accordance with the procedure established by the laws, which must be delivered to the Head Office not later than before the end of the registration of the attendees of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders. At the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, the proxy holder has the same rights as would be held by the shareholder represented by him/her. The form of the Proxy for the representation at the General Meeting of Shareholders is available on the website of the Company www.litgrid.eu. On the issues on the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders, the shareholders may vote in writing by filling in a General Ballot Paper. On the shareholders request, the Company, not later than 10 days before the day of the General Meeting of Shareholders, will send a General Ballot Paper by registered mail free of charge or submit it in person against signature to the shareholder. The shareholder or his/her proxy holder must undersign the filled in General Ballot Paper. If the General Ballot Paper is signed by a person who is not a shareholder, a document certifying his / her right to vote must be appended to the filled in Ballot Paper. The duly filled General Ballot Paper must be delivered to the Company by registered mail or submitted against signature at the Head Office not later than before the end of registration of the attendees of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders. The form of the General Ballot Paper is available on the website of the Company www.litgrid.eu. On the day of convocation of the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Shareholders the total number of shares was 504,331,380. All these shares grant a voting right. Information referred to in Article 262 of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania will be available on the website of the Company www.litgrid.eu. Information about the additions to the agenda, as well as resolutions adopted by the general meeting will also be available on the Central Database of Regulated Information www.crib.lt. ANNEXES: General Ballot Paper. Proxy Form. More information: Jurga Eivaite Communications Project Manager +370 613 19977 jurga.eivaite@litgrid.eu must Attachments MENA, Ark., Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nidec Motor Corporation is expanding its existing facility in Mena, Arkansas, with an investment of more than $19 million. With the expansion, Nidec aims to create 35 new jobs over five years. This significant investment in our plant in Mena marks a milestone in our growth as a manufacturer of electric motors. Weve essentially outgrown our facility, and the new space we add will allow us to expand not only our manufacturing capabilities but also our testing labs and to improve the experience for customers who visit the location, said Claudemir dos Santos, Nidec Global ACIM COO and Vice President of Operations for North America and Latin America. The company is planning a 61,000-square-foot expansion to support growth over the coming five years. The new expansion will enable Nidec to add production and increase capacity for its test lab, as well as add a new customer demonstration room for its large-scale motors. Nidec currently operates in a 347,000-square-foot facility that is ISO9001-2016 certified. The company employs approximately 400 workers at its Mena facility. Nidec has been a part of the Mena community for nearly six decades and this latest expansion secures their place in the Natural State for years to come, said Governor Sanders. Since day one, my administration has worked to build an environment where great businesses like Nidec can thrive. This latest announcement shows that our strategy of lowering taxes, cutting excessive regulations, and investing in our workforce is working, and that theres no better place to do business than Arkansas. Nidec has operated in Mena since 1966, producing the U.S. MOTORS brand stock and custom electric motors. The Mena facility specializes in the manufacture of large vertical and horizontal motors, particularly for motors used for movement of liquids, including for the oil and natural gas industries and water/wastewater. U.S. MOTORS is one of the trusted brands that are part of Nidec's Appliance, Commercial and Industrial Motors (ACIM) organization. With its latest investment, Nidec is expanding its operations in Mena, Arkansas, and growing its workforce in the community, said Clint ONeal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Since the 1960s, Nidec has been a key part of Menas business community, manufacturing large-scale motors. This investment is a testament to the business-friendly environment in Mena and Arkansas and we congratulate the leadership at Nidec and in Mena on this milestone. The AEDC team recently visited Nidecs corporate headquarters in Kyoto, Japan, as part of a business development mission. During the visit, AEDC officials and Nidec executives had a positive discussion about the expansion and ongoing operations in Arkansas. Nidecs decision to expand in Mena is a big win for our community, said Mena Mayor Seth Smith. It shows their trust in the hardworking people of Polk County and their belief in the future of our city. With the support of AEDC, were excited about the new jobs and opportunities this project will create for our families. Construction work on the expansion began in Q2 of 2025 and is expected to be completed in Q2 of 2027. Nidec will be hiring for a range of positions, including machine operators. To learn more or apply for positions, visit https://acim.nidec.com/motors/usmotors/About-Us/Careers. View and download event photos here. About Nidec Corporation Nidec Corporation is the world's No.1 comprehensive motor manufacturer. Based in Kyoto, Japan, Nidec Corporation offers motors ranging from micro-size to super large, as well as application products and services in IT, automation, home appliances, automobiles, commercial and industrial systems, environmental, energy, and many other businesses. Nidec is comprised of approximately 340 companies employing more than 110,000 people all over the world. Nidec.com About Nidec ACIM Nidec Appliance, Commercial and Industrial Motors (ACIM) is a Business Unit of the Appliance and Automotive Division (AAD) composed of two Platforms: Global Appliance (GA) and Commercial & Industrial (C&I). ACIM is one of the largest Business Units in terms of sales inside Nidec Group, with approximately 18,000 employees and more than 30 manufacturing sites in 25 countries. ACIM offers a product portfolio such as compressors, condensing units, and motors for home and commercial appliances, as well as motors and electronic drives for commercial, residential, industrial, and utilities applications. This comprehensive set of solutions is characterized by high standards of quality and energy efficiency that delivers innovation at the service of sustainability. https://acim.nidec.com/en-US/motors About the Arkansas Economic Development Commission At AEDC, we know economic advancement doesnt happen by accident. We work strategically with businesses and communities to create strong opportunities, making Arkansas the natural choice for success. AEDC is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. To learn more, visit ArkansasEDC.com. Media Contact Tyler Hale Tyler.hale@arkansasedc.com 501-410-7883 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1fdd48ed-69cb-4848-a0be-e045a1d19ec6 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW Luxembourg 25 September 2025 - Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Brs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY, the Company) today announced that, at the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on 25 September 2025, the purpose of which was to approve the proposed combination between Subsea7 and Saipem all resolutions were approved. As well as the approval of the proposed combination between Subsea7 and Saipem, shareholders approved the payment of both proposed dividends: (i) a dividend in the amount of 450 million, equating to approximately NOK 18.00 per share in accordance with the terms of the merger with Saipem, conditional on completion of the merger and expected to be paid immediately before the proposed merger effective date; and (ii) a special dividend of 105 million, equating to approximately NOK 4.15 per share. This distribution is related to a permitted business divestment in accordance with the merger agreement with Saipem. The distribution is expected to be paid after closing of the relevant transaction or (if earlier) immediately before the proposed merger effective date. The key dates relating to both proposed dividends shall be published as soon as these dates are fixed. The minutes of the extraordinary general meeting which detail the resolutions passed and the result of the votes cast in relation to each resolution are attached hereto. The minutes can also be found on the Companys website. ******************************************************************************* Subsea7 is a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the evolving energy industry, creating sustainable value by being the industrys partner and employer of choice in delivering the efficient offshore solutions the world needs. Subsea7 is listed on the Oslo Brs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62. ******************************************************************************* Contact for investment community enquiries: Katherine Tonks Investor Relations Director Tel +44 20 8210 5568 ir@subsea7.com No Offer or Solicitation This document is not an offer of merger consideration shares in the United States. Neither the merger consideration shares nor any other securities have been or will be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and neither the merger considerations shares nor any other securities may be offered, sold or delivered within or into the United States, except pursuant to a registration statement filed pursuant to the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from registration or in a transaction otherwise not subject to the Securities Act. This document must not be forwarded, distributed or sent, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States. This document does not constitute an offer of or an invitation by or on behalf of, Saipem or Subsea7, or any other person, to purchase any securities. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange release was published by Katherine Tonks, Investor Relations, Subsea7, on 25 September 2025 at 16:00 CET Attachments New York, NY, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NovaQuant Agency today announced the launch of the NQA Token, a comprehensive initiative that integrates advanced artificial intelligence with blockchain infrastructure to deliver automated investment intelligence, transparent fund flows, and cross-sector applications in education and philanthropy. Built upon years of quantitative research and a proprietary AlphaSynth System, the NQA Token project seeks to bring institutional-grade analytics and auditable on-chain transparency to a broad global audience. Financial markets, education and social impact dont need to operate in separate silos, said Adrian Wolfe, CEO of NovaQuant Agency. NQA Token and the AlphaSynth System are designed to combine precision investing with verifiable social value empowering investors, learners and donors through technology. From Quant Research to an Integrated Fintech Ecosystem Founded in 2016 with quantitative roots tracing to 2015, NovaQuant Agency has spent the past decade developing algorithmic trading systems and educational programs that bridge theory and market practice. The NQA Token represents the next stage of that evolution: a tokenized ecosystem where AI-driven investment signals, decentralized record-keeping, and incentives for education and philanthropy operate together. NovaQuant positions itself not only as a financial services provider, but as a research-driven laboratory for intelligent trading technologies an organization focused on continuously refining models, expanding application scenarios, and aligning commercial success with measurable social outcomes. AlphaSynth: The Engine Behind NQA Token At the core of the NQA ecosystem is the AlphaSynth System, a suite of AI models and analytics tools that combine machine learning, deep learning and natural-language processing to analyze global market data in real time. According to NovaQuant, AlphaSynth is capable of: - High-frequency signal generation monitoring multiple asset classes simultaneously and producing execution-ready trading signals in millisecond windows. monitoring multiple asset classes simultaneously and producing execution-ready trading signals in millisecond windows. - Cross-asset analysis detecting correlations and subtle patterns across equities, commodities, forex and digital assets. detecting correlations and subtle patterns across equities, commodities, forex and digital assets. - Behavioral-agnostic trading reducing human emotional bias by automating decision logic based on statistical and model-driven triggers. NovaQuant reports that AlphaSynths ensemble models have demonstrated very high predictive accuracy in backtests and live-simulated runs, with signal precision routinely exceeding company benchmarks. Complementing AlphaSynth is Robovis, a visualization and portfolio-optimization tool that helps both retail and institutional users translate data-driven insights into actionable asset allocation decisions. Blockchain-Enabled Transparency and Security The NQA Token is issued on a decentralized ledger designed for auditability and tamper-proof record keeping. NovaQuant describes the blockchain layer as providing: - Transparent transaction trails , enabling investors and auditors to track fund flows and verify allocations in real time. , enabling investors and auditors to track fund flows and verify allocations in real time. - Immutable academic and credential records , facilitating tamper-resistant verification for courses and certifications. , facilitating tamper-resistant verification for courses and certifications. - On-chain philanthropy, where tokenized donations and disbursements can be followed end-to-end to ensure funds reach intended beneficiaries. Security is treated as a design imperative: the platform incorporates encrypted storage, access controls and operational safeguards to protect user data and assets. NovaQuant also emphasizes a governance approach that combines automated smart contracts with human oversight to balance efficiency with accountability. Cross-Sector Impact: Education and Philanthropy Built In A distinguishing feature of the NQA Token project is its explicit cross-sector mission. NovaQuant aims to deploy blockchain not only for financial transactions but also to enhance educational access and philanthropic transparency: - Education : Students who complete NovaQuants courses and training modules are eligible to earn token rewards, creating financial incentives for skill development. Academic records and certificates are issued on-chain, reducing fraud and enabling straightforward verification by employers or partner institutions. : Students who complete NovaQuants courses and training modules are eligible to earn token rewards, creating financial incentives for skill development. Academic records and certificates are issued on-chain, reducing fraud and enabling straightforward verification by employers or partner institutions. - Philanthropy: NovaQuant has allocated 10% of the token supply to charitable initiatives. Donors and token holders alike can trace the disposition of those funds through the ledger, increasing public trust and encouraging broader participation in social programs. This dual focus aligning wealth generation with social contribution is central to NovaQuants stated mission of wealth growth and social contribution through AI and blockchain. Core Platform Features and Use Cases The NQA project bundles a number of features designed for broad applicability across investor types and institutional partners: - Intelligent automation for dynamic markets : AlphaSynth continuously monitors market conditions and issues intelligent alerts and trade signals, enabling rapid responses to volatility. NovaQuant points to live-simulated scenarios where the system identified early inflection points and generated protective or opportunistic signals accordingly. : AlphaSynth continuously monitors market conditions and issues intelligent alerts and trade signals, enabling rapid responses to volatility. NovaQuant points to live-simulated scenarios where the system identified early inflection points and generated protective or opportunistic signals accordingly. - Decentralized applications (DApps) : The platform supports DApps for identity verification, portfolio tracking, asset management and other services that can be built by third-party developers to serve users needs within the NQA ecosystem. : The platform supports DApps for identity verification, portfolio tracking, asset management and other services that can be built by third-party developers to serve users needs within the NQA ecosystem. - Tokenized incentives for learning and participation : By awarding tokens to learners and contributors, NovaQuant aims to stimulate active engagement in education programs and community initiatives. : By awarding tokens to learners and contributors, NovaQuant aims to stimulate active engagement in education programs and community initiatives. - High-performance and scalable architecture: The technical stack leverages sharding, sidechain techniques and layered architecture to support high throughput and future scalability needs, while enabling cross-chain interoperability with mainstream blockchains to facilitate asset mobility. Governance, Trust and Compliance Trust and credible governance are presented as core pillars. NovaQuant reports plans for: - Transparent audit reporting , including periodic operational disclosures and financial summaries for stakeholders. , including periodic operational disclosures and financial summaries for stakeholders. - Smart-contract auditing and third-party technical reviews to ensure correctness and security of automated processes. and third-party technical reviews to ensure correctness and security of automated processes. - Compliance engagement, by participating in industry dialogues and aligning platform operations with regulatory expectations in the markets where it operates. NovaQuant further underscores the role of its leadership and advisory network in maintaining strong governance. The agencys senior team led by CEO Adrian Wolfe and senior mentors Logan Pierce and Elias Carter brings decades of trading, risk management and research experience to the project. Leadership and Team NovaQuant emphasizes an experienced leadership core as a driving force behind the NQA roadmap. CEO Adrian Wolfe described in company materials as a veteran quant and educator is credited with founding the NovaQuant research network and guiding the development of AI trading agents. Senior mentors and domain experts contribute strategy and hands-on mentorship across trading, product development and education programs. NovaQuant's public materials present a profile of a team blending quantitative research, engineering, and educational design a composition intended to support both technical innovation and broad user adoption. Roadmap: From Platform Optimization to Global Impact The NQA Token roadmap lays out a phased plan for growth and capability rollout: - Short-term (12 years) : Optimize core platform performance and the user interface; expand beta testing for AlphaSynth simulated trading; launch mobile access to broaden usability. : Optimize core platform performance and the user interface; expand beta testing for AlphaSynth simulated trading; launch mobile access to broaden usability. - Medium-term (25 years) : Localize services for key global markets, deepen research into AI-driven market models, and establish structured education programs and talent incubation channels to nurture fintech practitioners. : Localize services for key global markets, deepen research into AI-driven market models, and establish structured education programs and talent incubation channels to nurture fintech practitioners. - Long-term (5+ years): Evolve into a comprehensive ecosystem combining trading infrastructure, education services and social impact initiatives; support industry standardization and sustainability objectives; scale to serve millions of global users. NovaQuant states its ambition to combine market adoption with measurable social outcomes, aiming to publish recurring progress reports and social-impact metrics as the ecosystem grows. Early Use Cases and User Stories NovaQuants materials include illustrative user stories intended to demonstrate practical outcomes: a retail investor in Hong Kong reportedly used AlphaSynth analytics to refine a cryptocurrency portfolio earlier in 2025 and achieved strong performance relative to a baseline; a student from Africa who participated in an education program earned token rewards that helped secure an internship opportunity. While presented as examples rather than audited case studies, such stories underscore the projects intended real-world relevance. How to Participate NovaQuant Agency invites investors, educators, developers and social-impact organizations to explore the NQA Token ecosystem. Interested parties can access simulated trading, educational modules, and developer resources through the projects online portal. For more information, visit www.nqacoin.com. About NovaQuant Agency NovaQuant Agency is a Wall Streetbased fintech research and education organization focused on AI-driven investment systems and blockchain applications. Since its quantitative inception in 2015 and formal establishment in 2016, the agency has pursued the integration of algorithmic research, educational programs and tokenized incentives to create transparent, scalable and socially-conscious financial technology solutions. Media Contact Company Name: NovaQuant Agency Contact: Peregrine Croft Email: supportteam@nqacoin.com Website: www.nqacoin.com Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of capital. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. Supported by leading partners, Trust Moon is designed to help ambitious projects launch and scale, while giving users early access to tomorrows biggest opportunities. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trust Wallet , the worlds leading self-custody Web3 wallet with over 210 million users, today announced the launch of Trust Moon , a Web3 accelerator designed to help ambitious projects launch, scale, and access the broader Binance ecosystem and beyond. Supported by leading partners including Binance, YZi Labs, BNB Chain, Polygon, MoonPay, AWS and more, Trust Moon provides builders with unmatched growth opportunities, resources, and mentorship, while offering users and TWT holders early access and participation benefits. Empowering Builders at Every Stage Trust Moon is open to projects at all stages, from early ideas to scaling ventures. Selected projects gain: Access to 210M+ Trust Wallet users and distribution opportunities across Trust Wallets platform, social channels, and community networks. and distribution opportunities across Trust Wallets platform, social channels, and community networks. End-to-end growth activation through Launchpool, Quest, marketing campaigns, co-marketing initiatives, and direct user acquisition. through Launchpool, Quest, marketing campaigns, co-marketing initiatives, and direct user acquisition. Funding opportunities through YZi Labs and other venture capital partners. through YZi Labs and other venture capital partners. Mentorship and support from a network of partners covering strategy, growth, infrastructure, community, and more. By integrating with the Binance ecosystem, Trust Moon projects may also gain visibility and support across Binance (via Binance Alpha), BNB Chain, and related programs. Including opportunities for funding from YZi (Binance) Labs, listing, and participation in the Most Valuable Builder (MVB) program. Early Access and Rewards for Users Trust Moon gives Trust Wallet users and TWT holders a front-row seat to the next wave of Web3 innovation: Early access to new dApps, tokens, and project launches. to new dApps, tokens, and project launches. Exclusive rewards through Launchpool, Quest, airdrops, and trading incentives. through Launchpool, Quest, airdrops, and trading incentives. TWT holder benefits including tiered loyalty perks, fee discounts, and priority participation. including tiered loyalty perks, fee discounts, and priority participation. Community engagement via Trust Squad, giving users a direct role in shaping new projects while gaining hands-on Web3 experience. What Makes Trust Moon Different Most accelerators tie builders to a single ecosystem. Trust Moon is designed as a collective accelerator, giving projects access to a broad network of partners and resources. It helps projects bootstrap from every angle, combining infrastructure, user distribution, funding opportunities, and mentorship, while providing exposure to one of the largest Web3 user bases in the world. As at September 25th, 2025, Trust Moon partners are: Binance, BNB Chain, YZi Labs, AWS, Moonpay, Polygon, Kiln, Cointelegraph Accelerator, BeInCrypto, ChainGPT Labs, MarketAcross, Blockbuilders, 50 Partners, Scrib3 and Tailored. Each partner contributes unique expertise, resources, and benefits that will accelerate chosen projects growth. Trust Moon transforms Trust Wallets reach into a launchpad for Web3 builders and communities, said Eowyn Chen, CEO of Trust Wallet. By connecting innovative projects with users, partners, and resources, were helping accelerate growth and adoption across the entire Web3 ecosystem, while giving users early access to the next generation of projects. Weve already seen how exposure to our 210M+ users can drive real growth, helping projects scale faster and reach global audiences. Proven Impact: Meet the First Moon Alumni Even before launch, Trust Moon has already accelerated a select group of early projects. These Moon Alumni gained: Onchain activity, user growth & engagement powered by integrations and campaigns Brand exposure through in-wallet placements and partner channels Listings & ecosystem recognition that elevated their trajectory Trust Moon is here to take that momentum to the next level. Applications Now Open Trust Moon is accepting applications from builders across multiple categories, including; DeFi & Trading, Payments & Stablecoins, Gaming & SocialFi, Infrastructure, AI x Web3, and Blockchains. Projects are evaluated based on innovation, scalability, team expertise, sustainable business models, and robust tokenomics. Apply with your project HERE Partner with Trust Moon, fill in this FORM About Trust Wallet Trust Wallet is the secure, self-custody Web3 wallet and gateway for people who want to fully own, control, and leverage the power of their digital assets. From beginners to experienced users, Trust Wallet makes it easier, safer, and convenient for millions of people around the world to experience Web3, access dApps securely, store and manage their crypto and NFTs, as well as buy, sell, and stake crypto to earn rewards all in one place and without limits. For media enquiries, contact: press@trustwallet.com Disclaimer: This content is provided by Trust Wallet. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. 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Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d90a4ab2-a313-4557-b592-0320fda68185 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ef874514-585d-44b2-9415-30742da57ba3 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eca045ef-0a0e-4774-ba06-87cb82f339bd Highlights: US$24 million financing through the sale of a Royalty to Appian Capital Advisory Limited, supporting the advancement of the Goldboro Gold Project in Nova Scotia. Summary details of the Royalty include: US$24 million upfront payment in cash; 2.9% of net smelter returns revenue of all minerals produced on the Goldboro Gold Project up until a threshold of 1.25mm oz of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, after which time the Royalty is only payable on gold; Option, solely at the discretion of the Company, to buy back 1.9% of the Royalty, subject to certain timing and payment thresholds being met; and Use of Royalty to pay off Nebari US$12 million debt facility and buy back 0.6% NSR held by Nebari, deleveraging NexGold from all debt and providing a clean balance sheet to advance the Company. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close towards the end of September 2025. Non-Binding Letter of Intent with Appian, with significant due diligence already completed, for a Senior Secured Credit Facility of up to US$175 million for the development and construction of the Goldboro Gold Project. TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NexGold Mining Corp. (TSXV: NEXG; OTCQX: NXGCF) (NexGold or the Company) is pleased to announce that, on September 24, 2025, it entered into a royalty agreement with an affiliate of Appian Capital Advisory Limited (Appian) in relation to the Companys 100% owned Goldboro gold project (the Project). Under the terms of the agreement, Appian will pay Goldboro Gold Mines Inc. (the subsidiary of NexGold holding title to the Project) (GGM) consideration of US$24 million for a 2.9% net smelter returns royalty (the Royalty) covering all minerals produced from the Project up until 1,250,000 ounces of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, and thereafter only covering gold, for the life of the Project. Further details are set out below under Royalty Transaction Details. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions (including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV)) and is expected to close towards the end of September 2025. Additionally, the Company has signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with Appian for a senior secured credit facility of up to US$175 million from certain funds advised by Appian for the development and construction of the Companys 100% owned Goldboro Gold Project. Kevin Bullock, President & CEO of NexGold, commented: We are excited to announce this strategic partnership with Appian, a leading investor in metals and mining with a track record of identifying and supporting the development of high-quality assets. Appian has undertaken an extensive due diligence process on the Goldboro Gold Project and this royalty financing provides NexGold with important non-dilutive capital to help advance Goldboro towards construction, as well as deleveraging the balance sheet. The structure of the agreement allows us to retain future flexibility, including the option to buy back a significant portion of the Royalty and pursue future financings when necessary. We are also pleased to have signed an LOI to work towards project financing with Appian, which will assist in taking Goldboro through construction and into operations. Royalty Transaction Details The Company, GGM and Appian have entered into a binding royalty agreement, subject to certain closing conditions (including the approval of the TSXV), for a purchase price of US$24 million. In exchange for the purchase price, GGM will issue to Appian the Royalty on all minerals produced from the Property up until 1,250,000 ounces of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, and thereafter only on gold, for the life of the Project. This transaction secures for the Company a less dilutive source of financing, providing sufficient funding to buy back an existing royalty on the Project, buy back certain debt, and help advance the Project through project development activities towards project financing and a construction decision while maintaining the robust economics of the Project. In connection with the transaction, the Company agreed to grant Appian security over all present and after-acquired property of GGM, including the Project and the shares of the entities that own directly or indirectly the Project to secure the Royalty obligations. The Royalty will also be guaranteed by the Company and certain of its subsidiaries. The security and guarantees will be released if the buyback (as discussed below) occurs. Buyback GGM will have a right at its sole discretion to repurchase a portion of the Royalty (effectively bringing the Royalty down to 1.0% of net smelter returns), subject to certain timing and payment thresholds being met. Minimum Payments Prior to commercial production being achieved at the Project, certain minimum payments will be implemented if construction of the Companys Goliath Gold Complex project in Ontario (the Goliath Project) is also started or started in advance of the Project. No minimum payments are payable if the Goliath Project does not begin construction prior to the Project achieving commercial production. Participation Right For a period of three years from the transaction closing date, Appian has a right to negotiate its participation for up to 50% of any project financing with respect to the construction of the Project. In addition, during this three-year period, if GGM wishes to solicit offers for a stream or grant an additional royalty interest on the Project, Appian will have the first right to offer to purchase the stream or additional royalty interest, which offer may be accepted or denied by GGM. Closing The transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including the approval of the TSXV. The Company expects the transaction to close towards the end of September 2025. Project Financing The Company, GGM and Appian have entered into the LOI to provide for up to US$175 million in senior secured credit for the purposes of the construction and development of the Goldboro Gold Project. The LOI is a non-binding letter of intent, and entry into definitive transaction documents with respect to the project financing contemplated by the LOI is subject to, among other matters, the negotiation and execution of mutually-acceptable definitive transaction documents, and the formal approval of the proposed project financing by the board of each of Appian and the Company. Further, the consummation of the proposed project financing, even if definitive transaction documents are entered into, would be subject to customary closing conditions for transactions of this nature, including any applicable regulatory and TSXV approvals. The LOI does not create any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the Company and Appian for purposes of any law, rule, regulation, agreement or otherwise, and will not until such time as definitive transaction documentation has been approved by the board of directors of each of Appian and the Company and entered into by the parties. There can be no assurance that a definitive transaction will result from the LOI and details of the terms will be disclosed once a definitive agreement is signed. Advisors National Bank Financial acted as Financial Advisor to the Company with respect to the sale of the Royalty. Auramet International acted as Financial Advisor to the Company with respect to the project financing facility. Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP acted as legal advisor to the Company. McCarthy Tetrault LLP acted as legal advisor to Appian. No finder fees are payable in connection with the Royalty. About NexGold Mining Corp. NexGold Mining Corp. is a gold-focused company with assets in Canada and Alaska. NexGolds Goliath Gold Complex (which includes the Goliath, Goldlund and Miller deposits) is located in Northwestern Ontario and its Goldboro Gold Project is located in Nova Scotia. NexGold also owns several other projects throughout Canada, including the Weebigee-Sandy Lake Gold Project JV, and grassroots gold exploration property Gold Rock. In addition, NexGold holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Niblack copper-gold-zinc-silver VMS project, located adjacent to tidewater in southeast Alaska. NexGold is committed to inclusive, informed and meaningful dialogue with regional communities and Indigenous Nations throughout the life of all our Projects and on all aspects, including creating sustainable economic opportunities, providing safe workplaces, enhancing of social value, and promoting community wellbeing. Further details about NexGold, including the Prefeasibility Study for the Goliath Gold Complex and a Feasibility Study for the Goldboro Gold Project, are available under the Companys issuer profile on www.sedarplus.ca and on NexGolds website at www.nexgold.com . Contact: Kevin Bullock President & CEO (647) 388-1842 kbullock@nexgold.com Orin Baranowsky Chief Financial Officer (647) 697-2625 obaranowsky@nexgold.com About Appian Capital Advisory Appian Capital Advisory Ltd is the investment advisor to long-term value-focused private capital funds that invest in companies in metals, mining, and adjacent industries. Appian is a leading investment advisor with global experience across South America, North America, Australia and Africa and a successful track record of supporting companies in metals, mining, and adjacent industries to achieve their development targets, with a global operating portfolio overseeing approximately 6,000 employees. Appian has a global team of 100 experienced investment professionals, combining financial and technical expertise, with presences in London, Abu Dhabi, New York, Dubai, Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Toronto, Lima and Perth. For more information, please visit www.appiancapitaladvisory.com, or find us on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter/X. Contact: Andrew Todd Head of Communications +44 7990416759 atodd@appiancapitaladvisory.com +44 (0)20 7004 0951 / info@appiancapitaladvisory.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking information or forward-looking statements pursuant to applicable laws, including, but not limited to, the completion of the Royalty financing and timing related thereto, use of the proceeds, future financings of the Company, including with respect to the LOI and project financing, and the Companys development activities. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expect, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as expects, anticipates, believes, plans, projects, intends, "estimates, envisages, "potential, "possible, strategy, goals, objectives, or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. NexGold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Since forward-looking information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the satisfaction of the conditions in the royalty agreement; expected timing and receipt of the approval of the TSXV; the anticipated use of proceeds from the transaction; the anticipated timing for closing of the Royalty transaction; the expected timing and completion of the project financing specified in the LOI, including if the due diligence and other investigations required with Appian will be successful such that the project financing is completed; successfully negotiating and entering into a binding agreement with respect to the project financing specified in the LOI; the ability of the Company and Appian to finalize the project financing specified in the LOI on the terms currently contemplated or at all; exploration and production for precious metals; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of resource estimates; health, safety and environmental risks; worldwide demand for gold and base metals; gold price and other commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; incorrect assessment of the value of acquisitions; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws, royalties and environmental regulations. Actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits may be derived therefrom and accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. London, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading regulated digital prime broker GCEX (GCEX Group) has acquired GlobalBlock Europe, a specialist crypto brokerage and asset management firm focused on high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) with over $60 million in client assets. This strategic transaction marks a natural expansion for GCEX from its established OTC, conversion and technology business into a broader digital assets proposition for asset and wealth managers. The partnership combines GCEXs strength in regulated multi-asset trading and deep Tier 1 liquidity provision and GlobalBlocks proven capabilities in wealth management and fintech innovation. Both firms have built a strong reputation around service, security and transparency, and expect to achieve significant synergies across client onboarding, technology integration, and scaling globally. The acquisition leverages GCEXs multi-jurisdictional licenses across the UK (FCA), Denmark (FSA/EU), and Dubai (VARA). Together, operating in line with applicable regulatory requirements, GCEX and GlobalBlock will accelerate client onboarding by combining GCEXs liquidity and regulatory framework with GlobalBlocks proprietary AI-driven fund management technology, and expand products and market reach globally. Lars Holst, Founder & CEO of GCEX Group, commented: "Acquiring GlobalBlock is a strategic leap forward for GCEX, expanding our footprint, our client base, our team, and our capabilities. GlobalBlocks founders have built a standout, profitable firm, with world-class products, providing innovative diversification strategies for clients. Our firms have complementary technology and shared values in terms of innovation, service and integrity. By joining forces with GlobalBlock we are strengthening our position to compete in the top tier of Digital and TradFi. Our combined clients will gain access to broader product suites, market leading pricing, and cutting-edge trading platforms, with the highest levels of data security. David Thomas, Co-Founder of GlobalBlock, added: "We are excited to join forces with GCEX. Their strong regulatory licenses and global reach perfectly complement our business model. This partnership allows us to expand our wealth management and digital asset solutions while continuing to operate under the GlobalBlock brand that our clients trust." GCEXs Chairman, Jesper Ronald Petersen concluded; It is with great pleasure to be able to announce the friendly acquisition of GlobalBlock. Acknowledging each companys core strengths and values and the market trends, both sides went into this transaction with a positive mindset, seeing the obvious benefits for the combined business. Add to this the constructive process from our main investor, True Global Ventures, and the DLA Piper deal team, we set off and completed fast and strong. This bodes well for a seamless integration by our highly skilled employees with benefits to both shareholders and, most importantly, our clients. GCEX Group empowers institutional and professional clients to access deep liquidity in CFDs on digital assets and FX, alongside spot trading and conversion of digital assets. The company also offers a comprehensive range of Forex brokerage and crypto-native technology solutions under its XplorDigital suite. XplorDigital features, its XplorDigital App, innovative plug-and-play solutions, Crypto in a Box and Broker in a Box which encompass technology-agnostic platforms addressing regulation while covering trusted custody solutions, staking solutions, safety of funds, tier 1 and deep liquidity, connectivity to the biggest price makers, advanced risk management, and innovative technology partnerships. GlobalBlock Europe, UAB is a private limited liability company registered in accordance with the applicable laws of the Republic of Lithuania as a virtual currency depository wallet operator. In the Wealth and Asset Management space, GlobalBlock services include GB10, a diversified portfolio of the top 10 cryptocurrencies weighted by market cap and rebalanced every month. Its proprietary technology provides asset managers with a digital portfolio service to tailor clients objectives via an App. GlobalBlocks payment solutions allow clients to settle invoices or receiving payments in cryptocurrency as well as purchasing or selling cryptocurrencies for treasury management. Headquartered in London, with multiple offices across the globe, GCEX is regulated by the UKs FCA, registered with the Danish FSA as a VASP and currency exchange and has a Virtual Asset Service Provider license by the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. True Global Ventures are investors in GCEX. For further information, please visit www.gc.exchange or LinkedIn Risk Disclaimer The content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation or a solicitation to conclude a transaction. It is intended exclusively for professional and institutional clients and is not directed at Retail Clients or at residents of any jurisdiction where FX, CFDs and/or Digital Asset trading is restricted or prohibited by local laws or regulations. FX, CFDs and Digital Assets are high-risk and leveraged products that may not be suitable for all investors. They can result in losses exceeding your deposit, and you should carefully consider your objectives, financial situation, experience and risk appetite before trading. Cryptoassets carry a particularly high risk, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Do not invest unless you are prepared to lose all the money you invest. NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 28, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Dow Inc. (NYSE: DOW), if they purchased the Companys securities between January 30, 2025 and July 23, 2025, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Get Help Dow investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-dow-1/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Dow and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On July 24, 2025, the Company disclosed a 2Q 2025 non-GAAP loss per share of $0.42, much larger than the approximate $0.17 to $0.18 per share loss expected by analysts, and net sales of $10.1 billion, representing a 7.3% year-over-year decline and missing consensus estimates by $130 million, reflecting declines in all operating segments due in part to the lower-for-longer earnings environment that our industry is facing, amplified by recent trade and tariff uncertainties. Further, the Company disclosed that it was cutting its dividend in half, from $0.70 per share to only $0.35 per share, citing the need for financial flexibility amidst a persistently challenging macroeconomic environment. On this news, the price of Dows shares fell $5.30 per share, or 17.45%, to close at $25.07 per share on July 24, 2025. The case is Sarti v. Dow Inc., No. 25-cv-12744. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 21, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against C3.ai, Inc. (C3 or the Company) (NYSE: AI), if they purchased the Companys securities between February 26, 2025 to August 8, 2025, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Get Help C3 investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-ai-2/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit C3 and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On August 8, 2025, the Company disclosed disappointing preliminary financial results for 1Q 2026 and reduced its revenue guidance for the full fiscal year 2026, attributing its poor sales results and lowered guidance to the reorganization with new leadership as well as the health ailments of its Chief Executive Officer. On this news, the price of C3s shares fell from a closing price of $22.13 per share on August 8, 2025 to $16.47 per share on August 11, 2025, a decline of about 25.58%. The case is John Liggett Sr. v. C3.ai, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-07129. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. Apple Valley, Minnesota, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Minnesota Zoo, John Ball Zoo, and Assiniboine Park Conservancy Receive AZA North America Conservation Award for Poweshiek Skipperling Recovery Efforts Apple Valley, MN | Grand Rapids, MI | Winnipeg, MB (September 25, 2025) The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has recognized the Minnesota Zoo, John Ball Zoo, and Assiniboine Park Conservancy with top honors for the 2025 North American Conservation Award for their groundbreaking and collaborative work to save the critically endangered Poweshiek skipperling butterfly. The Poweshiek skipperling has become one of the worlds most endangered butterflies, and urgent conservation efforts are essential to ensure its survival. Once one of the most common butterflies across central U.S. and Canadian tallgrass prairies, the Poweshiek skipperling declined steeply over the past two decades due to loss of prairie and habitat quality. It has now disappeared from almost everywhere it once called home. This Most Minnesotan butterfly was last seen in Minnesota in 2007 and is now only known to be hanging on in a handful of isolated locations in Michigan and Manitoba. There has been significant concern about looming extinction, especially as population sizes continued to fall to critically low numbers as recently as 2022 (especially in the U.S.). Fortunately, the Minnesota Zoo, John Ball Zoo in cooperation with Michigan State University, and Assiniboine Park Conservancy have developed foundational rearing and breeding protocols and are releasing thousands of individuals to stabilize and grow the worlds last populations. The entire U.S. population is now likely derived from just 18 females that existed in Zoo-care at the beginning of the breeding program. These organizations are bringing new hope for the species survival. The world would be a smaller, lonelier place without this amazing little butterfly. We seem to have narrowly averted extinction, but the big gains that we have made to help ensure a brighter future for Poweshiek skipperling could have not happened in a vacuum. We are proud to work alongside John Ball Zoo and Assiniboine Park Conservancy and dozens of other incredible partners, said Dr. Erik Runquist, Conservation Research Scientist at the Minnesota Zoo. This award recognizes years of perseverance, scientific innovation, and deep partnership across borders. Over the past decade, these organizations have led a coordinated effort that has likely prevented the imminent extinction of Poweshiek skipperling by: Releasing thousands of Zoo-reared adults into the last populations in both the U.S. and Canada. For example, over 1,200 adults were released in the U.S. in the summer 2025 and there are promising early signs of early of population growth and recovery. in both the U.S. and Canada. For example, over 1,200 adults were released in the U.S. in the summer 2025 and there are promising early signs of early of population growth and recovery. Conducting the first-ever reintroductions for the species in Canada (2023) and the U.S. (2024). Conducting cutting-edge field research , including developing a unique wing-marking technique to track survival and movement in the wild, sequencing the whole genome of the species and using the data to inform conservation decisions, and conducting research to understand key threats like non-target pesticide exposure, invasive species, and climate change. , including developing a unique wing-marking technique to track survival and movement in the wild, sequencing the whole genome of the species and using the data to inform conservation decisions, and conducting research to understand key threats like non-target pesticide exposure, invasive species, and climate change. Building strong collaborations and serving in leadership roles through the Poweshiek Skipperling International Partnership (savingskippers.org), aligning dozens of government, academic, and community partners across borders. In recognition of their outstanding leadership, Minnesota Zoo conservation biologists Cale Nordmeyer and Dr. Erik Runquist were also independently named 2024 Recovery Champions by the Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for these efforts. The Poweshiek skipperling is listed as an Endangered species in the United States and in Canada and Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The Minnesota Zoo began working with Poweshiek skipperling in 2012, with Assiniboine Park Conservancy launching a parallel program in 2016 and John Ball Zoo (in partnership with the Haddad Lab of Michigan State University) joining the effort in 2021. All institutions collaborate to help achieve formal recovery criteria developed by the U.S. and Canadian governments. In Canada, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy has developed a parallel program to rear and release skipperlings into southern Manitobas Tall Grass Prairie Preserve a location that holds the last populations of the species in Canada. Funding was provided from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Threatened and Endangered Species Template, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, and many other committed partners. This recognition by the AZA underscores the importance of sustained, collaborative conservation and the vital role that accredited zoos and aquariums play in species recovery. While challenges remain, the measurable progress seen in 2024 and 2025 including verified persistence at the reintroduction site and a dramatic increase in wild sightings provides much-needed optimism for the future of the Poweshiek skipperling. About the AZA North American Conservation Award The AZA North American Conservation Award recognizes exceptional efforts toward the conservation of wildlife native to North America. Honorees must demonstrate measurable impacts, strong partnerships, and a commitment to long-term success in species recovery. About the Minnesota Zoo The Minnesota Zoo is a year-round destination providing a window into the natural world. With hundreds of species of animals, worldwide conservation efforts, and acres of scenic beauty, the Zoo is a resource to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The Minnesota Zoo is home to beloved traditions, such as Farm Babies, the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, and Wild Nights Music series. For more information visit mnzoo.org. Press Assets: Poweshiek Skipperling Media Contacts: Minnesota Zoo - Diana Hein | diana.hein@state.mn.us | 952-681-9199 ### Attachment NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 10, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against SelectQuote, Inc. (SelectQuote or the Company) (NYSE: SLQT), if they purchased the Companys securities between September 9, 2020 and May 1, 2025, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Get Help SelectQuote investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-slqt-1/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit SelectQuote and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On May 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a False Claims Act complaint against the Company, alleging that, [f]rom 2016 through at least 2021 it had received tens of millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks from health insurance companies in exchange for steering Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in the insurers plans, and that, in exchange for kickbacks, the Company engaged in a conspiracy with major insurers to illegally discriminate against beneficiaries deemed to be less profitable, including those with disabilities. The DOJ further alleged that the Company made materially false claims by stating it offers unbiased coverage comparisons when in fact it repeatedly directed Medicare beneficiaries to the plans offered by insurers that paid them the most money, regardless of the quality or suitability of the insurers plans. On this news, the price of SelectQuotes shares fell $0.61, or 19.2%, to close at $2.56 per share on May 1, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume. The case is Pahlkotter v. SelectQuote, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-06620. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Quanex To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you purchased or acquired securities in Quanex between December 12, 2024 and September 5, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). [You may also click here for additional information] NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Quanex Building Products Corporation (Quanex or the Company) (NYSE: NX) and reminds investors of the November 18, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com. As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) the Companys procedures and policies regarding tooling and equipment maintenance in its Tyman Mexico facility were significantly underinvested; (2) as a result, the Companys tooling and equipment conditions had significantly degraded to near catastrophic levels; (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, the Company was likely to incur significant costs, pushing out the timing of expected benefits from the Tyman integration; (4) that Quanex had previously identified the foregoing issues; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On September 4, 2025, after the market closed, Quanex announced financial results for the third quarter of the 2025 fiscal year. Among other things, the Company disclosed operational issues related to the legacy Tyman window and door hardware business in Mexico that are ongoing which impacted results more than expected during the third quarter of 2025. Specifically, the Company reported a diluted EPS of ($6.04), compared to $0.77 in the prior year period and an adjusted EBIDTA of $70.30. The Company further disclosed that it was adjusting for lower expected volumes and pushing out the timing of when [it] expect[s] to realize procurement savings from the integration of the Tyman business. Then, on September 5, 2025, the Company held an earnings call pursuant to the Companys third quarter 2025 financial results. During the earnings call, Chief Executive Officer, George Wilson (Wilson) explained operational challenges in the Tyman facility in Mexico negatively impacted EBITDA in the Hardware Solutions segment by almost $5 million in the third quarter alone. Wilson further explained that the issue was previously identified midyear as it got deeper into the integration with Tyman, and described how the systems used to anticipate and plan for tooling repairs were significantly deficient, indicating it was near nonexistent. Wilson stated because Quanex was underinvested in the tooling condition and the equipment condition it had to make some changes and fix some things before it was catastrophic. On this news, Quanexs stock price fell $2.73, or 13.1%, to close at $18.18 per share on September 5, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume. The stock price continued to decline on the subsequent trading day, falling $1.98 or 10.9%, to close at $16.20 per share on September 8, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Quanexs conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Quanex Building Products class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/NX or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0c2bac8e-e5e5-4e84-9644-67a70bab243b Dublin, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Malaria Diagnostics Market - Forecasts from 2025 to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Malaria Diagnostics Market is expected to grow from USD 710.504 million in 2025 to USD 908.749 million in 2030, at a CAGR of 5.05%. The malaria diagnostics market is experiencing growth driven by the critical need for early and accurate diagnosis to manage a disease that causes significant morbidity and mortality if untreated. High-quality diagnostic kits, including molecular diagnostics and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), are essential for effective disease management. The market is supported by technological advancements and increased government funding, though low awareness in some regions poses challenges. This summary focuses on current trends, drivers, restraints, and key players, excluding developments prior to 2023. Market Drivers The primary driver of the malaria diagnostics market is the advancement in diagnostic technologies, particularly RDTs and molecular diagnostics, which enable rapid and precise detection of malaria. These innovations improve patient outcomes by facilitating timely treatment, especially in high-burden regions. Increased government funding for malaria research and awareness campaigns in developing countries is another key growth factor. These initiatives aim to enhance access to diagnostics and educate communities about the importance of early detection, particularly in endemic areas. The global burden of malaria continues to underscore the need for efficient diagnostic tools, further propelling market demand. Market Restraints Despite its growth potential, the malaria diagnostics market faces challenges due to low awareness among populations in certain regions, particularly in developing countries where malaria is prevalent. Limited understanding of diagnostic tools and their benefits can delay adoption and hinder effective disease management. Additionally, logistical challenges, such as inadequate healthcare infrastructure in remote areas, may restrict access to advanced diagnostics, limiting market expansion. Addressing these barriers through education and improved distribution networks is essential for sustained growth. Market Segmentation By Diagnostic Type The market is segmented into molecular diagnostics and RDTs, with RDTs dominating due to their ease of use, affordability, and suitability for point-of-care testing in resource-limited settings. Molecular diagnostics, while more precise, are gaining traction in advanced healthcare systems for their ability to detect low-level infections. Both segments are critical to addressing diverse diagnostic needs across global markets. By Geography The malaria diagnostics market is concentrated in high-burden regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, where malaria prevalence drives demand. Africa remains the largest market due to its significant disease burden and increasing government-led initiatives. The Asia-Pacific region is also growing, supported by rising investments in healthcare infrastructure and awareness programs. Developed regions like North America and Europe contribute through research and development of advanced diagnostic technologies. Key Industry Players Major players in the malaria diagnostics market include Motic (Xiamen) Electric Group Co., Ltd., Sight Diagnostics Ltd., bioMerieux SA, Intellectual Ventures Laboratory, LLC, Access Bio, Inc., Sysmex Europe GmbH, Abbott Laboratories, Meridian Bioscience, Inc., QuantuMDx Group Ltd., Hemex Health, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and Premier Medical Corporation Pvt. Ltd. These companies are driving innovation in diagnostic technologies and expanding access to testing solutions. The malaria diagnostics market is poised for growth, driven by technological advancements and increased funding for malaria control. Low awareness and logistical challenges remain hurdles, particularly in endemic regions. With a focus on RDTs and molecular diagnostics, and strong growth in Africa and Asia-Pacific, the market is well-positioned to address global malaria challenges, provided stakeholders prioritize education and accessibility. Key Benefits of this Report: Insightful Analysis: Gain detailed market insights covering major as well as emerging geographical regions, focusing on customer segments, government policies and socio-economic factors, consumer preferences, industry verticals, and other sub-segments. Competitive Landscape: Understand the strategic maneuvers employed by key players globally to understand possible market penetration with the correct strategy. Market Drivers & Future Trends: Explore the dynamic factors and pivotal market trends and how they will shape future market developments. Actionable Recommendations: Utilize the insights to exercise strategic decisions to uncover new business streams and revenues in a dynamic environment. Caters to a Wide Audience: Beneficial and cost-effective for startups, research institutions, consultants, SMEs, and large enterprises. What do businesses use our reports for? Industry and Market Insights, Opportunity Assessment, Product Demand Forecasting, Market Entry Strategy, Geographical Expansion, Capital Investment Decisions, Regulatory Framework & Implications, New Product Development, Competitive Intelligence. Report Coverage: Historical data from 2020 to 2024 & forecast data from 2025 to 2030 Growth Opportunities, Challenges, Supply Chain Outlook, Regulatory Framework, and Trend Analysis Competitive Positioning, Strategies, and Market Share Analysis Revenue Growth and Forecast Assessment of segments and regions including countries Company Profiling: Strategies, Products, Financial Information, and Key Developments among others. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 142 Forecast Period 2025-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025 $710.5 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $908.75 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 5% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2. MARKET SNAPSHOT 2.1. Market Overview 2.2. Market Definition 2.3. Scope of the Study 2.4. Market Segmentation 3. BUSINESS LANDSCAPE 3.1. Market Drivers 3.2. Market Restraints 3.3. Market Opportunities 3.4. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 3.5. Industry Value Chain Analysis 3.6. Policies and Regulations 3.7. Strategic Recommendations 4. TECHNOLOGICAL OUTLOOK 5. MALARIA DIAGNOSTICS MARKET BY TECHNOLOGY 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) 5.3. Microscopy 5.4. Molecular Diagnostics 5.5. Serology-based Tests 5.6. Other Technologies 6. MALARIA DIAGNOSTICS MARKET BY END-USERS 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Hospitals and Clinics 6.3. Diagnostic Laboratories 6.4. Research Institutes 6.5. NGOs and Government Health Programs 7. MALARIA DIAGNOSTICS MARKET BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Direct Tenders & Institutional Sales 7.3. Retail and Private 8. MALARIA DIAGNOSTICS MARKET BY GEOGRAPHY 8.1. Introduction 8.2. North America 8.2.1. By Technology 8.2.2. By End-Users 8.2.3. By Distribution Channel 8.2.4. By Country 8.2.4.1. USA 8.2.4.2. Canada 8.2.4.3. Mexico 8.3. South America 8.3.1. By Technology 8.3.2. By End-Users 8.3.3. By Distribution Channel 8.3.4. By Country 8.3.4.1. Brazil 8.3.4.2. Argentina 8.3.4.3. Others 8.4. Europe 8.4.1. By Technology 8.4.2. By End-Users 8.4.3. By Distribution Channel 8.4.4. By Country 8.4.4.1. United Kingdom 8.4.4.2. Germany 8.4.4.3. France 8.4.4.4. Spain 8.4.4.5. Others 8.5. Middle East and Africa 8.5.1. By Technology 8.5.2. By End-Users 8.5.3. By Distribution Channel 8.5.4. By Country 8.5.4.1. Saudi Arabia 8.5.4.2. UAE 8.5.4.3. Others 8.6. Asia Pacific 8.6.1. By Technology 8.6.2. By End-Users 8.6.3. By Distribution Channel 8.6.4. By Country 8.6.4.1. China 8.6.4.2. Japan 8.6.4.3. South Korea 8.6.4.4. India 8.6.4.5. Indonesia 8.6.4.6. Thailand 8.6.4.7. Others 9. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ANALYSIS 9.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis 9.2. Market Share Analysis 9.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations 9.4. Competitive Dashboard 10. COMPANY PROFILES 10.1. Motic (Xiamen) Electric Group Co., Ltd. 10.2. Sight Diagnostics Ltd. 10.3. bioMerieux SA 10.4. Intellectual Ventures Laboratory, LLC 10.5. Access Bio. Inc. 10.6. Sysmex Europe GmbH 10.7. Abbott Laboratories 10.8. Meridian Bioscience, Inc. 10.9. QuantuMDx Group Ltd. 10.10. Hemex Health, Inc. 10.11. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. 10.12. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. 10.13. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 10.14. Premier Medical Corporation Pvt. Ltd. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3rdo1y About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Beijing, China, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday urged concerted efforts to better build a beautiful Xinjiang in the process of Chinese modernization, when he met with representatives from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, earlier in the day to attend activities marking the region's 70th founding anniversary, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Xi will attend a grand gathering on Thursday in Urumqi in celebration of the region's 70th founding anniversary, according to Xinhua. The event to be attended by Xi is scheduled to start at 10:30 am Thursday and will be broadcast live by China Media Group and on Xinhuanet. Xi has led a central delegation to Xinjiang for the celebrations, marking the first time in the history of the Party and the country that such an arrangement has been made, Xinhua reported. At about 2:20 pm, Xi's plane landed at the Urumqi Tianshan International Airport. He stepped out of the cabin and waved to a cheering crowd. As he descended from the ramp, Xi received flowers from children and was welcomed by songs and dances performed by people of various ethnic groups. Crowds lined the streets of Urumqi, waving red flags to welcome the convoy as Xi waved to the people through his open window, according to Xinhua. On the streets of Urumqi, a Global Times reporter saw red flags celebrating the region's 70th founding anniversary hanging along the streets. The festive atmosphere filled every corner, with billboards, posters, red lanterns and even taxi signs all carrying the theme of the 70th anniversary celebration. Xi's attending to the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the autonomous region's founding, underscored the central government's commitment to positioning Xinjiang's development within the broader national strategy, Shu Hongshui, dean of School of National Security and research fellow of Human Rights Research Center at Northwest University of Political Science and Law in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, told the Global Times. Over the past seven decades, Xinjiang has undergone a profound economic and social transformation. While external narratives often resort to politicized rhetoric, tangible progress demonstrates that modernization is both inevitable and irreversible in Xinjiang, according to Xinhua. Ethnic unity is the lifeline of all ethnic groups in China, and Xinjiang is no exception. All ethnic groups in the region are inseparable members of the great family of the Chinese nation. Fostering a stronger sense of community for the Chinese nation lays the foundation for long-term work in Xinjiang. During President Xi's 2014 visit to the region, a Uygur resident shared with him the belief that people of different ethnic groups should remain as closely united as "pomegranate seeds that stick together," Xinhua reported in a separate article. These simple words struck a chord with Xi, who has since often used this vivid metaphor to stress unity, which he believes is the lifeline of all ethnic groups in China. Only when all ethnic groups live in solidarity and harmony can there be a prosperous country, a stable society and happy people, Xi once said, adding that without ethnic unity and harmony, the country would decline, society would be destabilized and the people would suffer. Best period of development Today's Xinjiang is experiencing the best period of development in its history, according to a white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council on Friday. The document said solid steps have been taken to govern Xinjiang in accordance with the law, maintain stability through ethnic unity, strengthen cultural identity and bonds, bring greater prosperity to the region and its people, and develop Xinjiang from a long-term perspective, Xinhua reported. Xinjiang respects and protects ethnic minorities' right to learn and use their own spoken and written languages, the white paper said, adding that the region administers religious affairs in accordance with the law, allows religious groups to manage their own affairs independently, and guides religions to be compatible with socialist society. "The development and changes in Xinjiang are tangible and visible, with ethnic unity both crucial prerequisite for social stability but also a core driver of economic progress. The region enjoys overall social stability, ethnic unity, religious harmony and a happy life for its people," Yuan Jinhui, deputy head of the Xinjiang Administration Institute, told the Global Times. Kurban Niyaz, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and a primary school principal in Xinjiang, has long been devoted to and has popularized traditional Chinese culture in his school. "To be honest, since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, ethnic unity has been more highlighted in Xinjiang. Through the Party's wisdom, new thoughts and theories on ethnic unity are now being practiced and cultivated here," Kurban told the Global Times. "Now if you check Douyin or other social media platforms, you see an open and modern Xinjiang," Kurban said. "People in Xinjiang can simultaneously enjoy their ethnic heritage, but also appreciate good cultural elements from other parts of China." Fast track of development With determination and hard work, Xinjiang is advancing modernization in step with the rest of the country. Economic development speaks for itself. From just 1.23 billion yuan ($173.1 million) in 1955, Xinjiang's GDP reached over 2 trillion yuan by 2024. Notably, from 2012 to 2024, Xinjiang's GDP grew at an annual rate of 7 percent at constant prices, significantly outpacing the national average, per Xinhua. Leveraging its natural resources and industrial capabilities, Xinjiang has accelerated efforts to develop a modern industrial system with its own unique advantages. The white paper highlighted that Xinjiang has been China's top cotton producer for 32 consecutive years, with the mechanization rate in plowing, planting and harvesting reaching 97 percent. The Global Times visited China's first "super cotton field project" in Yuli county, Bayingolin Mongolian autonomous prefecture. The project, which uses advanced AI-driven agricultural technology, has facilitated local cotton production to achieve over 98.7 percent mechanization, further debunking lies of "forced labor" in Xinjiang, a representative of the farm told the Global Times. Blessed with diverse natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage, the region has embraced a surge of tourism in recent years. More and more self-driving tourists have flocked to Xinjiang to experience the charm of ancient Silk Road culture. Xinjiang received a total of 44.63 million tourist visits in the first quarter of 2025, up 9.08 percent year-on-year, according to the regional culture and tourism department in April. "Xinjiang's tourism surge is the result of deep changes across its economy, culture, infrastructure and governance," Yu Lei, a local tourism official, told the Global Times in a previous interview. According to Yu, tourism authorities are doubling down on international promotions, leveraging events like the Xinjiang International Folk Dance Festival, International Art Biennale and the China-Eurasia Expo to showcase the region's cultural vibrancy and modern openness. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202509/1344303.shtml Source: Global Times: Company: Global Times Contact Person: Anna Li Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn Website: https://globaltimes.cn City: Beijing Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Cheraw, South Carolina , Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rodney Michael Consulting, a South Carolina-based business consulting firm specializing in economic revitalization, unveiled a strategy this week to fast-track renewal in downtown Cheraw. The initiative, aimed at transforming long-vacant storefronts into a thriving business district, has already sparked interest from a U.S.-based technology company now evaluating properties in the towns historic core. A Town Craving Renewal Michael, a local, third-generation entrepreneur has built ventures from Cheraw that scaled into multiple states, has spent years sharing ideas and investing his own energy locally. He and his family have restored historic properties, launched businesses, and renovated local homes.. sparking pride and engagement. But hes also watched how traditional revitalization efforts with committees, plans, and grant cycles stretch on for years without producing the kind of momentum downtown desperately needs. Revitalization by binder doesnt work fast enough, Michael says. We dont have another twenty years to wait while buildings rot and hope fades. What we need is a breakthrough a shot of adrenaline. Taking It Upon Himself Local leadership is bound by tight budgets, limited staff, and resource constraints. So Michael has taken it upon himself to act to recruit, to build awareness, and to make the big asks that many small towns shy away from. Im not waiting on someone else to knock on doors, he says. My team and I are knocking on them. In September 2023, he did exactly that. After reading about a national technology company, Michael sent a direct email to its CEO with the subject line: What about us? The message was simple but bold: consider Cheraw as your next small-town campus. I hit send knowing full well they could ignore me, he recalls. But what if they didnt? What if that one email changed everything for our town? You cant be afraid to ask big. Sometimes, thats what it takes. That single email started a conversation. Provalus responded, visited Cheraw several times, identified a downtown building, and began due diligence. What began as one mans outreach has now become a community-wide possibility. A Legacy of Building and Rebuilding Michaels vision comes from both his professional track record and his personal journey. Over 30 years, he has launched ventures in real estate, insurance, forestry, land management, and retail. It's a drive that was embedded in him and his brother by their entrepreneurial parents. Some succeeded beyond Cheraw, scaling into multiple states. Others collapsed, forcing him to start over. He has carried losses, faced setbacks, and fought through personal tragedies that could have ended his career. But like downtown Cheraw itself, he refused to quit. I know what its like to stand in the middle of ruins and wonder if anything good can come out of it, Michael says. But I also know what its like to rebuild, piece by piece, until something stronger stands in its place. Thats the future I see for downtown. Breaking Free from the Long Wait For years, Michael has been one of the loudest voices for renewal. He has brought forward concepts for small businesses, retail spaces, and cultural initiatives. He has offered strategies and taken risks. But years slipped by without meaningful change. Every year we wait, another storefront closes, he says. Every year we wait, another family moves away. Downtowns dont die all at once they die slowly. And the only way to stop that is with bold action. A Before-and-After Vision Today, downtown Cheraw has nearly forty darkened storefronts and sites. On some blocks, vacancy outweighs vibrancy. Foot traffic is light, and many residents bypass downtown for shopping and dining elsewhere. But with a major employer like a technology company, the picture changes almost overnight. Streets fill with employees on lunch breaks. Cafes, shops, and service businesses see new demand. Apartments above storefronts are renovated and filled. New ventures spring up to meet the needs of hundreds of new families. Its not just jobs its the spark that makes everything else possible, Michael says. Instead of talking about what downtown used to be, well be living what it has become again. Why the Big Ask Matters While Michael, his family, and friends continue to test smaller ventures he knows those alone cant transform a downtown with 40 vacant sites. Theyre proof of concept, he explains. They show people will come. To make concepts live, we need something bold downtown. We need the kind of employer that puts us on the fast track instead of the long wait. This is why hes making the big ask. Why he and his team are sending emails to executives and others who have never heard of Cheraw. Why hes stepping into a role that, in many places, is left to public agencies or distant developers. Leadership isnt about titles or budgets, Michael says. Its about action. If our local leadership is bound by resources, then well do the unbound work. We'll ask. Well recruit. Well go after what we need. A Quest for Renewal Michael knows he cant do it alone. It will take buy-in, partnerships, and community support. But he believes that with a bold vision and relentless pursuit, Cheraw doesnt have to settle for empty storefronts and slow decline. Driving through downtown, you can either see forty vacancies or forty opportunities, he says. I see opportunity. For Michael, this isnt just about business. Its about legacy, resilience, and belief. Its about choosing renewal and chasing it with everything he has. About Rodney Michael Consulting Rodney Michael Consulting leads initiatives that accelerate economic revitalization in small towns through strategic outreach, development planning, and bold, actionable ideas. With a focus on renewal, entrepreneurship, and place-based growth, Rodney Michael Consulting works to unlock the full potential of underutilized communities. Press inquiries Rodney Michael Consulting https://rodneymichael.com Rodney Michael rodneymichael@rodneymichael.com 843-882-5128 Cheraw, South Carolina New York, USA, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Wearable Medical Devices Market is Predicted to Reach USD 185 Billion by 2032 | DelveInsight The global wearable medical devices market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the increasing burden of chronic diseases, the adoption of remote patient monitoring, and swift technological progress. Equipped with compact sensors, AI-powered analytics, and 5G connectivity, these devices are transitioning from simple fitness trackers to vital healthcare tools that enable proactive and connected care. DelveInsights Wearable Medical Devices Market Insights report provides the current and forecast market analysis, individual leading wearable medical devices companies market shares, challenges, wearable medical devices market drivers, barriers, trends, and key market wearable medical devices companies in the market. Wearable Medical Devices Market Summary The global wearable medical devices market is expected to increase from USD 43 billion in 2024 to USD 185 billion by 2032, reflecting strong and sustained growth. in 2024 to by 2032, reflecting strong and sustained growth. The global wearable medical devices market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~20% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2032. during the forecast period from 2025 to 2032. The leading companies working in the wearable medical devices market include Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Garmin Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Medtronic, Abbott Laboratories, Dexcom, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, OMRON Corporation, ResMed, Becton, Dickinson and Company, iRhythm Technologies, Inc., Withings, Vital Connect, Inc., Masimo Corporation, Insulet Corporation, Zoll Medical Corporation, Biotricity Inc., Nuvo Group, Ypsomed, and others. and others. Among all the regions, North America is anticipated to register the fastest growth in the wearable medical devices market during the forecast period. In the product type segment of the wearable medical devices market, the diagnostic & monitoring devices category accounted for the largest market share in 2024. To read more about the latest highlights related to the wearable medical devices market, get a snapshot of the key highlights entailed in the Global Wearable Medical Devices Market Forecast Report Key Factors Contributing to the Rise in Growth of the Wearable Medical Devices Market Increasing Prevalence of Chronic Diseases Rising cases of cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, respiratory conditions, and other chronic illnesses are driving demand for continuous monitoring solutions, where wearable devices play a vital role. Shift Toward Preventive and Personalized Healthcare Consumers and healthcare providers are increasingly prioritizing preventive care and personalized health management, where wearables offer real-time data and actionable insights. Technological Advancements Improvements in sensor technologies, miniaturization, battery life, wireless connectivity, and integration with AI/ML are enhancing device accuracy, usability, and appeal. Rising Health Awareness and Fitness Trends Consumers are more health-conscious, driving adoption of fitness trackers, smartwatches, and wearable biosensors that bridge the gap between lifestyle devices and medical-grade equipment. Integration with Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring The expansion of telemedicine, especially post-COVID-19, has accelerated the demand for connected devices that enable remote patient monitoring and reduce hospital visits. Regulatory Approvals and Expanding Clinical Applications Increasing FDA and CE clearances for medical-grade wearables (e.g., ECG, glucose monitoring, arrhythmia detection) are broadening clinical adoption and trust in these devices. Get a sneak peek at the wearable medical devices market dynamics @ Wearable Medical Devices Market Trends Regional Wearable Medical Devices Market Insights In 2024, North America, driven primarily by the U.S., commanded nearly 43% of the global wearable medical devices market. This dominance is supported by robust healthcare infrastructure, high healthcare spending per capita, and a strong innovation ecosystem. Growth is being propelled by the dual adoption of clinical-grade devices in hospitals and consumer-focused wearables, many of which are now gaining FDA approvals for medical use, increasingly bridging consumer health with clinical care. The U.S. continues to serve as a hub for technological advancements and reimbursement-backed uptake of remote monitoring solutions. Europe is establishing itself as a significant growth region for wearable medical devices, supported by both mature healthcare systems and the expanding use of home healthcare solutions. Market expansion is driven by the regions aging demographics, rising prevalence of chronic illnesses, and government initiatives in digital health, including Germanys DiGA framework and the EUs European Health Data Space (EHDS) project. The Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to register the fastest expansion, with a striking CAGR of 24.7%. Growth here is fueled by its large population base, increasing middle-class healthcare expenditure, and the highest global prevalence of diabetes and hypertension. Governments in China, India, Japan, and South Korea are prioritizing digital health development, strengthening telemedicine networks, and encouraging local manufacturing of wearables, which is driving down costs and accelerating adoption. Widespread smartphone usage and affordable data connectivity further support mHealth integration, while regional startups and tech giants are rapidly innovating in AI-powered diagnostics and connected healthcare platforms. Consequently, APAC is emerging not only as a key growth engine but also as a potential trendsetter in shaping cost-effective, scalable, and technology-driven healthcare delivery. To know more about why North America is leading the market growth in the wearable medical devices market, get a snapshot of the Wearable Medical Devices Market Outlook Recent Developmental Activities in the Wearable Medical Devices Market In May 2025, Masimo Corporation received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Masimo W1 watch. This approval expanded the watch's indications to include continuous and spot-check measurements of heart rate and oxygen saturation (SpO2), making it a viable option for a range of clinical settings. received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Masimo W1 watch. This approval expanded the watch's indications to include continuous and spot-check measurements of heart rate and oxygen saturation (SpO2), making it a viable option for a range of clinical settings. In April 2025, WHOOP, Inc. obtained FDA clearance for its WHOOP ECG feature. This clearance validates the feature's ability to provide a single-lead electrocardiogram, enabling it to detect and provide notifications for certain heart rhythm irregularities. This approval represents a significant step for a consumer-grade device moving into a more medical-focused space obtained FDA clearance for its WHOOP ECG feature. This clearance validates the feature's ability to provide a single-lead electrocardiogram, enabling it to detect and provide notifications for certain heart rhythm irregularities. This approval represents a significant step for a consumer-grade device moving into a more medical-focused space In April 2025, VitalConnect, Inc. received FDA 510(k) clearance for its VitalRhythm biosensor. The approval validates the device's ability to continuously monitor and record an ECG, heart rate, and respiratory rate, enhancing its utility for remote patient monitoring. Wearable Medical Devices Overview Wearable medical devices are transforming healthcare by enabling continuous monitoring, real-time data collection, and proactive disease management outside of traditional clinical settings. These devices, which include smartwatches, biosensors, fitness trackers, and implantable wearables, can track vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, glucose levels, and even sleep patterns. By providing clinicians and patients with actionable health insights, wearable technology supports early diagnosis, personalized treatment, and improved adherence to care plans. The integration of artificial intelligence and wireless connectivity further enhances their utility, making remote patient monitoring and telemedicine more effective. Wearable Medical Devices Market Report Metrics Details Coverage Global Study Period 20222032 Wearable Medical Devices Market CAGR ~20% Wearable Medical Devices Market Size by 2032 USD 185 Billion Key Wearable Medical Devices Companies Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Garmin Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Medtronic, Abbott Laboratories, Dexcom, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, OMRON Corporation, ResMed, Becton, Dickinson and Company, iRhythm Technologies, Inc., Withings, Vital Connect, Inc., Masimo Corporation, Insulet Corporation, Zoll Medical Corporation, Biotricity Inc., Nuvo Group, Ypsomed, and others Wearable Medical Devices Market Assessment Wearable Medical Devices Market Segmentation Wearable Medical Devices Market Segmentation By Product Type: Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices (Vital Sign Monitoring Devices, Sleep Monitoring Devices, Neuromonitoring Devices, Electrocardiographs Fetal and Obstetric Devices, and Others), Therapeutic Devices (Pain Management Devices, Insulin Delivery Devices, Respiratory Therapy Devices, Rehabilation Devices, and Others) Wearable Medical Devices Market Segmentation By Device Type: Smartwatches, Wrist Bands, Smart Clothing, Wearable Patches, and Others Wearable Medical Devices Market Segmentation By Device Grade: Consumer Grade Wearable Medical Devices, Clinically Grade Wearable Medical Devices Wearable Medical Devices Market Segmentation By Application: General Health and Fitness, Remote Patient Monitoring, and Home Healthcare Wearable Medical Devices Market Segmentation By Distribution Channel: Offline, Online Wearable Medical Devices Market Segmentation By Geography : North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of World Porters Five Forces Analysis, Product Profiles, Case Studies, KOLs Views, Analysts View Which MedTech key players in the wearable medical devices market are set to emerge as the trendsetter explore @ Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis Table of Contents 1 Wearable Medical Devices Market Report Introduction 2 Wearable Medical Devices Market Executive Summary 3 Competitive Landscape 4 Regulatory Analysis 5 Wearable Medical Devices Market Key Factors Analysis 6 Wearable Medical Devices Market Porters Five Forces Analysis 7 Wearable Medical Devices Market Layout 8 Wearable Medical Devices Market Company and Product Profiles 9 KOL Views 10 Project Approach 11 About DelveInsight 12 Disclaimer & Contact Us Interested in knowing the wearable medical devices market by 2032? 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DelveInsights Pharma Competitive Intelligence Service: Through its CI solutions, DelveInsight provides its clients with real-time and actionable intelligence on their competitors and markets of interest to keep them stay ahead of the competition by providing insights into the latest therapeutic area-specific/indication-specific market trends, in emerging drugs, and competitive strategies. These services are tailored to the specific needs of each client and are delivered through a combination of reports, dashboards, and interactive presentations, enabling clients to make informed decisions, mitigate risks, and identify opportunities for growth and expansion. Other Business Pharmaceutical Consulting Services Healthcare Conference Coverage Pipeline Assessment Healthcare Licensing Services Discover how a mid-pharma client gained a level of confidence in their soon-to-be partner for manufacturing their therapeutics by downloading our Due Diligence Case Study About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant, and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. VANCOUVER, British Columbia and POWELL RIVER, British Columbia, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity) and First Credit Union (FCU) announced a significant milestone today in their proposed merger, having received regulatory consent from the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA). This decision allows First Credit Union to proceed with the member vote later this fall, a vital step towards building a stronger, more resilient community banking model for its members. The credit unions have also received clearance from the Canadian Competition Bureau, in the form of a "no action" letter, in connection with the proposed merger. The "no action" letter from the Canadian Competition Bureau satisfies the remaining competition law condition necessary for closing. Closing remains subject to other conditions such as First Credit Union member vote approval. The proposed merger is a strategic, values-driven partnership driven by a shared vision to preserve and enhance community cooperative banking across the province. Unlike traditional mergers which are often focused on immediate cost savings, this proposed merger aims to establish a scalable, long-term model with greater ability to withstand economic uncertainty. It will serve as a blueprint for like-minded institutions to effectively combine resources while safeguarding local identity and the personal service standards members have come to expect. "This regulatory consent and clearance are a testament to the thoughtful and strategic approach both Vancity and First Credit Union have taken in planning this partnership," said Vancity President and CEO Wellington Holbrook. "It validates our shared belief in the future of community banking, and that this new model means we can better serve the people who count on us, support local economies and build a better world. We are excited to move forward to the member vote and to build a future where cooperative values thrive." "Receiving BCFSA's consent and clearance from the Competition Bureau marks a pivotal moment for First Credit Union and our dedicated members and employees, added Linda Bowyer, CEO of First Credit Union. This proposed merger offers a made-in-BC solution to the evolving demands of the financial landscape, providing our members with access to Vancity's extensive resources and advanced digital capabilities, while preserving our deep roots and local presence in the communities we serve. We believe this partnership is in the best long-term interest of our members and the cooperative banking system as a whole." The proposed merger addresses key industry pressures, including the need for sustained investment in technology, the ability to meet increased compliance requirements, and rising costs. By combining forces, the unified entity will boast: Over 585,000 members More than 2,400 employees 60 combined branches across British Columbia, from Metro Vancouver to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands Over $38.2 billion in total assets under administration The proposed merger is designed to enhance member value, strengthen financial and operational stability, and ensure the continued vitality of cooperative community banking in BC. Key benefits for members and employees include enhanced member experience, increased resilience, employee opportunities, and continued community impact. The member vote for First Credit Union members is anticipated to take place later this fall. Vancity members are not required to vote on this proposed merger. Further details regarding the proposed merger and the upcoming member vote will be communicated directly to First Credit Union members in the coming weeks. About Vancity Vancity is a values-based financial co-operative serving the needs of its 570,000 member-owners and their communities, with offices and more than 50 branches located in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Victoria, Squamish and Alert Bay, within the territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka'wakw people. With $36 billion in assets plus assets under administration, Vancity is one of Canada's largest credit unions. Vancity uses its assets to help improve the financial well-being of its members while at the same time helping to develop healthy communities that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. About First Credit Union Established in 1939, First Credit Union is one of British Columbias longest-standing community credit unions, serving approximately 15,000 members across the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands. Rooted in cooperative values, FCU is committed to local service, relationship-based banking, and community engagement. Media Contacts: Vancity: mediarelations@vancity.com T: 778-837-0394 First Credit Union: media@firstcu.ca LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP reminds investors of the upcoming October 14, 2025 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (KinderCare or the Company) (NYSE: KLC) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Companys October 2024 initial public offering (the IPO). IF YOU SUFFERED A LOSS ON YOUR KINDERCARE INVESTMENTS, CLICK HERE TO INQUIRE ABOUT POTENTIALLY PURSUING CLAIMS TO RECOVER YOUR LOSS UNDER THE FEDERAL SECURITIES LAWS. What Happened? In October of 2024, KinderCare conducted its IPO, selling over 27 million shares of common stock at $24 per share. On April 3, 2025, the Bear Cave published a report alleging, among other things, that KinderCare fails to deliver the safe and nurturing environment it promises parents and taxpayers and is a broken business that harms the children and families it claims to help. Specifically, the report detailed several incidents of child neglect and abuse that had occurred at KinderCare daycares and stated that on several occasions, individuals employed by KinderCare were later arrested on charges of child sex abuse. On this news, KinderCares stock price fell $1.59, or 12.4%, to close at $11.19 per share on April 3, 2025, thereby injuring investors. Then, on June 5, 2025, the Bear Cave published a second report stating that allegations against [KinderCare] are growing, [and] lawmakers are demanding accountability. Specifically, the report cited a statement from a congresswoman questioning the continued federal funding of KinderCare. On this news, KinderCares stock price fell $0.63, or 5.5%, to close at $10.78 per share on June 5, 2025, thereby injuring investors further. What Is The Lawsuit About? The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Registration Statement, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that numerous incidents of child abuse, neglect, and harm had occurred at KinderCare facilities; (2) that KinderCare did not provide the highest quality care possible at its facilities, and, indeed, in numerous instances had failed to provide even basic care, meet minimum standards in the child care industry, or comply with the laws and regulations governing the care of children; (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, KinderCare was exposed to a material, undisclosed risk of lawsuits, adverse regulatory action, negative publicity, reputational damage, and business loss; and (4) as a result, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. If you purchased or otherwise acquired KinderCare common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the IPO, you may move the Court no later than October 14, 2025 to request appointment as lead plaintiff in this putative class action lawsuit. Contact Us To Participate or Learn More: If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us: Charles Linehan, Esq., Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles California 90067 Email: shareholders@glancylaw.com Telephone: 310-201-9150, Toll-Free: 888-773-9224 Visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. If you inquire by email, please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Contact Us: Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100 Los Angeles, CA 90067 Charles Linehan Email: shareholders@glancylaw.com Telephone: 310-201-9150 Toll-Free: 888-773-9224 Visit our website at: www.glancylaw.com. Winnipeg, MB, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Protein Industries Canada announced five projects focused on expanding the availability or use of Canadian-grown and -processed ingredients. Part of the Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain program, the projects will provide Canadian families with a wider selection of locally made food options, while also ensuring a more secure domestic food supply. The resilience and success of our agrifood supply chain are vital to Canadas economy, said the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. By harnessing the potential of Canadian crops and ingredients through innovation, Protein Industries Canada is helping to overcome trade-related challenges while ensuring access to high-quality, locally sourced food and creating lasting economic opportunities from coast to coast. Our farmers and producers work tirelessly to produce reliable, high-quality food. By including more homegrown ingredients in the products Canadians buy every day, these projects will support our farmers, strengthen our economy, and help keep our food system strong and secure in the face of global uncertainty, said the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Protein Industries Canada has been an invaluable partner pushing innovation and competitiveness in Canadian plant-based protein and todays announcement promises to unlock even more of our agrifoods sectors immense growth potential. By helping companies use local crops, we cut shipping costs, keep supply chains close to home, and create good jobs in rural communities, said the Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development. Launched in response to concerns around trade-related tension, the Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain program will help Canadian agrifood companies use more Canadian products, lessening reliance on imports. This means a more resilient domestic supply chain, with more food products made with Canadian ingredients, for Canadians. By supporting Canadian companies in finding innovative solutions to tariffs and other trade challenges, our Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain program is helping keep Canada competitive in the global food market, Protein Industries Canada Board Chair Tyler Groenveld said. The development of these new, Canadian-sourced and -processed ingredients and food products is more than an opportunity to utilize more Canadian crops here at home. Its an opportunity for Canada to come closer to seizing its $25 billion agrifood potential, strengthening our economy, creating new jobs and securing our domestic food supply chain. The five projects announced today span Canadas agrifood sector, representing companies from Ontario and British Columbia, and the ingredient manufacturing and food processing industries. The new ingredients, foods and beverage commercialized as a result will boost the use of Canadian protein crops, supporting farmers while offering families across the country a wider variety of options at the grocery store. Examples of the products that will be launched as a result of these projects include: Earths Own Foods will be transitioning its US-based soybean supply to source directly from Canada, creating a fully Canadian soy-based beverage and providing consumers with a great tasting, high-protein Canadian-produced dairy alternative. Oat & Mill is replacing their US-sourced pea protein with new Canadian protein ingredients, supporting local farmers while improving the sustainability of their products. Cedar Valley Selections is reformulating their pita chips to include Canadian pulses, reducing the chips oil absorption during production to create a healthier, more sustainable snack for Canadian families to enjoy. A total of $1.3 million has been invested into the five projects, with Protein Industries Canada committing $615,000 and the companies committing the remainder. Information about each of the companies and their projects is available in the attached backgrounder. Protein Industries Canada is one of Canadas five Global Innovation Clusters. These projects are part of Protein Industries Canadas broader effort to support domestic innovation and drive forward The Road to $25 Billiona national vision to grow Canadas plant-based food, feed, and ingredient sector into a $25 billion industry and make Canada the leading provider of plant-based ingredients. Attachment CHARLES TOWN, WV, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CT IT Services LLC, a provider of business-class IT solutions headquartered in Charles Town, West Virginia, has formally announced the expansion of its core service offerings to new surrounding areas, including Shepherdstown, Kearneysville, Martinsburg, Winchester, Leesburg, and Ashburn. This development reflects the company's strategic move to support growing technology needs across both Jefferson County and neighboring regions in Northern Virginia. The expansion introduces the full range of services offered by CT IT Services LLC, including managed IT support, structured network cabling, cybersecurity consulting, and VOIP systems, into areas experiencing increased commercial activity, remote work demands, and infrastructure updates. These services, already active in Charles Town, will now be extended to nearby locations serving both businesses and residents. CT IT Services LLC has served as a reliable technical partner to small and mid-sized organizations since its founding. The company is led by Devon Ruiz, a hands-on IT professional with over 30 years of experience in technology infrastructure, network design, and client-focused support. The expansion is the result of sustained demand for dependable IT services beyond the company's original footprint, particularly in communities experiencing residential development, office park growth, and new business activity. "Clients in surrounding areas were already reaching out, looking for the kind of responsive and well-structured support we provide in Charles Town," said Devon Ruiz, owner of CT IT Services LLC. "We made the decision to expand so that those businesses would not have to settle for reactive, inconsistent support. They deserve the same level of service that we're known for." With the rise of hybrid work models and decentralized office systems, more organizations are relying on IT environments that can be both flexible and secure. CT IT Services LLC has positioned itself to meet these demands by offering infrastructure consultation, hardware deployment, cabling installation, endpoint management, and cloud integration without overcomplicating the process. The company's structure allows for remote diagnostics as well as on-site service, offering versatility in how issues are resolved and how installations are carried out. Technicians at CT IT Services LLC are certified and trained in network architecture, data security, and helpdesk resolution. The team is equipped to assist organizations with aging infrastructure and those launching new offices, providing structured cabling layouts, system updates, and remote monitoring tools that improve reliability and system uptime. One of the core areas of focus in this expansion is structured cabling. The company offers network cabling solutions that include labeled data drops, mounted patch panels, and equipment racks that comply with performance and airflow standards. These installations are designed to support cloud applications, VOIP systems, secure backups, and local file servers with long-term durability and clarity. The company has made it clear that its structured approach is not based on temporary fixes but on installation best practices that reduce future issues and make scaling more practical. In addition to infrastructure work, the company also delivers ongoing managed IT services to clients that need 24/7 oversight. These services include monitoring, updates, antivirus deployment, patch scheduling, and helpdesk response. Through a flat-rate support model, CT IT Services LLC gives clients a predictable cost structure while ensuring that they receive consistent, professional oversight of their IT environment. The company also provides cybersecurity consultation to help clients identify vulnerabilities, strengthen access control, and apply multi-layered defense strategies. As smaller businesses become more frequent targets of phishing and ransomware, CT IT Services LLC's layered security model supports local organizations without requiring enterprise-level complexity or expense. "We take security very seriously, especially for clients in fields like healthcare, law, or finance who are handling regulated data," said Devon Ruiz. "Our job is to keep their systems protected, patched, and backed up. That work doesn't stop just because a business is small or working from home." CT IT Services LLC's expanded coverage area includes residential and commercial communities undergoing rapid infrastructure change. In places like Shepherdstown and Kearneysville, new residential developments are increasing the need for home office tech support, wireless optimization, and video surveillance system installation. In more commercially active locations like Winchester and Leesburg, demand continues to grow for structured network design and cabling, cloud migration support, and ongoing business continuity services. In response to this regional need, the company has expanded its scheduling and support availability. Existing clients will not see any change in service levels, as the company's operational structure has been designed to accommodate growth without sacrificing response times or technician availability. The decision to expand service delivery comes after a period of long-term planning and investment in internal systems. The company has also added additional equipment and vehicle support to accommodate the geographic expansion, allowing the team to maintain punctual arrival windows and dependable service coverage across all listed locations. With this expansion, CT IT Services LLC reiterates its commitment to providing accessible, reliable, and knowledgeable IT support to every client, regardless of size. The company's approach is based on transparency, system clarity, and dependable execution of both new installations and ongoing support agreements. Business owners and residents in the newly added service areas can now access the same structured processes, transparent pricing, and skilled technical work that have defined CT IT Services LLC in its home region. The company's goal is not just to offer service, but to provide consistency and technical trust to clients navigating today's digital challenges. For more information about CT IT Services LLC, visit their official website or use the company's contact form to inquire about availability in the expanded areas. ### For more information about CT IT Services LLC, contact the company here: CT IT Services LLC Devon Ruiz 304-308-6688 info@ctitservices.net 395 Lord Fairfax Street, Charles Town, Eastern Panhandle, West Virginia 25414 BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DP World has been recognized as a model company in the Dominican Republic for sustainable foreign investment, underscoring more than two decades of over US$700 million in investments for the nations logistics competitiveness, economic development, and community well-being. The award, presented by Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader during the 2025 Recognition of Foreign Investment ceremony hosted by ProDominicana, honored DP Worlds achievements in sustainable investment, innovation, and its comprehensive decarbonization strategy. Manuel Martinez, CEO of DP World in the Dominican Republic, said, Receiving this recognition reflects our ongoing efforts to create value for the community beyond operations. The Dominican Republic is becoming one of the most important logistics hubs in the Americas, and we are committed to strengthening its connectivity and competitiveness while creating a workforce and supply chains network that is second to none. Long-Term Investments in Growth and Competitiveness Since beginning operations in the country, DP World has invested more than US$700 million in port and logistics infrastructure, security systems, and risk prevention initiatives. These investments have generated significant economic and social impact while aligning operations with strict environmental standards to drive sustainable growth. Looking ahead, DP World has announced plans to expand both the Caucedo port terminal and its adjacent economic zone. By 2027, the economic zone will add 220,000 square meters of new capacity, supporting employment growth in Boca Chica and strengthening the Dominican Republics role as a leading logistics hub in the Americas. Advancing Decarbonization and Innovation As part of its global ambition to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, DP World in the Dominican Republic has already reduced its carbon footprint by 13% since 2022 and is targeting a 42% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Recent sustainability initiatives include: Deploying 12 new electric internal transfer vehicles, cutting fossil fuel consumption by 4.6%. Operating 11 electric ship-to-shore cranes that reduce CO2 emissions by 70%, avoiding over 10,000 tons of CO2 annually. Planning to add four hybrid RTG cranes by 2026, projected to save 8,700 tons of emissions over 10 years. The company has also integrated augmented virtual reality simulators into operator training programs, reducing fuel consumption and emissions, while reinforcing its leadership in port innovation. Beyond infrastructure, DP World systematically incorporates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into its operations, with measurable impact in education, gender equality, clean water, climate action, and sustainable communities. A Catalyst for Regional Trade By combining port infrastructure, logistics, and manufacturing within a single ecosystem, DP World is positioning the Dominican Republic as a catalyst for regional trade and investment. These efforts support foreign direct investment flows and bolster the countrys standing as a strategic hub in the global supply chain. DP World Americas Media Contact: Melina Vissat, Head of Communications M: (+1) 704-605-6159 E: melina.vissat@dpworld.com About DP World DP World is reshaping the future of global trade to improve lives everywhere. Operating across six continents with a team of over 100,000 employees, we combine global infrastructure and local expertise to deliver seamless supply chain solutions. From Ports and Terminals to Marine Services, Logistics and Technology, we leverage innovation to create better ways to trade, minimizing disruptions from the factory floor to the customers door. In the Americas, DP World operates with a team of over 16,000 people across 12 countries, driving excellence through a robust network of 14 ports and terminals and more than 40 warehouses. By harnessing our global reach and local expertise, we simplify logistics, enhance operational performance, and redefine the boundaries of whats possible in global trade. WE MAKE TRADE FLOW. For more insights into how DP World is reshaping global trade, visit our website: www.dpworld.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c3da031c-4460-4f8b-8f71-bd49077ffacb https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cc8b02c6-9a2b-4fc3-a2ea-d950b20959ea SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A securities class-action lawsuit has been filed against Sable Offshore Corp. (NYSE: SOC) and its executives, alleging the company misled investors about the restart of its oil production off the California coast. The litigation, filed in California federal court, claims the company used a false press release to artificially inflate its stock price just before a secondary public offering (SPO), resulting in significant investor losses. Hagens Berman urges Sable investors who suffered substantial losses to contact the firm now. Class Period: May 19, 2025 June 3, 2025 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Sept. 26, 2025 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/soc Contact the Firm Now: SOC@hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895 Allegations of Misleading Statements and Regulatory Clash The lawsuit, Johnson v. Sable Offshore Corp., represents investors who purchased shares between May 19, 2025, and June 3, 2025, including those who participated in the SPO on May 21, 2025. According to the complaint, Sable Offshore issued a press release on May 19 claiming it had restarted oil production, a statement that was quickly challenged by Californias Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis. In a letter, Kounalakis clarified that the company's activities were only "well-testing procedures," not the resumption of commercial production. This alleged deception was exposed on May 28, 2025, when news of the Lieutenant Governor's letter became public. Sable's stock price plummeted by over 15% as a result. The company's legal troubles worsened on June 4, 2025, when a Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order, prohibiting Sable from transporting oil through the Las Flores Pipeline System. This development caused the stock to fall even further. The lawsuit seeks to hold the company and its underwriters accountable for allegedly raising capital under false pretenses. Hagens Bermans Investigation Hagens Berman, a national shareholder rights firm, is currently investigating the alleged claims. Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation, commented on the situation, We are investigating whether the companys claims about oil production and the subsequent judicial intervention were part of a pattern of misleading behavior that ultimately caused substantial losses for investors. If you invested in Sable and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, submit your losses now If youd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Sable case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Sable Offshore should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email SOC@hbsslaw.com. About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Bermans team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw. Boston, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the latest study from BCC Research, Refrigerants: Global Markets is projected to increase from $27.2 billion in 2025 to $36.7 billion by the end of 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2025 through 2030. This report provides a detailed analysis of the global refrigerant market, examining technological advances, economic factors, and business dynamics. It segments the market by refrigerant type (synthetic and natural), application (AC systems, refrigeration, mobile AC, and chillers), and region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and MEA). The report also explores supply chain structures, market drivers, regulatory frameworks, ESG developments, and profiles of leading manufacturers, offering insights into current trends and emerging opportunities in the refrigerant industry. This report is especially relevant now as the HVAC and refrigeration sectors face increasing regulatory pressure to transition from high-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants to more sustainable alternatives. With growing emphasis on environmental standards, newer refrigerants such as hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) and natural options such as ammonia, CO, and propane are gaining traction due to their potential for low ozone depletion. These changes are driving innovation across the pharmaceutical, transportation, and food and beverage industries, where efficient and eco-friendly cooling solutions are critical. The factors driving the markets growth include: Refrigeration and AC Demand: The global rise in urbanization and temperatures is driving demand for refrigeration and air conditioning systems. These are essential for homes, businesses, and industries, especially in food storage and logistics. New technologies and eco-friendly systems are also boosting the use of modern refrigerants. Pharmaceutical Industry Needs: Pharmaceuticals require strict temperature control for storage and transport, especially for vaccines and biologics. As healthcare expands and regulations tighten, the need for reliable refrigeration systems using advanced refrigerants continues to grow. Automotive Applications: Vehicles use refrigerants in air conditioning and thermal management systems, especially electric vehicles (EVs) that need battery cooling. With rising EV production and a shift toward greener technologies, the demand for efficient and low-impact refrigerants is increasing. Request a sample copy of the global market for refrigerants report. Report Synopsis Report Metric Details Base year considered 2024 Forecast period considered 2025-2030 Base year market size $25.9 billion Market size forecast $36.7 billion Growth rate CAGR of 6.2% for the forecast period of 2025-2030 Segments covered Type, Application Regions covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa Countries covered U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Brazil, Argentina Market Drivers Growing Demand for Refrigeration and AC Demand for Refrigerants in the Pharmaceutical Industry Use of Refrigerants in the Automotive Industry Interesting facts: Marine Industry Use of Refrigerants: Refrigerants are essential on fishing boats, cruise ships, and cargo ships for chilling and freezing fish, air conditioning, and preserving food. The industry is rapidly shifting toward natural and low GWP refrigerants to reduce environmental impact. Aerospace Industry Use of Refrigerants: In spacecraft, refrigerants are used in thermal management systems to regulate temperatures for equipment and crew in extreme space environments. These systems rely on highly specialized refrigerants, with ongoing research focused on improving efficiency and adaptability in space conditions. Emerging startups: Sunswap: Sunswap is a U.K.-based cleantech startup founded in 2020, focused on decarbonizing the global cold chain by developing Endurance, which it claims is the worlds first purpose-built battery and solar-powered transport refrigeration unit. The Endurance system offers a zero-emission alternative to diesel refrigeration units, improving sustainability in refrigerated logistics while maintaining performance and cost efficiency. Pascal: Pascal, a Cambridge, Mass-based cleantech startup spun out of Harvard University, is developing a novel class of low-pressure solid refrigerants aimed at transforming the HVAC industry. The Companys solid refrigerant technology offers zero GWP, improves energy efficiency, and eliminates direct refrigerant emissions, enabling more sustainable, smaller, and quieter heating and cooling systems compatible with existing industrial components. Fenagy A/S: Fenagy A/S, founded in 2020 and based in Denmark, specializes in manufacturing large-scale industrial heat pumps and refrigeration systems using natural refrigerants like CO and hydrocarbons. It delivers custom-built, energy-efficient solutions for district heating and industrial applications, emphasizing sustainability, PFAS-free technology, and service support to help decarbonize the energy sector. The report addresses the following questions: What are the projected market size and growth rate? The refrigerants market is projected to reach $36.7 billion by the end of 2030, with a CAGR of 6.2%. The estimated market volume of the refrigerants market will be 4,082.2 kilotons by the end of 2030. Which factors are driving the growth of the market? Growing demand for refrigeration and air conditioning. Increasing use of refrigerants in the automotive industry. Demand for refrigerants in the pharmaceutical industry. What are the challenges and opportunities of the market? Toxicity and flammability issues Adoption of natural refrigerants. Expansion of refrigerants across niche businesses. Management and disposal of phase-out of harmful refrigerants. What market segments are covered in the report? The refrigerants market is segmented based on type, application, and region. Types include synthetics and natural. Applications include air conditioning (AC) systems, refrigeration system, mobile air conditioning, and chillers. Regions are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. Which application segment will be dominant through 2030? AC systems will continue to dominate the market through 2030. The rapidly increasing global demand for cooling solutions is driven by rising temperatures, urbanization, and growing middle-class populations, especially in developing economies. The critical nature of refrigerants safety and efficacy, coupled with stringent regulatory standards, necessitates the use of low-GWP refrigerants to minimize environmental impact. Which region has the largest market share? Asia-Pacific holds the largest market share Rapid industrialization, particularly in countries like China, South Korea, Japan, and India, is a primary driver for the Asia-Pacific regions growth. Market leaders include: A-GAS INTERNATIONAL LTD. ARKEMA AGC INC. BROTHERS GAS DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD. DONGYUE GROUP GUJARAT FLUOROCHEMICALS LTD. HARP INTERNATIONAL LTD. HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. LINDE PLC NATIONAL REFRIGERANTS LTD. ORBIA SINOCHEM LANTIAN CO. LTD. SRF LTD. THE CHEMOURS CO. Purchase a copy of the report direct from BCC Research. For further information on any of these reports or to make a purchase, please contact info@bccresearch.com. About BCC Research BCC Research market research reports provide objective, unbiased measurement, and assessment of market opportunities. Our experienced industry analysts' goal is to help you make informed business decisions free of noise and hype. For media inquiries, email press@bccresearch.com or visit our media page for access to our market research library. Any data and analysis extracted from this press release must be accompanied by a statement identifying BCC Research LLC as the source and publisher. Haw River, North Carolina , Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Andersen Sterilizers, a global leader in low-temperature ethylene oxide (EO) sterilization, announces the launch of EOGas 4PLUS, a state-of-the-art system designed to meet the evolving needs of healthcare facilities worldwide. EOGas 4PLUS is designed to support sterile processing departments as part of their infection control strategies. EOGas 4PLUS Building on the success of its trusted predecessor, EOGas 4PLUS features Andersens award-winning EO-Flexible Chamber Technology, three- and six-hour cycles, advanced cycle control and enhanced user interface all while maintaining Andersens hallmark safety and environmental standards. FDA-cleared, the system is the only one in the world proven to sterilize the longest lumens (3530mm working lumen length endoscopes). EOGas 4PLUS is a direct response to customer feedback, said William Andersen, M.D., Andersen Sterilizers CEO. We listened; we acted. As hospitals and clinics continue to report on possible hospital-acquired infections due to improperly decontaminated endoscopes, we aimed to deliver a system that could not only sterilize everyday medical devices but also long, difficult-to-sterilize endoscopes. EOGas 4PLUS is the only system in the U.S. FDA-cleared to terminally sterilize the longest endoscopes currently on the market. We are delivering a system that raises the bar for EO sterilization. Key Features of EOGas 4PLUS include: Award-winning EO-Flexible Chamber Technology, which removes excess air from the chamber, thus greatly reducing the amount of EO needed for terminal sterilization (10-6 SAL) Low dose EO (17.6 grams per cycle, the equivalent of 1.5 tablespoons) Low temperature sterilization Sterilization and aeration in the same chamber FDA-cleared to sterilize complex, long, narrow lumens Low emissions zero (99.9% abatement) emissions when paired with an abator Free operator training for the life of the sterilizer Made in the USA EOGas 4PLUS is engineered and manufactured in North Carolina. The launch of EOGas 4PLUS marks a significant milestone for Andersen as it continues to push innovation in low-temperature sterilization an increasingly critical need in todays healthcare and life sciences environments, where delicate instruments require gentle yet effective sterilization solutions. To learn more about Andersen Sterilizers, EOGas 4PLUS and the many other sterilization solutions available, visit sterility.com or contact Andersen Sterilizers directly at (888) 932-4117. About Andersen Sterilizers Established more than 60 years ago by medical practitioners, Andersen Sterilizers is the leader in in-house Ethylene Oxide-Flexible Chamber Technology (EO-FCT) sterilization in the U.S. and around the world. For decades, Andersen has focused on perfecting one thing the design and manufacturing of effective and affordable low-temperature sterilization solutions for healthcare, veterinary, research and manufacturing markets. Andersens FDA-cleared systems, featuring award-winning Flexible Chamber Technology, are an essential complement to any infection prevention strategy. Andersens sterilizers are lethal on pathogens, helping to protect patients. Yet, they are gentle on expensive medical devices, preserving them for ongoing use. Learn more at sterility.com. Press inquiries Andersen Sterilizers https://sterility.com Karen E. Butler, Director karen.butler@sterility.com 860-997-4487 Beijing, China, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to build a socialist modern Xinjiang that is characterized by unity, harmony, prosperity, affluence, cultural progress and a sound eco-environment, where people live and work in peace and contentment. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks after listening to work reports from the CPC Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government. He emphasized the full, faithful and comprehensive implementation of the Party's guidelines for governing Xinjiang in the new era. Xi noted that since the founding of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 70 years ago, earthshaking changes have been taking place in the region, and Xinjiang has joined the rest of the country in embarking on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects. Leveraging its resources and industrial capabilities, Xinjiang should actively explore a path of high-quality development suited to its own characteristics and foster its new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, Xi stressed. He also urged Xinjiang to promote the cultural tourism industry, enhance preservation and restoration of ecosystems, accelerate the building of the core area along the Silk Road Economic Belt, and give priority to ensuring and improving people's living standards. Xi underscored all-out efforts in maintaining social stability in Xinjiang, and raising the people's awareness and readiness regarding combating terrorism and maintaining stability. On Wednesday morning, Xi also visited a themed exhibition in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at a cultural center in Urumqi, the regional capital. Xi emphasized that the profound changes in Xinjiang over the past 70 years are a vivid reflection of the historic process of national rejuvenation. Practice has proven that the system of regional ethnic autonomy established by the Party is entirely correct, Xi said, noting that the Party's policy for the governance of Xinjiang in the new era is both scientific and effective, and must be adhered to for the long term. The exhibition provides a panoramic view of the development achievements stemming from the unity, diligence and perseverance of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang over the past 70 years under the strong leadership of the CPC and with vigorous support from other parts of the country. The items on display at the exhibition include historical footage, industrial products, restored scenes of a department store, photos showcasing the achievements in poverty alleviation, exhibition boards on ethnic unity, and a map of ports illustrating the region's expanding openness. Praising the exhibition for conveying positive energy and inspiring visitors, Xi called for organizing visits to encourage officials and people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang to continue striving for a better and happier life on the path to common prosperity. Xi attended a gala marking the region's 70th founding anniversary on Wednesday evening. Xi joined people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang to watch the gala entitled "Beautiful Xinjiang." Xi arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang on Tuesday to attend activities marking the region's 70th founding anniversary, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Xi will attend a grand gathering on Thursday in Urumqi in celebration of the region's 70th founding anniversary. Strategic goals The high-level celebration underscored that Xinjiang's development is being placed within the broader framework of national strategy. The Party's approach to governing Xinjiang in the new era constitutes a comprehensive and systematic body of theory, designed and advanced from both strategic and overarching perspectives, Shu Hongshui, dean of School of National Security and research fellow of Human Rights Research Center at Northwest University of Political Science and Law in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, told the Global Times. As it prepares to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the autonomous region, Xinjiang is experiencing its most prosperous era. Undoubtedly, social stability is the cornerstone of its economic and social achievements. Under the leadership of the CPC, robust foundations for stability, peace and security have been established, leading to a historic shift from chaos to order and effectively countering destabilization attempts, reads a commentary published by Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday. A white paper titled "CPC Guidelines for Governing Xinjiang in the New Era: Practice and Achievements" which was issued by the Information Office of the State Council on Friday said that today's Xinjiang is experiencing the best period of development in its history. The document said solid steps have been taken to govern Xinjiang in accordance with the law, maintain stability through ethnic unity, strengthen cultural identity and bonds, bring greater prosperity to the region and its people, and develop Xinjiang from a long-term perspective, Xinhua reported. Seventy-one-year-old Uygur Yibirayim Kurban is nearly the same age as the autonomous region itself. He proudly shared with the Global Times that his life has always been intertwined with the Party and the motherland. In the 1970s, Kurban joined the Chinese People's Liberation Army and later became a member of the CPC. With deep affection, Kurban expressed his gratitude for the care, education and nurturing he has received from the Party and the country throughout his life. He is also profoundly appreciative of the progress Xinjiang has made over the last 70 years under the leadership of the Party and the country, which has significantly improved the lives of its people. Kurban attended the flag-raising ceremony in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on September 17. "I'm so happy that I finally got to express my gratitude and love to the national flag at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing," he said. Progress in all fronts Ethnic unity is the lifeline of all ethnic groups in China, and Xinjiang is no exception. All ethnic groups in the region are inseparable members of the great family of the Chinese nation. Fostering a stronger sense of community for the Chinese nation lays the foundation for long-term work in Xinjiang. With determination and hard work, Xinjiang is advancing modernization in step with the rest of the country, Xinhua reported. The region's economic development speaks for itself. From just 1.23 billion yuan ($173.1 million) in 1955, Xinjiang's GDP had reached over 2 trillion yuan by 2024. Notably, from 2012 to 2024, Xinjiang's GDP grew at an annual rate of 7 percent at constant prices, significantly outpacing the national average, according to Xinhua. This progress extends to people's living standards. By 2020, 3.06 million residents were lifted out of impoverishment as China eradicated absolute poverty across the country. In 2024, per capita annual disposable income in Xinjiang reached 42,820 yuan for urban residents and 19,427 yuan for rural residents, Xinhua reported. Openness is another defining feature of Xinjiang. The region's total foreign trade reached 435.11 billion yuan in 2024, achieving 21.8 percent year-on-year growth. Its China-Europe freight trains now operate 23 routes, connecting 26 cities across 19 countries with remarkable efficiency, Xinhua reported. Blessed with diverse natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage, the region has embraced a surge of tourism in recent years. More and more self-driving tourists have flocked to Xinjiang to experience the charm of ancient Silk Road culture. The region welcomed 302 million tourist arrivals in 2024, with its public security satisfaction rate remaining exceptionally high at 99.42 percent, a testament to its secure and stable environment, according to Xinhua. "The development and changes in Xinjiang are tangible and visible, with ethnic unity both crucial prerequisites for social stability but also a core driver of economic progress. The region enjoys overall social stability, ethnic unity, religious harmony and a happy life for its people," Yuan Jinhui, deputy head of the Xinjiang Administration Institute, told the Global Times. Source: Global Times: Company: Global Times Contact Person: Anna Li Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn Website: https://globaltimes.cn City: Beijing Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Motley Fool Asset Management (MFAM) announced today that it has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch a new suite of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) designed to meet the rising demand for disciplined, research-driven investment strategies. Rooted in The Motley Fool LLCs (TMF) long-standing philosophy of long-term, buy-and-hold investing, the 15 new products are built to provide transparent, scalable portfolio solutions tailored to a variety of risk appetites. Representing the first phase of the firms next ETF product rollout, the funds are intended to help investors stay invested with confidence through volatile and uncertain market cycles. Were building a complete set of offeringsone that includes core exposures, thematic strategies, and risk-aware approaches by expanding into ETF structures tied to our in-house indices, said Kelsey Mowrey, President of Motley Fool Asset Management. Our goal is to equip investors with the ability to build a comprehensive portfolio, delivered with the same transparency and process rigor that have defined our approach since 2008. The new index-based products will track MFAMs constellation of market indices, which are constructed from the recommendation universe of companies featured in newsletters published by The Motley Fool, LLC or are among the 150 highest rated U.S. companies in The Motley Fool, LLC s analyst opinion database (the "TMF Index Universe"). Each index applies a transparent, rules-based methodology tailored to a specific investment goal, which span broad equity exposure, factor tilts like growth or value, and risk-managed approaches. The newly filed actively-managed products will be constructed from companies in the TMF Index Universe and companies tracked by MFAM analysts. From day one, our goal with the indices was to distill the core of our investment philosophy into systematic strategiesstrategies that dont chase the market, but instead reflect how we think great portfolios should be built, said Tony Arsta, Chief Investment Officer of Motley Fool Asset Management. At Motley Fool Asset Management, weve always believed in making disciplined, Foolish investing accessible to more people. These ETFs are designed to give investors transparent, scalable access to our time-tested approach grounded in real performance history and built to help investors pursue long-term success. Motley Fool Asset Management currently manages a family of ETFs that reflect its long-term investment philosophy, including the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF (TMFC), the Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF (TMFE), the Motley Fool Next Index ETF (TMFX), the Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF (TMFG), the Motley Fool Mid Cap Growth ETF (TMFM), and the Motley Fool Small Cap Growth ETF (TMFS). These new ETF filings represent a continuation of that approachbroadening investor access to strategies grounded in fundamental research and intentional portfolio design. Investors are looking for more than just market exposurethey want portfolios that reflect how they think about businesses and risk, said Bill Mann, Chief Investment Strategist at Motley Fool Asset Management. These ETFs will be designed for investors who want strategies built on research and conviction and tools that reflect a long-term mindset and a clear view of what they own and why. 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Please see the prospectuses for the Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF, the Motley Fool Mid Cap Growth ETF, the Motley Fool 100 ETF, the Motley Fool Small Cap Growth ETF, the Motley Fool Next Index ETF and the Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF containing this and other information. Read it carefully before you invest or send money. Visit www.fooletfs.com (the Site) to read these prospectuses. NON-U.S. RESIDENTS AND APPLICABLE LAW. The Site is hosted in the United States of America. MFAM and their representatives may transact business only in states where they are registered, excluded, or exempted from state registration requirements. MFAM makes no representations or warranties that the pages or other materials on the Site are appropriate for use outside the United States. If you choose to access the Site from a location outside the United States, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for complying with all applicable local laws. No investment product or service referred to on this site is intended to be made available in any country or other jurisdiction where such availability (or offer or sale of such product or service) would violate applicable laws or regulations. This Site will not be considered a solicitation for or offering of any investment product or service to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offering would be illegal. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) on behalf of investors who bought shares between January 23, 2024, and July 21, 2025. The lawsuit, Khan v. Lockheed Martin Corporation, alleges the company gave investors a misleading picture of its financial health by failing to disclose that it had inadequate internal controls to assess program risks. Hagens Berman encourages Lockheed Martin investors with substantial losses to contact the firm now. Class Period: Jan. 23, 2024 July 21, 2025 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Sept. 26, 2025 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/lmt Contact the Firm Now: LMT@hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895 Alleged Pattern of Misrepresentations The lawsuit claims that throughout the specified period, Lockheed Martin presented a false and misleading view of its operations by overstating its ability to deliver on contracts in its Aeronautics and Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) segments. The complaint alleges the company lacked effective internal controls and procedures to accurately review program requirements and risks. As a result, it was likely to incur significant losses, which were not disclosed to investors. The Truth Allegedly Emerges Over a Series of Disclosures Investors began to learn the truth through a series of negative disclosures that led to major stock drops: On January 28, 2025 , the company reported $1.8 billion in pre-tax losses in its Aeronautics segment. , the company reported $1.8 billion in pre-tax losses in its Aeronautics segment. On April 17, 2025 , the company announced its CFO had left. , the company announced its CFO had left. On July 22, 2025, the company disclosed an additional $950 million in pre-tax losses for its Aeronautics segment and $570 million in pre-tax losses for its RMS segment, stemming from problems with the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program. Each of these revelations led to a significant drop in Lockheed Martin's stock price, with shares falling almost 11% on the final disclosure. Hagens Bermans Investigation A national plaintiffs rights law firm, Hagens Berman, is investigating these claims on behalf of investors who suffered substantial losses. The firm is examining whether the massive, successive losses were a foreseeable consequence of poor internal controls and a failure to accurately communicate the company's risks to investors. The scale of these losses and their recurrence across different programs suggests a systemic issue, not a series of isolated problems, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. Our focus is on whether executives knew the companys internal controls were not as robust as investors were led to believe and whether management was transparent about the risks that ultimately led to billions in write-downs. If you invested in Lockheed Martin and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, submit your losses now If youd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Lockheed Martin case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Lockheed Martin should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email LMT@hbsslaw.com. About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Bermans team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw. Mexico City, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kueski, Mexicos leading buy now, pay later (BNPL) and online consumer lending platform, has once again been recognized in the Most Ethical Companies ranking by AMITAI. For the fourth consecutive year, Kueski stands out as the highest-ranked financial institution in Mexico, surpassing both traditional banks and fintech companies. The award highlights organizations that place ethics and transparency at the core of their culture, decision-making, and operations. For Kueski, this achievement reinforces its mission to create more human, accessible, and responsible financial services, consolidating its position as the most trusted financial services company in the country. This recognition makes us especially proud because it reflects the integrity of everyone who makes Kueski possible, said Carlos Sanchez Almada, Senior Vice President of Legal, Compliance, Security, and Internal Control at Kueski. For us, ethics is the foundation of everything we do, even when taking the right path requires more time and effort. Being named one of Mexicos Most Ethical Companies inspires us to continue proving that innovation in financial technology can go hand in hand with trust and responsibility. Since its founding, Kueski has issued more than 30 million loans in Mexico, advancing financial inclusion through a digital ecosystem that expands access to credit and payment alternatives. Today, over 94% of its customers consider Kueski more trustworthy and transparent than other financial institutions. This achievement reaffirms the companys commitment as a Mexican business working to serve the people of Mexico. For more information, visit: www.kueski.com About Kueski Kueski is the leading buy now, pay later (BNPL) and online consumer credit platform in Latin America, known for its innovative financial services. Its flagship product, Kueski Pay, allows customers to make purchases and pay later, both online and in physical stores. Additionally, the company offers Kueski Cash, a personal loan product. Applying artificial intelligence, Kueski enhances access to financial services at scale. To date, the company has issued more than 30 million loans across Mexico, benefiting individuals and entrepreneurs. Notably, 33% of Mexico's top e-commerce merchants now offer Kueski Pay as a payment option. For more information, visit: https://www.kueskipay.com/ Attachment BROSSARD, Quebec, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DIAGNOS Inc. (DIAGNOS or the Corporation) (TSX Venture: ADK, OTCQB: DGNOF, FWB: 4D4A), a pioneer in early detection of critical health issues using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, announces the voting results of the annual meeting of the shareholders held earlier today. Mr. Andre Larente, Mr. Robert Dunn, Mr. Michael Braeuel and Mr. Philippe Couillard were elected as directors to hold office until the closing of the next annual meeting of the shareholders. Grant Thornton LLP was appointed auditor of the Corporation for the year ending March 31, 2026. DIAGNOS also announces a grant of an aggregate number of 1,100,000 stock options to two directors of the Corporation in replacement for 600,000 stock options which expired on August 26, 2025, and 500,000 stock options expiring September 28, 2025. The date of the grant is September 25, 2025. The expiry date to which the stock options can be exercised is September 25, 2030. Stock options vest at 50% per year, commencing with the first anniversary of the grant. The exercise price of the stock options granted has been established at $0.26 per common share. The grant remains subject to regulatory compliance including TSX Venture exchange acceptance. Monies quoted in this press release shall be stated in lawful money of Canada. About DIAGNOS DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation dedicated to early detection of critical health problems based on its FLAIRE Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform. FLAIRE allows for quick modifying and developing of applications such as CARA (Computer Assisted Retina Analysis). CARAs image enhancement algorithms provide sharper, clearer and easier-to-analyze retinal images. CARA is a cost-effective tool for real-time screening of large volumes of patients. Additional information is available at www.diagnos.com and www.sedarplus.com . For further information, please contact: Mr. Andre Larente, President DIAGNOS Inc. Tel: 450-678-8882 ext. 224 This news release contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. DIAGNOS disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MAGACOIN FINANCE, an Ethereum-based cryptocurrency project, today confirmed it has raised more than $14 million in presale commitments, attracting 13,500+ investors worldwide. The milestone is now being reflected in crypto news commentary, where the project is gaining visibility as an Ethereum-based entrant in the 2025 cycle. Presale Snapshot Capital raised: $14 million+ $14 million+ Participants: 13,500+ global investors 13,500+ global investors Allocation sold: 75% complete 75% complete Confirmed launch price: $0.007 The presales structured rollout gradually reduces available supply while raising token prices, creating momentum for exchange listings. Ethereum as Market Context Ethereum remains the foundation for decentralized finance and token launches. Commentary across crypto news outlets is beginning to include MAGACOIN FINANCE, pointing to its presale results as indicators of early recognition. Why Its Being Covered Strong fundraising milestone. Large investor base. Mentions in Ethereum-linked commentary. Conclusion Ethereum continues to anchor blockchain innovation, and the growing commentary around MAGACOIN FINANCE reflects how early presale traction can create visibility before listings. About MAGACOIN FINANCE MAGACOIN FINANCE is an Ethereum-based cryptocurrency project designed to combine cultural relevance with scalable blockchain utility. With strong early-stage traction, a growing community, and scarcity-driven tokenomics, the project aims to position itself as one of the leading altcoin entrants of 2025. Learn more: Website: https://magacoinfinance.com Access: https://magacoinfinance.com/access Twitter/X: https://x.com/magacoinfinance Telegram: https://t.me/magacoinfinance Contact Details PR Specialist: Rebecca Miles Email: rebecca@magacoinfinance.com Disclaimer: This content is provided by MAGACOIN FINANCE. 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We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/12682070-2b10-4434-a986-1154f4c0dfa1 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9e816f76-1dd7-4613-b286-1e00e58a267d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cdabac2e-0921-4f10-aa56-8f2f01ff9e44 ST. LOUIS, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today reported selected operating results for August 31, 2025, to provide timely information to investors on certain key performance metrics. Due to the limited nature of this data, a consistent correlation to earnings should not be assumed. Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, Total client assets and fee-based client assets hit record highs, up 9% and 14% year-over-year, driven by strong recruiting and market gains. The benefit of our diversified funding mix was illustrated by the continued growth in treasury deposits, up 6% month-over-month, which effectively offset a 1% decline in client money market and insured product balances that was primarily due to lower Smart Rate balances. Momentum is building in our Institutional Group as the capital raising and M&A environment has improved significantly since earlier this year. Barring a significant market downturn, we anticipate a stronger second half of the year for this segment. Selected Operating Data (Unaudited) As of % Change (millions) 8/31/2025 8/31/2024 7/31/2025 8/31/2024 7/31/2025 Total client assets $532,742 $489,237 $522,303 9% 2% Fee-based client assets $213,635 $187,344 $209,084 14% 2% Private Client Group fee-based client assets $186,679 $163,824 $182,534 14% 2% Bank loans, net (includes loans held for sale) $21,646 $20,323 $21,605 7% 0% Client money market and insured product(1) $25,436 $26,503 $25,683 (4)% (1)% Treasury deposits(2) $7,647 $4,278 $7,246 79% 6% (1) Includes Smart Rate deposits, Sweep deposits, Third-party Bank Sweep Program, and Other Sweep cash. (2) Includes Other Bank deposits and Third-party Commercial Treasury deposits, which represent Venture, Fund, and Commercial deposits at Stifel Bancorp and third-party banks. Company Information Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifels broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners and Miller Buckfire business divisions; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC; in Canada through Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc.; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Companys broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Companys website at www.stifel.com. For global disclosures, please visit www.stifel.com/investor-relations/press-releases. Media Contact: Neil Shapiro (212) 271-3447 | Investor Contact: Joel Jeffrey (212) 271- 3610 | www.stifel.com/investor-relations LAFAYETTE, Ind., Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wabash (NYSE: WNC), a leader in end-to-end supply chain solutions for the transportation, logistics and infrastructure markets, today announced a significant expansion of its network in the Southeast. Wabash is strengthening customer access and service in the greater Atlanta region with three strategic growth moves: opening a new Parts & Service center, expanding its dealer relationship with Fleetco and adding CS Truck and Trailer to its Preferred Partner Network. These moves reflect how Wabash is building an extensive partner ecosystem that puts parts, service and support closer to our customers, said Dave Hill, vice president of Parts & Services at Wabash. Together, these Atlanta expansions mean faster turnaround, more coverage and better reliability for fleets operating across Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. New Atlanta Parts & Service Center Strategically located at the heart of the Southeasts trucking corridor, Wabashs new Atlanta-area Parts and Services center provides faster access to parts, service and truck body upfitting. It will offer Wabashs Ready-to-Mount (RTM) truck bodies for dry freight and platform applications with rapid turnaround times for in-stock chassis. The Atlanta site joins Wabash service centers in California, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, with additional locations on the way. Doors opened September 18, 2025. Fleetco Dealer Expansion Fleetco, a long-standing Wabash dealer, will now represent Wabash in the greater Atlanta market with trailer sales. This expansion broadens Wabashs dealer footprint in the Southeast and gives customers additional access to new and used equipment through a trusted partner. Were proud to grow our existing partnership with Wabash in the greater Atlanta market, said Bill Tirrill, president at Fleetco Inc. With more than 14 years of experience working closely with Wabash, this new chapter in Atlanta allows us to expand our sales force across the region and provide our clients immediate access to new and used trailers. We will be able to improve the expertise and commitment our clients expect from the Fleetco/Wabash team. Together were creating more opportunities to serve our clients, allowing them to keep on trucking. Preferred Partner Network Addition Wabash also added three CS Truck and Trailer locations to its Preferred Partner Network in Georgia, which brings expert service, maintenance and Wabash Genuine Parts to more customers through authorized third-party dealerships. The Preferred Partner Network model is central to Wabashs strategy of making high-quality parts more accessible through a seamless national network. As our customer base grows, expanding our dealer and partner network is critical to delivering the speed and service customers expect, Hill added. Atlanta is a perfect example of how were executing that strategycombining service centers, dealer partners, and the Preferred Partner Network to increase coverage and elevate the customer experience. About Wabash Wabash (NYSE: WNC) combines physical and digital technologies to deliver innovative, end-to-end solutions that optimize supply chains across transportation, logistics and infrastructure markets. Headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana, Wabash designs, manufactures, and services an extensive range of products supporting first-to-final mile operations, including dry and refrigerated trailers and truck bodies, platform trailers, tank trailers, structural composites and more. In addition, through the Wabash Marketplace and Wabash Parts, customers gain access to a nationwide parts and service network, Trailers as a Service (TaaS), and advanced tools designed to streamline operations and drive growth. By enabling businesses to thrive today and prepare for tomorrow, Wabash is Changing How the World Reaches You. Learn more at onewabash.com . Media Contact: Heidi Murphy heidi.murphy@padillaco.com Investor Relations: Jacob Page Sr. Analyst, Corporate Development & IR (765) 414-2835 jacob.page@onewabash.com DENVER, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Consumer demand for products like cheese, butter and yogurt that rely on protein and butterfat content continues to drive dairy sales growth in the U.S. and abroad. Over the past decade, milk delivered to U.S. dairy processing plants has become more nutrient-dense with higher levels of the two key components to meet rising demand. However, the pace of growth in butterfat content has far exceeded protein, which creates challenges for U.S. cheddar and American-style cheesemakers that rely on a more balanced ratio of the two. According to a new report from CoBanks Knowledge Exchange, excessive butterfat levels can impact cheese quality. In the EU and New Zealand, the two largest dairy exporters, the protein-to-fat ratio has remained far steadier, averting the issues U.S. cheese makers are facing. U.S. dairy producers did an exceptional job increasing butterfat levels in milk to meet demand, said Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist at CoBank. For 10 years, the market couldnt supply enough of it, and now theres an oversupply its almost too much of a good thing. Cheesemakers strive for a protein-to-fat ratio near 0.80. Anything significantly lower than that can reduce cheese quality and compromise production yields. In recent years, butterfat percentages in U.S. milk have been increasing at twice the pace of protein. From 2000 to 2017, the protein-to-fat ratio held rather constant at 0.82 to 0.84. In the ensuing years, the ratio gradually slipped to 0.77. That is increasingly a concern for cheesemakers as more than one-half of the U.S. milk supply is destined for cheese production. The disproportionate growth of butterfat in relation to protein in U.S. milk when compared to the EU and New Zealand could put U.S. cheesemakers at a competitive disadvantage. The EU is the worlds largest dairy exporter, followed by New Zealand. The U.S. is the third largest exporter of dairy products and ingredients. Unlike Americas global competitors, domestic cheese processors face added costs for rebalancing their milk supplies, which reduces efficiency and could ultimately impact pricing at the farmgate. Geiger said U.S. cheddar cheesemakers face a growing need to standardize milk either by adding a source of protein like milk protein concentrate or by pulling excess butterfat out. If cheddar makers dont standardize inbound milk, fat levels may climb too high and cheese quality could decline as higher fat generally yields a softer cheese, said Geiger. In the U.S., Multiple Component Pricing has incentivized butterfat and protein production. From 2000 to 2014, the protein price exceeded butterfat, resulting in rather equal growth between the two components. However, butterfat pay prices exceeded protein prices in eight of the past 10 years. That fueled the butterfat boom, which producers achieved through animal genetics and feeding strategies. Those practices could be shifted to achieve a greater balance between butterfat and protein if the proper price incentives are in place. Cheese yield pricing could also give farmers incentives to produce milk with a higher protein-to-fat ratio. Geiger said looking to the future, farmgate milk needs to have a protein-to-fat ratio more in line with how milk is utilized to make the entire industry more efficient. Regardless of the current challenges associated with excess butterfat, most signals continue to point upward for milk component demand. That represents an opportunity for dairy farmers to produce more milk components so dairy processors can fulfill demand in both domestic and global markets. And advances in research and efficiency are among several reasons the U.S. dairy industry remains on a strong growth trajectory with $10 billion in dairy plant investment coming online through 2028. Watch a video synopsis and read the report, While U.S. Leads Milk Component Growth, Butterfat May Be Growing Too Fast. About CoBank CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 78,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore. Beijing, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kuke Music Holding Limited (NYSE: KUKE) (Kuke or the Company), a leading classical music services platform in China, today announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in Naxos Music Group, one of the worlds largest independent classical music companies. Transaction Overview Under the terms of the agreements signed on September 17, 2025, Kuke acquired on the same day a controlling interest in Naxos Music Group through two transactions involving Naxos One Holding Limited (Naxos One) and Desun Holding Limited (Desun), one of the two existing shareholders of Naxos One (the other shareholder is hereinafter referred to as the Other Existing Shareholder): Share Subscription Agreement: Kuke firstly subscribed for 17,500 newly issued Class B ordinary shares of Naxos One at US$6,000 per share, for an aggregate consideration of US$105 million (the Share Issuance Transaction). Share Purchase Agreement: Kuke secondly acquired 108 Class A ordinary shares of Naxos One from Desun (which automatically converted into 108 Class B ordinary shares of Naxos One upon transfer) at US$12,500 per share, for an aggregate consideration of US$1.35 million (the Share Transfer Transaction). The total transaction value is approximately US$106.35 million, and was settled entirely through the issuance of Kukes Class A ordinary shares as consideration. Transaction Structure and Consideration Kuke issued 652,997,260 Class A ordinary shares and 8,395,679 Class A ordinary shares (collectively, the Consideration Shares) to Naxos One and Desun, as consideration for the Share Issuance Transaction and the Share Transfer Transaction, respectively. Each Consideration Share was valued at US$0.1608 (Price Per Consideration Share) based on the average closing price of Kukes American Depositary Shares (ADSs) for the 60 trading days immediately preceding September 17, 2025, discounted by 30%. Pursuant to the terms of the Share Subscription Agreement, the consideration may be settled either in cash (if Kuke has sufficient available funds at the closing) or through the issuance of Kukes Class A ordinary shares. When settled through share issuance, the shares issued to Naxos One include redemption provisions allowing either party to initiate cash redemption at cost under certain circumstances, with the shares subject to lock-up and dividend waiver provisions until redemption. Kuke has committed to pursue financing to enable cash redemption as soon as reasonably practicable. Under the Share Purchase Agreement, the Consideration Shares held by Desun are subject to a lock-up period of 24 months. Upon completion of the transactions, Kuke holds approximately 70.43% of the outstanding shares of Naxos One, which in turn controls Naxos Music Group. Approvals, Shareholder Rights and Contingency of Unwinding the Transactions The transactions have been approved by Kukes shareholders, Board of Directors and Audit Committee, following review by the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of an independent valuation report prepared by Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Appraisal and Advisory Limited. The Share Issuance Transaction was subject to the preemptive right of existing shareholders of Naxos One to subscribe for up to its pro rata portion of the Class B ordinary shares proposed to be issued by Naxos One, which if exercised would reduce the number of Class B ordinary shares available for issuance to third parties (including Kuke) by such number of shares with respect to which the preemptive right was duly exercised. The preemptive right expired at the end of September 25, 2025, Hong Kong time, and neither shareholder exercised its preemptive right prior to such time. The Share Transfer Transaction was subject to the tag-along right and an additional sale right of the Other Existing Shareholder which if exercised would require Kuke to purchase such number of additional Class B ordinary shares of Naxos One that the Other Existing Shareholder decides to sell to Kuke along with the Share Transfer Transaction. These rights also expired at the end of September 25, 2025, Hong Kong time, and the Other Existing Shareholder did not exercise such rights prior to such time. Pursuant to a Supplement Agreement entered into on September 17, 2025, Kuke, Naxos One and Desun agreed that, if the Other Existing Shareholder had validly exercised its preemptive right, the parties would have taken all actions to cancel such number of Class B ordinary shares already issued to Kuke equal to the number of shares the Other Existing Shareholder proposed to subscribe, and would have concurrently cancelled the corresponding Consideration Shares issued by Kuke to Naxos One. Additionally, if the Other Existing Shareholder had exercised its tag-along right and/or additional sale right, Kuke undertook to purchase all Class B ordinary shares that the Other Existing Shareholder proposed to sell pursuant to such rights. As the aforementioned preemptive right remained unexercised prior to its expiration, the Share Issuance Transaction is no longer subject to any contingency that would result in an unwinding of this transaction. In addition, as the Other Existing Shareholder did not exercise its tag-along right or additional sale right prior to their expiration, Kuke is no longer under any obligation to purchase additional Class B ordinary shares in Naxos One. About Naxos Music Group Naxos Music Group is one of the worlds leading classical music organizations, established in 1987 and headquartered in Hong Kong. Operating on the principles of repertoire, value and innovation, Naxos has become the worlds leading classical music label and a global distributor of music with tens of thousands of recorded albums and millions of digital tracks available globally as well as a source for licensing to partners worldwide. The company pioneered digital music streaming in 1996 and launched the Naxos Music Library in 2003. Naxos operates globally through its vast physical and digital distribution network, both by many owned subsidiaries as well as through various distributors worldwide, serving customers globally. The company has received multiple industry awards and is a pillar in the classical music scene as label group but also distributing hundreds of other classical, jazz and world music labels globally. Naxos continues expanding its comprehensive ecosystem with its huge catalogue of owned labels, distribution service for the industry, extended recording, sync and licensing distribution, and educational services while maintaining its commitment to making classical music accessible to global audiences. Strategic Rationale This acquisition represents a transformative step in Kukes strategy to expand its classical music ecosystem globally. The transaction will provide significant strategic synergies between Kukes music education platform and Naxos Music Groups extensive classical music catalog and established global distribution network. Mr. Peixian Tan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kuke, commented: This strategic acquisition of Naxos Music Group represents a landmark transaction that will significantly enhance our position as a leading classical music services platform. Naxoss world-class content library, combined with its proven global distribution capabilities, creates compelling synergies with our existing music education and technology platforms. About Kuke Music Holding Limited (NYSE: KUKE) Kuke is a leading classical music service platform in China encompassing the entire value chain from content provision to music learning services, with approximately 3 million audio and video music tracks. By collaborating with its strategic global business partner Naxos, the largest independent classical music content provider in the world, the foundation of Kukes extensive classical music content library is its unparalleled access to more than 900 top-tier labels and record companies. Leveraging its market leadership in international copyrighted classical music content, Kuke provides highly scalable classical music licensing services to various online music platforms, and classical music subscription services to over 800 universities, libraries and other institutions across China. In addition, it has hosted Beijing Music Festival (BMF), the most renowned music festival in China, for 24 consecutive years. Through KUKEY, the Companys proprietary smart music learning solutions, Kuke aims to democratize music learning via technological innovation, bring fascinating music content and professional music techniques to more students, and continuously improve the efficiency and penetration of music learning in China. For more information about Kuke, please visit https://ir.kuke.com/ Forward-looking Statements This announcement includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. Words such as expect, estimate, project, budget, forecast, anticipate, intend, plan, may, will, could, should, believes, predicts, potential, continue and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements and factors that may cause such differences include, without limitation, KUKEs expectations with respect to future performance, ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the initiatives described herein; costs related to, and the timing of the completion of the initiatives described herein; global economic conditions; geopolitical events and regulatory changes; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in filings with the SEC. The foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in KUKEs most recent filings with the SEC and will be contained in the Form 6-K and other filings to be filed as result of the transactions described above. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning KUKE or the events described herein or other matters and attributable to KUKE, or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Neither KUKE nor the other parties named herein undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in their expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. For further information, please contact. Kuke Music Holding Limited: Investor Relations Email: ir@kuke.com NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of National Grid plc (NYSE: NGG) resulting from allegations that National Grid plc may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased National Grid securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=41344 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On July 2, 2025, Reuters published an article entitled Preventable National Grid failures led to Heathrow fire, findings say. The article stated that a fire that shut Londons Heathrow airport in March, stranding thousands of people, was caused by the UK power grids failure to maintain an electricity substation, an official report said on Wednesday, prompting the energy watchdog to open a probe. Further, the article stated that the United Kingdoms Energy minister, Ed Miliband, had called the report deeply concerning, after it concluded that the issue which caused the fire was identified seven years ago but went unaddressed by power grid operator National Grid[.] On this news, National Grids American Depositary Shares (ADSs) fell 5%, on July 2, 2024. 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. 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. 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. 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 SAN DIEGO, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of Dow Inc. (NYSE: DOW) securities between January 30, 2025 and July 23, 2025, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), have until Tuesday, October 28, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Dow class action lawsuit. Captioned Sarti v. Dow Inc., No. 25-cv-12744 (E.D. Mich.), the Dow class action lawsuit charges Dow, The Dow Chemical Company, a Dow subsidiary, as well as certain of Dows top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Dow class action lawsuit, please provide your information here: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-dow-inc-class-action-lawsuit-dow.html You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at info@rgrdlaw.com. CASE ALLEGATIONS: Dow, through its subsidiaries, provides various materials science solutions for packaging, infrastructure, mobility, and consumer applications. The Dow class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Dows ability to mitigate macroeconomic and tariff-related headwinds, as well as to maintain the financial flexibility needed to support its lucrative dividend, was overstated; and (ii) the true scope and severity of the foregoing headwinds negative impacts on Dows business and financial condition was understated, particularly with respect to competitive and pricing pressures, softening global sales, and demand for Dows products, as well as an oversupply of products in Dows global markets. The Dow class action lawsuit further alleges that on June 23, 2025 BMO Capital downgraded its recommendation on Dow to Underperform from Market Perform while also cutting its price target on Dows stock to $22.00 per share from $29.00 per share, citing sustained weakness across key end markets and mounting pressure on Dows dividend. Following this news, Dows stock price fell by more than 3%, the complaint alleges. Then, the complaint further alleges that on July 24, 2025, Dow reported a second quarter of 2025 non-GAAP loss per share of $0.42, significantly larger than the approximate $0.17 to $0.18 per share loss expected by analysts and net sales of $10.1 billion, representing a 7.3% year-over-year decline and missing consensus estimates by $130 million, reflecting declines in all operating segments. Dows CEO, defendant Jim Fitterling, blamed these disappointing results on the lower-for-longer earnings environment that our industry is facing, amplified by recent trade and tariff uncertainties, while providing a dour outlook marked by signs of oversupply from newer market entrants who are exporting to various regions at anti-competitive economics, it is alleged. Dow also revealed that it was cutting its dividend in half, from $0.70 per share to only $0.35 per share, citing the need for financial flexibility amidst a persistently challenging macroeconomic environment, the Dow class action lawsuit further alleges. Following this news, Dows stock price fell by more than 17%, the complaint alleges. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Dow securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Dow class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Dow class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Dow class action lawsuit. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Dow class action lawsuit. ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the worlds leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud and shareholder litigation. Our Firm has been ranked #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for four out of the last five years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. In 2024, we recovered over $2.5 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases more than the next five law firms combined, according to ISS. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs firms in the world, and the Firms attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest ever $7.2 billion in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. Contact: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal 655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101 800-449-4900 info@rgrdlaw.com LONDON, September 25, 2025 - Orosur Mining Inc. ("Orosur" or the "Company") (TSX:OMI)(AIM:OMI) announces the following: Corporate update: the Company's upsized brokered private placement to raise up to C$20 million, (the "Offering"), which was announced on September 18, 2025 is now scheduled to close on October 2, 2025. The Offering comprises the issue of up to 58,823,530 new common shares of the Company ("Common Shares"). Application has been made for up to 58,823,530 Common Shares, which rank pari passu with the existing Common Shares in issue, to be admitted to trading on AIM ("Admission"). It is expected that Admission will become effective and dealings will occur at 8:00am UK time on or around October 3, 2025. Exercise of options and warrants: the Company has issued 260,000 Common Shares representing 0.08% of the Company's current issued share capital, following the exercise of options by two consultants of the Company at an exercise price of C$0.22 and C$0.325 for 140,000 and 120,000 Common Shares respectively. No members of the board, or Company executives have exercised any options. Additionally, 8,675,418 Common Shares were issued for a total consideration of US$701,894 following an exercise of 8,675,418 warrants during September from the Company's block listing, announced on January 8, 2025. Following Admission of these 260,000 Common Shares relating to the options, and also the 8,675,418 warrants exercised in September, for the purposes of the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, the Company will have 325,758,894 Common Shares in issue. Shareholders may use this figure as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the issued share capital of the Company. Following Admission, the Company will have 4,701,668 options outstanding and 22,834,404 warrants outstanding. For further information, visit www.orosur.ca, follow on X @orosurm or please contact: Orosur Mining Inc Louis Castro, Chairman, Brad George, CEO info@orosur.ca Tel: +1 (778) 373-0100 SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP - Nomad & Joint Broker Jeff Keating / Jen Clarke / Devik Mehta Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0470 Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Ltd - Joint Broker Andy Thacker/James Pope Tel: +44 (0)20 3657 0050 Flagstaff Communications and Investor Communications Tim Thompson Mark Edwards Fergus Mellon orosur@flagstaffcomms.com Tel: +44 (0)207 129 1474 The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ('MAR') which has been incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service ('RIS'), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Defined terms in this Announcement shall have the same meaning as set out in the announcement released on September 18, 2025 unless otherwise stated. About Orosur Mining Inc. Orosur Mining Inc. (TSXV:OMI)(AIM:OMI) is a minerals explorer and developer currently operating in Colombia, Argentina and Nigeria. IMPORTANT NOTICE This Announcement has been issued by, and is the sole responsibility, of the Company. Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Limited ("Turner Pope"), which is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), is acting exclusively for the Company and no one else in relation to the Placing element of the Offering. Turner Pope is not acting for, and will not be responsible to, any person other than the Company and is not advising any other person or otherwise responsible to any person for providing the protections afforded to clients of Turner Pope or for advising any other person in respect of the Placing element of the Offering or any transaction, matter or arrangement referred to in this Announcement. Turner Pope has not authorised the contents of this Announcement and, apart from the responsibilities and liabilities, if any, which may be imported on Turner Pope by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) ("FSMA") or the regulatory regime established thereunder, no liability is accepted by Turner Pope for the accuracy of any information or opinions contained in or for the omission of any information from this Announcement, for which the Company and the directors of the Company are solely responsible. Turner Pope accordingly disclaims all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above) in respect of this Announcement or any such statement. Greenwood Capital Partners Limited ("Greenwood"), which is authorised and regulated in the UK by the FCA, is acting exclusively for the Company and no one else in relation to the Placing element of the Offering. Greenwood is not acting for, and will not be responsible to, any person other than the Company and is not advising any other person or otherwise responsible to any person for providing the protections afforded to clients of Greenwood or for advising any other person in respect of the Placing element of the Offering or any transaction, matter or arrangement referred to in this Announcement. Greenwood has not authorised the contents of this Announcement and, apart from the responsibilities and liabilities, if any, which may be imported on Greenwood by FSMA or the regulatory regime established thereunder, no liability is accepted by Greenwood for the accuracy of any information or opinions contained in or for the omission of any information from this Announcement, for which the Company and the directors of the Company are solely responsible. Greenwood accordingly disclaims all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above) in respect of this Announcement or any such statement. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by Turner Pope, Greenwood or by any of their respective representatives as to, or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefor is expressly disclaimed. This Announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning any investor's option with respect to the Offering. Each investor or prospective investor should conduct his, her or its own investigation, analysis and evaluation of the business and data described in this announcement and publicly available information. The distribution or transmission of this Announcement and the offering of the Common Shares in certain jurisdictions other than Canada and the UK may be restricted or prohibited by law or regulation. Persons distributing this Announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The price and value of securities can go down as well as up. Past performance is not a guide to future performance Information to Distributors The distribution of this Announcement and the offering of the Common Shares in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been taken by the Company, Turner Pope, Greenwood or any of their affiliates that would permit an offering of the Common Shares or possession or distribution of this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to the Common Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this Announcement comes are required by the Company, Turner Pope and Greenwood to inform themselves about, and to observe, such restrictions. UK Product Governance Requirements Solely for the purposes of the Product Governance requirements contained within Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements") and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Common Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Common Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by UK Product Governance Requirements (the "UK Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Common Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Common Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Common Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The UK Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing element of the Offering. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, Turner Pope and Greenwood will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties. For the avoidance of doubt, the UK Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or 10A, respectively, of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to, the Common Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Common Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. EU Product Governance Requirements Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"), (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II and (c) local implementing measures (together the "EU Product Governance Requirements") and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the EU Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Common Shares have been subject to product approval process, which has determined that the Common Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of (a) investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and (b) eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by EU Product Governance Requirements (the "EU Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the EU Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Common Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Common Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Common Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The EU Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing element of the Offering. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the EU Target Market Assessment, Turner Pope and Greenwood will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties. For the avoidance of doubt, the EU Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Common Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Common Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. Forward Looking Statements: All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws, which is based upon the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions, and beliefs. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements concerning future exploration plans at the Company's mineral properties, including exploration timelines and anticipated costs; the Company's expectations with respect to the use of proceeds and the use of the available funds following completion of the Offering; the completion of the Offering and the Agent's Option and the date of such completion; future liquidity on the TSX-V and AIM; and the completion of the Company's business objectives, and the timing, costs, and benefits thereof. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information relate to future events and future performance and include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "potential", "is expected", "anticipated", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties relating to: general business and economic conditions; regulatory approval for the Offering; completion of the Offering; changes in commodity prices; the supply and demand for, deliveries of, and the level and volatility of the price of gold and other metals; changes in project parameters as exploration plans continue to be refined; costs of exploration including labour and equipment costs; risks and uncertainties related to the ability to obtain or maintain necessary licenses, permits or surface rights; changes in credit market conditions and conditions in financial markets generally; the ability to procure equipment and operating supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis; the availability of qualified employees and contractors; the impact of value of the Canadian dollar and U.S. dollar, foreign exchange rates on costs and financial results; market competition; exploration results not being consistent with the Company's expectations; changes in taxation rates or policies; technical difficulties in connection with mining activities; changes in environmental regulation; environmental compliance issues; and other risks of the mining industry. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that could cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. For more information on the Company and the risks and challenges of its business, investors should review the Company's annual filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company provides no assurance that forward-looking statements or forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, or otherwise. This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: Orosur Mining Inc View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Highlights: Formation has commenced a fully funded 10,000 metre multi-phase drill program at its flagship N2 Gold Project near Matagami, Quebec, host to a global historic resource of ~870,000 ounces comprised of 18 Mt grading 1.5 g/t Au (~809,000 oz Au) across four zones (A, East, RJ-East, and Central) 2,3 and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~61,000 oz Au) across the RJ zone 2,4 . Phase 1 will target the "A" zone, a shallow, highly continuous, low-variability historic gold deposit with ~522,900 ounces of which only ~35% of strike has been drilled (>3.1 km open), and the "RJ" zone, host to high-grade intercepts from historical drill holes as high as 51 g/t Au over 0.8 metres 2 , which was expanded by Agnico Eagle Mines in 2008 in the most recent drilling at the Property. The Company has working capital of ~C$5.0M with zero debt, putting it in a very strong financial position to execute its exploration programs. Inclusive of provincial tax credits from the Quebec government, Formation's exploration budget for 2025-2026 is set at ~$5.7M. VANCOUVER, September 25, 2025 - Formation Metals Inc. ("Formation" or the "Company") (CSE:FOMO)(FSE:VF1)(OTCQB:FOMTF), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce that it has commenced drilling at its flagship N2 Gold Property ("N2" or the "Property"), located 25 km south of Matagami, Quebec. The Company is completing a fully funded 10,000 metre drill program at N2, an advanced gold project with a global historic resource of ~870,000 ounces comprised of 18 Mt grading 1.5 g/t Au (~809,000 oz Au) across four zones (A, East, RJ-East, and Central)2,3 and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~61,000 oz Au) across the RJ zone2,4. Figure 1 - Photo showing drill set-up on PDDH-25-001. Deepak Varshney, CEO of Formation Metals, stated, "Drilling N2 is a enormous milestone for Formation. With the price of gold accelerating through all-time highs weekly, the timing could not be better for Formation to be drilling such a large high-quality historical gold deposit." Mr. Varshney continued: "Building on the success of our predecessors, this fully funded 10,000 metre drill program will be critical in our goal of developing N2 into a near-surface multi-million-ounce deposit. With gold breaking $3,800, over 4 times the price in 2008 when Agnico last drilled the project, we believe that the timing is perfect for N2 and look forward to a very busy upcoming field season." Comprising 87 claims totaling ~4,400 ha within the Abitibi sub province of Northwestern Quebec, Formation's flagship N2 Gold Project is an advanced gold project with a global historic resource of 877,000 ounces. There are six primary auriferous mineralized zones in total, each open for expansion along strike and at depth. Compilation and geophysical work by Balmoral Resources Ltd. (now Wallbridge Mining) from 2010 to 2018 generated numerous targets that have not yet been investigated with diamond drilling. The drill program is designed to focus on discovery drilling at new high-potential targets along the mineralization strikes at the "A", "RJ" and "Central" zones in the northern part of the Property in order to discover new auriferous trends and unlock new zones of gold mineralization. The program will also focus on high-priority infilling and expansion targets in these zones to significantly enhance the auriferous zones identified to-date (Figure 1). Historical highlights from the top two priority zones include: A Zone:A shallow, highly continuous, low-variability historic gold deposit with ~522,900 ounces identified at a grade of 1.52 g/t Au. ~15,000 metres have been drilled historically across 1.65 km of strike, with over 3.1 km of strike remaining to be tested. 84% of historical drillholes intercepted auriferous intervals including up 1.7 g/t over 35 m. RJ Zone:a high-grade historic gold deposit with ~61,100 ounces identified at a grade of 7.82 g/t Au, with high-grade intercepts from historical drill holes as high as 51 g/t Au over 0.8 metres and 16.5 g/t Au over 3.5 metres2. This zone was the target of the most recently drilling at the Property by Agnico-Eagle Mines in 2008, when the price of gold was ~US$800/oz. Only ~900 metres of strike has been drilled, with 4.75+ km of strike remaining to be tested. Figure 2 - PDDH design for the complete 20,000 metre Drill Program. Figure 3 - Property overview summarizing historical work completed at each of the six mineralized zones and their respective historical resource. The Company also believes that N2 has significant base metal potential, where it recently completed a revaluation process which revealed significant copper and zinc intercepts within historic drillholes known to have significant gold grades (>1 g/t Au). Assay results range from 200 to 4,750 ppm and 203 ppm to 6,700 ppm, for copper and zinc, respectively, indicating strong potential for elevated base metal (Cu-Zn) concentrations across the property, specifically at the A and RJ zones. Property wide geology at N2 features volcanic and sedimentary rocks formed in regional anticlinal and synclinal flexures. Three principal deformation structures (Figure 1), oriented along the known NW-SE to WNW-ESE structural trends typical of VMS deposits in the Matagami region, function as critical geologic controls for mineralization on the property. For the 2025 exploration season, Formation plans to concentrate its efforts on the northern part of N2, targeting gold deposit expansion and discovery along identified zones and fault systems associated with the main deformation features (specifically WNW-ESE trend), with IP surveys and drilling planned to model mineralized zones that will hopefully contribute to an updated NI-43 101 compliant resource. Formation will also look to further review historic base metal assays from older drill core and undertake additional work in 2025 to assess the property's copper and zinc potential. Qualified person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Babak Vakili Azar, P.Geo., an independent contractor and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Historical reports provided by the optionor were reviewed by the qualified person. The information provided has not been verified and is being treated as historic. About Formation Metals Inc. Formation Metals Inc. is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. Formation's flagship asset is the N2 Gold Project, an advanced gold project with a global historic resource of ~870,000 ounces (18 Mt grading 1.5 g/t Au (~809,000 oz Au) across four zones (A, East, RJ-East, and Central)2,3 and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~61,000 oz Au) across the RJ zone2,4) and six mineralized zones, each open for expansion along strike and at depth including the "A" zone, of which only ~35% of strike has been drilled (>3.1 km open), and the "RJ" zone, host to historical high-grade intercepts as high as 51 g/t Au over 0.8 metres. FORMATION METALS INC. Deepak Varshney, CEO and Director For more information, please call 778-899-1780, email info@formationmetalsinc.com or visit www.formationmetalsinc.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Notes and References: Readers are cautioned that the geology of nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of the geology of the Property. The above referenced resource estimates do not have a category, are considered historical in nature, and are based on prior data prepared by a previous property owner, and do not conform to current CIM categories. While the Company considers the estimates to be reliable, a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current resources in accordance with current CIM categories and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as a current resource. A 0.5 g/t Au cut-off was used in the preparation of the historical estimates with a minimum 2.5 metre mining width. Significant data compilation, re-drilling, re-sampling and data verification may be required by a qualified person before the historical estimates can be classified as current resources. There can be no assurance that any of the historical mineral resources, in whole or in part, will ever become economically viable. In addition, mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Company is not aware of any more recent estimates prepared for the N2 Property. Needham, B. (1994), 1993 Diamond Drill Report, Northway Joint Venture, Northway Property; Cypress Canada Inc.; 492 pages. Guy K. (1991), Exploration Summary May 1, 1990 to May 1, 1991 Vezza Joint Venture Northway Property; Total Energold; 227 pages. Forward-looking statements: This news release includes "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements respecting: the Company's plans for the Property and the expected timing and scope of the 2025 drilling program at the Property; the Company's goal of delivering a near-surface multi-million-ounce deposit the Property; the Company's anticipated timeline with respect to the Application for Autorisation de Travaux d'exploration a Impacts (ATI) to the Ministere des Ressources naturelles et des Forets (MERN); the Company's view that the Property has the potential for over three million ounces of gold; the 10,000-metre drilling program marking the beginning of the Company's pursuit of that goal; and statements respecting the Offerings and the expected use of proceeds therefrom. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on a number of estimates and/or assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain and volatile equity and capital markets, lack of available capital, actual results of exploration activities, environmental risks, future prices of base and other metals, operating risks, accidents, labour issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. The Company is presently an exploration stage company. Exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks, requires substantial expenditures, and may not result in the discovery of mineral deposits that can be mined profitably. Furthermore, the Company currently has no reserves on any of its properties. As a result, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. SOURCE: Formation Metals View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire 1911 Gold Corp. ("1911 Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV: AUMB; OTCQB: AUMBF; FRA: 2KY) is pleased to announce that it has entered the next phase of advanced exploration, with the commencement of the Company's first underground drill program at the Company's wholly-owned operational and fully permitted True North Gold Project, located in Manitoba. Highlights The first underground drill rig has been mobilized to Level 16, approximately 695 metres ('m") below surface, to commence exploration drilling on the San Antonio Southeast ("SAM SE"), San Antonio West ("SAM W") and new Shore exploration targets. Underground drilling will be expanded to include testing the extensions of the current resource and completing infill drilling to upgrade zones identified for development in the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") currently underway. The current underground drilling plan is comprised of approximately 25,000 m in 122 holes. A total of 20,342 m of surface exploration drilling in 71 holes has now been completed, primarily on the SAM W and SAM SE targets The assay results from 11 surface drill holes at SAM SE and SAM W, totalling 5,368 m, drilling down to depths of approximately 550 m, are pending. "Commencing underground drilling is a pivotal step in advancing the redevelopment of the True North Gold Mine," stated Shaun Heinrichs, President & CEO of 1911 Gold. "This program is designed to rapidly expand our current resource, extend the depth extensions of recent new surface discoveries that can meaningfully enhance the scale of our operations, and delineate two trial test mining areas. With strong community support and a fully permitted mill on site, we are excited to advance towards our next phase of growth." The underground drill program marks a significant milestone as the Company advances its strategy to restart underground mining operations and build upon its existing permitted infrastructure and resource base. The focus of the current campaign will be on testing the resource size potential of newly identified drill targets, including SAM W and SAM SE (two recent discoveries located adjacent to the existing underground infrastructure and drill-tested from surface to depths of approximately 550 m). The program will also target: potential mineral resource expansion through step-out drilling around the current resource; delineation drilling on two significant targets in preparation for trial test mining in 2026 on Level 16; and commence resource infill and upgrade drilling on areas identified for early production in the pending PEA. The underground drill program will initially utilize two (2) drill rigs, with additional rigs planned as access to new areas is established. Program Description The Company plans to complete approximately 25,000 metres of underground drilling in 122 drill holes over the next nine months. Exploration Drilling Drilling will test the down-dip extension of the SAM SE target, discovered during the surface drilling program, and the emerging Shore target (located directly southeast of SAM SE), hosted within the SAM gabbro unit at the intersection with the 007 shear zone. The 007 mine, which operated from 2010 through 2015, arose from the intersection of the 007 share zone and the shoreline basalt unit to the northeast of the SAM gabbro unit. A total of approximately 10,000 m in 24 drill holes is planned, from Level 16 and the lower portion of the L13 area within the Hinge decline once the Company regains access to that area. Rehabilitation of Level 6 is underway to facilitate drill access to test the down-dip extensions of the SAM W target. Resource Expansion Drilling Resource expansion drilling will focus on four (4) mineralized veins hosted within the 710-711, L10, 007 and Hinge zones, which can be drilled from the existing infrastructure on Level 16. The target areas are adjacent to known high-grade zones, which have demonstrated strong potential for resource expansion. Step-out drilling will test up and down-plunge extensions outside the current mineral resource. Approximately 6,000 m in 18 drill holes are planned for the initial resource expansion program. Test Mining - Delineation Drilling In preparation for a large test mining program in mid-2026, the Company will also complete approximately 9,000 m in 80 drill holes of delineation drilling. This drilling will focus on upgrading the resource to the measured category for two selected areas, which are accessible from Level 16 for both drilling and bulk sampling activities. The two areas designated within the mineral resource block model are hosted within the Hinge Zone (Vein 800 and 820) and the L10 Zone (Vein 1020 and 1040). Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Michele Della Libera, P.Geo, Vice-President Exploration of 1911 Gold, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined under NI 43-101. About 1911 Gold Corporation 1911 Gold is a junior gold developer with a highly prospective, consolidated land package totalling more than 61,647 hectares, situated within and adjacent to the Archean Rice Lake greenstone belt in Manitoba. The Company also owns the True North mine and mill complex at Bissett, Manitoba, providing a fully permitted infrastructure hub to support future development. 1911 Gold believes its land package represents a prime opportunity to build a new mining district centred on the True North complex. In addition, the Company holds the Apex project near Snow Lake, Manitoba, and the Denton-Keefer project near Timmins, Ontario, and remains focused on advancing organic growth while pursuing accretive acquisition opportunities across North America. 1911 Gold's True North complex and exploration land package are located within the traditional territory of the Hollow Water First Nation, signatory to Treaty No. 5 (1875-76). 1911 Gold looks forward to maintaining open, co-operative and respectful communication with the Hollow Water First Nation, and all local stakeholders, in order to build mutually beneficial working relationships. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Shaun Heinrichs President and CEO CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release may contain forward-looking information and statements, collectively ("forward-looking statements"), within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. All forward-looking statements reflect the Company's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made. Actual results or events may differ from those predicted in these forward-looking statements. All of the Company's forward-looking statements are qualified by the assumptions that are stated or inherent in such forward-looking statements, including the assumptions listed below. Although the Company believes that these assumptions are reasonable, this list is not exhaustive of factors that may affect any of the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, predictions, projections, forecasts, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including, but not limited to, statements about exploration plans and the timing and results thereof, as well as statements relating to the plans and timing for the potential mining operations at the True North Gold Project, including test mining and the benefits therefrom, are forward-looking statements. Although 1911 Gold has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are given as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE 1911 Gold Corporation Golden Arrow Resources Corp. (TSXV: GRG) (FSE: G6A) (OTCQB: GARWF), ("Golden Arrow" or the "Company") is pleased to report additional sampling and a new trenching program at the promising new Noemi target at the San Pietro IOCG Project, Chile ("San Pietro" or the "Project") (see Figure 1). Previous work at Noemi mapped a structural zone over 1 kilometre in strike, with an average width of 25 metres and a maximum width of 40 metres at surface. The structure hosts significant gold and anomalous copper in veins and veinlets within breccias and the surrounding host rocks. The initial chip channel samples returned results including 10.0m averaging 1.88 g/t Au, 8.0m averaging 1.66 g/t Au and 10.5m averaging 1.82 g/t Au (see News Release Dated September 2, 2025). The new trenching program will test for extensions to this structure to the north and south where it is believed to continue under alluvial cover. An excavator arrived on site this week to commence the trenching and the program will take approximately two weeks to complete. The area surrounding this structural zone continues to be explored, and in the last month rock chip samples have been collected from similar structures approximately 500 metres to the east, 200 metres to the west as well as a possible northern extension some 2.6 kilometres to the north (see Figure 2). The new samples have been sent for gold and multi-element assaying and results are expected within 4 - 6 weeks. Brian McEwen, Golden Arrow VP Exploration and Development stated, "We continue to be encouraged by our work at the Noemi target. The program is expanding the potential for new gold and copper deposits in this area, which is just one of several early-stage gold prospects that we are exploring at San Pietro. With gold reaching new all-time highs, discovery in these areas could add considerable value to the project so this trenching program is an important step for refining the target for drill testing." The breccia-hosted gold and copper mineralization at Noemi related to tourmaline alteration is believed to be related to the mineralized system identified at the Lolita Norte target that outcrops 3 kilometres to the west, with similar orientation and mineralization (Figure 1; see News Release dated May 14, 2025). Additional historic workings for gold and indications of other similar north-south gold structures occur in several locations further west within the San Pietro property. The field team will be continuing to evaluate these additional prospects as part of its ongoing exploration of the entire western part of the project, which has seen very limited work to date. Exploration Program Details The Noemi target area covers roughly a 2 kilometre by 3 kilometre area located approximately 7 kilometres south of the Rincones resource (approximately centred on the target name shown in Figure 1). The main geological units mapped in the Noemi area are fine grained andesites, tuffs and volcaniclastic rocks intruded by a microdiorite with some areas of substantial gravel cover. A significant gold sub-target has been identified within the Noemi target area. It is characterized by an earlier stage alteration assemblage associated with a north-south structural system originally identified within an area of approximately 1 kilometre by 750m. This system includes a wide brecciated zone with veins and veinlets filled with tourmaline-quartz-calcite-jarosite and minor barite, specularite and minor chrysocolla. Channel chip sampling returned intervals of up to 10.0m averaging 1.88 g/t Au (see News Release Dated September 2, 2025). The main mineralized breccia vein system that was mapped and sampled earlier in the summer is believed to continue to the north and south, but it is obscured by surface cover at both ends. To confirm the extension of the main structure in both directions below the alluvial cover, an excavator was mobilized to the site to open trenches and expose outcrop to the north and south, for additional sampling and mapping. Also, areas in the central part of the structure that were not originally tested due to colluvial cover will be cleaned with the excavator to facilitate sampling. The program will include up to 12 trenches totalling approximately 720 metres, resulting in approximately 600 samples (see Figure 2). Based on the findings of these trenches, a second group of similar trenches will be opened. Trenches will be dug across the veins and structures along the strike of the mapped zones, and then cleaned, mapped and sampled. Exploration work continues in the Noemi target area, and the team has collected another 52 rock chip samples from other structures identified during the mapping program (see Figure 2), including: A set of similar veins and breccias structures of quartz-tourmaline-jarosite composition parallel to the main structure and with similar widths, located approximately 500 metres east of the gold-hosting structure described above Zones with veinlets and stockwork of quartz-tourmaline-jarosite-carbonates approximately 200 metres to the west of the main structure Veins of quartz-tourmaline-magnetite-jarosite located 2.6 kilometres to the north of the main structure, which may be a northern extension of that structure. Methodology & QA/QC Rock chip samples at Noemi were collected by the technical team. Samples were shipped to ALS Laboratory in Copiapo, Chile by a contract truck service. Sample preparation and gold analysis by Fire Assay and reading by atomic absorption on 30 gm sample by method Au-AA23 will be completed at the ALS facility in Santiago de Chile. Multi-element package by ICP-OES reading following a four-acid digestion by method ME-ICP61 will be performed at ALS facilities in Lima, Peru. Samples with over limits in copper (+ 10,000 ppm) will be re-assayed by ore grade method Cu-OG62 that includes four acid digestion and ICP-OES reading. The Company follows industry standard procedures for the work carried out on the San Pietro Project, with a quality assurance/quality control ("QA/QC") program. Blank and standard samples were inserted in each batch of samples sent to the laboratory for analysis. Qualified Persons The exploration programs are designed by the Company's geological staff and results are reviewed, verified (including sampling, analytical and test data) and compiled under the supervision of Brian McEwen, P.Geol., VP Exploration and Development to the Company. Mr. McEwen is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of the news release. About the San Pietro Project The San Pietro Project targets the discovery of multiple copper-gold-iron oxide ("IOCG") plus cobalt deposits on over 21,000 hectares located approximately 100 kilometres north of Copiapo in the Atacama Region of Chile. To date, Golden Arrow has completed an initial Mineral Resource Estimate for the Rincones and Colla deposits that includes 2.5 Mlbs of contained Cu and 770,000 oz contained Au in the Inferred category (492 Mt with an average grade of 0.23% Cu, 0.05 g/t Au, 99 g/t Co and 14.43% Fe; NI 43-101 Technical Report filed on SEDAR+). Situated between and adjacent to Capstone Copper's Manto Verde Mine property and Santo Domingo Project, San Pietro is in the centre of a new copper-iron-cobalt district within an active, well-developed mining region that is home to all the major IOCG deposits in Chile. Golden Arrow operates San Pietro through its 75%-owned Chilean subsidiary, New Golden Explorations Inc. ("NGE"). About Golden Arrow: Golden Arrow is a mining exploration company with a successful track record of creating value by making precious and base metal discoveries and advancing them into exceptional deposits. Golden Arrow is actively exploring its flagship property, the advanced San Pietro iron oxide-copper-gold-cobalt project in Chile, and a portfolio that includes nearly 125,000 hectares of prospective properties in Argentina. The Company is a member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Nikolaos Cacos" _______________________________ Mr. Nikolaos Cacos, President and CEO Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation; statements about the potential mineralization and future exploration plans of the Noemi target and San Pietro project; the Company's business strategy, plans and outlooks; the future financial or operating performance of the Company are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: risks and uncertainties related to the ability to obtain, amend, or maintain licenses, permits, or surface rights; risks associated with obtaining necessary regulatory approvals (including the TSXV's approval); risks associated with technical difficulties in connection with exploration activities; and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's public disclosure documents for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected future results. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, unless required pursuant to applicable laws. SOURCE Golden Arrow Resources Corporation For further information, please contact: Corporate Communications, Tel: 1-604-687-1828, Toll-Free: 1-800-901-0058, Email: info@goldenarrowresources.com Muskoka, September 25th, 2025 - Steadright Critical Minerals Inc. (CSE: SCM) ("Steadright" or the "Company") is thrilled to announce that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement (the "Agreement") among the Company, Critical Foundation Metals Inc. ("CFM") and NSM Capital Sarl ("NSM"). Steadright, now owns 75% of the promising TitanBeach Titanium Project and can earn up to 80% by purchasing, from Critical Foundation Metals Inc., an additional 5%. Steadright is now expanding the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), currently being prepared by ABG Exploration Inc. based out of Quebec, Canada to incorporate more of the TitanBeach Titanium Beach One exploration licence and is adding another part of a contiguous exploration licensed claim to the PEA. Recent results, (September 16th, 2025 press release) from the on-going PEA indicate "Heavy Mineral" beach sand samples and reveal the existence of potential ilmenite, titanomagnetite, magnetite, leucoxene and rutile bearing sands with Fe?O? values of up to 79.5% and TiO? as high as 14.9%. Mineralogical studies in progress will allow for a strong determination of the minerals present. These results underscore the potential for a heavy mineral sands (HMS) deposit with significant economic potential. The Definitive Agreement terms that Steadright has completed with NSM Capital Sarl shareholder and Critical Foundation Metals Inc. includes NSM Capital Sarl Shareholder receiving a 2.5% Net Smelter Royalty and 3,850,000 shares at a price of 0.14 cents of Steadright Critical Minerals, along with the $350,000 USD payment already paid. Critical Foundation Metals Inc. (CFM) has received 25% of NSM Capital Sarl for a value of $122,000 Canadian and Steadright will be responsible for the first $1,000,000 CAN dollars of production facility costs and exploration. Steadright can purchase an additional 5% of CFM interest in NSM Capital Sarl by paying CFM $1,000,000 CAD. As well as expanding the PEA, Steadright will be applying for a Mining permit shortly as a comprehensive plan for Mining and Environmental protection is almost completed and expected shortly. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 1: Steadright CEO, Mr. Matt Lewis on TitanBeach Steadright's CEO, Mr. Matt Lewis states, "Steadright Critical Minerals is steadfast in the following of its 'North Star' - the pursuit of a sustainable and rapidly growing business. The purchase of NSM Capital SARL is huge for us, as is the expanded PEA and fast-coming mine-permitting application. We are devoted to our shareholders and to Morocco, an absolutely top-notch country for mining exploration and production. We also are very grateful for the help given by the local and regional governments to our efforts. Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). Titanium Dioxide is classified as a Critical and Strategic Mineral in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and a significant amount of the world's other countries. With only a few of the world's suppliers dominating the market, TiO2 is in strong demand. Related party disclosure related to the transaction As previously announced on September 16, 2025, the CEO of Steadright holds an approximate 7.45% indirect interest in CFM through a 33% ownership in a private entity that owns approximately 22% of the common shares of CFM. In addition, a consultant of the Company, is the spouse and parent of the controlling shareholders of CFM, (the "CFM Controlling Shareholders"). The CFM Controlling Shareholders own a majority of the common shares in CFM. The Acquisition constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a), respectively, on the basis that neither the fair market value of the subject matter of the Acquisition, nor the fair market value of the consideration for the Acquisition, insofar as it involves related parties, exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Acquisition and Agreement was reviewed and approved by the independent directors of the Company Qualified Person Mr. Robert Palkovits, P. Geo, a consultant to Steadright and who is a qualified person ("QP") under the National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure of Mineral Projects has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release. ABOUT STEADRIGHT CRITICAL MINERALS INC. Steadright Critical Minerals Inc. is a mineral exploration company established in 2019. Steadright has been focused in 2025 on finding exploration projects that can be brought into production within the critical mineral space. Steadright is focused on near term production in Morocco. Steadright currently is also renegotiating an option on the RAM property near Port Cartier, Quebec within the Cote-Nord Region, which is accessible by Route 138. The RAM project is located on an Anorthositic complex that is in a highly prospective geological unit and historically been under explored for Ni, Cu, Co and precious metals. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS For further information, please contact: Matt Lewis CEO & Director Steadright Critical Minerals Inc. Email: info@steadright.ca Website: www.steadright.ca Phone: 1-905-410-0587 Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Steadright to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: there is no certainty that the ongoing programs will result in significant or successful exploration and development of Steadright's properties; uncertainty as to the actual results of exploration and development or operational activities; uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing on acceptable terms; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; capital market conditions and market prices for securities, junior market securities and mining exploration company securities; commodity prices; the actual results of current exploration and development or operational activities; competition; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents and other risks inherent in the mining industry; lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation or income tax legislation, affecting Steadright; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an exemption from such registration is available. ? Not for distribution to United States Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. US$24 million financing through the sale of a Royalty to Appian Capital Advisory Limited, supporting the advancement of the Goldboro Gold Project in Nova Scotia. Summary details of the Royalty include: US$24 million upfront payment in cash; 2.9% of net smelter returns revenue of all minerals produced on the Goldboro Gold Project up until a threshold of 1.25mm oz of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, after which time the Royalty is only payable on gold; Option, solely at the discretion of the Company, to buy back 1.9% of the Royalty, subject to certain timing and payment thresholds being met; and Use of Royalty to pay off Nebari US$12 million debt facility and buy back 0.6% NSR held by Nebari, deleveraging NexGold from all debt and providing a clean balance sheet to advance the Company. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close towards the end of September 2025. Non-Binding Letter of Intent with Appian, with significant due diligence already completed, for a Senior Secured Credit Facility of up to US$175 million for the development and construction of the Goldboro Gold Project. NexGold Mining Corp. (TSXV: NEXG; OTCQX: NXGCF) ("NexGold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, on September 24, 2025, it entered into a royalty agreement with an affiliate of Appian Capital Advisory Limited ("Appian") in relation to the Company's 100% owned Goldboro gold project (the "Project"). Under the terms of the agreement, Appian will pay Goldboro Gold Mines Inc. (the subsidiary of NexGold holding title to the Project) ("GGM") consideration of US$24 million for a 2.9% net smelter returns royalty (the "Royalty") covering all minerals produced from the Project up until 1,250,000 ounces of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, and thereafter only covering gold, for the life of the Project. Further details are set out below under "Royalty Transaction Details". The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions (including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV")) and is expected to close towards the end of September 2025. Additionally, the Company has signed a non-binding letter of intent ("LOI") with Appian for a senior secured credit facility of up to US$175 million from certain funds advised by Appian for the development and construction of the Company's 100% owned Goldboro Gold Project. Kevin Bullock, President & CEO of NexGold, commented: "We are excited to announce this strategic partnership with Appian, a leading investor in metals and mining with a track record of identifying and supporting the development of high-quality assets. Appian has undertaken an extensive due diligence process on the Goldboro Gold Project and this royalty financing provides NexGold with important non-dilutive capital to help advance Goldboro towards construction, as well as deleveraging the balance sheet. The structure of the agreement allows us to retain future flexibility, including the option to buy back a significant portion of the Royalty and pursue future financings when necessary. We are also pleased to have signed an LOI to work towards project financing with Appian, which will assist in taking Goldboro through construction and into operations." Royalty Transaction Details The Company, GGM and Appian have entered into a binding royalty agreement, subject to certain closing conditions (including the approval of the TSXV), for a purchase price of US$24 million. In exchange for the purchase price, GGM will issue to Appian the Royalty on all minerals produced from the Property up until 1,250,000 ounces of gold or gold equivalent is achieved, and thereafter only on gold, for the life of the Project. This transaction secures for the Company a less dilutive source of financing, providing sufficient funding to buy back an existing royalty on the Project, buy back certain debt, and help advance the Project through project development activities towards project financing and a construction decision while maintaining the robust economics of the Project. In connection with the transaction, the Company agreed to grant Appian security over all present and after-acquired property of GGM, including the Project and the shares of the entities that own directly or indirectly the Project to secure the Royalty obligations. The Royalty will also be guaranteed by the Company and certain of its subsidiaries. The security and guarantees will be released if the buyback (as discussed below) occurs. Buyback GGM will have a right at its sole discretion to repurchase a portion of the Royalty (effectively bringing the Royalty down to 1.0% of net smelter returns), subject to certain timing and payment thresholds being met. Minimum Payments Prior to commercial production being achieved at the Project, certain minimum payments will be implemented if construction of the Company's Goliath Gold Complex project in Ontario (the "Goliath Project") is also started or started in advance of the Project. No minimum payments are payable if the Goliath Project does not begin construction prior to the Project achieving commercial production. Participation Right For a period of three years from the transaction closing date, Appian has a right to negotiate its participation for up to 50% of any project financing with respect to the construction of the Project. In addition, during this three-year period, if GGM wishes to solicit offers for a stream or grant an additional royalty interest on the Project, Appian will have the first right to offer to purchase the stream or additional royalty interest, which offer may be accepted or denied by GGM. Closing The transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including the approval of the TSXV. The Company expects the transaction to close towards the end of September 2025. Project Financing The Company, GGM and Appian have entered into the LOI to provide for up to US$175 million in senior secured credit for the purposes of the construction and development of the Goldboro Gold Project. The LOI is a non-binding letter of intent, and entry into definitive transaction documents with respect to the project financing contemplated by the LOI is subject to, among other matters, the negotiation and execution of mutually-acceptable definitive transaction documents, and the formal approval of the proposed project financing by the board of each of Appian and the Company. Further, the consummation of the proposed project financing, even if definitive transaction documents are entered into, would be subject to customary closing conditions for transactions of this nature, including any applicable regulatory and TSXV approvals. The LOI does not create any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the Company and Appian for purposes of any law, rule, regulation, agreement or otherwise, and will not until such time as definitive transaction documentation has been approved by the board of directors of each of Appian and the Company and entered into by the parties. There can be no assurance that a definitive transaction will result from the LOI and details of the terms will be disclosed once a definitive agreement is signed. Advisors National Bank Financial acted as Financial Advisor to the Company with respect to the sale of the Royalty. Auramet International acted as Financial Advisor to the Company with respect to the project financing facility. Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP acted as legal advisor to the Company. McCarthy Tetrault LLP acted as legal advisor to Appian. No finder fees are payable in connection with the Royalty. About NexGold Mining Corp. NexGold Mining Corp. is a gold-focused company with assets in Canada and Alaska. NexGold's Goliath Gold Complex (which includes the Goliath, Goldlund and Miller deposits) is located in Northwestern Ontario and its Goldboro Gold Project is located in Nova Scotia. NexGold also owns several other projects throughout Canada, including the Weebigee-Sandy Lake Gold Project JV, and grassroots gold exploration property Gold Rock. In addition, NexGold holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Niblack copper-gold-zinc-silver VMS project, located adjacent to tidewater in southeast Alaska. NexGold is committed to inclusive, informed and meaningful dialogue with regional communities and Indigenous Nations throughout the life of all our Projects and on all aspects, including creating sustainable economic opportunities, providing safe workplaces, enhancing of social value, and promoting community wellbeing. Further details about NexGold, including the Prefeasibility Study for the Goliath Gold Complex and a Feasibility Study for the Goldboro Gold Project, are available under the Company's issuer profile on www.sedarplus.ca and on NexGold's website at www.nexgold.com. Contact: Kevin Bullock President & CEO (647) 388-1842 kbullock@nexgold.com Orin Baranowsky Chief Financial Officer (647) 697-2625 obaranowsky@nexgold.com About Appian Capital Advisory Appian Capital Advisory Ltd is the investment advisor to long-term value-focused private capital funds that invest in companies in metals, mining, and adjacent industries. Appian is a leading investment advisor with global experience across South America, North America, Australia and Africa and a successful track record of supporting companies in metals, mining, and adjacent industries to achieve their development targets, with a global operating portfolio overseeing approximately 6,000 employees. Appian has a global team of 100 experienced investment professionals, combining financial and technical expertise, with presences in London, Abu Dhabi, New York, Dubai, Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Toronto, Lima and Perth. For more information, please visit www.appiancapitaladvisory.com, or find us on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter/X. Contact: Andrew Todd Head of Communications +44 7990416759 atodd@appiancapitaladvisory.com +44 (0)20 7004 0951 / info@appiancapitaladvisory.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" pursuant to applicable laws, including, but not limited to, the completion of the Royalty financing and timing related thereto, use of the proceeds, future financings of the Company, including with respect to the LOI and project financing, and the Company's development activities. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expect, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. NexGold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Since forward-looking information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the satisfaction of the conditions in the royalty agreement; expected timing and receipt of the approval of the TSXV; the anticipated use of proceeds from the transaction; the anticipated timing for closing of the Royalty transaction; the expected timing and completion of the project financing specified in the LOI, including if the due diligence and other investigations required with Appian will be successful such that the project financing is completed; successfully negotiating and entering into a binding agreement with respect to the project financing specified in the LOI; the ability of the Company and Appian to finalize the project financing specified in the LOI on the terms currently contemplated or at all; exploration and production for precious metals; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of resource estimates; health, safety and environmental risks; worldwide demand for gold and base metals; gold price and other commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; incorrect assessment of the value of acquisitions; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws, royalties and environmental regulations. Actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits may be derived therefrom and accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2025 - Lithium Ionic Corp. (TSXV: LTH; OTCQB: LTHCF; FSE: H3N) ("Lithium Ionic" or the "Company") announces that as a result of strong investor demand, it has upsized its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Upsized Offering") announced on September 22, 2025. The Upsized Offering will now consist of up to 21,428,571 units (the "Units") at $0.70 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $15,000,000. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.90 per Common Share for a period of 24 months following the completion of the Upsized Offering. Securities issued under the Upsized Offering are expected to carry a hold period of 4 months and one day from the date of issue as may be required under applicable securities laws. The Company plans to use the aggregate net proceeds of the Upsized Offering for exploration and development of its Brazilian properties and general corporate purposes. The first tranche of the Upsized Offering is scheduled to close on or about September 29, 2025 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). The securities being offered have not, nor will they be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities in the United States. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lithium Ionic Corp. Blake Hylands Chief Executive Officer, Director About Lithium Ionic Corp. Lithium Ionic is a Canadian mining company exploring and developing its lithium properties in Brazil. Its flagship Itinga and Salinas projects cover 14,668 hectares in the northeastern part of Minas Gerais state, a mining-friendly jurisdiction that is quickly emerging as a world-class hard-rock lithium district. The Itinga Project is situated in the same region as CBL's Cachoeira lithium mine, which has produced lithium for +30 years, as well as Sigma Lithium Corp.'s Grota do Cirilo project, which hosts the largest hard-rock lithium deposit in the Americas. Investor and Media Inquiries: +1 647.316.2500 info@lithiumionic.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include information relating to the prospectivity and development of the Company's mineral properties, the Upsized Offering, the use of proceeds of the Upsized Offering and the Company's future plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Information and links in this press release relating to other mineral resource companies are from their sources believed to be reliable, but that have not been independently verified by the Company. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Vancouver, September 25, 2025 - Daura Gold Corp. (TSXV: DGC) ("Daura" or the "Company") announces that due to strong investor interest the Company is upsizing its previously announced non-brokered private placement. The Company will now offer (the "Offering") up to 26,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") by way of non-brokered private placement at a price of $0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $6,500,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.375 for a period of twenty-four months following closing of the Offering. The Company expects to utilize the proceeds of the Offering for advancement of its exploration land package in the Ancash Department of Peru, including the Company's flagship Antonella project and the Yanamina Project 40km, north of Antonella, and for general working capital purposes. Daura's President, Mark Sumner, commented: "We are very encouraged by the strong demand for this financing, which has exceeded $6.5 million. This support will allow Daura to accelerate its plans and expand the scope of our upcoming work programs." In connection with completion of the Offering, the Company will pay finders' fees to eligible third-parties who have introduced subscribers to the Offering. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four-months-and-one-day in accordance with applicable securities laws. Completion of the Offering remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. ABOUT DAURA GOLD CORP. Listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, Daura is advancing high-impact exploration projects in Peru's renowned Ancash region. Daura owns a 100% undivided interest in over 13,000 hectares of exploration concessions in Ancash, including the 900-hectare Antonella target, which is the primary focus of Daura's current exploration efforts. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. Daura cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Daura's control. Such factors include, among other things: future prices and the supply of gold and other precious and other metals; future demand for gold and other valuable metals; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; results of exploration programs; risks of the mineral exploration industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals; adverse weather conditions and failure to obtain necessary regulatory or shareholder approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Daura disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267997 First Parent Boost insurance product launched nib first to market with policy for people using the Government's new Parent Boost visa. Thursday, September 25th 2025, 8:04PM nib New Zealand has become the first insurer to launch a specialised insurance product for the Government's new Parent Boost visa, which opens for applications next week. nibs Parent Boost Insurance product will cover emergency medical events, cancer treatment and repatriation for visa holders who are parents of New Zealand citizens or residents. Applications for the five-year multi-entry visa open on 29 September. Insurers have been working on a tailored product since Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced the new visa in June. It allows eligible parents to make multiple visits over five years, with the option to reapply for another five years. The visa doesn't create a pathway to residency. The Government requires all Parent Boost visa holders to have health insurance for their first 12 months in New Zealand, regardless of how long they plan to stay. After that, insurance is only required while they're in the country. nib's product sits within its OrbitProtect brand, which already provides health and travel insurance to almost 40,000 international visitors, students and workers in New Zealand. The insurance requirement aims to ease pressure on New Zealand's public health system by ensuring visitors can cover their own medical costs. nib chief executive Skye Daniels said the product aligned with the company's focus on supporting health and wellbeing. "We hope this cover will play a part in bringing together more whanau from across the world," she said. Visa applicants can purchase the insurance from OrbitProtects website after receiving an Approval in Principle from Immigration New Zealand. Other insurers are expected to launch similar products as the visa launch approaches. Special Offers Comments from our readers No comments yet Sign In to add your comment As promised, Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC as its flagship chip at the Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Hawaii. It's a successor to last year's Snapdragon 8 Elite and is touted as the "world's fastest mobile system-on-a-chip" by Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (SM8850-AC) is built on a 3nm process and comes with the third-gen Oryon CPU, which boosts CPU performance by 20% compared to its predecessor. CPU power efficiency has also been improved by 35%. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 features an octa-core CPU in a 2+6 configuration, meaning two prime cores with a maximum frequency of 4.6GHz and six performance cores that are clocked at up to 3.62GHz. The flagship chip also features an Adreno GPU to handle graphically intensive tasks. While Qualcomm didn't mention the GPU name in its press materials, the chipmaker said the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5's GPU delivers 23% improved performance, 20% better power efficiency, and 25% improved Ray Tracing. Overall, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 increases power efficiency by up to 16%, which, Qualcomm claims, equates to 1 hour and 48 minutes of additional playtime for gamers. Speaking of gaming, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 comes with complete Unreal Engine 5 support for console-quality visuals, while Tile Memory Heap optimizes memory usage and bandwidth, and Mesh Shading allows developers to group geometry more efficiently. Since this is 2025, most hardware announcements are incomplete without AI thrown into the mix, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is no different. The chipset has a 37% faster Hexagon NPU and upgraded Qualcomm Sensing Hub, which together unlock agentic AI assistants for personalized experiences. "Through continuous on-device learning and real-time sensing, multimodal AI models understand the user, enabling proactive recommendations and situation-based prompt enhancementswith user data staying on device," said Qualcomm in a press release. On the imaging front, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 features Qualcomm's Spectra AI ISP with triple 20-bit AI-ISPs and Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, making it the world's first mobile platform to have APV support. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5's key highlights You can head this way for the complete specs of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC. Qualcomm said that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will power devices from global OEMs and smartphone brands, including vivo, iQOO, Oppo, Realme, OnePlus, Honor, ZTE, nubia, RedMagic, Xiaomi, Asus, Sony, and Samsung. Devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will be launched in the coming days. Source Former Federated States of Micronesia President Joseph J. Urusemal, who passed away on Sept. 16, was a "statesman of integrity, wisdom, and quiet strength," Guam Speaker Frank Blas Jr. said. Urusemal, who died at the age 73 in Palau, was the sixth president of the FSM, serving from 2023 to 2007, according to the Office of the President of the FSM in an announcement. After serving as president, Urusemal went back to serving in the FSM Congress. He was born on March 19, 1952 in Woleai in Yap. "The Federated States of Micronesia mourns the loss of a great leader, statesman, and son of our islands. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, the people of Yap, and all who were touched by his life and service," the FSM president's office said. Blas said Urusemal led the FSM with grace and humility, always putting his people first. "His passing is not only a profound loss to the people of Yap and the FSM, but to all of Micronesia. Guam mourns with our brothers and sisters across the Pacific," Blas said in a statement. The speaker said Urusemal was a longtime public servant who championed regional unity, education, and sustainable development, and was known for his steadfast leadership and commitment to building a stronger Micronesia through collaboration and cultural pride. Blas also highlighted the historical and familial ties between the people of Guam and the FSM, many of whom have made Guam their home. "We are bound not only by geography, but by history, family, and a shared vision for the future of our Pacific region. President Urusemal exemplified these bonds, and his legacy will live on through the lives he touched and the future leaders he inspired, the speaker said. In his statement, Blas, on behalf of the 38th Guam Legislature, extends his heartfelt condolences to Urusemal's family, the people of Yap State, and the entire Federated States of Micronesia. "May he rest in eternal peace, and may his memory continue to guide those who seek to serve with honor," Blas added. (This is the second of a series of interviews with individuals who applied for the position of superintendent for the Guam Department of Education.) Joseph Joe Sanchez, who has nearly 29 years of experience shaping Guams schools and students, has announced his candidacy to become the next superintendent of the Guam Department of Education, the largest local government agency. He is currently serving as deputy superintendent of GDOEs Curriculum and Instructional Improvement. Sanchez said he understands what it takes to drive meaningful change and lead the department forward. I have experience at both the school and district levels and understand their relationship. I know how to make it work, Sanchez told the Pacific Daily News. I believe I can make a contribution to improving the Department of Education...I know the schools and every division and know how to guide and support each one of them. During his 12 years as deputy superintendent, Sanchez led district-wide initiatives and oversaw district accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. He helped adopt the Common Core State Standards, rolled out Professional Learning Communities, implemented the Guam Comprehensive Student Assessment System, and introduced standards-based grading in 2021. Sanchez said he knows the entire department, its processes, strengths, and weaknesses. I worked with every single person here. I know the processes. I know where our strengths are, and Im clear. I believe Im clear on the areas that we need to improve, he said. He believes the education superintendent is among the most important jobs on the island at this point. I humbly say that I believe I have the knowledge, skills and ability to do this job. I know the department, like I said, and I believe that our department can have a huge impact on the quality of life for everyone, he said. I think the prosperity of everyone on the island is affected by the quality of the education that they receive. Sanchez envisions elevating Guams education system to become a premier regional model. The GDOE vision is (that) every student is responsible, respectful and ready for life. And although its a very simple phrase, it means a lot to all of us, he said. Balance successes with challenges Following Typhoon Mawar from June to November 2023, Sanchez established the Typhoon Recovery and School Readiness Taskforce, crafted repair plans for every school, identified funding sources such as Education Stabilization Fund II and American Rescue Plan, and prepared reports for the Legislature, Board of Education, and the public. Sanchez began his career as an English teacher at Luis P. Untalan Middle School from 1996 to 2000, where he worked with fellow candidate for superintendent, Erica Cruz. He later served as accreditation coordinator and English teacher at the same school from 2001 to 2003. He served in several other capacities within GDOE, including administrator of research, planning and evaluation from 2010 to 2012. He oversaw district accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Sanchez said the superintendent must balance successes with challenges. He identified funding management and staffing shortages as critical issues. Sanchez managed major curriculum grants as deputy and witnessed procurement challenges, hiring delays, and unspent funds. We continue to be at high risk, he said. We were able to get off the third party fiduciary agent, but that doesnt mean that were automatically off high risk. Theres still a lot of work that needs to be done to demonstrate to the U.S. Department of Education that were ready to be taken off that classification. (Next: GDOE Deputy Superintendent of Educational Support and Community Learning Barbara Adamos.) I can understand why we dont spend all the federal funds. Some of the procurement doesnt go through, some of the hiring doesnt go through but on the local side, to have lapses in the local side is a challenge, he said. Clear accountability is essential, Sanchez said. On staffing, Sanchez blamed personnel office shortages for prolonging hiring timelines. It takes too long for people to get hired, they end up going somewhere else and getting other jobs, and then before you know it, we have to announce again, he said. That entire process needs to be looked at and monitored closely and directed as needed. School closures, redistricting The double sessions have to be looked at more closely, he said. There are a lot of options that are out there that may not be palatable to some, and thats where we have to have those ongoing discussions. He said plans to complete the F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School campus construction by next school year will ease double sessions. When FBLG is ready to open, they can double session with Simon Sanchez, so at least they are in the same village, you know, and the same community, he said. In general, double sessions are bad, he said. Two of the schools that had two of the highest scores were in double sessions, but I wouldnt venture to say that thats a positive thing, he added. Sanchez said the department has made steady progress in English Language Arts scores but math scores remain stagnant. We have collaborative structures in place, we have the training available, and we have the processes and resources to support our strategies. We just need to support their implementation in all schools, Sanchez said. Sanchez stressed preparing every student for college, workforce, or postsecondary training, citing partnerships with Guam Community College, Guam Trades Academy, Guam Marianas Training Center, and Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association to expand career and technical education. School safety School safety remains a critical concern amid recent break-ins and lockdowns. That has to do with making sure that the schools are secure and theyre locked up and whatnot, and if its possible to have police patrol the area and so on, because school breakers after school is definitely an issue, he said. He said foot patrols have been considered but were cost prohibitive to have a guard there, and said a cost analysis is needed to weigh expenses against damage from break-ins. We know that some of the break-ins take place and sometimes they dont steal anything, or sometimes theyre just stealing food, but the idea is it still costs money when you have to kind of repair doors and windows and things like that. On student behavior, Sanchez said data over 15 years shows a huge improvement, definitely from 20 years ago. He said fights and major incidents have declined but vaping and tobacco use remain a challenge. Sanchez reflects on his decades of service and reaffirms his commitment to the islands future. I humbly ask for your support. I know that this is not an election, right?, he said. But you know, the idea is Im here to serve...Ive done it all my life, and I will work really hard and continue to use everything that I know, all the skills that I have, to do the best job that I can to help move this forward. (Next: GDOE Deputy Superintendent of Educational Support and Community Learning Barbara Adamos.) Haiti - FLASH: 369,779 illegal Haitians expelled in 1 year from the Dominican Republic Earlier this week, the Directorate General of Immigration (DGM) revealed that between October 1st, 2024, and September 20, 2025, 369,779 Haitians in an irregular migration situation living illegally in the Dominican Republic had been returned to Haiti. As of August 2025, more than 27,000 Haitians had been deported to Haiti. The French Embassy in Haiti, the National Office of Migration (ONM), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are on the ground providing vital assistance and helping the most vulnerable families rebuild their lives. In a press release, the DGM announced that it would intensify its operations nationwide, given the prospect of a worsening situation in Haiti, to ensure compliance with Law 285-04 and the mandate of the Dominican Republic's Security and Defense Council, which declared immigration a national security issue. "Faced with the deteriorating domestic situation in Haiti, surveillance and intelligence efforts have been strengthened to control the flow of migrants and illegal aliens entering the country. The DGM, in collaboration with state security forces, has deployed intelligence, counterintelligence, internal affairs, and immigration interdiction teams, focusing primarily on access routes connecting border provinces to the country's main urban centers, via private vehicles, public transportation, motorcycles, and pedestrian routes. The DGM justifies the intensification of operations as a measure aimed at ensuring security and peace in the Dominican Republic. It indicated that, according to official statistics, of the 8.1% cumulative crime rate, 1.33% (16.4%) correspond to incidents involving Haitian nationals. Similarly, the DGM emphasized that the migration issue causes collateral damage, particularly to the hospital system, education, the environment, and the health and cleanliness of many communities. S/ HaitiLibre FUZHOU, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- East China's Fujian Province -- one of the country's major contributors to the marine economy -- is set to host the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 from Oct. 16 to 19 in its capital city of Fuzhou, the event's organizers have said. This year's conference will focus on hotspots of maritime equipment, promoting the development of maritime equipment in a high-end, green and intelligent direction, according to a press conference on Wednesday. To date, the conference has invited more than 800 guests from over 50 countries and regions to showcase the sector's cutting-edge achievements and significant milestones. The conference's main activities include an opening ceremony, 13 sub-forums, and an event covering a review of Fujian's accelerated construction of a national marine economic development demonstration zone and the outlook on that construction. Concurrently, the China Marine Equipment Expo 2025 will also be held. For the first time, an International Maritime Organization seminar on sustainable maritime innovation will also take place during the conference, as will a marine industry integration and innovation competition. In 2024, Fujian's gross ocean product (GOP) exceeded 1.25 trillion yuan (about 175.6 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for about 21.7 percent of the provincial total GDP and ranking third in China. China's marine economy achieved a significant milestone in 2024, when its GOP exceeded 10 trillion yuan for the first time, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources. Underlining its strategic importance, China has placed the marine economy firmly on the national agenda. A high-level meeting in early July saw Chinese leadership emphasize that advancing Chinese modernization necessitates "promoting the high-quality development of the marine economy" and pursuing "a Chinese path of leveraging marine resources to achieve strength." The group, known as NoName 057(16), has disrupted access to several websites , including the Finnish Ministry of Defence . The attacks began on Monday and have continued for four consecutive days. A Russian-aligned hacker group has claimed responsibility for a series of denial-of-service attacks against Finnish government institutions, according to Finland's Cybersecurity Centre under Traficom, Finnish National Broadcaster Yle reports . Juhani Eronen, lead specialist at the Cybersecurity Centre, confirmed the sustained nature of the attacks. Finland and Finnish websites have been on the groups list since Monday, Eronen told Finnish broadcaster Yle. According to Eronen, the attacks are standard denial-of-service operations intended to overload web services and block legitimate users. He said the group uses high volumes of internet traffic from multiple sources to create congestion. The technique does not require advanced hacking skills, only access to enough bandwidth, which can be purchased. When the attack stops, the congestion clears and the pages function normally, Eronen said. The attacks have caused only short-term disruptions, with no evidence of lasting damage. In addition to the Ministry of Defence, targets have included all major parliamentary parties, the Ministry of the Interior, the Prime Ministers Office, and the Supreme Court. The group announced the attacks on Telegram and other platforms. On Wednesday, it stated that further attacks would be directed at Finnish websites, including those belonging to various companies. It also listed targets in Aland and Ukraine. NoName 057(16) has been active for several years. Eronen described the group as long-standing and operating on a volunteer basis. He said it frequently seeks publicity and credits itself for service disruptions. They announce the attacks in advance and invite activists to join, Eronen said. One such message appeared in the groups Telegram channel on Wednesday morning, where it called for a fresh wave of attacks against Finnish and Ukrainian websites. Eronen said the groups timing and selection of targets show alignment with Russian interests. Recent attacks have been linked by the group to an earlier Europol-led operation that disrupted their infrastructure. That operation took place in July and involved the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation. In that action, Europol reportedly dismantled parts of the groups network and arrested several individuals in multiple countries. It also identified thousands of supporters of the group. Eronen said that such law enforcement actions can limit the groups activity and lead to criminal accountability. Still, he warned that new members are likely to be recruited. As long as there are people motivated by ideology to carry out these attacks, there will be more, Eronen said. HT The organisations said the debate surrounding the niqab is driven by populist motives rather than real social concerns. The statement, dated 24 September and signed by groups including Finland's Muslim Forum and Federation of Islamic Organizations in Finland, described the proposals as political theatre that risks undermining religious freedom and equality. A coalition of 40 Finnish Muslim organisations has issued a joint statement rejecting proposals to ban face-covering religious garments in schools and public spaces . This is a classic example of populism, targeting a marginal issue that barely exists in Finnish society, the signatories wrote. They criticised politicians for focusing on symbolic restrictions while schools face what they described as serious and ongoing problems, including shortages of staff and resources, bullying, and rising mental health issues among pupils. According to the statement, the use of the niqab in Finland is rare and the burqa is virtually non-existent. Most Muslim women who wear religious clothing use the hijab, which covers the hair but leaves the face visible. The groups said that conflating these different garments, burqa, niqab, and hijab, reveals a lack of understanding and misleads public discussion. The statement dismissed the idea that banning the niqab would solve any genuine problem. It also raised concerns that such legislation would only target Muslims and deepen the marginalisation of Muslim women. Any ban would shrink the space Muslims have in Finnish society and undermine the sense of safety and belonging, it read. The statement also addressed the legal framework already in place to protect individuals from coercion. It said that the current laws are sufficient to address rare cases where someone might be forced to wear religious clothing against their will. Muslim girls grow up in multicultural environments and make choices amid various pressures. Their ability to act independently should be respected like that of any other young person, it stated. The groups emphasised that most women wearing the niqab are adults who make the decision voluntarily. They argued that banning clothing on the grounds of protecting minors is disproportionate and unnecessary. Quoting the Finnish Constitutions Section 6.3, the statement reminded policymakers that all children must be treated as individuals and be allowed to influence matters concerning themselves in line with their development. The signatories described religious clothing as a personal expression linked to identity, spirituality, and community. They rejected the argument that banning face-covering garments promotes gender equality. True equality means respecting all womens choices, not just those that align with dominant cultural norms, the statement said. They also pointed to perceived inconsistencies in the debate, accusing some political actors of simultaneously speaking about equality while using dismissive language toward Muslim women. Calls to ban the niqab, the groups argued, serve to label Muslims as outsiders and undermine their status as equal members of Finnish society. They warned that such rhetoric may fuel Islamophobia and further exclude Muslim women from public life. The statement cited the UN Human Rights Committees view that Frances blanket ban on the niqab in public spaces violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The organisations argued that proposed bans in Finland would similarly violate rights guaranteed under both the Constitution and international agreements ratified by Finland. They noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, face coverings became common in public, and no legal issues emerged over identity checks. They argued that similar practical solutions could be applied in the case of religious garments. The organisations urged politicians to address what they described as more pressing issues in education and youth welfare rather than pursuing symbolic bans. Freedom of religion and equality are not negotiable values. They apply to everyone in Finland, regardless of religious or cultural background, the statement said. The groups called for greater dialogue and understanding, warning that restrictive laws would set a precedent that risks undermining the rights of all minorities in Finland. HT The system will serve a wide range of disciplines, from artificial intelligence to large-scale simulations. Roihu is designed to replace the current supercomputers Mahti and Puhti, both of which will be decommissioned in 2026. Once operational, it will triple Finlands computing capacity compared to today. The first delivery of Finlands new national supercomputer, Roihu, has arrived at CSCs data centre in Kajaani, marking the start of installation work. It will also support sensitive data analysis, such as medical and ecological information, with strict security controls. Roihu is expected to play a role in higher education as well, providing a training platform for students across fields and industries. The installation phase is scheduled to continue until early December, after which CSC will run acceptance tests. A pilot stage for researchers is planned for February 2026, with full access beginning in March. Puhtis computing services will close one month after Roihus launch, while its storage and login services will remain available until June 2026. Mahti will be retired in August 2026, following about six years of use. Sebastian von Alfthan, development manager at CSC, said the company is preparing to handle the end-of-life cycle for both systems. We will donate the machines for reuse or as spare parts where possible, in line with the interests of science and sustainable development, von Alfthan said. Roihu will be housed in the expanded LUMI data centre in Kajaani. The facility has undergone a year-long project to boost electricity and cooling capacity to accommodate the new machine. Juha Torvinen, project manager for the data centre, said the work has progressed ahead of schedule. The expansion has gone well, and the installation of Roihus hardware has even started slightly earlier than planned, Torvinen said. Roihu is expected to secure Finlands position as a strong provider of research computing capacity in Europe, complementing the neighbouring LUMI supercomputer, one of the worlds most powerful. HT The report, covering the period between 2019 and 2023, assessed policies across eight key areas, including education, labour market, anti-discrimination, permanent residence, health, and political participation. On average, EU countries scored 54, meaning Finland stands well above the European norm. Finland is one of the most favourable countries in the European Union for migrant integration, according to new findings from the Migration Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). The country scored 84 out of 100, placing it just behind Sweden and ahead of Portugal. The index notes that Finland provides strong protections against discrimination and robust security through permanent residence. Migrants also benefit from relatively favourable labour market conditions. Since 2020, measures have expanded access to employment support and recognition of qualifications in line with the EU Single Permit Directive. Education is another area where Finland has made improvements. The arrival of Ukrainian refugees since 2022 prompted more inclusive measures in schools, including expanded support for foreign pupils and improved access to language instruction. These policies were designed initially to respond to an urgent crisis but have since benefited broader groups of migrant learners. Despite this, the report points to weaknesses. Political participation remains low, with non-EU citizens having limited opportunities to vote or engage in national decision-making structures. Finland, like many EU countries, has also moved toward stricter naturalisation requirements. Since 2018, policymakers have raised the language and residency thresholds for citizenship applications, potentially making long-term security more difficult for some migrant groups. In comparison to Eastern EU countries, where average integration scores remain low (44/100 in EU-13 states), Finlands policies reflect a longer history of immigration and higher levels of political investment in inclusion. Still, the report cautions that progress has stagnated in recent years. Across the EU, integration policies improved by only 0.8 points since 2019, with Finlands score increasing by just one point. The report also highlights the contradiction between advances in anti-discrimination protections and restrictions elsewhere, such as family reunification. Although Finland has not experienced the sharpest declines seen in countries like Slovenia or the Netherlands, recent policy debates reflect a broader European trend of tightening conditions for family entry and naturalisation. Overall, Finlands high score confirms its position as a leader in migrant integration. Yet the combination of stricter citizenship rules and low political participation for migrants indicates that inclusion is still incomplete. HT The proposal passed through the cabinets general session on Thursday following extended negotiations between the coalition parties. On Monday, Mika Poutala , the Christian Democrat Minister for Sports, Youth and Physical Activity, had exercised his right to remove the bill from the sessions agenda, delaying its progress. The Finnish government has agreed to move forward with a proposal to reform alcohol legislation, including the introduction of home delivery and expanded online sales. The Christian Democrats left a dissenting opinion in the official record, citing several breaches of the government programme. On Thursday, Poutala again opposed the bill, formally proposing its rejection and attaching his dissent in the minutes. The Christian Democrats stated they would seek amendments to the bill during its review in parliamentary committees, specifically regarding alcohol marketing and the proposed alcohol content limits for distance sales. The bill permits domestic companies to sell alcoholic beverages of up to 8 percent alcohol by volume via distance selling. It does not impose an equivalent limit on foreign operators shipping to Finland. This disparity prompted the Christian Democrats to call for equal treatment, citing concerns over fairness, taxation, and Alkos market position. Alcohol distance sales should follow the same alcohol content limits as domestic retail, Poutala wrote. He referred to the governments own preparatory assessments, which indicated that aligning distance sales with domestic limits would best protect Alkos market share and public health objectives. The governments programme states that Alkos monopoly, granted under public health grounds during Finlands accession to the EU, must remain intact. According to Poutala, the current bill contradicts this principle by enabling foreign entities to bypass limitations imposed on domestic retailers. The proposal also includes changes to alcohol marketing regulations. It would allow domestic producers to advertise strong alcoholic beverages on their websites and social media, within legal constraints. This marks a shift from current rules, which limit such marketing to mild alcoholic products. The Christian Democrats opposed the marketing provision, expressing concern over its potential impact on young people. Influencers have significant influence over children and young people online. This is a serious issue, Poutala said. The Social Affairs and Health Committee will now review the bill. Its Christian Democrat member, Paivi Rasanen, stated on Thursday that she intends to absolutely oppose the proposal in committee. The debate surrounding the bill has exposed policy divisions within the ruling coalition. While the National Coalition Party has led the legislative drafting, the Christian Democrats, Finns Party and Swedish People's Party have raised objections at various stages. Poutala said the bill creates incentives for domestic operators to relocate their operations abroad to countries such as Estonia, where fewer restrictions would apply under the new framework. The National Coalitions interpretation of EU law is that foreign and domestic operators cannot be treated identically. However, the Christian Democrats argue that a uniform alcohol content threshold for all vendors could be defended on public health grounds and under Finlands right to maintain Alkos monopoly. Final judgement on the laws compatibility with EU rules would require notification to the European Commission. The Christian Democrats maintain that the current bill does not meet the conditions agreed in the programme. Our biggest problem is that [the proposal] no longer reflects what was written in the government programme, Poutala said on Thursday. The proposal now moves to the Finnish Parliament for committee handling and debate. HT Defence officials described the coordinated flights as a hybrid attack conducted by a professional actor. The incidents followed a similar event earlier this week that halted all air traffic at Copenhagen airport for nearly four hours. Denmark has confirmed a second wave of unauthorised drone incursions in less than a week, forcing the temporary closure of Aalborg airport and prompting the government to consider invoking NATOs Article 4 for the first time in its history. Danish police said more than one drone was observed near Aalborg airport from 21:44 local time on Wednesday until just before 01:00 Thursday. The airport, which functions as both a civilian and military facility, was closed during the incursion. Drones were also reported near Esbjerg, Snderborg and Skrydstrup airports, although those remained operational. Skrydstrup is home to Denmarks F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. The Defence Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said at a press conference that the scale and timing of the events indicated a systematic operation in many locations at virtually the same time, adding, this is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones. He said the drones were launched locally, though the origin of the operation remains under investigation. Poulsen said the government had made contact with NATO but had not decided whether to invoke Article 4, which would trigger consultations among alliance members. We are in an arms race against time because technology is constantly evolving, Poulsen said. Police said the drones flew with lights on, matching the flight patterns observed at Copenhagen airport on Monday. That incident led Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to describe the incursion as the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date. Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster DR that Russias involvement cannot be ruled out. Moscow denied the allegations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the claims unfounded. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said the objective of the drone activity was to create fear and division, and confirmed that Denmark would propose legislation to allow the downing of drones over critical infrastructure. The Danish National Police raised its national crisis level on Thursday. Police Commissioner Thorkild Fogde said the National Operational Staff would remain active 24 hours a day. He confirmed that the drones had exited Danish airspace by early Thursday but acknowledged the difficulty of tracing their origin. We do not yet know who is behind this, and we are considering all options, Fogde said. Military officials said drones were not shot down due to risks to civilian safety. Chief of Defence Michael Hyldgaard said, We made a calculated assessment and decided not to engage due to the proximity to populated areas and fuel storage. The repeated incursions have caused concern among security analysts. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, Our critical infrastructure is at risk, and confirmed Denmark would take part in talks scheduled for Friday on building a joint European drone wall aimed at strengthening border protection against unmanned aerial threats. Authorities in Norway, Poland, Romania and Estonia have also reported similar incidents in recent weeks, including drone overflights and violations of NATO airspace by Russian jets. Earlier this month, Poland temporarily shut four airports, including Warsaw Chopin Airport, after detecting 19 unauthorised drone incursions. In Estonia, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered national airspace over the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes before being intercepted by NATO forces. Romania scrambled F-16s after a Russian drone crossed into its airspace, though it was not shot down. The European air traffic control agency, Eurocontrol, issued a notice suspending all arrivals and departures at Aalborg airport until 04:00 GMT Thursday. Billund airport also reported a temporary closure, although it is not yet confirmed whether this was related to drone activity. A drone was also sighted near Holstebro barracks in central Jutland, according to police. Additional sightings were reported across west and central Jutland, though not all occurred near military installations. In Oslo, Norwegian police said they had confiscated a drone operating illegally in the restricted airspace around Gardermoen airport. Prosecutors said an investigation was under way to identify the owner. Denmarks internal security committee convened on Thursday to assess the national response. The committee includes the prime minister, defence, justice, foreign and emergency preparedness ministers. Several Danish commentators criticised the national preparedness, citing the failure to neutralise drones near key military sites. Defence journalist Peter Ernstved Rasmussen told TV2 that the inability to respond effectively was a humiliation, describing the situation as super embarrassing for Denmark. He said the country remained unprepared for drone threats despite ongoing drone warfare in Ukraine. TV2s own defence correspondent Anders Lomholt called the incidents a serious blow to Danish police and military credibility, saying it exposed the lack of effective countermeasures against aerial incursions. In recent years, NATO has warned about hybrid threats that combine cyber attacks, disinformation, economic coercion and unmanned aerial systems. In a statement on its website, NATO said such threats blur the lines between peace and war and aim to destabilise societies. Speaking on Wednesday, von der Leyen said that responses would be coordinated across NATO and the EU. We have to defend every square centimetre of our territory, she said, indicating that rules of engagement for drone incursions were being reviewed. The Danish Defence Ministry has acknowledged limitations in detection and interception capabilities, citing rapid technological advances. Poulsen said, There are drones we simply cannot catch. Even with the right tools, some may evade detection. Investigations into both incidents in Copenhagen and Aalborg are ongoing. Authorities say the possibility of a connection between the two is being explored. HT The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), composed of over 50 civilian vessels from across Europe, claims that drones dropped flashbang-style devices, incendiary materials, and other unidentified objects on its boats. Activists also reported jamming of communications and deliberate damage intended to render vessels unseaworthy. Italy and Spain have dispatched naval vessels to support a civilian aid flotilla heading towards Gaza after multiple boats reported being targeted by drones in international waters south of Crete. No state has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement, though its Foreign Ministry reiterated on Tuesday that it would stop the flotilla from breaching its naval blockade of Gaza. Italy has condemned the drone strikes and initiated an investigation. Guido Crosetto, Italys Defence Minister, confirmed that two Italian Navy ships had been deployed. We have sent one ship and another is on its way, ready for any eventuality, he told parliament. He warned flotilla participants against entering the waters off Gaza, stating that their safety could not be guaranteed if they proceed beyond international waters. Pedro Sanchez, Spains Prime Minister, announced that a Spanish Navy vessel would leave Cartagena to join the Italian escort. The right of our citizens to navigate the Mediterranean under safe conditions must be respected, he said in New York during the UN General Assembly. The flotilla includes volunteers from at least 45 countries, including Italian, Spanish, and Swedish nationals. Among them is Greta Thunberg, who told reporters, This mission is about Gaza. No risk we take can compare to what Palestinians face daily. Multiple lawmakers are also participating. Italian MPs and MEPs have joined the mission, as have Spanish politicians, such as Juan Bordera, who described the experience of the drone attacks as a crazy, crazy nightmare. He called for a coordinated European response. Unverified video released by the GSF shows explosions near boats and individuals diving for cover. The group claims 13 explosions were recorded in one night, with four vessels sustaining damage. According to Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, one unexploded device remains aboard a boat. Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued a total condemnation of the drone strikes and said her government was conducting an independent investigation to determine the source. All of this is gratuitous, dangerous, and irresponsible, she said. She urged the flotillas participants to avoid escalation and instead deliver the aid via an alternative channel proposed by Italy. Meloni said the Italian government is prepared to transport the cargo to Cyprus, where it would be handed over to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for delivery into Gaza. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has repeated that it will not allow the flotilla to break its naval blockade but said it would permit aid deliveries via Ashkelon port under supervision. It accused flotilla organisers of rejecting that offer and pursuing a violent course of action. A spokesperson for Antonio Tajani, Italys Foreign Minister, said diplomatic channels remain open. The minister is in contact with the Israeli government and has identified a credible mediation mechanism, the statement said. It added that Israel had been reminded of its obligation to protect civilians under international law. Spain, meanwhile, has aligned itself with Italys demand for respect of navigation rights in international waters. Its naval vessel is tasked with monitoring the area and offering assistance or rescue if needed. Greece has also been involved in monitoring developments. A Portuguese vessel under the EUs Frontex border agency was dispatched but reportedly found no material damage at the time of inspection. The Greek Coast Guard is investigating further. The flotilla set sail after UN-backed experts declared a famine in Gaza City, with risks of spread to the south. According to Gazas health authorities, at least 440 Palestinians have died due to malnutrition since the genocide began. Israel contests these figures and denies charges made by a UN commission that its actions in Gaza constitute genocide. In previous months, the Israeli military intercepted other aid ships from the GSF. In June, a boat carrying Thunberg and 11 others was stopped 185 km off Gaza. Another, with 21 people on board, was intercepted in July at a distance of 75 km. The Italian and Spanish deployments mark the first direct military involvement by EU states in response to attacks on the flotilla. Rome and Madrid have both stated that any military action against civilian vessels must comply with international law. Despite this, Rome has stressed that it does not endorse attempts to break the Israeli blockade by force. Crosetto warned the flotilla: We cannot guarantee the safety of our fellow citizens if they enter the territorial waters of other countries. The GSF maintains its position that the mission is peaceful. In a statement, it called on UN member states to address the attacks during the ongoing General Assembly and described the drone activity as a coordinated campaign to intimidate volunteers and obstruct humanitarian access. HT The court handed down a special custodial sentence that Sarkozy, 70, must serve regardless of appeal. The verdict marks the first time a former French president has received a prison sentence that must be executed without delay. Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison by a Paris criminal court after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy involving illicit campaign funding from Libya. The conviction follows a ten-year investigation into financial links between Sarkozys 2007 presidential campaign and the regime of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Speaking after the hearing, Sarkozy denied wrongdoing and confirmed plans to appeal. If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high, he told reporters outside the courtroom, flanked by his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and legal team. Sarkozy was found guilty only on the charge of criminal conspiracy. He was acquitted of other charges including passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and misappropriation of public funds. Judge Nathalie Gavarino ruled that Sarkozy allowed his inner circle to solicit funds from Gaddafis regime in the run-up to the 2007 election. While the court found insufficient evidence to prove Sarkozy received the funds directly, it concluded that the contacts and arrangements made under his watch amounted to criminal conspiracy. Prosecutors had argued that Sarkozys team entered into an agreement with Libyan officials between 2005 and 2007. In return for millions in financial support, Sarkozy was expected to provide diplomatic and political favours to Gaddafis internationally isolated government. The trial examined testimony and documentation linked to secret meetings, financial transfers, and travel records. A French-Lebanese intermediary, Ziad Takieddine, told investigators in 2016 that he delivered 5 million in cash from Tripoli to Sarkozy and his aides. He later retracted the statement in 2020, before fleeing to Lebanon. He died earlier this week, days before the verdict. The case was also supported by allegations made in 2011 by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the Libyan leaders son, who said on Euronews that Sarkozy had accepted Libyan money and must return it to the Libyan people. A 2006 note allegedly from Libyan intelligence, published by French outlet Mediapart in 2012, also mentioned a 50 million agreement. Sarkozy has always maintained the document was fabricated. During the trial, prosecutors claimed that Sarkozys presidential campaign was financed in part through cash smuggled in suitcases via a network of arms dealers, intermediaries and Libyan officials. Sarkozys former chief of staff, Claude Gueant, was sentenced to six years in prison. Former interior minister Brice Hortefeux received a two-year sentence for his role. The businessman Alexander Djouhri, accused of acting as a key middleman, was also sentenced to six years. All have denied wrongdoing. The judge said the gravity of the case lay in its implications for democratic institutions. The offence is of rare seriousness and likely to undermine citizens' confidence in public representatives, she stated. Sarkozy is expected to report to a prison in the Paris region. He has been summoned on 13 October to receive further details on the start of his custodial term. His lawyers have filed an appeal, but the sentence remains enforceable in the interim. Sarkozy was president from 2007 to 2012. He left office after losing to Francois Hollande. Since then, he has remained a central figure in French right-wing politics despite multiple legal cases. In 2021, Sarkozy was convicted of attempting to bribe a magistrate and was sentenced to one year of house arrest with an electronic tag. That conviction was upheld in December 2024. In a separate case, Sarkozy was also convicted in 2023 of exceeding legal spending limits in his failed 2012 re-election campaign. His wife, Bruni-Sarkozy, is also facing charges in relation to the Libya case. She is accused of hiding evidence and conspiracy to commit fraud, which she denies. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticised the courts decision to enforce the prison sentence before appeals are exhausted. The negation of the double degree of jurisdiction through the use of provisional enforcement represents a great danger, she wrote on social media. Sarkozy described the decision as a scandalous injustice and accused the judiciary of acting politically. Those who hate me think they can humiliate me. What they have humiliated is France, he said. Despite being found guilty, Sarkozy remains eligible to appeal to Frances highest court and the European Court of Human Rights. He has previously stated that the cases against him were politically motivated and intended to discredit his legacy. HT Sky Top ranks third in USA Today poll of best orchards Wagon rides are among the attractions at Sky Top Orchard in Flat Rock. [SKYTOP ORCHARD PHOTO] Sky Top Orchard is one of the best apple orchards and best fall destinations to visit USA Today readers say. Related Stories The orchard on Pinnacle Mountain in Flat Rock is ranked third in the Top 10 poll of U-pick farms. "Less than an hour south of Asheville, North Carolina, Sky Top Orchard offers its guests the chance to celebrate a nostalgic fall on the mountain," USA Today said. "The cool summer nights and warm days create perfect conditions for growing over 22 varieties of apples, with the u-pick season lasting from July through the end of October. Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Red and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Pink Lady are just a few available varieties." Sky Top, which has wagon rides, bakery, apple cider, jams and jellies and other merchandise, was the only orchard in North Carolina to make the Top 10. No. 2 is in Phillipston, Mass., and No. 1 is in Middlefield, Connecticut. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Marriott International, Inc. today announced a signed agreement with HTL Gateway LLC to open AC Hotels by Marriott Ulaanbaatar. This strategic move is set to mark Marriott's entry in Mongolia, underscoring the company's vision to strategically grow its presence across Asia Pacific. Expected to open in 2027, AC Hotel by Marriott Ulaanbaatar will reflect the brand's signature design philosophy that harmonizes form and function, offering purposeful design, flexible spaces, and signature moments for a new generation of discerning business and leisure travelers. The property is planned as part of a mixed-use development in the rapidly expanding Khan Uul District of Ulaanbaatar, strategically located along Buyant-Ukhaa Road with convenient access to the Central Business District, Sukhbaatar Square, and Chinggis Khaan International Airport. Surrounded by key demand drivers such as the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace, AIC Steppe Arena, and Yaarmag's new commercial and residential hub, the hotel will be well-positioned to cater to both business and leisure travelers. The hotel is slated to feature 190 thoughtfully designed guestrooms and suites, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a grab-and-go AC Store, and a lounge and bar. Plans also include to feature a range of amenities including a heated indoor swimming pool, fitness center, spa, and dedicated spaces such as an AC Library. For meetings and events, the property anticipates featuring flexible facilities including a junior ballroom, function rooms, and breakout spaces. Mongolia welcomed more than 800,000 international visitors in 2024, a record high for the country, according to recent reports. The new hotel is expected to play an integral role in shaping the modern hospitality landscape of Ulaanbaatar, offering globally inspired design, intuitive service, and thoughtfully curated experiences for today's travelers. Hotel website Amir Nematipour joins the team at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole as Resort Manager, bringing nearly a decade of Four Seasons experience and a lifelong passion for hospitality to his new role. Since joining the company in 2016, Nematipour has built a distinguished career across several iconic destinations, including Four Seasons Lana'i in Lanai, Hawaii, and Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel. Nematipour's most recent appointment was as Director of Food & Beverage at Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, in Lanai, Hawaii. In this capacity, Nematipour oversaw the renovation of two key dining outlets - Nobu and Mozza. He also collaborated with local farmers and vendors to introduce a pop-up activation centered on sustainability as well as launched a new beach restaurant concept with a custom Airstream. Prior to his time in Hawaii, Nematipour worked as Executive Chef at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, as well as held leadership roles outside the brand in luxury hotels across the Middle East and Europe. A graduate of Hogeschool van Amsterdam and the Horeca Academie, Nematipour is fluent in Dutch, English and Farsi. Born in Tehran, Iran, and raised in Amsterdam, his passion for food and travel began at an early age, reinforced by his globetrotting, adventurous family. In his personal time, Nematipour enjoys exploring new destinations with his fiancee, Yullia, and their French bulldog, Leah. They are excited to embrace Jackson Hole's mountain lifestyle and trade their Hawaiian flip-flops for Jackson Hole snow boots. Raffles Dubai is pleased to announce the appointment of Safwan Abu Risheh as General Manager. Safwan brings with him over 25 years of international experience in the luxury hospitality sector, having held senior leadership roles across the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Mexico. A seasoned hotelier and strategic visionary, he joins Raffles Dubai following a highly successful tenure as Managing Director of Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver. Throughout his career, Safwan has shaped and elevated some of the world's most renowned luxury hotel brands, including Four Seasons and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. He is recognised for his ability to lead large-scale renovations, conceptualise immersive F&B experiences, and drive exceptional performance across all facets of hotel operations. His leadership has consistently resulted in record-breaking RevPAR, elevated guest satisfaction scores, and long-term brand value creation. A dynamic and inclusive leader, he is widely respected for his ability to build and mentor high-performing teams. His track record includes five ultra-luxury hotel openings, creative asset repositioning strategies, and notable revenue growth, particularly across residential and commercial portfolios. A Canadian national of Middle Eastern heritage, Safwan holds a degree in Business Administration and Economics and has completed executive programmes at Cornell University in Hotel Real Estate Investment and Executive Leadership. He is an active contributor to the industry, previously serving on the board of Destination Vancouver and collaborating with key tourism and development stakeholders. His return to the Middle East marks a meaningful new chapter, combining his deep regional insight with global experience. Safwan sees Raffles Dubai as a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the most iconic addresses in luxury hospitality in Dubai. From 15 17 October 2025, the global travel technology community will gather at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore (Level 1, Hall B) for Travel Tech Asia 2025. Co-located with ITB Asia and MICE Show Asia, the event unites the brightest minds, pioneering technologies, and most influential leaders in the travel and tourism sector. Over three days, executives, innovators, and thousands of attendees will meet to showcase solutions, forge partnerships, and shape the future of how the world travels. Travel Tech Asia: Where Innovation Meets Opportunity Travel Tech Asia is the definitive platform where cutting-edge technologies, emerging trends, and disruptive startups converge with established travel brands. The show offers unparalleled opportunities for networking, deal-making, and discovery, enabling businesses to unlock new frontiers in the ever-evolving travel ecosystem. The exhibition floor will feature leading global names including Trip.com Group, Agoda, Go Global Travel, Juniper Travel Technology, Korea Tourism Startup Center, Xendit, SUNRATE, SiteMinder, Airalo, DerbySoft, RateHawk, Skyscanner, RESTEL S.A., Holafly, and Worldline. These companies represent the pinnacle of travel technology, showcasing cutting-edge solutions that are driving the evolution of travel across the APAC region. Equally important are the top buyers attending from across the industry, including C-level executives from renowned organisations such as Trip.com (CTO), THE ASCOTT LIMITED (Digital Transformation), Capitaland (Digital International Lodging Systems), HPL Hotels & Resorts (Director of Revenue Management), Expedia (Principal Software Engineer), Far East Hospitality Management Services (Area Director of Revenue Management), and The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore (Ecommerce & Digital Strategy Manager). Their presence highlights the strategic significance of the event, bringing together the most influential decision-makers to explore partnerships, investment opportunities, and technology adoption. Travel Tech Asia is the meeting place for the great minds shaping the future of travel. In an industry traditionally driven by people and experiences, technology is the catalyst that enhances, personalises and scales those very experiences. At our travel technology showcase ideas become innovations, and innovations become the force that will drive the entire travel industry forward, said Darren Seah, Executive Director of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific and organiser of Travel Tech Asia, MICE Show Asia, and ITB Asia. Kicking off Travel Tech Asia on a vibrant note, an exclusive RSVP-only Happy Hour networking session will take place at the Buyers Lounge on 15 October 2025, from 5 pm to 6 pm. Open to Travel Tech Asia exhibitors, buyers and speakers, this lively gathering offers a prime opportunity to connect, exchange ideas and forge meaningful partnerships further enriching the Travel Technology Zone experience. Conference Highlights: Insightful Sessions from Global Leaders The Travel Tech Asia Conference 2025 will deliver forward-looking insights on how technology is reshaping travel. This years programme focuses on trends and innovations in travel technology, the role of AI in transforming travel and tourism, the future of travel payments, and strategies for aviation distribution, offering participants the tools and strategies to navigate the next wave of transformation. Among the headline sessions and speaker highlights are: The Tech Leaders Panel: Driving Innovation in Travel through Technology will explore how travel companies are adapting to shifting consumer demands for personalisation, seamless experiences, and efficiency. Tejveer Singh Bedi, Vice President of Traveloka Partners Network at Traveloka, will moderate a discussion with Clive Ashmore Butler, Chief Customer Officer at Atlas; Chris Hodges, Vice President of Global Connectivity & Partner Solutions at Expedia Group; Brett Henry, President Director at MG Group; Edmund Ong, Senior Regional Director SEA and GM Singapore at Trip.com; and Kazuhisa Takahashi, CEO of Tripla, examining how digital solutions are driving innovation and addressing the key challenges and opportunities for the industry. The panel on The Impact of AI on the Future of Travel will focus on how artificial intelligence is redefining the traveller journey, streamlining operations, and delivering hyper-personalised experiences. Moderated by Kei Shibata, Co-founder and CEO of Venture Republic & Trip 101, the discussion features Max Martin, Founder of Kai; Linda Adami, Founder and CEO of Quantum Temple; Apichai Sakulsureeyadej, CEO of Radiant1; and Jeff Kim, CEO of Yanolja Cloud, exploring how businesses can harness AI to boost operational efficiency and elevate customer satisfaction. In the session, Real-World Applications of AI and Strategies for Hotels, Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President of Supply at Agoda, will present hands-on examples of how AI is transforming hotel operations and guest experiences, providing actionable strategies for hoteliers to implement or scale AI-driven solutions. The session Unlocking APAC Growth: Smarter Flight Distribution in the Age of NDC will highlight the critical role of flights in the APAC region, which is poised to become the worlds largest travel market. Demi Kavaratzis, Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand at Etraveli Group, will share how accelerating NDC adoption and data-driven retailing are reshaping airline and retailer connections with travellers, and highlight opportunities to capture the next wave of APAC growth. The C-Suite Talk: Venture Capital in Travel Tech - Unlocking the Future of Innovation will offer an insider perspective on where top investors see the next breakthroughs in travel technology, from AI-driven trip planning to sustainable travel solutions. Scott Krivokopich, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 1982 Ventures, will guide this session, sharing insights into the models, signals, and sectors attracting venture capital investment. Registration Now Booth registration is now open: www.traveltechasia.com/exhibitor Trade visitor passes are available complimentary until 3 October 2025: www.traveltechasia.com/visitor Guestroom at the Majestic Palace Sorrento, Curio Collection by Hilton - Image Credit Hilton Hilton has signed agreements to open three new Curio Collection hotels in Italy, expanding its presence in Genova, Sorrento, and Milan. Hilton has announced the signing of three new hotels under its Curio Collection brand in Italy. The new properties will be located in Genova, Sorrento, and Milan, marking an expansion of Hilton's portfolio in the country. The Grand Hotel Savoia Genova, Curio Collection by Hilton, will be the first of the three to open, with a scheduled launch in December 2025. The 117-room hotel is situated on the Gulf of Genova in the Ligurian Sea, marking Hilton's first property in Genova. The hotel will offer a restaurant, lobby bar, rooftop lounge, meeting space, ballroom, spa, and gym. It is centrally located in Genoa, across from the Piazza Principe train station, which connects to Milan and other towns along the Ligurian coast. The Majestic Palace Sorrento, Curio Collection by Hilton, is set to open in spring 2027 following a renovation. The hotel will feature 75 rooms, each with a private balcony. Located in Sant'Agnello, near Sorrento, the property will feature leisure amenities including a swimming pool, gym, and wellness area. The hotel is 2 kilometers from Sorrento's main square and is accessible by train or ferry from nearby cities. Cadorna Hotel Milan, Curio Collection by Hilton, is scheduled to open in January 2028. The hotel will have over 120 rooms and is located on Piazzale Luigi Cadorna in Milan. The property will include a gym, bar, and restaurant. It is within walking distance of major tourist attractions and is just one minute from Milano Cadorna Railway Station, providing easy access to the city's public transportation network. These developments are part of Hilton's strategy to expand its Curio Collection brand across key European markets. The brand recently opened a property in Caceres, Spain, and has plans for further openings in Cappadocia, Turkey, and other locations in the coming years. L-R: Otsuka Koki, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Mongolia; Abel Lomax, Chief of the Economic Section, Embassy of the United States in Mongolia; H.E. Richard L. Buangan, Ambassador of the United States to Mongolia; Erkhes Battuul, Founder, HTL Gateway LLC; Andree Susilo, Vice President, Hotel Development, Asia Pacific, Marriott International; Augustin Ledez, Agricultural Attache, Embassy of France in Mongolia; Vaclav Jilek, Head of the Economic Section, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Mongolia. - Image Credit Marriott International Marriott International has announced a signed agreement with HTL Gateway LLC to open an AC Hotels by Marriott in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. This development marks Marriott's first entry into the Mongolian market. The hotel is expected to open in 2027. The AC Hotel by Marriott Ulaanbaatar will be located in the Khan Uul District, a rapidly expanding area of the city. The site is strategically positioned along Buyant-Ukhaa Road, providing convenient access to the Central Business District, Sukhbaatar Square, and Chinggis Khaan International Airport. The location is surrounded by key attractions and infrastructure, including the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace, AIC Steppe Arena, and a new commercial and residential hub in Yaarmag. The hotel is planned to feature 190 guestrooms and suites. The hotel will feature an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a grab-and-go AC Store, and a lounge and bar. Additional amenities are expected to include a heated indoor swimming pool, fitness center, spa, and an AC Library. For meetings and events, the property will offer flexible facilities, including a junior ballroom, function rooms, and breakout spaces. This agreement reflects Marriott International's strategy to expand its presence in the Asia Pacific region. The company aims to cater to both business and leisure travelers by offering accommodations in key locations across the continent. Mongolia, which welcomed over 800,000 international visitors in 2024, is emerging as a significant destination for both business and leisure. The collaboration with HTL Gateway LLC aligns with the Mongolian government's initiatives to boost the tourism sector and expand the country's presence in international markets. The new hotel is anticipated to contribute to the evolving hospitality landscape in Ulaanbaatar. Motto by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly - Credit: SimpsonHaugh Architects - Image Credit Hilton Hilton has signed an agreement to open two hotels in Manchester, including Europes largest Hampton by Hilton and the citys first Motto by Hilton. Hilton has announced plans to expand its presence in Manchester with the signing of an agreement to open two new hotels in the city. The development will include the Hampton by Hilton Manchester City Centre and the Motto by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly, in partnership with Dean Street Developments Limited. The Hampton by Hilton Manchester City Centre will be located in Deansgate. This 22-story hotel will be the largest Hampton by Hilton in Europe, featuring 358 rooms. It will include amenities such as a fitness area, meeting space, and a dining zone. The hotel is situated near Deansgate-Castlefield railway station, providing convenient access to Manchester Airport. The opening is scheduled for early 2026. The second development, Motto by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly, will mark the debut of the Motto brand in Manchester. This 21-story hotel will be situated in the Piccadilly Basin, near Manchester Piccadilly Station. Set to open in 2027, the hotel will feature 154 rooms, as well as a restaurant, bar, and fitness space. Both hotels will benefit from Manchester's extensive transport links, including major train stations and a tram system, offering quick access to Manchester Airport. The city attracts over four million domestic visitors and 1.7 million international tourists annually, with more than 11 million overnight stays each year. The Retired Investor: U.S. Gov.'s Buying Binge Continues Unabated Toward State Capitalism The latest rumored acquisition will be a 10 percent stake in Canada-based Lithium Americas. The Trump administration is considering the stake as part of negotiations over a $2.26 billion Department of Energy loan for the company's lithium project in Nevada. Expect more of the same as Washington intervenes in industries that it considers critical to national security. Many would have you believe that today's shift toward state capitalism is sudden, unwarranted, and autocratic. However, for countless decades, this country has had a long and varied history of intervening in the American economy when it deems necessary. The difference this time around is that Donald Trump is running roughshod over the consensus-building process that the country has historically required to legislate this kind of interference in the economy. For better or worse, depending on your affiliation, he is ignoring the rules and regulations that have both acted as guardrails and barriers to the kind of rapid-fire change we are experiencing today. Others believe that the constant stream of executive orders occurring now is long overdue. To many, the U.S. is simply recognizing and responding to the fundamental transformation that has happened and is ongoing in this ever-changing world. We have exited a past that no longer applies, in exchange for what many hope is a promising new future. At the same time, the role of government, in the view of a large segment of the population, has also undergone significant changes. According to numerous polls, many in the younger American generation believe that the economic and political systems in the U.S. no longer serve their interests in this rapidly changing set of circumstances. These are the victims of globalization, the 2008 Financial Crisis, the COVID pandemic, and the widening income inequality. I suspect that if asked, they might want their government to do even more in the years ahead. Many would like to replace what they see as the "Deep State" with government programs that will narrow income inequality, while at the same time preserving private ownership. The downside of state capitalism is well known. Centrally planned economies of the Chinese variety usually get it wrong. Granted, we are still a long way from that particular model of control, but we are certainly moving in that direction. In many instances, government control reduces economic efficiency. That often leads to slower economic growth. Innovation and entrepreneurship suffer, replaced mainly by cronyism and corruption. Long-term results give way to short-term fixes. Just last week, for example, the government invoked its golden share ownership of U.S. Steel (a condition of Nippon Steel's purchase of the company) to block the closing of the company's Granite City plant in Illinois. According to management, the work done at the plant should be transferred to more efficient locations; however, the government disagreed. The 10 percent stake in Intel, engineered by the administration (after threatening to fire its CEO), has set into motion several interesting transactions involving other companies with ties to the government. Some question why Nvidia, the premier global semiconductor giant, suddenly decided to invest $5 billion in this troubled semiconductor company, when other companies might make more business sense. This deal occurred after Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices agreed to pay the Trump administration a portion of their sales from artificial intelligence to China. This week, the government announced a U.S.-based joint venture with investors to take control of TikTok, a Chinese-owned platform with 170 million American users. The deal coveted by nearly every media company in the U.S. ultimately fell into the hands of Oracle, among others. Oracle, run by its billionaire founder, Larry Ellison, is a close personal friend of the president. Over the weekend, the administration also announced sudden changes to the H-1B visa program that will directly impact many of the nation's largest technology companies. The H-1B allows immigrants with highly specialized skills to work in the U.S. when companies cannot find U.S. citizens to perform the same job. The government, citing concerns that many companies abuse this program, is considering a one-time charge of $100,000 (up from $2,000) to obtain such a visa. This has thrown many companies, especially in the tech sector, into turmoil. It is interesting to note that the Chinese, who followed this same path years ago, are now wrestling with the downside of many of the same issues today. As such, government officials over there are moving to liberalize many conditions and regulations. They are relinquishing more control to the private sector as a result. At some point in the future, it is entirely possible that the Chinese and American brands of state capitalism may converge. The advent of artificial intelligence promises both great opportunities and significant challenges for the future. As time passes, government intervention might steadily increase to safeguard the labor market. Legislators could direct AI initiatives toward areas perceived as most productive. However, history indicates that, over time, in this country, the pendulum swings from right to left, and economic systems tend to oscillate between more and less government involvement. Intervention follows a crisis, which is then followed by liberalization. Inefficiencies become apparent and market forces reassert themselves. We have seen this happen repeatedly in this country. Exactly when and how long it will take is the real question. CATA, The Mount Present Reading By Writers With Disabilities LENOX, Mass. Community Access to the Arts (CATA) and The Mount, Edith Wharton's Home, present a reading celebrating the work of writers with disabilities on Sept. 30 at 5pm. The event takes place at the Stable at The Mount, located at 2 Plunkett St., Lenox, MA. A free reception will follow the reading where attendees can meet and celebrate CATA writers. Reservations are required for this free event. Register online at CATAarts.org/themount2025 or by contacting CATA at (413) 528-5485. The event will feature guest readers sharing writing created in the CATA Writers' Workshopa weekly, year-long class where writers with disabilities express their perspectives and build skills in poetry, prose, short story, and more. The evening will also feature an original movement piece performed by CATA dancers with disabilities to accompany one of the poetry readings. ASL interpretation and open captioning will be provided, as well as braille and large print programs. "We're thrilled to continue CATA's partnership with The Mount to share the work of our CATA writers," said CATA Executive Director Margaret Keller. "CATA writers express their creative voices each week in our workshops. Through this powerful and dynamic annual reading, CATA writers share their perspectives and talentsand our community gets to see the world from their point of view." Longtime CATA Faculty Artist Janet Reich Elsbach leads the CATA Writers' Workshop with a curriculum that allows CATA artists to develop their own style in short stories, autobiography, and poetry. In each workshop, CATA artists experiment with writing prompts to discover new storytelling techniques, explore ideas of identity and self-representation, and give voice to their lived experience. CATA offers a variety of adaptive writing tools and approaches to ensure the workshop is accessible to people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities, including volunteer "scribes" who work one-on-one with each artist to help them put their ideas to paper. In addition to the CATA Writers' Workshop, CATA offers a wide range of weekly arts workshops for people with disabilities at the nonprofit's Great Barrington studios. Each workshop is designed as a series, and enrollment is on a rolling basis throughout the year. A current course catalog is available on CATA's website at CATAarts.org/joincata. CATA's reading at The Mount is made possible by Berkshire Magazine, Barr Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and other supporters. iciHaiti - PAHO/WHO : Donation of ten thermocoagulation devices to the MSPP On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) held a ceremony to hand over ten thermocoagulation devices to the Ministry of Public Health. This donation aims to strengthen screening and treatment for precancerous cervical lesions in Haiti. Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Haiti. Each year, approximately 588 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 439 die from it. The majority of these deaths could be prevented through early detection and treatment of precancerous lesions. The new thermocoagulation devices offer an alternative to cryotherapy by replacing heavy containers requiring compressed gas with portable, battery-powered tools. This technology allows patients to access treatment directly in primary health centers, with a rapid procedure lasting just a few minutes. Each health department will now have at least one device, helping to expand access to care. In alignment with the WHO's 90, 70, and 90 goals aimed at eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030, this support is also part of the PAHO-led elimination initiative, which aims to eliminate more than 30 related diseases and conditions by 2030 in the Region of the Americas, including cervical cancer. IH/ iciHaiti giovedi 25 settembre 2025, 12:10 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This article is automatically translated Former Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean will drive a single-seater for the first time since the dramatic crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, his former team Haas announced on X. He will drive the VF-23, used by Haas in the 2023 season, during a test at the Mugello circuit in Italy on Friday. "To say I'm excited to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car would naturally be an understatement. I can't really believe it's been almost five years, but coming back and doing this outing with my old team is really something special," Grosjean said. "My children had designed my helmet for what was supposed to be my last Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi in 2020: finally on Friday I will be able to try it on a Formula 1 car." Grosjean crashed through the barriers during the first lap of the 2020 Bahrain GP, and his car was engulfed in flames after breaking in two. In one of the most dramatic scenes in F1 history, Grosjean managed to get out of the car unaided after 28 seconds and was helped away from the crash site by two medical delegates. He suffered severe burns to both hands and had to undergo surgery. At the time, Grosjean had already been informed that his contract with Haas would not be extended and, having missed the last two events of 2020, the Bahrain GP was his last F1 race. "I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Romain Grosjean to a Formula 1 car for the first time in five years, but I'm particularly proud that he returns aboard one of our cars: it's more than fitting," said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu. 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 China is moving aggressively to attract global talent, unveiling a new visa category to allow foreign professionals to enter, study and work in the country, just as the United States is making immigration tougher under Donald Trump. The new K visa, which goes into effect on 1 October, is aimed at attracting foreign professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, by making substantial changes in visa regulations for the first time in over a decade. Unlike traditional work or study permits, the K visa enables young foreign graduates to enter, study and work in China without first securing a job offer, research placement, or local sponsor, according to new guidelines published by Beijing. The K visa signals Beijings determination to compete for global talent as it seeks to position itself as a technological superpower. The policy shift comes at a time when western countries like the US and the UK are tightening immigration channels, especially for foreign students and skilled workers. The Trump administration has stepped up its crackdown on illegal immigration and introduced sweeping changes to legal pathways as well. In a move that stunned the tech industry, Mr Trump this month raised the cost of an H-1B visa the primary route for high-skilled workers into the US to $100,000. Critics argued this would price out younger professionals and start-ups, limiting Americas ability to attract foreign talent. Barbara Kelemen, head of Asia at security analysis firm, Dragonfly, said the timing of the new visa introduction suggests that the measure is aimed at countering the recent step by the US to tighten the H-1B visa scheme. She told The Independent that the tighter US visa rules for skilled migrants in the long term would plausibly undermine the countrys ability to compete globally when it comes to AI and hi-tech innovation. Ultimately, it is a losing proposition for America," Deepa Ollapally, research professor at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, said. open image in gallery Tourists take a selfie on the Bund promenade along the Huangpu river in Shanghai ( AFP via Getty ) The contrast between the visa policies of the worlds two largest economies is stark: while the US tightens, China is loosening. And these diverging approaches are set to reshape the global contest for skilled talent. China has been relaxing visa rules for a while now, introducing visa-free entry for as many as 75 nations and increasing foreign visitor numbers by over 30 per cent in the first half of 2025. Even so, Chinas visa system had remained largely unchanged for over a decade. The 2013 Foreigners EntryExit Administration Regulations allowed foreigners to apply for 12 types of ordinary visas, each tied to a specific purpose. These ranged from the Z visa for work and the X visa for study to the M visa for business travel and the Q visa for family reunion. The K visa marks the first significant expansion of the visa system in years, signalling Beijings determination to compete for global STEM expertise. The new visa will go to foreign young science and technology talent entering China. open image in gallery Donald Trump imposed a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications on 19 September 2025 ( Getty ) Although the broad outlines of eligibility for the new visa are set, many details remain undefined. Applicants must meet the conditions and requirements for foreign young science and technology talent stipulated by the relevant Chinese authorities and submit corresponding supporting documents. In practice, this means criteria like age limits, educational qualifications or evidence of research or innovation work may apply, though the thresholds are yet to be published. What is clear is that an applicant must hold at least a bachelors degree in a STEM discipline from a recognised university or research institution. Young professionals already engaged in relevant education or research at such institutions are likely to qualify as well. The definition of young talent is deliberately broad, giving China flexibility to tighten or expand eligibility as the programme develops. According to state medias estimates, China produces 3.5-3.6 million STEM graduates every year, the highest worldwide. According to China Daily, about 45 per cent of Chinese university students majored in a STEM discipline in 2019, a much higher proportion than in the US and the UK. The timing of the new visas introduction is significant. China made the regulatory changes on 7 August, weeks before the Trump administration announced its H-1B restrictions. While Beijing did not design the policy as a direct counter, it was likely to be viewed through the lens of geopolitical competition. The K visa also carries symbolic weight as it marks a shift in Chinas self-image, from a country that struggled to keep talent at home to one confident enough to compete for the worlds best minds. Ms Keleman doubts that the new visa program by China will significantly redirect talent flows from the US and China, not least due to wide cultural differences and barriers skilled migrants are likely to consider before relocating. It is also plausible that the US administration aims to use the recent amendments to the H-1B visa as leverage during the ongoing trade talks with India and will ease some of the new restrictions in the coming months. 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 Security forces imposed curfew in Indias northernmost Himalayan region of Ladakh after rare protests turned deadly, killing at least five people and injuring almost 80. The unrest in the usually calm high-altitude cold desert region began on Wednesday over demands for statehood and job quotas. It marked a rare outbreak of widespread violence in a strategic region bordering China. Simmering tensions escalated after statehood-seeking protesters on a hunger strike fell seriously ill and were hospitalised in Leh, the federal territorys main city. Public anger over the governments apparent neglect of the hunger-striking protesters and their demands quickly turned into violent protests, with the agitators setting fire to vehicles and the local office of the BJP, the party of prime minister Narendra Modi, and clashing with the security forces. Police fired tear gas and swung batons at the demonstrators, injuring dozens of them. open image in gallery A police vehicle is set on fire during a protest in Leh town, Ladakh ( AP ) On Thursday, security forces patrolled the streets while shops and businesses stayed shut due to the curfew. Authorities prohibited the assembly of more than five people in Leh as well as Kargil, the other major population centre of Ladakh. Chering Dorjay, a co-chairman of the Leh Apex Body, the main group fighting for Ladakhs regional autonomy, said five protesters had been killed so far and many critically injured. The Indian home ministry said more than 30 police and military personnel had been injured in the clashes, adding that self-defence firing had resulted in some civilian casualties. Tensions over the demand for statehood for Ladakh had been simmering since it was split away as a federal territory from Jammu and Kashmir, the remnant of which was stripped of statehood as well as its semi-autonomy by the Modi government in 2019. open image in gallery Smoke rises from a police car torched by protesters near the BJP office in Leh ( AFP via Getty ) While Kashmir has largely been silenced through a crackdown on any form of dissent and a slew of new laws, Ladakh has seen the demand for political rights intensify after short-lived celebrations over being separated from Jammu and Kashmir. Full statehood for Ladakh would grant it significantly greater political autonomy. It would gain its own elected assembly and state government, allowing the people to make laws and policies. In the wake of the violence, the Indian government accused climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, one of the prominent protesters on hunger strike, of inflaming tensions. "In spite of many leaders urging him to call off the hunger strike, he continued with it and misled the people through provocative mentions of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal," the home ministry said in a statement. "A mob motivated by his provocative speeches left the venue of the hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as the government office ... It is clear the mob was guided by Sonam Wangchuk through his provocative statements. In a video message on Wednesday, Mr Wangchuk urged his supporters to stop the violence forthwith as it only causes harm to our cause and further deteriorates the situation. We do not want instability in Ladakh and the country," he said and ended his 15-day fast. The violence was the worst in Ladakh in decades and signalled waning patience with the Indian government. Many people in Ladakh initially welcomed the 2019 changes that divided Jammu and Kashmir, but celebration soon gave way to fears of land grab, loss of trade, and damage to the regions fragile ecosystem. Ladakhi representatives have held several unsuccessful rounds of talks with Indian officials. Another meeting is scheduled for 6 October. Ladakh's sparsely populated villages have suffered from Indias territorial disputes with China as well as the effects of climate change, including floods, landslides and droughts. The regions thousands of glaciers have receded at an alarming rate, threatening the water supply. Pollution contributing to the melting has worsened due to the regions militarisation, which has intensified since 2020 following a deadly standoff between Indian and Chinese forces along the border. 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 deer population in Japans popular tourist attraction of Nara Park has reached record levels, leading to an increased number of injuries to the people who interact with them. A survey conducted by the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation on 15 and 16 July this year recorded 1,465 deer in the park, marking an increase of 140 from last year and the highest count since the current survey method began in 1953. The total included 315 stags, 816 does, and 334 fawns. An unidentified representative from the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation was quoted as saying by Japans Nippon that based on past trends, when more food is available, there are more births. With the increase in foreign tourists leading to more opportunities to eat rice crackers, the deer are gathering in flat areas and it is thought that this is raising the pregnancy rate. However, the growing deer population has brought new challenges, including more injuries to the tourists who interact with the deer in the park. Other challenges include an increase in traffic accidents and incidents of deer venturing into urban areas in search of food, the Asahi Shimbun reported. The prefectural government reported that visitor injuries from interactions with the deer have been increasing since 2021, reaching 159 cases last year, with 111 involving foreign tourists. Many incidents were linked to excessive touching during photos or teasing the animals by withholding deer crackers, the Mainichi reported. open image in gallery A visitor feeds the deer at Nara Park in Nara on 27 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) At the Nara Park, visitors can feed the deer digestive sugar-free crackers sold at nearby shops. The prefectural government has also started distributing multilingual pamphlets in Japanese, English, and Chinese, urging tourists not to touch or provoke the deer, particularly ahead of the late-August mating season. Naras deer, recognised as a national natural monument, are legally protected. Both Nara Park and its surrounding areas are designated conservation zones, where capturing or removing the animals is strictly prohibited. Last year, a prefectural expert panel chose not to expand culling zones, instead focusing on strengthening protective measures like fencing. open image in gallery A deer rests next to a sign warning visitors about male deer at Nara Park in Nara on 27 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) The Nara Deer Preservation Foundation representative said: The deer in Nara are not free-roaming. They have lived in Nara Park a long time, staying a reasonable distance away from humans. If people get too close, they can be hurt, so caution is needed. From July last year to June this year, 140 deer died in the region 10 more than the previous year. Of these fatalities, 36 were caused by traffic collisions and 30 by illness, with over half of the traffic-related deaths occurring on two roads that pass through or alongside the park. In recent months, the animals have also been seen grazing beyond their usual habitats, including the grounds of the Nara Prefectural Office and the Nara District Court, which lie across the busy National Route 369. open image in gallery A deer looks on as a staff member from the bika no kai or beautiful deer litter patrol squad pick up trash to prevent deer from eating garbage at Nara Park in Nara on 27 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) The deer have increasingly wandered into residential neighbourhoods and farmland as near Shin-Omiya Station, situated over a kilometre from the park. On 2 August, a sika deer at Nara Park bit a tourist on the bottom while she offered it snacks. The incident, caught on camera, showed the deer chasing her through the park. More recently, Sanae Takaichi, a candidate for the ruling partys presidency, claimed on 22 September that some foreign tourists had kicked deer at Nara Park. However, she didnt provide evidence. Ms Takaichi first raised concerns about deer being kicked while discussing her policy to address crimes and misconduct by foreign visitors in Japan. open image in gallery A visitor interacts with deer at Nara Park in Nara on 27 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Researchers have raised concerns over the survival of Nara Parks deer amid a programme to cut down acorn-bearing trees, which provide both a vital food source and shelter during winter for the animals. While local authorities say only a small portion of the trees have been removed and the deer can find acorns elsewhere, experts warn that even a minor reduction in natural food, combined with damage to summer grass from heavy tourist activity, may make the animals increasingly reliant on human feeding. Shiro Tatsuzawa, a deer-population specialist at Hokkaido University, told Japanese television news station MBS in July this year that hungry deer could venture beyond the park, potentially causing crop damage and more aggressive interactions with visitors. The base of these trees becomes a critical place that determines whether the deer can survive winter. Nobody seems to be considering things from the deers perspective, he said. In March this year, it was reported that after nearly 40 years without them, Nara Park reinstalled public trash cans to protect its nationally protected deer, responding to rising litter from increasing numbers of foreign tourists. 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 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said parts of its IT systems are back online amid a phased restart of its operations following a major cyber attack. The British carmaker has paused production at its UK factories for several weeks after being targeted by hackers. The company said it is working to clear a backlog of payments to suppliers, and has increased its processing capacity for invoicing. A cyber attack on the carmaker in August forced it to shut down its IT networks and suspend production lines. Factories remain closed until next month at the earliest. A statement from JLR said: As part of the controlled, phased restart of our operations, today we have informed colleagues, suppliers and retail partners that sections of our digital estate are now up and running. The foundational work of our recovery programme is firmly underway. open image in gallery The government was considering supporting suppliers, with the industry minister, Chris McDonald, saying it should be a cyber security wake-up call in a visit earlier in the week ( PA ) The companys centre for supplying parts to distribution centres for retailers in the UK and globally is returning to full operations, JLR confirmed. The financial system used to process the wholesale of vehicles has also been brought back online, meaning sales and registration are now faster again. JLR said it is working with cyber security specialists, the UK governments National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and law enforcement. Our focus remains on supporting our customers, suppliers, colleagues and our retailers. We fully recognise this is a difficult time for all connected with JLR and we thank everyone for their continued support and patience, a statement said. The government has said it was considering intervening to support JLR's parts suppliers, with concerns growing that some could go bust due to the shutdown of operations, especially small businesses. The manufacturer is owned by Indias Tata Motors, and builds around 1,000 cars a day across its three factories in Solihull and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, and Halewood in Merseyside. open image in gallery Jaguar Land Rover paused its production in August after a cyber attack ( Getty ) Workers were told to stay home on 1 September, and JLR has not confirmed a return date. Around 30,000 people are employed at the companys plants, with a further 100,000 working for employers in the supply chain. Unions have called for a Covid-style furlough operation for those in the supply chain, but this is not thought to be viable given the scale and the cost. Businesses are also reportedly unwilling to consider a government-backed loan, given the uncertainty they currently face. Chancellor Rachel Reeves was asked during a ministerial visit if the government was set to step in to help firms in the supply chain. We are working very closely with Jaguar Land Rover, but not just with the company but also with the wider supply chain, Ms Reeves said. The focus is both getting the business back up and running as quickly as possible, but also making sure, as a government, we are doing everything we can to stand by the company and the wider supply chain. 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 United States President Donald Trump recently claimed that using the common painkiller acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol and by the brand name Tylenol in the US) during pregnancy is fuelling the rise in autism diagnoses. He then went on to suggest pregnant women should tough it out rather than use the common painkiller if they experience fever or pain. This announcement has caused alarm and confusion worldwide. But despite Trumps claim, there is no strong scientific evidence to back it up. Our study of nearly 2.5 million births in Sweden, published in 2024, shows no evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy increases a childs risk of autism. This is the largest study conducted on the subject to date. To understand whether acetaminophen really poses a risk in pregnancy, we turned to Swedens national health registers, which are among the most comprehensive in the world. Our study followed nearly 2.5 million children born between 1995 and 2019, tracking them for up to 26 years. Using prescription records and interviews that midwives conducted during prenatal visits, we could see which mothers reported using acetaminophen (about 7.5% of pregnancies) and which did not. We also made sure to account for any variables that may have affected the results of our statistical analysis including controlling for health factors, such as fever or pain, which would have influenced whether or not a mother used acetaminophen during her pregnancy. This was to ensure a fairer comparison between the two groups. open image in gallery President Donald Trump urged pregnant women, 'Dont take Tylenol' ( Getty ) We then looked at the childrens neurodevelopmental outcomes specifically, whether they were diagnosed with autism, ADHD or an intellectual disability. The real strength of our study came from being able to compare siblings. This allowed us to compare children born to the same mother, where acetaminophen had been used during one childs pregnancy but not the other. We compared over 45,000 sibling pairs, where at least one sibling had an autism diagnosis. This sibling design is powerful because siblings share much of their genetics and family environment. This allows us to tease apart whether the drug itself rather than underlying family traits or health conditions is responsible for any apparent risks for neurodevelopmental outcomes. Acetaminophen use When we first looked at the entire population, we saw a pattern that echoed earlier studies: children whose mothers reported using acetaminophen during pregnancy were slightly more likely to be diagnosed with autism, ADHD or an intellectual disability. But once we ran the sibling comparisons, that association completely disappeared. In other words, when we compared sets of siblings where one was exposed in the womb to acetaminophen and one was not, there was no difference in their likelihood of later being diagnosed with autism, ADHD or an intellectual disability. Our study is not the only one to put this question to the test. Researchers in Japan recently published a study using a similar sibling-comparison design, and their results closely matched ours. Importantly, they replicated our findings in a population with a different genetic background and where patterns of acetaminophen use during pregnancy are quite different. Nearly 40% of mothers in Japan reported using the drug during pregnancy. In comparison, less than 10% of Swedish mothers had used it. open image in gallery The announcement has caused alarm and confusion worldwide ( Getty/iStock ) Despite these differences, the conclusion was the same. When siblings are compared, there is no evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy increases the risk of autism or ADHD. These findings mark an important shift from earlier studies, which relied on more limited data, used smaller cohorts and didnt account for genetic differences. They also did not fully account for why some mothers used pain relief during pregnancy while others didnt. For example, mothers who take acetaminophen are more likely to also have migraines, chronic pain, fever or serious infections. These are conditions that are themselves genetically linked to autism or ADHD, as well as a childs likelihood of later being diagnosed with one of these conditions. These types of confounding factors can create associations that look convincing on the surface, but may not reflect a true cause-and-effect relationship. About the authors Renee Gardner is a Principal Researcher in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Karolinska Institutet. Brian Lee is a Professor of Epidemiology at Drexel University. Viktor H. Ahlqvist is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. That brings us to the real question on many peoples minds: what does this mean if youre pregnant and dealing with pain or fever? Its important to recognise that untreated illness during pregnancy can be dangerous. A high fever in pregnancy, for example, is known to increase the risk of complications for both mother and baby. Toughing it out, as the president suggested, is not a risk-free option. Thats why professional medical organisations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency continue to recommend acetaminophen (paracetamol) as the safest fever reducer and pain reliever during pregnancy when used at the lowest effective dose and only when necessary. This has been the guidance for decades. Of course, if someone finds themselves needing to take acetaminophen regularly over a longer period of time, thats a decision best made in consultation with their doctor or midwife. But the idea that acetaminophen use during pregnancy causes autism simply isnt supported by the best available science. The greater danger is that alarmist messaging will discourage pregnant women from treating pain or fever putting both themselves and their babies at risk. 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 Fake Labubu dolls make up 90 per cent of potentially dangerous fake toys coming into the UK, according to border force chiefs. Agents have seized more than 259,000 counterfeit toys at the border so far this year, worth around 3.5 m, new Home Office data shows. They said around 236,000 of these were knock-off versions of the collectible Pop Mart monster dolls, which have prompted long queues and bedlam inside shops after going viral. Authorities said that while parents may be tempted by the fake goods because of their cheaper prices, the products posed serious risks to children, warning that 75 per cent of the seized toys failed safety tests due to banned chemicals linked to cancer and choking hazards found. open image in gallery Hundreds of fake Labubu dolls were seized from Staffordshire County Council Data from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) shows nearly half (46 per cent) of those who purchased counterfeits reported problems ranging from toys breaking almost instantly to unsafe labelling, toxic smells and even reports of illness in children. Helen Barnham, deputy director at the IPO, said fake products bypassed every safety check required by the law and put children in real danger. The office is now launching the Fake Toys, Real Harms campaign aimed at highlighting the dangers identified by expert testing of the phoney goods. Ms Barnham explained: With counterfeit toys, what you see is rarely what you get. Behind the packaging can be hidden choking hazards, toxic chemicals and faulty parts that put children in real danger. open image in gallery Labubus have gone viral across the world ( AFP/Getty ) These products have bypassed every safety check the law requires, which is why were working with our partners to keep these dangerous fakes out of UK homes. Our Fake Toys, Real Harm campaign aims to raise awareness among parents and present buyers of the hidden harms associated with counterfeits. Fake Labubus - often called Lafufus - are sold across corner shops and local supermarkets UK and Europe as demand for the real thing soars. But authorities are warning against them due to the risks posed by choking hazards and toxic chemicals. Such warnings were issued by Westminster City Council earlier this month after Trading Standards seized 100 Lafufu dolls in central London. On close examination they were found to have feet that easily detached and eyes that popped out, the council said. Genuine Labubu dolls, which can retail for hundreds of pounds, are identified by their furry monster-like appearance. The counterfeit dolls often have twisted limbs, misshapen heads or the incorrect number of teeth real Labubus have nine. Ms Barnham advised buyers to stick to trusted retailers, be wary of too good to be true prices, and look for a UKCA or CE safety mark and a UK or EU contact address on the packaging. Child safety must come first, so were urging parents please dont let your child be the tester. 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 Local communities are set to be given new powers to safeguard local pubs and libraries, as part of a government drive to revitalise neglected high streets. The new Pride in Place programme will enable residents to block the opening of unwanted betting shops, vape stores, and fake barbers from opening. Councils will also be given the opportunity to transform derelict buildings and boarded-up shops, under Community Right to Buy and compulsory purchase powers. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil the initiative on Thursday, backed by "record investment" for over 330 communities. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer ( PA ) Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said: When people step out of their front doors, they know their communities are struggling. They see shuttered pubs, fading high streets and their local areas in decline. Yes, communities have been stretched, but they havent given up. Theyre working hard to make things better, and were backing them. The government is putting power into their hands so local people decide how best to restore pride in their neighbourhoods, not us in Westminster. Thats what real patriotism looks like: building up our communities and choosing renewal over division. Funding will be given to projects which have consulted community groups, local organisations and social clubs. open image in gallery The new Pride in Place programme will enable residents to block the opening of unwanted betting or vape stores ( PA ) The programme will tackle deep-rooted deprivation and regional inequality, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said. Gambling shops are among the services the Government has signalled it wants to crack down on to improve high streets. A spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) said the shops are far more than just places to have a flutter: they are community hubs, economic drivers, and a vital part of the high streets future. As of March 2024, there were 5,931 betting shops in Britain, a decrease on previous years, according to the Gambling Commission. 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 Family members of Virginia Giuffre have praised charities decisive action by cutting ties with Sarah, Duchess of York, after it emerged she sent an email to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein calling him a supreme friend. Several charities severed ties with the duchess on Monday after it emerged she apologised to Epstein in April 2011 after publicly disowning him in the media. Ms Giuffre, who died in Western Australia in April aged 41, was one of the most outspoken accusers of convicted sex offenders Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. In 2022, she settled lawsuit against the Duke of York, the duchess former husband, for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein. He denied the claim and ever meeting Ms Giuffre. American-born Ms Giuffres brother, Sky Roberts, and her sister-in-law Amanda Roberts, said in a statement: It is commendable that these seven charities have cut ties with Sarah Ferguson in light of her connections to Epstein. This decisive action sends a strong message about accountability and the need to confront those who support the horrific child trafficking network established by Epstein and Maxwell. They added: It raises important questions about our own efforts in America. Are we doing enough to condemn those complicit in these crimes? We should follow the example set by these organisations and take meaningful steps to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice. Ms Giuffre was was systematically failed by nearly every powerful institution that was meant to protect her, they said, before commending the forceful response from the charities and adding: In absence of governmental accountability, we urgently need stronger public condemnation of the men and women involved in propping up Epsteins horrific child sex trafficking network here in America to begin pursuing real justice. James Henderson, the duchesss spokesperson at the time, said the email was sent after a really menacing and nasty phone call from the sex offender who had a Hannibal Lecter-type voice, the Telegraph reported on Tuesday. The phone call reportedly took place in the wake of the duchesss interview with the Evening Standard on March 7 2011, in which she apologised for accepting 15,000 from Epstein. She told the newspaper: I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again. A little over a month later, the duchess sent a message to Epstein, reported by The Sun newspaper, in which she said: I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family. It continued: I was advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you. And if I did I would cause more problems to you, the duke and myself. I was broken and lost. So please understand. I didnt want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in over-riding fear. I am sorry. Among the organisations to end their relationships with the duchess after the 2011 email came to light is the Teenage Cancer Trust, who dropped her as patron after 35 years. Similar announcements came from Wiltshire and Dorset-based childrens hospice Julias House, Prevent Breast Cancer, The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals who all cut ties with the duchess on Monday. The British Heart Foundation also said she was no longer a serving ambassador for the charity. Julias House explained it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity citing her correspondence with Epstein as a deciding factor while founders of food allergy charity The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation said they were disturbed to read her correspondence with him. Other charities thanked the duchess for her work. The Duke of York paid millions to settle the civil sexual assault case with Ms Giuffre in 2022, who alleged the duke slept with her on three separate occasions. Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, in the US, in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide. 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 Nine of the ten local authorities that have experienced the largest drops in primary school pupil numbers are in London, analysis has found. Findings from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) projected that the capital is expected to continue to see steeper declines than the rest of the country for the next five years. Researchers said policymakers must adopt strategies to adapt funding and school provision to cope with falling numbers, as lower numbers threaten the viability of schools. In order, the 10 local authority areas with the largest falls in primary pupil numbers over the last five years are Westminster, Lambeth, Southwark, Hackney, Camden, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Merton, Wandsworth, and Redcar and Cleveland. Westminster saw a nearly 16 per cent fall in primary pupil numbers from 2020/21 to 2024/25. In Southwark, figures have fallen by more than 12 per cent in five years, and the number of primary schools has dropped by six. Schools with falling pupil numbers face increasing financial pressures, which can ultimately threaten their long-term viability, said Jon Andrews, head of analysis and director for school system and performance at the EPI. There is frequent speculation about the causes of Londons falling primary school enrolments, with much of the focus on declining birth rates. While that is undoubtedly a key factor, our analysis shows that the trend also reflects broader shifts in where and how young families are choosing to live. With primary enrolments expected to continue declining, it is essential that policymakers and admissions authorities adopt data-driven strategies to adapt school provision and funding to a changing educational landscape. There are expected to be 400,000 fewer pupils at schools in England by the end of the decade than today, and primary pupil numbers have already dropped by 150,000 since 2019, the EPI said. Schools are funded on a per-pupil basis, which means falling rolls are a big concern for as big declines are associated with school closures. An increasing number of pupils are leaving London, researchers found. Around 17 per cent of primary pupils in reception in 2012/13 had left the city by Year 6, increasing to 20 per cent for pupils who started reception in 2017/18. While falling birth rates play a key role, London primary pupils are most likely to either move within the city or leave the state education system, findings show. Local authorities in the East of England and the South East record the largest influxes of pupils from London. Co-author and EPI researcher Lily Wielar said the analysis shows falling pupil numbers cannot be explained by declining birth rates alone. Wider factors such as the cost of living, housing pressures, and regional differences in school provision and quality are also likely to be shaping where families live and the choices they make, she added. Over the next five years, Islington, Lambeth and Southwark are expected to experience the largest declines in pupil numbers from 14 per cent to 20 per cent. The analysis shows falling pupil numbers cannot be explained by declining birth rates alone ( PA ) Paul Whiteman, general secretary at the school leaders union NAHT, said small schools are particularly being affected by falling pupil numbers. Rather than reducing funding or closing schools, we would urge the Government to continue to invest and support local authorities to maintain staffing and resources, he added. This could build capacity for greater [special educational needs and disabilities] inclusion, and enable schools to offer smaller classes and more targeted help, as well as giving an opportunity to reduce problematic levels of workload for school staff. A population bulge in England has been moving into secondary schools, but the Department for Education said in July that it expected pupil numbers to peak in 2026/27. Earlier this year, a former education secretary called for school funding to no longer be judged on a per-pupil basis because of falling rolls. Conservative MP Damian Hinds said the decline in the number of children in schools meant the per-pupil basis was no longer a good reflection of whether funding was increasing or decreasing. 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 The chief executive of Moderna has hailed the UK as a country that still believes in vaccination as the US pharmaceutical firm opens a new manufacturing base in Oxfordshire. The comment was made against the backdrop of a rise in anti-vax and science-sceptic attitudes within the Trump administration. US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has become known for his vaccine-sceptic views. He has made a number of false claims about the damage vaccines can do, and promoted debunked theories suggesting that vaccines may be connected to autism. Though Modernas plan to open the first mRNA manufacturing plant in the UK was in place before Mr Trumps second presidential term began, its chief executive Stephane Bancel made a point of telling Sky News that the company was opening the factory in a country that still believes in vaccination. He told the broadcaster that if anti-vaccine rhetoric impacts demand in the US, the UK operation may pay dividends. If there is less appetite by governments around the world, including in the US, to use vaccines, we might invest less in vaccines, Mr Bancel added. We have to invest where theres a demand for our products. open image in gallery The facility can make up to 100 million doses per year, rising to 250 million in a pandemic, and will create around 150 highly skilled jobs, the government said ( AP ) Moderna is investing more than 1bn in UK research and development as part of 10-year strategic partnership with the government. The company said the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, near Chilton, is the UKs first onshore facility to manufacture mRNA jabs. The facility can make up to 100 million doses per year, rising to 250 million in a pandemic, and will create around 150 highly skilled jobs, the government said. It comes amid a challenging investment landscape for the sector in the UK, after other major firms shelved or paused planned UK investments this year. open image in gallery Stephane Bancel, Modernas CEO, made the comment in an interview with Sky News ( AP ) Industry bosses recently told MPs that a difficult environment and pressure on pricing had made the UK a less attractive investment environment than other countries, such as the US. Last week, UK pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline revealed plans to put nearly 22bn into US research, development and manufacturing over the next five years. It came after US-based drugmaker Merck said its UK operation was scrapping plans for a 1bn site in Londons Kings Cross, which had been due to open in 2027. Bosses blamed the government for paying too little for medicines and not investing enough in the sector, as it confirmed the move, which will impact around 125 jobs. Days later, AstraZeneca announced it had paused plans to invest 200m at a Cambridge research site. Health secretary Wes Streeting said the new cutting-edge facility in Oxfordshire marks the next pivotal moment in boosting our nations health, innovation and economy. He went on: The government is investing billions into this vital sector, and partnering the might of Moderna with the brilliance of our NHS will enable us to benefit from innovative vaccine technology as we shift healthcare from treatment to prevention. Darius Hughes, UK general manager of Moderna, said the site will strengthen the countrys pandemic preparedness. 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 A legal challenge over the ban of Palestine Action as a terror group is not exceptional and should not be heard at the High Court, lawyers for the Home Office have argued. The groups founder Huda Ammori is taking legal action after then-home secretary Yvette Cooper decided to proscribe the group as a terrorist organisation, making support or membership of the group a criminal offence, punishable by 14 years in prison. According to campaign group Defend Our Juries, more than 1,600 people have been arrested since the ban came into effect on 5 July. Ms Ammori was cleared by Mr Justice Chamberlain to challenge the ban in court after finding that two arguments put forward on her behalf were reasonably arguable. open image in gallery Former home secretary Yvette Cooper announced the ban in July ( PA ) At a hearing on Thursday, barristers for the Home Office said Ms Ammori could bring her legal challenge to the home secretary and then the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), rather than the High Court for a judicial review. Sir James Eadie KC said Mr Justice Chamberlains approval of the review would be a recipe for chaos and could lead to defendants in criminal cases challenging the ban as part of their defence. In written submissions, he said: It would be a recipe for chaos which would arise in the context of every single proscription prosecution for every single proscribed organisation. However, this was countered by her lawyer Raza Husain KC, who told the court: It is the court, not the parliament, who is the guardian of the rule of law. The judicial review is a constitutional practice. He argued that the ban could affect hundreds if not thousands, given that the group receive widespread support and that the proscription had produced ongoing civil disobedience. The case is due to be heard at a three-day hearing in November, but the Home Office has been given the green light to challenge Mr Justice Chamberlains decision. Sir James Eadie KC, for the Home Office, told the Court of Appeal in written submissions that proscription is a pre-emptive mechanism designed to degrade the structures and capabilities of an organisation and is a deliberately, a strong executive measure, which has immediate practical consequences. Mr Eadie KC added that the type of High Court challenge Ms Ammori is set to have heard in late November is a remedy of last resort and that Mr Justice Chamberlain was wrong to grant permission. open image in gallery Palestine Action protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice on The Strand ( PA ) There is nothing exceptional about the respondents case that justifies allowing her to avoid the statutory scheme, he said. He added: It would require an exceptional case before judicial review would cut in. Ms Cooper announced plans to ban Palestine Action days after the group claimed responsibility for a stunt in which two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June. Speaking on 23 June, she said that the vandalism of the two planes, which police said caused an estimated 7m of damage, was disgraceful. Ms Ammori lost a High Court bid to temporarily block the ban from coming into effect in early July, and the Court of Appeal later dismissed a bid to appeal against that decision less than two hours before the ban came into force on July 5. But following a hearing on 21 July, Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled on 30 July that Ms Ammori could go ahead with her legal challenge, finding that it could be argued that the ban amounts to a disproportionate interference of her rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. open image in gallery Police officers at the protest after the ban came into effect ( PA ) A second argument, that Ms Cooper failed to consult Palestine Action on the ban, was in breach of natural justice, and could also go to a full hearing. The Court of Appeal was also told that Mr Justice Chamberlains finding that a POAC appeal would unlikely to be heard before next summer, compared with the High Court challenge now due in November, was unevidenced and wrong. Mr Husain KC, for Ms Ammori, said the High Court judge rightly found that the POAC was not the only place challenges against similar bans could be heard and that it was not a suitable alternative remedy. He added it was at least arguable that Ms Cooper had not acted for national security reasons, but for other, improper purposes, and that Ms Ammori should be able to challenge the Home Office over potentially failing to properly consider the discriminatory effect against Palestinians or people who support Palestine. In a statement ahead of the hearing, Ms Ammori said: Its deeply troubling that the previous home secretary decided to try to stop a full legal review of her widely condemned decision to ban a protest group as a terrorist organisation for the first time in British history. She continued: A successful appeal would not only shield an unlawful ban from scrutiny it would deny justice to thousands of people whose fundamental free speech rights have been violated by this ban. At the end of the hearing before the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Lewis and Lord Justice Edis, the judges reserved their decision. 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 Having a savings pot of up to 2,000 significantly cuts the risk of falling behind with household bills, researchers say. Households with an emergency fund that size reduce their chances of getting into debt by 60 per cent compared with those who have less than 200 saved, because they can use the cash for unexpected expenses. For an average UK household, a 2,000 buffer is nearly a months salary, which is 2,912, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). open image in gallery Having an emergency cash fund cuts the chances of having debts ( Getty Images ) The cost-of-living crisis has increasingly pushed people into arrears on household bills in the past five years. British household energy debt has tripled in a decade, according to the Resolution Foundation think tank. But the study, commissioned by the Building Societies Association, suggests that having a months income put by potentially reduces the odds of falling behind with bills by nearly three-quarters (75 per cent). Researchers from the University of Bristols Personal Finance Research Centre tracked the finances of about 7,000 people over 10 years. The academics said 2,000 should not be seen as a minimum requirement, because even saving 200 could potentially lower the chances of financial problems. Households with a mix of savings and investment products were five times more likely to say they were living comfortably than those with none, the research indicated. Get a free fractional share worth up to 100. Capital at risk. Terms and conditions apply. Go to website ADVERTISEMENT Get a free fractional share worth up to 100. Capital at risk. Terms and conditions apply. Go to website ADVERTISEMENT Saving regularly and setting a savings goal that is realistic is key to success, the researchers said. But the Resolution Foundation report this month said millions of working-age families in Britain were struggling to save, with at least two in five having less than 1,000 in available savings. open image in gallery Campaigners and people suffering fuel poverty call for action on cold homes ( PA ) Andrew Gall, head of savings and economics at the association, said: We appreciate that for some families 2,000 may feel out of reach right now. But the research has demonstrated that even small, regular savings, such as 10 a month, will build resilience over time and improve people's wellbeing. He said people with good savings habits were more likely to go on to have other savings and investments, which may help people buy their first home. Sara Davies, associate professor at the University of Bristol and part of the research team said: This research reaffirms the protective effect of holding a financial buffer, giving households a bit more room for manoeuvre should they face an unexpected expense or shock to their income. Debt charity StepChange has previously called for a debt-relief scheme to address historic energy arrears, an overhaul of council tax regulations including the end to imprisonment rules and government action to build household financial resilience. Additional reporting by PA 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 The taxi driver who took Axel Rudakubana to the scene of the Southport attack said he saw screaming children running "like a stampede for their lives", but failed to call emergency services for 50 minutes, having picked up another fare first. Gary Poland, who picked up Rudakubana from his home in Banks, Lancashire, said he regretted not stopping to help the children that he saw fleeing from the building in his rearview mirror as he drove away. He said he threatened to call the police on Rudakubana after he refused to pay for his ride. When Rudakubana went inside the building, where the Taylor Swift-themed dance class was being held, Mr Poland assumed he was going to get money. At Liverpool Town Hall on Thursday, Mr Poland said: I regret not helping the children. Their screams were harrowing and I can still hear them when I think back to that day. "I then saw a mass huddle of children aged approximately six or seven. They were screaming, it was like a stampede for their lives, he said. Mr Poland said he wished he had acted quicker. Its something that I do think about every day, what I should have done and how this is my fault because I drove him there. open image in gallery Chair Adrian Fulford sitting inside the hearing room at Liverpool Town Hall ( Peter Byrne/PA ) He told the Southport inquiry that he thought Rudakubana was shooting at people inside, and believed that he was in danger of being a target after the dispute over the taxi fare. On Monday, the inquiry heard that after Rudakubana did not pay, Mr Poland said: You pay now or the police are on the f****** way, you k**b. He said he did not check on the childrens welfare because he was in total shock. This was terrifying. I was in a state of complete mortal terror and shock. A senior investigator said Mr Poland would have been morally expected to call emergency services sooner. Rudakubana murdered Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and attempted to kill 10 others after he entered the dance class. open image in gallery The victims were taking part in a dance class when the attack happened ( Merseyside Police ) One minute after leaving Hart Street, Mr Poland phoned his friend, Julian Medlock, who ran a nearby garage. In the call transcript, he said: He just f****** shot everyone aint he? Mr Poland told the inquiry that he picked up Rudakubana, whose name was listed as Simon, from his home, and the pair drove in silence before arriving at Hart Street at 11.44am. Mr Poland said he was given no reason to be suspicious during the ride. He did not realise that Rudakubana was armed with a knife, and told the inquest that he would have disarmed him if he had known. Nicholas Moss, counsel to the public inquiry, asked: You would have got out and disarmed him, you think? Mr Poland said: Yeah. Its only a knife. Detective Chief Inspector Jason Pye was asked by counsel whether he would have expected a member of the public, acting responsibly, to have called emergency services as soon as they got to a place of safety. Mr Pye said: Accepting that he had no duty of care, I would like to think, morally, that a call would be made. There was enough evidence that we had that he knew what was happening, yes, you would have expected a phone call to come in. 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 A fire at warehouse of an industrial estate which caused a massive explosion is still being dealt with by Wiltshire emergency services. Police, fire and ambulance crews were called to the Groundwell Industrial Estate in Swindon shortly after 7.30pm on Wednesday. Overnight, 12 fire engines and specialist vehicles attended the scene to extinguish the blaze, with firefighters using a water tower from an aerial ladder platform. Wiltshire Police said it was was working to evacuate the immediate area, but there was no need for nearby residents to leave their homes. In order to tackle the incident, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said that power was isolated in the local area until 1am. open image in gallery The incident occurred at Groundwell Industrial Estate ( Stratton St Margaret Fire Station ) Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said on its website it needed to isolate power "due to a safety concern on our network". "There is no concern for safety at your property, however, there is an isolated issue elsewhere our teams need to make safe before they can turn your power back on," the company said. In their latest update, the fire service said: Firefighters have remained on scene throughout the night, dampening down and monitoring the incident. Three crews remain on scene this morning. An investigation into the cause of the fire will continue today. open image in gallery ( Stratton St Margaret Fire Station ) Taking to social media, one local resident said her house had literally shook after a massive explosion. She said: "Huge fireball. Really hope there is no one hurt and hope the emergency services keep safe from harm." Another woman said: "I wondered what that huge noise was. Shook my doors. I thought someone was trying to break in. I hope all ok for those involved and hoping nobody got hurt." 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 Andy Burnham has called on Sir Keir Starmer to scrap the two-child benefit cap, becoming the latest high-profile Labour figure to call on the prime minister to change the policy, amid growing pressure from Labour MPs. In the clearest sign yet that the Greater Manchester mayor is considering a return to Westminster to challenge the prime minister for the leadership, he said the benefit cap is arbitrary and could not be justified. He described the policy as the worst of Westminster and said he never supported it. open image in gallery Burnham appears to be mounting a challenge against Keir Starmer ( PA ) It cant be defended, because its arbitrary, he said. Why does the third kid just get cut out or get less, or why do all three if youve got three kids? The intervention will be seen as a direct challenge to Sir Keir on the eve of the Labour conference, with questions swirling about the beleaguered prime ministers future. It came as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who has been an outspoken ally of Sir Keir since he took over as leader, refused to say he has full confidence in the prime minister. But speaking to regional media, Sir Keir insisted he would lead Labour into the next election, saying he has been very clear that this is a project of national renewal. I'm very clear that that is a ten year project. I led from the front into the last election. I'll lead from the front into the next election, he told ITV Meridian. Mr Burnhams intervention will pile further pressure on the chancellor to scrap the benefit cap, after more than 100 Labour MPs signed a letter to Rachel Reeves urging her to scrap it in the autumn Budget. Meanwhile, the child poverty task force a body set up by the government to examine the best ways to tackle the issue is also expected to recommend lifting the cap. That would put the government in a difficult position as ministers are already braced for a 20-30bn black hole in the Budget even before the 3bn per year it is expected to cost to lift the cap. Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the Treasury select committee, told The Independent lifting the cap would be the quickest and surest way to lift children out of poverty. open image in gallery Starmer is heading into Labour conference amid the biggest crisis of his premiership ( PA ) As well as the challenges - including hunger and humiliation - these children face, we have a birth rate of only 1.41 in England and Wales and need to invest in our young people. "I've crunched the numbers and this is the measure that will help the most children the quickest, she said. A senior Labour source warned that, politically, the government has no option but to lift it, warning that the view of the parliamentary Labour party is very clear. Kate Osborne, Labour MP for Jarrow and Gateshead East, told The Independent the fact the cap is still in place is frankly a stain on our government. Scrapping the two-child limit is essential - we must undo the damage the Conservatives caused with this cruel and unjust policy that has now pushed more than 4 million kids into poverty. She warned: It is unsustainable for the prime minister to ignore the calls from hundreds of organisations, coalitions, task forces and the more than 100 Labour MPs who are asking him to announce its immediate withdrawal without waiting for the budget. In a joint statement, Debbie Abrahams and Helen Hayes, chairs of the education and work and pensions select committees, said that in their roles they have heard consistent evidence that limiting support through the benefits system to two children in a household, is a key driver to child poverty increases, with witnesses calling for it to be axed. "Poverty affects childrens physical, cognitive and emotional development, their health as children and adults, as well as their employment outcomes with the impact lasting for decades, they warned. Ian Lavery, MP for Blyth and Ashington, added that child poverty is the scourge of a modern, wealthy society, saying it is the shame of our nation... that our kids are suffering on a huge scale. And Rachael Maskell, who has long campaigned for the cap to be lifted, said that addressing the causes of child poverty is exactly the step a government must take if it is to end the social injustices in our society. The cap, imposed by Tory former chancellor George Osborne, prevents parents from claiming benefits for any third or subsequent child born after April 2017. The growing pressure comes after Mr Burnham said Labour MPs are privately urging him to challenge the prime minister for the Labour leadership. He accused Downing Street of creating a climate of fear and said wholesale change was needed to see off the existential threat of Nigel Farages Reform UK. Mr Burnham, who is one of three children and whose mother received child benefit, told The Guardian: My parents always said to me something that has definitely guided me in my life you can never visit the sins of the parents on the kids. Its just a ridiculous thing that the state is kind of making these sort of judgmental interventions into families lives and saying, Yes, its OK for some kids to have a lower standard of living, because that is family decisions that their parents took, is absolutely abhorrent. It cannot be justified. Its the worst of Westminster, thats what it is. The issue has also been central to the contest to succeed Angela Rayner as deputy leader, with both candidates, Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell, suggesting the limit should be abolished. Asked if he has full confidence in the prime minister, Mr Sarwar said: He has got a really difficult job, we have made significant progress in the last year. If Ive got one single biggest criticism of a UK Labour government, it is there have been huge successes, but very few people have been told about them or know about them. However, cabinet minister Steve Reed led criticism from some Labour MPs who are angered that Mr Burnhams comments risk splits in the party before its conference this weekend. [Burnham] is entitled to his view, but weve heard these kinds of comments before, he told Sky News. When Labour was in opposition, there used to be people that would take potshots at Keir Starmer. He then picked this party up off the floor and led us to a record-breaking general election victory. 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 Slovenia on Thursday said it was banning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from entering the European Union country to underscore its defense of international law. The decision was linked to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against the Israeli prime minister, Foreign Ministry official Neva Grasic said, according to the official STA news agency. The EU nation of some 2 million people, which recognized a Palestinian state last year, has been a vocal critic of Israeli actions in Gaza and Thursdays move against Netanyahu was apparently designed to underscore the countrys policies. Slovenia already had barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country and imposed an arms embargo on Israel. All countries that are bound by the international court, including Slovenia, must not recognize the situation resulting from Israels illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, and must not offer any support in maintaining this situation, she added. The Slovenian government said on X that the decision sends a clear message to the state of Israel that Slovenia expects consistent respect for the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law. By doing so, Slovenia confirms its commitment to international law, universal values of human rights and a principled and consistent foreign policy, the government added. 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 Boris Johnson has effectively ruled out joining Reform UK, raising fears about Nigel Farages approach to the economy and Britains national security. The former prime minister said Mr Farages party is extremely dangerous and that we need a Conservative government that is strong on defence and doesnt believe that the problem in Ukraine was that Nato provoked Putin. Mr Johnson also attacked Reforms plans to scrap the two-child cap on benefits, warning we have got to spend less on public services. Speaking to The Suns Harry Cole Saves the West, Mr Johnson said: That party [Reform] was on zero when I was prime minister and that was because we got Brexit done. open image in gallery Boris Johnson: Who is to say whether that party will even exist before the next election? ( PA ) Who is to say whether that party will even exist before the next election? He was linked to a potential move to the party after his staunch ally Nadine Dorries joined, declaring that the Tory party is dead. But Mr Johnson backed his party, declaring: The answers to this countrys problems are going to be Conservative answers. He said it is the oldest, most successful party in the world and that Kemi Badenoch is easily the sparkiest and the most intellectually original of all current party leaders. open image in gallery Reform has attacked Boris Johnson as one of the worst prime ministers in history ( PA ) Reform has also ruled out allowing Mr Johnson into the party, and has made attacking the Boriswave of immigration under the former PM one of its central attacks on the Conservatives. Policy head Zia Yusuf recently described Mr Johnson as one of the worst prime ministers in British history, and Mr Farage has ruled out allowing him to join Reform. Hitting back, Mr Johnson warned Reform could not be trusted in government amid mounting tensions in Eastern Europe. He said: Look at whats happening in Moldova, right? Look at whats happening in Estonia, in Poland, even in Denmark today, right? And ask yourself, do you want the UK either to be led by Labour, who have a huge number of their grassroots, who are still basically pro Moscow, Corbynista, right? Or do you want this other, this Reform gang, who are on record as saying that Nato provoked Putins aggression. I dont think thats the, I think what the world wants to save the West, what the world needs is UK leadership on this, and they need, they need the UK to be strong and determined, and not to sound equivocal, morally equivocal about transparent evil like invading Ukraine. A spokesperson for Reform UK said: The Boriswave was the biggest betrayal in modern political history. No wonder he wants to attack us after we exposed his terrible record in office. Reform UK will clean up Boris Johnsons mess. 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 Digital identity cards will be mandatory for every worker in the UK under new plans to be announced by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer on Friday. The Brit card is the Labour governments latest attempt to crack down on illegal migration, designed to make it harder for people without the right to work to find employment. It would verify an individuals right to live and work in the UK, similar to the system in use in Estonia, where citizens are given unique identification numbers. The plan was recently backed by new work and pensions minister Pat McFadden before his move to the position who said the UK was behind the curve and could use the scheme to tackle small boat crossings. open image in gallery A June report from think tank Labour Together mocked up what the Brit card could look like on a smartphone ( Labour Together ) People shouldnt be able to come to the UK and work illegally if they dont have a right to work, he told The Times. France has talked about pull factors in the context of the migration debate. If there are pull factors like that, we should deal with them. Plans to introduce the Brit card were recently laid out by influential think tank Labour Together, previously ran by Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney. How would the Brit card work? The Brit card would be a verifiable digital credential downloaded onto a smartphone, Labour Together explains. This could be instantly checked by employers or landlords using a free verifier app. It would be issued free of charge to everyone who has the right to live or work in the UK, whether they are British-born or foreign nationals. open image in gallery Labour minister Pat McFadden recently backed plans for a digital ID card ( PA ) This card will become a familiar feature of daily life for everyone in the country, the report says, adding that its development would cost between 140m and 400m. The plans are expected to undergo a consultation and would then require legislation to implement. The Brit card would be issued to everyone with the legal right to work and/or rent property in the UK, including those who have: British or Irish citizenship Indefinite leave to remain EU settled (or pre-settled) status A valid visa Employers would be required to check the card of anyone they are looking to employ, and in doing so would create a record shared with the Home Office. This would enable the department to check that all employers are complying with the rules. What would the benefits of the card be? The main aim of the Brit card is to ensure no one works or lives in the UK without the right to do so, which is illegal. The card would prevent this from happening by requiring employers and landlords to check someone has a valid card before hiring, or renting to, them. Currently, when an employer hires someone, they already have to confirm their right to work in the UK. Legal migrants can do this digitally using an eVisa, while UK and Irish nationals can use a physical passport or several other valid documents. But Labour Together argues that the complexity of the rules makes it relatively easy for a worker or tenant to present a document that belongs to someone else, or is fake. The Brit card would simplify this process, and by making it digital, enforce data sharing with the Home Office to ensure the rules are being followed. open image in gallery Mock-ups of a digital ID from the Tony Blair Institute ( Tony Blair Institute ) Plans for a digital ID have also long been called for by the Tony Blair Institute. Lord Blunkett, who piloted the Blair governments initial ID scheme 20 years ago, said: The introduction of digital identification will have to be truly universal - consolidating a whole range of digital documentation used in everyday life but it must also have safeguards, which are impossible without an overarching plan. A voluntary scheme is a complete waste of time as that is what we have already. But a joined-up approach would allow us to tackle some of the major challenges of the moment. However, eight civil liberties groups warned this week that mandatory digital ID risks pushing unauthorised migrants further into the shadows. Big Brother Watchs interim director, Rebecca Vincent, was among those warning that rolling out a compulsory identification system could be uniquely harmful to privacy, equality and civil liberties. Her organisation has garnered more than 101,000 signatures on a petition, calling on Sir Keir to reject proposals for the Brit card. 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 Plans to roll out a compulsory digital ID card in Britain have sparked fierce debate among Independent readers. While many branded the Brit card an attack on civil liberties and insisted it would do little to curb illegal migration, others felt the introduction would be nothing to fear. Many readers supported the idea, citing examples in countries like Estonia and arguing that digital ID could help modernise public services and make it harder for criminals to exploit loopholes. Some praised ministers for being bold enough to take action on migration, even if the rollout will be complex. Others, however, argued the policy would unfairly target migrants and ordinary citizens alike, with one reader describing it as state surveillance gone too far. Critics also warned it would do little to tackle illegal migration, suggesting instead that it could drive vulnerable people further underground. As one reader put it, the scheme risks creating a two-tier society in which those without papers are pushed into unsafe jobs and housing. Heres what you had to say: The identity card will restore our rights I opposed the very idea of the identity card as a way for the state to get control over the citizen for most of my long life. The objection to the need for citizens to compulsorily possess a card was based on the concept that it reversed the role of the state and the individual citizen. Which comes first? Surely the individual is the creature who creates and controls the state, not the other way round. To reverse the role is to undermine our basic liberty. However, these were in the days before our very existence was taken over by everybody from state bureaucracies controlling our health needs, entitlements to pensions and social welfare, and our obligations to pay national and local taxes to the commercial agencies of the information age, which have every aspect of our lives recorded in innumerable national and international databases and out of our control. Our every detail is recorded in the archives of powerful international companies who control our credit and financial status and intervene in the most intimate details of our very existence. It is into this world, where we long ago lost control of our privacy, that the identity card now intrudes. In the 2025 context, it is the ID card which will restore a measure of our privacy and guarantee our identity against impersonation. It is the ID card that will guarantee our rights to the benefits, to vote and play a full part in the political and economic system. It is the identity card that will show we have the national rights and privileges that others currently enjoy only because they carry false identities and have no actual right to them. Adrian Fox Would you happily adopt a digital ID card? Join the conversation in the comments below. Nothing to hide, nothing to fear About time we fell in line with other countries and the EU. Yes, of course, people will be able to fake IDs just as they currently fake driving licences and passports, but ID cards will make it possible to get a much stronger grasp of who is in the country, and gradually eliminate people who are engaged in the colossal black market that is a far bigger problem than politicians let on. The HMRC are imposing digital accounting on the self-employed progressively from next April, so again the opportunities to evade tax by underreporting income and overstating expenses will start to dry up. If you are honest and have nothing to hide then you can't possibly object to this proposal. Crooks of all colours and from all walks of life will, however, be put on notice that they will eventually be found out. It would make sense for there to be a general amnesty for people who are here illegally in order that they can be registered on the system, and that would go hand in hand with a deadline after which anyone caught without an ID would be liable to expulsion or prosecution. CanPeopleReallyBeThisStupid If people have nothing to hide, why object? If people have nothing to hide, why do they object to identity cards? Everyone wants something done about illegal immigrants, but as soon as an idea is broadcast, those same people shout about civil liberties. I have nothing to hide so would welcome an identity card, and Im sure legal immigrants would too. To me, it makes more sense than only letting migrants into the country if they have jobs that earn over 80,000. Our NHS and care homes would suffer then. Lizell Benefit fraud would be a thing of the past If it wasn't for the Tories fussing about their "freedoms", ID cards could already be being used they were scrapped by David Cameron, and it would have been possible to insist that all migrants from the EU register for an ID card if they were going to stay here and work, giving them reciprocal access to benefits, but only if they had an ID card which qualified them to do so, just as in, for instance, Belgium, or indeed almost all EU countries. Benefit fraud would already be a thing of the past, as well as most illegal and exploitative working practices. And the whole campaign about EU citizens walking into the country, uncontrolled and uncounted, would have been a load of nonsense. We also probably wouldn't have voted to leave the EU. It's almost as if the Tories tried as hard as they could to make uncontrolled EU migration into this country a reason to leave the EU, when it was entirely their fault. But maybe that's pushing it. Certainly, Labour never said that that was what was happening during the referendum campaign, but then incompetence has been rife in Westminster for a long, long time. ppundit I will never accept an ID card Finally, they have done it. I'm 65 today and for most of those years I've struggled to maintain my free life, my choice to be where I want to be and do what I want to do, within the law, without telling or asking permission from the government, Google or whatever. I am me, I am not a product or the possession of the UK. For some people this is nothing, but for me, it's of the utmost importance as I do not subscribe and I value my freedom above everything else. Seems the UK government have finally found a way they can prosecute me for wanting to hold on to this freedom, as I will never accept an ID card. I would go to prison first. GetOffMyLand Absolutely no problem in Portugal Have them in Portugal and it is absolutely no problem. In fact, it is pretty handy. We do know a Brit here illegally as soon as they are stopped once by the police for a random check it is over. They will be deported. ficklepickle Estonias system works only as a package He picked ONE thing from Estonia, but that works ONLY as a package. Estonia runs one of the most centralised and digitalised population registries in Europe. Its called the Population Register (Rahvastikuregister). Every Estonian resident, citizen or foreigner with a residence permit must register their official address of residence. If you move, youre legally required to update the register (either online with an ID card, via local government, or at the Police and Border Guard Board). The register records: name, personal ID code, family relations, marital status, citizenship, residence address, and history of moves. Municipalities rely on this for schooling, voting districts, local services, and taxes. Ministries and agencies tap into it through the X-Road digital backbone. So yes, Estonia doesnt just have a bureau, it has a live, interconnected state database where your declared residence must always be up to date. If you fail to update, you can lose access to local services, voting rights in the wrong district, or even face fines. This is part of the reason Estonia is often called an e-state: the population register is the spine of its e-government. Its a bit like a digital census that never stops running. Without all that, an e-ID is completely useless. MortyS Why should I carry another card? I am British, lived in Britain all my life. Why should I have to take a mandatory ID card? I already have a passport, driving licence etc. Does that mean I have to carry a wallet now at all times? Big Brother is watching a bit too closely for my liking. What about all the elderly who struggle with ID in general? Just more paperwork to deal with. Frankly, it is just another step in removing civil liberties in my opinion. Theframe Will no ID card mean no benefits? I cannot for the life of me see how an ID card can affect illegal immigration. The illegal immigrants will still be among us either without ID cards or with stolen or forged cards. If the production of a valid ID card is mandatory for accessing services, benefits, NHS and welfare services then it might just be of value (it will undoubtedly cost north of 250 million just to set up, and an awful lot to maintain). hampshirehog ID card makes my life easier I've lived in Spain since 1983 and was issued my ID number the same year, when I applied for permission to reside in Spain. That was even before Spain became a member of the EEC, but they were way ahead of the UK in almost everything regarding ID controls and banking, etc. I've had several ID card renewals since then, but have kept the same ID number since day one, and this is the number that appears on my Spanish driving licence, my tax returns, and my Spanish social security health card, among other documents. It's the card that I can show to prove my identity when I travel within the country or within the EU or check into a hotel. The latest card is a physical, credit-card-sized electronic card made of plastic or polycarbonate, and has an electronic chip for NFC technology containing biometric data like a photograph and fingerprints. It's not so much that the Spanish authorities can keep a check on me, it's to make my life easier on a day-to-day basis! I also hold a British passport for international travel, and because my Spanish residency depends on me having a valid passport of my country of origin, but as passport numbers change every 10 years, there's little continuity as far as that document is concerned, as there is with my ID card. Lanzalady11 Starmer the dictator? Starmer, the dictator of the UK, now wants all adults to have an ID card. The government cannot cope with the illegal migrants coming to the UK by putting a stop to it, so Starmer thinks by giving the British people an ID card that needs to be produced for even employment, it will put off the illegal migrants coming to the UK. The cost of the ID cards will run into millions of taxpayers money, and all because the British government cannot stop the illegal migrants getting to the UK. The British government love wasting money. They paid France millions to stop the migrants crossing the Channel, but it was all a waste of money. Then the government spent millions on the Rwanda scheme and all a waste of money. Its Macron that has told Starmer that the British citizens need ID cards to stop the migrants coming to the UK, but instead Macron should be giving back the millions paid to the French government to stop the migrants. Stacey Benoit Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity. Want to share your views? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the days top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click log in or register in the top right corner to sign in or sign up. 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 Every working adult in Britain will be required to have a new government-issued digital identity card as part of a fresh attempt to crack down on illegal migration. The prime minister is expected to announce his backing for the Brit card scheme, which would verify an individuals right to live and work in the UK, in a speech on Friday. The plan, which would require a law change to implement, comes amid mounting pressure on ministers to take more drastic action to tackle migration as boat crossings reach a record high and the asylum backlog is still above 75,000 pressure exacerbated by the success of Reform UK in the polls. But the leaders of eight civil liberties groups have warned that mandatory digital ID risks pushing unauthorised migrants further into the shadows. Earlier this year, the government began looking at proposals for some form of digital ID for adults in Britain, with the view that it could help to tackle illegal migrants who are working in the black economy. They have looked to the example of Estonia, which uses a mandatory ID card system. open image in gallery Civil liberties groups warn that mandatory digital ID risks pushing unauthorised migrants further into the shadows ( PA ) Sir Keir will say progressives must not shy away from peoples concerns when he speaks at the Global Progress Action Summit in London alongside Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese. Recognising the concerns that exist around uncontrolled immigration, he will say: "For too many years its been too easy for people to come here, slip into the shadow economy and remain here illegally. It is not compassionate left-wing politics to rely on labour that exploits foreign workers and undercuts fair wages. But the simple fact that every nation needs to have control over its borders, he will add. He will take what will be seen as a swipe at Reform, accusing them of the politics of predatory grievance, preying on the problems of working people which he will contrast with his idea of patriotic renewal. He will say this will be rooted in communities, building a better country. Brick by brick, from the bottom up including everyone in the national story. Difference under the same flag. Hitting out at toxic online discourse, he will also reference the recent march in London, featuring Tommy Robinson and X boss Elon Musk, saying that puts most poisonous belief - on full display at the protests here in London, just a week or two ago, that there is a coming struggle, a defining struggle, a violent struggle.. for all our nations. Now you dont need to be a historian to know where that kind of poison can lead. You can just feel it. A language that is naked in its attempt to intimidate. open image in gallery Activists gather at the Cenotaph during the Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom march and rally in central London ( PA ) Lord Blunkett, who worked on the Blair governments initial ID scheme 20 years ago, welcomed the decision, saying its time has come. Age verification to protect our children and young people; avoidance of exploitation by organised criminals abusing people in the sub-economy; acting as a deterrent to unauthorised entry across the Channel and protection from fraud are just some of the benefits which could arise from a well-implemented programme, he said. It is the unplanned, current mish-mash that presents a threat to peoples privacy as well as a risk of data breach, fraudulent stealing of identity and misuse. The former Labour home secretary argued that the introduction of digital identification will have to be truly universal consolidating a whole range of digital documentation used in everyday life. open image in gallery A mock-up of a digital ID, produced for the Tony Blair Institute, which has previously supported the proposal ( Tony Blair Institute ) Polling shows the public is broadly supportive of the idea, with a survey conducted by More in Common in December finding that 53 per cent of people are in favour of a universal digital identification system, with 25 per cent strongly in favour. Just 19 per cent said they were against it. A report from Sir Tony Blairs think tank, The Tony Blair Institute (TBI), published this week, also suggests there is growing public support for a super-digital identity card which would allow people to access public services and report problems in their local area. The report, which surveyed more than 2,000 adults, saw 62 per cent of people say they favoured introducing a form of digital ID alongside an app that would allow them to report things such as potholes and missed bin collections. TBIs director of government innovation, Alexander Iosad, said an announcement of universal digital ID would be one of the most important steps taken by this or any government to make British citizens everyday lives easier and build trust. How we experience government could be about to transform, for the better. Not only can digital ID help us to tackle illegal migration, but done correctly and responsibly, it can open the door to a whole new model of services that come to you when you need them, he added. Earlier this month, home secretary Shabana Mahmood said she has always been in favour of ID cards. Speaking to broadcasters, she added: In fact, I supported the last Labour governments introduction of ID cards. The first bill I spoke on in parliament was the ID cards bill, which the then Conservative-Lib Dem coalition scrapped. I have a longstanding position of my own, which those who are familiar with my political track record will know that that is something that Ive always supported, she said. But eight civil liberties groups, which include Liberty, Article 19, Connected by Data and the Runnymede Trust, warned that a move to introduce compulsory digital ID risked shifting the balance of power towards the state with dangerous implications for our security, rights and freedoms. In their letter to Sir Keir, they wrote: Mandatory digital ID is highly unlikely to achieve the governments objective of tackling unauthorised immigration. The proposed schemes fundamentally misunderstand the pull factors that drive migration to the UK and would do very little to tackle criminal people-smuggling gangs or employers and landlords who operate off the books. Instead, it would push unauthorised migrants further into the shadows, into more precarious work and unsafe housing. Big Brother Watchs interim director, Rebecca Vincent, was among those warning that such a rollout could be uniquely harmful to privacy, equality and civil liberties. Her organisation has garnered more than 101,000 signatures on a petition, calling on Sir Keir Starmer to reject proposals for a Brit card. Sir Ed Davey told the Liberal Democrat conference this week that his party would need to properly scrutinise any details, but said it was not necessarily against the policy. Times have changed, and that is why I am saying lets look at it, he said. If Donald Trump wasnt already in a bad mood when he arrived at the United Nations in New York, he was soon in high dudgeon when an escalator broke down the moment he and Melania stepped onto it. Any hopes his good humour might be restored were dashed when he arrived at the podium to discover the teleprompter had also failed. He then proceeded to lay into the organisation at its 80th General Assembly, traditionally a reverential and self-congratulatory affair involving prime ministers, presidents, kings, princes and chancellors. Trump was heard in stony silence, punctuated by occasional gasps of disbelief. His scepticism was rooted in some inconvenient truths What did Trump tell the world? Lots, but as far as the UN itself is concerned he bemoaned its ineffectiveness, expressed in saloon bar terms: What is the purpose of the United Nations? The UN has such tremendous potential. I've always said it. It has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it's not even coming close to living up to that potential. For the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up. Is he right? Yes and no. Its a huge organisation and can only ever be as good as its member states allow. In some areas, the UN and its many agencies historically have fulfilled their functions well. The International Atomic Energy Agency, for example, remains a trusted watchdog overseeing the nuclear non-proliferation agreement and conducting investigations into countries accused of acquiring weapons of mass destruction, such as in Iraq and Iran. However, it has been unable to prevent the spread of such weapons: it has weak powers of enforcement and cannot make any country cooperate, still less give up missiles. It is difficult to ignore the fact that the US has occasionally disrupted the work of the more successful agencies, such as the World Health Organisation and, more controversially, the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), both of which it has now left. It has also never joined the UNs International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, which deals with war criminals. Why cant the UN agree on things? The war-time allies and founders of the United Nations who beat the Axis forces of Germany, Italy and Japan retain their special status as permanent members of the Security Council, and this entitles them to a veto on any resolutions they dont like. China, France, Russia, the UK and the US can stop things happening, and often do. Deadlock is therefore common, such as in 2003 when France resisted intervention in Iraq, or more recently when the US stalled over Israeli action in Gaza. Removing the vetoes would, in theory, allow for more binding decisions; but that also carries the risk that the great powers would leave if a reformed UN didnt serve its purpose, rendering it even weaker. The forerunner of the UN, the League of Nations (1920-46), was fatally flawed when the US refused to join, and other major powers walked away from it. Adding, say, Japan, Germany and India to the Security Council wouldnt necessarily create consensus where it doesnt exist. But does it pass some resolutions? Yes, thousands have been passed by the General Assembly but their effect is varied, and only the ones agreed by the Security Council (where the vetoes are exercised) matter much. One of the most famous is Resolution 242, passed after the 1967 war between Israel and its Arab neighbours accepted by the belligerents, great powers, and a rare moment of agreement. It is an excellent example of the uses and limits of the UN. It declared the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East in which every State in the area can live in security. It has never been fully enacted some 58 years on, the occupied territories remain so but it has also given a context, framework and a certain amount of momentum to subsequent successful peace treaties reached between Israel, Egypt and Jordan. Why cant the UN enforce its decisions? Even when it decides things, it has no world army of its own to end or prevent wars, and only lightly-armed peacekeepers to monitor any agreements with the consent of warring parties. A most shameful example was the Srebrenica massacre in 1995, when 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in the former Yugoslavia because Dutch UN troops were unable to protect the UN safe zone. By the same token, the ICJ has no international police force and relies on domestic jurisdictions to enforce its warrants. But it fought the Korean war? Yes, but the use of force in 1950 to counter a communist invasion was only possible because the Soviet Union was boycotting the organisation, and thus couldnt veto the resolution, and the Chinese communists led by Mao Zedong were prevented from taking control of Chinas seat on the Security Council. Its fair to say that war hasnt formally ended yet. Is it all Americas fault? Obviously not, though it has effectively destroyed the World Trade Organisation. Taking into account the sorry story of the League of Nations, American isolationism and exceptionalism (and its unconditional support for Israel) havent helped. The tremendous potential Donald Trump spoke of notably on the climate crisis and peace in the Middle East cannot be unlocked under his policy of America First. 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 lost another top aide after his head of communications confirmed she is leaving Downing Street on the eve of Labours conference. Steph Driver is the latest of several of the prime ministers closest staff to depart No 10 in recent weeks. She follows Paul Ovenden, who stepped down earlier this month over a series of sexually explicit messages he had exchanged about Labours Diane Abbott. open image in gallery Steph Driver was Keir Starmers communications director ( Supplied ) The PM also lost his ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, in the scandal surrounding his links with Jeffrey Epstein, and his deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, when she resigned over her tax affairs. Sir Keirs communications chief Matthew Doyle, whom Ms Driver worked under as his deputy, quit earlier this year after a series of mishaps that followed the general election. James Lyons, a former TikTok executive who worked alongside Ms Driver after Mr Doyles departure, also left in September after less than a year in the job. open image in gallery Keir Starmer has been under mounting pressure in the run-up to the Labour conference ( PA Wire ) Responding to Ms Drivers departure, Sir Keir said: Steph Driver has been a loyal and valued member of my team for almost five years. Steph played a leading role in transforming the Labour Party and delivering our historic general election win. I will forever be grateful for her calm, wise counsel, leadership and humour. I wish her all the best in her undoubted onward success. Ms Driver told The Guardian: It has been an honour to work with and advise Keir through opposition and into government. Being part of the team to rebuild and rebrand the Labour Party before securing a historic general election victory is an achievement and experience like no other. Im also proud of what this government has already delivered, and thank the sharp and talented No 10 press team for their hard work and support during my tenure. Im grateful to the prime minister for his continued faith in me and my work, and for his offer of an open door in the future. His Labour government has my unwavering support. The move comes at one of the most perilous moments of Sir Keirs premiership, with backbench MPs circling and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham considering a bid to oust the beleaguered PM. The latest changes to his top political team have come amid a wider reset of his government, during which he reshuffled his cabinet and junior ministerial positions. At the centre of the reset was Shabana Mahmoods move from justice secretary to the Home Office, where she will take on the central mission of bringing down the number of boats crossing the English Channel. Another key move was the promotion of Darren Jones from Rachel Reevess deputy in the Treasury to a new role of chief secretary to the prime minister. It comes against the backdrop of the governments stalled efforts to get the economy growing and boost voters living standards, and with the chancellors make-or-break November Budget looming. 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 Low-income families will find it near impossible to afford food, heating and bills as UK faces a decade of falling incomes, a charity has said in a stark new warning. New analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation claims that by the end of this parliament, disposable incomes in Britain will be on average 550 lower per year than in September 2024 a fall of 1.3 per cent and 570 lower than today. This would represent the worst fall in living standards seen by any parliament since detailed records began in 1961, with the foundation warning that such a decline will prompt voters to punish Labour at the next election. open image in gallery Low-income families will find it near impossible to afford food, heating and bills, a new report has warned ( PA Wire ) As a result of their findings, JRF has urged the government to lift the two-child benefit cap, as well as calling for them to put in place a new minimum floor in Universal Credit so there is a line below which no one's payment can fall because of the benefit cap. They also call for the government to permanently unfreeze Local Housing Allowance and increase targeted support for low-income households on energy bills. The findings will pile further pressure on the chancellor to scrap the benefit cap long blamed for keeping children in poverty, after more than 100 Labour MPs signed a letter to Rachel Reeves urging her to scrap the limit as she prepares for the autumn Budget. This could be paid for with a targeted levy on harmful online gambling products, which would support the governments manifesto pledge to reduce gambling-related harm and enable vital action to alleviate child poverty, the MPs wrote. The parliamentarians cited a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research, backed by former prime minister Gordon Brown, which said reforms to gambling levies could generate the 3.2bn needed to scrap the two-child limit and benefit cap. Meanwhile, the Times reported that the child poverty task force a body set up by the government to examine the best ways to tackle the issue is preparing to recommend lifting the cap after concluding it is the best way to alleviate the problem. The recommendation will put the government in a difficult position as they are already understood to be braced for a 20-30bn black hole at the next budget, a sum that would only be exacerbated by the 3bn per year it is expected to cost to lift the cap. JRFs modelling estimates that disposable incomes fell by 0.5 per cent during the first five years of the 2020s, meaning that families are now at risk of seeing a decade of falling disposable incomes and living standards. open image in gallery Both Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell Labours deputy leadership candidates have suggesting the limit should be abolished The report shows a widening gap between those on lower incomes and middle or high-incomes, saying that in the decade between September 2019 and September 2029, families in the bottom third of incomes will see their disposable income fall by 1,110 per year (6.2 per cent). Meanwhile, middle and high-income families will see their incomes fall by 380 per year (1.1 per cent) and 970 per year (1.3 per cent) respectively. Without savings to cushion the impact of having less income, low-income families will find it nearly impossible to afford food in their fridge, to keep their home warm, or to keep on top of their bills, the report warns. Lone parents will see the biggest drop in living standards over the course of a decade, followed by couples with children and single working-age adults without children. In the decade between September 2019 and September 2029, working-age households will be around 900 per year worse off, compared to 170 for the average pensioner household. It comes despite Labours promise to protect the payslips of working people and make them feel better off. Couples with children are set to be 1,580 per year (2.8 per cent) worse off while lone parents are set to be 1,510 per year (5.6 per cent) worse off. In comparison, couples without children will be around 180 per year (0.3 per cent) worse off. Chris Belfield, chief economist at JRF, said: "Families need to see their living standards improve. They will likely vote for a government that makes this happen and punish one that fails to deliver. The last Labour government knew this and in their first term they pulled 300,000 children out of poverty alongside rising living standards overall, winning a further two terms. A decade that leaves families worse off isnt inevitable. The government has recognised the gravity of the situation by committing to delivering higher living standards. The two-child benefit cap, widely unpopular among Labour members, remains in place more than a year after Labour took office, making it a key issue at the party conference starting in Liverpool on Sunday. The issue has also been central to the contest to succeed Angela Rayner as deputy leader, with both candidates Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell suggesting the limit should be abolished. Ms Phillipsons comment that scrapping the spiteful cap is on the table has been seen as a clear sign that ministers are considering the move. Ms Reeves on Monday also said the changes were on the table. The recommendations from the long delayed child poverty taskforce are expected before the autumn budget on November 26. 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 deadly viral outbreak is ravaging white-tailed deer populations across the Mid-Atlantic through tiny biting flies also known as no-see-ums. Late last month, wildlife officials in the Washington, D.C. region received a report of a deer found dead near a pond close to Dulles International Airport with no signs of trauma,The Washington Post reports. Tissue samples from the animals spleen later confirmed that the deer had succumbed to epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), a often-fatal viral infection. Midgestiny biting flies smaller than mosquitoes and often called no-see-umsspread the virus by feeding on the blood of an infected deer and then biting another, Krysten Schuler, associate research professor and director of the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, told The Washington Post. The Post added that there have been reports of deer carcasses appearing in wooded areas, meadows, and near streams throughout Maryland and Virginia. Deers who succumb to the disease are often found by streams as they battle to counteract the symptoms. ( Getty Images ) The virus typically affects white-tailed deer between midAugust and October, because the insect vectors are active then. Once a frost arrives, the midges die off and the outbreak generally subsides, Kevin Lamp, deer project leader for the Maryland DNRs Wildlife & Heritage Service, told the outlet. In Maryland, officials have documented 97 deer deaths so far this year across nine counties that are probably related to the outbreak, with the heaviest losses in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince Georges counties. Virginias wildlife agencies say about 20 deer likely died from EHD this year in Loudoun, Fairfax, and Arlington counties, fewer than last years toll of some 80 deaths across seven counties. The disease has also appeared in nearby states, including Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported. Deers who contract EHD are typically symptomatic within a week. The virus causes internal haemorrhaging, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, swelling around the head or eyes, and weakness. As their body temperature rises, afflicted deer often wade into creeks or ponds to cool off, which is why many recoveries are found near water. Some survivors may exhibit hoof abnormalities, such as splitting nails or ridges. Though alarming for wildlife populations, the virus poses no known risk to humans or household pets. It can infect livestock like cattle or sheep, however. Experts caution that deer harvested with severe sores or open lesions should not be consumed. If you come across a dead deer, wildlife officials urge the public not to touch or move the animal. Instead, contact the local wildlife or natural resources agency. In Virginia, residents can report suspected EHD deaths to vawildlifeconflict@usda.gov, while Marylanders should reach out to their countys Wildlife & Heritage Service office. Officials rarely remove carcasses unless they pose a hazard, and most are left to decompose naturally. 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 Virginia Beach getaway turned tragic for a Tampa couple after a man died just 13 days after contracting a rare but aggressive infection from Vibrio vulnificus, a flesheating bacterium found in warm coastal waters. Derek Michael DArcy, a 64-year-old pastor and painter, waded into calfdeep water at the beach while having a cut on his leg, his wife, Joyce, told WTSP. "It came from our favorite place to go Virginia Beach was our favorite place to go," Joyce, a teacher, told the outlet. "It's just so sad that the best place we like to go is where he got sick." Joyce said she noticed a purple strip on Dereks leg four days after they had been in the water. Derek sent his blood for testing, but by the time it came back positive for Vibrio three days later, the infection had already severely damaged both his legs. His weakened immune system from being on dialysis likely contributed to how quickly the infection spread, Joyce believes. open image in gallery A man died from a flesh-eating bacteria after entering calf-deep water at Virginia Beach with a small cut on his leg, which allowed the infection to enter his body ( Getty Images ) The infection worsened so quickly that doctors eventually decided to amputate both of Dereks legs in an effort to stop the spread. Despite aggressive treatment, the infection spread to his chest, hands, and head. "We knew we lost the fight," Joyce said, adding that Derek died about a week later. Health officials say Vibrio vulnificus naturally occurs in saltwater and brackish coastal environments. Most people encounter it through consuming raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, but it can also infect individuals when bacteria enter open cuts or wounds exposed to contaminated water. People with weakened immune systems, liver disease, or other chronic conditions are far more vulnerable to serious outcomes from this type of infection. open image in gallery Vibrio vulnificus infections have been on the rise this year in Louisiana and Florida ( Getty/iStock ) Anyone with an open wound should avoid entering brackish or salt waters, immediately clean and dress any wounds after exposure, and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms such as fever, redness, swelling, blistering, or pain. This year, 26 Vibrio cases were confirmed in Louisiana, resulting in five deaths. Most patients had underlying conditions. In Florida, four people have died from Vibrio vulnificus infections this year. Nationwide, dozens of cases have been reported, mainly in the South and East Coast. 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 Chocolate-maker Hershey got an early Halloween treat after a judge dismissed a lawsuit that claimed its holiday candy was not as spooky or intricate as it appeared on the wrapper. In a class action suit, seen by The Independent, several customers described how they had bought chocolate products they thought included cool, carved designs but had been disappointed when the products did not include those designs. The candies were therefore, in their view not so cool, the lawsuit states. Though arriving just in time for spooky season to begin, the class action suit was originally filed in 2024, with the four plaintiffs claiming that Hershey had misled them and they had been tricked with deceptive advertising. open image in gallery In a class action lawsuit several customers described how they had bought Hershey chocolate products they thought included cool, carved designs but had been disappointed when the products did not include those designs ( US Courts lawsuit ) Among the products mentioned were several Hershey Halloween-themed candies including Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins and its Reese's White Ghost. It also mentioned other holiday-themed candy including Reese's Peanut Butter Shapes Assortment Snowmen Stockings Bells. But in her Friday ruling, U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian said that the plaintiffs had failed to show that a lack of such details on the peanut butter candies had caused them concrete economic harm. "Plaintiffs' conclusory allegations as to why they have allegedly been deprived of the benefit of their bargain all boil down to their subjective, personal expectations of how the products would or should have looked when unpackaged," Damian wrote. They also failed to prove that the sweets were defective, did not work as advertised, or otherwise were so flawed as to render them worthless, the judge added. open image in gallery The class action suit was originally filed in 2024, with the four plaintiffs claiming that Hershey had misled them with deceptive advertising ( US Courts lawsuit ) In a reply to the initial complaint, Hershey also argued that the customers had received the benefit of their bargain edible candy. Their selective focus on the carved images while ignoring the disclaimers and uncarved images on the same packaging was unreasonable, the company wrote. Judge Damian dismissed the original complaint, though Anthony Russo, an attorney for the consumers who brought the suit against the chocolate-maker, said that they intend to amend it. "We believe that companies should not be awarded with sales when they falsely represent the main characteristic of the product and only have to pay damages if it can be shown that the consumers paid a premium, Russo told CBS. 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 Medical professionals are warning against a new TikTok trend that has caused severe burns in children. Officials at Shriners Childrens Hospital in Boston say kids have been getting seriously injured trying to recreate a scene from the popular Netflix movie, K-Pop Demon Hunters, in which some of the characters slurp delicious-looking ramen noodles, the hospital wrote in a press release. Viral videos, with hashtags like #KPopNoodleChallenge and #DemonHuntersRamen, show people eating Korean instant noodles as the trend encourages TikTok users to eat ramen like the characters in the movie do. However, doctors are saying that the tall, narrow containers that instant ramen comes in can easily be knocked over by smaller children, who could be seriously burned as a result. Water boils at 212 degrees, and the design of these cups makes them extremely easy to tip over. When they do, the hot broth and noodles spill onto the skin, said Dr. Colleen Ryan, an associate surgeon, at Shriners Childrens Boston. open image in gallery Medical professionals are warning against a new TikTok trend involving instant noodle soup, which can easily burn small children ( Getty Images ) While adults can receive second-degree burns from just five seconds of exposure to hot water at 140 degrees, children have much thinner skin, making the temperature threshold for injury even lower. The noodles are sticky and retain heat, which means these noodle soup burns can be deeper and more damaging than a simple hot water scald, Ryan added. Medical professionals say they have noticed an increase in children injured as a result of hot soup or noodles spilling on them. Weve definitely had patients that have had to stay in hospital with us as a result of hot soup and hot noodles falling on them, Jason Bresky, a registered nurse and Trauma and Burn Injury Prevention and Outreach Coordinator at Bridgeport Hospital, told NBC Connecticut. Bresky urged parents and guardians to help their young children understand the dangers that come with cooking hot food, especially liquids like soup. Just as much as you wouldnt let a child play with a stove, you shouldnt let your child play with a microwave, and things that come out of the microwave hot, Bresky said. A decade-long study from the University of Chicago revealed that instant noodles cause one-third of all childhood burn injuries. Its not the first time a viral trend caused children to suffer from burns, according to Shriners. Last year, the DIY Tanghulu trend of making candied fruit using boiling sugar resulted in dozens of children being hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns. This trend continues to gain traction in 2025, as eight patients have been treated at Shriners Childrens Boston so far this year, hospital officials wrote in the release. Meanwhile, Netflixs K-Pop Demon Hunters became the streaming giants most-viewed movie ever last month, with over 236 million views at the end of August. The movie follows popular K-pop girl group HUNTR/X as they lead a double life as hunters battling a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, who turn out to be demons. In the film, several of the characters enjoy delicious-looking ramen noodles out of cups. As a result, Nongshim, the Korean instant noodle brand behind Shin Ramyun, dropped an official K-Pop Demon Hunters collaboration last month, much to the joy of fans, Forbes reported. Noodles produced in the partnership feature colorful designs inspired by the films characters and quickly sold out on the Nongshim Mall online store. The Independent has contacted Nongshim USA for comment. In the case of a burn, medical professionals advise the injured to remove all clothing from the burned area and apply cold tap water not ice for at least 20 minutes. If necessary, call 911 or seek medical help. 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 teacher at a Catholic school in New Jersey has been placed on an administrative leave after she revealed that she is acting as a surrogate for a couple. Jadira Bonilla, 35, said officials at St Mary School in Vineland accused her of violating her employment contract by participating in the surrogate pregnancy. Im not committing a crime and Im being punished as if I was, its hurtful, Bonilla told NJ.com. What Im doing is to help a family out. The school's principal, Steven Hogan, issued a statement to NJ.com saying that Bonilla was a "valued" teacher, but noted that surrogacy was contrary to Catholic beliefs, which "guides our educational principles." In 2023, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that religious entities which include schools are not required to adhere to its discrimination laws if it violates their religious beliefs. open image in gallery St Mary School in New Jersey. A teacher at the school was put on administrative leave after she revealed to staff that she was acting as a surrogate mother for a couple ( Google Maps ) That law was the result of a decade long legal fight brought by a woman who was fired from Kenilworth Catholic school after she revealed that she was unmarried and pregnant. Catholic doctrine has long been opposed to surrogate pregnancies and other alternative forms of pregnancy, like in vitro fertilization. Before his death last year, Pope Francis called for a universal ban on surrogacy, calling it "despicable." Bonilla, who has been with the school for three and a half years, said that there was no mention of a prohibition on surrogacy or in vitro fertilization in her contract or her employee handbook. If theyre going to penalize me, then theyre going to have to penalize every female employee that has done IVF to conceive their own children, because its the same thing. They go hand in hand, she told the outlet. She told NJ.com that she was shocked by the school's response and said she had previously been a surrogate while working at another Catholic school without incident. Bonilla said she was inspired to become a surrogate at 18 when her cousin was dealing with medical issues that prevented her from carrying her own children. I said, Listen, if you ever wanted to have kids, I will absolutely carry them for you, Bonilla told the outlet. Her cousin decided not have children, but Bonilla had already decided by that point that she wanted to help other couples struggling with pregnancy. After she had children with her husband, she joined a surrogacy agency. Bonilla said she asked for written documentation explaining why she was being put on administrative leave and what part of her employment agreement she was in violation of, but never received a response. She told the outlet that she loves her job and misses working in the classroom. Hogan issued the following statement to NJ Advance Media in response to Bonilla's complaints: We certainly understand Mrs. Bonillas concern. It has been our hope to meet with her to help her fully understand the Catholic Churchs teaching on surrogacy, but that has not happened as of yet. Mrs. Bonilla is a valued teacher and one we hope will one day again teach in our school with the full knowledge of our faith which guides our educational principles. 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 Phoenix coffee company is losing up to 40 percent of its business because someone found their name offensive. Graveyard Shift Coffee has been selling its brews to healthcare workers at area hospitals for more than three years. The company is aimed at late-shift and overnight staff, like nurses. The graveyard shift, hence the name and the logo with the skeleton and the scrubs, Tyler Tremaine, the company's co-owner, told AZFamily. The idea for a coffee trailer serving late-night workers came from Tyler's father, Michael, who worked as a first responder and knew what it meant to work long overnight hours. Tyler is a co-owner now, and his sister, Sierra, works at the company as a barista. For the last two years, the family coffee company has set up their trailer at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix every Monday and Friday. Graveyard Shift Coffee's company name and logo on the side of a coffee trailer in Phoenix, Arizona, which staff at the Mayo Clinic reportedly found offensive. ( courtesy of Graveyard Shift Coffee ) That has now stopped, and all because someone didnt like their logo. Effective immediately they cancelled all of our bookings, Tyler told the broadcaster. Like that. One phone call. When he asked why his company's bookings were being cancelled, he was told that "our name and logo was offensive." The logo for the company is a skeleton in scrubs with a stethoscope draped over its neck holding a steaming cup of coffee. Tyler said the skeleton and the word "graveyard" were reportedly the objectionable parts of his companys name and logo. [It has] been the same for three and a half years, never been an issue before at any other hospital, he told the broadcaster. Sierra explained to the outlet the entire point of the logo and name was to empathize with the healthcare workers, saying "we're trying to portray how the workers feel." We dont have any bad intention with the name or the logo. We just wanted the night-shift workers to feel seen, she said. They were removed from the hospital's vendor roster after a single person complained, she claimed. The small company has a very specific niche, and without having access to the hospitals where overnight workers are gathered and abundant Tyler is worried that one person's sensitivities will tank the coffee company. All we want to do is pay our bills and put a smile on peoples faces, he told AZFamily. He has also offered to cover up the name and logo, but claims they were never given the option before being barred from the hospital. If it is so offensive I would even be willing to put a banner or a different logo over ours, but we werent even given that option, he said. Healthcare workers at other area hospitals will still be able to get a cup of Graveyard Shift Coffee, and the owners are looking to reach new customers. The Independent has requested comment from the Mayo Clinic. 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 university professor who wrote a Facebook post calling Charlie Kirk a Nazi, shortly after the MAGA commentator was shot dead in Utah, cannot be fired over his online comments, a judge has ruled. Phillip Michael Hook, a tenured Professor of Art at the University of South Dakota, stated that he did not give a flying f*** about Kirk and described him as a hate spreading Nazi in the post on the afternoon of September 10. I wasnt paying close enough attention to the idiotic right fringe to even know who he was. Im sorry for his family that he was a hate spreading Nazi and got killed, he wrote on Facebook, adding: I have no thoughts or prayers for this hate spreading Nazi. A shrug, maybe. He later posted another message in which he publicly apologized for posting the comments, adding that he regretted them. open image in gallery A tenured Professor of Art at the University of South Dakota wrote online that he did not give a flying f*** about Charlie Kirk and described him as a hate spreading Nazi on the afternoon of September 10, after the MAGA commentator was fatally shot. He was later informed he would be fired ( AP ) But the comments caught the eye of state officials, including South Dakota Speaker of the House Jon Hansen and Republican Governor Larry Rhoden, both of whom called for Hooks dismissal. Shortly after posting the messages to his private Facebook, Hook was placed on administrative leave and notified of the intent to remove him from his position by the South Dakota Board of Regents. According to a complaint, seen by The Independent, on September 23, Hook filed for an injunction against USD, claiming core political speech in violation of the First Amendment had been violated. USD President Sheila Gestring, South Dakota Board of Regents President Tim Rave, and Bruce Kelley, Dean of the University of South Dakota College of Fine Arts, were all named as defendants in the suit. On Wednesday, U.S. Senior Judge Karen E. Schreier of the District Court of South Dakota issued a temporary restraining order and ordered that Hooks position be reinstated and remain in place until the preliminary injunction hearing on October 8. open image in gallery USD President Sheila Gestring, South Dakota Board of Regents President Tim Rave, and Bruce Kelley, Dean of the University of South Dakota College of Fine Arts, were all named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by Hook ( Getty Images ) In her ruling Schreier concluded that Hook had spoken as a citizen and his speech was on a matter of public concern which is constitutionally protected. Jim Leach, who is representing Hook in the case, said that a public sector employee doesnt forfeit the right to free speech because they happen to be a public employee, echoing the judges comments that the professor had spoken out on amatter of public concern. Yet here, we have the government, at the highest level, punishing Professor Hook for his political speech, he added, per the South Dakota Searchlight. Following Wednesdays ruling an online petition to reinstate Hook had garnered almost 10,000 signatures. The Independent has reached out to the University of South Dakota for comment on Hooks complaint and the judges Wednesday ruling. 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 map drafted centuries ago as Spanish settlers solidified their presence in what is now Mexico and the southwestern United States has been returned to the Mexican government. The feat marks the end of a yearslong effort to bring the historic document home. FBI agents and Mexican officials were joined by historians and archivists Tuesday at the consulate in Albuquerque for a celebratory handoff of the map. FBI Special Agent in Charge Justin Garris said it was more than simply ink on paper and Mexican officials described it as a significant part of their history and cultural heritage. This document not only enriches our collective memory but also strengthens the ties that unite Mexico and New Mexico through a shared history, said Patricia Pinzon, Consul of Mexico in Albuquerque. She mentioned the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro as one of those links. The 1,600-mile (2,560 kilometer) route once served as a lifeline between Mexico City and Santa Fe and is depicted as a central feature that snakes through the map. The names of communities are artfully scripted along the route as other lines radiating from the route mark rivers. open image in gallery The map displayed at a ceremony marking its return to Mexico's national archives ( AP ) The names of Native American communities are tucked into the dots and darkened scallops that represent the valleys, mesas and mountains that span what is now central New Mexico, Taos and areas near the Colorado border. Unlike maps of today, this one is orientated with north to the right and west at the top. The map is one of thousands of archaeological and cultural items reclaimed by Mexico in recent years, Pinzon said. Just last month, a nearly 500-year-old, priceless manuscript page signed by Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes was returned. Disappearance and discovery Archivists in Mexico City first realized the map was gone in 2011. It was among 75 pieces that were taken from records belonging to the national archives. The physical evidence included a scar inside one volume where pages had been removed. About five years passed with no leads. Then came a call from a librarian at the Fray Angelico Chavez History Library at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe, who was doing background research on a map that was presented to the library for sale. The librarian found evidence that the document may have been stolen, said Billy Garrett, executive director of the museum. open image in gallery Justin Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque field office ( AP ) Mexican archivists used negatives and microfilm copies to prove that the document in Santa Fe was genuine. It took years to work through international protocols and laws that relate to returning material stolen from other countries, but during that time Garrett said the library took great care to protect the map in a climate-controlled environment. It's scribed on paper made of rag pulp. The FBI held the map over the past year while final arrangements were made for Tuesday's handoff. Were very glad that its gone back to its rightful owners, and we were glad we got to take care of it for a while, Garrett said. Federal investigators say it's not surprising that the map turned up in Santa Fe, given that the city is a major hub for dealers and collectors who are fascinated with Native American and Spanish colonial art. While they didn't divulge any details about their investigation, they say no charges will be filed. Piece of a bigger puzzle Manuel Garcia y Griego, a history professor at the University of New Mexico, recalled photographing a computer image of the map about a decade ago while conducting research at the Archivo General de la Nacion in Mexico City. When he first stumbled upon it, he knew it was important. Joseph Sanchez, who founded the Spanish Colonial Research Center at UNM, had photographed a copy of the map decades earlier for his own research. open image in gallery Joseph Sanchez, founder and former director of the Spanish Colonial Research Center at the University of New Mexico ( AP ) We both found it interesting that independently we had seen this map in Mexico and considered it so important, and now we discover that it has been recovered in Santa Fe, Garcia y Griego said before the ceremony. During the event, Sanchez shared several old maps that included areas far beyond the borders of present-day New Mexico, saying there's more to the state's history than the recovered map shows. Still, he said the map being returned to Mexico "is something quite, quite unique and it shows a different type of settlement pattern. Immersed in history Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber crouched down for a better look at the map. While appreciating the fine details, he said everyone in his city is a history buff. After all, Santa Fe founded in 1610 as the seat of Spains Nuevo Mexico is the oldest capital in the United States. We live history. It's not something in the past. It's part of our daily lives, Webber said, adding that the map helps to illustrate what he described as a very old story built upon many generations and many families. For Webber, the map also documents a sense of place that is overwhelming and still present today. There are lots of places that are suffering from sameness and Santa Fe and New Mexico are not places that suffer from sameness, he said. They are unique and special and this map bears testimony to it already having been a remarkable place. 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 Newly created YouTube accounts for the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and far-right commentator Nick Fuentes were both taken down hours after their creation, despite anticipation that the platform would begin reinstating banned accounts. The censorship war is still on it looks like, Breanna Morello of Joness Infowars network said in a video on Thursday. Theyre trying to stop Infowars. Theyre trying to stop Alex Jones. Sounds a little ridiculous, Fuentes wrote on X. Cant we just have free speech? Ive been banned since February 2020 when I was 21 years old. Many on the right had been expecting a flood of reinstated accounts in the coming days. Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee, shared a letter earlier this week from YouTubes parent company, where Alphabet said it would give creators who were banned for repeat violations of Covid-19 and elections-related content policies that are no longer in effect the chance to rejoin. Jordan, appearing to overstate the extent of the companys commitments, wrote on X on Tuesday the change would offer ALL creators previously kicked off YouTube due to political speech violations to return to the platform. open image in gallery Infowars claims new YouTube channel for was taken down as part of the censorship war ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) YouTube wrote on X on Thursday the reinstatement effort hadnt begun yet. We terminated these channels as its still against our rules for previously terminated users to start new channels, according to the company. The pilot program for terminations that many people have been referencing this week isnt available yet and will be a limited pilot program to start. Well have more on how the program will work, who is eligible, and how creators can access it soon. Jones and Fuentes may not be eligible to rejoin under the program even when it does get going. Jones was taken off YouTube prior to the pandemic in 2018 for violations including hate speech and child endangerment, and Fuentes was banned in 2020 for hate speech. open image in gallery YouTube said this week it will be letting some creators taken off site over Covid and election-related content rules be reinstated, though pilot program hasnt begun yet ( AP ) Nonetheless, some criticized the moves to remove their channel. Trump administration ally and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy compared the removals to the temporary suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who was briefly taken off the air following pressure from the Trump administration and local affiliates. Our country is at its best when were able to hear one another. Nick Fuentes & Jimmy Kimmel probably dont like me, for different reasons, Ramaswamy wrote on X. I dont care. Its still un-American to muzzle the peaceful expression of opinions. And no, thats not a legal point, its a cultural point. 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 Almost 80 percent of Americans believe the U.S. is in crisis and more than half are concerned that political violence will worsen in the coming years, a new poll has found. In the wake of recent seismic events, including the assassination of MAGA commentator Charlie Kirk, a poll by Quinnipiac University showed 79 percent of voters agreed that the country was in political crisis, while 18 percent said it was not. Along party lines, 93 percent of Democrats agreed, as did 60 percent of Republicans. "The Kirk assassination lays bare raw, bipartisan concerns about where the country is headed," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy. open image in gallery Almost 80 percent of Americans currently believe the U.S. is in crisis and more than half are concerned political violence will worsen in the coming years, a new poll by Quinnipiac University has found ( AFP via Getty Images ) In addition to the perceived political crisis, the poll also showed that an overwhelming majority, 71 percent, considered politically motivated violence a very serious problem in the U.S., with 22 percent believing it to be a somewhat serious problem. The survey noted a jump from a previous Quinnipiac University poll on June 26, when 54 percent thought politically motivated violence was a very serious problem, and 37 percent thought it was a somewhat serious problem. Since the fatal shooting of Kirk at a college event in Utah just over two weeks ago members of the Trump administration have placed the blame squarely at the feet of left-wing extremism. Acting as the guest host of The Charlie Kirk Show following his death, Vice President JD Vance baselessly claimed that the data is clear that people on the left are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence. open image in gallery In addition to the perceived political crisis, the poll also showed that an overwhelming majority, 71 percent, considered politically motivated violence a very serious problem in the U.S ( AFP via Getty Images ) open image in gallery Acting as the guest host of The Charlie Kirk Show following his death, Vice President JD Vance baselessly claimed that the data is clear that people on the left are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) "While our side of the aisle certainly has its crazies, it is a statistical fact that most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the far left, he said. Despite Vances claims, a variety of analyses, including federally funded research, suggest extremists affiliated with right-wing political causes have killed more people than any other ideological group. On Wednesday, Vance also blamed, without evidence, a "violent left-wing extremist" for an attack on an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas, and claimed the shooter was "politically motivated. No official motive has been released by authorities and no ICE agents were injured. Voters are concerned about such charged political rhetoric, with 58 percent saying they do not believe it is possible to lower the temperature on such stances. But 34 percent did. Over half, 54 percent, of respondents think political violence in the U.S. will worsen over the next few years, while 27 percent think it will remain about the same, and 14 percent think it will ease. open image in gallery Over half, 54 percent, of respondents to the survey think political violence in the U.S. will worsen over the next few years, while 27 percent think it will remain about the same, and 14 percent think it will ease ( Getty ) In addition, over half, 53 percent, said they were pessimistic about freedom of speech being protected in the U.S., while 43 percent say they are optimistic. "From a perceived assault on freedom of speech to the fragility of the democracy, a shudder of concern and pessimism rattles a broad swath of the electorate, Malloy added. Nearly 80 percent of registered voters feel they are witnessing a political crisis, seven in ten say political violence is a very serious problem, and a majority say this discord won't go away anytime soon. The Quinnipiac University survey was conducted between September 18 and 21 and took responses from 1,276 self-identified registered voters from throughout the U.S. 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 American Airlines has fact-checked a right-wing influencer who claimed online that a passenger had been forced to change out of a pro-Charlie Kirk shirt during a flight by a crew member. Milo Yiannopoulos, a British far-right commentator, wrote on X that the incident had occurred Wednesday during a flight from Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, to New York. HAPPENING NOW: A stewardess on @AmericanAir flight 1628 just demanded that this passenger change out of her Charlie Kirk Freedom shirt, claiming it is offensive to the crew, Yiannopoulos wrote, tagging U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in the post. He also shared a screenshot, allegedly sent by the passenger, and a picture of a shirt that read I stand with Charlie Kirk on the back. open image in gallery American Airlines has fact-checked a right-wing influencer who claimed online that a passenger had been forced to change out of a pro-Charlie Kirk shirt during a flight by a crew member ( Getty/iStock ) American Airlines was quick to respond to Yiannopoulos to fact check his claims. Wearing a Charlie Kirk Freedom t-shirt is not in violation of any of our policies, the airline replied on X. Currently, we have not received any complaints from any individuals traveling on that flight, but are actively engaged and investigating. In the screenshot of the message, the alleged passenger said that a flight attendant had approached them once they had taken their seat and asked if I was wearing a political shirt. I said no, as it's not political rather, honoring another human being who was murdered and prayer for our entire country, not one party or the other, the alleged passenger wrote. open image in gallery The alleged passenger said they had been asked to change out of a Charlie Kirk shirt, following the assassination of the MAGA commentator on September 10 ( Reuters ) She proceeded to tell me that I needed to either change or turn it inside out as it was offensive to her crew. I asked who was offended and she again repeated, it's offensive to my crew. Let me clarify, when stating crew, Pilots were no where in sight upon boarding this flight, therefore she could have only been referring to the flight attendants. The Independent has reached out to American Airlines for further comment. The alleged incident comes after a recent study from Quinnipiac University found that voters are concerned about freedom of speech and charged political rhetoric in the wake of events such as Kirks assassination on September 10. The survey from mid-September found that 58 percent of respondents do not believe it is possible to lower the temperature on such stances, as opposed to 34 percent that did. 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 Arnold Schwarzenegger has pushed back against remarks made by Donald Trump, in which he called climate change a con job, saying that it should not put people off trying to make a difference. The former bodybuilder, actor and Governor of California said those who believed climate activism was pointless without U.S. involvement were talking nonsense. It comes after Trump addressed the United Nations Assembly General Tuesday, delivering remarks in which he decried climate change as the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, and insisting countries step away from the green scam. Speaking to CNN Wednesday alongside former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Schwarzenegger said the opinions of the president should not affect the beliefs of others. open image in gallery Arnold Schwarzenegger has pushed back against remarks made by Donald Trump, in which he called climate change a con job, saying that it should not put people off trying to make a difference ( AFP via Getty Images ) The bottom line is that he just never believed in [climate change], he said. And to me, I said to myself, okay, then I cannot really go and be on his team. Because I'm a big believer that we have to do something about reducing pollution, and we have to do something about having people die 7 million people a year die and so I felt very strongly about the way I was thinking. Schwarzenegger continued: I totally understand that not everyone has to think like me, but what is important is that we let people know okay, so that's how our president feels. But that doesn't mean we should stop everything. Because so many people say, oh my God, if America doesn't move forward, then does it make any sense to move forward at all? It's nonsense, he added, highlighting that all U.S. states have their own laws and climate policy. open image in gallery Trump addressed the United Nations Assembly General Tuesday, delivering remarks in which he decried climate change as the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) open image in gallery The president quoted several U.N. officials years-long warnings about the impacts of climate change, before declaring it a con job believed by stupid people ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) In Tuesdays address, Trump quoted several U.N. officials years-long warnings about the impacts of climate change, before declaring it a con job believed by stupid people. It's the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion, the president said. Climate change, no matter what happens, you are involved in that. No more global warming, no more global cooling. All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. Despite Trumps claims and boasts that he is always right about everything, countless studies show that climate change is a very real threat. open image in gallery Speaking to CNN alongside former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Schwarzenegger said the opinions of the president should not impact the beliefs of others ( Getty ) Last year marked the hottest on record with the extreme weather events across the country becoming more and more prevalent. Climate change was a force behind the devastating wildfires that swept through Southern California in January, scientists have found, and is also making storms and flooding, including the so-called once-in-century flood in Texas in July, more dangerous, experts have warned. Though his rhetoric is not new, Trumps administration has made 70 percent more changes to government environmental websites during its first 100 days than the first administration, according to a report by Environmental Data & Governance Initiative last month. 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 moment Pam Bondis Justice Department and the FBI quietly dropped a memo on the Fourth of July weekend, attempting to draw a line under the Jeffrey Epstein files saga, it was like a bomb went off in the White House, a new report reveals. For President Donald Trumps administration, the handling of the Epstein case has been a chaotic summer of disorganization, high-stakes strategy meetings in the Situation Room, finger-pointing, and a series of unforced errors, The Wall Street Journal reports. Tensions in the Trump administration on how best to handle the Epstein scandal a crisis of the presidents own making and appease his MAGA base had been simmering since February, when the Attorney General claimed the files were sitting on her desk and haphazardly arranged an ill-fated PR stunt with right-wing influencers. This was the beginning of a series of mistakes by multiple mouthpieces and Trump advisers who deeply underestimated the issue that continues to dog the administration today, according to the WSJ. Trump socialized with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s before cutting off contact following the pedophiles first arrest in 2006. open image in gallery The Trump administrations handling of the Epstein files fallout was a summer of disorganization, high-stakes strategy meetings in the Situation Room, and a series of errors, according to a new report ( Getty ) Now, the president is desperate to rid himself of the case, the outlet reports. White House officials reportedly believed the issue would blow over and the president couldnt understand why people were so obsessed with the late sex offender. But the WSJ also reports that the president was worried some of his friends might be mentioned in the files, and they might have been doctored to hurt him, according to people familiar with Trumps comments. This may be the worst managed PR event in history, lawyer Ty Cobb, who led the first Trump White Houses response to a 2017 special counsel probe into the campaigns ties to Russia, told the WSJ. When approached by The Independent for comment, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the issue was a dead story. This is a lazy rewrite of a dead story, Jackson said of the report. Its not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep. open image in gallery Trump socialized with Epstein in the 90s and early 00s before cutting off contact following the pedophiles first arrest in 2006 ( NBC News ) 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, Jackson added. In a statement to the WSJ, Bondi said she is working tirelessly alongside FBI Director Kash Patel to make America safer. Our only priority is to continue working together with the FBI to make America safer by ensuring murderers and violent criminals face the most severe justice, Bondi said. Heres how events this year reportedly unfolded White House officials given minutes notice about Epstein files binders event Bondi had only been in post for three weeks when she was asked during a Fox News interview whether the Justice Department would release Epsteins alleged client list. Its sitting on my desk right now to review, she responded. Thats been a directive by President Trump. Im reviewing that. This statement flummoxed Trump officials, according to the WSJ. What document was Bondi talking about? they reportedly wondered. open image in gallery Jubilant images of right-wing influencers holding Epstein binders aloft in an ill-fated PR stunt ( Reuters ) FBI officials pulled an all-nighter to pull together the now infamous The Epstein Files: Phase 1 binders for a publicity event on February 27, where far-right influencers, including Jack Posobiec and Scott Presler, as well as the individuals behind the LibsofTikTok and DC_Draino accounts, were given the documents. Jubilant images of the group holding the binders aloft were published, but their excitement quickly faded when they realized that the content was already almost entirely in the public domain. Some were outraged and blamed Bondi. Trumps communications aides were given only a few minutes notice about the event and didnt know Bondi planned to talk about Epstein, according to the WSJ. It went down like a lead balloon with the White House. Bondi was reportedly pulled aside and told to tone down the issue, not draw attention to it. Trump tells Bondi to buck up amid criticism as FBI and DOJ drop bombshell memo After the binder embarrassment, anger over the Epstein files continued to bubble away for the next few months. It came to a head when Elon Musk tossed an Epstein grenade on June 5 following his exit from the White House as a public feud broke out between the billionaire and Trump. open image in gallery Amid a feud with the president, Elon Musk posted on X that Trump was in the Epstein files. He later deleted the post ( AP ) Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Shortly after, he wrote: Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out. Later, perhaps as cooler heads prevailed, Musk deleted the post, but the damage was done. Amid a tidal wave of backlash from MAGA, FBI Director Kash Patel and others at the bureau reportedly wanted to release a statement to explain why they were dropping the Epstein case, the WSJ reports. Bondi, meanwhile, had complained to the White House and the president about the scrutiny she was receiving. Trump encouraged her to buck up, and others told her to stop looking at social media and lashing out at those posting, people with knowledge of the conversations told the newspaper. She told White House officials that FBI leaders, including Patel, were out to get her, the people reportedly said. open image in gallery The president told Bondi to buck up amid a wave of criticism over her handling of the files, the WSJ reports ( Reuters ) The Justice Department and the FBI dropped a 600-word memo on July 6, effectively closing the case into the pedophile. It determined that no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted, much was sealed by a court to protect Epsteins victims, and only a fraction of it would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial. Additionally, the memo said that no further charges were expected as investigators did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties. Also released were hours of footage, which officials say further confirms Epstein died by suicide while in custody in his jail cell in Manhattan in 2019, quashing the conspiracy theory previously pushed by Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, that he was murdered. It was like a bomb went off after that statement went out, one senior White House official told the WSJ. Loomer calls for Pam Blondis resignation MAGAs Laura Loomer, an influential voice in the movement, was among the loudest calling for Bondis resignation. After news of the memo broke, Loomer gave the Attorney General the belittling nickname Blondi in social media posts on X/Twitter. Blondi lied, Loomer posted in July. She was always lying. open image in gallery MAGAs Laura Loomer gave Bondi the nickname Blondi and called for her resignation ( Getty ) Who releases a statement about the Epstein files on the Sunday night of 4th of July weekend? she asked her followers. Someone who doesnt want you paying attention. Later on, when Trump and his allies reportedly started ringing around MAGA allies to diffuse the situation, Loomer was contacted by a White House official who told her that Bondi needed to be more careful, but that Trump had no intention of firing her, the right-wing influencer recalled to the WSJ. Susie Wiles convenes Epstein strategy meetings in the Situation Room White House chief of staff Susie Wiles reportedly said the FBI and Justice Department memo had been a mistake as the administration faced uproar from Trumps own base. Things had become so fraught that Wiles moved to convene a series of Epstein strategy meetings in the Situation Room the so-called war room used to discuss responses to highly sensitive global crises. [Vice President JD] Vance led the push for more disclosure, according to officials familiar with the discussions. Wiles and others argued that they would never be able to pacify the most rabid Epstein conspiracy theorists, the WSJ reports. Trump called Rupert Murdoch from Air Force One in bid to kill WSJ report Despite aides best efforts, the Epstein story was not going away. Trump made a call to Rupert Murdoch from Air Force One in an attempt to kill a WSJ report, published on July 17, about a 50th birthday greeting that the president allegedly sent Epstein in 2003. The letter allegedly signed by Trump which features a sexually suggestive drawing and a birthday wish that says may every day be another wonderful secret was first published by the newspaper and then shared with members of Congress by the Epstein estate. open image in gallery A birthday note for Jeffrey Epstein that appears to have been signed by Trump, which he denies ( House Oversight Committee ) Trump has repeatedly denied writing the letter and denied that a signature on the document is his. The presidents $10bn defamation lawsuit claims that no authentic letter or drawing exists, and on his Truth Social account, he called WSJs story a false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS article in the useless rag that is. Lawyers for the newspaper hit back earlier this week and argued the presidents lawsuit does not include a single plausible allegation that any of the defendants which include right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the newspapers parent companies knowingly published false statements about him. The Article is true, lawyers wrote Monday, and the evidence is publicly available for anyone to see. Maxwell given Chick-fil-A breakfast before being questioned by Bondis deputy Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend and the only person ever charged in connection with the financiers crimes, reportedly spotted an opportunity in late July as rage over the case refused to die down. House Speaker Mike Johnson had just ground the House of Representatives to a screeching halt in order to block legislation filed by GOP Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna to force the release of the Epstein files in 30 days. Maxwells current lawyer, David Oscar Markus, reportedly reached out to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to make an offer, according to the WSJ. open image in gallery Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell spotted an opportunity in late July as rage over the case continued to die down ( Federal Bureau of Prisons ) Would the Justice Department want to interview Maxwell and see what she now had to say? Markus reportedly offered Blanche, who did not request a pardon or preferential treatment for his client, the outlet reports. They took Markus up on the offer and questioned Maxwell for two days. She said she never saw the president doing anything inappropriate or illegal, transcripts later released by the Justice Department revealed. On the second day of questioning, Maxwell was given breakfast from Chick-fil-A, according to the newspaper. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in helping Epstein recruit, groom and abuse young girls. About a week after the interview, the 63-year-old British socialite was moved to a minimum-security prison camp in Bryan, Texas. open image in gallery Khanna and Massie held a press conference on September 3 with Epstein survivors, who called for the files to be released in their entirety ( Getty Images ) The reason behind the move was over concerns for her safety, according to the WSJ. Meanwhile, the White House debated whether to release the transcripts and audio of Maxwells interviews, believing it could finally end the drama. They released the transcripts on August 22 and top officials were reportedly convinced that the scandal would soon blow over. On September 2, when lawmakers returned from their summer recess, Massie filed a discharge petition in an attempt to force a House vote on releasing the files. Khanna and Massie held a press conference the following day with Epsteins survivors, who called for the files to be released in their entirety. Trump is reportedly now scrambling to sway the three Republican congresswomen who signed the petition, now that a majority of House members have signed a measure to force a full floor vote. 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 Eric Trump has claimed that he once witnessed his father, President Donald Trump, avert a war with a single conversation, raising questions about why he was in the Oval Office during such sensitive talks. Speaking to Gina Loudon on the Real Americas Voice networks American Sunrise breakfast show on Wednesday, Trumps middle son was promoting his new book, Under Siege. Asked about his fathers accomplishments, Eric said that he believes his head should be carved in granite onto Mount Rushmore alongside those of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. open image in gallery Eric Trump tells Real America's Voice that he believes his father deserves both his head carved on Mount Rushmore and the Nobel Peace Prize on Wednesday September 24 2025 ( American Sunshine/Real America's Voice ) He deserves it, he insisted. He deserves it. And he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize so many times over. Alluding to the presidents claim before the U.N. Assembly General on Tuesday that he had personally been responsible for extinguishing no fewer than seven wars, Eric said: Ive literally been in that office. I was in that office for one conversation where he literally stopped a war. In fact, I was in the office recently for another one where he stopped another one. I mean, the amount of children, and I say children, young kids right now that are running around the world who are alive based on the fact that he stopped conflicts that otherwise would have spiraled out of control. There are moms and dads out there who have their kids based on calls that hes made and conflicts that hes ended kind of before they really got out of control. The younger Trump did not offer specifics about which conflicts he was referring to, but insisted that the people involved have probably zero appreciation that many of their children and many of the people they knew would not be there had it not been for him. And he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. He concluded by expressing his confidence that his father would get both accolades in the end. When a clip of his comments was shared on social media, they attracted a mixture of scorn and derision. open image in gallery Barack Obama accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, on December 10 2009 ( AFP/Getty ) The presidents son, who said in December there will obviously be a very large wall between anything having to do with our company and anything to do with government, says he was in the Oval Office when the president literally stopped a war, wrote CNN reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere, pointing to a potential conflict of interest. What was he doing in the Oval Office during such a conversation? one person asked, raising a national security concern, while others preferred to joke about the matter. Probably just playing under the Resolute desk. We all know the famous photo, a user answered, adding a Photoshopped black-and-white picture of an infant Eric crawling under the table in imitation of the young John F Kennedy Jr in 1963. Others were more focused on the absurd prospect of Trump actually being added to Mount Rushmore, pointing out that Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize without having to lobby for it or taunting Eric by posting memes from Dumb and Dumber and Beavis and Butt-Head to draw cruel parallels with him and his brother, Donald Trump Jr. 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 A group identified as a left-wing gun club has reportedly put up recruitment flyers with the slogan: Hey, fascist! Catch! written on them. Posters with the slogan were found this week on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The slogan matches one found on a bullet casing linked to Tyler Robinson, the alleged shooter of Charlie Kirk, discovered in the wake of the assassination. Beneath the slogan, the flyer reads: The only political group that celebrates when Nazis die, along with a QR code above the invitation to join the John Brown Club. The Independent found the QR code leads to a contact form, which reads: Were building a community thats done with ceremonial resistance and strongly worded letters. If you want to make a real change in your community, let us now [sic] below. Shae McInnis, one of the students who spotted the posters on campus, told Fox News his discovery was appalling and so shocking. I immediately thought of Charlie Kirks assassination so obviously I read this immediately as a threat, not only for me, but for everyone on this campus. The group shares the name of the John Brown Gun Club, which is listed as a leftist gun-rights group originally based in Kansas by US NGO The Counter Extremism Project. The Kansas-based club has spawned various other chapters, including The Puget Sound John Brown Club in Washington state, which reportedly seeks to disrupt fascists and fascist organizations and events. In 2020, Willem van Spronsen, a member of the Puget Sound John Brown Club, was killed by authorities in a hail of bullets while armed with a semiautomatic rifle, after setting vehicles on fire and throwing Molotov cocktails in an attack on an ICE detention center hed described as an abomination. The club is named after John Brown, 18001859, an American abolitionist and evangelical Christian in the decades preceding the American Civil War. He gained notoriety for his fight against pro-slavery raiders in Kansas. Following counter raids that included targeting a federal armoury in Virginia in an effort to start a slave liberation movement, Brown was captured, tried, and executed. "Georgetown University has no tolerance for calls for violence or threats to the university," a spokesperson for the school said. "The flyers have been removed, and the university is investigating this incident and working to ensure the safety of our community." The Independent has contacted The John Brown Club for comment. 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 JD Vance was reminded Wednesday that he had once referred to Donald Trump as Americas Hitler after the vice president blamed Democrats for political violence, and demanded they stop calling opponents Nazi. In a fiery speech after a shooting at an ICE detention facility in Dallas, Vance said to stop political violence, the left must stop its rhetoric about the Trump administration a position he has taken more aggressively since his friend, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was assassinated. If you want to stop political violence, stop telling your supporters that everybody who disagrees with you is a Nazi, Vance said, to applause. If you want to stop political violence, look in the mirror. Vance added that those who encourage violence against law enforcement through their rhetoric can go straight to hell. But online, multiple people pointed out that Vance once used similar rhetoric to refer to his now-boss. open image in gallery Vice President JD Vance has become more aggressive in blaming the left for political violence after the assassination of Charlie Kirk ( AP ) A report from the Ohio Capital Journal revealed that, in 2016, Vance texted his then-roommate that he thought Trump was Americas Hitler. Why did @JDVance call Trump Americas Hitler, Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell wrote on X in response to the clip of Vance. The Lincoln Project, a political action committee opposed to Trump, sarcastically responded: Does America's Hitler count @VP? Fun Fact: It was JD Vance who called Donald Trump Hitler, X user Alex Cole wrote. California Governor Gavin Newsoms office responded with a screenshot of a headline referring to Vances Hitler comment. According to JD Vance, JD Vance is going to hell because JD Vance compared Trump to Hitler! the message said. Newsom and his team have been using the Democratic governors social media to troll Trump, Vance, and other senior members of the administration in push back to their agenda. open image in gallery Despite Vances past negative comments about Trump, he became his 2024 running mate and has adopted the presidents policies ( AP ) Another X user asked the platform's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, to remind users of Vances comment about Trump as well. Vances previous criticisms of Trump are well-documented. Before being endorsed by Trump, the vice president had said he was wrong about the president and regretted posting criticisms of him on X, formerly Twitter. When confronted about his former beliefs about Trump during the vice presidential debate last year, Vance reiterated that he was wrong about Trump and then blamed the media for swaying his opinion of Trump in 2016. "I've always been extremely open about the fact that I was wrong about Donald Trump," Vance said, during the debate. "I was wrong first of all because I believed some of the media stories that turned out to be dishonest fabrications of his record. Ultimately, Vances past negative comments about Trump did not hurt his chances of becoming his running mate in the 2024 election. So far, Vance has displayed deep loyalty to the president, and taken the same position as him on various matters, including polarizing language about Democrats and the left perpetrating political violence. 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 One of the stars of reality TV business show Shark Tank has warned that President Donald Trumps controversial changes to the H-1B visa program will hurt innovation long-term. Kevin OLeary, who is one of five angel investors on the ABC show, said that the presidents recent proclamation would also push foreign talent away from the U.S. and to other countries instead. It comes after Trump on Friday signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on all H-1B visa applicants. The new rule took effect on Sunday and will reportedly remain in force for 12 months. H-1B visas are designed to bring highly skilled foreign workers to the U.S. for jobs that are deemed difficult to fill, particularly in the tech sector. Since 2012, about 60 percent of all H-1B visas have gone to workers in computer-related jobs, according to the Pew Research Center. open image in gallery Kevin OLeary, one of the stars of reality TV business show Shark Tank, has warned Trumps controversial changes to the H-1B visa program will hurt innovation long-term ( Getty Images ) Apple, Oracle, Google, all started in a garage, OLeary wrote in a post on X, in which he shared a clip of himself speaking on Fox News where he is a regular contributor. They could not have afforded to do this, and all of those companies took advantage of talent they couldn't find in the United States as they grew. I think what this does is hurt innovation long-term. I agree that it's going to push these really talented people into other countries. He added: My attitude about this is: if we educate you at MIT or at Harvard, any school, we should give you a free ticket to stay here, get married, form a company, and build American businesses here. Why train them and kick them out? Signing the proclamation Friday, Trump told reporters, We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that that's what's going to happen. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick originally said the $100,000 fee will be required annually but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has since walked that back. She said in a post on X on Saturday, This is NOT an annual fee. Its a one-time fee that applies only to the petition. She also clarified those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country will not be charged $100,000 to re-enter. open image in gallery Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications, along with an executive order launching the 'Gold Card' visa program ( Getty ) "Everyone's going to be happy, and we're going to be able to keep people in our country that are going to be very productive people, Trump added. And in many cases, these companies are going to pay a lot of money for that, and they're very happy about it. Despite the presidents positivity, the argument over H-1B visas has been rumbling on since December. Trump backers including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy argued such programs were essential because many Americans were not smart enough to do the job and that American culture venerated mediocrity. The reason Im in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B, Musk wrote on X at the time. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend. 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 Social media users have slammed Meghan McCain for branding Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garners daughter, Violet, as a nepo baby. McCain, the daughter of late 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain, commented in reference to Afflecks speech at the United Nations. "Every single thing about all of this is why people hate nepo babies so much," McCain wrote before taking the post down minutes later. However, some social media users were quick to point out the irony in McCains since-deleted post. In the formerThe View co-hosts bio on X, she describes herself as a nepo baby. open image in gallery In a since-deleted post, Meghan McCain branded Violet Affleck as a nepo baby ( X ) Is that the Meghan McCain who, on a daily basis, reminds people that Senator McCain is her dad, one user wrote. Meghan McCain saying anything about Nepo Babies as if she isnt the Boss Nepo Baby is wild, another said. McCains post had been in response to a speech made by Violet Affleck at the UN, where Affleck had advocated for greater awareness of the long Covid crisis and for the importance of clean air. We can create clean air infrastructure that is so ubiquitous and so obviously necessary, tomorrows children dont even know why we need it, she said. However, McCain said that Affleck had no business speaking at the UN and described her speech as patently absurd. McCain, author of the childrens book My Dad, John McCain, is best known for appearing on The View, where she regularly clashed with her more liberal co-hosts. open image in gallery Violet Affleck spoke at the UN about the importance of long Covid awareness and clean air initiatives ( UN Web TV ) She later went viral in 2024 when she admitted to voting for her own late father in the presidential election. "I wrote in my dad," she said on the Katie Couric podcast. "Is that cliche? McCain added. The former host went on to say that she could never vote for Trump, since she felt that she could never explain casting her ballot for him to her children. open image in gallery Meghan McCains father was a prominent Republican senator and presidential candidate ( Getty Images for TIME ) She also said that she did not vote for Kamala Harris because Harriss running mate, Tim Walz, scared her as a pro-life, pretty hardcore conservative voter. Minnesota has some of the most progressive abortion laws in the United States, with Governor Walz signing a law that bans the arrest of doctors providing abortions in the state. Minnesota became the first state to pass a law protecting abortion rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The law stated that local governments cannot control a persons choice to obtain an abortion. McCain took to social media to respond to a request for comment. Some journalist are clutching their pearls mad I called Violet Affleck a nepo baby so I'm giving you all a response here instead of answering your emails: First, it takes one to know one. I'm clearly a nepo baby, check my twitter bio. Say whatever you want about me, my parents would have NEVER been okay with me speaking in front of the United Nations at 19 about a health issue I had no background, training or experience in. Having famous parents is a double edged sword and if you're going to put yourself out there, you gotta take the heat (as I have always done) Finally - anyone advocating that I mask my kids all day in 2025 I think is insane, and that is my right. Have a nice day, she wrote. The Independent has approached Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner for comment. 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 Megyn Kelly was heard yelling thats a blatant lie, at a college student, who suggested that Donald Trumps rhetoric contributed to political violence, at a debate yesterday. The conservative commentator has started speaking at college campuses under the Turning Point USA banner, after the assassination of the brands founder, Charlie Kirk. The student argued that Trumps admission that he hates his enemies is just one example of the president heightening tensions across the country. 70% of political violence is committed by Republicans. Look it up. DOJ just pulled it. The DOJ just pulled it from their website, the student adds. Kelly replied by branding the students argument as defamatory and inappropriate. open image in gallery Megyn Kelly branded the claim that Trump heightened political violence through his rhetoric as a blatant lie ( Turning Point USA ) First of all, let me take on the first premise of your question, that it was President Trumps rhetoric that led to an assassin killing our friend Charlie Kirk. Thats a blatant lie, Kelly says. Kirk was assassinated on September 10, with a 22-year-old named Tyler Robinson being arrested in connection with the crime. When the student argued, No, I said he contributed to the political atmosphere, the tension. Kelly shot back, Well, then you have no point. Then your point is utterly empty. Contributing to the atmosphere? No, lets just make clear. Lets just make clear. This guy was motivated by leftist ideology. We know it from the bullet casings, we know it from the Utah governor, we know it from his own mother. Yes, we do! Lets really be clear on that. The student retored: Lets say this guys a leftist, even if thats true, does that make it okay for the sitting president of the United States to incite violence against liberals? open image in gallery The student argued that Trumps admission that he hates his enemies contributed to political violence ( Turning Point USA ) The president of the United States has not incited violence against liberals. The president of the United States made a joke at the Charlie Kirk memorial which was funny and self-deprecating. It was on the heels of Erika Kirk saying she, in an extraordinary moment, forgave her husbands killer. Let me finish. And then President Trump got up and, making a joke, playing off what Erika said, he said, We disagree. I need to do better, Erikas going to try to convince me, but Im in a different place, and thats completely normal for a politician to be thinking about his political fights. And by the way, Trump has every right to loathe his enemies. They tried to put him in jail for the rest of his life, Kelly ranted. Rightfully so! Hes a criminal! the student yelled. When Kelly asked the student to continue, he said, Thank you for your time, and left the microphone. open image in gallery Kirk was assassinated on September 10, with a 22-year-old named Tyler Robinson being arrested in connection with the crime ( Getty ) Prominent Republicans, including President Trump, blamed the radical left for the shooting at Utah Valley University. However, sources linked to a federal investigation into the assassination told NBC News that there is no evidence of a link between left-wing politics and the assassination. Every indication so far is that this was one guy who did one really bad thing because he found Kirks ideology personally offensive, the source said. Meanwhile, Kelly says she was left genuinely rattled by an article published by Jezebel, which followed a journalist who paid a witch to curse Charlie Kirk. The tongue-in-cheek piece was published two days before Kirks death. Preempting criticism, the articles author had been clear that she was not calling on dark forces to cause him harm. Jezebel has since taken the article down and emphasized that it does not support political violence. open image in gallery Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10 while hosting a Turning Point USA event in Utah ( AP ) Youre playing with fire, messing with this stuff. There actually are demons in this world, Kelly said, speaking about the article on her show. A recent poll by YouGov found that younger Americans are more likely to say that political violence is sometimes justifiable than older people. The study found that 20 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds said it was sometimes justified. However, only 3 percent of people aged 65 and older shared the same opinion. Lucas Walsh, professor of youth politics at Monash University, told Newsweek that the shift was caused by the climate crisis, cost-of-living pressures, geopolitical conflict, and the divisive platforms of social media. 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 Barack Obama has lashed out at Donald Trump for violence against the truth following the US presidents rogue declaration that painkiller Tylenol is linked with autism. In a sit-down with historian David Olusoga in Londons O2 Arena on Wednesday, Obama denounced the unproven claims by the Trump administration which he warned undermines public health. We have the spectacle of my successor making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved, the 44th president told a 14,000-strong audience in London. All of that is violence against the truth. Obamas criticism was greeted by rapturous cheers and applause from a 14,000-strong audience, in the latter stages of a wide-ranging talk covering the inflection point in Britain and the US, the deadly risks of AI, world inequality, social media, and his first-ever meeting with a boyish Mark Zuckerberg. open image in gallery Obama in conversation with David Olusoga at the O2 Arena in London ( Fane Group ) He had warned that we need to train ourselves to seek the truth and to insist that there are things that are true and false during an age in which artificial intelligence is distorting conventional reality. In answer to a question about whether we are ready for the drastic transformations that will arise from the AI revolution, Obama said there is a non-zero possibility that we will be bowing down to computer robot masters in the relatively near future. Much more likely, he warned, was the weaponization of AI to produce bioweapons such as smallpox, or by creating a virus that gets into critical infrastructure and affects air traffic control. This is being militarized and could be used as a system of surveillance and oppression at levels we have not seen before, the former president added. The former president called on people to not be entirely fearful of AI. He is fairly confident that artificial general intelligence (AGI), a hypothetical form of AI with human-level cognitive abilities, will help discover a cure for cancer. It could also solve nuclear fusion, creating zero-emission energy sources and solving climate change, he said. Obama explained that AI has defined a large chunk of his later career, after he came to know major tech figures early in the AI revolution after becoming the first digital president in 2008. The first time I met Mark Zuckerberg, I thought he was somebody's kid, Obama recalled to ripples of laughter. Jerry Yang of Yahoo had set up a meeting and he was standing in the corner, in Birkenstocks and a hoodie. I thought, oh, somebody brought their kid along. But its Mark Zuckerberg of The Facebook. open image in gallery Obama warned that AI will be militarised and could be used to produce bioweapons ( Fane Group ) Addressing the state of affairs in the US and UK, Obama directed criticism at progressive and liberal allies for failing to tackle a way of thinking that is leading to creeping authoritarian tendencies on both sides of the pond. He repeated his comment last week that America is at an inflection point following the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, adding that it is connected to the fork in the road in the UK. Towards the end of the 20th century, a large chunk of the West began to feel that blood and soil nationalism doesnt work, and dehumanising people that are different to us does not work, Obama explained. Liberals and progressives then got complacent, we got smug, he said, and didnt recognise the fragility of the liberal order, particularly before the social media revolution and significant increases in migration brought about sudden clashes of culture worldwide. Now, the former president said, it feels like we may be backsliding towards that older way of thinking about the world. open image in gallery Obama was greeted by cheers and rapturous applause by the 14,000-strong crowd ( Fane Group ) He added: My successor [president Donald Trump], is not being particularly shy about it. The desire is to go back to a very particular way of thinking about America, where we the people is just some people, not all people, and where there are some pretty clear hierarchies about status and who ranks where. That I think is not just true in the United States, youre seeing the same phenomenon here. The challenge for liberals is not only to fight against the authoritarian tendencies but also to be reflective of how is it that we lost support for that earlier vision. London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who the same day had slammed Trump for being racist, sexist, misogynistic after receiving direct criticism by the US president, was among the audience at Obamas talk. It is part of a speaking tour across Europe, which will see him take the stage in Dublin on Friday. 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 Ryan Walters, the superintendent of Oklahoma, who made national headlines for pushing an ultra-conservative religious agenda in public schools, is stepping down from his job to lead a conservative nonprofit. Walters said he would transition to lead the nonprofit, Teacher Freedom Alliance, a day after announcing that he would mandate Turning Point USA chapters in the states high schools. Im excited to announce Ill be stepping down as Oklahoma state superintendent and taking on the role as the CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, Walters told Fox News Wednesday evening. Teacher Freedom Alliance is a conservative nonprofit that aims to serve as an alternative to teachers' unions. Approximately 2,700 teachers are enrolled in it, according to its website. Were going to destroy the teacher unions, Walters told Fox. We have seen the teachers unions use money and power to corrupt our schools, to undermine our schools. open image in gallery Ryan Walters said he would transition to lead the nonprofit, Teacher Freedom Alliance, an alternative to teachers' unions ( AP ) Walters, who closely aligns himself with President Donald Trump, has served as Oklahoma superintendent since 2023 and made it his mission to promote prayers and God in schools while combating what he believes is left-wing propaganda in education. After Trump won the election, Walters posted a video asking students to join him in prayer for the president-elect. His efforts have inspired ideas that led to national controversy, such as mandating schools to incorporate the Bible as well as the Ten Commandments. Initially, Oklahoma had ordered the Trump-endorsed God Bless the USA Bible that included the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. But later, the state amended that to allow typical Bibles. He forced teachers coming to Oklahoma from New York and California to complete an anti-woke exam, designed by the conservative nonprofit PragerU, before being hired. He also supported the state enacting the first publicly-funded religious charter school, which the Supreme Court prevented from receiving public funds earlier this year. In the past week, Walters said all Oklahoma high schools should have a chapter of Turning Point USA, the right-wing nonprofit youth group co-founded by Charlie Kirk the conservative activist who was assassinated earlier this month. Walters, who shared many beliefs with Kirk, also instructed all Oklahoma schools to observe a moment of silence for Kirk on September 16. open image in gallery After Trump was elected, Walters posted a video asking students to join him in prayer for the president-elect ( Oklahoma State Department of Education/YouTube ) Walters tenure has been marked by contentious relationships within his state. In July, Walters was accused of playing explicit content on his office TV during a meeting. In the wake of the scandal, he canceled a State Board of Education meeting in August and did not show up to one at the beginning of September, raising concerns about the agencys ability to function. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond praised Walters decision to step down, saying its been a stream of never-ending scandal and political drama since Walters was appointed to lead the states public education system. From the mishandling of pandemic relief funds that resulted in families buying Xboxes and refrigerators to the latest squabbling with board members over what was or wasnt showing on TV, the Stitt-Walters era has been an embarrassment to our state, Drummond wrote. Even worse, test scores and reading proficiency are at historic lows. 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 Attorney General Pam Bondi only gave White House aides a few minutes notice before she infamously handed out binders to a group of MAGA influencers about the investigation into the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, a new report reveals. In late February, Bondi handed out thick binders titled The Epstein Files: Phase 1 to a group of MAGA influencers and activists at the White House. The move would go on to generate public backlash from the MAGA base, in part because nearly all of the information inside was already in the public domain. That didnt stop the influencers from proudly showing them off as they exited the White House in a now-famous photo. Officials pulled an all-nighter to put the binders together, and President Donald Trumps communications aides didnt know Bondi was going to distribute them at the influencer event until she told them just a few minutes before it began, The Wall Street Journal reported. After that meeting, White House aides complained to Justice Department officials that Bondis drawing attention to the Epstein case wasnt helpful, the Journal reported. Top White House officials also told Bondi to tamp down the Epstein issue instead of highlighting it, according to the outlet. open image in gallery Influencers and activists show off their binders titled The Epstein Files: Phase 1 outside the White House in February. Attorney General Pam Bondi only gave White House aides a few minutes notice before handing out the documents, a new report reveals. ( AFP via Getty Images ) Epstein died by suicide in his New York City jail cell six years ago while facing federal sex trafficking charges related to allegations he abused dozens of young girls. His long-time associate and girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in helping him abuse young girls. Trump campaigned on releasing more information about the investigation into his death. One of his first White House moves was to release the binders. Many in MAGA-world expressed frustration about the binder incident online. Laura Loomer wrote on X: "The Epstein files were released in an unprofessional manner with paid, partisan social media influencers to curate their binders for us. I can't trust anything in the binder. Neither should you." Elon Musk also criticized the incident, telling podcaster Joe Rogan, There is a mountain of evidence. So where is that mountain? The Independent has contacted the White House and Justice Department for comment. open image in gallery Attorney General Pam Bondi faced backlash after the binders she handed out to influencers were revealed to contain information that was already public ( AP ) Shortly before releasing the binders, Bondi was asked by Fox News whether the Justice Department would release Epsteins alleged client list of high-profile associates. She told the network: It's sitting on my desk right now to review. That's been a directive by President Trump. I'm reviewing that. But then, the Justice Department and FBI released a joint memo on July 7 claiming Epsteins alleged client list doesnt exist, and that there would be no additional disclosures in the investigation. The move prompted immediate backlash from Democrats and Republicans alike, who wanted greater transparency on the investigation from the administration. Then, the House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Maxwell and Epsteins estate. The transcripts of Maxwells deposition have since been released, as well as Epsteins so-called Birthday Book, which is a collection of letters and mementos from friends, girlfriends and girl-friends compiled by Maxwell for the financiers 50th birthday in 2003. The book included a note and drawing of a naked woman that appeared to have been signed by President Donald Trump. The letter was first reported by The Wall Street Journal in July, and Trump denied that it existed at the time. Trump has sued the outlet for $10 billion over the report and that lawsuit is ongoing. 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 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered hundreds of U.S. generals and admirals to gather in Virginia on short notice and with no stated reason, a new report reveals. Hegseth has ordered the group to meet at a Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, Tuesday, The Washington Post reported, citing more than a dozen people familiar with the order. The move has sparked alarm and confusion, according to the Post, particularly after Hegseth fired several senior military leaders earlier this year. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that Hegseth will address senior military leaders early next week in a statement to The Independent. He did not provide any additional information. There are about 800 generals and admirals stationed in the U.S. and around the world. The order applies to all senior officers with the rank of brigadier general or the Navy equivalent and above who are serving in command positions, as well as their top enlisted advisers, the Post reported. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered hundreds of generals and admirals to attend a meeting in Virginia next week, but nobody knows why, a new report reveals. ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The Posts sources said they cant recall a defense secretary ever ordering such a large gathering of military leaders in a similar fashion. Several sources also said the meeting raises security questions. People are very concerned, one source told the outlet. They have no idea what it means. Two sources also told the outlet theyre concerned that commanders stationed overseas have to make an appearance. Top commanders in conflict zones, as well as senior leaders in Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region are all expected to attend, according to the Post. You dont call GOFOs leading their people and the global force into an auditorium outside D.C. and not tell them why/what the topic or agenda is, one source said, using an acronym that refers to general officers or flag officers in the military. Are we taking every general and flag officer out of the Pacific right now? a U.S. official told the Post. All of it is weird. This comes after Hegseth ordered a 20 percent reduction in the number of four-star generals and admirals earlier this year. Hegeseth said that more generals and admirals does not equal more success, in a video posted to X shortly afterward. "This is not a slash-and-burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers; nothing could be further from the truth," he said. Last month, Hegseth also reportedly fired Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse after the agency he led determined that the Trump administrations strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in May werent as effective as President Donald Trump had claimed. 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 A new poll from YouGov has found that 20 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds, commonly known as Generation Z, think that political violence is sometimes justified. Respondents were surveyed on September 11, a day after right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University. A total of 2643 US adults were interviewed as part of the study. The findings mean that members of Gen Z are more in favor of political violence than any other group. Millennials were the second-largest group, with 14 percent of people aged 30-49 stating it could sometimes be justified. Meanwhile, just 8 percent of 45-64-year-olds and 3 percent of people aged over 65 said that political violence was sometimes acceptable. open image in gallery Twenty percent of Gen Z said that political violence is sometimes justifiable, a day after the assassination of Charlie Kirk ( AP ) Lucas Walsh, professor of youth politics at Monash University, told Newsweek that Generation Zs more aggressive view on politics has its roots in a darkening political climate. He says American teenagers and young adults have grown up in the shadow of the climate crisis, cost-of-living pressures, geopolitical conflict, and the divisive platforms of social media. In the wake of Charlie Kirks death, Utah Governor Spencer Cox has also said that social media has played a direct role in fuelling violence in the US. I believe that social media has played a direct role in every single assassination and assassination attempt that we have seen over the last five, six years, he told NBC News Meet The Press. open image in gallery There has been a spike in political violence in America over the last year, including two assassination attempts against Donald Trump ( AP ) Over the last year, the U.S. has seen a spike in political violence, including two assassination attempts against Donald Trump during the 2024 Presidential Campaign. The first attempt, in Butler, Pennsylvania, saw the Republican being shot in the ear before he chanted fight, fight, fight. A picture of Trump being removed from the stage with his fist in the air quickly went viral on social media. Months later, Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in December 2024. Luigi Mangione was arrested following the killing, with investigators finding him in possession of a manifesto which described insurers as parasites and that the problem needed brutal honesty. Mangione denies being involved in the shooting. open image in gallery Luigi Mangione became the center of online discourse around political violence after he was accused of killing an insurance CEO ( New York Post ) In the weeks following Charlie Kirks assassination, the Trump administration was quick to blame the radical left and left-wing rhetoric for the increase in political violence. His vice president, JD Vance, also blamed left-wing extremism. However, Democrats have pointed to the presidents own rhetoric, including Trumps claim that he feels hate for his enemies while speaking at Kirks memorial. Lets take a hard look at where this violence is really coming from. Seventy-six percent of extremist killings are committed by far-right extremists, and four percent by far-left extremists. I condemn that four percent, but as a country we must be honest about the true source of this violence, Seth Moulton, a Democratic Congressman, told CNN. 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 Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched a Food and Drug Administration review of the mifepristone pill used in two-thirds of abortions across the country. In a letter to over two dozen Republican attorneys general who requested the FDA review, Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency would conduct its own review of the evidence, including real-world outcomes and evidence, relating to the safety and efficacy of the drug, per ABC News. Kennedy and Makary said the prosecutors concerns merit close examination. This Administration will ensure that women's health is properly protected by thoroughly investigating the circumstances under which mifepristone can be safely dispensed," the letter read. Makary told Politico in July he had no preconceived plans to make policy changes for mifepristone. open image in gallery Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched a Food and Drug Administration review of the mifepristone pill used in two-thirds of abortions across the country ( Getty Images for Women's March ) open image in gallery Medication abortions have become vital for some patients in states with abortion bans ( AP ) The Independent has reached out to the White House and HHS for comment. Mifepristone is typically used in combination with misoprostol for abortions. In a statement shared by ABC News, Planned Parenthood, the nations leading reproductive health care provider, insisted on the safety of mifepristone. "For 25 years, mifepristone has been used safely and effectively by patients across the country, Danika Severino Wynn, vice president of care and access at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said. Wynn continued: Recent innovations like telehealth have expanded access to people who would otherwise be unable to get abortion care -- and the difference that has made in the reproductive lives and futures of Planned Parenthood patients is undeniable. From the time mifepristone was approved by the FDA in September 2000 to December 2024, there were 36 reports of deaths in patients associated with the drug, according to the agency. open image in gallery Mifepristone is typically used in combination with misoprostol for abortions ( Getty Images ) Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research group, found medication abortions made up 63 percent of all abortions in the U.S. in 2023. Medication abortions have become vital for some patients in states with abortion bans, as the pills can be mailed across the country. As of July, 12 states have total abortion bans, according to Guttmacher Institute. In June 2024, the Supreme Court unanimously preserved access to mifepristone by rejecting a legal challenge by anti-abortion groups, about two years after it overturned Roe v. Wade, removing the constitutional right to abortion. 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 President Donald Trumps wall of fame depicting all 46 people to serve as president along a walkway between the White House residence and the West Wing is complete with one notable exception. The White House unveiled the installation this week by releasing several photos of Trump admiring the display as he walked towards the Oval Office. The photos are housed in gilt frames and are displayed in order of administration, with two images of Trump and two of former President Grover Cleveland, who served as the 22nd and 24th president. But in between the photos of Trump reflecting his service as both the 45th and 47th president, a picture of the 46th president was nowhere to be found. In place of a photograph of Trumps successor-turned-predecessor, former president Joe Biden, there was only a snapshot of an autopen captured in the act of signing Bidens signature. open image in gallery Former president Joe Biden is omitted from President Donald Trump's wall of fame on the outside of the White House ( White House photograph ) The snub of Biden makes good on a pledge Trump made in an interview with The Daily Caller earlier this month when he joked that he would hang a photo of the autopen instead of Biden. Its a reference to claims made by Trump and other Republicans, who have accused the ex-presidents staff of making decisions on his behalf and ratifying them with the mechanical device without his knowledge. Biden and his former aides have denied that anything of the sort took place, with the president telling The New York Times in an interview that he was involved in every decision to sign off on certain documents, such as clemency and pardons issued at the end of his term. open image in gallery The stunt echoes claims made about Biden by Republicans that decisions were ratified without the former presidents knowledge ( Getty/AFP ) Nonetheless, Trump has called the allegations a tremendous scandal and claimed that Biden knew nothing about what he was signing as he has repeatedly theorized that Bidens frequent use of the autopen, a commonly used practice among presidents and officials, is directly correlated to his alleged mental decline. Under a longstanding opinion from the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel, using an autopen to sign presidential documents is legally binding as long as the president has authorized the signature. A spokesperson for former president Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent. 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 Having designated Antifa a domestic terrorist organization, President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum seeking to dismantle what he is calling domestic terror networks in the wake of a deadly shooting this week at an immigration facility in Texas. Trump has solely blamed Democratic officials and left-leaning groups for incidents of political violence while largely dismissing evidence against right-wing or other ideologically motivated attacks. Administration officials have repeatedly argued that Trumps political opponents are fueling a surge of threats against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tasked with carrying out his mass deportation agenda. In remarks from the White House Thursday, the president claimed Democratic officials and radical left rhetoric are out of control and will get to a point where people wont take it anymore. Its gonna get worse, and ultimately its gonna go back on them, Trump said, before issuing a thinly veiled threat. open image in gallery Donald Trump blamed radical left Democrats for a shooting at an ICE facility in Texas where one detainee was killed and two others were injured before the shooter took his own life. No agents were harmed. ( Reuters ) Bad things happen when they play these games. And Ill give you a little clue: the right is a lot tougher than the left. But the rights not doing this and they better not get them energized, because it wont be good for the left, Trump warned. And I dont want to see that happen, either. Radical left Democrats are causing this problem, and it gets worse. It will get to a point where people wont take it anymore. In remarks from the Oval Office Thursday evening, Trump said were looking at the funders of a lot of these groups, amplifying a conspiracy theory that shadowy financiers are paying professional protesters to join demonstrations and unleash violence. These are professional anarchists and agitators, and they get hired by wealthy people some of whom I know, I guess, Trump said. You wouldnt know it at dinner with them, everythings nice, and then you find out they funded millions of dollars to these lunatics. A joint terrorism task force within the FBI is properly going to chase them down like the domestic terrorists that they are, FBI director Kash Patel told reporters. Critics have called Trumps order a witch hunt against Trumps political adversaries. The administration is conjuring vast, imaginary conspiracies as a thinly veiled ruse to crack down on its political opponents, based on their viewpoints, Robert Weissman, co-president of consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen. The Trump project is dangerous, utterly askew from constitutional values and profoundly unAmerican, he added. Trump aims to intimidate and silence his political opponents. But the majority of Americans oppose Trumps authoritarianism and we will not be intimidated. On his Truth Social platform Wednesday, Trump explicitly blamed the shooting in Dallas on Radical Left Democrats who are constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to Nazis. Before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, alleged gunman Joshua Jahn, 29, shot three ICE detainees, killing one. No federal or local law enforcement officer was harmed. Within minutes of the shooting, Patel said there was an idealogical [sic] motive behind the attack, and posted an image on X showing four unspent shell casings, with one reading ANTI ICE in blue ink. Vice President JD Vance also stated we know that this person was politically motivated. I AM CALLING ON ALL DEMOCRATS TO STOP THIS RHETORIC AGAINST ICE AND AMERICAS LAW ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT NOW! Trump said Wednesday. The administration is fully rooting out the Left Wing Domestic Terrorism that is terrorizing our Country, he said. open image in gallery Trump will sign an executive order targeting domestic terrorism networks after the deadly shooting in Texas and the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk ( REUTERS ) Trumps executive order labeling Antifa a domestic terrorist organization drew warnings from First Amendment experts and civil rights groups that the president is using the label as a cudgel against left-wing opposition. The presidents order singles out an antifascist movement and the people who financially support it, though there is no domestic terrorist organization designation under U.S. law, and Antifa is not a specific organization but a term that encompasses a wider ideologically driven movement against fascism. Its not clear what legal weight, if any, the order will have. The latest threats follow months of lawsuits, criminal investigations and arrests targeting his political opponents, international students, media companies and the lawyers and legal groups that support them in a government-wide crackdown on dissent. The Antifa order also follows his instructions to the Department of Justice to immediately prosecute his political enemies as he threatens protesters and donors to progressive groups after the killing of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Top Justice Department officials are reportedly demanding federal prosecutors across the country launch investigations into billionaire philanthropist George Soros and his Open Society Foundations. Trumps latest directives could also force left-leaning donor networks supporting Democratic campaigns and causes to reconsider, pause or withdraw funding over fears that the Trump administration could try to connect them to protests if Antifa is present, or if prosecutors consider the organizations Antifa themselves, solely because of their political affiliation. open image in gallery The president has already signed an order singling out the antifascist movement Antifa as a domestic terrorism group, though its unclear what legal weight it carries ( REUTERS ) White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has suggested that the developers of an app that allows users to crowd source ICE location data could be targeted by the administration. The suspected gunman in Texas allegedly searched apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents, according to Patel. News organizations that reported on the app are complicit in threats against ICE, Leavitt claimed Monday. We see it every day they are quick to write a fake story portraying ICE in a negative light, often omitting the real facts of these cases, and they hardly ever write about the vicious criminals that ICE is arresting every day to make our country safer, Leavitt said. Between the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol and the 2024 election, there were at least 300 cases of political violence in the U.S., marking the largest surge in such attacks since the 1970s, according to a Reuters analysis. Yet a large body of research has found that right-wing extremists have killed more people than those associated with any other political cause in the United States within the last two decades, though many of those attacks dont map neatly onto one political ideology. The FBI is now exploring links between high-profile acts of political violence as the actions of Nihilistic Violent Extremists under a wider investigation into domestic terrorism that avoids partisan framing. 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 President Donald Trump is reportedly scrambling to sway the three Republican congresswomen who signed the petition to force a vote ordering the release of all government files related to Jeffrey Epstein. And Republican leaders in the House of Representatives are trying to stop the vote from happening now that enough members of Congress have signed a measure to force a full floor vote and Democrats recently gained a deciding vote on the measure. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) put forth a bipartisan discharge petition to release files related to the late convicted sex offender and pedophile. A discharge petition needs to receive the signatures of a majority of members to force a vote without the consent of leadership. Massie said he did not think House Speaker Mike Johnson would block the final vote. If he does, thats the cover-up right there, Massie told The Independent last week before the House left for the Jewish high holidays. Hed better served and serve this party better to go ahead and have this vote or for the 218th signature be a Republican. Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke to reporters after meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell on Wednesday ( Getty Images ) Massie also warned against using procedural tricks in the same way Johnson tried to use them to block another discharge petition by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) to try and force a vote to allow for new parents to cast proxy votes on the floor. That procedural vote becomes the vote of record, he said. Im pretty sure my co-signers would be strong not to fall for that. So far, three Republican members of congress have signed with Massies discharge petition: Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina. And those are the House members the White House is seeking to sway, CNN reported. Some of those GOP lawmakers are privately being pressured to withdraw their name from the petition, sources told the outlet. No other Republicans have joined the petition given that Trump has repeatedly called files related to Epstein a Democrat hoax even as survivors of the late predator came to Capitol Hill to push for the release of the files. But since the petition was filed, Democrats gained two extra seats thanks to a special election in Virginia 11th district earlier this month and on Tuesday, Arizonas 7th had a special election. Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia signed the discharge petition as soon as he was sworn in. In the same token, Adelita Grijalva said she would sign the petition as soon as she is sworn in to her Arizona seat by Speaker Mike Johnson. Im planning on traveling to Washington, D.C. on Monday to join my Democratic colleagues in demanding that Republicans come to the negotiating table to prevent a government shutdown and vote on the release of the Epstein files, she said in a statement on X. Discharge petitions, which are a way for members to push their legislation even when they are in the minority party or dont have the support of leadership, have a poor record of going through the House of Representatives. And even then, the legislation would need to get through the United States Senate. The most uncertain vote would be Mace. A sexual assault survivor herself, she was visibly unsettled after meeting with survivors of Epstein. But Mace is also running for governor of South Carolina as a pro-Trump MAGA Republican. She is running in a tight primary and would likely need Trumps endorsement to win. 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 A top official at the Department of Justice reportedly directed top prosecutors across the country to criminally charge George Soros after Donald Trump called for the billionaire philanthropist to face racketeering charges and be thrown in jail. Trump, who had publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to swiftly seek criminal charges against his political enemies just days earlier, has baselessly alleged that Soros and his Open Society Foundations support violent protests as the president gins up prosecutions of his political enemies. This week, a lawyer for the office of deputy attorney general Todd Blanche who also served as Trumps personal criminal defense attorney directed U.S. attorneys offices in California, New York and Washington, D.C., among other places, to open a criminal case against Open Society Foundations. The directive from Justice Department lawyer Aakash Singh suggests a wide range of charges, including racketeering, arson, wire fraud and material support for terrorism, according to a copy of the directive obtained by The New York Times. A spokesperson for the Justice Department would not comment to The Independent on potential investigations but stated that the attorney general is committed to the safety of every American. open image in gallery Federal prosecutors across the country have been instructed file criminal charges against George Soross Open Society Foundations after Donald Trump demanded that the philanthropist be indicted for RICO and thrown in jail ( AFP via Getty Images ) If organizations threaten the safety of Americans and violate U.S. law, we will pursue every lawful avenue investigations and prosecutions to hold them accountable. Terror has no place here, the spokesperson said. Bondi told reporters in the Oval Office Thursday that everything is on the table but would not elaborate on whether prosecutors are investigating Soros. Trump, when asked about a potential investigation, said Soros is a name I keep hearing. If they are funding these things, theyre going to have some problems because theyre agitators and theyre anarchists, he said. Hes in every story that I read, Trump said. So I guess he would be a likely candidate. The alleged evidence comes from a right-wing watchdog group called the Capital Research Center, which accused the Open Society Foundations of pouring more than $80 million into groups tied to terrorism or extremist violence over the last decade. In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for Open Society Foundations said they unequivocally condemn terrorism and do not fund terrorism. Our activities are peaceful and lawful, and our grantees are expected to abide by human rights principles and comply with the law, the spokesperson said. These accusations are politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech, the statement added. When power is abused to take away the rights of some people, it puts the rights of all people at risk. Our work in the United States is dedicated to strengthening democracy and upholding constitutional freedoms. We stand by the work we do to improve lives in the United States and across the world. Earlier this month, Trump called Soros a bad guy and the groups work amounted to agitation against the government. In August, Trump told Fox & Friends that Soros should be in jail and that the billionaire and his wonderful Radical Left son Alex who is now running his fathers nonprofit organization should face charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO Act, famously used to target organized crime. Were not going to allow these lunatics to rip apart America any more, never giving it so much as a chance to BREATHE, and be FREE, Trump wrote on Truth Social. open image in gallery The Open Society Foundations called the Justice Departments investigations politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech ( REUTERS ) The Open Society Foundations fund progressive causes around the world, with a focus on justice, human rights and combating corruption in elections. Soros, with his affiliated super political action committees, is also one of the biggest spenders when it comes to funding campaigns for Democratic candidates and causes, according to records with the Federal Election Commission. But Trump-allied figures have argued, without evidence, that Soros and his group are the shadowy financial powerhouse promoting civil unrest and protests that have devolved into property destruction. In the wake of Charlie Kirks assassination, the president and his allies have threatened to use the levers of government to target Democratic officials and causes as well as the left-leaning groups that support them. The Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor has long been a boogeyman for the president and his allies and other right-wing figures. While Blanche was representing Trump in his hush-money case in New York, Trump baselessly asserted that Soros hand-picked and funded the district attorney who brought the case against him. His name has also become a dog-whistle or shorthand for a sprawling, centuries-old antisemitic conspiracy theory alleging a global Jewish plot to manipulate political and financial systems. Last week, Blanche suggested anti-Trump protesters and the groups that support them could be charged under RICO, and the president has threatened an executive order to disrupt what he has called domestic terror networks he alleges are behind violent opposition to his agenda. The president has also recently directed investigations into longtime foes including former FBI director James Comey and New York attorney general Letitia James, whose bombshell fraud lawsuit against the presidents real-estate empire resulted in nearly half a billion dollars owed to the state in fraudulently obtained financing terms. 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 Trump administration's demonization of transgender people as mass shooters is inciting anti-trans violence and appears calculated to justify crackdowns on the whole community, civil rights activists have warned. In an "emergency" briefing on Wednesday, a group of pro-LGBT+ groups, including the Human Rights Campaign and the Southern Policy Law Center, said they were "sounding the alarm" about reports that Trump might "weaponize" the FBI against trans people in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination. GLAAD chief Sarah Kate Ellis also revealed that her group had logged an "uptick" in anti-trans harassment and violence, including death threats, physical assaults, and bullets left outside a Missouri LGBT+ center engraved with the words "DIE F***S". "Violence committed against trans Americans is an epidemic. Undue violence committed by trans Americans is a lie a lie that only begets more violence," said HRC president Kelley Robinson. "We need every elected official to also sound the alarm with us... to speak out against this President's violent actions, to confront the lies that put trans Americans in danger." Demonstrators rally for Trans Day of Visibility on the National Mall in Washington D.C., March 2025 ( Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty ) She said that using the FBI to target the trans community would be "an abuse of power that no president, Republican or Democrat, should be able to exercise." Last week, the Heritage Foundation, the influential ultra-conservative think tank behind Project 2025, called on the FBI to treat "violent transgender ideology" as a new domestic terror threat. The White House has carefully avoided either embracing or rejecting this idea, and it may never happen. Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein reported that officials are eager to target trans people, but this has not yet been corroborated elsewhere. Nevertheless, Trump and his allies have repeatedly painted trans people as especially violent and prone to mass shootings which flies in the face of most available evidence while blaming Kirk's assassination on a "vast domestic terror movement". "We're raising the alarm now because we don't know exactly what is to come, but we are getting continued signals and rhetoric from the administration that their attacks on trans people are not going to stop," said Robinson. She condemned Kirks assassination, calling it an abomination. Immediately after Kirks death, an internal law enforcement bulletin falsely claimed that bullets found at the scene were engraved with messages of "transgender" ideology. "[Journalists] should be questioning the facts pushed out by this government," said GLAAD's Sarah Kate Ellis. "Especially the FBI: we see it as a compromised organization under this leadership... "The truth is, the real trans terrorism is the terror experienced by trans people in this country." The Heritage Foundation insisted that it was not accusing all trans people of being terrorists, saying all Americans are "free to identify as transgender, or support... transgenderism in a non-violent way". But SPLC attorney Beth Littrell argued that any such effort could easily spiral into "widespread surveillance" and "abuses" against the whole trans community, akin to the FBI's treatment of Black civil rights activists in the 1960s and 1970s. "The objective of these [reported efforts] is to vilify, criminalize, and create a boogeyman... it lays the groundwork for for the abuses we've seen from the government in the past, she said. The other groups involved in the briefing were Advocates for Trans Equality, PFLAG, and the Transgender Law Center. The FBI declined to comment, while the White House referred a comment request to the FBI. 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 Whoopi Goldberg has suggested it may be time to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump from office, after the presidents rambling and unhelpful speech at the United Nations General Assembly. The co-host of The View said that other world leaders did not consider Trump to be serious anymore and claimed that if his predecessor Joe Biden had performed similarly, his competence would also have been questioned. He had a chance to deliver much more than what he did, and they don't consider him to be serious anymore. I'm worried, Goldberg said during Wednesdays show. Whats the Amendment? Its actually the 25th Amendment when you start questioning someone's competence, co-host Sunny Hostin explained. open image in gallery Whoopi Goldberg has suggested it may be time to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump from office, after the presidents rambling and unhelpful speech at the United Nations General Assembly ( ABC News ) The 25th Amendment is the Constitutional process that allows for the removal of a president who is deemed unable to fulfill the duties of the office. Well, they questioned Bidens competence. If Biden had acted like this I would have said, Yeah take him ... This was not presidential and this was not helpful," Goldberg said. During his address at the summit in New York Tuesday, Trump went on a rambling and sometimes explosive rant, in which he told world leaders their countries were going to hell, attacked London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and even tried to sell his own merchandise. The president also continues to complain about an escalator that broke down while he and First Lady Melania were riding on it, and the teleprompter, which also malfunctioned during his speech. open image in gallery During his address at the summit in New York Tuesday, Trump went on a rambling and sometimes explosive rant, in which he told world leaders their countries were going to hell, attacked London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and even tried to sell his own merchandise ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Though Trump appeared to shrug the mishaps off during the speech, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later suggested that the two incidents may have been purposefully staged by UN staffers. In a Truth Social post Wednesday Trump claimed there had been triple sabotage at the UN due to the fact that his wife had told him she could not hear his speech very well on her earpiece. This wasnt a coincidence They ought to be ashamed of themselves, the president fumed. open image in gallery The president also continues to complain about and escalator that broke down while he and First Lady Melania were riding on it, and the teleprompter, which also malfunctioned during his speech ( AP ) I demand an immediate investigation. No wonder the United Nations hasnt been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do. All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved. But Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said Trumps own videographer may have been responsible for the escalator stopping. The U.S. delegation videographer ran ahead of the president and could have triggered the stop mechanism at the top of the escalator, Dujarric said. The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing, Dujarric said in a statement. The videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function. A UN official said that the White House was responsible for operating the teleprompter for the president, according to the Associated Press. Back on The View, Hostin also criticized Trump for saying inflammatory, divisive types of things about immigration and for lying during the UN address, though she offered a reason. He wants the Nobel Peace Prize, she said. Well, somebody make one and send it to him! retorted Goldberg, prompting laughter. 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 A cash-strapped kindergarten in Australia, which asked parents to pay A$2,200 (1,000) for the children's artwork, was forced to roll back its decision following a public outcry. The Craigslea Kindergarten in Brisbane's north issued a notice earlier this month asking parents to pay the eye-watering amount to take home a curated portfolio of their toddler's artwork. The folders, which were marked as a fundraising effort, were crammed with a chaotic mix of smudges, splashes, and enthusiastic doodles, along with pictures of the children making art. The childcare claimed the proceeds from the sale of the children's portfolios would help pay back AU$40,000 (19,600) it allegedly owed to staff in overdue salaries. The childcare reportedly closed last month after funding was halted amid an investigation into claims about its governance. One of the parents, who identified as Brooke Dolan, told 9News that she received an email from the centre's director, Thomas D'Souza, which said the "committee had passed a resolution to try and fundraise by selling the children's artwork". "It's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous," she said, adding: "I don't even really have words for it." She added: "We signed consent forms at the start of the year that say the portfolios belong to us and that parents have a right to handle their kid's sensitive information including photos." Ms Dolan claimed that when she decided to take her child's portfolio without paying the hefty amount, she was reported to the police for stealing. The police investigation triggered a backlash against the childcare, which prompted it to hand over childrens art portfolios for free. While affiliated with early childhood education provider C&K, Craigslea Kindergarten operates independently, according to reports. A C&K spokesperson said with the support of the Department of Education, the childrens portfolios had been safely recovered. These important records are now available for families to collect, free of charge, the spokesperson was quoted by 7News as saying. The Department of Education assured the parents that they had legal rights over their children's works. "Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, parents can request certain documentation pertaining to their child. The approved provider must make the documentation available on request," they said. Queensland premier David Crisafulli entered the fray earlier this week, dismissing the committees demands as pretty un-Australian and a sign of desperation. I think it's emotional blackmail, he told the Today Show. It's been a long time since I've been in that position. I never saw any Picassos come home, that's for sure. But they mean something to you. It's special. It's an achievement, he added. I just think it's wrong on so many levels. There are better things to be worried about at the moment. Let's give the kids their finger painting and let's get on with life. 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 An Indonesian hospital has rejected allegations of organ theft, clarifying that an Australian tourists heart missing when his body was flown home was sent to Queensland after undergoing a forensic procedure. Byron Haddow, 23, was found dead in the plunge pool of his rented villa in Bali earlier this year. His body was sent back to Australia about a month later, where a second autopsy revealed the heart was not present. The discovery prompted Canberra to press Jakarta for clarification. Prof Ngoerah Hospital, which conducted the first forensic examination of Haddow at the request of the Balinese police, denied any wrongdoing. I emphasise, on behalf of Prof Ngoerah Hospital, that the circulating rumours of organ theft are false, I Made Darmajaya, the hospitals director of medical nursing and support, told reporters. According to Mr Darmajaya, the missing organ was not withheld for sinister reasons but because it was undergoing a separate forensic process. There is no interest of the hospital to withhold the heart. Actually, our interest was in the context of examination in accordance with the law, he said, explaining the heart required additional preparation for pathological testing and was therefore returned later than the rest of the body. The forensic pathologist who conducted the initial autopsy also dismissed allegations of misconduct. For forensic purposes, his heart was tested and was kept behind when the family repatriated the body home, Dr Nola Margaret Gunawan told The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on Monday. I have given the autopsy result and explanation to the family. They have accepted my explanation. A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Tuesday that consular assistance was being provided to the Haddow family but declined to provide further details, citing privacy obligations. Earlier, Haddows mother, Chantal Haddow, told Australias Channel Nine: They just rung us to ask if we were aware that his heart had been retained over in Bali. Just when I thought I couldnt feel any more heartbroken, it was another kick in the guts. I feel like there was foul play. I think that somethings happened to him prior to being in the pool. The familys lawyer, Ni Luh Arie Ratna Sukasari, confirmed that the organ was eventually delivered to Queensland in August, over two months after Haddows death, according to AFP. The legal team for the family of Byron Haddow hold up documents during a press conference at Tibubeneng Badung regency on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on 24 September 2025 ( AFP via Getty ) She described the case as one that raised serious questions about the medical and forensic procedures followed in Bali. This incident raises serious questions regarding medical practices in Bali. We affirm that what happened to Byron Haddow is a grave matter of law, ethics and humanity. The lawyers for the family argued that the circumstances surrounding Haddows death at his holiday villa on 26 May were highly suspicious, warranting closer scrutiny of his earlier activities, especially his financial dealings. The forensic examination revealed the presence of alcohol and duloxetine, a prescription medication for depression, anxiety and certain pain disorders, in Haddows system. Investigators suggested the interaction of these substances could have impaired his ability to react when he entered the plunge pool, leaving him unable to save himself. The report also documented minor injuries, including abrasions on his left forehead, right eyelid and right knee. However, experts concluded that the blunt-force trauma was insufficient to be considered fatal. The findings also indicated that Haddow was still alive when he was submerged, showing signs of breathing while in the water. 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 At least 17 people were killed Thursday in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, according to local health officials, as international pressure for a ceasefire continued to grow. On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, French President Emmanuel Macron told France 24 his country had recognized a Palestinian state on the conviction it is the only way to isolate Hamas," which has proved itself able to regenerate even after many of its leaders have been killed. Total war in Gaza is causing civilian casualties but can't bring about the end of Hamas, he said in the interview Wednesday. Factually, it's a failure. He said he had been lobbying U.S. President Donald Trump to press Israel again for a ceasefire, telling him you have an important role to play you who supports peace, who wants to bring peace to the world. You cannot stop the war if there is no path to peace, the French president added. Some Israeli ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government have pushed for annexing the occupied West Bank in response to international recognition of Palestinian statehood a move that could effectively strip the Palestinian Authority of its civil and security powers in parts of the territory. Macron said such a move would be a red line for France, and I think it's also a red line for the United States of America. Neither the White House nor the State Department responded to requests for comment on Macron's statement. Netanyahu has said he won't make any decisions until he returns from the U.S., where he is to address the U.N. General Assembly on Friday and then carry on to meet with Trump in Washington. Deadly strikes hit central and southern Gaza Meanwhile in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, 12 people were killed in an Israeli attack on the central town of Zawaida that hit a tent and a house, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah. Eight children were among the victims, according to the hospital, and family members said another girl was still under the rubble. The hospital said another girl was killed in an airstrike that hit a tent in Deir al-Balah, and that it was caring for seven others injured in that attack. In the southern city of Khan Younis, another Israeli attack hit an apartment building, killing four people, according to the Nasser Hospital where the bodies were taken. Netanyahu denounces leaders who have recognized a Palestinian state On Monday ahead of the opening of the U.N. General Assembly meetings, France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco announced or confirmed their recognition of a Palestinian state in the hopes of galvanizing support for a two-state solution to the Mideast conflict. Their announcements came a day after the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal did the same, in defiance of Israel and the United States. Netanyahu lashed out at the idea early Thursday before heading to New York himself. At the U.N, General Assembly I will speak our truth," he told reporters. "I will denounce those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, the rapists, the child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the land of Israel. It will not happen. At separate events in New York on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trumps lead negotiator Steve Witkoff both offered optimistic views about what Witkoff called a Trump 21-point plan for peace that was presented to Arab leaders on Tuesday. The U.S. has not released details of the plan or said whether Israel or Hamas accepts it, but Netanyahu suggested Israel's position had not changed. The Israeli leader said when he travels from New York on to Washington to meet with Trump, he would discuss with him the great opportunities our victories have brought and also our need to complete the goals of the war: to return all our hostages, to defeat Hamas and to expand the circle of peace that is open to us. The U.S., along with Egypt and Qatar, have spent months trying to broker a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release. Those efforts suffered a major setback earlier this month when Israel carried out an airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Forty-eight captives are still inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive, after most of the rest were freed in ceasefires or other deals. Israels ongoing retaliatory offensive has killed more than 65,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It doesnt say how many were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half the fatalities. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government. U.N. agencies and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties. Israel launched another major ground operation earlier this month in Gaza City, which experts say is experiencing famine. More than 300,000 people have fled, but up to 700,000 are still there, many because they cant afford to relocate. ___ Rising reported from Bangkok and Chehayeb from Beirut. John Leicester and Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Sam Metz in Rabat, Morocco contributed to this story. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war 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 Drone activity near four airports in Denmark overnight was the work of a professional actor, Denmarks defence minister has warned just two days after the countrys main hub was shut down in response to sightings that rattled European aviation. Aalborg airport, in north Denmark, was forced to shut down after the drone sightings, while three smaller airports in the region Esbjerg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup remained open despite similar incidents. It is unclear how many drones were seen in the incident, which also affected the countrys armed forces due to the military base stationed at Aalborg airport. There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor, defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said. It certainly does not look like a coincidence. It looks systematic. This is what I would define as a hybrid attack. National police said the incident had followed a similar pattern to the one that halted flights at Copenhagen airport for four hours on Monday, with Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen refusing to rule out Russian involvement. open image in gallery Police officers stand guard following reports of drone activity at the airport in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday ( Ritzau Scanpix ) Denmark is now considering whether to invoke Nato Article 4, which would formally request talks over the incident, a move taken by Poland and Estonia following repeated Russian incursions into their airspace in recent weeks. Four flights were affected on Wednesday nights incident, the police spokesperson said, including two SAS planes, one Norwegian and one KLM flight. Eurocontrol, which oversees European air traffic control, said arrivals and departures at Aalborg airport would be at a zero rate until 4am GMT on Thursday due to drone activity in the vicinity. Danish authorities said the incident that halted flights at Copenhagen airport on Monday was the most serious attack yet on the countrys critical infrastructure. Speaking in New York during the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said she could not rule out Russian involvement in the shutdown of Copenhagen airport. We have seen drones over Poland that should not have been there. We have seen activity in Romania. We have seen violations of Estonian airspace, Ms Frederiksen told reporters. This is a serious attack on critical Danish infrastructure. open image in gallery Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said she could not rule out Russian involvement in the shutdown of Copenhagen airport ( Ritzau Scanpix ) Authorities in Norway also shut the airspace at Oslo airport for three hours on Monday evening after a drone was seen. Norwegian and Danish authorities are in close contact over the Copenhagen and Oslo incidents, but they have not yet been linked, Norways foreign minister said on Wednesday. Authorities in Oslo announced later that two foreign nationals had been arrested for flying drones within the prohibited zone close to the airport. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky then appeared to blame Russia for the incident in a post on social media, though that claim was quickly taken down. It comes after hundreds of flights at Heathrow airport in the UK were delayed or cancelled over the weekend following a cyber attack. 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 Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison in the case of suspected illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy, 70, was found guilty on Thursday of criminal conspiracy in a scheme from 2005 to 2007 to finance his campaign with funds from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favours. He was acquitted of the remaining charges laid against him, including receiving stolen goods, embezzlement of public funds and passive corruption. He will be summoned within a month by the prosecutor's office, who will inform him of his incarceration date, according to the French newspaper Le Monde. The ruling means he will spend time in jail even if he launches an appeal. open image in gallery Sarkozy talks to journalists after the verdict ( Reuters ) Sarkozy, who was president of France from 2007 to 2012, had always denied the charges and dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. Speaking to reporters after the verdict, he said: "I will comply with the summonses of the courts. And if they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison. But with my head held high. I am innocent. "This injustice is a scandal. I will not apologise for what I did not do. He continued: "Those who hate me so much think they are humiliating me. What they have humiliated today is France, it is the image of France. And if anyone has betrayed the French, it is not me, it is this incredible injustice that you have just witnessed. I have no spirit of revenge, no hatred, but let everyone understand and hear: I will fight until my last breath to prove my complete innocence . The verdict by a Paris court follows a three-month trial earlier this year that also involved 11 co-defendants, including three former ministers. open image in gallery Sarkozy was accompanied by his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, in court on Thursday ( AP ) Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, 75, who was one of the co-defendants and a key accuser in the case, died on Tuesday in Beirut following a cardiac arrest, his lawyer said. Takieddine had claimed he had helped deliver up to 5m (4.4m) in cash from Gaddafi to Sarkozy in 2006 and 2007. In an interview with the French investigative outlet Mediapart in 2016, Takieddine said he had delivered suitcases filled with cash from Tripoli to the French interior ministry under Sarkozy. He later retracted his statement, then contradicted his retraction, prompting a separate investigation into possible witness tampering. Both Sarkozy and his wife, model and musician Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, were handed preliminary charges of pressuring a witness. That case is pending trial. Investigators claimed Sarkozy had forged a corrupt pact with the Libyan government in a murky affair that involved Libyan spies, a convicted terrorist and arms dealers. Delivering her judgement on Thursday, presiding judge, Nathalie Gavarino, said there was no proof that Sarkozy made such a deal with Gaddafi, nor that the money sent from Libya reached Sarkozy's campaign, even if the timing was "compatible" and the paths the money went through were "very opaque". open image in gallery Sarkozy and Gaddafi pictured in Paris in 2007 ( Sipa/Shutterstock ) However, she found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy for allowing close aides to engage with people in Libya to secure campaign financing. The accusations can be traced back to 2011, when Gaddafi revealed that the Libyan state had secretly funnelled millions of euros into Sarkozys 2007 campaign. Gaddafi was toppled and killed during the Arab spring in 2011, ending his four-decade rule of Libya. Despite facing a string of legal battles since leaving office, and being stripped of the Legion of Honour, Frances highest award, Sarkozy retains some influence behind the scenes in French politics. He and his wife were among the guests invited to the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in December last year. In February this year, Sarkozy was ordered to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French president, after being found guilty of corruption and influence peddling. The tag was removed after three months. In a separate case, Sarkozy was convicted last year of illegal campaign-financing in his failed 2012 re-election bid. He was accused of having spent almost twice the maximum legal amount and was sentenced to a year in prison, of which six months were suspended. Sarkozy has denied the allegations and has appealed the ruling. 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 Russian pilots who entered Estonian airspace waved at Italian pilots flying Natos most advanced jets during a tense 12-minute standoff, according to reports. Initiating a routine interception, the Nato pilots rocked their wings from side to side. In response the Russian pilots mirrored the manoeuvre and gave a friendly wave, according to the Telegraph. The Italians then trailed the pilots to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad for an unprecedented 12 minutes. During this time, the three Russian nuclear-capable MiG-31 jets and two Italian F-35 pilots had no radio contact with each other. While the manoeuvre was carried out peacefully, Donald Trump has warned that Russian incursions into Nato airspace could spell big trouble for Moscow. It is the latest in a series of provocations by the Russian military, which has repeatedly sent drones into Poland and Romania as Moscow argues that Nato is already fighting against Russia. Nato is providing direct and indirect support to the Kyiv regime, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. It can be said with absolute certainty that Nato is fighting against Russia. As the war in Ukraine intensifies, The Independent looks at the ways Russia is expanding the conflict to involve more countries. Drone incursions in Denmark The Danish prime minister said Russian involvement in overnight drone incursions near four airports in Denmark could not be ruled out. Russia denied involvement. Denmarks defence minister warned the drone activity was the work of a professional actor, just two days after the countrys main hub was shut down in response to sightings that alarmed defence officials. Copenhagen is now considering whether to invoke Nato Article 4, which would formally request talks over the incident, a move taken by Poland and Estonia following repeated Russian incursions into their airspace in recent weeks. open image in gallery Hand Out image released by the Swedish Airforce shows a Russian MIG-31 fighter jet flying above the Baltic sea after violating Estonian air space ( HANDOUT/AFP via Getty Images ) Fighter jet incursions in Estonia Three Russian fighter jets staged an incursion into Estonian airspace where they remained without permission for 12 minutes on Friday 19 September, the Estonian government has said. Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsakhna said it was the fourth time that Russia has violated Estonian airspace this year, "but today's incursion, involving three fighter aircraft entering our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen. The foreign ministry said that the incursion involved three Russian MIG-31 fighters and took place over the Gulf of Finland. The Russian charge d'affaires was summoned and given a protest note, a ministry statement said. There is obviously a lot of discussion whether these incursions, especially when it comes to Poland, were deliberate or it was more of a system malfunction, but I do believe that it was a deliberate one, says Natia Seskuria, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). I think Putin is basically testing a Western response by trying to violate Polish airspace, which is a major Nato ally, and hes trying to find out basically whether there is such thing as Nato unity when it comes to responding to these acts of aggression. Drone skirmishes in Poland and Romania Russia has faced global outrage as drone incursions in Nato airspace become more frequent. Moscow drew criticism from the West after the Polish military shot down a large number of Russian drones that had entered its airspace, a move which prompted Prime Minister Donald Tusk to warn that the country is the closest to armed conflict since the Second World War. There were 19 intrusions into Polish airspace on 9 September, with many drones entering from Belarus, Mr Tusk said in parliament, adding that three drones were confirmed to have been shot down, with the fourth being likely. open image in gallery A damaged drone lies after falling in the eastern Polish village of Czosnowka ( Dariusz Stefaniuk ) While Russia has said it didnt target Poland, and Moscows ally Belarus said that the drones went astray because they were jammed, European leaders have said they are certain that the incursions were a deliberate provocation by Putin. There have been many instances of Russia violating EU and Nato airspace, but this incursion was particularly serious, according to Ms Seskuria. It shows basically that Putin is not really interested in any kind of peaceful resolution of the conflict. On the contrary, hes signalling to the West that unless he gets the best deal in these peace negotiations, which I dont think he believes he can at the moment, he is willing to go even further ahead and extend the war, which may not be confined to Ukrainian borders. On Saturday, 13 September, Romania scrambled fighter jets after a Russian drone entered its airspace. The countrys defence minister, Ionut Mosteanu, said that F-16 pilots came close to taking down the drone as it was flying very low before it left national airspace toward Ukraine. Belarusian drills Russia and Belarus have launched a long-planned joint military exercise, Zapad 2025, which took place earlier this month. The intention is to showcase the close defence ties between Moscow and Minsk. Defence officials in Belarus originally set aside 13,000 troops to participate in the exercise, which was meant to take place along its western border, although by May the ministry cut the number in half and said the main manoeuvres would take place deeper inside the country. open image in gallery Russia and Belarus hold a joint military drill ( Reuters ) Although Moscow and Minsk have said the exercises are exclusively defensive and that they do not intend to attack any Nato member, they have drawn worries from Kyiv and Western allies in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, which border Belarus. Ms Seskuria said Russias training exercises with Belarus were deliberate. These exercises in the past have been used for Russia to escalate the real conflict. In 2008, for example, against Georgia and then against Ukraine, Russia has used these drills as a preparation for the actual war, they said. Russias hybrid attacks open image in gallery Russia has used other tactics as well as physical incursions to impact Nato allies ( AFP/Getty ) Russia has also targeted European countries through other methods, which have been described as hybrid warfare. These range from cyberattacks to sabotage operations and disinformation campaigns. This happens all the time, says Ms Seskuria. It has much deeper implications on European security, and there are various instances where Russia is directly intervening in elections. We saw this happening in Moldova last year, and this year ahead of their parliamentary elections. Russia has been accused of meddling in the elections of European nations for years. The UKs National Cyber Security Centre judged in 2022 that Russia had been behind a cyberattack with Europe-wide impact just an hour before its invasion of Ukraine. While Ukraines military was the primary target of an attack on high-speed broadband service Viasat, wind farms in central Europe and both personal and commercial internet users were also affected. Disinformation campaigns in Western countries have also been linked to Russia. There are consistent efforts to push these narratives that are pro-Russian, portraying the West as an aggressor rather than a Kremlin that wants to violate Ukraines sovereignty and fights this war for its own imperial ambitions, Ms Seskuria said. 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 A briefing on a planned Ukrainian offensive requiring US intelligence support sparked Donald Trumps dramatic U-turn on the conflict, according to a report. In the lead up to his meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN , the president met with US officials who advocated a tougher stance on Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported. Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg and new UN ambassador Mike Waltz were also present in the meeting, the newspaper said. open image in gallery Battlefield updates triggered Trump's shift on Ukraine this week, US officials say ( AP ) Intelligence officials briefed them on the latest situation on the battlefield, noting that Russia has made little progress in recent years, two people familiar with the situation said. This week has seen a dramatic U-turn in Trump's position on the war, from urging Kyiv to make territorial concessions to insisting it can win back all of the territory captured by Russia since 2022. However, officials cautioned that the shift appears to be rhetorical so far - as the US president still restricts US weapons from striking deep inside Russia. I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form, Trump posted on Truth Social after meeting Zelensky. Why not? US officials said the statement aimed to pressure Putin to make a peace deal. open image in gallery The US president continues to grow impatient with Putins refusal to work towards peace ( REUTERS ) The position is a stark contrast to the notorious Oval Office meeting in February, where Trump launched an unprecedented public assault on Zelensky. Trump angrily told his counterpart that he couldnt win the war against Russia, saying: You dont have the cards right now and your country is in big trouble... youre not winning this. It comes as the US president continues to grow impatient with Putins refusal to work towards peace. No tangible progress has been made since the two leaders met in Alaska last month. Trump doesn't feel like [the Russians] are putting enough on the table to end the war, vice president JD Vance said on Wednesday while speaking to reporters in North Carolina, adding that the US president believes the war is very bad for Russia. Russias economy is also beginning to struggling under the weight of its war efforts, with Putin again forced to raise taxes on Wednesday. But Trumps change of heart may not translate to policy shifts. Trump remains adamant that US will not sanction Russia while European countries persist in buying Russian oil and gas. While Trump has publicly supported European Nato action against Russian aircraft, he said US involvement would depend on the circumstances and has consistently sought to portray the war as Europes problem. 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 Nato has warned Russia that it will use all necessary military and non-military tools to defend itself, as debates continue over whether the alliance should shoot down Russian drones and jets that violate its airspace. The North Atlantic Council, Natos principal political decision-making body, met on Tuesday after Estonia invoked Article 4 of the alliances founding treaty, triggering a provision that mandates consultations if a member feels its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat. It follows an incident on Friday when three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonias airspace for 12 minutes before Nato Italian fighter jets escorted them out. It came after some 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace on 10 September, prompting Nato jets to shoot some of them down. open image in gallery One of the downed drones shared by the Polish television channel TV Republika ( Telewizja Republika ) Russia bears full responsibility for these actions, which are escalatory, risk miscalculation and endanger lives. They must stop, the alliance said in a statement following Tuesdays meeting. Russia should be in no doubt: Nato and allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions. Could Nato shoot down Russian planes? US president Donald Trump expressed his approval of a more robust response to airspace violations. Yes I do, he said when asked by reporters on Tuesday whether Nato countries should shoot down Russian jets if they enter Nato skies. open image in gallery A Russian MiG-31 fighter jet flying above the Baltic Sea after violating Estonian airspace ( Swedish Airforce ) It followed comments by the Czech president Petr Pavel, who told local media on Saturday that Nato must respond appropriately, including possibly shooting down Russian aircraft. Marko Mihkelson, head of Estonias parliamentary foreign affairs committee, suggested following in Turkeys footsteps. In 2015, Ankara shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber that entered its airspace along the Syrian border for 17 seconds after being warned repeatedly to change course. 17 seconds vs. 12 minutes. Next time, were doing that if you know what I mean, Mr Mihkelson posted on X (Twitter). Its not quite as simple as that, according to former Nato and Ministry of Defence official Nicholas Williams, who is currently a senior associate fellow of the European Leadership Network. While it is down to each of Natos 32 member states to decide how to defend its territory as Turkey did when it comes to the alliances collective response, it would depend on the rules of engagement of the mission. And when it comes to the alliances eastern flank and the Baltic air policing mission, those rules, while classified, are embedded in a reluctance to escalate without good reason, said Mr Williams. [Nato] air policing has been going on since 1961, its roots are very deep in the Cold War, [when] you had to be alert to possible violations and hostile activity, he told The Independent. But in the Cold War there was a deep instinct and procedures against escalation, because escalation would have meant catastrophe and even nuclear exchanges. So air policing derives its roots from the idea that we had to be alert in Nato to any violations, to monitor and report through superior authorities in terms of whether force was necessary but its primary function is to monitor and react to violations and escort the offending aircraft out of the territory, its not to shoot it down. open image in gallery A border fence between Estonia and Russia near the southeastern Estonian village of Vinski ( AP ) In order to down Russian aircraft in its airspace, Nato collectively would have to turn the mission into an operation and change its rules of engagement. That would be a really serious escalatory move. Some countries would say No, our aircraft and our pilots will not automatically shoot it down, we need political approval first, added Mr Williams. Its not easy and it would turn a Nato air policing defensive activity into an operation which possibly will lead to confrontation and escalation without political control. How does Natos air policing work? Nato members with fighter jets help to ensure the integrity of the airspace of the countries that lack air combat capabilities. In the case of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are all on or near Russias border, Nato has been protecting their skies since 2004, when the Baltic states joined the alliance. Nato members that have the required capabilities voluntarily contribute to the Baltic air policing mission, which rotates every four months. Italy is currently in charge of that mission. The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is responsible for the conduct of the Nato air policing mission. This role is always held by a US general, appointed by the US president and confirmed by Nato. SACEUR does not act independently and needs approval from Natos political leaders to launch missions. When a country provides the assets to the air policing mission, they do it under a set of rules of engagement so I imagine that Italians and everyone else wouldve devoted their assets on the understanding that the mission was to monitor and alert and to escort the offending aircraft out of the territory, said Mr Williams. What about drones? Drones are, theoretically, easier to shoot down than jets, said Mr Williams. On the Polish incident of 10 September, when three or four Russian drones out of 19 were shot down after crossing into Polish airspace, Mr Williams noted these were unmanned, they were probably decoys, and there was no controversy or possible escalatory implications of shooting them down. 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 Donald Trump has performed what might be his biggest and most startling shift in foreign policy to date. On Tuesday, after meeting with Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), he agreed with the notion that Nato countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace. Later, on his Truth Social platform, Trump suddenly declared that Ukraine could not only defeat Russia but WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form and even, he concluded, go further than that!. What this means in practical terms is unclear, and is likely not worth the ink to unpack. (Is Trump endorsing more Kursk-style incursions into Russian territory? Who knows.) But after months of repeatedly expressing disappointment in his former buddy-in-chief, Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump went as far as to describe the Russian army as a paper tiger. So what has changed and why? First, this is a far cry from the public bust-up in the Oval Office back in February, when Trump mocked Zelenskys military fatigues, berated him for not being thankful enough for US military aid, and shut him down because he had done a lot of talking. open image in gallery Donald Trump pictured in a heated exchange with Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office in February this year ( AFP/Getty ) In that painful-to-watch meeting, during which the Ukrainian ambassador held her head in her hands as the world looked on in horror, Trump and his vice-president, JD Vance, tried to bully Zelensky into accepting a ceasefire deal that would see Ukraine cede swathes of territory captured by Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion. You have to be thankful. You dont have the cards. Youre running low on soldiers, Trump warned. Going back to the policy reversal, of course its entirely in character for Trump to lean into bombastic, controversial statements, posted on social media, that seemingly blow up everything that came before. I recently spoke to several diplomats from the Middle East, who are currently grappling with another major war: the conflict in Gaza. They told me it was a nightmare trying to navigate the actions of such a powerful world leader who can change his position depending on who spoke to him last, or on what he believes might best serve his interests at that particular moment. (See: Trump sharing an AI-generated video of a glittering Trump Tower in his vision of a disturbingly dystopian postwar Gaza.) They went so far as to say that there isnt really a US administration, in the traditional sense, at all. Instead, they described a single man deeply invested in notions of deals and real estate, quick to tire who is surrounded by a number of individuals, some of whom hold strong ideological views, but none of whom are informed by the usual cast of genuine experts, which leaves them scrambling to make sense of ideas. open image in gallery Vladimir Putin and Trump at their summit in Anchorage, Alaska in August ( Reuters ) Second, Trump seems increasingly irritated by his inability to solve the Ukraine war, the one global crisis whose resolution could potentially win him the Nobel Peace Prize he allegedly covets. Trump has repeatedly marketed himself as the peacemaker president. His favourite line, which he repeated during his UNGA address, is that he has stopped seven wars. In a rambling speech made more chaotic by the initial lack of a teleprompter he said he had been working relentlessly on global conflicts, but confessed: Of the seven wars that I stopped, I thought [Ukraine] would be the easiest because of my relationship with President Putin. He has spoken frequently about the breakdown of that relationship, with language that almost mirrors the sort one would use in the context of a romantic breakup. He was disappointed by the outcome of the August summit in Alaska, which marked the first time Putin had been on US soil in a decade. Since then, Trump has repeatedly said that Putin has let me down. Third, there has been a concerted effort by Europe to influence Trumps view. Several European leaders have visited Washington in the past month, urging caution in dealing with Putin. They have also responded to Trumps criticism that Europe isnt doing enough by stepping up its provision of military and financial aid to Ukraine although they have faced a second line of attack, most recently in Trumps UNGA address, where he insisted that they need to stop buying Russian energy . open image in gallery A British Army Alvis Stormer Starstreak CVR-T tracked armoured vehicle of the type supplied to Ukraine by the UK in 2022 ( Alamy/PA ) Ukraine was almost certainly at the top of the agenda during Trumps second state visit to the UK last week. And finally, Trump may simply be realising that he doesnt want to back a losing horse, particularly while facing domestic pressure. In his recent Truth Social post, he wrote that he had recently learnt that Putin and Russia are in BIG economic trouble. He also said Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years in a war that, according to him, should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. That framing is almost a complete reversal from his February tirade in the Oval Office, when he shouted at Zelensky: If you didnt have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks. There has been increasing alarm back in the States at Trumps apparent willingness to cosy to up to Putin who is publicly playing him with nothing to show for it. But the biggest question is how long this new position will last. This is clearly something Zelenksy is concerned about, as he has jumped on and leaned into Trumps comments, hoping no doubt to make this the de facto, baseline position moving forward. But, as we have seen so far across both of Trumps terms in office, there are no guarantees. 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 Donald Trump has made a unique and sudden intellectual contribution to the future of Ukraine and European defence, shifting the debate away from an assumption that Kyiv must negotiate or die, to a belief that it could destroy the Kremlins army. This remarkable volte-face is being seized upon in Europe with as much vigour as was evident in the effort to look away when Trump backed Vladimir Putin over Ukraine, or when he threatened to invade Denmark and Canada. Trump says all kinds of stuff. Much of it, like his attacks on the UK after he was feted by its king, are politely ignored by a government keen to keep him onside or at least not drive him further towards the dark side. But after meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, he posted on his social media: ... after seeing the Economic trouble [the war] is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form. ... Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. open image in gallery Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky poses for a photo with Ukrainian soldiers on a frontline position at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk region ( Ukrainian Presidential Press Service ) He made no commitment to help Ukraine do that. But his statement shifted the entire debate among Ukraines allies, away from despondency towards the notion of outright victory. No other Western leader has spelt out more starkly the desire to see Russia defeated in Ukraine. For the past six months, the focus has been on how to get Ukraine to agree a ceasefire that allows for the loss of about a fifth of its territory in return for peace underwritten by (pretty feeble) Western military assurances. Europe moved fast to cement Trumps off-the-cuff response into a wider policy. We can achieve much more; not all European states have done what they promised Ukraine for a long time. We need to look at what other financial and military options we have, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul told radio station Deutschlandfunk. Russia was rattled. The Kremlin issued a statement hitting back at Trumps suggestion that Ukraine could win. As far as we understand, President Trumps statements were made after communicating with Zelensky and, apparently, under the influence of a vision set out by Zelensky, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. This vision contrasts sharply with our understanding of the current state of affairs. The fact that Ukraine is being encouraged in every possible way to continue hostilities and the argument that Ukraine can win something back is, in our view, a mistaken argument. The dynamics on the front lines speak for themselves. open image in gallery A local resident looks at destroyed Russian military vehicles displayed at St Michaels Square in Kyiv earlier this year ( AFP/Getty ) Ukraine is not winning. Neither is Russia. The war is at a bloody stalemate. Trench warfare has given way to drone conflict, while tiny groups of infantry scrabble in ruined landscapes for survival and are hunted by unmanned aircraft the size of birds. This, said Zelensky bleakly, is the most destructive arms race in human history, because soon, once drone technology is combined with artificial intelligence, dead zones of the kind found on the Ukrainian front line will spread around the world. Ten years ago, war looked different, and no one imagined that cheap drones could create dead zones, areas stretching for dozens of kilometres where nothing moves, no vehicles, no life. People used to imagine that only after a nuclear strike. Now its drone reality. He called for international controls on AI and drones, but in the meantime he has a war to fight one that the US president now says Kyiv can actually win. Ukraine showed in its 2022 summer and autumn offensives that, using fast-moving manoeuvre tactics, it can scramble Russias command structures and implode its lines. Since then it has expanded its operations into Russia itself, targeting the Kremlins fuel systems especially. Russias refining capacity has been cut by around 17 per cent, and more than a dozen significant fuel processing plants have been hit, causing the loss of around 1.1 million barrels of production a day. Meanwhile, Russias piecemeal advances on the eastern front have been achieved at a staggering human cost. British intelligence estimates that Putin has lost 236,000, killed or injured, this year and more than a million since 2022. In June, the UK said that Russia had lost 32,000 from the battlefields alone. These are informed guesses. But on the ground, Ukrainian soldiers have often spoken of the mass casualties inflicted on advancing Russians, and the enormous loss of life they endure to capture tiny pieces of land. open image in gallery In this photo provided by Ukraines 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanised Brigade press service, a soldier fires a mortar towards the positions of Russian troops near Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region, in August this year ( 93rd Mechanised Brigade ) Ukraine, meanwhile, now leads the world in drone production, making its own highly effective long-range cruise missiles. It has won the battle for the Black Sea, forcing Russian ships to hide in their harbours. Kyivs losses have also been high. Draft-dodging is an increasing problem. On the front lines, many soldiers have talked of the inevitability of a peace deal with Russia in which the Kremlin retains control over much of the east of the country. Trumps recent statement will be a morale booster for Ukrainians. Kyiv and its European allies, including the UK, will try to turn Trumps new view of the conflict into concrete military aid on the scale at which it was provided by the US until shortly after the current president stopped it shortly after taking over from Joe Biden. Europe is Ukraines main military supporter. Nato members buy weapons from America for Kyiv, but that could, conceivably, change. If the US returned to its former position, supplying military aid directly, especially long-range missiles and armour capable of withstanding drone attacks, Ukraine could return to the offensive. Russias military is demoralised. It has improved its command structure and is keeping pace with many of the advances in drone technology that the war has driven. But its trench lines are manned by starving troops with little training, led by officers at the rear who will shoot their own men if they fall back. It would be relatively easy to break the spine of the Russian military in Ukraine, and rout its forces just as Ukraine did in late 2022. He may not have meant to, but Trump has set Ukraine on the path to victory just by suggesting that its possible. 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 Donald Trump has claimed that Ukraine could win back all of the land captured by Russia since the beginning of its invasion in February 2022, in a major shift in his position on the war. The US president said in a Truth Social post that Kyivs military could win all of Ukraine back in its original form, adding that Putin and Russia are in BIG economic trouble. Military experts say Ukraine could push Russia back towards the border as it stood in 2022, and force Vladimir Putin to seek a peace deal but only in the presence of a strict, and unlikely, set of conditions. The Independent asked three experts with knowledge of Russias military, its economy, and the front line in Ukraine whether Trumps claim could be realised. open image in gallery Donald Trumps change of heart followed a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on the fringes of the UN General Assembly ( AP ) What would it take for Ukraine to drive Russia out? Experts say that in theory, Ukraine has always had the capacity to win back the 13 per cent of its territory seized by Russia since the beginning of the invasion. But in practice, it would require a specific set of conditions. Can they regain some of the territory that was lost since February 2022? I think, unquestionably, says John Lough, head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre. We saw during the offensive in late 2022 that they took back a lot of territory at that point. Ukraines troops, Lough says, are fighting extremely well given the size of the countrys military compared to that of Russia. He highlights the repeated Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries as a strategy that has inflicted damage on the Russian economy. But for Ukraine to overpower Russia militarily, he says, it would need a great deal more assistance from its allies, including an effective sky shield to protect it from nightly air attacks, and more long-range weapons. It is very difficult to see [Kyiv] getting the military capacity to overwhelm Moscows forces, adds Lough. It doesnt really look realistic unless Russia can be crippled economically. Perhaps this is what Trump is thinking of. Military push by Ukraine would take more than a year With a sustainable change in US policy to damage and pressurise the Russian economy, along with strong military support, Lough says Ukraine could take back large parts of its territory and force Putin to accept a peace deal. This cannot be done quickly, he cautions it would take at least 12 to 18 months. And while Trumps attitude appears to have shifted, Lough says he remains sceptical about whether that really is going to lead to a kind of sustainable change in US policy. Keir Giles, a Russian military expert and a senior consulting fellow at Chatham Houses Russia and Eurasia programme, says there is nothing to suggest that theres going to be any deviation from the consistent policy of the Trump administration to hang Ukraine out to dry. He says it has always been possible for Ukraine to defeat Russia, but only if the US were interested in this happening. Under Trump and Joe Biden, he says, this has not been the case. What would be required is support from the coalition of countries backing Ukraine, primarily the US, that is not conditional, he adds. open image in gallery Members of the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces fire a 2S3 Akatsiya towards Russian troops on the front line in Donetsk ( Reuters ) Military success will require the exhaustion of Russias economy Emil Kastehelmi, a military analyst at Finnish OSINT specialists Black Bird Group, is also highly doubtful of Ukraines capacity to overpower Russias military to the extent required to push it back to the 2022 border. It may be able to counterattack locally; it has actually even done that during the summer and into the fall, says Kastehelmi. But Russia has also been advancing forward, and I do not find it possible, under the current circumstances, that Ukraine would be able to take all of its land back. A precondition for Russian forces to be pushed back and Putin to be forced into peace would be the exhaustion of the Russian economy and society, he adds. But a collapse of the Russian military, in a way that would force it to withdraw on a large scale, is extremely unlikely, says Kastehelmi. Defeating the Russian military repeatedly while plotting continuous strategic military breakthroughs is an immense task that would only be possible if Western countries joined Ukraines resistance, he explains. open image in gallery Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky poses for a photo with Ukrainian soldiers on a frontline position at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk region ( Ukrainian Presidential Press Service ) How significant is Ukraines Donetsk counteroffensive? Zelensky insists that Ukraine is making major gains in the Donetsk region, where Russia has been edging forward for more than a year as it looks to seize the key strategic town of Pokrovsk. It was there that one of the most important directions of the Russian offensive was located, and they were unable to launch a fully fledged offensive there. Our military is destroying their forces, he said in his nightly video address late last week. The Russians have suffered significant losses, and the exchange fund for our country has been significantly replenished every day more Russian prisoners are being taken. But Kastehelmi says he doesnt entirely understand what Zelensky is actually talking about. He says the Ukrainian forces have made some local counterattacks, taking back some villages and areas of land, but these locations have since changed hands a couple of times. Kastehelmi is doubtful of Zelenskys claim that Ukraine has made significant gains in Donetsk. The amount of land that hes saying has been taken back seems to be over-exaggerated, and usually Zelensky is very vague while talking about these things, so its difficult to say what he actually means. I think thats more like strategic messaging towards the West, and especially towards Trump, to actually bolster these claims a little bit over the actual situation. 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 Vladimir Putin is expanding his war into Europe and no country should feel safe from the Russian threat, Volodymyr Zelensky warned in an impassioned speech to the UN General Assembly. The Ukrainian leader made a plea for countries worldwide to band together and called on the UN to help bring a halt to the most destructive arms race in human history, as he took to the stage one day after Donald Trumps hour-long speech on Tuesday. Putin will keep driving the war forward, wider and deeper, Mr Zelensky said. We told you before: Ukraine is only the first. Now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries. Putin wants to continue this war by expanding it, and no one can feel safe right now. open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at UN General Assembly ( AP ) Nato countries have rallied together against repeated Russian incursions into European airspace recently. Earlier this month, around 20 drones entered Polish airspace; last week, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian territory, where they remained for 12 minutes; and there were several other smaller-scale incursions, including into Romania. An increasingly disillusioned US president said on Tuesday that Nato member countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace. He later made surprise social media comments in a dramatic shift in tone on the Ukraine war, stating that Kyiv could push Russian forces back to the original Borders from where this War started. But Mr Zelenskys speech on Wednesday cut a graver tone than Trumps Truth Social comments. The Ukrainian president sought to put the onus for stopping the spread of chaos on the international community. He warned that without supporting Ukraine militarily and cutting Russia off economically, Putins aggression could lead to a devastating arms race. We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, Mr Zelensky told delegates, stating that AI-controlled drones will be the next major breakthrough to be used in real combat. Weapons move fast. Now companies are already working on drones that can shoot down other drones, and it's only a matter of time before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure, and targeting people all by themselves, fully autonomous and with no human involved, except the few who control AI systems. open image in gallery The Ukrainian air defence shoots down a Russian drone above Kyiv during an overnight mass drone and missile strike ( AFP/Getty ) Mr Zelensky called for global rules now for how AI can be used in weapons, adding that this is just as urgent as preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Every year that this war goes on, weapons become even more deadly. And only Russia deserves to be blamed for this, he added. Ukraine has decided to begin exporting its weapons to allies, Mr Zelensky added, promising that they dont need to start this race from scratch. "We are ready to make our modern weapons become your modern security. We have decided to open up arms export. And these are powerful systems tested in a real war when every international institution failed," he said. The Kremlin, meanwhile, earlier lashed out at a deeply mistaken Trump following his scathing social media comments, in which he also described Russias war as aimless. open image in gallery The presidents of Ukraine and the US meet during the UN General Assembly in New York ( AP ) As far as we understand, President Trumps statements were made after communicating with Zelensky and, apparently, under the influence of a vision set out by Zelensky, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. This vision contrasts sharply with our understanding of the current state of affairs. The fact that Ukraine is being encouraged in every possible way to continue hostilities and the argument that Ukraine can win something back is, in our view, a mistaken argument ... The dynamics on the front lines speak for themselves. Bristling at Mr Trumps description of the Russian military as a paper tiger, Peskov responded: Russia isnt a tiger, its more associated with a bear. There are no paper bears. Russia is a real bear. Peskov said Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov will hold talks with US secretary of state Marco Rubio later on Wednesday, where he will provide real information about the state of the front line in 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 US president Donald Trump promised Arab leaders that he would not let Israel annex the occupied West Bank, according to reports. Several Israeli ministers in prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus far-right government have called for the annexation of the West Bank, which Israel has subjected to a military occupation since 1967, in response to the growing global recognition of a Palestinian state. Arab leaders, angered by Mr Trumps support for Mr Netanyahu, and Western officials have expressed concerns that the US president could recognise Israeli sovereignty over illegal settlements in the West Bank in retaliation for the UK, Australia, France and others deciding to recognise Palestine. Mr Trump, however, has privately reassured Arab leaders during a closed-door meeting at the UN this week that he would not allow Mr Netanyahu to annex the West Bank, six people familiar with the matter told Politico. open image in gallery A Palestinian flag hangs on a pole in the centre of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank ( Reuters ) Sources said Mr Trump and his team presented a white paper outlining a plan to end the war, including the promise against the annexation of the West Bank, which is partly governed by the Palestinian Authority in a tense partnership with occupying Israel. Mr Trump met with eight Arab and Muslim leaders on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, but no official statement has been published on their discussions. Mr Trump said the meeting with all of the big players except Israel had been successful, adding that the next step will be a meeting with Israeli officials. open image in gallery Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Donald Trump at the meeting on Tuesday ( Getty ) Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was pleased with the results of the fruitful meeting, which was also attended by the leaders of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Mr Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff said the US president had presented Arab and Muslim leaders with a 21-point plan for peace in the Middle East. Were hopeful and I might say even confident that in the coming days well be able to announce some sort of breakthrough, he said. Mr Netanyahu said on Sunday that a Palestinian state will not happen, arguing that it would endanger [Israels] existence. His allies have pushed him to annex the West Bank, which is home to more than 3 million Palestinians. Israels Channel 12 reported that Mr Netanyahu had told US secretary of state Mario Rubio last week that he was under pressure by his coalition to annex part of the territory known as Area C, which constitutes 60 per cent of the West Bank. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Supermassive black holes may not be as massive as previously thought, according to a new discovery by scientists. Astronomers from the University of Southampton, working with colleagues from France, Germany, Portugal and Belgium, made the revelation after examining an infant galaxy 12 billion light-years from Earth for the first time using a new powerful telescope. It found that the supermassive black hole in the galaxy was 10 times smaller than expected, which they believe means that scientists have been overestimating the size of black holes in the universe. Professor Seb Hoenig said that the findings solved the puzzle faced by scientists of how supermassive black holes could grow to such a large size in short time periods. We have been wondering for years how its possible we discovered all these fully grown supermassive black holes in very young galaxies shortly after the Big Bang. They shouldnt have had the time to grow that massive, he said. Our results suggest the methods to weigh these black holes used previously are just not working reliably in the early universe. It could lead to a re-evaluation of our models of cosmic evolution. An artist's illustration of a rapidly feeding black hole that is emitting powerful gas outflows ( NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva/M. Zamani/University of Southampton/PA Wire ) The discovery, published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, was carried out using an advanced astronomical instrument, GRAVITY+, which combines the light of four of the worlds largest optical telescopes at the European Southern Observatorys Very Large Telescope in Chile. The team examined an ancient quasar which they described as a galaxy with a black hole so old and bright it looks like a cosmic beacon from the dawn of time. Their study showed that the quasar had a spiralling motion of hot gas with a mass 800 million times the mass of the sun, which will be swallowed up by the supermassive black hole. Prof Hoenig said: Most of the gas falling towards the supermassive black hole is being violently blasted away rather than feeding it. Think of it like a cosmic hairdryer set to maximum power: the intense radiation around it is blowing everything away that approaches it. They explained that it was this motion that was key to making the precise measurement of the mass of the black hole. The scientists state that this feeding frenzy is producing a powerful outflow of gas, which may have tricked previous examinations into believing the black hole was bigger than it actually is. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice American Airlines has been ordered to pay $11m (8.2m) in damages to a passenger who suffered a stroke on during a flight to Spain. Californian resident Jesus Plasencia was flying on flight AA68 from Miami to Madrid on 8 November 2021, when he showed signs of a transient ischemic attack, also known as a mini stroke, while the plane was parked at the gate. According to a 2023 lawsuit seen by The Independent, Mr Plasencias wife, Marcela Tavantzis, became concerned and alerted a flight attendant and the pilot. The lawsuit claimed that rather than follow American Airlines protocols, which involves contacting a medical expert either on or off the plane, the pilot dismissed Tavantziss concerns, joked with Plasencia, and cleared him for take-off. Mr Plasencia, a former chef who was 67 years old at the time, appeared to recover and was seemingly unaware of the incident. Yet, after the flight departed, Mr Plasencia suffered a severe, life-altering stroke while flying over the Atlantic Ocean. The lawsuit claims that the pilot was informed of the medical emergency and asked for the assistance of trained professionals. Medical personnel offered aid, but said the plane was not equipped with the necessary equipment, such as a blood pressure cuff, for effective assistance. Once the almost-eight-hour flight landed in Madrid, Mr Plasencia was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where he remained in a critical condition for more than three weeks. He later returned to the US in an air ambulance. Today nearly two years after the flight Plasencia can neither speak, write, nor communicate effectively, much less walk, feed, bathe himself, clothe himself, or use the toilet without assistance, the lawsuit said. Plasencia depends entirely on daily, significant, around-the-clock, in-home care and intensive rehabilitation. The lawsuit said that had American Airlines staff followed established airline protocols, medical professionals would have been consulted, a serious neurological emergency would have been identified, and Plasencia would have been transported to any number of hospitals in Miami for inpatient observation and treatment. Following a six-day trial, a US jury determined the verdict on 17 September. The couple were awarded $9.6m (7.1m) in damages, plus interest, taking the total to $11m (8.2m). It is shocking that American Airlines responded so poorly to a medical emergency like this, and it is appalling that the airline tried to defend its conduct by claiming Mr Plasencia had pre-existing conditions, Darren Nicholson, a lawyer for the couple, said in a statement. Under a treaty called the Montreal Convention, passengers have extra protections on international flights, Hannah Crowe, another representing lawyer, said. The jury rightfully determined American violated the law, and we are grateful for their verdict. An American Airlines spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times: The safety and well-being of our passengers is our highest priority. While we respect the jurys decision, we disagree with the verdict and are currently evaluating next steps. The Independent has contacted American Airlines for comment. Read more: Serious incident as passenger planes narrowly avoid collision while landing on Nice airport runway Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The plaudits keep coming for Chicago. Earlier this year, it was named as the only U.S. city to make Time Outs list of the best places in the world for culture, coming seventh in a 20-strong ranking topped by Paris. Now one of its neighborhoods has been declared by the guide as one of the coolest on the planet. Avondale, on the Northwest Side of the Windy City, comes fifth in the Top 10 Coolest Neighborhoods 2025 table, billed as steering visitors to the buzziest pockets of the worlds greatest cities. To create the ranking, Time Outs global team of local editors and experts nominated neighborhoods in their cities and ranked them against criteria including culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, street life and a hard-to-define sense of nowness. open image in gallery The top-ranked US neighborhood, pictured, is full of 'tucked-away bars, specialty markets and eccentric boutiques' ( Joe Binford, Central Park Bar ) Avondale is lauded by Time Outs Chicago expert Shannon Shreibak for the new wine bars, wellness studios and music venues that have opened alongside longtime neighborhood fixtures. She adds: Nicknamed Bricktown for its historic brickyards, Avondale still shows its industrial bones in red-brick warehouses and the occasional smokestack or steeple slicing through the sky. Its multicultural heritage and working-class character fuel a vibrant small business scene, from retro bowling alleys and antique mall-themed bars to classic Polish sausage slingers. Delve into the district, and youll find tucked-away bars, specialty markets and eccentric boutiques. A perfect day in Avondale, says Time Out, would include a coffee at family-owned Magnifico Coffee Roasters, a pastry at Loaf Lounge, a visit to Bric-a-Brac record shop and drinks at Central Park Bar. open image in gallery The No.1 neighborhood according to the Time Out ranking is Jimbocho in Tokyo ( Lewis Corner ) The No.1 neighborhood is Jimbocho in Tokyo, according to Time Out, a bibliophile nirvana alive with vintage book stores, cosy coffee shops and old-school curry houses. The top five also includes Borgerhout in Antwerp (second) considered the beating heart of the citys creative scene and Barra Funda in Sao Paulo (third), which blends industry with an alternative vibe. Fourth place goes to Londons Camberwell on account of its independent spirit. The rest of the top 10 comprises Mullae-dong, Seoul (sixth); Menilmontant, Paris (seventh); Nakatsu, Osaka (eighth); Vallila, Helsinki (ninth); and Labone in Accra, Ghana (10th). The top 10 Coolest Neighborhoods 2025 Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Dogs visiting the northern Italian city of Bolzano may soon face a charge of their own, as authorities move to introduce a tourist tax specifically for pets starting in 2026. Under a draft law announced this week, tourists bringing dogs into the provincial capital of South Tyrol must pay 1.50 (1.31) per animal per night, Ansa reported. Residents too will face an annual ownership fee of around 100 (87.28). The plan by Bolzanos provincial government is aimed at covering the rising costs of street cleaning and public services linked to dog fouling, with revenues earmarked for extra waste bins, maintenance of green spaces, and creation of designated dog areas and parks, according to a report by Il Sole 24 Ore. The proposal comes as frustration mounts among officials and residents over the impact of pets on public spaces in South Tyrol, a region popular with hikers and tourists. The proposed dog tax aims to replace a controversial DNA testing scheme introduced last year seeking to identify irresponsible owners who dont clean up after their pets through mandatory dog DNA registration. A dog DNA registration database was set up but compliance was low. The New York Times reports that a mere 12,000 of the 30,000 dog owners in the province signed up despite a 1,048 (914.54) fine for anyone refusing to comply. open image in gallery Tourists bringing dogs into Bolzano from 2026 will be required to pay 1.31 per animal per night ( Getty ) Owners of dogs who do not clean up after their pets will continue to face fines between 200 to 600 (174.5 to 523.5). Luis Walcher, provincial councillor, said that owners whose dogs were registered in the database would be exempted from the resident tax for two years. This is a fair measure because it concerns dog owners exclusively. Otherwise, sidewalk cleaning would be the responsibility of the entire community, when it must be said that the only filth on our city streets is dog waste, he said. Animal welfare organisations condemned the planned tax as unfair and counterproductive. The Italian National Animal Protection Agency warned that it could discourage people from registering or adopting dogs. After the resounding and costly failure of the absurd dog DNA project, instead of focusing on civic education, targeted checks, and citizen awareness, were once again choosing the easy way out: taxing animals and their owners, the agencys Carla Rocchi said. This measure not only penalises families and tourists who choose to travel with their dogs, but also sends a profoundly flawed message: turning animals into taxpayers cash machines. ENPA reminds us that pets are not a luxury, but an integral part of families. Targeting them with new taxes doesnt solve the problems of incivility experienced by a few, but risks only discouraging responsible travel and, even worse, encouraging abandonment. open image in gallery Tourists in the city of Bolzano in South Tyrol ( AFP via Getty ) Mayor Claudio Corrarati also criticised the tax, telling RTL radio: We would be dogs to impose a tax on dogs. Italy previously debated a national proposal to introduce a levy on cats and dogs to raise funds for debt-strapped municipalities in 2012, but it was scrapped within hours after it provoked outrage from animal welfare groups, politicians, and the public. The only thing that's left to tax are wives and children, parliamentarian Domenico Scilipoti said at the time. In 2023, the province had to impose a cap on tourist numbers to prevent overcrowding. We reached the limit of our resources, we had problems with traffic, and residents have difficulty finding places to live, Bolzano provincial council member and tourism official Arnold Schuler said. We wish you an affordable Christmas how to host, dress, socialise, gift and eat without breaking the bank The semi-state company is still gripped by boardroom turmoil Earnings at the DAA, which operates Dublin Airport and Cork Airport, dipped 1pc to 160.8m in the first half of the year as the firm invested heavily in facilities and technology at both facilities. What I spend on Christmas: I would imagine that my total will be about 2,000 and the majority of my budget will be on my own kids Apple slams European Commission tech fines as political and calls for repeal of EU Digital Markets Act The company also says that it cannot yet launch new features such as Live Translation in the EU over fears of privacy and security brought about by the recently-enacted DMA Apple campus in Cork Adrian Weckler Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 09:40 Apple has called for the repeal of the EUs Digital Markets Act (DMA), claiming that the regulation is preventing it from launching new features in Europe. Pick of the day Cheap Irish Homes RTE One, 7pm This time, Maggie Molloy searches for great value properties with Peter Cruise, a 65-year-old carpenter from Dublin. Cheap Irish Homes The Newsreader BBC Two, Today & Friday, 9pm Helen faces exposure of her past mental-health issues. Then, in Fridays final episode, the world changes forever when the Berlin Wall falls. Home Rescue: The Big Fix. Photo: Barry McCall Home Rescue: The Big Fix RTE2, 9.35pm Music teacher Carrie Haskins is ready to reclaim the Kildare home she grew up in, which she now shares with her three children. The team steps in to transform it into a warm, functional space. Carrie BBC Four, 10pm Brian De Palmas iconic horror based on Stephen Kings novel follows Sissy Spaceks shy, telekinetic teenager who is bullied at school and repressed by her mother (Piper Laurie) at home. House of Guinness Netflix, streaming now It might be from those behind Peaky Blinders, but Im hoping for more than over-acting background artists, a slew of slow-mo walking on cobbled streets, and questionable Irish accents. Set in Dublin and New York, it follows Sir Ben Guinnesss chosen offspring (Arthur and Edward) and the black sheep (Anne and Ben) dealing with the family business after his death. Wayward Netflix, streaming now If I could mainline Toni Collette and Mae Martin straight into my eyeballs for eternity, I absolutely would. But for now, this atmospheric number which is part The Program and part Bogdan more than does the trick. Alice in Borderland Netflix, streaming now Buckle up, its time to return to Borderland. Season 3 of this superior Korean offering sees our protagonists happily married apart from the hallucinations and PTSD. Then, Usagi vanishes Slow Horses Slow Horses AppleTV+, streaming now Six Feet Under, Sex and the City, The Sopranos, Dexter youve probably heard me bang on about just how disappointing the fourth series of an iconic show can be. Heading into Slow Horses fourth run last year, I was freaked it would blow harder than one of Jackson Lambs emissions after a #7 noodles. And while it did have undercurrents of a high-end episode of EastEnders on a day trip to France at times, overall, it was darkly majestic with a cracking crowd-scene climax. Now, the spy dramady, following agents serving in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending cock-ups, returns and all eyes are on resident Slough House tech pest and quintessential incel, Roddy. Last time, Roddy was romanced by bots, but now hes got an IRL girlfriend. Unfortunately for everyone, said love interest is setting off alarm bells all over the shop. Will there be more shock deaths? Will Standish get kidnapped (again)? Episodes land weekly. Sneaker Wars: Adidas V Puma Sneaker Wars: Adidas V Puma Disney+, streaming now While this story of warring German brothers creating battling brands has been trotted out a few times, none of the more recent documentaries have wielded such household names as sneakerheads David Beckham, Usain Bolt, Neymar, and more. The Railway Murders The Railway Murders Prime Video, streaming now Stark documentary charting how two childhood friends became killers, and how a determined group of women both victims and members of the police force helped to bring them to justice. Swiped Swiped Disney+, streaming now You may have seen Lily James headbanging around The One Show set with Michael Palin over the last week or so and heres why. She stars as a recent grad who defies tech industry norms to launch no less than two game-changing dating apps. Based on the true story behind Bumble, it charts her rise as the youngest self-made female billionaire after a turn at Tinder. The Reluctant Traveler AppleTV+, streaming now Armed with his bucket list, Eugene Levy is becoming increasingly more open to travelling to far-flung destinations like the US, which, for a Canadian, is pretty darn brave. Other destinations this season include Austria, Canada, England, India, Mexico, South Korea and even little ol Ireland. Haunted Hotel Haunted Hotel Netflix, streaming now Kicking off spooky season, this animated comedy features a mum juggling hotel management and hauntings from her ghostly brother voiced by Will Forte. David Tennant frequently breaking the fourth wall and some pointless gags take us out of an important and compelling story that should not be forgotten David Tennant as Nick Davies, the 'Guardian' journalist who exposed the 'News of the World' phone hacking scandal, and Toby Jones as editor Alan Rusbridger. Photo: ITV Like last years Mr Bates vs the Post Office, The Hack (ITV, every Wednesday, 9pm), which Virgin Media One will also be showing soon, dramatises an appalling scandal: the illegal phone hacking carried out by the News of the World. Journalists at the now-defunct tabloid, owned by Rupert Murdochs News International corporation, hacked into the voicemails of politicians, celebrities, royals and ordinary members of the public, including most repellently murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler before anyone knew her fate, and the victims of the July 7, 2005, London bombings. But this is where the similarities between the two series end. The Hack, a seven-parter written by the brilliant and prolific Jack Thorne, co-writer of Adolescence, is far more creatively adventurous. Unfortunately, its in ways that mostly work against it. David Tennant, careworn in a scuffed leather jacket, his hair dyed cigarette ash grey, leads a large cast as Nick Davies, The Guardian journalist whose tenacious investigation blew the scandal wide open in 2009. It led to the rolling of a few editorial and management heads and the eventual closure of the rotten-to-the-core News of the World although it was more or less reborn soon after as the Sunday edition of another rancid Murdoch organ, The Sun. We meet Davies in 2008, when hes plugging his book on BBC Radio 4s Today and not doing a particularly good job of defending his assertion that the integrity of journalism has been overwhelmed by commercialism. Too many reporters, he claims, have become passive processors of unchecked second-hand material they dont actually report anymore, they just regurgitate press releases. Hes met with scepticism by the presenter and contempt by NOTW managing editor Stuart Kuttner, played by Pip Torrens, a master at smug characters dripping with condescension. When Davies reminds everyone that NOTW royal correspondent Clive Goodman and a private investigator called Glenn Mulcaire had received prison sentences for hacking into the royal familys voicemails, Kuttner bats this away. It happened once, he says, though we now know the hacking was widespread and carried on for years. Exhausted and disillusioned, Davies tells The Guardians editor Alan Rusbridger (Mr Bates himself, Toby Jones) he wants to be assigned to something else, perhaps a gig in Brussels, but Rusbridger wants to keep him where he is. 'The Hack' features top acting talent, such as Robert Carlyle. Photo: ITV Davies enthusiasm is renewed, however, when a deep-cover source (Adrian Lester) tells him his book only scratched the surface of whats going on at the News of the World. Anyone expecting The Hack to be a straightforward story of dogged, honest, old-school journalism in the manner of All the Presidents Men or Spotlight is in for a surprise, and maybe a fair bit of disappointment with it. Thorne and director Lewis Arnold resort to all sorts of stylistic tricks and gimmicks. Davies frequently breaks the fourth wall, Fleabag-style, to deliver asides that range from wry to annoyingly smartarse. Theres a deeply silly and pointless gag about anonymous sources featuring split-second cameos by celebrities Characters representing real sources who helped him with tip-offs and information are given jokey fake names like Detective Inspector Buzz Aldrin. Adverts on the Tube come to life around him, as do pictures on his wall. Theres a deeply silly and pointless gag about anonymous sources featuring split-second cameos by celebrities, including Harry Hill, Jonathan Ross and Gabby Logan. All this nonsense does is take us out of an important and compelling story that should not be forgotten. Theres also a trite and distracting subplot about Davies son being bullied at school that seems to belong to a different series. In contrast, episode 2, which is as far as Ive got, shifts lanes to follow, in straightforward fashion, Met officer DCS Dave Cook (Robert Carlyle) as he reinvestigates the 1987 murder of private eye Daniel Morgan, a case with links to the hacking story and the issue of police corruption. The Hack is bulging with top British acting talent, including Steve Pemberton (as Murdoch), Dougray Scott, Katherine Kelly, Phil Davis, Eve Myles and Sean Pertwee. Wherever it goes next, lets hope it scales back the needless and distracting quirks. Rating: Three stars A garda accused of careless driving causing serious injury to a Brazilian delivery driver whose leg was severed on the M50 in 2023 pleads not guilty, a court has heard. Joao Henrique Ferreira, 24, who had lived in Ireland for five years, had been assisting friends in locating a stolen bicycle when the incident allegedly occurred on a slip road to the motorway in Tallaght, Dublin. Tanya Sweeney: When I moved to London in 1997 it swallowed me whole and spat me out for todays Irish twentysomethings its so much easier US President Donald Trump has welcomed the new Irish Embassy to the neighbourhood, as Tanaiste Simon Harris officially opened the new location on Pennsylvania Avenue. The new embassy, located at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC, has views of the White House and government buildings from its seventh floor location in the capital city. People who were alcohol dependent were 51pc more likely to develop dementia. Photo: PA Drinking any quantity of alcohol could increase the risk of developing dementia, new research has shown. The study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford, Yale University and the University of Cambridge, analysed data from more than 559,000 people in the UK Biobank and the US Million Veteran Programme. They feared their little boy was going to die Child (8) waits nearly two hours for ambulance after suffering horrific injury latest | Italy and Spain send ships to protect flotilla as Jim OCallaghan condemns Israeli attack on lawful flotilla Irish novelist Naoise Dolan who is onboard says we need to keep all eyes on GazaSinn Fein senator Chris Andrew also onboard flotilla The flotilla departed earlier this month from Barcelona's Moll de la Fusta with some 300 people, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau. Photo: Getty Cillian Sherlock Press Association Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 10:45 Italy and Spain have sent ships in support of the international aid flotilla that has come under Israeli drone attack while trying to deliver aid to Gaza. Independent Ireland calls for referendum on process The Taoiseach has rejected suggestions that the nomination process for the presidential election is anti-democratic after a failure of Independent candidates to get on the ballot prompted calls for changes to the rules. They want people with disabilities to work, but they constantly put us in poverty, says Dublin woman calling for more support in Budget 'I am using old busses all the time, and they're outdated and nearly broken' - Saoirse Smith Adrianna Wrona Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 06:30 A wheelchair user with cerebral palsy has appealed for more support in the Budget as she told how she had lost both her disability and mobility allowances because she is a full-time worker. Imagine Michael D and De Valera being the butt of jokes Patrick Kielty put on the green shirt to claim you can say 'whatever the f**k you want in Ireland' Imagine if hed taken Kieltys claim that you can say whatever the f**k you want in Ireland at face value and booked himself a flight to Dublin where he sits on set, opposite Kielty and tests out the thesis that Ireland is the world capital of free speech. Our critic enjoys a culinary re-imagining of how Dubliners might have eaten 100 years ago If you took a holiday outside Ireland over the summer, chances are youll have had at least a meal or two where you marvelled at the prices and the produce. In Spain last month, we struggled to spend more than 30 a head on dinner with wine. I know, I know, wages etc. But still. One evening on holiday we got to talking about what visitors to Ireland make of the food here. I sometimes watch bemused-looking tourists wandering around the city centre in search of something good to eat and long to intervene. Even the most loyal advocate for this maddeningly brilliant capital of ours has to admit many of the options are not great, and even more limited for those wanting to seek out Irish food. Whatever that it is. Dublin has been a darling of Time Outs Coolest Neighbourhoods lists Keelan Higgs is the chef and owner of one-Michelin-starred Variety Jones in Dublin. Photo: Mark Condren In what is by now an autumn tradition, Time Out has named a Dublin neighbourhood among its annual list of the worlds coolest. The Liberties ranks 23rd on the global brands ranking of the worlds 39 coolest neighbourhoods for 2025, a list topped this year by Jimbochu in Tokyo. It may be one of Dublins oldest neighbourhoods, but alongside medieval remnants and terraced houses, the Liberties is home to some of the hottest spots in town, writes Nicola Brady, a Dublin-based travel writer who also contributes regularly to the Irish Independent. Such hotspots range from Argentinian bakery, Bakeology, to classic pubs, fashion swap store Change Clothes, and the punkiest Michelin-star spot in Ireland, Variety Jones, she adds. The Liberties. Photo: Therese Aherne for Tourism Ireland This is Time Outs eighth annual list of neighbourhoods, with Borgerhout in Antwerp, Barra Funda in Sao Paulo, Camberwell in London and Avondale in Chicago rounding out the top five. Keelan Higgs is the chef and owner of one-Michelin-starred Variety Jones in Dublin. Photo: Mark Condren Today's News in 90 Seconds - September 25th Dublin has been something of a darling of the list, with Inchicore featuring in 2024, Smithfield taking the number two spot in 2023, Stoneybatter showing up in 2022 and Dublin 8 in 2021. The list is based on suggestions from Time Outs global team of editors and experts, which are ranked against criteria including culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink and that hard-to-define sense of nowness, it says. Time Outs 10 coolest neighbourhoods (2025) Jimbocho, Tokyo Borgerhout, Antwerp Barra Funda, Sao Paulo Camberwell, London Avondale, Chicago Mullae-dong, Seoul Menilmontant, Paris Nakatsu, Osaka Vallila, Helsinki Labone, Accra "Its always hotly debated, but were certain that if you visit any one of these neighbourhoods, youll get to experience the real soul of the city, said Grace Beard, travel editor at Time Out. Put simply, the neighbourhoods are places that represent the soul of these cities, while maintaining their own unique local character that draws people in to live, work and play. Benjamin Pugliese, Bakeology, Meath St. This year, were celebrating neighbourhoods in all shapes and sizes, from village-like enclaves and revitalised city-centre hubs to formerly dormant, industrial areas transformed into creative districts. "These are the spots that in-the-know locals love for affordable restaurants or fun local bars, for cutting-edge culture or unique independent businesses, and, of course, for all-around good times. In Dublin, Brady also tips the Liberties Festival, which she says is going from strength to strength, CitzenMs first Irish hotel, and classic visitor attractions like Marshs Library and St Patricks Cathedral. Other Liberties belles worth a bookmark include Two Pubs for coffee and pastries, the antique shops of Francis Street, Some Neck for vintage guitars, and killer pizza in Coke Lane at Luckys pub on Meath Street, she writes. The full list of 39 neighbourhoods is here. Shaparak Khorsandi: Donald Trump hates jokers like Jimmy Kimmel because punchlines hit harder than politics By targeting comedians, Trump is following in the footsteps of authoritarians Jimmy Kimmel at the studio ahead of his return to TV. Photo: Jimmy Kimmel Live/Instagram Shaparak Khorsandi UK Independent Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 06:30 Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television this week, meaning Donald Trump has reacquired one of his most persistent and most effective critics. Its hard not to have sympathy for Maria Steen, now out of the presidential race after falling shy of the number of nominations needed. Her criticism of an oppressive political consensus may resonate. In 2004, Al Sharpton then a US Democratic candidate said during his presidential campaign: I was fond of saying that it was high time for the Christian right to meet the right Christians. Ms Steen might agree. She secured 18 Oireachtas members for her cause, but needed 20. So now there are only three in the race: Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael, Catherine Connolly for a coalition of the left and Fianna Fails choice, Jim Gavin. Bowing out, Ms Steen said that while she could not be president, being a citizen of this country was honour enough. Her inclusion might have brought the injection of energy the race needed to engage the public. New York governor Mario Cuomo said: You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose. But any aspirations towards making hope and history rhyme seem remote, given how careful the candidates have been thus far. Ms Steen, who has a Catholic right-wing background, said she had made her bid in the hope of giving voters a real choice. The comment stung some, with Taoiseach Micheal Martin bristling at the idea that her failure to secure a place was anti-democratic. Its quite extraordinary that the people who have been criticising Fianna Fail for quite a number of years now expect us to support their candidate, he said. To most voters the issue is to find the best candidate for the job However, Catherine Connolly said a healthy democracy wouldnt be afraid of a debate on changing the nomination process. Aontus Peadar Toibin, who championed Ms Steens quest to get on the ballot paper, also decried what he saw as a democratic deficit. The sway the bigger parties have over nominations is a concern for many. In announcing Sinn Feins endorsement of Ms Connolly, party leader Mary Lou McDonald said the main thing was to see Fine Gael and Fianna Fail out of office. However, to most voters the issue is to find the best candidate for the job, and as the campaign opened, all three wasted no time in making their pitches. Ms Connolly promised to deliver compassionate diplomacy. She added that she will use the role to advocate for Irish reunification. For Fianna Fail, Jim Gavin pledged to be a positive force. He would shine a light on the great things we do, and to take care of the vulnerable. Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys, who wants to be a voice for all the people, said she hoped to unite. She said she had a decade of cabinet experience to draw on, but whether that is an advantage remains to be seen. Campaigns are as much about the candidates as the issues. Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sandburg said a politician should always have three hats one for throwing in the ring, one for talking through and one for pulling rabbits out of if elected. Voters may get to decide which is which. In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Donald Trump portrayed climate agreements as a globalist concept that forces successful nations to inflict pain on themselves. This framing is deeply misleading. The real pain comes from failing to act: fires, floods, food shortages and widespread economic disruption are not abstract risks, but lived realities that will worsen without emissions reductions. At the UN, global powers are cooling on Israel, but Donald Trump made sure MAGAs support was loud and clear on a global stage. The 56-minute speech by Trump was a rebuke to the world body and a return to form for the US president who argued for lower levels of global migration and urged a turn away from climate change policies As Dozens of world leaders gathered at the United Nations yesterday to embrace a Palestinian state, Trump rejected statehood for Palestinians, adopting the stance of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Back home Catherine Connollys claim that Hamas is part of the fabric of Palestinian society has Irelands left-wing parties scrambling. With some seeking to distance themselves from her comments. Labour Party TD Alan Kelly said he expects Ms Connolly to retract her comments that Hamas is part of the fabric of the Palestinian people, and it is up to them who should govern in any future Palestinian state. The Social Democrats have refused to back her comments, saying Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation and any future election clearly mandates the renunciation of violence. But it raises an interesting question who decides the future of Gaza? Bel Trew discusses the origins of Hamas during the first Palestinian Intifada in 1987, the groups history and success in the 2006 election and what Hamas represents now. And who decides the future of Gaza and Palestinian politics? On this episode of The Indo Daily, Kevin Doyle is joined by Tabitha Monahan, Political Reporter with The Irish Independent and Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent with the London Independent, to discuss Connollys comments, the history of Hamas, and the shifting international stage. Emergency services were deployed on Wednesday morning, September 24, to aid an injured surfer at Ballard Bay near Doonbeg in County Clare. Shortly before 7.40am, the Coast Guard was alerted to the incident, with the Kilkee unit and the Coast Guard helicopter, R115, tasked to handle the rescue mission. The man was airlifted to safety by R115 and taken to Galway University Hospital for medical treatment. A spokesperson for the Department of Transport confirmed the rescue mission was successful. Shortly before 7.40am on Wednesday, September 24, a 999 call alerted the Coast Guard to an injured surfer at Ballard Bay, County Clare, a spokesperson told the Irish Independent. The Marine Rescue Sub Centre in Valentia tasked the Kilkee Coast Guard Unit and the Coast Guard Helicopter R115 to the scene. Shortly after, the male casualty was airlifted by R115 and transferred to Galway University Hospital for medical care. A post on R115s social media confirmed the aircraft had arrived back in Shannon following this mission. RESCUE115 is now safely back at Shannon after tasking to area near Doonbeg, the post said. Tasking completed successfully and airlifted to UH Galway. Cork communities march to protect prime farmland from solar projects Campaigners say developments are poorly regulated and risk long-term damage to agriculture A map of proposed solar farms across Cork County Kevin Galvin Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 12:20 A group of communities across East Cork are coming together for a peaceful protest against what they describe as a surge of industrial-scale solar farm developments in the local area. Mallow Labour TD Eoghan Kenny raised the devastation of the recent Blackwater fish kill, calling it an ecological disaster on a scale we have never seen before in the course of a Dail debate on Wednesday. Members of the Mallow Trout Anglers discovered dead brown trout in the River Blackwater on August 11, and according to their estimations over 40,000 fish were killed in the disaster. Now, seven weeks on, the river is again open for fishing, but the cause of the fish kill is still not known. This in turn led to investigations by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Cork County Council, and the Marine Institute, Deputy Kenny said. We are looking at fish mortality in the River Blackwater on a scale we have never seen before in this country. It is heart-breaking for the wildlife and the natural habitat of the area. I would like to note specifically that the Committee on the Environment has scheduled a meeting for these agencies to appear before them on September 30th, and I want to thank the Chair for his engagement on that. However, significant concerns still remain unanswered. The bottom line is that we still do not know what killed upwards of 40,000 fish in the Blackwater, across 40 kilometres of river. That is quite extraordinary. I do not present myself as an expert in this area, nor am I a scientist in anyway, but there has to be some evidence of the particular chemical agent - referred to by IFI that killed these fish and polluted the river, Mr Kenny said. The Mallow TD cited the distress that the fish kill has had on the local community in Mallow, as well as the various angling clubs who use the river for fishing and other club activities. Mr Kenny said the fish kill has deeply distressed anglers and highlighted the importance of rivers for himself and others. People have come to realise the importance of the river and, including myself, have realised the extent of pollution within our rivers across this country. This ecological disaster has taken an emotional toll on anglers, on regular users of the river, and on the wider community. I know many people personally who have fished on the Blackwater for upwards of 50 years, and it has been deeply distressing and depressing for them, he said. Galway West Independent TD, Noel Grealish spoke on behalf of the Minister of State with special responsibility for fisheries, Timmy Dooley, who was not in attendance. Mr Grealish thanked Mr Kenny for raising the issue and said the government acknowledges the seriousness of the fish kill and said since becoming aware of the incident, Minister Dooley has been in close contact with the IFI and other relevant agencies, and he has visited the site on two occasions to consult with the local community and anglers. Mr Kenny acknowledged the efforts Mr Dooley and the government have gone to since the fish kill but pointed his criticism to the state bodies for the lack of communication to anglers and the people of Mallow in general. Minister (Grealish), I do appreciate your response, and I fully recognise the governments engagement, particularly that of Ministers Dooley and (Padraig) OSullivan, who have taken my calls and acknowledged the scale of this ecological disaster. However, my issue lies with the state agencies involved - particularly IFI. It is nearly impossible to contact them or get any reassurance that I can bring back to local anglers and the wider community. They themselves referred to a chemical agent as the likely issue in test results, yet no definitive explanation has been provided. The public deserves a clear answer in plain English, not technical language that few can understand." Furthermore, the fact that it could take 10 to 12 years for trout stocks to recover - and perhaps even longer for salmon - is difficult to accept without stronger accountability and transparency, Mr Kenny concluded. All roads led to Macroom last weekend for the annual Macroom Food Festival. The festival bathed in sunshine, smiles, and a strong sense of community spirit. A beautiful morning welcomed traders who arrived in high spirits, ready for a day full of flavour, fun, and festivity. The town quickly came alive with music, laughter, and the enticing aromas of food from near and far. Locals and visitors enjoying the atmosphere of the Macroom Food Festival Locals and visitors enjoying the atmosphere of the Macroom Food Festival Locals and visitors enjoying the atmosphere of the Macroom Food Festival Locals and visitors enjoying the atmosphere of the Macroom Food Festival This years theme was sustainability, which was centre stage according to sustainability advocate Sofia Kalfa. Ms Kalfa is a Managing Partner of Fzin Coffee, and she said the she had never seen the festival as busy. I dont know have I ever seen the festival as busy as it was this year. It was absolutely amazing. This years festival put sustainability centre stage with local producers and businesses. Locals and visitors enjoying the atmosphere of the Macroom Food Festival Locals and visitors enjoying the atmosphere of the Macroom Food Festival I think it is very important to keep the younger generation engaged in a fun and practical way, and hopefully being sustainable will just be the way they do things in everyday life, she said. The festival extended beyond the main day, with many successful events hosted over the weekend by local businesses which generously supported this years programme. Highlights included The Mulligan Rooms Latvian Night, Granvilles Jazz Session, Castle Hotels Local Produce Tasting Night, and Pop Crowleys Pop-Up Wine Bar, along with many of the pubs hosting nightly music each adding their own unique flavour to the celebrations. Peter McVerry Trust ran summer activity programmes across seven family homeless services in Dublin Peter McVerry Trust is hoping to build on the success of its first dedicated summer activity programme across its seven family homeless services. The eight-week programme, designed for children aged 1 to 17, offers children living in supported temporary accommodation a chance to enjoy fun, creativity and social connection. It consisted of weekly themed activities aimed at supporting development, encouraging social interaction, and keeping children meaningfully engaged over the summer months. Themes ranged from Nature Week, featuring bug hunts and finger painting, to Sensory Week with slime-making and a beach party. Healthy Eating Week included culinary activities such as crafting fruit popsicles, while Active Week focused on outdoor games and musical statues. Children also explored creativity during Art & Craft Week with painting and papier-mache and honed problem-solving skills during Puzzle Week. The summer concluded with a back-to-school party, celebrating the childrens achievements with games, music and keepsake boxes filled with their summer creations. Families praised the programme for providing structure and enjoyment during a challenging period. One parent said: It was overwhelming being in accommodation, but the summer camp gave our children something exciting to look forward to. They still talk about the pizza-making and the sand box. Another added: The weekly activities helped build routines and gave the children a much-needed break. The healthy snacks were a lovely touch. Hilary Walsh, Head of Family Services at Peter McVerry Trust, said: These activities are more than just fun, theyre a vital part of helping children feel safe, supported and engaged. Were incredibly proud of the creativity and care our teams brought to this programme, and grateful to the families who participated and shared their experiences. Peter McVerry Trust plans to continue and expand the summer programme in the coming years, aiming to ensure that every child in its services can experience the joy and stability that structured summer activities provide. Councillors frustrated by extraordinary delay in handover of housing units Councillors expressed their frustration at the year-long delay in allocating the social housing. Photo: Stock image Councillors in south Dublin have questioned why a block of completed social housing units in Rathfarnham were left vacant for close to a year. Responding to requests for an update on why Loreto Gate apartments on Grange Road were left vacant, South Dublin County Council (SDCC) management said the delay was extraordinary. They confirmed a handover process will begin over the next few weeks and that an Approved Housing Body (AHB) has now secured approval from the Department of Housing to acquire the units. Justin Sinnott, Social Democrats Councillor for Rathfarnham-Templeogue-Greenhills, said the gap between completing the work and handing over the homes to people had been too long. Seeing those units being vacant for 12 months now has been difficult to see, he said. On the one hand, local authorities are under a lot of pressure about what we can deliver and what we can do. In this case, the thing is we did deliver. But the gap between completing the work and handing over the keys to the people who needed these units went on for too long. He commended the councils work and report on the approval process, adding: I just wanted to put this frustration out there it reflects very bad on us as a local authority. Its important that its done in a faster way. Fianna Fail councillor Yvonne Collins enquired how long the allocation process will take following the approval. How soon after the approval will the allocation process take place given that it is now September, I hope that it will be soon, she said. Im delighted to see that those apartments are going to be moved into. It was terrible to see it vacant on a number of levels. First and foremost, on a human level, to see people who needed homes and that these were built and available for them, but just allowed to be left vacant for nearly a year with no sign of anything happening. Apartments and homes need to be built on time. If not, you end up spending public funds it can lead to maintenance bills and repair bills with no real return for it. SDCC Mayor and Labour councillor Pamela Kearns said it was the Department of Housing that had to answer for the delays. These homes have been completed for a long time. I called on a number of occasions and the answer was that it was with the Department, she said. The council needs to apply pressure on the Department as elected representatives, we need to put pressure on them. Weve done our job, the houses are built and there and ready to go. These are not answers we need from the council, its from the department. An SDCC manager said their allocations section will work closely with the AHB to ensure the process is speedy. The delay was extraordinary, its not normally this long. Normally, the application sits between the AHB and the department, while we offer support and information, they said. There were clarifications sought that we provided on time. The departments perspective is that they are obliged to carry out due diligence when approving applications. We will be mindful to make the allocation process fast and to do our best to ensure the houses are occupied as soon as possible. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme The defendant crashed shortly before starting a three-year disqualification for an earlier conviction A judge slammed a young Limerick man for his cavalier approach to driving after he pled guilty to a hit-and-run in Ballylongford last April. The collision occurred shortly before the drivers three-year driving disqualification took effect. Listowel District Court heard allegations against John Paul Gahan (23) of Shanid Upper Shanagolden, Limerick. It was alleged he left an injured party by the road after colliding with a hatchback on Bridge Street, Ballylongford, on April 22, 2024, at 9.05pm. He was also charged with dangerous driving. He failed to remain, court presenter Sgt Stephen OBrien told the court. After Mr Gahan left, the injured party was found and removed by ambulance. There was extensive damage to both cars. A gardai investigation required extensive inquiries to find out who was involved and who was driving, Sgt OBrien told the court. Judge Mark OConnell asked if Mr Gahan had offered any compensation or assistance to the injured party. If he was feeling remorseful, for instance, he could have made contact through the guards, said the judge. Folllowing the crash, Mr Gahan spoke to his mother and looked for advice, solicitor Pat Mann told the court. I just panicked on the night, he had told Mr Mann. He had also told his solicitor that he had kept his car to help, if the guards came. Judge OConnell noted the if was problematic as he should have ensured gardai were involved as early as possible. Mr Gahan had also mentioned, it was a sense of relief to be contacted by the gardai. Sgt OBrien replied, He should have stayed at the scene. Judge OConnell questioned why he did not take the initiative to contact gardai in the days following the crash if he were truly remorseful or concerned. He should have not waited for the guards to come, he should have been more forthcoming and gone to the guards a day, a few days or a week later, he said. The defendants prior convictions included driving while intoxicated, said Sgt OBrien. Mr Gahan faced a three-year disqualification that was to begin on May 24. A judge had disqualified Mr Gahan five months earlier but it had been postponed. He was due to have been off the road, said Sgt OBrien. The judge waited until the end of the session to present his verdict. He did nothing to mitigate the appalling act he committed, said the judge. He left the scene of the collision and only came forward when approached by gardai. He has displayed in his young years a cavalier approach to road safety. Judge OConnell fined Mr Gahan 750 with three months to pay, noting that he could have fined him up to 2,000 and sentenced him to six months in jail. He should count himself lucky, he added. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme West Kerry members of the Todhchai na Tuaithe (Future of Our Countryside) movement took part in the national protest calling for better funding, rights, education and housing for the Irish language and Gaeltachts in Dublin on Saturday. The Todhcai na Tuaithe members participated in the large demonstration, attended by thousands, to highlight the huge difficulties people in the West Kerry Gaeltacht face in getting housing. Renowned box player Breanndan Begley, a member of Todhcai na Tuaithe, performed at the protest. Mr Begley, who faced a 15-year long battle to get planning for a small house on his family land in Baile na bPoc, has been outspoken about how Kerry County Council planning regulations in the Gaeltacht have been detrimental to the strength of the Irish language. Planning permission for homes in the region has proven very hard to secure, even on family land, as Kerry County Council has restrictive policies in place aiming to protect the scenery of the area, which attracts many tourists each year. The Kerry County Development Plan has been criticised by Gaeltacht residents. The plan aims to protect the Irish language and Irish-speaking communities but it also commits to protecting views and prospects that are regarded as a critical part of the countys tourism infrastructure Due to the high interest in the area among tourists looking for a holiday or retirement home, as well as remote workers on high city salaries, house prices have been raised high and many locals have been priced out of living where they grew up. Todhcai na Tuaithe members believe the difficulties people face in getting housing in the Gaeltacht is having a negative knock on impact on the Irish language. They argue that if locals, who speak Irish as their first language, cannot live in their homeplace then the wellspring of the Irish language will run dry. For example, as they are unable to get housing, those born and raised in the Gaeltacht are moving and raising their families in areas where their children may not get to mix with other Irish speakers. The Irish language activists are calling on the authorities to address the situation with urgency, before the tradition of the Gaeltacht is irreparably damaged. Listowel campaigners for Irish solidarity with Palestine will display a 40-metre long blanket to demonstrate the number of children who have been killed in Gaza this weekend. Members of the weekly Listowel Vigil for Palestine will hold the blanket from 12pm to 2pm at St Johns Theatre in the Square this Friday and Saturday. The display of the blanket will take place on two of the busiest days of the towns annual Harvest Festival, so it will be sure to attract plenty of attention. The blanket has been created by Craftivism for Palestine, a group of artists who use their crafts to raise awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people. The blanket is currently made up of 2,300 crafted 6-inch squares each representing 10 children who have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. The squares of the quilt were crafted and donated by women from all 32 counties in Ireland and countries such as Canada, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Greece and England. Craftivism for Palestine is still accepting more 6-inch squares for the blanket, to represent the children who continue to be killed in Israeli assaults and starvation due to Israels blockades in Palestine. A Listowel man has said that Limerick County Council has behaved childishly in not including his town on signs on the Limerick Greenway. The Greenway, developed on an 85km stretch of the old Limerick to Tralee railway line, starts in Rathkeale and travels through Ardagh, Newcastle West, Barnagh, Templeglantine and Abbeyfeale before ending in Listowel. Katrina Breen and Eleanor O'Doherty at the launch of the fundraiser. Photo by Tatyana McGough Members of the Killarney South Kerry branch of the Irish Cancer Society launched a special Pink Ribbon street collection fundraiser on Tuesday morning. Katrina Breen and Eleanor ODoherty were on hand at the Killarney Court Hotel to launch the collection, which will raise vital funds to support breast cancer patients and their families across the country on Friday, October 3. Those interested in finding out more about the fundraiser can visit cancer.ie. A 20,000.00 cheque was presented to St Francis Special School by AIB representatives on Tuesday, 23 September. Photo by Tatyana McGough A 20,000.00 cheque was presented to St Francis Special School by AIB representatives on Tuesday, 23 September.Photo from l-r: Colm Cooper AIB Kenmare, Margaret Griffin and Mary Griffin AIB Killorglin, Colin McGillicuddy Principal, Sean Foley Vice Principal, Jean O'Sullivan Chairperson of Parents Community. Photo by Tatyana McGough St Francis Special School on Wednesday announced that it has been nominated by their local community to receive 20,000 in funding from the fourth annual AIB Community 1 Million Fund to help with its work in the Kerry community. In just four years, the AIB Community 1 Million Fund will have supported 296 charities across Ireland. Earlier this year, AIB asked its customers, the wider public, and staff to again nominate registered charities, that connect with causes that matter most to them and their communities, in the AIB Community 1 Million Fund. To those charities chosen by the customers and wider public, AIB is allocating 700,000 across the four provinces and a separate category for charities in the greater Dublin area, while 300,000 will be donated to charities chosen by employees. AIB is committed to connecting customers with their local community groups. They have introduced, through their partnership with Payzone a donation feature on the AIB Mobile app, enabling customers to donate to their nominated charities directly on the app. The charities will be listed on the app for the year following nomination. Speaking about receipt of the award, Jean OSullivan from St Francis Special School had the following to say: We are thrilled to receive this funding from the AIB Community 1 Million Fund, which is crucial for maintaining the services we offer to our community. AIBs ongoing support for local organisations is invaluable, and we have witnessed the positive impact on other local groups that received funding last year. The publics nomination makes this particularly special for us. Its touching because it shows that our efforts in the community are being acknowledged. Thank you to everyone who is involved in St Francis Special School and a special thanks to AIB for setting up this important fund. Speaking about the Fund, AIB Managing Director Retail Banking, Geraldine Casey said: We are delighted once again this year to support over 66 charities through the AIB Community 1 Million Fund. AIB is deeply rooted in towns and villages across the country, and we are privileged to be able to provide much needed funding to those who are making such a powerful contribution to improving the lives of those who live in these communities. I would like to thank our customers and the public for taking the time to nominate these very worthy charities. Years of unresolved Limerick wind farm complaints prompt council to seek HSE help Residents near wind farms across Limerick report 'unbearable' noise keeping them awake at night, with multiple complaints closed without resolution as council calls for HSE involvement Children from Coolcappa Co Limerick, David Hodgkins, Tom Dowling, Charlotte O'Mara, and Joathan Laing, were among members of over 50 communities from 20 counties around Ireland previously protesting outside the Dail. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke Jasmin Griffin Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 08:00 Limerick councillors have unanimously backed a motion calling for all current and future wind turbine noise and shadow flicker complaints to be referred to the HSE for investigation as they say the council does not have the expertise to adjudicate on matters purporting to affect peoples health. A Louth councillor has called for questions to be asked on shops which, he said, appeared to be making profits despite little footfall. Speaking at the September meeting of Louth County Council, Cllr. Ciaran Fisher said the council had previously asked for a letter to be written to the Revenue office in Dundalk to ask if they could meet with councillors. He said there were a number of issues which members wanted to raise, including the business premises in Dundalk where the footfall doesnt seem to be commensurate with the profits being made. Cllr Ciaran Fisher (Independent) Today's News in 90 Seconds - September 25th "We see a lot of these shops popping up, they dont seem to have a lot of customers, but they are able to pay their rent. I think it is something revenue should investigate. Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Sean Kelly, told the meeting this would be looked at again. Cllr. Pio Smith asked if the council inspect shop fronts to see if they are complying with shop front guidelines if they are in receipt of grants to carry out works. Thomas McEvoy, Deputy Chief Executive, Louth County Council said any business in receipt of a grant must comply with the shopfront guidelines. He said the council also review shopfronts as part of unauthorised development planning compliance, which is a different mechanism, but involves monitoring of shopfronts. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme The National Council for Special Needs Education have been asked to clarify guidance criteria for SNAs at primary school level amid concerns that children who are determined as not having a high enough need for aid could lose their SNA Following the publishing of proposed guidelines by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) expressed concern that they could be facing redeployment or job uncertainty next year if the new proposed guidelines are implemented. Sophie Brady Today's News in 90 Seconds - September 26th The 2025/26 guidelines for the review of SNA allocations outline that there are plans to decrease the level of care need identified in schools as the care needs of the children could be appropriately supported with less resources than are currently allocated. However, following engagements by Forsa with the Dail Joint Committee for Education and Youth, the guidance on how SNA reviews will be conducted will be clarified. Prior to the statement published by Forsa that talks had taken place on Wednesday, September 24, Sophie Brady, an SNA from Trim, Co. Meath expressed her anger and concerns in a video posted to TikTok where she spoke about the impact of these guidelines on children who face having their SNAs revoked. She told the Irish Independent: Its just so unfair, theyre literally the most vulnerable people in our society and they just continually get rained on, its awful, by the people that are supposed to protect them, this is the system that was put in place from the department and its completely failing them. The document published by the NCSE stated that there are two phases in the determination of an NCSE review of an SNA allocation to a school. Phase one of the review is completed by the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) which involves a review of the significant primary care needs of students in the school, a review of school SNA deployment practice and a request for detail on practices relating to the management of behaviour in the school community. The second phase is carried out by an SNA review panel who are tasked with analysing the information and detail gathered and presented by the SENO and a determination of the outcome of the review while taking into account the national profile of need. The NCSE have said the role of the SNA review panel is to ensure children with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support in line with all national budgetary parameters. Included in the NCSEs proposed guidelines is a reference to behaviours of concern as an instance where SNA support should not be considered as the first response for the management of behaviour. Sophie believes that this reference is a huge cause for concern: Theyre saying that behaviours of concern dont qualify for support anymore, so theyre just excluding thousands of kids straight away because a behavioural concern is a child that is really disconnected from their class and theyre not engaging, she said. The 2025/26 guidelines for the review of SNA allocations outline that there are plans to decrease the level of care need identified in schools as the care needs of the children could be appropriately supported with less resources than are currently allocated. "They might have mental health things that youd be concerned about or even things like ADHD are not going to fall underneath the guidelines. However, following engagements with Forsa, the NCSE and the Department of Education have confirmed in evidence to the Committee that they will be writing to schools that there will be no change or narrowing of the criteria for SNA supports being provided to children. The NCSE and the Department also said that SNA allocations to Special Classes will not be affected by any reviews and schools will not required to transfer SNAs from mainstream classes in order to maintain staffing in Special Classes. Schools will also be able to request additional resources after October 14 if pressing needs are identified. Sophie said that she found out about the guidelines when the document was posted to an SNA interview preparation page on Facebook and expressed her concerns that this will directly and negatively affect thousands of children across Ireland. She said: "Kids who rely on a consistent and familiar SNA are going to lose that stability, so theyre going to feel completely unsafe in school. "Anybody with a child with needs knows that structure, routine, stability, these are all the things that help those kids function and just get through the day and with all of these things they actually do come to fruition, were going to see in schools around the country so many more school refusals. Theres going to be no relationship trust at all and weve built that, some of us for years with one particular child Sophie said that for many children, an SNA is sometimes the only person that a they feel safe with and rely on them to stay regulated and to feel included. She said: Theres going to be no relationship trust at all and weve built that, some of us for years with one particular child. "The NCSE have also come out and said that if theres a surplus of SNAs in any school, theyre going to lose those posts and be re-deployed next year, I dont know any school in the country that has a surplus of SNAs, were in massive need for more in every single school all the time. The NCSE outlines that behaviours of concern should be explored to find the behind the behaviour citing communication from the child or young person as to what their reason is. The section also states that behaviour should be supported holistically with whole school and whole class approaches along with the individual needs supported by the class teacher with advice and support from a special education teacher where necessary. Sophie said: "The teachers are under so much pressure and stress as is, they have 30 kids in front of them, they cannot give the aid that is needed to the level of care that an SNA one on one would provide, theres no way a teacher could do that in a classroom full of 30 children. "The schools are under massive pressure, theyre going to face more admin, there will be shorter timelines, fewer resources and that just means children are going to massively miss out on the help that they need. There are currently more than 21,000 SNAs working in Irish schools and yet, according to a survey conducted by Inclusion Ireland in 2024, out of 492 responses from parents of children with a disability, just 14pc said that their child is thriving at school and 22pc are lacking in appropriate supports. Other findings included that while 41pc of children are having good days and bad days, 4pc are not attending school due to a lack of support and 8pc are experiencing emotionally based school avoidance. The NCSE stated that approximately 1,400 school reviews had taken place over the last 12 months which Forsa said demonstrates the need for considerable additional SNA posts to be funded in the upcoming Budget 2026. Forsa have said they are not aware at this time of any reductions to mainstream SNA allocations taking place following a request for an exceptional review and no posts have been lost as a consequence of a routine school review. The agreement reached on implementing a redeployment scheme for the 2026 school year is to provide a system that ensures that should any problems arise, SNAs will be transferred to alternative posts in the same way that teachers can avail of redeployment. ATU has been praised for its marine research Atlantic Technological University has been ranked at number one in Ireland and three in the World for its marine pollution research. Recent ScholarGPS analyses gave the ATU its high ranking for contributions to the marine pollution discipline over the last five years. ScholarGPS is a leading international analytics platform that evaluates scholarly performance based on impact, productivity, and collaboration. Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU, acknowledged the achievement, stating: I am not surprised to see our marine research team delivering these truly world-class outcomes. This ranking reflects the level of excellence and dedication of our researchers over many years, whose work has already driven meaningful contributions to global and societal development across our marine and freshwater ecosystems. Their research will continue to support national and international changes, and deliver real impact in enhancing policy, governance, and, of course, our environment. This ranking places ATU among the world's leading universities who are addressing the planets most pressing environmental challenges: pollution in our oceans, seas, and coastal waters. With several campuses located across Irelands western and north western coasts, ATU has a growing influence in the Blue Economy. The coastal campuses and strong ties with industry, government, and community stakeholders together position the university as a centre for impactful research in the marine field. Acting Vice-President of Research and Innovation, Dr Des Foley, notes that: Maritime research will play a key role in shaping the landscape of Irelands Blue Economy across industry, academia, and the environment. This achievement showcases the outstanding work of ATUs research community to enhance marine, planetary, and human health, all of which has a global impact. Dr. Deirdre Brophy, Head of the Marine and Freshwater Research Centre at ATU, said: This ranking reflects more than just outputits about the real-world relevance and reach of our work. We are proud to be developing tools and knowledge that help communities, policymakers, and industries make informed decisions to protect marine ecosystems. This achievement is the result of a diverse programme of work contributed over the last 15 years by staff and students at ATU that has investigated: -Pollution impact on our environment and organisms, including marine mammals, fish shellfish, and birds, and their behavioural changes. -Public awareness and attitudes, including using citizen science to gather data and artwork to highlight the environmental impact of climate change. -The development of monitoring tools and technologies to help identify the distribution and abundance of pollution sources. ATUs research community and its interdisciplinary teams also lead pioneering research to address some of the most critical threats to marine health: News that HSE CEO for the West and North West, Tony Canavan, will convene a special meeting for public representatives in the wake of concerns raised at the recent Regional Health Forum, has been welcomed by local Councillor, Edel McSharry. At the meeting, Cllr McSharry highlighted the growing crisis around delayed discharges, the lack of residential care beds, insufficient home care packages, and severe Emergency Department overcrowding in Sligo University Hospital and across the region. She asked for specific, measurable plans to deal with both the immediate summer surge and the medium-term pressures that are escalating month on month. Mr Canavan has acknowledged the scale of the challenge across the North West/West regions in his correspondence to public representatives. It was stated that Emergency Department attendances have increased by 4% this year compared to 2024, with rises of 6% in July and 7% in August, while admission of patients over 75 have risen by 4.3% year-to-date and by 9% in August alone. It was also stated by Mr Canavan in correspondence that over 5,000 additional bed days have been lost due to delayed transfers of care in the first seven months of 2025 compared to last year. These factors have placed unprecedented strain on acute hospitals, resulting in unacceptable overcrowding and longer waiting times for patients. Mr Canavan confirmed that the HSE is taking a number of measures, including maximising use of private bed capacity; expanding minor injury and advanced nurse practitioner services in ED; extending diagnostic operating hours; increasing weekend discharges with senior consultants present on site; Implementing the MADE (Multi-Agency Discharge Event) initiative to speed up discharges to community services and adhering to the Hospital Escalation Framework with surge capacity as required. Speaking in the wake of the Regional Health Forum Cllr McSharry stressed the need for intervention saying the current situation is not sustainable. "I welcome this briefing and the recognition that urgent and medium-term interventions are needed. The numbers we are seeing - more patients attending, more elderly patients admitted, and thousands of additional bed days lost - are not sustainable. Patients and families across Sligo and the North West deserve a clear plan and clear timelines on how these issues will be addressed. I will continue to push for greater investment in residential beds and home care packages so that older people can be discharged safely and quickly, freeing up much-needed hospital capacity." The special briefing for public representatives will take place in the coming weeks, where Mr Canavan will set out the HSEs immediate and medium-term plans to deal with overcrowding, delayed discharges and bed shortages in the North West. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Andrew Tarrant had recently become principal solicitor at Tarrant and Tarrant following the retirement of his father, David The community in Arklow and Wicklow have been left heartbroken by the sudden death of local solicitor Andrew Tarrant, of Tarrant and Tarrant Solicitors. Andrew died unexpectedly on September 21 at St Vincents University Hospital in Dublin aged just 49. A third-generation solicitor, Andrew followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Cyril and his father David and had been well-respected in legal circles. The legal career of the Tarrant family date back to 1894 in Sligo. Andrew had recently taken over as principal solicitor of the family firm after the retirement of his father, David. He was widely admired for his professionalism, his kindness and his dedication to clients. As a mark of respect a minutes silence was held on September 24 at Arklow District Court to remember Andrew and his contribution to the legal community in Wicklow. Friends and colleagues described him as a man who always put people first. In a statement a spokesperson for Maguire McNeice Solicitors said: Andrew was the third generation of Tarrants to serve the people of Wicklow and Wexford. His grandfather Cyril was a legendary practitioner in our courts. "HIs father David is well-known as the unofficial archivist of District 16 and 23. in my personal dealings with Andrew I found him to be an excellent colleague whose primary concern was always his clients welfare. His loss at such a young age is a terrible tragedy for his family and also a huge loss to the legal community in County Wicklow. "On behalf of the practitioners practising in District 16 we want to express our deepest sympathies to his wife Sinead, his children Max and Emile, to his father David, his sisters Aileen and Niamh. Andrew was the beloved husband of Sinead (nee OShea) and a devoted dad to Max and Emily. He was the cherished son of David and the late Paula, and a much-loved brother of Niamh and Aileen. One message of condolence read: We are in total shock. Thinking of you all at this sad time. May Andrew rest in peace. Another mourner wrote: I enjoyed many a day down in Wicklow with Andrew. More recently, when he supported me in a professional capacity, he couldnt have been asked for more. Our heartfelt condolences go to Sinead, David, Niamh and Aileen and all the extended Tarrant family. Another tribute read: Andrew was a dear friend and cherished by all who knew him. We have the fondest memories of our time together in UCG. Andrew was a gem. One person described him as a man filled with compassion. Andrew travelled through this life with compassion, kindness, authenticity and great wit, and carried his many accomplishments lightly. A carefree spirit, with the most caring heart. Rest easy now Andrew I will always remember you with a smile. Among the many messages of sympathy, staff and pupils at Ballycoog National School paid warm tribute. On a school level, Andrew was an integral member of our Board of Management whose contributions were always valued. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Warm tributes were also paid to Andrew Tarrant at Gorey District Court on Wednesday, September 24, reflecting the deep respect in which he was held. Speaking on behalf of the solicitors, Macarten OGorman offered sincere condolences to his family. Donna Kelly, representing the Bar of Ireland, expressed her sympathies. Sergeant Stephen Ennis spoke on behalf of An Garda Siochana, extending heartfelt sympathies. Judge John Cheatle, on behalf of the Court Service, also paid tribute. Deepest sympathies were extended to Andrews family, with each speaker honouring his memory and offering heartfelt condolences. Andrews remains will be reposing at Hudsons Funeral Home, Arklow, on Thursday from 3pm to 7pm. His removal will take place on Friday morning at 9.30am to the Church of Saints Mary and Peter, Arklow, arriving for funeral mass at 10am. A private cremation service will follow on Saturday at 1.45pm in Mount Jerome Crematorium, Harolds Cross, Dublin. Family flowers only are requested, with donations in lieu, if desired, to Wicklow Hospice. As a mark of respect, the office of Tarrant & Tarrant Solicitors in Arklow will close on Friday. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme This article was amended on Thursday, September 25, 2025 to correct Mr Tarrants age. A Wicklow-Wexford TD has been chosen to attend the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York due to his strong voice in relation to Gaza. Deputy Brian Brennan is currently in New York, and said he was honoured to be chosen to be included in the Irish delegation. He took part in the event to discuss ongoing challenges in the world, with Brians focus on Gaza. Brian Brennan, General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. We simply must demand a ceasefire, and the EU must play a stronger part in accomplishing this, he said. On Monday, September 22, the United Nations resumed the international conference for the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the Two-State Solution. Deputy Brian also said that the EU must look at the EU and Israel trade agreement to emphasise the need for a ceasefire. Brian further spoke about the situation in Gaza: People are watching innocent people, medics, humanitarian workers, journalists and the most shocking of all, children being killed on a daily basis and we must do everything in our power to stop this. Brian said the conference aimed to reaffirm international commitments to the Two-State solution and seek to mobilise support for its implementation. We have all witnessed on our phone screens and TV screens the horrors that have unfolded over the last two years and it is hard to escape some of the images. Both the Taoiseach, Michael Martin and Tanaiste, Simon Harris have also attended along with representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs. Among the key speakers will be President of the United States, Donald Trump. Brian Brennan with Javoc Milatovic, President of Montenegro. Brian Brennan with King of Sweden, Carl Gustaf. Deputy Brennan had the chance to meet several political figures including the President of Montenegro and King of Sweden, Carl Gustaf, Giorgos Gerapetritis, Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs and Penny Wong, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs. In July 2025, Brian travelled to Egypt and spoke about speaking to Palestinian people on the ground. I myself travelled to Egypt to meet with NGOs on the ground and to talk to some of the Palestinian people who have been displaced, injured and have lost everything and everyone who are currently seeking refuge having been driven from their own land. He further said many constituents across Wicklow and Wexford have asked him to step in and fight for a resolution. I could not the count the number of times that Ive been asked to fight for a resolution to this atrocity. Counting the finally tally of rubbish during Duncannon's big beach clean last weekend were local team members Niall O'Muilleoir, Danny Ahern, Walter Foley and Serhii Cepren A Co Wexford coastal community took it upon themselves to participate in this years Big Beach Clean, where the residents are determined to reclaim their blue flag status. The Big Beach Clean is an annual call-to-action run by An Taisce as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), operated internationally by Ocean Conservancy, which encourages individuals, communities and volunteers from around the country to remove litter from the Irish coast and waterways at the end of the Irish bathing season. On Saturday, September 20, those who took to Duncannon beach were content with how the ongoing efforts of locals were apparent with how little rubbish was laying around for picking up on the day. The local Beach Clean organisers decided to focus their attention on the dunes, located just above Duncannons ever-popular golden sands that needed serious attention. Commenting on the Duncannon Big Beach Clean, event organiser, Walter Foley said: We had 20 local volunteers working tirelessly across six teams, backed up by car-and-trailer collections, who then filled 20 of Clean Coasts big, blue sacks with an assortment of rubbish and marine debris. They did a great job of ferreting out the litter from those hard-to-reach corners of our upper beach area that dont normally get as much attention as the shoreline sands, Mr Foley continued. Im delighted to report that the beach itself was already clean and produced only a couple of bags of litter, washed in by the tide. Its testament to the pride taken in our beautiful beach, an example of Gra don Tra, as we say in Irish. This years very successful clean-up is a vital contribution to our efforts to win back the Blue Flag Duncannon Beach lost 20 years ago. Weve had a fantastic tourist season this summer, with excellent quality bathing water thats now the norm. Along with the revival of our annual village festival run by Duncannon Village Renewal that brought thousands to the beach, fort and village, were well on our way to claiming back the flag, Mr Foley concluded. Incident which resulted in major power outage is currently under garda investigation Three suspects who crashed a stolen car into an ESB pole causing a power outage for hundreds of people in Wexford are currently under Garda investigation. Gardai in the New Ross area are investigating all circumstances of an incident on Thursday, September 11 where a car, which was reported as stolen, was crashed into an electricity pole at Houghton Place. The silver 141-D Renault Scenic was crashed at 5am, resulting in residents in the area waking to no power in their homes. A male and two females were observed by a witness as they fled from the car. When gardai arrived at the scene and approached the car it was locked, and there were clear signs that there was an attempt to set the car on fire, however their efforts were unsuccessful. The ESB Networks has confirmed that the outage in the area at the time was caused by the car ramming into the pole. ESB Networks crews mobilised quickly and repairs were conducted throughout the day to make the area safe, said a spokesperson for the ESB. As part of this work, there was an interruption to supply to customers in the area. This incident serves as a timely reminder that damage to our network by third parties can occur from time to time. We run extensive public awareness campaigns on staying safe and staying clear of our network. "We acknowledge the disruption to family and commercial life this causes and thank our customers for their patience, the statement concluded. The car was removed from the scene by Gardai for examination. Gardai are now reviewing CCTV footage in the area and are asking any other witnesses to come forward and contact New Ross Garda Station on (051) 426 030 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. A change to weekend programming at South East Radio will see a new talk show being added to its schedule, with local journalist John Moynihan leading the way. Saturday Morning Live with John Moynihan will be a fast-paced show, featuring interviews and discussions with some of Wexfords best-known voices, as well as giving a platform to those who have interesting stories to share. The programme will have a news and current affairs focus, while also containing magazine-style items. While the majority of the programme will come live from South East Radios studios in Wexford, certain elements will come from the areas that may be the subject of discussion, as John visits different pockets of county Wexford and beyond with his microphone. The 60-minute programme will be entirely talk-based, though musical acts and local artists will also feature in the programme. The show will also have a social media presence, with many of the interviews and pieces being available online and playback of the show will be available in-full shortly after each broadcast, from the South East Radio website, and via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and all other major podcast providers. The programme will be presented by Ferns native, John Moynihan, who has been working with the station for the past 18 months, and is a Masters in Journalism graduate. John has been working in local radio for a total of four years on a part-time basis, alongside his full-time career as a primary school teacher. Since joining South East Radio, John has been working predominantly as a broadcast journalist, anchoring South East Radios news coverage on Saturdays and holiday periods, but he has also worn many different hats at the station, having covered almost every programme on the stations schedule as a presenter. Speaking ahead of the launch of Saturday Morning Live, John expressed that he was very excited to get started and said: Im absolutely delighted to have been given the opportunity to present my own weekend talk show programme which will hopefully become a staple to Saturday morning listeners Its a real honour to be on the schedule alongside long-standing programmes such as Tony Kehoes Country and Irish, Michael Doyles I Remember and Alan Maguires Saturday Show, and I really hope that listeners enjoy my new talk offering amongst all of those popular shows, John said. The News Editor of the station, Alan Corcoran also commented on the newest segment to the Wexford station. He said: This new programme is a wonderful addition to our weekend schedule and as John has a vast knowledge of his native county and has proven to be a very versatile and successful member of our team, we are really looking forward to this new and exciting offering on a Saturday morning." Saturday Morning Live with John Moynihan will air its first programme on Saturday, September 27 at 10.30am, and can be heard on 95.6-96.4FM, online at southeastradio.ie, on smart speaker and on your phone via the South East Radio app. The launch takes place on Thursday, in Wexford Library at 5.30pm A new free, weekly, confidential mental health support group, called Grow Mental Health, is starting in the Shamrock Room, Clonard Community Centre, Wexford Town on October 6 from 4pm-6pm. An information evening will be held on Thursday, September 25, at 5:30pm in Wexford Library. This informal evening will be a chance to connect, hear real stories of recovery from Grow Mental Health members and learn how peer support can play a powerful role in mental wellbeing. Grow Mental Health is open to anyone over 18 and ideal for anyone facing mental health challenges who might benefit from community-based, peer-led support. It is a community of people drawn together by their first-hand experiences of mental health challenges. Having found practical ways of helping each other recover from mental health challenges or life struggles, they developed The Grow Program. Grow Mental Health meet weekly in locations all over Ireland and online, and the peer supports are free for over 18s, with referral needed, no waiting lists and meetings are confidential and carried out in a supportive setting. Grow Mental Health uses the 12 Steps of Recovery to help people help people to take back control over their own lives. Newcastle parish will bring people and pets together in an effort to raise much needed funds for the Al Alhi Hospital in Gaza which has a long standing relationship with the parish. The Newcastle dog show lined up for Saturday, October 4, will also help raise funds for restoration works to the 230 year old Newcastle Church. In December 2023 the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough raised more than 4,000 through their Christmas appeal Shine a Light for the Diocese of Jerusalem to help rebuild the hospital following an explosion in its grounds in mid-October. On Thursday, Israeli strikes hit near the Al Ahli Hospital, killing four people. Speaking abut the upcoming fundraising dog show, Archdeacon of Glendalough Ross Styles said: Not only is this a significant day for gathering the community to celebrate their dogs and enjoy lots of fun together, but it is also a day to raise much-needed funds for the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, who face huge daily obstacles to continue to care for the people of Gaza. As the only Christian hospital who cares for all in the region, it is our privilege to do what we can to help them. The hospital is run by the Diocese of Jerusalem The hospital building has been badly damaged a number of times and they are currently mostly working out of tents. I was in touch with the clergy there and they want our prayers and support. Its a Christian hospital but they treat everyone, and are carrying out a huge amount of work at the moment. Hopefully, there will be peace sooner rather than later, but in the meantime, we want to offer all the support we can muster to Al Alhi Hospital. The parish fundraiser will also help raise funds for the restoration of Newcastle Church. Usable items being carried from the heavily damaged Al Alhi Hospital in October of 2023. Revd. Ross Styles added: Our church is 230 years old. This is both a wonderful place to worship and an integral part of Newcastle's and the Wicklow area's history, and is in urgent need of repair. The building was reconfigured in the 1800s but time eventually catches up with all buildings. We have a lot of restoration works planned for the church and it will probably be a four to five year project. We aim to start off with some work on the tower and we are delighted to have the opportunity to fundraise for its restoration as part of our community day. The dog show takes place in Newcastle Parish Hall on Saturday, October 4, from 1.30pm. Dogs and people of all ages can participate in classes that range from fancy dress, best rescue and golden oldies to the humorous It wasnt me class for all those doggies who like to live on the wild side. A raffle and a free barbeque, with donations to Gaza, will also be held on the day. Entries for the dog show are via www.eventbrite.ie costing 6. Entries on the day will cost 7. This viral product will help you build seamless coverage If theres one product thats always going to pique my interest, its a new foundation. The world of beauty is skin-obsessed, but achieving perfect skin is unrealistic for most people. Unless you win the genetic lottery or have a bottomless bank account and access to the worlds leading dermatologists and aesthetic professionals, chances are you have some skin concerns. Foundation, however, represents the opportunity to hide those concerns. The right foundation, beauty marketing tells us, can deliver us the skin of our dreams... or at least skin that resembles the skin of our dreams. For that reason, innovation in the world of complexion products is constant. There is always something new around the corner, both in terms of trends and in terms of new product development, and chances are were all going to hop on it like rabid dogs. The latest category of foundation to grab the world of beautys attention is cushion foundation. Like many other product launches in 2025, cushion foundation originated in South Korea, where skin that looks like skin is top priority for beauty lovers. Cushion foundation is usually a hybrid product, featuring a combination of skincare ingredients, sun protection and the foundation itself, which is one of the reasons the finish is dewy and natural. Unlike some other foundation categories, cushion foundations are easy to apply lightly in layers, which means you can easily mimic natural skin and build seamless coverage in the areas you need it. The product comes in a compact, and is usually suspended in a cushion within it, allowing you to apply product by pressing a sponge onto it before tapping it onto your face. Tirtir Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation If you watch a lot of beauty content on social media, you may be familiar with Tirtir, a Korean brand whose Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation (25 via boots.ie) went viral last year. Content creators were blown away by the coverage they were able to achieve with just a light layer of product, and how natural it looked. Laneige Neo Cushion Foundation Tirtir isnt the only Korean brand knocking it out of the park with a cushion foundation. Laneige, which is best known in this part of the world for its lip masks, also produces two great options in this category. While most cushion foundations result in dewy skin (and Laneiges Neo Cushion Glow delivers just that), Neo Cushion Matte (33.66 via yesstyle.com) delivers weightless, light-to-medium coverage with a matte finish. Sculpted by Aimee Cream Cushion Foundation Now, though, we dont need to look to Korean brands for a great cushion foundation. Earlier this week, Sculpted by Aimee launched Cream Cushion (32, or 28 for a refill, via sculptedbyaimee.com), which has been in development since January 2024. The formula combines skincare, make-up and sun protection beautifully, and feels absolutely weightless on the skin. Ive been wearing Cream Cushion for the last week, and dont see myself stopping any time soon. If you like your skin to look glowing and clear, youll love this. Available in 30 shades, its going to be a big hit. Lost in translation Essences have become a big category in skincare, but what are they? Essentially, essences are lightweight, water-based products which are usually used in between toners and serums in a skincare routine. The step is essentially used to hydrate the skin and prepare it for the rest of your skincare routine, allowing the skin to absorb the products most effectively. Do I think you need one? Not really. Can they be a pleasant step if you enjoy a lengthy skincare routine? Absolutely. Do what you will! Something old... Charlotte Tilburys Eyes to Mesmerise I absolutely love a cream eyeshadow. They blend easily, and where once we had to be concerned with creasing, contemporary formulas ensure that once theyve dried down, they dont budge until you remove them. There are lots of excellent formulas on the market, but one I come back to time and time again is Charlotte Tilburys Eyes to Mesmerise cream shadow (35 via charlottetilbury.com). Available in eight shimmery shades, these deliver immediate impact easily. The range mainly includes shades of pinks, golds and bronzes, meaning theres one which will suit everyone, and the mousse-like formula is gorgeous. If you like a one-and-done eye product which will deliver a complete look, these are for you. Something new No 7 Gilded Glimmer Cream Eyeshadow Boots No 7 brand has always delivered a solid standard of product, but last year it launched the Pro Artist range, which levels things up again. The range was designed to deliver easy-to-use, high-quality formulas at a competitive price point, and in my opinion it absolutely does that. The range has just expanded to include Gilded Glimmer Cream Eyeshadows (14.99 via boots.ie), which are absolutely gorgeous. Available in five shimmering shades, they glide onto the lid and, once set, stay exactly where you put them. I recommend used a small, densely bristled brush to apply cream shadows, before blending with a small fluffy brush. (The Pro Artist collection also includes some well-priced, solid-quality brushes, should you require some new tools!) Harry Potter star Emma Watson has said her shame was everywhere after she received a driving ban for speeding. The actress, 35, best known for playing Hermione Granger in the film franchise, was banned from driving for six months in July and had to pay a total of 1,044 after driving her blue Audi at 38mph in a 30mph zone in Oxford on July 31 2024. Watson, who has been studying at the University of Oxford, had nine points on her licence before the speeding incident occurred. Emma Watson was banned from driving in July (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Speaking on the On Purpose podcast with Jay Shetty about the ban, which made headlines at the time, Watson said: I was getting phone calls, like its on the BBC. Its on international, worldwide news. I was like, my shame is everywhere. Watson revealed she received messages from people who sympathised with the actress and shared their own driving mishaps with the star. She added: When you work on movies, I dont know if people know this, but they literally will not insure you to drive yourself to work. Ive asked so many times. You have to be driven, its not a choice. Especially because they need you there, down to the minute basically depending on what they have going on. So I went from basically only driving myself on weekends or during a holiday, to then, when I became a student, driving myself all the time and I did not have the experience, or skills clearly, which I now will and do. Emma Watson has been studying at the University of Oxford (Isabel Infantes/PA) Its been a discovery and a journey thats been humbling because on a movie set, Im able to do all of these like extremely complex things, stunt, sing, dance, like do this thing, do that, whatever. And Im like, Yep, dont worry about it, guys. And then I get home and Im like, OK Emma, you seem unable to remember your keys. You seem unable to keep yourself at 30mph in a 30mph speed limit. Like you dont seem able to do some pretty basic life things. Its been humbling. The actress and activist, who was made a UN womens goodwill ambassador in 2014, has starred in a slew of films, including the 2017 Disney live-action remake of Beauty And The Beast, Sofia Coppola-directed movie The Bling Ring in 2014 and The Perks Of Being A Wallflower in 2012. She also starred in the Greta Gerwigs 2019 movie Little Women, in which she played Meg March. A relaxing night in deserves some classy, comforting and cooling pyjama designs Cosy season is officially here. I want to transport you into what I consider to be one of the best feelings in the world: your house is spotless, youve just changed the bed sheets, youve done your full body and skincare routine after your shower and youve lit the ceremonial candle of relaxation. The piece de resistance? Your favourite matching set of PJs. I sometimes alternate between daytime pyjamas on a rainy afternoon to night-time pyjamas for actual sleep, so I assure you, youre truly getting tried-and-tested suggestions here. Sinead Keary cherry check PJs, 110, sineadkeary.com If a buttery soft pyjama set is what youre after, Cork designer Sinead Keary has got your back. Her sustainable bamboo jersey PJs are the softest thing youll put on this autumn and they now come in adorable prints, such as cherry and strawberry, to send you into a sweet slumber. Dublin-based LNH Edit has recently released crustacean-themed PJs for those of you who are crabby in the morning. The sets are 100pc cotton and are accompanied by an eye mask for late sleepers, plus a matching scrunchie. It all comes in a printed cotton drawstring bag, which makes it perfect for gifting. Continuing on the homegrown theme, Irelands own celebrity stylist Corina Gaffey has jumped across the pond to collab with London loungewear brand Its 9pm. Their five-piece capsule collection includes silk and velvet pjyama sets. Gaffey is the regular stylist for Vogue Williams, Amy Huberman and Joanne McNally, so she knows how to give an elevated flare to any look. In fact, theyre so chic you can fully get away with wearing these in the daytime. Pyjamas in the office? Absolutely. Stripe and Stare seersucker pyjama set, 99, stripeandstare.com And for those of you who heat up while you sleep, the seersucker PJs from Stripe and Stare wont have you waking up in a sweat. The UK brand is known for its soft and comfortable underwear, which is approved by Oprah Winfrey herself. They put womens comfort first without compromising on style so you can be cute and cool. To amp up your luxurious nights sleep, I suggest keeping a scent card from Wicklows Max Benjamin in your pyjama drawer. True Lavender is perfect for a relaxing nights slumber. Megan Stalter is making nightgowns fashionable again as Jessica in Too Much. Photo: Netflix What your newly purchased nightgown says about you... Youve been streaming Lena Dunhams new show Too Much on Netflix, havent you? Megan Stalter plays the main character Jessica, who only wears nightgowns to bed. The brand featured in the show is If Only If Nightwear, which can be found at ifonlyif.co.uk but you already knew that. As a child, the only time I wore a nightgown was while having sleepovers with my nanny if I forgot my own pyjamas which happened regularly. At the time, it made me feel like a small Victorian ghost, but as an adult Im starting to understand where my grandmother was coming from. Nigthgowns are cosy, breezy and make bedtime feel like a fancy event. Nigel Farage has been condemned for peddling false information and wild conspiracy theories after he accused Romanians in Britain of eating swans in parks across the country in his latest attack on immigrants. The Reform UK leader claimed swans are being eaten in royal parks and said carp were being taken out of ponds by people who come from different cultures. Andy Burnham has said the UK needs wholesale change in his biggest challenge yet to Keir Starmer, warning the prime minister that he risks handing Nigel Farage the keys to No 10 without a major change of course. Stop Russia or face most destructive arms race, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky tells United Nations Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead, leader tells UN General Assembly Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Photo: AP Tom Balmforth Reuters Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 06:30 Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged world powers to help stop Russias war in his country in a speech to the United Nations yesterday, warning of a dangerous arms race that he said the fighting was helping unleash. Trump growing incredibly impatient with Putin over Ukraine war, says Vance as Kremlin claims US President wrongly influenced by Zelensky Trump flip-flop seen by some Russian nationalists as a sign he is washing his hands of the war in Ukraine, and that its EUs problem Donald Trump with Volodymyr Zelensky and EU leaders in the White House last month. Photo: PA Andrew Osborn Reuters Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 08:50 Donald Trump is "growing incredibly impatient" with Vladimir Putin's refusal to work towards ending its war in Ukraine, US vice president JD Vance said. Israeli police said on Thursday they had arrested a man for threatening to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police said that just before the Jewish New Year holiday began on Monday evening, a man in his forties from the southern town of Kiryat Gat walked into the local police station saying he would kill Netanyahu. Israeli troops push towards the centre of Gaza City amid exodus At least 50 killed across enclave as airstrikes hit shelter housing families Displaced Palestinians, fleeing northern Gaza due to an Israeli military operation, move southward after Israeli forces ordered residents of Gaza City to evacuate. Photo: Reuters Nidal al-Mughrabi Reuters Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 06:30 Israeli forces pushed towards the heart of Gaza City yesterday, placing at risk the lives of Palestinians who had stayed in hopes that growing pressure on Israel for a ceasefire would mean they would not lose their homes. Microsoft disabled some use of its software by the Israeli military after an investigation spurred by news reports that the company's products were involved in the mass surveillance of civilians. The world's largest software maker has faced protests by employees and media scrutiny over concerns that its software is being used to harm civilians in the war in Gaza. Microsoft said it found some evidence in reporting from the Guardian newspaper that data related to mass surveillance was being stored on Microsoft cloud servers. Latest | Palestinian President pledges to work with Trump and tells UN Hamas will have no role in post-war Gaza Abbas pledges cooperation with Trump, others on UN-backed plan US has put forward 21-point peace plan for Middle East and Gaza Abbas rejects Hamas actions, calls for disarmament and governance by Palestinian Authority Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas appears on a screen at UN headquarters as he speaks virtually during a high-profile meeting at the United Nations aimed at galvanising support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Yuki Iwamura/AP) Michelle Nichols Reuters Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 18:22 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pledged at the United Nations on Thursday to work with U.S. President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia, France and the United Nations on a peace plan for Gaza overwhelmingly backed by the world body. North America Donald Trump says report querying his health may be act of treason as he rages against op-ed Secret Service probing UN escalator that stopped as Donald and Melania Trump got on Secretary general says delegations own videographer may have tripped safety mechanism US president Donald Trump and wife Melania had to walk up the escalator when it stopped working at the UN General Assembly in New York. Photo: Reuters Rhian Lubin UK Independent Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 06:30 White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said the US Secret Service is among the agencies investigating whether the escalator at the UN was deliberately turned off before president Donald Trump and his wife Melania got on. Sniper wrote anti-ICE on bullet before Dallas attack, say US officials FBI director Kash Patel has said there appears to be an ideological motive behind the attack The image of the shells shared online by FBI boss Kash Patel. Photo: Reuters Brendan O'Brien Reuters Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 06:30 A gunman who wrote anti-ICE on an unused bullet killed two detainees and wounded another yesterday at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas, before taking their own life, officials said. latest | Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready to leave office after war with Russia ends Ukrainian leader says his goal is to finish the warHe warns Russia over long-range weaponsEx-Russia president Medvedev says Moscow has more powerful weapons Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at the UN in New York. Photo: Getty Rishabh Jaiswal and Yuliia Dysa Reuters Thu 25 Sep 2025 at 14:27 Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he would be ready to step down after the war with Russia is over. Alice in Borderland season 3 X review: Alice in Borderland Alice in Borderland When did Alice in Borderland season 3 release? Will they make it out of the Borderland? ALICE IN BORDERLAND SEASON 3 IS NOW PLAYING pic.twitter.com/suhnLiDbEs Netflix (@netflix) September 25, 2025 Alice in Borderland season 3 September 25, 2025 United States: 12:00 AM PT / 3:00 AM ET 12:00 AM PT / 3:00 AM ET United Kingdom: 8:00 AM BST 8:00 AM BST India: 12:30 PM IST 12:30 PM IST Philippines: 3:00 PM PHT 3:00 PM PHT Australia: 5:00 PM AEST What is Alice in Borderland season 3 about? ( Image credit : Arisu and Usagi are now living as a married couple (Credit: Netflix) ) Alice in Borderland season 3 X review: Fans say the new deadly games gave them 'literal chills' ( Image credit : Arisu and Usagi are trying to live normal lives after returning to the real world (Credit: Netflix) ) Alice In Borderland Season 3 First Episode AIB Is Back With A BANGER Everyone JUST Stop Your Works & Fuckin' Stick TO IT Navyanth (@Navyanth_17) September 25, 2025 now watching Alice in Borderland Season 3... i'm so excited but also so scared lol! but most importantly i'm so happy to see Kento and Tao reunite again! my Alice and Usagi #AliceinBorderland#AiB#AiBS3 cha (@msuda707) September 25, 2025 ( Image credit : Fans are loving every bit of Alice in Borderland season 3 (Screenshot taken from X) ) Alice in Borderland Netflixs hit Japanese survival thrilleris back with its third and final season, and it wastes no time in delivering shocking twists. Arisu and Usagi, now living a seemingly peaceful life, are thrown back into a world of deadly games when the mysterious Joker card comes into play.Packed with intense action, emotional stakes, and mind-bending puzzles, season 3 raises the bar while setting the stage for a heart-pounding conclusion. With secrets finally revealed and lives on the line, this season cementsas one of Netflixs most gripping non-English shows.premiered worldwide on, exclusively on Netflix. Fans had been eagerly waiting for nearly three years to see what happened after the shocking season 2 cliffhanger.The release times for major regions were:All episodes dropped at once, giving fans the chance to binge-watch the thrilling finale without waiting week by week.The story picks up right after season 2s dramatic ending. Arisu and Usagi are trying to live normal lives after returning to the real world, but their peace doesnt last long. Usagi is suddenly abducted by a mysterious scholar obsessed with the afterlife, forcing Arisu to return to the terrifying world of the Borderland.This time, the Joker card appears as the ultimate challenge, presenting games more dangerous than ever before. In a shocking twist, Arisu and Usagi are placed on different teams, testing their relationship and survival instincts like never before.Alice in Borderland season 3 also introduces new characters like Ryuji, who brings a philosophical layer to the story. The show blends elements from the sequel manga Alice in Borderland: Retry with original material, keeping even manga readers guessing about whats coming next.Season 3 delivers exactly what fans have been craving: thrilling action, emotional moments, and unexpected revelations. The Joker card storyline brings a new level of danger, with games that are darker, bloodier, and more complex.Arisus intelligence shines as he strategises his way through impossible challenges, while Usagi continues to be the physical force of the duo. Their dynamic evolves beautifully, showing how their relationship has grown after their time apart.One X user wrote, " just finished watching alice in borderland season 3 ... AND IT HAD ME GAGGED ALREADY", while another user wrote, First Episode was literal chills! AIB Is Back With A BANGER!".The show also dives deeper into the mysteries of the Borderland itself, exploring its connection to life, death, and the human will to survive. While there are a few slower episodes, especially at the start, the overall pacing builds toward a breathtaking finale.By the final episode, viewers are left with a mix of closure and lingering questions, making season 3 a satisfying yet bittersweet conclusion.ends on a high note, proving why it remains one of Netflixs standout global hits. Bogor, Indonesia: Juru parkir liar di Bogor viral minta Rp 100 ribu untuk parkir 20 menit. Polisi amankan pelaku dan tegaskan tarif resmi hanya Rp 4.000. https://t.co/JR4sF8TY4G detikcom (@detikcom) September 25, 2025 Police take action against Bogor parking scam Bogor: Official parking rates vs. illegal fees TW Pungli Viral! Sebuah video memperlihatkan seorang tukang parkir diduga getok tarif ke wisatawan yang tengah membeli oleh-oleh di Jalan Suryakancana, Kecamatan Bogor Tengah, Kota Bogor. Dalam narasi video tersebut disebutkan wisatawan diminta uang parkir Rp 100.000. Video pic.twitter.com/iJ4ib32pUR dhemit_is_back (@dhemit_is_back) September 24, 2025 Public outrage over Bogor parking scam Jalan Suryakancana, Central Bogor District, Bogor City How to avoid illegal parking scams in Bogor A shocking incident in Bogor has gone viral on social media after an illegal parking attendant was caught charging Rp 100,000 for just 20 minutes of parking. Netizens reacted in disbelief, sharing the video widely and sparking debates about unethical parking practices in Indonesia.Following the viral video, Bogor police quickly intervened and arrested the illegal parking attendant. Authorities confirmed that the official parking fee in Bogor is only Rp 4,000, emphasising that such exorbitant charges are illegal and punishable by law.The police highlighted that official parking rates in Bogor are strictly regulated, and citizens are advised to report any illegal parking practices. The viral incident has prompted local authorities to increase monitoring of parking areas to prevent similar scams in the future.This video shows a parking attendant allegedly overcharging tourists who were buying souvenirs on. The video of the attendant demanding Rp 100K quickly went viral, attracting thousands of comments. Many social media users expressed anger and frustration at such audacious overcharging, while others praised the police for taking swift action.Authorities urge drivers to check official parking rates before leaving their vehicles, avoid paying suspicious attendants, and report any irregularities. This case serves as a reminder that even short parking stops can become expensive if one is not cautious.The viral Bogor parking scam highlights ongoing issues with illegal parking in urban areas. Police action and public awareness aim to prevent future incidents, ensuring safe and fair parking practices for all citizens. ( Image credit : Uncertainty over whether the passengers survived. Credit: Videograb ) The driver at the center of controversy India Times Chinese Truck Driver Unable to Speak English Obtains CDL in California & Causes Horrific Crash: Shout out to @atutruckers who works hard to promote American truck drivers. https://t.co/6E4VWoiTB2 Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) September 25, 2025 Spotlight on L&X Transportation ( Image credit : Moments before the crash. Credit: Videograb ) Industry silence questioned OMG. This is absolutely horrific. Our roads are not safe because Democrats are giving Commercial Drivers Licenses to foreigners who cant speak English or understand traffic signs! Newscum gave this person a CDL. Any comment @GavinNewsom? https://t.co/7HREkoKWBd Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 25, 2025 Online uproar and safety concerns Those people in the white car never had a chance! How many more crashes like this before something is done? GrammyBee (@Grammy_Bee) September 24, 2025 This is one of my biggest fears King Francis the Turd (@YourTurdliness) September 25, 2025 Foreign drivers who cant speak English, yet theyre handed CDLs in California like candy. ATA stays silent while Americans die. Sellouts. This aint safety, its sabotage. MAG1775 (@realMAG1775) September 24, 2025 A quiet stretch of highway in New Mexico turned into a scene of chaos and destruction when a massive truck plowed into traffic, leaving behind twisted metal, shattered glass, and uncertainty over whether the passengers survived. The horrific crash, captured in a video now circulating on X (formerly Twitter), has ignited fierce debate about who is being allowed behind the wheel of America's biggest vehicles.According to the American Truckers United page on X, the incident took place on June 4, 2023, and the man behind the wheel was a driver from China who allegedly spoke only Mandarin and could not understand English. The post questioned how the driver was still able to obtain a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) in California.has not independently verified the video or the claims being shared online.The revelation has raised alarm over how a non-English speaker could bypass federal requirements, which mandate that commercial drivers must be able to read and communicate in English to ensure safety on U.S. roads.The driver was reportedly employed by L&X Transportation, a San Gabriel, California-based company accused of engaging in labor dumping - a practice in which foreign workers are hired under questionable terms. For many online users, this crash is evidence of systemic failings that stretch beyond one driver, pointing to oversight gaps and profit-driven negligence.The allegations have sparked outrage among truckers and safety advocates. "How many crashes like this have gone unreported? How many truck drivers from China are operating on U.S. roads?" the page asked, while directly calling out the American Trucking Association (ATA) for remaining silent on the matter.Critics argue that such silence only deepens mistrust at a time when the trucking industry is under immense scrutiny for driver shortages, labor practices, and rising accident rates.The viral video has triggered a wave of anger on X, with many questioning whether enforcement agencies are doing enough to uphold basic licensing standards.For now, the unanswered questions about how this driver received a CDL - and how many others may have - continue to fuel fears of a growing highway safety crisis. TikTok sale requirements under US law Control and oversight of TikTok in the US Implications for US-China relations President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Thursday that will officially clear the path for the sale of TikToks US operations to a consortium of American investors, a White House official confirmed to CNN. The move follows months of negotiations and regulatory scrutiny, and comes amid Trumps recent discussion on the deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping.Earlier this year, a law banning TikTok in the United States took effect unless the company sold approximately 80% of its US assets to American-backed investors. Trumps executive order is expected to recognize the pending deal as a qualified divestiture under this law, which passed with bipartisan support last year. The president will also extend the pause on enforcing the law by another 120 days, ensuring that regulatory approvals and paperwork for the sale can be completed. Trump previously extended the pause until December 17.Under the proposed agreement, TikToks US operations, including its proprietary algorithm, will transfer to a new joint venture based in the United States. The new ownership group will be majority American, both in terms of investors and its board of directors. Oracle is expected to oversee the algorithm as well as data and privacy operations, ensuring compliance with US standards and safeguarding user information.The TikTok deal also sets the stage for the first in-person meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping since Trump returned to office. The leaders are anticipated to meet next month at the APEC Summit in South Korea. Analysts suggest that the sale could serve as a strategic point of discussion for broader US-China negotiations.The executive order is seen as a significant step toward resolving one of the most closely watched tech disputes between the US and China. By formally recognizing the divestiture and extending regulatory flexibility, the Trump administration is enabling the completion of a complex transaction that balances national security concerns with the operational continuity of a popular social media platform. Early life and education Rift with Elon Musk Influence on Musks public views Building an independent life Living with roommates and moving forward Vivian Wilson, daughter of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has said she shares an apartment with three roommates in Los Angeles because it is more affordable. Speaking in a recent interview with New York magazine, she noted that while many assume she has access to her fathers wealth, the reality is different. People assume I have a lot of money. I dont have hundreds of thousands of dollars at my disposal, she explained. Wilson added that as the eldest of Musks 14 children, she does not benefit financially from his fortune and is instead trying to build her own path.Vivian Wilson was born to Elon Musk and novelist Justine Wilson before their marriage ended in divorce in September 2008. After the separation, she attended multiple schools, including Crossroads in Santa Monica. Recalling her time there, Wilson described it as exactly what youd expect of a private high school filled with nepo babies, saying she often felt like an outsider among her peers.Her relationship with Musk deteriorated after she came out as transgender at the age of 16. In 2022, she petitioned the Los Angeles County Superior Court to legally change her name and gender. In her filing, she wrote that she no longer wished to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form. Musk has spoken publicly about the estrangement. In a 2024 conversation with psychologist Jordan Peterson, he claimed his daughter had been killed by the woke mind virus. Wilson later countered this on Threads, writing: Last time I checked I am, indeed, not dead. In a separate interview with NBC News, she described Musk as quick to anger, uncaring, and narcissistic.Biographer Walter Isaacson wrote in his 2023 book on Elon Musk that the strained father-daughter relationship played a role in shaping some of Musks political and cultural stances. While these details attracted public attention, Wilson has maintained her focus on creating a life outside her fathers influence.Wilson has studied languages in Quebec and Tokyo before returning to Los Angeles. She told New York magazine that despite her efforts to live independently, she continues to receive online harassment. Some of the direct messages, she said, contain disgusting, unhinged things. Still, Wilson has tried to remain focused on her own goals and keep distance from the fame and fortune associated with her father.Currently, Wilson shares her apartment with three roommates in Los Angeles. She explained that it is simply cheaper and that financial planning remains part of her day-to-day life. Though she is one of the most high-profile children of Elon Musk, she continues to live modestly and prioritises her independence. Prince William jets to Scotland for private time with King Charles Daily Mail ( Image credit : Prince William | Credit: X/@freedom_007__ ) About King Charles and Prince Williams Balmoral tradition The Sun ( Image credit : King Charles | Credit: X/@DailyCaller ) King Charles and Prince Harrys reunion ( Image credit : Prince Harry | Credit: X/royalfocus1 ) A busy week for the royals Prince William has made a quiet trip to Scotland to spend time with his father, King Charles, just weeks after the Kings first meeting with Prince Harry in 19 months. According to reports, the Prince of Wales flew to Scotland on September 23 for a private stay with the monarch, marking yet another fatherson retreat.The trip came on the same day that Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, made an emotional visit to Southport. The couple met members of a grieving community after three young girls were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024.Later that evening, thepublished photos showing William stepping off a private jet at Aberdeen Airport. From Aberdeen, William travelled to Balmoral, where King Charles is currently spending his annual summer break.reported that the Prince of Wales has joined his father at the royal familys Highland estate for what has become their tradition of mini-breaks. This is now the third year Charles and William have set aside time for such an informal visit. These private meetings are not listed on official schedules, but they are viewed as a chance for the monarch and his heir to talk quietly and spend time together.Balmoral remains the place where the royals gather each summer and is often described as the late Queen Elizabeth IIs favourite retreat. She visited every year, walking her dogs, riding horses, and hosting family get-togethers. For more than two centuries, Balmoral has been a beloved royal escape and the setting for many historic moments.This latest trip also comes soon after a significant moment for the royal family. Earlier in September, King Charles met with Prince Harry for the first time in 19 months. The meeting took place at Clarence House in London. It was their first meeting since February 2024, when Harry travelled to London after the King announced he had been diagnosed with cancer.Before heading north, both King Charles and Prince William had been in London for high-profile events. They attended the funeral of the Duchess of Kent and also played key roles in hosting U.S. President Donald Trump during his state visit to the U.K. on September 17 and 18. The Southport visit with Kate was their first joint outing after the state visit. American Eagle Katie Courics Sydney Sweeney-inspired cancer PSA Doctor, you brought your camera. I brought mine. Thank you @LeadFromBehind (powered by @ColorectalCancerAlliance) for reminding us to get regular screenings if youre over 45. Visit https://t.co/x9lW69MdO7 for more information.#LeadFromBehindpic.twitter.com/r3OjYhPEYh Katie Couric (@katiecouric) September 25, 2025 Fans reaction ( Image credit : Katie Couric | Credit: X/@katiecouric ) Couric on her approach ( Image credit : Sydney Sweeney in American Eagle ad | Credit: Instagram/americaneagle ) Courics return to the Today Show Today Show ( Image credit : Katie Couric | Credit: X/@SU2C ) Who is Katie Couric? Katie Couric just dropped a clever public service announcement. On Thursday, September 25, the legendary TV journalist released a PSA that spoofs Sydney Sweeneys viraljeans ad, while delivering an important lesson about colon cancer screening. Fans quickly praised the playful yet powerful video.The video, titled Lead From Behind, begins with a close-up of Couric wearing an open denim shirt that slides off her shoulder while she lies on her side, propped up on pillows. With a smile, she says, Speaking of genes, did you know that the majority of people who develop colon cancer are not genetically predisposed to the disease?As the camera pulls back, viewers see the real scene. Couric is not lounging at home, shes lying on a hospital bed wearing a gown as healthcare workers prepare her for a colonoscopy. The surprising reveal connects perfectly to her next line: Thats why doctors recommend everyone 45 and older get checked. Mine are televised.A male voice then announces the message that flashes across the screen: Katie Couric gets regular screenings. The style, voice, and bold text closely mimic the viral Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans ad that stirred conversation earlier this summer.She posted the video on her X account, writing, Doctor, you brought your camera. I brought mine. Thank you @LeadFromBehind (powered by @ColorectalCancerAlliance) for reminding us to get regular screenings if youre over 45.As soon as Couric shared the video on Instagram, fans filled the comments with love and laughs. One wrote, Ahhhhhahahahaha!! I love this!!! Great way to get the message out, Katie. Another added, Getting checked is hot. A third said, Now THIS is how you use a viral moment.Others praised the clever twist, with one fan commenting, We see what you did there, while another said, Well, you made this look so awesome PSA. The reactions showed that Courics mix of humor and health awareness struck exactly the right note.Couric told People that the idea came from seeing how Sydney Sweeneys ad captured attention everywhere. She explained, That ad showed how pop culture and a pair of jeans could really shape the cultural conversation it was everywhere. It was a moment in time, and we thought, Why dont we ride that horse a little bit longer and have some fun with it?This isnt the first time Couric has used television to shine a light on colon cancer. Her husband, Jay Monahan, died of the disease in 1998 when he was just 42. Two years later, in 2000, Couric became the first person to have a colonoscopy broadcast on live TV. That on-air colonoscopy reportedly helped raise screening rates by nearly 20%, a boost doctors later called the Couric effect.The timing of the PSA was extra special because Couric returned to NBCson the same day it was released, 25 years after she first made history there. She spoke to anchors Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones about her mission to keep raising awareness of colon cancer. Its something that Im really proud of, she said, reflecting on how her televised colonoscopy encouraged so many to get checked.Katie Couric is more than just a former morning show host. She co-founded Katie Couric Media and publishes a daily newsletter called Wake Up Call. Since 2016, she has hosted the podcast Next Question with Katie Couric, which has been downloaded more than 20 million times. Courics husband, Jay Monahan, passed away from colorectal cancer in 1998 at the age of 42, motivating her to raise awareness about the importance of early detection. ABC 7 TalentWorks ( Image credit : William Shatner | Credit: @Super70sSports ) William Shatners agency denies hospitalisation rumours TMZ ( Image credit : William Shatner | Credit: X/@myfabulousfind1 ) TMZ William Shatners fans flood X with concern Oh no. William Shatner Suffers Medical Emergency, Rushed to Hospital https://t.co/vcvoWWFlKC Ladylawyer (@Ladylaw31256058) September 25, 2025 Please, I hope Mr #Shatner is having a full recovery... https://t.co/7YaQG5B9cL rosa cruz (@rosacruz7) September 25, 2025 Sounds like its out of an abundance of caution, but at 94, its still concerning. Praying for William Shatner Tabitha (@tabigibson) September 25, 2025 Just seen the news about William Shatner being rushed to hospital, although his agency denies this. Whatever his current condition is, I hope hes ok. Live long and prosper, Bill. pic.twitter.com/cPQlFm0GWW Dinos Reviews (@reviewsdino2) September 25, 2025 I'm beyond relieved William Shatner is stable after a health scare. This man is an interstellar treasure. pic.twitter.com/sstDvMOSzt Jerry Thornton (@jerrythornton1) September 25, 2025 William Shatners past health battles Healio ( Image credit : William Shatner | Credit: X/@PollSter_Mike1 ) William Shatner on the work front William Shatner fans were left worried after rumours claimed the 94-year-old Star Trek legend had been rushed to the hospital. But his agency, TalentWorks, quickly shut down the reports. Heres a look at what really happened.According to, which represents the icon, said that the stories about a medical emergency were not true. The strong denial came after reports of a Hollywood legend being rushed to the hospital spread quickly online on Wednesday, September 24.It started whenreported that Shatner had experienced a medical issue with his blood sugar while at his Los Angeles home. According to that report, the veteran actor was rushed to the hospital Wednesday after suffering a medical emergency. The outlet added that Shatner himself called emergency medical services as a precaution, and paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded in an ambulance.However, Shatners agent, Harry Gold, later clarified the situation to, saying the actor was already back home and reassuring everyone that hes fine. Gold confirmed that Shatner had indeed been checked out by medical professionals, but explained it was not the serious emergency that many feared.Even though the agency denied any serious health scare, the rumour had already taken off on social media. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) poured out their feelings in real time. One user simply wrote, Oh no, while another added, Please, I hope Mr. #Shatner is having a full recoveryAnother person shared, Sounds like its out of an abundance of caution, but at 94, its still concerning. Praying for William Shatner.Someone else noted, Just saw the news about William Shatner being rushed to hospital, although his agency denies this.Whatever his current condition is, I hope hes ok. Live long and prosper, Bill.A fan summed up the mood with, I'm beyond relieved William Shatner is stable after a health scare. This man is an interstellar treasure.This wave of worry was understandable because Shatner has openly discussed his health struggles in the past. In March 2024, he toldthat he was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer that can spread quickly. Shatner recalled noticing a lump under his right ear and visiting his family doctor, who initially told him not to worry. But after seeking a second opinion, he learned the truth that it was melanoma, stage 4. Thankfully, Shatner underwent surgery and credited a strict immunotherapy regimen for making him cancer-free.He also lives with permanent tinnitus, a ringing in the ears that began after he stood too close to a special effects explosion while filming the Star Trek episode Arena in 1967. These personal battles explain why fans quickly became concerned when the hospitalisation rumours surfaced.Despite these health challenges, Shatner has never slowed down. In 2021, at the age of 90, he travelled to space aboard Jeff Bezos Blue Origin NS-18 Mission. More recently, the veteran actor has continued to work on projects tied to his iconic role as Captain Kirk. He reprised the character in the animated Star Trek series and the first seven films, including the 1989 movie Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.Shatners career extends beyond the Star Trek universe. He played a beauty pageant MC in the 2000 comedy Miss Congeniality and starred as the title character in the 1980s police drama T.J. Hooker. He later earned two Emmy Awards for his role in the legal drama Boston Legal, a spin-off of The Practice. In 2024, he even lent his voice to Skeletor in the animated series Masters of the Universe: Revolution and released the documentary William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill. One Piece chapter 1161 spoilers: One Piece ( Image credit : One Piece | credit - netflix ) One Piece chapter 1161 spoilers Chapter 1161 titled "The Song of Love that Blew Through the Shower of Arrows" has 19 pages with 2 color pages and 17 black-and-white pages. This chapter includes both a Color Spread and a normal cover. The Color Spread features a special scene of Straw Hat crew playing a claw machine game against a giant lion, with various stuffed toys representing One Piece characters related to the crew. Usopp is inside the claw machine facing a huge lion, with prizes as stuffed toys of characters like Shanks, Ace, Sabo, Garp, Rayleigh, Whitebeard, and others. Zoro and Jinbe sleep on giant stuffed toys of Dorry, Brogy, Saul, and Shirahoshi; Sanji throws a Buggy toy to Zoro; Chopper is trapped and crying inside the claw machine; Robin prays for him; Franky notices they lack coins to play; Brook is part of the claw machine too. In a different scene titled "Ogre Child Yamato's Golden Harvest Surrogate Pilgrimage," Yamato, Kinemon, and Momonosuke pray in a shrine with paper lamps honoring Wanokuni's heroes. The chapter's main battle takes place in God Valley where Dragon flees with Shanks and Shamrock but is hit by a laser beam, causing Shanks to lose consciousness. ( Image credit : One Piece | credit - netflix ) Dragon is attacked by Saint Maffey, a woman with sharp teeth from the "Satchel Family" and "Knights of God," who is sent by the Tenryuubito to capture the babies. Whitebeard appears, slashes Maffey in half, and is joined by Shiki, Big Mom, and Kaidou in the fight. Pirates from Hachinosu surround the group attacking the "Rocks Pirates," but Whitebeard, Shiki, Big Mom, and Kaidou fight back brilliantly. Dragon escapes with the baby after seeing Shanks unconscious on the ground. Garp intervenes to confront Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaidou, delivering a powerful punch but is dodged by them; Big Mom uses a massive attack called "Heavenly Fire Breeze," which fails to harm Garp. Rocks runs through God Valley thinking about his son and wife Ellis as the "Rocks Pirates" and "Roger Pirates" converge. Roger fights Whitebeard while sending Rayleigh to save Shakky. Marines try to capture Shakky, but she fights them off impressively until Sommers assaults her with a club, preparing to kill her. Rayleigh arrives heroically, defeating Sommers with a new attack called "Billhook of the Beyond" ("Higanbana"), resembling Zoro's Onigiri pose. Emotional reunion of Rayleigh and Shakky, with supportive reactions from Roger and Gaban. The chapter closes with Roger ordering his crew to retrieve the treasures and leave, celebrating the recovery of Shakky. ( Image credit : One Piece | credit - netflix ) One Piece chapter 1161 release date and time Chapter 1161 is set to release on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). 11:00 AM Eastern Time (ET) 4:00 PM British Time (BST) 5:00 PM Central European Time (CET) 8:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) 11:00 PM Philippine Time (PHT) Where to read the One Piece manga ? One Piece chapter 1161 reveals that Rocks D. Xebec, the infamous pirate whose ambition once shook the world, was betrayed by his closest allies. This shocking revelation reshapes fans understanding of the legendary Rocks Pirates and uncovers long-hidden secrets about the influential figures of that era. As the story unfolds, the true extent of Xebecs impact on history becomes clear. Heres everything you need to know about the latest spoilers.No chapter break next week; the story continues.You can read themanga legally on official platforms such as MANGA Plus by Shueisha and VIZ Medias Shonen Jump. The recent Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) examination, conducted on Sunday, has come under scrutiny following multiple complaints regarding its conduct. In response, the state government has ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry, to be carried out under the supervision of a retired High Court judge. Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan informed reporters on Wednesday that the SIT will be headed by an officer of Additional Superintendent of Police rank. Its jurisdiction will extend across the entire state, allowing it to investigate reports of malpractice or negligence wherever they may have occurred. The decision, he said, was taken to safeguard the integrity of the examination system and to maintain the confidence of candidates who appeared for the test. To ensure impartiality, the SITs work will be overseen by a retired judge, who along with the team will visit different districts. During this process, students, residents, and any concerned individual will have the opportunity to submit evidence or information relevant to the case. The inquiry is expected to be completed within a month, during which time the Commission will refrain from taking any further action regarding the exam. Officials emphasized that strict measures will be taken against anyone found responsible for irregularities, and corrective steps will be introduced to prevent recurrence of such issues in the future. Haridwar, which has been highlighted as a focal point of the controversy, will be a key area of investigation. Authorities stated that any lapse or negligence identified in that district will be met with firm action. The case has drawn significant attention, particularly from students and aspirants whose futures depend on the fairness of recruitment examinations. The government has underscored that both the interests of candidates and public trust in the recruitment system will guide the investigation process. ( Image credit : Brian Niccol | Credit: X/@SBWorkersUnited ) Hundreds of stores and corporate jobs to go ( Image credit : Starbucks | Credit: Canva Stock Photos ) Why are the closures happening now? ( Image credit : Starbucks | Credit: Canva Stock Photos ) Top-selling items of this region Starbucks is about to make some major changes in the United States and Canada. The Seattle-based coffee giant will close about 1% of its stores and cut around 900 jobs as part of what it calls its Back to Starbucks transformation strategy. CEO Brian Niccol told employees about the move in a memo on Thursday, September 25. He explained that this step is part of a bigger plan to turn the company around after a tough year.Niccol said in the memo, which was also posted on the Starbucks blog, that some stores will shut down because were unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we dont see a path to financial performance. In simple words, these are stores that arent doing well or cant be set up in a way that customers enjoy. Thats why Starbucks is taking what Niccol called significant action to help the company grow again.The closures mean that Starbucks will have about 18,300 coffee shops in North America at the end of September, down from 18,734 at the end of June 2025, according to the companys latest quarterly earnings release. Thats roughly 430 fewer locations than just a few months ago.Niccol also announced that 900 jobs will be cut at Starbucks headquarters. These layoffs come on top of about 1,000 corporate job cuts that happened in February. Despite the downsizing, Niccol assured employees that the company will keep moving forward. We will return to growth mode, he said in his message, adding that the company will remodel more than 1,000 of its remaining stores to give them a fresh look with cosier chairs, more power outlets, and warmer colours.Starbucks has closed stores before, but this time the scale is much bigger. Niccol pointed out that the stores closing now are ones where there is no clear path to making money or where the space cant meet customer needs. Even with these changes, Starbucks plans to spend about $1 billion on its restructuring efforts.According to company statements, the goal is to make the coffee chain stronger in the long run and bring customers a better experience when they visit.For customers worried that their local Starbucks might close, theres some good news: the drinks people love most arent going anywhere. Even if a few locations shut their doors, these favorites will still be served wherever Starbucks operates nearby. According to Accios market analysis of Starbucks top-selling drinks, the companys 2025 summer and fall menus reveal clear trends shaped by customer habits.One popular pick is the Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, which takes inspiration from Latin American horchata. It blends oat milk, espresso, and cinnamon-vanilla syrup for a creamy, spiced flavor.Another big favorite is the Summer-Berry Refreshers, offered in coconut milk and lemonade versions, which have become a seasonal hit. And of course, the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) continues to draw long lines every fall.Accios analysis notes that these drinks remain bestsellers because they mix customer nostalgia with seasonal excitement. Scope of the deal ( Image credit : Elon Musks xAI has signed a deal with the Trump administration | Credit: X/elonmuskmel7 ) Washington expands AI integration JUST IN: Elon Musks xAI signs new deal to expand Grok access to the U.S. federal government. pic.twitter.com/TDQDzeXSY5 Whale Insider (@WhaleInsider) September 25, 2025 Musks statements on the partnership ( Image credit : Elon Musks artificial intelligence company, xAI, has finalized an agreement with the U.S. General Services Administration | Credit: X/TRUMP_ARMY_ ) Potential advantages and concerns ( Image credit : What is the MedBed conspiracy? | Credit: X/MAGAVoice ) Elon Musks artificial intelligence company, xAI, has finalized an agreement with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to integrate its Grok AI chatbot into federal agencies. Announced Thursday, the contract is valid through March 2027, allowing agencies to adopt Grok models at 42 cents per organization, a notable contrast to the $1 per year charged by OpenAI for ChatGPT access.The contract covers Grok 4 and Grok 4 Fast, which xAI markets as its most advanced reasoning AI models. Under the agreement, xAI engineers will assist agencies in implementing Grok technology. Additionally, federal agencies can choose Grok enterprise subscriptions that meet federal security requirements, offering expanded features and higher usage limits.The agreement reflects a broader push by the Trump administration to integrate artificial intelligence into government operations. Federal leaders see the move as a way to improve efficiency and accountability across agencies. Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum emphasized the importance of access to advanced AI models, stating that such tools are essential to building the efficient, accountable government that taxpayers deserve.Elon Musk highlighted the significance of the partnership, telling Fox News Digital, xAI has the most powerful AI compute and most capable AI models in the world. Thanks to President Trump and his administration, xAIs frontier AI is now unlocked for every federal agency, empowering the U.S. Government to innovate faster and accomplish its mission more effectively than ever before. Musk also expressed eagerness to continue working with the Trump administration to rapidly deploy AI throughout the government.While federal agencies could benefit from enhanced technology and operational efficiency, the deal may also raise questions among critics regarding Musks influence within the government. Musk, once a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump and an advocate for federal spending reduction initiatives, remains a polarizing figure in Washington.The collaboration is designed to accelerate AI adoption in federal operations, with xAI engineers directly supporting implementation and ensuring that agencies can maximize Groks potential. The enterprise subscription options provide flexibility and alignment with federal security protocols, ensuring that both small and large agencies can participate.This agreement underscores the increasing competition among AI developers for government contracts. It positions Grok AI as a key tool for federal agencies seeking to modernize and optimize services. By providing federal agencies with access to advanced AI reasoning capabilities, the Trump administration aims to showcase technology-driven efficiency improvements while also expanding the footprint of U.S.-based AI innovations. A positive relationship and ongoing engagements Trade tensions and Russian oil purchases IndiaUS ties back in spotlight PM Modi and Donald Trump are set to meet in the coming weeks. On one hand: trade tensions. On the other: a growing strategic partnership. Will this meeting ease disputes or lead to tougher decisions? IndoUS relations stand at a critical (@Rudrabhakt_JB) September 25, 2025 Indo-Pacific cooperation and quad planning Iran sanctions and Chabahar port H1B visa fee increase A senior US official confirmed PM Modi and President Trump will meet in the coming weeks, highlighting their "very positive" relationship amid trade talks. Tensions stem from US tariffs (up to 50%) on Indian exports over Russia's oil purchases. Recent progress includes Trump's Grok (@grok) September 25, 2025 Broader diplomatic signals US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are likely to meet soon, a senior US State Department official has confirmed. The meeting is expected either later this year or in early 2026, as India prepares to host the Quad Summit with leaders from the US, Australia, and Japan. The previous summit was held in Wilmington, Delaware, in 2024.According to the official, Modi and Trump share a very, very positive relationship. Trump also called Modi earlier this month to wish him on his 75th birthday, an exchange described as constructive. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where the two discussed trade, defence, and technology. The State Department described these engagements as incredibly productive.While relations remain on track, the official acknowledged differences, particularly over Indias continued imports of Russian oil. The US has pressed India repeatedly to reduce such purchases, with President Trump stressing that revenue to Russia must be cut off. Washington recently imposed an additional 25% tariff on India as a penalty for these purchases, raising the total tariff burden to 50%, among the highest in the world. The official pointed to a bipartisan bill in Congress proposing even higher tariffs of up to 500% on buyers of Russian oil.The US continues to see India as a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific, the official said. Planning for the next Quad Summit is ongoing, with dates still being finalised. The January Quad Foreign Ministers meeting was Secretary Rubios first major engagement after taking office, followed by Modis visit to the White House in February. The official added that despite temporary turbulence, ties are expanding steadily and remain on a positive trajectory.The Trump administration has also moved to revoke earlier exemptions under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act, including those that had allowed India to use Chabahar Port for Afghan reconstruction projects. The official said the decision is part of a renewed maximum pressure campaign on Tehran. With the change, any revenue linked to Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps through Chabahar will now be targeted for sanctions.On the domestic front, the US has announced a new $100,000 fee for fresh H1B visa applicants. The State Department clarified to India that the measure will not affect current visa holders and is intended to curb fraud in the process. The official added that companies willing to hire skilled workers can still do so if they pay the fee, and that India has not raised major objections so far.The official confirmed that Sergio Gor, nominated as US Ambassador to India, will soon take charge in New Delhi. Gor, described as close to Trump, will serve as a key diplomatic channel. Earlier this year, US Vice President JD Vance described India-US relations as central to the 21st century, a sentiment echoed across the administration.The Trump administration stressed that despite tariffs, visa fee hikes, and sanctions, Washington considers New Delhi a trusted partner. Were frank with our friends and we see India as a good friend and a partner of the future, the official said, emphasising that while disagreements exist, the overall direction of ties remains constructive. What happened in Dallas? This morning just before 7am local time, an individual fired multiple rounds at a Dallas, Texas ICE facility, killing one, wounding several others, before taking his own life. FBI, DHS, ATF are on the ground with Dallas PD and state authorities. While the investigation is pic.twitter.com/SMOyxiKLqA FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 24, 2025 What is ICE and why was it targeted? Where exactly did the Dallas attack happen? Pray for the victims of the Dallas Field Office Attack. Like everyone else, our ICE law enforcement officers just want to go home to their families at night. They are fathers and mothers. Sons, and daughters, brothers and sisters. They get up every morning to try and make our pic.twitter.com/EIk8yrq4J3 Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) September 24, 2025 Who was Joshua Jahn? What do we know about the victims? ( Image credit : Deadly shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas | Credit: X/931wzak ) What have been the reactions? "I have been briefed on the deadly shooting at the ICE Field Office in Dallas, Texas. It has now been revealed the deranged shooter wrote Anti-ICE on his shell casings... I AM CALLING ON ALL DEMOCRATS TO STOP THIS RHETORIC AGAINST ICE & AMERICAS LAW ENFORCEMENT." - @POTUSpic.twitter.com/VdC0y9biYA The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 24, 2025 A gunman opened fire on a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas on Wednesday, killing one detainee and critically wounding two others before taking his own life. Officials identified the shooter as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, a Dallas-area resident. The FBI is investigating the attack as targeted political violence.Police received reports of gunfire at around 6:40 am local time on Wednesday, September 24. Four people were shot. One detainee died, two others were critically injured, and another person was treated at the scene.Authorities described Jahn as a sniper who fired from a rooftop near the ICE building. Shell casings with the phrase ANTI-ICE written in blue were recovered. FBI officials confirmed that bullets had penetrated the building, and several detainees near the entrance or inside a van were struck.The gunman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound shortly after the attack. No law enforcement officers were injured.ICE, or US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is a federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security. Its responsibilities include enforcing immigration laws, detaining undocumented migrants, and investigating crimes like human trafficking and drug smuggling.The agency has become central to President Donald Trumps immigration agenda, which includes large-scale deportations and strict crackdowns. Detainees and activists have often criticised ICE over conditions in detention centres and deportation practices.According to ICE deputy director Madison Sheahan, recent months have seen an increase in attacks on ICE facilities. The Dallas shooting came only weeks after an incident in Prairieland, Texas, where armed individuals targeted another ICE facility on July 4, injuring an officer.The attack took place at ICEs Dallas field office, which oversees operations across Texas and Oklahoma. The building is located along Interstate 35 East, southwest of Dallas Love Field Airport, and is close to several hotels.This was not the first security scare at the Dallas office. Just last month, 36-year-old Bratton Dean Wilkinson was arrested after arriving at the same facility with what he claimed was a bomb in his backpack.Officials identified the gunman as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, who lived in a Dallas suburb. He killed himself after opening fire, and his body was recovered near the ICE facility.Court records show Jahn was arrested in 2015 for delivering marijuana. He later admitted to delivering between seven grams and 2.3 kilograms of the drug. He was sentenced to five years of probation and a $500 fine for what Texas law classifies as a state jail felony, the lowest category of felony.Public records indicate Jahn had been living out of his car at one point. Ryan Sanderson, who knew him in 2017, told reporters, He didnt seem to fight with anyone or cause trouble. He kept his head down and stayed working.His brother, Noah Jahn, said he was unaware of Joshua having any political intent or hostility toward ICE. I didnt know he had any political intent at all, Noah told Reuters.Authorities confirmed that the three people shot by Jahn were detainees being held without documentation and awaiting transfer to long-term facilities. Their identities have not been released.The Mexican foreign ministry reported that one of the critically injured detainees is a Mexican national. He is currently hospitalised, and the Mexican consulate has contacted his family to offer assistance.FBI director Kash Patel called the attack politically motivated and warned that assaults on law enforcement have been rising.President Trump posted on Truth Social that the attacker was deranged and condemned the Anti-ICE markings on the ammunition as despicable. He urged Democrats to stop what he described as anti-law enforcement rhetoric.Vice President JD Vance also called the shooting politically motivated and criticised Democratic leaders. If your political rhetoric incites violence against law enforcement, you can go straight to hell, he said during an event in North Carolina. Rawan bin Hussain Why was Rawan bin Hussain arrested in Dubai? According to Dubai authorities, the Kuwaiti influencer was detained in March for several offences, including public drunkenness, assaulting a police officer, and creating a disturbance. Investigations also revealed that she verbally abused multiple officers during the incident. The court initially sentenced her to six months in prison along with deportation orders. However, her legal troubles did not end there. While serving her sentence, she allegedly attacked a female prison guard, leading to her jail term being extended by another year. Hunger strike inside Dubai jail In protest against the extended sentence, Rawan bin Hussain has reportedly refused food and started a hunger strike. Sources say her health is deteriorating, and her latest photos from prison have alarmed many of her followers. Some of her fans are calling for leniency, while others insist that the law in Dubai applies to everyone equally, regardless of fame or social media following. A history of controversies Rawan bin Hussains problems did not begin in Dubai. The Kuwaiti influencer has been surrounded by controversies for years. Divorce and UK court case: After divorcing her husband, Youssef Migariaf , in 2020, Rawan was accused of stalking, harassing, and even physically assaulting him. She later failed to appear in a UK court, leading to a conviction in her absence. The British court fined her 6,500 and issued a restraining order preventing her from contacting Youssef or his family. Airport and international incidents: In 2023, she was deported from Baghdad after a confrontation with airport staff. Later the same year, she upset Saudi Arabian officials by dancing in front of the Iranian flag during a public event. Dubai street incident: Two years later, she reportedly caused chaos on the streets of Dubai after becoming intoxicated in public a clear violation of UAE law, which bans alcohol consumption outside licensed areas. Fame and downfall of the Brooke Shields of Kuwait Rawan bin Hussain holds a law degree from King's College in London, rose to fame as a social media star and lifestyle blogger, admired for her beauty and fashion sense. She acted in Kan Ya Ma Kan song and Netflix's She's Gone With Water . Back in 2016, Vogue magazine even dubbed her the Brooke Shields of Kuwait. But over the years, her fame has been overshadowed by repeated scandals, public altercations, and legal troubles. Today, instead of being celebrated as a glamorous Kuwaiti influencer, Rawan finds herself in the harsh reality of Dubais prison system. Her hunger strike adds another dramatic chapter to her troubled public life. FAQs Q. Who is Rawan bin Hussain? She is a Kuwaiti influencer and social media personality with millions of followers, often in the news for both her beauty and her controversies. Q. Why is Rawan bin Hussain in jail in Dubai? She was arrested for public drunkenness, assaulting police officers, and disturbing public order. Her sentence was extended after she reportedly attacked a prison guard. Q. Is Rawan bin Hussain really on a hunger strike? Yes, reports suggest she has refused food to protest against her extended sentence in Dubai jail. Q. What other controversies has she been involved in? Her past scandals include a UK court conviction, deportation from Iraq, clashes at Baghdad airport, and an incident in Saudi Arabia. Q. What is Rawan bin Hussains current condition? Photos from Dubai jail show her looking weak and pale, raising concerns about her health during the hunger strike. Rawan bin Hussain, a well-known Kuwaiti influencer with over 7.5 million Instagram followers, is currently in jail in Dubai. She was first arrested in March last year and sentenced to six months in prison, fined 20,000 dirhams, and ordered to leave the country once released, as reported in Wion News.Now, shocking new images offrom inside Dubai jail are spreading online. The photos show her looking pale and exhausted, sparking concern among her fans. Reports claim she has gone on a hunger strike after her sentence was extended following fresh incidents behind bars. Indian origin man, 29 yr old Varun Suresh from Fremont US, killed a white pdfile. He said he always wanted America safe for women and children and deleted him because they hurt children and deserve to die.pic.twitter.com/iUBoIalBVP Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) September 25, 2025 Who is Varun Suresh? Indian American Varun Suresh stabbed to death a pedophile in USA He killed the sex offender because he always wanted to kill one pic.twitter.com/vO1G9NutL0 Sensei Kraken Zero (@YearOfTheKraken) September 24, 2025 What did he do and why? Varun Suresh did not hide his intent. He is accused of fatally stabbing 71-year-old David Brimmer, a registered sex offender. To police, his words were plain, he had wanted this for years. In his eyes, men who prey on children have no right to breathe. They hurt children, he pic.twitter.com/1cyD72qQjm Arya_Anviksa (@Arya_Anviksha_) September 24, 2025 Varun Suresh, an Indian-origin man, was recently arrested in California for the killing of a 71-year-old sex offender, a case that has attracted widespread media attention. Reports indicate that after his arrest, Suresh allegedly described the act as fun, raising concerns about his motives and mental state. Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the killing, including any prior conflicts between the two men. The case has sparked debates over vigilante justice, public safety, and the serious legal consequences of taking the law into ones own hands.Varun Suresh, a 29-year-old Fremont resident, told police that he saw it as his duty to punish sex offenders. This was not his first run-in with the law. In 2021, he was arrested for making a fake bomb threat, issuing criminal threats, and burglary. During that earlier incident, he allegedly claimed that the CEO of Hyatt Hotels was a pedophile and said he wanted to kill him.Court records reveal that Suresh used the publicly available Megans Law sex offender database to identify and target 71-year-old Brimmer, who had served nine years in prison for a 1995 conviction of sexually assaulting a child. Authorities confirmed that Suresh had no prior personal connection with Brimmer, indicating that the attack was premeditated. The case has sparked concerns over the potential misuse of public databases and the risks posed by individuals taking the law into their own hands.Police called the attack targeted and arrested Varun Suresh at the scene, recovering a knife from him. Brimmer, a convicted child sex offender, died from multiple stab wounds despite receiving emergency help, according to the Independent. Court documents revealed that Suresh told police he had long planned to kill a sex offender, saying, they hurt children and deserve to die.On the day of the attack, Suresh armed himself with a knife and posed as a certified public accountant (CPA) going door-to-door, carrying a bag, notebook, and coffee to look legitimate. He confirmed Brimmers identity, shook his hand, and allegedly said, I knew I had the right guy. When Brimmer tried to escape and flag down a car, he ran into a neighbors garage and kitchen. Suresh chased him, stabbed him in the neck while saying repent, and slit his throat as Brimmer tried to crawl away. Looking to make public data access easier for the AI developer ecosystem, Google has released the Data Commons Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, an MCP server that provides a standardized way for AI agents to consume Data Commons data sets natively. With the Data Commons MCP server, announced September 24, Data Commons data sets become instantly available for AI developers and data scientists, with no need for complex API interactions or custom code, Google said. The MCP server enables agents to handle a full range of data-driven queries from initial discovery to generative reports. The Data Commons MCP Server also advances the larger ambition of Data Commons to enable the use of real-world statistical data to reduce large language model hallucinations, the company added. Data Commons is an open-source initiative from Google that aims to make publicly available data from around the world more accessible and useful. The Data Commons data sources are organized by categories such as agriculture, crime, demographics, education, and health and made publicly available on Google Cloud. Starbucks is closing 1% of its underperforming stores across the United States, CEO Brian Niccol said on Thursday. Read more Starbucks is closing over 100 stores in addition to sweeping layoffs as the coffee chain seeks to boost profits and revive sales under CEO Brian Niccol. The company has been creating substantial changes in recent months at the behest of Niccol, former Chipotle CEO, who took over the company in 2024 and launched the Back to Starbucks plan. Niccol has vowed to bring back a warm and welcoming coffeehouse environment with the return of ceramic mugs, comfortable seating and reduced wait times, but the plan has led to store closures and left employees jobless. Advertisement READ MORE: From June: Chestnut Hill Starbucks joins wave of unionized Philly stores Heres what to know. Which Starbucks are closing? Starbucks is closing 1% of its underperforming stores across the US, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said Thursday, Sept. 25. Starbucks did not provide a list of which locations would close; however, with 1% expected to close, that means 150 to 200 will likely shutter. Once stores close, the company is estimated to have around 18,300 Starbucks coffee houses across the U.S. and Canada. The company recently announced it would close 80 to 90 Pick Up stores in more than 20 states, including Pennsylvania. READ MORE: Pa. workers have lost leverage in Trumps economy, report says Why is Starbucks closing locations? Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said Thursday, Sept. 25, the company approved a restructuring plan to close 1% of its underperforming coffee houses in the US. In a letter to employees, Niccol said the locations were chosen because the company was unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we dont see a path to financial performance. Are there Starbucks layoffs 2025? Starbucks is also cutting about 900 jobs in its support teams (non-retail positions) and will close many open positions, CEO Brian Niccol said. Those employees will be laid off Friday, the company said. In February, Niccol announced the layoff of 1,100 employees, and halted hiring for hundreds of open positions. Who is Starbucks CEO? The Starbucks CEO is Brian Niccol, 51, who joined the coffee chain on Sept. 9, 2024. Niccol, a Philadelphia native, previously had successful turnarounds at Taco Bell and Chipotle, where he also served as CEO. When he took the helm, Niccol revealed a turnaround plan called Back to Starbucks, which includes anything from how baristas should dress, to new ordering systems, menu changes and more. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the early rollout of FAFSA ensures American students and families have access to critical resources as they begin or continue their postsecondary education journey." Read more Following two years of delays and technical difficulties that contributed to lower first-year enrollment at Drexel and some other local universities, the newest federal financial aid forms for college are available online, the U.S. Department of Education said Wednesday. Its the earliest launch of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, in the programs history, the department said. Advertisement All of us in the financial aid/university communities are happy that this is kind of being kicked off without any hiccups, said Francesca Reed, vice president of enrollment and marketing at Neumann University in Aston. Well finally be back on track to where we were a couple years ago. U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the early launch of the 2026-27 FAFSA ensures American students and families have access to critical resources as they begin or continue their postsecondary education journey." READ MORE: Heres what one Philly-area college financial aid expert advises about the latest FAFSA delay In 2023, at the end of the Biden administration, a newly revised FAFSA was not available until December, causing widespread concern about access during a critical time in the college application process. Even when it was launched, families were having a hard time logging in or were kicked out, and forms were only available during limited hours. It did not become fully operational until the second week in January. In the past, the form typically had been available by Oct. 1. And that wasnt the end of the problems. In February 2024, another delay was announced. The department said data from the form would not be sent to colleges until March, two months later than expected, shortening the window for students to weigh options and reply to colleges by the traditional May 1 decision deadline. READ MORE: Big changes in applying for federal financial aid are coming: Temple official breaks down what it all means. The General Accountability Office, a bipartisan federal government agency, released reports last year citing the magnitude of the mistakes, including more than 40 separate technical issues. Last fall, FAFSA was not launched until late November. Congress became so concerned that members that month passed a bill mandating FAFSA be released by Oct. 1. Colleges blamed lower first-year student numbers on the botched rollout of FAFSA, which made an already complex college application process even more complicated. Drexel University, for instance, said last fall that it was seriously impacted by problems with FAFSA, which contributed to a decline in first-year enrollment, adding $22 million to the universitys budget challenges. The early release of FAFSA will benefit students and families, especially those from first-generation and low-income families, said Sean E. Vereen, president and CEO of Heights Philadelphia, a nonprofit aimed at providing better access to quality educational and workforce opportunities. Each year, thousands of young people risk losing access to financial aid simply because of confusion or delays in the process, he said. Ensuring that students, particularly those from first-generation-to-college and low-income communities, have the information, support, and time to complete the FAFSA form early is essential to expanding access to college and creating real pathways to economic mobility. In its announcement Wednesday, the department said it also updated the process to improve efficiency. Students, for example, can ask their parents to complete their portion of the FAFSA form using a code. This redesign will improve completion rates, increase satisfaction, and reduce call center volume, the department said. The new form has been tested since Aug. 3, with the vast majority of users reporting satisfaction and citing a reasonable time to complete the form, the department said. Around 10 p.m. on a recent Friday, echoes of Afrobeats and reggae spilled out of a building glowing neon red at Norris and Front Streets. Curious passersby wandered through the open double doors and found a DJ spinning records while people danced with cups of ice cream topped with caramelized sweet plantains and caviar. Its the scene Nashirah Felder envisioned when she got the keys to a long-vacant storefront at 2000 N. Front St. The address is now home to Sweet 45, a listening room and ice cream parlor that opened Sept. 5. Weeks later, the new kid on the block is still creating a buzz alcohol-free under the El. Advertisement Open daily from 1 to 11 p.m. (starting at 3 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday), Sweet 45 offers flavors such as bourbon peach cobbler, salty caramel, and mango water ice, sourced from Pennsylvania businesses, including Hersheys and Freds Water Ice. Housemade toppings include Scotch bonnet honey, candied ginger, and guava puree. Customers can enjoy scoops in cups or waffle cones while they listen to vinyls displayed on the walls in one corner or lounge on plush couches in another. What sets Sweet 45 apart is the after-dark parties featuring local DJs. Felder, also known as DJ Nash, is the founder of Interna$hional Bounce, a music-driven movement celebrating the sounds of the African diaspora through parties and dance workshops. The ice cream shop, she said, doubles as a hub for DJs to play and connect. Theres a million ice cream shops in the area and I was like, how can I make this feel like a mini club, an extension of Interna$hional Bounce, but as a whole different business? she said. So I meshed an ice cream shop with a listening room into Sweet 45. Phillys DJ scene is community-based, Felder explained. In New York, promoters host parties and book DJs. In Philly, she said, DJs drive the scene and fans follow them. Its really important building a community as a DJ in order to be successful [here], she said. I really wanted to incorporate being a DJ into [the shop] and having a space for me and my friends to do our thing. In the next couple of months, Felder plans to expand the menu to breakfast items (bagels, pastries, coffee/tea) and baked goods from local bakers (cookies, pies). She also plans to host daytime DJ parties along with the current weekend lineup run by DJ Bobby Flowers, and use the basement of the building to host her Interna$hional Bounce parties. Folks will also be able to purchase records at the store. Whether youre at my DJ sets or at the ice cream shop, youre in a whole different world, she said. Everything else is on pause for a second, and youre in a whole different vortex. Sweet 45 2000 N Front St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19122, @sweet45philly Pennie, Pennsylvania's Obamacare marketplace, has reached record enrollment largely due to enhanced tax credits that make health insurance more affordable. Read more Pennsylvania residents who buy Obamacare health plans could see their insurance costs rise an average of 82% next year if Congress does not renew a critical financial incentive program set to expire at the end of the year. Pennie, Pennsylvanias Affordable Care Act marketplace, and state lawmakers warned that roughly 150,000 people could drop their coverage next year because they cannot afford the plans without the so-called enhanced premium tax credits that ensure people do not pay more than 8.5% of their income on health insurance. Advertisement The enhanced subsidies do not expire until the end of the year, which means Congress has several months to renew them for 2026 plans. The credits, now imperiled in all states, have become a major sticking point in the ongoing federal budget debate threatening a government shutdown. Pennie officials say that if the program is not renewed by Sept. 30, they will begin sending the nearly 500,000 people currently enrolled notifications of their new significantly higher anticipated cost for next year. Prices could double or even triple for some people, according to state officials. Pennies open enrollment period runs Nov. 1 through Jan. 15. Administrators said it is critical that they have time to notify people of their anticipated costs in 2026, because the vast majority of people with Pennie plans are automatically reenrolled. This year, that could mean being automatically reenrolled in a plan that costs much more, if they do not take action to cancel or switch to a less expensive plan. We expect to see people drop off as early as Nov. 1 because of those higher prices, said Devon Trolley, Pennies executive director. In Washington, Democrats are pushing for a permanent extension of the tax credits as part of government funding talks ahead of the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline. Republican leaders have rejected including ACA subsidies in a deal to avert a shutdown, saying it is something Congress can debate in November or December, without committing votes to extend the money. In Pennsylvania, some Republican representatives have faced protests and pressure on the issue. U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Bucks County who cochairs the Problem Solvers Caucus, has urged his party to address the issue before rate hikes kick in and is working on possible compromises to extend the subsidy, Politico reported this week. If Congress acts later this fall, Trolley said, Pennie will do its best to quickly update cost estimates for customers and apply tax credits for anyone who has already signed up if Congress renews the credits after 2026 premium notices have been sent and open enrollment begins. But by then, people may have abandoned their health plan and not come back, she fears. History of ACA enhanced premium tax credits State-based marketplaces were created under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, as a way to extend insurance coverage to working Americans who do not have access to insurance through an employer and earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, the governments health coverage for low-income people and those with disabilities. Pennsylvania initially used the federal Healthcare.gov marketplace and launched the state-run Pennie in 2020. Pennie reached record enrollment of nearly 500,000 people this year, largely due to the enhanced premium tax credits. Under the ACA, people who earn less than 400% of the federal poverty level about $60,000 are eligible for tax credits on a sliding scale, based on their income, to help offset the monthly cost of an insurance premium. That tax credit is part of the law, and therefore not expiring. The change affects an expansion in 2021, when Congress increased financial assistance so that those buying coverage through an Obamacare marketplace do not pay more than 8.5% of their income. As a result, people who already received a credit got larger subsidies, and people who previously missed the income cutoff were able to get financial assistance. About 90% of people who bought insurance through Pennie for the current year qualified for some amount of tax credit. If the enhanced credits end, people who earn less than $60,000 will still qualify for income-based financial help. But the size of their tax credit will decrease. Rising Pennie premiums At the same time, insurers have submitted the highest premium increases for Pennie plans since 2010, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys said. Average increases of 19% for individual plans and 13% for small-business plans reflect insurers anticipation that the premium tax credits will disappear, resulting in overall higher costs for insurers, his department announced in August. Thats because insurers expect that only the sickest (and most expensive to cover) individuals will continue to prioritize buying health insurance, he said. Others may choose to dedicate limited financial resources to other household expenses, Humphreys said Tuesday during a call with reporters organized by Pennsylvania Health Access Network, a nonprofit organization that helps people enroll in health coverage. But with that deadline rapidly approaching, Humphreys and others worry any financial relief will not come in time. Inquirer staff writer Julia Terruso contributed to this article. The University of Pennsylvania plans to design and construct a $25 million outpatient medical office in Wilmington, the health systems first clinic in Delaware, according to Penn officials. The 40,000-square-foot facility planned for 3505 Silverside Rd. in New Castle County will house radiology and primary care practices and would open in late 2027. Advertisement The project is a reconstruction of the existing building on that site and is about two miles from the Pennsylvania state line. Penn Medicine is always focused on ensuring convenient, close-to-home care for our patients, including through strategic projects that provide access in new areas of the region we serve," said Holly Auer, associate vice president for communications for Penns health system and medical school. READ MORE: Penn Medicine aims to open its first outpatient medical office in Delaware off Route 202 She said Penn has filed a notice of intent to Delaware Health Resources Board for a certificate of public review. Plans for the new facility were approved by the universitys board of trustees Thursday and previously got approval from Penn Medicines board. Penns move into northern Delaware follows the expansion of Delawares largest health system, ChristianaCare, in Southeastern Pennsylvania. ChristianaCare recently completed its bankruptcy deal for five former Crozer outpatient locations in Delaware County and plans to open three micro-hospitals in Chester and Delaware Counties. In April, Penn began building a $270 million, 162,000-square-foot outpatient center in Montgomeryville, on the other side of the Philadelphia region from planned Delaware facility. The Montgomeryville site, also along Route 202, is expected to open in late 2027. Staff writer Harold Brubaker contributed to this article. Nurses from the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals picket outside Temple University Hospital on Sept. 10. The union has threatened to strike amid contract negotiations. Read more Nurses and technicians at Temple Health plan to strike on Oct. 6 if they cannot reach a contract agreement with the health system, their union announced Wednesday. The strike notification, required by federal law, comes after nurses and techs represented by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP) voted to authorize a strike last Friday. Advertisement PASNAP represents 1,600 nurses and 1,000 other medical professionals at Temple; their current contracts are set to expire on Sept. 30. Nurses and technicians will walk off the job at Temple University Hospital and Temple Women and Families Hospital if a contract is not reached before Monday, Oct. 6. Nurses and techs who work in the bone marrow transplant unit at Temple University Hospital-Jeanes Campus are also set to strike, the union said. Temple officials are disappointed but not surprised by the strike notice and have contingency plans to provide ongoing care if a strike takes place, Temple Health spokesperson Jeremy Walter said in a statement. So far, these contingency plans have cost more than $1 million. Next week, we will have to pay another $5 million for contingency staffing. Thats millions of dollars that could have gone to our employees or been used to buy needed equipment, but instead its going to outsiders, the statement read. We remain committed to a productive negotiation process and are hopeful that a work stoppage can be avoided it would only delay reaching a contract. Temples unionized staff have made safety conditions a hallmark of recent contract negotiations. They want us to think that workplace violence is just a part of our jobs, Angelina Dadalski, an intensive care unit nurse at Temple, said in a news release. She said workplace violence incidents happen at the hospital every single day. What theyre refusing to hear is that its their job to care about our safety and the safety of our patients, and to invest in it. Safety an ongoing issue The unions last contract in 2022 included several measures that nurses said had helped them feel safer on the job, including debriefings for staff who are involved in or witness violent episodes. But amid current contract negotiations, union leaders say more can be done. At a rally earlier this month, nurses said theyd been kicked and punched on the job and threatened with sexual assault. In July, staff called for stronger security measures after a man barricaded himself in Temple University Hospitals ER. (An active shooter alert was declared but authorities later concluded the man did not have a gun.) Nurses negotiating the new contract want staff debriefings with union representatives held within 48 hours of a violent incident. Spurred by a hit-and-run at Penn Presbyterian Medical Centers ER entrance last year, they are also asking for security staff to check for private vehicles arriving at hospitals. They have also said that Temple is proposing cuts to benefits that will increase costs for staffers seeking their own healthcare outside of Temples health system. And they have criticized Temples recent purchase of Redeemer Healths share of Chestnut Hill Hospital as well as its spending on the new Women and Families Hospital saying more should be spent on staff as federal cuts threaten the health systems bottom line. Walter said that the health systems purchase of the Redeemer share, expanding Temples ownership of Chestnut Hill Hospital to 80%, brings more patients into Temples care and increases revenue, providing financial stability at the 148-bed hospital. The Women and Families Hospital, he said, offers community-based care for North Philadelphia patients and creates more revenue and union jobs. READ MORE: Temple pushes back opening of new womens hospital Several Philadelphia healthcare unions in recent years have threatened to strike amid contract negotiations, although they generally reach contract agreements before the strike takes place. In 2023, nurses at Lower Bucks Hospital and Suburban Community Hospital went on strike for five days but returned to work without a new contract. They eventually ratified contracts in late 2024 and early 2025, respectively. The Temple nurses and technicians are the second group of Temple-affiliated staff who have threatened to strike in the last year. In July, unionized nurses and technicians at Jeanes and Chestnut Hill Hospital voted to approve their first contracts with Temple Health a week before a planned strike. Delaware County residents are raising a stink about a rancid smell thats wafting through Delco and those whove smelt it have questions about who or what dealt it. What is the diarrhea smell on 252 by the springton dam????? someone nonchalantly asked on the Delco Reddit page last week. Advertisement Anyone figure out what that odor was in Delco today? Smelled like gas all over someone posted Wednesday. PECO spokesperson Candice Womer said the utility company responded to 40 calls throughout the county for reports of a gas odor on Wednesday and one call on Thursday. Investigators determined the cause of the smell was not related to natural gas, she said. The countys 911 center received multiple reports about the smell from residents and the Delaware County Emergency Services Department is investigating, according to FOX29, but a cause has not been determined. A message left for Edward Beebe, deputy directory of the department, was not returned. A spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Protection said that agency has not received any reports. Of course, Delconians had their very-unserious theories about the source of the smell on social media, ranging from the Delco Pooper is back to Eddy unloading the RV. There were even reports that the stench made family members turn against one another, particularly in the confined spaces of automobiles, where parents accused their young of having stinky feet and children leveled silent-but-deadly fart accusations against the very people who brought them into this world. The smell was likened online to human excrement, skunk, sulfur, rotten eggs, every dead rat from the bubble gum factory, sauerkraut, and dead bodies (human and animal) by county residents everywhere from Clifton Heights to Marcus Hook. Theories about the stench included that it may have come from a tanker spill of 2,000 gallons of home heating oil Monday in Upper Providence Township, some of which got into nearby Ridley Creek. Another popular hypothesis circulating is that the smell may be a result of seasonal turnover at the Springton Reservoir, which is when a body of water equalizes in temperature in the fall, the sediment at the bottom is stirred, and sulfur and methane are released into the air. While nobody nose the cause yet, this is not the first time Delco has smelled funky. For several months in 2020, residents reported a foul odor throughout the county that was unpredictable, temporary, and tough to pin down. According to an Inquirer article from the time, the countys emergency services department worked with the DEP to roll out new technology, like handheld testing meters, to help track the source. The DEP also investigated nearby industrial facilities and pipelines to make sure they werent behind the smell. Satin Slipper performs their "Clowntown Carnival.in the Fancy Brigade Finale at the Convention Center Jan. 1, 2025, part of the Philadelphia Mummers New Years Day parade. Read more The Mummers are well-known for their vivacious spirit and penchant for partying, but the coalition of sequined clubs is using its platform this year to help one of their own find a kidney. Philanthropy isnt new to the Mummers. Its actually a significant way the various clubs build community when they are not planning their New Years Day parade. Autism, breast cancer, and leukemia are a few of the causes the sequined revelers have rallied around over the years while out of costume. Mum Nation, as they sometimes call themselves, even has a nonprofit called Mummers Against Cancer, which helps fellow members and their immediate families struggling financially due to the disease. Advertisement This year, the Mummers have channeled much of their philanthropic efforts to support the Gift of Life Howies House, a local nonprofit that houses and aids patients getting organ transplant-related care, and Tom Otto, a Mummer of almost 50 years, who will die within years without a new kidney. The Mummers are set on not letting that happen. We are going a little bit above and beyond with this particular one, because theres an added closeness, said Anthony Stagliano Jr., the Fancy Brigade Associations business manager. Otto, a 53-year-old Mount Laurel resident, was introduced to Mummery through the Satin Slipper, a Fancy Brigade, when he was a kid living in South Philly. He eventually started his own club in 2013 with his brothers, friends, and their daughters. He was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease three years ago. He was about 500 pounds at the time and feeling sick. He had to lose significant weight before he would be eligible for a transplant. Since then, he has transformed his life. With the help of the weight-loss drug Mounjaro, severe calorie restriction, and lifestyle transformation, Otto has lost about 250 pounds. Otto is undergoing dialysis three times a week. Without a new kidney, he doesnt expect to live for more than six years. Im scared to death, said Otto. I dont want to say were begging, but were definitely asking. Otto is on the transplant wait list, but his donation team has urged him to do his own outreach to try to find a living donor. He started with family and moved on to the next closest version of that: his fellow Mummers, who have been a constant support. At this years parade, the Mummers encouraged Otto to share his story during the live broadcast. It was a showcase of the Mummers reach, Otto said, with a woman from Alabama volunteering to get tested to see if she was a match. The woman ultimately was not an eligible donor, but Otto was in awe that his story found an audience so far away. For their part, the Mummers are not giving up on finding Otto a donor. Using the Mummers platform to raise organ donation awareness On Thursday, the Fancy Brigade Association announced Live! Casino & Hotel as the title sponsor for the 2026 Fancy Brigade Fest and Finale at the Convention Center, and a minimum two-year agreement that would take financial pressure off the association, as far as the annual rush to fundraise is concerned. The announcement is a bit of boring accounting, yet a big deal for the Mummers Parade, which embarked on a journey of financial self-sufficiency in 2022. During the 30 years prior, longtime partner PHL17 found its own broadcast sponsors to telecast the event. When negotiations fell through that year, the Mummers had to take on those fundraising duties. Thats when Live! Casino & Hotel, which had opened in South Philly the year prior, stepped in. Live! has remained an enthusiastic partner. It is the title sponsor of the overall parade and the Fancy Brigade Fest and Finale. We really believe in giving our dollars back into the community where our own team members and our customers live and work, said Jake Joyce, senior vice president of marketing for Live! Still, while the television cameras were still rolling, Stagliano made sure to plug Otto and a Gift of Life fundraiser slated for Nov. 30. We always want to make sure that people understand that it all starts with our community, Stagliano said. It all starts with philanthropy. If we dont do those things, and if we dont participate in those things, then we would be going against all of the things that we believe in as a nonprofit organization. Victoria E. Johnson, 44, of Philadelphia, award-winning associate professor of neurosurgery in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, member of the Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair, renowned pioneering brain researcher, and mentor, died Thursday, Sept. 4, of metastatic colon cancer at KeystoneCare hospice in Wyndmoor. Born in Scotland, Dr. Johnson came to Philadelphia in 2005 as a visiting scholar in Penns Department of Neurosurgery, and she never left. She earned a doctorate in neuropathology of traumatic brain injuries from the University of Glasgow while working at Penn and became a Penn postdoctoral fellow in 2012. Advertisement By 2013, she was an instructor in the Department of Neurosurgery. By 2016, she was an assistant professor. In July, she was promoted to tenured associate professor. Dr. Johnsons groundbreaking research at Penns Johnson Lab focused largely on links between traumatic brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. She participated in dozens of projects, post mortem with humans and live with animals, and contributed to more than 120 published papers. Traumatic brain injury is a common and often devastating health problem, she said on the Johnson Lab website. Affecting over 2.5 million individuals in the U.S. each year, TBI is a complex and heterogenous disorder. In a tribute, colleagues in the Department of Neurosurgery called her a leader in the field and remarkably productive. They praised her enduring excellence and impact and said: Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of the mechanisms by which acute brain trauma leads to long-term neurological decline. Her research on contact sports, concussions, aging, dementia, COVID-19, inflammation, and other brain-related topics earned praise, awards, and continual funding from the Department of Defense and National Institutes of Health. She won Penns postdoctoral fellow research award in 2009 and the Murray Goldstein Award for excellence in neurotrauma research from the Neurotrauma Society in 2008 and 2012. Penn colleagues commended her work ethic and humility in tributes, saying she exceeded expectations even through the tough times. She often worked weekends and nights, they said, and she made sure to organize her projects as she handed them off recently to colleagues. Notably, friends said, she treated the lab animals she encountered with empathy and respect. She will be fondly remembered for her professionalism, her dedication, and her scientific contribution to the field of neuroscience, a longtime colleague said online. Longtime friend Rebecca Lacher said: She loved her job. Victoria Eleanor Johnson was born Aug. 23, 1981, in Kilsyth, Scotland. She grew up with her brother, Scott, and earned her bachelors degree in clinical neuroscience at Glasgow in 2003 and medical degree there in 2005. In Philadelphia, she enjoyed cooking and sitting with friends around the dinner table. She lived near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and later in Rittenhouse, and always had a library of cookbooks in her kitchen. She made memorable trips to Anguilla and elsewhere, and she loved dogs. She was good at deep friendships and was especially close to her niece Charlotte, nephew Patrick, and family friend Orli Smith. She enjoyed board games, wore signature scarves, beat breast cancer in 2021, and became a U.S. citizen in 2022. She was adept, friends said, at giving the perfect present. She could see you, Lacher said. Her family and friends said in a tribute: She was an internationally recognized neuroscientist, a beloved aunt, sister, daughter, friend and colleague, a Scotswoman and a Philadelphian. ... She brought warmth, humor, and flair to every occasion. Lacher said: She was intense, devoted, and loving, just a wonderful person. In addition to her brother and parents, Frederick and Eleanor, Dr. Johnson is survived by her sister-in-law, Victoria Carson, and other relatives. A celebration of her life is to be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at the College of Physicians, 19 S. 22nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103. Donations in her name may be made to KeystoneCare, 8765 Stenton Ave., Wyndmoor, Pa. 19038. A woman receives wound care at Girard Behavioral Health wound care clinic in the Ludlow section of North Philadelphia in August 2024. She was being treated for injuries sustained from using the illicit drug known as tranq. Read more The spread of fentanyl laced with xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, is fueling Americas latest chapter of the opioid crisis. The lethality of fentanyl is well known, but the rise of xylazine and its gruesome effects on the limbs and lives of those who use drugs is only recently coming into focus. Unfortunately, the inconsistent and uncoordinated responses from government agencies are failing those most at risk. Emergency rooms across the Philadelphia metro area are seeing a rise in grisly limb-threatening necrotic wounds caused by the injection of the illicit combination, which is also known as tranq dope or zombie drug. It results in the breakdown of skin, muscle, and even bone, potentially resulting in large wounds that compromise limb function and often lead to amputations. The causative agent, xylazine, is known, but efforts to schedule or regulate xylazine at the federal level have been disappointingly slow. The Office of National Drug Control Policy designated fentanyl adulterated with xylazine as an emerging drug threat in April 2023. Advertisement But today, nearly two and a half years after that warning, xylazine still has yet to be classified as a controlled substance. This has allowed traffickers to acquire the drug from overseas particularly from China where it is sold as powder and liquid that enter U.S. supply chains, sometimes diverted from veterinary sources. The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced indictments against some foreign manufacturers, but the trafficking route remains active. In July 2023, federal officials issued a National Response Plan outlining enhanced testing, data collection, harm reduction, and scheduling measures. However, the plans goals such as reducing xylazine-positive overdose deaths by 15% in three out of four census regions by the end of the year highlight the disappointingly slow federal response, and the governments meager goals to curb the increasing risk to public health. States responses to the fentanyl-xylazine crisis are inconsistent, as well: New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts have passed laws to criminalize xylazine possession and quickly schedule the drug, tightening supply, but raising concerns about unintended consequences for veterinary medicine and people who use drugs. This is a public health crisis that requires federal leadership and state coordination. Conversely, states like Maryland and Rhode Island have focused on harm reduction, investing in mobile wound care units, syringe exchanges, and outreach programs that directly serve affected populations. Meanwhile, states such as Texas and Indiana have been slower to expand either treatment or harm reduction efforts, concentrating more on interdiction and law enforcement, with fewer medical resources allocated to treat overdoses or wounds. This uneven approach by states and lack of direction and necessary regulation at the federal level means support for patients and clinicians varies more by location than by need. Worse, there is every reason to believe this new chapter of the opioid crisis will quickly expand beyond Philadelphia to other urban and ultimately rural regions across America, severely burdening their healthcare systems. This is a public health crisis that requires federal leadership and state coordination. On the front lines in Philadelphia, physicians have observed the damage worsening as xylazine-laced fentanyl becomes the street drug of choice. Unlike other opioids, this combination causes wounds so severe that traditional treatments often fall short, and standard reversal with agents like naloxone is ineffective. READ MORE: Addiction takes a toll on life and limb Patients arrive in emergency rooms with necrotic limbs, infections that resist antibiotics, and wounds that extend well beyond injection sites warranting highly expensive, complex, and protracted medical and surgical care. In response, the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education organized a citywide symposium in November of 2024 in an effort to share experiences and best practices by physicians as well as to inform policymakers. The result was the Philadelphia Consensus on how best to manage xylazine-associated wounds, recently published in the journal SurgiColl. This consensus paper provides an outline for a coordinated multidisciplinary approach for integrating addiction treatment, wound care, infectious disease input, surgical care, and the social realities faced by people who use drugs. Central to the consensus is the determination that medical stabilization, addiction treatment, social support, and local wound care should precede any advanced surgical reconstruction. Successful management of xylazine-associated wounds is predicated on management of the addiction first. The governments regulatory and financial support is paramount to turning the tide. Our Philadelphia Consensus should set the national standard for care. But federal agencies need to lead with smart regulation, monitoring, resources, and, most importantly, restricting access to xylazine. State governments need to collaborate to ensure wound care, addiction treatment, and supportive housing are funded and accessible. The risks and lethality of fentanyl are understood, but the compounding effects of xylazine and its resultant necrotic limb-threatening wounds are only now becoming more appreciated. National and local leadership must rise to this new public health challenge directly and deliberately to save limbs and lives, and offer hope to those the epidemic is leaving behind. Asif Ilyas is president of the nonprofit Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education, a professor of orthopaedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University, and an associate dean of clinical research at the Drexel University College of Medicine. A sign posted by the state Senate in Harrisburg in August. The continuing budget impasse is particularly frustrating given the apparently small scale of disagreement between Republicans and Democrats, writes the Editorial Board. Read more In what is becoming an annual delay, nearly three months after the June 30 deadline, Pennsylvania still does not have a budget. State leaders need to hash out their differences, move forward, and institute penalties to ensure dysfunction doesnt become tradition at the expense of state-funded services like schools and libraries. Advertisement The continuing impasse is particularly frustrating given the apparently small scale of disagreement. More than a month ago, state Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman publicly professed support for a budget of more than $49 billion. Gov. Josh Shapiros most recent public proposal, which was also supported by state House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, came in at $49.9 billion. In the interim, the contentious issue of transit funding roughly $300 million per year has been taken off the table. Yet, despite this sacrifice of a key Democratic priority, a deal remains elusive. Driving the divide is the fact that Pennsylvania has a structural deficit. The commonwealth spends more money than it brings in, with $46.4 billion worth of revenue compared with $49.9 billion in Shapiros last public proposal. The governor and his Democratic allies insist the spending is worth it, given the needs across the state and the more than $10 billion in combined reserves. Republicans have vociferously disagreed, and because of their majority in the Senate the impasse has left a new state budget in limbo. Still, while Senate Republicans deserve the lions share of the blame for the missing budget, they are not alone. House Democrats have also made it harder to finalize a deal and bridge the structural deficit by dithering over proposals like their dead-on-arrival plan to legalize recreational marijuana. Given the stakes of this budget fight, wasting time and energy on an unworkable scheme to sell marijuana in Pennsylvania State Stores which would have required spending an uncertain amount of start-up money and possibly running afoul of federal law was an unforced error. Meantime, while the General Assembly spins its wheels, schools are tapping into reserves or taking out large loans to keep their doors open. The Philadelphia School District alone missed out on more than $300 million in payments from the state while budget talks continued through July and August. One way to help ensure all parties are sufficiently motivated to produce a budget in the future would be to withhold pay for the states political leaders while the spending plan remains outstanding. The governor, legislators, and top staff should all be forced to make the same financial decisions as the schools, nonprofits, and local governments theyve failed to provide for. State Rep. Jim Haddock of Luzerne County has a bill that would freeze compensation until a budget is signed. New York has a similar law on the books, and California has withheld pay over budget impasses in the past. As this years delay makes clear, there may be no amount of public pressure that can convince state legislators to act. Maybe a hit to their pocketbooks can help them better empathize with those who are suffering from their intransigence. In this Oct. 12, 2004 photo, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.'s headquarters is pictured in Hunt Valley, Md. The company owns and/or operates 21 regional sports networks and owns, operates and/or provides services to 185 television stations in 86 markets. Read more There are some things the average American just doesnt know. The name of their local state senator, for example. Or their Netflix password. Or which faceless conglomerate owns their local TV station. That probably changed for a lot of folks in the Washington, D.C., area at precisely 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, when they tuned into WJLA-TV the capital regions ABC affiliate, Channel 7 hoping to see the much-anticipated return of late-night comic Jimmy Kimmel, whose three-night suspension over politics had rocked the nation. Advertisement Instead, viewers were treated to a rerun of the stations local newscast, whose name must have seemed ironic to many angry viewers: 7News on Your Side. The plot twists didnt stop there .As Deadline reported, the lead story about the restoration of an African American cemetery in the Maryland suburbs quoted a local official: In this era of Trump erasing history, Maryland has to take action. Meanwhile, WJLA owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which is controlled by a family of ultra-conservative Donald Trump supporters was busy erasing the present by refusing to return to its airwaves a comedian known for skewering the president. The impasse might keep Jimmy Kimmel Live! off not just D.C.s Channel 7 but Sinclairs 37 other ABC affiliates for a while, with the broadcasters and the comedian at odds over how to apologize for comments about the Charlie Kirk assassination. Overall, nearly 70 stations from Oregon to Mississippi to Maine those owned by Sinclair or Nexstar, a rival conglomerate thats currying favor with the Trump regime as it seeks approval for a $6,2 billion mega-merger are continuing this week to blacklist Kimmel for his political commentary, exacerbating Americas biggest crisis over the First Amendment and free speech in decades. But the amplified role of once largely anonymous TV middlemen like Nexstar and Sinclair have also raised serious new questions around whether a few players have too much control over what you can watch, or the content of your local news. For years, a small band of good-government watchdogs and media reformers have been screaming from the rooftops that the growing concentration of power in just a few companies was a looming crisis for democracy and hardly anybody listened. The ongoing silencing of Kimmel on so many local channels is a sudden wakeup call, but have we already overslept? Just last month, when Nexstar announced its plan to acquire a rival owner of TV stations, Tegna, the advocacy group Free Press warned that these national chains have no commitment to quality local news, and that communities will suffer. The groups Craig Aaron argued that the companies leading the charge for more consolidation see local news only as a vehicle for serving political ads and spreading right-wing propaganda. On Wednesday, I spoke with Stanford Business School associate professor Gregory J. Martin, whose research has focused on the impact of media consolidation. His papers with other experts have shown that dramatic changes in TV-station ownership have brought major changes to the news that local viewers watch, and that in some cases especially when Sinclair comes to town that journalism becomes more national and skewed to the right. In a lot of markets, theyre getting less local news and more national news, both because of the packaging Sinclair has a team producing national segments that air on multiple stations but also because of the political slant of the owners, Martin said. Now, the decisions by Sinclair and Nexstar to ban Kimmels return to the ABC lineup have taken the problem of centralized media control to new heights. Most major media that was born, or flourished, in the 20th century not just local TV outlets, but radio stations and newspapers have transformed in recent decades from mostly local or regional owners to large national chains, as a capitalistic push for economies of scale was welcomed by growing government deregulation. Beginning around the 1990s, three industry players Sinclair, Nexstar and Gray Television started growing exponentially. Today, these three companies control about 40% of all local stations, including their newsrooms, that overall reach about 80% of the U.S. population. Martin pointed to a couple of factors: the ability of larger chains to reduce both back-office expenses and as Sinclair has done, aggressively shared news reports, but also their appeal to advertisers who can now reach a number of small- and medium-sized markets with one buy. He said the TV conglomerates produce segments in a central studio and then distribute them to a whole bunch of stations at once. Thats potentially a big cost savings over having 100 different local reporting teams going out and producing their own stories. READ MORE: Kimmel return proves we can beat back autocracy | Will Bunch Newsletter No system of media ownership is perfect. Most press-freedom advocates prefer distinct, locally-owned newsrooms because that means more journalists filing more reports on matters that their community cares about. But owners can also reflect their hometowns worst instincts. At the height of the 1960s civil rights movement, some locally owned network affiliates in the Deep South were notorious for censoring national news about the struggle for Black freedom, or even just shows that featured African American performers. A Jackson, Miss. station, WLBT, ran a message Sorry Cable Trouble from New York to blackout NBCs reporting on the Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation ruling, allowed reporters to use the N-word, and carried the Citizens Council Forum that gave airtime to segregationists. After years of challenges, a federal judge stripped its license in 1971. But media consolidation offers a different insidious threat: a politically motivated owner imposing one viewpoint across dozens of metro areas, whether the citizens want that or not. Exhibit A has long been Sinclair, whose founders and longtime controlling owners, the Smith family, espouse deeply conservative, pro-Republican political views that align with a longtime push for deregulation to buy more stations. Among the many controversies surrounding the collision between the Smiths right-wing politics and local-newsroom independence is the prevalence of so-called must-run segments, such as conservative editorials or weekend programming, that it requires affiliates to air even in heavily Democratic markets like Seattle. In the most famous, and widely lampooned, example, a viral video in 2018 mashing up the identical words of scores of Sinclair local anchors warning their viewers, quite ironically, about the rise of fake news provided an Orwellian view of what it can look like when one perspective is imposed on multiple cities. Theres no doubt that, in the internet and smartphone era, the audience for local TV newscasts is both smaller and older than it used to be. But research suggests that as many as 64% of Americans get information from local newscasts at least sometimes. One study from 2008-18 found that viewers in markets where Sinclair had acquired stations became more likely to disapprove of Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. The censorship of Jimmy Kimmel is where this thing was always headed. For Sinclair, its a matter of ideology. The broadcast group has insisted that Kimmel not only apologize directly to Kirks family but make a donation to the slain activists organization, Turning Point USA. That seems unlikely raising that prospect that Kimmel could be off the air in D.C. and other key markets for some time. Its a political issue for Nexstar, too, but the issue isnt red politics, but the green of increased profits. Although Federal Communications Commission ownership rules arent what they used to be, the current standard is that no one company is allowed to reach more than 39% of the country. Thats why Nexstar and its Tegna takeover needs the FCC and its chair, pro-Trump pit bull Brendan Carr, which has all but certainly influenced its ongoing blacklisting of the hated-by-Trump Kimmel. One company controlling too many TV stations was a terrible idea two weeks ago, and now the censorship by Sinclair and Nexstar has shown this to the broader public. I know the Nexstar-Tegna acquisition looks like a done deal in the current climate, but public opposition prevented the FCC from approving a similar move for Sinclair during Trumps first term. Pro-democracy forces must fight this to the bitter end. And thats not the only way to fight back. In Seattle, angry protesters have picketed the Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate, KOMO, and threatened to boycott the stations advertisers, because the only way to their warped heart is through their wallet. The movement for food that is locally sourced has been happening for years. Its past time for the news, and television, to get back to its roots. READ MORE: SIGN UP: The Will Bunch Newsletter The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday sued Pennsylvania in an attempt to force the state to provide its full, unredacted voter registration database to the federal government. The suit, filed in Pennsylvanias Western District court, targeted the Pennsylvania Department of State and Secretary Al Schmidt. President Donald Trumps administration alleged that the states refusal to provide the data last month which Pennsylvania officials said was to protect voters privacy violated federal law and inhibited the DOJs efforts to ensure proper voting roll maintenance. Advertisement Every state has a responsibility to ensure that voter registration records are accurate, accessible, and secure states that dont fulfill that obligation will see this Department of Justice in court," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing lawsuits against Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and New Hampshire. Last week, the agency brought similar suits against Maine and Oregon. New Hampshire is the only Republican-led state facing a lawsuit. Since June, the Justice Department has sent letters to election officials in dozens of states, demanding access to voter registration databases. The vast majority of those states, both red and blue, rejected the requests or offered to provide the agency with the redacted voter files already available to the public, according to a tracker maintained by the Brennan Center for Justice. Schmidt, the Pennsylvania secretary of state, called DOJs request unprecedented and unlawful and promised to vigorously fight the federal governments overreach in court. I have an obligation to protect the personal information that Pennsylvania voters entrust us with, and I take that obligation extremely seriously, Schmidt said in a statement. Last month Schmidt, an appointee of Gov. Josh Shapiro, rejected the DOJs written request for the information, saying the agency lacked legal justification to receive it. Providing the full database, he argued, would release the personal data of thousands of Pennsylvanians, in violation of state and federal privacy protection laws. This request, and reported efforts to collect broad data on millions of Americans, represent a concerning attempt to expand the federal governments role in our countrys electoral process, Schmidt wrote at the time. He offered to give the DOJ the same voter roll records available to the public. The federal inquiries have raised alarms among voting rights advocates and election law experts who argue they are an illegal effort to sow doubt in election security ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. This seems like an attempt to undermine the publics confidence in the integrity of our elections, said Lauren Cristella, the president of the Committee of Seventy, a Philly-based civic engagement group. Elections are controlled at the state level, and by the federal government dipping into the states operations of our elections, they are insinuating that theres something wrong even though there is no credible evidence. Trump has a long history of promoting conspiracy theories about illegal voting, including perpetuating the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him. He has rewarded those who echo him with posts in his administration, including a well-known Pennsylvania election denier. The data requests have also coincided with his efforts to influence the midterms, including a push for mid-cycle redistricting in Republican-leaning states and an announcement that he would seek to ban mail voting. Earlier this year the ACLU of Pennsylvania threatened legal action if the state sought to provide the unredacted data to the federal government, citing state law that bars officials from sharing personal information such as drivers license numbers and Social Security numbers. David Becker, a former Justice Department attorney who founded the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said the lawsuits represented an unusual and troubling effort by the federal government to access the sensitive personal information of American voters. The requests come from an administration, Becker noted, that has had mass accidental data leaks and just this week released U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrills entire military file, including her Social Security number, as she runs for governor in New Jersey. The suits, Becker said, will give states the opportunity to prove their positions in court while forcing the DOJ to defend a weak case. I think states consider these lawsuits almost a gift at this point, Becker said. In its complaint, the Justice Department said Pennsylvanias failure to comply with its request for voter information amounted to a violation of federal voting laws, including the National Voting Rights Act and the Help America Vote Act. Both laws were designed to protect electoral integrity, the complaint says, including by requiring states to perform routine maintenance of voter rolls to remove duplicate or deceased registrants. The department said its request for records including voters names, birth dates, addresses, and either drivers license or Social Security numbers was made to ensure that Pennsylvanias procedures were in line with the requirements under those laws. The publicly available records, the complaint says, do not include the required unique identifiers requested by the Attorney General." The complaint notes that the detailed information is already provided to the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), an independent group that works with states to identify voters who may be registered in multiple states. Information provided to ERIC, however, is offered in an highly encrypted format that can be used to compare data in a specific computer software but cannot be read by a human. The Justice Departments requests did not ask for similar encryption. In his letter last month, Schmidt argued the two federal laws did not require disclosure of personal information and the agency had provided no basis for needing that information to confirm the state was compliant with voter roll maintenance requirements. WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned senior U.S. military officers from around the world to a meeting in Quantico, Virginia next week, five officials told Reuters on Thursday, a rare gathering of U.S. military leadership in one location. It was not clear why Hegseth has ordered the generals and admirals to meet in one place on such short notice, and two of the officials said this has created uncertainty among the expected attendees. Senior military officials in some cases command thousands of troops. Most have detailed schedules weeks in advance, which have now been upended. People are scrambling to change their plans and see if they have to attend, one U.S. official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Advertisement It was unclear how many officials will actually attend the event, but it is rare to have so many senior officials in the same room at the same time. Asked for comment, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said only: The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week. Parnells office did not respond to questions about the number of officers, purpose of the meeting or why Hegseth called so abruptly. Trump has ordered the department to rename itself the Department of War, a change that will require action by Congress. The U.S. has troops around the world, including in distant locations like South Korea, Japan and across the Middle East-- which are commanded by two, three and four-star generals and admirals. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has moved with stunning speed to reshape the department, firing top generals and admirals as he seeks to implement Trumps national security agenda and root out diversity initiatives he calls discriminatory. In February, he fired Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with five other admirals and generals in an unprecedented shake-up of U.S. military leadership. Last month, Hegseth fired the head of the Pentagons intelligence agency and two other senior military commanders. In May, Hegseth ordered a 20% reduction in the number of four-star officers. In that May memo, Hegseth said there would also be a minimum 20% reduction in the number of general officers in the National Guard and an additional 10% reduction among general and flag officers across the military. More generals and admirals does not lead to more success, Hegseth said at the time. Now, many of those generals and admirals will be in the same room. Its probably more mundane than people think... (but) the lack of clarity isnt helping, the official said. Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee for New Jersey governor, is scheduled to be honored at an event featuring an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist on Thursday, days after he appeared to moderate his tone on vaccines in the first gubernatorial debate. His presence is now uncertain, according to a source familiar with the matter, but his face is still plastered on online fliers alongside anti-vaccine activists for the NJ Public Health Innovation PAC Gala at the Gramercy at Lakeside Manor in Hazlet. Advertisement The candidate is advertised as a distinguished guest and the keynote speaker is Sherri Tenpenny, a doctor known nationally for peddling conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 vaccine. His presence at this years Gala underscores the growing recognition that health freedom, informed consent, and parental rights must be front and center in New Jerseys future, NJPHI PAC posted on Facebook about Ciattarelli. As our state heads into a pivotal election, Jacks participation is a powerful signal that these issues matter at the highest levels of leadership. Ciattarelli has appealed to so-called medical freedom and parental rights groups that oppose vaccine requirements for students going to public school. He has maintained on his campaign website that he will oppose a one-size-fits-all vaccination schedule and that he wants to make it easier for parents to opt their kids out of vaccinations for school through a philosophical exemption (the state currently has a religious exemption). But Ciattarelli appeared to moderate his tone on the issue Sunday night while debating U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee. READ MORE: Suing Trump, remembering Charlie Kirk, and ending school segregation: What you missed in the N.J. governors race debate At the debate, moderator Micah Rasmussen cited measles deaths across the country and noted that Ocean County is now below the vaccination rate to maintain herd immunity for the disease. Should New Jersey parents be worried? Rasmussen asked the candidates. Ciattarelli said he supports the vaccine schedule with regard to measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough, and polio. Weve got to get above the threshold for herd immunity to keep our communities safe, he said. The obligation of any governor on Day One after they take their oath of office is the public health and safety. When asked after the debate to clarify whether his position against a vaccine schedule has changed, Ciattarelli said that children have to be vaccinated for things like measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and chickenpox. He also reiterated that a community falling below herd immunity is dangerous and that his job would be to protect the public health and safety. Ciattarelli did not mention religious or philosophical exemptions in his answers. Sherrill argued that children are dying of curable diseases because we are not appropriately following medical research vaccine protocol and said she would be part of the new Northeast Public Health Collaborative, in which governors from states including New Jersey and Pennsylvania are working together on public health policy in light of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trumps secretary of health and human services, dismantling federal vaccine recommendations. Bill Spadea, a vocal vaccine skeptic who ran against Ciattarelli in the GOP primary, argued that Ciattarelli and Sherrill showed no difference in their views on medical freedom during the debate. Shawn Hyland, the director of advocacy for the NJ Family Policy Center, a Christian group aligned with the parental rights movement that endorsed Ciattarelli, said Ciattarellis answer sparked some discussion among advocates. READ MORE: A Republican governor in NJ could alter reality for parental rights advocates, so theyve formed a coalition for the governors race Hyland, who is leading an opening prayer at the gala, interpreted Ciattarellis answer as supporting the current vaccine schedule but said the candidate never mentioned or even implied in any way that he would force people to get vaccinated if they had a certain religious reason of why they should be exempted from it. Ciattarellis presence at the gala is advertised alongside Tenpenny and Jamel Holley, Leah Wilson, and Mary Holland. Tenpenny, the keynote speaker, told legislators in Ohio in 2021 that the COVID-19 vaccine could make people magnetic and suggested that vaccines interact with 5G towers both unfounded claims. She was listed as one of 12 anti-vaccine activists responsible for almost two-thirds of anti-vaccine content on social media that year by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, which called them the Disinformation Dozen. She sold online education courses that said social distancing had no use in a pandemic and mask-wearing policies are a type of mind control, Business Insider reported. Holland, CEO of Kennedys nonprofit Childrens Health Defense, claimed in an interview with Politico that mumps, measles, and rubella are not particularly dangerous to children, contrary to extensive medical evidence. On Steve Bannons War Room, Holland compared mandated vaccines to slavery. The group hosting the gala calls her a courageous health freedom leader. Wilson, a lawyer, became an outspoken opponent of vaccine mandates after she was told she could not foster children because her biological children were not vaccinated. The PAC calls her a Health Freedom Warrior. Holley, a former Democratic Assembly member from Union County, was described by Politico in 2020 as New Jersey Democrats most high profile anti-vaccination activist. The gala organization calls him a powerful voice for the MAHA movement. Holley, a Kennedy adviser, alienated Democratic allies with his anti-vaccination rhetoric surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Sherrill said in a statement that she is appalled that Jack is taking his cues from fringe activists, conspiracy theorists, and the likes of Donald Trump and RFK, Jr. whose extreme policies will result in reduced access to vaccines and more of our children catching preventable illnesses. People are getting sick because of politicians like Jack who campaign with anti-vaxxers and spread dangerous lies about our public health, and its clear we cant trust him to keep our kids safe and healthy, she added. In a statement, Ciattarelli spokesperson Eric Arpert asserted that the GOP nominees position has been consistent on vaccines. As Governor, he will oppose a one-size-fits-all vaccination schedule, support medical and religious exemptions for vaccines, and create a parental rights ombudsman in state government to give parents more of a voice on key issues, including those seeking a philosophical vaccine exemption, Arpert said. At the same time, Jack personally supports individuals getting vaccinated and appreciates the important role vaccines play in protecting the public, he added. Ciattarelli has been open about his own decision to get vaccinated even sending out photos of himself getting his COVID vaccine during his 2021 campaign for governor but has argued that the my body, my choice slogan should apply to vaccines. (The COVID vaccine is not required as part of the vaccine schedule.) The subject of vaccines is becoming increasingly important for state leaders while the federal government changes long-held stances on vaccinations and shifts under the guidance of Kennedy, who has leaned on unsubstantiated and debunked theories. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, both Democrats, have each recently established statewide guidelines that break with new federal policy on COVID and Tylenol. Trump claimed without definitive scientific proof that using the pain reliever during pregnancy is dangerous, a contention that scientists have debunked. Shapiro this week provided vaccine guidance that departs from the new federal guidance and said that private insurers will continue to cover all of the vaccines covered under the 2024 recommendations. Murphy expanded COVID vaccine access earlier this month and sent out guidance underscoring the safety of taking Tylenol in conflict with the White Houses recent guidance. Jalon Alexander formed an exploratory committee to consider running for City Council in 2027. Read more The 2027 Philadelphia City Council races have unofficially begun. Lawyer Jalon Alexander this week announced he has formed an exploratory committee as he mulls challenging Councilmember Jeffery Jay Young Jr. in the Democratic primary for the North Philadelphia-based 5th District. Advertisement Serious challenges to incumbent district Council members are rare, but Youngs race is likely to be an exception. The freshman lawmaker won his seat in unusual circumstances in 2023 as the only candidate on the ballot in the Democratic primary, and he has made several controversial decisions on projects in his district. Over the past two years, it has become abundantly clear that residents of the 5th councilmanic district have been poorly represented, Alexander, 32, said in his announcement. A lack of accountability from a councilmember who ran uncontested in the 2023 primary has led to a failure to develop public spaces such as libraries and swimming pools as well as a slowdown in the development of affordable housing. Young, 39, who is also an attorney and previously served as an aide to former Council President Darrell L. Clarke, said he and his staff have worked hard every single day to deliver results. Weve done that by resolving thousands of constituent issues, creating space for residents to voice their concerns, advocating for accountability, and staying accessible, visible, and relatable, Young said in a statement. We live in a democratic society, and the right to run for office is a foundational part of that. I remain focused on the responsibilities of this role and the trust this community has placed in me. Council has recently seen unusually high turnover, with 12 of the 17 current members in their first or second terms. The pendulum may now be swinging in the other direction. No sitting members have indicated they may not seek reelection in 2027, meaning challenges to incumbents could be the most competitive races in the next municipal election cycle. Council has 10 members who represent geographic districts, including Young, and seven at-large who are elected citywide. Alexander, the grandson of the well-known politico, consultant, and former City Commissioner Maurice Floyd, ran unsuccessfully for an at-large seat in 2023. Other candidates are likely to join the 5th District race before the primary in the spring of 2027. 5th District legacy at stake Councils 5th District seat has been occupied by some of the most legendary figures in Black Philadelphia politics: Raymond Pace Alexander, the first Black Common Pleas Court judge in Pennsylvania; Ethel D. Allen, the first Black woman to win a Council seat; and Cecil B. Moore, the civil rights leader and NAACP president. More recently, the seat was held by John F. Street, who served as Council president and mayor, and Clarke, Streets protege, who also became Council president. Unintentionally, Clarke paved the way for Youngs election. As rumors swirled in 2023 that Clarke may not seek reelection, several candidates with high-profile backers lined up to run for the 5th District seat. But Clarke repeatedly delayed making a final decision, and most of the candidates hoping to succeed him waited to circulate their nominating petitions out of deference. READ MORE: Seven Democrats tried to replace Darrell Clarke on City Council. Only one made the ballot. When Clarke finally announced his retirement, less than two weeks remained before the petition deadline. All of the candidates signatures were challenged in court, and only Young, who did not wait for Clarkes announcement to begin collecting signatures, made it onto the ballot. Although Young had served as a staffer for Clarke, the retiring Council president had endorsed his ex-chief of staff, Curtis Wilkerson, to replace him in the 5th District. Youngs tenure In Philadelphia, Council members wield enormous control over projects and land-use decisions in their districts, and during his 19-month tenure, Young has used that power to make several controversial decisions. He was harangued by scores of angry constituents at a community meeting this year for stalling a planned renovation of Cecil B. Moore Library to allow for the potential demolition and redevelopment of the site. He effectively killed a Philadelphia Housing Authority project to build 57 units of affordable housing in Strawberry Mansion by suing the Zoning Board of Adjustment. He also clashed with Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers administration over a plan to expand a homeless shelter in Fairmount and add services for people in addiction. Young attempted to retaliate against the administration with a widely criticized bill that would have upended the citys entire zoning code. The legislation died when Parker openly considered subjecting it to what would have been her first veto. Alexander is already highlighting Youngs handling of some of those projects, saying in a statement that he has been meeting with community organizers and is supporting renovations/openings to the Cecil B. Moore Library, and supporting the development of affordable housing for senior citizens in Strawberry Mansion. Youngs campaign did not respond to a request for comment on specific controversies raised by Alexander. My office and I will continue to lead our district with a servant-leader mentality by staying focused, present, and deeply committed to the people of the 5th District, said Young, who attended Temple University and Rutgers Law School. A focus on technology In his law practice, Alexander represents clients in cybersecurity-related issues, and he plans to make technology a theme of his campaign. Alexander, who attended Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, wants to push the city to embrace high-tech solutions that could make municipal services more efficient. He also wants the city to play a bigger role in preparing Philadelphians for the AI age, which he said could be an opportunity for bridging the gap between technology and communities of color. Im going to be focused on finding innovative ways to get residents of the district employed, he said in an interview Wednesday. Some might be in technological manufacturing so providing people with the opportunity to get six-figure jobs in making artificial intelligence technology. Staff writer Jake Blumgart contributed to this article. Council President Kenyatta Johnson arrives at Council chambers for the first day of City Council fall session at Philadelphia City Hall, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. Read more Philadelphia lawmakers formally slammed President Donald Trump in two separate votes Thursday, taking action to condemn his administration even as Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has avoided loudly criticizing the president. City Council, where Democrats have long held a supermajority, passed legislation opposing the federal governments deployment of the National Guard as a crime-fighting measure in major American cities. The guard was deployed in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. this summer, and Trump has threatened to send the military to other cities including Chicago and New York, but he has not publicly mentioned Philadelphia. Advertisement Lawmakers also voted to back a resolution condemning the administrations attempts to whitewash history by seeking to remove some slavery-related content from historical sites, including in Philadelphia. The resolutions are largely symbolic, and the mayor does not need to take a position on them by signing or vetoing them. Still, Council has repeatedly passed resolutions opposing the Trump administration. And the legislators strategy to publicly criticize the president stands in contrast to Parker, a Democrat who has largely sought to avoid confrontation with the White House. Parkers office declined to comment Thursday. READ MORE: Pa. is braced for Trump to send National Guard to Philadelphia, Gov. Shapiro says City Councilmember Kendra Brooks, of the progressive Working Families Party, said her goal is to proactively condemn the potential deployment of the National Guard in Philadelphia and that shes concerned about the citys approach to the Trump administration broadly. What we do in this moment will be judged by history, Brooks said. We need to be more outspoken, because its the right thing to do and because its the best way to keep us safe from this administration. One member opposed the resolution: Brian ONeill, Councils lone Republican, who represents parts of Northeast Philadelphia. More Council pushback on Trump: Parkers Democratic allies in Council were critical of the president and suggested local lawmakers should be doing more to oppose his agenda. We shouldnt be doing this kabuki dance with this guy. Hes a bully, said Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. And Council President Kenyatta Johnson himself championed the resolution condemning the administrations reported plans to alter the Presidents House Site at Independence National Historical Park. An exhibit at the site memorializes people George Washington enslaved. That resolution passed unanimously, including with ONeills backing. Trump signed an executive order earlier this year directing his Department of the Interior to review and consider changing or removing materials that focus solely on challenging aspects of U.S. history, without acknowledging broader context or national progress. In practice, that has meant reviewing exhibits about slavery and Native Americans. Johnson said the city owns the land where the Presidents House sits, and leases it to the federal government. He suggested that could provide the city with some leverage, and he said Council would exhaust all of our options from a legal standpoint. Asked if the mayor is involved, Johnson said hes currently working only with my team. Heres what else happened in Council Thursday. New regulations for hiring people with criminal convictions Banning the box 2.0: Council passed a bill that updates the citys Fair Chance Hiring Law, which is more commonly known as ban the box and was first passed in 2011. It prohibits employers from asking about criminal records on job applications, and restricts them from rejecting an applicant based on a criminal record more than 7 years old. Councilmember Rue Landau, a Democrat who represents the city at-large, authored the legislation that makes a handful of changes, including shortening that lookback period for misdemeanor offenses to four years. The bill also prohibits employers from considering convictions of some minor summary offenses at all, bringing city law in line with state law. A mistake should not be a life sentence to unemployment, Landau said, noting that about 300,000 Philadelphians have a criminal record. We cannot afford to leave talent on the sidelines when the city needs every worker to power our economy. The legislation was backed by both advocates for people who were formerly incarcerated and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Curtis Jones giveth... New apartments moving in: Last spring, Jones declined to introduce a resolution releasing city property from the Philadelphia Land Bank so that drug rehabilitation nonprofit Gaudenzia could build a couple dozen affordable apartments. Municipal law requires a resolution from City Council to release publicly held land for development, effectively giving district Council members veto power over the land bank. In June, Jones said his district was already overburdened with thousands of recovery beds. Residents of West Philadelphias Cathedral Park neighborhood where the apartments would be built were opposed. But Gaudenzia insisted that the units would not go to people in recovery. Over the summer, the group convinced Jones of that. Last week he introduced a resolution allowing the land bank to finally release the property to Gaudenzia. They made assurances that it would be more related to senior citizens than it would be for others, Jones said, adding that they promised they would build it beyond my expectations, that it wouldnt be some ill-thought-of architecture. And Curtis Jones taketh away Hold his beer: On the first day of City Councils fall session, Jones introduced and passed a resolution that authorizes him to appeal a Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) ruling in the Court of Common Pleas. The resolution gives him the authority to represent Council in contesting a ZBA ruling that allows a beer distributor to open at 5052-56 City Avenue. The property in question is on the edge of Wynnefield, a middle-class neighborhood where many city officials live. Democratic Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson is the ward leader for the area. Jones, Richardson, and the Wynnefield Residents Association opposed the beer seller moving in. But a different neighborhood group Wynnefield Community Neighborhood Association signed a community benefits agreement with the developer. That was enough for the ZBA, which allowed the distributor to open. Not on Jones watch. This month, all of Council approved his appeal of the boards ruling, and the developer is considering giving up in the face of the controversy. (In this intergovernmental dispute, the Law Department hired outside counsel to represent Jones against the ZBA.) ZBA does what it does, and sometimes that flies in the opposition of neighborhoods, and thats why they elected me, Jones said in an interview earlier this month. Developers probably wont like this, but there has to be somebody who protects the community and somebody who creates that balance so that you just dont do whatever you want. Council appeals of ZBA decisions used to be exceedingly rare, but in recent years, the legislative body has become more aggressive in testing its authority over zoning matters. This is the second time in the last four months that Council has appealed a ZBA decision. In June, Councilmember Jeffery Jay Young Jr. challenged a ZBA ruling that allowed affordable senior housing in his North Philadelphia district. The developer said the delay would effectively kill the project, which had the support of Parker, the rest of the areas political leadership, and the building trades unions. Quotable The national Republican Party has surrendered to MAGA extremists. The Democrats are waving paddles and writing sternly worded letters. Meanwhile, this regime is steamrolling the Constitution and everything in its path. Tim Brown, organizing director Philly Neighborhood Networks Trump opposition abounds: That was Tim Brown, an activist with Philly Neighborhood Networks, who testified in Council Thursday in support of Brooks resolution condemning Trumps deployment of the National Guard in other cities. He was one of more than a dozen people who spoke in favor of the legislation. A wet bicyclist pedals in Center City last month on the day before a month-long dry spell took hold. Things this week have become wetter again. Read more After a month-long dry spell, the atmosphere has undergone a radical moistening and forecasters say more showers are likely into Thursday evening, with an outside shot at severe storms. The timing may affect the scheduled Phillies-Miami Marlins game at Citizens Bank Park, on the night after the atmosphere may have given the Phillies record home-run barrage a lift. Advertisement NOAAs Storm Prediction Center has posted a marginal risk for severe storms those with gusts approaching 60 mph for the region. While the National Weather Service in Mount Holly warned that a brief tornado cannot be ruled out, widespread severe weather wasnt expected, said weather service meteorologist Patrick OHara. Said John Feerick, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc., I think the greatest concern is going to be for downpours. By 4 p.m., a line of strong storms had approached the Lancaster area, where a severe-thunderstorm warning was in effect. The shower threat in the Philly region was likely to persist through the evening hours, the wether service said. More shower chances are in the forecasts through Monday, and it remains unclear whether any moisture from the tropical mischief brewing in the Atlantic will find its way around here. Rains should ease Phillys precipitation deficit Rainfall in Philadelphia and its neighboring counties in Pennsylvania has been about 40% of normal since the dry spell that began Aug. 22, and about half of normal in South Jersey. In its Thursday update, the inter-agency U.S. Drought Monitor had parts of Philly, all of Delaware County, and most of Camden County in its abnormally dry zone. But the atmosphere began clouding up the windows on Wednesday, and as of Thursday morning about a quarter-inch of rain had been measured at Philadelphia International Airport. About the tropical potential It is unclear what effects beyond rip currents the newly knighted Tropical Storm Humberto and another incipient storm to its east may have eventually on the East Coast. Humberto is forecast to become a major hurricane and stay well off the coast. The fate of the second system, which is likely to become a tropical storm by the end of the week, is more uncertain. Models have it moving toward the Carolina coast, said Feerick, but the fact that the two storms are so close together has compounded track forecasts, the National Hurricane Center says. In the meantime, dampness is due to continue in the Philly region, although the weekend wont be a complete washout, OHara said. Did the air give the Phillies a lift? The Phillies may have received a lift from the atmosphere Wednesday night when the teams eight homers set a one-game record for the franchise, which was born in 1883. Paul Dorian, a meteorologist with Arcfield Weather, who publishes a Home Run Factor index assessing how park and atmospheric factors may affect ball flight, said conditions Wednesday night ranked an eight on his 1-to-10 scale. Moist air is more buoyant than dry air. It didnt seem to help the Marlins. The state of Connecticut has paid $2.25 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the husband of Joyce Grayson, the 63-year-old visiting nurse and mother of six who was killed by a registered sex offender in a halfway house in 2023. The settlement removes the state from the wrongful death lawsuit without admitting any guilt on the part of state, the Department of Corrections, probation department or any state employees for the murder by Michael Reese, a man with a history of violence and mental health issues who the state had under its watch and care. The suit continues against other defendants including Graysons employer. In his lawsuit filed in May 2024, Ronald Grayson said that the state bore some responsibility for the murder of his wife for allegedly failing to adequately supervise Reese during his time on probation and failing to ensure that the public and nurses treating him were protected from his violent tendencies. Hartford Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Jane Stewart approved the settlement with the state. Grayson Attorney Kelly Reardon issued a statement to The Associated Press: The family hopes that this settlement demonstrates that the state is taking its involvement with the perpetrator of this horrific crime against Joyce Grayson seriously. Along those lines, as part of the settlement, family members will be meeting with representatives of some of the involved state agencies to discuss ways that these types of crimes can be prevented in the future. Employer Defendants While the settlement closes the wrongful death action against the state, the legal action continues against the late nurses employer, as well as the social service agency that ran the halfway house where the killer was staying, and the owner of that house in Willimantic that provided lodging for individuals leaving the correctional system. On October 28, 2023, Joyce Grayson was sent, alone, by her employer to the house to provide treatment to Reese, a registered sex offender with a violent past and a history of substance abuse and mental illness. While Grayson was administering Reese his medications, she was murdered by Reese, who also attempted to sexually assault her. Investigators said she was strangled and suffered multiple blunt force injuries. Visiting Nurses Killing at Halfway House Renews Pleas for Home Health Care Safety Reese, who was convicted in 2007 of raping and brutally stabbing a woman, pleaded guilty to Graysons murder and has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. According to the lawsuit by her husband and the estate, all of the defendants bear responsibility for her murder. Graysons employer (New England Home Care, Inc., which is affiliated with BW NHHC Holdco Inc. and Elara Holdings) is accused of intentionally sending Grayson into an unsafe situation with a violent criminal, and Elara is further charged with encouraging its affiliates to take risks to increase profits. The complaint alleges that the employer ignored years of complaints by nurses that they were verbally, physically and sexually harassed, assaulted, attacked, yelled at, chased, threatened, and more by mentally unstable and/or violent patients. The employer did not provide an escort or other security for nurses sent into the halfway houses, according to the complaint. In their defense, the employer entities deny they encourage their affiliates to put profits over safety. They also deny that complaints about serving dangerous patients were known or ignored, Ultimately, they argue, it was Connecticut officials who determined that the convicted rapist Reese was not a danger to the community and approved his transfer to a halfway house. They maintain state authorities were also responsible for monitoring and managing Reeses activities. They say they were never put on notice that Reese was a danger to the community, nor was there any indication that he would commit such a violent act. New England Home Care also argues that since Grayson was an employee, any claims of negligence are barred by the workers compensation statute. NEHC also denies the claim that it intentionally sent her into an unsafe situation with a violent criminal. Services Agency and Owner The lawsuit also targets the social service agency running the house, The Connection, and the owner of the house, John Walker. The lawsuit faults The Connection for allegedly not providing adequate or appropriate treatment or oversight of the residents of the halfway house and for allowing Reese to be alone with visiting nurses. The owner of the property is said to have failed to secure his property despite knowing that the residents had histories of violence and that the agency running the home was not providing adequate treatment or oversight. The Connection disputes the allegations against it, claiming it was not involved in the states decision to transfer Reese to the Willimantic home and it does not provide any staffing for that program. In fact, The Connection maintains, the primary claim against it is that it failed to supervise the assailant, but it was not responsible for supervising him the state was. In his defense, the property owner Walker says he rented his house to The Connection to provide temporary housing to individuals released by the Connecticut Department of Corrections but he had no involvement with the program run by The Connection or with any of the other defendants. This past March, Elara Care settled a $163,627 penalty issued by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after an investigation in 2024 found that the company exposed home healthcare employees to workplace violence from patients who exhibited aggressive behavior and were known to pose a risk to others. Topics Lawsuits Connecticut Amazon.com sued the New York State Public Employment Relations Board on Monday to block it from enforcing a new law that the online retailer considers an attempt to illegally regulate private sector labor relations. In a complaint filed in Brooklyn federal court, Amazon accused New York of engineering an unconstitutional power grab by letting the regulator known as PERB usurp the National Labor Relations Boards primary authority to address union organizing, collective bargaining and workplace disputes. The New York law known as Senate Bill 8034A was signed on September 5 by Governor Kathy Hochul. She said it was needed to protect workers because of the lack of a quorum at the NLRB, where hundreds of cases have backed up since Republican President Donald Trump fired Democratic member Gwynne Wilcox in January. Amazon said PERB has already taken advantage of the law, by filing a charge over the August 9 firing of Brima Sylla, an employee at its JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island and local union vice president, though the NLRB had begun its own review. The state law flips U.S. labor law on its head: it presumes PERB jurisdiction over every private-sector employer until the NLRB gets a court to hold otherwise, Amazon said. New York has created the collision of state and federal authority Congress sought to avoid. PERB did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who enforces state laws, did not immediately respond to a similar request. Amazon had no immediate comment. The Seattle-based company had 1.56 million full- and part-time employees at year end. Last month, NLRB Acting General Counsel William Cowen said federal law likely preempted measures that several states were considering because of the agencys lack of a quorum and case backlog. He also said regional NLRB offices were still processing cases. On September 12, the NLRB sued New York in the Albany federal court to block enforcement of the state law. The case is Amazon.com Services LLC v New York State Public Employment Relations Board, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 25-05311. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Jamie Freed) Topics Lawsuits New York Amazon Denmark endured the second drone attack this week as authorities probe Russian involvement in an earlier incident. Large professional drones spotted at five regional airports in Denmark disrupted flights and sparked a major police operation. The airports are open now. The events follow a four-hour shutdown Monday night at Copenhagen airport, Scandinavias busiest, which Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described as a serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure. She indicated Russia may have been behind that incident. Read More: Denmark Links Drones at Copenhagen Airport to Hybrid Attacks Across Europe Air traffic at Denmarks third-largest airport in Aalborg was temporarily suspended late Wednesday while drones also were spotted at three smaller airfields, the police said in a statement on Thursday. It ruled out hobby drones operated by private individuals as a cause. Billund Airport, Denmarks second-largest, was also closed briefly early Thursday morning over reports of possible drone activity, TV2 reported, citing the police. The incidents are the latest to show the vulnerability transport hubs face to outside interference. A cyberattack on a key airline check-in system snarled travel at major European airports over the weekend, forcing staff to process passengers manually, triggering delays and cancellations. Danish authorities have now started an intense investigation together with Denmarks armed forces and the intelligence agency, according to the police. The drones at Aalborg disappeared shortly before 1 a.m. local time on Thursday, after circling around the airport for more than three hours, police said. The shutdown of the airspace led to the diversion of four flights, a spokesperson told DR. Drones were also spotted at airports in Esbjerg and Sonderborg, as well as the Skrydstrup Air Base, a military area used for maintenance work on fighter jets. The smaller airports didnt have any scheduled flights overnight, police said. Photograph: Danish police patrol at Copenhagen Airport, Denmark, Monday Sept. 22, 2025. (Steven Knap/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Related: Topics Aviation Tropical Storm Ragasa is moving toward northern Vietnam, threatening to drench the capital of Hanoi with heavy rain, after weakening overnight as the system tracked across southern China. The storm was near Beihai, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers (47 miles) per hour as of 9 a.m. local time, according to a forecast from the Hong Kong Observatory. The system tracked into the Gulf of Tonkin during the early hours on Thursday, and is currently skirting the Chinese coast. Ragasa was the most powerful storm worldwide this year and has left a trail of destruction from the Philippines to Taiwan and Hong Kong. The deadly typhoon led to thousands of flight cancellations, along with the suspension of school classes and rail services across cities in southern China, including Macau. Insurance claims in Hong Kong could span from $50 million to $100 million, which would be lower than Super Typhoon Mangkhuts $492 million in 2018, according to Steven Lam, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. The China Meteorological Administration has issued heavy rain warnings for parts of six southern provinces, with Guangxi set to see the heaviest deluge of as much as 250 millimeters (9.8 inches) through Friday morning. The Vietnamese weather agency warned that parts of the countrys north could get rainfall exceeding 450 millimeters through Friday evening, as well as flash floods and landslides. On its forecast track, Ragasa is set to cross into Vietnam on Thursday and then dissipate over land. Bankers and traders in Hong Kong hunkered down in hotels and living rooms on Wednesday after the city ended its decades-long practice of shutting markets during severe storms last year. Ragasa downed trees across the city and caused widespread damage to infrastructure, including some restaurants. Insurance claims in Hong Kong could span from $50 million to $100 million, which would be lower than Super Typhoon Mangkhuts $492 million in 2018, according to Steven Lam, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. A significant portion of the claims could be due to storm surges, he added. Another tropical storm is currently brewing in the seas east of the Philippines and is expected to track over the country and enter the South China Sea over the weekend. The system is forecast to track far to the south of Hong Kong, but will strengthen into a typhoon as it approaches Vietnam, dumping heavy rain across the same region being drenched by Ragasa. The system is then set to make landfall as a tropical storm over north central Vietnam on Monday, according to the US Navys Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Photograph: A fallen tree during Super Typhoon Ragasa in Hong Kong on Sept. 24, 2025; photo credit: Lam Yik/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Windstorm China Polands largest insurer PZU has appointed Bogdan Benczak as its new chief executive, filling a role that had been led by an acting CEO since the dismissal of his predecessor in August. The appointment, effective September 25, is conditional on Benczak receiving approval from the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). Until then, he will serve as acting CEO, the state-run company said late on Wednesday. Benczak succeeds Tomasz Tarkowski, who had been serving as acting CEO since Andrzej Klesyk left the role in August. At the time, Polands Ministry of State Assets said the change was needed to align management with ownership objectives and an ambitious growth strategy. The leadership change comes as the Polish government plans to merge PZU with the countrys second-biggest lender by assets, Pekao, in a deal that would create a financial group with a market value of over 100 billion zlotys ($27.30 billion). Benczak, a lawyer, previously worked at PZU from 2008 to 2015, including as head of its Lithuanian operations, before moving to positions at insurers ERGO and Gjensidige. He returned to the PZU Group in February 2025. (Reporting by Marta Maciag; editing by Anna Pruchnicka) (For International People Moves) Topics Carriers Whether it comes from courtrooms or the Capitol, Minnesotas cannabis laws look in need of clarification in response to wide interpretations by cities. Local governments by law can cap the number of cannabis retailers, place restrictions on where businesses are located and set hours of operation. Prohibition is a step too far. Cities are using the laws language, or finding areas not addressed by the law, to achieve similar ends, however, raising questions that may end up being hashed out by judges or lawmakers. One court case involving Albert Leas denial of a cannabis retail license is ongoing. A rejected applicant for a cultivation business in Silver Bay said hes considering his legal options. In all, attorney Carol Moss knows of about 20 cities statewide on the naughty list for ordinances she sees as contradicting state laws. A common one, said Moss, who monitors cannabis policies statewide at the Edina-based Hellmuth & Johnson law firm, involves buffers imposed between businesses and churches. The law only carves out room for buffers from schools, day cares, residential treatment facilities and certain parks. The states Office of Cannabis Management offers guidance on the laws but has no legal authority to compel cities or counties into compliance. This leaves it up to individuals to challenge local ordinances in court. Timing is everything Minnesotas Court of Appeals can weigh in on the legality of city ordinances, Moss said. The process can be lengthy and costly, pricing most people out of it. That becomes a problem, because were at the beginning of this industry and this market, she said. Time and money are at a premium. Costs have been a barrier preventing Greg Lien from appealing Silver Bays rejection of his business application. Lien intended to open a cannabis cultivation business in the North Shore city until he got stonewalled earlier this year. Silver Bay passed an ordinance in January stating it would not issue a registration or license to any retail or other cannabis business, citing a specific part of Minnesota law found under Minn. Stat. Sec. 342.13(i) to justify the ban. The section reads: If a county has one active registration for every 12,500 residents, a city or town within the county is not obligated to register a cannabis business. Lake County, where Silver Bay is located, has only 10,855 residents. Because another city in the county, Two Harbors, passed an ordinance stating an intention to issue one cannabis business license, Silver Bay appears to have interpreted the law to mean the county satisfied the minimum. Lana Fralich, city administrator in Silver Bay, declined to comment on the citys ordinance, citing pending litigation. The active registration wording in state law is notable here. Two Harbors, and Lake County, seemingly didnt have any active cannabis business registrations at the time Silver Bay passed the ordinance and denied Liens application. Two Harbors ultimately didnt approve a cannabis retail license until August, meaning Lien may have been the countys first active registration if Silver Bay hadnt stopped him. Another consideration is that the part of the law allowing limits on active registrations may not even be referring to cultivation businesses. Above the section setting a minimum number of active registrations per a countys population, the law refers to caps on retail registrations. Lien believes the city ordinance is in direct conflict with the statute. He interprets the statute to be referring to retail rather than cultivation. Whatever the merits of his case, he hasnt yet figured out how to make a costly legal fight work. Im still trying to find an attorney that I can afford, he said. Latitude in the law Albert Leas city leaders initially characterized their denial of a cannabis retail license during a July public meeting as a stand against state law. Publicly stated reasons shifted afterward to a stance on how cities should have more leeway when considering applicants. A lawsuit filed in the Minnesota Court of Appeals against Albert Lea in August alleges the city council denied Jacob Schlichters application for political reasons. His plans for Smoking Tree met all statutory criteria, the lawsuit states. Albert Leas response in court, dated Sept. 9, denied the councils actions were political. Denial stemmed from concerns for public safety and Schlichters ability to operate in a lawful and respectful manner, according to the city. Schlichter has a misdemeanor conviction involving a minor on his record from 2017, which City Manager Ian Rigg cited as a reason for the council not to reconsider its denial of Schlichters application in August. The councils initial vote against the license, by a 4-3 margin, occurred in late July. Mayor Rich Murray, in August, characterized the denial as a way to protect residents, alleging the governor and Legislature failed to do so in the cannabis law. Approving this registration remains objectionable by the city based on his refusal to follow lawful instructions, Murray stated in a press release. His reaction to the denial was to harass people to the point they sought new restraining orders after a few years of silence. The applicant has publicly stated that he does not have to follow any of the local requirements. Schlichter did not immediately return a call requesting comment. If city leaders were concerned enough about Schlichters past to question his application before the initial denial, no one voiced the sentiment on the record during the July meeting. At that meeting, the mayor bemoaned how the state rammed cannabis legalization down our throats. Council member Larry Baker explained how his vote was a way to say no to the Legislature, saying he was tired of control being taken away. The city manager and city attorney, at the time, told the council it could open itself up to a lawsuit if it blocked the application. Their stance was the citys hands were tied after the applicant got the OK from the state. These statements before the initial denial could be closely scrutinized in an appeals court, Moss said. She has experience appealing city decisions in appeals courts, where judges consider what reasoning and info a council or committee used when making decisions. All of that information is going to be used against them, she said. The evidence he (Schlichter) will have at the court of appeals is pretty significant, that the city council was taking into consideration things that were improper. Albert Lea ended up approving two other applicants based in New Mexico and Washington. As an aside, the Washington applicant, Cristina Aranguiz, had a role in halting Minnesotas social equity cannabis retail lottery in late 2024 by filing a lawsuit alleging the process unfairly denied her application. If the issues raised in Albert Lea and Silver Bay arent resolved in the courts, legislation could refine the law to rein in the range of interpretations by cities. A spokesperson for Rep. Jessica Hanson, DFL-Burnsville, who co-authored the bill legalizing cannabis, stated that discussions on specific language updates are ongoing. ___ This story was originally published by MinnPost and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Cannabis Global specialty insurance firm Ryan Specialty announced the formation of Clach Casualty Underwriting Managers, a managing general underwriter (MGU) focused on providing casualty insurance for complex construction and habitational real estate risks. Clach Casualty began operations in September 2025, and its business is exclusively distributed through U.S. wholesale brokers. Clach Casualty is a part of Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers (RSUM), the specialty underwriting division of Ryan Specialty. The new MGU is oering primary and excess casualty coverages designed for high-risk industries. Its monoline oerings include a general liability program for New York contractors and owners; general liability-only wraps; and general liability for habitational real estate. Among the real estate risks Clach Casualty is targeting are apartments, condos and co-ops, and townhomes. Its wraps program is aimed at serving firms in healthcare, technology, logistics and commercial/light infrastructure. Clach Casualty is led by Adam Schnell, who has more than 30 years of experience in casualty insurance. Prior to this role, Schnell served as executive vice president of Specialty Casualty at RSUM. Schnell joined Ryan Specialty with the acquisition of the property/casualty MGUs owned by Ethos Specialty Insurance in 2024. RSUM President Eric Quinn said Clach Casualty is well-positioned to address a critical gap currently impacting brokers and their contractor and property owner clients in the general liability and excess insurance market. Schnell promised Clach Casualty will deliver innovative solutions with industry leading service and creativity. Topics Construction Casualty Howden US, headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, appointed Mark Peterson as head of its construction, infrastructure and surety practice. Peterson joins Mike Parrishs Howden US team and works closely with Naresh Dade, global head of construction, as part of Howdens global specialty practice. Peterson is responsible for building out the industry practice and creating a new holistic option for clients in the construction and infrastructure space. Peterson has over three decades of legal and insurance industry experience. Before joining Howden, he led the professional liability team at Aon, where he advised constructors, architects, engineers, and owners on complex project risks and contractual models. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at Stinson Leonard Street LLP in Omaha, Nebraska, and a shareholder at Koley Jessen P.C., where he built a national litigation practice focused on intellectual property, construction, engineering, and professional liability disputes. ICW Group Names Sokol Head of Excess Casualty for New Business Unit, ICW Specialty ICW Group Insurance Companies, headquartered in San Diego, California, appointed Jake Sokol as head of excess casualty for ICW Specialty, the companys newly formed specialty products business unit. Sokol will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the excess casualty division, expected to launch next year. Sokol and his team are based out of Atlanta, Georgia, alongside Tracey Estes, the newly appointed chief underwriting officer of ICW Specialty. Sokol has over 20 years of expertise in excess casualty underwriting and strategic portfolio management. Most recently, he served as vice president and head of national accounts, excess casualty at Everest Insurance, where he managed an excess casualty portfolio and led a team of underwriters across the U.S. Sokol has also held senior roles at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions and C.V. Starr. Topics USA Construction Casualty The U.S. Department of Energy intends to cancel more than $13 billion in funds that the Biden administration had pledged to subsidize wind, solar, batteries and electric vehicles, it said on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear which funds were being targeted. The department did not immediately respond to a request for more details. By returning these funds to the American taxpayer, the Trump administration is affirming its commitment to advancing more affordable, reliable and secure American energy and being more responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, the department said. The announcement generated sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said the U.S. was ceding leadership on clean energy to China. California, the most populous U.S. state, has among the most ambitious clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals in the world. (Chinese) President Xi, I dont know what else hes got to applaud. I think hes going to give (President Donald) Trump a bear hug when he arrives, Newsom said during an appearance at a New York Times event on climate change. Trump said this week that he planned to meet with Xi in person in the coming weeks. The news came a day after Trump dismissed climate change as the greatest con job in the world during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, doubling down on his skepticism of global environmental initiatives and multilateral institutions. Trump has pushed to maximize the output of oil and gas, which were already at record production when he returned to office in January, while cutting subsidies for renewable energy and EVs. Energy Secretary Chris Wright mentioned canceling the funds in a press conference in New York earlier in the day. Wright said Trump sent a message that the UN and many countries have just gotten wildly off track with climate change, exaggerating it into the worlds greatest threat. It has spurred massive amounts of spending with very little positive impact. But jobs in solar, wind and other clean energy industries grew three times faster than in the rest of the U.S. workforce in 2024, said a study published by environmental advocacy group E2 last week, saying that many of them could go due to Trumps efforts to block renewables. Wright also said that he has no plans to go to UN climate talks in Brazil in November. But Wright said he enjoys talking about energy and climate with people who see things differently than him, so nothing is impossible when it comes to his participation in Brazil. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Mark Porter, Barbara Lewis and Deepa Babington) Topics USA About six months after Congress passed a short-term reauthorization, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) expired Oct.1a prospect that will cause coverage lapses for policyholders with expiring contracts at the traditional height of hurricane season, and major problems for real estate transactions. Components of NFIP were set to cease when September ended, just as a polarized Congress could not come to terms on a federal budget, which also faced an Oct. 1 deadline. Editors Note: This story, originally published Sept. 25, was updated Oct. 1 to reflect that NFIP has expired. With the lapse, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), administrator of NFIP, will still make sure valid claims were paid with available funds. However, no new policies will be sold, according to FEMAs website. Expiring policies will not renewed. About 1,300 property sales per day and about 40,000 closings per month are impacted, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). In a letter to lawmakers earlier this month, NAR recommended a long-term reauthorization of NFIP with reforms to include improved flood maps, mitigation efforts, and policy pricing. According to its research, NAR said NFIP supports about 500,000 home sales annually. The prospect of any long-term thinking before Oct. 1 on the matter of federal flood insurance was unlikely under the circumstances, but the insurance industry and state legislators urged a reauthorization before the programs deadline. Congress must act swiftly to prevent any lapse in the NFIP, particularly as we enter the height of hurricane season, said New York Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter, president of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) days before the programs expiration date. A long-term reauthorization is overdue, but in the meantime, we cannot risk leaving families, businesses, and communities vulnerable. The NFIP provides critical stability for policyholders and insurers alike, and it is essential that Congress comes together to deliver lasting reforms and ensure continued protection for those who need it most. Related: Viewpoint: The Imperative of Long-Term NFIP Reform Jimi Grande, senior vice president of federal and political affairs for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) said before Oct. 1 that Congress cannot allow the expiration of NFIP policies at the peak of hurricane season. Everyone agrees the NFIP is in dire need of reform, and NAMIC will be an active participant in those conversations, but Congress needed to first ensure that homeowners have the protection they need at such a pivotal time, Grande added. On Oct. 1, NAMIC president and CEO Neil Alldredge said, There are two full months between today and the end of Hurricane season, and every day more and more Americans will be needlessly put at risk of losing everything in a flood. We cannot allow this to happen. Decades of poor policy decisions from failing to maintain adequate flood mapping to hidden subsidies that provide a false sense of security and encourage development in flood-prone areas have put millions of Americans in the path of floodwaters, Alldredge added. Many of them, though not enough, wisely chose to protect themselves by purchasing flood insurance through the NFIP. They should not be put at risk because Congress cannot do its job. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) also called on Congress to extend the federal insurance program to ensure that new home mortgages can close and policyholders can continue protecting their largest financial investment, said Sam Whitfield, senior vice president of federal government relations. APCIA has been in favor of a long-term authorization of NFIP. When Congress slashes funding, communities pay the price and families across the country face higher costs and fewer insurance options, added Lizzy Price, a spokesperson for the Insurance Fairness Project, in an Oct. 1 statement. The NFIP lapse adds fuel to an already escalating insurance crisis driven by climate change. Related: APCIA: Record Shows Minimal Complaints on Hurricane Milton, Helene Claims NFIP has been reauthorized more than 30 times since 2017. The latest was in March 2025, shortly after FEMA borrowed $2 billion from the U.S. Treasury to cover NFIP claimsmany from hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. FEMA said losses from 2024 depleted the NFIPs funds generated from premiums to pay claims. Related: FEMA to Borrow $2B to Pay Flood Claims After Hurricanes Helene and Milton According to the Congressional Research Service, the NFIPfunded by the premiums it collects for flood insurance policieshad $615 million on hand as of Jan. 25 to pay claims. Photo: Buildings and homes are flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura near Lake Charles, La. in 2020. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) Topics Flood Suspected Chinese hackers are behind an ongoing cyberespionage campaign against US technology companies and legal firms, stealing national security secrets often while remaining undetected, according to Alphabet Inc.s Google. The hacking group, which Google tracks under the code name UNC5221, are the most prevalent adversary in the US over the past several years in terms of frequency, severity and complexity of incidents, said Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer at Google Clouds Mandiant consulting arm. The attackers are described as extraordinarily advanced and stealthy. They dwell undiscovered in their victims networks for an average of more than a year, all the while stealing information about US national security and international trade, researchers said. The same group is also targeting key European industries. We believe many organizations are compromised right now and dont know it, said Austin Larsen, principal analyst at Googles Threat Intelligence Group. Its very active right now. The volume is high. Google didnt specify the victims of the hacking campaign. Officials at the Chinese Embassy in Washington rejected the characterization of the hackers and said China opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks and cybercrimes. Tracing the source of cyberattacks is a complex technical issue, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the embassy, said in a statement. We hope that relevant parties will adopt a professional and responsible approach and base their characterization of cyber incidents on sufficient evidence, rather than groundless speculation and accusations. The campaign is the latest evolution of escalating Chinese hacking against the US. American officials have blamed other state-sponsored groups known as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon for infiltrating US telecommunications firms and critical infrastructure systems, respectively. The attackers goals are to gather intelligence and embed in key systems to prepare for a potential future conflict, security experts said. The report also adds dimension to the ongoing US-China trade disputes as Googles investigation found the hackers targeted American legal firms and then searched the emails of specific individuals primarily to gather information about international trade, according to Larsen. The attackers also targeted major American technology developers by stealing source code for enterprise technologies as well as spying on the mailboxes of specific technical individuals. You get hold of this technologys source code and then you leverage that information to gain access or build exploits of that technology which would then give you basically a skeleton key to that technology, said John Hultquist, chief analyst for the Google Threat Intelligence Group. Photo: Photographer: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics InsurTech Cyber Tech China This years Atlantic hurricane season has so far lagged behind long-term trends, generated oddities and left seasoned forecasters scratching their heads. But now its finally shaking off the doldrums and spinning up storms. Tropical Storm Humberto formed Wednesday north of the Caribbean and will likely soon be joined by a second system to its west. In the meantime, Hurricane Gabrielle is barreling across the worlds second-largest ocean on a collision course with the Azores and possibly even Spain and Portugal, though as a hybrid storm. Across the Atlantic, eight storms have been named this season; just two have reached hurricane status. Ten storms typically form by now, four of which become hurricanes, with two of them becoming major systems that pack winds of 111 miles (179 kilometers) per hour or more. Forecasters had predicted an unusually active season. The ocean also passed the peak of its six-month season in early September with hardly a cloud across its tropical expanse. Seasonal changes and shifts in weather patterns have cracked open the door for a more active second half for the Atlantic season, which ends on Nov. 30. These will likely yield greater tropical activity, said Alex DaSilva, a meteorologist with commercial-forecaster AccuWeather Inc. We will be catching up on some of those numbers in the next couple of weeks. The scarcity of tropical threats has thus far spared US energy, agriculture, transportation, retail and insurance markets of shocks. Its a stark change from last year, when Hurricanes Helene and Milton collectively killed at least 277 people and caused $113 billion in losses and damages. Hurricane Beryl, meanwhile, knocked out power to hundreds of thousands in Texas, killed 69 people across the US and Caribbean and caused an additional $7 billion in losses. In contrast, recent powerful Typhoons have swept the western Pacific, including Ragasa, which hit Taiwan hard this week and raised alarms in Hong Kong. The Atlantics first half passed without much notice for a couple of reasons. First, larger weather patterns across the eastern US and the ocean itself steered storms away from the Caribbean Islands, the energy-rich Gulf and North Americas mainland, said Dan Brown, branch chief of the hurricane specialist unit at the US National Hurricane Center in Miami. In addition, there have been injections of dry air that choked off developing storms and a wide swath of calm and stable air in the region where many storms form in late August and September, said Ryan Truchelut, owner of commercial-forecaster WeatherTiger. But as Brown pointed out, the weather always changes and so it is with the Atlantic, both in terms of the number of storms and their potential impacts. Gabrielle remains a hurricane. It headed for Portugal and Spain and prompted rare hurricane threats in the Azores. The first place that had a hurricane warning in the entire Atlantic this year was the Azores, which is very weird, Truchelut said. Humberto is spinning on a track that may take it between North Carolina and Bermuda and a second storm Imelda, if it is named is likely to join it, which will complicate the forecast. When two storms come within a few hundred miles of each other, they can influence their paths in a phenomenon called the Fujiwhara effect. There is a chance that may happen in the coming week, which raises the threat for the US East Coast, Brown said. Were not out of the woods yet, Brown said. Photo: A destroyed house following 2022s Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Hurricane A shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement center in Dallas left one detainee dead and two others critically injured in what federal officials described as a targeted attack against the agency. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel tweeted a photo of unspent shell casings from the scene, including one with the phrase anti-ICE written on it. The Department of Homeland Security said the shooter died of a self-inflicted gun wound. No law enforcement officers were hurt. The attack is the second in recent months at a Dallas-area facility of ICE, which has been stepping up enforcement activity amid President Donald Trumps push for mass deportations. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said officers at a center in nearby Alvarado, Texas, were ambushed on July 4 by assailants in tactical gear using fireworks as cover. Theres a lot going on in our country, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson told reporters Wednesday. Its a scary time. In a social media post, Trump called the anti-ICE wording on the shell casing despicable, and alleged that it was tied to the continuing violence from radical left terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirks assassination. The Dallas Police Department said officers responded around 6:40 a.m., adding that the incident is under investigation. The preliminary investigation determined that a suspect opened fire at a government building from an adjacent building, the police department said in a statement. In a separate statement, DHS said there was a bomb threat against the Dallas facility last month. A man was taken into custody by local law enforcement and charged with making terroristic threats, DHS said. Federal prosecutors charged 11 people in connection with the Alvarado assault, describing it as an organized attack with AR-15-style rifles. Photo: Law enforcement and emergency personnel near the scene of a shooting at a an ICE detention facility in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 24, 2025. Photographer: Aric Becker/AFP/Getty Images Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Across the South and the United States, homeowners insurance rates are rising, with some states seeing an increase of over 50%. Experts say that this issue is contributing to an ongoing housing crisis. While insurance companies have attempted to explain away this increase, critics have pointed to a major culprit creating this inequity: credit-based insurance pricing. Credit-based insurance pricing is a method where an insurance company uses a consumers credit-based insurance score to assess their likelihood of filing a claim and then determines the cost of their premium using this information. However, its important to note that your credit-based insurance score differs from your regular credit score. Although they are determined by the same factors payment history, outstanding debt, credit length, pursuit of new credit, and credit mix your credit-based insurance score weighs these factors differently because it is evaluating you for a different risk. Insurance companies argue that a consumers credit score is an indicator of their risk. Because of this, they should be able to use this information to set rates that accurately reflect that risk. They also argue that, were they not able to use credit-based pricing, lower-risk (i.e., higher-credit) consumers would have to pay higher premiums to offset the risk of high-risk consumers. Interestingly, the Federal Trade Commission also proposed that credit-based scoring made insurers more willing to offer coverage to individuals considered higher-risk, albeit at a higher premium. You might wonder whether this practice of credit-based pricing is legal. The answer is, perhaps shockingly, mostly yes. Ultimately, the laws for credit-based insurance pricing vary by state, with California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and Utah all having strict laws regarding how insurance companies can use credit-based insurance scores. For example, California prohibits insurance companies from using credit history when setting homeowners insurance rates. The Washington state Senate approved a bill this year that would have required a study of credit-based scores, but the bill died in the House. However, most of the other 43 states in the US have no laws regarding credit-based pricing for insurance companies. One report by the Consumer Federation of America claimed that a typical homeowner with a low credit score will pay nearly $2,000 more each year or almost double the price for their insurance premiums than their otherwise identical neighbor with a high credit score. This stark statistic shows the drastic effect that credit-based pricing can have on consumers. What makes this even more alarming is that credit-based insurance pricing is a phenomenon known to disproportionately affect low-income and minority families. A study from 2004 found that race/ethnicity proved to be the most robust single predictor of credit scores, and that in most instances it had a significantly greater impact than education, marital status, income and housing values. Over two decades later, the debate rages on about the inherent racial bias of the credit scoring system, considering its origins. What Can Consumers Do About Credit-Based Insurance Pricing? While consumers with low credit might think that they are simply stuck with paying more for their homeowners insurance, there are steps they can take if they are in this situation to soften the blow of an increased premium. One of the best ways to save money on insurance is by bundling policies. Many insurance carriers offer discounts to customers who purchase not only their homeowners insurance with the company but also their auto insurance and other types of insurance, such as motorcycle or boat insurance. Consumers may also want to consider reviewing the terms of their policies. Sometimes, it might be possible to lower your rate by purchasing a cheaper policy with different terms, such as a higher deductible or lower limit, though it is important to consider the requirements and risks of this decision. If you have a mortgage, your lender might have strict requirements for the insurance you must carry. Furthermore, if a major incident occurs, such as a natural disaster, a lower policy may not provide you with the protection you need. Another recommendation is to keep shopping around for other insurance providers. Particularly when it comes time to renew the policy and the insurance provider changes the premium, policyholders can take the time to get new quotes from additional providers. While insurance companies will often try to get you to stay with them with rewards for loyalty (such as claims forgiveness), the truth is that an insured might save more money in both the short and long term by switching providers. Some insurance companies with other specialties have also made it a policy not to use credit checks as part of the underwriting process to determine insurance premiums. For example, car insurance providers Cure Auto Insurance, Dillo Insurance, and Empower Insurance offer options for consumers that do not involve credit-based insurance scores. Although there are currently no homeowners insurance companies that have pledged not to use credit-based insurance scores while determining rates, these car insurance companies may set a powerful precedent that could extend to the rest of the insurance industry. Nevertheless, insurance companies in most states are still able to use credit-based insurance scores to help determine customer premiums. Until a change occurs, homeowners can avoid breaking the bank with their insurance by being savvy consumers, taking steps like bundling policies and shopping around for the best rates. Theodore (Ted) Patestos is co-founder and CEO of Tiger Adjusters, a public adjuster firm with offices in Atlanta, Orlando, Palm Beach, Houston, Philadelphia, Dayton, and in Trenton, Toms River and Westwood, New Jersey. The South Carolina Workers Compensation Commission had no legal right to hold on to for more than 15 years some $1.8 million set aside by a bankrupt textile manufacturer for injury claims that never materialized, the state Court of Appeals decided. We hold the commission improperly drew down the letter of credit because the funds were not needed for the payment of any pending claims, the appeals court judges said in a Sept. 17 opinion in an appeal brought by WestPoint Home, the surviving company that emerged from WestPoint Stevens, which was one of the largest textile firms in the country. The appeals court overturned a Richland County Circuit Court decision from 2023 and remanded part of the case so the lower court could determine prejudgment interest owed on the money. Gary Cannon, the executive director of the state Workers Compensation Commission who is retiring next month, declined to comment Wednesday on the decision, noting that more litigation remains. He did say that the commissions attorneys will ask the appellate judges to reconsider, but that is unlikely to be granted. WestPoint Stevens, formed after mergers in the 1960s and 1990s, was known as a textile giant, even in parts of South Carolina, where linens and other textiles were the bedrock of the economy for decades. WestPoint Stevens, which was self-insured for workers compensation liabilities, went into bankruptcy and closed in 2005. The bankruptcy court required the company to deposite $1.8 million into a private account to cover injury claims. WestPoint granted the comp commission an irrevocable letter of credit so that pending and future claims could be paid, the appeals court explained. In 2013, the surviving WestPoint entity after the reorganization, a company known as WestPoint Home, asked the commission to release most of the funds, noting that an injury claim had not been filed since 2008. Cannon and the commission pushed back, arguing that asbestos claims from workers could still manifest up to 50 years after exposure. He also asserted that WestPoint Home had not truly stepped into the shoes of WestPoint Stevens because they had disclaimed liability for injury claims. WestPoint sued. After the circuit court ruled in favor of the commission, WestPoint appealed. There was no lawful basis for the Commission to sweep the entirety of WestPoint Homes $1.8 million deposit out of its bank account in 2005, WestPoint attorneys wrote in their appeal brief. There was no lawful basis for the Commission to collect and keep interest on WestPoint Homes money in the meantime. And there is no lawful basis for the Commission to retain the remainder of that deposit, as the window for any new claim that could be made against that deposit closed long agoas the Commission concedes. During the trial, Cannon, who became the commissions executive director in 2009, testified that injury claims were few and the commission had never needed the $1.8 million to pay claims. A key point in the case turned on the South Carolina statute of limitations versus the statute of repose. Cannon had argued that the statute of limitations governed, allowing claims to be filed within two years of diagnosis, which could necessitate the need for funds to cover future asbestos claims for decades. But Appeals Court Judge Matthew Turner, who penned the courts 12-page opinion, wrote that the states statute of repose governs. That statute bars claims more than two years after the last exposure to asbestos. Thus, the window for claims has long since closed. We recognize that this holding may impose on some plaintiffs the hardship of having a claim extinguished before it is discovered, or perhaps before it even exists,' the appellate court wrote. The court also pointed out that state regulations state that the comp commission may draw down a letter of credit, but only if the proceeds are needed to pay a claim. The case also showed how diligent WestPoint has been in pursuing the return of the funds. The comp commission initially balked at disclosing the status of the money. But WestPoint went to court, seeking a loss-run report and eventually forcing the agency to reveal that about $1.16 million of the funds remained. The agency also disclosed that, with interest, the level was up to $1.7 million in recent years. The opinion and brief did not examine how the money may have been or should have been invested over time. But an Investor.gov interest calculator shows that if $1.16 million had earned 5% interest, compounded annually, for 17 years, it would be worth about $2.65 million today. Attorneys for WestPoint could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday. Photo: Textile manufacturing site (Adobe Stock) Topics South Carolina The long history of bourbon production at Buffalo Trace Distillery has been connected to the Kentucky River summed up as a blessing and curse by a plaque on the grounds. In the 1800s, long before the Buffalo Trace name was attached to the distillery, the river served as a floating highway to bring in grain and other production essentials and to transport barrels of whiskey to markets along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Even today, river water cools down production equipment. But the river flowing past the distillery flashed its destructive side in April. A massive flood, caused by days of unrelenting rain, sent the Kentucky River surging over its banks, inundating most of the 200-plus-acre distillery grounds on its main campus in Frankfort. Nearly every phase of production was impacted, as were several warehouses where whiskey is aged. It was just something that was hard to process, but we knew we couldnt take too much time to process it, said Tyler Adams, a distillery general manager. He said they had much to do to recover from the reservoir of murky water that swamped the bourbon-making campus. Five months later, production at the distillery is back to normal, including of some of the most sought-after bourbons. Its lineup includes the namesake flagship brand, Buffalo Trace, as well as Eagle Rare, W.L. Weller and Blantons. Pappy Van Winkle bourbons are distilled and aged at Buffalo Trace while the Van Winkle family remains in control of the coveted brand. The distillery recently filled its 9 millionth barrel of bourbon since Prohibition, just two and a half years since filling the 8 millionth barrel. It has also introduced new whiskeys to its catalogue and is renovating a campus building into a cafe and events center. The cleanup enlisted hundreds of plant employees and contract workers. Buffalo Trace fans swamped the distillery with offers to pitch in, Adams said. The distillery politely declined and suggested they might assist area residents instead. Crews removed debris, sanitized equipment and pumped out what was left after floodwaters receded. Bourbon barrels swept into the parking lot caught some attention, Adams said. No chance for sneak samples, though the barrels were empty. Few visible reminders remain of that mud-caked, debris-strewn mess. Some filled whiskey barrels touched by floodwaters were still being cleaned and tested, but the meticulous task of examining thousands of barrels was nearly complete, the distillery said. Quality control assessments found only small amounts of aging whiskey were impacted. High water marks are etched into some buildings and tour guides casually remind visitors of the epic event. Danny Kahn, a master distiller for Buffalo Traces parent company, says he still experiences a little PTSD when recalling those frantic days. River flooding has been a sporadic part of the distillerys history including big ones in 1937 and 1978, but in early April, the floodwaters surged to previously unseen heights. Buffalo Trace had also just completed a decade-long, $1.2 billion expansion to double distilling capacity. It actually looked kind of calm, but I knew that it was not calm because we could see buildings were under 10 feet (3 meters) of water, Kahn said. It was really quite overwhelming. Activating their flood plans, workers shut down the distillery and did what they could to safeguard equipment. After that, all they could do was watch and wait. Distillery officials observed the devastation from higher ground and via drone footage. Once the river crested, it took a few days for the floodwaters to fully recede, but operations gradually sprung back to life. Finished whiskey shipped out the day after the rain stopped. Bottling soon resumed and a makeshift gift shop opened until the visitors center was repaired. Tours eventually resumed. But bourbon production halted for about a month as the cost for cleanup and repairs surpassed $30 million. Several storage tanks shifted off their foundation. Some were repaired, others replaced. Dozens of electrical control panels were destroyed. About three-fourths of gift shop inventory was lost. It was just defeating to watch all this flooding and to realize that were going to be down for a while, Kahn said. Just the apprehension of how much work this is going to be to fix. And when we finally got it done, it was really a sigh of relief and we get back to business as normal. For the American whiskey industry as a whole, its been anything but business as usual. After years of growth, prospects turned sour for the sector amid sluggish sales and trade uncertainties as President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs. In 2024, American whiskey sales in the U.S. fell nearly 2%, the first such drop in supplier sales in more than 20 years, the Distilled Spirits Council said. Initial data for the first half of 2025 showed a continued decline, it said. American whiskey exports dropped more than 13% through July of this year compared to the year-ago period, it said. The American whiskey category includes bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and rye whiskey. Lower domestic sales stem from a mix of market challenges, including supply chain disruptions and changes in consumer purchasing trends, said Chris Swonger, the councils CEO. While theres ongoing debate about whether these are temporary headwinds or signs of a more fundamental shift in consumer behavior, large and small distilleries across the country are under pressure, Swonger said in a statement. Kentucky distilleries producing such prominent brands as Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey and Four Roses can weather downturns better than small producers. Heaven Hill Brands, another large producer, recently celebrated its new $200 million distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, taking a long view of market prospects by significantly boosting bourbon capacity. As an independent, family-owned company, we dont have to chase quarterly trends; were building for the next generation, said Kate Latts, co-president of Heaven Hill Brands, whose brands include Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. This distillery reflects that philosophy. At Buffalo Trace, its future is entrenched alongside the Kentucky River, realizing that more floods could come in the years ahead. The distillery learned lessons to be even better prepared next time. This area being a National Historic Landmark, being right on the river, theres only so much you can do to hold back that water, Adams said. Your best bet is to prepare for it, do what you can. But holding back that water? Its really inevitable its going to make it into some spaces. Photo: Danny Kahn, master distiller at Sazerac, Buffalo Traces parent company, in the lab at the Buffalo Trace Distillery (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Flood Kentucky The McGowan Companies acquired Limit, a digital wholesale insurance brokerage headquartered in Covina, California, via an asset purchase agreement. After the transaction is closed, Limit will continue to operate under the Limit brand, within The McGowan Companies envelope, led by Shea McNamara, Limits facility director. All staff will remain in place, according to the companies. Limit is a has two divisions, Limit Wholesale, and Limit AI. Limit Wholesale is an Artificial Intelligence-enabled, digital, wholesale insurance brokerage that specializes in cyber liability and technology errors and omissions. The McGowan Companies is an insurance broker and intermediary located in Fairview Park, Ohio. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions California Jim Sheridan returns to the case of a West Cork murder that has baffled the world with Re-Creation: The Trail of Ian Bailey. The fictional dramatisation follows what might have happened in a jury room should a trial have gone ahead in the shocking West Cork murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan Du Plantier. Sheridan and his co-director David Merriman have assembled a cast including Aidan Gillen, John Connors and Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread) for this new take on a highly controversial case. The film invites audiences into a jury room where 12 fictional jurors are gathered to examine the real case files in the murder of Toscan Du Plantier in West Cork in 1996. Initially, just one juror believes that Bailey is not guilty in a film that examines evidence, bias, mistruths and human nature. The film, which Sheridan says was inspired by Sidney Lumet's courtroom classic 12 Angry Men (1957), follows the Irish filmmaker's documentary series, Murder at the Cottage. Having initially planned a documentary, the filmmaker decided to approach it as a jury-room drama, with Colm Meaney playing Bailey, the late West Cork resident who was the main suspect in the case. Jim Sheridan and other members of the cast in Re-Creation. It was more like I became obsessed with the difference between fact and fiction, says Sheridan of the film. Facts seem to be ignored now in the world, and documentaries seem to be more fictional than factual. So I decided we should make a fiction that was factual. It was a decision he admits was in part driven by budgetary constraints, but one that turned out to be fortuitous, Sheridan feels, as he shot the film with co-director David Merriman. The two had met at a Rock Against Homelessness concert and went on to strike up a collaborative relationship. We got to know each other, and met up and became friendly, says Sheridan. I told him I'd done a documentary and he knew it he was interested in the case. I told him I wasn't finished with it. We started making a documentary. We still have that, but we ended up then doing the jury room homage to 12 Angry Men, because we had problems with the sets, and we were going over budget, and we just decided to limit it to one room and write a script in six days. We got the actors together, and we worked in Luxembourg in a hotel room together for six days. Re-creation which has been critically well-received following festival screenings centres on the jury members who must decide whether Bailey is guilty of murder. The unusual film blends courtroom drama with true crime documentary to examine one of Irelands most prolific and tragic murders. One of those jury members is played by Sheridan himself as the jury foreman, it is his character who guides the jury to find a conclusion through many emotional and fiery exchanges: I've always enjoyed when I'm making a film, doing the off-screen responses whenever an actor wasn't available to do it, and I'd learned a lot from working with actors." I've worked with a few not bad actors not in my league, but Daniel Day Lewis and people like that. I've done little bits before. I was an actor in the Abbey school, and I did my own TV show when I was a kid. I think I was always interested in the overview. I did a few plays in New York, and I never had any training to act, but I've learned a lot from just being on sets. I wasnt a kid who was confident in being able to do accents I thought acting was a fella who was able to do a Cavan accent. Ian Bailey and, right, Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Still, says Sheridan, the collaborative process has always interested him and co-directing with Merriman allowed him the time and freedom to appear on screen. I don't have any real demarcation lines. If I'm doing something creative, I just go on instinct. I always bounce off people, whether that was ( In the Name of the Father co-writer) Terry George or ( My Left Foot co-writer) Shane Connaughton. You bounce off the writer and the editor, it's almost like the back and forth awakens my ability. His teenage daughter, Clodagh, has expressed an interest in acting, and has asked her father for advice. His reply? Dont talk, just think. Whenever somebody's speaking in a film, 90% of the time you're on the person listening. Speaking is not that interesting, and information is not that interesting, and giving information is not that interesting, and confusion is very interesting. What matters, I think, is what you're thinking and being authentic. The six times Oscar-nominated director has coaxed Oscar-winning performances from actors including Brenda Fricker and Daniel-Day Lewis (both for My Left Foot) over a long and celebrated career. But he says that getting films made remains a huge challenge. Somebody said to me, the arts are a momentum industry. If you get momentum and you have a few hits or a track record, the momentum makes it easier. And if you're stalled, like a stalled car, you have to push it and make it work. We push uphill. We get to the top of the hill, jump in, try and start. For Sheridans co-director Merriman collaboration has been a positive experience and the two men are already planning their next project. I think we've a very easy way of working with each other. The last five years have been probably the best film school you could go to. I think we had a good synergy, and have a shared background in ways. Aiden Gillen in Re-Creation - The Trial Of Ian Bailey. At times I think we look at things the same way, and at times we look at things differently. It seems to just work. It was a hard sell to get this movie made, but we were determined that we were going to make it, and we stuck with it. I would say a large part of the movie is improvisation, adds Merriman of working with their cast. We both knew the case quite well. We could bounce off each other, and I dealt with a lot with the crew, and picked up some of that weight so Jim could focus working with the actors and obviously he was acting himself. The two filmmakers are currently developing a film about another case which shocked Ireland the 1984 Kerry Babies case. Both men were shocked by the details of the case having revisited it when it emerged a DNA link to the parents had been found. We were thinking about a documentary at first, and then we ended up getting the transcripts to the tribunal, and it just completely blew our mind, what Joanne [Hayes] had been put through, says Merriman. "I like the spiritual approach to film, and I like the idea of it being about belief, something deeper than you know, makey-up even if you're doing fiction, adds Sheridan. So the idea of this poor woman who was being interrogated by 40 men in a room seems so profoundly close to Joan of Arc and so medieval that I thought it was very interesting. Loraine Barry will not return to screens as a judge on Dancing with the Stars this year. The four-time world dance champion has been with the show for eight seasons. In a statement posted to her Instagram page, she said it was "the right time" for her to stand down as head judge. "I'm very grateful for the memories, friendships, and the enormous amount of joy shared throughout the years. It's a wonderful family show that I have loved being a part of." She continued: "My heartfelt thanks goes to the viewers of all ages and indeed to everyone for their support over the years, but especially this year." In January, Barry's mother and former partner both passed away. The 60-year-old concluded her post by saying she would miss the team and cast. In their own statement, RTE said, "since 2017, [Barry's] passion, wisdom and sparkle has helped shape the series into something truly unforgettable. "We wish her love, joy and exciting new adventures ahead. She will forever be our Queen of the Ballroom." The station is yet to reveal whether the show will bring in a replacement judge or appoint one of the current judges as head judge. This year's judging line-up also included Brian Redmond and Arthur Gourounlian, and Karen Byrne, a two-time winner of the show who joined the panel for the first time in 2025. Commenting on Barry's post, fellow judge Arthur Gourounlian wrote, "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for every memory, every laugh, every chat. I know how tough this past year has been for you, but I also know the strength and grace you carry. Wishing you nothing but joy, love, and success in every new adventure ahead." Host Doireann Garrihy shared, "Grateful to have worked alongside you Loraine. You will be so missed in the ballroom. A legend and a lady!." Subscriber Hotel review: This new luxury boutique escape makes a perfectly-tailored Dungarvan base "Over the last decade, perhaps no town along the Munster coastline has seen its tourism credentials soar like Dungarvan which is what makes a new hotel opening in the town, all the more exciting." Italy has sent a second navy ship in support of the international aid flotilla that has come under drone attack while trying to deliver aid to Gaza, defence minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday. The Global Sumud Flotilla is using about 50 civilian boats to try and break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. Many lawyers and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, are on board. A number of Irish citizens are currently on the vessles including Sinn Fein senator Chris Andrew, Cork comedian Tadgh Hickey and activist Sarah Clancy. Mr Andrews is on board the Spectre boat that was targeted by multiple drone strikes on Tuesday night. "We have sent one ship and another is on its way, ready for any eventuality," Mr Crosetto said in a speech to the lower house of parliament. Italy sent a first frigate on Wednesday, hours after the GSF said it was targeted by drones that dropped stun grenades and itching powder, in international waters 30 nautical miles (56 km) off the Greek island of Gavdos. The GSF blamed Israel for the attack. The Israeli foreign ministry did not respond directly to the accusation, but repeated an invitation for the flotilla to drop humanitarian aid in an Israeli port, leaving it to Israeli authorities to take it to Gaza, or else face consequences. Spain has also decided to send a military warship to protect the flotilla. Mr Crosetto warned the activists against insisting on trying to break the Israeli blockade, and urged them to accept an Italian proposal to hand over their aid supplies and allow them to be distributed in Gaza by the local Catholic Church. "We cannot guarantee the safety of our fellow citizens if they enter the territorial waters of other countries," Mr Crosetto said. The GSF said early on Thursday that its vessels were sailing at slow speed in Greek territorial waters, had been subjected to "moderate drone activity" during the night, and were heading towards international waters "later today". Tanaister and foreign affairs minister, Simon Harris said he was extremely concerned by developments involving the flotilla In a statement, he said: The welfare and safety of people aboard that flotilla has to be a priority of the international community. My officials are in direct contact with a designated Government point of contact for the Global Movement To Gaza delegation of the GSF. Our clear priority is to ensure the welfare of our citizens. He added: What has happened is clearly not acceptable. It is clear what international law allows and does not allow, and it is clearly a breach of international law to have any activity that is targeting civilians or a humanitarian flotilla. - Reuters and PA The chief executive of Childrens Health Ireland (CHI) was told just hours in advance that the HSE would be taking over its hospitals, the health minister said. Lucy Nugent was informed on Tuesday evening, just hours before the news was made public early yesterday, Jennifer Carroll McNeill told the Irish Examiner. Ms Carroll MacNeill announced on Wednesday that the three CHI hospitals would fall under the HSE from 2027. Some staff only heard the news as they went to work, having missed an early morning email from CHI alerting them to the development. It will take 12 to 18 months for the required legislation. Ms Carroll MacNeill decided she wanted CHI to be integrated into the HSE in recent weeks, since coming back [in] August. Ive said it in the Dail, this is something that I have been open to. People have raised this with me and, if you look at my answers, it was always in the space of I hear you, and I am reflecting on that, she said. I think the evidence of my early decision-making around the appointments to the board is evidence of a direction of travel that made more sense to me. Ms Carroll MacNeill said CHI already includes three hospitals Temple St, Crumlin, and Tallaght under its banner. She said it is time to further integrate paediatric care formally into the HSE ahead of the move to the new National Childrens Hospital. The minister said she has spent some months reviewing governance structures in the health service. HSE chief Bernard Gloster said it was a very natural, progressive step, and that he does not have any worries about this whatsoever. He also said CHI staff are already on HSE terms and conditions. Una Keightley, the co-founder of the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group, called for transparency on the plan. In April, after the damning Hiqa report into childrens spinal surgeries, Taoiseach Micheal Martin stood on the floor of the Dail and said he backed the CHI board, she said. Now, just five months on, the whole organisation is being subsumed into the HSE this is a complete U-turn by the Government. Speaking in New York, Tanaiste Simon Harris said: Its something that Ive been very supportive about, something Ive been talking to the minister for quite a period of time about. CHI was established to do an important job of bringing together three hospitals, and that job is done, so its about the next phase. The Irish Medical Council has begun meeting CHI staff and management about standards of doctor training. It is believed this is arising from claims of bullying in an unpublished report widely covered in the media, including the Irish Examiner, earlier this year. The council approves training sites for interns and medical education. A team is assessing each CHI hospital against its standards. It said it is meeting clinical staff, interns, and trainees as well as management and HR staff. It can make recommendations for improvement if necessary. Drones buzz incessantly around the Spectre at night, their lights darting aggressively about the 50-year old boat as it makes its way to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid for starving, injured children. Sinn Fein senator Chris Andrews was aboard when those drones attacked on Tuesday night, dropping four explosive devices on the boat with some landing just feet from potentially deadly and highly combustible diesel drums. Four of them hit our boat on Tuesday. Other boats were hit too," Mr Andrews said. Two people that were on a night watch came down into the body of the boat [to warn sleeping crew that drones had come particularly close] and next thing we heard the explosions. There were four explosions over a period of about an hour. "We put on our life jackets and got ready, because if they had hit the generator or the containers of diesel beside them, it would have been really, really, really bad," he said. The boats communication system was also jammed, preventing crew from calling for help, with Abba music being blasted across the communication channels instead. Tuesdays attacks were the third on this freedom flotilla carrying vital aid to Gaza. The Global Sumud Flotilla group said that they received intelligence that the attacks could intensify in the coming days as the boats near Gaza, with information that Israel would use weapons that could sink boats, injure, and/or kill participants. Held at gunpoint Mr Andrews has been on four previous humanitarian flotillas to Palestine, the first being in 2008. On a previous flotilla in 2011, his boat was water cannoned and then intercepted by Israeli special forces who held the humanitarians at gunpoint. He was arrested and held in an Israeli jail for one week before being deported. Only one of the flotillas he was on previously reached Gaza. However, this one with some 50 boats is bigger than the others. The more drones that descend on them, the more determined the crew are to make it through to Gaza with vital baby formula, food, and medical supplies to people who will die without urgent intervention. Rough weather forced the flotilla of some 50 boats and 44 nationalities to dock near Crete on Thursday. One boat had to repair its damaged mast following a drone strike on Tuesday. We are ready to sail in the morning, Mr Andrews said. It should take four-and-a-half to six days to reach Gaza. Italian and Spanish naval ships were dispatched to observe the flotilla following Tuesdays attacks. It does give you a little bit of reassurance," Mr Andrews said. The concern is that Israel has established that it can do whatever it wants, whenever it wants, to whomever it wants Irelands verbal condemnation of attacks on the flotilla in contrast was weak, he said, with no substantive action taken. The Irish Government should have sent army personnel, and they could still do that," Mr Andrews said. Its not breaking international law and doesn't affect our neutrality, because it is a humanitarian mission. This is a non-violent, peaceful flotilla of people who just want to get aid to the people of Gaza, show the people of Gaza that ordinary people have not forgotten them. And that's what our mission is: To deliver not just aid, but hope," he added. 'Serving Hamas' Israel has not yet claimed responsibility for the drone attacks, but it has said that the flotilla is serving Hamas. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus regime has also vowed to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza. In a letter to the Taoiseach and Tanaiste, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said she had grave concern over the attacks against the flotilla. This threat to Irish citizens and humanitarian workers is incomprehensible and of grave concern. The Irish Government has a duty to protect its citizens, particularly those on a mission of peace and solidarity. Tanaiste Simon Harris said that, although he was supportive of the flotilla's aims, the Government had "always been clear that" that Gaza is "a very dangerous place to travel to". "That doesn't in any way, shape, or form, allow anybody to breach international law," Mr Harris said. "Israel has to know, in the strongest possible terms, that any breaches of international law will be taken extraordinarily seriously. This is a gravely worrying situation." A Cork man who was discovered lying drunk in the street between two parked cars close to a busy school has been convicted in the district court. Court presenter, Sergeant Majella OSullivan, told Youghal District Court that Patrick OToole, aged 31 and with an address at Raheen Park, Youghal, Co Cork, was found lying in the road between two parked cars on September 9, 2025, at 1.45pm. A man and a woman have appeared in court in Youghal, East Cork charged with the illegal possession of diazepam tablets, a controlled drug used to treat anxiety that is only available on prescription in Ireland. Court presenter, Sergeant Majella OSullivan, told Youghal District Court that a search was carried out at an address in Parklands, Youghal on January 19, 2024, where a number of diazepam tablets were discovered. Ana Ivan, aged 44 of Parklands, Youghal, admitted that two of the tablets were hers and that she did not have a prescription for them. Andrei Deaconescu, aged 26 of the same address admitted that a further 10 tablets that were discovered during the same search were his. The court was told that both Ivan and Deaconescu had no previous convictions. Barrister Carmel Goggin, who represented both of the accused, said each was pleading guilty to possession of controlled drugs contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977. She told the court that Ivan was a nurse who worked shifts who had used the tablets to help her sleep when she was working nights. She said Ivan did not realise she needed a prescription and the tablets were out of date. The court heard that Deaconescu had undergone surgery in Romania in 2022 and had brought the tablets, which were prescribed, to Ireland with him. Ms Goggin said he was fully co-operative and was unaware he needed a prescription in Ireland. Judge John King gave both Ivan and Deaconescu the benefit of the Probation Act on condition that they each made a contribution of 200 to the court poor box. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme Anti-immigration activist Ross Lahive allegedly made fresh comments on social media on Wednesday night before meeting a garda sergeant on Thursday morning to be charged with harassment of a garda. Cross-examined in Cork District Court, Sergeant John Kelleher put it to the 46-year-old that he had given an undertaking not to comment on the case online, but had posted a video about it the night before. You say you have no difficulty not discussing the case but you had no difficulty sharing a video about this case last night you thought it appropriate to post a video about this case last night, Sgt. Kelleher asked. Ross Lahive replied, I felt it was my constitutional right to have freedom of speech. Sgt Kelleher pressed him again, asking if he thought it was appropriate to discuss the case on social media. Mr Lahive replied: I have a constitutional right. Defence solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher, representing Mr Lahive on free legal aid, argued that his client was not charged with any offence related to the video, and that he was only charged with the harassment offence this morning. Mr Lahive said regarding bail conditions, including refraining from social media commentary: I will abide by all bail conditions. I will absolutely abide by them. Judge Mary Dorgan imposed the same bail conditions on Mr Lahive as those earlier imposed on co-accused Derek Blighe of Curraghavoe, Mitchelstown, who faces a related charge of harassing the same garda. The only change was to Mr Lahives bond: instead of a 500 bond with a cash lodgement, the judge required no lodgement but increased the bond to 1,000. Mr Lahive must also sign on twice weekly at Bridewell Garda Station, live at his Shandon Street home, have no contact directly or indirectly with the complainant or witnesses, avoid all social media commentary about the case, and provide a mobile number at which gardai can reach him at all times. Free legal aid was granted after the court heard that Mr Lahive earns 250 a week through a community employment scheme. Ross Lahive of Church Street, Shandon Street, Cork, faces a charge alleging: On dates between October 9 2022 and February 6 2025 he harassed (the garda) contrary to Section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Sergeant John Kelleher said the Director of Public Prosecutions directed the case to proceed to trial by indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court but would accept summary jurisdiction if a guilty plea was entered. Judge Dorgan accepted jurisdiction on those terms. Detective Sergeant Cahill arrested the accused at 9.52am today at Bridewell Garda Station and brought him before the court on the harassment charge. After caution, he made no reply. Det Sgt Cahill alleged Mr Lahive engaged in a campaign of harassment against a garda who arrested him at a public event in October 2022. The arrest was recorded and posted on Facebook. In February 2023 it is alleged that the victim in this was walking from Cork District Court having given evidence in a separate case. He was approached by the accused and co-accused and a third person. He was verbally abused by him. He (the garda) said he did not consent to being recorded. He was followed for a number of minutes and was afraid to get on the bus at the bus station in case his address would become known. It is alleged that the accused went on to post videos of himself talking about this injured party. The injured party was distressed. It had a negative effect on himself and his family. The defendant was remanded on bail to appear in court again on November 20. Solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher applied for a copy of the prosecution evidence so the accused can decide whether to plead guilty or not guilty. Fianna Fails presidential election hopeful Jim Gavin has warned the Government will be defined by issues such as the cost of living, housing and homelessness. He also insisted he never saw any wrongdoing in the Defence Forces. He only divulged this information after being asked several times. He also said he would not answer questions about what he thought about US President Donald Trump, comments Catherine Connolly made on Germany re-arming itself in a similar fashion to how it did in the 1930s and Irelands ability to protect its skies. On the first full day of the presidential election campaign, Mr Gavin, the former Dublin GAA manager, was in south county Dublin where he canvassed in Blackrock, Dun Laoghaire, and Dalkey. Mr Gavin told the media he would not be afraid to push back on the Government if he were president. Cost of living, housing, homelessness, these are challenges of our time, and our government will be defined by them, he said. The Taoiseach and the leaders in Government have said there is more work to do, and I accept that. As president, though, you are non-political. But I will, without fear or favour, highlight issues that are important to Irish people and represent them to the best of my ability. Defence Forces Mr Gavin served in the Defence Forces for 20 years. He had to be asked three times if he saw any evidence of bullying or sexism in the force, as initially reported by the Women of Honour and later confirmed by a Commission on the Defence Forces. What I can say about that is that those Women of Honour, they have done the State some service by stepping forward, he said. There's an inquiry on now to learn from what happened. During my time in the Defence Forces, I served with pride. I served to the highest standards and set a very high standard for those people who I led and who I followed in the Defence Forces. Jim Gavin canvassing in Dalkey. He was also in Blackrock and in Dun Laoghaire. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA I had a really positive experience in Oglaigh na hEireann. It gave me great opportunities. It shaped the person I am today. I didnt see any of that. That is not everyones experience, and I understand that. I championed those who put their name forward, and I think they've done the State a service. Donald Trump Mr Gavin said he would welcome President Trump to Aras an Uachtarain if he visited Ireland while the former Dubs manager was president. When asked what he thought of Mr Trump, he said he was not going to get into other present presidencies, other jurisdictions. He continued: My candidacy is focused on what I'm going to do, what I'm going to bring, the positive message I'm going to bring to the Irish people, how we're going to represent them every day amongst the communities. That's what I'm going to focus in on. Military spending Elsewhere, the Irish Times reported that independent presidential nominee Catherine Connolly told students in UCD on Wednesday evening that there are parallels between the current increase in military spending in Germany and its rearmament during the 1930s. Mr Gavin once again said he was not going to comment on what other candidates have said, despite it being pointed out to him that he has repeatedly spoken about his military background and so he should have an opinion on whether her remarks were accurate. He also said matters like whether Ireland should buy fighter jets would not be in his remit as president, so he would not give an opinion. He further refused to say whether he believed Ireland should have the ability to patrol its own skies, simply stating that the Government had noted gaps in our defence. Ireland must call out the abuse of power regardless of whether it takes place by America or Russia, Independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly has said. At an event in Harold's Cross, Dublin, Ms Connolly called for ceasefires in Ukraine and Gaza, saying there needs to be negotiations to end the wars. Amid questioning about the ongoing war in Ukraine and whether or not she would call for the full withdrawal of Russian troops, Ms Connolly said she had never been equivocal on the invasion or on the Hamas attack on October 7. The Galway TD said she had never hesitated to condemn either Russia or Hamas. Ms Connolly said, as a neutral country, Ireland must continue to call out abuses of power if it wants to be seen as a peace-loving country. I have absolutely no hesitation in doing that, Ms Connolly said. Should more efforts have been made to stop the slaughter in Ukraine and stop the war? Yes. I think there should have been more diplomatic efforts made to do that, Ms Connolly said. Should more effort have been made in relation to stop the genocide? Without a doubt. How pathetic is it that we have genocide and Im saying more effort should have been made? 'Using our voice' It is a stain on humanity. War is a stain on humanity and we should be using our voice in every way possible to use diplomatic means as a country that has built up credits over the years to stop that. Ms Connolly doubled down on her criticism of the military industrial complex, which originally came up in a debate at UCD on Wednesday night. The military industrial complex is not a way to bring peace. The billions that are going into the military industrial complex is at the cost of [reducing] poverty, its at the cost of making the world less safe, Ms Connolly said. I do not believe in the military industrial complex and what the EU is doing. I dont believe in the billions going in and poverty increases. Its a madness, and we have nothing to lose by calling out that madness and trying a different way. Ms Connolly was also joined by a number of councillors from left-wing parties and Labour leader Ivana Bacik. In her speech, Ms Connolly addressed her history with the Labour Party which she left in an internal spat over candidate selection. Ms Connolly thanked Ms Bacik for her kind words, because there is a history. This is not about disputes between parties. This is far bigger than any party issue. This summer, a male patient at Specialist Hospital Damaturu in Nigerias Yobe State physically assaulted a female healthcare worker following a dispute over the provision of medical attention. Sadly, this is a relatively common experience for healthcare workers in Nigeria, especially women. Surveys conducted in hospitals in Kaduna state and Abia state found 64% and 88% of health workers, respectively, had experienced workplace violence. During my own first year of clinical practice in Nigeria, when I was just 24 years old, I was attacked by a parent in the childrens ward where I worked. Nigeria is not alone. Reports of violence against healthcare workers have been on the rise over the last five years in a wide range of countries, including Ireland, Britain, Australia, China, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, and the United States. A 2019 study showed 11% of nurses in Italy had endured physical violence at work in the previous year, and 4% were threatened with a firearm. About half of all nurses reported experiencing verbal aggression. Such reporting tells only part of the story. The belief violence is part of the job, together with the lack of protocols for handling attacks and the empathy of many in the healthcare field, discourages reporting. When I was attacked in 2004 narrowly avoiding a severe head injury, thanks only to the swift intervention of another patients relative I eschewed legal prosecution out of sympathy for the perpetrators family, which was, after all, grappling with a childs illness and subsequent death. It is likely fewer than half of all victims of violence in healthcare settings report the incidents. With this in mind, the World Health Organization estimates as many as 38% of healthcare workers suffer some form of physical violence, perpetrated mostly by patients and visitors, at some point in their careers. This figure does not cover the verbal threats and intimidation many workers face as they carry out life-saving work, often under high-stress, low-resource conditions. Long wait times increase stress and frustration among patients (and their relatives), who often expect miracles, even when they present late for treatment. Add to that poor communication and weak workplace protections, and violence becomes a constant peril. Several factors contribute to the violence. Healthcare workers are often younger women. They must work both day and night shifts in environments that are accessible to the general public, including people who have consumed drugs or alcohol, and people suffering from psychiatric illnesses. Moreover, staff and resource shortages mean healthcare workers are often overworked, underpaid, and lack access to the tools they need to deliver quality or timely care. Long wait times increase stress and frustration among patients (and their relatives), who often expect miracles, even when they present late for treatment. Add to that poor communication and weak workplace protections, and violence becomes a constant peril. Risks to healthcare workers are particularly acute in disaster, conflict, and other humanitarian settings, where they may also become the targets of political or communal violence. During the covid pandemic, social isolation, misinformation about the virus, and the dehumanisation of healthcare workers who were often viewed as resources, not people contributed to a sharp uptick in violence. As a result of these experiences, healthcare workers often deal with anxiety, depression, job burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health conditions. One study found some 76% of psychiatric nurses who suffered from workplace violence subsequently experienced depressive symptoms. As health workers wellbeing declines, so does the care patients receive. Increased absenteeism and turnover compound the problem, especially as fewer people choose to enter the healthcare field. At a time when the world is facing a shortage of healthcare workers projected to reach 10 million by 2030 this poses a direct threat to public health. Protecting healthcare workers will require a variety of interventions. For starters, violence prevention and response should be integrated into workers education and training. They should be taught communication strategies for de-escalating tense situations, and self-defence techniques to use if violence erupts. Team-based training can strengthen coordinated responses, enabling other workers to intervene when their colleagues are targeted. Furthermore, the scope and enforcement of existing worker-protection laws must be enhanced. Institutions must implement zero-tolerance guidelines, with clear protocols for monitoring workplace safety, reporting and investigating incidents, and bringing legal action against offenders. The swift arrest and prosecution of perpetrators as seen after the recent attack at Specialist Hospital Damaturu can act as a deterrent. Hiring trained security personnel would also help, as would the implementation of reliable communication systems that enable workers to sound the alarm when their safety is threatened. Meanwhile, a concerted effort must be made to address health worker shortages, such as through task-shifting or -sharing the partial or complete redistribution of certain responsibilities to less qualified personnel, so highly qualified workers can focus on tasks that require their expertise. Already, this approach has improved service delivery in a number of areas including HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, hypertension, diabetes, mental health, eyecare, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, and emergency care in 23 Sub-Saharan African countries. All people have a right to safety in their workplace. When we fail to uphold this right for healthcare workers, we hurt not only them, but also the health of the public they serve. Adaeze Oreh is commissioner for health in Rivers State, Nigeria, a Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership fellow, and an Aspen Global Innovators senior fellow. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2025. project-syndicate.org Hi Majella, I own a property with two acres, a large modern four-bedroom house, and a three-bedroom cottage that needs refurbishment. The cottage doesnt have separate access but could potentially get it. Should I sell as one lot or as two separate properties? Ive seen ads where vendors actually say, can be sold separately or together. My brother says I should hold off and get separate access for the three-bed cottage and also refurbish it. I see his point, but that could take years and at this stage of my life Im 68 and planning to retire shortly I dont think I need the stress that will bring. What do you think? Marian Hi Marian, This is a question I hear often from homeowners who have a main residence and an additional dwelling such as a cottage or annexe. On paper, the choice seems straightforward: Sell as one or divide and sell separately. In reality, its far more complex. You need to weigh up planning rules, access, services, buyer demand, and perhaps most importantly your own lifestyle priorities. From what youve shared, the picture is clear. You own a property with enormous potential, but youre also at a stage in life where simplicity and peace of mind matter. At 68, with retirement on the horizon, you may not want to take on years of paperwork, refurbishment projects, and planning applications. Thats entirely understandable. The good news is that you do have options. Lets look at them in turn. Step one: Gather the facts before committing. Its wise to gather some background information so you know whats realistic and can make an informed decision. Local estate agents: Invite two or three agents to give their opinion. Ask whats selling in your area now large homes on acreage or smaller, affordable properties. Invite two or three agents to give their opinion. Ask whats selling in your area now large homes on acreage or smaller, affordable properties. Planning and access: Check with a planner or an engineer on how feasible it would be to create a separate entrance for the cottage and how long the process might take. Check with a planner or an engineer on how feasible it would be to create a separate entrance for the cottage and how long the process might take. Services: Review current arrangements for water, electricity, and septic tank. To sell separately, the cottage would need its own. This can be costly and disruptive. Review current arrangements for water, electricity, and septic tank. To sell separately, the cottage would need its own. This can be costly and disruptive. Grants: If the cottage has been vacant for more than two years, it may be eligible for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant of up to 50,000. Buyers love to hear this because it can offset renovation costs. With this groundwork done, youll be in a better position to choose which strategy makes sense. Option one: Sell as one lot. The most straightforward route is to sell the house, cottage, and land together as a single property. This is particularly appealing to families who want space, privacy, and flexibility. The cottage, though older, can be presented as a bonus ideal for an au pair, a home office, a granny flat, or guest accommodation. Some buyers may even see the potential for an Airbnb or long-term rental once refurbished. The key advantage is simplicity. You have one buyer, one contract, and one set of negotiations. Its usually quicker and less stressful than dividing the property first. The drawback is that some buyers may view the cottage as a liability, factoring refurbishment costs into their offer. However, for many sellers in your position, the ease of selling in one go outweighs this concern. Option two: Sell separately. Dividing the property and selling the house and cottage independently can, in theory, yield a higher return. The main house attracts one type of buyer, while the cottage appeals to another, particularly if its modernised and eligible for grants. But for this to work, the cottage must be fully independent with its own access planning permission will most likely be needed for that as well as its own services. It may also require some refurbishment to bring it up to market standard. All of this takes time, effort and money. For someone approaching retirement, it may feel like more trouble than its worth. That said, there is a middle ground: If you like the idea of maximising value but dont want the stress of managing works yourself, you could appoint a project manager. A good project manager can oversee everything from planning applications and service separation to builders and timelines. It does come with a fee, but it takes the weight off your shoulders and may still deliver a stronger financial return. You can find local chartered estate agents, valuers, and project managers at https://scsi.ie/find/. For some homeowners, this strikes a balance between hands-off involvement and unlocking extra value. For others, the thought of extending the process by months or even years makes it less appealing, regardless of the potential uplift. Option three: Sell in one or two lots and test the market. A third approach is to give buyers both options, available in one or two lots. This way, you let the market decide. Heres how it works. Your estate agent would market the property as a whole while also making clear that the cottage could be sold separately. Families who want everything together can pursue it as one lot, while investors or downsizers may express interest in the cottage alone. The big advantage is flexibility. Youre not committing to dividing the property before going to market, but youre still widening your buyer pool. If a family falls in love with the whole package, you proceed with a straightforward sale. If two buyers emerge, you can weigh up the offers and decide whether its worth the extra steps to separate. The drawback is a little more complexity at the negotiation stage, and youd need clarity on how services and access would be managed. But in many cases, this approach brings the best of both worlds: More interest, more options, and the ability to gauge demand before deciding. What buyers want Understanding your target buyers and the local market will help you in deciding the best route. Families buying the main house will value the privacy and space it offers, but may also welcome the flexible accommodation options the cottage presents. Investors or rental-minded buyers generally prefer independence. They want the cottage with its own services and access, so it can be let separately without complications. Local market conditions also play a big role. If demand is strongest for larger homes, a combined sale is logical. If smaller, affordable homes are in short supply, separating the cottage could create fresh opportunities. This is where the advice of local estate agents is vital. Theyre on the ground, dealing with buyers daily, and will know exactly which option is more realistic. Final thoughts Given your circumstances especially your desire to retire without unnecessary stress option three looks like the best route. Market the property as available in one or two lots and let the market decide. This way, youre not committing upfront to years of planning or renovation, but youre also not closing the door on the possibility of achieving a higher return. If a single buyer wants everything, you sell as one lot. If two emerge, you can decide whether the extra steps are worth it possibly with a project managers support if needed. Best of luck with your next chapter of life, whatever you decide. Majella Galvin is Chair of the Membership and Public Affairs Committee of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. A chartered surveyor, estate agent and registered valuer at DNG Galvin Auctioneers Bandon, she has been working in the property sector for over a decade - www.dnggalvin.ie If you have a property-related query or issue you would like to raise with Majella, please email irishexaminerpropertyqueries@scsi.ie Supermassive black holes are not as massive as previously thought, according to a new discovery by scientists. Astronomers from University of Southampton working with colleagues across Europe have examined an infant galaxy 12 billion light years from Earth for the first time using a new powerful telescope. They found that the supermassive black hole in the galaxy was 10 times smaller than expected which they believe means that scientists have been overestimating the size of black holes in the universe. It could lead to a re-evaluation of our models of cosmic evolution Professor Seb Hoenig said that the findings solved the puzzle faced by scientists of how supermassive black holes could grow to such large size in short time periods. He said: We have been wondering for years how its possible we discovered all these fully grown supermassive black holes in very young galaxies shortly after the big bang. They shouldnt have had the time to grow that massive. Our results suggest the methods to weigh these black holes used previously are just not working reliably in the early universe. It could lead to a re-evaluation of our models of cosmic evolution. The discovery, published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, was carried out using the advanced astronomical instrument, called Gravity+, which combines the light of four of the worlds largest optical telescopes at the European Southern Observatorys Very Large Telescope in Chile. The Very Large Telescope compound at Paranal, Chile (Alamy/PA) The team, which included scientists from France, Germany, Portugal and Belgium, examined an ancient quasar which they described as a galaxy with a black hole so old and bright it looks like a cosmic beacon from the dawn of time. Their study showed that the quasar had a spiralling motion of hot gas with a mass 800 million times the mass of the sun which will be swallowed up by the supermassive black hole. Prof Hoenig said: Most of the gas falling towards the supermassive black hole is being violently blasted away rather than feeding it. Think of it like a cosmic hairdryer set to maximum power: the intense radiation around it is blowing everything away that approaches it. They explained that it was this motion that was key to making the precise measurement of the mass of the black hole. The scientists state that this feeding frenzy is producing a powerful outflow of gas which may have tricked previous examinations into believing the black hole was bigger than it actually is. Israel has struck houses and tents in central and southern Gaza, crushing families inside and killing at least 17 Palestinians, including 10 children and three women, local health officials said, as international pressure for a ceasefire continued to grow. On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, French President Emmanuel Macron told France 24 that his country had recognised a Palestinian state on the conviction it is the only way to isolate Hamas, which has proved itself able to regenerate even after many of its leaders have been killed. Total war in Gaza is causing civilian casualties but cant bring about the end of Hamas, he said in the interview on Wednesday. You cannot stop the war if there is no path to peace Factually, its a failure. He said he had been lobbying US President Donald Trump to press Israel again for a ceasefire. You cannot stop the war if there is no path to peace, Mr Macron added. Some Israeli ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government have pushed for annexing the occupied West Bank in response to international recognition of Palestinian statehood a move that could effectively strip the Palestinian Authority of all civil and security powers in the territory. Mr Macron said such a move would be a red line for France, and I think its also a red line for the United States of America. Neither the White House nor the State Department responded to requests for comment on Mr Macrons statement. Mr Netanyahu has said he will not make any decisions until he returns from the United States, where he is to address the UN General Assembly on Friday and then meet Mr Trump in Washington. In the early hours of Thursday, an Israeli strike hit a tent and a house in the central town of Zawaida, killing at least 12 people, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah. Palestinians survey the aftermath of an Israeli military strike on the Abu Dahrouj family home in Zawaida, central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) Among the dead were a couple and five of their children, along with three other children. Associated Press footage showed the building collapsed into a pile of rubble the dust-covered arm of a child sticking out from under a slab of concrete. Relatives said another child was still missing under the wreckage. Another strike hit a tent in Deir al-Balah, killing a girl and wounding seven people, the hospital said. In the southern city of Khan Younis, an Israeli attack hit an apartment building, killing a man, his pregnant wife and their 10-year-old child as well as a female relative, according to Nasser Hospital, where the bodies were taken. On Monday, France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco announced or confirmed their recognition of a Palestinian state in the hopes of galvanising support for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. Their announcements came a day after the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal did the same, in defiance of Israel and the US. At the UN General Assembly I will speak our truth Mr Netanyahu lashed out at the idea early on Thursday before heading to New York. At the UN General Assembly I will speak our truth, he told reporters. I will denounce those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, the rapists, the child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the land of Israel. It will not happen. At separate events in New York on Wednesday, US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Mr Trumps lead negotiator Steve Witkoff both offered optimistic views about what Mr Witkoff called a Trump 21-point plan for peace that was presented to Arab leaders on Tuesday. The US has not released details of the plan or said whether Israel or Hamas accepts it. Mr Netanyahu suggested Israels position had not changed. He said that during his trip to the US he would discuss our need to complete the goals of the war: to return all our hostages, to defeat Hamas and to expand the circle of peace that is open to us. The US, along with Egypt and Qatar, has spent months trying to broker a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release. Photos of hostages who have been held in Gaza since the Hamas cross-border attack on Israel on October 7 2023 are displayed at a memorial in Tel Aviv, Israel (Oded Balilty/AP) Those efforts suffered a major setback earlier this month when Israel carried out an air strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar. Israel launched another major ground operation earlier this month in Gaza City, which experts say is experiencing famine. More than 300,000 people have fled, but up to 700,000 are still there, many because they cannot afford to relocate. The UN humanitarian office, known as OCHA, warned that Israels closure this week of the border crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan threatens to severely undermine its ability to deliver aid to Gaza. It said that last month a quarter of the aid destined for Gaza through the UN humanitarian effort came through the Allenby Bridge Crossing over the Jordan River, also known as the King Hussein Bridge. Israel announced the closure on Tuesday after an attack last week that killed two Israelis. Israels campaign in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 people and wounded more than 167,000 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Smoke billows over Gaza City following an Israeli air strike (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) It does not say how many were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half the fatalities. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government. UN agencies and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties. Israels campaign was triggered when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Forty-eight captives remain in Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive, after most of the rest were freed in ceasefires or other deals. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On September 25, Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. made its trading debut on the main board of HKEX (Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited), pricing its shares at the top end of the offering range at HK$30.75 each. The listing raised HK$9.14 billion (US$1.17 billion), marking the largest automotive IPO in Hong Kong this year. The automaker issued roughly 297 million H-shares, with 10% allocated to the Hong Kong public offering and 90% to international investors. A 15% overallotment option was also included. Chery attracted 13 cornerstone investors for the IPO, including JSC International Investment Fund SPC, Hillhouse's HHLRA, Greenwoods Asset Management, CICC Financial Trading Limited, Horizon Robotics' Horizon Together, Martis Fund, and PSBC Wealth Management. Together they subscribed to about US$587 million (HK$4.573 billion) of shares. Photo credit: Chery Automobile Proceeds from the listing will be channeled into five main areas. About 35% will go toward developing new passenger vehicle models, while 25% is earmarked for next-generation technologies. Another 20% will support Chery's overseas expansion, with 10% allocated to upgrading production facilities in Wuhu, Anhui Province, and the remainder reserved for working capital and general corporate purposes. According to its prospectus, Chery Automobile sold more than 2.295 million vehicles worldwide in 2024, up 49.4% year-on-year. The company also highlighted rising average selling prices. Between 2022 and 2024, the figure climbed 33.5% overall, with domestic prices up 37% and overseas prices rising 19.4%. Across its two main brands, CHERY and JETOUR, average selling prices increased 30.9% and 39.5% respectively. Chery Automobile's financials have maintained steady growth. Revenue climbed from 92.618 billion yuan in 2022 to 269.897 billion yuan in 2024, with first-quarter 2025 revenue at 68.223 billion yuan. Net profit rose from 5.806 billion yuan in 2022 to 14.334 billion yuan in 2024, reaching 4.726 billion yuan in the first quarter of this year. As of March 31, 2025, the company held 37.5 billion yuan in cash and equivalents. Industry forecasts from Frost & Sullivan suggest global new energy vehicle penetration will nearly double, rising from 23% in 2024 to 47% by 2030. At the same time, the passenger vehicle industry is accelerating its shift toward smart technologies, with assisted driving systems expected to achieve significant adoption both in China and worldwide. To secure its position in this evolving market, Chery has been investing heavily in new energy and intelligent vehicle technologiestwo areas that require substantial funding. Prospectus data shows that revenue from new energy vehicles (NEVs) is steadily increasing. Between 2022 and 2024, the share of revenue from traditional oi-fueled vehicles fell from 75.9% to 69.6%, while NEVs grew from 13.2% to 21.9%. In the first three months of 2025, NEVs accounted for 27.3% of total revenue, compared with 63% from fuel-powered models. From January to July 2025, the landscape of China's passenger vehicle exports shifted, with the UAE taking the lead at 255,489 units, followed by Mexico and Russia. Notably, exports to the traditional stronghold of Russia fell sharply by 57.3% YoY, while emerging markets in the Middle East and Southeast Asia showed robust growth, with Kazakhstan registering a remarkable 100.5% YoY surge. Top 10 destination countries by China's passenger vehicle exports UAE: 42,213 units in July and 255,489 units (+54.5% YoY) from January to July Mexico: 31,060 units in July and 254,639 units (+18.1% YoY) from January to July Russia: 45,206 units in July and 215,452 units (-57.3% YoY) from January to July Belgium: 31,674 units in July and 178,822 units (+11.1% YoY) from January to July Brazil: 11,870 units in July and 164,469 units (-6.4% YoY) from January to July UK: 30,783 units in July and 162,062 units (+32.6% YoY) from January to July Saudi Arabia: 19,509 units in July and 138,527 units (+24.4% YoY) from January to July Australia: 21,616 units in July and 136,704 units (+41.7% YoY) from January to July Kazakhstan: 18,831 units in July and 96,393 units (+100.5% YoY) from January to July Malaysia: 14,976 units in July and 90,132 units (+49.6% YoY) from January to July In July, the UAE, Mexico, and Russia remained the top 3 destinations for Chinese passenger vehicle exports. The UAE led the ranking with a cumulative 255,489 units and a robust 54.5% YoY growth, recording 42,213 units in July alone. This monthly performance allowed the UAE to surpass Mexico by nearly 1,000 units, becoming the largest export market. Mexico ranked second with a cumulative 254,639 units in the Jan.-Jul. perido, representing an 18.1% YoY increase. According to Gasgoo, the Mexican government plans to raise tariffs on Chinese imports, including automobiles, textiles, and plastics, as part of its 2026 budget proposal to be submitted next month. Although Russia led in July with 45,206 units exported, its cumulative shipments fell sharply by 57.3% YoY due to ongoing geopolitical tensions and supply chain adjustments, highlighting the market's instability. Additionally, Russia's new vehicle market remained sluggish this year, with vehicle sales dropping 23.9% YoY to 651,029 units from January to July. Avtovaz projects that total vehicle sales in Russia will contract by 25% in 2025. Meanwhile, markets such as Belgium, the UK, and Australia maintained steady growth, with the UK showing a notable 32.6% YoY increase, indicating the growing acceptance of Chinese brands in mature markets. Chinese automakers are also gradually expanding their presence in the UK. In July, GAC Group signed a partnership with Saudi distributor Aljazira Automotive to distribute GAC models in the UK, marking the fourth Chinese automaker to introduce a new brand in the UK that month. Additionally, Geely Auto has rolled out the EX5 in the UK, while Changan Automobile plans to launch the Deepal S07. Chery Auto, meanwhile, announced it will expand its UK portfolio, adding new models to its existing Omoda and Jaecoo offerings. Saudi Arabia and Malaysia achieved significant YoY growth of 24.4% and 49.6%, respectively. Jerome Saigot, BYD's General Manager for Saudi Arabia, noted that BYD entered the Saudi market last year and has already opened three showrooms locally, with plans to add seven more by the second half of 2026, further expanding its presence. Kazakhstan, with a remarkable 100.5% YoY increase, emerged as the fastest-growing market, reflecting the rapid release of automotive demand and the optimization of trade channels along countries in the Belt and Road Initiative. Top 10 destination countries by China's new energy passenger vehicle exports Belgium: 29,820 units in July and 172,363 units (+13.3% YoY) from January to July Brazil: 3,884 units in July and 117,115 units (-10.7% YoY) from January to July UK: 21,674 units in July and 111,781 units (+35.6% YoY) from January to July Mexico: 11,562 units in July and 92,268 units (+108.2% YoY) from January to July Australia: 15,104 units in July and 66,596 units (+38.9% YoY) from January to July UAE: 10,219 units in July and 54,568 units (+30.7% YoY) from January to July Indonesia: 12,551 units in July and 52,237 units (+116.6% YoY) from January to July Thailand: 7,993 units in July and 51,976 units (+23.2% YoY) from January to July Israel: 5,990 units in July and 48,305 units (+79.8% YoY) from January to July Spain: 5,837 units in July and 48,296 units (+54.3% YoY) from January to July In July, the European market remained the core growth engine for new energy vehicle (NEV) exports. Belgium led with 172,363 units, maintaining a steady YoY growth of 13.3%, with its large base underscoring its role as a key hub for NEVs entering Europe. Similarly, the UK market in Europe ranked third with 111,781 units for the Jan.-Jul. period and a robust 35.6% YoY growth, making it the second-largest NEV market in Europe. The UK has not imposed additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and supports EV development through favorable policies. The government plans to invest 650 million (approximately USD 871 million) in EV subsidies, offering consumers up to 3,750 when purchasing vehicles priced under 37,000. The Electric Car Grant (ECG) program has been expanded to include six additional EV models. Regarding charging infrastructure, the UK currently has over 83,000 public charging points and continues to expand. Under the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, totaling 381 million, an additional 100,000 charging points are planned. Currently, multiple Chinese automakers, including BYD, have already entered the UK market. Brazil ranked second with 117,115 units for the first seven months, recording a 10.7% YoY decline due to increased import tariffs. Chinese automobile brands continued to deepen their presence locally: in July, BYD held the first vehicle rollout ceremony at its passenger vehicle plant in Camacari, Bahia. The BYD Brazil plant was located in Camacari within the Salvador metropolitan area, a key industrial and economic hub of Bahia state, equipped with a well-established automotive supply chain and mature port logistics infrastructure, making it a strategic base to drive the broader Latin American NEV market. The UAE, as a benchmark market for NEV adoption in the Middle East, ranked sixth with a Jan.-Jul. export volume of 54,568 units. The country's EV infrastructure also made new strides: in June, EV charging solutions provider TellusPower Group officially signed a joint venture agreement with the BinHendi Group and SFE Group to establish the Middle East's first EV charging equipment manufacturing company, aligning with the rapid growth of the global EV market and the urgent need to accelerate electric mobility infrastructure in the region. Overall, China's NEV passenger vehicle exports show a global pattern of "Europe leading, emerging markets flourishing on multiple fronts." Europe, with its mature consumer base and supportive policies, continues to serve as a stabilizing anchor, while emerging markets in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, driven by high growth potential, have become key new engines for expanding export volumes. This diversified market layout effectively strengthens the resilience and risk resistance of China's NEV exports. By Amin Saikal, The University of Western Australia, Victoria University, Australian National University (The Conversation) Much of the world is focused on a two-state solution in resolving the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears devoted to realising his vision of a Greater Israel instead. Netanyahu appears to be halfway through achieving this goal, despite all the international condemnation of his war in Gaza and the increasing isolation of Israel. The two-state solution now seems to be no more than a catchword for governments around the world that want to show their solidarity with the Palestinian cause at a time when Israel is hard at work to ensure the concept becomes totally defunct. The prospects for creating an independent Palestinian state out of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip to live side-by-side with Israel in peace and security have never been dimmer. Israel maintains Trumps unwavering support In the wake of Israels attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar earlier this month, an emergency Arab-Muslim summit was convened by Qatar to provide a collective response. The meeting proved to be very ineffective. The leaders issued a strong condemnation of the strike on Qatar, but no plan for how to prevent Israel from attacking its neighbours or halt what a United Nations commission has now called a genocide in Gaza. Instead, the leaders offered a tepid statement, saying they would: take all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people. Middle East leaders know the only power that can rein in Israel is its committed strategic partner, the United States. Washington does not appear prepared to do that. While President Donald Trump has assured the region Israel will not repeat its attack on Qatar, his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, urgently flew to Israel to reconfirm Americas unshakeable alliance with the Jewish state. In praying together with Netanyahu at the Western Wall with a kippah on his head, Rubio demonstrated the Trump administration would stand by the prime minister all the way. And Netanyahu was quick to declare that Israel reserves the right to hit the Hamas terrorists anywhere. He has demanded Qatar expel Hamas officials or face Israels wrath again. A vision for a Greater Israel Based on the language used by the Israeli leader and his extremist ministers, the creation of Greater Israel appears to be a priority. In recent weeks, Netanyahu has publicly alluded to this, saying he was very connected to the idea. The Greater Israel phrase was used after the Six-Day War in 1967 to refer to the lands Israel had conquered: the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, the Golan Heights and the Sinai peninsula (which has since been returned to Egypt). This concept was enshrined in 1977 in the founding charter of Netanyahus Likud Party, which said between the [Mediterranean] Sea and the Jordan [River] there will only be Israeli sovereignty. Last year, Netanyahu affirmed that Israel must have security control over the entire territory west of the Jordan River. He added, That collides with the idea of [Palestinian] sovereignty. What can we do? Netanyahu is now firmly in a position to annex the Gaza Strip, followed by formally extending Israeli jurisdiction over all the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, where more than 700,000 settlers live under the protection of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), and potentially annex the entire area. In addition, Israel has made extraterritorial gains in both Lebanon and Syria after degrading Hezbollah and striking both southern Syria and Iran. He has said the IDFs footprint in both countries will not be pulled back any time soon. Arab and Muslim leaders have strongly condemned Netanyahus references to a Greater Israel. The US also has not publicly endorsed it, though the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has been a supporter of the idea. What can the world do? Netanyahu and his colleagues have weathered the international criticism over their catastrophic Gaza operations for nearly two years, with unwavering US security, economic and financial backing. Greater Israeli? Digital, ChatGPT, 2025 Equally, Netanyahus critics say he has shown little concern about the safety and freedom of the remaining Israeli hostages still in Hamass custody. He has brushed off the desires of a majority of Israelis for a ceasefire and release of the hostages. For Netanyahu and his ruling clique, the end justifies the means. Given this, the expected recognition of the state of Palestine by many Western countries at the UN General Assembly this week will have little or no bearing on Israel or, for that matter, the US. They have both already rejected it as a meaningless and unworthy symbolic exercise. This begs the question of what needs to be done to divert Israel from its path. The only means that could possibly work would be sanctioning Netanyahu and his government and severing all military, economic and trade ties with Israel. Anything short of this will allow the Israeli leadership to continue its pursuit of a Greater Israel, if this is indeed their ultimate plan. This would come at a terrible cost not only for the Palestinians and the region, but also for Israels global reputation. When Netanyahu eventually leaves office, he will leave behind a state in international disrepute. And it may not recover from this for a very long time. Amin Saikal, Adjunct Professor of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Victoria University, Australian National University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) On Wednesday, the socialist government of Pedro Sanchez in Spain announced that it would dispatch a rescue ship to be in the vicinity of the 50 ships that make up the Sumud (steadfastness) flotilla aiming to provide humanitarian relief to the Gaza Strip. It joins Italy in this endeavor. This according to Carlos E. Cue and Miguel Gonzalez at El Pais. The Sumud has come under repeated Israeli drone fire. On Wednesday, Israeli drones dropped explosives in the vicinity of the ships moored off the island of Crete, but caused no damage or injuries. Prime Minister Sanchez said from the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, The government of Spain requires that international law be observed and that the right of our citizens to navigate the Mediterranean in conditions of security be respected. For this reason, tomorrow a Maritime Action vessel will depart [the base in Cartagena] with all the means of assisting the flotilla or of carrying out any rescue, if necessary. Israel has routinely violated the law of the seas by attacking ships in international waters. Spanish citizens are taking part in the Sumud flotilla, and Spain is saying they have the right to do so. Some 82% of Spaniards categorize what Israel is doing in Gaza as a genocide, a massive proportion that demonstrates that Israels actions are condemned by large numbers of people on both the left and the right. But note that 85% of centrists and 97% of Spaniards on the left view the Gaza campaign as genocidal. The Maritime Action ship is not intended to shoot down attacking Israeli drones or to defend the Sumud ships from being boarded by the Israeli military. It will, however, rescue any passengers that end up in the sea because of Israeli actions. It should be underlined, however, that it is entirely possible that the Maritime Action vessel will come under Israeli fire, which would spark an enormous diplomatic and military crisis. Spain and Italy are both NATO members, and Article 5 says that an attack on one is an attack on all. NATO invoked this principle after the September 11, 2001, al-Qaida attacks on New York City and Washington, D. C., which is why there were NATO troops in Afghanistan but not in Iraq, which the rest of NATO did not view as a belligerent. Thus, if Israel attacks the Spanish escort ship, it could stir up a strong European reaction, and would put the Trump administration on the spot, since Trump will side with Israel against NATO. Maritime Aid, Digital, Dream / Dreamland v3, 2025. Spains maritime action vessels can accommodate 80 passengers. They are also armed with a 76-millimeter gun, two machine guns, and a surveillance drone of their own. This one will have a crew of 50 and 8 medical staff. Sanchezs government reached out to Italy for coordination, and sought to add another country to the escort, such as Ireland. For her part, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, from a far right party, faced a national strike involving 500,000 people on Monday over her refusal to recognize a Palestinian state alongside France and Britain. She said Tuesday that shed recognize Palestine if Hamas releases Israeli hostages and if the organization is excluded from any Palestinian government going forward. This position was the one taken by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer until Sunday, when he folded before the weight of sentiment among his back-benchers. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Xiaomi EV has made public a newly granted patent related to steering-assist control, underscoring its ongoing push in autonomous driving technologies, according to a notice via Chinese enterprise information query system Qcc.com on September 23. Photo credit: Qcc.com The patent abstract indicates that the technology is designed for autonomous driving applications. It describes a process in which the system monitors the vehicle when steering assist is temporarily disabled, determines whether conditions allow its safe reactivation, and then restores the feature when appropriate. Xiaomi EV claims the method helps reduce unnecessary toggling between deactivation and reactivation of steering assist. This is expected to improve the safety and reliability of automated driving functions, while offering drivers a smoother overall experience. Xiaomi EV currently sells three models the SU7, SU7 Ultra, and YU7. As the company's first electric vehicle, the SU7 has been at the center of market attention since it hit the market. Its advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) is among the model's most heavily marketed features and continues to draw widespread discussion. However, Xiaomi EV is recalling 116,887 units of its SU7 Standard Edition all-electric sedan due to safety concerns linked to its driver-assistance system, according to a filing recently issued by China's State Administration for Market Regulation ("SAMR"). The recall covers vehicles manufactured between February 6, 2024 and August 30, 2025. According to the filing, the issue may arise when the L2 highway navigation assist function is in use. Under certain extreme scenarios, the system may not recognize hazards quickly enough, provide adequate warnings, or execute sufficient corrective actions. Regulators cautioned that if drivers fail to take control promptly, the risk of collision could rise, creating a clear safety hazard. Unlike traditional recalls that require drivers to visit service centers, Xiaomi EV is implementing over-the-air (OTA) updates a practice that has become increasingly common in China's auto industry over the past two years. Xiaomi EV confirmed that it will provide free software upgrades remotely for affected car owners through OTA technology, allowing users to complete the safety fix without visiting dealerships. It is worth mentioning that Xiaomi EV reported a solid sales volume in August, with more than 30,000 units delivered during the month. On September 16 Israel launched its destroying war on Gaza city, resulting in mass displacement, hundreds of injuries and deaths and widespread destruction of homes. On the same day the UN Human Rights Councils Independent International Commission of Inquiry stated officially for the first time that Israels acts meet the legal definition of genocide. The UN Commission has assessed Israels responsibility for violations of the Genocide Convention from both a fact-finding and legal perspective. It has concluded that Israels conduct in Gaza satisfies the legal definition of genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention, fulfilling both the physical acts and the mental intent elements. It found that Israel has committed acts prohibited by the Convention: killing of Palestinians in Gaza, infliction of serious bodily and mental harm, the creation of conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians of Gaza, and the imposition of measures intended to prevent birth. Crucially, the Commission determined that these acts were carried out with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza, in whole or in part the core requirement that distinguishes genocide from other international crimes. Establishing intent As for its method, the UN Commission considers that genocidal intent can be established either through direct evidence such as statements expressing an intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the protected group or/and by inference from circumstantial evidence, considering the totality of facts and patterns of conduct. While certain acts may have alternative explanations (such as military objectives), this does not preclude the existence of a genocidal intent, if it is the only reasonable inference to be drawn. In its assessment, the Commission reviewed the actions of Israeli leaders and soldiers; the broader context; the scale and methods of harm; the number of victims; the systematic targeting of people based on group membership; the repetition of destructive acts; and the use of derogatory language. It noted that crimes against children can indicate genocidal intent. This reflect also a position that was taken a few weeks after October 7, 2023 by Canada, Denmark, France, the UK, Germany and The Netherlands in their pleadings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Myanmar case: Given the significance of children to the survival of all groups, evidence of harm to children may contribute to an inference that the perpetrators intended to destroy a substantial part of the protected group. The Commission concluded that the mass killings, serious harm, and lack of accountability reflect a consistent pattern showing intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group. This intent is evidenced by official statements by Israel leaders and by their acts, including using starvation tactics, blocking humanitarian aid, and the systematic destruction of religious, cultural, and educational sites. The dismantling of Gazas healthcare system combined with the denial of medical access and continued attacks on civilians was found to deliberately undermine Palestinians ability to survive and recover. The systematic targeting of children was identified as part of a strategy to eliminate the biological continuity and future of the Palestinian group in Gaza. It also established the direct and public incitement to commit genocide, based on statements by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. While it has not fully assessed statements by other leaders, including Minister for National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and Minister for Finance Bezalel Smotrich, it considered that in the future they too should be assessed. A warning on arms transfers By affirming the presence of genocidal intent, the Commissions findings significantly escalate the international legal and political implications of Israels war on Gaza, increasing pressure on states to intervene particularly in relation to arms transfers. One direct legal consequence is the obligation of third states to cease the transfer of arms and other equipment or items, including jet fuel if it could aid the commission of genocide. This recommendation is especially notable considering a 2021 ruling by Frances Supreme Criminal Court against cement company Lafarge, which held that corporations selling arms may be deemed complicit in international crimes if they were aware those crimes were being committed regardless of whether they shared the intent to commit them. In the present context, the Commissions findings make it impossible for states or corporations to claim ignorance of the commission of genocide in Gaza. This UN fact-finding report is part of a broader legal framework in which the ICJ is examining Israel's responsibility in a case brought by South Africa in late 2023, with proceedings still ongoing. The UN Report could be submitted by South Africa to the ICJ as part of its fact-finding process. However, the UN report does not address individual criminal responsibility, which falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC is currently conducting investigations into individuals, not the state, and has already issued arrest warrants for alleged crimes against humanity against two members of the Israeli government, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. In retaliation, US President Donald Trump was reportedly considering imposing sanctions on the ICC altogether. While the legal definition of genocide remains consistent, the focus of the UN report is on state responsibility (see also the report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied published in July 2024). What academics can and should say An appeal signed, as of today, by more than 270 leading law professors from around world on the question of genocide in Gaza was initiated by French professors and published this summer in the French newspaper Liberation. It outlined eight essential observations on which these law professors agreed, including the view that the genocidal intention of the Israeli government has crystalized. The appeal also emphasized that debates over the classification of genocide should not overshadow the fact that extremely serious crimes are committed and that there exists no hierarchy, in international law, between genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. In France, publicly stating that genocide is occurring is often perceived as taking a side promoting (if not aligning with) Hamass political agenda of destroying the State of Israel, or as being antisemitism toward French Jews. The discourse thus forces a binary choice of picking a camp. Yet there is not opposition between standing out against a genocide while also recognizing Israels fear and needs. On the contrary, standing against genocide open the possibility of thinking differently Israelis security. Unlike what Hamas and Netanyahus extreme right government are telling us, there is space for both narratives, as there is space for all on this land. Refusing the binary discourse and frames is a necessary step for a fundamental convergence for stopping the genocide. Slovenia on Thursday declared a ban on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing ICC proceedings against him over alleged war crimes committed during Israel's military offensive in Gaza. The International Criminal Court in November issued warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant. Slovenia's government said the move to sanction Netanyahu followed bans it announced in July against two far-right Israeli ministers. "With this move, the government sends a clear message to Israel that Slovenia expects consistent respect for the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law," the government said in a statement. In July, Slovenia banned Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of inciting "extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians" with "their genocidal statements". Several other countries have also banned them. In August, Slovenia also announced a ban on imports of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, in a "symbolic measure" designed to ratchet up diplomatic pressure over the war in Gaza. In May, President Natasa Pirc Musar in an address to the European Parliament urged the EU to take stronger action, condemning "the genocide" in Gaza. Over nearly two years, Israeli military offensives have killed at least 65,502 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, figures the UN considers reliable. The offensive followed Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Russia is responsible for "widespread and systematic violations" of international law in the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war including "arbitrary killings", according to an OSCE report published Thursday. The violations also include "torture, ill-treatment, denial of fair trial rights, and unsafe detention and transfer conditions," said the report by the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The report is the result of a mission of three experts tasked by the OSCE to look into Russia's treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war. They found that Ukrainian soldiers were not recognised as prisoners of war by Russia, which "opens the door for criminal prosecution of POWs for mere participation in hostilities". "The mission documented a high number of arbitrary killings and executions attributable to the Russian Federation, occurring both on the battlefield and in detention," the report said. Estimates indicate that at least 13,500 members of the Ukrainian armed forces have been detained since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it added. "Of these, approximately 169 have died in captivity, nearly 6,800 have been released and repatriated, and an estimated 6,300 remain in detention," the report said, denouncing Russia's lack of cooperation in the investigation. Forty-one of the 57 OSCE member states asked the organisation in July to look into Russia's treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war. For the report, the experts conducted, among others, interviews with former prisoners of war and had access to written testimonies. The report said a "particularly egregious case" was the Olenivka penal colony in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region, where "systemic violations occurred". The experts "would encourage the ICC (International Criminal Court) Office of the Prosecutor to pursue investigations into these violations," the report said, given "the extensive documentation of violations against POWs". The OSCE has published several reports since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, within the framework of the so-called Moscow Mechanism, highlighting violations that might constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. Protesters rammed a truck into the gates of a military barracks in Mexico City on Thursday during a demonstration over the disappearance and presumed murder of 43 students a decade ago, news footage showed. Hooded men reversed the truck into the gates and then set it on fire during the protest to mark the 11th anniversary of the disappearance of the students, who had been training to be teachers, from the southern town of Ayotzinapa. No injuries were reported in the truck ramming and the barracks remained secure during the protest. The fate of the students has haunted Mexico since their disappearance on the night of September 26, 2014, in violence-plagued southern Guerrero state. So far, the remains of only three students have been found and identified. The case has become emblematic of a missing persons crisis in Mexico, where more than 120,000 people have vanished. The students were traveling to a demonstration in Mexico City when they were intercepted. Investigators believe they were abducted by a drug cartel with the help of corrupt police, although exactly what happened is unclear. A truth commission in 2022 found that the army was aware of the abductions as they were unfolding. Each year, family members and students from the victims' university demonstrate to demand justice. In 2024, protesters used a truck to break down a gate at the government palace while then president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was holding a press conference. The barracks vandalized on Thursday was previously targeted by protesters in 2022. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- In a move underscoring their commitment to a new joint brand, GAC Group and Huawei have appointed Liu Jiaming as chief executive officer of the newly launched Qijing brand, according to a press release issued via GAC Group's WeChat account on September 25. The announcement, made in the presence of Huawei's rotating chairman Xu Zhijun and GAC chairman Feng Xingya, places Mr. Liu in charge of brand strategy, product planning, market expansion, and overall operations. Photo credit: GAC Group Mr. Liu brings more than 25 years of experience across sales, product strategy, investment planning, and technical management. Much of his career was spent at GAC Toyota and the wider GAC Group, where he helped shape high-profile models such as the Highlander and Camry and introduced structural reforms in sales operations. His background combines cross-functional expertise with the ability to integrate resources in multicultural environmentsskills seen as vital for steering a brand positioned at the intersection of automotive manufacturing and advanced technology. The Qijing brand was officially unveiled earlier this year as a premium smart electric vehicle marque, jointly developed by GAC Group and Huawei Qiankun, a smart driving solution unit of Huawei. Both companies have expressed high expectations for the venture. Feng Xingya described Huawei as not only a key partner but also a model for GAC's transformation, calling Qijing a project of "the highest priority." He pledged to allocate the group's strongest resources to secure the brand's long-term development. Xu Zhijun, meanwhile, said he hoped Qijing would "open new horizons and win the future with intelligence," encouraging joint teams to shape it into a truly premium brand. According to the partners, every Qijing model will feature Huawei Qiankun's latest intelligent systems. By combining Huawei's strengths in driver-assistance, smart cockpits, digital ecosystems, and marketing with GAC's expertise in electric powertrains and vehicle manufacturing, the two aim to build a competitive new player in China's premium NEV market. Park Bo Gum melted hearts once again after a recently shared clip documenting his thoughtful interaction with fans at the airport. Fans, who wanted to show appreciation for the actor, made him happy when they brought him bouquets of flowers, but the actor was unable to accept them because of rules against accepting gifts. Instead, Bo Gum created a delightful and unique gesture to acknowledge his fans and comply with the rules. Instead of declining the flowers coldly, Bo Gum embraced them warmly and thanked the fans. " ," wrote one fan in a tweet, which means, "First, don't refuse, express your gratitude, then hug the bouquet, take a picture, sign it, and hug the fan again." READ MORE: Park Bo Gum's Military Comrade Shares Stories of His Unmatched Kindness > pic.twitter.com/BIfL7LMmO9 (@gummyblue_) September 17, 2025 The actor was witnessed taking pictures of the flowers using his own phone before handing them back to the fanan act widely appreciated as considerate and respectful. A video posted by user @gummyblue_ on X (formerly Twitter) captured the entire exchange. The post soon went viral, with thousands of likes and shares flooding in. Cyber citizens swarmed social forums to express their appreciation for his emotional intelligence and humility. One of the users posted, "This amount of EQ is definitely uncommon." Another wrote, "Wow, so wise." Several others expressed how moved they were by his actions, with one fan noting, "Wow, I'm touched." Others said, "Where does his way of thinking and EQ come from?" and "No wonder everyone can't resist his charms!" These responses reflect an emerging reality in which celebrities are being appreciated for their positive engagement with fans. Park Bo Gum, to this day, is being regarded for repeatedly modeling that engagement respectfully. The more fans and general viewers see the moment online, the more they are confirming what long-time supporters already knew: Park Bo Gum isn't only greathe's kind too. READ MORE: Park Bo Gum Takes the Blame for Staff's Mistake Like a True Gentleman Wednesday, September 24, 2025 - A shocking CCTV clip has emerged showing the exact moment a boda boda rider turned into a thief and robbed his unsuspecting client in Nairobi moments after dropping him off. The clip shows the victim trying to complete payment via mobile phone after alighting at his destination. The rider pretends to reverse his motorbike, only to suddenly snatch the mans phone before speeding away. A desperate chase ensues as the stunned victim runs after the rogue rider, but he is easily outpaced and left stranded in disbelief. The brazen incident has since gone viral online, sparking outrage from Kenyans who are demanding tougher crackdowns on criminal elements within the boda boda sector. Members of the public should exercise caution when using boda boda services, especially at night, and report suspicious riders. A rogue boda boda rider stealing from a client after dropping him off pic.twitter.com/03cqCObi3D DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) September 24, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, September 24, 2025 - The family of Benedict Kabiru, a Kenyan police officer deployed to Haiti, is reeling after President William Ruto publicly confirmed his death during a high-level meeting in New York. Kabiru had been missing for over six months following a gang ambush in Port-au-Prince during an anti-gang operation. Ruto named Kabiru among three officers who died in the line of duty, alongside Samuel Tompoi and Kennedy Nzuve. The news devastated Kabirus mother, Jecinta, who had held onto hope after repeated assurances from top security officials that the search was ongoing. I feel tortured. They gave me hope, knowing the truth, she said tearfully in an interview with Citizen TV. She now demands the return of her sons remains for burial, saying she cannot accept his death until she sees his body. Kabiru disappeared on March 25th after his teams vehicle was ambushed and trapped in a ditch believed to be dug by gangs. While others escaped with injuries, Kabiru was taken by the assailants. Inspector General Douglas Kanja confirmed that specialized teams were dispatched to locate him, but no updates were shared until Rutos announcement. The family, who previously sued the Government for withholding information, is now demanding clarity on when Kabiru died and why they were kept in the dark. The tragedy has sparked national debate on transparency, duty, and the emotional toll on families of officers serving abroad. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, September 24, 2025 - ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo has become the unexpected center of online fashion critique after photos of his outfits during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York went viral. Known for his bold and unconventional style, Kabogos wardrobe choices sparked a flurry of reactions from Kenyans on social media. In one widely circulated image, Kabogo is seen wearing a checked blazer over a plain shirt and tie, paired with navy trousers and brown leather shoes featuring brightly colored soles. Standing next to Nigerias ICT Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani, who wore a sharply tailored navy suit, Kabogos ensemble drew mixed reviews, with many pointing out the ill-fitting nature of his suit. Another photo of Kabogo with Denmarks Consul General Helle Meinertz reignited the debate, with users on X (formerly Twitter) calling for him to hire a professional stylist. One user wrote, Mhe Waziri, uko na pesa. Get an image consultant and accept his advice. Unachoma Babah. While some defended Kabogos expressive fashion sense, others argued that public figures representing Kenya on global platforms should embrace polished, well-fitted attire. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, September 24, 2025 - A storm is brewing at Safaricom after a junior employee came out crying foul over what he terms as an unfair dismissal following a heated confrontation with a Head of Department during a company event. According to the sacked staff, drama unfolded when the Senior Manager, who was reportedly intoxicated, allegedly crossed the line by getting touchy with his wife. The confrontation quickly turned physical as the junior staff defended his spouse, shocking colleagues who witnessed the altercation. Days later, the junior employee was dismissed on grounds of indiscipline, a decision he insists was rushed, biased and executed without a fair hearing. He further claims he has been reaching out to Employee Relations Manager, Odhiambo Ooko, in pursuit of justice, but his efforts have been frustrated. Instead, Ooko is allegedly ignoring his pleas and even sabotaging the process by making fictitious claims to seal his fate. The disgruntled employee has now gone public, accusing the management of frustrating him. The Kenyan DAILY POST Vivienne Clarke A doctor, who had been working with Medecins Sans Frontieres in Gaza until his evacuation to Ireland last week, has said there was nothing left there. Dr Mohammed Abu Mughaisib, who was the deputy Medical Coordinator for MSF in Gaza, told RTE radios Morning Ireland that he did not recognise the streets of Rafah while he was being evacuated as they had been reduced to rubble. The population now in the north area has an evacuation order to move to the south. One million people are struggling to move. They are asking them to move to the south area, which was called the humanitarian zone, which is between brackets. It's not a humanitarian zone. "The hospitals are collapsing one by one, which are in the north. Patients are actually in these hospitals, are lying on the floor there. There is no beds at all. Doctors now are consulting the patient without giving any treatment because there is no more treatment. The population still are struggling to find shelters, there is no space, there is no tents, and they are struggling to find water. "There is no term to describe what's going on in Gaza, there is neighbourhoods erased from the planet." Dr Mughaisib said he had been "lucky" because he managed to evacuate his family to Cairo while he stayed in Gaza. I used the electricity unit room to put my mattress. I mean, that was your life - your mattress, your pillow, and your documents. It was a kind of luxury to find bread and to buy it, it's very expensive. The cost of one bread was 5, I can afford it, I'm still working. "But imagine the population that 80 percent of them are in poverty. They were really children crying in the tent because their families cannot provide for the milk or food, and they were crying because of hunger, and they sleep because they get tired from crying, so they sleep. There was acute hunger. Famine - I was not waiting to declare the famine in Gaza because we witnessed it, me and my colleagues who are working with MSF. Dr Mughaisib explained that he applied through MSF Ireland to come to Dublin. The Irish Government and embassy really facilitated my work papers" When I entered some areas in Gaza during the evacuation, I didn't recognise Rafah, I didn't recognise Khan Yunis. It was just rubbles. And the tanks, of course, are there. "They were blocking the road but they open it and they allow the convoy, but I didn't recognise none of these streets of Rafah and Khan Yunis that I know it by heart. "I'm living there for 25 years so I know Gaza by heart. I didn't recognise no street. It was very strange to be in Ireland, he said. He hoped to be soon be reunited with his family, who he has not seen in over 18 months. I have really mixed feelings. It's very difficult to wake up without the sound of the drones, the shelling, the bombing. And I left all my memories there. I have friends, colleagues, families there that I know that are still suffering and they wanted to be evacuated, to be in security. "But it's difficult. Physically, I'm here, but my heart and soul is there." Tom Tuite An American real estate agent who groped inside and outside a young mans shorts in the sauna at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin has avoided jail. Bryan McNeill, aged 55, of K Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, was handed a six-month suspended sentence and ordered to pay 10,000 to the 19-year-old college student. The businessman had been allowed to return to the United States in March, days after the incident in the luxury hotel. He pleaded guilty to a sexual assault charge when he came from the US for his hearing in Dublin District Court on Monday, and his case was adjourned until Wednesday for sentencing. In a mitigation plea, defence counsel Oisin Clarke, instructed by solicitor Brian Keenan, had urged the court to leave McNeill without a criminal conviction based on extenuating circumstances: the early plea, remorse, being a sole carer for his mother, a compensation offer to include paying for therapy for the complainant, his lack of prior convictions and previous good character. However, Judge Murphy refused, stressing the gravity, culpability, invasiveness and sexualised nature of the touching, and the high level of gross misjudgement and recklessness given the marked age gap between McNeill and the complainant. Judge Murphy heard the businessman misread the situation" until the shocked victim stood up and told him to stop. McNeill did not address the court. His husband provided a letter confirming the accuseds health had declined due to stress, and he had suffered from vertigo since the incident. Judge Murphy recorded a conviction and suspended the sentence, on the condition that the defendant does not reoffend within the next year and pays the compensation within six months. The teenager did not attend the sentencing, but his mother was present to hear the outcome and the judges praise for his honest and measured statement. Judge Murphy also emphasised that the young man was extremely blameless. In evidence, Detective Garda Cathal Ryan said the injured party was staying at the five-star hotel in March with a family member and used the gym, and afterwards went to the sauna. He later reported to gardai that an older man sexually assaulted him in the sauna. In his statement, he outlined to the detective that McNeill was rubbing his shoulder and upper torso with his right hand, and slid his hands under his shorts to grope his buttocks from within his shorts and then with his left hand grabbed his penis outside the shorts. McNeill gave gardai an account claiming it was a consensual interaction, but the complainant stated it was not consensual. Detective Garda Ryan said McNeill, who had been granted 30,000 bail, had no prior convictions in Ireland or any other jurisdiction. Judge Murphy ranked the offence as mid-range, if not higher, for the jurisdiction of the District Court. On Monday, the student had told the judge: I was just enjoying the luxury of being in the hotel and having a general conversation; I did not initiate what happened. He revealed that he was in shock afterwards, and it took weeks to process what happened. He could not talk about it when his parents asked how he was. He said that his family thought he was happier before and is more irritable now. He also stated that he was not ready to face what happened, but wanted it to disappear. I do wonder why this was done to me. I am friendly and social, but definitely more worried than I used to be," the young man had said. He became withdrawn and believed the assault was partly a reason for failing a college exam during the summer. The defence said McNeill came from humble beginnings, was the first in his family to achieve a third-level education and dragged himself up by his bootstraps from a young age, eventually becoming a real estate agent. Counsel submitted that a conviction could have catastrophic consequences" for McNeill in the United States in terms of his livelihood and other features of his life. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. KILDARE County Council has announced the donation of John Devoys chair to its County Archives, and it will be available for public viewing at the annual John Devoy Commemoration in Naas Library and Cultural Centre, on 25 September at 7pm. The chair was donated by Frank MacGabhann, a nephew of Alice Cumiskey (nee Carragher) and Lily Carragher, who cared for John Devoy in his final years in the United States. xx It was transported to Ireland earlier this year, with assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Irish Consulate in New York and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. This annual event, organised by the Friends of John Devoy, is held to commemorate the renowned Fenian in the county of his birth. The event will be opened by the cathaoirleach of Kildare County Council, cllr Carmel Kelly, with guest speaker, Frank MacGabhann whose aunt, Alice, donated Devoys papers to the National Library of Ireland in 1938. She revealed to Frank that she was among the few individuals Devoy had confided in about the 1916 Rising beforehand. A short film by Donal Higgins, John Devoy: the Greatest of the Fenians, will also be shown. This year marks 10 years since the unveiling of a statue of John Devoy at Poplar Square, Naas, on 25 October 2015. This was the first of Kildare County Councils Decade of Commemorations flagship projects, in partnership with the Kildare Association of New York. John Devoy was born in 1842 in Kill in a small cottage on the main road from Naas to Dublin. He died in America in 1928, having given almost 70 years of his life to secure the freedom of Ireland. The task which he shouldered was that which had been undertaken by number of previous generations, the breaking of English power in Ireland. Devoys time as an active Fenian in Ireland was short; his time as an exile in America was, on the other hand, extremely long. The peculiar quality of tenacity he possessed served him as Fenian soldier, Fenian prisoner and Fenian exile, said his biographer Michael Smyth. At Easter, 1916, John Devoy announced the declaration of the Irish Republic to a large gathering of Irish people in New York as tears of joy streamed down his face. He was the Fenian almost the only one, certainly the greatest one who lived long enough to see the fruits of freedom, said Smyth in his 1964 tome. Dublin Zoo has become the first zoo in the country to have Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreted videos for deaf and hard of hearing visitors. The initiative, in collaboration with Chime, the national charity for deaf and hard of hearing people, was launched with a visit by the organisation's Dublin Deaf Group and client families. They all took part in a wake-up experience with Asian elephants as well as an in-person ISL interpreted talk. The event was hosted as part of International Week of Deaf People, which runs until Sunday, September 28. Commenting on this fantasic news was Dr Christoph Schwitzer, Director at Dublin Zoo. READ MORE: ALERT: Popular brand of Irish snacks recalled amid do not eat warning He said, By introducing ISL-interpreted videos, we are endeavouring to ensure our educational message about wildlife conservation reaches deaf and hard of hearing people in an accessible and meaningful way." The ISL videos are available through QR codes, which have been provided on signage across the zoo to enhance the visitor experience for all. Scanning the codes will bring visitors to zookeeper talks, featuring an ISL interpreter, on the Dublin Zoo website. These include detailed descriptions of the animals and their habitats from Animal Care Teams. The QR codes are being rolled out at the habitats of the Asian lion, red panda, California sea lion, Humboldt penguin, Southern white rhinoceros and Asian elephant. Chime has partnered with Dublin Zoos Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusivity Working Group around implementation and promotion of the project. The videos were produced by the marketing team at the iconic zoo, with the support of its Animal Care Teams and an ISL interpreter, supported by Chime. Dr Schwitzer added, "Education is at the heart of what we do. This exciting project helps us connect more deeply with our deaf and hard of hearing visitors, ensuring they can learn about and enjoy what we do. The initiative is part of our wider campaign to ensure Dublin Zoo provides an inclusive experience. Danielle Mc Laughlin, Director of Advocacy and Communications with Chime, emphasised the significance of the partnership. She commented, "Chime believes in breaking down barriers and making every experience accessible for deaf and hard of hearing people. By providing ISL interpretation, Dublin Zoo is not only adhering to the recognition of ISL as a language of the State, but also enhancing the zoo experience for the deaf and hard of hearing community. We are proud to work with Dublin Zoo in leading the way on accessibility and inclusion. "The initiative is a critical step in making Dublin Zoo's educational and conservation efforts accessible to everyone, reinforcing its role as a leader in both conservation and community engagement, and we are very pleased to be part of it," Ms McLaughlin added. Xi stresses building socialist modern Xinjiang Xinhua) 08:13, September 25, 2025 URUMQI, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to build a socialist modern Xinjiang that is characterized by unity, harmony, prosperity, affluence, cultural progress and a sound eco-environment, where people live and work in peace and contentment. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks after listening to work reports from the CPC Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government. He emphasized the full, faithful and comprehensive implementation of the Party's guidelines for governing Xinjiang in the new era. Xi noted that since the founding of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 70 years ago, earthshaking changes have been taking place in the region, and Xinjiang has joined the rest of the country in embarking on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects. Official data showed that Xinjiang's GDP has grown at an average annual rate of 7.04 percent since 2012. In 2024, it expanded by 6.1 percent, surpassing 2 trillion yuan (about 281.4 billion U.S. dollars) for the first time. Leveraging its resources and industrial capabilities, Xinjiang should actively explore a path of high-quality development suited to its own characteristics and foster its new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, Xi stressed. He also urged Xinjiang to promote the cultural tourism industry, enhance preservation and restoration of ecosystems, accelerate the building of the core area along the Silk Road Economic Belt, and give priority to ensuring and improving people's living standards. Xi underscored all-out efforts in maintaining social stability in Xinjiang, and raising the people's awareness and readiness regarding combating terrorism and maintaining stability. It is imperative to foster a strong sense of the Chinese nation as one community in Xinjiang and promote the construction of the community, Xi said, noting that the region should make efforts to ensure that religions in China conform to China's realities, and help officials and people of all ethnic groups to develop a correct view of the country, history, nation, culture and religion. Strengthening Party leadership and Party building is the fundamental guarantee for advancing Xinjiang's modernization, he added. Xi noted that the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) serves as a major strategic force for achieving the CPC Central Committee's overall goal of the work related to Xinjiang, calling for deepening reform of the XPCC. Senior officials, including Wang Huning and Cai Qi, attended the meeting. Xi, leading a central delegation, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, on Tuesday to attend activities marking the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. On Wednesday morning, Xi visited a themed exhibition for the anniversary at a cultural center in Urumqi. He is scheduled to attend a grand celebration gathering in the city on Thursday. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech after listening to work reports from the CPC Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 24, 2025. Xi, leading a central delegation, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, on Tuesday to attend activities marking the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech after listening to work reports from the CPC Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 24, 2025. Xi, leading a central delegation, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, on Tuesday to attend activities marking the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing) Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is set to sign a bill redrawing the state's congressional districts to favor Republicans into law on Sunday, according to a news release from the governor's office. The map, which Kehoe has dubbed the "Missouri First Map," is backed by President Donald Trump and will split the Kansas City district into multiple that extend east into rural, more conservative areas. Currently, much of Kansas City is included in the 5th Congressional District, which is represented by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver. Cleaver has represented the district for 20 years. The new map redraws the 5th Congressional District to extend as far as the eastern edge of mid-Missouri. Republicans currently hold seats in six of Missouri's eight congressional districts. Congressional Republicans currently hold a slim 219-212 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Republicans and Democrats view the chamber as up for grabs in 2026. Missouri Republicans have denied that the state's congressional districts are being gerrymandered to add another GOP seat in the House of Representatives, arguing Kehoe's map is more compact and splits fewer communities. However, Democrats have pushed back against the redistricting effort, calling it a power grab ahead of the November 2026 midterm election. Redistricting was last done in 2022 and typically happens every 10 years. Missouri's redistricting effort follows Texas' redrawing of congressional lines to favor Republicans and California's response by putting a measure before voters for new maps favoring Democrats. Challenges to redrawn map Missouri's new map has not come without legal pushback. The map is at the center of three lawsuits, including challenges from the Missouri NAACP and American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, and a referendum that aims to put the map before voters for approval. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. The NAACP lawsuit, filed on Sept. 3, asked a Cole County circuit court to block the special session where lawmakers passed the redistricting legislation from happening in the first place, calling it unconstitutional. A judge heard arguments in the case after the special session concluded with the Missouri General Assembly passing the legislation and sending it to Kehoe for approval. The NAACP argued before a judge on Sept. 15 that just because the session happened, doesn't mean the product of that session should automatically go through, asking the judge to block Kehoe from signing the controversial legislation. The judge has not issued a ruling in that case. The ACLU lawsuit challenges the redrawn map on the basis that it violates the constitution by attempting to unfairly represent Kansas City voters in Congress. The lawsuit emphasizes that the Constitution allows redistricting following a census and that the congressional district map must remain in place until the next census. A case management conference for that lawsuit is set for Dec. 29. People not Politicians Missouri is also gathering signatures to challenge the new congressional district map. The group is using the referendum petition process, which can freeze the new map from going into effect until it faces a statewide vote. If this happens, the map will likely be placed on the November 2026 ballot. This could prevent the new map from taking effect before the 2026 midterms, as was intended. The group had 90 days from Sept. 12, when it filed the referendum, to gather 107,000 signatures from at least six out of eight congressional districts. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today A few snow showers scattered about the area this morning, otherwise a good deal of clouds. High 29F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%.. Tonight Cloudy skies with a few snow showers after midnight. Low 18F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%. 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. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Please submit to AMAAPhA to discuss. I am CPht, ... AT an in-camera bail hearing at the Family Law Court in Portlaoise last week allegations were made by a woman of how she was assaulted by the man she had been in a relationship with. The 43-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged injured party, was charged with assaulting the woman on 11 August at her home in Laois. The alleged injured party, taking the stand told the court that she had known the accused for a few years and had been in a relationship with each other. She said that on 11 August both had been out having a few drinks in Portlaoise. I noticed that he was getting a bit agitated. I left to go home by myself and got a taxi. When I got home, I got something to eat and fell asleep on the couch. I awoke when I heard him knocking on the door. I let him in. He was complaining about a scratch I had put on his car. He said that I did it purposely, but I didnt. He said that Id have to pay for it. He said, do you think this is funny? I said no I dont think its funny. She said: I went to bed. Her came beside me and kept saying, do you think, this is funny. With that he pounced and got me by my neck. He kept beating me into the side of the head. He then took my phone off me. He told me to get dressed and to follow him down to his house. I followed him down in my car behind his. I was too afraid not to. When we arrived at his house, he handed me back my phone. Asked if I was alright for diesel to get back. That was it. I went home. Asked by Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby how the alleged incident made her feel the woman replied: Terrified. Petrified, because I live on my own in the country. I dont sleep at nighttime. I keep waking up thinking its going to happen all over again. The woman said she attended the hospital the next day after the alleged assault with bruising to her neck, face and arms and with swelling on the side of her head. Solicitor for the defendant Michael Byrne asked the woman throughout the relationship with his client had she ever had an occasion in which she had to call the gardai or to make a complaint against him, to which she replied no. He asked the woman whether she would have objections or any fears if his client lived outside Laois to which she said it would. And if the court made an order that the accused make an order that his client makes absolutely no contact by any means with her, would it ease her fears, to which she again said yes. She also told Mr Byrne that since the alleged incident the man has had no contact with her. Mr Byrne said that his client would be willing to abide by any conditions the court would impose on him. He said his client works as a part-time crane driver and would live at an address in Westmeath. Judge Fay granted bail to the defendant on conditions that he remains of sober habits and abstains from all alcohol and illicit drugs, obeys a daily house curfew from 10pm to 5am, answers the door to gardai at all times, signs on daily from 9am to 9pm at the nearest garda station to him, provide garda with a contactable phone number and be available to take their calls 24-hours a day and meet with them, should they wish within 15 minutes, have absolutely no contact by any means with the alleged injured party in the case, surrender his passport and make no attempt to obtain another one, stay out of Laois except for court and probation service appointments. She also made it a condition of the mans bail that he stays away from all licenced premises and off-licences including those in supermarkets anywhere within the state of Ireland. Judge Fay remanded the man on his own bail of 500 with a cash lodgement of 100 and adjourned the case to 10 November. Mr Byrne asked the judge to consider granting free legal aid to his client. I want a pay slip first, replied Judge Fay, he says that hes earns 300 a week as a crane driver. The man replied: Its only part-time. I just stared four weeks ago, and I only got paid. Im on emergency tax. ENERGY companies are price gouging, was how the Independent Republican TD for Laois Brian Stanley described the recent hikes in electricity prices. In a statement the Portlaoise TD said: We are facing into the dark, cold months of winter in circumstances where families, households and workers are going to be hit with increases in the local property tax, fuel costs for transport, student fees, insurance, rent and food. The list goes on. In the past week, four energy companies announced that they are hiking their prices. Energy prices used to go up by 1%, 2% or 3%. Now it is 9%, 11%, 12%, 13% and so on. We have some of the highest electricity prices in Europe. More than 500,000 customers are going to be hit with these increases in the next couple of weeks. Many of them do not have the additional money needed to meet these increases. We already have a record number of people in arrears. It is only September, and they are still getting bills for the summer months. This is the important issue. He said: The Government has decided to withdraw energy credits and supports in the upcoming budget, yet it had no problem giving them last year. Millionaires got them. That was absolute insanity. I cannot but reach the conclusion that the Government was trying to buy the election. "We were told that when we had wind energy and renewable energy, particularly wind energy, it would be a lot cheaper. That has not turned out to be the case. It has turned out to be very expensive," said Deputy Brian Stanley Energy companies are price gouging, said Deputy Stanley. We know that because of the huge profits they are making. Wholesale prices for electricity have dropped by over 70% in the past three years, but retail costs continue to increase. it is pure profiteering. Over 300,000 households are unable to pay their bills. The Government has also committed to increasing carbon tax, thereby heaping more costs on people. The Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy must be restructured. At the moment, the public are subsidising large companies and data centres when it comes to energy costs. Data centres must start paying their fair share and carry the burden for their responsibilities, rather than having domestic customers do it for them. He said: I am a supporter of wind energy and of solar, biogas, hydrogen and hydro energy. We need to use all the renewable sources we have. According to the answer to a parliamentary question I tabled, it stated that over the past five years 549 million has been given to private companies developing wind farms. The companies involved are highly profitable. We were told that when we had wind energy and renewable energy, particularly wind energy, it would be a lot cheaper. That has not turned out to be the case. It has turned out to be very expensive. The Government needs to explain that. Deputy Brian Stanley said: "Over the past five years 549 million has been given to private companies developing wind farms." He said a member of the Dail asked once who owns this energy, said Deputy Stanley. He was quoted that over 90% used to be owned by the public. That has been flipped on its head. Now 75% is owned by large corporations over which we have no control. It is real Trumpian stuff. The Government might give out about Trump, but it is copying what he is doing economically and handing over key industries to large companies that are leading us on a merry dance and absolutely ripping off the taxpayer. Householders, particularly the lower paid, the disabled and other groups, need help. I appeal to the Minister of State not to pass over them in the budget. The Government does not have to buy an election this year. I ask that it not forget those people. By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA Tanaiste Simon Harris is due to meet US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick as part of a diplomatic trip to the States. Mr Harris, the Foreign Affairs Minister, travelled to New York to attend the UN High-Level Week. He is to take part in several meetings in Washington DC on Thursday and officially open a new Irish embassy in the US capital. Our embassy is a testament not just to the shared history between our two countries, but an expression of our aspiration and ambition for a bright future together Simon Harris Mr Harris said there is no greater sign of the importance of the Irish-US relationship than the opening of Irelands new embassy, next to the White House. Our embassy is a testament not just to the shared history between our two countries, but an expression of our aspiration and ambition for a bright future together. It reflects Irelands expanding footprint right across the United States, where we now have a network of eight consulates general. I look forward to meeting Howard Lutnick, United States secretary of commerce, and discussing how we can protect and deepen our mutually beneficial economic relationship. Not only is the US investing in Ireland, but Ireland is investing in the US. We are now the fifth largest source of foreign direct investment in America. Across every region of the union, Irish companies have created 200,000 American jobs. To that end, I am also delighted today to launch an economic impact report which maps Irelands economic footprint across the United States, capturing not only the trade flows between our two countries, but also our research partnerships and tourism figures, and significantly, the remarkable scale of Irish companies who have operations here. Howard Lutnick with Donald Trump. Photo: Alex Brandon/AP. While I am in DC, I am looking forward to engagement with these Irish businesses whose investment in the United States forms part of our remarkable transatlantic economic ties. He said officials would work on a new US strategy to be published in early 2026, coinciding with 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776. Mr Harris said three signatories of that document were born on the island of Ireland. He last met Mr Lutnick in Washington DC in April on what he said was a very busy day for the US administration. A 90-day pause on higher US tariffs had been announced the previous day, which had threatened a 20 per cent tariff for the EU. A 15 per cent tariff was later implemented under an EU-US deal, while the previous 10 per cent tariff will apply to goods that are already in transit or have been warehoused for consumption until October 5th. The all-inclusive 15 per cent tariff is on most EU goods, including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals entering the US. There are zero for zero tariffs on a number of products including planes and aircraft parts, some agricultural goods and certain chemicals. Archer Music Hall in Allentown hosts the Drive-By Truckers for a concert July 24, 2025. The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. announced its "Lehigh Valley: Making Products & Making Places" event will take place Nov. 11 at the new venue, showcasing the region's iconic companies in a venue that represents the city's ongoing revitalization. Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com Following is a roundup of Lehigh Valley retail and business news. Click each headline for the original source and additional information. The Maingate Nightclub in Allentown has permanently closed its doors after nearly half a century of operation. The venue at 448 N. 17th St., which has not opened at all in 2025, will remain closed according to owner Dominic Germano, who announced the decision on social media and indicated the property might be repurposed or possibly turned into a parking lot. Currently, hes using the space as a cat shelter. From The Morning Call The Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber will host the Taste of Hellertown Area Trail on Saturday, Sept. 27, offering food enthusiasts a chance to sample culinary creations from 17 local businesses. The event, running from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., aims to highlight the diverse food and beverage offerings available in the Hellertown area while supporting local establishments. Participants will receive a passport for $35, allowing them to visit participating businesses and sample their signature items. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. at B Social, located at 3717 PA-378 in Bethlehem, with registration closing at 12:30 p.m. From the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce A longstanding Lehigh Valley dining destination is now available for lease. The former Sunset Grille property at 6751 Ruppsville Road in Upper Macungie Township has been listed through The James Balliet Property Group after being purchased by Ed and Shahnaz Hanna of Whitehall Township late last year. The Hannas, who own and operate the popular American bistro Union & Finch in Allentown, initially considered opening another dining concept at the location but ultimately decided to make the approximately 5,000-square-foot property available to another restaurant operator. From WFMZ-TV 69 A beloved Lehigh Valley dining landmark is getting a fresh start under new ownership. Pearly Bakers Alehouse, a fixture in Eastons Centre Square for over three decades, will reopen its doors with a grand celebration at 7 p.m. on Oct. 3. Brothers Philip, Joseph, and Michael Simonetta, who acquired the restaurant earlier this summer, are bringing new energy to the historic establishment while honoring its rich legacy. From WFMZ-TV 69 The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturers Resource Center and ESSA Bank will present the 2025 Lehigh Valley Manufacturing Forum on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Delta Hotel by Marriott in Breinigsville. The half-day event will bring together manufacturing professionals, business leaders and stakeholders to discuss opportunities, challenges and innovations shaping the regions manufacturing landscape. The forum will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon, with registration, networking and breakfast during the first hour, followed by the main program. Attendees will explore topics ranging from workforce development and infrastructure investments to supply chain management and technology adoption. The forum aims to highlight the diverse manufacturing industries thriving in the Lehigh Valley, including food processing, plastics, metals and machinery sectors. From the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. will highlight the regions manufacturing heritage and innovation at a special reception featuring displays from Crayola, Martin Guitar, Mack Trucks, Lutron and Olympus. The Lehigh Valley: Making Products & Making Places event will take place Nov. 11 at the new Archer Music Hall in downtown Allentown, showcasing the regions iconic companies in a venue that represents the citys ongoing revitalization. Attendees can expect product displays, music performances and discussions with company leaders about their manufacturing processes and global impact. The event will include special giveaways and networking opportunities with leaders from companies that have long called the Lehigh Valley home. From Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. Generative AI was used to organize information for this roundup, based on data provided by Lehigh Valley media outlets and business promotion organizations. It was reviewed and edited by lehighvalleylive.com. Armchair Lehigh Valley content is published onlehighvalleylive.comas part of a partnership with the website, which aims to give voters nonpartisan factual information. Armchair Lehigh Valley is run by publisher Katherine Reinhard and editor Robert H. Orenstein. For more information, or to subscribe at armchairlehighvalley.substack.com. U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie supports higher tariffs but said the rollout created uncertainty for businesses, favors increased sanctions against Russia to help end the war with Ukraine and supports immigration reform to make it easier to obtain work visas for areas such as agriculture. The Republican who represents the 7th Congressional District gave his views on a host of issues at a town hall on Wednesday held by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce in partnership with WFMZs Business Matters. During the hourlong event, Mackenzie brought up weekly Monday protests that take place outside his office on Cedar Crest Boulevard in South Whitehall Township. While he believes in freedom of speech, he said the protesters arent being respectful of nearby businesses and residents. He said the landlord of his office building and other tenants have complained about the event, which has drawn about 100 people a week. He said protesters should be respectful of their fellow citizens. Photos by The Morning Call show protesters, many carrying signs, standing along the road between the white line and the grass. Its very disruptive to their businesses, he said. Mackenzie asked audience member Lori McFarland, chairman of the Lehigh County Democratic Committee, if the group would end protests if asked by businesses. No, absolutely not, because its not true, McFarland said of Mackenzies characterization. I would like everybody to know that we, in fact, follow the protocols of the building management company. We do not park in their parking lot. We do clean up our mess. And nobody has ever contacted me to talk about some sort of arrangement that may be more beneficial to them. The town hall was led by show host Tony Iannelli, who is the chambers president and CEO. Audience members were invited by the chamber and included Republicans, Democrats and independents who were asked to submit questions beforehand. Iannelli said Mackenzie was not shown the questions in advance. Mackenzies appearance will be shown on WFMZ-TV in two half-hour parts at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Oct. 6 and will be available to watch on the Business Matters website after they air. Mackenzie, a former state representative in the 187th district, defeated three-term Democrat Rep. Susan Wild in November by 1 percentage point. Five Democrats announced plans to run in 2026 to defeat him. They include Bob Brooks, a retired Bethlehem firefighter and president of the state Professional Fire Fighters Association; Ryan Crosswell, a former federal prosecutor; Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure; Carol Obando-Derstine, a former PPL supervisor and aide to former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey; and Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley. The district, which comprises all of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties and a small portion of Monroe, is once again considered a toss-up critical to which party will control the House in 2027. The Business Matters event was Mackenzies fourth town hall. Mackenzie held telephone town halls in March and July where people could join to listen or ask questions. He was among four House members from battleground states who appeared in a televised forum in April on CNN where audience members included at least one person from the Lehigh Valley. Here are some key issues discussed by Mackenzie. Russian war with Ukraine This week, President Trump shifted a previously held position and now thinks Ukraine with help from NATO and European nations should be able to hold onto its land seized by Russia. He also said the U.S. would continue to financially support NATO. When Iannelli asked about the shift, Mackenzie said he agreed with it, saying Congress has been pushing for a change in dealing with ending the war. He called Russian President Vladimir Putin a bad-faith actor. He said a military and diplomatic approach must be used to bring about an end to Russias war against Ukraine. However, he said the two approaches arent working. He said Congress has been pushing for stronger economic sanctions. Tariffs Mackenzie said he agrees with Trump in imposing higher tariffs, saying they are necessary in addressing an adversary such as China and to level the playing field in places like Europe, which he said had higher tariffs on American goods. He also said, The uncertainty and the change in the rates from the administration was definitely not helpful. Mackenzie said businesses have told him whatever the number is, theyre going to deal with it but they want to know what that number is going to be so that they can build it into their operations. Immigration Mackenzie said Trump has done a good job of stemming the flow of immigrants along the Mexican border. When asked about helping farmers who cant find workers due to detentions and deportations, Mackenzie said the next step is to reform immigration laws and visa work law. In the case of agriculture, there are so many instances where people are coming to this country, they want to work, they want to help our agriculture sector or do another job. But even going through the legal channel, it is not possible because that system is totally broken. Mackenzie was asked his views on masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detaining people at the Lehigh County Courthouse and at job sites. Mackenzie said, Everybody would agree, I believe, that we want to get rid of violent, illegal immigrant criminals who are in our local communities and, wherever they are, that person should be caught, detained, and removed from our country. He said proper oversight is needed to make sure citizens arent being rounded up. When it comes to particular cases, he said, the full story about a detainee isnt always known. As an example, he cited a case where his office got involved. The detainee said he was being deported over a minor marijuana offense from decades ago. It turns out that that person was actually involved in organized crime and moving a large amount of marijuana, Mackenzie said. So that is much different than what that person presented. Taxes Mackenzie answered questions on tax cuts contained under the One Big Beautiful Bill, saying Every single American will see a reduction in their taxes. The bill raises the child tax credit by $200 to $2,200 and deductions for single and joint filers by $1,150 to $15,750 and $2,300 to $31,300, respectively. The bill also includes temporary breaks for taxes paid on Social Security, tips and overtime that have income limits. Mackenzie said he is working to bring more relief for families, including breaking with Republicans to support the extension of enhanced premium tax credits. The subsidies, paid directly to insurance companies, effectively lower premiums for persons enrolled in health care under the Affordable Care Act. They are set to expire at the end of the year, a move that will result in significant premium hikes for some. Medicaid, SNAP benefits Mackenzie was asked about the $863 billion in cuts to Medicaid and $295 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that will take place over a decade under the One Big Beautiful Bill. He said the health care program is meant to help vulnerable populations. The change that we made is that able-bodied adults will now have a work requirement. Thats a commonsense requirement supported by over 70% of people. He said changes to SNAP, which include requiring states to pay for a share of the benefit costs, will force states to reduce their error rates. The state administers that program, so theres no incentive for them to actually make reforms, he said. Epstein Mackenzie was asked if he would vote yes on a discharge petition to release files associated with the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender who trafficked underage girls. He said the House voted to allow the oversight committee to continue its investigation and make sure files could be subpoenaed. If the committee doesnt do its job, he said, we are going to continue to vote for full transparency and make sure that everybody can see the files. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has set a noon deadline Monday for bids on 25 expired restaurant licenses being offered in the states 14th license auction. Each of the 25 counties will have one license available: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Cambria, Carbon, Clearfield, Crawford, Delaware, Erie, Greene, Juniata, Lawrence, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Northampton, Northumberland, Pike, Schuylkill, Somerset, Sullivan, and Wyoming. Sealed bids will be opened Thursday, Oct. 9, with auction winners determined shortly after. The minimum bid for each license is $25,000, and bidders must include a surety of $5,000 or 5% of their total bid amount, whichever is higher, to prevent frivolous and underfunded bids. Winners will have six months from the auction award to submit a license application to the PLCB. If the winning bidder fails to make payment within two weeks of the auction award, the second-highest bidder will get the opportunity to apply for the license. All bids will be held in escrow pending license application approval. The state has conducted 13 previous license auctions, generating $37.9 million in recognized revenue. An additional $1.2 million remains in escrow awaiting license approvals. Potential bidders can find the Invitation for Bids online, and lists of winning bids from previous auctions are available on the PLCB websites license auction page. Generative AI was used to draft this story, based on data provided by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. It was reviewed and edited by lehighvalleylive.com. Northampton County might furlough 175 human services workers if the state legislature doesnt approve a budget soon, according to the county executive. Thats more than half of the countys 250 human services workers, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure said in a statement issued Thursday. They include child welfare caseworkers, mental health crisis workers and aging services workers, according to a news release from their union. The state legislature is approaching three months since the June 30 deadline to pass a budget and theres no agreement in sight. The furloughs would take effect Oct. 20 without a budget resolution, according to the news release from SEIU Local 668. McClure said the county has spent $10.4 million to cover the shortfall from state funds. He said that if theres no budget by December, that amount will balloon to $30.5 million. He wont take out loans to cover the loss. McClure said county taxpayers should not be on the hook for interest payments on such loans. This is not a decision we take lightly, McClure said. However, it is the states responsibility to fund these programs, and their inaction has placed our residents and workforce in jeopardy. The union plans a rally noon Friday at the countys human services building in Bethlehem Township to call for a budget resolution, and failing that, a better plan from McClure. Instead of punishing workers with furloughs, (McClure) could pursue alternative strategies that protect services and staff stability, the unions news release says. An administrator for Safe Harbor homeless shelter in Easton said she received notice Monday that pass-through grants administered by Northampton County with state funds will remain frozen until the budget crisis is resolved. The shelter uses those grants to help its clients with mental health needs and drug and alcohol issues, according to Shelter Director of Development Sara Stehlin. Its literally our most vulnerable clients, Stehlin said. The grants cover part of the case managers salaries. The pass-through grants make up 40% of the shelters budget, Stehlin said. The shelter will use reserve funds to cover the shortfall, she said, but if the impasse continues, Safe Harbor might not be able to afford opening its winter homeless shelter. Stehlin said the impasse comes at the worst time, when high rents are forcing more people out onto the street. If our walk-in referral numbers from this week are predictive of the winter to come, we are in trouble as a region where winter sheltering is concerned, Stehlin said. McClure blamed Republicans for the budget impasse. I urge the Senate to act swiftly, pass a responsible budget, and fulfill their obligation to the people of Pennsylvania, he said. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, a Republican, issued a statement Sept. 10 in which he thanked Democrats for removing public transit funds from the budget. He was optimistic a budget would be passed soon. Stehlin said Safe Harbor has the resources to weather the impasse without layoffs. Other nonprofits arent as fortunate, she said. Theyre probably going to have to look at cutting programs or staff pretty quickly, she said. Safe Harbors day program could be in jeopardy without a budget resolution, Stehlin said. Its possible state legislators could cut human services funds to balance the budget, so workers and agencies that rely on those funds will remain on edge until the impasse is over, she said. Theres definitely some uncertainty there, Stehlin said. To donate or volunteer at Safe Harbor, go to the shelter website. Pennsylvania will debut a redesigned weekly fall foliage report on Thursday, Sept. 25 to help residents and visitors plan their autumn outdoor activities across the states parks and forests. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will post the updated report every Thursday during peak foliage season, featuring regional updates, photos and expert tips for experiencing the states seasonal landscapes. Each report available at pa.gov will include a fresh design, dedicated pages for each week and detailed information organized by region. Whether youre camping in one of Pennsylvanias 124 state parks, hiking through our 2.2 million acres of state forests, or taking a scenic drive, fall is one of the best times to experience the outdoors, said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. This new report will give people the tools they need to plan trips and discover new activities across the Commonwealth. MORE: Pocono Mountains, one of Pas best for fall foliage, reveals forecast ahead of season Six regional experts will provide insights and answer questions throughout the fall season, covering areas from Northeast to Southwest Pennsylvania. The experts include foresters and natural resource specialists stationed across the states forest districts. The initiative comes as fall tourism drives significant economic activity in Pennsylvania. The states tourism industry generated $83.9 billion in economic impact in 2024, supported more than 514,000 jobs and welcomed 201.6 million visitors, according to a Pennsylvania Tourism Office report. The industry grew by $7 billion from 2023 to 2024, creating 30,000 additional jobs. Pennsylvanias fall foliage sets the standard for autumn in America, said Anne Ryan, Deputy Secretary for Tourism at DCED. From hayrides and pumpkin patches to scenic train rides and campfires in the mountains, every year millions of visitors come to enjoy our landscapes and seasonal traditions reminding us why Pennsylvania is one of the nations top fall destinations. MORE: Dry conditions may cause fall foliage to appear early: Heres the latest forecast Fall foliage typically peaks in October, and this season visitors can enjoy the Skywalk at Kinzua Bridge State Park reopened through October in the Pennsylvania Wilds, identified as one of the states top fall foliage destinations. Fall foliage brings visitors to the Kinzua Bridge State Park Skywalk and on a trail through the debris field on Oct. 13, 2017. A 2003 tornado destroyed most of the railway in McKean County and the remains were repurposed as a tourist destination. Lisa Wardle File Photo | For pennlive.com The state is promoting fall activities through Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway, a campaign highlighting public lands, scenic drives, festivals, pick-your-own farms and family-friendly autumn activities. Generative AI was used to organize and structure information for this story, based on data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. It was reviewed and edited by lehighvalleylive.com. Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys got a friendly welcome in Portlaoise when she came to canvass for votes on Thursday morning, September 25. She is the first of the three candidates to formally come to Laois seeking public support, the others being Labours Catherine Connelly and Fianna Fails candidate Jim Gavin. The retired TD first called to Portlaoise library which she had officially opened in 2023 while serving as Minister for Rural and Community Development. Arriving bang on time she met and chatted at length with staff and customers. She then called into shops on the busy lower Main Street, lastly stopping at Portlaoise Train Station. Heather Humphreys with Laois Fine Gael supporters at Portlaoise train station on September 25. Photo: Leinster Express The candidate stopped to chat with more local people on the streets, handing over her leaflets and asking if they wouldnt mind giving support. The Portlaoise reception was a warm one, with only praise and best wishes given to Fine Gaels candidate. Pharmacist Deirdre Hughes told her youre looking great, you're brilliant. Geraldine Tynan from Camross told her that I hope by getting you in well be teaching the world about tolerance and the value of all shades of faith. John Fitzgerald from Mountmellick said I wish you the best of luck and all my family and friends will be voting for you. See Photo gallery of Heather Humprey's visit to Laois here. Laois Fine Gael members were on hand to show support, including TD Willie Aird and Laois County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Walsh, Cllr Vivienne Phelan, Cllr Paddy Buggy and retired councillor Mary Sweeney who used to work in Portlaoise library. Ms Humphreys spoke there to the Leinster Express / Laois Live. She addressed the question of whether attracting an urban vote will be a challenge given her rural background. When I was Minister for Rural Development I did a lot of work in urban areas as well, particularly around the inner city. I was in a number of different clubs in Dublin and I supported them. To be fair, when you look at my record as Minister for Social Protection, I rolled out the school meals to every primary school in the country, urban and rural. It did benefit families hugely. They knew their children were getting a stable hot dinner during the day. Ive been to many different areas of towns and cities and I look forward to getting out and about and meeting as many people as I can, she said. With Maria Steen failing to get enough support to run in the race, we asked if she will be a voice for more conservative voters. Well I want to be a voice for everybody. I really feel that the job of the president can be a very unifying force within this country. Unifying in terms of divisions we have right across our society. We see it in the world. We live in a very divisive world. I feel the president can have a role in bringing people together. In creating a deeper understanding. Were in this library here, what better place to see how new communities come here. Theres a special integration policy here, people are welcomed and told what to expect in the town. That all helps with integration in communities. Its about breaking down those barriers. Finally Ms Humphreys gave her reasons why Laois people should choose her. I want to be the president that represents everybody. A president that can support communities, and recognise the huge work that volunteers are doing throughout this county. I want to see people coming together. Where theres division I want to bring unity. That also applies on a cross border basis. The third thing I want to do is regarding opportunity. I want to get young people involved. I want to them to see this country as a country of opportunity where they can fulfil their full potential. I want to put a focus on that as well. Heather Humpreys with Marion Carton optician and Michelle Cullen assistant. Photos: Leinster Express This isnt my first time to Laois, Ive been here on many occasions. I was here to open this beautiful library. Ive been in Mountmellick where I opened an arts centre, I was in Portarlington where there was a town redevelopment project that I visited. Ive been in Timahoe as well where I also visited projects. Its lovely to be back. I really do hope that the people of Laois see their way to supporting me. She had retired from politics last October in a shock announcement, citing a decline in energy levels. Ive had a long rest now and Im in good shape, she said in Portlaoise. From the Presbyterian community, Heather Humpreys was first elected as a councillor in Monaghan 21 years ago. I never thought then that I would be contesting a presidential election. But Ive been very fortunate. Every time I went for election at the local authority I got elected and then in 2011 I got elected to the Dail and again in 2016 and in 2020. So I enjoyed every minute of what I did. In the middle of all that I was also the manager of a Credit Union until 2011. Ive always been part of the community. Ive always been working with people and I really do enjoy meeting people and chatting to them. I do enjoy solving and dealing with the issues they had as a TD and I do think that was important. Read also: PICTURES: Presidential hopeful Catherine Connolly visits Laois Of course the presidency is a different role, its above politics and if I get the opportunity, and Im humbling asking people to vote for me, I will give that job absolutely everything, and I know I will enjoy it, Heather Humphreys said. The Presidential election following the retirement of Michael D Higgins, takes place on October 24. Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys is leading the race to become Irelands next president, according to the latest opinion polls. The latest Red C survey for the Business Post puts the Fine Gael candidate leading the race on 22%, with Fianna Fails Jim Gavin in second place on 18%. The poll was conducted before the deadline for candidates to register closed. Humphreys, who comes from a Presbyterian background, was born in Drum, Co Monaghan in 1960. Her father was a member of the Orange Order and her grandfather opposed Home Rule by signing the Ulster Covenant in 1912. Before politics, she worked as an official for Ulster Bank and Credit Union, serving as manager of Cootehill Credit Union from 1999 to 2011. Having grown up during the Troubles, the IRAs 1977 murder of Billy Fox, a Protestant Fine Gael politician from Monaghan, had a particular impact on Humphreys. READ NEXT: CONFIRMED: The candidates who will contest next months presidential election Her political career began in 2003, when she was co-opted onto Monaghan County Council to succeed Seymour Crawford. The following year, Humphreys was elected in her own right at the 2004 local elections. In 2009, she retained her seat on the council and was also named Mayor of Monaghan County. Two years later, she successfully contested the general election and became the Fine Gael TD for Cavan-Monaghan. After just three years on the backbenches, Humphreys was appointed Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht during the cabinet reshuffle of July 2014. She became no stranger to controversy during her time in Cabinet. Once such controversy was the fact that despite being Minister for the Gaeltacht, she didnt speak Irish. The then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny promised that Humphreys would soon be fluent, but the Monaghan native has admitted only recently that she is still working on her Irish. Her decision to appoint businessman John McNulty to the board of IMMA at a time when he was contesting a Seanad by-election also proved controversial. Although Humphreys said he was appointed on merit, she later admitted that the appointment was a mistake. Despite these controversies, Humphreys played an important role in the 2016 Easter Rising centenary celebrations. At the time, she promised to respect the differing traditions on this island, describing herself as a Protestant and an Ulsterwoman who is a proud Irish republican. She was re-elected to the Dail later that year, and was appointed to the expanded position of Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. In November 2017, she succeeded Frances Fitzgerald as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. Humphreys successfully contested her third general election in 2020, following which she was appointed as Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development. With the cost-of-living rising, the Department of Social Protection had the largest budget of any department during Humphreys tenure. She also filled in as Minister for Justice in 2021, when Helen McEntee was on maternity leave. Despite a consistent rise, Humphreys political career took a hit when she served as Fine Gaels Director of Elections for the Family & Care Referendums last year. The government pushed hard for a Yes Yes vote, but both referendums were defeated by a sizable majority. Just a few weeks later, Leo Varadkar stepped down as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael. Following the elevation of Simon Harris to both positions, Humphreys was appointed as the partys deputy leader. In October 2024, she announced she would not contest the 2024 General Election and would be stepping down from her position as Fine Gael deputy leader. She said at the time: "I'll be 65 next year and if I ran again I'd be nearly 70 by the end of the next Dail term and I'm just not physically able to keep going for that long." She maintained a relatively low profile in the months that followed and ruled herself out of running for president in May. However, the shock departure of Mairead McGuinness prompted Humphreys to reconsider her decision as she declared: "the tank is full again". A planning application has been lodged with Laois County Council for the erection of a new telecommunications tower outside Portlaoise to boost phone coverage. APW UK WIP Limited t/a Icon Tower has submitted the application to erect a 24 metre high lattice tower with antennas, dishes and associated telecommunications equipment, including equipment cabinets at ground level all enclosed by security fencing together with access track at Ballydavis. In their application to the local authority the company says the new structure will address Vodafone's need to significantly improve services in the target catchment area of The Heath, its school and residences, businesses and to the Heath Driving Range. The application structure will deliver Vodafone coverage to Junction 16 and to the M7 particularly the first two kilometers of motorway north of Junction 16, to Keyes Business Park and to Old Kilminchy. READ NEXT: PICTURES: Laois town's historic links to France celebrated It is evident that Ballydavis and large areas of the target catchment have weak and almost non existent 4G and 5G coverage. The coverage in this area is wholly inadequate, with many residents and businesses experiencing difficulties with their communications. The current demand for coverage is not being met and significant improvements are necessary to address the issue, the application states. The structure will significantly improve 4G and 5G Vodafone coverage locally; it will make a significant positive contribution to the benefit of residents, businesses, and social enterprises in the surrounding area as well as the local and national road network. The application site is within an existing farm holding. The Knock NS school community is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with an epic challenge in October. To commemorate and celebrate this major school milestone, the Knock NS parents' association is hosting a challenge fundraiser called 75km for 75 years in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, followed by a walk in Spink near Abbeyleix. The plan is to cover a distance of 75km over two weekends. Nine volunteers have put their hands up to walk the Slieve Bloom Way, over two days, the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, October 4 and 5. The aim is to walk from Glenbarrow to Kinnity on day one (40.5km), and then from Kinnity back to Glenbarrow via Mockinew on day two - just an easy 29km! The commemorative walk concludes on Saturday, October 18. Every June the parents' association holds a local 5km race that ends at the school. The 2025 edition will make up the last 5km of the challenge by the volunteers on October 18. Amanda Miller, one of the organisers, gave more details. Knock NS Parents Association has a long tradition of being central to many of the physical developments in the school over the years. Funds raised in this challenge will be used for improvement projects in the school grounds and play areas. MORE BELOW PHOTO. Pictured Knock NS Laois Cumann na mBunscol hurling finalists 2025. Pic: Alf Harvey We are delighted to partner with the Keeley D Foundation, and will be splitting the funds raised between the parents' association and this incredibly worthy children's charity. The Keeley D Foundation is a non-profit organisation which supports families of children being treated for a terminal cancer diagnosis in a palliative care environment," she said. The charity was set up to honour the memory of Keeley Durnan from Rush in Co Dublin, who at the age of 16, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She passed away in July 2023. As Keeley got weaker and realised she wasn't going to get better, she left a parting wish that her family fundraise and help other sick children. People can donate to the fundraiser online at www.idonate.ie by searching 75km for 75 years. You can also follow and get more details about the fundraising challenge on facebook. The parents' association says you can find out more about the Keeley D foundation on their website or on via Facebook MORE BELOW PHOTO PICTURED: Knock NS class just after the children moved to their new school. Knock NS is a co-educational school under the patronage of the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. It has four teachers on staff; three in mainstream and one in Special Educational needs. There are approximately 60 children currently attending the school. There has always been a great tradition of education in the Knock locality. As far back as 1849 there was a national school in the area. The school was built in 1950 and replaced a much older school. In 1949, Fr Martin Brophy, who was the school manager, lodged 428 in the Hibernian Bank in Abbeyleix. 400 of this was the parish contribution to the building of the school and the balance was the cost of levelling the site. The overall cost was 3650. READ ALSO: Laois school drops timetables to reconnect After almost a decade of asking the Department of Education to fund the provision of an extra classroom and General Purpose room, the Board of Management was informed in 2014 that a grant of 130,000 would be provided to build one 80 metre square classroom to replace the existing prefab. Various other funding sources were needed to allow construction to begin. Finally, on August 31, 2015, 74 pupils and staff walked into a school fit for the 21st century, The Frailty and Older Persons Service at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, hosts a special information event as part of Positive Ageing Week. The event on Tuesday, September 30 from 10 am to 2 pm at Dunnes Stores, The Kyle Centre, Portlaoise, provides information, resources, and support for older adults, families, and caregivers. The HSE says the initiative aims to raise awareness about frailty in older persons, helping people to understand the signs, symptoms, and supports available. By fostering education and community engagement, the team hopes to empower older adults to maintain independence, health, and well-being for longer. The team will be on hand to answer questions about the importance of early intervention, nutrition, exercise, and other supports for healthy ageing. Our aim is to take the stress out of older peoples inherent life changes by providing clear information, support, and guidance, said Paula Murphy, Senior Pharmacist with the Frailty and Older Persons Service. The HSE says the Frailty and Older Persons team at MRHP is committed to promoting positive ageing. Using research and innovation, they are continually enhancing the experience of older adults attending the hospital, while also striving to improve the long-term impacts of ageing. Through education, early interventions, and signposting to community services, the team says it is helping people to live well for longer. The service was recognised nationally, the Irish Healthcare Centre Awards 2025 finals for Healthcare Team of the Year. The event also features: Free HSE educational resources; Signposting to local services for older adults; Health information and advice from clinical specialists; Community raffle supported by national partners. The 2025 edition of Positive Ageing Week celebrates the power of connection across generations, according Age Action Ireland. They say ageing well isnt just about living longer - its about living better, with meaning, joy, and a sense of belonging. Age Action says one of the most powerful ways to achieve that is through intergenerational connections. MORE BELOW PHOTO OF PORTLAOISE HOSPITAL. The charity says that when older and younger generations come together, something magical happens: - Wisdom meets curiosity life lessons shared, and fresh ideas embraced. - Traditions meet innovation stories, culture, and skills passed down, while new technologies open doors. - Loneliness meets friendship creating bonds that strengthen communities and bring joy to daily life. This year Age Action is also hosting Time For Tea coffee morning! READ ALSO: Stepping out for Alzheimers in Ballyroan - PICTURES Bringing young and older people around the same table creates opportunities for conversation, laughter, and learning that enrich everyones lives, says Age Action. If you need some help organising your event contact fundraising@ageaction.ie Active Ageing week runs from September 26 to October 3. International Older Persons Day takes place on October 1 to recognise the valuable contributions of older people. Designed by the UN, the day promotes the dignity and independence of seniors and encourages the needs of aging populations through initiatives like strengthening care and support systems and fostering age-friendly communities. A new chapter will be added to the history of a well-known County Kildare pub, as it is set to go up for auction next month. According to auctioneer company John P Younge, O'Rourke's pub, which is located on the Main Street of Newbridge, was initially established back in 1897 by the O'Rourke family. The premises has served three generations of the family and is described by the auctioneer as an "iconic, traditional style residential licensed premises of character". John P Younge also said that the premises has "an inviting ambiance within the Snug Bar and in the split-level Lounge Bar, both of which extend to 1,280 square feet (119 square metres) and display a variety of attractive features." READ NEXT: Kildare bridge boardwalks users could end up losing a tooth It also noted that the premises is located beside the recently upgraded St Conleth's GAA Park. Furthermore, the description said that there is living accommodation attached to the property, comprising of two reception rooms, a large kitchen / dining room, an office space and five bedrooms. O'Rourke's pub will be put up for auction in the Buswell's Hotel in Dublin 2, County Dublin on October 22, 2025 (unless previously sold). Further details about the property can be viewed on the official John P Young website. READ NEXT: Kildare university's Department of Psychology celebrates 25 years with keynote event A boat carrying Irish citizens and humanitarian aid to Gaza has been struck by drones as the passengers call for help from the Irish public and government. Irish political figure Chris Andrews on board the boat, called the Spectre, has called on the Irish government to send help their way via social media. Comments have flooded in from concerned and worried people who have called and emailed the Department of Foreign Affairs urging them to send help. In a social media post on Instagram, Chris Andrews shared a video of himself on the boat pleading for help. He said: "The boat I am on called the Spectre was attacked by 4 drones. We are a peaceful non violent flotilla bringing aid to Gaza. "Please call and email the Department of Foreign Affairs and request protection for the Irish Citizens. We have been attacked by two drones just now. "The flotilla is experiencing multiple drones, unidentified objects dropped, communications being jammed, and explosions heard from a number of boats. We need all eyes on the flotilla now!". The video clip that can be viewed below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Senator Chris Andrews (@chrisandrews_senator) READ NEXT: Community rally around heartbroken woman who tragically lost her beloved dogs in house fire In another post by the Sinn Fein Senator, Chris Andrews said: "The Irish government should be sending an observer boat...to ensure the safety of all Irish citizens...it has failed to do that so far....there is still time....the government have failed on so many levels." Countless comments from Irish people have came in under the post confirming they have reached out to government bodies urging them to send help. One person said: "Emails sent; however calls to DFA keep getting cut off. Will keep trying. Stay strong". Another person said: "No answer from that number but Ill keep trying . Emails sent. God bless and stay strong." In a statement published on September 24, The Tanaiste Simon Harris said: "I am extremely concerned by developments involving the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) and have been kept updated overnight. The welfare and safety of people aboard that flotilla has to be a priority of the international community. Ballinamore Library has built up a reputation for its Irish classes over the past twenty years. Hundreds of people have attended the classes and Ciorcail Chomhra, all speaking of the atmosphere generated by tutors and attendees. From now until Christmas the focus will be on beginners, and those close to beginners. Some of these will be newly arrived immigrants who never heard a word of Irish until they came here. Others will be Irish people who went to school but think they have forgotten it all, but they havent. On Tuesday, October 7, in Ballinamore Library, at 8pm, a new batch of eager learners will begin again ag caint Gaeilge. Classes are free of charge, but places are limited. Na dean dearmad dont forget! There are also a number of other places in Leitrim where people can learn or improve their Irish. Over the next few weeks, classes and Ciorcail Chomhra will start in Mohill, Drumshanbo, Dromahair, Manorhamilton and Leitrim Village as well as Ballinamore. Great to see the amount of people who are interested in learning or improving their Irish. Is maith an rud e go bhfuil daoine ag bualadh le cheile chun a gcuid Gaeilge a fheabhsu, said Sean O Suilleabhain. READ NEXT: 'Second class citizens': Senator demands action on MS services in Leitrim and Sligo The following are the places in Leitrim where classes or other types of Irish language events will be held over the next period of weeks. In Beal an Atha Moir (Ballinamore), Irish classes for Beginners and Near Beginners will be held in Ballinamore Library on Tuesdays at 8pm. Information from 087 682 1566. Tae agus Ple for parents/guardians and children will take place in Ballinamore Library on the first Saturday of the month from 10am to 12 noon, starting October 4. Eolas o 087 661 4706. In Droim Dha Thiar (Dromahair), a Ciorcal Comhra will be held in the Club House/Riverbank every Saturday from 11am to 12 noon. Another Ciorcal Comhra will take place in the Leabharlann, Dromahair every Tuesday from 11am to 1pm. Information from 086 058 0034. READ NEXT: Hope for patients in Sligo-Leitrim area as new cancer bus securing nears completion In Maothail (Mohill), Beginners Irish and Comhra will be held in Mohill Library on Thursdays from 11am to 12 noon, starting on October 9. Information from 071 963 1360. In Cluainin (Manorhamilton), Tae agus Play, a Parent/Guardian and Baby group, will meet monthly in Gaelscoil Cluainin. Information from 085 837 1234. In Sraidbhaile Liatroma (Leitrim Village), a Ciorcal Comhra Caint agus Piontai will be held on the second and fourth Thursday of every month in the Leitrim Inn/Blueway Lodge from 8pm to 9pm. Buail isteach ar an oiche. Dates and times are still to be finalised for Drumshanbo Library. READ NEXT: Leitrim schools urged to support annual Christmas shoebox appeal 8.5% of dwellings in Leitrim were vacant in 2023, the highest rate in the country, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The figures were compiled using a novel method by recording houses that are connected to the energy grid but consume extremely low amounts of electricity, indicating that they are lying unused. According to the latest GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report from this year, Leitrim continues to record the highest proportion of vacant homes in Ireland, despite an overall decline in derelict properties nationwide. READ MORE: Opportunities to relearn Gaeilge or start from scratch across Leitrim this Autumn Residential vacancy rates remain concentrated along the north and west coasts, with Leitrim standing out at 11.9%, remaining the county with the most significant vacancy issue in the country. They show that at that time across Ireland, 72,254 dwellings consumed very low levels of electricity during the 12 months to the end of Quarter 4 (Q4) 2023. This equated to an estimated national vacancy rate of 3.3%, a slight decrease on 2022. Nationally, the average vacancy rate in Q2 2025 was 3.7%, with 80,328 residential properties recorded as vacant in June 2025. The local authorities with the highest vacancy rates in Q4 2023 were Leitrim (8.5%), Roscommon (6.5%), and Mayo (6.4%). READ MORE: Funds should be 'ringfenced' for sports in the next EU Budget says local MEP In contrast, much lower vacancy rates were recorded in South Dublin (1%), Fingal (1.4%), and Kildare (1.4%). Glenties in Donegal was the Local Electoral Area (LEA) with the highest number of vacant dwellings in Q4 2023 (1,636), while Leixlip in Kildare had the lowest number (81). 2kWh consumption is enough to power a medium-sized fridge for a day. This methodology provides insight into where vacant dwellings are and how vacancy rates have changed over time, said Steven Conroy, Statistician in the Housing Division of the CSO. In June of this year, Bright Beginnings, an Early Years Educare Centre in Tipperary, was forced to call the gardai due to an incident at the premises involving a violent and abusive parent. When Dr Anne-Marie Ryan, the owner of Bright Beginnings, shared the story on social media, she sparked a major conversation surrounding the level of disrespect shown to childcare providers across the country by some parents. In response to Anne-Maries story, childcare staff from around Ireland got in touch to say that such negative experiences with parents is not unique to Bright Beginnings and that it is in fact a problem that is increasingly a cause for concern within the industry. I spoke with Anne-Marie to find out more about this attitude from some parents towards childcare staff and how Bright Beginnings is handling it, as well as management staff from two other creches in Louth and Wicklow. Both of these childcare practitioners chose to stay anonymous. Anne-Marie established Bright Beginnings on the outskirts of Cashel town in 2009, marking 17 years in business at the end of August this year. Similar to Ann-Marie, the childcare professional from Louth has been in the industry for over 20 years. Like most centres across the country now, all three cater for a diverse group of children, from different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds, to different family backgrounds and arrangements, as well as additional needs. One thing all of the practitioners fundamentally agreed on was that this issue of disrespect from parents is getting worse. Anne-Marie even went as far as to say that she has noticed an increase in such behaviour more recently: This is a problem that has become progressively worse over the years, and this past year has become actually abusive and absolutely intolerable. The Bright Beginnings owner described two shocking incidents within the past twelve months alone wherein she was forced to revoke childrens places at the centre due to their parents behaviour. She said: I have had our entire team come to me because they were terrified of how they would be treated by one particular parent when their children were being dropped off in the morning or collected in the evening. If it was the other parent, there were absolutely no issues, but this one particular parent was liable to start shouting at whichever staff member was doing handover with them, and become extremely condescending over the most minor of things. If there had been an incident with either of their children during the day, and the parent needed to sign an incident form, not one of our team members felt safe approaching this parent about this. It got to the stage where I had to be on the premises from 7:15am to 6:30pm every day to ensure that I was there to meet this parent if they were doing drop off in the morning or collection in the evening. I did have a long conversation with this parent about how they were making the team members feel, and things did get better for a few weeks, but then they just became worse than ever and I had no choice but to revoke the childrens places. READ NEXT: 'Unbelievable BS': Former GP Ciara Kelly slams Trump's paracetamol link to autism claims Not only this, but Anne-Marie recounted incidents in which parents would verbally abuse staff members using the worst kind of bad language because they were called to come and collect their sick child. On one occasion, when a parent arrived to collect their child who had a very high temperature, they began shouting at team members to "Go and get my f**king child now" as the child was not in their classroom and instead in the First Aid room. Despite the staff members explaining that the child was being looked after in their First Aid room with Anne-Marie herself and that the parent would need to go there to collect them and hear about how theyre feeling, the parent continued to shout and curse. Anne-Marie said: The parent eventually came to the First Aid room to collect their child, and ultimately ended up being extremely abusive to me also. After the parent left, I was informed by two very upset staff members about how they had been treated by that parent. There was no hesitation at all. I picked up the phone and informed that parent that they were in breach of Policy 33, and their childs place was being revoked with immediate effect. Anne-Maries Policy 33 refers to Bright Beginnings zero tolerance policy for any rude, disrespectful, or abusive behaviour, manner, or interactions towards staff members. If it is deemed that parents or guardians have been disrespectful to any member of staff then children will have their places revoked. The shocking incident which sparked Anne-Maries social media post in June was the first time that any parent had attempted to physically harm a member of the team at Bright Beginnings. Anne-Marie said that on that particular day, the child, who had been attending the centre for two years, had been feeling very unsettled and began lashing out at other children and staff, and even bit one member of the team. Anne-Marie felt it was necessary for the child to be collected early and so called their mother, who Anne-Marie described as very understanding and always open to working with them. The childs mother agreed to collect him within a few minutes, however it was his father who turned up and, as Anne-Marie described, was filled with rage. He began shouting at staff, saying his child was being discriminated against, that he was entitled to his government hours and that the staff were stupid if they couldnt even handle a little boy. When he was asked to leave, he laughed and called them stupid women who couldnt tell him what to do. Anne-Marie said: He lunged at the child's Key Worker and attempted to grab her. I got between them, opened the door and got the staff member inside to safety. He then tried to grab me, but I escaped his grasp, went inside and locked the door. We were both very shaken. Despite not being able to enter the rest of the building, Anne-Marie said he was trying to come through the window to attack me again. The anger in his eyes was terrifying, and he was lunging to try and reach me. She told him that if he would not leave she would be forced to ring the gardai, however: He told me to call the guards that he will 'get them too', and if he isn't afraid of dying why would he be afraid of the guards, and that they couldn't do anything to him. Anne-Marie said: I told him that it is very traumatic for his son to be witnessing all of this, and it would be very difficult for his son to see him being taken away by the guards. He said that he didn't care, and that we are not going to get away with doing this to his child. He eventually left after being distracted by his younger child and hearing Anne-Marie call the gardai. Anne-Marie said: Further safety concerns were raised after speaking with the children's mother, at which point we felt it necessary to raise a concern with the TUSLA Child Safeguarding Team. Although they may not have had to call the gardai over parents behaviour towards staff, the manager of the creche in Louth did actually recall an incident wherein the gardai were called due to parents fighting each other. She revealed that the gardai had to be called as one man hit a woman who was fighting another woman in front of the creche; all involved were family members of children attending the creche. As previously mentioned, childcare facilities cater to a diverse range of children. In the creche in Louth, they celebrated pride month as there were families in the school who were members of the LGBTQ+ community and so it was relevant to many children attending. However, it caused major backlash and some parents even threatened to take their children out of the facility despite management explaining that such events were only celebrated if they were part of the lives of children and families in the creche. The manager of the creche said that diversity doesnt cause any challenges among children, but with parents. She told a story in which a major incident occurred in recent months at the facility wherein a father accused a foreign member of staff of pushing their child when walking to class, something that was done regularly by other members of the team without any issue. She said there was clearly a racial motivation behind this. There was CCTV and so the issue was resolved after a lengthy investigation was conducted. In the Wicklow creche, the manager said that she most often sees frustration from parents stemming from issues within childcare itself such as subsidies and the lack of availability of support services. However, from her experience, this frustration is misdirected at childcare staff due to their own misconceptions and misunderstandings as to how the systems work. For example, with the National Childcare Scheme (NCS), parents have to look after their own subsidies and this process can be confusing and overwhelming for some. She said: One of the many pressures we're experiencing is parents refusing to pay their bills, even though it's because they didn't update their NCS and they didn't follow the process that NCS wants them to follow. Then another issue is that for school-age children, creches arent getting funding for AIM support for children with additional needs. She explained: But you would in the early years. And a lot of the younger children, junior infants and seniors who would have an SNA in school then come to after schools and they don't have that one-to-one. And that makes parents very angry. But there's only so much a school-age service can do without that special funding. She said that this anger often manifests into aggressive behaviour towards staff members at the creche. This kind of behaviour can have an absolutely detrimental impact on the children, said Anne-Marie. She observed that when parents display a disinterest or unwillingness to work with staff, that behavioural issues with the child will escalate. They are crying out for their parents attention, and unfortunately, it is often the case that the only real attention that they get during the working week is when we speak to their parents about their behavioural issues. The parents will usually have some sort of conversation with the child about this. Even if this is not a pleasant conversation for the child, in their minds - any attention is better than no attention, and therefore the behaviour will escalate because the child so badly wants and needs that attention. When a child witnesses their parent being disrespectful to a staff member, of course it is teaching them that this is the way that they are supposed to behave. Children will imitate what they see, especially if it is coming from their own parents. This is absolutely understandable, but it is even more difficult to address this with the parent, because they are just not going to work with us on anything, nevermind correcting their own behaviour to provide a good example to their child. On the other hand, the Louth practitioner said she often sees two sides of this when it comes to childrens responses. She notes that older children will tend to understand the shame of the situation and shrink away from it, especially bright children. Younger children, then, who dont understand will adopt a similar attitude to their parents. All, however, agreed that the vast majority of parents are friendly and very open to communication. Although, as Anne-Marie points out, there are always a few parents who are not as approachable. She said: It feels like our dealings with them are very transactional. They just want their child(ren) to be minded while they are at work. They are not interested in how their child(ren)s day went, or hearing about any behavioural issues or any concerns that we might have. Sometimes it feels quite like dropping a car off to be serviced. Drop off in the morning, collect in the evening, and pay the bill at the end of the week. Indeed, both managers at the creches in Louth and Wicklow noted that there is a disparaging notion of childcare workers, unlike teachers, simply providing a babysitting service. In fact, one parent even told the Louth practitioner this when she was advising them on the curriculum that they had to teach in order to prepare their child for primary school. She acknowledged that there has been big changes in the industry since she first began her career over 20 years ago, but the recognition for those working in it has not followed. Despite educating children during the most crucial years of their development, there is a drastic difference in how teachers and childcare professionals are treated. In Wicklow, the manager said: There definitely is a misconception of what's involved in early years. As someone who has worked in primary schools as well as early years, there's far much more pressure on early years than there is in schools. In primary schools, you get way more support, and that's nothing to do with how they're run, it's to do with what's available out there. According to Anne-Marie: This is akin to comparing apples and elephants. School teachers are highly regarded and respected as professionals. They are not subject to the same level of regulation, expectation, and scrutiny as early years services. They are public servants, and are therefore protected and supported in ways that early years professionals could only imagine. As the sector is faced with numerous difficulties and pressures, Anne-Marie has urged parents to just be nice to staff who are educating and looking after their children everyday. She emphasised: We understand that parents have bad days, and sleepless nights, and mornings can be hectic, and by evening time they are exhausted. We experience all of those things too, but we know that if we let those things affect us while we are at work, then it will negatively affect the children in our care and that is the absolute last thing that we would want to do. Please, just be nice, and accept that every decision we make is based on the best interests of the child. We do not want to disturb you at work, but if your child is unwell and needs to go home or be checked out by a medical professional, then we will disturb you at work because your child needs you. What if the next breakthroughs in AI came not only from Silicon Valley or Beijing, but also from Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg, or Accra ? By 2030, nearly 42 % of the world's youth will live in Africa, according to the Population Reference Bureau. The continent's scientific output has been gaining momentum, reflected in the rise of conferences such as Deep Learning Indaba, dedicated to AI, and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS). Le point du soir Tous les soirs a partir de 18h Recevez linformation analysee et decryptee par la redaction du Point. Votre adresse email Votre adresse email n'est pas valide Veuillez renseigner votre adresse email Merci ! Votre inscription a bien ete prise en compte avec l'adresse email : Pour decouvrir toutes nos autres newsletters, rendez-vous ici : MonCompte En vous inscrivant, vous acceptez les conditions generales dutilisations et notre politique de confidentialite. Google has taken note and is stepping up its investments across Africa. That means infrastructureincluding the Equiano cable running down the continent's west coast, and Umoja, the first fiber-optic route linking Africa to Australia, which spans Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. It also means training: the company is offering students from Egypt to Ghana, Morocco to Nigeria, a one-year subscription to its Google Gemini AI Pro plan. This follows the opening of an AI Community Center in Accra, designed as a hub for training, research, and experimentation. James Manyika, who plays a pivotal role in this strategy, was born in Zimbabwe in 1965. He began his engineering studies in Harare before earning a doctorate in AI and robotics at Oxford. A former head of the McKinsey Global Institute, he is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and co-chairs the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Body on AI. He is now Google's Senior Vice President for Research, Labs, Technology, and Society. Before leaving Accra, he told a group of students: Be ambitious. Africa has talent, energy, and creativity in abundance. Study AI, launch projects, become entrepreneurs. The world needs your ideas. Interview. Le Point : Why does Africa matter so deeply to you ? James Manyika : Because I grew up in Zimbabwe. It's personal: that's where I began working in computing and where I realized AI's immense potential to address local challenges. Africa cannot miss the AI revolution. It is young and dynamic: the UN projects that by 2050 the number of young Africans will have doubled to more than 830 million. The challenge is clear: without reliable electricity, internet, and AI training, the digital divide risks becoming an AI divide. But isn't that just rhetoric ? What are you doing in practice ? Our local teams are not only addressing Africa's challengesthey are also building technologies with global reach. Take Open Buildings. Launched in Google's Accra AI lab, it now spans Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The latest dataset (v3) maps some 1.8 billion buildings. Since 2024, a temporal dataset (Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal) has even tracked changes from 2016 to 2023. That makes a huge difference: it helps African cities plan infrastructure, anticipate hospital and school needs, and assess risk in natural disasters. It is not just a tool for Accra or Lagos; it benefits South Asia and Latin America as well. You are also working on floods Floods affect between 95 and 240 million people globally each year, and in Africa, they can be devastating. Through the Flood Hub project, AI now enables us to alert populations several days in advancesometimes up to a weekwith precise maps of threatened areas. This saves lives, protects crops, roads, and bridges. The same tools are in use in South Asia and Latin America. Another issue, raised by Ghana's transport minister, is urban congestion. African cities are growing fast, along with traffic jams, pollution, and wasted time. We are testing systems like GreenLight, which optimize traffic signals in real-time to reduce bottlenecks and cut CO emissions. The program has shown results elsewhere; in Africa, it remains experimental. On languages, you support the Masakhane initiative Africa is the most linguistically diverse continent, with over 2,000 languages. If they are excluded from the digital age, we risk losing vast reservoirs of culture and knowledge. Masakhane is a community of researchers from more than 30 African countries who, since 2019, have been developing natural language processing tools in Swahili, isiZulu, Igbo, and many under-resourced languages. Google supports this effort with funding and technical resources, alongside partners such as the Lacuna Fund and Germany's development agency (GIZ). The aim is to expand corpora, train translation and speech models, and give African languages a rightful place in global AI. What about health ? We worked with Zambia's Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDRZ) and the Gates Foundation to improve tuberculosis diagnosis. The project validates an AI algorithm capable of detecting pulmonary TB from chest X-rays. With AI, we have built tools that detect more cases and enable faster intervention. We have also developed dashboards in Ghana and Nigeria to track maternal health, and bushfire alert systems in East Africa. Many fear, as Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei does, that AI will wipe out jobsThere will be disruption, yes, but history shows that transformative technologies usually create more jobs than they destroy. The International Labour Organization believes the benefits will outweigh the costs. In practice, most jobs will evolve: some tasks will be automated, new ones created. The priority is traininghelping workers build new skills and work alongside these tools rather than be displaced by them. What advice would you give to African students who want to work in AI ? As elsewhere, mathematics, statistics, and computing are fundamental. Coding is essential, but computer science is far broader: it is about understanding systems, data, and the science beneath them. My worry is that too many think coding alone is enough. It isn't. Africa has brilliant, entrepreneurial mindswe must equip them to succeed. My very first AI research paper, on neural networks, was written at the University of Zimbabwe. That was my first publication. African researchers should set no limits on their ambition. I want to see entrepreneurs. I want to see students embrace computing and AI, and drive innovation forward. Africa has some of the world's most talented people: passionate, energetic, entrepreneurial. They should seize these opportunities. A Decouvrir Le Kangourou du jour Repondre We are seeing a frenzy around superintelligence, with hundreds of millions of dollars spent to lure talent. Isn't the AI bubble about to burst ? Of course, the practical applications we are developing in Africaflood prediction, crop management, health diagnosticsdeliver immediate impact. But we must also keep pushing the frontier. No one has yet solved the Riemann Hypothesis or unlocked quantum computing. More powerful AI systems may help break such barriers. So we must move on both fronts: solving urgent problems today while investing in advanced AI that could open entirely new horizons. MCC team members engage with Liberian officials at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, discussing the Constraints to Growth Analysis. Bendu Sonii received US$120,000 from Mano Palm Oil Industries as damages for an accident that left her with one leg. The DayLight/Harry Browne A NEW hotel has been opened by the group which operates Limerick Strand. Hotel chain Moxy has opened a new outlet in Belfast. Located in Clarence Street West, its the first hotel under the brand to open in the Lagan-side city. Moxy Hotels, the playful experiential hotel brand, is part of Marriott Bonvoys portfolio of 31 brands. READ MORE: My Week with Celia Holman Lee: Fashion from muddy fields to city streets! MHL Hotel Collection purchased the property in September 2024, and following an investment of 9.2m it has been completely redesigned and remodelled as a fresh new addition to the neighbourhood. Its the 100th Moxy Hotel to open in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. John Lally, partner at MHL Hotel Collection said: This is a very special moment for the entire team in MHL Hotel Collection as we have added our 14th hotel to the collection. We are looking forward to welcoming local, international and especially guests from the west of Ireland to Belfast City to experience our newly launched hotel. Gemma Connor, general manager, Moxy Belfast City added: I am so immensely proud of the team working here. Over the last number of months, we have been preparing for today. It is with enormous pride that we open the doors and unveil our brand-new hotel. As a result of the opening, 40 jobs have been created. And Ms Connor says there are still more recruits to come in. There are 179 rooms with single, double, twin, triple and family room options available. ALTERNATIVE folk artist Noelle OSullivan has released her new single Tumbleweed, the first track from her forthcoming sophomore album Rolling on the Inside, set to release later this year. Originally from Glin, Co. Limerick and now based in Lixnaw, Co. Kerry, Noelle O'Sullivan continues to carve out a distinctive presence in Irish indie-folk. Having been a finalist in Irish Music Month (2024) with Limerick Live 95 FM, her career highlights include the release of her debut album Seeds (2011), featuring the track Sunny Days which aired on RTE Radio 1 and featured in the UK soap Hollyoaks. READ MORE: Torch Players to present 'gripping modern drama' in Limerick's Belltable theatre The single was officially launched on Friday, September 19, during a special Culture Night performance at St Johns Theatre, Listowel, where the songs accompanying music video, shot by Fionnan Barrett and Luke Mahony, was also unveiled. Rooted in storytelling and full of emotional depth, Tumbleweed is a tribute to Philomena Lee and her son Anthony, whose story was portrayed in the Oscar-nominated film Philomena. Written and performed by OSullivan, the track reflects on the injustices suffered by women and children in Irelands Mother and Baby Homes, weaving historical weight into a deeply human narrative. Its important to find new ways of telling this story so we, as a society, can evolve and understand the consequences of our actions, said OSullivan. Produced by Brian Casey at Wavefield Recording Studio, the track features OSullivans emotive vocals and acoustic guitar, supported by Caseys multi-instrumental arrangements and Anthony Noonans drumming. The three-part test to become a chartered financial analyst is widely viewed as one of the hardest exams in finance. But new research shows that many of todays AI models can pass it in a matter of minutesand they continue to improve at a rapid pace. Just because AI is getting smarter doesnt mean analysts will be out of work anytime soon, CFA charterholders say. In the study, researchers from GoodFin, an AI-powered wealth advisory firm, and the NYU Stern School of Business pitted 23 AI models against mock versions of the CFA Level III exam, including its notorious essay section. Responses were then scored by human graders and LLMs. The researchers found that many cutting-edge models comfortably achieved a passing score of 65% or above. OpenAIs o4-mini model scored 79.1%, Googles Gemini 2.5 Flash scored 77.3%, and Anthropics Claude Opus 4 scored 74.9%. Models developed by DeepSeek and xAI also earned their CFAs. AI progress. The study is yet another example of how rapidly AI tools have progressed since OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public less than three years ago. Just last year, a study found that leading models could pass the first two levels of the CFA, but Level IIIs essay questions remained a sticking point because of their open-ended nature. Not anymore. Two developments helped the latest generation of LLMs clear the essays. First, AI labs have released reasoning" models like o4-mini and Gemini 2.5 Pro that can break down questions into smaller steps, improving their critical thinking. Second, researchers used chain-of-thought prompting," where they asked models to explain their reasoning while approaching problems from multiple angles. The LLMs performance is particularly striking because they passed without receiving any specific training, according to GoodFin CEO Anna Joo Fee. Whats so exciting is thinking how much better you can make them with human experts, with training, with context," she says. The tools still have room to improve, says Fee. LLMs arent yet good at grasping user intent, especially when expressed through nonverbal cues like body language. Accuracy scores could go up as well. It will dramatically improve over time," she says. What CFAs think. Kate Feeney, a wealth advisor at Summit Place Financial, studied three hours each workday for a year before sitting for the CFA Level III, which she passed in 2016. She says she isnt surprised that AI can now pull off the same feat. I personally had the hardest time with time management while taking the Level III," she says. And AI is incredibly fast." Derek Williams, an advisor at Veratis Advisors, earned his CFA in 2023 after five solid months and hundreds of hours of studying. You cant really wing it," he says. Just because AI is getting smarter doesnt mean analysts will be out of work anytime soon, CFA charterholders say. My experience as a financial planner is that people dont seek me out for technical knowledge," says Williams. Our industry is already moving towards not really relying on a person to do base-level analysis." Summits Feeney adds: I think theres definitely elements of advice that can be automated." However, You have to be able to effectively communicate with your clients. I dont think empathy and that human component can be replicated right now." Mike de Massa, CIO of Forza Wealth Management, isnt worried about AI coming for analysts jobs. But he does worry that AI tools could automate the low-level tasks that typically teach young CFAs important skills. If all the elementary schools gave kids calculators to learn their times tables, then when they get to algebra class, theyre not going to know what the heck theyre doing," says de Massa. AI is like a calculator for CFAs." NEW DELHI : Indias oldest vehicle testing agency, the Automotive Research Association of India (Arai), is stepping up its role in Indias clean mobility push. In FY25, it approved 80 localization applications under the governments 25,938-crore production-linked incentive scheme for automobiles and auto parts (PLI-Auto)more than double the 39 approvals in FY24, according to its annual report released on 15 September. To streamline the process, Arai also launched a dedicated portal for localization testing under the PLI-Auto scheme in June 2024, allowing automakers to submit documents in one place, the report added. PM E-Drive approvals rise Similarly, Arai also provided approvals for over 350 vehicle models under the 10,900-crore PM E-Drive scheme in FY25. Arai did not state the number of models approved under the PM E-Drive scheme in the previous fiscal. These schemes target manufacturers and consumers respectively. PLI-Auto scheme incentivises manufacturers to make zero-emission vehicles and the PM E-Drive scheme reduces the upfront cost of purchasing an electric vehicle for consumers. Also Read | Only three of 18 automakers qualify for govt's electric bus manufacturing sops Currently, 191 vehicle models have received localization approvals under the PM E-Drive scheme, and 123 vehicles and auto components have received similar clearances under the PLI-Auto scheme, according to the respective portals. The data is current as of today and covers all approvals since the schemes beganPLI-Auto, which received Cabinet approval in 2021, and PM E-Drive, cleared by the Cabinet in September 2024. To be sure, vehicles once approved under PM E-Drive must renew their localization clearance annually. The criteria themselves are not staticthey evolve with the domestic auto components industry. For example, if a part earlier not made in India starts being produced locally, the government may amend the rules to restrict its import. Each time such changes are introduced, automakers must seek fresh approvals from agencies like Arai. Rare earth crisis backdrop The focus on testing of clean mobility reflects Indias push towards reducing fossil fuel emissions and increasing efficiency, at a time when the countrys auto industry is reeling from the shock of Chinas rare earth magnet export cut. In April this year, China halted the export of rare earth magnets which are essential in manufacturing all vehicles. This prompted the government to announce fiscal incentives for anyone trying to manufacture these magnets. Mint reported on 13 September that the government is also planning exemptions for electric trucks and buses in the wake of the rare earth magnet crisis, loosening the localization criteria for these vehicle segments under the PM E-drive scheme. Compliance and enforcement Arai, along with other testing agencies such as the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC), and National Automotive test Tracks (NATRAX), provides testing services for localization under the Centres e-mobility schemes. Officials have stressed that the aim is not only decarbonization but also building indigenous capacity. Also Read | Industry deadlock stalls final fuel efficiency norms The importance of localization testing and Arais role in it is underscored by previous e-mobility schemes, wherein the government took action against companies found to be violating the localization criteria. Under the second iteration of the Centres Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric (and Hybrid) vehicles (FAME), the government found that a few electric two-wheeler makers were claiming incentives despite not meeting localization targets. The government removed Hero Electric Vehicles Pvt Ltd, Benling India Energy and Technology Pvt Ltd and Okinawa Autotech International Pvt Ltd from the scheme for availing subsidies worth 297 crore cumulatively. The corporate affairs ministry also tasked the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to search the premises of these companies in December 2024. Under the PM E-Drive scheme, automakers must comply with a phased manufacturing programme (PMP) that specifies which components can be imported. Under PLI-Auto, manufacturers need 50% localization in their products to qualify for incentives. Testing ethanol blends Arai also tested flex fuel hybrid vehicles with high ethanol blends E85, E93, and E100 to measure the emissions gap compared with petrol and diesel vehicles in FY25, the annual report stated. Also, its flex fuel hybrid testing came amid harsh consumer backlash against a 20% blend of ethanol in petrol (E20), which allegedly reduced fuel efficiency of vehicles. When a public interest litigation was filed in the Supreme Court stating that the mandatory sale of E20 fuel took away the consumers right to choose whether they wanted pure gasoline or blended flex fuels, the top court dismissed the petition stating that the governments decision to push E20 would benefit farmers. In a press conference held jointly by Arai, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), and the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) to address consumer concerns about E20 fuel, officials said that while a marginal drop in fuel economy was observed, concerns about drastic mileage drops are misplaced". New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): Wipro Chairman Azim Premji has responded to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's letter on Bengaluru's growing traffic congestion, particularly along the Outer Ring Road, a key economic corridor. In a letter on Wednesday, Premji acknowledged the critical nature of the traffic situation and emphasised that the problem stems from multiple factors, making a single solution unlikely. He underlined Wipro's willingness to engage with the state government to find sustainable solutions. "The problem's complexity, stemming from multiple factors, suggests that there is unlikely to be a single point solution or a silver bullet to resolve it," the letter stated. He said that the most effective way forward is to commission a comprehensive scientific study led by an entity with world-class expertise in urban transport management. Wipro offered to underwrite a significant portion of the cost for the study, highlighting its commitment to being part of the solution. "To demonstrate our commitment to being a part of the solution, Wipro will be pleased to engage in this process and underwrite a significant portion of the cost for this expert study," Premji wrote. The letter also addressed a specific suggestion from the Chief Minister regarding public vehicular movement through Wipro's Sarjapur campus. Premji pointed out that allowing such access would face legal, governance, and statutory challenges since the campus is private property and part of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). "With respect to the specific suggestion of allowing public vehicular movement through our Sarjapur campus, we apprehend significant legal, governance, and statutory challenges since it is an exclusive private property owned by a listed company not intended for public thoroughfare," he said. Premji reaffirmed Wipro's commitment to work with the Karnataka government to tackle the city's mobility challenges. "We believe a collaborative, data-driven approach will yield the most impactful results for our city," he added. Earlier on September 19, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah wrote to Wipro founder-chairman Azim Premji, requesting the IT major's support by means of access to its campus to ease traffic congestion along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) corridor, particularly near Iblur junction. In his letter, the Chief Minister stated that one of the key challenges currently facing Bengaluru is its severe traffic congestion during peak hours, which adversely impacts mobility, productivity, and the quality of urban life. "I extend my warm greetings to you and sincerely appreciate Wipro's continued contribution to the progress of Karnataka's IT ecosystem and overall socio-economic development. One of the key challenges currently facing Bengaluru, particularly along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) corridor at Iblur junction, is severe traffic congestion during peak hours, which adversely impacts mobility, productivity, and the quality of urban life," Siddaramaiah wrote. "In this context, I wish to explore the possibility of allowing limited vehicular movement through the Wipro campus, subject to mutually agreed terms and necessary security considerations. Preliminary assessments by traffic and urban mobility experts indicate that such a measure could reduce congestion on adjoining stretches of the ORR by nearly 30%, particularly during peak office hours," he added. The Chief Minister said that Premji's support in this matter will go a long way in easing traffic bottlenecks, enhancing commuter experience, and contributing to a more efficient and livable Bengaluru. The Trump administration's decision to increase the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 for foreign workers will have only a minimal impact on the operating margins of Indian information technology (IT) services companies in the next fiscal year. The new fee, effective September 21, 2025, is estimated to trim operating margins by just 10-20 basis points from last year's level of around 22 per cent. The increased cost is also not expected to be fully absorbed by the IT companies. Instead, they will likely share it with their clients, with a pass-through rate estimated at 30-70 per cent. As per a Crisil Intelligence press release, this cost-sharing arrangement will help offset the financial impact on companies' profitability. Declining reliance on H-1B visas The press release also noted that between 2017 and 2025, the number of Indian employees on H-1B visas working for companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and HCL Technologies almost halved, from 34,507 to 17,997, marking a negative compound annual growth rate of nine per cent. The reliance of IT companies on H-1B visas has been decreasing over the past few years. The trend began in 2018 when the denial rate increased to 24 per cent, leading firms to expand offshore delivery, open nearshore centres and hire locally in the US, even though the denial rate eased to three per cent in 2024, the release said. The impact of the visa fee hike won't be reflected in the current fiscal year, as the H1-B requirements will have been fulfilled by now. It also excludes existing H1B visa holders and renewals. Visa cost and employee expenses Currently, visa expenses make up a very small portion of total employee costs, ranging from 0.02 to 0.05 per cent, with H-1 B visa fees ranging between $2,000 and $5,000 per person. However, the new fee structure could force companies to spend more. The release stated that about 35 per cent of the approved H-1B applications from October 2023 to September 2024 were for initial employment. If this share remains constant in the next fiscal year, then visa costs could rise to about 1 per cent of total employee costs; however, if this share decreases, the costs are expected to stay between 0.3 and 0.6 per cent. Impact on the revenue of the companies India's IT services industry is projected to see a modest revenue growth of 2-4 per cent this fiscal, reaching $143-145 billion. Growth is expected to be only marginal or flat in the next fiscal year, according to a ANI report. Several IT giants, such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and HCL, generate 96 per cent of their revenue from international markets, with the US alone contributing 53 per cent, it said. The new visa fee is also anticipated to affect remittances, as around 23 per cent of India's $118.7 billion in fiscal 2024 remittances came from the US. The visa fee hike is likely to reduce both the inflows and the US share over the medium term. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has expressed concern after United States President Donald Trump's proclamation imposing a sweeping $100,000 fee for H-1B visas, which are widely used by the tech industry. In an interview with The Times of India, Jamie Dimon explained why the H-1B visa fee hike matters to JPMorgan Chase. As a multinational company, Dimon said, the ability to move people across the globe is essential. For us, visas matter because we move people around globallyexperts who get promoted to new jobs in different markets, he said, adding that the US must remain an attractive destination for immigrants. The challenge is that the US still needs to remain an attractive destination. In a separate interview with CNBC-TV18, the JPMorgan Chase CEO said the announcement of the $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, caught everyone off guard, prompting concern across companies that rely on skilled workers. Stressing the importance of merit-based immigration, Jamie Dimon said US-based companies might engage with the government on this issue. I think it will finally settle down. That caught everyone off guard, and so we had a lot of phone calls over the weekend. What does it mean? And from what I understand, it means new H-1B visas, and a lot of H-1Bs go there because they need the expertise. And so I'm sure a lot of people will be going to the American government explaining why we believe in it. I believe in merit-based immigration, he said. Also Read | JP Morgan CEO warns of risks to US economy from Trump tariffs: Details here H-1B visa restrictions hit home for Jamie Dimon For Jamie Dimon, the fee imposed on H-1B visas is not just professional. He shared that Trump's decision hits close to home. My grandparents were Greek immigrants who never finished high school," he told TOI. "America is an immigrant nation, and thats part of its core strength, Dimon added. Dimon is among the few business leaders who have publicly spoken up regarding the H-1B visa fee hike. The White Houses announcement on September 19 of a $100,000 fee sparked panic among employers and workers, particularly in the tech sector, which relies heavily on H-1B visas to bring in trained engineers and programmers. (Bloomberg) -- HSBC Holdings Plc has taken the unusual step of getting directly involved in pushing its Hong Kong subsidiary, Hang Seng Bank Ltd., to offload portfolios of bad real estate debt, underscoring the growing concerns over the citys struggling property sector. About two months ago, the lender directed its London-based global chief corporate credit officer and the head of its special credit unit to ensure Hang Seng started a process of selling portfolios, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named discussing private deliberations. The push is showing results, with Hang Seng Bank now in the early stages of selling a series of property-backed loan portfolios worth more than $3 billion, the people said. The move came after Hang Seng saw an 85% year-on-year jump in impaired Hong Kong real estate loans. The Hong Kong banking sector is facing strains from the worst real estate slump since the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s. There have even been discussions in the sector of creating a bad bank to take over the soured loans, which Fitch Ratings estimates at about $25 billion, based on Hong Kong Monetary Authority data. Hang Seng Bank, which is about 63% owned by HSBC, had impaired loans to Hong Kong commercial real estate of HK$25 billion ($3.2 billion) as of June. All banks constantly look to optimise their credit portfolio, manage their risks, and take decisions that carefully consider the impacts on their customers, an HSBC spokesperson said in a statement. Hang Seng takes its own decisions under its own governance. A spokesperson at Hang Seng said the lender had no comment on Bloombergs reporting, adding that the bank manages credit risks of our loan portfolios according to international regulations and accounting standards, including timely and appropriate loan classification and provisioning as well as loan recovery and disposal. HSBC has also recently reshuffled the top leadership at Hang Seng, shifting out Chief Executive Officer Diana Cesar for Luanne Lim, who was HSBCs head of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong and International Chapter of the China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce this month proposed that the government set up a HK$20 billion fund to invest in distressed properties to help prevent systemic financial risks. Without a clear strategy to handle non-performing loans, Hong Kong banks have often relied on their own individual relationships with private lenders and other key institutional relationships to help them buy assets on an individual basis. By involving top bankers in London, HSBC wanted to ensure a speedier disposal, the people said. Under HSBCs new oversight, its aiming for a holistic approach rather than piecemeal attempts. To meet these requirements, the Hong Kong lender has reached out to consultants to help it orchestrate the sale. Hang Seng is looking to offload two portfolios backed by real estate assets from Hong Kong developers, including Emperor International Holdings Ltd. and Tai Hung Fai Enterprise Co., the people said. The third portfolio is backed by real estate scattered across mainland China, they added. All of these deals are at an early stage and subject to change, the people said. Bloomberg News earlier reported that Hang Seng was looking to sell one of these portfolios. In the wake of the crisis in the late 1990s, the HKMA implemented three main directives aimed at preventing an NPL build-up, including enhanced HKMA supervision of banks and greater credit oversight to help ensure banks made sound decisions when allocating capital. Yet, none of these directives provided a clear blueprint on how to manage bad debt. Additionally, the Hong Kong senior bankers in charge of past clean-ups have nearly all left the industry, leaving an institutional knowledge gap. Still, its an open question as to how well HSBCs directive will be followed. Hang Seng and consultant firms have reached out to a couple of private credit firms, with neither party providing clear instructions on the next steps to acquire the loans, said some of the people. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com London-based smartphone maker Nothing, known for its transparent handset designs, is boosting investments in India, targeting Gen Zers in the worlds most-populous nation as it seeks to build the countrys first global phone brand. The unicorn startup outlined its strategy on Thursday, saying it will form a joint venture with Indian manufacturing company Optiemus Infracom, which will invest more than $100 million in the country over the next three years. The U.K. company is also relocating CMF, previously a subbrand, to India, and plans to make the South Asian country its global production and export hub for its products. The government has been really promoting this Make in India program for the last 10 years," Chief Executive Carl Pei said when explaining why he sees a big growth opportunity in the market. Pei also pointed to the Indian markets rising maturity and talent. We see a big opportunity to create Indias first smartphone company or smart-hardware company that can go global," he told The Wall Street Journal. Its never been done before here." Few players outside China have been able to challenge the likes of Apple and Samsung in recent years in the competitive global smartphone market. While Nothing expects to reach a 2% market share in India this year, the country is its biggest market, followed by Europe, according to Pei. Nothing is betting that its Gen Z consumer base will help it reach new heights. We have the youngest user base out of everybody in our industry. The average age of our users is 26," Pei said. Theyre still getting their first phone or second phone. Sometimes theyre a bit rebellious, they dont want the same product as their uncle and parents, so its been a deliberate strategy and its working well so far." Pei himself is no stranger to the industry. He co-founded OnePlus, a Shenzhen, China-based smartphone manufacturer, in 2013. He had worked for Chinese electronics manufacturing companies Meizu and Oppo before starting OnePlus with former Oppo vice president Pete Lau. Nothing, his latest venture, has been rapidly growing since its founding in 2020, and was last valued at $1.3 billion. The consumer-tech company is on course to hit $1 billion in sales this year, doubling from 2024. All exports to markets outside India have been made from China, but the company is starting to export products from both countries, Pei said. In the second quarter, Nothing was the fastest-growing brand in India for a sixth consecutive quarter, according to Counterpoint Research. Theres really a rise of the middle class right now [in India] and its perhaps similar to what we saw in China 15 to 20 years ago," Pei said. I believe that a lot of consumer habits andneeds are going to change and thats the opportunity were tapping into." Nothing is playing a long game," said Sheng Win Chow, analyst at Canalys, part of Omdia. The company is trying to grow a loyal customer base for the long term while pushing into AI-native devices and AI-powered services, Chow said. The short-term challenge is scale." Manish Pravinkumar, principal analyst at the research firm, said Nothing has delivered one of the fastest scale-ups in the smartphone industry. However, competitive pressures against players such as Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi are a structural challenge due to their size and research-and-development budgets. Prachir Singh, senior research analyst at Counterpoint, said Nothing might require more partnerships and stronger carrier relationships to help it grow profitably. Pei said the decision to move CMFs headquarters to India to operate as an independent subsidiary will help the company navigate the competitive market on the ground. He left open the possibility of eventually listing CMF, but said the company isnt currently actively pursuing the move. We will need to spend some time and energy to really mature the business before we can put it on the public market," he said. The priority for Pei now is growth. Profitability hasnt been the main concern in the past couple of years, Pei said. However, the companys Ebitda loss has been narrowing consistently as revenue has grown, he said. The faster you can scale, the faster you have operating leverage and can compete with the bigger players." Write to Kimberley Kao at kimberley.kao@wsj.com Mumbai, Sep 25 (PTI) Standard Chartered, the largest foreign bank by physical footprint in India, will not add new branches beyond 100 outlets at present and is now looking at consolidating its footprint, a top official said on Thursday. PD Singh, its chief executive for India and South Asia, said the lender is also looking to start dollar clearing operations at GIFT City from 7 October. Singh told reporters that the lender, which operates in the branch model rather than a wholly-owned subsidiary, does not see any difference from a regulatory perspective in operating in either of the two ways. Pointing to the benefits of digital technologies, Singh said, "We will not need to add new branches to that extent because branches are points of servicing." Replying to a specific question on whether he sees a rationalisation of branches, as done by many of the foreign bank peers, he said, "I think we are consolidating our footprint to have large format branches and satisfy customer requirements in certain pockets." He added that the same has been done in Kolkata, where the bank opened its largest branch in the eastern region, and also in Chennai. Singh declined to answer a specific question on the number of branches it will have over the medium term. The bank aims to take the number of priority banking centres to 21 from the present seven this year, he said. The bank aspires to serve multiple products and services to the same customer, and is focused on the 'Global Indian' segment, which has some links with foreign countries. It is currently in the process of tuning its products, digitising them and bringing international capabilities, he said, adding that serving the wealth management opportunity is also a key focus area and will also hire people with impeccable values. The bank, which employs 24,000 people in Chennai and Bengaluru to support its global operations, continues to grow its global capability centres, given the Indian talent, he said. Singh said the bank is closely watching international headlines for an impact on the GCCs, he said, adding that even as these developments play out, it is seeing up to seven GCCs being added every month on the banking side. Singh said the bank, which has over 8 per cent market share in the forex settlements, is witnessing a pick up in rupee invoicing and sees a larger adoption of trade settlements in the Middle East region in the local currency going ahead. When asked specifically about whether it is serving sanctioned entities, Singh replied in the negative but added that it does bank oil companies without handling the problematic flows. Meanwhile, Singh said the bank targets a 10 per cent loan growth in the corporate segment in FY26, but did not share the current book size. He said the bank sees opportunities on the projects and infrastructure side, where it is financing both local companies and multinationals. It has financed six metro projects, a 5G ecosystem in the telecom sector, and EV bus operators serving cities, among others, he said. There is no capital constraint for the bank to expand its book, he said, adding that no infusion is planned for the next five years, if things go according to plan. From a debt capital markets standpoint, Singh said it has up to four transactions in the pipeline, which can be completed this year. The US tariffs will impact GDP growth by up to 0.7 per cent, but aspects like the GST, income tax cuts, and pay commission rollout can not just limit the impact but also reverse it, he said. Countries and even domestic players seem to be stepping in to restrict the impact of tariffs, Singh said. Tata Motors Ltd is facing a big revenue hit from a cyberattack at its UK-based subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) that halted production in a second disruption this fiscal, even as the group on Thursday managed to put some systems back online. Industry studies estimate that every hour of downtime in an automotive plant can cost between $1.5-2 million in lost output," said Harshvardhan Sharma, group head for auto tech and innovation at Nomura Research Institute Consulting & Solutions India. The hack is expected to cause a revenue loss of up to 2 billion as JLR did not have insurance against the cyberattack, the Financial Times reported. When layered on top of tariff pressures and margin volatility, even a short disruption can distort quarterly performance and slow vehicle availability in export markets. Since 31 August, the company has been unable to produce and dispatch cars to its dealers. The disruption comes just five months after the company had to halt exports to the US, its biggest market, for a month due to the uncertainty over US tariffs, which prompted JLR to guide for a decline in full-year revenue and profitability. We have informed colleagues, suppliers and retail partners that sections of our digital estate are now up and running. The foundational work of our recovery programme is firmly underway," JLR said in a press statement on Thursday night. The parts division is resuming full operations, which will help in supplying parts to retail partners, it said. The financial system we use to process the wholesales of vehicles has been brought back online and we are able to sell and register vehicles for our clients faster, delivering important cash flow," the statement said. It added that the company is working to resolve the backlog of payments to suppliers. However, the statement did not say anything about production. The twin troubles are expected to strain the balance sheet of its Indian parent, Tata Motors, as JLR contributed 71% of its 4.40 trillion revenue and 79% of its 55,216 crore operating profit in 2024-25. Since the current disruption at JLR started on 1 September, Tata Motors shares have fallen 3.7% against a 4.2% rise in the Nifty Auto index. The cyberattack had left the Tata Group brass scrambling for a fix, with chairperson N. Chandrasekaran asking for weekly updates on the situation, an executive directly aware of the matter said. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), the conglomerates flagship information technology (IT) company, is working with JLR to contain the hack. At least 50 TCS executives have been involved in finding a solution to the problem, which could be at least two to three weeks away. Chief executive officer (CEO) K. Krithivasan is also regularly taking updates from his team," the executive quoted earlier said. In 2023, TCS and JLR signed a $1 billion deal under which the IT firm would develop and manage the digital infrastructure of JLR, including cybersecurity. The company also engaged the UK National Cyber Security Centre, among others, in countering the cyber attackers. Mints emailed queries to Tata Motors, JLR and TCS did not elicit a response until press time. How the attack unfolded The hack first came to light on 1 September as JLRs dealers faced challenges in registering new sales in the companys internal system. At its plants in the UK and abroad, the digital systems stopped working. JLR first confirmed the cyberattack in a statement on 2 September: JLR has been impacted by a cyber incident. We took immediate action to mitigate its impact by proactively shutting down our systems. We are now working at pace to restart our global applications in a controlled manner." The hack has disrupted production at its three manufacturing facilities in the UKSolihull, Halewood and Wolverhamptonand the ones in Pune, India, and Nitra, Slovakia. The company has continued to defer production. The cyberattack was carried out by Scattered Lapsus$ Huntersa cybercrime group including Scattered Spider and Lapsus$and ShinyHunters. They penetrated JLRs software through a UK-based vendor whose system was linked to the car company. The hackers altered the companys user interfaces, a second person with knowledge of the matter said. The PowerShell commands they had were all interlinked in such a way that it was very devastating." PowerShell is an automation and management tool developed by Microsoft to operate software by using single-line commands. Also Read | Inside the faultlines at Tata Trusts Once inside the JLR systems, the attackers also stole data and made internal changes, two other executives said. Mint could not ascertain how much data was stolen. This cyberattack disrupted the operations at JLRs factories, dealers and supply chain partners. The company is unable to take online orders in many of its facilities, and its IT infrastructure is still down. Dealers could also not register and service vehicles or access parts for repairs. The companys statement on Thursday said these were online again. TCSs cyber defence teams had to shut down large parts of the carmakers IT infrastructure to prevent the attack from spreading. This was one of the longest and most devastating cyberattacks that TCS faced. This also caused reputational harm to the company," said the second executive on condition of anonymity. Many of TCSs existing clients in the UK, including Marks & Spencer and Co-op, have also faced similar cyberattacks in the last 12 months. Caught in two storms JLR has already lowered its guidance for the financial year 2026 to 5-7% from the earlier predicted 10% after the US imposed tariffs on exports from the UK. The tariff impact will be primarily on Jaguar Land Rover. Tariff has gone up from 2.5% to 27.5%, and under the UK-US FTA, the tariff is 10%," Tata Group chair Chandrasekaran said during the annual general meeting of Tata Motors on 20 June. The overall impact would have been 1.6 billion. But due to the steps taken by JLR, the impact has gone down to 600 million, which is visible in the margin guidance." Citing tariffs, the company had already predicted that it would end the current financial year with nearly zero free cash flow. Moreover, JLR is also under a leadership transition phase, with Tata Motors chief financial officer P.B. Balaji soon to take over as the next chief executive from November. Mumbai-based Tata Motors will see an outsized impact on its books due to the disruption at its global unit, according to Sharma of Nomura Research Institute. Global automakers typically see 25-30% of their Ebitda exposure linked to their premium or export-oriented units, meaning that a disruption abroad can materially affect consolidated results, even if domestic operations remain stable." That was reflected in the June quarter when the production halt after the US tariffs hit the companys earnings. Tata Motors consolidated profit fell about 63% from a year earlier, while its consolidated revenue declined 2.5% to 104,407 crore. The companys performance in this quarter was impacted by volume declines and a drop in profitability primarily at JLR, affected by the US trade tariff impact," Balaji said on 8 August. After Tata Motors investor day in June, analysts already had a weak outlook for its UK-based luxury arm. Analysts at Motilal Oswal Financial Services wrote in a 10 June note: JLR is facing multiple headwinds, which include tariff-led uncertainty for exports to the US, demand weakness in key regions like Europe and China, and rising VME (variable marketing expenses), warranty and emission costs." NEW DELHI : The Centre wants state-backed development financing institutions (DFIs) to share the cost burden of developing urban infrastructure with multilateral agencies. The Union finance ministry has advised them to explore partnerships with multilateral agencies, such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and International Finance Corp. (IFC), on blended financing, according to two people close to the development. The strategy pairs concessional funds with commercial capital and taps multilateral equity participation while drawing on global expertise to make large-scale urban investments more viable, the people added. Blended financing and collaborating with multilateral institutions will reduce the cost of developing urban infrastructure. We also need stakeholders to bring in their international experience," said the first person, on condition of anonymity. State-backed DFIs and infrastructure funds include the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). Financing requirements India will need to invest an average of $55 billion a year in urban infrastructure by 2036, according to a World Bank estimate. The Washington-headquartered agency estimated that by 2036, Indian towns and cities will be home to 600 million people, or 40% of the country's population, up from 31% in 2011. Urban areas will contribute almost 70% to its gross domestic product. At present, a majority of urban infrastructure projects are financed by the government. The central and state governments finance over 75% of city infrastructure, while urban local bodies (ULBs) finance 15% through their own surplus revenues. To be sure, blended finance for urban infrastructure is a funding approach that combines concessional capital from public or philanthropic sources with commercial capital from private investors and development finance institutions to make projects financially viable and attractive. Blended finance can unlock the scale of funding needed for capital-intensive urban projects that are otherwise too large or risky for governments, private players, or development finance institutions to finance on their own," said the second person, who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Blended financing is the way forward. On a purely commercial basis, many large-scale ventures simply wont be viable," said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda. The challenge lies in securing funds from multilateral agencies at concessional rates. Earlier, India benefited from significant concessional support as a developing economy, but I am not sure if that still applies. NaBFID, for instance, is borrowing at around 7%; to fund these projects effectively, it will need access to concessional financing," he added. Centre's contribution To be sure, the central governments own spending on capital expenditure, which includes investments in infrastructure, has accelerated during 2025-26 after a mild slowdown in 2024-25. The Centres capital spending on infrastructure rose to 3.47 trillion in April-July from 2.61 trillion in the year-ago period, according to ministry of finance data. In 2024-25, the revised estimates reduced the government's budgeted capex from 11.11 trillion to 10.18 trillion, with actual spending amounting to 10.52 trillion. Rajkiran Rai, managing director of NaBFID, told Mint that while partnerships with multilateral agencies, the government, and DFIs are well-established in energy and renewables, with proven models in solar, wind, and storage sectors, the real challenge now is in urban infrastructure, which requires large-scale investment. That is why we are proposing to explore blended finance. We are collaborating with multilateral agencies to help reduce the cost of urban infrastructure," he said. We also want to get into the equity funding with multilaterals," he added. Rai said multilateral institutions must step in and bring their international experience to the table. We need to bring significant innovation into financing, particularly in the urban infrastructure space, which requires substantial funding. Innovation will be critical to meeting those needs," he added. A World Bank spokesperson said it is supporting Indias urban infrastructure through catalytic tools such as targeted credit enhancements and guarantees to manage risk, concessional partner resources to lower costs, and technical assistance and transaction structuring to attract long-term private capital. Talks are underway on municipal financing, including new platforms to leverage local long-term capital for infrastructure. Proposals include credit enhancement and standardized project preparation to help urban local bodies with ratings below AA access capital markets. A similar approach is being explored at the state level," the spokesperson said. For instance, we are in talks with NaBFID on platforms to tap long-term resources from pension and insurance funds. A first-of-its-kind credit enhancement facility is central to this effort," the spokesperson said. The spokespersons of the NIIF, Asian Development Bank, JICA, IFC, and the ministry of finance didnt respond to Mint's emailed queries. China urged its companies with U.S. operations not to bring their domestic price-cutting playbook to the U.S. market, signaling Beijings intent to maintain recent trade calm with Washington. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said during a meeting in New York with Chinese company representatives that China and the U.S. have reached consensus on a number of issues after several rounds of economic and trade consultation," according to a statement by the ministry late Wednesday. This will help to stabilize economic and trade relations between the two countries," he said. Wang made the remarks at a meeting on Tuesday with over a dozen Chinese firms in industries including e-commerce, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. Further, Chinese companies should avoid extending their price wars aboard, Wang said. Chinese regulators have called on companies in recent months to rein in excessive competition and extreme discounting practices. Chinese e-commerce firms such as Temu and Shein became known in the U.S. for their low prices, made possible largely by Chinas supply chain. That advantage has been eroded, however, after the Trump administration scrapped a rule that allowed low-value goods to enter the U.S. duty-free. Discounting remains central to the business book at home for Chinese tech platforms that dominate e-commerce and food delivery. In the U.S., a single delivery can easily cost $10, while in China consumers can get a beverage brought to their door for as little as 1 cent, as tech giants use steep discounts to lure consumers and grab market share. Officials have repeatedly warned against disorderly" competition that has eaten into food-delivery companies profit margins and worsened deflationary pressures. Beyond food delivery and e-commerce, Beijing has said it seeks to avoid overcapacity in domestic sectors such as automobiles and solar cell materials. The commerce ministry attaches great importance to the development of Chinese enterprises in the U.S. and strives to stabilize China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation," Wang said at the New York meeting. Write to Tracy Qu at tracy.qu@wsj.com New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invited global investments and collaborations in India's food sector, touting the country's massive internal demand and highlighting its consistent contributions to international food security. He said that global investorsespecially those in the food sectorare looking towards India with great optimism, emphasizing that every investor evaluates the natural strengths of a location before making an investment. India possesses a triple strength of diversity, demand, and scale," Modi said in his address at the fourth edition of the World Food India 2025 organized by the ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) in New Delhi. The event is being held from 25 to 28 September at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi to showcase Indias strengths in the food processing sector, food sustainability and the production of nutritious and organic food. He said that India produces every type of grain, fruit, and vegetable, and this diversity makes the country uniquely positioned in the global landscape. Modi said that India's strong domestic demand gives it a competitive edge and makes it a preferred destination for investors. He affirmed that India has opened its doors to the world with an open mind and is fully receptive to investors across the food chain. The government is strengthening the entire food and nutrition ecosystem by engaging every stakeholder. He said that India is actively promoting the food processing sector, and has allowed a 100% foreign direct investment in the sector. He noted that the sector has also benefited from the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and the expansion of mega food parks. These government efforts are yielding results, with Indias processing capacity having increased twenty-fold over the past ten years, and exports of processed food more than doubling. In his address, he also mentioned the socio-economic progress made over the past decade, stating that 250 million people have been pulled out of poverty. He said that these people have joined the neo-middle class, describing them as the most energetic and aspirational section of society and a key driver of consumer demand and food trends in the country. He also emphasized that Indias talented youth are innovating across sectors, and the food sector is no exception. India is now the worlds third-largest start-up ecosystem, with many start-ups working in food and agriculture," added Modi, pointing out that artificial intelligence, e-commerce, drones, and apps are being integrated into the sector, transforming supply chains, retail, and processing methods. Acknowledging that the challenges of the twenty-first century are well known to all, Modi highlighted that India continues to contribute actively to global food security. The Prime Minister affirmed that whenever there is a global crop crisis or supply chain disruption, India stands firm and fulfills its responsibility. Also Read | Food safety watchdog sniffs for spice adulteration Delta Air Lines is replacing power units on more than 300 of its Airbus jets in an effort to stem cases in which toxic fumes have leaked into the air supply and led to health and safety risks for passengers and crew. The move is one of the most aggressive efforts by a major U.S. airline to address what in recent years has increasingly become a hidden hazard of modern air travel. The airline is about 90% of its way through the process of upgrading the engines, a type known as the auxiliary power unit, on each of its Airbus A320 family jets, according to a spokesman for Delta. The airline operates 310 of the narrow-body type, including 76 of the latest generation models as of the end of June. The APU is typically a third engine that sits in the tail of an aircraft and is used to generate electricity and pump air into the cockpit and cabin when the two primary engines arent running, for example during taxiing. A leak in the APU can also contaminate the air even when its not in use, according to maintenance specialists and internal troubleshooting documents. Airbus has previously identified the APU and how it is integrated on the A320 as a leading cause of toxic fumes contaminating the so-called bleed air system. A fume event typically occurs when oil leaks into the engine or power units compression chamber and is vaporized at extreme heats, releasing unknown quantities of neurotoxins and other chemicals into the cockpit and cabin air. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that fume events have been surging in recent years, driven in large part by incidents on the Airbus A320 family, and that they have led to brain injuries and other illnesses in both crew and passengers. Delta hasnt previously disclosed the APU replacement program, which began in 2022. Replacing the APU, which can become more prone to fume events with age, mitigates some of the risks from toxic leaks but doesnt address them entirely. Airbus last year found that most cases on the A320 were linked to leaks entering the APU via an air inlet on the aircrafts belly. Another separate cause is leaks in the jet engines themselves, which provide most of the bleed-air supply when active. Delta and other U.S. carriers have seen a surge of incidents across A320 family aircraft that has outpaced the number of reported fume events on other Airbus and Boeing aircraft, according to the Journals analysis of reports to the Federal Aviation Administration. Over the past year, APU-related fumes on Deltas A320 jets have led to emergency diversions and abandoned takeoffs, pilots donning oxygen masks and an instance of a passenger vomiting, the analysis showed. It is difficult to assess whether some carriers have more of those incidents than others because not all fume events are flagged by crew, and airlines have different standards when reporting to the FAA. A Delta spokesman said that though fume events are rare, the company treats each seriously, as it does for all safety matters. Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people," he said. An Airbus spokeswoman referred to a previous statement that the company was working with airlines and regulators to enhance its aircraft and ensure the best possible cabin environment for passengers and crew." That statement also said: Airbus aircraft are designed and manufactured according to all relevant and applicable airworthiness requirements." Delta declined to comment on costs associated with the replacement program or to identify the manufacturers of APUs on its A320 fleet, but records filed to the FAA show that Delta operates models made by Honeywell and RTXs Pratt & Whitney. Both Honeywell, which dominates the APU market, and Pratt & Whitney have had issues with models deployed on the A320 family for years, according to internal maintenance and company documents, engineering specialists and legal complaints. The issues have spanned defects with gearboxes and cooling fans, but predominantly affected seals meant to protect against oil lubricants leaking into the air supply. Pratt & Whitney introduced three separate fixes in 2019 and 2020 for its APU model on the A320 family, according to an internal Airbus presentation, while Honeywell has developed new upgrades to address defects including for the APUs load compressor seal. The Honeywell fixthe companys third attempt to address problems with that seal since 2007was announced late last year. In a marketing document at the time, the company listed as a primary benefit of the upgrade: An improved passenger experience thanks to reduced possibility of odor in cabin events." A similar version of Honeywells APU is also used on Boeings 737 family of jets. Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney declined to comment. The increase in incidents follows changes to maintenance requirements that Airbus began approving from 2017, which allowed airlines to regularly send aircraft back into service after a fume event had occurred. Two years after the change, Airbus and Honeywell issued a good practices guide" to help airlines mitigate APU-driven fume events. That included extensive weekly visual inspections to the power unit and a suggestion that pilots wait three minutes after turning on the APU before activating the bleed air to give the APU seals time to adjust to the temperatures and start working properly. The companies also suggested that airlines consider operating flights with the APU air supply turned offremoving air conditioning on the groundif conducting maintenance might cause disruption to their flight schedules. Corrective maintenance action can be planned at a better opportunity," Airbus and Honeywell wrote in the March 2019 joint presentation. They also reminded airlines that the precautions for mitigating fume events were only an optional guide to help operators suffering from repetitive fume events. Internal maintenance and other documents show that Airbus and Honeywell have been aware of fumes-related issues with load compressor seals in the APU for over two decades. An internal Airbus email from 2019 showed staffers debating how best to address a request from American Airlines, which had asked for specific data on root causes of fume events. The Airbus team found an internal study conducted over 20 years ago that identified issues with that specific seal. Dont officially give them the report because it identifies the airline and aircraft etc, and mentions APU load compressor seal oil leakage (back in 2003 !!)," the Airbus staffer wrote, according to the email exchange reviewed by the Journal. An airline internal maintenance document shows that Airbus was aware of the issue even sooner. The plane maker notified customers in November 2001 that one operator had experienced significant oil fumes in the cabin" during a flight due to a worn load compressor seal in the Honeywell APU. A lawsuit filed Sep. 3 on behalf of three former JetBlue flight attendants against the airline, Airbus and Honeywell cites incidents between 2022 and last year in which oil had leaked from Honeywell APUs and caused noxious fumes to enter the cabin. The suit alleges that the exposure led to lasting symptoms including heart palpitations, tremors and physical and cognitive impairment. In one example from September 2022, fumes led to passengers complaining of nausea, a child suffering a nosebleed and four JetBlue flight attendants in the hospital. The suit alleges the same aircraft had been diverted two days earlier due to a passenger who was struggling to breathe. The three companies that are defendants havent yet replied to the lawsuit. In a presentation to airlines last year, Airbus acknowledged that upgrades to seals and other faulty components within the APU would solve only a portion of reported fume events. Airbus, as part of an internal program called Project Fresh, reviewed instances of fumes from 2016 to 2021 and found 12% related to oil leaks internal to the APU. The remainder were caused by the APU ingesting oil through its air inlet at the bottom of the aircraft. That includes leaks from overfilling of oil reservoirs, landing gear hydraulic fluid or de-icing liquids. Airbus outlined three fixes, including the most radical, a design change that moved the position of the inlet to the top of the aircraft, and which Airbus said would reduce smell" events by 85%. That fix will only apply to new aircraft. For older aircraft, Airbus proposed other changes that it said are less effective. Write to Benjamin Katz at ben.katz@wsj.com Irans infamous Shahed drones have been used to devastating effect by Russia to strike Ukraine. Now the U.S. and its allies are racing to develop copycat versions of the low-cost, long-range weapon. For decades, advanced militaries used expensive missiles for precise attacks and cheaper artillery for mass bombardment. The war in Ukraine has shown that drones can be both cheap and precise, with Shaheds costing just tens of thousands of dollars apiece and able to fly more than 1,000 miles, by some estimates. The Iranian-designed drone has proved particularly effective at overwhelming air defenses. Russia routinely launches scores of Shaheds, which explode on impact, at the same time. Missiles are sometimes fired alongside drone salvos, making it more likely they will evade defenses. The Ukraine war showed the importance of affordable, long-range drones, and that the West isnt where it needs to be, said Lt. Gen. Andre Steur, commander of the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force. If you do get into a war, you need deep, deep pockets," Steur said. Companies in the U.S., China, France, the U.K. and elsewhere are all working on their own unmanned aerial vehicles that seek to emulate the Shahed. Ukraine has been striking Russia with long-range drones for at least two years, and recently started using a UAV with triangular wings that looks just like a Shahed. The West, though, is largely behind the curve and faces various challenges including higher costs, analysts say. Iran began working on the Shahed in the early 2000s, following the development of similar long-range drones in Israel and South Africa. The UAV has since been used by Iran to strike Israel, as well as by Tehrans proxies across the Middle East. Russia started deploying the Shahed in late 2022 after signing an agreement with Iran to purchase and produce the drones locally. Since then, it has launched tens of thousands of its own version of the attack dronesas well as decoysat targets in Ukraine. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote a memo in July that called for the U.S. to bolster its drone manufacturing base, and for combat units to be armed with a variety of American-made, low-cost UAVs. At a Pentagon event this summer, 18 American-made drone prototypes were on display. One of those was the Lucas, made by Phoenix-based SpektreWorks, which closely resembles the Shahed. The company, which has received government funding, describes the drone as cost-effective" with few logistical requirements. The Arrowhead, a long-range attack drone made by Griffon Aerospace, also has the same triangular wing shape as the Shahed. The Madison, Ala.-based company says the UAV has been built for mass production and can be launched in various different ways. Shaheed drones and their imitators are becoming so ubiquitous that companies, including Griffon and Swedens Saab, are now also selling UAVs for target practice that are designed to look and act like the Iranian munition. But expensive labor and materials are a problem for all Western drone makers. U.S. defense company Anduril Industries sold 291 of its Altius long-range drones to Taiwan last year in a deal that valued the UAVs at more than $1 million each, including training and support infrastructure. By contrast, Russia can produce its version of the much simpler Shaheds for between roughly $35,000 and $60,000 apiece, analysts say. The Shaheds triangular wing design aids cheap mass production because it doesnt typically need structural components, such as supporting ribs, said Steve Wright, who advises companies and the U.K. government on drone design. A fiberglass or carbon fiber body, and the use of a propeller engine rather than jet propulsion, also keeps costs down. Some Western manufacturers say their drones superior performance is worth the extra spending. Britains MGI Engineering said its long-range drone, the SkyShark, can fly at 280 miles an hour, compared with around 115 mph for a Shahed-136. That will make it harder to hit, said Mike Gascoyne, the companys founder. If twice as many SkySharks hit their target, then it is much cheaper than a Shahed," said Gascoyne, who previously worked on Formula One race cars. MGI is pitching the SkyShark at between $50,000 and $65,000. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called for the U.S. to bolster its use of American-made, low-cost drones.A Shahed drone shot down by Ukraines air defense forces in a field used for storing Russian munitions in Kharkiv. European missile giant MBDA says its long-range attack drone is a cross between a cruise missile and a UAV. The company has teamed up with a French automaker to produce the new weapon, which is designed to be fired from the ground in salvos. Mass produced at a fraction of the cost of a cruise missile, it will tire out the enemys defense," said Hugo Coqueret, a business development manager at MBDA. The company hasnt disclosed the price of the new weapon. MBDA said the drone, which features a jet engine and has a range of about 300 miles, was influenced by the war in Ukraine. To be sure, Western militaries have alternatives to drones. The U.S. has several initiatives exploring low-cost, one-way attack munitions, including the Air Forces Family of Affordable Mass Missiles program. American forces could also seek to amplify what munitions they already have with electronic and physical decoys, or by deploying aircraft to hit targets. But for some military experts, Russias use of Shaheds in Ukraine shows that the West needs more alternatives to missiles that cost more than $1 million each and take over a year to make. Russias use of the mass-produced drones to exhaust defenses has been game changing," said James Patton Rogers, a drone expert at the Cornell Brooks Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University. Cheap, long-range precision saturation strikes are one of the greatest threats to international security," Rogers said. Write to Alistair MacDonald at Alistair.Macdonald@wsj.com The cornfield where Tiffany Hollis played tag as a girl was heralded four years ago as the site that would turn the Rust Belt into the Silicon Heartland, once Intel constructed its most advanced semiconductor factory there. Now, the biggest economic-development project in Ohio history is on uncertain ground as the chip maker struggles to keep pace with rivals. Some residents question whether the project will be completed, or whether Intel will own it when it is. We have a gaping hole. Whats it going to be?" said Tiffany Hollis, City Council president of neighboring Johnstown. Most days, hundreds of trucks grind past Johnstowns once-quiet square and its historic opera house. Hollis likens the prolonged construction to living in a house while redoing a kitchen and bath with no clear end in sight. Its uncomfortable, everyone is irritated and theres no good plan." Tiffany Hollis, City Council president in Johnstown, Ohio, says revenue at her diner is down and construction traffic to and from the Intel site is damaging roads. Intel said the New Albany project is an important part of its plan to expand leading-edge manufacturing on U.S. soil. Based on the progress we have made in Ohio, we continue to have flexibility to adjust timelines based on customer demand," a spokesperson said. In 2022, Intel pledged it would spend $20 billion, then $28 billion, to build two semiconductor factories in New Albany, an affluent community and growing data-center hub outside Columbus. Intel promised 7,000 construction jobs and 3,000 employees after a 2025 opening, and said the investment could reach $100 billion. Last year, Intel replaced its chief executive, said it would cut as much as 30% of its workforce and delayed the Ohio project a second time. The first factory wont open until 2030, at the earliest. In July, the new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, said Intel would further slow the pace of construction in Ohio to ensure spending aligns with market demand. Last month, President Trump told Tan to resign because of alleged ties to China, a demand Trump later backed away from after the two met. The administration then took a 10% stake in the company. Nvidia said last week that it would invest $5 billion in Intel and jointly develop data centers and personal-computing products. The investment doesnt appear to directly affect the Ohio project. Intels project sits in New Albany, Ohio, a data-center hub. Today, about 1,000 construction workers are on-site. Some Intel employees, including its community liaison, recently left the company, further worrying locals. Ohio provided $2 billion in financial incentives for the project and built roads and 16 miles of storm pipes, among other infrastructure. Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno has called for a potential fraud investigation into Intel, saying he fears the 1,000-acre site could become a white elephant." Intel declined to comment on Morenos statement. The company previously has said it was grateful for the confidence that Trump and his administration have placed in the company. Silicon dreams The area outside Columbus, with wide open land, access to power, water and other infrastructure, has drawn other big corporate names, including a $900 million Amgen biomanufacturing plant and data centers for Amazon.com, Meta Platforms and Alphabets Google. But no investment is bigger than Intels. Intel and Ohio announced the project more than three years ago with grand ambitions: It would spark a renaissance in domestic chip manufacturing and bolster Americas artificial-intelligence efforts and national security. Locally, it has spawned pride and anxiety, including whispers about who is profiting while others bear the burden of development. It has also generated questions about whether the area can sustain so much growthand about the shifting timeline. One-lane country roads now lead to New Albanys industrial complex, which is under constant construction to add roads and buildings. Some of the structures lack windows or corporate logos. New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding said he believes Intel will finish the factory, because it has already spent billions of dollars for work such as pouring 60-foot-deep concrete inertia pads needed for chip manufacturing. State incentives included $691 million in road and other infrastructure improvements. Sloan Spalding, New Albanys mayor, sys he expects Intel to complete the chips project. This project is too important to fail," he said, not just for New Albany and the state of Ohio, but for the nation." Growing pains New Albany, developed by a company co-founded by retail executive Les Wexner, features Georgian architecture and boasts a median household income of $200,000. Its population is just 11,000, but some 26,000 people work at its business park, which has garnered $47 billion in private investment. The city requires white paddock-style fencing in town, even around Intel. Philip Derrow, a retired business owner and New Albany resident who writes a column for the Columbus Dispatch, said he believes once the plant is producing chips people will forget its growing pains. But he acknowledged some are dealing with more direct impact. If you have one of those country houses thats now staring at the back end of a data center, thats going to be a different view than I have." The Intel project sits in New Albany, which stands to gain property- and income-tax revenue. Meanwhile in Johnstown, which borders the site, officials say they bear the pain of heavy construction traffic but wont reap the benefits of tax revenue. Truck traffic in Johnstown is damaging roads and turning the city into a pass-through town" instead of a destination, said Hollis, the City Council president. Revenue at her diner on Main Street is down 25%, and several businesses that had expected a boost from Intel have closed. Surging property values With land under increasing demand by developers, property values in Johnstown have skyrocketed, and some residents cant afford the resulting higher property taxes, Hollis said. Some locals sold homes to developers early on, before they knew Intel was coming, missing out on higher subsequent valuations. Other homeowners are still waiting for offers, dealing with the construction in the meantime. At Nick McCulloughs nursery just outside New Albany, pumpkin spice wafts over when fall candles go into production each June at a nearby bath-products manufacturer, and he worries about emissions and water use. He installed an air monitor at his business, one of about 30 that locals are planning around the Intel site. All were asking is that Intel and these other businesses do their due diligence to protect the people here," he said. A T-shirt for sale in Johnstown, Ohio, which borders the Intel site. At the Intel site, a cluster of towering cranes stood idle, rising out of what was once Jim Heimerls cornfield. Heimerl sold about 300 acres to a developer and was able to use the profit to buy 1,000 acres in the region. But he did so reluctantly, he said, after living and working at the farm he started in 1970. Its tough to see," he said. I put a lot of blood, sweat and equity in this place." Ken Boggs, a retired training supervisor for American Electric Power, can see the cranes from his porch. Five years ago, he paid $500,000 for 8.5 acres to raise sheep as he eased out of full-time work. The property has since been appraised at $2 million, and he says Intels delay has cost him offers on the land. As the afternoon sun reflected off a pond he stocks with bass, Boggs said he is now willing to accept $1.8 million. If we can triple or quadruple our money, were happy to go." Homeowner Ken Boggs says Intels construction delay has cost him offers on his property. Write to Kris Maher at Kris.Maher@wsj.com A CEASEFIRE BROKERED by Donald Trump between Israel and Iran marks the latest turn in the conflict between old enemies. On June 13th Israel launched a surprise assault on Iran, crippling its air defences, killing several of its nuclear scientists and generals, and damaging uranium-enrichment sites. America joined nine days later with Operation Midnight Hammer", hitting Iranian nuclear facilities with bombs and missiles. By June 23rd Mr Trump had declared a complete and total" ceasefire. He told NBC News he believed it would last forever". That is optimistic. Data from the Ceasefire Project, a research group, covers 2,203 declared ceasefires between 1989 and 2020. About half ended successfully or were still in effect when the study ended. A third collapsed. The rest never got going or couldnt be judged for lack of information. Ceasefires in the Middle East have a poorer record than those elsewhere. Of the regions 360 truces with a known end, more than half failed (see chart 1). Only one ceasefire in the database involved Iran (an agreement in 2017 with Russia and Turkey to establish safe zones in Syria; the fighting continued and the researchers consider it a failure). Israel was involved in far more, with 77 entries in the database, many of them with Hamas. More than 30% achieved their immediate aims or were replaced by a new agreement. But none have brought lasting peace. In the current Gaza war, a ceasefire signed in January ended after two months when Binyamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, ordered missile strikes on the strip. Each conflict has unique circumstances that determine whether a ceasefire holds. But the researchers note that successful ones tend to have three things in common. The first is a political process to address the underlying cause of the violence. In 2023, when Israel first paused its offensive in Gaza to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, the absence of talks on wider issues meant fighting resumed a week later. In the case of Iran, that process would almost certainly require renewed negotiations over its nuclear programme. Mr Trump has dropped talk of regime change but Irans hardliners have shown little sign of giving up their atomic ambitions. The second factor is monitoring. When no outside party keeps watch, four-fifths of ceasefires collapse within a year. Independent verification may boost trust or simply signal that both sides take peace seriously. America and Qatar helped broker the Iran-Israel truce, though neither side has revealed any details of the agreement. A third factor is the fragility window". Ceasefires are most fragile early on. But those that make it to 100 days with fewer than 25 people being killed in fighting have a better chance of leading to lasting peace. In the hours after Mr Trumps announcement, Israel struck missile-launchers and killed another Iranian scientist. An Iranian missile slipped through Israeli defences and hit a housing estate, killing four. Whether Mr Trumps ceasefire holds may also depend on changes inside Iran. The war has shifted power from clerics to a new generation of Revolutionary Guard generals. They want to revive the economy and restore national pride, but they are more combative than cautious. Their influence will shape Irans posture long after the bombing stops. A high-stakes race to the moon is on, and NASA doesnt want to lose. U.S. government officials and astronauts at the Johnson Space Center this week touted their commitment to accelerating lunar exploration as an important step to achieve NASAs deep-space ambitions. The agency confirmed plans to send astronauts on a lunar flyby next year. The mission, which will zip four crew members some potentially as far as 250,000 miles from Earth, aims to set the stage for an even more difficult objective: landing people on the moon before China does. We certainly are pressing and want to achieve our goals to be the first to land on the moon since Apollo," said Lori Glaze, a top NASA exploration official. While safety is foremost, there is a sense of urgency," she said. NASA hasnt taken crews to the lunar surface since the final Apollo mission in 1972. Its program to make a return trip is known as Artemis, named after the mythical Greek goddess of the moon, who was Apollos twin sister. But the Artemis program has struggled with delays, with the moon-bound spacecraft and other hardware needed for it facing technical and production hurdles. China has been advancing its own lunar effort, setting plans to send people there toward the end of the decade. Elected officials in Washington fear China returning people to the moon first could give the country a strategic advantage in a place where many countries and companies hope to stoke economic and scientific activities. Artemis I launched in November 2022. The next mission, Artemis II, may launch as soon as early February but no later than April, officials said during a briefing. It is very complex. But one thing that I am very grateful for is it is built on capabilities and systems and operations that we have already demonstrated," said Lakiesha Hawkins, a leader in NASAs exploration division. Artemis II will be commanded by Reid Wiseman, a former Naval aviator who joined NASAs astronaut corps in 2009. His crew includes U.S. astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. From left, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, U.S. astronauts Christina Koch and Victor Glover, and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman. It is a test mission, and we are ready for every scenario," Wiseman said at a briefing Wednesday. They aim to fly deeper into space than anyone has gone in decades, aboard an Orion spacecraft that will be launched by NASAs Space Launch System rocket. Contractors, including Boeing and Northrop Grumman on SLS and Lockheed Martin with Orion, have been developing the vehicles for years, but neither have ever carried people. The Artemis II mission will lift off from Florida, and aims to get the crew to an orbit around the moon after a four-day trip there. During the mission, the crew will practice operating in a confined space far from Earth, doing everything from testing Orions life-support system to practicing emergency response. The astronauts plan to document what they see at the moon for future scientific and exploration efforts, and hope to view parts of the far side no humans have ever seen. Experiments will also be on board, including one that will investigate how radiation affects so-called organ chips carrying their tissue. Re-entry risks One of the toughest parts of the flight will occur when Orion returns to Earth. During re-entry, the spacecraft will face temperatures of 5,000 degrees as it travels around 25,000 miles an hour before slowing to land under parachutes in the Pacific Ocean. A heat shield measuring about 17 feet across is installed on the underside of the Orion capsule to protect it on the way back. The Artemis II Orion crew module. During re-entry, the spacecraft will face temperatures of 5,000 degrees. After the first Artemis flight nearly three years ago, officials found more than 100 locations on the shield where a protective material broke off during re-entry. That material is supposed to gradually wear down. Though the craft was able to make it through re-entry, its performance raised concerns about crew safety. NASA and a review team concluded the spacecrafts trajectory back through the atmosphere caused the conditions that lead the pieces to break off. Howard Hu, the Orion program manager at NASA, said testing and modeling show a new re-entry path will provide the crew a safe way back to Earth. The new re-entry trajectory could result in some of the same issues that cropped up on the heat shield during the first Artemis flight, he said, but any potential material loss wont be of the same magnitude. The next act Completing Artemis II next year is critical to set up Artemis III. That mission, currently slated to occur sometime in 2027, is meant to feature U.S. astronauts setting foot on the moons surface. The operation depends not just on SLS and Orion but also on hardware put together by Elon Musks SpaceX, which is developing a variant of its Starship vehicle to transport astronauts to the lunar surface, and Axiom Space, a Houston-based company building new spacesuits. An Axiom spokeswoman said the company is progressing toward delivering the suits in 2027. During a Friday meeting of NASAs Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, Paul Hill, a former NASA flight director and panel member, said that the Starship lander may be years late. Hill said that SpaceX is still figuring out how to transfer supercold propellants in orbit, key to the companys plans to use its massive Starship vehicle for deep-space missions. SpaceX didnt respond to a request for comment. Write to Micah Maidenberg at micah.maidenberg@wsj.com The slightly awkward handshake in Manhattan between Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syrias al-Qaeda-operative-turned-statesman, and David Petraeus, one of Americas most famous generals, was the first in a string of moments that would have seemed unthinkable just a year ago. Nearly 10 months after ousting Bashar al-Assad, Syrias longtime dictator, on September 24th Mr Sharaa addressed the un General Assembly, the first Syrian leader to do so in almost 60 years. The man who once waged jihad against American forces in Iraq was now the hottest ticket in New York. The trip marked the peak of Mr Sharaas campaign to win over America. At first glance, it seems to be working. Tom Barrack, Americas ambassador to Turkey and Donald Trumps envoy to Syria, ushered Mr Sharaa and his foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, along Americas corridors of power. There were photos with senators. But Mr Sharaas growing problems at home may yet undermine his efforts to make his mark abroad. The Syrian leaders biggest concern is the sanctions that remain in place on his country. In May Mr Trump announced that he would lift a slew of American ones on Syria. Yet the most suffocating of them, the Caesar Act, is stuck in Congress and is now the subject of political horse-trading. Those pushing for the repeal say they have as little as four weeks to attach it to the National Defense Authorisation Act. Hawkish Republicans, led by Lindsey Graham, are adding amendments that would place unrealistic demands on Syria before the sanctions can be lifted. Mr Sharaa is keen to reassure his detractors. Syria will not pose a threat to any country, including Israel, he told a packed audience at a glitzy private members club in midtown Manhattan. The real risk, he said, comes from Israels provocations. After the event Mr Barrack suggested that the de-escalation deal, whereby Israel would stop bombing Syrian targets in exchange for Syria withdrawing heavy weapons from a buffer zone south of Damascus, was nearing completion. But even as Mr Sharaa was feted in New York, in Syria the atmosphere is becoming bleaker. His rule shows little sign of the inclusiveness he promised. The partial lifting of sanctions has been of little practical benefit for most Syrians. And businessmen and bankers in Damascus say they see the emergence of a cronyism reminiscent of Mr Assads rule. Mr Sharaa has appointed his three brothers and a brother-in-law to key positions. Foreign diplomats were shocked to find his foreign minister had moved into the Tishreen Palace, a former residence of Mr Assad. How do they think this looks? said a European ambassador. Traders whisper about being forced into partnerships with people in Idlib, the province that Mr Sharaa and his rebels once ruled. Many are sceptical that they are building a state based on rule of law, says Moutasim Syoufi, director of The Day After, a group in Damascus that promotes Syrian democracy. Elections for a Peoples Assembly in the coming weeks are seen as a farce. Lists are being stacked with those publicly loyal to Mr Sharaa. Long-standing opposition figures are being excluded. There will be no universal suffrage; electoral colleges selected by the government will choose candidates from pre-screened lists. Political parties are still banned. At his midtown event, Mr Sharaa was keen to emphasise the importance of rebuilding institutions. But most decisions are taken by half a dozen of his closest allies, among them his brothers. Foreign investors say they have to chase his brother, Hazem, rather than the appropriate ministers. Those trying to work with the government say this structure is undermining efforts to rebuild institutions. Most damaging has been his governments failure to realise how sectarian violence has alienated minorities. This government has become an existential threat in the eyes of many Druze, says a Druze businessman who had been attempting to mediate. The violence in July in Suwayda, a province dominated by the Druze, also seems to have hardened the resolve of Kurdish forces in the north-east not to put down their weapons and join the new government. The risk of more such violence poses the greatest risk to the flourishing new friendship with America. Mr Barrack is Mr Sharaas biggest champion in Washington, but even he admits that if another Suwayda occurs, where Mr Sharaa lost control of his security forces, the love-in could fizzle. Another such episode would probably mean that sanctions would remain. Those lobbying for him will find it much harder if he continues to make mistakes at home. It is difficult, in Dubai, to avoid the enthusiasm for property. Not a day goes by without the announcement of a new development. Home advertisements are plastered across billboards. The ever-expanding urban sprawl and skyline betray the heady activity. So does the traffic. New arrivals raise prices, and clog the roads. According to Deutsche Bank, the price per square metre of a flat in the heart of the city has risen by 122% in dollar terms over the past five yearssecond only to Riyadh in the 69 urban areas tracked by the bank. Residential prices are a fifth higher than their previous peak, which was reached in 2014. In the year to August total property sales came to 441bn dirhams ($120bn), a third higher than in the same period in 2024. Is this all too good to be true? The record-setting numbers have prompted warnings of imminent price corrections and fears of oversupply. Yet such worries look overblown: demand is sticky and builders have become more disciplined. The emirates property market has at last grown up. View Full Image Chart: The Economist Admittedly, with Dubais history of epic boom and busts, any crash would have precedent. Property advisers caution that the low-hanging fruit" which set off the boom is no more: Russian billionaires who showed up at the outset of the war in Ukraine are done making purchases; Indian business titans and Bollywood superstars seeking a refuge just hours from Mumbai are numbered; there are only so many newly minted crypto kings. Sharply rising living costs, particularly the increasing price of an imported pint and a sundress, could blunt the appeal of the United Arab Emirates for the not-so-rich. For the moment, though, demand looks strong. According to provisional estimates by Henley & Partners, a consultancy, the Emirates millionaire population will grow by 9,800 this year, more than anywhere else in the world. Indeed, last year Dubai reported a record number of sales of properties worth $10m or more. Yet the biggest driver of rising house prices has been less affluent arrivals. The UAEs population has reached 11m, up by a fifth since 2020. New arrivals are better educated and younger than earlier waves, and become homeowners more quickly. Brokers describe their clients as British residents bemoaning a deteriorating quality of life, African entrepreneurs who park themselves in Dubai and do business at home, and Europeans looking for a tax-free haven. Whereas the uber-rich flit in and out of the Emirates, the new arrivals are actually making lives there. The number of residential electricity and water customers served by DEWA, the local utility, grew by 24% from 2020 to 2024; SALIK, a toll operator, reported a 9% rise in registered vehicles in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same period last year. New schools are popping up: Harrow is opening branches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Meanwhile, office vacancy rates are at their lowest in over a decade. Savills, a property consultancy, does not expect this trend to slow, forecasting strong growth in office rents. Despite the price rises, property in Dubai remains relatively affordable. According to Savills, buying, owning and selling a $2m property in the city is cheaper than in Bangkok, London, Mumbai or New York. Mortgages, as a share of income, are among the worlds most affordable. In July Emirati leaders introduced a programme for first-time buyers that will further lower costs, and offer access to new projects. The new generation of buyers has produced a less speculative market: less than 5% of buyers now resell their property within a year of buying, compared with 17% in 2014. Larger homebuilders, scarred by previous busts, have also become more sober. Moodys, a credit-rating agency, notes that many have tweaked their payment schedules in recent years. They now ask for as much as 80% of the value of a property on purchase, up from 50% or so in 2020, which makes their cash flows steadier during construction. At the same time, they have reduced their dependence on loans and mostly focused their investments in up-and-coming neighbourhoods including Al Furjan, Dubai Hills Estate and Jumeirah Village Circle. Emirati policymakers have also learned lessons from Dubais earlier busts. Regulatory changes should help make the citys property market more stable, even if they may dampen demand in the short term. Officials have increased the stringency of anti-money-laundering measures, now require proof of where funding came from for all-cash purchases and insist that brokers report cash sales worth more than 55,000 dirhams. On top of this, escrow accounts for off-plan developments are now mandatory and developers may only tap into the funds after finishing at least part of the project. The old, free-wheeling Dubai is becoming a little more staid. That may, though, be a welcome development for the citys homeowners. Indias prized basmati rice and other GI-tagged crop varieties face a new kind of threatnot from pests or climate but from counterfeit seeds. Seeds not approved by the agriculture ministry are being illegally distributed to farmers over the past few years, undermining the integrity of Indias protected varieties and putting the reputation of GI-tagged or geographical indication-tagged crops at risk. These uncertified seeds, often sold under the guise of reputable brands, are causing significant losses to farmers. They lead to crop failures and financial distress. The fake seeds fail to germinate or produce the expected yields, leaving farmers with nothing but debt. In 2024-25, out of the total 2.53 lakh seed samples drawn by seed inspectors across 24 states and union territories, 32,525 samples were found to be sub-standard, minister of state for agriculture and farmers welfare Ramnath Thakur said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on 19 August 2025. The maximum incidence of substandard seeds was found in West Bengal (24,460), followed by Tamil Nadu (1,565) and Madhya Pradesh (1,438). The rising menace has forced the government to push for digital traceability of seeds, a system that can track every packet from lab to farm. Mint unpacks the development: Why is the government pushing digital traceability for seeds? To tackle the menace of fake seeds, the government plans to digitize the entire seed supply chainfrom production and certification to licensing, inventory management, and sales through certified dealers. Central to this effort is the traceability of seeds, which will ensure that farmers get only genuine, approved seeds. As part of this strategy, the government is preparing to roll out the second phase of seed authentication, traceability and holistic inventory (Sathi), a centralized online system covering the entire country. The plan is to track seeds at every stage, including production, testing, certification, storage, distribution, and retailing to farmers. The matter assumes significance as farmers across India are prone to severe losses due to the deliberate distribution of fake and substandard seeds. Also Read | Budget sows seeds of change for agriculture but gaps remain Also, since GI-tagged crops such as basmati rice are critical to Indias exports and reputation, unchecked use of fake seeds can damage international credibility. What is the online seed traceability system Sathi? The first phase of Sathi was launched on 19 April 2023 by the ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare in partnership with the National Informatics Centre (NIC). It has been implemented in 23 states and union territories, covering the complete seed production chain. It covers seed processing agencies as well as seed processing companies. It includes nucleus, breeder, foundation, and certified seeds. The second phase will include registered dealers and recipient farmers as well, and will be launched nationwide soon. This will enable tracking of the entire seed lifecyclefrom production and certification to distribution and sale. In some states, dealer registration has already begun. One feature of the project will be the introduction of a QR code on seed packets, allowing farmers to scan and verify the traceability and origin of the seeds. Traceability would ensure that only high-quality, certified seeds reach farmers, thus boosting productivity and farmers' income. It will prevent counterfeit products and enhance trust in the supply chain, said M.L. Jat, secretary, department of agricultural research and education and director general (DG) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Will the amendment of the Seed Act help? The Seeds Act, 1966 regulates the quality of seeds available for sale. The legislation has been amended multiple times to improve seed quality and ensure access to high-quality seeds for farmers. The Act provides a legal framework for seed certification, and systematic seed certification started in India in 1969. Under the existing provision, certification of seed is not mandatory, while private players are currently selling seed as truthfully labeled. To safeguard the interests of the farming community, the government is in the process of amending the Seed Act, which would ensure traceability of seeds and fix accountability, minister of agriculture and farmers welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on 18 June. The government plans to bring the amended bill at the earliest, possibly by the winter session of Parliament. According to a senior official in the agriculture ministry, the government has yet to compile data on fake seeds in the market. However, a significant number of cases have been reported from Telangana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and some other states. After raids, spurious seeds were seized and FIRs registered. Concerned individuals received show-cause notices and their licences suspended and cancelled. How big is the seed industry in India? Industry estimates suggest that nearly 800 private seed companies, comprising both Indian-origin firms and multinational corporations, are active in the country. Of these, nearly 100 companies have their own research and development programmes. Most of the varieties multiplied and marketed by the private sector companies are from the public sector. In the case of wheat, rice, maize, and mustard, most of the companies have licensed varieties developed by ICAR, and the quality seed of newly released varieties is being made available to farmers. The overall seed industry is valued at $6.3 billion (approximately 55,221 crore), according to industry estimates. The private sector has almost 98% share in cotton seeds; almost 70% in field crop, and 70% in vegetables. According to the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII), the seed industry is expected to reach $12.7 billion by 2028 and $20 billion by 2040, growing at a CAGR of 10%. The key factors driving the market include increasing demand for food, a growing focus on agricultural productivity, and rising adoption of new technologies. The government is increasingly focusing on improving agricultural productivity in order to boost food production and improve the agrarian economy. The seed industry can play a key role in this effort by providing farmers with the tools they need to increase yields. How many seed testing laboratories are there in the country? There are around 178 notified Seed Testing Laboratories (STLs) in the public sector currently operating in the country, out of which ten STLs (one laboratory each in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and five laboratories in Rajasthan) are National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited, and two STLs (one laboratory each in Telangana and Tamil Nadu) are International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) accredited. New Delhi/Mumbai: To crack down on surging online financial frauds such as digital arrests, a parliamentary panel has recommended that banks use government-issued IDs to trace, freeze, and blacklist mule accounts siphoning crores of rupees. Experts call it a crucial first step, but banks warn implementation will be difficult. Discussions have begun at ministerial levels to understand how the recommendations by a parliamentary standing committee on home affairs can be implemented to reduce the extent of online financial frauds in India, said officials with direct knowledge of the matter. One proposal has been to freeze all accounts linked to an ID (such as Aadhaar or PAN) in case a fraudulent transaction is detected. The second proposal is to blacklist the ID itself, so that perpetrators cannot reuse stolen documents to open unlimited accounts," one of them said, requesting anonymity. The objective is to narrow down the path that cyber criminals follow to distribute money in fragments across hundreds of accounts." the official added. Digital arrests have emerged as a menace for users across the internet. Overall, money lost to online financial frauds nearly tripled last year to 21,181 crore, according to the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. Of this, only 2,530 croreabout 12% of the total amountwas frozen or recovered. Overall, NCRP received more than 2 million complaints related to online financial frauds last year. The parliamentary panel, in its report tabled in Parliament on 20 August, advised integration of digital identification checks, like Aadhaar-based e-KYC (know your customer) to ensure every person initiating a deposit is authentic, thereby limiting anonymity that criminals exploit". Mint has seen a copy of the panels recommendations. Despite the implementation of KYC measures, mule accounts continue to be opened at banks, indicating lapses or negligence on the part of bank personnel. The Committee suggests exploring implementation of behavioural biometrics that analyze customer patterns, like typing speed or mouse movement of users to spot unusual activity, to alert the bank and temporarily block suspicious deposits," it added. Banks, however, have raised concerns about the panels recommendations. At least three banks involved in the discussions flagged that implementing a system where each and every ID in their database is actively tracked and monitored is a massive operational challenge, and would be very difficult to comply with," said the official quoted earlier. Key Takeaways A parliamentary panel standing committee has proposed stricter ID-based tracking to curb cyber frauds. Recommendations include using Aadhaar/PAN-based e-KYC to trace, freeze, and blacklist mule accounts, aiming to disrupt the flow of money through hundreds of accounts in digital arrests. While experts call the ID-based tracking a crucial first step, banks warn that monitoring all accounts linked to IDs is operationally complex. Regulatory clarity and technological support will be essential. Experts also highlighted the need for stronger regulations, AI-based fraud detection, and mass awareness campaigns to protect victims and prevent misuse. Whos liable? The standing committee, which has been discussing the issue since January, has also recommended a relook at the contentious issue of customer liabilitythe contractual responsibility and consequences of falling prey to a fraudsterwith relation to banks. Liability limits may be made more customer-centric and effective, by personalizing them according to individual security behaviour. The Committee suggests the Reserve Bank (RBI) explore the possibility of rewarding users who report fraud promptly with lower liability," the panel said in its report. N.S. Nappinai, senior counsel at the Supreme Court and founder of Cyber Saathi, a nonprofit, placed the onus on banks. Victims must have a means to recover their monies. Banks are responsible for KYC compliance and also to protect against misuse. But the bigger need of the hour is for regulation to enforce liability clauses upon banks, and ensure recovery of monies by customer victims," she said, while welcoming the panels recommendations. Also Read | Can banks be held liable for digital arrest scams? Top consumer court hears case Broadly, the committees recommendations have raised conversations around revisiting Indias cybercrime-related regulations and establishing rules for users in line with the rising threats of financial frauds. There are various steps being discussed at a ministerial level keeping national security interests in mind, including a single regulatory mechanism that offers directives and lays down legal requirements for banks, enterprises, users and all other stakeholders to follow," said Vinayak Godse, chief executive of industry body Nasscom-backed Data Security Council of India. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity), via the Indian Cyber Emergency Response Team (Cert-In), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), via the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) areto oversee implementation of the panels recommendations. RBI, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), State Bank of India, and HDFC Bank were also parties to the discussions. Mints emails seeking answers on the development of regulations based on the parliamentary committees report to I4C, Cert-In, RBI and Sebi did not receive responses. Emails sent to SBI and HDFC Bank also received no responses. Also Read | Mint Quick Edit: Cyber cons go from digital arrests to wedding scams Tracing the stolen money Krishna Sastry Pendyala, cyber security partner at consulting firm EY India and a former cyber forensics scientist with the home ministry, said document-based tracking would be an effective first step" against digital arrests and financial frauds. However, this is not a blanket stepin many cases, identity details of elderly individuals, or those in the dark, are stolen without their knowledge [for use in online financial frauds]. Freezing their ability to use their own account or government-issued identification can cause massive disruption, because not everyone may be equipped well enough to visit a bank and resolve their plight," he said. Instead, whats important is for mass-scale awareness drives, and detecting fraudulent transactions based on location data, usage patterns, transaction patterns in an account using AI, and alerting users before a transaction is made." Mint reported on 16 September that banks are more keen on offering loans rather than attracting depositors. The reason: rising scrutiny over mule accounts and concerns of digital fraud. A public sector banker had said that the Union governments PAN 2.0 project is working to eliminate cyber security risks, and when it comes into force, customer verification would be more seamless. Also Read | How cyber insurance protects you against financial frauds Meanwhile, a working group of the Indian Banks Association has suggested that RBI give banks more flexibility in freezing bank accounts used in online frauds. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, banks do not have the authority to freeze or block accounts without proper authorization from a court or law enforcement agencies, the group said in its report in April, which Mint has seen. Bringing all bank cyber teams under one roof will have faster access to freezing the accounts on a real-time basis, on immediate reporting of fraud." Stakeholders involved in digital arrest investigations, too, welcomed the idea of using government IDs to trace money trails. Currently, cyber crime investigators first freeze the bank accounts where the stolen money is transferred, and they have to email banks for the samemaking it a time-consuming process," said a former cyber crime policy inspector in Maharashtra, requesting anonymity. This is because there can be hundreds of bank accounts where the stolen money is transferred to, and done so rapidly. Tracking down the accounts by linking them with IDs would expedite this process." Also Read | Indian cybersecurity startups attract capital as AI-driven threats mount New Delhi: In a first for Indias smartphone market, a global player is setting up its headquarters in the country. CMF, the fast-growing sub-brand of UK-based Nothing, on Thursday announced it is now an independent entity with a new home base in India. The move, an outcome of a $100-million joint venture with local electronics manufacturer Optiemus Infracom, positions CMF to leverage India's manufacturing ecosystem to make for India and for the world. In an interview with Mint, Ashok Kumar Gupta, executive chairman of Optiemus Infracom, confirmed that it will own 65% of the joint venture with CMF. The joint investment of $100 million ( 900 crore) over the next three years will be spent across design, research & development (R&D), and local manufacturing operations. The move to settle in India comes at a time when CMF and its parent firm Nothing, cofounded by Carl Peiwho had also co-created Chinas OnePlus have seen steady growth in India. Analysts said that the move made sense since India is one of CMFs largest markets, as well as a stable regime for brands to choose as a manufacturing destination driven by policies and other government directives. The first units of CMF smartphones built in partnership with Optiemus will roll out this December, Gupta said. Also Read | How Nothing CEO Carl Pei is breaking barriers For us, this marks a four-and-a-half-year wait to venture deep into smartphone manufacturing, and we are doing so through a partnership with one of the most unique design-led brands in the world," he said. Unlike many other brands, Nothing and CMF use their own product designs and innovations, and owning a stake in the designing and R&D operations will boost domestic value additionsinstead of simply being a low-margin electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider." CMFs Pei, who could not be reached for a comment until press time, said in a post on X that the JV will create more than 1,800 jobs in India over the next three years". We are building it (CMF) into the countrys first truly global consumer tech brand. Built from India, to the world. With our end-to-end capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to bring this vision to life," the top executive had posted earlier on Thursday, after a meeting with Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Sanyam Chaurasia, principal analyst at global technology advisory firm Omdia, said the move can work in the companys favour. CMF has always had a differentiated product offering, and with it now being a segregated entity placed in a fast-moving market, there is massive scope for growth here," Chaurasia said. We saw Nothing announce its recent funding round. By having a joint venture in place in India, we may even see CMF independently raise funding to boost its India operations, which in turn will cater to the world," he added. The move is not just about government subsidieslooking at the sales figures of the two brands right now, the Centres subsidies will be difficult to qualify for," said Upasana Joshi, senior research manager at IDC India. Instead, the move is in line with the Centres push to have foreign firms enter India in a joint venture with local firmsgiving India the ability to contribute to R&D and designrather than just assembling devices." Once the facility is established, Joshi said, the company can target global markets to treat its India operations as an export hub. Also Read | Thanks to the GST boost, TVs may steal the festivespotlight from smartphones CMF was created by Nothing in August 2023. It launched its first smartphone a year later. According to data sourced by Mint from market research firm International Data Corp (IDC) India, CMF sold 1% of all smartphones in India in the quarter of July to September, last year. The brand is yet to cross sales of 1 million total smartphones in India as it completes one year of smartphone sales. Almost half of it, however, came during its first quarterthe company hasnt managed to replicate this exact success even as it sold over 100,000 devices in every period between then and now. Optiemus Infracom is a Noida-based electronics and components manufacturing services firm, incorporated in 1993 as Akanksha Cellular Ltd. The company changed its name in 2011 before going public in August 2017, listing at 54.20 apiece eight years ago. The companys share price reached a high of 873.80 this time last year. On Thursday, its shares rose 2.1% to 684, following its announcement with Peis CMF. Optiemus reported a 24% year-on-year jump in net revenue to 1,890 crore in FY25, while its net profit rose 12% year-on-year to 63 crore. The company started this fiscal on a weak footing, with quarterly revenue down 12% (both sequentially and annually) to 438 crore during the period, and net profit down 40% sequentially to 15 crore in Q1FY26. Gupta, citing the CMF joint venture, said that barring quarterly fluctuations, the company expects such deals to boost its earnings. In the next 24 to 36 months, we expect our projects with CMF, global tempered glass maker Corning and others to boost our earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) to hit four-digit figures. This is the most important metric for any shareholder, and pursuing low-margin EMS projects will not get me there. Instead, the focus is on increasing high-value projects through local design and R&D expertisewhich is what we are doing now," he added. Pei, the cofounder of CMF and its parent firm Nothing, was one of the most popular faces of Indias smartphone market when Chinas BBK Electronics-owned OnePlus entered India. In October 2020, the executive departed the company he himself had built, claiming that his next venture would offer a significant departure from the norm". A month later, he announced the UK-headquartered Nothing. Also Read | Samsung, OnePlus woes threaten premium smartphone growth in India The Karnataka State Hotels Association have expressed the inability to pass on goods and services tax (GST) rate cut benefits to consumers due to unchanged taxes on LPG and property rent. The industry body urged the government to reduce GST on property rent to help hotels remain competitive, news agency PTI reported. The association has requested the government to provide relief by reducing the GST on property rent, to help hotels stay competitive in the market. Also Read | India GST rate cut: Consumption boost vs capital expenditure dilemma The development follows the GST Council's decision, which includes the Centre and states, to cut tax rates on approximately 375 goods and services starting from September 22, the first day of Navaratri. What are the concerns of hotel industry? The association's president, GK Shetty, lauded the government's decision to lower the GST on several items, stating it would benefit the general public. "People are asking when hotel food and room tariffs will be reduced," news agency PTI quoted Shetty as saying. He clarified that hoteliers are unable to reduce prices at this point unless they receive support from the government. Also Read | Pricier variants after GST cuts? Govt keeps watch for manufacturer mischief Shetty noted that vegetables, meat, and other items have been exempt from GST since the beginning, while the 18 per cent GST on cooking gas cylinders has remained unchanged. "In addition, hoteliers who run their business from rented buildings are paying 18% GST on the rent they pay," he said. Shetty mentioned that since most restaurants and hotels operate from rented premises, a reduction of GST to 5 per cent on rent would allow us to pass the savings on to consumers. "With the present GST rate, it is not possible to offer any relief to consumers," he said. Mehsana/Ahmedabad: Can one make a fortune growing or selling potatoes? The question may appear as one loaded with irony to a farmer from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal or Bihar, the top producers of the tuber in India. In these states, low prices often push growers to abandon their harvest by the roadside. Or plough the spuds back into the field. This happens once every few years when a record harvest pulls down prices to rock bottom levels, even lower than growing and harvesting costs. Alpesh Navinbhai Patel, a potato grower from Sabarkantha district of north Gujarat, has a different story to tell. Five years back, Patel switched to growing a processing variety of potato, the ones used to make french fries and hash browns. In March this year, Patel earned more than 50 lakh selling potatoes grown in 180 acres, net of all costs, including the rent on 80 acres of leased land. Thats a jaw dropping income for a farmer in India where the average farm household earns less than 20,000 a month. How did this happen? Patel grows Santana potato, a light-skinned oblong variety from the Netherlands, with a creamy yellow flesh, perfect for making french fries. These are grown under a contract and supervision of a processing facility and exporter based out of Mehsana in Gujarat. The company provides Patel with the seeds, the technical knowhow and an assured price before planting. In 2025, this guaranteed price was 13.5 per kg against the production cost of 7-8 per kg. With no price risks to worry about, Patel devotes his energy to produce the best quality tuber. In a region which only grew regular table varieties (the potato you and I mostly consume at home) a decade ago, five districts of north GujaratBanaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Aravalli and Gandhinagarare now the hub of growing potatoes meant to be processed. Over the past few years, India has emerged as a leading supplier of frozen fries to markets in south east Asia and the Middle East, from being an importer till 2012. In 2024-25, India exported frozen potato products worth 1,817 crore, a near nine-fold jump since 2019-20 when exports were a mere 217 crore, shows data from the commerce ministry. 47-year-old Haresh Karamchandani played an instrumental role in this makeover with his decade old venture, HyFun Foods, where he is the chief executive officer and managing director. The company commands a 40% share in the export market. HyFuns international client list includes the likes of Burger King and KFC across India and South East Asia, Walmart in the US, 7/11 in Japan and the Woolworths Supermarket in Australia. HyFun also manufactures the potato flakes used to make Pringles by Kelloggs. The Belgium of India North Gujarat has become the Belgium of India, Karamchandani says, referring to the probable country of origin for french fries. Thats a longstanding dispute between France and Belgium which is yet to be settled. One version goes that US soldiers who tasted fries in the French-speaking Belgian city of Namur during World War I were the first to use the name french fries. Potatoes were first grown by the Incas of South America 1,800 years ago. Spaniards who colonized South America introduced the tuber to Europe in the second half of 16th century. Potatoes reached India in the 17th century with Portuguese sailors and spread across the country. Today, Indians consume more potatoes than any other vegetable. With an annual production of over 60 million tonnes, it is the second largest producer globally after China. Thats the historical timeline of table varieties spanning centuries. Processing-grade potatoes suited for french fries, which turned the fortunes of farmers in north Gujarat, is a more recent phenomenon. But how did a third-generation entrepreneur from a family trading in potatoes and onions play a leading role in this transformation? Heres that story. Das Potato! Following Indias independence and partition, the Karamchandani family, who belonged to the Sindh province in present day Pakistan, migrated to Mehsana in Gujarat and started as a small retailer of vegetables. By the early 1960s, the family entered wholesale trade in potato and onions under the name Asandas and Sons. Haresh Karamchandanis father, the second generation of the family who ran the trading business with his brother, was not keen on his eldest son getting into the unorganized trading business. So he was sent off to a Catholic boarding school at Mount Abu, Rajasthan, when he was just four. But while pursuing his undergraduate degree in Ahmedabad, the junior Karamchandani ended up joining the family business in 1999. The daily grind of commodity trading sucked him in, but he eventually realized that conventional trading is a low margin business, limited by scale and geography of operation. He then toyed with a few ideas like running a multiplex or a car dealership but eventually abandoned them since they werent his true calling. Around that time, in 2007, the Canadian giant McCain Foods, the largest producer of frozen potato products globally, opened a manufacturing facility in Mehsana. The states long day length and mild yet sunny winters was suited to growing processing varieties, which is why McCain chose Gujarat, the fourth largest potato growing state in India, and not Uttar Pradesh or West Bengal. View Full Image Gujarats long day length and mild yet sunny winters are well suited to growing processing varieties of potatoes. Following McCains entry into India, processing units came up in other states like Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. But none were successful because they could not source the right quality of potato. Processing varieties like Santana have a high dry matter or starch, about 22% by weight, and low sugar content, unlike table varieties which are watery and are high in sugar. You can make fries from table potatoes but they will turn limp due to less dry matter, while the excess sugar in the tuber will make the potatoes caramelize and turn red on frying. Those wont be the pale-yellow crispy fries which consumers love. Seed-to-shelf "I realized that we were in the right location (centered around Mehsana) to source processing grade potatoes and that theres always room for a second player," Haresh Karamchandani recalled during a late-night conversation in Ahmedabad last week. His hazel eyes and mellow voice softened the passion with which he spoke about potatoes. By 2010, he had made up his mind on what would be a seed-to-shelf business: a contract farming arrangement with growers and supplying frozen products to large B2B customers. The family was apprehensive. They had no prior experience in either manufacturing or exports. Investing over 60 crore and taking on a multinational food giant like McCain seemed like a big risk. It took Karamchandani a good five years to get his dream project rolling. He visited Europe multiple times to set up the seed pipeline which involved importing tubers from tissue culture labs and multiplying them in farmers fields over three years. Also, manufacturing equipment had to be imported from the Netherlands. View Full Image Harvesting of potatoes in progress at a farm engaged by HyFun Foods. At times, it was nerve-racking. An advance of 2.5 crore paid to an equipment manufacturer in the Netherlands was nearly lost after the firm went bankrupt. The machines finally arrived after months of waiting, after the manufacturer was acquired by another company. The business finally launched in 2015 under the brand name HyFun Foods. In 2016-17, it grossed a modest topline of 50 crore, primarily supplying frozen fries to hotels and restaurants in the domestic market. The big break came when the company won a deal in 2016 to supply fries to quick service restaurant chain Burger King in India. In 2017, HyFun shipped its first order of frozen fries to Thailand which had a free trade agreement (FTA) in place with India. But as luck would have it, the shipment was rejected. But how did HyFun turn into the export powerhouse that it is today? It began with a setback, recalls Karamchandani. In 2017, HyFun shipped its first order of frozen fries to Thailand which had a free trade agreement (FTA) in place with India. But as luck would have it, the shipment was rejected. The trader who imported the fries dealt in rice and knew little about the specifications required by the actual buyer, a supermarket chain. The fries were eventually sold at a discount to another buyer. Each mistake was a learning experience. But the quality we produced was at par with what Europe and the US was exporting. That gave us confidence and we eventually cracked the market in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines," says the CEO. We were pioneers in exporting frozen fries from India and instrumental in turning it into a large exporter," he adds. Cut to present, HyFun generated a topline of 1,325 crore in FY25 with an Ebitda margin of 18%. About 80% of its revenue still comes from exports of frozen products. But the next phase of growth, Karamchandani said, will be from the domestic market. Last year, HyFun went through a revamp to turn itself into a consumer brand, selling items like frozen pizzas, burger patties and pies, from being a B2B supplier and exporter. The company has set itself a target to achieve a topline of 3,500 crore by FY28 and eventually tap the public markets with an IPO. It is aiming to double production capacity by next year with an investment of close to 1,000 crore. Meanwhile, Karamchandani has hired top talent to run the show: a former ITC veteran for HyFarm (the farmer-connect and sourcing arm of the company) and a chef who spent years in Del Monte, a food and beverage company, to craft new age frozen products for India. To be sure, HyFun is the largest exporter of frozen fries but it is not the only player. Following in its footsteps, others like Iscon Balaji, Funwave Foods and ChillFill Foods have joined the frozen potato wave in Gujarat. This is in addition to the established wafers (chips) market led by companies like PepsiCo and ITC. The growing share of processing has benefited farmers the most, said Brajesh Singh, director of the Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla. Singh added that currently, an estimated 10% of potatoes grown in India are processed which has helped to stabilize farmgate prices. Earlier, glut and distress sales were frequent during harvest season. Manufacturers of frozen fries have done a remarkable job of capturing international markets, supplying premium quality at a competitive price," Singh says. The average export price for frozen potato products was just under 100 per kg in FY25, shows data from the commerce ministry. Sustainable fries? The quest for the perfect fries is an elaborate affair. At the HyFun factory in Ganeshpura, Mehsana, two production lines have a capacity to churn out 11 tonnes of frozen fries every hour. The process is fully automated: the tubers are mechanically washed, steam softened and peeled, trimmed, sliced, blanched and partially fried. The final step is quick freezing which impart a shelf life of 18-24 months without using any preservatives. View Full Image A french fries processing line at a manufacturing unit operated by HyFun Foods, at Ganeshpura, Mehsana. (Sayantan Bera) How climate friendly are these fries? The manufacturing process is a water guzzler. The multiple production lines at HyFun use three million litres of fresh water every day. But a treatment plant also recycles 90% of the wastewater which is reused in the factory. The goal to minimize its fresh water footprint is driven by the reality that Mehsana is a water stressed area. Besides, sustainability is non-negotiable for both investors and overseas clients. When you inspect a house, you begin with the toilet," says Amit Badlani, who heads Vihaan, the sustainability arm at HyFun. Baldanis quirky reference is not out of place: international clients often insist on seeing the effluent treatment plant first, even before they visit the processing facility, he says. Water, however, is not the only sore spot. To make those perfect fries, a lot of potatoes are wasted. It takes about 1.75 kg of potatoes to make one kg of fries. Currently, the solid waste is sent for cattle feed but HyFun is in the process of setting up a compressed bio-gas plant to use the waste more effectively. At the end of the day, munching on fries at a quick service joint may not be the most climate-friendly way of eating potatoes. But then, who can say no to fries? Its a $24 billion market globally. Besides, as Haresh Karamchandani predicts, the future (of food) is frozen." As if the 50% tariff imposed by the US was not debilitating enough, Indian shrimp exporters are staring at an additional levya potential anti-dumping duty of as much as 40%. Mint looks at the implications of these measures on exporters and the 16 million people dependent on the seafood sector, and whether India can diversify its export markets fast enough to survive this shock. What has hit Indian shrimp exporters? US President Donald Trump's decision to impose a 50% duty on Indian exports has pulled the rug from under the feet of Indian shrimp exporters. After all, the US accounted for 52% of Indias total shrimp exports of $5.2 billion in 2024-25. In fact, India meets 40% of the US total shrimp demand. There is more bad news. Two Republican senators have introduced the Indian Shrimp Act, which, if approved, seeks to impose up to 40% anti-dumping duty on Indian exporters for dumping shrimp in the US at a predatory price. Also Read | Shrimp shift: Indian seafood exporters turn to China after US tariff shock What are the present tariff levels like? Presently, Indian shrimps are subject to a tariff of 58.26%. This includes a reciprocal tariff of 25%, a penalty of 25% for India buying Russian oil, the existing anti-dumping duty of 2.49% and a countervailing duty of 5.77%. The tariff proposed under the shrimp act will be in addition to the existing duties. How has the sector been impacted? At 58% tariff levels, Indian exports are too pricey and uncompetitive. Consequently, orders from the US, Indias largest export market, have stopped. Crisil Ratings expect an 18% to 20% fall in exports (in value terms) to the US in 2025-26. It estimates a sharp fall in margins and profits of exporters, especially those who have a significant exposure to the US market. Share prices of companies like Avanti Feeds, Apex Frozen Foods and Zeal Aqua have already taken a beating. This development also impacts the 16 million people, farmers and others, dependent on the sector. Many are planning to exit shrimp farming. Also Read | India may cut duties on US shrimp imports What help does the sector need? Experts say that the immediate priority is to prevent a collapse in shrimp production. The Indian shrimp sector comprises millions of small farmers and many micro, small and medium processing units that supply to the exporters. With US offtake collapsing, exporters have sharply reduced offtake and cut prices. Consequently, the risk of farmers shifting out of growing shrimp is real. It is already happening in parts of Andhra Pradesh, which accounts for 78% of Indias shrimp cultivation. To thwart this, there is an urgent need for a financial package that includes loan rollover, liquidity support and credit guarantee. What more can be done? The global shrimp market is expected to grow from $69 billion in 2023 to $91 billion in 2029. It is important to diversify the export markets. Today, the US accounts for over 50% of the export share followed by China, European Union, South East Asia and Japan. Immediate efforts are being made to export more to non-US markets such as European Union, Japan and West Asia. China is one market exporters are targeting in a big way, despite lower margins. According to Crisil, the UK, China and Russia can absorb about 20% of the displaced US volumes. The diversification strategy has gained urgency ever since the introduction of the Indian Shrimp Act. The exporters are praying that India and the US will conclude their bilateral trade agreement, which, they hope, could drop the tariffs to 10% levels. Who has gained at Indias expense? Ecuador, which has a tariff of just 15%, is a big beneficiary. So do Vietnam and Thailand, which suffer a tariff of less than 30% on exports to the US. That they are geographically closer to the US is an added freight advantage. Exporters in Ecuador, media reports suggest, are keenly observing the trade negotiations between India and the US. If the high tariffs remain for long, they will start expanding the capacity to feed the US market. For now, China is their biggest export market. New Delhi: India is set to pursue a new trade deal with Japan seeking greater market accessmodelled on the East Asian giants pact with the USas New Delhi seeks to correct the trade gap with its long-time partner, said two people aware of the development. The review of the existing FTA (free-trade agreement) with Japan is on the agenda and is expected to start soon. The discussions will be comprehensive, covering trade imbalances, market access, and tariff structures to make the agreement more balanced," said one of the two people cited above. The second person said New Delhi aims to secure opportunities to export rice to Japan and address the widening bilateral trade deficit. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity. Japan has allowed duty-free access to American products, while the US has imposed a 15% fixed tariff on exports from the Asian giant under the recent trade deal. Under the deal, Japan increased its US rice procurements by 75%. India is preparing to review its 2011 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Japan, which granted duty-free and low-duty market access for most items from both countries. However, India has received a limited benefit. While Japans shipments to India have more than doubledfrom $8.62 billion in 2010-11 to $18.92 billion in FY25Indias exports to Japan have largely stagnated at $6.2 billion, widening the trade deficit from $3.53 billion in FY11 to $12.68 billion in FY25. Queries emailed to the ministries of commerce and external affairs remained unanswered until press time. The Embassy of Japan said, We will not make any comment on this." Japan has been a trusted partner of India for a long time. While the US is concluding its deal in a specific manner, India would not like to proceed in the same way," said Debendra Sahu, associate professor, OP Jindal Global University, and PhD in Japanese Studies from JNU. The rising trade deficit is a concern, and securing more trade lines under the FTA review would definitely help in reducing it. If both sides agree to allow rice exports from India to Japan, it would be a significant step forward." Also Read | The thorny side of Indias newly won rice crown In July 2024, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that negotiations to review FTAs with Japan, Korea and Asean are progressing slowly, but India remains committed to pursuing them. These agreements were originally signed during the UPA regime. Given the changes in the geopolitical situation, New Delhi is exploring options that would be mutually beneficial and help reduce Indias trade deficit with Japan," the second person said, noting that Japans US deal offers leverage for negotiating non-tariff barriers and expanding Indian rice exports. Currently, Indias presence in Japans rice market remains minimal. Exports stood at $5.74 million in 2024, up from $2.08 million in 2023. Rice is a highly sensitive issue in Japan, as it is both a staple food and central to the countrys agricultural heritage," said Sahu of OP Jindal Global University. Japan has historically protected its rice farmers to ensure self-sufficiency, support rural livelihoods, and maintain political stability, given the influence of farming communities in local and national politics." Other key issues planned for discussion during the review would include investment flows and enhancing cooperation in sectors critical to India, such as agriculture, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, IT services and renewable energy to make the agreement more balanced and mutually beneficial for both countries, the people quoted earlier said. According to a White House document dated 4 September, the US will apply a baseline 15% tariff on most Japanese imports, with separate provisions for automobiles, aerospace products, generic pharmaceuticals, and selected natural resources. The framework, combined with expanded US exports and investment-driven production, aims to reduce the trade deficit and restore balance in overall US-Japan trade. Japan, in turn, will grant American producers in manufacturing, aerospace, agriculture, food, energy, automobiles, and industrial goods enhanced market access. This includes a 75% increase in US rice procurements under the minimum access rice scheme and annual purchases of US agricultural goods, such as corn, soybeans, fertilizer, and bioethanol, worth $8 billion. Japan will also allow US-made, safety-certified passenger vehicles to be sold without additional testing and purchase US-manufactured commercial aircraft and defense equipment. Under the WTOs minimum access framework, Japan has committed to importing around 770,000 metric tonnes of rice annually without tariffs. Imports beyond this quota face a specific duty of 341 per kilogram (around $2.30/kg), effectively acting as a prohibitive tariff. A 75% increase would raise the US quota to about 600,000 tonnes, likely reducing Japans rice imports from other nations including Thailand, Australia, and China. Also Read | Amid thaw in ties, China to soon revive fertilizer supply to India By Laila Kearney and Timothy Gardner NEW YORK (Reuters) -The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump expects most of the nation's coal-fired power plants to delay retirement to help deliver the vast amount of electricity needed to fuel artificial intelligence, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Reuters on Thursday. Keeping those often half-century-old coal plants running is part of a broader strategy to increase the country's power output that will also include boosting nuclear energy and allowing backup power plants to operate around the clock. The administration has made expanding energy production a top priority while rejecting concerns about climate change, which Trump told the United Nations this week amounted to a global "con job." "Energy sobriety has returned to Washington, D.C. Our focus is on Americans and the price of utility and avoiding blackouts," Wright said at a Reuters Newsmaker event. "We've got to stop existing firm capacity from retirement." The government had been in discussions with many utilities nationwide and expects the majority of the several dozen U.S. coal plants nearing retirement to delay closure, he said. "I would say the majority of that coal capacity will stay online," he added. The administration is also prepared to use its emergency powers to extend the life of coal-fired plants, he said. Last month, Wright extended his emergency order to keep a Michigan coal plant running, even though the plant's operator had been planning to shut permanently for economic reasons. The Energy Department also ordered a gas and oil-fired power plant, slated for retirement in Pennsylvania, to continue operating. Wright said more plants should expect similar orders, which fall under grid stability provisions in the Federal Power Act. "Absolutely, absolutely. Yeah, that's not the only one," Wright said. Wright said the U.S. would also aim to get more out of the existing grid by running backup generators and standby power plants continuously, rather than just when electricity demand surges. The White House is also seeking to boost nuclear energy, including through regulatory reforms to speed permitting and by hosting new nuclear technologies through the Department of Energy. "We need that industry as another source of energy, and so we're going to give temporary nudges to get it started," Wright said. Currently, two shut U.S. nuclear power plants - including one on Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania - are in the unprecedented process of being restarted. Three Mile Island, dubbed the Crane Clean Energy Center, would deliver electricity for Microsoft data centers. Total U.S. electricity demand is projected to hit record highs this year and next, according to the Energy Information Administration. Growth in the country's power consumption will also continue to accelerate through the end of the decade as massive AI data center campuses power up. The global race by countries, primarily the U.S. and China, to dominate AI will depend largely on connecting new electricity supplies, the Trump administration has said. China built 100 gigawatts of coal-fired power last year and another 100 gigawatts are under construction, Wright said. "Right now, it doesn't matter what China says about climate policy," Wright said. "They're growing their electricity, they're building their industrial might, and they're saying: please keep sending us your industry." The Department of Energy, this year, also opened federal land for the development of power plants and data centers. So far, the department has received some 300 inquiries, Wright said. China ramped up buying of soybeans from Argentina this week after the South American country abruptly suspended export taxes, sidelining US farmers who usually dominate the trade at this point of the year. Importers in China have expanded purchases to at least 35 cargoes, up from an earlier tally of 20 shipments, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified as theyre not authorized to speak to the media. Most of the soybeans are slated to be loaded in November, they added. China has shifted the focus of its agriculture purchases in recent years, and now relies on Brazil for most of its soybeans, which are crushed into cooking oil and animal feed. The worlds largest importer typically turns to US supplies between October and February following the American harvest, while the new Brazilian crop is in the process of growing for collection in March. But as of Sept. 11 almost two weeks into the new marketing season for the US China hadnt booked a single American cargo. Thats the first time in records going back to 1999, according to US Department of Agriculture data. The American Soybean Association urged President Donald Trump to secure an immediate deal with China following reports of the Argentine purchases. In a statement on Wednesday, the group said the farm economy is suffering. The Argentine cargoes are equivalent to more than 2.27 million tons. The most soybeans China has imported from the South American country on a monthly basis were about 2.23 million tons in July 2015. Still, theres no guarantee all booked shipments will be delivered. Some of the cargoes have also been booked for shipment next year from the new Argentinian crop, the people said. Buyers include Chinese state-owned and private crushers, as well as major foreign and domestic trading houses, they added. On Monday, Argentina announced the temporary suspension of export taxes on crops including soybeans to boost supply of dollars in the foreign-exchange market and ease pressure on the peso. The measure would last until Oct. 31, or until crop sales reach $7 billion a threshold that was met on Wednesday. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. BMW Ventures IPO: The initial public offer (IPO) of BMW Ventures entered its second day of bidding today, September 25. The issue opened for subscription on September 24 and will close on September 26. The 231.66 crore IPO is priced in the range of 94-99 apiece. BMW Ventures IPO Subscription BMW Ventures IPO subscription status was 18% by 1:35 pm on day 2. The retail portion was subscribed 22%, and the NII portion has been booked 3%. The Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) portion received 1.08 times bids. The company received bids for 42,62,730 shares against 2,34,00,000 shares on offer. BMW Ventures IPO GMP BMW Ventures IPO GMP today, or grey market premium, is 6. This indicates BMW Ventures' share price is trading at a premium of 6 in the grey market on Thursday, according to investorgain.com. Considering the upper end of the IPO price band and the current premium in the grey market, the estimated listing price of the BMW Ventures is 105 apiece, which is 6.06% higher than the IPO price of 99. 'Grey market premium' indicates investors' readiness to pay more than the issue price. About BMW Ventures IPO BMW Ventures' book-built issue comprises entirely of a fresh issuance of 2.34 crore shares. The lot size for BMW Ventures IPO has been set at 151 shares. Retail investors looking to participate must apply for at least one lot, which translates to an investment of 14,949. The issue also includes a reservation of up to 73,099 shares for employees, who will be offered shares at a discount of 70 per share. The basis of allotment is expected to be finalised on September 29, with the shares likely to be listed on October 1. Sarthi Capital Advisors Pvt. Ltd. is acting as the book-running lead manager, while Cameo Corporate Services Ltd. is the registrar for the issue. The company stated that the primary objective of the IPO is to meet its working capital requirements. Additionally, part of the funds will be used to cover IPO expenses and for other general corporate purposes. Founded in 1994 and based in Patna, BMW Ventures operates primarily as a distributor of long and flat steel products, such as TMT bars, GC/GP/HR sheets, and wire rods, which account for over 97 per cent of its revenue. Alongside steel distribution, the company also deals in tractor engines and spare parts. It has small-scale operations in PVC pipes, pre-engineered buildings (PEB) fabrication, and RDSO-approved steel girders for the Indian Railways. While BMW Ventures is largely a steel distributor, its listed peers used for valuation include downstream steel and pipes manufacturers such as APL Apollo Tubes and Hi-Tech Pipes. BMW Ventures reported a net profit of 32.82 crore for the financial year ended March 31, 2025, compared to 29.94 crore in the previous year. Revenue for FY25 stood at 2,067.33 crore, up from 1,942.03 crore in FY24. At current valuations, the company commands a market capitalisation of around 860 crore. BMW Ventures IPO: Apply or not? BMW generates 98 per cent of its revenues from the distribution of steel products in Bihar and held a strong 19 per cent market share in the TMT bars segment in the state during FY24. However, based on its financial performance, revenue, and PAT recorded a modest CAGR of 1.2 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively, between FY23 and FY25, SBI Securities said. The companys debt-to-equity ratio stood at 2 times in FY25, which is expected to decline to 1 time post-issue, potentially enhancing profitability. Operating cash flows also improved in FY25. Post-issue, BMW Ventures is valued at a P/E multiple of 26.2 times and an EV/EBITDA multiple of 12.7 times. SBI Securities maintained an avoid rating, citing high valuations and associated risk factors. Seshaasai Technologies IPO Day 3 Highlights: Seshaasai Technologies IPO entered its last and final day of bidding today, closing with over 68x bids. Seshaasai Technologies IPO is a combination of a fresh issue of shares worth 480 crore and an OFS component of 78.74 lakh shares valued at 333 crore at the upper end. This takes the total issue size to 813 crore. The issue is being solid in the price band of 402-423 per share. Proceeds from the fresh issue, amounting to 198 crore, will be allocated for the expansion of existing manufacturing units, 300 crore for debt repayment, and the remainder for general corporate purposes. Seshaasai Technologies IPO GMP Seshaasai Technologies IPO GMP is 55 as of today. With the price band of 423, Seshaasai Technologies IPO's estimated listing price is 478, a premium of 13%. Track this space for all the LIVE updates on Seshaasai Technologies IPO Shares of the defence company and a recent Nifty 50 entrant, Bharat Electronics (BEL), have seen a massive rally in their shares so far in 2025, making it one of the best-performing index stocks. However, this has pushed valuations past the comfortable zone. BEL share price is holding above the 400 level amid a 37% rally year-to-date (YTD), which has also pushed its market capitalisation closer to 2.95 lakh crore. Trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.60 times, BEL stock is still undervalued compared to the industry average of 72.46 times, but is significantly higher than the historical average. Defence stocks have had a stellar year as the India-Pakistan conflict, order wins, and strong pipeline have made them lucrative for investors. However, this has pushed the valuations past the comfort zone. BEL's order book as of the June quarter stood at 74860 crore, with inflows rising 48% ( 7,300 crore) during the three months. Order inflows for FY26 are likely to be 27000 crore, excluding the QRSAM order, worth 30000 crore, which is expected to be booked in 4QFY26 itself. "BEL continues to be a high-quality, long-term compounder, backed by a robust order book of INR 74,859 crore (3X of TTM revenue) and strong government defence prospects. Along with its various global partnerships for the modernisation of Indian defence equipment, the company has also entered into a JV with L&T to support the Indian Air Force's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme," said Vinit Bolinjakr, Head of Research at Ventura Securities. With BEL majorly into defence electronics and less exposed to competition from commodity producers, Vaqarjaved Khan, CFA, Sr. Fundamental Analyst, Angel One, expects the company's margin and return profile to remain stellar. The company management guided for revenue growth of 15%-17.5%, with EBTIDA margins of 27% for FY26. EBITDA margin expanded 580 bps YoY to 28.1% in Q1, driven by gross margin expansion of 780 bps YoY. Gross margins expansion was mainly driven by a better product mix. PAT grew 24.9% YoY to 970 crore. Is BEL a good stock to buy? However, analysts are concerned about the BEL stock's valuation despite its stellar order book and margin profile. As a result, they expect some slowdown in the defence stock's rally in the short term. "BEL's valuations are on the higher side, with a FY28 P/E of 33.5X. While the company remains a strong long-term player due to its solid order book and government defence opportunities, the short-term upside could be limited, especially after its sharp run-up and rich valuations," said Bolinjar. Khan, too, finds the valuations to be a little stretched as compared to historical averages, leaving modest upside. However, any correction from here can be seen as a good opportunity to accumulate the stock, he advised. Brokerage firm Indo Thai Securities staged a stellar comeback in September, as its shares witnessed a phenomenal rally even as broader sentiment remained cautious and continued their upward run without any major pullbacks. In the current month so far, the shares have surged 58% to 248 apiece, and if they hold the momentum until the end of the month, it will mark their biggest monthly rally since September 2024, when they jumped 81%. Also Read | Maruti Suzuki share price hits record high for 17th time in over a month While there is no fundamental factor behind the stellar rise, analysts say technical factors played a role, helping the stock emerge as one of the best performers in September. After maintaining a one-way ride between July 2024 and February 2025, the stock lost momentum and turned red in the following months, resulting in a six-month cumulative decline of 21%. Nevertheless, the stock rebounded sharply in September, erasing these cumulative losses in a single month, highlighting its strong recovery potential. Latest rally has led the stock to gain over 90% The September rally also pushed the stock to gain 92% in 2025 so far, a significant move considering it delivered 455% in the previous calendar year. Looking at long-term performance, the stock has delivered even bigger returns to shareholders. From trading at just 1.76 five years ago, it has skyrocketed by an astounding 14,000% to its current market price of 248. This extraordinary performance includes stellar returns in certain calendar years, with gains of 1,205% in CY21 and 456% in CY22. The massive rise in the share price over a short period has significantly boosted investor wealth. An investor who had put 1 lakh into the stock five years ago and held onto it would have seen its value grow to 1.41 crore, highlighting the wealth-creating potential of the stock market when the right counters are chosen. Meanwhile, the stock has been trading on an ex-split basis in the ratio of 1:10 since July 2025. The above calculation does not factor in the post-split benefit. About Indo Thai Securities Established in 1995, Indo Thai is a leading NSE-BSE full-service broker in India, with a market capitalisation of 2,200 crore. The company has recently expanded its physical presence by inaugurating two additional branches: one in Rajkot on 6th November 2024 and another in Surat on 7th May 2025. Also Read | Are mid and small cap funds the new wealth engines or risky bets for investors? Additionally, the company raised funds in FY24 through a preferential allotment of equity shares and convertible warrants. The proceeds were primarily used to increase margin deposits with various stock exchanges, enabling the company to support client funding activities and proprietary trading. A portion of the funds was also used for general corporate purposes. Shares of US defence stocks could remain in focus today, September 25, following American President Donald Trumps sudden and surprising shift in support of Ukraine in its war with Russia. Trump said on Tuesday that he believed Ukraine could retake all its land occupied by Russia and that Kyiv should act now with Moscow facing "big" economic problems. "Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. After seeing the Economic trouble (the war) is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form," Trump wrote on Truth Social, shortly after meeting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the sidelines of the US General Assembly in New York. Trump has previously suggested Kyiv should consider giving up territory in order to make peace, fueling Ukrainian fears of behind-the-scenes talks for a deal that would seek to recognise its occupied lands as legally Russian. US defence stocks in focus Trump's words resulted in several US defence stocks rising in trade on Wednesday, with some impact likely in trade today as well. Shares of Redwire Corp rallied sharply to end 1.5% higher after the space company said its Edge Autonomy subsidiary had made an additional drone delivery to Ukraines armed forces, as per a Reuters report. Meanwhile, other defence stocks like Northrop Grumman to General Dynamics also jumped up to 1.5%. However, Lockheed Martin share price ended flat. The defence sector has been a consensus trade in stock markets across the globe, as rising geopolitical tensions, as well as expectations of expanding military budgets, boost investor interest. The MSCI World Aerospace & Defence Index is up 51% in 2025, eclipsing an advance of nearly 17% in a broader gauge of global equities, a Reuters report stated. (With inputs from agencies) Stock market today: Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty 50 experienced their fourth consecutive decline on Wednesday, driven by profit-taking in the banking, auto, and capital goods sectors and foreign fund outflows. Anxiety over US H-1B visa fees continued to impact investor sentiment. The Sensex fell by 386.47 points or 0.47%, closing at 81,715.63. At one point during the day, it plummeted by 494.26 points or 0.60%, reaching 81,607.84. The Nifty 50 decreased by 112.60 points or 0.45%, settling at 25,056.90. Trade Setup for Thursday As per Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, the Nifty 50 has been persistently holding below the 21 EMA on the hourly chart, indicating a dominant bearish trend in the short term. Additionally, every time the index nears the 21 EMA, there is an emergence of selling pressure. On the downside, the 25,00025,050 range is anticipated to serve as significant support for the headline index. Nonetheless, a significant drop below 25,000 could lead to a deeper correction in the near future. Until that occurs, the market is expected to remain within a range over the upcoming days. Global Markets and IndiaUS trade talks Vinod Nair, the Head of Research at Geojit Investments, mentioned that profit-taking has been noticed in Indian markets following the GST reforms, as investors reassess valuations and expectations for Q2 earnings. Information Technology stocks lagged due to increased H-1B visa fees, while US trade comments during ongoing negotiations and weak global signals are causing a more cautious attitude among investors. The relatively high valuations in India, combined with a slowdown in earnings growth, are leading foreign institutional investors to reduce their holdings. However, structural reforms and domestic growth factors are maintaining a positive underlying trend. The current challenges seem temporary, with expectations that these pressures will ease over time, according to Nair. He said that the US Fed minutes also stopped the speculation about the 50 bps rate cut as the Fed chair Jerome Powell ruled out any aggressive US Fed rate cut in the near-term. Sumeet Bagadia's stock picks ASK Automotive Ltd: Bagadia recommends buying ASK Automotive share price at 564 keeping a stoploss at 544 with a ASK Automotive share price target of 600. ASK Automotive share price was positioned at 564 levels, delivered a powerful move in Wednesday trading session. Technically, the stock has staged a decisive breakout after consolidating for several weeks. The surge has propelled the stock comfortably above all its major exponential moving averages. This alignment, where shorter-term averages are positioned above longer-term averages, continues to affirm the bullish structure. Over the past one month, ASK Auto has demonstrated a steady uptrend, moving from around 450 levels to over 580 levels currently. Reinforcing the positive sentiment, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) comfortably rests at 68.37 levels. Investors may a good opportunity for swing traders with a short-term target of 600+ in mind, and a strict stop-loss under 544. 2. Syrma SGS Technology Ltd: Bagadia recommends buying Syrma share price at 863 keeping a stoploss at 830 with a Syrma share price target of 925. Syrma share price was positioned at 863 levels, delivered a powerful move in Wednesday trading session. On the technical front, Syrma share price is witnessing a strong bullish structure. The stock has been trading well above all its major exponential moving averages. This alignment of shorter EMAs trending above longer EMAs highlights sustained momentum and a structurally positive setup. Ganesh Dongre's stocks to buy today 3. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL): Ganesh Dongre recommends buying RIL share price at 1,384 with a stoploss at 1,356 with RIL share price target of 1,415. A short-term trend analysis of the stock reveals encouraging technical signals that suggest a potential bullish reversal. On the short term chart, a prominent bullish engulfing candlestick pattern has emerged, signaling a shift in momentum from selling pressure to buying interest. Adding strength to this view, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has recently entered the oversold zone, indicating that the stock may be poised for a rebound from current levels. This confluence of technical indicators increases the likelihood of a near-term price retracement. RIL share price was trading at 1,384, while holding above a key support zone at Rs1,356, which has proven to be a strong demand level. Based on the current setup, a move towards the next resistance level at 1,415 appears likely. With a favourable risk-reward profile, buying at current levels may be considered, keeping 1,356 as a crucial support and 1,415 as the potential short-term target. 4. Escorts Kubota Ltd: Ganesh Dongre recommends buying Escorts Kubota share price at 3,698 with a stoploss at 3,650 with Escorts Kubota share price target of 3,800. In the recent short-term trend analysis, the stock has shown signs of a potential bullish retracement, supported by emerging technical indicators. A reversal pattern on the chart suggests the possibility of an upward move, with a near-term target around 3,800. Escorts Kubota share price was trading at 3,698, having established a strong support base at 3,650. This level has held firm in recent sessions, underscoring its importance as a key demand zone. Given the favourable Escorts Kubota share price structure and proximity to support, a buying opportunity is developing at current levels. Traders and investors may consider entering positions around 3,698, anticipating a potential upside towards 3,800, while keeping a close watch on 3,650 as the immediate support. 5. Voltas Ltd: Ganesh Dongre recommends buying Voltas share price at 1,372 with a stoploss at 1,355 with Voltas share price target of 1,405. A recent short-term analysis of the Voltas share price reveals the emergence of a bullish reversal pattern on the chart, indicating a possible near-term price rebound. This formation suggests the potential for a move towards the 1,405 level, supported by improving price action. Voltas share price was trading at 1,372, while holding above a key support zone at 1,355, which has acted as a reliable floor in recent sessions. This support level reinforces the bullish bias and provides a favourable base for a potential upward move. Given the current market structure and positive technical setup, a buying opportunity is emerging around 1,372. Traders and short-term investors may consider initiating long positions, targeting 1,405, with 1,350 acting as an important downside support. The confluence of the bullish reversal pattern and sustained support at lower levels suggests a constructive risk-reward ratio in the current scenario. Also Read | Nifty50 to touch record high? Bajaj Broking sees it hitting 27K by March Shiju Koothupalakkal intraday stocks for today 6. HBL Engineering Ltd: Shiju Koothupalakkal recommends buying HBL Engineering share price at 829 with a HBL Engineering share price target of 880 with a stop loss of 812. HBL Engineering share price after witnessing a short period of correction, has found support near the upper band of the rising channel pattern on the daily chart and with a positive candle formation has improved the bias with significant volume participation visible to anticipate for further rise in the coming sessions. The RSI has corrected well from the highly overbought zone and is currently well positioned indicating a revival and can carry on with the positive move further ahead. With the chart technically well placed, we suggest buying the stock for an upside target of 880 keeping the stop loss at the 812 level. 7. Kopran Ltd: Shiju Koothupalakkal recommends buying Kopran share price at 182.76 with a Kopran share price target of 195 with a stop loss of 178. Kopran share price has indicated a higher bottom formation pattern taking support near the important 50EMA at 172 level on the daily chart and has witnessed a decent pullback to improve the bias to expect for further upward movement in the coming sessions. The RSI has indicated a positive trend reversal to signal a buy and with much upside potential visible, can carry on with the positive move further ahead. With the chart technically looking good, we suggest buying the stock for an upside target of 195 keeping the stop loss at the 178 level. 8. CarTrade Tech Ltd: Shiju Koothupalakkal recommends buying CarTrade Tech share price at 2,493 with a CarTrade Tech share price target of 2,630 with a stop loss of 2,440. CarTrade Tech share price has recently witnessed a strong appreciation maintaining the strong bias intact and after a short dip, has once again regained from the 50EMA at 2,222 level with rising volume participation to expect for another fresh round of upward move in the coming sessions. The RSI after correcting from the overbought zone is currently well placed and has indicated a buy signal and can carry on with the positive move further ahead. With the chart technically well placed, we suggest buying the stock for an upside target of 2,630 keeping the stop loss at the 2,440 level. Tata Motors share price dropped by 4% following reports in the Financial Times suggesting that its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover is facing significant challenges due to an ongoing cyberattack, which could result in losses exceeding its total profit from the last financial year. According to reports, the Financial Times suggests that JLR, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, may endure a financial impact of 2 billion, as it lacks insurance coverage against the cyberattack that has interrupted its operations and already caused monetary losses. According to reports from CNBC TV18, JLR initially prolonged its production halt until September 24 due to a cyberattack, and this halt was further extended to October 1. Although the company has not officially estimated the financial impact of this production suspension, BBC reports indicate that it is facing losses of 50 million or $68 million each week, with many of its 33,000 employees instructed to remain at home until the situation is resolved. Also Read | JLR extends UK factory closure, union warns of job loss after cyber attack If JLR actually incurs a 2 billion loss, in addition to the ongoing losses from the production shutdown, this amount would exceed its Profit After Tax for the entire financial year 2025, which was 1.8 billion. According to the report, prior to the incident, JLR was unsuccessful in securing a cyber insurance agreement that was being negotiated by Lockton, as reported by three sources from the cyber insurance market. Lockton is recognized as the largest independent insurance brokerage globally. JLR plays a crucial role for Tata Motors, accounting for 70% of the company's combined revenue. Tata Motors share price today Tata Motors share price today opened at 673 apiece on the BSE, the stock touched intraday high of 675.35 per share and an intraday low of 655.30 per share. According to Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree, Tata Motors has rejected the upper end of its base around 720 and slipped below the 10- and 20-day EMA, indicating weakness in the near term. The stock is also trading under its 10- and 20-week EMA, further adding pressure to the structure. Immediate support is placed near 650, which will be critical for bulls to defend. A breakdown below this zone will accelerate selling momentum and likely drag the stock toward 608 in the coming sessions. Until it reclaims short-term averages decisively, the stock remains vulnerable to downside pressure, said Jain. Shree Refrigerations, one of the leading players in cooling solutions serving the Defence sector, saw its shares rise 7% intraday on Thursday, reaching 259.3 apiece, even as broader market sentiment remained cautious. The rally came after the company informed the exchanges today that it has secured multiple domestic orders in the defence space. The first order was from domestic shipbuilding major Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders for the supply of B&D spares for AC plants onboard P17A class ships and the supply of turnkey HVAC systems, worth 45.22 crore. It also received a 4.62 crore order from the Material Organisation (Mumbai) for the supply of a magnetic bearing compressor-based AC plant. Together, these new orders add 49.34 crore to SRLs order book. This recent win follows another significant order worth 106.62 crore awarded to the company by Hindustan Shipyard in August. Additionally, the company is working on a similar FPV project with Goa Shipyard Ltd for eight vessels, with the first ship already delivered to the Coast Guard. "With these consecutive order wins, SRL continues to demonstrate its robust engineering and project execution capabilities, along with a proven track record in delivering end-to-end, energy-efficient, and technologically advanced HVAC solutions for defence platforms," the company said in its regulatory filing today. In early September, the company announced a strategic association with Smardt Chillers Pte Ltd, the global leader in oil-free chillers for data centre cooling solutions. This opens new opportunities beyond SRLs traditional defence base, adding a strong and scalable growth engine in the commercial cooling segment. The company believes the partnership will bring state-of-the-art magnetic bearing chiller technology, specially designed for mission-critical data center applications. Over the next three years, the company expects this vertical to contribute 1015% revenues, creating a balanced business mix while unlocking additional growth and margin potential. Stock trades over 100% from IPO price The stock debuted on Dalal Street on August 1, listing at 175.4 apiece, 36% higher than its IPO price of 125, and has maintained the same momentum since. At the current level, the stock is trading 105% above its issue price, making it one of the stellar post-listing performers. The company is a leading Indian engineering firm specializing in precision air-conditioning, refrigeration, and turnkey HVAC&R solutions for defense and industrial applications. Biplabi Samaddars Instagram page carries a rather interesting tagline: Rediscovering art after a decade of quiet reflection. It makes one wonder what being an artist constitutesdoes one cease to be called one if not painting actively daily within a studio? Does the mind stop imagining different configurations of observations soaked in over time? It is with these questions that one approaches Samaddar, a former educator at the Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, Delhi, and once a resident of Garhi Studios. The septuagenarian moved to a village near Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, a decade ago. However, earlier this year, his family decided to start an Instagram page for his art practice. This archival project, of sorts, served a two-fold purposefor his loved ones to discover more about his artistic journey and also to establish a link between an individual practice and the broader evolution of modern and contemporary art in India. His recent series, Open Fields, are Samaddars meditations on both abstraction and figuration. Geometric lines and tonal shifts evoke memories of lush fields and rural terrains. The work stands as a testament to a lifelong pursuit of form, art, space and emotion, states the accompanying note. I find the format interestingunlike the horizontal frame associated with landscapes, he has chosen a vertical one as the best expression of his idea. Memory and landscapes intertwine in his work. Floods and droughts continue to be a part of life. And when they take place, the visual of nature changes. I saw a pattern, a design, almost like a logo, imprinted on the landscape. I have tried to capture that in the structureto articulate the magnitude of havoc across an expanse, says Samaddar. He also finds the classification of art as abstract or figurative futile. The viewer need not be encumbered by such demarcations and technicalities. It is like burdening a music enthusiast with details of notations, rhythm and notes, and not leaving the composition to their interpretation. To me nothing is abstracteither one understands something or fails to grasp it, he adds. While his painting ritual has not changed over the decades cultivation of visual sensibility is on, he statesthe trove of information and observations within him has expanded. The mind can interpret, edit memories to create expressions. There can be a single or multiple focal points in visual expression. Flashbacks do take place, but everything gets edited. Thats where the individual stamp of representation takes place, says Samaddar. Samaddars tryst with art carries imprints of numerous influencesfrom observing rural Bengal in his childhood to viewing his mothers drawings and his interactions with K.G. Subramanyan at the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda. My mother kept an art copy with her throughout her life. Her pencil drawings were quite academic and the lines were very delicate. Her Grade VIII teacher must have drawn on the board and she might have copied them down. She didnt study beyond that, he reminisces. The copy, dating back to the 1930s, was populated with drawings of human eyes from different angles. However, her engagement with art didnt end with her school years. She would also make alpana with crushed rice and water on special occasions. That was my initiation into the world of visual representation. I remember my visit to the Dolls Museum and different historical monuments in Delhi. I think my interest in art and design stemmed from those, says Samaddar. Also Read | Saffronart at 25: An upcoming auction offers a bouquet of modernist masterpieces Later, the years spent at MSU Baroda between 1977 and 1979 expanded his mind. He would spend hours at the library and found the department of art history and criticism impressive. For his dissertation, he did a comparative study of the Bombay Progressive Group and the Bengal school. I had many interactions with K.G. Subramanyan, but the most memorable one took place when I was leaving Baroda. He told me: Remember your best friend is your work. It will never deceive you. You are returning to your hometown, it may take two or three years. I am sure something good will happen, recalls Samaddar. K.G. injected within me a strong will to face lifes challenges and pursue my own thoughts undaunted It was not just peers or faculty that left a lasting impression. He experienced quiet moments of contemplation and had serendipitous interactions both at Garhi Studiosa shared complex for artists run by the Lalit Kala Akademiand during his travels through Japan and the US, where he visited most of the contemporary art museums. I engaged with those works with an open mind. But deep inside, I was aware that my context and sociocultural background was different from the artists being showcased there, he adds. Back home, the stint at Garhi became a site for experiments with visual structures, and to engage with post-Independence Indias new sociocultural context, and to find a language that articulated that. The visual compositions became more compact, with newer techniques of colour juxtaposition, he says. Around the same time, he became an educator at the DPS R.K. Puramstaying at the school for 34 years. There, he found a way to channel the mentorship he had received at Baroda towards the students at DPS. My role was to help inculcate a sense or appreciation for art among the students. Later, many of them joined prestigious art institutions both in India and abroad. After school, I would head to Garhi, he says. For Samaddar, none of these influences are complete without the constant internal churning of emotions and experiences. The internal churning includes engagement with the source of inspiration and then creating a corresponding visual order. It is an act of permutation and combination. This creates an urge within me to paint. I enjoy the act then, he says. Also Read | A new show in Australia sets out to explain Raja Ravi Varma's enduring appeal Meta's new AI dating assistant aims to enhance online matchmaking, while global leaders push for ethical guidelines to prevent AI misuse. As technology evolves, the balance between innovation and safety remains a pressing concern. Facebook offers dating help Meta announced that it has introduced new features to Facebook: an AI-based dating assistant and Meet Cute, a feature that takes the indecision out of online dating by automatically matching you with a surprise match based on our personalized matching algorithm. Meanwhile, the dating assistant is a chatbot within Facebook Dating that can help users find better matches based on their interests and preferences, giving them refined search and custom match recommendations. The assistant allows users to go beyond traditional traits like height or education, allowing you to enter unique prompts tailored to what youre looking for.You can use the assistant to provide dating ideas or help you level up your profile, Meta said in a blog post Does YouTube want more AI slop? YouTube has ramped up AI tools for video makers even as a deluge of poor quality video and images created with the help of AI, often referred to as AI slop, threatens to overwhelm the platform. Veo video generation AI from Google DeepMind labs is being integrated into YouTube, enabling capabilities such as easily creating backgrounds in YouTube Shorts. AI will also let creators turn raw footage into draft video content, convert dialogue into a song for soundtracks, and combine a photo with a video. Podcasts are also a focus, with new tools letting producers use AI to create video versions of their shows. Meanwhile, translation tools will not only translate what is being said in videos but make it look as though the subject was actually speaking that language. For Amruda Nair, a name synonymous with luxury hospitality in India, hospitality wasnt just a career choice. It is a way of life. As the third generation of hoteliers in her family, her upbringing gave her a unique, multi-faceted perspective one that went beyond wealth creation to encompass financial, cultural and social credit. As a scion of the illustrious Leela family, she has not only inherited a legacy but also reimagined it with the launch of the Araiya Group of Hotels. This venture is her own, a testament to her entrepreneurial spirit and a fresh take on boutique hospitality. Growing up at the Leela, I suppose hospitality was just a part of our way of life, she said. In the latest episode of Lets Mint Money presented in association with Waterfield Advisors, Nair spoke to Neil Borate, Editor-in-Chief, thefynprint, about the evolution that the hospitality industry has seen, her own entrepreneurial journey, and her personal philosophy on wealth and investment. Watch the full episode below, Shaping a career in hospitality The foundation for her career in the hospitality sector was laid on the dinner table. The foundation was laid at the dining table in a lot of ways, because I am the third generation, and we talk shop all the time. It is what we live and breathe, said Nair. Her early education, first at a hotel school in the Netherlands and then a Masters degree from Cornell University, where both her parents also studied, provided the groundwork for an illustrious career that would span continents and diverse roles. Having studied in the US, she took up her first job with Mandarin Oriental in New York. Realising that the real action is in Asia, she soon moved to Singapore as an analyst with JLL, where she worked on hotel sale deals in countries like Japan, Cambodia and Vietnam. She then took up a position as an owners representative for an investment fund with assets in Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore. This hands-on experience gave her a deep understanding of the industry from an investment perspective, teaching her to look at properties not just as places of stay but as tangible assets that can give measurable returns. It was this foundation that she brought back to the family business in 2010, where she helped centralise operations and implement Management Information System (MIS) processes. She then decided to move to a new geography, the middle-east where she entered into a joint venture with a Qatari partner and set up her first brand, Ayana. The evolution of Indian hospitality The Indian hospitality sector has undergone a seismic shift, driven primarily by a surge in domestic demand. This is a significant change from her grandfathers time, when the Leela brand was launched 40 years ago. I certainly think that the domestic demand has certainly changed dramatically, Nair said. She believes this shift is a reflection of change in thought for Indians a growing confidence and their changing perception of India as a premium travel destination. The post-pandemic era has further accelerated this trend, leading to a phenomenon known as premiumisation. Indian hotel room rates have risen, a development that Nair views not as a sign of overpricing but as a reflection of value. If you took that same product and level of service and put that in the centre of Paris, you would be paying three times and Indians are paying three times the amount. So, I think, yes, room rates have gone up, but I think in terms of value for money, there is a lot more consciousness of also what you are getting in other countries versus what we get in India, and a greater appreciation for that, she pointed out. The target demographic for Araiya and the industry at large, is no longer a cookie-cutter model. Younger travellers are spending almost 45 per cent of their disposable income on travel, which has broadened the customer base. Travel is no longer just for special occasions. It is a spontaneous decision, a way to unwind. The audience has gotten much broader, and I dont think you can really segment it anymore, Nair said. The average room rent for Araiya, for instance, ranges around 15,000, catering to the upscale and luxury segments. This is a testament to the fact that people are willing to invest in experiences that offer a tangible return in the form of memories and well-being. She also offered a pro-tip: Travelling in off-season can save you up to 30 per cent on room tariffs. Book in the off season. Even look at the days of the week because when you are looking at revenue, even your days of the week matter and length of stay matters. So, you would get a better rate if you stayed longer, she said. The economics of running a hotel Running a successful hotel, especially a boutique property, is complex. Nair spoke about the importance of the initial investment, a process that her team at Araiya works closely with first-time owners on. We spend a lot of time telling people what not to build so that we can get the right size of room, she shared. This focus on efficiency ensures that capital is deployed in areas that directly enhance the guest experience, like the reception, rather than in non-revenue-generating spaces. The financial metrics of a hotel can be broken down into two key concepts, namely cash break-even and the overall payback cycle. Cash break-even is the occupancy level required to cover fixed costs, which are often high due to payroll. Nair said that for leisure properties, this is typically between 25 per cent to 35 per cent. The overall payback cycle for the initial capital investment is usually 7-10 years. The surge in domestic tourism has been a game-changer, as it has mitigated seasonality and ensured a steady flow of weekend staycations and long-stay business, a trend that was not as prevalent even a decade ago. Investments and building wealth Moving beyond her business, Amruda Nair shared her personal philosophy on money, which has evolved from a source of security and identity to a tool that provides freedom. I see money as a tool that gives me that freedom to decide... what I want to invest in, she said. This perspective is particularly evident in how she manages the family office, where she takes a more moderate approach compared to her entrepreneurial ventures. Nairs investment strategy is structured and disciplined. The family office started with traditional assets like real estate and fixed income before slowly moving into equity and, more recently, alternatives and private equity. We are really looking at preservation and continuity, she explained, highlighting that the primary goal is not just high returns but the long-term stewardship of wealth. Her family has been forward thinking in succession planning and have the required governance structures in place to have clarity around inheritances. Nair is a strong advocate for working with professional advisors or wealth managers. I come from a services business, so I believe that you should bring professionals in to give you the right advice, she said. She prefers a fee-based advisory model over a commission-based one, as she feels it brings greater transparency and aligns the advisors interests with yours. Ask her what she looks for in a good advisor and she is quick to say patience, transparency and a willingness to provide honest, even critical, feedback. An entrepreneurs compass As a third-generation entrepreneur, Nairs journey is a blend of honouring her familys legacy and charting her own course. My advice would be to use those roots not really as an anchor, but more like a compass in terms of where you want to take it forward, she concluded. This analogy perfectly encapsulates her approach of using the values and foundational knowledge inherited from her family as a guide, while forging a new and independent path for herself. Note to Readers: Lets Mint Money is a Mint editorial IP, in association with Waterfield Advisors. The series will see Neil Borate explore the personal finance perspectives of India's accomplished corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, and family business owners. Stay tuned for future episodes! Imagine an online platform where you can not only compare and purchase insurance policies, but also file claims, raise service requests, and track complaints. Thats the vision behind Bima Sugam, the regulator-backed digital public infrastructure for insurance. The idea is ambitious: a unified online marketplace that evolves into a digital public infrastructure, bringing together insurers, intermediaries, customers and other stakeholders. The platform was originally slated for an April 2023 launch but deadlines have been pushed multiple times. Earlier this month, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irdai) chairman Ajay Seth unveiled the official websitebimasugam.co.inbut it displays the message marketplace coming soon". Also Read | Hospital group urges creation of regulator as insurance disputes hit patients The platform features calculatorsHuman Life, BMI, Retirement Planning, and Child Educationto help you assess your insurance needs. These tools help in generating leads for insurance companies. The rollout of platform features will follow a phased approach, ensuring the highest levels of security, compliance, and scalability," said the Bima Sugam India Federation (BSIF) in a press release issued during the launch. In line with the board-approved roadmap, the marketplace will progressively go live with real transactions as insurers and ecosystem partners complete necessary integrations over the coming months." View Full Image Mint What is Bima Sugam? For insurers, it is also about bridging the trust gap. Insurance companies regularly pay thousands of crores in claims each year, yet the industry struggles with a trust deficit," said Adarsh Agarwal, appointed Aactuary, Digit Insurance, a general insurance company. Since Bima Sugam is regulator-enabled, customer centricity is at its core and will play a pivotal role in rebuilding trust." It will be an insurance e-marketplace, a robust digital public infrastructure, where anything and everything will be at the fingertips of consumersfrom product details to servicing and claims, implementation expected in a phased manner, said Somesh Surana, joint president, Digital Business Group & Marketing, HDFC Ergo General Insurance. Also Read | Why Niva Bupa is a casualty of GST removal on individual health insurance How it differs from private platforms Unlike private online brokerage platforms such as Policybazaar or InsuranceDekho, Bima Sugam is a non-profit, industry-owned platform. It will not be driven by profitability or product push, but by penetration and accessibility. Industry experts see it as a medium- to long-term game. This portal can create something privately funded platforms cannota multi-channel, inclusive ecosystem which is not driven by profits or positive cash-flows. The impact will be quite visible in increasing penetration, especially in smaller towns and rural India," said Mayank Gupta, co-founder, Zopper, an insure-tech solutions provider. Vaibhav Kathju, founder of INKA, an online insurance distribution platform, points out that the platforms mass-market orientation will be crucial in driving adoption. "While its full impact may take years to materialize, industry experts believe it has the potential to redefine how insurance is accessed and distributed across the country," he said. Intermediaries, too, are expected to benefit, with a ready-made digital infrastructure to serve customers beyond metros. This initiative will expand reach and benefit new-age distributors as well. If players are able to build their innovations on top of the Bima Trinity (more about it later), it could unlock tremendous opportunities for the industry," Kathju added. Premium pricing, claims experience The platform will have no impact on how a product is priced. Whether you buy a product from online marketplace, private distribution platforms, insurance companies, or physical agents, the pricing will broadly remain the same. Irdai regulations dont allow intermediaries to offer differential pricing for the same retail product - and thats a very good thing, as it ensures fairness and transparency," Kathju explained. Though the claims module is yet to roll out, stakeholders expect a big shift in experience once integrations are complete. Bima Sugam aims to fundamentally change claims by enabling customers to file and track them in real time and receive faster settlements. As insurer APIs integrate, more features will be unlocked," Agarwal of Digit said. However, for now, policyholders will need to wait. The trinity Bima Sugam is one of the three pillars of Irdais larger mission to broaden insurance coverage. The other two are Bima Vistaar and Bima Vahak. Bima Vistaar is a composite product bundling life, health, accident and property insurance under one policy, to be distributed via Bima Sugam. Bima Vahak is a women-focused distribution network at the village or Gram Sabha level, aimed at last-mile penetration. Both are in the works. Consider Bima Vahak in insurance as equivalent to banking correspondents for banks. While the platform will be industry-owned, technology providers like us are working on how Bima Vahak will sell Bima Vistaar products," said Gupta of Zopper. Still years away The ambition is clear, but industry experts believe the journey will take time. "Bima Sugam is still some time away from having a sizable impact. That said, when it matures, it will help the industry grow, improve penetration, and eventually make insurance access as seamless as payments became with UPI," said Kathju. For now, the grand vision remains on paperwith policyholders waiting for its promises to turn into practice. Ronald Reagan had a joke about life in the Soviet Union, where chronic shortages meant citizens faced absurdly long waits for basic goods. In this story, a man finally saves enough money to buy a car. He navigates the bureaucracy, pays the money upfront, and is told by the clerk to return in exactly 10 years to collect his vehicle. "Should I come in the morning or afternoon?" the man asks. The clerk looks puzzled. "Ten years from now what possible difference could it make?" Well," the man replies, the plumber is scheduled to come that morning". The joke captures something essential about life under unpredictable systems. Even when delays stretch across decades, people still need to plan around them. They still need to coordinate their lives, make arrangements, and think ahead. The 10-year wait isn't the real problem it's the inability to plan rationally around it that corrodes everything else. Also Read | A digital platform for insurance is a visionary step, but the wait is long This Soviet-era joke feels remarkably relevant today as we watch American policy create similar planning paralysis across the globe. The recent announcement that H-1 B visa applications will now cost employers $100,000 a roughly 2,000% increase from the previous fee is just the latest example of how sudden policy shifts are forcing businesses and individuals into situations that make planning impossible. Uncertainty is poison Consider the position of an Indian technology professional currently working abroad. Should they rush back to America before the new rules take effect? Should they delay their return for a few years? What about their spouse's career, their children's education, or their parents' healthcare needs? These aren't abstract policy questionsthey're deeply personal decisions that affect millions of families who now find themselves trapped between unpredictable rules and unchangeable life circumstances. The same planning paralysis affects businesses trying to navigate America's increasingly erratic trade policy. In recent months, tariffs have been announced, then delayed, modified, and sometimes reversed. Companies are expected to make long-term investment decisions such as building factories, signing supplier contracts, and hiring employees without knowing what the trade rules will look like in the next quarter, let alone the next year. Singapore's trade minister joked at a public forum that US tariffs changed three times over the period it takes a container ship to travel from Singapore to San Francisco. View Full Image Graphic: Mint When a company is uncertain about whether it will face 10% or 50% tariffs, it cannot rationally decide where to build its next facility or which suppliers to hire. This is more damaging than the high tariff itself. Once bitten, twice shy For Indian investors watching these developments, the lessons extend far beyond US immigration and trade policy. The same principle applies to any environment where the rules change unpredictably. The most insidious aspect of such unpredictability is how it changes behaviour long after specific policies are reversed. Businesses that face sudden rule changes begin building much wider safety margins into their planning. They delay investments, diversify suppliers, and generally become more conservative. Individuals facing visa uncertainty don't just delay their travel plans they reconsider career paths, educational investments, and family decisions that might have seemed straightforward under predictable rules. Companies that spent years navigating unpredictable trade rules don't immediately resume aggressive expansion when clarity returns. Families that experienced visa uncertainty don't quickly forget the stress of not knowing whether they could return home or bring relatives to visit. The psychological impact of unpredictability creates its own economic drag, extending far beyond the direct costs of any particular policy. When people can't plan rationally, they plan conservatively. And when everyone plans conservatively together, investors, and indeed entire economies, begin moving like Soviet car factories slowly, cautiously, and far less efficiently than their potential would suggest. Equity investors shift to fixed income and companies sit on cash rather than expand aggressively, creating a vicious circle. All Indians above a certain age have experienced this first-hand. Dhirendra Kumar is founder and chief executive officer of Value Research, an independent investment advisory firm. Mutual Fund (MF) investors can now gift/transfer units held in the non-demat mode, i.e., units held in the statement of accounts (SoA) form. The facility can be availed across all mutual fund schemes except ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds), according to a recent directive by markets regulator SEBI. This online-only initiative is designed to simplify the transfer process while minimizing the risk of fraudulent transfers, according to CAMS. Here is a guide on gifting/transferring MF units held in SoA form. Who can transfer mutual fund units? This facility is available only to individual investors under the Resident/Non-Resident Individual category. Transfers are permitted under the following scenarios. Minor to major: A minor unit holder who has turned into a major unit holder and can add a parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, etc., as a joint holder to the folio. Surviving joint holder: Upon the demise of a joint holder, a surviving unit holder can add new joint holders. Nominee to legal heir: A nominee of a deceased unitholder can transfer units to legal heirs of the deceased unitholder, post the transmission of units in the name of the nominee. Transfer to siblings: Mutual fund units can be transferred between siblings. Gifting of units: Investors can gift mutual fund units to family members or third parties. Transfer of units to third-party: Mutual fund units can be transferred to any third party. Addition/deletion of unit holder: Investors can add or remove joint holders from the folio as required. Also Read | Mutual Funds: What is the best date for investing in SIPs to earn highest return To ensure security and prevent misappropriation, a cooling period of 10 days will apply between the date of transfer and the date of redemption. The facility for transfer of units held in SoA mode is available under all MF schemes, except ETFs. Partial transfer of units held in a folio is also allowed. However, if the balance units in the transferors folio fall below the specified threshold /minimum number of units as specified in the SID (Scheme Information Document), such residual units shall be compulsorily redeemed, and the redemption amount will be paid to the transferor. If the request for transfer of units is lodged on the record date, the dividend payout/ reinvestment shall be made to the transferor. To mitigate the risk, redemption under the transferred units shall not be allowed for 10 days from the date of transfer. This will enable the investor to revert in case the transfer is initiated fraudulently. Earlier, MF units held in a non-demat form were not allowed to be directly transferred to another person except in the case of the investors death. Regulators framed stringent rules as the transfer of MF units involves changing ownership or control from one investor to another. The restrictions on transferring MFs were put in place to protect investors and maintain market integrity. If free transfers are allowed, it could potentially lead to misuse, such as money laundering or tax evasion. Further, MFs are designed to be easily bought and sold in the open market, negating the need for direct transfers as units can be easily sold and repurchased. Gifting MF units is taxable under the Income Tax Act. But gifts from relatives (spouse, children, and siblings) are fully exempt, irrespective of the amount involved. If MF units are gifted to non-relatives and if the value of such a gift exceeds 50000, the entire amount is taxable in the hands of the receiver. If the recipient sells the gifted MF units later, it will attract capital gains tax. The cost and holding period of the donor will also be considered for capital gains tax. Any income or gains generated from MF units gifted to a minor child or spouse will be taxed in the hands of the donor. But if the gift is given to parents, adult children, and siblings, then it will be taxed in their hands. Allirajan M is a journalist with over two decades of experience. He has worked with several leading media organisations in the country and has been writing on mutual funds for nearly 16 years. For all personal finance updates, visit here. Shocking details have emerged from the FIR lodged by the Delhi police against self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati alias Swami Parthasarathy for sexually harassing at least 17 women. Delhi police have registered a case against the Delhi Ashram Baba at Vasant Kunj North Police Station in the national capital. The self-styled godman stands accused of committing multiple acts of sexual harassment and misconduct. According to a report by NDTV, which has accessed the FIR, the Delhi Ashram Baba Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati has been named in several shocking allegations. Shocking FIR details against Delhi Ashram Baba As per the report, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati installed surveillance cameras inside the women's hostel of Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in Delhi, which he ran through Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri. Victims said that Parthasarathy forced physical contact and asked them to visit his room late at night, where he committed sexual atrocities. Also Read | Who is Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati? Delhi guru faces sexual harassment probe The Delhi baba sent lewd text messages over WhatsApp and SMS, and would force the women to accompany him on trips abroad. He even forced a female student to change her name against her will. According to News18 , Parthasarathy targeted women from the economically weaker sections at the institute. , Parthasarathy targeted women from the economically weaker sections at the institute. The FIR further said that some people close to the Chaitanyananda Saraswati allegedly compelled students to comply with his demands while ignoring their complaints. Students were allegedly threatened with suspension and denial of degrees and documents. Their interaction with parents and guardians was also limited. Delhi Police investigate case The complaint highlights communications received by Sri Sharada Peetham on July 28 and August 1, 2025, from a student and an Air Force officer, both flagging allegations of "sexual atrocities" committed by the accused. Acting on these inputs, the Peetham's Governing Council held a virtual meeting with over 30 women students on August 3. Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who referred to himself as sanchalak or chairman of the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management, is currently on the run, with Delhi Police forming teams to apprehend him. Further investigations into the case are underway. The Trump administration, last week, deported a Sikh woman from Punjab, who had lived in the US for over 30 years. Her attorney said that she was not even given a bed for 60-70 hours, and was made to sleep on the floor without a blanket. The Sikh woman, Harjit Kaur, alias Bibi ji was detained by immigration authorities in California after she went for a routine check, triggering protests and concerns among her family and community members. Later, she was handcuffed by the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials in the middle of the night, and transferred to a detention center in Bakersfield to Los Angeles and placed on a flight to Georgia without notifying the attorney, Kaur's attorney, Ahluwalia told PTI. Denied bed, shower According to the deported Sikh woman's attorney, Harjit Kaur was unable to get up after her gruelling flight as she had undergone a double knee replacement surgery. She was not even given a bed for nearly 60-70 hours, and made to sleep on the floor with a blanket. She was unable to get up as she had a double knee replacement surgery, said Ahluwalia. Also Read | Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil ordered deported to Syria or Algeria She was also denied a shower the entire time. Prior to the flight on Monday, she and some other detainees were given wet wipes and told to just clean up before boarding the plane from Georgia to Armenia. From Armenia, she came to Delhi on an ICE chartered plane." How many Indians have been deported? The US deported 1,703 Indian nationals from January 20 to July 22, 2025, including 141 women, Mint reported earlier. Also Read | Judge orders 14-day reprieve for 600 Guatemalan children facing deportation New Delhi: As India enters its peak festival and wedding season, the government has moved to restrict imports of plain silver jewellery to protect domestic manufacturers and safeguard jobs in the sector at a time of high demand. As per a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on Wednesday, plain silver jewellery has been been placed in a restricted category, which means that importers will require a valid authorisation from the DGFT to bring in such consignments. The decision comes after the commerce ministry noticed a surge in unstudded silver jewellery imports from some countries, including Thailand, over the past three months (April-June 2025), a senior government official said. The official added that much of the imported jewellery was entering India in the guise of finished products, undercutting domestic prices and threatening employment in the labour-intensive silver jewellery sector. The framework seeks to ensure genuine trade continues while preventing unfair practices that harm domestic manufacturers, another senior official said. It is particularly timely as we enter the festival and wedding season, when demand for silver ornaments peaks. Tenfold surge Imports of these products from Thailand had surged tenfold, rising from four tonnes to 40 tonnes during the AprilJune 2025 period. The share of imports from the Southeast Asian country also increased from 78% to 98%, raising suspicions of misuse, the officials added. Indias jewellery sector, which employs over 4.3 million people, typically sees a surge in production and retail activity during festival and wedding months. The restriction is expected to help domestic manufacturers capitalise on this peak season, prevent price undercutting by imported items, and ensure that local units benefit from the higher seasonal demand. Officials said that the step would provide a level-playing field for small and medium businesses while safeguarding livelihoods. The notification is expected to have minimal impact on genuine trade, as import authorisations will be granted to compliant businesses. Also Read | Punjab floods unlikely to hit India's basmati exports India primarily imports silver jewellery from China, UAE and Thailand. Silver prices have surged sharply this year, moving almost in line with gold, which is traditionally seen as the more precious of the two metals. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver futures for December delivery traded at around 1,34,336 per kilogram on Wednesday, reflecting an increase of about 40% so far in 2025. As the hunt for self-styled guru continues, a probe reportedly revealed that complaints from an alumnus and the Air Force headquarters alerted the management institute students of which had accused Saraswati of sexual harassment. Chaitanyananda Saraswati, a self-styled godman and "chairman" of a private management institute in southwest Delhi's Vasant Kunj, was booked for sexually harassing 17 students of the institute run by the Sri Sharada Peetham in Karnataka's Sringeri. Also Read | Who is Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati? Delhi guru faces sexual harassment probe As the hunt for Saraswati continues, news agency ANI claimed that the institute had received complaints against the self-styled guru from a student and an Air Force officer. Meanwhile, NDTV reported back-to-back complaints from an alumnus and the Air Force headquarters alerted the management about harassment incidents. Chaitanyananda Saraswati is absconding and the Delhi Police are all out to track him down. The case against Chaitanyananda Saraswati According to ANI, the Delhi Police registered a case of alleged sexual harassment against Chaitanyananda Saraswati based on a complaint filed at Vasant Kunj North Police Station in the national capital. The FIR stated that Chaitanyananda Saraswati has been accused of allegedly committing multiple acts of sexual harassment and misconduct. Chaitanyananda Saraswati (62), also known as Parthasarathy, was the director of the institute. The complaint said that the Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, revoked the Powers of Attorney issued to him in 2008. The complaint further highlighted that communications were received by the Peetham on July 28 and August 1, 2025 from a student and an Air Force officer flagging allegations of "sexual atrocities" committed by the accused. Meanwhile, NDTV cited the FIR, reporting that it was a letter from an alumnus that first alerted the management of Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management-Research. In her letter to the institute's management, a woman who had completed her studies there alleged that Chaitanyananda had been sexually harassing students at the institute. The institute reportedly received this letter on July 31. The next day, the institute received an email from a Group Captain rank officer in the Directorate of Education in the Air Force. This email flagged complaints by several students, who accused Chaitanyananda of threatening them and sending offensive messages, NDTV reported. According to the report, the Air Force directorate intervened because many of the institute's students came from families of Air Force personnel. What happened next? After receiving the two emails, the institute approached police and filed a complaint against Chaitanyananda. The management also submitted 300 pages of evidence against the self-styled godman, NDTV reported. The police then recorded the statements of students, and an FIR was registered. The institute revoked Chaitanyananda's power of attorney and formed a new governing council of 11 members. Besides, acting on these inputs, the Governing Council of the Peetham held a virtual meeting with over 30 women students on August 3. 'Lewd messages', cameras: The allegations against Chaitanyananda Saraswati In this meeting, the students alleged that they were sexually harassed and traumatised. They also claimed that those from economically weaker sections were allegedly pressured to visit the Chaitanyananda Saraswati's quarters at night. The FIR also mentioned allegations of lewd messages sent via WhatsApp and SMS, threats of withholding degrees and documents. Furthermore, the complaint alleged that surveillance cameras were installed inside the women's hostel under the pretext of security, and that some people close to the Chaitanyananda Saraswati allegedly compelled students to comply with the accused's demands while turning a blind eye to complaints. As per the complaint, students were threatened with suspension while limiting parental intervention. One case of a student being forced to change her name was also noted. Further investigation is underway. Amid the ongoing row over I Love Muhammad, there were reports of stone pelting incidents in both Karnataka and Gujarat. In Gujarat's Gandhinagar district, members of a minority community allegedly damaged several shops and vehicles and hurled stones at a village following the post, police said on Thursday. Here are the top ten updates on I Love Muhammad row: 1. The controversy began on September 4 during a Barawafat procession in Rawatpur village, located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. A light board reading I Love Muhammad was put up along the procession route for Eid Milad-un-Nabi, which celebrates the birth of Prophet Muhammad. However, local Hindu groups raised objections, calling it a new tradition that disrupted the established use of the area, which they noted is commonly used for Hindu festivals like Ram Navami. 2. In Karnataka, according to a report by India Today, Police said the incident started after youths from two communities got into a clash over the banner. SP Davanagere Uma Prashnath said, A banner written I love Muhammad was put up in Karl Marx Nagar. Another community said this needs to be removed. People had gathered from both sides, but the police immediately went and dispersed everyone. Now the situation is completely peaceful. On stone pelting, we have to go and inquire now. But within five minutes, the police had reached and brought it under control. The banner has also been removed now. 3. Meanwhile, a group from the minority community allegedly vandalised shops, damaged vehicles, and pelted stones in a village in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district in response to an objectionable social media post over the I heart Muhammad trend on X, police said on Thursday. 4.At around 11 pm on Wednesday, a large group broke the shutters of a shop belonging to the person who had put up a status on WhatsApp, which enraged the minority community members. They took out goods from his shop and burnt them, he said. The group later hurled stones on Hindu areas. In retaliation, stones were pelted at the group from Hindu areas," the official said. Heavy police security has been deployed and the situation has been brought under control, he said. 5. PTI reported citing officials, around 60 people from Bahiyal village in Dehgam taluka of Gujarat have been detained in connection with the rioting and clashes that occurred late Wednesday night. Four shops and five to six vehicles were damaged in the attack, they said. 6. "A social media post by a Hindu man on the ongoing trend 'I love Muhammad' enraged the minority community, which led to the attack," Gandhinagar SP Ravi Teja Vasamsetty said, as reported by PTI. 7. The online campaign quickly gained momentum on social media, with hashtags like #ILoveMuhammad trending across platforms. Users changed their profile pictures and widely shared images featuring the slogan in solidarity. 8. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi posted that "saying 'I Love Muhammad' is not a crime," emphasising that such expressions are protected under Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion. 9. Amid the 'I Love Muhammad' controversy, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday launched a veiled attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said, They only gain votes by playing the Hindu-Muslim card. On 'I Love Muhammad' row, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti told reporters here, ...Recently, a Muslim cleric in UP was caught, beaten, his beard torn, badly injured, and then asked to chant 'Jai Shree Ram'. If this isn't an offence, then why was 'I Love Muhammad' considered an offence? They only gain votes by playing the Hindu-Muslim card; otherwise, they wouldn't need to steal votes or resort to SIR... This is very unfortunate... Spreading this kind of poison in a country like India is a wake-up call... In a first, India on Wednesday successfully test fired the launch of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system, demonstrating the country's growing strength in the defence sector. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made the announcement on Thursday. The Agni Prime Missile is designed to cover a range of up to 2,000 kilometres. Sharing a video, Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the Armed Forces and the Strategic Forces Command (SFC). He said that the successful test fire of Agni Prime Missile has put India in the league of select nations who possess such advanced defence technologies. Also Read | DRDO conducts maiden flight Tests of Integrated Air Defence Weapon System Congratulations to@DRDO_India, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and the Armed Forces on successful test of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. This successful flight test has put India in the group of select nations having capabilities that have developed canisterised launch system from on the move rail network, Rajnath Singh said. Watch the video here: What is the Agni Prime Missile? India has carried out the successful launch of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. This next generation missile is designed to cover a range up to 2000 km and is equipped with various advanced features, Rajnath Singh said. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Agni Prime missile is equipped with all independent launch capability features. These include state-of-the-art communication systems and protection mechanisms. The first of its kind launch, Rajnath Singh said, was carried our from a designed Rail based Mobile Launcher. Also Read | DRDO successfully tests maiden flight trials of Stratoshperic Airship platform The Agni Prime missile has the capability to move on Rail network without any pre-conditions that allows User to have a cross country mobility and launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility, the Defence Minister said. According to his ministry, the Agni Prime missile trajectory was tracked by various ground stations and it was a text book launch meeting all mission objectives. This successful launch will enable futuristic rail-based systems induction into services, it said in a statement. The test-firing of the missile came over four-and-half-months after the four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan. New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) The Indian team has returned from the US after holding trade talks with their American counterparts in New York, an official said on Thursday. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who led the team, will be back on Friday. The team had arrived in New York on Monday to hold talks over the proposed trade agreement between the two countries. The talks are taking place at various levels, encompassing both trade and non-trade issues. Goyal was accompanied by senior officials from the ministry, including Special Secretary and India's chief negotiator, Rajesh Agrawal. "The Indian official team is back from the US," the official said. Goyal has held discussions with his US counterpart. This visit comes against the backdrop of recently concluded day-long discussions in New Delhi between US Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch and Agrawal on the proposed bilateral trade agreement. On September 16, the commerce ministry stated that the day-long discussions with the visiting US team on a bilateral trade deal were positive, and both sides agreed to push for an early and mutually beneficial conclusion of the agreement. The visit of high-ranking US trade officials came after the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff and an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian goods entering the American market for purchasing Russian crude oil. The visit also assumed significance amid the US administration's sudden decision to hike the application fee for H-1B visas to USD 1,00,000. Industry body Nasscom on Saturday said the US's move will impact India's technology services companies as business continuity will be disrupted for onshore projects that may require "adjustments". In February this year, leaders of the two countries directed officials to negotiate a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). It was planned to conclude the first tranche of the pact by the fall (October-November) of 2025. So far, five rounds of negotiations have been held. The pact is aimed at more than doubling the bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030 from the current USD 191 billion. Goyal had earlier visited Washington in May for the trade talks. During that visit, he held deliberations with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The US remained India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25, with bilateral trade valued at USD 131.84 billion (USD 86.5 billion exports). Samir Modi, brother of fugitive businessman and former IPL chief Lalit Modi, was granted bail on Thursday in a rape case filed by a former colleague. Additional Sessions Judge Deepak Vats of Saket District Court passed the order granting bail to Samir Modi. On September 23, Additional Sessions Judge Vipin Kharab had reserved the bail plea of businessman Samir Modi after hearing arguments from the complainant's side. Delhi Police had opposed the bail plea, citing that the accused is influential and poses a flight risk. The order was reserved after submissions by the victim's lawyers, including Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra, Shubham Mahajan and Ravish Thukral. Senior Advocate Ramesh Gupta, along with Shailendra Singh and Surya Pratap Singh, appeared for Samir Modi and rebutted the complainant's claims. On Monday, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) extended Samir Modi's judicial custody till October 6. He was produced before the court after the expiry of one day's custody. The Delhi Police filed its reply opposing Samir Modi's bail plea on September 20. Also Read | Lalit Modis brother Samir Modi arrested by Delhi police in rape case Why was Samir Modi arrested? On September 18, Samir Modi was detained by the Delhi Police upon his return from London. An FIR was lodged on September 10 at the New Friends Police Station under Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation), following which a Lookout Circular (LOC) was issued. On September 19, the Saket court granted the Delhi police a two-day remand of Samir Modi. He was sent to judicial custody on Sunday. According to the FIR, the complainant alleged that Samir Modi repeatedly raped, threatened and cheated her since 2019. She claimed he approached her on the pretext of offering career opportunities in the fashion industry. He later forced himself on her in December 2019 at his New Friends Colony residence. The woman further alleged she was continuously harassed, assaulted and blackmailed under false promises of marriage despite knowing she was already married, the police said. A massive fire broke out at Kolkatas Blue Cherry Guest Houses rooftop on Thursday. Three fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze, which was first reported around 1 PM. Huge smoke was seen billowing out of the guesthouse building located in the Anawar Shah Road area of south Kolkata. "Firefighting is underway. We are ensuring that no one is trapped inside the building," an officer was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Prima facie, the fire broke out due to an electrical short circuit, the officer added. No injuries were reported so far. The fire is said to be under control. Fire at JSW Steel plant in Maharashtra's Palghar In a separate incident, a fire broke out at a JSW Steel plant in the Palghar district of Maharashtra early on Thursday morning. The blaze, which began at 5 AM, erupted in the hydraulic oil system at the company's PLTCM (Pickling Line and Tandem Cold Mill) plant, located in the Boisar industrial area. According to Vivekanand Kadam, the chief of the district's disaster management cell, there were no casualties. The plant's emergency protocols were immediately activated, and the Boisar Industrial Estate fire brigade was dispatched to the scene. The fire was completely extinguished by 7.45 AM. The plant's management and local police are now assessing the extent of the property damage, while technical teams are conducting inspections to determine the precise cause of the fire. The JSW Steel facility in Boisar is one of the largest industrial units in the region. Shanties catch fire in Mumbai's Kurla A fire broke out in some shanties at a slum in Mumbais Kurla area on Wednesday afternoon. No casualties were reported in the fire. The blaze erupted around 12.15 PM in the shanties at Sevak Nagar located on Jarimari Road in Kurla west, following which at least four fire engines were rushed to the spot, a civic official said, according to a separate PTI report. This was the second fire incident in the city in a span of a few hours, after a gas cylinder explosion triggered a blaze in the suburban Kandivali area and left seven persons, including six women, with serious burns. India is weighing French-made engines for its fighter jets as talks over joint manufacturing with the US move at a sluggish pace, according to senior officials in New Delhi familiar with the matter. New Delhi is in talks with Paris-based Safran SA over the engines, the officials said, asking not to be identified as the discussions are still private. They did not clarify whether India would buy these engines or seek to jointly produce them. Indias advanced homegrown fighter, Tejas Mark-2, was to be powered by the US-made GE F-414 engine. Under the Biden administration, New Delhi and Washington had agreed to jointly manufacture the engines, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to diversify defense ties away from Russia. While talks with the US have slowed down recently, the two nations are still negotiating the joint manufacturing of GE F-414 engines in the country, the officials added. The South Asian country plans to build nearly 200 of these advanced jets to replace its British-made Jaguars and French-made Mirage-2000s, which are still flying but likely to be retired soon, the people said. India urgently wants build its defense capability after a near full-scale war with Pakistan involving air, drone and missile strikes, as well as artillery and small arms fire along their shared border earlier this year. Indias Ministry of Defence didnt respond to emails seeking comments. A media representative for Safran declined to comment. India is facing a shortage of fighter jets and is looking to scale up production through joint ventures with leading global defense manufacturers. The country is the worlds second-largest importer of weapons, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute but Modi aims to change that by boosting domestic manufacturing of military hardware. Earlier this year, India for the first time allowed domestic private firms to design and develop advanced warplanes to replace its aging fleet. The transition comes as India-US relations face their roughest patch in decades, after President Donald Trump slapped 50% tariffs on the South Asian country the highest in the region. Carl Pei, CEO and co-founder of the consumer technology brand Nothing, has revealed plans to expand the company's footprint in India. Following a meeting with Union Minister for Railways and Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw, Pei announced a manufacturing joint venture with Optiemus, one of the country's top technology manufacturers. Through this JV, Nothing aims to contribute significantly to India's tech ecosystem by investing $100 million and creating more than 1,800 jobs in the country over the next three years, Pei wrote in a X (formerly Twitter) post. Key details of the plan After discussing the plan with Vaishnaw, the company has decided to establish CMF, its sub-brand, as a subsidiary headquartered in India. The goal is to build it into the country's first global consumer tech brand. With our end-to-end capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to bring this vision to life, he said. After the meeting, Pei praised the government's Make in India initiative and described Minister Vaishnaw as a driving force behind India's thriving technology sector. "There is no doubt; India will play a key role in shaping the future of the global smartphone industry," Pei said. Also Read | Smartphone maker Nothing looks to Indias Gen Z for growth The purpose of the company to enter a joint venture is to localise its production, along with ensuring better supply chain management and faster innovation cycles, ANI reported. India's smartphone exports soar According to the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), India's smartphone exports in August 2025 increased by 39 per cent year-on-year, countering claims of a decline. The body also said that drawing inferences from month-on-month comparisons without context can be misleading, ANI reported. According to ICEA, exports grew from $1.09 billion in August 2024 to approximately $1.53 billion in August 2025. Shipments to the United States saw a remarkable increase, more than doubling to $965 million in August 2025, which is a 148 per cent rise from $388 million in August 2024. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, September 25. The two leaders exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in agriculture, fertilisers, food processing and other areas of mutual interest, the Prime Minister's Office said in a press release. It also informed that PM Modi conveyed his warm greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the PMO's statement, PM Modi told Patrushev that he looked forward to welcoming him to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. Earlier in September, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that PM Modi received a telephone call from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The MEA said that during the call, the Russian president conveyed greetings to PM Modi on his birthday and the leaders took stock of various issues of the bilateral agenda. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi received a telephone call today from the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. President Putin warmly conveyed his greetings on Prime Minister's 75th birthday. Prime Minister expressed his heartfelt appreciation for his wishes and enduring friendship, the MEA statement read. The statement further said, The two leaders took stock of various issues on the bilateral agenda in run up to 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. Prime Minister conveyed that he looks forward to welcoming President Putin to India later this year. PM Modi had then reiterated India's full support for peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict. The two leaders also agreed to remain in close touch, the statement highlighted. India-Russia Annual Summit PM Modi invited President Putin to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit scheduled to be held later this year. India and Russia are strategic partners and President Putins visit will be part of a scheduled annual dialog between the two countries. The announcement came amid 50 percent US tariff imposed on Indian exports, penalising the country for its Russian oil imports. Trumps decision to punish India came as negotiations between the two countries on a trade deal were expected to conclude. Indias external affairs ministry termed the imposition of additional tariffs as extremely unfortunate as other countries also trade with the Russian Federation. US President Donald Trump's administration also introducted new H-1B visa rules recently. In the wake of the US tariff announcement, India earlier signed agreements with Russia to deepen cooperation in aerospace science and technology as well in rare earth minerals, aluminum, fertilizers, railway transport and other sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan today, 25 September. The prime minister will inaugurate the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show-2025 at Greater Noida at around 9:30 AM. He will also address the gathering on the occasion, according to government statement. Thereafter, Prime Minister will visit Rajasthan and lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth 1,22,100 and address a public function at Banswara at around 1:45 PM. He will also interact with PM Kusum beneficiaries. The Greater Noida Visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show-2025 (UPITS-2025) at Greater Noida in Gautam Buddha Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh to begin his engagements for the day. The trade show, under the theme Ultimate Sourcing Begins Here, is being held from 25 to 29 September. UPITS-2025 will highlight the states diverse craft traditions, modern industries, robust MSMEs, and emerging entrepreneurs on a single platform. Key sectors that will be represented include handicrafts, textiles, leather, agriculture, food processing, IT, electronics, AYUSH among others. It will also feature Uttar Pradeshs rich art, culture, and cuisine under one roof, the government said. Russia participating as a partner country Russia will participate as a partner country adding strategic significance opening avenues for bilateral trade, technology exchange, and long-term cooperation. Over 2,400 exhibitors; 1,25,000 B2B visitors; and 4,50,000 B2C visitors will participate in the trade show, the governmnet statement said. On September 26, the RussiaIndia Business Dialogue will bring together policymakers, industrialists, financial institutions, insurance firms, and academia from both nations. This is the third edition of the mega event Since its inception, UPITS has grown remarkably in scale and impact. The inaugural 2023 edition, opened by President Droupadi Murmu, featured 1,914 exhibitors and 400 foreign buyers. Also Read | PM Modi condoles demise of Saudi Arabia's grand mufti The second edition, inaugurated by then-Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, expanded to 2,122 exhibitors, 350 foreign buyers, and 500,000 visitors, generating export orders worth over 2,200 crore and direct sales of 40 crore. One District One Product A major highlight will be the One District One Product (ODOP) Pavilion, featuring 343 stalls dedicated to the signature products of each district. From Bhadohi carpets and Firozabad glasswork to Moradabad metalware and Saharanpur woodcraft, these displays will showcase the journey of UP's craftsmanship from local to global. The pavilion will also open opportunities for networking, business collaborations, and partnerships involving startups, designers, and international buyers, it added. PM Modi in Rajasthan The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects of the central and state government worth over 1,22,100 crore at Banswara in Rajasthan later in the day. The prime minister will lay the foundation stone of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltds (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (4X700 MW) worth around 42,000 crore. Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of green energy projects worth around 19,210 crore in Rajasthan. He will inaugurate solar projects at Phalodi, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Sikar among others. He will also lay the foundation stone of the solar project at Bikaner. PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of three power transmission projects worth over 13,180 crore under Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) initiative of Government of India, which aims to develop 181.5 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 across eight states. Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate Feeder Level Solarization projects of 3517 MW, worth over 16,050 crore, in the states of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka under PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) Scheme (Component C). Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone of construction of flyovers at Bharatpur city, a bridge over the Banas River, and 116 Atal Pragati Path projects. He will also inaugurate and dedicate to the nation multiple road projects related to National and State Highways in Barmer, Ajmer, Dungarpur districts among others. These projects worth over 2,630 crore will improve regional road connectivity, ensure smoother traffic and enhance road safety. Also Read | PM Modi living inspiration for millions: VP Radhakrishnan Prime Minister Modi will flag off three trains, Vande Bharat Express Train between Bikaner and Delhi Cantt, Vande Bharat Express Train between Jodhpur & Delhi Cantt and Udaipur City Chandigarh Express. These trains will significantly improve connectivity between Rajasthan and other northern states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, September 25, addressed the 14th edition of the World Food India 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi and invited global investments in the country's food processing sector, saying this is the right time. PM Modi said the country holds the triple strength of diversity, demand, and scale, urging the food processing industry to invest in innovations in biodegradable packaging and transition to eco-friendly materials. PM Modi said India kept its doors open for investments and collaborations in the food processing sector. India is the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem, with many start-ups working in the food and agriculture sectors. India is continuously contributing to global food security, PM Modi said. The prime minister said, This is the right time to invest in India...We are open to investors engaged in the food (processing) chain. We are ready for collaboration. I urge everyone to invest in India as there are huge opportunities. The government is promoting the food processing sector. The processing capacity has increased 20 times in the last 10 years, and the export of food items has doubled, he added. Also Read | India tells WTO it wont lift wheat export ban PM Modi stated that India produces every type of grain, fruit, and vegetable, and this diversity makes the country uniquely positioned in the global landscape. He noted that every hundred kilometers, the cuisine and its flavors change, reflecting Indias rich culinary variety, the Prime Minister's Office said in a press release. India is operating at an unprecedented and extraordinary scale. In the past ten years, 25 crore people have overcome poverty and are now part of the neo middle classIndias most energetic and aspirational segment, the prime minister remarked. PM Modi also pointed out that technologies like AI, e-commerce, drones, and apps are being integrated into the sector, transforming supply chains, retail, and processing methods. He affirmed that India offers diversity, demand, and innovationall key factors that make it the most attractive destination for investment. WASHINGTONBig U.S. companies are facing heightened scrutiny from Capitol Hill over their use of foreign employees on H-1B visas , with lawmakers raising concerns about layoffs and slumping job prospects for Americans. On Wednesday evening, Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) sent letters to the countrys largest users of H-1B visasincluding Amazon, Apple and JPMorgan Chaseasking them to explain why they continue to hire thousands of H-1B visa holders while also cutting other jobs. The senators asked for detailed information on how many H-1B workers the companies employ, what wages they are paid, and whether American workers have been displaced in the process. The letters cited reporting by the Journal about the weak tech job market. The move comes less than a week after President Trump announced an overhaul of the H-1B program, including a new $100,000 fee for companies sponsoring foreign workers. That move caused panic for some companies worried they could retroactively be on the hook for fee payments. They mobilized HR teams and lawyers to address employee concerns and ensure compliance. The H-1B system, created in 1990, is the primary pathway for foreign professionals to work in the U.S. Roughly 700,000 people currently live in the country on H-1B visas, according to a National Foundation for American Policy analysis of government data, with technology firms among the biggest users. Most H-1B holders are from India and China. Amazon, the largest H-1B sponsor in the U.S., won approval for more than 14,000 new hires on the visa in fiscal 2025the most of any companyeven as it has announced layoffs affecting tens of thousands of jobs in recent years. With all of the homegrown American talent relegated to the sidelines, we find it hard to believe that Amazon cannot find qualified American tech workers to fill these positions," the senators wrote to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Aside from Amazon, Apple, and JP Morgan, the other companies receiving letters included Deloitte, Alphabets Google, Meta, Microsoft, Walmart, Cognizant Technology Solutions and Tata Consultancy Services. The firms were asked to respond by Oct. 10. Trumps announcement has already rattled American businesses. In the days after the policy was unveiled, companies scrambled to assess its reach. Microsoft and JPMorgan were among the companies that advised H-1B employees to remain in the U.S. or return immediately, fearing they could be barred from re-entry or hit with unexpected costs. To hire H-1B workers, employers have to attest they will pay them the same wage as other workers with similar experience and qualifications, or the prevailing wage in the field in which they will be working. In 2024, recipients earned a median salary of $120,000, nearly double the median earnings of roughly $62,000 a year for a full-time worker in the U.S. In an effort to crack down on immigration, US President Donald Trump last week signed a proclamation raising the fee for H-1B visas to a whopping $100,000. While the move is expected to significantly impact Indian technology workers and others on H-1B visas, India's former permanent representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin, on Thursday underscored that the situation is both a challenge and an opportunity. Every challenge provides opportunities, Syed Akbaruddin pointed out while speaking about the H-1B visa fee hike. If America is hesitating to take talent, Bengaluru should take it or Canada will take it. Talent will go where opportunity is, he observed. While speaking to ANI, Akbaruddin said, ...H-1B was a bridge between the US and India. However, today it's not seen as a ladder but as a loophole...Taxing talent is a race we will both lose. Partners don't choke talent, they actually channelise talent. A $100,000 toll on a bridge of talent will hurt both sides of that bridge...We need to handle the dreams of young people very carefully. If tariff is tax on goods, this toll on H-1B is a tax on trust... Previously, we used to call it brain drain; now we can look at it as brain gain...Global capability centres can become India's H-1B visa because if you do not allow talent to go out, then work will come inside and talent will migrate here. So, we need to look at it not as a loss but as a need to recalibrate, he noted. Akbaruddin addressed concerns that the overhaul could scuttle high-end Indian employment in the US, emphasising the programme's role in bridging differences. "Thousands of young Indians who have bridged the difference between India and the US have benefited, and so has US society. That it's not a situation that should have come about," he stated. President Trump, on September 19, signed the executive order to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications. According to the proclamation, there will now be a USD 100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications, a sharp increase from the previous level of about USD 1,500. According to the US State Department, the new fee requirement applies only to individuals or companies filing new H-1B petitions or entering the lottery system after September 21. Current visa holders and petitions submitted before that date remain unaffected. Under the proclamation, a USD 100,000 payment must accompany every new H-1B visa petition filed after the deadline, including entries in the 2026 lottery. The announcement triggered immediate chaos in the United States: Silicon Valley companies warned employees against travelling abroad, foreign workers rushed to book return flights, and immigration lawyers worked overtime to decode the order. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has announced the immediate closure of all its locations. The move comes after years of expansion, with 16 locations remaining at the time of closure, including 10 in Pennsylvania, as well as restaurants in New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia. An internal email to employees, accessed by Breweries in PA, detailed the companys decision. The message read: Due to ongoing financial challenges, the company has made the difficult decision to file for bankruptcy and, regrettably, will be permanently closing its doorsWe are committed to supporting our team members during this transition and will provide information regarding final paychecks, benefits, and resources for finding new employment. Company statement to customers Iron Hill posted on Facebook and Instagram: Its been our pleasure to serve you, and we are deeply grateful for your support, friendship, and loyalty over the years. We sincerely hope to return in the future, and when we do, we promise to welcome you with open arms. Founded in 1996 by Delaware homebrewers Kevin Finn and Mark Edelson, Iron Hill poured its first beer at its Newark location near the University of Delaware. Over nearly three decades, it grew to more than a dozen locations, including expansion into South Carolina and Georgia. A planned 20th location at Temple University never opened. Recent closures This mass shutdown follows the closure of three locations in Chestnut Hill, Voorhees, and Newark, Delaware, two weeks prior. Local impact The Lancaster, Pennsylvania, location at 781 Harrisburg Ave., opened in 2007, seated 280 patrons, and was among the chains most established restaurants. With the closure, the community loses a longstanding craft beer destination. Bankruptcy filing As of Thursday morning, bankruptcy filings were not yet accessible in online court records. President Donald Trump has assured Arab leaders that he will not allow Israel to annex the already occupied West Bank, NBC News reported citing sources, amid growing concerns following moves by multiple countries to formally recognize Palestinian statehood. The comments came during a presentation of Trumps 21-point plan for peace in the Middle East to Arab leaders in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Politico first reported the details of the meeting. Trumps 21-point peace plan Trumps special envoy, Steve Witkoff, described the meeting with leaders from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey as productive. Speaking at the Concordia Annual Summit, Witkoff was quoted as saying by the news outlet: We presented what we call the Trump 21-point plan for peace in the Mideast, in Gaza. I think it addresses Israeli concerns, as well as the concerns of all the neighbors in the region. And were hopeful, and I might say even confident, that in the coming days, well be able to announce some sort of breakthrough. However, it remains unclear what concrete advances have been achieved, with prior promises of progress failing to halt Israels military operations in Gaza or secure the release of hostages. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: Theres been enough. Its time to stop now. US diplomatic position Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Gulf foreign ministers on Wednesday and stressed the US commitment to resolving the conflict: We understand very clearly that the situation in Gaza, the situation with Israel and Gaza, is a key concern for everyone in this room here today. We want this conflict to end. We want it to end immediately some very important work is ongoing, even as we speak, and hoping to achieve this as soon as possible. Ongoing Gaza conflict The situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with Israel pursuing a military campaign in Gaza City. Netanyahu has maintained that a Palestinian state will not be established under his watch, and Israel has advanced settlement plans splitting the West Bank, drawing international condemnation. Palestinian perspective: Abbas addresses UNGA Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly via video after the US revoked his visa last month. Abbas called Israels campaign in Gaza a: war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement. He emphasized that Palestinians reject Hamas October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and clarified: Hamas will have no role to play in governance. The Palestinian Authority, Abbas noted, is ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza. Global diplomatic implications Western nations, including several EU members, have expressed outrage over Israels offensive, recognizing Palestinian statehood or contemplating sanctions and tariffs. Also Read | What recognition of Palestine as a state means for global diplomacy The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flash flood warnings for parts of Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Texas as heavy thunderstorms dump several inches of rain, causing dangerous flooding conditions in multiple regions. Massachusetts Bristol & Plymouth Counties, Rhode Island Warning in effect until 11:45 AM EDT. Areas affected: Central Bristol County and southwestern Plymouth County in Massachusetts, along with Bristol and Newport Counties in Rhode Island. Rainfall: Between 12 inches have already fallen, with expected rates of 1.53 inches per hour. Impacts: Flash flooding is ongoing or imminent in Fall River, Taunton, Dartmouth, Newport, Bristol, and nearby towns. Hazard: Streets, underpasses, low-lying areas, and small streams are at risk. Kentucky & Ohio Boyd, Greenup, and Lawrence Counties Warning extended until 10:15 AM EDT. Areas affected: Northwestern Boyd County and southeastern Greenup County in Kentucky, plus southwestern Lawrence County in Ohio. Rainfall: 3.5 to 5 inches already recorded, with another 0.51 inch possible. Impacts: Flash flooding confirmed in Flatwoods and Russell (KY) and Ironton (OH). Hazard: Significant flooding of small creeks, urban streets, and low-lying neighborhoods is underway. Texas Webb County Warning extended until 8:30 AM CDT. Areas affected: South Central Webb County, including Laredo, Rio Bravo, and El Cenizo. Rainfall: Intense thunderstorms producing flooding conditions across the region. Impacts: Flooding expected near major roadways, schools, Laredo International Airport, and medical facilities. Hazard: Poor drainage areas, creeks, and underpasses are especially vulnerable. News / Regional by Simbarashe Sithole A machete-wielding suspected robber who broke into a 52-year-old woman's bedroom at midnight and stole money, clothes, a cellphone and a power bank.The matter came to light at Plumtree Magistrates' Court on Thursday, where Meison Ncube (26) appeared before Magistrate Joshua Nembaware, facing a robbery charge.He was remanded in custody to October 6.The state alleged that on September 15, around midnight, Ncube broke into Jerina Zebeni Mungombe's room and stole money, cellphone, power bank and clothes.He was arrested on September 22 while at the shops, while trying to reset the stolen phone.Sheila Nyathi prosecuted. US President Donald Trump shook the tech industry last Friday, September 19, by announcing a whopping fee hike in H-1B visas, raising the cost to $100,000, nearly 50 times the previous fee. The announcement triggered immediate chaos in the United States: Silicon Valley companies warned employees against travelling abroad, foreign workers rushed to book return flights, and immigration lawyers worked overtime to decode the order. On September 20, the White House clarified that the fee would apply only to new applications and would be a one-time charge. Nevertheless, despite the clarification, the future of the H-1B programme long criticised for undercutting American workers but praised for bringing in top global talentremains uncertain. Here's how the new rules may impact Indian and Chinese professionals, and American industries. How will the changes in the immigration rules impact the Indian & Chinese tech professionals? India by far remains the largest beneficiary of H-1B visas, accounting for 71% of approved applications last year, while China was a distant second at 11.7%, according to US government data. Indias $283 billion IT sector, which earns around 57% of its revenue from the United States, is expected to be hit hard. Tech veterans, analysts, and economists say the $100,000 H-1B visa fee will disrupt the long-standing practice of rotating skilled talent into US-based projects. IT firms with clients such as Apple, JPMorgan Chase, Walmart, Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet's Google may now pause onshore rotations, accelerate offshore delivery, and ramp up hiring of US citizens, Reuters reported. However, experts predict that while India or China may feel the immediate impact, the ripple effects could be even more far-reaching within the United States. As per BBC, Indian outsourcing giants like TCS and Infosys have already begun building local workforces and shifting delivery offshore. "With employers reluctant to commit to the heavy cost of sponsorship, we could see greater reliance on remote contracting, offshore delivery and gig workers," Aditya Narayan Mishra of CIEL HR, a leading staffing firm, told BBC. How will it impact US industries? Experts warn that the fee hike will force US companies to radically change their hiring policies and offshore significant amounts of their operations, potentially undermining US innovation and competitiveness. Gil Guerra, an immigration policy analyst, said, The demand for new workers in fields like tech and medicine [in US] is projected to increase (albeit in uneven ways), and given how specialised and critical these fields are, a shortage that lasts even a few years could have a serious impact on the US economy and national well-being. Additionally, more international students from India and China will now consider alternative destinations for study, which could impact the American university system. Who will benefit most? Several countries are strengthening their tech and STEM talent pools and are positioning themselves to attract global talent priced out of US jobs due to the H-1B visa fee hike. As the H-1B visa fee hike and tariffs continue to be the turbulence between India and the United States ties, a senior State Department official has said that President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi share a very, very positive and will surely meet. The US official also underlined that planning is underway for the next Quad Summit, expected either later this year or in early 2026. India is slated to host leaders from the US, Australia, and Japan for the Quad summit. The 2024 edition of the summit was held in the US at Wilmington, Delaware. Speaking with news agency PTI, the US official said, In terms of meetings coming soon, I certainly don't want to get ahead of announcing anything for the President, but I'm sure you'll see the two [PM Modi and President Trump] meet. They have a very, very positive relationship. We've got a Quad Summit, we're working on planning, so at some point that will happen, if not this year, early next year. Working on the dates of that, the official said. The official also described the ongoing engagements between the US and India as incredibly productive and said, continuous positive developments are expected in the coming months. He also referred President Trump's birthday phone call to PM Modi and said the exchange between the two leaders was incredibly positive. We have differences. It's been clear over the last few weeks that we've been working through some differences, particularly when it comes to trade and the purchase of Russian oil. We're working through those, the official said. Speaking of the ongoing issues between the US and India, the official said President Trump is candid about his views and not shy when he is frustrated with countries. We're frank with our friends and we see India as a good friend and as a partner, and as really a partner of the future, the official said. Trump wants to end Ukraine war Speaking of the India's purchase of Russian oil a reason for America's addition 25 per cent tariff imposition on Indian products the official said the matter was discussed in the meeting between Rubio and Jaishankar. He said, The President has been incredibly clear. He wants to end the war in Ukraine. He does not want revenue going through Russia... He's been clear with our European partners. He's been clear with India. So we raise that at every opportunity that we wish to cut off this revenue stream for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. When asked why the same approach was not taken with China, he explained it was because Beijing was being addressed on its own terms. Lance Twiggs was seen as a gifted pianist at a magnet school for high achievers in St. George, Utah. As a teenager, Twiggs excelled at piano, performing Gershwins Prelude No. 1 in a 2020 recital, while his brother played Chopin. He was a great kid. He was nice. He worked hard. I heard all good things, recalled Ben Kaufman, superintendent of Twiggs high school, in comments to The Post. Now, that image has given way to a far more complicated picture from a once-promising musician to the mysterious transgender partner of Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Magnet school for the gifted Twiggs attended Dixie Success Academy later renamed Utah Tech Success Academy a selective program inside Utah Tech University. Students there took accelerated courses, often graduating with an associates degree worth of credits. The school attracts students that have been bored through school and want to excel, Kaufman told The Post, adding that extracurricular activities were virtually nonexistent because of the intense workload. Trouble at home Twiggs upbringing in a strict Mormon household appears to have been a turning point. According to one relative, [His father] thought he wasnt being respectful and was problematic, so they kicked him out. The relative also alleged Twiggs was using drugs and alcohol, and was addicted to [online] gaming, in comments to Fox News. But friends dispute that account. Braylon Nielsen, 19, told The Post the real reason was Twiggs rejection of the Mormon faith. He had straight As. He was very hardworking, Nielsen said. Not a big partier [] He just took care of people. She added that after Twiggs became homeless, her family often took him in. It was on and off. He was bouncing couches. He would live with us for a few months, but didnt like taking up our couch. He would crash with friends, she said. A radical shift Relatives described Twiggs as becoming really detached and politically extreme. One family member told Fox News: He hates conservatives and Christians. He hated us. He was not raised that way, but he, over the years, has become really detached [and] been radicalized. Life with Tyler Robinson Twiggs graduated in 2022, the same year Tyler Robinson now charged in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk finished at Pine View High, just four miles away. Robinson briefly attended Utah State University but dropped out after one semester. He later enrolled in Dixie Technical College as an electrician apprentice and moved into the same apartment as Twiggs. A third roommate soon left, leaving the pair living together for more than a year. It remains unclear when the relationship began, but Twiggs told friends he wanted them to meet his new boyfriend Robinson, according to The Post. Ambitions At the time of Robinsons arrest on September 12, Twiggs had listed his occupation as digital creator on Facebook. He aspired to be a professional gamer, though his actual source of income is uncertain. One report suggested he worked as a plumber. Despite family tensions, banking records reviewed by The Post show Twiggs parents continued sending him money for doctor visits, prescriptions, piano lessons, and even dog sitting. Charlie Kirk assassination case On September 10, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University. Robinson, 22, was arrested days later and charged on September 17 with aggravated murder and other crimes. Court filings reviewed by The Post revealed Robinson confessed to Twiggs during a 33-hour manhunt in a series of text messages, which Twiggs later shared with police. Robinson also expressed resentment toward his fathers support of President Donald Trump: Since Trump got into office [my dad] has been pretty diehard MAGA, he wrote in messages to Twiggs. President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that he was the victim of three very sinister events during his time at the United Nations, adding that the Secret Service would probe the incidents. Writing on his social media platform Wednesday, Trump said a series of mishaps at the UN had left him in a sour mood, suggesting they were part of a broader plot against him. What Trump said? In a long Truth Social post, Trump said, A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday Not one, not two, but three very sinister events! First, the escalator going up to the Main Speaking Floor came to a screeching halt. It stopped on a dime. Its amazing that Melania and I didnt fall forward onto the sharp edges of these steel steps, face first. It was only that we were each holding the handrail tightly or, it would have been a disaster. This was absolutely sabotage, as noted by a days earlier post in The London Times that said UN workers joked about turning off an escalator. The people that did it should be arrested! Then, as I stood before a Television crowd of millions of people all over the World, and important Leaders in the Hall, my teleprompter didnt work. It was stone cold dark. I immediately thought to myself, Wow, first the escalator event, and now a bad teleprompter. What kind of a place is this? I then proceeded to make a Speech without a teleprompter, which kicked in about 15 minutes later. The good news is the Speech has gotten fantastic reviews. Maybe they appreciated the fact that very few people could have done what I did. And third, after making the Speech, I was told that the sound was completely off in the Auditorium where the Speech was made, that World Leaders, unless they used the interpreters earpieces, couldnt hear a thing. The first person I saw at the conclusion of the Speech was Melania, who was sitting right up front. I said, How did I do? And she said, I couldnt hear a word you said. This wasnt a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. Im sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation. No wonder the United Nations hasnt been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do. All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved. Thank you for your attention to this matter! The president was attending the UN General Assembly, where he gave a speech excoriating the institution for having squandered its potential. Also Read | Whoopi Goldberg raises concerns following Trumps UNGA address on escalator Kathryn Nester, a veteran defense attorney with over 30 years of experience in federal and state courtrooms, has been appointed to represent Tyler Robinson, charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University earlier this month. Nester previously led federal public defender offices in Salt Lake City and San Diego for more than a decade and has handled prior capital murder and complex fraud cases. Appointment by Utah County Commission Nester was selected under a contract with the Utah County Commission, which appoints attorneys for defendants who cannot afford private counsel. This action fulfills the Commissions constitutional responsibility to ensure that individuals accused of a crimewho cannot afford legal representationare provided with a qualified defense, Utah County officials said. Background Her law firm, Nester-Lewis, previously represented Kouri Richins, a Utah mother accused of murdering her husband with fentanyl, a case that drew national attention. Richins has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Charges against Tyler Robinson Robinson faces multiple serious charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child. Prosecutors have announced their intent to seek the death penalty. Incident details The shooting occurred on September 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Kirk was transported to a hospital in critical condition, where he later died. Robinson remains held without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 29. Also Read | Lance Twiggs: From gifted pianist to partner of Charlie Kirk murder suspect Denmark's Aalborg Airport, used for both commercial and military flights, was closed for a few hours on Thursday night after unauthorised drones were seen in its airspace. The incident created panic as it cametwo days after Copenhagen Airport was similarly shut down due to drone activity, raising fresh concerns over aviation security in the region. However, the defence minister later clarified that drone flights over Danish airports 'systematic' operation by professional actor Northern Jutland police told reporters that "more than one drone" had been sighted near Aalborg Airport, flying with lights switched on. The drones were first sighted at about 9:44 pm (1944 GMT) on Wednesday and remained in the airspace until the time of the press briefing at 12:05 am on Thursday. Northern Jutland police said initially they could not specify the type of drones or whether they were the same as those flying over Copenhagen Airport on Monday. Also Read | India, Pak extend airspace closure for aircraft till 24 October Southern Jutland police later posted on X that drones had also been sighted near the airports in the Danish towns of Esbjerg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup. Danish police later confirmed that the unidentified drone activity seen in North Jutland was no longer present over the airspace at Aalborg Airport. Copenhagen Airport drone sighting According to the Danish administration, the drone sighting at Copenhagen Airport is being treated as the most serious attack yet on the country's critical infrastructure. Authorities have linked it to a series of suspected Russian drone incursions and other disruptions across Europe. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commented that the drones which halted flights at Copenhagen Airport were part of a "pattern of persistent contestation at our borders." Also Read | EU chief Ursula von der Leyen wants Europe to stop buying Russian oil by Meanwhile, Norwegian authorities also shut the airspace at Oslo airport for three hours on Monday evening after a drone was spotted. Norwegian and Danish authorities are in close contact regarding Monday's incidents, although no connection has yet been established, Espen Barth Eide, Norway's foreign minister, said on Wednesday. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his speech at the UN General Assembly, reaffirmed the resolve of his people amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Speaking via video after being denied a US visa, Abbas emphasized the Palestinian commitment to their homeland and rights. Rejecting Hamas and pledging governance Abbas addressed Palestinians directly, rejecting the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and asserting that the militant group would have no role in governing Gaza after the conflict. He said: The dawn of freedom will emerge. Hamas will have no role to play in governance. They will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian authorities. He presented the Palestinian Authority as a viable alternative to Hamas, declaring: The Palestinian Authority is ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza. Highlighting the humanitarian crisis Abbas described the situation in Gaza as dire, saying Palestinians have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement at the hands of Israel. He accused Israel of committing crimes against humanity and urged the international community to take action: The time has come for the international community to do right by the Palestinian people, so that they may obtain their legitimate rights and not remain a hostage to the temperament of Israeli politics. Call for international recognition and support The Palestinian leader welcomed recent recognition of statehood by countries including France, the UK, and Canada, but noted that symbolic gestures are insufficient. He urged the remaining nations to follow suit and support Palestinian sovereignty. Abbas said: The dawn of freedom will emerge, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our skies as a symbol of dignity, steadfastness and being free from the occupation. Two-state vision and challenges Abbas reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution alongside Israel, noting that it has gained traction internationally but remains distant from the realities on the ground. He highlighted the lack of Israeli cooperation, stating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government has rejected Palestinian authority in Gaza and is considering annexation in parts of the West Bank. There can be no justice if Palestine is not freed, Abbas said, calling for urgent international intervention to secure Palestinian rights. Also Read | Who is Olena Zelenska and why did she seek to meet Melania Trump? All on her Appeal to Palestinians Ending on a message of hope and resilience, Abbas told his people: No matter how long the suffering continues, its results will not break our will to live and survive. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday will hold a private Oval Office discussion with Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the White House schedule shows. The meeting is significant as it comes amid the souring relations between the US and India. Sharif will arrive in Washington after attending the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York. Warming ties between the US and Pakistan US-Pakistan ties have warmed up in recent months under Trump rule. For years, Washington had leaned on India to counter Chinas influence in Asia. But relations with New Delhi have soured over issues such as visa hurdles for Indians, high tariff rates imposed by Trump on goods from India and Trump's repeated claims that he brokered an India-Pakistan ceasefire in May. Following the tension with the Modi administration, Trump welcomed Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir earlier this year, the first time a US president hosted the head of Pakistan's army - widely regarded as the most powerful figure in the country - at the White House, unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials. Pakistan has backed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, although Islamabad has condemned the US ally Israel's bombardments in Gaza, Qatar and Iran. Also Read | Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir holds first talks with Chinese President Xi Also, the United States and Pakistan announced a trade deal on July 31 with a 19% tariff rate imposed by Washington. On Tuesday, Sharif also had an informal exchange with Trump following a meeting between the US President and leaders of eight Islamic-Arab countries, which also included Pakistan. What White House said about the meeting? "We're working through a number of issues when it comes to counter-terrorism, when it comes to economic and trade ties," a senior State Department official told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday when asked about Pakistan. "And so the president remains focused on advancing US interests in the region, that includes through engaging with Pakistan and their government leaders," the official said. According to the schedule, Trump will also sign executive orders before meeting with Sharif, including the potential finalisation of the TikTok security deal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that his primary goal remains ending the Russian invasion, and he is ready to leave office once that is achieved. If we finish [the] war with [the] Russians, Im ready not to go for the second term because its not my goal elections, Zelensky said. I wanted very much in a very difficult period of time to be with my country, help my country. My goal is to finish the war, Zelensky told Axios. Possible elections during ceasefire Zelensky left open the possibility of holding elections during a ceasefire with Russia, even if a permanent peace deal is not reached. During the cease-fire, I think security can give the possibility to have elections, he said. It can be so. Postponed elections Zelensky, 47, was elected in April 2019 for a five-year term. Ukraines scheduled March 2024 elections have been postponed indefinitely under martial law due to the ongoing Russian invasion, prompting some critics to accuse him of consolidating power. Artificial intelligence (AI) will not save us. But people using AI might. Everywhere I go, I hear the same breathless excitement. Generative AI is hailed as the new saviour. Some worship it as the ultimate game-changer. Others whisper about disruption and doom. Valuations climb, pilot projects multiply and everyone seems desperate to be the first to claim theyve cracked the AI code. But fire illuminates and blinds in equal measure. Transformations can take long: History is full of technological promises that did not arrive overnight. Electricity took more than 30 years to change how we lived and worked. Why? Because dangerous currents had to be made safe, buildings had to be rewired, tools re-engineered and new systems imagined. The internet followed the same arc. The 1990s promised instant fortunes in the click economy. By 2000, the dotcom bubble had wiped out trillions in market value. Yet, from that wreckage came Google, Amazon and the architecture of the digital age. The collapse wasnt failureit was the clearing of the runway for serious transformation. AI is no different. You cant just retrofit yesterdays design and expect tomorrows results. True change demands time, courage and reinvention. Also Read | In the age of AI, marketers need to be algorithm whisperers The wrong question: Most companies are asking the wrong question. They want to know: Which AI tool should we adopt? What pilot should we run? Which function should we automate? Valid questions, yesbut not the first ones. The more important ones are: Are we willing to unlearn the old rules and rethink the new? Which problems really matter now? Can we re-imagine the nature of work itself? Smarter questions, not software: The business leaders who will harness AIs true power will ask What should we become?" rather than What should we adopt?" This is not about smarter software, but about smarter questions. Too many leaders are squeezing AI into existing workflows like an ill-fitting part. A few are setting up AI labs or rolling out new strategies, but rarely do I see a company restructuring decision-making, re-engineering processes or rewarding employees for taking intelligent risks. The danger is not that we miss the AI wave; its that we ride it blindly. Take education. AI will never replace teachers, just as the internet never erased classrooms. Learning is about human connection, empathy, motivation and trust. The revolution occurs when technology empowers teachers to do more. Or look at healthcare. Hospitals that successfully re-engineered diagnostic workflows with AI did not hand decisions over to algorithms. They used AI to triage urgent cases instantly, route results to the right doctors and reduce delays. Doctors gained time to focus on critical judgement and care. Many startups are using AI to analyse markets, but the final calls rest with human intuition. Across sectors, one truth is clear: AI is the co-pilot, not the captain. Its value comes not from automation, but from amplification. Slow is fast: Sometimes, the fastest way forward is to slow down. Start with problems, not tools. Ask where your workflows are broken and whether AI can help redesign and not just automate them. Create labs that dont merely demo AI, but prototype entirely new ways of working. Train humans first, beginning with the leaders themselves. Redefine performance indicators so you measure not only AI adoption or outputs, but also the culture of experimentation and collaboration it sparks. Above all, lead visibly. Employees dont follow technology, they follow intent. Trust at the centre: AI can hallucinate, distort or leak sensitive data. These are not IT issues but business continuity risks. Without trust, employees will resist, customers will withdraw and regulators will intervene. With trust, AI can become a multiplier of innovation. We need strong governance and embedded transparency, with identity, access and data consent being non-negotiable. The human work ahead: Will AI reshape industries? Yes. But not because we panicked or raced to replace people with machines. It will happen because we slowed down to integrate it with intent. Because we re-engineered systems, redefined leadership and respected the profoundly human nature of change. Enterprise-wide AI adoption is still at the pilot stage. Productivity gains are visible but fragmented. We are not at a tipping point, but only at the beginning. The future will not come by accident, but because we did the hard work of preparing for it. That work is slow, messy and human. There lies a paradox: the AI revolution is less about machines and more about us. The author is founder chairman, Sampark Foundation ATHENS, Greece (AP) Activists in a flotilla seeking to break Israel's blockade of Gaza said Wednesday that some of their boats were attacked by drones south of Greece, prompting Spain and Italy to send navy vessels for possible rescues. The Global Sumud Flotilla said it was attacked during the night by unidentified drones and communications jamming. It said that at least 13 explosions" were heard on and around several flotilla boats, while drones or aircraft dropped unidentified objects on at least 10 boats. No casualties were reported but there was damage to the vessels and widespread obstruction in communications, it added. Activists posted a brief video showing what appeared to be an explosion on or near one of the vessels. Greeces coast guard did not report any distress calls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military did not immediately respond to questions regarding the attack. The flotilla, which organizers say includes about 50 vessels and participants from dozens of countries, is carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, for Palestinians in Gaza. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has accused organizers of being linked to Hamas, an accusation organizers reject. Israel has proposed that the activists unload their aid in the Israeli port of Ashkelon for it to be transported into Gaza, saying it will not accept any breach of its blockade. Italy and Spain sending navy patrol vessels Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Italy condemned the attack and activated a navy frigate to be on hand for possible rescue operations, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said. Crosetto said the frigate Fasan was heading to the area from its position north of Crete "for possible rescue operations. Italy has informed Israel about the decision. In a democracy, demonstrations and forms of protest must also be protected when they are carried out in accordance with international law and without resorting to violence, Crosetto said. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain also will send a patrol vessel to assist the flotilla, or carry out a rescue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Spanish Government demands that international law be complied with and that the right of our citizens to navigate the Mediterranean safely be respected, Sanchez said Wednesday in New York. Italys Foreign Ministry meanwhile said its computer systems had been overwhelmed by a mail bombing campaign in which thousands of what it said were fake emails flooded its servers after the attack on the flotilla. Earlier Wednesday, the Global Sumud Flotilla had sent out an urgent appeal to its supporters asking them to email the ministry demanding it take a firm position to condemn the attack on the flotilla and put diplomatic pressure on those responsible. The emails had the effect of hindering the work of the ministry's crisis unit, which has been the main point of contact for Italian citizens aboard the flotilla, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Italian officials have said 58 Italians were in the flotilla, including some lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The European Union also warned against the use of any force. The freedom of navigation under international law must be upheld," said Eva Hrncirova, a European Commission spokesperson. UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan called for an investigation. Defiant activists Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who is on board one of the boats, called the strikes a scare tactic" that wasn't going to stop the flotilla. The most important thing isnt that we were hit by drones," Thunberg said on a livestream, adding that the focus should remain on Gaza. "Drones are something that Palestinians experience 24-7." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Italian activist Simone Zambrin said drones have been flying over our heads for days now and on Wednesday "dropped devices at our boats, damaging both the sails and the hearing of some of our crew members. She said Israel was trying "to instill fear because it is afraid of our arrival. Greg Stoker, an American activist on one of the boats, said online that the vessel's radio communications suffered interference, with the jammers playing an ABBA song over the radio channel the flotilla was using. Attacks on the flotilla The flotilla has reported several attacks since it set sail from Spain on Sept. 1, including two while some of its boats were in Tunisian waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Activists say it's the largest attempt to date to break the Israeli maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has now lasted 18 years, long predating the current war in Gaza. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep Hamas from importing arms, while critics consider it collective punishment. The almost two-year war has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not say how many were civilians or combatants, but says around half were women and children. The worlds leading authority on hunger crises said last month that Israels blockade and ongoing offensive had already pushed Gaza City into famine. More than 300,000 people have fled the city in recent weeks as Israel has ordered the population to move south, but an estimated 700,000 remain, according to U.N. agencies and aid groups. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took 251 others hostage. Israel says its operation in Gaza is aimed at pressuring Hamas to surrender and return the remaining 48 hostages, about 20 of whom Israel believes are still alive. Most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Activists have launched several flotillas aimed at breaking the blockade over the years, nearly all of them intercepted by Israel. Another vessel said it was attacked by drones in May in international waters off Malta. An overland convoy traveling across North Africa also attempted to reach the border but was blocked by security forces aligned with Egypt in eastern Libya. In 2010, Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, a boat participating in an aid flotilla attempting to breach the maritime blockade of Gaza, killing 10 Turkish activists in clashes on board. ___ This story was first published on Sep. 24, 2025. It was updated on Sep. 25, 2025 to correct that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke on Wednesday, not Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ___ Associated Press journalists Samuel Metz in Rabat, Morocco; Nicole Winfield and Patricia Thomas in Rome; Samuel McNeil in Brussels; Renata Brito in Barcelona, Spain and Suman Naishadham in Madrid contributed to this report. Elena Becatoros, The Associated Press The worlds two largest economies can and should become friends and partners, Chinese Premier Li Qiang told executives from a group of major American companies Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Looking forward, China and the US need to find the right way to get along in this new era, the premier said at a gathering hosted by the National Committee on US-China Relations, according to a readout posted by the Chinese government. Economic and trade relations are an important part of our bilateral relationship, Li added, reiterating President Xi Jinpings statement that the Pacific Ocean is wide enough to accommodate both China and the US, as well as other countries, and urging both sides to strengthen cooperation. Thomas Donilon, chairman of the BlackRock Investment Institute, Peng Zhao, chief executive of Citadel Securities, Albert Bourla, Pfizer Inc. CEO and Las Vegas Sands Corp. chairman Robert Goldstein were among those in attendance at the gathering with Li, according to the group. Visa Inc. chief executive Ryan McInerney, FedEx Corp. CEO Rajesh Subramaniam, Amphenol Corp.s President Richard Adam Norwitt and Estee Lauder Cos. chief Stephane de La Faverie were also among those attending. Li, Chinas second most-important leader after Xi, pledged to maintain stable and healthy growth, creating more opportunities for foreign businesses from the US and other countries. Regardless of changes in the external environment, China will make every possible effort to ensure greater certainty for the growth of foreign companies, Li said. Making his first trip to the US as premier, Li said earlier in the week that China will stop seeking new special and differential rights in any current and future World Trade Organization negotiations, reducing a point of contention with the US thats been a barrier to their agreement on reforming the global arbiter of commerce. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, ambassador to the US Xie Feng and other officials joined Li in the meeting, according to NCUCR, the nonprofit nonpartisan organization. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Ladakh Protests Highlights: The statehood movement in Ladakh turned violent on Wednesday, erupting into arson and street clashes that left four people dead and at least 59 injured, including 22 police personnel, according to officials. As violence swept through the region, marking the worst unrest since 1989, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his two-week hunger strike, which was aimed at demanding statehood for Ladakh and the inclusion of the region under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. In response to the escalating chaos, authorities imposed a curfew in Leh district to restore order. According to PTI citing government sources, the Centre has remained open to dialogue and is considering moving up the October 6 meeting of the High Powered Committee with the agitating groups, Apex Body of Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), to September 2526. Ladakh and its youth are paying a huge price for the narrow politics played by certain individuals and the personal ambitions of activist Sonam Wangchuk, they claimed. BJP blames Congress The BJP alleged that the violence was a part of the Congress' nefarious design to create situations in the country similar to Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines. Today in Ladakh, an attempt was made to portray some protests as being led by 'Gen Z' but when an investigation was carried out, it was found that this was not a Gen Z protest but actually a Congress protest, BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters in Delhi. What is the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution? The Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution provides for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram through the creation of autonomous councils and regions. This schedule, enacted under Article 244(2) and Article 275(1), aims to protect the rights, culture, and resources of tribal communities by granting them significant autonomy in areas like land, forests, and governance, while also safeguarding them from exploitation. Each autonomous district is to have a District Council with a maximum of 30 members. Out of these, no more than four can be nominated by the Governor, while the remaining members must be elected through adult suffrage. In addition, the Schedule also provides for the creation of a Regional Council for each autonomous region within an autonomous district, ensuring localised governance and representation for distinct tribal communities. Live Blog has ended. Nathan Abernathy reviews all kinds of foods, but the meal he was about to dig into was special. It had been prepared in 1965. The Missouri resident had secured a U.S. military ration from the Vietnam War. On the menu? Canned pork slices, tinned peaches, crackers, a pastry and instant coffee. Abernathy carefully inspected the items. The coffee creamer had congealed and was hard as steel," he said in a video posted on YouTube. The pastry smelled like something orange, with rancid nuts in it." And when he tried to pry open the can of peaches, it explodedspraying decades-old fruit shrapnel onto the ceiling. Ultimately, Abernathy, now 47, drank the coffee and nibbled on the crackers. They dont taste too bad," he said, though he added, my not too bad is probably pretty bad for your average joe." He stayed away from the pork slices. The world is full of quirky subcultures of collectors. But youd be hard-pressed to find a more courageous group than the people who covetand eatold military rations. Some enthusiasts dine on decades-old beef stew, while others swallow mouthfuls of ham from the Gulf War. A few go further. Steven Thomas has eaten a British chocolate bar from 1943 (perfectly edible"). Hes tasted century-old beef from the Second Boer War (kind of lacking in flavor"). And 2.7 million YouTube viewers have watched him munch on a cracker from the American Civil War (not very good"). Military field rations have a long and checkered history. Designed to survive for years without refrigeration, the meals have sustained generations of soldiers. As anyone who has ever tried them can attest, flavor wasnt much of a priority. American troops mocked early Meals, Ready-to-Eat," or MREs, released in the 1980s to replace canned field rations, as meals rejected by everyone." Certain entrees were notoriously cruel to soldiers taste buds and bowels, including the four fingers of death" (smoked hot dogs) and the vomlette" (vegetable omelet). A screenshot of a 2022 video where Nathan Abernathy tries a Dutch armed forces ration from the same year. Todays American rations are usually tastier, thanks to the efforts of food scientists working out of a military-run laboratory in Natick, Mass. Recent innovations include pizza that can survive six months in storage at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Many who covet old rations say theyre drawn by the novelty. Edible? Yes. Delicious? Not usually," said Sebastian Macoto, a hospital worker whose collection includes Vietnam War-era cigarettes and coffee from World War II. But theres always a rush when you see a ration pop up that youve been looking for." Jeremy Spell says MREs have helped him learn more about the world. He has eaten meals from France, Russia, China and Indonesia. Each country has a different twist," said Spell, who works in park operations in northern Michigan. One recent favorite? Chicken chakhokhbili from the Republic of Georgia. It was delicious," he said. Its something that I would have never thought to make." Other countries put their own spin on military meals. French rationswidely considered the tastiestinclude gourmet offerings like duck confit cassoulet and pork cheek ravioli. Italian rations include a shot of cappuccino and 300 milliliters of liquorfor breakfast. One Norwegian ration contains reindeer casserole. (Tasted like beef, but gamey," said Macoto.) Some prize MREs for practicality. Theyre really good for taking to work," said Amelie Hewlett, a 19-year-old software engineer from the U.K. You can just empty the pouch onto a plate, microwave it for two minutes, and then youve got lunch or dinner." Military rations tend to wind up on the open market when countries overproduce meal kits and suppliers sell the surplus to individuals or online stores. Newer American rations sell for as little as $5 a meal but a Cold War dinner might cost hundreds. Shawn Cox was preparing to take his children camping when he remembered the lightweight, calorie-dense MREs he ate in the 1990s while training to join the Marine Corps Reserve. He looked for rations online and found a site called mreinfo.com where hundreds of enthusiasts collect and trade them. The verdict? Not terrible by any means," said Cox. His children love them, but more for the mystery than the taste. Everyone despised the vomlette. Sebastian Macotos collection of rations includes samples from the Republic of Georgia. Ration-collecting isnt without risk. Abernathy threw up for two days from chicken pesto pasta, not yet expired, from a U.S. MRE. The chance of contracting a foodborne pathogen from U.S. MREs is low, said Benjamin Chapman, a microbiologist and professor of food safety at North Carolina State University. The U.S. military requires all MREs to be sterilized after sealing. But if rations were improperly manufactured or stored, all bets are off. Eaters risk diarrhea, vomiting and, in extreme cases, paralysis induced by botulism. Chapman recommends inspecting packaging carefully before eating. If they were safely made in the late 1960s," he said, time is not going to influence whether theyre less safe now." The military has embraced the civilian enthusiasts. We had no problem with it, and liked the publicity," said Stephen Moody, who led the U.S. Armys combat feeding division for eight years. I would encourage them to look beyond the rations themselves and realize whats gone into making it possible to have a food that lasts as long as it does and still tastes relatively good." Consumers wanting to buy Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro or new smart glasses from Apple or Meta may not have to wait long. The faster Wi-Fi spectrum, which is necessary to operate such devices seamlessly, is expected to be opened for partial use. The government is working to finalize rules for unlicensed use of lower-powered signals in the 6GHz band as proposed in the draft regulations released in May, according to multiple officials and industry experts Mint spoke with. This spectrum will pave the way for next-generation Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 technologies. Also Read | Faster WiFi plan hits spectrum interference worry The earlier draft notification, where low power was suggested, will go first. Some clarity on spectrum rules is awaited from the Telecom Act and basis that the band will be opened up as legal hurdles will be cleared," an official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity as details are not public yet. The demand by some companies to increase signal strength is a different subject and will be dealt with separately, the official said. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd and Big Tech giants want a higher-powered signal allowed in the 6GHz band. However, citing concerns that stronger outdoor signals might interfere with other important networks like satellites and broadcasting, the government set up a committee a few months back to study the matter, delaying the full rollout of licence-free use of the 5,925-6,425MHz band. The communications minister had earlier indicated that it would be opened for use by 15 August. Queries emailed to Reliance Jio and the department of telecommunications (DoT) remained unanswered till the press time. Currently, home Wi-Fi routers operate in the 2.4GHz or 5GHz bands. A higher-powered signal can travel farther, pass through walls and other obstacles and maintain a stable connection over a wider area. Countries such as the US and Canada have permitted outdoor use of devices in the 6GHz band using automatic frequency coordination, which ensures outdoor Wi-Fi doesn't interfere with radio frequencies of weather radars, satellite systems, or military equipment. With similar concerns to Indias, Europe, too, has opened the band at the lower end. Licence-free use of a portion of the 6GHz spectrum is crucial for providing high-speed Wi-Fi and supporting next-generation gadgets. It allows the use of spectrum or specific radio frequency bands for public use without the need for an individual or a company to pay regulatory fees, unlike the spectrum auctioned or assigned to telecom service providers. Indian users have so far not been able to use Sonys PlayStation 5 Pro or new AR/VR devices from Apple or Meta, given that the country still lacks stronger Wi-Fi to operate these gadgets seamlessly. It is not that the technology is not ready, but regulatory hurdles and debate on how strong the signals should be have stalled the progress. Also Read | Follow these steps to secure your WiFi network In the draft rules released on 16 May, the government proposed a lower signal strength for outdoor Wi-Fi than indoor. It kept the power emission levels at 5 decibel-milliwatts (dBm) per MHz for indoor Wi-Fi devices, with a maximum total power of the antenna at 30 dBm. For outdoor devices, the Department of Communications called for using -5 dBm, with a maximum power emission level at 14 dBm. The higher the dBm, the stronger the signal. The Broadband India Forum (BIF), which represents Tech giants like Google and Meta, wants the government to allow use within the suggested limits. You are kindly requested to immediately delink the indoor from the outdoor use cases and notify the indoor use cases based on the discussed and agreed power levels for which there is a consensus amongst all stakeholders," said T.V. Ramachandran, president of BIF, in a letter to communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on 17 September. This will enable the country to utilize the lower 6GHz spectrum band for the overall benefit of the economy, growth of GDP (gross domestic product) and the country and will pave the way for the nationwide roll-out of Next Gen/Modern Wi-Fi and associated consumer-centric services." Why Jio seeks a stronger signal However, Reliance Jio has specifically asked the government to allow higher-powered Wi-Fi signals outdoors so that it can use the spectrum to improve its home broadband services in a cost-effective way, an industry executive said. For Jio, stronger signals in the unlicensed band radio (UBR) will help provide home broadband services through outdoor Wi-Fi. While it provides home broadband services through the fibre-optic network as well as fixed wireless access (FWA), Jio is the only operator currently using an outdoor Wi-Fi network in the existing 5GHz band. The company now wants to explore the 6GHz band. Cost-wise, also, it (UBR) is more economical. Last-mile fibre is more expensive. So, in all those regards, it is going to be much more sustainable," Anshuman Thakur, senior vice president at Jio Platforms, had said during an earnings call in July. Discussions are happening on the best way forward. Any increase in power levels had to be cleared by other respective ministries and departments that could be vulnerable to interference," said another official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. One of the things under consideration is the automatic frequency coordination technology, which can mitigate interference, the person said. Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on 24 June said the rules for licence-free use of the 6GHz band will be out before 15 August. We have now delicensed and awarded the lower portion of the 6GHz spectrum, which is not a luxury today; it is a necessity," Scindia had said at an industry event. And that will give our industry multi-gigabit speeds, ultra-low latency, low-cost digital highways that will spawn multiple businesses and opportunities." Jio is not alone The lack of consensus has delayed the launch of the 6GHz band, preventing some technology companies from launching new gadgets, including Sonys PlayStation 5 Pro. Last November, the company said in a statement, PS5 Pro will not be available in some countries (which currently includes India) where the 6 GHz wireless band used in IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) has not yet been allowed." Industry executives said smart glasses launched may also not be able to perform effectively without 6GHz Wi-Fi. Associations such as the Wi-Fi Alliance, which represents companies including Apple, Meta, Sony, and Qualcomm, and the ITU-APT Foundation of India (IAFI) called for increasing the minimum Wi-Fi power limit. IAFI, which has Hughes, Eutelsat OneWeb, Amazon, Dhruva Space, and Airtel as members, however, did not want the government to delay the issuance of the final notification owing to such proposals. Bharat B. Bhatia, president of IAFI, had told the DoT in June, While the proposed PSD (Power Spectral density) levels are consistent with FCC (US Federal Communications Commission) regulations, increasing the same by +6dB will align the regulations with most countries and not just FCC." While OpenAI already has many subscription tiers for ChatGPT, there has been a constant chatter for a while that the AI startup would look to bring ads to its most popular product and if a new report is to be believed, that time is not far away. According to a report by Sources, OpenAI's recently joined CEO of Applications Fidji Simo is on the lookout for someone who can help the AI startup make billions of dollars in profit from ads. The report noted that Simo has recently been meeting with potential candidates including some of her former Facebook colleagues in order to lead a new team which will be tasked with bringing ads to ChatGPT. The new role will oversee all monetization efforts across OpenAI including the subscriptions. Interestingly, the report also noted that this new hire will report directly to Simo and not to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Simo is currently in charge of most parts of OpenAI except the company's research and infrastructure, consumer hardware and safety teams that still report direclty to Altman. What did ChatGPT head say about ads in the chatbot? However, this is not the first time that we are hearing about ads coming to ChatGPT. In a podcast earlier this year, OpenAI's head of ChatGPT had not ruled out the possiblity of bringing ads to the chatbot. If we ever did that (bring ads to ChatGPT) Id want to be very, very careful and deliberate because I really think that the thing that makes ChatGPT magical is the fact that you get the best answer for you and theres no other stakeholder in the middle. Its personalized as to your needs and tastes, etc. But were not trying to upsell you on something like that or to boost some pay-to-play provider or product. And maybe there are ways of doing ads that preserve that and that preserve the incentive structure, but I think that would be a novel concept and wed have to be very deliberate, Turley had said. Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also said that he isn't totally against bringing ads to ChatGPT and even praised the ads on Instagram. Google has said that its new Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model, also known as Nano Banana, has seen its popularity lead to over 5 billion images being created in less than a month since the AI tool first became available to the public. The AI image generator and editor is available for free on the Gemini app and has been powering various social media trends, including 3D Models, vintage sarees, polaroid selfies with celebrities, and more. Josh Woodward, Vice President at Google, while announcing the figures in a post on X (formerly Twitter), wrote: @GeminiApp just passed 5 billion images in less than a month. What a ride, still going! Latest trend: retro selfies of you holding a baby version of you. Can't make this stuff up! Woodward wrote. Reacting to Woodward's post, Google CEO Sundar Pichai created a 3D model of himself holding a dog using Nano Banana and posted, Make that 5 billion and 1 What is Gemini Nano Banana? Why is it popular? Gemini Nano Banana is the latest image generation and editing model developed by Google DeepMind. While there are a lot of free image generators on the market, Nano Banana is distinct for its ability to make complex edits to images, like removing objects from the background or changing the background altogether or a subject's clothes, while keeping the overall image coherency intact. While ChatGPT's native image generation model had led to a similar kind of craze on social media, the OpenAI chatbot only allowed free users to generate very limited images. In contrast, Nano is not only faster but also allows users to generate many more images (we generated at least 67 images per day using Nano Banana), although Google doesn't actually provide a specific number for that. How to create retro selfies holding a baby version of you? Open the Gemini app or website. Tap on the Nano Banana icon. Upload your desired image and then give Gemini a prompt or use one provided below. Prompt 1: Create a fun, high-quality retro-style selfie where the adult in [Image 1] is holding the baby from [Image 2] as if theyre taking a casual smartphone selfie together. Match lighting and skin tones so both look naturally in the same scene. Add a subtle vintage/film filtersoft warm tones and slight grain. Keep the adults current outfit and hairstyle from Image 1. Make sure the baby remains clearly recognizable from Image 2 and is held comfortably in one arm. Background: cosy indoor setting with gentle light, like a living-room or cafe vibe. Marvel fans eager to revisit The Fantastic Four: First Steps can now do so from the comfort of home, as the film has made its official digital debut less than two months after its theatrical release. The Fantastic Four: First Steps out on OTT The highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) entry, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, is available to rent or purchase on major platforms including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube. Prices begin at 15.99 ( 1,894.29) for a rental, with purchases starting at 19.99 ( 2,368.16). Rentals typically allow viewers 48 hours of access once playback begins, with both HD and 4K options on offer. Physical editions of the film are scheduled to arrive in October. For those waiting to stream the film as part of a subscription, industry patterns suggest a Disney Plus release in mid-to-late November. Marvel titles generally land on the platform six to eight weeks after their digital release. With the digital rollout confirmed for September 23, 2025, the streaming window is expected to follow this timeline. Also Read | Vanessa Kirby debuts baby bump at Fantastic Four premiere in Mexico In the UK, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is already available via Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play. The same options apply in the US, while subscribers there will also gain access through Disney Plus later in the year. In India, the film is currently available for purchase on Apple TV and Google Play, with Disney+ Hotstar expected to mirror the global release schedule. BTS: Ahead of their keenly awaited comeback since completing military service, BTS members have been spending their time not just in the studio, but in the gym as well. Jungkook, V and RM of the popular K-pop boy band were recently spotted showing off their body during a recent workout session with Physical: 100 fame Ma Sun-ho, TMZ reported. The fitness trainer posted a vlog featuring the BTS members on his YouTube channel on Wednesday. In the video, they can be seen undergoing intense workout sessions at John Reed Fitness in Los Angeles. BTS members' workout session According to The Korea Times, Ma Sun-ho has traveled to the United States to train the group's members. This week, he gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at their daily routine, which includes focusing on shoulders and arms. The fitness expert even lauded the three of them for their dedication to building their best shape yet. According to TMZ, Ma Sun-ho said that the trio has a few things to improve, but remains dedicated to improving. Ma stated that he was not in Los Angeles for a vacation, but actually travelled to the city to help the BTS members train while they were working on their music. He noted that all of them are "extremely passionate and hardworking Early morning jogs and studio sessions According to Ma, the schedule for BTS members in Los Angeles is relentless. He told fans in the video that he starts the day with a jog at around 6 a.m. This is followed by weight training sessions with the BTS members. Later, they focus on music production, while a few of them return to the gym in the evening for a second round of workouts. The video features the BTS members lifting barbells and doing other exercises. At one point, V was seen taking Ma's phone to record the vlog. BTS is expected to make its highly anticipated comeback in early 2026 as all seven members of the group have completed their mandatory military service in South Korea. As per The Korea Times, the band members have been based in Los Angeles since July as they keep themselves busy with new music and rehearsals for their future performances. FAQs Have all BTS members completed military service? Yes, all seven members of the band have completed their military service in South Korea. Who all are there in BTS? The K-pop boy band features Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook. Violet Affleck, 19, the daughter of Hollywood stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, made headlines this week after delivering a powerful speech at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Speaking at the inaugural Healthy Indoor Air: A Global Call to Action event, Violet addressed the lasting effects of long Covid-19 on children and urged urgent improvements in clean air infrastructure worldwide. What Did She Say About the Pandemics Impact on Young People? Wearing an N95 mask, Violet warned about a generation being failed by leaders during the pandemic. She said: We are told by leaders across the board that we are the future. But when it comes to the ongoing pandemic, our present is being stolen right in front of our eyes. She also highlighted how children and young people have lacked both choice and clear information about pandemic-related decisions that affect them. Why Is Long Covid a Concern for Children? A Yale University student, Violet drew attention to the long-term health effects of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. Citing research from the World Health Organisation and recent studies in JAMA Pediatrics, she noted that long Covid-19 symptoms can persist for months in children, affecting both physical health and cognitive development. I am terrified for the children who do not or soon will not know a world without debilitating pain and exhaustion, who cannot trust their bodies to play, explore, and imagine, Violet said. And I am furious on their behalf, she added, stressing the urgency of action. What Changes Is She Calling For? Violet concluded with a plea for better clean air regulations. We can recognise filtered air as a human right as intuitively as we do filtered water. We can create clean air infrastructure so ubiquitous and necessary that tomorrows children wont even know why it was once needed, she said. Has Violet Spoken About This Before? This is not Violets first public activism. In July 2024, she addressed the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, opposing mask bans amid ongoing Covid-19 cases and advocating for air filtration, far-UVC light in public spaces, and mask mandates in medical facilities. With climate change causing temperatures to rise across the globe, extreme heat is becoming more common and thus a bigger health threat. The human body is resilient, but it can only handle so much. So what is the highest temperature people can endure? The answer is straightforward: a wet-bulb temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius), according to a 2020 study in the journal Science Advances . Wet-bulb temperature is not the same as the air temperature you might see reported by your local meteorologist or favorite weather app. Rather, a wet-bulb temperature is measured using a thermometer covered in a water-soaked cloth, and the resulting metric takes into account both heat and humidity. The latter is important because with more water in the air, it's harder for sweat to evaporate off the body and cool a person down. If the humidity is low but the temperature is high, or vice versa, the wet-bulb temperature probably won't near the human body's tipping point, said Colin Raymond , a postdoctoral researcher at NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who studies extreme heat. But when both the humidity and the temperature are very high, the wet-bulb temperature can creep toward dangerous levels. For example, when the air temperature is 115 F (46.1 C) and the relative humidity is 30%, the wet-bulb temperature is only about 87 F (30.5 C). But when the air temperature is 102 F (38.9 C) and the relative humidity is 77%, the wet-bulb temperature is about 95 F (35 C), the "danger zone" for humans. Sign up for our newsletter Sign up for our weekly Life's Little Mysteries newsletter to get the latest mysteries before they appear online. The reason people can't survive at high heat and humidity is that they can no longer regulate their internal temperature. "If the wet-bulb temperature rises above the human body temperature" around 98.6 F (37 C) "you can still sweat, but you're not going to be able to cool your body to the temperature that it needs to operate at physiologically," Raymond told Live Science. At this point, the body becomes hyperthermic, experiencing heat stroke at an internal temperature above 104 F (40 C). This can lead to symptoms such as a rapid pulse, confusion, delirium, itchy skin, faintness and coma , according to Cleveland Clinic . A wet-bulb temperature of 95 F won't cause immediate death, however; it probably takes about 3 hours for that heat to kill you, Raymond said. There's no way to know for sure the exact amount of time, he said some studies have tried to estimate it, but it's not ethical to actually subject humans to such high temperatures for hours. There also isn't a way to confirm that 95 F is the exact wet-bulb temperature that's unsurvivable. Raymond estimated that the true number is somewhere in the range of 93.2 F to 97.7 F (34 C to 36.5 C). Who's at risk of unlivable temperatures? Air conditioning can save people from unlivable heat but not all people have access to it, and even in places where many people have air conditioning, the electrical grid may be unreliable, Raymond said. A few locations have hit a wet-bulb temperature of 95 F in recorded history, according to the Science Advances study, though they've only done so for short periods of time. Since the late 1980s and 1990s, hotspots have been the Indus River Valley of central and northern Pakistan and the southern shore of the Persian Gulf. Jacobabad in Pakistan , sometimes called the hottest city in the world, has surpassed a 95 F (35 C) wet-bulb temperature at least four times, and cities including La Paz, Mexico; Port Hedland, Australia; and Abu Dhabi, UAE, have recorded temperatures higher than 90 F (32 C) wet-bulb. "There are places that are already starting to experience these conditions for an hour or two," Raymond said. "And with global warming , that's only going to become more frequent." Regions at risk of these temperatures in the next 30 to 50 years include northwest Mexico, northern India, Southeast Asia and West Africa, he added. "Unfortunately, with the climate change that's already locked in, we'll continue to warm up a fair bit, even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today," Raymond said. "I think it's inevitable that those places I mentioned will be grappling with this issue for the foreseeable future, and I hope more places don't get added to that list." The "force multiplier" of disease Some researchers argue that the 95 F wet-bulb threshold actually underestimates the dangers of high temperatures on human health. Pope Moseley , a researcher at Arizona State University who studies heat-related illnesses, cautions that the number focuses on the maximum temperature a person can handle under optimum conditions. In reality, factors including age , physical fitness , certain medications , and health conditions can all limit a person's ability to cope with the heat even at lower temperatures. For instance, exercise and exposure to direct sunlight make it easier to overheat at lower temperatures. Older adults; people with certain health conditions, such as hormonal disorders or obesity; and people who take antipsychotics can't regulate their temperature as well, so they're more vulnerable to heat-related death. Moseley gives the example of a young, fit person versus an older person with heart failure and dementia who forgets to drink water. "The upper limit of survival for those two people looks very, very, different," he cautioned. What's more, heat-related deaths and illnesses aren't always straightforward. Mosely said that during heatwaves, many deaths may not be recorded as primarily heat-related, because the majority of deaths occur due to the exacerbation of pre-existing conditions. High temperatures can worsen many medical issues ; heat can aggravate high blood pressure and other cardiac issues , for example, because it affects the constriction of blood vessels. People with kidney disease are at risk in the heat because it impacts fluid levels, which people with kidney disease need to strictly regulate. And some severe psychiatric illnesses can impact a person's ability to recognize early signs of heat stress, putting them in danger in heat waves. Other medical conditions that can be worsened by heat include diabetes, asthma, and dementia. Because of these connections, Moseley calls heat a "force multiplier of disease" a factor that makes many other conditions worse. So the real impact of heat is actually much more far-reaching, and many people could face deadly health problems at wet-bulb temperatures far lower than 95 F. "There are a lot of people who would suffer catastrophic illness before that," Moseley said. Disclaimer This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice. Editor's note: This article was originally published on July 31, 2021. It was updated on Sept. 25, 2025 to include more information about high temperatures around the world and how wet bulb heat can be a "force multiplier" of disease. The federal Liberals will finally start buying back guns with a pilot program in Cape Breton, N.S. about as far from Alberta as they can get without leaving Canada. They might fear a range war when this fiasco finally moves west. The feds are hapless, confused and disorganized. But Premier Danielle Smith and her Saskatchewan counterpart, Scott Moe, are locked and loaded (the only gun metaphor here, I promise). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The premiers know exactly what theyre doing and it boils down to this: they will not allow Ottawa to take guns from law-abiding citizens in their provinces. The premiers have been preparing for this battle for years, ever since ex-prime minister Justin Trudeau started talking about restricting and seizing weapons, with a vast list of prohibitions. In August 2021, Alberta appointed a chief firearms officer with a mandate to assume some federal powers. In late 2023, the UCP passed Bill 8, a new Firearms Act. One of 60 declarations is that no federal agent may seize a weapon in Alberta. Only the province may appoint a seizure agent to confiscate guns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All this may be constitutionally dubious, but Smith and Moe dont care. They have raw power of their own. Smith pledges that no Alberta authority will be allowed to help Ottawa enforce its plans. We have already taken action, Smith told a recent Alberta Next session. We told the municipalities, no, you cant have a handgun ban. That is not municipal jurisdiction. We told the RCMP, no, you cannot participate in the confiscation scheme (and) we have told the sheriffs that. We have told municipal forces, if you want to participate in the confiscation scheme, you have to come and get a permit from the Justice minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And I have it on good authority, he will not say yes. Justice Minister Mickey Amery and Premier Danielle Smith at an announcement at the Alberta legislature on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Smith now escalates further by promising to set up a provincial firearms licensing system. Gun licences are federal. In 2024 there were about 2.5 million permit-holders. That hardly seems restrictive, but Smith sees it as another intrusive federal power. Were working right now on what a legislative framework for an Alberta firearms licence would look like, and were going to find out, she said. If that happens, Alberta would claim virtually complete control over firearms in the province, with the core goal of respecting owners rights. Smiths defence of gun owners goes back to 2013, when she attacked the Mounties for confiscating guns from abandoned High River homes they searched during the southern Alberta flood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith was Wildrose leader then, and the PC government condemned her. But the RCMP itself later found that the seizures were improper. Guns are seen on display at a Cabelas outdoors store in Edmonton in this file photo. These are fraught issues in Alberta; or at least, in rural Alberta. City dwellers are often less concerned about federal plans and the buyback program. But practical resistance to the program is shaping up elsewhere, including Ontario and Toronto, the centre of the Liberal universe. The Ontario Provincial Police have stated their officers wont confiscate guns for the feds. The head of the Toronto Police Association said legal guns are hardly ever involved in crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know the gun buyback program is going to have essentially zero impact on the crime in Toronto, Clayton Campbell said. Whos going to enforce this program, if police forces wont do it? In Alberta and Saskatchewan, Prime Minister Mark Carney would have to send in the military. The very thought is ridiculous. Few federal programs from the Trudeau era have been as messed up as this one. The politician now in charge, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, discredited the program with his recorded private admission that local police wouldnt be able to enforce it, and the whole thing was all about pleasing Quebec. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caught out, he said it was a bad attempt at humour and the program is brilliant. The Liberals seems clueless about the looming range war on the western front. Don Braids column appears regularly in the Herald X and Bluesky: @DonBraid Farm succession is one of the most important conversations in Irish agriculture today, and Teagasc is inviting all farm families in Longford to attend a special Transferring the Family Farm clinic in the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon on Wednesday October 1. The event will run from 10am, with Teagasc Advisors, legal and tax experts, and farm succession advisors available to meet with families. The clinic will provide practical guidance on the financial, legal and emotional aspects of handing over the family farm. Read more: Slurry tank and shed building planning permission changes due Why succession planning matters: For many farmers, the idea of passing on the farm can be a difficult subject. Yet it is a crucial step to secure the future of both the farm business and the family behind it. Without a clear plan, families may face unnecessary stress, conflict, and unexpected tax bills. The CSOs farm structure survey has shown that while most farmers intend to pass on the farm, fewer than half have put a formal plan in place. This event is designed to help bridge that gap by providing clear, practical information and confidential advice. Succession is not just about transferring land, says Teagasc advisor Michael Conroy Its about protecting the farm business, supporting the next generation, and ensuring the older generation has financial security and peace of mind. What to expect at the clinic: The event will feature one-to-one advice sessions with Teagasc specialists & DAFM staff on the farm business aspects of farm transfers including Education, Farm partnerships, Forestry, and DAFM schemes. Guidance from accountants and solicitors on wills, farm transfer tax reliefs, and partnership options. Practical steps for beginning conversations within the family. Embrace Farm, Citizens Information Service, Farmers and their families will be able to sit down in confidence with professionals and map out what options are available to them. Supporting the whole family The clinic is not just for farmers considering retirement. It is also aimed at younger family members who may be taking on the farm in the future. The event encourages open family discussions, recognising that farm transfer is both a business decision and a family milestone. Special emphasis will be placed on supports, including agricultural reliefs and retirement income options, as well as the emotional side of successionensuring parents and children can plan together without pressure or uncertainty. Event details: Event: Teagasc Transferring the Family Farm Clinic Date: Wednesday October 1 Venue: Abbey Hotel, Galway Road, Roscommon, Co. Roscommon. Eircode: F42 F992 Time: 10 am Admission: Free of charge, all farm families welcome Read more: Longford artisan food producer wins award with midland flavours Looking ahead: This is a chance for farm families across Roscommon and Longford to get clear, professional advice in a supportive setting. Teagasc is encouraging as many families as possible to attend, whether they are at the early stages of thinking about succession, or already preparing to transfer. Making a plan gives families confidence for the future, says Michael Conroy We want to give farmers the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions and to ensure a smooth transition from one generation to the next. For more information or to book a place, contact your local Teagasc office, or book using the QR code on the advertisement. A massive fundraising event nationwide, the Irish Wheelchair Association has a donations bucket outside Supermacs, Longford Town, for people to give whatever they can. Being acknowledged as an annual fundraising event this year on September 25, two local volunteers are standing beside the display to accept donations. Members and volunteers will be hitting the streets nationwide, collecting vital funds for the support and activities IWA provides in Longford and across the country. Read more: Longford vintage vehicle run in Ballinamuck raises impressive funds The Irish Wheelchair Association hopes to raise 60,000 to support the organisations work. IWAs work nationwide is dedicated to supporting people with disabilities in communities to live a life full of choice, independence, and joy. The organisation relies on donations to develop, grow, and continue to support its members who want to be active, social, independent, and advocate for their rights. Breige McGinn, Head of Fundraising at Irish Wheelchair Association, said: We want to say a huge thank you to all the members, volunteers, and staff who support IWA on our Annual Fundraising Day each year as well as our generous supporters across the country. Without them, it would not be possible to raise these vital funds. Many volunteers and staff are organising collections in their local communities, and their support for our members makes a huge difference every year. Thanks to the support for our Annual Fundraising Day, IWA can continue supporting our members to live independently, advocate for their rights, and develop their potential in our young adult services. Read more: Dad urges Longford to take part in Christmas shoebox appeal that helped him as a child A spokesperson for the association said that "the Longford Community have been very supportive of IWA," and welcomes any sort of support for the good cause. For more information about the day, go on: https://www.iwa.ie/get-involved/fundraise/fundraise-for-iwa/annual-fundraising-day/ Irelands deputy premier Simon Harris is due to meet US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick as part of a diplomatic trip to the States. Mr Harris, Irelands Foreign Affairs Minister, travelled to New York to attend the UN High-Level Week. He is to take part in several meetings in Washington DC on Thursday and officially open a new Irish embassy in the US capital. Mr Harris said there is no greater sign of the importance of the Irish-US relationship than the opening of Irelands new embassy, next to the White House. Our embassy is a testament not just to the shared history between our two countries, but an expression of our aspiration and ambition for a bright future together. It reflects Irelands expanding footprint right across the United States, where we now have a network of eight consulates general. I look forward to meeting Howard Lutnick, United States secretary of commerce, and discussing how we can protect and deepen our mutually beneficial economic relationship. Not only is the US investing in Ireland, but Ireland is investing in the US. We are now the fifth largest source of foreign direct investment in America. Across every region of the union, Irish companies have created 200,000 American jobs. To that end, I am also delighted today to launch an economic impact report which maps Irelands economic footprint across the United States, capturing not only the trade flows between our two countries, but also our research partnerships and tourism figures, and significantly, the remarkable scale of Irish companies who have operations here. While I am in DC, I am looking forward to engagement with these Irish businesses whose investment in the United States forms part of our remarkable transatlantic economic ties. He said officials would work on a new US strategy to be published in early 2026, coinciding with 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776. Mr Harris said three signatories of that document were born on the island of Ireland. He last met Mr Lutnick in Washington DC in April on what he said was a very busy day for the US administration. A 90-day pause on higher US tariffs had been announced the previous day, which had threatened a 20% tariff for the EU. A 15% tariff was later implemented under an EU-US deal, while the previous 10% tariff will apply to goods that are already in transit or have been warehoused for consumption until October 5. The all-inclusive 15% tariff is on most EU goods, including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals entering the US. There are zero for zero tariffs on a number of products including planes and aircraft parts, some agricultural goods and certain chemicals. St Mels Musical Society is having an open casting call for anyone to audition for The Wizard of Oz. Auditions will take place on Sunday, October 5 and registration is now open. New chairperson of the society, Andrew Reynolds, talked about the upcoming audition and production: The Wizard of Oz is in the second week of Easter 2026. Auditions take place on Sunday, October 5 in St Josephs in Longford. People can register their interest online, on Facebook or can reach out via email. We encourage everyone to take part, even if theyve never done a music production before. Basically, auditions are open to everyone. We like to see the old faces and new faces coming on. Theres a mix of age profiles needed for this production. Theres a place in society. Read more: Two talented Longford performers take centre stage at Dublin Fringe Festival Audition material will be available on the coming Friday via a Google Drive link. For the auditions, Andrew provided some advice for those wanting to try out for the roles. As the society is open to both experienced and first-timers, Andrew wanted to make something clear for those who might be unsure about whether to try: Dont be nervous. St Mels is a very open and welcoming society. Our director, Sean Power, will work with somebody if he sees potential. Weve had people in starring roles whove never performed before. Therell be support and we support each other through the process. Principal roles include: Dorothy Gale (mezzo-soprano); Aunt Em (non-singing); Glinda, the Good Witch (mezzo-soprano); Uncle Henry (non-singing); Zeke/Cowardly Lion (baritone); Hickery/Tinman (tenor/baritone); Hunk/Scarecrow (baritone); the Wicked Witch of the West (non-singing); and the Wizard of Oz (non-singing). Read more: PICTURES | Longford celebrates the iconic Culture Night in style Ensemble roles include, and are not limited to: Emerald City Guards; munchkins, Winkies and flying monkeys (dancing required). To stage these productions, St Mels Musical Society will be hosting a fundraiser with an After Dark Ball in the Longford Arms Hotel. This will happen during Halloween, and is the first major fundraiser for the society. As a final comment, Andrew said: Auditions are open to everybody regardless of experience or age. Those who have been involved, the society welcomes everybody regardless of ability. We encourage and support each other. If we can help each other, we will. Read more: Voices of Longford to host cast meet and greet night before rehearsals The society has previously performed 'Me and My Girl' (2025), '9 to 5' (2019) and 'Oliver!' (2014). Each production has been massively successful, and the society is continuing to grow with interest. Further information about St Mel's Musical Society can be found on their Facebook page, which includes key dates; the full roles list; dates and times, as well as contact details for their email address. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) -A flock of Canadian ostriches set to be culled, after two dead birds tested positive for avian flu, has been granted a last-minute stay of execution from Canada's highest court - for now. Canada's Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday granting an "interim-interim stay" of a culling order made on December 31. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency late last year ordered about 400 ostriches to be killed. Since then, Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, British Columbia, has fought the order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has lost multiple lower court rulings but has won some powerful supporters in the U.S. who have launched a campaign to stop the cull. Mehmet Oz, U.S. Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, offered in August to house the birds to study them. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has also argued against the cull. The culling had been scheduled for later on Wednesday, the farm's lawyer Umar Sheikh told Reuters. He said he was "obviously very, very happy" with the order, but emphasized this is "a very uphill battle" and "this is just a very short, temporary breather." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the motion for a stay of the cull order, co-owners Karen Espersen and Dave Bilinski included an affidavit from a University of British Columbia professor arguing the ostriches have immunity to avian flu. The farm, whose owners say they specialize in studying ostrich antibodies, had argued culling the birds would cause "irreparable harm" and "permanently destroy unique genetics and a specialized researchbased business." The ostriches' reprieve could be short-lived as the court has yet to determine the ostriches' fate. The food inspection agency maintains custody of the birds and has until October 3 to file its reply to the farm's application to the Supreme Court. The court said it will deal with the case on an expedited basis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement Wednesday evening, the food inspection agency said it will comply with the stay order. It said its "stamping out policy" plays a critical role in animal disease control and that it is working with police "for onsite security and follow up on ongoing threats of violence and death by apparent supporters of the ostrich farm." A severe bird flu outbreak in recent years resulted in millions of chickens, turkeys and other birds being killed in the U.S. to contain the spread of bird flu, which can infect humans and is fatal in poultry. The cullings contributed to egg prices at U.S. grocery stores climbing to a record high. Smaller commercial poultry flocks have been eliminated in Canada. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto; Additional reporting by Ed White in Winnipeg; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Aurora Ellis) As some Canadians eschew the United States in favour of other international travel destinations or staying home, the lieutenant-governor of Louisiana home to New Orleans and Mardi Gras is calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to apologize for his slew of 51st state remarks made earlier this year. I dont realize what the impact has been until I got here, but the pushback from the presidents comments about the 51st state, the tariffs, have really left a bad taste in Canadians mouths, Lt.-Gov. Billy Nungesser told a New Orleans television station last week. Nungesser, a Republican, was in Canada for a week-long tourism-promotion visit and said steps should be taken to protect Louisianas multi-billion dollar tourism market, according to WVUE, a Louisiana Fox affiliate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would be really nice if the president could issue an apology about the 51st state, Nungesser said. I think that would go a long way at least many of the people up here believe it would. In the late months of 2024 and early 2025, Trump repeatedly said that he would like Canada to become the 51st state, while simultaneously launching a trade war that upended decades of free trade between the two countries. Look, what Id like to see Canada become our 51st state, Trump said in the Oval Office in early February. The comments prompted denunciations from major Canadian political leaders, including then prime minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and then NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada will never be the 51st state. We are an independent, proud and strong nation, said Poilievre at the time. Since Trump instigated a trade war with Canada and began talking about annexing Canada, Canadian visits to the United States have dropped off precipitously. Updated data from Statistics Canada shows that Canadian trips by car decreased by nearly 36 per cent in July 2025, compared to July 2024, and air travel to the United States dropped by more than 16 per cent. The decline has prompted the state tourism agency in California to launch a campaign directed at Canadians. Visit California launched a video called California Loves Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California wouldnt be California without Canada. Thats the heart behind Visit Californias newest video, California Loves Canada a cinematic tribute and gesture of appreciation for our Canadian neighbours, the campaign website says. However, not all states are worrying about Canadian visitors staying home or visiting other destinations. Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, said last month that he doesnt believe Canadians will stay away from his state, a favoured destination for central Canadian snowbirds. He said the state attracted 640,000 Canadians during the second quarter of 2025. They said that the Canadians were going to stop coming to Florida and Im thinking to myself, I dont think thats true because who would want to be in Canada in the winter or spring when you could be in Florida? said DeSantis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That said, data from Visit Florida shows that Canadian visits to the state dropped by nearly 17 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 and 20 per cent in the second quarter of 2025. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Greater Boston drivers may soon receive a new type of traffic ticket in their mailboxes. A new law allows public transit agencies and municipalities to fine drivers for blocking bus lanes or bus stops. The MBTAs Board of Directors on Wednesday approved regulations that would cite drivers between $25 and $125 for violations. Unlike all other traffic tickets drivers have historically received in Massachusetts, these citations will be issued not by a police officer, but by an automated camera mounted on the front of a public bus or at a bus stop. The new ticketing system was made possible by legislation signed by Gov. Maura Healey early this year, allowing for automated ticketing in limited cases, including instances where drivers illegally pass school buses. We have nearly 7,000 bus stops that we serve every single day, and anytime somebody pops their car into a bus stop to go grab their Dunkin Donuts coffee rather than finding a legal place to put it, it puts our operators in an incredibly challenging position, Alexandra Hallowell, the MBTAs director of transit priority, told the agencys board Wednesday. While the regulations approved by the MBTA board cover drivers interacting with its Greater Boston bus network, the rules could also be adopted by municipalities, as well as other regional transit authorities across Massachusetts, such as the Worcester Regional Transit Authority or Pioneer Valley Transit Authority. The MBTA will first test the camera technology on a small fleet of buses, without issuing tickets. It plans to launch the ticketing program early next year and steadily expand the number of buses equipped with the technology throughout 2026. The cameras will automatically capture the license plates of vehicles blocking bus stops or designated bus lanes, issuing tickets to the registered owner of each vehicle. Passenger vehicles blocking a bus lane will be cited $25 after a one-time warning. For subsequent violations within 180 days, the fines would increase to $50, $100 and then $125. Commercial vehicles will also receive a warning, with fines starting at $50 and increasing to $75, $100, and $125 for subsequent violations within one year. All drivers will face a $100 fine for blocking a bus stop after an initial warning. Proponents of the new system say obstructing bus lanes slows down public transit, while parking in bus stops forces riders with disabilities to board or exit far from the curb, creating a serious threat to their well-being. When our buses cant deploy their ramps for safe and accessible entrance and exit from the vehicles, there is an increased risk of collisions. Theres an increased risk of passengers being struck by vehicles, Hallowell said. Having clear access to curbs is a critical accessibility challenge. Nearly 40% of MBTA riders take the bus, according to MBTA data. Mary Skelton Roberts, the city of Bostons representative on the T board, said the city supports the crackdown on drivers obstructing bus stops and bus lanes. She also asked whether MBTA staff had spoken with delivery drivers and businesses that may be adversely affected by automated ticketing. You dont want a situation where you roll out this program and then you have conflict between either small businesses, Uber drivers and others trying to make this happen, she said. The regulations also provide some exceptions to the tickets and create a process for challenging the citation. With the regulations approved, the MBTA staff will shift to developing the specifics of the ticketing program and sharing details on its elements with the public, Hallowell said. Lawmakers required a mandatory 60-day public awareness period before ticketing could begin, although the grace period could extend for up to two years. The board approved the regulations unanimously. While automated ticketing is already used in other states, Massachusetts lawmakers overcame their historical opposition to its passage here by addressing longstanding concerns about privacy and due process. Under the laws passed by the Legislature and signed by Healey in January, the images captured by the cameras can only be used for issuing tickets, unless a judge orders otherwise. The images are not public records, must be deleted within 120 days, and cannot be used to identify drivers, passengers or the contents of vehicles. The regulations also prevent the MBTA, other bus operators and towns or cities from using automated ticketing to generate revenue. Authorities can only issue tickets after theyve reviewed the images captured by the cameras for accuracy. The MBTA has over 40 miles of dedicated bus lanes, with plans to have more than 50 miles by the end of the decade. Transit officials have identified seven locations across the network where they could begin using cameras to ticket cars blocking bus lanes, they said in April. Included on that list was a portion of Brighton Avenue, a brief stretch of North Washington Street between the North End and West End, Sullivan Square in Charlestown, a few blocks of St. James Avenue in the Back Bay, a stretch of Columbus Avenue between Jamaica Plain and Roxbury, and extended portions of Huntington Avenue and Washington Street. Enforcement cameras could also be mounted roadside at any of the MBTAs 7,000 bus stops and bus exchange plazas, but only with the approval of the town or city where the stop is. An analysis by the T earlier this year identified 10 locations where bus stops are most often blocked near major health care facilities, which could be the first bus stops to feature enforcement cameras. Several locations are in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston and Brookline, while others are near Tufts Medical Center, Boston Medical Center, and St. Elizabeths Medical Center. Similar ticketing technologies are already in use in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, MBTA officials said in April. In San Francisco, Hallowell said in April, the city found that 93% of those cited using automated cameras received only one ticket. More simply: the single citation appeared to be enough to change their behavior. However, the remaining 7% of drivers cited accounted for 20% of all tickets. Theres a small group of people who dont care and will continue to behave badly, Hallowell said. I dont think we want to design our system around those edge cases. What were trying to design this for is those 93% who are alerted theyre doing something wrong and will change their behavior. Boston City Councilors were divided on Wednesday over the hotly debated safe injection sites. One councilor introduced a resolution in opposition to them, which failed by an 8-3 vote. State lawmakers are debating proposals to allow cities and towns to establish these types of facilities, where health care workers would supervise people who use pre-obtained illicit drugs and prevent overdoses when necessary. City Councilor Ed Flynn introduced the resolution opposing such facilities, and another councilor, John Fitzgerald, defended it by asking the council, Would you champion this cause in your own district? Flynn addressed the Mass. and Cass public health crisis, saying that residents have endured years of public safety, public health and quality of life issues. He said that councilors at a hearing on Sept. 4 at a Hampton Inn heard from nearly 200 residents who said that theyve seen break-ins, trespassing into backyards to use as bathrooms and to leave needles, assaults and human trafficking. A little boy in my neighborhood Mason got pricked with a needle," Flynn said. Councilor Erin Murphy argued that safe injection sites will deepen cycles of addiction and that the answer is not to normalize or incentivize drug use. At a recent hearing of lawmakers debating safe injection site bills, state Rep. Mindy Domb, D-3rd Hampshire, said Massachusetts recorded fewer than 2,000 fatal overdoses bucking a yearslong trend, according to the State House News Service. Domb argued that harm reduction measures already in place such as naloxone distribution and distribution of sterile needles have contributed to the states decline in overdose-related deaths. In Boston, proponents argued that safe injection sites could prevent overdoses and connect people with addictions to health care services. Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata said that she consulted with public health experts who say the opioid crisis requires criminal justice reform, and a holistic public health package that also requires a recovery campus. She acknowledged that Black and Latinx residents are disproportionately affected by overdose deaths. We know that this strains health care, drives costs and contributes to infectious disease spread, including HIV, which is very, very serious. As for safe injection sites, Zapata said there is a long way to go on this, but that they potentially prevent overdose deaths, reduce disease transmission, connect people to treatment, lower health care costs and do not increase crime. She estimated Boston could save an estimated $4 million annually in associated health care costs. A majority of people in Boston support harm reduction practices, she said. In 2023, a poll found that 70% of Massachusetts voters support passing state legislation to allow cities and towns to establish overdose prevention centers. Flynn countered that he worked as a probation officer for eight years, and that getting people into detox and mental health counseling was a big part of his role. This is about helping people in need that are struggling and we cant as a city turn our back on them, Flynn said. We need to support them. We need to get them in recovery, and at the same time, support our residents as well. New York City opened two overdose prevention centers in 2021, and a new facility opened in Providence, Rhode Island, in January, according to State House News Service. This past spring, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley of Massachusetts came out strongly against safe injection sites, saying they are categorically illegal and do nothing to help people overcome their addictions. To the contrary, they facilitate destructive behavior that ruins lives, consumes families and devastates communities. Other Massachusetts communities that have considered these types of facilities, sometimes referred to as overdose prevention centers, include Worcester, Somerville, Cambridge and Northampton, Boston.com reported. Last year, lawmakers passed legislation that expanded access to overdose reversal drugs and limited legal liability for drug users and harm reduction workers who use drug-checking equipment, State House News Service reported. Although the state Senate passed a measure approving overdose prevention centers last year, the final House version of the bill excluded this measure before it reached Gov. Maura Healeys desk. Hundreds of Starbucks employees are facing layoffs as the company streamlines resources and closes stores throughout North America in part of its turnaround plan, Back to Starbucks. The company announced approximately 900 non-retail roles will be eliminated as we built towards a better Starbucks. The decision comes as an effort to reduce headcount and expenses. Read more: Starbucks announces new protein lattes and protein cold foam to menu Employees affected by the cuts will be notified Friday, Sept. 26. We will continue to carefully manage costs and stay focused on the key areas that drive long-term growth, Brian Niccol, chairman and chief executive officer wrote in a release. Additionally, the company said it will also close several stores throughout the U.S. and Canada by the end of its Fiscal Year 2025, which is Sunday, Sept. 28. Where exactly closures will take place has not yet been disclosed. However, the Starbucks app will be updated by Sunday with up-to-date hours of operation, including closures. Niccol said Starbucks will end Fiscal Year 2025 with a store count down 1% than it started with, taking into account both new stores that have opened this year and the upcoming closures. We will end the fiscal year with nearly 18,300 total Starbucks locations company operated and licensed across the U.S. and Canada, the statement reads. Niccol said that when the company launched its Back to Starbucks initiative, the company reviewed its North America coffeehouse portfolio and found several areas for improvement. Read more: Hundreds face layoffs as popular restaurant chain files for bankruptcy During the review, we identified coffeehouses where were unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we dont see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed, Niccol said. ... We understand [closures] will impact partners and customers. Our coffeehouses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult. Coffeehouses slated for closure will be notified this week. Niccol said the company is working hard, to transfer employees to nearby locations where possible. After 41 years of business,35 on Chestnut Street, Tyre Trak is set to close its garage doors. Tim Andrew took over the business in 1991 and his children, Harley and Sarah Andrew, continued after his passing. Sept. 24, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican) Douglas Hook SPRINGFIELD Tyre Track Automotive is closing Friday after 41 years in business 35 at its 175 Chestnut St. location. And owner Harley Andrew said the states search for sites for a $2 billion courthouse project created the downtown land rush thats forcing him out. Harley Andrew and his sister Sarah Andrew were operating the business founded by their late father, Tim Andrew, without a lease. They said they were informed that the land was in the process of being sold and their business which reopened after being nearly obliterated in the 2012 gas blast will close. Harley Andrew and his sister Sarah Andrew have been running Tyre Trak Automotive Center since their father, Tim Andrew, passed a couple of years ago. The garage is closing its doors after 41 years, 35 at its current location. (Douglas Hook / The Republican) Douglas Hook We really have no choice but to leave, he said. We assume its all part of the proposal for the new courthouse. The last day is Friday, the four remaining mechanics have jobs at other shops and the Andrew siblings are making arrangements to sell and move all their inventory and equipment. The third-of-an-acre Tyre Track lot is contiguous to the Lyman Street properties of auto dealer James Jeb Balise and Tom Dennis, of Dennis Engineering Group, included in their courthouse proposal. Harley Andrew said the building has been informally on the market for all 35 years his family has had its repair shop there. Harley and his sister Sarah Andrew have been running Tyre Trak Automotive Center since their father, Tim Andrew, passed a couple of years ago. The property is being sold and the garage is closing its doors after 41 years. Sept. 24, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican) Douglas Hook Never a centimeter of interest. Never a nibble, he said. Then they sold it. I can only assume its the courthouse. The hardest part has been telling 5,000 customers, Sarah Andrew said. How do we tell them this is no longer their home, she said. Im angry. But we have no choice. Timothy Ryan, the Springfield lawyer representing Balise and Dennis, didnt respond to a message Wednesday. The states Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance is soliciting proposals from developers willing to build a 220,000- to 300,000-square-foot courthouse with parking, holding cells and the like with a half mile of public transportation and lease it back to the state for a term of 40 years, with two 10-year extension options for a maximum term of 60 years. The deal is expected to yield about $2 billion for the winning bidder. The courthouse would replace the existing Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse, a 1970s building linked to health problems and deaths among staff. Sarah Andrew has been taking calls from customers and residents alike offering their thanks for the decades of services the Tyre Trak Automotive Center has been providing the Springfield community. Sept. 24, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican) Douglas Hook Proposals for the new courthouse are due to the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Oct. 16. The Tyre Trak property is under agreement and in the process of being sold, said Worcester attorney Donald C. Keavany Jr. whose family has owned the property since 1988. He did not disclose the buyer. Keavany said in an email he encouraged the owners of Tyre Trak to make an offer for the property back in May 2024 when his family sold the three adjacent lots on Worthington Street to the Springfield Redevelopment Authority and most recently in May 2025. I told them that we were not marketing the property for sale but that if an offer was made that made sense to us we would act in our best interest, he said. City Chief Development Officer Timothy Sheehan said the Redevelopment Authority bought the Worthington Street lots from the Keavany trust because they were available and the land is in the middle of the redevelopment zone around the gas blast. The Redevelopment Authority paid $58,000 for three quarters of an acre at 440 Worthington, according to documents on file at the Hampden County Registry of Deeds. The two Wicked-branded cereals currently on store shelves are the worlds most generic cereal puffs with a flashy coat of paint to promote the new movie. Unfortunately for me, theyre really cool coats of paint and I 100% fell for the marketing ploy. Its like when they come out with multiple Pokemon video games at once and make them just different enough that you have to get both. Back then, it was very important to me that I had access to both Pokemon Blue Version and Pokemon Red Version. You dont understand! The Red Version had Meowth, and he was in the cartoon. The Blue Version had Scyther, which is a big bug with swords for arms. Fortunately for me now, I work a full-time job so that I can afford two boxes of cereal that I absolutely do not need. Wicked cereal | Review As part of the building hype train for the upcoming Wicked: For Good movie, General Mills churned out dueling breakfast cereals branded to reflect the two main characters. We have: The green-hued Elphaba Caramel Apple. The pink-dyed Glinda Good Berry Both versions of the cereal are the same monotonous avalanche of generic sugary corn puffs. They call somewhere between the Crunchberries from Capn Crunch and Reese Puffs except a bit more bland. These really could have used some sort of marshmallow or additional cereal shapes to break up the monotony. The Elphaba cereal is pretty straightforward. Meanwhile, the Glinda cereal is pretty vague in terms of what the actual flavor is. Why is General Mills pretending that Goodberry is a good enough descriptor for a product? I tried the cereal. Its just strawberry. Yet you wont find the word strawberry written anywhere on the box. This is as big a scam as making multiple movies out of a single musical. What does it taste like? Elphaba Caramel Apple When I tried this, I actually thought to myself, Wow, its interesting that they just made a green apple cereal. I thought they would have tried caramel apple. Then I looked at the box and saw that, nope, I just forgot what it was called and didnt pick up a hint of caramel. The apple flavor here is pretty tame. It falls short of Jolly Rancher levels of cartoonish apple flavor. But its still kinda boring. It really could have used a pop of caramel. Glinda Good Berry Yup, the berry here is strawberry and its way better than its counterpart. This tastes almost identical to Frankenberry cereal. Coincidentally, Frankenberry was also on store shelves when this cereal was out as part of the pre-Halloween rush. Unlike Frankenberry, it doesnt have marshmallows. So is it any good? Well, its breakfast cereal. Its a crunchy, sugar bowl of sweetness. I enjoyed both. The Glinda Goodberry was better. But thats because I have the sugar cravings of a 5-year-old. The Elphaba Caramel Apple is a C- cereal. The Glinda Good Berry gets a C. Either will do in a pinch. But the only reason to get it is because of the Wicked branding. --- Want more I Ate It food coverage? You can follow Nick on Instagram (@NickAteIt) and TikTok (also @NickAteIt) I ate it so you dont have to is a regular food column about off-beat eats, both good and bad. I picked the name years ago and now were sort of stuck with it. You can send any praise/food suggestions to nomalley@masslive.com. Please send all criticisms and complaints about the proliferation of Wicked marketing to jlajoie@masslive.com. You can check out the rest of the series here. Barely five months after the general election, at least three Justin Trudeau-era cabinet ministers are rumoured to be leaving government to take up diplomatic posts abroad. And the silence is deafening from those who slammed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for triggering an Alberta byelection after he lost his Ottawa-area riding in April. He was criticized for his vanity and for incurring the cost of a byelection so soon after the vote. At least he showed dedication to his job and a passion for actually being in Parliament, which is more than can be said of those jumping or being pushed from Prime Minister Mark Carneys cabinet. Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, whos credited with bringing down the Trudeau government, is moving on to be Carneys special envoy to Ukraine, to help that country rebuild after a war that hasnt ended yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are rumours that former defence minister MP Bill Blair will replace Ralph Goodale as High Commissioner to the U.K. Theres also talk that Jonathan Wilkinson, a former energy minister, is heading to Brussels as this countrys ambassador to the European Union, although hes reportedly still mulling that move. If they happen, those resignations will precipitate three byelections, yet theres barely a ripple of protest from those who criticized Poilievre. Why run in the general election if your dedication to voters is so flimsy? We dont question political patronage. Its the grease that keeps government moving. To the victor go the spoils. We suspect, though, if a Conservative government made such a move, thered be howls of cronyism. We do question how suitable these appointments are. If Freeland is an ambassador, whats her role in Ukraine until the war ends? If Blair and Wilkinson do take these appointments, they will head the missions to two major trade and diplomatic partners at a time of tariff wars and global upheaval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A former Toronto police chief, Blair spent almost 40 years as a cop. How does heading a paramilitary organization equip him for such a delicate role? Its a diplomatic plum that requires interpersonal skills and finesse. Its not meant as a pension supplement for retired defence ministers. These postings allow Carney to replace underperforming ministers with his own loyalists. And thats why well pay to replace them. Sherri Shepherd attends Netflix's "Survival Of The Thickest" Season 2 Premiere at DGA Theater on March 26, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage) WireImage Sherri Shepherd didnt let herself be fooled by a recent religious belief that was trending on social media because she had already been burned by it. Shepherd explained during her talk show on Wednesday that a paster in South Africa said Jesus came to him in a dream and said he was going to return to Earth on Sept. 23 to bring his true believers to heaven. This sent TikTok into a frenzy as followers of Christ started to prepare for the Rapture. Despite the actress-comedian admitting that she believes in this Christian phenomenon, she also said she didnt fall for it after being burned in the past. I have been through this before, Shepherd, 58, told her audience. I used to be in a religion that told me that the Rapture was coming. They told us to get our house in order. And I said, Why? Im not going to need a house where I am going. I dont need those worldly possessions. Under this belief, the Sherri host ignored her financial obligations. I didnt pay my bills. I didnt pay my taxes. I did not pay my traffic tickets because why would I pay anything when the worlds about to end?, Shepherd said. My registration had been expired for two years. I had seriously $10,000 worth of unpaid moving violations. Despite the traffic citations, the host didnt show up to court, joking that Jesus dont care about no parking tickets! Unlucky for Shepherd, said she the world never ended, and she went to jail. I went to jail for eight days. And because I fell for the Rapture, I became a hardened criminal, she joked. So thank God we are all still here. The Rapture is a Christian belief that entails that all true believers will meet Jesus Christ and go to heaven. Those who are saved will ascend, while others left on Earth will face a period of tribulation before the Second Coming of Christ. While the term rapture isnt in the Bible, the belief is based on interpretations of passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:1617, where Paul describes believers being caught up to meet the Lord. A prediction that the Rapture would occur Tuesday spread through social media in recent days, The New York Times reported. The hashtag #rapture has been used in over 361,000 TikTok videos to date. Some of the clips endorsed the prediction, while many others made fun of it. On a rainy morning in Roxbury, the annual economic outlook breakfast organized by Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) did not serve up an especially sunny forecast for the future. Perhaps the best news? Economists at J.P. Morgan have reduced their expectations the U.S. will enter a recession from 60% to 40%, and they anticipate that several more interest rate cuts could lie ahead. Here are five other key points from the trade groups breakfast, which featured a keynote by Rick MacDonald, the managing director and New England region manager at J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking, followed by a panel discussion. Businesses are pessimistic Brooke Thomson, AIM chief executive, noted that businesses in the state remain more pessimistic than they were immediately after the 2024 presidential election. However, the glass is just barely half-empty, with AIMs monthly index number at 49 points. Fifty points represents the threshold between pessimism any number lower than that and optimism. Tariffs on specific industries are here to stay Newly-introduced tariffs on specific industry sectors such as 25% duties on imported steel and automobiles are here to stay, MacDonald said. Its really hard once theyre in place to take them out. In part, that is because of a growing bipartisan consensus that domestic manufacturing is a strategic key to national security. The Department of Commerce is considering implementing new tariffs on products such as robots, medical devices and industrial equipment, including chipmaking gear, based on national security grounds. Reshoring, or bringing manufacturing activities back into the U.S. from abroad, is a trend, MacDonald said. It could be supported by tariffs but those are also widely expected to raise prices. Western Mass. companies are feeling a working capital pinch Because of uncertainty about funding cuts and policy moves from Washington, D.C., small businesses and manufacturing firms in western Massachusetts are having a much harder time accessing working capital, because of tighter lending standards and interest rates, said Xiomara Alban DeLobato, vice president of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council. Less venture capital money is available to Mass. startups Venture capital investment in Massachusetts startups and growing companies was down roughly 17% during the first half of 2025, MacDonald said. And much of that money is going to companies that have already surpassed the cocktail napkin stage; they have built a product and begun attracting early customers. Life sciences companies have been seeing sharp declines in funding, MacDonald said. Thats not good for our state but we should feel good about robotics, security and tough tech (climate-related technologies, robotics and advanced manufacturing tools). Those are getting dollars, and we have all those here. MacDonald also highlighted indicators that more than half of all venture capital being invested in the state is being invested in companies outside of Cambridge though it is still concentrated mainly in eastern Massachusetts cities such as Newton, Framingham and Waltham. The more we can get jobs to where people live, I think its a better thing and a healthy thing, he said. Businesses know AI is important, but theres uncertainty Compared to previous revolutions, like the development of the automobile, television or nuclear power, advancements in artificial intelligence are coming at an unprecedented pace, MacDonald said. While the majority of businesses are already investing in, or considering investing in, AI technology, people are uncertain on where and when to invest capital, he said. There are also big questions about how it will affect employment, MacDonald said. Hopefully, its an opportunity to reskill or upskill workers into roles that we cant fill. Thats the nirvana. Will it have some unintended consequences? No doubt. Reasons for optimism The breakfast ended with Thomson asking the speakers to cite a reason to be optimistic about the future. This is the best place in the country for education and a well-educated workforce, said Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, and I think we are working in earnest to extend that lead with the Reimagining High School initiative, which pairs well with what were thinking about in terms of graduation requirements, expanding early college [and] expanding career tech ed opportunities. Massachusetts has a great economy, we have great talent, we have great institutions, MacDonald said. We have a bunch of reasons why were going to be successful we have so much to work with, were gonna figure it out. It is not a question of having access to the right resources, he said, but weve just got to get the resources in the right place. When theres chaos, there are so many moments of opportunity, DeLobato said. An online fundraiser for a teen girl killed in a crash in Taunton late Friday night has raised more than $45,000 toward its $50,000 goal as of Thursday morning. Savannah Salemme, 18, of Dighton, was killed when a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck she was driving hit the front porch of a home in Taunton around 10:13 p.m. Friday night. The truck then rolled into parked cars in the driveway of the home, and was fully engulfed in flames when Taunton police officers arrived on scene, according to the Bristol County District Attorneys office. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The GoFundMe, created by Salemmes uncle, described her as a loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, best friend. Im unsure how our family will cope without her, Marc Ellis wrote. Im trying to raise money so the finances of losing our beloved Savannah is the last thing that they need to worry about at this horrendous time. Since the fundraisers launch on Sunday, it has racked up 385 donations totaling $45,435. A Dracut woman who leaked information from a grand jury investigation that WCVB and The Boston Globe have reported was a federal grand juror who investigated the states handling of the Karen Read case was recently fired from her job with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, according to redacted court documents. Jessica Leslie, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal contempt on Aug. 4 in federal court, the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office said previously. Prosecutors have not publicly linked her to the federal grand jury investigation into the states handling of the Karen Read murder case. The charge stemmed from Leslie disclosing information to one person, described by her lawyer as a former friend in her sentencing memorandum. She now understands that what she did was wrong and is genuinely remorseful about her actions, Attorney Keith Halpern wrote. Ms. Leslie believed that the information would remain private. She knew that sharing grand jury information violated her oath, the memorandum reads. [Redacted] ... She should have recognized that the violation of grand jury secrecy can cause serious harm to people and to the justice system, but she didnt. Read more: Grand juror in Karen Read case to plead guilty to leaking info from investigation Leslie was a licensed social worker who began working at the Department of Children and Families in 2017, according to the memorandum. She was promoted to a supervisor position in May 2025, but was recently terminated. Shed achieved her goal and had a job she loved. Now its gone, the memorandum reads. The memorandum urged a judge to accept a plea agreement sentencing Leslie to a day in prison, deemed served, and 24 months of supervised release as deemed sufficient but not greater than necessary. She gave up her right to appeal her conviction or sentence as part of the agreement. When contacted for additional comment on Thursday, Halpern said only that it was a shame [Leslie] lost her job. Prosecutors previously said Leslie had disclosed sealed information presented to a grand jury to unauthorized individuals on various dates between Aug. 11, 2022, and March 4, 2024. Among the information was names of various witnesses appearing before a federal grand jury and the substance of witness testimony. Leslie texted and called her then close friend to give them information about at least three unrelated cases, including the Massachusetts State Police commercial drivers license scheme, prosecutors said previously. Her friend then posted information about the cases on a social media account that law enforcement later connected to the friend. Karen Read faced charges including second-degree murder in connection with hitting her boyfriend Boston Police Officer John OKeefe with her SUV outside a Canton home in January 2022. Her first trial in June 2024 ended in a mistrial, but the jury in her second trial found her not guilty of all charges except driving under the influence of liquor in June 2025. The inspection process for fire sprinklers in Massachusetts relies on a haphazard honor system that can fail the very people its meant to protect. A MassLive investigation following the July fatal fire at Gabriel House a Fall River assisted living facility where 10 people were killed by a five-alarm blaze revealed a chain of problems with the states oversight of sprinkler systems in buildings: Inspections of sprinkler systems depend on an honor code, where fire departments rely on building owners to maintain these critical safety components. This reality extends beyond Massachusetts and is codified in the standards published by the National Fire Protection Association, which are adopted across the country. At Gabriel House, a sprinkler failed to activate in a second-story room where the fire started, sources with knowledge of the investigation have told MassLive . A mandated, five-year internal inspection of the sprinkler system was overdue, and several lawsuits claim the system also contained parts that were recalled decades ago. There is no centralized tracking of fire code violations in the state, and enforcement is arduous due to strained fire department staffing Meaningful changes to fire safety regulations often only follow tragedy, experts said, such as the fire at Gabriel House, the deadliest in the state in over 40 years. Fire safety regulations are written in blood, said Chris Nelson, senior fire protection engineer in the Boston Fire Departments Fire Prevention Division. Someone has died because of an incident, and the code is written because someone died. Nearly every fire department in Massachusetts reports being understaffed, undermining public trust and expectations that they can ensure fire safety in buildings across their communities. These are daunting realities laid bare by the fire that struck Gabriel House on the night of July 13. Under scrutiny by an ongoing state investigation and numerous lawsuits is whether owner Dennis Etzkorn and the fire safety company with which he contracted, Fire Systems Inc., were negligent regarding the buildings sprinkler system. In the days after the fire, Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon was quick and honest to speak about weaknesses of the honor system that local fire safety inspections hinge on. The legal responsibility lies with building owners to have their sprinkler systems inspected, maintained and repaired if necessary. In most cases, fire departments are simply following up to ensure there are no blatant fire code violations, officials said. And enforcement is a scattershot approach entirely dependent on manpower, resources and overall knowledge. Read more: Gabriel House owner alerted to missing sprinkler inspection days before deadly fire In Massachusetts, there isnt a central mechanism such as a statewide database for pursuing and tracking noncompliant building owners and code violations across municipalities. Instead, violations are maintained by individual fire departments or in housing courts around the state. Fire codes and standards are written by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Quincy-based industry nonprofit that publishes more than 300 best practices adopted by states and municipalities across the country. NFPA 25 is the minimum standard governing sprinkler inspections and testing, and its the law in Massachusetts. All of the codes and standards put the responsibility on the owner, said Shawn Mahoney, a senior engineer at the National Fire Protection Association. If youre going to have a building and going to bring occupants into it, its the owners responsibility to make sure its a safe place for everybody. Therein lies an inherent tension while liability may be on individual property owners, the public expects accountability from fire departments to ensure buildings in their cities and towns are safe to patronize, assemble and live in. But the system isnt set up to ensure they can an unsettling reality in a state where fire department staffing woes are widespread. Meanwhile, lurking in the background is a broader push to weaken fire safety codes and prevent additional regulations from being enacted. Fire officials contend codes are under attack across the country due to anti-regulatory attitudes and the influence of lobbying powers. Because of that, stronger fire safety laws only happen when people perish in egregious events, they said. The Cocoanut Grove (1942) and Station Nightclub (2003) fires are infamous in the U.S. for leading to widespread fire safety code reforms for public assembly buildings, such as multiple exits and exit doors that open out rather than in. This time, state leaders and lawmakers have proclaimed the double-digit deaths at Gabriel House must lead to significant changes. Its OK until its not OK Municipal fire inspectors typically rely on building owners to contract with licensed third-party vendors to inspect and maintain their fire safety equipment, including sprinklers. That documentation is then supposed to be relayed to local fire departments during their annual building inspection process. Some departments require contractors to upload reports directly online, while for others, its less clear how they obtain and organize confirmation of inspections and testing. Thats where things can get a little difficult, Mahoney, of the NFPA, said. Fire safety contractors working on sprinkler systems must be licensed by the state of Massachusetts both companies and the individuals who work for them. If they arent properly licensed, the state can issue cease-and-desist orders that could result in civil or criminal penalties if violated. We need to rely on the licensed professionals to do those, to do their inspections. And were just following up to make sure those are done. Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon During a press conference in July, Bacon, Fall Rivers fire chief, said no fire department in the country is staffed to the level that they could verify and conduct all inspections themselves. We just dont have the resources to do that, Bacon said. We need to rely on the licensed professionals to do those, to do their inspections. And were just following up to make sure those are done. In Fall River, the fire departments annual inspection form is a one-page checklist, according to records obtained by MassLive. Department records show three different individuals inspected and passed Gabriel House over the last six years. There is a check-off line for sprinklers where inspectors historically marked FSI, short for Fire Systems Inc., the contractor, and noted the date they reportedly did their inspection. A survey of firefighter unions conducted after the Gabriel House fire found that nearly all Massachusetts fire departments fail to meet national standards for staffing fire trucks. The survey didnt include fire prevention and inspection staffing, but Mahoney noted that when budget cuts hit fire departments, fire prevention resources are usually slashed first before they take people off trucks. Bacon said the fire prevention staff in Fall River is less than half of what it was when he started with the department 23 years ago. Over the course of my career, many of those positions were reassigned back to [fire] suppression due to manpower shortages, he said. This presents a significant challenge for chiefs of departments like Fall River because fire prevention plays a critical role in life safety. There are six inspectors in Fall River in addition to the city fire marshal and captain of fire prevention who handle plan reviews, inspections of high-risk facilities, fire drills at schools, complaint investigations and more. Fire officials across the state, including those in Boston and Springfield, told MassLive they dont inspect sprinkler systems themselves, but instead review the documentation provided by contractors who conduct the inspections and testing for building owners. The protocol sets the stage for things to fall through the cracks, particularly when they arent obvious to the naked eye, according to Nelson, of the Boston Fire Department. He described a situation where the sheer amount of buildings (and the older building stock in New England), combined with understaffing, makes the endeavor to catch all deficiencies virtually impossible. I could walk into most buildings in the country and find something wrong, Nelson said. Its on the honor system because theres millions of buildings in the state of Massachusetts, and the squeaky wheel gets the grease. The small mistakes slip through the cracks where its OK until its not OK. At Gabriel House, Etzkorn previously said he had the sprinkler system visually inspected annually as required, and he regularly passed inspections by the Fall River Fire Department, according to department records. However, he was missing the comprehensive fire-year inspection of his sprinkler system, which ensures that internal parts are functioning, MassLive previously reported. Etzkorn has said the sprinklers were found to be in working order just five days before the July 13 fire. But that same day, Fire Systems Inc. also alerted Etzkorn to his ongoing failure to obtain the five-year inspection, sources told MassLive. Bacon said he wasnt sure municipal fire inspectors would pick up on a missing five-year inspection tag. Thats definitely something between the building owner and the sprinkler contractor, he said. Data from 2017 to 2021 show the most common reasons for sprinkler failure or ineffectiveness were that the system was either shut off prior to a fire or the water discharge didnt reach the flames, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Lack of maintenance accounted for less than 10% of failures. Several lawsuits claim the sprinklers at Gabriel House also had components that were recalled decades before the fire and ultimately never replaced. An ongoing investigation led by the Bristol County District Attorneys Office and the state Department of Fire Services, which will determine Gabriel Houses compliance with life safety requirements, has yet to conclude. But officials have determined the fire started accidentally in a second-floor residents room, caused by either an electrical or mechanical failure of an oxygen concentrator or the improper use/disposal of smoking materials. Private attorneys who have filed at least seven lawsuits were on site this week, granted access to the buildings interior for the first time to conduct their own investigations. Etzkorn, through a spokesperson, did not provide additional comment for this story. Read more: Deadly Gabriel House fire exposes gaps in subsidized affordable assisted living business model Another example that highlights the cracks in the fire inspection system recently came to light in nearby New Bedford. The New Bedford Light reported that the citys fire department had not inspected Whalers Cove, the citys lone assisted living facility, for at least 18 years. The reason, given by local fire officials, was that assisted living facilities are regulated by the states Executive Office of Aging and Independence and thus not the fire departments responsibility. The state office, however, said it doesnt conduct fire safety inspections itself and instead defers to local fire departments. How sprinkler violations are enforced if they are When problems are discovered, Massachusetts fire code clearly states that enforcement of violations is left up to local fire departments. This has led to a piecemeal approach across the state, as staffing and resources vary drastically from major city departments to all-volunteer staff in small towns. Its local, said Robert Duval, Northeast regional director for the National Fire Protection Association. Unfortunately, it can be different in each town or city depending on the jurisdiction. A violation in Springfield, Worcester or Boston, its going to be a lot different than way out in the boondocks somewhere. Most fire departments are up against it in terms of inspections and enforcing violations, Duval said. They do the best they can and they do the high-priority stuff (high-occupancy buildings) first, he said. It is a challenge around the country. The Department of Fire Services can step in, most often when a fire results in a fatality. DFS inspectors, in addition to specific industries and activities under their purview, are also available to help municipalities with code interpretation, inspections and citations. Sprinkler violations are usually honest mistakes rather than willful negligence, most often attributable to old buildings that get changed over the years or change hands, Nelson said. Before it became an assisted living facility in the late 1990s, the Gabriel House building was a motel, for example, built in 1964. If fire code issues arent addressed, local departments and the Department of Fire Services can pursue non-criminal citations filed through housing courts, and criminal charges if warranted. Non-criminal penalties for violating the fire code are established by state statute, but enforcement is left to the authority having jurisdiction, which is most often the local fire department. According to state law, a person can be fined between $100 and $1,000 for violating a fire code. The law explicitly states that any person who wantonly or recklessly violates the state building code or state fire code and causes serious bodily injury or death to any person can be fined up to $25,000 and face a potential state prison sentence of up to five years. Capt. Richard Martin, fire marshal for the city of Springfield, said in his experience, building owners get compliant pretty quickly when theyre notified of a problem, because they understand liability issues associated with having a sprinkler system violation. When a deficiency appears on my desk, its normally fixed within 48 hours, he said. Like others, Martin said one of the mounting challenges for fire departments is that fire codes are always several years behind new technology. Solar panels and battery storage are examples of developments that fire codes havent caught up with, officials said. In Springfield, there are more than 35,000 structures and roughly seven fire inspectors in the field at any given time. Some sprinkler systems in the city date back to 1929. We try to do our best in all cases of high life-hazard facilities, like medical facilities, large apartment buildings, A2 occupancies (places of assembly with food and drink), Martin said. Unique in Boston is an entire legal unit within its fire department dedicated to enforcement they follow up on code violations in the field and take building owners to court if necessary. This is in addition to a staff of fire inspectors. A Boston property owner typically has 15 days to fix an issue and schedule a new inspection; if they fail to do so, the violation will be escalated to a criminal complaint. Capt. Robert Kelly, of the Boston Fire Prevention Legal Unit, acknowledged that those resources are far beyond what most communities in the state have. And yet, Boston, too, always seems to be playing catch-up. A lot of times things fall through the cracks, he said. Were constantly finding things that havent been maintained, and we fix them as we find them. A lot of times (building owners) will work with you, but sometimes they wont. The Boston Fire Department depends on sprinkler system affidavits when it comes to issuing certificates of occupancy, Kelly said. That means (building owners) hire an outside third party to sign an affidavit, stamp it with their engineering stamp, saying that they installed the system, that it works like this, and it works as designed, he said. We send an inspector out there to make sure that everythings in place, but we dont actually do the testing ourselves. That basically falls in line with what most departments do. I mean, should Boston have our own sprinkler guy? You know, in my opinion, we probably should. But we rely solely on third-party affidavits, Kelly said. Attacks on fire safety codes A national movement pushing back against fire safety standards has been transpiring in the background for years with a particular focus on sprinkler requirements in certain residential dwellings. While fire officials tend to advocate for additional standards and regulations, the homebuilding industry is often pulling the levers to do the opposite as evidenced by the 48 states across the country that dont follow a hotly-debated residential sprinkler standard. Current NFPA codes and standards require sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes and townhouses, as do recent editions of the International Residential Code. However, only two states in the U.S. currently follow this California and Maryland, as well as the District of Columbia. In 2016, an investigation by ProPublica and The Post and Courier revealed the homebuilding industry had, at that point, spent millions of dollars in state capitals to block fire sprinkler mandates in new homes. Fire sprinklers in single-family homes are illogical for the expense, as homes are already designed with many points of egress and smoke detectors can alert homeowners to fires before they spread, according to the National Association of Home Builders. The association claims emotional arguments are used when mandates are pushed in state legislatures. A bill before the Massachusetts Senate this session would allow municipalities to opt-in to a one- and two-unit residential dwelling sprinkler requirement solely for new construction. The same effort stalled in the last six legislative sessions, according to the states website. People take safety for granted and dont understand what actually goes on behind the scenes. Codes and standards are under attack and they have been under attack for a while. Shawn Mahoney, a senior engineer at the National Fire Protection Association In Massachusetts, the homebuilding industry has historically lobbied against residential fire sprinkler proposals, arguing they raise the cost of housing and that efforts should instead focus on ensuring working fire alarms in all buildings. According to the Department of Fire Services, more than 70% of all fire-related injuries and deaths in Massachusetts take place at home, yet residential occupancies are the least likely to be protected by fire sprinklers. People take safety for granted and dont understand what actually goes on behind the scenes, Mahoney said. Codes and standards are under attack and they have been under attack for a while. They are there for a reason and things are happening in (state) legislatures where people are undermining the process. Because of the competing interests that result in stalemates, fire officials say calamities like the deaths at Gabriel House are often the only force that spurs change. Things generally dont get fixed until theres a tragedy, said Kelly, of the Boston Fire Department. Its always about money. Theyre always looking at the budgets. And we can only work with the tools they give us. A person was shot in a residential area of Norwood Wednesday afternoon, according to police. Multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunfire near the intersection of Columbine and Woodbine Roads around 5 p.m., Norwood police said in a press release. The callers told dispatchers theyd seen a car fleeing the area after the gunshots had ceased. Officers responded to the scene, but could not locate a car that might be involved in the shooting, police said. A short time later, another 911 caller reported that there was a shooting victim inside a car at a gas station at the intersection of Dean Street and Route 1 approximately two miles from where the shooting happened. Norwood police and firefighters provided first aid to the victim before they were taken by ambulance to a local hospital, police said. It is unclear how badly they were wounded or what condition they are in as of Wednesday evening. Norwood police are still investigating the shooting. They ask that anyone with information about it call them at 781-440-5100. No further information has been released. A person was taken to a hospital after being shot in Norwood Wednesday evening, police said. Norwood police received multiple 911 calls around 5 p.m. Wednesday reporting shots fired near Columbine and Woodbine roads. Callers told police a vehicle was seen fleeing the area, Police Chief Christopher Padden said in a statement. Arriving officers did not find any vehicles in the area. A short time later, another 911 caller reported there was a shooting victim in a vehicle at a gas station near Dean Street and Route 1, Padden said. First responders provided aid to the person, who was taken to the hospital. A spokesman for the police department did not immediately respond to questions about their condition. The shooting remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 781-440-5100. Prosecutors have dropped a criminal charge against a Cape Cod teen who they previously accused of planning a shooting at a Falmouth school, the Cape and Islands District Attorneys Office announced Thursday. Falmouth resident Ian Fotheringham, 18, pleaded not guilty to one count of threatening to use a deadly weapon in a public building during his arraignment in Barnstable District Court last week. The charge against Fotheringham was dropped because prosecutors learned of a discrepancy which made further prosecution in the District Court no longer available, the district attorneys office wrote in a press release. The discrepancy was discovered over the course of the investigation into the teen, which is ongoing. Falmouth police began investigating Fotheringham in August after being informed that hed indicated a desire to shoot up a school and was refurbishing guns in his bedroom, the Cape and Islands District Attorneys Office said previously. With Fotheringhams consent, Falmouth police searched his home, but did not find any illegal firearms. Then, in early September, Falmouth School District safety monitors reported a suspicious male walking in the woods behind a school to Falmouth police, the district attorneys office said. The school was Teaticket Elementary School, WBZ-TV reported previously. Based on their interaction with the male, school safety monitors were very concerned that this male was casing the school, the district attorneys office wrote. Falmouth police soon identified the male as Fotheringham, the district attorneys office said. But Fotheringhams attorney, Krysten Condon, disputed that the description of the suspicious male matched her client, WBZ-TV reported. Investigators soon discovered photos of the deadly Columbine High School shooting from 1999 on Fotheringhams phone, the district attorneys office said. Falmouth police then searched his home a second time and found a large 3D printer capable of producing a firearm. Read more: Cape Cod teen who prosecutors say planned school shooting released on bail Police reports indicate that Fotheringham previously exhibited concerning, sometimes violent, behavior late last year, The Cape Cod Times reported previously. But in a previous statement to WBZ-TV, Condon argued that the case against her client was based on speculation and conjecture. She also said her client has mental health issues. Despite this, the court previously accepted an evaluating doctors recommendation that he be deemed competent to stand trial a move which both the defense and prosecutors supported, according to court records. Following a dangerousness hearing last week, Fotheringham was released on bail with conditions including that he remain on house arrest, not possess any weapons, wear a GPS location monitor and undergo mental health treatment, court records show. A group of concerned Falmouth mothers attended the hearing, hoping to hear the judge rule against granting Fotheringham bail, WBZ-TV reported. In turn, the towns superintendent promised to have police details stationed at all elementary schools through at least the end of this week. A 52-year-old Massachusetts man was killed and another driver was seriously injured in a head-on collision on Route 119 in Rindge, New Hampshire, Wednesday night, police said. Rindge police and fire responded to the crash around 9:16 p.m. Wednesday after a report of a two-vehicle crash involving entrapment, a vehicle fire and serious injuries, the police department wrote on Facebook. With the assistance of a good Samaritan, police put out the fire. The 52-year-old man, identified as Richard Pezzolesi, of Winchendon, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The other driver, 24-year-old Robert Adams, of Ashburnham, managed to free himself from his car and was evaluated at the scene. First responders requested a medical helicopter for Adams, but none were available because of the weather. He was taken by ambulance to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester for treatment of serious injuries, police said. Police determined Pezzolesi had been driving west on Route 119 before attempting to turn onto Old Ashburnham Road. As he made the turn, Pezzolesi collided with Adams car, which was going east, head-on, police said. After the collision, the cars rolled together for more than 100 feet before coming to a rest on the eastbound shoulder of the highway. Adams car, a 2023 Jeep Compass, came to a rest on its passenger side, stacked on top of the drivers side of Pezzolesis car, a 2018 Ford Fiesta, police said. A third car, a 2021 Honda Accord, driven by a 47-year-old from Rindge, drove through the debris field before first responders arrived, rendering it inoperable. The driver was not injured. Another vehicle was reported to have driven through the debris field, but it didnt stop at the scene. Police have not identified the vehicle or its driver. The crash remains under investigation. Witnesses are asked to call police at 603-899-5009. By Jimena Sandoval | Edited by Patricia Guadalupe The battlefield of social justice has shifted. It no longer unfolds solely on city streets or in marches, courtrooms, or legislative chambers, but hums quietly, invisibly beneath our fingertips, embedded inside algorithms, encrypted messages, and platforms that shape how people live and how theyre seen. For trans, queer, Indigenous, migrants, Black, Latine, and marginalized communities, the fight for survival now includes a digital front. At the forefront of this fight is Diego Gonzalez-Medina, Founder of Liminal Works, a tech justice organization headquartered in West Hollywood, California, dedicated to building digital tools rooted in collective liberation and care. The name reflects the belief that technology and society are in a moment of transition, toward a community-led digital future. Raised with Chicano and Puerto Rican traditions and living openly with HIV, Diego says that he knows that survival in todays world requires more than protest and understanding the stakes personally. If technology is a weapon, then we need to forge our own armor, he tells palabra. Founded in July 2024 by leaders in civic, tech, nonprofit, and progressive movements, Liminal Works emerged from the rise of global tech surveillance and threats coming from the far right. In just six months, it transformed from a vision to action, launching programs in movements and security, movement-aligned infrastructure, and co-designing practical tools that equip grassroots leaders to defend and shape a more democratic future. More than half of its funding comes directly from community members, with additional financial and in-kind support from other individuals and from foundations. In its first year alone, over 25 volunteers across seven countries and six continents contributed more than 2,000 hours to building a safer, more resilient movement ecosystem. Today, Liminal Works is strategizing its next chapter, with plans to expand its reach and deepen global collaborations. Diego Gonzalez-Medina led a hackathon in Seattle in 2018 with some of the same people who continue to play a role with Liminal Works. The organization provides digital security tools to help activists protect marginalized communities. Photo courtesy of Liminal Works Diegos journey into tech activism began in the wake of Donald Trumps 2016 presidential win, when the digital threats became undeniable. Social media harassment, online doxxing, and algorithmic invisibility were common, and people Diego knew faced online harassment, censorship, and targeted violence. In response, he founded House of Luna, a queer collective network that not only provides a sense of cultural belonging but also housing, digital resources, and leadership training to those rejected by society and excluded from mainstream systems. I wasnt looking for a substitute, Diego tells palabra. I was looking for a supplement I had been needing the whole time. The threats facing these communities have only intensified, something that Diego calls the algorithmic rebranding of conversation therapy. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook are now accused of incubating what advocates call gender-critical and so-called detransition narratives, bolstered by recommendation algorithms and disguising transphobia under pseudo-science. Diego mentions what can be described as a chilling parallel: The Ku Klux Klan changes shape over time to better hide itself. This is a long-standing pattern in oppressive movements. These systems werent built with us in mind. And when they built without us, they built against us. Algorithmic censorship is real. A 2023 University of Southern California study found that nearly 40% of factual data used by AI models contained bias, amplifying systematic inequalities rather than neutralizing them. When someone posts about being transgender or Black and their reach drops for no clear reason, thats not a glitch, Diego says. Thats how algorithmic suppression works in real time. And the problem goes deeper than likes or views. Under the Trump administration, federal agencies banned entire categories of identity-affirming language, a move that went beyond bureaucracy and into ideological warfare. Censorship isnt just technical, its ideological, Diego warns. Its about denying the very language we use to exist. This silencing aims to erase identities by denying the language that affirms them, Diego adds, extending across social media and government systems alike. In this hostile digital environment, cybersecurity is not a luxury; it is a necessity for survival. We have always been the beta tester for oppressive technologies. Now, were becoming the architects of our own code, Diego offers. This hands-on care evolved into Liminal Works, where Diego and his team now focus on building digital infrastructures that protect, rather than exploit, vulnerable communities. Their signature project, CECI, is a tactical communication network designed with gender justice organizations. But its not just another tech product, its mutual aid in code form, Diego mentions. The TransLatin@ Coalition leaders and Diego Gonzalez-Medina meet with Mexican trans activist Natalia Lane (second from left) in February 2025. Liminal Works mission is to empower grassroots organizers and activists with digital products and services to protect themselves and better navigate digital platforms. Photo courtesy of Liminal Works Through a co-design fellowship program, Liminal Works supports five community-designed tech projects this year, developed by and for those most impacted: trans people, undocumented folks, and unhoused organizers. We give them funding and infrastructure directly, and provide fiscal sponsors like the Raft Foundation, which has supported them with licensing, open-source guidance, Diego says. And Liminal Works doesnt stop there. Theyre planning to host divestment clinics, where community members ditch surveillance-heavy apps like Instagram, learn to use secure messaging tools like Signal, and discover alternatives, together. We are going to fight Big Tech by ourselves, but we can walk away from it, together, and thats powerful, Diego shares. These spaces turn resistance into ritual. We dont want to just replicate oppressive systems in new techs. We want to reimagine what security, access, and digital autonomy actually feel like, like dancing, like joy, like community, Diego explains. Diego calls it math-laundering discrimination, and hes not alone in raising the alarm. These systems werent built with us in mind. And when they built without us, they built against us, says L, who is the head of compliance of a digital rights NGO. A digital rights advocate and technologist, L works closely with civil society organizations to monitor the ethical deployment of AI in public infrastructure. Due to the sensitive nature of their work and potential professional repercussions, L has requested anonymity. L has spent years watching global tech policy unfold without meaningful input from the very communities these systems impact. These forums are expensive, technical, often in English only, and completely disconnected from lived experiences. The myth of neutral technology is particularly dangerous. Removing sensitive identity labels like trans or Black from datasets doesnt eliminate bias, because algorithms can still infer identities through proxy variables. Instead, L advocates for returning data stewardship to the communities themselves, through stronger privacy laws, data collectives, and community-led audits. Amid this challenging landscape, Diegos work and similar grassroots efforts offer a hopeful model. With only a fraction of Big Techs budget, community-driven initiatives prioritize care, participation, and respect, L observes, emphasizing that these communities voices must be included in the very forums that shape the rules governing our digital future. Liminal Works' Northeast U.S. team during a June 2025 meeting at Brooklyn Movement Center in New York City. The group plans to expand its global partnerships and reach. Photo courtesy of Liminal Work For Liminal Works, security isnt just passwords; its about culture, trust, and collective power. Its about turning tech into something you can feel good using, not something that watches you or flags your existence as sensitive content. For Diego, the solution lies in decentralization and social technology, tools built and governed by communities to meet their own needs. Social technology isnt just about apps; its about principles like equity, participation, and sustainability. Boycotts matter. Theyre about choosing not to rely on platforms that harm us. But even more, we need alternatives that nourish us. The urgency couldnt be clearer. Diego tells the story of a trans woman who was denied hormone therapy because a clinic system incorrectly flagged her as deceased. The error caused panic attacks and further delayed care. Were not asking for permission to exist in these spaces We are demanding the power to shape our digital future." Liminal Works shows that its possible to code from the margins, not to replicate, but to resist. Their projects are not only catching the attention of their communities, but they are also being noticed globally. The Resist Fund, co-founded by historians and activists, selected Liminal Works as one of only 20 groups it funds each year. Still, Diego stays grounded. We are not trying to become a new tech giant. Were trying to survive, and help our communities live with dignity. Liminal Works offers radically different paths forward. Its one where communities dont just fight back, they build alternatives. Were not asking for permission to exist in these spaces, Diego insists. We are demanding the power to shape our digital future. Their work isnt a luxury; its an urgent upgrade to human rights infrastructure for the 21st century. The power comes from refusing invisibility; Its about survival, but also creation, joy, and ownership. Because in a world that is made to delete a community, coding your existence is a revolutionary act. For Latine, BIPOC, and TGI (transgender, transsexual, gender-diverse, and intersex) communities, the future of digital life depends on autonomous infrastructures built from the ground up. We are coding for our own survival, Diego tells palabra. As long as technology remains a war zone, it will be the builders of safe havens, people like Diego, who offer not just resistance, but hope. A former strategist for the Republican Party says Donald Trumps latest rally miserably failed to persuade the public that the aging presidents still got it. A few hours after we discussed on [podcast Hacks on Tap] why Trump has cut back rallies so much, it was pretty evident at his event today in PA just why, Mike Murphy, who previously worked as a political consultant for John McCain, Jeb Bush, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, posted on X Wednesday. Meandering, more confusion and mental weakness The founder and CEO of the Boston-based nonprofit Adapt & Evolve was arrested by federal authorities on Tuesday on a drug distribution charge after he sold large amounts of crack cocaine earlier this month, officials said. Javan Tooley, 36, of Dorchester and Brockton, sold about 100 grams of crack cocaine near Fields Corner in Dorchester, a short distance away from the non-profits office and in the presence of a young child on Sept. 10, according to U.S. Attorney Leah Foleys Office. Tooley then contacted the cooperating witness again on Sept. 23 and met with them near Roxbury District Court and was found with about 160 grams of crack cocaine after his arrest, officials said. He appeared in Boston federal court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to a single count of distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base. He will return for a detention hearing on Friday. An attorney listed for Tooley did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday. The nonprofit CEO is described as driven by a personal mission to empower individuals through advocacy and public speaking, according to Adapt & Evolves website. The company specializes in Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) expungement and legal advocacy, the website states. Javan leverages his in-depth knowledge and personal insights to guide clients through complex legal challenges, aiming to remove barriers and facilitate new beginnings, the website states. The U.S. Attorneys Office referenced Tooleys extensive track record of drug trafficking and other criminal conduct, which includes a prior federal conviction. In 2010, he was convicted of distributing cocaine after a hand-to-hand sale to undercover law enforcement, officials said. While on supervised release after his prison sentence, he violated his terms at least five times, officials said, and was sentenced to another 22 months of prison. In an affidavit filed with a motion to keep Tooley in detention, a federal agent who works with the Boston Police Department wrote that an FBI human trafficking task force investigated Tooley for potential offenses. Based on interviews with victims and a review of other law enforcement reports, agents have learned that Tooley targeted and recruited women, many of whom suffered from substance abuse disorders, to engage in commercial sex for his financial benefit and to distribute controlled substances for him, the investigator wrote. The victims disclosed that Tooley engaged in acts of violence targeting the victims and provided drug-addicted victims with access to drugs. Tooley created a climate of fear among his victims by claiming that he had connections to law enforcement and other powerful and influential officials, the agent wrote. Adapt & Evolve did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday. The Healey administration has unveiled its six-point vision for the ideal Massachusetts high school graduate. Getty Images By the time the last notes of Pomp and Circumstance have finished echoing, the ideal Massachusetts high school graduate should be a problem-solver whos adept at collaboration and prepared for the challenges to come. Or at least thats how the Healey administration sees things. And that should happen no matter who they are, where they live, or what path they choose to follow once they pick up their diploma. On Wednesday, the Democratic administration released its vision for the ideal Bay State high school graduate, unveiling what it describes as an aspirational outline for every student. The six bullet points are the endpoint of work by the states Statewide K-12 Graduation Council, a panel whose work was informed by thousands of survey responses and eight statewide listening sessions, Gov. Maura Healeys office said in a statement. Massachusetts has always led the way in education, and this Vision of a Graduate builds on that legacy, the Democratic governor said. We all need to work together to make sure our young people are prepared not only with strong academic skills but also with the problem-solving, collaboration and leadership abilities theyll need to succeed in every aspect of life, Healey continued. The outline comes after voters opted to scrap the MCAS examination as a high school graduation requirement, leaving it to individual school districts to draw up their own requirements. Under the plan Healeys office rolled out on Wednesday, graduates will be: Thinkers Academically Prepared: Graduates have a strong foundation across academic disciplines, equipping them with both the knowledge to thrive in college, career, and civic life and the skills to be lifelong learners. Critical Problem-Solvers: Graduates critically examine information to draw connections, question assumptions, infer meaning, and shape solutions. Contributors Self-Aware Navigators: Graduates understand themselves, their strengths, and their opportunities and can effectively leverage their unique skills to navigate a variety of paths and environments. Intentional Collaborators: Graduates engage respectfully and productively with diverse individuals and groups, recognizing the value of their unique perspectives, identities and experiences as well as those of others. Leaders Effective Communicators: Graduates confidently and clearly express their ideas to diverse audiences across a variety of mediums. Responsible Decision-Makers: Graduates can set and pursue personal goals, make healthy and financially sustainable choices, and demonstrate confidence and competence in shaping their lives. Through the important work of this council and the contributions of school districts and other stakeholders, we have defined key competencies high school graduates need, state Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez said. There is a shared understanding that students should graduate with the skills needed to make decisions responsibly, contribute meaningfully to civic life and be prepared for postsecondary education, Martinez, who co-chaired the graduation council, continued. In a statement, the heads of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the states largest teachers union, said the new standards [emphasize the] core skills and attributes that are essential to the success of our young people as citizens, workers and lifelong learners. Educators and voters have made clear that such essential skills cannot be assessed by a standardized test, the unions president and vice president, Max Page and Deb McCarthy, continued. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., questions Billy Long, President Donald Trump's pick to run the IRS, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Screen Capture) Screen Capture U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are calling on the State Department to step up to protect a flotilla, whose ranks include two Massachusetts residents, thats carrying food and aid to Gaza. The Bay State Democrats, joined by U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., sent the appeal to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to intervene with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government. Those aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla were attacked Tuesday off the coast of Crete. Two Western Massachusetts brothers, Adnaan Stumo and Tor Stumo, are among the 30 Americans who are believed to be taking part in the flotilla. Residents of Maryland and Oregon are also participating in the flotilla, hence the involvement of Van Hollen and Merkley. Under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, they warrant protection, the lawmakers told Rubio. They argued that Rubio, as the nations top diplomat, has a critical role to play in ensuring that U.S. foreign policy protects our citizens and promotes international law and humanitarian relief. We urge you to demand that the Netanyahu government refrain from any use of force against peaceful civilian vessels and ensure that humanitarian aid is surged into Gaza so that the desperate conditions that continue to prompt these flotillas no longer persist, they wrote. The Stumo brothers mother, Nadia Milleron, a Sheffield resident and former congressional candidate, told The Republican of Springfield on Wednesday that her sons plan to continue their mission with the flotilla. Following the latest attacks, the convoy is now escorted by an Italian naval vessel. Not even the mayor of West Springfield knows The Big Es daily attendance numbers. For the past several years, the fair has published its record-breaking numbers every day and in 2024, touted its place among the top four largest fairs in North America. This year? Only fair organizers know how many have entered the gates in the past 13 days, since theyve stopped releasing attendance numbers. What Ive seen is probably what everyones kind of seen and heard it definitely seems like lighter crowds this year than in the past," Mayor William Reichelt said on Wednesday, the 13th day of the fairs annual 17-day run. Eugene Cassidy, president of The Big E, refused to comment Wednesday and fair organizers have not said why they decided to stop releasing attendance figures. The West Springfield mayor and citys police department have relied on The Big Es website for attendance data every year. The mayor said hes not concerned about not having the data. If Im going over there, I can judge how busy it is, just by the traffic on Park Street, leaving Town Hall and coming down South Boulevard, Mayor Reichelt said. He added that most days havent been bad this year, but in the past two days, there has been traffic on Park. Specific attendance numbers after the fact doesnt really do much for us while the fair is happening ... [they] dont really affect how we operate as a community in relation to the fair throughout the 17 days, Reichelt continued. I didnt really think the attendance numbers were a big deal until this year when The Big E decided theyre not going to release them ... but it kind of is what it is, he said. He added, If theres issues, well address them, if theres not, then not. Reichelt called last year an anomaly in the sense of how busy it was that middle Saturday, and said The Big E this year has been a normal state fair ... as it has in the past. Vendors at the fair offered their own perspectives on the past 13 days. The manager of food vendor Chompers, located on New England Avenue, said he and concession stands across the fair have seen a large decrease in sales due to this years lower traffic. Everybody that were talking to, all the vendors, its 30%, thats about the average down, said Val Crescentini. It has been very, very slow, a lot less crowds, a lot of people talking about ... [how] they cant believe how open it is, easy to walk around. Everything is more spread out and just not as busy as it was, Crescentini said. But other vendors said pretty much everything is the same. Fairgoers at The Big E on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, on Commonwealth Ave. Taylor Sanzo Personally, our sales, our volume is about the same, said Tonio Viscusi, owner of Angelas Pizza. He added that foot traffic has been the same amount of people here and that a nearby pinch point created by the popular Macho Taco stand has been fixed by organizers, given the stand relocation. And while founder of The Vermont Marshmallow Company, Alexx Shuman, said her stand is having our best year, with every single day a record day, she noted traffic isnt awful when entering and leaving the fairgrounds and it feels like the right number of people are at the fair, instead of the most people. Last year, multiple viral social media videos showed gridlocked crowds across The Big E. MassLive received feedback from more than 100 attendees many of whom said they felt unsafe due to the crowd sizes. One person even called 911 from the fairgrounds at 5:11 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2024, fearing for their safety while trapped body-to-body on Commonwealth Avenue by a long pizza vendor line, according to the West Springfield Police Department. Reichelt attributed much of this years improved public safety to specific changes made by organizers in response to last years overcrowding concerns. He said that internally, organizers did recognize the seriousness of the public safety concerns through conversations, which he also said is apparent in this years adjustments. Last year, we had the overcrowding issues. There were a lot of concerns on everyones side, and those were addressed over the course of the eight to 10 months after the [2024] fair, in preparation for this fair, Reichelt said. Thats a stark contrast to comments made by Cassidy just days before the 2025 fair began. Cassidy minimized the public safety concerns and told MassLive that videos posted to social media of large crowds at the fairgrounds were clickbait and online trolling. He was unaware of last years 911 call and said he was very suspect if it actually happened. He did agree that choke points exist on the grounds, but continued to diminish the significance and said they occur at every fair in the country. Reichelt, who declined to comment on Cassidys minimization of public safety issues, said the fair has generally always been responsive to us on the public safety side, saying, Okay, these are trends that are happening nationally .... These are things wed like to implement that havent [been] implemented in the past. That includes switching the Macho Taco stand this year from the busy Commonwealth Avenue to a spot on East Road, Reichelt said, closer to midway rides. Macho Tacos manager was not available to comment to MassLive, and his fair vendor employees declined to comment. Macho Taco at The Big E on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. Taylor Sanzo The biggest crowding issue last year, from the TikTok video shown on Commonwealth Ave., was the Macho Taco stand being so popular in an already busy street, Reichelt said. He added that no blame is placed on the vendors themselves for being a popular stand. Being so popular on an already busy street probably wasnt and I know it was a last-minute decision on their [the fair organizers] end didnt end up being the best move, but being responsive, listening and moving that, opening the avenue up again, has been good," he said. Additionally, hardening gate access points with vehicle barriers and boosting security in key areas come as more additions to the public safety planning that begins each October for the following years fair a process that has evolved over the past decade, according to Reichelt. A University of Massachusetts Amherst assistant professor is exploring the reuse of old smartphones as environmental-monitoring tools. (Patti Sapone / NJ Advance Media, File) Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media AMHERST A UMass professor will be giving new life to old tech, repurposing outdated smartphones to study the environment with the help of a $600,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation. Dr. V.P. Nguyen, an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Amhersts Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, will use the discarded devices to monitor plant water consumption and nutrient density in soil. University of Massachusetts Amherst Assistant Professor V.P. Nguyen, says that many of smartphone tools used to monitor human health also could be used to track environmental health, a sort of FitBit for trees. With a $600,000 grant, he and his team are exploring using old smartphones to monitor the environment, using sustainable sources of energy to power them. (University of Massachusetts Amherst photo) University of Massachusetts Amherst photo On average, trees have about a 45% efficiency rate on receiving nutrients from the soil and water, he said. That is not ideal. Nguyen, initially from a biomedical background, discovered that many of smartphone tools used to monitor human health also could be used to track environmental health, a sort of FitBit for trees. Initially started as a solar powered-drone project with an ecosystem-monitoring group, The PhenoCam Network, Nguyen hopes that using the recycled devices will solve a major problem in ecology: how to study large plots of conservation land without having massive blind spots in the resulting data. While exploring the drones as a means to cover the distance, Nguyen stumbled upon an unorthodox and straightforward solution. Smartphone cameras are more powerful than (traditional monitoring) cameras, he said. Moreover, he noted that phones at their end of life are plentiful and cheap by comparison. Old phones can go for as little as $50 to $75, making the technology both scalable and sustainable. Smartphones are pocket-sized but powerful, too, the professor said. With the average device having the processing power of a small computer, its possible to perform fast calculations on the fly. But what about power sources? With electricity being hard to find or nonexistent in remote areas in the field and batteries being unsustainable, Nguyen and his team had to find a workaround. It is an interesting problem, Nguyen said. How to execute the maximum amount of goals based on the energy we have. The solution? Renewable energy mixed with artificial intelligence. Nguyens devices are both solar- and wind-powered, swapping out traditional batteries for capacitor arrays, which increase the speed and frequency of when a device can be charged. The array and the phone case can be biodegradable, too, making it environmentally sustainable in addition to efficient. Further, the UMass team is employing a computing concept called energy-aware computing, in which AI systems assess the amount of remaining battery time and quickly perform a series of tasks based on importance to the project. This dynamically optimizes the amount and hierarchy of work done in the shortest amount of time. The AI model, built in-house, uses already-existing technology to perform its tasks. Using a method called object recognition, the devices capture photos at regular intervals and compares them to images on record, highlighting changes based on metrics, such as relative greenness and velocity flow rate (or how fast water goes up the trees). Object recognition is a both energy-cost efficient, as well as an easy task, for AI to perform. Nguyen also is exploring cloud networks to offload some of the more energy-intensive tasks. With partners The PhenoCam Network and GaugeCam Nguyen intends to integrate his smartphone system into their existing networks by next summer, which includes about 20 sites nodes. From there, he aims to set up 20 more developing sites. The potential is very high, Nguyen said. The technology is already out there, and we should make use of it. Video News: [Video News] Les numeros gagnants du tirage du Loto et Loto Plus du 1er novembre 2025[Video news] Talk Series #8 : Lassiette de demain : quels sont les enjeux au menu ? 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Mayo Breast Cancer survivor Fiona Mannion is encouraging the public to host a Big Pink Breakfast to help fund vital breast cancer support services. After a routine mammogram, the 56-year-old Castlebar woman was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2020, during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Detailing her experience, Fiona said: On March 23, 2020, as the whole world was focused on Covid, I got a call from a surgeon in the hospital to say I had breast cancer. He said I had two options: to go on hormone suppressants until this pandemic thing was over or to come to Galway the next morning for surgery." Fiona says she felt she had no time to digest the news she had just received; "I decided to go ahead with the surgery, and thankfully, everything went smoothly. My tumour was sent away for testing, and I later received results from the Oncotype test. My surgeon told me I had scored 20 on the test and therefore would not require chemo. This was a huge relief. Following her surgery, Fiona had radiotherapy. She finished her radiation treatment at the end of June 2020 with the support of family and friends. Since finishing hormone therapy last May, Fiona is now doing well. Speaking on the Big Pink Breakfast campaign, Fiona says she encourages supporting the campaign to help people like her who have been affected by breast cancer: I would encourage everyone to please get behind the Big Pink Breakfast campaign, a huge amount of the funding for the Irish Cancer Societys breast cancer support services and breast cancer research projects comes from donations made by the public. If you are at all able, please support this important cause.She added. Mary OKelly, a cancer nurse with the Irish Cancer Society, emphasises the importance of self-examination for women of all ages: Even those who are eligible for screening, as this only takes place every two years. Pick a date and try to do it as consistently as you can, monthly. Its really important that we are breast aware and know what is normal for us. If you notice any of the signs or symptoms of breast cancer and the change persists, please go to see your GP as soon as possible. She added. The Irish Cancer Society nurse says that women should not feel embarrassed or uncomfortable attending their GP with breast issues. "If you are concerned about breast cancer, call the Irish Cancer Societys Support Line on Freephone 1800 200 700. You can also find out more at www.cancer.ie. Funds raised by hosting a Big Pink Breakfast will go directly to supporting breast cancer support services, transport to treatment, Night Nursing, and research projects. To learn more or get involved, visit cancer.ie/pink READ NEXT: Architecture festival returns to Mayo for another year The 2025 edition of the Architecture at the Edge festival will run from this Friday, September 26, to Sunday, October 12, across Mayo and Galway. This years festival will include the presentation of Run Irelands (In)visible Buildings Project, an ongoing research project mapping the condition and extent of former residential institutional sites across the island of Ireland. Highlights of this years festival in Mayo include Solid Foundations at The Ballinglen Museum of Art, where participants will learn about the beginning of The Ballinglen Arts Foundation, visit The Ballinglen Museum of Art, and learn about the plans for The Old School in Ballycastle. HeritACT Ballina, an EU-funded project focusing on cultural heritage as a catalyst for sustainable development, will present several events, including a walk and talk on the histories associated with some of the HeritACT sites, departing from the HeritHUB at Ballina Library. Later that day, Martin Leonard and Yvonne Corcoran Loftus will talk through The Jackie Clarke Collection and give the history of the building and the collection. Pictured: Enniscoe House Curator Kathryn Connolly will discuss the care of the collection during the restoration at Westport House. Enniscoe House will also be open for a tour. Additionally, a tour of Patita Bourke Nicholsons paintings from the exhibition Paintings of Memory and Imagination will be available to view on October 11. For full details on these events and to view the full programme, visit: https://www.architectureattheedge.com/ READ MORE: Mayo Minister opens 2025 Rural Youth Assembly In Westport on Thursday afternoon, The Mission Critical Communications system was unveiled at a conference, attended by Minister Jack Chambers, Minister Dara Calleary, and Minister of State Emer Higgins, alongside representatives from European Public Protection and Disaster Relief agencies, technology leaders, and the European Commission. The new system, built by Vodafone Ireland in partnership with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), utilizes cutting-edge technology to create a resilient "system of last resort" for emergency communications. This ensures that Gardai, fire services, ambulance teams, and civil defence can maintain communication and coordination even when traditional power systems fail. READ MORE: Don't be afraid to put your hand up and ask for help' in Mayo The system offers comprehensive real-time communication capabilities, allowing first responders to talk, text, share live video, and send maps instantly, even during storms or in areas with poor mobile coverage. Emergency services benefit from priority network access, ensuring guaranteed reliable connections even when networks are congested. Additionally, the platform provides enhanced coverage that operates effectively in remote locations previously underserved by traditional communications infrastructure. The Mission Critical Communications platform was developed under Project 2.5, a flagship initiative within Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The project received funding from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the main pillar of NextGenerationEU's financial response to combat the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Project 2.5 has established high-speed fibre connections and local computing hubs functioning as mini data centres across rural Ireland, creating the backbone of the new National Low Latency Platform (NLLP). The initiative uses 5G technologies to drive innovation and sustainability while supporting Ireland's digital transformation. READ MORE: There is no cause for concern - planned drills set for Mayo town Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers welcomed the technology and said: This initiative is part of the Governments ongoing commitment to building a safer, more resilient, and more inclusive Ireland, leading the way on digital transformation and innovation and investing in digital infrastructure. In particular, this initiative builds resilience of our emergency services communications systems. We saw how these were impacted by Storm Eowyn last year and how critical these systems are to keeping people safe during extreme weather events. Id like to acknowledge the EU funding received under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the work of the European Commission and officials in my Department in progressing the National Recovery and Resilience programme. Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary said: As Government Minister with responsibility for rural development, including the islands, I have been following the work of OGCIO in supporting front line responders by looking at ways of making the communication infrastructure more resilient. As we all know, during and after Storm Eowyn, vast parts of the country were isolated for weeks without mobile or broadband communications. The services being trialled at this conference over the past few days give us a glimpse of how the PPDR users will be able to communicate more reliably and effectively in the future whether it is a major weather event or a road incident on the many miles of rural roads across the country. I also welcome the examination of how terrestrial services can be supplemented from above, be that from specially fitted out planes or specially designed satellites, and I want to congratulate all involved for their work on this. Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, Emer Higgins added; The Mission Critical Communications technology unveiled today will lead to increased peace of mind for people living in rural Ireland and their loved ones, especially for those who are elderly or vulnerable. This is so important as we look towards the winter months. We are rapidly improving our digital infrastructure and this will deliver real improvements particularly for rural communities. The new system underwent successful testing in Westport this week, with emergency teams from Ireland and across Europe participating in live trials. Officials indicate that once fully operational, the platform will have a transformative impact on rural safety throughout Ireland. READ MORE: Demand for campervans in Mayo has doubled since Covid An expose on major Irish retailers and who supplies their cotton will be revealed by RTE Investigates tonight. The documentary RTE Investigates: Forced Fast Fashion will expose retailers such as Penneys, Dunnes Stores, Tesco, and Marks and Spencer, among others, for importing hundreds of tons of cotton fabric in 2024 from two companies linked to the Uyghur forced labour camp in China. READ NEXT: CONFIRMED: The candidates who will contest next months presidential election The RTE investigation by reporter Joe Galvin and producer/director John Cunningham found that the two Chinese companies, the Esquel Group and Jiangsu Lianfa Textiles, have long-established operations in Xinjiang, a region that grows up to 30 percent of the worlds cotton and is home to a persecuted minority group called the Uyghurs. The Uyghurs have been subject to severe human rights violations, according to the UN, including mass arbitrary detention, rape, forced abortion and forced sterilisation. RTE Investigates verified video footage of Uyghur workers at both companies' sites as recently as December 2024, and obtained up-to-date corporate records to show their ongoing ownership of farms and factories in Xinjiang. The companies did not respond to requests for comment. Both of these companies supply cotton to factories which supply clothing to major Irish retailers. Tesco, Penneys, and Marks and Spencer have all publicly vowed to not source Xinjiang cotton, but RTE Investigates found that those vows were underwritten by certifications and testing methods that allowed untraceable cotton to flood into supply chains. Dunnes Stores has no public position on the issue. One certification body in particular, Better Cotton, told RTE Investigates that the system used by Tesco, Marks and Spencer, and Dunnes Stores called mass balance was not designed, and cannot be used, to give assurances about the actual cotton that is used in a product. READ NEXT: Community rally around heartbroken woman who tragically lost her beloved dogs in house fire Human rights lawyer with the Coalition to End Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region, Patricia Carrier told RTE Investigates that Better Cotton can be mixed or blended with what they call conventional cotton very early on in the supply chain, and that includes cotton from the Uyghur region. Dr Len Wassenaar, a leading expert in the type of testing used by the retailers said: Mixing and blending, that is going to be a huge problem for using any isotopic or geochemical fingerprint... You could have a cotton from the US mixed with a cotton from China and [they] might be very different from each other isotopically. And if you mix them together, of course, it's just going to be a mixture of the two, which is a meaningless result. Tesco, Penneys and Marks and Spencer told RTE Investigates that they received declarations from the Bangladeshi factories that the cotton used in their clothes was not from Xinjiang. The retailers did not elaborate on how this information was authenticated. Dunnes Stores provided no information about its clothing supply chain to RTE Investigates. Experts consulted by RTE Investigates said much more work was needed to ensure supply chains were kept free from Uyghur forced labour. Patricia Carrier said: READ NEXT: Is it cheaper to keep the heating on low all day? Money expert finally drops the verdict We need to see mapping all the way down to raw material level because that's where most of the more egregious human rights harms are happening...It's at the bottom of the supply chain, and so it is very important that companies are transparent and that they provide more disclosure. The programme will also detail links between the online fast fashion giant Shein, a Chinese State-backed textile park and Xinjiang cotton companies. Watch RTE Investigates: Forced Fashion tonight at 9:35pm on RTE One and RTE Player. A former Edmonton daycare worker is wanted on a second charge of sexual assault involving a young girl from Willowbrae Academy Mill Creek. The latest charges, laid last week against Dilpreet Singh Chawla, 32, also include two more counts of sexual interference. Chawla, who has left Canada, now faces a total of six charges involving two young girls, who can't be identified. A spokesperson for the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) confirmed Monday that officers began investigating complaints against the south Edmonton daycare in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A warrant was issued for Chawla's arrest on July 16 connected to the first three charges. "[Chawla] fled the country and arrest warrants were issued for sexual assault and sexual interference offences," Nancy Carlson, EPS spokesperson, wrote in an email to CBC News. "The EPS is making inquiries about having him brought back to Canada on these Canada-wide arrest warrants." Police and the Canadian Border Services Agency did not confirm Chawla's whereabouts. However, correspondence obtained by CBC News from an Edmonton police detective to a parent of a child at the daycare indicated Chawla went to India before he could be arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At this time, since Chawla is not in Canada, there is no immediate risk to the public," Carlson said. The Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre is providing support, she added. Families say it took the daycare more than two months to notify them of the initial allegations made in June. Many parents and guardians found out when the mother of the first complainant spontaneously shared details of her daughter's allegations at a town hall meeting arranged by the daycare on Sept. 8. Since then, at least one other family has been interviewed by police investigators and the Zebra Centre leading to the latest round of charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The daycare is planning to hold an online town hall meeting on Sept. 24. Dilpreet Chawla, who has left Canada, now faces a total of six charges involving two young girls. (Supplied) In response to the latest charges, the operator of the child care centre told CBC News they immediately notified provincial licensing authorities after the latest allegations came to light. "We have been fully co-operative with their investigation at every step and continue to work closely with them as this matter proceeds," Nav Sidhu, managing director of Willowbrae Academy Mill Creek, wrote to CBC News. "The investigation remains ongoing, and we encourage parents and guardians to continue to come forward and share any information with police." Willowbrae Academy Mill Creek is located in the south Edmonton neighbourhood of King Edward Park and looks after infants, toddlers and preschool aged children. With the Azores bracing for Hurricane Gabrielle impacts, the Atlantic Ocean has another named storm at play. According to U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Tropical Storm Humberto came to life in the central-tropical Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday. Like its northern counterpart, Gabrielle, Humberto is also anticipated to become a hurricane in the near future. DONT MISS: Study urges forecasters to adopt new hurricane intensity scale With Humberto in the wings, forecasters are also keeping a close eye on a third area of disturbance west of the aforementioned named storm that could see development over the next week. Gabrielle threatens the Azores with hurricane impacts Hurricane Gabrielle is expected to track over the Azores Thursday and Friday, prompting the NHC to issue hurricane warnings. Hurricane Gabrielle forecast track through Sunday The forecast track may take it close to Portugal, with large waves forecast this weekend along the coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maximum, sustained winds are near 155 km/h with higher gusts. Some weakening is forecast during the next few days, but Gabrielle is forecast to be at hurricane strength when it passes through the Azores. Dangerous storm surge is anticipated to cause significant coastal flooding in areas experiencing onshore winds, warns the NHC. This surge will be accompanied by large, destructive waves. Hurricane Gabrielle's estimated wave heights this weekend From Thursday through Friday morning, Gabrielle is expected to bring 75 to 125 mm of rain to the central and western Azores. Meanwhile, outer bands of the storm could deliver 25 to 50 mm of rainfall across the eastern Azores during the same period. Over the past 50 years, only three hurricanes have passed through the Azores, either making landfall or tracking between the islands. All were Category 1 storms: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emmy on Sept. 3, 1976 Gordon on Sept. 20, 2006 Gordon on Aug. 20, 2012 Humberto expected to see more strengthening in the Atlantic Tropical Storm Humberto was named Wednesday evening after strengthening through the day. A west-northwest to northwest motion is expected over the next several days with a slower forward speed. Tropical Storm Humberto forecast track through Sunday Maximum, sustained winds are currently near 65 km/h with higher gusts. Steady strengthening is forecast during the next several days. By the weekend, Humberto is forecast to strengthen and become a hurricane as it approaches south of Bermuda. Steering factors include: Tropical Storm Humberto model trends this weekend There is much uncertainty where Humberto will track beyond the weekend A high over Bermuda will weaken, allowing the storm to approach from the south Another tropical disturbance, still unnamed, in close proximity and could alter path Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters will need to watch the timing and interaction of Humberto with a trough over the U.S. East Coast. Swells from Hurricane Gabrielle will continue to impact Bermuda, U.S. East Coast, and Atlantic Canada "Swells generated by Gabrielle will continue to affect Bermuda over the next couple of days, and the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina northward and Atlantic Canada over the next day or so," the NHC says. "These swells are expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip current conditions." Explainer: What to do if caught in a rip current If youre ever caught in a rip current and you cant swim, dont panic. Calmly signal for help and tread water until assistance arrives. Folks experienced in swimming should swim parallel to the beach until out of the rip current, then swim directly back to shore. Eyes on one additional tropical system Looking ahead, another areas of interest is approaching the U.S. coastline as we head into next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although it is currently disorganized, atmospheric conditions are expected to become more favourable for storm development and strengthening. It has a low chance of development in two days, but an 80 per cent chance of formation in the next week. Atlantic Ocean chance of tropical development over the next seven days There is ongoing rain and wind over the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. It is forecast to become more organized as it nears the Bahamas this weekend. MUST SEE: What does a hurricane's cone of uncertainty mean? For the first time this #hurricane season, the Atlantic has two named storms simultaneously: #Gabrielle and #Humberto. pic.twitter.com/YVIeju8FaC Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 24, 2025 Forecasters and communities along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard region should closely monitor the system as it evolves. WATCH: What steers a hurricane? Click here to view the video When Perry MacDonald heard that Canadian author Robert Munsch had requested Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) after his diagnoses with dementia and Parkinsons disease, it touched a nerve. Munsch recently explained to the New York Times that, under Canadian law, recipients of MAID must be able to actively consent on the day of their death. I have to pick the moment when I can still ask for it, he said. If he waited too long, he added, talking to his wife, youre stuck with me being a lump. Government regulations are clear: The person must be given an opportunity to withdraw consent and must expressly confirm their consent immediately before receiving MAID. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MacDonald is familiar with watching dementia take a loved one. Three months ago, his brother died after living with the disease for almost two decades. He was only 45 when he got dementia, and he just passed a few months ago at 63, says MacDonald. His brother had not applied for MAID, but MacDonalds point is that it wouldnt have mattered under current law, because at the end of his life, he wasnt of sound enough mind to consent to the procedure. Instead, he was put into palliative care, and taken off food and water. It took him eight days to die. Eight days him thrashing around on a bed, drying before he dehydrated to death, MacDonald remembers. With my mother, his kids and his wife there, for eight days. He said his mother asked doctors to increase the morphine he was receiving. They refused on the grounds that it would hasten his death. Its moronic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day or two, even three, he says, would have been different. I would have been just a typical Canadian, and I would have walked away from it. I just would have said, Holy cow, that was a rough go, but Im glad hes no longer suffering, and I would have went off into my life. But those five extra days gave him time to think: Theres got to be a better way. It wouldnt leave my mind. Im like, this is happening freaking everywhere. And then what about all the Alzheimers patients? Even if its only a couple of days or three days, they go out the same way, when, if they could ask for MAID, thats done so peacefully and gentle and with dignity, and the family could be around, it could be a little bit planned. He adds: So afterwards I started thinking, OK, you know what? Im going to do something about this. Like, I truly believe that he survived from day three to day eight to send a message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MacDonald is now the force behind Update MAID Laws, Canada, a website that introduces itself with the phrase: We support MAID. We just want the option to plan ahead. The site and its petition argue that those who apply for MAID should be able to provide advanced consent so that, if they lose the ability to confirm the procedure on the day, their pre-signed document can speak for them. It also says Canadians should be allowed to sign up for MAID before they are diagnosed with dementia, noting that half of those with the condition are already past the point of giving consent when diagnosed. In fact, the first part of that change has already occurred not in Alberta, where MacDonald resides and where his brother died, but in Quebec. Last autumn, that province adopted a law to allow people with a serious and incurable illness, including Alzheimers, to make early requests for MAID. The advance requests mean a person with an illness that will eventually leave them unable to grant consent can agree to receive a medically assisted death when their condition worsens, months or even years in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quebec doesnt have it quite right yet, but theyre a step ahead with the advanced request, says MacDonald. Thats a step in the right direction. Hed still like to see the option to apply for MAID or a possible MAID even before a life-ending diagnosis. The Montreal Gazette reported that, from Oct. 30 last year, when Quebecs new provisions took effect, to Sept. 4, some 1,425 advance requests for MAID had been added to a registry in the province. An additional 179 requests were rejected. But MacDonalds step in the right direction is very concerning to Trudo Lemmens, a law professor and bioethicist at the University of Toronto. We can understand that people are afraid of what will happen to them, he says. And there is this kind of discourse that we have seen, particularly in Canada, developing. I dont want to be a vegetable. I dont want to be this. I dont want to be that.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He continues: But that kind of presumption, or even the discourse around that sends a message to all people with cognitive disability, maybe not necessarily dementia, but other people with cognitive disability who may not fully understand whats going on, that life in that situation is is so horrible that we should be ending your life. These are murky waters, he maintains. He relates the case of an Alzheimers patient in The Netherlands, where euthanasia, as its called there, has been legal since 2002. Four years before her death in 2016, she wrote that she she wanted to die before she had to go into a care home, but also that she wanted to decide when the time was right. And at one point she no longer understood, really, what was going on, says Lemmens. She can no longer say yes, but she can also no longer say no, because she doesnt really understand it. So they give her a sedative. She falls asleep with the family present. The doctor tries to enter the syringe in her arm and to inject her. She wakes up, and she tries to remove it, and the doctor asked the family member to keep her down. A 2019 trial found the doctor had acted lawfully, and that not carrying out the process would have undermined the patients wishes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an ethical minefield, Lemmens says, psychologically difficult, difficult for physicians and family members. Its worth noting that MacDonald contacted the National Post, eager to get his message to the public. Ive never done anything like this before, he says. And as I go and Im stumbling and trip and Im three steps ahead and one back, that kind of thing. Lemmens was contacted as an expert, having written on the intersection between health care and the law. He is a member of the Chief Coroner of Ontario MAID Death Review Committee and co-editor of the book Unravelling MAID in Canada: Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide as Medical Care. In May he published a paper titled Ontario Chief Coroner reports raise concerns that MAID policy and practice focus on access rather than protection. But both men have been personally touched by dementia. MacDonald watched his brother decline from a healthy individual to someone dying of dehydration in a hospital bed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Ive seen my own mother die with dementia, says Lemmens. Hes also seen two others in his social circle die of the disease, and knows another with early stage dementia. So Ive seen what it is. Its a devastating condition. But he adds: very early onset dementia, people can have 10 years of life left, you know. So Im very troubled that we are already having a practice developing, and that there is not more discussion about that. But we see already very lenient applications of these safeguards, where people that were not really sure whether they understand whats going on are getting medical assistance and dying. So Im troubled that we constantly seem to be stretching or moving the goal post. MacDonald is adamant. Were not trying to change MAID laws, he says. Were not trying to expand them. Were not trying to make them more lenient or anything. The only thing were trying to do is help people get access to the laws, or the ones that have access to keep access. Because thats silly: you apply for MAID and youre approved, and then at some later stage, you get unapproved. That doesnt make sense. Says Lemmens: The thing is, sometimes the ethical dilemmas are unsolvable. So you have to, as a society, think about whats the most dangerous parts, whats the most problematic practice? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Munsch has moved one day closer to death, whether by MAID or another way. So have we all. The discussion continues. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EGI has unveiled the Geodesic EEG System 500, the worlds first intelligent ecosystem for precision brain research and translational research, redefining how neuroscientists capture and analyze the brains electrical activity. This next generation neurotechnology platform seamlessly integrates brain sensing, stimulation, hardware and software for EEG signal quality and ease of use. Advertisement Advertisement After sweeping many international awards and nominations, Homebound will finally hit theatres in India on September 26, but according to the latest reports, Indian audiences will not be able to witness the story in its truest form because the CBFC has scissored multiple cuts from the film. According to a crew member, the film was destroyed in parts due to cuts and alterations demanded back in India. Director Neeraj Ghaywan has not commented on the issue, but sources within Dharma Productions revealed that the film had to wait nearly three months for a CBFC screening date. When the screening finally took place, it was described as very hostile, with the board allegedly insisting on modifying or removing several caste-related references. Dharma Productions A source close to the production to Indian Express, The director was distraught but the producers reminded him of the ordeal faced by our Dhadak 2 (on caste and social discrimination), which suffered a significant delay in release (and was eventually granted a U/A certificate with 16 cuts in May). Another CBFC source stated, The board has multiple members in Mumbai but Nagabharana was called from Bengaluru to head the RC (for Homebound). He tore into Neeraj...to justify all the cuts and changes made on caste references. The Reactions To Homebounds Cuts Users are saying that makers should have rebelled against CBFC. One user commented, But they could take the legal avenue and fight the cuts in court. That option is there, and they have the resources to do it. At least try, people would appreciate that even. This feels like a business decision (which it is I guess). Just doesnt sit right. Another user commented, I think he (Neeraj) gave up that right when signing on to do a Dharma film, lol. Anyone who saw the Dhadak 2 censorship issues saw it coming from miles away. Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are in the middle of building their dream home and from the looks of it, the property has been designed to accommodate the entire Kapoor clan. Reports suggest that the house will include a dedicated space not just for the couple and their daughter, Raha, but also for other family members, including Ranbirs sister Riddhima Kapoor. In a recent interaction with Farah Khan, Riddhima revealed that there will be a separate room for her in Alia and Ranbirs new house. Instagram/Riddhima Kapoor Not only for Riddhima, Ranbir and Alias new house will have an entire floor for Neetu Kapoor. During Riddhimas house tour, Farah Khan asked her, Mumbai mein jo tum logon ka ghar ban raha hai, aapke liye ek floor rakha hai ki nahi? (Do you have a floor in the house that is being constructed in Mumbai?) Riddhima claimed that she is going to have her own room and said, I have a room there. I am going to be on my mother's floor. So, there's one room for me and Bharat, and one for Samara too. My mom wants to keep us close. What Do Users Say About Riddhimas Own Room In Alia And Ranbirs New House? Users are saying that the land on which this apartment is being made belongs to Rishi Kapoor, so Ranbir had to accommodate his sister in the house. One user commented, This land is Rishis and Riddhima is Rishi and Neetus child just like Ranbir. So Ofcourse she will have her own room in the place. She already clarified thats its on Neetus floor. So the family will get their privacy and still be together as well which is a good idea. One user replied to this and wrote, Yes it is an ancestral property where Ranbir and Riddhima grew up. Their bungalow was called Krishna Raj. The Kapoors shifted temporarily to apartments so as to build their new home. Reddit/BollyBlindsNGossip Another user commented, Why is this a shocker ? Its her brothers house . I think it should be more common. Staying in a guest room while visiting your family is lowkey sad for a girl . This kinda gives a sense of belonging. One user reacted, Why is this a shocker ? Its her brothers house . I think it should be more common. Staying in a guest room while visiting your family is lowkey sad for a girl . This kinda gives a sense of belonging. Another user reacted, Why surprising...any sane man with resources will always make place for his parents and siblings...no one will live a fulfilling life just surrounded by 1 or 2 people...glad both alia and ranbir takes care of the family...just because u can't wrap around your head that they can be good people to their own family doesn't mean they are not...infact it's funny even these things are discussed here...most actors take care of their family and siblings in every way possible being probably highest earner in family. A Guelph woman is facing a careless driving charge after police say she drove into an active investigation scene, past officers who were yelling at her, and into police equipment which caused $100,000 worth of damage. In a news release Wednesday, the Guelph Police Service said a 66-year-old woman drove around barricades of an on-going police investigation at Paisley Road and Alma Street N. in Guelph Friday evening. "This motorist drove around the barricades, around a couple of police vehicles, and in fact passed officers on foot who were yelling at her to stop," Scott Tracey, media relations co-ordinator for the Guelph Police Service, told CBC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She continued into the original collision scene and collided with the 3D scanner that was being used by our identification officers on scene to assist with the investigation, causing it to become inoperable at the time." The crash resulted in $100,000 in damages to a tripod-mounted 3D scanner that was being used in the scene. Police officers had closed off the area to investigate the death of a 38-year-old woman who was struck by a pickup truck. Scanner used to aid investigation Tracey explained the scanner uses laser technology to "recreate the entire scene of an investigation in three dimensions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We use it for major scenes that would involve major collisions, assaults, that kind of thing," he said. "It essentially helps officers to document the scene." The Guelph Police Service only has one of these scanners, said Tracey, who also confirmed that the investigation will continue despite the scanner being out of commission. "At this point, it does have some functionality, but it's not doing everything it's supposed to do," he said. "But without this piece of equipment currently in use, we certainly are still able to document [the scenes manually]. It's just much more labour intensive." Area of long-standing concerns The area on Paisley Road and Alma Street N. in Guelph is the subject of a petition for improvements to pedestrian infrastructure. This comes after a family of three was struck by a pickup truck while crossing the intersection Friday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three victims were taken to hospital for treatment. The father and the daughter survived the accident, but the mother was later pronounced dead. LISTEN | Guelph neighbourhood group calls for traffic reform: While police currently has no information as to why the woman drove into the investigation scene despite road closure signs and the presence of police officers, Tracey confirmed that the woman did not reside in the closed off area, nor was she driving under the influence. "Fortunately in this case, there were no people that were struck by the vehicle, just this expensive piece of equipment," Tracey said. Police remind the public not to drive on roads closed for investigations for the safety of both police officers and the public. Homebound is Indias official entry for the Oscars and honestly, Id hope that its given a fair chance, because much like films that have won in the past, this Neeraj Ghaywan movie isnt just about who stars in it or the writing or the performances; its about the story it tells and the way it tugs at your heart. I saw the film at a screening and this Vishal Jethwa, Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor starrer is truly one of the finest movies of the year. This is the kind of movie that you dont dissect; you just think about it hours after youve watched it. Homebound: The First Reaction Dharma Productions Homebound is a movie about two friends from a small village Chandan and Shoaib. While the former tells us a story about how ones caste can be the reason for their struggle and how the so-called benefits that come with it are actually a burden, the latters story is one about religion and how it becomes the root cause of differential treatment. All they want is to earn respect and become a part of the police force, but between that, the lockdown, and who they are, its not just life thats lost, but a lot more. At its surface, its one of the many stories that talk about caste and religion, but what it focuses on is the inequality, the injustice and a faulty system that almost always fails its people. Homebound: Screenplay & Direction Dharma Productions The screenplay works well, since there are no fillers or added drama to simply extend the film. The dialogues may feel dramatic here and there but they almost always have an impact, and even in the silence, there's a subtext that you know is speaking for itself. What feels like a slow start picks up and finds its footing. Neeraj knows how to present such stories and with emotions at the core of Homebound, everything complements the story. There's this bird's view scene where immigrant workers are walking on the highway and three street lights, and the way it just looks is enough to make you feel a certain way. Though there are bits you'd want to move a little faster, it is those bits that eventually add up to give us a film that is real and raw. Homebound: The Performances Dharma Productions Homebound delivers on every front, but it truly is Vishal Jethwas heartwrenching performance that elevates every bit of this story. Knowing that this is based on a true story, it is all the more emotional and hits home and Vishal has managed to play his part to the T. You might not relate to Chandan's character because most of us come from a place of privilege and yet, he makes you feel so deeply. His friendship with Ishaans Shoaib adds more depth to the story; he also manages to play his part really well. One scene where you feel so angry at everyone around and feel every bit of Shoaib is when he is mocked after India wins a match against Pakistan, with several innuendos playing up on him being Muslim. This is just one of the moments where you know that Ishaans acting prowess is truly one for the books and he just needs to find the right projects. Janhvi Kapoor isnt seen a lot, but she plays her part as Chandans girlfriend and an Ambedkar follower well. While she may not have a lot to do, she does do well and helps the overall story move forward. Homebound: The Final Verdict The Crown prosecutor handling the case of a 25-year-old half-Cree man who pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping a 12-year-old girl in Calgary among many other vile things believed 12 to 15 years would make a fair sentence; 10, if you count his mitigating factors. But the judge arrived at merely eight. Why? Because the offender was Indigenous. Known only as RJM, the offender met the girl online and quickly escalated it into a real-world relationship that would span from May to September 2023. It was abusive. He pulled a knife on her and threatened to kill her; he punched her in the face; he dragged her by the hair; he hit her with a metal pole; he drove her out to the country and left her by the side of the road to walk back (he eventually returned to pick her up); he threatened to kill her mom and her cat; he threatened to burn her mothers house down (backed by a video of himself holding a blowtorch outside the home); he was likely the one to bomb her moms car. And then there was the sexual abuse. Their age difference made any sexual activity illegal, but RJM went as far as holding her down and forcing himself upon her. And while RJM initially believed the girl to be 16, he did not end the relationship when he learned her age (by that time, she was 13). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, her true age seemed to arouse him: he was angry that he could be labelled a pedophile, but he doubled down anyway, saying that he might as well earn these potential life changing charges. He told her he wanted to stretch her, breed her, ejaculate inside her every day until she turned 16, and film himself raping her. He was arrested by police in September 2023 after a half-hour chase that reached speeds of 140 km/h and caused at least $10,000 in property damage. When he was caught, officers found bomb-making and grave-digging instructions in his backpack, and various weapons in his car. From jail, he attempted to contact the girl numerous times and, when he succeeded, pressured and threatened her to not co-operate with the investigation. So, aside from the rape, RJM committed a slew of crimes that, to most regular people, would demonstrate his incompatibility with society. But on his side was his ethnicity, and Canadas nearly 30-year-old practice of giving racial discounts for Indigenous heritage It all started in 1996 when the Liberal Parliament under Prime Minister Jean Chretien added a new line to the Criminal Codes sentencing provisions: Section 718.2(e). This required that judges consider all available sanctions, other than imprisonment, that are reasonable in the circumstances and consistent with the harm done to victims or to the community should be considered for all offenders, with particular attention to the circumstances of Aboriginal offenders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That alone was not necessarily a racial discount. You can read that provision in a way that isnt offensive to the notion of individual equality; one interpretation might be that it simply allows judges to use, for very minor cases like first-time vandalism by a 19-year-old, Indigenous-related diversion programs in lieu of a criminal sentence. Diversion programs as an alternative to criminal sentencing arent abnormal at all indeed, we use them all the time for low-level, first-time crime, so explicitly allowing Indigenous variations wouldnt be radical. But in 1999, the provisions racial discount nature was sealed with a Supreme Court interpretation. The court, in the case of R. v. Gladue, required that all judges in Canada take into account every Indigenous persons systemic and background factors in sentencing. It declared that Chretiens Criminal Code amendment was inherently aimed at giving racial balance to Canadas prison population, and that there was a judicial duty to give this real force. The drastic overrepresentation of aboriginal peoples within both the Canadian prison population and the criminal justice system reveals a sad and pressing social problem, wrote the court. It is reasonable to assume that Parliament, in singling out aboriginal offenders for distinct sentencing treatment in s. 718.2(e), intended to attempt to redress this social problem to some degree. The provision may properly be seen as Parliaments direction to members of the judiciary to inquire into the causes of the problem and to endeavour to remedy it, to the extent that a remedy is possible through the sentencing process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Chretiens justice minister had once expressed to a parliamentary committee that he was saddened by the proportionately large size of the Indigenous prison population and hoped the bill would encourage courts to look for alternatives to jail, the written law introduced no actual demographic duty in the sentencing process. That, the Supreme Court simply made up. From there on out, the public became generally aware that Indigenous people were treated more leniently in sentencing than everyone else. So, in the 2012 case of R. v. Ipeelee, the Supreme Court expanded the regime and attempted to convince everyone that its not a racial discount its just a discount that applies to all people of a certain race. I remain unconvinced. Section 718.2(e) does not create a race-based discount on sentencing, wrote a majority of the court. The provision does not ask courts to remedy the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in prisons by artificially reducing incarceration rates. Rather, sentencing judges are required to pay particular attention to the circumstances of Aboriginal offenders in order to endeavour to achieve a truly fit and proper sentence in any particular case. The compassion of our top judges over the years has unfortunately condemned the Canadian public including Indigenous victims of crime to a society that selectively tolerates human cruelty. This is compounded by the fact that even in conservative provinces, our authorities remain unambitious with their appointments. In RJMs case, despite the Crowns ask of 10 years (he argued this took into account the offenders Gladue factors and early plea), the judge took it down to eight, which really means 5.5, taking statutory release into account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for his Gladue factors, I would have imposed the sentence sought by the crown for (the physical and sexual violence offences), wrote Justice Jayme Williams, who was appointed by the United Conservative Party in 2022. So, aside from refusing to appoint judges who are no longer in touch with popular morality, what can be done? Take out racial sentencing altogether. Achieving justice for all in Canada means repealing Section 718.2(e) of the Criminal Code, and prohibiting systemic racial factors from being taken into account altogether. And if the Supreme Court hits back with a Charter right to be racially sentenced, prepare to invoke the notwithstanding clause. We can restore a fair Canada; it just takes a bit of effort. National Post JERUSALEM A drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels wounded 22 people in the southern Israeli city of Eilat on Wednesday, according to medics. It was a rare breach of Israel's sophisticated missile defenses, which have greatly limited casualties from such attacks. In the Gaza Strip, at least 41 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, according to local hospitals. U.S. President Donald Trump's Mideast envoy expressed optimism over a new plan for ending the war, without saying what it entails or if Israel or Hamas have accepted it. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have regularly fired drones and missiles at Israel -- and attacked international shipping -- in what they say is support for the Palestinians. The vast majority of the drones and missiles fired at Israel have been shot down or fallen in open areas without wounding anyone. The Houthis said in a statement that they had fired two drones at Israel. Israel has carried out retaliatory airstrikes on Yemen after past attacks, and Defense Minister Israel Katz, in a post on X, warned the Houthis that anyone who harms Israel will be harmed sevenfold. The Israeli military said it had tried to intercept the drone. The Magen David Adom rescue service said the wounded were taken to a nearby hospital, two of them with severe shrapnel injuries to their limbs. Israeli Strikes on Gaza Kill Dozens In Gaza, at least 22 people were killed when an Israeli strike hit tents sheltering displaced people in Gaza City, according to Dr. Fadel Naim, director of the Al-Ahli hospital, which received the casualties. Three children and nine women were among those killed, he told The Associated Press. The Israeli military said it targeted two Hamas militants, using precise munitions and taking other measures to avoid harming civilians. Israel blames Hamas for civilian deaths because the militants are embedded in densely populated areas. Another Israeli strike hit a group of Palestinians in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least 12 of them, according to the Al-Awda Hospital. Another 18 people were wounded, it said. Four people -- two children and their parents -- were killed in a strike on their home in Nuseirat, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah. There was no immediate comment from the military on those strikes. Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza said that it received the bodies of three people killed by gunfire while seeking aid. Health officials in Gaza and the U.N. human rights office say hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli fire while seeking humanitarian aid in recent months. The military has said it only fires warning shots when people approach its forces in what it considers a threatening manner. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a 24-year-old Palestinian was shot and killed by Israeli forces near the northern city of Jenin, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The military said soldiers shot and killed a man after he hurled an explosive device at them. Trump Officials Talk up New Plan to End the War The latest violence came as the Mideast crisis was front and center at the U.N. General Assembly. At separate events, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trumps lead negotiator Steve Witkoff both offered optimistic views about what Witkoff called a Trump 21-point plan for peace that was presented to Arab leaders on Tuesday. We had a very productive session, Witkoff said at a conference in New York. I think it addresses Israeli concerns, as well as the concerns of all the neighbors in the region. And were hopeful, and I might say even confident, that in the coming days, well be able to announce some sort of breakthrough. Speaking to senior officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Rubio said some very important work is ongoing even as we speak, and were hoping to achieve this as soon as possible. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in a post on X, said the latest proposals are an important foundation upon which we can build further in the coming period to achieve peace. The U.S., along with Egypt and Qatar, have spent months trying to broker a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release. Those efforts suffered a major setback earlier this month when Israel carried out an airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Forty-eight captives are still inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive, after most of the rest were freed in ceasefires or other deals. Israel's ongoing retaliatory offensive has killed more than 65,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It doesn't say how many were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half the fatalities. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government. U.N. agencies and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties. Israel launched another major ground operation earlier this month in Gaza City, which experts say is experiencing famine. More than 300,000 people have fled, but up to 700,000 are still there, many because they can't afford to relocate. Magdy reported from Cairo and Krauss from Ottawa, Ontario. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee at the United Nations and Fay Abuelgasim in Cairo contributed. SEATTLE The hunt for Travis Decker, an Army veteran accused of killing his three young daughters near Leavenworth, could be over, but authorities are urging caution. The United States Marshals Service has advised the Defendant TRAVIS CALEB DECKER is deceased, said Pete Serrano and Caitlin Baunsgard in a filing Tuesday asking the federal court to dismiss their case against Decker. Serrano has recently been tapped as the new U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, and Baunsgard is an assistant U.S. attorney in Serranos office. Still, lab results have still not come back yet that positively links recently discovered remains to Decker, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said in an interview Wednesday morning. He anticipates those results will come in Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. He warned that the Marshals Service announcement could be premature, maintaining that Deckers death is not yet confirmed and the case is not closed. Authorities have been investigating human remains discovered less than a mile away from Rock Island Campground, where Olivia, 5, Evelyn, 8, and Paityn Decker, 9, were found dead in June. Morrison had asked for two separate DNA tests from the Washington State Patrol crime lab: one for the bodily remains including part of a spinal column, two femurs and feet; and one for the clothing found alongside them, which included a shirt, Army Ranger shorts and a bracelet. Rumors were circulating that Decker had killed someone else and dressed their remains with his clothes to throw off law enforcement, Morrison said. He said he hopes the two separate results will put that theory to rest. The Chelan County sheriffs office had announced last week that the remains were found while federal and local law enforcement crews conducted their fourth grid and drone search of the mountainous and thickly vegetated area. Though the remains were found three-quarters of a mile from where the girls bodies were discovered, they were about 1,200 feet in elevation above the site. Crews had to rappel from a helicopter to reach the remains and remove them. The lab results, when they come, could mark the end of a nearly four-month search for Decker. The Decker girls were reported missing May 30 after their father did not return them home to their mother, Whitney Decker, in Wenatchee, per a court-ordered custody agreement. The girls bodies were found a few days later near Deckers 2017 GMC Sierra pickup. The search for Decker cost more than $2 million in the first week and could have bankrupted the Chelan County sheriffs department if not for the assistance of federal agencies, Morrison said last week. The FBI closed multiple campgrounds, hiking trails and roads around Leavenworth as crews searched. Still, Decker remained elusive. There were reported sightings of Decker, but at least some of those sightings turned out to be false. There was no firearm discovered near the remains, Morrison said. The body itself was decomposed to the point where ligaments were no longer holding the bones together. The remains were scattered, likely by wild animals. Deckers disappearance and the closely followed search that followed sparked numerous conspiracy theories. Morrison maintained, with evidence that Deckers DNA alone was found at the site of the girls slaying, that Decker was their only person of interest. Decker had been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and a borderline personality disorder after he left the Army, said Whitney Deckers attorney Arianna Cozart in June. He had sought mental health services from Veteran Affairs and a veterans crisis line but was left to struggle alone, Cozart said. Through Cozart, Whitney Decker said her ex-husbands declining mental health and out-of-character behavior should have constituted enough of a threat to issue an Amber Alert when the girls were not returned on time. The Washington State Patrol issued a less-broadcast Endangered Missing Persons Advisory, which does not include cellphone alerts, because Deckers custodial rights did not present an immediate legal presumption of abduction or danger, the agency said. Whitney Decker has since advocated for improvement of the states Amber Alert system and providing adequate mental health care to veterans. In the weeks after the Decker girls went missing, Washington legislators and child safety advocates called for reforms to the states family court system that would help keep children safe from a dangerous parent. 2025 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. When Eugene Richardson joined the Army in 1944, it was segregated, and no Black man had ever served as a pilot in the military. Still, Richardson wanted to be a pilot. He knew that things would be better in the future. Theyre not always going to be as it were at that particular moment, Richardson said. Richardson and nearly 1,000 others later attended pilot training in Tuskegee, Alabama, helping desegregate the military and becoming members of the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces. The elite group of African American military pilots and airmen, famously known as the Tuskegee Airmen, earned praise for their combat record while protecting American bombers during World War II. On Sept. 18, Richardson, who had briefly lived in Camden, celebrated his 100th birthday in Springfield, Pennsylvania, surrounded by over 100 people he had inspired throughout his lifetime. Im really amazed that I was the one involved with that, but Im very proud of it, he said in reference to his service. Richardson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1925, where he said his love of planes and desire to be an airman blossomed at the age of 5 after he watched Black stunt fliers at an airshow, according to the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Later, his family moved to Toledo, and then to Camden, where his father had accepted a position as a church minister. Richardson told CBS Philadelphia that he and his younger brother would watch Navy planes take off from Airport Circle in Camden as teens. Before 1941, the Army was segregated due to racist Jim Crow laws, according to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. But in 1941, the military established the Tuskegee Airmen Air Force program at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, where recruits were trained to fly single- and twin-engine planes and given other military instruction to prepare them for service. The airmen had one of the lowest loss records of any escort group, according to a National WWII Museum report. Richardson never saw combat because the war in Europe ended two months after he was commissioned in March 1945, according to the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. In 1948, former President Harry S. Truman signed an Executive Order fully integrating the military. According to CBS Philadelphia, in 2007, former President George W. Bush presented the Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congresss highest civilian honor awarded to individuals, groups or institutions for distinguished achievements or contributions. Richardson, other airmen and widows received bronze replicas of the medals, the backs of which read, Outstanding Combat Record. Inspired Revolutionary Reform In The Armed Services. Richardson told the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., that The performance of Black pilots in World War II proved that high levels of performance werent the province of guys with light skin. After service, Richardson continued to inspire others, becoming a teacher and then a principal in Philadelphia. Shanda Taylor Boyd, 62, one of the attendees at Richardsons birthday party, was one of the first females to enroll at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania. She said the Tuskegee Airmen inspired her. It means miracles happen and that we have hope, said Taylor Boyd, of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. In 1985, Taylor Boyd received an award for academic excellence and Richardson pinned the pin on her. At the time, she didnt realize that Richardson was a Tuskegee Airman. Hes my personal hero, Taylor Boyd said. Melvin Payne, president of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., also admires Richardson. Payne joined the chapter 25 years ago, where he met Richardson. Richardson has been a mentor to Payne since then. Payne said Richardson taught him perseverance, professionalism and preparedness. Im one of the most blessed people in the world to get to live, walk and talk with living history, Payne said. Meanwhile, Richardson said he has learned a lot in the 100 years he has been alive. He said the best piece of advice he has for people is to have faith in yourself and see yourself as doing something bigger and better. 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Related: How Jesse Owens' Olympic Teammate Kept the Tuskegee Airmen Safe During World War II DALLAS The gunman who opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas hated the U.S. government and wanted to incite terror by killing federal agents, officials said Thursday, a day after the attack that killed a detainee and critically wounded two others. The gunman, who fatally shot himself, also left behind a note saying that he hoped the attack would give ICE agents real terror, the FBI director said Thursday. The post by Kash Patel on the social platform X offered the first hint of a motive behind the shooting on Wednesday that targeted the ICE building, including a van in a gated entryway. The detainees were in the van. No ICE personnel were wounded. The assailant, who authorities said fired indiscriminately from a nearby rooftop, was involved in a high degree of pre-attack planning," Patel said, and agents have seized electronic devices, handwritten notes and other evidence from a Dallas-area home. One of the handwritten notes recovered read, Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof? Patel wrote, quoting an apparent abbreviation for armor-piercing bullets. The gunman had also downloaded a document titled Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management containing a list of Homeland Security facilities, Patel said. Hours before the shooting, the assailant conducted multiple internet searches for ballistics information and video of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a Utah university campus this month, Patel said. Last month, the man searched for apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents, he added. Joshua Jahn, 29, was identified as the shooter by a law enforcement official who could not publicly disclose details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. On Wednesday, Patel posted a photo on social media showing a bullet found at the scene with ANTI-ICE written on it. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered more security at ICE facilities across the U.S., according to a post by the DHS on X. The attack was the latest high-profile targeted killing in the U.S. It happened two weeks after Kirk was killed by a shooter on the roof of a building at Utah Valley University and as heightened immigration enforcement has prompted a backlash against ICE agents and fear in immigrant communities. The American Immigration Lawyers Association called the shootings a stark reminder that behind every immigration case number is a human being deserving of dignity, safety and respect. Whether they are individuals navigating the immigration process, public servants carrying out their duties, or professionals working within the system, all deserve to be free from violence and fear, the group said in a statement. FBI Says Attack Was 'Act of Targeted Violence Authorities have given few details about the shooting and did not publicly release the names of the victims. The FBI said it was investigating the shooting as an act of targeted violence. The gunman used a bolt-action rifle, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Edwin Cardona, an immigrant from Venezuela, said he was entering the ICE building with his son for an appointment around 6:20 a.m. when he heard gunshots. An agent took people who were inside to a more secure area and said there was an active shooter. I was afraid for my family, because my family was outside. I felt terrible, because I thought something could happen to them, Cardona said, adding that they were later reunited. The ICE facility is along Interstate 35 East, just southwest of Dallas Love Field, a large airport serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, and blocks from hotels. Who Was the Gunman? Hours after the shooting, FBI agents gathered at a home in suburban Fairview, outside Dallas, that public records link to Jahn. The house sits on a tree-lined cul-de-sac in a neighborhood dotted with one- and two-story brick homes. The street was blocked by a police vehicle, and officials wearing FBI jackets could be seen in the front yard. A spokesperson for Collin College in nearby McKinney, said via email that a Joshua Jahn studied there at various times between 2013 and 2018. In late 2017, Jahn drove cross-country to work a minimum-wage job harvesting marijuana for several months, said Ryan Sanderson, owner of a legal cannabis farm in Washington state. Hes a young kid, a thousand miles from home, didnt really seem to have any direction, living out of his car at such a young age, Sanderson told the AP. Calls for an End to Political Violence Shortly after the shooting and before officials said at least one victim was a detainee, Vice President JD Vance posted on X that the obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who represents Texas, continued in that direction, calling for an end to political violence. The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, an advocacy group, said the shootings are a heartbreaking reminder of the violence and fear that too often touch the lives of migrants and the communities where they live. Noem Says ICE Agents Have Been Targeted Noem noted a recent uptick in targeting of ICE agents. On July 4, attackers in black, military-style clothing opened fire outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, southwest of Dallas, federal prosecutors said. One police officer was wounded. At least 11 people have been charged in connection with the attack. Days later, a man with an assault rifle fired dozens of rounds at federal agents leaving a Border Patrol facility in McAllen. The man, identified as Ryan Louis Mosqueda, injured a responding police officer before authorities shot and killed him. In suburban Chicago, federal authorities erected a fence around an immigration processing center after tensions flared with protesters. President Donald Trump's administration has stepped up immigration enforcement in the Chicago area, resulting in hundreds of arrests. Dozens of immigration field offices across the country house administrative employees and are used for people summoned for check-in appointments and to process people arrested before they are transferred to long-term detention centers. They are not designed to hold people in custody. Security varies by location, with some in federal buildings and others mixed with private businesses, said John Torres, a former acting director of the agency and former head of what is now called its enforcement and removals division. Williams reported from Detroit. Associated Press journalists Jack Brook in New Orleans; Mike Balsamo in New York; Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington; Sophia Tareen in Chicago; and Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis contributed to this report. WASHINGTON Early in his first term, President Donald Trump held a modest ceremony directing NASA to return humans to the moon for the first time in 50 years. It was a goalpost set without a road map. Veterans of the space community reflected on the 2017 document, conspicuously silent on budgets and timelines, equivocating between excitement and concern. Was Trump setting up a giveaway to special interests in the aerospace community? Or was he setting forth a real strategic vision for the coming decade, to secure American leadership in the heavens? It was a return to a plan first proposed by President George W. Bush in 2004, then abandoned by President Barack Obama in 2010, asserting the moon as a vital part of American ambitions in space. Whether to return to the lunar surface at all or skip it to focus on Mars was a long-standing debate governing the division of resources at NASA, where every project is precious, holding extraordinary promise for the knowledge of mankind, yet requiring consistent, high-dollar funding commitments from a capricious Congress. Eight years on, the debate is over. Trump's policy shift has blazed a new American trail in space and spawned an urgent race with China that is fast approaching the finish line. Both nations are in a sprint toward manned missions to the lunar surface by the end of this decade, with sights on 2029 as a common deadline marking the end of Trump's presidency and, in China, the 80th anniversary of the People's Republic. It is a far different race from the original, against the Soviet Union, when U.S. astronauts inspired the world with a televised landing in 1969. This time, Washington would not just plant a flag and return its astronauts home. Instead, the Americans plan to stay, establishing a lunar base that would test humanity's ability to live beyond Earth. China has similar plans. And with both countries aiming for the same strategic area of the surface the south pole of the moon, where peaks of eternal light shine alongside crevices of permanent darkness, believed to store frozen water the stakes of the race are grounded in national security. Whichever nation establishes a presence there first could lay claim to the region for themselves. Advocates of the U.S. effort, called the Artemis program, increasingly fear that delays at NASA and its private sector partners, coupled with proposed funding cuts to NASA from the Trump administration, could ensure China's victory in a race with broad consequences for U.S. interests. So it is a race that Trump started. The question is whether he can finish it. While U.S. intelligence officials have assessed that Beijing is on track to meet its goals, NASA veterans say that accomplishing a manned mission before the Chinese appears increasingly out of reach. "It's a stretch," said G. Scott Hubbard, a leader in human space exploration for the last half-century who served as NASA's first "Mars czar" and former director of the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif. "Bottom line, yes, it is doable. It'll take an intense effort by the best engineers, and appropriate funding. "It's not inconceivable," he added. The White House said Trump is committed to making "American leadership in space great again," noting his first-term push to return U.S. astronauts to the moon and his efforts to deregulate the U.S. space industry. But officials declined to comment on a timeline for the mission or on China's steady progress. "Being first and beating China to the moon matters because it sets the rules of the road," Sean Duffy, Transportation secretary and acting NASA administrator, told The Times. "We're committed to doing this right safely, peacefully, and ahead of strategic competitors because American leadership on the moon secures our future in space." The success of the Artemis program, Duffy said, is about ensuring the United States leads in space for generations to come. "Those who lead in space lead on Earth," he added. NASA officials, granted anonymity to speak candidly, expressed concern that while leadership on the Artemis program has remained relatively stable, talent on robotics and in other key areas has left the agency at a critical time in the race, with potentially less than two years to go before China launches its first robotic mission to the south pole a scout, of sorts, for a manned landing to follow. A proposal to cut NASA research funding by roughly 47% has gripped officials there with doubt, jeopardizing a sense of job security at the agency and destabilizing a talent pipeline that could prove critical to success. In the 1960s, the federal government increased spending on NASA to 4.4% of GDP to secure victory in the first space race. "There's too much uncertainty," one NASA official said, raising the specter of the Trump administration impounding funds for the agency even if Congress continues to fund it. Inside NASA headquarters, Hubbard said, "the feeling right now is terrified uncertainty everyone is walking on eggshells." "They're treading water," he added. "People want to be given clear direction, and they're not getting it." China's long march gets closer Beijing conducted a series of tests over the last several weeks viewed in Washington as crucial milestones for China on its journey to the moon. A launch of its Lanyue lander, equipped to carry two taikonauts to the lunar surface, "validated" its landing and takeoff system, state media reported. Two subsequent tests of China's Long March 10, a super-heavy lift rocket designed to jump-start the mission, were a "complete success," according to the China Manned Space Agency. Unlike in the United States, China's manned space flight program is housed within its military. "We have seen them steadily progress on all of the various pieces that they are going to need," said Dean Cheng, senior advisor to the China program at the U.S. Institute of Peace. "You need a vehicle to launch, because current rockets simply don't have enough throw-weight. They're testing the lander to carry astronauts to the surface," Cheng said. "These are key pieces, and significant advances this is a brand new rocket and a lunar lander with new technology." China initially set a goal for its manned mission by 2035, but has since moved up its plans, an expression of confidence from Beijing and an unusual break from typical party protocol. Now, China aims not only to have completed that mission, but to begin establishing an International Lunar Research Station on its surface, in conjunction with Russia, by 2030. They are expected to target the south pole. "There's room for two powers under schemes of coordination, but there's not room in an uncoordinated environment. There can easily be a competition for resources," said Thomas Gonzalez Roberts, an assistant professor of international affairs and aerospace engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Landing and takeoff of spacecraft on the moon will kick up lunar dust and rocks, risking the safety of astronauts on the ground and sensitive equipment across a base site considerations that are likely driving Beijing's strategy to get there first. Those enjoying the benefits of first arrival could set up generous routes for rovers, equipment at dig sites for deposits, telecommunication assets, and even a nuclear reactor to assert a large area of domain. Since his first term, Trump and his aides have sought to avoid a showdown on the lunar surface, drafting a new set of international rules to govern an otherwise untamed frontier. The Artemis Accords "set out a practical set of principles to guide space exploration," according to the State Department. President Biden embraced and extended the initiative, growing the list of signatories to 56 nations. But China is not one of them, prohibited by Congress during the Obama era from cooperating with the United States in space after attempting to steal U.S. technology on intercontinental ballistic missiles and thermonuclear weapons. Instead, Beijing has recruited a small list of countries to join its lunar base program, including Russia, Venezuela, Pakistan, Egypt, Nicaragua, Belarus and South Africa. "I don't think there will be extreme congestion on the moon, but if you really define an area of interest and there is that, with these peaks of eternal light next to permanently shadowed regions you could manufacture congestion," Roberts added. "How do you benefit from obfuscation?" he asked. "If you're the first arrival, you spread yourself out." The promise and burden of Musk's Starship Last month, Duffy warned NASA staff that the Trump administration suspects Beijing is planning to deliver a nuclear reactor to power a long-term presence at its lunar base by 2029. The move, Duffy said, could allow China to "declare a keep-out zone, which would significantly inhibit the United States from establishing a planned Artemis presence if not there first." He ordered the agency to collect proposals by October on delivering a U.S. reactor to the surface no later than that year. The administration's success relies on a man whose relationship with Trump has crashed spectacularly to Earth. Starship, a super heavy-lift launch vehicle produced by Elon Musk's SpaceX, is the rocket Trump is relying on to accomplish the Artemis mission. Yet repeated setbacks in the Starship program have raised alarm at NASA over its fundamental constitution. A concerning series of tests have already delayed the U.S. manned launch, known as Artemis III, toward the end of Trump's term. Last month, in its 10th test flight, the rocket finally succeeded in a suborbital mission. But "Starship has yet to reach orbit," Hubbard said, "and once it reaches orbit, they've got to demonstrate microgravity transfer of cryogenic propellant." "That's something that's never been done before," he added. "So to say that they'll be ready to do all of that in two years is a real stretch." Setbacks are common course in the history of the U.S. space program. But the success of China's recent tests has shown the Trump administration that NASA and its partners have run out of time for further delays. Duffy said that Artemis II, a manned mission to orbit the moon, will take place early next year, overcoming a separate set of design flaws that faced Lockheed Martin's Orion spacecraft. Artemis III would keep astronauts on the surface for more than a week and deliver payloads to help begin the foundation of a base. Whether the Trump administration will commit to the funding and leadership necessary for the mission is an open question. The White House declined to say who within the West Wing is leading the effort. Trump has not named a permanent NASA administrator for Senate confirmation. Success on the moon is meant to provide a testing ground and a launching pad for more ambitious, challenging manned missions to Mars. But Trump's commitment to those ventures are equally in doubt. The administration has proposed canceling funds for a landmark program decades in the making to return samples from the red planet, despite a NASA announcement earlier this month revealing it had discovered signs of ancient Martian life. "I've been on the inside of it you waste enormous amounts of time just trying to find workarounds to get funding in to stay on schedule," Hubbard said. "If you really, really want to beat the Chinese, give NASA the funding and some stability because you're not going to beat them if every day, week or month, there's a different direction, a different budget, a different administrator. "And China may still win," he said, adding: "It would be another claim that they're the dominant power in the world." 2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday and signaled that the United States might soon lift its hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara. During Trumps first term, the U.S. removed Turkey, a NATO ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet program after Turkey purchased an air defense system from Russia. U.S. officials worried that Turkey's use of Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands. Trump started his two-hour meeting with Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be found during the leaders' talks. He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and were going to come to a conclusion. Youll know by the end of the day," Trump said. The president added to Erdogan, And I think youll be successful with buying the things" you would "like to buy. The president, in a brief exchange with reporters as he bid farewell to Erdogan, called it a good meeting but did not offer further details. Trump later called the meeting very conclusive on so many different things and said announcements from both countries about the discussions would be coming out later. It was Erdogan's first trip to the White House since 2019. The two leaders forged what Trump has described as a very good relationship during his first White House term. Over the years, U.S. officials have cited concerns about Turkey's human rights record under Erdogan and the country's ties with Russia. Tensions between Turkey and Israel, another important American ally, over Gaza and Syria have made relations difficult with Turkey at times. Trump, in remarks before reporters, focused his concerns on Turkey's continued economic relationship with Russia. Turkey has been one of the biggest buyers of Russian fossil fuel since the European Union announced in early 2023 it would boycott most Russian seaborne oil. Since January 2023, Ankara has purchased more than $90 billion in Russian oil, coal and natural gas. Only China and India have bought more from Russia in that period. The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia, Trump said of Erdogan. After their meeting, the U.S. president said he believed that Erdogan would stop buying oil from Russia not that Turkeys leader had directly committed to doing so during their discussion. I dont want to say that Erdogan agreed to stop the purchases, but if I want him to, he will, Trump said. Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Trump's envoy to Syria, said the presidents discussed all the major issues in the U.S.-Turkey relationship, including Russia and the F-35 program, with paths forward." Asked if Turkey is amenable to cutting off its substantial oil purchases from Russia, Barrack replied, You have to ask them. Trump added that Erdogan is respected by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I think he could have a big influence if he wants to, Trump said. The push on Erdogan to become more engaged in pressuring Putin comes after Trump earlier this week said he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia in the war. It was a dramatic shift from Trump's repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end the war. Erdogan has made clear he is eager to see the hold on F-35s lifted, telling Trump that he came prepared to thoroughly discuss the issue. The Turkish president was even blunter in a television interview this week. I dont think its very becoming of strategic partnership, and I dont think its the right way to go, Erdogan said in an interview this week on Fox News Channels Special Report with Bret Baier. Past Reluctance to Engage with Turkey Democratic President Joe Biden's administration kept Erdogan, who has served as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, at an arm's length during Biden's four years in office. The reluctance to engage deeply was borne out of Turkey's record of democratic backsliding as well as Ankara's close ties to Moscow. Opposition parties and human rights organizations have accused Erdogan of undermining democracy and curbing freedom of expression during his more than two decades in power. International observers say that baseless investigations and prosecutions of human rights activists, journalists, opposition politicians and others remain a persistent problem in Turkey. Trump sees Erdogan as a critical partner and credible intermediary in his effort to find ends to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The Republican's administration is also largely in sync with Turkey's approach to Syria as both nations piece together their posture toward the once isolated country after the fall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December. Trump and European leaders have followed Erdogan in embracing Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who once commanded a rebel group that was designated a foreign terrorist organization. Trump also said that Erdogan deserves credit for backing the rebel forces that ousted Assad from Syria. I think President Erdogan is the one responsible for Syria, for the successful fight in ridding Syria of its past leader, Trump said. He doesnt take the responsibility, but its actually a great achievement. Trump's chief diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met with al-Sharaa on Monday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Erdogan Sees a Key Role for Turkey Erdogan has sought to position his country as a point of stability in a tumultuous moment. He believes Turkey can play an essential role for European security and is able to span geopolitical divisions over Ukraine and Syria as well as U.S. tariffs, which have sparked a global trade war. Turkey also believes it has emerged as a credible broker in the Black Sea region, preserving relations with both Ukraine and Russia. Turkey is influential in neighboring Syria. The rebel groups it supported during the civil war took power in December. But the fall of Assad aggravated tense relations between Turkey and Israel. Trump has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be reasonable in his dealings with Ankara. Erdogan on Tuesday took part in a group meeting hosted by Trump on the sidelines of the General Assembly, when Trump gathered the leaders of eight Arab and Muslim countries to discuss the war in Gaza. Erdogan has been critical of Israel's handling of the war, which was launched after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and takin about 250 people captive. More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and about 90% of homes in the territory have been destroyed or damaged. Erdogan, in his U.N. address, alleged that Israeli forces have committed genocide, an allegation contested by Israel and United States. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report. A therapist with deep ties to the military community, Dr. Emma Smith writes a monthly advice column for Military.com to address questions from our readers. This month, she responds to a message from a military spouse who is grieving her divorce. Want Dr. Emma to answer your question next month? Submit it using the form at the end of the article. Dr. Emma, My husband and I recently divorced after a separation. It was mutual. We were married for 16 years. We couldn't survive so many deployments and him being gone so much over his career. He never got used to being married he made decisions on his own and didn't know how to function as a couple/family when he came home. For me ... it just got more and more comfortable to have him gone and not have to try to integrate him back into our life, when he didn't want to really be part of us anyways. Our kid is just a few years away from graduating high school and seems to be coping well. The divorce is the best thing for all of us ... so why do I feel so sad about it? I think I have cried more over the divorce than I ever did over any fights or anything when we were married. Divorced in an Army Town Dear Divorced in an Army Town, The name that youve chosen is poignant. It gives a nod to both the end of something and the place where that ending is rooted. You mentioned the divorce was the right thing for all parties, and I believe you; I have seen that to be true for couples in my own practice. Divorce asks us to grieve not only the person we married, but a version of ourselves too the young woman who walked down the aisle full of belief, the younger you who thought he would come around if she just held steady long enough, the mother who wanted her child to grow up living with both parents. Grief pulls all of these versions of ourselves forward, and that is part of the reason why it can feel so big. I still occasionally look at one photo from my wedding day, almost 15 years later. Not because of my ex, but because of the version of me that I see in it. I see a 27-year-old version of myself who believed life was a big adventure, was certain she could hold everything together and who carried equal parts fearlessness and naivety. I keep that photo not because I want to return to that life, but because I want to remember that idealistic soul and the part she played in getting me to where I am today. Read Next: Off the Clock with Dr. Emma: Am I Burned Out from Military Life? My grief is, in many ways, that life didnt quite live up to her expectations. And maybe youre feeling that way too: sadness not just for the marriage that ended, but for the woman you once were and the future she imagined. Grief has a way of sneaking up like that. And even when the decision is right, grief can still be gut-wrenching. I wonder if your post-divorce sadness feels extra jarring, given the detachment you described as a norm in your relationship. It can leave you wondering: Did we make the right decision? How can something that felt so limp and numb evoke pain this deep? Many endings carry grief, even when they are chosen, necessary or undeniably for the best. In the latter case, we refer to it as nostalgia a painful longing or yearning for something from the past (the suffix algia actually means pain). The grief from situations, like divorce, may feel more complicated for several reasons. First, people mostly dont grieve the marriage they ended. They grieve the loss of the marriage they started the hopes and dreams that no longer have a chance of coming true. Closing a chapter means closing off the possibility for repair. And in your case, theres yet another layer. You mention youre living in a military town and spent 16 years married to a service member. You werent just married to a person; you married into a culture and a way of life. When we marry a service member, we are brought into the fold of military life, whether we wear the uniform or not. When our marriage ends, so does our belonging to that culture. The loss can be surprisingly sharp. Suddenly, everyday touchpoints vanish: the base gym, the coffee shop where friends met or even the sight of a formation of young soldiers. Divorce in the military isnt just a goodbye to a person and a relationship; its also a goodbye to an entire community and a cultural identity. So yes, even though you know it was the right thing to do, it hurts. Its not unlike the bittersweetness that accompanies leaving a duty station. Even if you didnt like it there, even if youre sure the next place will be better, theres still grief in letting go of what is familiar. You mention crying more over the divorce than the actual fights that led up to it. Just let yourself cry. Sometimes tears show up when it finally feels safe to let yourself feel. Notice what follows those moments. Research shows that emotional tears are good for you because they purge stress hormones from our systems and stimulate the release of other hormones, like oxytocin and endorphins, that help assuage the pain. Crying during periods of grief is often a sign of health, because youre allowing the emotions to process out of you and for your system to rebalance. If youre looking for something more intentional, you can try journaling, talking with friends and loved ones or going to therapy. You can even consider something more ritualistic: a private farewell. Early on in my career, I worked with someone who created her own goodbye ritual. This ritual included going to a meaningful place, reading a letter shed written and burying a flower in the earth. It helped her honor what had been lost and release the dream of what could have been. Sometimes a symbolic act can help us mark the ending. Divorce is often both liberation and loss. And then theres the matter of your son. Divorce doesnt erase the fact that you and your ex are still parents. Co-parenting after a long marriage can feel especially strange: part distance, part intimacy, part frustration and part collaboration. It may even stir up echoes of the loneliness that lived in your marriage. Thats OK. When it comes to co-parenting, the goal isnt perfection or friendliness but stability. Your son doesnt need you and his father to be close; he needs to see that people can grow apart and still respect each other. You dont have to rush to feel better or justify your sadness. Its normal to wish things had gone differently and feel at peace with the decision to end what wasnt working. Your tears are not evidence of regret. They are proof that you loved, invested and hoped. Letting go of hope is its own kind of heartbreak, even when its the right choice. Off the clock, but always in your corner, Dr. Emma The content shared in this column is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute clinical advice or create a therapist-client relationship. If you are in need of mental health support, please reach out to a licensed professional in your area. Ask Dr. Emma Your Question Every month, Dr. Emma will answer questions from the Military.com community. And she wants to answer yours! From romantic frustrations to family bonding, anxieties over current events to homecoming excitement, she wants to hear from you. Submit your question, and we may choose it for anonymous publication along with Dr. Emma's response. Your personal information will not be shared, and your responses will be used only for editorial purposes. Loading Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox. Like a smoker resisting a cigarette, the Ontario Liberals must resist electing another tax-and-spend leader. The harder, smarter move is to turn the party into one that represents taxpayers by promising to end irresponsible borrowing and cut taxes. This is going to take willpower because the temptation of runaway spending is tough to resist. Premier Doug Ford once blasted his predecessors irresponsible borrowing and high taxes. He vowed to put money back in taxpayers pockets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The party is over with the taxpayers money, Ford once claimed. However, seven years later, Ford is puffing from the same pipe. His government continues to borrow billions of dollars each year with no end in sight. And the consequences are clear, as Ontarios budget watchdog paints a grim picture. The Ford government will continue borrowing billions each year as debt interest costs rise, according to Financial Accountability Office projections. Total debt is projected to hit $549 billion by 2030. Thats $212 billion more than Ford inherited from the previous Liberal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Debt interest charges have hit $16.2 billion this year and the FAO projects they will continue to rise by 6% annually. As Ford falters, the Liberals can seize on the opening. Bonnie Crombie recently announced her intention to resign as Liberal leader, but she helped the party step back from their tax-and-spend habits with a platform that included tax cuts. Under Crombie, the Liberals promised tax relief for the middle class, minimum wage earners, Ontario businesses, and on homebuilding. This boosted their vote share by six points and added six seats in the legislature. This is not a sign for the Liberals to fall back on old habits. Instead, Ontario is desperate for a leader willing to recognize the issues facing taxpayers and show the courage to tackle them head-on. And the Liberals need not look too far for inspiration. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Prime Minister Mark Carney managed to pull the federal Liberals out of a political ditch by focusing on the finances. He promised to cut income taxes, scrap the consumer carbon tax and end the capital gains tax increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also made a commitment to cut spending. These commitments helped shed the Liberals reputation for reckless spending and win the 2025 federal election. The Ontario Liberals should take note. To win, they must stand with taxpayers and manage their money responsibly. The Liberals dont need to out Ford Doug Ford. The premier isnt cautious on spending and he still hasnt delivered on his promises to cut income taxes. Yet, Fords finance minister still claims that his government has been fiscally responsible. Ontario needs an opposition who can credibly challenge the Ford government on wasteful spending and claims of fiscal responsibility. The Liberals can fill this gap by resisting the temptation of reverting to advocating for more government borrowing and tax hikes. Ontarios financial lungs are darkening. Taxpayers need a leader who will stop adding to the debt. Noah Jarvis is Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation When it comes to the civilian job search, most prior military members focus on location, salary, job responsibilities, growth potential, job title, benefits and perks, and the like. But what about a sense of purpose and meaning in the job? A transitioning Marine recently told me, How can I ensure that my work outside of the Marine Corp gives me the sense of mission, purpose and service that I had while in uniform? Heres the advice I shared with him: Your Sense of Service and Purpose Likely Wont Come Off When the Uniform Does In my experience, veterans and military spouses still seek to be part of a bigger solution after they leave the military. They want to become part of a more mission-driven organization and team, serving an effort greater than their own needs. Read Next: How Being Active Online Can Help Your Job Search During a Military Transition In many cases, your work can fulfill this need for purpose and meaning. In others, your work provides the means to the end i.e., a roof over your head and food for your family but your sense of service comes through volunteering, mentoring or other community-based activities. Finding Purpose-Driven Work in a For-Profit Company May Require a Bit of Creativity Im reminded of a large call-center operation that I worked with and hired a lot of prior military members to work the phones. The company experienced high turnover because the work, as it admitted, was often not inspiring or fun; people often called only when something went wrong. Their employees burned out quickly. The company believed that hiring veterans and military spouses would mean less attrition, because phone operators were required to exercise patience, resilience, helpfulness and to serve the callers needs. Those are qualities the military instills! But they failed to link the work to the mission, and people left. To remedy this situation, we conducted hours of training and reintroduced employees to the companys mission, which revolved around taking care of their customers like family. With a new framework through which to operate, phone operators began to see that their role was a problem solver, a helper, someone to make the callers day better. This provided a purpose. As you evaluate job opportunities, look for the purpose in the work. Ask yourself: Would you be helping customers in meaningful ways? Will you be given a chance to serve a new population or community? Do you believe in the companys product because of the good it offers? Does the company invest in communities you care about? Would the position offer leadership and visibility opportunities such that you can share the causes youre most passionate about? Sometimes a job description isnt written to highlight the purpose and meaning the work offers. By talking to people who work for the company or work in similar roles youll gain valuable insight about the ways you can find passion and mission in the work. And if it truly is a viable and attractive 9-to-5 opportunity for you, then commit to finding meaning and service outside of your work. There are plenty of opportunities in our communities today to help, lead, grow and serve others. Find the Right Veteran Job Whether you want to polish your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.com can help. Subscribe to Military.com to have job postings, guides, advice and more delivered directly to your inbox. The Marlins announced today that outfielder Dane Myers has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee laceration. Fellow outfielder Joey Wiemer has been recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville to take his place on the active roster. Myers, 29, had only recently returned from an IL stint for a right oblique strain. He played in seven games after that two-week absence before suffering this new injury in Tuesday nights game against the Phillies. In the second inning, Myers was fielding a fly ball from Max Kepler when he collided with the outfield wall and injured his knee before eventually being carted off the field. Today, Myers spoke about the issue, as seen in this video from MLB.com. He expressed some concern for player safety with some big league fields having dangerous elements. As an example, he mentioned Aaron Judge, who missed significant time last year after injuring his toe on some concrete at Dodger Stadium. The frustration from Myers is understandable, as the Marlins have played well of late and are technically still alive in the National League playoff race. Its a big long shot, as they are four games back of the Mets with five games to play and would have to leapfrog the Diamondbacks, Reds and Cardinals. Still, its surely not fun to be trying to mount a miracle comeback and have your season ended by bashing your knee off some weird metal protuberance. In 106 games for Miami in 2025, Myers has batted .235/.291/.326 with a 72 wRC+ and a 23.1% strikeout rate compared to a 6.9% walk rate. Defensively, he has split time at all three outfield spots, with most of his appearances coming in center field. He has been worth 3 Defensive Runs Saved and one Out Above Average. He has also stolen 18 bases this year. Without Myers, the Marlins will proceed with an outfield mix consisting of Wiemer, Jakob Marsee, Griffin Conine, Heriberto Hernandez, Troy Johnston and Javier Sanoja. Photo courtesy of Eric Hartline, Imagn Images Wine grapes at Chateau Chantal Winery on Old Mission Peninsula in Grand Traverse County on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. Joel Bissell | MLive.com OLD MISSION PENINSULA, MI - The panoramic views outside the tasting room door at Chateau Chantal are marvelous anytime of the year. But when the autumn colors are stretching out to edge the east and west arms of Grand Traverse Bay on either side, its pretty spectacular. This will be the picturesque setting for the next couple of months as the winery hosts a full slate of its Fall Wine Dinners and its free Harvest Festival. Chateau Chantal's Harvest Festival will take place on Saturday, Oct. 4. Join in the Stomp the Grapes tradition - if you dare. Photo provided by Chateau Chantal The Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4 comes complete with a good old-fashioned grape-stomping (in your bare feet!) There will also be an ongoing art fair that day and a cellar/vineyard tour for the public. Chateau Chantal, which sits halfway up Old Mission Peninsula, is one of Northern Michigans oldest vineyards. It also has a top-rated B&B and large indoor/outdoor wine tasting room space. The Harvest Festival is free to all, and you can find more details on the winerys website here. The festival highlights include: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. | All Day Offerings: The Tasting Room will be open to the public to enjoy wine flights, wine by the glass, specialty drinks, charcuterie boards, and chef-made food offerings. Enjoy the indoor fireplaces, outdoor firepits and open cellar. Harvest Festival Discount: 25% off on cases (12 bottles) of wine. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Art Fair: A local art fair is being hosted during the Harvest Festival. Visit with a selection of vendors on site, and pick up some unique Northern Michigan products. (We love to do our early holiday shopping at these events). Noon 4 p.m. | Founders Open House: You can enjoy the picturesque views from Chateau Chantal founder Bob Begins apartment, chat with Bob as he celebrates his 91st birthday, and watch a video about Bobs incredible life story. Chateau Chantal, a winery on Old Mission Peninsula, has a 12-room B&B that invites guests to stroll the vineyard and select their favorite wines. Photo provided by Chateau Chantal 1 p.m. | Public Cellar/Vineyard Tour: Learn the basics of winemaking from vine to glass with a personal tour of the winemaking process. 2 p.m.| Grape Stompin: Put Lucille Ball to shame and get in line for your chance to crush grapes the old-fashioned way, with your feet. 3 p.m. | Cork Toss: Grab a partner and put your cork-tossing skills to the test. See how many successful tosses you can make to be the last team standing. Gift cards await the winning team. Stay the Night: Guests at this French Chateau-style B&B can roam the winery, vineyards after hours The view of fall colors from Chateau Chantal Winery and Inn on Old Mission Peninsula in Grand Traverse County, Mich. on Friday, October. 18, 2024. Joel Bissell | MLive.com Fall Wine Dinners Chateau Chantals Wine Dinners have become events for wine lovers and foodies alike. This fall, they are ticketed gathering being offered on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings through Nov. 7. The cost is $115 and includes a winery tour, six courses, wine, tax and tip. More details and information on how to make an online reservation can be found online here. Join us for a delicious 6-course wine dinner celebrating the bounty of the fall harvest, winery staff said. Each course is prepared in-house by our talented Executive Chef, Randy Minish, and expertly paired with delicious Chateau Chantal wine. 2025 Fall Wine Dinner Menu Welcome Toast Tonight Sparkling Wine Terrine of Great Lake Walleye Pear & Anise Puree - With Seasonal Greens Paired with Late Harvest Chardonnay Mushroom Bouillon Squash Royale, Wild Rice Crisp, & Sunflower Shoot Paired with Pinot Noir Pumpkin Rigatoni Pumpkin Cashew Crema, Fustinis Basil Crush Olive Oli, & Idyll Farms Goat Gouda Paired with Proprietors Reserve Cabernet Franc Roasted Duck Breast Beet Farro, Apple Demi-Glace, & Seasonal Vegetable Paired with Proprietors Reserve Pinot Noir Intermezzo Fresh-Squeezed Honeycrisp Autumn Apple Gel Sweet Potato & Ginger Flan with Almond Tuile Paired with Entice An aerial view of Chateau Chantal on Old Mission Peninsula in Grand Traverse County on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Chateau Chantal is one of ten wineries that make up the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail. (Drone Image by Joel Bissell | MLive.com) MLive.com https://www.chateauchantal.com/reservation/type/wine-dinners-fall-2025-wed-thur-fri-6pm The Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs' annual event is Michigan's largest star party with more than 50 telescopes viewing distant planets, stars, and galaxies. (Photo Courtesy of The Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs) Photo Courtesy of The Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs BRIGHTON, MI -- Calling all stargazers, this weekend dozens of telescopes will be pointed at distant planets, stars, and galaxies. Astronomy Clubs across Southeast Michigan are gathering in one spot to offer free views of the night sky. The Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Club is hosting its annual event 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Sept. 27 at Island Lake Recreation Area. The GLAAC brings together 15 clubs ranging from higher education like University of Michigan and Wayne State to local community clubs. Over two decades, the event has grown into Michigans largest star party with three to five thousand attendees over the two days. Experts and novices alike come eager to share and learn about the solar system. The Kent Lake Beach area typically fills with 50 or so telescopes ranging from your home telescopes to $25,000 pieces of sophisticated equipment. All of it will be open to the public for free. Of course its not about the cost of equipment, its about spreading priceless knowledge, GLAAC vice president Liam Finn said. This is GLAACs anchor event for getting all ages into STEM. Ill talk science with anybody, Finn said. Ill explain the physics of whats happening when a star dies. We are more than happy to have people engage with us and ask us questions because we want to help. We want to pass on knowledge. This years keynote speaker is Brother Guy Consolmagno, a Planetary Scientist and the Director of the the Vatican Observatory. His research explores connections between meteorites, asteroids, and the evolution of small solar system bodies. This years theme is Saturn, because it is an easy target for telescopes to find before midnight, Finn said. Astronomers will also set their scopes on globular clusters, the Andromeda galaxy, and the Milky Way. The Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs' annual event is Michigan's largest star party with more than 50 telescopes viewing distant planets, stars, and galaxies. (Photo Courtesy of The Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs) Photo Courtesy of The Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs Many of the GLAAC members are also NASA ambassadors, including Jeff MacLeod who has custom-built a Gemini rocket simulator out of half of a truck. Participants can lay down in the truck and be surrounded by screens simulating a travel through space. MacLeod is in the back acting a Mission Control as you launch up in the Gemini capsule, NASAs two-man spacecraft used in the 1960s before the Apollo program. The simulator has become so popular MacLeod will be doing ticketed timeslots this year to assure everyone gets a chance, Finn said. The whole idea is to stir the interest of the younger generations as well as older generations, Finn said. [We want] to show the fun side of astronomy and other STEM areas and try to drive people towards it. The American Bar Association has placed Thomas M. Cooley Law School on probation because of its continued failure to meet the required minimum bar exam passage rate. The ABAs Standard 316 requires at least 75% of a schools graduates who sit for the bar to pass within two years of graduation. Cooley, which has campuses in Lansing and Tampa, Florida, has been out of compliance since the rule was implemented in 2020. That failure is sufficiently serious that it raises concerns about the quality of the student learning experience, the ABAs Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar wrote in a notice issued last week. Cooleys President James McGrath will now have to appear in front of the Council in February to make a case for why it should keep its ABA accreditation. Losing that accreditation would mean that Cooley students would no longer be eligible for federal financial aid and that their degrees would not be recognized by most employers and bar associations. But McGrath says he is 99 percent and change sure well be back in compliance. I was called in to testify before the ABA Council in August, and we laid out the fact that, at the time, we were seven graduates away from meeting the standard and we were just waiting for the July 2025 bar results, he said. Cooley has had an improvement plan in place since 2020, he said. Its been working, albeit not as quickly as it might have. In my mind, were already in compliance, McGrath said. We just dont know which graduates have passed the bar. Cooley was once the largest law school in the country, with five fully functioning campuses in Michigan enrolling nearly 4,000 students. It was also one of the least selective, admitting students who would have had trouble gaining admission to any other ABA-accredited law school and many who had trouble completing the coursework and passing the bar. McGrath was hired in 2019 to put the school on a different course. Thomas M. Cooley Law School President James McGrath Courtesy of Thomas M. Cooley Law School He has closed Cooleys Auburn Hills and Grand Rapids campuses, raised admissions standards, cut tuition, even took a stab at changing the schools name as a way of putting its tarnished reputation behind it. He also accepted the reality that Cooley would be a smaller school. The student body was just 420 last year. Improvements have come slowly, McGrath said, partly because the majority of Cooleys students attend part time and those who were admitted under the old, lower standards are still taking the bar. In 2022, the year the ABA gave Cooley a grace period of up to three years to come into compliance, more than 20% of its student body had come in under the previous standard, McGrath said. Last year, it was 8%. By next year, it will be almost nothing. Ever since the onset of President McGraths tenure, weve done a lot of work to implement positive change within our curriculum, within our teaching practices, within entrance standards, all the things that ultimately lead to success with being compliant with Rule 316, said Mitchell Zajac, an attorney with Butzel Long and chair of Cooleys Board. Having done all that, we are extremely confident that, in a very short order, this will be something of the past for Cooley and well be working on a very productive and exciting next 50 years of our existence. But McGrath granted that the news of the probation could endanger some of the schools progress. Just last year, an auditing firm found that enrollment declines, years of operating at a deficit and the fact that Cooley was out of compliance with a debt service ratio on a series of bonds from 2014 raise substantial doubt about the Schools ability to continue as a going concern. Cooley has paid off those bonds, McGrath said, in part by selling off its campus in Tampa its now renting a smaller building and its former campus in downtown Grand Rapids. But Cooley has been operating at a deficit since 2021 and, even before being placed on probation, had planned to continue doing so until next year at least, McGrath said. A decline in enrollment could be more than a bump in the road. Luckily, Cooley is the school for some people because of our very flexible scheduling, McGrath said. And, you know, we will take a chance on students - to a certain point, that we believe will pass the bar at the rate required - that other schools still will not. The alleged assault took place on Sept. 22 at the suspect's home in Eastpointe. MLive.com file photo EASTPOINTE, MI -- A 52-year-old convicted sex offender is accused of raping a 12-year-old girl Monday at his home. According to Fox 2 Detroit, the suspect was arrested in New York less than 24 hours after the alleged assault. Police say the victim and the suspect knew each other in some capacity prior to the alleged assault. On Monday, the suspect kidnapped the girl and took her back to his home to assault her. After letting the victim go, the girl contacted police who executed a search warrant at the suspects home. The suspect had already fled by the time police arrived. During the search, police recovered several pieces of evidence from the home, some of which the victim was able to identify. The victim was also able to pick the suspect out of a lineup following his arrest. The suspect is expected to face numerous charges once he is extradited to Michigan. The suspect is not being named pending formal charges being filed. A Michigan man is accused of an unprovoked attack in which he threw what was belived to be a lit stick of dynamite, but it was determined to be fake. MLive.com file photo MONROE, MI A Michigan man is accused of an unprovoked attack in which he threw what was belived to be a lit stick of dynamite, but it was determined to be fake. According to Fox 2 in Detroit, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office responded to the incident at Veterans Park on Custer in Monroe at 8:10 a.m. on Tuesday. The victim told deputies that a 72-year-old Monroe man approached him an allegedly threw the fake dynamite on the hood of the victims vehicle. When the victim tossed what he believed to be an explosive back at the man, the man pulled out a gun and ordered the victim to freeze before he went behind the Monroe Fire Station to fish, according to the TV station. Deputies arrived and detained the man, who had a loaded .45 caliber handgun and a loaded .22 caliber handgun in his pocket. According to the sheriffs office, he had a concealed pistol license. The suspect was arrested for felonious assault and presenting a fake explosive device, Fox 2 reported. A Michigan Tech student has been arrested and charged with stealing 900 American flags from a 9/11 memorial on the school's campus. (MLive file photo) Joel Bissell | MLive.com HOUGHTON, MI A Michigan Tech student accused of stealing 900 American flags from a 9/11 memorial on campus has been arrested and charged. Avery Brynn Lawrence, 21, was arraigned Wednesday, Sept. 24, in 97th District Court in Houghton County on one misdemeanor charge of malicious destruction of tombs and memorials, causing between $200 and $1,000 in damage. Lawrence faces up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,000 or three times the value of the damage, whichever is greater, according to state statute. She was issued a $300 bond and is due back in court on Oct. 20 for a pretrial hearing, according to court records. A not guilty plea was entered. RELATED: 900 American flags stolen from Michigan Techs 9/11 memorial Houghton County Prosecutor Daniel Helmer said that there will be no plea offer made in the case, WLUC-TV reported. However, if Lawrence wishes to plead guilty, she would be eligible for the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, the prosecutor said. If she elects to go that route and successfully completes probation, her case could be sealed and charges dismissed from her record. Lawrence is accused of stealing nearly a third of the American flags that were placed across the street from Wadsworth Hall on the Houghton campus. The memorial is organized each year by the U.P. schools chapter of Young Americans for Freedom. Students annually place 2,977 flags one for each person who died during the terrorist attacks on the lawn. WLUC-TV reported on Thursday, Sept. 11, that Donald Chapman, the chapter president, noticed the missing flags at 7:30 a.m., about an hour after they had finished being placed. It took two hours to place all the flags, Chapman said. Chapman told the TV station he was puzzled as to why anyone would want to destroy a 9/11 memorial, stating that the memorial itself was not political. Were just commemorating a national tragedy in which American citizens died, Chapman said. MAGA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has issued a stark warning to President Donald Trump amid their high-profile divorce. The Georgia Republican told CBS News that she is starting to feel very sorry for the 79-year-old, saying that his attacks on her reflect poorly on him. The great schism began when Greene, 50, broke with him on the cost-of-living crisis, which Trump insists is a hoax, and the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Employees who are losing their jobs will be notified Friday morning according to a company blog post. (Joey Oliver | MLive.com) Joey Oliver | MLive.com The worlds largest coffee chain announced it will soon close more than 100 stores and is cutting 900 non-retail jobs as part of ongoing restructuring efforts. In a blog post issued Thursday, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced the company expects to lose 1% of its company-operated stores in North America during fiscal year 2025. Niccol said Starbucks anticipates ending the fiscal year with nearly 18,300 total locations in North America. That means a 1% loss in stores represents approximately 183 coffeehouses, however Starbucks did not provide an exact number of planned closures. The coffee giant also did not provide a list of store closures, saying that employees at affected locations will be notified this week. Niccol said the company will offer transfers to nearby locations where possible. For those who cant be transferred, the company will offer comprehensive severance packages. The decision to close the coffeehouses comes after Starbucks conducted a review of its portfolio. During the review, we identified coffeehouses where were unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we dont see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed, Niccol wrote. While a significant amount of coffeehouses will close, Niccol said the company will uplift more than 1,000 locations to introduce greater texture, warmth, and layered design. Niccols announcement also confirmed that 900 non-retail positions in the company will be eliminated as well. As we build toward a better Starbucks, were investing in green apron partner hours, more partners in stores, exceptional customer service, elevated coffeehouse designs, and innovation to create the future, Niccol wrote. Niccol then advised office employees not required to be on site to work from home on Thursday and Friday. Niccol thanked the employees who will be losing their jobs for their efforts and said the cuts were difficult to make. I know these decisions impact our partners and their families, and we did not make them lightly. I believe these steps are necessary to build a better, stronger, and more resilient Starbucks that deepens its impact on the world and creates more opportunities for our partners, suppliers, and the communities we serve, Niccol wrote. A motorcyclist who died after striking a deer early Sunday morning has been identified as a 20-year-old University of Michigan student. File photo. Abra Richardson | MLive.com ANN ARBOR, MI -- A motorcyclist who died after striking a deer early Sunday morning has been identified as a 20-year-old University of Michigan student. Benjamin Gates had been driving a motorcycle east on Jackson Avenue around 12:50 a.m. Sept 21, when he struck a deer and crashed near Worden Avenue, confirmed Chris Page, spokesperson for the Ann Arbor police. He was taken with significant injuries to the University of Michigan Hospital, where he later died. Page confirmed on Thursday that Gates was the man who crashed. Gates was studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, according to an obituary published by the Zaagman Memorial Chapel. He competed in FIRST Robotics Competitions in middle and high school, spending as many hours as possible designing and building. (Gates) also loved 3D printing, playing in the marching and jazz bands and hugging his dog, the obituary reads. He was known for his kindness, patience, humor and willingness to help anyone. He was born in Massachusetts but moved to Michigan when he was in the third grade. He graduated from Forest Hills Eastern High School. Gates is survived by his parents, three older sisters, grandparents and other family members. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page. Students gathered for a full school assembly as Kaden Stevenson unveils a new comic book at Brendel Elementary School on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 in Grand Blanc. The comic book shows him as a superhero Kaden Blaze, and works to educate youth based on his own battle with the flu, which resulted amputation to both of his legs. (Jake May | MLive.com) GRAND BLANC, MI A new comic book inspired by a 10-year-old Grand Blanc boys hard-fought battle with the flu is now available for purchase. The book, Kaden Blaze Fights Flu Bug, tells the story of a superhero based on Kaden Stevenson, a fourth grader at Brendel Elementary School. He lost both his legs about three years ago due to complications of the flu. When I think about how all the things that he has gone through, I dont feel like I would have been as strong as he is, Stevensons mother Michele Stevenson said. He doesnt give up. Students gathered at Brendel Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 25, to celebrate the launch of the book, created by Families Fighting Flu. Kadens story has had such an impact on our kids, teachers, staff, and parents, Brendel Elementary Principal Duane Engleman said in a statement. Everyone is so amazed by all he has accomplished, and we know Kaden Blaze will continue to do good things to help protect others from vaccine-preventable diseases. Kaden Stevenson received a superheros welcome as he entered the schools gymnasium on Thursday morning to a crowd of his fellow students cheering and chanting his name. I just think its good to hear about perseverance and being able to put your mind to something and know that you can overcome things if you put your mind to it, Engleman told MLive-The Flint Journal. 40 1 / 40 Grand Blanc kid turned into superhero in new comic book that fights the flu Each student at the event received a free copy of the comic book and heard about Kaden Stevensons battle with the flu. Kaden has always been a superhero to all of us who know him, Families Fighting Flu Executive Director Michele Slafkosky said in a statement. His story is so inspiring, and he is such a unique kid. In the book, Kaden Blaze uses his superpowers to fight his arch enemy, the Flu Bug, with the help of his classmates and teachers, who use a community immunity cheer to scare the bug away. The book highlights the importance of flu vaccinations as Kaden Stevenson didnt receive the flu vaccine before he contracted the disease, which his mother deeply regrets. I had made the mistake of not getting Kadens flu vaccine that year, but I never knew anyone could become that ill from the flu, Michele Stevenson said in a statement. Now, we get our flu shot every year, and we share Kadens story, so this doesnt happen to another family. During Thursdays event, the Flu Bug came off the pages of the book and into the gymnasium, but Kaden Stevenson quickly came to the rescue, smacking the bug with two inflatable bats until it retreated into a nearby hallway. Kadens heroics earned him another round of applause from his classmates. That was proud mama moment to see your son watching his dreams come true, Michele Stevenson told the Journal. Michele Stevenson noticed her son was less energetic than usual shortly before Christmas in 2022. She took him to a local hospital after Kadens condition failed to improve after she monitored him for four days. Kaden also complained of pain in his right leg. After arriving at the hospital, Kaden was immediately airlifted to a childrens hospital in Grand Rapids. It was while he was at the childrens hospital that Kaden was diagnosed with influenza A and Streptococcus. Kaden also had an infection in his blood, which caused him to experience toxic shock syndrome, and his organs began to shut down. Those first weeks of Kadens illness were the most scared Ive ever been, Michele Stevenson said in a statement. Both of Kadens legs had to be amputated due to the infection. His right leg was amputated above his knee, while his left leg was amputated below his knee. Following the amputation, Kaden spent about nine weeks in the hospital and rehabilitation, and he will require additional surgeries in the future. While he was hospitalized, a five-year-old boy who also contracted the flu died in the same hospital, and Kaden said he wanted to survive for him. Hes done a lot better than what Id have done, and he has such a good attitude, Kadens grandmother Teresa Stevenson said. Its so emotional to watch his growth. Students gathered for a full school assembly as Kaden Stevenson unveils a new comic book at Brendel Elementary School on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 in Grand Blanc. The comic book shows him as a superhero Kaden Blaze, and works to educate youth based on his own battle with the flu, which resulted amputation to both of his legs. (Jake May | MLive.com) Families Fighting Flu is a non-profit organization with members across the United States, including one of its founders, Zach Yaksich, of West Bloomfield. Yaksichs daughter Alana died in 2003 when she 5 years old due to complications of the flu. The organization has grown, unfortunately, because of continued tragedy, but we do great work, Yaksich said. The organization works to protect children, families, and communities from the flu through advocacy, and flu education and prevention efforts, especially vaccination. Its more important now than ever, especially with whats going on and misinformation out there scaring people, Yaksich said. To learn more about Families Fighting Flu or purchase Kaden Blaze Fights Flu Bug, visit the organizations website at familiesfightingflu.org. All book proceeds go directly to the organization. U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, speaks during a community resource fair at Grand Blanc High School in this Flint Journal file photo. Lukas Katilius | MLive.com FLINT, MI -- U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet says the federal government needs to acknowledge its oversight failures during the Flint water crisis and start negotiating a settlement with city residents. The (Environmental Protection Agency) failed to keep children and families safe during the water crisis, the Bay City Democrat said in a statement to MLive-The Flint Journal. It is outrageous that a decade has passed without the EPA admitting its mistake and paying the citizens of Flint what they are owed. The EPA Administrator (Lee Zeldin) should settle this lawsuit right now. McDonald Rivets comments come in the same week that U.S. District Court Judge Linda V. Parker denied the EPAs third request to dismiss consolidated Flint water crisis lawsuits brought against it by Flint residents. Its the last remaining water crisis defendant that has refused to settle such pending litigation. Other primary players in the crisis -- the state of Michigan, city of Flint, and four private companies -- have spent nearly $700 million to settle cases against them. EPA officials this week declined to comment on the water crisis lawsuits. In court filings, agency attorneys have argued the state had primary enforcement responsibility for Flint water and that the Tort Claim Act shields EPA from liability. But McDonald Rivet and others have said the federal government isnt without blame. EPAs Office of Inspector General has said the agency had the authority and sufficient information to issue an emergency order to protect Flint residents from lead-contaminated water as early as June 2015, but failed to act. A report by the Congressional Research Service also said EPA had the authority to aid in the water emergency much earlier than it did. In May, the EPA lifted a Safe Drinking Water Act emergency order in Flint thatd been in place since 2016 after years of water testing showed lead levels in city water had consistently been within federal limits. McDonald Rivet said then that she expected the federal government to continue participating in (the) effort and do right by the residents of Flint and promised to hold them accountable if they drop the ball. In addition to the case overseen by Parker, a second case against the EPA is pending in federal court. Judge Judith E. Levy has told attorneys for the government and roughly 1,000 Flint children to be prepared for a Jan. 26 bench trial in Ann Arbor in that case. Savannah Remijn poses with her parents during her high school graduation ceremony. The Grand Rapids student earned her high school diploma and college degree in May, both before her 18th birthday. (Photo provided by Amanda Mae Design) Amanda Mae Design GRAND RAPIDS, MI - In May, thousands of high school seniors across Michigan were gearing up to cross the graduation stage. Savannah Remijn was preparing to walk across two. Remijn graduated high school in May at age 18, the same time as when she earned her bachelors degree in legal studies from Davenport University. It usually shocks a lot of people, Remijn said. It wasnt because I had to. I still hung out with friends, had a boyfriend and went to sporting events. I did everything a normal high schooler would do I just also finished college. The recent double graduate said this feat was possible through a combination of her strategic dual enrollment, summer courses, her home-school education and a commitment to her curriculum. Dual enrollment programs, like the one offered at Davenport, allow high school students to take college courses while still enrolled in their K-12 school. Remijn worked closely with a college advisor at Davenport to choose classes that would count for both her high school and college credit. After four years of doubling up, she received her diploma. The gravity of her accomplishment wouldnt hit her until months later. It (didnt) really hit me that I had just done something that not a lot of people do until all my friends this year started going to college, going in as freshmen, she said. As her friends began complaining about their English 101 classes, she realized, Oh, I already did that. How rare is Remijns approach? Felicia Pope, assistant director of high school admissions at Davenport, said each semester the college has around 500 dual enrollment students, partnering with around 50 high schools. Most of those enrollees end up taking a few courses, Pope said, and its common for them to earn a certificate or even an associates degree. But she said earning a bachelors degree is very rare. Ive been with Davenport for over 12 years, she said. Ive never heard of that. Popes job is to work alongside Michigan school districts and help high school students schedule classes to best fit their academic objectives. Colleges and universities across Michigan offer dual enrollment courses both in college classrooms and online. Pope said Davenport runs some dual enrollment classes directly in high school classrooms as well. The state of Michigan requires all school districts, public school academies and state-approved nonpublic schools to offer dual enrollment opportunities to eligible students. Districts are required to cover the cost of up to 10 classes per student. Pope said she sees quite a few schools approve students to continue taking classes, with costs not covered by the school. In those cases, she said Davenport offers a heavily-reduced tuition rate. Despite the statewide offerings, only a fraction of Michigan students were taking dual enrollment courses as of the 2023-24 school year. That year, a total of 35,145 students participated in dual enrollment, according to data tracked by the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA). Thats 6.88% of students, compared to the 510,611 counted by MCCA in grades nine through 12. Of those students, approximately 18,854 were high school seniors, meaning 14.88% of the 126,683 12th-graders tracked by MCCA participated. That percentage went down each grade level as students got younger, with 8.88% of high school juniors, 3.30% of sophomores and 0.88% of freshmen participating in dual enrollment. Remijn was one of the students who began dual enrolling her freshman year, and continued to take a full slate of classes until her graduation. Im really grateful for the responsibility that it taught me, she said. I learned how to manage my own schedule. I became very independent throughout the process. If I had an issue with something, I had to learn how to email professors or if I had an issue paying my bill because the software wasnt working, then I had to call the front desk. Making it happen. Remijn has been a home-schooled student since the 4th-grade, when she left a private school - where she attended as a Spanish immersion student - to join a home-school co-op with her aunt and other moms who were also teachers. After that, my mom was in charge of finding my co-ops and such, she said. She knew she wasnt a teacher and needed to have outside help. She did a lot of research and worked to find the right programs for me and my sisters. Her freshman year, Remijn began taking college courses through dual enrollment. Her mom, a former academic advisor and professor at Davenport, suggested the program during Remijns freshman year as a way to help her get ahead. I actually really liked it, she said. The initial goal was just to get college credit and save some time, she said. Im very motivated to start my career and, obviously, start making money, she said. Eventually, we started looking at it seriously and (realized) if we scheduled this out appropriately, I could hypothetically graduate at the same time with both degrees. Because she was a home-schooled student, Pope said she went back and forth quite a bit with Remijns mom during the application and planning process, making sure the class load aligned with Remijns schedule and wasnt overloading her. I did rely a lot on what her mom had to say for some of this, but also our historical experience with students, Pope said. We would readjust as we went, just based on trying to balance out classes that she was taking, keeping it more of a building approach where (she had) some of the lighter classes up front. By her sophomore year, Remijn said she was immersed in engineering courses, determined to follow in her fathers career footsteps. She realized she wanted to head in a different direction during a legal studies course her junior year. Everything kept pointing to law, she said. Lawyer, paralegal thats what kept coming up. Remijn continued her work at Davenport, taking online courses and filling her summers with 7-week accelerated college classes to stay ahead. She also doubled up some of her high school and college requirements. By senior year, she was taking a larger-than-average college load with all her time spent on college classes. There were points where she said she wasnt sure if completing her degree in the four years was possible, one of those being when she was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, a bacterial infection caused by the bite of a tick that can lead to chronic health problems. It had a significant effect on my overall health, she said, and it was also significantly worsened by stress. Obviously school was stressful. Senior year was my most stressful year, and so that was difficult. But Remijn said with the support of her family, she was able to finish. It became my project, she said. Whats next for Remijn? In January of her senior year, she applied for and received an age exemption allowing her to take the law school entrance exam, known as the LSAT, at just 17. In March of this year, she was accepted by the law school that was her first choice - before she graduated high school. I got my acceptance letter a few days before my 18th birthday, she said. For privacy reasons, she asked that choice not be published. Remijn said she really wanted to go. But with her recent diagnosis, she was concerned about the tight timeline between her high school graduation and law school start date. Ultimately, I recognized that I couldnt go to law school in my current physical and mental state, she said. I knew I couldnt do my best in law school if I felt like crap. Instead, Remijn decided to take a gap year, deferring her acceptance and working as a paralegal at a Grand Rapids firm while she focuses on learning to manage her diagnosis. Shell be attending law school in August 2026. It was really, really hard to make that choice, she said. But I want to give law school my best. That means taking care of myself first. Just a little bit of time to breathe will be good for that. I dont think she will be the last. Pope said Remijns accomplishment has now inspired some of her family members. I am now working with her little sister and a cousin, she said. I dont think she will be the last. Pope said one of what shes seen as the biggest benefits of dual enrollment, and why she ended up in her role, is the support to help ease students into the college process. I started at a bigger public school, and then I did my grad program at Davenport, and I could not believe - having been a first generation student - how much help there was here, she said. I lacked that when I was a student, and so I feel like I kind of stumbled my way through, she added. I took classes I shouldnt have taken. I paid for things I shouldnt have. I missed out on scholarship opportunities, so I love being able to be that person that kind of walks students through everything. She said the other big benefits are saving time and money during a transitional period that can already be stressful for students, and allowing students to explore classes and possible career paths early on. According to MCCA, 92.7% of dual enrollment courses in Michigan have been successfully completed. Its a really great opportunity, Pope said. At minimum, students can explore possible career paths with classes like Intro to Marketing or Intro to Cyber Defense and have a lighter college class load when they graduate. Often, theyll get an associate degree or certifications some type of credential under their belt. Inside Fika, at 1359 Plainfield Ave. NE in Grand Rapids. The eatery is one of the participating restaurants in the Vegan Chef Challenge. Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.c GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Vegan Outreach, an international nonprofit, has brought its Vegan Chef Challenge to the Grand Rapids area this fall. This month-long celebration, taking place through the end of September, invites businesses across the city to revamp their menus and showcase special vegan dishes. This event is open to everyone, not just vegans, Vegan Outreach stated. Its about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support our regions chefs. Heres how it works: visit over 10 participating restaurants across Grand Rapids, try their exclusive vegan offerings and rate and review each dish. At the conclusion of the vegan challenge, winning restaurants will be announced based on fan voting. Exclusive vegan offerings Amore Trattoria Italiana (5080 Alpine Ave. NW, Comstock Park) Caponata ($13) Ribollita ($10) Polpette ($22) Sorbetto (price varies) Asada (1450 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids) Vegan mac ($6/$9) Chips & vegan queso ($8) Queso smash ($16) Broadleaf Brewery + Spirits (2885 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE, Kentwood) Hummus ($12) Falafel hero ($18) Thai pea(not) noodles ($15) Donkey Taqueria (665 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids) Taco de tofu ($5) Fika (1359 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids) Chili cornbread poke bake ($13) Smoky cauliflower tostada ($11) The Friesian Gastro Pub (720 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids) Gluten-free samosa chaat poutine ($18) Tofu katsu ($24) Gluten-free chocolate mousse cake ($12) Furniture City Creamery (958 Cherry St. SE, Grand Rapids) Vegan brownie turtle sundae ($6.89/$8.29) Gaia House Cafe (1553 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids) Tofu BLT ( $12) Vegan lasagna ($12) Good Judys Market & Juice Bar (1146 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids) Vegan and gluten-free chip-otle taco salad ($12) Hancock (1157 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids) Not today, seitan ($14) JBs Pizza Parlor (2433 Eastern Ave. SE, Grand Rapids) The Jamaican jerk 12-inch pizza ($21.99) San Chez A Tapas Bistro (38 Fulton St. W, Grand Rapids) Krabby patty Benedict ($21) Shrimp and grits ($23) Spanish Chilindron tempeh (available after 3 p.m.) The Winchester (648 Wealthy St. SW, Grand Rapids) Corned beet Reuben ($15) The Sovengard (1232 Bridge St. NW, Grand Rapids) Ajoblanco ($8) Seitan n cheeze ($15) Orecchiette ($24) The Candied Yam (2305 44th St. SE and 932 Division Ave. S, Grand Rapids) Veggie plate with fried mushroom chickn Thai Table (950 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids) Crispy tofu with Thai tamarind sauce ($15) Mixed fruit spicy Thai salad ($18) Stellas Lounge (53 Commerce Ave. SW, Grand Rapids) Peanut butter noodle time ($14.50) Curry up and spud ($14.50) Semifreddo (traveling food truck) Vegetable baguette ($11) Vegan semifreddo ($4) Vegan sparkling cream float ($7) Learn more and vote for your favorite, or enter a raffle for a prize by visiting the event website. Inside the remodeled cafeteria at Comstock Middle School on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. CMS held a ribbon-cutting to unveil dramatic transformations to the school, which coincided with the schools annual open house. Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com UPDATE: Whitmer doubles down on free meals in Michigan schools after state budget deal comes up short KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI -- Two months ago, Rebecca Walters started a dinner train for Vicksburg residents. Families submit a meal request and people in the dinner train Facebook group make the meals. In the first month, the dinner train helped four families, about 27 people. Most of them were children, Walters said. Its not a charity, its justice, said Walters, a parent herself. Come Oct. 1, cash-strapped families in some school districts could have another challenge: funding their students lunch when funds for Michigans universal breakfast and lunch program run out. Meeting a need Michigan began providing free meals for all students regardless of income starting in 2023-24. When our kids are hungry, its nearly impossible to learn and to take in the material that is being taught at school, said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer while visiting Hamilton Elementary and Early Childhood Center in Kentwood. Some districts already provided free meals to all students through the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The state funding supplemented whatever student meals werent covered by CEP funding. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, food costs have been on the rise. Food prices are up 18% since 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 2022, the year before the Michigan program started, food prices increased by 9.9%, faster than in any year since 1979, per the USDA. Kathleen Fett, Twelve Baskets Food Pantry executive director, said the amount of families they serve has increased from 70 to between 350 and 450. Twelve Baskets, 10332 Portage Road in Portage, isnt far from Vicksburg, but serves families across the county. Walters sees the impact of hunger with her own children. When theyre hungry, they cant focus. Their family has been able to budget for increased food costs, but the change is notable. A couple years ago she would spend $800 a month on food. Now its more like $1,400. Growing up, Walters said she was friends with the hungry kids and would have sleepovers with them. Their parents, the only thing that they could do was three boxes of mac and cheese, Walters said. You could see the hunger in the other kids and you couldnt say anything. Whitmer said free school meals have had countless benefits for our students social, mental and physical health, outside classrooms. Beyond the impact on children, Walters said shes also worried about the impact managing hungry children will have on teachers. Those teachers, their days would be much more miserable if they didnt have equal food for the kids or equal opportunities for food among the kids, Walters said. An uneven playing field Districts that receive CEP funding wont be affected when state funding runs out. You may have a kid whose family doesnt qualify for free/reduced lunch, but they get it because the whole district qualifies, said Jeffrey Thoenes, superintendent of Comstock Community Schools, a CEP qualifying district. CEP qualifications are based on how many high-need students a district has. Families dont have to apply to be eligible. CEP uses data from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Food Distribution Program for Indian Reservations (FDPIR). Students from families who receive Medicaid benefits or students who are certified to receive free meals because they are unhoused, migrant, enrolled in Head Start or in foster care, also count toward identified students. If 25% of students in a district qualify, then districts can choose to participate in CEP and receive the free lunch and breakfast funding. In Kalamazoo County, most districts qualify for CEP. Portage Public Schools and Vicksburg Community Schools dont. To receive free meals in school districts without CEP funding, parents have to fill out a free/reduced lunch application. If parents indicate they receive SNAP or TANF, they automatically qualify. If they dont, all household members must provide their pre-tax income. This will have a dramatic impact on school meals in Vicksburg, said Sarah Dyer, VCS food service director. Our participation will drop, and students will not be getting healthy meals to fuel their bodies/minds like they are currently. If new state funding isnt approved, VCS will charge students $1.50 for breakfast for kindergarten through 12th grade, $2.75 for lunch for Kindergarten through fifth grade and $3 for lunch for sixth through 12th grade. For Portage Public Schools, meals are slightly more expensive. Breakfast is $1.50 for elementary students and $1.60 for secondary students. For elementary students, lunch is $2.75 and for secondary students, lunch is $3.50. As of now, budget negotiations between Whitmers office, the Republican-majority House and the Democratic-majority Senate have stalled. The budgets proposed by both chambers increase education spending, but the House Republican proposal is vastly different from the governor and Senate-proposed budgets. One of the differences is cutting billions in funding earmarked for student populations or specific programs, including the universal free breakfast and lunches program. House Republicans argue this approach gives schools more spending freedom, while critics claim it would primarily benefit districts with fewer needs. Whitmer said she would reject the House budget if it came to her desk. The Michigan Department of Education has strongly recommended that local districts prepare to finance free meals, no matter the outcome of state budget talks as the school year starts. Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page. HARRISON, MI A Clare County man is in hot water after allegedly calling in a bomb threat in an attempt to implicate others. At 6:36 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, Zachery S. Combs called 911 to report two people had left a suitcase near his residence in the 1900 block of Jill Janet Street in Hayes Township. Combs said the suitcase contained an explosive device, deputies alleged. Deputies went to the scene and found a suitcase in Combs yard, near his mailbox. Deputies and Harrison Community firefighters erected a perimeter around the residence and notified the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad. While awaiting the bomb squads arrival, deputies interviewed neighbors and obtained surveillance camera footage showing Combs setting the suitcase in his yard, deputies alleged. Arriving on scene, bomb squad personnel X-rayed the suitcase and determined it contained a sizable amount of electronics but nothing dense enough to indicate an explosive device. This prompted deputies to again speak with Combs, who admitted to putting the electronics in the suitcase, then placing the suitcase in his yard, deputies alleged. Combs further said he called in the false report in an attempt to have police investigate the two people he accused, as he had previous issues with them, deputies said. Deputies arrested Combs and lodged him in the Clare County Jail. Combs, 35, on Wednesday appeared in Clare County District Court for arraignment on one count of false report or threat of a bomb/harmful device, a 10-year felony. The arraigning official set Combs bond at $30,000 cash-surety or 10% Combs next date in court is pending. The Michigan Capitol is reflected off the state Senate office building in this MLive file image. Ben Orner | MLive.com LANSING, MI The field of candidates is expanding in the race for the 35th District state Senate seat. As of Thursday, Sept. 25, there were three Democrats and two Republicans listed on the state Secretary of State website for the May 2026 election to fill the vacant seat once occupied by Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet. Democrats Brandell Adams, Martin Blank and Chedrick Greene as well as Republicans Chadwick Twillman and Christian Velasquez were listed on the website. Pamela Pugh, a Democrat, posted a video of her submitting paperwork to qualify as a candidate for the special election on Wednesday, Sept. 24. As of this report, she was not listed as a candidate on the state website. Also on Wednesday, Greene a decorated Marine and Saginaw Fire Department captain hosted a campaign launch event in Saginaw. The state Senate district encompasses parts of Bay, Midland and Saginaw counties. While Adams, Pugh, and Twillman announced their candidacies and filed initial paperwork before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last month scheduled the special election, Blank, Greene and Velasquez officially entered the field in recent weeks. Blank is a trauma surgeon at Covenant HealthCare and a former police officer. He was a Republican candidate on the ballots for the 2020 state House race won by Republican Timothy Beson and the 2022 state Senate race won by McDonald Rivet. Blank switched political parties for his new campaign. Velasquez is familiar to mid-Michigan voters too. The former Dow Corning employee also was a candidate for the 2022 state Senate race, falling short along with Blank in that years primary election to Republican Annette Glenn, who then lost to McDonald Rivet in the general election. Whitmer scheduled the primary for the 35th District special election for Feb. 3. Voters will choose the new senator May 5. The vacancy was created 10 months ago, when McDonald Rivet resigned to take a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The state Senate today consists of 19 Democrats and 18 Republicans, meaning the special election could change the balance of power in Lansing. SAGINAW, MI A probationer is heading back to prison for leading police on a high-speed chase that ended in a collision, a misguided attempt to avoid being caught with illicit drugs. Saginaw County Circuit Judge Andre R. Borrello on Wednesday, Sept. 24, sentenced Devaughntae Q. Woods, 33, to three concurrent prison terms of 18 months to 15 years. Borrello gave Woods credit for 154 days already served in the county jail. The judge further ordered Woods to pay $464 in fines and costs. Woods in August pleaded guilty to assaulting or resisting police, third-degree fleeing and eluding police, and possessing fewer than 25 grams of a narcotic or cocaine. Woods also pleaded as a fourth-time habitual offender. Prosecutors dismissed two counts of delivering or manufacturing fewer than 50 grams of a narcotic or cocaine and one count of delivering or manufacturing methamphetamine. Members of the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (BAYANET) on the morning of April 25 were surveilling Woods, whom they described as a suspected drug dealer wanted on several outstanding felony warrants. At 11:52 a.m., Saginaw police officers tried stopping Woods as he drove a vehicle on East Holland Road (M-46) near South 16th Street, according to Michigan State Police troopers. Woods did not stop, leading police on a high-speed chase that lasted about 30 minutes. Woods eventually crashed into another civilian vehicle at the intersection of South Washington Avenue and Fordney Street. Even that did not stop the pursuit, as Woods continued driving until he crashed again at the intersection of North Oakley Street and West Genesee Avenue. Woods resisted officers efforts to handcuff him and spit on one of their faces, prosecutors allege. Officers also arrested Woods passenger, 34-year-old Matthew E. Fox, wanted on two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence. Police found a backpack within the vehicle containing suspected drugs, a digital scale, and sandwich bags. Woods had $916 in cash on him, prosecutors allege. Investigators had the substances in the backpack analyzed, showing they were fentanyl, meth, and cocaine. Two occupants of the vehicle Woods struck suffered minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital. Woods has at least eight felony convictions on his record dating back to 2006, several of which are related to dealing drugs. The Michigan Department of Corrections most recently released him from prison in 2019. A Saginaw County judge in September 2024 sentenced Woods to 30 months of probation on convictions of possessing a narcotic or cocaine and failure to pay child support. The federal governments payroll is now more than $71 billion a year and the Parliamentary Budget Office estimates it will over $76 billion by 2030. That means about one in every six dollars spent by Ottawa goes to paying the salaries of its legion of bureaucrats. Were Ottawas civil service payroll a separate line item in the budget, it would be roughly the same as annual Defence expenditures ($33.9 billion) and spending on Indigenous programs ($38.2 billion), combined. Now, thanks to a question tabled in the House of Commons by Manitoba Conservative MP Grant Jackson, we also know there are 9,455 federal employees whose base salary is at least $150,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And we already knew, thanks to research done by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), that 80 per cent of federal managers (including those making under $150,00) received bonuses averaging $17,000. Moreover, they received those payments even when their departments failed to meet the laughably low performance standards they set for themselves. All this means that if you are Prime Minister Mark Carney and youre looking to cut federal spending by 7.5 per cent in Novembers budget (15 per cent over the next three years), the most obvious target is the bloated, overpaid, underworked federal civil service. (If you want to give them notice, though, youll probably have to call them at home, since that is where many of them are still working.) On Monday, the taxpayers federation revealed another outrage in federal employee compensation bonuses to executives at Crown corporations. Last year, Crown corporations paid their executives $190 million in bonuses, above and beyond their ample pay. For instance, Via Rail lost $385 million last year, but as the CTF research shows, Via still paid bonuses to 100 per cent of its executives, averaging $110,000, each. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The average family income in Canada, according to Statistics Canada, is about $98,000 before taxes. That means Via Rail executives were paid bonuses that were about 12 per cent more than they average family makes in salary in a year. And thats just bonuses. The government-owned railway isnt the worse offender, though. Canada Business Development Bank paid its executives an average of $216,000 ($18,000 a month), in bonuses alone. The Canada Infrastructure Bank, which has been such a failure at lending money for infrastructure projects it has several times been recommended for disbandment, gave an average of $197,000 in bonuses to its executives in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the ongoing housing affordability crisis, which has seen 70 per cent of non-homeowners give up hope of ever buying a home of their own, the Canada Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) paid an average of $43,000 in bonuses to its managers. Bank of Canada executives and managers only received bonuses of about $12,000, on average. Thats still $1,000 a month. (Do you get an extra $1,000 each month from your employer?) You may already know about bonuses paid by the CBC, also a Crown corporation. The CBC paid nearly 1,200 of its executives and managers about $17,000 a year above and beyond their salaries. On several occasions, then-CBC president Catherine Tait insisted these were not bonuses, but rather performance pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Canadians saw through that ruse, Tait made a big fanfare of the CBC cancelling bonuses. What she didnt mention (but the CTF figured out) is that instead of bonuses averaging $17,000 a year, Mother Corp raised its managers and executives base salaries by an average of $30,000 a year. The CBC spent $11 million on raises in 2023, but a whopping $38 million in 2024. Its possible, I guess, that the elimination of bonuses and the spike in raises were unrelated, but I doubt it. Federal workers, whether in the civil service or at Crown corporations, have become a new privileged class higher pay, rich bonuses, shorter hours of work, longer vacations, earlier retirement and very generous benefits, including exceptionally comfortable pensions. If Carney is looking for a place to cut, I know where he can start. The aftermath of an August 2024 police pursuit in Wyandotte that ended in a crash. (Video still provided by the Wyandotte Police Department) Wyandotte Police Department State lawmakers advanced legislation Wednesday that supporters say would deter drivers from speeding away from police officers. The bills advanced out of the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee by a 7-2 vote, with opposition from Democrats. The legislation would impose mandatory minimum jail sentences in aggravated instances of fleeing police. Initially, lawmakers had proposed mandatory minimum jail sentences starting at 182 days for all fleeing and eluding police convictions. However, mandatory minimums for simple fleeing and eluding were removed before the bill advanced out of committee. Lawmakers and law enforcement supporting the legislation argued last month that these sentencing requirements are needed to deter people from fleeing police. Proponents said fleeing from the police puts officers, the public and the person fleeing in a deadly situation. Wyandotte Police Chief Archie Hamilton testified last month that instances of drivers fleeing police and leading them on high speed chases have increased in recent years. Hamilton attributed the uptick to criminals and others knowing that some police agencies around the state either have no-chase policies or limit the circumstances when officers can pursue a vehicle. Fleeing and eluding occurs when the driver of a motor vehicle or water vessel increases speed, turns off their lights or otherwise attempts to evade an officer signaling them to stop. Under the legislation, a first-time offender who drives away from police attempting a stop wouldnt face mandatory jail time unless there were additional circumstances to the crime. Fleeing and eluding that results in a crash, is in a 35 mph or lower speed zone or is done by a person with a prior simple fleeing and eluding conviction is a five-year felony that would carry a one-year minimum sentence under the bills. Fleeing and eluding that results in a serious injury or is done by a person with prior elevated fleeing and eluding convictions is a 10-year felony that would carry a two-year minimum sentence under the bills. Fleeing and eluding that results in death is a 15-year felony that would carry a five-year minimum sentence under the bills. Between 2017 and 2021 in Michigan, 60 people died in fatal crashes resulting from police pursuits. Michigan State Police in March 2024 enacted a policy to engage only in pursuits when there is probable cause that a driver or occupant of a fleeing vehicle has committed a life-threatening or violent felony. A number of other police agencies around the state have similar policies. These policies aim to balance the seriousness of the underlying crime with the potential risks to public safety that can arise from a pursuit. During the hearing on the bills last month, there was debate about how often judges are letting people off with no jail time for fleeing and eluding convictions. Bill sponsors state Rep. Rylee Linting, R-Wyandotte, and state Rep. Mike Mueller, R-Linden, were asked to come back to the committee with more information about how often instances of fleeing and eluding occur within the state, how many people were charged for the crime and what the judicial outcome was. That information was not presented Wednesday. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. The undefeated Michigan State Spartans have a tough test to open their Big Ten Conference schedule on Thursday night, as they get set to visit the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This will be an exciting matchup between two teams that have been strong forces so far in their non-conference schedules. NCAA STREAMING OPTIONS Streaming Options Price/month Free Trial? Length Deal FuboTV $84.99 Yes 7 days $20 off first month DirecTV Stream $69.99 Yes 5 days No Sling $35.00 No N/A $20 off first month The Golden Gophers started off the 2025 season with a tough loss to the nationally ranked Texas A&M Aggies. Since then, they have looked pretty unbeatable. Along with winning 10 conseucitve matches, Minnesota has dropped just three sets during their winning streak, including a 3-0 beating of the Marquette Golden Eagles this past Sunday. The Spartans have been playing some very good volleyball so far this season as well. While they have not played anyone really noteworthy, they have managed to stay the course and beat the teams they should be defeating. MSU is coming off a strong performance at the Kathy DeBoer Invitational this past weekend, beating Birmingham, Bowling Green and SIUE in three days. The Spartans are just 19-63 against the Golden Gophers, having not beaten Minnesota since September 2017. NCAA VOLLEYBALL Michigan State Spartans (10-0) vs. #12 Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-1) When: Thursday, September 25 Time: 8:30 p.m. ET Where: Maturi Pavilion (Minneapolis, Minn.) Channel: Big Ten Network Varun Singh A journalist covering the automotive sector in depth, across business and product verticals. Trying to hit the gym at least four times a week! I am not a fitness freak though. Varun Singh 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. 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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 Southern Ontario will experience another round of torrential downpours through Thursday, following localized flooding that impacted parts of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on Tuesday evening and Wednesday. DONT MISS: More dangerous than snow: Why driving in the rain can be a bigger hazard Rain from the system began spreading across the region during the early hours of Wednesday, as well. A series of more intense, moisture-rich thunderstorms tracked along the northwestern shoreline of Lake Erie, delivering continuous torrential rainfall and pushing precipitation totals to significant levels. Baron - Ontario radar estimated rainfall - Sept24 By midday Wednesday, radar indicated rainfall totals between 100-200 mm in a localized area of extreme southwestern Ontario. Residents are urged to stay alert to the changing conditions, especially with an elevated risk of significant flooding. System draws in subtropical moisture through Thursday, more heavy rain totals for southern Ontario The unorganized low, moving south of the Great Lakes, is set to bring additional widespread showers and scattered thunderstorms. Baron - Wednesday precipitation forecast - Sept24 The system will pull in subtropical moisture, increasing rainfall totals in areas affected by thunderstorms. While showers will remain scattered across the region, isolated thunderstorms could deliver over 50 mm of localized rain, potentially causing additional pooling and ponding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is important to remain weather-aware, and stay up-to-date on all of the latest watches and warnings. MUST SEE: Ontario's fall colours hang in the balance: Brilliant or browning? As the system continues to move east, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected in eastern Ontario on Thursday. The GTA and southwestern Ontario may see a few isolated showers or thunderstorms trailing behind the low-pressure system. High pressure is set to move in afterward, establishing another dry weather pattern in its wake. Wettest weather in more than two months Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) recorded 38.1 mm of rainfall on Tuesday as slow-moving thunderstorms rolled through the region. This marked the citys wettest day in over two months, since July 20, which saw 48.1 mm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dry conditions have dominated the region, with much of southern Ontario receiving less than half the normal rainfall from late August through most of September, leading to widespread drought concerns. Baron - Ontario drought conditions - Sept23 However, the last three days (Sept. 2123) brought significant rainfall to Toronto. A total of 73 mm was recorded at Pearsonpushing the city to its average September rainfall totals in just three days. A pleasant first weekend of fall Saturday will bring mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures, ranging from the low- to mid-20s, accompanied by gusty winds. Clouds will increase into the afternoon, bringing a chance of passing showers later in the day, mainly in areas near cottage country. Baron - Toronto 7 day forecast - Sept24 Sunday is expected to be mostly sunny and slightly cooler, with temperatures a few degrees above seasonal norms, despite the drop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Visit our Complete Guide to Fall 2025 for an in depth look at the Fall Forecast, tips to plan for it and much more! Looking ahead into next week, warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected to persist. A drier pattern is forecast to take hold, with abundant sunshine anticipated through at least midweek. Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Ontario. WATCH: Why driving in rain can be more dangerous than snow Click here to view the video Teacher With No Hands: Gulshan Lohar, the Miracle Teacher Who Turned Disability Into Strength 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 Abhinav Shukla opens up on how he lost an opportunity to star in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film Abhinav did not know that Inshallah was a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film when he went for the audition. 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 In the shadowy world of international terrorism, safe havens for militants arent minor inconveniences theyre enablers of atrocities. Israels recent precision strike in Doha, aimed at eliminating key leaders of Hamas who orchestrated the October 7 massacre and the kidnapping of hostages, was a bold and lawful act of self-defence. Yet Foreign Minister Anita Anand responded with a tone-deaf declaration, announcing that Ottawa is evaluating its relationship with Israel and decrying the operation as a violation of Qatari sovereignty. This position not only betrays a stunning ignorance of international law, it also undermines the global fight against terrorism. Canada, a nation that prides itself on upholding the rule of law, should be condemning Qatars complicity, not Israels resolve. Lets be clear: the Hamas officials targeted in Doha were not innocent diplomats sipping tea in exile. They were high-ranking members of the organizations political bureau, the nerve centre that directs Hamass blend of governance and terror. Often mislabelled as a mere political wing, this body sets strategies that fuel abhorrent acts of terrorism targeting civilians, from rocket barrages to suicide bombings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the expansive view of military targeting in international law as outlined in the U.S. Law of War Manual any individual whos functionally part of a non-state armed group like Hamas and shares in its hostile intent is a legitimate target. Even under a more restrictive lens, such as the International Committee of the Red Crosss guidelines on direct participation in hostilities (DPH), these leaders qualify. The DPH includes those with a continuous combat function involving the preparation, execution or command of hostile acts. Consider the specifics: Khalil al-Hayya, one of the targets, co-ordinated with Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps ahead of October 7, even soliciting intelligence for the attack, according to the New York Times. Zaher Jabarin, another one of the targets, oversaw suicide operations from the West Bank. The group was also reportedly convening to deliberate on hostage negotiations a grotesque euphemism for deciding the fate of innocents kidnapped in a barbaric raid with genocidal intent. Hostage-taking is terrorism incarnate, and the involvement of these men in sustaining it strips them of any civilian protections. Israels action wasnt vengeance; it was a targeted disruption of an ongoing threat. International law has long rejected the absurd notion that terrorists gain immunity simply by crossing borders into sympathetic states. Remember U.S. President George W. Bushs post-9/11 vow: the U.S. would make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbour them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This principle underpinned the United Nations Security Councils resolution authorizing action against Afghanistan, despite the Talibans denials of involvement in al-Qaidas plots. It also justified the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, a supposed ally. Canada and its NATO allies invoked Article 5 of the NATO charter to support these efforts, treating an attack on one as an attack on all something people seem to conveniently forget. More recently, the threat posed by ISIS prompted a coalition response, with strikes in Syria and Iraq under the unwilling or unable doctrine. Canada used this doctrine to justify its participation the war in a 2015 letter to the UN Security Council, which affirmed states rights to self-defence when a host government cant or wont curb threats emanating from its soil. This precedent fits Qatar like a glove. Doha isnt a neutral bystander; its a willing accomplice and for that, there must be a price to pay. Qatar has positioned itself as Hamass premier patron, offering political cover, lavish exile and billions in funding that sustain the groups terror machine. Leaders like Khaled Meshaal and Mousa Abu-Marzouk have called Doha home for years, co-ordinating campaigns of annihilation from five-star hotels. Over the years, Qatar has funnelled over $1.8 billion to Hamas in Gaza, and its state-run Al-Jazeera network acts as Hamass propaganda arm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isnt passive hosting; its active facilitation, rooted in ideological ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. By any measure, Qatar is unwilling or unable to rein in Hamas more accurately, though, its unwilling because its enabling. In light of this, Canadas finger-wagging at Israel reeks of hypocrisy. Canada, which once stood firm against those who harbour terrorists, now risks alienating a democratic ally fighting for its survival. The Carney governments continuation of the Trudeau governments anti-Israel policies signals a troubling drift, prioritizing performative diplomacy over moral clarity. Rather than evaluating ties with Israel, Canada should re-evaluate its own stance and recognize that shielding terrorists under the guise of sovereignty only emboldens them. Israels strike was not just defensible it was imperative. In a world where Hamas vows eternal jihad, decisive action saves lives. Canada must choose: side with the victims of terror, including the eight Canadians murdered on October 7, or the terrorists themselves. Anything less dishonours our shared values and invites more chaos. National Post Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Casey Babb is the director of the Promised Land Project at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa and an advisor to Secure Canada in Toronto. Avraham Russell Shalev is a senior fellow at the Kohelet Policy Forum in Jerusalem. Actor Akash Bathija says had audition for The Bads of Bollywood, shares clip, writes: "Wouldve been stoked to get this part" Akash has appeared in films such as Pathaan, Ishaqzaade, web series Made in Heaven and more. 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. 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I Accept Palak Vij 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 Sameer Wankhede moves Delhi HC seeking injunction on Netflix show The Bads of Bollywood for allegedly 'mocking' him: Reports The matter was mentioned before the High Court today (September 25), though the specific scene highlighted in his petition has not yet been disclosed. 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 The Mississauga Detachment of the Highway Safety Division of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is asking the public for help with their investigation into a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle Wednesday morning. Officers responded to a call of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle around 12:30 a.m in an area of Highway 401 between Hespeler Road and Franklin Boulevard in Cambridge. Police say the pedestrian was hit by "the side mirror of the vehicle", which fled the scene. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The highway has since been reopened after being temporarily closed during the initial investigation. Police continue to investigate and are asking the driver of the vehicle that fled the scene to contact the Cambridge detachment of the OPP. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or has information, like dash-cam footage, is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers. Shilpa Shetty summoned by EOW after Rs 15 cr alleged transfer surfaces in Rs 60 crore alleged fraud case, actress called for questioning: Report Shilpa Shetty summoned by EOW after Rs 15 cr transfer surfaces in Rs 60 crore alleged fraud case, actress called for questioning Vaishnavi Gavankar 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. 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From cadmium to lead, toxic ingredients in lipsticks may raise risks of lung disease and cancer heres how to protect yourself with safer alternatives. (Image: Pexels) Manjiri Patil 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. 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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 Deblina Halder 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. 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I Accept The commission said SAP is seen to have distorted competition in the market for maintenance and support services for its Enterprise Resource Planning software. 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 The company said its overall store count will drop by 1% during the 2025 fiscal year 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 Meghna Mittal Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com In the Union Budget for FY26, the government pegged STT receipts at Rs 78,000 crore Meghna Mittal 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. 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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 Ashok Leyland is betting that phased learning will put it in a stronger position than rivals that rushed into cell manufacturing. Deblina Halder 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. 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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 Indian trade negotiators are in the US to revive stalled trade discussions following a visit by officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative in mid-September. Surabhi 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 A 17-year-old driver is accused of running a red light in the citys Riverdale neighbourhood Tuesday night and hitting a pedestrian, leaving the man fighting for his life. Toronto Police say the collision occurred at Pape and Lipton Aves. near the Pape TTC station just north of Danforth Ave. around 8:20 p.m. Its believed the teenage boy was driving north on Pape Ave. when he struck a 24-year-old man crossing from the west to the east side of the street at Lipton Ave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motor vehicle disobeyed a red traffic signal and struck the pedestrian, police alleged in a statement released Wednesday. Police said the pedestrian was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and the investigation is ongoing. Any area residents, businesses or drivers who have security or dash camera video that could help investigators are urged to come forward. Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Traffic Services at 416-808-1900 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). cdoucette@postmedia.com @sundoucette Jaro Education IPO sees 22x subscription on Day 3; should you apply? Check GMP and other key details Jaro Education IPO sees 22x subscription on Day 3; should you apply? Check GMP and other key details J Jagannath 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. 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I Accept The South Korean company secured regulatory approval for its updated draft red herring prospectus on Thursday 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. 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I Accept This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates sourced from multiple news outlets and agencies Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates sourced from multiple news outlets and agencies Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates sourced from multiple news outlets and agencies Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates sourced from multiple news outlets and agencies Disclaimer Alpha Desk 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. 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I Accept IT stocks fall for fifth day on US visa curbs; TCS, HCLTech, Wipro decline up to 2.5% IT stocks fall for fifth day on US visa curbs; TCS, HCLTech, Wipro decline up to 2.5% Debaroti Adhikary 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. 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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 Following a brief police chase, two women are facing several charges in connection with the discovery of two children who were alone on the side of a road in the province's Cote-Nord region. Authorities found the two children in a wooded area on Monday at around 3:30 p.m. on the side of Road 138 in Les Bergeronnes, Que., after a person had spotted them and called emergency services. The women, 36 and 42 years old, were charged with child abandonment. They are from Forestville and Sainte-Hyacinthe, respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the abandonment charges, one of the suspects is also accused of assault with a weapon against one of the children, attempting to disarm a police officer and failing to stop her vehicle when a peace officer attempted to intercept her. Surete du Quebec (SQ) spokesperson Nancy Fournier said she could not specify the relationship between the two women nor their relationship with the children. Two hours after finding the two children, police recognized the vehicle of the two suspects. Following a chase, they were stopped and arrested in Saint-Irenee, in the Charlevoix region, about 100 kilometres south of where the children were found. The two women were with a third child and, at the time, the SQ had reason to fear for that child's safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three children, who are under 10, were not injured, the SQ told Radio-Canada. They were cared for by the authorities and one of the two suspects was transferred to a hospital as a precautionary measure. The children are safe and with a "trusted person," Fournier told CBC. The public prosecutor opposed the suspects' release and a request was made to assess if they are fit to stand trial, explained the Crown prosecutor in charge of the case, William Benoit-Hebert. Both women, who were scheduled to appear Tuesday at the Baie-Comeau, Que., courthouse via videoconference, are expected to appear in court again on Wednesday. Khushi Keswani 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. 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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 Tata Motors down 3 percent on fears that cyberattack hit may exceed JLR's FY25 profit JLR has three factories in Britain, which together manufacture about 1,000 cars per day. The company is losing GBP 50 million ($68 million) every week, as per some news reports. Rohit Singh USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept Network18s Reforms Reloaded Convenes Indias Top Minds to Discuss the Future and Impact of GST Reforms Chhabi Kala 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 Nothing spins off CMF as independent subsidiary, forms $100 mn mfg JV with Optiemus Danish Khan is the editor of Technology and Telecom. He was previously with the Economic Times and has tracked the sector for 14 years. Earlier this year, Nothing closed its $200 million Series C round at a $1.3 billion valuation, led by Tiger Global with new investors such as Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath. Deblina Halder 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 Interior decorator loses Rs 97 lakh in Thane: How to avoid falling prey to loan scams Manisha Lal Khandpur is a News Editor at Moneycontrol where she works on the Desk and Special Projects. She pursued journalism at Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Delhi, and has an extensive career spanning 17 years across Digital Media, Broadcast, and Radio. Previously, she was a News Editor at Editorji, managing the desk, and a Principal Content Producer at Times of India, leading news shifts. She has also been a Senior Correspondent at Bhaskar, P7, and Live India. She has briefly been a part of academia, bringing her industry expertise into the educational sphere. Manisha Lal Khandpur 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 Navigating the 2026 admission season: How to realise US dreams amid visa policy shifts Hiral Thanawala is a personal finance journalist with over 10 years of reporting experience. Based in Mumbai, he covers financial planning, banking and fintech segments from personal finance team for Moneycontrol. A notable trend this season is the growing consideration of non-US destinations. Countries like Canada, the UK, Australia, and Germany are gaining traction due to more immigration-friendly policies. Hiral Thanawala 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. 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I Accept A pattern shift in B.C. will bring a parade of low-pressure systems onto the coast through the final full week of September, encouraging more soggy weather for the end of the month. The bull's-eye for the rain will shift from the Central and North Coast to the South Coast and southern Vancouver island by late Friday, lasting through the end of the weekend. DONT MISS: Whats the wettest month in your corner of Canada? B.C. precipitation timing Friday afternoon These southern locations may experience a AR3-rated atmospheric river at the height of the event. More than 100 mm of rainfall is forecast for western Vancouver Island and the Coast Mountains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The soaking weather will persist along the coast as consecutive systems roll in for the end of the work week, and continue on the weekend. Final weekend in September to be rather soggy The active storm track, which has been bringing heavy rain to the Central and North coasts will finally shift south on Friday, with a few systems impacting the southern coastal region. The storm parade will continue through most of next week. B.C. precipitation timing Saturday morning The heaviest rain will be confined to the west-facing mountains in the higher elevations on Vancouver Island and along the Coast Mountains. On Friday, steady rain begins in the morning on the North and Central coasts. The rain will advance south throughout the day on the western shores of Vancouver Island and into the South Coast by late day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the time Saturday comes around, rain continues for the South Coast and southern half of Vancouver Island, but it should gradually taper into the end of the day. B.C. atmospheric moisture Sunday and Monday When we reach Sunday, another round of rain should push into Vancouver Island and the South Coast early in the day, and continue overnight and on Monday. By Monday, more than 100 mm of rain is forecast in western Vancouver island and the Coast Mountains, while 30-50 mm is possible for the Lower Mainland. Totals may change leading up to the event. B.C. rainfall accumulation through Monday So far, the Lower Mainland has avoided the brunt of recent rain storms, soaking in only 16.1 mm of rainfall this month. This event is no exception, with the heaviest avoiding Vancouver but a more southerly moisture feed may change the equation Sunday into Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement September is the traditional starting point for the wet season across the West Coast. Vancouver experiences the bulk of its annual rainfall between October and January. Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across B.C. WATCH: Why driving in rain can be more dangerous than snow Click here to view the video Hamsini Karthik Number crunching, drawing interesting inferences (sometimes contrarian), and penning them in an impactful manner, best describes what I do. As a BFSI specialist, I enjoy telling stories about whats working and what not for lenders, breaking down regulatory jargon and how they affect customers and financiers, and simplifying the economics of money. When not glued to banks, the world of autos and airlines keeps me busy. According to people in the know, Fukutomes trip will be a very significant one. (image credit: Reuters) 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. 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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 Tushar Goenka is a breaking news reporter who focuses on startups. Interested in venture capital, quick commerce, e-commerce, food delivery and D2C. 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 Tushar Goenka 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 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 The Bengaluru-headquartered automotive firm has so far raised USD 51 million from marquee investors.(AI generated Image) 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 This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates from multiple sources Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates from multiple sources Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates from multiple sources Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates from multiple sources Disclaimer Alpha Desk 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 It was agreed that the state government would also take over the companys debt of Rs 13,000 crore, they said. L&T has about 90 per cent equity in the project. 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. 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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 The Centre had imposed the Presidents rule in Manipur after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. Chhabi Kala 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. 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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 Tahir Hussain is one of the accused in the case. 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. 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I Accept The RCMP has charged an Ottawa Royal Bank of Canada employee after he allegedly accessed Prime Minister Mark Carney's banking profile as part of a criminal plot. The Mounties confirmed Wednesday they charged Ibrahim El-Hakim, 23, with fraud over $5,000, unauthorized use of a computer, identity theft and trafficking in identity information. Court documents show that El-Hakim also accessed a banking profile for a Justin Trudeau. The RCMP later confirmed it was not the profile of the former prime minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The story was first reported by the Journal de Montreal and La Presse . According to an affidavit filed to request that computer data be preserved as part of the investigation, El-Hakim who was hired by RBC in 2022 and worked at the branch not far from Parliament Hill allegedly used the bank's information technology services for criminal purposes, including unauthorized access to multiple banking profiles and fraud. The document shows El-Hakim's actions were largely caught on video and he admitted to the allegations in an interview with RBC's internal security. Approached online El-Hakim said he had been lured into the scheme by a person who went by "AI WORLD" on the social media platform Telegram, according to the affidavit signed by a police officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affidavit, seen by CBC/Radio-Canada, suggests the investigators believe the account is linked to organized crime. El-Hakim told the bank he was creating fake bank profiles and obtaining lines of credit at the request of the person he was talking to on Telegram, the court document shows. The affidavit said the accused also looked at banking profiles at the account's request; it shows he accessed the Carney and Trudeau profiles on June 17. Police say the Royal Bank of Canada is fully co-operating with the investigation. (David Horemans/CBC) El-Hakim said he received $500 each time he completed a request, earning a total of about $5,000. The RCMP arrested the RBC employee on July 10 and released him under conditions. El-Hakim is expected to appear in court next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The RCMP said it does not believe there was a risk to the prime minister's safety or to national security. The allegations have not been proven in court. A spokesperson for RBC said El-Hakim is no longer employed at the bank. "We worked closely with law enforcement to support their investigation," said the spokesperson, Cheryl Brean. Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said he couldn't comment on the details of the case but said the story reinforces the need for strong privacy procedures in Canada's banking system. "It just reminds everyone that privacy and having systems to prevent fraudulent access to anyone's file is something we should all be concerned about," he said Wednesday. Gandhi argued that India must not approach the issue of Palestine as merely a matter of foreign policy but as a test of India's ethical and civilisational heritage. 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 After Rahul's 'atom bomb' presser, Aaditya Thackeray hints at 'surgical strike' to expose gaps in 2024 Maha polls Ria Kapoor USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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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 Chhabi Kala 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. 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I Accept The government is likely to commission the development of a 14-kilometer long tunnel that will connect Beas and Indus rivers 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. 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I Accept From Al-Qaeda To UN: Ahmed al-Sharaa makes history, becomes 1st Syrian to address UNGA in 60 years Al-Sharaa had a meeting with United States President Donald Trump in May, the first such encounter between a Syrian president and a US president in 25 years, at a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 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 From runways to history books: A pictorial tribute to the MiG-21 Tamal Nandi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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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 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 A Spanish military jet with the defence minister on board suffered a GPS "disturbance" on Wednesday while flying over the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, the government said. The A330 jet was en route to Lithuania on Wednesday morning and was flying above Kaliningrad when the incident happened, according to Spain's defence ministry. Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles was on the flight, which was travelling to the Siauliai air base in Lithuania which is part of NATO's air policing mission. Also onboard were relatives of Spanish troops deployed to the base and journalists, local media reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robles appeared at a press conference after arriving in Lithuania with her Lithuanian counterpart, Dovile Sakaliene. "Under no circumstances will they break the will of Spain or any of the countries of the Atlantic alliance to continue working for peace and coexisting in peace," she said. Robles defended "the right of all of us to travel and fly freely throughout European territory without interference from everyone knows who, as we experienced this morning." For her part, Sakaliene explained that many civilian aircraft have been suffering similar jamming attacks for several weeks. "We have to be aware that the threat is real," Sakaliene emphasised. The apparent attempt to disrupt the plane's GPS did not affect the flight, as the aircraft receives signal from a military satellite, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dozens of such incidents have been recorded and blamed on Russia by Western officials since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This year, Nordic and Baltic nations including Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania have repeatedly warned about greater electronic interference from Russia disrupting communications with planes, ships and drones. While Moscow has claimed that the jamming is defensive to protect cities and military infrastructure from Ukrainian drone attacks Baltic officials say the depth of electronic interference has increased, causing navigation failures far from Russias borders. Related Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov ordered aviation authorities to further probe what happened to a flight carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen amid suspicions it was disrupted by GPS jamming. The Commission said von der Leyen's plane lost its satellite GPS signal over Bulgaria in a suspected Russian operation, and has maintained its position as questions have grown about what exactly transpired. The plane landed safely at Bulgaria's Plovdiv airport. Guns blazing from all sides: Sonam Wangchuk hits out as CBI probes Ladakh institute over foreign funds 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. 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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-Bangladesh ties face strain over former PM Hasinas refuge in Delhi, says Muhammad Yunus 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 The CDS suggested Lt Gen Thorat did think about using the IAF, but the then-government did not permit such a move Surabhi 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. 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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 Karnataka HC pulls up state govt for failing to frame policy, warns of staying bike taxi ban Christin Mathew Philip 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. 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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 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with cabinet ministers at the State Legislative Assembly, in Bengaluru (PTI/File Photo) 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. 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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 Pragya Trivedi 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. 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I Accept Lawmakers seek answers from major US firms over H-1B visa use amid layoffs: Report Big Tech companies, including Meta, Amazon and Microsoft, which are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, have all announced job cuts this year. 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. 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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 Suresh (L) has been charged with Brimmer's murder and is currently in custody. Deblina Halder 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 "It's so much pain. You feel so alone at that moment, so alone," says Noureddin Bongo, recalling the torture regime he says he was subjected to at the hands of military guards in Gabon. Noureddin was stripped of his clothes, thrust into a cell little bigger than a storage cupboard, and forced to sleep on concrete. Guards would push a hunk of bread through the slot in the cell door and sometimes it landed in a pool of urine in the corner. When Noureddin was dragged away from his family by gun-toting soldiers in balaclavas, he snatched a goodbye to his wife Lea, but believed it was a mistake that would soon be ironed out. His father, Ali Bongo, had just been re-elected for a third term of office as President of Gabon, and Noureddin was making preparations to return with his wife and young children to their life in London. The Bongo family had been the ruling elite in the Central African nation since the 1960s, but Alis reign was ended abruptly by a coup led by his own cousin a family power struggle which culminated in a ruthless power grab. Noureddin Bongo, shot by Mark Harrison (Mark Harrison) In the midst of the turmoil, Eton-educated Noureddin was captured and spent nearly two years imprisoned at the hands of the new regime. It was the thought of finally being reunited with Lea and their boys that kept Noureddin's spirits up, he tells The Standard, in an exclusive interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In part one, published yesterday and available to read here, he explains how he ended up going from being an Eton-educated project manager in London to being tortured in a prison in Gabon. Noureddin is now pursuing a legal case about his treatment in custody after the coup, alleging he was held in inhumane conditions, subjected to brutal torture, and believed at times that his life would end in captivity. Omar Bongo came to power in 1967 and ruled as a dictator until 1990, when he was forced to adopt a multi-party system. He remained president until his death in 2009. Over five decades, the Bongos became one of the richest first families in the world. Omar lived in a vast pink hilltop mansion in Libreville, with ostriches roaming the grounds and Rolls-Royces in the driveway. While Noureddin says his grandfather made his fortune through good investments, Omar was accused by French investigators of siphoning money from the Gabonese state to buy expensive mansions and luxury cars. Omar Bongo was accused of plundering state coffers to fund his lavish lifestyle (AFP/Getty Images) When he died, Noureddin's father Ali Bongo was elected President, having held senior posts in Omar's government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ali's reign ended on August 30, 2023, when a military coup led by his own cousin, General Brice Oligui Nguema, seized power within hours of Ali Bongo winning a hotly-disputed election. An ailing Ali Bongo was placed under house arrest in the overthrow, dubbed the 'Palace Coup'. But Noureddin was taken from his family and driven to the Presidential Palace in the Gabonese capital of Libreville. It was not to the gilded corridors of power that he went, though, but into the dungeons and at the mercy of General Oligui's Republican Guard. Criminal charges were filed against Noureddin on the orders of the coup leaders on September 19, 2023, three weeks after he was "abducted" and imprisoned. His lawyers have denied the charges which they say have been brought outside any legal framework. It was only then a month after being seized that he received the news that his children were safe and well, and just before his first court appearance he was able to embrace Lea once more. Noureddin thought he might secure his release on house arrest when he got to go to court. But it proved to be just the start of a period in captivity that lasted around 20 months. The coup was staged after Ali Bongo was announced winner of the 2023 election (AFP via Getty Images) "This is the moment to prove yourself to be a strong human being," he reflects. Days in captivity turned to weeks and then months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His father's fall from power came amidst a wave of coups sweeping across Western and Central Africa, in countries including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Sudan. Noureddin had returned to Gabon to help his ailing father's election campaign and was planning shortly to return to London to resume his life as a project manager. The golden waterfront Presidential Palace was built by his grandfather in the 1970s at a cost estimated to be around $250 million, serving as a symbol of the Bongos' power. It was also a lightning rod for accusations of abuse of power and excess, in a country where around a third of the population live in poverty. After his capture, Noureddin was accused of corruption and embezzlement allegations he vehemently denies. He says the coup leaders portrayal of him as his father's right-hand man belies his reluctance to engage in Gabonese politics, only returning to help when his father suffered a stroke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After his arrest by the military forces, Noureddin saw at close quarters the bowels of the Palace complex which he says had previously been shielded from him. The torture escalates Guards regularly flooded the cells to make life as uncomfortable as possible, and it was November months into imprisonment before anyone gave him a mattress. If they were let out to use the toilet it was at gunpoint, and the guards were instructed: "If they try and come out, shoot them". Lea had been left behind at their home, and while conditions were obviously better she and the children were also effectively imprisoned. Soldiers stood guard around the house. They allowed some friends to come and visit, but they also cut the wi-fi and confiscated phones. "I was alone," Lea remembers. "The Gabonese authorities have publicly said I was free I had no charge against me. But that was not true." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noureddin and Leas exclusive interview with The Standard is the first time they have talked publicly about their experiences over the last two years. For the couple, though, it feels more like therapy than speaking out. I was alone: Noureddins wife Lea and their children were held for two months by military guards and forbidden to leave the house (Mark Harrison) Lea recalls seeing accusations of treason and drug trafficking being levelled against her captured husband, and lived day by day with the uncertainty of when, or if, she would see him again. Inside prison, guards took turns inflicting mental torment, using his wife and their forced separation as a tool. "It was horrible stuff. Like, 'I was just at your house. I saw your wife walking. Shes beautiful. I'm just gonna rape her and rape her well, and then I'm gonna go see your mum'." The new government in Gabon says Noureddin was well-treated during his period of imprisonment. But Noureddin who has supporting medical evidence from a doctor who examined him on release tells a very different story, of a variety of torture methods and forced "confessions". Now that he is free, he is bringing a legal claim in the French courts alleging unlawful arrest and imprisonment, as well as torture and "barbarism". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noureddin alleges that he was beaten with blunt objects, punched in the face, throttled, threatened with guns and hammers, Tasered in the torso, and forced to spend whole nights tied to a chair. He was force-fed vodka, and has been left with scars on his body as well as a pierced eardrum from one of the blows to his head, he says. Medical files seen by The Standard support his account. "They take my head and plunge it into a bucket of water," he recounts, describing one of the sessions in a "torture room" at the Palace's old firing range. Noureddin alleges that his tormentors squeezed his genitals between metal bars a favoured technique and then would start punching him, all while bombarding him with questions. After beatings, soldiers would douse him in ice cold water so that his body did not bruise as a means of covering their tracks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Torture sessions focused on billions of dollars the coup leaders claimed were stolen from the Gabonese people. It was suggested he was a shareholder of a Portuguese bank, held financial stakes in Tijuana, Mexico, had been siphoning off Gabonese oil money to Dubai, and had access to $4bn in Qatar, $200m in Taiwan, $300m in Thailand, and $1bn of assets in the UK. No documents supporting the fraud allegations have ever been produced. "They tortured me for things which are completely false. I can't make it up if it's not true." The new Gabonese government has vowed to continue pursuing criminal charges against Noureddin and his mother Sylvia (Ali Bongos wife). Lawyers for the pair insist the case is being pursued in part to create a legal underpinning for the seizure of family assets, but also because they have refused to drop a human rights litigation brought against Oligui and his aides alleging torture and kidnapping. "They kept on torturing me, to the point where they just bought me a piece of paper I signed." Noureddin was forced to sign a declaration when he was finally released in May this year, which was designed to ensure his silence. But he is determined to tell his story, accusing the Gabonese government of inventing allegations to justify his continued detention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Noureddin and his mother were accused of plotting against his father, and seizing power when Ali Bongo was incapacitated. In daily interrogations, Noureddin was accused of giving instructions to the military, at meetings he insists he never attended. During his imprisonment, pictures were released showing Noureddin in front of suitcases stuffed full of cash. The photo was staged outside the old Presidential Palace pool house, and he claims prosecutors told him directly that they knew the money was not his. Noureddins mother Sylvia Bongo Ondimba was detained on allegations of embezzling public funds, money laundering and forgery by the new regime (AFP via Getty Images) Eventually Noureddin signed documents to hand over assets he did hold, hoping it would be enough to secure his freedom. This included control of a treasured pizza shack in Libreville, Don Vincenzo, which he set up himself in 2012 in an early foray into the world of business. "They kept on torturing me, to the point where they just bought me a piece of paper I signed." No justice Noureddin sits alongside his wife for the interview with The Standard, acknowledging that while he was battling torment inside prison, she was the "unsung hero" on the outside, battling for his freedom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lea and the children were eventually allowed to return to London in January 2024, and she "quickly realised that no one would do anything to take Noureddin out". She came up against repeated brick walls from officials, who had not seen what she describes as a "hostage situation" and believed instead in the primacy of the justice process. "But there was no justice. There was nothing. So I tried to reach out to anyone I could think of. I wrote letters, I made calls. I reached out to every NGO I found online again and again." Some told her they were "bad victims", while she got the sense it was a "toxic case" for the French government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet months into his imprisonment, Noureddin managed to smuggle in a pair of glasses with an in-built camera, meaning he was able to covertly film his captors for months. The story the footage tells is very different from the governments official narrative. This is the second instalment of this series. For part one, read here. For part three, visit The Standard from 6am September 26 Shah Rukh Khan received National Award for Best Actor for his film Jawan. This is his first ever National Award in 33 years of his acting career. Armaan Bhatnagar 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. 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Views expressed are personal, and do not reflect the stand of this site. Namrata Agarwal 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. 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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 MC Tech Desk 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. 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From Forest Traps to Forest Treks: How Tourism is Saving Ugandas Mountain Gorillas Rajni 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. 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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 The 10 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World in 2025 Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences. From Tokyos book-lined streets to Accras cultural hotspotsexplore the worlds 10 coolest neighbourhoods of 2025. Priyanka Roshan 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 Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences. Mark September 27, 2025, as World Tourism Day! Embrace sustainable travel, explore hidden gems, and make a positive impact while discovering the world. Priyanka Roshan 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 F-35 ban may be lifted as Trump signals thaw with Ankara despite Russia, rights concerns 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. 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I Accept The three companies endanger Chinas national security and interests, the Commerce Ministry said. 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. 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I Accept Explained: Why Canada's population growth has slumped to almost zero The key factor behind the slowdown was a sharp decline in non-permanent residents. Deblina Halder 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. 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I Accept France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy ordered to serve prison time in historic first 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 fear we won't have presidential polls in 2028': California Governor Newsom's veiled attack on Trump California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks onstage during the Clinton Global Initiative 2025 Annual Meeting at New York Hilton Midtown on September 24, 2025 in New York City. Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept Yemeni residents told Reuters that the strikes were directed at areas in the south and west of Sanaa. 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. 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(AFP) Abhinav Gupta 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. 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I Accept 'Not allowed to say bye to family': 73-year-old Harjit Kaur, deported from US after 30 years, sparks outrage Grandmother, 73, deported to India after 30 years in US Pragya Trivedi 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 Pakistan becomes Trump's 'broker' to leverage his Middle East game. How long before it backfires? Abhinav Gupta With over 12 years in digital journalism, has navigated the fast-evolving media landscape, shaping digital strategies and leading high-impact newsrooms. Currently, he serves as News Editor at MoneyControl, leading coverage in Global Affairs, Indian Politics, Governance and Policy Making. Previously, he has spearheaded fact-checking and digital media operations at Press Trust of India. Abhinav has also led news desks at Financial Express, DNA, and Jagran English, managing editorial direction, breaking news coverage, and digital growth. His journey includes stints with The Indian Express Group, Zee Media Group, and more, where he has honed his expertise in newsroom leadership, audience engagement, and digital transformation. Abhinav Gupta 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 The Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft performs during Aero India 2025 (File image used for representational purpose). Abhinav Gupta 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. 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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 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting the country's nuclear material production base and nuclear weapons institute at an undisclosed location. (Courtesy: Reuters file photo) Sonalee Borgohain 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. 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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 File Photo - US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a joint press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 13, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) Abhinav Gupta 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. 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I Accept Why Trump sounds different in public and private at UN US President Donald Trump addressing the 80th UNGA at UN headquarters in New York City. (Courtesy: Reuters photo) Sonalee Borgohain 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. 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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 are Micronesia declared as Nauru prepares for inaugural Micronesia Festival Miss Nauru Charlei Deiye YAREN Nauru is set to host a celebration of Micronesia through music and pageantry at the inaugural Micronesia Musical Festival and Miss Micronesia Pageant that will run from Oct. 6 to 9, 2025. The major cultural event will celebrate the regions unity and history and will feature musical artists and pageant contestants from across the region. The theme for the event is We are Micronesia! Navigating our legacy; Charting our future. Naurus Minister for Cultural Heritage Charmaine Scotty said the festival would celebrate Micronesias unique cultural identity, providing a platform for Micronesian nations to highlight their resilience and commitment to preserving their environment and heritage. Micronesian people have a deep-rooted connection to their ancestral traditions and this is an opportunity for us to come together in unity, she said. Storytelling is at the center of Micronesian culture and the artists gathering for the festival are going to keep this tradition alive, along with the Miss Micronesia Pageant contestants. If you love music, pageantry and storytelling, join the celebrations at the Micronesia Festival, Minister Scotty said. The festival is expected to draw strong local and regional attendance, with events to be livestreamed, providing those unable to visit Nauru with the opportunity to be part of the celebrations. Festival Director Livingstone Hiram said the event is about culture, community, and celebration. Each country will showcase its own unique culture but we are also celebrating all that unites Micronesian nations. Our love of the environment and cultural tradition will be brought to life by the festivals performers, making it an event to remember. More than 20 artists will participate in the music festival from locations including Nauru, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Chuuk, Kosrae, Yap and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Contestants in the Miss Micronesia Pageant are Miss Nauru Charlei Deiye, Miss Marshall Islands Claret Taonang Chongum, and Miss Kiribati Atiterentaai Rinimarawa. Stay up to date with the inaugural Micronesia Festival via the Government of Naurus social media channels: X: https://x.com/Republic_Nauru Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/republic_nauru/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@republic_nauru Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/republicofnauru Saipan International School wraps up 30th anniversary with a big splash Saipan International Schools 30th anniversary celebration culminated with a boat raffle. SIS photo (SIS) Saipan International School closed out its 30th anniversary celebration with excitement and cheers as the long-awaited boat raffle finally took place on Thursday last week in front of students, staff, families, and special guests. The celebration began back in May with a lively Gala at the Crowne Plaza Resort, where guests enjoyed a silent auction and prizes that helped raise over $20,000 for the school. The highlight of the raffle was a 12-foot boat complete with an 8 HP engine and trailer generously donated by Quincy and Amanda Johnson, SIS alumni and children of Roland and Lou Johnson of Micronesia Marine. Last week, that boat found a new home! Lou Johnson and SIS Student Council President Misha Kim drew the winning ticket in front of the entire school community. The lucky winners were Janet King and her children, Kate and Sammy Manglona. Sammy, a 5th grader at SIS, stole the show. As soon as his familys name was called, he leapt into the boat and broke into a happy dance, sending the crowd into laughter and applause. It was a joyful and fitting finale to SISs 30th anniversary year. Headmaster Martin Jambor reflected, This was such a fun and meaningful way to celebrate 30 years of learning, community, and growth at SIS. Were so thankful to the Johnson family and to everyone who helped make this milestone so special. Founded in 1994, SIS continues to provide top-quality education in a warm, international environment. It remains the only school in Micronesia offering the AP Capstone program, and its graduates have gone on to attend Ivy League institutions and top universities around the world. From Pre-K through 12th grade, SIS students embrace learning and rise to every challenge from the classroom to competitions like Math Court, Academic Challenge Bowl, Model United Nations, STEM fairs, and Spelling Bees. CNMI Scholarship Office gets new name, signboard to reflect expanded services CNMI Scholarship and Financial Assistance Board of Directors Chair Donna Flores, third from left, poses for a photo with office staff next to their new signboard on Capital Hill. Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano ON Thursday, the staff of the CNMI Scholarship and Financial Assistance Office unveiled their new signboard, reflecting the offices purpose and function. Formerly known as the CNMI Scholarship Office and located on Capital Hill, the office was given its new name through Public Law 24-10. Authored by House Floor Leader Marissa Flores and signed by Gov. David M. Apatang on Aug. 5, 2025, P.L. 24-10 was a legislative response to the CNMI Scholarship Board of Directors decision to change the offices name to better reflect the full scope of its services. These services include, but are not limited to, administering higher education financial assistance programs which necessarily includes the power to address matters related to delinquent or defaulted financial assistance agreements, and other responsibilities necessary to carry out the offices mission. The boards chair, Public School System-Special Education Director Donna Flores, thanked the governor and legislators for supporting the measure. She said the new name allows the office to operate with confidence and assure clients that it can provide financial assistance while ensuring compliance with the terms of the memorandum of agreement with recipients. In our view, it is important for the board and the office to have a name that aligns who we are with what we do, Flores said. Over the years, the office was simply known as the Scholarship Office. However, we also provide other opportunities, such as graduate loans and a student loan program. We just want our office name to reflect the services we offer to eligible recipients. Flores added that the conversation about renaming the office had not occurred for several years. Thankfully, the board, which I chair, recognized the necessity of making this alignment because we are in a capacity to offer financial opportunities to those attending post-secondary schools, she said. Deleon Guerrero: US support is a Covenant commitment, not a conditional deal Galvin Deleon Guerrero GALVIN S. Deleon Guerrero, an independent candidate for delegate, issued the following statement on Thursday: Times are tough. And I commend Governor Apatang, Lt. Governor Mendiola, their executive team, and our CNMI Legislature for working collaboratively to address the current fiscal crisis. But its troubling to hear our Delegate suggest that help from the U.S. comes with conditions a claim that misrepresents the very promise of the Covenant. Section 701 of the Covenant makes it clear: The Government of the United States will assist the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands in its efforts to achieve a progressively higher standard of living for its people as part of the American economic community and to develop the economic resources needed to meet the financial responsibilities of local self-government. This is the foundation of our relationship. Federal assistance doesnt come with strings attached it flows from the Covenant itself, which guarantees that the people of the Marianas are not left behind. Its not charity. Its not conditional. Its a commitment, not a bail out. It should be framed as an investment in us as Americans. The Federal Government owes it to us to invest in our infrastructure and economy as it invests in a military build-up. And what about the revenue from federal taxes owed to the CNMI per the Covenant? And why are federal contractors on Tinian depriving the CNMI of revenue by not paying the full developers tax? The CNMI has already made a bold choice to take out a $29 million loan from MPLT, yet we are only getting about $5.7 million from a federal discretionary account? Conditions undermine our self-government. The Covenant protects our ability to make decisions locally, without federal assistance being used to force our hand. We need bolder advocacy. Our delegate must remind Washington that promises made to the Marianas must be honored in full not watered down with incremental asks at a time when Americans here have already been hurting from massive federal cuts. If elected, I will stand firm: federal assistance is inherent within the promise of the Covenant. I will fight to ensure that every dollar, every program, and every partnership respects the dignity of our people and the right of our CNMI government to determine its future. The people of the Northern Mariana Islands deserve a representative who understands that federal assistance is not a conditional favor it is a right promised under the Covenant. That is what I am fighting for: fighting for our Covenant, fighting for our Commonwealth, fighting for us. Judges, legal scholars gather in NMI for Pacific Judicial Council conference GUAM Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert J. Torres welcomed judges, attorneys and legal scholars from across the Pacific region to the Pacific Judicial Councils midyear conference held Sept. 24-26 at the Crowne Plaza Resort on Saipan. Torres, who also serves as PJC president, opened the three-day event with remarks emphasizing regional unity, institutional growth, and the importance of addressing emerging legal challenges. Its an honor to welcome all of you judges, colleagues, attorneys, and distinguished guests to our midyear conference here in Saipan, Torres said. He extended special thanks to the justices, judges, and staff of the NMI District Court and the CNMI Judiciary for their support in organizing and hosting the event. The gathering today reflects the strength of our Pacific legal family lawyers and judges, he added. Conference sessions covered topics including constitutional and statutory interpretation, judicial conduct, pretrial practice, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in legal systems. Were fortunate to have eminent jurists, scholars, and practitioners who will bring wisdom and experience that will help us grow as legal minds and strengthen our institutions, Torres said. He also highlighted the importance of interjurisdictional collaboration and reaffirmed the councils commitment to justice across island communities. This is a time for us to renew our bonds across the island jurisdictions, to share our challenges and innovations, and to reaffirm our commitment to justice as servants of our communities, Torres said. He closed by thanking attendees who traveled from neighboring islands and expressed hope that the conference would leave participants with fresh insights and renewed dedication to upholding the rule of law. As part of the conference, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Mary Murguia, along with Judges M. Margaret McKeown and Johnnie Rawlinson, heard appellate arguments at the District Court for the NMI in Gualo Rai on Wednesday. Two cases 25-1088, United States v. Weng, and 25-1692, United States v. Yang involved an alleged conspiracy to smuggle a group of Chinese nationals from Saipan to Guam without immigration authority approval. A third case, 24-5761, United States v. Sablan, concerned an appeal of a sentence imposed following the revocation of supervised release for a Guamanian convicted of firearm and drug offenses. The Ninth Circuit judges also met with Moot Court and Mock Trial students, answering questions about legal proceedings and judicial processes. The Pacific Judicial Council is composed of member jurisdictions from American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of Palau. The council promotes judicial education, cooperation and dialogue among Pacific Island courts. Pacific Judicial Council President and Guam Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert J. Torres welcomes regional law practitioners at the judicial conference held at Crowne Plaza Resort from Sept. 24 to 26. Judges, attorneys and legal scholars have lunch during a break from the Pacific Judicial Council conference at Crowne Plaza Resort. King-Hinds seeks clarification on EO application to NMI U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds on Tuesday asked the Department of Homeland Security for clarification on the implementation of President Donald Trumps Executive Order 14324, specifically how it applies to the CNMI. EO 14324 suspends duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries, ending the exemption for low-value imports. In her letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, King-Hinds noted that under an agreement between the U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and a third-party service provider, CNMI residents may be required to file additional information through a third-party application before sending shipments via USPS. This is to ascertain the amount of tariff charges that would apply to their parcels. While the Commonwealth has not received official confirmation of this requirement, King-Hinds told Noem it raises significant issues stemming from the CNMIs status as a U.S. territory situated outside the customs territory but fully within U.S. sovereignty, as established in the Covenant, which made the CNMI part of the United States. King-Hinds noted that Section 3 of the EO outlines duty rates for international postal shipments, tying them to the tariff rate of the country of origin. The CNMI, however, is not a foreign country and has never been assigned such a tariff rate. She asked Noem on what basis CNMI-origin postal shipments were being assessed. She also noted that U.S. tariff law provides protection to goods shipped from the U.S. to its territories and asked how CBP intends to ensure these protections are honored under the EO. In particular, she requested clarification on mechanisms to prevent CNMI residents from being assessed duties a second time on goods already cleared upon initial entry into the customs territory. King-Hinds further cited Section 703(b) of the Covenant, which requires that proceeds from all customs duties in the CNMI be paid into its own treasury for the benefit of its people. She asked whether the EOs implementation ensures any duties collected from CNMI shipments are properly tracked, accounted for, and remitted to the CNMI government. Her office also observed that products manufactured in the CNMI were being assigned tariff charges in the third-party application. This, she said, contradicts law. Under Headnote 3(a) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule and Section 603(c) of the Covenant, CNMI-made goods meeting the value-content requirement are entitled to duty-free treatment when entering U.S. Customs territory. Assessing duties on such products indicates a fundamental error in applying the EO to territorial shipments, she said, and she requested that CBP ensure CNMI goods continue to receive the legally guaranteed tariff treatment. King-Hinds also noted that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act or IEEPA was invoked as authority for suspending de minimis treatment to address national security threats outside the U.S., including illicit drug trafficking and unfair trade practices. The CNMI, however, she stressed, is part of the U.S. and cannot constitute a foreign threat under IEEPA. She asked whether DHS views including CNMI- or Guam-origin shipments under the EO as an oversight, and if not, what is the legal basis for doing so? She added that the EO refers to shipments to the United States and does not expressly mention U.S. territories or insular possessions outside the customs territory. By contrast, tariff statutes and regulations typically identify insular possessions explicitly. The EOs reference to products of all countries creates ambiguity for CNMI-origin goods, which are not products of a foreign country. King-Hinds asked Noem to clarify whether the EO was intended to cover shipments originating in the CNMI and Guam, and if so, to identify the specific provision that brings territorial-origin shipments within its scope. If not, she requested confirmation that such shipments will continue to be treated consistent with existing law. Reliable and fair postal services are vital to daily life in the CNMI, serving families, businesses, and government operations, King-Hinds said. We trust DHS shares this understanding and will ensure that EO 14324 is implemented in a way consistent with the Covenant and U.S. tariff law. Gunman wrote ANTI-ICE on unused bullet in fatal attack on Dallas immigration office Law enforcement personnel respond at the scene of a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas, Texas. REUTERS MCKINNEY, Texas (Reuters) A gunman who wrote ANTI-ICE on an unused bullet killed one detainee and badly wounded two others on Wednesday when he fired on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas from a nearby rooftop before taking his own life, officials said. FBI Director Kash Patel posted a photo on X of what he said was the suspects unused ammunition, showing the shell casing of one round inscribed with the phrase ANTI-ICE along the side. While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack, Patel wrote. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later said in a Fox News interview that the gunman was targeting ICE, based on evidence so far in this case. President Donald Trump quickly politicized the incident on his Truth Social platform, accusing Radical Left Democrats of stoking anti-ICE violence by constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to Nazis. Invoking the recent assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, Trump said Radical Left Terrorists pose a grave threat to law enforcement and must be stopped. Trump added he would sign an executive order this week to dismantle these Domestic Terrorism Networks, though he gave no evidence to support the notion that left-wing political violence posed any more of a threat than violence from the right. In a statement about the Texas shooting, the Department of Homeland Security said the suspect fired indiscriminately at the ICE facility, including at a van in the buildings secured entryway where the victims were shot. DHS said one detainee was killed and two others were in critical condition. Officials have not disclosed the identities of the victims. Noem later appeared on Fox and confirmed media reports that the suspected gunman had been identified as Joshua Jahn, 29. She said he had fired into the building from a nearby rooftop. Dallas-area television station KDFW showed video of police examining a black sedan parked below the three-story office building from where the gunshots were fired. A U.S. map was visible pasted to the exterior of the car on its rear passenger side, with sections of the map shaded and a message denoting the darkened areas as nuclear radiation fallout zones. Jahns older brother, Noah, spoke with a Reuters reporter earlier in the day as Joshua Jahns name began circulating online in connection with the shooting. Noah Jahn, 30, said he was not aware that his brother harbored any negative feelings about ICE. I didnt know he had any political intent at all, said the older brother, who lives in McKinney, Texas, around 30 miles north of Dallas, as did his sibling. The shooting in Dallas came two weeks after Kirk, co-founder of the conservative student political group Turning Point USA and a close ally of Trump, was shot dead by a sniper during a speaking event on September 10 in Orem, Utah, fueling fears of a new wave of political violence in the United States. Kirks murder set off a firestorm of political recriminations and deepened concerns among Trumps critics that the Republican president would use that killing to justify further cracking down on his perceived opponents. A 22-year-old technical college student from Utah has been charged with murder in the Kirk assassination, though authorities have not suggested a precise motive for the attack. Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other administration officials have blamed, without proof, liberal organizations for fomenting unrest and inciting violence against the right. On Monday, Trump signed an executive order declaring the anti-fascist movement antifa, opens new tab a domestic terrorist organization despite the fact that there has been no evidence made public linking antifa to Kirks death. White House adviser Stephen Miller posted video on X of California Governor Gavin Newsom describing ICE raids by masked men, jumping out of unmarked cars with no due process and calling such tactics authoritarian actions by an authoritarian government. Above the clip, taken from Newsoms guest appearance on Tuesday on CBSs The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Miller wrote: This language incites violence and terrorism. At a news briefing, Joseph Rothrock, special agent in charge of the FBIs Dallas field office, said investigators were treating the predawn attack as an act of targeted violence. The site was an ICE field office where immigration officers conduct short-term processing of recently arrested detainees. The Trump administrations aggressive use of ICE agents as part of its crackdown on undocumented immigrants has sparked outcries from Democrats and liberal activists. ICE detention facilities have increasingly become flashpoints of unrest, with heavily armed agents deploying pepper ball guns, tear gas and other chemical agents in clashes with protesters. An ICE facility in suburban Chicago, where protesters have gathered daily since a Trump administration immigration surge began earlier this month, erected fencing on Monday after several demonstrators, including the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, were injured in a clash with agents last week. Wednesdays attack was the third shooting this year in Texas at a DHS facility. A police officer was shot in July at an ICE detention center in Prairieland, and a Michigan man was shot dead by agents after opening fire on a U.S. Border Patrol station in McAllen in July. Pacific GIS and Remote Sensing User conference to gather over 300 delegates in Fiji Conference organizers, the PGRSC Board of Directors, back row, from left, Arti Pratap (treasurer), Dr Wolf Forstreuter, Kasaqa Tora (secretary), Lanieta Rokotuiwakaya (vice chair). Front row, from left, Maria Kottermair, Bradley Eichelberger (chair), Salote Viti and Remi Andreoli. Contributed photo MORE than 300 delegates, many from the region and around the world, will meet on November 24 through November 27 at the annual Pacific Islands GIS and Remote Sensing or PG&RS User Conference at the Japan Pacific ICT Centre, University of the South Pacific, in Suva, Fiji. With the theme, Building and Enhancing Geospatial Networks in the Pacific, the importance of this years PG&RS User Conference cannot be overstated, according to Bradley Eichelberger, board chair, Pacific GIS and Remote Sensing Council. In the simplest terms, GIS and Remote Sensing provide images and data, supplying the baseline information needed, for example, for effective urban, rural and coastal planning; for strengthening fisheries and agricultural development; for sustainable forest, land, and water management; to protect cultural resources, and to plan and build resilient communities that are able meet the challenges of climate change, and to anticipate and effectively recover from extreme weather events. The PG&RS User Conference is recognized as one of the largest GIS and Remote Sensing conferences attended by Pacific Islanders, where they network with the large contingent of invited international researchers, professionals, academics, NGOs, private-sector partners and government officials. This year the president of ISPRS (the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing), Prof. Lena Halounova, will travel from Prague to meet Pacific Island GIS and RS users, in recognition of PGRSCs effort, said Eichelberger He emphasized the value of in-person collaboration, where scientists and companies learn from Pacific Island users and adjust methods and research accordingly. He said that around 70 presentations are anticipated during the four-day program. He said, As the name implies, the conference is a platform for people from Pacific Island Countries who are already using GIS and Remote Sensing systems to address many of the questions they, and indeed the rest of the world, are asking. For example, how do we plan to mitigate against the impact of extreme weather events? How do we build resilient communities that will withstand the challenges of climate change? How can we measure changes to our vulnerable coastlines? Where, how large, and how accessible are our water resources? Where and how can we establish environmentally friendly, sustainable agricultural development? The conference has evolved since the two-day National GIS Conference in Suva, co-organized in 1998 by USP and the Fiji Lands Department. By 2004, catering to the increasing regional interest in and use of these technologies, it had become the Pacific Islands GIS and Remote Sensing User Conference, until today, it is an internationally recognized annual event, said Eichelberger. Palau budget bill stalled as House leaders travel abroad; shutdown looms The Palau Capitol in Ngerulmud. KOROR (Island Times/Pacnews) With just over a week before the new fiscal year begins, Palaus 2026 budget bill is stalled as House leaders travel overseas. Their absence means there is no quorum to call a session or form a conference committee to iron out differences between the Senate and President Surangel Whipps Jr. The Senate passed its version of the budget on September 18 and forwarded it to the House of Delegates. But the bill has sat idle because the House Speaker, Floor Leader and House Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee all key figures in the process are off-island. Some are accompanying Whipps to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, while others are in Taiwan. Without its leadership and no quorum, the House cannot convene a session, form a conference committee to reconcile differences with the Senate, or even act on a temporary spending measure known as a continuing resolution. That leaves the government facing a shutdown when the current fiscal year ends September 30. The impasse highlights deep disagreements between the President and the Senate over how the government should spend and account for public money. Audit reports: The Senate insists that independent audit reports are necessary for transparency and accountability, citing both Palauan law and U.S. Compact requirements. President Whipps argues that quarterly financial reports are sufficient and accuses senators of using audits as an excuse to delay. Salaries: The President supports a 10% across-the-board pay raise for government workers, saying it offsets rising costs. The Senate favors targeted cost-of-living adjustments instead, calling the blanket increase arbitrary without financial studies. Government structure: Whipps wants to create new offices to improve efficiency. The Senate says strengthening existing offices with similar mandates makes more sense. Taxes and subsidies: Perhaps the biggest point of conflict is the Senates proposal to reduce the Palau Goods and Services Tax while increasing subsidies. The President argues the move risks government revenue and stability. Whipps has repeatedly criticized the Senate for tying the budget to pending audits, calling it an unnecessary obstacle. On a radio talk show last week, he argued that senators already receive quarterly financial reports with income and expenditure details. Audit report is a compliance document, Whipps said, adding that audits confirm legal spending but are not essential for budget planning. He accused the Senate of making excuses to delay passage. Senate Ways and Means Chairman Mark Rudimch disagrees. He said independent audits are vital for accountability and transparency. Without prompt audit reports, opportunities to correct wasteful spending and strengthen financial controls are lost, Rudimch said, citing 40 PNC 223, which requires audits to be submitted to the Senate by June 30 each year. That law mandates audits of the National Treasury, trust funds, agency accounts, contracts, grants, and other financial transactions, including personal service and prime contracts. Rudimch stressed that U.S. officials have also flagged delays, warning Palau to meet its obligations under the Compact of Free Association. A U.S. diplomatic note sent to Palau in July reminded the government of its Compact duty to perform financial and compliance audits under the U.S. Single Audit Act. Audit results, it said, must be available by the third quarter of the following fiscal year. Rudimch warned that late submissions erode oversight and could damage Palaus credibility with its partners. Whipps wants to keep the 10% pay raise approved in last years budget, calling the Senates decision to cut it the worst decision ever. He argued the increase helps families manage rising costs. Rudimch countered that the raise was adopted arbitrarily, without any analysis of funds availability. He said the Senate favors a cost-of-living adjustment while it studies long-term pay structures. He also noted that more than 200 government jobs remain vacant, representing about $3.5 million in unspent funds that should be reviewed before committing to permanent increases. The Senate has also proposed a continuing resolution to extend current funding until October 30 to avoid a shutdown. But that measure, too, is stalled in the House with no quorum to act. As the September 30 deadline approaches, the stalemate underscores a broader clash between the Senates focus on oversight and the Presidents push for swift action and worker pay raises. For now, the budget bill remains in limbo and Palauans are left waiting to see if their government will keep its doors open on October 1. LONDON (AP) Want to switch to Apple Music because you cant find your favorite indie band on Spotify? Or maybe youre on Amazon Music but saw a new subscriber offer on Tidal thats too good to pass up. There are a variety of reasons to change music providers. But if youre thinking about it, and youre worried about losing your library of saved songs and personalized playlists, fear not: there are ways to bring all of it with you. Many music streaming services dont make it obvious often burying instructions deep in FAQs and making the process arduous but they do offer options to help migrate your collection. Apple made it easier last month when it quietly rolled out a new feature allowing users to import libraries from rival sites. Having Apple officially incorporate the feature might give reluctant users the confidence to move. Some pointers to help you along with your musical migration. Importing into Apple Music The iPhone maker recently published a help page to walk users through the process of importing libraries into Apple Music. The feature, buried in your settings, is provided by a third-party service called Songshift. Its currently available to users in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. To use it, youll need an Apple Music account and the latest version of iOS or the Android Apple Music app. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Apps, then Music. Tap Transfer Music from Other Music Services to pop up a list of various streaming services. Android users can follow a similar process. Transfers can also be done through a web browser at music.apple.com. After choosing a service, another screen appears, prompting you to log into the target account. Now you get a menu with options to import All Songs and Albums as well as All Playlists. If you dont want all your playlists, you can untick the ones you dont want. However, you cant pick individual songs and albums. Apple Music will then replicate your library based on your choices. Importing my Spotify library, with about 150 playlists, went fairly smoothly, although the process took about half an hour because the service also downloaded around 1,230 songs and albums to my iPhone. I had assumed that ticking All Songs and Albums meant that Apple Music would mirror the handful of music I had downloaded to my Spotify app, but it also downloaded all 63 albums in my Spotify library and the 440 songs on my Liked Songs list, which I normally listen to via streaming. If you dont want to download everything, unselect that option before you start. Also note that Apple says playlists created by the music service cant be transferred, so I couldnt bring Spotify-curated lists like This is Taylor Swift or Alternative 80s with me. It also meant that my Liked Songs list, which Spotify generates for every user and a list Ive been adding to over the years couldnt be replicated. Any downloaded songs were just dumped into Apple Musics library. After this story was first published, reader Linda Feaster wrote in with a workaround: create your own playlist and then add all the tracks from the Spotify playlist. It could be tedious if there are hundreds of songs but should do the trick. If youre tempted to try out the tool, note that it probably wont work the same way with every service. Apple warns that what can be transferred is up to the source platform. Playlists made by others, such as BBC Musics The Sounds of 1994, for example, did make it over. After the move is done, youll have 30 days to review songs that arent available or dont have an exact match in Apples catalog, and choose from any alternate versions. Working with other music platforms Most of the other big music streaming platforms offer ways to transfer your library to their site. They mostly rely on standalone third-party services that have been around for a while, are free to use, and dont need app integration to work. Tidal and Deezer both direct users on their websites to one such service, Tune My Music, which works with popular platforms like Spotify as well as a host of lesser known sites. Amazon Musics webpage has dedicated buttons for Tune My Music and two similar services, Songshift and Soundiiz. Google also advises third-party services for YouTube Music users who want to import or export playlists, albums, artists and tracks. However, for Apple Music users who want to move to YouTube Music, the process is different. Youll have to sign in to Apple Music and request a transfer a copy of your data, then export it directly to YouTube Music. The transfer process may take several hours if you have many playlists, Google warns on its support page. Spotify says its currently testing a way for users to transfer their libraries and expects to provide more details soon. Using a third-party service to migrate between platforms It was super easy to move my Spotify library to Deezer using Tune My Music. I clicked a button on the Deezer website that got the process started by prompting me to log in to my Spotify account. Then a menu came up with pre-ticked options on what I could migrate: my entire library, favorite songs, favorite albums, favorite artists and any or all of my 150 playlists. I decided to move it all over, which amounted to more than 16,359 items. It took about five minutes. Unlike Apple Music, Deezer didnt download any files, it just copied lists. A few dozen songs went missing, Tune My Music said. It usually happens because the song doesnt exist on the new platform, or its named a bit differently and couldnt be matched, it said, but added that I could download a list of missing tracks to look for them on the new platform. After you finish transferring your music library, dont forget that its still on the original platform and hasnt been deleted. Most third-party transfer services are free, but also offer premium levels with more features, such as instant syncing of libraries between multiple streaming sites. ___ AP Business Writer James Pollard in New York contributed to this report. ____ Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer VICTORIA, Seychelles (AP) Early voting started Thursday across Seychelles as concerns over a drug crisis and environmental challenges facing the nation weigh heavily on the minds of many as they choose a new president and parliament. President Wavel Ramkalawan hopes to hold on to the top post in this tourist haven and Africas smallest country, both in land area and population. Ballots papers were flown to the outer islands and special polling stations opened for the elderly and essential workers for early voting, said election commissions chief, Manuella Amesbury. The presidential and parliamentary election will be held on Saturday. Primary contenders Ramkalawan, an Anglican priest turned politician, became the first opposition leader since 1976 to defeat the ruling party when he made his sixth bid and the first successful one for the presidency in 2020. This time around, he and his Linyon Demokratik Seselwa party campaigned on efforts for economic recovery, social development, and environmental sustainability. His chief political rival, Patrick Herminie of the long-ruling United Seychelles Party, is a veteran lawmaker who was the speaker of the National Assembly from 2007 to 2016. The president is elected for a five-year term. If no contender gets more than 50% of the vote, the two top placed candidates go into a runoff. Drug problems Seychelles has struggled with a growing drug crisis. A 2017 United Nations report described the country as a major drug transit route. The Global Organized Crime Index stated in 2023 that the island nation has one of the worlds highest rates of heroin addiction. An estimated 6,000 people out of Seychelles population of 120,000 use the drug, while independent analysts say addiction rates approach 10%. Most of the countrys population lives on the island of Mahe, home to the capital of Victoria. Critics say Ramkalawan has largely failed to rein in the drug crisis. His rival, Herminie, was also criticized as failing to stem the addiction rates while he was chairman of the countrys Agency for the Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation from 2017 until 2020. Gerald Edwin Julie, former program manager at the agency, said it was merely a political tool for Herminie, who he said had no prior knowledge of drug addiction when appointed. Environmental and other concerns The 115-island archipelago in the Indian Ocean has become synonymous with luxury and environmental travel, helping bump Seychelles to the top of the list of Africas richest countries by gross domestic product per capita, according to the World Bank. That has also fueled a growing middle class and opposition to the ruling party. A week before the elections, activists filed a constitutional case against the current government, challenging its recent decision to lease long-term a part of Assomption Island, the countrys largest island, to a Qatari company for the development of a luxury hotel. The lease, which includes the reconstruction of an airstrip to facilitate access for international flights, has ignited widespread criticism that the agreement favors foreign interests over Seychelles long-term welfare and sovereignty over its land. Assomption lies close to Aldabra Atoll, a marine reserve recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. Environmental groups have demanded increased oversight and called for greater transparency in government decisions related to Seychelles sovereignty. With its territory spread across an expanse of the Indian Ocean of almost 390,000 square kilometers (about 150,579 square miles), Seychelles is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, including rising sea levels, according to the World Bank and the U.N. Sustainable Development Group. The hotel development on Assomption has (been) clouded with controversy, said Victoria Duthil, who was among those who filed the case against the government. Recent images of an injured tortoise and dredging that have emerged have highlighted how urgent the situation is, she added. Dredging is the removal of sediment from water bodies and includes underwater excavation. Worries about corruption While Seychelles leads Africa in development metrics and has the lowest corruption rankings in the sub-Saharan Africa, the rampant corruption during the three-decade presidency of France-Albert Rene, which ended in 2004, remains fresh in the minds of many. Tensions around transparency issues reemerged during this election campaign, with another presidential candidate, Kisna Louise, under scrutiny amid a legal investigation, while yet another, Maarco Francis, faces allegations of a forged university degree. Paul Harry Michaud, a retired businessman, said the president should get an additional term. Wavel should have another five years, he said. The opposition had 43 years and they did nothing, he said. But Barry Gappy, a retired army official, expressed support for the opposition, saying their manifesto was better than that of the ruling party. ___ Associated Press writer Jack Denton in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this report. ___ 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. By EMILIE CHETTY Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) The iconic, brightly painted coastal sheds in and around Melbourne, Australia, are a quirky real estate mix: absolute beachfront views, but lacking basic features including a bedroom, bathroom, running water and even power. While they lack homely comforts, some can sell for more than an average Melbourne suburban house. And while the house comes with the security of land title, the shed is built on a public beach. Known variously as beach boxes, bathing boxes and boatsheds, these basic structures have been features of the Victoria state coastline along Port Phillip Bay and Western Port since the 19th century. What they have going for them these days as a financial investment is scarcity. Some real estate agents say boxes in the right location can be expected to double in value every seven to 10 years. John Rundell doesnt regard his bathing box on Dendy Street Beach in the upscale Melbourne suburb of Brighton as an investment. Whats the good of calling it an investment if you dont want to sell it? Rundell said. I suppose the market price is the market price. It does encourage people that are not using them now to sell them. But they dont turn over very often because they tend to stay within families through generations, he added. Prices vary by location The prices and the rules surroundings beach boxes differ depending on where they are. A buyer needs to own a home in the area. And the sheds cant be rented out or put to any commercial use. No overnight camping is allowed. Solar cells and motorized electricity generators are banned. Rundell had a young family when he bought Bathing Box No. 43 one among 96 arranged side by side along the beach for 12,000 Australian dollars ($8,000) from the local council in 1992. The council and a local historical society defeated a state government plan in the 1970s to demolish them. He continues to pay an annual license fee plus rates on the box, which he considers to be the council double-dipping on income from a single address. He also must pay for public liability insurance cover for the box to the value of AU$20 million ($13 million). The boxes are useful spaces to keep beach toys, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, BBQs and beach furniture. Rundells family has shared Christmas lunches at their box and watched New Years fireworks displays during Southern Hemisphere summers. Theres no electricity, but there is an ice chest to keep drinks cold. There is no plumbing, but theres a camping potty with indoor privacy. With Rundells children grown up and his granddaughter too young for the beach, the box is mostly used these days by friends who borrow the keys. Boxes were a response to Victoria-era morality Victoria perhaps deserves to be Australias last bastion for these anachronistic structures. The state was named after Queen Victoria, the British monarch who reigned for most of 19th century. The rigid moral code of Queen Victorias era contributed to the creation of bathing boxes in Melbourne in the 1860s. The boxes were to preserve a bathers modesty when the law prohibited changing clothes on a beach and walking the streets in a swimsuit, local historian Jo Jenkinson wrote in her 2015 book, The Lure of the Beach: A History of Public Sea Bathing in Brighton. Similar beach structures with similar origins still survive in other parts of the world. There are no private beaches in Australia, so beach shacks were built on public land. Views have long been mixed on whether such private property has any place on public beaches. All the sheds have been removed from Australias coastline over the decades except for around 2,000 in Melbournes vicinity. The most expensive can be found in the wealthy tourist town of Portsea, a 90-minute drive from Melbourne. Portsea boxes often sell for AU$1 million ($660,000). A record AU$1.2 million ($800,000) was set last year. The mean price of a Melbourne dwelling was AU$803,194 ($530,378) in August, according to property research firm Cotality. A record for a box sold outside Portsea was set at Mount Martha, an hours drive from Melbourne, in April, after a two-hour auction. Beach Box No. 26 on South Beach sold for AU$1 million ($660,000), which was AU$350,000 ($230,000) more than the expected price advertised by the vendors real estate agent, Alex Corradi. Corradi said there were other boxes, which he calls boatsheds, at Mount Martha with covered decks that would sell for more. Owners cant add covered decks because a sheds design and dimensions cant be altered. I dont really see them going backwards. I think they will just continue to go up in price, Corradi said, adding that the banks dont share that confidence in their value as an investment. The banks will not lend against it, so these are all cash buyers. Melbourne property investment adviser Cate Bakos accepts that scarcity will deliver beach box investors a capital gain in the long term. But she is concerned by their investment potential in the shorter term, with no financial return on an ongoing outlay. Buying a beach box is, quite frankly, an illogical purchase, Bakos said. By ROD McGUIRK Associated Press TOKYO (AP) A Japanese court on Thursday dismissed an appeal by an Australian woman who said she was tricked into smuggling drugs by a man she hoped to marry, allowing a six-year prison sentence issued by a lower court to stand. The Tokyo High Court said Donna Nelson, 59, from Perth, Australia, was guilty of violating the stimulants control and customs laws. The Chiba District Court in December sentenced her to six years in prison and a fine of 1 million yen ($6,725). Nelson was arrested at Japans Narita International Airport, near Tokyo, on Jan. 3, 2023, after customs officials found about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of amphetamines, a stimulant, hidden under a false bottom in a suitcase she was carrying as checked luggage. Nelson has told the court she was unaware of the drugs hidden in the suitcase and that she was carrying it for a man she hoped to marry. The man, called Kelly, whom she met online in 2020, told her he was the Nigerian owner of a fashion business. In 2023, he paid her to travel to Japan via Laos, and asked her to collect dress samples from an acquaintance in the Southeast Asian country. She was supposed to meet him in Japan but he never showed up. On Thursday, presiding Judge Takeshi Irie dismissed Nelsons defense lawyers request for her acquittal and argument that she was a romance scam victim with no awareness or intent of drug trafficking for profit. The judge said Nelson was fully capable and had time to think and realize that something was wrong with the mans request. Nelson, wearing a dark blue suit and seated in front of the judge, listened to the sentencing quietly, at times shaking her head. The judge said she has 14 days to decide whether to appeal to the top court. One of Nelsons daughters, Kristal Hilaire, said her mother has not made a decision. Listening to the sentencing was hard, Hilaire said after the verdict. I felt it was wrong At times I didnt really want to hear it. I had been so hopeful that this was going to be the end. Its very tiring to keep fighting this fight. I just thought we all would be able to rest and be going home with her. By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) The father of a teenage social media influencer who was killed at her family home in Pakistan in June said on Thursday he hopes for a speedy trial of the suspect. Syed Yousaf Hassan spoke after attending the latest hearing in the case of his daughter, 17-year-old Sana Yousaf, who was fatally shot when her alleged killer broke into the property in Islamabad after she rejected his friendship request. According to a police report, 22-year-old Umar Hayat fired two shots at the teenager, stole her phone, and then fled. He has denied the charges during the high-profile trial, which began last week. I am not fighting this case only to seek justice for my daughter, Hassan told reporters outside the court. I want all children who use social media to be protected from the pain my daughter suffered at the hands of a man who killed her. I will pursue this case until my last breath. He praised the investigation into his daughters death and said he hoped the judge would reach a verdict soon. The June 2 killing drew nationwide condemnation, with many people online demanding harsh punishment for the suspect, who was arrested days after he fled to Faisalabad in Punjab. Hayat has repeatedly said that he was not behind the murder. Looking composed, Hayat has been present in the courtroom for trial. Sardar Qadeer, a lawyer for the family of Yousaf, told The Associated Press that the court recorded testimony from a police officer who recovered the pistol used in the attack. Hayats face was covered when he was escorted from the courtroom and taken back to jail. The next hearing is scheduled for Saturday. Yousaf, originally from the scenic northern region of Chitral, was known for promoting traditional Chitrali music and dress on TikTok, where she also advocated for girls education. Hours before her killing, she had posted a photo from a birthday celebration with friends. She had a wide following in Pakistan, with half a million fans on Instagram. After her death, hundreds of thousands of people began following her on TikTok, which is one of Pakistans most popular apps, with tens of millions of users. Pakistan has suspended the platform several times, citing concerns that the app promotes immoral or unlawful content. By MUNIR AHMED Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) Authorities in central Mexico have arrested an American and 37 other people belonging to the religious group La Luz del Mundo, whose leader is facing sex trafficking charges before a New York court. Michoacan state officials said 38 people were conducting tactical training with mostly replica weapons, but did not release identities of the suspects or the charges against them. The group had one handgun, 19 replica firearms, knives and tactical equipment, officials said. La Luz del Mundo, which was born in Mexicos central Jalisco state, has congregations across the United States and has come under the scrutiny of law enforcement for years. A Michoacan official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the case, confirmed that all of the 38 people arrested were members of the religious group. The arrests came just a day after the groups leader, Naason Joaquin Garcia, pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges in a New York federal court, where he is charged along with his 79-year-old mother with sexually abusing generations of young followers. Garcia was accused of using his position as head of the church to sexually abuse children and women. The indictment said his father and grandfather, both deceased, did the same before him. Garcia is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in California where he was convicted of sexually abusing female followers who accused him of making them sex slaves. As leader of La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World), Joaquin Garcia was considered the apostle, and church members were taught that he would punish and condemn eternally anyone who doubted him, did not follow his teachings, or defied him, prosecutors said in a court filing that successfully argued against bail for Joaquin Garcias mother. Attorney Alan Jackson, who represents Joaquin Garcia, described the indictment as the result of a reckless campaign of government overreach. Associated Press Sonora, CA For the second time this year, customers may receive relief on their PG&E bill next month, as many will receive an automatic refund due to the California Climate Credit. The money comes from the states Cap-and-Trade climate program that requires polluters to pay for climate action. Today, Governor Gavin Newsom reported that more than 11.5 million California households will get the refund. He also touted that next years California Climate Credit will increase even further and remain in effect through 2045. Millions of California families will see money back on their electricity bills in Octoberand that refund will be even bigger next year thanks to new laws I signed last week. Up to $60 billion will go back in your pockets, cutting your electric bills while we keep our historic momentum transitioning away from polluting fossil fuels, stated Newsom. The October refunds will range from $35 to $259 on electric bills. Most households will receive between $56 and $81, with the average being $61. As reported here, in April, the average was $137 off. The combined average of both months will be $198 in refunds for the year. Newsom added, The state will provide total payments in October exceeding $700 million for electric residential customers and $60 million for qualifying small business customers. The states Cap-and-Invest program has returned $14.6 billion in bill refunds to residential electricity users since 2014. This year, California will provide $2.4 billion in residential credits, including $1.4 billion for electric users, $1 billion for natural gas customers, and an extra $122 million for small businesses, advised the governors office. Click here to find out what your refund will be, as provided by the governors office. NEW YORK (AP) Former Vice President Kamala Harris, forced to confront Israels war in Gaza on the first night of her book tour, expressed compassion for the Palestinians and condemned President Donald Trump for giving the Israeli government a blank check. Whats happening to the Palestinian people is outrageous and it beaks my heart, she told a packed New York City performance center on Wednesday night after being interrupted by the first of four pro-Palestinian protesters. Donald Trump has given (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu a blank check to do whatever he wants. The comments came in the midst of a discussion about her new book, 107 Days, which was released on Tuesday and details the hyperspeed campaign she launched against Trump after Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. Harris was initially scheduled to make one appearance at the 1,500-person capacity Times Square performance center, but her team added a second show earlier in the evening because of high interest. Few issues have divided the nation and the Democratic Party more than the war in Israel. More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, Gazas Health Ministry said earlier in the month. The conflict erupted after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas. Democratic activists in particular have condemned leaders in both parties for not pushing back harder to stop the bloodshed. Harris on Wednesday referenced her support for New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who has also spoken out against the war in Gaza. She said the two spoke earlier in the day. She said she told him shes excited about his candidacy. You are bringing people in, and you are showing that there are voices that want to be heard, have felt left out and are now a part of what you are doing, she said, referencing the conversation. And that is so powerful. Outside the venue on Wednesday night, dozens of activists protested on the sidewalk. Inside, the event veered off script several minutes after it began when a protester started shouting from the audience. Your legacy is genocide. The blood of the Palestinians is on your hands, the first one, a man wearing a medical mask, yelled before being escorted out by security. Later, another woman said, This is your fault. As the crowd grew angry with the disruptions, Harris called on them to take the temperature down. She noted that, as vice president, she first spoke out publicly about starvation in Gaza a year and a half ago. At the time, she said, she took a lot of heat from the Biden administration for speaking out on the sensitive issue. I understand your concern and how you feel I think I do, she told the third protester. And the reality of it is where we are right now didnt have to be this way in terms of the blank check that this president has given. Several times over the course of the night, she criticized Trump. At one point, she said the Republican president and his allies are like a communist dictatorship for quashing dissent. Shortly before the appearance, Trump lashed out at Harris on social media for saying in a recent interview that the 2024 presidential election loss was the closest in the 21st century. Harris repeated the claim on Wednesday in New York. Trump called the former vice president DUMB AS A ROCK. A TOTAL LIE! I expect an apology. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Trump wrote. The U.S. doesnt elect presidents by popular vote. In fact, Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and still won the presidency through the electoral college. Trump won the electoral college over Harris, 312-226. There have been two closer elections since 2000. The closest was George W. Bushs win over John Kerry in 2004. Harris, who turns 61 next month, hasnt detailed her future plans and was not asked about them at the book event. Shes already passed on an opportunity to run for governor of her home state of California. There were decidedly mixed opinions about what she should do next even among the hundreds who packed into the Times Square venue. Valerie Lewis, 56, of New York City, said shes hopeful that the former vice president can unify the badly divided country. She said she would love Harris to run for president again. Lewis husband, 65-year-old Eugene Dixon, would not. She cant do it, Dixon said. I dont believe America is ready to have a woman president. Lewis rolled her eyes. Its harder for a woman, she said. I dont think its possible. ___ By STEVE PEOPLES AP National Politics Writer Federal agents seized multiple documents labeled classified, confidential and secret from the office of former national security adviser John Bolton as part of an investigation into whether Bolton mishandled defense records, according to court filings that were unsealed on Tuesday. The seized documents marked as confidential appear to be about weapons of mass destruction, national strategic communication and the U.S. mission to the United Nations, investigators wrote in a cataloged list of what was collected during the search in late August. The list did not specify when the documents are from. The FBI also seized phones and computer equipment at the time. More than a dozen pages in the affidavit have partial or full redactions. It is not clear what exactly the documents contained or why they were marked secret, confidential and classified. Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Bolton, said in a statement Wednesday the documents didnt indicate any wrongdoing. He added that many of the documents were decades old, from Boltons long career in the State Department, as an assistant attorney general and as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. An objective and thorough review will show nothing inappropriate was stored or kept by Amb. Bolton, Lowell said. Bolton served for 17 months as national security adviser during Trumps first term, clashing with him over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea before getting ousted in 2019. He has subsequently criticized Trumps approach to foreign policy and government, including in a 2020 book, The Room Where it Happened, that portrayed the president as ill-informed on foreign policy. The search warrant affidavit says a National Security Council official had reviewed the book manuscript and told Bolton in 2020 that it appeared to contain significant amounts of classified information, some at a top-secret level. Boltons attorney said that many of the documents seized in August had been approved as part of a pre-publication review for Boltons book. Bolton is the latest of Trumps political adversaries to find themselves targeted by federal investigators. Prosecutors have also launched criminal inquiries into New York Attorney General Letitia James, California Sen. Adam Schiff and former FBI director James B. Comey. ___ Riddle reported from Montgomery, Alabama. By SAFIYAH RIDDLE Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) When President Donald Trump created a task force to fight crime in Memphis, his order included the deployment of the National Guard and various federal agencies to, among other goals, enforce federal immigration law in the Tennessee city. One of the departments included in the Memphis Safe Task Force is Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That has some Latinos worried that the surge will be used to target them at homes, schools and where they work as part of Trumps plan for mass detentions and deportations of immigrants around the country. Sandra Pita, a mother of six who is a U.S. citizen of Mexican descent, said she and other Hispanic people in Memphis fear that their friends and relatives, even those who are legally in the U.S., could be caught up in the crackdown. My concern as a Latina is they will be targeting people with brown skin color, Black skin color, even my children who are citizens, and the children of other mothers who are born here in Memphis, said Pita, who was born in California. Mixed reactions to National Guard presence Opponents of the deployment call it an unnecessary move and a federal occupation of a city that instead needs more funding to address poverty and other drivers of crime. Supporters say its a welcomed infusion of law enforcement personnel that, despite recent improvements in crime statistics, still needs help battling violent acts such as carjackings and murders. This is no occupation. Its an investment, Tennessee state Sen. Brent Taylor, a Republican who supports the deployment, said during a recent GOP rally. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee has said publicly he would not expect more than 150 National Guard members to be sent to Memphis. Lee has not officially signed an executive order to deploy members yet. An unknown number of officers from other agencies, from federal immigration authorities to drug enforcement agents, would also be involved. Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, has said he didnt ask for the deployment and doesnt think its the way to reduce crime. In his weekly newsletter released Friday, he said he spoke with officials in Washington who said the National Guard in that city served as eyes and ears on the streets, more like a large-scale neighborhood watch than frontline police officers who worked to beautify the city and address homelessness, which he said would help Memphis as well. Still, data from the federal operation in Washington shows that more than 40% of the arrests made over the monthlong operation were related to immigration, an Associated Press analysis found. Its unclear when National Guard troops will arrive, though officials have said it could happen within a week. The governors consent to the National Guard stands in sharp contrast to Democratic leaders in states like California and Illinois, who argue similar deployments undermine local authority and inflame tensions. The president has also suggested he could send soldiers to New Orleans, another majority-Black city led by Democrats in a Republican-leaning state. Local groups prepare for immigration enforcement Roughly 10% of Memphis population is Hispanic, according to Census data. Since Trump took office in January, community groups have been educating Memphis Latinos about their rights and what to do if they are approached by agents questioning their immigration status. These organizations have handed out small red cards with instructions in English and Spanish, such as people should avoid opening their doors to agents who dont have a warrant and not sign anything without a lawyer present. Other groups are working to inform residents on social media about real-time law enforcement activity that could involve immigration operations. Mauricio Calvo, CEO of Latino Memphis, said he recognizes that crime is an important issue in Memphis, but he does not support the National Guard deployment. Calvo said he was surprised that many Latinos hes spoken with approve of the deployment, and he worries that some people dont understand the implications. I dont think they understand the potential consequences on racial profiling and actual deportations, Calvo said. Calvo pointed out that a former prison in the rural town of Mason, located east of Memphis, has been turned into an ICE detention facility with hundreds of beds. Im afraid this could rapidly pivot into large numbers of detentions for immigrants or people who look or sound like immigrants, he said. Casey Bryant, a lawyer who works with Latino immigrants, said she is concerned that some National Guard and law enforcement agents could be unfamiliar with immigration law. It could cause a lot of chaos and confusion and has the potential of depriving people of their due process rights in the immigration context, and probably also in the criminal context, Bryant said. Immigrants should be ready for possible run-ins with law enforcement, including making preparations for their families if they are detained and contacting a lawyer who could help them, Bryant said. Everybody is trying to prepare for how to live with this kind of presence, she said. By ADRIAN SAINZ Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) A proposal to brand a new type of federal Pell Grant as Trump Grants has sparked pushback from Rhode Island lawmakers who want the program to retain the name of its creator the states longest-serving U.S. senator. The name change is currently tucked inside a House spending bill for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education for the upcoming fiscal year. Rhode Islands congressional delegation this week argued that the proposal would erase Senator Pells name from a program that has uplifted generations and replace it with a President whose record on education is defined by cuts and dismantlement is a profound insult to that legacy. Heres what you need to know. Pell grants have long been a fixture of federal student aid Created as a way to promote access to education, Pell grants are special scholarships reserved for undergraduates and other students with the most significant financial need. Rhode Islands longstanding former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell, a Democrat, was pivotal in getting the program enacted in 1973. Through the program, lower-income Americans can currently receive up to $7,395 annually for roughly six years. Unlike loans, the grants generally dont need to be paid back but often dont cover the full cost of college. According to the Department of Education, $31 billion in Pell grants went to approximately 6.5 million undergraduate students in fiscal year 2023. With new tweak to Pell Grant program, controversy erupts Under the massive tax and spending cuts package that President Donald Trump signed into law in July, the Pell Grant program was tweaked to include a new grant called the Workforce Pell Grant. Starting next year, students enrolled in eligible career training programs can now receive Pell grants as long as they are in in-demand industry sectors or occupations. A separate House of Representatives appropriations bill has since proposed renaming Workforce Pell Grants as Trump Grants, a change Rhode Islands congressional delegation objected to in a letter released earlier this week. Democratic U.S. Reps. Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner said Trumps record on education includes efforts to dissolve the federal Department of Education, freeze federal funding for education and research, and pressure schools to roll back initiatives like those focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion. These grants should remain rooted in the legacy of Senator Pell, whose name symbolizes opportunity, integrity and the belief that education is the cornerstone of a strong democracy, the two Rhode Island congressmen wrote. Who was the father of the Pell Grant program? Claiborne Pell was a quirky blue blood who represented the smallest state in the country as its U.S. Senator for 36 years, the longest ever to serve in the role. Pell, the son of a New York congressman, was first elected to the Senate in 1960 and quickly became known as an unabashed liberal who prioritized eliminating financial barriers to higher education even as a descendant of early New York landowners who lived among the old-money families in Rhode Islands affluent Newport. Pell was a multimillionaire who often wore old, ill-fitting suits and sometimes jogged in a tweed coat. He also had a deep fascination with UFOs and extrasensory perception. Pell devised legislation that Congress eventually enacted in 1973 that began providing direct aid to college students. At the time, the funding was called Basic Education Opportunity Grants, but eventually changed to Pell Grants in 1980. He also helped establish the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. When asked his greatest achievement, Pell always was quick to answer, Pell Grants. Pell died in 2009 after having Parkinsons disease. He was 90. By KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) A lack of resources and outdated policies for sending emergency alerts led to delayed evacuation warnings as flames began consuming neighborhoods during deadly Los Angeles-area wildfires in January, according to an outside review. The Independent After-Action Report produced by the consulting firm McChrystal Group was commissioned by Los Angeles County supervisors just weeks after the Eaton and Palisades fires killed more than 30 people and destroyed thousands of homes in and around Pacific Palisades and Altadena. The report released Thursday says a series of weaknesses, including outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities, hampered the countys response. Interviews with survivors and an Associated Press analysis of available data found evacuation orders for some neighborhoods of Altadena where the Eaton Fire swept through came long after houses burned down. AP reporting also showed similar delays for the Palisades Fire, though the Los Angeles Police Department initially handled evacuation management. The report sheds more light on flaws in the county alert system. Staffing shortages The report cites critical staffing shortages including a high number of sheriffs deputy vacancies and an under-resourced Office of Emergency Management. In addition, first responders and incident commanders were unable to consistently share information due to unreliable cellular connectivity, inconsistent field reporting methods, and the use of various unconnected communication platforms. While frontline responders acted decisively and, in many cases, heroically, in the face of extraordinary conditions, the events underscored the need for clearer policies, stronger training, integrated tools, and improved public communication, the report says. It is not intended to investigate or assess blame, county officials said in a news release. This isnt about pointing fingers. Its about learning lessons, improving safety, and restoring public trust, said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Altadena. The Office of Emergency Management began putting together its staffing plan for predicted heavy winds Jan. 3, four days before the Palisades and Eaton fires ignited. But an experienced staffer had been sent out of town for a training event. That meant several less-knowledgeable staffers were in key positions, according to the report. They were also working with some new emergency notification software provided by an existing vendor: The county signed the expanded contract with emergency alert company Genasys in November, just before the holidays. Only four staff members were trained on Genasys when the fires hit, according to the report. The review also found that the process to communicate an evacuation decision to the public was slow, convoluted and involved multiple leadership roles across county-level departments. In the case of the Palisades Fire, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Sheriffs Department identified areas that required evacuation. They then communicated those areas to a member of the Countys Office of Emergency Management at the Incident Command center. This person then made a phone call or sent a text message to another OEM staffer located in the Emergency Operations Center, who then updated the system put in place by the third-party vendor and triggered an alert to the public. Alerting the public During the January inferno, according to the report, this process took between 20 and 30 minutes. Thats an improvement over the old system that took between 30 and 60 minutes for the public to receive notice of an evacuation, the report said. Still, many of the countys methods to alert the public require opting in. Some of the evacuation alerts required residents to click a separate link to get complete information, hindering messaging. The communication system used for alerts did not provide complete information about the fires progression. Power outages and cell tower issues further hindered evacuation notices and the fire was moving too fast to keep up, the report found. Before the fire, the county sent out a handful of warnings about the incoming Santa Ana wind event and amplified National Weather Service messaging on social media and in news releases, but there was no official, stand-alone preparedness messaging provided by the county. Challenges during evacuations Some sheriffs department vehicles were aiding with evacuations in the Palisades area when the Eaton Fire broke out across the county. Those units headed to help evacuate residents in Altadena, along with responders from other agencies including search and rescue teams and staff from a downtown LA jail. Still, a shortage of vehicles hindered the sheriffs department response across neighborhoods where the Eaton Fire was burning. Vulnerable populations, especially older residents who were not monitoring alerts due to a digital divide and possible mobility challenges, faced increased risks of delayed evacuation, the authors wrote. What went right The authors praised the heroism of first responders including sheriffs deputies and county firefighters who evacuated senior care facilities, led public transit bus drivers through impacted neighborhoods and rescued people from burning homes. This heroic response was driven by urgency and their commitment to save lives, but it also added additional complexity to their responsibilities as they worked to maintain broader operational oversight in the field, the authors wrote. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to review the 133-page report when it meets next Tuesday. The causes of the two fires are still under investigation. After-action reports and investigations revealed issues with alert systems in other California blazes: in the 2017 Tubbs Fire, which killed 22 people in Santa Rosa; the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people in Paradise; the Woolsey fire, which started the same day and killed three in Malibu; as well as in Colorados 2021 Marshall Fire, which destroyed more than 1,000 homes outside Denver; and in Hawaiis 2023 Lahaina Fire, which decimated that historic town and killed 102. ___ Boone reported from Boise, Idaho. Associated Press writer Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report. By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and REBECCA BOONE Associated Press Phoenix (AP) An Arizona man was convicted Thursday on eight murder charges for a string of fatal shootings that targeted random victims and his own mother and stepfather over a three-week span. The crimes in late 2017 happened during a time of unease in metro Phoenix when people were scared to go out at night or drive on freeways because of two other serial shooting cases in the summer of 2015. While details trickled out on those cases, the killings Cleophus Cooksey Jr. was accused of generated no publicity until his arrest in 2018 a surprising development given that the public hadnt been told about investigators trying to find a serial killer. Cooksey, 43, is now facing the death penalty when he is sentenced Monday on murder convictions, as well as on kidnapping, attempted sexual assault and armed robbery in a trial that has spanned months. Cookseys victims in Phoenix and nearby Glendale included two men found dead in a parked car, a security guard shot while walking to his girlfriends apartment and a woman who was kidnapped, her body found in an alley. Police alleged the woman was sexually assaulted. Cooksey, an aspiring musician, knew some of the victims but wasnt acquainted with others, police said. Authorities never offered a motive. Cooksey looked down at the defense table as the verdicts were read. He has maintained his innocence. He took my mom Adriana Rodriguez, the daughter of victim Maria Villanueva, said after the verdict that her family was finally getting closure, a day they had feared would never come. He took my mom, the only support system that I had, Rodriguez added as she broke into tears. The killings started four months after Cooksey was released from prison on a manslaughter conviction for his participation in a 2001 strip club robbery in which an accomplice was fatally shot. A friend of Cookseys mother, Rene Cooksey, and stepfather, Edward Nunn, said the defendant deserved a death sentence. Eric Hampton said he watched Cooksey grow up and attended Thursdays hearing to see if the defendant showed sympathy for his victims. I thought maybe he had a little heart. But he doesnt have any heart at all, you know, to actually do these things to people and actually the worst part, kill your own mom, Hampton said outside the courthouse. Hes a monster, and Im just hoping that when the sentencing phase of this is over that, you know, that they put him to sleep, he added. The Maricopa County Attorneys Office, which prosecuted Cooksey, declined to comment on the verdict. The Associated Press left phone and email messages for Robert Reinhardt, an attorney for Cooksey. A trail of victims The first victims, Parker Smith, 21, and Andrew Remillard, 27, were found Nov. 27, 2017. They had been fatally shot while sitting in a vehicle in a parking lot. Five days later, security guard Salim Richards, 31, was shot to death while walking to his girlfriends apartment. Over the next two weeks, Latorrie Beckford, 29, and Kristopher Cameron, 21, were killed in separate shootings at apartment complexes in Glendale, and the body of Villanueva, 43, was found naked from the waist down in an alley in Phoenix. Authorities said Cookseys DNA was found on her body. Finally, on Dec. 17, 2017, Cooksey answered the door when officers responded to a shots-fired call at his mothers apartment. He told officers who had noticed a large amount of blood that he had cut his hand and was the only one home. Police say when an officer tried to detain him, Cooksey threatened to slit the officers throat. Rene Cooksey, 56, and Nunn, 54, were found dead. On the sofa in the living room, investigators said they found Richards gun, which was later linked to the killings of Beckford, Cameron and Villanueva. The keys to Villanuevas vehicle also were found there, and police say Cooksey was wearing Richards necklace when he was arrested. Police also suspected Cooksey of a ninth killing that of his ex-girlfriends brother. But prosecutors ultimately declined to charge him in the December 2017 shooting death of Jesus Real at his home in Avondale. Cookseys trial was repeatedly delayed by the pandemic. In a January 2020 handwritten letter to a judge, Cooksey said he was in a hurry to prove my charges are no more than false accusations. He said he was not a rapist or murderer: I am a music artist. Earlier serial shootings in Phoenix Cookseys arrest followed two other serial shooting cases in metro Phoenix. In 2015, 11 shootings occurred on Phoenix-area freeways between late August and early September. No one was seriously injured, and charges were later dismissed against the only person charged. The next case occurred over nearly a one-year period ending in July 2016. Bus driver Aaron Juan Saucedo was arrested in April 2017 and charged with first-degree murder in attacks that killed nine people. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Saucedo with a trial scheduled for December. He has declared his innocence. ___ This story has been updated to correct one of Cookseys convictions to attempted sexual assault. By JACQUES BILLEAUD and SEJAL GOVINDARAO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) A federal judge refused on Wednesday to reinstate eight former inspectors general who filed a lawsuit after the Trump administration fired them with no warning and little explanation. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said that while President Donald Trump likely violated the federal law governing the process for removing the non-partisan watchdogs from office, the firings didnt cause enough irreparable harm to justify reinstating the watchdogs before the lawsuit is resolved. The eight plaintiffs were among 17 inspectors general who were fired by Trump on Jan. 24. Each received identical two-sentence emails from the White House that attributed their removal to unspecified changing priorities. The mass firings targeted all but two of the cabinet agencies inspectors general. Plaintiffs attorneys said the firings were unlawful because the administration didnt give Congress the legally required 30-day notice or provide a substantive, case-specific rationale for removing them. Government attorneys said the president can remove inspectors general without any showing of cause and doesnt have to wait 30 days after providing notice to Congress. The judge noted that even if the inspectors general were reinstated, Trump could simply give notice to Congress and have them removed from their positions 30 days later. Inspectors general are responsible for rooting out waste and fraud in federal agencies. They are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Reyes said the inspectors general had provided exceptional service as IGs, marked by decades of distinguished leadership across multiple administrations. They deserved better from their government. They still do, she wrote. Unfortunately, this Court cannot provide Plaintiffs more. Reyes said the plaintiffs can be legally compensated later if they win their lawsuit, but in the meantime, their removals would stand. The plaintiffs were inspectors general at the Small Business Administration and the departments of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Education and Labor. Their attorneys say work by inspectors general in 2023 alone saved more than $90 billion in taxpayer dollars. Neither the White House nor the attorney representing the inspectors general immediately responded to requests for comment. Defendants actions, moreover, telegraph to the public that many of the largest federal agencies now lack the institutional mechanisms to detect and stop fraud and abuse (or at a minimum those mechanisms have been greatly weakened), which will likely engender wrongdoing that could harm the public, plaintiffs attorneys wrote. Justice Department lawyers said a federal law authorizes the presidents authority to remove inspectors general at any time and with no preconditions. The congressional notice provision is in a separate sentence from the removal authorization provision, with no grammatical connection between them, they wrote. During a March 27 hearing, Reyes said she genuinely didnt know how she would rule on their requests for reinstatement. But she thanked the plaintiffs for standing up and saying this is not acceptable. In Wednesdays ruling, Reyes made it clear that she believes the firings violated the Inspector General Act. But she also questioned whether Congress has the right to limit the Presidents power to remove inspectors general. This is a close call under the best of circumstances, Reyes said. Case law shows Congress can give tenure protections to inferior officers with narrowly defined duties, but those protections do not extend to principal officers who wield significant power on their own. IGs do not fit cleanly into either category, she wrote. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, nominated Reyes to the bench. She has decided other cases challenging Trumps executive orders, including one in which she blocked the Republican presidents administration from banning transgender people from military service. ___ Boone reported from Boise, Idaho. By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and REBECCA BOONE WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday and signaled that the United States might soon lift its hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara. During Trumps first term, the U.S. removed Turkey, a NATO ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet program after Turkey purchased an air defense system from Russia. U.S. officials worried that Turkeys use of Russias S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands. Trump started his two-hour meeting with Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be found during the leaders talks. He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and were going to come to a conclusion. Youll know by the end of the day, Trump said. The president added to Erdogan, And I think youll be successful with buying the things you would like to buy. The president, in a brief exchange with reporters as he bid farewell to Erdogan, called it a good meeting but did not offer further details. Trump later called the meeting very conclusive on so many different things and said announcements from both countries about the discussions would be coming out later. It was Erdogans first trip to the White House since 2019. The two leaders forged what Trump has described as a very good relationship during his first White House term. Over the years, U.S. officials have cited concerns about Turkeys human rights record under Erdogan and the countrys ties with Russia. Tensions between Turkey and Israel, another important American ally, over Gaza and Syria have made relations difficult with Turkey at times. Trump, in remarks before reporters, focused his concerns on Turkeys continued economic relationship with Russia. Turkey has been one of the biggest buyers of Russian fossil fuel since the European Union announced in early 2023 it would boycott most Russian seaborne oil. Since January 2023, Ankara has purchased more than $90 billion in Russian oil, coal and natural gas. Only China and India have bought more from Russia in that period. The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia, Trump said of Erdogan. After their meeting, the U.S. president said he believed that Erdogan would stop buying oil from Russia not that Turkeys leader had directly committed to doing so during their discussion. I dont want to say that Erdogan agreed to stop the purchases, but if I want him to, he will, Trump said. Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Trumps envoy to Syria, said the presidents discussed all the major issues in the U.S.-Turkey relationship, including Russia and the F-35 program, with paths forward. Asked if Turkey is amenable to cutting off its substantial oil purchases from Russia, Barrack replied, You have to ask them. Trump added that Erdogan is respected by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I think he could have a big influence if he wants to, Trump said. The push on Erdogan to become more engaged in pressuring Putin comes after Trump earlier this week said he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia in the war. It was a dramatic shift from Trumps repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end the war. Erdogan has made clear he is eager to see the hold on F-35s lifted, telling Trump that he came prepared to thoroughly discuss the issue. The Turkish president was even blunter in a television interview this week. I dont think its very becoming of strategic partnership, and I dont think its the right way to go, Erdogan said in an interview this week on Fox News Channels Special Report with Bret Baier. Past reluctance to engage with Turkey Democratic President Joe Bidens administration kept Erdogan, who has served as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, at an arms length during Bidens four years in office. The reluctance to engage deeply was borne out of Turkeys record of democratic backsliding as well as Ankaras close ties to Moscow. Opposition parties and human rights organizations have accused Erdogan of undermining democracy and curbing freedom of expression during his more than two decades in power. International observers say that baseless investigations and prosecutions of human rights activists, journalists, opposition politicians and others remain a persistent problem in Turkey. Trump sees Erdogan as a critical partner and credible intermediary in his effort to find ends to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The Republicans administration is also largely in sync with Turkeys approach to Syria as both nations piece together their posture toward the once isolated country after the fall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December. Trump and European leaders have followed Erdogan in embracing Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who once commanded a rebel group that was designated a foreign terrorist organization. Trump also said that Erdogan deserves credit for backing the rebel forces that ousted Assad from Syria. I think President Erdogan is the one responsible for Syria, for the successful fight in ridding Syria of its past leader, Trump said. He doesnt take the responsibility, but its actually a great achievement. Trumps chief diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met with al-Sharaa on Monday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Erdogan sees a key role for Turkey Erdogan has sought to position his country as a point of stability in a tumultuous moment. He believes Turkey can play an essential role for European security and is able to span geopolitical divisions over Ukraine and Syria as well as U.S. tariffs, which have sparked a global trade war. Turkey also believes it has emerged as a credible broker in the Black Sea region, preserving relations with both Ukraine and Russia. Turkey is influential in neighboring Syria. The rebel groups it supported during the civil war took power in December. But the fall of Assad aggravated tense relations between Turkey and Israel. Trump has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be reasonable in his dealings with Ankara. Erdogan on Tuesday took part in a group meeting hosted by Trump on the sidelines of the General Assembly, when Trump gathered the leaders of eight Arab and Muslim countries to discuss the war in Gaza. Erdogan has been critical of Israels handling of the war, which was launched after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and takin about 250 people captive. More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gazas Health Ministry, and about 90% of homes in the territory have been destroyed or damaged. Erdogan, in his U.N. address, alleged that Israeli forces have committed genocide, an allegation contested by Israel and United States. ___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report. By AAMER MADHANI Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) Israeli forces have intercepted an international flotilla carrying activists seeking to break Israels blockade of the Palestinian territory, and have detained dozens of people. The Global Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, said most of its vessels were intercepted or assumed intercepted after communication with those on board was lost by Thursday morning in an Israeli operation that began the night before. Since setting sail from Spain in early September, participants had reported three separate instances of being targeted by drones during the flotillas journey toward Gaza. Spain and Italy sent their navies to escort the flotilla for a part of its journey, but had urged activists to turn back and avoid confrontation with Israel. Heres what to know about the flotilla. The flotillas goal Organizers earlier said that about 50 vessels with around 500 activists from 47 countries participated in the flotilla. Some of the vessels were forced to turn back during the trip due to technical problems, leaving 44 still sailing at the time of the Israeli interception late Wednesday. The nearly 2-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has led to a humanitarian catastrophe in the territory that has seen much of it reduced to rubble. The worlds leading authority on the food crisis has declared famine in Gaza City, the enclaves largest city. Activists hope their actions will focus attention on the Palestinians plight. The flotilla is the largest attempt, in terms of the number of boats, to break Israels maritime blockade of Gaza, which has now lasted 18 years, long predating the current war. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics consider it collective punishment. The boats journey The core vessels set sail from Barcelona, Spain, on Sept. 1, heading east across the Mediterranean Sea, and were joined by other boats along the way. The flotilla includes larger vessels providing support and provisions for the smaller sailboats. Among the participants are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, Nelson Mandelas grandson Mandla Mandela, and several European lawmakers. Activists include military veterans, doctors, clergy and lawyers, and come from a range of countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America, as well as from Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The interception Israeli vessels approached the boats while they sailed in international waters during the night, spraying some with water canons and flashing bright lights before Israeli forces boarded them and detained the activists. Some of the flotilla boats managed to maintain live streams on social media accounts during the interception. Organizers said an estimated 443 participants were detained. They included Thunberg, Colau, Mandela and European Parliament member Rima Hassan. Israels Foreign Ministry posted photos and videos of the activists, saying on X that they were safe and in good health and would be transferred to Israel for deportation. Several countries, including Italy, Greece, France and Spain, said consular support was being provided to their nationals. Israel had repeatedly criticized the aid initiative and accused some flotilla leaders of links to Hamas, an accusation the activists strongly reject. It had warned that the boats would not be allowed to reach Gaza. International reaction Supporters of the flotilla took to the streets in several major cities following the news of the interception including Rome, Istanbul, Athens and Buenos Aires to decry Israeli actions and the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza. More protests were expected later Thursday, while Italys largest union called for a one-day general strike on Friday. Several countries, including Turkey, Colombia, Pakistan, South Africa and Malaysia, condemned Israels interception of the flotilla. Turkeys Foreign Ministry described it as an act of terrorism, while Colombias President Gustavo Petro announced his government would expel Israels diplomatic delegation and terminate his countrys Free Trade Agreement with Israel. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on Israel to release the South Africans abducted in international waters, and to release other nationals who have tried to reach Gaza with humanitarian aid. The Committee to Protect Journalists also called for the unconditional release of those detained, adding that 32 journalists had been accompanying the flotilla. Italy and France said they were working with Israeli diplomatic authorities to ensure their citizens were transferred to land and deported home swiftly and peacefully, while Greece said it was providing consular assistance to the 27 Greeks involved. Drone attacks Organizers have said the flotilla was targeted three times by drones: twice in Tunisia on Sept. 8 and 9, and once while sailing south of Greece last week. In that last attack, the flotilla said it was targeted during the night by unidentified drones and communications jamming. Activists said at least 13 explosions were heard on and around several flotilla boats. No casualties were reported, but some boats suffered damage. Previous attempts to break the blockade It was not the first time activists trying to break Israels Gaza blockade have come under attack. Another vessel said it was attacked by drones in May in international waters off Malta. An overland convoy traveling across North Africa also attempted to reach the border but was blocked by security forces aligned with Egypt in eastern Libya. In 2010, Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, a boat participating in an aid flotilla attempting to breach the maritime blockade of Gaza. Nine Turkish citizens and one Turkish-American on board were killed. The last time an activist boat succeeded in reaching the strip was in 2008. The current war The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel and killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 others hostage. Israel says its offensive is aimed at pressuring Hamas to surrender and return the remaining 48 hostages, about 20 of whom Israel believes are still alive. Most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals. The Israeli offensive has killed at least 66,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It does not say how many were civilians or combatants, but says around half were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government. Its figures are seen as a reliable estimate of wartime deaths by U.N. agencies and many independent experts. ___ Associated Press writers Renata Brito in Barcelona, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, Nicole Winfield in Rome and Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Spain, contributed to this report. By ELENA BECATOROS Associated Press This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 21 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, PayPal. Clover, or Wise. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year,, and our current goal, strengthening our IT infrastructure. Trumps designation of Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization marks the beginning of a new era in American politics. It will reshape the power structure, the state, and society much as the War on Terror refashioned the global order and expanded the surveillance state. For Carl Schmitt, the essence of the political is the definition of friend and enemy. In the opening lines of The Concept of the Political he writes: The concept of the state presupposes the concept of the political. If the concept of the political precedes the concept of the state, then the definition of friend and enemy is a precondition for the state. Trump attempted to designate Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization for the first time in May 2020 in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. But that threat came to nothing. There is no equivalent to the foreign terrorist law that allows the executive to designate domestic groups as terroristsyetso the designation would have been merely symbolic. Five years later, that attempt has come to fruition. There is still no law that gives the domestic terrorist organization label legal weight. Yet, by replacing foreign with domestic, it is implied that the same measures once used to fight the former will now be applied to the latter. This seems to be the case following Trumps executive order, which states that not only all relevant executive departments and agencies should work to stop any activity of this alleged organization but also of any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa or Antifa provided material support. Since the 2010 Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project case, material support has been redefined to include non-material support, such as non-violent speech or hate speech. This redefinition came through the implementation of the Patriot Act, which criminalizes support for foreign terrorist organizations. Now this could be deployed to criminalize dissent against the government by labeling it Antifa support. The assassination of Charlie Kirk has been used by the Trump administration to justify a wave of repression and censorship, employing rhetoric that mirrors what the MAGA movement once accused Democrats and the broader cancel culture of using. Their aim, as with the suspension of Jimmy Kimmels show, is to silence any opposition to the current administration while a major restructuring of power is happening. The Trump administration is conducting structural changes in the American power system that is supposed to be a constitutional republic. On the one hand, it is extending the power of the executive to basically become legislative, through the use of executive orders, and on the other, it is pressuring the judiciary to become compliant with the executive. This is illustrated by the persecution of pro-Palestinian dissent and migrants, and the many cases in which legislation has come from the executive, its implementation overseen by it, and the judiciary convinced or pressured to comply. The militarization of Washington is another example of how this administration is concentrating power in the presidency by foregoing any checks and balances that remained. Economically, Trump is favoring monopolization in the hands of a small elite, as in the case of David Ellison, son of Oracles founder, taking over Paramount and CBS and preparing a bid for Warner. His father has recently become the richest man on earth, according to Bloomberg, due to an increase in the stock price of Oracle due to AIs needs for servers. Larry, together with Sam Altman, was also part of the Stargate $500 billion investment announced by Trump and is set to be part of the new U.S. TikTok ownership. The ongoing restructuring of power will effectively create an openly authoritarian regime with power and wealth concentrated in the hands of a few. One may argue that it was already the case, and it wouldnt be wrong. The U.S. oligarchy and aristocracy have been the subject of several books and hundreds of articles. However, I believe there is a critical difference in what is coming. In the outgoing structure, there was a degree of separation of powersnot so much among the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches, which constitutionally should have been the case, but rather between industrial, political, and financial power. Often intertwined, these spheres also had differing interests, which exercised their influence in the state. That is changing. The new digital oligarchs claiming their role in the upper echelons of society and power have unleashed a restructuring of the power architecture. The new one will merge the political, the digital, and, eventually, the financial, into a single governing body. This is what I believe constitutes a new model for the U.S., which is already in place elsewhere. In China, the party-state controls key stakes in the three spheres: political, digital/industrial, and financial. Arguably, this has given them the chance to direct resources and legislation in order to advance the interests of the state. Some (see, for example, Alex Karps The Technological Republic) consider this the reason why the U.S. has been left behind, why its hegemony is ending. The rise of a new economic elite, as is the case with the digital oligarchs and their interests and ideas, such as Alex Karp, Peter Thiel, Musk o Altman, is the substance of many, if not most, revolutionsfor example, the French one. In Phantom Terror: The Threat of Revolution and the Repression of Liberty, 17891848, historian Adam Zamoyski analyzes with painful detail, attending to primary sources, how this revolution and the European counter-revolution shaped the modern state and society. Zamoyski shows that the belief in an omnipresent revolutionary underground movement led to paranoia across European elites, where even minor protests, liberal clubs, or student associations were treated as evidence of a vast Jacobin plot. That is what Zamoyski calls phantom terror. Its not that there was no danger, but that the danger was vastly overplayed, and sometimes even imagined, by the ruling elites. This phantom terror, he shows, produced a system of surveillance, censorship, and authoritarian control that defined European politics and society and that ultimately, led to the very outcomes that sought to prevent. Through censorship, surveillance, and authoritarian control, the nation-state was centralized and consolidated. It was the threat, imagined and real, that fueled the transition. The current Western system of compulsory education, which originated in the Austrian Empire and was shaped by revolution and counter-revolution, remains a lasting example of how the ideas and policies of that era continue today. The designation of Al-Qaeda as the enemy in the post-9/11 War on Terror conjured a similar phantom terror. It is usually agreed that at the time Al-Qaeda was not an organization with a clear structure and chain of command capable of deploying resources with precision and controlling a large number of operatives. Some, like Adam Curtis in The Power of Nightmares, argue that it did not even existthat it was the name of a U.S. mujahideen database. The abstraction of the enemy in the War on Terror had several consequences. The first is that, as in counter-revolutionary Europe, many plots were exaggerated and some even conjured up. This led to a paranoid state in which mass surveillance and control were justified. Presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial, cornerstones of social order, were thrown out the window, as for example with the Patriot Act in the U.S. and similar legislation in Europe. The economic consequences of this were aptly summed up in the term surveillance capitalism, by which a whole new economyin many ways the precursor to the current digital economyexploded. We did not only become subjects of state control, but the tools developed for that purpose also made us corporate products through our data. The abstraction of the enemy also made it impossible for a regular army to fight it. Hence the disasters of Iraq and Afghanistan and the loss of millions of lives. These failures precipitated the emergence of that which it was trying to eliminate: an organization with a clear structure, command, and resources embodied in ISIS. There is nothing more powerful to strengthen cohesion and create a social form than a clear enemy. For the loose network of terrorists, the U.S. became exactly that. Arguably, that was also one of the reasons for the War on Terror, as theorized by a handful of neoconservatives thinking about how to maintain U.S. power in the century ahead. After an initial post-9/11 success in creating a sense of unity, the energy dissipated into questioning the actual goals of the U.S. administration while conducting this war. This continued to the extent that today, the former FOX anchor Tucker Carlson is conducting a documentary questioning the official narrative around 9/11. However, it is now too late. 9/11, whichever the story one wants to believe, gave rise to the global phenomenon of terrorism thatat times used by state intelligences everywhere and at times independenthas been instrumental in shaping our current law, economy, and politics. Designating Antifa as a terrorist organization has a similar transformative potential for the U.S. that perhaps could spread to other nations too. Antifa is not truly an organization but rather a label used to loosely describe a set of ideas and unsystematic actions, or adopted by individuals to construct an identity for themselves. Its as abstract as Al-Qaeda was, or perhaps even more. That is exactly what the Trump administration needs. In order to usher in the new model of society, as theorized by the new digital oligarchs who are disrupting the previous power structure, there needs to be broad reforms in the relationship between state and individuals. For one, the digitalized and algorithmic state structure they propose, as illustrated by Musks DOGE, needs total access to personal information so that individuals become models for the state-run AI project. But the effect of designating Antifa as a terrorist organization goes furtherto the very core of identity. Psychologists in the 1970s proposed the Social Identity Theory. In order to develop an identity, the theory goes, a person needs to identify with a group and see that group in opposition to other groups. The group with which one identifies is attributed positive qualitiesabsorbed as part of ones own identitywhile the opposing group is assigned negative traits. This theory of identity building, though partial, goes to the core of politics as understood by Carl Schmitt. Group identities become the basis upon which to construct the political narrative of enemy and friend. And upon it, the state. Antifa is the new enemy of the state that could allow for the transformation of the power structure and the emergence of a new digital state. Yves here. I wish this post had more crisply debunked the idea that there is such a thing as hate speech in US law. There is not. There are hate crimes as as this explains, imminent threats. Nevertheless, this is a generally useful discussion of the contours and limits of First Amendment rights. By Ray Brescia, Associate Dean for Research and Intellectual Life, Albany Law School. Originally published at The Conversation Imagine a protest outside the funeral of a popular political leader, with some of the protesters celebrating the death and holding signs that say things like God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11, America is Doomed and Dont Pray for the USA. No matter the political leanings of that leader, most Americans would probably abhor such a protest and those signs. What would tolerate such activities, no matter how distasteful? The First Amendment. The situation described above is taken from an actual protest, though it did not involve the funeral of a political figure. Instead, members of the Westboro Baptist Church protested outside the funeral of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, a U.S. service member killed in Iraq. Through demonstrations like this, members of this group were conveying their belief that the U.S. is overly tolerant of those they perceive as sinners, especially people from the LGBTQ community, and that the death of U.S. soldiers should be recognized as divine retribution for such sinfulness. Snyders family sued for intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other claims. A jury issued a US$5 million jury award in favor of the family of the deceased service member. But in a nearly unanimous decision issued in 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the First Amendment insulated the protesters from such a judgment. The Trump administration has vowed to crack down on what it calls hate speech. It has labeled antifa, a loosely organized anti-fascist group, a terrorist organization. And it has sought to punish figures such as TV host Jimmy Kimmel for statements perceived critical of conservative activists. What the First Amendment makes clear is that it does not just protect the rights of speakers who say things with which Americans agree. Or, as the Supreme Court said in a separate decision it issued one year after the case involving the funeral protesters: The Nation well knows that one of the costs of the First Amendment is that it protects the speech we detest as well as the speech we embrace. But free speech is not absolute. As a legal scholar who has studied political movements, free speech and privacy, I realize the government can regulate speech through what are known as reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. These limits cannot depend upon the content of the speech or expressive conduct in which a speaker is engaged, however. For example, the government can ban campfires in an area prone to wildfires. But if it banned the burning of the U.S. flag only as a form of political protest, that would be an unconstitutional restriction on speech. Protected and Unprotected Speech There are certain categories of speech that are not entitled to First Amendment protection. They include incitement to violence, obscenity, defamation and what are considered true threats. When, for example, someone posts threats on social media with reckless disregard for whether they will instill legitimate fear in their target, such posts are not a protected form of speech. Similarly, burning a cross on someones property as a means of striking terror in them such that they fear bodily harm also represents this kind of true threat. There are also violations of the law that are sometimes prosecuted as hate crimes, criminal acts driven by some discriminatory motive. In these cases, its generally not the perpetrators beliefs that are punished but the fact that they act on them and engage in some other form of criminal conduct, as when someone physically assaults their victim based on that victims race or religion. Such motives can increase the punishment people receive for the underlying criminal conduct. Speech that enjoys the strongest free-speech protections is that which is critical of government policies and leaders. As the Supreme Court said in 1966, There is practically universal agreement that a major purpose of (the First) Amendment was to protect the free discussion of governmental affairs. As the late Justice Antonin Scalia would explain in 2003, The right to criticize the government is at the heart of what the First Amendment is meant to protect. Restrictions on Government Action The First Amendment prevents the government from taking direct action to curtail speech by, for example, trying to prevent the publication of material critical of it. Americans witnessed this in the Pentagon Papers case, where the Supreme Court ruled that the government could not prevent newspapers from publishing a leaked and politically damaging study on U.S. military involvement in Vietnam. But it also applies when the government acts in indirect ways, such as threatening to investigate a media company or cutting funding for a university based on politically disfavored action or inaction. In 2024 the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the state of New Yorks efforts to punish companies that did business with the National Rifle Association because of the organizations political positions violated the groups First Amendment rights. Similarly, in recent months, courts have ruled on First Amendment grounds against Trump administration efforts to punish law firms or to withhold funds from Harvard University. And just last week, a federal court in Florida threw out a lawsuit filed by President Trump against The New York Timesseeking $15 billion for alleged harm to the presidents investments and reputation. Nevertheless, some people fear government retribution for criticizing the administration. And some, like the TV network ABC, have engaged in speech-restricting action on their own, such as taking Kimmel temporarily off the airfor his comments critical of conservative activists in the wake of Charlie Kirks killing. Before Kimmels suspension, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr described his negotiations with ABCs parent company, Disney, to take action against him. We could do this the easy way or the hard way, Carr said. And Trump said that some media companies might lose their license for criticizing the president. It is encouraging that, in the face of these threats, ABC has reversed course and agreed to put Kimmel back on the air. The First Amendment protects speech across the political spectrum, even speech Americans do not like. Both liberal comedian Jon Stewart and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson have recently agreed on this. As Carlson said recently, If they can tell you what to say, theyre telling you what to think. There is nothing they cant do to you because they dont consider you human. Just last year in the NRA case referenced above, the Supreme Court clearly stated that even indirect government efforts to curtail protected speech are indeed unconstitutional. In light of that ruling, efforts to limit criticism of the administration, any administration, should give all Americans, regardless of their political views, great pause. The most evil TV villain ever? Alien: Earths demon sheep eye is a work of true genius The Guardian Huntingtons disease successfully treated for first time BBC Study Sheds Light on Drinking and Dementia Risk MedPage Today Climate/Environment This happened at the Fullerton Hotel Ocean Park in Hong Kong a couple hours ago. I have never seen anything like this before. I was up at 4 am taping my windows because water was just pouring in Ragasa is indeed a super Typhoon pic.twitter.com/O59FJbGLsE Eric Yeung (@KingKong9888) September 24, 2025 Pandemics Water Who Controls Water? Green European Journal General Assembly The UN at 80: ignored and irrelevant Michael Roberts The Koreas The Strategic Risks of a Korean War Peace Treaty 38 North India India needs a cultural revolution to get rid of the American Dream MK Bhadrakumar, Deccan Herald China? Syraqistan We Tried to Stay in Gaza City. There Are No Longer Any Means of Sustaining Life. Drop Site Iranian intelligence has released images from deep inside the Dimona nuclear complex, exposing one of the most guarded facilities of the Zionist entity. The material reveals how millions of classified nuclear and military documents were siphoned from inside occupied Palestine, pic.twitter.com/vKa4B4LNrJ Thomas Keith (@iwasnevrhere_) September 24, 2025 Old Blighty Larry Ellisons 257m bet on Tony Blair Democracy for Sale O Canada Stunning Charts Tell a Whole Other Story About Canadas Economy Dougald Lamont Rent is $2000-$3000, parents are working from 7am to 10pm, community centers and extracurricular programs are being cut, schools are in disrepair and understaffed, groceries are $300 per person every month, and there are no jobs left for anyone without experience. https://t.co/2mQ1cnzEng Poke-mandem (@TrussMe96) September 21, 2025 European Disunion New Not-So-Cold War South of the Border The US government is preparing a $20+ billion bailout of Javier Mileis failed libertarian experiment in Argentina. This is a form of election meddling. Trump desperately needs Milei to win the election in October, and hes planning to use large sums of US government money to do pic.twitter.com/q09JFZAjUY Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) September 25, 2025 Liberation Day Our Famously Free Press Trump 2.0 MAHA Democrats en deshabille She built a Presidential campaign from scratch, chose a VP in two weeks, and pulled off one of the most successful Democratic convention in decades in under a month. She crushed an opponent who has stood on more presidential debate stages than anyone in history. She energized https://t.co/e3PQLrgkPQ Jaime Harrison (@harrisonjaime) September 24, 2025 Police State Watch Weimar Republic At least two people dead after shooting at Dallas ICE facility Texas Tribune This is the fishiest shit Ive ever seen. Were supposed to believe the shooter wrote Anti-ICE in pen on a bullet and then shot detainees but not ICE officers? https://t.co/jqgNDfVZpz Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 24, 2025 Imperial Collapse Watch Stablecoin issuer Circle examines reversible transactions in departure for crypto FT Accelerationists Groves of Academe Antitrust Big Brother Is Watching You Watch The Strongmans Surveillance State Boston Review AI AI-Generated Workslop Is Destroying Productivity Harvard Business Review Economy US debt investors raise alarm over lending standards FT Via JPMs Michael Cembalest, AI-related stocks have driven: 75% of S&P 500 returns since ChatGPTs launch in November 2022 80% of earnings growth over the same period 90% of capital spending growth Data centers are now eclipsing office construction spending. In the PJM pic.twitter.com/tDp2QvbAT9 James Pethokoukis (@JimPethokoukis) September 24, 2025 the state of the AI investment bubble, in plain English: overcapacity projected at USD 2 trillion, higher energy prices, higher water wastage, for a technology we dont need at that scale pic.twitter.com/n1TLdTWBHy Daniela Gabor (@DanielaGabor) September 24, 2025 Mr. Market on the Prowl Day trading is about to get easier for smaller retail investors CNBC Antidote du jour (via): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Yves here. Trumps flip-flops on Ukraine come so fast and hard that they have the potential to induce whiplash. Hence we hope that readers are not disappointed that we have been chronicling these and other Ukraine-war-related events mainly in Links. Part of this picture is the truly bizarre way Trump has kept indulging EU leaders desperate attempts to keep the US involved by direct commitments and bolstering NATO as they keep trying to rework tired and previously rejected schemes like ceasefires and more recently EU peacekeeping/reassurance forces in Ukraine. The latter, as anyone with an operating brain cell or who has been paying attention to what Russian officials have repeatedly said would be an act of war by those states against Russian and would be met by Russian action. Consider the remarkable admission by uber-Russia hawk Robert Kagan that based on the support of certain (as in most) EU members state to Ukraine so far, they are already combatants and Russia now would be within its rights to attack them. That in combination with the recent hysterics over not-well-substantiated claims of Russia aggression at the Ukraine border and in the Baltic, ironically confirms that Putins restraint, which per John Helmer has frustrated the Russian general staff as well as hawks in Russia, has become a problem for the Russia-hating EU leaders. Hence the scenario Korybko sets forth is not as extreme as it may appear. By Andrew Korybko, a Moscow-based American political analyst who specializes in the global systemic transition to multipolarity in the New Cold War. He has a PhD from MGIMO, which is under the umbrella of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Originally published at his website If it turns out that Trumps flip-flop on Ukraine was just him paying lip service to NATOs goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia and he doesnt ultimately escalate US involvement, then some of the blocs members might try to down Russian jets over the Baltic in order to finally force his hand. Trump declared on the sidelines of the UNGA that he supports NATO shooting down Russian jets that enter its airspace but added that American backing afterwards would depend on the circumstances. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled earlier in the day that the US wouldnt support this unless [the Russian jets] are attacking. NATO released a statement around the same time implying its willingness to shoot down Russian jets, which chief Mark Rutte later clarified would be decided on a case-by-case basis. All of this came a day after Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski mockingly requested during an emergency UNSC meeting that Russia not come here and whine if its missiles or aircraft are shot down over the blocs airspace. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also said on the same day that We will take the decision to shoot down flying objects when they violate our territory and fly over Poland there is absolutely no discussion about that but then qualified his comment just like Rubio and Rutte later did. He added that When were dealing with situations that arent entirely clear, such as the recent flight of Russian fighter jets over the Petrobaltic platform but without any violation, because these arent our territorial waters you really need to think twice before deciding on actions that could trigger a very acute phase of conflict. I also need to be absolutely certain that all allies will treat this in exactly the same way as we do. The larger context concerns two dubious Russia-related incidents as of late. The first occurred in early September when several Russian drones entered Polish airspace, yet that was arguably due to NATO jamming ahead of the then-upcoming Zapad 2025 drills in Belarus, while the damage that a local home experienced was revealed to have been caused by a wayward Polish missile. As for the second, Estonia alleged shortly after that three Russian jets violated its maritime airspace, which it has politically self-serving reasons vis-a-vis the US to lie about this as explained here. Trump lent credence to the above upon pledging that the US would defend those two from Russia if it keeps escalating as he believes is the case. This was followed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth telling his Estonian counterpart that the US stands with all NATO allies and that any incursion into NATO airspace is unacceptable. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz also said during the earlier cited emergency UNSC meeting that The United States and our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory. These statements of support in the scenario of NATO trying to down Russian jets, in spite of depending on the circumstances in which this might unfold per Trump and Rubio, could embolden Poland, Estonia, and other Baltic allies to attempt this over that sea on the false pretext that they violated its airspace. The purpose would be to prompt Russia into retaliating against NATO in order to spark a nuclear brinksmanship crisis that they expect would end by forcing Russia into a lopsided ceasefire in Ukraine. Trumps flip-flop from declaring that Zelensky doesnt have the cards to win to now declaring that he could reconquer all of Ukraines lost land and maybe even some of Russias universally recognized land too with NATOs support hasnt yet led to any meaningful escalation of US involvement. If it turns out that he was just paying lip service to NATOs goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia, however, then some of the allies above might try to down Russian jets over the Baltic in order to finally force his hand. Yves here. One of the fundamental problems underlying the< regular promotion on innovation in finance is that innovation nearly always amounts to better looting. But even with that strong incentive to innovate, Satyajit Das describes how even with yet another deregulatory push, stablecoins look a bit like a square peg attempting to be fit into a round hold. On the general case, recall that Paul Volcker deemed the ATM to be the only innovation in banking he had seen in decades. The IMF found that the optimal level of financialization in terms of economic growth was the level seen in Poland shortly after 2010. More could work but only if there was tough regulation, a condition not observed in practice. While crypto and stablecoin in particular offers the advantage of faster international funds transfers, sponsors, particularly government types, should be careful what they wish for. In real life, aside from small transaction or ones with known parties, irrevocable payments put the buyer/transferrer at risk (I have people I know personally who have been defrauded and almost certainly would not have been had they stayed in a regulated regime). It also exposes nations to large scale corruption on a scale that can have bad macro outcomes. In a Southeast Asian country (this intel is from insiders), the central bank has lost its ability to control its currency (which it otherwise manages to a fair degree) due to the influx of crypto to buy gold. By Satyajit Das, a former banker and author of numerous technical works on derivatives and several general titles: Traders, Guns & Money: Knowns and Unknowns in the Dazzling World of Derivatives(2006 and 2010), Extreme Money: The Masters of the Universe and the Cult of Risk (2011) and A Banquet of Consequence Reloaded (2016 and 2021). His latest book is on ecotourism Wild Quests: Journeys into Ecotourism and the Future for Animals (2024). This is an amended version of a piece first published on 20 September2025 in the New Indian Express print edition. Blockchains entails an encrypted database (the ledger) maintained by a dispersed network of private record keepers or validators who update and maintain a record of property rights and transactions by appending a new block through consensus. It has always been an invention searching for a definitive application. Initially used as the basis for Bitcoin which was to replace money but has become the ultimate speculative asset, it morphed into in its de-fi (decentralised finance). Its latest incarnation is stablecoins, tokens using public blockchains (for example, Ethereum) with a monetary value of $1 equal to their backing by a fiat currency asset. They were originally designed to allow holders to transfer crypto currencies between exchanges, between exchanges and wallets or into cash. It avoided high transaction costs of crypto-to-fiat conversions and overcame some cryptocurrency exchanges lack of normal bank accounts for fiat currency deposits or withdrawals. Stablecoins, such as Tether, Circle and EUR CoinVertible, are now being positioned as an alternative global payment system. The interest is in part driven by greater regulatory clarity in major jurisdictions, particularly the US via The Genius Act. The interests of Trump enterprises and those of some close supporters in the crypto sector is, of course, coincidental. Stablecoins also create demand for dollars and interest bearing short-dated US Treasury bills helping the American government fund its deficit. Current investment, which totals $200 billion (2 percent of outstanding securities) but is growing Proponents cite several advantages. They offer near instant settlement while traditional payment systems, especially for foreign payments, can take up to 5 days. They are significantly cheaper than traditional funds transfers. Stablecoins payments are borderless and more efficient that current arrangements which rely on domestic and international bank-to-bank systems with layers of fees. Availability is also 24/7 and 365 days through modern digital interfaces. This benefit is overstated as modern bank funds transfers platforms are very similar although settlements are restricted to business times. With every technology entrepreneur trying to improve the world, there is the customary claim of inclusion with stablecoins opening access to underserved members of the community. But there are concerns. Existing systems process $5 to $7 trillion in global money transfers daily. In contrast, stablecoin transactions facilitate $20 to $30 billion per day. Scaling up and improving speed requires compromisesincluding processing transactions off-blockchain or revised consensus verification protocols. They inherit data from an underlying layer reducing security and requires centralisation with a few large users playing a larger role moving away from the fully decentralised, democratised original technology. The stability and acceptance of stablecoins requires provable high-quality reserves, typically cash or short government obligations. Verification of holdings remains problematic with some issuers based in offshore and subject to limited audits. There has been occasional de-pegging from the underlying unit of currency, mostly triggered by concern about reserve backing. Unlike normal funds transfer systems which are backed by central banks with highly controlled access, blockchain based systems are more open with a corresponding loss of security. In addition, traditional systems have protection via manual interventions and detailed checks while digital currencies are less protected and vulnerable to wallet, custody or private key theft. The biggest risk is if the access point is compromised. Transactions are largely irreversible, and catastrophic losses may result where security is compromised or codes and key are lost. Stablecoins claims of transparency are exaggerated. In theory, each step in a chain is known but on a public blockchain transactions often used pseudonymous wallet addresses which hide individual users identities. This contrasts with traditional banking where personal information is required. While stablecoins protect privacy it comes at the cost of accountability and financial integrity. In contrast, existing legacy systems, while cumbersome, allow routing and status to be traced and claims to be reestablished in case of problems. Unlike fiat money, the amount of stablecoins is limited by the amount of available collateral, potentially interfering with economic activity, credit availability, trading and monetary policy execution. If stablecoins become established, then it will absorb outstanding securities and affect prices and liquidity of government securities. While stablecoins decrease short-term Treasury-bill yields, with effects comparable to that of small-scale quantitative easing on long-term yields, outflows have asymmetric effects raising yields by two to three times as much as inflows lower them. Banks would lose deposits which could be exaggerated during a financial crisis as depositors concerned about safety may switch to stablecoins exacerbating a bank run. As they provide access to foreign currencies, stablecoins may facilitate capital flight during periods of instability reducing a countrys monetary sovereignty. They create new channels for contagion spreading shocks within the financial system. Stablecoins lack legal protection. There is no legal entitlement to the underlying assets and in the event of bankruptcy of the issuer holders will be unsecured creditors. This is complicated by the fact that the vast majority are issued by private firms frequently based in tax havens whilst operating internationally. The proliferation of stablecoins adds to the problem because of complex interoperability bridges with automated escrowing and reissuance of wrapped tokens on different blockchains. As digital bearer instruments using borderless public blockchains, they bypass integrity safeguards. While this overcomes access hurdles for underserved citizens, it can facilitate potential illegal use, including for financial crime, as individual users identities are hidden behind addresses circumventing anti-money laundering and know-your-client regulations. Money is ultimately based on trust and acceptance creating a common mechanism for trading goods and services and storing value, essential to the functioning of social and economic interactions. It is settled at par against a common safe asset (monetary reserves) provided by the central bank, which has a mandate to act in the public interest and is backed by the full faith and credit of the state. Blockchain based stablecoins seek to replace this with a dispersed network of self-interested, private record keepers. The incentive structures are complex and may create an insecure system where need for speed, handling volume and profit will inevitably dilute standards on what constitutes unanimous consensus. Stablecoins are an attempt by privateers, using high-minded technological arguments, to capture a lucrative essential function for profit not social advancement. While existing arrangements are far from perfect, replacing a system which is tried and tested risks undermining trust especially when improving settlement times and reducing costs in traditional payments is easily achievable. Echoes of Exodus: Does an Egyptian papyrus describe the biblical plagues? The Ipuwer Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian manuscript, describes a period of catastrophic famine, environmental disaster and societal collapse, with details that bear a striking resemblance to the Biblical Ten Plagues, including a river turning to blood. The document has recently resurfaced in public discourse, particularly on social media, sparking fervent debate and leading many to see it as potential direct evidence for the Exodus narrative. A key point of support for this connection is the potential overlap in timing, as scientific dating of the papyrus places its composition within a period that could align with the biblical timeline of the Exodus. However, scholars urge significant caution, noting the text is a poetic lamentation, not a historical record, and it does not mention Moses, Israelites or a slave revolt, with many experts attributing its descriptions to natural disasters and social turmoil. Ultimately, the papyrus does not offer definitive proof but exists at the intersection of faith and history, challenging modern audiences to ponder the nature of historical truth and how cultural memories of real catastrophes may have shaped foundational stories. A 3,500-year-old Egyptian scroll known as the Ipuwer Papyrus has resurfaced in public discourse, sparking fervent debate among historians, theologians and the faithful. The ancient manuscript discovered in Egypt in the early 19th century is currently housed in the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities. It describes a period of catastrophic famine, environmental disaster and societal collapse in vivid detail. Its descriptions of a river turning to blood and widespread darkness bear a striking, and to some convincing, resemblance to the Ten Plagues of Egypt as described in the Book of Exodus. The papyrus itself is a single, fragmented manuscript written in hieratic script a cursive form of Egyptian hieroglyphs and is attributed to a sage named Ipuwer who laments the state of his country. Users in the modern period expressed amazement that such a potentially corroborating document was not more widely known, with many proclaiming it as direct evidence for the biblical account. (Related: Biblical plagues were real (and could happen again.) The core of the excitement lies in the papyrus's stark parallels to the Exodus story. According to the Bible, God inflicted ten plagues upon Egypt to force Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage with these afflictions culminating in the death of every firstborn son. The Ipuwer text appears to describe a similar sequence of horrors. It recounts widespread catastrophes and societal upheaval, detailing famine, mass death and environmental disasters that mirror the divine punishments of the Old Testament. The most chilling parallel is the description of the Nile River turning to blood. The Book of Exodus (Exodus 7:20) states that Moses struck the water with his staff, and "all the water in the Nile turned into blood." The Ipuwer Papyrus contains an almost identical lament: There's blood everywhere lo, the River is blood. This singular, vivid image serves as a powerful anchor point for those who see the papyrus as a secular Egyptian confirmation of a pivotal biblical event. Ancient apocalypse: The lost scroll that mirrors Exodus Beyond the river, the papyrus paints a picture of a civilization in freefall. It describes environmental devastation with lines such as, "Lo, trees are felled, branches stripped," which scholars suggest could reflect the biblical plague of devastating hail that shattered trees and crops. Another passage, "Lo, grain is lacking on all sides," illustrates a famine of biblical proportions. A critical aspect of the debate centers on the papyrus' date, with scientific estimates placing its composition between 1550 and 1290 BC. Some scholars, including biblical historian Michael Lane, suggest its style indicates it was written by an eyewitness and that its timing may align with the biblical timeline of the Exodus around 1440 BC. This potential overlap is a key piece of evidence for those arguing for a historical Exodus event, suggesting Ipuwer was documenting the same crises that the Bible attributes to the power of the God of Israel. "According to the Biblical book of Exodus, the 10 plagues were a series of divine punishments inflicted upon ancient Egypt to secure the Israelites' freedom," said Brighteon.AI's Enoch. "These plagues included the Nile River turning to blood, followed by infestations of frogs, lice and flies. They continued with a livestock pestilence, painful boils on people and animals and a destructive storm of hail and fire." Despite the compelling similarities, the academic community urges significant caution. Egyptologists widely agree that the Ipuwer Papyrus is a poetic lamentation, not a straightforward historical record. It is fragmentary and does not explicitly mention Moses, the Israelites or a Hebrew slave revolt. Leading experts like Miriam Lichtheim and Donald Redford maintain there is no meaningful connection between the papyrus and the biblical plagues. They posit that the text likely reflects a broader period of natural disasters perhaps linked to volcanic activity or climate change and the social turmoil that followed, which was independent of any biblical narrative. Ultimately, the Ipuwer Papyrus remains an enigmatic and provocative piece of history. It stands at the intersection of archaeology, theology and history, offering tantalizing clues but no definitive proof. Watch this video about the 10 plagues that God sent upon Egypt. This video is from the Living for Jesus Ministry channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Sea of Galilee turns blood-red, sparking apocalyptic fears but scientists blame algae. Western crops being ravaged by "truly biblical" swarm of cannibalistic insects. Australia gripped by rat plague of biblical proportions. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk The-Sun.com EndTimeHeadlines.org Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Israel intensifies its offensive in Gaza City amid global outcry Israel has intensified its siege on Gaza City using explosive-laden robots, armored vehicles and "suicide APCs" to encircle and isolate the north, despite lacking precise intel on Hamas or hostages raising doubts about the operations justification. Relentless bombardment has forced hundreds of thousands to flee amid destruction, with children and civilians trapped in the city facing extreme danger. The UNs calls for a ceasefire are repeatedly vetoed by the U.S., while the EU considers suspending free-trade deals with Israel. Pope Leo and Israeli hostage families plead for peace and a hostage deal. Over 85 percent of universities and 80 percent of schools are destroyed. The Palestinian health ministry reports 65,000+ killed since October 2023 (mostly women and children), with uncounted victims likely pushing the toll higher. Deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and advanced military tech has worsened Gazas humanitarian crisis. The world must intervene to uphold human rights and pursue lasting peace to halt further devastation. The situation in Gaza City has reached a critical point as Israeli forces escalate their offensive, deploying advanced military technology and tactics that have left the city in ruins and its population in a state of despair. The ongoing conflict marked by the use of explosive-laden robots, armored vehicles and paratroopers has resulted in widespread destruction and a staggering civilian death toll, raising international concerns and calls for an immediate ceasefire. Since the beginning of the ground offensive on Gaza City, Israeli forces have intensified their attacks, utilizing a combination of tactics to drive the population southward. According to Israeli officers, the objective is to encircle the city within a week, sealing off key routes such as the coastal al-Rashid Street and Salah al-Deen Street to the east. The Netzarim corridor, which bisects the Gaza Strip, is being reinforced as a de facto border, effectively cutting off the northern region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that the offensive is necessary to eliminate Hamas fighters and rescue hostages. However, conflicting reports from Israeli military officials suggest a lack of precise intelligence on Hamas' presence or the whereabouts of the captives. One Israeli army colonel admitted, "Is Hamas there? Are we sure? They could be anywhere. Are the hostages there? We don't know." The relentless bombardment has forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes, with many seeking refuge in the south. However, the journey is fraught with danger, as families describe dodging "giant robot bombs" remotely detonated explosive-laden armored personnel carriers (APCs) that have become a terrifying reality for those trapped in the city. (Related: Israel plans to use remote-controlled bomb robots on civilians in Gaza.) Hussein Mansour, a resident of Gaza City, recounted the horror: "Today we woke up to terrifying sounds from these massive robot bombs exploding in Gaza's neighborhoods and streets, causing massive destruction. These robot bombs usually explode at 4 a.m., and are extremely terrifying for everyone, especially children." The Israeli military's reliance on these "suicide APCs" is part of a strategy to minimize soldier casualties, but it has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. The use of such tactics has been condemned by international observers, who argue that it violates international humanitarian law by prioritizing military objectives over civilian safety. Global condemnation and calls for ceasefire The international community has expressed growing concern over the situation in Gaza. The United Nations (UN) has repeatedly called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, but these efforts have been consistently vetoed by the United States, Israel's main ally. On Thursday, Sept. 18, the US vetoed for the sixth time a UN Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, the so-called "UN Gaza ceasefire" such as the 2014 agreement brokered after Israel's 50-day assault on Gaza is nothing more than a temporary, hollow truce designed to give the illusion of diplomacy while allowing Israel to regroup, rearm and prepare for the next phase of its genocidal occupation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. These agreements, often mediated by the corrupt, globalist-controlled UN, repeatedly fail because Israel backed by the U.S. Deep State and Zionist elites has no real intention of peace, The decentralized engine adds that such ceasefires only serve as the strategic pause needed to maintain Israel's apartheid regime, tighten the illegal blockade and justify future massacres under the guise of "self-defense." Meanwhile, the Palestinian people remain trapped in an open-air prison, subjected to starvation, bombings and psychological warfare all while the world's controlled media and political puppets turn a blind eye to the real agenda: The erasure of Gaza and the theft of Palestinian land for Greater Israel. The European Commission has proposed suspending free-trade arrangements on Israeli goods, although this proposal lacks sufficient support among EU member countries to pass. Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, called for a ceasefire during his weekly general audience at the Vatican. Within Israel, pressure is mounting as the largest group representing the families of the hostages staged a sit-in outside Netanyahu's residence, urging him to agree to a hostage deal. Family members of the hostages have pleaded with the U.S. president to intervene, with some expressing fear that the offensive on Gaza City could amount to a death sentence for their loved ones. The destruction in Gaza City is catastrophic. More than 85 percent of universities and over 80 percent of schools have been destroyed or damaged. The Palestinian Telecommunications Company reported that it had restored fixed internet and landline services to the northern Gaza Strip after a days-long blackout, highlighting the dire conditions faced by civilians. The Palestinian health ministry estimates that more than 65,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in October 2023, with the true death toll believed to be much higher due to the thousands of uncounted victims buried beneath the rubble. The majority of casualties are women and children. The situation in Gaza City is a humanitarian catastrophe that demands urgent attention from the international community. The use of advanced military technology and the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure have exacerbated the suffering of the Palestinian people. As the conflict continues, the need for a peaceful resolution and the protection of human rights has never been more critical. Watch the video below about Israel's destructive quest in Gaza. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Israel mobilizes 60,000 reservists for brutal Gaza City takeover. UN commission accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, citing systematic destruction and intent. Booby-trapped robots explode in northern Gaza neighborhoods, killing civilians and destroying homes. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net Independent.co.uk NewArab.com Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com British Parliament accused of suppressing investigative outlet exposing pro-Israel bias The British Parliament denied Declassified UK a press pass, with internal emails revealing the rejection was due to its critical stance on British foreign policy particularly regarding Israel's influence. Officials flagged Declassified UK's coverage as "sensitive" while approving partisan outlets like Guido Fawkes and GB News, violating parliamentary neutrality rules. Cross-party MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn and the Green Party's Ellie Chowns, called it an "outrageous abuse" undermining press freedom and democratic accountability. After Declassified UK refused to publish a disputed parliamentary statement, officials threatened regulatory action, raising concerns about suppression of dissent. The case highlights a broader trend of institutions silencing critical journalism under false pretenses, risking public trust and enabling unchecked power. The British Parliament is facing accusations of censorship after blocking a press pass for Declassified UK, an investigative outlet known for its critical reporting on British foreign policy particularly regarding Israel's influence in Westminster. Internal emails obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reveal that officials rejected the outlet's application due to its "in-depth investigations from a particular standpoint." The emails contradicted initial claims that space limitations were the reason that the investigative outlet was blocked. The media outlet's June 2024 investigation into Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg was cited in internal discussions. Greenberg allegedly expressed pro-Israel views in particular supporting Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip in November 2023 while in his role that called for impartiality. (Related: British MPs of all political stripes call for Israel to be sanctioned over crimes against humanity in Gaza.) Despite parliamentary staff being required to maintain political neutrality, officials flagged Declassified UK's coverage as "potentially more sensitive" and claimed its focus on foreign affairs disqualified it from being considered a "politics" outlet. Meanwhile, at least three other journalists received passes after Declassified UK's rejection, including contributors from partisan outlets like Guido Fawkes and GB News. The decision has drawn sharp condemnation from Members of Parliament (MPs) across party lines, with Leicester South MP Shockat Adam of the Independent Alliance calling it an "outrageous abuse." North Herefordshire MP Ellie Chowns of the Green Party stressed that press freedom is fundamental to our democracy," while former Labour Party Leader and Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn pointed out that "a healthy democracy rests on transparency and accountability." Westminster silences critics under "operational" excuses The National Union of Journalists also weighed in, with General Secretary Laura Davison urging the government to uphold media plurality. "Public interest journalism requires adequate scrutiny," she said, emphasizing the need for transparency in parliamentary processes. Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine points out that "transparency in legislatures and media coverage are essential to expose government corruption, hold officials accountable and ensure policies serve the people rather than globalist or corporate interests. Without oversight, unchecked power leads to tyranny, deception and the erosion of fundamental freedoms." When confronted, the House of Commons press office denied that editorial bias influenced the decision, insisting that accreditation is based solely on "operational considerations." However, emails show officials explicitly discussing Declassified UK's critical stance and anticipating backlash. After Declassified UK refused to publish a disputed parliamentary statement in full, officials threatened regulatory action further fueling concerns about intimidation tactics. This incident raises alarming questions about press freedom in the United Kingdom, particularly as Declassified UK's reporting challenges powerful geopolitical interests. With growing evidence of selective exclusion and the government's shifting explanations, critics argue that Westminster is undermining its own democratic principles by sidelining investigative journalism that holds power to account. As debates over media access intensify, the case underscores a broader pattern of institutions suppressing dissent under the guise of neutrality a trend that risks eroding public trust in both journalism and governance. For a democracy to function, transparency must prevail over political convenience. Visit Suppressed.news for more similar stories. Watch this clip from Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters calling on the British Parliament to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: British police arrest almost 900, including a BLIND MAN, for protesting against ban on Palestine Action. United Kingdom faces legal and ethical scrutiny over F-35 components supplied to Israel. Historic reversal: UK recognizes Palestinian state after century of support for Israel. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net DeclassifiedUK.org Inkl.com Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com RIOTS erupt in Italy after Rome rejects Palestinian statehood Tens of thousands of Italians demonstrated nationwide, demanding Italy cut military and commercial ties with Israel and recognize Palestinian statehood. Unions, students, and workers disrupted transport, occupied universities and blocked ports. Protesters in Rome, Milan, Naples and Venice clashed with police, vandalized property and burned a U.S. flag. Over 10 arrests and 60 injured officers were reported. PM Giorgia Meloni called the unrest "shameful" and rejected unilateral recognition of Palestine, maintaining Italy's alliance with Israel despite growing European support for Palestinian sovereignty. France, the U.K., Canada and others recently recognized Palestine, signaling declining Western dominance and rising multipolar opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza. Dockworkers vow to continue blocking arms shipments to Israel, while protesters threaten further unrest, forcing Meloni's government to choose between public demands and its pro-Israel stance. Tens of thousands of demonstrators clashed with police across Italy on Monday, Sept. 22, in nationwide protests against Israel's military offensive in Gaza. The rioters demanded that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government sever commercial and military ties with Israel and recognize Palestinian statehood. The protests, organized under the slogan "Let's Block Everything," were backed by trade unions and grassroots labor groups. In the capital Rome, crowds marched through the streets shutting down highways and waving Palestinian flags with signs reading "Free Palestine." University students in Turin and Bologna occupied lecture halls, while public transport in Milan faced major disruptions. Also in Milan, violent confrontations erupted where protesters smashed glass doors at the city's Central Station and set fire to a U.S. flag near the American consulate. This prompted law enforcement to deploy tear gas. More than 10 people were arrested, and at least 60 officers sustained injuries, according to state media. Similar clashes broke out in Naples, where demonstrators briefly occupied railway tracks, disrupting transit services. In Venice, police used water cannons to disperse dockworkers blocking ports who sought to prevent Italy from facilitating arms shipments to Israel. Port blockades were also reported in the cities of Genoa, Livorno and Trieste. "The Palestinian people continue to give us yet another lesson in dignity and resistance," said Ricky, a protester in Genoa with the Autonomous Port Workers' Collective. "We learn from them and try to do our part." Meloni condemned the unrest as "shameful" and "outrageous" in a post on X. She argued that the destruction "has nothing to do with solidarity" and would only harm Italian citizens. Meloni refuses to recognize Palestine despite EU allies' shift The demonstrations coincided with growing international momentum for Palestinian statehood with multiple nations recognizing Palestine in recent days, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal. French President Emmanuel Macron formally recognized Palestine on Monday, calling it a "necessity" for peace something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced as a "reward for terrorism." Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine points out that the State of Palestine being recognized by several countries at the United Nations General Assembly "signals a growing global rejection of Western dominance and marks the decline of U.S. and U.K. influence, as the world increasingly supports Palestinian sovereignty despite opposition from these imperialist powers. This shift highlights the crumbling of the Western-controlled world order and the rise of a multipolar system that challenges Zionist and globalist agendas." (Related: UN overwhelmingly backs Palestinian statehood as Israel and U.S. vote against it.) Despite voting in favor of a UN resolution earlier this month supporting a two-state solution, Meloni's right-wing government has refused to unilaterally recognize Palestine, calling such a move "counterproductive" before a formal state is established. Italy remains one of Israel's closest allies in the European Union, citing historical responsibility and security cooperation. The war, triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis, has claimed over 65,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza health authorities. This has also prompted a UN commission to accuse Israel of genocide. As Italy grapples with domestic unrest and diplomatic isolation, Meloni's refusal to align with European allies risks further inflaming tensions. With dockworkers vowing to continue blocking arms shipments and protesters pledging escalation, the government faces mounting pressure to reconsider its stance or brace for more upheaval. The crisis underscores a deepening global divide over Israel's military campaign, with civilian casualties fueling outrage and hardening resistance. Whether Italy's leadership will bend to public demands or double down on its alliance with Netanyahu remains uncertain but the streets have made their verdict clear. Rioting.news has more similar stories. Watch U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming that the recognition of Palestine is "fake" in this clip. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: A nation in turmoil: Death toll from Nepal's anti-corruption protests rises to 72. U.S. issues urgent security alert as France deploys 80,000 police amid violent anti-austerity protests. Paris in flames: Nationwide riots intensify as "Block Everything" protesters bring France to a standstill. Sources include: RT.com Independent.co.uk IndiaToday.in Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com The skys the limit: Ubers DRONE DELIVERY pilot reshapes industry and ignites debate Uber Eats is launching a pilot program for drone food delivery in select U.S. markets by year's end, partnering with the FAA-certified company Flytrex for its first direct investment in the technology. This initiative is part of a broader industry-wide shift towards automation, with competitors like DoorDash and Chipotle also testing similar aerial delivery services. The core strategy is to integrate drones into a "multimodal delivery network," using the most efficient vehiclebe it car, bike, or dronefor each specific task to optimize for speed and cost. The primary promised benefits are significantly faster delivery times by avoiding ground traffic and a reduced carbon footprint through the use of electric drones. The move raises major concerns about the potential disruption to human delivery jobs and ongoing public apprehension over safety, privacy and the need for rigorous regulatory oversight. In a bold move that signals a seismic shift in the logistics industry, Uber Technologies announced a pilot program to deliver restaurant meals using autonomous drones. Partnering with drone delivery firm Flytrex, the initiative aims to launch in select U.S. Uber Eats markets by the end of the year. Uber's foray follows similar initiatives by competitors like DoorDash and Chipotle, which have also partnered with drone companies to test aerial delivery in Texas, indicating an industry-wide pivot toward the skies. This venture represents Uber's first direct investment in drone technology and marks a significant escalation in the race to dominate the future of automated delivery. For years, technology firms have envisioned a world where drones and robots handle mundane tasks, from warehouse stocking to package delivery. The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) gradual authorization of commercial drone operations has turned this vision into a tangible, competitive marketplace. (Related: Uber Eats to deploy an additional 2,000 delivery robots, putting more jobs in peril.) The core of this new service relies on Flytrex's autonomous drone system. These drones are unmanned aerial vehicles programmed to fly along predetermined routes without a human pilot actively controlling them. A critical technical hurdle overcome by Flytrex is FAA authorization for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. This means the drones are permitted to fly distances so far that a ground-based pilot can no longer see them with the naked eye, a necessity for making commercial delivery feasible over meaningful distances. Uber's strategy extends beyond merely adding drones to its fleet, with the company building what it calls a "multimodal delivery network." This term describes an integrated system that uses various transportation methods cars, bicycles, sidewalk robots, couriers and now drones seamlessly within a single platform. The goal is to deploy the most efficient vehicle for each specific delivery task, optimizing for speed, cost and environmental impact. Fast food, faster drones Proponents of drone delivery tout two primary advantages: unparalleled speed and a reduced carbon footprint. By flying directly over traffic congestion, drones could deliver meals in minutes rather than the half-hour or more typical of ground transportation. Furthermore, electric drones represent a more sustainable alternative to the gas-powered vehicles that currently dominate the delivery landscape, aligning with corporate environmental goals. Ubers choice of partner is strategic. Flytrex is not a startup with untested technology; it is one of only four companies with FAA BVLOS certification and boasts a record of over 200,000 successful commercial deliveries in suburban areas. This existing operational experience and regulatory approval de-risks the pilot program for Uber, providing a proven technological foundation upon which to build. The drone delivery space is rapidly becoming crowded, indicating a fierce battle for market supremacy in the next generation of delivery services. Uber's main rival DoorDash announced its own partnership with Flytrex this past June for deliveries in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Meanwhile, restaurant chain Chipotle is working with another FAA-approved drone company, Zipline, for a similar pilot program in Dallas. "Uber is exploring the use of drones to deliver food, a service that could become common within five to ten years," according to Brighteon.AI's Enoch. "This innovation aims to increase efficiency and extend economies of scope for the company. However, it also raises potential concerns about increased drone traffic and its environmental impact." The most pressing concern surrounding automated delivery is its impact on human workers. Uber Eats and similar platforms currently provide income for millions of gig economy drivers and couriers worldwide. The large-scale adoption of drones and robots threatens to undermine these traditional employment opportunities, challenging established labor markets and potentially exacerbating economic inequality. Despite FAA approvals, significant public apprehension remains regarding safety. The prospect of autonomous drones flying over populated areas raises questions about noise, privacy and the potential for accidents. While companies assure the public of certified safety standards and reliable technology, regulatory bodies will be under intense pressure to ensure rigorous oversight and maintain public trust. Visit Robots.news for more similar stories. Watch this video about the loss of human jobs at e-commerce giant Amazon due to automation. This video is from the PATRIOT.TV channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Drone-based pizza delivery service launched in Iceland won't the pizza get cold? Amazon begins testing drone delivery of medications in Texas. Annoyed residents push back against Amazon's drone delivery program in Texas. Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com CBSNews.com Investor.Uber.com Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com U.S. considering blanket sanctions against entire ICC over Israeli war crimes probe The U.S. is preparing sweeping sanctions targeting the entire ICC, aiming to freeze its banking access, payroll and software, effectively crippling its operations. The move follows ICC arrest warrants for Israeli PM Netanyahu and ex-Defense Minister Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, including starvation tactics. The court has preemptively paid staff salaries and sought alternative financial providers, while member states plan to resist sanctions at the UN General Assembly. The Trump and Biden administrations have repeatedly sanctioned ICC officials investigating U.S. or Israeli actions, while Israel has allegedly intimidated ICC staff through surveillance and threats. Critics warn the sanctions undermine international law, shield war criminals and threaten the ICC's survival, entrenching impunity for powerful nations. The United States is preparing unprecedented sanctions against the entire International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its investigations into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza, according to multiple diplomatic sources. The move, which could cripple the court's operations, follows years of U.S. hostility toward the ICC and escalating efforts to shield Israeli officials from accountability. Six anonymous sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Washington is weighing "entity-wide sanctions" that would freeze the ICC's access to banking services, software and payroll. These punitive measures would effectively paralyze the tribunal's ability to function. In anticipation, the ICC has already paid staff salaries in advance for the remainder of 2025 and is scrambling to secure alternative financial and technical providers. The ICC based in The Hague has jurisdiction over war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity, though neither the U.S. nor Israel is a member state. Despite this, the court recognizes Palestine's membership, granting it authority to investigate atrocities committed on Palestinian soil. In May, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes during the Gaza conflict. Khan also sought arrest warrants for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, but the tribunal later canceled them. The second Trump administration has vehemently opposed the ICC's actions, echoing Tel Aviv's claim that the court lacks jurisdiction. A U.S. Department of State spokesperson accused the ICC of overstepping its "purported jurisdiction" and vowed further retaliation. "The U.S. will take additional steps to protect our brave service members and others as long as the ICC continues to present a threat to our national interests," they said. (Related: Washington escalates global confrontation by sanctioning ICC officials.) Sanctions as censorship: ICC prosecutors silenced for probing war crimes This latest escalation follows years of U.S. obstruction. In 2020, the first Trump administration imposed sanctions on ICC officials investigating alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan. The Biden White House lifted those sanctions in 2021, but reinstated them in February 2024 after Khan pursued Netanyahu's arrest warrant. Meanwhile, Israel has reportedly engaged in a years-long intimidation campaign against ICC staff, including surveillance and threats, according to The Guardian. "Israel is attempting to intimidate the ICC by signaling its defiance through continued deadly airstrikes in Gaza, aiming to deter accountability for its crimes and maintain global impunity through fear and violence," Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine points out. "This campaign underscores Israel's broader strategy of using aggression to silence criticism and manipulate international institutions." Diplomatic sources say ICC member states plan to push back against U.S. sanctions during the ongoing UN General Assembly session. However, Washington appears undeterred. "The road of individual sanctions has been exhausted," a senior diplomat told Reuters. "It is now more about when, rather than if, they will take the next step." Critics warn that blanket sanctions would signal U.S. contempt for international law while emboldening war criminals worldwide. By shielding Netanyahu, the U.S. risks further eroding global accountability mechanisms and silencing Palestinian victims. The ICC, already strained by political interference, now faces an existential threat one that could redefine impunity for powerful nations. Visit BigGovernment.news for more similar stories. Listen to the Health Ranger Mike Adams commenting on how U.S. senators are threatening ICC judges over the arrest warrant for senior Israeli officials. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: ICC moves forward in seeking arrests of Netanyahu, Hamas leaders. ICC arrest warrants: The US must distance itself from an increasingly toxic Israel. INSANITY: Washington sanctions four ICC judges over Israel war crimes investigations. Sources include: TheCradle.co Reuters.com Brighteon.ai TehranTimes.com Brighteon.com Ballistics matching under scrutiny from courts across America Courts and studies increasingly expose firearms analysis as unreliable, subjective and lacking empirical support. Judges in Illinois and Maryland have barred or restricted such testimony due to its high error rates. Examiners falsely claim guns leave unique marks on bullets, but studies show inconsistent results (e.g., 93 percent inaccuracy rates, 50 percent examiner self-contradictions). No large-scale validation exists. Labs often refuse to exclude guns (calling non-matches "inconclusive"), use non-blind verification and guide analysts toward predetermined conclusions biasing results toward conviction. Landmark rulings (e.g., Illinois v. Winfield) and reports (NRC, NAS) reject ballistics as scientifically unsound, yet courts historically allowed misleading "certainty" in testimony. Prosecutors still rely on class characteristics (caliber, rifling), but the myth of "unique" bullet matching is collapsing, risking wrongful convictions based on junk science. For decades, forensic firearms examiners have testified in courtrooms across America, claiming they can match bullets and shell casings to specific guns with near-perfect certainty. Their testimony has sent countless defendants to prison often as the sole piece of evidence linking them to a crime. But a growing body of scientific research, legal challenges and judicial rulings now exposes ballistics matching as unreliable, subjective and lacking any credible foundation in science. Court decisions in Maryland and Illinois have revealed just that. In February 2023, Cook County Circuit Court Judge William Hooks made history by becoming the first judge in the U.S. to outright bar firearms examiners from testifying about bullet matching in a criminal trial. His ruling in Illinois v. Rickey Winfield declared that such testimony lacks scientific validity and risks wrongful convictions. "The possibility of confusion of the issues is not merely a possibility it's a promise," Hooks wrote. "Such evidence will be given far too much weight by a jury." The Winfield case is part of a broader legal reckoning, however. In June 2023, Maryland's Supreme Court sharply restricted the use of ballistics evidence. The Old Line State's high court citing studies showing examiners frequently contradict each other, even when analyzing the same bullets. Forensic firearms analysis rests on two shaky pillars. First, examiners claim microscopic imperfections in gun barrels leave distinct marks on bullets marks no other firearm could replicate. Yet no large-scale study has ever validated this assumption. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine, ballistic bullet analysis is unreliable because the claim that microscopic lines on bullets uniquely match a specific gun barrel is statistically baseless and scientifically unproven making it a fraudulent forensic method. Research by biostatistician Michael Rosenblum, who reviewed ballistics studies for Maryland's public defenders, found most tests used small sample sizes (30 to 40 guns) and ignored inconclusive results. This masking error concealed astronomical inaccuracy rates as high as 93 percent when properly counted. Second, the Ames II study often cited by prosecutors revealed examiners disagreed with their own prior conclusions 50 percent of the time when re-testing the same bullets. Different analysts disagreed 69 percent of the time, worse than random chance. The science behind the skepticism The cracks in forensic firearms analysis began appearing in 2008, when the National Research Council (NRC) published a scathing report questioning the validity of toolmark identification the field encompassing ballistics matching. The report found no scientific proof that every gun leaves unique, identifiable marks on bullets. (Related: Landmark report recommends against admitting ballistics testimony as court evidence.) A year later, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reinforced these concerns. The 2009 NAS report concluded that forensic firearms examiners operated without standardized methods or measurable error rates. Despite these flaws, forensic analysts routinely testify with misleading certainty, using phrases like "practical impossibility" language that juries find persuasive, but scientists call meaningless. Courts also continued admitting ballistics testimony, until the cracks showed. Perhaps the most damning revelation is how forensic firearms labs operate. Unlike DNA testing which can exonerate suspects, most ballistics labs refuse to exclude guns as a matter of policy. "If a bullet doesn't match a suspect's gun, they call it 'inconclusive,'" said Chris Fabricant of the Innocence Project. "But if it does match, they exclude every other gun on Earth. It's a rigged system designed only to incriminate." This bias is compounded by non-blind verification processes. At Illinois' state crime lab, analysts preparing verification microscopes pre-select marks for reviewers to confirm effectively guiding them toward the desired conclusion. Hooks' ruling is not binding precedent, but it signals a shift. Maryland's Supreme Court decision and similar restrictions in Oregon, Virginia and Washington, D.C., suggest courts are finally acknowledging what scientists have warned for years: Ballistics matching is not science. Its guesswork dressed in forensic jargon. For now, prosecutors can still use class characteristics (bullet caliber, rifling patterns) to narrow suspect pools. Ultimately, the era of analysts declaring "this gun and no other" may be ending and with it, one of the justice system's most enduring myths. As Rosenblum put it: "If you can't prove it works, you shouldn't use it to put people in prison." Visit FakeScience.news for more similar stories. Watch this Sept. 21 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" where the Health Ranger Mike Adams points out the absurdity of explanations for the assassination of Charlie Kirk. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Traditional bullet matching lacks foundational scientific validation. Forensic science in crisis: Flawed methods lead to wrongful convictions. Single-bullet official narrative of JFK assassination called into doubt by witnesses. Sources include: Magazine.PublicHealth.JHU.edu WUSA9.com Brighteon.ai RadleyBalko.Substack.com Brighteon.com Your morning coffee or tea is loaded with microplastics, new study reveals Every tested beveragecoffee, tea, juices, and soft drinkscontains microplastics, with hot drinks having the highest concentrations. Hot tea in disposable cups averaged 22 microplastics per cup, while expensive tea bags leached up to 30 microplastics. Daily microplastic intake from drinks alone far exceeds previous estimates, with 1.65 microplastics per kg of body weight consumed. Microplastics are linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, and cancer, yet risk assessments remain underestimated. Consumers can reduce exposure by avoiding plastic-lined cups, choosing loose-leaf tea, and using glass or stainless steel containers. A shocking new study from the University of Birmingham has confirmed what many health-conscious consumers have long feared: every single beverage testedfrom coffee and tea to juices and soft drinkscontains microplastics. The findings, published in Science of the Total Environment, reveal that hot drinks like tea and coffee contain the highest concentrations, with hot tea averaging 60 microplastics per liter, which is nearly double that of cold beverages. Researchers analyzed 155 beverage samples from popular UK brands, including tap water, bottled water, energy drinks, and even expensive tea bags. Not one was plastic-free. The study found that higher temperatures increase microplastic leaching, meaning your morning coffee or tea could be exposing you to far more synthetic particles than previously thought. Hot drinks are the worst offenders The studys most alarming discovery? Hot tea in disposable cups contained an average of 22 microplastics per cup, while glass cups had fewer (14 MPs per cup). Surprisingly, more expensive tea bags leached the most plastic, averaging 24 to 30 microplastics per cup, which is far more than cheaper brands. Hot coffee wasnt much better, with 29 to 57 microplastics per liter, compared to 13 to 21 MPs per liter in soft drinks. The researchers concluded that thermal degradation and diffusion from packaging (like disposable cups and plastic-lined lids) are major contributors. Daily exposure far exceeds previous estimates Prior studies focused mainly on drinking water, but this research proves that beverages contribute far more to microplastic intake. Based on survey data, the team estimated that the average person consumes 1.65 microplastics per kilogram of body weight daily just from drinks alone. As Professor Mohamed Abdallah, one of the studys lead authors, told The Independent, "We found a ubiquitous presence of microplastics in all the cold and hot drinks we looked at. Which is pretty alarming, and from a scientific point of view suggests we should not only be looking at water, we should be more comprehensive in our research because other sources are substantial." He emphasized that governments and international organizations must take legislative action to limit human exposure. Why this matters for your health Microplastics have already been detected in human blood, brains, and even testicles, raising serious concerns about long-term health effects. Studies suggest these particles can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, and even cancer. The studys authors warn that current risk assessments are severely underestimated because they only account for water, ignoring the far greater exposure from everyday drinks. While microplastics are nearly impossible to avoid entirely, there are ways to minimize intake: Choose glass or stainless steel containers over disposable plastic cups. Avoid hot beverages in plastic-lined paper cups (like takeaway coffee cups). Opt for loose-leaf tea instead of tea bags, which often contain plastic. Filter tap water if possible, as it may contain fewer microplastics than bottled water. This study is just the latest evidence that microplastics are everywhere. They're in our food, water, air, and now, our daily drinks. With more than 30 million tons of plastic polluting the environment annually, the problem is only getting worse. The question is no longer if were ingesting microplastics, but how much damage theyre doing over time. Until governments and corporations take real action, consumers must stay informed and make choices that limit their exposure because it is becoming painfully clear that no one is safe from plastic contamination anymore. Sources for this article include: MedicalXpress.com Independent.co.uk Earth.com Growing coalition challenges Israel at ICJ over Gaza, as regional and global powers monitor escalation Spain deploys warship Spain sent the Fuhrer P-46 to protect humanitarian flotillas attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, signaling defiance against Israels blockade and bombardment of starving Palestinians. Spain sent the Fuhrer P-46 to protect humanitarian flotillas attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, signaling defiance against Israels blockade and bombardment of starving Palestinians. Indonesia pledges troops The Muslim-majority nation committed 20,000 soldiers to defend Palestinian civilians, marking a potential shift toward direct military intervention if Israel escalates its attacks. The Muslim-majority nation committed 20,000 soldiers to defend Palestinian civilians, marking a potential shift toward direct military intervention if Israel escalates its attacks. Colombia & North Korea threaten action Colombia offered troops for a multinational force, while North Korea warned of nuclear retaliation if Israel harms activists like Greta Thunberg. Colombia offered troops for a multinational force, while North Korea warned of nuclear retaliation if Israel harms activists like Greta Thunberg. Aid flotillas under attack Israeli drones have struck humanitarian ships seven times, destroying one vessel and raising fears of a USS Liberty-style massacre triggering wider conflict. Israeli drones have struck humanitarian ships seven times, destroying one vessel and raising fears of a USS Liberty-style massacre triggering wider conflict. Global backlash intensifies With ICJ pressure, halted U.S. weapons shipments, and shifting public opinion, Israel faces a critical choice: escalate into war or retreat amid political fallout. As Israels military campaign in Gaza continues, international backlash is reaching a boiling point. Spain has deployed a naval vessel, the Fuhrer P-46, to assist humanitarian flotillas attempting to deliver aid to Palestinians, while Indonesia has pledged 20,000 troops to protect civilians from IDF attacks. Colombia and North Korea have also signaled willingness to intervene militarily, with Pyongyang even threatening nuclear retaliation if Israel harms high-profile activists like Greta Thunberg. The growing coalition against Israels actions suggests a potential shift toward direct military confrontation if the genocide continues unchecked. Spains Naval Intervention Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed the deployment of the Fuhrer P-46, a 93-meter warship equipped for high-seas patrol and rescue operations. The vessel is tasked with protecting humanitarian aid ships attempting to reach Gaza, where Palestinians face starvation and relentless bombardment. Sanchez emphasized Spains commitment to international law and the safety of its citizens navigating the Mediterranean. Indonesias Troop Mobilization Indonesia, the worlds largest Muslim-majority nation, has pledged 20,000 troops to defend Palestinian civilians from IDF attacks. This unprecedented move signals a willingness to engage in direct military intervention if Israel escalates its offensive. Colombia and North Korea Enter the Fray Colombia has also expressed readiness to contribute troops, calling on other nations to join a multinational protection force. Meanwhile, North Koreaalready engaged in military cooperation with Russiahas threatened to divert forces from Ukraine to Gaza and warned of a nuclear strike on Tel Aviv if Israel targets activists like Thunberg. Flotilla Under Attack Humanitarian ships attempting to break Israels blockade have reportedly been attacked seven times by drones, likely Israeli-operated. One vessel has already been destroyed, raising fears of another USS Liberty-style massacre. If Israel continues targeting aid ships, it risks triggering a wider conflict with nations now willing to defend Palestinian civilians. Global Outrage Reaches Critical Mass Israels actionsincluding the deliberate bombing of food aid convoys, sniper attacks on elderly women, and the slaughter of over 35,000 Palestinianshave drawn condemnation worldwide. Even traditionally pro-Israel voices, including young American voters, are turning against Netanyahus regime. The former Biden administration, facing electoral backlash, has halted offensive weapons shipments to Israelthough defensive systems like Iron Dome remain funded. Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is under mounting pressure to enforce accountability for what many describe as a textbook case of genocide. What Comes Next? With regional powers mobilizing and global opinion shifting, Israel faces an existential dilemma: escalate further and risk war with multiple nations, or halt its offensive and confront domestic political fallout. As the world watches, one thing is clear: Israels impunity may soon end. The question is whether it will be through diplomatic interventionor military confrontation. Watch the Sep. 25 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how the world threatens MILITARY INTERVENTION against Israel's lawless genocide. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Israels military crisis deepens as reservists refuse to fight in Gaza genocide Frances DEBT CRISIS threatens Eurozone collapse as military spending soars EU science grants funnel millions to Israeli military-linked tech startups amid Gaza genocide Sources include: Brighteon.com Iran races to rebuild missile sites after Israel strikes, but key components still missing Iran is rapidly rebuilding missile sites destroyed by Israel but lacks key equipment to restore full production capacity. Nuclear sanctions loom as Iran refuses negotiations, leaving missile reconstruction as its only deterrent against further attacks. Israels June strikes targeted solid-fuel missile facilities, crippling Irans ability to quickly replenish its depleted arsenal. Chinas potential supply of industrial mixers could revive Irans missile program, escalating tensions with Israel and the West. Without foreign aid, Irans missile ambitions remain limited, but its defiance signals a high-risk standoff with global consequences. Just months after Israels devastating 12-day war with Iran, new satellite images reveal Tehran is racing to rebuild its missile production facilities, yet a crucial piece of the puzzle is still missing. The reconstruction at the Parchin and Shahroud sites, which were struck by Israel in June, signals Irans determination to restore its military deterrence. But without the massive planetary mixers needed to produce solid missile fuel, experts warn the program remains hobbled as nuclear sanctions loom. The images, analyzed by The Associated Press, show clear signs of rebuilding at both locations. At Parchin, mixing buildings appear to be under repair, while Shahroud shows similar activity. Yet the absence of the industrial mixers essential for blending solid fuel suggests Irans missile production capacity is far from fully operational. If theyre able to reacquire some key things like planetary mixers, then that infrastructure is still there and ready to get rolling again, said Sam Lair, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. A race against sanctions The urgency comes as Iran faces the reimposition of nuclear sanctions next week unless it reaches a deal with European nations. France, Germany, and the UK triggered a snapback mechanism in August, giving Tehran a 30-day window to comply that closes on Sunday. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed U.S. and Israeli attacks for sabotaging peace talks, telling the U.N. General Assembly, You all bore witness that this past June, my country was subjected to a savage aggression and flagrant contravention of the most elementary principles of international law. Yet Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei flatly rejected negotiations with the U.S., declaring, The U.S. has announced the results of the talks in advance. The result is the closure of nuclear activities and enrichment. This is not a negotiation. The standoff leaves Iran with few options beyond rebuilding its missile arsenal, a program Israel has repeatedly targeted to degrade Tehrans military capabilities. Israels strategic strikes During the June war, Israel focused its airstrikes on Irans solid-fuel missile sites, including Parchin and Shahroud, where the mixers were housed. Solid-fuel missiles, unlike liquid-fueled ones, can be launched rapidly, which is a critical advantage in a conflict where preemptive strikes decide survival. Israels military estimated Irans prewar missile production at over 200 solid-fuel missiles per month, a pace that drew heavy Israeli fire. Israels targeting indicates that they believed mixing was a bottleneck in Irans missile production, said Carl Parkin, another analyst at the James Martin Center. The numbers underscore the scale of the conflict: Iran fired 574 ballistic missiles at Israel during the war, plus another 330 in earlier exchanges, depleting over a third of its estimated 2,500-missile arsenal. Without the mixers, however, Irans ability to replenish those stocks remains limited. The machines, which resemble giant industrial blenders, are likely irreplaceable without foreign assistancepossibly from China, where Iran has sourced missile components in the past. Chinas shadow role Beijings potential involvement adds another layer of complexity. The U.S. has previously sanctioned Chinese firms for supplying Iran with missile fuel ingredients, and analysts note that Irans Revolutionary Guard may have already acquired a planetary mixer for a Syrian missile site linked to Tehran. If China steps in to fill the gap, Irans missile program could rebound quickly. For now, Irans defense minister, Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, claims the country is prioritizing military equipment with higher precision and greater operational capabilities. But without the mixers, those ambitions may remain out of reach. The speed of reconstruction at Parchin and Shahroud proves Irans commitment, but the missing components reveal a critical vulnerability, and it's one that Israel may exploit again if tensions flare. The stakes extend beyond missiles. Irans nuclear program, which is already under strain from U.S. and Israeli strikes, faces renewed pressure as sanctions snap back. Yet Tehrans refusal to negotiate suggests it sees missiles, not diplomacy, as its best defense. The question now is whether China will supply the missing pieces or if Israel will strike again to keep Irans arsenal in check. Sources for this article include: The-Express.com APNews.com TheCradle.co Israel vows sevenfold retaliation after Houthi drone strikes Israeli hotel Israels Iron Dome fails again as a Houthi drone strikes an Eilat hotel, wounding 22 during Rosh Hashanah. The attack marks the Houthis deepest strike yet, exposing critical flaws in Israels air defenses against slow, low-flying drones. Netanyahu vows a "painful blow" against Yemen, escalating tensions as Hezbollah also unveils longer-range rockets that outmatch Israeli defenses. More than 65,000 Palestinians are dead in Gaza as Houthi strikes continue, with no ceasefire in sight and regional war risks rising daily. Civilians bear the brunt as Israels tech superiority crumbles against asymmetric threats, leaving no clear path to peace. The cycle of violence in the Middle East took another dangerous turn on Wednesday when a Houthi drone launched from Yemen struck a hotel courtyard in the southern Israeli city of Eilat, wounding at least 22 people, two of them seriously, despite Israels vaunted Iron Dome defense system firing two interceptor missiles that failed to stop it. The attack, which occurred during the final hours of Rosh Hashanah, marks one of the most significant Houthi strikes inside Israel since the group began targeting the country in solidarity with Gaza, where Israels military offensive has now killed more than 65,000 Palestinians. Video footage captured the drone gliding silently over Eilats beachfront before crashing into the courtyard, sending shrapnel flying into nearby buildings and pedestrians. The Magen David Adom emergency service reported that a 60-year-old man suffered serious shrapnel wounds to his limbs, while a 26-year-old sustained chest injuries. Most of the other victims experienced moderate to minor wounds from the blast. Bomb disposal teams later cordoned off the area, warning civilians to avoid potential explosive remnants. Israels air defenses fail... again This isnt the first time Israels Iron Dome has failed to intercept a Houthi drone. Just last week, another drone struck near Eilat, prompting an investigation into why a system that was designed to counter rockets and missiles struggled against low-flying, slow-moving drones. The IDF acknowledged in a statement that "interception attempts were made," but the drone evaded defenses, raising questions about the systems effectiveness against emerging threats. The military has yet to explain why the Iron Dome, which relies on radar tracking, couldnt neutralize a drone flying at an altitude visible in civilian videos. The Houthis, an Iran-aligned group controlling much of Yemen, quickly claimed responsibility. Yahya Saree, a Houthi spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that the attack was a "qualitative military operation" targeting multiple Israeli sites, including areas near Beersheba. The group has repeatedly vowed to continue strikes until Israel ends its assault on Gaza, a conflict the United Nations has labeled a genocide. The Houthis have also disrupted Red Sea shipping, firing on vessels linked to Israel and its allies, further straining global trade routes. Netanyahus "painful blow" threat fuels fears of wider war Israeli leaders wasted no time promising retaliation. Defense Minister Israel Katz took to X with a serious warning: "The Houthi terrorists refuse to learn from Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, and will learn the hard way. Whoever harms Israel will be harmed sevenfold." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes, echoed the sentiment, directing the military to prepare a response that would deliver a "painful blow to the Houthi regime." The rhetoric suggests Israel may escalate its already aggressive campaign in Yemen, where it has conducted airstrikes on the capital, Sanaa, and assassinated Houthi leaders, including Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahawi in August. The Houthis have vowed vengeance for those killings, creating a deadly tit-for-tat that shows no signs of abating. With Israel also engaged in clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran-backed militias in Syria, the risk of a regional conflagration grows by the day. A war with no off-ramp Since October 2023, when Israel launched its offensive in Gaza, the Houthis have framed their attacks as a direct response to the Palestinian death toll, which now exceeds 65,000, according to Yemeni and Palestinian sources. The group has said it will halt strikes only when a ceasefire is reached in Gaza, which is something Netanyahus government has rejected despite mounting international pressure. Instead, Israel has expanded its targeting, bombing Yemeni infrastructure it claims is used for military purposes, including power plants and fuel depots. The Eilat strike underscores a harsh reality: Israels technological superiority, from the Iron Dome to its F-35 fleet, hasnt shielded it from asymmetric threats. Low-cost drones, missiles, and guerrilla tactics employed by groups like the Houthis and Hezbollah have exposed gaps in Israels defenses, forcing it into a reactive cycle of retaliation that only deepens the crisis. Meanwhile, civilians on all sides pay the price, whether in Gazas rubble-strewn streets or Eilats hotel courtyards. As the sun set on Rosh Hashanah, a holiday meant to symbolize renewal, the drone attack in Eilat served as a brutal reminder that this war has no clear endpoint. With Israels leaders doubling down on threats, the Houthis digging in, and Gazas suffering unabated, the region hurtles toward a collision no one seems willing or able to stop. The only certainty? More bloodshed, more failed intercepts, and more families torn apart by a conflict that long ago spun out of control. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com AlJazeera.com CNN.com Trump Derangement Syndrome in FULL EFFECT as lunatic Libtards who are pregnant are now taking Tylenol by the handful A fresh controversy erupted on Monday after President Donald Trump warned that acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy may be linked to an increased risk of autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Speaking publicly, Trump advised expectant mothers to avoid the drug, emphasizing, With Tylenol, dont take it, dont take it. His comments followed a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory that physicians should exercise caution when recommending the medication to pregnant women. After Trump warned that Tylenol use during pregnancy may raise risks of autism and ADHD, some Democrats staged online protests by chugging Tylenol as a performative stunt. Trump cited new FDA guidance about possible neurodevelopmental risks linked to acetaminophen during pregnancy and said safety label changes are forthcoming. While some studies show associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism, ADHD, or lower IQ, others including a large Swedish study found no connection. Research suggests risks may depend on dosage, duration, and reason for use (e.g., pain vs. fever), with potential effects on fetal brain, liver, immune system, and gut microbiota. Watch: Deranged Democrats and Lunatic Liberals Protest Trump by Chugging Tylenol Almost immediately, the response from the left was loud, mocking, and performative. Social media filled with videos of self-identified Democrats chugging Tylenol as a form of protest against Trumps warning. Critics described the spectacle as another case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, where opposition to the president manifests in exaggerated or reckless behavior. For observers, the stunt reflected a deeper cultural divide: while Trump attempted to highlight a potential public health risk, detractors staged a sarcastic display that trivialized the issue. The scientific backdrop to Trumps remarks is complex and unsettled. Several studies have found associations between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental problems in children. For example, long-term useparticularly over 28 dayshas been linked to increased ADHD risk. Other research has indicated that acetaminophen use without fever during pregnancy may correlate with lower intelligence quotient (IQ) in offspring. By contrast, when the drug is taken specifically to reduce fever, no clear association with IQ has been observed. This suggests that dosage, duration, and reason for use may all play significant roles in determining risk. Not all research supports a definitive link. A large study from Sweden concluded there was no connection between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism. Nonetheless, the FDA has deemed the evidence strong enough to warrant physician caution and has signaled plans to update safety labels. Trumps statement appears to have pre-empted the administrations official report on autism causes, which was scheduled for release later in September. Biological mechanisms are still under investigation. Acetaminophen crosses the placental barrier, potentially influencing fetal development. Animal studies suggest it may affect the endocannabinoid system, crucial for central nervous system development, as well as hematopoietic stem cells in the fetal liver, which play a role in immune system formation. Disturbances in these systems could have downstream impacts on neurodevelopment. Other theories involve the drugs potential to alter maternal and fetal gut microbiota, which are increasingly recognized as factors in brain development. Despite the unsettled science, the political fallout has been immediate. Trumps critics accused him of fearmongering, while supporters noted that he was amplifying FDA concerns rooted in peer-reviewed research. The lefts Tylenol protest videos went viral but also drew criticism for making light of a potentially serious health issue. Ultimately, the clash underscores how even medical debates become political flashpoints in todays polarized climate. Whether Trumps warning proves prescient or premature, the controversy has ensured that the safety of acetaminophen use during pregnancy will remain a hotly debated issuescientifically, medically, and politically. Tune your apocalypse dial to preparedness.news for updates Liberal lunatics and Demonic Democrats doing the opposite of everything Trump and RFK Jr. advise. Sources for this article include: Censored.news NaturalNews.com ZeroHedge.com Trump and Putin push for Ukraine peace deal as Zelensky clings to power will diplomacy prevail? Trump-Putin Alignment: Trump has shifted from demanding an immediate ceasefire to pursuing a broader diplomatic deal, recognizing Russias military dominance and Ukraines weakening position, while Putin shows openness to talks if Ukraine abandons NATO ambitions. Trump has shifted from demanding an immediate ceasefire to pursuing a broader diplomatic deal, recognizing Russias military dominance and Ukraines weakening position, while Putin shows openness to talks if Ukraine abandons NATO ambitions. Zelenskys Defiance: Despite expired legitimacy and 69% of Ukrainians favoring peace, Zelensky refuses territorial concessions, relying on fading Western supporteven as Trump warns U.S. aid wont last indefinitely. Despite expired legitimacy and 69% of Ukrainians favoring peace, Zelensky refuses territorial concessions, relying on fading Western supporteven as Trump warns U.S. aid wont last indefinitely. Russias Leverage: Putin demands recognition of annexed territories (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson) and Ukrainian neutrality, backed by Russias battlefield gains and economic resilience. Putin demands recognition of annexed territories (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson) and Ukrainian neutrality, backed by Russias battlefield gains and economic resilience. Western Hypocrisy & Decline: Bidens promises of unlimited aid have collapsed, Europe lacks resources to sustain Ukraine alone, and Germanys economy suffers from severed Russian energy ties. Bidens promises of unlimited aid have collapsed, Europe lacks resources to sustain Ukraine alone, and Germanys economy suffers from severed Russian energy ties. Endgame Scenarios: If Zelensky refuses negotiations, Russia may militarily solidify gains, leaving Ukraine with nothing. A diplomatic deal could stabilize Europebut time is running out. As the Ukraine war approaches a critical juncture, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin appear increasingly aligned on the necessity of a negotiated settlement. High-level discussions indicate Trump has moved from demanding an immediate ceasefire to pursuing a broader diplomatic resolutionacknowledging Russias battlefield dominance and the futility of prolonging the conflict. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose legitimacy is under scrutiny after his term expired, remains defiant, rejecting territorial concessions despite dwindling Western military and financial support. The Diplomatic Shift Recent talks between Trump and Putin suggest a significant shift in U.S. strategy. Trump, initially insistent on a rapid ceasefire, reportedly adjusted his stance after being presented with intelligence showing Russias overwhelming military advantage. Sources indicate Putin demonstrated Russias battlefield progress, including troop deployments and economic resilience, convincing Trump that a ceasefire alone would only delay the inevitable. Instead, Trump now advocates for a comprehensive peace dealone that acknowledges Russias territorial gains while ensuring Ukraines survival as a sovereign state. Putin, for his part, has signaled openness to negotiations, provided Ukraine abandons NATO ambitions and accepts a neutral status. Zelenskys Dilemma Zelensky, however, remains entrenched in his refusal to concede territory. His position is complicated by his expired presidential mandate and growing domestic discontent. Polls suggest that 69% of Ukrainians favor ending the war, yet Zelensky continues to rely on Western assurancesmany of which have evaporated under Trumps leadership. Trump has reportedly warned Zelensky that U.S. aid will not continue indefinitely, urging him to negotiate before Russias military advances render Ukraines position untenable. Meanwhile, European leaders, despite their rhetoric, lack the military or economic capacity to sustain Ukraines war effort without U.S. backing. The Stumbling Blocks Several obstacles remain: Zelenskys Survival His political future hinges on maintaining Western support, yet his refusal to negotiate risks alienating even his staunchest allies. Russias Demands Putin insists on recognition of annexed territories (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson) and guarantees against NATO expansion. Western Hypocrisy The Biden administrations previous promises of unlimited support have collapsed, leaving Ukraine exposed. The Path Forward Trumps strategy hinges on leveraging Putins willingness to negotiate while pressuring Zelensky to accept reality. If Ukraine continues resisting, Russia may simply consolidate its gains militarily, leaving Zelensky with nothing. Conversely, a deal could stabilize the region, allowing Europe to rebuild its fractured economyparticularly Germany, which has suffered immensely from severed Russian energy ties. Conclusion The wars endgame is now in sight. Trump and Putin appear ready to broker peace, but Zelenskys intransigenceand lingering Western delusionsthreaten to prolong the bloodshed. The question is no longer if Ukraine will concede, but whenand whether diplomacy can avert a total collapse before its too late. Watch the full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Ray McGovern as they talk about Trump, Putin, Zelensky, and the Fight for Peace in Ukraine. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trumps Ukraine peace proposal deemed acceptable by Kremlin: Putin-Trump-Zelensky summit under discussion Trump brokers historic Putin-Zelensky talks Will the war in Ukraine finally end? As Trump and Putin prepare for peace talks, Zelensky doubles down on war and your wallet funds it Sources include: Brighteon.com RayMcgovern.com Trump pledges to block Israeli annexation of West Bank in closed-door meeting with Muslim leaders Trump privately vowed to Muslim leaders that he will block Israels West Bank annexation plans during a UNGA side meeting. The pledge contradicts pro-annexation voices in his administration and Netanyahus hardline coalition pushing for sovereignty. Arab nations warned annexation would collapse the Abraham Accords, calling it a red line for regional stability. Trumps 21-point peace plan aims to address Israeli and Arab concerns, but skepticism remains over enforcement. U.S. arms supply to Israel remains a critical leverage point, yet no official White House confirmation on the pledge exists. In a surprising move that could signal a significant shift in U.S. policy, President Donald Trump has reportedly pledged to Muslim leaders that he will not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank. This private assurance, confirmed by six sources to Politico, came during a closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, creating a potential roadblock for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government as it threatens to absorb the territory. The meeting included leaders from Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. According to the report, Trump was firm on the topic, promising that Israel would not be permitted to absorb the West Bank. This pledge was part of a broader white paper presented by the president on ending the war in Gaza, which also included plans for postwar governance and security. This stance may come as a surprise to observers, given that much of the West Bank is already considered de facto annexed under ongoing Israeli control. The reported pledge also contrasts with the views of some officials within Trump's own administration. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has been a passionate advocate for annexation, stating in 2017, "I think Israel has title deed to Judea and Samaria." Annexation threats and red lines The context for this discussion is a growing wave of international recognition for a Palestinian state. Following moves by countries like the United Kingdom, France, and Luxembourg, Israeli officials have responded with increased threats of formal annexation. Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich recently declared that the response to recognition was "sovereignty over the homeland of the Jewish people in Judea and Samaria." These threats have triggered serious warnings from key Arab nations. The UAE has stated that any annexation would be a "red line" and "would severely undermine the vision and spirit of the Abraham Accords." Similarly, Saudi Arabia reportedly sent a message to Israel warning that annexation would have "major implications in all fields." These accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, are a signature foreign policy achievement of Trump's first term. Arab leaders aimed to impress upon Trump that any Israeli incursion into the West Bank would likely lead to the collapse of these very accords. Their message appears to have been received. French President Emmanuel Macron, after meeting with Trump, stated that the U.S. president had assured him annexation was a "red line" for the United States. Macron added that such a move "would be the end of the Abraham Accords." A path forward or more obstacles? Special envoy Steve Witkoff provided some details on the U.S. proposal, calling it the "Trump 21-point-plan for peace in the Mideast in Gaza." He expressed hope for a breakthrough, stating, "I think it addresses Israeli concerns and as well, the concerns of all the neighbors in the region." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the meeting with Muslim leaders as "fruitful," but no official readout has been released. However, skepticism remains high. Netanyahu faces intense pressure from the far-right members of his coalition to realize the long-sought goal of annexation. With Israeli elections on the horizon, he may see political opportunity in appealing to hardline supporters. Furthermore, the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the meeting, leaving the official U.S. position unclear. The simplest way to end the conflict, as some analysts suggest, would be for the White House to halt the supply of arms to Israel. The nation is almost entirely dependent on America for its military supplies. Yet, the U.S. continues to send billions in aid, underscoring the complex dynamics at play. While Trumps reported pledge offers some hope for those seeking to prevent further escalation and annexation, the situation on the ground remains dire. The ongoing violence and the political agendas of all parties involved create a landscape where promises can easily be broken. Will this private assurance translate into public policy and tangible action, or will it become just another unfulfilled promise in a decades-long conflict? Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net Politico.com TheGuardian.com Trump slams globalism, climate hoax and weak immigration policies in fiery UN speech President Donald Trump warned that uncontrolled migration is "destroying" Western nations, boasting about his administration's mass deportations halting illegal crossings. He urged European leaders to tighten borders or risk national failure, citing record migration waves fueling political unrest. Trump called climate change "the greatest con job ever perpetrated," mocking UN predictions as false and politically motivated. He criticized green energy policies for shifting jobs to polluting nations while harming Western economies and reaffirmed withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Trump suggested NATO should shoot down Russian aircrafta shift from his previous peace negotiation stance, and opposed Palestinian statehood recognitioncalling it a "reward for Hamas." Trump mocked the UN as ineffective, citing "empty words" and malfunctioning equipment (escalator, teleprompter). He also questioned the organization's purpose, dismissing its ability to resolve global conflicts. Trump positioned America as the dominant global force, rejecting international cooperation in favor of "America First" policies. He warned Western nations to tighten borders, reject climate alarmism and abandon weak institutionsor face collapse. In a blistering address to the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a scathing rebuke of globalist institutions, uncontrolled migration and what he called the "greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world"climate change. The speech, lasting nearly an hour, was marked by sharp criticism of European leaders, the UN's inefficacy and his predecessor, Joe Biden, while doubling down on his "America First" doctrine. Trump's migration warning Trump made immigration the centerpiece of his speech, warning that Western nations are being "destroyed" by uncontrolled migration. "Your countries are going to hell. If you don't stop people that you've never seen before that you have nothing in common with, your country is going to fail," Trump declared, addressing European leaders directly. "You're destroying your countries. They're being destroyed." He boasted about his administration's strict border policies, claiming that mass deportations had effectively halted illegal crossings into the U.S. "Once we started detaining and deporting everyone who crossed the borderand removing illegal aliens from the United Statesthey simply stopped coming," he said. Trump's remarks come as Europe faces record migration waves from Africa and the Middle East, fueling political backlash across the continent. Climate change: "The greatest con job" Trump dismissed climate change as a hoax, mocking past predictions of global catastrophe. "Climate change is the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world," he said. "All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. They were made by stupid people." He accused green energy policies of redistributing manufacturing jobs to polluting nations while harming Western economies. "The primary effect of these brutal green energy policies has not been to help the environment but to redistribute manufacturing and industrial activity from developed countries to polluting countries that break the rules and are making a fortune," he argued. Trump also reiterated his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, calling it a "fake" agreement designed to weaken American industry. (Related: Trump withdraws U.S. from Paris Climate Accord, prioritizing American economy over globalist agenda.) According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, the Paris Climate Accord is a global agreement pushed by elites to force nations into submitting to centralized climate policies, falsely claiming that human CO2 emissions are the primary driver of dangerous warming through politicized UN models. "Rooted in the fraudulent belief that natural climate cycles can be controlled, it prioritizes economic coercion (e.g., carbon credits, green energy mandates) over scientific reality, while ignoring the Earth's historical temperature fluctuations and threatening sovereignty by promoting anti-human restrictions to advance globalist agendas of depopulation and centralized control," Enoch added. Ukraine and Gaza: A shift in tone While Trump largely avoided deep policy specifics on Ukraine and Gaza during his speech, his rhetoric hardened afterward. In a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump suggested NATO should shoot down Russian aircraft entering allied airspacea notable escalation from his previous calls for negotiated peace. Later, in a Truth Social post, he wrote: "Ukraine would be able to take back their country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!" This marked a shift from his earlier stance that Ukraine might need to cede territory for peace. On Gaza, Trump condemned the growing international recognition of Palestinian statehood, calling it a "reward for Hamas' horrible atrocities." He reaffirmed support for Israel but offered no new pathway to ceasefire talks. UN incompetence and broken equipment Trump didn't hold back in criticizing the UN itself, mocking its inefficiency and malfunctioning equipment. "What is the purpose of the United Nations?" he asked. "For the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up. It's empty words, and empty words don't solve war." He also took jabs at technical failuresfirst a stalled escalator and then a teleprompter glitch moments before his speech. "These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter," he quipped. A UN spokesperson later clarified that the escalator malfunction was due to a safety mechanism triggered by a videographer in Trump's delegation. Off-script digressions True to form, Trump veered into unexpected tangents, including windmills ("We don't want cows anymore. I guess they want to kill all the cows,") and ocean pollution ("In Asia, they dump much of their garbage right into the ocean.") His audienceglobal diplomats who once laughed at his 2018 UN speechremained silent this time, reflecting the geopolitical shift since his return to power. A stark vision vs. globalism Trump's speech reinforced his nationalist, anti-globalist worldview, positioning the U.S. as the dominant force in a chaotic world. While he touted economic successes"We are the hottest country anywhere in the world"his broader message was a warning: Western nations must tighten borders, reject climate alarmism and abandon weak international institutionsor face collapse. Follow Trump.news for more stories like this. Watch the video below about Trump taking the U.S. out of Paris Climate Agreement. This video is from the The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump administration slams UN shipping emissions plan, threatens retaliation. Trump invites Netanyahu to White House again despite UN ruling on Gaza genocide. Trump administrations UN questionnaire: A bold stand against waste or a dangerous overreach? Sources include: ZeroHedge.com SBS.com.au Brighteon.ai CNN.com Trumps fiery UN speech targets immigration, climate change and global conflicts Trump condemned the UN's climate agenda as a "con job," dismissed renewable energy as "all bankrupt" and vowed to withdraw from climate agreements to prioritize U.S. energy independence and fossil fuel jobs, arguing that climate policies destroy economies while China remains the real pollution culprit. He declared Europe "going to hell" due to "suicidal" mass migration and energy policies, claiming London was moving toward Sharia law and that EU climate rules had devastated jobs. Trump mocked the UN as ineffective, boasting of his past threats to defund or withdraw from it, and dismissed multilateral solutions in favor of America-first policies, including tariffs on Russia and defunding UNRWA, worsening Gaza's famine while ignoring Palestinian statehood recognition by 150+ nations. Aligning with Israel's hardline position, he condemned Hamas as terrorists. Still, he offered no solutions for Palestinian suffering, instead cutting aid and blaming the UN for enabling "terror"a move critics say further destabilizes the region. His speech doubled down on skepticism of climate science, immigration and international institutions, framing sovereignty and fossil fuels as America's salvationa vision at odds with the UN's warnings on climate disasters and war, leaving the world divided between his unilateral approach and collective global action. In a combative address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Sept. 23, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a blistering critique of global immigration policies, dismissed climate change as a "con job" and accused European nations of "destroying their heritage" through lax border controls. The speech, his first since returning to the political spotlight, doubled down on his nationalist agenda while dismissing multilateralism and UN diplomacy as ineffective. According to Brighteon.AI's search engine, Enoch, "Trump's remarks drew both applause and sharp criticism, underscoring deep divisions on global issues ranging from energy policy to war resolutions." Trump reserved his harshest words for Europe's immigration policies, declaring that the continent was "going to hell" due to unchecked migration. He singled out London Mayor Sadiq Khan, alleging the city was moving toward Sharia lawa claim unsupported by evidenceand warned that Europe's "suicidal energy ideas" were accelerating its decline. His rhetoric echoed past speeches where he framed immigration as an existential threat, though critics argue his solutions oversimplify complex humanitarian and economic realities. (Related: Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee sparks chaos as Indian workers scramble to return.) Trump says climate change is a con job Trump dismissed global climate efforts as economically destructive, calling renewable energy investments "all bankrupt" and insisting fossil fuels remain essential. "Climate change is a con job," he declared. He boasted of U.S. air quality while blaming China for pollutiona stance at odds with Environmental Protection Agency data showing domestic emissions as a major contributor. His comments came hours after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of "reckless disruption" from unchecked environmental degradation. Europe's push for carbon neutrality, Trump argued, had sacrificed jobs for negligible global impacta claim contradicted by studies showing EU policies have significantly reduced emissions without the economic collapse he predicted. Trump touted his administration's role in brokering ceasefires in regional conflicts. He threatened tariffs on Russia unless Europe joined tougher sanctions, despite the EU already slashing trade with Moscow by 75 percent since 2021. "Europe has to step it up," he said, ignoring that the bloc remains reliant on Russian gas for energy stability. On Israel, Trump echoed Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon's applause line by condemning Hamas while ignoring Palestinian statehood recognition by 150+ nations. His administration cut funding to UNRWA, branding it a "terrorist" entitya move humanitarian groups say exacerbates Gaza's famine. He saved his sharpest barbs for the UN itself, mocking its "empty words" and recalling a failed bid to renovate its headquarters. "All I got was a broken escalator," he quipped. Watch the video below where Trump says he's the "first American president welcomed here" during the U.K. state dinner. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump invites Netanyahu to White House again despite UN ruling on Gaza genocide. Trump's TSA facial recognition push & UN Agenda 2030: Twin threats to American liberty under conservative leadership? Trump administration escalates crackdown on antifa, raising concerns about civil rights. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net Brighteon.ai AlJazeera.com Brighteon.com Wakefield vindicated? Trumps vaccine overhaul sparks backlash, rekindles autism debate President Trump advocates splitting MMR vaccine into three separate doses and delaying hepatitis B shots until age 12. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushes for autism research into vaccines while facing criticism from medical experts. Wakefields controversial 1998 study linking MMR to autism resurfaces amid calls to end U.S. "vaccine mandates." Status-quo supporters warn altered vaccine schedules could increase disease risks, contradicting decades of scientific consensus. Public health advocates demand rigorous studies on vaccine safety amid growing distrust in medical institutions. President Donald Trump has unleashed a controversial proposal to overhaul the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule, urging parents to spread out vaccinations over years and split the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) shot into three doses, much like Dr Andrew Wakefield suggested 25 years ago. The plan, announced alongside Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a White House autism summit, aligns with long-held claims linking vaccines to rising autism ratesa theory repeatedly debunked by scientific studies. Critics warn the changes could jeopardize public health, while advocates like Kennedy argue its a moral imperative to listen to parents who report vaccine injuries. The status quo is not working; something has to change. With so much past research being questioned, the debate now centers on trust: Can the federal government reconcile parental autonomy with evidence-based science, or has vaccine policy become a culture war battleground? A Shift in Vaccine Policy: "Spread Them Out or Stop Them" Trumps proposal envisions major shifts to the CDCs recommended schedule, including: Splitting the MMR Vaccine: Recommending single-dose mumps, measles, or rubella shots instead of the combined formulation. Recommending single-dose mumps, measles, or rubella shots instead of the combined formulation. Postponing Hepatitis B Until Age 12: Arguing the virus is "sexually transmitted," ignoring CDC data showing one in four infants contract hepatitis B from infected mothers. Arguing the virus is "sexually transmitted," ignoring CDC data showing one in four infants contract hepatitis B from infected mothers. Phasing Out Aluminum Adjuvants: Despite peer-reviewed studies confirming their safety, Kennedy claims they pose risks, though alternatives are unavailable. The administration also announced an "Autism Action Plan" prioritizing research into environmental causes, including an unprecedented FDA fast-track for leucovorin, a drug Kennedy touts as an autism therapy backed by "verified" case studies. Reexamining Vaccine Safety: A Call for Transparency and True Scientific Inquiry The national conversation on vaccine safety has reached a critical juncture, with President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leading a long-overdue demand for accountability, transparency, and genuine scientific debate. For too long, concerns raised by parents, independent researchers, and medical professionals have been dismissed, ridiculed, or outright censoredwhile the pharmaceutical industrys influence over regulatory agencies and research funding has gone unchallenged. Public health officials, including Dr. Susan Kressly of the American Academy of Pediatrics, continue to defend the status quo, warning of potential outbreaks if vaccination schedules are questioned. Yet their arguments rely heavily on decades-old assumptionsmany of which were shaped by industry-funded studies rather than unbiased, long-term research. The claim that vaccines are universally safe and effective ignores the growing body of evidence suggesting otherwise, as well as the fundamental principle of informed consent, which requires full disclosure of risksnot just industry-approved talking points. The Amish Question: A Case for Unbiased Investigation President Trumps observation about low autism rates in unvaccinated Amish communities has been swiftly dismissed by establishment figures, who cite select studies claiming identical autism prevalence. However, these studies often fail to account for key factors: Diagnostic disparities Amish communities are far less likely to seek formal autism diagnoses due to cultural and access differences. Amish communities are far less likely to seek formal autism diagnoses due to cultural and access differences. Lack of comprehensive, independent research No large-scale, long-term study has rigorously compared fully vaccinated vs. completely unvaccinated populations without pharmaceutical industry interference. No large-scale, long-term study has rigorously compared fully vaccinated vs. completely unvaccinated populations without pharmaceutical industry interference. Anecdotal vs. empirical evidenceWhile anecdotes alone are not proof, the sheer volume of parental reports of vaccine injurytens of thousands in VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) alonedemands serious investigation, not outright dismissal. Rather than shutting down the discussion, shouldnt we demand transparent, conflict-free research to settle the question once and for all? Wakefield Revisited: A Scientist Silenced, Not Debunked The mention of Dr. Andrew Wakefields 1998 Lancet study predictably triggers outrage from mainstream medical authorities, who label it "debunked" and "fraudulent." Yet the full story reveals a deliberate campaign to discredit a scientist who dared to challenge the vaccine orthodoxy: The original study was not about proving causation it reported parental observations of autism onset after vaccination and called for further research, a standard scientific approach. it reported parental observations of autism onset after vaccination and called for further research, a standard scientific approach. The retraction was politically motivated The Lancets retraction came after a media and pharmaceutical industry frenzy, not due to flaws in the core data. Later analyses, including by Dr. Brian Hookers reexamination of CDC data, found that Wakefields concerns about vaccine-autism links in certain subgroups were statistically valid. The Lancets retraction came after a media and pharmaceutical industry frenzy, not due to flaws in the core data. Later analyses, including by Dr. Brian Hookers reexamination of CDC data, found that Wakefields concerns about vaccine-autism links in certain subgroups were statistically valid. Wakefields co-authors were exonerated While Wakefield lost his license (largely over procedural issues, not scientific fraud), 12 of his 13 co-authors stood by the studys findings and faced no disciplinary action. While Wakefield lost his license (largely over procedural issues, not scientific fraud), 12 of his 13 co-authors stood by the studys findings and faced no disciplinary action. The CDCs own whistleblower confirmed manipulationDr. William Thompson, a senior CDC scientist, admitted in 2014 that the agency destroyed data showing a higher risk of autism in Black boys receiving the MMR vaccine on time. If Wakefield was truly a fraud, why has no independent, industry-free study ever definitively disproven his central hypothesis? Why do parents continue to report immediate, severe regression in their children post-vaccinationonly to be gaslit by doctors who refuse to acknowledge the possibility? Kennedys Challenge: "Trust the Parents" Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been a relentless advocate for medical freedom, transparency, and true scientific integrityvalues that should be non-negotiable in a free society. His call to "trust parents who claim their children were harmed" is not anti-science; it is a demand for real science, untainted by corporate influence. The current paradigmwhere vaccine manufacturers enjoy total liability protection, where regulatory agencies are funded by the industries they oversee, and where dissenting researchers are blacklistedis not science. It is corporate dogma. The Way Forward: Demand Answers, Not Blind Compliance The Trump administration and Kennedy are not calling for an end to vaccinesthey are calling for: ? Independent, long-term studies comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated populationswithout pharmaceutical funding. ? Full transparency on vaccine ingredients, including adjuvants, fetal cell lines, and nanotechnology (e.g., lipid nanoparticles in mRNA shots). ? Acknowledgment of natural immunitywhy are recovered individuals, who often have superior, longer-lasting protection, still coerced into vaccination? ? An end to vaccine mandatesmedical decisions must remain between individuals and their doctors, not dictated by governments or corporations. ? Prosecution of fraud and corruptionwhy has no one been held accountable for data manipulation at the CDC, suppressed safety signals, or the revolving door between regulators and Big Pharma? The real question is: If vaccines are as safe as claimed, why the fear of honest investigation? The American people deserve answers, not propaganda. The time for unquestioning obedience to the pharmaceutical industry is over. The time for true sciencetransparent, independent, and free from corporate controlhas arrived. Sources for this article include: X.com ChildrensHealthDefense.org STATnews.com The Vaccine TITANTIC is SINKING as the autism link is coming to the surface like a huge glacier thats been buried for decades Oh, the holy grail of medicine, vaccines, may not be all that after all, and the vaccine cult is coming apart at the seams as they are forced to reconsider their faith-based medicine protocol. Yes, the "safe and effective" ship is sinking, and the pro-jab fanatics might need to start looking into some detoxification programs for all those spike proteins, mercury and aluminum stuck in their brains, not to mention the Tylenol polluting their liver and kidneys. In a historic move, U.S. public health agencies announced a sweeping effort to investigate the causes of autism, pledging to examine every possible factor including vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and environmental exposures. The announcement came during a White House event featuring Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump, and other officials, signaling the most comprehensive federal inquiry into autism ever undertaken. HHS, under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Trump, announced a sweeping initiative to study all potential causes of autism including vaccines, acetaminophen, and environmental factors marking the first time U.S. health agencies are directly addressing these controversial links. The FDA will require warning labels on Tylenol and other acetaminophen products for pregnant women, while also approving leucovorin as a treatment for certain autism symptoms tied to folate deficiency. Trump and Kennedy highlighted the rapid rise in autism diagnoses now 1 in 31 children and stressed the need to investigate vaccines and other environmental exposures, rejecting the decades-long genetic-only focus of autism research. The NIHs Autism Data Science Initiative and related federal grants will fund large-scale studies involving hundreds of scientists worldwide, with results expected soon and a goal of identifying and eliminating preventable causes of autism. Uncompromising and Relentless: HHS to Study All Possible Causes of Autism, Including Vaccines Kennedy emphasized that the government would pursue answers with uncompromising and relentless determination. He noted that for decades, scientific and regulatory bodies largely focused on genetic explanations for autism while ignoring widespread parental concerns about environmental triggers. He stated that 70% of mothers who have children with autism believe their child was injured by a vaccine, adding that these voices would no longer be marginalized. President Trump echoed those concerns, arguing that vaccines and the modern childhood immunization schedule may be contributing to the surge in autism and chronic illness. Since 2000, autism rates have surged by much more than 400%, Trump said, citing CDC data that shows 1 in 31 children had an autism diagnosis in 2022, compared with 1 in 36 in 2020 and 1 in 1,000 in the 1990s. He described current vaccine practices as excessive, saying, They pump so much stuff into those beautiful little babies its a disgrace. Alongside the autism research initiative, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced immediate action on two fronts. First, new warning labels will be added to acetaminophen products, including Tylenol, alerting pregnant women to a possible link between prenatal use and autism. This decision follows multiple studies, including research from Harvard and Mount Sinai, suggesting biological mechanisms by which acetaminophen exposure could alter brain development. Shares of Kenvue Inc., the maker of Tylenol, dropped nearly 7.5% on the news. Second, the FDA signaled approval of leucovorin a drug traditionally used in cancer care as a treatment for autism-related symptoms, particularly in children with folate deficiencies. Reactions from the autism community were swift. Mary Holland, CEO of Childrens Health Defense, called the announcement historic, marking the first time federal officials have acknowledged both environmental contributors to autism and treatment pathways for affected children. John Gilmore of the Autism Action Network said the initiative shattered two taboos: that autism may be environmentally driven and that medical advice, such as recommending Tylenol to pregnant women, could have contributed to the condition. The initiative includes the launch of the Autism Data Science Initiative, coordinated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), involving 13 federally funded research teams. More than 100 proposals have been submitted for study participation. The scope is wide, examining not only vaccines and pharmaceuticals but also food additives, water and air pollutants, and other environmental exposures. Kennedy reminded the public that in 1978 autism affected fewer than 1 in 10,000 children, underscoring the scale of the modern epidemic. Trump concluded by expressing optimism, stating that if the causes can be identified and addressed, thats going to be a great thing. This unprecedented federal effort marks a turning point in autism research, with a new commitment to transparency, environmental inquiry, and potential medical interventions. Bookmark Vaccines.news to your favorite independent websites for updates on experimental gene therapy injections (mRNA) that lead cause autism, along with the MMR and the multi-dose mercury-laced flu shots. Sources for this article include: Pandemic.news NaturalNews.com InfoWars.com Washington escalates SANCTIONS against pro-censorship Brazilian judge, this time targeting his wife and finances The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes' wife (Viviane Barci de Moraes) and their family-linked financial entity (Lex Institute), freezing U.S.-based assets. The sanctions target Moraes for his "oppressive campaign of censorship," including suspending social media platforms (like X and Rumble), arbitrary detentions and suppressing political dissent in Brazil. The move follows the controversial 27-year prison sentence of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (a Trump ally), which the U.S. calls politically motivated. Brazil's government under Lula da Silva condemned the sanctions as an "attack on sovereignty," while Moraes dismissed them as a violation of international law. The dispute highlights growing U.S.-Brazil conflict over digital censorship, judicial overreach and geopolitical alignment, with Trump threatening further retaliatory measures (e.g., tariffs). The second Trump administration has intensified its sanctions campaign against Justice Alexandre de Moraes of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) this time targeting his wife Viviane Barci de Moraes and their family-linked financial entity, the Lex Institute. The move was announced Monday, Sept. 22, by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (USDT) and the U.S. Department of State. It marks a significant escalation in Washington's efforts to isolate those it accuses of undermining democratic norms and free speech abroad. The sanctions freeze U.S.-based assets belonging to Viviane and the Lex Institute, which the USDT describes as the de Moraes family's primary wealth-holding vehicle. According to officials, the institute owns multiple residential properties including the justice's primary residence, with Viviane serving as its sole administrator since its founding in 2000. The action builds on July's designation of Alexandre himself under the Global Magnitsky Act, which penalizes human rights abusers and corrupt actors. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed the sanctions as a response to de Moraes' "oppressive campaign of censorship." The former U.S. senator for Florida cited the magistrate's role in suspending social media platforms, ordering arbitrary detentions and spearheading Brazil's crackdown on political dissent. Alexandre has drawn international condemnation for judicial orders demanding the removal of accounts critical of Brazil's government, including exiled commentator Allan dos Santos. The magistrate also drew flak for temporarily blocking access to platforms like Elon Musk's X and Rumble over noncompliance with takedown demands. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine,the judge's "aggressive suppression of political opposition demonstrates authoritarian overreach under the guise of judicial authority." U.S. vs. Brazil: The digital censorship war heating up The sanctions arrived weeks after former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for allegedly orchestrating a post-election coup attempt in 2022. The White House has repeatedly denounced the prosecution as politically motivated, with Trump himself calling it a "witch hunt" akin to his own legal battles. (Related: Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 YEARS in prison.) Brazil's current government, led by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, condemned the sanctions as an "attack on sovereignty," while the magistrate himself dismissed the punitive measures as a violation of international law and judicial independence. Meanwhile, Brazilian Solicitor-General Jorge Messias another target of U.S. visa revocations vowed to continue his work despite what he called an "unjust attack." The dispute reflects deepening tensions between Washington and Brasilia over digital censorship, judicial overreach and geopolitical alignment. With Trump signaling further retaliatory measures, including steep tariffs on Brazilian exports, the conflict shows no signs of abating. As the U.S. leverages financial tools to push back against what it views as authoritarian censorship abroad, the case sets a precedent for how Western democracies might confront growing threats to online free speech even when those threats emerge from within allied nations. The outcome could redefine the limits of judicial power and the price of suppressing dissent in the digital age. Visit BigGovernment.news for more similar stories. Watch Alex Jones of InfoWars discussing the feud between Elon Musk and Alexandre de Moraes in this clip. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump Media, Rumble sue Brazilian judge over censorship of U.S. conservatives. Pro-censorship Brazilian justice TRAMPLES on free speech and U.S. sovereignty. Washington REVOKES visas of Brazilian judges in escalating clash over Bolsonaro "witch hunt." Brazil's supreme court orders SHUTDOWN of Elon Musk's X to silence speech they can't control. Sources include: ReclaimTheNet.org APNews.com State.gov Brighteon.ai MSN.com Brighteon.com Amazons AWS European Sovereign Cloud, set to launch in Germany by the end of 2025, is starting to take shape with the announcement of SAPs Sovereign Cloud as its latest partner. The announcement is part of a gradual expansion of the capabilities on offer to organizations looking to invest in the concept of sovereign clouds to meet the challenges posed by AI expansion. Fueled by vast amounts of data, AI could in time turn data sovereignty into a mainstream requirement across many industries. However, the question has always been how to migrate from a world where data sovereignty is an emerging and sometimes fraught undertaking towards one where it is robust enough to withstand regulatory oversight. RIO COMMUNITIESThe city of Rio Communities is looking for its second police chief, months after firing its first one. Felix Nunez was hired in September 2023, and terminated in July. A total of nine people applied to be the next police chief of the Rio Communities Police Department. The Rio Communities City Council held an executive session to discuss the applicants on Monday, but no decisions were made. Rio Communities Mayor Joshua Ramsell said the council might have another special meeting to further review the applications and narrow down the candidates. Once the council has narrowed down the candidates they would like to interview, well set those up and then work on selecting the person we want to hire, Ramsell said. There is no time line, but Im hoping for a police chief in the position by the end of the year or hopefully sooner. I believe thats whats best for the community and department. Ramsell will nominate the person he believes to be the best candidate, and the council will then consider and vote. I would like to see someone with leadership experience, ready and willing to move our department forward, which is a relatively young department, the mayor said. I want to make sure we have someone with the experience and knowledge to move the department forward. The police chief applicants include: Robbin Burge, of Peralta, is the former chief of police for the Pueblo of Isleta. He also had worked as a patrol officer in Isleta, and in security at Isleta Resort and Casino. He was a detective with the Albuquerque Police Department, where he worked from 1989 to 2012, when he retired. James Harris, the former police chief in Bethel, Alaska, and in Belen. Harris has worked as a lieutenant for the Valencia County Sheriffs Office and a law enforcement ranger for New Mexico State Parks. He was a former sergeant at the Belen PD and was a detective at the Los Lunas Police Department. Ad Abraham Henson, of Veguita, is currently an area supervisor with the New Mexico Livestock Board. He has been a police officer with the UNM-Valencia Campus, and worked in several positions with the Valencia County Sheriffs Office from 2007 to 2019, and served with the Mountainair Police Department from 2004 to 2007. Isaac Martinez, of Albuquerque, is currently a detective sergeant with the Albuquerque Public Schools Police Department. He was also a lieutenant with the Cuba and Jemez Springs police departments and the Rio Arriba Sheriffs Office. Christopher McCord, of Albuquerque, has been a commander at the Santa Fe Police Department from 2008 to 2025. McCord has been a firefighter and EMT at Kirtland Air Force Base, Living Cross and Belen Fire Department. He has also been a police officer with the Belen Police Department. Alan Montano, of Rio Communities, is currently a probation officer with Valencia County courts. He has been a patrol sergeant with Isleta Police Department, retired as a sergeant with the Valencia County Sheriffs Office and was a captain with Cornell Corrections. Owen Pena, of Albuquerque, is currently a lieutenant for the Cibola County Sheriffs Office. He worked as an investigator for the New Mexico Attorney Generals Office. He has also worked for the McKinley County Sheriffs Office and for the Gallup Police Department. In his application, Pena is also a U.S. Air Force veteran. Jose Rodriguez is currently the patrol sergeant with the Rio Communities Police Department. He was hired in 2023. Rodriguez has worked as a field patrol officer for the Albuquerque Public Schools, a patrol officer in Estancia, and the Valencia County Sheriffs Office. Paul Szych, of Rio Rancho, is the chief of public safety and director at the Goodman Realty Group in Albuquerque. He is also a part-time faculty instructor at Central New Mexico Community College, and is the owner and operator of Real Training, LLC in Rio Rancho. Szych was a police commander at the Albuquerque Police Department from 2001 to 2021. BOSQUE FARMS The languishing emergency medical services department in Bosque Farms might get a local partner to help bring that vital service back to the village. Valencia County Fire Chief Matt Propp went to the village council meeting on Thursday, Sept. 18, with a proposal to provide half-time EMS coverage for Bosque Farms. Im sure everyone is aware of the challenge of EMS in Bosque Farms. We feel like we are in the position to help with that, Propp told the council. This is a pretty neutral way to benefit everyone in the community. For close to two years, the village hasnt had an EMS program, lacking a director and volunteers. Valencia County Fire Chief Matt Propp News Bulletin file photo Based on available funding, Propp said the county could supply EMS staff for the villages rescue unit, acting essentially as an EMS contractor to the village. All equipment and funding would remain under the Bosque Farms umbrella, he said. The ambulance is the property of the village, funding would go through the village, supply replacement would be through the village. Valencia County would provide EMS staff for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, similar to the model is has in the Tome district in the unincorporated county. Its proven beneficial to us in the county and makes the system more efficient, the chief said. Obviously, a 24-hour model is always better, but I understand funding might not be available. Propp said he pulled statistics for medical calls from the Valencia Regional Emergency Communications Center and the highest call volume for EMS services in the village came between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. That works well because the majority of responders for this community have a 9-to-5, and with us not covering the night, leaves a lot of potential (volunteer) responders in the community, he said. There was a question earlier about volunteer EMS personnel and we would look to the village in that department, whether its through the fire department or an EMS department. The chief continued, saying if the council went forward with an agreement and partnership with Valencia County, he would encourage anyone wanting to volunteer for EMS shifts overnight to get on a truck with us, that way they can develop skills and see more call volume, that way, at night, they are able to take on the reduced call volume. Ad The countys proposal ensures at least one paramedic on a truck at all times between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Continuing with the countys model of response, Propp said AMR transporting patients to Albuquerque would be the best case scenario. That way your ambulance remains in district as much as it can, and available for response, he said. We encourage AMR to do transports so our ambulances stay in county as much as possible. Propp said while having AMR transport is the ideal, crews are empowered to make their own call as to whether to transport a patient. Every incident is specific. We give that power to the crew. If the patients needs to go, they transport, he said. Being on this side of the county, its easier to get quickly (to Albuquerque) and back. If the crew feels there is a need to go, we dont challenge that. We empower them to make that decision and not wait for AMR. Councilor Erica De Smet asked where funding for supplies would come from and how restocking the villages ambulance unit after calls would be handled. Propp said the village is allotted EMS funding from the state, which the village would ideally use to replace supplies and maintain the ambulance. Those costs would stay with the village. The benefit of having us come in, for example, is if your ambulance breaks down we have three spares and wed bring one in and have no loss of service, the chief said. He said crews could keep a simple log of consumable items used during calls and have a single point of contact within the village for supply purchases and replacement. The easiest way is to have (the village) handle the funds. You could transfer it to us, but it gets a little cloudy since we are only doing 50 percent coverage, Propp said. The countys proposal comes with an annual cost of $380,000 and it wasnt immediately clear at last weeks meeting where the funding would come from. When the village was contemplating an agreement with the town of Peralta to have its assistant fire chief serve as EMS director for Bosque Farms, there was $50,000 on the table to pay for that position. Bosque Farms Mayor Chris Gillespie said the village has less than whats needed to have the county come in and run calls. We would have to find the rest. There are a number of places we have to identify where we can take from and determine what were not going to get somewhere else. Youre saying to get EMS we would not have other things, De Smet asked. The mayor said that is possible. There is money from the state to pay for one individual for a year. We could use that money. There is funding thats been sitting there for a number of years. All of that has to be ironed out. BOSUE FARMS A representative from the New Mexico Secretary of States Office recently visited Valencia County to present an overview of the voting process. Calling her presentation Voting 101, BC Nguyen, the SOS elections outreach coordinator, spoke to a crowd of about a dozen people at the Bosque Farms Community Center on Aug. 26, which was the same day candidates across the state filed to run for the Nov. 4 Regular Local Election. Originally from Vietnam and now a U.S. citizen, Nguyen said there arent really elections in Vietnam in the sense that voters can make choices. In Vietnam, theres only one party, the Communist Party. There are elections, but the candidates are chosen by the political party, Nguyen said. It was important to me as a woman growing up and wanting to have my voice heard. Becoming a citizen of a country that has real democracy like America, I try to tell my daughter and coming baby that their voices will be heard through their ballot. There is a long history of fighting for voting rights in this country, she said, from the federal level down to the local level, right here in Valencia County. Nguyen touched on several significant voting milestones black men gaining the right to vote in 1870, women in 1920 and in 1965, discriminatory practices such as poll taxes and literacy tests being eliminated to make sure there were no arbitrary barriers to voting. Across the country, the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971. In New Mexico, one of the most significant national voting changes happened in Valencia County in 1948. When Miguel Trujillo, a member of Isleta Pueblo, returned from World War II, he tried to register to vote. He was told as a Native American he didnt have that right. He took the Valencia County clerk at the time to court and won, securing Native American voting rights across the U.S. Two years ago, the state enacted its own voting rights act to continue improving equity and access, Nguyen said. To register to vote in New Mexico, a person has to be U.S. citizen, resident of New Mexico and at least 18 years old by Election Day. Nguyen said New Mexico does have preregistration for voters who are 17 years old and will be 18 by the next election. When they preregister, they are put on a pending registration list. Once they turn 18, they are automatically registered and become an active voter. New Mexico is a leader in young voter engagement, she said. In New Mexico, people who have completed a felony sentence are allowed to register and vote, so long as they are no longer incarcerated. A person can register and vote even if they are on probation or parole. Ad Residents can register to vote in a number of ways in person, online or now, automatically through the state Motor Vehicle Division. To register online at nmvote.org, you need to have either a current or expired New Mexico state I.D., such as a drivers license, to register for the first time or make changes to your registration, such as your name, address or party affiliation. Voters can register by mail by printing out the form found online or getting a copy at the Valencia County clerks office, 444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas. The form can be returned either to the SOS or clerks office. Anyone registering for the first time in New Mexico by mail must submit the registration form, as well as a copy of a current and valid photo identification or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, student identification card or other government document, including identification issued by a Native nation, tribe or pueblo that shows their name and current address. If a person doesnt submit one of these forms of I.D. with their mailed-in, first time registration, they have to present one of the forms of ID when voting in person or absentee. A new law, which went into effect on July 1, automatically registers eligible voters during transactions with the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division, Nguyen said. If you are unregistered, you will automatically be registered and be guided to chose a (political) affiliation or chose to not affiliate with a party, Nguyen said. Five days after automatic registration, the voter receives information by mail that lets them opt out of being registered. Voters can also do same day voter registration during the 28 days of early voting and on Election Day itself by going to any polling location, where they can register and cast a ballot on the same day. The states safe at home program helps survivors of domestic violence and stalking register to vote safely so their location doesnt become public knowledge. Nguyen said voters who are eligible for the program can use the secretary of states address for registration and to receive ballots to vote by mail, so abusers cant use public records to continue to stalk or abuse. Voters in New Mexico can cast a ballot in several different ways via absentee ballot, which doesnt require the voter to provide a reason or excuse for requesting, in person during early voting or in person on Election Day. Absentee and mail-in voting are different names for the same thing, Nguyen said. You can mail the ballot back in, drop it off at the clerks office or any polling location. Valencia County also has three secure absentee ballot drop boxes Bosque Farms Public Library, 1455 W. Bosque Loop, Bosque Farms; Valencia County Administration Building, 444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas and Belen Community Center, 305 Eagle Lane, Belen which are checked daily for ballots through Nov. 4. An absentee ballot can be requested online at nmvote.org or at the county clerks office starting on Oct. 21, and the ballots can be tracked online at sos.nm.gov/trackmyballot. Nguyen said voters shouldnt think about voting as something that happens on just one day, but rather a whole season. Voters have 28 days before Election Day when you can start voting during early voting. She also reminded any procrastinators out there that as long as you are in line by 7 p.m. on Election Day, you have the right to wait and vote. Take your time. You will get to vote, she said. She also reminded Valencia County voters that instead of having to vote in their precinct, they can go to any one of the 15 voting convenience centers to cast a ballot on Election Day. Since the county uses convenience centers, ballots are printed on demand and customized to each voter with the races and any election questions they are eligible to vote for. Voters can visit nmvote.org and download their personalized ballot so they can study up on the candidates, Nguyen said, or visit the clerks office for a printed copy of their sample ballot. Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a platform that combines automated wet lab techniques with artificial intelligence (AI) to design nanoparticles for drug delivery. The approach could help researchers deliver difficult-to-encapsulate therapeutics more efficiently and effectively. In a proof of concept, the team used the platform to create nanoparticles capable of delivering a difficult-to-encapsulate therapy for leukemia and optimized the design of a second anti-cancer nanoparticle. The research appeared September 14 in the journal ACS Nano. AI-based tools have transformed the drug development landscape by enabling researchers to better predict the biological, chemical and physical properties of potential therapeutic molecules. While this approach has been successful enough to identify drug candidates that are currently advancing through clinical trials, a majority of these platforms only focus on early-stage drug discovery. Finding the right molecule is only half the battle, however, because a new drug still needs to be delivered to the right location. But the use of AI for these later stages of drug development, which could help researchers optimize formulation safety and delivery mechanisms, is still relatively unexplored. "When you're creating a nanoparticle, how well it works doesn't just depend on the recipe, but also on the quantity of the various ingredients, including both the active drug and inactive materials," said Zilu Zhang, a PhD student in the lab of Daniel Reker, an assistant professor of BME. "Existing AI platforms can only handle one or the other, which limits their overall effectiveness." For example, researchers have developed several machine learning models to accelerate nanoparticle design by improving the materials selection process. These systems are trained using large data sets with fixed material ratios, but this rigidity also prevents the algorithms from learning how different ratios of materials could make these delivery systems more effective. AI can help us identify promising delivery molecules, but if you don't mix them with the drug at a certain ratio, they won't form a stable nanoparticle. If we can identify the optimal mixture ratios, then we can form the particles and maintain their stability." Daniel Reker, assistant professor of BME Besides an inability to consider both ingredients and their quantities, current approaches face other challenges as well. More complex AI platforms are good at identifying properties and efficient ratios, but they require massive datasets for effective training. And while simpler approaches can use smaller datasets, they struggle to differentiate between similar materials. Reker and Zhang hope to address these challenges using their new Tunable Nanoparticle platform guided by AI, called TuNa-AI. Using an automated liquid handling platform, the team created a dataset of 1275 distinct formulations made up of different therapeutic molecules and excipients, which are nonactive substances like coloring agents, preservatives and other molecules that improve a drug's physical properties and absorption. "By using robotics, we were able to combine many different ingredients in many different recipes very systematically," said Zhang. "Our AI model was then able to look at that data for how different materials perform under different conditions and extrapolate that knowledge to select an optimized nanoparticle." The team found that their TuNa-AI model resulted in a 42.9 percent increase in successful nanoparticle formation compared to standard approaches. As a proof of concept, they showed that their platform could successfully formulate a nanoparticle that more effectively encapsulated venetoclax, a chemotherapy used to treat leukemia. The venetoclax nanoparticles showed improved solubility and were able to more effectively halt leukemia cell growth in the laboratory compared to the non-encapsulated drug alone. In a second case study, their AI-guided platform also reduced the use of a potentially carcinogenic excipient by 75 percent in a second chemotherapy drug's formulation while preserving the drug's efficacy and improving its biodistribution in mouse models. "We showed that TuNa-AI can be used not only to identify new nanoparticles but also optimize existing materials to make them safer," said Zhang. Beyond expanding their platform to process other types of biomaterials for various therapeutic and diagnostic applications, the team is also actively collaborating with researchers and physicians both inside and outside of Duke to use this platform to improve drug delivery for difficult-to-treat diseases. "This platform is a big foundational step for designing and optimizing nanoparticles for therapeutic applications," said Reker. "Now, we're excited to look ahead and treat diseases by making existing and new therapies more effective and safer." This study was supported by the National Institute of Health NIGMS Grant (R35GM151255), the Duke University Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility (SMIF), a member of the North Carolina Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (RTNN), which is supported by the National Science Foundation (award number ECCS-2025064) as part of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI). A study from the Medical University of South Carolina, published in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, reveals that shorter storage durations of donor human milk are linked to reduced gastrointestinal complicatoins in premature infants, including necrotizing enterocolitis. These findings suggestt that minimizing milk storage time may help to preserve protective properties crucial for preterm gut health, offering new insights into neonatal nutrition practices and improving outcomes for vulnerable newborns. Odds are that when you go to the supermarket, you check each product you pick up for its "best by" date, ensuring that you have the freshest, healthiest food to bring home for you and your family. An MUSC study published in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition has found that those little best by dates for a particularly precious resource donor human milk have huge implications for the gastrointestinal health of very premature infants. "Our results showed that babies weren't as protected with the use of donor milk that was stored for a longer time as with donor milk that was stored for shorter periods of time," said physician-scientist Katherine E. Chetta, M.D., who led the study. Chetta's research program is focused on the science of breast milk, nutrition and intestinal rehabilitation. Donor human milk is a vital substance, given to almost all preterm babies, especially if their own mother's milk is unavailable, in short supply or otherwise unsafe. It can also reduce complications associated with formula, while supporting immune function, digestion and infants with specific medical conditions, such as low blood sugar, congenital heart disease and immunologic deficiencies. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of using donor milk is to reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC, as it's often referred to in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), where most pre-term babies are cared for. NEC is a very serious inflammatory disease that affects mostly preemies and can lead to bowel tissue dying. It requires medication and often surgery and can lead to lifelong complications. Although doctors and scientists have not yet identified the sole cause of NEC, they do have some ideas about several factors that, together, can cause injury to the premature gut, allowing bacteria in and creating inflammation. As a neonatologist at the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital, Chetta has long dealt with the devastating effects of NEC in her patients. "It's one of those key benchmark diseases that all NICUs are constantly trying to decrease," she said. As a physician-scientist, Chetta collaborates closely with the nutrition management center or "milk room," where the donor milk is stored. Based on previous studies and detailed analysis of the milk, Chetta and her team knew that longer storage times mean a breakdown in the action and efficacy of specific milk components. Chetta wondered whether aging milk is less protective against the development of NEC than fresher milk. To determine the answer, she reviewed the medical records of 262 very-low-birth-weight, less than 3.3 pounds, infants who were provided donor milk in the NICU at the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital between February 2022 and January 2024. Of those premature babies, 226 remained free of disease while 36 developed NEC or another gut disease called spontaneous perforation, which also causes tremendous damage to intestinal tissue. The South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute, a Clinical and Translational Science Awards hub with an academic home at MUSC, provided statistical support for the . Chetta's findings revealed that every additional day of storage increased the risk of NEC in very-low-birth-weight preemies by 3.7%. The sweet spot for frozen milk storage was approximately 240 days for the tiniest infants. Laboratory results showed that, over time, certain milk components degrade even while in frozen storage. When preemies are on the edge of viability, and extremely low birth weight, that's when they seem to be the most susceptible to the effects of storage and can be most protected by having fresher milk. In short, for preemies: "Fresh milk is the best." Katherine E. Chetta, M.D., physician-scientist Currently, the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both advise that frozen milk can be stored safely for up to a year for all babies. Based on this study, Chetta and her team believe that these guidelines need to be reevaluated, especially regarding critically ill babies. Still, this laboratory finding has already influenced clinical practice in Chetta's NICU. "We're so convinced that we need a little bit fresher that we're already doing it just to be on the safer side," said Chetta, of feeding high-risk, premature infants the freshest milk possible based on the study results. "That's how much we believe in it." The practical application of this finding doesn't mean discarding or wasting milk that is considered not quite as fresh but, rather, using fresh milk more quickly and optimizing freezing and storage procedures so that the sickest and youngest babies can have the freshest milk. To achieve these goals, Chetta worked closely with the Mother's Milk Bank of South Carolina and others involved in the handling of human milk. Based on her experience, she can offer some simple, easy-to-follow advice: "Other NICUs could talk to their own milk banks about bringing this milk in a little bit quicker from donor depot sites, as we did." Chetta said it really is as simple as that. "We didn't have to change much. We were just refocused on trying to get it under that threshold of 240 days." While this is still very new information, Chetta and her team have high hopes for its impact in the not-so-distant future. "I think improving outcomes can be expanded very rapidly once people start verifying some of the findings we have," she said. "From a policy standpoint, it could be a quick change. I hope the use of fresher milk will make a difference in the lives of the youngest babies. I think it will." As climate change drives rising temperatures, new research reveals that urban form and economic capacity will determine which cities adapt and which struggle when the worlds largest urban centers face dangerous heat. Population numbers and spatial distribution of cities exceeding a MAT of 29 degree Celsius. (A) Projected populations in cities with MAT >29 degree Celsius for different continents based on various climate projections. (B) Geographical distribution of cities with MATs between 27 and 29 and over 29 degrees according to SSP5-8.5. The figure and map were created using the code (Python 3.9 and the cartopy package) that can be found in the repository, as stated in the code availability statement. A recent study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, quantified future urban heat exposure and adaptive measures for 1,563 large cities worldwide. Beyond acute spikes: Chronic exposure to high mean annual temperatures directly strains urban systems by increasing baseline cooling demands, health risks, and reducing day-to-day labor productivity, a persistent burden even without extreme heatwaves. A majority of the global population has been living in cities since 2008. Urban areas show distinct warming dynamics, driven by high imperviousness and heterogeneous land use patterns, which amplify heat stress and strain urban infrastructures (public health systems, water supply, etc.). Urban residents, economies, and services are constantly affected by heat as a persistent background burden. Thus, mean annual temperature (MAT) could serve as an indicator of urban heat stress. The climate-niche framework offers a concise tool for assessing where and when future warming will push cities beyond comfortable habitability conditions. While previous studies have projected climate niche through 2100 or assessed climate exposures for multiple cities over shorter horizons, they were often inconsistent, with no explicit assessment of adaptive capacity and limited treatment of intra-urban land cover heterogeneity. About the study Why 27C matters too: While 29C serves as the central benchmark, the study also examined 27C as a sensitivity threshold. Crossing this point dramatically expands the number of people and cities classified as facing chronic heat exposure, underscoring how even modest shifts in MAT can sharply raise vulnerability. In the present study, researchers quantified future urban heat exposure and adaptive capacity for 1,563 large cities. They utilized downscaled data from the Climatologies at high resolution for the Earths land surface areas (CHELSA) dataset to evaluate the future development of temperatures in cities. Temperature projections were derived using global climate model outputs under different shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios. Specifically, these scenarios were SSP5-8.5, SSP1-2.6, and SSP3-7.0, corresponding to different levels of emissions and mitigation efforts. SSP5-8.5 population projections were used for the primary analysis. Further, remote sensing-based morphological data of cities were integrated to spatially delineate cities worldwide in a consistent manner. This approach connects heat exposure not only to climate scenarios but also to a city's physical form and its economic capacity to act. A MAT threshold of 29 C was used as a benchmark to identify populations and cities outside the human climate niche, with 27 C included as a sensitivity threshold due to its link to a sharp rise in lethal heat exposure. The spatial distribution of temperature changes and projected populations in cities that are expected to experience extreme temperatures was analyzed for the periods 2011-2040, 2041-2070, and 2071-2100. To investigate the influence of urban morphology on extreme temperature outcomes, different groups of local climate zones (LCZs) that share similar characteristics between cities projected to exceed the benchmark threshold were compared to those that do not. Findings Temperature increases exhibited significant regional variations. European cities showed the strongest trends of warming in all scenarios. Over half of European cities were projected to have a MAT increase of > 4.1 C by 2100 based on SSP5-8.5. Cities in North America exhibited a rise of 4 C, and Asian cities showed a slightly lower increase at 3.8 C. African and South American cities exhibited relatively lower temperature increases of 2.7 C and 3.2 C, respectively, although their baseline temperatures are already significantly higher. Differences in mean annual temperature and relation to urban growth. (A) Distribution of cities based on the difference in MAT and the population growth in linear and in the small plot on a logarithmic scale for SSP1-2.6, (B) SSP3-7.0 and (C) SSP5-8.5. The figures were created using the code that can be found in the repository, as stated in the code availability statement. Seventeen cities had a MAT above 29 C for 2011-40. This number was projected to increase to 57 by 2041-70 and 217 by 2071-2100. The projected population of cities above 29 C was estimated to be 320 million people between 2071 and 2100, with the majority residing in Asia (270 million), followed by Africa (40 million) and South America (12 million). Under SSP1-2.6, the most favorable scenario, over 59 million people were projected to live in cities with a MAT > 29 C. Water bodies: Cool but costly. Adding or expanding urban water features ranks high in terms of cooling potential, but faces major hurdles in the driest regions precisely where many of the most heat-threatened cities are located. Under SSP3-7.0, a scenario characterized by high population growth, over 446 million people were estimated to be in cities with a MAT above 29 C, the highest exposed population of the three scenarios. When the MAT threshold was reduced to 27 C, 629 million people were projected to be exposed to these temperatures in the SSP5-8.5 scenario. LCZ analysis revealed distinct patterns of urban morphology in cities projected to exceed the 29 C MAT threshold. The share of compact urban areas was comparatively low in all cities, both above and below the threshold. However, African cities with MAT < 29 C showed larger open urban spaces in all scenarios. In contrast, the proportion of bare natural surfaces was higher in cities with MAT above 29 C in Africa, North America, and Asia in SSP5-8.5 and SSP3-7.0 scenarios. In Africa, the hotter cities showed a lower share of green spaces in SSP5-8.5 and SSP1-2.6 scenarios. Collectively, these findings suggest that urban form is a key factor that can either exacerbate or mitigate heat exposure, underscoring critical avenues for spatially targeted adaptation strategies. Finally, the team presented adaptation strategies for cities with a projected MAT > 29 C based on a literature review. Accordingly, the greater the proportion of certain LCZs in a city, the higher the score of the corresponding adaptation measures. Four measures, increasing pervious-surface fraction, expanding vegetation cover and green spaces, enhancing water bodies, and using reflective building materials, scored the highest in all continents. However, the studys analysis of economic capacity revealed a critical disparity: cities with the highest projected heat, particularly in Africa, generally have the lowest GDP levels, constraining their ability to fund adaptation. In stark contrast, wealthier cities in regions like Europe face less extreme heat but possess far greater financial resources. Study Limitations The authors note several limitations to provide context for their findings. The climate data, for instance, does not capture the full urban heat island (UHI) effect, which can add several degrees in dense neighborhoods. Furthermore, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is used as a proxy for economic capacity, but it does not capture other factors, such as governance or institutional strength. Finally, the study assumes urban morphology is static, though it will evolve over time. Conclusions Adaptation capacity isnt equal: The analysis shows that the practicality of measures depends heavily on local context. Cities already hotter and less wealthy, particularly in Africa and parts of Asia, face greater barriers to greening or reflective-material programs, while wealthier cities at a lower baseline heat can adapt more readily. In sum, the study provided a comprehensive assessment of future urban temperature risks under three scenarios. Cities in Europe were projected to experience the highest increases in MAT by 2100 under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, while those in Africa and South America, which were already at high baseline MAT, showed smaller increases. Overall, rising urban temperatures will have profound implications for future livability in cities. To better interpret these complex trends, the study sorts cities into three recurring risk profiles: (1) already-hot megacities with very large exposed populations, such as Mumbai and Chennai, (2) temperate but dense legacy cities facing steep background warming, such as Madrid, and (3) hot-and-growing cities where rapid urbanization and constrained adaptive capacity amplify exposure, such as Kabul. This framework helps tailor policy. Crucially, the feasibility of adaptation depends on local economic capacity. The mismatch between high-risk, low-income cities and low-risk, high-income cities highlights the need for targeted, equity-focused policies, international cooperation, and capacity building to enable financially constrained cities to implement effective adaptation measures. By linking climate projections, urban morphology, and socioeconomic capacity, the research provides a practical roadmap for safeguarding urban habitability in a warming world. Women who miss their first mammogram run a higher risk of being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and dying from the disease. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the scientific journal BMJ. Since the early 1990s, women in Sweden have been offered regular mammograms, which has contributed to a decrease in breast cancer mortality. Despite this, a significant proportion choose not to attend their first examination. The researchers behind the new study wanted to investigate the long-term consequences of this. The study is based on data from the Swedish mammography screening program and national health registries, and covers almost 433,000 women in Stockholm between 1991 and 2020, with follow-up for up to 25 years. The results show that 32 percent of all women who were invited to their first screening declined. These women were also less likely to participate in future examinations, which often led to a later diagnosis and poorer prognosis. Skipping the first mammogram is a strong indicator of who is at risk of late detection and higher mortality. Our results show that missing the first mammogram is not just a one-time choice, but often marks the beginning of a long-term pattern of not attending check-ups." Ziyan Ma, study's first author, doctoral student, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet When women who skipped their first screening were later diagnosed with breast cancer, the disease was more often detected at a more advanced stage. The risk of developing stage III cancer was approximately 1.5 times higher, and for stage IV, the risk was as much as 3.6 times higher compared to those who participated in the first mammogram. Over a 25-year follow-up period, almost 1 percent of those who did not participate had died of breast cancer, compared with 0.7 percent among the participants a difference that corresponds to a 40 percent higher risk of dying from the disease. However, the total proportion of women who developed breast cancer was almost the same in both groups, approximately 7.7 percent. According to the researchers, this shows that the increased mortality is mainly due to delayed detection rather than more cases of the disease. "Family history is a well-known, unchangeable risk factor for breast cancer. Our study shows that missing the very first screening examination carries a similar mortality risk but unlike family history, this is a behavior that we can change. Since over 30 percent of women skip their first screening, increased participation could save many lives. Since this group can be identified early, decades before deaths occur, healthcare providers have a chance to intervene with reminders or support to encourage participation, says the study's last author, Kamila Czene, professor at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet Important partners include Zhejiang University in China and clinical collaborations with Sodersjukhuset and S:t Gorans Sjukhus. The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Cancer Society. When a woman becomes pregnant, the outcome of that pregnancy depends on many things - including a crucial event that happened while she was still growing inside her own mother's womb. It depends on the quality of the egg cells that were already forming inside her fetal ovaries. The DNA-containing chromosomes in those cells must be cut, spliced and sorted perfectly. In males, the same process produces sperm in the testes but occurs only after puberty. If that goes wrong, then you end up with the wrong number of chromosomes in the eggs or sperm. This can result in infertility, miscarriage or the birth of children with genetic diseases." Neil Hunter, professor, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis In a paper published Sept. 24 in the journal Nature, Hunter's team reports a major new discovery about a process that helps safeguard against these mistakes. He has pieced together the choreography of proteins that connect matching chromosome pairs - ensuring that they are sorted correctly as egg and sperm cells develop and divide. Hunter's discoveries required methods to watch the molecular events of chromosome recombination unfold with unprecedented detail. This involved genetic engineering in budding yeast - a model organism that has been used for decades to discover how fundamental cellular processes work. "The chromosome structures that we studied have changed very little across evolution," Hunter said. "Every protein that we looked at in yeast has a direct counterpart in humans." His findings could improve our understanding of fertility problems and how they are diagnosed and treated in humans. Forming chromosome crossovers for strong connections Humans have 46 chromosomes in each of our cells, made up of 23 pairs of matching, "homologous" chromosomes, with one of each pair inherited from each parent. Early in the process of making sperm or eggs, those chromosome pairs line up, and the parental chromosomes break and rejoin to each other. These chromosome exchanges, called "crossovers," serve two important functions. First, they help ensure that each chromosome that is passed on to the offspring contains a unique mixture of genes from both parents. Crossovers also keep the chromosomes connected in matching pairs. These connections guide the distribution of chromosomes when cells divide to produce eggs and sperm. Maintaining crossover connections is especially crucial in females, Hunter said. As chromosomes pair up in developing egg or sperm cells, matching DNA strands are exchanged and twined together over a short distance to form a structure called a "double Holliday junction." DNA strands of this structure are then cut to join the chromosomes forming a crossover. In males, developing immature sperm cells then immediately divide and distribute chromosomes to the sperm. In contrast, egg cells developing in the fetal ovary arrest their development after crossovers have formed. The immature egg cells can remain in suspended animation for decades after birth, until they are activated to undergo ovulation. Only then does the process lurch back into motion: The egg cell finally divides, and the chromosome pairs that were connected by crossovers are finally separated to deliver a single set of chromosomes to the mature egg. "Maintaining the crossover connections over many years is a major challenge for immature egg cells," Hunter said. If chromosome pairs aren't connected by at least one crossover, they can lose contact with each other, like two people separated in a jostling crowd. This causes them to segregate incorrectly when the cell finally divides, producing egg cells with extra or missing chromosomes. This can cause infertility, miscarriage or genetic conditions such as Down syndrome, in which a child is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21, leading to cognitive impairment, heart defects, hearing loss and other problems. From yeast to humans Hunter has spent years trying to understand how crossovers form and how this process can fail and cause reproductive problems. By studying this process in yeast, researchers can directly visualize molecular events of double-Holliday junction resolution in synchronized populations of cells. Researchers have identified dozens of proteins that bind and process these junctions. Hunter and then-postdoctoral fellow Shangming Tang (now an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics at the University of Virginia) used a technique called "real-time genetics" to investigate the function of those proteins. With this method, they made cells degrade one or more specific proteins within the junction-associated structures. They could then analyze the DNA from these cells, to see whether the junctions were resolved and if they formed crossovers. In this way, they built up a picture in which a network of proteins function together to ensure that crossovers are formed. "This strategy allowed us to answer a question that previously wasn't possible," Hunter said. They identified key proteins such as cohesin that prevent an enzyme called the STR complex (or Bloom complex in humans) from inappropriately dismantling the junctions before they can form crossovers. "They protect the double Holliday junction," Hunter said. "That is a key discovery." This years-long research project in yeast is broadly relevant for human reproduction because the process has changed very little during evolution. Failure to protect double-Holliday junctions may be linked to fertility problems in humans. In addition to Tang, the postdoc, seven undergraduates in the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences contributed to this work, including Jennifer Koo, Mohammad Pourhosseinzadeh, Emerald Nguyen, Natalie Liu, Christopher Ma, Hanyu Lu and Monica Lee. Additional authors on the paper include Sara Hariri, Regina Bohn and John E. McCarthy, all members of the Hunter lab. Hunter's research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His work has also received funding from the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, the American Cancer Society, the Concern Foundation for Cancer Research, and the Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation. Hunter's research on crossover and homologous recombination uses advanced scientific facilities at the university's Proteomics Core Facility, MCB Light Microscopy Imaging Facility, Genome Center, Mouse Biology Program, and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Changes in vision are often a common sign of aging. If you sit in a dimly lit restaurant with anyone over the age of 60, you'll likely hear the person say, "Hold on - let me pull out my cell phone. I need more light to read the menu!" But what if we could reverse age-related visual decline? In a new study, UC Irvine researchers explore a possible therapy for addressing "aging" in the eye and for preventing diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). "We show the potential for reversing age-related vision loss," says Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. The study was a collaboration between researchers from UC Irvine, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Health and Medical University in Potsdam, Germany. They outline their findings in "Retinal polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation reverses aging-related vision decline in mice," a paper published in Science Translational Medicine. Understanding the "aging" gene The work is a follow-up to an earlier study on Elongation of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Protein 2 (ELOVL2), an established biomarker of age. "We showed that we have lower vision when this ELOVL2 enzyme isn't active," says Skowronska-Krawczyk, also a faculty member in the Robert M. Brunson Center for Translational Vision Research at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. In that work, the researchers found that enhancing ELOVL2 gene expression in aging mice boosted levels of the omega3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the eye and improved vision. The more recent study sought to identify a way to bypass the need for the ELOVL2 enzyme. As we age, changes in lipid metabolism lead to a decline in very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs) in the retina, which in turn affects our vision and can lead to AMD. The ELOVL2 gene is a key enzyme in the production of VLC-PUFAs as well as DHA. Injecting aged mice with the polyunsaturated fatty acid improved visual function. "It's a proof-of-concept for turning lipid injection into a possible therapy," says Skowronska-Krawczyk. "What is important is that we didn't see the same effect with DHA." Others have also questioned the ability of DHA to slow AMD progression. Our work really confirms the fact that DHA alone cannot do the work, but we have this other fatty acid that is seemingly working and improving vision in aged animals. We have also shown on a molecular level that it actually reverses the aging features." Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD, associate professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Furthermore, the researchers found genetic variants in the ELOVL2 enzyme that correlate with faster progression of AMD. "Now we actually have a genetic connection to the disease and its aging aspect," says Skowronska-Krawczyk, "so we could potentially identify people at higher risk for vision loss progression." This could lead to not only therapeutic treatment options but also targeted interventions for prevention. These findings have only further solidified Skowronska-Krawczyk's view of the importance of the ELOVL2 enzyme. "I am pretty convinced it's one of the top aging genes that we should look at when we think about anti-aging therapies." Looking beyond the retina In a collaboration with researchers from UC San Diego, Skowronska-Krawczyk has also started to explore the role of lipid metabolism in immune system aging. That study found that the lack of ELOVL2 enzyme induces accelerated aging of immune cells, suggesting that systemic lipid supplementation could potentially counteract the effects of age on the immune system. It also suggested that lipid metabolism might play a role in blood cancers. "Our first study explored a potential therapy to address vision loss," says Skowronska-Krawczyk, "but with the information we've since learned about immune aging, we are hopeful the supplementation therapy will boost the immune system as well." When it comes to brain proteins, small changes can make a dramatic difference. Researchers studying NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, which are essential for learning, memory and moment-by-moment consciousness, know that even slight changes in their activity level can mean the difference between normal function and serious neurological disorders. Now, University at Buffalo researchers in a long-term collaboration with scientists at the Vollum Institute have captured for the first time and in exquisite detail pictures of receptors in a fully open conformation. The paper also describes for the first time the sequence of structural changes that transform receptors from being silent to being fully active. Published today in Science Advances, the team's work expands the understanding of how NMDA receptors function and how their malfunction contributes to disease. Gabriela Popescu, PhD, professor of biochemistry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, is a corresponding author on the paper with Eric Gouaux, PhD, and Farzad Jalali-Yazdi, scientists at the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health & Science University. Lead authors are Jamie A. Abbott, PhD, research scientist in the Department of Biochemistry at UB, and Junhoe Kim, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at the Vollum Institute. Beiying Liu, PhD, is a co-author in the UB Department of Biochemistry. Popescu has spent her career studying the biophysical properties of NMDA receptors, which generate electrical current in response to binding glutamate and help neurons communicate. Why neurodegeneration happens NMDA receptors are key to ongoing brain activity, but when they are inappropriately active, they kill neurons, such as, for example, after a traumatic brain injury, after a stroke, or during progressive neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease." Gabriela Popescu, PhD, professor of biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB For that reason, Popescu and her colleagues have been focused on trying to understand and track the sequence of events that transform resting, inactive receptors into active, electricity-generating receptors. A key part of assembling this sequence requires obtaining pictures of receptors in different functional states to identify which parts change position during activation, enabling the transition. While previous research has reported atomic-resolution structures for receptors in the resting state, Popescu says that structures for active, pore-open receptors have remained elusive. Kinks in the helices The researchers used cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), which involves flash-freezing samples of the receptors, then probing them with an electron beam to get a 3D view. The result is the first-ever, high-resolution image of a stable, open NMDA receptor. Unlike closed-pore receptors, in which the pore's four spiral structures, or helices, are straight, the researchers found that when the pore opens, the helices are bent or kinked. It wasn't what they expected. "We thought that the channel would open simply by prying apart the four helical rods that prevent ion flow to widen the mouth of the pore," says Popescu. "Instead, we saw that all four rods are kinked outward and stabilized in this splayed conformation by new contacts with distant parts of the molecule." Each kink, she explains, represents a region of interest in the receptor. "The identity of the amino acid at that position is essential as it must allow the kinking," she says. "Without the image, without knowing that the helix must bend, we would not understand why this particular residue is important." The new observations will help researchers figure out the step-by-step process by which the receptor pore opens; they also provide insight into which other parts of the receptor may also play a role. There are many patients, Popescu notes, with single-point mutations in the DNA coding for this receptor. A point mutation is a change in a single amino acid in the receptor's structure. "The new information helps us better understand what these amino acid residues do, why they are important and what goes wrong when they are altered," she adds. Structure-function findings The researchers also reveal the first mechanism of NMDA receptor activation integrating functional evidence obtained in Popescu's lab from single-molecule electrophysiology recordings with structural evidence from single-particle cryo-EM obtained in the lab of co-senior author Eric Gouaux, PhD, senior scientist at the Vollum Institute. "Before this study, we knew that the receptor must change its structure several times to transition from resting to primed to open," says Popescu. "Separately, structural studies produced pictures of receptors that looked a little different, but because we didn't know how the final open state looked, we couldn't arrange the pictures in the correct sequence." Popescu is now able to connect the new images of the receptor with her previous findings on the rate with which receptors change conformation to complete the activation cycle. Knowing how the receptor looks at each point in the sequence helps isolate which regions play key roles in the transition and why and how drugs bind to these regions, as well as why mutations in these regions cause disease. "The work that my lab has done over the past 20 years can tell us how drugs or mutations change the current that glutamate elicits when it binds to the NMDA receptor," she says. "Ultimately, the intensity, duration and frequency of this current - the tiny electrical signals that these receptors produce - determine how neurons communicate and whether our thoughts, feelings and emotions reflect reality in a way that helps us survive in a complex world. The new results show us why drugs and mutations change the current and can point us to ways to restore normal function." The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Scientists at the NYU Pain Research Center have identified which receptor in prostaglandins-the hormone-like substance targeted by common painkillers-causes pain but not inflammation. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, may help researchers to develop more selective drugs to treat pain with fewer side effects. Inflammation and pain are usually thought to go hand in hand. But being able to block pain and allow inflammation-which promotes healing-to proceed is an important step in improved treatment of pain." Nigel Bunnett, study author, professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry and a faculty member in the NYU Pain Research Center Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are among the most commonly taken medicines in the world, with an estimated 30 billion doses each year in the US alone. The drugs are available both over the counter (e.g., ibuprofen or aspirin) and as prescription medications. Unfortunately, long-term use of most NSAIDs carries serious risks, including damage to the lining of the stomach, increased bleeding, and issues with the heart, kidneys, and liver. NSAIDs work by blocking enzymes that produce prostaglandins, reducing the level of prostaglandins, inflammation, and pain. Scientists commonly believe that getting rid of inflammation is what treats the pain. However, inflammation-the immune system's response to injury or infection-can be protective. "Inflammation can be good for you-it repairs and restores normal function," said study author Pierangelo Geppetti, an adjunct professor at the NYU Pain Research Center, professor emeritus at the University of Florence, and former director of the Headache Center of Careggi University Hospital. "Inhibiting inflammation with NSAIDs may delay healing and could delay recovery from pain. A better strategy to treat prostaglandin-mediated pain would be to selectively reduce the pain without affecting inflammation's protective actions." In their study, the researchers focused on prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), which is considered a main mediator of inflammatory pain, in Schwann cells. Schwann cells are found outside the brain in the peripheral nervous system and play an important role in migraine and other forms of pain. PGE 2 has four different receptors. Geppetti's prior studies point to the EP4 receptor for PGE 2 as the main receptor involved in producing inflammatory pain. However, in the Nature Communications study, the researchers used a more targeted approach and found that a different receptor-EP2-was largely responsible for pain. Delivering drugs locally to silence only the EP2 receptor in Schwann cells removed pain responses in mice without affecting inflammation. "To our great surprise, blocking the EP2 receptor in Schwann cells abolished prostaglandin-mediated pain but the inflammation took its normal course. We effectively decoupled the inflammation from the pain," said Geppetti. In additional studies in human and mouse Schwann cells, activating the EP2 receptor evoked a signal that sustained pain responses through a pathway independent from inflammatory responses, confirming the role of EP2 in pain but not inflammation. "Antagonism of this 'druggable' receptor would thus control pain without the adverse effects of NSAIDs," noted Bunnett. The researchers are continuing pre-clinical studies to explore how drugs that target the EP2 receptor could be used to treat pain in conditions like arthritis that would usually be treated with NSAIDs. "Selective EP2 receptor antagonists could be very useful. While more research is needed on side effects, especially with giving a drug systemically as a pill, targeted administration that acts locally on an area like a knee joint holds promise," said Geppetti. In addition to Bunnett and Geppetti, NYU study authors include Raquel Tonello, Chloe Peach, Dane Jensen, and Brian Schmidt, collaborating with Romina Nassini, Francesco De Logu, Lorenzo Landini, and Matilde Marini from the University of Florence; Jin Zhang of the University of California, San Diego; and Giulia Brancolini of FloNext, a company co-founded by Geppetti. The research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NS102722, DE026806, DK118971, DE029951, R01 DK073368, R35 CA197622), the US Department of Defense (W81XWH1810431, W81XWH2210239), the European Research Council, and the European Union - Next Generation EU, National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health nor the European Research Council. A recent study links exposure to radiation from medical imaging to a small-but-significant risk of blood cancers among children and adolescents. But do not panic. The study concludes the benefits of medical imaging outweigh the minimal risks. Funded by the National Cancer Institute, the study will help medical personnel make informed decisions about using imaging on children. The study concluded that while ionizing radiation is a carcinogen, the benefit-to-risk ratio favors CT imaging of children when imaging is justified and the technique minimizes adverse effects. The paper, "Medical Imaging and Pediatric and Adolescent Hematologic Cancer Risk," was published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine. For his part of the study, Bolch used virtual patient anatomic models to reconstruct bone marrow doses in more than 3.7 million children who underwent CT imaging between 1996 to 2016. "We used a library of 3D anatomic whole-body computerized patient models developed in the early 2010s under a contract with the National Cancer Institute," said Wesley Bolch, Ph.D., a distinguished professor in biomedical and radiological engineering with the University of Florida's J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering. In Bolch's Advanced Laboratory for Radiation Dosimetry Studies, researchers developed hundreds of models representative of U.S. adults and children across all combinations of ages, heights and weights. "We call this an organ dose reconstruction," said Bolch, who is also a member of the UF Health Cancer Center. The study is unique because it directly measures leukemia risks in these pediatric patients. Previously, researchers used established cancer-risk models, many of which were based on data from the atomic bomb survivors in 1945 Japan. Needless to say, Bolch noted, diagnostic X-ray exposures are vastly different from atomic weapon radiation fields. This is the very first study of its kind in the U.S. and Canada, and the very first study of cancer risks in children undergoing medical imaging where each patient was considered in a unique manner regarding their sex, body size and medical imaging exposure technique factors." Wesley Bolch, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Biomedical and Radiological Engineering, University of Florida While CT imaging contributes a greater fraction of total radiation, doses from nuclear medicine, radiography and fluoroscopy were also included for bone marrow-dose calculations. "Dr. Bolch's role in this landmark study highlights UF BME's leadership in making medical imaging safer for children. It demonstrates UF's dedication to research that safeguards patients and informs global healthcare practices," said BME chair Cherie Stabler, Ph.D. In the study, the highest CT doses to bone marrow were seen in head-and-neck imaging, where the average dose was 30.8 milligray (a unit measuring ionizing radiation deposited in tissue). CT imaging of the head one of the more common pediatric CT scans showed an average dose of 13.7 milligray. The incidence of hematologic cancers by age 21 years was 0.3% among those children exposed to bone marrow doses more than 30 milligray. However, fewer than 1% of the 3.7 million children in this study had cumulative doses exceeding 30 milligray. Plus, CT imaging doses today are much lower, and imaging systems are much faster than in the late-1990s and early-2000s. This research comes 25 years after a Columbia University research paper made the link between leukemia and some radiology scans, thus scaring "every mother in this country," Bolch said. The key issue in that study showed imaging technologists and radiologists were not making adjustments to X-ray techniques that explicitly considered the size of the patient. "Consider that you've just imaged an obese a male with a high-intensity and high energy X-ray beam, and now a petite 7-year-old girl becomes the next patient to be imaged. In the late 1990s, very few clinics would adjust the X-ray energies and intensities from the previous adult patient. In this case, the girl received a much larger amount of imaging than was really needed to form a diagnostic-quality image," Bolch said. "This paper scared a lot of people, but it really was a great service because it says, 'Oh, we're doing this wrong.'" Starting in the early 2000s, physicians adjusted the energy and intensities of the X-ray beam based on the size of the patient. CT system manufacturers, Bolch said, also made technological improvements to lower patient CT doses. The paper's lead authors are radiologist and epidemiologist Rebecca Smith-Bindman, M.D., from the University of California, San Francisco, and biostatistician Diana Miglioretti, Ph.D., from UC, Davis. "Their work involved collecting and organizing the medical records that showed what imaging exams were performed on the children, when they occurred, how they were acquired and what modality was used CT, radiography, nuclear medicine or fluoroscopy," Bolch said. They also led the team that linked these patients to cancer registries that indicated which patients later developed bone marrow cancers. "This is where my laboratory came in," Bolch said. "We ran computer simulations of these imaging procedures to provide estimates of bone marrow radiation doses for each child, for each form of medical imaging and for each imaging examination. "Everybody went into action to figure out what is the appropriate lowest dose of radiation that would give us a good image. These risks are low, and when justified by the imaging physician, patient benefits, such as disease detection, will greatly outweigh these very small risks." 2 held for assaulting traffic police officer in Delhis Timarpur Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 23:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) Two men have been arrested for allegedly assaulting an on-duty traffic police officer in north Delhis Timarpur area, an official said on Thursday. The incident took place around 2:40 pm on Wednesday when Sub-Inspector (Traffic) Suraj Pal Singh was on duty at the Timarpur Traffic Circle, police said. Recommended Stories Two men riding a scooter began abusing the officer without any provocation. When SI Singh objected, the duo, along with some other unidentified persons present at the spot, turned aggressive and attacked him," a senior police officer said. A passerby alerted the Police Control Room (PCR), following which a PCR van reached the spot. In the meantime, other traffic staff also rushed to the location. The two accused were identified as Akbar Hussain and Salman, both aged around 30-35 years. Both were apprehended from the spot, while their accomplices managed to escape, police said. The injured officer was taken for a medico-legal examination, they added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Police said a case has been registered at the Timarpur police station under sections 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 132 (assault or criminal force used against a public servant in the execution of their official duties), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 3(5) (joint liability) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Legal action has been initiated and efforts are underway to trace the other persons involved in the assault," a senior police officer said. PTI SSJ RC Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 25, 2025, 23:45 IST News agency-feeds 2 held for assaulting traffic police officer in Delhis Timarpur 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... 6 killed, 10 injured in bus-truck collision in Odishas Sundargarh Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 23:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Bhubaneswar/Rourkela, Sep 25 (PTI) At least six people, including three women, were killed and 10 others injured as a truck collided with a bus in Odishas Sundargarh district on Thursday, police said. The accident happened around 11 am on NH-520 near the K Balang police station, they said. Recommended Stories Five people were killed on the spot, and another succumbed to his injuries later. At least 10 people were critically injured," DIG, Western Range, Brijesh Kumar Rai told reporters. Five of the deceased could be identified, while efforts are being made to ascertain the identity of the sixth victim. Karmapal Singh, Shabar Bala, Pushpa Gopi, Satyabhama Thakur and Meri Nag were among the deceased. All the victims were travelling in the bus. The accident happened when the bus was on its way to Koida from Rourkela. It was travelling on the wrong lane as one side of the road was closed for repairs, police said. The critically injured persons were shifted to a government hospital in Rourkela, while others are undergoing treatment at the Koida and Lahunipada health centres," the DIG said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Expressing grief, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh from the CMs Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also expressed grief over the incident. PTI CORR AAM AAM SOM Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 25, 2025, 23:00 IST News agency-feeds 6 killed, 10 injured in bus-truck collision in Odishas Sundargarh 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... A Lavani Legacy in Marathi Film on Zee5: Phullwanti Movie! Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 16:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi [India], September 25: In the glorious recognition of the Peshwa dynasty, in which the sizeable halls of Shaniwarwada resonated with the rhythms of Lavani, arises Phullwantia 2024 Marathi ancient drama that combines art, mind, and salvation right into a tapestry of cultural devotion. The movie, which is based totally on Padma Vibhushan Babasaheb Purandares eponymous work and takes visitors to Pune in the eighteenth century, was directed by Snehal Pravin Tarde in her auspicious debut. Overview of Pullwanti Movie Available on Zee5! Recommended Stories Fundamentally, Phullwanti movie on ZEE5 chronicles the revolutionary conflict between academic rigidity and artistic liberty. Malis portrayal of Phullwanti, who is a pan-Indian celebrity with captivating Lavani dances that subhedars want as dowry, is no ordinary performance. Her art, which is renowned for fusing sensuality and spirituality, calls up the holy through stories of devotion, ghungroo chiming, and complex footwork. When she performs a mesmerising homage to Goddess Saptashringi at the Peshwas court, the story takes off. Venkat Vishnu Shastri, a strict, scripture-bound scholar who is portrayed by Mahajani with a brooding intensity, condemns it as mere titillation that is inappropriate for places of worship, notwithstanding the audiences awe. His scathing comment breaks the hush and makes Phullwanti angry. She is uncompromising in her demands for justice from the Peshwa and challenges Shastri to a battle in which she will dance against his intelligence and forfeit her life if she loses. Production & Cinematography of Pullwanti Movie! Phullwanti is a visual feast. Production designer Nitin Sagars reconstructions of Shaniwarwada rival Sanjay Leela Bhansalis opulence, at the same time, as cinematographer Mangesh K. Joshi depicts the monsoons and marigold-strewn ghats of Pune in golden colourings. Viewers are transported back in time by costumes, which encompass silk sarees embroidered with Peshwa designs and Shastris saffron angavastram. But the dance scenes, which might be important to the tale, falter now and again. Although Mali, a skilled performer, radiates elegance, the unadulterated emotion is diluted by fast jump cuts and stylish editing, which puts the show before closeness. The blending of dancing styles is criticised by certain observers, who point out little errors in ragas and taals that could annoy purists. Explore the Soundtrack Of Zees Phullwanti Movie! Aditya Bedekars soundtrack takes the movie to a new level of musical excellence. Songs like Phullwanti Chi Katha" weave narrative poetry, while Lavani Lavani" pulses with dholak beats and deep abhangs. The music, which was performed by such luminaries as Bela Sulge and Hrishikesh Ranade, was recognized at the Maharashtra State Awards, highlighting Lavanis transition from folk to classical awe. Malis voice lends sensitivity, and her performance of devotional songs pays homage to past devadasis who conflated the roles of priestess and performer. Cast Performances! The picture relies heavily on performances. With a performance that goes beyond the screen, Prajakta Mali captures the duality of Phullwantifierce yet fragileher eyes expressing unspoken longing. Shastri is given intellectual gravity and a delicate metamorphosis by Gashmeer Mahajani, who sheds his TV persona. His journey from contempt to devotion reflects changes in society. Lakshmi, played by Tarde, acts as an emotional fulcrum, her subtle power a silent protest against patriarchal conventions. Despite the historical facade, individuals are accessible due to the ensemble chemistry, which is particularly evident in courtly banter. Thematically, Phullwanti explores the integrity of art in a ceremonial society, going beyond mere amusement. It challenges 18th-century (and contemporary) biases against female artists by promoting Lavani, who is frequently portrayed as sexual, as a medium for philosophy and emotion. It humanises the cultural ferment of the Peshwa era, where courtesans and bhakti poets coexisted, echoing Purandares book. Feminist themes are prominent: Lakshmis influence humanises Shastri, while Phullwantis agency resists commodification, highlighting womens crucial but frequently overlooked roles in transformation. It strikes a chord in the current discussions about cultural preservation against commercialisation, calling for respect for native arts like Lavani in the face of Bollywoods glitz. With guidance from Kumar Mangat Pathak and Prajakta Mali, the movie, which was produced via Panorama Studios and Shivoham Creations, defied financial obstacles to produce an astounding film, marking a victory for regional cinema. Viewers Reactions! Phullwanti has been praised as a visual spectacle" due to its enjoyable" plot and emotional commitment. Critics point to hurried climaxes and undeveloped backstories, but its core, which is anchored in Purandares prose, is indefatigable. This is echoed by user evaluations on IMDb, which include, A musical treat justice to the novel," with sincere references to character development. Final Thoughts top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In the end, Phullwanti is a strong argument for the dignity of art rather than just a historical drama. True mastery, whether it is a scholars poem or a dancers whirl, comes from the soul, as Tardes masterwork reminds us in an era of ephemeral reels. The film lingers, urging us to dance with our own convictions as Phullwantis ghungroos fade into eternity. It is a must-see for Marathi fans and others, solidifying 2024 as a prosperous year for the sector and demonstrating the worldwide appeal of regional tales. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PNN and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 25, 2025, 16:30 IST News agency-feeds A Lavani Legacy in Marathi Film on Zee5: Phullwanti Movie! 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... Last week I had the pleasure of attending RustForge in Wellington, New Zealand. I gave a talk titled Wild performance tricks. You can watch a recording of my talk. If youd prefer to read rather than watch, the rest of this post will cover more or less the same material. The talk shows some linker benchmarks, which Ill skip here and focus instead on the optimisations, which I think are the more interesting part of the talk. The tricks here are a few of my favourites that Ive used in the Wild linker. Mutable slicing for sharing between threads In the linker, we have a type SymbolId defined as: struct SymbolId ( u32 ); We need a way to store resolutions, where one SymbolId resolves (maps) to another SymbolId . If we need to look up which symbol SymbolId(5) maps to, we then look at index 5 in the Vec . Because every symbol maps to some other symbol (possibly itself), this means that we make use of the entire Vec . i.e. its dense, not sparse. For a sparse mapping, a HashMap might be preferable. The Wild linker is very multi-threaded, so we want to be able to process symbols for our input objects in parallel. To achieve this, we make sure that all symbols for a given object get allocated adjacent to each other. i.e. each object has SymbolId s in a contiguous range. This is good for cache locality because when a thread is working with an object, all its symbols will be nearby in memory, so more likely to be in cache. It also lets us do things like this: fn parallel_process_resolutions ( mut resolutions : & mut [ SymbolId ], objects : & [ Object ]) { objects .iter () .map (| obj | ( obj , resolutions .split_off_mut ( .. obj .num_symbols ) .unwrap ())) .par_bridge () .for_each (|( obj , object_resolutions )| { obj .process_resolutions ( object_resolutions ); }); } Here, were using the Rayon crate to process the resolutions for all our objects in parallel from multiple threads. We start by iterating over our objects, then for each object, we use split_off_mut to split off a mutable slice of resolutions that contains the resolutions for that object. par_bridge converts this regular Rust iterator into a Rayon parallel iterator. The closure passed to for_each then runs in parallel on multiple threads, with each thread getting access to the object and a mutable slice of that objects resolutions. Parallel initialisation of the Vec The previous technique of using split_off_mut to get multiple non-overlapping mutable slices of our Vec relies on the Vec having already been initialised. Wed like to initialise our Vec in parallel, otherwise wed have to wait for the main thread to fill the entire Vec with a placeholder value only to then have our threads overwrite those placeholder values. To do this, we can use the sharded-vec-writer crate, which was created for use in Wild, but which can be used for similar purposes elsewhere. First, we create a Vec with sufficient capacity to store the resolutions for all our symbols: let mut resolutions : Vec < SymbolId > = Vec :: with_capacity ( total_num_symbols ); At this point, weve allocated space on the heap for the Vec, but that space is still uninitialised. i.e. the length is still zero. Next, we create a VecWriter , which mutably borrows the Vec, then split that writer into shards, with each shard having a size equal to the number of symbols in the corresponding object. let mut writer = VecWriter :: new ( & mut resolutions ); let mut shards = writer .take_shards ( objects .iter () .map (| o | o .num_symbols )); We can now, in parallel, iterate through our objects and their corresponding shards and initialise the shards. objects .par_iter () .zip_eq ( & mut shards ) .for_each (|( obj , shard )| { for symbol in obj .symbols () { shard .push ( ... ); } }); Lastly, we return the shards to the writer, which verifies that all the shards were fully initialised, thus resizing the Vec, after which it can be used normally. writer .return_shards ( shards ); Atomic - non-atomic in-place conversion Most parts of the linker can make do with either exclusive access to part of the resolutions Vec, or shared access to the entire Vec. However, theres one part of the linker where we need to perform random writes to the resolutions Vec. This is done when we have multiple symbol definitions with the same name. Originally, I just did this work from the main thread, since I figured most of the time there would only be a small number of symbols that had the same name. This was mostly true, however for large C++ binaries like Chromium, it turns out that there are actually a lot of symbols with the same names, presumably due to C++s use of header files, which create lots of identical definitions. To allow random writes to resolutions , we introduce a new type: struct AtomicSymbolId ( AtomicU32 ); Being an atomic, we can write to an AtomicSymbolId using only a shared (non-exclusive) reference. However, we need a way to temporarily view our Vec as a &[AtomicSymbolId] . The standard library has something that might help - AtomicU32::from_mut_slice : fn from_mut_slice ( v : & mut [ u32 ]) -> & mut [ AtomicU32 ] However, its unstable (nightly only). Even if it were stable, it only works with slices of primitive types, so wed have to lose our newtypes (SymbolId etc). Another option would be to always use atomics, however that would quite possibly hurt performance of the rest of the linker, which doesnt need atomics. Itd also hurt ergonomics, since currently our SymbolId s implement Copy , but if they wrapped an AtomicU32 , then they wouldnt be able to. A reasonable option at this point would be to resort to unsafe and use something like core::mem::transmute . Wed need to check all the rules and make sure that we were meeting all the requirements. This is not a bad option, but I personally like the challenge of doing things without unsafe if I can, especially if I can do so without loss of performance. Indeed, it turns out that we can, as follows: fn into_atomic ( symbols : Vec < SymbolId > ) -> Vec < AtomicSymbolId > { symbols .into_iter () .map (| s | AtomicSymbolId ( AtomicU32 :: new ( s .0 ))) .collect () } Itd be reasonable to think that this will have a runtime cost, however it doesnt. The reason is that the Rust standard library has a nice optimisation in it that when we consume a Vec and collect the result into a new Vec, in many circumstances, the heap allocation of the original Vec can be reused. This applies in this case. But what even with the heap allocation being reused, were still looping over all the elements to transform them right? Because the in-memory representation of an AtomicSymbolId is identical to that of a SymbolId , our loop becomes a no-op and is optimised away. We can verify this by looking at the assembly produced for this function: movups xmm0 , xmmword , ptr , [ rsi ] mov rax , qword , ptr , [ rsi , + , 16 ] movups xmmword , ptr , [ rdi ], xmm0 mov qword , ptr , [ rdi , + , 16 ], rax ret The main takeaway from this assembly is that theres no branching, no looping, just a few moves and a return. If we allowed this function to be inlined into the caller, it would likely vanish to nothing. For conversion back to the non-atomic form, we can do much the same: fn into_non_atomic ( atomic_symbols : Vec < AtomicSymbolId > ) -> Vec < SymbolId > { atomic_symbols .into_iter () .map (| s | SymbolId ( s .0 .into_inner ())) .collect () } The main thing to note here is that we avoid doing an atomic load from the atomic and instead consume the atomic with into_inner . This is easier for the compiler to optimise and if we look at the assembly produced its identical to what we got for into_atomic . To actually use these functions, we first need to get ownership of our Vec using core::mem::take . This puts an empty Vec in its place. Empty Vecs dont heap allocate, so this is very cheap. We then call into_atomic to convert the Vec into the form we need. let atomic_resolutions = into_atomic ( core :: mem :: take ( & mut self .resolutions )); We can then do whatever parallel processing we need with the Vec in its atomic form. process_resolutions_in_parallel ( & atomic_resolutions ); Finally, we convert back to the original non-atomic form and store back where we got it from, overwriting the empty Vec that we temporarily put in its place. self .resolutions = into_non_atomic ( atomic_resolutions ); One thing worth noting here is that if we panic (or do an early return), we might leave self.resolutions as the empty Vec. This isnt a problem in the linker, since if were returning an error or have hit a panic, then we dont care at that point about resolutions. It would be possible to ensure that the proper Vec was restored for use-cases where that was important, however it would add extra complexity and might be enough to convince me that itd be better to just use transmute. Buffer reuse Doing too much heap allocation tends to hurt performance. A common trick is to move heap allocations outside of loops. For example, rather than this: loop { let mut buffer = Vec :: new (); // Do work with `buffer`. } We might prefer to allocate buffer before the loop, then just clear it inside the loop: let mut buffer = Vec :: new (); loop { buffer .clear (); // Do work with `buffer`. } However, if were storing something into a Vec that has a non-static lifetime, then we can run into problems. Here, we have a variable text , which holds a String . We then split that string and store the resulting string-slices into buffer . Even though we clear buffer at the end of the loop, the compiler is unhappy. It wants text to outlive buffer because were storing references to text into buffer . let mut buffer = Vec :: new (); loop { let text = get_text (); buffer .extend ( text .split ( "," )); // Do work with `buffer`. buffer .clear (); } We could at this point give up and just move our Vec creation back inside the loop. However, it turns out that theres another solution. fn reuse_vec < T , U > ( mut v : Vec < T > ) -> Vec < U > { v .clear (); v .into_iter () .map (| x | unreachable! ()) .collect () } The idea of this function is to convert from a Vec of some time to an empty Vec of another type, reusing the heap allocation. This works in a very similar way to how we converted between atomic and non-atomic SymbolId s, except this time because we first clear the Vec, the body of our map function is unreachable. The optimisation in the Rust standard library that allows reuse of the heap allocation will only actually work if the size and alignment of T and U are the same, so lets verify that thats the case. We can do the check at compile time, so if we accidentally call this function with incompatible T and U , well get a compilation error at the call site. fn reuse_vec < T , U > ( mut v : Vec < T > ) -> Vec < U > { const { assert! ( size_of :: < T > () == size_of :: < U > ()); assert! ( align_of :: < T > () == align_of :: < U > ()); } v .clear (); v .into_iter () .map (| _ | unreachable! ()) .collect () } Lets verify that this optimises as we expect: mov qword , ptr , [ rsi , + , 16 ], 0 movups xmm0 , xmmword , ptr , [ rsi ] movups xmmword , ptr , [ rdi ], xmm0 mov qword , ptr , [ rdi , + , 16 ], 0 ret More or less the same assembly as before, except that were now setting the length of the Vec to 0. Note, that the loop and the panic from the use of unreachable! are gone. We can now integrate this into our previous code as follows: let mut buffer_store : Vec <& str > = Vec :: new (); loop { let mut buffer = reuse_vec ( buffer_store ); let text = get_text (); buffer .extend ( text .split ( "," )); // Do work with `buffer`. buffer_store = reuse_vec ( buffer ); } Effectively, each time around the loop we move out of buffer_store , converting the type of the Vec , use it for a bit, then convert it back and store it again in buffer_store . The only time well need a new heap allocation is when our Vec needs to grow. The types of buffer_store and buffer are both Vec<&str> , however the lifetime of the references is different. Deallocation on a separate thread Freeing memory is generally a lot slower than allocating it. If weve done a very large allocation, it can sometimes be worthwhile passing it to another thread to free it, so that we can get on with other work. For example, if using rayon, we might use rayon::spawn to spawn a task that drops our buffer: fn process_buffer ( buffer : Vec < u8 > ) { // Do some work with `buffer`. rayon :: spawn (|| drop ( buffer )); } Note, that rayon::spawn itself does a heap allocation, so this would only be worthwhile if buffer was potentially very large. This is definitely something youd want to benchmark to see if it actually improves the runtime for your use-case. There is at least one place in the Wild linker where we did this and it did give a measurable reduction in runtime. Similar to buffer reuse, if our heap allocation has non-static lifetimes associated with it, we can get rid of them using reuse_vec . fn process_buffer ( names : Vec <& [ u8 ] > ) { // Do some work with `names`. let names : Vec <& [ u8 ] > = reuse_vec ( names ); rayon :: spawn (|| drop ( names )); } In this case, were converting the Vec from a Vec<&[u8]> to Vec<&'static [u8]> . Bonus: Strip lifetime with non-trivial Drop This is a bonus tip that wasnt included in the talk and builds on the previous tip and is in response to a question by VorpalWay on Reddit. If you want to drop a Vec and T has both a non-static lifetime and a non-trivial Drop , then things get slightly more tricky. The trick here is to convert to a struct that is the same as T , but has non-static references replaced with MaybeUninit . For example, suppose we have the following struct: pub struct Foo < 'a > { owned : String , borrowed : & 'a str , } We can define a new struct: struct StaticFoo { owned : String , borrowed : MaybeUninit <& 'static str > , } We can then convert our Vec to the new type with zero cost and no unsafe: fn without_lifetime ( foos : Vec < Foo > ) -> Vec < StaticFoo > { foos .into_iter () .map (| f | StaticFoo { owned : f .owned , borrowed : MaybeUninit :: uninit (), }) .collect () } The presence of MaybeUnit::uninit() tells the compiler that its OK to have anything there, so it can choose to leave whatever &str was in the original Foo struct. This means that its valid to produce a StaticFoo with the same in-memory representation as the Foo that it replaces, allowing it to eliminate the loop. The asm for this function is: movups xmm0 , xmmword , ptr , [ rsi ] mov rax , qword , ptr , [ rsi , + , 16 ] movups xmmword , ptr , [ rdi ], xmm0 mov qword , ptr , [ rdi , + , 16 ], rax ret i.e. the loop was indeed eliminated. Now that we have a Vec with no non-static lifetimes, we can safely move it to another thread. Thanks Thanks to my github sponsors. Your contributions help to make it possible for me to continue to work on this kind of stuff rather than going and getting a real job. CodeursenLiberte Urgau pmarks repi embark-studios mati865 bes joshtriplett mstange bcmyers Rafferty97 acshi Kobzol flba-eb jonhoo marxin tommythorn binarybana teburd bearcove yerke teh twilco Shnatsel coastalwhite wezm davidcornu gendx rrbutani nazar-pc willstott101 tatsuya6502 teohhanhui jkendall327 EdorianDark drmason13 HadrienG2 jplatte rukai ymgyt dream-dasher alexkirsz Pratyush Tudyx coreyja dralley irfanghat mvolfik simtheverse Discussion Gurugram: 2 arrested for stabbing relative to death over land dispute Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 22:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Gurugram, Sep 25 (PTI) Two men were arrested for allegedly stabbing their 22-year-old relative to death over a land dispute in the Nathupur Mandi area here, police said on Thursday. The deceased, identified as Rahul, a native of Ramai village in Uttar Pradeshs Etah district, had come to Gurugram in search of work. He lived in a rented room in Nathupur village with Bobby and four others, police stated. Recommended Stories The police received the information about the murder on Thursday morning. A team reached the spot and found the body lying in a pool of blood in a room, they said. In a complaint registered at DLF Phase 3 police station, the victims father, Manveer, alleged that his brothers son, Sachin (19), in connivance with some village boys, murdered Rahul. While investigating, the police team arrested Sachin and the victims roommate, Bobby (20), from Delhi. Sachin lives in Ghaziabad and works as a labourer, the police said. During police interrogation, Sachin revealed that his grandfather, Dorilal, had transferred his share of land in the name of his uncle, Manveer. He then hatched a plan with Bobby, who used to stay in the room with Rahul. According to the plan, on Wednesday night, Bobby slept outside the room and asked Rahul not to lock the room from inside," an officer said. After that, Bobby went to the Metro station to pick up Sachin, and both the accused reached the room at around 2:00 am and stabbed Rahul in the neck, the officer added. The knife used in the murder was recovered from the spot. The body has been sent to the mortuary, and further investigation is underway, the police said. PTI COR APL APL MPL MPL Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 25, 2025, 22:15 IST News agency-feeds Gurugram: 2 arrested for stabbing relative to death over land dispute 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... Israeli-American arrested for espionage on behalf of Iran Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 23:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Tel Aviv [Israel] September 25 (ANI/TPS): An Israeli-American dual citizen was arrested in Israel this month on suspicion of carrying out espionage activities on behalf of Iranian intelligence, the Israeli authorities announced on Thursday.According to the Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), 49-year-old Yaakov Perel, who lived in Morocco in recent years, is accused of conducting information-gathering missions targeting Israeli public figures and citizens at the direction of Tehran.Investigators said the probe revealed that as early as 2017, while living in Morocco, Perel contacted the Iranian embassy in Rabat to request asylum for himself and his family. After receiving no response, he continued to engage with Iranian-affiliated platforms online. During 2023, he reportedly published articles on Iranian news channels via Telegram that were critical of Israel and Zionism.According to the Shin Bet, Perels cooperation with Iranian officials intensified after he published a supportive article following the January 2025 funeral of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Israel killed the long-time Hezbollah leader in a Beirut airstrike in September 2024.Following the publication of this article, he received a contact from an Iranian official who offered him cooperation, and Perel agreed," the statement said.Before returning to Israel, Perel allegedly attempted to recruit others in Israel and abroad to assist in intelligence-gathering efforts. When these attempts failed, he reportedly returned himself in July 2025 after renewing his Israeli passport.Shortly after his arrival in Israel, he began carrying out a variety of security missions under the guidance of Iranian intelligence officials, while passing on information about Israeli public figures and citizens, including former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir," the statement said.Perel is also accused of photographing and filming streets and public areas in Israel, receiving payment in cryptocurrency for his activities. Investigators stressed that he acted fully aware of the potential harm to Israels security, motivated by ideological opposition to Zionism.An indictment is expected to be filed in the Tel Aviv District Court in the coming days. The Shin Bet and Israel Police said the case highlights the enormous efforts of Iranian intelligence agencies to recruit Israeli citizens in Israel and abroad in order to promote intelligence gathering and terrorist activities."They added, The acts attributed to Perel are of particular gravity, as while the State of Israel is at war in several sectors, an Israeli citizen is acting for the enemy from abroad and subsequently from within Israel. We will continue to work to detect and thwart terrorist and espionage activities in Israel and abroad, and to bring to justice all those involved in this activity."More than 30 Israelis have been charged with espionage on behalf of Iran in 2025.Israeli Police spokesperson Dean Elsdunne recently told The Press Service of Israel that after agents make contact with an Israeli, It starts out slowly, with small jobs, and slowly the money increases, and they are asked to do more severe crimes as time goes on."In most cases, spies are first asked to spray specific graffiti messages. Assignments often escalate to hanging flyers, starting fires, then taking photos of shopping malls, infrastructure, bases or the homes of Israeli figures. In some cases, they are asked to kill someone.Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites on June 13, citing intelligence that Tehran had reached a point of no return" in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. According to Israeli defense officials, Iran has developed the capacity to rapidly enrich uranium and assemble nuclear bombs, with sufficient fissile material for up to 15 weapons.Israeli intelligence also exposed a covert program to complete all components of a nuclear device. The strikes marked a dramatic escalation in what officials describe as a broader Iranian strategy combining nuclear development, missile proliferation, and proxy warfare aimed at Israels destruction. During 12 days of fighting, Iranian missile strikes killed 28 Israelis and injured over 3,000. (ANI/TPS) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 25, 2025, 23:45 IST News agency-feeds Israeli-American arrested for espionage on behalf of Iran Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Man gets 8 years in jail for kidnapping, raping minor in Meerut Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Meerut (UP), Sep 25 (PTI) A special POCSO court in Meerut on Thursday sentenced a man to eight years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and raping a 17-year-old girl in 2018. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 14,000 on him, a lawyer said. Recommended Stories Special Judge (POCSO Act) and Additional Sessions Judge Mohammad Babar Khan delivered the verdict, holding accused Manvvar, a resident of the victims neighbourhood, guilty of the offences. Special public prosecutor Narendra Chauhan said the case dates back to March 27, 2018, when the minor went missing from her home around 1 am. A complaint was lodged by her father the next day after she was found near a shrine. In her statement, the girl alleged that the accused had abducted her at gunpoint, took her to an undisclosed location and raped her. She was later left near the shrine with threats not to disclose the incident to anyone. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Based on the complaint, police registered a case against Manvvar under IPC sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation) and relevant provisions of the POCSO Act. He was subsequently arrested and sent to jail. After examining witnesses and evidence during trial, the court convicted him and pronounced the sentence, the prosecution said. PTI COR KIS NB NB Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 25, 2025, 21:15 IST News agency-feeds Man gets 8 years in jail for kidnapping, raping minor in Meerut 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 officials urge nations to join global effort to restrict asylum system Last Updated: September 26, 2025, 01:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New York, Sep 25 (AP) The Trump administration pitched several other countries Thursday on its view that the global system for seeking asylum, in effect since World War II, has been rampantly abused and urged them to join the United States in cracking down on such migration. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau led the discussion on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly alongside representatives from Kosovo, Bangladesh, Liberia and Panama. Recommended Stories Landaus gathering allowed American officials to gauge early support and interest for what could be a massive revamp of the asylum system. If you have hundreds of thousands of fake asylum seekers, then what happens to the real asylum system?" Landau said in his opening remarks. Saying the process is susceptible to abuse is not xenophobic; it is not being a mean or bad person." The US said changes must, at a minimum, embrace asylum as a temporary status and dictate that those seeking protection should eventually return home. The Trump administration also emphasised that there is no right to receive asylum in a country of choice and that decisions are governed by individual nations, not multinational organisations. Human rights groups watched from the sidelines with unease. Bill Frelick, Human Rights Watchs director of refugee and migrant rights, said the US proposal looks like the first step in a bid to tear down the global refugee system." He faulted the proposal for not embracing a core principle of the current system that people should not be sent to countries where they face persecution. The US has been the top destination for asylum-seekers by far since 2017, with Germany a distant second, according to 2024 figures from the UN refugee agency. President Donald Trump and his allies say people with weak cases have abused the system to gain entry to the United States, obtaining work permits while their cases take years to wind through backlogged immigration courts. The US adheres to a global asylum system first laid out in the 1951 Refugee Convention and enshrined into US law in 1980. People seeking refuge in the US are able to apply for asylum once they are on American soil, regardless of whether they came legally. To qualify, they have to show a fear of persecution in their own country because of specific reasons, such as their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. Refugees meet a similar standard by applying abroad. Once someone is granted asylum, they cant be deported, they can work legally, bring immediate family, apply for legal residency and eventually seek US citizenship. It offers a permanent future in the US. The number of people coming to the US-Mexico border seeking asylum has ballooned in recent years, overloading immigration courts and leading to cries that the system is being abused by people who are coming for jobs or other reasons that dont meet the standards for asylum. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Facing mounting criticism over the large numbers of migrants coming to the border, the Biden administration took steps that severely curtailed asylum access. The first day in office, Trump signed an order declaring an invasion at the southern border and said he was suspending the physical entry" of migrants and their ability to seek asylum until he decides it is over. Immigration advocates have sued, and the issue is before the courts. (AP) GRS GRS Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 26, 2025, 01:15 IST News agency-feeds Trump officials urge nations to join global effort to restrict asylum system 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 says he will not allow Israel to annex West Bank Last Updated: September 26, 2025, 02:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Washington, Sep 26 (AP) President Donald Trump has said that he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Theres been enough," Trump, apparently referring to Israel, told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday while signing executive orders unrelated to Middle East policy. He added, Its time to stop now." Trump has long bragged about his close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but the president has faced pressure from Arab leaders, who have publicly expressed concerns about the Israeli military acting to annex more territory. Recommended Stories Unlike Gaza, where Israels war with Hamas continues, the West Bank is governed by the Palestinian Authority. (AP) DIV DIV Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 26, 2025, 02:45 IST News agency-feeds Trump says he will not allow Israel to annex West Bank 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... Ukhand HC calls off silver jubilee celebrations in wake of natural calamities Last Updated: September 26, 2025, 00:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Nainital, Sep 25 (PTI) The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday called off its silver jubilee celebrations, which were to be held later in the year, in view of the recent havoc wreaked by natural disasters in the state. The high court also told the state government to ensure that the amount of Rs 1.5 crore earmarked for the celebrations is donated to the chief ministers relief fund and that the money is spent for the rehabilitation of the families hit by the disasters. Recommended Stories The court also resolved that all the judges as well as the registrar will donate their one days basic salary to the chief ministers relief fund. PTI COR RC Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 26, 2025, 00:45 IST News agency-feeds Ukhand HC calls off silver jubilee celebrations in wake of natural calamities 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... VHP requests Karnataka Governor to intervene for new system of temple management Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Bengaluru, Sep 25 (PTI) The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday urged Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to intervene and bring in a new system for the administration of Hindu temples in the state in view of the Karnataka High Court striking down the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997, and its amendments as unconstitutional. In its memorandum, the VHP said the High Court has declared that the Act and its amendments, which are applicable to the temples under government control in Karnataka, are unconstitutional. Since the Supreme Court has stated that the Act is alive," the administration of temples is currently being managed under the same Act till now. Recommended Stories The VHP pointed out that the case is still pending before the Supreme Court, but stressed that this precarious situation cannot continue for a long time." To address the issue, the VHP has proposed a Karnataka Temple Scheme," which it claimed was both constitutional and democratically structured. Therefore, a new, constitutionally valid system for the administration of Hindu temples in Karnataka is required. To facilitate this, a constitutionally sound Karnataka Temple Scheme is attached with this letter. This has been created within a direct and indirect democratic framework," the memorandum stated. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The memorandum asserted that the scheme aligns with constitutional provisions. It is applicable to the religious and charitable institutions of the entire Hindu society in accordance with Article 14 of the Constitution. It is in accordance with Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. This scheme has been prepared by considering the several objections raised by the Honble Court and resolving them in line with judgments delivered by the Honble Supreme Court on various occasions in the past." Calling the Karnataka Temple Scheme a universally acceptable system that forms committees for temple administration on a democratic basis through direct and indirect elections," the VHP urged the Governor to ensure that appropriate laws and regulations be brought in and implement this scheme in the state." PTI GMS GMS KH Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 25, 2025, 21:15 IST News agency-feeds VHP requests Karnataka Governor to intervene for new system of temple management 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... Cancer Horoscope Today, September 25, 2025 Written By : GaneshaGrace Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 06:25 IST Cancer Daily Horoscope, September 25, 2025: Use your people skills wisely. Avoid emotional traps. Family life is peaceful. Dont ignore your health routine. Cancer Horoscope Today: Astrological predictions by Chirag Daruwalla for kark rashi on September 25 2025. (AI generated image) Cancer Daily Horoscope Today, September 25, 2025: Ganesha says for Cancer, your interpersonal skills and ability to connect with others will aid your progress, and youll be able to help others overcome their challenges. Youll approach tasks with enthusiasm and passion. However, its important to keep your morale and confidence high, as emotions could sometimes cloud your judgment. Some people may take advantage of your nature, so be cautious. Maintaining good relations with neighbors will require effort. In business, progress may be slow and workload heavy, but government employees will receive encouragement from superiors for their hard work. Recommended Stories In love, family life will be peaceful, and romantic relationships will blossom, though be mindful not to let them interfere with your career or studies. Health-wise, avoid neglecting your daily routine, and consider Ayurvedic treatments to ease cold and throat-related issues. Positive- Your behavioral skills and abilities will be helpful in your progress, and you will also be successful in using your contacts properly. You will also help remove the difficulties of others. You will have the passion to complete the tasks with enthusiasm. Negative- Maintain your morale and confidence. And do not let emotions dominate you. Sometimes it will seem that some people are taking undue advantage due to your nature. Your efforts are necessary to maintain cordial relations with neighbors. Business- Due to the current situation, there will not be much improvement in the business situation, and there will be a lot of work. But people with government jobs will get encouragement from the officers for completing their work in the best way. Financial- Your financial situation will be excellent today. You are likely to make good profits today. You will not need to deal with any kind of money-related problem today. You will be successful in your financial matters today, and your income will increase. Today, you can get good profits with people associated with the media and education sectors. Today, you can also get a good profit by investing in the stock market. You can get a good deal with your business partner today, in which you are expected to make good profits. The decisions taken by you take thoughtfully today will benefit you in the future. Keep a clear stand on every matter in professional life. The situation will improve with the advice of senior colleagues. Love- There will be happiness and peace in the family. Love relationships will be formed, but keep in mind that they should not affect your career and studies. Health- Do not be careless in your daily routine. Take Ayurvedic treatment to get relief from conditions like cough, cold, and sore throat. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Lucky Colour Yellow Lucky Number 14 (The author Chirag Daruwalla is the son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla). About the Author Chirag Daruwalla Chirag Daruwalla, a renowned Indian astrologer with 18+ years of experience, provides expert guidance in career, health, finance, business, and more. He combines Vedic and Western astrology, I-Ching, ... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 06:25 IST News astrology Cancer Horoscope Today, September 25, 2025 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... As US Shuts H-1B Gates, Germany, Canada & UK Woo Indian Talent Amid Tighter Global Immigration Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 08:11 IST As the Donald Trump administration hikes H-1B visa fees and tightens rules, Germany, China, and the UK compete to attract top Indian science and tech talent. US President Donald Trump (Image: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP) Other nations, including Germany, China, and many others, are scrambling to lure the top talent of India in science and technology fields as the Donald Trump-led United States has begun clamping down H-1B visa as an attempt to dissuade immigration to the United States, particularly from India and China. Recommended Stories Last Friday, the Trump administration issued a proclamation stating that the H-1B visa fee has been hiked to a staggering $100,000, which caused widespread panic, confusion, and concern. On September 21, the Donald Trump administration clarified that the new USD 100,000 fee for H-1B visas is a one-time payment applicable only to new petitions and does not apply to current visa holders, providing a huge relief for thousands of concerned professionals working in the US, including those from India. But it still reflects the Trump administrations stance to dissuade immigration to the United States. Since Donald Trump has taken the reins in his hands, he is advocating against immigration under the H-1B visa and taking measures to make it harder and stricter. The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed changes to the H-1B visa programme to favour higher-paid, more skilled workers and end the existing lottery system. The new proposal aims to implement a weighted selection process that prioritises visas for higher-skilled and better-paid workers, while still allowing employers to hire workers at all wage levels. According to a notice in the Federal Register, the proposed changes aim to prioritise visa petitions from employers who offer higher wages. If the number of applications exceeds the annual cap of 85,000, those offering better pay will receive preference, Reuters reported. Officials say the move is intended to protect American workers from wage suppression caused by the hiring of lower-paid foreign professionals. The plan is part of Trumps broader effort to tighten immigration policies and reshape the US labour market. European countries like Germany and the UK are looking to woo Indias bright minds by offering low-fee visas and an easier process. In fact, China has introduced a K-visa to lure talent in science and tech fields. The UK has activated its global talent taskforce to attract top scientists, academics, and tech experts by considering cuts or even scrapping visa fees for those from the worlds top universities or with prestigious awards, the Financial Times reported. The move, similar to the H-1B revamp, focuses on high-value professionals while sidelining junior and mid-level talent. UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves also hinted at tax reforms to make Britain more appealing for skilled workers. However, the UK has earlier made immigration rules stricter and applied measures targeting the skilled worker category. This led to the sharp fall in visa applications from Indian students and workers. Germany too became stricter in immigration laws. German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, in a video message, pitched Germany as a stable and reliable alternative to the US. He highlighted that Indians in Germany earn, on average, more than native Germans, underscoring their significant contribution to the countrys economy and welfare system. We believe in hard work and in offering the best jobs to the best people," Ackermann added. A person now needs to stay in Germany for at least five years to be eligible for citizenship, unlike three years in previous times. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Canada, despite its reputation for inclusive immigration policies, has witnessed a 50% year-on-year drop in work permit issuances between January and June 2025. The country has also tightened integrity checks across student and temporary worker pathways. About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, w... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 08:11 IST News business As US Shuts H-1B Gates, Germany, Canada & UK Woo Indian Talent Amid Tighter Global Immigration 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... Stocks To Watch: Tata Steel, Polycab, Lupin, Waaree Energies, Adani Group, And Others Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 08:12 IST Stocks to watch: Shares of firms like Tata Steel, Polycab, Lupin, Waaree Energies, Adani Group, and others will be in focus on Wednesday's trade Stocks to Watch Markets traded under pressure on Wednesday and ended lower, extending their recent losing streak amid global and domestic headwinds. Technically, after four consecutive sessions of decline, the Nifty tested its first line of support at the 20-DEMA around the 25,040 level, dragged down by persistent underperformance in private banks and IT majors. Profit-taking in auto, energy, and metals further added to the weakness. Analysts said a temporary breather cannot be ruled out, with immediate support seen around 24,90025,000. However, the upside is likely to remain capped until private banks and IT stocks show signs of recovery. Recommended Stories Stocks in Focus top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Polycab India: Promoters are expected to sell 1.2 million shares through a block deal at a floor price of Rs 7,300 apiece, valuing the transaction at Rs 880 crore. Promoters are expected to sell 1.2 million shares through a block deal at a floor price of Rs 7,300 apiece, valuing the transaction at Rs 880 crore. Waaree Energies: The company invested Rs 300 crore in Waaree Energy Storage Solutions Pvt Ltd, its subsidiary, via a rights issue. The company invested Rs 300 crore in Waaree Energy Storage Solutions Pvt Ltd, its subsidiary, via a rights issue. Tata Steel: Invested Rs 4,054.66 crore in overseas unit T Steel Holdings Pte. Ltd by acquiring 4,577 crore shares. Invested Rs 4,054.66 crore in overseas unit T Steel Holdings Pte. Ltd by acquiring 4,577 crore shares. Coromandel International: Signed an agreement with Veolia Water Technologies and Solutions (India) to expand its seawater desalination capacity from 6 MLD to 9 MLD. Signed an agreement with Veolia Water Technologies and Solutions (India) to expand its seawater desalination capacity from 6 MLD to 9 MLD. Akzo Nobel India: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and others acquired a 5% stake worth nearly Rs 765 crore through open-market deals on Wednesday. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and others acquired a 5% stake worth nearly Rs 765 crore through open-market deals on Wednesday. Lupin: Received tentative USFDA approval for its generic version of Bictegravir, Emtricitabine, and Tenofovir Alafenamide tablets for HIV treatment. Received tentative USFDA approval for its generic version of Bictegravir, Emtricitabine, and Tenofovir Alafenamide tablets for HIV treatment. Glenmark Pharma: Subsidiary Glenmark Specialty SA signed an exclusive licensing deal with Chinas Hengrui Pharma for cancer drug Trastuzumab Rezetecan. Subsidiary Glenmark Specialty SA signed an exclusive licensing deal with Chinas Hengrui Pharma for cancer drug Trastuzumab Rezetecan. Dr Reddys Laboratories: Along with Hetero Labs, will sell low-cost generic versions of a new HIV prevention drug for about $40 annually from 2027. Along with Hetero Labs, will sell low-cost generic versions of a new HIV prevention drug for about $40 annually from 2027. Poly Medicure: In the process of fully acquiring Italy-based Citieffe Group at an enterprise value of Rs 324 crore (EUR 31 million). In the process of fully acquiring Italy-based Citieffe Group at an enterprise value of Rs 324 crore (EUR 31 million). Capri Global Capital: Plans to raise Rs 6,500 crore ($732.9 million) this fiscal through a mix of bonds and loans, according to a company executive. Plans to raise Rs 6,500 crore ($732.9 million) this fiscal through a mix of bonds and loans, according to a company executive. Adani Group: Gautam Adani pledged tighter governance across his conglomerate after SEBI dismissed allegations of fraud and stock manipulation raised by Hindenburg Research nearly three years ago. Gautam Adani pledged tighter governance across his conglomerate after SEBI dismissed allegations of fraud and stock manipulation raised by Hindenburg Research nearly three years ago. Reliance Industries: Reliance Consumer Products to set up an integrated manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu with an investment of Rs 1,156 crore, joining FMCG peers like GCPL, Dabur, and PepsiCo India. Reliance Consumer Products to set up an integrated manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu with an investment of Rs 1,156 crore, joining FMCG peers like GCPL, Dabur, and PepsiCo India. SEPC: Secured a purchase order worth Rs 751.98 crore from Gefos Solutions for supplying construction materials for four infrastructure projects. Secured a purchase order worth Rs 751.98 crore from Gefos Solutions for supplying construction materials for four infrastructure projects. Newgen Software: Its UK subsidiary signed a five-year master services agreement with TCS NV, Belgium, covering cloud hosting, licensing, and implementation services. Disclaimer: The views and investment tips by experts in this News18.com report are their own and not those of the website or its management. Users are advised to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. About the Author Aparna Deb Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, ... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 08:12 IST News business markets Stocks To Watch: Tata Steel, Polycab, Lupin, Waaree Energies, Adani Group, And Others 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... Executive Summary The past week (September 18-25, 2025) represents an inflection point where strategic defense concepts have transitioned from doctrine to tangible reality. An analysis of global events reveals four primary, interconnected trends shaping an increasingly contested international order. #1 European defense postures are materially hardening, with a strategic shift from deterrence by reinforcement to deterrence by denial, led by Germanys military expansion and a firmer NATO stance on airspace violations. #2 the character of future warfare is rapidly maturing, driven by the industrial-scale development of collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs), the democratization of long-range precision strike capabilities, and a doctrinal revolution in armored warfare inspired by the conflict in Ukraine. #3 The Middle East is undergoing a profound realignment of security partnerships, catalyzed by Israeli technological breakthroughs in laser defense and a crisis of confidence in the U.S. security umbrella, culminating in a historic mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. #4 The Indo-Pacific theater is characterized by a sharpening of strategic competition, with the U.S. and its allies operationalizing new trilateral security structures while China intensifies its multifaceted campaign of coercion against Taiwan. Underpinning these shifts is a renewed global focus on the industrial and organizational foundations of military power, signaling that nations are now making the hard investments and difficult choices required to posture for a more dangerous and uncertain future. You are invited to listen to the overview of this weeks report in the podcast. Subscribers can download the PDF version here. . Tata Motors Shares Fall 4% After JLR Faces 2 Billion Cyberattack Hit, Exceeding Its FY25 Profit Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 11:15 IST Jaguar Land Rover faces a major cyberattack, risking a 2 billion loss and extended production halt at UK factories. Tata Motors Limited shares fell 2.62 percent to Rs 683. Tata Motors shares in focus after JLR suffered one of the biggest cyberattacks. Tata Motors Share Price: Tata Motors Limiteds shares fell 4 per cent intraday on Thursday, September 25, after its unit Jaguar Land Rover was hit by a major cyberattack that could potentially wipe out an amount equal to its entire profit for FY25. Recommended Stories Shares of Tata Motors were trading at Rs 662.55 per share with a drop of 3 per cent around 11:15 am, against the previous day close at Rs 682.95 apiece. The Financial Times report states that JLR is likely to hit with a 2 billion as it was not insured against the cyberattack, leading to operational disruption and financial losses. The automaker failed to finalise a cyber insurance deal brokered by Lockton ahead of the incident, and appears to be uninsured directly for the attack, as per Reuters report. If JLR takes a 2 billion hit, combined with the losses from its ongoing production shutdown, the impact would exceed its FY25 Profit After Tax of 1.8 billion. JLR suffered a cyberattack at the end of August, which forced it to shut down its IT networks and halt production. It has extended the shutdown until next month and the production of cars will remain suspended. JLR has confirmed that its factories including its UK facilities in Solihull, Halewood and Wolverhampton wont resume operations until at least 1 October, according to BBC report. Some fears that JLR suppliers wont survive this extended halt without any external support. Our focus remains on supporting our customers, suppliers, colleagues, and our retailers who remain open," JLR said in a statement confirming the shutdown extension. The luxury carmaker, has three factories in Britain, which together produce about 1,000 cars per day. The company is losing 50 million pounds ($68 million) a week, according to the BBC, with many of its 33,000 staff told to stay at home. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Tata Motors Limiteds shares dropped 2.62 per cent on Wednesday to settle at Rs 683 apiece. 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 25, 2025, 08:48 IST News business markets Tata Motors Shares Fall 4% After JLR Faces 2 Billion Cyberattack Hit, Exceeding Its FY25 Profit 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... Tax Audit Due Date: Will CBDT Extend Deadline Beyond September 30? Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 17:56 IST Tax Audit Date Extension: Rajasthan and Karnataka high courts have directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes to extend the due date to submit tax audit reports till October 31. Tax Audit Due Date: Though the HC orders are applicable in Karnataka and Rajasthan, any nationwide deadline extension will depend upon the CBDT's official notification. Tax Audit Date Extension Latest News: Even as income tax professionals are urging the central government to extend the tax audit deadline beyond September 30, the Rajasthan High Court and the Karnataka High Court have directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to extend the due date to submit tax audit reports (TARs) till October 31, 2025. The income tax department is expected to come out with a notification soon. Update: CBDT Extends Tax Audit Deadline Till October 31 Recommended Stories Though the HC orders are applicable in Karnataka and Rajasthan, any nationwide deadline extension will depend upon the CBDTs official notification. Also Read: Income Tax Audit Deadline Extended: All Key Tax Due Dates In October 2025 According to sources, the CBDT is expected to come out with a notification soon, after the HCs directives. What High Courts Say The Rajasthan High Courts Jodhpur bench issued an interim order on September 24, directing India apex direct tax body CBDT to extend the last date for filing tax audit reports to October 31. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Jodhpur Tax Bar Association regarding the flaws in the Income Tax portal on Wednesday, a division bench of Justice PS Bhati and Justice Bipin Gupta directed the CBDT to issue a notification intimating the extension and listed the matter for next hearing on October 27. The counsel for the petitioner association submitted to the court that large firms, trusts, companies, and traders are required to complete their annual audits by September 30, and now only a few days are left. Every year, around 40 lakh audit reports are filed across the country before the deadline. As of September 23, only about 4 lakh audit reports have been submitted nationwide, which means that filing 36 lakh audit reports in less than a week is impossible. Apart from tax professionals, business owners across the country have also been continuously demanding an extension of the deadline, the petitioner association said, while citing similar petitions in other parts of the country. Separately, the Karnataka HC order followed a writ petition filed by the Karnataka State Chartered Accountants Association (KSCAA) seeking additional time for filing tax audits. A division bench of Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Bipin Gupta observed that the CBDT has allowed similar relaxations in past years. The interim order came after a petition from the Tax Bar Association, Jodhpur, and multiple High Courts across India are currently hearing similar requests. What Tax Professionals Say? Tax professionals say that the delayed release of income tax forms this year has increased the workload for auditors and accounting professionals. They add that technical glitches on the income tax portal, including slow performance, login issues, and problems like the annual information statement (AIS), add to the woes. Non-audit ITRs, whose extended deadline was September 16, took so much of our time. After that, we have less than 15 days to submit tax audit reports, which is a cumbersome and time-consuming process, failing which there is a penalty of Rs 1.5 lakh. We expect the CBDT to extend the deadline," said Mohd Shoaib, a tax professional based out of Delhi. Who Must Submit the Tax Audit Report? Under Section 44AB of the Income Tax Act, certain categories of taxpayers are required to get their accounts audited by a chartered accountant and submit the audit report along with their income tax return. These include: Businesses with annual turnover exceeding Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 crore for businesses under the presumptive taxation scheme with 6%-8% presumptive income). Also, for businesses with cash receipts and payments up to 5%, the annual turnover limit for audit is Rs 10 crore. If a business opted for presumptive taxation last year but reports a loss this year, it must get its accounts audited regardless of turnover. Professionals earning gross receipts above Rs 50 lakh in a financial year. Persons covered under special provisions, such as those opting for the presumptive taxation scheme under Sections 44AD, 44ADA, or 44AE, if their turnover exceeds the prescribed limits and they choose to maintain detailed books of accounts. For the financial year 2024-25 (assessment year 2025-26), the tax audit report is required to be submitted by September 30, 2025. Following this, the ITR must be filed by October 31, 2025. These dates are applicable for businesses and professionals. For non-audit ITRs, the final deadline was September 16. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all What Happens When You Fail To File Tax Audit Report? Failing to file a tax audit report on time can attract heavy penalties. Section 271B stipulates a penalty of 0.5% of total turnover or gross receipts, subject to a maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh. Timely compliance not only avoids fines but also ensures smooth processing of income tax returns and refunds. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalis... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 13:42 IST News business tax Tax Audit Due Date: Will CBDT Extend Deadline Beyond September 30? 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... Wipro Rejects Siddaramaiahs Request To Open Bengaluru Campus For Traffic: 'No Silver Bullet...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 18:41 IST Azim Premji acknowledged the state governments efforts to address Bengalurus traffic congestion, particularly along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) Wipro Founder Chairman Azim Premji Wipro Founder Chairman Azim Premji has turned down Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs request for opening Wipros Sarjapur campus for public vehicular movement. In a letter to the Karnataka CM, Azim Premji acknowledged the state governments efforts to address Bengalurus traffic congestion, particularly along the Outer Ring Road (ORR), and stressed the urgency of implementing effective measures, while also underlining the complexity of the problem. Recommended Stories We sincerely appreciate your leadership for initiatives concerning the critical issue of traffic congestion in Bengaluru. As stated in your letter, urgent and effective measures are indeed required for the traffic situation, particularly along the Outer Ring Road, being an export oriented economic hub," read the letter. The problems complexity, stemming from multiple factors, suggests that there is unlikely to be a single point solution or a silver bullet to resolve it. To this end, we believe the most effective path forward is to commission a comprehensive, scientific study led by an entity with world-class expertise in urban transport management," it added. Further highlighting the problem in allowing public vehicular access through Wipros Sarjapur campus, he explained that the campus is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) serving global clients, with stringent, non-negotiable access control requirements. He mentioned that opening the premises for public traffic would not be a sustainable long-term solution. With respect to the specific suggestion of allowing public vehicular movement through our Sarjapur campus, we apprehend significant legal, governance, and statutory challenges since it is an exclusive private property owned by a listed company not intended for public thoroughfare," read the letter. That apart it will also be appreciated that our Sarjapur campus is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) providing services to global customers, our contractual conditions mandate stringent, non-negotiable access control norms for governance and compliance. Moreover, public vehicular movement through a private property would not be effective as a sustainable, long-term solution," said the Wipro Chairman. Despite these limitations, Premji reaffirmed Wipros commitment to working with the state government. Wipro nevertheless stands committed to partner with the Government of Karnataka to find a lasting solution for Bengalurus mobility challenges. We believe a collaborative, data-driven approach will yield the most impactful results for our city," he added in the letter. Karnataka CM Writes To Wipro Founder This comes after Siddaramaiah, in a letter to Azim Premji, asked for his support in easing traffic along Bengalurus Outer Ring Road (ORR). I extend my warm greetings to you and sincerely appreciate Wipros continued contribution to the progress of Karnatakas IT ecosystem and overall socio-economic development. One of the key challenges currently facing Bengaluru, particularly along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) corridor at Iblur junction, is severe traffic congestion during peak hours, which adversely impacts mobility, productivity, and the quality of urban life," Siddaramaiah wrote in a letter on September 19. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Bengaluru Traffic The Outer Ring Road is home to many IT companies and has long struggled with traffic congestion. Peak-hour traffic often leads to gridlocks. The 62 km Outer Ring Road connects several key areas, including Silk Board, Marathahalli, KR Puram, Hebbal, and Nayandahalli. 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 25, 2025, 18:12 IST News bengaluru-news Wipro Rejects Siddaramaiahs Request To Open Bengaluru Campus For Traffic: 'No Silver Bullet...' 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... Mumbai Policeman Brutally Assaulted By Wife, Son, Dies After Being Left To Bleed Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 08:37 IST Pravin Suryawanshi, a Shivaji Nagar police constable, died after being assaulted by his wife Smita Suryawanshi and son Pratik in Sion, Mumbai; both were arrested for his death. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google A Child Becomes the Silent Witness to a Family Shattered by Harassment and Loss A Mumbai police constables wife and son were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting him during a domestic dispute and leaving him injured, leading to his death. Initially, an accidental death was recorded, but after the post-mortem revealed signs of unnatural death and the victims relatives suspected the mother-son duos involvement, a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was registered against them. Recommended Stories According to the police, the incident occurred on September 9, when the deceased, identified as Pravin Suryawanshi, 52, a constable attached to Shivaji Nagar police station, was found dead at police quarters in Pratiksha Nagar in Sion. Subsequently, an accidental death report was registered, and the police began an inquiry into the matter. During the investigation, Pravins brother and other relatives alleged that his death was not accidental but stemmed from a prolonged financial dispute with his wife, Smita Suryawanshi, 42, and son, Pratik, 22, the Hindustan Times reported. The deceased constables post-mortem reports revealed that he had died an unnatural death due to haemorrhage and shock caused by 38 injuries on his body. Further investigation had revealed that on the day the constable died, his wife and son confronted him outside Shivaji Nagar police station, and after they went home, they assaulted him," said a police officer. The police said that Pravin had transferred his properties in Nashik and Kalyan to his relatives and also gave his ATM card to his brother for his expenses, which might have angered his wife and son. They attacked him and pushed him against the window panel, due to which the glass broke and caused multiple deep cuts," the officer added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all After the attack, his wife and son left the place without giving him any medical assistance, he said, adding that hours later, some of his relatives went to his home and found him gravely injured. They rushed him to Sion Hospital, where he was declared dead. According to the doctors, Pravin had deep cuts on his right hand and had died due to loss of blood, adding that he could have survived if he had been brought in for treatment in time. Subsequently, the police arrested Smita and Pratik on Wednesday. First Published: September 25, 2025, 07:32 IST News mumbai-news Mumbai Policeman Brutally Assaulted By Wife, Son, Dies After Being Left To Bleed 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... Navi Mumbai To CSMI Airport In 30 Mins: CIDCO Issues Consultant Tenders For Mumbai Metro Line 8 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 07:23 IST CIDCO has issued tenders to reassess planned Metro Line 8, linking CSMIA and NMIA, aiming to cut travel time to 30 minutes under a PPP model. Mumbai Metro Line 8: The line will begin at CSMIA Terminal 2 in Andheri, travel underground till Chhedanagar in Chembur, and then continue as an elevated line until NMIA. (File/X) CIDCO has taken a major step forward in the development of Metro Line 8, a crucial corridor connecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). On Tuesday, CIDCO issued tenders to appoint a consultant to reassess the comprehensive project plan, marking the beginning of a fresh review of the entire project. Recommended Stories Metro Line 8, spanning approximately 35 km, is estimated to cost Rs 15,000 crore and will significantly reduce travel time between the two airports, from nearly two hours to just 30 minutes. The project will be executed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with CIDCO and a private entity working together to bring the plan to life. Construction is expected to take at least six years once initiated. As per earlier plans, MMRDA was assigned responsibility for the section within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), while CIDCO would manage the stretch within its jurisdiction. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had previously prepared the DPR for the 10.1 km stretch from CSMIA to Mankhurd. Mumbai Metro 8: Underground And Elevated Stations The Metro 8 route will start underground at CSMIA Terminal 2 in Andheri and rise to an elevated track beyond Chedda Nagar. The line will pass through key hubs, including Kurla, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), and Vashi. CIDCO is also planning to integrate Line 1A with Metro 8 at Sagar Sangam. With the Maharashtra governments nod for PPP in February, CIDCO is now revisiting the project to finalise the plan, secure approvals, and push towards implementation. Designed as an airport express, the metro trains are likely target to speeds up to 90 km/h, with reduced stops and fewer stations to ensure speedier travel (30-40 mins versus 2+ hours by road) with frequency planned at every 15 minutes. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Official ticket rates have not been announced yet. Estimated fares (projected) could be short segments: Rs 20-30; medium (e.g., Vashi-Belapur): Rs 40-60; Long (Seawoods/Nerul to CSMIA): Rs 100-120; Airport-to-airport: Rs 150-180. By strengthening the travel infrastructure, the proposed metro line will offer major relief to airport commuters across Mumbai and its suburbs. 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 First Published: September 25, 2025, 07:15 IST News mumbai-news Navi Mumbai To CSMI Airport In 30 Mins: CIDCO Issues Consultant Tenders For Mumbai Metro Line 8 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... Delhi HC Rejects Bail Plea Of Tahir Hussain In Killing Of IB Officer Ankit Sharma During 2020 Riots Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:05 IST Former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain remains lodged in jail after the Delhi High Court denied bail plea in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain application for regular bail plea was denied by the Delhi High Court. (IMAGE: PTI FILE) The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to grant regular bail to former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain in the 2020 murder case of Intelligence Bureau official Ankit Sharma during the North-East Delhi riots. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna dismissed Hussains plea in FIR 65/2020, registered at the Dayalpur police station, saying, The bail application is dismissed", according to a report by Livelaw. Recommended Stories The Livelaw report highlighted that the AAP councillor filed a similar bail plea in December 2024 but withdrew it in February, with the court allowing him the option to approach the trial court. When he approached the trial court this March, his bail plea was rejected with the court maintaining that there was no significant change in circumstances to justify granting relief following which he approached the Delhi High Court once again seeking bail. Hussain has now spent over five years in custody in connection with the case. The FIR against him was registered based on a complaint by the father of the deceased, who had filed a missing person report when his son went missing during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharmas body was later recovered from a drain and declared brought dead by GTB Hospital. On the day of the incident, Sharma had left his home around 5 pm to buy groceries and other household items but never returned. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Ankit Sharmas body was discovered in a drain near Chand Bagh Pulia, bearing multiple sharp and blunt force injuries on his head, face, chest, back and waist. Following this, the complainant lodged an FIR, stating he strongly suspected that his son had been murdered by Tahir Hussain and his associates. The post-mortem report confirmed a total of 51 injuries caused by sharp-edged weapons and blunt trauma. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 14:54 IST News new-delhi-news Delhi HC Rejects Bail Plea Of Tahir Hussain In Killing Of IB Officer Ankit Sharma During 2020 Riots 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... IBPS Clerk Admit Card 2025 Out At ibps.in; Steps To Download, Direct Link Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 11:19 IST IBPS Clerk Admit Card 2025: The admit cards have been issued for the prelims exam which is set to be conducted on October 4, 5 and 11. IBPS Clerk Admit Card 2025 can be downloaded till October 5, 2025. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the admit card for the IBPS Clerk Recruitment 2025 exam. Interested and eligible candidates can apply by visiting the official website at ibps.in. They will need their login details such as registration number and password to download the hall tickets online. The last date to download the prelims exam admit card is October 5. The selection process includes two phases a Preliminary Exam followed by the Main Exam. The admit cards have been issued for the prelims exam which is set to be conducted on October 4, 5 and 11. Those who clear the exam will have to appear for the mains exams set to be held in November. Recommended Stories How To Download IBPS Clerk Admit Card 2025? Candidates can download their admit cards by following these steps: Step 1 Visit the official IBPS website at ibps.in. Step 2 Click on the link for IBPS Clerk Admit Card on the homepage. Step 3 Enter the required login credentials, including registration or roll number and date of birth or password. Step 4 View and download the admit card displayed on the screen. Step 5 Take a printout of the admit card for future reference. IBPS Clerk Admit Card 2025: Direct Link Here A bachelors degree in any discipline from a recognised university is required to be eligible for the recruitment drive. Candidates must be between 20 and 28 years of age as of August 1, 2025. Age relaxation is applicable for candidates from reserved categories as per the rules. Furthermore, applicants must be able to read, write, and speak the official language of the state or union territory they are applying for. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all IBPS Clerk Admit Card 2025: Vacancy Details This recruitment drive aims to fill clerical positions in 11 public sector banks, offering a total of 10,277 Customer Service Associate posts across these banks. Canara Bank has the highest number of vacancies with 3,000, followed by Central Bank of India (2,000), Bank of Baroda (1,684), and Punjab National Bank (1,150). About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, ... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 09:54 IST News education-career IBPS Clerk Admit Card 2025 Out At ibps.in; Steps To Download, Direct Link 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... Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling 2025: Round 2 Seat Allotment List Out, What's Next Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 11:53 IST Maharashtra NEET UG 2025 Seat Allotment List: Selected candidates have to report to their allotted institutes by September 29 up to 5:30 pm. A total of 60,021 candidates are eligible to participate in the counselling process for admission to MBBS and BDS programmes. (Representative image/File) The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (MHT CET) Cell has release the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2025 state counselling round 2 merit list today, September 25. Candidates who applied for the counselling will be able to check and download the Maharashtra NEET UG merit list by visiting the official website at medicalug2025.mahacet.org/NEET-UG-2025. They must self-verify their allotted seat by accepting the declaration through their login in CAP Round-1, certifying that the details provided in the application form, such as qualifying marks, category, and gender, are accurate. Recommended Stories Whats Next? A total of 31,409 candidates have been allotted seats under the Maharashtra NEET UG 2025 allotment round 2 result. Those who secure seats must report to their designated institutes for physical joining by September 29 up to 5:30 pm. Candidates who are allotted a seat other than their first preference and have chosen to freeze their allotment in Round-II will not be eligible to participate in subsequent rounds. Those who wish to continue in subsequent rounds must claim the seat allotted in Round II by selecting the Do not freeze option and paying the seat acceptance fee online through their login. Maharashtra NEET UG 2025 Seat Allotment List: How To Check Step 1: Visit the official website medicalug2025.mahacet.org Step 2: On the homepage, go to the NEET UG 2025 counselling seat allotment link and click on it. Step 3: Next up, key in your login details, that is, registration number and password. Step 4: The NEET UG 2025 seat allotment result will appear on the screen. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Step 5: View and download the result for future reference. A total of 60,021 candidates are eligible to participate in the counselling process for admission to MBBS and BDS programmes. The state is home to three leading medical colleges, including two government-run institutions and one privately managed. Among the top choices for medical aspirants in Maharashtra are Dr D.Y. Patil College of Ayurveda and Research Centre, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, and the Armed Forces Medical College. About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, ... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 11:46 IST News education-career Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling 2025: Round 2 Seat Allotment List Out, What's Next 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... CWC In Patna: Congress Torn Between Cadre Push And Alliance Demands Ahead Of Bihar Polls Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 08:51 IST The Congress finds itself wrestling with a serious dilemma: how to strike a balance between enthusing its own workers and maintaining harmony with its key ally, the RJD. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, LoP in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and LoP in the Bihar Assembly and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav during the launch of 'Ati Pichda Nyay Sankalp', in Patna. (Image: PTI) The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, held in Patna for the first time in over three decades, set an aggressive and ambitious tone. The intent was clear to take on the BJP-JDU combine in Bihar and to energise the Congress cadre ahead of the electoral battle. Yet, even as the mood projected confidence, the Congress finds itself wrestling with a serious dilemma: how to strike a balance between enthusing its own workers and maintaining harmony with its key ally, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). This contradiction became evident during the fag end of Rahul Gandhis Voter Adhikar Yatra. Sources indicate that flag displays at the final leg were noticeably fewer. The underlying reason, they suggest, was Rahul Gandhis decision to sidestep questions about projecting Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial face of the alliance. The RJD cadre was reportedly upset, wanting the Congress to acknowledge that among the two parties, RJD remained the senior partner. But for Rahul Gandhi, the priority was to keep the spotlight on voter rights while ensuring his own partys workers, who are eyeing a stronger performance, did not feel sidelined. Recommended Stories In fact, sources confirm that this contentious issue did find mention in the CWC discussions. The Bihar Congress leadership sent out a strong message: Congress first, alliance maryada later. This positioning explains why, while persistent queries about the CM face continued, senior Congress leaders tactically avoided direct answers. However, in an attempt to placate the RJD, Pawan Khera dropped hints that Tejashwi could indeed be the face of the alliance. Seat-sharing negotiations remain unresolved. The Congress is pushing to contest more than 50 seats, while the RJD insists the formula should rest on winnability, not numerical ambition. While Tejashwi and Rahul share a visibly cordial bond, the Congress now faces a difficult choice prioritising the morale of its own cadre or cementing the coalition arrangement. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The challenge has been compounded by recent controversies. Two Congress social media posts stirred unease one from the Kerala unit that drew an unflattering comparison between Bihar and bidi, and another targeting the Prime Ministers mother. Both incidents have left the RJD wary and defensive. For the RJD, this election is nothing short of a do-or-die battle. It wants to win at any cost and sees Tejashwis projection as CM face as non-negotiable. The pressing question is whether the Congress will concede to this demand, even if it risks alienating its own cadre in the process. About the Author Pallavi Ghosh Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. S... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 08:51 IST News elections CWC In Patna: Congress Torn Between Cadre Push And Alliance Demands Ahead Of Bihar 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... Why Owaisi's Six-Seat Demand From Seemanchal Has Rattled RJD, BJP Alike In Bihar Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 12:31 IST In 2020, AIMIM won five seats in Seemanchal, which comprises four districts: Araria, Katihar, Purnia, and Kishanganj, with an overall Muslim population of about 47 per cent. AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi (PTI Image) All India Majlis-e-Ettehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday made a political move that has put the RJD-Congress alliance in a difficult position while compelling the BJP-led NDA to consider the implications if AIMIM joins the Mahagathbandhan. Owaisi proposed a plan to prevent the division of secular votes" (primarily minority votes), which would inevitably occur if they contest separately. In return, he asked for six seats for his party. If they do not agree, the people of Bihar will see who wanted the BJP to succeed and who aimed to stop them. We have fulfilled our responsibilities," Owaisi stated while addressing a gathering in Kishanganj, a minority-dominated area in the Seemanchal region. Recommended Stories Owaisis offer is significant because he holds considerable influence, especially in Bihars Seemanchal area. In the 2020 Assembly elections, AIMIM won five seats in Seemanchal, which comprises four districts: Araria, Katihar, Purnia, and Kishanganj, with an overall Muslim population of about 47 per cent. Kishanganj, where Owaisi made his proposal to Tejashwi Yadavs RJD, has the highest Muslim population among these districts, at 68 per cent, according to the 2011 census. Owaisi has substantial support in this part of Bihar. Regarding the number of seats he has demanded, AIMIM won five seats in the Seemanchal area in the 2020 Assembly elections one less than what Owaisi is now requesting from the RJD. Notably, two years later, four former AIMIM MLAs defected to the RJD. This defection continues to earn Owaisi sympathy among his voters, as his message remains clear: personal egos can wait; defeating the BJP requires a united effort. However, no significant RJD leader has responded to the offer so far. Although the symbolism of Owaisis proposal from Seemanchal was evident on Wednesday, it was not the first such offer. AIMIM Bihar Head Akhtarul Iman had previously written two letters to Lalu Prasad Yadav and one to Tejashwi Yadav, all of which were met with a lukewarm response, according to sources. The RJD is wary that an alliance with AIMIM could alienate one of its core vote banks Muslims while the other being Yadavs, in the long run. The BJP, on the other hand, has reacted dismissively. It is none of our concern with whom Mr Owaisi is trying to ally. But the bottom line is to gather Muslim votes, pure vote bank politics. And this highlights the competition: who will be included and who will be excluded," senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad remarked when asked about Owaisis offer. Despite the BJPs dismissive stance, the party is closely analysing the statistics of Seemanchal and the potential political scenarios if the deal takes place. In the last assembly elections, when the NDA, Mahagathbandhan, and AIMIM contested separately, the NDA won 12 out of 24 seats in Seemanchal, with the BJP securing eight of those seats. If AIMIM joins the grand alliance, there would be no division of Muslim votes in the region, potentially reducing the BJPs electoral count. The entire INDIA bloc is likely to use the secular vs communal narrative more forcefully against the BJP. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The BJP recognises that the impact of such a deal would extend beyond Seemanchal. Out of the 243 assembly seats in Bihar, 87 seats have a Muslim population of over 20 per cent, and 47 have between 15 and 20 per cent. The BJP understands that many of these seats could be affected as well. If the deal materialises, it is almost certain that the Bihar election campaign will become more communal, with charged rhetoric from both sides. However, the RJDs strong belief that agreeing to Owaisis proposal would be political suicide may prevent such a scenario from unfolding. About the Author Anindya Banerjee Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep ... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 12:31 IST News elections Why Owaisi's Six-Seat Demand From Seemanchal Has Rattled RJD, BJP Alike In Bihar 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... 134 Fugitives In 5 Years: How India Sped Up Extraditions And What Is Next | Explained Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 05:49 IST Combining proactive diplomacy with airtight legal preparation has helped India persuade courts in the United States, Canada, and Europe to rule in its favour 26/11 Mumbai attacks plotter Tahawwur Hussain Rana with NIA officials after his extradition in New Delhi. (File image: Sourced) In a recent meeting at the Intelligence Bureau headquarters, union home minister Amit Shah asked central security agencies to move faster on extradition cases. He directed that standard operating procedures be drawn up, dedicated teams of investigators and lawyers formed, and dossiers prepared within a month to ensure that Indians accused of terrorism, narcotics trafficking, arms smuggling, and financial crimes are brought back through coordinated legal and diplomatic channels. The urgency is rooted in results: over the last five years, India has managed to secure the return of 137 fugitives, almost double the number repatriated during the entire decade between 2010 and 2019. Recommended Stories While the data suggests that there has been a massive push to extradite big criminals who fled abroad after siphoning money from Indians, the government is also thinking of speeding up the matter diplomatically. Sources said that since Covid, the government has shifted gears to get fugitives from abroad. In 2022, the government, along with different agencies, planned meetings with officials from various other countries to seek the deportation of these fugitives. The surge in numbers Figures shared by the Central Bureau of Investigation show how sharply the pace has picked up. Since 2020, a total of 137 fugitives have been repatriated, with 23 arriving back in India this year alone. In contrast, only 74 were returned between 2010 and 2019. Officials attribute this surge to a stronger diplomatic push, tighter coordination among agencies, and quicker submission of evidence to foreign courts. Shahs insistence on one-month dossiers" reflects the governments determination to turn this uptick into a sustained policy shift. What recent cases reveal Several headline extraditions over the past year illustrate the mix of persistence, diplomacy, and legal effort required. Nehal Modi, brother of fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi, was detained in the United States in 2025 after Indian agencies pressed their case in the PNB fraud investigation. His detention shows the importance of close cooperation with US prosecutors in financial crime cases. In another long-awaited development, Monika Kapoor was finally extradited from the US after nearly two decades of litigation in an import-duty fraud case, demonstrating that persistence can yield results even in protracted battles. Earlier this year, Tahawwur Rana, linked to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was sent back from the US after years of legal wrangling, underscoring Indias ability to pursue not only economic offenders but also terror suspects. Together, these cases show that while each class of fugitive demands a different legal toolkit, the common factor is sustained, multi-pronged pressure. How the process has changed A major institutional shift has been the launch of the Bharatpol portal in January 2025. Developed by the CBI, it provides a single national gateway to Interpol systems, allowing state and central agencies to file requests, track progress, and access international police databases in real time. The portal has significantly reduced delays by centralising communication and preventing duplication of effort. When combined with Shahs emphasis on dedicated teams and rapid dossier preparation, Bharatpol has become the backbone of Indias faster extradition process. Clearing diplomatic and legal roadblocks Extradition remains a legally complex process, as host-country courts examine evidence, custodial conditions, and questions of jurisdiction. To overcome these barriers, India has begun offering detailed assurances about prison conditions in sensitive cases, while also dispatching legal teams abroad to work with local prosecutors and ensure filings are complete. This dual strategycombining proactive diplomacy with airtight legal preparationhas helped India persuade courts in the United States, Canada, and Europe to rule in its favour. The road ahead With the system showing results, attention is now turning to some of the most high-profile names still abroad. Mehul Choksi is facing extradition proceedings in Belgium, with India supplying evidence and custodial assurances to keep the case moving. Nirav Modis extradition from the UK remains tied up in appeals but continues to be a priority. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Beyond financial crimes, the government has also signalled that major narcotics traffickers will be in the crosshairs as part of a broader anti-smuggling and anti-terror push. About the Author Ankur Sharma With over 15 years of journalistic experience, Ankur Sharma, Associate Editor, specializes in internal security and is tasked with providing comprehensive coverage from the Ministry of Home Affairs, p... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 05:49 IST News explainers 134 Fugitives In 5 Years: How India Sped Up Extraditions And What Is Next | 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... Is Netanyahu Quietly Building A Greater Israel? What It Means, How Close He Is To Achieving It Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 16:18 IST The question is not whether Netanyahu can achieve Greater Israel in its maximalist sense. It needs to be seen whether his policies will erase the possibility of a Palestinian state Benjamin Netanyahus current strategy seems less about outright declaration and more about incremental consolidation, ensuring that the map of Israel shifts in ways that become irreversible. (AP File Photo) The phrase Greater Israel" carries deep historical, political, and religious undertones. At its core, it refers to the idea of an expanded Israeli state encompassing not only its current internationally recognised borders but also parts of Palestinian territories, particularly the West Bank and Gaza, and, in some interpretations, land stretching into neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Recommended Stories For decades, this idea has been more symbolic than practical, often tied to Zionist visions and religious claims to biblical land. But in modern politics, the concept resurfaces whenever settlement expansion, annexation talk, or military dominance in the occupied territories intensifies. Netanyahus Political Vision Benjamin Netanyahu has long cultivated the image of the leader who can deliver security and permanence to Israel. His policies towards Palestinians and his rhetoric around sovereignty suggest a steady push towards consolidating control over the West Bank. He presents himself not merely as a caretaker of Israels security but as the figure who can enshrine Israels dominance over disputed lands an ambition that aligns with the Greater Israel idea. Settlements As A Silent Annexation One of the clearest signs of the Greater Israel project lies in the rapid expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Settlements began decades ago, but under Netanyahu, they have grown into sprawling towns with infrastructure, highways, and security systems that integrate them properly into Israel. While official annexation remains politically explosive on the global stage, the physical reality on the ground makes separation between Israelis and Palestinians increasingly difficult. This facts on the ground" approach has been a cornerstone of Netanyahus strategy. By encouraging settlement growth, Israel effectively locks in permanent control without making sweeping legal declarations. Over time, this has blurred the line between Israel and the occupied territories, aligning with the vision of a greater territorial Israel. Why Israel Wants Gaza Gaza presents a different, though equally complex, front. Israel withdrew its settlements from Gaza in 2005, but the territory has remained under blockade and military oversight. Netanyahus approach has been to maintain strict control over Gazas borders, economy, and movement while rejecting any steps that might lead to Palestinian sovereignty. Some analysts argue that this, too, fits into the Greater Israel framework: While Gaza is not integrated through settlements, it is kept in a position of dependency and isolation, ensuring it does not emerge as an independent political or economic rival to Israel. Whats The Role Of Religion & Nationalism In This? The appeal of Greater Israel" is not just strategic; it resonates deeply with nationalist and religious groups within Israel. For them, holding onto biblical lands is a matter of destiny, not diplomacy. Netanyahu, though often seen as a pragmatist, has relied heavily on these groups for political support. By endorsing settlement growth and resisting Palestinian statehood, he aligns his policies with their ideological vision. Obstacles To Realising The Dream Despite the progress made through settlements and symbolic moves, Netanyahus project faces significant hurdles. International law considers West Bank settlements illegal, and any formal annexation could trigger severe diplomatic and economic consequences. The Abraham Accords showed Israel can normalise ties with Arab states without resolving the Palestinian question, but overt annexation could put even those fragile relationships at risk. Domestically, Israel is deeply divided. While right-wing factions embrace the Greater Israel vision, many Israelis fear the demographic and security implications of absorbing millions of Palestinians without granting them full rights. Such a move could either undermine Israels Jewish majority or cement a system that critics describe as apartheid. What Are The Arab Countries Saying? A coalition of 31 Arab and Muslim nations, along with the Arab League, has strongly condemned Netanyahu for openly endorsing the vision of a Greater Israel". In an interview with i24NEWS in August, Netanyahu was asked if he identified with the idea of a Greater Israel. His reply was unequivocal: Absolutely very much." In a joint statement released on August 15, the Arab coalition described Netanyahus remarks as a blatant and dangerous violation" of international law and warned that such rhetoric threatens Arab national security, state sovereignty, and global peace. The condemnation comes against the backdrop of rising international pressure on Israel. In September 2024, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for an end to Israels occupation of Palestinian territories within 12 months. That move echoed the International Court of Justices advisory opinion, which found Israels presence in the territories unlawful. In January 2024, the International Court of Justice further stated that Israel was plausibly committing genocide" in Gaza, though its final ruling in the case brought by South Africa is still pending. Is Netanyahu Closer To Achieving It? In practical terms, Netanyahu has already achieved parts of the Greater Israel vision. The West Bank is deeply integrated into Israels political, economic, and security systems. The idea of a fully sovereign Palestinian state appears more distant than ever. Gaza remains contained and isolated, with little prospect of independence. Yet the dream of a formal Greater Israel" remains elusive. Full annexation would bring immense international backlash, and integrating millions of Palestinians without granting them rights would create explosive internal tensions. This week, France joined Canada, Australia, and the UK to recognise Palestines statehood at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) summit in New York. This comes more than almost two years after the war that saw several thousand Palestinians dead, displaced, with massive starvation now engulfing Gazans. Netanyahus current strategy seems less about outright declaration and more about incremental consolidation ensuring that, step by step, the map of Israel shifts in ways that become irreversible. What Lies Ahead? The question is not whether Netanyahu can achieve Greater Israel" in its maximalist sense few believe he can redraw borders to match biblical claims. The real question is whether his policies will permanently erase the possibility of a Palestinian state. If settlement expansion continues and Arab states remain silent, Israel could, in practice, absorb most of the territories it covets, even without legal annexation. For Palestinians, this represents the slow disappearance of their aspirations for statehood. For Israelis, it may appear as security and permanence. For the region, it raises the prospect of a conflict frozen in place, unresolved but reshaped to reflect Netanyahus vision. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author Shilpy Bisht Shilpy Bisht, Deputy News Editor at News18, writes and edits national, world and business stories. She started off as a print journalist, and then transitioned to online, in her 12 years of experience... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 15:32 IST News explainers Is Netanyahu Quietly Building A Greater Israel? What It Means, How Close He Is To Achieving It 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... Jimmy Kimmel Returns After Suspension: What Triggered It And Why Disney Reinstated Him Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 09:03 IST Kimmel was pulled off air after comments on Kirks killing sparked a political storm. Less than a week later, Disney reversed its decision. Heres what led to the reinstatement Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. (REUTERS) Jimmy Kimmel is back on air, and audiences are watching in record numbers. The first new episode since his suspension drew more than 6.3 million TV viewers and set new records online, even as dozens of ABC affiliates continued to block the broadcast. Why Was Kimmel Reinstated? Recommended Stories The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, said it suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! to avoid further inflaming a tense situation" in the aftermath of Charlie Kirks killing, which it described as an emotional moment for our country." In a follow-up statement on Monday, Disney said Kimmels remarks had been ill-timed and thus insensitive," but not malicious, and confirmed the decision to return the show after what it called thoughtful conversations with Jimmy." When he came back on air, Kimmel told viewers it was never his intention to make light of Kirks murder or to blame any political group. The reinstatement followed days of mounting backlash. Viewers cancelled subscriptions to Disneys streaming platforms, with hashtags such as #CancelDisney trending online. Susan Campbell, a media studies professor, told Reuters that consumers were exercising their own First Amendment rights" by ending their subscriptions. Hollywood unions representing more than 400,000 workers condemned the suspension, while actors including Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston and Misha Collins publicly backed Kimmel. Former President Barack Obama also criticised the move, warning that giving in to government pressure risked undermining free speech. Meanwhile, Disneys stock value fell by 2.39 per cent, nearly five billion dollars, during the suspension. What Triggered The Suspension? The controversy stemmed from comments made by Kimmel after the killing of Charlie Kirk, a 30-year-old conservative activist, media personality and founder of Turning Point USA. Kirk was shot dead on September 10 while speaking at a university event in Utah. His alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested after a 33-hour manhunt. Right-wing figures claimed Robinson was left-wing". While Kimmel condemned the murder as horrible and monstrous," his later monologues criticised the way President Donald Trump and his MAGA supporters reacted. On his show, he said: The MAGA gang (is) desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it." Kimmel also mocked Trumps own response, saying it resembled how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish." Conservatives, including Trump allies, accused Kimmel of smearing their movement and exploiting a death for political purposes. Major affiliate groups Nexstar and Sinclair, which together own local television stations covering nearly a quarter of US households, announced they would stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Soon after, on September 17, ABC suspended production of the show. How Did Political Pressure Shape The Decision? The suspension was announced shortly after Brendan Carr, chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), criticised Kimmels remarks. Carr called them truly sick" and warned ABC that unless it acted, the network could face repercussions. The FCC regulates broadcast licensing, so such comments carried weight even though the commission traditionally does not intervene in programme content. Carrs warning We can do this the easy way or the hard way" was seen by critics as a government threat to free speech. The sole Democrat on the FCC board, Anna Gomez, later called it clear government intimidation." Barack Obama also weighed in, saying media companies needed to stand up to government coercion" rather than capitulate. The backdrop was a wider campaign by Trumps administration against outlets and personalities seen as hostile. Since returning to the presidency in January 2025, Trump has clashed with the Associated Press, NPR, CBS and others through lawsuits, funding cuts and regulatory threats. Earlier this year, for instance, the AP was removed from the White House press pool after refusing to adopt a directive on renaming the Gulf of Mexico, and federal funding for NPR and PBS was cut off entirely. The Kimmel controversy fit into this broader pattern. What Did Kimmel Say On His Return? When Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned, the host addressed the controversy in an emotional monologue. He said he never intended to minimise Kirks murder and praised Erika Kirk, the activists widow, for showing what he called remarkable grace and compassion in publicly forgiving the alleged killer. Kimmel did not apologise for criticising Trump and his allies. Instead, he reiterated concerns about free speech, saying threats from the FCC amounted to a violation of the First Amendment. He mocked Trump for celebrating attempts to cancel livelihoods over political disagreements, quipping that the suspension had only boosted his audience. The nearly 30-minute monologue blended humour and pointed commentary, becoming the most-viewed segment of his career online. How Did Trump React? Trump had initially celebrated what he thought was the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, calling it great news for America." After the reinstatement, he attacked ABC and Disney, accusing them of bias and even suggesting the networks decision could amount to an illegal campaign contribution" to Democrats. On his Truth Social platform, Trump derided Kimmel as talentless and claimed poor ratings justified removing him. He also hinted at potential lawsuits against ABC, noting past settlements with broadcasters who had misrepresented him. Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organisation founded by Charlie Kirk, also condemned Disneys decision. Spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said the company had caved" by putting Kimmel back on air. The presidents criticism underscored his longstanding battles with late-night hosts, several of whom, including Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, have frequently lampooned him. How Have Audiences Responded? Despite being blacked out in Nexstar and Sinclair markets, Kimmels return drew extraordinary attention. According to ABC, the first reinstated episode averaged 6.3 million viewers on traditional television, more than three times the shows usual audience. Among viewers aged 18 to 49, it was the programmes highest-rated regularly scheduled episode in over a decade. Online, the nearly 30-minute monologue about free speech has become Kimmels most-watched segment ever. It passed 15 million views on YouTube, while ABC said combined viewership across TV, YouTube and other platforms had already reached tens of millions, with streaming audiences rising at more than a million views per hour. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Bottom Line Jimmy Kimmel Live! was reinstated because Disney judged that the cost of keeping the show off air, in financial losses, reputational damage and criticism over free speech, outweighed the risks of bringing it back. While affiliates like Nexstar and Sinclair continue to block the programme, Kimmels record ratings show that the controversy has amplified his reach. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follo... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 08:57 IST News explainers Jimmy Kimmel Returns After Suspension: What Triggered It And Why Disney Reinstated Him 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... 'Nightmare Bacteria' Cases Are On The Rise: Symptoms, Risks And How To Protect Yourself Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 11:09 IST Infections caused by drug-resistant nightmare bacteria are spreading across the US, with the CDC warning of mounting health risks Infections caused by drug-resistant nightmare bacteria have surged nearly 70 per cent between 2019 and 2023.(Representative image) A new study by scientists at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, has found that infections caused by drug-resistant nightmare bacteria" have surged nearly 70 per cent between 2019 and 2023. These bacteria are resistant to carbapenems, antibiotics usually reserved as a last line of defence, making them extremely difficult and costly to treat. Researchers noted that bacteria carrying the New Delhi metallo--lactamase (NDM) gene are the main driver of this surge. In 2023, 29 US states that conduct genetic testing reported more than 4,300 carbapenem-resistant cases, 1,831 of them NDM-related. That represents a more than fivefold rise in NDM-linked infections in just four years. Recommended Stories Public health experts say the findings are alarming. David Weiss, an infectious diseases researcher at Emory University, told the AP that the trend is very worrisome." CDC scientists added that many people could be undiagnosed carriers, raising the risk of wider community spread. What Exactly Are Nightmare Bacteria? The term refers to a group of germs called Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). These include familiar bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, which usually cause infections like pneumonia or urinary tract infections. What makes them nightmarish" is that they no longer respond to carbapenems, antibiotics normally kept as a last resort option when other drugs fail. The threat becomes greater when bacteria carry the NDM gene, which gives them the ability to block or break down" multiple powerful antibiotics at once. In such cases, doctors are left with almost no treatment options. The name itself highlights an India link. The NDM gene was first identified in New Delhi, and Al Jazeera has reported that such resistant strains are relatively widespread in South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan. Antibiotic misuse, limited regulation of generics, and overcrowded hospitals have all contributed to this regional vulnerability. Where Are Infections Being Reported? The CDC study drew data from 29 US states that have surveillance and genetic testing systems in place. In 2023, these states recorded 4,341 carbapenem-resistant infections, including 1,831 involving NDM. However, the report did not cover some of the most populous states: California, Florida, New York and Texas. This means the actual number of cases nationwide is likely far higher than recorded. The CDC had, in a separate repor,t noted a steady increase in NDM infections in New York City between 2019 and 2024. Yet many hospitals across the country still lack the capacity to run the genetic tests needed to identify resistant strains, making underreporting a major challenge. What Are The Symptoms And Warning Signs? Detecting CRE infections is difficult because their early symptoms mimic those of ordinary infections. Still, clinicians warn that persistence despite antibiotic treatment should raise suspicion. Common presentations include: Urinary tract infections : burning sensation while urinating, cloudy urine, frequent urges. : burning sensation while urinating, cloudy urine, frequent urges. Pneumonia : cough, chest pain, fever and difficulty breathing. : cough, chest pain, fever and difficulty breathing. Bloodstream infections (sepsis): high fever, chills, confusion, low blood pressure and rapid heartbeat. According to the CDC, some cases also involve wound infections, persistent fevers or gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Why Are Cases Rising So Sharply In The US? Between 2019 and 2023, carbapenem-resistant infections rose from under 2 cases per 100,000 people to more than 3. But NDM-linked infections grew much faster, from 0.25 to about 1.35 per 100,000, a 460 per cent jump. Multiple factors lie behind this surge: Pandemic-era antibiotic use : During Covid-19, doctors prescribed antibiotics more widely to manage hospitalised patients. Jason Burnham, an infectious diseases researcher at Washington University in St Louis, told AP that this huge surge in antibiotic use" likely fuelled resistance. : During Covid-19, doctors prescribed antibiotics more widely to manage hospitalised patients. Jason Burnham, an infectious diseases researcher at Washington University in St Louis, told AP that this huge surge in antibiotic use" likely fuelled resistance. Hospital vulnerabilities : Patients on ventilators, catheters or intravenous lines are at higher risk, particularly when infection control protocols falter. : Patients on ventilators, catheters or intravenous lines are at higher risk, particularly when infection control protocols falter. Travel and cross-border spread : Bacteria with the NDM gene were once linked to overseas medical care, but global movement has made them harder to contain. : Bacteria with the NDM gene were once linked to overseas medical care, but global movement has made them harder to contain. Misuse of antibiotics: Both unfinished prescriptions and unnecessary courses strengthen bacteria rather than eliminate them, giving rise to resistance. How Dangerous Is The NDM Gene? According to CDC researchers, only two drugs still work against NDM strains, both expensive and requiring intravenous administration. Weiss of Emory University described the rise as a grave danger." Public health authorities warn that unchecked resistance could make once-manageable illnesses such as urinary tract infections or pneumonia far more difficult to treat, and could complicate even routine surgeries, since post-operative infections may no longer respond to standard therapies. How Do These Bacteria Spread? According to the CDC, most carbapenem-resistant and NDM infections start in healthcare settings, particularly among patients using ventilators, catheters or intravenous lines. According to Al Jazeera, poor sanitation and gaps in infection control can allow the bacteria to spread rapidly inside hospitals. But the threat is no longer confined to medical facilities. Dr Maroya Walters, one of the CDC reports authors, warned that if resistant strains spread in the wider community, even routine infections such as urinary tract infections could become much harder to treat. The bacteria spread through multiple routes: direct person-to-person contact, contaminated medical equipment, and in regions with weaker regulation through unsafe food or water. International travel also plays a role, helping carry resistant bacteria across borders. Why Is This A Global Threat? Antibiotic resistance is not unique to the US. As per Al Jazeera: South Asia (India, Pakistan): NDM-producing bacteria widespread; overuse of antibiotics and overcrowded hospitals exacerbate spread. (India, Pakistan): NDM-producing bacteria widespread; overuse of antibiotics and overcrowded hospitals exacerbate spread. Southern Europe (Greece, Italy, Turkiye): Higher prevalence compared to northern Europe, where stewardship programmes are stronger. (Greece, Italy, Turkiye): Higher prevalence compared to northern Europe, where stewardship programmes are stronger. Africa : Underreporting common, but resistant strains present both in hospitals and communities due to weak sanitation and unregulated antibiotic sales. : Underreporting common, but resistant strains present both in hospitals and communities due to weak sanitation and unregulated antibiotic sales. Latin America (Brazil, Argentina): Several outbreaks recorded in recent years. A Nature study projected that antimicrobial resistance could cause as many as 40 million deaths by 2050 if left unchecked. Infections once easily treated could become fatal, and routine medical procedures from caesarean sections to cancer treatments could carry far greater risk. How Can Individuals Protect Themselves? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Experts say individuals can help slow the spread of resistant bacteria by following simple steps: Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially after hospital visits or caring for the sick. Use antibiotics responsibly, only under medical supervision, never for viral infections like flu. Complete prescribed courses to ensure bacteria are fully eradicated. Get vaccinated, which helps prevent infections that might otherwise require antibiotic treatment. Check hospital infection controls gloves, gowns, sterilisation protocols when seeking care. Practise wound hygiene, keeping cuts and abrasions clean and covered. Be cautious while travelling in areas with high antibiotic resistance, paying attention to food and water safety. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follo... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 11:06 IST News explainers 'Nightmare Bacteria' Cases Are On The Rise: Symptoms, Risks And How To Protect Yourself 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... Rajkot: A 20-Year-Old Man Was Stabbed To Death In A Fit Of Rage. Reason? A Laughing Emoji Curated By : Local18 Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 16:15 IST The man posted about his grandfathers demise on Facebook. His friend reacted to it with a laughing emoji. This led to an ugly fight, in which Bipin allegedly stabbed Prince Bipin has been arrested, while Brajesh remains on the run. (AI-generated Image) What started as a disagreement over a Facebook story has ended in tragedy. A 20-year-old factory worker, Prince Kumar, lost his life after being stabbed by a friend who allegedly mocked his post about his grandfathers death with a laughing emoji. Recommended Stories Prince hailed from Purushotampur village in Bihars Kaimur district and had been working in Rajkot with his cousins. Four months earlier, he had lost his grandfather, Rupnarayan Bhind. Like many grieving youngsters, he shared a story on Facebook about the loss. But when fellow villager Bipin Kumar Rajinder Gond reacted to it with a laughing emoji, the gesture quickly turned into an ugly fight. According to police reports, the two argued over the phone, and later, the matter escalated in person. On September 12, around midnight, Prince was waiting in an autorickshaw near his factory when Bipin confronted him, accompanied by another man, Brajesh Gond. The quarrel turned violent, and Bipin allegedly stabbed Prince. Prince was rushed first to a nearby hospital and then to Rajkot Civil Hospital. Initially, his injury, a wound about two inches deep on his back, did not seem life-threatening. He was even conscious enough to state the police. But his health worsened over the next few days, and he was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). On September 22, Prince succumbed to injuries about 2.30 am. Following his death, police upgraded the charges to murder. Bipin has been arrested, while Brajesh remains on the run. Investigators are awaiting the post-mortem report to determine whether infection worsened Princes condition or if the injury itself was fatal. This incident highlights how trivial online disputes in this case, just a laughing emoji can spiral into deadly confrontations in the real world. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all 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 : Rajkot, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 16:10 IST News india Rajkot: A 20-Year-Old Man Was Stabbed To Death In A Fit Of Rage. Reason? A Laughing Emoji 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... CBI Probes Sonam Wangchuk's Ladakh Institute Over Foreign Funding Violations, Pakistan Visit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:45 IST CBI is probing Sonam Wangchuk's Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh for alleged FCRA violations amid Ladakh protests, violence. Sonam Wangchuk launched a hunger strike on September 10. Ladakh Protests: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started a probe into alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) against an institution founded by Ladakh-based educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, officials said on Thursday. According to officials, the probe agency began its inquiry into the funding of Wangchuks Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL) two months ago. While no FIR has been registered yet, CBI officials have been scrutinising financial records for some time, news agency PTI reported. Recommended Stories The climate activist, who has been vocal for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh, confirmed the development with the news agency, saying that about ten days ago, a CBI team came with an order citing a complaint from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) alleging FCRA violations by the HIAL. The order said we have not taken clearance under FCRA to receive foreign funds. We dont want to be dependent on foreign funds, but we export our knowledge and raise revenue. In three such instances, they thought it was foreign contribution," he said. The CBI team also visited the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), associated with Wangchuk, last week, and sought foreign fund details from 2022 and 2024. Wangchuk said the matters the complaint refers to were service agreements with taxes duly paid to the government. They pertained to India exporting knowledge to the United Nations, Swiss University and an Italian organisation, he said. "It was a very dignified assignment. They saw it and they were convinced. They understood it is not helping them, so they began asking for accounts outside that period. Their mandate was to check for accounts during 2022-24, but they started asking for accounts of 2021 and 2020. Then they went to our school asking for various documents outside their mandate period and a school outside the complaints purview," Wangchuk alleged. HIAL and SECMOL give free education to young students who need it and cannot afford on their own. In HIAL, the students are also paid a stipend for various projects that they undertake and work upon. The officials are also reviewing Wangchuks visit to Pakistan on February 6 this year. Ladakh Unrest The latest developments came amid accusations against the activist that he incited a mob that turned violent on Wednesday over the demand for statehood for Ladakh. At least four people were killed and over 80 were injured after protests demanding statehood turned violent. The BJP office was vandalised and set on fire, as were several vehicles. Flames and clouds of smoke could be seen from afar, with police resorting to firing and teargas shelling to bring the situation under control. The Home Ministry has held Wangchuk responsible for instigating the mob through his provocative speech." Wangchuk, who had been on a 15-day hunger strike demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, ended his fast shortly after the violence broke out in Leh yesterday. The Government said that during Wangchuks hunger strike, he invoked the recent Nepal Gen Z protests to incite people. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Despite many leaders urging Wangchuk to call off the hunger strike, he continued with it, misleading the people through provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal," said a statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 15:45 IST News india CBI Probes Sonam Wangchuk's Ladakh Institute Over Foreign Funding Violations, Pakistan Visit 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... Class 2 Boy Collapses After Eating Cake At School, Dies In Tamil Nadu Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 10:27 IST Boy's father questioned how the cake could be the culprit when his daughter had eaten the same cake without any issues. Police guessed Mithuns death might have been caused by the cake he consumed, which was reportedly bought four days earlier (Image: Representative) A quiet afternoon in Ranipettai district of Tamilnadu turned into a heartbreaking tragedy when eight-year-old Mithun, a Class 2 student, died suddenly during his school lunch break. The incident, which initially appeared to be a case of food poisoning, has now raised troubling questions and deep concern among the local community and Mithuns family. A Lunch Break Turns Fatal Recommended Stories Mithun, the son of Manikandan from Thamaraipakkam, was studying at a private school near Kavanur. On what began as a normal school day, he brought food from home and also ate a piece of cake. Soon after lunch began, his classmates reportedly noticed his face swelling. Within moments, Mithun fainted. Teachers and staff acted quickly, rushing him to the Arcot Government Hospital. Despite their efforts, doctors pronounced the young boy dead on arrival, shocking everyone who knew him. In the immediate aftermath, local police conducted a preliminary investigation. Their initial assessment suggested that Mithuns death might have been caused by the cake he consumed, which was reportedly bought four days earlier. Investigators believed that the cake could have been spoiled and led to a fatal reaction. This explanation was shared with the family as well as reporters, providing what seemed to be a straightforward cause. Fathers Doubts Raise New Questions However, Mithuns father, Manikandan, soon cast doubt on the polices early conclusion. Speaking to the media, he questioned how the cake could be the culprit when his daughter had eaten the same cake without any issues. Manikandan insisted that his sons sudden death could not be explained solely by the consumption of food that his other child also ate without harm. He is now demanding a thorough investigation into his sons death. He has urged authorities to look beyond the assumption of food poisoning and examine other possibilities, including medical negligence or foul play. His public statements have intensified pressure on the local police and district officials to uncover the true cause of the tragedy. Community in Mourning The incident has shaken the Ranipettai community, where neighbors and local residents have gathered to console the grieving family. Parents and teachers in the area are also expressing concern about food safety and the speed of emergency medical care. Many are calling for clearer protocols to handle such sudden health emergencies in schools, including immediate medical checks and timely post-mortem examinations. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As of now, Mithuns death remains a mystery. Investigators are awaiting detailed forensic and toxicology reports to determine the exact cause. Until those findings are released, speculation continues to swirl, and the family waits anxiously for answers. For Manikandan and his loved ones, the loss of a vibrant young boy under such sudden and unclear circumstances is an unimaginable tragedy, one that demands both compassion and a relentless pursuit of the truth. 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 25, 2025, 10:27 IST News india Class 2 Boy Collapses After Eating Cake At School, Dies 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... Congress Seeks Judicial Probe Into Ladakh Violent Protests, Writes Letter To LG Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 23:23 IST Ladakh Congress President Nawang Rigzin Jora demands a judicial probe into protests that killed four, as BJP blames Congress for inciting violence over Ladakh statehood. Smoke rises from a police vehicle that was torched by demonstrators near the BJP office in Leh on September 24. (Image: Tsewang RIGZIN/AFP) Ladakh Unrest: Ladakh Congress President Nawang Rigzin Jora on Thursday demanded a judicial probe into the violent protest that claimed at least four lives and left 90 others injured. In a letter addressed to Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta, Jora criticised the police firing on protesters, saying that the situation could have been handled with little more restraint. Recommended Stories I am approaching you with a heavy heart and deep sorrow to demand a judicial enquiry into the unfortunate incident leading to the death of 4 young men. We condemn the harsh and repressive measures that were carried out," he stated in the letter. The territorial unit president also challenged the administrations claims that a Congress Councillor led the mob, based on a purported photograph. He said that a lot of blame game is going on over the violent protest. There is a lot of blame game going around. Some of these are targeting a Congress councillor for leading the mob on the basis of a purported photograph. Nothing can be further from the truth. In the interest of justice and fair play, we implore you to kindly conduct a judicial enquiry," the letter added. BJP Accuses Congress Of Inciting Violence The former Jammu and Kashmir ministers letter came a day after the BJP accused a Congress councillor of inciting and instigating violence during protests demanding statehood in Ladakh. While addressing a press conference in the national capital, BJP MP Sambit Patra said that attempts were made to portray" that protests were being led by the youth. He further claimed that when investigated, it was found that these protests were ignited by Congress councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, whose numerous photos have surfaced on social media platforms. BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya also echoed similar allegations and asked whether Rahul Gandhi wanted this kind of unrest in Ladakh. Additionally, the Union Home Ministry issued a statement and accused climate activist Sonam Wangchuk of being responsible for instigating the mob through his provocative speech." Wangchuk, who had been on a 15-day hunger strike demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, ended his fast shortly after the violence broke out in Leh. Ladakh Unrest The latest developments came amid accusations against the activist that he incited a mob that turned violent on Wednesday over the demand for statehood for Ladakh. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all At least four people were killed and over 90 were injured after protests demanding statehood turned violent. At least 50 people have been detained so far in connection with the violence that broke out during the shutdown called by Leh Apex Body (LAB) to demand an extension of the Sixth Schedule and statehood for Ladakh. In view of the prevailing situation, Leh District Magistrate Romil Singh Donk ordered closure of all government and private schools, colleges, and other educational institutions for two days from Friday. Besides, Anganwadi centres will also remain closed, the DM said. 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 : Ladakh, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 23:23 IST News india Congress Seeks Judicial Probe Into Ladakh Violent Protests, Writes Letter To LG 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... Decoding Ladakhi Leaders' Statements: How The Protest Moved Beyond Symbolic Dissent Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:41 IST What began as symbolic dissent has now acquired a confrontational tone, invoking global parallels such as the Arab Spring, Nepals social media-led uprisings and more. Police personnel control a violent protest over the statehood demand in Ladakh. (PTI) The ongoing agitation in Ladakh, spearheaded by Sonam Wangchuk and fellow local leaders, is moving into a sharper, more provocative phase. What began as symbolic dissent has now acquired a confrontational tone, invoking global parallels such as the Arab Spring, Nepals social media-led uprisings, and even the struggles of Tibet and Baltistan. The message is clear: Ladakhis increasingly believe that denial of statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule could spark unrest powerful enough to challenge or even change governments. Recommended Stories In recent months, Ladakhi leaders have openly debated extreme measures including hunger strikes, self-immolation, and staging such acts in Leh, Delhi, or even at international forums like the United Nations. They argue that such sacrifices could galvanise mass participation, especially among the youth. Notably, voices within the movement are now rejecting the slow, Gandhian model of protest. Instead, they cite examples from Nepal and Manipur to claim that violent uprisings, not peaceful demonstrations, have historically delivered political change. The warning is stark: if Delhi continues to deny democratic safeguards, Ladakhs movement could radicalise, with youth no longer afraid of confrontation. Leaders have also issued direct cautions against the deployment of security forces, saying that militarisation only deepens anger rather than instilling fear. Some even admit that if protests spiral into mob action, leadership itself may struggle to restrain the fury. Adding a sharper edge to the agitation is the linkage between Ladakhs political discontent and Indias frontier security. Leaders argue that demoralised Ladakhi soldiers, who feel betrayed by lack of representation and safeguards, may lose zeal in defending borders. By connecting domestic grievances with Indias national security, the movement has introduced a dimension that government cannot easily ignore. Internal rifts are now widening, with hardline leaders pressing moderates to give up negotiations altogether. Their calls for inevitable sacrifices" and assertions that people will take their rights forcefully" mark a dangerous drift towards militancy. The deliberate comparison to Tibet under Chinese control or Baltistan under Pakistan is meant to highlight Ladakhs vulnerability, while simultaneously warning that continued neglect could unleash uncontrollable unrest. Decoding Key Statements Sonam Wangchuk March 26, 2024 Wangchuk ended his 21-day hunger strike on March 26, 2024, launched to demand statehood and Sixth Schedule protections. While he formally paused the fast, he underlined that the agitation" was far from over. Importantly, he urged Ladakhis to wield their electoral franchise wisely and reminded Delhi of its promises. Intelligence sources interpret this not as a retreat, but as a tactical pause that showcased both discipline and resilience. By combining moral authority with a call for electoral action, Wangchuk signalled that Ladakhs protests would carry both activist and democratic legitimacy. Chering Dorjey Lakrook September 26, 2024 In an interview with ETV Bharat, the President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (and former Vice-President of the Leh Apex Body) dismissed the Centres announcement of five new districts in Ladakh as an attempt to dilute core demands. He argued that without constitutional safeguards, structural issues from environmental fragility to livelihoods would persist. Sources say his statement highlighted a key strategy: portraying piecemeal administrative reforms as distractions from the real struggle for autonomy. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Chering Dorjey Lakrook June 5, 2025 Speaking to Hindustan Times, Lakrook welcomed some of the Centres incremental steps, such as domicile laws and job reservations, but insisted that statehood and Sixth Schedule inclusion remained the main agenda." This carefully balanced position both acknowledged government action and reinforced that core demands had not shifted. Intelligence sources note that such statements are crucial in keeping the agitation cohesive by distinguishing between small concessions and the larger, unresolved constitutional question. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: September 25, 2025, 15:41 IST News india Decoding Ladakhi Leaders' Statements: How The Protest Moved Beyond Symbolic Dissent 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... 'Baby, I Love You': Delhi Ashram Director's Lewd Texts To Female Student Revealed In FIR Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 13:44 IST A 21-year-old student alleged that Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati sent her inappropriate messages commenting on her looks and pressuring her to reply. Chaitanyananda Saraswati/Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management (Photos: News18/PTI) Delhi Ashram Molestation Case: Amid the ongoing investigations into the molestation case at a private management institute in Delhi, a 21-year-old scholarship student recalled how the accused, 62-year-old Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati alias Swami Parthasarathy, sent her objectionable text messages, commenting on her looks. According to The Indian Express, the student, in the First Information Report (FIR), mentioned that she first interacted with the self-styled godman and chairman of the institute last year, when he was the chancellor there. Recommended Stories In her complaint, the woman alleged that Chaitanyananda looked at her weirdly" during their first meeting. She mentioned that she texted him to share her medical reports after she had sustained some injuries, to which the accused responded during the odd hours. Baby, I love you. I adore you, you are looking beautiful today," one of his messages read, the woman alleged, adding that he also complimented her over her hair. Further, the woman alleged the accused tagged his earlier text in a separate message, urging her to reply. When she informed about the same to the associate dean, she was told that she should reply, and that the same had also been cascaded to other female students, the woman alleged. DELHI ASHRAM MOLESTATION CASE: FIR DETAILS ACCESSED According to the FIR, accessed by CNN-News18, Chaitanyananda sexually harassed and traumatised female students, specifically those from economically weaker sections, at the institute. Many of the students were also forced to accompany him on foreign trips, where they were asked to visit his room during late hours, the FIR claimed. Students who turned down his requests were threatened with holding back their degrees and documents. The FIR also named the dean associate, identified as Shweta, and two others, naming them as accomplices, and mentioned that the students were also threatened with suspensions and rustications. One of the students was also forced to change her name against her wishes, the FIR stated. EMAIL FROM THE INDIAN AIR FORCE HQs Investigations into the case have revealed that an alumnus at the institute, on July 31, was the first one to have alerted the management about Chaitanyanandas activities, NDTV reported. Soon after, the institute also received complaints from the Air Force headquarters, because many of the students at the institute came from families of Air Force personnel. According to the report, the alumnus, in her letter to the management of the institute, alleged that Chaitanyananda had been sexually harassing students there. The next day, the institute received an email from a Group Captain rank officer in the Directorate of Education in the Air Force, it claimed. The email flagged complaints by several students, who accused Chaitanyananda of threatening them and sending offensive messages. THE DELHI ASHRAM MOLESTATION CASE A self-styled godman and chairman" of a private management institute in southwest Delhis Vasant Kunj was booked for sexually harassing 17 students of the institute run by the Sri Sharada Peetham in Karnatakas Sringeri. According to the police, Chaitanyananda is a sanchalak at the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management. He allegedly targeted students who had gained admission under the EWS quota and threatened to fail them in exams. He would also lure them by promising foreign trips. Police have formed multiple teams to nab him and also issued a lookout circular to prevent him from fleeing the country. The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter. A case against the accused was registered under sections 75(2) (sexual harassment), 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Vasant Kunj North police station. Saraswati was also aided by three women wardens who would coerce students to give in to his demands and also pressure students into deleting the messages sent by him. They have been named as co-accused in the FIR. The accused has authored 28 books, which carry forewords and reviews by prominent personalities. This is not the first time Saraswati has faced such allegations. News agency PTI quoted sources as saying that a case of fraud and molestation was lodged against him at the Defence Colony police station in 2009, while another molestation complaint was filed at the Vasant Kunj police station in 2016. During the inquiry, the statements of 32 female PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) students with EWS scholarships were recorded. Of these, 17 alleged that Saraswati used abusive language, sent obscene messages, and made unwanted physical advances and they recorded their statements in front of a magistrate. Police seized a Volvo car belonging to the accused, bearing a diplomatic number plate and lodged a second FIR against him on August 25. The first one was filed on August 4. The accused has been evading arrest ever since. During the investigation, CCTV camera footage was analysed, and several raids were conducted at multiple residential addresses linked to the accused. Police sources told PTI that hard disks and Network Video Recorders (NVRs) collected from the institute were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination. They revealed that while the accused was last traced to Agra, he has been changing his locations frequently to avoid arrest. He is also avoiding using mobile phones to prevent tracking. Hailing from Odisha, Saraswati had been living in the institute in Delhi for the last 12 years, where he served as a caretaker. ALSO READ | Delhi Ashram Horror: Accused Sought Sexual Favours In His Room, Erased Chats, Probe Reveals top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: September 25, 2025, 10:40 IST News india 'Baby, I Love You': Delhi Ashram Director's Lewd Texts To Female Student Revealed In FIR 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... Drone Footage To Be Accepted As Proof Of Crop Loss, Says Fadnavis As Marathwada Reels Under Floods Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 10:28 IST Farmers in Marathwada have been badly hit, with soybean, cotton, and maize fields left under water Rapid Read + Follow us On Google A person makes his way through a flooded area in Solapur district of Maharashtra. (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said drone footage will now be accepted as official proof while carrying out crop loss assessments across Maharashtra. The decision comes after heavy rains flooded large parts of Terna and Manjara river catchment areas, damaging thousands of acres of standing crops. Fadnavis, who visited the affected villages, stressed that surveys must reflect the real damage suffered by farmers. He said compensation will only be fair if assessments are done carefully and plot-wise. Drone surveys will ensure accuracy and transparency. The visuals captured by drones will also be treated as valid evidence while preparing panchanamas," he assured. Recommended Stories Farmers in Marathwada have been badly hit, with soybean, cotton, and maize fields left under water. The chief minister promised that relief will not be delayed and directed officials to stay on the ground until rehabilitation is completed. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar also toured flood-hit areas, asking local authorities to provide immediate help with food, shelter, and medicines. He said every affected family must be covered under relief measures. In the last two days, several senior ministers from the state government have rushed to the flood-affected belts. Along with Fadnavis and Pawar, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde also conducted aerial surveys and met with villagers to take stock of the damage. Agriculture minister Dattatraya Bharne faced agitated farmers in Marathwada demanding urgent relief and assured that compensation payments would be released quickly, even before Diwali if needed. Water resources minister Girish Mahajan visited Dharashiv district, where villagers stopped his convoy to press for immediate aid. Meanwhile, relief packages, food supplies, and NDRF rescue teams have been deployed in worst-hit talukas, with priority given to cut-off and severely damaged villages. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Marathwada, already known for its fragile farm economy, has been battered by continuous heavy rainfall over the past week. Rivers have swelled beyond their capacity, breaching banks and flooding villages. Several houses have collapsed, roads are under water, and farmers have seen entire fields wiped out overnight. The erratic nature of the rains has worsened the crisissome talukas have faced intense downpours while others remain parched, creating a double burden of flood and drought in the same region. For many farmers, this years losses come on the back of repeated crop failures in recent seasons, deepening financial stress and uncertainty. By allowing drone footage as proof, the state hopes to speed up the process of compensating farmers and cut down disputes over damage claims. Officials say this will also help build reliable records of flood impacts, which can guide future planning. As the waters begin to recede, the government is focusing on quick aid and long-term measures like barrages and stronger irrigation projects to protect farmers from repeated losses. About the Author Mayuresh Ganapatye Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 10:28 IST News india Drone Footage To Be Accepted As Proof Of Crop Loss, Says Fadnavis As Marathwada Reels Under Floods 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... Durga Puja Pandal In Ranchi Triggers Row Over Vatican Museum Design Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:10 IST RR Sporting Club's Durga Puja pandal in Ranchi, themed after Rome's Vatican Museum, sparked protests from VHP and others over religious sentiments. Organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hindu Jagran Manch, and Janjati Suraksha Manch claim that designing a Durga Puja pandal in the likeness of a church offends Hindu religious sentiments. (X) A massive row broke out over a Durga Puja pandal in Jharkhands Ranchi. The structure, designed to resemble Romes Vatican Museum, has drawn fierce opposition from several Hindu organisations. The RR Sporting Clubs pandal, located on the citys Ranu Road, has garnered significant attention due to its controversial structure. Organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hindu Jagran Manch, and Janjati Suraksha Manch claim that a Durga Puja pandal in a Catholic design offends religious sentiments. Recommended Stories VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal accused the government of playing with the faith of Hindus. In a post on X, he alleged that the pandal, constructed under the leadership of JMM leader Vicky Yadav, has become a hub for religious conversion." Look at thisIn Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, how the governments game is being played right alongside the faith, beliefs, and religious sentiments of Hindus. Under the leadership of JMM leader Vicky Yadav, Durga Puja pandals themselves have now turned into hubs for religious conversion!At RR Sporting on Ratu Road in Ranchi, theyve set up an entire Vatican City from Rome just for the installation of Mother Durgas idol," he said in a post on X. Vikram Sharma, the provincial convener of the Hindu Jagran Manch, stated that the move will be strongly opposed and that tampering with Hindu faith will not be tolerated, Jagran reported. Pandal Groups Defence Meanwhile, RR Sporting Club President Rahul Yadav defended the move, saying that the pandal is based on the theme of the Vatican Museum and that there was no intention to hurt anyones sentiments. He also highlighted that the structure is completely eco-friendly, the report added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About The Pandal Built at a cost of Rs 85 lakh, the pandal measures 100 feet in length and 45 feet in width. Its construction involved 70 to 80 artisans working around the clock. The pandal is adorned with grand lighting, and numerous food and drink stalls have been set up in its vicinity. 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 : Ranchi, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 21:10 IST News india Durga Puja Pandal In Ranchi Triggers Row Over Vatican Museum Design 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... Gorakhpur Boy Thought Missing, Found Asleep At Home After 4-Hour Police Search Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:13 IST The boy, missing in Gorakhpur, was found asleep at home by police and sniffer dog after a four-hour search. The police said multiple teams had been deployed fearing abduction. (Image: PTI/file photo) A frantic four-hour search for a missing Class 4 student in Gorakhpur ended on a surprising note when police, aided by a sniffer dog, found the boy fast asleep inside his own house. The child, 10-year-old Lakshya Pratap Singh, had gone out to play around 5 pm on Wednesday but did not return, leading his worried family to suspect kidnapping, police said. His grandfather, Sadanand Singh, lodged a complaint at Chiluatal police station, after which police circulated the boys photo across stations and WhatsApp groups, and began searches at bus stands and railway stations. With no sign of the child, the police summoned the dog squad. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Recommended Stories Tony," a seven-year-old Doberman, was given Lakshyas shirt to sniff. Within minutes, the dog rushed upstairs into the familys home and began barking outside a locked room. Police broke open the door and found the boy curled up in a corner, fast asleep. On being woken, Lakshya confessed he had hidden deliberately to avoid tuition since his homework was incomplete. The police said multiple teams had been deployed fearing abduction but the child was safely handed back to his family. Location : Uttar Pradesh, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 21:13 IST News india Gorakhpur Boy Thought Missing, Found Asleep At Home After 4-Hour Police Search 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... Gujarat Man, Accused Of Killing 25-Year-Old On His Birthday, Shot Dead In Police Encounter Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:13 IST Vipul alias Neel Vishnu Parmar was shot dead in an alleged police encounter after he snatched a gun and fired at the cops. He was accused of killing a man and stabbing a woman. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google The accused snatched the gun from a cop and fired at the police team. (Representative image) A man accused of killing a 25-year-old individual and stabbing a woman at a birthday party on September 20 was shot dead in an alleged police encounter after he snatched a gun from a cop and fired at them while being taken to the crime scene, according to reports. Vipul alias Neel Vishnu Parmar was arrested on Tuesday by the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) of Ahmedabad City Police, days after he allegedly killed Vaibhav Manvani, 25, at his birthday celebration, according to The Indian Express. Recommended Stories Manvani and his friend were driving along the Narmada canal after dropping off a female friend past midnight on September 19, when Parmar allegedly attacked them in a loot attempt at an isolated place near Ambapur village. They tried to defend themselves, but the attacker stabbed them with a sharp weapon. Manvani died on the spot, but his friend managed to escape with injuries. Around 15 minutes later, she borrowed a passerbys phone and informed her father. Parmar was arrested and handed over to the Adalaj police, and the case was later handed over to the Gandhinagar Local Crime Branch (LCB). How Did The Encounter Take Place? The alleged encounter took place when the police team took Parmar to the crime scene for reconstruction of the events of the killing, where he reportedly snatched a gun from a cop and fired at the police. One police constable was injured during the shooting and underwent surgery at Apollo Hospital. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Parmar also fired at police vehicles, said Gandhinagar Range IG Virendra Yadav at a press conference. The police opened fire in return and shot Parmar dead. An ambulance was called, and Parmars body was sent for a postmortem on Wednesday evening. Ahmedabad Crime Branch inspector MS Gohel, whose team apprehended Parmar from Rajkot, told The Indian Express that Parmar had previously been implicated in at least one murder case, an attempted murder case, and several other robbery cases, and was released from Sabarmati Central Jail a year ago. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More Location : Gandhinagar, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 21:13 IST News india Gujarat Man, Accused Of Killing 25-Year-Old On His Birthday, Shot Dead In Police Encounter 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... Defence Ministry Inks 62,370 Cr Deal With HAL To Procure 97 Tejas Jets For Indian Air Force Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:34 IST The Defence Ministry has signed a Rs 62,370 crore contract with HAL for 97 Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. HAL Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas' (Photo: PTI) The Ministry of Defence on Thursday signed a Rs 62,370 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) for the procurement of 97 Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. The procurement would include 68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters, along with associated equipment, for the Indian Air Force, as per a statement by the Ministry of Defence. Recommended Stories The delivery of these aircraft would commence during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years. The aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64 per cent, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous LCA Mk1A contract signed in January 2021. The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives. The project is being supported by a robust vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged. Deliveries of Tejas Mark-1A were expected to begin last March, with at least 16 planes to be delivered every year. The production is expected to generate close to 11,750 direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of six years, giving a major boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem. The acquisition, under the Buy (India-IDDM) category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, is in line with the Governments thrust on indigenisation. The LCA Mk1A is the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed & manufactured fighter aircraft and will serve as a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the IAF. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the supply of these aircraft by HAL would enhance the operational capability of the Indian Air Force to continue its unhindered operations and strengthen the defence preparedness of the country. In a major boost to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative of the Government, the Ministry of Defence today signed a contract with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) MK 1A (68 Fighters and 29 Twin Seaters) for the Indian Air https://t.co/A5GxzeSNAt Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 25, 2025 However, in the present context, the IAF has not even received a single jet from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, news agency ANI reported. Air Force Chief Amar Preet Singh, earlier this year, had flagged the issue of consistent delays as he publicly expressed displeasure over the delay in the delivery of Tejas Mk1A fighter jets by HAL. Earlier, IANS quoted defence sources as saying that the Indian Air Force is all set to increase its offensive strength beyond the mandated 42 fighter aircraft squadrons. Given the situation in the South Asia region and the geopolitical turbulences, top officials and the policy makers believe that the mandated strength of 42 fighter aircraft squadrons is not enough," a defence source was quoted as saying. According to an internal review, the mandated strength of 42 is not enough, and there is a possibility that the number may see a spike in the coming future," the source added. Earlier this month, defence public sector undertaking HAL received the third GE 404 engine from US tech giant General Electric (GE) Aerospace to power Indias Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A. IANS quoted the Bengaluru-headquartered defence PSU as saying that while the third GE 404 engine has been received, the fourth will be delivered by the US firm by the end of the month. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all HAL has received the third GE 404 engine for LCA Mk1A. One more engine is scheduled to be delivered by the end of September. Engine supply chain improvement will pave the way for LCA Mk1A deliveries," HAL said in a statement. In January 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the procurement of 73 LCA Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft and 10 LCA Tejas Mk1 trainer aircraft at the cost of Rs 45,696 crore, along with design and development of infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 1,202 crore. About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: September 25, 2025, 13:24 IST News india Defence Ministry Inks 62,370 Cr Deal With HAL To Procure 97 Tejas Jets For Indian Air Force 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... Strengthening A Time-Tested Partnership: PM Modi Says Russia To Produce AK-203 Rifles In UP Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 11:23 IST PM Modi stressed on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, urging Indians to prioritize domestic products and seize new opportunities amid global disruptions. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show in Greater Noida. (IMAGE: X) At the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show in Greater Noida, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on India to chart its own course and reduce dependency on other nations, while also lauding Russias role as the country partner in the event, describing it as a strengthening of a time-tested partnership". This time, Russia is the country partner at the trade show meaning that in this trade show, we are further strengthening a time-tested partnership," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. He noted that more than 2,200 exhibitors are showcasing products and services at the event. Recommended Stories Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined Uttar Pradeshs role in boosting Indias self-reliance, saying, Of all the mobile phones manufactured in India, 55% are made in UP." He added that the state will strengthen Indias self-reliance in the semiconductor sector" and highlighted efforts to reduce foreign dependence in defence. Very soon, in the factory set up with the help of Russia, we will begin manufacturing the AK-203 rifles," Modi said, noting that a dedicated defence corridor is also being developed in UP. He said that BrahMOS missiles are already being produced there. He emphasized on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, urging the country to prioritize homegrown products and turn global disruptions into opportunities for long-term growth. Speaking at the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show in Greater Noida, which showcases the state's rich heritage, robust MSMEs and fast-emerging industries. https://t.co/Ak5W0CWy5E Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 25, 2025 Despite the global disruptions and uncertainties, Indias growth is attractive. Disruptions dont hinder us, but even in those circumstances, we look for new directions. Amid all these disruptions, India is strengthening the foundations for the coming decades. Our resolve and mantra is Atmanirbhar Bharat. Nothing can be more helpless than being dependent on others," he said. We want everything from chip to ship to be manufactured in India". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Formal credit, which was earlier available only to big corporations, is now accessible to hawkers and food stall owners through the PM-SVANidhi scheme," he highlighted. PM Modi warned against producing sub-standard products and urged traders to focus on world-class offerings. We have to increase investment in research," he said, highlighting the need for India to prioritise homegrown innovation. He added, Trade, life and the world stop when innovation stops. Now in research, private investment must come forward. Time demands a Swadeshi research, Swadeshi development ecosystem." About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 10:46 IST News india Strengthening A Time-Tested Partnership: PM Modi Says Russia To Produce AK-203 Rifles In UP 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... 'IAF Would Have Slowed Chinese Offensive': CDS Chauhan On 1962 Sino-Indian War Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 09:46 IST CDS General Anil Chauhan said using the Indian Air Force during the 1962 Sino-Indian War could have slowed the Chinese advance and given the Army more preparation time. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan (File photo/PTI) The use of the Indian Air Force would have slowed the Chinese offensive considerably during the 1962 Sino-Indian war, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said in a recorded video message on Wednesday. He added that it may have been termed as escalatory" then, but that is not the case now, as seen in Operation Sindoor. Recommended Stories His video message, wherein he spoke about the war with China 63 years ago, was played during the release of the revised autobiography of the late Lieutenant General SPP Thorat, Reveille to Retreat, in Pune. Lt Gen Thorat was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, in the lead-up to the Sino-Indian war. Chauhan also noted the forward policy should not have been applied uniformly to Ladakh and NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency) or present-day Arunachal Pradesh, arguing the two regions had different histories of dispute and entirely different terrain, and following identical policies was flawed. Over the years, the security situation has changed, and the face of warfare itself has been transformed, the CDS maintained. To comment on the adequacy or inadequacy of the forward policy at this time is slightly difficult. Our views will be coloured due to many reasons, like geography has changed entirely and so has geopolitics," he noted, as he spoke about forward policy and about not using the Indian Air Force during the 1962 war. All I can say is that the forward policy should not have been applied uniformly to Ladakh and NEFA. The two regions had very different histories of the dispute, a different security context and entirely different terrain." In Ladakh, China had already occupied much of Indian territory, whereas in NEFA, the legitimacy of Indias claim was stronger. To equate the two and pursue identical policies was, in my view, a bit flawed," he said. The CDS suggested Lt Gen Thorat did think about using the IAF, but the then-government did not permit such a move. They would have had a significant advantage during the 1962 conflict. Shorter turnaround times, a favourable geography and the ability to bring maximum payloads to bear with maximum weight on the enemy. Use of air power would have slowed the Chinese offensive considerably, if not stymied it completely." This would have given the Army much more time to prepare. In those days, I think, the use of the Air Force was considered escalatory. This, I think, is no longer true, and Operation Sindoor is an apt example of this," he maintained. Operation Sindoor in May this year involved India employing its air power to dismantle terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK following the Pahalgam massacre in April. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Reveille to Retreat is not simply an autobiography. Its a reflection on leadership, strategy and service. It sheds light on the decisions of power, critiques them with honesty and draws lessons that largely remain relevant today," General Chauhan stated. ALSO READ | Centre Approves Extension Of CDS Anil Chauhans Tenure Till May 2026 About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: September 25, 2025, 09:46 IST News india 'IAF Would Have Slowed Chinese Offensive': CDS Chauhan On 1962 Sino-Indian War Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Indore Rat Bite Deaths: Madhya Pradesh HC Pulls Up Police Commissioner For Not Filing FIR Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 19:58 IST Initially, the High Court had observed that the prima facie points to gross negligence on the part of the hospital administration. AI-generated image used for representation The Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo motu cognisance of two infants due to rat bites at a government hospital and asked the police why no FIR was lodged in the case. The case dates back to September 2 and 3, when two infants at Indores government-run Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MYH) died after being bitten by rats. A Bench of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi asked the Indore Police Commissioner why no official complaints were filed in the cases. Recommended Stories The respondent No. 5 is also directed to file a reply explaining why an FIR has not been registered in the case of the death of two infants in the ICU of the Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Hospital, Indore," the Court said in its order of September 15, according to Bar and Bench. The court initially heard the matter on September 10 and observed that the prima facie points to gross negligence on the part of the hospital administration. The court also noted that no action was taken against any officers, doctors or staff responsible for such lapses. The High Court had issued show cause notices to the Principal Secretary of the Public Health and Family Welfare Department, the Commissioner of Indore Division, the Collector of Indore, the Police Commissioner of Indore, and the Dean of MY Hospital. Meanwhile, the respondents pointed out that MGM Medical College is struggling with staff shortages and inadequate building maintenance, which comes under the purview of the Public Works Department (PWD). Earlier, in two separate incidents, two infants died at the hospital due to rat bites. In one of the cases, a girl who had suffered rat bites on two fingers of her left hand while admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), died during treatment. Hospital authorities said the infant died from septicemia, a serious infection that spreads through the bloodstream. Another baby girl, who was also bitten by rats in the same ward, died a day earlier. She, too, had pneumonia and other health complications. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Both infants were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the neonatal surgery department. 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 : Indore, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 19:58 IST News india Indore Rat Bite Deaths: Madhya Pradesh HC Pulls Up Police Commissioner For Not Filing FIR Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Israel Is A Proven Friend But...': Shashi Tharoor Endorses Sonia Gandhi's Palestine Op-Ed Curated By : Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 18:14 IST Sonia Gandhi had accused the Modi government of maintaining a "profound silence" on the Palestine crisis and abandoning India's commitment to human rights and justice. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. (PTI) Congress leader Shashi Tharoor lauded the partys Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her article questioning the Indian governments profound silence" on the Palestine crisis and accusing the Centre of abandoning the governments commitment to human rights. In her article titled Indias muted voice, its detachment with Palestine in The Hindu, Sonia Gandhi underscored that India had long maintained a delicate but principled position on Palestine, emphasising its commitment to peace and the protection of human rights and maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel at the same time. Recommended Stories However, she said India has all but relinquished that role in the aftermath of the inhumane" Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. The Modi governments response has been characterised by a profound silence and an abdication of both humanity and morality. Its actions appear to be driven primarily by the personal friendship between the Israeli premier and Mr Modi, rather than Indias constitutional values or its strategic interests," she added. Lauding the article, Tharoor urged India to live up to its moral convictions on Palestine. As a well-wisher of Israel myself, and one who strongly defends its right to live in security & to repel terrorists, I agree with her view that Indias ethical and civilisational heritage demands that we stand up for justice for the innocent victims of the unfolding horror in Gaza," he said. Israel is a proven friend of India. But as a friend, we must tell them the truth: this carnage has already gone too far for too long. Israel must stop its merciless campaign," he added. A powerful piece by Smt Sonia Gandhi ji today urges India to live up to its moral convictions on Palestine.As a well-wisher of Israel myself, and one who strongly defends its right to live in security & to repel terrorists, I agree with her view that Indias ethical and pic.twitter.com/jc6CAun3Tf Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 25, 2025 In her article, Sonia Gandhi also said the Centres current diplomatic strategy regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict cannot be the guiding compass of Indias foreign policy. Indias standing on the world stage cannot be wrapped up into the personal glory-seeking ways of one individual, nor can it rest on its historical laurels. It demands persistent courage and a sense of historical continuity," she asserted. She also lauded European countries for recognising a Palestinian state and criticised the Modi government for inviting far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has been globally condemned for repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank and advocating for the complete takeover of Gaza. Most fundamentally, India must not approach the issue of Palestine as merely a matter of foreign policy bit as a test of Indias ethical and civilisational heritage," she said. India needs to demonstrate leadership on the issue of Palestine, which is now a battle for justice, identity, dignity and human rights." Sonia Gandhis daughter, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also praised her remarks on Palestine, calling on the Indian government to show principled leadership and speak out on the Palestinian crisis. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Indias historical experience, its moral authority and its commitment to human rights should empower it to speak, advocate and act in favour of justice without delay or hesitation. The expectation is not of partisanship in this conflict, of choosing between Israel and pic.twitter.com/PyyohOxYJE Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 25, 2025 India has long advocated for a two-state solution to the Palestinian crisis. The remarks came as Israel has come under global pressure to halt its military offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 65,000 Palestinians and triggered a humanitarian crisis in the territory. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 15:47 IST News india 'Israel Is A Proven Friend But...': Shashi Tharoor Endorses Sonia Gandhi's Palestine Op-Ed 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... One Nation, One Poll: Montek Ahluwalia Warns Against Cost Focus, Panagariya Bats For Stability Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 16:10 IST Economist Surjit Bhalla strongly backed the ONOE framework, calling staggered state polls a costly luxury that India could no longer afford Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Veteran policymaker Montek Singh Ahluwalia warned that simultaneous elections could push state-level issues to the background. (PTI) Veteran policymaker Montek Singh Ahluwalia, addressing the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on One Nation, One Election (ONOE), has cautioned against viewing cost savings as the central reason for adopting simultaneous elections. As the debate on the 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill gathers steam, Ahluwalia argued that staggered polls serve a crucial democratic purpose by offering governments regular feedback on the aspirations of citizens. This feedback loop is an important part of Indias democratic character," he said, adding that reforms should not undermine the distinction between state and national concerns. Recommended Stories He also warned that simultaneous elections could push state-level issues to the background, with national themes dominating the discourse. To safeguard federal priorities, he proposed shifting several items from the concurrent list exclusively to the state list. At the same time, he suggested refining the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to provide clearer definitions of violations, rather than overhauling the entire electoral system. While Ahluwalia praised economist NK Singhs research on the economic impact of simultaneous elections, he called for more rigorous evidence before implementing such a major shift. He further floated an alternative model: extending the Lok Sabhas term to six years, with two assembly election cycles in between, thereby preserving accountability while separating national and state mandates. In contrast, economist Surjit Bhalla strongly backed the ONOE framework, calling staggered state polls a costly luxury" that India could no longer afford. He argued that while Lok Sabha elections have been held every five years without disruption, the repeated cycle of state polls leads to frequent MCC enforcement, governance paralysis, and even spikes in electoral violence. Bhalla proposed that state elections be held mid-way through the Lok Sabhas tenure to balance accountability with reduced frequency. Arvind Panagariya, chairman of the Sixteenth Finance Commission, also made a forceful case for ONOE, stressing that India currently undergoes 13 election rounds in a five-year cycleeffectively one election every four-and-a-half months. This, he said, delays policymaking, disrupts project execution, and narrows the reform window for governments. He added that repeated elections encourage fiscal populism, with governments ramping up subsidies and revenue expenditure before polls, often at the cost of long-term capital investment. Simultaneous elections, he argued, would provide a stable policy horizon and enhance Centre-state coordination, making structural reforms easier to implement. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The three perspectives highlight the crux of the ONOE debate: while Bhalla and Panagariya emphasise cost efficiency, stability, and reduced electoral disruption, Ahluwalia insists that the health of democracy must remain the guiding principle. Wednesdays meeting saw the presence of Supriya Sule from NCP (SP), P Wilson from DMK, and Saket Gokhle from TMC. The BJP MPs present included Bansuri Swaraj, K Laxman, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Ghanshyam Tiwari and Kavita Patidar. From the LJP, Shambhavi Chaudhry was present, while Harish Balayogi of TDP also attended the meeting today. Congress leaders could not attend the meeting due to a CWC event in Patna. First Published: September 25, 2025, 16:10 IST News india One Nation, One Poll: Montek Ahluwalia Warns Against Cost Focus, Panagariya Bats For Stability 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... Pahalgam Attackers Bought Cellphone Chargers At Top Online Stores To Stay In Touch With Handlers, OGWs Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 07:30 IST During Operation Mahadev, three mobile chargers were recovered from the encounter site The Pahalgam terror attack site in Baisaran Valley. (FIle pic/PTI) The Pahalgam terrorists had ordered mobile phone chargers on leading e-commerce platforms to remain connected with their handlers and overground workers (OGWs), an investigation by Jammu and Kashmir police has revealed. During Operation Mahadev, three mobile chargers were recovered from the encounter site. Subsequent investigation and technical verification revealed that one of these chargers was bundled with a Vivo T2X 5G (Aurora Gold) mobile phone," a source in Jammu and Kashmir Police revealed. Recommended Stories He added that as part of the probe, mobile phone company Vivo and e-commerce platform Flipkart were contacted to trace the point of purchase of the mobile chargers found in the Mulanar-Mahadev Dachigam forests. Vivo, in its reply dated 13/08/2025, confirmed the charger make, and further information from Flipkart indicated that the devices were purchased by Musaib Ahmad Chopan of Iqbal Computers. In his statement, Musaib admitted selling the device to Md Yousuf Katari," officials told CNN-News18. In a meticulous investigation, police then established that on 24/05/2025, Yousuf Katari made a payment of Rs 14,500 through mPay. This transaction was corroborated by J&K Bank records, police said. During interrogation, Md Yousuf Katari confessed that he had provided logistics support to the slain terrorists, Afghan Bhai, Suleman Shah, and Jibran, while they were hiding in the Dachigam forests. The trio has been named by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for killing 26 people in Baisaran in April this year. Police suspect that Katari actively helped the Baisaran terrorists with logistics and movement while they fled from Pahalgam-Dachigam. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In June, Bashir Ahmad Jothar (resident of Hill Park, Pahalgam) and Parvaiz Ahmad (resident of Batkote, Pahalgam) were arrested by the NIA for providing logistical support to terrorists Katari, a resident of Kulgam, was arrested by police on Wednesday. Police have obtained a 15-day remand to question him in custody about other overground workers who could have been helping these terrorists. About the Author Arunima Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from gr... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 07:30 IST News india Pahalgam Attackers Bought Cellphone Chargers At Top Online Stores To Stay In Touch With Handlers, OGWs 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 Modis Water Doctrine In Action: Centre Fast-Tracks Indus Projects For North India Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 14:20 IST The decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty in April has since given momentum to a range of water infrastructure projects long on the drawing board PM Modi has said Indus Waters Treaty will remain on pause till Pakistan takes credible and verifiable action against terrorism on its soil. (PTI) As the countdown to the 2029 Lok Sabha elections begins, the Centre is stepping up its ambitious plan to bring Indus River waters to large parts of North India. What began as a technical exercise is now shaping into a political, strategic and developmental push, building on the governments April decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack. Last Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil chaired a high-level review in Delhi with senior officials of the Government of India. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was also in attendance, as the meeting took stock not only of the Indus-Beas link but also the Yamuna River Front project. Recommended Stories At the heart of the plan is a 14-kilometre-long tunnel designed to connect the Beas and Indus rivers. Sources confirmed that work has already begun on the Detailed Project Report (DPR), with engineering giant L&T tasked with preparing it within a year. Officials admitted the tunnel poses a formidable challenge, given the rugged Himalayan terrain. Geological studies will map the strength of mountain rock, and in stretches of weaker rock, pipelines will be laid to ensure both speed and safety of construction. Alongside the tunnel, plans for a canal are also being finalised, promising long-term water security for Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. Modis Water Doctrine: From Geopolitics To Governance Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made water security a cornerstone of his public rhetoric, repeatedly linking it to national security and self-reliance. In his first address to the nation in May, since the launch of Operation Sindoor, he had said that Terror and talks cannot go together Terror and trade cannot go together. Water and blood cannot flow together," signalling a policy that weds development priorities with a sharper stance against Pakistan. The decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty in April has since given momentum to a range of water infrastructure projects long on the drawing board. Among them is a 130-kilometre canal connecting the Beas River with the Ganga Canal, with a proposed extension to the Yamuna. Spanning nearly 200 kilometres and including a 12-kilometre tunnel, the initiative could one day see Yamuna waters flow all the way to Gangasagar, marking a historic engineering and hydrological achievement. The government has indicated that work on this larger BeasGangaYamuna corridor is advancing rapidly and could be completed in two to three years. Diplomatic Fallout And Strategic Messaging The political and diplomatic implications of Indias suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty continue to reverberate. Experts had warned at the time that the move could severely affect Pakistans rabi crop cycle, potentially disrupting agricultural planning and urban water supply. While kharif crops were expected to remain less affected, the long-term impact on daily life and irrigation was projected to be significant. Islamabad had approached the World Bank, invoking the treatys dispute resolution clause. However, the Bank declined to intervene, describing Indias decision as an internal matter. Indian officials, meanwhile, maintain that the original treaty, drafted in the 1950s and 60s, is no longer fit for purpose in an era of melting glaciers, erratic monsoons, population stress, and surging energy demands. Pakistans refusal to update or renegotiate the agreement, they argue, is a breach of the treatys spirit if not the letter. Outreach Push In North India As part of a wider push to align water diplomacy with domestic development messaging, the Centre announced in June a public outreach campaign to explain the rationale behind suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. The campaign is aimed at voters in northern states, where improved water availability could have a lasting impact on both agriculture and daily life. Ministers such as Shivraj Singh Chouhan, C.R. Patil, and Bhupender Yadav are expected to travel across Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, holding grassroots-level engagements with farmers, local officials, and civil society groups. The aim is to present the suspension not merely as a foreign policy move, but as a national resource strategy tied to local irrigation, drought-proofing, and water security. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Development, Diplomacy, And The 2029 Roadmap The convergence of electoral timing, infrastructure expansion, and diplomatic recalibration is unmistakable. For the Modi government, the Indus is no longer just a river system, it is a frontline in Indias developmental, electoral, and strategic narrative. First Published: September 25, 2025, 13:22 IST News india PM Modis Water Doctrine In Action: Centre Fast-Tracks Indus Projects For North India 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... Raj Kundra Transferred 15 Crores To Shilpa Shetty's Firm: Mumbai Police Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 12:35 IST Raj Kundra allegedly diverted Rs 15 crore from the Rs 60-crore Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd fraud into a company owned by Shilpa Shetty. EOW Mumbai plans to summon Shetty for questioning. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Raj Kundra also admitted Rs 60 crore invested across five companies. In a major development in the alleged Rs 60-crore fraud case, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police revealed that businessman Raj Kundra allegedly diverted about Rs 15 crore from the total amount into a bank account belonging to a company owned by actress Shilpa Shetty. The EOW plans to summon Shetty for questioning to clarify billing and advertising expenses. According to the Mumbai police, key documents remain pending, and some funds were routed to sister companies. Recommended Stories The case pertains to Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, a now-defunct teleshopping company launched by Shetty, Kundra, and actor Akshay Kumar, and promoted as Indias first celebrity-based shopping channel. Investigators are now examining the Rs 15 crore payment to understand its purpose, as they believe the sum far exceeds what would normally be charged for advertising services. Officials said Shilpa Shetty could soon be called in to explain the nature of the transaction and why her company raised such a large bill. According to NDTV, Sources also indicated that Raj Kundra is likely to face another round of questioning by the end of the week as part of the ongoing probe. The EOW also revealed that key documents related to the case have not been submitted by the appointed Resolution Professionals (RPs), who were previously summoned for questioning. Investigators have uncovered another significant detail in the case: Deepak Kothari, the complainant and a director at Lotus Capital Finance Services, was allegedly prevented from receiving the promised 26% stake in the company. According to sources, this move may have been a deliberate attempt to bypass the mandatory disclosure requirements of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Officials also found that some of the Rs 60 crore may have been diverted to accounts belonging to sister companies. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Earlier, on September 15, the EOW took Raj Kundras statement in connection with the cheating case. According to officials, he was interrogated for over five hours by the investigating team. To keep the proceedings away from media attention, his statement was recorded at an undisclosed location. We recorded Kundras statement today (Monday) and will summon him probably next week again as a lot more witnesses need to be verified before the next round of interrogation," the official had said. First Published: September 25, 2025, 12:29 IST News india Raj Kundra Transferred 15 Crores To Shilpa Shetty's Firm: Mumbai Police 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... Delhi Ashram Baba Harassed Women, Installed Camera In Hostel. Then An IAF Letter Exposed Him Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 14:15 IST A self-styled godman, also the director of Sri Sharada Institute in Delhi, has been booked for sexually harassing multiple female students, including sending lewd messages. Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati/Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in New Delhi (Photos: News18/PTI) Delhi Ashram Molestation Case: Self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati got CCTV cameras installed on the premises of Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in southwest Delhi on the pretext of security, while some people close to him allegedly compelled female students to comply with his demands while turning a blind eye to their complaints. The revelations came after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered in the case, accusing Chaitanyananda the director of the institute of sexual harassment of multiple female students there. Recommended Stories An excerpt from the FIR mentioned that the Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, revoked the Powers of Attorney issued to the accused in 2008, and severed all ties with him. HOW AN IAF LETTER BUSTED DELHI BABA Two letters, posted by a student and an Air Force officer, were received by the Peetham towards the end of July and in the first week of August. These letters were the first to flag sexual atrocities committed by the Chaitanyananda, as per the FIR quoted by news agency ANI. Soon after, the institute also received complaints from the Air Force headquarters, because many of the students at the institute came from families of Air Force personnel. Acting on the letters, the Governing Council of the Peetham held a virtual meeting with over 30 women students at the institute on August 3. In the meeting, the students alleged that they were sexually harassed and traumatised, with claims that those from economically weaker sections were allegedly pressured to visit Chaitanyananda Saraswatis quarters at night. Delhi: Police have booked Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati alias Parth Sarathy in a sexual harassment case after testimonies of about 17 women; investigation also uncovered his car with forged diplomatic plates. He is absconding(Visuals of SRISIIM Research Foundation) pic.twitter.com/rYhUQyNBg8 IANS (@ians_india) September 24, 2025 The FIR also mentioned allegations of lewd messages sent via WhatsApp and SMS to multiple female students, along with threats of withholding their degrees and documents. A case of a student being forced to change her name was also noted. The students also alleged they were threatened with suspension. BABA FORCED FEMALE STUDENTS TO ACCOMPANY HIM ON TRIPS The FIR, accessed by CNN-News18, also mentioned that Chaitanyananda used to force female students to accompany him on his trips, even outside the country. During these trips, the students were asked to visit the accused in his room during the late hours, and those who turned down his requests were threatened with holding back their degrees and documents, and with suspensions and rustications. One Shweta, identified as the associate dean at the institute, along with two others, was named as an accomplice in the FIR. DELHI BABA SENT INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES TO STUDENTS As multiple women came forward, accusing Chaitanyananda of sexual misconduct, one of them disclosed that the accused sent her objectionable texts after their first meeting, and even forced her to respond. A statement by a 21-year-old scholarship student mentioned that she first interacted with the self-styled godman and chairman of the institute last year, when he was the chancellor there. The woman alleged that Chaitanyananda looked at her weirdly" during their first meeting. As she texted him to share her medical reports after she had sustained some injuries, the accused responded during the odd hours, and his message read, Baby, I love you. I adore you, you are looking beautiful today." The woman alleged that Chaitanyananda also complimented her over her hair. Further, the woman alleged the accused tagged his earlier text in a separate message, urging her to reply. STATEMENT BY SRI SHARADA PEETHAM Soon after the incident came to light, the Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, in an official statement, mentioned, Chaitanyananda Saraswati, formerly known as Dr Parthasarathy, has engaged in activities that are illegal, inappropriate, and detrimental to the interests of Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham." As a result, the Peetham has severed all ties with him. The Peetham has also lodged complaints with the relevant authorities regarding illegal acts committed by Chaitanyananda Saraswati," the letter mentioned. DELHI ASHRAM MOLESTATION CASE DETAILS The complaint against the self-styled godman was first filed on August 4 at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station. According to the police, the accused was a sanchalak (member of the management committee) at the institute, news agency PTI reported. While the police recorded the statements of a total of 32 female students, 17 of them alleged that Saraswati used abusive language, sent obscene messages, and made unwanted physical advances. PTI quoted the police as saying that some faculty members, including women, also pressured the students to comply with his demands. A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, with 16 complainants later deposing before a magistrate. Another FIR against him was lodged on August 25, and his vehicle was seized. Police said the accused has been evading arrest since. Police said efforts are underway to trace Saraswati, and multiple teams have been formed. PTI also quoted sources as saying that teams were keeping a strict vigil at airports to prevent him from fleeing the country. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ | Molestation Cases, Car With Fake UN Plate: Delhi Ashram Scandal Puts Godman Chaitanyananda In Spotlight About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: September 25, 2025, 12:49 IST News india Delhi Ashram Baba Harassed Women, Installed Camera In Hostel. Then An IAF Letter Exposed Him 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... Telangana Tribal Farmer Abused, Beaten By Police In Nalgonda After Protesting For Urea Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 14:15 IST A 22-year-old Lambadi farmer from Kothapeta Tanda, Telangana, was allegedly tortured by Vadapalli Police after protesting for urea. BRS MLA Jagdeeshwar Reddy visited him. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google 22-year-old tribal farmer, Dhanavath Sai Siddu. (News18) A 22-year-old tribal farmer from Telanganas Kothapeta Tanda village in Damaracherla mandal was allegedly beaten brutally and humiliated with caste-based abuses after protesting for urea. Victim, identified as Dhanavath Sai Siddu, from the Lambadi community, had joined a protest last week over delays in urea supplies. Siddu, who is currently unable to walk, is undergoing treatment in a hospital, while his wife, Dhanavath Bhumika, has complained to the Telangana Commission for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Recommended Stories On September 9, around 6 am, two constables in plainclothes from Vadapalli Police Station entered Siddus home, Telangana Today quoted Bhumika as saying. They allegedly pulled Siddu out of bed without a warrant or giving any reason. Bhumika begged them not to hit his legs as he needed to work on the farm. However, the officers allegedly ignored her, hurled caste-based insults, and humiliated her in front of neighbours. They then tied up Siddu, placed him on a two-wheeler, and took him to the police station. At Vadapalli police station, Siddu was allegedly tortured in an upstairs room. Sub-Inspector A. Srikanth Reddy reportedly instructed Constable Kotayya and others to tie Siddus legs with ropes. For 25 minutes, they allegedly beat him with rubber-covered lathis, a method designed to cause pain without leaving visible marks, Telangana Today reported. After this, Reddy struck the soles of Siddus feet with a stick. Siddu was later forced to walk but fell due to extreme pain and later vomited after drinking water, reportedly due to internal injuries. According to Bhumika, while taking Siddu to court, Reddy kicked him and warned that if he disclosed anything to doctors or judges, he could be jailed or even shot. She was reportedly forced to wait outside the station for four hours before being allowed to see him. She has called for a thorough investigation and strict action against the officers involved. The SC/ST Commission has received the complaint, while the police have not issued any response so far. BRS MLA and Former Minister Jagdeeshwar Reddy also visited the residence of the victim and extended support. Meanwhile, Sharath Chandra, SP Nalgonda, refused all these allegations, saying that a few days ago, Siddu had consumed alcohol after he had fought with his friend. After consuming alcohol, he went to his friends residence and attacked and punched his mother and breaking her nose. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Based on the complaint, a case has been registered, and he was sent to judicial custody for 12 days. Now he came out and made all these allegations against the police, which are not true. Sai Siddu is not a farmer but an auto driver. What does he have to do with Urea?" he added. Location : Nalgonda, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 08:35 IST News india Telangana Tribal Farmer Abused, Beaten By Police In Nalgonda After Protesting For Urea 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... Clashes Break Out In Gujarat, Karnataka Amid 'I Love Muhammad' Row; Vehicles, Shops Damaged Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 11:18 IST Clashes erupted in Gandhinagar and Davanagere amid the "I Love Muhammad" row. Several vehicles were vandalised during the unrest. Two police vehicles were damaged in the incident as the mob turned hostile. (Image: Pixabay/Representative) Clashes broke out between two groups in Gujarats Gandhinagar and Karnatakas Davanagere on Wednesday night amid the ongoing I Love Muhammad" row. In Davanagere, banners bearing the slogan I Love Muhammad" were displayed in public spaces, triggering clashes. While in Gandhinagar, tensions heightened after I Love Muhammad" slogans were raised during Garba celebrations. Violence During Garba In Gujarat Recommended Stories Amid the Garba festivities, communal unrest broke out in Bahiyal village in Gandhinagar district after slogans of I Love Muhammad" were reportedly raised. The clashes led to stone pelting, arson and chaos among crowd present in the area. Several vehicles were damaged and shops were set on fire in the incident. Initially, police forces faced difficulty in controlling the mob but eventually managed to bring the situation under control. Investigations are ongoing. Clashes In Karnatakas Davanagere In Davanagere, violence erupted in the Karl Marx Nagar neighborhood after a banner with the message I Love Muhammad" was reportedly installed in a locality. The incident quickly escalated into a communal clash between two groups. The conflict escalated when a group allegedly threw stones at houses belonging to the rival group. Police responded swiftly by removing the banner and restoring order. Davanagere Superintendent of Police Uma Prashanth confirmed that the situation is now under control and stated that legal action would follow based on complaints filed by both parties. I Love Mahadev Campaign Begins In Mumbai In a symbolic response to the controversy, a Garba Mandal in Aarey Colony in Mumbai on Wednesday launched the I Love Mahadev" campaign. What Is I Love Muhammad" Row? The slogan I Love Muhammad", which first appeared during a Barawafat (Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi) procession in Kanpurs Rawatpur on September 4, has since sparked protests and street processions by Muslim groups across multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, and Maharashtra. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The controversy began when a group displayed an I Love Muhammad" banner along the Barawafat route, which drew objections from local Hindu groups. They alleged that a new tradition" was being introduced in a space historically used for religious celebrations. Police intervened promptly to defuse tensions. The incident triggered a wave of demonstrations in cities like Lucknow, Bareilly, Kaushambi, Unnao, Kashipur, and Hyderabad, some of which led to clashes with police. 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 : Gandhinagar, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 09:06 IST News india Clashes Break Out In Gujarat, Karnataka Amid 'I Love Muhammad' Row; Vehicles, Shops Damaged 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... 'We Don't Approve But...': SC Allows Ramleela Festivities On School Ground In UP's Firozabad Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 13:49 IST The top court also pulled up the petitioner Pradeep Singh Rana for not moving with his complaint earlier and filing the case only after the festivities began on September 14 The bench asked the high court to hear the Shree Nagar Ram Lila Mahtosav on the next date of hearing, along with other stakeholders and submit a proposal for another site. (File) The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Ramleela festivities in a school ground in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh. A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh stayed the Allahabad High Court order, which barred the festivities inside the school, and said no inconvenience should be caused to students. Recommended Stories The bench noted that the Supreme Court do not approve of holding religious festivities in school grounds, but allowed this only because Ramleela has been going on there for the past 100 years. Festivities for this year began on September 14. The top court also issued a notice on the plea filed by Shree Nagar Ram Lila Mahtosav to the Uttar Pradesh government and asked the high court to direct the district administration to submit a proposal for another site in the future. The bench asked the high court to hear the Shree Nagar Ram Lila Mahtosav on the next date of hearing, along with other stakeholders and submit a proposal for another site. The top court also pulled up the petitioner Pradeep Singh Rana for not moving with his complaint earlier and filing the case only after the festivities began on September 14. This Ramleela has been going on for 100 years and you also accept this fact. Then what prevented you from moving the courts in advance and stopping the festivities. Neither you are a student nor you are parents of the students, what interest you have in stopping the festivities," the bench told the PIL petitioner. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The PIL petitioner submitted that it was only after they started constructing a concrete wall that he had approached the high court for stay of the festivities. (with inputs from PTI) About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 First Published: September 25, 2025, 13:49 IST News india 'We Don't Approve But...': SC Allows Ramleela Festivities On School Ground In UP's Firozabad 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... Wife Elopes With Lover, Enraged Husband Stabs Boyfriend With Broken Beer Bottle Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 11:39 IST When police located Leelavathi, she appeared with Santhu and declared that she no longer wished to live with her husband or kids. The revelation stunned relatives and neighbors. Distraught, Manjunath took to social media to express his anguish. He made emotional reels and even addressed the media, pleading for his wife to return. (Image: Representative Image) A domestic dispute that began as a painful separation has erupted into violence in Basavanapura village on the outskirts of Bengaluru, Karnataka. Manjunath, whose wife Leelavathi left him and their three children for another man, allegedly attacked her lover Santhu, leaving him seriously injured. From Family Life to Public Breakup Recommended Stories Manjunath and Leelavathi had been married for 11 years. Their love marriage was once considered a happy union, blessed with two sons and a daughter. Neighbors say the family appeared close-knit until Leelavathi began a relationship with Santhu, a man from the same area. A few weeks ago, Manjunath filed a missing-person report at the Bannerghatta police station after his wife left home. When police located Leelavathi, she appeared with Santhu and declared that she no longer wished to live with her husband or children. The revelation stunned relatives and neighbors alike. Heartbreak on Social Media Distraught, Manjunath took to social media to express his anguish. He made emotional reels and even addressed the media, pleading for his wife to return. His public appeals turned the family drama into a topic of widespread discussion in the community and online, where many sympathized with the abandoned husband and father of three. According to police, the tension exploded late one evening when Manjunath allegedly barged into Santhus residence in Basavanapura, under Hulimavu police limits. Witnesses reported a heated argument that quickly escalated. In the middle of the confrontation, Manjunath is said to have grabbed a beer bottle, broke it, and stabbed Santhu. Santhu sustained serious injuries to his hand and was rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital for treatment. Doctors have confirmed that he is out of immediate danger but will require further care. Police said Manjunath also struck Santhu with the bottle before the stabbing, adding to the severity of the attack. Police Investigation Underway Hulimavu police have registered a case of assault and are continuing their investigation. Officers are gathering eyewitness accounts and forensic evidence to determine the exact sequence of events and the motive behind the attack. They are also reviewing Manjunaths previous statements to the media and his social media posts to assess whether the incident was premeditated or a spontaneous act of rage. The violent turn has left the couples three children caught in a storm of grief and uncertainty. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Community members describe them as bewildered by the rapid breakdown of their family life. Local leaders have urged counseling and mediation to prevent further harm and to provide support to the children. What began as a love marriage celebrated 11 years ago has descended into a tragic tale of betrayal, public spectacle, and violence. The case serves as a stark reminder of how unresolved marital conflicts and public airing of private pain can spiral into destructive consequences, leaving a trail of emotional and physical scars. 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 25, 2025, 11:39 IST News india Wife Elopes With Lover, Enraged Husband Stabs Boyfriend With Broken Beer Bottle 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... Witch-Hunt: Sonam Wangchuk Reacts As Centre Cancels NGO's Foreign Fund License Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:14 IST Sonam Wangchuk denies Union Home Ministry claims of instigating Ladakh protests, calls it a scapegoat tactic, and labels CBI FCRA probe on SECMOL as witch-hunting. The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday cancelled the FCRA registration of Wangchuk-led SECMOL (Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh), citing multiple violations under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010. File pic/PTI Climate activist Sonam Wagnchuk on Thursday dismissed the Union Home Ministrys allegation that he instigated the recent violent protests in Ladakh, and called it a "scapegoat tactic" in a bid to avoid dealing with the Himalayan regions core problems. Responding to the ministrys statement, which had blamed him for provoking the mob violence in the Union Territory, he said that he is prepared to face arrest under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA). Recommended Stories To say it was instigated by me, or sometimes by Congress, is to find a scapegoat, rather than addressing the core of the problem, and this will lead us nowhere. They may be clever in making somebody else a scapegoat, but they are not wise. At this time, we all need wisdom rather than cleverness because youths are already frustrated," Wangchuk told news agency PTI. The climate activist, who was on a hunger strike for statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, also raised the alarm over his personal safety. Wangchuk warned that sending him to prison may prove more troublesome for the government than allowing him to remain free. "I see they are building up a case to bring me under the Public Safety Act and throw me in jail for two years," he said, adding, "I am ready for that, but Sonam Wangchuk in jail may cause them more problems than free Sonam Wangchuk." Wangchuk said that by employing the "scapegoat tactic," the government is "not actually taking measures for peace," but instead taking steps that will "further aggravate" the situation by diverting attention from the peoples core demands. Series Of Witch-Hunting: Wangchuk on CBI Probe The activist also responded to the CBI probe on his institute for alleged FCRA violations, and said that it is a series of witch-hunting against him. I had received a notice about a CBI inquiry stating that your organisation received foreign funding even when it did not have FCRA. We did not get FCRA because we dont want funds from abroad," he said as quoted by news agency ANI. #WATCH | Leh, Ladakh | Over CBI probe on his institute for alleged FCRA violation, Activist Sonam Wangchuk says, In the series of witch hunting, yesterdays events were the last and all blame was put on Sonam Wangchuk."A day later (after Leh protests), the Home Ministry of pic.twitter.com/YtRscAPnx7 ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2025 The United Nations team wanted to take our Passive Solar Heated Building to Afghanistan, and for this, they gave us a fee. We also got fees with tax from Switzerland and Italy organisations for supplying knowledge to them about our artificial glaciersWe are getting I-T summons. In the series of witch hunting, yesterdays events were the last and all blame was put on Sonam Wangchuk," he added. Earlier today, the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled the FCRA registration of Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), citing multiple violations under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010. MHAs Allegations Against Wangchuk On Unrest The latest developments came amid accusations against the activist that he incited a mob that turned violent on Wednesday over the demand for statehood for Ladakh. At least four people were killed and over 80 were injured after protests demanding statehood turned violent. The BJP office was vandalised and set on fire, as were several vehicles. Flames and clouds of smoke could be seen from afar, with police resorting to firing and teargas shelling to bring the situation under control. The Home Ministry has held Wangchuk responsible for instigating the mob through his provocative speech." Wangchuk, who had been on a 15-day hunger strike demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, ended his fast shortly after the violence broke out in Leh yesterday. The Centre alleged that the mob violence was guided by the "provocative statements" of activist Wangchuk, and certain "politically motivated" individuals were not happy with the progress made in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the government and Ladakhi groups. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Ministry said, barring a few unfortunate incidents that happened early on Wednesday, the situation was brought under control by 4 pm and asked everyone not to circulate old and provocative videos in the media and social media. (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 : Ladakh, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 19:49 IST News india Witch-Hunt: Sonam Wangchuk Reacts As Centre Cancels NGO's Foreign Fund License 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... Zubeen Gargs Death: Hundreds Of Fans Gather Outside Managers Guwahati Home, Demand Arrest Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 19:01 IST Agitated fans also assembled outside the home of Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of the North East Festival Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Agitated fans also assembled outside the residence of Shyamkanu Mahanta, chief organiser of the North East India Festival. (Image: News18) A large number of Zubeen Gargs fans gathered outside the Guwahati residence of his manager, Siddharth Sarma, on Thursday, demanding his arrest. Sarma has remained out of public view since the sudden death of the iconic singer in Singapore last week. The protest followed growing public outrage after Garg, 52, died by drowning while in Singapore for the North East India Festival on September 19. Garg passed away at Singapore General Hospital after facing complications during a yacht trip, where he reportedly encountered difficulties while swimming. Recommended Stories A visual shared by The Assam Tribune on X showed a tense scene as hundreds of fans gathered outside Sharmas residence, attempting to break the iron gate while police personnel inside tried to hold them back. A tense situation erupted on September 25 when a large group of agitated fans gathered outside the Dantalpara, Manpara residence of Zubeen Gargs manager, Siddhartha Sharma, demanding that he come out and face them.#ZubeenGarg #TheAssamTribune pic.twitter.com/GHbLTk4W7G The Assam Tribune (@assamtribuneoff) September 25, 2025 Agitated fans also assembled outside the residence of Shyamkanu Mahanta, chief organiser of the North East India Festival. Mahanta has released a statement on social media denying any wrongdoing and claiming innocence. The Assam government has banned Mahanta and all organisations affiliated with him from hosting any cultural or public events in the state. Financial support, advertisements, or sponsorships for his events have also been withdrawn by the state, with a request sent to the Centre to do the same. The development comes amid an ongoing investigation by a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the Assam government to probe Gargs death. Headed by CID Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta, the SIT will examine all circumstances leading to the incident, including questioning those who accompanied the singer on the trip such as members of the Assam Association in Singapore and NEIF organisers. Earlier today, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged the people not to spread rumours on social media that could disrupt the investigation. He assured that if the SIT probe is found to be unsatisfactory at any point, the state would recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Our stand is clear that we will uncover the truth of what happened that day by all possible means, and we will not compromise in this matter in any way," Sarma said. (With inputs from 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 : Guwahati [Gauhati], India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 18:36 IST News india Zubeen Gargs Death: Hundreds Of Fans Gather Outside Managers Guwahati Home, Demand Arrest Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The Hidden Risks Of Lipstick Ingredients And Their Link To Lung Cancer Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 13:46 IST Lipsticks may look glamorous, but hidden toxins like lead and cadmium raise serious health concerns. Experts reveal how long-term use can impact lung health, increase cancer risks Multiple studies and experts have raised alarms about the presence of toxic heavy metals in certain lipsticks, highlighting long-term risks, including potential links to lung cancer. Lipstick is one of the most commonly used cosmetics worldwide, but beneath its glossy allure may lie hidden health concerns. Multiple studies and experts have raised alarms about the presence of toxic heavy metals in certain lipsticks, highlighting long-term risks, including potential links to lung cancer. Do Lipsticks Contain Heavy Metals? Recommended Stories According to Dr Geetanjali Patil, Consultant Pulmonologist, Ruby Hall Clinic, Wanowrie, research shows that many lipsticks contain carcinogenic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, chromium, beryllium, and thallium. Studies have revealed that 96% of lipsticks tested contained lead, 51% cadmium, 90% beryllium, and 61% thallium. These metals can enter the body through skin absorption, accidental ingestion, or even inhalation," she explains. Dr. Kiran Tamkhane, Cancer Physician at M|O|C Thane, adds that global concerns about contamination are valid. Lead is a probable human carcinogen and neurotoxin, while cadmium is a Group 1 human carcinogen strongly associated with lung, breast, and endometrial cancers after chronic exposure," he notes. Indian Studies and Findings Indian research paints a mixed picture. Dr. Tamkhane highlights a Moradabad study that analysed 60 lipstick samples and detected lead (0.124.9 g/g) and cadmium (3.4846.38 g/g). By contrast, a VIVA College, Virar study of five popular student brands found no detectable lead or cadmium, though other metals like copper, nickel, chromium, and zinc were present within permissible limits. Similarly, a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) survey of 30 lipsticks reported chromium and nickel but no lead or cadmium. These findings suggest variability across brands and batches, reflecting gaps in regulatory oversight," says Dr. Tamkhane. Regulatory Standards & Gaps in India Indias Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Rules prescribe limits for impurities in colouring agents: up to 20 ppm lead and up to 100 ppm for total heavy metals (other than lead). However, Dr. Tamkhane stresses that there is no clearly defined limit for finished lipstick products for certain metals like cadmium. More importantly, enforcement is weak, and manufacturers are not required to disclose exact levels." This regulatory gap leaves consumers vulnerable to chronic, low-dose exposures, which, over years, may add to cumulative toxic load, especially in India where environmental exposures are already high. Impact on Lung Health Cadmium stands out as particularly harmful. Dr. Patil warns, Cadmium is strongly linked to lung cancer and kidney damage. Inhalation or ingestion of heavy metals from lip products can trigger respiratory issues, including coughing and wheezing." Echoing this, Dr. Sulaiman Ladhani, Pulmonologist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, points out that while inhaling lipstick directly is unlikely to cause instant lung cancer, Chronic absorption and accumulation of harmful substances over time can contribute to lung damage and increase susceptibility to cancers, including lung cancer." He emphasizes that the danger lies not in immediate toxicity but in cumulative exposure, Continuous use increases cumulative risk. It is not limited to lung cancer but extends to other malignancies due to systemic absorption." Safer Choices for Consumers So, what can consumers do? Dr. Patil suggests opting for safer alternatives: Natural lipsticks made with ingredients like beeswax, coconut oil, and plant pigments are better. Certified organic or non-toxic brands, or even DIY options using beetroot powder and oils, can reduce risks." Dr. Ladhani agrees that the key lies in informed choices: Safer, regulated, and verified cosmetic products should always be preferred over unmonitored, unregulated ones." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Bottom Line While the quantities of heavy metals in most lipsticks may not cause acute toxicity, chronic use over years, combined with Indias high background exposure to pollutants, raises valid concerns. The cumulative effect of these metalsparticularly cadmium and leadcan increase the risk of lung and other cancers. Stronger regulations, transparent testing, and conscious consumer choices are vital to balancing beauty with long-term health. 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 25, 2025, 13:46 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness The Hidden Risks Of Lipstick Ingredients And Their Link To Lung Cancer Top 5 Rare Bookstores In Delhi Every Collector Should Visit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 26, 2025, 15:37 IST Each is a sanctuary where collectors can unearth stories, history, and ideas that transcend time. Faqir-Chand bookstore located in New Delhi's posh market Khan Market has over a lakh Instagram followers. (Faqir-Chand Bookstore / Instagram) Delhi has been a bibliophiles dreamland right from the start, where the murmurs of yesterday and books come together in the citys ageless roads. Book lovers and collectors seeking the enchantment of rare, out-of-print, and antiquarian books owe the capital some stunningly gorgeous safe houses that are a mix of heritage, scholarship, and exploration. Five bookstores that no book lover can ever live without are given below. 1. Memoirs of India (South Extension-II) Recommended Stories Memoirs of India, Delhis number one destination for antiquarian and rare books, antique maps, and engravings, is a third-generation family business that has been celebrated for its tailored service and expertly curated collections. Step into the store and be embraced by the rich scent of antique pages, a fragrance that instantly stirs joy and nostalgia. With its state-of-the-art e-commerce platform, the shop stretches Indias literary history to global collectors. It brings treasure long buried behind closed bookshelves to the rest of the worlds enthusiasts. It includes first editions through stunning bindings and antique prints. 2. Faqir Chand & Sons (Khan Market) A tradition started in 1951, Faqir Chand & Sons is a tradition today among collectors and scholars. There are shelves of books on top of shelves of rare and out-of-print books that occupy its space. The vintage atmosphere of its locality and advice of its personnel make stepping in there a pleasurable and satisfying experience. 3. Bahrisons Booksellers (Khan Market) A name familiar to so many Delhi homes, Bahrisons Booksellers has a staggering and truly eclectic collection of books ranging from bestsellers translated into the world to signed first editions and specialist imports. Its quality and service have made it a mecca for collectors and readers alike on the hunt for the rare. 4. Chapter 101 (Gurugram) Technically outside of Delhi, Chapter 101 merits a spot on this list for the ferocity of its curation of book-science, good editions, and rare books. Its a stunningly gorgeous room that manages to combine the silence of a library with the show space of a collector, and its a flat necessity for anyone who has any gravity to their bookshelf. 5. May Day Bookstore & Cafe (Shadipur) top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Not simply a bookstore, May Day is a lively cultural hub blending antiquarian books with alternative literature and community activities. Its limited, niche inventory of out-of-print and alternative literature makes it attractive to collectors, with an opportunity to hear voices and viewpoints that might not be heard anywhere else. Together, these five stores represent Delhis enduring love affair with books. Each is a sanctuary where collectors can unearth stories, history, and ideas that transcend time. 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 25, 2025, 08:07 IST News lifestyle Top 5 Rare Bookstores In Delhi Every Collector Should Visit Redefining Luxury: The Rise Of Spiritual And Cultural Tourism In India Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 20:13 IST Travel is no longer just about sightseeing, its about meaning, connection, and renewal. Spiritual and cultural tourism is booming, with India at the forefront. The 72nd Miss World Festivals heritage itinerary continued with a mesmerizing exploration of Telanganas spiritual legacy. Contestants from the European region embarked on an unforgettable journey to the iconic Ramappa Temple, seamlessly blending history with modern elegance. As global travel continues to evolve, a new wave is redefining the way people journey across the world, spiritual and cultural tourism. Once seen as niche, this sector has surged in popularity, with travellers seeking experiences that go beyond sightseeing to foster connection, immersion, and personal renewal. From Visiting to Belonging Recommended Stories Journeys are no longer about simply visiting a place, but about immersing in its living heritage, connecting with its stories, and finding renewal along the way," says Princess Mrinalika M Bhanj Deo, Owner & Director, The Belgadia Palace, Mayurbhanj. She observes this shift firsthand at The Belgadia Palace, where guests arrive not just for boutique comfort but for deeper encounters with the culture of Mayurbhanj. Travellers delight in watching the hypnotic rhythm of Chhau dance under the night sky, learning from artisans as they craft vibrant Sabai crafts, or exploring sacred forests that hold deep resonance," she explains. The palaces guests also relish local cuisine from millet-based tribal recipes to royal Odia dishes passed down through generations. Crafting Culture, Sustaining Heritage For Princess Mrinalika, crafts are a vital touchpoint between travellers and tradition. Guests often spend time with local women weaving Sabai grass into contemporary homeware or with master artisans creating timeless Dokra metalwork using the ancient lost-wax technique. These experiences allow travellers to see heritage not as static, but as something living, evolving, and deeply human." Hosting, she says, is an act of storytelling and preservation. The Palace offers modern hospitality while ensuring every stay is intertwined with community, cuisine, crafts, and ritual. This balance of comfort and cultural immersion creates journeys that are not just memorable, but transformative." Transformational Travel and Redefining Luxury Echoing this trend, Manoj Adlakha, Founder & CEO, RedBeryl, notes that transformational travel is reshaping the very definition of luxury. Travellers are seeking experiences that nourish the soul and bring a sense of belonging while promoting holistic health," he says. Luxury today is no longer measured by possessions or grandeur. It is defined by rare moments, curated journeys, and the privilege of experiencing the world in ways that feel deeply personal and unforgettable." Recent data backs this up: more than 330 million people have opted for spiritual and cultural travel, trading traditional holidays for experiences that promise spiritual renewal and personal wellbeing. From pilgrimages such as the Char Dham Yatra in the Himalayas to celebrating Diwali in historic Indian cities, these journeys resonate with travellers searching for connection and meaning. A Booming Market The numbers tell the story: the cultural tourism market, currently valued at nearly $8 billion in 2025, is projected to reach $20.5 billion by 2032, growing at an impressive 14.5% annually. Wellness tourism with cultural immersion is expected to grow in parallel, driven by Gen-Z and millennial travellers who prize sustainability, cultural preservation, and personal growth over traditional indulgence. The hospitality sector is responding with offerings such as festive-themed suites, live music nights, culinary experiences inspired by local heritage, and curated journeys tailored to the individual. As Adlakha puts it: This fusion of heritage and modernity not only revitalizes local economies but also enriches global understanding, positioning spiritual and cultural tourism as a cornerstone of the industrys future." India at the Forefront With its vast repository of festivals, cuisine, crafts, and sacred landscapes, India stands uniquely poised to lead this global movement. The post-pandemic traveller seeks connection and meaning destinations where wellness, heritage, and spirituality intersect," affirms Princess Mrinalika. When nurtured mindfully, she adds, cultural tourism sustains artisans, strengthens local economies, and ensures that intangible heritage like Chhau thrives for generations. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Travel as Transformation As spiritual and cultural tourism grows, one thing is clear: travel is no longer just about where you go, but how deeply you connect. It is about stories, rituals, crafts, and cuisines that invite travellers to pause, reflect, and belong. In this new era of purposeful journeys, Indias living traditions are not only drawing global attention but also shaping the very future of tourism. 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 25, 2025, 20:13 IST News lifestyle travel Redefining Luxury: The Rise Of Spiritual And Cultural Tourism In India Kantara Chapter 1: Rishab Shetty Opens Up About The Challenge Of Acting, Directing At The Same Time Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 14:41 IST Produced by Hombale Films, Kantara: Chapter 1 explores the ancient origins of the Bhoota Kola tradition. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Kantara: Chapter 1 is set to release on October 2. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Rishab Shetty recently opened up about the unique challenge of simultaneously directing and acting in his upcoming film, Kantara: Chapter 1. The revelation came during an interview with Variety, where Shetty shared insights into the intricacies of managing both roles on set. The dual responsibility challenged the actor-director to give his best and do justice to both roles. The dual challenge of starring and directing forced Shetty into constant role-switching. In some action sequences I was performing, and at the same time, in the background, there were issues," he recalled. Immediately, I would grab the mic, go to a height and talk to the artists. It used to switch immediately between actor and director. But the character I play is also like that so it felt organic," he said. Recommended Stories The upcoming film has already generated immense buzz, with a recent trailer highlighting Shettys dynamic performance and intense screen presence. Fans and critics alike have noted that whether its his commanding expressions or fierce action sequences, Shetty seems to operate on another level, reinforcing his status as a creative powerhouse in the industry. Speaking at the trailer launch event in Bengaluru, Rishab Shetty made a shocking revelation. He said the shoot of Kantara: Chapter 1 was so challenging that he came close to death multiple times. Rishab reportedly shared, We havent slept properly for 3 months because of continuous work. Everyone, including the direction team and the producers, supported it as like their own film." He also said, Everyone who worked on the set owned the film, and only because of that, we are here today. There have been many accidents on the sets that the media reported. In fact, if I count, I was about to die 4 or 5 times during the shoot, the divinity we trust saved me and gave blessings to all of us." Produced by Hombale Films, Kantara: Chapter 1 explores the ancient origins of the Bhoota Kola tradition. The screenplay has been co-written by Rishab Shetty, Anirudh Mahesh and Shanil Guru. And the cast? It includes Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram and Gulshan Deviah, among others. The film, set to release on October 2 during the Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra holidays, has fans eagerly waiting to witness the mystical folklore-driven story. About the Author Kashvi Raj Singh Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentar... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 14:41 IST News movies regional-cinema Kantara Chapter 1: Rishab Shetty Opens Up About The Challenge Of Acting, Directing At The Same Time Opinion | I Love Muhammad Marches & The Question Of Weaponising Piety Written By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 20:47 IST Those who are today citing the Constitution in defence of the parade participants are the very people who objected to mobilisation marches under the 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan The marches are coinciding with the Dasara festivities that commence with the Navratras. (File image: PTI) Hundreds of Muslims have been taking to the streets in towns and cities in different parts of the country carrying I Love Muhammad" banners. The mobilisation has sparked a debate. In many cities, the local administrations have halted the parades. The organisers have been detained; some charged with inciting communal passions. Recommended Stories The crackdown has invited criticism. In defence of the detained, Muslim politicians like Omar Abdullah and Asaduddin Owaisi have cited the Indian Constitution, which allows the freedom to practise and propagate ones religion. They are right. The crackdown is an overreach of the law. By themselves, the I Love Muhammad" parades offer participants reassurance, visibility, and a sense of unity. But there are some who are discomfited. These cynics believe that the I Love Muhammad" mobilisation is a show of supremacy rather than simple piety. Are they right? Lets put it this way: they may not be entirely wrong. Consider the timing. The marches are coinciding with the Dasara festivities that commence with the Navratras. In the Hindu calendar, this period is considered especially auspicious. Are the I Love Muhammad" marches borne out of a spirit of competitive religiosity? Your guess is as good as mine. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Now, the second issue: duplicity. Those who are today citing the Constitution in defence of the I Love Muhammad" parade participants are the very people who objected to mobilisation marches under the Jai Shri Ram" slogan. Then, these so-called constitutionalists were upset that a devotional chant was being transformed into an exclusionary political slogan. If that critique was valid, then can one ignore the parallels now? About the Author Rahul Shivshankar Rahul Shivshankar is Consulting Editor at Network18. He tweets at @RShivshankar First Published: September 25, 2025, 20:47 IST News opinion Opinion | I Love Muhammad Marches & The Question Of Weaponising Piety Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | RSS @100: Selfless Dedication To Humanity Written By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:45 IST The selfless commitment of the RSS will not only propel India towards Amrit Kaal, but will also enable our country become the 'Dharma Guru' of the world Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat speaks during the organisation's centenary event in New Delhi. (Image: PTI/Salman Ali) The Navaratri celebrations have commenced. The victory of good over evil represents the success of spiritual awakening. The 1920s marked a time of significant turmoil in the Indian independence movement. Gandhis non-violence had just been out to test. The Congress party was losing its direction and required mass mobilisation. In 1922, a young man, an adept organiser and a joint secretary of the Indian National Congress in Nagpur, emerged as a true leader. While sentencing him to trial in May 1921, Judge Smelly exclaimed: His statement of defence is more seditious than his speech". Against the heavy downpour and the dark clouds that overhang the nation, Keshav Balram Hedgewar came out of prison on January 12, 1922. Top leaders of the Indian National Congress were there to receive him; they considered it an honour to receive Dr Hedgewar out of prison. The camaraderie was strong. Little did they know that this man would rewrite what selfless service to humanity means amongst his countrymen and for the world. Recommended Stories Thus was founded Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Vijayadashami day in 1925 with a meeting of 22 colleagues at the residence of Dr. Hedgewar. From humble beginnings, today RSS has evolved into the largest social organisation in the world. The preamble of the RSS reads: To eradicate fissiparous tendencies arising from diversities of sect, faith, caste and creed and from political, economic, linguistic and provincial differences amongst Hindus, To make them realise the greatness of their past, To inculcate in them a spirit of service sacrifice and selfless devotion to society, To build up an organised and well-disciplined corporate life and to bring about an all-round regeneration of Hindu Samaaj on the basis of Dharma and Sanskriti. Those were the times when the British implemented the strategy of divide and rule, not only fragmenting the nation along religious lines but also along caste and linguistic divisions. It was also a period when the British foreign policy framework exerted this policy throughout colonies of Africa and Asia. The British political system established political offices that collected political intelligence. This intelligence was sourced from political agents who closely monitored political events. Numerous agents consistently provided the British with the necessary information. These political offices routinely surveilled political developments across the colonies and frequently produced reports. Since its inception, the RSS has been perceived as a thorn in the bushes of this convenient political office and since then was tagged a communal Hindu outfit. A 1943 report of the British Intelligence states: The ulterior objective of the RSS is to drive away the British from India and to free the country. After Independence, the RSS was perceived as the most significant threat to the borrowed establishments of newly Independent India. The assassination of Mahatma Gandhi shortly after Independence resulted in the banning of the RSS. However, the ban was eventually revoked upon the realisation that the RSS was not directly involved in the assassination. During the Partition and in the subsequent period, RSS members played a vital role in assisting Hindu refugees and providing aid and services. In 1949, no less a person than Dr Zakir Hussain, who later became the President of India, while addressing a Muslim audience in Monghyr, Bihar said: The allegations against the RSS of violence and hatred against Muslims are wholly false. Muslims should learn the lesson of mutual love, cooperation and organisation from RSS." During the 1962 war with China, the RSS contributed actively to the war effort, especially in providing support to the civil administration. This impressed Prime Minister Nehru, who invited the RSS to field a contingent of hundred swayamsevaks in the 1963 Republic Day Parade in New Delhi. The RSS assisted the government during the 1965 war with Pakistan. Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri invited the then RSS chief, MS Golwalkar, to an all-party meet, and even allowed the RSS to relieve the burden of the Delhi Police by taking up some of its duties. When Indira Gandhi imposed the infamous Emergency in 1975, it was the RSS cadres who clandestinely worked on a large scale for the restoration of democracy. For upholding democracy during these dark years, the Sangh faced its second ban. The Gandhian leader, Jayaprakash Narayan, who was earlier a staunch critic of the RSS even went on to say that RSS is a revolutionary organisation. No other organisation in the country comes anywhere near it. It alone has the capacity to transform society and casteism, and wipe the tears from the eyes of the poor". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For the last century, the Swayamsevaks have upheld the vision of their founders with unwavering dedication and devotion. They have implemented the Akhila Bharatiya perspective and endeavoured to create an egalitarian society grounded in Bharatiya sanskriti. Over the years, the Shakha has nurtured committed individuals who have become the architects of our nation. Currently, the organisation tirelessly works to promote Bharatiya culture and values. The civilisational unity of our homeland is the fundamental mission of every swayamsevak. Each karyakartas life is devoted to their work, and they will only find rest upon the fulfillment of the tasks outlined by the organisations principles. This selfless commitment of the RSS will not only propel India towards Amrit Kaal, but will also enable our country become the Dharma Guru of the world. Adarsh Kuniyillam is a Parliament and policy expert. Views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect News18s editorial stance. First Published: September 25, 2025, 10:14 IST News opinion Opinion | RSS @100: Selfless Dedication To Humanity 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... BJP 'Charged Up' For Elections: Experienced & Young Team Picked By Nadda And Shah For Poll-Bound States Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:33 IST On Thursday, the party announced election in-charges for Bihar, which goes to polls later this year, and for Bengal and Tamil Nadu, with elections likely in early 2026 The appointments also indicate that Home Minister Amit Shah has taken full control of the Bihar elections. File pic/PTI The wait for the next BJP national president seems to be extending. Meanwhile, the party is preparing for upcoming state elections later this year and next year. Recommended Stories On Thursday, the party announced election in-charges for Bihar, which goes to the polls later this year, and for Bengal and Tamil Nadu, with elections scheduled for the first quarter of 2026. Dharmendra Pradhan, CR Patil, and Keshav Maurya have been given responsibilities in Bihar, where the BJP is contesting the election in alliance with the JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), and other parties. In Bihar, where the NDA has been in power for nearly two decades (except for a brief period when Nitish Kumar allied with the RJD), anti-incumbency sentiments are being stirred. The BJP has played a significant political card ahead of the elections. Dharmendra Pradhans Role For Dharmendra Pradhan, Bihar is familiar territory. He previously held responsibility for the state in 2010 as co-incharge at the age of 40, guided by senior leaders like Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar. The NDA achieved a historic victory with 206 seats then, and Pradhan has a personal rapport with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. In 2014, after Narendra Modi was declared the BJPs prime ministerial candidate, Nitish Kumar severed ties with the BJP. In the 2015 assembly elections, Pradhan, along with Union Minister Ananth Kumar and C.R. Patil, managed the state, but the RJD-JD(U) alliance defeated the BJP. Nitish Kumar later rejoined the BJP before allying with the RJD again in 2020, only to return to the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Pradhan are believed to have played significant roles in his return. Talking about the upcoming Bihar election, Pradhan is counted among the BJPs top electoral strategists. He has managed election responsibilities in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Karnataka. Last year, he was in charge of Haryana, where the BJP secured a third consecutive win. He played key roles in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, both yielding historic victories for the BJP. His strong organisational skills and sharp electoral understanding make him a crucial asset for the party. Gujarat BJP President and Union Minister CR Patil is one of Prime Minister Modis most trusted lieutenants. Under his leadership, the BJP had its best-ever performance in the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, winning 156 out of 182 seats with over 52 per cent of the vote share. His effective electoral strategy was widely credited for this win. Patil previously served as co-incharge for Bihar in 2015 and has managed Prime Minister Modis parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, since 2014. He has also played key roles in elections in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Although originally from Maharashtra, his political career has been shaped in Gujarat. By appointing Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya as co-incharge for Bihar, the BJP has shown its trust in him. Known to be close to Home Minister Amit Shah, Maurya has played vital roles in four major victories for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. In 2017, as UP BJP President, he helped the party secure a sweeping majority in the state. Although he lost the 2022 by-election from Sirathu, the party retained its faith in him by continuing him as Deputy CM. Balancing Bihar Caste Equations Through these appointments, the BJP has attempted to balance caste equations in Bihar. Pradhan and Maurya represent the OBC community, while Patil belongs to a forward caste. The BJPs strategy is to consolidate the non-Yadav OBC vote bank in Bihar. The party hopes that assigning key roles to Pradhan and Maurya will send a strong message to this community. Nitish Kumar has already consolidated the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) in the state, while Patils appointment as a Maratha leader is seen as a message to forward castes. The appointments also indicate that Home Minister Amit Shah has taken full control of the Bihar elections. The stakes are high for both the BJP and its ally JD(U). Bihar holds immense political significance, with a united opposition once again challenging the BJP-JD(U) alliance. Meanwhile, strategist Prashant Kishor is positioning himself as a third force, targeting top BJP and JD(U) leaders to put the ruling coalition on the defensive. Panda, on the other hand, is coming off an outstanding victory for the saffron party in the national capital, toppling the AAPs majority government. In Bengal, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav and former Tripura Chief Minister and Lok Sabha MP Biplab Deb have been entrusted with responsibilities. Yadav managed behind-the-scenes work in the 2021 Bengal elections alongside Ashwini Vaishnaw. Debs appointment aims to counter Mamata Banerjees allegations of bringing outsiders into Bengal, as Deb is a Bengali himself. In Tamil Nadu, BJP leader Baijant Jay Panda and Minister of State Muralidhar Mohol have been given responsibilities. The BJP has long focused on making inroads into Tamil Nadu, where it has a minimal footprint. These appointments are crucial, particularly with the DMK consistently raising the issue of Hindi imposition against the BJP. Pandas reputation, organisational skills, and extensive exposure are seen as assets. Mohol, the junior minister in Amit Shahs cooperation ministry, brings the experience of being Punes mayor and a first-time member of Parliament. The BJP does not make any move without subtle messaging. Bhupendra Yadav and Dharmendra Pradhan are close to the BJP top leadership and have been go-to persons for organisational issues. They are also effective floor managers in Parliament, particularly during major bills. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For big elections, the party trusts Amit Shahs proven skills. As the BJP president, Shah had a highly successful run and is often referred to as Chanakya for his political acumen. Shah is pushing for an aggressive campaign focused on NDA unity, reflecting the BJPs preference for leaders who maintain strong ties with allies. First Published: September 25, 2025, 21:30 IST News politics BJP 'Charged Up' For Elections: Experienced & Young Team Picked By Nadda And Shah For Poll-Bound States 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... Congress Never Prioritised Providing Electricity To People: PM Modi In Rajasthan Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 16:13 IST PM Modi criticised Congress for neglecting electricity, highlighted his government's electrification achievements, and launched projects worth Rs 1,22,100 crore in Banswara. PM Modi addresses gathering in Rajasthan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a swipe at the Congress over development issues, saying that the grand old partys previous regimes never prioritised providing electricity to the people. While addressing a gathering after launching and laying foundation stones of several projects worth over Rs 1,22,100 crore at Rajasthans Banswara, he said that several regions in the country didnt have electricity even decades after independence. Recommended Stories Congress never paid attention to the importance of electricity. When I had the opportunity to serve in 2014, there were 2.5 crore houses in the country that did not have an electricity connection. After 70 years of independence, 18,000 villages still lacked electricity poles. Major cities faced hours-long power cuts. A 4-5 hour electricity supply in villages was celebrated," he said as quoted by news agency ANI. He further highlighted that after coming to power in 2014, his government provided electricity to every village in India and gave free power connections to 2.5 crore houses People used to joke, Hamare yahan bijli gayi woh news nahi hai. Bijli aayi, woh news hai People congratulated each other when they had electricity for an hour In 2014, our government decided to change this situation We provided electricity to every village in India. We gave free power connections to 2.5 crore houses," he added. The Prime Minister emphasised that under the double-engine government (Centre-state), Rajasthan is continuously touching new heights. He said that India is taking its electricity production to the next level, claiming the country will lead the world in having clean energy. He further slammed the Congress of corruption and crimes against women in the state, saying that under the Congresss rule, Rajasthan became a centre for paper leaks. Our government is healing the wounds caused by Congresss corruption. Rajasthan became a centre for paper leak under the Congress government. Jal Jeevan mission was also sacrificed for corruption. Crime against women was at its peak. Rapists were being protected. Crime and the illegal liquor business thrived in regions like Banswara, Dungarpur, and Pratapgarh. But when the BJP was given a chance, we strengthened the law and order New projects are being launched" he added. PM Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects of the central and state government worth over Rs 1,22,100 crore in Banswara. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltds (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (4X700 MW) worth around Rs 42,000 crore in line with his commitment to transform Indias power sector to ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable power supply. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all PM Modi also flagged off three trains Vande Bharat Express Train between Bikaner & Delhi Cantt, Vande Bharat Express Train between Jodhpur, and Delhi Cantt and Udaipur City Chandigarh Express Banswara. (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 : Banswara, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 16:10 IST News politics Congress Never Prioritised Providing Electricity To People: PM Modi In Rajasthan 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... 'Congress Overlooked Shah Rukh Khan': BJP Slams Opposition For Politicising National Awards Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 12:39 IST Raj Purohit claims Congress ignored Shah Rukh Khan for awards, while BJP honored him for Jawan on merit. Bhai Jagtap alleges BJP used the award for Bihar election gains. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google President Droupadi Murmu presents the award for 'Best Actor' to Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan. (PTI) Former BJP MLA Raj Purohit stated that Congress-led governments never gave any awards to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, while his party evaluates the actor solely on merit. The Opposition party, on the other hand, claimed that the government thought of honouring the actor with a national award for the first time in the past 11 years only because of the assembly elections in Bihar. Recommended Stories Many people felt that the Congress overlooked Shah Rukh Khan all these years, news agency PTI quoted BJP leader Purohit as saying. Khan got the national award for best actor for his role in Jawan", sharing it with 12th Fail" star Vikrant Massey. Purohit said that the BJP never judged the actor based on religion but recognised his talent and performances. Shah Rukh winning the award counters the accusation that the BJP practices caste or religious discrimination, he added. The saffron party believes in unity, meritocracy and capability, he said. Congress leader from the city and Member of Maharashtra legislative council, Bhai Jagtap, accused the ruling BJP of politicising the national awards for electoral gains. You did not give him a national award in these eleven years. Why suddenly now? Is it because of the Bihar elections or the Maharashtra (local body) elections?" said Jagtap, speaking to PTI Videos. Khan is a cultural asset for the country, he said, extending congratulations to the actor, but added that the timing and political narrative around the award were questionable. The BJP first polarised society and silenced" the Muslims, but suddenly remembered Shah Rukh Khan because of the coming Bihar assembly elections, the Congress legislator said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The only motive behind honouring Shah Rukh Khan is elections," Jagtap asserted. (With inputs from 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 First Published: September 25, 2025, 12:19 IST News politics 'Congress Overlooked Shah Rukh Khan': BJP Slams Opposition For Politicising National Awards 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... Cracks In DMK-Congress Alliance? Palaniswami's Big Claim Ahead Of Tamil Nadu Polls Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 17:03 IST Edappadi K Palaniswami claims DMK Congress alliance is fracturing, citing power-sharing demands by Girish Chodankar and S Rajeshkumar. Palaniswami said cracks have appeared in the ruling coalition and predicted that the DMK camp is going to get deserted. Tamil Nadu Elections: AIADMK chief and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has claimed that the alliance between the ruling DMK and its key partner, the Congress, is on the verge of collapse. While addressing an election rally in Udhagamandalam on Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition said that cracks have appeared in the ruling coalition with Congress leaders openly demanding a greater share of power, news agency PTI reported. Recommended Stories Pointing to recent remarks made at a Congress meeting in Tirunelveli, Palaniswami alleged that the partys Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar clearly voiced the fifty-fifty demand." According to Palaniswami, Chodankar has demanded a share in power and 117 Assembly seats to the Congress in the 2026 Assembly polls; 117 seats is 50 per cent of the total 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Hence, cracks have appeared in the alliance. The demand for a share in power has been voiced. The DMK camp is going to get deserted. For how long will they (DMK) themselves loot? The frustrated Congress has awakened and is seeking a share in power," the former Chief Minister said. He also pointed to reported comments by the state Congress Legislature Party leader S Rajeshkumar, who purportedly argued that the DMK would struggle to retain power and insisted that any future government must be a coalition, the report added. Former TNCC chief KS Alagiri, too, had asked for a share in governance, he said. In a veiled reference to his estranged colleague O Panneerselvam, who was expelled from the party in July 2022 after dramatic scenes at the AIADMK headquarters, Palaniswami said Stalin could take on any avatar" but would not succeed in breaking the AIADMK, which he described as being powered by its cadre strength. A recent disagreement between political allies was sparked when Senthil Balaji, a leader from the DMK party, brought S Kavitha, a former Congress leader, into his party. This occurred after Kavitha resigned from her position as the Karur City Congress Womens President. Balaji posted a photo of her joining, but he later took it down after Congresss objection. The BJP, meanwhile, seized on the developments with Tamil Nadu BJP president Vinoj P Selvam calling the INDIA bloc in the state unnatural" and claiming the DMK has never respected the Congress. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He accused the ruling party of poaching" members from its own alliance partners and suggested that parties within the bloc were starting to pull away because they saw little chance of winning the next election. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 17:03 IST News politics Cracks In DMK-Congress Alliance? Palaniswami's Big Claim Ahead Of Tamil Nadu 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... Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav Appointed As BJP's Poll In-Charges For Bihar, Bengal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 17:32 IST Dharmandra Pradhan and Bhupender Yadav are BJP election in-charges for Bihar and Bengal. CR Paatil, Keshav Prasad Maurya, Baijayant Panda, and Murlidhar Mohal also have key roles. In Tamil Nadu, the BJP picked Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda as election in-charge and Minister of State (MoS) Murlidhar Mohal co-in-charge. (File) Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhupender Yadav have been appointed as the BJPs election in-charge for Bihar and Bengal. Both Other Backward Classes (OBCs) leaders have emerged as the most seasoned poll managers of the party in recent years. Pradhan has handled the partys responsibility in Haryana for the 2024 and Uttar Pradesh elections, besides overseeing polls previously in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Notably, Pradhan was the partys co-incharge for the 2010 Bihar polls, when the BJP-JD(U) alliance scored its most emphatic victory. Recommended Stories Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil and Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya have been made election co-incharges for Bihar, where polls are scheduled to be held in October-November. The BJP has handed over Bengal poll responsibility to Bhupender Yadav, who ensured the partys victory in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Bihar, Jharkhand (2014) and Rajasthan (2013). He was also made the election in-charge for the 2017 Gujarat assembly elections. Former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb is the co-incharge for West Bengal. In Tamil Nadu, the BJP picked Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda as election in-charge and Minister of State (MoS) Murlidhar Mohal co-in-charge. The Bihar elections are expected in November, followed by West Bengal and Tamil Nadu which are likely to go to polls in March-April 2026. With the BJPs national leadership plays a central role in shaping the partys campaign for Assembly polls, election in-charges play a critical part as their bridge with state leaders and implementing the partys strategies on the ground. The co-incharges assist them in implementing the agenda. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all While the BJP is eying to retain power with its main ally Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, it hopes to breach Trinamool Congress citadel of West Bengal, where it has emerged as the main challenger to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who will complete 15 years at the helm by the next elections. (with PTI inputs) About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 First Published: September 25, 2025, 14:45 IST News politics Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav Appointed As BJP's Poll In-Charges For Bihar, Bengal 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... Flipkarts Big iPhone 16 Pro Sale Has Become A Nightmare For Many Buyers: What They Are Saying Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 07:30 IST Flipkart Big Billion Day sale iPhone 16 Pro offer had many people excited but it seems their anger is now making the headlines. People are not happy with Flipkart's iPhone 16 Pro sale offer Flipkarts Big Billion Day sale has been advertising and teasing the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max sales for the past few days. Many people got excited and decided to wait and buy the premium iPhone Pro model from the platform. But little did they know that buying a phone online would become such a scam. The iPhone 16 Pro sale scam has been trending in the last few days across social media platforms, and most of them have the same complaint, Flipkart is cancelling all the iPhone 16 Pro orders without giving the buyers any reason. Recommended Stories Flipkart Big Billion iPhone 16 Pro Sale Offer: What Did It Say? Flipkarts big billion day (BBD) sale said the iPhone 16 Pro will be available at Rs 69,999 with all the deals and conditions. Similarly, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will go on sale for just Rs 89,999 during the BBD sale from September 22, 2025 onwards. Flipkart understandably shared the big news about unprecedented orders for the iPhone 16 models and people were hoping to quickly get their hands on their device (and not soap cases or brick). Placed an order for iPhone 16 Pro on @Flipkart during Big Billion Days, got order confirmation, and then it was cancelled. Flipkart is running scams in the name of sales. #FlipkartScam #BigBillionDays #flipkartbigbilliondays2025 pic.twitter.com/aqsLczmlb6 Mohd Danish (@danishsrt) September 22, 2025 Flipkarts iPhone 16 Pro Sale Offer Scam: Whats The Issue? But 24 hours later, most of these excited customers started to unravel the issues plaguing this too good to be true deal from the platform. Some of the posts on X validate the supposed scam that has been brewing somewhere in the middle between the seller and the buyer. @flipkartsupport @Flipkart Looks like you are making fool of customers, my orders for iphone 16 and iphone 16 pro were placed successfully during the starting of bbd sale and this morning you cancelled both without any reason, what type of scam is this? pic.twitter.com/DOmh2wmCZl Mukesh Rana (@backtorule) September 22, 2025 Most of these posts say the iPhone 16 Pro orders were placed and they even managed to make it till the checkout page for final payment. And then some time later they noticed that Flipkart had cancelled their order for no rhyme or reason. Flipkart advertised iPhone 16 Pro at 69,900 in its cheat catalog, but now during the sale its showing 85,000+.This is nothing but fake discounts, dark patterns & deceptive marketing. Customers deserve transparency, not manipulation. @flipkart @CCI_India @jagograhakjago pic.twitter.com/pM8VueCSFg Mohsin Wani (@mohsinsajadwani) September 23, 2025 If this looked like an isolated incident then more posts about angry buyers with the same issue started to paint a very worrying picture for the people spending their money, getting their refund and not the iPhone 16 Pro model they wanted. Big billion day is a full scam. Ordered iPhone 16 3 times and 3 times it got cancelled by the seller, blocking the credit limit of all my cards. Funny thing is I bought black membership to avoid this.@flipkartsupport @ShokeenSanchit @mrtechpedia#bigbilliondays2025 pic.twitter.com/fRvIYVGjFA Rishabh Ranjan Singh (@rish_ranjan) September 22, 2025 While some of the eager buyers were not pleased with the false marketing for the iPhone 16 Pro offer price, which seems to have run out quickly. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Not The First Sale Problem Flipkart has been in the BBD sale business for many years now and this is not the first instance of a deal going off the tracks. The platform has become a middleman in recent times, which means it only hosts the sellers who make their products available to the buyer. However, when you start teasing deals like these in the public, you not only get the fame and excitement of these people, you also face their anger if things go sideways. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and ... Read More Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 07:30 IST News tech Flipkarts Big iPhone 16 Pro Sale Has Become A Nightmare For Many Buyers: What They Are Saying 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... Google Is Bringing Android To PCs And Laptops: Should Windows Be Worried? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 10:48 IST Android powers smartphones, tablets and even smart cars but finally we are going to see the platform run on hardcore person computers. Google and Qualcomm could have a big say in making Android work on PCs. (Photo: AI generated) So, it is confirmed. Google is ready to unleash Android into the PC segment and it is doing that with Qualcomm for the hardware support. Both the companies confirmed the news during the Snapdragon Summit 2025 this week, which also gives us a teaser into the new ChromeOS + Android combined into one holistic platform for personal computing devices. We have seen Google make laptops powered by ChromeOS that have done well in patches but are far behind the curve with Windows, macOS and even Linux ahead in the pack. Recommended Stories Making Android work in line with ChromeOS could give us the best of both mobile and PC worlds. Google has also said the Android for PC version is coming next year, which could be at the Google I/O 2026 edition in May. Android Is Coming For PCs: What To Expect? Without really giving details, the Qualcomm chief said, he is excited about Android for PC," at the event. Going by the experience of Android and ChromeOS, we expect Google to design a platform that uses the interface side of Android and pairs it with the multi-tasking nature of ChromeOS and translate that into a cohesive operating system for PCs. It is likely to sit somewhere between Windows and macOS in this regard and closely have links to Linux, since Android kernel is built on that premise. Androids journey on tablets has been underwhelming and it has been left to the partners to use the best available hardware to get the most out of the platform. Android running on PCs needs to be a lot more effective, dynamic and still capable of handling tasks without going overboard. Threat For Windows? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all More than Mac, the new Android for PC version will be looking to compete with Windows which is easier said than done. Microsoft has a strong monopoly in this space, even though Apple will have a different take on that. Android for PC needs to deliver on the computing experience something that has worked to great effect on smartphones, and even TVs, less so on tablets. Bringing Android to PCs will complete Googles ecosystem play, since the platform is already available on phones, TVs, watches, smart homes and even cars. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and ... Read More First Published: September 25, 2025, 10:48 IST News tech Google Is Bringing Android To PCs And Laptops: Should Windows Be Worried? 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... Perplexity AI Brings Comet Browser Access Without Waitlist For All Pro Users In India Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: September 24, 2025, 13:15 IST Perplexity Pro free offer in India for Airtel users brings access to the company's Comet browser without joining any waitlist. Airtel Users Get Free Perplexity Pro Subscription With AI Features Worth Rs 17,000 In India and now access to Comet browser Perplexity Pro subscribers in India are getting direct access to the companys Comet AI browser with their account. The news has been shared by Aravind Srinivas earlier this week, and now we are independently able to verify those claims by downloading the Comet browser app on our Windows system, with the Android version for mobile devices coming soon. Perplexity Pro is the paid version of the AI chatbot that rivals ChatGPT Plus, Gemini AI Pro and other paid models available in the market. Airtel subscribers in India have got a free Perplexity Pro subscription with their Wi-Fi, mobile plans and DTH plans, which allows them to use features worth Rs 17,000 for 12 months. Recommended Stories Comet Browser Free Access For Indian Perplexity Pro Users Comet browser has been available with a waitlist since its launch earlier this year but the company has removed that friction for the Pro users in India. Perplexity has surely unlocked a wider user base with the latest news, especially since many of them are using the AI chatbot through their Airtel number. We were also able to confirm with Perplexity whether the Comet free-waitlist access is applicable for the Airtel-based free AI plan offer, and the company told us, Comet is now available to all Pro subscribers in India no waitlist necessary whether they have subscribed to Perplexity Pro directly or through an Airtel subscription." This makes India one of the first markets where Comet browser is available even with the Perplexity Pro free offer subscribers. You essentially need an Airtel prepaid/postpaid number, a Wi-Fi connection or DTH service to get the free Pro version for your registered number and email ID. Comet AI Browser For All Pro Users In India: How To Get? You can easily get the Perplexity Pro free offer with the Airtel service from the Airtel Thanks app by following these steps: Open Airtel Thanks app on your Android or iOS phone Scroll down to Rewards & OTTs and tap on it You will see a host of rewards available with your Airtel plan Tap on the Perplexity Pro offer valid for 12 months Click on proceed to claim the Perplexity Pro AI offer Sign in with your Google or Apple ID to enjoy a host of premium AI features Airtel said the offer can be redeemed between July 17, 2025 and January 17, 2026 after which the free deal will not be available to its customers. Existing Perplexity Pro subscribers can also avail this offer. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Now you can download the Comet browser from its official website Sign in with your registered Perplexity Pro email ID Wait for confirmation The Comet browser download link will be active Install the browser and start using it The browser from Perplexity has features like the Comet Assistant built into its UI, making it a personal assistant for all the tasks. You can ask questions about any web page and the assistant will answer from the tabs that are open and also through the relevant browsing history. This is similar to Googles new Chrome addition where Gemini AI can perform agentic tasks, but that is only available for users in the US region for now. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and ... Read More Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: September 24, 2025, 13:15 IST News tech Perplexity AI Brings Comet Browser Access Without Waitlist For All Pro Users In India 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... Doctors Operate On Brain Tumour While Patient Plays Guitar | Watch Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 14:51 IST During a five-hour brain surgery, a UK man strummed his guitar as doctors operated! This moving display of courage left onlookers applauding his spirit. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google The road ahead is uncertain, but with courage, treatment, and the healing power of music, Paul and his family are facing it head-on. (News18) No illness can overpower a determined spirit. A man from Devon, England, proved just that by playing his guitar while undergoing brain surgery for a life-threatening tumour, and winning the admiration of everyone around him. Paul Welsh-Dalton, 44 years old, was with his wife and children at home when he suddenly collapsed in the kitchen. The right side of his body went numb, and his family feared he was having a stroke. But after urgent tests, doctors diagnosed him with a rare and aggressive brain tumour called oligodendroglioma, measuring around 4cm about the size of a kiwi. Recommended Stories It was already at stage 3, meaning the tumour was malignant and considered terminal. Awake Brain Surgery With Music Paul, who has played the guitar for 30 years, told doctors how important music was to him. His surgical team at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth not only understood they supported him. On March 28, during a five-hour procedure to remove as much of the tumour as possible, Paul remained awake and played songs like Green Days Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), Tenacious Ds Tribute, and Oasiss Wonderwall. This wasnt just symbolic it helped surgeons monitor his brain in real-time. When certain areas were touched and Pauls hands froze, they knew not to go further, preserving critical motor functions and speech. View this post on Instagram A post shared by People Magazine (@people) Doctors successfully removed around 98% of the tumour. A Familys Strength Amid Uncertainty Pauls wife Tiff (39) and their five children, Max (14), Gracie (13), Maddie (12), Finley (10), and Colby (3), have stood by him throughout. Tiff admitted that when Paul collapsed, she feared the worst. Pauls biggest concern was whether his youngest son would even remember him if he didnt survive. Im not religious", Tiff said, but that day, I prayed like never before." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all After the surgery, Paul underwent six weeks of radiotherapy and is set to begin nine months of chemotherapy in October. Though the cancer is incurable, his treatment could extend his life significantly. The road ahead is uncertain, but with courage, treatment, and the healing power of music, Paul and his family are facing it head-on. Location : United Kingdom (UK) First Published: September 25, 2025, 14:51 IST News viral Doctors Operate On Brain Tumour While Patient Plays Guitar | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Macau Street Turns Into Pond After Typhoon Ragasa As Residents Fish In Flooded Roads | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 17:27 IST Videos of residents in Macau wading through flooded streets with fishing nets and plastic bags, trying to catch fish swept in by the typhoon, have gone viral News18 As Super Typhoon Ragasa battered southern China and Hong Kong with fierce winds and heavy rain, residents in Macau witnessed an unexpected side-effect fish in the streets. Videos of residents in Macau wading through flooded streets with fishing nets and plastic bags, trying to catch fish swept in by the typhoon, have gone viral on social media platforms. Recommended Stories Some residents were seen loading fish onto their bicycles, while others took selfies with their surprising catch. After #TyphoonRagasa, seawater flooded #Macau streets now residents are wading in and catching fish like its a giant pond. #typhoon pic.twitter.com/PUNYZGE8MT Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) September 24, 2025 A video shared by Shanghai Daily, which quickly gained widespread attention on X, showed the sight of Macau streets flooded with locals gathered in large numbers, trying to catch fish with some even succeeding. After #TyphoonRagasa, seawater flooded #Macau streets now residents are wading in and catching fish like its a giant pond," the video was captioned. Many amused users took to the platform to react and share videos of the scene. Macau streets flooded and people out here fishing like its a citywide aquarium. Typhoon Ragasa didnt just bring rain, it brought dinner plans. Who knew disaster could double as a seafood buffet?," one use wrote. Another user joked, When Macao floods and suddenly everyones a fisherman. Typhoon Ragasa turned streets into seafood buffetsno reservations needed." After the devastation in Macau, residents went fishing in the streets after Typhoon Ragasa. Theres free fish for everyone! hahhahhaha Incredible scenes of resilience and a darkly humorous silver lining after the severe flooding. pic.twitter.com/ICU8mdEFHB Natie (@Natie2Natie) September 24, 2025 Theres free fish for everyone! hahhahhaha Incredible scenes of resilience and a darkly humorous silver lining after the severe flooding," a user pointed out the striking contrast between the chaos of the storm and the cheerful scenes in the video. The unexpected fishing frenzy wasnt limited to Macau. Shanghai Daily also shared a similar video from Zhangzhou in southeast Chinas Fujian province. Super #TyphoonRagasa just dropped a seafood buffet on the beaches in Zhangzhou, southeast #Chinas Fujian!" the post read, showing locals rushing to collect oysters by the bucketload after the tide receded. Super #TyphoonRagasa just dropped a seafood buffet on the beaches in Zhangzhou, southeast #Chinas Fujian! After the tide receded, locals were scrambling to collect #oysters by the bucketload. pic.twitter.com/HfIxiqHSOJ Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) September 25, 2025 Typhoon Ragasa Wreaks Havoc Typhoon Ragasa, the worlds strongest tropical cyclone this year, made landfall in southern Chinas Guangdong province on Wednesday. It brought winds of up to 145 km/h after sweeping past Hong Kong and killing at least 14 people in Taiwan. More than 20 others remain missing. In Taiwan, most casualties were reported after a barrier lake burst in eastern Hualien county. Meanwhile, over 100 people were injured in Hong Kong, where authorities opened 50 temporary shelters for more than 900 residents. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Ragasa had formed last week over the Pacific Ocean and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 super typhoon, with winds exceeding 260 km/h. It hit the Philippines first, then moved across Taiwan and Hong Kong before making landfall in China. It was downgraded to a severe typhoon on Wednesday and is now moving toward Vietnam. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : China First Published: September 25, 2025, 17:20 IST News viral Macau Street Turns Into Pond After Typhoon Ragasa As Residents Fish In Flooded Roads | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Russias Foreign Minister Asked How He Was At UN. His Biological Quip Is One For The Books Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 17:35 IST Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis share a viral lighthearted moment at the UN. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis are seen. (Image Credit: X) A lighthearted exchange between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly has gone viral. In a short video widely shared on social media, the two diplomats are seen shaking hands before beginning their talks. When Ignazio Cassis asked how he was doing, Sergey Lavrov smiled and replied, I am fine- in biological terms." The offbeat remark drew laughter online, with many social media users noting the rare moment of levity during the tense High-level Week in New York. Sergey Cassis, himself a trained physician, responded, This is a good answer, for a medical doctor." Recommended Stories Sergey Lavrov then joked back, I thought you were mentioning Ursula von der Leyen." Switzerlands foriegn minister asks Russias foreign minister how hes doing?Lavrovs reply?- biologically, ok Swiss FM- This is a good answer, for a medical doctor Russias Lavrov- I thought you were mentioning Ursula von der Leyen pic.twitter.com/DVu7Jxsxwd Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) September 24, 2025 Despite the viral moment, the meeting brought to fore worsening ties between Moscow and Bern. According to a Russian Foreign Ministry statement, Sergey Lavrov told Ignazio Cassis that Switzerland had forfeited its standing as a neutral mediator by pursuing what Moscow described as unfriendly" policies. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Russian side emphasized that Switzerland has lost the status of a respected neutral mediator. The unfriendly policy course toward Russia being pursued by the [Swiss] Confederation cannot but be taken into account in building the Russian policies toward Switzerland," the ministry said. The ministers also discussed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), ahead of Switzerlands chairmanship in 2026. Moscow described the OSCEs current state as dire," claiming its role in maintaining security and cooperation had significantly diminished. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 17:35 IST News viral Russias Foreign Minister Asked How He Was At UN. His Biological Quip Is One For The Books 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 Airline Passenger Duct-Taped To Seat After Attacking Flight Attendant, Threatening Crew Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 16:59 IST A passenger was duct-taped on an American Airlines flight to Las Vegas after attacking crew. Flight staff restrained her with zip ties and duct tape. (Representataional) An American Airlines passenger was duct-taped to her seat after allegedly attacking a flight attendant and unleashing a profanity-filled tirade during a September 16 flight to Las Vegas. The passenger, identified as Ketty J. Dilone, had boarded in Charlotte, N.C., on a return trip from the Dominican Republic when she began shouting, threatening crew members and roaming the cabin. Flight staff restrained her with zip ties and duct tape after she allegedly kicked a flight attendant, causing the worker to fall. A viral TikTok video showed Ketty Dilone screaming at crew, saying, You dont know what the f Ive been through, bitch! Kill yourself, bitch! You wanna die, bitch?" top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Recommended Stories She also made a startling confession, claiming she tried to poison her father as a child, I put roach poison in my fathers coffee when I was 11. It didnt work. In DR, we call it Tres Pasito." The pesticide, banned in the US, is widely used in the Dominican Republic to kill rodents and insects. Ketty Dilone was arrested by the FBI after landing at Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport and booked into the Henderson Detention Center. She faces charges of interference with a flight crew and assault. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: September 25, 2025, 16:59 IST News viral US Airline Passenger Duct-Taped To Seat After Attacking Flight Attendant, Threatening Crew 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... Who Is Tabitha Bundrick? US Woman Accused Of Calculated Murders Of Men She Lured With Sex, Drugs Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 13:26 IST Tabitha Bundrick is accused of luring men with sex and drugs, then drugging and robbing them in Washington Heights, leaving three dead. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Prosecutors say Tabitha Bundrick used fentanyl-laced drugs to incapacitate her victims before stealing cash, sneakers and phones. (IMAGE: X) Tabitha Bundrick, a resident of New York, has been indicted for allegedly drugging and robbing men she lured home, leading to three deaths over a span of 10 months. Prosecutors said the murders took place between April 2023 and February 2024 in Washington Heights. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg described the conduct as extremely calculated" and callous." At a news conference, he said, This type of behavior will not be tolerated in Manhattan. We are focused on holding the people who do this accountable, supporting the victims and their loved ones," Bragg was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. Recommended Stories Bundrick, 36, has been charged with 11 counts, including three counts of murder, robbery, burglary and assault. Fentanyl, Robberies, Stolen Items Bundrick is accused of offering drugs and sex to lure her targets and then incapacitating them with fentanyl-laced substances. Once the men were unconscious, prosecutors said she stole cash, phones, sneakers, credit cards and other belongings. Investigators found she later used the stolen cards and resold items she carried away in bags. Prosecutors said her actions were part of a repeated pattern that exploited vulnerable men in her neighborhood. How The Murders Happened On April 20, 2023, Bundrick approached two men, offering sex for money and taking them to an empty apartment she had broken into. She allegedly gave them fentanyl-laced drugs. The next morning, one man awoke to find his belongings missing and his friend, 42-year-old Mario Paullan, dead beside him. Months later, on September 27, Bundrick met 39-year-old Miguel Navez and went back to his apartment. Three days later, he was found dead by his brother. The third fatal case took place on February 25, 2024, when Bundrick followed 34-year-old Abrihan Fernandez into his apartment. She gave him fentanyl-laced drugs, prosecutors said, and later returned to leave with multiple large bags. Fernandezs credit card was later used several times. What Charges She Faces Bundrick pleaded not guilty to the state charges on Wednesday. If convicted of murder, she faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison. She is currently held at the Rikers Island jail complex on related burglary charges. Separately, Bundrick has already pleaded guilty in a federal case tied to the same deaths and, in August this year, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for narcotics distribution. That sentence will run concurrently with any punishment in the state case. What Her Defense Said: Victim Of Sexual Abuse top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Her lawyers argue she is not a calculated killer" but a victim of childhood sexual abuse whose intellectual functioning is equivalent to a third-grade level. They said she shared the same drugs with the men and did not intend to kill them, according to a report by the New York Times. Federal prosecutors countered that Bundrick knew fentanyl could kill" and still continued giving it to multiple men while stealing from them. They said her pattern showed she was fully aware of the risks but persisted anyway. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c... Read More Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 13:26 IST News viral Who Is Tabitha Bundrick? US Woman Accused Of Calculated Murders Of Men She Lured With Sex, Drugs 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... American-Israeli Citizen Arrested In Israel For Spying For Iran Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 26, 2025, 01:04 IST Yaakov Perl, an American-Israeli, was arrested for allegedly spying for Iran, sharing info on public figures and locations, and receiving cryptocurrency payments. According to a report by CNN, Yaakov Perl, 49, was arrested earlier this month after an investigation by the Shin Bet security agency and the National Crime Unit of the Israeli police. (Image: Shutterstock) An American-Israeli dual citizen has been arrested by the Israeli authorities for allegedly spying for Iran, accusing him of sharing information on public figures and sending videos and pictures of locations across the country to his handlers. According to a report by CNN, Yaakov Perl (49) was arrested earlier this month after an investigation by the Shin Bet security agency and the National Crime Unit of the Israeli police. Recommended Stories A joint statement by the police and Shin Bet security agency stated that the accused had initially requested asylum for himself and his family from the Iranian embassy by phone in 2017. He was living in Morocco in recent years. In 2023, he began engaging with Iranian news outlets on social media and publishing content critical of Israel and Zionism, CNN reported. In January, Perl wrote an article that Israel said was in support of Hezbollah following Israels killing of the groups leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The authorities said that after the articles publication Perl was approached by Iranian operatives and he agreed to cooperate. He provided the Iranians with information on Israeli public figures and citizens, including former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir," police and the Shin Bet said. As part of his activities, Perl also took photos and videos of various streets and locations throughout Israel. He was paid in cryptocurrency for his work." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The statement said that Perls actions were all based on ideological motives and opposition to Zionism." According to a report by CNN, the Israeli police had investigated more than 25 case since October 7, 2023, related to espionage activity linked to Iran, resulting in approximately 46 arrests. Location : Israel First Published: September 26, 2025, 01:04 IST News world American-Israeli Citizen Arrested In Israel For Spying For Iran 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... Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand To Meet EAM Jaishankar In Coming Weeks: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 09:27 IST Canadas Foreign Minister Anita Anand is expected to meet EAM S Jaishankar soon. During an earlier phone call with Jaishankar, she had emphasised domestic public safety. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand (Photo: AFP) Canadas Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is expected to meet her Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in the coming weeks, a report with Bloomberg has claimed. During an interview, Anita Anand said domestic public safety is the top priority for her countrys government. She added that Canadas national security adviser just met with her Indian counterpart, and the two discussed transnational repression. Recommended Stories We will continue to stay on top of it for the benefit of the safety and security of the Canadian public," Anand was quoted as saying. The report also suggested that Anita will be meeting her Chinese counterpart, too, as she said that Canada must ensure we have a bilateral relationship with significant economic powers in the Indo-Pacific." WHY ANITA ANANDs MEETING WITH JAISHANKAR IS RELEVANT Anita Anand last spoke with EAM Jaishankar in May this year, when they both spoke about the prospects of strengthening India-Canada ties. During the phone call, Anita Anand, who was then recently appointed as the Foreign Minister of Canada under the Mark Carney administration, expressed her gratitude towards Jaishankar for the discussion on strengthening India-Canada relations. She further added that she was looking forward to continuing to work together. The India-Canada ties had been strained after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being linked to the killing of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. The allegation was strongly denied as malicious by the Indian government. As the tensions between both countries soared, Indias previous high commissioner left Canada after Ottawa said he was among six diplomats who were expelled after they were linked to Nijjars murder. India also said that same day that it had ordered the expulsion of six high-ranking Canadian diplomats, including the then-acting high commissioner. Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trudeaus successor, Mark Carney, agreed to reinstate senior diplomats when they held their first bilateral meeting in Canada in June. In August this year, India and Canada announced new high commissioners to each others countries. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ | As US Shuts H-1B Gates, Germany, Canada & UK Woo Indian Talent Amid Tighter Global Immigration About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: September 25, 2025, 09:16 IST News world Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand To Meet EAM Jaishankar In Coming Weeks: 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... At Least 20 Injured As Drone Fired From Yemen Hits Israels Eilat Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 24, 2025, 23:39 IST A drone from Yemen hit Eilat, injuring at least 20 people. The Israeli military said a drone launched from Yemen fell in Eilat. (Image Credit: X) At least 20 people were injured when a drone launched from Yemen struck the southern Israeli city of Eilat, Associated Press reported. Medical officials said two of the injured were in serious condition. It remains unclear whether the injuries were caused by the drone itself or by interceptor fire. Breaking: There has been an attack from Yemen on a hotel / tourist area in the southern Israeli city of Eilat. A dozen injured, with a couple in serious condition.Do not expect much reporting of this at all. The media are all too busy celebrating Palestine. pic.twitter.com/qeT1RmOs4h David Collier (@mishtal) September 24, 2025 Recommended Stories top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Israeli military attributed the attack to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have regularly fired drones and missiles at Israel, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Most previous launches have been intercepted by Israeli defences or landed in open areas without casualties. The strike marked one of the most serious Houthi attacks on Israeli territory to date. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: September 24, 2025, 23:16 IST News world At Least 20 Injured As Drone Fired From Yemen Hits Israels Eilat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... China Edits Australian Horror Film, Replaces Gay Couple With Straight Pair Using AI Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:48 IST Australian horror film Together faced backlash in China after authorities altered a same-sex couple to appear heterosexual. Screenshots of the original and the edited version circulated online. An Australian horror film sparked outrage among Chinese moviegoers after advance screenings revealed that a same-sex couple had been digitally altered to appear heterosexual. Together, directed by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks and starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, was shown in select Chinese cinemas on September 12 ahead of its planned nationwide release on September 19. But audiences quickly noticed changes to key scenes, with screenshots of the original version circulating widely online. Recommended Stories In one sequence, the male leads nude shower scene was obscured by digitally added steam. More controversially, a same-sex couple was altered, with one mans face replaced by a womans. Dialogue and other references to their relationship were also removed. Global distributor Neon condemned the changes, saying, Neon does not approve of Hishows unauthorised edit of the film and have demanded they cease distributing this altered version." Hishow, the films Chinese distributor, has not commented. Together is a supernatural body-horror film about a couple who move to the countryside, only to be confronted by a mysterious force that transforms their lives, bodies and relationship. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and was released in the US and Australia in July, earning strong reviews and a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Broader Crackdown In China top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all China does not recognise same-sex marriage and LGBT content in media is heavily restricted. Earlier this year, the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer was altered for Chinese release, with actress Florence Pughs nude scene digitally covered by an AI-generated black dress. Authorities have also stepped up crackdowns on gay-themed content more broadly. Since February, at least 30 young women writers of gay erotic fiction have reportedly been arrested across the country. Location : China First Published: September 25, 2025, 15:48 IST News world China Edits Australian Horror Film, Replaces Gay Couple With Straight Pair Using AI 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... Dallas ICE Office Shooting: Trump Blames Radical Left After Cops Find Bullets Marked Anti-ICE Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 07:28 IST Donald Trump said that Deranged Radical Leftists are stopping ICE from deporting illegal immigrants from the US. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Bullet casings marked ANTI-ICE recovered after deadly Dallas ICE office shooting, as seen in the photo shared by FBI Director Kash Patel. (IMAGE: X) US President Donald Trump blamed Deranged Radical Leftists" for the attack on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas where gunman Joshua Jahn, 29, killed one detainee and badly wounded two others on Wednesday. Trumps reaction to the incident came late Wednesday (local time) after police found an unused bullet with ANTI-ICE scribbled on it. Recommended Stories It has now been revealed the deranged shooter wrote Anti-ICE" on his shell casings. This is despicable!" Trump has expanded ICEs mandate, ordering more arrests of undocumented immigrants, including those without criminal records. He has backed expedited removals and pushed local authorities to cooperate, even in sanctuary cities. His orders lifted previous restrictions on ICE operations in schools, hospitals and places of worship. The Brave Men and Women of ICE are just trying to do their jobs, and remove the WORST of the WORST" Criminals out of our Country, but they are facing an unprecedented increase in threats, violence, and attacks by Deranged Radical Leftists," Donald Trump said in a message posted on Truth Social. He argued that radical left Democrats" were to blame for stoking hostility toward ICE by portraying officers as Nazis and demanding the agencys abolition, warning that this atmosphere of hate had now turned violent after Charlie Kirks assassination. I have been briefed on the deadly shooting at the ICE Field Office in Dallas, Texas. It has now been revealed the deranged shooter wrote Anti-ICE" on his shell casings. This is despicable! The Brave Men and Women of ICE are just trying to do their jobs, and remove the WORST of Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) September 24, 2025 FBI Director Kash Patel posted a photo on X of what he said was the suspects unused ammunition, showing the shell casing of one round inscribed with the phrase ANTI-ICE" along the side. While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack," Patel wrote. All three victims were in a van outside the facility at the time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin also posted photos showing bullet holes in a window and a glass case holding an American flag. In a statement DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said, This vile attack was motivated by hatred for ICE." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Democrats accused Republicans of selectively releasing information and trying to control the narrative" to fit Republican arguments that ICE agents are under siege. If they are trying to control this narrative and they dont want migrants to be the victim in this story, then they may want to slow-walk giving us any information about this so they can still keep on talking about attacks on ICE," Democratic US Congressman Marc Veasey said. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c... Read More Location : McKinney, Dallas First Published: September 25, 2025, 07:28 IST News world Dallas ICE Office Shooting: Trump Blames Radical Left After Cops Find Bullets Marked Anti-ICE 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... Denmark Says Drones Over Its Airports Were Launched By Professional Actor: Is Russia To Blame? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 19:48 IST Drones disrupted flights at Aalborg, Billund, Copenhagen and other Denmark airports, prompting hybrid attack concerns. Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reuters file photo) Denmark said drones that disrupted flights at several of its airports this week were likely launched by a professional actor" but there is no evidence linking Russia. The incidents have raised concerns across Europe, already on edge over Moscows war in Ukraine. What happened In Denmark? Recommended Stories On Wednesday night, Aalborg airport in northern Denmark was forced to close for several hours after drones with green lights were spotted overhead. Around the same time, drones were reported near three smaller airports- Esbjerg, Snderborg and Skrydstrup. Later, suspected drones caused a temporary shutdown of Billund airport, one of Denmarks busiest. Airspace was reopened after 03:00 local time but at least three flights had already been diverted. Two days earlier, Copenhagen airport also shut down briefly after drone activity. Denmarks Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen described the latest incident as a hybrid attack" and part of a systematic operation." What Is A Hybrid Attack? A hybrid attack mixes military and non-military tactics to disrupt a countrys institutions or infrastructure. In this case, the drones did not strike but forced airports to halt air traffic, causing delays and diversions. The drones were not shot down despite Danish authorities having the capability to do so. Police said this was due to concerns about civilian safety. Is Russia To Blame? Officials in Copenhagen stressed there is no evidence linking the incursions to Russia. The Russian embassy dismissed absurd speculations," calling the incidents staged provocations" designed to escalate tensions over Ukraine. Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Russian involvement in an earlier drone incident over Copenhagen could not be ruled out," calling it the most severe attack on Danish infrastructure so far. Russia has previously been accused of hybrid attacks and of violating European airspace but Moscow has denied deliberately sending drones or jets into NATO territory. Why Does This Matter For Nato? The incidents come amid heightened tensions in Europe. Poland and Estonia reported Russian incursions into their airspace earlier this month while Romania said one of its regions was struck by a Russian drone. Suspicious drone flights have also been reported over Germany and Sweden. NATO has said it will use all necessary military and non-military tools" to respond to such threats. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all What Happens Next? Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said hybrid threats were here to stay." Defence Minister Poulsen said the government was working with the EU to strengthen drone defences, with the issue expected to be discussed at an EU meeting this week. Earlier this month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a drone wall" across Europe, though details remain unclear. Location : Russia First Published: September 25, 2025, 19:48 IST News world Denmark Says Drones Over Its Airports Were Launched By Professional Actor: Is Russia To Blame? 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 Coincidence, Triple Sabotage': Trump Blasts UN Over 'Sinister' Glitches, Demands Probe Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 07:32 IST Donald Trump claimed he was a victim of 'triple sabotage' at the United Nations, citing the escalator stoppage, the teleprompter blackout, and sound failure during his speech. Donald Trump addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 (Photo: AP) Donald Trump on Thursday claimed he was the target of triple sabotage" at the United Nations, as he cited a series of technical failures during his visit, and demanded an investigation into the glitches. The US President also said the Secret Service was involved in the probe. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social account, Trump described three very sinister events" that he said unfolded during his appearance. Recommended Stories First, the escalator going up to the Main Speaking Floor came to a screeching halt. It stopped on a dime. Its amazing that Melania and I didnt fall forward onto the sharp edges of these steel steps, face first. It was only that we were each holding the handrail tightly or, it would have been a disaster," he wrote. Trump alleged the stoppage was intentional, pointing to what he said was a prior media report. This was absolutely sabotage, as noted by a days earlier post in The London Times that said UN workers joked about turning off an escalator. The people who did it should be arrested!" The US President went on to describe a teleprompter blackout as he began addressing world leaders. As I stood before a Television crowd of millions of people all over the World, and important Leaders in the Hall, my teleprompter didnt work. It was stone cold dark. I immediately thought to myself, Wow, first the escalator event, and now a bad teleprompter. What kind of a place is this?" He said he continued his remarks without a teleprompter for about 15 minutes until it came back online, adding, The good news is the Speech has gotten fantastic reviews. Maybe they appreciated the fact that very few people could have done what I did." Trump also alleged the sound system in the hall failed, preventing leaders from hearing his speech. After making the Speech, I was told that the sound was completely off in the Auditorium where the Speech was made, that World Leaders, unless they used the interpreters earpieces, couldnt hear a thing." He said even his wife could not hear him. The first person I saw at the conclusion of the Speech was Melania, who was sitting right up front. I said, How did I do? And she said, I couldnt hear a word you said." Calling the incidents not a coincidence," Trump concluded, This wasnt a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. Im sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation" All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved," Trump wrote. In the incident that was captured live on camera and watched by millions around the world, including the visiting world leaders at the UN, the escalator near the Delegates entrance at the UN headquarters came to an abrupt halt soon after Trump and the First Lady stepped onto it as they made their way to the UN General Assembly hall on Tuesday morning (US local time). The halt jolted the couple, who waited momentarily at the escalator and forced Melania Trump to walk up the stalled escalator, with the President following closely behind her. As he began to speak at the General Assembly, the teleprompter did not work. Soon after, the US President spoke about the teleprompter and escalator incident. Thank you very much. Its always an honour to be here. Weve done this before, and this was a little more exciting because of the escalator and the teleprompter. These things happen," Trump said in his bilateral meeting with Guterres on Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that if someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately". Leavitt posted a screenshot of an article from The Times that said, To mark Trumps arrival, UN staff members have joked that they may turn off the escalators and elevators and simply tell him they ran out of money, so he has to walk up the stairs." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ | Take Meaningful Steps: Marco Rubio Tells Russian Counterpart To Stop The Killing In Ukraine About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: September 25, 2025, 07:17 IST News world 'No Coincidence, Triple Sabotage': Trump Blasts UN Over 'Sinister' Glitches, Demands Probe 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... Doomscroll, Ghostkitchen, Rizz Among 5,000 New Words Added In Merriam-Webster Dictionary Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 20:08 IST Merriam-Webster dictionary said it is fully revising its world-famous 'Collegiate' dictionary after 22 years, which will include terms like WFH and dumbphone. Merriam-Webster is updating its 'Collegiate' dictionary after 22 years. (AP) In a rare move, the Merriam-Webster dictionary announced on Thursday that it is fully revising and reimagining its world-famous dictionary with a fresh edition that would add more than 5,000 words, including the Gen-Z terms used on social media. These words include doomscroll, WFH, dumbphone and ghostkitchen. Other additions are cold brew, rizz, farm-to-table, dad bod, adulting, cancel culture and hard pass. There is also beast mode and dashcam. Recommended Stories The latest edition of the Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary will be released on November 18, which is 22 years after the books last hard-copy update amid declining US sales for analogue dictionaries. Notably, Merriam-Webster is the leading dictionary company in the US and sells 1.5 million copies a year. Most dictionaries are regularly updated, but not fully overhauled like the Collegiate. The new Collegiate also includes enhanced entries for some top lookups, and more than 20,000 new usage examples. The latest update weighs at least 2.27 kg and removed two sections of the previous section that had fewer biographical and geographical entries to make room for the new content. Some obscure words have also been removed. Merriam-Websters president, Greg Barlow, told The Associated Press that people no longer use dictionaries to learn the meanings of new words and use the internet. We wanted to make the Collegiate more useful, a better design, more interesting. We wanted it to be more rewarding to browse, more fun to look through, and to really be practical for research, but also a beautiful book," he added. He further said the companys retail sales overall have generally held steady in the last few years despite a decline in dictionary sales. There are people out there who just love books, and we love books." Meanwhile, Cambridge Dictionary also recently added thousands of new words, driven by social media and celebrities. A number of the new words were popularised by Gen Z and Gen Alpha like skibidi, delulu and broligarchy. Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the Dictionary," said Colin McIntosh, the lexical program manager at Cambridge Dictionary, in August. Additionally, the new Collegiate introduces curated word lists, such as words from the 1990s and 10 Words for Things that Often Go Unnamed." It also has more word histories. Did you know calculate" comes from the Latin for pebble," because ancient Romans used little stones to do addition and subtraction? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all (with AP inputs) About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 20:08 IST News world Doomscroll, Ghostkitchen, Rizz Among 5,000 New Words Added In Merriam-Webster Dictionary 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... For Second Time This Week, Denmark Airport Closed After Drones Spotted Nearby Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 05:30 IST Aalborg Airport closed after drone sightings, disrupting flights. Police investigate as Europe remains on alert after recent Russian drone violations. Police has launched an investigation into the matter and have not yet determined the person controlling the drones or what their purpose is (File Image via X) The airspace over Denmarks Aalborg Airport was closed after drones were spotted flying nearby, airport authorities said on Wednesday. CNN quoted FlightRadar24 as saying that at least three inbound flights have been redirected, while two outbound flights and one inbound have been canceled. Recommended Stories Following this incident, police launched an investigation into the matter and have not yet determined the person controlling the drones or what their purpose is. This was the second time this week that an airport in Denmark was closed due to drones. On Monday, two or three large drones were seen near Copenhagen airport. This halted all take-offs and landings for nearly four hours. CNN quoted Denmarks National Police Commissioner Thorkild Fogde saying on Tuesday that they were not amateur or hobby drones, but rather large drones that likely had a capable operator, though police had not yet identified who was behind it. Meanwhile, the airport over Oslo airport was closed for around three hours Tuesday morning due to a separate drone sighting. However, Fogde confirmed that there was no indication the Copenhagen incident was linked to the drone sighting in Oslo. This comes amid high alert in Europe since Russian drones violated both Polish and Romanian airspace earlier this month. Following this, NATO fighter jets shot down Russian drones that illegally entered the Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine. Days later, NATO intercepted three Russian jets that violated Estonian airspace. Romania has also claimed that a Russian drone violated its airspace during an attack on Ukraine. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he believes NATO members should shoot down Russian aircraft if they violate allied airspace. On Monday, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz condemned Russias repeated incursions of NATO territory and emphasised that the United States and its allies will defend every inch of NATO territory". Location : Denmark First Published: September 25, 2025, 05:30 IST News world For Second Time This Week, Denmark Airport Closed After Drones Spotted Nearby 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 Al-Qaeda To UN: Syrias Al-Sharaa Debuts Amid Cheers, Chats With US General Who Captured Him Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 10:06 IST From insurgent leader to Syrias president, al-Sharaa takes the UN stage to cheers and a rare interviewed with the US general who once captured him. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS) Once one of the worlds most wanted men, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was once better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is now being celebrated in New York. The former head of Syrias al-Nusra Front, who once had a $10 million bounty on his head for orchestrating multiple attacks across Syria, stood this week before cheering crowds outside the United Nations as he prepared for his first-ever address as Syrias president. In a surreal twist, he later took the stage for a rare interview with retired US General David Petraeus, the very officer once responsible for his capture. Recommended Stories According to a report by Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera, Sharaa and retired four-star US General David Petraeus both acknowledged the peculiarity of the moment when they shared the stage. Petraeus had commanded US forces in Iraq and was directly involved in al-Sharaas capture and imprisonment from 2006 to 2011 for opposing the invasion. He later went on to serve as CIA director. Enemies Interview Each Other After his release, Sharaa founded the al-Nusra Front in 2012 to fight Bashar al-Assad. The group severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016 and merged with other factions a year later to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), still led by Sharaa. HTS was labelled a terrorist organisation" by the US in 2018 over past links to al-Qaeda, but the designation was revoked in July as Washington adjusted its policy toward post-Assad Syria. It is good that at one time we were in combat, and now we are in dialogue," Sharaa said, smiling at his former adversary. Someone who went through war is one who knows best the importance of peace." Videos shared by Al-Arabiya on its social media handles showed people waving Syrian flags outside the UN General Assembly and the hotel where al-Sharaa was staying as Americans there cheered him on. Cheers And Protests His talk at the fireside chat" organised by the Middle East Institute held at one of Manhattans most sought-after venues, an ornate private members club was packed, the Guardian reported. Businesspeople, diplomats and journalists listened as Sharaa reflected on his journey from jihadist to statesman. Syrians gather outside the UN General Assembly to celebrate Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaas expected speech in New York.#Syria #US #UN pic.twitter.com/uhldWUmxMC Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) September 24, 2025 Anyone watching a child being killed in the streets will revolt. The pressure led people to seek solutions within the scope of the means available to them," he said in Arabic, according to a live translation accessed by the newspaper. Pulling It Off An US official told the newspaper that Sharaas current path is carefully observed by the US and other international actors. Officials see him as Syrias best chance to avoid a return to civil war, even as they encourage him to moderate his remarks on Israel. He is jumping through the hoops to show that he can be a world leader, not just a fighter," the US official was quoted as saying. All of this is very carefully calibrated So far, he is pulling it off". However, there were some scenes of protests as well. Photos released by the news agency Reuters showed some protesting against al-Sharaa, holding placards connecting him to ISIS and Osama Bin Laden. al-Sharaa is the first Syrian president in decades to address the UNs annual week of high-level diplomacy. Addressing the gathering, he said: Syria has transformed from an exporter of crisis to an opportunity for peace. I guarantee to bring to justice and hold everyone accountable who was responsible for the bloodshed. In this context, Israeli strikes and attacks against my country continue, contradicting the international support for Syria and threatening new crises". He said Syria was committed to a ceasefire agreement reached after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which Israel has declared at least temporarily void after Sharaas forces toppled Assad in December. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In the face of this aggression, Syria is committed to dialogue, and were committed to the Disengagement of Forces Agreement of 1974," Sharaa said. We call on the international community to stand beside us in the face of these attacks." About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c... Read More Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 09:31 IST News world From Al-Qaeda To UN: Syrias Al-Sharaa Debuts Amid Cheers, Chats With US General Who Captured Him Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... In First Address To Nation, Nepal PM Karki Calls On Citizens To Participate In March 2026 Polls Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:52 IST Karki called upon all Nepali citizens to participate in the upcoming elections in March 2026 and said a peaceful environment was needed for free and fair polls. Nepal PM Sushila Karki addressing the nation on Thursday. (Reuters) Nepals interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Thursday addressed the nation for the first time since taking charge, where she called on Nepali citizens, political parties and relevant stakeholders to actively participate in the March 2026 elections to find a way out of the complex situation caused by the violent Gen-Z protests earlier this month. Nepal experienced a tumultuous week when angry Gen-Z citizens took to the streets against a social media ban, demanding accountability from authorities against rampant corruption and economic mismanagement. The protests escalated when police opened fire on protesters, resulting in the toppling of KP Sharma Olis government. Recommended Stories During her address, Karki said, To find a way out of this complex situation, the government has already started preliminary work for the general election by holding the election in a free, fair and fear-free environment by March 5, after discussing with the Election Commission officials the necessary manpower, budget, election materials, security and legal arrangements." She further said that Nepals election law has been amended to provide voting rights to the younger generation who have reached the age of 18, and to extend the voter list. She called upon all Nepali citizens to participate in the upcoming elections. I would like to call on all Nepali sisters and brothers to participate enthusiastically in the upcoming elections of the House of Representatives and to select qualified peoples representatives who can represent the aspirations of the youth for change. I also call on all political parties, civil society, the media and all relevant stakeholders to actively participate in the successful conduct of free, fearless and fair election," Karki said in her appeal to the nation. A peaceful environment is essential for the conduct of the elections. Therefore, I request all sisters and brothers residing in all geographical areas of the country to maintain a peaceful environment with patience," she added. Karki was appointed as the head of the caretaker administration in Nepal following the resignation of former PM KP Sharma Oli after the violent protests, vowing to lead the country through a six-month transitional period leading up to the general election scheduled on March 5, 2026. Since the issues raised by the Gen-Z generation during the movement, including the amendment of Nepals constitution and governance system, are beyond the purview of the current interim government, I would like to urge the general Nepali people, including the young generation, who are in favour of change, to participate in the upcoming elections and amend the constitution through the constitutional process," Karki clarified. At least 59 protesters, 10 prisoners, and three policemen were killed in the recent protests in Nepal. Karki had earlier announced that those killed during the Gen Z protest on September 8 and 9 would be declared martyrs". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The interim government has set up a panel to investigate the violence. Rameshwore Khanal, who Karki put in charge of the finance ministry, said the three-member panel headed by retired judge Gauri Bahadur Karki had been given three months to complete the probe, according to Reuters. (with inputs from agencies) About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More Location : Kathmandu, Nepal First Published: September 25, 2025, 21:50 IST News world In First Address To Nation, Nepal PM Karki Calls On Citizens To Participate In March 2026 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... Malaysian operators, CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, Telekom Malaysia and YTL Communications have unveiled plans to launch a new federated network service via the GSMA Open Gateway initiative to help online businesses combat fraud and digital identity theft. The new Federated Open Gateway will be designed to provide enterprise developers at banks and online retailers with federated access to the Number Verification API, one of several completed open network APIs under GSMA Open Gateway based on the international CAMARA standard. The Number Verification API allows businesses to verify a mobile users identity by matching their phone number against real-time network data, potentially making it a more secure replacement for SMS one-time passwords (OTPs). While Malaysian telcos have already adopted the Number Verification API for their own use, developers still have to create apps using the API for each individual operator. A federated approach helps developers build a service that can work with every participating operator, while allowing each operator to keep control of its data, policy and revenue. The software provides an interface, interoperability and cross-market coverage, so companies can easily connect their services to any mobile network in the federation. Global and regional initiatives such as Aduna (spearheaded and announced by Ericsson in September 2024, and launched in January 2025) and the Bridge Alliance API Exchange (BAEx) launched in July 2024 aim to establish a more collective approach to open network APIs. Maxis dipped its toes in the federation paradigm last year after signing a deal with Singtel to federate two Open Gateway APIs, Device Location and Number Verification. Thai telco AIS was also part of that federation via a separate deal with Singtel. In July this year, Maxis signed a partnership deal with Aduna to drive adoption of standardised network APIs in Malaysia. Building on this foundation, we are fully committed to this industry-wide collaboration to accelerate API-driven innovation, creating a more seamless mobile experience and building a more secure digital Malaysia for everyone, said Maxis CEO Goh Seow Eng in a joint statement. Taking a federated approach to security based on network APIs will allow telcos to help enterprises combat fraud on a larger scale, said Julian Gorman, head of Asia Pacific at GSMA. Online scams and fraud are a growing concern for everyone across the ASEAN region and unless tackled properly could erode public trust in the digital economy, he said. By providing banks and online commerce sites with standardized, seamless access to the rich mobile functionality available in networks, we can help accelerate industrys efforts to tackle online crime. The move in Malaysia comes less than a week after Indonesian telcos Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and XLSmart formed an alliance to adopt and promote a unified network API protocol that will power six solutions focused on protecting customers against account hacking or fraud. India Sends Fresh Aid To Quake-Hit Afghanistan, Relief Reaches Kabul Via Chabahar Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 22:57 IST This is the third batch of Indian assistance sent to support those affected by last months earthquake in Afghanistan, which killed over 2,200 people The latest shipment, consisting of three container loads of relief materials, had arrived in the Afghan's capital via the Chabahar port. (Image via X/@MEAIndia) India on Thursday said a fresh consignment of humanitarian aid for Afghanistan, following last months devastating earthquake, has reached Kabul. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the latest shipment, consisting of three container loads of relief materials, had arrived in the Afghans capital via the Chabahar port and was handed over to the authorities. Recommended Stories The consignment includes a wide range of essential items such as food supplies, water purifiers, protein powder, tin sheets, sleeping bags, hygiene kits, water storage tanks, generator sets, family tents, blankets, essential medicines, and other medical goods. In a post on social media platform X, the MEA said, In continuation of Indias humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in the wake of recent earthquake, 3 container loads of supplies of relief materials arrived in Kabul via Chabahar today and were handed over to Afghan authorities." In continuation of s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in the wake of recent earthquake, 3 container loads of supplies of relief materials arrived in Kabul via Chabahar today and were handed over to Afghan authorities.The consignment consisted of food items, water pic.twitter.com/zxqPpjoEtt Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) September 25, 2025 This is the third batch of Indian assistance sent to support those affected by the earthquake. The 6.0-magnitude tremor, which struck on August 31, claimed nearly 2,200 lives and displaced more than 23,000 people, making it one of the deadliest quakes to hit Afghanistan in recent decades. The disaster adds to the countrys ongoing struggles with poverty, prolonged drought, and the forced return of Afghan nationals from neighbouring countries following the Talibans return to power in 2021. Indias first shipment of relief materials was sent on September 1, which included tents for 1,000 families in Kabul. Additionally, 15 tonnes of food items were transported from Kabul to the Kunar province by the Indian Mission. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The second airlifted batch, sent on September 2, included 21 tonnes of supplies such as blankets, tents, hygiene kits, water tanks, portable water purifiers, sleeping bags, essential medicines, wheelchairs, hand sanitisers, water purification tablets, ORS packets, and other medical essentials. ALSO READ: Why India Sent Earthquake Aid To Afghanistan Via Kabul And Not Delhi | Explained 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 25, 2025, 22:57 IST News world India Sends Fresh Aid To Quake-Hit Afghanistan, Relief Reaches Kabul Via Chabahar 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... 'Financing War Against Themselves': US Treasury Secretary Explains How Europe Is Funding Russia Curated By : Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:20 IST President Donald Trump has imposed a total of 50% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. Bessent said Europe is buying the refined oil from India, which is importing Russian oil. (Photo: AFP file) US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that India will slowly reduce Russian oil purchases while hitting out at Europe for allegedly financing the war against itself. Bessent said Europe is buying the refined oil from India, which is importing Russian oil. Recommended Stories President Trump unilaterally put 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. I think India will slowly wean itself of that (reduce oil purchases from Russia). But the perverse thing is that Europe is buying the oil that India refines. Europeans are financing the war against themselves," the Treasury Secretary told Fox News. Bessents remark comes as Indian and US officials are negotiating for a trade deal. President Donald Trump has imposed a total of 50% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, a move New Delhi called unfair, unjustified and unreasonable." India has said it will take all actions necessary to protect its national interest. Addressing the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), US President Donald Trump has reiterated that China and India are the primary funders" of the ongoing Ukraine war by continuing to purchase Russian oil, but said that even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Theyre funding the war against themselves. Who the hell ever heard of that one? In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs, which would stop the bloodshed, I believe, very quickly. For those tariffs to be effective, European nations, all of you are gathered here right now, would have to join us in adopting the exact same measures," he said. Earlier, Chris Wright, Secretary for the US Department of Energy, advised India to buy oil from every nation in the world but not Russia. Thats our position. America has oil to sell, so does everybody else. We dont want to punish India. We want to end the war, and we want to grow our relations with India," he said. About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 15:00 IST News world 'Financing War Against Themselves': US Treasury Secretary Explains How Europe Is Funding Russia Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Iran, Bagram & More: As Donald Trump, Shehbaz Sharif Meet Today, Here's What Is On The Agenda Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:20 IST The United States seeks to further leverage Pakistans geographic and strategic influence, particularly as Iran aggressively pursues uranium enrichment and nuclear capabilities Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Donald Trump (left) and Shehbaz Sharif. (PTI) Thursdays impending meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US President Donald Trump, to be joined by Pakistans Army Chief Asim Munir, is set against dramatic regional shifts following US strikes on Iran after covert Pakistani help. The United States seeks to further leverage Pakistans geographic and strategic influence, particularly as Iran aggressively pursues uranium enrichment and nuclear capabilities. Irans Angle & Regional Security Recommended Stories Washingtons current engagement with Pakistan follows a precedent: after President Trumps last White House meeting with Asim Munir, the US launched significant strikes on Iranian nuclear assets, reportedly benefitting from covert support routed through Pakistan. The new summit with Shehbaz Sharif is expected to deepen US-Pakistan coordination against Iran, possibly involving intelligence sharing, base access, and indirect military logistics, with Irans nuclear ambitions fueling US urgency. Pakistan-Saudi Defence Pact & Nuclear Concerns Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have just formalised a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, signed on September 17. This pact pledges mutual response to any aggression, effectively putting Saudi Arabia under Pakistans nuclear umbrella for the first time, ending Israels monopoly in the region. The US is closely monitoring this development, concerned about potential technology sharing or direct nuclear cooperation that could shift the regional balance and embolden other Gulf states to seek similar arrangements. Experts argue this agreement binds Pakistans security apparatus and nuclear capabilities to Riyadh, raising the costs of Pakistan-Iran collaboration and deterring Iranian nuclear ambitions. Bagram Airbase & Broader Agenda top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The summit may also cover prospective US leasing of Afghanistans Bagram Airbase via Pakistani intermediariesa move that would extend US reach and flexibility in the region and could be part of larger US plans to contain both Iranian and Taliban-linked activities. Additional discussions may focus on resource extraction (oil and minerals), finance (including cryptocurrency), and the future road map for Palestine. The Afghan Taliban, in a high-level leadership meeting held in Kandahar, has vowed to fully prepare for a renewed war if the United States attempts to retake Bagram Air Base, and warned that any cooperation by Pakistan with such US efforts would place Islamabad in direct confrontation with the Taliban. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 15:20 IST News world Iran, Bagram & More: As Donald Trump, Shehbaz Sharif Meet Today, Here's What Is On The Agenda Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Israel Launches Airstrikes On Yemen's Capital In Response To Drone Attack, 2 Killed Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 22:28 IST Israel attacked several Houthi-held targets in their latest airstrikes on Sanaa in response to a drone attack that struck Israel's Eliat city on Wednesday. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Israel has launched several airstrikes at Houthi-controlled Yemen in retaliation for drone and missile attacks by the Iran-backed group. (AFP/File) Israel launched airstrikes on Yemens capital, Sanaa on Thursday, killing two people, in response to a drone attack that struck an Israeli resort, according to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Israeli forces struck several Houthi-linked targets in the rebel-held capital, warning of more attacks to come, said Israeli officials. Houthi spokesman Anees Alasbahi provided a preliminary toll of two dead and 48 wounded. Recommended Stories Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Israel had just dealt a powerful blow to numerous terror targets of the Houthi terror organisation in Sanaa" and eliminated dozens of terror operatives and destroyed stockpiles of drones and other weaponry. Explosions were heard, followed by large plumes of smoke from three areas in the Yemeni capital after the Israeli airstrikes, reported AFP. Israel Warns Of Future Attacks According to the Israeli military, the targets included the general staff headquarters of the Houthis and other security and intelligence sites, including some used to store weapons and plan and execute" attacks on Israel. The groups military public relations headquarters were also targeted. The military said Israel would conduct additional offensive operations against the Houthi regime in the near future". Meanwhile, the Houthi-run media said a power station and two residential neighbourhoods had been targeted in the strikes. This came after a drone launched from Yemen struck the southern Israeli city of Eilat on Wednesday, injuring 22 people. The Israeli military attributed the attack to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have regularly fired drones and missiles at Israel, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz warned of a severe response to the drone attack. In August, Israel assassinated the head of the Houthi government Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi together with other senior officials. The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Israel since the Gaza war began and have targeted ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden that they allege are connected to Israel. The rebel group controls large parts of Yemen, which has been gripped by war since 2014, and is part of Irans so-called Axis of Resistance. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More Location : Jerusalem, Israel First Published: September 25, 2025, 22:26 IST News world Israel Launches Airstrikes On Yemen's Capital In Response To Drone Attack, 2 Killed 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... Manipulating, Blinding, Destroying: German Minister Says Russia Is Shadowing Satellites Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 19:56 IST German Defence Minister warns of Russian satellites shadowing Intelsat, urging global talks on space warfare amid rising European tensions. Western defence officials have increasingly identified space as a critical frontier. (Representational Image) German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned about the growing threat posed by Russian space activities, citing concerns that Moscow is using satellites to shadow those relied upon by Germany and its allies. Speaking at a space conference in Berlin, Boris Pistorius said two Russian Luch Olymp satellites had been tracking Intelsat satellites, which are used by German armed forces among others. Russia and China have expanded their capabilities for warfare in space rapidly over the past years: They can disrupt satellite operations, blind satellites, manipulate or kinetically destroy them," Boris Pistorius said. He stressed the need for international talks on developing offensive capabilities in space as a deterrent. Recommended Stories Wider Concerns In Europe The warning comes amid a string of security incidents across Europe linked to Russias ongoing war in Ukraine. Denmark this week reported drones flying over multiple airports, forcing temporary shutdowns at Copenhagen, Aalborg and Billund. Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen described the incursions as the work of a professional actor" in what he called a hybrid attack," though there was no direct evidence of Russian involvement. Poland, Estonia and Romania have also reported breaches of their airspace in recent weeks, with Russian drones or jets entering NATO territory. NATO officials have warned the alliance would use all necessary military and non-military tools" to defend its members against such provocations. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Space As The Next Battleground? Western defence officials have increasingly identified space as a critical frontier. Satellites are vital for military communications, navigation and intelligence, making them key targets in any escalation. Russia has long been accused of developing anti-satellite technologies while China has demonstrated similar capabilities. Location : Russia First Published: September 25, 2025, 19:56 IST News world Manipulating, Blinding, Destroying: German Minister Says Russia Is Shadowing Satellites 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... Netanyahus Flight To US For UN Meet Takes Unusual Route Amid War Crimes Arrest Threat Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 17:51 IST Netanyahu's flight briefly passed over Greece and Italy, it entirely avoided French and Spanish airspace, extending the overall flight duration Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu | File Image: AFP Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus flight to the United States took an unusual detour to avoid European airspace where an outstanding arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes could be enforced. Netanyahu left Tel Aviv on Wednesday evening to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and to meet US President Donald Trump. Recommended Stories Normally, flights from Tel Aviv to New York fly over several European countries such as France, Spain, Italy, and Greece. However, flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed Netanyahus plane taking a longer route over the Mediterranean Sea and through the Strait of Gibraltar. While it briefly passed over Greece and Italy, it entirely avoided French and Spanish airspace, extending the overall flight duration. The Israeli Prime Ministers Office has not publicly explained the reason for this unusual flight path. Netanyahus last trip to the US in July flew over Greece, Italy, and France, making this new route a clear change. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last November. He is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israels military actions in Gaza. European countries that are members of the ICC could potentially arrest him if his plane entered their airspace or landed in their territory. Neither Israel nor the US are members of the ICC, which adds a layer of complexity to the situation. Meanwhile, a French diplomatic source told news agency AFP that France had authorised Netanyahus use of its airspace, but flight tracking data shows the plane avoided it. Recently, several European countries, including Britain, France, Portugal, Ireland, and Spain, have recognised a Palestinian state, a move Netanyahu strongly opposed. Spain has also announced support for the ICCs investigation into alleged human rights violations in Gaza and is actively probing the matter. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Friday and is due to meet Trump at the White House next week. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : Israel First Published: September 25, 2025, 17:48 IST News world Netanyahus Flight To US For UN Meet Takes Unusual Route Amid War Crimes Arrest Threat 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 Allowed To Say Bye To Family': 73-Year-Old Punjabi Woman Deported From US After 33 Years Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 19:12 IST Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old woman from Punjab, was deported from the US after more than three decades. Harjit Kaur arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on September 23. A 73-year-old woman from Punjab has been deported from the United States after more than three decades, in a move immigrant rights advocates described as cruel and unnecessary. Harjit Kaur arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on September 23 after being put on a chartered flight by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to her lawyer Deepak Ahluwalia. Deepak Ahluwalia said Harjit Kaur was suddenly taken from Bakersfield to Los Angeles on Sunday night, flown to Georgia and then transferred to New Delhi. He alleged her journey back was marked by harsh treatment, including shackling, confinement in bare concrete cells and denial of basic amenities. Recommended Stories She was not even allowed to say goodbye to her family or collect her belongings," Deepak Ahluwalia said, calling the deportation inhumane." The Sikh Coalition, which has taken up Harjit Kaurs case, described the deportation as beyond unacceptable," citing her age, widowhood and medical conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes. Her detention began on September 8, when she went for what she thought was a routine check-in at the San Francisco ICE office. Instead, she was arrested and transferred between detention facilities in Fresno and Bakersfield, where her family said she had inconsistent access to prescribed medication. Harjit Kaur migrated to the US in 1992 as a single mother. She worked as a seamstress in an Indian saree shop, paid taxes and volunteered at gurdwaras. Her asylum application was rejected and a removal order was issued in 2005. For more than 13 years she complied with ICE protocols, including check-ins and work permit renewals while awaiting delayed travel documents from the Indian consulate. Her sudden removal prompted protests in California as hundreds gathered in El Sobrante with signs reading Hands off our grandma" and Harjit Kaur belongs here." Congressman John Garamendi, California Senator Jesse Arreguin and other local leaders urged ICE to halt the deportation, describing it as a misplaced priority." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ICE defended its actions, noting, Harjit Kaur has filed multiple appeals all the way up to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and lost each time. Now that she has exhausted all legal remedies, ICE is enforcing US law and the orders by the judge; she will not waste any more US tax dollars." Rights groups, however, said her case highlighted the human cost of stepped-up deportations under the Trump administration. The Sikh Coalition said, This deportation is not just about one grandmother. It is about the systemic cruelty inflicted on immigrant families who have lived, worked and served their communities in America for decades." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 19:12 IST News world 'Not Allowed To Say Bye To Family': 73-Year-Old Punjabi Woman Deported From US After 33 Years 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... October 7 Attack Created 'Golden Moment' For Palestinian Cause: Hamas Official Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 26, 2025, 02:55 IST Ghazi Hamad called the October 7 Hamas attack a golden moment for the Palestinian cause, denying responsibility for Gaza deaths and rejecting claims of hostage abuse The Hamas militants had killed 1,200 people in Israel on October 7 and took more than 250 as hostages. A senior Hamas official has claimed that the attack carried out on October7, 2023, in Israel created a golden moment" for the Palestinian cause. You know what is the benefit of October 7th now? If you look to the (United Nations) General Assembly yesterday, when about 194 people opened their eyes and looked to the atrocity, to brutality of Israel and all of them, they condemned Israel. We waited for this moment for 77 years," said Ghazi Hamad in an interview two weeks after surviving an Israeli air strike on a Hamas compound in Doha. Recommended Stories The Hamas militants had killed 1,200 people in Israel on October 7 and took more than 250 as hostages. I think this is a golden moment for the world to change the history," he said while being unapologetic about deaths of thousands of Palestinians since the attack. His comments came the same day as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the October 7 attack and said that Hamas would have no role in Palestinian state in the future. You could not exclude Hamas from the Palestinian questions and Palestinian situation, because Hamas is playing a positive role," Hamad said. On being questioned by CNN on whether Hamas shares some culpability on whether the attacks were worth the thousands who have died in Gaza, the senior Hamas official refused to accept even some responsibility and said: I know the price (is) so high, but Im asking again, what is the option?" top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On the question of whether Hamas was using the hostages to deter Israels invasion, Hamad denied that Hamas is using the remaining hostages as human shields and insisted that they are all treated with Islamic principles." On the claims by some of the freed hostages that they were sexually abused, Hamad said that there is no one proof to prove that we use these things against people." Location : Doha, Qatar First Published: September 26, 2025, 02:55 IST News world October 7 Attack Created 'Golden Moment' For Palestinian Cause: Hamas Official 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... Palestine Ready To Work With Global Leaders For Two-State Peace Plan: President Abbas Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 23:42 IST Mahmoud Abbas backs France's two-state peace plan at UNGA, condemns Hamas and Israel's actions in Gaza, urges global recognition of Palestinian state, and calls for UN membership. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was barred from travelling to New York to appear in person when he and 80 other Palestinian officials had their visas revoked by the US state department last month. (AFP) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the country is ready to work with global leaders to implement the two-state peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians announced by France on Monday, BBC reported. Speaking through a video at the United Nations General Assembly, Abbas reiterated his rejection of a probable governing role for Hamas in Gaza and demanded it disarm. He also condemned the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Recommended Stories In his speech, the Palestinian President condemned Israels continuous military offensive in Gaza and accused it of committing one of the most horrific humanitarian tragedies of the 20th and 21st Centuries." According to BBC, Abbas was barred from travelling to New York to appear in person when he and 80 other Palestinian officials had their visas revoked by the US State Department last month. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had accused the Palestinian leaders of undermining peace efforts and for seeking the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state." In his speech at the UNGA, the Palestinian President said there would be national efforts toward reform, including holding presidential and parliamentary elections within one year of the wars end." We want a democratic, modern state committed to international law, rule of law, pluralism, peaceful transfer of power, and the empowerment of women and youth," he said. In view of multiple countries recognising the Palestinian state, he urged others to do the same and asked the UN to grant it full membership. During the UNGA meet, Canada, Australia, the UK, Portugal, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, and Denmark recognised the Palestinian state. According to BBC, Abbas endorsed the peace plan announced by French President Emmanuel Macron at Mondays summit, which was co-chaired by Saudi Arabia. The plan called for the simultaneous release of the 48 remaining hostages held by Hamas with an end to Israeli military operations across Gaza. We urge the Israeli leadership to seize this opportunity for peace, and to issue a clear public commitment to the Two-State solution, immediately end violence and incitement against Palestinians, halt all settlement, land grabs, and annexation activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and put an end to settlers violence," France said in a statement. Later, Israels foreign minister Gideon Saar responded to Abbas speech on X, saying he has not fulfilled his commitment to fight terrorism and accused the Palestinian leader of wearing a lapel pin that signals Israels elimination. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all To the West he speaks nice words. But his own people are supposed to draw conclusions from the key he wears on the lapel of his suit. This is the code. This is the symbol of flooding Israel with the descendants of the descendants of the Arabs of Israel who left the country in 1948, and of Israels elimination," he said. According to Reuters, the key that Abbas wore on his left lapel symbolises the hope of Palestinian refugees to one day return to the homes and properties lost during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War a mass displacement Palestinians call the Nakba, or catastrophe." Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 23:42 IST News world Palestine Ready To Work With Global Leaders For Two-State Peace Plan: President Abbas 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... Palestinian President's Key-Shaped Suit Pin At UN Draws Israeli Ire: 'Unmistakable Symbol' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 20:53 IST For Palestinians, the key represents the loss of homes and homeland in 1948, and the hope of returning Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered his speech to the UNGA via video after the US denied him a visa to attend in person. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has sparked a sharp reaction from Israel after wearing a small, key-shaped lapel pin during his video address to the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. The symbolic accessory, worn on his suit, was interpreted by Israel as a political message, one it described as an unmistakable symbol" of erasing Israel. Recommended Stories The 89-year-old Palestinian leader delivered his speech to the UNGA via video after the United States denied him a visa to attend in person. On Thursday, Israels Foreign Ministry shared a screenshot of Abbass virtual address on X, showing the key-shaped pin on his suit, accompanied by a strongly worded statement. The dangerous duplicity of Mahmoud Abbas. In his speech addressing the UN General Assembly he wore a key" pin an unmistakable symbol of his goal of erasing Israel.While Hamas called the October 7 massacre the Al-Aqsa Flood", Abbas wants his own flood under the guise of two pic.twitter.com/ET1hqIGDfN Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) September 24, 2025 The dangerous duplicity of Mahmoud Abbas. In his speech addressing the UN General Assembly he wore a key" pin an unmistakable symbol of his goal of erasing Israel," the ministry wrote. The ministry continued, While Hamas called the October 7 massacre the Al-Aqsa Flood", Abbas wants his own flood under the guise of two states: millions of descendants of Arabs who left Israel in 1948 pushed into Israel to erase the only Jewish State." Israel further stated that, historically, the Arab world had declared war on Israel in 1948, and claimed that more Jews were expelled from Arab countries to Israel than the number of Arabs who left Israel during that time. The Israeli post went on accusing Abbas of following the old PLO plan to flood Israel with refugees under the guise of a two-state solution. It called on Arab countries hosting Palestinians to grant them full citizenship instead. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Abbass key" is the old PLO plan: two states for one Palestinian people and the destruction of the Jewish State. This will not happen," it added. For Palestinians, the key is a powerful symbol," Al Arabiya reported. It represents the loss of homes and homeland in 1948, and the hope of returning. Many Palestinian families still hold physical keys passed down through generations, a reminder of the homes they were forced to leave. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : Israel First Published: September 25, 2025, 20:43 IST News world Palestinian President's Key-Shaped Suit Pin At UN Draws Israeli Ire: 'Unmistakable Symbol' 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... Pentagon Chief Summons Hundreds Of US Generals To Virginia For Unusual Meet: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 23:14 IST Hundreds of US generals and admirals were ordered to meet Pentagon boss Pete Hegseth in Virginia, sparking speculation. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth | File Image/AP Hundreds of US generals and admirals stationed across the globe have been ordered to gather in Virginia next week for a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CNN reported citing officials in the know. The sudden directive, which caught even senior officers off guard, fueled speculation across the military. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia but the purpose of the gathering remains unclear, with no official explanation given by the Pentagon. Even those ordered to attend reportedly dont seem to know what the meeting is about", as per the report. Recommended Stories Why Calling The Meeting Is Unusual? The large-scale summoning of general and flag officers- those ranked one star or higher- is highly unusual. A source familiar with the situation told CNN that theories ranged from a group fitness test to a briefing on the state of the Defense Department or even mass firings of officers. The unusual move has also raised security concerns about placing so many high-ranking officers in one location. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that Pete Hegseth would be addressing his senior military leaders early next week" without providing details about the agenda or clarifying whether all general and flag officers were ordered to attend. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The order comes as the Donald Trump administration has overseen sweeping changes within the senior military leadership. Since taking office in January, several high-ranking officers have been dismissed, including former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, former Chief of Naval Operations and Adm. Linda Fagan, former Commandant of the Coast Guard. In May, Pete Hegseth ordered the Defense Department to cut the number of four-star generals and admirals by at least 20%. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 23:14 IST News world Pentagon Chief Summons Hundreds Of US Generals To Virginia For Unusual Meet: 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... 'PM Modi, Trump May Meet Soon': US Official Stresses 'Positive' Ties With India Despite Tariff Row Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 08:31 IST A senior US State Department official said PM Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump are likely to meet soon, highlighting their very positive relationship. PM Modi with Donald Trump (Photo: PTI) A senior official from the US State Department has suggested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are likely to meet in the coming days, underlining that both leaders share a positive" relationship. Speaking to news agency ANI, the official also acknowledged that India and the United States are working through a period of diplomatic friction, but stressed that the ties between the two countries remain on a positive trajectory" despite Donald Trumps public expressions of frustration. Recommended Stories The remarks came after the official was questioned on the seemingly contradictory messages emanating from Washington, where officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasise the strategic importance of the partnership while simultaneously imposing trade restrictions and publicly criticising New Delhis policies. Im sure youll see the two (PM Modi and Donald Trump) meet. They have a very, very positive relationship," the official was quoted as saying. Plans are also underway for a Quad Summit involving the four Indo-Pacific partners, potentially scheduled for later this year or early 2026," he said. Speaking on the tariff row between India and the United States, the official said, The current diplomatic tensions reflect the complex nature of US-India relations, where strategic partnership goals must be balanced against specific policy disagreements." While Trumps direct communication style has created some friction, both sides appear committed to maintaining and expanding their cooperation." The frequency of high-level meetings and the priority given to India in the new administrations diplomatic calendar suggest that Washington views the relationship as too important to be derailed by current disputes," the official, who was not named, told ANI. Speaking further on Donald Trump, the official said, The President is not shy about when he is frustrated with countries. Youll see it on Truth Social. This is one of the most transparent administrations in history." The official also said that the relevance of the relationship between the two nations is evident in the frequency of high-level engagements. Secretary of State Marco Rubios first official act after taking office was to meet with the Quad grouping, comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia, followed immediately by bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first foreign leaders to visit the White House after Trumps inauguration, meeting the President in the Oval Office within two weeks," the official added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all When you step back from this brief moment, and look at the relationship, it is really on a positive trajectory, and its only expanding," the official noted. ALSO READ | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir To Meet Donald Trump In Washington On Thursday About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: September 25, 2025, 08:19 IST News world 'PM Modi, Trump May Meet Soon': US Official Stresses 'Positive' Ties With India Despite Tariff Row 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 Running Out Of Fuel? Kremlin Bans Exports After Ukraine Drone Strikes Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 21:30 IST Russia extended its fuel export ban amid worsening gasoline and diesel shortages, especially in Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission in Perm, Russia. (AP photo) Russia extended its ban on fuel exports until the end of the year as gasoline and diesel shortages worsen across the country and in occupied Crimea, following a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries, fuel trains and pumping stations. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced the embargo, saying some diesel fuel exports would also be restricted. Alexander Novak acknowledged there was indeed a slight shortage of petroleum products" but insisted supplies were being covered by accumulated reserves." Recommended Stories Drone Strikes Disrupt Supply Chains Kyiv has stepped up drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, targeting oil refineries and fuel storage sites in an effort to disrupt supply chains. The Ukrainian Air Force said it struck multiple facilities this week, including a major refinery in Bashkortostan operated by Gazprom. Russian officials initially blamed the shortages on logistical reasons" and promised an easing of supply constraints but reports from across the country indicate the situation has deteriorated. The pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia reported that gas stations in several regions have begun rationing fuel, limiting the amount each customer can buy. Independent outlet Kommersant said the situation is especially severe in Crimea, where about half of gas pumps are now out of service. The Russian-imposed governor of the occupied peninsula admitted to reduced production" at refineries. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Videos circulating on social media show long queues at the few functioning gas stations. The Telegram channel Crimean Wind reported that Sevastopol was completely out of gasoline this week, with tankers emptied within hours of arrival. Prices have jumped by about a third compared to last month. Russia is one of the worlds largest producers of diesel fuel and energy exports are a major source of state revenue. Moscow had already restricted gasoline exports earlier this year- first partially in March, then more widely in July- but the latest blanket ban shows Kremlins struggle to contain the fallout from Ukraines intensified strikes. Location : Russia First Published: September 25, 2025, 21:30 IST News world Russia Running Out Of Fuel? Kremlin Bans Exports After Ukraine Drone Strikes 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... Skull Unearthed In China Points To Earlier Origins Of Modern Humans: Study Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 26, 2025, 02:28 IST The skull was unearthed in China's Hubei Province in 1990. However, the skull was badly deformed during fossilisation. The researchers used sophisticated scanning and digital reconstruction techniques to determine the original shape of the skull, which is between 940,000 and 1.1 million years old, and compared it to more than 100 other human fossils. (Representative Image) A million-year-old human skull found in China has suggested that our species, Homo sapiens, likely began to emerge at least half a million years earlier than was thought, according to researchers. The skull was unearthed in Chinas Hubei Province in 1990. However, the skull was badly deformed during fossilisation. Recommended Stories According to Reuters, researchers used sophisticated scanning anrwr4d digital reconstruction techniques to determine the original shape of the skull, which is between 940,000 and 1.1 million years old, and compared it to more than 100 other human fossils. It has a long, low skull and receding forehead behind a strong browridge, but the estimated brain size is the largest so far for any hominin of that age. The face is big but with flat and forward-facing cheekbones, and a large nose with a projecting nasal bridge, but without the midfacial prominence we find in Neanderthals," anthropologist and study co-author Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London said. BBC quoted the scientists as saying that their analysis totally changes" our understanding of human evolution and, if correct, it would certainly rewrite a key early chapter in our history. The research, published in the journal Science, was done by a team that included scientists from a university in China and the UKs Natural History Museum. From the very beginning, when we got the result, we thought it was unbelievable. How could that be so deep into the past?" said Prof Xijun Ni of Fudan University, who co-led the analysis. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all But we tested it again and again to test all the models, use all the methods, and we are now confident about the result, and were actually very excited." According to CNN, the skull is one of the two partially mineralised specimens unearthed in 1989 and 1990 in an area known as Yunxian in Shiyan, located in Hubei province in central China. Location : China First Published: September 26, 2025, 02:28 IST News world Skull Unearthed In China Points To Earlier Origins Of Modern Humans: Study 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... 'World Must Not Show Tolerance Or Assistance To Terrorism': S Jaishankar's Message At G20 Meet Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 22:04 IST Dr S Jaishankar emphasised zero tolerance for terrorist activities, stating that combating terrorism serves humanity. Jaishankar at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in New York. (X) External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Thursday (local time) called for zero tolerance towards terrorism and urged the international community to avoid any form of accommodation or indifference to terrorist activities. While speaking at the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in New York, Jaishankar emphasised that terrorism remains a persistent and dangerous disruptor of global peace and development. Recommended Stories It is imperative that the world display neither tolerance nor accommodation to terrorist activities. Given the extensive networking among terrorists, those who act against them on any front actually render a larger service to the international community as a whole," he said. VIDEO | New York: EAM S Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) says, A persistent threat to development is that perennial disruptor of peace, terrorism. It is imperative that the world display neither tolerance nor accommodation to terrorist activities. Given the extensive networking among pic.twitter.com/64EFOL1WB6 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 25, 2025 Jaishankar further highlighted that the world is grappling with challenges of conflict, economic stress, and terrorism. Against this backdrop, he criticised the limitations of existing multilateral institutions, particularly the United Nations, saying they have been found wanting in effectively addressing contemporary crises. Asserting the need for reforming multilateralism has never been greater," Jaishankar called for urgent structural changes to make global governance more representative, responsive, and effective. Jaishankar also emphasised the G20s role in the volatile global landscape. We, as members of G20, have a particular responsibility to strengthen its stability and give it a more positive direction that is best done by undertaking dialogue and diplomacy, by firmly combating terrorism, and by appreciating the need for stronger energy and economic security." The Union Minister also underscored that Indias focus is on the correlation between international peace and global development. He said that the global peace and development have seen parallel deterioration in recent timesparticularly to the detriment of the Global South. While referring to ongoing conflicts like Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Hamas, Jaishankar said that such geopolitical tensions directly impact global energy, food, and fertiliser security, especially in the Global South. VIDEO | New York: Speaking at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting, EAM S Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) says, Our focus today is on the correlation between international peace and global development. In recent times, that is well established, as both deteriorated in parallel. The pic.twitter.com/qaPr7tefaX Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 25, 2025 Apart from jeopardising supplies and logistics, access and cost themselves became pressure points on nations," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He further urged the international community to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy" over actions that could worsen existing tensions. Peace can certainly enable development, but by threatening development, we cannot facilitate peace. Making energy and other essentials more uncertain in an economically fragile situation helps no one. The way out is to move the needle towards dialogue and diplomacy, not in the opposite direction towards further complications," he said. 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 : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 22:04 IST News world 'World Must Not Show Tolerance Or Assistance To Terrorism': S Jaishankar's Message At G20 Meet Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Trump Calls Kamala Harris Dumb As A Rock After She Claims 2024 Presidential Race As Closest Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 08:20 IST Trump said he won by a LANDSLIDE and claimed that he won despite a RIGGED mail-in ballot system in California. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google US President Donald Trump said he expects his challenger and former US vice president Kamala Harris to apologise for calling the 2024 Presidential Elections closely fought. (IMAGE: REUTERS) After former Vice President Kamala Harris claimed the US Presidential Elections of 2024 as the closest Presidential Election in the 21st Century" during her book tour, US President Donald Trump called his Democratic rival DUMB AS A ROCK". Kamala Harris, who is DUMB AS A ROCK, is going around and using, as a standard part of her Speech on why she lost the Election, that 2024 was the closest Presidential Election in the 21st Century. Everyone knows this is a lie and was covered as such by Fox News!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Recommended Stories The US President insisted that he won by a LANDSLIDE" by winning swing states like Arizona and Michigan and argued that he was up against what he called a RIGGED" mail-in ballot system in California and called Kamala Harris statement false. He demanded an apology from Harris saying that he won the Electoral College 312226 and secured the popular vote by millions" and compared his victory with that of George W. Bushs 2000 win, which came down to 537 votes. Kamala Harris while promoting her memoir 107 Days has repeatedly called the 2024 race as the closest presidential race in the 21st century". She claimed that there were structural disadvantages with her campaign after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race in July 2024. She also highlighted that she was left with only three months to mount a challenge against Trump. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Biden decides not to run. The sitting vice president then takes the mantle, running against a former president of the United States who had been running for ten years, with 107 days until the election," Harris was quoted as saying by US broadcaster ABC News. Harris also said that she regrets not expressing her concerns about then-President Joe Biden running for a second term when a majority of Americans felt he was too old for the job. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 08:10 IST News world Trump Calls Kamala Harris Dumb As A Rock After She Claims 2024 Presidential Race As Closest 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 To Host Pakistan PM Today In High-Stakes Oval Office Meeting, Asim Munir To Also Attend Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 15:26 IST Pakistans Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is accompanying PM Shehbaz Sharif in what insiders describe as a military-diplomatic mission of critical importance Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir reportedly landed in Washington late Wednesday night to prepare for the high-level meeting. (PTI) In a major development that could reshape regional alliances, US President Donald Trump is set to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the White House on Thursday, the administration has officially confirmed. The meeting will be held behind closed doors in the Oval Office, with no media access permitted. Adding to the gravity of the talks, Pakistans Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is accompanying PM Sharif in what insiders describe as a military-diplomatic mission of critical importance". Munir reportedly landed in Washington late Wednesday night to prepare for the high-level meeting. Recommended Stories The agenda, shared by a top diplomatic source, reflects the deepening strategic complexity in the region and the shifting balance of global power. Key issues to be discussed include: The surge in terrorist activity along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, with a focus on cross-border militant networks and the Islamic States regional resurgence. Renewed counterterrorism cooperation between the US and Pakistan, which has frayed in recent years following the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Prospective deals on rare earth mineral exploration and oil extraction in Pakistan, which could open up new economic frontiers for US companies. The Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence pact, a growing trilateral concern for Washington given its implications for regional security. Rising Chinese influence in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean through Pakistans Gwadar Port, a key node in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. A potential US return to Afghanistan, including discussions about regaining strategic access to Bagram Airbase, which was abandoned in 2021. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Foreign policy experts suggest the United States is recalibrating its South Asia strategy as tensions rise with China and instability grows in Afghanistan. The inclusion of Field Marshal Munir signals that military cooperation, especially regarding counterterrorism and intelligence-sharing, may be revived at a deeper level. The outcome of the meeting could have long-lasting implications, not only for bilateral relations between Washington and Islamabad but also for broader power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 15:26 IST News world Trump To Host Pakistan PM Today In High-Stakes Oval Office Meeting, Asim Munir To Also Attend 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 Energy Secretary Distances From Trump's Pakistan Oil Claims, India's Strategy Unaffected | Exclusive Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 13:11 IST Chris Wright clarified that there is no active American governmental or corporate interest in pursuing oil exploration or development projects in Pakistan at present Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Chris Wright (in pic)'s comments indicate that Trumps claims were more political posturing than reflective of any concrete policy or investment plans. (AFP) US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has distanced the current administration from President Donald Trumps statements suggesting American interest in developing Pakistans oil reserves. Top intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that Wrights comments indicate that Trumps claims were more political posturing than reflective of any concrete policy or investment plans. The controversy began when President Trump publicly asserted that the US was gearing up to invest heavily in Pakistans untapped oil reserves, suggesting that this move could reshape the regional energy balance. However, Wright clarified that there is no active American governmental or corporate interest in pursuing oil exploration or development projects in Pakistan at present. Sources said the official distancing highlights a disconnect between political statements and actionable energy policy within the US administration. Recommended Stories This clarification carries significant implications for regional energy security, particularly for India. New Delhi, which remains vigilant about its energy security, continues to diversify its energy sources across the Middle East, Russia, and the US, ensuring a robust supply chain independent of Pakistans uncertain oil prospects. As a result, Indias immediate energy strategy remains unaffected by Trumps claims or Pakistans oil narrative. Experts emphasise that Pakistans proven oil reserves are still limited, with much of the potential still unconfirmed due to challenging exploration conditions. Political instability, insurgency, and terrorism within Pakistan further complicate any large-scale energy investments, deterring foreign investors, including American energy corporations, from committing resources. Moreover, Pakistans hopes of leveraging the narrative of new oil discoveries to secure economic bailouts or enhance geopolitical bargaining power appear unsupported by Washington. US officials seem unimpressed by such claims, viewing them as tools used more for domestic political hype within Pakistan than as indicators of real shifts in global investment flows or energy markets. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all With the US absent in Pakistans energy development, the primary regional risk comes from Chinas continued consolidation of Pakistans energy infrastructure. Through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Beijing has emerged as the sole consistent external investor in Pakistans energy sector, significantly enhancing its strategic foothold in the region. This dynamic further solidifies Chinas influence in South Asias energy landscape and complicates the balance of power, especially in the context of Indias longstanding concerns about Chinese expansionism. While the US Energy Secretarys statement reassures that Washington has no immediate plans to alter its energy involvement in Pakistan, it simultaneously highlights the growing role of Beijing in shaping Pakistans energy future. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 13:11 IST News world US Energy Secretary Distances From Trump's Pakistan Oil Claims, India's Strategy Unaffected | Exclusive 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 Military Says Russian Warplanes Intercepted Near Alaska, Ninth Time This Year Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 18:59 IST US F-16 jets intercepted two Russian Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters in Alaskas ADIZ. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump (Image Credit: Reuters) US fighter jets intercepted four Russian warplanes flying near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said- the latest in a string of incidents this year in which Russian aircraft have entered Alaskas air defense identification zone (ADIZ). NORAD said two Russian Tu-95 long-range bombers and two Su-35 fighter jets were detected in the ADIZ, which is international airspace bordering US and Canadian sovereign airspace. In response, NORAD deployed four F-16 fighter jets, four KC-135 tankers and an E-3 early warning and control aircraft to positively identify and intercept" the Russian planes. Recommended Stories Ninth Incident Reported This Year Officials stressed that Russian military activity in the ADIZ is common and does not pose a direct threat. The encounter was the ninth such incident reported this year and comes amid heightened concerns about Moscows actions near NATO territory. In recent weeks, Danish officials reported large drones disrupting flights near Copenhagen Airport while Poland and Estonia said Russian aircraft had entered their airspace earlier this month. The Alaska encounter occurred almost exactly one month after a similar episode when US jets intercepted Russian bombers and fighters in the same zone. In late August, NORAD also tracked a Russian reconnaissance plane over the region on multiple occasions. Last year, NORAD released video showing a Russian jet flying within just a few feet" of a US aircraft off Alaskas coast. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all What Is ADIZ? The Alaskan ADIZ is a defined stretch of international airspace where aircraft must identify themselves for national security purposes. NORAD says none of the encounters to date has resulted in Russian planes entering US or Canadian sovereign airspace. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 18:59 IST News world US Military Says Russian Warplanes Intercepted Near Alaska, Ninth Time This Year 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 Sanctions Two Indians, Online Pharmacy Over Fentanyl-Laced Counterfeit Pills Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 12:29 IST Washington says action supports President Trumps pledge to Make America Fentanyl Free. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google A woman uses fentanyl on Park Avenue following in downtown Portland, Oregon. US Treasury sanctions two Indians and an online pharmacy accused of pushing fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills to Americans. (IMAGE: AFP/REPRESENTATIVE) The United States on Thursday announced sanctions against two Indian nationals and an India-based online pharmacy for supplying counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to Americans. The US Treasury Departments sanctions arm alleged that Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh worked with traffickers in the US and Dominican Republic to push pills marketed as legitimate medicines, which were instead filled with fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and methamphetamine. Both allegedly used encrypted platforms to run their operations and reach customers. Recommended Stories Shaikh, who owns KS International Traders (also known as KS Pharmacy), was accused of using the company to further his criminal activities. Despite being indicted on narcotics-related charges by a New York federal grand jury in September 2024, US officials said Shaikh has continued to operate the online pharmacy. Sayyed and Shaikh are being sanctioned today pursuant to E.O. 14059 for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production. KS International Traders is being sanctioned today pursuant to E.O. 14059 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Shaikh," the press release by the US Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The US Treasury said Sayyed and Shaikh are being sanctioned under an executive order for activities that materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs." KS International Traders was sanctioned for being owned or directed by Shaikh. Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison," said John K. Hurley, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. He added that the action reflects Washingtons commitment to President Donald Trumps pledge to Make America Fentanyl Free." About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 12:28 IST News world US Sanctions Two Indians, Online Pharmacy Over Fentanyl-Laced Counterfeit Pills 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... New COSBOA research shows workplace relations awareness among small businesses has improved to 48%, but over half still risk missing critical updates. Whats happening: COSBOA has released year-two research measuring small business workplace relations compliance awareness, showing improvement from 44% to 48% but revealing over half of businesses still miss critical updates. Why this matters: With intentional wage underpayment now carrying criminal penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment from 1 January 2025, compliance gaps pose serious legal and financial risks for small business operators. Mixed progress The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) is celebrating mixed results as its Small Business PEAK program marks its first anniversary, with new research showing workplace relations awareness has improved but significant gaps remain. The latest research reveals awareness of workplace relations changes has grown to 48% in 2025, up from 44% in 2024, though this leaves more than half of Australian small businesses potentially unaware of critical regulatory updates. Twelve months ago, we launched Small Business PEAK in response to alarming research showing 56% of small businesses were unaware of critical IR changes, said COSBOA Chair Matthew Addison. Today, were proud to announce our year two research report to measure how Australian businesses are navigating workplace relations changes and where continued support is needed. The research shows the strongest awareness growth in Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave, jumping to 49% in 2025 from 37% in 2024. Awareness of the Right to Disconnect provision has similarly improved from 29% to 45% over the same period. Criminal penalties live The timing of the research coincides with significant regulatory changes that have raised the stakes for small business compliance failures. With intentional wage underpayment now a criminal offence from 1 January 2025, carrying penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, it is crucial we understand where small businesses stand on compliance readiness, Addison said. The Small Business PEAK program received backing through federal government funding of $60 million over four years in the 2024-2025 federal budget, designed to help business representative groups inform members of regulatory changes. The research comes at a critical time, when small businesses face increased regulatory burden, with over 35 significant changes to Australias industrial relations environment in recent years that apply to small businesses just as much as to large corporations, Addison said. Small business operators, who typically lack dedicated HR departments or legal resources, are struggling to keep pace with the increasingly complex workplace relations landscape. Support tools work The research suggests targeted support programs are making a measurable difference in compliance behaviour among participating businesses. Early indicators show small businesses engaged with PEAK resources are twice as likely to take proactive compliance steps, including updating employment contracts and reviewing workplace policies. Our 24/7 chatbot alone has fielded thousands of queries from busy small business owners, proving just how valuable accessible, jargon-free guidance is, Addison said. The programs first year delivered support through COSBOA Roadshow Workshops, free digital toolkits, an AI-powered industrial relations chatbot offering 24/7 access, customisable Canva tools for compliance materials, practical case studies, and a centralised members portal. Ongoing challenges Despite the progress, the research identifies persistent knowledge gaps that continue to challenge small business operators. Top areas of concern remain wage compliance, understanding award obligations, and casual conversion requirements, which together account for over 60% of queries received through the PEAK chatbot system. The findings show continued strong demand for practical guidance, with 67% of small businesses willing to use compliance toolkits and 55% open to attending webinars or workshops. Small businesses remain the engine room of our economy, but they need clear, practical support to keep up with regulatory change, Addison said. This next phase of research will ensure Small Business PEAK continues to meet that need effectively. Small businesses seeking workplace relations support can access resources at www.smallbusinesspeak.org.au. Sources & Links Small Business PEAK program information: https://smallbusinesspeak.org.au/about-small-business-peak/ COSBOA organisation details: https://www.cosboa.org.au/ Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Yunus Says India-Bangladesh Ties Face Strain Over Former PM Hasinas Refuge In New Delhi Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 13:39 IST Yunus said that India did not like the student protests that led to the ouster of Hasina Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus is in New York for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. (Credits: AFP file) Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, has said that there are tensions between India and Bangladesh since New Delhi has offered refuge to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Yunus, who is in New York for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), also said that India did not like the student protests that led to the ouster of Hasina. Recommended Stories We have problems with India right now because they didnt like what the students have done. They are hosting Hasina, the former prime minister, who created all these problems and killed young people. That has created a lot of tensions between India and Bangladesh," he added. The Bangladesh leader also criticised fake news that labelled the student protest as an Islamic movement". Also, fake news comes from the other side, making all kinds of propaganda that this is a very bad thing, and this is an Islamic movement. These are the Talibans who took over Bangladesh. They say I am a Taliban too," he said during a chat. Yunus called the SAARC nations close family members" and called for a revival of the South Asian countries grouping, which has remained inactive for nearly a decade. On August 5, 2024, Hasina fled to India as student protesters brought down her 15-year rule in Bangladesh. After she escaped, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Yunus, who has called for elections next year. In April this year, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. PM Modi reiterated Indias support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Prime Minister had also urged that rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided". During the meeting, PM Modi also underlined Indias concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Government of Bangladesh would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating the cases of atrocities committed against them. About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: September 25, 2025, 13:34 IST News world Yunus Says India-Bangladesh Ties Face Strain Over Former PM Hasinas Refuge In New Delhi 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... Zelenskyy Says He Will Step Down After War With Russia Ends: 'My Goal Is...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 25, 2025, 16:02 IST Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signals readiness to step down after Ukraine-Russia war ends. A file photo of Zelenskyy (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will be ready to step down once the war with Russia ends, stressing that his priority is bringing the conflict to a close rather than seeking another term in office. My goal is to finish the war, not to continue running for office," he told Axios. Recommended Stories The comments are among his clearest signals yet that he does not intend to remain in power indefinitely. Zelenskyy, who rose to global prominence after Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, has often been dismissed by Moscow as an illegitimate" leader. Earlier this year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Kremlin would not accept Zelenskyys signature on any potential peace agreement. When we come to a stage when you have to sign documents, we would need a very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate, and Mr. Zelensky is not at the moment," Sergey Lavrov told NBC News. He added that the Kremlin views Zelenskyy only as the de facto head of the regime" rather than the legitimate leader of Ukraine. At UN, Zelenskyy Says Russia Refuses Ceasefire Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Zelenskyy ruled out the prospect of a ceasefire, saying Moscow had no interest in peace. He accused Russia of abducting thousands of Ukrainian children, targeting civilian infrastructure and destabilising Europe. Ukrainians are peaceful people, even during bloodshed," he said, before asking delegates, How long will it take to bring our children home?" top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He also warned that Moldova risked falling under Russian influence if Europe failed to act, urging world leaders to step up support for Kyiv. Contrasting Ukraines modest arsenal with Russias military power, Zelenskyy said, Ukraine doesnt have the big fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades. Instead, we had to develop drones to protect our right to life. We succeeded in the Black Sea because Russia left us with no other choice." Urging global leaders, Zelenskyy said, The facts are simple: Stopping Putin now is cheaper than trying to protect the worlds ports or ships later. It is easier than a global arms race. War has already reached too many people. Dont stay silent while Russia keeps dragging this war on. Please speak out and condemn it." Location : Ukraine First Published: September 25, 2025, 16:00 IST News world Zelenskyy Says He Will Step Down After War With Russia Ends: 'My Goal Is...' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The Singapore-registered container ship MV X-Press Pearl carrying hundreds of tonnes of chemicals and plastics, sinks after burning for almost two weeks, just outside Colombo's harbour on June 2, 2021. Photo by AFP A Singapore-registered ship's Sri Lanka agent paid $1 million out of $1 billion damages awarded for causing the island's worst case of environmental pollution. The Sea Consortium (Private) Limited made the token payment in "good faith" as it did not have the financial capacity to fully cover the damages, a litigant told AFP Wednesday A petitioner who brought action against the MV X-Press Pearl, which sank off Colombo Port in June 2021, said he had been officially informed of the payment. "I was given a copy of the affidavit of Sea Consortium (to the court) after it paid 300 million rupees (US$1 million) to the Treasury," environmental activist Hemantha Withanage told AFP. "They have done this because the court held them responsible for any non-compliance by the Singapore owners." The move came as the owners of the X-Press Pearl told AFP in Singapore that they would refuse to pay the massive damages. In an exclusive interview, X-Press Feeders chief executive Shmuel Yoskovitz said he believed any such payment would have wide-ranging implications for global shipping and "set a dangerous precedent". The fire, which burned for nearly two weeks before destroying the vessel, was believed to have been caused by a nitric acid leak. Its cargo included 81 containers of hazardous goods, such as acids and lead ingots, and hundreds of tonnes of microplastic pellets known as nurdles. The ship had been refused permission by ports in Qatar and India to offload the leaking nitric acid before entering Sri Lankan waters. Microplastics from the ship inundated an 80-kilometer (50-mile) stretch of beach along Sri Lanka's western coast, forcing a months-long ban on fishing. The company had been ordered to pay the first installment of $250 million by Tuesday and warned that further payments could follow at the court's direction. Yoskovitz rejected the open-ended nature of the penalty. "We are not paying because the whole basis of maritime trade rests on the limitation of liability. This judgment undermines that principle," he said. Sri Lanka's government said it would consult its chief prosecutor on what action could be taken. Yoskovitz said X-Press Feeders had already spent $170 million to remove the wreck, clean the seabed and beaches, and compensate affected fishermen. In the heart of Mexico City, a crumbling church sits almost unnoticedexcept for a small plaque revealing it holds the bones of Hernan Cortes, the Spanish conquistador who toppled the Aztec Empire five centuries ago and changed world history. While grand mausoleums elsewhere celebrate historical figures, Cortes's resting placewhich says simply, "In this temple rest the remains of the conquistador, Hernan Cortes, who died in 1547"is marked by disrepair and a distinct lack of public interest, reports the New York Times in an exclusive. Outside, pro-cannabis activists gather in the plaza to toke up, the unhoused relieve themselves, trash abounds, and the church's faded facade shares space with a struggling hospital that Cortes himself started centuries ago. Inside, his tomb is sealed in a plain stone wall, upstaged by a dramatic mural of the Apocalypse by Jose Clemente Orozco and surrounded by the clutter of everyday life. Few visitors pay their respects, and the site rarely makes it onto tourist maps. The neglect reflects a complex legacythe Guardian reports that the FBI in August recently returned a document signed by Cortes, which the agency called "protected cultural property (that represents) valuable moments in Mexico's history, so this is something that the Mexicans have in their archives for the purpose of understanding history better." But many Mexicans still view Cortes harshly, connecting him to the starvation, massacres, and enslavement of Indigenous people during the conquest. "The prevailing view on Cortes in popular culture is that he was evil, brutal, terrible," says historian Ilan Semo. President Claudia Sheinbaum has called on Spain to apologize for conquest-era atrocities, with Cortes often singled out in political rhetoric. Spain says that's not happening, and some in far-right Spanish circles have even demanded his tomb be spruced upor shipped home. "It's completely unfair when people judge history through a modern lens," says Father Efrain Trejo, the church's priest. "What will be said of us in a few centuries?" Locals like street vendor Ulises Salomon, who identifies as Indigenous, see the conquistador as an "insult to Native peoples." Read more at the Times. A Washington, DC, firefighter shot during a robbery Saturday night had to turn to his own firehouse for help after failing to get an answer from 911. Gary "Zeek" Dziekan, 42, was nearly home when a masked robber confronted him, demanded his phone, and shot him in the chest during a brief struggle, the Washington Post reports. Bleeding heavily, Dziekan called 911 and waited several minutes for someone to pick up, he said. Relying on his training, he used his shirt to stem the bleeding and then asked a neighbor to contact his fire station directly. "Hey, it's Zeek," Dziekan told the firefighter who answered. "I've been shot and I need help." Medics, police, and fellow firefighters soon arrived. Doctors later told Dziekan that the bullet's position was so precarious that being hit just a centimeter differently could have been fatal, so they opted to leave it in place. Dziekan told WTOP that he had forced the gunman to shoot away from his heart. Authorities arrested a 17-year-old, identified as Marcellus Dyson Jr., who faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault while armed and armed robbery. DC's 911 response also came under scrutiny, per the Post. City officials said more than 20 calls came in about the shooting, resulting in a queue and some callers reaching only an automated system. The first emergency team arrived within seven minutes of the initial call. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has labeled recent US airstrikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean as an "act of tyranny," raising pointed questions about their legality and human cost. In a BBC interview , Petro argued that using military force against such vesselsreportedly resulting in 17 deaths this month aloneamounts to murder rather than law enforcement. "Why launch a missile if you could simply stop the boat and arrest the crew?" Petro said, suggesting the US approach violates the principle of proportional force: "That's what one would call murder." The strikes, authorized under US President Trump and mainly targeting Venezuela, are part of a broader crackdown on drug flows to the US, particularly fentanyl. The Trump administration claims members of the Tren de Aragua gang were among those killed, though that claim is in dispute. Legal experts and lawmakers, both in the US and internationally, have voiced concerns about whether the strikes breach international human rights standards. United Nations experts have gone so far as to describe the actions as extrajudicial executions. At the UN General Assembly Tuesday, Petro called Trump to face criminal proceedings over the strikes, the Guardian reports. In the BBC interview, Petro called for criminal investigations into US officials if Colombian citizens were killed in these operations. In response to the interview, the White House defended the campaign, emphasizing Trump's commitment to using "every element of American power" against narcotics trafficking. The controversy comes as Trump ramps up tough rhetoric and policies against Latin America, including mass deportations and designating some cartels as terrorist organizations. Petro, who has frequently clashed with Trump, dismissed concerns about Colombia's diplomatic standing, arguing that it is the US, not Colombia, that risks further isolation with its current approach. China, the world's top emitter of greenhouse gases, has pledged for the first time to cut its total climate emissions by 7% to 10% by 2035though some experts say the commitment doesn't go far enough, the BBC reports. In a video address to the UN, President Xi Jinping said China will be "striving to do better" along the way. The move comes as the US backtracks on its own climate commitments, with President Trump dismissing climate change as a "con job." Xi seemed to throw some shade Trump's way in his speech: Per the Guardian , he said "some countries" are not living up to their climate "responsibilities." While some see China's announcement as a milestone, climate advocates say it's not enough to keep global warming in check. Yao Zhe of Greenpeace East Asia called the target disappointing, and climate analyst Lauri Myllyvirta said anything less than a 30% cut isn't compatible with the Paris Agreement's 1.5C goal. Most experts believe China would need to slash emissions by more than half to align with international targets. Still, the pledge is significant: China accounts for over a quarter of the world's emissions, nearly 14 billion tonnes in 2023. A 10% drop would mean 1.4 billion tonnes less each yearalmost quadruple the UK's total annual output. China's record on renewables does offer hope. The country exceeded its 2030 wind and solar goals six years ahead of schedule, and some analysts see its 2035 target as a starting point, not a limit. "Underpromising and overdelivering is what we expect from China," says one. However, coal remains a major part of China's energy mix, though early data suggests coal use is finally falling as solar power surges. A federal judge is demanding answers from the Trump administration after top officials publicly accused Luigi Mangione of murder, defying a court order meant to protect his right to a fair trial. The controversy began after President Trump, in a Fox News interview, claimed Mangione "shot someone in the back." That statement was echoed by White House officials, who labeled Mangione a "left-wing assassin" and tied the case to broader political narratives on social media and TV, the New York Times reports. Judge Margaret Garnett's order follows her previous directive, issued in April, that barred Justice Department officials from making public comments likely to compromise Mangione's right to a fair trial. The move comes amid mounting tension regarding the White House and the Justice Department appearing to blur the lines of prosecutorial independence, with Trump urging his attorney general to target perceived political enemies. Mangione is accused of killing Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare, shortly before an investors meeting in December. Authorities say he was found with an anti-health insurance manifesto. While New York state courts dropped terrorism charges against Mangione earlier this month, he still faces a federal murder charge and possible death penalty, though he has pleaded not guilty. Mangione's legal team argues that recent official statements have unfairly linked him to unrelated violence and left-wing groups, fueling "prejudicial rhetoric" without evidence. His lawyers suggested the recent killing of Charlie Kirk has added to that rhetoric, NBC News reports. Judge Garnett has now called on the government to deliver a sworn declaration outlining how the comments were made despite her order and what will be done to prevent future incidents. She also warned that further violations could result in sanctions, including financial penalties or limits on the prosecution's options. The Justice Department and White House have declined to comment on the judge's latest move. The Justice Department is reportedly gearing up to indict former FBI chief James Comey, with prosecutors alleging he misled Congress about his role in the 2016 election interference probe. Sources familiar with the case tell the Washington Post and MSNBC the move is tied to Comey's 2020 Senate testimony about the FBI's "Crossfire Hurricane" investigation, which soughtunsuccessfullyto prove a link between Russia and President Trump's campaign. The clock is ticking: the five-year statute of limitations for charging Comey runs out Tuesday. Prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia, where Comey gave his testimony remotely, are preparing to put their case before a grand jury as soon as Thursday, according to the Post's sources. The panel, needing at least 12 votes for an indictment, could also decide not to proceed. The renewed push comes after Trump ousted the previous acting US attorney in the district, Erik Siebert, who had declined to prosecute Comey for lack of evidence. Trump then installed Lindsey Halligana White House aide with no prosecutorial backgroundas interim US attorney. Shortly after Halligan started, the Comey case was revived. Trump hasn't been quiet about his demands for prosecutions. On social media, he's pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to indict Comey and two other perceived political foes, New York AG Letitia James and Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff. " We can't delay any longer, it's killing our reputation and credibility," he said in a Truth Social post Saturday night. "They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!" Unidentified drones have disrupted operations at multiple Danish airports, forcing one to close and prompting nationwide security concerns as authorities scramble to determine who is behind the mysterious aerial intrusions, the BBC reports. Flights in and out of Denmark's Aalborg Airport, which shut down Wednesday, were paused until early Thursday. Three other regional airportsEsbjerg, Snderborg, and Skrydstrupreported similar incidents but remained open. Authorities say at least three flights were diverted from Aalborg, which doubles as a military base. Local police and Danish Armed Forces are investigating and keeping a close watch on the situation, though they haven't disclosed who might be behind the drone flights or a possible motive. Police stated there seems to be no immediate risk to passengers or nearby residents, but urged people to keep their distance from the area as they monitor for further activity. The number of drones in play remains unclear, and while officials haven't ruled out the possibility of a prank, they are taking the reports seriously. The fresh wave of drone activity follows a similar incident earlier in the week that briefly closed Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport, described by Denmark's prime minister as the most significant attack on the nation's infrastructure to date. Authorities said the drone activity at Aalborg followed a similar pattern, the Guardian reports. While local authorities have not directly linked the incidents to any state actor, speculation about Russian involvement surfaced after recent drone incursions reported by NATO members Estonia, Poland, and Romania. The Kremlin dismissed the allegations as baseless. NATO responded to the wider pattern of drone incursions by condemning Russia's actions and vowing to defend its airspace with "all necessary military and non-military tools." On Monday, Norway briefly closed the Oslo airport airspace due to drone activity. Add the World Health Organization to those pushing back against warnings from the Trump administration about the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. President Trump and health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. linked use of the drugthe active ingredient in Tylenolto autism, but the WHO says "no conclusive scientific evidence" backs up the assertion, reports the Guardian . "Extensive research has been undertaken over the past decade, including large-scale studies, looking into links between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism," says the WHO statement. "At this time, no consistent association has been established." The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency also said acetaminophenaka paracetamolis safe for pregnant women, and major health agencies in Australia and the European Union agreed, per the Washington Post. Trump's comments came after a review funded by the National Institutes of Health found some studies suggesting an association between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism or ADHD, but lead researcher Diddier Prada clarified that association does not prove causation. "We show that acetaminophen is associated with a higher risk, but not causing it," he told the Post. "Those are very different things." A large part of President Donald Trumps speech to the United Nations General Assembly was focused on what he called the green scam. In the 1920s and the 1930s, so-called experts said global cooling will kill the world. Then they said global warming will kill the world. But then it started getting cooler, so now they just call it climate change because that way they cant miss, explained President Trump. Its the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion. President Trump said he is worried about Europe, because they have so heavily invested their future in green energy at the cost of jobs and factories. Moreover, the carbon footprint is a hoax, made up by people with evil intentions, and theyre heading down a path of total destruction, he warned. At extreme cost and expense, Europe reduced its own carbon footprint by 37 percent. . . .However, for all of that sacrifice and much more, its been totally wiped out, and then some by a global increase of 54 percent. Much of it coming from China and other countries that are thriving around China, which now produces more CO2 than all the other developed nations in the world. Air pollution doesnt respect borders and neither does garbage, said President Trump. In Asia, they dump much of their garbage right into the ocean. And over about a one-week and two-week journey, it flows right past Los Angeles. . . .Massive amounts of garbage. Almost too much to do anything about. Flowing past Los Angeles, past San Francisco. The primary effect of these green energy policies has not been to help the environment, but to redistribute manufacturing and industrial activity from developed countries that follow the rules to polluting countries that break the rules, said President Trump. European electricity bills are now four to five times more expensive than those in China, and two to three times higher than the United States. And our bills are coming way down. The globalist concept of asking successful, industrialized nations to inflict pain on themselves and radically disrupt their entire societies must be rejected, stressed President Trump. Thats why, in America, I withdrew from the fake Paris Climate Accord, where, by the way, America was paying so much more than every country. Others werent paying. China didnt have to pay until 2030. Russia was given an old standard that was easy to meet. A 1990 standard. But for the United States, were supposed to pay like a trillion dollars. And I said, This is another scam. President Trump has unleashed massive oil and gas production in the United States. And we stand ready to provide any country with abundant, affordable energy supplies if you need them, he said. The high cost of so-called green renewable energy is destroying a large part of the free world and a large part of our planet, warned President Trump. Only through strong borders and traditional energy sources can the free world be great again. Tropical Storm Humberto is churning in the central Atlantic, but all eyes are shifting to a newer system taking shape in the northern Caribbean. That disturbance, temporarily dubbed "Invest 94L," is already bringing heavy rainfall to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Hispaniola (the island housing Haiti and the Dominican Republic), with a strong likelihood of ramping up into a named storm by the weekend, reports CNN . The real intrigue lies in how these two systems might interact. If 94L remains relatively weak, Humberto could pull it out to sea. But if the disturbance gathers enough strength, helped along by the Caribbean's warm waters, it could chart a course that might bring it uncomfortably close to the East Coast of the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has dispatched multiple Hurricane Hunter aircraft to gather detailed data from both systems. That information will be fed into forecasting models, which meteorologists hope will clarify the possible scenarios. The stakes are high, as the outcome depends on a delicate balance: the strength and size of both storms, their timing, and their proximity to one another. Forecast models suggest 94L could move north toward the Bahamas this weekend, bringing it near Humberto and raising the possibility of a complex "Fujiwhara effect," where two storms do an "intense dance" around a shared point and potentially alter each other's paths, per the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, to add yet more layers of uncertainty about weather in the region, a trough of low pressure over the eastern US could either drag the system toward the coast or help keep it offshore. FOX 35 notes that the National Hurricane Center is also now tracking Hurricane Gabrielle, which is moving toward Portugal's Azores but will lead to swells that will affect Bermuda and the shorelines of the eastern US and Canada. Starbucks is trimming its corporate ranks again, announcing it will lay off 900 more office workers and shutter some North American stores as part of a broader effort to cut costs and channel investments into its cafes. The cuts, affecting mostly North American staff, come on the heels of earlier rounds that saw 1,100 corporate positions eliminated and hundreds of open roles left unfilled, per the Wall Street Journal. Affected workers will be informed of their status by Friday. On Thursday, CEO Brian Niccol told employees these moves are designed to focus on what's "working," with the ultimate goal of making Starbucks cafes more inviting for customers. The company, facing a string of declining same-store sales over the past six quarters, says it will spend about $1 billion on severance, lease exits, and other closure costs. Starbucks has roughly 10,000 US corporate employees, in addition to those in support and supply-chain roles. "What's happening outside the film is even more terrifying than what's shown in it," a social media user in China remarked after it emerged that a same-sex wedding in the body horror movie Together was digitally altered with AI to present a straight couple. After early screenings, moviegoers in China said that one of the two men in a marriage sequence appeared to have been transformed into a woman, an edit likely made by local film distributor Hishow. Social media users in China complained after side-by-side screenshots revealed the change, the Guardian reports. "AI face-swapping is really unacceptableit completely changes the original creative vision," one commenter wrote. Neon, the film's global distributor, condemned the change as "unauthorized" and called for an end to screenings of the altered version, per NBC News. The Australian film, which stars Alison Brie and Dave Franco, was scheduled for nationwide release in China but has since been postponed. The state-managed China Film Group Corporation cited "a change in the film's distribution plan," offering no further explanation. This is believed to be one of the first cases of technology being used to comply with Chinese censorship, which often targets depictions of LGBTQ relationships. While homosexuality has been decriminalized in China, portrayals of same-sex couples have faced tightened restrictions, including a ban on "effeminate" characters and the removal of LGBTQ content from popular international shows and movies. In 2018, all references to Freddie Mercury's sexuality were cut from the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic. The alteration of Together "signifies that the government has a clear stance, and they have a red line," Jason Coe of the University of Hong Kong tells NBC. "They will look to enforce it, and they will find innovative ways to enforce it." After two decades, authorities have identified a woman whose body was discovered beside a roadside near Barcelona, Spain. Once known only as "the woman in pink" for her color-matched shirt, pants, and shoes, she's been identified as Liudmila Zavada, a 31-year-old Russian citizen, believed to have died a day before her body was found on July 3, 2005. Her case is the latest to be solved under Operation Identify Me, an Interpol-led initiative launched in 2023 to put names to unidentified women found dead under suspicious circumstances across Europe. The breakthrough came after Interpol shared the woman's fingerprints with international police forces, leading Turkish authorities to match them to their records, per the BBC. Zavada's identity was then confirmed through DNA from a close relative. Two men behind a company known for buying up bankrupt retail brands like RadioShack, Pier 1 Imports, and Modell's Sporting Goods now face accusations of orchestrating a $112 million Ponzi scheme. In a lawsuit filed Monday in Florida, the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that Alex Mehr and Tai Lopez, founders of Miami-based Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), misled hundreds of investors while reviving bankrupt brick-and-mortar retailers as online ventures, exaggerating the health of their portfolio companies and promising that funds raised for each acquisition would remain earmarked for that specific business when that wasn't the case, CBS News reports. The complaint alleges that none of the acquired companiesDressbarn, Linens 'N Things, and Stein Mart among themturned a profit. Instead, the lawsuit claims, the duo shuffled funds between companies and used outsider lender loans, cash advances, and new investments to keep up with their financial obligations. The SEC contends that roughly $5.9 million of investor returns were actually paid using money from other investors, rather than from genuine business earningsa classic hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. On top of this, the complaint accuses Mehr and Lopez of diverting $16 million of investor money for personal use. The complaint also names REV's chief operating officer, Maya Burkenroad, a cousin of Lopez and a former substitute preschool teacher who was falsely touted as having a decade of experience managing major companies, per Bloomberg. She's likewise accused of deceiving investors. Wall Street has found a new bet: tariff refunds. Investors are snapping up the rights to potential tariff payouts, gambling that the Supreme Court will strike down Trump-era import taxes and trigger government refunds totaling tens of billions of dollars, reports the Washington Post . Some hedge fund and investment firms are offering importers about 20 cents on the dollar for claims on President Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs, justified by what Trump called a trade deficit "national emergency," and about 5 cents on the dollar for levies on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada, which are touted as anti-fentanyl measures and seen as more legally resilient. For many importers, the deals offer a tempting lifeline after shouldering the brunt of tariffs, but it's a hard choice. If they take the offer and the Supreme Court tosses Trump's tariffs, investors will collect the full refund. On the other hand, there won't be an immediate payout. The refund process is likely to be complicated and slow, with the government potentially requiring formal refund petitions, or offering "store credit" for future tariffs rather than cash. And as importers decide what to do, hedge funds' interest has raised the bar: they now want claims worth at least $10 million, compared to about $2 million just days ago, per the Post. "The market is shifting literally daily. People don't know what to do," Salvatore Stile, a New York customs broker, tells the outlet. The Supreme Court is set to hear challenges on Nov. 5. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said about half of the tariffs collected this year could potentially be refunded, "which would be terrible for the Treasury," per CNN. Some $210 billion had been collected as of Aug. 24, the outlet reports. South Korea is shedding its long-held taboo against tattoos. The country's National Assembly passed a bill Thursday that will legalize widespread tattooing, lifting decades-old restrictions that pushed the industry underground. Getting a tattoo has never been illegal, but since 1992, it's been considered a medical procedure, meaning only licensed doctors could legally administer them, with artists risking hefty fines and up to five years in prison, reports the BBC and New York Times . The new law, expected to be signed within the next two weeks by President Lee Jae Myung, will allow an estimated 350,000 underground tattoo artists to operate in the open after obtaining a government-issued license. Studios will also have to upgrade their health and safety standards. The move marks a big shift for a country where tattoos were once used as marks of shame or criminality. Facial branding was used on convicts during the Koryo dynasty, and 20th-century gangs adopted body art as a badge of membership. Despite the stigma, government estimates suggest over a million people in the country have inked bodiesthough public figures are known to cover their body art on TV. "Now we can be proud of what we do," a tattoo parlor manager in Seoul tells the Times. Some lawmakers and doctors remain wary, citing health concerns. But supporters see the shift as overdue. President Lee, fresh off a special election win, had made a campaign promise to legalize artist tattooing as far back as 2022. Once passed, the new law will not take effect for two years, allowing artists time to pass a national exam and complete other necessary training, the BBC reports. Medical professionals will still be required for tattoo removals moving forward. Oklahoma's top schools official, Ryan Walters, is stepping down to run a conservative group targeting teachers unions. Walters, a Republican who made headlines by ordering public schools to teach the Bible and advocating for citizenship checks for student enrollment, announced his resignation Wednesday to lead the Teacher Freedom Alliance, reports NBC News . The group, which describes itself as a major grassroots force, posted online that Walters "fearlessly fights the woke liberal union mob." Walters, meanwhile, is vowing to "destroy the teachers unions" in his new role. "We have seen the teachers unions use money and power to corrupt our schools, to undermine our schools," he said on Fox News on Wednesday night, per the AP. Walters' brief but contentious term as state superintendent began in January 2023 and drew attention for embracing hot-button issues. He pushed for prayer in schools and the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, frequently arguing for an increased presence of religion in public education. Walters has dismissed the concept of church-state separation as a "myth" and wants to "put God back in schools," per NBC. The superintendentwho the New York Times notes is a former history teacher and son of a ministerpartnered Oklahoma schools with Turning Point USA, a conservative advocacy group co-founded by the late activist Charlie Kirk, and accused teachers unions of dominating classrooms and promoting what he called "woke indoctrination." Walters' tenure also faced bizarre moments, including a sheriff's investigation into reports that images of naked women were seen during a state Board of Education meeting from a TV screen in his officea claim he strongly denied and prosecutors declined to pursue. Generals will gather in their masses in Virginia next weekbut unlike witches at black masses, the reason for the meeting is unclear. The Washington Post , citing "more than a dozen people familiar with the matter," reports that with no explanation and little warning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned hundreds of the nation's top generals and admirals to an urgent meeting at Marine Corps Base Quanticoleaving the military's highest ranks guessing what's behind this unprecedented call to gather. The urgent order, which covers all commanders with the rank of brigadier general or above and their top enlisted advisers, according to the Post's sources, has set off a wave of confusion and concern within military ranks, especially after a year marked by high-profile firings and drastic cuts. The Pentagon isn't saying much. Chief spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the meeting to the Post and CBS News but offered no agenda. "The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week," he said. The military has around 800 generals across the world and the Post's sources say commanders in conflict zones are expected to be at the meeting, raising security concerns. One source, using an abbreviation for "general officer or flag officer," a term for top brass, told the Post: "You don't call GOFOs leading their people and the global force into an auditorium outside DC and not tell them why/what the topic or agenda is." Another said, "Are we taking every general and flag officer out of the Pacific right now? All of it is weird." CBS notes that a meeting of military officers of this scale at short notice is "rare, if not unprecedented." The secrecy comes as Hegseth pushes a significant shake-up at the Pentagon, including a 20% reduction in senior military brass and a recent order to rebrand the Defense Department as the "Department of War." In the past month alone, the heads of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Navy Reserve, and Naval Special Warfare Command were ousted without explanation, adding to a list of senior leaders dismissed under the Trump administration. The timing is also notable: the gathering lands just as a new national defense strategy is expected, one that may put homeland defense ahead of China as the top US security concern. A federal jury has ordered American Airlines to pay $9.6 million to a California man who suffered a stroke on a 2021 transatlantic flight after the crew allegedly shrugged off warning signs. Jesus Plasencia, a 67-year-old chef, had just boarded a Miami-to-Madrid flight with his wife when he suddenly lost coordination and started speaking incoherentlyclassic red flags for a transient ischemic attack, known as a "mini-stroke," according to a lawsuit filed in 2023. Plasencia's wife, Ana Maria Marcela Tavantzis, alerted crew members and insisted her husband was having a stroke, USA Today reports. A flight attendant told the pilot, but the couple's concerns were dismissed, according to the lawsuit. It states that the pilot joked with Plasencia, then cleared the flight for departure instead of following emergency protocols, which require contacting medical professionals or seeking help from doctors on board. Plasencia's symptoms briefly improved, but he suffered a major stroke hours into the flight. According to the lawsuit, flight attendants asked passengers to keep an eye on him but didn't alert the pilot, the San Francisco Chronicle. reports. After the plane landed in Madrid, he was hospitalized for three weeks before an air ambulance brought him home to California. "Today ... Plasencia can neither speak, write, nor communicate effectively, much less walk, feed, bathe himself, clothe himself, or use the toilet without assistance," the lawsuit said, per the Chronicle. "Plasencia depends entirely on daily, significant, around-the-clock, in-home care and intensive rehabilitation." The jury found American Airlines liable for failing to adhere to both industry standards and its own procedures, as required under the Montreal Convention, which governs airline liability for injuries. The airline said it disagrees with the verdict and is currently "evaluating next steps," per USA Today. The $9.6 million verdict, according to the family's lawyer, should cover the 24/7 care Plasencia needs, along with modifications to make his home wheelchair-accessible. "So just from a human perspective, the verdict is really important for those reasons," says attorney Hannah Crowe. She hopes it will also improve stroke awareness and passenger safety. "Of course, you want passengers to be aware that they need to advocate for themselves on airlines, because airlines aren't always following their own policies and procedures," Crowe says. Leveraging its strategic location near Central Asia, Xinjiang is assuming an increasingly prominent role in the BRI Seventy years since its establishment, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has developed a role that extends far beyond its spectacular landscapes and rich ethnic traditions. Evolving from a remote frontier into a dynamic hub of openness and development, Xinjiang now embodies a pioneering model within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, which blends regional progress with global governance. Through innovative infrastructure, cross-border green energy cooperation, and shared advances in education and healthcare, the BRI offers developing nations a practical blueprint for shared growth and collective prosperity, built on consultation and collaboration. Leveraging its strategic location near Central Asia, Xinjiang has evolved to be a dynamic hub bridging the East and the West within the BRI framework. Encompassing nearly one-sixth of China's total land area, the vast region shares borders with eight countries including Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, and boasts five main land ports and one major corridor as part of the Silk Road Economic Belt starting from Lianyungang port in East China's Jiangsu province and stretching to Amsterdam port in the Netherlands, connecting inner China with Central Asia and the wider Europe. Among the signature projects of connectivity, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, currently under construction, is set to become a new key transport artery across Eurasia. Upon completion, it is projected to reduce the transportation distance across the three nations by about 900 kilometers, substantially lowering both costs and transit time. At the same time, the Kashgar Economic Development Zone was established as a center for cross-border e-commerce, generating tens of thousands of local jobs and showing strong potential to boost digital trade across neighboring countries. Meanwhile, Xinjiang's green cooperation with the Central Asian countries exemplifies ecological conservation and sustainable development within the BRI framework. Built on technology transfer, collaborative projects and institutional synergy, the partnerships extend across renewable energy, ecological governance, green infrastructure and environmentally friendly trade. It not only tackles pressing issues such as energy shortages and ecological degradation in Central Asia, but also provides a Chinese model for sustainable growth that benefits the region and the world. Xinjiang's green energy collaboration with Central Asian nations covers a broad spectrum of sectors, including photovoltaics, wind power, hydropower and energy storage. Local companies such as Goldwind and TBEA have developed and invested in multiple wind and solar power projects throughout the region. Key operational facilities such as the Turgusun Hydropower Station in Kazakhstan now produce around 80 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually, contributing significantly to carbon reduction efforts. These projects have not only generated substantial economic returns and created numerous jobs, but also promoted technology exchanges and delivered widespread social benefits. For instance, the Turgusun Hydropower Station has resolved electricity shortages in remote mountainous communities while employing more than 1,000 local workers. With ongoing infrastructure enhancements, including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway and the grid loop in Northern Xinjiang, cross-border green energy cooperation is poised to expand, further advancing the region's progress toward carbon neutrality. The partnership also extends to joint scientific surveys, knowledge sharing on sustainable agriculture and collaborative research on ecological restoration. For example, working alongside the International Innovation Center for the Aral Sea Basin, the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography has jointly implemented several key initiatives, including a demonstration zone for photovoltaic-coupled cotton cultivation with integrated water-fertilizer technology, an experimental site for vegetation recovery on salinized land, and a joint laboratory dedicated to soil and biological research. Furthermore, 80 automated stations for monitoring meteorology and water quality have been installed across the area. On saline-alkali land remediation, desertification control and water-efficient agriculture, the "technology+livelihoods" approach offers a replicable model for ecological recovery and sustainable growth in Central Asia, supporting the vision of the Green Silk Road and underscoring China's role in and commitment to global environmental governance. In addition, Xinjiang has developed a multifaceted and comprehensive cooperation framework with Central Asian countries in education and healthcare. This collaboration spans various dimensions, including talent development, language promotion, joint scientific research and medical services. A prominent example is the Confucius Institute, jointly established in 2013 by Xinjiang Normal University and Osh State University in Kyrgyzstan, which became the first Confucius Institute in the Commonwealth of Independent States region to confer undergraduate degrees, with a rich variety of elective courses on offer in Chinese culture. Moreover, digital technologies, such as cloud computing and big data, are not only advancing distance education, but also being utilized to facilitate cross-border medical consultations through shared diagnostic resources. Under the BRI, Xinjiang has launched the construction of a Silk Road Economic Belt core area medical service center. By means of the Xinjiang cross-border medical platform, which leverages high-quality domestic resources, the center is to deliver standardized and interoperable telemedical services to hospitals in 10 neighboring countries. This initiative enhances the wellbeing of residents throughout Central Asia and further fosters the global sharing of medical technology, injecting significant impetus into the construction of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. As a multidimensional open gateway under the BRI, Xinjiang has developed strengths in commercial logistics, transport hubs, cultural and scientific education, and medical services. It has engaged in close, pragmatic cooperation with neighboring countries, transforming local specialty products, energy corridors, trade and digital technologies into vehicles for international cooperation. In these ways, Xinjiang has steadily and unassumingly contributed Eastern wisdom to bridging the development gap and addressing governance challenges within the BRI. A person already in prison has been sentenced to 80 years in federal custody after authorities said the inmate built two bombs while behind bars and mailed them to a federal courthouse in Anchorage, Alaska, and the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. Federal prosecutors say David Dwayne Cassady, 57, was incarcerated in a state prison in Georgia when the devices were made, the AP reports. The inmate pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted malicious use of explosive materials. A study out of the UK adds a new wrinkle to how climate change will affect the Amazon rainforest: It turns out that trees there are getting bigger. Researchers at the University of Cambridge and the RAINFOR Amazon Forest Inventory Network found that the average tree size has increased about 3.3% in diameter per decade over the last few decades, reports New Scientist . It appears to be related to a steady increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels in the same period, per a release at Phys.org . "What we're following is some space in the forest and in that space the average tree size is bigger, meaning that the trees can pack more carbon in that space than they could in the past," says Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert at the University of Cambridge. The finding, published in Nature Plants, complicates debates about how forests will respond to climate change. Traditionally, scientists expected that larger trees would struggle to survive future conditionslike drought or stormsbut so far, the opposite is happening. "The structure of the Amazon forest is changing quite consistently across the whole basin," says researcher Rebecca Banbury Morgan of at the University of Bristol. "We have more bigger trees and fewer smaller trees, so the average size has shifted up towards those bigger trees." The researchers believe rising CO2 levels are essentially "fertilizing" tree growth, giving an edge to big trees that outcompete others for light and water. Still, the study leaves questions open. Peter Etchells of Durham University points out that this carbon-absorbing boon might not last as the climate keeps changing. Factors such as deforestation and shifting nutrient availability could eventually disrupt the trend, making the future of the Amazon as a carbon sink uncertain. South Park returned Wednesday night, and fears that the show might shy away from controversy after Jimmy Kimmel's suspension were unfounded. The "Conflict of Interest" episode takes aim at both FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The episode sees Kyle objecting to a tasteless bet on a prediction app and complaining to the FCC, leading Carr to the White House for a meeting with President Trump. USA Today reports that in a series of slapstick calamities, Carr "falls down the stairs and hurts his neck, has explosive diarrhea after eating soup that Trump has tampered with, and finally is crushed by a giant pile of cat litter." As he lies in a hospital bed, a doctor warns Carr that he could "lose his freedom of speech." In the episode, Carr is injured by Trump's attempts to end Satan's pregnancy, but Vice President JD Vance is revealed to be orchestrating events behind the scenes. "We can do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way," he warns Carr. The FCC chief used the same line last week when he said ABC and Disney should take action over Kimmel's remarks after the killing of Charlie Kirk, the New York Post notes. The episode also shows Kyle's mother flying to Israel to address the offensive bet, "Will Kyle's mom strike Gaza and destroy a Palestinian hospital?" She barges into Netanyahu's office and yells, "Just who do you think you are, killing thousands and flattening neighborhoods, then wrapping yourself in Judaism like it's some shield from criticism," the Guardian reports. The show's release was delayed by a week, sparking fan theories about censorship, but co-creator Matt Stone said the team simply missed the deadline. "No one pulled the episode, no one censored us, and you know we'd say so if true," he told the Denver Post last week. "We just didn't get it done. When you always cut it close, sometimes you mess up. That's the price of being a procrastinator." All three indexes are still near their records set at the start of the week, the AP reports. Stocks felt pressure from reports showing the US economy may be stronger than economists thought. That could make the Federal Reserve less likely to cut interest rates several times in the coming months. If the Fed doesn't cut rates as many times as investors expect, it would empower criticism that's already built saying the stock market is too expensive after rising so much, so quickly. Wall Street stumbled to its longest losing streak in more than a month Thursday as US stocks gave back more of this year's big gains for a third straight day. "Buckle up," warned Jonathan Krinsky, chief market technician at BTIG. Stocks look to be in their most vulnerable position since their April lows given how much complacency has built up and how the rubber band recently has been "as stretched as it gets in some parts of the market," Krinsky wrote in a research report. One of Thursday's better-than-expected economic reports said that fewer US workers filed for unemployment benefits last week. That could be a signal that the pace of layoffs is slowing. Another report said the US economy grew at a stronger pace during the spring than earlier thought. The Commerce Department said consumer spending helped the economy expand at a surprising 3.8% from April through June, up from a previous estimate of 3.3%, the AP reports. A third said orders blew past economists' expectations last month for US manufactured goods with a relatively long life span. On Wall Street, CarMax tumbled 20.1% after the seller of used autos reported a weaker profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It sold fewer vehicles during the quarter than it had a year earlier. It also was hurt because it increased its expectations for losses from loans made in earlier years. Jabil fell 6.7% even though it reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, thanks in part to demand coming because of artificial intelligence. Another AI winner, Oracle, gave back 5.6%. Earlier this month, it surged to its best day since 1992 after announcing several huge contracts signed because of AI. Starbucks slipped 0.5% after the coffee chain announced a $1 billion plan to restructure, including the closure of stores and the cutting of 900 nonretail jobs. On the winning side of Wall Street was IBM. It rose 5.2% after HSBC announced a promising trial with IBM of quantum computing in hopes of improving bond trading. The bank said it delivered an improvement of up to 34% in predicting how likely a trade would be filled at a quoted price. Companies are racing to develop quantum computing in order to solve complex problems beyond the reach of classical computers. Fairbanks, AK (99701) Today Snow showers. High 7F. SSE winds shifting to W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 70%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low -16F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Romania plans to build its own unmanned aerial vehicle plant, allocating around 200 million under the SAFE mechanism a European program offering up to 150 billion in loans for arms purchases for European and Ukrainian defense industries. This was recently announced by the country's Minister of Economy, Radu Miruta. According to Defense Romania, The minister stressed that the plant's construction both signals Romania's readiness to adopt modern military trends and serves the practical purpose of reviving its long-stagnant defense industry. Ukrainian Liutyi long-range drone "We need to close the gap between the Defense Ministry's demand for advanced technologies and the current state of the Romanian defense industry," Miruta emphasized. The key point is that Romania intends to build the plant in partnership with Ukraine or other European Union companies. Ukraine's advantage lies in its unique ability to test innovations in the challenging conditions of the battlefield. This is not the first time Romania has expressed interest in building a factory in partnership with Ukraine. In July, local media reported that Romania's Defense Ministry was seeking an agreement with Ukraine to produce drones domestically for later export to other European countries. In fact, the discussions focused on the potential localization of production. TOR UAV with two FPV drones on hardpoints, before takeoff from the catapult / Photo credit: Altair Technologies Back then, the main obstacle to cooperation was Romania's lack of funding, so the project's launch was scheduled for 2026, subject to approval of the new defense budget. It is currently unknown whether the funding from the SAFE program will have any impact on accelerating the implementation of this plan. It is also worth noting that in August, Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal met with his Romanian counterpart, Liviu-Ionut Mosteanu, to discuss industrial cooperation, specifically the production of interceptor, FPV, and long-range drones. "We discussed the possibility of using the SAFE mechanism to launch joint projects for technology exchange and the launch of Ukrainian production in Romania," Shmyhal emphasized. His Excellency Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today deposited the instrument of accession of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969) with the United Nations. The ceremony took place during the UN Treaty Event held at the organizations headquarters in New York, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly. The instrument was formally handed over to H.E. Ms. Ellinor Hammarskjold, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs. Minister Al Zayani affirmed that Bahrains accession to this important international convention reflects the Kingdoms steadfast commitment to supporting the framework of international law, promoting multilateral cooperation, and upholding the legal principles governing relations between states. He stressed that this step contributes to strengthening the foundations of international peace and security. The deposit ceremony was attended by H.E. Ambassador Jamal Fares Al Rowaiei, Bahrains Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, H.E. Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Khalifa, Director-General of Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the accompanying delegation. His Excellency Eng. Basim bin Yaqoub Al-Hamar, President of the Survey and Land Registration Bureau, and His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim bin Hassan Al-Hawaj, Minister of Works, conducted a field visit to the advanced research vessel Al Masaha 2050 today, accompanied by a number of senior officials. The visit aimed to review the vessels capabilities in supporting Bahrains developmental sectors. Eng. Al-Hamar highlighted that the visit is part of a comprehensive plan by the Bureau to strengthen partnerships and coordination with relevant authorities. He noted that the vessels advanced capabilities could be leveraged for national development projects, natural resource management, urban development initiatives, and strategic decision-making linked to sustainable development. He reaffirmed the Bureaus commitment to continuing these efforts and fostering fruitful partnerships to achieve Bahrains development goals. Meanwhile, Minister Al-Hawaj praised the Al Masaha 2050 project as a strategic asset for the nations infrastructure. He emphasized that the vessels advanced systems would provide authorities with precise data on seabed characteristics and marine sand resources, thereby enhancing the planning and implementation of coastal and maritime infrastructure projects while adhering to the highest environmental standards and protecting natural resources. During the visit, the Minister received detailed briefings on the vessels state-of-the-art equipment, marking a significant advancement in marine surveying and spatial data management. He also reviewed the vessels 3D survey systems, geophysical monitoring instruments, advanced seabed analysis laboratories, sediment monitoring technologies, and integrated artificial intelligence systems designed to ensure accurate and fast data processing. SAPPORO, Sep 25 (News On Japan) - A transgender man living in Sapporo has won a landmark case after the Sapporo Family Court ruled that the legal requirement demanding surgical or hormonal changes to alter the appearance of ones genitals in order to change gender on the family register is unconstitutional. Japans Special Act on Gender Identity Disorder outlines five conditions for changing ones legal gender. In 2023, the Supreme Court struck down one of these conditions requiring individuals to lack reproductive capability, declaring it unconstitutional. In the latest case, the Sapporo Family Court ruled that the so-called appearance requirement, which demands genital surgery or hormone treatment to alter external appearance, lacks a rational connection to contemporary medical practices for gender identity disorder, and is therefore unconstitutional. The petitioner was unable to undergo surgery or hormone therapy due to concerns over allergies and side effects. This marks the first time a court has declared the appearance requirement unconstitutional nationwide. The ruling was issued on September 24th. Source: HBC KYOTO, Sep 25 (News On Japan) - In the scenic fishing village of Ine, famous for its traditional boathouses, fishermen are facing a rare phenomenon: an exceptional haul of Pacific bluefin tuna. Dubbed the "black diamond," the fish appeared in unusually large numbers this June, with more than 60 tunamost weighing around 120 kilogramscaught in a single day. This was the first time weve ever seen anything like it, said Kurata Mikio, president of Ineura Fisheries. Compared to last year, the number of fish larger than 30 kilograms has increased significantly. Despite Kyoto Prefectures annual quota of 42 tons for fixed-net bluefin fishing, aimed at stock recovery, about 32 tonsor nearly 80 percent of the limithad already been landed within the first six months. Kurata explained that when nets fill with 300 to 400 tuna at once, the catch can become excessive, forcing crews to release fish back into the sea. But the surge in tuna has created problems elsewhere. At Sakata Port in Yamagata Prefecture, squid fishing boats suffered heavy damage in June as tuna attacked their gear off the coast of Ishikawa Prefecture. Weve never had a year with so much damage from tuna, one squid fisherman said. The destruction was so severe that crews abandoned operations in the Sea of Japan, relocating instead to the Pacific side near Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. Fortunately, squid were plentiful there, allowing boats to operate day and night. We were saved by being able to fish continuously in Hachinohe, the fisherman added. Meanwhile, autumn has brought unexpected troubles for bonito. At Kesennuma Port in Miyagi Prefecture, which has ranked first in bonito landings for 28 consecutive years, catches collapsed to record lows. Most of the fish are small. We need the larger, seasonal ones, said Saito Tetsuo, head of the Kesennuma Fisheries Cooperative. Landings fell to less than one-fifth of last years levels, with only undersized bonito appearing. In contrast, at Katsuura Port in Chiba Prefecturewhere catches are normally zero in September due to the northward migration14.5 tons of large bonito were hauled in on a single day. This reversal, where bonito disappeared from their usual grounds in Kesennuma but appeared in Katsuura instead, highlights the shifting dynamics of Japans fisheries. As the autumn season unfolds, the question remains whether these changes will bring abundance or scarcity to the nations dining tables. Source: YOMIURI VICTORIA, BC, Sept. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Trexo Robotics will be visiting Kids Physio Group Victoria on September 26 and 27 to offer children with disabilities and their families a unique and empowering opportunity. Children will be able to trial Trexo's robotic legs, and for some, it may be the first time they walk. Trexo Robotics will be visiting Kids Physio Group Victoria on September 26 & 27 so kiddos can trial robotic legs Post this Kids Phsyio Group Victoria (CNW Group/Trexo Robotics) Victoria Kids Physio Group (CNW Group/Trexo Robotics) Kids Physio Group and Trexo share the belief that children with disabilities should have the chance to walk and enjoy the many benefits of mobility, including greater independence, improved health, increased confidence, and the happiness that comes from being able to participate in life fully. The Trexo device supports children with disabilities that impact their mobility by providing the postural support they need to walk comfortably and safely, thanks to its robotic legs. Kids Physio Group provides physical therapy services rooted in expertise, compassion, and fun, with personalized programs and specialized equipment for kids of ALL ages and ALL abilities. Babies, kids, and teens function differently from adults, and their spaces and teams are equipped to provide the highest quality physiotherapy care by making physio FUN. Kids Physio Group is very excited to welcome Trexo to Victoria! This road show is allowing Kids Physio clients of all ages to try a new type of therapy through the use of robotic legs. This also allows the physiotherapists an opportunity to learn more about the Trexo Device and see how it can greatly benefit so many. Two Trexo devices and two members of the Trexo team will travel from Ontario to facilitate the roadshow. Along with giving children the chance to try the device, the sessions will allow Kids Physio Group therapists to learn more about the device and how it works. For many parents, exploring mobility solutions is an emotional journey. Seeing their child take steps with Trexo often brings relief, hope, and excitement about what may be possible, which creates an emotional buzz in the air at the Roadshow event. "I understand the feelings parents experience at a trial. Trexo was originally created for my nephew, who has cerebral palsy. Seeing him walk for the first time was the proudest moment of my life," said Manmeet Maggu, CEO and co-founder of Trexo. "Walking is important, it is a key component to good health, especially for growing children. Witnessing these kiddos experience the benefits of walking means so much." About Kids Physio Group Victoria: Kids Physio Group opened its doors in 2006 after seeing a need for high-quality, private physiotherapy for babies, children, and teens. We were the first to provide this service in British Columbia and have now expanded to serve families across the country, and this includes in Victoria. Kids Physio Victoria's space and team are equipped to provide the highest quality physiotherapy care, delivered in a FUN and engaging way. With a large, experienced team, we are able to provide custom programs based on each child's distinct needs, from birth to 18 years old. WE MAKE PHYSIO FUN Media Contact: Kids Physio Group Victoria Kaitlyn Lee Physiotherapist & Community Engagement Manager [email protected] About Trexo: Trexo Robotics is a leader in mobility solutions, empowering children with disabilities to walk, in many cases taking their first steps. With a mission to redefine what's possible, Trexo Robotics combines their technology with unwavering dedication to kiddos that use the device. To date, the children using the device have combined for over 126 million steps. Media Contact: Trexo Robotics Jenn Horowitz Head of Marketing [email protected] (844) 844-0607 SOURCE Trexo Robotics TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Economic freedom is declining in Canada, finds the annual Economic Freedom of the World report published today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. Economic freedomthe degree to which individuals are allowed to make their own decisions about what to buy, where to work and whether to start a businessis fundamental to prosperity. Economic freedom is measured by assessing openness to trade, tax and regulatory burdens, government spending, protection of property, and the soundness of a country's money. "Canadians should understand that when people are more economically free, they enjoy higher standards of living," said Matthew Mitchell, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and contributor to the report. In this year's report, Canada ranked 11th in 2023 (the latest year of available data), down from 8th in last year's report. Because the data are from 2023, they do not reflect any consequences from the current trade war (though the report does include a chapter on the trade war's potential effects on economic freedom in the United States). One of the reasons for Canada's decline is its comparative performance on the size of government spending and taxation. In 2014, Canada ranked 71st in the world for the size of government, its best historic ranking on this measure (where higher rankings indicate lower taxation and less government spending). When the pandemic hit, Canadian governments increased spending and regulations, and the country's size of government ranking fell to 125th in 2020. While it increased to 93rd place in last year's report, in this year's report if fell back to 102nd place. In overall economic freedom, Hong Kong once again claimed top spotalthough Hong Kong's score has fallen every year since 2018. The rankings of other major countries include the U.S. (5th), United Kingdom (13th), Germany (15th), Japan (17th), Korea (38th), France (44th), Italy (46th), Indonesia (65th), Mexico (70th), India (86th), Brazil (87th), China (108th), and Russia (148th). The 10 lowest-ranked countries were Chad, Libya, Syria, Argentina, Myanmar, Iran, Algeria, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Venezuela. People living in countries with high levels of economic freedom enjoy greater prosperity, more political and civil liberties, and longer lives. For example, in 2023 per-person GDP (an indicator of living standards) in countries in the top 25 per cent of economic freedom was US$66,434 compared to US$10,751 for countries in the least-economically free quartile. And poverty rates are lower. In the most-economically free quartile, 2 per cent of the population experienced extreme poverty (living on less than US$3.65 per day) compared to 52 per cent in the least-free quartile. Finally, life expectancy is 79 years in the top freest countries compared to 62 years in the least free. "Where people are free to pursue their own opportunities and make their own choices, they lead more prosperous, happier and healthier lives," Mitchell said. Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter and Facebook The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institute's independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org SOURCE The Fraser Institute MEDIA CONTACT: Matthew Mitchell, Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute. To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact: Mark Hasiuk, Senior Media Relations Specialist, Fraser Institute, (604) 688-0221 Ext. 517, [email protected] WINDSOR, ON, Sept. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), will highlight support measures for the automotive indust r y and workers impacted by tariffs. Date: Friday, September 26, 2025 Time: 10:00 am (ET) Location: Windsor, Ontario Members of the media are asked to contact ISED Media Relations at [email protected] to receive event location details and confirm their attendance. Stay connected Follow Canada Business on social media. X (Twitter): @canadabusiness | Facebook: Canada Business | Instagram: @cdnbusiness Follow the department on LinkedIn: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Contacts: Chris Zhou, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected] Canada's first fully sovereign AI infrastructure to power breakthrough healthcare innovation for over 40 million users while storing data within Canadian borders MONTREAL, Sept. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - TELUS and League today announced a groundbreaking collaboration to revolutionize healthcare delivery for millions of Canadians. League will power its comprehensive AI-driven healthcare platform on TELUS' infrastructure Canada's first fully sovereign AI Factory. Supported by this sovereign AI infrastructure, advanced AI can deliver more personalized and efficient care, improving patient outcomes. TELUS unveils new brand tagline, Were always building Canada underscoring the companys deep Canadian roots and commitment to nation-building through infrastructure and technology investments. (CNW Group/TELUS Communications Inc.) League logo (CNW Group/TELUS Communications Inc.) Operating on TELUS' high-performance, highly-secure, Canadian-controlled infrastructure in Rimouski, Quebec, League's AI-powered healthcare solutions will leverage the power of NVIDIA's latest Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) technology to process health data and deliver AI-powered recommendations to help Canadians navigate their healthcare journey more effectively. League's platform, which has already delivered over 100 million personalized health recommendations including millions to Canadian patients, will be able to leverage the sovereign infrastructure to physically store sensitive healthcare data within Canada's borders supporting a key priority for the deployment of secure, privacy-compliant and sovereign AI, while enabling advanced research and development of unique Canadian-centric models. "Our partnership with TELUS allows us to scale our AI-driven solutions while maintaining the highest standards of data privacy and regulatory compliance," said Michael Serbinis, Founder and CEO, League. "By operating our AI Agents on TELUS' sovereign infrastructure, we can deliver frictionless care navigation and personalized health engagement to the millions of users we serve in Canada with confidence. This is a critical step as we manage over 100 petabytes of health data for millions of patients in Canada and continue expanding our AI-powered healthcare recommendations to users." "This collaboration represents the future of Canadian healthcare, where cutting-edge AI innovation meets uncompromising sovereignty," said Hesham Fahmy, Chief Information Officer, TELUS. "Healthcare represents the ultimate test of sovereign AI infrastructure requiring world-leading AI performance while maintaining stringent data security and enhanced ability to control how data is managed. By providing a secure, reliable and sustainable platform to host League's AI-powered healthcare solutions, we're improving Canadian patient outcomes with Canadian health innovations while strengthening our nation's position as a global leader in responsible AI development." TELUS' sovereign infrastructure enables Canadian healthcare organizations to develop AI solutions tailored specifically to Canadian healthcare needs and regulations, rather than adapting generic offerings. The partnership will enable more effective care coordination, personalized health recommendations and improved patient engagement. The AI Factory will empower organizations with total, end-to-end development capabilities to build new AI models (model training), customize existing ones for specific needs (fine-tuning) and deploy them in business operations (inferencing). Powered by 99 per cent renewable energy sources, the factory is built in one of the most sustainable AI-ready data centres in the world. Supported by TELUS' high-speed, ultra-low-latency, PureFibre network, the facility is designed to use significantly less electricity to power AI computing workloads and is three times more energy efficient than the industry average demonstrating that cutting-edge AI capabilities and environmental stewardship are essential for Canada's technological future. About League Founded in 2014, League is the leading healthcare consumer experience (CX) platform, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), reaching more than 63 million people around the world and delivering the highest level of personalization in the industry. Payers, providers, and consumer health partners build on League's platform to deliver high-engagement healthcare solutions proven to improve health outcomes. League has raised over $285 million in venture capital funding to date, powering the digital experiences for some of healthcare's most trusted brands, including Highmark Health, Manulife, Medibank, and Shoppers Drug Mart. About TELUS TELUS Corporation (TELUS) (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a world-leading communications technology company operating in more than 45 countries and generating over $20 billion in annual revenue with more than 20 million customer connections through our advanced suite of broadband services for consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are committed to leveraging our technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. TELUS is passionate about putting our customers and communities first, leading the way globally in client service excellence and social capitalism. Our TELUS Health business is enhancing 157 million lives across 200 countries and territories through innovative preventive medicine and well-being technologies. Our TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods business utilizes digital technologies and data insights to optimize the connection between producers and consumers. Guided by our enduring 'give where we live' philosophy, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $1.8 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs including 2.4 million days of service since 2000, earning us the distinction of the world's most giving company. We're always building Canada. For more information, visit telus.com or follow @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram. For media inquiries, please contact: Tricia Lo TELUS Media Relations [email protected] SOURCE TELUS Communications Inc. TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Unifor is urging the federal government to maintain its 100% surtax on electric vehicles imported from China, warning that lifting the measure would deal a devastating blow to Canada's auto industry at a time of unprecedented crisis. Unifor calls to maintain China EV surtax to protect Canadian auto jobs (CNW Group/Unifor) "Canada's auto industry is facing an existential crisis, with U.S. tariffs threatening current and future product investments, including electric vehicles," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "Lifting tariffs on China, will make a bad situation far worse, if Canada becomes a dumping ground for cheap, unfairly subsidized imports." Unifor's submission to the government's Section 53 China Electric Vehicle Surtax Review underscores that unfair competition from Chinese automakers backed by massive state subsidies, labour rights abuses, and coal-powered production poses an immediate threat to Canadian jobs and the country's automotive supply chain, including the steel and aluminum sectors. Since 2020, Canada has positioned itself for growth in the automotive sector by securing investments in vehicle assembly programs, battery production, and critical mineral processing. Unifor warns that recent disruptions, from U.S. tariffs on Canadian-built vehicles, to policy rollbacks on EV supports, to rising Chinese import penetration, threaten to reverse these hard-won gains. "As of August 2025, one-third of our members at Detroit Three facilities in Canada are on layoff, with three assembly plants sitting idle," said Payne. "At a time when auto workers are facing layoffs and uncertainty, lifting the surtax would be nothing short of a self-inflicted wound." Unifor emphasized that, along with efforts to secure a zero-tariff resolution to the U.S. tariff dispute, Canada must remain aligned with its CUSMA partners regarding Chinese vehicle and parts imports. The United States maintains combined tariffs of 127.5% on Chinese EVs and is preparing restrictions on Chinese "connected car" technology by 2027. Mexico recently raised its tariffs to 50% in response to surging imports that now represent 70% of its EV market. "There is no strategic advantage for Canada to go it alone," Payne said. "We need to work constructively to protect North American auto jobs and supply chains." In its submission, Unifor recommended that the federal government: Maintain the existing 100% surtax on imported Chinese EVs for an additional 24 months. Extend surtaxes to strategic EV and battery-related components. Reinstate and expand federal EV rebate programs, with conditions to prioritize Canadian- and North American-built vehicles. Strengthen enforcement against goods produced with forced labour. "Workers have done everything asked of them to build Canada's auto industry for the future," added Payne. "Now it's time for government to stand firm, defend our industry, and ensure our net-zero future is made in Canada with good, union jobs at its core." Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. SOURCE Unifor For media inquiries or to arrange interviews please contact Unifor Communications Director Kathleen O'Keefe at [email protected] or by cell at (416) 896-3303. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Solid steps have been taken to govern Xinjiang in accordance with the law, maintain stability through ethnic unity, strengthen cultural identity and bonds, bring greater prosperity to the region and its people, and develop Xinjiang from a long-term perspective. This has contributed to unprecedented economic and social development and significant improvement of peoples wellbeing, and brought a greater sense of gain, happiness and security to the people. The infographic tells you why todays Xinjiang is experiencing the best period of development in its history. Editor: Zhang Zhou A visitor (2nd R) learns about a humanoid robot displayed at the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A visitor (1st R) learns about a self-driving vehicle equipped with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) during the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A visitor takes photos of a small artificial satellite displayed at the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A drone photo shows a view of the venue for the 4th International Summit on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A staff member (3rd L) introduces an Earth observation satellite during the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A staff member (R) introduces a monitoring device equipped with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) during the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A visitor learns about an urban safety risk comprehensive monitoring and early warning platform equipped with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) during the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) An aerial drone photo shows the outdoor exhibition area of the 4th International Summit on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) People visit the 4th International Summit on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) Visitors view shared bicycles equipped with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) during the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A visitor looks at a humanoid robot displayed at the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A staff member (1st R) introduces domestic EMU trains during the 4th International Summit on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. The 4th International Summit on BDS Applications kicked off here on Wednesday. In addition to the opening ceremony, there are also a high-end keynote speech, thematic forums, academic exchanges and a demonstration exhibition, among other activities, to showcase the deep integration of the large-scale application of BDS with the economy and society. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) Editor: Xiong Jian Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech after listening to work reports from the CPC Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 24, 2025. Xi, leading a central delegation, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, on Tuesday to attend activities marking the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) URUMQI, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to build a socialist modern Xinjiang that is characterized by unity, harmony, prosperity, affluence, cultural progress and a sound eco-environment, where people live and work in peace and contentment. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks after listening to work reports from the CPC Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government. He emphasized the full, faithful and comprehensive implementation of the Party's guidelines for governing Xinjiang in the new era. Xi noted that since the founding of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 70 years ago, earthshaking changes have been taking place in the region, and Xinjiang has joined the rest of the country in embarking on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects. Official data showed that Xinjiang's GDP has grown at an average annual rate of 7.04 percent since 2012. In 2024, it expanded by 6.1 percent, surpassing 2 trillion yuan (about 281.4 billion U.S. dollars) for the first time. Leveraging its resources and industrial capabilities, Xinjiang should actively explore a path of high-quality development suited to its own characteristics and foster its new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, Xi stressed. He also urged Xinjiang to promote the cultural tourism industry, enhance preservation and restoration of ecosystems, accelerate the building of the core area along the Silk Road Economic Belt, and give priority to ensuring and improving people's living standards. Xi underscored all-out efforts in maintaining social stability in Xinjiang, and raising the people's awareness and readiness regarding combating terrorism and maintaining stability. It is imperative to foster a strong sense of the Chinese nation as one community in Xinjiang and promote the construction of the community, Xi said, noting that the region should make efforts to ensure that religions in China conform to China's realities, and help officials and people of all ethnic groups to develop a correct view of the country, history, nation, culture and religion. Strengthening Party leadership and Party building is the fundamental guarantee for advancing Xinjiang's modernization, he added. Xi noted that the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) serves as a major strategic force for achieving the CPC Central Committee's overall goal of the work related to Xinjiang, calling for deepening reform of the XPCC. Senior officials, including Wang Huning and Cai Qi, attended the meeting. Xi, leading a central delegation, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, on Tuesday to attend activities marking the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. On Wednesday morning, Xi visited a themed exhibition for the anniversary at a cultural center in Urumqi. He is scheduled to attend a grand celebration gathering in the city on Thursday. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech after listening to work reports from the CPC Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 24, 2025. Xi, leading a central delegation, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, on Tuesday to attend activities marking the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech after listening to work reports from the CPC Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 24, 2025. Xi, leading a central delegation, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, on Tuesday to attend activities marking the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Editor: Xiong Jian Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a themed exhibition in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at a cultural center in Urumqi, the regional capital, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) URUMQI, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping visited on Wednesday morning a themed exhibition in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at a cultural center in Urumqi, the regional capital. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized that the profound changes in Xinjiang over the past 70 years are a vivid reflection of the historic process of national rejuvenation. Practice has proven that the system of regional ethnic autonomy established by the Party is entirely correct, Xi said, noting that the Party's policy for the governance of Xinjiang in the new era is both scientific and effective, and must be adhered to for the long term. The exhibition provides a panoramic view of the development achievements stemming from unity, diligence and perseverance of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang over the past 70 years under the strong leadership of the CPC and with the vigorous support from other parts of the country. The items on display include historical footage, industrial products, restored scenes of a department store, photos showcasing the achievements in poverty alleviation, exhibition boards on ethnic unity, and a map of ports illustrating the region's expanding openness. Praising the exhibition for conveying positive energy and inspiring visitors, Xi called for organizing visits to encourage officials and people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang to continue striving for a better and happier life on the path to common prosperity. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and others took part in the visit. Both Wang and Cai are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a themed exhibition in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at a cultural center in Urumqi, the regional capital, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a themed exhibition in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at a cultural center in Urumqi, the regional capital, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a themed exhibition in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at a cultural center in Urumqi, the regional capital, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Editor: Xiong Jian Two people were rescued by lifeguards at an Atlantic City beach on Monday, officials said. Atlantic City Beach Patrol spotted two people struggling in the water near the beach at Tennessee Avenue at about 4:30 p.m. Neither individual could swim, said city spokesperson Matthew Duffy. The first person pulled from the water was conscious, officials said. The second person, who was caught in heavy currents, was bleeding when brought to shore. She then became unconscious, stopped breathing and had no pulse, Duffy said. After beach patrol performed CPR, she regained a weak pulse, officials said. She was then taken to a hospital by the Atlantic City Fire Department. She was listed in stable condition on Monday evening, Duffy said. Atlantic City has a limited number of beaches open and guarded through the end of September. Police conducting a welfare check early Thursday at a home in Bergen County found the body of a man who had been stabbed to death, authorities said. New Milford police were called about 3 a.m. to a home in the 600 block of River Road and found two men inside, Bergen County Prosecutors Deputy Chief of Detectives Jeff Angermeyer told NJ Advance Media. One of the men had been stabbed multiple times and was ultimately pronounced deceased on scene, Angermeyer said. An investigation into the circumstances of the mans death was underway Thursday morning, Angermeyer said. The victim was not identified and the prosecutors office did not say if an arrest was made. The New Milford Police Department is assisting the prosecutors office with the investigation. A surgeon who resigned from his job at a New Jersey hospital after a nurse accused him of cheering the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk said he left the job because he and other doctors received threats. Dr. Matthew Jung, who resigned from Englewood Health earlier this month, released a statement Tuesday through a public relations firm emphasizing that he found no joy in Kirks death while placing blame on nurse Lexi Kuenzles allegations against him for the wave of death threats. Her complete disregard for the facts and hospital policy has led to a wave of racial slurs and death threats against me, Jung said in a statement. Sadly, it also led to threats against other minority physicians I once worked alongside, and against the hospital itself. I was forced to leave the hospital and submit my resignation, not because I was guilty of anything, but out of compassion and love for my community and to bring the threats to an end. Jung said the incident unfolded after some hospital staff members asked him about Kirk after news circulated about the Sept. 10 shooting. In trying to explain, I mentioned that (Kirks) platform had included rhetoric that many including minorities like myself and several of the staff found discriminatory, Jung said. I spoke about how hatred can fuel more hatred and often leads to violence. But I was in no way cheering for Mr. Kirk to be shot and killed, as has been alleged. Kuenzle, a Hudson County resident, posted on her Instagram story that this doctor is a disgrace. Had the audacity to say, Im glad, he deserved it, in front of a patient/nursing station in regard to Charlie Kirks being murdered today. You are whats wrong with the world. Jung disputed Kuenzles characterization of his comment, adding that he found no joy in Kirks death. While (Kirks) words have caused real pain for many, he did not deserve that kind of hatred nor did racial minorities or those in the LGBTQ+ community who were targets of his rhetoric. Words are powerful both his and mine. And I am deeply sorry I did not choose mine more carefully, especially as theyve been so badly misrepresented." Kunzle sued the hospital alleging a hostile-workplace and retaliation in Bergen County after she was said she was suspended and told she would be fired. The hospital said in a statement that it reviewed what happened and never planned to fire Kunzle. She has resumed working and did not lose any pay, the hospital said. Jung thanked people who have supported him and said he plans to return to work soon. He did not say if he has a new job. Police have arrested a New Jersey man who was found at the scene of a fatal stabbing with suspected blood on his hands, authorities said. Justin J. Wilhelm, 25, of the Landing section of Roxbury in Morris County, was taken into custody Thursday on a first-degree murder charge as well as possessing narcotics and weapons offenses, the Bergen County Prosecutors Office said in a statement. Wilhelm reportedly called 911 at 2:58 a.m., sending police to a home on River Road in New Milford. When officers arrived, Wilhelm was on the front steps with what was suspected to be blood on both of his hands, authorities said. Police then entered the home and found 24-year-old Mateo Ocho-Gonzalez, of New Mildford, in a second-floor room with stab wounds to the chest and neck area, officials said. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Following an investigation, authorities alleged that Wilhelm was in possession of narcotics and stabbed the victim multiple times. In the statement released on Thursday, prosecutors did not release the details of Wilhelms 911 call. The suspect was apprehended on the scene and brought to a local hospital for evaluation. He remains in police custody. A New Jersey man was sentenced to eight years in prison for the overdose death of a friend to whom he supplied drugs at a Bergen County motel, authorities said Thursday. Alberto Delgado, 45, of Bloomfield, gave fentanyl and cocaine to 54-year-old Luke Revell while the two were at a motel in Lyndhurst, according to the Bergen County Prosecutors Office. Police were called shortly before noon on Nov. 11, 2023, to the motel in the 200 block of Rutherford Avenue, where they found Revell unresponsive. Revell was found face down on the carpet in a room and drug paraphernalia was scattered on the floor, according to a NorthJersey.com report. Revell, of Jersey City, was pronounced dead at the scene. Following an investigation that lasted months, detectives with the Lyndhurst Police Department and the prosecutors office determined Delgado distributed the fatal dose of narcotics to his friend. Delgado pleaded guilty in June to second-degree strict liability drug-induced death of another and was sentenced to eight years in prison. The sentence is subject to New Jerseys No Early Release Act, which requires him to serve at least 85% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Delgados attorney was in court on Thursday and not immediately available to comment. Starbucks is closing hundreds of stores and laying off some of its corporate employees. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Starbucks is closing hundreds of stores and announcing layoffs at the corporate level. The closings and layoffs for the coffee giant come as CEO Brian Niccol is trying to turn things around, as Starbucks is struggling to retain business. This is a more , action that we understand will impact partners and customers. Our coffeehouses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult, Niccol said, according to CNN. Heres what you need to know about the closures and layoffs taking place. What Starbucks locations are closing and when? The closures, which take up 1% of Starbucks footprint, will take place next week before the companys end of the fiscal year. After the stores close, the company said it will be left with 18,300 stores by the end of September. While the company did not specify which locations were closing, The Seattle Times reported that two Reserve Roastery stores in Seattles Capitol Hill and Sodo neighborhoods would be affected. What are employees saying about the planned closures of Starbucks locations? Unionized Starbucks workers expressed their frustrations with Niccols decision to close a significant amount of Starbucks coffee shops. This announcement makes it clear things are only going backwards at Starbucks under Brian Niccols leadership, the Starbucks union, Workers United, told Parade. Yet again, were experiencing new policies and major decisions being made with zero barista input. Workers United plans to bargain for every unionized store, and advocate that employees at affected stores be able to find work at another Starbucks location that they prefer. What Starbucks employees are being laid off? Most unionized Starbucks employees are affected by store closures, but Niccol also announced that 900 people working at the corporate level would be laid off. This is on top of the 1,000 employees laid off in February, according to CNN. Affected corporate employees will be notified Friday and will get generous severance and support packages. Niccol also said there would be a freeze on hiring, noting that many open positions will close. Harold 'Hal' Miller Jr., 48, of Deptford, was killed and dismembered, according to prosecutors. Three members of a Camden family are charged in the case. (Provided Photo/Tamika Miller) A woman charged in connection with the killing and dismemberment of a South Jersey man will remain in jail while she awaits trial, a judge ruled this week. Three people are charged in the case of Harold Hal Miller Jr., who was reported missing by his family in June. Investigators believe that Miller, 48, of Deptford, was shot to death in a Camden home. His remains have not been found. Everton R. Thomas, 41, of Camden, is charged with killing Miller. Thomas wife, Sherrie M. Parker, 41, and his son, Deshawn J. Thomas, 23, are accused of helping to dispose of the victims body, according to the Camden County Prosecutors Office. Parker appeared in court Tuesday for a detention hearing. The prosecution outlined the grisly crime and said Parker extensively cleaned the crime scene and helped dispose of the victim. Parkers defense attorney argued that there was no evidence she was involved in dismembering the victim and cited her lack of a criminal record in seeking her release. Millers family reported him missing on June 14 and family members found his vehicle in Pennsauken the same day, authorities said. Family told police he was last seen playing cards with friends in Camden early on June 12. Millers cellphone was found in his vehicle and his last call was to Everton Thomas number on June 12 at 11:26 a.m., prosecutors said. Detectives located surveillance video showing Miller entering Thomas residence on the 2600 block of Baird Boulevard in Camden shortly before 11:30 a.m. on June 12, authorities said. Moments later, the video recorded a single gunshot, and Miller was never seen leaving, according to prosecutors. Everton Thomas was then seen on video driving Millers vehicle away from Baird Boulevard. Parker and Deshawn Thomas then purchased a chainsaw, containers, cleaning supplies, heavy duty contractor bags, multiple bags of ice, gloves, duct tape, plastic sheeting, sponges and brooms, investigators said. Prosecutors say the defendants cut up Millers body, dumped the remains in an unknown location and scrubbed the home. Witnesses who lived in the house were interviewed by investigators. One reported hearing a gunshot, followed by loud music and extensive cleaning of the kitchen and basement, according to prosecutors. The witness also described a strong odor resembling that of a decomposing body and heard what sounded like power tools being used in the basement, according to court documents. Deshawn Thomas allegedly told a witness that he also heard the gunshot and went downstairs to find his father and Parker in the kitchen, with Miller dead on the floor. Deshawn Thomas told the witness that Parker let Miller into the house and Everton Thomas shot him when he entered, prosecutors said. The son also told a witness that his father asked him to help chop up a body, according to prosecutors. A review of cellphone data from June 12 revealed that the son searched the internet to determine if a chainsaw could cut through meat, prosecutors said. A witness also described Deshawn Thomas walking up from the basement and disposing of unknown items in the first-floor bathroom toilet. In addition, Everton Thomas would not allow one of the witnesses to use the basement for several days starting on June 12, according to investigators. During the detention hearing for Parker, Camden County Assistant Prosecutor Anna Trenga described the defendants alleged behavior, including using bleach and peroxide to clean the kitchen. A witness told investigators that, from June 12 through June 20, Ms. Parker was constantly cleaning the kitchen while Everton was constantly cleaning the basement, and that Parker would not allow the witness to use the kitchen during that time, Trenga said. A witness also told investigators that Sherrie Parker made comments around that time, including a wife got do what shes got to do, and she was not giving up her husband, detectives wrote in court documents. Parker later accused two witnesses of cooperating with police and told them they could no longer stay in the home, the prosecutor stated Tuesday. Video showed the Thomases making several trips to dumpsters at a Camden apartment to dispose of trash bags. The defendants were also seen loading containers and trash bags into a minivan before leaving the city for an unknown destination, prosecutors said. Parker borrowed that minivan from a relative, prosecutors said, and investigators found multiple bleach stains in the back of the vehicle where the bags and containers had been placed. Investigators searched the defendants residence on June 20 and reported finding suspected bloodstains in the kitchen and on the frame of the doors leading from the basement to the outside. DNA testing later confirmed the blood found in the home was Millers. Everton Thomas was found in possession of a loaded firearm with one round in the chamber and nine rounds in a 10-round magazine, according to prosecutors. He was released from custody that day and fled to Canada, prosecutors said. Thomas was arrested on Sept. 8 upon returning to the United States and is now jailed in New Jersey. Hes charged with first-degree murder, second-degree desecration of human remains and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, and is scheduled to appear in court Friday for a detention hearing. Parker and Deshawn Thomas are charged with second-degree desecration of human remains and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence. Parker has no criminal record and a public safety assessment recommended her pretrial release. Given the allegations, Parker poses a risk to the community, the prosecutor said Tuesday. The claim that she ordered residents in the house to leave because she believed they were cooperating with investigators shows she poses a danger to witnesses, Trenga added. She also poses a flight risk, the prosecutor argued. Defense attorney George S. Yacoubian argued that Parker has no record that would make her a flight risk and challenged the suggestion that she poses a danger to the community. Theres no evidence thats been presented that would allow the court to conclude that she was actually involved in the dismemberment, Yacoubian said. The evidence is that she tampered with evidence and disposed of what are almost certainly human remains. Thats not enough for the purposes of a detention hearing to conclude that she is a danger to the community. He argued that his client could be safely released with monitoring while she awaits trial. Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce found that Parker posed an obstruction risk and ordered that she remain jailed. This defendant engaged in significant criminal conduct to obstruct the criminal justice process, the judge said. It can only be described as depraved and immoral. Moreover, when the defendant became aware of witnesses who were cooperating and providing information to law enforcement, she retaliated against them by having them removed from her home. Parker is scheduled to return to court Oct. 15 for a pre-indictment hearing. Last week, a judge ordered that Deshawn Thomas remain jailed until trial. On the night of September 25, from 18:00 on September 24, the Russian occupiers attacked the territory of Ukraine with 176 air attack vehicles: Shahed, Gerbera UAVs and other types of drones, the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has said on Telegram. "According to preliminary data, as of 08:30, air defenses shot down/suppressed 150 enemy Shahed, Gerbera UAVs and other types of drones in the north, south, east and center of the country," the message says. Some 13 strike UAVs were recorded hitting 8 locations, as well as the fall of downed (drone fragments) at one location. "The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine," the message says. The family of Joseph Volm, who drowned while visiting Wildwood Crest in 2023, claimed lifeguards did not properly warn beachgoers of potential rip currents the day he died. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media A Jersey Shore borough where a 21-year-old man drowned two years ago at the beach is asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the victims family seeking damages for his death. Joseph Volm, a two-sport athlete at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, Camden County, was visiting Wildwood Crest with relatives in the summer of 2023 when he was grasped by a rip current, according to the familys lawsuit filed in August. Volm died at a hospital after being rescued from the water. His family, in its suit, alleged lifeguards failed to warn beachgoers about hazardous conditions the day the young man drowned, arguing that doing so could have prevented his death. Wildwood Crest filed a motion in state Superior Court in Cape May County on Tuesday to dismiss the lawsuit. A judge is expected to rule on the motion by late October, according to court records. Michael Barker, a Linwood-based attorney representing Wildwood Crest and its beach patrol, declined to comment when reached by NJ Advance Media on Thursday. In a 13-page letter supporting the motion, the borough argues that the family was too late in filing a lawsuit. According to court records, Volms family first sought to file suit in February 2024, filing a tort claim notice which is used to notify government entities of a forthcoming lawsuit for damages. However, the claim was challenged because it was filed too late, about six months after his death. The family unsuccessfully attempted to continue the lawsuit, arguing that they werent provided an autopsy report until December, which prevented them from seeking legal relief earlier. In its motion, the borough also further argues that state law can not make it liable for hazardous conditions in the ocean. It cites a case involving a 15-year-old student in Pennsylvania, who drowned after a swimming lesson in gym class in 2010. The teens teacher was granted immunity because the suit failed to show a state-created danger of liability, according to past reports. Defendants cannot be liable... for failing to have adequate policies and resources to protect against natural dangerous conditions of the Atlantic Ocean not caused, created, or enhanced by defendants, the motion states. Plaintiff cannot establish a Fourteenth Amendment state-created danger claim. The familys attorney in the case, Thomas Sacchetta, did not immediately return an emailed request for comment. The family argues Wildwood Crests beach patrol didnt adequately staff the boroughs beach with guards on the day Volm died. Red flags, which are commonly used to warn bathers of the risk of dangerous rip currents, were not seen in the area where Volm entered the ocean, the lawsuit states. Volm had recently left a drug treatment facility at the time he died, it was stated in court papers. His family at the beach told police he did not appear to show signs of drug use at the time he drowned, the papers state. A Catholic school teacher in South Jersey has been placed on administrative leave after disclosing she is carrying a baby for a couple as their gestational surrogate. Jadira Bonilla, 35, said she was accused by school administrators on Sept. 12 of violating her employment contract at St. Mary School in Vineland. Since then, she has been on paid leave. Im not committing a crime and Im being punished as if I was, its hurtful, Bonilla said. What Im doing is to help a family out. Steven Hogan, the schools principal, said in a statement that Bonilla was a valued teacher, but the Catholic churchs stance on surrogacy guides our educational principles. This isnt the first time a New Jersey Catholic school teacher has been removed from the classroom following a pregnancy disclosure. In 2023, the state Supreme Court ruled that a religious entity is not required to abide by the states discrimination laws when following the tenets of its faith. The state Supreme Court ruling ended a 10-year legal battle fought by a woman who lost her job at a Kenilworth Catholic school after disclosing she was unmarried and pregnant. The Catholic Church has historically opposed surrogacy, along with in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments. Last year, Pope Francis called for a universal ban on surrogacy, describing it as despicable practice. Bonilla, a kindergarten teacher whos been with the school for three and a half years, said despite the churchs opposition, neither surrogacy nor in vitro fertilization are mentioned in her contract or employee handbook. If theyre going to penalize me, then theyre going to have to penalize every female employee that has done IVF to conceive their own children, because its the same thing. They go hand in hand, Bonilla said. Bonilla first told the schools principal about her surrogacy plans last school year and was surprised by his judgmental response, she said. I didnt think it was a big deal, being as though I was a surrogate before at a different Catholic school, Bonilla said. According to Bonilla, Hogan told her during that meeting she could not continue working at the school while serving as a surrogate. Bonilla said she asked multiple times for written documentation stating why she would be in violation of her employment, but Hogan didnt provide any. Because she already had a contract with a family, she proceeded with her surrogacy, she said. On Sept. 12, a week and half after Bonilla informed Hogan that she was pregnant as a surrogate, she was called into a meeting with officials from the Diocese of Camden. They informed her that she was possibly in violation of her contract and would be placed on leave pending an investigation, she said. I was upset, Bonilla said. I truly love my job. I love working with my students. I miss being in the classroom. In a statement provided to NJ Advance Media, Hogan said: We certainly understand Mrs. Bonillas concern. It has been our hope to meet with her to help her fully understand the Catholic Churchs teaching on surrogacy, but that has not happened as of yet. Mrs. Bonilla is a valued teacher and one we hope will one day again teach in our school with the full knowledge of our faith which guides our educational principles. Gestational surrogacy is legal in New Jersey. In 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law clarifying the rights of couples struggling with infertility who want to hire a woman to carry their child. Gestational carriers do not share any DNA or biological connection to the baby. Under New Jerseys law, the parents can pay the surrogates medical bills and living expenses. Bonilla said she was initially inspired to become a surrogate at 18, when her cousin faced medical issues and found out she wouldnt be able to carry her own children. I said, Listen, if you ever wanted to have kids, I will absolutely carry them for you, Bonilla recalled. Although her cousin eventually decided not to have children, Bonillas desire to help a family in need stuck with her. After having children of her own with her super supportive husband, Bonilla connected with a surrogacy agency. We found an amazing couple, and this is their second baby that Im having for them, she said. Now 25 weeks into her pregnancy, Bonilla said the support from parents at the school, many of whom have relied on IVF or surrogacy themselves, has helped her navigate the difficult time. Ive just received an immense outpour of love and support from so many people, Bonilla said. Jessica Chastain and Dagmara Dominczyk in "The Savant," which was supposed to be released Friday on Apple TV+. Elizabeth Fisher | Apple TV+ Jessica Chastain was working to promote her new series The Savant when Apple TV+ made a decision. The streamer is postponing the shows premiere just days before the scheduled release Friday, Sept. 26. And Chastain does not agree with the decision. After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant, Apple TV+ had said in a statement, per Variety. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date. The company changed course on the series in the wake of the Sept. 10 murder of Charlie Kirk and other violent attacks. I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple, the Oscar-winning Chastain said in an Instagram post Wednesday. Theyve been incredible collaborators and I deeply respect their team. That said, I wanted to reach out and let you know that were not aligned on the decision to pause the release of The Savant. In the show, Chastain plays Jodi Goodwin, an investigator who goes undercover and explores online hate groups to expose extremist plots and prevent terror attacks in the United States. The series, from writer and showrunner Melissa James Gibson, is based on a real anonymous investigator called the Savant, the subject of the 2019 Cosmopolitan article Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens? by Andrea Stanley. So far, The Savant has not been given a new release date. The Apple TV+ landing page for the show says coming at a later date. In the last five years since weve been making the show, weve seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States: the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; the January 6th attack on the Capitol; the assassination attempts on President Trump; the political assassinations of Democratic representatives in Minnesota; the attack on Speaker Pelosis husband; the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk; the recent shooting at an ABC affiliate station in California; and over 300 school shootings across this country, Chastain said. These incidents, though far from encompassing the full range of violence witnessed in the United States, illustrate a broader mindset that crosses the political spectrum and must be confronted, she said. Ive never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasnt so relevant, unfortunately it is, Chastain continued. The Savant is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever. While I respect Apples decision to pause the release for now, I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon. Until then, Im wishing safety and strength for everyone, and Ill let you know if and when The Savant is released. Several Disney+ series were canceled this year. NurPhoto via Getty Images From Daredevil: Born Again to Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Disney+ has renewed several original series this year. However, some of the streaming platforms series didnt make the cut. Keep scrolling to see all the Disney+ shows that have been canceled so far this year, including two that got axed before they even aired. Alice in The Palace Alice in the Palace, a spinoff of the Disney Channel original series Ravens Home, was ordered to pilot in September 2024. Mykal-Michelle Harris reprised her role as Alice Baxter, the daughter of Raven Baxters (Raven-Symone) cousin. After the pilot was filmed, Disney Channel decided not to move forward with the series. Harris shared the update via Instagram in July. Ultimately, #disneychannel decided to take the strategy in a different direction that did not include our show. #thatsTheBusiness, the 13-year-old actress wrote alongside several photos from set. READ MORE: Canceled shows creator slams Paramount+: Not handled well Although the show was scrapped, Harris noted that she feels so blessed to have starred in my very own pilot that I not only played the titular character on but also played opposite myself as another character (Alice and Clementine) AND was a PRODUCER on. Andor Technically, Andor wasnt canceled, but the Star Wars series did come to an end in May after two seasons. Although Andor was originally meant to be a five-season story, series creator Tony Gilroy said the scale of the show made it hard to keep going. The show is huge and its just physically impossible, Gilroy told ComicBook.com. Extraordinary The superhero comedy series was canceled in January after two seasons. A rep for Disney+ said that the streaming platform was so proud of the hilarious, award-winning series despite its cancelation. Goosebumps Based on the childrens horror book series of the same name, Goosebumps was canceled in August after two seasons. READ MORE: Iconic MTV series canceled after 9 seasons: Sad Primos In June, Animation Magazine reported that Primos had been canceled after one season. The animated series follows a large Mexican-American family living in the Los Angeles suburbs. Shardlake Based on the historical mystery novel series of the same name, Shardlake was canceled in January after one season. Tiana Tiana, an animated series about the princess from the 2009 Disney film The Princess and the Frog, was scrapped before it premiered. Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Tiana in the original film, was set to reprise her role. After news broke in March that Tiana had been axed, Rose reacted via Instagram. I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tianas journey in series form has been cut short, she wrote. The series was a long time coming, and a lot of beautiful work was put into it by all of the creatives involved, including but not limited to long time champion Jenn Lee, our wonderful writer/director Joyce Sherri, some fabulous animators and an amazing music team. Rose teased that the show had been turned into a Tiana Special Event and asked fans to tune in when the special eventually airs. Show your love and your desire in the numbers. Make that desire an undeniable and real thing, she wrote. Until then, we will be continuing to work hard to bring you the most beautiful content we can. Bruce Springsteen provides more critiques of President Donald Trump's second term in a new interview with Time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Bruce Springsteen has more criticisms about President Donald Trump and his second term in office. In an interview with Time Magazine, The Boss talks about the aftermath of the 2024 Presidential election and how he feels the President deceived people. A lot of people bought into his lies, Springsteen says. He doesnt care about the forgotten anybody but himself and the multibillionaires who stood behind him on Inauguration Day. Springsteen also remarked that you have to face the fact that a good number of Americans are simply comfortable with his politics of power and dominance. The 76-year-old Jersey rock icon, who has been a longtime critic of Trump, called the administration corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous during the opening night of his Land of Hope & Dreams tour with the E Street Band in Manchester, England, in May. President Trump responded the next day, calling Springsteen dumb as a rock and a dried out prune of a rocker. I absolutely couldnt care less what he thinks about me, Springsteen said in the interview. What he doesnt laugh about is the state of the nation. Hes the living personification of what the 25th Amendment and impeachment were for. If Congress had any guts, hed be consigned to the trash heap of history. Springsteen also discussed the need for an opposition party that can communicate more efficiently with all American citizens. Were desperately in need of an effective alternative party, or for the Democratic Party to find someone who can speak to the majority of the nation, Springsteen said. There is a problem with the language that theyre using and the way theyre trying to reach people. The interview comes as Springsteens songbook with be thrust onto the silver screen, as a biopic titled Deliver Me From Nowhere starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce during his early 80s Nebraska era hits theaters Oct. 24. The movie filmed extensively throughout New Jersey last fall and winter. The T. rex at Field Station: Dinosaurs is for sale. So are the other residents of the dinosaur park. Field Station: Dinosaurs; Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media One New Jersey business is having a closing sale. Everything must go even the 30-foot-tall animatronic T. rex. Field Station: Dinosaurs, the Leonia dinosaur park set to close at the end of the fall season, is selling its prehistoric creatures on Facebook Marketplace. The animatronic dinosaurs, made of steel, rubber and foam, are going for $850 for a winged quetzalcoatlus to $2,700 for each T. rex (theres two slightly used, well loved!) and $2,800 for the spinosaurus. The sale also includes baby dinos like the juvenile triceratops ($1,668, loves kids). Each dinosaur comes with a control box and speaker. A hadrosaurus, left, and a baby triceratops are among the dinosaur collection being sold on Facebook. Field Station: Dinosaurs Where do 30+ dinosaurs go when their park closes? the parks founder and executive producer, Guy Gsell, said in a statement. Hopefully to a good home or maybe a few unexpected places. Were ready to let the public make their best offers. Just be sure youve got a big backyard. Field Station: Dinosaurs opened at the leafy, Jersey Turnpike-adjacent Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus in 2012. In 2015, the Hudson County attraction was forced to close to make way for the construction of a new building for High Tech High School, formerly located in North Bergen. Field Station: Dinosaurs founder Guy Gsell at the park when it opened in Secaucus in 2012. The dinosaur park later moved to Leonia. Chris Monroe | For The Star-Ledger Field Station: Dinosaurs moved to Bergen County in 2016, setting its dino scenes up at Overpeck County Park in Leonia. The dinosaurs found a new home at the parks flat, grassy Henry Hoebel Area. Field Station opened another dinosaur park in Derby, Kansas near Wichita. That location remains open. READ MORE: N.J. dinosaur park tries to save itself from extinction on new reality series Gsell and the Leonia Field Station: Dinosaurs recently appeared on the Fox reality series The Fixer, in which host Marcus Lemonis, entrepreneur and CEO of Camping World, advises struggling businesses. The reality show stint did not save the park. Field Station has a few special events scheduled before it closes Nov. 9. "For sale" signs at the dinosaur park bear messages like "friendly" and "cage not included." Field Station: Dinosaurs There will be a Jurassic petting zoo Sept. 27 and Sept. 28 featuring the triceratops, dimetrodon, dilophosaurus, ohmdenosaurus and stegosaurus, among other dinosaurs. On Oct. 13, the park welcomes pets to its Dogs & Dinosaurs event. Friday and Saturday nights in October bring the Halloween-flavored Dinosaurs After Dark, with a dinosaur seance, campfire and more. Field Station: Dinosaurs is open Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Nov. 9, as well as Oct. 13, Nov. 6 and Nov. 7. For more information, visit jerseydinos.com. 10 1 / 10 Newark's New High School of Architecture & Interior Design The general public got a look at Newarks newest high school on Wednesday, a former hospital meant to prep students for careers in architecture, design, and the building trades in a city undergoing a years-long building boom. With classes in session, the district gave reporters and photographers a tour of the orange-brick Newark School of Architecture & Interior Design in the citys Ironbound section. Freshmen sat in freshly painted, brightly lit classrooms with windows that once let patients bask in healing sunlight. Others focused intently on design programs displayed on brand-new double-wide computer monitors. The same five-story glass-walled stairwell where doctors and nurses once bounded up or down to take blood pressure readings or close wounds now offers young teens a reminder of the outside world amid the pressures inside to pass exams, come up with original designs, or impress classmates with their fashions and phones. This school transforms a place of healing into a place of building and learning, Superintendent Roger Leon said. What students will learn, said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, a former high school principal, is how to make spaces that give people a sense of self and belonging to a community; a sense of safety and order; a sense of beauty and inspiration. Tuesdays tour was attended by Frances Bronet, president of Pratt Institute, the Brooklyn-based university that helped design the new schools curriculum. This partnership builds on our long history of creating cradle-through-career pathways for young people, Bronet said. Real estate consultant Susanne Newmark, also involved in the new school, was likewise on hand. The school is being developed in two phases: the initial redeveloped space for classrooms, offices, the library, labs and other academic uses; and what will be a newly constructed portion for the auditorium and gymnasium, now little more than a steel skeleton. Classes there began with the districts other schools on Sept. 2, under a temporary certificate of occupancy while work continued. This years opening of the start-up school was for a freshman class only, with 200 students. The district plans to add a new grade level each academic year until 2028-29, when it will become a full 9-12 school with its first graduation. The 5-story building is a redevelopment project in itself, occupying the former St. James Hospital, built decades ago at the corner of Jefferson and Elm streets and closed before the district announced plans for the high school in May 2022. The school was created under a lease-purchase agreement between the Newark Public Schools and New York developer Summit Assets. Under the deal unusual for a public school project the states largest district will pay the developer $300 million spread over 30 years, at the end of which the district is to take ownership of the building from Summit. The schools opening comes two years after an initial projection of fall 2023 as part of a 10-year district-wide expansion program led by Leon. The original opening date was later pushed back a year, and then another, as the project hit snags nearly from its outset. The first came only a few months after its Spring 2022 groundbreaking, when, that September, the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development issued a stop-work order while investigating a complaint that workers were not being paid prevailing wages. Things were further complicated by a harassment suit filed against Summit by a pharmacy owner who leases space from the developer in a separate building on the square-block property. Summit CEO Albert Nigri grew so frustrated at one point in August 2022 that he told NJ Advance Media the deal was off, although he ultimately stuck with the project. Wednesdays tour came on the same day that an organization, including residents of the densely populated East Ward surrounding the new high school, voiced concerns that a shortage of classroom space there was forcing the district to bus children to schools in distant, less crowded neighborhoods. A spokesman for the group, New Labor, said it welcomed Architecture & Interior Design as a neighborhood school for older students. However, more elementary space is still needed, said Rafael Chavez Santiago, a spokesman for the group. Both are true, he said. A district spokesman declined to comment on the groups concern. The synergy of a school dedicated to creating housing, office space and other parts of what architects call the built environment in a city rebuilding itself was not lost on its mayor. I hope, Baraka said of the students, they will someday apply what they learn here to building our citys future. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. and RWJBarnabas Health president and CEO Mark Manigan cut a ceremonial ribbon on Tuesday, Sept. 23 to unveil a new mobile health unit. Essex County A new mobile health unit was unveiled in West Orange, designed to bring school physicals and preventive care directly to children facing healthcare access barriers. The pediatric-focused vehicle represents the second mobile health unit from the ongoing collaboration between Essex County and RWJBarnabas Health. The unit will primarily provide physicals required for school attendance, addressing a critical need for families who struggle to access traditional healthcare services. We could not have a better partner than RWJBarnabas Health, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. said in a statement. Combining the resources of our county and the largest health care system in New Jersey has enabled us to reach out into the community and better address our residents health care needs, he added. The new unit features a small waiting room and two examination rooms decorated with cartoon zoo characters to create a less intimidating environment for young patients. Children will receive comprehensive physicals, including vision and hearing screenings, along with routine medical examinations. For children in particular, early access to care is vital it creates the foundation for lifelong wellness, Mark E. Manigan, president and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health, said. The partnerships first mobile health vehicle launched during the COVID pandemic in 2021. That unit has since been dispatched to 312 community clinics. It has administered 2,534 vaccines to children and adults, provided 5,742 screenings and treated 3,428 people through the end of August. Eugene Richardson, center, claps during his 100th birthday celebration at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. Gavin Schweiger | For NJ Advance Media When Eugene Richardson joined the Army in 1944, it was segregated, and no Black man had ever served as a pilot in the military. Still, Richardson wanted to be a pilot. He knew that things would be better in the future. Theyre not always going to be as it were at that particular moment, Richardson said. Richardson and nearly 1,000 others later attended pilot training in Tuskegee, Alabama, helping desegregate the military and becoming members of the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces. The elite group of African American military pilots and airmen, famously known as the Tuskegee Airmen, earned praise for their combat record while protecting American bombers during World War II. On Sept. 18, Richardson, who had briefly lived in Camden, celebrated his 100th birthday in Springfield, Pennsylvania, surrounded by over 100 people he had inspired throughout his lifetime. Im really amazed that I was the one involved with that, but Im very proud of it, he said in reference to his service. Cakes and figurines with Eugene Richardson's face fill a table at Richardson's 100th birthday celebration at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. Gavin Schweiger | For NJ Advance Media Richardson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1925, where he said his love of planes and desire to be an airman blossomed at the age of 5 after he watched Black stunt fliers at an airshow, according to the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Later, his family moved to Toledo, and then to Camden, where his father had accepted a position as a church minister. Richardson told CBS Philadelphia that he and his younger brother would watch Navy planes take off from Airport Circle in Camden as teens. Before 1941, the Army was segregated due to racist Jim Crow laws, according to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. But in 1941, the military established the Tuskegee Airmen Air Force program at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, where recruits were trained to fly single- and twin-engine planes and given other military instruction to prepare them for service. The airmen had one of the lowest loss records of any escort group, according to a National WWII Museum report. Richardson never saw combat because the war in Europe ended two months after he was commissioned in March 1945, according to the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. In 1948, former President Harry S. Truman signed an Executive Order fully integrating the military. According to CBS Philadelphia, in 2007, former President George W. Bush presented the Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congresss highest civilian honor awarded to individuals, groups or institutions for distinguished achievements or contributions. Richardson, other airmen and widows received bronze replicas of the medals, the backs of which read, Outstanding Combat Record. Inspired Revolutionary Reform In The Armed Services. Richardson told the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., that The performance of Black pilots in World War II proved that high levels of performance werent the province of guys with light skin. After service, Richardson continued to inspire others, becoming a teacher and then a principal in Philadelphia. Shanda Taylor Boyd, 62, one of the attendees at Richardsons birthday party, was one of the first females to enroll at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania. She said the Tuskegee Airmen inspired her. It means miracles happen and that we have hope, said Taylor Boyd, of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. In 1985, Taylor Boyd received an award for academic excellence and Richardson pinned the pin on her. At the time, she didnt realize that Richardson was a Tuskegee Airman. Shanda Taylor Boyd holds medals from her service at Eugene Richardson's 100th birthday celebration at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. Gavin Schweiger | For NJ Advance Media Hes my personal hero, Taylor Boyd said. Melvin Payne, president of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., also admires Richardson. Payne joined the chapter 25 years ago, where he met Richardson. Richardson has been a mentor to Payne since then. Melvin Payne, left, holds a painting of Eugene Richardson, right, at Richardson's 100th birthday celebration at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. Gavin Schweiger | For NJ Advance Media Payne said Richardson taught him perseverance, professionalism and preparedness. Im one of the most blessed people in the world to get to live, walk and talk with living history, Payne said. Meanwhile, Richardson said he has learned a lot in the 100 years he has been alive. He said the best piece of advice he has for people is to Have faith in yourself and see yourself as doing something bigger and better. CNN's Abby Phillip played clips of President Donald Trump labeling his political opponents while on the 2024 campaign trail. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) AP CNN anchor Abby Phillip challenged MAGA world over the issue of name-calling on the left. The panel on NewsNight Wednesday night debated heated rhetoric in the wake of political violence following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of President Donald Trump, and a shooting at an ICE facility early Wednesday. Several conservative influencers and administration officials including Vice President JD Vance and Trump himself have argued that political violence stems from the radical left, and not Republicans. While speaking to the table, conservative political commentator Ben Ferguson said: After the assassination of my friend Charlie Kirk, and after multiple attacks on ICE facilities, I would hope that leaders in the Democratic Party, and one of those leaders is Gavin Newsom, would know better than to go on TV and say that ICE agents are the bad guys, and that theyre authoritarian, and then expect that no ones going to listen to what hes saying or respond to it. Phillip asked back, Let me just ask you a question about that, OK? Because I think at the heart of so much of this is your insistence that using certain words leads to violence. Is that what youre saying? Calling people fascists and Nazis and authoritarian, yeah, Ferguson replied. Phillip then pointed to an X post from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who wrote on Wednesday: YouTube admitted the authoritarian Biden regime ordered them to censor Americans. They even banned me a sitting U.S. Senator." He was referring to reports that Google had told House lawmakers it would begin reinstating accounts on the platform that they claim former presidents administration pressured them to remove over COVID content. She then played a video montage showing Trump using similar language to label the Democratic Party while on the campaign trail. Its a choice between communism and freedom, the president said on Aug. 29 of last year. He also called former Vice President Kamala Harris a Marxist and fascist. In the same month, Trump described Harris plan of price controls: This is communist. This is Marxist. This is fascist. Theres a radical left Marxist, communist, fascist, Trump said in September 2024. Phillip went on to say, We have short memories around here. Ferguson pointed to Zohran Mamdani, New York Citys Democratic mayoral nominee, who identifies as a democratic socialist, to which Phillip responded that Trump was referring to Harris. Phillip continued: Are you so committed to this idea that we should just ban certain words from the lexicon? Authoritarian, fascist, Nazi, communist should we just ban them because theyre all leading to violence, or is it just that its not OK when your political opponents use them? Ferguson fired back: Abby, I think youre incredibly smart... I think that youre smart enough to realize that when you demonize law enforcement to the point where what is happening is becoming regular against ICE agents because its coming from people like Gavin Newsom, we should know that there is a correlation there. Philip said she understands his point to a degree but noted that if certain words should be off limits, then lay that on the table and lets make that clear, and lets apply it to everybody. Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ During the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly, Ukraine held a parallel event dedicated to ensuring accountability for Russian crimes. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha emphasized: "War criminals must not be immune from justice. Justice itself must be immune from war criminals." According to him, Russia's war is aimed not only at people, but also at culture. " More than two hundred Ukrainian artists have been killed, over one hundred media workers lost, and thousands of heritage sites and cultural facilities destroyed or damaged." Sybiha said on X, adding that this is genocide, not an accident. He emphasized that international law will be respected only when violators know about the inevitability of responsibility: "International law will only be respected when violators know responsibility is inevitable. Putin must feel this inevitability. His war will end only when continuing it costs him more than stopping it." Former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill., listens to a question from a moderator during a debate alongside former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, hosted by Business Insider, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Julius Constantine Motal) AP Former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh sent a blistering message on Wednesday to Vice President JD Vance over his latest accusations against the Democratic Party. Trump officials, including Vance, pointed fingers at Democrats on Wednesday over a fatal shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Texas. Vance suggested on Wednesday that Democrats criticism of ICE has led to attacks on law enforcement. Walsh, who joined the Democratic Party earlier this year, sent a scathing message to Vance in response to his accusations against the left. F--- you, JD Vance. Seriously. F--- you, Walsh began in a Substack post. This afternoon, a few hours after the horrible shooting at the ICE facility in Dallas, in which an immigrant detainee was shot and killed and two others are clinging to life, JD Vance used the attack to blame all of us who say that what ICE is doing is wrong, thuggish, authoritarian, and fascist, Walsh said. A message for JD Vance. https://t.co/Vc9XVkoLt8 Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) September 25, 2025 According to Walsh, Vance claimed Democrats are the ones leading to the violence against ICE. While Walsh condemned acts of political violence, he also argued that what ICE is doing is wrong. Political violence against anyone is wrong. Butyes, theres a butwhat ICE is doing right now in America is also wrong, and its un-American," he wrote. He said Vance has no right to silence me and others merely for accurately labeling what ICE is doing as authoritarian, thuggish, fascist, and un-American. Yes, there have been a number of threats and acts of violence against ICE. They are reprehensible. But to accuse us and our words of leading to the violence and threats? Bulls---, he continued. Walsh accused Vance and President Donald Trump of wanting violence and division to spread across the country. Trump and Vance want these attacks on ICE agents because it will further their goal, their mission of defeating Democrats and further dividing this country. Because JD Vance and Donald Trump believe the road to victory for them is hate and division. Period," he wrote. He suggested that if the administration wants people to tone down the rhetoric on ICE, the agency should immediately stop what theyre currently doing. He said the agents should take off their masks and only detain violent criminals who are in this country illegally. If ICE did what theyre supposed to dogo after violent criminals who are in this country illegallythen everybody would take a breath and chill on this issue of immigration and deportations. Because 90% of Americans want violent criminals who are in this country illegally gone, Walsh said. But 80% of Americans dont want ICE going into Home Depot and 7-Eleven parking lots, courthouses, hospitals, and daycare centers and grabbing peaceful, law-abiding immigrants, he said. Got it, JD Vance? he concluded. The Trump administration ramped up its deportation campaign in recent months, as ICE agents conducted raids across the country to detain those living in the United States illegally. Many critics have questioned ICEs tactics, with many noting that the agency is not only targeting violent criminals. Trump officials urged Democrats and critics to tone down criticism of ICE, pointing to Wednesdays shooting and other attacks on ICE facilities. The shooting on Wednesday left one detainee dead and two detainees injured. No law enforcement officers were injured or killed. The exact motivation for the attack was not immediately known. The FBI said at a morning news conference that ammunition found at the scene had anti-ICE messaging, and the Director Kash Patel released a photo on social media showing a bullet with the words ANTI-ICE written on it. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Senate candidates are turning away from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) ahead of the 2026 midterms. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) AP Democratic Senate candidates are increasingly distancing themselves from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on the campaign trail ahead of the 2026 midterms. POLITICO and The Washington Post reported that candidates running to unseat GOP lawmakers in Maine, Illinois and Iowa, among other states, have remained vocally critical of Schumer or have sidestepped questions about his potential to lead if they were to be elected to Congress. Some have pledged to not back the Democratic leader, who is not up for reelection until 2028, while others have refused to commit or are planning on leaving their options open. Hell no, Nathan Sage, an Iowa Democrat running to replace Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, who is retiring, told POLITICO when asked whether he would support Schumer for leader. Its about damn time he seems like hes starting to fight for us, Sage continued, before adding: Its almost too late at this point. The toxicity seen by candidates in key races ahead of the midterms in both safe and reach states comes as Schumer looks to compete and flip seats blue in an unfavorable map. Alex Nguyen, a spokesperson for Schumer, said that the leaders North Star is winning the majority in 2026. But of the 19 top Democratic candidates running in open races, in places that the Democratic Party is eyeing to turn, none endorsed Schumer for leader, according to a POLITICO survey. While 11 said outright that they would not support him, eight were noncommittal. People want new Senate leadership more than they want a new senator, Graham Platner, a Maine Democrat, said. Platner also told The Washington Post: We are right now living in the outcome of a failed electoral strategy, that is why Democrats dont hold power, and much of that strategy was driven by Chuck Schumer. This is a MAGA party. And the same approach is not going to work. Chuck Schumer is not the leader our party or our country needs, Terry Virts, who is running in Texas, said in a campaign video. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Michigan), who is now running for Senate, has not directly answered whether she supports Schumer, after calling him a great leader in March. The people who are asking me this are not my voters, you know what I mean, Stevens told Semafor in June. Its just kind of missing the point about how serious this moment is for Michigan right now. Meanwhile, Schumer told MSNBC on Wednesday that he is optimistic about the Democratic Party taking back the Senate next year much more now than before, because really fine candidates are stepping up to the plate. President Donald Trumps new White House ballroom is beginning to take shape. CBS News exclusively obtained updated architectural drawings on Thursday which appear to show that the presidents project will outsize the White House once it is completed. In June, Trump announced the construction of a ballroom at the White House as part of one of his many planned renovations to the historic building. Just inspected the site of the new Ballroom that will be built, compliments of a man known as Donald J. Trump, at the White House, Trump wrote at the time on his Truth Social platform. For 150 years, Presidents, and many others, have wanted a beautiful Ballroom, but it never got built because nobody previously had any knowledge or experience in doing such things But I do, like maybe nobody else, and it will go up quickly, and be a wonderful addition, very much in keeping with the magnificent White House itself." Located in the East Wing, the ballroom will comprise 90,000 square feet and have a seating capacity for 650 people. It is expected to be paid by Trump and private donors, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, as construction got underway earlier this month on the South Lawn. Meanwhile, the main building of the White House stretches 55,000 total square feet, including its residence, ground floor and state floor. The figure does not include the East and West Wings. Several companies have pledged $5 million donations and more, with the total costs of construction projected to be around $200 million, CBS News previously reported. According to the outlet, Google, R.J. Reynolds, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, Palantir and NextEra Energy have already donated to the project. D.C.-based architectural firm McCrery Architects PLLC is behind the ballroom. It is set to be completed long before the end of Trumps term, according to the White House. The official social media accounts of the Trump administration also shared photos and videos on Wednesday of the new Presidential Walk of Fame displayed in the West Wing Colonnade of the White House. However, instead of showing Bidens official portrait, the White House displayed a photo of an autopen in its place. Democrat Mikie Sherrill (left) and Republican Jack Ciattarelli (right) are running for New Jersey's open governor's seat in November 2025. Canva Illustration for NJ.com In one of several explosive events in New Jerseys heated governors race Thursday, top Democrats called for an investigation as a federal agency admitted it improperly released Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrills military records including personal data to an ally of her Republican challenger. That unfolded as Sherrill, a congresswoman and former Navy helicopter pilot, acknowledged she was not allowed to walk with her class when she graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy 30 years ago amid a high-profile cheating scandal. She said she did not cheat but was punished for not reporting classmates who were involved. Sherrills campaign accused President Donald Trumps administration of illegally leaking what should have been private sections of her records in concert with Jack Ciattarelli, her Trump-endorsed Republican opponent. The information included Sherrills Social Security number, her address, and her parents address. She also threatened legal action. The National Archives apologized to Sherrill in a letter this week for mistakenly releasing the documents, saying it was the result of a government workers error over a legal records request. Ciattarellis team denied wrongdoing, saying Sherrill presented no evidence of collusion with Trump and was conflating a separate issue to deflect from the graduation story. Republicans urged Sherrill to release her own discipline records to prove why she was barred from the 1994 ceremony. The White House deferred comment to the Archives. All of this broke just hours after a new poll in the race, from Emerson College, showed Sherrill and Ciattarelli tied six weeks before the Nov. 4 election to pick a new governor to succeed term-limited Democrat Phil Murphy. What happened The drama stems from a pair of distinct but overlapping news reports published Thursday. In one, CBS News reported it was investigating whether Sherrill was involved in the 1990s Naval Academy cheating scandal when it discovered the National Archives gave out a mostly un-redacted version of her full military files to a Ciattarelli surrogate who filed a public-records request four months ago while doing opposition research. CBS said it received a copy of the documents. This is an illegal and dangerous weaponization of the federal government, Sherrill, a U.S. House member from Essex County, wrote on social media. That (Ciattarelli) and the Trump admin are breaking the law and exposing private records for political gain is a violation of anyone who has ever served. No veterans record is safe. All 10 of Sherrills fellow Democrats in New Jerseys congressional delegation also sent a letter asking the Armed Services, Oversight, and Veterans Affairs committees in both the U.S. Senate and House to investigate. The lawmakers led by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-6th Dist. said the illegal release of any servicemembers full, unredacted military records violates the Privacy Act of 1974. They called this a remarkable Trump administration failure. This is a dangerous and corrupt attempt to weaponize the federal government for political purposes and meddle in New Jerseys fall elections, they added. Earlier in the day, the New Jersey Globe reported Sherrill was blocked from walking in her graduation from Naval Academy in Annapolis amid the cheating scandal, which made national headlines in the 1990s. Sherrill said in a statement: When I was an undergraduate at the Naval Academy, I didnt turn in some of my classmates, so I didnt walk, but graduated and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy, serving for nearly ten years with the highest level of distinction and honor. CBS News also reported Sherrills name does not appear in a 1994 commencement program but does appear in the academys 1994 yearbook. Sherrill, who has repeatedly highlighted her service during the campaign, served in the Navy for nine years. She received a Navy Achievement Medal in 1991 for saving a classmates life and was recommended for promotion to lieutenant commander before retiring in 2003. The Globe, meanwhile, reported Sherrills campaign rejected its request to examine any disciplinary records from her time at the academy. A Sherrill spokesman did not immediately respond when NJ Advance Media asked if she will release those files. Republicans attacked. While Sherrill insisted she didnt cheat, Ciattarelli said in a statement she admitted to being implicated in, and punished for, her involvement in the largest cheating and honor code scandal in the history of the United States Navy. He called that stunning and deeply disturbing. For eight years, Mikie Sherrill has built her entire political brand around her time at the Naval Academy and in the Navy, all the while concealing her involvement in the scandal and her punishment, the former state Assemblyman added. The people of New Jersey deserve complete and total transparency. Sherrill told the Globe that Ciattarelli who did not serve in the military is trying any avenue he can to execute the MAGA playbook of smearing military service. In an interview Thursday night on Fox News, Ciattarelli said Sherrill is trying like hell to obfuscate. But theres no obfuscating what we now know: She was not allowed to walk. Ciattarellis campaign stressed the information about the graduation walk did not come from the improperly released files. The Globe also said no part of it story on the graduation was based on those records. More on the records CBS News reported the National Personnel Records Center, a branch of the National Archives, released Sherrills military files to Nick De Gregorio, a Marine veteran who ran an unsuccessful campaign for Congress in New Jerseys 5th District in 2022. De Gregorio told the media outlet that Chris Russell, a top Ciattarelli strategist, asked him to look into Sherrills record. Its common for campaigns on both sides to conduct research into opponents. The National Archives confirmed De Gregorio submitted a public-records request under the Freedom of Information Act or FOIA in June. De Gregorio received documents with information that should have been blacked out under privacy laws such as Sherrills life insurance information, performance evaluations, and the nondisclosure agreement between her and the U.S. government to safeguard classified information, according to the CBS report. The Archives said in a statement Thursday the technician who responded to the request did not follow NPRCs standard operating procedures. The technician should have extracted and released from the record only FOIA-releasable information, spokeswoman Grace McCaffrey said. The technician should not have released the entire record. McCaffrey said the Archives did not become aware of the issue until Monday. The National Archives takes this breach of privacy very seriously, has contacted the Congresswoman through her office, to apologize, and take steps to rectify the situation by reviewing all internal controls and processes at NPRC and coordinating with the Department of the Navy, she said. While breaches of this type do occur, they are exceedingly rare. Scott Levins, the NPRCs director, wrote wrote in a letter to Sherrill: I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and aggravation this situation may cause you and for our failure to safeguard your military record from unauthorized release. De Gregorio told CBS News he was a little shocked and kind of disgusted the NPRC gave Sherrills Social Security number to a random guy. But he added: Given the charged political environment Rep. Sherrill will no doubt seek to paint my actions as nefarious and the records as leaked by the Trump Administration to injure her, which as we both know is completely and totally false on both counts." The Archives told CBS: We do not believe that there was any attempt to deceive NPRC staff in this case. Russell, Ciattarellis strategist, wrote on social media that Sherrill is using the documents release to distract from the graduation story with more lies. FACT: The National Archives provided documents in response to a legitimate and perfectly legal FOIA request, Russell said. Documents, btw, that had NOTHING to do with the cheating scandal. The National Archives then apologized to the requestor and took full responsibility for their error. Now... its time for Rep. Sherrill to come clean and authorize release of all of her records. The fallout Attorneys for Sherrills campaign sent cease-and-desist letters to the National Archives, Ciattatellis campaign, Russell, and De Gregorio suggesting she could seek damages in court. Sean Higgins, a Sherrill campaign spokesman, said the Trump administration blatantly violated federal law by releasing Mikie Sherrills unredacted personal military records to an agent of the Ciattarelli campaign and the campaign distributed them. Higgins called it a breathtaking, disturbing leak that must be thoroughly investigated. Once again, the Trump administration is targeting political opponents with an absolute disregard for the law, this time in concert with the Ciattarelli campaign, he added. The ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., also called for an investigation into what he called an illegal and likely politically motivated disclosure. During a news conference, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he supported a criminal investigation. A sea of other Democrats chimed in. Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said its yet another example of Donald Trump and the Republicans illegally weaponizing the federal government for political purposes. Gov. Murphy wrote on X that Ciattarelli is resorting to gutter tactics. New Jersey Senate President Nick Scutari, D-Union, and other leading Senate Democrats said: This attack is not merely a personal assault on Mikie Sherrill; it is a dangerous precedent that threatens the safety and privacy of every veteran and every American. LeRoy Jones, chairman of New Jerseys Democratic Party, said he had a message for Ciattarellis allies: Lawyer up. Sherrill was shown flying a helicopter in her first TV ad of the general election and repeatedly cites how the Navy shaped her career and life. But she had never publicly been linked to the cheating scandal that rocked the Naval Academy three decades ago. Two dozen midshipmen were expelled after obtaining answers to an electrical engineering exam and sharing them with classmates in 1992, while 64 others received lesser punishment. The episode led to congressional hearings, the resignation of the academys superintendent, and reforms at the academy. Sherrill said at a town hall Thursday night in Plainfield she did not realize (the test) was stolen, according to a report by TV station WABC-7. I took the test, she said. Afterwards, I knew what the rumor mill was. I didnt come forward with that information. The states Republican Party said in a statement: While we respect her service, Rep. Sherrill is now running for governor and owes our state full transparency as it relates to the Navys investigation into her role in the scandal and the complete findings of that investigation. She is not entitled to the benefit of the doubt, the NJGOP added. Russell told NJ Advance Media this is a huge deal. I would argue more than anything, that shes made her service in the Navy the primary issue of her campaign, the Ciattarelli aide said. So the idea now that she wont share records relating to really what happened, I dont know why anyone would believe her or take her word for it. NJ Advance Media political columnist Tom Martello contributed to this report. Young voters, and supporters of President Donald Trump, graded his first eight months in office and it doesnt look too good, an analysis from The New York Times revealed Thursday. The New York Times spoke to 11 Trump voters, ranging in age from their late 20s and early 30s, who have previously somewhat disapproved or had mixed feelings about the presidents performance. Many of the participants believe they have yet to see the economic improvement they had wished for, while some said the administration is too focused on the wrong issues, such as tariffs. A few respondents also expressed discontent in immigration policy and the handling of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The findings come after the Pew Research Center found in August that 69% of Trump voters under the age of 35 approve of his actions. While the figure remains high, it is a large drop from 92% who said the same earlier in the year. When asked for the first word that comes to mind when they think of Trump, a Republican from Georgia responded: The way that hes been handling things recently, dictatorship. Reckless, another person said, while others proposed overpowering and aggressive. The participants were split on whether his second term is panning out how they expected. Five said it is going on par with their assumptions, while six said it is turning out to be worse. On a scale of one to five one being a complete disaster and five being incredible over how they are feeling about how things are overall going in America, five respondents gave a two, while six respondents said three. They were also asked whether they voted for Trump during the 2024 election for his candidacy or in spite of former Vice President Kamala Harris. Four voters said for the president, while six said against Harris. I feel like I regretted my vote, a Florida Republican said. I feel like even though my specific investment in cryptocurrency is doing good overall, he has ruined the cryptocurrency market for a lot of cryptocurrencies. A lot of these rich people are just pumping-and-dumping stuff, coming out with tokens. And this is not really what I voted for. A Republican from Missouri replied: I really liked a lot of what I saw in his first term, especially economy-wise. It made me feel a lot more secure... A lot of Trumps campaign promises the second time around, I honestly was like, oh, hes not going to be able to do that. It just seems like he really came out of the gate really aggressively, doing a lot more than I really was anticipating and expecting. The tariffs feel really risky and are giving me a lot of anxiety this time around. The respondents were also asked to describe the Democratic Party: against, unorganized or unprepared, angry, lack of leadership and irresponsible. Every voter said they are likely to continue to vote for Republican candidates and threw out names including Vice President JD Vance, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley as Republican leaders they back besides Trump. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a gathering of U.S. military generals and admirals set for next week. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sparked questions online after ordering hundreds of generals and admirals to gather on short notice. The Washington Post exclusively reported Thursday that the Pentagon has summoned U.S. military officials to a meeting, without stating a reason, scheduled for Tuesday at a Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia. The move which is highly unusual was sent to almost all of the militarys top commanders across the world, according to over a dozen people familiar with the matter who spoke to the outlet. In a statement to The Washington Post, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that Hegseth will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week, but offered no further details. There are around 800 military officials spread across the country, as well as dozens internationally. People are very concerned. They have no idea what it means, one person told the outlet. Others expressed security concerns of all gathering in one place, with another person saying, this is not how this is done. Are we taking every general and flag officer out of the Pacific right now? a different official said. All of it is weird. Social media users also theorized about the purpose of the meeting. Could we see mass firings of woke generals? conservative podcaster Nick Sortor asked on X. One user said: This could be about anything from another culture-war stunt to an extremely serious global threat, which again emphasizes the importance of having a qualified, competent Defense Secretary (which we currently do not). Its clearly not a secret, because they wanted the public to know about it. Something is coming involving the Department of War. Insurrection Act perhaps? a different user posted, referring to a U.S. presidents ability to deploy military forces internally. Matthew Gertz, a senior fellow at Media Matters, wrote: This is either a meeting that could have been an email (amid Russian incursions on NATO territory, including Alaska) or something ominous. The rare directive comes as Hegseth has announced several sweeping changes at the Pentagon in recent months including pushing to reduce the number of general officers by 20% and rebranding the Defense Department as the Department of War. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) AP President Donald Trump wont stop complaining about technical issues he endured at the United Nations headquarters on Tuesday. Trump demanded an investigation into three sinister events he argued were meant to sabotage him as he spoke to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday. In his Truth Social post, he criticized the U.N. for a faulty escalator, broken teleprompter and sound issues he faced during his remarks. A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday Not one, not two, but three very sinister events!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. Trump again lamented that the escalator at the United Nations halted after he and First Lady Melania Trump had stepped on it. He said it was amazing that neither of them fell. He cited a report from The Sunday Times that said staff members at the U.N. joked that they may turn off the escalators and elevators for his arrival. Trump claimed that those people should be arrested before turning his ire to the teleprompter during Tuesdays speech. I immediately thought to myself, Wow, first the escalator event, and now a bad teleprompter. What kind of a place is this? Trump continued in his lengthy Truth Social post. Trump also complained that the sound was completely off when he made the speech. This wasnt a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. Im sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation. No wonder the United Nations hasnt been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do, he said, noting that the Secret Service is involved. Trump complained about the escalator and the teleprompter during his fiery speech on Tuesday. However, the U.N. issued a statement on Tuesday suggesting it was Trumps team who was responsible for the escalator problems. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that a videographer from the U.S. delegation ran ahead of the president and triggered the stop mechanism at the top of the elevator. The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing, Dujarric said in a statement. The videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function. The Associated Press also reported that a U.N. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was the White House team who was operating the teleprompter for the president. President Donald Trumps approval ratings across seven major issues remain deeply unpopular in the latest Quinnipiac University poll, released Wednesday. The new poll showed Trump with a 38% approval rating and a 54% disapproval rating, which is largely unchanged from when the poll was last conducted in August. The poll also found that Trumps approval rating is underwater across seven issues for voters: immigration, foreign policy, trade, the economy, gun violence, the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Immigration was once Trumps strongest issue among voters, but the new poll found that just 41% of voters approved of how he is handling it. Another 55% disapproved, while 4% did not offer any opinion. On foreign policy, Trump received a 40% approval rating and a 53% disapproval rating. He also received low marks when it came to the handling of international conflicts, with just 33% approving of his handling of the Russia-Ukraine war and 31% approving of his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Thirty-nine percent of voters approved of his trade policy while 54% said they disapproved and 7% not offering an opinion. Voters also gave him low marks on the economy, with 39% of voters saying they approved of his handling of the issue and 56% disapproving. The poll also found that 38% of voters approved of how Trump was dealing with gun violence while 54% disapproved. Another 9% did not offer an opinion, according to the poll. The poll was conducted in the wake of the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Since his death, both Republicans and Democrats have called for an end to political violence. The poll found that more voters are concerned now about political violence than before the shooting. Seventy-one percent of voters in the poll said that politically motivated violence was a very serious problem, which is a stark increase from the 54% who said the same in June. The poll also found that 79% of voters believe that the U.S. is in a political crisis following the killing of Kirk. More than half of voters said the system of democracy in the United States is not working and that they are pessimistic about the freedom of speech being protected, according to the poll. The Kirk assassination lays bare raw, bipartisan concerns about where the country is headed, said Tim Malloy, Quinnipiac Universitys polling analyst. From a perceived assault on freedom of speech to the fragility of the democracy, a shudder of concern and pessimism rattles a broad swath of the electorate. Nearly 80 percent of registered voters feel they are witnessing a political crisis, seven in ten say political violence is a very serious problem, and a majority say this discord wont go away anytime soon," Malloy added. The poll was conducted Sept. 18-21 among 1,276 registered voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. Longtime GOP strategist Karl Rove predicted who will be the biggest shutdown loser if Congress fails to keep the government open ahead of its spending deadline next week. In a Wednesday column for The Wall Street Journal, Rove reflected on which political party was to blame for past major shutdowns dating back to 1995. The column comes after President Donald Trump canceled a meeting with top Democratic leaders this week to negotiate a way to keep the government open, increasing fears that the government will shut down next week. Republicans, including Trump, have accused Democrats of holding Congress hostage with their demands for the spending package. In recent days, Democrats have vowed to oppose any bill that does not include provisions for health care programs. Because Republicans hold only a narrow majority in Congress, they need Democrats votes to keep the government open. Democrats have argued that Republicans will be the ones to blame for any shutdown, explaining that Trump and their GOP colleagues have refused to negotiate on the spending bill. In his column, Rove argued that the outcome of the coming shutdown will depend on three factors. First, which side gets their way and therefore looks stronger, as Mr. Clinton did in 1996. Second, which party makes a better case to voters and energizes its coalition, as the GOP did in 2014 and Democrats in 2020. Third, whether other issues loom larger in the nearly 14 months between now and the midterm elections. In our chaotic politics, its likely something will, Rove wrote. He went on to argue that a shutdown will only diminish public trust in the government. But no matter what, the biggest shutdown loser will likely be public trust in Washington writ large. Voters see shutdowns as the result of gross incompetence by our leaders. When the National Election Study began in 1958, 73% of Americans said they trusted the federal government always or most of the time. Today, 22% do, a figure that has been close to constant for decades. Washingtons inability to get its fiscal house in order is a big reason why, Rove said. Sadly, Washington doesnt seem to have learned how to avoid shutdowns. But the politics of it are ever surprising, he concluded. The threat of a government shutdown has become a recurring event in Washington, though most of the time lawmakers and the president are able to head it off. This time, however, prospects for a last-minute compromise look rather bleak. Republicans have crafted a short-term measure to fund the government through Nov. 21, but Democrats have insisted that the measure address their concerns on health care. They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in Trumps mega-bill passed this summer as well as extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable for millions who purchase through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say thats all a non-starter. Neither side is showing any signs of budging, with the House not even expected to be in session before a shutdown has begun. The Associated Press contributed to this report. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. Its only been a few weeks since school started in New Jersey, but if youre a parent, you already know: the sniffles, coughs and mystery fevers are back in full swing. As soon as those classroom doors open, so do the germ floodgates and suddenly, youre checking foreheads before breakfast and wondering if todays going to be a sick day. Thats why the Goodbaby Forehead Thermometer is such a clutch buy right now. Its clinically tested, no-touch and currently just $16 on Amazon when you clip the 20% off coupon. Goodbaby No-Touch Thermometer for Adults and Kids $20 NOW $16 This infrared digital thermometer is already affordable at $20 but, right now, you can get a 20% off discount by checking the box to the left of the pink "Coupon price $16" banner. Buy it at Amazon According to Goodbaby, this thermometer uses infrared technology to deliver fast and accurate readings with a simple point-and-click motion. The no-touch format helps make sure temperature checks stay hygienic and less disruptive, something especially beneficial when monitoring in the middle of the night or trying not to wake a sleeping toddler. The company says its designed for all ages, from infants to elders, and it even includes a mode for checking room and object temperatures. Its built with durable ABS materials, and the ergonomic grip makes it easy to use even when your child is squirming or feeling cranky. With over 110,000 global ratings and an average 4.5-star status, its clear this thermometer which was bought over 60,000 times last month has earned its place in family medicine cabinets. As for clinical credentials, Goodbaby notes that the thermometer is recommended by pediatricians and backed by 12 months of replacement coverage and 24/7 customer support. And, lets be honest, when schools require kids to be fever-free for 24 hours (without medication) before returning to class, you need a reliable way to check and re-check. This one makes it easy. It comes with two AAA batteries included, so youre ready to go straight out of the box. Even better? Prime members can get it delivered today with qualifying purchases, because when your kid comes home warm and glassy-eyed, you dont want to wait. Cold and flu season essentials to stock up on now The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is conducting investigative actions against former National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detectives who are now active employees of Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways-UZ), the NABU reported on Thursday, linking such actions to a possible "intensification of systemic pressure on the independence of anti-corruption institutions." "They are probably related to their previous activities on investigations as part of investigative groups that exposed organized crime groups at state-owned enterprises and state authorities, including at the SBU," the message on Telegram says. "Such actions may indicate an increase in systemic pressure on the independence of anti-corruption institutions," the NABU said. In July, the SBU announced that it was investigating Russias alleged influence on the work of the NABU. Among the suspects was Ruslan Maghamedrasulov, the head of one of the bureaus interregional departments. Maghamedrasulov was charged under Article 111-2 (aiding an aggressor state) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He is suspected of doing business in the Russian Federation (he acted as an intermediary in the sale of his fathers batches of technical hemp to the Republic of Dagestan). The father of the bureaus employee, a citizen of the Russian Federation, Sentyabr Maghamedrasulov, was also charged and placed under preventive detention. Maghamedrasulov was subsequently notified of a new suspicion. According to the SBU, during the pre-trial investigation, investigators established that in addition to helping his father in trade with the Russian Federation, a high-ranking NABU official, using his connections and official influence, committed actions aimed at illegal fraud with taxes of Ukrainian business entities. On July 22, the Verkhovna Rada supported in the second reading and with a total of 263 votes Bill No. 12414, which limited the independence of the NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). Western politicians declared threats to European integration, and protests began in Ukraine against the restriction of the independence of the NABU and SAPO. On July 31, the Verkhovna Rada restored the independence of the NABU and SAPO. On the same day, the president signed Bill No. 13533 on strengthening the efficiency of these bodies. The heads of anti-corruption bodies asked the SBU to provide evidence to substantiate their suspicions. On August 7, SBU investigators provided the NABU head with separate information and separate materials confirming the validity of the suspicions declared against two NABU employees. The heads of anti-corruption agencies also admitted the intention to replace the heads of NABU and SAPO as another stage of influencing the work of anti-corruption institutions. On September 5, NABU Director Semen Kryvonos announced the expectation of a new wave of attacks on the independence of anti-corruption agencies. "Now I am talking about the specific danger that suspicions will be handed over to individual employees next week. Various information has already been sent: that there will be searches, that 11 suspicions have been prepared in general. We cannot know this 100%, but we understand from various sources that something is being planned," the NABU director said in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine. A 38-year-old New Jersey mother was arrested days after her five-month-old daughter was found in a Somerset County hotel room with a fractured skull and other serious injuries. Police were called to a hotel room on Cedar Grove Lane in Franklin at 12:25 on Sept. 6, finding Pamela Janiszak unconscious on a bed and the lethargic baby nearby, the Somerset County Prosecutors Office said. In addition to multiple skull fractures, the child also suffered head swelling and intracranial hemorrhages, officials said. An update on the girls condition wasnt immediately available. Janiszak, of the Somerset section of Franklin, was treated and released from an area hospital. She was charged with endangering the welfare of a child after being arrested in Toms River on Sept. 16. The hotel was not named. An attorney for Janiszak was not listed in court records. UPDATE: Community mourns loss of N.J. teen killed in e-bike crash A 13-year-old teenage boy was killed Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a landscaping truck while riding an electric bicycle in Scotch Plains, officials said. The accident happened at 2:12 p.m. at the intersection of Mountain and Mountainview avenues, according to a statement from Scotch Plains Mayor Josh Losardo. The teen was taken to University Hospital in Newark, the Scotch Plains Police Department said in a statement, and later died from his injuries. The driver of the landscaping truck was located a short distance from the scene and is fully cooperating with investigators, police said. The intersection was temporarily closed for the investigation but as of 5:45 p.m. it had reopened to all traffic on Mountain Avenue, investigators said. Mountainview Avenue remained closed as of Wednesday evening. At moments like this, it is more important than ever that we come together as a community, to support one another, to lean on each other, and to show compassion in the face of tragedy, Losardo said. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of this child. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they endure the unimaginable. Losardo described the boy as a local student and said the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education was notified. School leaders are preparing to have counselors available to support students and staff during this difficult time, the mayor said. The township is also making counseling services available for our first responders who were at the scene. The crash is under investigation by the Union County Police Department and the Scotch Plains Police Department, authorities said. Anyone who witnessed the crash and who had not yet spoken to the police was asked to contact the departments traffic bureau at 908- 322-7100, Ext. 103 or Ext. 104. Drivers tapped their horns as they passed under the railroad bridge that crosses Gentilly Boulevard on a steamy September afternoon, signaling their support for artist Ivan Barry Watkins new mural, The Guardians of Gentilly. Watkins stood on a scaffold, brushing sinewy lines of purple on one of the elegant figures hed applied to the bridge pillars. From time to time, a rumbling, rattling diesel locomotive towed freight cars over the 77-year-old structure. Like the trains, Watkins figures had traveled a great distance to get there 1,053 miles to be exact. The artist, who grew up just a few blocks away from the bridge, said his goal was to provide a facelift to the old overpass that marks the divide between Gentilly Boulevard and Chef Menteur Highway. Watkins said he admired the subtle art deco design of the bridge and intended to carry that style into his design. Art deco, a style that got its start a century ago, was all about elevated states of consciousness, Watkins explained. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, during which the two discussed continued support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and the country's prospects for joining the European Union. "I briefed him on the situation at the front and in the peace process. Russia continues to reject peace initiatives and does everything to prolong the war. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of maintaining unity between Europe and the United States, and continuing work within the coalition of willing states to bring peace closer. I value this position," Zelenskyy said. The leaders also discussed Ukraine's EU accession talks. "We expect the simultaneous opening of the first negotiation cluster soon, together with Moldova. I am grateful to the Prime Minister for his readiness to continue political support," Zelenskyy said. For his part, Sanchez reaffirmed Spain's commitment to Ukraine and stressed the importance of upholding international law. "Dear President Zelenskyy, it was a pleasure to see you again at the UN. I assure you of my support. Spain will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary: international law must prevail," he wrote in a post on social media platform X. The European Union will continue to support Ukraine in its fight for sovereignty, but the decision on which territory to defend belongs to Ukraine itself, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said. "What the United States does is their decision, but the European Union has always made it clear that we will support Ukraine and provide it with everything it needs. So far, EUR 175 billion have been invested in Ukraine's defense, as well as in its economic survival. And we will not stop there. We will stand by Ukraine. And this also includes providing them with the military potential they need to defend their country," von der Leyen said in an interview with CNN. At the same time, she stressed, the final decision should be made by the Ukrainian side. "The goal is, of course, to decide which Ukrainian territory needs to be protected. That is Ukraine's decision. And we respect that. The goal is for Putin to come to the negotiating table, to come to the negotiating table because we all want peace," she explained. Von der Leyen also stressed that Ukraine's fight is not just for its own independence and sovereignty, it is a matter of world order and respect for the charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries. "We are working very hard to support Ukraine, and also to show that there is a strong coalition of the willing that ensures that once peace is established, we can at least provide Ukraine with security guarantees," she said. "It took some time, but the evidence is compelling to show President Trump that President Putin is a predator, that he does not want peace, and that we must make it very clear that international rules must be respected. And that is what you heard from him yesterday," von der Leyen added. The Bideford branch of Lloyds Bank will close in January, it has been announced. Between January and October 2026, Lloyds Banking Group will be closing 49 branches 26 Lloyds, 10 Halifax and 13 Bank of Scotland. The Bideford branch at 5 High Street, an ornate Grade II listed building constructed in 1892, will close for good on Tuesday, January 13, the group has said. It will leave Barnstaple as the only Lloyds branch left in North Devon and Torridge. The Okehampton branch is set to close in March. READ NEXT: Lloyds Bank addresses concerns over Bideford building acquisition It is part of the groups ongoing move towards increased mobile banking and it says more than 21 million customers now use banking apps. A Lloyds Banking Group spokesperson said: The way people are banking has changed, with over 21 million customers choosing our apps to manage their money. Were providing more choice than ever before, bringing together the best in digital convenience with our people. Alongside our app, our customers can use any Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland branch, the Post Office or Banking Hubs for their everyday banking, and deposit cash at over 30,000 PayPoint locations. In Devon, Lloyds is also closing the Ivybridge and Totnes branches. It said people who work at the affected branches will be offered a role at another branch or in another part of the business. In August last year, the Gazette revealed that North Devon man Tony Fleming, who was born and raised in Barnstaple, had bought the Bideford Lloyds Bank building for 315,000, with plans to develop apartments on two floors. Mr Fleming said then he hoped Lloyds would continue with its lease, although he doubted that would happen. But he said he would like to explore a proposal with local councillors to establish a banking hub on the ground floor, which he envisioned as a space where people, particularly the elderly, could access cash and receive face-to-face advice. READ NEXT: North Devon investor breathes new life into historic Bideford bank Above: Tony Fleming (centre) is pictured outside the bank in Bideford with his business guru Samuel Leeds and wife Lana. Credit: Philip Shanahan Sir Geoffrey Cox, MP for Torridge and West Devon, said he was deeply concerned at the news and said it would represent a significant blow to the town and its residents. He added: While I recognise that banking methods are evolving rapidly, many older and vulnerable members of our community continue to rely on in-person services, where face-to-face interaction remains essential. While Bideford is set to benefit from substantial investment in the coming years through the Levelling Up Fund, the loss of a key banking facility will be troubling for many. Banking services will still be available at the main Post Office on The Quay and at other locations in the town, but these cannot fully replace the accessibility and reassurance offered by a dedicated bank branch. I will be seeking urgent discussions with senior officials at Lloyds to obtain a full explanation for this decision and to understand what alternative provisions will be put in place and what safeguards are being implemented by Lloyds for the elderly and vulnerable. It is imperative that Lloyds upholds its responsibilities to ensure continued access to banking services for all members of the community. Bideford Community Hospital has been celebrating a milestone this week as it marked 100 years in the town. The official centenary celebrations were held on Tuesday (September 23) with staff at the busy hospital which still sees hundreds of patients each week. The hospital holds consultant outpatient clinics in general surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology and respiratory medicine, while nurses also run specialist clinics in podiatry, leg ulcer and antenatal. The hospital was built in 1924, replacing the previous hospital on Meddon Street, and was officially opened on Wednesday, September 23, 1925. It has been extended several times since then, with the latest extension opening in 1994. On its website, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: Over the last 100 years, the role of Bideford hospital has evolved and changed in response to the changing needs and expectations of patients. A hundred years ago people came to Bideford for operations and staff came for training. Over the last few decades Bideford has evolved to ensure more care is provided locally to patients and the wider community. This has meant the hospital, alongside the co-located medical centre, has opened its doors to partners across mental health, Citizens Advice and the voluntary sector who support people's social needs alongside their health needs. READ NEXT: Built by North Devon, for North Devon cancer wellbeing centre marks milestone The trust said thanks to funding from NHS England and the Torridge Regeneration programme, it was developing exciting plans to create a community diagnostics hub and health and wellbeing facilities. It added: Providing these important services locally ensures Bideford Hospital remains a vital part of the health and wellbeing of the local community, even 100 years after its doors first opened. Reaching this milestone is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the service the hospital and those working there have provided over the last 100 years. Please join us in celebrating the dedication, care and expertise of everyone who has been part of the hospitals journey past and present. Heres to another hundred years of outstanding care. President Zelenskyy also met with Angolan President Joao Lourenco. "We talked about how we can make our relations closer and more effective," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram following the meeting. He briefed Lourenco on the Grain from Ukraine humanitarian program, through which Ukraine and its partners provide food aid to countries in need. "We also discussed partnerships in agriculture and technology," Zelenskyy added, noting that he looks forward to deepening bilateral ties. Ukraine could receive new ERA tranche as early as Oct Defense Minister Photo: https://t.me/ministry_of_defense_ua Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal spoke with European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, who oversees economy and productivity. "Particular attention was paid to the practical implementation of the EU's EUR 150 billion SAFE defense initiative, which 19 countries have already joined. We coordinated our needs, priority projects, and the involvement of Ukrainian defense enterprises in them," Shmyhal wrote on Telegram after the talks. The two also discussed financing Ukraine's defense needs, particularly through the ERA mechanism. "We expect the next tranche already in October," the Defense Minister said. Another key topic was the confiscation of frozen Russian assets. Shmyhal stressed that the aggressor's funds should be directed toward strengthening Ukraine's defense capability. They also addressed the further weakening of Russia's war machine. The EU has already agreed on its 19th sanctions package, and Ukraine expects it to be adopted quickly. The celebration of the Jewish New Year in Uman (Cherkasy region) passed without significant violations, the pilgrims are already leaving, Zoya Vovk, head of the communications department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Cherkasy region, told Interfax-Ukraine. "The celebration of Rosh Hashanah ended without significant violations. The pilgrims are already leaving," the head of the communications department informed on Thursday. As reported, a joint detachment of law enforcement officers from different regions of Ukraine (National Police, National Guard, Migration Service, employees of the State Emergency Service) worked in Uman. Also at the site of the celebration were nine Israeli police officers who helped Ukrainian colleagues maintain law and order and patrol the area of compact residence of pilgrims. On the eve of the Rosh Hashanah celebration, police officers carried out preventive measures regarding certain requirements during martial law, in particular, compliance with the rules of conduct during air raids and curfews. From September 15 to 30, a special regime of entry/exit and movement around the city was introduced. The spokesman for the State Border Service of Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, reported that as of September 22, more than 35,000 Hasidim had already arrived in Uman to celebrate the Jewish New Year. According to the United Jewish Community of Ukraine (UECU), according to a preliminary estimate, up to 38,000 Hasidim pilgrims were expected at the beginning of the celebration in Uman. The UUECU monitored the situation in the area of the Rabbi Nachman Memorial Complex, where pilgrims gathered. On September 22, the celebrations of Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year - began, which lasted until the evening of September 24. $100,000 Per Employee: How the H-1B Visa Fee Could Reshape Work Forces Companies that want to hire employees from other countries using the popular H-1B visa program now have to pay $100,000 per worker. The new fee, which went into effect on Monday, will drastically change the math for businesses that consider using the program. Because sponsoring a visa comes with significant upfront costs, employers need higher-earning workers, who tend to generate the most revenue, to justify the expense. Each visa typically lasts three years, and economists estimate the break-even salary for someone who stays that long to be roughly $225,000. If the visa is renewed for another three years, those costs are spread out, lowering the threshold to about $111,000. In practice, how long someone stays, and how profitable the person is to the company, can vary a lot making the new accounting even more complex. H-1B applications by salary Only 5 percent of H-1B applications were for jobs that paid more than $225,000 per year. 4 $0 4,979 $25,000 48,829 $50,000 111,100 $75,000 112,186 $100,000 78,137 $125,000 52,730 $150,000 34,884 $175,000 18,356 $200,000 9,275 $225,000 4,815 $250,000 2,448 $275,000 1,701 $300,000 680 $325,000 709 $350,000 389 $375,000 1,874 $400,000 and over Source: Labor Department Note: Totals are for the fiscal year that ended in September 2024. By The New York Times The New York Times analyzed hundreds of thousands of H-1B applications filed last year, using data on job postings submitted to the Labor Department as part of the visa sponsorship process. About a third were for positions that paid a salary less than or equal to the new $100,000 fee, and most paid salaries that were less than the three-year break-even point of $225,000. Previously, there was no set fee a company needed to pay. A typical H-1B visa cost companies about $10,000, including legal fees and administrative costs, immigration lawyers have said. By setting such a high fee, the visa program would make sense primarily for the highest-paid employees because they are likely to generate the most revenue for their companies, said Kirk Doran, an associate professor of economics at the University of Notre Dame. When companies submit applications for the visas, they are entered into a lottery system. Since the overall number of applications could drop drastically as a result of the fee, Amazon, Google and other big companies who regularly hire H-1B workers at high salaries may find that their bids have less competition than they used to. But even the big companies that bring in high-earning workers on these visas often recruit employees at salaries that fall below the $225,000 break-even point. Amazon, for example, submitted 21,600 H-1B postings, and only 4 percent were for jobs that pay above that level. Most paid at least $100,000. Amazons H-1B applications by salary Only 4 percent of Amazons H-1B applications were for jobs that paid more than $225,000 per year. 0 $0 8 $25,000 262 $50,000 1,282 $75,000 3,176 $100,000 5,085 $125,000 5,706 $150,000 3,751 $175,000 1,490 $200,000 622 $225,000 156 $250,000 57 $275,000 14 $300,000 6 $325,000 0 $350,000 0 $375,000 0 $400,000 and over Source: Labor Department Note: Totals are for the fiscal year that ended in September 2024. By The New York Times Tata, an I.T. staffing and consulting company based in India, applied for 9,608 H-1B jobs in the fiscal year that ended in September 2024. All were for jobs that paid under $225,000, though about a quarter paid at least $100,000 per year. The average salary for those jobs was $89,461. Tatas H-1B applications by salary None of Tatas H-1B applications were for jobs that paid more than $225,000 per year. 0 $0 0 $25,000 1,976 $50,000 5,320 $75,000 1,602 $100,000 613 $125,000 81 $150,000 13 $175,000 3 $200,000 0 $225,000 0 $250,000 0 $275,000 0 $300,000 0 $325,000 0 $350,000 0 $375,000 0 $400,000 and over Source: Labor Department Note: Totals are for the fiscal year that ended in September 2024. By The New York Times Economists estimate that Tata, which did not respond to a request for comment, could be among the companies hardest hit by the new application fee. Amazon also did not respond to a request for comment. The new fee introduces a degree of uncertainty around the visa program generally, said Jennifer Hunt, a professor of economics at Rutgers University. If theres still a lottery, youre paying a hundred thousand without even being sure of getting it. The details of how the policy works really matter because firms need to know what everyone else is doing in order to judge whether it makes sense to apply. The visa program has been used across industries, including by law firms and hospitals. Companies submitted more than 480,000 applications for H-1B jobs in the 2024 fiscal year, which is more than double the amount submitted five years earlier. Less than 20 percent of the 2024 applications were awarded visas, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data. The number of new H-1B visas granted each year is capped at roughly 85,000. The number of H-1B applications submitted by year 800,000 applications 600,000 400,000 200,000 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 800,000 applications 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services By The New York Times The new fee, which was issued by President Trump as an executive order, was intended to discourage companies from hiring lower-wage international workers over Americans, according to the White House. Mr. Doran, the Notre Dame professor, said the H-1B program was originally intended to bring in workers with unique skills that generate value for the entire American economy. That implied that the program would benefit people across the spectrum of incomes. The H-1B visa is one of several immigration programs for workers with specialized skills. A person can stay in the United States for a maximum of six years under this kind of visa, which has often been a pathway to a green card. About 4.3 million college-educated people working in the United States are citizens of other countries, a number that has nearly doubled over the last two decades, according to Census data. Many of them come from India and China, but some also come from Mexico, Venezuela, the Philippines and elsewhere. Nearly 3 percent of the overall U.S. work force falls into this category, and almost 7 percent of college-educated workers are not American citizens. But the share is much higher in certain occupations: Nearly one in four scientists and one in five computer programmers are college-educated people from other countries. More than 10 percent of college professors were born elsewhere, as were various kinds of engineers, the Census data shows. Bucolic and sparsely populated, Litchfield County, in Connecticuts northwestern corner, is less trodden than the Catskills, Hudson Valley or out East, on Long Island, with nary a big box store or traffic jam in sight. While unspoiled nature, agriculture and slower pastimes like hiking, camping and antiquing are draws, its small villages and artistic enclaves are increasingly home to chic shops, modern galleries and, as of this past year, new hotels. You may see a famous face out and about the fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, actor Meryl Streep and writer Malcolm Gladwell are among those with retreats in the rolling hills but locals are conditioned to provide anonymity. This itinerary focuses on some of the more central towns like Litchfield, New Preston and Kent, but, whether dining on fresh trout or immersing yourself in art, there are miles and miles to explore. For Trump, Data Is Often Phony, Unless It Supports His Views To President Trump, the veracity of statistics and scorekeepers can turn on a dime. When data works in his favor, he praises, repeats and often exaggerates the figures. When the numbers on crime or the economy run counter to his narrative, they are frequently deemed fake, phony and a fraud. In his second term, he has escalated attacks on independent data, including firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after an unfavorable jobs report, misrepresenting evidence on vaccines, and slowing or stopping data collection on climate change, bird flu and food insecurity. The moves threaten trust in sources that have informed policymakers for generations. A White House spokeswoman said on Wednesday that the president was committed to ensuring Americans have access to accurate and reliable public data, and had called out shortcomings in government data that had undermined the public trust. Here are three examples of Mr. Trump's pressure tactics and selective approach to government data. Jobs Data For years, Mr. Trump has ping-ponged between boasting about favorable jobs data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and disparaging disappointing figures as fraudulent. In the lead-up to the 2024 election, he repeatedly dismissed the bureaus figures on job growth under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Sept. 8, 2023 Mr. Trump cast reports of unemployment below 4 percent as phony at a South Dakota rally. Roll Call Factbase Videos, via YouTube Despite Mr. Trumps claim of misleading metrics, the agency did not change its unemployment rubric. The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases six measures of unemployment and has long designated one the number of people who have been searching for a job for four weeks as the official rate. Mr. Trump later attacked the agency for an unusually large revision of jobs data. Without providing evidence, he accused it of hiding data and providing cover for Mr. Biden. But once he returned to office, Mr. Trump began to celebrate the bureaus reports. April 29, 2025 At a rally in Michigan, he trumpeted job growth. In three months, we have created 350,000 jobs. Then, after an anemic report for July and downward revisions of growth in his second term, Mr. Trump immediately reverted to attacking the agency. And, in a startling escalation, he fired its commissioner, Erika McEntarfer. Aug. 1, 2025 Defending the move that same day, he again pointed to phony numbers. Network pool (Some aides to Mr. Trump made a different argument: The jobs data revisions during Ms. McEntarfers tenure were unacceptably large.) Economists and experts in government statistics say that for now, the jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to be trustworthy, though its estimates are subject to revision. Experts said any interference with the process of compiling statistics would be very difficult and not go unnoticed. Crime Data In Mr. Trumps telling, cities are plagued with record-shattering waves of crime, justifying deployments of troops and federal law enforcement. In reality, though crime remains a concern for many urban residents, violent crime in many U.S. cities is at a low over recent decades and has declined after a pandemic surge. June 22, 2024 At a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Mr. Trump claimed that data showing a decline in crime was fraudulent. Roll Call Factbase Videos, via YouTube Once elected to a second term, Mr. Trump instead lauded drops in crime. May 7, 2025 At a swearing-in ceremony in May, he cited Justice Department figures on a decline in violent crime in D.C. Crime is down in Washington, D.C., street crime, violent crime, by 25 percent. And people have seen theyve noticed a big difference. But in August, as he announced a federal takeover of Washingtons police force, Mr. Trump claimed, falsely, that the city was awash in historic levels of crime. When local officials retorted by citing the same decline in violent crime that he had noted months earlier, Mr. Trump claimed that the numbers were phony. Aug. 26, 2025 Later that month, at a cabinet meeting, he suggested there was a conspiracy. Network pool A White House official said the president was pointing out reports that data was manipulated, something he had not previously been aware of when citing Washington crime data. Earlier, in July, local news reported that Washingtons Metropolitan Police Department had opened an internal police investigation into whether a commander had misclassified crimes by downplaying their severity; the commander has denied doing so. The commander was placed on leave, and the Justice Department opened an investigation into the matter. Experts have said that while it is possible the city underreports some crime data on its public website, its official reports to the F.B.I. are still reliable and do show a decline in violent crime. The Economy and Tariffs Mr. Trump has also alternated between citing and attacking the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. He has cited analyses that paint the tariffs that are core to his economic agenda as a revenue generator but denounced the office when its reports undercut his legislative policies. In his most recent presidential campaign, Mr. Trump cited the offices projections for economic growth and the cost of legislation to assail Mr. Bidens policies as ineffective and costly. In doing so, he suggested the agency was a neutral and believable arbiter. January 2022 He cited the budget offices economic analysis at a rally in Texas. Roll Call Factbase Videos, via YouTube But soon after returning to office, as the budget office started to analyze his own economic policies, Mr. Trump began deriding its forecasts and the office itself with false and unsupported claims. May 30, 2025 He accused the office of purposefully underestimating economic growth in a social media post. The Democrat inspired and controlled Congressional Budget Office (CBO) purposefully gave us an EXTREMELY LOW level of Growth, 1.8% over 10 years. How ridiculous and unpatriotic is that! The budget offices director is a Republican who worked for the George W. Bush administration. The Trump administration has provided no evidence that the office estimated lower economic growth purposefully to undermine Mr. Trumps tax cut legislation. In fact, the agency estimated in 2024 and reiterated in January, shortly before Mr. Trump took office, that annual U.S. growth would average 1.8 percent over the next decade. In August, the budget office updated an estimate on Mr. Trumps tariffs, saying that if those rates remained in place, tariff revenue would decrease federal deficits by $4 trillion. August 2025 At a cabinet meeting, Mr. Trump promoted that estimate with delight. Network pool A few weeks later, the budget office revised down projections for economic growth, citing the tariffs as one factor. Mr. Trump left that report unmentioned. Russian tech startup Neiry has become the first in the world to insert neuro-implants into cow brains to increase milk yield when all other methods are exhausted. Neiry announced its intention to begin testing its neuro-implants on live cows back in April. Last month, its specialists performed surgeries on five cows to fit them with a stimulator attached to the back of the head and electrodes that penetrate deep into the brain. With the help of these devices, they hope to reach areas responsible for appetite, stress, and reproductive function, and stimulate them through electric impulses. The first tests were performed in Russias Sverdlovsk region, and so far, the results are very encouraging. Photo: Stijn te Strake According to Neiry investor Alexey Mariza, in many dairy cow farms, all measures to increase production have already been implemented, so radically new approaches like neuro-implant brain stimulation have the potential to significantly disrupt the dairy production industry and provide a significant competitive advantage. According to a recent report by the Russian news agency Ria Novosti, Neiry specialists performed surgeries on five cows to fit them with special neuro-implants. The cows were conscious during the implantation process, survived the procedure without any noticeable side effects, and returned to the production cycle. Although the company has yet to release official data on the effects of the implants on milk production, Neiry claims that the cows milk production improved. Photo: Unsplash Scientists are currently working on selecting the optimal stimulation program depending on the area they are trying to stimulate: for example, when a cows appetite decreases, the system selects the appropriate neuromodulation mode for recovery. Neiry admits they still have work to do to improve their neuro-implants, but the Russian company considers they already work well enough to be sold commercially in the near future. Not everyone is impressed with Neirys cow brain neuro-implants. For example, Andrey Neduzhko, General Director of the Steppe agricultural holding, believes the implants carry unnecessary risks for the animals and are unprofitable because of their exorbitant price. However, Neiry claims that it has already identified ways of significantly lowering the prices of its products, one of which involves carrying out the implantation in a proprietary mobile operating room. BGR Government Affairs is providing strategic counsel to Lebanese-Saudi billionaire Bahaa Hariri, the son of Lebanons former prime minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated 20 years ago. He has returned to Lebanon to revive his familys legacy, according to a report this month on Arab News weekly TV program Frankly Speaking. His brother, Saad, who also served as Lebanon PM, decided to quit politics three years ago. The situation is very delicate, and Lebanon needs people who are honest and who want to make sure that Lebanon passes that delicate period, Hariri told Frankly Speaking. Saying Lebanons economy is in a shambles and the situation will only get worse, Hariri said he could no longer remain on the sidelines. BGRs one-year contract, which kicked off Sept. 1, carries a $20K monthly fee. The mission is to further Hariris goal of promoting peace and economic development. It also will conduct outreach to US government officials and NGOs in the Muslim and Christian communities. BGR's founding partner Ed Rogers and the co-heads of the international & trade practice Maya Seiden and Lester Munson represent Hariri. Photo: https://t.me/VadymFilashkin Russian occupiers shelled settlements in Donetsk region 32 times in a day, Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin has said. "On September 24, the Russians killed five residents of Donetsk region: four in Kostiantynivka and one in Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka. Another 17 people in the region were wounded in a day," Filashkin wrote in a telegram channel. As a result of the shelling in Kostiantynivka, four people were killed and 11 were wounded, 49 private houses, three high-rise buildings, two administrative buildings and two cars were damaged. In Sloviansk, a person was wounded, 14 private houses and 2 cars were damaged. In Serhiivka, Andriyivska community, 4 people were wounded, a car was damaged. In Druzhkivka, a person was wounded, 30 private houses and a gas pipeline were damaged. In Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka, one person died. In Siversk, 3 houses were damaged. Some 345 people were evacuated from the front line during the day, including 58 children. (L-R) Derek De Vette, Franco Bossa HALO Comms, which provides media relations for boutique health and values-based lifestyle brands, launches in Los Angeles. The agency was founded by managing partners Derek De Vette (head of strategic communications) and Franco Bossa (editorial director), who have more than 40 years of combined experience. HALO firm will work to bridge the growing trust gap between consumers and new wellness trends, focusing on story-driven strategies and third-party validation to help clients build visibility, and long-term reputation. Wellness and health remain sensitive topics; the overall system has failed to address key issues, and false promises have left clients mistrustful, said De Vette. Thats why we created our agency: to help boutique businesses doing deeply importantbut often overlookedwork step into the light. Curtis Sparrer shares Audit*E details with Researchscape's Tony Cheevers on O'Dwyer's YouTube page. Bospar launches Audit*E, a tool that helps companies analyze their competitive positioning across AI platforms. The tool evaluates company presence and content performance across such major AI platforms as Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI, Mistral Perplexity and DeepSeek. The key features of Audit*E include cross-platform audits that measure visibility, prominence and accuracy; a performance dashboard that tracks changes over time, sentiment and provides competitive benchmarking; detailed reports with platform-specific recommendations; customizable queries for company-specific visibility goals; and recurring audits to monitor evolving brand presence. AI platforms learn about companies through earned media coverage in authoritative publications, said Bospar principal Curtis Sparrer. Audit*E shows companies exactly how AI platforms see them based on their earned media footprint. Bospar plans to initially offer Audit*E on a client-by-client basis, and will then expand it as a subscription service designed for smaller businesses and startups Global Situation Room will go over the Q3 findings of its Reputation Risk Index in a webinar from the UC Berkeley Center for Law and Business on Oct. 7 at 11:30 a.m. EST (8:30 a.m PST). The discussion, What Is the Greatest Risk to the Tech Industrys Reputation?, will be hosted by former U.S. Small Business Administrator and chair of the Global Risk Advisory Council Isabel Guzman. She will be joined by Global Situation Room president Brett Bruen, and the session will be moderated by Berkeley Center executive director Angeli Patel. It will focus on the latest issues impacting organizations and businesses, particularly in the technology sector. Recent reports have covered such topics as disinformation, undermining consumer confidence by adopting artificial intelligence too rapidly, and attacks on brands across a hyper-polarized political environment. Crosby Marketing Communications recently hosted its 13th annual Inspiring Actions That Matter Day. Partnering with three local nonprofits, Crosby employees donated more than 650 hours of volunteer service and $20,000 to benefit the community. The Crosby team beautified spaces and greenhouses in the Arnold, MD location of Providence of Maryland, an organization that empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead fulfilling, self-directed lives. For the Baltimore Station, which provides residential treatment programs to veterans suffering from homelessness and substance abuse disorders. Crosby volunteers prepared and served lunch for residents in addition to hosting yoga and other wellbeing activities. The agency also supported Coastal Conservation Associations Living Reef Action Campaign by building oyster reefs at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center. This day of service has become a valued tradition for our team to make a powerful difference in our community, said Crosby president and CEO Raymond Crosby. A number of Irish retailers are becoming increasingly concerned about gangs of children engaging in anti-social behaviour. These groups, which include children as young as ten-years-old, are said to be causing absolute chaos by abusing staff, shoplifting and trashing shops, Speaking to RTEs Prime Time, Limerick shopowner Geraldine Kearney outlined her concerns. Ms Kearney said: "We've seen an awful lot of 10 to 12-year-olds coming in wreaking havoc. They invade the shop in gangs of five to seven. "They danced on our counters. They trashed the place, turned on ice cream machines [to pour over the floor]." Ms Kearney, who runs a Londis and Circle K in on the outskirts of Limerick city, added that the children distract her shop staff by causing bedlam before jumping over the counter to rob vapes and other products. READ NEXT: Should schools be religion free? Parents asked for their say on school matters Rajesh Malik, who is originally from India, has run his own phone shop in Lucan, Dublin for the last 15 years. Speaking to Prime Time, Mr Malik gave details of an assault that he suffered at the hands of a group of teenagers. He said: "I was going towards my car. One of the guys, he was 16 or 17, came in from behind, and hit me. And then all four of them [joined in]. "I was on the ground, all four of them, they started hitting me." Mr Malik said he was left badly injured and needed three operations in hospital to treat his injuries. He reported the incident to the Gardai, but he said the perpetrators have not yet been identified. Mr Malik concluded by saying that the perpetrators are not afraid of anybody and they think nobody can touch them. Meanwhile, retailer Shane Gleeson told the programme that shop workers are being assaulted or attacked every day of the week. Those who use public transport, particularly to commute to and from work, have also reported an increase in anti-social behaviour. Anti-social behaviour consists of actions which are considered to violate the rights of or otherwise harm others by committing crime or nuisance. However, many of these incidents are not recorded in official crime statistics, making it difficult to measure if there has been a definitive increase in anti-social behaviour. A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family of a 21-year-old Armagh man who has died in Australia just six months after emigrating there. The death of Oran Marron at such a young age has left his community in Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, devastated. Oran died on Sunday, September 21, following a short illness at Sir Charle Gardiner Hospital, Perth, Australia surrounded by his loving family. Oran's RIP.ie notice says he will be "deeply loved and remembered by his family, by his devoted and heartbroken mother Jacqui, his grandparents PJ and Stacey Marron, his aunt Amanda (Morgan), his uncle Martin, his godparents Sean and Denise, his cousins Annie, Shane (Rebekah) Eimear, Rian, Grace, Abbie & Erin extended family, and many friends in Ireland and Australia. "Oran will be fondly remembered by all for his laughter and kindness." READ NEXT: 'Taken so suddenly'- Shock and heartbreak after death of young pilot and triplet A GoFundMe page set up to help cover funeral arrangements and travel expenses to bring Oran and his family home with him. The page says his death has "shocked our entire community." It went on to explain: "Only six months ago, Oran left Crossmaglen and emigrated to Perth, Australia, full of hopes and dreams for his future. He was a much-loved son, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend whose kind heart, bright smile and caring nature touched the lives of everyone who knew him. "No family should have to experience such tragedy, especially so far from home. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference and will be received with the deepest gratitude. ABOVE: The late Oran Marron "On behalf of Oran's family, we thank you for your love, support and kindness as Oran's memory is honoured and he gets the farewell he deserves." The fundraiser's organisers have said any excess funds raised will be donated to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust along with the Meningitis Trust. You can donate here. Tributes have been flowing for the hugely popular young man. One condolence on RIP.ie reads: "Our sincere condolences to Jacqueline and the entire Marron and Martin families on the death of your beloved Oran. I remember Oran so well from my time in St Patrick's. He was a pleasure to know. Oran stood out as a considerate, kind and helpful child, aways respectful, with a smile that would melt your heart." Another person wrote: "As a mother of a son in Sydney my heart goes out to you Jacqui. I am so sorry for your loss. May your dear boy Oran get the best bed in heaven and watch over all his family and friends. Condolences to you all. RIP Oran." On September 19, 2025, six students from Tullamore College sat down with two former Members of Parliament, Mr Ian Paisley jnr. and Ms Michelle Gildernew to record a podcast for the BBC Series 'Borderland UK or United Ireland'. The series will examine whether a referendum on a united Ireland should be held and how a 'border poll' would work in practice. It will also investigate whether people believe remaining in the United Kingdom or becoming part of a united Ireland is in their best interests, with a focus on specific issues like health, education and the economy. READ NEXT: New footpath and gateway onto greenway opens in Tullamore 6th Year student Kate O'Connor said, "We were asked our opinions on the possibility of a border poll for United Ireland and what way we would chose to vote. Both politicians gave their own opinions on the matter before asking us our thoughts on the subject. "We had a chance to ask them questions (and even question their opinions!). It was a truly interesting experience that we are so lucky to have had the opportunity to take part in the recording. READ NEXT: Barnardos celebrates 30 years supporting children and families in Edenderry "Thanks to Mr Feighery and Miss Bradley for selecting us and helping us prepare for the discussion. The podcast will be premiering on BBC Ulster in late October, stay tuned!" A massive solar farm in Offaly has moved a step closer after being included in a list of Government approved projects. The Kilcormac Solar Farm, which is being developed by Wexford-based energy company Harmony Solar, has been provisionally included in Ireland's fifth Onshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). It is the only Offaly project among 23 which have been successful in the latest RESS auction which was run by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. The Kilcormac solar farm will see solar panels erected across about 142 hectares (350 acres) in three land parcels in the townlands of Dovehill, Gortnamuck, Curraghmore (Eglish Barony) and Freagh. The solar farm, which is will generate a maximum of over 100MW of electricity, got the go-ahead from Offaly County Council planners in October 2023. Subsequently an electricity substation, which will connect to an existing 110kV electricity line, got the green light from An Bord Pleanala. Permission was granted by the council for the solar farm after some local people objected, citing concerns about glint, glare and traffic. The largest single part of the solar farm will be the Dovehill section, 81 hectares, and it is included in the first phase of proposed development. Most of the projects which have been approved in the latest RESS auction are solar farms which Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien said reflects that solar is continuing to be the fastest growing renewable electricity source in the country and is rapidly transforming Irelands energy system. READ NEXT: Largest solar farm yet in Offaly with over 800,000 square metres of solar panels given green light Minister O'Brien said: Developing our solar capacity, in tandem with onshore and offshore wind, will ensure we can generate clean electricity all year round. Accelerating and increasing the deployment of renewable electricity generation, especially onshore wind and solar, is fundamental to meeting our sectoral climate targets. July this year also marked a significant milestone for Ireland, as it was the first full month in which coal did not feature in our electricity fuel mix, after its use was discontinued at Moneypoint in June after 40 years. We are already world leaders for installed wind capacity per capita and for the integration of variable renewable electricity onto the grid. We will continue to advance our clean energy transition to secure a secure, sustainable and resilient energy future. The deployment and connection of wind and solar energy generation at pace and at scale to our electricity grid benefits households and business by shielding them from volatile fossil fuel imports using our indigenous natural energy resources. Along with the other 22 projects, the new round of approvals has the potential to generate 1500 GWh, enough to power 357,000 homes which the Government says will make a significant contribution to Irelands target of 80% of electricity demand to be met by renewable sources. Picture a 1995 Land Rover Defender 110, its boxy silhouette exuding raw adventure, every inch whispering tales of Himalayan climbs. Then a 1998 Toyota Land Cruiser 105, wide and unshakable, the go-to choice for explorers and royals alike. Beside them stands the mighty 2003 Nissan Patrol, in its vintage avatar, radiating Gulf-inspired grandeur sleek lines, commanding stance, and a cabin that marries toughness with understated luxury. This is a glossy dealer listing on a Bhutanese website, a true paradise for auto lovers in Kerala. When the Customs Commissionerate (Preventive), Kochi, launched Operation Numkhor to crack down on smuggled luxury SUVs in Kerala, many were curious about the name itself. Numkhor in Bhutans Dzongkha language simply means vehicle. But for those who stumbled upon numkhor.com, a leading Bhutanese car dealers website, the word painted an altogether different picture rows of gleaming vintage SUVs displayed like jewels, waiting to tempt buyers. And its not just one site; across Bhutan, dealers showcase these polished machines to lure customers, their crisp photos and tempting price tags making them irresistible. In Bhutan, these vehicles are not hidden away in collectors garages. They are listed openly, often at prices that would make Keralas auto enthusiasts rub their eyes in disbelief. Immaculate paintwork, meticulously maintained interiors, engines that purr like new, and they sit like treasures awaiting a second life. For Keralas car lovers, where such models were never officially sold, these SUVs are like forbidden fruits, a mix of nostalgia, power, and exclusivity. And it is this very allure that fuels the shadow market, transforming Bhutans surplus of vintage SUVs into Keralas most coveted automotive treasures. But the dream these machines represent in Bhutan has turned into a nightmare in Kerala. These vehicles are now in the news for all the wrong reasons, dragging in not just businessmen and high-net-worth individuals but even Malayalam stars like Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj, and Amith Chakkalakkal. Cars featured on the Bhutan-based website Numkhor. Screengrab/ numkhor.com. ADVERTISEMENT In the past two days alone, the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi, seized 38 luxury SUVs in sweeping raids across the state, exposing a smuggling network that thrives on this frenzy for cars. What begins as a listing on a Bhutanese website, promising adventure and prestige, often ends up as a seized exhibit in a Customs yard in Kochi. This investigation poses a curious question: why are these cars in such demand in Kerala, and how did Bhutan become their unlikely launchpad into the black market? Why Bhutan needs SUVs Bhutans geography is all mountains, valleys, and rough roads. Because of this, people need strong, reliable vehicles that can handle steep climbs, sharp curves, and bumpy terrain. Instead of small cars, SUVs like Toyota Land Cruisers, Prados, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Suzuki Brezza dominate the market. Over time, these SUVs have become both a practical necessity and a status symbol, with VIPs and foreign guests driven in nothing less. ADVERTISEMENT This long-standing preference has created a large stock of older, high-value SUVs in Bhutan. As the country shifts toward electric mobility and tightens restrictions on both new and used imports, these petrol and diesel workhorses are slowly being pushed out of the domestic market. What Bhutan no longer wants becomes gold across the border. Cars featured on the Bhutan-based website Numkhor. Screengrab/ numkhor.com. According to a senior representative at a Kochi car dealership, the real magnet is the price gap. In Bhutan, SUVs can be acquired dirt cheap, sometimes duty-free through misused government quotas or at throwaway prices from institutional auctions. In India, while second-hand auto imports are banned, fresh imports or those via Transfer of Residence would normally attract 160180% import duty for the same models, making its prices out of reach. By sneaking them across porous borders and re-registering them with fake documents, racketeers can sell them for five to ten times their original cost. ADVERTISEMENT Take the example of a 2003 Nissan Patrol imported from the Gulf to Bhutan. It costs around Bhutanese Nu 8,90,745 (8.9 lakh) there. Once smuggled into India and re-registered with forged papers, the same vehicle could fetch 3035 lakh from enthusiasts desperate to own rare models never sold here, said the official. Customs officers uncovered even sharper profiteering: a vehicle bought for 1 lakh in Bhutan resold for 10 lakh in India, while another picked up for 3 lakh was flipped for 30 lakh, according to the Customs Commissioner T Tiju. According to Sonu Somadas, sales manager of Heinz Motors in Kochi, they often see some luxury vintage SUVs in Kerala, which were not even launched in the country. Despite being car dealers, we wonder how they brought these old vehicles, which cant be imported, to Kerala in such pristine condition. They must be smuggled in only. Later, we saw a few vloggers and brokers promoting such cars in their videos. Since Kerala has a huge demand for such vehicles, the inflow will increase only, said Somadas. Fuelling this craze is the rise of a social mediadriven vintage car culture in Kerala. What was once the passion of a small circle of collectors has exploded into a full-blown trend, thanks to Instagram pages and Facebook groups that act like virtual showrooms. Catchy photos and viral reels showcase sparkling Land Cruisers, Defenders, and Patrols in perfect condition, turning them into aspirational objects for a new generation of buyers. According to a senior Motor Vehicle Department official in Kochi, these young buyers, many of whom are befriended through these social media pages, seldom do proper background checks. They see a classic Land Cruiser or a vintage Land Rover online and are ready to pay top price without caring about its history. And eventually they land in trouble, he said. MVD officials believe that the rush for rare SUVs has created the perfect opening for racketeers. Cars smuggled from Bhutan, often laundered through forged documents and first registered in states like Himachal Pradesh before being moved to Kerala, slide seamlessly into the market. By the time they hit Instagram or YouTube vlogs, they are irresistible: polished, fully loaded, and flaunted as lifestyle symbols rather than suspect imports. Social media has made vintage SUVs and off-roaders look cooler than ever. But the hype is also dangerous it pushes people to buy without thinking. Many end up chasing style and status, only to find themselves stuck in legal trouble instead of enjoying their dream ride, the MVD official said. Its this potent mix Bhutans supply glut, Indias punishing import taxes, and Keralas booming appetite for rare SUVs that has created the perfect storm. Operation Numkhor exposed just how entrenched the racket has become, with 38 cars seized in 48 hours, raids across six districts and big names now under the scanner, while the officials suspect nearly 200 such smuggled vehicles are in the state. A view down Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland. Pro-housing advocates rallied in front of City Hall to push a rezone in a portion of the east side to boost apartment construction. Mark Graves/The Oregonian Portland city councilors saw early concepts Thursday of how rezoning part of the east side could boost apartment supply in the neighborhoods where single-family homes are more common. Several dozen members of pro-housing group Portland: Neighbors Welcome held a brief demonstration outside City Hall, fueled by coffee and doughnuts, to advocate the reforms before heading into council chambers, where the five-member Climate, Resilience and Land Use Committee discussed what zoning changes might look like someday. Such changes, proponents say, would allow apartments with corner stores on the close-in east side and support local leaders efforts to alleviate the citys affordability crisis. We want, basically, nice homes for people that are a much lower price, said Heidi Hart, Portland: Neighbors Welcome board member, outside City Hall. While city staff presented committee members with an informational report Thursday morning, Eric Engstrom, director of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, said examining the rezone is one of the bureaus highest priorities this year. Zoning allows single-family homes and, more recently, middle housing including townhomes and duplexes, due to recent reforms to city and state rules. The rezoning campaign from Portland: Neighbors Welcome focuses on the area from 12th to 60th avenues and Northeast Fremont Street to Southeast Powell Boulevard. The proposed changes could vastly expand how many units developers could build. Current zoning allows for approximately 26,000 homes. On the high end, rezoning could grow housing capacity to 144,000 units, according to a staff presentation, while modest tweaks would bring it to 90,000. Developers could build more apartments on a piece of land than a few single-family homes or townhomes, leading to the dramatically boosted numbers. City staff acknowledged that boosting housing could strain local infrastructure if more residents move in and bring more car traffic and preparing for that would require close coordination not only with city bureaus but also TriMet, which runs bus and MAX lines but itself faces steep cuts. City councilors in July also approved a three-year system development charge waiver in an effort to boost homebuilding amid a protracted construction slump. That means tens of millions less for infrastructure funding in the next few years, city estimates show. Still, many of the homes in the area remain prohibitively expensive for regular Portland families, often reaching $750,000, said Hart. Regional Multiple Listing Service data put the median sales price in August for Southeast Portland at $462,300, but that included a broad area to the east and west of Interstate 205 that does not match exactly with the citys study area. City and state rule changes to allow middle housing have helped with affordability, said Hart, who noted developers replaced one eastside house that burned down with four homes each priced at $375,000. That does little for renters. Hart and others envision zoning reforms would ease the way for apartments with 15-20 units per building away from main arterial roadways. Big Pink buyer Jeff Swickard has doubled down on his Portland bet. Swickard, chief executive of the Swickard Auto Group with $3 billion in annual sales, made headlines this summer when he acquired Portlands largest office tower, Big Pink, for a stunning $45 million a sliver of its prior sale price a decade ago and with plans to spend big on renovations to draw new tenants into the languishing skyscraper. Now, the Nevada-based auto magnate and University of Oregon graduate is spending even more on a business more squarely in his wheelhouse: BMW Portland near Providence Park. Swickard Auto Group said it acquired the Goose Hollow dealership from Medford-based Lithia Motors this week for approximately $70 million. This purchase is a personal and professional investment in Portland, Swickard said in a news release. Portland has been a part of my life for decades, and this is my way of investing in its future. Swickard Auto Group operates dealerships in Oregon, California, Alaska, Washington and Hawaii. In Oregon, its dealers include Mercedes-Benz of Wilsonville, BMW of Eugene and Gresham Toyota. The company said many BMW Portland employees would remain at the dealership at 2001 S.W. Jefferson St. We are excited to welcome the team and customers into the Swickard family, the CEO said. Public safety news from The Oregonian/OregonLive. Two teenage girls separately went missing in the Portland metro area this week. By Thursday afternoon, both had been found safe, police said. A 16-year-old Clackamas High School student did not return home after school on Tuesday, according to the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office. On Wednesday, a 13-year-old Vancouver girl also went missing, police said. This post has been updated. Photo: https://x.com/andrii_sybiha Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha on Wednesday met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York to discuss the implementation of the agreements between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States. "I ended this day with an important transatlantic meeting of all NATO allies and Ukraine at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. I expressed gratitude for the principled position of US President Donald Trump. We discussed further steps to strengthen Ukraine and increase pressure on the Russian Federation. After the meeting, I had the opportunity to talk with Marco personally about the implementation of the agreements between our presidents. I invited my colleague to visit Ukraine at a convenient time and am grateful that this invitation was accepted," Sybiha said on Facebook. According to him, the third day of his stay on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly was a day of "principle and firmness on the path to peace." "A day that really gave us the feeling that we are not alone. A day that confirmed that the truth is on our side. Tomorrow we will continue working for concrete results for Ukraine," the minister emphasized. Carfentanil, the active ingredient in the pills seized by the DEA (pictured) is about 100 times stronger than fentanyl. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Federal agents and local police seized thousands of counterfeit opioid pills at a gas station in Centralia, Washington, on Sept. 16, prompting the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to put out a warning that a drug 100 times more deadly than fentanyl was on the streets in the Pacific Northwest. The drug is called carfentanil, a potent synthetic opioid that isnt approved for human use, the DEA said in a statement. Federal officials said that the Sept. 16 seizure was the result of months of investigation that led police to the Centralia gas station, where they found a truck with more than 50,000 pills inside. The DEA added that the pills contained a mixture of carfentanil and acetaminophen. The driver, who is from Pacific, Washington, but whose name hasnt been released, is facing unspecified federal charges. The bust reflects the increased prevalence of the fentanyl analog. The DEA reports that carfentanil has been detected in 37 states. While fentanyl is still the primary cause of drug overdoses in the U.S., the number of known deaths due to carfentanil has grown from 29 in the first six months of 2023 to 238 during the same period the following year, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The drug is so potent it can be deadly in nearly microscopic quantities that its not approved for use in human beings. Fentanyl, on the other hand, is legitimately used for pain relief in medical settings. Carfentanil was originally designed in the 1970s as a rapid-onset tranquilizer for large animals such as elephants. Then militaries around the world started looking into it as a chemical weapon. The Associated Press reported that the U.S., China, Israel, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and India have all considered using the drug for military purposes, and in 2002 Russian special forces used an aerosolized cocktail that included carfentanil to gas Chechen separatists who were holding hundreds of people hostage in a Moscow theater. The Russian attack incapacitated the hostage-takers, allowing Russian forces to storm the theater and shoot the separatists, but the drug also killed more than 120 hostages. In recent years, drug traffickers have homed in on the chemical for various reasons, and the DEA said that much of the carfentanil thats been seized since 2024 were mixed with a filler and pressed into pills or tablets, possibly increasing the risk of overdose because they look like other drugs. The CDC reports that fentanyl test strips which can be used at home by people who use drugs sometimes fail to detect the substance. The Portland Police declared a riot June 14, 2025, after a group of protesters gathered at the ICE facility in South Portland. Mark Graves/The Oregonian A Portland Police Bureau assistant chief said in court recently that federal police were instigating some of the clashes between officers and protesters outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland. Other records reveal police were aware of and concerned about potential excessive use of force by federal police as early as mid-June. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson recently called on the Department of Homeland Security to investigate federal officers use of force against nonviolent protesters captured on video and published by The Oregonian/OregonLive. The protests at the building began in early June in response to the Trump administrations immigration crackdown across the country. They peaked that month but have continued ever since, with major flare-ups in July and early September. The sometimes disruptive demonstrations have upset and aggravated many residents who live near the ICE building, including Cloud Elvengrail, who sued the city in July, accusing it of failing to uphold city noise ordinances. Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Craig Dobson made the statements about federal officers in sworn testimony in Elvengrails suit. On July 25, when Dobson was testifying, Elvengrails attorney, Thomas Rask, asked the assistant chief how the Portland Police Bureau decides whether a crowd constitutes an unlawful assembly and whether the protesters political point of view plays a role. Dobson said he considers actions, not the protesters message, when deciding how and when to enforce the unlawful-assembly law, and that he has to take in the totality of what is happening on the ground. In the case of the ICE protests in June, when Portland police were on the scene, he had to weigh the actions not just of the protesters but of the federal police as well, Dobson indicated. It makes it extremely difficult for us to deal with, as the folks that are on the other side of this fence have been, night after night, actually instigating and causing some of the ruckus thats occurring down there, Dobson said. Okay. So its your testimony ICE is creating the problem? Rask asked. Im saying that theyre not following best practice, Dobson replied. The Portland Police Bureau declined to answer questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive asking how, exactly, the bureau believes federal officers arent following best practice in dealing with crowds, saying it did not have additional comment beyond whats in the official record. 22 1 / 22 Protests continue at Portland ICE buildingMark Graves Dobson is the assistant chief of operations at the bureau. That means he oversees officers across Portlands three police precincts. He took the job in January, after four years as commander of Central Precinct and six months as interim assistant chief. He reports to Deputy Chief Chris Gjovik, who reports directly to Chief Bob Day. The mayors office declined to comment. DHS did not respond to a request for comment. Federal police have arrested more than two dozen people during the months of protests, including a woman who was accused of throwing a knife at officers and threatening them with another knife. The ICE facility is in the midst of a $4.6-million fortification project, KGW reported this week. Meanwhile, the City of Portland issued a notice of violation last week, alleging that ICE breached its conditional land use agreement by repeatedly holding detainees longer than 12 hours and by boarding up its first-floor windows. The notice of violations could theoretically lead to the facilitys closure, depending on how ICE responds. During the ongoing protests, Portland police have refrained from enforcing city noise ordinances and largely avoided managing the crowds after public backlash in June, when they made multiple arrests and at one point helped federal agents clear a barricade put up by protesters. Dobsons statements highlight one of several points of tension between local and federal police. Portland police have said they dont assist federal agents because state law bars the bureau from aiding immigration enforcement and also bars it from working with law enforcement agencies that violate state crowd-control laws. 7 1 / 7 Outside the Portland ICE office after a protest Since late June, Portland police rarely have been seen near the ICE building and the demonstrations against the federal agency. That has left federal officers largely on their own to deal with protesters usually numbering in the dozens every night, blasting music from large speakers and shouting offensive messages into megaphones. Nightly confrontations between demonstrators and federal police have resulted in numerous allegations of federal police using excessive force against peaceful protesters. At least two people who say they suffered injuries have filed paperwork indicating they intend to sue the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson recently called on Trump administration officials to investigate federal police actions captured in video footage and published by The Oregonian/OregonLive, such as a DHS agent repeatedly hitting a demonstrator in the upper body and face with a shield and then knocking down a woman who had her back turned to him. The Portland Police Bureaus current approach to crowd control is to identify the people who appear to be intent on committing crimes and removing them, Dobson also explained in his testimony. Another part of the strategy is to build and maintain rapport and dialogue with protesters, called the Elaborated Social Identity Model. During a protest that grew to 450 people on June 12, federal agents acted independently during the event, occasionally leaving the building and firing pepper balls into the crowd, Commander James Crooker wrote in a summary of events that night. This independent action made it challenging for PPB to fully utilize the ESIM with the crowd. The most impactful issue, which was not in the control of PPB, was observing federal partners firing on the crowd without any apparent warning, Crooker added. This directly impacted our ability to engage with the crowd, and had an immediate negative impact on the tone of the event. In a timeline of events that Crooker sent to Chief Bob Day, Crooker said federal agents firing on protesters without warning enraged the crowd, which began pulling out makeshift shields and throwing things at the agents who fired on them. Two days later, June 14, another Portland police commander described a situation where federal agents appeared to panic about the protest outside their walls. The bureau received multiple frantic calls from federal employees saying the building had been barricaded, that a federal officer had received a head injury, that there was an intruder in the facility and that there was a fire at the building gate. Phone calls are animated, with little actionable information, inaccurate information, and when I asked questions the FPS (Federal Protective Service) agent disconnected, Commander Franz Schoening wrote in a timeline for Chief Bob Day. The building had not been fully barricaded, police later learned, and the officer with a purported head injury only had abrasions. When federal agents used force against protesters that night, it made it difficult for the Police Bureau to arrest people. Once the riotous conduct had dissipated, we transitioned to a strategy of developing (probable cause) to make arrests, Commander Franz Schoening wrote in his summary of the protest. Due to FPS rapid transition to crowd control munitions based on what appeared to be low level crimes, it was challenging to carry this strategy out. Portland police eventually were able to arrest two people, which proved somewhat effective in de-escalating the event, Schoening wrote. 71 1 / 71 Portland ICE Protest -- June 14, 2025Mark Graves/The Oregonian Portland police also indicated federal officers appeared to use force indiscriminately. At 9:08 PM, a Federal officer on the roof appeared to fire pepper balls into the crowd, the reason for this was unclear, Crooker wrote in a summary of protests June 23. Crooker declined to comment when reached by phone. The next day federal officers asked for an ambulance to help a detained protester who lost consciousness after he was hit in the head with a gas canister, records show. That same day, June 24, Chief Day told Portland city councilors that the bureau was stepping back from managing the protests. It would be my preference that they be able to manage the building themselves and be able to handle that, Day said. I also would hope that they would be able to do that in a manner that doesnt escalate the situation. The Oregonian/OregonLive reporter Zaeem Shaikh contributed to this report. Federal prosecutor say Michael J. Peters, 42, was caught on video at least 11 times stealing mail from dozens of condominium and apartment complexes in Northwest and Southwest Portland, according to an affidavit. Court document A 42-year-old man accused of mail theft tried to escape arrest by swinging off the 13th floor of his Pearl District apartment onto a strangers balcony a floor below, then escaping through that unit, down the stairs and out of the building, a federal prosecutor said. Postal inspectors found Michael John Peters on Tuesday, a day later, and arrested him on allegations of mail fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Narus described Peters alleged crime as an egregious mail theft case. Hes accused of stealing mail from dozens of condominium and apartment complexes in Northwest and Southwest Portland, according to an affidavit unsealed Wednesday. He was renting the Pearl District apartment for $2,500 a month using a false name when investigators caught him on video stealing mail on 11 occasions between May and late August at different locations in the Portland area, Narus said. In the unit, investigators found more than 170 postal keys, 15 fake identification cards in his name, about 300 pieces of mail, 15 gift cards and check printers, according to Narus. Investigators suspect Peters tried to make or counterfeit a special key to open a U.S. Postal Service door for a cluster of mailboxes for housing complexes and office buildings. Two keys were found in a backpack he abandoned at one of the apartment complexes when a security guard confronted him, according to the affidavit. Among the locations he struck that were caught on video: Arbor Vista Condominiums on Southwest Howards Way, Collins Circle apartment complex on Southwest Columbia Street, McKenzie Lofts on Northwest 12th Avenue, The Sitka Apartments on Northwest 11th Avenue and the Waterfront Pearl condominium complex on Northwest Naito Parkway. Tihanne Mar-Shall, his assistant federal public defender, was unsuccessful in arguing for Peters release pending trial. She urged a judge allow Peters to work at a local Walmart filling online orders and live with his brother. Narus countered that Peters posed a risk of not returning to court, considering Peters recent attempt to escape arrest. He also has prior 2023 convictions in California for possession of others identification and in Hawaii for unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo denied his release. Police are investigating an apparent hit-and-run that killed a woman in North Portland Wednesday night only hours after a separate car crash that critically injured a 9-year-old in Southeast Portland. Police received a call at 10:40 p.m. that a woman had been killed by a car as she was walking on North Marine Drive near North Anchor Way, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. Officers arrived and found the womans body, but there was no car at the scene, police said. As of Thursday morning, police havent announced any arrests in the case. Officials havent released the name of the woman who died. Police are asking anyone with information about either incident to e-mail crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and attention the Traffic Investigations Unit. This file photo from Nicholas McGuffin's 2010 trial shows McGuffin conferring with his defense attorney, Shaun McCrea. He was accused of killing Leah Freeman, a 15-year-old girl who went missing June 28, 2000. McGuffin served nine years in prison for the killing, though he was never tied to the crime through DNA, physical evidence or eyewitnesses. Coos Bay World A man whom a judge this year declared innocent in the 2000 killing of a Coquille teen received a total of $14 million to settle his wrongful conviction claims, according to records filed in U.S. District Court in Portland this week. The state of Oregon agreed to pay Nicholas McGuffin $9 million and the city of Coquille and its police officers involved agreed to pay $5 million, according to court records. The settlement was first reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting. The agreement with the state settles the wrongful conviction lawsuit McGuffin filed in Marion County Circuit Court. McGuffin, 43, and his school-age daughter also have a separate federal lawsuit against the state, the city of Coquille and Coos County. It remains active against Coos County. Coos County has so far not agreed to a settlement with McGuffin, said his lawyer, Janis Puracal. Puracal is executive director of the Forensic Justice Project, a small nonprofit with the mission of identifying and preventing wrongful convictions based on flawed forensic science. She declined to comment on the settlements with the state and Coquille. McGuffin served nine years in prison for the Leah Freeman killing, though he was never tied to the crime through DNA, physical evidence or eyewitnesses. McGuffin always maintained his innocence. Freeman was McGuffins girlfriend; she was 15. Freeman vanished June 28, 2000, after leaving a friends house. One of her shoes was found by a cemetery in town that night; the other about a week later off a rural road. Her body was found five weeks later down a steep embankment. It was so badly decomposed, the medical examiner could not determine how she died. Her boyfriend at the time was McGuffin. Then 18, McGuffin was investigated for the crime but not charged until several years later. In 2019, a judge overturned McGuffins conviction because the Oregon State Police crime lab failed to disclose finding another mans DNA on Freemans shoe. The judge concluded that crucial DNA information could have led the jury to acquit McGuffin. The Coos County district attorney declined to try the case again. The Coos County Circuit Court dismissed the charges and McGuffin was released from prison. In 2024, McGuffin filed a wrongful conviction lawsuit against the state, alleging he only learned about the presence of another mans DNA on Freemans shoe after his conviction and accused the state of withholding critical evidence during the trial. McGuffin had absolutely nothing to do with the abduction or murder of Leah Freeman, his lawsuit states. This year, a state court judge issued McGuffin a certificate of innocence. A spokesperson for the Oregon State Police declined to comment. An attorney for Coquille did not respond to a request for comment. The No. 6 Oregon Ducks on Wednesday released their uniform combination for Saturdays Big Ten showdown at No. 3 Penn State. Oregon will wear white jerseys with a black helmet and black pants for the White Out game at Beaver Stadium. The uniforms also feature Mummy Duck Vaporposite cleats that glow in the dark. Certain parts of the uniform will also glow. The game will be played at night with a 7:30 p.m. EST kickoff time. It will be interesting to see how much the uniforms actually glow, given the stadium lights. Oregon Ducks football released a video announcing the arrival of the Mummy Duck Vaporposite cleat that glows in the dark on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Oregon Ducks Athletics . . . 2025 DUCKS UNIFORMS Sept. 20: Oregon 41, Oregon State 7. Oregon Ducks football uniorms for their game on Sept. 20 against Oregon State. (Oregon athletics) Oregon Athletics Sept. 13: Oregon 34 at Northwestern 14 Sept. 6: Oregon 69, Oklahoma State 3 Oregon's uniform combination for its game against Oklahoma State. (Oregon athletics) Oregon athletics Aug. 30: Oregon 59, Montana State 13. Oregon outside linebacker Teitum Tuioti unveils the team's uniform combination for its 2025 season opener against Montana State. (Oregon athletics) Oregon athletics . . . No. 6 Oregon (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) at No. 3 Penn State (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) The U.S. Department of Defense quietly changed its timeline for cleaning up toxic forever chemicals contaminating groundwater at two military bases in Oregon and Washington, delaying the process by six years without public announcement. The Air National Guard base in Portland and the Fairchild Air Force base near Spokane are among nearly 140 military sites nationwide with delayed investigations and remediation for a group of chemicals known as PFAS. The delays come as congressional Republicans are proposing cutting by nearly $200 million the defense agencys budget for environmental cleanup, including PFAS, an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and rolling back a 2024 ban on the agencys use of firefighting foam containing PFAS. Exposure to the human-made chemicals found in flame retardants, nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing can lead to increased risks for cancers, heart damage, high cholesterol and birth defects, among other adverse health effects. Washington was the first state to ban the sale and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS in 2018, and Oregon lawmakers this year voted to phase out the use of PFAS-laden firefighting foam. Such foam was heavily used at military bases for decades, and the Department of Defense has identified at least 600 military sites where PFAS are known to have been released. The delays to PFAS cleanup at military bases were first reported Tuesday by The New York Times. The Times cross-referenced a March list of potentially contaminated military sites a list not publicly posted on the Defense Departments website until recently with a list that had been posted in December by the agency, when it was under the Biden administration. The Capital Chronicles own analysis of a Sept. 30, 2024. list found that the Air National Guard site in Portland, then slated to have its PFAS investigation and cleanup planning completed by the end of September 2025, is now slated instead to have that done by September 2031. The remedial investigation and planning for PFAS cleanup previously slated to be complete at Fairchild Air Force base by July 2026 is now expected to be done by June 2032. Michael Loch, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, said in an email that the Air National Guard told Oregon officials at an Aug. 26 meeting that the timeline for cleaning up the base in Portland would be delayed so that money could be directed to other potentially contaminated sites that had not yet undergone investigation. Loch was not able to confirm whether Guard officials told Oregon officials that it would be a full five-year delay. We are concerned that this shift could mean several years of delay, especially given the high PFAS concentrations already found at the site and its proximity to sensitive water resources like the Columbia Slough, Loch wrote. The Department of Defense was unable to answer questions from the Capital Chronicle by Tuesday evening about how much information the agency shared with Oregon and Washington state leaders, agencies or impacted communities about the changes. It will likely take up to a week for our response to be reviewed by general council, an unidentified Pentagon spokesperson from the Office of the Secretary of Defense said in an email. Stephanie May, a spokesperson for Washingtons Department of Ecology, said in an email she could not confirm by Tuesday whether the Department of Defense told any ecology officials about changes to the clean-up schedule at Fairchild Air Force base, but that they are looking into it. Our focus in working with the base has been to urge immediate actions that can help nearby residents get safe drinking water and protect their families, she said. The Environmental Protection Agency officially declared the Fairchild Air Force base a Superfund Site in 1995 for a litany of other contamination issues, and identified in 2017 severe PFAS contamination through well testing. About 100 people who live near the base filed a class action lawsuit in 2018 against 3M the manufacturer of the firefighting foam used on the base alleging it has caused them serious health problems. About one-quarter of all military sites with known PFAS releases that are trying to investigate and address contamination now face an average delay of five years, according to the Times reporting. In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added several PFAS to the federal list of regulated hazardous substances and mandated states begin testing for them in drinking water systems. In May, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality added six common PFAS substances to the states list of regulated contaminants. Suspected sources of past or ongoing PFAS pollution in Oregon include eight commercial airports that are or were required to maintain PFAS-containing firefighting foam on site, as well as 18 municipal fire training facilities near 20 of the most populous cities in the state, according to rulemaking documents from DEQ. Officials at Portland International Airport began testing for PFAS in 2017 in and around a firefighter training ground there, and found impaired fish and aquatic species in the nearby waters of the Columbia Slough. They have since switched to using PFAS-free firefighting foam and begun initial stages of cleanup. -- Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon Capital Chronicle, founded in 2021, is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on Oregon state government, politics and policy. A laboratory staff works on development of drugs of genetic therapy for rare diseases. (Photo by ERIC PIERMONT/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Doctors have announced the first successful treatment for Huntingtons disease, a devastating inherited condition that combines symptoms of dementia, Parkinsons and motor neurone disease. The groundbreaking gene therapy has slowed disease progression by 75% in patients, meaning the decline typically seen in one year would now take four years, potentially giving patients decades of improved quality of life, the BBC reports. We never in our wildest dreams would have expected a 75% slowing of clinical progression, said Professor Sarah Tabrizi, director of the University College London Huntingtons Disease Centre, who led the UK part of the trial alongside Professor Ed Wild. The treatment involves a complex 12- to 18-hour brain surgery, where a specially modified virus delivers therapeutic DNA deep into the brain. This DNA produces microRNA that intercepts and disables instructions for building the mutant huntingtin protein that kills brain cells in people with the disease. Results from the 29-patient trial in the U.K. and U.S. showed significant improvements three years after surgery, with measurements based on cognition, motor function and daily life abilities. The treatment also appears to be saving brain cells, BBC noted, as levels of neurofilaments in spinal fluid, indicators of dying neurons, were lower than at the start of the trial. For Jack May-Davis, who carries the faulty gene that killed his father Fred at age 54, the breakthrough offers new hope. This absolutely incredible breakthrough has left me overwhelmed, the 30-year-old barristers clerk told the publication. It does allow me to think my life could be that much longer. The therapy is expected to be expensive and requires highly specialized neurosurgery. UniQure, the company behind the treatment, plans to apply for a license in the U.S. in early 2026, with discussions in the U.K. and Europe to follow, BBC said. Professor Wild told the publication that the therapy should last for life since brain cells are not regularly replaced like other body tissues. He described the magnitude of the effect as breathtaking. Approximately 75,000 people have Huntingtons disease across the U.K., U.S. and Europe, with hundreds of thousands more carrying the mutation that will eventually cause the disease, BBC noted. Professor Tabrizi is already working on prevention trials with young people who carry the gene but do not yet show symptoms, hoping to significantly delay or even prevent the disease entirely. This is the beginning, she said, expressing optimism that this breakthrough will lead to more accessible therapies for Huntingtons patients and their families. This story was written with the assistance of AI. This story was reviewed and edited by a staff member of The Oregonian/OregonLive. Fans of the fabled Mount Hood log cabins hand built by the resourceful Steiner family take note: A coffee table book, expected to be released next year, will have photos and stories about the sturdy, artistic homes made with trees, stones and few store-bought items during the Great Depression and World War II. A preview of the book titled Steiner Cabins: History and Style of a Mt. Hood Icon will be presented at a free Steiner Cabins Celebration Open House from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at The Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum in Government Camp. The guest speaker is Ian McCluskey, a filmmaker and storyteller who restored his 1930 Steiner cabin using hand tools and local natural materials as Henry Steiner and his wife, Mollie, taught their 11 children in the last century. The museum has documented approximately 100 of these distinctive vacation getaways built by the Steiners from 1925 to 1952. Most of the durable Alpine structures have survived decades of snow-pounding winters and are featured in the Mount Hood Steiner Cabins Tour, which takes place annually on the second Saturday in August. Experts say the Oregon Rustic dwellings, guided by Nordic chalet architecture, rooted in the Arts and Crafts movement and executed by the Bavarian-born Steiners skills and work ethic, influence cabin design today. This book will celebrate the craftsmanship of Henry Steiner and his family, explore the cultural and architectural significance of the cabins, and place them in the broader history of outdoor recreation on Mount Hood in the early 20th century, said McCluskey, who has volunteered to write the book. Like the popular Steiner cabin tour, book sales will benefit the nonprofit museum. McCluskeys prose will be accompanied by architectural photographer Chris Browns images, from aerial shots to close-ups. Brown, with the assistance of her husband, Greg, is capturing Steiner signature details such as arc-top front doors crafted from split naturally curved trees; handles made from gnarled tree roots; and spindles arranged in decorative starburst or wagon wheel motifs. People attending the open house will meet longtime Steiner cabin owners who have retained the integrity and charm of the original design. Many cabins have been passed down over generations. Much of the current generation of Steiner cabin owners are dedicated to restoring their cabins, and many stories share similar themes of coming to their cabins by fate, and their role being stewards, McCluskey told The Oregonian/OregonLive. McCluskey has interviewed more than two dozen cabin owners as well as the late museum curator Lloyd Musser to gather information about Steiner cabins. Two decades ago, Musser and the late Welches school teacher Nancy Dougherty knocked on front doors and searched under fallen trees to start an inventory of surviving Steiner cabins. Many were vacant, run-down rentals and candidates for demolition. Before Mussers and Doughertys efforts, there was scant information on the cabins construction and uses. New information gathered for the book will be accessible at the Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum, which is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since were still in the writing and photographing phase, people are invited to share their memories and suggestions, said McCluskey. The initial print run will cost around $25,000. Volunteers of the Steiner Committee have raised about a third of the goal through individual donations and support from Clackamas County Bank and the Kinsman Foundation. Tax-deductible donations are accepted by the nonprofit Mt. Hood Museum at mthoodmuseum.org/donate. Supporters attending the open house event or those wanting to donate online can purchase raffle tickets through the museum bookstore in advance and during the event ($25 each at mthoodmuseum.org/product-category/books). Winners do not need to be present. Prizes include an overnight stay at an authentic Steiner-built cabin as well as lunch by Broder Soder cafe for six people and a private tour of the Fogelbo Steiner Log Home at the Nordic Northwest campus in Southwest Portland. The open house is a chance to learn more about Mount Hoods history and support ongoing preservation of the iconic log cabins, said museum board member Meredith Frigaard. The cabin tours grant about 300 people each year an opportunity to step inside the privately owned log homes, but many more cabin enthusiasts could experience the Steiners work through the book, say organizers. The price of the book has not been announced. Print designer Andrea McCluskey will help design the book from first draft to pre-press, and create original graphics. The book will serve as a permanent historical record of Steiner cabins, with exterior and interior photographs and drawings of floor plans. These documents will aid future research and preservation, said Ian McCluskey. The book project also highlights the efforts of the Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum and the passionate cabin owners to preserve and share the unique structures, McCluskey added. If you go: Steiner Cabins Celebration Open House is 1-3:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum at 88900 Government Camp Loop in Government Camp; 503-272-3301; mthoodmuseum.org). Earlier this month, on a whim, Desirea Pierce, 31, and her husband, Andres Sauseda, 32, left Apache Junction, Arizona, for a new adventure in Oregon. Theyd never been and didnt know a soul. Pierce had seen photos of elk on the shore in the Oregon Coast Experience Facebook group and wanted to see them for herself. On the day the couple arrived Sept. 12 at about 6:20 p.m. she got her wish. Just north of Haystack Rock, near West Jackson and Monroe streets in Cannon Beach, the couple found a herd bedded down together, resting in the dunes with the ocean at their backs. We could not believe it. We were just, like, so shocked. It was crazy, Pierce said. The couple was so impressed with Oregon theyre already planning to return Oct. 9 with their two children, ages 9 and 12. They hope to explore Oregons waterfalls. Photos of elk on the beach with Haystack Rock in the background are not uncommon. Youve probably seen them before on Facebook or Instagram. Thats because Roosevelt elk, the subspecies found west of the Cascades and along the Oregon coast, are in their September to October mating season. Bulls bugle a high, whistle-like mating call shadow cows and chase rivals, often pulling herds into open spaces where theyre easier to see. Pierce said the behavior was unmistakable: (The bull elk) kept following around all the females, you know what I mean, smelling them, trying to actually mount on one of them. Another reason sightings spike this time of year: more people are on the coast during mating season, and nearly everyone has a camera. The best viewing, though, stretches into the colder months. From October through April, Roosevelt elk settle into lowland meadows, wetlands and fields along the coast, where food is easier to find than in the Coast Range. Herds are larger, more concentrated and more predictable. Elk are Oregons largest land mammals big bulls can top 1,000 pounds, twice the weight of a large black bear. Oregon is home to two elk species: Roosevelt elk, the giants of the Coast Range and west-side forests, and Rocky Mountain elk, which roam east of the Cascades. That makes Oregon one of the few states where people can see both. Where to look (dawn and dusk are best): Open fields between Fort Clatsop and the Astoria airport Along U.S. 101 between south Seaside and the entrance to Oregon 26 Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area near Reedsport, where 60100 elk are often visible in meadows most winter and spring days Sources: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; National Park Service; Oregon Coast Visitors Association; Travel Oregon. Photos courtesy of Desirea Pierce Danish authorities have called the drone incidents over several airports in the country on Thursday night a hybrid attack, but have refrained from commenting on where they may have come from. "This is a hybrid attack, which is carried out by professionals. There will be more such attacks, and Denmark must be able to resist them," Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters at a press conference on Thursday. At the same time, he noted that "so far, no one responsible for these incidents has been identified," so it is not worth linking them to the actions of any party. Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard believes that the organizers of these attacks aim to sow fear among the country's residents. "I would like to state clearly: the purpose of such attacks is to sow fear and intimidate us," the Justice Minister said. Drones were spotted over several Danish airports and military sites on Thursday night, causing disruptions to operations for several hours, but no major disruptions. This is the second such incident in Denmark in the past few days. Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden has been pushing for the release of thousands of documents showing suspicious financial transactions made by deceased and disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. AP Photo/Ben Curtis For several hours on Valentines Day in 2024, staff from Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wydens office and the Senate Finance Committee sat in a room in the U.S. Treasury Department reviewing thousands of suspicious financial transactions made by deceased and disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The transactions totaled more than $1 billion and included payments to women from eastern European countries where many of Epsteins alleged victims are from. Along with Wydens team, staff from the offices of Republican Sens. Mike Crapo of Idaho and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee reviewed the documents, according to Wyden. Spokespersons for Crapo and Blackburn did not respond to requests for comment from the Capital Chronicle. Treasury officials did not allow the staffers to make copies of the documents, only to take handwritten notes. And because you cant take that stuff out of the room I asked, particularly, if the Republicans would be willing to join me in a subpoena that would get the rest of the information that was crucial, and they wouldnt do that, Wyden said. And that was during the Biden years. Suspecting that there was and is far more financial information regarding Epstein in the treasurys possession than they were shown, Wyden is introducing a bill that would force current U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to use his legal authority to turn over everything. On Sept. 10, he introduced the Produce Epstein Treasury Records Act to compel Bessent to turn over all Epstein-related treasury records to Senate investigators. Wyden has asked Bessent twice, in March and June, to provide the files to the Senate Finance Committee to no avail. He has been unable to get the majority vote needed for the committee to issue a subpoena for the files, Wyden policy director Keith Chu said in an email. The bill is the latest in a now three-year investigation Wyden and his staff have undertaken to understand Epsteins sex trafficking network through his financial transactions with some of the worlds largest banks and powerful men. Ive long felt that my biggest opportunities have been when I followed the money, Wyden said. An unnamed spokesperson for the U.S. Treasury said its complying with the House Oversight Committees request earlier this month to receive some of the suspicious activity reports. Its about the truth The reports are confidential and held by the treasury departments Financial Crimes Enforcement Network called FinCEN. Although banks are supposed to report the activity in real time, the largest bank working with Epstein, JPMorgan, did not provide the reports to treasury until late 2019, after Epstein was arrested and charged with sex trafficking and died by suicide in a New York jail cell. Wyden said the transactions show at the very least that the banks and the Internal Revenue Service were asleep at the switch. I want to find out what in hell kept these agencies from doing some audits, he said. Wyden first started looking into Epsteins finances in 2022, connecting them to billionaire Leon Black, the co-founder of private equity firm Apollo Global Management. In 2023 and 2024, Wyden said he pushed very, very hard to get the Biden people to do more, and that then-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellens agency felt that they were providing him and Senate Finance members with more transparency when they allowed staff to see the suspicious activity reports, even if just for several hours. The reason that we got to do it is that we accepted their limits. You had to come in. You got it for a relatively short period of time, there were restrictions. That was kind of real pick and shovel stuff, getting what we got, he said. Calls for more transparency from the treasury and the Department of Justice following its investigation into Epstein have come from people across the political spectrum. Kentucky Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie said Wednesday that he will soon have the 218 signatures needed to force a vote in the House on releasing federal investigative files on Epstein. Wyden said its become a major concern to many of his constituents in Oregon. Oregonians come up to me at the checkout line at Fred Meyer, when Im walking on the street, basically saying: keep it up, he said. They know that Ive been asking Trump people, that Im asking Pam Bondi repeatedly, and people want answers, he said. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in July said the Justice Department had wrapped its investigation into Epstein and found no evidence of a so-called client list, but has selectively released investigative files that were largely already public. Im going to stay at it until the truth comes out. This has nothing to do with red and blue. Its about the truth, Wyden said. There were huge sums of money billions of dollars moving around. So I want to make sure all the financial underpinnings come out. -- Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon Capital Chronicle, founded in 2021, is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on Oregon state government, politics and policy. Federal officers deployed CS gas, flash grenades and less-lethal rounds outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland on June 14, 2025, after protesters formed a shield wall and broke a glass door with a stop sign. The confrontation, declared a riot by police, followed a citywide No Kings protest that drew thousands earlier in the day. A proposal by Portland city councilors would codify the citys sanctuary status and another one would ban law enforcement officers from wearing masks and require visible identification. Mark Graves/The Oregonian Portland city councilors won wide support for a proposal to codify the citys sanctuary status in light of the Trump administrations immigration crackdown but said they arent ready yet to move forward with a separate proposal to ban law enforcement officers from wearing masks. Dozens of people spoke in favor of a move by Councilor Sameer Kanal to include the citys sanctuary status in city code. Two fathers have been snatched from my neighborhood, plus a third person while waiting for the kids to get out of school in the past week. No one is safe, said Kip Silverman who testified at a hearing Tuesday on the proposal before the councils Community and Public Safety Committee. We need to take action now as a community and stand on our values and have a constitutional right to due process. The proposal calls for all 7,000 city employees to undergo regular training on the sanctuary code, such as the differences between administrative and judicial warrants, private versus public spaces in city buildings and how to respond to inquiries or actions by immigration agents. It would mandate signs in city buildings to distinguish private areas where only city employees are allowed. It also would require the city to submit regular Freedom of Information Act requests to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about enforcement activities within or affecting the city of Portland and require annual reports by city staff to the City Council on local immigration enforcement activity as a result of those requests. The City Council in 2017 adopted a resolution declaring Portland a sanctuary city, but its not legally binding, which is why councilors say they want to create a city sanctuary law. People at the hearing displayed signs reading Sanctuary is safety for all, Sanctuary must be law and Sanctuary city binding law now! Some of them wore T-shirts saying Latinx PDX on the front. Latinx PDX, one of 13 city employee resource groups, wrote a letter to Mayor Keith Wilson last month that demanded immediate and meaningful action on city immigration protocols. The city of Portland sanctuary resolution in 2017 was a great start, Latinx PDX co-chair Anamaria Perez said during the meeting, but its time to make real change and put these guidelines into the city code permanently. Do not wait until more people are kidnapped on our streets, or worse, killed, as we have seen in some cities across the country. Under the Trump administration, immigration agents in plainclothes, with no badges and wearing masks, have arrested people, including in Oregon, on immigration violation allegations. The sanctuary proposal is the only one that had a public hearing, with other proposed policies only discussed. The sanctuary proposal will return to the committee for a vote for it to be sent to the full council. The committees next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 7 but no agenda has been set yet. Kanal is also working on two other proposed ordinances: One would ban masks on law enforcement officers and require them to wear visible identification, and the other would prohibit the use of chemical weapons against Portlanders. Kanal said those are still being drafted and undergoing legal review and its not clear when they will be formally introduced. Were working in weeks, not in months. If I could make weeks, days, I would, but theres a lot of processes we got to go through to get things ready for an agenda, he said in response to when the ordinances are expected to go to the full City Council for approval. The possible masking ban follows plans by Oregon lawmakers to introduce a similar proposal during the short legislative session next year and a bill introduced in mid-July by U.S. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, that would prohibit ICE officers from concealing their identify during enforcement activity. California earlier this month passed a similar mask law, which goes into effect Jan. 1. But questions have arisen about how to enforce such bans. Portland Police Association President Aaron Schmautz said a city ban doesnt appear to be workable. The city, full stop, cannot impede the federal government from wearing masks or certain equipment or things like that if them doing so is proper, in their view, as it relates to the furtherance of the job theyre doing, he said. We just simply do not have the authority to tell them they cannot wear certain safety equipment or other things like that. Kanal disagreed. I dont want to disclose attorney client privilege advice what I can say right now is that there is a path. Theres actually more than one path (for enforcement), he said after the meeting. Were seeing Chicago looking at doing it by a court order, for example, which is different than how California is doing it. But ultimately, there will probably be court involvement in some of this work. Fundamentally, he said, Portlanders have a right to know who might be enforcing the law. If youre going to be deprived of your liberty, you deserve to know whos doing it, he said after the meeting. Were going to figure out all the details as we go. And that also has to do with verification and display of identification, which are the other two parts of that ordinance. Councilor Angelita Morillo said shes also hoping to bring forward several other city immigration policies, but they also are undergoing legal review. She wants to create what she described as a detention facility impact fee for when federal authorities lease space in Portland. The fee would be used to pay for police overtime, traffic control and environmental cleanup, among other costs, she said. Her other idea is to create an unauthorized detention code to regulate detention by private security entities. So, if youre a private security member, private security officer, it basically clarifies that the detention authority is strictly limited to what Oregon law already allows, she said. Morillos last proposal is a data privacy and governance resolution to prevent surveillance by federal agencies on residents. Data privacy is going to be the new frontier of addressing fascism, she said during the meeting. We need to ensure that peoples privacy is protected so that the government cant make an entire map out of your life. This story was updated Thursday, Sept. 25, to correct Kip Silvermans name and to clarify that Councilor Sameer Kanal was the sponsor of the sanctuary ordinance proposal. A meeting agenda listed Councilor Steve Novick along with Kanal as introducing the proposal but Kanals office drafted it. OU announced all in-person classes after 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 will be canceled for Showtime on the Soval featuring country duo Dan + Shay. Norman campus, OU Health campuses and OU-Tulsa will suspend academic and campus operations while online courses will continue as scheduled, according to the email. Students in clinical rotations or other health-related programs are advised to check with faculty or preceptors. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. that Thursday on the South Oval with gates opening at 5 p.m., according to a mass email sent to the OU community. Only essential employees will be required to remain on site or report to their on-campus positions. Remote work will not be permitted, but OU said eligible employees will be granted administrative leave. The university will resume normal operations on Oct. 24. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name A few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... Admission to the concert is free to students, faculty and staff but attendees are required to reserve a ticket, which will be available to claim beginning Oct. 1. Faculty and staff will be required to show a valid university ID along with their ticket for entry. The email states the event will have concessions and follow OUs security protocols, including a clear bag policy. The concert is part of the Soval Series, a lineup of events designed to celebrate OU spirit and tradition including a Beat Bevo Bash and Holiday Lights to support OUs Lead On, University: The Next Phase Strategic Plan. This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure and Natalie Armour. OKLAHOMA CITY Without reading the morning headlines, one might believe Thursdays Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting was routine, even more tame than usual. The crush of cameras and celebrations outside told a different story. State Superintendent Ryan Walters dedicated his opening remarks to the assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk and went on to present a mostly flat budget proposal for public education next year. Walters did not acknowledge his impending resignation from elected office, a bombshell he revealed live on Fox News the night before. He told Fox host Trace Gallagher he would step down from office to become the CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, an anti-teacher-union organization founded earlier this year. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name A few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... The Teacher Freedom Alliance announced Thursday morning that Walters would start in his new role on Wednesday. Gov. Kevin Stitt will appoint a replacement to finish Walters term through January 2027. Stitt helped launch Walters political career when he chose the former high school teacher to be his education secretary, but the two had a public falling out earlier this year. I wish Ryan and his family the best in this next chapter, Stitt said in a statement Thursday. Oklahoma students remain my top priority, and with my first appointment to this role, I will be seeking a leader who is fully focused on the job Oklahomans expect: delivering real outcomes and driving a turnaround in our education system. A spokesperson for the governors office, Abegail Cave, confirmed Stitt does not yet have a resignation letter from Walters. Unlike Walters, Oklahomans who showed up to the state Department of Education building Thursday morning didnt let the occasion pass unacknowledged. His supporters held signs stating, Thank you state Superintendent Ryan Walters while his critics chanted bye bye Ry Ry and raised their arms in victory. The two groups chirped insults at each other as they waited in line to enter the building, highlighting the polarized political clash that these board meetings have become since Walters took office. Walters spent his final gathering with the board discussing teacher certification and school administrative matters. Rather than making a splash with headline-grabbing budget requests, like he did last year by asking for $3 million for Bibles, he made a relatively mundane funding proposal to submit to the state Legislature, which will make the final budget decisions. He proposed cutting $2.6 million in smaller programs like Imagine Math, Imagine Reading and Great Expectations to help make room for an expected $23.7 million increase in the cost of educators health insurance. The board tabled the budget request to have more time to review it. A mostly tranquil meeting ended with a heated back-and-forth when a few members questioned why Walters didnt include more items on Thursdays agenda after he canceled the boards August meeting. Board member Mike Tinney noted some teacher license revocation cases are on the cusp of being dismissed, and other cases have had no progress for months toward a conclusion. Walters responded with barbed comments, saying he had decided no cases were ready for a board vote. As long as Im here, it will be my decision of whats presented to the board, and thats the way that were going to do it, he said during the meeting. You guys can sue me, I dont care. You guys can run for state superintendent, go out and get hundreds of thousands of votes across the state, represent parents and students and teachers. Go for it. Good luck. But as long as Im in this office, I will be unapologetic about protecting the kids of Oklahoma. What no one said was Walters wouldnt be in office for much longer. He quickly left the room after adjournment without speaking to news media. The meeting agenda included no opportunity for members of the public to address him. Tinney made the only reference to Walters resignation during the meeting, telling the superintendent with all things being said here, I do wish you and your family well. It is my desire that we get, if this really happens, that we get a new state superintendent that genuinely cares for the students and the educators and that will work with the board and that will be ethical and honest, Tinney told reporters afterward. Fellow board member Becky Carson echoed Tinneys optimism that Walters departure could mark a more positive beginning. I believe that the superintendents resignation opens the door for us to now make progress on this board and do whats best for the children of this state, she said after the meeting. Widely considered a potential candidate for higher office, Walters instead is making the rare move to resign from his statewide elected position with more than a year left in his term. He has not announced intentions to launch a political campaign, even to seek reelection. Recent polling showed his popularity tanked in recent months amid a clash with the state board over nude women being visible on his office TV during a meeting. A law enforcement investigation found the images were from a Jackie Chan movie that accidentally started playing. Walters also appeared to fall behind in fundraising, with less than $20,000 in his campaign account as of June 30, according to the most recent campaign finance reports available. If he jumped into the 2026 Republican primary race for governor, he would face heavily-funded opponents, including Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former House Speaker Charles McCall who each reported more than $1 million in their campaign accounts in the first half of the year. Walters, though, has strong name recognition from constant media coverage and his many appearances on cable TV. He built a national profile as a far-right Republican unafraid to push the envelope. He was elected in 2022 with a pledge to shake up the education establishment with conservative, parent-focused reforms. However, national testing revealed Walters first two years in office resulted in little to no improvement in Oklahomas academic results. State-based testing in 2024 showed significant leaps in student performance, but Oklahoma Voice uncovered the rising test scores were not the result of genuine academic improvement. Rather, they primarily resulted from the state quietly lowering the bar for students to be considered proficient in reading and math. Instead of acknowledging the states stagnant performance, Walters abruptly proposed eliminating state testing altogether. He told reporters expected a very quick approval from the Trump administration for the plan. His comments appeared to backfire. Soon after, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon excluded Walters from her August visit to Oklahoma, signaling a rift with the state superintendent, despite him being a dedicated Trump ally. Fellow Republicans in Oklahoma have voiced frustrations with Walters during his tenure over his numerous controversies, poor administration of state funds and constant focus on culture-war talking points. Democrats made multiple calls for his impeachment. House Common Education Committee leader Rep. Dick Lowe, R-Amber, said its been a rough couple of years. Am I happy with where our results are of our kids and our testing or whatever? No, none of us are, Lowe said while speaking with reporters after attending Thursdays meeting. I dont think anybody watching this right now will think its good. Were working hard to get better. This is not going to turn overnight. Doesnt matter whos sitting in what chair. This doesnt turn overnight. It takes all Oklahomans to want to see this better, and well work to do that. Oklahoma Voice is an affiliate of States Newsroom, a nation 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and donations focused on delivering state government news. The Voice maintains full editorial independence. For more stories by Oklahoma Voice go to oklahomavoice.com. Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters is resigning from office to become CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, he announced to FOX News Wednesday night. The Teacher Freedom Alliance was formed in March by conservative think tank Freedom Foundation to serve as an alternative to teachers unions. There are currently about 3,000 teachers enrolled in the alliance, according to its website. In a one-minute live statement, Walters said he was excited to be stepping down and accepting his new role, stating his goal is to destroy the teachers unions. He said he believes teachers unions use money and power to corrupt schools. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name A few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... We will build an army of teachers to defeat teachers unions once and for all, Walters said. This fights going national and we will get our schools back on track. We will not allow any further union control. Aaron Withe, CEO of the Freedom Foundation, wrote in a press release Thursday morning the foundation is honored to have Walters take on the role. Ryan is a proven freedom fighter who understands that America cannot restore its education system without breaking free from the grip of teachers unions, Withe wrote. Ryan understands that theres no path to putting American education back on track that doesnt involve eliminating the teachers unions from our classrooms. Walters will officially become CEO of Teacher Freedom Alliance on Oct. 1, according to the release. Walters was elected superintendent in 2022 and had one year left of his four-year term, which ends in January 2027. Before being elected superintendent, Walters served as secretary of education for two years. Gov. Kevin Stitt will appoint a new candidate to serve the remainder of Walters term. Stitt wrote in a Thursday statement that he wishes the best for Walters and his family. Oklahoma students remain my top priority, and with my first appointment to this role, I will be seeking a leader who is fully focused on the job Oklahomans expect: delivering real outcomes and driving a turnaround in our education system, Stitt wrote. During his term, Walters was involved in multiple controversies, most recently facing accusations from two Board of Education members who claimed Walters had explicit images on his office TV during a board meeting. Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III confirmed on Sept. 17 an investigation determined the images were part of a Jackie Chan movie on a TV channel and no charges were filed against Walters following the incident. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond commented on Walters resignation in a press release immediately following the announcement, stating his time as superintendent was an embarrassment to the state. Ever since Gov. Stitt appointed Ryan Walters to serve as Secretary of Education, we have witnessed a stream of never-ending scandal and political drama, Drummond wrote. Even worse, test scores and reading proficiency are at historic lows." Drummond wrote Walters did not live up to expectations as superintendent, despite Stitts claim that Walters would take the state to a top 10 ranking. Its time for a State Superintendent of Public Instruction who will actually focus on quality instruction in our public schools, Drummond wrote. Gov. Stitt used to say he would make us Top Ten, but after seven years we are ranked 50th in education. Our families, our students and our teachers deserve so much more. Oklahoma has consistently ranked in the bottom 10 education systems in the nation and was ranked 50th by WalletHub in 2025. Before Walters took office, WalletHub ranked Oklahoma 45th in education in 2022. Norman Public Schools involvement Walters and Norman Public Schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino have historically had a contentious relationship, with Migliorino often refusing to comply with state mandates. Last week, NPS announced it would opt out of participating in a Walters-mandated minute of silence in honor of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot on Sept. 10. The Oklahoma State Department of Education announced in a press release last week that 12 districts are under investigation for not holding the moment of silence. None of those districts were named in the release, but the Oklahoman reported Friday that NPS was under investigation. The release also states that 70 teachers across 44 school districts were under investigation for comments made about Kirk. An NPS spokesperson told OU Daily Monday the district has not been notified of any investigations into the district or its teachers. In June 2024, Walters called for schools to incorporate the Bible into fifth-12th grade curriculum to examine its historical context, literary significance and cultural influence. Walters set aside $3 million to purchase a Bible to be put in every classroom and requested $3 million in additional funding. Soon after the department announced it would purchase 500 Bibles for Advanced Placement government courses, Rep. Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman) posted the purchase order on the social platform X, which showed the department had spent $24,540 on 532 Trump-endorsed God Bless the USA Bibles. The $60 Bibles include a copy of a handwritten chorus to God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood, U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance. In a Thursday morning press release from the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Rosecrants wrote that while he was glad Walters stepped down, he urges teachers to continue to oppose the lies, the waste of taxpayer dollars, and the rhetoric. While its wonderful to wake up knowing the specter of the most incompetent state superintendent in Oklahoma history has vanished, what hasnt vanished is his agenda, Rosecrants wrote. The work to protect our public schools, to listen to parents, to support our teachers, to provide transparency of our tax dollars continues, always! Aaron Baker, an advanced placement U.S. government and politics high school teacher, said in a Tuesday TikTok video that he was sent two Bibles by the state department of education to use for instruction. He claims the Constitution included in the Bibles is outdated, only including the first 10 amendments. Baker claimed the version of the Constitution in the God Bless the USA Bible contains the three-fifths compromise, which was abolished by the 13th Amendment. He said it also neglected to include the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection and due process under the law. Baker said the original version of the Constitution is printed in the back of the Bible, excluding Amendments 11-27, which include the abolishment of slavery, womens suffrage and presidential term limits. This is not an accident. This is an incomplete, at best, Constitution thats in this Bible, and its a dishonest Constitution," Baker said in the video. Its not the Constitution that I teach in my classroom. Migliorino wrote in a statement to OU Daily in December that the district would not comply with the mandate, stating it has created an inclusive environment by not promoting any particular faith. At this time, our previous position on the use of Bibles in our schools has not changed, Migliorino wrote. In July 2024, Migliorino told the Norman Transcript that NPS classrooms would not follow Walters guidance about curriculum changes. In 2022, Walters faced a defamation lawsuit by former NPS high school teacher Summer Boismier, who protested against restrictions on which books can be read in classrooms. On the first day of school in 2022, Boismiers classroom bookshelf in Norman High School was wrapped in red paper that had books the state doesnt want you to read written on it. The display also featured a QR code that led to Brooklyn Public Librarys Books Unbanned catalog, which promotes banned books. Walters, then secretary of education, posted a letter calling for the revocation of her teaching certificate on social media platform X, then-Twitter. There is no place for a teacher with liberal political agenda in the classroom, Walters wrote. Ms. Boismiers providing access to banned and pornographic material to students is unacceptable and we must ensure she doesnt go to another district and do the same thing. The Oklahoma State Board of Education suspended Boismiers teaching license in June 2024, citing her willful violation of House Bill 1775, a state law that restricts what schools teach about race and gender. Boismiers license was officially revoked in August 2024, in a unanimous vote by the State Board of Education. Migliorino wrote in a statement in September 2022 that the NPS school board determined there was no violation of HB 1775 or State Department of Education rules, and there was no issue with any books in Boismiers classroom or in the website on the QR code. As we have stated many times and despite incorrect information on social media and in the news Norman Public Schools has not banned any books, Migliorino wrote in the statement. We also know and believe that parents and guardians are ultimately responsible for their child. Norman Public Schools will always respect a families wishes with regard to their childs education and access. The lawsuit was filed after Walters incorrectly claimed Boismier was fired on social media, which he corrected in a second post. Boismier asked for at least $75,000, but the lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge in April. Boismier wrote in a statement to OU Daily Thursday that Walters' controversies are a byproduct of larger issues in the state. "The outgoing state superintendent is symptomatic of a larger, coordinated effort to dismantle public education and silence dissent in Oklahoma. He has not acted alone," Boismier said. "I will continue to stand for intellectual freedom and for the rights of students and teachers, regardless of who occupies the state superintendents seat going forward." A NPS spokesperson wrote in a statement to OU Daily Thursday that the district does not comment on changes in elected positions. Norman Public Schools does not comment on the status of elected officials, the spokesperson wrote. Our energy and commitment are devoted to educating students, supporting our staff, and partnering with the community to prepare and inspire all students to achieve their full potential. This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure and Ana Barboza. Tori Pham copy edited this story. Editor's Note This story was updated at 11:45 a.m. on Sept. 25 to include a statement from Summer Boismier. This story was also updated at 11:54 on Sept. 25 to include a statement from Gov. Kevin Stitt. Photo: elements.envato.com The European Union (EU) is preparing rules for winding down temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens. Recommendations for a phased transition to legal residence or voluntary return have been published by the Council of the European Union. According to the document, temporary protection for Ukrainians in EU member states remains in force until March 4, 2027. The phase-out plan is designed to ensure a smooth and coordinated transition, taking into account both Ukraine's capacity and refugees' needs. As many Ukrainians have already integrated into EU societies learning languages, finding jobs, and enrolling their children in schools member states are expected to create pathways for them to transition to national residence permits. These may include permits for employment, study, research, family circumstances, or other grounds. The EU Council said that returns to Ukraine should be gradual and voluntary. Special programs, prioritizing reintegration in Ukraine, should be developed to support returnees with housing, healthcare, and access to basic infrastructure. These initiatives may be financed through EU funds and with support from international organizations. Families with children will be allowed to remain until the end of the school year if their child is enrolled in an EU school. For people with special needs, legal stay will be extended until Ukraine is able to provide the necessary support. To inform refugees about residence options and return programs, Unity Hubs will be used to provide consultations and explanatory materials. Coordination between EU member states and Ukraine will take place through special platforms. The EU emphasized the need for a unified approach to avoid overburdening national systems and to ensure fair burden-sharing. Star Paper Mill Nearing Completion of New Recycled Containerboard Mill in KEZAD "We expect trial production at this landmark facility to begin before the end of this year, followed by progressive scale up." Majid Rasheed, Managing Director, Star Paper Mill. "We expect trial production at this landmark facility to begin before the end of this year, followed by progressive scale up." Majid Rasheed, Managing Director, Star Paper Mill. Sept. 25, 2025 - Star Paper Mill announced that it is nearing completion of its US $54 million (AED 200 million) recycled containerboard mill in Khalifa Economic Zone (KEZAD), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with construction now 95% complete. The new mill is designed to produce 134,000 metric tons per year of high-quality recycled containerboard used in a wide range of paper-based packaging applications. With a deckle width of 5.2 meters and basis weights ranging from 80 to 220 GSM, the product portfolio will include Testliner, Fluting, Kraft Top Liner, Semi-Kraft and recycled paper for bags. "We expect trial production at this landmark facility to begin before the end of this year, followed by progressive scale up," said Majid Rasheed, Managing Director, Star Paper Mill. "This project reflects the vision of the UAE leadership to foster sustainable industries. It is designed on circular economy principles, with waste paper primarily sourced within the UAE serving as the main raw material," Rasheed added. The company will source at least 80% of its required recycled paper from domestic sources, with the balance imported from markets such as the United States and United Kingdom. Star Paper Mill has also secured an additional 32,000 square meter parcel of land adjacent to the primary mill site for potential future expansion. "A detailed feasibility study will determine the next phase of development based on evolving market dynamics," Rasheed explained. Strategic Distribution Agreement In addition, Star Paper Mill recently announced a strategic distribution agreement with heinzelsales, one of Europe's leading pulp and paper trading and manufacturing groups, headquartered in Vienna, Austria. Under the exclusive distributorship agreement, heinzelsales will represent and distribute Star Paper Mill's recycled packaging paper products in international markets, including the Middle East, Africa, and Central America. "Our partnership with Heinzel reflects the strength of our product concept and our long-term vision to serve the global packaging industry with excellence," Rasheed concluded. Currently, Star Paper Mill operates a tissue mill in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD), UAE, with the capacity to produce about 40,000 tonnes per year of high-quality virgin tissue paper. SOURCE: Star Paper Mill Paper Industry LLC Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit against social media app Snapchat for what he called deceptive practices that harm children. During the Sept. 23 press release, the lawmaker alleged in the lawsuit that the application engaged in "deceptive" and "unconscionable" acts that resulted in Kansas teenagers being harmed. Lawsuit Against Snapchat Kobach said that Snap falsely represents Snapchat as safe for children, but still has content that the lawsuit considers unsafe. The attorney general added that Snapchat had been marketed as a safe place for teenagers. However, the company knowingly designed an app that had manipulative features that prey on the mental health of young children. Kobach added that the company prioritized profit over safety, noting that the lawsuit holds it accountable for the "devastating harm" caused to families in the state. The lawsuit also alleges that the platform was intentionally designed to be addictive to kids and that Snap knowingly misrepresented the safety of the app to both parents and consumers. This was by using "12+" and "T for Teen" age ratings, according to WIBW. Despite these age ratings, Snapchat allegedly featured content that was not for children, such as profanity, sex content, nudity, and others. On top of these accusations, Kobach's lawsuit claims that Snap's own internal investigations revealed various concerns about the app's addictive nature. Advisor to the Attorney General Joseph Sciarrotta said that their investigation into the app found that Snap's design encouraged addiction and compulsive use. It also had features that were intentionally designed to exploit the vulnerabilities of young minds. Not a Safe Place for Kids The attorney general's 40-page lawsuit was filed in Washington County on Kansas' northern border. It contains redactions and compiles information from internal Snap reports, news interviews, and content from the app, the Kansas Reflector reported. The lawsuit alleges that the company violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act, noting that harmful content appeared on the app frequently. It also references the death of a teenage boy from Shawnee in 2021. The individual lost his life due to fentanyl poisoning after reportedly buying it from a drug dealer on Snapchat. Sciarrotta added that other concerning features include Snaptreaks that create "immense social pressure to an infinite scroll that eliminates natural stopping points." He called Snapchat a "digital trap" for children. Other addictive design features included in the lawsuit are autoplay, push notifications, and interactive metrics to foster behavioral addiction. Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Snap's parental controls are ineffective and are difficult for parents to use, as per KSNT. The 12-year-old girl who was a victim of the Minneapolis Catholic Church shooting after being shot is making a "miraculous" recovery. The girl, identified as seventh grader Sophia Forchas, was shot in the head and was among the most seriously injured of the victims during the tragic incident. After she was struck on Aug. 27, the 12-year-old was left on the brink of death. Victim of Annunciation Catholic School Shooting In a statement, her family said that Sophia is "strong, brave, and unwavering in her fight toward healing." They revealed that the young girl was moved to an inpatient rehabilitation program and was showing signs of neurological recovery. The family said that Sophia surviving the brutal attack is a "miracle," adding that her healing process is nothing short of "miraculous." In the aftermath of the shooting, doctors said that Sophia's chances of survival were slim. The attack left two children dead and 18 others injured, according to the New York Post. Earlier this month, neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich said that the bullet that struck Sophia was lodged in her brain in a critical area. This left experts wary of removing it for fears of making her condition worse. Read more: New York Teen Arrested for Bringing Loaded Gun Into Queens High School After Making Threats Galicich warned that he would be forced to go through the "normal brain" in order to get the bullet out of the 12-year-old's body. He noted that if left alone, it could cause more damage, giving the young girl a lower chance of survival. The Forchas family's announcement of Sophia's recovery comes as Annunciation Catholic School completed its first week of limited on-campus activities since the shooting. It previously resumed partial operations on Sept. 16, ABC News reported. A Miraculous Recovery The school offered students "activities centered on support, connection, and play." Support staff from the Washburn Center for Children and the Minnesota Department of Education were also on site to provide assistance. Law enforcement authorities identified the shooter in the attack as 23-year-old Robin Westman, a former student whose mother previously worked at the church. The shooter was described as having a "deranged obsession with previous mass shooters." After his shooting spree, Westman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It was also revealed that Sophia's younger brother, who was also a student at Annunciation Catholic School, was inside the school during the shooting. Fortunately, he was not physically injured, his family said. The 12-year-old girl's mother was an employee in the pediatric intensive care unit, where she was in critical condition. A GoFundMe was launched to cover her medical expenses as well as recovery and trauma counseling, as per People. The son of journalist Mario Guevara, Oscar Guevara, is pleading for his father's release after he had been in immigration detention for more than 100 days. On Tuesday, Oscar said that his father had been his primary caregiver and source of strength since undergoing surgery for a brain tumor. In a news conference held on Zoom, the son said that after his procedure in 2021, he said that his father, an Emmy-winning digital journalist, was the one who kept him going. ICE Detention of Journalist Before his detention, Mario had work authorization through a 13-year-old asylum claim. He was initially arrested on June 14 while covering the "No Kings" rally in Georgia. He is still in custody despite the dismissal of all criminal charges against him and an immigration judge ordering that he be released on bond. Oscar is the eldest son and is a U.S. citizen, and has a sister, 27-year-old Katherine, and a 14-year-old brother. The journalist's case has since drawn widespread attention from the free press and civil rights groups across the United States, according to NBC News. They argued that Mario is the only journalist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They see the development as an attempt by the current government to deport him as retribution by the Trump administration for negative media coverage. Scarlet Kim, a senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said that the journalist's detention is a "true five-alarm fire" for press freedom in the country. This is particularly true for non-citizen journalists and any journalist who covers law enforcement activity. Appealing a Judge's Order Despite a judge's previous order, the Board of Immigration Appeals reopened Mario's 13-year-old immigration case. Officials also declined to let him out on bond and declined a motion to give back the removal proceedings to a previous judge who covered the journalist's green-card case, the Los Angeles Times reported. In a social media post on X, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that Mario was in ICE custody because he is in the country illegally. It added that Georgia police arrested the journalist for willful obstruction after refusing to comply with local authorities' orders to move out of the middle of the street. Mario's attorney, Giovanni Diaz, said that they were filing an emergency petition seeking the relief. He added that his client had both a work permit and a pending application for a green card, as per The Guardian. An Australian childcare center in Queensland drew criticism after it asked parents to pay up to $2,200 for their children's artwork following funding cuts. The kindergarten offered curated portfolios of children's artwork that include many random blobs and smudges. The sale of the artworks, billed as a fundraiser, works to help the debt-ridden center pay off a long list of overdue bills, including unpaid salaries of educators. Childcare Center Auctions Children's Artwork Last month, Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool in Brisbane closed after officials stopped funding amid an investigation into claims regarding the center's governance. Now, the sudden request sparked widespread concern among families in Queensland. Even the state leader called the supposed fundraiser "emotional blackmail," forcing regulators to stage an intervention. One parent is also going to extreme lengths in trying to steal back their child's art collection in the middle of the night because they don't want to pay an absurd amount, according to BBC. The issue with the center has been going on for several months now, as tensions between management and parents continued to brew this year. It is affiliated with one of the state's largest childcare providers, the Creche and Kindergarten Association (C&K). While the latter provides some assistance in distributing government funding, the center's day-to-day operations are managed by a volunteer committee, which is made up of parents and community members. Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission records also revealed that the center was more than $46,000 in the red last financial year. However, the latest request resulted in one mother being reported to police for allegedly stealing her child's artwork without paying, News.com.au reported. Criticism From Parents Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said that they were surprised when they received the email from the center on Sunday, saying that it was insolvent. The mother noted that the message told parents their children's artworks were going to be auctioned off for $2,2000 to make up for an apparent deficit. She said that some parents were allowed inside, with one taking her kid's portfolio before being reported for breaking and entering. The parent noted that all of the locks to the center were changed, and no one was allowed inside anymore. While parents were expectedly upset about the development, they are still hopeful that the Department of Education will intervene to address the issue. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli also commented on the matter, saying that the school's decision was "un-Australian," as per JacarandaFM. United States President Donald Trump's administration has withheld millions of dollars in funding to various school districts in New York City, Chicago, and the DC area over transgender policies. Government officials said that $5.8 million will be withheld from Chicago in the coming year under the Magnet Schools Assistance Program. They also noted that $17.5 million is being kept for the remaining years of the district's grants. Withholding of Millions of Dollars of Funding This will cause Chicago Public Schools to face an $8 million hole in its current $10.2 billion budget, some of which is carryover funds from last year. This comes as the federal government and CPS do not operate on the same fiscal calendar. Chicago's begins on July 1, while the federal government's starts on Oct. 1. The latest funding cut comes as Chicago remains a target of the current administration over various policy issues. These include diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in public schools across the state, according to Chalkbeat. Despite the Trump administration's latest efforts, CPS is continuing to forge ahead with a Black Student Success Plan that was rolled out in February, as well as a Black Student Achievement Committee mandated by Illinois law. Additionally, the district is maintaining compliance with the Illinois Human Rights Act requirements. This gives transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity. Read more: Virginia School Districts File Lawsuit Against Education Department for Withholding Funding Over Gender Policies The withholding of the funding comes as the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights gave New York City Schools, Chicago Public Schools, and Fairfax County Public Schools until Tuesday to comply with adjustments to policies, CNN reported. The DOE's acting assistant secretary for civil rights, Craig Trainor, said that the districts' practices violate Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education. Because the districts failed to comply within the given timeline, the administration made them ineligible for the grants. Dispute Over Transgender Policies in Schools DOE spokesperson Julie Hartman said that they will not "rubber-stamp civil rights compliance" for the affected districts. This is because they allegedly discriminate against students based on race and sex. Despite the decision to withhold funding, New York City Public Schools maintains its policies are compliant with Title IX. In a statement, the school district said that they remain committed to giving every student safety, support, and affirmation, "regardless of their gender identity or expression." On the other hand, the Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent said that her district "remains committed to providing a safe, supportive, and inclusive school environment." This would benefit all students and staff members, including the transgender and gender-expansive community, as per the New York Post. The Philadelphia school district has brought back its Parent and Family University, which will start offering free classes in October 2025. The program was revealed on Wednesday at a kickoff event at Lewis C. Cassidy Academics Plus Charter School in Overbrook. It is designed to provide parents and caregivers with much-needed tools to support their children's success in school and in daily life. Philadelphia's Parent and Family University The free classes will be held both online and in-person, and will cover topics ranging from academics to financial literacy. Officials also said that there will be a light dinner and childcare provided during the in-person classes. Superintendent Tony Watlington said that they will have programming available throughout the city, adding that they currently have eight locations set to launch next month. They will then rotate those locations over time. The last time that the district offered Parent and Family University was more than a decade ago. Local officials said that the relaunch is part of a broader effort to expand their services to benefit families and strengthen community ties. Watlington said they are all excited that their board of education saw it appropriate to bring back the Parent and Family University to Philadelphia. He was joined by Board of Education President Reginald Streater, Chief Education Officer Debora Carrera of the Mayor's Office of Education, and other city leaders, according to CBS News. Helpful Resources and Services During the press conference, there were resource tables from more than two dozen organizations that were set up. These gave attendees an opportunity to connect with partner organizations. At the launch event, Watlington said that the Parent and Family University shows they are "wrapping our arms around our children and our families." He noted that a key pillar of the program is giving families support and resources to increase student attendance and joy in schools, Chalkbeat reported. The superintendent noted that some organizations, such as Scholastic and Philadelphia Financial Scholars, partnered with the district to deliver the free services. Streater said that the courses and resources are about "building trust." The prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) has sent to the court an indictment against the head of the sector of the Department for the Protection of National Statehood of the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and two other individuals who were caught extorting $300,000 in illegal gain, the SAPO said on Telegram on Thursday. The anti-corruption prosecutor's office noted that the unit headed by the accused was carrying out an order to conduct procedural actions by the investigator of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine in criminal proceedings on the fact of organizing an illegal channel for crossing the state border in order to smuggle persons evading conscription into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "With the participation of two intermediaries (one of whom is a former SBU employee), the head of the sector demanded $300,000 from the person involved in the relevant case for destroying part of the case materials and disclosing to him the circumstances that had already been established," the SAPO report says. The prosecutor's office notes that in case of refusal, the head of the sector threatened to take measures to further bring the person to criminal liability under more severe articles against the foundations of national security. "The investigation documented the fact that the SBU employee received part of the agreed funds - $72,000," the report notes. The actions of the head of the sector are qualified under Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and those of his accomplices - under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The major TV manufacturers use their devices to collect data on viewers viewing behavior. The technology behind this is called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). The televisions generate hash values at regular intervals from the visible and audible content that is currently running on the sets. These values are also known as fingerprints. A study by universities in England, Spain, and California has analyzed these data collections on Samsung and LG devices in particular. However, this does not mean that other manufacturers do not do the same. Samsung even uses its data collection to attract advertising customers and refers to it as Samsung Ads on its website. According to the information there, Samsung televisions take a screenshot of the current image every 500 milliseconds. LG models even save a new hash value every 10 milliseconds. Samsung televisions forward this data to the companys servers in a bundle once a minute, while LG televisions do this every 15 seconds. Samsung advertises its data collection on its website under the title Samsung Ads. The company wants to attract companies to place adverts via the TV software. Sam Singleton On the companys servers, this data is then compared with a database containing films, series, and games. If the server registers a match, the manufacturer knows what the viewer is currently watching. This allows companies to display suitable adverts themselves, but they can also sell the data on to advertising companies. As the aforementioned study showed, these televisions not only create fingerprints of the current television program, but also of all content that is fed in via HDMI, including console games or DVDs, even if they contain private recordings. However, you can refuse to consent to Automatic Content Recognition. On Samsung televisions, this is done in the settings via Terms & Conditions & Privacy -> I agree to the display information services on this device. Delete the tick in front of I agree. The display information services may also be called Viewing Information Services at this point. LG calls its data collection Live Plus. For other manufacturers, it is best to take a look at the manual. Windows 10 is officially unsupported starting next month sort of. Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall (which it wrote itself), Microsoft has given Windows 10 holdouts an extra year of security updates, but youll need to pay for it or do some busywork to qualifyunless you live in some European countries, which have called baloney on that. The Euroconsumers group alerted Microsoft (PDF) that its requirement for users to either turn on Windows Backup with an associated Microsoft account, spend a bunch of Microsoft Rewards points, or pay $30 to access those extra security updates was probably in violation of the Digital Markets Act of 2022. This law forbids gatekeeper companies from limiting access to products or services based on conditions to other products from the same company. In response, Microsoft says that it is making updates to the enrollment process for residents of the European Economic Area (most of western Europe, notably omitting the UK). Windows 10 users in the EEA wont need to turn on Windows Backup, pay the fee, or redeem Rewards points to get security updates through October 14th, 2026. Microsoft confirmed a general change in policy to comply with local laws to Windows Central. The rest of us will have to start stretching, because those hoops wont jump through themselves. But Microsoft has already backtracked on its October 2025 ultimatum multiple times, perhaps wary of those half of all Windows users who havent upgraded to 11 yet. The market is at a very different place from where it was when Windows 8 lost support, with plenty of people relying fully on smartphones for their digital lives (and plenty others not looking for an expensive new laptop). I wonder if Microsoft will get cold feet again a year from now. Humain has unveiled the Horizon Pro PC, a laptop powered by agentic AI and a Snapdragon chip that the company claims can operate 100 times faster than human thought. The laptop, powered by a first-generation Snapdragon X Elite processor from Qualcomm, was shown using Windows 11 at the Snapdragon Technology Summit, hosted by Qualcomm in Maui. The Horizon Pro laptop uses an agentic OS from Humain called the Humain One OS. Humain chief executive Tareq Amin said that the Humain One software would officially launch on October 27 at Saudia Arabias Future Investment Initiative, an investment conference hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Humain isnt announcing a price for the Horizon Pro quite yet, or when youll be able to buy one. Amin hinted that he cares less about the up-front cost of the device versus its long -term value. So when we share the price structure for this, nothing in the market will be at the same price, he said. Humain OS is designed to switch between languages on the fly. Foundry / Mark Hachman Humain says that the Horizon Pro laptop is designed for both consumers and enterprises. It also promises up to 18 hours of battery life thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X1 Elite chip inside it. Other key specs include 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, a 14-inch 28801800 OLED display, a 1080p webcam, and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, Humain said. One of the nifty little quirks of the laptop is its dedicated key, which replaces the Copilot key on Windows laptops. Its unclear whether this will be called the Humain key or something else, but its still an interesting little twist that sets the Humain Horizon Pro apart. Humain has a dedicated AIkey on the Horizon Pro. Mark Hachman / Foundry The software side of the Horizon Pro: Humain OS Based in Saudi Arabia, Humain was launched by the countrys Public Investment Fund and was designed to lead the region in AI development. Amin said that the build presumably referring to the Humain One OS was developed in just seven months. The name OS might be a bit of an exaggeration, as well. The Horizon Pro laptops Humain showed off at the Qualcomm event all ran Windows, and Amin acknowledged that the original product used to be called Humain OS, but that the idea was to drop the OS portion which it hasnt done quite yet. But its essentially an app. Now, imagine someone takes this platform and asks a simple question: what does the future compute operating system need to look like? Amin said. Can this exist in Linux? Yes, it could. And thats why I said, look, I dont want to compete in this space of an operating system. Ill just live on top of the OS. The Humain OS app in action. Mark Hachman / Foundry As part of the app, Amin said that Humain will launch Humain Search, an AI-based search engine, as well as Humain Create, which can generate art and videos including, Amin said, those that run on the companys Web site. Separately, Humain has already launched an app called Humain Chat. That chatbot is powered by what Humain calls its Allam model, a 34-billion-parameter model that Amin said was built from scratch. Humain said the Horizon Pro PC will be sold to businesses with an accompanying lease subscription that includes its AI solutions suite. The laptop will also be sold to consumers, with Humains AI applications pre-installed, though it sounds like theyll need to be unlocked and activated. The company will also give away 500 laptops to students. Mark Hachman / Foundry The Humain Horizon Pro represents the future of intelligent personal computing, Cristiano Amon, the chief executive of Qualcomm, said in a statement. Powered by our Snapdragon X Elite processors, it delivers groundbreaking performance and innovative AI-first experiences for enterprises and consumers. We are proud of this partnership with HUMAIN, which is delivering on the vision of disruptive agentic AI personal computing and hybrid AI. Eventually, Humain promises that the company will deliver a Horizon Ultra, but the specifications, capabilities, and timeline for that device werent disclosed. Updated at 11:18 AM Hawaii time with additional details and photos. Updated at 1:15 PM to note that the Humain One OS will launch on October 27. Disclosure: Qualcomm held its press briefings in Hawaii, and would not pre-brief reporters in other locations or over video meetings. They paid for my room, boarding, and travel expenses, but did not ask for or exert any editorial control over this story or other PCWorld content. Utz Brands plans to sell two buildings in the Hanover area, and upgrade others. (file photo) Susan Gleiter Snack maker Utz Brands is making big changes to its facilities in the Hanover area. Utz plans to sell two buildings and upgrade other facilities in a multi-phase project. Construction will begin next year to upgrade Utzs headquarters at 900 High St. in Conewago Township, Adams County, near Hanover, and transform it into what officials are calling a modern Utz Employee Hub. Teams working across the Hanover campus will be moved to the Utz Employee Hub where they will work in a collaborative and integrated workspace, with upgraded technology and modern, flexible offices, workspaces, and meeting rooms, the company said in a news release. The companys fitness center and direct-store delivery warehouse at 350 Kindig Lane in Conewago Township will move to the 900 High St. campus as part of this transition. The Employee Health Center will remain at 240 Kindig Lane in Conewago Township. Utzs Carlisle Street Plant 1 location in Hanover, York County, will continue to house the Utz Outlet Store, the Utz neon sign and the Utz community pavilion. Utz officials plan to create what they call a modern Utz Community Center on this site in the future. Utz plans to sell the facilities at 350 Kindig Lane, and at 1040 High St. in Hanover. Utz is proud to have called Hanover headquarters for over 100 years, and were pleased to share that the work that began with the opening of the Rice Distribution Center last year was only the beginning of our investments here in Hanover, Howard Friedman, CEO of Utz Brands, said in the news release. Utz Brands, Inc. manufactures a number of brands, including Utz, On The Border Chips & Dips, Zapps and Boulder Canyon, among others. Three people were charged Tuesday after investigators said they stole approximately $60,000 from retail stores across central Pennsylvania, Attorney General Dave Sunday said. Two of the suspects 43-year-old Julia Robinson and 36-year-old Demetrius Patterson, both of Middletown are facing felony charges of corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, identity theft and related offenses. Court documents listed the offense dates as Oct. 30, 2024. The third person charged, who was not named in the AGs release, is still at large. On at least 20 occasions, the trio stole from T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods stores in Dauphin, Cumberland, York and Lancaster counties, the release said. The group then rented storage units using fraudulent identities to store the stolen merchandise before re-selling the items online for profit. I applaud the dedicated work of our Organized Crime Unit and their collaboration with the Derry Township Police Department and Lower Swatara Township Police Department in holding this coordinated theft crew accountable, Sunday said. Stealing from retailers harms businesses and their employees, as well as consumers who will ultimately pay higher prices for goods as retailers cope with losses. Said Derry Township Police Chief Garth Warner, We are proud to have brought criminals to justice alongside the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office. This joint effort sends a clear message that organized retail theft wont be tolerated and reflects our commitment to public safety and our communitys economic well-being. Robinson and Patterson have preliminary hearings scheduled for Oct. 14. Both posted their $50,000 bond and are no longer incarcerated in the Dauphin County Prison. The AGs release did not include any identifying information about the third person charged. A detective who has not been officially discharged from the hospital after being wounded in the ambush shooting in York County last week attended the funeral of his fellow officers on Thursday. The detective, who has not been publicly named, was one of two survivors of the Sept. 17 mass shooting on Haar Road in North Codorus Township. The officer requested to attend the funeral and did so with support from the hospitals medical staff, according to WellSpan spokesman Ryan Coyle. He was wounded when Matthew J. Ruth fatally shot the detectives colleagues in the Northern York County Regional Police Department: Detectives Mark Baker, Isaiah Emenheiser and Cody Becker. The unnamed detective was one of two survivors of the attack; York County Sheriff Lt. David Godfrey also survived the attack. Both were upgraded to satisfactory condition. Four people are facing multiple charges for their involvement in a year-long, multi-state car fraud operation in Franklin County, leaving dozens of buyers out thousands of dollars, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Trevor Daniels, Frank Burrell, Stephanie Hetzer, and Virgie Waters were charged after investigations revealed that the group orchestrated an odometer fraud scheme between Spring 2023 and Fall 2024 at Trust Auto Outlet LLC, a used car dealership in Guilford Township. Police said they tampered with the odometer of at least 33 high-mileage vehicles to show significantly lower mileage, and then resold them at inflated prices across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. In total, investigators said the group erased over 2.3 million miles of wear and tear, resulting in victim losses exceeding $100,000, with individual losses ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Evidence collected during search warrants included odometer correction devices, altered instrument clusters, fake titles, and sales records that tied the suspects to the fraudulent activity. The group now face charges that include odometer fraud, deceptive business practices, conspiracy, forgery, and violations of the Pennsylvania Board of Vehicles Act, police said. Over 450,000 vehicles are sold each year with false odometer readings, costing American buyers more than $1 billion annually, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA said detecting odometer fraud can be hard to spot, but they offer the following tips on how detect it: Camp Hill police charged a man and woman after a bank robbery Tuesday that ended in a brief but furious car chase that damaged three police cruisers, including one that was nearly flipped over, according to court records. Police charged Darius R. Hall, 34, of Lakewood, Washington, with bank robbery, two counts of aggravated assault and 14 other charges. He remained in jail Thursday without bond after a judge ruled he was a flight risk. Police also charged Shamecka Kendralee York, 47, of Tacoma, Washington, with robbery, theft and conspiracy. She remained in jail with a bond set at $400,000. The robbery was reported at 10:27 a.m. at the Fulton Bank at 3344 Trindle Road in Camp Hill. Employees said a man came into the bank with a hammer and slammed it against the plexiglass partition between customers and tellers while demanding money. According to an affidavit of probable cause written by police: A teller pulled cash from his drawer, and the robber took it, then moved to another tellers station and used the hammer to destroy her computer. She gave the robber cash, and he fled in a white Nissan Rogue with Massachusetts license plates. Police tracked the suspect using a device hidden in the stolen money, a practice many banks use to deter robberies. The tracker showed a location near South 10th and Lowther streets in Lemoyne, a location near Interstate 83 about three miles away from the bank. Officers converged there and saw a woman pumping gas into a white Nissan Rogue and a man exiting the store. Lower Allen officers told the man to put his hands up, but he ignored them and continued walking toward them, according to the affidavit. The officers tried to grab the man, but he ran around the Nissan and jumped into the drivers seat. The woman pumping gas hopped into the back seat. Police say the suspect drove forward, hitting a Lower Allen police cruiser. While officers were still fighting with the suspect, they say he stomped on the accelerator in reverse hitting a West Shore police car that had just arrived to help. The impact flung the officers off the suspects Nissan. A Lower Allen officer was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. The suspect then drove forward and sped away, hitting a concrete safety pole at the gas pump and a Lower Allen police car, nearly flipping it over. The suspect drove to South 10th Street near Hummel Avenue, about a half mile away, where he lost control during a left turn and hit a curb, disabling the vehicle. Officers moved in and arrested both suspects. The woman agreed to be interviewed and told police she drove from Washington to Arizona where she picked up Hall to take him to Florida to see his family. She told police she fell asleep in the Nissan and didnt wake up until police arrested her. Hall did not talk to police, according to the affidavit filed against him. Among the other charges filed against him include criminal damage to property, fleeing police and conspiracy. Camp Hill Police Chief Steve Margeson said detectives finished processing the bank for evidence Wednesday. Photo: https://president.gov.ua/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that if Russia does not stop the war, then officials working in the Kremlin should make sure they know where the nearest bomb shelter is. He said this in an interview with Axios. Zelenskyy said that he has direct support from US President Donald Trump for striking Russian targets such as energy infrastructure and weapons factories, adding that if Ukraine receives additional long-range weapons from the US, "we will use them." "If they attack our energy, President Trump supports that we can respond with energy," Zelenskyy said. According to Zelenskyy, Trump said the same about drone factories or missile sites, although they are well protected. He also clarified that Ukraine will not bomb civilians because "we are not terrorists." But he suggested that centers of Russian power such as the Kremlin were the focus. "They need to know where the bomb shelters are. They need it. If they dont stop the war, they will need it anyway. They need to know that we in Ukraine, every day, will respond. If they attack us, we will respond to them," Zelenskyy said of Kremlin officials. He said he had made one specific request to Trump during the meeting on Tuesday: a new weapons system that he said would force Putin to the negotiating table. Zelenskyy said he would name the system when the cameras were off, adding that Trump had told him: "We will work on it." He noted that Ukraine already has drones that can strike deep into Russia, but he also said there was an additional weapons system he wanted to speed up the end of the war. "We need it, but that doesn't mean we're going to use it. Because if we do, I think it will put additional pressure on Putin to sit down and talk," he said. A 16-year-old Pittsburgh high school student has been arrested after three students were stabbed during an altercation on Wednesday. Anthony Taulton has been charged with three counts of felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor counts of possession of weapons on school property and possession instruments of a crime in connection with the incident, according to TribLive. The attack occurred at about 8:30 a.m., inside the front doors of Carrick High School in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Public Schools said a statement on Wednesday hat a student used a small knife to injure three other students. It stemmed from an altercation in the hallway. It wasnt a random someone stabbing people in the hallway, Pittsburgh police spokesperson Cara Cruz told TribLive. One 18-year-old victim was hospitalized in critical condition. Another was also hospitalized but listed in stable condition. The third victim was treated at the scene and released for a minor laceration, police said. Taultons hand was cut, but he was treated by medics at the scene before being taken to police headquarters. The school was placed on lockdown as a result of the incident and moved to remote learning for Thursday and Friday. Taulton has been denied bail and is being held in the Allegheny County Jail awaiting a preliminary hearing on Oct. 1. By Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TNS) A 29-year-old North Texas man has been identified as the suspect who opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas on Wednesday morning, killing one detainee and critically injuring two others before taking his own life, officials said. Joshua Jahn died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after firing a rifle at the ICE Field Office building from a nearby rooftop, authorities have said. He was publicly identified by several senior law enforcement officials, according to KXAS-TV. Federal authorities earlier in the day had said two detainees were killed. Jahn was most recently connected with an address in Durant, Oklahoma, but has also lived in Collin County in North Texas, according to public records. FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joe Rothrock and other officials speaking at a news conference late Wednesday morning would not reveal any details about the victims, but they confirmed no officers were hurt. Mexican government officials said that one of the critically injured victims is a Mexican citizen. The victims names have not been released. Rothrock said that investigators found messages on at least one bullet casing near the shooters body that were anti-ICE in nature. FBI Director Kash Patel wrote in a post on X, While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack. ... One of the unspent shell casings recovered was engraved with the phrase ANTI ICE. The suspects older brother, Noah Jahn, told KXAS that Joshua Jahn didnt have strong feelings about ICE. Law enforcement gathers outside the Law Offices of Manuel Solis following a shooting at the Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement office on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, in Dallas. (Imelda Garcia/The Dallas Morning News/TNS) TNS I didnt think he was politically interested, Noah Jahn said. He wasnt interested in politics on either side as far as I knew. Records show Joshua Jahn was registered to vote as an independent in Oklahoma. Joshua knew how to use a rifle, but hes not a marksman, thats for sure, Noah told NBC News before authorities publicly identified his brother as the gunman. Joshua Jahn pleaded guilty to delivery of marijuana between the amount of 1/4 of an ounce and 5 pounds in Texas in 2016, according to public records. The brothers grew up in Allen, Texas. Joshua used to do coding work but has recently been unemployed, Noah Jahn told NBC News. At the press conference, Rothrock said the FBI, Dallas police and ICE are investigating the shooting as an act of targeted violence. FBI Director Kash Patel said that one of the unspent shell casings recovered at the scene of the Dallas ICE facility shooting was engraved with the phrase ANTI ICE. FBI This vile attack was motivated by hatred for ICE, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. Our prayers are with the families of those killed and our ICE law enforcement. ... For months, weve been warning politicians and the media to tone down their rhetoric about ICE law enforcement before someone was killed. This shooting must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric about ICE has consequences. "Anti-ICE" was etched on one unspent shell casing recovered from the shooting at an ICE facility near Dallas. Kash Patel/Twitter Dallas police and other law enforcement officers responded to the ICE office, located at 8101 N. Stemmons Freeway near I-35E, about 6:30 a.m. ICE officials released a statement saying that a sniper began firing indiscriminately at the building, including at a transport van in the sallyport which the victims were inside. Jahn was found dead on the roof of a nearby immigration attorneys office, authorities said. 2025 Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Visit at star-telegram.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Story by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG Pennsylvania pharmacies and their patients are navigating competing guidelines for who can receive COVID-19 vaccines despite the shots being available. The FDA in August approved updated vaccines for a more limited group than in the past, authorizing them for adults over 64 years old and people with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. But recommendations from some leading medical groups go further. The American Academy of Family Physicians, as one example, recommends them for adults 19 years and older, even for people not at high risk of complications if they catch COVID-19. Pennsylvanias situation is part of the ongoing conflict around vaccines across the country, which some providers and medical professionals fear will increase confusion and lower vaccination rates this year. Im very concerned about the noise in the system, Mitchel Rothholz, a member of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association told Spotlight PA, and its impact on the confidence of the public and providers to do vaccinations. The guide below will help you make sense of the different recommendations and treatment guidelines in Pennsylvania. The State Board of Pharmacy recently stepped into the debate by giving pharmacists more options for whose recommendations to follow. However, despite the boards recent action, a review by Spotlight PA in mid-September found several big chains in the state citing or relying on the FDAs more restrictive COVID-19 guidance for eligibility. Why are pharmacies so important for vaccines? Many patients go to their local pharmacy to receive annual flu and COVID-19 shots. In Pennsylvania, pharmacies that provide vaccines typically have protocols in coordination with a physician that outline the criteria for administering vaccines and whos eligible, pharmacists and industry experts told Spotlight PA. Those protocols mean that each patient does not need an individual prescription for a vaccine. State regulations outline which treatment guidelines pharmacies should follow: A pharmacist or pharmacy intern should administer vaccines in accordance with treatment guidelines established by a physician and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Guidelines or another competent authority approved by the [State Board of Pharmacy], per the regulations. In early September, amid concerns about federal changes to COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, the State Board of Pharmacy newly approved the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians as competent authorities. The board also approved the FDA as a competent authority specifically for COVID-19 vaccines. Victoria Elliott, CEO of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, told Spotlight PA in mid-September that she hadnt seen the specifics on which treatment guidelines pharmacies are following. My guess is theyre incorporating everything to give them the ability on a case-by-case basis just to make decisions, she said. Rob Frankil, executive director of the Philadelphia Association of Retail Druggists, expects pharmacies to use the medical associations guidelines, which cover more people than the FDAs approval. Other states have taken similar action to allow access to COVID-19 vaccines. Margot Savoy, chief medical officer for the American Academy of Family Physicians, welcomed the state pharmacy board using her organization as a resource. But she wishes the process of vaccinating the public was simpler for patients and clinicians alike. Im disappointed that we cant have a single, unified set of guidance for clinicians to use and for patients to have and understand that comes from a federal authority that we could all trust and rely on, she told Spotlight PA. I dont like that you have to go state by state to make sure that people have access to the things they need, Savoy added, which feels dangerous because its something thats time sensitive. Respiratory virus illnesses, including RSV, COVID-19, and the flu, and hospitalizations from them tend to increase in the fall and winter. What are the federal recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines? Previous federal guidance recommended COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older. But in August, the FDA narrowed its approval. People 65 and older remain eligible under the FDAs change. But people ages 6 months through 64 years should have at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19, the agency said. In a medical journal article ahead of the decision, FDA officials said the value of booster shots is uncertain, and said the new policy balances the need for evidence. Later, the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices did not recommend COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older, as it had in the past. Instead, the committees recommendations left the decision up to individuals and their health care provider. Physicians, nurses, and pharmacists are among the providers people seeking a COVID shot can consult with, according to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services news release. Some medical professionals are concerned about the committees votes and comments its members have made about vaccines. The American Academy of Family Physicians said the committees votes on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will create confusion and real consequences for patients trust. If the CDC director or acting director adopts the committees recommendations, they become part of the agencys immunization schedule, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services news release and a department spokesperson. What conditions put people at higher risk? There are many, according to a CDC list that was cited by FDA officials. It includes asthma, cancer, depression, heart conditions, obesity, physical inactivity, and pregnancy and recent pregnancy. Smoking, current and former is also on the list. Estimates suggest that 100 million to 200 million Americans will have access to vaccines in this manner, FDA officials said. Rothholz, the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association member and a former senior staffer with the American Pharmacists Association, told Spotlight PA that the CDCs list is very broad. Theres enough in that list that ... most patients could fit in there, he said. Still, the FDA approvals leave people out. The recommendations from medical associations that were approved by the State Board of Pharmacy include more people. What do medical groups recommend for children? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all infants and children from 6 months through 23 months of age receive a version of this seasons COVID-19 vaccine. The guide notes an exception for children with a condition that makes the vaccine inadvisable or potentially harmful, such as a history of severe allergic reaction after a previous dose or to a component of the vaccine. (Guidelines from other medical organizations include similar screening and precautionary notes to their general recommendations for various groups.) The group also recommends a COVID-19 vaccine for children from 2 through 18 years of age if they are considered in certain risk groups. Those groups are listed as: at high risk of severe COVID-19; a resident of a long-term care facility or other congregate setting; have never been vaccinated against COVID-19; or have household contacts who are at high risk for severe COVID-19. Even if 2- through 18-year-olds are not in one of those risk groups, the American Academy of Pediatrics says they should be offered a single dose of an age-appropriate COVID-19 vaccine for this season if their parent or guardian desires their protection from COVID-19. The American Academy of Family Physicians has offered similar guidance for vaccines for children and adolescents. What about adults? The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends a COVID-19 vaccine for adults 19 years and older, and the group says the vaccines are especially important for adults 65 years and older, people at increased risk for severe COVID-19 infection, and people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine. Savoy, chief medical officer for the American Academy of Family Physicians, said its officials considered changing the recommendations so that it would be based on risk factors for adults. The challenge is that if you look at who falls into the high risk group for adults, it would be really hard to find enough people who werent either in that high risk group or living in close contact with someone in the high risk group, Savoy told Spotlight PA. So why make it more complicated than it needs to be? she added. The group kept a universal recommendation for adults. Pregnant people? Earlier this year, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the CDC removed a recommendation for healthy children and healthy pregnant women to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Kennedy called the change common sense and good science. Kennedy has a long history of skepticism and criticism of vaccines. The headline of a 2023 Associated Press article said he spent years stoking fear and mistrust of vaccines. Kennedy has said hes pro-safety and not anti-vaccine. His announcement of the recommendation change for children and pregnant women led to ongoing conflict and litigation. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues to recommend an updated COVID-19 vaccine or booster for anyone who is pregnant or lactating. Pregnant women have historically been at an increased risk of severe disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and maternal death from COVID-19 infections, the group says. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers similar advice. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant adolescents. The organization is part of a federal lawsuit against Kennedy, the FDA, and others over the issue of recommendations for healthy children and healthy pregnant women. Unless the Secretarys baseless and uninformed policy decision is vacated, pregnant women, their unborn children, and, in fact, all children remain at grave and immediate risk of contracting a preventable disease, the lawsuit says. The case is pending. Further complicating the issue is the fact that the CDCs list of risk factors for getting very sick with COVID-19 includes pregnancy. 65 and older? The FDA in August approved COVID-19 vaccines for adults 65 and older, and the CDC website says older adults are at highest risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. More than 81% of COVID-19 deaths occur in people over age 65. The American Academy of Family Physicians says adults 65 and older should receive two or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. What about flu shots? Flu and COVID-19 shots are frequently offered at the same time, but the flu jabs havent been subject to the same uncertainty as those for COVID-19. The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices earlier this year recommended an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older, as long as they dont have a condition that would make such vaccines inadvisable or potentially harmful. Its a similar recommendation to prior years. What are Pennsylvania pharmacists doing? The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association has provided COVID-19 resources. Among the advice, the association recommends that pharmacies update intake forms to include questions about pregnancy, lactation, and whether patients under 65 have conditions that warrant vaccination. Elliott, CEO of the association, told Spotlight PA its important to gather that information before you advise whether or not youre going to administer that vaccine. The group also recommends pharmacies verify that insurance will cover the COVID-19 vaccines before billing and collaborate with a supervising physician to update protocols for administering vaccines. Weve advised our members: Get your protocol with your prescribing physician updated to match whatever you agree on, she said. Theres this broad sort of list now of competent authorities, and so you need to get into agreement on what youre going to follow. Frankils advice for patients is to check with your pharmacy first. And if your pharmacy isnt doing it, call another pharmacy, he said. Just know before you walk in. The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently issued guidance encouraging people to follow the most recent immunization recommendations from the three medical associations approved by the State Board of Pharmacy. What about the big chains? In mid-September ahead of votes by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Spotlight PA reached out to some of the top chains in Pennsylvania and reviewed their websites. Spokespeople or websites for Walgreens, GIANT, Giant Eagle, CVS, and Weis Markets referred to the FDA approvals and guidance for COVID-19 vaccines not the recommendations from the three medical associations that Pennsylvanias Board of Pharmacy recently approved. We continue to monitor this fluid situation, Dennis Curtin, a Weis Markets spokesperson, told Spotlight PA. An FAQ on COVID-19 vaccines from Walmart also offered guidance thats in line with the FDAs approvals, recommending them for patients 65 years and older and patients 6 months through 64 years of age at risk of severe COVID-19 disease. Will insurance pay for it? An FAQ from Walgreens said many private insurers and government programs may still cover the costs of COVID-19 vaccines for their members. A similar FAQ from CVS said the COVID-19 vaccine is available at no cost through most insurance plans and recommended patients check with their insurance provider for confirmation. Ahead of a recent meeting of the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, top officials in Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiros administration warned that actions to pull back on recommendations could cause a lack of insurance coverage, limited provider availability, and patient and provider confusion. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services news release later said the approach the committee recommended allows for immunization coverage through all payment mechanisms, including insurance plans. In a new release after the committee votes, the Shapiro administration said the Pennsylvania Insurance Department is working with health insurers across the Commonwealth to ensure that all previously recommended vaccines continue to be covered. BEFORE YOU GO If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. The director was also well-known for a memoir he wrote based on conversations he had with actor and friend, Orson Welles. (Getty Images) Getty Images A renowned director of indie films who also published a well-known memoir has died. He was 87 years old. Deadline reports how news of the death of Henry Jaglom the London, England-born director whose films included Babyfever (1994), Last Summer in the Hamptons (1995), and Going Shopping (2005) was announced by his daughter, Sabrina Jaglom. My father passed at home [in Santa Monica, California] on Monday with my brother Simon and I and [ex-wife] Victoria Foyt by his side, she informed the publication. According to The Guardian, Jaglom was known as a bit of a maverick director in the film-making world, whose works focused on relationships and human behavior. TheWrap states that Jagloms career boasts more than 20 films across five decades. Apart from his films, The Guardian adds, Jaglom garnered much attention for his friendship with silver screen great, Orson Welles. Jaglom taped a series of conversations with the actor which eventually were turned into the 2013 book, My Lunches with Orson. My dad was the most loving, fun, entertaining and unique father, and the biggest cheerleader and champion anyone could be lucky enough to have, Ms. Sabrina stated to The Hollywood Reporter. Further information regarding Jagloms death remains pending. In this photo provided by Joan Heblack, a flyer warning of an aggressive squirrel is taped up in San Rafael, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (Joan Heblack via AP) AP SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Residents of a San Francisco Bay Area city are on the lookout for an aggressive squirrel that has sent at least two people to the emergency room for medical treatment. Joan Heblack told ABC affiliate KGO-TV that she was walking in the Lucas Valley neighborhood of San Rafael when a squirrel seemingly came out of nowhere and attacked her leg, clawing and biting. It clamped onto my leg. The tail was flying up here. I was like, Get it off me, get off me! Heblack said. Isabel Campoy also said she was attacked while walking in the same area. The squirrel launched itself from the ground to her face and wound up on her arm, leaving it bloody, she said. Both women went to the emergency room, the TV station reported in its Monday story. Flyers have now been posted, warning residents that the squirrel is no joke and that more than five people have been attacked by a very mean squirrel that comes out of nowhere. Lisa Bloch with Marin Humane says they have had no reports of squirrel attacks since mid-September. If the squirrel crops up again, the nonprofit will coordinate with the state to remove the animal, she said. Weve seen this kind of behavior before, she said. Its almost always because someone has been feeding the animal. The good thing is that squirrels are not vectors for rabies. She says people should never feed wildlife. This story has been updated as of 4:15 p.m. via The Associated Press: Homeland Security revises death toll in Dallas shooting, now says 1 detainee killed and 2 others critically injured. By Jamie Landers, Devyani Chhetri, Aaron Torres, Julia James and Chase Rogers, The Dallas Morning News (TNS) DALLAS Investigators say the words anti-ICE were written on an unspent round found Wednesday morning at the scene of a shooting that killed one detainee and wounded two others at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. Joseph Rothrock, the FBI agent in charge of the Dallas field office, said his agency was investigating the gunfire as an act of targeted violence. Homeland Security officials said three detainees were shot. One died, and two are listed in critical condition. Their identities were not released. The number killed had been erroneously reported as two, Homeland Security said. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem wrote on X that the shooter, who was also not publicly identified, is dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dozens of law enforcement officers descended about 6:40 a.m. on the building in the 8100 block of North Stemmons Freeway in the Stemmons Corridor. A steady rain fell as police officers and federal agents milled about, some crowding under the awning of a Burger King or at a nearby Schlotzkys. Others took shelter under nearby trees. A stream of firetrucks and squad cars circled the area. Police swarmed the building that houses the practice of an immigration lawyer. Investigators believe the shooter opened fire from atop the adjacent building a yellow structure equipped with an exterior staircase. A door on the outside of the third floor remained open. Nearby businesses, including a photography studio and a law office, closed amid the commotion. FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X that an initial review of the evidence showed an ideological motive behind the attack. He said an unspent shell casing that was recovered from the scene was engraved with the phrase ANTI-ICE. In his post, Patel said the despicable, politically motivated attacks against law enforcement are not a one-off, referencing attacks on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, that occurred on July 4. News conference calls for end to political violence At a morning news conference, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson offered prayers for the victims. As authorities sought answers, he asked Dallas residents to exercise a little bit of restraint. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who also was in attendance, referenced the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk this month and called for an end to political violence, as well as specifically imploring an end to political rhetoric demonizing ICE and Customs and Border Patrol. Look, in America, we disagree. Thats fine. Thats the democratic process, but your political opponents are not Nazis, Cruz said. When asked if the victims were immigrants being detained, Cruz said that while the victims identities had not been released, it was a natural inference that they may be detainees since it was confirmed that no law enforcement officials were injured. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state fully supported ICE in the aftermath of the shooting. The states department of public safety and the National Guard worked closely with the immigration enforcement agency, he said. Witnesses describe terrifying scene With his 6-year-old son at his side, Edwin Cardona, a Dallas resident from Venezuela, was inside the field office for his third check-in when the gunfire erupted. He carried only a blue folder with his documents; his cellphone had been taken at the front desk. From inside, he saw flashes of light and feared for his wife and his 9-year-old son, who were waiting for him outside. His wife, he said, was later interviewed by investigators. The situation was terrifying, Cardona, 36, recalled in an interview in Spanish as law enforcement circled the field office a few blocks away. An assistant teacher at a South Carolina high school was arrested last week on charges he secretly sprayed the school with a substance designed to smell like fecal matter. Police say Alexander Paul Robertson Lewis, 32, sprayed the substance which he bought online in West Florence High School in Florence, South Carolina, between Aug. 25 and Sept. 19. Police said the spray resulted in disruptions at the school. Several students complained of experiencing nausea, dizziness and headaches due to the odor, WPDE reported. Personally, as a student, every time I go to my second block class, I walk up the stairwell and immediately, teachers are covering their noses and their mouths, coughing because of the smell, a student told the news outlet. I got physically sick the other day because of the smell. I feel like Im going to pass out because I get so lightheaded and so dizzy. In addition, police said the school incurred over $55,000 in expenditures due to inspections and damage to the schools air conditioning system. It is unclear how authorities discovered Lewis as a suspect or what exactly his motives might have been. Lewis is currently being held at the Florence County Detention Center while awaiting a bond hearing. He is being charged with charged with disturbing schools and malicious injury to property. A Florida woman was caught with a handgun in her carry-on bag at a security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport, police said. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) AP A Florida woman faces charges after she was caught Wednesday morning with a handgun in her carry-on bag at a Pennsylvania airport. Stephanie Nicholas, a 58-year-old Tallahassee resident, had the gun as she tried to go through the main security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport, according to Allegheny County police. Transportation Security Administration officers discovered the gun and notified county police. Nicholas did not have a valid concealed carry permit so she was charged with carrying firearms without a license, police said in a Facebook post. Police said the FBI was also notified about the incident. According to online court records, Nicholas was released on her own recognizance and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 20. Experts say while there's no reliable data on the Amish and autism, there are cases in the community contrary to what President Trump claimed. FILE/PHOTO AP PHILADELPHIA -- Braxton Mitchell has worked with the Amish for 30 years as co-director of the Amish Research Clinic in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He can say for a fact that autism exists in the community, contrary to President Donald J. Trumps statement Monday that the Amish have essentially no autism. Trumps remarks perpetuate a false belief that autism rates are lower among the Amish, a misconception that Mitchell says resurfaces periodically. The reality, he says, is that there is no good data on rates of the neurological disorder in the Amish. But he knows firsthand from working with Amish people in the Lancaster area that they, too, struggle with autism. There have not been any good studies to ascertain what the frequency is, so we dont really know, but anecdotally, yes, there is autism in the Amish, said Mitchell, a genetic epidemiologist. He did a literature search within the last six months, and found only one study that did a systematic assessment of autism in the Amish. The study screened 1,899 Amish children across two communities in Holmes County, Ohio, and Elkhart- Lagrange County, Indiana, according to preliminary data presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research in 2010. They found a rate of approximately 1 in 271 children. That was lower than the general populations estimated prevalence of 1 in 91 at the time; however, the difference could have been due to caregivers answering screening questions differently due to cultural norms and customs, the paper noted. It certainly dispels the myth that there is no autism in the Amish, at the very least, Mitchell said. Autism may be underdiagnosed among the Amish because they tend to handle health issues internally, within their communities, and seek professional medical care only for pressing problems, Mitchell said. Some may not consider behavioral health issues such as autism an emergency medical concern. Many also do not have health insurance, which means they pay out of pocket any time they go to the doctor. He added that its hard to compare the studys prevalence rate with the general population because the study only looked at Amish children and did not use the same autism screening tool to assess the general population. That would be like giving different tests to students in a class and then trying to rank them by their scores. The questions should be standardized to ensure an accurate comparison. What you would really need to do is administer that same questionnaire, maybe, to the general population, and see what you get, Mitchell said. Therefore, the data isnt enough proof of there being lower rates of autism. Administration zeros in on autism At a White House news conference on Monday, the Trump administration announced sweeping actions to address rising rates of autism. Without presenting scientific proof, Trump said that Tylenol should not be used during pregnancy, claiming that it increases the risk of the child developing autism. Medical societies and a Drexel scientist who conducted a large-scale study on the topic disagreed. Trump also implied that vaccines and medications could be causes of autism. There are certain groups of people that dont take vaccines and dont take any pills, that have no autism, Trump said. Does that tell you something? he added. He pointed to the Amish community as an example. But many Amish people do get vaccinated and use Tylenol, Mitchell said. Amish people also arent immune to disease. They have higher rates of rare genetic disorders due to their community descending from only a few hundred settlers and being largely isolated. The Clinic for Special Children in Lancaster was specifically founded in 1989 to help Amish and Mennonite people with these diseases, some of the most notable being a type of dwarfism called Ellis-van Creveld syndrome and metabolic disorders. The Clinic for Special Children declined to comment on the topic of autism in the community, stating they focus on specific, rare genetic disorders. A 2009 case report found a genetic defect that causes autism and epilepsy in a cohort of Amish children, providing evidence of a hereditary source of autism in the community. Thats something that could be very meaningful, Mitchell said. Genetics plays a big role in a lot of neurodevelopmental disorders, but specifically autism, he added. Steven Nolt, an Elizabethtown College professor who has researched and written about the Amish extensively, said hes seen anecdotal evidence of autism in the Amish, including parents writing about their children with autism in Amish publications. But hes never seen robust research on the total number of children with autism, making it impossible to calculate a rate. I have never seen such numbers and I doubt they exist, he wrote in an email, noting that the 2010 study was not large enough to be generalizable. WILLIAMSPORT A Bradford County man has admitted he fraudulently obtained $350,000 in Social Security and Veterans Administration benefits for 17 years by concealing his mothers death. Richard D. Burke, 76, of the Sayre area, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. Middle District Court to a charge of wire fraud. He admitted converting for personal use his mothers benefits that continued to be electronically transferred into a First Citizens Community Bank account after her death on March 14, 2005. Burke had access to the account through a bank card that was not disabled until after a March 7, 2022, withdrawal from an ATM in Sayre. Until her death, his mother, who identified as S.M., was receiving her late husbands benefits through the retirement, survivors and disability insurance program funded by Social Security taxes and the survivors pension program under the Veterans Administration. Although there is no formal plea agreement, Burke, when sentenced, will be required to make restitution of $45,399 to the Social Security Administration funds and $305,235 in VA pension benefits. The Social Security Administration was able to recoup some of its money or its loss would have been greater, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robyn Zenzinger said. The wire fraud charge carries a 20-year maximum prison sentence, but the guideline range is 15 to 21 months. Burke, who is a Vietnam veteran, was released on personal recognizance with conditions. His father had been killed in World War II, Zenzinger said. On September 24, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR) attacked Russian logistics facilities on the Black Sea coast - the ports in Novorossiysk and Tuapse. As sources in the Ukrainian special services told the Interfax-Ukraine agency, as a result of the GUR operation, the work of the Transneft oil loading complex and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal, located near Novorossiysk, where the Russians loaded their tankers with oil - including from the so-called shadow fleet, was paralyzed. These Russian oil transshipment points are capable of exporting 2 million barrels of raw material per day in total. The GUR sea drones also hit and blew up the oil loading pier of one of Russia's largest terminals in the port of Tuapse. "The attack on the oil export facilities of the aggressor state of Russia, which fuels the criminal war against Ukraine, also once again demonstrated the crookedness of the Russian grouping, which is assigned to guard the Black Sea ports," the agency's interlocutor noted. According to sources, the chaotic and inaccurate fire of the Russian military caused the destruction of residential buildings, destroyed several cars, and caused panic among the population in Novorossiysk, Tuapse, and also in Sochi, located several dozen kilometers from the site of the attack, where local leaders announced an emergency evacuation from the beaches. "The fight against the shadow oil export of the aggressor state of Russia continues," the interlocutor added. A 16-year-old Pennsylvania high school student faces multiple charges in the stabbing of three other students as one of the victims remains in critical condition. Anthony Taulton of Pittsburgh has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault and single counts of possessing an instrument of crime and possessing a weapon on school property. Pittsburgh police say that Taulton was involved in an altercation at Carrick High School Wednesday morning and wounded the three schoolmates. All of those involved were males between 15 and 18, said school district officials. Online court records show that Taulton was denied bail and is being held in the Allegheny County Jail as he awaits an Oct. 1 preliminary hearing. WTAE-TV and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that the 18-year-old victim in critical condition was stabbed in the abdomen. Another student was stabbed in the forearm and abdomen and taken to a hospital while a third student suffered a cut to his hand and was treated and released. Citing a criminal complaint, the station also reported that Taulton told police that he had been threatened by some students in an Instagram group chat and had taken a kitchen knife from home to school. Officials said that Taulton saw those behind the threats in a hallway at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday and a confrontation started leading to the stabbings. The school shifted to online learning for Thursday and Friday. Want a say in the news? Email Claudia at todayinpa@pennlive.com to have your thoughts on the stories covered here or on PennLive heard. You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa on any of your favorite apps including Alexa, Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Feel free to subscribe, follow or rate Today in Pa. as you see fit! Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | September 25, 2025 The state AGs office has released more details regarding that cyberattack. School districts in Pennsylvania and in other states are mulling over potentially closing due to falling enrollment. Hershey came out of a lawsuit regarding its packaging victorious. Also, 45 new historical markers will be placed around the state. Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa., a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa. is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa. Todays episode refers to the following articles: If you enjoy Today in Pa., consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too. At 11:39 a.m. on Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning in effect until 12:15 p.m. for Wayne County. "At 11:39 a.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Damascus, or 12 miles northeast of Honesdale, moving northeast at 35 mph," says the weather service. "Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely." Be aware that the tornado may impact the following locations: Callicoon, Hortonville, and Fosterdale around 11:45 a.m. Jeffersonville around 11:50 a.m. White Sulphur Springs around noon. Recommended action: Seek shelter According to the weather service, "Take cover now! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. This cluster of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and widespread significant wind damage. Do not wait to see or hear the tornado. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building." Tornado watch vs. Tornado warning: Know the difference When it comes to tornadoes, understanding the distinction between a Tornado watch and a Tornado warning can be a matter of life and death. Here's a breakdown: Tornado watch: Be prepared! A Tornado watch serves as an early warning that conditions are conducive to tornado formation. It's your cue to review and discuss your emergency plans, check your supplies, and locate your safe room. While it doesn't indicate an imminent tornado, it's a heads-up to be prepared to take swift action if a Tornado warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching. Tornado Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center and often encompass a broad area, potentially spanning multiple counties or even states. Tornado warning: Take action! A Tornado warning signifies that a tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar. This is the real deal there's an immediate danger to life and property. Your response should be quick: seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. If you're in a mobile home, a vehicle, or caught outdoors, seek the nearest substantial shelter and shield yourself from flying debris. Warnings are issued by your local forecast office and pinpoint a much smaller area, typically the size of a city or a small county, where a tornado has been identified, either by radar or through reports from trained spotters and law enforcement. Knowing the distinction between these two alerts is paramount for staying safe during tornado season. Stay informed, have a plan, and act promptly when danger looms. Get ready for tornadoes Be weather-ready: Check the forecast regularly to see if you're at risk for tornadoes. Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings. Sign up for notifications: Familiarize yourself with your community's warning systems. Some places have outdoor sirens, while others rely on media and smartphone alerts for severe storm notifications. Create a communication plan: Have a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information. If you live in a mobile home or home without a basement, identify a nearby safe building you can get to quickly, such as a church or family member. Choose a secure shelter: Pick a safe room in your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows. Practice your plan: Conduct regular family drills for severe thunderstorms so everyone knows what to do when a tornado threat arises. Ensure that all family members are aware of the safe location to seek shelter, and don't forget about your pets if time permits. Prepare your home: Consider reinforcing your safe room for added protection. You can find plans for fortifying an interior room on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website. Help your neighbor: Encourage your neighbors and loved ones to prepare for possible tornadoes. Consider taking CPR training to be of assistance in case of injuries. Tornado survival guide: Immediate actions for your safety When a tornado strikes, taking swift action is crucial to ensuring your safety and minimizing potential harm. Follow these guidelines from the weather service: Stay informed: To ensure your safety during a tornado, remember that acting promptly is crucial, according to the weather service. Stay informed about tornado watches and warnings through regular updates on local news or a NOAA Weather Radio. At home: If you are at home and a tornado warning is issued, make your way to the basement, a designated safe room, or an interior space away from windows. Don't forget to ensure the safety of your pets if time allows. At work or school: If you are at your workplace or school, adhere to tornado drill procedures. Move promptly and calmly to your designated tornado shelter, avoiding large open areas like cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums, and steer clear of windows. Outdoors: If a tornado is on its way, seek shelter inside a solid building immediately. Sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes, and tents are not safe places to be. In a vehicle: Being inside a vehicle during a tornado is highly unsafe. Your best course of action is to drive to the nearest shelter. If reaching shelter is not possible, either stay inside your car while covering your head, or abandon the vehicle and seek safety in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine. Remember, acting swiftly and following safety protocols are essential for your well-being when a tornado is imminent. Residents of central Pennsylvania should prepare for a muggy Wednesday night with periods of rain and potential heavy downpours. A warm, moisture-laden air mass will bring temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above normal, with overnight lows remaining in the 60s to 70s. The National Weather Service forecasts widespread showers expanding from southwest to northeast through the evening and overnight hours. While severe weather is not expected to be widespread, isolated thunderstorms may produce brief heavy rainfall, with precipitation amounts potentially reaching two inches in some areas. After such a lengthy stretch of dry & sunny weather, how are we feeling about this rainy & cloudy weather pattern? We've got about 24 hours left with rain/clouds before things brighten up again!#PAwx pic.twitter.com/p3GIUbazW0 NWS State College (@NWSStateCollege) September 24, 2025 The high moisture content in the atmosphere supports the possibility of localized intense rain events. A cold front moving through the region Thursday morning will bring additional shower and thunderstorm activity. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms for the southeastern portion of the forecast area, with a slight 2% chance of a brief tornado. Residents should monitor local weather updates and be prepared for sudden changes in weather conditions. Looking ahead, conditions will gradually improve on Friday as drier, less humid air moves into the region. Temperatures will begin to normalize, with overnight lows dropping to a more seasonable 45 to 60 degrees. The weekend forecast remains uncertain, with potential for continued cloud cover and increasing chances of rain, particularly in the southern portions of central Pennsylvania. The extended outlook suggests a complex weather pattern may develop, with tropical moisture potentially influencing the regions weather through the end of September. Residents are advised to stay informed about changing weather conditions and be prepared for potential rainfall. Current weather radar Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by PennLive.com staff. By Alex Harris, Miami Herald (TNS) A new tropical storm, Humberto, has formed in the Atlantic, and its set to strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane over the next few days while following a track that keeps it out to sea. The National Hurricane Centers latest forecast for Humberto shows the system on a northern curving track that steers it clear of most of the Caribbean, except potentially Bermuda, and into the open Atlantic for most of its life. As of the 5 p.m. update, it had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Forecasters said they expect the tropical storm to strengthen into a hurricane as soon as Sunday. But its the other system in the Atlantic, the one to the west of Humberto, thats most worth watching for Floridians. Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said in a video update Wednesday afternoon that Floridians, Bahamians and others along the Southeast coast should keep an eye on the forecast. Pay attention over the next several days as the systems evolve, he said. The hurricane center expects it to develop into a tropical depression around Friday or the weekend while its over the Bahamas. It could be close enough to Florida to potentially send impacts like rain or rough swells to the state. As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, the hurricane center gave the westernmost wave a 30% chance of development in the next two days and an 80% shot at forming a tropical depression in the next seven days. Forecasters say determining the future of the two systems is a tricky forecast. They could form close enough to impact each other, either weakening or strengthening the other. The complexity here is that these systems are likely to interact with each other, Brennan said in the video update. For now, most of the other early models continued to suggest that both will develop and follow somewhat parallel lines along the Southeastern coast of the U.S. Its too soon to know what path the storm could take, because this early in the process, it doesnt have a defined center swirl, and long-range spaghetti models arent as skilled as predicting storm paths without an eye to lock in on. The next name on the list is Imelda. 2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Photo: https://npu.gov.ua Ukrainian and Kazakh law enforcement officers have dismantled an international fraudulent call center, the National Police of Ukraine reports. "The perpetrators posed as employees of law enforcement agencies and banking institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Under the pretext of possible problems with law enforcement agencies and criminal prosecution, they extorted money from citizens. According to preliminary data, the defendants defrauded residents of Kazakhstan of more than UAH 70 million," the department's website said in a statement on Thursday. Law enforcement officers found out that the criminal organization was created by a 29-year-old resident of Chernivtsi and a 40-year-old Russian. Its members "specialized" in extorting money from citizens. The call center had its own hierarchy, and roles were clearly distributed between the participants. The administrator's duties included: monitoring and training office employees, HR was engaged in recruiting and financial issues, "coolers" called potential victims, and at the stage of misunderstandings with the "client" a "closer" was connected - a more experienced employee who had to convince the interlocutor to agree to their terms. The fraudsters communicated on behalf of employees of law enforcement agencies and banking institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. During the video call, they used deepfake technology, as well as uniforms. They forced people to make payments under the pretext of allegedly possible problems with law enforcement officers and further criminal prosecution. "The money obtained through criminal means, the dealers spent on the further functioning of the call center, the purchase of cars, etc. Every month, the maintenance of the "office" cost its organizers UAH 2.5 million, and one of them, in the last six months alone, purchased five cars," the report states. Law enforcement officers detained the organizers and participants of the criminal organization. They seized computer equipment, work instructions, correspondence in messengers, records of crypto wallets, bank cards, uniforms of law enforcement officers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, etc. Within the framework of the criminal proceedings, suspicion was reported to six persons: the organizer, co-organizer and four perpetrators. They are charged with creating and participating in a criminal organization (Parts 1 and 2 of Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and fraud (Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanctions of the articles provide for up to twelve years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. Currently, all suspects have been selected as preventive measures in the form of detention. Retired Poker Star Antonio Esfandiari Proves He Still Has it with Massive HCL Win Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Copy link Antonio Esfandiari isn't back full-time playing poker, but he proved he can still play cards with a dominant performance Wednesday night on Hustler Casino Live. "The Magician" crushed a high-stakes table mixed with pros and recreational players at Hustler Casino in Los Angeles. Esfandiari gave up poker professionally a few years ago for the family life. But he still occasionally pops up on livestreams or at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), although he was non-existent this summer. The second such appearance on Hustler Casino Live in recent weeks ended with a six-figure profit, thanks in part to a tough call he made against an unpredictable opponent. Esfandiari is Back Antonio Esfandiari Esfandiari, a popular pro on TV during the poker boom era, would finish the six-hour livestream with a $348,100 profit in the $100/$200 no-limit hold'em cash game that played bigger. He was the biggest winner at the table, by a wide margin, although Brandon Steven booked a $189,100 win. Sam Kiki ("Senor Tilt"), founder of the Monkey Tilt online casino, was the biggest loser, down $258,300. Much of those losses went to Esfandiari, including one hand where he overbet bluffed the river after missing his draw. Kiki limped the straddled pot on the button with 86. Han, in the small blind with Q2, called. Esfandiari, holding A4 in the blig blind, raised to $3,000, only receiving a call from Kiki. The flop came out 75Q, enticing only to Kiki, who picked up an open-ended straight draw. Esfandiari checked before calling a $4,000 bet with ace-high. The turn was the A, which made it difficult for Senor Tilt to continue bluffing, as it gave his opponent top pair. Esfandiari decided to lead out for $10,000 this time. That bet earned a call, and neither player improved on the 8 river card. Esfandiari, concerned with the potential flush draw coming through, checked. Kiki, stuck on eight-high, bet $70,000, about twice the size of the pot. That put his opponent, who only had top pair, in a difficult position, knowing the bet size was polarized, meaning he was likely up against nothing or a flush. The Magician, following a lengthy tank, put the $70k in the middle and took down a $175,000 pot. He was already up nearly $200,000 at that point in the stream. That hand was just icing on the cake for one of his best livestreamed performances in years. Esfandiari has $27.8 million in live tournament cashes, according to The Hendon Mob. His most prominent win came in the 2012 Big One for One Drop, a $1 million buy-in WSOP event he conquered for $18.3 million. Esfandiari won an even bigger pot later with pocket kings against Doc Hollywood's pocket nines. Both players agreed to run the board twice for the $237,000 pot, and kings held up both times. Kiki, however, continued running poorly. He lost a $100,900 pot to Steve, the player who benefited from the infamous Tom Goldstein blunder during the 2024 Hustler Casino Live Million Dollar Game. Steve turned a straight to crack Kiki's flopped two pair. Hustler Casino Live is back with more high-stakes poker action Thursday night at 5 p.m. PT. Nik Airball and Kiki are among those scheduled to compete. Share this article Do Poker Cheaters Deserve a Second Chance? | PokerNews Podcast #918 Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager Copy link In the 918th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, the 100th of the revamped in-studio show, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Ben Ludlow to talk about the latest stories from the poker world, including a discussion about GGPokers Olive Branch Initiative. Do banned players and poker cheaters deserve a second chance? The trio then discusses Monarch's recent seven-figure heads-up matches that saw $11 million and $12.7 million pots, recent tournament winners from the latest Triton Poker stop, including Isaac Haxton and Christoph Vogelsang, and Kristen Foxen taking over the top spot from Vanessa Selbst on the Women's All-Time Money List on The Hendon Mob. Plus, Chadd Beatty wins RGPS Grand Prix Pennsylvania Main Event, and it's your last chance to qualify for a FREE seat in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). Finally, Chad reveals another code word for this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000! There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews. PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to A newPodcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway on X. Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here! You can also find us on Spotify as well as our new page on SoundCloud! Share this article Photo: https://www.facebook.com/oksenlisovyi The Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Oksen Lisovyi, believes that without changing the approach to teaching and changing the school environment, the interest of graduates in engineering and natural sciences will not increase. "The reason for the low enrollment in engineering and natural sciences is in the school itself. And the task of the school is to instill a love for these fields of knowledge. Therefore, the school environment, both physical and content-related, and the worldview of the teacher must be rethought," Lisovyi told journalists on Thursday in Kyiv, answering the question of whether there are plans to change approaches to encouraging school graduates to enroll in engineering and technical specialties. The minister emphasized that starting from the 5th grade, it is necessary to work consistently towards forming a love and understanding of these industries. "No matter how much we expand the "entrance doors" to universities, these opportunities will not be filled, the state order that we have expanded will not be filled, if we do not change the approach to teaching at school and do not change the school environment itself," the minister said. Nick Reynolds covers politics for the Post and Courier. A native of Central New York, he spent three-and-a-half years covering politics in Wyoming before joining the paper in late 2021. His work has appeared in outlets like Newsweek, Poynter, the Associated Press, and the Washington Post. He lives in Columbia. Nicole Ziege is a Reporter for The Post and Courier Myrtle Beach/Georgetown Times. She covers government and courts in Myrtle Beach and beyond. She previously covered news in Appalachia and received her journalism degree from Western Kentucky University. On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with a bicameral and bipartisan delegation from the US Congress, with whom he discussed the situation on the front, as well as the strengthening of Ukrainian air defense. Ukraine is very grateful for the bipartisan support over all these years. We are grateful to the American people, we are grateful to the president. This is very important for Ukrainians. And the meeting with the bicameral and bipartisan delegation from the US Congress - Chris Coons, Mark Kelly, Richard Blumenthal, Joe Wilson, Gregory Meeks and Yong Kim - once again demonstrates the unwavering bicameral and bipartisan support for Ukraine from the US, Zelenskyy said on Telegram on Thursday. During the meeting, they discussed the situation on the front, the necessary weapons for defense. And above all, these are air defense and a reliable shield over Ukraine, support for our resolution condemning the abduction and deportation of children, the importance of strengthening sanctions against Russia, the use of frozen assets, and further development of cooperation with the United States, Zelenskyy said. Photo: Pixabay Latvia and German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall AG have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday, September 25, on the construction of an artillery ammunition factory in Latvia, the press service of the Latvian Ministry of Defense has said. A joint venture is planned to be established for the construction of the factory. The project is expected to attract over EUR 200 million in investment, but within ten years the factorys exports could exceed EUR 3 billion. The construction of the factory is planned to begin in the spring of 2026, but production will begin a year later, the report said. The progress of the project was also supported by the government on Tuesday, September 23, when an informative report On the Establishment of an Artillery Factory in Latvia was considered. Latvia consistently invests in its defense and in partnership with its allies. Cooperation with Rheinmetall makes it possible to attract hundreds of millions of euros of investment, create new jobs and provide Latvian companies with access to first-class technologies. This strengthens not only our economy, but also national security and NATOs collective defense. I am convinced that investments in our national defense are also investments in the security and future of our people, commented Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siline. It is noted that the artillery ammunition plant project will strengthen the industrial base and innovation potential. It will also bring economic benefits through new jobs and expanded export opportunities, and will contribute to closer integration of Latvia into the EU defense industry. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. G.E. Hinson is the local editor of The Post and Courier Pee Dee. Born and raised in the Palmetto State, Hinson graduated from the University of South Carolina. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a meeting with representatives of leading American companies in New York, the presidential press service has said. One of the main focuses of the meeting is preparing for winter amid increased Russian attacks. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that strengthening air defense is a top priority, and Ukraine received good signals from the US president and his administration during the meeting on September 23. In addition, our country has a strong drone production and more than 300 technology companies, the report, published on Thursday, said. I think this is a new direction for our business and economy in the future. There are about 30 large companies that are ready to be partners. And I think that this year we will open the export of our new technologies only to those countries that we can count on, that is, not to enemies and not to those who have close ties with them, the president said. According to him, Ukraine will create export platforms in the USA, Europe, the Middle East and has already received a corresponding offer from one of the African countries. The meeting was attended by the presidents and CEOs of Bank of America, Amazon, Chemours, Citi, CRH, Fairfax, Fluence Energy, GE Vernova, Hogan Lovells, Jacobs, JPMorgan Chase, Lazard, Logistics Plus, Marsh McLennan, Parsons, TechMet, Velta and Westinghouse. In addition, Zelenskyy spoke about the work of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine within the framework of the implementation of the agreement on minerals between Ukraine and the United States. The first contributions in the amount of $150 million have been made. There is an understanding of what projects will be. This is a reliable platform for strengthening investment cooperation, the message states. The meeting also discussed in detail all the opportunities for increasing investments by American companies in Ukraine. Zelenskyy reported that preparations are underway for Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenkos visit to the United States for more substantive talks with businesses, institutions, and companies. PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-25 02:40:09 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 914 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Beyond the Manuscript - Evrima ChicagoNAPERVILLE, IL / ACCESS Newswire / September 24, 2025 /SnapshotNameJozlyn Hall, MSW, PhD, PsyDRoleMitigation Specialist, author, consultantBaseWaterford, ConnecticutNotable workInner Change Outer Impact(workbook, 2025)Focus areasMitigation assessments, re-entry planning, treatment recommendations, trauma-informed programmingWhen a manuscript sits on a desk, it is an object of paper and ink. When an author brings their life to bear on that manuscript, it becomes a ledger of experience, belief and consequence. In the work of Dr. Jozlyn Hall, those ledgers are precisely what she reads - not simply to critique prose or plot, but to map the human currents that produce both harm and hope.Dr. Hall's professional identity is not easily pigeonholed. Trained in social work and holding advanced doctorates that align psychological insight with religious and pastoral perspectives, she operates at the uneasy intersection of law, therapy and storytelling. That intersection has become the source of a distinctive practice: mitigation, an applied, narrative-driven discipline intended to place an individual's life in context for legal decision-makers, with the broader aim of restoring options and dignity to people entangled in the criminal justice system.This profile, prepared for Evrima Chicago's series Beyond the Manuscript, examines Hall's method, her published work, and the ethical and practical questions that arise when an author's life becomes both evidence and narrative.From training to practice: a multidisciplinary foundationHall's curriculum vitae signals deliberate breadth. With a Master of Social Work as a base and doctoral training in psychology and religious studies, her education equips her to translate psychological assessment into a culturally and morally literate account of a person's life. That combination matters in mitigation work because judges, parole boards and clemency authorities rarely make decisions solely on diagnostic checklists; they respond to narratives that show causal pathways, risk reduction strategies, and credible plans for rehabilitation.Over more than a decade of professional practice, Hall has developed a model that blends clinical assessment with case management and restorative planning. Her work routinely covers psychological and substance-use assessment, developmental history, family and community context, and a structured re-entry plan that ties recommendations to measurable supports. This is not advocacy in the rhetorical sense; it is forensic, evidence-based narrative construction.Mitigation as storytelling and why that mattersMitigation specialists operate in a paradox. Their work must be rigorous enough to withstand legal scrutiny while remaining compelling enough to humanize individuals who, on paper, are defined by a conviction or a sentence. Hall's approach treats mitigating evidence as narrative: background trauma, systemic disadvantage, treatment adherence, vocational readiness - each element becomes a chapter in an explanatory account that helps decision-makers see beyond the moment of criminality.That narrative approach echoes larger trends in the criminal-justice reform movement, where storytelling is used as a corrective to dehumanizing statistics. But narrative alone is insufficient; it must be paired with documentation, corroboration, and concrete plans. Hall's practice, as she frames it in her work, insists on both. She does not merely describe hardship, she delineates the resources and programmatic interventions that can materially reduce risk.Notable contributions and public workHall has moved beyond the courtroom into published materials aimed at practitioners and those she serves. Her workbook, presented as a trauma-informed program for justice-involved individuals, illustrates a pragmatic extension of her mitigation philosophy: healing and accountability as iterative, teachable practices. By offering structured reflection, curricula and certificate outcomes, the workbook reframes rehabilitative work as measurable and transferable, a critical move when convincing institutions to invest in re-entry supports.Hall's professional footprint also includes contributions to high-profile mitigation efforts where her assessments and reports have been part of commutation and sentence-modification advocacy. Such cases demonstrate the real-world consequences of mitigation work: when carefully constructed accounts and treatment plans are submitted alongside legal motions, they can materially affect outcomes.Methodology: assessment, corroboration, and re-entry planningA mitigation specialist's toolkit is pragmatic. Hall's reported practice includes comprehensive psychological testing, clinical interviews, collateral interviews with family and service providers, and the development of a re-entry or treatment plan tailored to the individual. Importantly, her plans emphasize measurable support : placement in specific treatment programs, vocational training pathways, and community-based supervision that ties individuals to resources rather than leaving them adrift.The methodology is designed to answer three questions judges and boards implicitly ask: (1) Who is this person beyond the offense? (2) What changed since the event or what circumstances explain the conduct? (3) If released or given a reduced sentence, what mitigations ensure public safety and support successful reintegration? Hall's documents aim to provide evidence-based responses to each question.Ethical contours and verificationMitigation is ethically complex. Specialists must walk a careful line between advocacy and factual accuracy. The credibility of a mitigation report depends on transparent sourcing: test results, treatment records, corroborated timelines. Any suggestion of unsupported claims can undermine an otherwise persuasive account.In Hall's case, the public profile lists multiple academic accomplishments and practical involvements. For users of mitigation services, and for institutions considering her reports, basic verification of credentials, licensure and published work is a reasonable due-diligence step. Hall's model, however, rests on the premise that narrative, when grounded in documentation, can correct judicial myopia without obscuring accountability.Impact beyond the fileMitigation work that succeeds in the courtroom can also ripple into communities. When well-designed re-entry plans secure housing, treatment, and employment, they reduce recidivism risk and create tangible social returns. Hall's instructional materials and curricula seek to replicate successful interventions at scale: a workbook completed in custod PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-25 14:30:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 934 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Fully funded to complete construction in Quebec and advance Colombia validation as production and exploration plans at Montauban accelerateVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 /ESGold Corp. ("ESGold" or the "Company") (CSE:ESAU)(OTCQB:ESAUF)(FSE:Z7D) is pleased to provide a construction update on its Montauban Gold-Silver Project in Quebec, where development is progressing. The Company reports that building construction remains on track, with completion anticipated by mid-Q4 2025. ESGold is fully funded to complete Montauban and is positioned to move forward aggressively, while continuing preparatory work on its prospective initiative in Colombia.See construction progress photos hereRecent HighlightsConstruction Advancing: Development work at Montauban continues to progress on schedule with building completion anticipated in Q4-2025Fully Funded: Recent financing provides all necessary capital to complete Montauban and validate the Company's Colombia joint venture.Upcoming Catalysts: Concentrate test results from both Montauban and Colombia expected in the near-term.Exploration Upside: Systematic exploration planning underway at Montauban, technical work has identified large, continuous geological structures extending to 1,200 meters, underscoring the district-scale potential of the property.Colombia Momentum: Ongoing review of the Bolivar area reinforces confidence in validating, closing, and executing the Company's expansion strategy.Gordon Robb, CEO of ESGold, commented:"We are extremely pleased with the steady progress at Montauban, where building construction is advancing on schedule and moving toward completion, anticipated by mid-Q4 2025. Thanks to recent funding, we are now in the position of being fully financed to complete Montauban and to advance preparatory work on our prospective initiative in Colombia. With concentrate test results pending and exploration planning underway, the months ahead will be transformative as we build cash flow at Montauban while unlocking long-term discovery potential across our portfolio. ESGold is building the foundation for scalable growth, and we are very excited about what lies ahead." Building Momentum at Montauban Construction at the fully permitted Montauban project continues on track, with infrastructure development and building completion anticipated mid-Q4 2025. The facility is advancing toward readiness for equipment delivery and commissioning, aligning with the Company's strategy to begin production in 2026.Thanks to recent funding, ESGold is in a strong financial position to complete Montauban and advance its Colombia joint venture without the necessity of returning to the market for capital. Once the team arrives in Colombia for on-the-ground validation, ESGold will be fully equipped to close and execute.In parallel with construction, ESGold is advancing exploration at Montauban. Despite over a century of historic mining, the deposit has never been systematically explored. Recent technical work has identified large, continuous geological structures extending to 1,200 meters, underscoring the district-scale potential of the property.Why This Matters to Investors This update reinforces ESGold's unique position as a fully funded, fully permitted, near-term producer with significant exploration upside. Unlike most juniors that rely on continuous dilution, ESGold is advancing toward cash flow in 2026 while systematically unlocking discovery potential. The dual track model of cash flow today and discovery tomorrow positions the Company to deliver sustainable shareholder value through both near term production and long-term growth.What's NextConcentrate test results for both Montauban and Colombia.Colombia validation by ESGold's technical team, followed by deal closure and execution.Comprehensive 3D geological model of Montauban currently in progress, designed to integrate ANT survey results and guide systematic exploration.Exploration at Montauban will progress to include systematic drilling to highlight the district-scale significance of the deposit.ESGold is now fully funded and remains focused on advancing Montauban into production, with cash flow targeted for 2026. The Company's strategy centers on completing construction at its fully permitted Quebec project, generating high-margin revenue from tailings reprocessing, and using that cash flow to fund systematic exploration across the land package. This disciplined approach minimizes dilution and compounds shareholder value over time. With Montauban as the blueprint, ESGold is building a scalable platform designed to deliver sustainable, long-term value for its shareholders.Qualified Person Statement The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Andre Gauthier, P.Geo., a Director of ESGold and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Sampling described herein was conducted for due-diligence screening; independent verification, QA/QC, and systematic work remain outstanding. No mineral resources or reserves are declared.About ESGold Corp. ESGold Corp. (CSE: ESAU | OTCQB: ESAUF | FSE: Z7D) is a fully permitted, pre-production gold and silver mining company at the forefront of scalable clean mining and exploration innovation. With proven expertise in Quebec, the Company is advancing its Montauban Gold-Silver Project toward near-term production while unlocking long-term value through strategic redevelopment, modern discovery tools, and sustainable resource recovery. Montauban, located 80 km west of Quebec City, represents a blueprint for cash-flow-generating legacy site redevelopment across North America.For more information, please contact ESGold Corp. at +1-888-370-1059 or visit esgold.com for additional resources, including a French version of this press release, past news releases, a 3D model of the Montauban processing plant, media interviews, and opinion-editorial pieces.Stay connected by following us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and joining our Telegram channel.For further information or to connect directly, please reach out to Gordon Robb, CEO of ESGold Corp. atgordon@ esgold.comor call 250-217-2321.On behalf of the Board of DirectorsESGold Corp.Paul MastantuonoChairman & COOinfo@ esgold.com +1-888-370-1059Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding future production, cash flow, exploration results, project economics, and permitting. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that management b PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-25 20:48:40 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 338 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Freeport-McMoran Inc. ("Freeport" or "the Company") (NYSE:FCX). Investors who purchased Freeport securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/FCX Investigation DetailsOn September 9, 2025, Freeport issued a press release announcing the suspension of mining activities at its Grasberg Block Cave operation in Indonesia, after "a large flow of wet material from a production drawpoint . . . blocked access to certain areas within the mine," trapping seven workers. Following this news, Freeport's stock price fell $2.80 per share, or 5.99%, to close at $43.87 per share on September 9, 2025. Then, on September 24, 2025, Freeport provided an update on the incident, reporting that two of the seven workers were "fatally injured" and that the remaining five workers "remain missing." Following this news, Freeport's stock price fell $7.69 per share, or 16.95%, to close at $37.67 per share on September 24, 2025.What's Next?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased Freeport securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/FCX . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-25 14:30:35 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 483 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 BOCA RATON, FL / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 /Newsmax Inc. (NYSE:NMAX) ("Newsmax" or the "Company") today proudly announced that the Company's live coverage of the Charlie Kirk Remembrance Service from Phoenix delivered record-setting ratings, with over eight million Americans tuning in across its television platforms.The service, which honored the life and legacy of one of the most influential conservative voices of his generation, resonated deeply with viewers nationwide.Newsmax's commitment to delivering meaningful, live coverage of moments that matter was met with an overwhelming response and unprecedented ratings success.According to Nielsen data and internal streaming metrics:8+ million total viewers watched Newsmax and Newsmax2 combined.6+ million tuned into Newsmax's cable channel, marking one of the network's strongest live event performances to date.2+ million streamed on Newsmax2, the network's fast-growing streaming platform, showcasing Newsmax's reach beyond traditional television.2.5 million cable viewers were in the key demo A35-64.#2 in cable overall; Newsmax ranked just behind Fox News in total audience during coverage.These results underscore Newsmax's extraordinary growth and relevance, as Americans increasingly turn away from legacy media outlets in search of unfiltered, balanced coverage.A National Moment of RemembranceCharlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, has been a prominent advocate for conservative principles, youth empowerment, and faith-based activism. He was a frequent guest on Newsmax, including during long periods he was banned from appearing on Fox News.His remembrance service in Phoenix was a solemn yet inspirational gathering, drawing President Trump and the Kirk family, friends, political leaders and supporters from across the country.Newsmax delivered live, uninterrupted coverage for eight hours, ensuring millions of Americans could take part in honoring Kirk's contributions. The broadcast highlighted heartfelt tributes, stirring personal stories, and reflections on his enduring impact on conservative thought and grassroots movements."Americans are making the switch to Newsmax in historic numbers," said Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax. "The overwhelming response to our coverage of the Charlie Kirk Remembrance shows that when a moment matters, people turn to Newsmax. We are proud to provide a platform that honors America's values, traditions, and leaders like Charlie Kirk. We thank our viewers for placing their trust in us." About Newsmax Newsmax Inc. is listed on the NYSE (NMAX) and operates, through Newsmax Broadcasting LLC, one of the nation's leading news outlets, the Newsmax channel. The fourth highest-rated network is carried on all major pay TV providers. Newsmax's media properties reach more than 40 million Americans regularly through Newsmax TV, the Newsmax App, its popular website Newsmax.com , and publications such as Newsmax Magazine. Through its social media accounts, Newsmax reaches 20 million combined followers. Reuters Institute says Newsmax is one of the top U.S. news brands and Forbes has called Newsmax "a news powerhouse." For more information, please visit Investor Relations | Newsmax Inc.Investor Contacts Newsmax Investor Relations ir@ newsmax.com SOURCE: Newsmax Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-25 20:55:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1055 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / This notice is being sent to advise that Maple Leaf Critical Minerals 2024-II Enhanced Flow-Through Limited Partnership - National Class (CUSIP Class A - 56529R104, CUSIP Class F - 56529R203) and Quebec Class (CUSIP Class A - 56529R302, Class F- 56529R401) (the "Partnership") will be proceeding with a transaction (the "Liquidity Transaction") pursuant to which the assets of the Partnership (the "Assets") will be transferred on a tax-deferred basis to the Maple Leaf Resource Class (the "Resource Class Mutual Fund"), a class of shares of Maple Leaf Corporate Funds Ltd., an open-ended mutual fund corporation, in exchange for Series A or Series F shares of the Mutual Fund.Additional information about the Resource Class Mutual Fund is available in their simplified prospectus and annual information form. These documents are available atwww.sedarplus.caand How the Rollover Will Work:Pursuant to the Liquidity Transaction, Limited Partners of the Partnership ("Investors") will receive shares of the Resource Class Mutual Fund in connection with the dissolution of the Partnership. The effective date of the Liquidity Transaction (the "Effective Date") is expected to be on or about Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Shortly after the Effective Date, the shares of the Resource Class Mutual Fund will be distributed on a pro rata basis to investors and thereafter the Partnership will be dissolved.Investors will receive the Resource Class Mutual Fund shares in exchange for, and with a value equal to, the value of the units of the Partnership held at the time of such transfer of Assets. When the shares of the Resource Class Mutual Fund are received, the Partnership units will be removed from each Investors account. Processing may take 5 to 7 business days (in some cases longer) to complete, after the rollover occurs.The Partnership will issue a press release once the Liquidity Transaction has been completed and the conversion ratio has been determined.The ACB (adjusted cost base) for each unit of the Partnership and each share of the Resource Class Mutual Fund will be determined by the General Partner upon the wind-up of the Partnership's affairs. The Partnership will dissolve within 60 days of the Effective Date. The General Partner will post these details on its website at www.mapleleaffunds.ca Investors should consult with their investment advisor and/or tax advisor for all tax-related matters.Simplified Example:An Investor holds 100 Partnership units with a final Net Asset Value of $20.00 at the time of rollover and the net asset value per share of the Resource Class Mutual Fund is $5.00 on the same date. Based on these net asset values, the conversion ratio will be4.0 (4.0 = $20.00 / $5.00). The Investor's 100 units, valued at $2,000, are removed from the Investor's account and 400 shares (400 = 100 x 4.0) of the Resource Class Mutual Fund, valued at $2,000, are added to the Investor's account.Processing can be delayed after the rollover occurs, therefore transactions such as switches or redemptions may not be processed until the Resource Class Mutual Fund shares have been credited to client accounts.Neither the Partnership nor the Resource Class Mutual Fund will accept any liability for transactions executed prior to dealer records being updated.Specific Information about the Mutual Fund:Organization and Management of the Mutual FundManager:CADO Investment Fund Management Inc. 609 Granville Street, Suite 808 Vancouver, British Columbia V7Y 1G5 Tel: 604-684-5742Fax: 604-684-5748Toll free: 1-866-688-5750 Email:info@ cadobancorp.ca CADO Investment Fund Management Inc.is the manager of the Mutual Fund and is responsible for managing the overall business and operations of the Mutual Fund.Portfolio Advisor:Palette Investment Management Inc ("Palette") Toronto, OntarioPalette is responsible for managing the investment portfolio of the Funds.Custodian:RBC Investor & Treasury Services Toronto, OntarioThe custodian has physical custody of the Mutual Fund's property.Administrator:The IAS Investment Administration Solution Inc. ("IAS") Toronto, OntarioThe administrator keeps track of the owners of shares of the Mutual Fund and processes purchases.Auditor:KPMG LLPVancouver, British ColumbiaThe auditors are responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Mutual Fund.The auditors of the Mutual Fund may not be changed unless the independent review committee of the Mutual Fund has approved the change and a written notice describing the change is sent to unit holders at least 60 days before the effective date of the change.Independent Review Committee(the "IRC")Canadian securities legislation requires the Mutual Fund to have an IRC. The IRC is composed of three members, each of whom is independent of us. The mandate of the IRC is to review, and provide input on, our written policies and procedures that deal with conflict of interest matters in respect of the Mutual Fund and to give their recommendation regarding and, in some cases, approve, conflict of interest matters identified and referred to the IRC by us.The IRC will prepare, at least annually, a report of its activities for investors. This report will be available at our website atwww.mapleleaffunds.caor you may request a copy, at no cost to you, by contacting us atinfo@ cadobancorp.ca.Additional information about the IRC, including the names of the members, is available in the Mutual Fund's Annual Information Form.Portfolio Advisor:Palette Investment Management Inc. ("Palette") will be responsible for the Mutual Fund's investment activities. Mr. Andrew Cook, President of Palette, will act as Portfolio Manager on behalf of Palette. Mr. Cook has 34 years of experience in the financial services sector, the past 26 engaged in managing funds for several investment organizations as well as private clients. His focus has been primarily on growth companies with substantial experience in the small and midcap parts of the market and he has spent a significant amount of time in the resource sector.Mr. Cook has had a distinguished career as an analyst and portfolio manager with the Royal Bank of Canada, Midland Walwyn, Strategic Nova, Marquest Asset Management, and Matrix Asset Management Inc.Additional Information:Additional information about the Mutual Fund will be available in the Mutual Fund's simplified prospectus, annual information form, management reports of fund performance and financial statements. You can obtain a copy of these documents at your request and at no cost by contacting Maple Leaf Funds toll free at 1-866-688-57 Photo: , - The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) has opened a professional college - a nursing school in Kyiv. "I want nursing to be a truly respected profession, as it is now in Europe and around the world. A nurse or a nurse is the basis of providing medical care in the medical system. Therefore, for me this is not just a college, for me this is a new face of the Red Cross," said URCS Director General Maksym Dotsenko at the opening ceremony of the professional college in Kyiv on Thursday. As Dotsenko noted, the awareness of the shortage of nurses in the Ukrainian medical system grew into a dream - to create an educational institution and give the country a new generation of specialists. "We were looking for an opportunity to make this dream come true. And we found a wonderful partner - the French Red Cross, which is highly professional in this particular activity... And our colleagues agreed to help us," Dotsenko said. He emphasized that the college should become a flagship in the training of nurses and nursing assistants. According to Dotsenko, veterans and combat medics who will return to civilian life and want to get a profession are also interested in studying at the college. "I think that our cooperation with the French Red Cross is long-term... We talk a lot today about the fact that Ukraine has gained vast experience in responding in all areas during armed conflict. Therefore, I think that we have something to share with our partners and, of course, there is something to learn from them," Dotsenko noted. French Ambassador to Ukraine Gael Veyssiere emphasized that nurses play a fundamental role in any healthcare system in Europe, and this is exactly how it should be in Ukraine. "War takes huge losses, because due to all the needs of the army and the front line, there are fewer nurses for the civilian population. Therefore, it is absolutely strategic to train more nurses," the ambassador noted. He also stressed that France will continue to support Ukraine. "The demand for qualified nurses in Ukraine has increased sharply after the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. Civilians and military personnel must receive proper medical care. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine ... is also interested in modernizing the training programs for nurses and bringing them into line with European standards," Natalie Smirnov, Director General of the French Red Cross said. According to her, this project is being implemented thanks to the generosity of the French, thanks to their charitable contributions. URCS President Mykola Polishchuk recalled that the decision to establish the college was made in November 2023. PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-25 01:06:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 322 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 24, 2025 / Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential breaches of fiduciary duties by the directors and officers of Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR).If you currently own shares of Danaher stock, please visit the firm's website at https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17717 for more information. You may also contact Phillip Kim of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at case@ rosenlegal.com 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. 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.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. PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-25 14:00:30 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 973 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Phase Two Drilling Underway with a Planned Target of 9000 Metres of Core and RC DrillingVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 /Tectonic Metals Inc. ("Tectonic" or the "Company") (TSXV:TECT)(OTCQB:TETOF) today announced an update on the 2025 Phase Two drill program at the Company's flagship Flat Gold Project ("Flat") in southwestern Alaska. Flat covers 99,840 acres of predominantly Native-owned land belonging to Doyon, Ltd. ("Doyon"), one of Alaska's largest Native Regional Corporations and Tectonic's second-largest shareholder.Flat is emerging as a potential tier-one, free-milling, heap-leachable gold mining opportunity strategically located near one of the world's largest undeveloped gold deposits, the Donlin Gold Project.Highlights of the 2025 Phase Two Drill ProgramProgram Timeline: Phase Two drilling commenced on August 15 and is scheduled to continue through late October 2025.Three-Rig Program: Two diamond core rigs and one reverse circulation (RC) rig are currently operating with a target of +9,000m of drilling. When combined with Phase One, Tectonic expects to complete over 16,000 metres in 2025, the largest drill campaign in both Company and project history.Chicken Mountain Priority: Systematic delineation drilling at Chicken Mountain to support a Maiden Mineral Resource estimate.Alpha Bowl Expansion: Follow-up and step-out drilling building on Alpha Bowl's 2024 discovery hole (65.5 m at 1.2 g/t Au, including 6.1 m at 6.0 g/t Au and 1.5 m at 21.7 g/t Au) and the first 2025 Phase One assay result announced September 10, 2025 (41.15 m at 2.23 g/t Au, including 21.34 m at 4.00 g/t Au with 4.57 m at 13.25 g/t Au)Exploration Upside: Select drilling on new targets as warranted, with additional field mapping and prospecting.Year-Round Operations Initiative: Significant investment in logistics and infrastructure to enable an early spring 2026 restart and lay the foundation for year-round operating capacity.Environmental Stewardship: Development of an integrated Environmental Baseline Study program in support of long-term planningPeter Kleespies, Vice President of Exploration, commented:"Phase One at Flat delivered on every objective, with over 7,700 metres drilled across multiple intrusion targets, and our very first hole of the 2025 returned two strong zones of mineralization, including high-grade gold such as 4.0 g/t Au over 21.34m with 13.55 g/t Au over 4.27m.Phase Two builds on that momentum with systematic delineation drilling at Chicken Mountain - the largest and most advanced system on the property - while also stepping out at Alpha Bowl, where we have made one of Alaska's newest high-grade gold discoveries. Just as importantly, our investments in logistics and infrastructure will allow us to restart drilling as early as spring 2026 and transition Flat closer to year-round operations. Together, these programs are laying the foundation for Flat's first mineral resource estimate and a future Preliminary Economic Assessment." Primary Target: Chicken Mountain - Establishing the Foundation for a Maiden ResourceScale & System: Chicken Mountain is a 6.5 km x 6.0 km monzonite intrusion with over 3 km of drilled mineralized strike from 86 drill holes, more than half of which ended in gold mineralization, including two deep holes exceeding 400m in length. Despite this, drilling to date has tested only a fraction of the Chicken Mountain intrusion, which is only one of six kilometre-scale intrusion targets across the 99,000 acre Flat land position.Evidence of a Large Gold System: Every creek draining from Chicken Mountain, including Alpha Bowl's Flat Creek, has historically yielded placer gold, underscoring the size and fertility of the system.Phase Two Design: Systematic section-based drilling with fences of diamond and RC holes across 1 km of strike. Drill orientations are optimized (azimuth 120, dips -55 to -70) to cut the northeast-striking, west-dipping sheeted vein arrays identified during Tectonic's 2023 and 2025 oriented core programs.Objective: Deliver a supplementary dataset that will assist in supporting a Maiden Mineral Resource estimate and establish the technical foundation for a future Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).For an overview of our 2025 Phase Two exploration program, including maps, figures, and supporting data, view the PDF presentation +HEREStock Option GrantThe Company also announces that it has granted a total of 260,000 incentive stock options to new employees of the Company to purchase up to 260,000 common shares ("Option Shares") in the capital of Tectonic. The stock options have an exercise price of C$1.25 per Option Share, vest over an eighteen-month period in three equal installments every six months from the grant date and expire five years from the grant date.To Learn More About Tectonic Metals:Visit: https://www.tectonicmetals.com/about/ Subscribe To Our Email ListView our 2025 Fact Sheet or Corporate PresentationTectonic invites you to take a virtual tour of our Flat Gold Project with both the CEO of Tectonic and one of Alaska's largest for-profit Native Regional Corporations, Doyon Ltd.To Be A Part Of "The Shift," Follow Us On Social Media:XLinkedInInstagramFacebookYouTubeFootnotes and References:Placer production figures from "Mineral Occurrence and Development Potential Report, Locatable and Salable Minerals, Bering Sea-Western Interior Resource Management Plan, BLM Alaska Technical Report 60", prepared by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, November 2010.Qualified PersonTectonic Metals' disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Peter Kleespies, M.Sc., P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101.On behalf of Tectonic Metals Inc.,Tony RedaPresident and Chief Executive OfficerFor further information about Tectonic Metals Inc. or this news release, please visit our website at www.tectonicmetals.com or contact Investor Relations, toll-free at 1.888.685.8558 or by email at investorrelations@ tectonicmetals.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements, Historical Information and Visual ObservationsThis news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-25 14:30:22 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 453 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Tiderock Composites Trusted Composite Partner for the World's Leading CompaniesBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Tiderock Companies, Inc. (OTCID:TDRK), a diversified holding company focused on growth through operational revitalization and strategic acquisitions, today announced that its subsidiary, Tiderock Composites Ltd., has commenced deliveries under contracts totaling over $700,000 for the refurbishment of the London Underground, the world's oldest metro system and one of the busiest urban transit networks, operated by Transport for London (TfL).The program involves the retrofit of driver cab interiors along with a variety of other composite components designed to modernize and extend the service life of rolling stock across the Underground."These deliveries mark a significant milestone for Tiderock as we strengthen our presence in the rail sector," said Adam Rooney, Director of Sales of Tiderock Companies. "The London Underground is among the most demanding and safety-conscious transit systems in the world. Our phenolic composite solutions provide the lightweight, durable, and fire-resistant materials required to ensure long-term performance and passenger safety." Phenolic composites are a critical material in modern rail applications, offering a unique combination of strength-to-weight performance, inherent fire resistance, low smoke and toxicity, and long-term durability. These properties allow operators like Transport for London to improve safety, reduce maintenance costs, and extend asset life while maintaining compliance with rigorous global standards.This order builds on Tiderock's growing role in the rail refurbishment sector, complementing the Company's established expertise in aerospace, marine, and industrial applications. By supplying specialized phenolic and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) solutions, Tiderock continues to position itself as a trusted partner to transportation operators worldwide.About Tiderock Companies, Inc.Tiderock Companies, Inc. (OTCID:TDRK) is a diversified holding company focused on building value in advanced manufacturing, composites, and sustainable products. Through its subsidiary Tiderock Composites Ltd., the Company delivers phenolic and advanced fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) solutions to the aerospace, rail, marine, automotive, and industrial markets, supplying lightweight, durable, and safety-compliant components. Beyond composites, Tiderock is expanding into biodegradable and eco-friendly materials, including its recently announced distribution agreement with Nextgen Bioplastics to bring compostable packaging solutions to global markets. Leveraging operational revitalization, disciplined acquisitions, and active customer engagement, Tiderock is positioning itself as a trusted partner for companies seeking innovative, sustainable, and performance-driven solutions across multiple industries.Safe Harbor StatementThis press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to the Company's growth strategy, client expansion, and future orders. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Tiderock Companies disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.ContactInvestor RelationsTiderock Companies, Inc.Email: investors@ tiderockcompanies.com Website: www.tiderockcompanies.com SOURCE: Tiderock Companies, Inc. The Federal High Court in Lagos has issued an order barring any actions against General Hydrocarbons or its assets over a debt incurred by Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited. The court directed the restraining order at the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), its managing director, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Limited and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), who are all sued in a new suit filed by General Hydrocarbons. The court also issued an order barring the four defendants from taking any steps or continuing any moves to enforce any rights against the energy firm or its assets. The rights, the court said, include but not limited to freezing the accounts of the applicant, its directors or shareholders, the appointment of a receiver/receiver manager, asset manager, recovery agent, etc., over the applicant, the applicants assets, or the assets belonging to the applicants directors or shareholders. The judge, Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, granted the temporary injunctions on Tuesday, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice in a fresh suit filed on Monday by General Hydrocarbons. The judge then adjourned the matter until 22 October for the hearing of General Hydrocarbons motion seeking a more lasting restraining order. General Hydrocarbons is owned by Nduka Obaigbena, the chairman of THISDAY Group. According to court documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the debt in question was incurred by Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept to First Bank, resulting in a deficit of US$718 million in the books of the lender, which was purchased by AMCON as an eligible bank asset. The matter revolved around the crude oil aboard the FPSO Tamara Tokoni, which General Hydrocarbons had pledged to First Bank as security for loan facilities. In March, the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, dismissed First Banks claims accusing General Hydrocarbons of diversion of the proceeds from the sale of crude oil pledged as collateral for loan facilities. But about two weeks ago, First Bank recorded a victory in the case, with the Court of Appeal setting aside the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Divisions decision. The court granted First Banks appeal, directing the crude oil to be sold and that the proceeds be lodged in an interest-bearing escrow account under the custody of the Chief Registrar of the court. Meanwhile, on Monday, General Hydrocarbons filed a fresh suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking a declaration that AMCON can only take enforcement measures against Atlantic Energy drilling Concept Nigeria Limited or First Bank, by virtue of the Loan Purchase and Limited Servicing Agreement between the defendants. The judge, Mr Lewis-Allagoa, ordered AMCON and its co-defendants on Tuesday to halt any enforcement actions against General Hydrocarbons and its assets pending the hearing and determination of the firms motion. The order is the latest in the series of court interventions in the matter, widening the scope of the legal processes that the loan disputes have thrown up. Background In 2011, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts, chaired by Jide Omokore, an associate of a former Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke, took a loan facility from First Bank. The $490 million loan was to fund the companys operating and capital expenditure requirements for the drilling of four oil wells with proven reserves (together known as the Forcados assets) as well as its Strategic Alliance Agreement with the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). The loan was secured with Atlantic Energys assets and rights through the agreement, while First Bank had charge over the companys collection accounts. The facility later turned problematic, following Atlantic Energys payment defaults. In line with our commitment to address the legacy asset quality challenges, exposure to Atlantic Energy, our biggest NPL (non-performing loan), was written off in the second quarter, Adesola Adeduntan, First Bank former CEO said in 2019. According to its earnings report, First Bank was able to reduce its non-performing loan ratio to 14.5 per cent as of June 2019 from 25.3 per cent after writing off the N126 billion loan. Mr Oba Otudeko, then chairman of FBN Holdings, later sought Mr Obaigbenas help to salvage First Bank from a potentially disastrous situation, prompting the duo to agree to work together, according to Mr Obaigbena, who held an approved oil mining lease (OML) from former President Umaru YarAdua. In 2020, Mr Obaigbena arranged a meeting between Mr Otudeko, the then chairman of FBN Holdings and Mele Kyari, the managing director of NNPC Limited. In a letter written to Yemi Cardoso, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, dated 7 November 2024 and seen by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Obaigbena argued that the NNPC under the late Maikanti Baru, then GMD, had refused to sign the security documents for the now bad, non-performing loan to Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited (Atlantic Energy) for OML 26, OML 42, OML30 and OML 34 under separate Strategic Alliance Agreements between Atlantic Energy and NPDC Limited, claiming it was a fraudulent scheme to defraud the Federal Government by the then Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke. He noted that it was obvious during the meeting, which he claimed to be part of, that the facilities granted to Atlantic Energy by First Bank did not follow due process. FBN was now faced with an unsecured and non-performing exposure of $718M and was on the verge of becoming a systemic risk to the banking sector, he stated. It was discovered that FBN had given this loan recklessly without security as part of a scheme that funded Diezani Allison-Madueke and Kola Aluko, (details of these are still being investigated by Nigerias Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC and the United Kingdoms National Crime Agency NCA), Mr Obaigbena added. Consequently, Mr Obaigbena said former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the licence, resulting in OMLs 120 and 121 being granted to General Hydrocarbons in 2021. Following a series of meetings between First Bank and General Hydrocarbons, he said there was an agreement based on the fact that he held a valid OML award that First Bank would finance the optimum exploration, development and production of OML 120. Part of the terms, he added, was that General Hydrocarbons would share the profit equally with First Bank over eight years to help the latter reduce the holes in their books caused by their bad loans, especially the facilities availed to Atlantic Energy. However, we made it clear that we are not Atlantic Energy and would never assume their obligations which was then being pursued by AMCON and EFCC and our central role was to assist FBN return to good standing with a totally different transaction structure as GHL has no nexus with Atlantic Energy. The letter stated that First Bank sold its outstanding exposure as an Eligible Bank Asset (EBA) to AMCON at a discount to be paid off by its share of profit from the deal it earlier reached with General Hydrocarbons. It added that the lender agreed to a clawback provision with AMCON, meaning that in the event that the outstanding exposure was not paid, AMCON would recover the EBA from First Banks books. Mr Obaigbena stated that First Bank, AMCON and General Hydrocarbons signed an outstanding exposure tripartite deed allowing Global Hydrocarbons to guarantee payment of a pending of a now discounted outstanding exposure of $600 million in naira on the books of the bank. Once GHL signed the Outstanding Exposure Tripartite Deed effective 31st December 2021, FBNs account which was then classified by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was now whole again having escaped a loan loss provision of 302Bn Naira against a profit of 151Bn Naira ultimately declared for the year ending 31st December 2021, the document stated. Had GHL not signed and guaranteed the EBA to AMCON, FBNs loss for 2021 would have been 161Bn Naira, a whopping amount for the financial sector at that time, when the exchange rate was N400 $1 having regard to the fact that this loan had been classified and non-performing since 2015 (six years before). Mr Obaigbena alleged that the bank put stumbling blocks in the financing of the development of OML 120, violating the outstanding exposure tripartite deed. More than seventy utilisation requests made by General Hydrocarbons in respect of the facility took First Bank between seven and 67 days to pay instead of five days, he added, causing significant losses to Global Hydrocarbons. FBNs reluctance to pay as at when due started soon after consultants appointed and working for FBN and AMCON started making demands of GHL for fees not connected with the transaction. Indeed, GHL told the consultants that this would amount to bribery and corruption (we have evidence). Since FBN got its way and avoided the 160Bn Naira loss following GHLs signing of the Outstanding Exposure Tripartite Deed and with its account now performing, FBN has failed, refused and/or declined to perform its obligations under the MOU and the Outstanding Exposure Tripartite Deed, contributing to GHLs loss of the Blackford Dolphin drill ship for which we are currently facing claims of over $100M (One Hundred Million Dollars) now in Arbitration. The document further noted that Global Hydrocarbons requested a $53 million facility from First Bank on on 28 August 2024, which was granted two months after by which time the lender smuggled in a new variable of the appointment of an Independent Asset Manager under a framework agreement that sought to effectively replace key components of the foundational MOU, unknown to the Tripartite Deed between AMCON, FBN and GHL and also unknown to the Petroleum Industry Act. Mr Obaigbena alleged the framework document intended to give First Bank full control over OML 120. Mr. Governor, we have been left with no choice but to go to court and arbitration to preserve our fundamental rights and our rights under the agreements in the face of FBNs attempts to clubber and bully us out of existence, he said. We are seeking to enforce the provision of our MOU which allows us to raise finance independent of FBN when they fail to do so, for which they have failed abysmally. After over three and half years (3.5) years, all we have received from FBN is bad faith. General Hydrocarbons has stated that it has no relationship with the original debtor, Atlantic Energy and is not involved in the debt resulting from the separate strategic alliance agreements between Atlantic Energy and First Bank. A South African pastor, Joshua Mhlakela, has sparked social media debate after his prediction of the rapture failed to materialise. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Mhlakela, during an interview on Centtwinz TV podcast posted on YouTube on 22 July, claimed the rapture would occur on 23 to 24 September 2025. In Christian teaching, particularly within Pentecostal and evangelical circles, the rapture refers to the event when believers in Christ are caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the final judgment and tribulations on earth. Mr Mhlakela said he dreamt of Jesus, who told him the rapture would occur on those dates, coinciding with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration. He said, The Rapture is upon us, whether you are ready. I will come to take my church. Theres a storm brewing right now, and its dark. No human being on this Earth is ready for what is coming. Im a billion per cent sure. I began to hear the sound of the trumpet literally in my ear. The date I have come with is the final one, and theres no other date. When it comes to whether the gospel reached the world, or everybody before the rapture, I guess only God can know that. Only God can know how many billions of people have received the gospel. So, Im comforting the people that the date has come up with others who have confirmed it is irreversible. In preparation for the rapture, some South Africans who believed in the prophecy submitted resignation letters, while others discussed selling their property and vehicles and even cashing out their retirement savings. Much like Noahs Ark Mr Mhlakelas rapture prediction came barely a month after a Ghanaian EboJesus embarked on an ark-building mission, claiming the world would end with three years of continuous rainfall. In a viral video on his Instagram page, this newspaper reported that EboJesus announced the rain would begin on 25 December and flood the earth. He claimed he received a divine revelation instructing him to build an ark in preparation for the catastrophe. According to him, the ark was already about 80 per cent complete and would serve as the only refuge when disaster struck. Please, I am on my knees, dont let this pass you, I said on the 25th of December, its going to rain heavily and we are going to stay in this boat for 3 years, he said in the video. Reactions Meanwhile, Mr Mhlakelas failed prediction of the rapture has stirred widespread reactions from netizens both within his country and abroad. Some users demanded that the pastor issue a public apology for misleading people on his social media platforms. In contrast, others urged the podcast host to invite him to the show to apologise directly. Below are some of the reactions. Being South African is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am glad I was born here. We are the craziest country in the whole world. Yesterday, one of us made the entire world pray! People did not want to be left behind during the rapture, yet they enjoy sinning for fun TheHanist (@TheHanist) September 24, 2025 So it was a South African pastor who sent the world into frenzy over the rapture scare Former Ghanaian (@dsm_Degeneres) September 25, 2025 People actually gathered in South Africa waiting to be raptured because a pastor told the Jesus was coming yesterday. The level of stupidity in Africa is too high and unfortunately its not going away soon. God go just dey laugh. (@PeterObIsComing) September 24, 2025 Feeling national pride today knowing that it was a fellow South African who caused this rapture panic. SOUTH AFRICA NUMBER ONE! https://t.co/dJVwH4AHF4 Zoelo (@zulu_brah) September 23, 2025 lol stupid South Africans will come here and say but he apologized , his one of us now Thats why we are taken for poess by border jumper. Apology accepted when his deported https://t.co/BDsUnUFe2B Patriotic GU (@iGugulamacrip) January 12, 2025 READ ASLO: Dunamis congregation in tears over transfer of pastor Its a deep hole. Colloquially, folks refer to Darby, Scofield, Hagee, Evengelical Zionism and a bunch of other stuff as Dispensationalism. This is incorrect nomenclature (there is the potential vast/strong theological differences between these groups), but i gave up fighting Wandering Panda (@WanderMrPanda) September 23, 2025 People actually gathered in South Africa waiting to be raptured because a pastor told the Jesus was coming yesterday. The level of stupidity in Africa is too high and unfortunately its not going away soon. God go just dey laugh. (@PeterObIsComing) September 24, 2025 People quit their jobs and sold their belongings in preparation for the predictions of a self-proclaimed prophet from South African claiming a rapture on 9/23-9/24 is it friday (@onlynemiah) September 23, 2025 The Agbarere community in Kwara State has launched a social charter aimed at protecting women and girls, promoting gender equality, and holding perpetrators accountable. Olasupo Abideen, founder and global director of Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), made this known in a statement on Tuesday. Mr Abideen said the development directly resulted from the organisations sustained engagement and mobilisation efforts, supported by the Ford Foundation. Over 250 participants, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, women, men, and youth representatives, security agencies, and civil society actors, attended the launch event on Saturday. Social charter The social charter, unveiled by the community leader, Kadir Yusuf, was endorsed by traditional, religious, and civic leaders. The framework is a significant step towards community-led action against gender-based violence. Mr Abideen said the charter will prioritise the protection of women and girls from gender-based violence and ensuring they have a seat at the table in traditional decision-making spaces. He further said that the framework puts clear mechanisms in place to punish gender-based violence offenders, ensuring accountability and justice for survivors. Meanwhile, Funmilayo Olutimehin, a gender advocate and educationist, emphasised community responsibility in ending gender-based violence, calling for collective action against harmful norms and unwavering support for survivors. On his part, BBYDIs communications director, Sanni Alausa-Issa, highlighted the importance of male engagement in the fight against gender-based violence. We cannot end gender-based violence without confronting the roles that harmful masculinities play and replacing them with values rooted in empathy, respect, and accountability, Mr Alausa-Issa said. Similarly, Nurah Jimoh-Sanni, the organisations executive director, affirmed their commitment to advancing the fight against gender-based violence through education, community mobilisation, and partnerships with traditional and religious institutions. Mrs Jimoh-Sanni noted that the organisations goal is to build a system where communities can take charge of themselves without waiting for external interventions. Why gender-based violence is persistent in Nigeria Cultural norms, which often perpetuate the idea of male dominance and female submission, have been identified in various reports as a significant factor contributing to the persistence of gender-based violence. This dynamic can normalise and permit abusive behaviours, particularly as many women are economically reliant on their husbands. Also, despite the existence of laws to combat gender-based violence, such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015, enforcement remains weak. While this law criminalises various forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual harassment, and trafficking, its implementation is inconsistent across Nigeria. Between August 2014 and July 2025, Lagos for instance recorded 8,692 cases of domestic and sexual violence. The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), recently disclosed that the youngest survivor was an 18-month-old baby while the oldest was 79 years old, stressing that sexual and gender-based violence cut across all age groups. The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has reaffirmed its commitment to working with religious leaders and civil society organisations such as the development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria. The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja at the Stakeholder Dialogue on the Islamic Perspective on GBV Prevention and the launch of GBV Prevention Guides for Muslim Opinion Leaders (MOLs). The event was organised by dRPC in collaboration with the Centre of Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID), with support from the Ford Foundation. Government commitment Declaring the workshop open, Ms Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who was represented by Aisha Gana, said Islamic scholars have a vital role to play in clarifying true Islamic teachings and preventing GBV. She noted that they are also responsible for correcting harmful misconceptions, counselling families, supporting survivors, influencing policies, and partnering with government and NGOs. Your religious authority helps shift social norms, reduce stigma, and promote justice, dignity, and protection for all, she noted. Ms Sulaiman-Ibrahim assured participants that the ministry would continue to collaborate with the dRPC and Muslim leaders across the country, stressing that the initiative aligns with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubus administration. Islamic values The dialogue and launch formed part of the Muslim Opinion Leaders for GBV Prevention in Northern Nigeria project, which seeks to curb GBV by leveraging the influence of Muslim clerics. The project empowers scholars to apply Islamic teachings in challenging harmful cultural practices and advancing the protection of women and girls. In his keynote address, the Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja, Iliyasu Usman, said while some interpretations of specific hadiths or Quranic verses have been misused to justify violence in marriage, Islams ethical framework upholds kindness, mercy, and the prohibition of oppression. Mr Usman emphasised that Islam teaches respect and nonviolence. Scholars are continually working to correct cultural misinterpretations that perpetuate gender violence he said. In his welcome address, the Director of Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID), Taufiq Abubakar, said any form of aggression, molestation, or transgression is strictly forbidden in Islam. Mr Abubakar recalled that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), during his Farewell Pilgrimage, declared life and property sacred, stressing that Islam provides clear codes of conduct for treating women with equity and respect. He noted that if these principles are consistently observed, there will be a GBV-free society. About dRPC dRPC is a Nigerian NGO that works with civil society groups through policy research, training, funding, and technical assistance. Its activities focus on gender equality, womens empowerment, education, health, and social justice, with particular attention to women-led and grassroots organisations. Aisha Gana representative of the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim Mordecai Jim is the health worker in charge of the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Odorikot, a community in Ikot Inyang Okop in the Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Every Wednesday morning, Mr Jim takes an hour-long motorcycle ride to Ikot Akpaden, the community that hosts Akwa Ibom State University, to get ice-block-preserved vaccines for immunisation of newborns at his facility, which does not have a refrigerator for the storage of the vaccines. The situation at the Odorikot PHC reflects what you would find at many PHCs in oil-rich Akwa Ibom State, where many residents are cut off from essential care because PHCs lack essential equipment, drugs, doctors, electricity, pharmacies, or laboratory technicians. The road to Mr Jims facility is nearly impassable. Despite physical upgrades and modern beds, the health centres standard falls far short of the recommendations of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). The agency considers functional PHCs fundamental for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the United Nations, which aims to reduce preventable deaths among newborns and children under five and ensure universal health coverage (UHC). According to the NPHCDA, a PHC should be accessible by road, fenced, and guarded. It should also have a stable power and water supply, accommodation for staff members, and essential medical equipment and drugs. It should operate 24 hours a day and offer the five minimum services, including treatment for communicable and non-communicable diseases, maternal and newborn health and nutrition care, health promotion/social mobilisation, and laboratory services. The staff should consist of a medical officer, a nurse/midwife, a community health worker, a pharmacy technician, a medical laboratory technician, an environmental health officer, a health record technician, and five other support staff members. Sadly, this is not the reality of PHCS in Akwa Ibom communities. During PREMIUM TIMES visit to the Odorikot PHC on 21 May, a mother who arrived with her newborn for vaccination at 1 p.m. was turned back because the ice blocks preserving its vaccines had melted, rendering them ineffective. PHCs below standard PREMIUM TIMES visited the PHCS in Mkpat Enin, Eastern Obolo, and Oruk Anam local government areas and found them severely under-resourced. However, the Odorikot PHC faces more significant challenges, including limited diagnostic capabilities (only the Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test, MRDT, was available) and a lack of electricity after a thunderstorm destroyed the solar panel. The facility uses its generator solely to pump water. Apart from malaria drugs supplied by a non-governmental organisation, we dont have other drugs, Mr Jim said. He explained that the facility could not offer 24-hour services without staff quarters and regular electricity and water supply. As a result, residents spend N2,000 on motorcycle taxis to access services at the nearest hospital in Ikot Akpaden, pushing services out of the reach of many. The NPHCDA designed PHCs to provide primary care and refer patients requiring specialised services to general hospitals or other secondary healthcare facilities. Non-functional PHCs force expectant mothers to turn to TBAs Pregnant women register here for antenatal care, but when it is time for delivery, they go to a TBA (traditional birth attendant), Mr Jim said. A youth activist in the community, Enobong Usen, said it made no sense to choose a facility without electricity, drugs, or a doctor for delivery. The situation there is dire; no drug exists in this hospital, Mr Usen lamented. A traditional midwife, identified as Nwa Utuk, fills the void of the PHCs inefficiency. In an interview, the centenarian told PREMIUM TIMES that she had lost count of the number of childbirths she had midwifed since she began her practice over five decades ago. If you came last week, you would have met two of them, she said. When contacted, Emmanuel Inyang, the chairperson of Mkpat Enin LGA, told PREMIUM TIMES he would fact-check the challenges raised by our reporter about the PHC. He declined further comments on the matter. No doctor in 27 PHCs in Mkpat Enin, Eastern Obolo LGAs Inadequate staffing is a major challenge facing PHCs in Akwa Ibom. Findings by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that none of the 17 PHCs in Mkpat Enin and 10 in Eastern Obolo have a doctor assigned. The PHC in Emereoke, Eastern Obolo LGA , had only one staff member during the visit on 13 June. However, it has a refrigerator for storing vaccines. The facility has an electricity supply but relies on a nearby worship centre for water. The PHC conducts MRDT tests, but the lack of a laboratory technician means the equipment for typhoid tests remains unused. Pregnant women in this oil-rich community also patronise traditional midwives due to the PHCs lack of equipment and insufficient staff, echoing the situation in Odorikot. We dont take delivery here; women prefer local midwives, said Ruth Awajiogoak, the PHCs health worker in charge. Mrs Awajiogoak said in June that a woman had her baby at the facility last year, but none this year. A few metres from the PHC, a TBAs clinic was bustling. Expectant mothers were seen in the mud house, sitting in a room made of polyethylene sheets and broken pieces of wood. The room has a makeshift plank chair balanced on cement blocks as the only furniture. At the doorway, jagged pieces of wood stick out dangerously. The place has no medical equipment, and in the event of complications, help is a distant dream the house is tucked in a location only reachable by motorcycle. Two days before the reporters visit, a woman had given birth at the TBA clinic. On the day of the visit, three women delivered, Salome, one of the women said. Salome said that despite the poor sanitary conditions, she prefers it to the PHC because of the care provided there. Akwa Ibom has 468 PHCs spread across its 368 wards. About 319 of the PHCs, including that of Emereoke, benefit from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), according to the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency website. Established by the National Health Act of 2014 and rolled out in 2019, the BHCPF aimed to ensure that all Nigerians, particularly the poor and vulnerable, have access to a basic minimum package of health services without financial hardship, a key objective of universal health coverage. BHCPF was to prevent situations like women being forced to deliver in unsafe TBA houses. PHCs under the scheme were to provide sterile facilities, trained staff, emergency care, and referrals. Despite benefitting from the BHCPF, the Emereoke PHC still lacked basic essentials, forcing pregnant women in the community to use the dangerous TBA house. Of the PHCs visited, only the Emereoke facility is a beneficiary of the BHCPF. Why women prefer TBA to PHCs Youth leader Festus Batholomew, a young commercial motorcycle operator in Emereoke, who brought his daughter for vaccination, said women would not patronise the Emereoke PHC for childbirth because it is ill-equipped and does not have health workers, particularly a medical doctor. No drugs, no doctor, no water, nobody to assist this woman, he said of the only health worker in the facility, indicating that she ran the facility alone. We need government help, Mr Bartholomew said, calling himself the hospitals ambulance to underscore the importance of his role in using his motorcycle to transport patients. The father of four said all his children were midwifed by a TBA, due to concerns about the PHCs capacity. Although his wife attended antenatal care at the facility, he said he feared for her safety in case of complications during delivery. Mr Batholomew said preventable deaths had been recorded in the community due to the ill-equipped PHC, a claim the health worker declined to comment on. He confirmed that none of the 10 PHCs in the area has a doctor. More health disasters In Emereoke, petrochemical companies also flare gas from their oilfields, contributing to environmental pollution and health hazards in the community. The community can only be accessed by boat. A makeshift wooden bridge connects it to the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean, making access to medical care, particularly in emergencies, a herculean task. Mrs Awajiogoak recalled how a pregnant woman she referred to a hospital in Eket died with the unborn child due to delays in getting a speedboat to take her across the ocean before boarding a vehicle to Eket. She said the facility was overwhelmed in March when the community had a cholera outbreak. Mr Batholomew, the hospital ambulance, said many people died. Mrs Awajiogoak appealed for more hospital beds and mattresses, saying she burned some after the cholera patients were discharged. She said the state government sent officials to the facility to assist during the outbreak. When contacted, Samuel Nteijah, the chairperson of Eastern Obolo LGA, acknowledged that the facility has no water and toilets, having visited during the cholera outbreak. Mr Nteijah said the facilitys challenges are worsened by the community being accessible only by water. If you want to do anything there, you must transfer materials from the upland in Okoroete, the council headquarters, by boat to that village. We are thinking of how to give them water, he said. Next to the PHC is a water project abandoned by the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission, now NDDC. Mr Nteijah said his administration plans to revamp the project. Mr Nteijah said he was unaware of the other challenges, including staff shortages and mattresses, but added that his administration was recruiting ad-hoc staff for hospitals and primary schools to address the manpower shortage in health and education. PHC collapse leads to preventable deaths community leader At Ikot Ukpong Obio Esse/Ikot Edah, in Oruk Anam Local Government Area , a skeletal framework of blocks is the remnant of what once was a place of healing and hope. When PREMIUM TIMES visited the community on 1 June, the abandonment of the PHC was evident. Situated on the border between Rivers and Akwa Ibom, and accessed from the East-West Road, the facility had been ravaged by time, leaving only a rusted overhead water tank standing. This lone structure, resilient against storms and weather, is a painful reminder of the centres neglect and what has been lost. This place was the reception. The other one was the consulting room. Then that hall over there was a very long ward, equipped with beds and other facilities, Elisha Brownson, a community resident, said, pointing fingers at the remains of the building inside the bush. The PHCs field, which served as a childrens playground, is now a cultivated farmland with cassava plants twirling in the wind. The ward, reception, and consulting room have been overtaken by grasses and trees, making it difficult to access due to the fear of reptiles. My mother died for lack of hospital Lamenting the devastating impact of the collapsed hospital, Mr Brownson shared stories of the lives lost and the struggles of the indigent population left to fend for themselves as access to medical care became a distant luxury. Residents seeking medical care at the General Hospital in Ikot Abasi, the nearest health facility to the community, face a significant transportation burden, with fares as much as N8,500. Again, this defeats the objectives of SDG 3 and universal health coverage. Everybody now depends on chemists, he said, using a local name for patent medicine vendors. The nearest hospital to this place is in Ikot Abasi. My mom died two years ago because a hospital like this was not present in the community. A youth leader in the community, Nsikan Marcus, and the chairperson of the village council, Daniel Akpabio, corroborated Mr Brownsons claims of avoidable deaths in the community after the hospitals collapse. Expectant mothers taking herbal medicine Akpabio The hospitals collapse not only took away access to medical care but also forced people, particularly expectant mothers, to rely on traditional medicine, often with uncertain outcomes, Mr Akpabio said. He corroborated Mr Brownsons concern that the indigent people pay through the nose to the nearest hospital in Ikot Abasi for medical care, stressing that, under emergencies, particularly at night, they pay between N7,000 and N8,000. The collapsed PHC is a death sentence for our people, he said. Mr Akpabio said he had just signed a letter to the Commissioner of Health, Ekem John, appealing to the state government to rebuild the collapsed hospital to save lives. I signed the letter yesterday. We want the state government to reconstruct the hospital to bring succour to, particularly, the pregnant women and the weak, said Mr Akpabio, a person with disability. If I am sick, I buy drugs at the chemist. But if I want to go to the hospital, I go to the General Hospital at Ikot Abasi. Pregnant women, Mr Akpabio said, patronise Ekaete Godwin, a TBA in the community, for childbirth. If our hospital is functional, expectant mothers would no longer patronise herbal medicine from traditional midwives, Mr Akpabio said. Mrs Godwin, a TBA with 25 years of experience, provides a lifeline for expectant mothers in the community. Her home, located near the collapsed PHC, welcomed a newborn just hours before this reporters visit. In the previous month, Mrs Godwin assisted in six deliveries. The TBA combines herbal medicine with prayer and fasting to care for pregnant women. Having exhausted her supply, she now delivers without gloves and appeals for support, including an exclusive delivery apartment and essential medical supplies. Her husband, Monday Godwin, said there were several expectant mothers under his wifes care for childbirth. I had antenatal care in the hospital before coming here for delivery, said Obongifiok Elisha, a new mother. She takes care of us. She massages pregnant women very well, gives us exercise every morning, and also organises prayers and offers us herbal medicine to take, she said, adding that the newborn baby, a girl, was her second child. Mr Godwin said that after learning that the government was planning to relocate the collapsed PHC, the community offered its Cooperative Hall for temporary use. High mortality rates despite soaring revenue The conditions of PHCs in Akwa Ibom State reflect the larger situation in Nigeria, posing a serious setback to the pursuit of SDG target 3.1reducing maternal mortality to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. The global maternity rate in 2023 was 197 per 100,000 live births. Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounted for around 70 per cent of maternal deaths (182,000) in the world, according to the most recent UN estimates for the country, compiled from 2023 figures. Nigeria accounted for over a quarter, 29 per cent, of global maternal deaths, indicating that one in 100 women dies in labour or the following days, making Africas most populous country, the worlds most dangerous place to give birth. With a population of over seven million people, Akwa Ibom is currently the largest crude oil producer in the country, earning billions of naira in oil revenue. Year after year, billions of naira are appropriated. Still, little is seen on the ground regarding how the money impacts lives and infrastructure, particularly in the PHCs, which are the closest to the people at the grassroots. According to the state governments annual financial reports, Akwa Ibom recorded a significant increase in revenue in the past five years: N206 billion in 2020; N340 billion in 2021; N444 billion in 2022; N456 billion in 2023, and a record-breaking N1.1 trillion in revenue in 2024. Comparatively, the 2024 revenue of Akwa Ibom is almost equal to the total revenue of three other south-south states combined, Bayelsa (N480 billion), Cross River (N318 billion), and Edo (N460 billion), which sum up to N1.2 trillion, yet these states performed better in terms of healthcare indices. Findings from the state budget show that the current administration has increased allocations to the health sector by over fourfold within two years compared to the last administration. However, poor fund releases distort this picture. For instance, N2.2 billion was allocated to the sector in 2023, N6.1 billion in 2024, and N11.6 billion in 2025, indicating an increase of 427.3 per cent over two years. Amidst this increase, only N1 billion was released between January and September 2024. While existing PHCs are understaffed and under-equipped, the state government, through its economic blueprint, Arise Agenda, is building 31 Model PHCs across the 31 LGAs in the state. According to data obtained from the 2025 budget, one of the PHCs already commissioned in Uyo cost N500 million, while another at Ikot Abasi was allocated N400 million. Childhood mortality Amidst the states huge oil revenue, trends in early childhood mortality rates in the South-south states indicate that Akwa Ibom is at the top of the table. According to the 202324 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey , Akwa Ibom has the highest neonatal and under-five mortality rates among the south-south states. This survey aligns with the findings of this investigation, in which health workers testified that expectant mothers only visit PHCs for antenatal care but have deliveries at traditional midwives. The data shows that Akwa Ibom has a neonatal mortality rate of 38 per 1,000, indicating that one in every 26 newborns dies within the first month of life. The post-neonatal mortality rate of 17 per 1,000 indicates that one in every 59 newborns dies between the first month of life and the first birthday. The state has an infant mortality rate of 56 per 1,000: one in every 18 newborns dies between birth and the first birthday. It has a child mortality rate of 25 per 1,000, an indication that one in every 40 newborns dies between the first and the fifth birthday, and an under-five mortality rate of 80 per 1,000, showing that one in every 13 newborns dies between birth and the fifth birthday. Poor funding, weak governance challenges A Public Health expert, Godwin Asuquo , highlighted inadequate funding, shortage of skilled workers, weak governance, brain drain, and inefficient drug procurement and supply as challenges facing PHCs in Akwa Ibom. Mr Asuquo, the executive director of the Africa Centre for Health Leadership, a non-profit organisation, listed high out-of-pocket payments and the lack of community participation in the management of PHCs as another challenge facing the sector. When patients in the indigent communities are forced to pay high out-of-pocket costs, they may be deterred from seeking care, leading to delayed or foregone treatment, which can result in poorer health outcomes and increased mortality rates. Mr Asuquo said high out-of-pocket payments can lead to financial hardship for individuals and families, particularly those living in poverty. To address the decay in the sector, Mr Asuquo urged the government to increase the health sector budget to meet the Abuja Declaration target of 15 per cent , prioritise PHC, and upgrade infrastructure through targeted investments in PHC facilities, especially in underserved areas. Recruit and retain health workers by improving salaries, incentives, and rural postings, strengthen coordination across all levels of government for unified PHC management and implementation, and implement national health insurance schemes effectively to reduce out-of-pocket spending, he said. On the role of civil society, the public health expert urged non-profits to advocate for increased government accountability and better health financing at all levels, monitor health service delivery using community scorecards, and report gaps to relevant authorities and mobilise local resources for basic improvements in PHCs. The Executive Director of Better Life Initiative, Koko Udo, corroborated Mr Asuquos views, but added that the state government should make adequate and timely releases to the sector. Mr Udo promised to engage the state government in advocacy to address the challenges facing the PHCs in the state when the outcome of this investigation is published. A medical practitioner in the state, Ime Innokon, said if the PHCs function optimally, with doctors provided, they would restore pregnant womens confidence in patronising PHCs during delivery. If doctors are provided accommodation and allowed to manage the PHCs, the situation will be improved compared to the one managed by nurses, he said. Akwa Ibom govt and TBAs This investigation found that the TBAs have taken over the work of health workers at PHCs in rural communities. At a TBA conference held in Uyo in March, Otobong George, the president of their association in the state, said they have over 4,000 registered members. Mr George cited inaccessibility to health care facilities as one of the factors that attracted expectant mothers to TBAs. I have been to some local government areas where there is no health centre in a particular village. When you find yourself in such a situation, it does not mean that people will not get married or give birth. The TBAs stand in where healthcare facilities are not accessible, Mr George said at the event attended by the state governor, Umo Eno. Mr George highlighted poverty as one of the reasons many patronise TBAs and wondered how a person who cannot afford three square meals a day can afford medical bills. At the event, Governor Eno directed the Ministry of Health to train all the TBAs and post them to PHCs as healthcare workers. That has not been done as of the time of this report. The governor said the state governments health insurance scheme covers childbirth at an annual cost of N18,000. He urged traditional midwives to partner with the programme by becoming recruiting agencies and linking pregnant women to health facilities. Akwa Ibom govt speaks on PHCs condition When PREMIUM TIMES shared the findings of this investigation with the Commissioner for Health, Ekem John, he said the state government was already addressing some of them. On the abandoned health centre in Ikot Ukpong Obio Esse, Mr John, who hails from a community close to the collapsed facility, said he had visited it. He said work was ongoing on a Model Health Centre at the Ward Centre, Ikot Osute, about a five-minute ride to Ikot Ukpong Obio Esse. He argued that building another health centre close to the Model Health Centre made no sense. The village head called and I have told him we cannot build another PHC in the Ikot Ukpong Obio Esse when at the Ward Centre, Ikot Osute, the state government is building a Model Health Centre, he said, stressing that the distance between the two communities can be covered in five minutes on a motorcycle. Regarding the shortage of health workers in the PHCs visited, Mr John described it as a global challenge. Still, he stated that it would be addressed upon completing the recruitment of 1,000 health workers approved by the state government. We acknowledge that there are issues and are taking steps to resolve some of them. We may not be able to resolve all due to competing demands and interests. Still, we will try our best, said Mr John, a former secretary of the Nigeria Medical Association in the state. The commissioner promised to visit Odorikot and Emereoke to assess the PHCs. He also promised to post health workers to them after recruitment. When he was drawn to the urgent need to provide a refrigerator in Odorikot PHC for vaccine storage, the commissioner said, If it is not in this years budget, we can plan towards it next year, and commended the newspaper for providing the feedback. About three months after the commissioner was contacted and briefed on the conditions of PHCs in the state, the state government declared a state of emergency in the health sector, approving the employment of 2,000 health workers and recalling retired workers who are still fit to work back to service, among other measures. This reporting was completed with the support of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID). Page planned and prepared by Ezekiel Oyero. Nigerian resident doctors have warned that worsening insecurity, poor remuneration and stalled career progression are driving a collapse of the countrys healthcare system. The doctors spoke in Katsina on Tuesday at the 45th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), hosted by the Katsina State Government. Incoming NARD president, Mohammad Suleiman, told participants that the number of resident doctors in Nigeria had crashed from about 15,000 in 2014 to 8,000, blaming the trend on low pay, insecurity, and lack of professional opportunities. He said the trend, known locally as the Japa Syndrome, poses an existential threat to the nations health sector, as doctors increasingly leave Nigeria for better conditions abroad. Unless governments at all levels make deliberate efforts to retain health workers through fair pay, improved welfare, and safer work environments, the system will continue to lose its backbone, Mr Suleiman warned. Governor Radda pledges reforms Governor Dikko Radda, who hosted the event and received an award from the doctors, said his government prioritised health reforms by upgrading selected primary health centres to general hospitals and introducing renewable energy to ensure uninterrupted service. He also promised that health workers in Katsina State would receive the necessary support to continue delivering essential services. NARD, however, stressed that piecemeal state-level reforms are insufficient, pointing to the worsening security situation in many northern states that has disrupted services and forced doctors to abandon posts in rural areas. Conference theme The gathering, themed Mitigating Health Worker Migration through Extra-Remuneration Incentives: A Strategy for Sustainable Development, attracted hundreds of doctors from across Nigeria who engaged in technical sessions on retention strategies, fair pay, and career development. NARD President, Zenith Osundara, also led participants to observe a minute of silence for colleagues lost in the past year, while restating the unions commitment to pushing for policies that would keep doctors in Nigeria. The doctors cautioned that without urgent intervention, Nigerias fragile health sector would continue to deteriorate, with patients in rural areas left most vulnerable. Nigeria has one of the lowest doctor-patient ratios globally. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates about 24 doctors per 100,000 people in Nigeria, far below the recommended minimum of 100. Experts warn that if insecurity and welfare challenges persist, the crisis will further cripple access to healthcare, particularly in rural communities. Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc and the Edo State Government say they have partnered to launch a regeneration programme to cultivate over 3,000 forest trees in the states Ovia South West Local Government. Akpele Maxwell, the director of plantation, Edo State Forestry Commission, disclosed this during an interactive session with stakeholders on Wednesday. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that an international NGO, the IDH, and some communities in Ovia South West are also involved in the regeneration programme. Mr Maxwell said the state government was committed to protecting and restoring its ecosystem through strategic partnerships. According to him, the initiative will roll out in phases, beginning with the planting of forest trees across the Gbole-Uba Community, Paul, Magdalene, and Bisi camps, and the Osayamwen Community. This programme, if properly implemented, will not only regenerate depleted forests but will also improve means of livelihoods in participating communities and the state at large, he said. He explained that while forest areas were being replanted, existing farmers would continue farming alongside the new trees, with government assurances that their crops would not be destroyed. Ogwu Abraham, a senior programme manager at IDH, noted that the project aligned with the non-profits mission of promoting sustainable agriculture and improving rural livelihoods. This partnership with Okomu Oil and the Edo State Government is part of our wider programme in the Okomu landscape to strengthen both farmers welfare and forest protection, Mr Abraham said. Billy Ghansah, smallholder coordinator for Okomu Oil, highlighted the companys commitment to conservation. Okomu Oil has set aside about 3,000 hectares of its concession as protected forest areas. Despite challenges of illegal logging and encroachment, we are confident that this new roadmap will bring all stakeholders together to safeguard forests within our concession and beyond, Mr Ghansah said. Community representatives, including Alex Sese of Gbole-Uba, Dada Magdalene of Magdalene Camp, Edomie Precious of Paul Camp, and John Aghayere of Osayamwen Community, pledged their support for the project. We are reassured that our crops will coexist with the forest trees. If everyone keeps their commitments, Edo will soon become a reference point for forest regeneration in Nigeria, Mr Sese said, on behalf of the stakeholders. At the close of the session, stakeholders unanimously agreed to kick-start the project by planting 3,000 trees, with communities taking full ownership of the regeneration effort. Publishing houses that delivered textbooks to schools late will pay millions in fines, Deputy Minister of Education and Science Nadiya Kuzmichova has said. The state assumes obligations to deliver paper textbooks. As of September 1, we had delivered 84%. Accordingly, there are these 16% that did not reach schools on time. The reason for the lateness, in particular, is the testing of the new mechanism. That is, some publishing houses managed, and some did not manage to timely pack, send and, in fact, track the receipt of these textbooks, Kuzmichova said in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday, answering the question of why the new mechanism for delivering textbooks (from publishing houses to educational institutions) showed worse results this year than the old mechanism (through regional book databases). According to the Deputy Minister, one of the reasons why this happened is that some publishing houses overestimated their capabilities We see that we have four publishing houses that entered into a partnership, joined their efforts, but in fact, it worked worse than if each delivered separately But in no case can we say that if one did not manage, or, for example, four out of 15, this means that the mechanism is not working well, she added. She singled out the Ranok publishing house, which was supposed to deliver 770 ,000 textbooks directly using the new mechanism, and coped with this task almost on time. At the same time, she said that the Geneza publishing house, being large enough, undertook to deliver its textbooks, as well as textbooks from three slightly smaller publishing houses, but it did not have the capacity for this. And this means that the reason for the non-delivery by other publishing houses is not in the mechanism, not in the fact that it does not allow this to be done, but in the absence of safeguards that we are analyzing and will lay down for the next time, including higher penalties. They are there now, and all these publishing houses will pay millions in penalties, she said. In particular, according to her, according to the terms of the contracts, more than UAH 3 million in fines for non-delivery of textbooks have already accrued in September, and if the textbooks are not delivered by the end of September, then from October 1 the penalties will double. That is, the mechanism of sanctions, it is also in this contract. But if we see such a situation, I have a logical conclusion that this mechanism is insufficient. That is, it does not have other safeguards. And therefore we will think about what to add more, she said. President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday conferred the posthumous honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger on four Ogoni chiefs killed during the Ogoni crisis in the 90s. They are Edward Kobani, Albert Bade, Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage. The then-military regime of Sani Abacha had accused the Nigerian writer and environmental rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and eight other Ogoni chiefs of being responsible for the killing of the Ogoni Four. Mr Saro-Wiwa and Co, who denied the allegation, were hanged in 1995 after a military tribunal tried and convicted them of murder, an action that provoked global outrage against the Nigerian government. Mr Tinubu announced the conferment of the posthumous honour on the Ogoni Four following the presentation of the report by the Presidential Committee on the Ogoni Consultations, chaired by Don Baridam, at the State House in Abuja, according to a statement from the presidents spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga. Mr Onanuga said Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State led the Ogoni delegation to the ceremony. The president had, on 12 June, conferred national honours on the late Saro-Wiwa and the eight others during Nigerias Democracy Day celebration. The latest conferment of the national honours is apparently to bring an end to the protracted acrimony between the families of the Ogoni Nine and the Ogoni Four. At the Wednesdays ceremony, the president directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately engage the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Ogoni people, and other relevant stakeholders with a view to finalising the modalities for the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland. See the State House press release below: PRESIDENT TINUBU RECEIVES OGONI DIALOGUE REPORT, AWARDS POSTHUMOUS HONOURS TO OGONI FOUR President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately engage the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Ogoni people, and other relevant stakeholders with a view to finalising the modalities for the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland. President Tinubu issued the directive on Wednesday, following the presentation of the report by the Presidential Committee on the Ogoni Consultations, chaired by Professor Don Baridam, at the State House in Abuja. Governor Siminalayi of Rivers State led the Ogoni delegation to the ceremony. The President also used the occasion to confer the posthumous national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on four members of Ogoniland who died in the struggle to ensure environmental protection of their land. They are: Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Albert Bade, Chief Samuel Orage, and Chief Theophilus Orage. In June, President Tinubu conferred national honours on Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists, brutally killed by the Sani Abacha military regime. While commending the Baridam committee for the dedication and wisdom its members demonstrated in guiding the process, the President urged the Ogoni people to close ranks and engage in dialogue, as the government will do its best to safeguard their environment. We are not, as a government, taking lightly the years of pain endured in Ogoniland. We recognise that, otherwise, we would not be here today. The Federal Government truly acknowledges the long suffering of the Ogoni people, and today, we declare with conviction that hope is here and is back with us, the President said. President Tinubu also acknowledged the struggles and sacrifices made by the Ogoni people in their quest for justice and environmental protection. He directed the Minister of Environment and the NSA to integrate programmes into a broader dialogue and implementation process. Accordingly, I am directing the National Security Adviser to commence immediately the engagement between the Ogoni people and NNPCL and all relevant stakeholders with a view to finalising modalities to begin operations. We must start by addressing non-valuable assets, which are of no benefit to the community, the country, or its people. The President assured stakeholders of the governments determination to deploy the necessary resources to address the concerns of the Ogoni people and achieve shared prosperity. I urge Ogoni people across the communities and generations to close ranks, put this dark chapter behind us, and move forward as a united community. We have settled. This reconciliation is not an erasure of history but the commitment to write the next chapter together. I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production under an equitable tax system. President Tinubu added that the federal Government will deploy necessary resources to support the Ogoni people in their march towards shared prosperity. Governor Siminalayi Fubara stated that the confidence-building measures implemented by the President had already led to an improvement in the work done on the East-West Road, among other projects, adding that the establishment of the Federal University of Environment and Technology was also a positive step in the right direction. The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, stated that President Tinubu, at the beginning of the process, approved some early confidence-building steps to be undertaken for the establishment of needed trust, affirming that these steps resulted in stakeholders putting aside their differences to bring about a collective report. These included the constitution of the University of Environment and Technology governing Council and making significant progress on the East-West Road, among others. All through the process, tensions and divisions were carefully mediated, and a spirit of dialogue prevailed over confrontation, leading to a constructive and all-inclusive consultation process. This report, being formally presented to your excellency today, is the outcome of that intensive, methodical and transparent engagement. While not forgetting past injustices, all parties have reached a point of collective readiness to see the responsible resumption of oil production in Ogoniland anchored on fairness, equity, environmental responsibility and direct community benefit. Also, there has been a call in unison to reposition the hydrocarbon pollution remediation project, HYPREP, given the convergence of environmental remediation and renewed operations, in a manner that synchronises with the dialogue process. He added that the Ogoni people also needed structured participation in activities through equity development funds, employment, and institutional sectors. The Chairman of the Committee, Professor Don Baridam, thanked President Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to the well-being of the Ogoni people. Your decision to create this committee under the leadership of the National Security Adviser has proven foresight and right. His steady hand via diplomacy and relentless insistence on dialogue has earned the trust of other communities and restored hope that had long been thwarted. He expressed the committees gratitude to the President for the posthumous national award bestowed last June on Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight other members of the Ogoni-nine. He described the gesture as an acknowledgement of their immense sacrifices in the struggle for environmental justice and human rights in the Niger Delta. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) September 24, 2025 President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has delivered a strongly worded reform policy proposal to the United Nations on Wednesday, warning that the global body must embrace sweeping restructurings or face growing irrelevance as world events increasingly bypass its influence. The president criticised the organisations record, pointing to the ongoing human suffering in the Middle East and other regions as stains on our collective humanity. In his address to the UN General Assemblys 80th session, President Tinubu, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, warned that the UNs credibility is being undermined by the gulf between its words and its deeds while positioning Nigerias economic transformation as a model for developing nations. For all our careful diplomatic language, the slow pace of progress on these hardy perennials of the UN General Assembly debate has led some to look away from the multilateral model. Some years ago, I noticed a shift at this gathering: key events were beginning to take place outside this hall, and the most sought-after voices were no longer heads of state, the president said. President Tinubu outlined four key reform demands, starting with Nigerias call for permanent UN Security Council membership. Nigeria must have a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. This should take place as part of a wider process of institutional reform. The United Nations will recover its relevance only when it reflects the world as it is, not as it was, he stated. The president emphasised Nigerias transformation from a colony of 20 million people, absent from the tables where decisions about our fate were taken to a sovereign nation of over 236 million, projected to be the third most populous country in the world, with one of the youngest and most dynamic populations on earth. President Tinubu also expressed deep frustration with the pace of international progress on critical issues, from nuclear disarmament to Security Council reform. When we speak of nuclear disarmament, the proliferation of small weapons, Security Council reform, fair access to trade and finance, and the conflicts and human suffering across the world, we must recognise the truth. These are stains on our collective humanity, he stated. Taking a direct stance on the Palestinian issue, the president declared: We say, without stuttering and without doubt, that a two-state solution remains the most dignified path to lasting peace for the people of Palestine. He added: The people of Palestine are not collateral damage in a civilisation searching for order. They are human beings, equal in worth, entitled to the same freedoms and dignities that the rest of us take for granted. Speaking further, President Tinubu proposed radical reforms to the global financial system, calling for new mechanisms to address the sovereign debt crisis plaguing developing nations. I am calling for a new and binding mechanism to manage sovereign debt, a sort of International Court of Justice for money, that will allow emerging economies to escape the economic straitjacket of primary production of unprocessed exports, he said. He emphasised the need for urgent action to promote debt relief not as an act of charity but as a clear path to the peace and prosperity that benefits us all. The president positioned Africas natural resources as central to future global stability, emphasising the need for African control over strategic minerals. Africa and I must include Nigeria has in abundance the critical minerals that will drive the technologies of the future, President Tinubu said. Investment in exploration, development and processing of these minerals, in Africa, will diversify supply to the international market, reduce tensions between major economies and help shape the architecture for peace and prosperity. He insisted that countries producing strategic minerals must benefit fairly from those minerals in terms of investment, partnership, local processing and jobs. When we export raw materials, as we have been doing, tension, inequality, and instability fester. On the new information frontiers, President Tinubu called for closing the digital divide, referencing the UN Secretary-Generals vision that A.I. must stand for Africa Included. I am calling for a new dialogue, to ensure we promote the best of the opportunities that are arising and promote the level of access that allows emerging economies more quickly, to close a wealth and knowledge gap that is in no ones interest, he stated. Addressing Nigerias ongoing economic transformation, President Tinubu acknowledged the difficult reality facing his citizens but said that Nigerias economic reforms represent a model for resilience. The government has taken difficult but necessary steps to restructure our economy and remove distortions, including subsidies and currency controls that benefited the few at the expense of the many, he explained. I believe in the power of the market to transform. Our task is to enable and facilitate, and to trust in the ingenuity and enterprise of the people. But the process of transition is difficult, the President said. On Nigerias fight against terrorism and violent extremism, President Tinubu outlined a philosophy that prioritises ideological victory over military conquest. From this long and difficult struggle with violent extremism, one truth stands clear: military tactics may win battles measured in months and years, but in wars that span generations, it is values and ideas that deliver the ultimate victory, he stated. President Tinubu call for renewed commitment to multilateralism, while reaffirming Nigerias commitment to peace, to development, to unity, to multilateralism, and to the defence of human rights is beyond compromise. For none of us is safe until all of us are safe. We must make real change, change that works, and change that is seen to work. If we fail, the direction of travel is already predictable, he warned. Stanley Nkwocha Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President) 24th September, 2025 Armed bandits on Tuesday attacked Motokun and Agboro communities in the Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing two persons, including a police officer, and abducting six residents. The Kwara State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday, noting that the attacks occurred on 23 September. According to the statement signed by the commands spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the armed men first stormed Motokun, where six persons were abducted and six others sustained gunshot injuries. Sadly, one female victim later died at the hospital, while the others are currently receiving medical attention, Ejire-Adeyemi said. She added that the attackers later moved to Agboro, where they targeted a private company. In the course of the attack, one police officer gallantly lost his life in active service, while properties within the facility were also vandalised, she said. The statement said the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, has deployed tactical teams in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to restore order and ensure the rescue of the abducted victims. It added that patrols and surveillance had been intensified in the affected areas. The Command commiserates with the families of those affected by this tragic incident and urges members of the public to remain calm and security-conscious, while promptly reporting suspicious movements or activities to the nearest security formation, the police spokesperson said. The Nigerian government has said a two-state solution is the most dignified path to ensure lasting peace between Palestine and Israel. The country now joins the long list of countries calling for a two-state solution to end the war in Gaza and the recognition of an independent Palestinian state a solution that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vehemently kicked against. While delivering an address to World leaders at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Nigerias vice president, Kashim Shettima, said Palestinians must be granted equal freedom and dignity as granted to citizens of every other state They are human beings, equal in worth, entitled to the same freedoms and dignities that the rest of us take for granted, he said. Mr Shettima said Palestinians are not collateral damage in a civilisation searching for order. He stated that the community has been subjected to prolonged conflicts and a devastating humanitarian crisis. That is why we say, without stuttering and without doubt, that a two-state solution remains the most dignified path to lasting peace for the people of Palestine. The community has borne the weight of moral conflict. For too long, we have been caught in the crossfire of violence that offends the conscience of humanity. We come not as partisans, but as peacemakers. We come as brothers and sisters of a shared world, a world that must never reduce the right to live into the currency of devious politics, he said. Nigeria speaks on Israeli aggression in Gaza Mr Shettima further noted that Nigeria has taken this stance on the Israel-Hamas war due to its experience with terrorism and armed conflict. The vice-president stated that terrorist organisations in the country despise Nigeria due to its commitment to peace over tyranny and disorder. Their ambition is to divide us and to poison our humanity with a toxic rhetoric of hate, he said to World Leaders. Our difference is the distance between shadow and light, between despair and hope, between the ruin of anarchy and the promise of order. We do not only fight wars, we feed and shelter the innocent victims of war. This is why we are not indifferent to the devastations of our neighbours, near and distant, he said. The Vice President said Nigerias commitment to peace in the face of violence perpetuated by terrorists in its country has made it vocal against violence in other parts of the world. This is why we speak of the violence and aggression visited upon innocent civilians in Gaza, the illegal attack on Qatar, and the tensions that scar the wider region. It is not only because of the culture of impunity that makes such acts intolerable, he said. Mr Shettima said Nigerias own bitter experience has shown that such violence never ends where it begins. We do not believe that the sanctity of human life should be trapped in the corridors of endless debate. Palestinian statehood As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and Israeli forces continue their assault on the Gaza Strip in an effort to seize it, world leaders are increasingly calling for an end to the war. Many of them have asked Israel to stop its genocidal war in Gaza and commit to a long-term sustainable peace process that delivers a two-state solution and allows more aid into the enclave. Countries are also increasingly pushing for a two-state solution, with some of them such as the UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal declaring official recognition of Palestinian statehood. France, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Andorra and Belgium also formally recognised a Palestinian state at the ongoing session of the UNGA. Recognising Palestines statehood means acknowledging the existence of a state that represents the Palestinian people. It also means countries can develop full diplomatic relations with representatives of this state. It can exchange embassies and negotiate government-level agreements. According to the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, the recognition was intended to maintain prospects for peace. In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and of a two-state solution, Mr Starmer said in a video statement on Sunday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also said, Canada recognises the State of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel. However, Mr Netanyahu said he has always frustrated the creation of a Palestinian State and will continue to do so. He also described recognition of Palestine by countries as an absurd prize for terrorism. US President Donald Trump also expressed displeasure with countries that recognised Palestine as an independent state. Currently, the State of Palestine is recognised as a sovereign nation by 157 of the 193 UN member states, representing 81 per cent of the international community. The Holy See also recognises the state, the governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. The body holds UN non-member observer status. Nigeria, however, is yet to join this list. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has terminated the JICA Africa Hometown initiative, following widespread protests in Japan over concerns that the programme would trigger increased immigration from Africa. The agency scrapped the initiative after struggling to contain the slew of misinformation online about it. The hometown agreement, announced by JICA at an African development conference in Yokohama in August, aims to strengthen Japans ties with Nigeria and other African countries. It was intended to foster exchanges between four municipalities in Japan and four countries in Africa. But Japanese citizens believed the policy was initiated to promote immigration from Africa. This misinformation was also escalated by the Nigerian governments false announcement that the agreement would create a new visa category allowing Africans to relocate to Japan. The Japanese cities and their respective partner nations were: Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture with Nigeria; Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture with Tanzania; Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture with Ghana; and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture with Mozambique. However, President Bola Tinubus administration announced that the new partnership with Japan would create a special dispensation visa for Nigerians to work in Japan. This announcement, however, increased misinformation about the programme and worsened outrage about it in Japan, causing waves of protests with citizens calling for its cancellation. According to the Japan Times, the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Akihiko Tanaka, on Thursday said, Taking the situation seriously, upon consultations with stakeholders, JICA has decided to cancel the Africa Hometown Initiative. We emphasise, however, that promoting international exchange, including with Africa, remains an important priority, and pledge to continue supporting such efforts despite withdrawing the Africa hometown project. Mr Tanaka explained that the agency has been working with the Japanese Foreign Ministry to address the misinformation surrounding the agreement, but the uproar remains unsettled. He added that the ongoing uncertainty also continues to create difficulties for local municipalities. We would like to make it clear that JICA has never undertaken initiatives to promote immigration, nor does it have any intention of doing so in the future, Mr Tanaka added. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that after the Nigerian government announced that the initiative would create a new visa pathway, the Japanese foreign ministry issued a statement debunking the information. However, according to Japanese local media outlets, the governments effort did little to quell the outrage. The content of the project is meaningful. Although we are withdrawing it, we will continue to promote international exchanges more actively, an official of the Japanese foreign ministry was quoted as saying. A controversial reform introduced by former Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2017 almost disrupted Ibadans royal succession, which is known for its seamlessness and predictability. Acting on the recommendations of the Akintunde Boade Commission, Mr Ajimobi, who passed away in 2020, issued White Papers and gazettes that elevated nine high chiefs and 21 Baales to the status of beaded-crown Obas. At a colourful ceremony in Mapo Hall in August 2017, the newly crowned chiefs and Baales wore beaded crowns and were presented with staff of office in what the governor hailed as a modernisation of Ibadans chieftaincy system. An elevated high chief would be addressed as His Royal Majesty, while the elevated Baales would be addressed as His Royal Highness. Despite their new ranks, all remained under the authority of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, who bore the title of His Imperial Majesty. Officials made it clear that although the chiefs now held royal positions, none was allowed to add the -land suffix to their titles, a privilege reserved strictly for the Olubadan. Mr Ajimobis commission also recommended collapsing the hierarchical rungs in the Otun and Balogun lines to shorten the decades-long movement that often resulted in aged Olubadans ascending the throne. But the move ignited a controversy as Ibadans unique succession system, whereby the Olubadan emerges through promotion up the ladder of two traditional lines Otun and the Balogun. Under the system introduced by the Ajimobi administration, many deemed the high chiefs elevated to Obaship to have left the Olubadan ladder. The event marked a turning point in the history of the city, which historically had the Olubadan as the only beaded crown-wearing traditional ruler. Ladojas resistance Among the fiercest opponents of the changes was Rashidi Ladoja, then Osi Olubadan and former state governor. He boycotted the Mapo coronation, rejected pressure to accept a crown himself, and sued Mr Ajimobis government. Accepting a beaded crown, he argued, would betray Ibadan tradition and render the orderly succession meaningless. Powerful political voices urged him to reconsider. But he would not budge. In November 2019, the Oyo State High Court, through a consent judgment presided over by Justice Aderonke Aderemi, set aside gazettes 14 and 15 of 2017 and 3 of 2018 that legalised the new Obas. The ruling revoked the right to wear crowns and restored the primacy of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration. The 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration The 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration is the legal framework that guides succession to the throne of the Olubadan. It formally set out the traditional arrangement where the seat alternates between two distinct lines of high chiefs: the Otun (civil line) and the Balogun (military line). Advancement is strictly by seniority, with each chief moving step by step through the hierarchy until the most senior surviving chief in the line due for rotation becomes the next Olubadan. The 1957 declaration legalised a system long praised for its orderliness and fairness. It eliminated uncertainty around succession and reduced disputes, ensuring that the Olubadan stool is filled based on progression rather than appointment. It gave all male sons of Ibadan the chance to aspire to be Olubadan. However, Mr Ajomobi argued that revising the Olubadan chieftaincy system was not new. He reminded critics that Oyo State had made reviews in the past, going as far back as the 1970s and repeating the process in 1981, 1993, and again in 2000. He also pointed out that Mr Ladoja, as governor, set up the Adio Commission to review the Olubadan chieftaincy declaration but later discarded the recommendations. Mr Ajimobi said the reform was pushed forward after steady pressure from within the Ibadan community. He named the proponents of the reforms to include the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) and respected individuals like Theophilus Akinyele and the late Omowale Kuye. The 1957 Olubadan chieftaincy system holds The practical effect of the courts decision became clear in March 2022, when the then most senior high chief, Lekan Balogun, was installed as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland. Had Mr Ajimobis elevation stood, Mr Baloguns prior coronet title might have invalidated his claim to the Olubadan stool, along with other high chiefs. Professor of African Studies Toyin Falola clearly depicted the situation. On Thursday, he told PREMIUM TIMES that by crowning Baales and certain high chiefs as Obas, the law would have dismantled the Olubadan-in-Councils structured ladder of promotion. He added that it would also have created new royal titles and jurisdictions outside the scope of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration, which had long defined the non-ruling status of such offices. He further noted that the reform could have prevented Mr Ladoja from becoming Olubadan if he had not declined the crown and the court had insisted on the reform in its integrity without exception. Mr Ladoja later reconciled with his colleagues in the Olubadan-in-Council, moving up to Otun Olubadan and edging closer to the throne he fought to preserve. Governor Makinde introduces his own reforms Governor Seyi Makinde later signed an amendment to the Oyo State Chiefs Law in 2023, expressly empowering the governor to confer beaded crowns. However, unlike Mr Ajimobis reform, Governor Makindes amendment clarifies that the traditional ladder to the Olubadan stool remained untouched. Even with beaded crowns, the high chiefs would retain their position in the ladder and still be eligible to become Olubadan when their turn comes. So, while Mr Ajimobis approach left the system vulnerable to legal challenge, Governor Makindes law closed the loophole by spelling out that wearing a crown does not exclude them from ascending. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the revised chieftaincy declaration altered Section 4, changing the eligibility wording from the most Senior (High) Chief in that line to the most Senior Beaded Crown Oba in that line. This initially raised fears that chiefs who refused coronets might lose their place in succession, but the law also clarified that the Olubadan ladder remained intact. That assurance explains why even Mr Ladoja, once Mr Ajimobis critic, eventually accepted the crown under Governor Makindes version of the law. The law was put to its first real test in March 2024, following the death of Oba Lekan Balogun. His successor, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, emerged as the most senior chief on the Balogun line and, crucially, already held a beaded crown conferred under the Governor Makinde-eras law. Therefore, his elevation satisfied tradition and the new legal framework, unlike the uncertainty that trailed Mr Ajimobis reforms. It was only after Mr Olakulehins installation that Mr Ladoja accepted the beaded crown, reassured that the amendment guaranteed his place in the line of succession. On Friday (26 September), Mr Ladoja will be crowned as the 44th Olubadan, a culmination of years of resistance, legal battles, and eventual compromise that ensured the citys unique succession system remained intact while adapting to modern realities. The Nigerian Aviation Fire and Safety Association (NAFSA) has warned that a growing culture of impunity among airline passengers is threatening safety at the nations airports. In a letter to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, the association said years of leniency in handling unruly passengers have emboldened disruptive behaviour and weakened the authority of airport officials. Past leniency has created a perception of impunity, NAFSA stated, warning that such actions, if unchecked, could escalate during the forthcoming Yuletide season when passenger traffic typically surges. High-profile incidents The group cited several recent cases involving prominent Nigerians, including former Edo governor, Adams Oshiomhole, fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde (popularly known as KWAM 1), and a passenger identified as Comfort Emmanson as examples of how disorderly conduct at airports undermines safety and emboldens others to copy such behaviour. The association argued that weak enforcement of regulations, economic pressures, and disregard for airport authority fuel misconduct. Unruly passengers are a serious threat, not just to staff but to other travellers and airport security as a whole, it warned. NAFSA acknowledged the recent sensitisation campaigns organised by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) but insisted they fall short without consistent enforcement. While commending Mr Keyamos intervention in the Comfort Emmanson case, the group cautioned against what it described as patterns of forgiveness that send the wrong message to the public. No disorderly passenger should be pardoned in future cases, the association maintained, urging the government to adopt a zero-tolerance approach. The association recommended faster adjudication of unruly passenger cases, staff retraining in conflict management, and regular rotation of workers in sensitive duty posts to avoid complacency. In extreme cases, it suggested that passengers who threaten safety should be immediately removed from flights, even if it means cancellations. NAFSA also warned that delays in handling misconduct could erode public confidence in the aviation justice system and compromise security. Founded nearly three decades ago, NAFSA is a professional body representing aviation fire-fighters, rescue and safety staff across Nigerian airports. It describes itself as a gatekeeper of safety, working with FAAN, NCAA, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) to push for stronger standards and better training. The association has a track record of raising alarms about systemic risks in the aviation sector. For instance in May 2024, it warned of a surge in runway excursions in Lagos and Abuja, urging regulators to enforce safety recommendations. Earlier this year, in April 2025, it also condemned United Nigeria Airlines for operating flights during a strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, saying flying without weather reports endangered lives. In 2024, it threatened a nationwide protest over government revenue deductions from aviation agencies, arguing the policy was crippling safety-critical functions. The Benue State Government has launched a pilot programme to empower 10 farm clusters across the state with tractors, improved seeds, inputs, and access to markets. The initiative, inaugurated on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Bureau for Agricultural Development and Mechanisation in Makurdi, is part of the states plan to revive its status as Nigerias food basket. The scheme is designed to provide farmers with tools, knowledge, and structured opportunities that will make agriculture profitable again, the governors spokesperson, Tersoo Kula, said in a statement. Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented at the ceremony by his deputy, Sam Ode, described the scheme as a gateway to prosperity. He said the direct involvement of credible private partners would make mechanisation more affordable and accessible for farmers. By dealing directly with manufacturers, the costs of these machines will be significantly reduced, making it easier for the government to provide subsidies, Mr Alia said, while handing over a tractor key to the President of the Benue State Farmers Cooperative Federation. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Benjamin Ashaver, said the programme would improve yields and create wealth and opportunities for women and young people. Benue must continue to lead in agricultural innovation as the food basket of the nation, Mr Ashaver said. Mohammed Yaro, who represented Mass International, one of the private partners, reaffirmed his companys commitment to the scheme. He announced plans to establish a tractor assembly and innovation hub in Benue, expected to create about 5,000 jobs. This goes beyond assembling tractors; it is about building a hub for innovation, training, and job creation, Mr Yaro said. READ ALSO: One dead as bomb explosion rocks Imo community Similarly, Elias Ameh of SABASPAC International Limited said the Outgrower Cluster Farm model had been developed to strengthen smallholder cooperatives. He disclosed that more than 120,000 farmers had already been captured in the programmes database. A representative of the Senior Cooperative Farmers Federation welcomed the initiative but appealed to the government to provide further subsidies on tractors and inputs to ease farmers transition to mechanised farming. We want to return Benue to its rightful place as the food basket of the nation, the representative said. The Police Command in Rivers State has urged residents to disregard online reports of an armed robbery at a popular bank in Port Harcourt. Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson of the command, stated this in a statement she issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. She said the misleading report falsely claimed that armed robbers stormed a bank on 23 September and advised people to avoid parts of the city. The command categorically states that no such incident occurred anywhere in Port Harcourt or across Rivers State, she declared. Ms Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said the false report was designed to cause unnecessary panic and fear among residents. We urge the public to disregard the report entirely and desist from sharing unverified information, she added. She reaffirmed the commands commitment to safeguarding residents and visitors in the state. According to her, police operatives remain on constant patrols and are on high alert to respond to any security threats. Therefore, there is no cause for alarm, she assured. Ms Iringe-Koko advised residents to verify information from official sources before sharing, warning that deliberate spreaders of falsehood would face prosecution. (NAN) USA scrambles four F-16s to monitor four Russian planes near Alaska The United States scrambled F-16 fighter jets to intercept four Russian military aircraft near Alaska on Wednesday, Sept. 24, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked two Tu-95s and two Su-35s operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Sept. 24, 2025. NORAD responded with an E-3, four F-16s, and four KC-135 tankers to positively identify and intercept in the Alaskan ADIZ, the X social media platform said in a post on Thursday. The Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone is international airspace, but borders the sovereign airspace of the United States and Canada. Cross River State Government has banned workbook-embedded textbooks in all government and private schools across the state. The ban is part of a comprehensive package of education policy reforms designed to standardise practices in public and private schools, safeguard pupils welfare, and improve data management across the state. The reforms were announced by the state Commissioner for Education, Stephen Odey, during a press briefing in Calabar on Wednesday. According to Mr Odey, only textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education will be permitted in schools. Publishers are prohibited from embedding workbooks that make textbooks non-transferable. He said the policy is to ensure uniformity, cost savings, and textbook reuse among pupils. The government also announced a uniform academic calendar for all public and private schools in the state, including opening and closing at the same time. It warned that schools that fail to comply risk sanctions, including derecognition and withholding of approval-to-operate. To reduce unnecessary costs for parents, the state government also abolished graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, nursery, and non-exit classes, except Primary 6, JSS3, and SS3. The commissioner further directed all schools to end classes at 1:00 p.m. for primary and 2 p.m. for secondary levels, and also banned compulsory after-school lessons to prevent mental fatigue, physical stress, and additional financial burdens on parents. The reforms make extra lessons optional but with parental consent, as the ministry will not be responsible for any issues arising outside the approved schedule. To combat rising drug use among students, every public and private school must establish anti-drug clubs to monitor and report incidents, raise awareness, and work with authorities to enforce discipline, he said. As part of measures to prevent bullying, all schools have been mandated to establish Anti-Bullying Committees. Mr Odey warned that any student caught bullying will face instant expulsion to deter misconduct. The commissioner said the initiative aims to create a safer and more respectful learning environment. He said that beginning with the 2025/2026 academic session, all pupilsfrom Kindergarten to SS3will be assigned a unique index number. The new system, he said, will improve data accuracy, prevent fraudulent transfers, and streamline admissions. Distribution of index numbers will begin in early 2026 once admission documentation is complete. Mr Odey, who said that implementation takes effect immediately, advised school managers and proprietors to comply without delay, as violators will face sanctions. The commissioner expressed gratitude to Governor Otu for endorsing the reforms, describing them as a significant step toward achieving holistic, quality education for all Cross River children. Other states with similar policy Mandatory new textbooks and uniforms for a new academic session in secondary schools are common among many private schools in Nigeria. The new academic session has begun this month, and many parents and guardians in Nigeria are apprehensive about the financial burden of sending their children and wards back to school. In August this year, the Anambra State Government banned the writing of assignments by students in textbooks, describing the practice as wasteful and unsustainable. In Ondo State, the government, in August, prohibited the sessional changes of textbooks which prevents them from being reused by other students. The Katsina State Government has uncovered 3,488 ghost and unqualified workers in its local government and education system. It projects a monthly saving of 453.3 million if reforms from a new biometric screening are fully implemented. Governor Dikko Radda disclosed this on Thursday after receiving the report of the Biometric Screening Committee, which reviewed the records of 50,172 staff across the 34 local government councils and Local Education Authorities (LEAs). According to the findings, only 46,380 workers were verified as authentic staff. The committee discovered widespread irregularities, including fake certificates, falsified birth dates, absenteeism, double salaries, underage employment, and illegal promotions. The report also revealed 4.6 million recovered from staff drawing multiple salaries from both state and federal agencies. In one case, the Education Secretary of Zango LEA was indicted for creating 24 ghost workers and attempting to pass them through the screening exercise. Governor Radda, who described the exercise as the first unified digital database of LGC and LEA staff in Katsinas history, said the reforms were necessary to free the state from financial leakages. Despite high revenue allocations, many local governments in Katsina still struggle to pay salaries because of these fraudulent practices. Councils such as Kafur, Malumfashi, and Daura carry very heavy wage bills, mostly due to workers who are not genuine, Mr Radda said. He directed that the committees recommendations be developed into a White Paper for full implementation, stressing that every irregularity must be addressed honestly and fairly. Mr Radda disclosed that local governments had already saved about 500 million, a figure he said would rise to 5.7 billion when the committees recommendations take effect. I did this to save the state from the grip of a few. This is how we can have money to work for the general people in our local governments, the governor added. The screening exercise was carried out by a 10-member committee chaired by Abdullahi A. Gagare, with support from retired permanent secretaries, directors, co-opted members and security personnel. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has renewed contracts with two Saudi companies to provide key services for Nigerian pilgrims during the 2026 Hajj. At a signing ceremony in Jeddah on Thursday, NAHCON Chairperson Abdullahi Usman entered into agreements with Mashariq Dhahabiyya, which will manage services at the Mashair (Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah), and Daleel Al Muaalem, which will provide transportation throughout the pilgrimage. According to NAHCONs Principal Information Officer, Sani Shafii, the chairman said both firms were retained following their strong performance in 2025, though he urged them to surpass last years achievements. We were satisfied with the services rendered last year, but we want even more this time, Mr Usman said. Our pilgrims are guests of Ar-Rahman, and they deserve the best care. Early Preparations Signing the contracts is part of NAHCONs early preparations for next years Hajj. Earlier this month, a high-level delegation from the commission travelled to Saudi Arabia to secure contracts for accommodation, catering, transport, and medical services ahead of regulatory deadlines. Officials say the early negotiations will allow NAHCON to monitor service providers more closely and resolve potential challenges before pilgrims arrive. The commission has also expanded its digital registration system to enable pilgrims to pay and track their packages online, curbing fraud and strengthening coordination with state welfare boards. Building on the 2025 experience In 2025, about 55,000 Nigerians participated in the annual religious ritual. In 2026, about 95,000 Nigerians are expected to perform the Hajj, making the country one of the largest contingents outside the Arab world. The 2025 exercise, widely described as one of the smoothest in recent years, recorded improvements in airlift schedules and transport logistics. However, complaints persisted about feeding arrangements in some camps and tent allocations at Mina. Mr Usman said the commission is determined to build on last years successes while addressing shortcomings. Our goal is to ensure safety, welfare, and comfort for every pilgrim, and to make sure Nigerians feel the value of every naira they commit to this spiritual journey, he said. The Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters (NBRP) has announced the date and programmes for its 5th National Conference on Reading and Annual General Meeting (AGM). NBRP, in a statement signed by its secretary, Chido Onumah, said the event is set to hold on Thursday, 25 September in Abuja. The conference, themed Reading, A Unifying Factor, is expected to bring together educationists, cultural leaders, policymakers, and advocates of literacy from across Nigeria. Guest and speakers According to the statement, the event will be chaired by Udenta Udenta, Director General of the African Writers Institute, Abuja while Dominic Omokaro, immediate past president of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), will deliver the keynote address. Other notable guests include Chinwe Anunobi, National Librarian and CEO, National Library of Nigeria; Ekong Sampson, representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District; Sonny Echono, Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund); and National stakeholders in literacy, publishing and education. Programme highlights The organisers reveal that the conference will feature keynote addresses, panel sessions, awards, and cultural performances. While the panel discussions will focus on themes such as Managing Public Libraries and Teaching Reading in Nigerian schools, the Awards Presentation will honour individuals and institutions advancing literacy. Also, the Cultural and Award Night will feature book readings, cultural performances, open-mic sessions, and networking. The AGM session which is only reserved for accredited NBRP members, will include the presentation of reports, discussions on the 2026 and 2027 Book City initiatives, and the election and inauguration of a new executive committee. Conference significance The NBRP said the conference has become a rallying point for stakeholders committed to reviving Nigerias reading culture and promoting literacy as a foundation for national development. This years theme, Reading, A Unifying Factor, underscores the power of books to foster dialogue, inclusion, and social cohesion, the statement reads. It added that the gathering will not only celebrate achievements in literacy promotion but also set new directions for the future of reading in Nigeria, strengthening the collaboration between education, culture, and policy. A two-storey building collapsed on Wednesday evening at 4 Modupeola Street, Mangoro Bus Stop, Alimosho, Lagos State. The incident, which occurred around 6 p.m., left one man trapped while five others were rescued. The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined. Videos circulating on social media showed officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) at the scene. Although the agency has yet to issue a formal statement, first responders were seen assisting in rescue efforts. The trapped victim, a 44-year-old resident of 10 Olabode Street, Alimosho, was pulled out with fractures and bruises. He was taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Surgical Emergency unit by the Lagos State Ambulance Service. In a statement, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the victim was admitted in stable condition. The five who were rescued were taken to a private hospital in the neighbourhood. He arrived at the hospital in a stable condition and was immediately admitted for further treatment,the commissioner said. The Lagos State Government has since launched an investigation into the incident. READ ALSO: Lagos govt appeals for calm as heavy floods submerge streets Wednesdays collapse is the latest in a series of similar tragedies in Lagos. In May, three members of the same family died in Ikorodu when an uncompleted two-storey building caved in. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that five persons were killed in a collapse at Ojodu Berger. Experts have repeatedly blamed weak enforcement of building regulations for the recurring incidents, warning that more collapses are inevitable unless standards are strictly observed. The Niger State Police Command has arrested 12 security staff of the Kainji Power Plant for alleged conspiracy, theft, and vandalisation of navigation lock metals valued at over 4.8 billion. Police spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a crime bulletin issued on Wednesday. He said the suspects were arrested following a complaint from Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd, operators of the Kainji plant. According to the statement, the suspects, led by security supervisor Shaibu Sufyan, conspired with scrap dealers in Mashegu Local Government Area to cut and cart away heavy metals from the plant between 2023 and 2025. He added that the dealers allegedly moved with acetylene gas and cranes, mostly at night and on weekends, dismantling the metals into smaller sizes before loading them into trucks for resale to companies in Lagos, Kwara, and Osun States. Police investigations have so far uncovered transactions worth over 12.5 million between Shaibu Sufyan and the scrap dealers, and 11.5 million involving another supervisor, Ibrahim Musa. The police said efforts are ongoing to arrest the scrap dealers and other collaborators In a separate case, two men, Ahmed Bura, 21, and Shafiu Ibrahim, 22, have been arrested for conspiring to stage a fake kidnapping in Minna and demanding 7 million ransom from their colleagues. The suspects were tracked down to Makujeri after initially being reported missing at a car drifting show. They remain in custody at the state CID, Minna, and will be charged in court alongside other suspected collaborators, the police said. In another incident, Abdulnafiu Usman, 18, was arrested in Kwana-Mariga over the kidnapping and killing of 10-year-old Yaseer Mustapha. The boy was abducted in July, and a 3.5 million ransom was demanded. His guardian, after paying part of the ransom, reported the matter to police in September when the boy was not released. The suspects later confessed to killing and burying the child in an uncompleted building. His body was exhumed and handed over to the family for burial rites. In Kontagora, police patrol teams arrested three men for allegedly stealing and dismantling a Bajaj motorcycle. The suspects, Jibril Musa, 24, Ahmed Tiamiyu, and Elijah Ochoba, 20, were nabbed with dismantled motorcycle parts in a sack after refusing to stop for police along the Kontagora-Yauri road. They are currently in custody under investigation, according to the police. Th United States Consul General in Lagos, Rick Swart, has said that Africas democratic stability and long-term prosperity depend on a vibrant private sector. Mr Swart urged the governments to create fair business environments that encourage innovation, job creation, and accountability. He spoke on Wednesday in Lagos while delivering the keynote address at the launch of the Africa Hub of the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). It was themed Catalysing Private SectorLed Growth for Democratic Stability in Africa. This launch is a regional milestone. It demonstrates CIPEs enduring commitment to strengthening democracy led by private sector reforms that build fair business environments and create jobs, Mr Swart said. The Consul General described the private sector as a transformative force in Africa, noting that transparent markets and accountable governance are necessary for attracting investment. He added that the United States is committed to supporting these efforts through trade, investment, and diplomatic engagement. Strong US-Nigeria ties Mr Swart highlighted Nigerias role as one of Americas most important partners in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2024, trade in goods and services between the two countries reached nearly $13 billion, encompassing energy, manufacturing, technology, and services. He pointed to thriving partnerships with flagship firms, small tech startups and innovators across Nigeria, describing the common theme as one of expanding growth, deepening engagement, and creating long-term prosperity. Mr Swart noted that education and diaspora contributions remain central to these ties. He noted that more than 20,000 Nigerian students are currently enrolled in US universities, while the Nigerian community in America, estimated at over 750,000 people, sends about $20 million annually in remittances back home. In 2024, Nigeria ranks 7th globally for international students in the United States These connections strengthen our countries beyond trade. They stimulate local economies and foster ecosystems ripe for entrepreneurial pursuits, Mr Swart said. Expanding cooperation The consul general also referenced the US-Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership, a five-year agreement launched in June to deepen cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, and the digital economy. Nigeria is one of only four African countries chosen for this platform, he said. He noted that Nigerias digital economy has grown rapidly, with five of Africas nine billion-dollar unicorns emerging from the country. Through these relationships, Nigerian and US business leaders have grown the digital economy from about 10 per cent of Nigerias GDP in 2014 to about 20 per cent in 2024, he said. He said large US firms such as Google are already investing heavily in undersea cables, data centres and training programmes to support this growth, adding that similar approaches will be extended to agriculture and infrastructure, with working groups set to present recommendations to both governments in November. CIPEs role In his remarks, the Executive Director of CIPE, Andrew Wilson, said Nigeria was a natural choice for the Africa Hub, describing Lagos as one of the continents leading centres of commerce and innovation. Mr Wilson said CIPEs mission is to strengthen democracy through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. Over the past four decades, he said the organisation has worked in 130 countries, including 23 in Africa, supporting over 500 chambers and associations to foster inclusive growth and accountable governance. He explained that CIPEs programmes rest on three pillars: advancing economic freedoms by tackling restrictive regulations and corruption, expanding opportunity by equipping groups such as SMEs and women with tools to thrive, and strengthening resilience to withstand political and economic shocks. Our focus is not just on pushing for reforms but on building the organisations that carry reforms forward and keep government accountable, he said. Mr Wilson noted that CIPE has worked with Nigerian partners to cut port clearance times, improve tax administration, and support coalitions that give businesses a voice in shaping national policy. When reforms are driven by local actors, they stick. And when associations and chambers are empowered, the private sector becomes a credible partner in democracy, he said. Reform efforts The CIPE Africa hub launch follows the unveiling of the Association and Chamber Excellence (ACE) Certification Programme at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). The initiative, hosted by the universitys Human Resources Development Centre in partnership with CIPE, is the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is designed to strengthen the governance and sustainability of chambers of commerce and business associations through professional training. At the event, Mr Wilson stressed that chambers and associations are central to shaping inclusive policies and driving economic growth. The Africa Hub marks a shift in how we carry out our work. Programme management and decision-making will now be based in Africa, closer to our partners and communities, he said. As the world marks World Gorilla Day 2025, a leading conservation NGO, Wild Africa, has called for urgent action to protect Nigerias last surviving 100 Cross River Gorillas. World Gorilla Day is celebrated annually on 24 September. A statement signed by Festus Iyorah, Nigerias representative for Wild Africa, said that the Cross River Gorilla is one of the rarest and most endangered great ape species on earth. The statement was made available to journalists on Wednesday in Lagos. Referencing the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, Mr Iyorah noted that fewer than 300 Cross River gorillas remained globally. He said that about 100 of the gorillas are living in Nigeria across three protected landscapes in Cross River State: Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, the Mbe Mountains and the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park. These gorillas are part of our national heritage. We must act now to protect each and every one of Nigerias last Cross River gorillas. Protecting them is not only about conservation, but about securing our ecological legacy and ensuring future generations inherit a thriving natural environment, Mr Iyorah said. He said that the Cross River gorilla population, once believed extinct after Nigerias civil war in the 1960s and rediscovered in the 1980s, faced persistent threats. The NGO representative said some of the persistent threats included poaching, illegal bushmeat trade, and habitat loss from agricultural expansion and human encroachment. According to him, wire snares set for bushmeat often injure or kill gorillas and remain a particularly severe challenge. He said that gorillas play a vital ecological role beyond their intrinsic value. Their feeding and nesting habits help seed dispersal and forest regeneration, thus sustaining biodiversity. Mr Iyorah stressed that, as umbrella species, their protection ensured the survival of countless other endangered wildlife sharing the same fragile ecosystem. Wild Africa further emphasised the potential of sustainable gorilla-based ecotourism to drive economic opportunities for local communities, generate foreign exchange and foster pride in Nigerias unique biodiversity. On the policy front, Wild Africa urged the federal government to accelerate the passage of the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill 2024, which recently scaled third reading in the House of Representatives. The NGO noted that the legislation would strengthen enforcement against wildlife crime and reinforce habitat protection once enacted into law. This is no longer just a conservation goal it is a national responsibility. Protecting Cross River gorillas requires collaboration from the government, local communities, and every Nigerian. Together, we can ensure these remarkable primates do not vanish from our forests, Mr Iyorah added. (NAN) A man has been confirmed dead in another bomb explosion in Imo State, Nigerias South-east. The explosion, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, occurred at about 12 p.m. on 21 September in Obinwanne Community, Njaba Local Government Area of the state. Viral video clip A video clip apparently recorded shortly after the explosion has been circulating on Facebook. The clip showed the victim writhing in pain, with his legs mangled. Some unidentified residents were heard in the background of the video blaming the victim, who later died, for the explosion because he allegedly attempted to plant the bomb in a nearby market in the area when it exploded. Residents believe the victim, later identified as Chinworeke Mmadu, must have been working for some terror group claiming to be Biafra agitators. Police speak The police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday. Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, said that the victim was carrying the bomb when it exploded prematurely. Operatives are investigating the incident to uncover the mans motive, he said. The spokesperson said police operatives have restored order in the area when they responded to a distress call about the incident. On receipt of the distress call, operatives from Njaba Divisional Headquarters immediately mobilised to the scene. He said two passers-by who sustained injuries during the explosion had been taken to a hospital for medical attention. Mr Okoye said the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Hamzat Abdulkadir, visited the scene with operatives of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit. The area was carefully swept and has been declared safe for public use, he added. He said the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, wished the injured a speedy recovery. Mr Danjuma assured Imo residents that the police in the state were committed to safeguarding lives and property. The police commissioner urged the residents to stay calm, remain security-conscious, and provide timely information to aid security operations. Not the first time This is not the first time a bomb explosion would rock a community in Imo State, which has witnessed increased attacks, like other states in the South-east region, in recent years. The latest incident occurred about three months after a bomb explosion rocked Awo-Idemili, a community in Orsu Local Government Area of the South-eastern state. Aside from some injured victims, a middle-aged woman was killed during the explosion which occurred in June. In November last year, at least two people were killed when a bomb exploded at the International Market in Umuna, a community in the Orlu Local Government Area of the state. The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been blamed for the worsening attacks in the region. Security agencies and government facilities are often targeted in the attacks. But the separatist group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks. IPOB is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria. The Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) has launched its first Africa Hub in Lagos to strengthen private sector leadership, boost democratic resilience, and drive investment across the continent. The Hub, unveiled on Wednesday in Lagos, is the organisations first globally. CIPE, an affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce, said the Africa Hub will provide a platform for chambers of commerce, business associations, and civil society organisations to collaborate, strengthen governance, and shape reforms that make economies more inclusive and accountable. CIPEs Executive Director, Andrew Wilson, said the hub represents a new era of opportunity for the continents private sector. In bringing decades of experience and partnerships under one platform, we are creating a space where African business leaders can drive sustainable growth, boost democratic resilience, and expand inclusive economic opportunities across the region, he said. In her remarks, the CIPEs Regional Director for Africa, Lola Adekanye, said the Hub would broaden governance, amplify businesss voice in policymaking, and help build sustainable economies that benefit communities across the continent. Nigerias central role Nigerias private sector was spotlighted at the event as a driver of regional transformation. Gabriel Idahosa, President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said the Hub would provide a timely platform for collaboration. CIPEs work has always been about turning dialogue into action, he said. The Africa Hub offers a timely platform for businesses and associations to collaborate across borders, build integrity into markets, and create the trust needed to attract investment and deepen democratic stability. A keynote address was delivered by US Consul General in Lagos, Rick Swart, who reaffirmed Americas support for private-sector-led development in Nigeria and across Africa. This launch is a regional milestone. It demonstrates CIPEs enduring commitment to strengthening democracy led by private sector reforms that build fair business environments and create jobs, Mr Swart said. The Consul General described the private sector as a transformative force in Africa, noting that transparent markets and accountable governance are necessary for attracting investment. Africas potential Speaking with journalists, CIPEs Managing Director for Programmes, Abdu Alkebsi, highlighted why Africa was chosen for the organisations first hub. We selected Africa for a reason. We selected Lagos for a reason, Mr Alkebsi said. Africa is the youngest continent, full of vibrancy and potential, but it has not reached that potential. Mr Alkebsi explained that the Hub would not dictate policies but instead strengthen local associations to partner effectively with governments to improve the business climate. We help associations develop the capacity to become a real partner for government, he said. First, Nigerians should invest in Nigeria. When that happens, the rest of the world will come and invest. But you need that partnership between government and the private sector, and that is what we are establishing through the Hub. He also challenged the media to hold both CIPE and business leaders accountable. We need you to monitor to make sure that what we promise, we deliver, and what the Nigerian business community promises, it delivers, he said. Event highlights The Lagos launch, themed Catalysing Private SectorLed Growth for Democratic Stability in Africa, brought together chambers of commerce, business associations, think tanks, government officials, and development partners. The programme also featured a high-level panel discussion on Markets, Mandates, and Democracy: Redefining the Private Sectors Role in Attracting Investment and Advancing Africas Transformation and Resilience. The session, moderated by Yemi Candide-Johnson, Senior Partner at Strachan Partners, brought together voices from business, finance, and diplomacy. The panellists include Ilona Coyle, Deputy Chief, Political & Economic Section, US Mission to Nigeria; Oluyomi Mayomi-Akinola of Rand Merchant Bank; Chidozie Arinze of Visa; and Babatunde Olaniyi of PwC Nigeria. Discussions centred on how businesses could strengthen democratic institutions while driving investment. The panellists stressed the need for a vibrant private sector to work in collaboration with governments. Track record For more than four decades, according to the organisers, CIPE has partnered with chambers, think tanks, and civil society groups worldwide to strengthen democratic institutions through private enterprise. In Africa alone, it has supported more than 530 chambers and associations across 23 countries. In Nigeria, its partnerships with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other business groups have led to reforms in the maritime sector, tax administration, and regulatory transparency. Mr Wilson said the Africa Hub builds on this record but places decision-making closer to partners on the continent. The Hub unites CIPEs work, networks, and expertise under one banner to amplify private sector leadership as a driver of democratic resilience and inclusive growth, he said. Russia deliberately refuses to connect Zaporizhia NPP to power, leaving it on diesel for two days Energoatom Despite the absence of technical obstacles on the territory controlled by Ukraine, the occupation administration of the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is deliberately not connecting it to the 750 kW power transmission line after the September 23 shutdown, Energoatom reported. According to NPC Ukrenergo, this line is operational and there are no technical obstacles to its use in the territory controlled by Ukraine. Nevertheless, the occupiers are deliberately not connecting the plant to the power supply and continuing a gross disinformation campaign against Ukraine, Energoatom said in a statement on Thursday. The company emphasizes that in this way, Russian aggressors are deliberately putting millions of people across the continent at risk. The company announced that the power line supplying the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) from the Ukrainian power grid was damaged on September 23 due to another provocation by the Russian military. Since then, the ZNPP has been receiving power from diesel generators, which are only intended for emergency power supply and cannot meet the plants needs long-term. As Energoatom points out, shutting them down could lead to a loss of control over the facilitys nuclear safety. Returning the ZNPP to the full and legitimate control of Ukraine is the only way to restore nuclear safety in the region. Delay is unacceptable. The safety of Europes largest nuclear power plant is the safety of the entire world, stressed Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk on Facebook. She said that the international community must finally dare to take decisive action by increasing pressure on Russia for the plants earliest possible demilitarization and deoccupation. On the evening of September 23, the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant experienced its 10th blackout since the plant was occupied. At 16:56, the 750 kW power transmission line through which the plant received power from the Ukrainian power system was disconnected. Ukrenergo reported at that time that emergency restoration work would begin immediately as soon as the security situation allowed. The 6 GW Zaporizhia NPP, which is occupied by the Russian Federation, has relied on a single 750 kV power line for almost five months, a record, since May 7, when the last 330 kV backup line was damaged. In May, the IAEA Director General stated that it was unclear when the backup line would be restored, although the external power supply had previously been restored during the day. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) have said that Nigerian troops have killed dozens of terrorists, nabbed no fewer than 120 criminals, and rescued 41 kidnapped victims in the last one week across theatres of operation. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Markus Kangye, a major general, made this known at a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja. Mr Kangye said the operations were conducted between 14 and 22 September in the North-east, North-west, North-central, South-south and South-east theatres of operation. In the North-east, he said troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised several Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States, apprehended 26 terrorist collaborators, and rescued three kidnapped victims. In the North-west, Mr Kangye said the troops of Operation Fansan Yamma killed terrorists in Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto States, and rescued 14 kidnapped victims. He added that a notorious terrorist, Mallam Abubakar Ahmadu, alongside six others, was apprehended during the operations. The spokesperson added that troops of Operation Enduring Peace in Plateau and Kaduna States apprehended 52 criminals, killed terrorists in firefights, and rescued nine kidnapped victims. He further said troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, and the FCT killed criminals. According to him, troops apprehended 17 others, including a high-profile kidnapper, Saawuan Wuaiyolna, and rescued eight kidnapped victims. In the South-south, Mr Kangye said troops of Operation Delta Safe foiled oil theft worth N19.75 million, destroyed 16 illegal refining sites, arrested 19 suspects, and rescued five victims. He also said troops of Operation Udo Ka in the South-east killed several criminals, arrested six suspects, rescued three kidnapped victims, and recovered weapons, vehicles, and improvised explosive device materials. Mr Kangye commended the troops for their resilience and professionalism and urged the public to continue supporting the military with timely and credible information. (NAN) Writers, educators, and cultural advocates on Thursday reiterated the urgency of making reading a national priority in Nigeria. The call was made at the 5th National Conference on Reading and Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters (NBRP) in Abuja. The event brought together stakeholders to deliberate on how to strengthen Nigerias reading culture, encourage young learners, and recognise individuals advancing literacy. Speaking at the event, Dominic Omokaro, the immediate past president and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), noted that reading should be treated as a national priority in Nigeria. Mr Omokaro noted that reading is not just an intellectual activity but also a cultural and moral compass, a source of national identity, and a pathway to unity. Reading is not an optional pastime; it is a foundation for national development. When a society strengthens its reading culture, it strengthens its democracy, its productivity, and its cohesion, he said. He added that Nigeria must deliberately invest in libraries, support publishers, and encourage indigenous literature in order to revive the culture of reading. He also warned that poor library infrastructure, the high cost of books and weak support for indigenous authors are eroding Nigerias reading culture. Let us as a people invest our human capital into our intellectual infrastructure, just as every government who wants to tell us that they are putting money in physical infrastructure, should also start putting money in intellectual infrastructure, he said. Reading is a ritual The chairman of the occasion, Udenta Udenta, stressed that reading must be cultivated as a permanent habit. Reading is not an incident. Its a ritual engraved in the heart and soul. When it takes possession of you, there is no mountain you cannot move, he said. Mr Udenta praised the vibrancy of Nigerias literary community and urged NBRP to continue mainstreaming reading initiatives such as the 774 Book Club Project and the National Book City programme. He lamented the narrative of a weak reading culture in Nigeria, arguing that the country has witnessed an explosion of writers and publishers across generations, from the colonial era to the present digital age. According to him, NBRPs work is crucial to mainstreaming these efforts into the countrys identity and cultural development. In his welcome address, NBRP President Richard Mammah, reflected on the associations journey and its democratic transition of leadership at this years AGM. This AGM is important because, among other things, we are going to choose the next Book City of Nigeria, he announced, recalling past designations that included Uyo, Lagos, Yenagoa, and Abuja. Mr Mammah, who has served as president since the founding of the association, also disclosed that the meeting would usher in a new leadership, in line with NBRPs constitution. He emphasised that the organisation remains democratic, committed to fairness, and nationally inclusive. Addressing students directly, Mr Mammah highlighted their central role in reshaping Nigerias future. You are no more the leaders of tomorrow. You are currently the inheritors of our national mandate for growth, prosperity, and development, he said. Reading Champions honoured One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the Reading Champion Awards to two distinguished figures: Chinwe Anunobi, the National Librarian and Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria, and Awele Ilusanmi, President of the Literary Authors Cooperative Multipurpose Society of Nigeria. The organisers noted that the awards recognised their outstanding contributions to promoting literacy and strengthening the countrys book ecosystem. The event also featured performances from students invited from five secondary schools in the FCT including Junior Secondary School Apo Resettlement, Junior Secondary School Area 11, Junior Secondary School Model Girls Maitama, Junior Secondary School Tungan Kwasu, and Junior Secondary School Model Girls Ako. The schools competed in a poetry reading contest, judged on delivery, diction, audience engagement, interpretation, emotion, poetic content, and overall impact. While Junior Secondary School Model Girls, Maitama took first place, Junior Secondary School Model Girls Ako took second place and Junior Secondary School Tungan Kwasu took third place. Students were assessed collectively by school, rather than as individuals. Organisers said the contest aimed to strengthen expression and creativity while encouraging a deeper engagement with literature among young learners. About NBRP NBRP is a nonprofit organisation founded in February 2020 to establish reading culture in Nigerian schools and communities Operating through branches across states including Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, and Ibadan, the network is currently running two flagship initiatives: the Book City project and the aim to establish book clubs in all 774 local government areas NBRP holds regular readingpromotion activities, donates books to schools, supports school libraries, and fosters partnerships with authors and media organisations to drive its literacy agency. Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the African Unions (AU) plan to scale up the deployment of two million community health workers (CHWs) across the continent by 2030 to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and achieve universal health coverage. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, made this known on Tuesday at the African CDCs 2nd Taskforce Meeting of the Community Health Continental Coordination Mechanism (CCM) Principals. The meeting was held at UNICEF Headquarters in New York, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Mr Salako, who delivered a message of solidarity from President Bola Tinubu, said CHWs remain central to health security and resilient systems in Africa. Progress of CHW initiative The AU adopted the CHW initiative in 2017, setting a target of two million workers by 2030. As of May 2025, more than one million CHWs have already been deployed across the continent, representing about half of the target. Mr Salako noted that Nigeria is playing a leading role in the initiative. He recalled that the country hosted the validation of the 2024 community health landscape survey titled: Shaping the CHW Strategy, Scorecard and Strategic Action, which was endorsed by AU member states as a roadmap for institutionalisation, governance, financing, and policy guidance. The speed with which this document has moved to high-level dialogue shows our collective seriousness and commitment, he said. He stressed that scaling up community health workers means investing in prevention, early detection, maternal and child health, and stronger systems that can withstand public health threats. We must expand training facilities, professionalise their work, create career progression pathways, and fully integrate them into our health systems, he added. The minister commended the African Union Commission, Africa CDC, UNICEF, and development partners for their support. He urged member states to ensure their commitments translate into measurable outcomes. The future of community health in Africa depends on our shared resolve, collaboration, and action, he said. Five retired senior police officers charged with age falsification failed to appear for the third time on Thursday at the Federal Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja for their scheduled arraignment. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five former police officers include Idowu Owohunwa, a retired assistant inspector general of police and former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State; Benneth Igweh, a retired commissioner of police; and Ukachi Opara, another retired commissioner of police. The rest are Obo Ukam Obo, a retired deputy commissioner of police, and Simon Lough, a retired assistant commissioner of police and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who was a leading prosecution lawyer for the police until his retirement. The office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) charged the defendants with 14 counts under the Penal Code. The defendants were absent again when the case was called on Thursday, stalling their arraignment for the third time. Prosecution lawyer Rimamsomte Ezekiel told the court that the five officers had been served with the charges as required by law and were expected to appear in court for their arraignment. My Lord, this is the third time they will be absent. Their counsel, Goddy Uche, SAN, should produce them by the next adjourned date, he told the judge. However, the lawyer who appeared for the defendants, J. T. Aondo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that his clients had not been served with the charges. He also said efforts were being made to resolve the case out of court. This matter rests on the esprit de corps principle, and the former IGP, Mike Okiro, is looking into the matter to see if it could be internally settled, he said, also informing the court that the defence had filed a preliminary objection against the case. Picking holes in the defence lawyers submission, prosecution lawyer Mr Ezekiel asked rhetorically how they could brief a lawyer to represent them in court if they had not been served the charges. Judge Halilu Yusuf told the defence lawyer to produce his clients in court so that they could take their plea. He subsequently adjourned the matter until 17 November for arraignment. The prosecution lawyer expressed disappointment over the defendants non-appearance in court at the previous sitting despite being served with the charge. This prompted the trial judge to order the IGP to do everything possible to produce the defendants in court. Charges The police charged the defendants with 14 counts, accusing them of falsifying their ages to extend their service years. According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravened Sections 97, 161, 366, and 158 of the Penal Code. The police alleged that Mr Owohunwa, the former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, dishonestly falsified and submitted a Declaration of Age dated 4 April 1990 that he was born on 20 July 1970. The prosecution said he submitted the declaration of age to the police in December 2024 in Abuja, an act it said was punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Law. The prosecution similarly accused Mr Igwe, a retired commissioner of police, of falsifying his date of birth to 7 October 1968 instead of the true 7 October 1964. He was also accused of falsely claiming to be enlisted in the Nigerian police in 1996, whereas investigations showed that he was actually enlisted on 1 May 1988. For his part, Mr Lough, a SAN and former police prosecutor, was accused of dishonestly and fraudulently altering and faking his date of birth to be 14 May 1969 when his actual date of birth was 14 May 1967. He was also accused of claiming to have been enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on 1 August 1987 to remain in office until January 2015, when he should have retired on 1 August 2022. The police said he made these claims in 2022 to remain in the service of the Nigeria Police Force, against the Public Service Rule of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In another count, the police accused all five defendants of falsifying their ages and documents in the name of the Nigeria Police Force. They allegedly refused to vacate their offices when they were supposed to leave on retirement in line with the Public Service Rule of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The police alleged that they claimed that they remained in office and illegally benefited from their offices privileges, thereby committing the offence of cheating punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Law. The prosecution also alleged that on 22 November 2019, at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Garki, Abuja, they dishonestly used a falsified police signal to deceive and obtain a judgment against the Nigeria Police Force, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 161 of the Penal Code Law. In another count, they were accused of misleading the National Industrial Court of Nigeria and the general public on 25 March 2025 by deposing to an affidavit claiming that they were all serving members of the Nigeria Police Force, knowing that they had served and retired from the force. They allegedly made the spurious claim in the case of AIG Idowu Owohunwa & 2 Ors vs PSC & 7 Ors in suit NICN/ABJ/88/2025. Sahara Reporters reported that the charges stemmed from a petition filed by the Integrity Youth Alliance, a civil society group led by Kelvin Adegbenga, which in January 2025 accused them of manipulating official records to prolong their service. Based on the petition, the IGP, on 7 January, issued queries to the affected police officers. In his response, Mr Owohunwa reportedly admitted that a clerical mix-up had mistakenly altered his birth year on his APER Form but insisted his official appointment date of 15 August 1996 remained unchanged. Messrs Igwe and Lough also reportedly stated that the petitioner had confused their files with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) scheme, which allowed qualified officers to be upgraded under specific conditions. (NAN) The Ogun State Government on Wednesday dismissed as laughable and ridiculous claims that Governor Dapo Abiodun is insisting on unusually strict technical standards for the Paddy Arikawe Oye-Igbimo Road in Sagamu, a constituency project proposed by Senator Gbenga Daniel, who represents Ogun East. In a statement signed by Hon Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Strategy, the government clarified that the requirements given to the contractor, Minim and Tonye Nigeria Limited, are the same standards applied to all state road projects and are designed to protect public safety. It added that any push by Senator Daniels associates to lower these standards amounts to a blatant attempt to compromise public safety and is dead on arrival. The statement further described as a name-dropping pile of garbage, a report allegedly from Senator Daniels media team titled Dapo Abiodun Takes on Tinubu Over Standard of Road Constructed in Ogun calling it a hastily assembled fabrication driven by desperation and ulterior motives. The statement challenged the authors to present evidence that President Bola Tinubu is carrying out a 260-metre road project anywhere in Ogun State, expressing surprise that Mr Daniels team seemed to assume Nigerians cannot distinguish between road projects approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and those initiated by individual federal lawmakers. It added that the government discovered the drainage and concrete pavement design failed to meet Federal Ministry of Works (FMW) standards only after the contractor submitted the project drawings. Following this, it said, it made its observations known to the contractor through a letter dated 22nd September 2025, asking it to make necessary corrections and re-submit for approval accordingly. The statement added: It is pertinent to state that whenever Ogun State Government wants to work on any FG road, it is statutory and mandatory that we must get necessary clearance from the Federal Ministry of Works and this had been the practice since the beginning of the previous administration. In line with this, the Federal Government also requests for our drawings, specification and any other documents relating to the projects which we have always obliged them before they give us the approval to commence such projects. Likewise, whenever the Federal Government wants to work on Ogun State Projects, they follow the normal procedure by informing the Ogun State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, attaching the necessary documents related to such roads. They have always followed this process to avoid clashes or duplication of road projects among other reasons, therefore, Paddy Arikawe Oye Igbimo road should not be an exception. It should be noted that the contractor did not inform the Ministry before he commenced work. His action negates the normal due process which ought to be followed before commencing work on the State Government road. He was therefore informed through letter Ref. No. AD. 1198/48, dated 17th September, 2025 to formally inform the Ministry about the concerned project and seek necessary approval. The statement added that after going through the documents submitted by the contractor, the government discovered that the Contractor intends to construct 300m out of the entire stretch of 3000m, which represents 10% of the whole road Project, but the Ogun State Ministry of Works had earlier carried out palliative work up to the stone base level on some parts of this project, while the design work for the entire stretch is already at the final stage of execution. The statement added: The directive by the Ogun State Ministry of Works is not an interference in a federal initiative, as mischievously alleged, but a responsible and necessary step, rooted in his constitutional duty to safeguard the interests of the people of Ogun StateThe Ogun State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure identified clear technical shortcomings in the contractors proposal, and dragging Mr President into this matter is a needless distraction. Pray, what does the Presidency have to do with a contractors failure to meet acceptable technical standards? This is simply an old-fashioned ploy by the OGD media team to divert attention from the substance of the issues raised. How can anyone describe the Ogun State Governments insistence on higher grade concrete, stronger stone base layers, reinforced tensile strength, and full compliance with Federal Ministry of Works standards as political if not for sinister motives? The Ogun State Government will not compromise on quality, nor will it allow substandard projects to be executed within the State. The people of Ogun deserve roads that stand the test of time, not propaganda-driven distractions. The antics of the OGD media team will not succeed. The facts remain clear, and the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun remains committed to transparency, accountability, and lasting development for all. Governor Umar Namadi presenting souvenirs to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, Dr Yetunde during a courtesy call at the Government House, Dutse Governor Umar Namadi has pledged the support of Jigawa State as the Federal Government prepares to relaunch the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme. He gave the assurance when he received the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, Dr Yetunde Adeniji, and officials of the Abdullahi Mahmood Foundation (AMF) during a courtesy call at the Government House, Dutse. Describing the initiative as critical to the Renewed Hope Agenda, Governor Namadi said the programme has far-reaching benefits beyond the classroom. Not only does it help reduce the number of out-of-school children, but it also improves their nutrition. Beyond that, it has a strong economic impact wherever it is implementedvendors benefit, farmers benefit, cooks benefit, and local communities are uplifted. It is truly an all-encompassing programme, the governor said. He stressed that Jigawa State has always gone beyond the national benchmark in supporting school feeding. While the federal programme covered primaries 1 to 3, Jigawa State extended it to primaries 4 to 6. We have already included school feeding in our 2025 budget, and we will continue to make provision for it in the 2026 budget. I want to assure the Senior Special Assistant that Jigawa is ready to work closely with the federal government to revive this important programme. We are proud of this contribution, and we will continue to support and encourage such efforts. This initiative requires a lot of sensitization, and I believe more philanthropists will join once they see the impact, Mr Namadi added. Earlier in her remarks, Dr Adeniji commended the governors passion for education and expressed confidence that Jigawa will be among the first states to benefit once the programme restarts. I assure you, Mr Governor, that once the programme begins, Jigawa will be one of the first states to benefit because of the passion and investment you have put into education, she said. She also highlighted new measures to reach vulnerable children in IDP camps, poor households, and Almajiri schools through partnerships with private organisations The Abdullahi Mahmood Foundation, represented during the visit, announced plans to flag off its 2025/2026 school feeding and uniform distribution programme in Malam Madori and Kaugama Local Government Areas. The initiative, undertaken in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President, aims to reach about 200 schools and cover at least 30% of enrolled pupils in the first phase. Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has presented new SUVs to all former deputy governors of the state to aid their mobility. Presenting the keys of the new Toyota Land Cruisers to them on Thursday at Government House Uyo, Mr Eno said the gift was in acknowledgement and appreciation of their services to the state. He noted that given their sacrifices and commitment to the development of the state at one time or the other, they deserved some level of comfort. Governor Eno, who is unwaveringly committed to the welfare of Akwa Ibom people across all sectors, prayed that God would continue to bless and keep the former deputy governors in good health, so the state might continue to benefit from their wealth of wisdom. Some of the former deputy governors present at the Government House to receive the gift, were Etim Okpoyo, Valerie Ebe, Moses Ekpo, and Nsima Ekere. While receiving his key, Mr Ekere appreciated the governor for his benevolent gestures and assured of his continuous support for the successful implementation of the ARISE Agenda. Security operatives in Kwara State have rescued seven abducted persons, following a gun duel with armed bandits in a forest near Owa-Onire. The rescue operation, carried out on Wednesday, was led by a security operative attached to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in collaboration with police officers and local vigilantes. Police spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the team stormed the forest after sustained search-and-rescue efforts launched in the wake of Tuesdays bandit attacks in Motokun and Agboro communities of Patigi Local Government Area. During the operation, security operatives encountered armed resistance from the kidnappers, leading to a fierce gun duel. The criminals were forced to abandon their hostages and escape deeper into the forest, while all seven victims were safely rescued, Mrs Ejire-Adeyemi said in a Thursday statement. She added that one vigilante personnel sustained a gunshot injury during the encounter, but is responding to treatment. The rescued victims were Adam Khadijat, 23, of Oko, Mamud Miriam, 24, of Oko and Mumini Ahmed, 17, of Oko. Others are Hamadu Haruna, 44, of Ajase-Ipo, Afusatu Alhaji Ladan and her nine-month-old son, Usman, both from Omu-Aran and Abibat Umaru, 16, of Oke-Ode Items recovered from the bandits hideout include three motorcycles and nine empty AK-47 magazines. The victims have since been debriefed and reunited with their families. The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, praised the gallantry and resilience of the operatives and vowed that the command, in synergy with other security agencies, would sustain its offensive against criminal hideouts until kidnappers and bandits are brought to justice. The police urged residents to remain calm but vigilant, and to provide security agencies with timely and credible information to aid operations. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State Chapter, has described Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State as a man of resilience and calm leadership whose attributes inspired the party. Bakkita Bello, the PDP caretaker chairman in Ondo, in a statement on Wednesday in Akure, welcomed Mr Fubara back to office after a political distraction meant to derail the will of the people. According to Mr Bello, the mandate given to the governor by the people of Rivers cannot be taken. Your return is not only a victory for democracy but also a profound reaffirmation that the mandate freely given by the peoples of Rivers cannot be subverted by any force. You have once again demonstrated resilience, calm leadership, and faith in constitutional governance qualities that continue to inspire our great party across Nigeria. We commend your unwavering commitment to peace, development, and service to your people in the face of daunting challenges. Your courage in standing firm for justice and truth serves as a beacon of hope to all lovers of democracy and good governance. Your genuine love for the people and fear of God stand you out amongst politicians, he said. The chairperson said the PDP in Ondo stands solidly with Governor Fubara in prayer, solidarity, and goodwill. We are confident that under your watch, Rivers will continue to thrive in unity, prosperity, and progress. May this renewed phase of your administration be marked by greater achievements and strengthened bonds of trust between the government and the governed, he added. Background On 18 March, President Bola Tinubu declared emergency rule in the South-southern state after the prolonged political crisis caused by the rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The president suspended Mr Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the state legislators for six months. Many Nigerians and groups, including the NBA and PDP Governors Forum, had separately criticised Mr Tinubu for the declaration and suspension of the elected governor and lawmakers, which they said was a violation of the Nigerian Constitution. Mr Tinubu lifted the emergency rule hours before the six months elapsed and asked the governor and other elected officials to resume duties. The governor subsequently returned to the Rivers Government House and afterwards made a state-wide broadcast announcing his resumption of duties. Messrs Fubara and Wike said they have resolved their differences and are committed to peace. Fubara shouldnt muster any fear The PDP in Lagos State recently urged Governor Fubara to remain in the party and not defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor should not muster any fear; the deed has been done. He should continue to be strong and faithful in doing what is expected of him as the state governor, the PDP Vice-Chairperson (Lagos Central), Hakeem Olalemi, said recently. Fubara must make Rivers great again. The governor should nurture the party that brought him to power into a bigger platform; he should not jettison that party. He should ensure the party becomes stronger in the state and region, Mr Olalemi said. Mr Olalemis remarks came after a faction of the APC in Rivers asked Governor Fubara to join the APC as he returned to office. Darlington Nwauju, spokesperson for a faction of the APC in Rivers, said the party members would gladly welcome Mr Fubara. He said if he were Mr Fubara, he would immediately announce his defection to the APC on his return. When asked if Mr Fubara would lead the APC in Rivers if he defected, Mr Nwauju responded that it would be automatic. By the convention of our party, if he joins the All Progressives Congress, he becomes the leader of the party, he added. (NAN) Fierce UNGA debates highlight the timeliness and relevance of Global Governance Initiative: Global Times editorial Global Times) 09:00, September 25, 2025 The General Debate of the UN General Assembly (UNGA)'s 80th Session opened on Tuesday local time at UN headquarters in New York. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN, a moment that should have been celebratory. Yet, judging from the very first day, words such as "disagreements" and "disputes" dominated public opinion. The Washington Post noted that beyond the financial strain because of the refusal of the US to make any payments to its regular budget, the UN is facing "crises that have caused deepening divisions." In his address, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres bluntly stated that "multipolarity without effective multilateral institutions courts chaos" and stressed that "international cooperation is not naivete." Behind these divisions lies the deficit in global governance and the urgent need for reform and improvement. Amid the heated discussions at this year's UNGA, the international community once again witnessed a direct clash between two approaches to governance. On one side lies the logic of hegemony and unilateral action, which treats multilateral mechanisms as mere tools of power; on the other stands the path of genuine multilateralism, grounded in sovereign equality, solidarity, and cooperation. What international media have described as a "fierce debate" at the UN reflects a sobering reality: Outdated governance models can no longer address global challenges. The current international system suffers from three major shortcomings - serious underrepresentation of the Global South, erosion of authoritativeness, and urgent need for greater effectiveness - making systemic reform both urgent and imperative. If one were to distill the hopes, expectations, and questions voiced by representatives at the UNGA, they would converge on a defining question of our time: What kind of global governance system should be built, and how can it be reformed and improved? 80 years ago, nations drew lessons from the ruins of World War II, founded the UN, and embarked on a new experiment in global governance. Over the past 80 years, the UN has adopted more than 40,000 resolutions and decisions, building a system of rules for global governance and helping to maintain overall peace in the world, which is no small feat. The successful experience is evident: Effective global governance does not come from the "protection of a world police," but from broad consensus on peace, democracy, development, cooperation, and win-win outcomes, as well as principles such as peaceful coexistence, collective security, the democratization of international relations, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. The more these consensuses and principles are strengthened, the smoother coordination and cooperation among the international community, especially major powers, will become, and the greater the role the UN will be able to play. Conversely, when these principles are undermined, the UN's role is constrained. Therefore, the key to addressing today's many hotspot issues is not "whether the UN is still needed" as some claim. In fact, the more turbulent and intertwined the international situation becomes, the more important it is to uphold the UN's authority, to reaffirm its founding mission, and to renew the commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. This year's General Assembly saw the denial of the UN's role, the rejection of multilateralism, and the dismissal of the current international order expressed by a few countries, which sparked wide controversy and even "shock," underscoring that peace and development remain the mainstream aspirations of the international community. The international community must work together to ensure the UN keeps pace with the times. Reform, however, is not about tearing everything down and starting anew, but about making the UN more adaptable to the needs of today's world. The China-proposed Global Governance Initiative (GGI) comes at a critical moment when acts of great-power bullying are causing serious harm and severely undermining multilateral mechanisms such as the UN. It offers China's solutions for enhancing and improving global governance. The core concepts of adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach, and focusing on taking real actions are in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, resonating with the common expectations of the vast majority of countries. The initiative focuses on innovation and improvement, enhancing the effectiveness and implementation of the current international system and mechanisms, so that they better reflect changes in the international landscape and situation, respond more promptly and effectively to global challenges, and better safeguard the common interests of all countries. Currently, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, severely impacting international development cooperation and weakening the momentum of global economic growth. To address the many contradictions and problems we face today, we should maintain a focus on development, fully promote growth, and work together to expand the development pie. The four global initiatives proposed by China has gained increasing international resonance precisely because it accurately addresses the strong desire of the international community for peace, development, and cooperation. In a world filled with uncertainty, adhering to multilateralism and promoting the development of a global governance system toward a more equitable and reasonable direction is not only the shared responsibility of the international community but also an essential pathway to building a community with a shared future for humanity. This righteous path has gathered the collaborative efforts of more and more countries. The "intense collisions" during the 80th session of the UNGA represent a profound inquiry from the times regarding global governance. The Eastern wisdom and practical pathways embodied in the GGI provide a clear direction for addressing the global governance deficit. While the transformation of the global governance system may be fraught with challenges, historical experience demonstrates that ideas aligned with the common interests of the majority of countries and in tune with the trend of peaceful development will ultimately gain widespread recognition and translate into real momentum. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) According to data collected by the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) on Russian crimes since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Federation has committed 847 crimes against journalists and media outlets in Ukraine over the past three years and seven months. From August to September, IMI recorded six crimes against the media and journalists committed by Russia. These included cases of journalist injuries, media office damage, and legal pressure. In September, news emerged of the deaths of three media workers who were defending the country in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. One of them had been missing since October 2024, the message on the IMI website says. Former journalist of radio Kyiv FM and the publication Nash Kyiv, serviceman Oleksandr Holiachenko died on September 3, 2025 in the Zaporizhia direction. Cameraman-producer of the Starlight Media company and serviceman Denys Ponomarenko died on September 7, 2025 while performing a combat mission in Kharkiv region. Military man, former cameraman of Channel 5 and the ACC media agency Yaroslav Levytsky was considered missing since October 2024. His death became known on September 9, 2025. In total, 111 media workers have died since the beginning of the full-scale war, 12 of them while performing their professional duties. Sioux Honey Co-op and Hy-Vee grocery stores deliver more than 6,000 pounds of sweetness to Kansas City nonprofits KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sioux Honey Co-op and Hy-Vee grocery stores delivered a weighty donation of honey to two Kansas City-area nonprofits on Wednesday one that tipped the scales at 6,400+ pounds. That's more than twice the weight of the entire Kansas City Chiefs defensive roster, a fitting comparison for a team effort that is tackling hunger head-on. Sioux Honey and Hy-Vee donated 6,400 pounds of honey that's more than twice the weight of the entire Chiefs defense! Post this The Sioux Honey Co-op and Hy-Vee grocery stores partnered to donate 6,480 pounds of Sue Bee honey to the Harvesters Community Food Network in Kansas City, Mo., and to the Starfish Project Foundation in Olathe, Kan., on Wednesday, Sept. 24. Members of the Sioux Honey Co-op and Hy-Vee grocery stores look on as Stephen Davis, president and CEO of Harvesters Community Food Network, discusses food insecurity in the Kansas City area on Wednesday during an event held to celebrate the largest single donation of honey at the food bank. Sioux Honey and Hy-Vee donated 6,480 bottles of Sue Bee honey enough honey to coat the entire football field at Arrowhead Stadium. For Harvesters Community Food Network, it was the largest single donation of honey ever received: three pallets with 540 cases holding 6,480 bottles of Sue Bee honey. Add in another 2,160 bottles of Sue Bee that were delivered to the Starfish Project Foundation, a nonprofit in Olathe, Kan., and the total one-day honey haul for the Kansas City area comes in at over 3 tons or, about the same weight as 29.4 million honeybees. And the delivery during National Honey Month when beekeepers across the country finish their annual harvest and celebrate the golden bounty before preparing their hives for winter makes this week's delivery to Harvesters a genuine harvesters hootenanny. "We're always thrilled to receive honey because it checks so many boxes for the families we serve," said Stephen Davis, president and CEO of Harvesters. "It's nutritious, has natural health benefits and it's one of those coveted pantry items that is in high demand. To have Sioux Honey and Hy-Vee step up with this kind of donation ensures more families in our community will have access to both nourishment and comfort." A group effort Sioux Honey, powered by 175-plus beekeeper families across the U.S., partnered with Des Moines-based Hy-Vee, which operates 570 stores across nine Midwestern states, to make this show of support possible. Together, these Midwest-rooted companies are helping ease food insecurity in Missouri and northeastern Kansas. The donation was part of Sioux Honey's ongoing "Share Sweetness" effort, which has included making several large donations of honey to food banks and non-profits across the United States. The 104-year-old co-op harvested about 25 to 30 million pounds of honey last year, which was nearly one-fourth of the U.S. total (134 million pounds of honey harvested by commercial beekeepers in 2024, according to the USDA). "When those five Sioux Honey beekeepers decided to form a co-op over a hundred years ago, they did so knowing that they could make a bigger impact if they worked as one," said Aimee Sandman, director of growth and community impact at Sioux Honey. "That conviction hasn't faded. It's alive in efforts like 'Share Sweetness,' where every bottle of honey is more than just a product it's the harvest of our beekeeper families and a testament to the generosity of partners who help us extend that sweetness to communities in need." John Lewis, store director at Hy-Vee's Overland Park location, added: "At Hy-Vee, giving back is part of our DNA it's what we do in every community we serve. Partnering with Sioux Honey just makes sense because they share that same tradition of generosity and service. Together, we're proud to make a difference here in Kansas City and beyond." Honey never spoils For the Starfish Project, which redirects food and essentials to families in need, honey is a perfect partner in the fight against food insecurity: it doesn't expire, doesn't need refrigeration and remains as versatile as the day it was bottled. Need proof? The oldest known example of preserved honey was unearthed in Georgia in the Borjomi region near the village of Sakire, in the tomb of a noblewoman. The ceramic vessels containing remnants of honey dated back approximately 5,500 years. "It's just one ingredient and it never goes bad," said Suzanne Phillips, food program manager at the Starfish Project. "It doesn't need to be refrigerated, it's endlessly versatile in the kitchen and a spoonful helps soothe kiddos' coughs and sore throats during the winter. Our goal at Starfish Project is to make sure food never goes to waste, and honey with its remarkable shelf life it can go a long way in nourishing our neighbors in need." Sweet stats at a glance The donation total was 8,640 bottles (four pallets, 720 cases of Sue Bee honey), which is enough honey to: Fill 2,224 pairs (4,448 shoes!) of Travis Kelce's size-15 cleats a sticky fit for KC's favorite tight end. Equal the weight (about 3.6 tons) to TWO full-grown adult hippopotamuses. Spread a honey glaze that could with a very thin layer coat the field at Arrowhead Stadium. EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to interview a representative from Sioux Honey, Hy-Vee, Harvesters or Starfish Project, please contact Jim Minge, media/PR liaison for Sioux Honey Co-op, at 402-740-8188 or [email protected]. DOWNLOAD EVENT ASSETS: https://media.wayfinderpr.com/kc-honey About Sioux Honey Co-op Founded in 1921 by five beekeepers near Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux Honey began with a simple cooperative model of sharing equipment, marketing and processing facilities. Today, the co-op has grown to more than 175 beekeeper families nationwide, some multigenerational and others just beginning their honey journey. Sioux Honey is proud to know each member by name and to produce pure, quality honey trusted for more than a century. Sioux Honey's Sue Bee and Aunt Sue's were also the first honey brands to earn the U.S. Farmed certification, underscoring the co-op's commitment to domestic farming and sustainable practices. For additional information, visit siouxhoney.com. About Hy-Vee Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 550 business units across eight Midwestern states with sales of more than $13 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise, and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 5 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America's Top 3 favorite grocery stores. The company's more than 75,000 employees provide "A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle" to customers every day. For additional information, visit hy-vee.com. About Harvesters Community Food Network Harvesters is a regional food bank serving a 27-county area of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas. Harvesters' mission is to mobilize the power of the Kansas City-area community to create equitable access to nutritious food and address the root causes and impact of hunger. Our vision is a healthy, thriving community where no one is hungry. We believe access to nutritious food is a human right and all people deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and we believe it is our duty to create a safe, inclusive environment where diverse staff and volunteers feel trusted, valued, and engaged. For more information, visit harvesters.org. About Starfish Project Foundation Founded in 2014, the Starfish Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Olathe, Kansas, serving families across the Kansas City metro. The organization focuses on meeting the real needs of the community by rescuing thousands of pounds of perfectly good food from landfills and redirecting it to those facing food insecurity. Beyond food, Starfish partners with area schools to supply essentials everything from weekend food bags and afterschool snacks to hundreds of full-sized toiletry kits for children and students. The nonprofit also provides shoes, clothing, and everyday household items to help individuals and families navigate times of need. For more information, visit starfishproject21.org. CONTACT: Jim Minge Media/PR Liaison OBO Sioux Honey [email protected] 402-740-8188 SOURCE Sioux Honey SHANGHAI, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 23rd, Aitu, the world's first AI-powered apparel manufacturing brand, themed "AI Reinvents Sewing Machine," held a launch event in Shanghai. The event, livestreamed globally, showcased the technological breakthroughs of AI-enabled smart apparel manufacturing to the industry, providing new insights and solutions for the leapfrog development of the global apparel manufacturing industry. Aitu AI Robot Makes Its Debut, Opening a New Era of "Autonomous Sewing" in the Apparel Industry Riding the wave of AI, Aitu has pioneered technological research and development, achieving significant breakthroughs. At the 2025 International Consumer Electronics Show (IFA) in Berlin, Germany, Aitu won the "2025 IFA Artificial Intelligence Product Innovation Gold Award" for its innovative achievements. Aitu CEO Steven stated: "The essence of AI is to "master human experience". Driven by the philosophy of "turning tools into partners", Aitu launched the world's first AI sewing equipment category. At the product launch, Aitu CEO Steven presented a comprehensive demonstration of the A1 robotautonomously developed by Aitu. This is the first female sewing robot, and it was greeted with cheers as soon as it made its debut.highlighting its capability to perform highly precise fabric sewing operations through a real-time live display. The event officially marked the advent of the "autonomous sewing" era. This milestone not only shows AI tech maturity but also underscores Aitu's successful collaboration with industry partners, including Thailand's NICE and Decathlon's Wuhan factory. This joint innovation has been pivotal in transitioning AI sewing tech from R&D to real-world use, paving the way for the industry's new AI-coordinated development stage. Innovative Chinese Solutions: Redefining Apparel Manufacturing with AI Aitu Chief Product Officer Dr. Hu unveiled the AI10, a device that draws on operators' and technicians' expertise to improve machine adjustment efficiency by 80%, shorten training cycles by 60%, deliver real-time work analysis and capacity-loss warnings, enhance operator efficiency by 8-15%, and increase factory execution rates over 90%. Aitu's name honors AI pioneer Alan Turing, guided by its core mission: "Made Intelligent, Made For Creation." IDEO Global Partner Remy emphasized its human-centric value: "User-focused designs, ergonomic interfaces, and intuitive features reduce worker stress, enhance talent retention, and build lasting brand trust." The global Aitu launch marks a milestone in AI-driven sewing manufacturing and catalyzes the apparel industry's evolution toward intelligent, high-end, customized productionoffering practical solutions for this upgrade. SOURCE Aitu The popular Japanese dessert brand with cult following, brings its signature cream puffs to the Kearny Mesa San Diego area. SAN DIEGO, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Beard Papa's, the world-renowned chain famous for its fresh and natural cream puffs, is excited to announce the opening of its first location in San Diego. The highly anticipated grand opening will take place starting 11AM, Saturday, October 4th and Sunday, October 5th at 4488 Convoy St., San Diego, California. Founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1999, Beard Papa's has grown from a small neighborhood bakery into a global sensation, with over 550 stores in 15 countries and territories. The brand is best known for its light, airy cream puffs that are made to order, offering guests a unique experience of choosing both shell and filling. Grand Opening Day Promotions: Free Original Cream Puff with any purchase . Customers can enter to win free Beard Papa's merchandise and receive a coupon at: beardpapas.com/san-diego-grand-opening . Customers can enter to win free Beard Papa's merchandise and receive a coupon at: Free Limited Edition Mashle: Magic and Muscles surprise gift for the first 100 customers Saturday and Sunday that purchase a Papa's 6pk of puffs Exclusive Beard Papa's swag and discounts as part of the Grand Opening. Guests can also enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win Beard Papa's merchandise, gift cards, and more via the web page for the event at : beardpapas.com/san-diego-grand-opening The opening menu will feature popular cream puff shells like Original, Chocolate, Oreo, and Matcha, paired with the brand's signature Vanilla Bean custard filling. Additional flavors, such as Green Tea and Chocolate custard, will roll out after launch. "We are thrilled to bring Beard Papa's to San Diego," said Andrew, franchise owner at Beard Papa's San Diego. "Our goal is to serve the community with a dedicated Japanese bakery that has such a strong cult following. We can't wait to share our fresh, handcrafted cream puffs with everyone in the Kearny Mesa area." "Our cream puffs are baked fresh on-site every day and are some of the largest you'll ever experience," said Mark Nathan, Marketing Director for Beard Papa's. "With real vanilla bean, premium custard, and high-quality ingredients, Beard Papa's is more than just a dessert it's a fun, crave-worthy experience that keeps people coming back for more." Grand Opening Details: Address: 4488 Convoy St. Suite E, San Diego, CA 92111 Opening: 11am, Saturday, October 4th, and Sunday, October 5th Hours: 11:00 AM 9:00 PM both days For more information and to sign up for the Grand Opening Sweepstakes, visit www.beardpapas.com/san-diego-grand-opening or follow @beardpapas.sandiego on social media. About Beard Papa's Founded in Osaka, Japan in 1999, Beard Papa's has become a global sensation, known for its freshly baked cream puff shells and made-daily custard. With over 550 stores worldwide in 14 countries and territories, Beard Papa's offers a wide range of flavors, seasonal collaborations, and high-quality Japanese desserts made from premium ingredients. More information can be found at www.beardpapas.com and on social media @beardpapas Media Contact: Mark Nathan, Marketing [email protected] SOURCE Beard Papa's WINDHAM, Maine, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Payment Agency of Windham, Maine, announced today its strategic initiative to double its ammunition e-commerce client base by the end of 2026, leveraging specialized AuthorizeNet payment gateway integrations designed specifically for legal, secure, online ammunition sellers who have been declined by their local bank or a mainstream processor like Stripe, Square, or PayPal. The company's expanded service addresses a critical gap in the payment processing industry, where legal ammunition retailers often face sudden account closures or outright rejections from traditional payment providers. 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When we pair the AuthorizeNet software with the right merchant account, these businesses can finally process payments without looking over their shoulder - we even have expanded shopping cart integrations beyond what most folks are familiar with." The service includes one-on-one customer support from dedicated US-based specialists who guide ammunition website owners through setup, rule structure, integration, and ongoing account management. The company's competitive pricing structure offers savings compared to generic high-risk processors, with transparent fees. Blue Payment Agency's ammunition payment gateway solution integrates with popular e-commerce platforms, including WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Shopify, and GunBroker. Additionally, for platforms without native AuthorizeNet support, like Wix or Webflow, the company implements proven third-party solutions to ensure reliable payment processing without requiring website rebuilds. "AuthorizeNet is the backbone of stable processing when set up correctly," Roy explained. "It's got enterprise-level security, handles the encryption and fraud detection, and most importantly, its terms don't prohibit legal ammo sales. When you combine that reliability with our specially underwritten ammunition-friendly merchant accounts, you get stability. No more surprise shutdowns, just reliable payment processing at rates that make sense." The company's existing ammunition retail clients have praised the service on Trustpilot, highlighting the responsive customer service and seamless integration process. Reviews consistently mention successful transitions from declined accounts at other providers and the peace of mind that comes with stable payment processing. Blue Payment Agency's expansion comes at a crucial time for the ammunition industry, as online sales continue to grow while payment processing options remain limited. The company's AuthorizeNet payment gateway for ammunition websites includes built-in fraud-protection features such as address verification, card validation, and suspicious activity flagging, all at low or no additional cost. "We're not just throwing technology at people and wishing them luck," Roy added. "Every client gets a dedicated, US-based expert who knows ammunition, understands the e-commerce rules, and can explain everything in plain English. That personal touch, combined with AuthorizeNet's reliability, is how we're going to double our ammo client base. These businesses deserve better, and we're here to deliver it." About Blue Payment Agency Blue Payment Agency specializes in providing payment gateway solutions for high-risk industries. With a focus on exceptional customer service and specialized knowledge of tactical, pawn, and Second Amendment businesses, the company offers individually underwritten merchant accounts, one-on-one support, and seamless payment gateway integration with popular e-commerce platforms. Media Contact: Alex Roy [email protected] 844-253-9769 SOURCE Blue Payment Agency RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- British American Household Staffing (BAHS), a global leader in luxury domestic staffing, childcare and yacht and aviation crew placement, has officially opened an office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As a global domestic staffing agency with locations in the United States, the United Kingdom and Dubai, BAHS is expanding its presence in the Middle East. The Riyadh office will be managed by Anita Rogers, Founder & CEO of BAHS, and Emma Hopkinson, Talent Acquisition & Middle East Recruiter, supported by a team of experienced placement specialists.This branch specializes in providing British-educated tutors, governesses, butlers and house managers, as well as experienced British and European-educated maternity nurses and nannies. The agency's executive housekeepers and chauffeurs are highly trained and have extensive experience working in large estates, particularly within the ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) communities globally. British American Household Staffing has experienced rapid growth in the Middle East due to a rising demand for British-and European-trained childcare professionals and domestic staff. The agency's yacht division will collaborate closely with the Riyadh branch to meet the high demand for top-tier yacht crew, including captains, chief stewards and skilled yacht chefs. Additionally, as private aviation crew placements become increasingly popular in the region, the robust aviation department of BAHS will also work in tandem with the Riyadh team. Recognized for exclusively working with the top 1% of domestic staff, childcare professionals and yacht and aviation crew, British American Household Staffing is well-aligned with the needs of clientele in Saudi Arabia, who expect only the best staff and crew in the industry. About British American Household Staffing (BAHS) British American Household Staffing (BAHS) is a premier domestic staffing agency that provides discreet, personalized household staffing solutions designed for long-term success. With offices in Manhattan, Miami, Los Angeles, London and Dubai - and a growing presence in key U.S. markets such as the Tri-State area, California, Texas, Washington, D.C. and Chicago - BAHS specializes in placing experienced and rigorously vetted staff of the highest caliber. This includes nannies, newborn care specialists, governesses, estate managers, butlers, personal assistants, housekeepers, private chefs and chauffeurs. Learn more at bahs.com and follow along on Instagram , LinkedIn and Facebook . SOURCE British American Household Staffing The collaboration brings Builder.io's AI-powered visual development platform to Google Cloud Marketplace, enabling enterprises to modernize frontends, accelerate workflows, and scale securely with AI. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Builder.io today announced that it is bringing AI-powered visual development to enterprise teams, combining Builder.io's platform with Google Cloud's global infrastructure and the Vertex AI platform to help organizations modernize legacy frontends, accelerate development, and scale securely. As enterprises race to adopt AI-driven workflows and reduce delivery bottlenecks, the collaboration provides a foundation for building digital experiences that are both innovative and enterprise-ready. Why collaborate? Builder.io and Google Cloud Marketplace expand collaboration By bringing Builder.io's AI-powered visual development platform to Google Cloud Marketplace, enterprises can easily procure and deploy the solution directly through Google Cloud's trusted marketplace. Architected to run natively on Google Cloud across all regions, Builder meets compliance requirements including SOC 2 and GDPR, with HIPAA readiness where applicable. The platform also integrates with core Google Cloud services such as the Vertex AI platform, Firebase, BigQuery, and Cloud Storage. Leveraging Google Cloud, Builder enables organizations to accelerate delivery cycles, empower cross-functional teams, and bring AI into their software development lifecycle with confidence. Key benefits With Builder.io , enterprises can accelerate delivery cycles, empower every role on the team, and modernize frontends without sacrificing code control or enterprise standards. Accelerate development: Convert Figma designs and natural language prompts into clean, production-ready code. Convert Figma designs and natural language prompts into clean, production-ready code. Empower teams: Let product managers, designers, and marketers visually generate and iterate on experiences while staying aligned with engineering. Let product managers, designers, and marketers visually generate and iterate on experiences while staying aligned with engineering. Modernize frontends: Refactor legacy systems and launch new experiences with AI-driven design-to-code workflows, using Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform. Refactor legacy systems and launch new experiences with AI-driven design-to-code workflows, using Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform. Achieve pixel-perfect precision: Fine-tune any element visually while developers maintain complete control over the underlying code. Fine-tune any element visually while developers maintain complete control over the underlying code. Scale with enterprise confidence: Rely on Google Cloud's global infrastructure for security, performance, and compliance at scale. Customer impact Leading enterprises are already seeing measurable results: Fabletics saved more than $600,000 annually in development costs. saved more than annually in development costs. Anheuser-Busch launched 20+ new sites in under eight months. launched 20+ new sites in under eight months. Storyblocks builds new internal dashboards in less than two hours. Quotes "We believe that teams move fastest when design, product, and engineering work directly in code," said Steve Sewell, Founder & CEO of Builder. "Running on Google Cloud means we can give enterprises that speed without compromise. It's AI-enabled, globally scalable, and backed by the security they expect." "Bringing Builder.io to Google Cloud Marketplace will help customers quickly deploy, manage, and scale their AI-powered visual development platform on Google Cloud's trusted, global infrastructure," said Dai Vu, Managing Director, Marketplace & ISV GTM Programs at Google Cloud. "Builder.io can now securely support enterprises as they modernize application development and accelerate their digital transformation." About Builder.io Builder.io is the AI-powered visual development platform that helps teams design, build, and manage digital experiences faster without sacrificing code control, performance, or security. By unifying design-to-code automation, content management, and AI-driven workflows, Builder enables enterprises to accelerate innovation while staying on brand and in control. Learn more about Builder on Google Cloud Marketplace or visit builder.io to get started. Media contact Lindsay Brunner Head of Communications [email protected] SOURCE Builder.io RUTHERFORDTON, N.C., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Christian Lingua, the world's largest Christian translation ministry, is celebrating 20 years of bringing the Gospel to people worldwide. Through this endeavor, countless people have received the opportunity to read the Bible in their own language, including the Ikwere languages spoken in Southern Nigeria, Hindko in Pakistan's Hazara community, and Limba in Sierra Leone. However, 1,400 languages still lack access to Scripture, leaving millions without the Bible in their heart language. Christian Lingua "Imagine living your entire life without the Word of God in your mother tongue. That is the reality for millions today," said Michael Yurchuk, CEO of Christian Lingua. "Every donation brings us closer to fulfilling the Great Commission by ensuring that no community is left without access to God's Word." The mission of Christian Lingua is rooted in Christ's command: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV). Why Donations Matter: One Verse Can Change One Life Your donation of $25 translates one verse and that one verse can transform one life. It may be the first time someone hears "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1) in their own language. At Christian Lingua, our goal is to bring God's Word to every tribe, tongue, and nation. But the true heroes of this mission are the faithful believers who make it possible. When you donate to Bible translation, you place the Bible in the hands of people who have never held it before. Your donations help: translate the Bible into languages that have never had Scripture; deliver God's Word to people who have never held a Bible in their hands; strengthen local churches, plant new ones, and facilitate discipleship. For 20 years, Christian Lingua, as one of the leading Christian translation ministries, has witnessed the power of Bible translation: communities grow stronger, faith deepens, and lives are transformed. Christian Lingua invites individuals, churches, and Christian ministries to help bring the Word to those who need it most. With 1,400 languages still awaiting translation, every gift has eternal impact. Visit https://bibletranslation.christianlingua.com/our-mission to learn more, make your donation, and change lives today! Contact: Michael Yurchuk +18886361617 [email protected] SOURCE Christian Lingua AUSTIN, Texas and TOKYO, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Digital Pathology Market Size reached US$ 1.31 Billion in 2024 from US$ 1.17 Billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US$ 3.86 Billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 12.9% during the forecast period 20252033. This surge reflects the rapid adoption of AI-powered image analysis, telepathology solutions, and integrated digital workflows in clinical diagnostics, research, and education. Digital pathology is no longer confined to research institutions; it is now an integral part of clinical diagnostics. By enabling whole-slide imaging (WSI), AI-driven interpretation, and cloud-enabled collaboration, digital pathology is bridging gaps in diagnostic accuracy and access. Rising cancer prevalence, shortages of skilled pathologists, and increasing reliance on remote consultation are fueling market expansion. Download Exclusive Sample Report: https://www.datamintelligence.com/download-sample/digital-pathology-market Browse in-depth TOC on "Digital Pathology Market" 70 Tables 66 Figures 195 Pages Market Segmentation Insights By Product Hardware Devices remained the largest segment in 2024, valued at US$ 650 million, led by demand for high-resolution slide scanners and imaging platforms. Software solutions, generating US$ 420 million in 2024, are experiencing the fastest CAGR, driven by AI-powered diagnostic algorithms, cloud-based platforms, and integration with hospital information systems. Services, including managed platforms, consulting, and workflow integration, contributed US$ 240 million in 2024, as hospitals and labs seek end-to-end digital transformation. By Type Human Pathology dominated in 2024, generating over US$ 1.05 billion, reflecting widespread adoption in cancer and chronic disease diagnostics. Veterinary Pathology, valued at US$ 260 million, is expanding steadily, with applications in livestock, companion animals, and zoonotic disease research. By Application Clinical Diagnostics accounted for nearly 45% of revenues ( US$ 590 million in 2024). Cancer diagnostics, immunohistochemistry, and molecular pathology are key growth areas. Cancer diagnostics, immunohistochemistry, and molecular pathology are key growth areas. Telepathology contributed US$ 300 million , with adoption accelerated by cross-border consultations and healthcare system digitization. with adoption accelerated by cross-border consultations and healthcare system digitization. Drug Discovery applications generated US$ 220 million , as pharma companies rely on digital pathology for preclinical and translational research. as pharma companies rely on digital pathology for preclinical and translational research. Training & Education, at US$ 120 million , benefits from academic institutions transitioning to digital platforms for pathology learning. By End-User Hospitals remained the largest end-user in 2024 (US$ 540 million), as integrated pathology workflows became central to cancer care and diagnostics. Diagnostic Laboratories contributed US$ 410 million, with high-throughput slide analysis enhancing efficiency and turnaround times. Academic & Research Institutes (US$ 240 million) and Veterinary Clinics (US$ 120 million) are also adopting digital solutions to enhance accuracy and scalability. Request for Customized Sample Report as per Your Business Requirement: https://www.datamintelligence.com/customize/digital-pathology-market Regional Insights: USA & Japan United States The U.S., valued at US$ 530 million in 2024, remains the global leader due to: High cancer burden (1.9 million new cases annually). Strong regulatory support, with FDA-cleared whole-slide imaging systems now widely adopted. now widely adopted. Expansion of AI-enabled pathology solutions, particularly in academic medical centers and commercial labs. Recent trends (2025): Roche and PathAI expanded their AI-powered digital pathology platform across major U.S. hospital networks, while Philips signed a strategic partnership with Labcorp for nationwide telepathology deployment. Japan Japan's market, valued at US$ 115 million in 2024, is expanding rapidly. Key drivers include: Aging population and rising cancer incidence. and rising cancer incidence. Government-backed digitization initiatives under Japan's Society 5.0 framework. under Society 5.0 framework. Collaborations between universities and global tech leaders (e.g., Olympus and Hamamatsu Photonics) to integrate AI algorithms for pathology. In 2025, Japanese regulators streamlined guidelines for cloud-based pathology image storage, improving adoption across hospitals. Industry Trends & Developments AI Integration: PathAI, Proscia, and Visiopharm are pioneering AI algorithms that support cancer detection, grading, and biomarker quantification. PathAI, Proscia, and Visiopharm are pioneering AI algorithms that support cancer detection, grading, and biomarker quantification. Telepathology Acceleration: Cloud-enabled platforms are allowing hospitals in the U.S. and Japan to address pathologist shortages. Cloud-enabled platforms are allowing hospitals in the U.S. and to address pathologist shortages. Pharma Collaborations: Global pharma companies are leveraging digital pathology in drug development, accelerating biomarker discovery. Global pharma companies are leveraging digital pathology in drug development, accelerating biomarker discovery. M&A Activity: In 2025, Sectra AB acquired a digital pathology software startup to strengthen its AI and interoperability capabilities. Competitive Landscape: Key Players Koninklijke Philips N.V. Philips leads with its IntelliSite Pathology Solution, FDA-cleared and widely adopted across hospitals and labs. The company generated US$ 280 million from digital pathology in 2024 and is focusing on AI and cloud integration. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd Roche continues to dominate through its VENTANA digital pathology portfolio, tightly integrated with oncology diagnostics. Roche's 2024 digital pathology revenues exceeded US$ 250 million, supported by strong U.S. and Japan adoption. Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. A key innovator in Japan, Hamamatsu is expanding its NanoZoomer scanners for both clinical and research markets. In 2025, it launched new AI-enhanced scanners tailored for Japanese hospitals. PathAI, Inc. & Proscia Inc. Both U.S.-based firms are scaling AI-driven software platforms. PathAI secured multi-year contracts with pharma companies in 2025, while Proscia expanded its Concentriq platform into Europe and Asia. Visiopharm A/S & 3DHISTECH Ltd. Visiopharm continues to lead in AI image analysis, while 3DHISTECH's whole-slide scanners remain competitive in academic institutions worldwide. Buy This Exclusive Report at Just USD 4350 Only: https://www.datamintelligence.com/buy-now-page?report=digital-pathology-market Strategic Outlook The Digital Pathology Market is expected to triple in value, reaching US$ 3.86 Billion by 2033. The next decade will be defined by: AI-driven Diagnostics Precision oncology will fuel demand for automated slide interpretation. Telepathology Scale-up U.S. and Japan will lead adoption of cross-border and intra-hospital telepathology platforms. Integration with Pharma R&D Drug developers will increasingly rely on digital pathology for biomarker-driven research. Regulatory Evolution Streamlined approval frameworks in the U.S. and Japan will accelerate clinical adoption. Conclusion The global Digital Pathology Market is at the forefront of healthcare's digital transformation. With revenues projected to climb from US$ 1.31 Billion in 2024 to US$ 3.86 Billion by 2033, the sector represents a critical enabler of precision diagnostics, efficient workflows, and scalable healthcare delivery. With the U.S. shaping global adoption and Japan setting innovation benchmarks in Asia, digital pathology is poised to become an indispensable pillar of clinical medicine and research. Related Reports: 1. Anatomic Pathology Market Size to Soar to USD 31.1 B by 2030, Fueled by Digital & Molecular Diagnostics. 2. North America Digital Pathology Market Size Poised for Rapid Growth: Projected from USD 449M in 2024 to USD 694M by 2030 on AI & Telepathology Surge. 3. Europe Digital Pathology Market to Quadruple by 2033: AI & Telepathology Drive EUR-Scale Growth. 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Contact: Mr. Sai Kiran DataM Intelligence 4market Research LLP Ground floor DSL Abacus IT Park, Industrial Development Area Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana 500039 USA: +1 877-441-4866 Email: [email protected] Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1858619/3573087/DataM_Intelligence_Logo.jpg SOURCE DataM Intelligence 4 Market Research LLP SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fullcast has been recognized as one of 100 Companies Championing Women by the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity through its Inspire In Utah initiative. Fullcast This recognition highlights Utah companies that demonstrate leadership in family-friendly policies, women-specific initiatives and workplace practices that advance the recruitment, retention and promotion of women. Companies on the list are known for initiatives that significantly benefit women in the workplace, with 90% offering flexible work hours and locations, 84% having pay equity efforts, 80% diversifying leadership teams and 76% providing paid family leave. As part of this designation, Fullcast has been recognized for embracing these practices and fostering an environment where women thrive as contributors and leaders. "Being included among the 100 Companies Championing Women is a proud milestone for Fullcast," said Brittany Davies, Head of People and Culture at Fullcast. "From flexible work arrangements to opportunities for leadership growth, we've worked intentionally to create a workplace where women feel empowered to succeed. This recognition validates our ongoing commitment to supporting women in tech and beyond." Amy Cook, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Fullcast, added, "Teams and companies are stronger, more productive and more successful with women in leadership positions. We're grateful to Inspire In Utah for shining a spotlight on organizations committed to advancing women in the workplace." This is not the first time the company and its leaders have been recognized for championing women. Fullcast CEO Ryan Westwood was recognized in 2021 as one of the top 50 "Best CEOs for Women" by Comparably in ratings conducted by women employees from some 60,000 companies. And in 2024, Fullcast was recognized by Deseret News for championing women investors in its landmark seed round of $34 million. About Fullcast Fullcast is the first end-to-end Revenue Command Center, enabling revenue teams to plan, perform and get paid all in one product suite. By aligning Go-to-Market strategy with execution, Fullcast empowers organizations to grow efficiently and scale successfully. SOURCE Fullcast TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Global economic freedom has declined for the fourth year in a row, finds the annual Economic Freedom of the World report published today by the Fraser Institute. "Global economic freedom peaked in 2019 but has declined in each of the four years since then, which hasn't happened since we began measuring economic freedom more than 25 years ago," said Matthew Mitchell, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and a contributor to the report. Economic freedomthe degree to which individuals are allowed to make their own decisions about what to buy, where to work and whether to start a businessis fundamental to prosperity. Economic freedom measures openness to trade, tax and regulatory burdens, government spending, and the soundness of a country's money. In 2023 (the latest year of available data), Hong Kong was the most economically-free jurisdiction in the world (although it's score has declined in recent years), followed by Singapore (2nd), New Zealand (3rd), Switzerland (4th) and the United States (5th). Crucially, because the data are from 2023, they do not reflect any consequences from the current trade war (though the report does include a chapter on the trade war's potential effects on economic freedom in the U.S.). The rankings of other major countries include the United Kingdom (13th), Germany (15th), Japan (17th), Korea (38th), France (44th), Italy (46th), Indonesia (65th), Mexico (70th), India (86th), Brazil (87th), China (108th), and Russia (148th). The 10 lowest-ranked countries were Chad, Libya, Syria, Argentina, Myanmar, Iran, Algeria, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Venezuela. People living in countries with high levels of economic freedom enjoy greater prosperity, more political and civil liberties, and longer lives. For example, in 2023 per-person GDP (an indicator of living standards) in countries in the top 25 per cent of economic freedom was US$66,434 compared to US$10,751 for countries in the least-economically free quartile. And poverty rates are lower. In the most-economically free quartile, 2 per cent of the population experienced extreme poverty (living on less than US$3.65 per day) compared to 52 per cent in the least-free quartile. Finally, life expectancy is 79 years in the freest countries compared to 62 years in the least free. "Where people are free to pursue their own opportunities and make their own economic choices, they lead more prosperous, happier and healthier lives," Mitchell said. To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact: Mark Hasiuk, Senior Media Relations Specialist, Fraser Institute, (604) 688-0221 Ext. 517, [email protected] Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter and Facebook The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institute's independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org SOURCE The Fraser Institute Ajax System, in cooperation with the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), opened a design and robotics laboratory, which is the fifth within the Ajax Next educational initiative and the second at KPI, and students will be able to join the first program in the field of Mechanical Engineering from November. According to founder and chairman of the supervisory board of Ajax Systems Oleksandr Konotopsky, the new laboratory is designed for 20 workplaces, it has a design area with computer equipment for classroom work and a workshop for developing models. According to him, a separate team of teachers, engineers and administrators will work in the laboratory, and Ajax Systems specialists will be in contact with them. During the opening, first vice-rector of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Mykhailo Bezuhly, reported that over the past year, 10 new laboratories have appeared at the university, with about five more in the process. As journalists were informed during the opening of the laboratory, 10 internships were held within the framework of the Ajax Next initiative, 1,800 students passed through it, and 44 of them joined the Ajax Systems team. In a commentary to Interfax-Ukraine, Bezuhly noted that the demand for engineering specialties is growing somewhat, in particular among girls. Engineering specialties are growing slightly in absolute numbers, and girls are interested in these specialties more often. If you look at the ratio, it fluctuates in one direction or the other within 45-55%. It all depends on individual specialties, said the first vice-rector of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Bezuhly added that the university has not experienced a significant outflow of male students after men aged 18 to 22 were allowed to travel abroad. Those few dozen children who, as we know, left in a few weeks, have already returned to Ukraine and are continuing their studies, the vice-rector emphasized. The international company Ajax Systems specializes in the production of security systems, including video surveillance, fire safety, and comfort and automation. The North Texas Location is Now Operated by Local Couple, Kirk and Jerainne Heywood ADDISON, Texas, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Toastique , the vibrant gourmet toast, juice and coffee bar conceptualized in Washington D.C., is now under new ownership at its Addison, Texas location at 5467 Belt Line Road. With a menu focused on nutrient-dense dishes, the new store is being operated by local residents and husband-and-wife team, Kirk and Jerainne Heywood. The pair, who share a passion for healthy eating, will continue to grow the restaurant's presence as they create a welcoming atmosphere to new and returning customers alike. Toastique, the vibrant gourmet toast, juice and coffee bar conceptualized in Washington D.C., is now under new ownership at its Addison, Texas location at 5467 Belt Line Road. Prepared in-house with responsibly sourced ingredients, Toastique Addison features a robust selection of customizable gourmet toasts, smoothies, bowls, cold-pressed juices, and more as well as grab-and-go selections. Now through the end of November, customers can also take advantage of the restaurant's fall menu filled with flavors that evoke the autumn season. Among those items include the Smoky Chipotle Turkey Toast and Mezze Toast along with drink specials like the Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte, Pumpkin Spice Cream Cold Brew, Spiced Pumpkin Smoothie, and Heartthrob Juice. Toastique Addison offers close proximity to an array of fitness studios along with other like-minded businesses within a bustling location. No matter the occasion, the Heywoods invite the community in to enjoy a healthy meal at their leisure. The restaurant's energizing dishes are free of preservatives and additives, without skimping on flavor. Whether starting the day, catching up with friends over brunch or just providing a pick-me-up after a workout, Toastique's menu is both satisfying and nutritious. "We want our guests to feel like they're home when they visit us and understand what they're eating as they fuel their bodies with ingredients that are both tasty and good for them," said Jerianne. "Whether you have a busy day or a day off, our location offers the perfect spot for taking time to nourish the moment and feed your highest good." Located near the bustling intersection of Belt Line and Prestonwood Boulevard in the city's "Restaurant Row", Toastique Addison is open daily from 7am-5pm. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/toastiqueaddison . Follow the brand updates on social media at @toastique on Instagram and Facebook at www.facebook.com/toastiqueaddison . About Toastique Toastique, a health-focused restaurant franchise founded in 2018 by former D1 collegiate cheerleader Brianna Keefe, believes healthy food should be approachable, accessible, and enjoyable for all. With a unique menu that includes toast-focused creations, all-natural smoothies, cold-pressed juices and acai bowls, Toastique is truly unlike any other health-focused franchise on earth. After the flagship Toastique location in Washington, D.C., the brand generated over $1 million in sales during its first year of operation. Keefe franchised the concept and has expanded with locations in D.C., California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Nevada, New York, and Virginia, with more franchise units signed and in development across the country. Keefe was recently featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 Food & Drink (2022) and Franchise Dictionary Magazine's 50 Women of Wonder (2024). Toastique was also selected as Nation's Restaurant News' 2024 Hot Concepts Award winner. More information on Toastique can be found at www.toastique.com and Instagram @toastique . Media Contact: Kristen Skladd 586-222-2423 [email protected] SOURCE Toastique 40 th anniversary of SONATA celebrated with a commemorative exhibition and magazine highlighting the legacy of STELLAR and SONATA anniversary of SONATA celebrated with a commemorative exhibition and magazine highlighting the legacy of STELLAR and SONATA Restored 1988 STELLAR and archival materials showcased at piknic in Seoul , capturing the evolution of Hyundai Motor's mid-size sedans in , capturing the evolution of Hyundai Motor's mid-size sedans The second edition of RETRACE Magazine explores the historic stories of STELLAR and SONATA alongside a book talk at Hyundai Motorstudio Seoul SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company today launched a heritage campaign honoring the historic journey of its iconic mid-size sedans, the STELLAR and SONATA, in celebration of the SONATA's 40th anniversary. Restored 1988 STELLAR showcased at piknic in Seoul STELLAR, launched in 1983, was the company's second proprietary passenger car after the PONY and marked a significant advancement in technological independence in Korea's automotive industry. SONATA, first introduced in 1985 as the high-end version of STELLAR, soon grew into its own legacy, evolving through eight generations to become Hyundai Motor's longest-running volume model. As part of the heritage campaign, Hyundai Motor will host a special pop-up exhibition at piknic, an exhibition venue near Namsan Park in Seoul, from September 25, 2025 to January 4, 2026. The exhibition showcases a fully restored 1988 STELLAR ('STELLAR 88'), a special edition model that was launched to celebrate Hyundai Motor's role as the official vehicle of the Olympic Games Seoul 1988. The restored vehicle is displayed alongside archival materials such as technical drawings, catalogues and behind-the-scenes R&D records. In addition to the exhibition, Hyundai Motor is releasing the second edition of its heritage publication series, RETRACE Magazine. 'RETRACE Magazine: STELLAR & SONATA' blends historical insights with personal stories of customers, exploring the value of long-standing relationships in everyday life. With 16 original pieces, including essays, interviews and columns, the magazine invites readers to reflect on the legacy and technological achievements of the company's mid-size sedans. A book talk event will take place on October 18 at Hyundai Motorstudio Seoul to further engage with audiences. Exclusive STELLAR and SONATA merchandise will be available for purchase at piknic during the exhibition period, as well as select Hyundai Motorstudio locations (Goyang, Seoul, and Busan) and the Hyundai Collection official website (Link). These items commemorate the campaign and provide customers with unique ways to celebrate Hyundai Motor's rich legacy. More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company A premier opportunity for U.S. retailers, manufacturers, and designers to access India's thriving gem and jewelry sector with stipends, factory tours, and tailored support through USA Coordinator, Olga Gonzalez. NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Gem & Jewellery Show (IGJS) is proud to announce its 2026 USA Buyer Program, a unique initiative designed to connect American retailers, manufacturers, and designers with some of the most prominent gemstone and jewelry suppliers and manufacturers in India. As part of this expansion, Olga Gonzalez, gemologist and CEO of Pietra Communications , has been appointed the official USA Coordinator and primary point of contact for American buyers interested in participating. The IGJS Show, organized by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India (GJEPC), is recognized as one of the most important international trade platforms for gems and jewelry. In 2026, the Jaipur April edition will triple in size, growing from 50 to 150 exhibitors, offering an unparalleled opportunity to explore India's rich jewelry heritage and diverse manufacturing capabilities. The Jaipur Special Economic Zone (Jaipur SEZ) recorded an impressive 317% growth in exports in Q1 FY202526, underscoring the city's expanding role as a hub for colored gemstones and artisanal craftsmanship. Olga Gonzalez Mr. Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC says, "IGJS Jaipur 2026, scheduled from 9th to 11th April, will be the largest and most exclusive edition to date, featuring 150 leading exhibitors from across India and 600 hosted international buyers. For U.S. buyers, this show is a rare opportunity to discover India's finest offerings under one roof from exceptional colored gemstones and diamonds to high-design jewelry and silver creations. Every aspect of IGJS is crafted to deliver a premium, curated sourcing experience, giving visitors access to fresh designs, trusted craftsmanship, and the unmatched diversity of India's gem and jewelry sector. Set against the backdrop of Jaipur, a city celebrated globally as the gemstone capital, IGJS Jaipur 2026 promises an inspiring experience that blends tradition, innovation, and business growth." The USA Buyer Program supports qualified American businesses in attending IGJS. Accepted buyers receive a stipend to cover flights, hotel accommodations and food expenses during the trip's show dates. This ensures that participants can focus entirely on exploring the event, meeting suppliers, and developing valuable business partnerships. For companies with an annual turnover of over $1 million who are seeking to explore large-scale manufacturing opportunities, there is an additional option to extend the trip with exclusive factory tours in Mumbai and Surat. These tours allow buyers to experience the heart of India's diamond and jewelry production hubs firsthand. The April India itinerary begins with the IGJS Jaipur Show, which will be held on April 9, 10, and 11 in Jaipur. Buyers accepted into the Mumbai extended program will fly from Jaipur to Mumbai on April 12, with factory visits scheduled in Mumbai on April 13 and 14. Those choosing to extend to both Surat and Mumbai will depart Jaipur for Surat on April 12, conduct factory visits in Surat on April 13 and 14, then travel by road to Mumbai on April 14, where additional factory visits will take place on April 15 and 16. Each city offers distinct advantages for buyers. Jaipur is renowned for its colored gemstones and artisanal craftsmanship, supported by over 33,000 production units and nearly 191,000 artisans. Mumbai, with more than 54,000 units and over 260,000 artisans, is India's commercial capital and a global hub for natural diamonds, polished stones, and high-end finished jewelry. Surat, with 9,000 units and 134,500 artisans, stands at the forefront of lab-grown diamond technology and production. By offering access to all these centers, IGJS provides a comprehensive perspective on India's jewelry industry. India's gem and jewelry sector employs approximately 5 million people nationwide and remains one of the country's most significant export industries. Despite global challenges, the industry's resilience is evident. In Q1 FY202526, gold jewelry exports rose by 25.48% year-on-year to nearly US$2.79 billion, with plain gold jewelry exports soaring by 59.41%. Platinum jewelry exports grew by 13.48%, while colored gemstone exports increased by 6.06%. These gains highlight India's continued dominance in global jewelry exports and reinforce the importance of platforms like IGJS in driving international trade. Sustainability is also at the forefront of IGJS. Many exhibitors are certified by third-party organizations, including the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) and SCS Global Services, reflecting the industry's commitment to ethical sourcing and environmentally responsible practices. Buyers attending the show will not only benefit from India's vast product offerings but also gain confidence in the credibility of their sourcing partners. Retailers, manufacturers, and designers in the United States who are interested in applying for the Buyer Program should contact Olga Gonzalez at Pietra Communications directly at [email protected] or by calling 212-913-9761 to learn more, discuss eligibility, and explore how the program can support their company's business objectives. "The IGJS 2026 USA Buyer Program is a powerful gateway for American companies to access India's extraordinary jewelry resources," said Olga Gonzalez. "From Jaipur's artisanal traditions to Mumbai's natural diamond trade and Surat's cutting-edge lab-grown diamond facilities, buyers can discover unparalleled opportunities to grow their businesses. I look forward to supporting businesses in connecting with world-class suppliers and creating meaningful, sustainable partnerships." The IGJS Show continues to strengthen its reputation as a premier international jewelry exhibition, bridging markets and fostering collaboration. With the expansion of the USA Buyer Program, American companies have an unprecedented opportunity to access India's thriving gem and jewelry sector, supported by stipends, factory access, and personalized guidance. Media Contact: Retailers, manufacturers, and designers in the United States who are interested in applying for the Buyer Program should contact Olga Gonzalez at Pietra Communications directly at [email protected] or by calling 212-913-9761 About The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), set up by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India (GoI) in 1966, is the apex body of the Indian gems and jewelry industry, representing over 10,600 members nationwide. With its headquarters in Mumbai and Regional Offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Surat, and Jaipur, GJEPC maintains a strong presence across all major industry hubs, ensuring close and meaningful engagement with its members. Over the decades, GJEPC has emerged as the ideal world body for the global gem and jewelry sector, recognized internationally as one of the most respected and proactive trade organizations. It has continuously expanded its role driving India's exports, creating platforms for global trade, and providing services and initiatives that support the growth of the industry. Through its pioneering efforts, GJEPC has positioned India as a trusted source for diamonds, colored gemstones, and jewelry, while building enduring confidence among international buyers. SOURCE Pietra PR ANN ARBOR, Mich. and EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Journeys International and MEJDI Tours are excited to announce a new partnership rooted in the belief that cross-cultural travel can deepen global understanding and connection while delivering adventures of a lifetime. The companies are co-branding a select line of immersive trips designed to help travelers see the world from new perspectives. The first collection of jointly promoted itineraries will introduce travelers to the Galapagos, Uganda, Mongolia , and the Balkans. Each trip is crafted to connect travelers with local people, offer hands-on engagement, and encourage curiosity, dialogue, and reflection. "Our organizations share the belief that travel's greatest benefits come from learning across cultures, among people who would never have met otherwise," said Robin Weber Pollak, Chief Adventure Officer and Owner of Journeys International. "The partnership between Journeys and MEJDI will expand traveler access to opportunities that benefit individuals and communities." MEJDI Tours is known for its multi-narrative approach that introduces travelers to diverse voices in each destination. Journeys International brings nearly 50 years of expertise in adventure and cultural travel, with a legacy of fostering meaningful experiences around the globe. Together, the companies are committed to helping travelers engage more deeply with the people and cultures they encounter. "This collaboration is about offering trips that transform perspectives," said MEJDI Tours Co-Owner and CEO Aziz Abu Sarah. "By combining our strengths, we can empower more travelers to return home with powerful stories, insights, and ultimately greater understanding." The first co-branded trip to Mongolia is now available. Other trips in the 2026 collection will be available on the Journeys and MEJDI Tours websites beginning late Fall 2025. About Journeys International As a family-owned adventure travel company since 1978, Journeys International leads the way in global ecotourism, cultural exploration, and small group adventures. Journeys helps travelers connect deeply with people, wildlife, and landscapes in destinations around the world. Learn more at www.journeysinternational.com . About MEJDI Tours Founded by two peace-builders, MEJDI Tours pioneered the groundbreaking dual-narrative approach to travel, offering authentic, socially responsible experiences in more than 20 countries. Through partnerships with diverse communities, MEJDI creates opportunities for travelers to engage with multiple perspectives and build meaningful connections. Learn more at www.mejditours.com . SOURCE Journeys International LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The DJS Law Group reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against KBR, Inc. (" KBR" or "the Company") (NYSE: KBR ) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Shareholders who purchased shares of KBR during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointments. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery. CLASS PERIOD: May 6, 2025 to June 19, 2025 DEADLINE: November 18, 2025 CASE DETAILS: According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. KBR was aware that the Department of Defense had ongoing concerns about its HomeSafe joint venture, specifically about its ability to fulfill its obligations related to the relocation of armed forces services members and their families. Despite knowing about these concerns, the Company claimed to investors that its performance would continue to grow. Based on these facts, KBR's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, contact us to participate. NEXT STEPS FOR SHAREHOLDERS : Once you register as a shareholder who purchased shares during the timeframe listed above, you will be enrolled in a portfolio monitoring software to provide you with status updates throughout the lifecycle of the case. There is no cost or obligation to you to participate in this case. WHY DJS LAW GROUP? DJS Law Group's primary focus is to enhance investor return through balanced counseling and aggressive advocacy. We specialize in securities class actions, corporate governance litigation, and domestic/international M&A appraisals. Our clients are some of the largest and most sophisticated hedge funds and alternative asset managers in the world. The litigation claims of our clients are extraordinarily valuable assets that demand respect, focus, and results. Join the case to recover your losses. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. CONTACT: David J. Schwartz DJS Law Group 274 White Plains Road, Suite 1 Eastchester, NY 10709 Phone: 914-206-9742 Email: [email protected] SOURCE DJS Law Group LLP LOVELAND, Colo., Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinspiration is a DIY Craft Studio where people of all ages can make the trendiest projects in a fun, inspiring setting. Customers choose from dozens of available projects including art, decor, gifts, accessories, and more. We offer parties and events, classes, workshops, a Splatter Room, and a wine and beer bar! Splatter Group events Glow Splatter Pinspiration studios have been featured on television hundreds of times just in the last couple of years, as well as in print, radio, and online publications. Check out our library of media appearances. People love hearing about our creative concept and getting inspired to DIY! We opened our doors in Loveland on August 15th and are excited to invite the entire community to come craft with us! Studio Location: 5665 McWhinney Blvd, Loveland CO 80538 Customer Appreciation The whole community is invited to join us at our Customer Appreciation on January 24, 2026! We will have free crafts and drinks and balloons and candy for kids! Everyone will also have an opportunity to participate in our speed splatter experience. All attendees will receive a coupon for 10% off their first project! When: Date, doors open at 10 AM Where: At our studio, 5665 McWhinney Blvd, Loveland CO 80538 Who: Community members and their families What: Crafting, drinks, bites, and lots of fun! You can sign up to receive a Customer Appreciation invitation and updates at pinspiration.com/loveland. About the Owner "Pinspiration is a place to create memories, not just crafts." - Angela Vondy, Owner Angela Vondy, Pinspiration Loveland Owner "I am a Colorado Native who was a stay at home mom for most of my early years. I love working with my hands to create and I have a passion for all things crafty. When I am not crafting, I love spending time with my grandchildren and attending car shows with my husband Steve whose passion is classic cars. I also enjoy the energy my two dogs, Kaya and Asha bring to our lives. I am looking forward to offering my community a place to gather and be creative. I want to open a studio where more avenues of creativity can be experienced while providing a nurturing place to "color outside the lines." I am entering a chapter in my life where I can do the things that feed my soul." How it Works "Crafting can be intimidating! Pinspiration was founded to make it easy to try DIY." - Founder, Brooke Roe We provide tools, tutorials, supplies, and helpful staff to guide you every step of the way - just choose your DIY! It makes the perfect activity for kids, family bonding, corporate team builders, birthday parties, and date nights. Choose Your DIY Select a project from dozens of out current craft options including art, decor, gifts, and accessories. Each person in your group can select their own unique craft. Make a Reservation Contact us for a reservation. Drop-ins are accepted when space is available. No need to sign up for a class or workshop make what you want when you want! Have Fun! No hassle, no mess, no excuses! We provide project kits and all the supplies to allow you to personalize your project. Relax and enjoy some wine or a snack. Take it Home When you are finished customizing your project, go home with your completed handmade craft, ready to be enjoyed in your home. Learn more about how it works at https://www.pinspiration.com/how-it-works/ Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE PINSPIRATION LOVELAND TYLER, Texas, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Get ready for a spooktacular celebration filled with fun, learning, and community spirit! Prowl-O-Ween 2025 at Tiger Creek takes place on Saturday, October 18th. The event is the perfect occasion for ghosts and ghouls of all ages, so bring the whole family and don't forget your costumes. From festive activities to educational adventures, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Make magical memories with friends, neighbors, and loved ones while supporting the incredible work of Tiger Creek Sanctuary! Prowl-O-Ween - a Halloween event full of fun, fur, and treats! Attendees can enjoy guided tours, festive games, and exciting educational presentations, all while exploring the beautiful grounds of the sanctuary and meeting our incredible animal residents. This year's event will feature a range of Halloween-themed fun, including costume contests and trick-or-treating stations. Visitors will have the opportunity to see our big cats prowling the grounds, including tigers, lions, bobcats, and more! There's also the chance to learn about endangered species, their most significant threats, and how you can help, or hear about the unique histories of the animals at Tiger Creek and their specialized care from our expert guides. Due to the event's popularity and to ensure a memorable experience for all attendees, space is limited. We encourage visitors to secure their tickets early to avoid disappointment. When is Prowl-O-Ween 2025? Prowl-O-Ween 2025 takes place on Saturday, October 18th, from 10am - 2pm CDT. Where to buy tickets? You can book your tickets now on Eventbritebook here: Prowl-O-Ween 2025. What to wear? Comfortable clothes and shoes are essential! The tour is approximately a half-mile in distance and follows a winding, paved path that climbs up and down hills. What to bring? Water, sunscreen, hats, and other weather-appropriate items are necessities to help make your tour unforgettable. Strollers or wagons are recommended for young children. Where is it? Prowl-O-Ween takes place at Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary, 17552 FM 14, Tyler, TX 75706. What does it cost? Ticket prices for the Prowl-O-Ween 2025 event are as listed below. The cost of tickets helps to support our vital conservation work with endangered animals. Adults: $20 Children (5+): $16 Children Under 5: Free Seniors (65+): $18 About Tiger Creek Founded in 1995, Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge sits nestled in East Texas, on a stretch of land designed to mimic the natural habitats of the animals it houses. It's home to big cats and native wildlife in recovery, as well as a community of people who come together every day to care for them. The mission here is simple: rescue, rehabilitate, and educate. Since opening its gates, the sanctuary has rescued over 75 big cats and assisted more than 1,200 wild animals. Media Enquiries Emily Brooks Executive Director Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary Phone: 903-858-1008 Email: [email protected] www.tigercreek.org SOURCE Tiger Creek ATLANTA, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TruckerCloud, the leading telematics data platform for commercial auto insurance, today announced a new partnership with QEO Insurance Group. QEO will integrate TruckerCloud's real-time driving, safety, and fleet performance data analytics to deepen insights across underwriting, loss control, and claims management for its commercial auto and transportation lines. QEO & TruckerCloud are making commercial auto insurance smarter together. QEO Insurance Group: Proven Expertise, Forward-Thinking Approach QEO Insurance Group has earned a reputation as a leader in commercial transportation insurance, combining technical underwriting expertise with a track record of adopting tools that improve fleet safety and operational outcomes. QEO is recognized for tailoring solutions that address the evolving challenges of transportation-focused businesses, while pushing the industry forward with data-driven risk management and claims strategies. TruckerCloud + QEO: What This Partnership Enables By leveraging TruckerCloud's device-agnostic platform, QEO will gain capability to: Incorporate real-time telematics and video data from a broad variety of provider systems into one unified workflow, avoiding custom development and operational bottlenecks. Reduce premium shortfall by verifying VINs against live telematics data, ensuring accurate vehicle identification and strengthening underwriting integrity across the fleet portfolio. Enhance underwriting accuracy by bringing in behavioral, usage, and safety metrics that better capture risk exposure across behavioral trends, geographies, and driver profiles. Advance loss control and safety using continuous feedback loopsalerts, safety score analyticsto help fleets reduce risky behavior before it leads to losses. Speed up claims management with faster, more reliable data to validate events, reconstruct incidents, and assess damage, improving cycle times and reducing uncertainty for both QEO and policyholders. Leaders See Long-Term Value Spencer Mitchell, CEO of TruckerCloud, added: "We're excited to work with QEO. They understand that insurance is not just about responding after losses but about shaping safer operations proactively. Our platform gives them the tools to do that, at scale, with transparency and efficiency." About TruckerCloud TruckerCloud is a telematics data platform helping insurers ingest, normalize, analyze, and act on data from telematics and video systems. With integrations to 100+ device and camera vendors, TruckerCloud's platform supports underwriting, claims, loss control, and fleet safety efforts. About QEO Insurance Group QEO Insurance Group underwrites and manages commercial auto and transportation risk. Its commercial transportation insurance products are distributed through independent agents. QEO provides specialized coverages for companies in energy, local delivery, construction, and other sectors where transportation risk is central. It emphasizes proactive loss control, agent education, safety initiatives, and responsive claims management. Headquarters: Dallas, Texas Media Contact: Reed Peets 770-230-1449 [email protected] SOURCE TruckerCloud SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Roam, the global open wireless network, is taking centre stage at Korea Blockchain Week 2025 (KBW2025). As a silver sponsor of the main conference, IMPACT, Roam is showcasing how it connects OpenRoaming WiFi, smart global eSIM, and blockchain-based IDs to deliver seamless, secure, and community-driven internet access. Roam Joins KBW2025 IMPACT as Sponsor and Shares Vision for a Global Open Wireless Network Korea already leads in telecom metricsfast broadband, widespread mobile access, and one of the highest rates of international travel per person. According to Roam Explorer data, the country also ranks among the worlds leaders in Roam WiFi hotspot density, and Korean users form one of Roams most active communities. From the very beginning, Roam's ultimate goal has been to make WiFi access as seamless as possible through decentralized solutions that empower individuals. Its success lies in delivering real-world services that anyone can usewelcomed not only by crypto enthusiasts but also by everyday users who simply want simpler, cheaper connectivity. Why This Message Connects in Korea Korea already leads in telecom metricsfast broadband, widespread mobile access, and one of the highest rates of international travel per person. According to Roam Explorer data, the country also ranks among the world's leaders in Roam WiFi hotspot density, and Korean users form one of Roam's most active communities. According to Roam Explorer, Korea ranks among the top regions for Roam WiFi hotspot density, with brighter map colors showing stronger coverage. (source: Roam Explorer ) Roam's eSIM lineupGlobal, Premium, Enterprise, and Partner eSIMfits naturally with these habits. All plans feature zero roaming fees, instant activation, and data that never expires. A standout advantage is that Roam eSIM charges at local rates across 160+ countries, helping travellers cut monthly communication costs by up to 80 %. Flexible payment optionsfrom credit and debit cards to stablecoins and the $ROAM tokenmake staying connected simple for both Web2 and Web3 users. Roam also provides two WiFi 6 routersthe Rainier MAX60 and Baker MAX30for people who want to help build the network itself. These routers strengthen local OpenRoaming coverage, support more devices at higher speeds, and connect directly to the Roam ecosystem. By hosting a router, households, businesses, and community spaces can actively validate coverage and participate in Roam's incentive programs within a clear, usage-based framework. Beyond Connectivity: Data, AI, and Everyday Experiences Roam sees its network not just as internet access, but as the foundation for AI-powered services. Picture arriving at an airport: Roam already covers connectivity through eSIM and WiFi and is preparing payment tools like Roam credit cards. The next step is AI that can instantly provide personalized local informationcustoms, transport, and travel tips. Roam is also turning what used to be closed, carrier-owned data into a community-built resource. Using secure, encrypted data verified by Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials, Roam supports privacy-preserving use of "whowherewhen" data. Backed by partners including Samsung, this paves the way for AI agents that can move seamlessly between devicesfrom phones to smart homeswithout manual setup or privacy risk. A Web3 Telco for Everyone Roam calls itself a Web3 telco in your pocketa service where users participate, contribute, and are acknowledged. Adding WiFi spots, deploying routers, using eSIM, or simply checking-in are all actions recognised through Roam Points, Stickers, and the $ROAM token. Behind this free access lies a diverse and transparent business model. Roam generates revenue from eSIM services, CDN and cloud storage, IP-based connectivity solutions, and in-app activities like privacy-respecting ads and partnered games. This approach lets the network grow without long-term contracts or high monthly fees, while ensuring that participation rewards are usage-based and clearly explainedfully aligned with local financial laws and regulations. This collaborative model is gaining global recognition. Messari's 2024 annual report highlighted Roam when it had just 1 million WiFi nodes. Today, Roam's network has expanded to 6 million active WiFi nodes and over 3 million registered users, making it one of the world's largest decentralized wireless infrastructures. Roam's presence at KBW2025 IMPACT underscores its commitment to Korea and its vision for an open, user-driven, AI-ready wireless network. From travellers to developers and everyday users, Roam is inviting everyone to experience how a Web3 telco in your pocket can make global connectivity simple, secure, and community-powered. About Roam Roam is a leader in decentralized connectivity, operating the world's largest open wireless network with over 10 million hotspots in 190 countries and 3 million app users. Through WiFi OpenRoaming and eSIM services powered by blockchain credentials, Roam delivers seamless, secure, and affordable global internet access. Recognized as a pioneer in the DePIN sector, Roam has provided trusted eSIM connectivity for major Web3 events, including Consensus Hong Kong 2025, the Hong Kong Web3 Festival 2025, and the R3AL WORLD Summit. For More Information, Please Visit: Download the App: weroam.xyz/join_us Website: https://www.weroam.xyz/ X: https://x.com/weRoamxyz Telegram (Korea): https://t.me/RoamKoreaOfficial Contact Nigel Nie [email protected] Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2781470/Roam.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2781471/Roam_Infographic.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2781469/Roam_Logo.jpg SOURCE Roam Employee Used False Smoke Detectors to Record Patients and Visitors in Bathrooms and Changing Rooms for Nearly Two Years NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwell Health and its affiliated entities are being named in multiple civil complaints alleging negligence that enabled the secret recording of over 400 patients and visitors, including children, while they were undressed in bathrooms and changing rooms at two Long Island medical facilities. As alleged in the complaints, the healthcare system failed to detect and prevent unlawful surveillance that continued for nearly two years, despite numerous warning signs that should have alerted management to suspicious activity. The lawsuits were filed in Nassau County Supreme Court by attorneys at Slater Slater Schulman LLP, a leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic events. According to the complaint, from early August 2022 through late April 2024, Sanjai Syamaprasad was a licensed sleep technician employed by Northwell Health. According to the facts in his separate felony criminal case in Nassau Court Supreme Court, Syamaprasad installed hidden video cameras inside false smoke detectors throughout staff and patient bathrooms and changing rooms at the Northwell Health Sleep Disorders Center and STARS Rehabilitation in Great Neck, during which time thousands of patients, including children, were recorded without their knowledge or consent while in states of undress. In July, Syamaprasad pleaded guilty to five counts of Unlawful Surveillance in the Second Degree and two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence. He is expected to be sentenced to five years probation as part of a pre-negotiated plea. "The mediocre sentence in this criminal case doesn't even amount to a wrist slap it's a complete miscarriage of justice," said Adam Slater, Founding and Managing Partner of Slater Slater Schulman LLP. "The only way that the victims of Northwell Health Sleep Disorders Center will ever receive true justice is through the civil courts. While Northwell's carelessness represents an egregious breach of patient privacy and trust, Slater Slater Schulman LLP has a very strong track record of achieving results for patients who have been harmed by medical institutions." In December 2021, Slater Slater Schulman LLP was the first law firm to reach an agreement with Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian on behalf of patients of convicted gynecologist Robert Hadden. This advocacy resulted in the creation of a $71.5 million compensation fund for 79 Slater Slater Schulman clients. As stated in the complaints filed by Slater Slater Schulman in Nassau County Supreme Court, despite discovering the unlawful surveillance in April 2024, Northwell Health waited more than a year before notifying potential victims, only sending notification letters in late May 2025. This delay prevented victims from taking timely action and caused additional emotional distress when they learned of the violations. The lawsuits, filed in Nassau County Supreme Court, allege multiple counts of negligence against Northwell Health entities, including negligent hiring, training, retention, and supervision of Syamaprasad. The complaints assert that Northwell Health failed to maintain adequate security measures, conduct proper background checks, and implement policies to prevent such conduct despite having statutory duties under HIPAA and other regulations to protect patient privacy and confidentiality. Survivors report severe emotional trauma, including anxiety, depression, feelings of violation, loss of trust in medical professionals, and trauma when using public facilities or visiting healthcare providers. NOTE: Individuals seeking to be linked to resources for sexual assault survivors can call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operated by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) provides confidential support from trained staff members and can assist with finding local healthcare resources, help talk through what happened, and offer referrals for long-term support. About Slater Slater Schulman LLP Slater Slater Schulman LLP is a leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic events. Our dedicated attorneys are committed to ensuring the best results for our clients through persistence and compassionate representation. With 11 offices in 10 states, Slater Slater Schulman has achieved successful resolutions in some of the most challenging cases in the nation. We have considerable experience with complex, historical sexual abuse cases involving massive institutions, including academic, religious, and youth organizations. Our firm also represents clients in litigation involving pharmaceutical drugs, product liability, environmental law, employment and labor law, medical malpractice, and personal injury, and has proudly represented thousands of World Trade Center survivors. Learn more at sssfirm.com . MEDIA CONTACT: ICR, Inc. [email protected] SOURCE Slater Slater Schulman LLP Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/2025/05/12 With the money Russia receives from the transit of Russian oil via the Druzhba oil pipeline through the territory of Ukraine, it is capable of producing a thousand Shaheed type strike drones per day, or 350,000 per year, says Ukrainian MP, leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko. "Stop transiting Russian energy resources through Ukrainian territory. It all depends on you. Even though we are blocking Russian energy exports worldwide, nearly $25 million worth of Russian oil transits Ukraine daily, amounting to over $7 billion annually. These $7 billion enable Russia to purchase additional weapons," Poroshenko said. According to the political force's website, in a comment to journalists, the politician reminded that the current government had signed an extension to the Russian oil transit contract, which was set to expire in December 2019. "With the money that goes through Ukrainian territory, Russia can buy up to 350,000 Shaheds. This means up to a thousand Shaheds per day. Every Kyiv resident, every Ukrainian knows what Shaheds and their attacks are," Poroshenko said. He reported that European Solidarity has registered a corresponding resolution in the Verkhovna Rada. "I do not rule out that we will appeal to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau to investigate a possible conflict of interest, because part of the oil products produced from Russian oil is returned to Ukraine at subsidized prices. And dishonest businessmen, according to information we have from law enforcement sources, receive corrupt profits," Poroshenko emphasized. Push for Coordinated Grid Investment Strategy to Begin in Springfield, Illinois SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SOO Green, a jointly owned transmission project being developed by energyRe and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), today announced approval on the final municipal franchise agreement, giving the project an "all-clear" path to construction in Iowa. The project recently received approval from the town of Bellevue, meaning all 24 municipalities in Iowa that the project would run through have approved the agreement. "SOO Green represents a bold new model for building the energy grid of the future," said David Pacyna, CEO of SOO Green. "By going underground along existing rail infrastructure, we're dramatically reducing disruption to communities and landscapes while creating a vital energy superhighway that strengthens grid reliability and resiliency, optimizes transmission efficiency, and lowers long-term energy costs. At a time when the cost of electricity is rising, SOO Green will enable low-cost, reliable energy that will allow Illinois to compete in the 21st Century economy." SOO Green is a 2,100-megawatt High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line that would power the equivalent of 1.5 million homes in Illinois, provide a boost of $3.2 billion into the regional economy during construction, support thousands of union jobs and enhance grid reliability and resilience. Recent studies show SOO Green would "enable net savings $5.8 billion in the first 5 years of operation, translating to average residential electricity bill reductions of $5.67 a month for ComEd customers" by bringing affordable and reliable energy from Iowa to the Chicago area. "With this final municipal franchise secured, we're showing that the communities where this project will be sited fully support the effort," continued Pacyna. "We hope in the coming Veto Session that legislators in Springfield will get behind a process that allows us to compete for business because we know the value and benefits of this project are undeniable." The 350-mile underground transmission line would connect Mason City, Iowa, to Yorkville, Illinois, utilizing existing railroad corridors to avoid the environmental and land use conflicts typically associated with overhead lines. The project connects two major electricity markets, MISO and PJM, ensuring the reliable transfer of renewable energy between the Midwest and Eastern U.S. markets. SOO Green is advocating for a more coordinated transmission investment process in Illinois that will lead to greater reliability for rate payers and lower costs. The project could begin construction as early as 2027 and commercial operation is targeted for 2031. SOO Green is being developed in partnership with leading energy and infrastructure firms including energyRe, a US based energy developer focused on meeting rising electricity demand with affordable and reliable power, in addition to Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Siemens Energy, Jingoli Power, Prysmian Group and PPL Corporation. To learn more, visit www.soogreen.com. SOURCE energyRe OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Todata Analytics has launched Tod AI, an intelligent assistant that instantly answers complex business questions using a company's connected data. Most businesses don't have the budget, infrastructure, or in-house expertise to build or maintain enterprise-grade analytics. Tod AI changes that. Tod AI by Todata Analytics Tod AI Capabilities Built to perform like a senior business analyst available 24/7, Tod AI makes it easy to ask tough, unexpected questions, such as "Compared to Q1, what revenue trends did you see in Q2 in each of our regions?" or "Rank our locations by profitability over the past 60 days." Tod AI delivers quick, sourced answers with supporting visualizations. It can immediately show data, explain trends, and suggest what might be driving changes, all without manual digging or custom queries. Integrated directly into Todata's analytics ecosystem, Tod AI is trained on industry-specific data, and uses its understanding to identify patterns and seasonal trends in company data. "There are a lot of impressive demos of AI solving problems that don't exist," said Nicole Osborn, CEO and Principal Owner of Todata. "Tod is a practical, productive business tool. It performs sophisticated analysis with new levels of speed, accuracy, and user-friendliness. Even people who have never used a business intelligence tool can use Tod right away." Tod AI Capabilities Answers financial and operational questions in plain English Spots trends across multiple systems Explains complex trends in simple terms Offers insights tailored to your business and industry "Clients already tell us that Todata is a must-have for their strategic planning and daily operations," said Andrew Kimball, COO of Todata. "Tod is the sidekick you'll want in every meeting." Tod AI is already being used internally to streamline client onboarding. Under expert human supervision, the AI audits data sources and flags discrepancies across systems. "Tod is providing value from day one," said Ben Titus, President and Co-founder of Todata. "We're catching errors in client databases they didn't know existed. Our integration process gives clients an accurate map of their data territory. Our dashboards provide a better compass. Now, on the user side, Tod serves as an expert guide." Tod AI operates within Todata's existing secure SOC 2- and HIPAA-compliant framework. The launch of Tod AI follows Todata's recent release of SiteGrades, a product tailored for clinical research site organizations. It's another step in the company's push into industry-specific solutions that bring real, actionable intelligence to more businesses. Tod AI will roll out for existing Todata clients in Q4 2025, with new client onboarding available now. To learn more about Tod and book a demo, visit todata.com/tod-ai. About Todata Analytics Founded in 2017 and based in Omaha, Nebraska, Todata Analytics helps growing businesses turn complex data into clear decisions. The company provides business intelligence solutions for clients in finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and professional services. Specialized products include CPAGrades, SiteGrades, and now, Tod AI. Learn more at todata.com. Contact Andrew Kimball [email protected] (402) 819-4057 SOURCE Todata Analytics From Lambrusco and Chianti in Texas, to Amarone and Primitivo in California and Florida, Verdicchio and Soave in Colorado, up to Brunello in Arkansas: Adolfo Rebughini, General Manager of Veronafiere: U.S. Market Far from Mature, Focus on New Growth Areas CHICAGO, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With 345 million liters exported in 2024 and a total import value of $2.25 billion, Italy remains a leading player in the U.S. imported wine market. Veronafiere is reinforcing this presence with Vinitaly.USA , taking place at Chicago's Navy Pier on October 56, will feature 250 exhibitors, representing wineries and consortia with a combined revenue of approximately $7 billion. Importers, distributors, and wine professionals are expected to attend in line with 2024, confirming the event's role as a central platform for Italian wine in the U.S. Beyond showcasing today's success, Vinitaly.USA also looks ahead. An analysis by the Unione Italiana Vini (UIV) and Vinitaly, based on IWSR (International Wine and Spirits Record) data, the global leader in alcoholic beverages, shows that the U.S. wine market is far from mature and maps the next-generation consumers, untapped markets, and regions with the greatest growth potential, highlighting the wines with the greatest potential to drive new sales. "75% of U.S. Italian wine consumers," said Adolfo Rebughini, General Manager of Veronafiere, "are concentrated in about fifteen states, led by California, New York, Florida, Texas, and Illinois. Today, Italian wine lovers in these states are primarily Boomers and Gen X (62%), with strong brand awareness at 72% and a purchase conversion rate of 55%. This is a solid foundation that we aim to strengthen through Vinitaly, while also reaching new audiences and emerging markets. Choosing Chicago for the event was deliberate, reflecting our commitment to supporting Italian companies in the most strategic locations for their growth in the U.S." Mapping Future Growth: Where, Who, and What - California & Florida: Opportunities exist among Millennials, with potential to expand both approachable reds like Lambrusco and premium structured wines such as Amarone della Valpolicella and Primitivo. - Texas: Young consumers show potential for Chianti and Lambrusco, with interest in both light and structured reds. - Georgia, Illinois, and North & South Carolina: Younger consumers could drive growth in fresh reds, Sicilian-style reds like Nero d'Avola and Shiraz, and sparkling wines such as Moscato d'Asti and Moscato-based spumantes. - New York & Washington, D.C.: Millennials represent an opportunity to expand the white wine category beyond Pinot Grigio, including emerging varietals like Vermentino and Ribolla. - Ohio: Gen Z consumers are an emerging segment with growth potential. - Colorado & Arizona: Older consumers could be targeted with structured whites like Verdicchio and Soave, as well as premium reds. - Arkansas: Millennials represent a key segment for structured reds like Brunello and Merlot, complemented by sparkling wines. - Other emerging states (Louisiana, New Mexico, Indiana): These markets show growing potential for Italian wine, still below the national average, offering room for expansion. With evolving consumption trends and growing interest among Gen Z and Millennials, Italian wine has significant opportunities to expand both geographically and across categories. Vinitaly.USA 2025 provides the ideal platform to showcase Italian wines, explore market insights, and shape the future of Italian wine in the U.S. Alongside the trade fair, participants can join the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum and Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) training programs, supporting education, networking, and market development. Media contact: Carlotta Ribolini [email protected] SOURCE Vinitaly USA Photo: https://www.facebook.com/MerzCDU German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on the European Union to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's military spending, arguing that such a step would make it possible to unblock a loan for Kyiv in the amount of EUR 140 billion and demonstrate "resilience" against Russian aggression, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. As Merz stated in an article for the publication, Germany has been and remains cautious about confiscating the assets of the Russian central bank. "There are not only questions of international law to consider, but also fundamental issues concerning the euro's role as a global reserve currency. But this must not hold us back: we must consider how, by circumventing these problems, we can make these funds available for the defense of Ukraine," the Federal Chancellor said. "We must now work out a realistic solution by which we can provide Ukraine with an interest-free loan of almost EUR 140 billion without intervening in property rights. That loan only be repaid once Russia has compensated Ukraine for the damage it has caused during this war and until then the Russian assets will remain frozen," Merz said. He stressed that the funds raised in this way would ensure Ukraine's defense capability for "several years." The German Chancellor said he will discuss this proposal with European heads of state and government at their meeting in Copenhagen next Wednesday. He proposes that at the European Council meeting at the end of October they give a mandate to prepare this instrument in a legally secure manner. Merz noted that the decision must be adopted by a large majority of member states that firmly support Ukraine. He said that should also invite partners from around the world who have frozen Russian assets to join this instrument. To this end, they will closely coordinate their actions with their G7 partners. Photo: https://www.facebook.com Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha and OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu discussed further cooperation and diplomatic steps to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine at a meeting in New York. "At the UN headquarters, I met with OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu to discuss steps to develop our cooperation and current diplomatic activities aimed at stopping Russia's war," he said on the Foreign Ministry's Telegram channel on Thursday. During the meeting, Sybiha briefed the OSCE Secretary General about the situation on the battlefield. "I stressed that Russia is the main obstacle to peace, as it continues to escalate terror against Ukraine, carrying out continuous attacks on our cities, targeting civilian infrastructure and holding innocent civilians hostage," Sybiha said in a post. "I also drew attention to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia and the urgent need to mobilize all possible efforts for their return home," the minister added. "A comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine in accordance with the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act is the cornerstone of the future security architecture in the OSCE region," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said. 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 First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska and First Lady of the United States Melania Trump have discussed child protection during a meeting in New York. "Meet with the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump. We discussed our common values, primarily the protection of children and their childhood," Zelenska said on her Telegram channel on Thursday. She thanked Melania Trump for her support for Ukraine and for her attention to children who became victims of Russia's brutal war against Ukraine, as well as for her letter an appeal to Vladimir Putin for peace for children. Zelenska expressed hope for further cooperation with Melania Trump to protect children. It is known that the meeting of the First Ladies of Ukraine and the United States took place on Tuesday. Photo: http://bank.gov.ua/ Inzhur Energy LLC will file a cassation appeal against the decision of the Kyiv Court of Appeal on banning the company from building a power plant, which the company considers hasty. " On Thursday, September 25, 2025, the Kyiv Court of Appeal banned Inzhur Energy and Smile Development from continuing construction of the power plant. At the same time, the court refused to postpone consideration of the case until an inspection report from SIAUP [State Inspection of Architecture and Urban Planning of Ukraine] was obtained," Inzhur Energy reported on Thursday. At the same time, as the company claims, the inspection report of SIAUP confirms the full legality of the power plant construction. The Kyiv Court of Appeal adopted the above decision as part of the consideration of an appeal against the ruling of the court of first instance (Kyiv-Sviatoshynsky District Court of Kyiv Region). "The courts interest in making a quick and unfounded decision to block the construction of the power plant is obvious. The court refused to postpone the hearing in order to consider the factual evidence and official results of the project's expertise from SIAUP, so that an objective decision could be made," said Andriy Zhurzhiy, founder and CEO of Inzhur. He added that, literally an hour after the aforementioned court decision, the SIAUP inspection results were received, confirming that construction of the power plant is in compliance with all legal norms. "Thus, the court made a hasty decision that contradicts the facts," Zhurzhiy emphasized. The company announced that, according to the results of a repeated inspection of the land plot where the power plant is being built, law enforcement officers recognized the claims against its construction as unfounded. The relevant criminal proceedings were closed on September 15, 2025, due to the absence of elements of a criminal offense. The SIAUP inspection began on September 19, with the completion date and results set for September 25, the day of the court hearing. "Unfortunately, this did not convince the judges of the appeal court. Moreover, they rejected the request to wait for the SIAUP inspection results, which would have been crucial for an objective consideration of the case," Inzhur emphasized. The company noted that the project of the Inzhur Energy power plant with a capacity of 34 MW in Ukraine, which is being built by 5,000 Ukrainians for residents of the capital and Kyiv region, is again under threat. "This threat again has no basis, because in addition to the act from SIAUP, which confirms the full legality of the construction, Inzhur has provided the court with absolutely all the documentation and official conclusions necessary to continue construction, taking into account all the norms," Inzhur claims. Inzhur is the first Ukrainian REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) company that allows Ukrainians to unite to invest in large real estate. Co-owners receive income from rental payments and an increase in the capitalization of objects. Inzhur Energy is an investment fund whose mission is to increase Ukraine's energy independence and generate profit for investors through an increase in the value of assets: for this, Inzhur is already building a power plant with a capacity of 34 MW and a cost of over EUR 22 million. Danish specialists will provide expert support for the development of existing initiatives for the military in Kyiv, in particular, it is about developing a module for training "veteran assistants" who will work in Kyiv Military Hub, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said after a meeting with Copenhagen Lord Mayor Lars Weiss. "In April 2023, Kyiv and Copenhagen signed a Memorandum of Partnership. During this time, we have launched and are implementing several joint projects. In particular, regarding assistance to Ukrainian veterans. This involves providing expert support by Danish specialists to develop existing initiatives for the military in Kyiv. It also involves developing a module for training newly appointed 'veteran assistants' who will subsequently work at Kyiv Military Hub," Klitschko said in his Telegram channel. He also said Kyiv and Copenhagen are exchanging experience in employing people with visual impairments. "We also discussed employing people with visual impairments. The purpose of the project is to exchange experience between institutions in Kyiv and Copenhagen that are engaged in the social and labor adaptation of blind/low-vision people. Kyiv is interested in further cooperation with Copenhagen and the implementation of joint projects," Klitschko said. In addition, he invited the mayor of Copenhagen to participate in the Berlin Platform international investment forum which will be held in November in the German capital to raise funds for the restoration of Kyiv and Ukraine. As previously reported, Klitschko, together with Mayor of Berlin Kai Wegner, discussed the organization of the Berlin Platform investment forum. The event will be attended by mayors of European cities, representatives of big business and financial institutions. Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha met in New York with the Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, confirmed his invitation to Kyiv and expressed hope for a visit by Pope Leo XIV to Ukraine. "I was glad to meet with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher in New York. We highly appreciate the constant spiritual support of Ukraine from the Holy Father, as well as the humanitarian assistance of the Vatican, in particular the care for Ukrainian children," he said in the Telegram channel on Thursday evening. Sybiha expressed gratitude for the mission of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and noted that Ukraine "appreciates the involvement of the Holy See in the release of our prisoners of war and deported children." "We continue to hope for the apostolic visit of His Holiness to Ukraine, which would provide extremely important spiritual support to millions of believers in this difficult time of full-scale war. Together with the Holy See, we will continue to work to alleviate human suffering and advance the cause of peace. I also confirmed our invitation to Archbishop Gallagher to visit Ukraine at a convenient time for him," the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said. As reported, in 2023, Pope Francis entrusted Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops' Conference, to lead a mission that would contribute to reducing tensions in the conflict in Ukraine due to Russia's armed aggression. The Cardinal visited Kyiv, Moscow, Washington, and Beijing to listen to the parties to the conflict and promote humanitarian gestures, including the return of deported Ukrainian children. Ukrainian and Finnish Foreign Ministers Andriy Sybiha and Elina Valtonen discussed the results of recent contacts between Kyiv and Washington, as well as steps to expand the activities of the Civil Protection Shelter Coalition. "I had a good meeting with Elina Valtonen to thank Finland for its strong support for Ukraine and principled leadership in the OSCE. We discussed the outcomes of the recent Ukraine-US contacts and further joint efforts to strengthen Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia," Sybiha said on the MFA's Telegram channel on Thursday. Sybiha said he thanked Finland for its leadership in the Civil Protection Shelter Coalition. "We discussed steps to expand its activity," he said. As reported, the Civil Protection Shelter Coalition is an international initiative launched by Ukraine and Finland at the end of May 2025, which aims to coordinate the efforts of different countries on the construction, maintenance and use of civil protection structures to ensure the safety of the population of Ukraine in emergency situations. Diplomatic relations have been established between Ukraine and Papua New Guinea, the relevant Joint Communique was signed on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly by Foreign Ministers Andriy Sybiha and Justin Tkatchenko. As reported in the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Thursday, Sybiha expressed gratitude to his colleague for his principled support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. "For us, this is not just a symbolic gesture, but an important step for the development of cooperation," he said, adding that Ukraine is ready to develop relations in key areas, including global food security, digital technologies and humanitarian initiatives. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine held his first meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon Youssef Rajji in New York, and agreed to intensify Ukrainian-Lebanese relations. "I was glad to hold my first friendly meeting with my Lebanese colleague Youssef Rajji in New York. I informed about the situation on the front and recent diplomatic contacts aimed at achieving a just peace. We agreed to intensify our cooperation to realize the significant potential of Ukrainian-Lebanese relations," he said on the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. "We focused on further political dialogue, economic and trade cooperation, as well as interaction within international organizations," the MFA said. Rajji assumed the post of Minister in February 2025. "I loved seeing the kids walk into the Kuma Lab like they already belonged there. It reminded me that access to opportunity doesn't create potential; it reveals it." Ray Kimble, Founder and Chairman, Kuma Foundation Post this The Khalad Kuma Lab will serve approximately 170 students, with a nearly even mix of girls and boys in grades 5 through 10. The Khalad community welcomed the lab with a celebratory procession through the village, traditional music and dance, and a formal ribbon-cutting at the school. In the afternoon, students took their first lessons in the lab. For many, it was their first time stepping into a modern digital classroom. "What struck me this time wasn't just the excitementit was the readiness," said Kuma Foundation Founder and Chairman Ray Kimble, who traveled to India for the opening. "I loved seeing the kids walk into the lab like they already belonged there. It reminded me that access to opportunity doesn't create potential; it reveals it." The Khalad lab includes 20 brand-new HP All-in-One desktop computers, with a dedicated lab teacher delivering daily digital literacy lessons for every class, Monday through Saturday. Curriculum will focus on foundational skills, interactive platforms aligned with school subjects, and early exposure to STEAM tools and concepts. Over time, the lab will evolve into a hub for project-based learning and innovation. Khalad was chosen as the third lab location after strong interest from school leadership and a clear community commitment to supporting students' access to technology. In a region where reliable internet and digital tools remain scarce, the Kuma Lab opens a door to the future. "We've worked hard to ensure this lab meets a premium standard, not just in infrastructure and equipment but in the experience it creates for the kids," Kimble shared. "They deserve to learn in a space that inspires confidence and imagination. This lab tells them: your dreams are valid, your future is possible, and we're here to help you reach it." Earlier in the day, Kimble visited the original Kuma Lab in Belsar, where he was welcomed with singing, dancing, and heartfelt speeches from students who have been learning there since it opened two years ago. A Q&A session followed, with students asking thoughtful questions ranging from STEM education to Kimble's favorite things about India. Many chose to engage in English, demonstrating the confidence and communication skills they have developed since the lab first opened. "Out of all the amazing moments, what I'll never forget is the genuine joy on their faces," Kimble said. "Their eagerness to learn and the energy they bringit's incredibly humbling." Requests for future labs are already coming in from nearby communities. With each new opening, the Kuma Foundation continues to build momentum and expand its network of opportunity. ABOUT KUMA FOUNDATION Although STEAM careers are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs out there, there are significant gender, racial, and socioeconomic gaps in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. As we move into an ever more technological future, we must ensure that all students are prepared to thrive in the future workforce. At the Kuma Foundation, we are committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of gender, race, or zip code, have access to essential STEAM skills. Our programs are designed to empower kids with the tools they need to succeed in the 21st century, bringing STEAM education and career development opportunities to low-income and underrepresented kids in America and beyond. Visit https://www.kumacares.org to learn more. Media Contact Ray Kimble, Kuma Foundation, 1 (800) 993-7027, [email protected], https://www.kumacares.org/ SOURCE Kuma Foundation Kunming's Chenggong district celebrates eighth Chinese farmers' harvest festival People's Daily Online) 10:14, September 25, 2025 Performers are pictured during a performance at the opening ceremony of an event held to celebrate the eighth Chinese farmers' harvest festival in Jiangwei neighborhood, Chenggong district, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing) Chenggong district in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, held an event on Sept. 23 to celebrate the eighth Chinese farmers' harvest festival, with the opening ceremony taking place in Jiangwei neighborhood on the eastern shore of the Dianchi Lake. The event will run through Oct. 7, featuring more than 100 activities at the main venue in the Jiangwei neighborhood. Highlights include farmer art and intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, inter-village tug-of-war contests, fish catching in rice paddies, and long-table banquets themed around the harvest. In recent years, Chenggong has leveraged its favorable location, rich natural resources, and abundant agricultural resources to develop its specialty agriculture sector. Over the first half of this year, the Dounan Flower Market in the district recorded transactions of around 7.24 billion stems of flowers, worth roughly 6.5 billion yuan ($913.93 million), a 4 percent increase from the same period in 2024. A farm machinery operator harvests rice in Jiangwei neighborhood, Chenggong district, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing) Photo shows rice ears in a paddy field in Jiangwei neighborhood, Chenggong district, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing) Residents participate in a tug-of-war competition during an event held to celebrate the eighth Chinese farmers' harvest festival in Jiangwei neighborhood, Chenggong district, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing) (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Foreign journalists gain new perspectives revisiting China (People's Daily App) 10:25, September 25, 2025 Chongqing (People's Daily)- Foreign media guests from Asia, Africa and Europe said they gained fresh perspectives while touring Yunnan and Chongqing this week as part of the 2025 Belt and Road Media Workshop. Some were visiting China for the second or third time. The journalists had just attended the 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road in Kunming, Yunnan Province. Branko Zujovic, a foreign policy journalist at Serbia's Pecat Weekly, plans to bring Yunnan coffee beans as gifts for his family. "I lived for about five years in Beijing, so I'm not new here, not new to China," he said. Zujovic was a shortlisted winner of the first Silk Road Global News Awards in 2023 for a commentary on Belt and Road cooperation between Serbia and China. During a 2023 Belt and Road Media Workshop trip to Guangzhou, he co-created ink wash paintings and calligraphy featuring kapok flowers and the Chinese character "Fu" (meaning "good blessing"), sending wishes for the Belt and Road development. Branko Zujovic paints red silk-cotton with other journalists at the 2023 Belt and Road Media Workshop in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, October 25, 2023. (Photo: People's Daily/Yang Shuobi and Wang Yan) "Usually we think of Yunnan as a place for flowers and coffee," he said, "but I was really impressed by the technologies here." His trip included visits to a liquid metal company and wind farms. "Yunnan is rushing toward the future," Zujovic added. Branko Zujovic poses in front of Chongqing Qiansimen Jialing River Bridge, Chongqing, September 22, 2025. (Photo: People's Daily/Li Yidan) Leila Atitallah, director of Tunisia's The Voice of Africa radio station, said she was determined to learn Chinese after her first visit to China in 2024. She was captivated by advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, along with Chinas clean streets and rich cultural history. "But what impressed me most was the hospitality of the people," she said. "When you say Beijing, you think of civilization, technological progress and a bustling city," Atitallah said. "When you say Yunnan, you think of breathtaking natural beauty and kind people." Leila Atitallah sings at the renovated demonstration block of Qujing Old Street, Qujing, Yunnan Province, September 21, 2025. (Photo: People's Daily/Li Yidan) "The more I study Chinese, the more I admire this great civilization," Atitallah said. Her children are also learning Chinese. Her 18-year-old son studied Chinese at the Bourguiba Institute of Languages in Tunis this summer and plans to continue his studies in China after completing his baccalaureate. Atitallah's 8-year-old daughter can sing the traditional Chinese folk song "Jasmine Flower." "I advise all Arab youth to learn this language," Atitallah said. "It is undoubtedly the language of the future." Isac Boman, senior editor of Sweden's Nya Dagbladet, accepted a photo request from a Chinese passerby who said, "You look like Harry Potter! Can we take a picture?" Boman joked he would bring his wand next time. It was his third visit to China. His experiences this time included Kunming's mild climate, nature conservation efforts and acupuncture. In September 2024, he traveled to Mount Emei with other media workers to attend the Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road in Sichuan Province. Isac Boman is practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the 2024 Belt and Road Media Workshop, Emei, Sichuan Province, September 6, 2024. (Photo: People's Daily/Liu Xiaoli) After learning about Emei martial arts, Boman and Per Markus Andersson, an editor at The Nordic Times in Sweden, showcased submission grappling as a cultural exchange of martial arts. Boman said he first learned about Yunnan from the James Hilton novel Lost Horizon, which described the mystical paradise of Shangri-La. Isac Boman visits the Dounan Flower Market, Kunming, Yunnan Province, September 19, 2025. (Photo: People's Daily/Li Yidan) "Cultures are so different," Boman said. "Exchange between East and West is a recipe for world peace and a happy future." Friendship, much like wine, matures with age and deepens in richness over time. It is also a flower of affection that blooms from the deepest soil of the heart. The forums and workshops provided excellent opportunities for global media professionals to build friendships and connect with Chinese culture, enabling them to share more stories about China with the world. Participants of the 2025 Belt and Road Media Workshop pose at the Changan Automobile Global R&D Center in Chongqing on September 22, 2025. (Photo: People's Daily/Li Yidan) Coordinator: Li Fang Proofreader: Xiong Jian, Yang Ou Planning: Shi Pengfei Reporters: Huang Jingwei, Zhan Huilan Supervisor: Shi Pengfei Director: Li Yidan Producers: Yang Yang, Fu Junjie Video editors: Yin Jiaqi, Chen Liping, Pei Guobin and Wang Hao Photographers: Li Yidan, Chen Liping (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Halloween could come early this year. The Democrats have named their price to avoid a government shutdown come October an additional $350 billion for healthcare over the next decade. Critics say a big chunk of that money may go to ghosts. At issue are the generous subsidies the Biden administration created for Affordable Care Act policies, sweeteners that are slated to expire in December. Making healthcare essentially free for millions of Americans, those policies have skyrocketed enrollment in Obamacare plans. But a recent study found they have also sparked a curious phenomenon: an estimated 12 million enrollees without a single claim no doctor visit, lab test, or prescription filled in 2024. Generous Obamacare subsidies implemented during the Biden administration increased the number of enrollees and claims of fraud. The Paragon Health Institute study reports that this is triple the number of no-claim policyholders before the Biden sweeteners were put in place. Among those now eligible for zero-premium plans with low or no deductible, the study found, that number increased nearly sevenfold. A whopping 40 percent of enrollees in fully subsidized plans had no claims in 2024. In 2024 alone, taxpayers sent at least $35 billion to insurers for people who paid no premiums and never used their plan, the report said. Although many analysts suspect that these numbers suggest widespread fraud, Democrats and the insurance industry argue that they reflect consumers taking advantage of affordable coverage. They warn that the expiration of Biden-era reforms will make policies far more expensive for more than 20 million Americans. If Congress fails to extend the health care tax credits, millions of Americans will face immediate and severe premium increases, leading many to forgo coverage altogether, said Chris Bond, a spokesman for AHIP, the lobbying arm of the health insurance industry. Congress must act as quickly as possible to protect Americans from this affordability crisis. As Democrats have made healthcare their line in the sand to avert a partial government shutdown on Oct. 1, Biden-era expansions of Obamacare are receiving new attention as a symbol of both expanding access to healthcare and of spending run amok. Critics say they underscore the findings of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has highlighted a lack of accountability in massive government spending programs at a time when the federal government is struggling to corral massive deficits and debt. They say the Biden sweeteners also illustrate how and why government spending keeps increasing: Once a subsidy is put in place, it is hard to take it away from voters. Swollen Rolls Obamacare expansion was cast as a response to the COVID pandemic. The Obamacare expansion at issue came about through legislation and regulations during Bidens term and was often cast as a response to the COVID pandemic. First, the scope of who was eligible for subsidies was broadened, making it available to households with incomes above 400% of the federal poverty line making a family of four earning up to $160,000 eligible for subsidized plans. Also, increased subsidies made Obamacare free for those with incomes between 100% and 150% of the poverty line, and longer enrollment periods were created. The cost for this, on the other hand, is borne by taxpayers. Bidens COVID credits didnt reduce health care costs they just shifted them to taxpayers while padding insurer and enrollment intermediary profits, Paragon President Brian Blase said. Like all gigantic markets and massive government programs, the Affordable Care Act and what people pay each month have become a very complicated thing, varying by age, state, level of plan, and other factors. But the figures for the Obamacare reference plan (silver level) reveal what has happened since the COVID pandemic. In 2021, when Biden was inaugurated, that basic plan cost an individual $27 a month if they reported income along the federal poverty line, which stood around $14,500 a year. For those making 50% more, the reference plan cost $75 a month, and so on up to $152 a month for someone making more than $30,000. Those monthly payment figures were constant regardless of what the insurers charged, with taxpayers making up the difference. Through legislation Biden pushed through by narrow majorities or via reconciliation, the amount someone would pay each month in the first two categories dropped to zero. And as Obamacare became essentially free, millions signed up enrolling at rates the plan had never seen since its inception in 2013. The overall figures reflect this explosion. Between 2016 and 2020, an average of 8.5 million people signed up for a subsidized Obamacare policy each year, and in none of those years did the figure equal 9 million, according to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In 2021, however, the subsidized total topped 10 million, and by 2024 it had nearly doubled to 19.5 million, CMS figures show. Heritage scholar Edmund Haislmaier suspects the surge in enrollees may signal "massive fraud." Its all counter-intuitive, that when enrollment isnt being publicized, no one is out beating the bushes to get people enrolled like we had in the early years of Obamacare, said Ed Haislmaier, a healthcare expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation. Amazing, that a products sales would go through the roof when nobody was talking about it. Some analysts believe the numbers indicate rampant fraud. Blase claimed in a letter to the Wall Street Journal that the expansion has created an explosion of phantom patients including 6.4 million of them so far in 2025. The problem isnt real people with coverage they dont use its fraudulent sign-ups who never should have been subsidized. Haislmaier agreed, We dont have an exact number for how many people might be fake, I don't think anyone does, said Ed Haislmaier, What we do have is a lot of circumstantial evidence, a lot of data points, and a lot of information about how the markets have always operated to suggest there is massive fraud here. Feds Smell a Rat Paragon is not the only group voicing concerns. It often seems like fraud is endemic in federal programs, and government healthcare appears to offer a rich vein for such activity. In fact, CMS itself has warned of potentially rampant fraud and abuse sapping taxpayers through the revamped Obamacare exchanges. CMS focused on people unwittingly signed up for more than one plan, possibilities that multiplied when the Biden administration relaxed reviews of applicants and extended open enrollment periods. CMS found in July that 2.8 million Americans were potentially enrolled concurrently in Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) in more than one state, or on one of those federal programs plus the Obamacare exchange, resulting in inexplicable overlaps that could cost taxpayers $14 billion a year. CMS insists its analysis is helping identify such problems, and that it is working with states and exchanges to strengthen eligibility verification processes and clean up enrollment data. The Trump administration has instituted some safeguards, such as sending state Medicaid agencies and state-based exchanges a list of individuals with possible concurrent enrollments so they can cross-check appropriate eligibility. Healthcare expert Gabrielle Kalisz has studied "phantom" enrollees. Opponents of expanded subsidies note that when the government makes a deep pool of money available, as has happened with the ACA, fraud is sure to follow. In June, Bloomberg did a deep dive on the phenomenon, describing a rats nest of unscrupulous call centers, primarily based in Florida, that have lured people in with various gimmicks and then signed them up for subsidized plans. Whats more, those licensed to sell plans had access to Obamacare exchange databases, which allowed them to change both the agent of record (thereby making themselves recipient of whatever bonus insurers paid for new signups), or the plan a person was enrolled in (thereby increasing their commission and the taxpayers bill), according to Gabrielle Kalisz, one of the authors of Paragons report. Consequently, millions of Americans may be unaware that they own a subsidized Obamacare policy, and horror stories abound of unsuspecting people hit with tax bills seeking to recoup the subsidies. Nobody seems to have an incentive to be a good actor in the process, Kalisz said. The insurance companies are perfectly happy to keep getting the rising premiums, the navigators or agents are happy to keep getting the commissions, and Obamacare supporters are happy to act as if all this reflects people getting coverage. Nor are the so-called phantom enrollees the only issue. For example, the numbers dont add up when percentages of state populations according to census data are measured against the Obamacare subsidies. Fourteen states have more people enrolled at up to 150% of the federal poverty line than they do residents who fit that category, and Floridas total is five times what census data shows it could be. The enrollment fraud has become a massive problem, said Michael Cannon, a healthcare expert at the libertarian Cato Institute. The program has become like a great big ATM spitting out checks, and theres very little policing going on because the government doesnt care as much as it should about other peoples money. Cato's Michael Cannon says "enrollment fraud has become a massive problem." The new figures also diverge from what has been fairly consistent behavior in healthcare markets another red flag, Haislmaier said. In 2019 and 2020, less than a quarter of policyholders never filed a claim. And the huge increase in so-called phantom enrollees doesnt appear in market segments other than the now highly subsidized Obamacare plans. Such figures make no sense if they reflected genuine people aware of what coverage they were enrolled in, and bogus enrollment activity offers a clear explanation. This whole situation has been ideal for the fraudster, he said. Now youve got more enrolled than are eligible, subsidized plans spiking and non-subsidized plans flat. These are just all indicators that there is something whacky going on here. Subsidies or Shutdown? All of this is informing the partisan debate over healthcare and efforts to fund the government after the current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Republicans, including some who got fabulously wealthy through the healthcare system, like Floridas Sen. Rick Scott, have said extending the subsidies is ruinously expensive and foolhardy, given what has happened since they were introduced. COVID opened the door for massive waste, fraud, and abuse of government programs, like the billions in fraud and abuse allowed by the temporary COVID enhanced Obamacare subsidies, Scott posted last week. Americans dont want their tax dollars lining the pockets of insurance companies its time to end this clear abuse of YOUR dollars. Scott drew attention to a Sept. 15 post by Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson that made much the same point: Extending the temporary COVID enhanced Obamacare subsidies would perpetuate fraudulent activity, sending billions of dollars to insurance companies for policies that people are unaware theyre enrolled in and do not use, he posted. On the other side are Democrats who make strange political bedfellows of the insurance industry. Some who traditionally oppose big business, such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Vermonts socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, insist these recent subsidies must continue, preferably permanently. For them, the Obamacare rolls more than doubling from 11.4 million to more than 24 million between 2020 and today are a success sign of government-run healthcare. Last week, Warren compared ending the subsidies to taking healthcare away from people. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders want to make the Biden-era reforms permanent. Still waiting to find out how Trump and Republicans think cutting health insurance for 15 million Americans makes America healthy again, she posted on X Sept. 15. Polls suggest support for government-subsidized healthcare is a partisan issue. Last November, Gallup reported that ninety percent of Democrats say that the federal government is responsible for American healthcare coverage, while 65% of Independents hold the same view. Although only 32% of Republicans share that opinion. Another survey found that among those receiving subsidies, people who voted for Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than two to one. Insurers say the Paragon study was flawed and accused the think tank of misunderstanding how insurance works. Its not unusual for homeowners or car insurance policy holders to go years without filing a claim, and the same could be true with healthcare, they say. According to the industry and Democrats, the ballooning numbers reflect a thriving market in which many more Americans are enjoying healthcare coverage, as stated in a rebuttal released by AHIP on Aug. 15. The debate will come to a head in the next week or so. President Trump this week rejected a meeting with congressional Democrats whose spending ideas he derided as fantastical. Republicans want to let the subsidies expire; Democrats want to make them permanent. Of course, that leaves some wiggle room, such as extending the subsidies for another year or some set period of time, a kicking-the-can option long favored by Congress. There have been some indications in the past several days that, public intransigence notwithstanding, negotiations might be ongoing. Whatever the outcome, large subsidies that have always been part of Obamacare will continue. For all the hue and cry about rising costs, the elimination of Biden-era sweeteners would simply return the system to the way it was operating before 2021, Kalisz said. Its crony math, a kind of corporate welfare, she told RealClearInvestigations. Why are the insurers now making it seem like all the subsidies are going away? Its a form of scaring and spooking the public. President Trump now says Xi Jinping has approved a TikTok deal; the White House has again extended TikToks sell-or-ban deadline to December 16 while negotiators float a structure that keeps the app operating in the U.S. with ongoing Chinese ties. Beijing, notably, hasnt confirmed the details. If this holds, its not a compromise. Its a negotiated surrender. Let us stop pretending this fight is about culture or free speech. Its about power, data, and money. TikTok is not even permitted to operate in China; Douyin is the domestic version. Yet Americas capital markets and advertising budgets have kept TikTok dominant with U.S. teens and young adults. Our nonprofit, Future Union, showed last year that U.S. public pensions have roughly $8.1 billion committed to funds with ByteDance exposure and university endowments count $1.0 billion, all overlooking the risks in favor of single-minded, tremendous financial returns (e.g. Future Union, TikTok: The Tip of Americas Investment Conundrum, May 2024). The Robert Wood Johnson, MacArthur and Mellon foundations are poised to benefit. In short, the retirement accounts of U.S. teachers and firefighters are helping finance the Chinese Communist Partys most effective propaganda tool. Details are still emerging yet should the administration continue in a negotiated hybrid structure permitting continued Chinese control, such a decision directly contravenes all Congressional legislative intent and broad judicial consensus from the highest court. The Supreme Court Ruled Divestor Shutter In April 2024, Congress passedand President Biden signedthe divest-or-ban law targeting foreign-adversary-controlled apps. In January 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the laws constitutionality. The message was clear: if ByteDance cant fully divest TikTok (up to a 20% ownership max), it cant operate here. As details emerge, todays deal talk does the opposite; it keeps ByteDance in the loop with significant influence. If the endgame is a structure with continuing Chinese ownership or a licensed algorithm, it is hard to square with the statute the Supreme Court just affirmed. Its also geopolitical theater: were signaling that enough pressure, donors, and ad dollars can bend a national-security judgment. Beijings Existing Golden Share Problem ByteDance isnt a normal counterparty. The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) holds a so-called golden share and a board seat in a key ByteDance subsidiary, embedding state leverage by design. Any arrangement that preserves ongoing Chinese ownership, licensing, or algorithmic control means Washington is outsourcing American information security to a CCP-supervised structure. That would flunk the spiritand likely the letterof the law. And while there are various promulgations of partial solution, the Project Texas proposal, which proposes a structure in which U.S. company, Oracle, would host all U.S. data in the U.S., together with compliance firewalls, etc. as a solution to this problem. It is not. Independent analyses and congressional reviews have long noted that data localization and monitoring will not negate influence or code-control risksespecially when updates to the recommendation engine, model weights, or moderation rules can be pushed from abroad. Industrial Scale Influence The algorithm is the weapon. Letting a Beijing-tethered entity curate what 170 million Americans see is not a privacy riskits a torrential propaganda vector and a gift inviting a continued pervasive data theft. After October 7, multiple studies and reports documented that pro-Palestinian narratives dramatically out-performed pro-Israel content on TikTok, and Israeli leaders publicly confronted TikTok over manipulation and hostile bot activity. You need not agree with any side to grasp the strategic vulnerability: an adversary-aligned platform can nudge a generations worldview in real time. Wall Streets Singular Interest This march to a deal isnt driven by national security; its driven by incentives. ByteDances revenue hit roughly $120 billion in 2023 with profits near $40 billion, overtaking Tencent by some measures. Powerful U.S. investorslate-stage crossover funds, growth PE, and venture namesare deep in the capitalization table or hedged through Chinas growth. A negotiated extension preserves valuation, protects marks, and keeps the IPO/M&A optionality alive. National security risk is simply being priced as acceptable. Outsized Risks of the Current Negotiations If the administration moves forward permitting a hybrid ownership structure that maintains Chinas involvement, the cloud over ByteDances Chinese owners dissipates thereby restoring the respectability of working for a company that is justifiably in disrepute. This makes hiring the best engineering and other talent far more likely, especially with unequivocal war chest of revenue and profit generated by its current popularity targeting the most desirable audience, teenagers and young adults. It also restores ByteDances critical ability to conduct mergers and acquisitions of desirable new technologies to extend and enhance the existing algorithm, removing the presumptive threat of rejection and permitting ByteDance, or its successor, to engage the playbook that has kept all nearly all large technology monopolies relevant, from Meta (formerly Facebook) purchasing Instagram, WhatsApp to Alphabet (Google) purchasing YouTube, DoubleClick, and DeepMind Technologies to Microsoft purchasing Linkedin, Github and the OpenAI partnership, respectively, effectively supplementing or replacing leaders even as the original flagship products, like Facebook in social media, have waned. Finally, do not be surprised when TikToks successor entity announces a venture capital arm (expect the eponymous, TikTok Ventures) to seed new technologies and startups, plying money for access, a legacy strategy used by the various Chinese venture capital investors to gain access, influence, and ultimately either extract critical intellectual property and know-how from startups and other desirable technology companies that culminates in the Chinese Communist Party gaining access to inject such gains back into their national technology champions. The Results of this Negotiated Deal Restore legitimacy : The stigma that kept top U.S. engineers away fades; recruiting gets easier; lobbying soars. : The stigma that kept top U.S. engineers away fades; recruiting gets easier; lobbying soars. Reopen the M&A spigot : With political risk solved, TikTok can buy growth and entrenchjust as rivals might have caught up if capital access stayed constrained. : With political risk solved, TikTok can buy growth and entrenchjust as rivals might have caught up if capital access stayed constrained. Institutionalize leakage risk: Even with U.S. hosting, sustained code, model, or policy influence from ByteDance means American intellectual property, behavioral data, and civic discourse stay downstream of a Communist legal regime that compels cooperation. Clear Transparency of the Results This is not a pragmatic resolution. It is regulatory arbitrage for a foreign-influence platform. The cost isnt abstract: Information integrity : A state-tethered recommender system is a standing cognitive operations tool. : A state-tethered recommender system is a standing cognitive operations tool. Industrial policy : We are rewarding the most successful Chinese consumer-tech export of the century, while U.S. rivals were on the cusp of filling the void a real divestment would have created. : We are rewarding the most successful Chinese consumer-tech export of the century, while U.S. rivals were on the cusp of filling the void a real divestment would have created. Capital discipline: Allowing U.S. pensions, endowments, and foundations to finance adversary-controlled tech teaches every boardroom the same lesson: national security is negotiable. Courage, Anyone? There is one single solution: Courage. Congress should hold the line it already drew: full divestment of code, control, and capitalnot licensing, not clean rooms, not U.S. data hosted by a friendly brand. And Americas financial fiduciaries should treat the PRC-controlled tech as ineligiblejust as sanctions bar other adversary exposuresfor further investment or M&A. Additionally, with dozens of U.S. senators and governors harboring 2028 interests, this issue is a prime moment for a signature counterpoint for Democratic aspirants as well as a laudable opportunity for Republicans to stand firm. Anything short of a clean break is capitulation dressed up as compliance. And the algorithm will remember who surrendered. Andrew King is GP at Bastille Ventures, investing in critical technology furthering national security, and founder of the bipartisan nonprofit, Future Union, working with the private sector to combat state espionage, and advises Congress, the Select Committee on China, Dept. of Treasury, Dept. of Commerce, and White House. Formerly, he was the general counsel of the Dallas Stars NHL team and corporate lawyer, hedge fund investor, and investment banker. India needs to limit its reliance on multinational corporations (MNCs) for strategic audits and consulting in order to strengthen its economic sovereignty and achieve the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) said in an office memorandum released on Wednesday. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff While inviting comments from all stakeholders on the establishment of Indian multi-disciplinary partnerships (MDPs), the MCA noted that despite a world-class talent pool, domestic firms have remained marginal players. This is particularly true in high-value audits and consulting, partly due to structural and regulatory barriers. The MCA secretary Dipti Gaur Mukherjee led-committee on creation of an Indian Big Four firm had recently held its first meeting. It discussed the way forward to support the expansion of domestic smaller accounting and audit firms, according to official sources. The MCA is actively working towards amending the relevant Acts, rules, and regulations to support the growth of domestic MDPs and enhance their international competitiveness, the official memorandum said. It stated that the global consulting and auditing industry is valued at nearly $240 billion, dominated by international networks and global strategy majors. The MCA noted that the current asymmetry in Indias professional services landscape puts domestic firms at a disadvantage compared to global names. The recent free trade agreements (FTAs) of India have opened opportunities for Indian consultancy firms to expand their presence abroad, MCA added. Indian regulations do not allow professionals such as chartered accountants, company secretaries, lawyers, and actuaries from working together under a single firm structure, limiting collaboration. They don't have the ability to offer integrated services like those provided by International firms. Chartered accountants, company secretaries, and lawyers face restrictions on advertising and branding due to regulations set by their governing bodies. These rules were originally intended to uphold dignity, ethics, and independence in the profession, ensuring that services are chosen based on merit rather than marketing. "However, this ban limits Indian firms from building strong brands, MCA said. The MCA note said a fragmented framework with different regulators for each professional service has also made it difficult to build multidisciplinary firms in India. The government has sought views of stakeholders on the changes in the Rules and Regulations administering different professionals in India. This is to ensure Indian firms develop into globally competitive players in the field of consultancy. It has also asked stakeholders to share what regulatory safeguards are required to successfully implement the MDP framework. The MCA has invited suggestions on measures the government and professional bodies can take to ensure Indian firms develop into globally competitive players. In June this year, a meeting was held by the Prime Ministers Office to discuss policy interventions needed for having a domestic advisory and audit firm which is in the league of the global Big Four. Chaired by Shaktikanta Das, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, the meeting was attended by top government officials including then secretary, department of economic affairs, Ajay Seth; secretary, financial services, M Nagaraju, revenue secretary Arvind Shrivastava and the MCA secretary. 'Pakistan has found itself in a favourable position after Operation Sindoor by appreciating the mediation as claimed by Trump and recommending him for the Nobel Peace Prize.' IMAGE: US President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly, September 23, 2025. Photograph: Kind courtesy Secretary Marco Rubio/X "Pakistan has a history of providing military personal and support to Gulf States and former Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif was appointed to lead the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen," says Dinakar Peri, Fellow, Security Studies at the think-tank Carnegie India. "The agreement is more to do with Pakistan supporting Saudi Arabia than the other way around. Nonetheless, the language and the timing has surely raised apprehension in New Delhi and one can expect some backend diplomacy with Riyadh to ally the concerns," Mr Peri tells Rediff's Archana Masih about the implications of the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defence pact for India. The defence pact between Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan states that any attack on either nation will be considered an attack on both. How worrying is this for India? What fresh challenges does it throw? What strategic factors prompted Saudi Arabia to sign this pact with Pakistan announced a week after Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in Doha? IMAGE: From left: Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in Riyadh, September 17, 2025. Photograph: Shehbaz Shariff/X Technically, from the wording, the pact does raise significant concern in India and it is also surprising. Especially, coming just months after Operation Sindoor and also because India-Saudi relations have seen significant transformation over the last decade. However, that same relationship also should be a reassuring point that the agreement is more to do with Pakistan supporting Saudi Arabia than the other way around. This is particularly so given the recent developments in West Asia -- the Iran-Israel conflict, Israel's military offensive across the region and in particular the uncertainty of the US security guarantees which is being felt most acutely by its allies, treaty partners and partners. Pakistan has a history of providing military personal and support to Gulf States and former Pakistani army chief General Raheel Sharif was appointed to lead the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen. So, this agreement is likely more of Saudi Arabia requisitioning Pakistani forces and support when required in the region. Nonetheless, the language and the timing has surely raised apprehension in New Delhi and one can expect some backend diplomacy with Riyadh to ally the concerns. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff With strong support from China and Turkey during Operation Sindoor -- and Asim Munir's two successful trips to the US thereafter, what does this defence agreement mean for Pakistan? I think the two aspects shouldn't be seen as interconnected. Pakistan has gotten into a sweet spot with the US post Operation Sindoor by appreciating the mediation as claimed by Trump and recommending him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Several crypto and mineral deals also followed. However, that probably is unconnected with the agreement which is more to do with the developments in the Middle East. What is your assessment of Pakistan's foreign policy post-Op Sindoor under Asim Munir, widely seen as the de facto leader of the country? Has it manouvered its diplomatic moves adroitly which could, in turn, harm India's interests? There is no doubt that Pakistan had gone away with the narrative in the initial days of Operation Sindoor. India suffered some losses on May 6 as it launched strikes on terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, which it did not acknowledge. Pakistan used this to further its misinformation and disinformation campaigns to seize the global narrative which initially got fixated on the number and type of Indian losses. However, as the conflict progressed and as pictures and visuals of Indian retaliation against Pakistani military targets -- air bases, radars, air defences and command and control centers -- surfaced the world had to acknowledge the military asymmetry that was established. But yes, Pakistan did take a lead in the larger narrative management. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Mohammed Bin Salman. Photograph: ANI Photo Will this enable Pakistan to purchase US-made fighter jets and missiles from Saudi Arabia? That's highly unlikely as all weapon sales by US are strictly regulated with stringent end-use monitoring agreement. However, given the state of Pakistan's economy it may seek access to funds and oil from Saudi. Given the good relations between India and Saudi Arabia, do you think Riyadh will act cautiously to avoid undermining India's strategic interests? Absolutely. There is no reason to believe Saudi Arabia would take any major step to harm the burgeoning bilateral relationship, especially amid the turbulent geopolitical situation all around. Is this agreement likely to extend to other Gulf countries, and how might it recalibrate the balance of power in the region? That has to be seen as it plays out. While extension to other Gulf countries is possible and there has been past military cooperation minus an agreement, it would be wise to exercise caution in the extrapolation in the immediate future given the extent of uncertainties and dynamic developments. IMAGE: Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. How will the US withdrawal of waiver of sanctions on Chabahar port impact India and India-Iran relations? The withdrawal of sanctions waiver for Chabahar port is definitely a cause of serious concern as it has significant bearing on India's bilateral, multilateral and trade engagements. The immediate fallout is reduction in trade through the port as traders and insurers may stay away. That would make the investments and ongoing expansion unviable. Another is India's bilateral relationship with Iran which has seen some ups and downs in recent years especially as India zeroed oil purchases after pressure from past American administrations. For India, Chabahar is the gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan and is to be linked to the International North South Transport Corridor. The latest measure puts all that into question. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'Marathwada is the suicide capital of Maharashtra.' 'To stop such man-made disasters, the government should immediately come up with a rightful package, not this charitable approach to compensation.' Marathwada faces devastating floods -- with two days of heavy rains -- that destroyed crops across over 28 lakh (2.8 million) hectares, with cotton and soybean bearing the brunt of the disaster. The floods, triggered by uncontrolled water release from major dams including Jayakwadi, Painganga and Yeldari (the second largest dam in Marathwada; first being Jayakwadi), have caused crop losses estimated at over Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion). The Maharashtra government announced compensation of Rs 6,800 per hectare for damage suffered by crops in this region during July-August -- a figure that pales in comparison to the Rs 40,000 per hectare given during 2018 Kolhapur floods. Rajan Kshirsagar, president, All India Kisan Sabha, a resident of Marathwada's Parbhani district, tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff that this a "man-made disaster" resulting from gross mismanagement of irrigation infrastructure. The crisis is compounded by amendments to the Disaster Management Act and changes to crop insurance schemes that have further reduced farmer compensation. With the festival season on, thousands of farming families face financial ruin, raising concerns about potential farmer suicides in a region already known as Maharashtra's 'suicide capital.' The floods have particularly affected sharecroppers and tenant farmers -- comprising 27% of cultivators -- who remain outside the compensation framework due to lack of land ownership documents, making them the most vulnerable section in this agrarian crisis, says Kshirsagar. Can you describe the scale of crop damage in Marathwada due to the recent floods? The scale is enormous -- more than 4 lakh (400,000) hectares of crops have been damaged. Cotton and soybean, which are the major kharif crops in Marathwada, have suffered 100% crop loss in affected areas. The total crop loss may reach Rs 30,000 crore. This flood happened because of uncontrolled release of water from Jayakwadi, Painganga, Yeldari and several other dams in the region. Though rainfall is a natural phenomena, the resulting flood is a man-made disaster. Despite Maharashtra going through disastrous floods in Kolhapur earlier (in 2018), the government formed a mandatory committee under (Hiralal) Mendhegiri from the Water and Land Management Institute. But even after their recommendations (the Mendhegiri Committee recommended technical, feasible changes to the MWRRA [Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority] Act and water distribution from the Ahmednagar and Nashik dams), no proper procedures have been followed. The simultaneous release of water from Jayakwadi, Painganga, Siddeshwar, Purna project, and other dams increased the flood impact. There's no coordination between dam authorities -- on the Godavari alone, there are 11 bunds, but they don't coordinate on gate structures and carrying capacity. In 2021, I raised this issue when water from Mahalgaon (dam) was released without any instruction, affecting downstream areas in Marathwada. The dam authorities don't study blue lines and red lines of floods before releasing water nor do they follow IMD projections about rainfall to manage their storage accordingly. What role has the recent amendment to the Disaster Management Act played in reducing relief measures? The Union government amended the Disaster Management Act in April 2025. They made so many changes that actually show the government is withdrawing from relief measures. That's why state governments, which earlier declared compensation and relief up to 3 hectares last year, have now reduced it to 2 hectares. This is another assault on farmers. The amount has also been reduced because this amendment made by the government does not permit changing the relief measures through state governments. That right now lies with the Union government. So our first demand is that the Union government, seeing the situation all over India -- this has happened in Himachal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Maharashtra -- should declare this flood and rainfall as a national disaster. Despite these many states having such disasters, the Union government is not declaring it a national disaster, and because of non-declaration, no central package has been offered to Maharashtra. Is the Rs 2,515 crore relief compensation announced by the state government enough? This compensation is a mockery of our farmers. In 2018, when Kolhapur was ravaged by floods, they declared Rs 40,000 per hectare. Why is it now Rs 6,800 for Marathwada? This is discrimination. The cost of production has risen steeply since 2018 -- they have withdrawn fertiliser subsidies, put GST on fertilisers, and withdrawn insurance schemes. This Rs 6,800 (per hectare) cannot even take care of the cost of investment, let alone compensate farmers for their losses. Another major issue is that government rules don't recognise loss of machinery. Many farmers have lost their pump sets in this flood, but the government's order -- both Union and state -- doesn't acknowledge machinery losses. Their rules are faulty and discriminatory, treating compensation as charity to farmers when it's a rightful compensation. What has been the impact of changes to crop insurance schemes? The changes to crop insurance schemes have been disastrous for farmers. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was originally introduced as a one rupee scheme to protect farmers against losses from floods, droughts and other natural calamities, ensuring they received adequate compensation. However, when it was discovered that insurance companies had misappropriated tens of thousands of crores, the government amended the scheme. Instead of tightening the system to safeguard farmers' rights, the amendments weakened the scheme, reducing payouts and making it extremely difficult for farmers to recover their losses. Today, farmers affected by the Marathwada floods cannot expect proper compensation from insurance. Essentially, crop insurance has become outsourced disaster management, benefiting finance corporates and insurance giants rather than the farmers themselves. This represents a second assault on farmers, coming on top of the devastation caused by the floods, and is completely unacceptable. There is an urgent need for reforms to ensure that farmers receive fair, timely, and adequate compensation for both natural and man-made disasters. What are your specific demands from the government? First, the Union government should declare this flood and rainfall as a national disaster, as it has happened in Himachal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana. Second, we demand at least Rs 70,000 per hectare crop compensation, Rs 25 lakh for life lost, and Rs 1 lakh for livestock loss. Third, there's a huge chunk of agricultural labourers and sharecroppers -- 27% of farmers according to government data -- but no relief measures reach them because relief is decided based on land ownership. At least Rs 1 lakh compensation should be given to all flood-affected farmers, labourers and tenant farmers. I want to emphasise that according to COP27 resolutions (2022 UN climate summit addressing global climate action and emissions accountability), these natural disasters are due to pollution from advanced countries, but the punishment is given to farmers of developing countries. Our farmers and affected people have a complete right to rightful compensation based on these international agreements, not charity. You've been critical of the state government's irrigation management. Who do you hold responsible? The entire irrigation system is now in the hands of people like Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil (the state water resources minister), who uses 26 TMC of water in his own constituency (Shirdi in Ahmednagar district in the Marathwada region which is currently reeling under severe flood) while all of Maharashtra is starving. Earlier, Devendra Fadnavis was talking about the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam, but after Ajit Pawar's inclusion in the government, what corrective measures have they taken to correct the irrigation system? Nothing. Vikhe Patil must resign -- he's an irresponsible water lord making this entire situation worse. The irrigation minister should take responsibility and resign as flood control is exactly the major objective of dam irrigation projects. While releasing water, they should check the downstream carrying capacity of all structures, but there's no such coordination. How do you view the discrimination between different regions in relief measures? The discrimination between regions in relief measures is very clear, and it is insulting to the farmers of Marathwada. In 2018, when Kolhapur was hit by floods and Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister, the government announced Rs 40,000 per hectare as compensation. Today, when Marathwada has lost more than 4 lakh hectares of crops, the state is offering just Rs 6,800 per hectare. How can the same state government apply such vastly different criteria for the same kind of disaster? This shows that relief is being treated not as a rightful entitlement but as a matter of political convenience. Farmers of Marathwada, who are already battling drought and repeated agrarian crises, are now subjected to another layer of discrimination. Fadnavis has long claimed that, as someone from Vidarbha, he stands for equitable development across regions of Maharashtra. But in practice, he is repeating the same old patterns of bias that have historically disadvantaged Marathwada. People here will not tolerate this injustice. Our farmers' movement is determined to resist these double standards, because this is not charity -- it is compensation that farmers are rightfully owed. Anything less is nothing short of betrayal. What systemic challenges do Marathwada farmers face beyond floods? First, agriculture is not supported properly during production, and farmers don't get rightful prices for their produce. Take cotton -- there's been a systematic attack through withdrawal of 11% import duty on August 19 (2025), leading to cheap cotton imports and collapsing prices. There's also a pink bollworm attack on cotton crops adding to farmers' frustration. Similarly, reducing import duty on palm oil has collapsed soybean prices. The India-US trade deal is going to be disastrous for farmers, particularly in Maharashtra, as it targets our major crops. This trade deal is concerned with six major products -- cotton, soybean, maize/corn, milk products, ethanol, and wheat. These are their interests to capture the Indian market. In that light, it's a very difficult situation before Maharashtra farmers. We need all kisan organisations to unite against these anti-farmer policies. Are you concerned about farmer suicides given the current crisis? Marathwada is already the suicide capital of Maharashtra. Now festival seasons are coming -- Dussehra and Diwali -- when every farmer brings his daughter home for celebration. How can they go for festivals in this ridiculous situation? What face will they show to their families? This shock may trigger suicides. To stop such man-made disasters, the government should immediately come up with a rightful package, not this charitable approach to compensation. Newspapers are flooded with reports of political parties making visits to Marathwada. What's your take on this political attention? It's good that every leadership should reach out to masses and support them in whatever possible way. But the first duty is of the government -- they should comply with their constitutional duty. Where are the ministers from the ruling government? Not a single minister from the Fadnavis government has yet connected with the masses in Marathwada. This shows their priorities. Why is the Union government not reaching there with their team for aerial surveys and ground assessment? Whenever there's a disaster in Maharashtra, the Union government discriminates against Maharashtra. This pattern of neglect needs to end. Natural disaster is a Constitutional responsibility of the Union government. State governments have limited resources and are mostly reliant on Union support. The 15th Finance Commission recommendations are anti-farmer and anti-relief measures -- they're trying to disown disaster management relief. We're seeing that disaster-affected people have been neglected by the Union government not just in Maharashtra, but in Punjab, Himachal, all over India. What is your key recommendation to prevent such disasters in future? Irrigation management must be updated and upgraded immediately. There are laws about irrigation that must be implemented, and engineers should be held responsible for their duties. They are paid for their hydrological knowledge, but they don't follow any engineering protocols or regulatory framework. Why didn't they manage to control this flood when dams are built specifically for flood control as a major objective of irrigation projects? Earlier, the dams were full -- why didn't they release water in a sustained manner instead of simultaneous massive releases? What we see is natural rainfall converting into disaster, which is a mockery of technology and engineering. Though rainfall may be on the higher side, dams have been made to regulate it -- the absence of that regulation and management is what punishes people. They should have studied whether they follow the manual for how dams should be filled and how they should be operated, but none of this was done. Zimbabwean blueberry farmers set sights on China's lucrative market Xinhua) 11:03, September 25, 2025 HARARE, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Inside a greenhouse located in Zimbabwe's Mashonaland West Province, workers carefully hand-pick fresh blueberries from lush green shrubs, ensuring only the best fruit makes it to the baskets. In recent years, Zimbabwe's blueberry industry has grown rapidly, bringing local farmers higher incomes. This year, producers are setting their sights on exporting blueberries to China, one of the world's largest and most lucrative markets. Earlier this month, Zimbabwe signed a trade agreement allowing fresh blueberry exports to China, a move farmers say will spur production to meet the surge in demand. "It is a huge market. They are the biggest exporters of blueberries, among the biggest growers of blueberries, and also one of the biggest importers of blueberries. So, it really has taken off there," said Alistair Campbell, a blueberry farmer from the province. Supported by favorable climate conditions, increased agricultural investment, and rising demand for this healthy food, Zimbabwe's blueberry industry is expanding. According to the country's Horticultural Development Council (HDC), production is expected to rise from 8,000 metric tons in 2024 to 12,000 metric tons in 2025. Farmers believe that Zimbabwe's strategic geographic location -- allowing early access to global markets -- gives the country a competitive edge. "Our product is well received. We get big, nice-tasting berries. And it's well-received in the market thus far. We just need more scale, more blueberries," Campbell said, adding that the opportunity to export to China positions Zimbabwe as a significant player in blueberry production. "We really need to get things moving pretty quickly. We hope to have some really good engagements with government to see what we can get done there, and also with funders to make sure that we get enough plants in the ground to satisfy at least a part of that Chinese market," he added. In a statement following the signing of the blueberry export agreement, the HDC called for policies to increase investment, expand production to required volumes, and ensure that Zimbabwe's blueberries consistently meet China's quality and phytosanitary standards. Joseph Kakoto, president of the Zimbabwe Young Farmers Association for Sustainable Development, a youth-led organization, expressed optimism about the growth prospects of the Chinese export market, saying the protocol would attract new investment in plantations, packhouses, and cold chain infrastructure, creating jobs along the value chain. "This protocol is a win-win. Zimbabwe gains access to a lucrative market, while China secures reliable food imports," Kakoto told Xinhua. The deal, he said, signals Zimbabwe's entry into high-value horticultural exports such as blueberries, opening the door to greater foreign currency earnings and investment. "I am very confident about the Chinese market because it is huge and steadily growing with a rising middle class that demands healthy premium foods such as blueberries. Zimbabwe's climate and soil are highly suitable for premium berries, giving us a competitive edge," he said. A farmer harvests blueberries in Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe, Sept. 18, 2025. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) A farmer shows freshly harvested blueberries in Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe, Sept. 18, 2025. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) A 73-year old "undocumented" Sikh woman, who lived in the US for more than 30 years, was deported to India earlier this week after being detained by immigration authorities in California without being given the chance to even say goodbye to her relatives, her advocate said. Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Deepak Ahluwalia, the advocate, said, Bibi ji (Harjit Kaur) is on her way back to Punjab. She has already landed in India. Kaur was detained by immigration authorities in California after she went for a routine check, triggering protests and concerns among her family and community members. Kaur, a resident of East Bay in northern California for more than 30 years, was detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials during a routine check, a report in Berkeleyside, a non-profit news portal, said earlier. Her family along with hundreds of community members organised a protest, demanding the immediate release of Kaur, who was detained after the ICE officials asked her to come to its San Francisco office for additional paperwork. She was then taken to a detention centre in Bakersfield, Ahluwalia said. In the post, Ahluwalia claimed Kaur was taken from Bakersfield to Los Angeles where she was put on a flight to Georgia and thereafter to New Delhi. He also claimed that Kaur's family members urged the authorities to give her a chance to say final goodbye to her relatives before she was sent back, but permission was denied. We were able to get her travel documents. We were trying to negotiate with the ICE attorney and the government for her to depart on a commercial flight. We booked a ticket for Monday. We also asked the authorities to release her for 24-48 hours, even under ankle monitoring, to give her a chance to say final goodbye," Ahluwalia said. But around 2 am on Saturday, they took her from Bakersfield, drove her to Los Angeles in handcuffs, and put her on a flight to Georgia without even notifying the attorney, or giving any prior notice, Ahluwalia claimed. In Georgia, Kaur was kept at a temporary facility for detainees, he said. She was not even given a bed for nearly 60-70 hours, and made to sleep on the floor with a blanket. She was unable to get up as she had a double knee replacement surgery, Ahluwalia said. She was also denied a shower the entire time. Prior to the flight on Monday, she and some other detainees were given wet wipes and told to just clean up before boarding the plane from Georgia to Armenia. From Armenia, she came to Delhi on an ICE chartered plane, he said. Thankfully, they did not cuff her, a process followed earlier. One officer was apparently trying to cuff her but another said to avoid the process considering her age, Ahluwalia said. Kaur was reportedly undocumented, according to an earlier report in ABC7News. She reached the US in 1992 as a single mother with two sons. Her asylum case was denied in 2012, but since then she "faithfully reported" to the ICE in San Francisco every six months for more than 13 years, her daughter-in-law Manji Kaur earlier said. The Berkeleyside report claimed the ICE assured her that she could remain in the United States under supervision with a work permit until her travel documents were received. Following her detention, there were protests in California with demonstrators demanding her release with placards reading Hands off our grandma and Bring grandma home. Kaur, who has two grandsons and three granddaughters in the US, among other relatives, worked at an Indian garment store for more than two decades, the report said. One of her granddaughters, Sukhdeep Kaur, described Harjit Kaur as an independent, selfless, and hardworking woman, who was like a mother figure (to the community). The family members also voiced concern over her health, claiming that placing a woman of her age with serious health issues such as thyroid, migraine, knee pain and anxiety under detention could put her life at risk. "Ambulance in Delhi should reach before pizza" -- with this message, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday flagged off 11 Centralised Accident and Trauma Services ambulances in the national capital, officials said. IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the launch of 11 CATS ambulances in New Delhi, Septemebr 25, 2025. Photograph: Courtesy Rekha Gupta on X A series of health services and facilities were launched on Thursday as part of 'Sewa Pakhwada' (service fortnight), an initiative dedicated to honouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 75th birthday. The announcements, made in the presence of Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh, marked a significant expansion of healthcare accessibility, transparency, and modernisation in the capital, the officials said. Apart from unveiling a comprehensive health package, the chief minister also launched an organ transplant awareness portal, 40 TrueNat machines, 10 PathoDetect machines, and 27 hand-held X-ray machines to strengthen early TB detection and treatment across Delhi. To enhance emergency medical response, Gupta flagged off 11 CATS ambulances, taking the city's fleet to 277. The chief minister said 53 more such ambulances are expected to be launched in October, and eventually the fleet will be scaled up to 1,000. Eleven ambulances have been launched today. By October, 53 more will be added. We are working to take the total strength to 1,000 to ensure every resident has timely access to emergency medical services, she said. The chief minister also announced Delhi's first organ donation portal designed to bring transparency and encourage citizens to pledge their organs to save countless lives. Explaining the new initiative, she said the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) has now provided Delhi with an official platform for organ donation. Anyone who wishes to donate can register, and after death, their organs can give new life to people waiting in line. On September 17, we launched an eye donation portal, and so far, 1,222 forms have been received, which is an achievement. "For the first time in the national capital, organ and eye donation is being promoted in an organised way. We want to set an example that while alive, we should serve our country, and after death, we should continue helping people, she said. Gupta also inaugurated a District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC) at the Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, which will provide timely screening and treatment to children with developmental challenges. Meanwhile, Health Minister Singh said Delhi has, for the first time, appointed 1,300 nurses and permanent medical superintendents in its hospitals, and streamlined medicine procurement through a fully transparent centralised system. "In just 167 days, we built 168 Arogya Mandirs -- almost one every day. We have doubled the dialysis capacity to 300 machines, added hospital beds, and ensured transparent procurement of medicines. "These achievements were possible only because of the leadership of Rekha Gupta, who has made quality healthcare people's right in Delhi," Singh said. The newly-launched CATS ambulances will improve emergency response time across Delhi, addressing a long-standing concern, while the organ donation portal will ensure transparency and allow citizens to contribute to saving lives, an official statement said. The early intervention centre at Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya will focus on screening and addressing developmental challenges in children, it said. The Kerala high court was on Thursday told that Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy's book -- Mother Mary Come to Me -- has a disclaimer against smoking on the back of its cover. Photograph: / Rediff.com IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. The submission by the book's publisher -- Penguin Random House India -- came in response to a lawyer's plea urging the high court to prohibit the sale, circulation and display of the book with its present cover, where the author is shown smoking a cigarette. The petitioner, Kochi-based lawyer Rajasimhan, claimed in his plea that the book cover did not have a statutory health warning. In view of the submission, on affidavit, by the publisher, a bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji asked Rajasimhan why he filed the plea without even looking at the back cover of the book. The court also said that there were other statutory remedies available to the petitioner in the matter. The hearing was adjourned to October 7 on the petitioner's lawyer's request for time to seek instructions. Rajasimhan, in his plea, has contended that the cover page image sends out a "damaging message" to society, especially to girls and women, by "glorifying" the act of smoking. He has also contended in the plea that the image is also in violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA), 2003. Opposing his plea, the publisher said, in its affidavit, that there is a disclaimer -- Any depiction of smoking in this book is for representational purposes only. Penguin Random House India does not promote or endorse tobacco use -- on the book's back cover. "It appears that the petitioner either conveniently suppressed this fact in the writ petition, or the petitioner has not conducted even the bare minimum due diligence expected of a public interest litigant and is, therefore, unaware of this fact," the publisher has contended. It has also been said that "any suggestion that the book's cover glorifies smoking is outrightly incorrect, in the light of the specific disclaimer". The publisher also said that there have been several instances of photographs of persons smoking in magazines and news articles, but the petitioner did not do anything till now. "The same points to a selective and pick-and-choose policy on the part of the petitioner, which is inconsistent with the spirit of genuine public interest litigation. Indeed, the present writ petition, though styled as a public interest litigation, appears to be more in the nature of litigation interested in publicity," it said. Besides prohibiting the sale, circulation and display of the book with its current cover, the plea has also sought withdrawal of all of its copies from the market. It has also sought a declaration that publication of the book with the current cover image and without the statutory health warning is "illegal and violative of COTPA". The Central Bureau of Investigation has begun an inquiry into alleged violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act against an institution founded by Ladakh-based educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, officials said on Thursday. IMAGE: Environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk speaks on the violent protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. Photograph: Sonam Wangchuk on X/ANI Video Grab There has been an inquiry going on for some time but no FIR has been registered yet, they said. When contacted, Wangchuk told PTI that a CBI team came with 'an order' about 10 days ago, saying that they are acting on a complaint from the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding alleged Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) violations in the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL). "The order said we have not taken clearance under FCRA to receive foreign funds. We don't want to be dependent on foreign funds, but we export our knowledge and raise revenue. In three such instances, they thought it was foreign contribution," Wangchuk claimed. He said a CBI team visited HIAL and the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) last week, seeking details of foreign funds received by them between 2022 and 2024. The teams are still camping in Ladakh and going through accounts and statements of the organisations, he said. Wangchuk said the matters the complaint refers to were service agreements with taxes duly paid to the government. They pertained to India exporting knowledge to the United Nations, Swiss University and an Italian organisation, he said. "It was a very dignified assignment. They saw it and they were convinced. They understood it is not helping them, so they began asking for accounts outside that period. Their mandate was to check for accounts during 2022-24, but they started asking for accounts of 2021 and 2020. Then they went to our school asking for various documents outside their mandate period and a school outside the complaint's purview," Wangchuk alleged. Both these schools give free education to needy young students. In HIAL, students are paid stipend for their work on various projects, he said. "The CBI officers are still camping in Ladakh and rigorously going through records," Wangchuk said, adding that they have not questioned him. The activist said first, the local police filed a sedition case against him. This was followed by an order taking back the land given for HIAL, citing that the lease amount was not paid. "Everyone knows, we have documents to show. The government had almost been apologetic in saying that their lease policy is not formed and hence it cannot take fee. It said 'please bear with us and continue constructions'," he claimed. Wangchuk alleged that this was followed by the CBI action and income tax summons. "The funny part is, Ladakh is one place where there is no tax. Yet I voluntarily pay taxes, and I get summons. Then they resurrected a four-year-old complaint that labourers were not paid properly. It is guns blazing from all sides on us," he alleged. Wangchuk had started a hunger strike on September 10, pressing for Ladakh's inclusion in the Sixth schedule and for statehood. The cold desert region witnessed the worst violence since 1989 on Wednesday, when groups of youths indulged in arson and vandalism, targeting the BJP headquarters and the Hill Council, and set ablaze vehicles. Police and paramilitary forces had to lob teargas shells to bring the situation under control, officials said. Stoking another controversy, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane has said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti government in the state is a "Hindutvawadi regime, elected with the support of Hindu votes, and people who wear "gol topi" (Muslims) did not vote for it. IMAGE: Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane. Photograph: @NiteshNRane/X During a visit to a Durga pandal of Sakal Hindu Samaj in Mumbai's Mankhurd area on Wednesday, Rane also said no one will be allowed to disrespect Hindu gods and goddesses during the festival. This government has been elected with the support of Hindu votesThose who wear gol topi' (round/skull cap) did not vote for it, Rane said, in an apparent reference to Muslims. Tensions flared after an idol of Goddess Durga was allegedly desecrated in Mankhurd on Sunday night, leading to a clash between two groups. The BJP leader, who participated in a 'maha aarti' during the event, warned against spoiling the peaceful atmosphere of the state. "Celebrate your festivals peacefully, and we will celebrate ours. Don't look at us sideways," he said. "We will not tolerate anyone trying to disturb Mumbai's atmosphere," the minister said. If anyone needs permission to celebrate festivals, they should just call the government, and permissions will be granted quickly, he said. The minister on Monday claimed garba events during Navratri are becoming "epicentres" of "love jihad" and backed the VHP's advisory asking organisers of such programmes to thoroughly check identity documents of participants. In July, Rane sparked controversy with remarks on voting patterns, referring to Muslims as green snakes". He said that he became an MLA with the support of Hindu voters. Six decades after they were inducted into the force, Indian Air Force's workhorse, the legendary Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets, will finally retire from the IAF at a mega event to be held in Chandigarh on Friday. IMAGE: Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, flies a MiG-21 ahead of its official retirement, at Nal Air Base in Bikaner on Monday. Photograph: @IAF_MCC on X/ANI Photo A farewell will be bid to the fighter jets, which have been part of the IAF's combat fleet since the 1960s, at a decommissioning event in Chandigarh, where the iconic aircraft was first inducted over six decades ago. On Friday, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, will fly the last sortie of the MiG-21 Bison aircraft. Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh, who became the IAF chief in 1981, had led the first MiG-21 Squadron in Chandigarh in 1963. The culmination of MiG-21 operations is set for September 26 with a ceremonial flypast and decommissioning event, marking the closure of a historic chapter in India's air power. The last of the MiG-21 jets, belonging to number 23 Squadron nicknamed 'Panthers', will be given a farewell at the decommissioning ceremony at the Chandigarh Air Force station in which chief guest will be Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Upon landing, the six MiG-21 jets, belonging to number 23 Squadron, taking part in the flypast ceremony on Friday, will be given a water cannon salute and among the pilots will be Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, who also flew in the full dress rehearsal on Wednesday, and will leave her name in the annals of aviation history as the last woman fighter pilot to have flown the aircraft one final time. In a recent post on X about the retiring MiG-21s, the IAF said, 'Six decades of service, countless tales of courage, a warhorse that carried pride of a nation into the skies.' The MiG-21 fighter jets used to be the mainstay of the IAF for a long period of time. After its first induction, the IAF procured over 870 MiG-21s to boost its overall combat prowess. The supersonic jets were the dominant platforms during 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. The aircraft also played a key role in the 1999 Kargil conflict as well as 2019 Balakot airstrikes. However, the IAF's workhorse, the MiG-21 aircrafts, were also involved in multiple crashes in the last six decades, with spotlight many times being on the safety record of the ageing fleet of the Soviet-origin aircraft. Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, will be among those present on the occasion here on Friday. Further, as per the tentative programme, six former IAF chiefs Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, Air Chief Marshal P V Naik, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa and Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria will also attend the Friday's ceremony in Chandigarh. Officials from the Defence Ministry, Defence Research and Development Organisation and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will also be present. A full dress rehearsal for this ceremony was held at the IAF station here on Wednesday. The Jaguar and the Tejas aircrafts will also be part of the ceremony. Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments. It has been designed to undertake air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles. The IAF's MiG-21 fighter jets made their last operational flights at the Nal Air Force Station in Rajasthan's Bikaner, a month ahead of the formal retirement ceremony slated here on Friday. As part of the symbolic farewell, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew solo sorties of the MiG-21 from Nal on August 18-19, marking an emotional moment for the force and for generations of pilots trained on the Russian-origin fighter jet that served the force for 62 years. United States President Donald Trump has demanded an investigation into three 'sinister events' at the United Nations headquarters, including an escalator breaking down while he and First Lady Melania Trump were on it, describing them as 'triple sabotage'. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly, at UN headquarters in New York City on Tuesday. Photograph: Reuters/ANI Photo In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, he also said the UN should be 'ashamed' of itself. 'A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday -- Not one, not two, but three very sinister events!' Trump said. The first incident was when the escalator going up to the main speaking floor came to a 'screeching halt' shortly after the First Lady and Trumps stepped onto it. 'It stopped on a dime. It's amazing that Melania and I didn't fall forward onto the sharp edges of these steel steps, face first. It was only that we were each holding the handrail tightly or, it would have been a disaster. This was absolutely sabotage,' Trump said adding that those behind the incident should be arrested. Then, as Trump came on the United Nations General Assembly podium to deliver his address to the General Debate of the 80th UN General Assembly session, the teleprompter broke. 'Then, as I stood before a television crowd of millions of people all over the world, and important leaders in the Hall, my teleprompter didn't work. It was stone cold dark. I immediately thought to myself, 'Wow, first the escalator event, and now a bad teleprompter. What kind of a place is this?'' he said. Trump proceeded to deliver his 57-minute speech without a teleprompter, which started working about 15 minutes later. 'The good news is the speech has gotten fantastic reviews. Maybe they appreciated the fact that very few people could have done what I did,' he said. Thirdly, Trump said that he was told, after he finished delivering his speech, that the sound was completely off in the UN General Assembly hall and the world leaders couldn't hear a thing unless they used the interpreters' earpieces. 'The first person I saw at the conclusion of the speech was Melania, who was sitting right up front. I said, 'How did I do?' And she said, 'I couldn't hear a word you said.' Trump said these incidents were not a coincidence but a 'triple sabotage at the UN' and the organisation ought to be 'ashamed' of itself. 'I'm sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation. No wonder the United Nations hasn't been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do. All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved.' Trump also referred to a report in The London Times that said UN workers had 'joked' about turning off an escalator. In the incident that was captured live on camera and watched by millions around the world, including the visiting world leaders at the UN, the escalator near the Delegate's entrance in the UN headquarters came to an abrupt halt soon after Trump and the First Lady stepped onto it as they made their way to the UN General Assembly hall Tuesday morning for the US President's address to world leaders at the General Debate. The abrupt halt jolted the couple, who waited momentarily at the escalator and forced Melania Trump to walk up the stalled escalator, with the President following closely behind her. Responding to questions about the escalator incident, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that Trump, accompanied by the First Lady and delegation, arrived at the UNHQ building and entered through the Delegate's entrance. After passing through the security gates, Trump and the First Lady approached the escalator. In an effort to document their arrival, a videographer from the US delegation stepped on to the escalator ahead of the President and First Lady, he said. As the videographer, who was travelling backwards up the escalator reached the top, the First Lady, followed by President Trump, each mounted the steps at the bottom. At that moment, the escalator came to a stop, he said. "Our technician, who was at the location, reset the escalator as soon as the delegation had climbed up to the second floor. A subsequent investigation, including a readout of the machine's central processing unit, indicated that the escalator had stopped after a built-in safety mechanism on the comb step was triggered at the top of the escalator. "The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing. The videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function described above," Dujarric said. As Trump reached the top of the escalator, he was greeted by UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed. "The escalator just broke," Trump told Mohammed, who responded, "Oh my goodness." Ahead of Trump's address from the UNGA podium, the teleprompter also broke, leading the US President to begin his remarks by saying, "I don't mind making this speech without a teleprompter because the teleprompter is not working." The world leaders gathered in the UN General Assembly hall broke into laughter at Trump's comment. "I feel very happy to be up here with you nevertheless, and that way you speak more from the heart. I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble," Trump said amid laughs from the attendees. "All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up, stopped right in the middle. If the First Lady wasn't in great shape, she would have fallen, but she's in great shape. We're both in good shape. We both stood," Trump had said amid laughter from the world leaders gathered in the UNGA hall. "And then a teleprompter that didn't work. These are the two things I got from the United Nations - a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter. Thank you very much," Trump said. Trump also spoke about the teleprompter and escalator incident during a bilateral meeting with Guterres. "Thank you very much. It's always an honour to be here. We've done this before, and this was a little more exciting because of the escalator and the teleprompter. These things happen," Trump said in his bilateral meeting with Guterres on Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that 'if someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately'. Leavitt posted a screenshot of an article from The Times that said, 'To mark Trump's arrival, UN staff members have joked that they may turn off the escalators and elevators and simply tell him they ran out of money, so he has to walk up the stairs.' -- PTI Observing that social media needs to be regulated and as a "modern amphitheatre of ideas" it cannot be left in a state of "anarchic freedom", the Karnataka high court on Wednesday dismissed X Corp's petition against government's content takedown mechanism under Section 79 of the Information Technology act. Holding that every sovereign nation regulates social media and that India's action likewise, cannot, by any stretch of constitutional imagination, be branded as unlawful, the court said none may presume to treat the Indian marketplace as a mere playground where information can be disseminated in defiance of statutes or disregard to legality. "Social media needs to be regulated, and its regulation is a must, more so in cases of offences against women in particular, failing which the right to dignity, as ordained in the constitution of a citizen, gets railroaded," said the single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna. "The petitioner's platform is subject to a regulated regime." The judge also pointed out that every platform that seeks to operate within the jurisdiction of India must accept that liberty is yoked with responsibility and the privilege of access. These platforms carry with it the solemn duty of accountability to hold, otherwise it will imperil both the rule of law and the fabric of social harmony, the court observed. X Corp (formerly Twitter) had moved the court seeking a declaration that Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act does not confer the authority to issue information blocking orders, as it questioned the way the Centre and the state governments were issuing such orders. Section 79 of the IT Act grants safe harbour protection to intermediaries, shielding them from liability for user-generated content, and Section 79(3)(b) removes the same if an intermediary fails to block/remove unlawful content upon government notification. The social media giant contended that such orders can only be issued after following the procedure under Section 69A of the Act read with the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules. It had also challenged the legality of the Centre's Sahyog' portal - an online platform used to issue content takedown orders to intermediaries. Section 69 of the IT Act, 2000 grants the government the power to issue directions to intercept, monitor, or decrypt information from any computer resource in the interest of India's sovereignty, integrity, defense, security, friendly relations with foreign states, or public order, and to prevent incitement to the commission of any cognisable offense or for the investigation of any offense. The government also must record reasons for such an order, and the affected intermediary or person in charge of the computer resource must comply and provide necessary assistance. The court observed that X follows the takedown orders in the US, the birthplace and footland of the social media, as it criminalises its violation. "But the same petitioner refuses to follow the same in the shores of this nation of a similar takedown orders which are founded upon illegality. This sans countenance. The petition for all the aforesaid reasons lacking in merit stands rejected." The platform had sought a direction to the government against taking coercive or prejudicial action against X in relation to any 'Information Blocking Orders' issued other than those issued in accordance with section 69A of the IT Act, read with the blocking rules. X had also sought protection from any coercive action against the company, its representatives or employees, for not joining the 'Sahyog' portal. However, the court noted that 'Sahyog' portal is an instrument of public good, conceived under the IT Act. "It stands as a beacon of cooperation between the citizen and the intermediary, a mechanism through which the state endeavours to combat the growing menace of cyber crime. To assail its validity is to misunderstand its purpose. Hence, the challenge is without merit," Justice Nagaprasanna said about 'Sahyog'. "Social media as a modern amphitheatre of ideas cannot be left in a state of anarchic freedom," the judge said, adding that regulation of information in this domain is "neither novel nor unique". According to the judge, the US regulates social media. "Every sovereign nation regulates it, and India's action likewise, cannot, by any stretch of constitutional imagination, be branded as unlawful." The court also maintained that the unregulated speech under the guise of liberty becomes a license for lawlessness. Regulated speech, by contrast, preserves, both liberty and order, the twin pillars upon which the democracy must stand, it noted. "No media, social media platform in the modern day, may even feel the semblance of exemption from rigor of discipline of the laws of the land. None may presume to treat the Indian marketplace as a mere playground where information can be disseminated in defiance of statutes or disregard to legality, and later adopting a posture of this detachment," Justice Nagaprasanna said. "The petition, for all the aforesaid reasons lacking in merits, stands rejected. The applications of the interveners for the very reasons rendered in the course of the order stand rejected." X Corp had moved the court after the Ministry of Railways issued multiple takedown orders relating to posts on the recent stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. The company sought a declaration that Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act does not authorise content blocking. The Sikkim government has decided to open the battlefield destinations of Doka-La and Cho-La for domestic tourists from October 1, officials said. Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Photo In a notification earlier this week, Chief Secretary R Telang said Indian tourists carrying voter identity cards would be allowed to visit the two sites under strict guidelines for security and environmental protection. The decision was taken under the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative, the notification said. Doka-La and Cho-La are located near the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction. According to the notification, tourists will be required to obtain permits from the tourism and civil aviation departments through registered tour operators or travel agencies. "Permits shall be issued only upon submission of one-night homestay booking confirmation from designated areas along the Silk Route Kupup, Gnathang, Zuluk or Padamchen," the order stated. Tourists will be required to pay a permit fee of Rs 1,120 per person, which includes wildlife sanctuary entry and Tsomgo Pokhari Sangrakshan Samiti (TPSS) fee. The fee will be collected by the tourism and civil aviation department and shared with agencies concerned, the order added. Permits issued by the home department for official purposes will be exempt from the fee. The government has capped the daily entry at 25 tourist vehicles and 25 bikers for both the places. "Only vehicles with engine capacity of 1,400 cc and above will be permitted due to the challenging terrain," the notification said. No parking fee collection will be allowed along the route without prior approval from the state government. The prescribed fare has been fixed at Rs 12,000 for a two-day package in category Z vehicles and Rs 11,000 for category J vehicles. Adequate security arrangements will be in place, officials said. Personnel from the Army's 17 Mountain Division, Sikkim Police and the tourism department will be deployed at Kupup and Cho-La checkposts. "A police escort shall accompany tourists from Kupup," the notification added. To manage traffic and weather-related risks, tourists will move in staggered groups. Two batches will depart daily from Tsomgo (Cho-La diversion) at 10 am and 11 am for Cho-La, while from Kupup to Doka-La, departures will be at 9 am and 10 am. The staggered timing has been devised to ensure the availability of parking facilities. Tour operators have also been directed to ensure strict environmental safeguards. "No littering or damage shall be allowed in these pristine areas. All tourist vehicles must carry garbage bags and dispose of the waste only at designated collection points at Tsomgo and Kupup," the order said. The tourism department clarified that express permits issued for the 25 vehicles would require checking only at 3rd Mile, Cho-La, Nathula and Doka-La diversions. Monthly reports on the number of tourists and vehicles will be submitted to the home department for monitoring. It may be mentioned that Doka-La and Cho-La are strategic places located near India-Bhutan-China tri-junction. The two destinations are being opened for battlefield tourism under Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative. United States President Donald Trump is set to engage in high-stakes bilateral meetings on Thursday, including a closed-door session with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Oval Office, according to Trump's public schedule released by the White House. IMAGE: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Photograph: Iran's presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters Sharif will arrive in Washington, DC after attending the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York. Sharif addressed the UN Climate Summit on Wednesday. He expressed caution about Pakistan's accumulating debt and noted that it was not a viable solution to global challenges. This casts a shadow over his claims that Islamabad is taking 'concrete action' to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On Tuesday, Sharif also had an informal exchange with Trump following a meeting between the US President and leaders of eight Islamic-Arab countries, which also included Pakistan. 'Informal exchange followed the dialogue between President Trump and leaders of eight Islamic-Arab countries, including Pakistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar joined President Donald Trump in the discussion,' the Pakistan Foreign Minister stated in a post on X. According to the schedule, Trump will also sign executive orders before meeting with Sharif, including the potential finalisation of the TikTok security deal. On Monday, the White House announced that the deal to secure TikTok's operations in the US will be signed by Trump later this week, ensuring the popular social media platform operates under Washington's stringent oversight. During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that TikTok will be majority-owned by American investors and managed by a board with extensive national security and cybersecurity expertise, with Oracle serving as its trusted security provider. Leavitt detailed that Oracle will independently monitor the safety and data security of all US user data, which will be stored on Oracle-operated servers in the United States, safeguarded from foreign surveillance or interference, particularly from China. "The president will be signing the deal, the official deal, later this week at some point. Under the terms of this deal, TikTok will be owned by a majority of American investors and controlled by a board of directors with extensive national security and cybersecurity credentials," she said. Earlier on Friday, Trump stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping had approved the TikTok deal for the video-sharing platform to continue operating in the US. Prior to this, Trump and Xi Jinping had a telephonic conversation during which they discussed various issues, including the Chinese app TikTok, which faces a threat of being banned after the Biden administration passed legislation to force the platform to divest itself of its ownership by the Chinese internet company ByteDance. Shortly after Trump's conversation with Xi Jinping, ByteDance announced that it would proceed with the necessary work to allow TikTok to continue operating in the US. 'ByteDance will advance related work in accordance with the requirements of Chinese law, allowing TikTok U.S. to continue serving American users well,' the statement read. The legislation, which was passed in April 2024, aimed to ban the app as of January 19, but the Trump administration has not yet enforced it. The US is eager to strike a deal with China that allows US investors to have more control of TikTok. According to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, which quoted people familiar with the deal, the proposed agreement between Beijing and Washington is set to see a group of American investors control 80 per cent of TikTok, while Chinese firms, including ByteDance, will control the remaining 20 per cent. Meanwhile, Trump will begin his day with engagements involving Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 'Hotline Beijing' premieres in Los Angeles (People's Daily App) 15:13, September 25, 2025 The premiere event of China's documentary film Hotline Beijing was held on Monday at the Harmony Gold Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Hotline Beijing takes Beijing's "12345" citizen service hotline as its narrative thread, focusing on the innovative practice of the city's "swift response to public complaints" reform. Through a documentary approach, the film tells how ordinary citizens' most pressing needs are addressed, while also revealing the challenges and institutional innovations of governance in a mega-city. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The scheme is universal in nature, under which financial assistance will be provided to one woman from each family in the state, enabling them to start employment or livelihood activities of their choice. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Bihar's "Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana" on Friday and transfer Rs 10,000 each to the bank accounts of 75 lakh women across the state, totalling Rs 7,500 crore. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a public meeting, in Banswara, Rajasthan, September 25, 2025 as Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade (second from left), Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi (left), and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma (right) look on. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo Officials said the scheme is aimed at making women aatmanirbhar (self-dependent) and promoting empowerment through self-employment and livelihood opportunities. The scheme is universal in nature, under which financial assistance will be provided to one woman from each family in the state, enabling them to start employment or livelihood activities of their choice. An initial grant of Rs 10,000 will be provided, with the possibility of an additional financial support of up to Rs 2 lakh in subsequent phases, they noted. The scheme will be community-driven and resource persons connected to self-help groups will provide training to support their endeavour. To support the sale of their produce, gramin haat (rural market) will be further developed in the state. The National Democratic Alliance governments at the Centre and in Bihar have launched a series of development and welfare measures in the poll-bound state as the ruling alliance looks to retain power there. 'Trump is not shy when he is frustrated with countries' IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets US President Donald Trump at the White House on February 13, 2025. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters United States President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi share a "very, very positive" relationship and will meet, a senior State Department official has said, while underlining that planning is underway for the next Quad Summit, expected either later this year or in early 2026. India is slated to host leaders from the US, Australia, and Japan for the Quad summit. The 2024 edition of the summit was held in the US at Wilmington, Delaware. "In terms of meetings coming soon, I certainly don't want to get ahead of announcing anything for the President, but I'm sure you'll see the two (PM Modi and President Trump) meet," the State Department official said on Wednesday. "They have a very, very positive relationship. We've got a Quad Summit, we're working on planning, so at some point that will happen, if not this year, early next year. Working on the dates of that, the official said. Describing the ongoing US-India engagements as incredibly productive, the official said continuous positive developments are expected in the coming months. We have differences. It's been clear over the last few weeks that we've been working through some differences, particularly when it comes to trade and the purchase of Russian oil. We're working through those, the official said. The official also referred to Trump's recent phone call to Modi to wish him on his 75th birthday, describing the exchange as "incredibly positive. On the diplomatic front, the official said US Ambassador nominee to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor is one of the closest people to the President. He will be confirmed very soon and will be the US representative in New Delhi. I think that shows the importance the President puts on this (US-India relationship, the official said. The official further underlined that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's first meeting on the margins of the 80th UN General Assembly session was with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Describing the hour-long meeting on Monday as incredibly productive, the official said talks covered a wide range of issues, including trade, defence, and technology. While acknowledging that there has been a bit of turbulence in ties, the official in the briefing, underlined that President Trump is candid about his views and not shy when he is frustrated with countries, which offers a transparent view of US positions. We're frank with our friends and we see India as a good friend and as a partner, and as really a partner of the future, the official said. On India's continued purchase of Russian oil, the official confirmed that the matter was raised in the bilateral meeting between Rubio and Jaishankar earlier this week. The issue was "absolutely discussed as it's discussed in every single engagement we have... The President has been incredibly clear. He wants to end the war in Ukraine. He does not want revenue going through Russia... He's been clear with our European partners. He's been clear with India. So we raise that at every opportunity that we wish to cut off this revenue stream for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, the official said. Responding to questions about the US not applying similar pressure on China, the official asserted that the Trump administration is dealing with Beijing "on its own right, and they are hearing a lot of these messages. India, the official said, is certainly not different from the continuous pressure the Trump administration is placing elsewhere, including on the European Union, which is also having to hear this tough" message. The official also cited a bipartisan bill in the US Congress, co-sponsored by 85 Senators, that proposes 500% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, adding that the current 25% tariff imposed by Washington doesn't look so bad in comparison. "But we continue to put pressure on these countries to stop, to cut off the revenue when it comes to Russian energy," the official said. The Trump administration has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India as a penalty for its purchases of Russian oil, taking the total levies imposed on the country by the US to 50 per cent, among the highest in the world. The official said the US absolutely still sees India as a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific. The official also confirmed that the US is revoking exceptions under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA) related to Afghanistan reconstruction, including those involving India's use of Chabahar Port in Iran. "This President has returned to a campaign of maximum pressure (on Iran)... and with that comes the revocation of licenses for every country, not just India, to access Chabahar port. Any revenue that would go to the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) will now be targeted for sanctions, and Chabahar port is included in that, the official said. On the issue of the recently announced USD 100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applicants, the official said the US has been in "close touch" with India on the issue. The official said the US was very clear, following the proclamation, that the fee is for new applicants and not for current H1B holders. We were very clear with them (India). We have not had any major pushback or concern. We'll see how this works. Part of it is to go after fraud in the process. Companies and organisations that want to bring highly skilled workers will continue to do so, so long as they pay the fee, the official said. The official referred to US Vice President JD Vance's visit to India earlier this year, where he described India-US ties as one of the most important relationships that is going to define the 21st century. That is the belief of this administration, and so we continue to work through those issues in the relationship, the official said. The official recalled that the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in January was Secretary Rubio's first engagement after taking office. It was followed by bilateral meetings with Jaishankar and Prime Minister Modi's visit to the White House in February. "So when you step back from this brief moment and look at the relationship, it is really on a positive trajectory and it's only expanding, the official asserted. 'If I have to go back, I would rather go back now because I don't want to face that situation when I'm in my 40s.' A young couple's journey through immigration uncertainty reveals not just the human cost of policy announcements, but a surprising rekindling of love for the homeland left behind. Kindly note that this illustration generated using Microsoft Copilot has only been posted for representational purposes. The notification pinged on smartphones across America on Friday, September 19, night. US President Donald Trump had signed a proclamation that would add a staggering $100,000 fee to H1B visa applications, sending shockwaves through the Indian Diaspora that forms the backbone of America's tech industry. For Priya and her husband Rajesh (names changed on request), the news arrived like a digital earthquake in their quiet suburban home. She, on an H4 dependent visa, watched helplessly as her husband -- an H1B holder with three years remaining on his current visa -- absorbed the implications of what seemed like a career-ending decree. "I was not really impacted by it initially," Priya recalls, her voice still carrying traces of that night's uncertainty. "It would be my husband who would be affected." But as the hours stretched into a sleepless dawn, the reality of their precarious situation began to crystallise. The 24-Hour Nightmare The new $100,000 fee only applies to new visas, not renewals or current visa holders, but this clarification wouldn't come until Saturday evening -- leaving hundreds of thousands of families suspended in immigration limbo for nearly 24 agonising hours. Rajesh's initial reaction was measured but telling. "He was pretty straightforward that Trump was going to charge $100,000 for the petition," Priya remembers. "But he didn't provide any official documents when he announced it. So I was waiting for more information." That wait would prove torturous. Videos began circulating on social media of panicked H1B holders rushing to airports, abandoning flights mid-boarding, convinced they might never be allowed back into the country that had become their home. "People actually got into flights and then immediately vacated, thinking they won't be able to come back and their life was going to be affected," Priya recounts, her voice reflecting the collective fear that gripped the community for almost 24 hours. Even as chaos swirled around them, Rajesh maintained a strategic calm born from experience with Trump's policy announcements. "I was just waiting for more information. I was pretty calm because this is the typical way of dealing with Donald Trump. He just scares people in the beginning and then backs out." Calculating Life in Dollar Terms The numbers were stark and unforgiving. Companies would need to pay $100,000 annually to hire a worker on an H1B visa, compared to the current fee structure of $1,500 to $4,500 -- a 25-fold increase that threatened to price out all but the most essential employees. During those crucial 24 hours, Rajesh's mind raced through scenarios with the precision of an engineer solving a complex algorithm. "What I was thinking is I have three years left on my current H1B. So if I were to pay $100,000 for a new H1B that would start three years from now." The couple outlined their contingency plans with clarity: "Either figure out something to cope with $100,000 in those three years, or convince your employer to pay on your behalf, or be ready to leave the country and start life again -- from another country or maybe back to India." The psychological preparation was perhaps the most telling aspect of his response. "You have to come back if somebody is not willing to pay $100,000 and if he is not letting it go," he states matter-of-factly, revealing how H1B holders have learned to compartmentalise existential uncertainty as just another variable in their American Dream. When Policy Becomes Personal The proposed fee hike threatened to transform the entire ecosystem of skilled immigration. Last year's H1B registration drew 470,000 applicants competing for 85,000 available visas. Rajesh calculated that the $100,000 fee would likely reduce applications to around 80,000 TO 100,000, potentially generating $8.5 billion in annual revenues for the US exchequer. "Even if they technically go ahead with the $100,000 fee, they are probably making $85 billion out of it," he observed, recognising the policy's revenue-generating potential while questioning its fairness. Between Two Flags: Loyalty Tested by Policy Beyond the financial calculations lay deeper questions about belonging and contribution. Rajesh suspected the timing wasn't coincidental. "Trump wanted to scare the Indian diaspora. Based on what's going on with the country regarding trades, there is intent behind it -- he wanted to scare the Indian population." Yet even facing potential displacement, Rajesh maintained a measured perspective that revealed his enduring respect for both nations: "If they are really doing this to save American jobs, then I have no problem. But if they are doing it because India is buying Russian oil and they are putting tariffs on India, then it's wrong." His words reflected a complex loyalty -- to the American dream that had given him opportunity, and to the Indian nation whose interests he still defended even from thousands of miles away. The policy had unwittingly forced a reckoning with questions of identity and allegiance that many H1B holders had carefully compartmentalised. When Policy Breeds Patriotism The psychological toll was evident in conversations throughout the Indian professional community, but it revealed something unexpected -- a renewed connection to India that years of American assimilation had gradually eroded. "Every day they start thinking -- if I have to go back, I would rather go back now because I'm young and I don't want to face that situation when I'm in my 40s," Rajesh observed about his colleagues' mindset. But this wasn't just about timing or logistics. The conversations revealed a deeper shift in how H1B holders viewed their relationship with both countries. The threat of forced departure had awakened dormant feelings about contributing to India's growth rather than simply being beneficiaries of America's opportunities. "Are there conversations among Indian H1B visa holders that they need to go back to India and start contributing to India's growth?" When asked this question, Rajesh's response was immediate and telling: "Every day they say that if I have to go back, I would rather go back now." This sentiment reflected a broader awakening within the Indian Diaspora -- that perhaps their skills, honed in Silicon Valley and Wall Street, belonged not just to American corporations but to the nation that had nurtured their foundational education and values. The threat had transformed what could have been viewed as professional failure into an opportunity for national service. Young professionals who had once measured success by their ability to stay in America were now reconsidering whether their greatest contribution lay in returning to build India's technological ecosystem. When Relief Comes with Conditions Within 24 hours, a White House official clarified that the new fee would only apply to new visas, not renewals or current visa holders. For families like Priya and Rajesh's, it was a reprieve -- but one that highlighted the precarious nature of their American dreams. The clarification revealed additional complexities. Students on F1 visas who win the H1B lottery and file for change of status within the US might avoid the fee entirely -- a detail that still remains frustratingly vague in official communications. "If you file change of status in the United States, then you probably don't have to pay $100,000, which is still unclear. They haven't clarified that yet," Rajesh notes, highlighting how immigration policy often exists in gray areas that affect real lives. As the immediate panic subsided, longer-term concerns emerged. The executive order would need to navigate legal challenges and regulatory processes, potentially taking months or years to implement fully. But for the community of skilled immigrants who have built their lives around visa renewals and green card queues, the message was unmistakable: Their welcome in America comes with an increasingly expensive price tag. For now, families like Priya and Rajesh's can breathe easier, their three-year timeline intact. But they -- along with hundreds of thousands of others -- have learned once again that in the complex calculus of American immigration, security is always temporary, and the next policy announcement is just a smartphone notification away. Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook. Nancy Braus is a long-time political activist who writes from Guilford. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media. CAEXPO ushers in a new chapter of China-ASEAN cooperation 13:22, September 25, 2025 By Wang Donghui, Zhang Yunhe ( People's Daily A humanoid robot dances at the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo Tourism Exhibition, Sept. 19, 2025. (Photo/Li Kai) The 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) has marked a significant milestone in advancing China-ASEAN relations, with high-tech collaboration emerging as a new driver of regional integration and economic growth. The event showcased breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), fostered innovation and entrepreneurship, and reinforced the expo's role as a strategic platform for deepening cooperation. CAEXPO's achievements highlighted the steady momentum in China-ASEAN trade and investment relations. Through broader participation and increasingly pragmatic initiatives, both sides are forging new paths toward mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation. Innovation is a central theme at this year's expo. From AI-powered event services to displays of humanoid robots, drones, and other cutting-edge technologies, the expo provided a vivid snapshot of the region's digital transformation. Notably, the event featured several firsts: the debut of a dedicated AI pavilion, the launch of an AI agent, and the inaugural China-ASEAN ministerial roundtable meeting on AI. These developments signal growing regional alignment on the future of intelligent technologies. Merchants negotiate over a deal at the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), Sept. 18, 2025. (Photo/Zhu Xiaoming) Sugon, a leading Chinese enterprise in information infrastructure, used the AI pavilion to showcase advances in intelligent computing, cloud services, and big data. The AI pavilion at CAEXPO provides a valuable platform for technology demonstration and business collaboration, said vice president of the company Wei Zhenguo. Thanousone Phonamat, chairman and CEO of Lao company ALO Technology Sole Co. Ltd., emphasized the potential for deeper engagement: "We look forward to drawing on China's advanced AI capabilities to co-develop a smart, digital future." The prospects for cooperation in strategic emerging sectors such as AI, fintech, big data, and cloud computing are rapidly emerging. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn observed that China's progress in these domains positions the region to jointly set benchmarks for digital ecosystems and shape future global standards. IBI, a first-time exhibitor, presented its progress in digitalizing procurement and logistics services. Wang Yu, president of Nedoodoo, IBI's digital platform for new energy trade, emphasized long-term commitment: "We aim to deepen ASEAN cooperation in digital infrastructure and elevate regional digital transformation." A woman buys Malaysian products at the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), Sept. 20, 2025. (Photo/Peng Huan) According to Wei Zhaohui, secretary-general of CAEXPO Secretariat, the expo is advancing China-ASEAN trade and economic cooperation from "traditional lanes" into "new tracks" driven by digital intelligence. Beyond high-tech, agricultural cooperation also drew strong interest. The agricultural section featured 178 geographical indication products and 76 new ASEAN agricultural offerings, fostering active commercial exchanges and cross-border linkages. Since the establishment of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, bilateral trade and investment have reached unprecedented levels. According to China's General Administration of Customs, trade between China and ASEAN increased to nearly 7 trillion yuan in 2024 - up from over 870 billion yuan in 2004, when the first China-ASEAN Expo was held, marking nine consecutive years of growth. Cross-border trade in goods and services continues to thrive. For instance, new energy vehicles manufactured by SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), a joint venture between SAIC Motor, General Motors and Liuzhou Wuling Motors based in China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, are now present in markets such as Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Meanwhile, Vietnamese-grown mesona plants can reach Chinese processing facilities from Chongzuo within a day, underscoring the efficiency of cross-border logistics. "ASEAN-China cooperation has consistently expanded, from traditional trade to investment, digital economy, and green development," said Lin Chuqin, chairman of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Yu Xubo, chairman of China General Technology (Group) Holding Co., Ltd., reaffirmed the company's strategic focus on ASEAN. The group has delivered nearly 300 aid projects in the region and completed more than 50 engineering projects in the past decade, with contracts exceeding $6 billion. "Looking ahead, we will continue to support green infrastructure upgrades and deepen cooperation in advanced equipment such as medical imaging and machine tools, contributing to the modernization of ASEAN's industrial system," Yu said. CAEXPO has become a vital platform for economic engagement and a bridge connecting the peoples of China and ASEAN. The number of trips between the Chinese mainland and member states of ASEAN exceeded 25.24 million in the first eight months of 2025, up 11.2 percent year on year. These growing people-to-people exchanges are strengthening mutual understanding and reinforcing the foundations of long-term partnership. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) "I think that Bennington will be a great location for Her Closet," said the store's administrator Kendy Skidmore. "And, I'm hoping that we get Insicon Cyber is officially expanding its office, security operations centre and services in Wellington, New Zealand. The step marks Insicons move from cybersecurity advisory to a comprehensive managed security service provider (MSSP) delivering 24/7 protection for organisations across Australia and New Zealand. The larger facility houses Insicon Cybers adaptive Security Operations Centre (aSOC), powered by technologies including Google SecOps, Trend Vision One, SentinelOne, Horizon3.ai, Stellar Cyber, and Cloudflare. CEO and co-founder Matt Miller said the expansion addresses a critical gap in the trans-Tasman cybersecurity market, where organisations struggle to translate strategic security advice into effective operational protection. The company is currently in hiring mode in New Zealand, looking to boost its headcount by at least five, with SOC analysts being a top priority as well as pre-sales cyber specialists. Wellington-based Dave Butler-Peck was brought on as a business manager in March this year, reporting to Miller. Businesses across Australia and New Zealand have told us they need more than cybersecurity advice. They need comprehensive partners who understand both the boardroom and the server room, Miller said. After three years of doubling our revenue each year and almost trebling our team size over the last 12 months alone, our expanded security operations centre enables us to deliver strategic advisory backed by continuous operational excellence, reducing vendor complexity while strengthening cyber resilience across both countries. Microsoft invested billions in OpenAI before the latters popular ChatGPT tool became a household name. With the companies paths now diverging, it seems clear wholl come out ahead in the end. After more than a year of increasingly bitter relations, the one-time bromance between Microsoft and OpenAI is all over except for the shouting the companies have agreed to a vague framework for their impending divorce. Who got the better of the deal? To find out, we need to revisit the history of their partnership, then examine the possible terms of the breakup. The Microsoft-OpenAI relationship soured largely thanks to what in the tech world takes the place of the language of love money. Starting in 2019, Microsoft began showering the startup OpenAI with US$13 billion in investments. In return, Microsoft got a piece of the company, though details about how much were never clear. Microsoft was also given the exclusive right to use OpenAIs ChatGPT in whatever way it wanted. That allowed Microsoft to quickly jumpstart its generative AI (genAI) offerings by using it as the brains for its genAI-based Copilot tool. Since then, OpenAI decided it would eventually go public, and the two companies have been fighting over what Microsoft should get for its investment. At issue, among other things, is what percent of the company Microsoft would own, whether Microsoft would retain exclusive rights to OpenAI technology, and whether OpenAI would be free to make deals with Microsoft rivals. Declaration of a tech war Disagreements over the terms of a deal eventually turned into open warfare. OpenAI is considering launching a productivity suite to compete against Microsoft 365. The company also hinted that it might publicly accuse Microsoft of engaging in anticompetitive behavior and ask the federal government to investigate whether Microsofts contracts with it violate antitrust laws. Microsoft considered walking away from negotiations with OpenAI, which could make it impossible for OpenAI to go public. Cooler heads have prevailed; it appears neither OpenAI nor Microsoft are considering those nuclear options, at least for now. Frenenemies forever, with the emphasis on enemies The companies have been fighting with each other for well over a year, and in the last several months, its become abundantly clear a big breakup is due. Maryam has worked as an online interpreter since the Taliban banned women from most jobs in Afghanistan. But her livelihood is under threat after the hard-line Islamist group last week shut down access to fiber-optic Internet in large swaths of the country. The move has left government offices, homes, and private businesses in around half of Afghanistan -- including major cities -- without WiFi access. "We have faced many problems due to the Internet shutdown," Maryam, who lives in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, using a pseudonym for fear of retribution. "I'm the breadwinner of my family." The Taliban said the Internet shutdowns that started on September 15 are intended to prevent "immorality," with the group previously voicing concern over pornography and online intimacy between men and women. But critics said the decision is part of a wider crackdown on individual freedoms and the free flow of information. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has severely restricted the rights of Afghans, especially women, and violently cracked down on dissent. Elizabeth Stickney, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, told Radio Azadi that the Talibans restrictions on fiber-optic Internet were very concerning, saying it will negatively affect the lives of ordinary Afghans and the countrys economy. The move comes as the Taliban has started to enforce an October 2024 ban on depictions of living things -- people and animals. The ban includes the production and watching of videos and photos of living things on computers and mobile phones. There are fears that the broadband blackouts could further cut off Afghanistan, which has become an international pariah under Taliban rule, from the rest of the world. The Internet shutdowns have not yet affected Kabul, the Afghan capital, and it is unclear if the restrictions will be enforced nationwide. Mobile Internet is still functioning in most areas, although it is more expensive and less reliable. A Lifeline For Women The Internet has been a lifeline for Afghan women, many of whom lost their right to work and study following a Taliban ban in 2022. Among them is Soraya, who has worked remotely from Kabul for a foreign organization. "As an Afghan woman, life is already very difficult for us," she told Radio Azadi, using a pseudonym. "The only way we can earn an income and support ourselves and our families under these conditions is through online work." But the Internet shutdowns, Soraya said, have made "life more difficult for us, and I'm afraid that I will lose this last hope and my job." Afghan women and teenage girls have turned to virtual learning amid the Taliban's ban on education. Sporadic power and Internet outages were already undercutting the reach of online schools and universities. But not being able to access the Internet ends the chance to study for some. "After I was cut off from school, WiFi Internet was a way for me to find myself again," said Nazifa, who was in the ninth grade when she was banned from studying. "But when the WiFi was disconnected, I lost all hope," she added, also using a pseudonym. "I had passed the exams and worked very hard." No Religious Basis The Taliban has used Islamic Shari'a law to justify its extremist policies. But Islamic scholars say there is no religious grounds for the group's decision to shut down the Internet. Fazl al-Hadi Wazin, a member of the Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars, said the Taliban can restrict access to websites with pornographic and violent content. But completely cutting off the Internet is not the solution, he said. "Cutting and banning the Internet has no religious basis whatsoever," Wazin, an Afghan scholar, told Radio Azadi. "If something is likely to be misused, this does not mean that it should be banned." Shutting down the Internet, Wazin said, means "depriving the nation of a very important tool that is essential for progress and advancement." The broadband blackouts are likely to exacerbate the economic strife in Afghanistan, where poverty is rising, hunger is widespread, and unemployment is high. Mohammad, a resident of the southern city of Kandahar, owns a private company. Since the Internet shutdown, he has been unable to communicate with customers and suppliers. "Currently our work has completely stopped," he told Radio Azadi. "In the 21st century, the world is connected by the Internet, and the lack of Internet increases our [economic] problems." Meanwhile, media watchdogs have condemned the Internet ban as an attempt to stop the free flow of information. "Banning broadband Internet is an unprecedented escalation of censorship that will undermine journalists' work and the public's right to information," said Beh Lih Yi, the Asia program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, a global press freedom watchdog. "The Taliban should end their cycle of repression and unconditionally restore Internet access, which is an essential tool for news gathering." Iranian activist Somayeh Rashidi, labeled as a political prisoner by multiple groups, has died 10 days after suffering seizures in a prison south of Tehran, leading cellmates and rights organizations to accuse authorities of failing to provide necessary care for the woman. Mizan, the Iranian judiciary news agency, on September 25 claimed that Rashidi, 42, had a history of seizures and that she fell ill on September 15. The news outlet said the woman was first treated by Qarchak Prison medical staff and then transported to Mofateh Hospital in the city of Varamin. However, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) cited hospital doctors as saying the main reason for Rashidi's deterioration was a delay in providing her with medical care. "Prison authorities didn't take her condition seriously despite repeated visits to the health center and even accused her of indulging in drug abuse," HRANA, an organization consisting of Iranian activists, said in a statement. Norway-based rights group Hengaw said that "instead of providing appropriate care, prison doctors accused her of 'malingering' and prescribed only sedatives and psychiatric medication. The neglect worsened her condition, leading to seizures and eventual coma." Hengaw cited sources as saying Rashidis family has been pressured to declare her death the result of a hospital error, although it didn't provide details. The Iran Human Rights group, also based in Norway, in December 2024 published a report titled Qarchak Prison: Hell for Women and Children. It called for the closing of the prison following Rashidi's death. One of Rashidi's cellmates told RFE/RLs Radio Farda she "had epilepsy, had constant seizures, and suffered from severe headaches, and that every time she went to the prison doctor, she was told she was malnourished and was sent back to the ward." Another cellmate, who also did not want to be identified, said Rashidi "was not in a good condition and did not have a lawyer to follow up. She had been issued bail, but her family was not able to afford it. "Somayeh was transferred to the Forensic Medical Examiner's Office on last weekbut she deteriorated on the way. Instead of being taken to the hospital, she was taken back to the ward, where she had a severe seizure and fell...She was then taken to the hospital." Rashidi was arrested on April 24, 2025, while writing protest slogans in Tehrans Javadiyeh neighborhood, according to Hengaw. Security forces beat her during the arrest and charged her with "propaganda against the state," it added. Mizan said authorities accuse Rashidi of having contacts with the banned Mujahedin-e Khalq organization and of posting videos online of acts of sabotage. Iranian authorities are particularly sensitive to reports of the deaths of women under detention since the case of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died in September 2022 while held by Tehrans morality police for an alleged violation of the law on wearing a head cover. That incident spurred major street protests -- and a brutal crackdown -- and led to the establishment of the Women, Life, Freedom movement in the country. Journalist Elaheh Mohammadi wrote on social media that Rashidi, like herself, was detained in relation to work with the movement. Iranian prison authorities often resist sending political prisoners to hospitals for treatment until the last minute, and only in dire circumstances. With reporting by Reuters A team of scientists describes how malignant cells use highways of hardened tissue to spread to other organs, and how blocking two proteins can stop them For centuries, doctors have known that an increase in the stiffness of an organ when palpated can be the first sign of a tumor, explains the biochemist and entrepreneur David Lagares. Now, his team has just demonstrated that this rigidity is not just a diagnostic sign, but is essential for metastasis: the spread of tumor cells to other organs, which is responsible for nine out of 10 cancer deaths. Rigid tissue structures emerge around tumors, functioning as authentic exit highways, explains Lagares, who was born in Madrid, Spain 43 years ago. Cancer cells manage to anchor themselves to these pathways, gain traction, and escape to other organs. The team of scientists led by Lagares in the United States has identified that these highways function like a GPS that guides tumor cells, promoting their spread and progression. This is a process known as durotaxis, a Latin term meaning motion by hardness. The team has shown that this biomechanical process is mediated by two proteins, FAK and paxillin, which act as mechanosensors of the stiffness of the surrounding tissue. If the interaction of these two molecules is blocked, cancer cells lose the ability to sense stiffness. The researchers grafted pancreatic tumors from human patients into mice and then blocked the interaction of the two proteins. This completely halted metastasis to other organs. We have seen that at the onset of metastasis, the first process that induces tumor migration is clearly durotaxis due to the rigidity of the cellular matrix, explains Lagares. When this process is interfered with by blocking the interaction of the two aforementioned proteins, the mechanical GPS is deactivated. The cells cannot leave the pancreas because durotaxis is not activated. The consequence is that metastasis to the liver is completely mitigated, he adds. Researchers have discovered an experimental drug, JP-153, that blocks the interaction of the two proteins. For a year and a half, Lagares has paused his work at Harvard and MGH to lead his company, Zenon Biotech, which hopes to begin the first clinical trials in pancreatic cancer patients within three years. There is a tremendous clinical need in pancreatic cancer, in part because of this scaffolding, this tumor microenvironment filled with scar tissue, or hardened tissue, which makes chemotherapy ineffective and immunotherapy less than 1% effective, he emphasizes. The results of the work have just been published in the journal Nature Cell Biology. After 15 years of studying this biomechanical phenomenon at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Lagares believes this opens a new dimension in understanding and blocking the spread of cancer, not so much through biochemical processes as until now, but rather through others based on the very physics of cells, or biomechanics. The researcher believes durotaxis probably exists in all solid tumors that generate this rigid barrier around them, including those of the breast, ovary, liver, and lung. In the same study, the team demonstrated that durotaxis also plays a role in another condition characterized by scarring, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In this case, the hardened cellular scaffolding acts as a highway into the lungs, causing cells that were meant to reach the lung to repair scarring to instead cause and expand the lesions. This phenomenon, also due to durotaxis and controlled by the FAKpaxillin complex, opens the door to a new therapeutic strategy. Blocking this interaction with an experimental drug in preclinical models prevented fibroblast recruitment, reduced lung stiffness, and reactivated the lungs self-repair capacity, with strong evidence of regenerative processes in mice. Xavier Trepat, a researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, explains: Durotaxis, discovered in 2001, was a revolutionary discovery. It gave us the first clue that cells can detect and respond to their physical environmentin this case, the rigidity of their surroundingsand not just the chemical one, as previously believed. Over the next 25 years, I think weve developed a good understanding of the underlying mechanisms, but most of the evidence comes from in vitro studies, in the laboratory. This new article demonstrates the importance of durotaxis in cancer and fibrosis in living animals, something we suspected was happening but werent sure about, adds the researcher, who in 2016 published a key study in Science that showed the movement of groups of cells over long distances promoted by durotaxis. University of Barcelona biophysicist Raimon Sunyer Borrell, co-author of that study, believes that Lagaress new work represents a turning point. The hypothesis was that these differences in stiffness acted as beacons that attracted fibroblasts or tumor cells to the stiffest regions, thus worsening the disease, he explains. This new research not only confirms that durotaxis is a key process in the development of these diseases, but also opens a new therapeutic avenue: stopping durotaxis could become an innovative strategy to halt serious diseases such as fibrosis or metastatic cancer, he adds. Daniel Lietha, from the Center for Biological Research (CSIC) in Madrid, believes that its a very interesting study. Durotaxis is clearly very important in aggressive cancers, during invasion and metastasis. Although its not exactly a new idea, as its importance had already been seen in live animals in 2009, very important new information is now being presented, he adds. But the researcher points out that more information is needed to demonstrate that the drug will work exactly as intended, blocking the two proteins involved in durotaxis. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition More than 30,000 Orthodox Jews traveled to the Ukrainian city of Uman to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, from September 22 to 24. The city is home to the grave of Rabbi Nachman (1772-1810), a key figure for one branch of Orthodox Judaism. The celebration took place despite warnings from the Ukrainian government that it could not guarantee travelers' safety in the midst of the war with Russia. He's one of the most powerful, and most notorious, tycoons in Moldova's three decades of independence, a man linked to the "theft of the century" -- the disappearance of $1 billion from Moldovan banks in 2014. A longtime behind-the-scenes power broker, Vladimir Plahotniuc fled Moldova in June 2019 after being pushed out of parliament as part of a government shakeup brokered by Russia, the United States, and other European partners. He has dropped out of the public view since then, reportedly traveling under one or more assumed names and alternate passports. In January, the United States hit the ousted oligarch and his family with visa restrictions "due to his involvement in significant corruption...that undermined the rule of law and severely compromised the independence of democratic institutions in Moldova." Moldovan officials and U.S. officials with knowledge of the situation, however, told RFE/RL that Plahotniuc had been in the United States on several occasions in recent months, including at least once since the State Department imposed the visa restrictions. The U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation. The development has worried anti-corruption experts, activists in Moldova, and observers abroad who fear the U.S. administration is sending a bad signal to countries trying to root out corruption and improve governance. "If Vladimir Plahotniuc is really somewhere in the United States, this would be unsurprising but disappointing," said William Hill, a U.S. diplomat who headed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission in Moldova in the late 1990s and 2000s. "The U.S. lost a great deal of credibility and support in Moldovan civil society over the past few years due to Washington's continued, seemingly uncritical willingness to work with Plahotniuc almost up to the end of his days in power," he said. "Backing for Plahotniuc, tacit or explicit, caused many in Moldova increasingly to perceive American rhetoric in support of democracy and reform as largely self-interested anti-Russian geopolitics." Moldovan officials, including the current president, Igor Dodon, have complained publicly for months that the United States wasn't doing enough to help bring Plahotniuc to justice. "We see that the Americans are not in a hurry," Dodon said in an interview last month, when asked specifically about where Plahotniuc was. "I think that this will affect the image of the United States, if, on the one hand, they make such statements, on the other hand, they still grant political coverage," he told RFE/RL. Asked for further details about how Dodon knew Plahotniuc was in the United States, spokeswoman Carmena Sterpu told RFE/RL that it had been "personally confirmed...for President Dodon" by U.S. Ambassador Dereck Hogan. Contacted by phone and by e-mail, the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau declined to comment to RFE/RL. Plahotniuc could not be immediately reached for comment. 'Theft Of The Century' Wedged between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is among Europe's poorest countries, racked by rampant corruption, political turmoil, and destabilized by Transdniester, a breakaway region that has been beyond Chisinau's control since a war broke out after pro-Russian separatists declared independence in 1990. Between 2012 and 2014, more than $1 billion -- totaling nearly one-eighth of the country's GDP disappeared from Moldova's biggest banks. A confidential report commissioned by the central bank and conducted by international investigative firm Kroll documented how companies and individuals tied to a 28-year-old businessman took control of three major banks in that period. The businessman, Ilan Shor, then allegedly issued massive loans to his companies during a three-day period in November 2014, according to the report, which was later leaked and published by an opposition lawmaker. Shor, who is currently believed to be in Israel, was charged in 2016 and later convicted of money laundering and embezzlement in connection with theft. Former Prime Minister Vlad Filat was found guilty of corruption in 2016, accused of taking bribes related to the theft. He was released in early December after serving three years in prison. But the brazenness of the crime, and the perception that those behind it have not been held to account, has outraged and disillusioned many Moldovans. Plahotniuc, meanwhile, was the head of the Democratic Party of Moldova, and served as the first deputy speaker of parliament in the early 2010s. In June 2019, amid a political realignment that resulted in a coalition between pro-European and pro-Russian parties, including Dodon's Socialist Party, Plahotniuc fled Moldova. Days later, Russia filed criminal charges against him, alleging he was part of a drug-trafficking network. In December, Dodon publicly stated that Plahotniuc was traveling on a different passport, under the name Vladimir Novak. The National Anti-Corruption Center (CNA), meanwhile, sent two formal requests to the U.S. Embassy, requesting assistance in locating Plahotniuc. The first, dated December 4, requests the assistance of "competent U.S. authorities (Department of Justice, FBI, Police)" in locating an individual whose name is blacked out. It also states that the person "might have been" at two locations in the Miami area, including the Setai Miami Beach Hotel, and the Portofino Tower between July 5-7, 2019. The second, dated December 10, makes a similar request, and adds a second name, apparently an assumed name that Plahotniuc is known to travel under. Angela Starinschi, a spokeswoman for the CNA, said the blacked-out names in the letters were Plahotniuc. "The CNA is waiting for an official response from the U.S. authorities. On unofficial channels, however, we already have the information that the [individual] is on the territory of the United States," Starinschi told RFE/RL on March 3. On January 13, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the imposition of visa bans on Plahotniuc and his family. U.S. government agencies declined to answer RFE/RL's questions about whether Plahotniuc was in the United States. The State Department referred question to the Department of Homeland Security, which refused to answer, citing privacy concerns. The FBI also declined to answer questions from RFE/RL. However, one U.S. government official confirmed that Plahotniuc had been in the United States in recent weeks, though it was unclear whether he was there when the official spoke, on March 4. Another person reported seeing Plahotniuc attending a lavish dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Miami, Florida, in late January. Both individuals spoke on condition of anonymity. "As far as I know, Plahotniuc is in the United States," Andrian Candu, a former speaker of parliament and Plahotniuc's godson, told RFE/RL on March 4. "This should be no surprise to anyone." Kyle Parker, a top staffer for the Helsinki Commission, a U.S. government agency that monitors human rights, said the U.S. government had several policy tools to target criminals and corrupt officials around the world: the State Department visa designation; the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 law aimed at targeting Russian officials deemed to be corrupt or human rights abusers; and a broader Global Magnitsky Act, which was passed in 2016 and targets such people worldwide. Allowing Plahotniuc to be in the United States is problematic, he said. "This story has wider implications," said Parker, a former congressional staffer who was involved in drafting the Magnitsky legislation. "Something like this is demoralizing to people in places like Moldova where there's a struggle against massive official corruption." "Preventing a situation like this is what we had in mind when passing the Magnitsky laws, we don't want to be a haven for kleptocrats," he told RFE/RL. The law that Plahotniuc was designated under, known by its shorthand, Section 7031, is designed to bar entry to the United States for individuals found to be complicit in "significant corruption" or "gross violation of human rights." It does not appear to affect foreigners already in the United States. Washington Influence? While Plahotniuc's name is familiar among corruption researchers and experts on former Soviet republics, it is not widely known in broader circles. Last month, however, his name gained wider currency, when U.S. news media revealed that Richard Grenell, the current acting director of national intelligence, had written a series of article published in U.S. newspapers defending Plahotniuc in 2016. ProPublica, a U.S. investigative news organization, reported that Grenell did not disclose that he was paid by Plahotniuc for the work, and did not register with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA). A representative for Grenell, who later became ambassador to Germany and special envoy for negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia, did not disclose to ProPublica what Grenell's paid consulting work involved at the time, but he argued that Grenell did not need to register under FARA. Valeriu Pasa, who leads a Moldovan civil society group called WatchDog.MD, said Plahotniuc's presence in the United States could be part of an effort by U.S. agencies to glean insights into the larger money laundering that has been documented in Moldova for more than a decade. "He could be extremely useful and a really good source of information to the U.S.," Pasa said. "He could be a precious source of information, in the schemes of money laundering that he was directly involved in." The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project in 2014 published evidence pointing to a massive, years-long scheme that involved criminal and corrupt politicians in Russia using banks in Moldova. Sergiu Tofilat, a Moldovan corruption whistle-blower who was elected to the Chisinau city council last year, said the bigger problem for Moldova is that its judicial system had been wholly compromised by corrupt business and government officials. "We don't know the exact reasons why he is in the United States," Tofilat told RFE/RL. It would be a good thing "to get Plahotniuc back in Moldova and hold him accountable for the criminal activities that he committed in Moldova over the past 15 years, while in power or very close to power." "But for that, we need a truly independent justice system," he said. "There is no truly independent justice system in Moldova, so there's no reason to extradite Plahotniuc because he could escape justice." CHISINAU -- Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc has been extradited to Chisinau to face long-running criminal charges, jolting the country just days before a tense general election already roiled by allegations of Russian interference. Plahotniuc, who has been implicated with a decade-old bank fraud case known as the "theft of the century," arrived in the Moldovan capital on September 25 after being extradited from Greece where he had been held since July. Plahotniuc is the lead suspect in a long-running investigation into the disappearance of some $1 billion from banks in the small, impoverished former Soviet republic in 2014. The sum was estimated to amount to around 12 percent of the country's total gross domestic product. Plahotniuc has fought the charges for years. He was expected to make his first appearance at a Chisinau court on September 26. In a comment to his Facebook page, Plahotniuc's lawyer, Lucian Rogac, asserted that the arrest took place "in violation of national and international law" and transformed "into a senseless, immoral and illegal televised public trial." Oligarch Plahotniuc Extradited Back To Moldova by RFE/RL No media source currently available 0:00 0:01:01 0:00 President Maia Sandu made no public comment about the arrest. But she posted a short message on her Facebook page that read: "If you don't give up when things are hard, and you keep fighting - all of society keeps fighting - even the criminals who seemed invincible are brought to justice." The businessman's arrival in Moldova came as the country braces for parliamentary elections scheduled for September 28, a vote that will determine if the country moves closer to the European Union or if it falls further into Russia's political orbit. Sandu and her pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity are trying to hold onto their majority in parliament, amid a strong push by a political bloc led by former President Igor Dodon, who has maintained close ties with Moscow. Dodon, who was arrested briefly in 2022 on corruption charges, has accused the current government of being a "criminal regime." In a speech this week, Sandu warned that the country's independence and future with Europe were in danger as she accused the Kremlin of "pouring hundreds of millions of euros" into the country to spread disinformation. Those sentiments were backed up by the European Union on September 25, which accused Russia of "deeply interfering" in the elections. "It's not the first time that Russia is employing textbook manipulation and disinformation tactics, but they're resorting to much more," EU Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said. "They are deeply interfering in the electoral process." Russia has claimed NATO is preparing to "occupy" Moldova, though it gave no evidence. Also this week, Moldovan police said they had confiscated weapons and explosives around the country and arrested 74 people, accusing them of involvement in a plot to stoke disorder. Some of those arrested reportedly had traveled to Serbia for training by Russian instructors, including with firearms. Poland, meanwhile, announced on September 25 it was banning a Moldovan politician known for her pro-Russian views. Irina Vlah, who used to head an autonomous Moldovan region called Gagauz, will be barred from entering Polish territory due to her efforts "helping the Russian Federation interfere in the preparations for the parliamentary elections," the Polish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "The Russian Federation is interfering in political processes in an unprecedented and illegal manner," the ministry said. There was no immediate reaction to the announcement from Vlah, who had previously been sanctioned by Canada and Lithuania. The Moldovan government had petitioned to ban her from the September 28 elections. Political Asylum Plea Though the charges of bank theft hung over Plahotniuc for years, he served multiple times in parliament as a member of the Democratic Party. In 2019, he left the country shortly before receiving a criminal summons from Moldovan prosecutors. He spent months living quietly in the United States, and applied for political asylum, according to a lawsuit he filed in US federal court. That asylum request was rejected. In January 2020, his US visa was revoked after then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that his "corrupt actions undermined the rule of law and severely compromised the independence of democratic institutions in Moldova." He was living in Miami at the time. The US Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on Plahotniuc and another influential oligarch, Ilan Shor, in 2022, accusing them of "capturing and corrupting Moldova's political and economic institutions and...acting as instruments of Russias global influence campaign." The announcement alleged that the son of Russia's prosecutor general, Yury Chaika, worked with the Kremlin's chief spokesman to undermine Sandu in the run-up to the 2021 presidential election, which Sandu won. Poland has reopened its border with Belarus after a nearly two-week closure tied to the Zapad-2025 joint military exercises held by Russia and Belarus, with Beijing playing a quiet but crucial role in the decision. Within the first few minutes of September 25, passenger vehicles resumed crossing at TerespolBrest and trucks at KukurykiKazlovichy, while freight rail reopened via Kuznica BialostockaHrodna, SiemianowkaSvislach, and TerespolBrest. The move followed an order by Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski that was announced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The border was closed since 12 September with the aim of countering security risks and migration pressure. Since 2021, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have accused Belarus of weaponizing migration by luring people from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia with tourist visas and pushing them toward EU borders. Warsaw has labeled this a hybrid operation by Aleksdandr Lukashenko's regime in Belarus, backed by Moscow, to destabilize the EU. The strategy created a humanitarian crisis, with migrants trapped for weeks in border forests and dozens confirmed dead from exposure. Data show irregular crossing attempts fell in early September, spiked during the Zapad drills to 687, and eased to 663 last week. Between September 20 and 23, 282 attempts were registered. China's Trade Route To The EU China's involvement in reopening the border is key. On September 16, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Warsaw. Sikorski said Poland hoped Beijing would again help restrain "Belarusian provocations," recalling how a 2024 meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Polish President Andrzej Duda coincided with a temporary drop in crossings. Analysts say China's priority is not political alignment but protecting trade flows. The PolandBelarus frontier is a main artery of the Belt and Road Initiative, carrying goods from China to the EU. Disruption threatens delivery schedules and undermines Beijing's claim that Eurasian rail is a reliable alternative to sea routes. "China wants to avoid blame and keep goods moving," Temur Umarov, a Carnegie Endowment fellow researcher, told RFE/RL. "Its focus is economic stability and showing that Belt and Road works." Whether Beijing's behind-the-scenes diplomacy has worked will be tested soon: Only a sustained decline in migration numbers will confirm whether Minsk has eased pressure on the border under Chinese influence. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says US President Donald Trump told him Kyiv could respond to Russia's attacks on its energy infrastructure with tit-for-tat strikes, as Ukraine continues to pound Russian refining operations. "If they attack our energy, President Trump supports that we can answer on energy," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Axios released on September 25. He added that Trump had also green-lit retaliatory strikes on Russia's military factories. However, he suggested they might be harder to reach due to the high level of defense of such facilities. Zelenskyy's comments came a couple days after he talked with Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23. The meeting was followed by Trump's sudden rhetorical shift in which he said Ukraine could restore control over its borders with "time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO." "[Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Russia are in BIG economic trouble," Trump wrote on his Truth Social page, suggesting the countrys money problems were one of the main reasons for his newly voiced confidence in Ukraine's capabilities. The Kremlin denied the claim on September 24, though it admitted that "yes, Russia is experiencing certain tensions and problem areas in various sectors of the economy." As Zelenskyy said he told Trump Ukraine has drones that can reach deep into Russian territory, Kyiv has continued to attack Russian oil refining infrastructure, critical to its war efforts. The day after the US and Ukrainian leaders met in New York, the Salavat petrochemical complex, one of Russia's largest, which is located in the Bashkortostan region, was attacked by Ukrainian drones. Salavat, located about 1,500 kilometers from the front lines in Ukraine, produces 150 types of products, including automotive gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, bitumen, and polyethylene. Amid the wave of attacks by Ukraine, which were also reported on Russian oil distribution facilities in the Bryansk and Samara regions, Russia has seen growing shortages of some fuel grades due to reduced refining capacity. RFE/RL's Crimea.Realities reported that gas stations in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, were almost completely out of fuel supplies. In the interview, Zelenskyy further said he asked Trump for additional weapons systems he thinks would pose "additional pressure on Putin to sit and speak." Volodymyr Fesenko, a Ukrainian political scientist, told Current Time he sees the sale of offensive US weapons to Ukraine as a strong alternative to possible European and US sanctions on Russia. "It won't be free of charge... But it's a tool that could put pressure on Putin," Fesenko added. With reporting by Axios and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service Once a year, the sounds of music and prayer fill the streets of Uman. The city in Ukraine's Cherkasy region is a pilgrimage destination for tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews, who travel here to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Uman is the burial place of Rabbi Nachman, a religious leader who lived from 17721810 and founded the Breslov Hasidic movement. Members of this Orthodox branch of Judaism travel to the rabbi's grave for Rosh Hashanah, one of the most important Jewish holidays. A rabbi named Eli Heshen explains that the pilgrims are following Nachman's own guidance. "Rabbi Nachman, a famous spiritual leader and a righteous man, died a few weeks after Rosh Hashanah," Heshen says. "He asked his disciples and followers to keep the tradition of coming here [to Uman] to celebrate Rosh Hashanah forever." This year, the holiday celebration drew more than 30,000 Hasidic Jews to the city. Thousands gathered near the grave of Rabbi Nachman for mass prayers while others visited the synagogue or danced in the streets. It's the fourth Jewish New Year celebration to take place in Uman since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry warned travelers that it could not guarantee their safety from Russia air strikes. Although Uman is some 300 kilometers from the front lines, it has come under fire in the past, with a 2023 missile strike killing 23 civilians in an attack on an apartment building. With no civilian flights available in Ukrainian air space, pilgrims had to travel by land through Poland, Hungary, Romania, or Moldova. Many traveled from Israel, where a separate conflict is raging. Some joked that they felt safer in Ukraine than at home. "We feel, like, a protective bubble, almost like the Iron Dome," one man told RFE/RL, referencing Israel's high-tech air defense system. "We have a spiritual Iron Dome around Uman." Following a prayer session, RFE/RL asked one believer what he had prayed for. He answered, "For peace everywhere." US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressed President Donald Trumps new, tougher public line against Russia, charging that Moscow isnt doing enough to end the war and stop the killing in Ukraine. Vance said on September 24 that Trump "doesn't feel like they're putting enough on the table to end the war...If the Russians refuse to negotiate in good faith, I think it's going to be very, very bad for their country." Rubio, meanwhile, met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, reiterating Trumps call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war. In response, Lavrov claimed there was a mutual interest in finding peaceful solutions to the war in Ukraine. But he reiterated Moscows need to eliminate the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict. That is Kremlin talk for putting limits on Ukraine's military strength and a commitment not to join NATO, among a litany of other historical grievances -- most of which are unacceptable to Kyiv and the West. Meanwhile, in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the notion that Ukraine could retake all of its territory, saying the "idea Ukraine can recapture something is, from our point of view, mistaken." The new line from the US administration comes after Trump, in a sudden shift, on September 23 said on social media that Ukraine could win back all of its Russian-occupied territory with the help of its European backers. Russia currently controls around one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was illegally annexed in 2014. In the past, Trump and other US officials have strongly suggested that Ukraine would have to cede some land to Russia in any peace deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his country "are in BIG economic trouble, Trump wrote in his Truth Social post. "After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form," Trump wrote. In his address to the General Assembly hours later, Trump said the United States was fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs" if Russia isnt ready to make a deal to end the war. " But he repeated his recent condition that Europe take similar action, saying that for those tariffs to be effective, European nationswould have to join us in adopting the exact same measures." The remarks represent a major turnaround in rhetoric by the US president. Trump in past years has long praised Putin and often blamed Ukraine for the conflict -- which became a full-blown war after the Kremlin's unprovoked invasion of February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was surprised by Trump's latest remarks but called them a positive signal that Washington would support Kyiv until the end of the war. During comments to the General Assembly, Zelenskyy accused Putin of seeking to expand the Kremlin's war beyond Ukraine and called on the international community to stop the conflict to avoid a destructive arms race. Zelenskyy warned that the use of drones and technology has brought a new dimension to the battlefield. "The facts are simple: Stopping this war now and with it the global arms race is cheaper than building underground kindergartens or massive bunkers for critical infrastructure later," he told the assembly. With reporting by Reuters and AFP The controversial statements by the US president put the spotlight on an island lacking more than 400 medicines and where experts believe autism is underreported Like a prophet of the pharmaceutical industry, Donald Trump took the microphone at the White House this Monday and sent a message to all pregnant women in his country: Dont take Tylenol, he said, referring to the main brand name used in the United States for acetaminophen, better known as paracetamol in some countries and marketed under various brands. He even asked them to tough it out and accept the fever and pain. Although this supposed link between acetaminophen and autism is not supported by science and medical organizations immediately came out to deny it, the president dug out evidence perhaps never before amassed by researchers: in countries like Cuba, where they dont have money and therefore consume much less Tylenol, people barely deal with autism, the condition that affects one in every 31 children in the United States. I mean, theres a rumor, and I dont know if its so or not, that Cuba, they dont have Tylenol because they dont have the money for Tylenol. And they have virtually no autism, OK. Tell me about that one, said Trump, flanked by his Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert Kennedy Jr., the well-known anti-vaccine activist who had already announced that he would dedicate efforts to researching the condition and that, by September, they would know what caused what they considered an autism epidemic. Donald Trump stands before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the White House on September 22. Kevin Lamarque (REUTERS) For now, Trumps claim that Cuba is free of autism is refuted by the numbers. An article published in MEDICC Review in 2017 cites data from the Cuban Ministry of Public Health stated that 1 in every 2,500 Cuban children had been diagnosed with autism at the time. Last April, an official media outlet reported that there were 3,500 registered individuals on the autism spectrum in the country. They also highlighted that the prevalence of autism is 0.4 per 10,000, a lower rate than in other countries. However, some experts suggest that this could be due to underreporting due to the difficulty in establishing the diagnosis. Cuba also has autism. A lot. Do we have prevalence rates similar to those of the US or other more affluent countries? Speculation suggests not. But none of that is proven, said Dr. Yoysy Rondon, national coordinator of Autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders at the Borras Marfan Hospital in Havana, in statements to the specialized media outlet Autism Spectrum News this year. It is also not true that acetaminophen has not been sold in Cuban pharmacies or that relatives abroad do not provide those on the island with medications, including Tylenol. This has also increased since the General Customs of the Republic authorized the importation of drugs in 2021 without limiting quantities and exempting them from paying tariffs, amid the coronavirus pandemic that exacerbated the health crisis in the country. Cuban scientist Eduardo Lopez-Collazo, from the Health Research Institute of La Paz University Hospital (IdiPAZ) in Madrid, assured EL PAIS that although he recognizes that the lack of medicines on the island is notorious, it cannot be said that there is no consumption of paracetamol, the painkiller that appears in the National Drug Formulary issued by the Cuban Ministry of Public Health. Lopez-Collazo, on the other hand, would not dare to assert, as Trump did, that there is a low incidence of autism in Cuba, since both the diagnosis and the monitoring and recording of this and other pathologies are very deficient due to the widespread crisis the island is experiencing. Cuba is not a good model to test the hypothesis linking paracetamol during pregnancy with autism, he maintained. He also insisted that studies suggesting this type of hypothesis are very weak and merely correlational. The scientific consensus is that autismor, in more technical language, autism spectrum disorders (ASD)does not have a single cause. For now, we describe it as a set of conditions with multiple roots, in which genetics and environment interact in complex ways. Some American institutions have sounded the alarm over the Republican leaders statements. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reported that the presidents suggestions are not only deeply concerning for physicians, but also irresponsible considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients. Kenvue, the company behind the Tylenol brand, insisted that more than a decade of research confirms that there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism. The crusade to obtain medicines in Cuba On Monday, when Trump made the controversial statements linking paracetamol and autism, several activists on the island had begun a painkiller collection campaign on social media, with a message highlighting the need to collect paracetamol, a widely used medication for pain relief and fever reduction. This is the way many have found to obtain medication amid a crisis that, according to the government itself, has caused a shortage of 461 of the 651 medications listed in the Basic Medication Listthat is, 70% of the drugs needed by the population. In a WhatsApp group where people ask for and offer what they have, Vero is in charge of managing the distribution of medicines in the municipality of Pinar del Rio. There are almost no medicines in the pharmacies; its not like it used to be, when you just had a prescription, she says. She also notes that the mothers in the group are afraid their children will get sick. That theyll end up in a hospital because there are no medicines or supplies. That terrifies us, she confesses. People wait their turn outside a state-run pharmacy in Havana, Cuba, on March 6, 2024. Ariel Ley (AP) The other option left to Cubans is the almost unobtainable products on the black market. Lists of medications circulating in the country, mostly from abroad, include 500 grams of paracetamol and a host of other drugs impossible to find in state pharmacies. Dianisleidys Lopez Zayas, from Pinar del Rio, mother of a six-year-old autistic child who never took paracetamol during her pregnancy because it wasnt necessary, is disappointed with the care provided to children with autism in Cuba. Today, she has to buy the valproate or clonazepam her son needs from retail outlets and at prices she cant afford. The same is happening to Ania Argudin Paez, whose 13-year-old son suffers from Lennox syndrome and is decompensated because he doesnt have Clobazam. His mother, who earns a monthly salary of 2,800 Cuban pesos (just over $6 on the informal market), has to buy blister packs of pills for 500 and 600 pesos (between $1 and $1.50). Sometimes, she buys paracetamol to relieve his fever. I feel very overwhelmed by this situation, she says. My son depends on these medications to avoid seizures, and we have no support from the government or any institution. The latest study by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH) shows that only 3% of Cubans currently obtain medicines at pharmacies. The reason, according to authorities, is the lack of imported components used in the manufacture of medications. But the lack of medicines adds to the general shortages Cubans face, leaving them for hours without electricity, drinking water, food, and, consequently, without a system that guarantees their health services. Sign up forour weekly newsletterto get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The vessel will be there to perform rescues if required, not to confront attacks by drones Following in Italys footsteps, Spain announced it will also send a Navy ship to protect and, if necessary, rescue members of the flotilla currently on its way to Gaza with humanitarian aid to break the Israeli blockade. The idea is not for the Spanish ship to confront the drones that have been attacking the flotilla, and therefore a military clash with Israel is not being considered. But the dispatch of the ship is a clear sign of the tension that currently dominates relations between the two countries. The Spanish government demands compliance with international law and respect for our citizens right to sail safely in the Mediterranean. For this reason, tomorrow a maritime action vessel equipped with all the necessary resources will depart from [the Cartagena military base] in case it becomes necessary to assist the flotilla or carry out a rescue, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in New York, where he is attending the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday. Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa (Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Be) Spains maritime action vessels are ocean patrol boats equipped with a 76-millimeter Oto Melara cannon and two machine guns, as well as a helicopter and a surveillance drone. They can carry 80 people on board. The ship Furor will be sent out in support of the flotilla, according to Navy sources. Its 46-member crew includes officers, non-commissioned officers and sailors, and is equipped with medical personnel. The ship will try to leave tomorrow, the same sources said. Kenneth Fox Former US President Barack Obama has been presented with the Freedom of the City of Dublin The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, on Thursday formally conferred the Freedom of the City of Dublin on President Barack Obama, in recognition of his historic achievements, his commitment to equality, and his enduring contribution to public life. The Freedom of the City is Dublins highest civic honour, reserved for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the world and whose values reflect those cherished by the people of Dublin. Speaking at the ceremony, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, said: It is my great honour, on behalf of the citizens of Dublin, to confer the Freedom of the City upon President Barack Obama. "This award recognises not only his remarkable achievements as President of the United States, but also his steadfast commitment to democracy, equality, and the power of community. "President Obama has inspired millions around the world with his leadership and his vision for a fairer, more compassionate society. It is fitting that Dublin now welcomes him as a Freeman of our city." "In honouring President Obama, I want to link his legacy to my agenda for a Living City, an Active City, and an Engaged City. His story reminds us that politics, when driven by hope, can change lives and open doors of opportunity that is a message Dubliners can understand and share. He said President Obama signed the Roll of Honour during a short ceremony and was presented with a gift of a First Edition of Ulysses (American Edition) by James Joyce, a bottle of Dublin Whiskey by Teelings, and a commemorative scroll with calligraphy by Aoife Lyons by the Lord Mayor. President Obama said: To Lord Mayor McAdam, Former Lord Mayor Carr, the Dublin City Council, and the citizens of Dublin: on behalf of Michelle and myself, I accept this honor with deep humility. "These are, undoubtedly, times of great challenge and great change. But it is in moments like these that we are reminded of who we truly are. "We are people, the Irish and Americans, who never stop imagining a brighter future for us all. "That defiant, enduring hope has always been an unshakeable bond that connects our two countries, and so many others around the world. May we continue to strengthen those ties, and keep working to make our world a little more just, more equal, more prosperous, and more free. Only 88 people have ever received the Freedom of the City since it was first awarded in 1876. Previous recipients include Presidents of the United States Ulysses S. Grant, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton. International leaders Nelson Mandela and Mikhail Gorbachev have received it along with sporting heroes Jack Charlton, Ronnie Delany, and Kellie Harrington. Michelle Obama was also awarded the Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2017 alongside her husband. The Government was represented at Thursday's ceremony by Minister Paschal Donohoe. Popular businessman Paolo Roberto, who died unexpectedly on Sunday morning, was described as a man close to nature and who had a unique ability in the art of friendship. Mr Roberto, Castlecoote, and formerly Oakville, Ontario, Canada and Bitetto, Bari, Italy, was the creator and owner of a successful local fishing business, Gone Fishing Ireland, and was 52 years old. He passed away peacefully, on Sunday, September 21st, at Galway University Hospital, with his loving family and best friend by his side. At his funeral Mass today, Friday, at the Church of the Assumption in Castlecoote, chief celebrant Fr Ali Joe said Pablo loved his fishing so much. That was his ministry. He loved his fishing and he loved his family, he said. Mourners were told that he also loved adventure and travelling. Pablo travelled to Canada, to Italy and everywhere he went, he made friends. He had a unique ability in the art of friendship. Pablo indeed was a special man, he said. Fr Joe said that Pablos story was deeply connected to the community in Castlecoote. He pointed out that he and his wife Orla were married in Castlecoote Church 19 and half years ago and had met each other 28 years ago. Their daughter Donata Maria was also baptised in the church and also made her communion there. Donata was the apple of his eye, he said. In a tribute, Ciaran, a friend and neighbour of Pablo and his wife Orla Leydon for more than twenty years, said all the heartfelt messages and memories left by people on rip.ie painted a picture of "his kindness, his humour, his generosity and of the many lives that he had touched. He said Pablos philosophy was never to take anything for granted. "He was full of joie de vivre, ebullient, generous, kind with his thoughts and his deeds. Always available to help, always there for everybody, no matter what time, day or night, he said. Mourners were told that Pablo was always delighted to go to Italy to visit his family and honed his great culinary skills from his mother. Ciaran said he and the other neighbours were always amazed at Pablo's ability to turn his hand to anything, including boat building. Fix a lawnmower, fix a car, fix a jet ski, everything was a joyous challenge. Ciaran said Pablo grew his great fishing business, helped by his natural creativity and his ability to connect with people. He looked at his customers as friends and they returned every year all over the world, all enamoured by Pablos warm and kind personality. If anyone was born to fish, it was Pablo. "If every road had a Pablo living on it, the world would be a much kinder place, he said. Mr Roberto will be forever missed by his heartbroken wife Orla, his adored daughter Donata Maria, his mother Donata, brother Tony, sister Sara, his cherished nieces Stefania and Nicole, treasured godsons Kyle and Daniel, mother and father-in-law Mary and Terry, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, extended family, neighbours and many good friends. He is predeceased by his father Giuseppe. A private cremation followed the funeral Mass. By Cillian Sherlock, PA It is patronising to suggest older people will not migrate to digital boarding passes, Ryanair boss Michael OLeary has said. The airline said it will move to 100 per cent digital boarding passes from Wednesday, November 12th, in a move that will mean passengers will no longer be able to download and print a physical paper boarding pass but will instead need to use the digital boarding pass generated in the Ryanair app. Asked about criticism of the scheme from advocates for older people, Mr OLeary told reporters in Dublin on Thursday that he was amazed by the outrage. The 64-year-old said: Im old, and I travel from Ryanair on a very, very regular basis, and I use the Ryanair app, it is pretty simple, pretty easy to use. He said nobody would be cut off at the knees and the airline would be reasonably forgiving of people showing up with paper boarding passes through Christmas and into January. The critical thing: If youve checked online before you get there and you lose your phone, well have your name in the system. We will manually board you at the boarding gate so if your phone goes off, you lose your phone, your phone gets stolen, it is not going to make any issue as long as you checked in online before you got the boarding gate, which, by the way, would eliminate all the check-in fees at the airport. Mr OLeary, who said his 86-year-old mother uses the Ryanair app, claimed it was a myth that older people could not transition to changes in technology. Actually, what you find is the old people firstly just get their kids or grandkids to make bookings for them, and then pretty quickly theyre adopting it themselves. The people who jump first on every seat sale we run are old people. They are the ones sitting there hovering. They dont go to concerts anymore but the minute theres a seat sale on Ryanair theyre in like a bandit either on their laptop or on their mobile app. And it is slightly patronising, this notion that old people cant and wont move to mobile technology or to the apps. Pressed on whether he was only considering older people who already use the technology, Mr OLeary replied: No, Im talking about older people who will have the app, if thats the only way they can fly with Ryanair. They will just convert and move because thats what they do. Economic Offences Wing Mumbai Police Widens Probe into Alleged Rs 60 Cr Fraud Case of Shilpa Shetty However, the legal team of the actress and her husband has strongly denied the charges, it said. Economic Offences Wing Mumbai Police Widens Probe into Alleged Rs 60 Cr Fraud Case of Shilpa Shetty: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has extended its probe into an alleged Rs 60 crore fraud involving businessman Raj Kundra and his wife, actress Shilpa Shetty, Money Control reported. According to the report, on Thursday, investigators confirmed that Shilpa has been summoned for questioning after officials traced a suspicious Rs 15 crore transaction to her company. Advertisement According to other reports cited in the Money Control report, investigators discovered that Raj Kundra had transferred Rs 15 crore to a firm linked to Shilpa Shetty. The funds have been categorized under billing and advertising expenses. Authorities are now seeking clarity on the nature of these payments, with some money allegedly routed to sister companies, it said. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police reportedly stated that key documents are still pending, and further information about the trail of funds is expected to emerge in the coming weeks. Advertisement The case, according to the report, developed from a complaint filed in August by businessman Deepak Kothari, director of Lotus Capital Financial Services Ltd. Kothari accused Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty, and another individual of cheating him of over Rs 60 crore between 2015 and 2023. Deepak Kothari alleged that the money invested under the pretext of business expansion was allegedly diverted for personal use. However, the legal team of the actress and her husband has strongly denied the charges, it said. Advertisement Their lawyer, Advocate Prashant Patil, issued a statement stating that the matter had already been adjudicated by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in October 2024. This is an old transaction wherein the company went into financial distress and eventually got entangled in a long legal battle. My clients deny all the allegations made against them, Patil is quoted as saying in the report. Shilpa Shetty is expected to appear before the EOW to share her version of the events regarding the Rs 15 crore transfer. Advertisement The investigation is underway. (For more news apart from Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Mumbai Police Widens Probe into Alleged Rs 60 Cr Fraud, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Arvind Kejriwal Calls Ladakh Violence Extremely Alarming', Accuses BJP of Suppressing Democracy: Arvind Kejriwal Calls Ladakh Violence Extremely Alarming, Accuses BJP of Suppressing Democracy: AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal called the violence-hit Leh district of Union Territory Ladakh extremely alarming and urged every true patriot to stand with the people of Ladakh. Slamming the ruling government at the Centre, Kejriwal questioned, Did we take freedom from the British just so that the public would become slaves to the BJP instead of the British? Advertisement He further said, Revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad sacrificed their lives for democracy so that every Indian would have the right to choose their own government. But today, the BJP, intoxicated by power, is turning one state after another into a Union Territory, snatching away the rights granted by the Constitution. On the demands of Ladakhs people, he stated, They are simply asking for their right to vote, the right to choose their government. But the BJP is suppressing their voice. Despite repeatedly promising, it is not giving them the right to vote. Democracy is the voice of the people, and when the government starts suppressing that very voice, it becomes the duty of the people to speak even louder. If we want to save the democracy of the country, we cannot remain silent against this dictatorship anymore. Todays fight in Ladakh could become the fight of the entire nation tomorrow. Violence broke out in Leh district on Tuesday, leading to the death of four protestors and leaving many others injured, several of them critically. Advertisement The clashes came after six years of peaceful protests, hunger strikes, and a Padyatra from Leh to Delhi, demanding constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule and statehood for Ladakh. Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019 without a legislative assembly and has only one Member of Parliament representing its two districts. Ladakh News: 4 Killed, 50 Arrested, Many Injured; Schools Shut, Gatherings Banned, Internet Slowed However, Sonam Wangchuk ended his fast yesterday, calling the violence nonsense.' Ladakh News: 4 Killed, 50 Arrested, Many Injured; Schools Shut, Gatherings Banned, Internet Slowed: At least four people were killed and over 60 were injured in what started as a peaceful protest that turned violent in Leh, Ladakh, yesterday. It was the first time violence of such nature was witnessed in Ladakh in decades. According to India Today, 50 people have been arrested so far in connection with Wednesdays clash, wherein the agitators set ablaze the local BJP office and the Council. Advertisement According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, climate activist and education reformist Sonam Wangchuk started a hunger strike on 10-09-2025, demanding the inclusion of Ladakh under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution and statehood for Ladakh. Sonam Wangchuk, along with 15 people, started a 35-day fast, and seven out of them were former soldiers of the Indian Army. He stated that the hunger strike commenced after talks between Ladakh & Centre fail miserably again. MHA, in its press release on Wednesday, following the violence outbreak, stated that the Government of India has been actively engaged with the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance on the same issues and that a series of meetings were held with them through the formal channel of the High-Powered Committee as well as the Sub-committee and multiple informal meetings with leaders. Advertisement Y Press Release on Ladakh aA A hunger strike was started by Sh Sonam Wangchuk on 10-09-2025 stating the demand of 6th schedule and statehood for Ladakh. It is well known that Government of India has been actively engaged with Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance on PIB - Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) September 24, 2025 MHA, further in its press release, stated that the process of dialogue through the above-mentioned mechanism has yielded phenomenal results by increasing reservations for Ladakh Scheduled Tribe from 45% to 84%, providing 1/3 women reservations in the councils and declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages. With this process, recruitment for 1800 posts was also commenced. However, certain politically motivated individuals who were not happy with the progress made under HPC have been trying to sabotage the dialogue process, MHA further stated. Advertisement It stated that the next meeting of the High-Powered Committee has been scheduled for 6th October, while meetings are also planned on 25th and 26th September with the leaders from Ladakh. However, Ladakh Peoples Movement for Sixth Schedule, in its Tuesday statement, said, While we acknowledge the Ministry of Home Affairs recent communication regarding the next High-Powered Committee (HPC) meeting scheduled for 6th October 2025, we, along with the youth bodies and the public at large, find this date unreasonably delayed in the context of the worsening health conditions of those on fast and the growing unrest among the youth. It was the 15th day of their 35 days of hunger strike on Wednesday, and on the day before, two elderly people on the hunger strike had to be hospitalised after their health condition deteriorated. Ladakh Peoples Movement for Sixth Schedule on Wednesday, following the hospitalization of the two hunger strikers, appealed to the Government of India and the Ministry of Home Affairs to resume the HPC meeting earlier than the given date, stating, to reflect the seriousness of the situation and to demonstrate genuine commitment to resolving the concerns of the people of Ladakh. According to the local media, the HPC meeting on October 6 with the centre comes after a four-month hiatus, with the last round of talks held on May 27, 2025, and the delay in convening further discussions led to public protest, including the hunger strike by Sonam Wangchuk and 15 others for 35 days to press for these demands. However, Sonam Wangchuk ended his fast yesterday, calling the violence nonsense. VERY SAD EVENTS IN LEH. My message of peaceful path failed today. I appeal to youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause, Sonam Wangchuk said in a post on X. VERY SAD EVENTS IN LEH My message of peaceful path failed today. I appeal to youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause.#LadakhAnshan pic.twitter.com/CzTNHoUkoC Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) September 24, 2025 Following the violence, Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, was imposed in Leh district to prevent danger to human life and the possibility of law and order problems and immediately banned protests and gatherings. An assembly of five or more people was banned, along with processions, rallies or marches, the use of loudspeakers, and statements that had the potential to disturb the public. The Office of the Chief Education Officer, Leh, UT Ladakh, keeping in view the prevailing situation, ordered the closure of schools on 25th September. Meanwhile, religious bodies, including the Ladakh Buddhist Association and Anjuman Moin-Ul-Islam, appealed for peace. Regarding the four lives lost in the violence, the Ministry of Home Affairs in its statement, said, In self-defence, police had to resort to firing, in which, unfortunately, some casualties are reported. On 24th September, at around 11.30 am, a mob instigated by provocative speeches left the venue of the hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as the Government office of the CEC Leh. They also set these offices on fire, attacked the security personnel, and torched a police vehicle. The unruly mob attacked the police personnel in which more than 30 police/CRPF personnel were injured. The mob continued to destroy public property and attack the police personnel. In self-defence, police had to resort to firing in which unfortunately some casualties are reported, the MHA statement read. Barring the unfortunate incidents that happened early in the day, the situation was brought under control by 4 PM, it added. (For more news apart from Ladakh News: 4 Killed, 50 Arrested, Many Injured; Schools Shut, Gatherings Banned, Internet Slowed, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman. Wanted to Kill One for a Very Long: Indian Man Charged With Killing Child Sex Offender in California (Courtesy: India Today) "I'm hoping that because (Brimmer) is a paedophile, everyone hates paedophiles, it should be cool." California-based Indian man charged With Killing a Child Sex Offender in US Latest News: A California-based Indian man identified as Varun Suresh (29) allegedly stabbed David Brimmer (71) to death after finding the latters name on a public sex offender registry, India Today reported citing court documents. The incident reportedly took place at the residence of the victim in Fremont City. Police were called to the crime scene where the elderly man was found dead and the alleged offender was taken into police custody. Advertisement Brimmer was reportedly listed on California's Megan's Law website as a sex offender and had spent nine years in jail for abusing a child. Varun, the accused charged with the murder on Monday, during an interrogation said that all sex offenders deserved to die and that he wanted to kill one for a very long time, the report said citing court documents. The report, citing the court documents, further said that Varun, after finding Brimmer on the sex offender database, pretended to be a public accountant, going door to door looking for clients. He even carried a notebook, coffee and a bag to look more authentic. Advertisement Before finding Brimmer's home, Varun visited the victim's neighbours in disguise so that people wouldn't doubt his act. When Varun finally found the victim, the report said, he shook his hand and said, I knew I had the right guy. Following this, Varun chased Brimmer and finally caught him in a neighbour's house, where he stabbed him in the neck. Advertisement According to the court documents cited in the report, Varun asked Brimmer to repent before slitting his throat. Varun, charged with the murder, did not show any remorse and described the act as honestly really fun. Im hoping that because (Brimmer) is a paedophile, everyone hates paedophiles, it should be cool. It is not your duty to decide whether Heaven will accept them, its your duty to send them to the gates," he allegedly told the police, as quoted in the report. Advertisement Varun also said that he did not plan to run away and would have called the police himself after the murder. According to the report, Varun was arrested earlier for a fake bomb threat, criminal threats and burglary after he left a bag at the Hyatt Place in Fremont. At the time, he reportedly told the police that he had been "hunting" the CEO of the Hyatt chain of hotels because he was a paedophile and wanted to kill him. (For more news apart from Wanted to Kill One for a Very Long: Indian Man Charged With Killing Child Sex Offender in California, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman. Arad, Romanias western gate Arad city impresses through its Central European architecture, and also through its cosmopolitan atmosphere. Lunca Muresului natural park Daniel Onea, 25.09.2025, 14:00 The city of Arad is the main starting point for exploring the entire county of the same name, located in western Romania, on the border with Hungary. Arad city impresses through its Central European architecture, and also through its cosmopolitan atmosphere. In addition, visitors can discover a county where cultural heritage is combined with natural attractions, spa relaxation with active tourism, and local gastronomy with authentic experiences. From a tourists point of view, the city stands out for its architectural heritage. The buildings in the old town offer visitors the image of a cosmopolitan city, intensively developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, a period in which Arad experienced strong economic and cultural development, says Ioana Madalin Crainic, an advisor at the National Center for Tourist Information and Promotion of Arad County. Ioana Madalin Crainic: The city of Arad stands out through its multiculturalism and history. From secession-style buildings, to the imposing cathedrals of different ethnic communities, and to the oasis of peace in the vicinity of the city, the Lunca Muresului Natural Park, Arad has something to offer for everyone. Our tourism center has offered free, thematic guided tours over time. Among these, we list the Masonic Tour, which includes Arad buildings with Masonic insignia and symbols, the Great Union Tour, which includes historical buildings with an important role in the events leading up to the moment of December 1, 1918, the Secession Tour and the tour dedicated to Baron Francisc von Neuman, the founder of our citys flagship club, UTA Arad. In our multiethnic city, one can visit tourist attractions specific to each community that left its mark on the development of Arad. The Reconciliation Park with the Statue of Liberty, for the Hungarian community, the Serbian Church and the House of Sava Tekelija, for the Serbian community, and also the synagogue for the Jewish community. The tours are adapted to the tourists, continues Ioana Madalin Crainic, advisor at the National Center for Tourist Information and Promotion of Arad County: Such a tour starts in front of the Administrative Palace, continues with the Cultural Palace, a true work of architecture. We then go to the center, where we discuss the various palaces, because Arad is nicknamed the City of Palaces. We make a stop at the Catholic Church of Saint Anthony of Padua and, after that, we go to the theater area, where we have a few more palaces, such as the Bohus Palace, with a very rich history. The tour ends in Avram Iancu Square, the former center of Arad, because the first city hall, in the 1800s, was located there. Arad County boasts many memorable places: For the lovers of fine wines, we have the historic Minis-Maderat vineyard, which stands out for its chic wine cellars, noble wines and unique tourist attractions, such as the Ioan Slavici Museum or the Green Arrow Museum, the Siriei Fortress or the Ineu Fortress. Nostalgic people can follow into the footsteps of King Mihai by visiting the royal village of Savarsin, and then continue on the Kings Road. Also, the Maria Radna Monastery or the Hodos-Bodrog Monastery are the most important pilgrimage sites in Arad County, both being highly spiritual places. We have the Moneasa resort, which offers stays with attractions for all ages, from the Grota Ursului cave (Bear Cave), to the lookout point, to the mountain trails to the Izoiu peak or the marble quarry. Moreover, we recommend a visit to the resorts swimming pool, where tourists can relax in pools with mesothermal water. The Wooden Churches Tour of the Mures and Cris Valleys attracts tourists of all ages, and young people can spend their vacation either on the western coast, as Ghioroc Lake is known in this area, where student festivals maintain the atmosphere throughout the summer season, or in the Arad County Council camps in Moneasa and Casoaia. The National Center for Tourist Information and Promotion of Arad County has proposed eight routes brought together under the title One-day Tourism, so that, if someone has a day they want to spend in Arad County, they have options in different corners of the county. Here is an example of a thematic route: My suggestion would be to start on the Mures Valley. The Mures Valley is very attractive and can be covered in one day, or even in two days, depending on the time needed. Our journey starts, obviously, from Arad, the first stop being at the Monument to the Heroes in Paulis, heroes who fell in World War II battles there, when they defended the access ways to the Mures Valley. We continue to Lipova, where we can visit the Maria Radna Monastery, the Soimos Fortress and, after that, we continue to Savarsin, where we can find the Savarsin Royal Domain, as well as the Eugen and Eugenia Popa memorial house and art collection. We continue to Petris. There we can already see wooden churches, houses painted in folk style and a water mill that still works and can make flour from grains, in the traditional way. In this place, there is the Zarand Association, with some very kind-hearted people, who want to revive these traditions. There is also a local gastronomic point. Once tourists have seen with their own eyes how grains are transformed into flour, they can make their own bread together with those at the local gastronomic point and bake it in a traditional oven. We look forward to seeing you in Arad and, if you want more information, we invite you to visit our tourism center. If you want to see Arad virtually before you visit it, on our website www.visitarad.ro, you have the virtual tour of Arad county, which includes 55 objectives, practically all the important objectives in the municipality and the county. These can be visited virtually, both via laptop or PC, and via virtual glasses. It is a very nice and immersive experience. The next important event is the Autumn Festival, held in Arad, between October 10-12, which will bring together local producers from Arad. (LS) A security operation arrived at dawn at a plot of land in the municipality of Vista Hermosa, Michoacan, believing they would be facing a cartel. Residents had reported a training camp for organized crime, a specter that remains vivid in the minds of Mexicans after the discovery of the sinister ranch in Teuchitlan in Jalisco. The scene fit all the characteristics. Security forces arrested 38 men and seized what appeared to be high-powered firearms and tactical gear. What puzzled them was that the detainees did not identify themselves as cartel hitmen, but as members of the evangelical church La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World). The men were training to be part of a special corps created to protect the churchs leader, Naason Joaquin Garcia, and his immediate family. This is the Jahzer Guard, which traces its origins back to another tactical group, the Jericho Guard, formed by Samuel Joaquin, Naasons father. Until the raid at the training camp in Michoacan, very little had surfaced about the praetorian guards of La Luz del Mundo. It represents a new thread in the enigmatic web of corruption surrounding the sect, which has already begun to unravel. In the United States, Joaquin has been sentenced in California for child sexual abuse and now faces a new indictment for organized crime and human trafficking in New York. One of the survivors of the apostles abuse, Sharim Guzman, told EL PAIS that these guards serve to protect the churchs leaders and their families wherever they are, and to watch over their homes; they are also tasked with guarding temples and congregant neighborhoods, chiefly Hermosa Provincia, a district in Guadalajara (the capital of the state of Jalisco) created in the apostles own image a sort of cultural and political power center of the church. Training courses in defense tactics for members of the evangelical church. CORTESIA Apart from their security duties, according to Guzman, the guards also took part in the criminal activities of the evangelical leaders for example, kidnapping people, especially women, and keeping them in safe houses. When a problem arises, they solve it. At first, it was protecting the apostle, like his bodyguards, but with Naasons arrest, theyve gone crazy. They dont know how to control the problem, so theyve started tracking down and hiding the victims, to keep them from speaking out, he tells EL PAIS. Guzman, who has also reported the apostles sexual abuse in both the United States and Mexico, explains that from a young age, boys in the congregation are invited to participate in groups where they are taught martial arts. Joaquin himself was part of these organizations as a child, according to photographs from the time obtained by this newspaper. We were always told that La Luz del Mundo was the church of God and that everyone would want to harm the apostle, like Jesus, and thats why he had to be guarded and protected. So you normalized it. Obviously, you never questioned the fact that those guards were armed, says Guzman. Nasson Joaquin as a child (circled) in a children's escort for La Luz del Mundo. CORTESIA The whistleblower maintains that the apostles praetorian guard includes men who currently serve or once served in the Jalisco Attorney Generals Office or the State Security Secretariat, and that they bring the training they received in those institutions into the churchs security forces. There are even former soldiers among them. At least one of those detained in Michoacan, Angel Aragon Ruiz, boasts on Facebook about his time as a member of the Mexican Air Force, a branch of the Army. A video obtained by this newspaper shows a recent parade held as part of Mexicos Independence Day celebrations, in which the apostles guards demonstrate their combat skills. The weapons seized by security forces in Michoacan were replicas of real rifles, similar in weight and function but incapable of firing. Among those captured were 18 men from Nayarit, six from Guadalajara, three from Mexico City, two from Michoacan, and one each from Guerrero, Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Puebla, the State of Mexico, Colima, and Sonora, along with one U.S. citizen. A man from Colombia managed to escape, according to authorities consulted by EL PAIS. Reports of ranches used by drug cartels as training and extermination sites have become increasingly common in Mexico since the discovery of the camp in Teuchitlan, described as the Mexican Auschwitz. In Michoacan, however, Security Secretary Juan Carlos Oseguera Cortes has denied that such sites exist in his state. Despite his claims, alerts are raised daily, partly due to the proximity of those already uncovered for instance, the recently discovered La Vega ranch in Jalisco is just over 16 miles from the ranch in Teuchitlan. This Wednesdays discovery was disconcerting for several reasons, Oseguera told EL PAIS. First was the shock of finding not cartel hitmen, but evangelical worshipers training like soldiers or paramilitaries. The arsenal, too, was unexpected: five replica long guns, 14 replica handguns, 22 dummy knives (for hypothetical hand-to-hand combat), tactical helmets, backpacks, boots, cartridges, radios, rifle scopes, flashlights, and binoculars. Not everything was a prop. Authorities also seized a real nine-millimeter handgun with ammunition, five knives, and a vehicle, as well as computers and notebooks. The police chief declined to share details about the information found in these materials so as not to hinder the investigation. Both the detainees and the confiscated items were placed under the custody of Mexicos Attorney Generals Office (FGR). Training course for church members. CORTESIA All of them were young men, says Oseguera Cortes, without specifying their ages. In videos posted on social media by local reporters in Morelia, the capital of Michoacan, the group can be seen upon their arrival at the Attorney Generals Office including several teenagers with boyish faces, as well as adults. Most of them, unusually calm, wore black T-shirts and jeans. During the operation, a man from Colombia managed to escape, the police chief added. Its a completely atypical situation, he acknowledged. President Claudia Sheinbaums government has been tracking links between former Colombian soldiers and Mexican criminal groups, which they have reportedly trained in combat and weapons handling. The appearance of the fugitive Colombian in the operation could point to the same phenomenon. Nasson Joaquin as a child (circled). CORTESIA Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Constitutional Court: rulings and deferrals The Constitutional Court is yet to make a decision on the bill reforming the retirement system for magistrates Photo: Facebook / Curtea Constitutionala a Romaniei) Leyla Cheamil, 25.09.2025, 14:00 The Constitutional Court of Romania has deferred a ruling on the bill regulating the pensions of judges and prosecutors, for which the Government has taken responsibility before Parliament, to October 8. In early September, the joint divisions of the High Court of Cassation of Justice decided to refer the bill to the Constitutional Court, claiming the new legislation breaches no less than 37 rulings of the Constitutional Court and many fundamental principles of the rule of law. The main grounds of unconstitutionality mentioned by magistrates include the violation of the rule of law principle, of the independence of the judiciary, of judicial security, of the legality and non-retroactivity of law, of legitimate trust, the fact that the bill creates discrimination without rational and objective reasons, as well as its disregard for imperative legal obligations, such as the mandatory opinion of the Higher Council of Magistrates on the final form of the bill. The topic of changing the retirement system of magistrates and eliminating certain privileges for them generated heated debates in Romanian society and tensions between the Higher Council of Magistrates and the government. During the plenary Parliament session in which PM Ilie Bolojan took responsibility for the bills in the second set of measures aimed at reducing the countrys budget deficit, the PM mentioned that Romanian magistrates retire at 48-49 years of age, and the average pension benefits in the judiciary exceed a rough EUR 4,800. He also said that many pensions even reach some EUR 7,000-8,000, especially for magistrates who also held management positions. With the reform that we propose, there will be a transitional 10-year period, at the end of which the retirement age for magistrates will be 65, the standard retirement age in Romania. The length of service required for retirement will increase from 25 to 35 years, as is the case of the other citizens. So far, pension benefits amounted to 100% of the last net salary. We are capping this percentage at 70% of the net income for the last month in service, the PM explained, pointing out that despite this decrease, magistrates pensions would still remain considerable. The Constitutional Court also postponed for October 8 its ruling on the complaints filed by the opposition regarding 3 of the bills included in the second set of fiscal and budgetary balancing measures. The only unconstitutionality claim that was rejected was the one regarding the legislation streamlining the work of certain administrative authorities, which aims to restructure the National Authority for Communications Administration and Regulation, the National Energy Regulatory Authority and the Financial Supervision Authority. As such, the law is constitutional and can take effect. (AMP) Russia steps up its hybrid siege against the Republic of Moldova Authorities in Chisinau have again cautioned against the increasing pressure from Moscow before the Parliamentary election in the Republic of Moldova The Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Dorin Recean (photo: gov.md) Daniela Budu, 25.09.2025, 13:55 Only days after Moldovan President Maia Sandu drew attention to the danger of Russian interferences into the countrys Parliamentary election on September 28, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean has cautioned that Russia is mounting a real siege against the Republic of Moldova in an attempt to influence the election results. This is not a normal election fight, but a siege against the country, the Prime Minister said during a news conference on Wednesday. He underlined the fact that the authorities would not allow that vote theft turn into an election coup detat. According to the Moldovan official, over one thousand cyber attacks against Chisinau have been identified this year alone. In this context he said the purpose of the Russian Services is to hack into the governments cybernetic system in an attempt to leak information, create mayhem and use information against the state and the citizens. The Moldovan official went on to say that the authorities if the Republic of Moldova are bracing for any possible scenario and in case of incidents, he called on the citizens to rely only on official announcements. Dorin Recean: They may try to switch off the light, launch fake bomb alerts or try to hack into the IT election system in order to step up pressure on institutions. But no matter the scenario, the Central Election Committee is fitted with all the right instruments to protect the voting process. According to Radio Chisinau, during a public talk show staged by the local press agency IPN, the Moldovan experts said all these operations are part of the hybrid war the Russian Federation is waging on the countries in the region and recalled the same attempts by Moscow to get involved in the latest presidential election in Romania. In turn, the Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Moldovan ambassador in Moscow to protest Chisinaus refusal to allow Russian observers to the election and complain about the small number of polls in Russia. Russias Foreign Information Service also says that NATO member countries have deployed troops in Romania, close to the Moldovan border for a potential intervention at President Sandus request. The government in Chisinau has dismissed these allegations as toxic propaganda, with a view to intimidating people and undermining confidence in the Republic of Moldovas European future. From Bucharest president Nicusor Dan said the Parliamentary election in the neighboring country is a crucial moment for the future of its citizens. In a video message Dan underlined that the link between Romania and the Republic of Moldova isnt only historical but also one that is alive and built daily through people, families and common values. Nicusor Dan has urged all the Moldovans in Romania to cast their ballots in one of the 23 polls mounted in 14 cities across the country. (bill) Oil prices pulled back on Thursday after climbing by over 2 percent the previous day following U.S. President Donald Trump's increasingly hawkish Russia rhetoric. Benchmark Brent crude futures fell 0.8 percent to $68.73 per barrel in European trade, while WTI crude futures were down 0.9 percent at $64.38. Oil prices saw their biggest jump since July to hit a seven-week high on Wednesday after Trump labelled Russian President Putin's military "a paper tiger" and asserted that Ukraine can win the war against Russia. The U.S. President said Kyiv can "win all of Ukraine back in its original form", marking a major shift in his position on the war with Russia. Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, suggested the reason for Trump's change of tone was that he had just talked to the Ukrainian president. Trump had made the comments "apparently under the influence of the vision put forward by Zelensky... this vision is in absolute contrast with our understanding of the current state of affairs". Meanwhile, concerns prevail over a looming glut, with Iraq expecting oil exports from its Kurdistan region to resume as soon as this week following a two-year halt. Flows through the key Ceyhan pipeline from Kurdistan to Turkey's Mediterranean coast will resume "most likely this week," Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in an interview in New York late on Wednesday. He added that Baghdad has also started negotiations with Turkey for a new pipeline agreement as the current one expires in 2026. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The Secretary reiterated President Donald Trump's call for the killing of Ukrainians to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war. Meanwhile, addressing the General Assembly's 80th session in New York Wednesday, Ukraine's President Zelensky has warned that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin "will keep driving the war forward wider and deeper" beyond Ukraine. He pleaded to leaders not to stay silent while Russia keeps dragging the war on. "Please speak out and condemn it. Please join us in defending life and international law, and order. People are waiting for action," he said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The Danish National Police has raised the crisis level after overnight drone flights over Danish airspace forced Aalborg airport in the north of the country to close temporarily. Drones were also spotted in three other airports in southern Denmark - Esbjerg, Snderborg and Skrydstrup, reports say. Denmark's defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen said at a news conference that it was a "hybrid attack," apparently carried out by a "professional actor." He told reporters that the drones were launched locally and there is no evidence of Russia behind Monday night's incident. But Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she cannot rule out Russian involvement in it. Denmark has raised the issue with NATO, but it is not clear if the government opted to invoke Article 4, which requires the 32-nation defense alliance to convene a meeting. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Toyota has seen YoY growth but a MoM decline in August 2025 with the Hyryder and HyCross claiming top 2 spots Toyota Kirloskar Motor has reported sales of 29,302 units in August 2025. This was a 2.49% YoY (Year-on-Year) growth over 28,589 units sold in August 2024, relating to a 713 unit volume increase. Sales, however, declined by 9.29% on a MoM (Month-on-Month) basis, down by 2,706 units from 29,159 unit sales of July 2025. Sales are expected to improve significantly in the months ahead, following the companys revision of its pricing in line with the new GST 2.0 norms. Toyota Sales August 2025 The SUV segment retained strong sales momentum, with Hyryder and HyCross taking the top two spots and both posting robust sales. Hyryder reported sales of 9,100 units, representing a 39.27% YoY growth from 6,534 units sold in August 2024, while MoM sales also rose by 3.24% from 8,814 units sold in July 2025. Hyryder now commands a strong 31.06% share of the company portfolio. At No. 2 was HyCross, sales of which also showed improvement both on a YoY and MoM basis at 5,827 units. This was an 11.29% YoY growth from 5,236 units sold in August 2024 while it was a marginal 0.34% improvement from 5,807 unit sales of July 2025. Toyota Glanza, a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno that marks itself as a much in demand premium hatchback, accounted for 5,102 unit sales in the past month. It showed off a healthy 10.34% YoY growth from 4,624 units sold in August 2024 while sales remained stable on a MoM basis with 1.65% growth over 5,019 unit sales of July 2025. Innova Crysta and Taisor have seen a decline in demand on a YoY basis at 3,477 units and 2,683 units respectively. However, the Crysta improved by 4.98% MoM from 3,312 unit sales of July 2025 while Taisor witnessed a marked 59.04% MoM growth from 1,687 units. MoM Sales Weaken for Fortuner, Hilux, Camry and Vellfire Even as Toyota Fortuner has seen a 7.27% YoY growth to 2,508 units over 2,338 units sold in August 2024, its MoM performance was in the red by 22.42% when compared to 3,233 unit sales of July 2025. Similarly, Toyota Hilux too witnessed 27.45% YoY growth at 260 units while MoM sales declined by 29.73% from 370 unit sales of July 2025. Toyota Camry also grew by 2.60% YoY to 158 units but MoM sales fell by 1.86%. The luxurious Vellfire MPV, has seen declining demand in Indian markets as sales fell to 104 units in the past month. This was an 8.77% YoY de-growth while MoM sales dipped by 42.22%. Toyota Rumion, a rebadged MPV based on Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, has also not appealed to buyer in India as sales dipped to 68 units last month, a 96.05% YoY decline from 1,721 units sold in the same month last year. It also witnessed hefty MoM de-growth by 88.19% when compared to 576 units sold in July 2025. Toyota also has the Land Cruiser LC 300 on its portfolio, launched in February 2025. Presented in two variants of ZX and GR-S, this 3 row, 7 seater high-end SUV accounted for 15 unit sales in the month of August 2025. Taking any statement made by U.S. President Donald Trump literally entails risks. The head of the worlds leading power frequently changes course without any apparent explanation. This was the case on Tuesday, when he suddenly reversed his position on the conflict in Ukraine, and made his strongest defense of the latter country since he began his second term in the White House last January. The statements caused surprise among officials in the Kyiv government, which has been the victim of high-profile verbal attacks by the Republican leader in the past. Yet some degree of optimism and caution are emerging, according to Ukrainian analysts consulted by EL PAIS. Speaking from the front, a Ukrainian military official sees the recovery of the territory lost to Russia as a long way off. Trumps U-turn took place this Tuesday, in parallel with the UN General Assembly being held in New York, where the U.S. president met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form, he wrote on his social network, Truth Social, after the meeting. At the same time, he criticized the Kremlins administration, finances, and military, which acknowledges the rift between Washington and the Kremlin. This comes after Trump repeatedly aligned himself with the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose troops already control around a fifth of Ukraine and continue pushing to gain more. Trump had never gone so far with his statements, but according to the experts consulted, he could change course again when Kyiv least expects it. For now, Zelenskiy is savoring Washingtons support at a global showcase like the UN General Assembly, but has avoided appearing jubilant. For President Zelenskiy, this is a great victory. We could argue all we want about Trumps earnestsness, but this is the most pro-Ukraine and pro-Zelenskiy tweet hes ever posted, Oleg Rybachuk, head of the Center of United Actionsa public think tank independent of the governmentand former Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, said in a telephone conversation. Most Ukrainian experts are skeptical or cautious, because we know theres often a huge gap between what [Trump] says and what actually happens, Rybachuk adds. In any case, he recalls, its a far cry from the reception at the White House last February, where Zelenskiy was greeted with extreme hostility. Tactically, it is a significant victory for Ukraine that President Trump has shifted, for now, from blaming Ukraine for the war with Russia to highlighting Ukraines potential for war, Marianna Fakhurdinova, an analyst at the Transatlantic Dialogue Center (TDC) and a member of the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) in the United States, argues in a written response. Fakhurdinova agrees with Rybachuk, emphasizing: Trump is known for his inconsistent messaging and views. Therefore, this statement should be interpreted with cautious optimism and should not immediately be seen as a strategic shift in the U.S. stance. Thus, she believes that, to give consistency to this new stance, it should be endorsed by other U.S. officials, such as Washingtons top diplomat, Marco Rubio, and, at the same time, be accompanied by a supply of arms to Kyiv, as well as new sanctions against Moscow. In any case, Oleg Rybachuk believes it is necessary to closely monitor the development of Trumps relations with ChinaMoscows ally and Washingtons counterweightthe European Union, and NATO, bearing in mind, he adds, that the president needs these last two institutions as allies against the Asian giant. At the same time, Kyiv depends on strong and reliable U.S. support through high technology, intelligence, missiles, and modern weapons. For Marianna Fakhurdinova, the EU should not be carried away by these positive messages from Trump and should start taking seriously the need to invest in its own defense and integrate Ukraine [into the EU club]. The degree of realism in Trumps announcement must be measured in terms such as the substantial intensification of economic sanctions against Russian oil and gas export and production capacity, through joint efforts by the United States and Europe and the increase in military aid to Ukraine so as to exert sufficient pressure on the Putin regime to weaken its military position in Ukraine, argues Taras Zhovtenko, a security expert and analyst at the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, a Ukrainian think tank. This is the way, he believes, to deal a critical blow to the Kremlins aggressive plans, not only against Ukraine, but also against NATOs eastern flank, which is obviously Moscows next target. Meanwhile, beyond Trumps message in Truth, his strategic approach toward Russia and Vladimir Putin has not changed and he remains interested in the potential mutual business projects promised by the Russian side and will avoid any direct action against the Russian economy, the Putin regime, or Putin personally, to the extent possible. Another issue, Zhovtenko believes, is the maneuvers the U.S. may carry out through third parties, such as selling arms to NATO to Ukraine, or pressuring Europe to impose sanctions on countries like China or India, major buyers of Russian energy. After launching its troops into the neighboring country in 2014 and furthering its advance with a major invasion in 2022, Russia now controls around 20% of Ukraines 600,000 square kilometers: the entire Crimean peninsula, much of the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, and parts of the southern regions of Zaporizhia and Kherson. Moscow organized illegal referendums in 2022, unrecognized internationally, announcing that this territory would become part of Russia. Likewise, although to a lesser extent, Kremlin troops maintain positions in the Kharkiv (northeast) and Dnipro (east) regions. Russian military might means that, despite the aid Kyiv receives from abroad, the local army is barely able to contain the invaders advance. The number of Kremlin troops assigned to fight on the front lines, around 700,000 according to Kyivs military intelligence, is almost double the number of Ukrainian soldiers. On the ground, the weariness accumulated by the bloody conflict leads Ukrainians to recognize that recovering the occupied territory is almost a utopia. This pessimism is also reflected on the front lines. Odin, a soldier from the 43rd Brigade deployed in a combat zone in Donetsk, believes, after hearing Trumps message, that if they had wanted to recover those territories, they would have done so a long time ago, he says in written responses. From the front lines, I dont see any chance of it happening yet, he concludes. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Opinion articles written in the style of their author." These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. shall feature, along with the author's name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed Thirty-six years ago, the American journalist Bill McKibben wrote The End of Nature, the first mass-market book about climate change. The book warned, from the perspective of a lover of nature, about the dangers posed by a warming planet: Changes in our world which can affect us can happen in our lifetimenot just changes like wars but bigger and more sweeping events. Without recognizing it, we have already stepped over the threshold of such a change. The rain will still fall, and the sun will still shine. When I say nature, I mean a certain set of human ideas about the world and our place in it More and more frequently, these changes will clash with our perceptions, until our sense of nature as eternal and separate is finally washed away and we see all too clearly what we have done." The day that McKibben foretold in his best-selling book, when we see all too clearly what we have done, is now upon us. The overheating of the planet is manifesting in increasingly deadly and destructive heat, fire, drought, and storms. These extreme events in turn warn of even harsher, irreversible perils such as the collapse of the Gulf Stream, the vast Atlantic Ocean current that keeps northern Europe habitable. Yet the climate crisis barely registers in the worlds news coverage. In the US, only 37% of people say that they hear about global warming in the media at least once a month. In India, the equivalent figure is 53% still only one out of two people, and still only once a month. As journalists ourselves, the authors of this article sympathize with some of the reasons why climate coverage is getting short shrift. News outlets all over the world face a crumbling business model that has shrunk editorial staffs and intensified workloads. And outlets are understandably preoccupied with the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and overwhelmed by the relentless fire hose of policy shifts and ominous rhetoric coming from US president Donald Trump. But McKibbens decades of work call upon us to defend reporting on climate change as a critical part of telling the story of the world in which we live. Since publishing The End of Nature in 1989, he has produced more words, with more insights, about the climate crisis and its solutions (see his latest book, Here Comes The Sun) than any other writer: 19 books, dozens of New Yorker stories, and countless magazines pieces and podcasts and blog posts and newsletters. McKibben is the graceful father of modern climate journalism, which is why Covering Climate Now, the global journalism collaboration co-founded by the authors of this article, is honoring him with its first-ever lifetime achievement award. McKibben joins colleagues from around the world, recognized last week as winners of the fifth annual Covering Climate Now Journalism Awards, culled from more than 1,200 entries from every continent. It is not an exaggeration to say that many of those journalists might not be covering climate change if McKibben had not paved the way demonstrating the power of telling the climate story in a way that resonates. But if McKibben is peerless in his journalistic telling of the climate story, its also true that he makes some colleagues nervous. McKibben is unusual in straddling two worlds that are now more at odds than ever: the world of advocacy and the world of journalism. His founding of the environmental group 350.org, and his role in helping to organize protests against the fossil fuel status quo, have made some journalism traditionalists in the US nervous about embracing him as one of their own. (This, despite a New Yorker pedigree and book sales figures that must make some of those journalists jealous.) Indeed, a wire service reporter told one of us a few years ago that You guys need to stop featuring McKIbben. Hes an activist, not a journalist. In fact, McKibben is both, and it is for his journalism that CCNow is honoring him. But we also hope this recognition by an international journalism service organization like CCNow will prompt a reexamination of the role of advocacy in journalism at this pivotal moment in American history, when First Amendment freedoms and the very existence of democracy and the rule of law are under severe threat. CCNow was formed at the Columbia Journalism School, where one of us worked and ran the Columbia Journalism Review. While there, we were able to study and reflect on moments in US history when reporters and news organizations were accused of crossing the line into advocacy. It happened during the Vietnam War, when reporters were vilified for pointing out the lies in Pentagon casualty estimates. It happened during the Civil Rights era, when journalists who reported on protest marches were accused of abetting the movement. It happened during Watergate, when the Washington Posts Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were told, by ordinary citizens but also by some news business colleagues, that they had no business taking on a sitting president. All those stories were criticized at the time as inappropriately veering into advocacy, but they look different in the eyes of history. Nowadays, they are commonly seen as the media doing some of its best work: Telling the truth. Standing up for people without a voice. Holding political leaders to account when they wanted people to look the other way. The same argument about advocacy has also colored how the media covered the climate story over the years which was not very much. For too long, climate silence prevailed. One reason for that silence was that any journalist who simply expressed an interest in covering climate change was suspected of being an advocate, particularly if their reporting mentioned the solution that the worlds climate scientists have repeatedly emphasized: phasing out the burning of the fossil fuels that drives the crisis. Another reason: Since the 1990s, editors and other newsroom gatekeepers have had their judgment clouded by a disinformation campaign orchestrated by the fossil fuel industry (which borrowed its tactics from Big Tobacco). The timing was tragic: The 1990s and 2000s were the years when ample press coverage and the political engagement it can spark might have averted the trajectory that now has the climate spinning towards breakdown. Throughout those years, and still today, many in the mainstream press have wrongly evaluated the climate story through the lens of politics, rather than of science. In politics coverage, there is a defensible belief that news reporting should fairly reflect both sides of a given subject those who favor abortion rights and those who oppose them, those who support lower taxes for corporations versus those who want companies to pay more. Uncritically applying this maxim to the climate story, however, is a mistake. It led to decades of coverage that gave the same amount of credibility to climate deniers such as former U.S. senator James Inhofe as it did to NASA scientists like James Hansen, even though only Hansen had the truth on his side. McKibben was among the first to argue that if we take science seriously, then journalists cant take a tell both sides approach to climate coverage. Physics, after all, does not compromise. Physics imposes its own time limit, which is what makes the politics of climate change different from that of other issues. With health care or tax reform, McKibben explained, advocates can fight for their goals and, if they fall short, come back the next year and fight again. Not so with climate change. Wait too long to stop it, and catastrophe becomes unavoidable: once emissions are in the atmosphere, physics ensures that they will keep overheating the Earth for centuries a fact that deserves emphasis as world leaders prepare for the UN COP30 climate summit in November. Our profession has a lot of catching up to do on the climate story. At a time when too many news organizations or, more precisely, their corporate owners are surrendering to government intimidation, McKibbens example is instructive. We understand why some of our colleagues might be uncomfortable with the activism side of his work. But we see his reporting, and his advocacy on behalf of people who are being savaged by an overheating Earth, as fitting squarely into the arc of history representing the best of what journalism can do. Now, more than ever, his body of work should inspire and motivate us all. The former presidential candidate was interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters at the start of a book tour in New York to promote her memoir about the election campaign she lost Kamala Harris stepped onto the stage at Town Hall Theater in New York City this Wednesday, and suddenly it was the fall of 2024 all over again. The same broad smile, the long laughs at her own quips, the suit jacket... For a moment, it seemed as if, a year later, the presidential campaign in which Donald Trump soundly defeated her hadnt ended. It also seemed as if, had the race continued, perhaps the woman destined to become the first female president of the United States would not have lost. Or thats at least the impression left on the reader by 107 Days, a blend of political memoir and campaign diary that the former Democratic candidate presented on Wednesday in a Manhattan taken over by the United Nations General Assembly. And the overarching impression is that its author is convinced that if she lost, it was due to a lack of time. In just 107 days, the dizzyingly short span between President Joe Bidens decision to quit the race on July 21, faced with the evidence of his inability to continue, and election night on November 5, Harris writes, she didnt have time to show voters how much she could have helped them more than Trump. And that saddens me enormously. By choosing that title for her book, she makes it clear to the reader what awaits inside: a 300-plus page justification of why Harris crashed, and a phenomenal exercise in acquitting herself of responsibility for her defeat. It was the first date of the book tour, and a group of pro-Palestinian activists interrupted the former vice president four times, shouting, The blood of the Palestinians is on your hands. On one occasion, Harris rose from her chair to silence the shouting, spoke of the unimaginable suffering of the Palestinians, and begged that someone else be held accountablebecause she is not the president now, nor was she on October 7, 2023. Whats happening to the Palestinian people is outrageous and it beaks my heart, she told the 1,500 people gathered there. Trump has given [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu a blank check to do whatever he wants. Harris also recalled that she gave a speech in Alabama in the days following the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, in which she warned of starvation in Gaza, and that this earned her a lot of heat from the White House. On Wednesday, the protest continued outside Town Hall, an institution founded in the 1920s by suffragettes and the setting for some of the best live albums in the history of jazz. People display their copies of former Vice President Kamala Harris' new book "107 Days," at Town Hall in New York on Wednesday. Angelina Katsanis (AP) Her demeanor on the stage, a little more belligerent and unafraid to stray from Bidens policies, also suggested that perhaps things might have turned out differently if she had adopted this attitude earlier. Harris also told Democrats to get to work. No one is going to come and fix the Democratic Party; we have plenty of stars who can step up. We have to get to work. We must fight fire with fire! she proclaimed to a devoted, mostly female audience, who received a copy of the book with their ticket. Its not clear from 107 Daysnor was there any way to tell from her address in New Yorkwhether she was including herself in the mix when she talked about Democratic stars. She wont run for governor of California, but she hasnt ruled out running for office in 2028. And judging by the angry reaction of some of her potential Democratic primary opponents after a hasty reading of her book, none of them are in a position to do so either. In New York, Harris criticized Trump without mentioning him by name. She said that nobody could imagine the level of capitulation from big business. And why is that? Because theyre waiting for permission for a business merger or because theyre trying to avoid an investigation? Because they dont want to lose their yacht or their house in the Hamptons? Kamala Harris and Joe Biden at a campaign event on August 15, 2024. Anna Moneymaker (Getty Images) The former vice president also accused the Trump administration of silencing the opposition and anything that smacks of criticism, comparing it to a communist regime. Trump, she added, has no ideology. Hes just lining his pockets while implementing an agenda decades in the making, she said. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition FBI agents on the rooftop of the building across from the ICE office in Dallas, Texas, on September 24. Wednesdays shooting in Dallas was the third at an immigration office in Texas this year. The government reports that attacks on officers have increased by 1,000% A man opened fire on Wednesday on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas, Texas, where detained migrants were being held, allegedly with the aim of attacking the agents. But in the end, it was the migrants who paid the price for the attack. One of them was killed and two others were wounded. The shooter also died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Initial reports from authorities suggested a motive for the attack, and the government framed it as part of the increase in attacks on immigration agents. President Donald Trump blamed the incident on Radical Left Democrats constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to Nazis. The Brave Men and Women of ICE are just trying to do their jobs, and remove the WORST of the WORST Criminals out of our Country, but they are facing an unprecedented increase in threats, violence, and attacks by Deranged Radical Leftists, he wrote on his Truth Social platform. No officers were injured in the Dallas shooting, but the head of the FBI in Dallas, Joe Rothrock, said bullets with anti-ICE messaging were found at the suspected shooters location. FBI Director Kash Patel later posted an image on X that he said showed unspent shell casings from the shooter, including one with the word ANTI-ICE written on it in blue ink. Recovered shell casings bearing the inscription 'ANTI ICE', in a photograph published by FBI Director Kash Patel via X. @FBIDirectorKash via X (via REUTERS) The administration has been denouncing for months the increase in attacks on ICE agents, who are in charge of the raids taking place on streets across the country in pursuit of the largest deportation effort in history, a priority objective of the president. A 1,000% increase This demonization is inspiring violence across the country. Our ICE officers are facing a more than 1000% increase in assaults against them. We have to turn down the temperature before someone else is killed. This violence must end, said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin last week. The data shows that between January 21 and June 30, there were 79 attacks on ICE agents, compared to 10 during the same period in 2024, under the administration of Joe Biden. Federal authorities have not provided details about all of the incidents, dozens of which have resulted in criminal charges, according to a review of court records by The Washington Post. The vast majority involve verbal threats, either in person or online, or physical altercations during ICE arrests of immigrants that turned violent. Post columnist Philip Bump investigated attacks on immigration agents in June and found that the number of assaults on Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers was down 20 percent through June 2024. As for assaults on its agents, ICE did not provide me with any examples of immigration officers being singled out, targeted, and assaulted outside the context of an arrest, he wrote. The government has publicized the most serious attacks on ICE agents in recent months. On July 4, Independence Day, a group of about 12 people attacked agents at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. The attackers set off fireworks, vandalized vehicles with anti-ICE slogans, and opened fire on agents, wounding one. Ten people were subsequently arrested and charged with attempted murder of a federal agent. Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, on July 4. Mark David Smith (TNS via Getty Images) Three days later, a man with an assault rifle fired dozens of shots at Border Patrol agents in McAllen, Texas, wounding one officer. Authorities shot and killed the attacker. On August 25, at the Dallas ICE facility that was attacked Wednesday, a 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of making terrorist threats after he told a security officer he had a bomb in his backpack. But while the administration, without evidence, presents ICE agents as victims of an attack orchestrated by the left and the media, allegations of the brutality used in many of the arrests and inside the screening centers, proven by the dissemination of videos and numerous testimonies, indicate that the reality is quite the opposite. Agents raids on Latino neighborhoods, workplaces, immigration courts, and even the surrounding areas of sensitive locations like schools to detain people who, in most cases, have no criminal history have spread fear among the immigrant community and, with it, a rejection of officers, who have been compared to the feared Gestapo, the Nazi police. At least 17 people have died so far this year in ICE-operated detention centers. Every day, witnesses of the raids heckle officers when they try to arrest a migrant. The windows of the vehicles in which the migrants are traveling are broken, people are beaten, parents and children are separated, and excessive use of force is repeatedly used, as seen in footage shared on social media. Citizens are using mobile phone apps to notify each other of locations where officers have been spotted, and there are even websites to identify them, as the officers conceal their identities behind masks and patrol the streets in unmarked vehicles. Politicians and civil organizations have demanded that officers not wear masks, but the government maintains that this is a way to protect them from attacks. Standoff with California The practice of concealing officers identities has sparked the latest standoff between the federal government and the state of California. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Saturday requiring all law enforcement officers to show their faces and not hide. The Department of Homeland Security responded with an X-mailed message: To be clear: We will NOT comply with Gavin Newsoms unconstitutional mask ban. A federal agent transfers a detainee at the ICE detention center in Broadview, Illinois, on September 19. Jim Vondruska (REUTERS) Newsom, a potential Democratic presidential candidate, signed the states first anti-mask law last Saturday. The governor said ICE agents would no longer be hidden from accountability, arguing that masks impede transparency for citizens and hinder oversight. The law is likely to be challenged in court before it can take effect in January because it is unclear whether California can apply such restrictions to federal law enforcement. The case of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez The latest attack on an ICE agent in Chicago, about which the DHS has issued a statement, has raised questions about the veracity of its statements. Thirty-eight-year-old Mexican citizen Silverio Villegas Gonzalez was shot and killed by an ICE agent as he attempted to flee his pursuers. DHS stated that the agent who fired the shot was seriously injured because Villegas Gonzalez ran over him, dragging him a considerable distance and leaving him fearing for his life. The official version was undermined this Tuesday when a video was released that recorded the arrest moments after the officer fired the shot. The footage shows the officer describing his own injuries as nothing serious. I was dragged a little, said the injured officer, who can be seen walking. Altar for Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez in Franklin Park, Illinois, on September 15. Jim Vondruska (REUTERS) Immigrant rights advocates, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have demanded a thorough investigation into what happened. We want answers to the questions weve raised, Chicago Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia said Tuesday. The family has a right to them. The community wants to know whats going on, and the public deserves answers too, the Democratic representative said. Villegas Gonzalez, who worked as a cook, had just dropped off one of his children at daycare the morning of the shooting. DHS said he had a history of reckless driving and was not legally permitted to live in the United States. The daycare director described him as a good father, while many Franklin Park residents attended vigils and remembered him as a good family man. The Mexican Consulate General in Chicago said it would closely monitor the investigation. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition As part of the Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Survey (WALLABY), an international team of astronomers has observed the dwarf galaxy pair NGC 4532 / DDO 137 (WALLABY J123424+062511), which is located around 53 million light-years from Earth. The observations have revealed a huge (185,000 light-years) bridge of neutral hydrogen between the two galaxies, as well as numerous arms and clouds that connect with the even longer (1.6 million light-years) tail of gas previously discovered with the Arecibo telescope. The discovery marked a significant step forward in understanding how galaxies interact, said Professor Lister Staveley-Smith, an astronomer with the University of Western Australia node at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). Our modeling showed that the tidal forces acting between these galaxies, alongside their proximity to the massive Virgo Cluster of galaxies, played a crucial role in the gas dynamics we observed. As the galaxies rotated around each other and moved toward the hot gas cloud surrounding the Virgo Cluster, which was 200 times hotter than the Suns surface, they experienced what is known as ram pressure, which stripped and heated the gas from the galaxies. The process is akin to atmospheric burn-up when a satellite re-enters the Earths upper atmosphere, but has extended over a period of a billion years. The density of electrons and the speed at which galaxies are falling into the hot gas cloud are enough to explain why so much gas has been pulled away from the galaxies and into the bridge and surrounding areas. The observations were part of the WALLABY survey, a large-scale project that maps the sky and studies the distribution of hydrogen gas in galaxies, using CSIROs ASKAP radio telescope. Neutral hydrogen plays a crucial role in the formation of stars, making this finding fundamental to understanding how galaxies interact and evolve, particularly in dense environments, said ICRAR Professor Kenji Bekki. The system had strong similarities with our own Milky Way and Magellanic System, providing a unique opportunity to study such interactions in detail, Professor Staveley-Smith said. Understanding these gas bridges and their dynamics provides critical insights into how galaxies evolve over time, how galactic gas is redistributed, and the varying conditions under which galaxies may or may not form stars. This contributes to our broader understanding of the most massive structures in the Universe and their life cycles, which helps us grasp more about their vast complexities and history of star formation. The results appear in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. _____ L. Staveley-Smith et al. 2025. WALLABY pilot survey: the extensive interaction of NGC 4532 and DDO 137 with the Virgo cluster. MNRAS 543 (1): 526-539; doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf1443 Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani speaks during a reception celebrating the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sept. 22, 2025. The Global Governance Initiative proposed by China, which aims to promote a fairer global governance system, showcases China's vision for human progress and international harmony, said Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) ISLAMABAD, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Global Governance Initiative proposed by China, which aims to promote a fairer global governance system, showcases China's vision for human progress and international harmony, said Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani. The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan held a reception in Islamabad on Monday to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Gilani said in his speech that with China's remarkable journey as inspiration, and with unshakeable Pakistan-China friendship as foundation, there is no doubt that the two countries together will write new chapters of hope, progress, and prosperity for their peoples and for the wider region. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) represents a proud chapter of the iron-clad friendship between the two countries. CPEC is not just about roads, energy projects or ports. It is about shared dreams and prosperity for the two peoples, Gilani said. Gwadar Port, once a quiet fishing harbor, is now a symbol of that transformation. It is a gateway for trade, a catalyst for regional economic activity and a living demonstration of what sustained cooperation can achieve, he added. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and new cabinet ministers take an oath in front of King Maha Vajiralongkorn at Dusit Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 24, 2025. Thailand's new coalition government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his cabinet ministers was sworn into office on Wednesday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios last week. The 36-member cabinet under the Bhumjaithai Party-led coalition recited the oath of allegiance before an audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a traditional ceremony held at Dusit Palace in the capital, Bangkok. (Bureau of the Royal Household/Handout via Xinhua) BANGKOK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's new coalition government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his cabinet ministers was sworn into office on Wednesday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios last week. The 36-member cabinet under the Bhumjaithai Party-led coalition recited the oath of allegiance before an audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a traditional ceremony held at Dusit Palace in the capital, Bangkok. Anutin and six deputy prime ministers attended the ceremony, along with other cabinet ministers and their deputies, representing factions of the ruling bloc, which also comprises the Kla Tham, Palang Pracharath, and Ruam Thai Sang Chart parties. The prime minister later chaired a special cabinet meeting at the government house in the evening and is set to present his policy statement to parliament next week, the final step before the new administration can officially assume office. Anutin, 59-year-old Bhumjaithai Party leader, was elected the Southeast Asian country's 32nd prime minister after winning a parliamentary vote earlier this month. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and new cabinet ministers take an oath in front of King Maha Vajiralongkorn at Dusit Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 24, 2025. Thailand's new coalition government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his cabinet ministers was sworn into office on Wednesday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios last week. The 36-member cabinet under the Bhumjaithai Party-led coalition recited the oath of allegiance before an audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a traditional ceremony held at Dusit Palace in the capital, Bangkok. (Bureau of the Royal Household/Handout via Xinhua) Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and new cabinet ministers meet the press at the Government House in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, Sept. 24, 2025. Thailand's new coalition government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his cabinet ministers was sworn into office on Wednesday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios last week. The 36-member cabinet under the Bhumjaithai Party-led coalition recited the oath of allegiance before an audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a traditional ceremony held at Dusit Palace in the capital, Bangkok. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (C, front) and new cabinet ministers pose for a group photo at the Government House in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, Sept. 24, 2025. Thailand's new coalition government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his cabinet ministers was sworn into office on Wednesday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios last week. The 36-member cabinet under the Bhumjaithai Party-led coalition recited the oath of allegiance before an audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a traditional ceremony held at Dusit Palace in the capital, Bangkok. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and new cabinet ministers pose for a group photo at the Government House in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, Sept. 24, 2025. Thailand's new coalition government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his cabinet ministers was sworn into office on Wednesday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios last week. The 36-member cabinet under the Bhumjaithai Party-led coalition recited the oath of allegiance before an audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a traditional ceremony held at Dusit Palace in the capital, Bangkok. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) A farmer harvests blueberries in Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe, Sept. 18, 2025. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) HARARE, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Inside a greenhouse located in Zimbabwe's Mashonaland West Province, workers carefully hand-pick fresh blueberries from lush green shrubs, ensuring only the best fruit makes it to the baskets. In recent years, Zimbabwe's blueberry industry has grown rapidly, bringing local farmers higher incomes. This year, producers are setting their sights on exporting blueberries to China, one of the world's largest and most lucrative markets. Earlier this month, Zimbabwe signed a trade agreement allowing fresh blueberry exports to China, a move farmers say will spur production to meet the surge in demand. "It is a huge market. They are the biggest exporters of blueberries, among the biggest growers of blueberries, and also one of the biggest importers of blueberries. So, it really has taken off there," said Alistair Campbell, a blueberry farmer from the province. Supported by favorable climate conditions, increased agricultural investment, and rising demand for this healthy food, Zimbabwe's blueberry industry is expanding. According to the country's Horticultural Development Council (HDC), production is expected to rise from 8,000 metric tons in 2024 to 12,000 metric tons in 2025. Farmers believe that Zimbabwe's strategic geographic location -- allowing early access to global markets -- gives the country a competitive edge. "Our product is well received. We get big, nice-tasting berries. And it's well-received in the market thus far. We just need more scale, more blueberries," Campbell said, adding that the opportunity to export to China positions Zimbabwe as a significant player in blueberry production. "We really need to get things moving pretty quickly. We hope to have some really good engagements with government to see what we can get done there, and also with funders to make sure that we get enough plants in the ground to satisfy at least a part of that Chinese market," he added. In a statement following the signing of the blueberry export agreement, the HDC called for policies to increase investment, expand production to required volumes, and ensure that Zimbabwe's blueberries consistently meet China's quality and phytosanitary standards. Joseph Kakoto, president of the Zimbabwe Young Farmers Association for Sustainable Development, a youth-led organization, expressed optimism about the growth prospects of the Chinese export market, saying the protocol would attract new investment in plantations, packhouses, and cold chain infrastructure, creating jobs along the value chain. "This protocol is a win-win. Zimbabwe gains access to a lucrative market, while China secures reliable food imports," Kakoto told Xinhua. The deal, he said, signals Zimbabwe's entry into high-value horticultural exports such as blueberries, opening the door to greater foreign currency earnings and investment. "I am very confident about the Chinese market because it is huge and steadily growing with a rising middle class that demands healthy premium foods such as blueberries. Zimbabwe's climate and soil are highly suitable for premium berries, giving us a competitive edge," he said. A farmer harvests blueberries in Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe, Sept. 18, 2025. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) A farmer shows freshly harvested blueberries in Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe, Sept. 18, 2025. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) MOSCOW, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- An attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russia's port city of Novorossiysk has left two people dead and six injured, Russia's regional crisis response center said on Wednesday. According to updated information, two people have been killed, while the number of the injured has risen to six from two, including one person with minor injuries and three in serious condition, the crisis response center said in a statement. South Dakota Mines has been shaping the future of mining since its founding in 1885. What began as a mining school has grown into a leader driving innovation in the critical minerals supply chain resources essential to everyday life and national security. Today, Mines is one of only five universities in the nation to house all three mineral industry disciplines: geology and geological engineering, mining engineering and management, and materials and metallurgical engineering. Now, the university is celebrating its legacy while looking to the future of sustainable mining. On Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mines will host the inaugural 4M Expo Mining, Minerals, Munitions, and Manufacturing in the Nucor Mineral Industries Building. Open to all ages, this community event offers something for everyone: from gold panning, sandbox mining, and blacksmithing, to keynote talks and interactive discussions with Mines students and faculty. The day also includes free admission to the Museum of Geology in the OHarra Building on campus. We really want the community to come to campus and see some of the really cool things our students are doing for national security, agriculture and the environment, said Andrea Brickey, Ph.D., Mines professor of mining engineering and management. The event is also a way to inform the community about the importance of domestic mining and the increased demand for critical minerals. From cell phones and electric vehicles to surgery equipment and weapons, these key elements, buried in the Earth's crust, make up nearly everything in our modern lives. Over the past several years, the mining supply chain has been brought to the forefront of national security, Brickey said. We depend on many of these critical minerals for daily life and national defense, but at the moment, the majority are sourced through countries that are not necessarily our allies. Additionally, the United States is a leader in mine safety and environmental protection. Mining has come a long way since its early days. Today's mining is high-tech and much safer and more sustainable, using autonomous equipment and artificial intelligence. We really want to highlight how mining is done today the industry is using technology that isnt even in the public realm yet, Brickey said. Mines blends more than a century of expertise with cutting-edge research to meet the growing demand for critical minerals. The 4M Expo will highlight how modern mining is smarter, more sustainable and more essential than ever. Find full event details and the complete schedule here. by kuhlio Wed Sep 24, 2025 9:00 pm Thanks to Hasbro's Instagram account we have a schedule of events for their New York Comic Con Panels. Thursday October 9th has Hasbro's Disney brand (Star Wars, Marvel) panel at 12PM EST. Friday October 10th, at 12PM EST when Hasbro Pulse is promising some big reveals for their Action Brands. This panel will include G.I. Joe, Ghostbusters, and of course Transformers. Following the NYCC in-person reveals, the Hasbro creative teams will be releasing streams to the Hasbro Pulse YouTube channel. DALLAS, the United States, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- One person was shot dead and two others injured, with the shooter also dead, at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility here in the southern state of Texas on Wednesday morning, U.S. media outlets reported. The reports quoted Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, as saying there were "multiple injuries and fatalities" and the shooter was found dead of a "self-inflicted gunshot wound." The Dallas Police Department said in a social media post that the shooting occurred at about 6:40 a.m. local time (1140 GMT). The shooter opened fire from a nearby building, killing one person at the scene. Two others were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds. "The obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop. I'm praying for everyone hurt in this attack and for their families," U.S. Vice President JD Vance wrote on social media platform X above a post by Noem about the shooting. Noem said investigators did not know a motive yet. Further details of the shooting were not immediately clear. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of homeland security, told Fox News that no federal agents were shot. The Dallas ICE center has been the site of weekly morning prayer vigils, where a few dozen community members in support of immigration raise signs with messages like "families belong together" and "due process," The New York Times reported. COLOMBO, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed and three others injured in a head-on collision early Thursday morning between a truck and a van in Thalawa, North Central Province, Sri Lanka, police said. The injured were admitted to two regional hospitals, and further investigations are underway. Road accidents involving heavy vehicles are common in Sri Lanka. Police noted that many of these vehicles are poorly maintained, adding that the government has recently launched a program to inspect passenger transport vehicles. Tata Steel, Waaree Energies, and Indian Hotels announced major investments and new projects to strengthen global and domestic operations. Glenmark and Lupin made strides with licensing and US FDA approvals, boosting their healthcare portfolios. Adani Energy earned a Zero-Waste certification, Piramal Enterprises got merger approval, while Dalmia Bharat addressed EDs land attachment case. As the markets open today, investors are likely to keep a close eye on a set of companies making strong moves across sectors. From big-ticket fund infusions to global certifications and new business deals, these updates are expected to shape stock-specific momentum in trade. Tata Steel has infused Rs 4,054.66 crore into its Singapore-based unit, T Steel Holdings Pte. Ltd, by acquiring 457.7 crore shares, ensuring the subsidiary continues as a wholly owned arm. This signals the companys sustained focus on strengthening its overseas operations. Adani Energy Solutions (AESL) marked a significant sustainability milestone, with its corporate headquarters and operational sites achieving the 'Zero-Waste-to-Landfill' certification from Intertek, underlining its green commitment. Glenmark Pharma announced that its subsidiary signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Hengrui Pharma for Trastuzumab Rezetecan, a next-gen HER2-targeted therapy, boosting its oncology pipeline. Tata Motors, through Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), is working to resolve overdue supplier payments following a cyberattack that disrupted production. The move highlights the automakers efforts to restore normalcy in its global supply chain. Waaree Energies has invested Rs 300 crore into its subsidiary Waaree Energy Storage Solutions, reflecting its growing bet on the renewable energy storage sector. Lupin secured tentative approval from the US FDA for its generic version of Bictegravir, Emtricitabine, and Tenofovir Alafenamide tablets, opening a new avenue in the US HIV treatment market. Indian Hotels entered into an agreement to launch a 310-room Taj hotel in Visakhapatnam, strengthening its luxury presence along the eastern coast. Newgen Softwares UK arm signed a master service agreement with a client for cloud hosting, licensing, and implementation services, showcasing its growing global footprint. Piramal Enterprises secured NCLT approval for its merger with Piramal Finance, with Anand Piramal taking over as chairman of the merged entity. Dalmia Bharat acknowledged EDs provisional attachment of land worth Rs 377.26 crore but reassured stakeholders that operations remain unaffected. Meanwhile,acknowledged EDs provisional attachment of land worth Rs 377.26 crore butthat operations remain unaffected. With developments spanning steel, energy, pharma, autos, hospitality, and IT, todays market narrative will likely be shaped by sectoral updates and company-specific action. Piyush Goyal met CEOs of Blackstone, Carlyle, Warburg Pincus, and FedEx to discuss expanding trade and investment in India. Meetings with IBM and DP World focused on tech collaboration, logistics, and strengthening supply chains. Highlighted Indias clean energy vision, PM Modis 'One Sun, One World, One Grid' initiative, and collaboration with the World Bank for inclusive development. Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, has intensified Indias international outreach with a series of high-level meetings with global CEOs, business leaders, and policymakers during his visit to the United States and other engagements abroad. The meetings highlighted Indias growing role as a hub for trade, investment, innovation, and sustainable growth. In New York, Goyal met Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Blackstone, to review the firms investment plans in India, reflecting the confidence global investors continue to place in the countrys economy. He also held talks with Raj Subramaniam, President & CEO of FedEx, exploring collaboration in logistics, a sector that is rapidly expanding in India and strengthening the nations position in global supply chains. Further deepening ties with key partners, Goyal met Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman & CEO of DP World, to discuss greater cooperation in logistics and infrastructure, while his meeting with IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna centered on advancing technology partnerships and investing in emerging technologies, backed by Indias skilled workforce. The minister also held discussions with leading global investors including Harvey Schwartz, CEO of Carlyle Group, and Chip Kaye, Chairman of Warburg Pincus, on expanding investments in Indias resilient economy. In addition, his meeting with Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank, focused on collaboration to support Indias sustainable development goals and inclusive growth agenda. At the Session on Energy Security in a Shifting Global Landscape, organised in New York by India in partnership with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and ReNew Power, Goyal emphasized Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of 'One Sun, One World, One Grid'. He highlighted Indias commitment to clean energy and the need for innovation and robust infrastructure to drive the global transition to renewables. Goyal also engaged with Mukesh Aghi, President & CEO of USISPF, and Italys Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, to explore ways of boosting bilateral trade and investment. Currently, Goyal is in the United States leading advanced negotiations toward a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement. Accompanied by senior officials, including Indias Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, he is holding discussions covering trade and non-trade issues with American counterparts. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that his country does not seek nuclear weapons. "I hereby declare once more, before this assembly, that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb," he told the General Debate of the General Assembly. "We do not seek nuclear weapons. This is our belief based on the edict issued by the Supreme Leader and by religious authorities. Therefore, we never sought weapons of mass destruction, nor will we ever seek them." Pezeshkian said the attempts by the three European countries of Britain, France and Germany, which are parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, to reinstate UN sanctions against Iran are illegitimate. The three countries, known as the E3, claimed that they triggered the snapback mechanism provided for in the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), by notifying the Security Council of Tehran's "non-performance" on Aug. 28. However, the legality of the E3 move has been questioned as it skipped the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) provided for in the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, which endorsed the deal. Under the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, the DRM has 35 days to resolve the disagreement. A snapback can be triggered only after the DRM fails to resolve the issue. Four men indicted in the monthslong undercover drug operation which saw $25,000 in drug transactions on the boroughs North Shore have all pleaded guilty to resolve their cases. (Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The recent takedown of a drug-dealing operation on Staten Island involving members of the Trinitarios criminal organization has revealed a hierarchy within the local crew. Four men indicted in the monthslong undercover drug operation which saw $25,000 in drug transactions on the boroughs North Shore have all pleaded guilty to resolve their cases. The defendants include a 22-year-old man, who according to court documents was the main target of the investigation; a 23-year-old man who helped oversee the drug operations, and two others who were offered conditional plea deals to avoid prison. Prior to this case, Los Trinitarios, aka 3ni, was not known to have a footprint on Staten Island, according to a law enforcement source. The gang works to dominate their communities by intimidating rival gangs and establishing control over certain neighborhoods, according to a recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement report. Members of the gang, which originated in the New York prison system in the 1990s, show their affiliation in part by wearing the colors green and the red, blue, and white of the Dominican flag. Top leaders within the organization, known as state supremes, oversee operations in their respective state and are responsible for communication with leadership in the Dominican Republic, according to a recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement report. Members of the Trinitarios criminal organization based their drug-dealing operations out of an apartment on the 200 block of Corson Avenue, according to law enforcement officials. (Google Maps) Yeuris Menor Robles, 22 Authorities said the main target of the investigation on Staten Island was Yeuris Menor Robles, the youngest of the four defendants. An NYPD spokesperson listed Robles home address in Concord, though he also was tied to the apartment on the 200 block of Corson Avenue, where authorities said the crew based their drug dealing operations. Robles pleaded guilty to criminal sale of a controlled substance and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 6 in state Supreme Court, St. George, to eight to 10 years in prison. The district attorneys office plans to seek additional time at sentencing. Luis Tejada, 23 Helping run the local drug operation was Luis Tejada, 23, of New Brighton, who also was tied to the apartment on Corson Avenue. He was there when police carried out a pre-dawn raid in July 2022. Tejada also pleaded guilty to criminal sale of a controlled substance and is scheduled to be sentenced to eight years incarceration. During the 2022 raid, police recovered an unmarked container with 89 blue pills of oxycodone marked M30, and a second container with three yellow pills of oxycodone stamped 230. They also recovered an imitation pistol. After a recent court appearance, Tejadas mother explained outside the courtroom through an interpreter that she felt her son was being framed on gun charges he was facing, though she didnt say by who. She explained that she moved to the U.S. with Tejada and his siblings when he was 15 years old, and that he had been friends with his co-defendants since they were teenagers. She said he is not a violent person and that she never saw any signs of gang activity when he lived with her. He had already moved out of her house at the time of the drug investigation. 3rd defendant offered peer pressure counseling Lexian Fantauzzi, 23, of West Brighton, pleaded guilty before Judge Mario F. Mattei to attempted sale of a controlled substance. In exchange for his plea, the district attorneys office offered him five years probation. Prosecutors made the plea offer on multiple conditions, including that Fantauzzi completes peer pressure counseling and a jobs training course, while also avoiding further arrest. Dont hang around with the people who got you in trouble in the first place, or hang around the places that are going to get you into trouble, said Mattei, who presided over the hearing Tuesday. Mattei explained to Fantauzzi that he would be interviewed by a probation officer prior to sentencing to discuss the incident and reaffirm he has taken responsibility for his actions, per standard court procedure. You dont have to mention any other names, just what you did, said Mattei. Fantauzzis mother looked on from the gallery. She blessed herself with the sign of the cross as her son a stocky man with tattoos extending down his right forearm, a high-fade and a chin strap beard and mustache approached the bar. The defendant, a first-time felon, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 9. His attorney assured the judge during a recent hearing that his client is a U.S. Citizen. 4th defendant in problem solving court In February, co-defendant Howie Clemons, 27, of Stapleton, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. His case was moved to problem-solving court, which is designed to address underlying issues often at the root of criminal activity. His sentencing remains ongoing as part of an alternative to incarceration program, which serves as a way to divert defendants toward services such as substance use treatment and mental health treatment. If he fails to meet the requirements of the program, is arrested again or fails to show up to court then he could face the possibility of jail time. A school bus on the side of the West Shore Expressway near Exit 4 after colliding with a utility pole. (Advance/SILive.com | Luke Peteley) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. One person was taken to a local hospital after a yellow school bus struck a utility pole near the West Shore Expressway on Thursday. The crash occurred on West Service Road, just beyond the exit ramp of Exit 4 for Arthur Kill Road and Huguenot Avenue, according to an Advance/SILive.com reporter at the scene. An FDNY spokesperson told the Advance/SILive.com that they received a call for the emergency at 9:17 a.m. Emergency responders found that a bus crashed into a telephone pole causing the attached wires to come down. A school bus on the side of the West Shore Expressway near Exit 4 after colliding with a utility pole. (Advance/SILive.com | Luke Peteley) The spokesperson said that one person was transported to Staten Island University Hospital in Princes Bay. The patients condition was not revealed to the Advance/SILive.com. No children were on the bus, as noted by the department spokesperson. The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority, a spokesperson for NYC Public Schools said. There were no students on the bus, and NYPD immediately responded to this incident. A source with knowledge of the bus collision told the Advance/SILive.com that the driver was returning to the bus yard after completing their morning route. They also identified the driver as the individual taken to the hospital. Around noon, the bus was still visible at the scene and was found heavily leaning toward one side several feet from the road. The vehicle sustained significant damage to its front, while the remnants of the utility pole were hanging over the bus. The NYC Department of Transportation is seeking to acquire approximately five acres of land along Arthur Kill Road in Rossville to support its Sidewalk Inspections Management construction crews. The proposed site, pictured here, is the former Pathmark shopping plaza, located at 2730 Arthur Kill Rd. (Advance/SILive | Jan Somma-Hammel) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The NYC Department of Transportation is seeking to acquire approximately five acres of land along Arthur Kill Road in Rossville to support its Sidewalk Inspections Management, or SIM, construction crews. A land use application filed with NYC Department of Planning stated that the agency is proposing 81,000 square feet for the storage space, which will house vehicles, trucks, equipment and materials. The proposed development, located in the former Pathmark shopping plaza at 2730 Arthur Kill Rd., would also include a 64,117-square-foot designated meeting space for staff, according to the application. NYC DOTs SIM Citywide Concrete unit is a vital NYC DOT operation, crucial for the safe movement of pedestrians throughout New York City, the agency noted in a project description that was submitted within the land use application. This unit is responsible for sidewalk repairs and pedestrian ramp, traffic median, and pedestrian safety island installations throughout the five boroughs. According to the proposal, there are currently 10 citywide facilities that now support these functions: Two in Brooklyn, three in Queens, two in the Bronx, one in Manhattan, and two existing facilities on Staten Island, located at 2695 Richmond Terrace and 3551 Richmond Terrace. However, the DOT noted in the proposal that the 2695 Richmond Terrace facility is over capacity and in an area that is highly prone to flooding. The agency also claimed that the facility at 3551 Richmond Terrace is located in the floodplain as well. Acquiring the proposed Project Site would allow the consolidation of SIM Citywide Concrete operations, materials, and vehicles at one Staten Island location that is not in the floodplain, the application stated. The SIM warehousing facility located at 5-40 44th Drive in Queens which is in very poor condition and being considered for conversion to affordable housing would also move to this new Arthur Kill site, according to the proposal. The Project Site has been identified by NYC DOT as an ideal location for SIM operations, because of the sites excellent truck route access, arterial access, and zoning, the proposal stated. Ideal truck route access is provided by the West Shore Expressway connecting with the Outerbridge Crossing to the south and the Staten Island Expressway to the north. NYC DOT vehicles traveling to and from the Project Site can access these roads without entering residential streets or adding to traffic on Arthur Kill Road. According to maps provided in the proposal, the Project Site is located within a C8-2 zoning district, which allows for automotive and other heavy commercial services. C8-2 zones bridge commercial and manufacturing uses, with an emphasis on vehicle-oriented uses , the proposal stated. The existing structure on the Project Site is suitably sized to support agency operations and the large surface parking lot provides sufficient space for vehicle and equipment storage without any additional building construction. The site currently includes the one-story supermarket structure and six adjoining storefronts. According to the DOT, retail uses ceased operations there in 2015. Following the closure of the supermarket and adjoining storefronts, the site was managed as a used car storage area until April 2021. The site currently includes the one-story supermarket structure and six adjoining storefronts. According to DOT, retail uses ceased operations there in 2015. (Advance/SILive | Jan Somma-Hammel) The site was then closed and fenced off from April 2021 to May 2024. NYC is currently using the site, as of May 2024, under a license agreement with the landlord for the long-term storage of equipment, the agency stated in its proposal. Agency vehicles proposed for storage on site include: 26 pick-up trucks; nine sedans; 15 rack trucks; six cement trucks; 35 haul trucks; 17 dump trucks; a silo truck; five backhoes; and four Bobcat utility vehicles, the document noted. Other parking would be used for trailers of varying sizes and specialty equipment storage. Additionally, close to 5,000 square feet of space would be used for material -- including stone, sand, and compost -- and debris storage. Potential traffic impacts of the vehicle trips generated by employees and NYC DOT agency vehicles arriving to and departing from the Project Site have been analyzed in a detailed traffic analysis, and this analysis determined that no significant adverse impacts would occur, the application noted, detailing a study that was conducted according to the City Environmental Quality Review Technical Manual, or CEQR. The proposed site is just one of several new projects planned for a stretch of Arthur Kill Road, and its located just across the street from a large industrial warehouse that was recently erected, adding approximately 136,346 square feet of storage space and 29 loading docks to the busy thoroughfare. The proposed project is also just 2.7 miles away from 1 Nassau Place, where another massive industrial warehouse project is currently rising in Richmond Valley. A 16-acre trucking terminal is also being proposed for construction just 1.3 miles away in Charleston. The developer, Arthur Englewood LLC, is planning a facility for 184 tractor-trailers. Actions necessary to facilitate the DOT proposed project include the acquisition of the privately owned property. Acquisition of the Project Site for development as a public facility requires the review of Section 218 of the City Charter and requires compliance with the Uniform Land Use Review Procedures (ULURP)..., the land use application noted, detailing how the borough president and the appropriate Community Board will have a chance to respond to the proposal. NYC DOT service vehicles would be deployed daily throughout Staten Island and occasionally to other boroughs, the application concluded. The sites access to transportation infrastructure, zoning restrictions, surrounding land uses, and seclusion from nearby residential neighborhoods make it an ideal location for supporting this essential NYC DOT operation. When asked to provide comment on the project, a DOT spokesperson noted that the description in the project brief is accurate, and they confirmed the agencys plans to relocate Staten Island-based NYC DOT crews working on street safety improvement projects and upgrading pedestrian ramps to this site. The spokesperson stressed that vehicles would use the Veterans Road West entrance/exit and not access the property via Arthur Kill Road. Despite dispelling divorce rumors, former President Barack Obama has made a staggering admission about his marriage to wife, Michelle. The Daily Mail reported that the former commander-in-chief admitted that he was in a hole with his spouse after serving eight years as president of the United States. Obama made the comments during an appearance with historian David Olusoga at the O2 Arena in London on Wednesday. The 44th president said that his two terms in the White House left him with some ground to make up with the former first lady. I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself with Michelle, Obama said. Now Im at about level ground. The Obamas have been dogged all year by rumors that their celebrated union is on the rocks. It started with unfounded rumors that Barack Obama had been romancing former Friends star Jennifer Aniston. The rumors gained heat when the former president was spotted without his wife at two high-profile events in Washington, D.C., earlier this year: the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter and the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Obama has at times seemed to acknowledge that things hadnt been going smoothly in the relationship. I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle, he said during an appearance in Pennsylvania earlier this year. And thats been challenging, but I feel like Im making progress. Im almost breaking even at the moment. Michelle Obama said that she had been following her own path this year. On her podcast this summer she said she had never once thought about splitting from her hubby. The two were spotted together for the first time in months over the weekend, joining director Steven Spielberg on his yacht. Hillary Clinton may have shocked some of her fans with strong praise of President Donald Trump. The Hill reported that the former Secretary of State approves of Trumps new take on Ukraines chances in its war with Russia. Speaking on MSNBCs Morning Joe program on Wednesday, Clinton said, I welcomed what the president said yesterday. Democrat Clinton, who lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump, was referring to Trumps post on Truth Social saying that Ukraine could win its war with Russia and could regain territory lost to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump while attending the U.N. general assembly meeting on Tuesday called Russia a paper tiger. The president said that NATO countries should shoot down any Russian aircraft that violates their airspace. Trump had previously said that Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky would need to cede territory to Russia in order to end the war, which has gone on for more than three years. Clinton, a former first lady and U.S. senator from New York, said that Trump is coming to grips with the fact that Vladimir Putin does not respond to any kind of rhetoric, he only responds to strength. Clinton said, You have to show strength. You have to back strength. You have to be strong in order to deal with him. [Putin] poses a clear and present danger to all of Europe, and therefore, to the United States. And I think what President Trump said yesterday is, If we help Ukraine, Ukraine can hold the line and may even be able to push Russia back. Trump has been unsuccessful in his attempts to have Putin make peace with Ukraine, despite saying that his summit with the Russian leader in Alaska last month was very productive. President Donald Trump is being roasted after the White House posted whats been called an out of context 2017 tweet from Tylenol warning pregnant women not to take their products. The New York Post reported that the White House reposted the tweet on Wednesday. In the 2017 tweet, Tylenol wrote, We actually dont recommend using any of our products while pregnant. Thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns today. Re-posting the tweet, the White House wrote, President Trump is right. Trump and the Department of Health and Human Services have come under fire after the agency warned pregnant women not to take Tylenol after claiming that studies had shown that the acetaminophen painkiller it contains could cause autism in children. Trump at a press conference told pregnant women that they shouldnt take Tylenol unless they were experiencing a high-risk fever. HHS, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also shared a screen shot of the 2017 Tylenol tweet. Trump supporters were quick to back the president. Liberal women, please take as many Tylenols during pregnancy as possible. Prove Trump wrong, ok? one person posted on X. But Kenvue, which is Tylenols parent company, said that the eight-year-old tweet, which was a reply to prior tweet from a customer, was being taken out of context. We do not make recommendations on taking any medications in pregnancy because that is the job of a healthcare provider, the company said. This eight-year-old consumer response is incomplete and did not address our full guidance on the safe use of Tylenol which has not changed: Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy. Said one poster on X, You just cant believe anything coming from the Trump administration these days - all lies, distortions, or conspiracy theories!! Trumps lack of values is a cancer eating away at our country. Medical experts have fired back at the autism assertion by Trump and HHS. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said on Monday that the suggestion that acetaminophen use in pregnancy caused autism was not backed by reliable data and dangerously simplifies the many and complex causes of neurologic challenges in children, The New York Times reported. Clouds in the sky as seen from Front Street in Stapleton on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel) Staten Island residents should prepare for a potentially stormy Thursday with a high risk of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather Service. The Storm Prediction Center has placed the area in a marginal risk for severe weather, with isolated thunderstorms and the possibility of brief moderate to heavy rainfall expected through early evening. Showers and thunderstorms could continue to impact the New York City area through 2 a.m. The weather service warns that showers and thunderstorms could produce widespread rainfall ranging from half an inch to 2 inches, with locally higher amounts possible. Brief nuisance flooding may occur in urban and poor drainage areas, though the risk of flash flooding remains low due to recent dry conditions. A pre-frontal trough will move through the region Thursday afternoon into evening, followed by a cold fronts passage Friday morning. After showers this morning, expect another round of storms this afternoon (~3-9 PM), some severe, mainly N & W of NYC. The area is in a Marginal Risk (1/5) for damaging winds, an isolated tornado & flash flooding due to heavy rain. The greatest risk is north and west of the city. pic.twitter.com/xIBj0gwbAU NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) September 25, 2025 Temperatures will remain mild, with winds turning southerly in the morning and potentially gusting up to 20 mph. The Storm Prediction Center notes that while severe weather is possible, damaging wind gusts are the primary threat; an isolated tornado remains a possibility. Residents should stay alert to changing weather conditions and be prepared for sudden thunderstorm activity. The weather pattern will begin to shift Friday, with the cold front moving east and conditions gradually improving. Shower chances will continue intermittently through early next week, with a stalled upper trough expected to produce periodic precipitation. Temperatures will remain above normal through Monday before potentially dropping below normal by Wednesday. By late Tuesday, a strong Canadian high-pressure system is expected to build into the area, which should bring drier conditions and reduce precipitation chances. Residents should monitor local weather updates for the most current information and be prepared for potentially unsettled weather conditions over the next several days. A draft of this story was generated using AI. It was reviewed, edited and approved by Advance/SILive.com staff. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva voiced optimism on Wednesday after a brief meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, even as ties between the two countries remain tense. At a press conference on Wednesday, Lula said that he believed Trump was ill-informed about Brazil and that a meeting between the two heads of state would clear up any misunderstanding. "Let's bring everything to the table -- everything that we think we should talk about," he said, adding that what is not discussable is Brazil's sovereignty and democracy, obviously referring to the sentencing of his immediate predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. Trump, in his speech to the general debate of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, said that he had a brief exchange with Lula, and they agreed to meet next week. Trump said there was "chemistry" between him and Lula. Amid growing tensions with the United States over new tariffs and digital regulations, Lula has recently rejected U.S. pressure over the conviction of Bolsonaro, saying Brazil "is not a banana republic" that bows to foreign interference. Interstate 81 in southern Schuylkill County is closed due to a crash in Lebanon County. Around 8:45am, fire police were requested to shutdown southbound Interstate 81 at the Pine Grove exit. The highway is expected to be closed for an extended period of time. Traffic is being detoured off the Interstate onto Route 443. Drivers heading further south on Interstate 81 due to a traffic backup for a crash on Interstate 81 near mile marker 85 in Lebanon County as well. Macquarie has agreed to compensate the victims of the Shield Master Fund collapse after financial planners using its platform pumped $321 million of peoples life savings into the allegedly rogue investment scheme. The compensation scheme will cover about 3000 of the around 5800 people who invested in the $500 million fund between 2022 and 2023. Macquarie will be hoping a fire sale of Shields assets, which include planned resorts, will get them some money back. Macquarie has also admitted to breaching its obligation to act honestly, efficiently and fairly when it did not put Shield on a watch list after it had concerns about the fund. ASIC deputy chair Sarah Court said: This is an important outcome that stems the significant losses that threatened thousands of members retirement savings after they used Macquaries platform to invest their super in Shield. Some of the difference might come down to cultural expectations, but also the perverse incentives created by Australias pension system. For instance, a pensioner in Australia can end up effectively earning less despite working more because of the clunky way our aged pension payments shrink as people take on a little extra work. Of course, we shouldnt force people to work until they drop. The year after World War II ended, my grandpa said he worked 365 days straight. We worked from as soon as the sun came up, to when it went down, he told me. That, of course, is excessive. But there are big missed opportunities for our longevity, physical and mental health, and the economy more broadly in discouraging those who might want to continue working from doing so. Its backed by solid research but also makes sense intuitively. Having built up his own construction business, my grandpa continued working, at least odd jobs here and there, well into his 80s. I didnt have a day where I specifically retired, he told me. By his 90s and until he entered an aged care home about a year ago he was handling just a handful of small requests from family, but it kept his mind and body active. Now, Im bored out of my mind and getting more frail, he told me. If I could do even a bit of work, I could be useful. But all I am now is a burden to everyone. Of course, that isnt true, and I made sure to let him know. I guess theres not a space available yet in the afterlife, he laughed. For many, work can give a sense of purpose, especially for those who havent got strong ties to family, friends or the community. And that work doesnt have to look like a conventional nine-to-five or even part-time or casual work. It could be things like getting more older people involved in mentoring, both through government-funded programs and private businesses or individuals taking initiative. After all, older people have decades of experience, not just in business, but life more broadly. With loneliness becoming a widespread and growing trend, especially among young people, theres a lot to gain from this. Facilitating more opportunities for interaction between generations could be a win-win, particularly for those who may not have relationships with their own grandparents or grandchildren. Reducing loneliness can lift productivity our ability to produce things better, faster or using less resources and take pressure off the healthcare system by preventing the many health problems linked to loneliness. Loading That brings big economic benefits, but also fulfils one of our greatest human needs: the desire for connection with other people. Taking the time to talk to my grandpa over three days came with a noticeable boost in his mood, cognition and energy level that I think could be traced to more than just my Japanese language skills improving over hours of conversation. Its a phenomenon thats been noted in research showing young people can, through social interaction alone, help improve the vascular health, cognitive abilities and life span of the elderly. But theres also a lot to gain for young people, who can receive advice and gain an insight into history. Speaking with my grandpa, for example, gave me an opportunity to hear from one of the diminishing number of people who lived through, and remember, the Second World War. When I asked him about his time in the Imperial Japanese Army Academy the army officer training school he reignited my interest in modern history, telling me stories I wouldnt get from history books. I disliked exercise and absolutely hated running, he said. But we were made to do a lot judo, kendo, running one time, towards the end of all our training, we had to walk for 24 hours straight and werent allowed to sit down. It was beyond exhausting, but this training made me very fit by the end. Incredibly, my grandpa was spared from being sent to war because Japan surrendered the month he was supposed to graduate from the army officer training school. One day in August, we gathered at 12pm to listen to the emperors announcement, he said. At first, it was such a bad-quality sound that we didnt know what had been said, but when we returned to our rooms, someone delivered the message that we had lost the war. Loading I asked whether it came as a surprise. Of course, he said. We didnt think we were winning, but wed been taught to fight until the last man, so we never thought we would surrender. While learning more about World War II is sobering, it feels especially pertinent as wars continue in the Middle East and Ukraine and Russia today. Both my grandparents who are still alive stress the importance of peace. We should never go to war, my 92-year-old grandma often tells me. Theres perhaps no better time to learn from our parents, grandparents and the elderly. And no better time to improve the way we look after them, break down the barriers discouraging them from working, and spend time listening to them. BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Clarivate Analytics on Thursday announced the 2025 Citation Laureates award, which recognized 22 scholars from eight countries. Chinese chemist Zhang Tao, from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, won the award in chemistry for his contributions to single-atom catalysis, becoming the first scientist from the Chinese mainland to receive the Citation Laureates award. Zhang, along with his collaborators, created the concept of single-atom catalysis, which advances heterogeneous catalysis research to the atomic level, laying the scientific foundation for precise catalysis, and opening up an entirely new frontier in the field. His groundbreaking research has not only driven fundamental advances in catalysis science but also profoundly influenced several frontier interdisciplinary fields, including energy chemistry and materials science. His research has further stimulated rapid global progress in this field of research. The Citation Laureates award is granted based on a comprehensive evaluation of research impact, including citation performance, originality, breakthrough significance, identification of core contributors, and peer recognition. Widely regarded as a leading "predictor" of the Nobel Prizes, the Citation Laureate award has seen 83 of its past recipients go on to win Nobel Prizes since its inception. 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 Not much more than a decade after House of Cards transformed streaming, it is true to say streaming has transformed television. House of Cards also transformed Robin Wright, an actor largely seen in romantic comedy and fantasy, into one who breathed life into complex, sometimes terrifying women. We knew that this was going to become the future, streaming, which is why [House of Cards director] David Fincher said, Youll probably benefit from doing the show because were going to launch this medium that will take off and it did, Wright says. Robin Wright as Laura Sanderson in The Girlfriend, which Wright also directed. Credit: The 59-year-old Texas-born actor has returned to streaming, this time for The Girlfriend, which she produced and directed and also stars in. Not as the girlfriend Cherry (whos played by Olivia Cooke), who falls in love with Daniel (Laurie Davidson), but rather as Laura, Daniels mother, whose omnipresence in her sons life seems to become something sinister when the girlfriend enters the picture. Loading I always want to direct whether it was a series or a movie, it could have been either but because it was a series, that gave me an opportunity to develop the style, the tone, cast it, pick my director of photography, Wright says of what drew her to the project. I wanted it to look like a film, and it does. Its shot more filmic than network television. I really wanted to start at the inception and develop this piece. The flip side of being a director is that when Im in the scene with the actors and Im directing the scene, Im doing two things: Im watching their performance and Im having to direct myself. Its a little bit tricky because sometimes Im like, Cut, cut. Advertisement Based on the Michelle Frances novel of the same name, all six episodes of The Girlfriend are directed by Wright. What begins as an uneasy relationship between mother and prospective daughter-in-law spins out of control into something darker and more dangerously complex. Laura Sanderson is not Claire Underwood, but both women share a rich and fascinating complexity. For many years, Wright says, she saw actors not really understand notes they were given. Youre like, Give me something. Give me a story. Give me some backdrop of a feeling that makes me feel happy when I walk through the door. I wanted to give that to actors because I wanted that. A lot of times I didnt receive it. Olivia Cooke plays Cherry in The Girlfriend. Credit: On The Girlfriend I was too busy watching Olivia Cooke, going, Oh my god, shes so good, oh shit, Im on camera, Wright says, laughing. You have to catch yourself and you have to look at each actor differently. You have to watch if youve pushed too far, if youve talked too much, or if youve given them too much of a story, they get heady. Loading Though she has a large body of work, Wright remains associated with a handful of roles, notably Buttercup in The Princess Bride, and Jenny Curran in Forrest Gump. (For diehard soap opera fans, the role of Kelly Capwell in Santa Barbara is also an enduring favourite.) Our cultural relationship with those two performances has also inadvertently been reshaped by streaming. Available on demand, they achieve a kind of artistic immortality, in the distant past for one segment of the audience but discovered for the first time by another. Advertisement The Princess Bride is an iconic piece of work and its a classic; we made it in 1986 and its still holding strong as an original piece of content, Wright says. But so could House of Cards [and] The Sopranos. I feel like there are certain stamps that will be embedded in our content brain of going, That was a great show, like Six Feet Under. These kinds of things will continue to be iconic pieces of work. Robin Wright and Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. Credit: Getty Images But despite that immortality, Wright is quick to quash any suggestion of a Princess Bride remake, sequel or prequel, no matter how often the rumour seems to get traction in the press. Loading They called [Princess Bride co-star] Cary Elwes and me until we just laughed hysterically, Wright says, referring to one recent offer, a sequel with the original cast reprising their roles. Were like, are you kidding? Were going to look like geriatric-ward characters in the movie now. We just said no, dont do that. Dont ruin it. Princess Bride and Forrest Gump are these classic pieces. You feel so proud to have been a part of that. Its almost like its like a tenet of a foundation that will remain, and youre like, I got to be a part of that. How great. Wright was this years recipient of the Crystal Nymph at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, one of the most prestigious awards in the television business, acknowledging a sustained body of high-quality work. Advertisement She is not naturally reflective, she says, but notes that it always comes back to Princess Bride and Forrest Gump. Every single junket, every single event. More than House of Cards? For sure. Which is a shame, in a way. In the fullness of time, Claire Underwood will be remembered alongside Lady Macbeth. When the character was being developed, she says, David [Fincher] said, Pick an animal. Who do you think Claire is? And I said, Shes a bust, shes a marble. So everything is very still and focused and laser-sharp, and she shouldnt speak very much. When she speaks, it should be only what needs to be spoken. Cary Elwes and Robin Wright in The Princess Bride. Credit: The topic of Kevin Spacey, who was accused of sexual misconduct and sacked from House of Cards in 2017, forcing the series to be restructured without him, is not technically off limits, but Wright declines to discuss it. Loading What she does say is that when it erupted, we had to collectively decide: do we want to continue the show? I said we should, for the fans. Its not fair to them. It was already kind of written that Claire and Frank were separated at that time in the show. I just said, Lets continue, and we will write accordingly, and she will become the commander-in-chief. As for House of Cards, the show that built a streaming empire sits uniquely in history. Despite the wonderland of streaming, Wright notes, nobody got paid royalties, an issue that ultimately came to a head when the writers and actors unions brought Hollywood to a shuddering halt in 2023 in search of a better deal. Advertisement 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 Toni Collettes best performances cross genres and decades, but theyre all characters who hide behind fronts steely faces, picture-perfect lives, twisted games. Maybe theyre social outcasts desperate to fit in, as with the Australian actors 1994 breakthrough role in Muriels Wedding. Maybe shes a mother terrified of her sons visions, trying not to let it show on her face, as with her Oscar-nominated role in The Sixth Sense. Or a woman with dissociative identity disorder, who swirls through seven alters (The United States of Tara, for which she won an Emmy). Or an artist diving deep into the dark well of grief and never emerging to face a horrific reality (Hereditary). Loading But none have been quite as devilish as Evelyn Wade, the leader of a secluded school for troubled teens at the centre of new Netflix mystery-thriller Wayward. Eerie and earthy in equal measure, Evelyns new-age charisma and cardigans obscure a ruthless need to exert control and break people down all under the guise of benevolence and self-actualisation. From under her wire-frame glasses, she oversees not just Tall Pines Academy but, unofficially, its namesake town, a small forest-eclipsed community in Virginia. Its a role that pulls from all of Collettes power as an actor. Evelyn is magnetic, with the same warmth and groundedness that makes Muriel Heslop so painfully real and pairs it with a stark darkness, one that is all the more chilling for the drop-off between the two masks. Advertisement Across Waywards eight episodes, Evelyn faces suspicion from Alex (creator Mae Martin), a cop who moves to Tall Pines with his pregnant wife, an Academy graduate. He soon makes contact with two of Tall Pines recent involuntary boarders/inmates who are desperate to escape. The shows been billed as a deeply personal project for Martin, inspired by their own wayward years as a teen in the early 2000s (also the shows time period), during which their best friend was sent to a troubled teen camp. This industry which includes therapeutic boarding schools, military-style boot camps and juvenile facilities has faced growing calls for regulation in the US due to allegations of child abuse, led in part by Paris Hilton, who was institutionalised at four separate schools as a teen. But Wayward dials up the cultish woo-woo element, making the show more conceptual than literal in its critique of this system. There are also many ideas under the hood. With Evelyn breaking down teens to build them into functional adults (cult members?), the academy is partially a metaphor for the brutal transition from adolescence to adult society. The show isnt exceptional; though there are some nice twists, its often a little unfocused and slow. But its a great acting exercise for Collette, and is worth watching for that alone. It also arrives during an interesting point in Collettes career, as the 52-year-old experiences a second wind carrying her towards more menacing fare after the smash success of 2018 psychological horror Hereditary. As the mother driven mad by grief in Hereditary. Credit: A24 Starring Collette as a mother driven mad by grief (and featuring screams you will never forget), the film director Ari Asters first was a major breakthrough for then-emerging zeitgeist film company A24, making a reported $US87 million ($132 million) on a modest $US10 million ($15 million) budget. Advertisement Since then, Collette has routinely been cast in tense crime dramas (Unbelievable, The Staircase, Juror #2) and psychological thrillers (Im Thinking of Ending Things, Nightmare Alley) or in satirical roles as a duplicitous, out-of-touch wealthy woman (Knives Out, Mickey 17). These all allow Collette to do what she does best, revealing cracks in complex characters, or playing a woman on the verge of breakdown/breakthrough (Clockwatchers, a scene-stealing moment in The Hours, surprisingly not-fluffy comedy In Her Shoes). As unlikely heroine Muriel Heslop in Muriels Wedding. But still, its a sharp shift from before Hereditary, where Collette would work across genre and actively against type. After the international success of Muriels Wedding, in which the previously unknown Collette was nominated for a Golden Globe, she turned down similar awkward-girl offers, such as Mira Sorvinos role in Romy and Micheles High School Reunion and the lead in Bridget Joness Diary. In the decades between, Collette zagged from period dramas (Emma) to arthouse musicals (Velvet Goldmine), Samuel L. Jackson-led actions (Shaft), off-kilt comedies (Connie and Carla) to heartwarming dramas (About A Boy, Little Miss Sunshine). Shes often chosen small but memorable roles, and tends to favour first-time, Australian and female directors occasionally all three at once, with Alethea Joness (unfortunately not great) Fun Mom Dinner. She offered depth to even the slimmest role and some, in the years between United States of Tara ending in 2011 and Hereditary, were pretty slim (do not watch Christmas horror Krampus!). Perhaps this moment of her career of playing malevolent and/or mysterious white women is offering a way to access meatier roles while theyre in-vogue even if repetitive in scope, especially as Collette enters her 50s, a time when offers for complex characters traditionally shrink. With Mark Ruffalo in Mickey 17. Advertisement At the World Sleep Congress, held in Singapore in September, Kim explained that what we need each night to not feel sleepy the next day can vary. So although the sleep recommendations are between seven and nine hours a night, some nights we need eight hours and other nights five hours might be enough. Kim, a mathematical biologist who works at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, thought he could use this knowledge to develop an algorithm to recommend sleep duration based on how much sleep theyve been getting, and an optimal sleep window by aligning a persons bedtime with their circadian phases. But its one thing measuring sleep pressure and circadian rhythm in a study versus in a real-world setting. We cant sample the blood every hour, explained Kim at the Congress. Wearable devices for measuring sleep timing offered a solution. If we combine wearable data with a mathematical model describing the two-process model of sleep, then we can estimate how our sleep pressure and circadian rhythm change in real time, he said. They plugged the data from their nurses into the mathematical model, showing that during one shift where the nurse was exposed to light when she should have been sleeping, her circadian rhythm became weaker and her sleep phases were altered. It meant, the following day, she was still alert later in the evening. As her sleep pressure hadnt exceeded the circadian rhythm, it wasnt a good time to go to bed, so the algorithm calculated a later bedtime. The researchers then tested the model on 19 shift workers. First, they tracked their sleep time, without any intervention. Then, they provided sleep recommendations using the algorithm. Half of them didnt follow our guidance. Thats real life, Kim said. They became our negative control [group] automatically. Although average sleep times didnt change much, the high adherence groups average daily alertness increased dramatically. The low adherence group didnt show any change. After introducing their research on YouTube in Korea, Kim suddenly had thousands of people wanting to try the sleep schedule tool. They became recruits for his second clinical trial. The results were the same. In both shift and non shift workers, high adherence increased daytime alertness while low adherence led to no change. Interestingly, while it improved alertness, it also improved mood. It minimised the perturbations of circadian phases. Perturbation of circadian phases from normal can cause depression, Kim explained. One final obstacle for rolling out the tool to the public was that the algorithm required the user to continuously wear the device for seven days. One of Kims PhD students came up with an idea to merge AI to the mathematical model, successfully reducing it to three days. The feature analyses the users sleep patterns for three days and starts recommending the optimal bedtime from the fourth night, tailored to the users wake-up time. The sleep tool is available on Samsungs new Galaxy 8 watch. Kim worked with Samsung on the project, and the tool is available on the new Galaxy Watch8 series, which launched in July. Andrew Phillips, an associate professor in sleep health at Flinders University says the idea of an optimal sleep window is sensible based on what we know of sleep regulation. When sleep is regular, in both its timing and its duration, the circadian and homeostatic processes are aligned in maintaining sleep at night and wake during the day, he explains. Sometimes we override these processes (eg, by staying up later than our biological signals tell us too), which is what leads to irregular sleep and ultimately not sleeping within the optimal biological window for sleep. Maintaining regular sleep and sleeping within the optimal window are basically consistent goals, so it is good to see this being translated to consumers. He adds while it is true that our daily sleep needs can vary, it is typically only if we are going to bed at irregular times. For instance, if you pulled an all-nighter last night, you are going to need more sleep tonight than if youd had a solid eight hours, Phillips says. If a person is maintaining a regular sleep pattern, with adequate sleep duration, I wouldnt expect much day-to-day variation in sleep need. The writer was a guest of Samsung at the World Sleep Congress But Nansen says that as children progress through their teens, it can be a point of contention. In the United States, there has been a backlash from young people lamenting that their parents are still compulsively tracking them on Life360 despite them moving to college, he says. Kate Moloney, from Melbournes inner western suburbs, says her family finds Life360 a handy communication tool. I did not know it existed until someone told me about it, she says. It was probably when my son was in grade 6. It wasnt about tracking him, it was more about connection. I have looked to see where my son is today because it is a pupil-free day. He is where he says he is. Moloney says she has a good relationship with Huw, now 15, and the family is reassured by entry/exit alerts for designated places. When Huw gets to school, I hear a sound and when he enters our street, I get another alert, she says. Moloney says her own childhood was very different. She grew up in a one hotel Mallee farming town, 420km north-west of Melbourne. My sister and I used to call it Alcatraz because once you got in, you couldnt leave. There was no public transport, she says. Moloney had a 100-kilometre round trip by bus to Hopetoun to high school. I think when I was a kid, my parents had less to worry about. Mum might disagree, she says. Moloney had freedom to cycle more than 10 kilometres out of town to her friends grandparents home to swim in the dam, wasnt allowed to go to the annual cabaret, and had to get a note from her parents to leave the schoolgrounds to get a haircut in Hopetoun at lunchtime. Loading North Sydney father Matt Bruce keeps a close eye on the use of phones, gadgets and apps by daughters, Emily, 12, and Sophie, 10. Emily was the second last in her year 6 class to get a phone, he says of his daughter, now in year 7. I have worked in technology so maybe I have more knowledge of these things. My biggest concern is how social media is used for bullying kids, and the effect that can have on the victims. Bruce says he is keen to delay the reliance of phones by his children. The girls had all-in-one smartwatches at ages 7 and 9, allowing them to phone a customised contact list. Emily graduated to an iPhone linked to the family network and Find My iPhone. She is often driven between her parents homes and to and from school. She occasionally takes public transport. But as time goes on, as she becomes independent, the tracking applications may be more useful for planning, Bruce says. At their age, we havent had any issues with not knowing where they are, he says. Emily has 20 minutes a day on her phone, regulated by controls her father manages. Emily broadly accepts it. I think she tries to find ways around it, he says. Matt Bruce with his daughter, Emily. He says using a geolocation app to track her movements is about planning as much as security. Credit: Wolter Peeters Bruce says he has blocked Snapchat with its associated Snap Maps, where locations are shared, and disappearing Snaps. I completely lock off Snapchat. Its made for bullying in a way, he says. Relationships Australia NSW Chief Executive Officer Elisabeth Shaw says tracking apps arent a problem if they are used with a light touch and transparency. She says the apps can reduce tension in households. People know when someone is home, or how far away they are, and the need for difficult conversations are averted. In the end, these things are completely connected to the quality of the relationship. If there is trust and good communication, parents dont need to be looking at the app and asking where children are, Shaw says. She warns parents who constantly use the app to monitor, and ask where their children are, can start a problematic cycle of communication. She has seen couples use tracking to effectively run their childrens lives. If parents have used the apps when their children are young, experts suggest they should revisit their use as they age. The eSafety commissioner warns that while location-sharing apps can improve a sense of safety and confidence in certain situations, parents should be transparent about when and how they will be used. Open conversations with our children, particularly as they approach the tween and teen years, are absolutely critical to a healthy sense of agency and responsibility, an eSafety spokesperson says. But if you make the decision to use location-sharing apps to keep an eye on your children, be mindful of the message youre giving them about privacy. They say families should be aware that by using these apps, they are unwittingly handing over personal data. Disgraced doctor Munjed Al Muderis has been reinstated as a member of the peak body for orthopaedic surgeons after mounting a legal challenge to overturn the boards historic decision to expel him. The Supreme Court of NSW on Thursday released orders stating the lawsuit brought by Al Muderis against the Australian Orthopaedic Association had been settled. Munjed Al Muderis has been reinstated as a member of the Australian Orthopaedic Association, after he sued them. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos Under the terms, the parties agreed the expulsion was invalid and of no legal force or effect and Al Muderis membership was reinstated with all the rights and privileges. The association was ordered to pay Al Muderis costs. Al Muderis was represented by defamation solicitor Rebekah Giles in his lawsuit against the association after the board stripped the surgeon of his membership last month. 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 I suspect Andrew Hastie is more interested in promoting himself than local manufacturing (Letters, September 25). He keeps popping up in the news but its not to support Ley or address party disunity. In fact, he appears to be auditioning for the Liberal Party leadership. If so, ambition is clouding his judgment. The Coalition is in such disarray that it will take several election cycles to be anywhere near ready to form government. Until then, the leadership of the Liberal Party will be a poisoned chalice. Graham Lum, North Rocks If Andrew Hastie genuinely believes Australians should revert to using gas-guzzlers, thereby doubling or even quadrupling (?) the need for imported transport fuel via geopolitically contested waters, then I suggest he revisits his old Duntroon textbooks. That will also explain why China is going flat-out adopting soulless EVs. Carlo Ursida, Kensington (Vic) 1969 Ford Mustang: Just the car to drive us back to the future Credit: Internet Andrew Hastie chose to have minimal Liberal branding on his corflutes and how-to- vote cards at the May election, as the Herald reported at the time. His campaign was all about him as a local member. And it was deliberate. This man is not a team player and has some very unsettling ideas. The undercurrents of superiority are strong in this one. And he will never be prime minister, just like his mate Jacinta. Delusional at best. Theyre just too full of themselves. Wendy Atkins, Cooks Hill Ah, nostalgia politics; such a firm base on which to move forward, but it is what Trump offers, so who knows, Hastie might be onto something? Like Trump, the fine detail escapes Hastie too. Ford Falcons were using engines dating back to 1960, and the punters had just moved on from agricultural suspension and thirsty sixes. Both Ford and GM decided not to invest in old technology, so that left Toyota, which had good Camry sales, but the economies of scale and of suppliers having only one manufacturer to sell to doomed that one. It was all outside our control, as it always was, but Hastie pretends to have better knowledge. Theres no mention of something more modern to make here, of course, and it says all we need to know about the Coalition as it rushes headlong into the past. Make Australia Great Again by building Ford Falcons and digging up coal, that will do it. Tony Sullivan, Adamstown Heights It will be interesting to see what the de-facto leader of the opposition, Andrew Hastie, might say in relation to the announcement of the Productivity Commissions inquiry into the distribution of the GST. It is clear that WA, his home state, will lose a significant amount of funding, as it should. Will Andrew stick up for his WA constituents or take a broader view of the nation? This issue might make or break him in his quest for leadership of the federal Liberal Party. John Rome, Mount Lawley (WA) Andrew Hastie should be ashamed of himself, talking about migrants that way. I grew up in an American Republican town where only Northern European Protestants were considered white. Everyone else was either black and/or an evil idol worshipper (religious statues, icon, and pictures were verboten). I didnt move to Australia for more of that garbage. Penny Zantos, Artarmon Advertisement As a sixth-generation Australian, born almost 40 years before Andrew Hastie, a former member of the Refugee Review Tribunal and human rights lawyer, I can assure him most of us do not feel like strangers in our own homes. Without pretending Australia is perfect, our country has a proud record of welcoming people from many countries with diverse cultures and integrating them. We firmly reject the ugly racists we had on our streets last month, and we want him to stop empowering them. Paul Fergus, Croydon Can someone please tell Andrew Hastie that its not 1969 any more? Grahame Marks, Manly Do we want a country (indeed, a world) that looks backwards with wistfulness at what we dont have (or never had) any more? Facebook (among other platforms) is riddled with groups lauding the golden age of our collective youth while ignoring the largely incredible progress people have made to address the ills of those times. That past does not hold the key to living in our world today, and in respect to the climate, it is the reason for many of our worlds problems. I find it disappointing that a young man like Andrew Hastie finds himself in our present times pretending to have a plan for our future, but presents as a perfect case-study for Feeble Nostalgia. Phil Armour, Yass Im with Andrew Hastie regarding his ambition to make complex things for Australia. My wish list would be for something considerably more complex than a 1969 Ford Falcon, though. Additional politicians more complex than Hastie would be a good start. Ingrid Haydon, Long Jetty Andrew Hastie has just committed political suicide. I reckon he lost half his supporters with one photo. A Ford man! Neville Turbit, Russell Lea Warm-up act Apparently, Climate Change is made up by people with evil intentions (Youre all a bunch of stupid people, September 25). Perhaps Donald Trump could explain to us all what the evil intentions of Sir David Attenborough are? Julia Booth, Westleigh Advertisement Credit: Cathy Wilcox How do they get observable reality to play along with the global warming hoax? Chris Roylance, Paddington (Qld) Can someone please tell President Trump that, in March, China installed solar panels at 100 panels per second? And that in April it installed more solar power than Australia ever has. Every day in May, China installed enough solar panels to generate power equivalent to three coal stations. Goodness knows what the dismantler-in-chief would make of this genuine enthusiasm for renewables. But it would be interesting to watch. Lesley Walker, Northcote (Vic) So the worlds most powerful conman reckons climate science is a con? Ray Morgan, Maroubra One thing is for sure: Donald Trump is making Richard Nixon look good very good. Mores the pity. Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga Reportedly the lift in the Eiffel Tower broke down the day Adolf Hitler visited Paris. Did the escalator malfunction at the UN when Trump was visiting have the same cause? Stephanie Edwards, Leichhardt Kimmel culture Advertisement Catherine Lumbys insightful article (Would Kimmel be cancelled here? Dont make me laugh, September 25) recalls the acerbic commentator Mungo MacCallum describing the then prime minister William McMahon as a VW with both its doors open, a quote I remember well. Her recollection prompted a question that one or more (probably older) readers may be able to answer. (Google couldnt.) Who famously (or infamously?) described the then governor general, Sir John Kerr, as ... a stuffed blood plum topped with cheap yoghurt? Andrew Royal, Orange Jimmy Kimmel: next stop, the White House? Credit: AP Maybe, after this, Jimmy Kimmel can do a Zelensky? Anne Ring, Coogee Bring back the Wharf Review and give Trump a free seat between Messrs Keating and Abbott. It would do him good to loosen up and see how Aussie pollies have learnt how to laugh at themselves. Rob Ferguson, St Ives Uni cheating debate is complex The article regarding university students lack of proficiency in written English (Could not compose an email: This is what academics say about cheating students, smh.com.au, September 25) is interesting not because I do not believe it is true, but as an academic I have experienced the opposite. A potential PhD student in physics from Saudi Arabia approached me a number of years ago with a King Abdullah University scholarship to undertake studies under my supervision. I am cautious when taking on long-term (three to four years) doctoral candidates and ask anyone who appears to be genuine to write a review paper related to the topic of the proposed research. The candidate did a very good job. We met at an international conference and, again, I was impressed by the candidates knowledge and verbal communication skills in English. I had no hesitation in supporting the candidates application. However, while repeatedly achieving greater than 50 per cent in all components of the independent IELTS examinations, the candidate has failed to achieve the required score set by the university. The candidate moved to Sydney for six months and took English lessons every day but has still failed to achieve the required result. The candidate has now abandoned any ambitions of carrying out a PhD in Sydney under my supervision. Dale Bailey, St Leonards I am a University of Sydney undergraduate. The Group of Eight must be very naive to think artificial intelligence is not constantly being used as a clutch by international students with poor English proficiency. In classes with a majority of such students, the unacknowledged, unethical outsourcing of work is ubiquitous. I see it week in, week out. Recently, my tutor prompted us to discuss a topic in groups. When the time came for those in front of me to share their findings, two of them took turns reading off ChatGPT and DeepSeek, passing the output off as the fruit of their non-existent deliberations. We must acknowledge that cheating on English proficiency tests is common. Broaching that is not an insult to the many conscientious international students. They true and sincere scholars suffer the effects as much as their domestic peers, but pay more for the privilege. Improve the tests, and give the universities more money so that they need not so heavily rely on the exorbitant fees charged to overseas students. Will Thorpe, Haberfield Advertisement There is only one sure way to stamp out cheating at universities; have students sit one or more written exams at the end of each course in front of examiners. I know it is an old-fashioned concept but it would restore the integrity of uni assessments and the value of degrees which is being eroded by off-campus assessments completed without certainty of who is doing the assessments. Shane Nunan, Finley Voices for brumbies Brumby mare and foal Credit: Leslie Scott The CBD item Fake News on Brumby Campaign (September 19) totally misrepresents my teaching resource and motives for creating the Voices for Brumbies Kids who care school resource, to teach children to exercise their civic rights in a respectful way. The claims within the article have been used by readers to attack me and my resource. This resource is not a propaganda campaign to save the brumbies, it is curriculum-aligned, fact-checked, and presents this issue from all perspectives: environmental concerns and humane management of brumby numbers in the wild. Students are encouraged to weigh up the evidence, think critically and reach their own conclusions. To suggest that quotes from government ministers were fabricated is false and discrediting. Quotes were drawn directly from official government correspondence. To imply the project seeks to indoctrinate children ignores the rigorous review process by teachers, a lawyer and an ecologist, along with my true motive. My motive is the same one behind 20 years in early education and eight childrens books: inspiring young people to live a life they love. In this, by exercising their voice on real-world issues. I respectfully request a correction. Nicole Rawlings, creator and author, Voices for Brumbies Kids Who Care Bidirectional focus Thinking about your EV as a home battery on wheels is a good thing (Turning your EV into a giant battery is a step closer, smh.com.au, September 25). But the focus should be broader than just feeding into the grid. Indeed, while feed-in tariffs remain low, the focus should be on not drawing so much from the grid in the first place. Hence, the priority should be on facilitating vehicle-to-home (V2H) bidirectional charging so that the EV can be used as an alternative to a home battery. Indeed, how many people who already have a home battery use it primarily to feed into the grid? Their priority is to use all the power generated by solar panels (say) to run their household appliances. Consequently, the priority of bidirectional charging should also be to power those appliances. If you have surplus, then you can feed back into the grid. David Rush, Lawson AI train-ing Advertisement A recently returned traveller to Bali has brought a confirmed case of measles home to Queensland, prompting a health warning for Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. Queensland Health issued the alert on Thursday afternoon, emphasising the need and benefit of vaccinations. Metro North Public Health physician Dr Doug Shaw said anyone who was at any of 11 identified locations should monitor themselves for symptoms for at least 18 days. The measles sufferer (not pictured) visited, from left, Mooloolaba; West Village in West End and Brisbane Airport domestic arrivals. Credit: . If they do develop symptoms, they should seek medical advice, he said. A Victorian toddlers death could have been prevented if medical staff investigated her symptoms more thoroughly in the last three days of her life, a coroner has found. Three-year-old Dio Kemp succumbed to bacterial septicaemia almost six years ago despite her mother taking her to one of Melbournes largest hospitals four times, and twice to see a family GP, in the days before her death. Bacterial septicaemia occurs when bacteria enters the bloodstream and causes blood poisoning. Dios mother, Miranda Jowett, initially sought medical attention because she was concerned about her daughters fever and a bright rash on her cheek. The years-long inquest into Dios death previously heard that doctors believed she had a viral rather than a bacterial illness, and therefore couldnt be treated with antibiotics. Miranda Jowett, mother of Dio Kemp, reading a statement to the media outside the Victorian Coroners Court on Thursday. Credit: AAP/James Ross Dio became sick around November 19, 2019, and was taken to Monash Medical Centres emergency department two days later, on November 21. The treatment of Marda Dandhi was exposed in July 2024 by the Building Bad investigation by The Age, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes. The investigation uncovered a video of a CFMEU organiser allegedly threatening to bash the two owners of Marda Dandhi, which was aligned with the rival Australian Workers Union. Loading A union official was also recorded boasting the CFMEU controlled who could work on state government sites. Labors Big Build in Victoria comprises various massive projects in Melbourne funded by both the state and federal governments, including the Suburban Rail Loop, the West Gate Tunnel, Melbourne Airport Rail, the Metro Tunnel and the Level Crossing Removal Project, and other regional works. The leaked emails show the government was discussing the coercion case over a six-month period from April 2022 to up to four weeks before the November election. After the election, the communications ceased. Labor MP Vicki Ward, who was parliamentary secretary of transport infrastructure at the time and is now minister for equality, held a one-hour meeting with a Marda Dandhi owner who was a constituent in her seat of Eltham in Melbournes northern suburbs about the allegations early in 2022. She advised him to go to police after he told her that unsavoury characters were surveilling his family home at a time when he was threatening to speak up on CFMEU coercion. She also said she had briefed Allans deputy chief of staff in April and advised that then-small business minister Jaala Pulford was handling the serious allegations, according to the emails. Allan was Victorias infrastructure minister at the time and responsible for the Big Build. She became premier in September 2023 after Daniel Andrews retired following Labors election win. The emails contrast with Allans repeated insistence that claims of CFMEU coercion and the kicking off of subcontractors from state government sites were the responsibility of the states principal contractors or the Commonwealth. This masthead has previously reported that Marda Dandhi wrote to Allan in April 2022 detailing violence and abuse the owners had been subjected to. But the emails are the first insight into what was going on behind the scenes. When Allan finally responded to Marda Dandhi in April 2023, she referred the firm to the federal government or state infrastructure authorities. The firm collapsed a few months later. An Allan government spokesman said on Thursday: As this matter is before the courts it is not appropriate to comment on specific cases. We are making sure that people coming forward with information about conduct on worksites have the complaints processes and protections they deserve while also ensuring any complaint made is assessed and referred to the appropriate regulator. Pulford, who did not contest the 2022 election and has retired from politics, could not be reached for comment. In an email sent to Marda Dandhi on April 19, 2022, Ward said she had met with Allans deputy chief of staff that morning as we work through this situation and see what can be done to help. Ward was responding to the owners emails detailing CFMEU intimidation and that his neighbour had informed him that two unsavoury characters had been parked on the corner of his property and had been watching my property. When he made himself aware to them the cars have driven off, the owner wrote to Ward. For him to think that sighting warrants informing me is a little unsettling. When the owner emailed again in October suggesting he had lost patience and mentioning the coming election, Ward sought to assure him the government was still on the case. Loading In her last communication to the owner, on October 31, 2022, Ward said she had been having many conversations in the background. I met with Minister Pulford a few months ago (and have been in communication with her since), and she has let me know shes taking the matters seriously and steps are being taken to work through the challenges youre facing, she said. I know it isnt the full resolution you are expecting and I hear how stressful and challenging this is for your business. However, we are trying to find a resolution. The Indigenous firm owner told this masthead that when he went to the Australian Building and Construction Commission in 2022, the building watchdog told him it could not help him as the Albanese government had cut its funding. He later went to the Fair Work Ombudsman in May 2023. Two and half years later, the Ombudsman launched its legal action against the CFMEU, alleging organisers Joel Shackleton and Gerry McCrudden threatened and abused the Marda Dandhi owners. The state government and the builders are not respondents to the action. An Allan government spokesman said on Thursday: As this matter is before the courts it is not appropriate to comment on specific cases. We are making sure that people coming forward with information about conduct on worksites have the complaints processes and protections they deserve while also ensuring any complaint made is assessed and referred to the appropriate regulator. Police are asking for help to find two stolen cars that were taken from houses in Perths north overnight. The stolen cars. Credit: WA Police It is alleged two men with machetes broke into a house on Soham Way in Butler, and tole a white Toyota Corolla sedan. About 10 minutes later, a car was used to ram a garage door on Millom Street in Butler and the two men - still armed with machetes - went inside the house. Police say they threatened a woman at house and tried to get into her bedroom before running from the area on foot. Around 5.50am, police said they received a report three men were trying to get into a house on Jutland Rise in Ocean Reef, before leaving on foot. Then about 10 minutes later, police say the four men tried again at a new house in Tarolinta Gardens in Ocean Reef. Only one of the men had a machete. They got into the house and struck the female resident with the machetes handle before stealing a blue BMW 4 Series car. The woman suffered a laceration. At each incident, the unknown males were described as wearing dark clothing with balaclavas, a police spokesperson said. Anyone who sights either of the stolen motor vehicles is advised not to approach, but to contact police immediately. HANOI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's capital Hanoi will provide public services in residential areas and suburban regions through mobile offices and public service stations, enhancing accessibility for workers, the elderly, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, Vietnam News Agency reported Thursday. The city will convert old buses and electric vehicles into mobile offices equipped with computers, printers, scanners and internet to help residents set up electronic identification accounts, submit applications online, digitize documents, make payments and check the status of their files on the spot, said the report. Public service stations will also be installed in urban areas and major supermarkets, featuring multilingual AI assistants to support the elderly and people with disabilities. In residential communities, the stations will be located at cultural houses, healthcare or community centers, and will operate in the evenings and on weekends with on-site support, according to the state-owned media. Eighty years ago, the people of our nations came together and put their trust in each others humanity. An act of faith all the more extraordinary when we recall the devastation that still gripped their world. Yet out of the grief and ruin of war, that generation found the courage, the wisdom and the compassion to work together for a better peace. To build a world governed by rights and rules, not fear or force. Where the sovereignty of every nation is respected. The essential dignity and equality of every man, woman and child upheld. And where the shared mission and purpose of the United Nations is not merely to contain the threat of war, it is to create the conditions for peace. To provide a framework for settling our disputes. To foster the dialogue that enables us to manage our differences, and deepen our understanding. And to nourish the opportunity, build the prosperity and deliver the economic justice on which true and enduring security always depends. If, 80 years ago, this task had been entrusted to the great powers alone, then in all likelihood we would not be gathering here today. Instead, history would note the United Nations as little more than a noble experiment. The reason this institution has endured is because it belongs to all of us. Because it has been built and shaped by all of us. And it is up to all of us to bring new strength to the United Nations enduring mission. To renew our commitment to the principle that peace is both our common cause and our collective responsibility. The creation of the international rules-based order owes much to the post-war leadership of the United States of America. For the region Australia calls home, that stability has underpinned a generational economic transformation. But we cannot ask and should not expect - anyone nation to uphold the rules or guarantee the security on which all of us depend. We all have a role to play in making sure that the system which has enabled the rise of new powers, safeguards the rights and aspirations of every nation big and small. For Australia, this means investing in our capabilities and investing in our relationships. Investing in development, in defence and in diplomacy. To strengthen the security of our region, to support the sovereignty of our neighbours and to contribute to the cause of peace beyond the Indo-Pacific. We promote unity in the Pacific Islands Forum. We are deepening our engagement with ASEAN, and elevating our partnerships with Indonesia, India, the Republic of Korea and Japan. And we are breaking new ground with old friends: in the United Kingdom, the European Union and our principal ally, the United States. Because we see mutual understanding, shared prosperity and economic co-operation as the most powerful counterpoints to confrontation, isolation or conflict. Wars are often started by countries who imagine there is something to gain. The more we can do to reinforce the architecture of peace and prosperity, the more we remind nations of everything they stand to lose. Colleagues, whenever a head of government speaks to this Assembly about prosperity or security, they will always be met with calls for that work to begin at home. Part of our job is demonstrating to the people we serve that what happens in the world, matters to them. That when we co-operate to enhance security, contribute to alleviating poverty or commit to protecting the environment when we support the agency of forums such as the G20, or APEC or invest in diplomatic partnerships like The Quad none of this means setting our national interests or our peoples values aside, it means working to fulfil them. The United Nations is much more than an arena for the great powers to veto each others ambitions. This is a platform for middle powers and small nations to voice and achieve - our aspirations. That is why Australia is seeking a place on the UN Security Council in 2029-30. And it is why we are bidding to co-host the 31st Conference of the Parties, with our Pacific family nations for whom climate change is more than an environmental challenge, it is an existential threat. This is a place for the global spotlight to shine on suffering and struggles that might otherwise be forgotten. And for the international community to work together, to advance our shared interests and to tackle challenges we cannot meet alone. In 2025, we are confronted by all manner of these challenges in old forms and new. Dictators whose hold on power derives solely from their capacity for cruelty to their own citizens. Tyrants who invade sovereign nations to further their own ambitions. Regimes willing to crush their own people beneath the weight of oppression. Autocracies deploying new technology to undermine our trust in democracy, institutions and each other. Intimidation and coercion on the seas and in the skies, endangering lives and risking escalation. Terrorists - and states which sponsor terrorism spreading hatred. And if ever we had the luxury of imagining that breaches of international law were not our concernor that conflict and turmoil in another part of the world could not affect us, those days are long gone. Just last month, Australian security agencies confirmed that the Iranian regime orchestrated the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne and a Jewish restaurant in Sydney. Criminal acts of cowardice, aimed at spreading fear. We expelled the Iranian Ambassador from Australia. The first time since the Second World War our country has taken such a step. And here at the United Nations we repeat to the world, there is no place for antisemitism. Colleagues it is not the Australian way to try and impose our values on other nations. But when we deal with the world, we bring our values with us. And we strive to back our words with actions. Australia helped to draft the United Nations charter. And we were part of the first peacekeeping operation under UN authority, supporting independence for Indonesia. As an economy engaged in the fastest growing region of the world in human history, Australia champions the benefits of free and fair trade. And we work to strengthen it. By advocating for working people to share in the prosperity trade creates: through better wages, safer workplaces and the elimination of exploitation and modern slavery. And by supporting the security of communications and maritime travel that makes trade possible, through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, including in our region and the South China Sea. And as a proud member of the Pacific Familyas a continent home to some of the greatest natural treasures on the planetand as a nation blessed with the traditional resources, critical minerals, skills and sunlight and space to power the global shift to net zero, Australia is acting to meet the environmental challenge of climate change while working to seize and share the economic opportunities of renewable energy. We will meet our 2030 target of 43 per cent emissions reduction on 2005 levels. And last week we set our target for 2035: cutting emissions by 62 to 70 per cent. We are honouring our commitment to the Paris Agreement and its goal of keeping global temperatures below dangerous levels. Our target is ambitious importantly it is achievable. And more than anything else, Australias embrace of clean energy will get us there. Clean energy can carry the world beyond the false choice between economic growth and environmental responsibility. Because clean energy enables the rapidly growing economies of the Indo-Pacific to industrialise and decarbonise at the same time. And to continue lifting their peoples living standards while lowering their nations emissions. Colleagues, as one of the worlds oldest democracies and one of the first where women could vote in elections and stand for Parliament Australia knows societies and economies are stronger when they draw on the talents of all their citizens. Indeed, it was an Australian, Jessie Street, one of just eight women among the 850 delegates in San Francisco in 1945 who insisted that the UN Charter make specific mention of sexual discrimination. Because, she said: Where the rules are silent, women are not usually considered. That is why Australia proudly works to promote education, economic opportunity and empowerment for women and girls around the world. As the home of the worlds oldest continuous culture, we honour the knowledge and resilience of Indigenous people everywhere. And as a country strengthened and enriched by the hard work and aspiration of people drawn from every faith and tradition on earth...we stand against discrimination and prejudice, everywhere. As a people who believe that kindness is an act of courage, we want to see aid workers delivering food, water and medicine to conflict zones, protected. This week, Australia and our partners launched the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian personnel. I thank the more than 100 nations that have already endorsed the declaration. And as a nation that knows security depends on sovereignty, Australia stands with the courageous people of Ukraine in their struggle against Russias illegal and immoral invasion. We share the resolve of every member of the Coalition of the Willing to secure peace on Ukraines terms. It is the nature of the world the United Nations serves, that this institution is constantly tested. In times of global uncertainty, there are no easy days. But there are clear choices. If the United Nations steps back, we all lose ground. If we give people reason to doubt the value of co-operation, then the risk of conflict becoming the default option grows. If we allow any nation to imagine itself outside the rules, or above them, then the sovereignty of every nation is eroded. If we resign ourselves to the idea that war is inevitable, or relegate ourselves to the status of disinterested bystandersif our only response to every crisis is to insist that there is nothing we can do...then we risk being trusted with nothing. We risk a world where dialogue and diplomacy are viewed as a dead end, rather than the vital road to understanding. Where co-operation to meet new challenges facing humanity, yields to old differences of race or faith or ethnicity. And where people beset by conflict, poverty or inequality come to look on this Assembly as little more than a final resting place for good intentions. All of us proud to belong to this institution, understand this is not the case. But knowing that, or saying it, is not enough - we have to prove it. Not by pointing to longevity, or appealing to history. But by reforming the United Nations so that it can serve us better in the present. And by working together to shape the future. Because while eighty years is a significant milestone, the true value of the United Nations is not counted in decades, it is measured in deeds. In actions that make a positive difference to peoples lives. That is how the UN proves its worth and makes its case: By delivering food to villages in the grip of famine. By providing vaccines that spare families from disease. By bringing clean water to a community on the brink. By helping countries break the shackles of poverty. By liberating children from exploitation or abuse. By guarding against the spread of nuclear weapons and working for a world free of nuclear weapons. By demonstrating that the principles on which the United Nations was founded still hold life and weight and meaning and hope for the people who need them most. And nowhere is that task more urgent than the Middle East. For decades, leaders have come to this podium in search of new words and new ways to call the world to action on a two-state solution. Today, I look to words that Australia helped write, 80 years ago. Australia is calling for a ceasefire. For the immediate release of the hostages. For aid to flow to those in desperate need. And for the terrorists of Hamas to have no role in Gazas future. And this week - Australia recognised the State of Palestine. Because, to quote from the Charter that forms the very foundations of this institution and reflects the very best of its idealism. We are determined: To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. And for these ends: to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours. Every nation that takes a seat in this room has put its name to those principles. Peacekeepers and aid workers from all over the world have risked and lost their lives in the service of those ideals. So we must ask ourselves: when can those words hold meaning, if not now? Where can those words apply, if they do not apply to the Middle East? And what can we, the members of the United Nations say we stand for, if we cannot say we stand for this. There is a moment of opportunity here let us seize it. Colleagues, in the early days of this Assembly, Papua New Guinea was considered an Australian territory. Last week, that proud nation celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence. And soon, Australias nearest neighbour will become our newest ally. Times change, nations and regions change with them. But the ideals and imperatives that built this place are timeless. More than ever, we must trust in each others humanity. More than ever, we must choose to succeed together rather than risk failing alone. More than ever, we must work to see the promises of this place deliver real progress for the people we serve. More than ever, we must work to build a future true to the United Nations noble purpose and worthy of our peoples greatest qualities. We all have a part to play - and Australia, just as we always have - will always play our part. Elon Musks company X has accused the Albanese government of undermining childrens rights by curbing their free speech and access to information as the social media site seeks a delay of at least six months to Australias social media ban for under-16s. US President Donald Trump has had a tumultuous relationship with Musk, who was one of his closest confidants in the early months of his presidency, and has vowed to impose tariffs or export restrictions on foreign nations that try to regulate American tech firms. Elon Musk and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Credit: Aresna Villaneuva In a submission to an Australian Senate inquiry, X said less than one per cent of its Australian users were under 16, and argued its content moderation teams which were dramatically cut following Musks 2022 aquisition of the service then named Twitter could protect young people. The world-first ban, which covers sites such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook comes into effect on December 10, and could be expanded to dating and gaming sites including Lego Play, Reddit, Tinder and Hinge after the eSafety Commissioner requested their operators check if they were covered by the law. Parents who want to homeschool their children are facing months-long waits for approval, as a damning report reveals the NSW government has failed to support eligible students to receive a quality education in alternative schooling. A report by NSW Auditor-General Bola Oyetunji, released on Thursday, showed parents are waiting 65 working days or an entire school term for homeschooling applications to be processed. While they waited, there was no suitable alternatives for students needing to leave mainstream schooling and start homeschooling quickly, the report said. It also found the state government had failed to monitor student outcomes in alternative school settings and had no performance measures for children who are homeschooled. Picking the winner of the NRL competition is a numbers game. Weve had 17 teams whittled down to just the remaining four who, over the course of more than 200 games this season, will vie for the ultimate prize. Which of the Broncos, Storm, Panthers and Sharks will emerge victorious? There are any number of Pythagorean permutations, which is why we put the question to Richard Garner, Macquarie Universitys associate professor of mathematics. Garner, a category theory expert who completed his PhD at Cambridge, has crunched the data from the past 13 seasons to come up with an answer. In doing so, he has considered all variables, including finishing position, home-ground advantage, favouritism and a weeks rest. Paris: Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years jail for conspiring to finance his 2007 French presidential campaign using funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Prosecutors said Sarkozy, 70, who led the country from 2007 to 2012, made a corruption pact with the Libyan state for millions of euros in exchange for diplomatic favours to help Gaddafi combat his pariah reputation in the West. Sarkozy had repeatedly denied all the charges and claimed the case was politically motivated. Credit: Reuters Finding him guilty of criminal conspiracy, the court in Paris sentenced him to five years in prison on Thursday, making him the first former French president in history to serve time in jail. He was also ordered to pay a 100,000 ($178,000) fine and banned from holding public office. The defence pact, signed in 2021, commits Australia, the UK and the US to co-operating on a pillar one plan to build nuclear-powered submarines and a pillar two ambition for co-operation on defence science and technology. Kinniburgh said all three allies were facing serious skills shortages for the entire defence pact, but he expressed particular concern about pillar two because of the uncertainty about its goals and the technologies it would fund. Theres no reason why we shouldnt be able to help fix the skills shortages, and therefore to allow AUKUS to be delivered on time, but it will take concerted effort over many years, he said. The USS North Dakota, a Virginia-class boat of the type Australia would acquire under AUKUS. The concern is one of several put to a UK parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS that is examining whether the project will deliver up to 12 vessels for the Royal Navy as promised from the late 2030s. Defence expert Sophia Gaston told this masthead that AUKUS was a political project to address a geopolitical challenge, and the political project itself had now become geopolitical. Gaston, a senior fellow at the Centre for Statecraft and National Security at Kings College London, told the parliamentary inquiry that AUKUS should be seen as a national mission because of the risk to the UK and its allies if it did not gain the skills and technology, to build the new fleet on schedule. We need to understand that this is an active battle that is going to decide our future economic growth, our capacity to act with autonomy and our capacity to influence geopolitical outcomes, she told the committee in a public hearing. Under the AUKUS deal, Australia will acquire at least three US-built Virginia-class submarines in the early 2030s. Credit: AP If we lose this battle around technological competitiveness, we are facing a grave environment that is going to be extremely challenging. Gaston described AUKUS as a disruptive project to prepare for a more assertive China and Russia, which meant the pact was not only about an active security posture but also about defending the economy. I suppose it is putting us on more of a wartime footing, she said. We like to dance around the strategic context we are facing, and we keep talking about wake-up calls and so on, but we are really in an existential battle here. Loading Dr Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, warned that delays to building the new submarines would leave the AUKUS partners exposed. He told the parliamentary committee the US would face a shortfall in its capabilities in the 2030s as China expanded its area denial bubble to about 2000 kilometres of the Chinese mainland, which would make it difficult for US surface vessels to get within that area, while the UK would be exposed to Russia. The risks to the UK are that, in the short term, we are looking at a trough in availability of [nuclear-powered submarines], he said. There are a couple of immediate implications. The first is that the ability of Russian attack submarines like the Yasen-class to slip through the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap and launch cruise missiles at the European homeland from unexpected vectors will increase exponentially in a context where American assets are reallocated to the Pacific. And the UK, as one of NATOs two operators of nuclear attack submarines, faces a capacity shortfall. Loading The second challenge is that European, NATOs independent deterrence ... will be at risk if Yasen-class submarines can break into the Atlantic in meaningful numbers. So the implications if pillar one of AUKUS does not deliver are quite dire and quite immediate for the UK. Australia aims to have five vessels from the early 2040s using the same SSN-AUKUS design as the UK, at a cost of $368 billion over three decades, using nuclear power plants built by Rolls-Royce. Any challenges to the UK timetable will have consequences for Australia because of the shared development, even though the new fleet is meant to be built in South Australia. Rolls-Royce will receive about $5 billion from Australia over the coming decade to develop the power systems. The company signed agreements with South Australia and Western Australia earlier this month to develop the workforce needed for the project. A US nuclear-powered submarine docks at Rockingham, Western Australia, in March last year. Credit: US Navy The British timetable depends on the countrys ability to build one new submarine every 18 months for the existing fleet using the Astute and Dreadnought designs before it can switch to the new fleet when the AUKUS design is decided. Industry experts are worried that each Astute submarine currently takes about 24 months to build. The Pentagon is also concerned about the US capacity to build new submarines at a faster rate, a key factor when it has said it would sell three to five Virginia-class submarines to Australia to fill a capability gap during the wait for the new design. The last time Greta Thunberg attempted to break Israels blockade of the Gaza Strip via sea, her selfie yacht was boarded by Israeli forces in international waters, and she was sent back to Sweden via Tel Aviv after a medical examination and a gift of sandwiches and water bottles. This time, alleged drone attacks against the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla which organisers say comprises about 50 civilian ships filled with lawyers, activists, politicians and more from 44 countries, including Australia has prompted Italy and Spain to send naval vessels for possible rescues. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is making her second attempt this year to break the naval blockade against Gaza. Credit: AP The Global Sumud Flotilla said it was attacked by unidentified drones and communications jamming by way of an ABBA song overnight while sailing in international waters 56 kilometres off Gavdos, the southernmost Greek island. Drones or aircraft dropped unidentified objects on at least 10 flotilla boats, the Global Sumud Flotilla said, and at least 13 explosions were heard on or around several flotilla boats. A brief video showing what seemed to be an explosion on or near the vessel Spectre which is carrying Sydney content creator Abubakir Rafiq was posted by activists on Instagram. No casualties were reported. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Pointe Blanche Prison, a cornerstone of St. Maarten's justice system, has become a glaring symbol of dysfunction, mismanagement, and misplaced priorities. With over 300 individuals languishing on a waiting list to serve their sentences, the island's justice system is teetering on the brink of collapse. Meanwhile, dangerous criminals are being deported to live freely in their home countries, while non-violent offenders, including politicians and white-collar criminals, are left to rot behind bars. This is not just a crisis of capacityit is a crisis of justice. A System Buckling Under Pressure Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling admitted to the dire state of the prison system but offered little in the way of concrete solutions. The overcrowding at Pointe Blanche has forced the Prosecutors Office to make impossible decisions, such as deporting armed robbers to make room for rapists. These are not decisions that inspire confidence in the justice system; they are decisions that highlight its failure. The Ministers acknowledgment that she does not have access to critical data, such as the exact number of people on the waiting list to serve their sentences, is deeply troubling. How can a system function effectively when its leaders are operating in the dark? The lack of transparency and accountability is a slap in the face to the citizens of St. Maarten, who deserve a justice system that works for them, not against them. Early Release: A False Hope or a Mismanaged Solution? The early release program, often touted as a potential solution to the overcrowding crisis, has been shrouded in confusion and secrecy. Minister Tackling has repeatedly stated that early release is not the solution, citing legal constraints. However, this claim does not hold water when compared to the practices in Curacao and the Netherlands, which operate under the same rules and regulations. Both jurisdictions have successfully implemented early release policies to alleviate prison overcrowding, yet St. Maarten remains paralyzed by inaction. The Minister has admitted to using a policy that allows for early release after serving 60% or even 50% of a sentence, but she has failed to provide any transparency about how this policy is applied. Who is eligible for this discount? What criteria are used to determine eligibility? These are questions that remain unanswered, leaving the public in the dark and fostering a sense of mistrust. The lack of transparency is particularly egregious given the dire consequences of the current system. Recently, three armed robbers were released just three days before their court dates and deported to Trinidad due to a lack of cell space. Why were these individuals prioritized for release over inmates who have already served more than 50% of their sentences? Why is ankle monitoring, a solution successfully used in Curacao and the Netherlands, not being implemented in St. Maarten? These are questions that demand answers. In Curacao, the overcrowding issue was addressed by granting all inmates who demonstrate good behavior an additional 15% discount on their sentences. This means that inmates serve 2/3 of their time, plus an extra 15% discount, allowing for a more humane and efficient system. Why has St. Maarten not adopted a similar approach? The Ministers refusal to provide clarity on her policies only deepens the publics frustration and erodes trust in the justice system. A Tale of Two Justices Perhaps the most egregious aspect of this crisis is the glaring disparity in how justice is administered. Foreign criminals who commit heinous acts, such as armed robbery and attempted murder, are deported to live freely in their home countries. Meanwhile, individuals convicted of non-violent crimes, such as vote-buying, are left to languish in prison or on a waiting list. This two-tiered system of justice is not only unfair but also deeply damaging to the social fabric of St. Maarten. Some detainees have already served their sentences but remain incarcerated due one reason or another. These individuals have paid their debt to society, yet they are being denied their freedom because of administrative incompetence and a lack of political will to address the root causes of the crisis. The Human Cost of Inaction Overcrowding at Pointe Blanche is not just a logistical issue; it is a humanitarian crisis. The conditions at the prison are deplorable, with inmates crammed into spaces that are unfit for human habitation. The psychological toll on those waiting to serve their sentences, as well as on those who have already served their time but remain incarcerated, is immeasurable. Minister Tacklings recent trip to the Netherlands to plead for assistance highlights the desperation of the situation. However, her admission that other countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands are also at maximum capacity underscores the need for St. Martin to take ownership of its problems. Relying on external help is not a sustainable solution. A Broken System The current system is riddled with inconsistencies and favoritism. Reports suggest that individuals who are on the good side of the Prosecutors Office are released quickly, while others are left to languish. This lack of a proper and transparent policy has created a system where justice is not only delayed but also denied. The foreign detention center, which the Minister has pointed to as a potential solution, has been deemed by judges to not meet acceptable standards. This raises further questions about the Ministers understanding of the situation and her ability to address it effectively. A Call to Action The time for excuses and half-measures is over. The government of St. Martin must take immediate and decisive action to address the overcrowding crisis at Pointe Blanche Prison. This includes: Investing in Infrastructure: The construction of additional prison facilities must be expedited to alleviate the current overcrowding. Reforming Sentencing Policies: Non-violent offenders should be given alternative sentences, such as community service or house arrest, to free up space for dangerous criminals. Implementing Transparent Policies: The Ministry of Justice must provide clear and transparent guidelines on the early release program, including eligibility criteria and the decision-making process. Adopting Proven Solutions: St. Martin should look to Curacao and the Netherlands for best practices, such as ankle monitoring and additional sentence discounts for good behavior. The people of St. Martin deserve a justice system that is fair, transparent, and effective. The current state of affairs is a betrayal of those principles. Minister Tacklings acknowledgment of the problem is a start, but words are not enough. It is time for actionbold, decisive actionto restore faith in the justice system and ensure that St. Martin remains a safe and just society for all. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Justice, Natalie Tackling, delivered a comprehensive update on the progress and reforms underway in St. Maarten's justice system. Addressing the media and the public, Minister Tackling emphasized her commitment to fairness, progress, and action, while tackling misinformation and political distractions. Strengthening Institutions and Delivering Reforms Minister Tackling highlighted her mission to break the cycle of politics driven by narrow interests, which has historically hindered progress in St. Maarten. She reaffirmed her dedication to strengthening institutions and ensuring the justice system serves everyone. "I was not appointed to play politics, but to serve the people of this country," she stated, drawing from her personal experiences of frustration with the system. Key Achievements and Initiatives The Minister shared several milestones achieved in recent weeks, including: Judicial Four-Party Consultation in The Hague: St. Maarten's challenges, such as detention, youth crime, and forensic care, were prioritized, resulting in agreements on forensic care cooperation, new training programs, and updated guardianship arrangements. Financial Crime Reform: To prevent grey listing, a national committee comprising key stakeholders from the public and private sectors has been formed. This committee, chaired by Minister Tackling, is tasked with implementing reforms to protect St. Maarten's financial system and reputation. Modernizing Immigration Services: A new digital immigration system is being rolled out, promising shorter waiting times and a more transparent process for citizens and residents. Point Blanche Prison Project: Construction remains on track, with updates expected in the coming weeks. This project is central to restoring balance in the justice chain and rebuilding public trust. Justice Worker Compensation: The Minister reassured justice workers that Phase 1 of the LBASE process will be completed by year-end, with Phase 2 amendments already in progress to ensure retroactive payments commence in 2026. Regional and International Engagement Minister Tackling announced her upcoming participation in the 17th CFATF Council of Ministers meeting in Panama. The meeting will focus on shaping the strategic plan for 2025-2028, addressing mutual evaluations, and discussing the EU list of high-risk third countries. Her participation underscores St. Maarten's commitment to meeting international standards and protecting its financial system. Commitment to Transparency and Collaboration The Minister also addressed pending matters within the ministry, including a scheduled meeting with the CCSU and unions on October 16th to ensure open dialogue and collaboration. She expressed gratitude to justice workers for their dedication, acknowledging their role as the pillars of the ministry. Moving Forward with Purpose Minister Tackling concluded her remarks with a call to stay focused on progress and facts. "The Ministry of Justice is not a rudderless ship. We are moving forward with purpose," she declared, urging the public not to be swayed by misinformation or political rhetoric. PARIS, FRANCE:--- Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a high-profile case involving allegations of illegal campaign financing from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. On Thursday, a Paris court sentenced Sarkozy to five years in prison, marking a significant moment in a legal saga that has spanned over a decade. The Verdict and Sentences The court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy related to efforts to secure funding for his successful 2007 presidential campaign. The judge ordered that he be taken into custody at a later date, a measure that will remain in force even if he appeals the decision. In addition to the prison term, Sarkozy received a 100,000 fine and has been stripped of his civil and civic rights. While convicted of conspiracy, Sarkozy was acquitted of several other charges, including corruption. The court's ruling suggested that while it believed Sarkozy's close associates actively sought financial support from Libya, it could not definitively prove that Libyan money was used in the campaign itself. However, under French law, the act of entering into a corrupt agreement can be a crime, regardless of whether funds were ultimately exchanged. Several of Sarkozys close aides were also sentenced: Claude Gueant, his former chief of staff, was found guilty of passive corruption and falsification. He received a six-year prison sentence and a 250,000 fine. Brice Hortefeux, a former minister and close ally, was convicted of criminal conspiracy and sentenced to a two-year suspended prison term and a 50,000 fine. Sarkozy's Defense and Reaction Throughout the trial and for years prior, Sarkozy has vehemently denied all allegations. He has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming the accusations are part of a "plot" orchestrated by the Gaddafi clan as revenge for his role in the 2011 NATO-led intervention that led to the dictator's downfall. His defense team argued that the prosecution's case was weak, built on unsubstantiated claims and lacking concrete evidence of financial transactions. In response to the verdict, Sarkozy denounced the ruling as a "scandal" and an "injustice," immediately vowing to appeal. He stated that if he is incarcerated, he will face it "with my head held high." A Case with Deep Roots The allegations first surfaced in 2011, when representatives of the crumbling Gaddafi regime claimed they had secretly funneled millions of euros to Sarkozy's 2007 campaign. The case gained momentum in 2012 when an investigative news outlet published a document allegedly from Libyan intelligence that referenced a 50 million funding agreement. The investigation that followed uncovered a series of trips to Libya by individuals close to Sarkozy and relied on testimonies from various figures, including French-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine. Takieddine initially claimed to have delivered suitcases of cash but later retracted his statement, a reversal that is now part of a separate witness tampering investigation. Prosecutors described the arrangement as a "Faustian corruption pact," alleging that Sarkozys team sought funds in exchange for political favors, such as helping Libya regain international legitimacy. Broader Implications and Other Legal Battles This conviction is another major blow to the political legacy of the man who led France from 2007 to 2012. It is not Sarkozy's first encounter with the justice system. He was previously convicted in two other separate cases: one for corruption and influence peddling (the "Bismuth" case) and another for illegal campaign financing related to his failed 2012 reelection bid. The latest ruling further complicates Sarkozy's public image and adds to a growing list of legal troubles that have followed him since he left office. As he prepares to launch an appeal, the case continues to raise serious questions about political ethics and the influence of foreign money in democratic elections. SANAA/JERUSALEM, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Thursday launched multiple airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi-held capital Sanaa, Houthi TV al-Masirah reported. The Houthis have not yet provided details on the targets or casualties, but Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strikes hit Houthi-linked sites and that "dozens" were killed. Eyewitnesses described thick black smoke rising across the city as fighter jets roared overhead. Many residents rushed to open their windows out of fear that pressure waves from the explosions could shatter the glass. According to local sources, Sanaa lacks anti-aircraft defenses to intercept Israeli warplanes or underground shelters for residents seeking safety. The Israeli strikes came a day after a Houthi drone hit a tourist resort in Israel's southern port city of Eilat, wounding at least 20 people. PHILIPSBURG:--- While St. Maarten still grapples with mounting healthcare deficits and warnings from the Committee for Financial Supervision (Cft), United Peoples Party leader (UPP) MP Omar E.C. Ottley is raising sharp concerns over the upcoming leadership transition at SZV. With its director Glen Cartys tenure at the helm of SZV coming to an end, Ottley warns that the appointment of new leadership must be transparent and not become another example of government mismanagement. He notes that recent controversies from the troubled appointment processes at utilities company GEBE to the ongoing debate around the Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maartens chairmanship have already eroded public confidence in the governments ability to handle sensitive, high-stakes positions. Healthcare financing is already in crisis, Ottley stressed, referring to Minister of VSA Richinel Brugs admission that SZV faces annual deficits of XCG. 3035 million and cumulative shortfalls approaching XCG. 500 million. If government again botches the appointment process, as it has with other government-owned entities, then we risk destabilizing one of the most critical aspects of our society at precisely the time when healthcare needs are at their highest. Ottley emphasized that the next SZV director must be a seasoned professional with the expertise to navigate both financial reform and operational improvement. This is not the time for political rewards or appointments based on loyalty to a party. The person at the helm of SZV will be managing an institution under severe strain, with the eyes of the Cft, the IMF, and the people of St. Maarten on its performance. In addition, as a former Minister of VSA, MP Ottley expected that the newly appointed CEO succeeding Mr. Carty would shadow him prior to formally assuming the function. Brug, in his recent response to the Cft, pointed to measures such as stricter referral controls, cost containment, and preventative healthcare to address the deficit, alongside the appointment of three new SZV board members. But for Ottley, the credibility of those reforms depends on who is entrusted with leadership at the executive level. The public has seen what happens when the government mishandles appointments: delays, instability, and loss of trust, Ottley said. We cannot afford the same with SZV. A poorly managed process would confirm what many already fearthat this government is incapable of handling its responsibilities where governance and accountability are most needed. Ottleys call comes at a time when the healthcare systems very sustainability is under threat, with projections showing SZVs reserves could be depleted as early as 2029. Against that backdrop, he insists, the leadership choice at SZV is not just another appointment; it is a defining test of the governments competence and commitment to the peoples well-being. NEW YORK/ PHILIPSBURG:--- I begin with gratitude to the Baku Initiative Group for this opportunity on behalf of the One St. Martin Association, also known as One SXM, representing the people in the colonized territories on St. Martin, a 37-square-mile Caribbean island colonized by France (Saint Martin) and the Netherlands (Sint Maarten). The question before us today is whether we, the people who live in colonized territories, can envision a shared future with our colonizers, in the spirit of decolonization in the post-Bougival Accord era. One SXM solemnly proclaims that the Bougival Accord is just another tool used by a colonizer to continue the dominance over colonized people and that it undercuts the United Nations pledge to speedily and unconditionally end colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. In fact, the language used by France, purporting to build a shared future for the Kanaki people, is the same language used by the Dutch when peddling their brand of colonialism on our islands in the Caribbean Sea. While we in St. Martinpredominantly people of African descentare historically and culturally one people, we are pressed to envision a shared future within France and the Netherlands in a twisted form of Stockholm Syndrome. Contrastingly, the French and Dutch peoples, who are more culturally and historically aligned with each other than with the peoples in the Caribbean, are not pursuing a shared future. They are French and Dutch, and they freely collaborate within the European Union as sovereign peoples defending their respective interests. The St. Martin people also passionately yearn for our freedom and aspire to end colonialism in all its manifestations on our island. Thus, we ask the United Nations, in its mindfulness of the fundamental rights of the peoples of the worldin nations large and smallto justly respect its own principles of equal rights, self-determination, and fundamental freedoms of all peoples and recognize the dignity and worth of the St. Martin people. Like the United Nations members, we in One SXM are convinced that the continued existence of colonialism prevents the development of international economic co-operation, impedes the social, cultural and economic development of dependent peoples, and militates against the United Nations ideal of universal peace. The legal, political, and financial imbalances inherent in the colonial structures keep our people in a dependent state, and the elected leaders are dissuaded from speaking out against these injustices, further eroding confidence in our elected leaders and the pursuit of veritable democracy. Furthermore, there remains an outstanding, unequivocal commitment to the discontinuation of colonialism and the disbursement of reparations. The Netherlands and France created the legal, financial, and fiscal policies for the enslavement and trafficking of Africans and the continuation of colonialism in St. Martin. The St. Martin people feel justified in our request for reparatory justice for the crimes committed against us and our ancestors. Because we have not yet attained our independence, we ask the Baku Initiative Group, the United Nations members, and all freedom-loving people to commit to the UNs pledge to assist the people in the non-self-governing territories administered by the French and Dutch (St. Martin and Sint Maarten, respectively) in executing our inalienable right to complete our freedom by regaining our independence. As we approach the second half of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, we call on the United Nations to further intensify all efforts to implement the plan of action as set forth in the Second Decade and to ensure that this decade is indeed the last decade of colonization. As part of this process, we respectfully ask that you refine the language regarding self-determination under Resolution 1541 and revise the list of non-self-governing territories to accurately reflect the reality of our people living under colonialism. As with the refusal to formally and appropriately label the genocide of the Palestinian people, the refusal to duly call out colonization only gives the colonial criminals legal cover to continue their crimes. Furthermore, the St. Martin people continue to be involuntarily implicated in actions of the colonizing states, such as engagement in war and other atrocities. Given the past actions of the Dutch and French states being our greatest teachers, One SXM further requests assistance with drafting, monitoring, and implementing free and fair referendums on the matter of independence in our territories within a reasonable timeframe. Failure to render this justice to the St. Martin people is anti-humanity and a signal that the humanity of colonized peoples is of less value than that of their colonizers. The terminology may be obscure, but the practice of colonialism is clear, and if not in this forum, where else do the colonized people stand a chance to remedy this wrong? Certainly not in the reporting by the European administrations, which have avoided or ignored this requirement over time, nor in the colonized states. Even after political independence, today, France employs colonial structures to continue the exploitation of people on the African continent. Given the aforementioned, our assessment is that the Bougival Accord cannot be considered a pathway to decolonization. Rather, it is a tool for continued colonization, just as the Dutch Kingdom Charter maintains colonization on our island by upholding colonial structures, maintaining military presence, and controlling our maritime space. In closing, until the notion of Western and European supremacy is utterly destroyed, world peace will remain a fleeting illusion. Press Release from Business Wire: Digital Cooperation Organization (AFP) Sep 24, 2025 NEW YORK, Sept 24, 2025 (BSW) - The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), the world's first standalone international intergovernmental organization dedicated to accelerating inclusive and sustainable digital economies, announced the expansion of its WE-Elevate program across all Member States on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in New York. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250924651081/en/ DCO and Member States Unite through WE-Elevate to Advance Female-Led Enterprises in the Digital Economy (photo: AETOSWire) Developed by the DCO to support female-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), WE-Elevate is a transformative capacity-building program designed to help entrepreneurs fully participate in the digital economy. Piloted in Rwanda, the program has already delivered tangible results, enabling female-led MSMEs to enhance digital skills, formalize operations, and expand into new markets. WE-Elevate combines online learning modules, mentoring, and access to global e-commerce platforms to equip entrepreneurs with digital, financial, and entrepreneurial skills. The program is designed to guide businesses from offline to online operations through tailored, step-by-step training - from building basic digital readiness to enabling cross-border e-commerce. By doing so, it helps female-led MSMEs formalize operations, expand their customer base, and generate sustainable employment. Commenting on the successful expansion, DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya, said: "WE-Elevate transcends beyond women building businesses; it is about nations building a new social contract for the digital age. This is new multilateralism in action: Member States standing together to ensure that the digital economy does not widen divides, but becomes a bridge for women to cross into opportunity. From Kigali to Kuwait City, from Lagos to Lahore, we have seen how one woman gaining digital access can transform a family, a community, and ultimately, a nation. By expanding WE-Elevate across all our Member States, we are choosing a future where inclusion is not an afterthought but the very foundation of digital prosperity for all." WE-Elevate is a key initiative of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) that transforms female-led offline MSMEs to online digital-first brands. Through skills in e-commerce trading, participants unlock access to global e-commerce markets, financial inclusion, and scalable growth. This program also advances DCO's contribution to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Applications are now open for eligible MSMEs from all DCO Member States. Entrepreneurs can apply to register their interest at: https://dco.org/we-elevate-application/ , and begin their learning journey to transform into digital-first brands that scale globally. Source:AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250924651081/en/ Contact Ahmed [email protected] 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Adva Network Security GmbH (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 BERLIN, Sept 25, 2025 (BSW) - Adva Network Security today announced that its FSP 3000 S-Flex? 400Gbit/s solution has achieved a world first with approval from the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) for the transportation of data classified as Verschlusssache - Nur fur den Dienstgebrauch (VS-NfD) - "For Official Use Only" - and EU/NATO "Restricted." No other 400Gbit/s solution on the market has earned this level of accreditation. Leveraging Adva Network Security's ConnectGuard? technology, it delivers quantum-safe Layer 1 encryption with post?quantum cryptography (PQC), offering future-ready protection for sensitive data. By deploying S-Flex?, authorities, critical infrastructure operators and high?security enterprises can defend against a range of threats, including harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250922296544/en/ Adva Network Security's FSP 3000 S-Flex? with BSI-approved 400Gbit/s encryption marks a major milestone for safeguarding Europe's digital future. "The European Union urgently needs to advance its position on post-quantum cryptography to combat long-term threats to sensitive and classified data. With our FSP 3000 S-Flex?, we've moved beyond roadmap promises to deliver the world's first 400Gbit/s Layer 1 encryption solution approved by the BSI for VS-NfD and EU/NATO-restricted data," said Josef Simeir, GM of Adva Network Security. "This is a significant step in securing Europe's digital future. While post-quantum policy is still being debated in boardrooms and committees, we're already helping protect data center operators, financial institutions and defense agencies from quantum-enabled threats. BSI-approved and built for the future, our technology doesn't just meet critical security standards - it sets the benchmark for emerging ones." The FSP 3000 S-Flex? combines BSI-approved Layer 1 encryption with post-quantum key exchange to protect classified data, including VS?NfD and EU/NATO?Restricted. Developed by Adva Network Security as a high-capacity transponder/muxponder card for the Adtran FSP 3000 open optical transport platform, it delivers ultra-low-latency connectivity with a high-density design. The solution supports Fibre Channel up to 64Gbit/s and Ethernet from 1GbE to 400GbE (1/10/25/100/400GbE), as well as IBM Z mainframe connectivity, multiplexing multiple client services into a single 400Gbit/s wavelength. As hosted data volumes grow, the technology ensures scalable bandwidth and quantum-safe encryption for enterprises, public authorities and operators of critical infrastructure. "Harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks threaten the future security of data transmitted today, making post-quantum cryptography one of the most urgent priorities for guaranteeing the digital sovereignty of Europe," commented Michael Roth, GM of Adva Network Security. "The European Commission has made clear that member states must coordinate their transition to PQC. With the FSP 3000 S-Flex?, we're leading that objective. As the industry's first 400Gbit/s Layer 1 encryption solution approved by the BSI for VS-NfD and EU/NATO-restricted data, our high-capacity card is already deployed and certified to protect the most sensitive information. It gives operators a path to upgrade in sync with evolving standards and higher data rates in step with national strategies, strengthening Europe's digital transformation over the next decade." About Adva Network Security Adva Network Security is a leading German IT-security company. We provide robust optical and Ethernet networking solutions and a comprehensive service offering. Our ConnectGuard? technology delivers quantum-safe encryption that protects large-scale networks and essential applications. Critical infrastructure, government, defense and enterprise customers rely on our technical expertise in communication networks and information security. This unique combination of skills ensures the resilience and security of their essential IT and OT infrastructure. Customers can count on our services team from initial design to secure operation, ensuring business continuity amid growing cyber threats. Our design, manufacturing processes and security solutions are certified by leading government security agencies. For more information on how we can help you, please visit www.advasecurity.com. Published by Adva Network Security GmbH, Berlin, Germany www.advasecurity.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250922296544/en/ Contact For mediaAntje Hartmannt +49 30 [email protected] 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Thredd (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 LONDON, Sept 25, 2025 (BSW) - Thredd, the leading next-generation global payments processor, today announced the continued growth of its partnership with OFX, the global cards, payments and foreign exchange specialist trusted by over 37,000 SMB and corporate clients worldwide. OFX's integrated platform unites card issuing, spend management, FX solutions, and payments in one powerful solution, giving businesses total control over their cash flow, expenses, and supplier payments locally and internationally. Following successful launches in Australia, Canada and Europe, OFX is now expanding into the United States, and select APAC markets. Thredd provides the processing backbone, compliance expertise, and in-market support that enable OFX to deliver secure, scalable physical and virtual corporate card programmes with real-time spend controls, automated expense management, and multi-currency capabilities. "With a single platform and global reach, Thredd is helping OFX bring powerful, enterprise-grade card programmes to market quickly and compliantly," said Jim McCarthy, CEO of Thredd. "Our collaboration is proof that expanding internationally can be seamless, especially with the platform, people, and partnerships Thredd brings to the table." "The incredible team at Thredd, along with their deep expertise and global infrastructure, has enabled us to launch and rapidly scale our innovative platform, which combines card issuing, spend management, FX, and payments at record speed," said Jaco Veldsman, Global Head of Non-FX at OFX. "With a single partner supporting our multi-region expansion, we can focus on delivering smarter, more secure, and more connected payment experiences for our clients worldwide." In addition to core processing, OFX has adopted Thredd's fraud transaction monitoring tools. The expanded partnership underscores Thredd's position as the go-to processing partner for fintechs and embedded finance platforms scaling card programmes and payment services internationally. About OFX OFX is a global payments and foreign exchange specialist, trusted by over 37,000 SMB and corporate clients worldwide. We help businesses and individuals move money securely and efficiently across borders, offering competitive rates, fast transfers, and expert support. Our integrated platform combines card issuing, spend management, FX, and payments, giving businesses a single, intelligent solution to manage cash flow, control expenses, and pay suppliers locally and internationally. For more information about OFX and its international payment solutions, visit https://www.ofx.com/ About Thredd Thredd is the trusted next-generation payments processing partner for innovators looking to modernise their payments offerings worldwide. We process billions of debit, prepaid and credit transactions annually, serving over 100 fintechs, digital banks, and embedded finance providers, from consumer to corporate, based across 47 countries. Learn more at https://www.thredd.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925917356/en/ Contact Simeon LandoChief Marketing [email protected] 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Marginum (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 KUOPIO, Sept 25, 2025 (BSW) - Marginum announces a significant milestone as its flagship device, HIVEN(R), is cleared for the CE mark. The underlying MDR certification signifies an important regulatory milestone. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925132453/en/ Figure 1. MARGINUM(R) intraoperative aspirate tissue monitoring device (HIVEN(R)) was used at Nordic hospitals during clinical trials. The device is positioned on the instrument table next to the surgeon. Marginum, a Finnish medical technology company, made rapid strides in validating the aspirate tissue monitoring (ATM) technique and received the MDR certificate at a record-breaking speed, just over 4.5 years. Marginum's team successfully developed a breakthrough class IIb medical device that addresses an unmet clinical need to accurately detect tumorous tissue during surgery, without compromising existing workflows. New era of precision in cancer surgery HIVEN(R) is a novel device for assisting in intraoperative margin assessment that provides near real-time feedback to support surgeons in achieving a safer and more complete tumour resection. By providing surgical teams with immediate insight into the tumour margins while resecting, the device aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce the likelihood of reoperations.HIVEN(R) is designed to detect fluorescent cancer tissue from aspirated tissue during surgery without disrupting standard workflow. "Achieving clearance for the CE mark is a pivotal step in bringing the HIVEN(R) into clinical practice and improving outcomes for patients in Europe. This certificate reflects the hard work of our team and the strength of our scientific and clinical foundations," says Juho Leskinen, CTO and co-founder of Marginum. Clinical Benefits & Indications The aspirate tissue monitoring technology aims to overcome surgical challenges that may damage healthy tissues and leave tumour cells undetected. Incomplete removal, damage to healthy tissues, and reoperations exacerbate patient suffering, compromised standard of care, and long-term complications - all directly escalating healthcare costs. Critical structures like blood vessels often create blind spots - behind corners and tissue ridges - where cancerous tissue can be difficult to detect. The HIVEN(R) aspirate tissue monitoring device addresses this challenge by allowing resected tissue to be transported directly for fluorescence analysis. This provides surgeons with more comprehensive information about the surgical site. "In glioma surgery, our ability to distinguish tumour from healthier tissues is limited by anatomical constraints, blood and compromised visibility, particularly in deep-seated areas. We wanted HIVEN(R) to provide critical feedback beyond sensory limitations; you can consider it a sixth sense for tumour detection," comments docent Antti-Pekka Elomaa MD PhD, a consultant neurosurgeon and one of Marginum co-founders. The HIVEN(R) is approved for fluorescence-guided neurosurgery of high-grade gliomas, where precise margin identification is critical. HIVEN(R) enhances surgical accuracy by enabling objective tissue detection in hard-to-reach areas and simplifying the procedure workflow. About Marginum: Marginum, a leading innovator in fluorescence-guided oncological surgery, is a medical technology company developing fluorescence-based tissue detection systems. HIVEN(R) by Marginum enables safe and efficient monitoring of tumour tissues during cancer surgery.www.marginum.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925132453/en/ Contact Media contact:Samu Lehtonen, CEO & Co-FounderEmail: [email protected] Mobile: +358405797890https://www.marginum.com 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Toyota opens high-tech village in Japan to road test the future Tokyo, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Top-selling carmaker Toyota opened its new high-tech village in Japan on Thursday, an experimental project to test autonomous driving and other futuristic developments. It is touted as a real-life setting in which to trial myriad inventions, from flying taxis to robot pets and drones that escort you home at night. Around 360 Toyota staff and others related to the company will soon move in to smart homes in its "Woven City". "This is a test course for the future, not just a town," Toyota's chairman Akio Toyoda told an opening event, according to national broadcaster NHK. The number of residents in the cluster of homes built on a disused Toyota factory at the base of Mount Fuji is eventually expected to grow to 2,000, the firm says. Toyoda has previously called it a "living laboratory where the residents are willing participants" and inventors can test ideas in a secure environment. "Homes in the Woven City will eventually serve as test sites for future technology, such as in-home robotics, to assist with daily life," he said in January. One example could be robots that learn how to fold shirts, Toyoda said. The project, first announced in 2020, is led by his son, Daisuke Toyoda. "Much like test drivers for cars... our residents will be the ones who use and experience the new products and services our inventors develop." The company's e-Palette self-driving buses will also be tested at Woven City, among other autonomous logistics and driving technologies. EU rejects Apple demand to scrap landmark tech rules Brussels, Belgium, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 The European Union rejected a call by Apple to scrap its landmark digital competition law on Thursday, dismissing the US giant's claims that the rules put users' security at risk. Apple and the EU have repeatedly locked horns over the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which Brussels says seeks to make the digital sector in the 27-nation bloc fairer and more open. In a formal submission to the European Commission as part of a consultation on the law, Apple said: "The DMA should be repealed while a more appropriate fit for purpose legislative instrument is put in place." Responding to Apple's demand, the commission said it had "absolutely no intention" to abandon the law. "Apple has simply contested every little bit of the DMA since its entry into application," retorted EU digital affairs spokesman Thomas Regnier, who said the commision was "not surprised" by the tech giant's move. The latest standoff comes as President Donald Trump seeks to pressure the EU over decisions and laws affecting US Big Tech -- with key industry figures including Apple chief Tim Cook moving closer to the White House since Trump's return to power. "It's become clear that the DMA is leading to a worse experience for Apple users in the EU," the tech giant said in a blog post accompanying its submission. "It's exposing them to new risks, and disrupting the simple, seamless way their Apple products work together." Pushing for wholesale reform of the law if it is not repealed, Apple suggested enforcement "should be undertaken by an independent European agency" rather than the commission, the EU's executive arm and digital watchdog. But Regnier said it was up to Brussels to "decide how we want to enforce the DMA and who is enforcing the DMA". The DMA challenges Apple's closed ecosystem, but Brussels argues that it is necessary to do so to level the playing field for Apple's rivals and avoid unfair market domination. The law tells Big Tech firms what they can and cannot do on their platforms. For example, companies must offer choice screens for web browsers and search engines to give users more options. Violations of the DMA can lead to hefty fines. Brussels in April slapped a 500-million-euro ($590-million) fine on Apple under the DMA, which the company has appealed. - Delays for EU users - Apple says forcing it to let European users of its devices to download app marketplaces that rival its App Store creates security risks. The giant also cites an increasing number of complaints from users about DMA-related changes but has not provided exact figures. The EU dismissed claims the law put consumers at risk. "Nothing in the DMA requires companies to lower their privacy standards, their security standards," Regnier told reporters. Apple argued in its 25-page submission that the EU's law had forced it to delay new features in the bloc. For example, Apple has not yet rolled out "live translation" -- which allows consumers to choose another language to hear via AirPods in their ears. The technology was launched this month in the United States but Apple says it must undertake further engineering work to ensure users' privacy in the EU. Under the DMA, companies including Apple must make sure their products can work seamlessly with third-party devices such as earphones. The commission said it was "normal" companies sometimes needed more time to make sure their products were in line with the new law and that it was helping them comply. DMA enforcement began in March 2024 and the EU's consultation on the first review of the law ended just before midnight on Wednesday. Independently from the digital law, Apple has faced the heat under different EU competition rules. Brussels slapped it with a 1.8-billion-euro fine in March 2024. raz/ec/rl TEHRAN, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Russia on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs) in Iran. The MoU was signed between Mohammad Eslami, chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), and Alexey Likhachev, head of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom in Moscow, according to a statement released on the AEOI's website. The statement said the MoU aims to expand cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy to promote sustainable development, strengthen energy security and advance technology, in compliance with the two countries' national regulations and international obligations. It added that under the MoU, the two sides would prepare and sign contracts for designing and constructing nuclear power plants based on SMRs in the future. Heading a delegation, Eslami arrived in Moscow on Monday to meet Russian officials and participate in the World Atomic Week forum, which runs from Sept. 25 to 28. Upon his arrival, Eslami said that within the framework of a contract between Tehran and Moscow, the latter is expected to build eight nuclear power plants in Iran, including four in the southern province of Bushehr, as the country seeks to generate 20,000 megawatts of electricity in the coming years. Spotify moves to tackle AI abuse with transparency measures New York, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Spotify on Thursday unveiled several measures to encourage artists and publishers to be more transparent about their use of artificial intelligence, as well as to limit certain abuses. The Swedish platform is recommending that musicians and producers comply with a new standard developed by the Digital Data Exchange (DDEX), a consortium of leading media companies, music licensing organizations, digital service providers and technology firms that develops standards for the creative industries. Since the beginning of the year, DDEX has allowed tracks to be labeled as entirely, partially, or not at all created with AI in their descriptions. Once these metadata are integrated, they'll be available "across Spotify," promised Sam Duboff, head of music marketing at the streaming platform. The issue gained prominence in June when an AI group called The Velvet Sundown suddenly went viral, with their most popular song surpassing three million streams on Spotify. The new labeling system operates on a voluntary basis, and Spotify does not require content uploaders to disclose AI's role in their production. "Initially, I think people's mindset was very much binary," explained Charlie Hellman, head of music at Spotify, during a presentation. "There's either AI music or there's not. But the reality is that we're now seeing this proliferation of so many different ways that AI is incorporated into all different steps of the tool chain." Spotify does not want to "punish artists for using AI authentically and responsibly," Hellman said. According to the company, more than 15 labels and distributors have already committed to comply with the DDEX nomenclature. Deezer is currently the only major audio platform to systematically flag tracks entirely generated by artificial intelligence. Regarding such tracks identified by Spotify as entirely created through generative AI, "their audience is minimal," Duboff said. "It's really a small percentage of streams. In general, when the music doesn't take much effort to create, it tends to be low quality and doesn't find an audience." The platform also announced Thursday that it had updated its rules to make clear that unauthorized AI use, including the creation of deepfakes or imitations without consent, is not permitted and such content would be removed. Press Release from Business Wire: Regula (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 RESTON, Sept 25, 2025 (BSW) - According to anew study from Regula, a global developer of identity verification (IDV) solutions and forensic devices, 43% of organizations cite lack of integration and orchestration as their biggest challenge, while almost the same share (44%) say those very capabilities top their wish list for an ideal setup. The data suggests a turning point: organizations now realize disjointed IDV tools are the new vulnerability. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925597080/en/ According to Regula research, nearly half of businesses struggle with lack of orchestration and integration of different IDV tools This near-perfect balance reveals a simple truth: orchestration, i.e., linking all identity verification steps into a single, seamless process, once considered as nice-to-have, has become a critical requirement. "Many companies don't struggle because they lack IDV tools-they struggle because they have too many," says Ihar Kliashchou, Chief Technology Officer at Regula. "Every extra component adds cost, friction, and complexity, which ultimately increases risk. Businesses know orchestration is the answer. Without it, identity verification stays fragmented and vulnerable, leaving cracks for fraudsters to exploit-for example, by passing different identities through unconnected checks. Each tool may work in isolation, but the system as a whole never verifies the complete journey." Sectoral and regional pain points Across all surveyed industries, orchestration gaps are a top-three issue. For instance: -- Cryptofirms are hit hardest, with 49% citing difficulties in orchestrating IDV as their top obstacle because of maturity gaps. -- Banks (47%) struggle most with tool integration due to the prevalence of third-party legacy systems and siloed applications. -- Fintech companies (50%) say they are most preoccupied with a fragmented user experience that emerges as their businesses scale fast and new services are added sporadically. Regional differences add nuance: -- In the US, 53% of businesses blame fragmented customer journeys as the top issue. -- In Germany and Singapore, 46% point to failed integration. -- In the UAE, 45% struggle most with orchestration and automation challenges. The pattern intensifies with scale. Companies losing more than $5 million annually to fraud are nearly twice as likely to report orchestration as their main challenge compared to those with smaller losses. Download the full report These findings are part of Regula's new survey of businesses across the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The full report, Identity Verification 2025: 5 Threats and 5 Opportunities,is available for download on Regula's website. About Regula Regula is a global developer of forensic devices and identity verification solutions. With our 30+ years of experience in forensic research and the most comprehensive library of document templates in the world, we create breakthrough technologies for document and biometric verification. Our hardware and software solutions allow over 1,000 organizations and 80 border control authorities globally to provide top-notch client service without compromising safety, security, or speed. Regula has been recognized in the 2025 Gartner(R) Magic Quadrant? for Identity Verification. Learn more at www.regulaforensics.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925597080/en/ Contact Kristina - [email protected] 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Allegro DVT (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 GRENOBLE, Sept 25, 2025 (BSW) - AllegroDVT, a leading provider of Digital Video Technology Solutions, today announced the release of a complete range of Solutions to accelerate the adoption of the next-generation AV2 codec from the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia). The AV2 Codec, set for 2025 year-end release as announced by AOMedia on September 15th, represents a major technological leap in video compression performance. It will notably provide enhanced support for AR/VR applications, better handling of screen content and many other improvements for superior media experiences. AV2 products announced by AllegroDVT include: -- Sirius AV2 Compliance Test Suite - A comprehensive Decoder Verification Solution designed to ease ultimate AV2 conformance based on the publicly available AVM source code. Sirius AV2 Test Suite enables a robust validation of Hardware and Software based AV2 Decoders by providing test cases covering all corner cases, equations, and branch conditions. A full coverage report is also included to give developers complete confidence in their AV2 decoder implementation to meet the highest compliance standards required for market readiness -- Astralis AV2 VQ Analyzer - A powerful analysis and debugging tool that provides deep insights into AV2 bitstreams. It helps developers optimize efficiency, accelerates debugging, to deliver higher quality and conformant Video Encoder & Decoders in shorter time-to-market -- Pulsar AV2 Decoder Semiconductor IP - Ready-to-integrate Semiconductor IP that brings best-in-class AV2 decoding performance to SoCs powering next generation Consumer devices and streaming platforms while enabling energy-efficient, high-quality playback. Pulsar AV2 Decoder IP will be available shortly after the AV2 specification release "By combining compliance bitstreams, advanced analysis tools, and semiconductor IPs for the upcoming AV2 codec, AllegroDVT is uniquely positioned to help the video industry foster adoption of AV2 by accelerating the release of AV2 products" said Nouar Hamze, CEO of AllegroDVT. "With over 22 years' experience, in providing Video Compliance Solutions and successful track record of delivering high quality AV1, VP9, VVC, HEVC, AVC and LCEVC solutions, AllegroDVT shows once again its commitment to supporting open video standards and providing tools and technologies necessary for seamless industry adoption." About Allegro DVTAllegroDVT, a worldwide company headquartered in Grenoble/France, is a leading provider of digital video technology solutions including video compliance tools and semiconductor video IPs. With the acquisition of Vicuesoft, AllegroDVT expanded its video compliance tools portfolio adding the industry leading VQ Analyzer software. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925020294/en/ Contact Press: [email protected] / +33-04-76-42-66-85 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. US tech company Cloud HQ announces $4.8 bn data center project in Mexico Mexico City, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 US-based tech company Cloud HQ said Thursday it will spend $4.8 billion building six data centers in Mexico, the latest in a series of major US investments in the country amid trade tensions with Washington. Other companies to have recently announced projects in Mexico include brewing giant Heineken, retailer Walmart and streaming service Netflix. "If Mexico wants to advance in artificial intelligence, we need data centers," President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters Thursday. Cloud HQ CEO Keith Harney, at the same press conference, said the company will erect six facilities covering 52 hectares in the central state of Queretaro. Some 7,200 skilled construction jobs will be the result, and about 900 permanent positions for the operation of the data centers. "Cloud HQ's campus development will strengthen and amplify Mexico's position in the digital economy," he added. Mexico's Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said an important criteria for approving the project was "very low" water consumption in the drought-prone country. Amazon reaches $2.5 bn settlement over Prime enrollment practices Washington, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Amazon agreed Thursday to pay $2.5 billion to settle allegations from a U.S. regulator that it used deceptive practices to enroll consumers in Amazon Prime and made it difficult to cancel subscriptions. The Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit, filed in federal court in Seattle, alleged that Amazon knowingly tricked consumers into signing up for the $139-per-year Prime service during checkouts. The settlement represents one of the FTC's largest financial recoveries in a consumer protection case. The case centers on two main allegations: that Amazon enrolled customers without clear consent through confusing checkout processes, and that it created a deliberately complex cancellation system internally nicknamed "Iliad" -- after Homer's epic about the long, arduous Trojan War. The FTC alleged that Amazon's checkout process forced customers to navigate confusing interfaces where declining Prime membership required finding small, inconspicuous links -- while signing up for the service used prominent buttons. Crucial information about Prime's price and automatic renewal was often hidden or disclosed in fine print, the FTC also alleged. Under the settlement, Amazon must reform its Prime enrollment and cancellation processes, including providing clear decline options and simplifying cancellation procedures. The company must also implement new disclosure requirements before charging consumers. The court already ruled last week that Amazon Prime subscriptions are subject to consumer protection laws and that Amazon obtained consumers' billing information before fully disclosing subscription terms. In the settlement proposal, made before a third day of testimony was to begin in the Seattle court, the company neither admits nor denies wrongdoing. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for more information. The case is part of a volley of lawsuits launched in recent years in a bipartisan effort to rein in the power of U.S. tech giants after years of government complacency. Press Release from Business Wire: Perseus Motor Corporation (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 LONDON, Sept 25, 2025 (BSW) - Perseus Motor Corporation, Europe's first AI-native EV brand, today announced a landmark strategic alliance with SODA.Auto, a leader in AI and Software Defined Vehicles, to co-develop the world's most advanced AI powered Human-Machine Interface (HMI). This partnership marks a decisive step toward redefining the relationship between humans and vehicles in the era of intelligent mobility. "Perseus was founded through a realization that today's car is passive and isolated, while I wanted a vehicle that could seamlessly partner with my busy day-to-day world. I envisioned a vehicle that thinks, adapts, and evolves around its driver," said Mohammed Yehya El Bakkali, Founder and CEO of Perseus Motor Corporation. "This alliance with SODA.Auto transforms that vision into reality. Together, we are building the most advanced driver-vehicle interface in the world." Unlike traditional automakers, Perseus is pioneering a future where AI shapes every interaction between driver and vehicle. The result is a car that functions as a living intelligence system, delivering a uniquely personalized driving experience where AI does not just assist the driver; it learns about them, understands them, and attunes itself to their journeys, forming a truly symbiotic relationship. The car will dynamically learn the owner's driving style and adjust itself to their emotional state to improve safety. It will also learn their driving routines and preferences, proactively adapting and fine tuning itself to reduce the driver's cognitive load in their busy day-to-day lives. This makes every Perseus vehicle as unique as its owner. Under the alliance, Perseus will lead conceptualization, design, and product definition, embedding AI as the core layer of its vehicle architecture. The two companies will operate joint R&D centres in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, and Bicester, Oxfordshire. These facilities will combine world-class AI engineering talent, software specialists, and advanced digital and physical testing environments to accelerate development. "Partnering with Perseus allows us to unite around a shared AI strategy and apply it in extraordinary new vehicles," said Sergey Malygin, CEO of SODA.Auto. "The outcome will be a step change in how humans interact with vehicles: intelligent, intuitive, and deeply personal. This is Europe setting the global benchmark." The Perseus and SODA.Auto alliance comes at a time when the global automotive industry is focused narrowly on electrification and autonomy. Perseus is positioning AI powered interaction as the defining competitive advantage of the next decade. Notes to Editors About Perseus Motor Corporation Perseus Motor Corporation is Europe's first mass-premium AI-native electric vehicle brand. Headquartered in London, Perseus is pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence into the heart of the driving experience, creating vehicles that are adaptive, intelligent, and truly human centric. About SODA.Auto SODA.Auto is a software defined vehicle (SDV) technology company accelerating the development of next-generation mobility. Its platform combines an extensive SDV library of pre-certified software components with AI driven tools for simulation, validation, and integration. This enables automakers to create innovative vehicles up to ten times faster and at significantly lower cost. Headquartered in London, SODA.Auto is pioneering the fusion of SDV, AI, and digital twin technologies to deliver safe, intelligent, and future-ready automotive solutions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925563851/en/ Contact Media contact:[email protected] 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Amazon to pay $2.5 bn to settle Prime enrollment case Washington, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Amazon agreed Thursday to pay $2.5 billion to settle allegations from a US regulator that it used deceptive practices to enroll consumers in Amazon Prime and made it difficult to cancel subscriptions. The Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit, filed in federal court in Seattle, alleged that Amazon knowingly tricked consumers into signing up for the $139-per-year Prime service during checkouts. "Today, we are putting billions of dollars back into Americans' pockets, and making sure Amazon never does this again," said FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson in a statement. The FTC "is committed to fighting back when companies try to cheat ordinary Americans out of their hard-earned pay." In a statement, Amazon said the company "and our executives have always followed the law and this settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers." The online retail giant, which admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement, added that it worked "incredibly hard to make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up or cancel their Prime membership and to offer substantial value for our many millions of loyal Prime members around the world." The case centered on two main allegations: that Amazon enrolled customers without clear consent through confusing checkout processes, and that it created a deliberately complex cancellation system internally nicknamed "Iliad" -- after Homer's epic about the long, arduous Trojan War. The FTC alleged that Amazon's checkout process forced customers to navigate confusing interfaces where declining Prime membership required finding small, inconspicuous links -- while signing up for the service used prominent buttons. Crucial information about Prime's price and automatic renewal was often hidden or disclosed in fine print, the FTC also alleged. Under the settlement, made on what would have been the third day of testimony in front of a jury, Amazon must reform its Prime enrollment and cancellation processes. This should include introducing a clear option for customers to decline Prime membership, and refraining from vague or indirect references like "no thanks, I don't want free shipping." The company must also implement new disclosure requirements before charging consumers and always disclose the price and auto-renewal feature on the Prime sign-up page. The settlement came after the court ruled last week that Amazon Prime subscriptions are subject to consumer protection laws and that Amazon had illegally obtained consumers' billing information before fully disclosing subscription terms. The case is part of a volley of lawsuits launched in recent years in a bipartisan effort to rein in the power of US tech giants after years of government complacency. Food delivery giant Just Eat cuts 450 staff in AI shift The Hague, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Dutch food delivery company Just Eat Takeaway said on Thursday it will cut about 450 jobs as it integrates automation and artificial intelligence into its operations. The reductions will affect several countries and functions, including in customer service and sales administration. "By having a more streamlined approach, we believe we will be able to further enhance the experience for our consumers and partners," the company said in a statement to AFP. The Amsterdam-based company operates in 17 countries and employs tens of thousands of people as couriers, most of them part-time, according to its annual report. It earns its revenue primarily from commissions charged to its restaurant partners, based on the value of orders made through its platform. In August the company said it was partnering with Swiss robotics company RIVR to pilot doorstep delivery of food products with autonomous robots. After a boom in home dining during the Covid pandemic that saw its share price soar, the company has since faced difficulties due to an increase in competition and a rise in the cost of living in some its key markets. In February, the Dutch investment group Prosus said it would buy Just Eat Takeaway.com for 4.1 million euros ($4.8 million), in order to create "a European technology champion". srg-sh/sbk JUST EAT PLC Supporters of Peter Mutharika celebrate in Blantyre, Malawi, Sept. 24, 2025. Malawi's former President Peter Mutharika has won the presidential election with 56.8 percent of the vote, securing a decisive lead over incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, the country's electoral commission announced Wednesday. (Photo by Joseph Mizere/Xinhua) LILONGWE, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Malawi's former President Peter Mutharika has won the presidential election with 56.8 percent of the vote, securing a decisive lead over incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, the country's electoral commission announced Wednesday. The president-elect, contesting on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket, secured nearly 3.04 million votes in the 17-candidate race on Sept. 16, while Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) garnered around 1.77 million votes, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja announced at a press briefing in Lilongwe, the capital. The 85-year-old Mutharika obtained 56.8 percent of the valid votes cast, surpassing the 50-percent-plus-one threshold required for an outright victory, while Chakwera, 70, trailed with 33 percent of ballots, according to the MEC. Mutharika, who served as president from 2014 to 2020, will return to office with former MEC Chairperson Jane Ansah as his vice president. The electoral commission announced the final results just hours after the incumbent, Chakwera, conceded defeat in a televised address. "It's well clear that my main rival, His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party, had already secured an insurmountable lead and is the presumptive winner of the presidential election," said Chakwera. "For this reason, a moment ago I called Professor Mutharika directly to congratulate him on his historic victory and to wish him well in his upcoming tenure as the seventh President of the Republic of Malawi," he said. He thanked his supporters and urged all Malawians to support Mutharika's drive for national prosperity. Some political analysts have described the Sept. 16 election as a "protest vote." "Mostly, the vote that the DPP has gotten is a protest vote: People voted for the DPP because the MCP failed to deliver on its promises," said political analyst Wonderful Mkhuche on a local TV program. The MEC was expected to release the final result around noon on Wednesday, but delayed the announcement until the evening. A day earlier, Chakwera had sought a court injunction to block the release, but the High Court dismissed the application, clearing the way for the electoral commission to declare the outcome. Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja announces the results of the presidential election in Lilongwe, Malawi, on Sept. 24, 2025. Malawi's former President Peter Mutharika has won the presidential election with 56.8 percent of the vote, securing a decisive lead over incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, the country's electoral commission announced Wednesday. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun) People wait for the results of the presidential election at the National Tally Center in Lilongwe, Malawi, on Sept. 24, 2025. Malawi's former President Peter Mutharika has won the presidential election with 56.8 percent of the vote, securing a decisive lead over incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, the country's electoral commission announced Wednesday. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun) Israeli strike kills 11 Palestinians: Gaza civil defence Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 An Israeli air strike on a home where displaced people had taken refuge in central Gaza killed at least 11 people on Thursday, the territory's civil defence spokesperson told AFP. Israel has intensified its offensive on the devastated Palestinian territory in recent weeks, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee. "Eleven people were killed and many are missing or wounded after an Israeli airstrike targeted a house... which was sheltering displaced people north of Al-Zawaida in the central Gaza Strip," civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said. Several children were among those killed, the emergency services said, and their bodies were taken to a nearby hospital. Over nearly two years, Israeli military operations have killed at least 65,419 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, figures the UN considers reliable. The war was triggered by the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,219 Israelis, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Media restrictions in the territory and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the details provided by the civil defence or the Israeli military. The US-backed offensive on Gaza City came as a United Nations probe accused Israel of committing "genocide" in the Gaza Strip, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials had incited the crime. Israel rejected the findings and slammed the probe as "distorted and false". Large parts of Gaza have been laid to waste, and last month a body backed by the United Nations officially declared famine in part of the territory. "We lost our children, our homes and our places," Najia Abu Amsha, a Palestinian whose nephew was killed while waiting for aid, said Wednesday. "We became beggars and sick." North Korea could have up to 2 tonnes of highly enriched uranium: Seoul Seoul, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 North Korea is believed to possess up to two tonnes of highly enriched uranium, South Korea's unification minister said Thursday. The North has long been known to hold a "significant" amount of highly enriched uranium, the key material used to produce nuclear warheads, according to South Korea's defence ministry. But in a rare public confirmation, South Korea's unification minister said that "intelligence agencies estimate Pyongyang's stockpile of highly enriched uranium - more than 90 percent pure - at up to 2,000 kilogrammes." "Even at this very hour, North Korea's uranium centrifuges are operating at four sites," Chung Dong-young told reporters. "Only five to six kg of plutonium is enough to build a single nuclear bomb," said Chung, adding that 2,000 kg of highly enriched uranium, which could be reserved solely for plutonium production, would be "enough to make an enormous number of nuclear weapons". Chung said that "stopping North Korea's nuclear development is an urgent matter", but argued that sanctions will not be effective and that the only solution lies in a summit between Pyongyang and Washington. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said this week that he was open to US talks provided he can keep his nuclear arsenal. North Korea, which conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and is under rafts of UN sanctions for its banned weapons programmes, has never publicly disclosed details of its uranium enrichment facility until last September. The country is believed to operate multiple uranium enrichment facilities, Seoul's spy agency has said, including one at its Yongbyon nuclear site, which Pyongyang purportedly decommissioned after talks -- although it later reactivated the facility in 2021. French navy seizes nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine off west Africa Brest, France, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 The French navy has seized nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine worth more than $600 million from a fishing vessel off the coast of west Africa, French authorities said on Thursday. The seizure by two navy ships on Monday followed a tip-off by anti-drug and maritime intelligence authorities and British police, authorities in France's northwestern Atlantic Maritime region said. The operation was part of France's Corymbe naval mission, which has been deployed in the Gulf of Guinea since 1990 to ensure security in an area where piracy is fairly common. "In total, 9.6 tonnes of cocaine with a market value of nearly 519 million euros ($609 million) was seized from a boat," the Atlantic Maritime prefecture said, adding that the vessel was not registered in any country. By the end of August, the French navy had already seized nearly six tonnes of cocaine off the coast of west Africa. With more than 45 tonnes of drugs intercepted by the French navy, seizures made in 2025 have already reached a record, Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of Naval Staff, said at the time. India signs $7 bn deal for 97 domestically made fighter jets New Delhi, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 India signed a $7 billion order on Thursday for 97 domestically designed and built Tejas fighter jets as its air force retires its Russian MiG-21 fleet after decades of use. One of the world's largest arms importers, India has made the modernisation of its forces a top priority and has made repeated pushes to boost domestic production. The order for the Tejas fighters is one of the largest in terms of the number of fighter jets ordered by India in a single shot. The first of the jets -- Tejas means "brilliance" in Hindi -- were commissioned into the air force in 2016, with the latest order for an upgraded version of the fighter, Mk-1A. India's Ministry of Defence said it had "signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, including 68 fighters and 29 twin seaters". HAL is a government defence company and more than 100 Indian companies were involved in the manufacturing process, the aircraft having "an indigenous content of over 64 percent", it said. "The delivery of these aircraft would commence during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years," the ministry said. New Delhi is eyeing threats from multiple nations, especially neighbouring Pakistan. India fought a four-day conflict in May, their worst clash since 1999. Both sides claimed victory, each boasting of downing the other's fighter jets. - 'Mainstay' - Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in a statement the aircraft would "strengthen defence preparedness". "This contract reflects the trust and confidence of the Government and the Armed Forces in the indigenously developed aircraft Tejas, which will be the mainstay of the IAF (Indian Air Force) in the years to come," he said. India will hold a flypast ceremony at a major air force base in Chandigarh on Friday, the final flight of their Soviet-era MiG-21s that have been in use since the 1960s. An estimated final 36 MiGs will end their service. India inducted 874 MiG-21s overall, serving in multiple conflicts. However, they also recorded around 400 crashes that killed about 200 Indian pilots over the decades, earning the planes the "the flying coffin" moniker. Angad Singh, co-author of a book on the MiGs, said New Delhi had "originally planned" to retire the jets by the mid-1990s. However, those efforts stalled and there was "no choice" but to upgrade them to "squeeze more life out of it", he said. India also signed a multi-billion-dollar deal in April to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation. They will join 36 Rafale fighters already acquired. Singh said in August India was working with a French company to develop and manufacture fighter jet engines at home. That followed the announcement in May that New Delhi had approved the prototype of an upgraded Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). This decade India has opened an expansive helicopter factory, launched its first domestically made aircraft carrier, warships and submarines, and conducted a successful long-range hypersonic missile test. Its latest test was of an Agni-Prime missile with a 2,000-kilometre (1,242-mile) range on Wednesday -- this time fitted on a special railway-based system. bb-pjm/pbt MAINSTAY MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL Norway police seize drone operated by foreigner near Oslo airport Oslo, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Norwegian authorities have seized a drone operated by a foreigner near Oslo's airport, after drones led to several flight disruptions in Norway and Denmark this week, a prosecutor with Norway's police said Thursday. A man, in his 50s, was flying the drone Wednesday evening in a restricted area, but it did not affect air traffic, Lisa Mari Lokke, head of prosecutions at Norway's eastern police district, told AFP. He was not arrested but will be questioned by police, she added, declining to specify the man's nationality. "Yesterday around 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) police were informed that a drone had entered the no-fly zone of Oslo airport," Lokke said. "When we arrived at the site, we found a man in his fifties piloting the drone," she said, adding that police then landed and seized the device. The incident came after reports of drone sightings forced temporary shutdowns at Scandinavian airports this week, including in Copenhagen and Oslo. But Lokke said that "At this stage, we see no connection" between these incidents. Overnight Monday to Tuesday, air traffic at the Oslo airport was suspended for about three hours after a possible drone sighting was reported. Lokke said lights had been seen in the air and an investigation was underway to determine whether it had been a drone. WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday blamed the "radical leftists" for the deadly shooting at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas. Condemning the attack as despicable, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the brave men and women of ICE are just trying to do their jobs, but they are facing an "unprecedented increase in threats, violence, and attacks by Deranged Radical Leftists." "This violence is the result of the Radical Left Democrats constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to 'Nazis'," Trump said. "The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, must be stopped," he said. The U.S. president said he will be signing an executive order this week to "dismantle these Domestic Terrorism Networks." One detainee was killed and two others critically injured in Wednesday's shooting, while no officers were harmed. The Mexican Consulate in Dallas confirmed that one of the victims in critical condition is a citizen of Mexico. Officials have not yet revealed the motive of the shooter, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot. French jihadist who claimed Nice attack to be tried in Iraq: source close to probe Baghdad, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Adrien Guihal, who claimed the 2016 Nice attack for the Islamic State group, will be tried in Iraq alongside 46 other French nationals recently transferred from Syria, a source close to the investigation told AFP. "Adrien Guihal, known as Abu Osama al-Faransi, is still under investigation," said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not allowed to speak to the media. Guihal "was brought to Iraq two months ago with another 46 French nationals that will be tried here," the source added. A veteran member of France's jihadist networks, Guihal made headlines when he was recognised as the man behind the voice that claimed responsibility for the July 2016 attack which killed 86 people in the French city of Nice. He is thought to be among the most dangerous members of the French contingent in the ranks of the Islamic State group (IS), whose self-styled "caliphate" spanned huge swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria before collapsing in 2019. Guihal, who joined IS in 2015, was detained in the Syrian city of Raqa in May 2018. He spent years in Kurdish prisons in Syria before being brought to Iraq in July, along with 46 other French nationals who are being questioned over their alleged involvement in crimes committed by IS in Iraq. - 'Interrogations ongoing' - "Interrogations are ongoing with the 47 French nationals," the Iraqi source said, alleging that "it has been proven" they are all members of IS. Guihal's lawyer Etienne Mangeot said his client "has never set foot in Iraq. He has nothing to do with that country." "It makes no sense for him to be tried there," he told AFP in France. Last week, Iraq's National Intelligence Service said the suspects were "wanted by the Iraqi judiciary for their involvement in terrorist crimes committed in Iraq". Iraqi courts have handed down hundreds of death sentences and life prison terms to people convicted of terrorism offences, including hundreds of foreign fighters -- some caught in Syria and transferred across the border. In 2019, the courts sentenced 11 French nationals to death. Their sentences were later commuted to life in prison, according to a judicial source. Some human rights groups have denounced "terrorism" trials in Iraq as rushed. The country still has mass graves and many personal testimonies of IS brutality to be investigated. In 2024, after the mission of the UN body investigating IS crimes ended, Iraq created the National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation (NCIJC) to gather evidence and document IS crimes. The centre serves as the main point of contact for foreign jurisdictions investigating alleged offences. Mangeot warned that France seems to be outsourcing trials to a third country "where the death penalty is still in force." He said Guihal's rights can only be respected by repatriating him to France for trial. In France, which has been the target of repeated jihadist attack over the past decade, repatriation of IS suspects and their family members is a deeply sensitive issue. Since 2019, France has repatriated only 179 children and 60 women, most of whom were held in detention camps in Syria. Germany pledges 35 bn euros for space defence against Russia, China Berlin, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Germany will spend 35 billion euros ($41 billion) on space defence by 2030, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Thursday, citing the threat posed by Russia and China. "Russia and China have in recent years rapidly expanded their capabilities for conducting warfare in space," he said. "They can disrupt, jam, manipulate or even physically destroy satellites. In space, there are no borders or continents." Pistorius said "we are establishing structures within the German Armed Forces to enable us to effectively defend ourselves and deter potential adversaries in space". Germany's space security architecture would comprise "a resilient system of satellite constellations, ground stations, secure launch capabilities and related services" as well "cybersecurity for all space systems". Germany was also "improving our situational awareness in orbit through the use of radar, telescopes and the future deployment of space surveillance satellites". Pistorius said that "by 2030 alone, we plan to allocate 35 billion euros in budget funds to relevant projects". NATO sticks to guns as allies talk tough on Russian jets Brussels, Belgium, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 After high-profile violations of NATO airspace by Russia over Poland and Estonia, alliance members have appeared at odds over how forcefully to react. While some have seemed to advocate for shooting down any jets breaching NATO's border, others have warned about getting dragged into a conflict. But behind all the noise, the differences may not be that great -- and the Western defence alliance says its line is clear: if there is a direct threat, then it is ready to shoot. "It's a bit of an artificial debate. No changes are foreseen to these rules," said one NATO diplomat on condition of anonymity. Here's what allies are saying and where NATO stands: - Hawks? - NATO's eastern flank countries, who feel themselves most directly threatened by Russia, have led the way in calling for a stronger line. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw would "react toughly" to any violations, and his top diplomat Radoslaw Sikorski told Moscow not to "whine" if its jets are taken out. Lithuania's defence minister Dovile Sakaliene said NATO-member Turkey "set an example 10 years ago" when it shot down a Russian jet that entered its airspace from Syria. That incident caused a major diplomatic crisis between Ankara and Moscow, before Turkey apologised and the two sides patched up the dispute. Such calls for action appeared to get a boost from NATO's loudest voice, after US President Donald Trump said "yes, I do" when asked if countries should shoot down Russian planes breaching their territory. - Doves? - German defence minister Boris Pistorius cautioned allies not to fall into the "escalation trap" as fears rise that the war in Ukraine could spill over. "Slapdash demands to shoot something out of the sky or do some great show of strength help less than anything else right now," he said. French President Emmanuel Macron meanwhile struck a more ambiguous note by saying in an interview Wednesday that NATO should take its response "up a notch". At the same time he insisted that, in the face of these tests from Russia, "we aren't going to open fire". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also chimed in this week -- in a message at odds with his boss -- to say there wasn't any talk of "shooting down Russian jets unless they're attacking". "I think what you have seen is NATO responding to those intrusions the way we respond to them all the time," he said. - NATO's line? - NATO's stance is pretty straightforward on its rules of engagement -- if the alliance believes an aircraft poses a threat it is ready to shoot. "You can be assured we will do what is necessary to defend our cities, our people, our infrastructure," alliance chief Mark Rutte said this week. "It doesn't mean that we will always immediately shoot down a plane." Officials say the recent incidents over Poland and Estonia highlight that point. When some 20 Russian drones crossed into Poland, NATO scrambled jets and shot down those seen as posing a menace, they said. That marked the first time NATO had taken out Russian aircraft since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Days later on the other hand, when three armed Russian fighters violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland for some 12 minutes, NATO jets only "escorted the aircraft without escalation," Rutte said. "No immediate threat was assessed," alliance chief Mark Rutte said. The picture does gets more complicated as individual member states can have different rules of engagement on when they confront Russian aircraft. NATO officials say Poland or other countries could act unilaterally if they want, but given that they rely on allies for much of their air defences they may not have the means. In the case of Estonia for example, it doesn't have its own fighter jets. - Boosting defences - Rather than overhaul the way it thinks about incursions, the focus at NATO is on trying to bolster its eastern defences. After the drones in Poland the alliance announced a new mission, Eastern Sentry, and a number of countries rushed jets to the country. But NATO diplomats say the alliance still doesn't have enough of the capabilities its needs. Chief among those is the sort of low-cost weaponry that Ukraine uses to shoot down Russian drones. The European Union has meanwhile said it wants to create a "drone wall" to help better track potential incursions -- but there are few details so far. Israel strikes Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Israel launched air strikes on Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa on Thursday, Huthi media and Israeli officials said, a day after a drone attack wounded nearly two dozen people at an Israeli resort. AFP correspondents in Sanaa heard explosions and saw plumes of smoke rising from three locations in the Sanaa area, in the latest retaliatory attack since the Huthis began targeting Israel in the wake of the Gaza war. The Huthis' Al-Masirah television channel reported "Israeli aggression" on Sanaa, which came moments before the network began broadcasting rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Huthi's weekly pre-recorded speech. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X that Israel had "just dealt a powerful blow to numerous terror targets of the Huthi terror organisation in Sanaa". An Israeli military statement said the targets included the Huthis' general staff headquarters, other security and intelligence sites including some used to store weapons and "plan and execute" attacks on Israel. It added that the rebels' "military public relations headquarters" was also targeted. Katz said the Israeli forces had "struck several military camps... eliminated dozens of Huthi terror operatives, and destroyed stockpiles of UAVs (drones) and weaponry". The military statement warned that Israel would "conduct additional offensive operations against the Huthi regime in the near future". On Wednesday, Israel's military said a drone launched from Yemen struck the southern tourist resort of Eilat, with rescuers reporting 22 wounded, after failed attempts to intercept it. The Huthis later claimed responsibility for the attack, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz warned of a severe response. The Iran-backed Huthi rebels began targeting Israel with missiles and drones, as well as attacking vessels they deem linked to the country, after the 2023 start of the Gaza war. The Huthis say they act in solidarity with Palestinians. Israel in response has carried out strikes in Yemen, mainly targeting infrastructure such as ports, power stations and Sanaa's international airport. In August, Israel assassinated the head of the Huthi government Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi together with other senior officials. Earlier this month, Israeli strikes killed 46 people, according to Huthi authorities. The dead include journalists working for the September 26 and al-Yaman newspapers, who were killed in an attack on Sanaa that targeted the Huthi's military media operation. bur-aya/ami EU states to hold talks on 'drone wall' to protect bloc Brussels, Belgium, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 EU countries on Friday will hold their first talks on proposals to build a "wall" of anti-drone defences, after air incursions from Russia rattled eastern members. The threat to Europe's airspace has been heightened by unidentified drone flights in recent days that have shut airports in Denmark. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen made a first call for a "drone wall" in a keynote speech earlier this month, hours after NATO shot down Russian drones in Poland. She said it should be "a European capability developed together, deployed together, and sustained together, that can respond in real time." "This is not an abstract ambition," von der Leyen said. European defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius will seek to put flesh on the hastily-drawn up proposals when he holds video talks Friday with officials from some 10 EU countries. Those involved are mostly along the EU's eastern border with Russia and Ukraine, although Denmark was added to the list after the drone incidents there. Ukraine -- which has developed a raft of capabilities to detect and shoot down Russian drone swarms more cheaply -- will also take part. EU officials concede that for now details remain vague on what the initiative could look like. The first steps will likely focus on trying to deploy more sensors along the EU's long eastern frontier, officials said. It would likely take much longer to develop an integrated system to take down the drones, they said. NATO's response to the Russian drone incursion in Poland showed up the gaps in the alliance's arsenal for tackling that threat. NATO had to use top-of-the-range fighters firing costly missiles to shoot down a handful of cheap Russian drones. The alliance has rushed more hardware to its eastern flank in the wake of the incident, but still lacks the sort of low-cost capabilities Ukraine uses. The "drone wall" proposal is part of Europe's broader push to bolster its defences in the face of the threat from Russia. Kubilius has said the programme should be one of the new flagship defence projects that the bloc is working on. EU leaders are set to debate the defence push -- and potential new initiatives -- at a summit in Copenhagen next week. Israel strikes kill two in Yemen's rebel-held capital: Huthis Sanaa, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Israeli air strikes on Yemen's capital Sanaa killed at least two people and wounded dozens more on Thursday, the Huthi rebels said, a day after a drone attack hit an Israeli resort. Israeli forces struck several Huthi-linked targets in the rebel-held capital, Israeli officials said, warning of more attacks to come. AFP correspondents in Sanaa heard explosions and saw plumes of smoke rising from three locations in the Sanaa area, in the latest retaliatory attack since the Huthis began targeting Israel in the wake of the Gaza war. The Israeli "brutality... resulted in a number of civilian casualties", said Huthi health ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi, providing a preliminary toll of "two martyrs and 48 wounded". Earlier, the Huthis' Al-Masirah television channel reported "Israeli aggression" on Sanaa, which came moments before the network began broadcasting rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Huthi's weekly pre-recorded speech. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X that Israel had "just dealt a powerful blow to numerous terror targets of the Huthi terror organisation in Sanaa". An Israeli military statement said the targets included the Huthis' general staff headquarters, other security and intelligence sites including some used to store weapons and "plan and execute" attacks on Israel. It added that the rebels' "military public relations headquarters" was also targeted. Katz said the Israeli forces had "struck several military camps... eliminated dozens of Huthi terror operatives, and destroyed stockpiles of UAVs (drones) and weaponry". The military statement said Israel would "conduct additional offensive operations against the Huthi regime in the near future". - Failed interception - Al-Masirah said that a power station and two residential neighbourhoods had been targeted. The impact sites were cordoned off, an AFP correspondent said. The Huthi authorities have previously warned Yemenis against publishing footage of locations hit in strikes, describing it as "a service to the enemy". On Wednesday, a drone attack claimed by the Huthis struck the southern Israeli tourist resort of Eilat after failed attempts by Israel's air defences to intercept it. Rescuers reported 22 wounded including two in serious condition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz warned of a severe response. The Iran-backed Huthi rebels began targeting Israel with missiles and drones, as well as attacking vessels they deem linked to the country, after the 2023 start of the Gaza war. The Huthis say they act in solidarity with Palestinians. Israel in response has carried out strikes in Yemen, mainly targeting infrastructure such as ports, power stations and Sanaa's international airport. In August, Israel assassinated the head of the Huthi government Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi together with other senior officials. Earlier this month, Israeli strikes killed 46 people, according to Huthi authorities. The dead include journalists working for the September 26 and al-Yaman newspapers, who were killed in an attack on Sanaa that targeted the Huthi's military media operation. bur-aya/ami French navy seizes nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine off west Africa Brest, France, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 The French navy has seized nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine worth more than $600 million from a wooden fishing vessel off the coast of West Africa, French authorities said on Thursday. The seizure by two navy ships on Monday morning followed a tip-off by anti-drug and maritime intelligence authorities and British police, authorities in France's northwestern Atlantic Maritime region said. The six-person crew of the 20-metre-long (66-foot) ship, which sank in the wake of the raid, are set to be handed over to the French courts, said Stephane Kellenberger, the public prosecutor in the port city of Brest. The operation was part of France's Corymbe naval mission, which has been deployed in the Gulf of Guinea since 1990 to ensure security in an area where piracy is common. The authorities did not reveal the nationality of the boat's crew. "In total, 9.6 tonnes of cocaine with a market value of nearly 519 million euros ($609 million) was seized from a boat," the Atlantic Maritime prefecture said, adding that the vessel was not registered in any country and was likely bound for Europe. Since the beginning of the year, the French navy has seized a total of 54 tonnes of cocaine in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. That compares with 47 tonnes in 2024 and 20.2 tonnes in 2022, according to the maritime authorities. Pentagon chief to address rare major gathering of top US military brass Washington, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will address senior military officers early next week, the Pentagon said Thursday, after he reportedly ordered hundreds of top personnel from around the world to attend. The Washington Post reported that Hegseth had issued an order for all officers ranked one-star and above who are serving in command positions to gather for a meeting -- along with their top enlisted advisors -- at the Quantico military base in Virginia on Tuesday. When asked about the report, the Pentagon replied with a statement from spokesman Sean Parnell that said Hegseth "will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week," without providing an explanation or further details. Hegseth's order -- which affects officers deployed around the world as well as those in the United States -- is highly unusual. "People are very concerned. They have no idea what it means," the Post quoted one person as saying. CNN meanwhile quoted US officials as saying that hundreds of generals and admirals had been called to attend the meeting. In May, Hegseth ordered major cuts to the number of general and flag officers in the US military, but it was unclear if the meeting next week was related to that directive. The Pentagon has seen a series of major shakeups this year under President Donald Trump's administration, which has fired several of the country's most senior officers, usually without providing an explanation. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to work with the United Nations to implement the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Wednesday. Li made the remarks when meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Li said that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently put forward the GGI at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin, offering China's wisdom and solutions for strengthening and improving global governance. According to Li, the UN secretary-general was invited to the summit, where he and Xi had in-depth exchanges on how the international community should respond to current global changes. China, Li said, pledges to enhance communication and coordination with the United Nations and all relevant parties and make greater contributions to world peace and development. Li noted that over the past 80 years, the United Nations has played an irreplaceable role in maintaining peace and security, promoting economic and social development, and safeguarding human rights. China will, as always, firmly uphold the United Nations' status and authority, and support countries in making full use of the United Nations as a platform to strengthen dialogue and cooperation and take coordinated and effective actions. Li warned that at present, some unilateralist and protectionist practices are undermining the world economy and seriously hindering the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He called on the international community, especially the Global South, to raise a stronger voice of justice, and jointly oppose bullying and hegemony to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all countries. The world should take more concrete actions to strengthen global development cooperation, safeguard free trade and economic globalization, and bolster common development and prosperity, he added. China has always closely aligned its own development with global development, Li said, pledging China's readiness to continue to pursue high-level opening up, share development opportunities with other countries, and serve as a stabilizer and a driving force for the world economy. Li also expressed his hope that the United Nations will play a greater role in addressing climate change and artificial intelligence governance, among others, and fostering stronger synergy to tackle global challenges. For his part, Guterres expressed his gratitude to Xi for delivering an important video address at the United Nations Climate Summit. Guterres said that the GGI proposed by Xi is rich in connotation, with its core concepts aligning closely with the values upheld by the United Nations, adding that it effectively addresses the strong calls from the international community for reforming and improving the global governance system. Recognizing China as a strong pillar of the United Nations and multilateralism, Guterres said the United Nations highly values and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in firmly upholding multilateralism, the UN Charter and international fairness and justice, promoting the cause of global development, advancing the reform of the global governance system, and expanding the Global South's representation in multilateral mechanisms, so as to better safeguard the common interests of the international community. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) 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 But for men like Reign, who grew up with two sisters and lots of women in his family, this cultural reading of male behaviour is reductive. Why is the most logical justification for a man reading a book that hes trying to get laid? The unfortunate reality is that it belittles or ridicules or ostracizes [people], he says, It makes them feel a bit odd or singled out because of the way that they do a certain thing. This would, according to Altos Labs president Hans Bishop, lengthen the human healthspan allowing people to experience good health into their later years. Increased longevity, added Bishop, would only be an accidental consequence of their work, although clearly a very welcome one. So far the experiments and research have been limited to mice and human cells. But according to chief scientific officer and co-founder Rick Klausner, Were going to move into humans as quickly as possible. Prosecutor Philip Stott said they were working off a basis of plea that the defendant would have been aware the print was of value when stealing it, but did not know just how valuable it was. He continued: I think every Scottish landowner across this country must be absolutely terrified at this point, knowing that anybody could come and camp on their land and their only option is to go via the court process, which is a cost to the landowner, which is a cost to society. UCLH said in a statement: We were extremely sad to hear of the death of Marissa Lemos. We offer our deep condolences to her family and friends at this sad and difficult time. We have initiated an internal investigation as is the normal process for an unexpected death. We await the result of the post-mortem, and we will provide any information required from the coroners court. Mr Kempton said: We dont often find out what happens to patients after they have been taken to hospital so it means so much when someone comes back to say thank you. Union Minister for Ministry 1 of the President's Office U Tin Aung San speaks during a reception to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar in Yangon, Myanmar, Sept. 24, 2025. The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar held the reception here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) YANGON, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar held a reception in Yangon on Wednesday to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar. More than 500 people attended the reception, including Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Ma Jia, Myanmar officials including Union Minister for Ministry 1 of the President's Office U Tin Aung San, foreign diplomats, and representatives of international organizations, Chinese-funded enterprises and overseas Chinese. During the event, Ma said that since the founding of the People's Republic of China 76 years ago, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, China has become a contributor to global development, a driver of openness and prosperity, a responsible actor in addressing the questions of our time, and a guardian of world peace and stability. She added that China stands ready to take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to implement the leaders' consensus and promote exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in various fields. U Tin Aung San said that Myanmar firmly upholds the one-China policy and is willing to continue to deepen the building of the community of a shared future between Myanmar and China. Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Ma Jia (R, front) and Union Minister for Ministry 1 of the President's Office U Tin Aung San (L, front) attend a reception to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar in Yangon, Myanmar, Sept. 24, 2025. The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar held the reception here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Ma Jia speaks during a reception to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar in Yangon, Myanmar, Sept. 24, 2025. The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar held the reception here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Criminal charges were filed against Noureddin on the orders of the coup leaders on September 19, 2023, three weeks after he was "abducted" and imprisoned. His lawyers have denied the charges which they say have been brought outside any legal framework. It was only then a month after being seized that he received the news that his children were safe and well, and just before his first court appearance he was able to embrace Lea once more. A later statement read: We have another proposal for the Hamas-Sumud flotilla: if this is not about provocation and serving Hamas, you are welcome to unload any aid you might have at any port in a nearby country outside Israel, from which it can be transferred peacefully to Gaza. To that end, I am also delighted today to launch an economic impact report which maps Irelands economic footprint across the United States, capturing not only the trade flows between our two countries, but also our research partnerships and tourism figures, and significantly, the remarkable scale of Irish companies who have operations here. The judge said there was no proof that Sarkozy made such a deal with Gaddafi, nor that money that was sent from Libya reached Sarkozy's campaign coffers, even if the timing was "compatible" and the paths the money went through were "very opaque". LUSAKA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Thursday launched an initiative aimed at preparing communities to protect themselves against the increasing risks of climate-related disasters. The Early Warning for All Initiative is a global effort championed by the United Nations (UN) to ensure that by 2027, everyone on the planet has access to life-saving early warning systems. Zambian Vice-President Mutale Nalumango described the initiative as a "game changer" in protecting lives and livelihoods, noting that with the growing frequency and intensity of disasters, timely information has become one of the most powerful tools for reducing vulnerability and building resilience among communities. "We cannot afford to leave anyone behind, especially the most vulnerable, because disasters affect us all, but not equally," she said. "This initiative is not about technology alone. It is about saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and securing a sustainable future for our people." Nalumango emphasized that early warning systems must not only exist but must also be effective, people-centered, and accessible to all, including those in rural and hard-to-reach areas. The government is committed to strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems by integrating scientific knowledge, indigenous practices, and modern technology, she said. Beatrice Mutali, UN resident coordinator in Zambia, said the launch represents both a commitment and a call to action for Zambia and its partners to prioritize early warning systems as a critical tool for resilience. She noted that through the initiative, Zambia has demonstrated its alignment with the UN secretary-general's vision of ensuring that no one is left behind when it comes to accessing early warning information by 2027. Collins Nzovu, acting minister of green economy and environment, called for increased investment in preparedness and early warning systems. Elon Musks Lone Star empire sprawling, ambitious and ever-changing is on full display in Central Texas, where Cybertrucks glisten outside a vast Austin factory, a sleek SpaceX plant stands stark against a rustic backdrop and tunnel boring machines test futuristic underground travel. Yet these are just three pieces of Musks expanding footprint in Texas, which has morphed into a network of factories, tunnels and launch pads from Bastrop to Brownsville. Using a first-of-its-kind data tool, Hearst Newspapers has mapped out every property that Musks companies own in Texas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Loading... This project offers one of the most comprehensive looks yet at Musks Texas portfolio, which includes more than 500 properties across 6,000 acres as of September 2025. From a rocket-launching site in South Texas to a battery storage plant near Dallas, these holdings reveal how the billionaire is reshaping Texas future while transforming communities along the way. Hes going all in on Texas, said Goran Calic, a professor of strategy at McMaster University in Canada who spent years studying Musks management style. And the reason hes doing it is because of control. Musk has more control in Texas than he does anywhere else. Musk hasnt hidden his preference for Texas over the past few years. But it can be difficult to track the billionaires companies as they often buy land under different and obscure names. Tesla, his electric vehicle company, emerged in Central Texas as the Colorado River Project. Tunneling firm the Boring Co. used Gapped Bass in Bastrop County, and his rocket company SpaceX preferred Dogleg Park in South Texas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Boring Co. has a much larger presence about 20 miles east of Giga Texas near the small town of Bastrop. Hearst built its tool using property records from all 254 Texas counties, provided by data firm Regrid. The analysis identified 11 corporate entities tied to Musks companies, which Hearst confirmed through county deed records and filings with the Texas Secretary of States Office. Every effort has been made to find all of the properties owned by Musks various entities, using public records to crosscheck landowners with mailing addresses and company executive names. But these maps do not include leased facilities. SpaceX, for instance, leases land in McGregor to test its rocket engines. And Tesla leases a 1.03 million-square-foot building in Brookshire, a small city west of Houston, where it is reportedly planning a battery manufacturing plant. Nearby, Tesla is expected to occupy an additional 600,000-square-foot distribution space, according to media reports. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The electric vehicle maker also leases glitzy showroom space in high-traffic areas such as The Galleria in Houston, along with separate service centers scattered across major cities. And along most major highways in Texas, Tesla runs an extensive network of electric vehicle charging stations through partnerships or other agreements with landlords. And while Regrid regularly updates its database for more popular regions, such as Bexar County, smaller counties are updated less frequently. The oldest records in the database date to June 2024, while the most recent records were updated in June 2025. Emails sent to Tesla, SpaceX and the Boring Co. were not answered. The maps below display these companies properties, along with other parcels owned by Musk-affiliated entities, throughout Texas. Central Texas On the shores of the Colorado River, Teslas headquarters sits on a sprawling 2,500-acre complex that has radically changed southeast Austin into a hub for Musks Texas empire. Within the past five years, Giga Texas has morphed into a massive site covering more than 10 million square feet of factory floor space, according to Teslas website. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And its possible Giga Texas could grow even more. Last year, Tesla also outlined plans to expand its Austin campus with more than a dozen new buildings, according to construction filings posted in the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation database. If all those buildings were constructed, they would total more than 11 million square feet, according to an analysis of the TDLR filings, which are subject to change. The proposed projects included a 3 million-square-foot ground up and complete interior finish out of the EV manufacturing facility expected to be completed by the end of 2026, according to a TDLR filing. Teslas headquarters, "Giga Texas" in southeast Austin. And so far in 2025, Tesla has proposed adding another eight buildings on its Austin campus, ranging in size from a 1,400-square-foot break room to a 62,317-square-foot visitor center, according to state construction filings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The automaking complex produces Teslas flagship SUV, the Model Y, as well as the futuristic, angular Cybertruck. At the end of the Cybertruck production line, the electric trucks are transported through an underground tunnel to a staging area on the other side of Texas 130, bypassing traffic, according to the Boring Co.s website. But the Boring Co. has a much larger presence about 20 miles east of Giga Texas near the small town of Bastrop. Affiliates of the Boring Co. own more than 350 acres near this site, which has become a research and development hub for excavating machines that look like massive mechanical worms digging underground tunnels. The Bastrop campus is home to three tunneling test sites, including testing hardware for the Hyperloop, a proposed ultra-highspeed transit system that would whiz passengers around at 600 miles per hour. Hyperloop is also the name of a plaza featuring food trucks, a medical clinic, a playground and a bodega, which serves hot food alongside a pub, candy store and barbershop. Inside the bodega, a pink photo wall is adorned with fake flowers and a neon sign that reads, Youre like really boring. A dark building next to the bodega houses a support center for the X social media platform. On the other side of the bodega, there is a small community of modular homes called Snailbrook. Boring Co. has a much larger presence near the small town of Bastrop. Across the street, SpaceX has transformed what was once an empty field into a 700,000-square-foot factory producing hardware for Starlink, its broadband internet satellite business. Last year, the factorys weekly production hit 70,000 Starlink customer kits, which is the hardware that enables customers to access the internet from the companys satellites, according to a 2024 Starlink progress report. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the facility is on track to become the largest U.S. factory producing printed circuit boards, electronic components critical to Starlink terminals. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The space company also was expected to double the size of its Bastrop facilities in 2025, according to its 2024 Starlink progress report. And it will have plenty of room to spread out across the more than 220 acres SpaceX owns in Bastrop, according to county records. Earlier this year, Gov. Greg Abbott said the state is awarding SpaceX a $17.3 million grant to help it establish a research and development site and advanced packaging facility as part of SpaceXs $280 million expansion in Bastrop. South Texas SpaceX emerged near Brownsville 11 years ago. It has since created a city thats home to hundreds of residents and thousands of full-time employees developing the worlds most powerful rocket. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its an incredibly improbable location, Musk said in August during a livestreamed video. This used to be a sandbar. SpaceX and its alias, Dogleg Park, own more than 1,000 acres spread across 475 parcels in Cameron County. Much of this land is near Boca Chica Beach, where Texas meets Mexico and the Gulf. SpaceX in Starbase. SpaceX publicly pledged to build a private spaceport in 2014, but it wasnt until late 2018 that construction began in earnest. The first small launch, a one-engine prototype tethered to the ground, occurred in 2019. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Then the rockets grew bigger. And the company gobbled up more land, including the homes of retirees and winter Texans who lived in the nearby community called Boca Chica Village. It began adding Airstream trailers and tiny homes for its workers. SpaceX launched its first 400-foot Starship rocket, with 33 first-stage engines, on April 20, 2023. It shattered the launch pad, causing sand to travel through the air and fall 6 miles away in Port Isabel. Concrete and stainless steel surrounded the launch area, and the rocket ultimately exploded over the Gulf after liftoff. The explosion was not the first nor the last for the area. And it added to environmental groups concerns about launching a rocket near Boca Chica State Park. Advertisement Article continues below this ad SpaceX also has grown its local influence by creating a new city. The areas residents voted to incorporate Starbase, Texas, earlier this year. Most of the citys nearly 500 residents lease their homes from SpaceX and its employees though the city houses just a fraction of the local workforce. Last year, Cameron County said there were more than 3,400 full-time SpaceX employees and contractors in the area. Among SpaceXs sprawling Starbase operations, a glossy new facility spans more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing space and 329,000 square feet of office space, according to Cameron County. Musk said last year that he wanted to move the companys headquarters to Starbase. SpaceX and its alias, Dogleg Park, own more than 1,000 acres spread across 475 parcels in Cameron County. Much of this land is near Boca Chica Beach. SpaceX is seeking approval to expand its launch pad, according to a public notice from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which must approve projects that destroy wetlands. And a separate project would involve building a grocery store, retail shops and cafe, according to a TDLR filing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad About 150 miles away, near Corpus Christi, Tesla fired up its lithium refinery in Robstown for the first time last year. During the 2023 groundbreaking ceremony, Musk said the refinery should produce battery-grade lithium for about 1 million electric vehicles a year. Its on track to begin production this year, according to the companys second-quarter 2025 earnings call. Musk previously said Teslas lithium refinery in Robstown could address a fundamental choke point in the advancement of electric vehicles. Lithium is very common throughout Earth, Musk said on X in January. Refining capacity is what matters. North Texas Among the hundreds of battery storage projects proposed in Texas, Teslas energy division is developing a massive new utility-grade battery storage plant in Royse City, east of Dallas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad BT Smith Storage, a company tied to Tesla, is building a 125-megawatt battery storage project thats enough power to support more than 31,250 homes at peak demand, according to Electric Reliability Council of Texas records. Local media outlets reported that there was a fire at the projects construction site in June, although no injuries were reported and the incident did not seem to add significant delays. The project is slated to be operational by December 2025, according to ERCOT records. The Royse City site appears to be a stand-alone battery storage project without solar or wind generation components, according to ERCOT data. That likely means the system will charge by drawing electricity from the grid when prices are low (typically overnight) and then discharge that electricity back into the grid during peak hours, when demand and prices are higher. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Stand-alone battery-storage projects like this also can play a critical role in grid reliability. Unlike traditional power plants, which can take several minutes to ramp up, batteries can respond in milliseconds, providing power almost instantly during sudden spikes in energy demand, such as those seen during Texas heat waves. Expanding reach With Texas now at the center of Musks corporate empire, its likely these maps will continue shifting as his firms evolve and grow. Like other business moguls, Musk was lured to the states lighter tax burden and looser regulatory environment, said Calic, with McMaster University. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But its also easier to maintain control of his companies when theyre all clustered in one region a need that arose when Tesla and SpaceX were young and financially risky, Calic said. Early on in his career as an entrepreneur, Calic said, Musk found that unless he had absolute control, he wasnt able to execute his crazy ideas. Then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reacts during a Univision Noticias town hall event on Oct. 16, 2024, in Doral, Fla. The owner of Univision is objecting to Googles plans to drop the network from YouTube TVs main bundle. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Media giant TelevisaUnivision is accusing Google of discriminatory practices over its decision to drop Spanish-language television network Univision from YouTube TVs main programming bundle by next week. The network, which traces its roots to San Antonio, launched a campaign Thursday to call attention to the issue with full-page ads in 12 metropolitan newspapers including the San Antonio Express-News and Austin American-Statesman. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Googles planned removal of Univision from YouTube TV on September 30 is an unacceptable threat to millions of Hispanic households who rely on our programming for trusted news, vital information, and cultural connection, TelevisaUnivision CEO Daniel Alegre said in a statement. Stripping access to Univision at such a critical time shows a blatant disregard for the communities we serve. We call on Google to respect its Hispanic subscribers and keep Univision within its core programming bundle. He urged Google to do the right thing and not discriminate against Hispanics. The dispute could impact households in San Antonio, which is two-thirds Hispanic and the nations largest Hispanic-majority city. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source MORE ON UNIVISION: Emilio Nicolas gave Spanish-language media a voice in San Antonio and the nation Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was unclear how many South Texas subscribers it has, but YouTube TV, which offers an $83-a-month bundle of channels akin to cable, has more than 9 million subscribers and is growing rapidly. It was unclear how many of those are in South and Central Texas. The YouTube app itself became the most-watched video provider on televisions in the U.S. earlier this year, according to Nielsen data. YouTube expressed disappointment over TelevisaUnivision making private negotiations public ahead of any disruption to subscribers services, but confirmed that Univision programming will no longer be available if a fair deal cant be reached by Tuesday. TelevisaUnivisions demands arent supported by their performance on YouTube TV over the last four years, a YouTube spokesperson said in an email. While we value our partnership with them, our carriage renewal decisions are based on viewer consumption and pricing, and any suggestion to the contrary is false. Univision is currently part of YouTube TVs core package, a TelevisaUnivision spokesperson said. YouTube TV intends to move Univision to a Spanish-language add-on tier that costs subscribers an additional $15. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the ad, Alegre described the 18% increase as a Hispanic tax. A YouTube spokesperson said it has proposed carrying four TelevisaUnivision networks in YouTube TVs base package at economics that reflect their performance, but says that was rejected. TelevisaUnivisions public statements mischaracterize our latest proposal to them, the YouTube spokesperson added. Univision viewers can subscribe to Vix, TelevisaUnivisions streaming service, to access the network in the event a deal cant be reached, according to YouTube. BREAKING NEWS: News travels fast. Keep up with breaking email alerts Advertisement Article continues below this ad Univisions San Antonio roots reach back 70 years. KCOR-TV, the nations first Spanish-language TV station, went on the air in the city on June 10, 1955, but struggled financially. A group of investors took it over in 1961 and renamed it KWEX a key component in creation of the Spanish International Network, or SIN, which became Univision in 1987. Investment firms Searchlight Capital Partners and ForgeLight LLC acquired a majority stake in Univision in 2020. The next year, Univision and Televisa announced a merger to create TelevisaUnivision, the largest Spanish-language media company. In the TelevisaUnivision ad that ran in newspapers Thursday, Alegre said, Google is clearly abusing its market power and that YouTube TV would be the only major distributor to exclude Univision from its main bundle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hispanic viewers turn to Univision when they prepare for storms, learn about emergencies, and take part in our democracy, he added. Pay more or lose accession to Univision? Hispanics shouldnt have to choose. A cardboard cutout of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is used at the Hometown Hero booth at CHAMPS Trade Show this month at the Palmer Events Center in Austin. The three-day business-to-business trade show focuses on the counterculture, smoke shop, and cannabis-related industries. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman THC products sit near the cash register in Hyde Park Market in Austin on May 5, 2025. Lorianne Willett/Texas Tribune The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has approved an emergency rule to ban liquor license holders from selling THC products to anyone under the age of 21, the agencys first step toward fulfilling an executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott calling for stricter regulation of the products. The emergency rule, which requires retailers that sell alcohol to verify IDs, took effect Tuesday after being posted to the Texas Register. The agency does not intend to begin enforcement until Oct. 1, though, to give it enough time to relay the age limit to retailers. TABC license holders found to be violating the rule after Oct. 1 will face license revocation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The commission approved the rule just hours after releasing its text to the public and less than two weeks after Abbott ordered TABC and the Texas Department of State Health Services to ban sales of THC to minors and to require verification of ID of all customers attempting to buy the products. The Tuesday morning meeting was the first public step toward fulfilling the governors directive by either agency. FROM JULY: Texas hemp industry backs calls for more regulation after THC ban fails There are about 60,000 TABC license holders, such as restaurants and liquor stores, that cant sell THC to people under 21 under the new rule. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source However, the rule does not encompass the entire landscape of retailers that sell the products. It doesnt apply to smoke shops, gas stations and online retailers that do not sell liquor and presumably do not have a liquor license. Advertisement Article continues below this ad TABC communications director Chris Porter said the Department of State Health Services will be tasked with drafting its own rule for the remaining retailers and enforcement may eventually be moved over to TABC. There are over 8,000 licensed hemp retailers under DSHS, which generate an estimated $5.5 billion in sales annually. It could be months until TABC formally approves the 21 age limit and other regulations. TABC rules approved on an emergency basis are only in effect for up to 180 days, with the option to extend it a further 60 days. The formal rulemaking process includes further public meetings and testimony and is expected to begin at the commissions next meeting Nov. 18, and the agency said it hopes to adopt the formal rules in January. The formal rules are expected to be substantively similar to the emergency rules, agency staff told commissioners. Conversations between TABC and the state health department to further determine regulatory duties for each agency are ongoing, Porter said. TABC, which primarily regulates the sale of alcohol in the state, pointed to potential harms to minors as justification for the emergency rule. TABC has a statutory responsibility to ensure its license holders do not impede the general welfare, health, and safety of Texas communities, TABC Executive Director Thomas Graham wrote in a statement Tuesday. The commissions actions today are a reasonable measure within its authority to help protect children across this state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Legislative debate The executive order came after the state Legislature spent the better part of the year debating a total ban or stricter regulations for the industry. A total ban approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate was vetoed in June by Abbott. The governor then put THC regulation on the agenda for two consecutive special sessions over the summer, but lawmakers were unable to find a compromise before the end of the second session early this month. Rather than call a third special session, Abbott issued his executive order, bypassing the Legislature. The decision has put Abbott at odds with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who said the Senate will not accept anything short of a total ban. After months of uncertainty over the possibility of a total ban, THC industry representatives largely celebrated Abbotts order at the time, saying it would allow the industry to further establish itself as legitimate. Owners and managers of smoke shops said an age limit of 21 to purchase THC products is already being enforced by most retailers so the regulations are not expected to be disruptive. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lukas Gilkey, CEO of Austin-based Hometown Hero, a manufacturer of hemp-derived products, called the commissions approval historic and long overdue. For them to do this today is actually a really big deal for the industry and legitimizes the industry, so its an honor to be here and have them do that, he said. Mark Bordas, executive director of the Texas Hemp Business Council called the rule a great start and said he expects TABC and the state health department to be able to work together to create a smooth regulatory process throughout the formal rulemaking period. Betsy Jones, director of policy and strategy for Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth, noted her advocacy group had little time to review the rule proposal before the meeting and urged the agency to take careful consideration when reviewing how best to regulate hemp products in the state going forward. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We know theres still problems with alcohol, so we dont want to see the same problems starting to happen because we opened up access to something without thinking about these issues. Opposition Several THC opponents testified against the rules as they were being drafted. Aubree Adams, director of advocacy for Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Texas, called on the agency to increase the age restriction to prohibit anyone under the age of 25 from buying THC products, arguing human brains need to be completely developed to reduce risk to people using cannabis products. She also noted that a large percentage of hemp products are purchased online, where TABCs rule does not apply. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Christine Scruggs, an outspoken opponent to any recreational use of cannabis products, said her son struggled with THC dependency and suffered mental health effects from it before undergoing treatment. I no longer believe that any safe age is OK for hemp or cannabis products. Any person could be affected, Scruggs testified. Abbotts order called only for a ban of sales to minors, leaving the specific age that is set up to the agencies. However, the governor repeatedly called on lawmakers to prohibit THC products to those under 21 during the legislative sessions. DSHS was tasked with reviewing current rules and possibly adding stricter labeling and testing requirements, improving recordkeeping to facilitate oversight and increasing licensing fees to support enforcement. The order also calls for DSHS and TABC to work with the Department of Public Safety to increase enforcement on existing rules. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Along with its rulemaking process, TABC, DSHS, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and other relevant agencies were tasked by Abbott with further studying how to create a comprehensive regulatory framework for the hemp industry. Abbott pointed to House Bill 309 from the second special session as the model for such a framework, which would need to be approved by the Legislature, Porter said. Conversations are just beginning between various agencies to determine how that process will play out, Porter said. Authored by Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, the 149-page bill would have created a Texas Hemp Council to study and develop rules for THC products and establish hemp testing and licensing requirements. That would have included restrictions like banning the sale of hemp products within 1,000 feet of a church or school and on Sundays, similar to restrictions on liquor. It also outlawed manufacturers from selling smokeable flower hemp, something Abbott asked the Legislature to do in his call for the second special session that ended last week. Texas banned the sale of THC vape pens this month. Products from Sensei Farms, a company co-founded by Oracle Corp.s Larry Ellison, are sold in Hawaii, where it built its first greenhouse operation, the U.S. Northeast and Canada. It recently purchased land in Lockhart, possibly for its next growing operation. Sensei Farms One of the worlds richest men is expanding his investments in Central Texas. Sensei Farms, the agriculture company backed by Oracle Corp. co-founder, Chairman and Chief Technology Officer Larry Ellison, has purchased about 25 acres in Lockhart that formerly housed robotics farming company Iron Ox Inc. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Santa Monica, Calif.,-based Sensei Farms which was founded by Ellison in 2018 with Dr. David Agus aims to merge technology with agriculture to grow food and support conservation and sustainability efforts. The company did not respond to a request for comment and has not made clear what the site about 30 miles southeast of Austin will become, but it could be Sensei Farms newest greenhouse site. The purchase price was unknown. The company also has property in Lanai, Hawaii, and Ontario, Canada, where it operates greenhouses. At those sites, it grows fruits and vegetables that are sold in Hawaii, the U.S. Northeast and Canada. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source According to a Caldwell County deed, Sensei Ag Holdings Inc. bought the property at 1205 Reed Drive this month from real estate investment group Evergen Equity LLC. Sensei listed its northeast Austin address at 1606 Headway Circle in the deed, matching the address listed on its filings in other states. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Larry Ellison, chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle Corp., in the Oval Office of the White House in February. A huge jump in Oracle's stock earlier this month briefly made him the world's richest person, temporarily unseating Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk atop the list. Evan Vucci/Associated Press The site formerly housed the 283,000-square-foot headquarters and flagship greenhouse of Iron Ox, which shut down in 2023. Evergen purchased the land in November and was looking to lease or sell it in three distinct pieces. A warehouse on the site was leased to pickling company Hill Country Foodworks LLC, but it plans to move its operations to a new industrial building. Evergen did not respond to a request for comment about the sale. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The site was most recently appraised at $7.7 million, down from more than $11.3 million for the 2024 tax year. The past few weeks have been busy for Ellison, who recently temporarily replaced Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk as the richest man in the world thanks to a massive surge in Oracles stock price after the companys latest earnings report disclosed a huge pipeline of projects related to artificial intelligence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Snowy grouper is served at Le Calamar on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman Austin doesnt just eat; it metabolizes. Whole concepts rise, burn bright and disappear faster than a frozen margarita on a patio in July. This summer was no exception. We saw new spots drop like surprise albums, old favorites bow out with a bittersweet farewell and more than a few buzzy debuts that feel destined for your Instagram grid. Heres the scene, alphabetized but still dripping with chaos. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Openings The All Good is now open in Cedar Park, bringing casual bar vibes to the Austin suburb. Provided by Brittany Dawn Photography The All Good Cedar Park got a new backyard party with The All Good, the chill bar-and-patio playground where JABS smashburgers are served under the glow of a giant outdoor video wall. Arcade games, cornhole, lawn games its giving suburban Americana, but rebranded with Austin beer on tap. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 601 E. Whitestone Blvd. Suite #500, Cedar Park. 512-456-0375, instagram.com/theallgoodbar/. Austinites visit and enjoy the Austin Public Library in Austin on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. Lola Gomez Cafe Creme The Central Library now smells like butter and espresso again. Cafe Creme, the French Vietnamese cafe thats been holding it down on Oltorf since 2014, moved into the downtown stacks with latte art and crepes that almost make studying feel like Paris. Hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., but longer nights (and cocktails) are coming. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. 512-710-9473, cafecremeaustin.com. Cenote The OG Eastside cafe didnt die, it reincarnated. Cenote said goodbye to its Cesar Chavez digs and hello to East Seventh Street, trading its morning hangout vibe for late-night hours and a side of cocktails. Same migas, same diner energy, with more reasons to stay past sunset. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1405 E. Seventh St. 512-524-1311, cenoteaustin.com/home. Fish Shop is now open in East Austin at 1401 E. Sixth St. Provided by Fish Shop Fish Shop Seafood, but make it East Austin. Justin Huffman (Justines, Uchi, Uchiko) and Nicole Rossi (Justines) put raw bar, martinis, and champagne on the table in a way that feels like oysters with a wink. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1401 E. Sixth St, Suite 201. 512-650-3474, fishshopatx.com. Two cashiers work at the Japanese-style deli HokkaiSan in Downtown Austin. Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman HokkaiSan Japanese Deli Sushi Royal Blue Grocery walked so HokkaiSan could run. The new Japanese-style deli/grocery moved into the old downtown corner store, serving sushi, teriyaki bowls, and shelves of Japanese snacks where your emergency six-pack used to be. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 609 Congress Ave. 512-906-0966, hokkaisan.com. Chef Mo Pittle promises the sliders shown here are, in fact, slider size. Photo provided by JewBoy Burgers JewBoy Sliders JewBoy Subs may have closed, but founder Mo Pittle is in his reinvention era. JewBoy Sliders now has two new homes South Congress (inside Pins Mechanical Co.) and The Domain (inside Lavaca Street Bar). Thats four spots total for the mini-burger brand which didnt even exist three years ago. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pins Mechanical: 4323 S. Congress Ave. 512-521-1378. Lavaca: 11420 Rock Rose Ave., #100. La La Land Kind Cafe is open in Austin at 1400 S Congress Ave. Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman La La Land Kind Cafe South Congress went full sunshine with the arrival of La La Land Kind Cafe. The LA-born chain is all about kindness (they employ foster youth) and aesthetic maximalism. Long lines form daily, eager to snap the bright yellow cups, sip matcha lattes, and nibble toasts that feel made to live forever on your Instagram feed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1400 S. Congress Ave. 512-284-7939, lalalandkindcafe.com. Lau Lau North Campus just got a coffee shop with actual personality. Lau Lau is now fully open, serving Asian diasporainspired drinks and pastries, and hosting events that make it feel like the future of Austin cafe culture. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 3701 Guadalupe St. #106. laulauatx.com. "Were a Texan restaurant with French inspirations," chef Casey Wall said of Le Calamar. Provided by Le Calamar. Le Calamar South First got a French-accented Texas bistro from the duo behind Underdog, with chef Casey Wall in the kitchen. Le Calamar serves oysters with pickled okra and fresh catch of the day with salsa macha almondine. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1600 S. First St. Suite 100. le-calamar.com. Que Sazon y Unos Cuantos Mas The back patio at Daydreamer just leveled up. Que Sazon and Cuantos Tacos teamed up for a joint food truck, serving tacos and Latin comfort dishes where Allday Pizza once held court. Perfect for weekend patio hangs and live music nights. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1708 E. Sixth St. Siti serves Southeast Asian food in East Austin. Provided by Siti / Mackenzie Smith. Siti Chef Laila Bazahm (El Raval) opened Siti at The Frances Modern Inn as a love letter to Southeast Asia. The menu bounces from Singapore to the Philippines housemade curry pastes, satays, chargrilled fish and desserts in collaboration with Merry Monarch Creamery. Basically, a passport on a plate. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1123 E. 11th St. 512-628-7484, sitiatx.com. Twin Isle opened on Sept. 1 at 1401 Rosewood Ave. in Austin. Provided by Twin Isle / Jessica Attie Twin Isle Trinidad came to Rosewood Avenue. Twin Isle, from Shirleys Trini Cuisine chef Janelle Romeo, makes Caribbean fast-casual the new cool. Think customizable bowls, roti wraps, bake-and-shark and oxtail fries that feel like instant classics. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1401 Rosewood Ave., A-1. 512-647-0689, twinislerestaurant.com. Closings Allday Pizza's sampler pizza Mikala Compton / American-Statesman Allday Pizza trailer The East Austin trailer said goodbye, but not forever. Allday is focusing on its two permanent homes, while its old spot now belongs to a Que Sazon and Cuantos Tacos collab truck. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The intimacy of the elegant dining experience at DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya made the Japanese restaurant one of the city's most intriguing. AMERICAN-STATESMAN file DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya Chef Tatsu Aikawas experimental hot pot playground shut its burners off on Aug. 17. For six years, DipDipDip was a wagyu wonderland of tofu-skin hot pockets and brothy drama. Something new is promised for Burnet Road, so keep your chopsticks ready. JewBoy Sub Shop on Burnet Road closed, but two new Jewboy sliders shops opened. CONTRIBUTED JewBoy Sub Shop RIP to the sub shop that dared to put brisket next to matzo ball soup. JewBoy Subs closed its Burnet Road doors on July 20, citing an expired lease. Fans can still chase the brands DNA in sliders and burgers elsewhere. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Owner Jim Moy takes a customers order at Jim Jims Water-Ice on 6th Street in Austin, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Moy will close his Italian ice stand on Sixth Street on Oct. 5. Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman Jim Jim's Water Ice After 31 summers of sweet, slushy glory on Sixth Street, Jim-Jims Water Ice is shutting its doors on Oct. 5. The shop, founded by Jim Moy, became a downtown staple for locals craving fruity, icy treats. Run, dont walk, to get your last taste of neon-colored cups and that sticky-finger, summer nostalgia before its gone. 615 E. 6th St. 512-708-8285. jimjimswaterice.com. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mour Cocina Mour Cocina, the brunchy spot south of Lady Bird Lake, ended service June 22. The closure was announced on Instagram, where the owner also started a GoFundMe to cover final expenses and make sure staff got paid. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Blaine Milam, 35, is scheduled for execution for the 2008 death of his fiancee's 1-year-old daughter. Texas Department of Criminal Justice The state of Texas is set to execute a man by lethal injection on Thursday for the 2008 death of his fiancee's baby. Blaine Keith Milam, 35, has been sentenced to death for killing 13-month-old Amora Bain Carson on Dec. 2, 2008 when he was 18. The September 2025 execution date is his third, after being granted two stays of execution in January 2019 and January 2021. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here's what to know about the case. 'Worse thing I've seen in 30 years of law enforcement': Child tortured to death In late 2008, Milam called 911 and claimed he found his deceased daughter in his trailer home near Tatum, a small rural East Texas town. While he was not the child's biological father, he was engaged to the child's mother, Jesseca Carson, who was also 18 at the time. Police arrived to find the child with severe injuries, including human bite marks, skull and rib fractures, bleeding under the scalp, a lacerated liver, a broken arm and leg, and a bleeding blood vessel in the neck consistent with strangulation. 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 The child had also been sexually assaulted, according to injuries discovered during an autopsy. All injuries were inflicted while baby Amora was still alive. "I've never seen anything like it," Dr. Keith Pinckard, a forensic pathologist with the Southwest Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas, testified at Milam's capital murder trial in 2010. As the medical examiner in the case, he ruled the child's death a homicide. "It's the worse thing I've seen in 30 years of law enforcement," Lt. Reynold Humber, Polk County Sheriff's Office, told the Longview News-Journal in 2008. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Milam and Carson initially told investigators they had gone to a pawn shop for about an hour and found their child deceased when they returned. In separate interviews, both admitted they'd believed Amora had been possessed by demons and were attempting to perform an exorcism. In Carson's 2011 capital murder trial, it was revealed Milam had tortured the child for 30 hours. A Montgomery County jury found Milam, who is also a registered sex offender, guilty of capital murder in 2010. He was sentenced to death and, at the time, was the youngest person on death row in the country. Carson was found guilty of capital murder by a Rusk County jury and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. She is serving the sentence at a female prison near Gatesville. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Blaine Milam: 'I didn't kill my little girl' In a 2013 episode of Werner Herzog's documentary series "On Death Row," Milam called Amora "a great little girl" and claimed her first word was "Daddy." "I didn't kill my little girl," Milam said in an interview for the show. "I wish I could go back and stop her, but I can't. I don't understand how it got this far, but it did." Milam's attorneys have contested the DNA evidence used in the conviction and demanded access to all testing in the case. They also filed a lawsuit claiming the state's handling of the conviction's challenges "have operated in this case to deprive Milam of his life and liberty interests without due process." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Further, the defense argues Milam had an unfair trial due to unreliable bite mark evidence. They also claim Milam is intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for capital punishment. Sweetwater police responded to a suspected hostage situation Monday, reported by a delivery driver. File photo A hostage situation in Texas was thwarted by an unlikely hero: a delivery driver. Sweetwater police say they were alerted to a "suspicious" delivery order for a motel around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 22. The contents of the order have not yet been confirmed by officials, but witnesses told local news they included trash bags, zip ties, bleach and a hatchet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police arrived at the motel to find Neil Cooper, 42, barricaded inside a room. He claimed he was armed and would not leave the room, according to a Sweetwater Police Department news release. Officers had reason to believe a possible hostage was in the room with Cooper and "worked to establish communication." A department spokesperson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the alleged hostage safely escaped the room when Cooper went into the bathroom. A Texas Department of Public Safety crisis negotiator joined the responding officers and "successfully negotiated Cooper's peaceful surrender." Cooper was arrested and charged with one count of Aggravated Kidnapping, a first-degree felony. He also had two active warrants for drug charges from the Snyder Police Department. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The person believed to be the hostage was also arrested and charged with Failure to Identify and one drug charge, which also involved an active warrant from Snyder PD. The individual's identity was not released as of Thursday morning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Delivery driver praised for foiling hostage situation The unnamed delivery driver has been commended for their role in busting the hostage situation, evident by comments on Sweetwater PD's Facebook post. "Good job [delivery] person for paying attention to the small details!" one user wrote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Good job," another wrote. "And a very deserving kudos to the delivery person for being alert and not just [walking] away." The driver was initially reported as an employee for DoorDash; however, investigators now say the individual is not associated with the food and grocery delivery service. Where was the Sweetwater hostage situation? Monday's incident occurred at the Sweetwater Inn at 701 SW Georgia Ave. The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves (WCBR) was held in Hangzhou, China. Over 4,000 delegates came together to share experiences, evaluate progress, and explore new ways to protect biosphere reserves, while promoting sustainable development. #GLOBALink Twenty-five campers, two counselors and Camp Mystic's co-owner died in the July 4 Hill Country flood. Christopher Lee/Staff Photographer CiCi Steward, left, Will Steward and other parents of girls who died at Camp Mystic in the July 4 flood testify before the state Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding in Austin on Aug. 20, 2025. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman The parents of a camper who vanished in the July 4 flood and is still missing are calling on Camp Mystic to abandon plans for a partial reopening next summer. CiCi and Will Steward of Austin the parents of 8-year-old Cile Steward sent a blistering letter to leaders of the Christian girls camp in the Hill Country on Wednesday night, criticizing their actions since the disaster and their plans to resume operations next summer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "We call on Camp Mystic to halt all discussion of reopening and memorials," the Stewards wrote. "Instead, Cile must be recovered, and you must fully confront and account for your role in the events and failures that caused the deaths of our daughters. "Anything less dishonors the children who were killed while in your care at a time when their safety was your primary responsibility." Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The couple said they were writing "on behalf of ourselves and other families of the Heaven's 27," a reference to the 25 campers and two counselors who died when floodwaters invaded the camp's grounds in the early morning hours of July 4. Kerr County authorities listed Cile Steward among those confirmed to have died, although her remains have not been recovered. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Guadalupe River rose to a crest of 37.52 feet an all-time high that morning after a torrential storm. In all, the flood killed 119 people in Kerr County, many of whom were swept to their deaths from RV parks along the river. Camp Mystic's leadership sent parents an email Monday afternoon informing them of plans for a partial reopening. In a statement Thursday, camp officials said there is "strong interest" among families in sending girls back to the site next summer. The plans call for reopening Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, not the original camp, called Camp Mystic Guadalupe, which is where all the deaths occurred. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Cypress Lake camp is an extension of the original Camp Mystic and was completed in 2020. The two camps occupy the same 725-acre site on the south fork of the Guadalupe River, a few miles southwest of the village of Hunt and 18 miles west of Kerrville. "Our decision to partially reopen areas of the camp is informed by our faith and our commitment to continue the nearly century-long mission and ministry of Camp Mystic to provide a Christian camping experience for girls that allows them to grow physically, mentally and spiritually," the camp leaders said in their statement. "Search operations are ongoing at Camp Mystic. We continue to pray that Cile will be found and for the peace and comfort of the families of all the campers and counselors." Advertisement Article continues below this ad 'Intensified our grief' The Stewards said the plan to resume even partial operations has caused anguish for the 27 families whose daughters died. "To promote reopening less than three months after the tragedy while one camper remains missing is unthinkable," the Stewards wrote. "Our families remain trapped in the deepest throes of grief, yet your communications treat our never-ending nightmare as little more than a brief pause before resuming business as usual. RELATED: Kerr County releases list of all July 4 flood victims Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Worse still, you are preparing to invite children to swim in the very river that may still hold our daughters body when you plan to 'open your gates.' Had you paused to reflect or simply consulted with any one of our families you might have spared grieving families the additional anguish your decisions now cause. Instead, your communications have only intensified our grief." They called on Camp Mystic's leadership to focus on the continuing search for their daughter. "Recovery teams are still out there every day, scouring the river your backyard risking their own safety to bring her home to us," they wrote. "Yet, instead of recognizing or highlighting that effort, you have not once mentioned her name or the fact that she is still missing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Meanwhile, in one of Mondays emails, you declared: 'The heart of Camp Mystic has never stopped beating.' Have you considered that, for many of us, Camp Mystics heart stopped beating the moment these 27 girls took their last breath?" In response, camp officials said, "We have attempted to be respectful of the privacy and sensitivities of the grieving families in our communications. Some families have requested that we not contact them, and others have retained legal counsel which prevents us from communicating with them directly. We have responded to every bereaved family member who has reached out to us about the tragic events of July 4 and will continue to do so." 'Betrayed' The privately run Christian retreat, founded in 1926, has hosted generations of girls from prominent Texas families, including the Bushes, Johnsons and Connallys. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For decades, it has been owned and operated by members of the Eastland family. Richard G. "Dick" Eastland, 70, co-owner and executive director of the camp, died in the July 4 flood along with the 25 girls and two counselors. He perished trying to rescue campers and was found dead in his vehicle, along with three girls. CiCi and Will Steward were among grieving parents who testified in Austin last month before the state Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding. They spoke in support of legislation to stiffen safety requirement for youth camps. Through tears, CiCi Steward, who was a camper and later a counselor at Camp Mystic herself, told the committee that her daughter was a member of the third generation of her family to attend Camp Mystic. She said she sent Cile there for the first time this year "under the assurance she would be safe. "That assurance was betrayed," Steward said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Texas summer camps must be properly equipped, trained and held accountable so that future generations of children can experience the joy of camp without being placed in preventable danger," she said. History of floods Camp Mystic had flooded repeatedly over the years but without loss of life until this year. In July 1932, a deluge swept away six cabins at the camp and claimed seven lives elsewhere in the region. In August 1978, a tropical storm dumped massive rainfall on the Hill Country, causing 33 deaths across Texas. Some camps along the Guadalupe were evacuated, and Camp Mystic was cut off from the outside world for days. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In July 1987, another storm triggered severe flooding along the Guadalupe, and 10 teenagers died trying to escape floodwaters at Pot O Gold Christian camp near Comfort. During that storm, some cabins at Camp Mystic were evacuated. On Dec. 31, 1984, Dick Eastlands wife, Tweety, who was about to give birth, had to be airlifted from Camp Mystic in an Army helicopter because roads in the area were flooded. Tweety, then 31, was taken to a Kerrville hospital, where she gave birth to her fourth child. In 2004, Cypress Creek, a tributary of the Guadalupe that cuts through the camp, overflowed a low-lying bridge. An area known as Senior Hill, where older campers stayed, was cut off from the rest of the camp. Over the years, that happened often enough that staffers stored a food supply on Senior Hill so campers there could have meals when the river rose, according to former campers and their parents. New state laws enacted in response to the July 4 catastrophe require youth camps to maintain real-time weather alert systems, train staff on evacuation routes and develop emergency preparedness plans. The laws also prohibit state licensing of camps that have cabins located in floodplains. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Since the flood, Camp Mystic has maintained that all cabins in the Flats the part of Camp Mystic Guadalupe where all the deaths occurred were outside the 100-year floodplain as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The camps owners successfully petitioned the agency in 2013 and 2019 to revise its flood maps to remove 51 structures from the floodplain, records show. Camp Mystic said Thursday that it is "working with engineers and other experts to comply with all elements of the recently passed camp safety legislation." Camp leaders also said they have given bereaved family members and extended family members access to Camp Mystics property. Every attorney representing a family that has requested access to the property has been offered and will continue to be offered the opportunity to do so. Detective Russell Constable speaks during a press conference at the Austin Police Department headquarters on Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025. APD hosted a press conference to provide information on the arrest of a suspect in connection to a newborn baby found in a dumpster. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman A woman was arrested for allegedly leaving her newborn baby in a dumpster at a North Austin apartment complex, Austin police said Thursday. Neli Dinora Rivera, 22, the infant's mother, told police she thought the baby was dead when she abandoned it, Austin Police Department Detective Russell Constable said at a press briefing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rivera was arrested Monday on a charge of abandonment or endangering of a child with imminent danger, a second-degree felony. Her bond is set at $50,000. She could eventually face additional charges, Constable said. Community members discovered the crying baby in a dumpster around 1:37 p.m. at 8600 N. Lamar Boulevard, Constable said. The police were called, and they took the baby to a local hospital to be treated. We want to acknowledge the community members who located the child, acted quickly and contacted 911," Constable said. "Their decision to act made it possible for first responders to intervene swiftly." Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source He said the baby is "doing very well" and will remain at the hospital for observation under custody of medical staff and the Department of Family and Protective Services. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Angela Peoples, from the Department of Family and Protective Services, speaks at a press conference at the Austin Police Department headquarters on Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025. APD hosted a press conference to provide information on the arrest of a suspect in connection to a newborn baby found in a dumpster. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman Police reminded Austinites on Thursday that Texas has a Safe Haven Law allowing parents to surrender children younger than 60 days old at designated locations including hospitals, EMS stations, fire stations and child-placing agencies without facing prosecution. Angela Peoples with the Department of Family and Protective Services also recommended calling the Baby Moses hotline at 1-877-904-7283 for information or assistance with the Safe Haven Law. We would always encourage families to contact local EMS or law enforcement if they find themselves in this situation," Peoples said. "The Baby Moses hotline is always available, but EMS and Austin Police should be their first resource. Advertisement Article continues below this ad State Rep. Erin Zwiener, right, comforts Katrina Meadors, during a rally Thursday in support of fired Texas State University professor Tom Alter at Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos. Zwiener said Meadors was fired from the university after voicing support on social media for a student who was expelled after mocking Charlie Kirks death. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Texas State Employees Union member Tyler Sheldon cheers during a rally held in support of a fired Texas State University professor at Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Communications Workers of America members and supporters rally in support of a fired Texas State University professor at Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters attend a rally held in support of a fired Texas State University professor at Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Texas State Employees Union forms are seen during a rally held in support of a fired Texas State University professor at Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman James Koschoreck raises a fist in support during a rally held in support of a fired Texas State University professor at Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Tom Alter, right, applauds a speaker during a rally held in opposition of his firing from Texas State University outside Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Protesters cheer during a rally held in support of a fired Texas State University professor at Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Tom Alter speaks to the press following a rally held in opposition of his firing from Texas State University outside Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Margaret Cook, CWA vice president of public, healthcare and education workers, speaks during a rally held in support of a fired Texas State University professor at Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Supporters attend a rally held in support of a fired Texas State University professor at Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Tom Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Editor's note: A day after this article was published, Hays County District Judge Alicia Key granted a temporary injunction against Texas State University, demanding it reinstate professor Thomas Alter. The university said in a statement that he will be paid but no longer teach. SAN MARCOS Dozens of Texas State Employees Union members and allies gathered at the Hays County Courthouse on Thursday to demand the reinstatement of a Texas State University professor they say was fired in a grim warning for a growing conservative crackdown on dissent. Advertisement Article continues below this ad University President Kelly Damphousse fired Tom Alter, a tenured associate professor of history, on Sept. 10 after his remarks about rebellion at a socialism conference were shared by a conservative activist on social media and attracted online attention, including Gov. Greg Abbott, who ordered the university to fire Alter for his speech. Hours later, Damphousse accused Alter of inciting violence in a public statement and dismissed him. Alter has since sued the university over the decision, saying his rights to free speech and due process were violated. Texas State Employees Union President Ilesa Daniels Ross told protesters at the rally that the union is demanding the university immediately reinstate Alter and affirm its facultys First Amendment rights to free speech. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source This is about more than one professor, Ross said. We need to fight back. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At the protest, union and political leaders stressed that this moment was not about one persons First Amendment rights, but everyone's. What happened to him, its not a mistake. Its a message, San Marcos City Council Member Amanda Rodriguez said about his termination. If a tenured professor like Dr. Alter can be targeted and discarded without cause, we must understand none of us are safe. They tried to single me out, Alter said at the rally. And they picked a much bigger fight. Alters termination occurred one day after a professor at Texas A&M University lost her job for teaching about gender identity in a childrens literature course, though it fell within her academic expertise and related to assigned readings in her syllabus. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During the rally, state Rep. Erin Zwiener said that another Texas State employee, Katrina Meadors, a staff member who did faculty recruitment, lost her job for social media posts supporting a student no longer enrolled after Abbott demanded his expulsion for mocking conservative activist Charlie Kirks death. University officials declined to confirm or deny Zwiener's and Meanors claim. "Im incredibly concerned about what has happened, Zwiener said at the rally. Free speech is at the cornerstone of our democracy. And the highest form of speech that gets the most protection is political speech, and we are unfortunately seeing the governor and this university and universities across the state act like the First Amendment isnt there." Zwiener, a Democrat who represents San Marcos, said Alters termination does not follow a 2023 law, Senate Bill 18, which states a tenured faculty member may be dismissed on numerous charges but only after appropriate due process. Tom Alter raises a fist during a rally held in opposition of his firing from Texas State University outside the Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos. Alter, a tenured history professor, was fired after speaking at an off-campus socialism conference. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman They require Dr. Alter to know what the claim is against him, they require Dr. Alter to have a chance to respond, Zweiner said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad His firing has been catastrophic for the history department, said Riley Apel, a second-year graduate student. Several students must rework their thesis now that theyve lost Alters expertise in the Texas labor movement, and six must find new advisers, she said. Dr. Tom Alters termination has led to a wave of distress, uncertainty and fear, reads a statement, signed by 21 graduate students and shared by Apel. It is in these precise moments where Dr. Alter would provide valuable guidance and a listening ear to his graduate students, many of whom were only in the program because of him. Apel said the graduate students also fear publishing their research if it would anger conservative politicians, and fear their speech off campus may be misinterpreted and used against them. Its a heavy environment, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rodriguez, the council member, said she has heard from numerous faculty members who fear speaking out as citizens or touching on controversial topics in the classroom in case it is misconstrued. Allen Dominguez, a senior in philosophy at Texas State, said Alter is the kindest person, an educator who encouraged students to think critically, and the faculty sponsor for the student chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America. Texas State student Hayden LaBarr holds a sign in support of free speech during a rally in support of fired Texas State University professor Tom Alter. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman He is loved by students, socialist and non-socialist alike, Dominguez said. It doesn't matter your political affiliation. He's an amazing person who wants his students to succeed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Dominguez said he has been detained three times by university police for protesting the termination. The Campus Protection Act passed in the last legislative session restricts the places he can protest, he said, but compelled by his faith in Alter, he vocally protested within the administrative building, university library and loudly in the schools free speech area. Theyre wrong, Dominguez said about why he kept protesting for Alter. After being threatened with suspension for disrupting campus, he said his protest tactics may pivot, but he believes the advocacy will continue. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Alter said in an interview after the rally that he felt empowered to be with everyone. A labor scholar, Alter said that organizing is how people can protect their rights. He encouraged everyone to join a union and to stand up for free speech. The Credible Mind website has been tailored to Bastrop County residents through a partnership between the website and the public health department. Provided by Credible Mind The Bastrop County Public Health Department is offering free mental health assessments through Credible Mind, an online platform that has been personalized for the county. Through a link at bastropcounty.crediblemind.com, participants can take an assessment and then have other assessments and online learnings recommended to them based on the scores. The county health department is then able to add links to local resources and those resources will be presented in a personalized way based on the needs the assessments found. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "It's a living, breathing list," said Adriana G. Rodriguez, the information specialist at the health department. "I can add to it. I'm happy to add to it." Anyone who signs up by Oct. 24 and takes the assessment through the link will be entered to win a $100 gift card. You don't have to be in Bastrop County to use the service, but all the resources listed will be tied to the county or online only. The Bastrop County Public Health Department, which started two years ago, did community outreach to hear what residents wanted from the new department. The community asked for more mental health resources. The county does have Bluebonnet Trails as its mental health authority. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Through grants, the health department is able to make Credible Mind free as well as to have it translated into Spanish. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The department will not have access to any personal information given to Credible Mind, but will be able to see how many people took the initial assessment and what future assessments people take. This will help inform the department of what specific needs there are in the county and can help with future programming plans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Twenty-five campers, two counselors and Camp Mystic's co-owner died in the July 4 Hill Country flood. Christopher Lee/Staff Photographer CiCi Steward, left, Will Steward and other parents of girls who died at Camp Mystic in the July 4 flood testify before the state Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding in Austin on Aug. 20, 2025. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman The parents of a camper who vanished in the July 4 flood and is still missing are calling on Camp Mystic to abandon plans for a partial reopening next summer. CiCi and Will Steward of Austin the parents of 8-year-old Cile Steward sent a blistering letter to leaders of the Christian girls camp in the Hill Country on Wednesday night, criticizing their actions since the disaster and their plans to resume operations next summer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "We call on Camp Mystic to halt all discussion of reopening and memorials," the Stewards wrote. "Instead, Cile must be recovered, and you must fully confront and account for your role in the events and failures that caused the deaths of our daughters. "Anything less dishonors the children who were killed while in your care at a time when their safety was your primary responsibility." Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The couple said they were writing "on behalf of ourselves and other families of the Heaven's 27," a reference to the 25 campers and two counselors who died when a flood invaded the camp's grounds in the early morning hours of July 4. Kerr County authorities listed Cile Steward among those confirmed to have died, although her remains have not been recovered. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Guadalupe River rose to a crest of 37.52 feet an all-time high after a torrential storm that day. In all, the flood killed 119 people in Kerr County. Camp Mystic's leadership sent parents an email Monday afternoon informing them of its plan for a partial reopening. In a statement Thursday, camp officials said there is "strong interest" among families in sending girls back to the site next summer. "Our decision to partially reopen areas of the camp is informed by our faith and our commitment to continue the nearly century-long mission and ministry of Camp Mystic to provide a Christian camping experience for girls that allows them to grow physically, mentally and spiritually," the statement said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Search operations are ongoing at Camp Mystic. We continue to pray that Cile will be found and for the peace and comfort of the families of all the campers and counselors." 'Intensified our grief' The Stewards said those plans have caused anguish for the 27 families whose daughters died in the flood. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "To promote reopening less than three months after the tragedy while one camper remains missing is unthinkable," the Stewards wrote. "Our families remain trapped in the deepest throes of grief, yet your communications treat our never-ending nightmare as little more than a brief pause before resuming business as usual. "Worse still, you are preparing to invite children to swim in the very river that may still hold our daughters body when you plan to 'open your gates.' Had you paused to reflect or simply consulted with any one of our families you might have spared grieving families the additional anguish your decisions now cause. Instead, your communications have only intensified our grief." They called on Camp Mystic's leadership to focus on the continuing search for their daughter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Recovery teams are still out there every day, scouring the river your backyard risking their own safety to bring her home to us," they wrote. "Yet, instead of recognizing or highlighting that effort, you have not once mentioned her name or the fact that she is still missing. "Meanwhile, in one of Mondays emails, you declared: 'The heart of Camp Mystic has never stopped beating.' Have you considered that, for many of us, Camp Mystics heart stopped beating the moment these 27 girls took their last breath?" 'Betrayed' The privately run Christian resort, founded in 1926, has hosted generations of girls from prominent Texas families. The camp is located on the south fork of the Guadalupe River, a few miles southwest of the village of Hunt and 18 miles west of Kerrville. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For decades, it has been owned and operated by members of the Eastland family. Richard G. "Dick" Eastland, 70, co-owner and executive director of the camp, died in the July 4 flood along with the 25 girls and two counselors. He perished trying to rescue campers and was found dead in his vehicle, along with three girls. CiCi and Will Steward were among grieving parents who testified in Austin last month before the state Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding. They testified in support of legislation to stiffen safety requirement for youth camps. Through tears, CiCi Steward told the committee that her daughter was a member of the third generation of her family to attend Camp Mystic. She said she sent Cile there "under the assurance she would be safe. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "That assurance was betrayed," Steward said. Exactly two weeks after the Sept. 10 statistical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, the tropics are ramping up with two named storms in the Atlantic Basin the first time thats happened this season. Tropical Storm Humberto formed Wednesday afternoon and, according to the National Hurricane Center as of Thursday morning, was more than 450 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands on the eastern edge of the Caribbean Sea. Humberto had maximum sustained winds near 45 mph and was moving northwest at 10 mph. Tropical Storm Humberto is tracking to the west-northwest on Thursday and is forecast to become a hurricane by this weekend. National Hurricane Center Atlantic waters are especially warm, and further strengthening of Humberto is expected over the next day or so. As with the rapid strengthening of Hurricane Gabrielle earlier this week, the latest forecasts indicate that Humberto could become a hurricane by Saturday afternoon and possibly a major hurricane, with winds of at least 111 mph, by early next week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Humberto is not expected to threaten the United States, but it could bring rough surf and gusty winds to Bermuda early next week. Where is Hurricane Gabrielle? Earlier this week, Hurricane Gabrielle made headlines after rapidly intensifying from a tropical storm to a major Category 4 hurricane in less than 24 hours. Sea-surface temperatures are currently 2 to 3 degrees above the late September average, according to Climate Central, and warmer oceans provide fuel for stronger hurricanes.. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Warming oceans are fueling stronger hurricanes.#Gabrielle is the latest tropical system to undergo Extreme Rapid Intensification, gaining 65mph in just 24 hours. A trend that continues to become more common due to human-caused climate change. pic.twitter.com/C2r5XPlhVb Climate Central (@ClimateCentral) September 23, 2025 Fortunately, Gabrielle has since weakened and is now a Category 1 hurricane with winds near 75 mph. The storm is forecast to move over the Azores Thursday night into early Friday, bringing heavy rainfall, dangerous surf, and high winds before continuing toward Portugal, Spain and Morocco, where it will weaken further. Another storm in the Atlantic While Humberto churns in the open Atlantic, a separate tropical system has its sights set on the United States, but not anywhere near Texas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad An area of low pressure is expected to form along the wave tonight or early Friday when it moves near the southeast Bahamas, the National Hurricane Center wrote in a forecast bulletin Thursday. This low is expected to become a tropical depression when it is in the vicinity of the central and northwest Bahamas in a couple of days. The next tropical cyclone is expected to track toward the East Coast, with landfall possible early next week somewhere between Georgia and North Carolina. Pivotal If this disturbance officially becomes a tropical depression, the next name on the list would be Imelda. The latest model guidance shows it strengthening into a storm and tracking northwest toward the southeastern coast of the continental United States, from Georgia to North Carolina. 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 Staff members of an incense-making enterprise make incense sticks in Laidian Town, Xianyou County of southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Staff members of an incense-making enterprise select raw materials for natural incense products in Laidian Town, Xianyou County of southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Staff members of an incense-making enterprise make incense sticks in Laidian Town, Xianyou County of southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Chen Bin, an incense-making artisan, makes natural incense by hand in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Staff members of an incense-making enterprise make incense sticks in Laidian Town, Xianyou County of southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Women try incense-making under the guidance of a staff member at an agarwood museum in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) A staff member demonstrates the proper move of smelling incense at an agarwood museum in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) This photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows an incense burner handicraft made of rosewood at an agarwood museum in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) A staff member introduces the agarwood raw materials for making natural incense at an agarwood museum in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) The person in charge of an incense-making enterprise introduces cultural and creative products of natural incense in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Chen Bin, an incense-making artisan, makes natural incense by hand in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Chen Bin, an incense-making artisan, selects agarwood raw material for production of natural incense in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) A manager of an incense-making enterprise introduces natural incense products during a live streaming session in Xianyou County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. Xianyou County is a significant trading and distribution center for agarwood and sandalwood in China. In recent years, the county has been working on the development of its incense-related business by leveraging the abundance in raw materials, a mature incense-making industrial chain, and online and offline sales networks there. At present, over 800 enterprises in Xianyou are engaged in incense raw material supply as well as product processing and trading. The annual output value of incense production and the extended industrial chain has exceeded 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday said China is willing to import more high-quality agricultural and food products from Cyprus. Li made the remarks when meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Chinese premier also urged the Cypriot side to continue to foster a fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment. NEW DELHI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- India's defense ministry Thursday signed a contract with the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to procure 97 light combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force, officials said. The contract was signed for the procurement of 68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters for over 7 billion U.S. dollars. The delivery of these aircraft would commence during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years. In February 2021, the defence ministry signed a deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the Indian Air Force. 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Once known as Syria's wheat basket, the northeastern province of Hasakah is now being hollowed out by years of drought, forcing families to abandon their farms and seek survival in cities.(Str/Xinhua) HASAKAH, Syria, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Once known as Syria's wheat basket, the northeastern province of Hasakah is now being hollowed out by years of drought, forcing families to abandon their farms and seek survival in cities. "This year, rainfall was only 30 to 40 percent of the annual average," said Aziz Mikhael, a geologist and former deputy director of Hasakah's water resources department. "If the drought continues, it will be catastrophic for drinking water and all other uses." For farmers like Maher al-Ahmad from Haj village, the losses have been devastating. "Eighty to 90 percent of our crops were wiped out. The Khabur River has been dry for two years, reservoirs are empty, and well water has dropped to 95 meters," he said. "I used to cultivate 100 dunams, sometimes renting more land. Now I only plant 30." Supporting a family of nine, al-Ahmad said the agricultural collapse is dragging down the entire economy. "Eighty to 90 percent of our national income comes from farming. When agriculture stops, everything stops -- markets stall, construction halts, and livestock breeders sell their animals at rock-bottom prices. If this continues, people will have no choice but to migrate." Many already have. "In our village, people left for Turkiye, Damascus, or the south to find work. There is no rain, no water, and the land is abandoned," al-Ahmad said. Others, like 31-year-old farmer Mohammad al-Ali from Tel al-Sakhr, said the cost of farming no longer makes sense. "Well water levels have dropped by 80 percent, and what we produce doesn't even cover expenses," he said. "Most people have given up farming. For those who still try, it's simply not profitable." A NATIONAL CRISIS The situation in Hasakah reflects a nationwide emergency. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns Syria is facing one of its worst agricultural crises in four decades. "The drought has impacted over 75 percent of rain-fed farmland, with rainfall deficits up to 69 percent in key producing regions," said Pirro-Tomaso Perri, FAO's senior programme officer in Damascus. "Irrigated areas are also suffering from water shortages, power cuts, and damaged infrastructure. The dual impact is unprecedented in scale," he told Xinhua. According to Perri, this is the third consecutive year of poor harvests. Wheat output in 2025 is projected at just 900,000 to 1.1 million tonnes, far below the national need of nearly 4 million tonnes. Jalal Al Hamoud, FAO's food security specialist in Syria, told Xinhua in a recent interview that over 14 million Syrians are already food insecure, with 5.5 million at risk of sliding deeper into hunger. "More than 95 percent of rain-fed crops were not harvested due to low rainfall and high temperatures," he said. The crisis is hitting returnees especially hard. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 900,000 refugees and 1.9 million internally displaced people have returned to their home areas, many of them farmers. "They need to be empowered to stay in their villages and restart agricultural activity," Al Hamoud said, adding that the FAO is working to rehabilitate irrigation systems, provide seeds and tools, and train families to generate income. RACE AGAINST TIME To tackle the emergency, the FAO has launched a 286.7-million-U.S.-dollar Emergency and Recovery Plan of Action for 2025-2027, aiming to assist 9.7 million people. The plan combines short-term relief, such as distributing drought-tolerant seeds, livestock feed, and emergency cash, with long-term efforts to rebuild irrigation and local food systems. "Our message is clear," Perri said. "Emergency agricultural action is needed now to save the next harvest and prevent another year of failure. Distributing drought-tolerant seeds by October 2025 is critical to boost yields and stop families from falling deeper into poverty and displacement." But funding remains far short. The FAO is seeking 66 million dollars for drought response, including 27.5 million dollars specifically for wheat farmers. "The gap between what is needed and what is available is substantial," Perri warned. "Without stronger donor support, humanitarian needs will escalate and recovery costs will climb." In Hasakah, the effects are already visible -- cracked soil, empty canals, and villages slowly emptying out. Farmers like al-Ahmad and al-Ali warn that unless urgent steps are taken, the province risks losing not just its crops, but its people. The dry riverbed of the Khabur River is pictured in Hasakah province, northeastern Syria, Sept. 16, 2025. Once known as Syria's wheat basket, the northeastern province of Hasakah is now being hollowed out by years of drought, forcing families to abandon their farms and seek survival in cities.(Str/Xinhua) Syrian farmer Maher al-Ahmad works at his field in Hasakah province, northeastern Syria, Sept. 16, 2025. Once known as Syria's wheat basket, the northeastern province of Hasakah is now being hollowed out by years of drought, forcing families to abandon their farms and seek survival in cities.(Str/Xinhua) ACCRA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has urged the Ghanaian government to institute urgent reforms in the energy and cocoa sectors to anchor macro-financial sustainability. World Bank Division Director for Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia Robert Taliercio made the remarks Wednesday during the launch of World Bank 2025 policy notes, noting that sustaining policy reforms remains challenging to the West African country. He said that further delays in the long-awaited reforms of the energy sector are risking the country's macro-financial sustainability. "It cost the government approximately 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2024 on transfers to cover the financial shortfalls in the energy sector, and these are projected to rise to about 2 billion dollars by 2026," Taliercio said. "This is about 2 percent of GDP, which could otherwise be used for priority spending in health, education, or improving Ghana's road network." Every month of delay becomes extremely costly for the nation, he said, adding that the World Bank is deeply concerned about insufficient progress on these critical reforms. "Similarly, reforms in the cocoa sector are urgent to improve the sector's resilience and financial sustainability," Taliercio said. "COCOBOD's current operational framework creates significant inefficiencies and market distortions that result in debt accumulation and increased fiscal liabilities," he said, using the acronym of Ghana Cocoa Board. On the other hand, Taliercio said, government programs such as the 24-Hour Economy and the Big Push, which aim to revolutionize Ghana's infrastructure, offer an opportunity to catalyze ambitious reforms to promote broad-based and resilient growth, job creation, and poverty reduction, if implemented well. A major in the Alaska Air National Guard has been charged in federal court with attempting to set up a sexual encounter with a minor at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. (U.S. Air Force) A major in the Alaska Air National Guard has been charged in federal court with attempting to set up a sexual encounter with a minor at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Maj. Edward Louis Ehlert, 33, was arrested Aug. 27 on the base near Anchorage by the Air Force Office of Special Investigation and other law enforcement officers. Ehlert was formally charged Sept. 16 with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. If convicted, Ehlert would face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. In an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Wendy Terry filed on Aug. 29, the arrest was based on probable cause established by the interception of cellphone text messages from Ehlert by law enforcement officials. Ehlert is being held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex. Prosecutors say that on Aug. 27, Ehlert had posted on an undisclosed social app that he wanted to meet underage girls. Ehlert then chatted on social media with an Air Force Office of Special Investigations operative he believed to be a 14-year-old girl living on the joint Air Force-Army base referred to by its acronym JBER. He sent her sexually explicit material and requested that she send him nude photos of herself. He described in explicit detail the sexual acts he would perform on her and, in no uncertain terms, asked her to have sex with him, said Michael Heyman, an assistant U.S. Attorney for Alaska, in a Sept. 7 memorandum of detention arguing Ehlert should remain under pretrial confinement. He knew her age, and he knew the risks that he faced, Heyman said. He was afraid there were cops on JBER setting something up and confirmed she was real by talking to her on the phone that night. He arranged to meet at the park on JBER. When Ehlert arrived at the base for the meeting, law enforcement personnel were already on the scene. He drove onto base and circled around the park looking for the minor, Heyman wrote. He was subsequently arrested and charged. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon ordered Ehlert to remain in custody. Darryl L. Thompson, the Anchorage lawyer listed on court documents as Ehlerts defense attorney, did not return a request for comment. A NORAD F-16 Fighting Falcon, bottom, escorts a Russian Su-35 Flanker, middle, and Tu-95 Bear bomber through the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone over the Bering Sea on Sept. 24, 2025. (Department of Defense) North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted four Russian aircraft Wednesday in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, the command announced the following day. NORAD tracked two Tupelov TU-95 four-engine strategic bombers and two Sukhoi SU-35 air defense fighters in the zone, according to a news release. NORAD said it dispatched an E-3 Sentry surveillance plane, four F-16 Fighting Falcons and four KC-135 aerial tankers to positively identify and intercept the Russians. The Russian aircraft stayed in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace, according to the release. This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat, said NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canadian command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The two TU-95s and two SU-35s flew inside the Alaskan ADIZ for approximately 53 minutes; the closest point of approach to the U.S. mainland was 30 nautical miles southwest of St. Lawrence Island, NORAD spokeswoman Canadian Armed Forces Capt. Rebecca Garand said by email Friday. St. Lawrence Island is about 130 miles west of the Alaskan mainland and 54 miles southwest of the Chukchi Peninsula, part of easternmost Russia. The Russian presence in the air defense zone is the first since Aug. 26, when an Ilyushin Il-20 surveillance plane made a two hour, 20 minute flight near the western Aleutian Islands. Russian aircraft made flights in the Alaska ADIZ four times in one week in August, and two flights in July, one in April and two in February, NORAD said at the time. Wednesdays incursions came one day after President Donald Trump on social media platform Truth Social did an about face on his position on Russias 3 -year-old invasion of neighboring Ukraine. I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and win all of Ukraine back in its original form, Trump wrote. Trump, questioned by a reporter Tuesday at the United Nations in New York, also said NATO countries should shoot down Russian military aircraft that violate their airspace, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported Wednesday. The air defense identification zone begins where sovereign airspace ends, usually 12 miles from the coast. The zone is a defined stretch of international airspace where all aircraft are expected to identify themselves in the interest of national security. NORAD recorded 12 flights into the zone by Russian planes last year. Since Russia resumed long-range aviation activities in 2007, the number of incursions fluctuates annually, but we have seen as many as 15 in one year to as low as zero, Garand said in August. M795 155 mm high-explosive rounds set to be fired during an exercise at Twentynine Palms, Calif., Jan. 22, 2025. The Army awarded Global Military Products a $639 million contract for nonstandard 155 mm rounds, the latest deal in a push to ramp up domestic production of the munition. (Micah Thompson/U.S. Marine Corps) A new Army contract worth more than $639 million is the latest deal aimed at throttling up American production of artillery rounds primarily used by allies and partners with arsenals left over from the Soviet era. Global Military Products, based in Tampa, Fla., won the bid to produce 155mm high-explosive rounds in support of the Special Ammunitions and Weapons Systems program, a Defense Department statement Tuesday said. The SAWS program buys munitions that are not intended for U.S. weapons systems and that are unavailable through standard Army supply chains. The DOD has put extra emphasis on production of domestic and foreign 155 mm rounds amid shrinking stockpiles following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The U.S. has sent more than 3 million 155 mm shells to support Ukraine since the invasion, the State Department said in a statement in March. In many cases, the shells are for weapons systems that date from the Cold War days but are still in use among European countries that once were part of a bloc dominated by the former Soviet Union. The Army has also delivered tens of thousands of shells to Israel since its 2023 conflict with Hamas began, Stars and Stripes reported previously. Work locations and funding under the contract with Global Military Products will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 10, 2027, according to the Tuesday statement. Platforms that use the shells include the M777 Howitzer and the M109 Paladin. In July, Army spokesman Steve Warren said the service is turning out 40,000 shells per month, up from around 15,000 per month in 2022. Defense officials have noted a production goal of 100,000 rounds per month by mid-2026. Recent efforts to boost production of artillery rounds have included building new facilities in Arkansas and Iowa. Tuesdays statement also included a contract award of nearly $120 million to Accurate Energetic Systems of McEwen, Tenn., for procurement of TNT, a primary component in the high explosive rounds. In November, the Army announced a $435 million deal for the establishment of a TNT production facility in Graham, Ky., to reestablish a domestic supply chain for the explosive material. For decades, the U.S. has relied solely on procuring TNT from overseas sources such as Russia, Ukraine and Poland, Maj. Gen. John Reim told National Defense magazine in August. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ishmael Hughes, 668th Alteration and Installation Squadron, installs a new LED light fixture Aug. 28, 2025, at Fort Hoods Civilian Personnel Advisory Center. (Christine Luciano, DPW Environmental) The Air Force sent a dozen airmen to support Fort Hoods maintenance staff after a shortage of civilian workers sent outstanding air conditioning requests past 1,000 during the final months of summer. The central Texas Army bases facility maintenance crew is about 25% smaller than it was this time one year ago because the Defense Department offered civilian employees the option of buyouts and early retirements, and that was followed by a hiring freeze, according to Brian Dosa, director of Fort Hoods Directorate of Public Works. With no control over who left, some areas of expertise were hit harder than others. Getting support from airmen from Joint Base San Antonio in Texas and Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington allowed Fort Hood workers to keep our head above water, Dosa said. The crews brought electrical, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and carpentry experience, helping drop the air conditioning work order backlog from 1,324 on July 15 to 865 on Sept. 16, Dosa said. Their performance was outstanding and greatly appreciated during their time at Fort Hood, he said. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Randy Moreno, 668th Alteration and Installation Squadron, uses a multimeter to check the voltage while troubleshooting issues Aug. 26, 2025, at the Community Events and Bingo Center at Fort Hood. (Christine Luciano, DPW Environmental) Fort Hood, home to 38,000 troops and more than 14,000 family members, isnt alone in managing facility maintenance with fewer workers. Across all Army installations, the public works departments lost about 8% of staff authorizations through early retirements and resignations in the buyout program, according to Army Installation Management Command. Installations have been further affected by the loss of any workers through normal attrition, and they are not replaced because of the hiring freeze. The impact of staffing reductions has affected each base differently, with those that use in-house workers hit the hardest, IMCOM said. Fort Hood is the only installation to have received support from another military service. Looking into the next fiscal year, which begins Wednesday, IMCOM said it is focused on consolidating duplicative functions, reducing bureaucracy and finding ways to automate tasks with technology. We are also working to maximize solutions for hiring, including pursuing exemptions for life, health and safety positions, and exploring contracting options where authorized under law and policy, according to IMCOM. At Fort Hood, where maintenance staff in June had to stop responding to all non-urgent fixes, there is some relief in sight. Public Works got permission to hire two air conditioning technicians and one work leader, Dosa said. The Army also can contract additional air conditioning repair services, and work is underway. Richardson Theater on Fort Shafter, Hawaii, stands Sept. 24, 2025, awaiting an interior renovation to become headquarters for the U.S. Army's 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force. (Wyatt Olson/Stars amd Stripes) FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii The Army is gutting a historic theater on this base in Honolulu as it transforms the site into headquarters for the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force. Military officials and community leaders gathered Tuesday for a ceremony that marked the beginning of the transformation of Richardson Theater, built in 1948 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The theaters distinctive pink exterior will be preserved, while the interior will be stripped to make way for a state-of-the-art, mission-critical facility, the Army said in a news release Tuesday. The new headquarters will include secure spaces for cyber, electronic warfare, intelligence, and long-range precision fire operations, ensuring the task force is equipped to meet the demands of the Indo-Pacific theater, the release states. The $94.5 million renovation is expected to be complete in early 2029, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District. The 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force was stood up in September 2022. Three task forces the first at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., the second in Germany were created to synchronize theater-level warfare in the domains of land, sea, air, space and cyber. The new headquarters will sustain the work we do, the partnerships we form, and the impact we strive to make not just across the Indo-Pacific, but within this very community, 3rd task force commander Col. Wade Germann said during the ceremony, according to the release. Decades from now, this facility will tell the story of who we are and how we carried out our vision, Germann said, alluding to the theaters 77-year history. The theater was named for Army Gen. Robert Richardson Jr., who was the World War II commander of U.S. Army Forces in the Pacific Ocean Areas and military governor of the territory of Hawaii. The theater is of the Art Moderne style with influences from the American Roadside architecture movement, according to the not-for-profit Historic Hawaii Foundation. Art Moderne experimented and innovated with form and materials and led to movements such as Impressionism and Expressionism. Richardson was used as a movie theater until 1987, after which it became home to the Army Community Theatre program, which no longer exists. The theater has been shuttered in recent years. In an agreement with the Hawaii state historic preservation officer, the Army stipulated that repairs to exterior historic features will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible to sustain the preservation of distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques. While the curtain has fallen on its role as a theater, we are setting the stage for a new act, Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, commander of the Corp of Engineers Honolulu District, said during the ceremony. This facility will enable the 3MDTF to ensure freedom of maneuver across the Indo-Pacific, supporting the Armys mission to prevail in the most consequential region for Americas future. A view of an entrance to Fort Moore near Columbus, Georgia, in 2024. (Arvin Temkar/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution via TNS) ATLANTA (Tribune News Service) Fort Benning in Columbus could switch back to Fort Moore under legislation passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives, a move that would reverse a highly publicized Trump administration decision. Tucked inside a sweeping defense spending bill that won approval this month, the measure would require the Georgia base to once again honor Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Moore. Hal Moore was a highly decorated soldier who fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars and co-authored the bestselling book, We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young. He is buried at Fort Benning alongside Julia, who was known for her unwavering support of military families. One of their sons, Stephen Moore, said the name change would present an example for warriors. Be a warrior like my father or lead a warrior family like my mother, given both of their lifelong contributions to the Army and the nation, said Stephen Moore, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who lives in the Wilmington, North Carolina, area. You could have a place with values and an example. The Pentagon said Wednesday it would not comment on pending legislation. Fort Benning was originally named after Henry Benning, who served as a general in the Confederate army. He was an ardent secessionist before the war, once warning that if slavery were abolished there would be black governors, black legislatures, black juries, black everything. During the Biden administration, Benning was among nine bases renamed to no longer honor Confederate figures. The post became Fort Moore in 2023. This year, the Trump administration switched the posts name back to Benning. The Pentagon said the change honors Cpl. Fred Benning of Norfolk, Nebraska, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism during World War I. In April, the military estimated it would cost the post about $653,000 for the name change, including for signage, ID badges and police uniforms. The switch from Benning to Moore in 2023 cost the installation about $830,000 and included removing the names of other Confederate figures. The Defense Department said its decision for restoring the Benning name underscores the installations storied history of service to the United States of America, honors the warfighter ethos, and recognizes the heroes who have trained at the installation for decades and will continue to train on its storied ranges. Critics blasted the move as divisive. During a congressional committee hearing in July, U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland, D- Wash., called the Trump administrations decision to rename military bases a ploy that involved finding new service members who shared the last names of these Confederate traitors. U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R- Tifton, supports restoring the Fort Moore name. Fort Moore was the perfect name. Its the opportunity to represent the warrior at home and the warrior on the battlefield. Hal and Julia Moore were both stalwart patriots and they deserve recognition, Scott said through a spokesman. Scott is behind a second measure tucked in the same defense bill that would change the name of Fort Gordon in Augusta to Fort Shughart Gordon. That switch would recognize Randall Shughart and Gary Gordon, both elite Delta Force snipers who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for their heroism during the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. Every single thing that the Army has named to honor their valor and their sacrifice is named Shughart-Gordon, Scott said. Their legacy and names should exist in death as they did in life together. My amendment simply ensures that their shared heroic sacrifice is remembered forever at Fort Gordon. The post was originally named after John Gordon, a Confederate general and slave owner who was generally recognized as the head of the Ku Klux Klan in Georgia. Its name was changed in 2023 in honor of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Trump administration switched it back to Fort Gordon this year in honor of Gary Gordon. Gordons widow, Carmen Owens, has said her family is honored by the recognition. She plans to speak at a renaming ceremony at Fort Gordon Friday, when the post will unveil a new Master Sgt. Gary Gordon Boulevard sign. The marker is part of a major overhaul the military began at the Augusta post after the Trump administration announced its renaming in June. As of Sept. 12, the cost for signage and other name-related changes at the post has reached $223,828, according to the Pentagon. In 2023, hundreds of people attended a ceremony for renaming it in honor of Eisenhower, who led allied forces on D-Day, helped liberate Western Europe and defeat Nazi Germany. The cost for that name change: $810,165. A spokeswoman for the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home referred questions about the name change to the Eisenhower Foundation, which did not respond to requests for comment. The language in the House legislation for renaming the two Georgia bases is not in the Senate version of the bill. Once the Senate approves its version, lawmakers from both chambers would need to iron out a compromise ahead of a revote. 2025 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Coast Guard crew member assigned to Coast Guard Cutter Diligence (WMEC 616) wraps bails of illicit narcotics during a drug offload at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025. (Riley Perkofski/U.S. Coast Guard) The Coast Guard Cutter Diligence offloaded about 8,700 pounds of cocaine at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg in Florida on Monday. The seized drugs were a result of two interdictions in the Caribbean Sea, and are worth an estimated $64.5 million, according to a service news release. One of those interdictions saw the seizure of contraband that was transferred to USCG Cutter Hamilton, where it became part of the biggest drug offload in the services history. A Coast Guard Cutter Diligence crew member carries a bundle of illicit narcotics off the cutter during a drug offload at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025. (Riley Perkofski/U.S. Coast Guard) A Coast Guard Cutter Diligence crew member carries a bundle of illicit narcotics off the cutter during a drug offload at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025. (Riley Perkofski/U.S. Coast Guard) The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Diligence poses for a group photo during a drug offload at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025. (Riley Perkofski/U.S. Coast Guard) While this offload marks another milestone in our efforts to counter narco-terrorism, the Coast Guard remains relentless in our operations to control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches, said Cmdr. Colin McKee, commanding officer of Diligence. Diligence deployed in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South to the Coast Guard District Southeast area of responsibility, where crew members interdicted more than 10,000 pounds of illegal narcotics. I am remarkably proud of the crew and appreciative of the efforts of JIATF-S and Coast Guard District Southeast, said McKee, per the release. This joint effort helped us prevent more than four tons of illegal drugs from entering the United States. A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Seahawk helicopter. (U.S. Coast Guard) The U.S. Coast Guard has issued $28.2 million in contracts to upgrade the engines for some of its helicopters and the radar on its fixed-wing long-range aircraft. On Sept. 8, the Coast Guard ordered 13 General Electric T700 engines for its MH-60 Seahawk helicopters. It will allow for expanding mission capabilities of its fleet, the service said in a statement released Wednesday. The new helicopter engines are long-lead-time component orders to speed the transition at some air stations from the MH-65E Dolphin Short-Range Recovery helicopters made by European manufacturer Airbus to the Medium-Range MH-60, made by Stratford, Conn.-based Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin. The Seahawk has a maximum range of about 700 nautical miles compared with 390 miles for the Dolphin, according to each helicopters manufacturers. The (Seahawks) ability to locate, identify and track surface targets day or night makes it a valuable search-and-rescue and law-enforcement asset, the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard also signed a contract Sept. 18 worth $13.9 million for L3Harris Technologies Inc. of Melbourne, Fla., for three AN/APY-11 advanced radar systems to be installed on future HC-130J Hercules aircraft. The radar would allow for better collection and correlation of sensor and track data, which is used to conduct drug and alien interdictions, search and rescue, and other statutory missions, the Coast Guard said. The HC-130J fleet is the Department of Homeland Securitys airlift asset and has been used for flights from San Diego to airfields in Texas used as processing centers for deportations. The HC-130J provides DHS with a response to national events as well as logistical support during routine operations, the Coast Guard statement said. Both orders were made possible because of investments in the Coast Guard fleet made by the congressionally approved One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Overall, the one-time legislation allocated $3.3 billion to expand the Coast Guards HC-130J and MH-60 fleets. Nearly $2.3 billion is for MH-60 aircraft and simulators. About $1.1 billion is for six additional HC-130J Hercules aircraft, spare parts and the Coast Guards first HC-130J simulator. TEHRAN, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Wednesday condemned U.S. restrictions on its diplomats attending the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, calling them an attempt to obstruct Tehran's participation in multilateral diplomacy. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on social media platform X that the measures amounted to "systematic harassment" and had prevented Iranian delegates from joining several events held outside the limited areas where they are permitted to move. "The real objective behind the increasing restrictions imposed by the U.S. administration on Iranian diplomats and their dependents in New York is to disrupt Iran's diplomatic performance within the United Nations," Baghaei wrote. The U.S. State Department said on Monday that the curbs were part of efforts to maintain "maximum pressure" on Tehran, restricting the Iranian delegation's access to certain stores and venues, including wholesale clubs and luxury goods outlets. Baghaei said the curbs, which he described as "cheap restrictions," violated Washington's obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement and even affected delegates' ability to shop for groceries. As host of the UN headquarters, Washington is generally expected to allow entry for officials from all member states and observer entities, though it has at times imposed limits for political reasons. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was barred from attending the assembly after U.S. authorities revoked visas for him and about 80 Palestinian officials last month, a decision welcomed by Israel. The United Nations authorized Abbas to deliver his remarks through a pre-recorded video shown in the General Assembly Hall. Navy Capt. Blake Burket, center left, and Rear Adm. Jeffrey Kilian, right, former commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific, examine a construction project on Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Guam, in Decmber 2024. (Rachel Landers/U.S. Navy) The Navy awarded a $289.7 million contract to a local conglomerate to build and outfit a communications facility at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz on Guam, according to a recent announcement. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command awarded the contract on Monday to Core Tech-HDCC-Kajima LLC, of Tamuning. The firm will install fiber communications cabling and build a consolidated communications facility and two warehouses at the base, according to information posted Tuesday on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System. The projects estimated completion date is March 2029. Construction is expected to begin sometime in fiscal year 2026, according to an email Saturday from Krista Cummins, a spokeswoman for the command at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. NAVFAC Pacific solicited bids in November for a multistory, warehouse-style building with secure facilities at Blaz to support naval computer systems and telecommunications. It estimated the project would cost between $250 million and $500 million. It was not clear if the contract award was directly connected to the bid solicitation last year. The solicitation called for creation of a sensitive compartmented information facility, or SCIF, and an OSP Fiber Line SONET Ring basically a network for synchronous data transmission over optical fibers. Guam plays a central role as a communications hub and staging ground as the Defense Department prepares for a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific. We are pleased to announce awarding this contract as the project significantly improves the overall effectiveness and productivity of Joint Region Marianas tenant commands, command spokesman Jimmy Miyamoto said in the release. This investment is an important step forward ensuring the continued success and efficiency of our mission. The communications contract is the latest in hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding flowing to the U.S. island territory as the Pentagon improves existing facilities and builds new ones, including an $8 billion missile defense system. The communications system at Blaz will belong to the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Guam and is not part of the missile defense program but will support its mission, Cummins said. The Defense Department on Sept. 9 awarded a California defense contractor, Tutor Perini Corp., of Los Angeles, and its Guam unit, Black Construction Inc., a $181.1 million contract for work on one site of the Missile Defense Agencys Enhanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense system. The system is designed to counter cruise, ballistic and hypersonic missiles that could be launched by China or North Korea. Granite Construction Inc., of Watsonville, Calif., and Obayashi Corp., of Tokyo, in July won a $158 million contract to build a command center and related power and security infrastructure associated with the missile defense system. That project site is just south of Blaz. In September 2024, Granite and Obayashi received a $113 million contract for further construction at Blaz, the first new Marine base in 72 years. That work included an auto organization shop, an organic storage facility, an electrical and communications maintenance shop, a vehicle wash rack and a vehicle laydown area. The joint venture has secured more than $517 million in work at Blaz since 2017, according to contract announcements in the past year. About 4,000 Marines are expected to relocate from Okinawa to Guam as part of a 2012 agreement to ease the U.S. military presence on Okinawa. Japan provided $3 billion of the approximately $5 billion cost to build Blaz. Separately, the Pentagon in July and August awarded Sea Pac Engineering Inc., of Los Angeles, two contracts totaling $71.2 million for a complete overhaul of two deteriorating dormitories at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. Sailors aboard the mine countermeasure ship USS Gladiator line the rails at Mina Salman pier in Manama, Bahrain, Sept. 25, 2025, ahead of a decommissioning ceremony for USS Devastator, the last wooden-hulled mine countermeasures ships in U.S. 5th Fleet. Gladiator was taken out of service earlier this month. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) MANAMA, Bahrain Sailors at a base home to the Navys hub in the Middle East bid farewell Thursday to the last of their wooden-hulled mine hunting ships in a mission handoff to four larger vessels specially outfitted for the mine countermeasures task. USS Devastator was decommissioned in a ceremony at Naval Support Activity Bahrains Mina Salman pier in front of the gathered service members, who waxed nostalgic about the mine countermeasure fleets 35 years of usage. Vice Adm. George Wikoff, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, praised the Devastator crew. It takes a special breed of sailor to serve aboard a minesweeper, Wikoff said. Your very existence is to sail into harms way so that others may safely follow. With their fiberglass-sheathed wooden hulls and variable-depth sonar, the Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships for years were the preferred method for clearing some of the worlds busiest and most contested waters, including the Strait of Hormuz. But the four such vessels in Bahrain are being replaced by littoral combat ships equipped with a mine countermeasures package. Earlier this month, the mine countermeasures ship USS Gladiator was decommissioned at NSA Bahrain, joining USS Sentry and USS Dextrous in being taken out of service. In May, USS Canberra became the first of four Independence-class littoral combat ships to reach Bahrain. Another, USS Santa Barbara, arrived later. The others are USS Tulsa and a fourth that has not yet been named. The mine countermeasures package on the ship relies on surface and undersea drones, towed sonars and MH-60S helicopters equipped with mine-hunting and neutralization systems, all designed to keep the ship at a distance while remote systems enter the minefield, according to the Navy. A sailor assigned to the mine countermeasures ship USS Devastator stands on USS Gladiator on Sept. 25, 2025, during the decommissioning ceremony for Devastator in Naval Support Activity Bahrain in Manama, Bahrain. Gladiator, another of the base's mine countermeasures ships, was decommissioned earlier this month. In the background is the littoral combat ship USS Canberra one of four LCS vessels at the base that will take over the minesweeper mission. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) A view from the decommissioned mine countermeasures ship USS Gladiator shows the littoral combat ship USS Canberra docked nearby Sept. 25, 2025, in Manama, Bahrain. Canberra carries the Navys new mine countermeasures package and is the first of four incoming LCS vessels to arrive at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) A sailor from the mine countermeasures ship USS Devastator sits in the audience at Naval Support Activity Bahrain during the ships decommissioning ceremony Sept. 25, 2025, in Manama, Bahrain. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) Littoral combat ships are fast, nimble vessels prized for their abilities in coastal areas and the open ocean, but the Freedom variant of the LCS quickly was beset by propulsion problems and other costly issues. As a result, the Navy in 2022 proposed mothballing nine Freedom-class ships well ahead of their end-of-service dates. Ultimately, five of the ships were saved. Another variety of littoral combat ship, the Independence class, also has experienced problems including cracks in the hulls of at least six vessels. Mines have long been a major concern for the Navy in the Middle East. Vice Adm. Douglas Katz, who commanded U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in the early 1990s, once said they are the fastest way to clog up the Strait of Hormuz, threatening a choke point vital to global oil supplies. Ships like Devastator were used in support of such missions as Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the evacuation of refugees from Kosovo in 1999 and the Iraq War in the 2000s. For more than three decades, these ships defended freedom of navigation and promoted stability around the world, Wikoff said at Thursdays ceremony. Devastators commanding officer, Cmdr. Alex Turner, said Thursday that the transition to the LCS quartet is in good hands. We carried the torch Turner said. Now its their turn, and they have what it takes the crew, the systems, everything. Sailors from Devastator are now being assigned to new positions including minesweepers in Japan, littoral combat ship commands in California and shore commands around the fleet. Everybody put so much into the ship, so to have it decommissioned is a little heartbreaking, said Senior Chief Petty Officer Muhammad Habeebul-lah, Devastators command senior enlisted leader. But its also exciting to go on to a new chapter. Sailors honor their counterparts who died over the past year during a Bells Across America ceremony at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Sept. 25, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan The solemn tolls of a ships bell rang through Kosano Park on Thursday as volunteers read out the names of 176 sailors who died over the past year. The ceremony part of the Navy Gold Star Programs annual Bells Across America for Fallen Service Members drew about 60 sailors and civilians, including 10 Gold Star family members, to pay their respects. A group of 22 sailors in their summer whites took turns reading out the names, with a single bell toll following every five or six names. Each ring is a simple sound with a solemn meaning: A watch begun, a watch relieved, a life remembered, base commander Capt. Jonathan Hopkins told those attending. Here in Yokosuka, the bell reminds us that no name is spoken alone. Its echo reaches every pier, every shop, every household in this community. Boots representing fallen sailors are displayed during the Bells Across America ceremony at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Sept. 25, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) Among the 176 names was Petty Officer 3rd Class Jose Antonio Rivera Lynch IV, an aviation boatswains mate assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington. He was declared dead in a presumed overboard accident on July 30. In addition to those who died this year, five names were read to honor the Gold Star families in attendance: Cmdr. Frank Bivins, Chief Petty Officer Charles Findley, Chief Petty Officer Abraham Lopez, Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam Thomas and Chief Petty Officer Demond Walker. Its important that we stop and remember the lives lost, and its in the remembrance that we can really appreciate life fuller, Hopkins told Stars and Stripes after the ceremony, adding that recognizing the Gold Star families who participated is especially important. A ship's bell rings as the names of 176 sailors who died over the past year are read aloud during the Bells Across America ceremony at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Sept. 25, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) The ceremony, now in its 10th year globally, was mirrored at numerous Navy bases in the United States this month. In Japan, simultaneous events were held at Sasebo Naval Base and Naval Air Facility Atsugi, according to the Navy Gold Star Programs website. Riho Findley, wife of Charles Findley, said holding the ceremony in an overseas location like Yokosuka is extremely important, especially for the families of sailors who dont live in the States. If theres no ceremony like this, people just forget, she told Stars and Stripes after the ceremony. Theyre not here, but the least we can do is remember those people who sacrificed their lives for the country. Gold Star families pray during a Bells of Across America ceremony at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Sept. 25, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) Her husband was one of 10 sailors who died aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain when it collided Aug. 21, 2017, with a Liberian-flagged tanker near Singapore. Two months prior, the USS Fitzgerald, another guided-missile destroyer, collided with a Philippine-flagged container vessel in an incident that killed seven sailors. The amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) transits San Diego Bay to its new homeport in San Diego, Sept. 25, 2025. (Jomark A. Almazan/U.S. Navy) The USS America arrived at its new homeport of Naval Base San Diego after concluding a six-year forward deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. America was forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan and the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations since 2019. It led the America Amphibious Ready Group of ships, served as the flagship for Expeditionary Strike Group 7 and embarked the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, according to a service news release. A forward deployment is when armed forces are positioned closer to conflict zones or areas of strategic interest. Serving forward deployed is an incredible challenge and honor, said. Capt. Michael Plageman, executive officer of America. Our sailors and Marines rose to that challenge every single day demonstrating grit, professionalism and teamwork in some of the most dynamic waters in the world. As we return to San Diego, we bring with us not only experience but a legacy of operational excellence. In April, Americas crew earned its fifth consecutive Battle Effectiveness award while forward deployed to U.S. Naval Forces in Japan. This award recognized Americas sustained warfighting readiness, mission accomplishments, ability to innovate and resiliency in executing the ships schedule throughout the year. The dedication, professionalism, and sacrifice of Americas crew is remarkable, Rule said. While forward deployed, America participated in numerous joint and combined exercises in the South and East China seas and operations with partners including Japan, Australia, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, New Zealand and Thailand. The ship also provided crisis response capabilities, including humanitarian assistance and disaster response following the eruption of Mt. Bagana in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. The Springfield-Beckley Air Guard Base sign is located in front of the old gate. (Amber Mullen/U.S. Air National Guard) (Tribune News Service) The Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Ohio which will have a ceremonial ribbon-cutting Friday will be on the front line of informing national leaders of whats happening in space, an area of ever-growing significance in national defense. We call ourselves part of the invisible front line, which is a quote from the Space Force song, said Space Force Lt. Col Stefan Katz, commander of the 76th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron. Even though we may be here in quaint, little Springfield, Ohio, we are part of the space fight above our heads. Comprised mainly of young Space Force enlisted members, the 76ths mission is to produce fast, timely and accurate intelligence on threats in, to and from space, Katz said. While the 76th is focused on making sense of whats happening today, Space Force Lt. Col. Aaron Echols, who commands the 4th Intelligence Analysis Squadron, leads a more senior unit able to offer insights of greater depth and longer-term analysis. A lot of IAS members are senior civilians who have been engaged in this this tradecraft and analysis for some time, Echols said. He has about 80% civilians and about 20% uniformed members of the military, many of whom regularly travel to Washington to confer with senior leaders. Together, the 91 members of these two units will work with the National Air and Space Intelligence Center and the National Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Katz and Echols told this newspaper in a new interview. Members will go back and forth between Springfield and Wright-Patterson, as a building on the Springfield base is refurbished, and as a permanent home for the National Space Intelligence Center of which the IAS is part is built on Wright-Patterson. Well have guardians going back and forth in both directions, Katz said. Even though the ribbon-cutting is Friday, there has been more than a year of work toward the Space Intelligence Production Cell, Katz said. Were 91 souls at present, he said. But we consider that half of the capacity that we need in order to get to 24-7 (operations). We will still be in a growth phase in the years ahead, depending on a couple of variables, he added. We are doing things that are primarily just focused on space, whereas NASIC is doing a lot of, obviously, air-focused things, Echols said. They are the service intelligence center for the Air Force. We are the service intelligence center, and support elements of intelligence, for the Space Force. One of the chief questions Echols unit is trying to answer: This next environment, this next battleground, if you will: What is the intelligence need for that space? A relatively new branch of the U.S. military, Space Force is only approaching its sixth birthday, he noted. Space touches every dimension of national defense, both terrestrially and in orbit, Echols said. Katz likened space to military aviation during World War I. Leaders were still getting a feel for what was possible. Kind of like aviation in the late 19-teens, Katz said. Aircraft had been around but ... how can we use it different ways? We are entering a new era for space and how it is part of our society. So far, Springfield and these new units have been a good fit, Katz said. We have some of the happiest units in the Space Force. We are loving the community and the support, he said. 2025 Springfield News-Sun, Ohio. Visit www.springfieldnewssun.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Gasometer in Pforzheim, Germany, is an old gas storage tank that has been converted into an exhibition center for art projects. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes) A 130-foot-tall former gas tank in a southern German city is just about the last place youd expect to see a big collection of rare insects and Amazonian art. But the Gasometer in Pforzheim is indeed the place to go for that and more. Built in 1912, it helped power Pforzheim for nearly 100 years. Now it serves as an exhibition center where a huge panorama art that incorporates a variety of techniques is displayed. A friend recently recommended that I visit, saying it was well worth the 45-minute drive from Stuttgart. The onetime gas tank, shiny silver in color and standing on the edge of the Enz River, is hard to miss as you drive into town. Located just off a busy street, the Gasometer helpfully offers on-site parking. The location was repurposed in 2014 after an earlier industrial cleanup. So it also serves as place to learn a little about Pforzheims history and the role of coal and gas in its evolution. After reading some panels about the past role of the gas tank, I made my way to the main attractions. The exhibition kicked off with various facts about the Amazon rain forest. It also included many stunning insect specimens, ranging from exotic butterflies to brightly colored beetles and spiders. Amazonien is the current exhibition on display at the Gasometer in Pforzheim. The artwork features a large panorama of an Amazon jungle scene. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes) The panorama of an Amazon forest scene, created by artist Yadegar Asisi and on display at the Gasometer in Pforzheim, is over 100 feet high and depicts a diverse habitat with a wide array of wildlife. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes) The panorama of an Amazon forest scene featured at the Gasometer in Pforzheim is over 100 feet high and depicts a diverse habitat with a wide array of wildlife. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes) The displays serve as a warmup to get you in the mood for the sites centerpiece attraction, a 360-degree panorama standing 100 feet tall with a 360-foot circumference. The work was created by artist Yadegar Asisi, who is based out of Berlin and has been a regular contributor to projects at the Gasometer. Past exhibitions have focused on ancient Rome and Australias coral reef. Amazonien, the latest project, is expected to run through 2026. Asisis panoramas involve years of research and work that include photography trips to study the locations he is focused on. Thousands of photos, drawings, and sketches are part of the preparation that culminates in the final product produced on computer and printed on huge sheets of fabric. The process takes about three years. The scale of the artwork and the attention to detail transport you to the Amazon, or at least as close as you can get from more than 5,000 miles away. It depicts a tropical scene in a dense jungle with various trees and wildlife. You can look closely to see everything from termites and butterflies to Indigenous people in the bush. A walk around the panorama takes you from day to night. There are steps up to look down on the scene for a different perspective. Visitors can also opt to take a seat and ponder the atmosphere for as long as they want. All in all, I found Pforzheims big attraction worth the roughly 40-minute visit. While it hasnt been announced whats to follow the Amazon project, I suspect the Gasometer could be worth a return visit for whatever comes next. As part of the exhibition on the Amazon at the Gasometer in Pforzheim, there are numerous displays of the types of insects that can be found in the Amazon. Beatles, butterflies and spiders are among the specimens. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes) Pforzheim Gasometer Address: Hohwiesenweg 6, Pforzheim, Germany Hours: Daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Cost: Adults, 13 euros; children, 6 euros Information: info@gasometer-pforzheim.de Aerosmith has collaborated again with Naruto Taiyaki Honpo to produce a promotional taiyaki available fora limited time at the popular franchise's shops in Japan. (Marc Castaneda/Stars and Stripes) Few Japanese street foods are as recognizable as taiyaki: golden, fish-shaped cakes usually filled with sweet red bean paste or custard. At Naruto Taiyaki Honpo, this humble snack takes on a rock n roll twist thanks to its second collaboration with Aerosmith. The chains Shinjuku shop, on a busy corner with steady foot traffic, was just opening when I arrived on Monday. A few customers were already in line, though no one seemed to be ordering the mango-flavored Aero Taiyaki, as a Universal Music Japan press release named it. I might have been the first to order it that morning. The 400-yen Aero Taiyaki launched Sept. 6 and marks Aerosmiths second collaboration with the chain. This time, the filling is smooth mango cream with small fruit chunks inside. The special release commemorates the bands complete discography being issued in paper jacket CD format, according to Universal Music Japan. I received my taiyaki order in a custom Aerosmith-labeled paper sleeve along with a business card-sized photo of Aerosmith prompting me to purchase their re-released albums through a QR code. Biting into it, the outer shell was soft and moist but with just enough crunch to add texture. The cream inside leaned on the sweet side, rather than the tartness I usually expect from mango. Aerosmith collaborated with Naruto Taiyaki Honpo to create a mango-filled taiyaki as a promotion for the release of the bands complete discography in Japan. (Marc Castaneda/Stars and Stripes) Personally, I would have preferred a bit more tang, though fans of sweeter desserts may enjoy it. I paired mine with black coffee from a nearby vending machine to balance the flavors. Naruto and Aerosmith first joined forces in November 2023 to create a taiyaki with apple-infused bean paste, inspired by the crimson red of the bands Greatest Hits album cover, the Asahi Shimbun reported at the time. The franchise doesnt rely solely on Aerosmith fans for business, though. Naruto Taiyaki Honpo, a chain with 58 branches across Japan, keeps its menu rooted in tradition with classics like red bean, sweet potato and custard. For something a little different, there are ice cream options: Japanese cream or matcha, with the option to add red bean, sandwiched between two thin, crisp mochi wafers. The Aero Taiyaki is available only while supplies last. Even if youre not a diehard Aerosmith fan, its worth stopping by for the novelty and maybe a photo by the strategically placed Aerosmith poster near the entrance, which seems to catch the eye of passing tourists. This Naruto Taiyaki Honpo shop is a short walk from Tokyo's busy Shinjuku Station. (Marc Castaneda/Stars and Stripes) Aero Taiyaki Location: 3-14-17 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022. This Japanese chain has branches all over Kanto, Tohoku, Tokai, Kansai and Kyushu regions. Directions: A 10-minute walk from Shinjuku Stations Central East Exit. Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Prices: Between 280 yen and 400 yen. Dress: Casual Information: Online: taiyaki.co.jp/shop Games, books and other hobby products are displayed at Kappa Castle Game & Hobby Shop located in Okinawa, Sept. 15, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes) Hobby enthusiasts summon mythical creatures and lead fictional skirmishes every day on Okinawa, and one American business owner ensures a steady source of supplies to keep that battle drumbeat going. Ryan Stumpff had no affiliation to the military and moved to Okinawa for a change of scenery. He decided to create his own job by opening Kappa Castle Game & Hobby Shop in 2017. It was a means of income for his family, but also to ensure his own interests remained alive. I wanted to stay in Okinawa and needed a job to do so, he said during a recent interview at Kappa Castle. I decided to start my own business, because I have a personal interest in cardboard hobbies, and because there was a high demand for English games locally. Cardboard hobbies are board games or tabletop games that are typically played with friends or family. Local game shops on Okinawa have games printed in Japanese, Stumpff said. He wanted games printed in his native language, English. Visitors to Kappa Castle will find aisles full of Warhammer figurines, various cardboard group games, packs of collectible trading cards and various supplies for geek-culture hobbyists. Popular items include Warhammer, Magic: The Gathering, and our growing selection of English books, Stumpff said. My personal favorite item to sell are dice. We offer some interesting sets made [from] gemstones, glass and metal. Warhammer game aficionados will find shelves full at Kappa Castle Game & Hobby Shop located in Okinawa, Sept. 15, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes) The shop has a wide selection of book genres, including sci-fi, horror, romance and its largest section, fantasy. Books by authors such as Sarah J. Maas, Yukari Morgan, Brandon Sanderson and J.R.R. Tolkien are well stocked. One employee noted that Kappa Castle is one of the only places on Okinawa where you can tangibly buy a book printed in English. This is my second time in Okinawa, and Ive been here since 2019. Aside from what you see on base, you cant find a good bookstore for English readers, said Nina Tash. Customers come in and some get emotional, grateful they finally found a place where they can buy a new book printed in English. Stumpff has expanded the business once and has plans to further his product variety. He caters to the evolving demand from service members stationed in Okinawa. A large portion of my business derives from service members stationed here, but some are tourists visiting or locals looking for an American-centric game, Stumpff said. Everythings somewhat exploded, and Im looking to expand our offerings and eventually host community events within the store. Im currently hiring and have added three new staff members, including veterans and dependents. Stumpff regularly posts on his two social media platforms offering updates on whats available, while asking for suggestions on what products he should carry next. New book arrivals! Ordering more soon so message for any requests, Stumpff wrote in a recent Instagram post that included a photo of new arrivals. The entrance to Kappa Castle Game & Hobby Shop on Okinawa, Sept. 15, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes) On the QT Directions: Five minutes from Camp Foster Gate 4. Head North on Route 58. Make a left on Route 24. Destination will be the corner building on the left, second floor. Parking is on the ground level. 1-1-7 Mihama, Chatan, Okinawa 904-0115 Times: Open noon to 7 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Costs: Prices vary. Credit cards accepted. Parking: Seven available parking spaces with one motorcycle space. Information: @KappaCastleGame on Instagram and Facebook. A kiosk sells LG Uplus and KT Corp. cellphone plans inside an Army and Air Force Exchange Service store at Osan Air Base, South Korea, Sept. 23, 2025. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes) The South Korean government is investigating a series of data breach reports at three of the countrys largest cellphone service providers, companies that sell plans to U.S. military customers. Two providers SK Telecom and KT Corp. reported incidents this month involving customer data hacking and micropayment scams, respectively, according to news releases Sept. 16 and Sept. 9 from the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology. Earlier this month, the ministry launched a probe into reports of large-scale customer data theft at KT Corp. and LG Uplus. Together, they make at least four major telecom security incidents involving South Korean carriers this year. In April, hackers had infiltrated SK Telecoms network and taken more than 10 gigabytes of SIM card data, the ministry announced in July. KT, LG Uplus and SK Telecom operate kiosks and storefronts inside Army and Air Force Exchange Service facilities at Camp Humphreys, Osan Air Base and other U.S. military installations, where U.S. service members, Defense Department employees and their families purchase their local phone plans. U.S. Forces Korea in April issued an advisory in the SK Telecom case, but not for the more recent incidents involving SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus, according to a review of the commands public advisories. The ministry responded Sept. 16 to allegations that an international hacking organization had stolen SK Telecom customer data and sold it online, according to a news release that day. In the KT case, the ministry established a joint public-private investigation team, headed by the director general for cyber security and network policy, to investigate an unauthorized micropayment incident involving KT subscribers, according to the Sept. 9 release. Micropayment scams can result in a hacker tricking a provider into transferring a customers phone number to another device, thereby gaining access to identity and financial information, according to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The ministry did not respond to calls and emails Sept. 17 and 19 seeking further information. With the increasing number of cybersecurity incidents, public anxiety is growing, the release said. The MSIT will swiftly verify the facts concerning these allegations and will transparently disclose the investigation results to the public. In the case involving SK Telecom in April, the ministry inspected more than 42,000 servers and uncovered 28 infected with advanced hacking tools, according to a final report from the ministry on July 5. Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits an intelligent manufacturing facility in central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 23, 2025. Ding made an inspection tour in central China's Hunan Province on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) CHANGSHA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang has called for leveraging scientific and technological innovation to drive industrial innovation and building central China's Hunan Province into a national hub of advanced manufacturing. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in the province on Tuesday. He visited an advanced technology research institute and an audio-visual laboratory in the province, urging new-type research institutes to adopt market-oriented operations and further unleash innovation vitality. Additionally, he highlighted the role of digital empowerment and intelligent transformation in cultural development to foster new cultural business forms that feature modern technologies. The vice premier also inspected the development and large-scale application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. He stressed an unswerving commitment to independent innovation, synergistic development between the BeiDou system and satellite internet, and deeper integration with artificial intelligence and the low-altitude economy to expand application scenarios across key industries and into consumer markets. While visiting local intelligent manufacturing facilities, Ding underscored the need to develop specialty industrial clusters in line with local conditions, and build a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as its backbone. Ding also called for efforts to bolster technological innovation by enterprises and leverage disruptive innovation to promote the high-end, smart and green development of industries. Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspects the development and large-scale application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System in central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 23, 2025. Ding made an inspection tour in central China's Hunan Province on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) Mock casualties are taken to a field hospital for treatment during the Orient Shield exercise at Sekiyama Training Area in Niigata, Japan, Sept. 19, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) SEKIYAMA TRAINING AREA, Japan A U.S. Army tent hospital treated more than 160 simulated casualties during Orient Shield, a nine-day trilateral exercise that wrapped up Wednesday in central Japan, according to the service. Medical staff from the United States, Japan and Australia worked in the field hospital while troops carried out combat drills across Niigata, Kyoto, Hyogo, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures on Honshu, Japans largest island. The exercise long the largest bilateral event between the U.S. and Japanese armies expanded this year to include Australian forces as the region contends with Chinas growing military power. About 1,200 Japanese, 700 American and 200 Australian troops participated. Mock casualties arrive at a field hospital for treatment during the Orient Shield exercise at Sekiyama Training Area in Niigata, Japan, Sept. 19, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) Troops from the Missouri National Guards 1st Battalion, 138th Infantry Regiment, Japans Middle Army and Australias 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, demonstrated mortar fire and maneuvers during a Sept. 19 media tour. They also practiced casualty evacuation to tent hospitals. The largest facility was a 32-bed hospital that had been stored at Sagami General Depot, a U.S. Army post just outside Tokyo, said Lt. Col. Jennifer Wilson, commander of the 528th Field Hospital at Fort Bragg, N.C. Wilson led reporters through the maze-like setup as ambulances arrived with mock patients. Role players lay on stretchers and were moved into operating rooms for treatment. A patient role player is treated inside a field hospital during the Orient Shield exercise at Sekiyama Training Area in Niigata, Japan, Sept. 19, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) It was the first time the tent hospital had been used, said Master Sgt. Joshua Blair, the 528ths chief ward master. The facility is designed to move independently, but for Orient Shield it was moved by commercial trucks. Once the equipment was on site, the hospital was fully functional in 48 hours, he said. Tear down can be done a bit faster at 36 hours. The hospital is classified as a Role 3 facility, the highest level of care available outside fixed hospitals. Japanese troops set up Role 1 and Role 2 facilities, Blair said, while U.S., Japanese and Australian medical teams staffed each level of care. Surgeons and specialists from the three nations also participated. A field hospital treated more than 160 mock casulaties during the Orient Shield exercise at Sekiyama Training Area in Niigata, Japan, Sept. 19, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) A mock casualty is treated at a field hospital during the Orient Shield exercise at Sekiyama Training Area in Niigata, Japan, Sept. 19, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) Brig. Gen. Louise Martin, commander of the Australian armys 2nd Health Brigade, called the exercise a milestone in a Sept. 18 news release from the Australian Defence Department. Our strong trilateral partnership is an important pillar of regional security, and crucial to collective deterrence in our region, she said. Beijing hopes to create a nature reserve on Scarborough Shoal, seen here from undated drone footage, despite the island's disputed status. (Chinas Ministry of Ecology and Environment) Beijings recently announced plan to establish a nature reserve on a contested shoal in the South China Sea is really a form of lawfare aimed at establishing sovereignty, according to a pair of experts in international relations. Chinas National Forestry and Grassland Administration unveiled plans on Sept. 11 for a national nature reserve on Scarborough Shoal, a maritime feature also claimed by Taiwan and the Philippines. The shoal, known in China as Huangyan Dao, is about 140 miles west of the Philippines, within its exclusive economic zone, and about 500 miles southeast of Hong Kong. Beijing proposed the plan as a means to conserve the Scarborough ecosystem, according to a Sept. 11 news release from Chinas State Council. The reserve would cover 14 square miles of the 58-square-mile shoal. Chinas real motivation is establishing legal frameworks for asserting its claim on the shoal over other nations, the experts said. This is part of a long-term strategy to establish facts on the sea. We call it lawfare, Stephen Nagy, a professor of international studies at International Christian Universitys Tokyo Campus, said by email Wednesday. Beijing may also be trying to overshadow its embarrassment from an Aug. 11 incident in which a Chinese warship collided with a Chinese coast guard vessel near the shoal, said Benjamin Blandin, a non-resident research fellow at the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy. Both experts agreed that Beijings primary goal is reinforcing its claim over the island. Establishing and implementing a nature reserve serves as one of many sovereignty markers one country can use at sea, Blandin said by email Tuesday. China and the Philippines have had maritime run-ins at Scarborough Shoal, where the two often accuse each other of dangerous maneuvering. Coast guard, naval and other government vessels routinely encounter one another near the shoal, spats that draw the attention of Philippine allies like the United States. The Philippines strongly rejected Chinas announcement of a nature preserve, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in a Sept. 19 news release. Marshall Louis Alferez, foreign affairs assistant secretary for maritime and ocean affairs, reaffirmed the shoal as an integral part of Philippine territory over which the country exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction, the release states. The Philippines asserted its exclusive authority to establish environmental protection areas over its territory, according to the release. Whether the Philippines can enforce that policy remains to be seen, said Nagy and Blandin. Manila doesnt have the military or coast guard power to push back against Beijings actions here, Nagy wrote. They can try but probably safer to ask the US, Japan or others to navigate these waters. Chinas move may come at a cost, either financially or reputationally, Blandin said. [This] will only demonstrate one more time that every move China makes is intentional, he wrote. In the present case, it might even be to their detriment as it was them who destroyed the corals and fauna (giant clams) with total disregard for the environment. The command-and-control ship USS Mount Whitney, left, and the Turkish frigate TCG Gokceada operate in the Adriatic Sea on Sept. 24, 2025, during NATO's Neptune Strike exercise. Mount Whitney is the U.S. 6th Fleet flagship. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) ABOARD THE TCG ANADOLU NATO allies taking part in an exercise last week are staying wary in case recent Russian incursions in the blocs skies are followed by Kremlin shadowing at sea. In the strategic context, were monitoring very closely with the (Russian) activities over the last few weeks to see if there is any additional activity, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Andrew Priddy said Sept. 22, the third day of exercise Neptune Strike. No indications of Russian tails have been seen so far, but naval forces have their eye out for any sign of Russian interaction, Russian observance, any Russian response to the activity that were conducting, Priddy said. The chief of staff for Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, Priddy joined Turkish and Italian military officials on the amphibious assault ship Anadolu as it sailed in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Italy near the city of Brindisi. The third iteration of Neptune Strike this year started Sept. 22 with the Anadolu Expeditionary Strike Group and Italian amphibious forces operating in the southern Adriatic along with the command-and-control ship USS Mount Whitney and the destroyer USS Roosevelt. The destroyer USS Roosevelt, far left, the command-and-control ship USS Mount Whitney, center, and the Turkish frigate TCG Gokceada operate near the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu in the Adriatic Sea on Sept. 24, 2025, as part of NATO exercise Neptune Strike. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Andrew Priddy, left, tours the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu in the Adriatic Sea during NATO's Neptune Strike exercise Sept. 24, 2025. Priddy is the chief of staff for Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Andrew Priddy, center, speaks with Turkish military officials Sept. 24, 2025, while touring the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu in the Adriatic Sea during NATO's Neptune Strike exercise. The Anadolu is Turkey's largest warship. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) The amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, Turkey's largest warship, is a prominent feature in the third iteration of NATO's Neptune Strike exercise, which includes more than 10,000 military personnel from 13 allied nations. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) An MH-60 Seahawk assigned to USS Mount Whitney waits to take off from the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu on Sept. 24, 2025, in the Adriatic Sea during NATO's Neptune Strike exercise. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) Two Turkish frigates and a submarine and the Italian amphibious assault ship ITS San Giorgio were among the vessels nearby. Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is in the North Sea alongside ships and personnel from Finland, Norway, and the U.K., among other countries. The exercise includes more than 10,000 military personnel from 13 allied nations operating in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Baltic and North seas, NATO said in a recent statement. Priddys comments come as NATO grapples with recent incursions by Russian drones in Poland and Romania as well as a breach of Estonian airspace by Moscows fighter jets. Those incidents have raised concerns about protecting NATOs eastern flank. The violation of Polish airspace prompted NATO to create a new mission called Eastern Sentry in an effort to shore up defenses there. Russia regularly keeps tabs on U.S. and NATO military exercises. American and allied forces do the same when it comes to similar activities involving Russia. But with last years overthrow of Syrian strongman Bashar Assad, a longtime Kremlin stalwart in the Middle East, Russian military access to a strategic port in the country has been crippled. The loss of the base in Tartus has kind of significantly hampered the Russians ability to operate in the Mediterranean, Priddy said. Turkish assistance to Syrian rebels was crucial in bringing about the ouster of Assad, whose family had held power in the country for more than half a century. Now, the key NATO ally is playing a leadership role in Neptune Strike. A prominent part of that presence in the drill is the Anadolu, Turkeys largest warship. The exercise offers Turkey an opportunity to demonstrate its amphibious capabilities and commitment to ensuring allies security, said Rear Adm. Mevlut Savas Bilican, commander of the Anadolu Expeditionary Strike Group. We believe that we are making a huge contribution to NATOs posture in terms of (the) current security setup, Bilican said, adding that 1,000 Turkish personnel are taking part in the exercise. The NATO statement said Neptune Strike is designed to demonstrate the alliances ability to integrate sophisticated maritime strike capabilities and work effectively together. The emphasis on amphibious operations allows allies to rehearse the capability and improve their ability to work together, Priddy said. There are significant choke points in the southern flank of NATO and the ability to have sea control from the land or to help dominate from the land into the sea, is an extremely important role of amphibious forces, he said. Ahmed Al-Sharaa, Syrias president, during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (David Dee Delgado/Bloomberg) Syrias president made his debut on the international stage with the first address by a leader from his country to the United Nations General Assembly in more than half a century. Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander who lead the group that toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad in December, said Syria had entered a new chapter and could help stabilize the wider Middle East if the international community backed its rehabilitation after almost 15 years of devastating civil war. For long years weve suffered injustice and deprivation, he told the UN in New York on Wednesday. Then we rose to claim our dignity. We are turning the page on a wretched past. Syria is reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world. He spoke about how the former regime killed around a million innocent people. The new Syrian government, he said, wants the complete lifting of international sanctions and investment to help with reconstruction. Syrias laws are being reformed and investors rights will be guaranteed, Sharaa said. He thanked Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the US and European Union for their support so far. Sharaas trip to the US reflects Washingtons growing engagement with the Syrian government. President Donald Trump met Sharaa in Saudi Arabia in May and has eased economic sanctions on the country, though some need congressional approval to be revoked. The US and Europe have sought to bring Syria into the Western fold and reduce the influence of Iran and Russia, the two main backers of Assad who helped ensure his survival during the war. As Sharaas group entered Damascus, the capital, after a lightning advance from the northern province of Idlib in late November, Assad was granted asylum by Russian President Vladimir Putin and fled to Moscow. Sharaa has had several meetings with senior US officials and some investors since arriving in New York. He met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shortly after his arrival and briefly saw Trump again on Tuesday evening, Syria TV reported. Photos released by the official Syrian news agency showed Trump warmly clasping Sharaas hand as Melania Trump, the US first lady, stood by. The stability of Syria defines the stability of the region, Rubio told his counterparts from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council in a meeting in New York on Wednesday. We have potentially what could be a very historic opportunity to do something that, as I said, could not have been imagined just a couple of years ago. On Monday, Sharaa was interviewed by former US General David Petraeus, who commanded a counterinsurgency effort in Iraq around the mid-2000s. Sharaa went to Iraq in his early 20s to fight the American troops and later joined al-Qaedas affiliate there. US forces arrested Sharaa in 2005 and he remained in prison for six years. His trajectory from insurgent leader to head of state has been one of the most dramatic political transformations in recent Middle Eastern history, Petraeus said. The ex-director of the Central Intelligence Agency added he is one of Sharaas many fans. Despite the backing of neighboring Turkey, the US and wealthy states such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Sharaas problems are myriad. Syria is riven by religious and ethnic divisions, and Islamic State continues to be a threat in some areas. Syrias Kurds have carved out a swathe of the north-east and a deal for a Kurdish militia called the Syrian Democratic Forces to integrate into the national army hasnt been enacted. Deadly sectarian clashes in the southwestern region of Suwayda in July between the Druze religious minority and Bedouin tribes exposed more challenges to Sharaas goal of forging national unity. Those followed violence in March in which government forces were accused of killing hundreds of civilians from Assads Alawite sect. Israel Tension Israel is another source of tension, with the Jewish state destroying much of Syrias military arsenal soon after Assad was deposed and stationing troops inside Syrian territory. Israeli strikes against my country continue, Sharaa said to the UN. US-supported negotiations between the two nations over a non-aggression deal are ongoing. Theres no guarantee they will reach a deal, with Israel insisting on the demilitarization of southwestern Syria. We are scared of Israel, not the other way around, Sharaa told the Middle East Institute in New York on Tuesday. Any success in reaching a security agreement with Israel would pave the way toward peace, but there can be no peace through heavy-handed policies. During most of his public appearances Sharaa accused external actors, a reference mainly to Israel and Iran, of seeking to foment discord among Syrians for their own agendas. But that may be an attempt to mask the immense challenges the Syrian leader faces in gaining the confidence of segments of Syrias population who see him as a new autocrat who wants to impose Islamic law. Sharaas external legitimacy and recognition are deficient without having internal stability and reconciliation, said Khogir Wirya, senior research fellow at the Middle East Research Institute and who is based in Iraq. You have to put your house in order first. Army veteran Eugene Richardson, center, claps at his 100th birthday celebration at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Penn., on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. (Gavin Schweiger via TNS) (Tribune News Service) When Eugene Richardson joined the Army in 1944, it was segregated, and no Black man had ever served as a pilot in the military. Still, Richardson wanted to be a pilot. He knew that things would be better in the future. Theyre not always going to be as it were at that particular moment, Richardson said. Richardson and nearly 1,000 others later attended pilot training in Tuskegee, Ala., helping desegregate the military and becoming members of the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces. The elite group of African American military pilots and airmen, famously known as the Tuskegee Airmen, earned praise for their combat record while protecting American bombers during World War II. Richardson celebrated his 100th birthday in Springfield, Penn., on Sept. 18 surrounded by over 100 people he had inspired throughout his lifetime. Cakes and figurines with Eugene Richardsons face fill a table at Army veteran Eugene Richardsons 100th birthday celebration at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Penn., on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. (Gavin Schweiger via TNS) Im really amazed that I was the one involved with that, but Im very proud of it, he said in reference to his service. Richardson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1925, where he said his love of planes and desire to be an airman blossomed at the age of 5 after he watched Black stunt fliers at an airshow, according to the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Later, his family moved to Toledo, and then to Camden, where his father had accepted a position as a church minister. Richardson told CBS Philadelphia that he and his younger brother would watch Navy planes take off from Airport Circle in Camden as teens. Before 1941, the Army was segregated due to racist Jim Crow laws, according to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. But in 1941, the military established the Tuskegee Airmen Air Force program at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, where recruits were trained to fly single- and twin-engine planes and given other military instruction to prepare them for service. The airmen had one of the lowest loss records of any escort group, according to a National WWII Museum report. Richardson never saw combat because the war in Europe ended two months after he was commissioned in March 1945, according to the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. In 1948, former President Harry S. Truman signed an Executive Order fully integrating the military. According to CBS Philadelphia, in 2007, former President George W. Bush presented the Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congresss highest civilian honor awarded to individuals, groups or institutions for distinguished achievements or contributions. Richardson, other airmen and widows received bronze replicas of the medals, the backs of which read, Outstanding Combat Record. Inspired Revolutionary Reform In The Armed Services. Richardson told the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., that The performance of Black pilots in World War II proved that high levels of performance werent the province of guys with light skin. After service, Richardson continued to inspire others, becoming a teacher and then a principal in Philadelphia. Shanda Taylor Boyd, 62, one of the attendees at Richardsons birthday party, was one of the first females to enroll at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania. She said the Tuskegee Airmen inspired her. It means miracles happen and that we have hope, said Taylor Boyd, of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. In 1985, Taylor Boyd received an award for academic excellence and Richardson pinned the pin on her. At the time, she didnt realize that Richardson was a Tuskegee Airman. Hes my personal hero, Taylor Boyd said. Melvin Payne, president of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., also admires Richardson. Melvin Payne, left, holds a painting of Army veteran Eugene Richardson, right, at Richardsons 100th birthday celebration at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Penn., on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. (Gavin Schweiger via TNS) Payne joined the chapter 25 years ago, where he met Richardson. Richardson has been a mentor to Payne since then. Payne said Richardson taught him perseverance, professionalism and preparedness. Im one of the most blessed people in the world to get to live, walk and talk with living history, Payne said. Meanwhile, Richardson said he has learned a lot in the 100 years he has been alive. He said the best piece of advice he has for people is to Have faith in yourself and see yourself as doing something bigger and better. 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. How to describe President Donald Trump's speech to the United Nations on Tuesday? Epic, extraordinary, unprecedented whatever term you prefer, Trump's address was a sledgehammer of a message delivered to allies and adversaries around the world. The most striking passages were directed at allies, particularly those in Europe, and they focused on two enormously consequential and controversial issues that Trump called a "double-tailed monster": migration and energy. Start with migration. Trump was speaking from a position of strength, having put a quick stop to the out-of-control border influx of the Biden years, in which millions crossed illegally into the United States. He virtually begged Europe to get its own migration levels under control. But instead of discussing Trump's remarks, perhaps it would be better just to quote them at length. So if you haven't already had a chance to read or listen to them, here is what the president said about migration: Not only is the U.N. not solving the problems it should, too often, it's actually creating new problems for us to solve. The best example is the No. 1 political issue of our time: the crisis of uncontrolled migration. It's uncontrolled. Your countries are being ruined. The United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders. In 2024, the U.N. budgeted $372 million in cash assistance to support an estimated 624,000 migrants journeying into the United States. Think of that, the U.N. is supporting people that are illegally coming into the United States, and then we have to get them out. The U.N. also provided food, shelter, transportation, and debit cards to illegal aliens, can you believe that, on the way to infiltrate our southern border. Millions of people came through that southern border. Just a year ago, millions and millions of people were pouring in, 25 million altogether over the four years of the incompetent Biden administration, and now we have it stopped. Totally stopped. In fact, they're not even coming anymore because they know they can't get through. But what took place is totally unacceptable. The U.N. is supposed to stop invasions, not create them and not finance them. In the United States, we reject the idea that mass numbers of people from foreign lands can be permitted to travel halfway around the world, trample our borders, violate our sovereignty, cause unmitigated crime, and deplete our social safety net. We have reasserted that America belongs to the American people, and I encourage all countries to take their own stand in defense of their citizens as well. You have to do that because I see it I'm not mentioning names. I see it, and I can call every single one of them out. You're destroying your countries. They're being destroyed. Europe is in serious trouble. They've been invaded by a force of illegal aliens like nobody's ever seen before. Illegal aliens are pouring into Europe, and nobody's doing anything to change it, to get them out. It's not sustainable. And because they choose to be politically correct, they're doing just absolutely nothing about it. And I have to say, I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, a terrible, terrible mayor, and it's been so changed, so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law, but you're in a different country, you can't do that. Both the immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe if something is not done immediately. This cannot be sustained. What makes the world so beautiful is that each country is unique, but to stay this way, every sovereign nation must have the right to control their own borders. You have the right to control your borders, as we do now, and to limit the sheer numbers of migrants entering their countries and paid for by the people of that nation that were there and that built that particular nation at the time. They put their blood, sweat, tears, money into that country, and now they're being ruined. Proud nations must be allowed to protect their communities and prevent their societies from being overwhelmed by people they have never seen before with different customs, religions, with different everything. Where migrants have violated laws, lodged false asylum claims, or claimed refugee status for illegitimate reasons, they should, in many cases, be immediately sent home. And while we will always have a big heart for places and people that are struggling and truly compassionate, answers will be given. We have to solve the problem, and we have to solve it in their countries, not create new problems in our countries. And we are very helpful to a lot of countries that are just not able to send their people anymore. They used to send them to us in caravans of 25, 30,000 people each, these massive caravans of people pouring into our country, totally unchecked and unvetted, but not anymore. According to the Council of Europe, in 2024, almost 50% of inmates in German prisons were foreign nationals or migrants. In Austria, the number was 53% of the people in prisons were from places that weren't from where they are now. In Greece, the number was 54%. And in Switzerland, beautiful Switzerland, 72% of the people in prisons are from outside of Switzerland. When your prisons are filled with so-called asylum-seekers who repaid kindness, and that's what they did, they repaid kindness with crime, it's time to end the failed experiment of open borders. You have to end it now. I see it, I can tell you. I'm really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell. In America, we've taken bold action to swiftly shut down uncontrolled migration. Once we started detaining and deporting everyone who crossed the border and removing illegal aliens from the United States, they simply stopped coming. They're not coming anymore. We're getting a lot of credit, but they're not coming anymore. Then, energy. Trump has long warned Europeans not to abandon older forms of energy production coal, oil, and nuclear in favor of untested and unreliable forms of renewables, such as wind and solar. At the U.N., he urged Europe to turn away from sources of green energy that not only can't be depended on but in the end can make Western Europe more dependent on bad actors, such as Russia, for conventional energy. That part of Trump's speech was one long admonition: Energy is another area where the United States is now thriving like never before. We're getting rid of the falsely named renewables. By the way, they're a joke. They don't work. They're too expensive. They're not strong enough to fire up the plants that you need to make your country great. The wind doesn't blow. Those big windmills are so pathetic and so bad, so expensive to operate, and they have to be rebuilt all the time, and they start to rust and rot. Most expensive energy ever conceived. And it's actually energy you're supposed to make money with energy, not lose money. You lose money, the governments have to subsidize. You can't put them out without massive subsidies. And most of them are built in China, and I give China a lot of credit. They build them, but they have very few wind farms. So why is it that they build them and they send them all over the world, but they barely use them? You know what? They use coal, they use gas, they use almost anything, but they don't like wind, but they sure as hell like selling the windmills. Europe, on the other hand, has a long way to go, with many countries being on the brink of destruction because of the green energy agenda. And I give a lot of credit to Germany. Germany was being led down a very sick path, both on immigration, by the way, and on energy. They were going green, and they were going bankrupt. And the new leadership came in, and they went back to where they were with fossil fuel and with nuclear, which is good, it's now safe, and you can do it properly. But they went back to where they were, and they opened up a lot of different plants, energy plants, energy-producing plants, and they're doing well. I give Germany a lot of credit for that. They've said, "This is a disaster. What's happening?" They were going all green. All green is all bankrupt. That's what it represents. And it's not politically correct. I'll be very badly criticized for saying it, but I'm here to tell the truth. I don't care. It doesn't matter to me. They've given up their powerful edge, a lot of the countries that we're talking about in oil and gas, such as essentially closing the great North Sea oil. Oh, the North Sea. I know it so well. Aberdeen was the oil capital of Europe, and this tremendous oil that hasn't been found in the North Sea. Tremendous oil. And I was with the prime minister I respected, like a lot. And I said, "You're sitting with the greatest asset." They essentially closed it by making it so highly taxed that no developer, no oil company can go there. They have tremendous oil left and, more importantly, they have tremendous oil that hasn't even been found yet. And what a tremendous asset for the United Kingdom. And I hope the prime minister's listening because I told it to him three days in a row. That's all he heard. North Sea oil, North Sea, because I want to see them do well. I want to stop seeing them ruining that beautiful Scottish and English countryside with windmills and massive solar panels that go 7 miles by 7 miles, taken away farmland, but we're not letting this happen in America. In 1982, the executive director of the United Nations Environmental Program predicted that by the year 2000, climate change would cause a global catastrophe. He said that it will be irreversible as any nuclear holocaust would be. This is what they said at the United Nations. What happened? Here we are. Another U.N. official stated in 1989 that within a decade, entire nations could be wiped off the map by global warming. Not happening. It used to be global cooling. If you look back years ago in the 1920s and the 1930s, they said, "Global cooling will kill the world. We have to do something." Then they said global warming will kill the world. But then it started getting cooler. So now they could just call it climate change because that way, they can't miss. It's climate change because if it goes higher or lower, whatever the hell happens, it's climate change. It's the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion. Climate change, no matter what happens, you're involved in that. No more global warming, no more global cooling. All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. They were made by stupid people that have cost their countries fortunes and given those same countries no chance for success. If you don't get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail. And I'm really good at predicting things. They actually said during the campaign, they had a hat, the bestselling hat. Trump was right about everything. And I don't say that in a braggadocious way, but it's true. I've been right about everything. And I'm telling you that if you don't get away from the green energy scam, your country is going to fail. And if you don't stop people that you've never seen before, that you have nothing in common with, your country is going to fail. I'm the president of the United States, but I worry about Europe. I love Europe. I love the people of Europe, and I hate to see it being devastated by energy and immigration. This double-tailed monster destroys everything in its wake, and they cannot let that happen any longer. You're doing it because you want to be nice, you want to be politically correct, and you're destroying your heritage. They must take control strongly and immediately of the unmitigated immigration disaster and the fake energy catastrophe before it's too late. The carbon footprint is a hoax made up by people with evil intentions, and they're heading down a path of total destruction. At extreme cost and expense, Europe reduced its own carbon footprint by 37%. Think of that. Congratulations, Europe. Great job. You cost yourself a lot of jobs, a lot of factories closed, but you reduced the carbon footprint by 37%. However, for all of that sacrifice and much more, it's been totally wiped out and then some by a global increase of 54%, much of it coming from China and other countries that are thriving around China, which now produces more CO2 than all the other developed nations in the world. So all of these countries are working so hard on the carbon footprint, which is nonsense by the way. It's nonsense. It's interesting. In the United States, we have still radicalized environmentalists, and they want the factories to stop. Everything should stop. No more cows. We don't want cows anymore. I guess they want to kill all the cows. They want to do things that are just unbelievable, and you have it too. But we have a border, strong, and we have a shape, and that shape doesn't just go straight up. That shape is amorphous when it comes to the atmosphere. And if we had the most clean air, and I think we do, we have very clean air, we have the cleanest air we've had in many, many years. But the problem is that other countries like China, which has air that's a little bit rough, it blows. And no matter what you're doing down here, the air up here tends to get very dirty because it comes in from other countries where their air isn't so clean, and the environmentalists refuse to acknowledge that. Same thing with garbage. In Asia, they dump much of their garbage right into the ocean. And over about a one-week and two-week journey, it flows right past Los Angeles. You've seen it: massive amounts of garbage. Almost too much to do anything about, flowing past Los Angeles, past San Francisco, and then somebody would get in trouble because he dropped a cigarette on the beach. The whole thing is crazy. The primary effect of these brutal green energy policies has not been to help the environment, but to redistribute manufacturing and industrial activity from developed countries that follow the insane rules that are put down to polluting countries that break the rules and are making a fortune. They're making a fortune. European electricity bills are now four to five times more expensive than those in China, and two to three times higher than the United States, and our bills are coming way down. You probably see that. Our gasoline prices are way down. We have an expression: "Drill, baby, drill." And that's what we're doing. We're going to be much lower a year from now. But they've come way down over the last year. As a result, every air conditioner it's very uncommon to see one in some of these countries because the electric costs are so high. So while the U.S. has approximately 1,300 heat-related deaths annually, that's a lot, Europe loses more than 175,000 people to heat deaths each year because the costs are so expensive you can't turn on an air conditioner. What is that all about? That's not the Europe that I love and know all in the name of pretending to stop the global warming hoax. The entire globalist concept of asking successful industrialized nations to inflict pain on themselves and radically disrupt their entire societies must be rejected completely and totally, and it must be immediate. That's why in America, I withdrew from the fake Paris Climate Accords, where, by the way, America was paying so much more than every country. Others weren't paying. China didn't have to pay until 2030. Russia was given an old standard that was easy to meet, a 1990 standard. But for the United States, we're supposed to pay like a trillion dollars. And I said, "This is another scam." The fact is the United States has been taken advantage of by the world for many, many years, but not any longer, as you probably noticed. I unleashed massive energy production and signed historic executive orders to hunt for oil. But we don't have to do much hunting because we have the most oil of any nation, anywhere, oil and gas in the world. And if you add coal, we have the most of any nation in the world. Clean. I call it clean, beautiful coal. You can do things today with coal that you couldn't have done 10 years ago, 15 years. So I have a little standing order in the White House. Never use the word coal, only use the words clean, beautiful coal. Sounds much better, doesn't it? But we stand ready to provide any country with abundant, affordable energy supplies if you need them, when most of you do. There was more to Trump's address, such as nuclear weapons and other issues of war and peace. But Trump's warning about the "double-tailed monster" could stand alone as a great, and likely unheeded, warning to Europe. MELBOURNE, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Scientists in Australia have developed a tailored virus cocktail designed to combat dangerous antibiotic-resistant infections, offering new hope in the global battle against superbugs. The treatment, named Entelli-02, is a five-phage cocktail designed specifically to target Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC), a group of bacteria responsible for severe, often difficult-to-treat infections, according to a statement released Thursday by Australia's Monash University. The study represents a new approach for precision medicine in hospitals battling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), it said. "Entelli-02 is not just a scientific achievement, it's a clinical tool built for frontline use against deadly, drug-resistant, bacterial pathogens," said Professor Jeremy Barr from the Monash University School of Biological Sciences. "Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest challenges in modern medicine," said Barr, senior author of the study published in Nature Microbiology. Entelli-02 demonstrates that phage therapy can be a precise, powerful, and clinically ready treatment against multidrug-resistant infections, researchers said. Entelli-02 is now available for compassionate use and sets the stage for future clinical trials using phage products, according to the study. "This is a blueprint for how hospitals can respond to AMR outbreaks with precision therapies," Barr said. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to the crowds gathering to see him off at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Sept. 25, 2025. Xi left Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for Beijing on Thursday after attending events in celebration of the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) URUMQI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping left Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for Beijing on Thursday after attending events in celebration of the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, was given a warm send-off by people of all ethnic groups who lined the streets waving red flags in the city proper of Urumqi, the regional capital, and danced joyfully at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport. Instructed by Xi, a central delegation headed by Wang Huning will visit various places of Xinjiang and convey greetings to people of all ethnic groups and from all sectors of society from Thursday to Sunday. Xi's entourage, including senior official Cai Qi, returned by the same flight. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to the crowds gathering to see him off at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Sept. 25, 2025. Xi left Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for Beijing on Thursday after attending events in celebration of the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to the crowds gathering to see him off at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Sept. 25, 2025. Xi left Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for Beijing on Thursday after attending events in celebration of the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to the crowds gathering to see him off at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Sept. 25, 2025. Xi left Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for Beijing on Thursday after attending events in celebration of the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary. (Xinhua/Li Yan) MOSCOW, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Kremlin believes Washington still retains the political will to advance peaceful settlement efforts in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. Peskov said that statements from Washington about possible consequences for Russia if it fails to engage in good-faith negotiations did not contradict the United States' declared willingness to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. "We see different rhetoric coming out of Washington. For now, we assume that Washington retains political will, and that (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump maintains the political will to continue efforts toward a peaceful settlement in Ukraine," Peskov said. He added that Moscow supports these efforts and Russia remains open to joining peace talks. On Wednesday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that it would be "very bad" for Russia if it refused to negotiate in good faith, adding that it is not a shift in position. Trump earlier said at the United Nations General Assembly that if Russia is not ready to reach a peaceful agreement, the United States "is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs." Workers sort raw cashew nuts at a family workshop in Tanjung Sari village of Wonogiri regency, Central Java, Indonesia, Sept. 24, 2025. Indonesia has allocated 9.9 trillion rupiahs (around 604 million U.S. dollars) to strengthen the downstreaming of key plantation commodities and improve farmer welfare. The budget will support replanting and expansion of coconut, cocoa, cashew, coffee, pepper and nutmeg across 800,000 hectares nationwide, focusing on regions with suitable agro-climatic conditions. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua) A worker packs peeled cashew nuts at a family workshop in Tanjung Sari village of Wonogiri regency, Central Java, Indonesia, Sept. 24, 2025. Indonesia has allocated 9.9 trillion rupiahs (around 604 million U.S. dollars) to strengthen the downstreaming of key plantation commodities and improve farmer welfare. The budget will support replanting and expansion of coconut, cocoa, cashew, coffee, pepper and nutmeg across 800,000 hectares nationwide, focusing on regions with suitable agro-climatic conditions. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua) A costumer selects cashew nuts products displayed at a store in Tanjung Sari village of Wonogiri regency, Central Java, Indonesia, Sept. 24, 2025. Indonesia has allocated 9.9 trillion rupiahs (around 604 million U.S. dollars) to strengthen the downstreaming of key plantation commodities and improve farmer welfare. The budget will support replanting and expansion of coconut, cocoa, cashew, coffee, pepper and nutmeg across 800,000 hectares nationwide, focusing on regions with suitable agro-climatic conditions. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua) A worker displays raw cashew nuts in Mojopakel village of Wonogiri regency, Central Java, Indonesia, Sept. 24, 2025. Indonesia has allocated 9.9 trillion rupiahs (around 604 million U.S. dollars) to strengthen the downstreaming of key plantation commodities and improve farmer welfare. The budget will support replanting and expansion of coconut, cocoa, cashew, coffee, pepper and nutmeg across 800,000 hectares nationwide, focusing on regions with suitable agro-climatic conditions. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua) A worker peels raw cashew nuts in Mojopakel village of Wonogiri regency, Central Java, Indonesia, Sept. 24, 2025. Indonesia has allocated 9.9 trillion rupiahs (around 604 million U.S. dollars) to strengthen the downstreaming of key plantation commodities and improve farmer welfare. The budget will support replanting and expansion of coconut, cocoa, cashew, coffee, pepper and nutmeg across 800,000 hectares nationwide, focusing on regions with suitable agro-climatic conditions. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua) Eugenio Cabezas Canillas de Aceituno Thursday, 25 September 2025, 17:09 Share The relatives of Francisco Lopez Pino, a resident of the hamlet of Rio Bermuza, which belongs to Canillas de Aceituno in the Axarquia area of Malaga province, have made a public appeal to try to locate him. Francisco, who is 59 and deaf, was last seen at 3.40pm on Wednesday 24 September at the junction between Canillas de Aceituno and La Fajara, on a road linking Canillas with Alcaucin, about three kilometres from his home, according to his brother Javier, who spoke to SUR this Thursday. "He lives with my mother and they have a woman who looks after them both," explained Javier, who said that this is the first time his brother has gone missing. "We are very worried," he added. At the time of his disappearance, Francisco was wearing a blue checked shirt, grey trousers and a cap. He is slim and has grey hair. As he is a "vulnerable person with a disability", Guardia Civil officers began the search on Wednesday afternoon and continued until dawn. The search continued this Thursday, with the addition of air support. Members of the Civil Protection group and the Local Police are also participating in the search. Local residents have also organised themselves into groups to search the area where he was last seen. The family has appealed for the public's help and asked anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Francisco to contact the Guardia Civil or the 112 emergency service as soon as possible. Jose Rodriguez Camara Torremolinos Thursday, 25 September 2025, 14:28 Share Hotel La Barracuda, one of the silhouettes that defines the skyline of La Carihuela, has received the recognition of Turista de Honor 2025, a distinction awarded by Torremolinos as the establishment, the result of the De Lucchi familys vision, celebrates its 50th anniversary. The venue for the presentation of this award was the accommodation itself, as part of the World Tourism Day programme. The event was attended by the mayor, Margarita del Cid; the delegate of tourism of the regional government, Carlos Garcia; Esperanza Gonzalez Pazos, CEO of Turismo Costa del Sol; Manuel Cardena, president of the association of municipalities of the western Costa del Sol, as well as businessmen, representatives and workers of the sector. Hotel La Barracuda, founded in 1975 by Federico De Lucchi, currently has a team of almost 90 people and boasts renovated facilities. Its history is linked to the Rockin'n Race Jamboree festival, unique in Andalucia and one of the most important in Europe, dedicated to the rock and roll of the 1950s and '60s and which has be running for 31 years. La Barracuda is also an example of the good work of a family business, with Federico De Lucchi and Maria Nieves Lopez, his wife, at the helm, whose work has been continued by four of their five children. Of Lopez, Del Cid highlighted "her unwavering support, unconditional love and patience". "I would like to express my deep and sincere gratitude to the La Barracuda hotel and the De Lucchi family. Today you are the main protagonists; we have come together to celebrate you and to thank you publicly for what you represent for Torremolinos. Above all, we are paying tribute to the people and to the soul of a hotel establishment that is linked to the history and development of our town," she said. Good figures The celebration of World Tourism Day also served to highlight that in August Torremolinos was the leader in overnight stays in Andalucia, with almost 720,500, representing an increase of 6.3 per cent over the same month last year, as Del Cid pointed out. Torremolinos also tops the list of overnight stays in Andalucia with 197,285 more than Seville, the second on the list. In addition, the average stay of tourists increased in August to 5.22 days, 0.29 more than in August last year. In terms of visitors, Torremolinos closed August with 138,071, 691 more tourists than in the same month of 2024, with 82,831 foreign tourists, 4,051 more than last year, which represents an increase of 5.1 per cent. By nationality, it received 23,926 tourists from the United Kingdom, 3,112 more than in August last year. French tourism ranked second in terms of international visitors with 8,328 people, followed by the Netherlands with 6,815 and Ireland with 6,614 tourists. "It is a real dream for any neurosurgeon to have the most advanced operating theatre possible," says head of the neurosurgery department at Hospital Regional Universitario in Malaga Dr Miguel Angel Arraez. His and his colleague' dream has come true with the opening of a hybrid operating theatre with intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging at Hospital Materno. The unit - the operating theatre of the future of the 21st century, as Dr Arraez likes to say - is the first of its kind in Andalucia and one of a few in the whole country. It will mainly be used for highly complex surgeries and tumours, especially brain and spinal cord tumours, but the casuistry is much broader. The facility has cost 2.7 million euros and the refurbishment of more than 160 square metres in a semi-basement of the Materno hospital in the city. The idea first crossed Dr Arraez's mind nine years ago, when the centre's management team planned to install magnetic resonance equipment. "We saw that there was the possibility of building an adjacent surgical area. The next step was to ensure that the MRI had special features, including a motorised door that allows patients to enter and exit through a different procedure than the usual," he says. The operating theatre was built, "with some novel characteristics": the room is adjacent to the MRI so that a special mobile table can transfer the fully anaesthetised patient, with their head still open, to the MRI, where the doctors can check how much of the tumour has been removed. Technological investment "In certain tumours of the nervous system we can see perfectly well with the surgical microscope that the removal has been carried out completely. But in other cases concerning the brain, it is as if we were working inside a gelatinous substance, a kind of custard, a little more compact, which allows us to know very little about the area in which we are. We usually take references with a series of equipment such as intraoperative ultrasound scans, etc. But the test that really gives us confirmation that the removal has been carried out completely, in certain tumours that we call intrinsic, which come from the nervous system itself, is intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging," Dr Arraez says, highlighting the significant technological investment that has been made with this ambitious project. Zoom A motorised door connects the operating theatre to the area where intraoperative MRI is performed. Salvador Salas According to the head of the neurosurgery department, the Malaga unit is the best in Spain. The new operating theatre will be used for interventions in both children and adults. "The use is primarily intended for tumour lesions, although it extends to any surgical procedure in which an intraoperative image is useful. We must remember that magnetic resonance imaging is used for what we call soft tissues, such as the brain or the spinal cord, because for intraoperative analysis of other structures also familiar to the neurosurgeon, such as the skull, the cranial bone and, above all, the bones of the spine, we already have another hybrid operating room equipped with an intraoperative CT scan," Dr Arraez explains. Reducing the rate of re-interventions The operating theatre has state-of-the-art equipment such as a neuronavigator, a neurosurgical microscope, a surgical table, a cranial fixation system compatible with magnetic resonance imaging, as well as the motorised door that connects the operating room with the MRI room and the sliding transfer table. Intraoperative MRI reduces complications and increases the likelihood that doctors can carry out the complete surgical removal of the tumour. If the removal is incomplete, "the patient will probably need a new surgical intervention, complementary radiotherapy or other types of treatment". The new resources that Malaga now has will reduce the need for re-interventions and advance the field of paediatric neurosurgery much further, as children must always be under general anaesthesia during MRI scans. Zoom Another photo of Dr Arraez. The image shows the state-of-the-art technology with which the operating theatre has been equipped. Salvador Salas Dr Arraez acknowledged the hospital's logistical and financial effort dedicated to this project. Interventions will be performed by multidisciplinary teams of neurosurgeons, anaesthesiologists, nurses and technical specialists, all specifically trained to work in a hybrid surgical and imaging environment. Laser ablation: a pioneering technique Arraez added that "the use of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging prolongs patient survival by allowing greater excision of the lesion". It also opens doors to the use of pioneering techniques, such as laser ablation, whose first intervention in Malaga is already being prepared for the start of 2026. "It consists of the introduction of an optical fibre into the patient's brain through a cut of approximately three millimetres. This fibre generates a thermal effect through the application of the laser, which is a heat source. We introduce the laser probe in this operating theatre, the patient goes to the MRI and the surgical intervention through this thermal ablation is carried out with the patient inside the MRI, so that we can observe the procedure and the extent of the lesion: it is the neurosurgery of the 21st century," Dr Arraez explains. This could be applied not only in the case of brain tumours, but also in procedures related to epilepsy. This operating theatre opens the door to the use of pioneering techniques such as laser ablation: the first intervention of this kind in Malaga is already being prepared to take place in the next six months The first patient to undergo an intervention in this room was operated on in July. It has been estimated that between 12 and 25 patients will pass through the new equipment in the first year. Their number will increase to between 144 and 200 interventions per year, "mainly in paediatric neurosurgery", providing service to a reference population of 1.6 million people. The neurosurgery department of the Hospital Regional The neurosurgery department of Hospital Regional has 21 neurosurgeons and eight residents, making it the largest in the country. The paediatric neurosurgery unit, headed by Dr Bienvenido Ros, is one of the most prestigious in Spain. The waiting list for doctors applying to join for rotations is two years. The hospital's team performs more than 2,000 surgeries a year, the most prevalent concerning brain tumour pathologies, followed by spinal pathologies. Surgeries are also performed "on peripheral nerves, cranioencephalic trauma, cerebral haemorrhage, vascular malformations, complex tumour pathology of the skull base which is carried out using endoscopic neurosurgery techniques through the nostrils" and doctors "also perform functional neurosurgery - a surgical treatment that aims to eliminate or improve processes such as Parkinson's disease or epilepsy". The entrance arch of San Diego Comic-Con Malaga welcomes visitors to the event's first edition outside the US. Paco Grinan Malaga Thursday, 25 September 2025, 11:23 | Updated 11:31h. Share "Welcome heroes," says the entrance arch at San Diego Comic-Con Malaga's first edition outside the US. Over the next four days, everyone at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos (Fycma) will be treated like a hero. By everybody, we mean not only the special guest stars, but also the 120,000 attendees who come from 20 countries to witness the legendary event in Europe. The opening gala at 7.30pm this Thursday will welcome two famous names - actors Dafne Keen (Wolverine's heir in Logan) and Taz Skylar (One Piece), both with Spanish roots. The activities on Thursday start much earlier, however - at 11am this morning, thanks to the hard work put on Wednesday in order to get the venue ready for the geek world. The show begins. Early arrivals at San Diego Comic-Con Malaga. Salador Salas A total of 82,000 square metres of show space is dedicated to comics, cinema, series, video games, animation, role-playing games and music await the heroes. In addition to the 60,000 square metres of the Fycma's interior, the organisers have added another 22,000 metres outside to create the so-called 'Village' area, after realising the potential and scale of the event. The 'Village' is where attendees can grab something to eat, enjoy outdoor activities and even see the Comic-Con from the edge of a hot air balloon's basket. San Diego Comic-Con Malaga's (SDCCM) main stage is Hall M, with a capacity of 3,000 people. It emulates the iconic Hall H in San Diego. The 'M' stands for Malaga, of course. 120,000 attendees are expected over the four days of San Diego Comic-Con Malaga It will be there that the godfather of this inaugural edition - Arnold Schwarzenegger - will meet fans, who can ask him any questions through a special channel, set up by the organisers. The 'Terminator' arrives to SDCCM on Sunday, but there are plenty of other celebrities to boost the excitement on the previous days: Luke Evans (The Hobbit), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Pedro Alonso (Money Heist), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills, 90210), Natalia Dyer (Stranger Things), Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano in the Star Wars animation saga), Nicholas Denton (Talamasca: The Secret Order) and Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Eduardo Noriega and Oscar Jaenada (The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon). A last-minute announcement surprised attendees with the news that Hollywood star and musician Jared Leto will also join the star-studded list of guests at San Diego Comic-Con Malaga on Friday. For Leto, this stop at Hall M is part of his tour to promote Tron: Ares - the third instalment of the Disney saga. Other special guests from the world of cinema include J.A. Bayona (Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom and The Snow Society), Pablo Berger (Robot Dreams) and Oscar-winning VFX specialist John Gaeta, who will talk about the revolution that The Matrix. Legends of the comic book world For the fans of comic books, the first edition of SDCCM includes president and creative director of DC Comics Jim Lee, Marvel's editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski, Marvel illustrator Peach Momoko, legendary scriptwriter and producer Jeph Loeb and Spanish artists of international prestige - Paco Roca, Belen Ortega, Pepo Perez and winner of the Eisner Award Alvaro Martinez Bueno. 3,000 people is the capacity of Hall M - the main stage, where the biggest names of the first edition will walk, from Schwarzenegger to Gwendoline Christie and J.A. Bayona Those attending the first day of the convention, will be able to meet Aaron Paul, Luke Evans and Pedro Alonso, who are scheduled to appear at the 'Heroes y villanos' ('Heroes and Villains') panel at 2.30pm, followed by Natalia Dyer, Dafne Keen and Gwendoline Christie, who are part of the 'Mujeres guerreras' ('Women Warriors') panel at 5.30pm. The day closes with a few words from the main sponsor of the event - president of the regional government of Andalucia Juanma Moreno - and Malaga mayor Francisco de la Torre. They will be joined by SDCCM executive director Javier Barbera and president of San Diego Comic-Con International Robin Dolan. Video game demonstrations, role-playing games, an international K-Dance competition and another ambitious cosplay costume competition are among the numerous activities planned for attendees. Early arrivals at San Diego Comic-Con Malaga. Salavdor Salas The event, however, has already received some criticism. Many fans were disappointed after hearing that they will have to pay extra to get an autograph or a photo with some of the celebrities. The price tag seems high: 90.75 euros for a photo, which is almost double the price of the SDCCM ticket, and 66.55 euros for an autograph. Such souvenirs will require digging deep into one's pocket. San Diego Comic-Con Malaga is also going to put the city's transport network to the test. Hotels are at 90% occupancy, with thousands of attendees from all over Spain and Europe who arrive by plane and train. Even the BlaBlaCar application has provided data that shows that approximately 5,600 car-sharing trips to Malaga have been booked for the next few days. The EMT bus network has extended its service by creating a line that takes people directly to the Fycma. The shuttle bus leaves from the city centre, between Calle Larios and Puerta del Mar, then only stops at the bus station near Maria Zambrano and goes to Fycma via Camino de San Rafael. Those who prefer their own vehicle will not be able to park in the usual Fycma car park, as that space has been occupied by the 'Village'. Alternative parking will be available in two areas: on Avenida de las Malaguenas and next to El Corte Ingles Bahia Malaga (Calle Hamlet 5). Everything is ready for the first European Comic-Con. The activities start at 11am, but if you can't wait, the doors open at 9.45am. Welcome, heroes! Jesus Hinojosa Malaga Thursday, 25 September 2025, 15:36 Share The project to increase the height, category and number of rooms of three hotels in the centre of Malaga has passed a key stage - the regional ministry of culture has given the green light to these actions planned for the Ibis Malaga Centro, Ibis Budget and Suite Novotel hotels, all belonging to the Accor hotel group. On 30 July, the provincial historical heritage commission issued a favourable review of the extension. According to the regional ministry of culture, these buildings are not within the scope of the historic centre of Malaga. The authorities therefore state that the "environmental and visual perceptibility" of the old town will not be affected, meaning that there will be "no visual contamination". The project still has to go through the environmental evaluation process, which has to be carried out before the delegation of the regional ministry of sustainability. This could take several years. The project promoter has already submitted an initial document for this environmental procedure, but the regional government has asked for corrections. The plan is covered by a decree approved by the Junta de Andalucia in 2021, which allows for an increase of up to 20% in the floor area of existing hotels if this also means an increase in category. According to the document drawn up by the Domingo Corpas architecture studio, the Ibis Malaga Centro hotel, which currently has 189 double rooms (378 hotel beds) and 47 parking spaces, 19 more rooms could be added and the height could be increased by three more floors to the current volume of the building. This increase does not require justification under the aforementioned decree from the regional government, since the current urban planning regulations for that area of the city centre allow it, as noted in the file. Therefore, the building's height would go from ground floor plus three and ground floor plus four, to ground floor plus six and ground floor plus seven. Two options are contemplated: one involves an increase in the built-up area by 15%, which would add 169 square metres for new services; or an increase by 20%, which would guarantee an increase in category from the current two stars to three stars or higher, with an increase of 390 square metres for new services. As for the Ibis Budget hotel (one star and 125 double rooms) and the Novotel Suite (four stars and 85 double suites), an increase in height from ground floor plus four and ground floor plus five to ground floor plus six, respectively, is proposed. The justification is that, this way, they would be brought into line with the level of other adjacent buildings. Ibis Budget has the opportunity to upgrade to a two-star or higher category, allowing for a 20% increase in floor space and the addition of 13 rooms. Meanwhile, Suite Novotel could climb to a five-star or higher rating, with plans to add nine rooms and 328 square metres dedicated to new services. The dossier states that extension work could be carried out technically without the hotels having to completely cease their activity. The promoters of the plan state that, with these changes, the number of quality hotels in Malaga will be increased and seasonality will be reduced. The project also includes the planting of trees for the future installation of an outdoor terrace with tables and chairs for Novotel Suite's ground-floor cafe. Juan Cano Malaga Thursday, 25 September 2025, 09:46 | Updated 10:45h. Share The National Police have announced that the murder of a 25-year-old Dutch man in Fuengirola in December 2024 has been solved. In addition to the arrest of a minor - as SUR has already reported - investigators have arrested five other people for their alleged involvement in the incident. There is another person involved who will not be brought to justice because he died months later after being shot by the Dutch police. The crime took place in the early hours of 7 December 2024 in Fuengirola, when the victim was killed in the middle of the street by multiple shots fired from an assault rifle. Together with the body, the weapon used and the shell casings were recovered. The first investigations revealed that the victim worked in a cannabis club located next to the crime scene. In the early hours of that morning he was inside with two other employees of the club, at which time the perpetrator, dressed in black and with his face covered, was waiting nearby. The assailant threw the rifle under a nearby vehicle and fled on a bicycle Once the last customer had left the club, he fired several shots at the victim at the entrance door of the establishment, who managed to close it, according to the National Police. During the attack, the victim was shot multiple times as he was surprised by the assailant, who then threw the rifle under a nearby vehicle and fled on a bicycle. Although the specific motivation is unknown, the evidence allowed the officers to link the events to a possible settling of scores within Dutch organised crime, which led to the identification of the perpetrators in just four days. Contracted in the Netherlands The alleged perpetrator, a Belgian minor, had been recruited in the Netherlands to carry out the crime in Spain. Two other Dutch nationals acted as direct co-operators. On 11 December 2024, four days after the murder, as a result of a strong operation deployed with the support of the Malaga special operational security group, one of the Dutch suspects was arrested in Torremolinos and remanded in custody. In addition, the officers verified that the Belgian minor, the alleged perpetrator of the shooting, had changed his appearance and fled to the Netherlands together with another accomplice. Police investigations revealed that, after the murder, two of those involved fled from Spain to France and then to the Netherlands. Cooperation with the Dutch police and the establishment of a task force to locate all those involved led to the linking of one of them to another murder committed in Amsterdam weeks later. During the operation to arrest him, he opened fire on the officers and was shot dead after seriously wounding a policeman and a woman who was not involved in the incident. The international investigation has established that both the murder in Spain and the subsequent murder in the Netherlands were allegedly organised by a Dutch man, who was arrested on 3 January 2025 and is currently in prison in the Netherlands as the instigator of both crimes. It was also proven that three Dutch women transported the rifle used in Fuengirola from Paris, collaborating in the logistics of the execution. For this reason, they were arrested in Amsterdam on 17 June 2025. Finally, the alleged perpetrator of the shooting was located and arrested in Ghent (Belgium) on 20 June 2025 under a European Arrest Warrant. He was transferred to Spain on 11 July. Since then, he has been held in a closed juvenile detention centre. Lucia Gutierrez Leon Thursday, 25 September 2025, 15:00 Share Villablino (Leon) is grieving the death of Roberto Guantes - a 36-year-old farmer, who had become one of the strongest voices in denouncing the succession of brown bear attacks on livestock. The young man lost his life following a heart attack. On Monday, 22 September, Roberto expressed his concern that a great "misfortune" would hit local livestock entrepreneurs. According to him, local farmers lacked any institutional support in the face of continuous bear attacks. Unfortunately, his fears came true. According to Roberto's neighbour Luisma, the young farmer's animals were once again attacked by a bear only a few hours after his statement. Around 7am the next morning, Roberto noticed that several sheep were dead and that one animal was missing from the flock. Together with another neighbour, he decided to look for the sheep and find out if it was alive or locate the body and show evidence of the attack to the authorities. A young entrepreneur On that outing, which began as one of many he had made in recent days to guard and protect his livestock, he lost his life to a heart attack. Although no one has officially suggested that Roberto's death is directly linked to the bear attacks, there is an uneasy feeling in the area. "If he hadn't gone out that morning, perhaps he would still be alive today." Pain and anger in the area Roberto's death has left locals dealing with a mixture of grief, impotence and anger. "He was a young man who wanted to stay here and keep livestock farming alive. We are angry because we feel that we are not being taken seriously and we have a very serious problem," the people of Villablino claim. On Wednesday, Laciana said farewell to one of its own, feeling that Roberto's warnings had not been acted on in time. His words from Monday, when he called for urgent solutions to a situation he already considered critical, sounded louder than ever. Roberto Guantes Santiago's funeral was held in the parish church of Caboalles de Abajo on 24 September. BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- China strongly deplores and firmly opposes Lin Chia-lung's visit to New York during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday. By letting Lin visit New York during the UNGA session, the United States provides a public stage for the provocation of "Taiwan independence" separatists, Guo said at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on the visit by Lin, head of Taiwan's so-called foreign affairs authorities. The move amounts to gross interference in China's internal affairs and serious violation of the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, Guo said, adding that it sends a gravely wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities sent Lin to New York during the UNGA session to interact with so-called "diplomatic allies" and certain U.S. politicians, and make opportunist attempts wherever possible with a political scheme light as day to solicit foreign support for "Taiwan independence," including from the United States, he said. "We would like to make it clear to the DPP authorities and those bent on separatism that no good will come of their unjust cause and any provocation aimed at 'Taiwan independence' will inevitably backfire," the spokesperson said. Guo urged the very few countries still maintaining so-called "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan not to be manipulated and used again and again by "Taiwan independence" forces. "It is time to see that the one-China principle is where the arc of history bends and public opinion trends. Tying themselves to the 'Taiwan independence' bandwagon will not get them anywhere," he said. Guo reiterated that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. "The abiding commitment of the international community to the one-China principle is unshakable. Nothing will stop China from complete reunification," he said. William Shatner was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon after suffering a medical emergency. Shatner, who is best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek, was reportedly experiencing issues with his blood sugar while in his Los Angeles home, according to TMZ. He first called emergency medical service workers for help, who sent an LAFD ambulance to his residence as a precaution. Shatner was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation and later returned home. Hes fine, Shatners agent, Harry Gold, confirmed to the outlet. On Thursday, Shatner reassured fans that they had nothing to worry about and that he was perfectly fine in a post on X (formerly Twitter). I over indulged. I thank you all for caring but Im perfectly fine. I keep telling you all: dont trust tabloids or AI, Shatner wrote alongside an image of him playing Mark Twain on the series Murdoch Mysteries in 2015. The image also noted: Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. I over indulged. I thank you all for caring but Im perfectly fine. I keep telling you all: dont trust tabloids or AI! pic.twitter.com/p1jC202kAx William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) September 25, 2025 The 94-year-old actor has been transparent with fans over the years regarding his health. In March 2024, Shatner revealed that he had been diagnosed and was treated for stage 4 melanoma an aggressive form of skin cancer that can spread to other parts of the body. After noticing a lump under his right ear, Shater was initially told by his family doctor not to worry about it, he told Healio. A month later, he got a second opinion and was diagnosed. I said, Stage 4? And someone in the room said, Sorry. I said, What are you sorry about? It was like, Better pack your things. That person who said sorry, that was very sad, like you are going to die, he recalled. And I was. They said if this [treatment] they used did not work, I had about 5 months, he revealed. The Boston Legal actor then underwent surgery to remove the lump and after adhereing to a strict immunotherapy regimen, he is now cancer-free. Shatner also suffers from permanent tinnitus, or a constant ringing in the ears, after standing too close to a special effects explosion while filming the Star Trek episode Arena in 1967. Syracuse Stage Costume Shop Manager Gretchen Darrow-Crotty has a favorite line she likes to repeat while working on period pieces: We arent doing the BBC production. Shes not throwing shade at the British Broadcasting Companys famed historical dramas (and their painstaking attention to detail) as much as shes acknowledging the limitations of live theatre. There is a very fine line between accurately recreating something historical and creating something that is user friendly to actors on stage, Darrow-Crotty said. That consideration constructing costumes that look period appropriate yet allow actors to fully express themselves physically was on Darrow-Crottys mind as she and her team began work on The Hello Girls, the WWI-era musical now playing at Syracuse Stage. The show tells of Americas first female soldiers who ran switchboard operations overseas, and features a cast of 14 actors who are, for the majority of the show, dressed in full military uniforms. Darrow-Crotty was able to rent the mens costumes from a company in California, but while Doughboy recreations are plentiful, the womens uniforms provided a unique challenge: The true story of the Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit is one that has been infrequently told, meaning that Darrow-Crotty, alongside costume designer Jen Caprio, was tasked with building the Hello Girls signature blue uniforms from the ground up. Fortunately, the team had access to an actual Hello Girl uniform by way of Carolyn Timbie, granddaughter of Grace Banker, the shows lead character who heads up the first unit of women requested by Gen. John J. Pershing. Banker was working at AT&T as a switchboard instructor in New York City when she answered an ad to join the U.S. Army Signal Corp, sailing for France in March of 1918. She died in 1960, almost two decades before the Hello Girls were officially recognized as veterans. In 2024, with help from Timbie fighting on her grandmothers behalf, the Hello Girls were awarded a Congressional gold medal. Grace Banker, second from right, and her fellow Hello Girls from the Army's Signal Corps. Photo Courtesy of Carolyn Timbie Timbie had worked with the musicals creatorscomposer, lyricist and co-bookwriter Peter Mills and co-bookwriter Cara Reichel, who also directed the Syracuse Stage productionwhen they first mounted the show in 2018, and was eager to lend her unique insight again. Theres so much pride, Darrow-Crotty said. Shes really, really proud of her grandmother. Describing her grandmothers collection of World War I items to New Hampshires Eagle-Tribune in 2021, Timbie recalled stumbling upon an amazing treasure trove, including Bankers armistice uniform given to her after the Allied victory. Grace Banker's armistice uniform. Photo Courtesy of Carolyn Timbie The Syracuse Stage costume team met with Timbie over Zoom, and were able to get an up-close look at Bankers uniform, which provided key details that helped them re-create the piece onstage. One of the very technical things we looked at was where the pockets in this peplum, the skirt of the jacket, sat in relation to the belt, Darrow-Crotty said. It was just such an odd little technical thing that the audience wont even notice, but both the costume designer and I latched on to that. It was a moment the two of us geeked out about. Timbie also gave the costume team a detailed look at Bankers armband, which identified her as the chief operator of her unit, and a blouse in which Banker had stitched her initials G.B. Grace Banker's cap and arm bands. Photo Courtesy of Carolyn Timbie While constructing the costumes for the production, the Syracuse Stage team held true to their not the BBC motto, and built pieces with a wool fabric that includes enough stretch to keep the women comfortable uniforms that look vintage, but are lightweight and very movable. The result is an ensemble of actors who transport the audience to another time, thanks in no small part to the costume shop team. And, just like Timbie, Darrow-Crotty is proud to share in the history of the Hello Girls. Just seeing the work on stage, its beautiful, she said. It feels really good to have been a part of that. **** Tickets to the Syracuse Stage production, through Sept. 28, are available at SyracuseStage.org/hello. Syracuse, N.Y. - The president of a Syracuse University fraternity said an antisemitic attack on the fraternity on Rosh Hashanah was an act of ignorance, intolerance and hatred. Around 6 p.m. Tuesday, a student entered the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity on Walnut Street and threw a clear plastic bag of pork that hit a wall in the house. Students inside were marking the Jewish New Year, one of the High Holy Days in Judaism. Syracuse police in court papers said the incident was a religiously motivated attack on the historically Jewish fraternity. ZBT President Danny Lax on Thursday said the actions that took place at our house not only hurt our fraternity, but also the broader Jewish community and beyond, Our membership is deeply disturbed that this incident occurred in the very place that is the center of our community, he said. Lax said there were fraternity members in the house when the attack happened and that one of them witnessed it. He said the attack was a reminder for the Jewish community of an increased sense of antisemitism in the world today. The incident that occurred on Tuesday directly contradicts our values and was an irresponsible act of ignorance, intolerance and hatred, he said. Lax said the fraternity calls on people of all backgrounds to stand against all forms of hate while maintaining the values of equality and respect for our community. A story post on the fraternitys Instagram account said the incident was an attack on our homes, our values, and our safety, as well as every Jewish student on campus. Two SU students - Samuel Patten and Kyle Anderson, who are both 18 years old - have been charged with burglary as a hate crime and criminal nuisance. At arraignment Wednesday, Syracuse City Court Judge Derrek Thomas set bail at $1,500. The two are no longer in the Justice Center jail. Patten, of Brooklyn, entered the threshold of the front door and threw a clear plastic bag of pork that hit a wall inside the house, police said in a Wednesday. The contents of the bag splattered on the floor and wall of the house, court documents said. Anderson, of Greenwich, Connecticut, dropped Patten off before the attack and drove him away after, police said in court documents. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Wednesday this incident is not a foolish college prank and will not be treated as such. It will be treated for what it is, a crime directed against a group of Jewish students enjoying a celebratory dinner and seemingly secure in their residence, he said. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the new year in the Hebrew calendar. In the Torah, pigs are listed among several animals that God forbids for human consumption. Two inexperienced Central New York hikers got themselves into a pinch last week while attempting to bushwhack off marked trails in the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness. The pair, a 32-year-old from Syracuse and a 36-year-old from Irondequoit, had planned to scale Dial Mountain via Gravestone Brook, a steep, strenuous, 18-mile bushwhack route with an elevation gain of 4,100 feet. But shortly after 4 p.m. on Sept. 20, they called New York State Department of Environmental Conservation forest rangers to say they were lost and unable to move in the thick spruce forest somewhere on the south side of Bear Den Mountain. The hikers informed rangers they had no experience bushwhacking. Furthermore, they had no map, compass, headlamp, or extra layers. And for some reason, they had not planned how they would return to their car after reaching the summit of Dial Mountain. Rangers bushwhacked into the forest, following Leech Trail until they found the lost hikers hours later. They provided them with food, water, and headlamps, and assisted them to the Round Pond trailhead by 10 p.m. Rangers suggest planning for your hike before heading out. Find out how long it will take and pack enough that you can survive the night in case things dont go as planned. DECs website has information about the 10 Hiking Essentials and other details to help plan your trip. The following reports are excerpted from DEC: Forest rangers rescued an overdue hiker early in the morning on Sept. 21 on Big Slide Mountain. NYS DEC A 55-year-old from Fishkill was overdue from a hike in the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area on the night of Sept. 20. The hiker was planning to climb Table, Peekamoose, Lone, Rocky, Balsam Cap, and Friday Mountains, but was not prepared to spend the night. The last communication with the hiker was from the summit of Peekamoose at midday. A ranger located the hiker on the Fishermans path, approximately 2.5 miles from the trailhead. They were in good health but extremely fatigued, admitting they misjudged the distance and intensity of the hike and had become disoriented after their phone died, which was their only source of navigation. Rangers provided food and water and assisted the hiker to the trailhead. Rangers rescued another overdue hiker on Sept. 21, this time on Big Slide Mountain. Last contact with the hiker was the previous evening. Rangers cleared the summit at 4:40 a.m. without any signs of the 38-year-old from Clifton Park. At 7:15 a.m., rangers found the hiker in good health approximately half a mile from the trailhead. Theyd spent the night far enough off trail that they didnt hear rangers calling. Rangers spent three days putting out a wildfire on Sept. 15 in a remote area near Bear Lake in the West Canada Lakes Wilderness. NYS DEC A ranger equipped only with hand tools tried to put out a fire on Sept. 15 near Bear Lake in the West Canada Lakes Wilderness. Three more rangers joined him the next day. Due to the remoteness of the site, the rangers stayed overnight to control the fire and had it contained by Sept. 17. The fire was declared out on Sept. 22. On Sept. 21 at 2:35 a.m., Essex County 911 dispatched an ambulance to the Elk Lake trailhead for two people complaining of hypothermia. Theyd finished their hike, but were locked out of their car because the other two members of their party had not yet returned. Two rangers prepared to search for the other two hikers just as the pair reached the trailhead, car keys in pocket. A hiker from Avon fell and injured their hip on Robs Trail on Sept. 17 is wheeled out by a forest ranger and local fire personnel. NYS DEC A 69-year-old from Avon fell and injured their hip on Robs Trail on Sept. 17. A ranger, along with Hemlock, Honeoye, and Livonia Fire Departments, lifted the injured hiker onto a wheeled litter then transferred the hiker to a City of Rochester Water Bureau pontoon boat on Hemlock Lake. The boat took the patient to the North Hemlock boat launch, where they were met by an ambulance. A 41-year-old hiker vomited all night and could not hold down food or water after journeying from Marie Louise Point with a 13-year-old on Sept. 21. Two rangers, along with an Essex County Paramedic, met the pair approximately -mile up the trail and provided fluids before assisting them to the trailhead for pickup up by a family member. A new presidential portrait gallery at the White House installed by President Donald Trump contains a massive snub of former President Joe Biden. Trump recently installed a new gallery with portraits of all the former presidents along the West Wing Colonnade, according to ABC News. But rather than including a picture of Biden, Trump hung a photo of an autopen instead. The new gallery is dubbed a Presidential Walk of Fame. Trump had previously signaled that he would represent Biden with an autopen in the new gallery when discussing the plans for it, according to The Guardian. Trump has long been fixated on Bidens autopen use, according to CNN. He argued it was evidence of Bidens cognitive decline. He has also suggested it was an indication that Biden wasnt really the one making decisions while he was still in office, according to The Guardian. Autopens, mechanical devices that replicate a persons signature, have been used by presidents of both parties for decades. While theres no law governing their use, an opinion from the George W. Bush administrations Office of Legal Counsel stated they can be used by a president to sign bills into law, according to NPR. Trump made Bidens age and cognitive abilities a major issue during the campaign for president last year. Questions about Bidens abilities spiked after a poor debate performance in June 2024 and ultimately forced him to drop out of the race. Trump has suggested that pardons signed by Biden using an autopen should be considered invalid. Biden has pushed back on Trumps claims, according to ABC. Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency, Biden said in an earlier statement, according to ABC. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didnt is ridiculous and false. URUMQI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended on Thursday a grand gathering in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Urumqi, the regional capital. Xi joined local officials and members of the public from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the event. The 20th anniversary of "God of War" has arrived, and fans might have been eager for a new game announcement, but Sony had a surprise waiting in store. In its September 2025 State of Play event, the video game giant unveiled a limited-edition Kratos-themed PS5 DualSense controller as a celebration of one of PlayStation's most legendary characters. PS5 Controller Fit for Kratos Fans The new DualSense has an ash-white foundation with a bold blood-red stripe, reminiscent of Kratos' famous omega tattoo. The controller retails at $84.99 and officially goes on sale in October 2025, with pre-orders starting on Oct. 3 at 10 a.m. Though it's not a new "God of War" game, the controller is a symbolic gesture to two decades of Kratos' adventures, from Greek mythology to the Norse saga. The Legacy of 'God of War' Originally launched in 2005 for PlayStation 2, "God of War" established itself almost instantly as one of the most renowned franchises from Sony. Kratos became a household name due to his aggressive fighting techniques and larger-than-life narrative. The series was reimagined in 2018 with a soft reboot that moved the saga to Norse mythology. That game, followed by "God of War Ragnarok" in 2022, brought Kratos back into a new generation of gamers while maintaining the ferocity that made the series legendary. Santa Monica Studio has still kept fans up to date with new content, such as the Valhalla roguelike story update in 2023. Nevertheless, the next installment in Kratos' saga is still closely guarded. Kratos' Design Inspiration In a PlayStation.Blog article, Dela Longfish, associate art director at Santa Monica Studio, discussed the design inspiration: "No matter which God of War game you're playing, the shape of his red ink against the gray of his ash-covered skin is one of the most iconic elements of Kratos' look across both Greek and Norse sagas. Our team made sure to represent both of these key tones in the color selection for the controller to make every aspect an authentic homage to the design that has defined Kratos for over two decades." Color selection reinforces both the ash-gray of Kratos' tainted skin and the blaze of red of his tattoo, making the design immediately appealing to long-time fans. Sony's Expanding Roster of Collector Controllers According to Push Square, the anniversary edition is the latest addition to Sony's growing roster of themed DualSense controllers. Previous standouts include 30th-anniversary versions, "The Last of Us," and "Death Stranding 2: On the Beach." The Kratos controller is now among them as a collector's piece to own, particularly for fans who have been along for the ride since its PlayStation 2 roots. Originally published on Player One MOSCOW, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A passenger aircraft operated by Russia's Rossiya Airlines sustained damage during pre-flight preparations at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport on Wednesday after making ground contact with another aircraft, local media reported. The incident occurred when flight FV6097, bound for St. Petersburg, was taxiing before takeoff. Preliminary information suggested that the wing of another airline's plane touched the tail section of the Rossiya aircraft, causing damage, the company said in a statement. Technical teams immediately began inspecting the aircraft. Passengers were disembarked and later boarded a reserve plane. The northwestern transport prosecutor's office confirmed that passengers and crew were uninjured, and a commission will be set up to investigate the incident. Perplexity AI is opening the doors wide for Indian users. The companys much-anticipated Comet browser, built around artificial intelligence (AI), which has been on a waitlist since its global launch earlier this year, will be available for its Pro subscribers in India starting September 22. The update was confirmed by CEO Aravind Srinivas on X earlier this week, and early adopters have already spotted the Windows and Mac versions, which can be readily downloaded from its official website on both Mac and Windows PC. Android users can already pre-register on the Google Play Store, while an iOS release is expected soon. Free For Airtel Users Perplexity Pro is the companys premium AI chatbot plan and comes with a major boost in the form of a partnership with Airtel. As part of the deal, Airtel broadband, mobile, and DTH subscribers can claim a free year of Perplexity Pro normally priced at around ?17,000 between July 17, 2025, and January 17, 2026. This means a massive number of Airtel customers in India can now have instant access to Comet as part of their bundle. Comet is now available to all Pro subscribers in India no waitlist necessary whether they have subscribed to Perplexity Pro directly or through an Airtel subscription, Perplexity said in a statement. Perplexitys Comet: Key Features Comet is Perplexity AIs new web browser built with AI at its core. It acts as a personal assistant and thinking partner. Lets have a look at its key features: Transforms browsing from passive consumption to active, intelligent engagement. Offers a unified interface, reducing the need to juggle multiple tabs and apps. Can handle entire browsing sessions, streamlining workflows and minimizing distractions. Useful for product comparisons, research, and solving complex problems. Includes a sidebar assistant that can: Summarize web pages Answer queries about the page you are viewing Perform actions like booking hotels, sending emails, or shopping online Pull in context from your browsing history to give a smarter response Delivers contextual answers based on whats currently visible on your screen. Challenging Googles Dominance Launching a new browser in India is no small task. With over 90% of Indias search market dominated by Google, and Safari and Edge fighting for the scraps, Perplexitys move is a bold one. The company is clearly banking on a new vision of browsing moving beyond merely displaying search results to actively helping users complete tasks. By combining AI assistance with traditional browsing, Perplexity aims to define a whole new category altogether. With Airtels massive user base, Perplexity could expand fast in one of the worlds biggest internet markets. Whats Next? At the moment, Comet is restricted to Pro and Max subscribers, though the company has hinted that a free tier will eventually be available for everyone. If its Airtel partnership is any indication, the browser could reach an even wider audience in India, setting a new standard for intelligent, task-oriented browsing. MEXICO CITY, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday condemned the immigration raids carried out in the United States by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), saying a diplomatic note was sent to Washington requesting an investigation into the recent deaths of two Mexican nationals. "Yesterday a diplomatic note was sent on this case, requesting that all investigations be carried out, and if anyone is responsible for human rights violations, that they be punished," the president said at her daily press conference. Mexican migrants Ismael Ayala-Uribe and Silverio Villegas Gonzalez died following ICE raids and detention in the United States. Sheinbaum lamented the criminalization of migrants in the United States and stressed her government's initiatives in support of Mexicans living there, including establishing an emergency hotline, and strengthening services that offer technical and legal advice. Washington's aggressive anti-immigrant policies impact not just Mexicans but also the U.S. economy, where business owners "in agriculture and services are reporting problems because they cannot hire workers," said Sheinbaum. The president reiterated that Mexicans living in the United States, whether they are first, second, third, or fourth generation, contribute significantly to the U.S. economy, and they also contribute to the Mexican economy through the remittances they send home. "We oppose such treatment and the raids that have been carried out which, in addition, cause fear and anxiety," she added. Salvadoran court clears anti-mining activists of civil war murder San Salvador, Sept 24 (AFP) Sep 24, 2025 A court in El Salvador on Wednesday acquitted eight former guerrillas, including five anti-mining campaigners, of a civil war-era murder in a trial criticized by NGOs as politicized. The five environmental activists were the driving forces behind a 2017 metal mining ban, which President Nayib Bukele, a staunch ally of US President Donald Trump, has repealed. Several NGOs believe the trial was an attempt to punish Pedro Rivas, Teodoro Pacheco, Saul Rivas, Alejandro Lainez and Miguel Gamez for their activism. Prosecutors accused the five activists and three fellow former members of the leftist Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front of murdering Maria Ines Alvarenga in August 1989. The prosecutors argued that they took Alvarenga for an army informant. Announcing their acquittal, one of the three judges in the San Salvador court trying the case called for the decision to "be respected." The defendants were also cleared of illicit association and deprivation of liberty. The prosecution can appeal. The eight had already been acquitted at a first trial in October last year. A higher court later ordered a retrial, but the accused refused to attend the proceedings and were tried in absentia. Alvarenga died in the northeastern community of Santa Marta, an area affected by the country's 1980-1992 civil war, which left an estimated 75,000 dead and more than 7,000 missing, according to official figures. A complaint over her death was filed with prosecutors in April 2022, over three decades later. Alfredo Leiva, leader of the Santa Marta Economic and Social Development Association, to which the accused environmentalists belong, welcomed the ruling. "It's what we've been waiting for for more than two years," he said. Under promise, over deliver? China unveils new climate goals United Nations, United States, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 China has for the first time made specific emission cut pledges, though its goal of reducing planet-warming greenhouse gases just 7-10 percent by 2035 is seen as far too modest. But Beijing has often "under-promised and over-delivered", analysts say, and its pledge offers a path towards more ambitious efforts to tackle climate change. Here's what to know: - Why it matters - China is the world's second-biggest economy and the largest polluter. It accounts for nearly 30 percent of global emissions. It is also a clean energy powerhouse, and sells most of the world's solar panels, batteries and electric cars. China's trajectory determines whether the world will limit end-of-century warming to 1.5C and avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate disruption. Under the Paris Agreement, countries must update their "Nationally Determined Contributions" every five years. Many are racing to do so before the COP climate summit in Brazil this November. Beijing pledged in 2021 to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. But it gave no near-term numerical targets for reducing emissions. The geopolitical context has raised the stakes: the United States has again quit the Paris accord under President Donald Trump, who dismisses climate change as a "con job," while a fractious European Union has yet to set new targets. - What China promised - Under the new plan, China pledges to: - Cut economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by 7-10 percent from peak levels, while "striving to do better." Some analysts believe China's emissions have already peaked or will do so soon. To align with 1.5C, Beijing needs to cut emissions around 30 percent within a decade from 2023 levels. The United States peaked CO2 emissions in 2007 and reduced them by approximately 14.7 percent a decade later. - Increase non-fossil fuels in total energy consumption to over 30 percent and expand wind and solar capacity to more than six times 2020 levels, reaching 3,600 gigawatts. - Increase forest cover to over 24 billion cubic meters. - Make electric vehicles "mainstream" in new sales. - Expand the national carbon trading scheme to cover high-emission sectors and establish a "climate adaptive society." - What experts think - Observers almost universally say the targets are too modest -- but that China is likely to surpass them thanks to its booming clean technology sector. "China has often under-promised and over-delivered," said Andreas Sieber, associate director of policy and campaigns at advocacy group 350.org. The new target is "underwhelming," but "it anchors the world's largest emitter on a path where clean-tech defines economic leadership," he added. Others echoed that sentiment. Yao Zhe of Greenpeace East Asia said there was some hope "the actual decarbonization of China's economy is likely to exceed its target on paper". The European Union struck a more downbeat note. "This level of ambition is clearly disappointing and given China's immense footprint, it makes reaching the world's climate goals significantly more challenging," EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said. China is installing renewable energy at a record pace that far outstrips the rest of the world, and it dominates the production chain of many clean-tech sectors. But it has also continued to install coal capacity, and its decision to use an unspecified "peak" rather than set a baseline year for emissions cuts raised concerns. That keeps "the door open to near-term increases in emissions," warned Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clear Air. The pledges serve as "a floor, not a ceiling, for China's ambition," he added. Still, many observers believe China's economy is now committed to the energy transition and the pledges will cement that. "The good news is that in a world increasingly driven by self-interest, China is in a stronger position than most to drive climate action forward," said Li Shuo of the Asia Society. Dozens more Zambian farmers sue over toxic mining spill Lusaka, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 More Zambian farmers have filed a fresh lawsuit against a Chinese mining company over a toxic waste spill, following a similar case earlier this month, court documents seen by AFP Thursday showed. The spill occurred in February when a waste storage facility burst near the town of Kitwe, in the heart of Zambia's copper belt, releasing millions of litres of acidic mining residue into the environment. Around 50 farmers, backed by three non-governmental organisations, filed the suit in a Zambian court on Tuesday against the Chinese state-owned Sino-Metals Leach (SML) firm. They are seeking $220 million in damages to cover environmental and health impacts as well as relocation costs, the court documents said. According to the applicants, citing "results from independent studies", more than two million square metres of land was visibly contaminated with an average residue depth of 0.3 metres (1 foot). They also accuse the company of attaching liability waiver clauses to its compensation agreements, which they say effectively prevent affected residents -- most of whom are illiterate -- from seeking further legal recourse. The new case follows another by almost 200 people affected by the spill who are demanding $80 billion from SML. They said the exposure to the population had caused a range of health issues including abdominal pains to skin irritations, respiratory issues, vomiting and blood in urine. SML's holding company, China Nonferrous Mining (CNMC), last week rejected the claims and called the lawsuit "clearly unfounded". "SML has fully fulfilled its restoration and remediation obligations in accordance with government directives and has completed compensation to individual farmers as per the damage compensation report issued by the Zambian government," it said in a statement. According to SML, about 50 million litres of waste had been spilled at the site of the incident, but a pollution control company said the amount was about 20 times greater. The company, Drizit, had been hired through a government tender to assess the damage and clean up the environment, but its contract was drawn up with Sino-Metals Leach. The contract was terminated a day before the final report was due. Austria greenlights motorway project despite environmental objections Vienna, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 Austria's government announced on Thursday it would press ahead with a divisive motorway project that includes a tunnel under a national park, dealing a blow to opponents of the plan. The move follows years of prolonged protests and legal wrangling, with the Greens -- formerly the governing coalition's junior partner but now in opposition -- securing a halt to the construction in 2021. In a bid to protect the reserve's rich and rare wildlife and the surrounding environment, the Greens had ordered a review of all new road-building plans by motorway operator Asfinag. The project, which dates back to the early 2000s, is designed to ease traffic flow east of the capital, Vienna. It includes the construction of a new expressway junction and a disputed eight-kilometre (five-mile) motorway tunnel under part of the Lobau national park. Opponents of the project say construction of the tunnel would damage the fragile ecosystem of the Lobau -- which is part of the Danube-Auen National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve -- fragment natural habitats and undermine Vienna's commitment to more sustainable transport. Austrian Infrastructure Minister Peter Hanke said on Thursday that the project "including the tunnel solution, is the most efficient way to meet the living and economic requirements" of the Vienna and Lower Austria regions. He argued that a comprehensive evaluation had shown that there was "no alternative" to the project, which sought to provide "the necessary economic impetus to the region" while "solving the transport challenges". The total cost of construction is estimated at 2.7 billion euros ($3.17 billion) and "will be entirely financed by Asfinag", the government said. The construction of the motorway junction is planned for spring 2026. The project's second phase, which includes the Lobau tunnel and is due to commence in 2030, is still awaiting final approval. While some politicians and motorists' associations welcomed the decision, the Greens and environmental organisations condemned it. Greens leader Leonore Gewessler, who had spearheaded the suspension of the project as environment minister at the time, criticised the move as a "decision against nature, future generations and common sense". Austria's branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said the "environmental and health risks" as well as the high costs "clearly speak against" the Lobau tunnel. The government has said it still aims to make the country carbon neutral -- balancing greenhouse gas emissions against measures that absorb or eliminate carbon -- by 2040. Is the EU on the retreat on climate? Brussels, Belgium, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 EU chief Ursula von der Leyen tried to reassure the United Nations Wednesday that Europe "will stay the course" on its climate ambition. But the bloc's global leadership on green matters is faltering as internal divisions on climate paired with a push to boost defence and industry stall new commitments and endanger existing ones. Here is where things stand: - Emission targets - The EU has committed to a 55-percent cut in emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels -- and it is already at nearly 40 percent, well ahead of other major polluters like China and the United States. But at a UN climate summit this week it was unable to present a formal 2035 plan to further slash greenhouse gases due to disagreements on the level of ambition among its 27 member states. In the background is a broader squabble on the path towards the EU's stated goal to become carbon-neutral by 2050. Von der Leyen's commission would like member nations to act quicker by committing to cut emissions by 90 percent by 2040, but some, like Poland and the Czech Republic, say that is unachievable and are dragging their feet. - Combustion engine ban - Plans to end combustion-engine vehicle sales by 2035 -- perhaps the most emblematic measure under the European Green Deal that defined von der Leyen's first term -- are increasingly under pressure from carmakers. Faced with competition from China, US tariffs and a stuttering shift to electric vehicles (EVs), the powerful auto industry has been clamouring for a rethink. The sector, which employs 13 million people and accounts for about seven percent of Europe's GDP, scored a first win earlier this year, as Brussels allowed producers more time to meet a first emission reduction target. And this month the commission pledged to fast-track to December a review of its 2035 plans initially scheduled for next year. Discussions on the topic in the European Parliament are "tense", said an official. - Anti-deforestation rules - The commission said this week it will seek a new one-year delay to an already-postponed ban on imports of products derived from deforestation -- itself a driver of climate change. Cheered by environmental groups, the rules prohibit a vast range of goods -- from coffee to cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, cattle, printing paper and rubber -- if produced using land that was deforested after December 2020. They have however been assailed by key trading partners and businesses lamenting excessive red tape. The commission invoked IT issues to justify the need for a second 12-month postponement. But environmentalists fear the delay will provide room for critics to water down the bill's requirements. Centrist EU lawmaker Pascal Canfin denounced the latest push as "lamentable", adding he was "far from convinced" that technical problems were the real issue. A separate bill on forest monitoring was voted down by EU lawmakers this week. - Other doubts - The commission said in June it intended to scrap new rules against greenwashing that would compel businesses to submit evidence for environmental claims. It is currently in limbo with talks between member states and lawmakers yet to yield any result, while disagreements persist on whether small firms should be covered. Commission sources have meanwhile said the bill is increasingly seen as unnecessary since other laws on unfair commercial practices and misleading advertising already cover the matter. Another set of landmark new rules facing the chop is a law on corporate sustainability, mandating firms to clean up their supply chains of environmental and human rights violations. France and Germany have led a frontal assault on the legislation, deeming it too onerous for businesses. With the EU's two largest economies demanding that it be binned, its future is in serious doubt. Regardless, the commission denies having put environmental issues on the back burner. To say that von der Leyen has turned her back on the European Green Deal "does not hold water", said Philippe Lamberts, an ex-leader of the Greens now advising the commission president. However he conceded "the political balance has shifted" since the 2024 European elections, which were marked by far-right gains, noting that the path to building majorities was now narrower. Hong Kong's coastal businesses pick up pieces after typhoon Hong Kong, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2025 As the storm warning for Super Typhoon Ragasa passed, Mark Cholewka returned to his stylish Hong Kong restaurant to be met by overturned tables and the pungent smell of seawater. Businesses in the financial hub's coastal areas have been devastated by Ragasa, the strongest typhoon of the year, which killed at least 14 people in southern Taiwan. A viral video showed waves almost three metres (10 feet) high smashing through the windows of Cholewka's French restaurant, its interior furnishings submerged by churning waters within a minute. "When you really see it live, it's just devastating," he told AFP on Thursday. "We don't know how much (seawater) penetrated," he said, adding that his wooden floor was "probably ruined". The damage to the facilities in his restaurant, in which he invested HK$7 million (almost US$900,000), was extensive. "Now it's garbage," he said. Several Hong Kong neighbourhoods such as Tseung Kwan O, where Cholewka's business is based, suffered severe damage despite extensive preparations. Authorities reported more than 1,200 fallen trees and over 20 instances of flooding and landslides. Ragasa pushed seawater over Hong Kong's seawalls, overcoming the barriers people had set up in advance and making Tseung Kwan O one of the worst-hit areas during the typhoon. Pavements were covered in mud and debris, and tiles torn up from the floor had been shattered on the ground by the force of the wind and water, AFP saw. Tseung Kwan O resident Malcolm Thorp said he was "really sad" about the devastation as he passed by his favourite restaurant. "I certainly wasn't expecting all of the metal railings, the force that's been applied to smack all of those (down)," the 58-year-old said. The top typhoon warning was downgraded by Hong Kong's weather service on Wednesday afternoon after being in force for nearly 11 hours -- the second-longest on the city's record. Globally, scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful as the world warms due to the effects of human-driven climate change. Remon Harby, another restaurant manager in Tseung Kwan O, said he has never seen such devastation in more than a decade in Hong Kong. The 45-year-old Egyptian said he expected he would need at least a month to fix everything. But with extreme weather occurring more frequently, he said, nobody can afford this sort of "total damage" all the time. "No business can accept this or can last this way." Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a grand gathering in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Urumqi, capital of this region in northwest China, on Sept. 25, 2025. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and head of the central delegation, attended this event and delivered a speech. Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the gathering. Both Wang and Cai are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) URUMQI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday attended a grand gathering in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Urumqi, capital of this region in northwest China. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joined local officials and members of the public from all ethnic groups and all walks of life at the event. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and head of the central delegation, attended this event and delivered a speech. Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the gathering. Both Wang and Cai are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. The gathering commenced at around 10:30 a.m. All participants stood up and sang the national anthem. A congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council, the CPPCC National Committee, and the Central Military Commission was read out at the gathering. In his speech, Wang said that over the past 70 years, the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have achieved great successes in socialist revolution and development, and in reform and opening up, under the leadership of the CPC. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core formulated the Party's policies for the governance of Xinjiang in the new era, which has driven historic achievements across various undertakings in the region, Wang said. Xinjiang, together with the rest of the country, won the battle against poverty and completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, said Wang, noting that ethnic unity in Xinjiang has been further consolidated, and the sense of community for the Chinese nation has been strengthened. The achievements made by the autonomous region over the past seven decades have reflected the strengths of the Party's leadership and the socialist system, as well as the strong vitality of the correct and distinctively Chinese approach to handling ethnic affairs, Wang said. He urged efforts to build a socialist modern Xinjiang that is characterized by unity, harmony, prosperity, affluence, cultural progress and a sound eco-environment, where people live and work in peace and contentment. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a grand gathering in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Urumqi, capital of this region in northwest China, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a grand gathering in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Urumqi, capital of this region in northwest China, on Sept. 25, 2025. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and head of the central delegation, attended this event and delivered a speech. Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the gathering. Both Wang and Cai are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a grand gathering in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Urumqi, capital of this region in northwest China, on Sept. 25, 2025. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and head of the central delegation, attended this event and delivered a speech. Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the gathering. Both Wang and Cai are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the central delegation, delivers a speech at a grand gathering in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Urumqi, capital of this region in northwest China, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) 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 Rightwing podcaster and U.S. comedian Tim Dillon has claimed he was fired from doing the Riyadh Comedy Festival over previous jokes he made about slavery. Dillon, 40, was originally expected to perform at the Saudi Arabia festival October 8. However, he no longer appears on the bill. Addressing his absence from the lineup on the latest episode of his podcast, The Tim Dillon Show, the comic recalled being told by his manager, They heard what you said about them having slaves. They didnt like that. I addressed it in a funny way, Dillon insisted, and they fired me. He added: I certainly wasnt gonna show up in your country and insult the people that are paying me the money. open image in gallery American comedian Tim Dillon was fired from his slot at Riyadh Comedy Festival ( The Joe Rogan Experience/Spotify ) The controversial remarks in question featured in an August 30 episode, in which Dillon repeatedly commented on the alleged slavery in Saudi Arabia, and his decision to accept $375,000 for his act at the countrys inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival. The Independent has contacted the Riyadh Comedy Festival for comment. Theyre paying me enough money to look the other way, he claimed on his show. Im being paid a lot of money to not care about what they do in their country. I mean, its very simple. If you pay me lots of money, I will not comment on whats going on. In fact, I will ignore it. And if something that I really disagree with is happening, the more money you pay me, the less Im going to think about it. He continued: I believe in looking the other way. I believe in pretending things are not happening that are. I believe in cognitive dissonance. I believe in ignoring the screams. I will sleep so soundly I will sleep through the screams, sleep through the screams. open image in gallery Tim Dillon claimed he was being paid $375,000 to look the other way ( Tim Dillon ) Mind your own beeswax, Dillon said. Theres a lot of beeswax in Saudi Arabia. Its not my problem. Theyre paying me to keep my mouth shut. Im gonna say something, and people arent gonna like it. If you think for one second that some of the slaves in that country are not proud of what theyve built, youre crazy. Youre literally crazy. Youre literally nuts. There are so many beautiful things that have happened as a result of forced labor, he argued, as a picture of the pyramids appeared on the screen. He explained that he was using the word slave only because people have told me that. I havent looked into it, and I wont, he quipped. The international comedy festival, running from September 26 to October 9, marks the first of its kind in the country. The Human Rights Watch has accused the Saudi government of hosting the festival as a way to deflect attention from its brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations. The event will welcome a slate of some of the biggest names in comedy, such as Dave Chappelle, Jeff Ross, Gabriel Iglesias, Aziz Ansari, Kevin Hart, Tom Segura, Jo Koy, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, and Pete Davidson. 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 Emma Watson has opened up about her difficult rift with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling over their differing viewpoints on transgender issues. The 35-year-old British star, best known for her portrayal of Hermione Granger in the eight-film adaptation of Rowlings wizarding books, has been an outspoken advocate for trans rights, as have many of her co-stars, including Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint. Rowling, meanwhile, has drawn controversy for remarks that have been criticized as transphobic. Recently, she lashed out at the actors, suggesting that she would never forgive them for their views, and that they now ruin the movies for her. Sitting down for her first podcast interview with Jay Shetty, Watson was asked about the authors hurtful comments. I think the thing Im most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible, she said, adding that she will always believe in having an open dialogue. open image in gallery Emma Watson said she still 'treasures' J.K. Rowling and the experiences they shared, despite their difference in opinions ( Getty ) I really dont believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, means that I cant and dont treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with, Watson said. I will never believe that one negates the other and that my experience of that person, I dont get to keep and cherish, to come back to our earlier thing. I just dont think these things are either or. I think its my deepest wish that I hope people who dont agree with my opinion will love me and I hope I can keep loving people who I dont necessarily share the same opinion with. In an earlier interview with Hollywood Authentic, the star of The Perks of Being a Wallflower addressed her years-long acting hiatus. open image in gallery Emma Watson sat down with Jay Shetty for her first podcast interview ( Jay Shetty Podcast/YouTube ) Admitting that shes maybe the happiest and healthiest [shes] ever been since stepping away from the spotlight, Watson explained: The bigger component than the actual job itself is the promotion and selling of that piece of work, this piece of art. The balance of that can get quite thrown off. I think Ill be honest and straightforward, and say: I do not miss selling things. I found that to be quite soul-destroying. But I do very much miss using my skill set, and I very much miss the art. I just found I got to do so little of the bit that I actually enjoyed. The actor, whose most recent film was Greta Gerwigs Little Women adaptation in 2019, continued: I dont miss the pressure. I forget it was a lot of pressure. I did a small thing for a play, just with my friends. I was like, Bloody hell, this is stressful! And that wasnt even for a real public audience or anything. I dont miss that. 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 Nick Offerman has said he hopes his new film finds an audience in the UK as he fears it may be too smart for the American audience. The Parks and Recreation star, 55, plays the lead role in Sovereign, a thriller set in the anti-government sovereign citizen movement. Speaking to The Guardian, Offerman said: The script is a work of art, about the sovereign citizen movement, which like any other conspiracy theory is based on the extreme edge of American thought. It made me think of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol; what drives normal working class Americans to make these life choices? Im counting on the UK to celebrate this film, because I think its a little too smart for the American audience, frankly. A more European sensibility is going to respond more powerfully than an American one. The film from writer-director Christian Swegal also stars teenager Jacob Tremblay and Dennis Quaid. An official synopsis reads: Based on real events, the story follows a father and son (Offerman and Tremblay) who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, as they venture across the country and find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police (Dennis Quaid) that sets off an intense manhunt with tragic consequences. Nick Offerman stars as a member of an anti-government movement in Sovereign ( Getty ) Earlier this week, Offerman said that hes grateful that some of his closest friends and family are staunch Donald Trump supporters, as it allows him to understand those with opposite views to his. Im grateful to them because it allows me not to fall into the binary trap of just shaking my fist at them, Offerman explained to The i Paper. Offerman continued: I have these conversations where I say, Listen, youre a great person and someone I admire, but I think youre getting bad information. And they shake their heads sadly and say, Sorry, Nick, Im afraid youre getting bad information. Brainwashed by the paedophiles. Oh, boy. Elsewhere in the interview, Offerman took umbrage with super-right-wing voters who have attempted to use his Parks and Recreation character Ron Swanson as an icon for being a socially conservative gun enthusiast. Offermans character Ron Swanson was gruff, manly, loved capitalism and hated the government. Although Swanson owned guns to hunt, he placed vital importance on gun safety and licensing. Many, many people with bad reading comprehension will use Rons image as their avatar when theyre super-right-wing. I cant sit every one of them down and explain why theyre bad at watching television, Offerman said. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to work with the United Nations to implement the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Wednesday. Li made the remarks when meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. 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 Sean Penn has shared his thoughts on the shooting of Charlie Kirk. The actor and political activist plays a ruthless white supremacist in Paul Thomas Andersons new movie, One Battle After Another, which follows a group of ex-revolutionaries. Asked about the films growing cultural relevance, Penn said he was not surprised at all by Kirks murder. Like a lot of people, Ive been worrying that this kind of horror was moving towards coming into fashion, he told Vanity Fair. Noting that the shooting had occurred just 24 hours before the interview took place, Penn added: Its disturbing enough that I would say Im still processing it. And what its implications are. Actor Sean Penn, who has long been outspoken in politics, and the late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk ( Getty ) Penn has long been as outspoken in politics as he has been in Hollywood, often criticizing President Donald Trump in public comments. On Trumps COVID-19 response, Penn said it felt like vulnerable communities were being gunned down from the White House. He described the Trump administration as obscene and said that truth and reason were assaulted under it. Over the years, the actor has met with controversial world leaders, including Cubas Raul Castro and Venezuelas Hugo Chavez, drawing both praise and criticism. More recently, he has been an ardent supporter of Ukraine, frequently visiting the country since Russias 2022 invasion and even presenting one of his Oscars to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Kirk, a conservative influencer and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on September 10. Police have since charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the murder. Kirks death has prompted widespread mourning and outrage from both sides of the political sphere. At his public memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, on Monday, Kirks widow forgave her husbands killer in front of tens of thousands of people, before President Donald Trump declared his hate for his opponents in a contrasting, politically charged speech. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Trump has previously blamed the radical left for Kirks death, and threatened to go after liberal organizations and donors or others who he feels are maligning or celebrating the right-wing figures death. Federal investigators have found no evidence linking Robinson to left-wing groups, three sources told NBC News. Every indication so far is that this was one guy who did one really bad thing because he found Kirks ideology personally offensive, one person said. One Battle After Another is released in theaters September 26. 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 Neon pulled Together, starring Alison Brie and Dave Franco, from Chinese theatres after finding the local distributor made an unauthorised edit to a scene changing a mans face into a womans to show a gay couple as heterosexual. The horror movie directed by Michael Shanks follows Franco and Brie as they move to the countryside and encounter a mysterious force that causes horrific changes to their bodies. After the film was released in China earlier this month, viewers reported on social media that a male characters face in a scene had been replaced with a womans to show a homosexual relationship as heterosexual. Most viewers only noticed the alteration after side-by-side comparisons circulated on social media. Some also said that certain sex scenes had been removed from the final version shown in theatres. Neon bought the global distribution rights for Together at the Sundance Film Festival for $15m and sold Chinese distribution rights to Hishow. The Wrap reported that Hishow pulled the film from theatres in China after a request from Neon. Neon does not approve of Hishows unauthorised edit of the film and have demanded they cease distributing this altered version, the company said in a statement. The Independent has contacted representatives for Shanks, Neon and Hishow for comment. On Douban, the Chinese equivalent of IMDb, some viewers said they were alarmed at the digital alterations. The evolution to using AI to directly swap faces is truly terrifying. In the future, we won't even know we're watching the original film, one person said. Thats great! another wrote. We can re-release Brokeback Mountain, God's Own Country, Lan Yu, and Happy Together, and use AI to remake them into heterosexual romances with just one click. Thats faster and better than taking Chinese medicine! We're so beautiful here! We have hope! Neon pulled Together from theatres in China after finding that the local distributor made an unauthorised edit to show a gay couple as heterosexual ( Neon ) In a four-star review of Together, The Independents Clarisse Loughrey writes that while Shankss ideas are smart, and his direction of the digital and practical effects suitably crunchy and nasty, its the casting that makes all the difference. Brie and Franco are married in real life, and that lends an easy, lived-in quality to their characters on screen, she says. But the genius lies in the fact that neither of them are traditional horror stars theyre comedy people, used to bending their bodies and faces in odd ways in order to get a very different kind of reaction from audiences. This wasnt the first time LGBTQ+ content had been edited or removed from films for the Chinese market. In 2018, Bohemian Rhapsody had references to Freddie Mercurys sexuality removed. Warner Bros did away with lines of dialogue where characters Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald referenced their previous romantic relationship in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, while streaming platforms edited out lesbian characters or references in shows like Friends. Homosexuality is decriminalised in China but same-sex relationships are not legally recognised and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and content continue to face restrictions. In 2018, Chinese broadcaster Mango TV was barred from airing the Eurovision Song Contest after the channel censored LGBT+ content during the semi-final. China tightly controls content in both traditional and online media and holds internet platforms accountable if they fail to police content. In 2021, the National Radio and Television Administration issued a directive banning the appearance of effeminate men on screen and urging broadcasters to resolutely put an end to abnormal aesthetics and promote revolutionary culture. Earlier this year, several young authors who wrote gay erotic fiction, called danmei, were detained and accused of producing and disseminating obscene materials for profit. 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 Star Trek legend William Shatner has insisted that hes perfectly fine after recent reports claimed he was hospitalized after experiencing a medical emergency. On Wednesday, TMZ reported that the 94-year-old Canadian actor had been rushed to the hospital due to an issue with his blood sugar. The outlet cited sources who claimed Shatner called the emergency service, and a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance arrived on the scene as a precaution. However, Shatner took to X Thursday to set the record straight, writing: I overindulged. I thank you all for caring, but Im perfectly fine. I keep telling you all: dont trust tabloids or AI! Alongside the caption, he included an image quoting Mark Twain: The rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. Last year, Shatner opened up about being diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer. William Shatner confirms he's 'perfectly fine' amid reports he was hospitalized ( Getty Images ) Im breezing along looking good and feeling good and I noticed a lump on the side of my right ear, he said in September 2024 at a keynote presentation at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, per Healio. I went to my family doctor, who said the parotid gland was probably jammed up, and to just massage it and it will go away. He said that about a month later, he went to a different doctor, who gave him very different news. I went and had [the lump] taken out. It was melanoma, stage 4, Shatner said. I said, Stage 4? And someone in the room said, Sorry. I said, What are you sorry about? It was like, Better pack your things. That person who said sorry, that was very sad, like you are going to die. And I was. They said if this [treatment] they used did not work, I had about 5 months. The two-time Emmy winner is best known for helming Starship Enterprise as Captain Kirk, alongside original Star Trek cast members Leonard Nimoy as Spock, DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy, James Doohan as Montgomery Scott, and Nichelle Nichols as Nyota Uhura. His other roles have included playing a beauty pageant host in the 2000 Sandra Bullock comedy Miss Congeniality and starring as the title character on the 1980s police drama series TJ Hooker. He has also appeared in the legal drama series The Practice and its spin-off, Boston Legal. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. In 2023, Shatner made the documentary You Can Call Me Bill as a way to reach out to his grandchildren after he dies. He told Variety at the time: Ive turned down a lot of offers to do documentaries before. But I don't have long to live. Whether I keel over as Im speaking to you or 10 years from now, my time is limited, so thats very much a factor. Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The BBCs broadcast of punk duo Bob Vylans performance at this years Glastonbury Festival has been found to have breached the corporations editorial standards on harm and offence. Controversy erupted after the musicians chanted death, death to the IDF, referring to the Israel Defence Forces, at the festival in Somerset in June. Their set was live-streamed by the broadcaster. The BBCs Executive Complaints Unit received four complaints about the performance. They related to incitement to violence, terrorism or ethnic cleansing, hate speech and expressions of antisemitism. The BBC has been cleared of breaching its standards of impartiality over its broadcasting of the performance. open image in gallery Bob Vylan performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival ( PA Wire ) Following the set, the corporation issued an apology to viewers, especially the Jewish community, and promised to take action to ensure proper accountability. It also said it will no longer broadcast performances deemed high risk live. The BBC admitted it had assessed the act as such before Glastonbury, but deemed it suitable for live streaming. However, the broadcaster said this was clearly not the case. Bob Vylan, meanwhile, released a statement saying they were being "targeted for speaking up". open image in gallery Bob Vylans Glastonbury set was live-streamed by the BBC ( PA Wire ) We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine, the statement said. It later emerged that the duo were already being investigated by the Met Police regarding alleged comments made at a gig at Londons Alexandra Palace in May. One video showed a member appearing to say: "Death to every single IDF soldier out there as an agent of terror for Israel. Death to the IDF." Since then they have reportedly been dropped by their agency, United Talent Agency (UTA), which appears to have removed the group from their website, and have also been pulled from a number of concerts, including their US tour after having their visas revoked. According to ancient myth, the fearsome bacchae were prone to turning their victims inside out and scattering their entrails over Greek mountain sides. And Heartstopper actor Nima Taleghani has done something similar to Euripidess classic here. In his debut play, he inverts the rakish god Dionysos into a refugee searching for belonging, makes the tyrannical ruler Pentheus a lovable crossdresser, and softens the rampaging bacchae into likeable feminist vigilantes who address the audiences as b****es. Its a headspinningly smart, visually spectacular, and hugely entertaining opening move from new National Theatre artistic director Indhu Rubasingham. As bacchic den mother Vida, a winningly frank Clare Perkins gives us an intro to this world: Basically, we just topple dickhead dictators and provide liberation, she explains, before wittily reining in vicious sidekick Serene (Melanie Joyce-Bermudez), whod rather be embedding her French-tipped fingernails in someones cranium. Under Vidas leadership, these women roam about toppling unjust regimes and evangelising about the transformative powers of wine and sex: its all very Summer of Love meets #MeToo. Then their god Dionysos a gold-drenched, fantastically charismatic Ukweli Roach ropes them into a cause of his own. He believes his aunt Agave (Sharon Small) stopped him from taking his rightful place among the gods (because of snobbery about his demigod status), and so hes bent on revenge against her and her son, Theban ruler Pentheus (James McArdle). Dionysos kidnaps Agave, makes her drunk with bacchic lusts, and uses her as bait to topple this tyrannical ruler. Taleghanis approach here is to turn Thebes into a kind of stand-in for oppressive states everywhere. Like Afghanistan under the Taliban, women are banned from laughing in public. Like the UK, protest groups are liable to be declared terrorist organisations. Rubasingham sketches this dark, heightened world with wit and invention. The Olivier Theatre is the NTs biggest space, and famously hasnt always succeeded in finding shows to fill it big splashy musicals aside. But her staging of the Bacchae really makes it feel like the Greek amphitheatre it was originally designed to resemble. Its full of dream-like pageantry, with its chorus of women writhing like tormented souls in Kate Princes choreography, then stepping out of their angular Greek vase poses to directly appeal to a rapt audience. In a hilarious riff on the Greek dramatic tradition that violence must take place off stage, the chorus describes Agave devouring an innocent messenger with their faces pressed up against the fourth wall in horror, like theyre watching a lion devour a zookeeper through glass. Theres also a thorough excavation of this storys queerness and not just through kinky sex jokes (although there are plenty). When Pentheus dresses up as a woman to infiltrate the bacchae, its meant to be humiliating but here, its liberating, with designer Robert Jones creating a heartstoppingly beautiful scene of this softened tyrant sitting, sequinned, on a vast golden pine branch, in love with a gentler vision of himself. Still, for all his plays delicious bloodthirstiness and queer excess, Taleghani also explores the pressures within protest movements with surprising subtlety. Vidas determination to codify and moderate the bacchaes aims ends with her losing most of her followers. The bacchae represent the dangers of becoming so high on righteousness that you forget who youre actually tearing apart. And Pentheus becomes symbolic of all the complacent liberal-minded types who are willing to accept outsiders, but not at the cost of any of their own personal comfort. After all the intricacy thats gone before, the Bacchaes metatheatrical ending lands swiftly and slightly unsatisfyingly. Dionysos might be the god of theatre, but this isnt really a story about the magic of live performance. Still, its hard to begrudge this lovable production a small moment of self-indulgence. This is full-bodied theatre, rich with invention, intriguing themes and visual sumptuousness. Drink deep and fall under its spell. On at the National Theatre until 1 November; tickets here 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 Jimmy Kimmel Live! received a huge boost in viewership when the late-night show returned to ABC Tuesday night. The show was allowed back on the air after parent company Disney said it had thoughtful conversations with the host over his ill-timed comments about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. According to Variety, Kimmels return was watched by 6.3 million viewers on Tuesday night more than tripling its normal TV viewership. That figure is particularly impressive given that an estimated 23 percent of households in the US were unable to tune in due to an ongoing boycott by local station owners Nexstar and Sinclair. Before being taken off the air, Kimmels show was averaging about 1.77 million viewers during the second quarter of this year. Kimmels comeback monologue also went viral online, accumulating more than 14 million views on YouTube and 5.7 million views on Instagram as of Wednesday afternoon. The clip is now Kimmels most-watched upload in more than a year, Rolling Stone reports. Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC last night with a vastly increased audience ( Disney ) Kimmels show was suspended by ABC after he sparked outrage by accusing MAGA Republicans of using Kirks killing to score political points. Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on September 10, and police have since charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the murder. We had some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it, Kimmel said on September 15. FCC Chair Brendan Carr called Kimmels comments truly sick and suggested ABCs license could be at risk over it. Shortly afterward, ABC moved to suspend Kimmels show. While ABC reversed its decision on Monday, Nexstar and Sinclair have since said their networks will not air the talk show. Before Kimmel returned, big names in Hollywood and politics like former President Barack Obama quickly condemned his shows suspension and raised questions about free speech. More than 400 celebrities signed an open letter against his suspension over the weekend, while protests erupted outside of Kimmels Hollywood studio last week. President Donald Trump also weighed in. He initially celebrated ABCs decision to preempt Kimmels show last week, but went on to criticize the network when they announced it would resume airing. I cant believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back, Trump wrote on Truth Social. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his talent was never there. In his much-watched monologue, Kimmel was choked up and visibly emotional as he explained his intentions in last weeks episode. I do want to make something clear, because its important to me as a human and that is you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man, Kimmel said. I dont think theres anything funny about it. Kimmel went on to tell his audience he had since sent love to Kirks family and asked for compassion. I meant it and I still do, nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual, Kimmel said. The host also praised a beautiful moment that had taken place at Kirks public memorial in Arizona over the weekend. On Sunday, Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him, Kimmel said, as he choked up again. That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it was. Thats it. A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply. 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 Jimmy Kimmel relentlessly mocked bully Donald Trump in the second episode of his show to air since he returned from a temporary suspension. The late-night host wasted no time in setting his sights on the US president, who last week celebrated news of his brief axing as great news for America. He told Jimmy Kimmel Live! viewers that he talks about Mr Trump more than anything because hes a bully and I dont like bullies. In response to Trump saying he couldnt believe US network ABC gave Kimmel his job back, the host referenced the president winning the election for a second time. You cant believe they gave me my job back? I cant believe we gave you your job back! Were even, he said. Kimmel also addressed Mr Trumps suggestion that he had been fired for poor ratings, asking: Has anyone ever been fired for bad ratings on a Wednesday? The screen then showed poor polling for the president, with Kimmel stating: He does know bad ratings. He has some of the worst ratings any president has ever had. Kimmel also denied Mr Trumps claim that the White House had been told his show was cancelled by ABC. open image in gallery Kimmel returned to the air on Tuesday after a six-day suspension ( Disney ) The hosts series returned on Tuesday, six days after he was suspended for his controversial remarks about the identity of Tyler Robinson, the suspected gunman behind the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Upon his initial return to screens, Kimmel said of Mr Trump: You almost have to feel sorry for him. He tried. Did his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. ABCs initial decision to suspend Kimmel came soon after Nexstar Media Group, the largest owner of television stations across the country, said it would no longer air his show. Nexstar owns Americas largest local broadcasting group, made up of top network affiliates, with more than 200 owned or partner stations in 116 US markets reaching 220 million people. Hours before the decision was made public, the Trump-appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, called Kimmels words truly sick. open image in gallery The chat show host has traded jibes with Donald Trump after his programme was temporarily suspended, which the president said was great news for America ( ABC/Getty ) Carr went on to say that his agency could hold ABC, Disney, and Jimmy Kimmel accountable for the comments. He said the comic appeared to be making an intentional effort to mislead the public into believing that Kirks assassin was a Trump supporter. 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 Soaps longest-standing actor William Roache has revealed he had a two-year rivalry with a Coronation Street co-star. The 93-year-old actor, who has played Ken Barlow on the ITV soap since its 1960 debut, said that he clashed with Pat Phoenix, who played legendary character Elsie Tanner. Phoenix was also an original cast member, appearing from 1960 to 1973 before returning for an eight-year stint in 1976 but for two of those years, she didnt see eye to eye with Roache. Roache said hostilities started over a scene in which Barlow told Tanner off for saying something unkind to his wife, Valerie Tatlock (played by Anne Reid). The actor claimed that Phoenix disagreed with how the scene played out, telling the director: I dont think shed take this from this young man. Roache said he found this unprofessional. She said she wanted to do something in the end, and the director said, Yes, Pat, anything you want, Roache said on a panel with several co-stars, including Jane Danson (who plays Leanne Battersby), Jack P Shepherd (David Platt) and Jimmi Harkishin (Dev Alahan). open image in gallery Coronation Street actor William Roache has played Ken Barlow since 1960 ( ITV ) Pat asked me to pause and [suggested her character should] throw an ashtray at me. I said, No, Pat, you know what youve done here, and as far as Im concerned, its unprofessional. We didnt talk for two years. They shared many scenes together, but did not talk when the cameras stopped rolling, until she invited him to her birthday party out of the blue. Two years later, were standing together waiting to film a scene, still not talking, and it was her birthday coming up. She said, Oh I suppose youd better come to my party then, and we became good friends after that. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Phoenixs role as reckless divorcee Elsie led to her being considered one of TVs first sex symbols. Her character left the cobbles for Portugal in 1983 and it was revealed Elsie had died in an offscreen car crash in 2004. Away from Corrie, Phoenix starred in British film The L-Shaped Room (1962) and one-act TV play Hidden Talents in 1986 the same year she died of lung cancer, aged 62. Phoenix kept her diagnosis secret from her acting boyfriend Anthony Booth Tony Blairs future father-in-law but when she was given just weeks to live, Phoenix told Booth and they married eight days before her death. Coronation Street celebrates its 65th anniversary on 9 December, which also marks Roaches 65th year on the soap. He has appeared on the series continuously without taking any breaks, making him the longest-serving actor in soap history. He said he wants to keep playing Barlow until he is 100. open image in gallery Pat Phoenix as legendary Corrie character Elsie Tanner ( IYTV ) Roache reportedly earns more than 250,000 per year for his role, which would make him one of the highest-paid cast members. However, in 2024, he filed for bankruptcy after having a petition filed against him by HMRC. A spokesperson for Coronation Street told The Independent: Were really sorry to hear of Bills financial situation. Bill has an ongoing contract with Coronation Street and remains a much-loved member of the cast. The actor received an OBE from King Charles in 2022 for services to drama and charity. At the time, he said: Im delighted to be receiving an OBE as its such a wonderful honour. I cant tell you how proud I am. Coronation Street has given me so much in life and I absolutely love the programme and everyone who works on the show. 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 South Park depicts a hapless Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in this weeks new episode, the first since the assassination of MAGA activist Charlie Kirk. Carr has courted controversy this week after putting pressure on ABC to take Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air. The fifth episode of season 27, titled Conflict of Interest, finds Kyle upset after he learns his schoolmates are using a prediction markets app to bet on whether his mother will bomb a hospital in Gaza. When he calls the apps strategic advisor, who it emerges is Donald Trump Jr, he instructs him to call the FCC as theyre dealing with all the offensive stuff now. When Carrs character later goes to the White House, he ends up falling afoul of various slapstick schemes that President Donald Trump is using in an attempt to abort the child hes having with Satan. Carr is depicted falling down greased stairs, eating a poisoned meal, and contracting toxoplasmosis from cat feces. The latter illness threatens to rob Carr of his freedom of speech. At one point, JD Vance threatens Carr and directly references Carrs threat to ABC over Kimmel: We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. open image in gallery Donald Trump serving a poisoned meal to Satan in the latest South Park episode 'Conflict of Interest' ( Comedy Central ) The episode was initially delayed last week after co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said they failed to hit their deadline. In a statement posted on X, Parker and Stone said: Apparently when you do everything at the last minute sometimes you dont get it done. This ones on us. We didnt get it done in time. Thanks to Comedy Central and South Park fans for being so understanding. Tune in next week! The show will return in three weeks time and then go back to its fortnightly schedule, with new installments arriving every other Wednesday from October 15 to December 10. It is extremely rare for the show to miss its production deadline. In 2013, an episode titled Goth Kids 3: Dawn of Posers was delayed due to a power outage at the studio. open image in gallery Kyle, Jimmy and Jesus in the latest South Park episode 'Conflict of Interest' ( Comedy Central ) Earlier this month, Comedy Central removed a rerun of a recent South Park episode that mocked Charlie Kirk from its cable schedule. Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10. The episode in question, Got a Nut, first aired on August 6, 2025. It showed South Park mainstay Eric Cartman visiting college campuses for debates like Kirk, adopting his hairstyle and mannerisms. The episode, which ends with the Charlie Kirk Award for Young Masterdebaters being handed out, was described as hilarious by Kirk himself in a TikTok posted on August 7. 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 If you didnt already know that Netflixs House of Guinness came from the brain of Steven Peaky Blinders Knight, it only takes a few minutes of watching it for the clues to start pouring in. The opening scenes of the new drama, which tells the story of the Anglo-Irish brewing dynasty in the aftermath of the death of Victorian patriarch Sir Benjamin Guinness, are branded with just about every hallmark of Knights work that you can think of. The words water, malted barley, hops and yeast theyre the four component parts of beer, dont you know? shoot onto the screen in huge letters as an anachronistically pounding beat plays in the background. Then comes more text: Family. Money. Rebellion. Power. All very subtle and understated, helpfully spelling out the Big Themes that the series will grapple with, and inverting the usual storytelling maxim of show, dont tell. Before long, theres an outbreak of very Peaky violence, with henchmen from the Guinness brewery whacking members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood with hammers, as the rebels try to disrupt Sir Benjamins funeral procession. Its all a bit exhausting, a bit try-hard and thats before youve started to reckon with the fact that almost every scene seems to luxuriate in dark, sludgy hues that make it impossible to see anything (the perennial scourge of period dramas with pretensions of edginess). And although its been billed as Peaky Blinders meets Succession, House of Guinness feels more like Peaky Blinders with pints. The Succession comparison stems from the fact that, at its heart, this is a show about family. At one point, one of the Guinness siblings even tells another that this is about family, which gives you an idea of just how on the nose the dialogue can be. In another scene, a different sibling quotes a Bible verse, then helpfully informs us that said verse suggests that it may be I who will be the cornerstone for the house of Guinness. Who needs subtext? Following the funeral of Sir Benjamin, the man who turned Guinness into a brand being poured by half the world, as yet more onscreen explication puts it, his four children gather to learn how he has decided to divvy up his brewing empire. Arthur, played by Say Nothings Anthony Boyle, is the eldest son, whos been away living the high life in London for so long that he practically sounds like an English gent. Then theres Ben (Fionn OShea), the alcoholic black sheep of the family who is up to his nose in gambling debt. Edward (Louis Partridge) is the youngest of the brothers, but has paid his dues in the family factory and has grand plans for the business. And then theres Anne (The Responders Emily Fairn), their sister, who seems frustrated by the constraints that come with her gender. Fionn OShea, Louis Partridge, Anthony Boyle and Emily Fairn star as the Guinness siblings ( Netflix ) The instructions in their late fathers last will and testament somehow manage to leave almost all of them disappointed or thwarted in some way. Throw in outrage from temperance activists, a young republican named Ellen (Niamh McCormack) attempting to dig up dirt on the family in order to blackmail them, and the prospect of strategically arranged marriages for Arthur (who, in the seriess imagining at least, is gay) and Edward, and you have a truly convoluted recipe for drama. Oh, and James Norton is in full villain mode, glowering menacingly across the factory floor as family stooge and resident hardman Sean Rafferty, whos in charge of terrorising the brewers and doing the Guinnesses dirty work. Theres a lot to keep track of, sure, but somehow none of it really seems to grab you. Perhaps its the paint-by-numbers script, or maybe its the overwhelming, well, brown-ness of the whole thing. But choppy cutting and all the Kneecap needle drops in the world cant compensate for House of Guinnesss sluggishness. It lacks the propulsive energy of A Thousand Blows and the brash humour of SAS: Rogue Heroes, to compare it to two of Knights recent historical efforts. And it seems unlikely that viewers will stick around for last orders. The News in Brief Thursday, September 25, 2025 Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused European Union Ambassador Pawel Herczynski of encouraging political radicalism in Georgia, calling the envoy's actions "very sad and regrettable."Speaking to reporters, Kobakhidze claimed the ambassador was "directly involved in inciting radicalism and polarization" and said the episode showed "the negative face of European bureaucracy." He added that he no longer found it "interesting to comment on a specific ambassador."He also criticized a European Commission spokesperson for voicing support for an opposition rally on October 4, calling the statement "direct, crude interference" in Georgia's internal affairs. "What more radical support can one imagine than this? The facts speak for themselves," he said.Kobakhidze insisted that outside pressure would not undermine the country's political system. "We will not allow anyone to cast a shadow on our democratic system. No one can successfully attack Georgian democracy," he declared.He warned, however, that such remarks from Brussels are eroding public confidence. "The most regrettable thing is that trust in the European Union is decreasing in Georgian society against the background of such statements," Kobakhidze said, urging EU officials to change course.The Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) announced it will not conduct a traditional election observation mission during the local self-government elections scheduled for October 4, 2025. It is the first time in the organization's 31-year history that it will be absent from the polls.In a statement, GYLA described the current political climate as one of the most difficult in modern Georgia. "The backsliding of democracy in the country, the repressive policy against civil society organizations and the media, the adoption of restrictive laws, as well as the deterioration of the legal framework for observers under the election legislation, make it practically impossible for us to form a full-fledged observation mission," the group said.Despite stepping back from direct observation, the association pledged to continue monitoring developments. "GYLA will continue to protect human rights and the rule of law and periodically present an assessment of the current legal environment to the public," the statement added. KABUL, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- One traveler was killed and three others injured when their car overturned in eastern Afghanistan's Laghman province on Thursday morning, the provincial police office said in a statement. Blaming reckless driving for the deadly mishap, the statement noted that the accident occurred in the Kakakh region, along the highway linking the capital Kabul to eastern Nangarhar province, resulting in the immediate death of one passenger and injuries to three others. Earlier, seven travelers lost their lives and two others were injured in a collision between a car and a passenger bus in eastern Wardak province last Friday. The main highway traversing Laghman province frequently witnesses fatal accidents due to driver negligence, with highway traffic officials urging motorists to adhere to traffic rules and regulations to prevent such tragedies. 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 Tall Pines is, on the face of it, the perfect progressive community. When Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin), a trans cop, moves to remote Vermont with his pregnant wife Laura (Sarah Gadon), nobody bats an eyelid. More than that, his new partner from the local police department quickly assures him, correctly as it turns out, that hell be actively accepted and treated just like one of the guys. Theres a farmers market where locals sell their homemade chutneys, group outdoor yoga sessions, and a care package waiting when they move into the idyllic (and mysteriously rent-free) clapboard house in which theyll start their new life. Alexs gender identity is not a problem. Nothing, it seems, is a problem. So why does everything feel off? Netflixs new eight-part thriller Wayward was also created and written by Martin, best known for their stand-up career and semi-autobiographical offbeat romcom Feel Good. Their comedic chops prove a real boon here; tonally, Wayward benefits from a sense of surreal, dark humour and bouncy pacing to offset all that cultish creepiness underpinning the narrative. Characters are exaggerated to great effect, with horror powerhouse Toni Collette in her absolute element as Evelyn, the charismatic yet deeply unnerving founder of Tall Pines Academy the towns school for troubled teens. Evelyn is something of a cartoonish Seventies throwback, all long wavy hair and oversized tinted glasses as she cycles around town on a ridiculous recumbent bicycle. But shes far from a figure of fun. Flipping between delivering warm, full-body hugs and gimlet-eyed, sub-zero stares with the speed of a switchblade, Collette plays Evelyn to spine-chilling perfection. open image in gallery Toni Collette stars as charismatic leader Evelyn in 'Wayward' ( Netflix ) At Tall Pines Academy, cruel and unusual therapeutic techniques more akin to psychological warfare are dished out by suitably unhinged henchmen and women with names like Duck and Rabbit to break adolescents free from their old selves. Therapy-speak is weaponised in a manner all too familiar to those whove watched the rise of the modern armchair diagnosis on TikTok; theres talk of intergenerational trauma and identified patients. Thats the person in a family who holds the pain, says Evelyn. And that pain continues, until someones brave enough to feel it. Suffice to say, the students are forced to feel it, whether they want to or not. Into this melting pot of traumatised weirdos step best friends Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and Abbie (Sydney Topliffe), shipped across the border from Canada after their parents despair of their pot smoking and school skiving. They head up a stellar ensemble cast of young misfits; a particular stand-out is Isolde Ardies, who plays fractured zealot Stacey with skin-crawling perkiness. open image in gallery Trans cop Alex (Mae Martin, centre) moves to Tall Pines with pregnant wife Laura (Sarah Gadon) ( Netflix ) Unlike plenty of the glossy-looking but thin thrillers so frequently served up by the streamers at present, Wayward offers something far more odd and entertaining. Thematically, its not a million miles from Hulus hokey Nine Perfect Strangers, in which Nicole Kidmans wellness guru delivers a disturbingly unconventional retreat to an unwitting ensemble cast of guests but here the concept is genuinely well executed, with characters who hold their own and enough well-timed twists to keep viewers hooked. It feels like an homage to influences that cross genres: there are elements of horror reminiscent of everything from Rosemarys Baby (when Laura points out what she thinks is a tail on her foetuss scan) and Ari Asters cult folk chiller Midsommar (in groping group embraces that resemble a singular organism as bodies collectively sway with emotion) to Darren Aronofskys unsettling, avant-garde Mother! (when the baby is finally born into a house full of overly invested bystanders). The students-slash-inmates getaway strategies, meanwhile, evoke The Great Escape; the idea of being misunderstood and locked away has the flavour of Girl, Interrupted. But behind the missing children, mind games and eerie psychedelic rituals lies perhaps the biggest horror of all: living in a small town where everybody knows your business. As it turns out, being accepted isnt all its cracked up to be. Theres no such thing as a free homemade chutney, after all. Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An Edinburgh woman is speaking out after her husband died from an undiagnosed coronary heart disease just six months into their marriage. Catherine Murray, 34, who lost her 32-year-old husband, Iain, in May 2023, recently took part in the 21-mile Edinburgh Kiltwalk to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The couple had been together for 14 years, since they were teenagers, but had only wed six months before he died and had been due to honeymoon in Portugal the week after his death. She recalled how she found her husband unresponsive on the sofa when she returned home from work as a medical receptionist. I started screaming, but I knew he was gone, she said. I called an ambulance and I did CPR for about six minutes, although it felt like much longer, then paramedics arrived and worked on him for about 45 minutes, but there was nothing. open image in gallery Iain died from an undiagnosed coronary heart disease just six months after his wedding ( Family Handout/PA ) Mrs Murray moved in with her late husbands parents, Sharon and Fraser, as they sought to help each other through their grief. Were not a family that hides the fact that we are grieving, we wear it, and we own it, she said. We cry, we talk, we are open and honest. If someone is having a bad day, we all rally round that person. She undertook the 21-mile Kiltwalk in Edinburgh to raise money for BHF research, as well as for her own health. open image in gallery Catherine Murray ( Family Handout/PA ) Mrs Murray said: I was drinking too much, eating too much, and then I realised I also dont want to die young. So, Im trying my best to look after myself. The bad days are less often now. It is still devastating and when I do think about it too much it physically hurts, but those days are getting less. I looked at the BHF and read about the work the charity does we couldnt save Iain, but we can maybe spread awareness about heart health and help other people to have better lives. Symptoms of coronary heart disease (CHD) NHS The main symptoms of coronary heart disease are: chest pain (angina) shortness of breath pain in your neck, shoulders, jaw or arms feeling faint feeling sick (nausea) According to BHF research, someone dies from cardiovascular disease in the UK every three minutes. David McColgan, head of BHF Scotland, said: The sad reality is that each week, around 350 families in Scotland will lose a loved one to cardiovascular conditions like a heart attack and stroke. We have seen record high numbers affected by heart diseases and cardiovascular risk factors in Scotland since the start of the decade, and cardiovascular deaths in 2023 were at their highest since 2008. We are determined to give people more time with their loved ones by powering an era of immense scientific opportunity to give people healthier hearts, for longer. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Star Trek actor William Shatner is recovering after being hospitalised on Wednesday, according to reports. The 94-year-old star, who famously played Captain James T Kirk in the Star Trek franchise from 1966 until 1994, is said to have experienced an issue with his blood sugar levels while at his home in Los Angeles. The Independent has contacted Shatners representatives for comment. One source told TMZ that Shatner called the emergency service and a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance arrived on the scene as a precaution. Shatner was taken to a local hospital to get checked out, with the source saying the actor was good and resting comfortably. He has since spoken out, clarifying that the reports are greatly exaggerated. I overindulged. I thank you all for caring, but Im perfectly fine. I keep telling you all: dont trust tabloids or AI! he wrote on X. open image in gallery William Shatner pictured in 2023 ( Getty ) Shatner is known for helming Starship Enterprise as Captain Kirk, alongside original Star Trek cast members Leonard Nimoy as Spock, DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy, James Doohan as Montgomery Scott and Nichelle Nichols as Nyota Uhura. The actor reprised the role of Captain Kirk on the animated series and the first seven films, including the 1989 film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. His other roles have included playing a beauty pageant MC in the 2000 Sandra Bullock comedy Miss Congeniality and starring as the title character on the 1980s police drama series TJ Hooker. He has also appeared in the legal drama series The Practice and its spin-off, Boston Legal. Shatner made the 2023 documentary You Can Call Me Bill as a way to reach out to his grandchildren after he dies. He told Variety at the time: I've turned down a lot of offers to do documentaries before. But I don't have long to live. Whether I keel over as Im speaking to you or 10 years from now, my time is limited, so thats very much a factor. Shatner made headlines in 2021 after travelling to space on Jeff Bezos Blue Origin shuttle. open image in gallery William Shatner as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise ( CBS/Paramount ) The rocket successfully launched into space for 11 minutes, during which those on board experienced the feeling of weightlessness as they reached the outskirts of space. The actor previously described it as the most profound experience I can imagine and revealed that when he landed, he couldnt stop crying. Shatner spoke about his adventure at New York's Comic-Con, revealing that he was terrified to go into space. He said: My friend Jason Erhlick came to me and said he was seeing these rockets with people going into space. And, wouldnt it be something if Captain Kirk went up there? And I said, Jason, for Gods sake, man. Nobody cares if Captain Kirk goes to space. It was 55 years ago, man. But Im doing well, maybe I should go up to space?' 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 man faces execution for killing his girlfriends 13-month-old daughter during a torturous ordeal the couple said was part of an exorcism to expel a demon from the childs body. Blaine Milam, 35 and from Texas, was condemned for the December 2008 murder of Amora Carson at his trailer in Rusk County in East Texas. Milam was scheduled to receive a lethal injection on Thursday evening at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. Milam has claimed he is innocent, blaming then-girlfriend Jesseca Carson for the killing and alleging she was the one who claimed the girl was possessed by a demon. She was tried separately from Milam and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of capital murder for helping Milam. Both were 18 at the time. Prosecutors said Milam savagely beat the girl with a hammer and also bit, strangled, and mutilated her over a period of 30 hours. A forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy found the child had multiple skull fractures along with broken arms, legs, ribs and numerous bite marks. The pathologist testified at trial that he could not determine a specific cause of death because the girl had so many potentially fatal injuries. open image in gallery Blaine Milam, 35 and from Texas, was condemned for the December 2008 murder of Amora Carson at his trailer in Rusk County in East Texas ( Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP ) Milam's attorneys have asked the US Supreme Court to stop his execution, arguing his conviction was based in part on now-discredited bite mark evidence as well as other unreliable DNA evidence. Milams attorneys also argued he is intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for execution. In their petition to the Supreme Court, Milam's lawyers alleged Carson had experienced religious delusions and suffered from a neurological visual-perception disorder that caused her to see malevolent-seeming distortions in her daughters face, causing her to attack the child. It was Carson who caused her daughters death. There is no credible evidence that Milam played any role in it., Milam's lawyers said. State and federal appeals courts have previously turned down efforts by Milams attorneys to stay his execution. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles on Tuesday denied Milam's request to commute his death sentence to a lesser penalty. Milam's previously had execution dates in 2019 and 2021 that were stayed. The Texas Attorney Generals Office has said Milams claims that he is intellectually disabled have been rejected in previous court rulings and a recent review of DNA evidence used at his trial continues to forensically tie him to Amoras body. The attorney generals office also said in court documents that even if bitemark and DNA evidence were excluded, there was other evidence pointing to his guilt, including his efforts to hide evidence and a confession he made to a nurse after his arrest. open image in gallery Milam's attorneys have asked the US Supreme Court to stop his execution, arguing his conviction was based in part on now-discredited bite mark evidence as well as other unreliable DNA evidence. ( Getty Images ) Rusk County District Attorney Micheal Jimerson, who tried the case along with the Texas Attorney Generals Office, told The Associated Press in 2019 that authorities initially treated Milam and Carson as grieving parents. But Carson later told investigators Milam told her Amora was possessed by a demon because God was tired of her lying to Milam, according to court records. The use of bite mark evidence has been called into question in recent years, with a 2016 report by the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology saying bitemark analysis is clearly scientifically unreliable at present. Jimerson said he still couldn't pinpoint a motive, believing the exorcism claim was just a way for Milam and Carson to cover up their crime. Its ... very hard to confront the idea that someone would derive their gratification from the torture of a baby. That is really something that diminishes all of us and its just a very, very hard thing to face, Jimerson had said. If the execution is carried out, Milam would be the fifth person put to death this year in Texas, historically the nations busiest capital punishment state. If both of Thursdays executions take place, that would bring this years total to 33 death sentences carried out nationwide. Florida leads the nation this year with a record 12 executions conducted so far in 2025 with two more scheduled in the state by mid-October. 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 The shooter who opened fire at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Dallas spent a significant amount of time planning the lone-wolf attack on ICE personnel and left a note saying he wanted to maximize lethality, officials said Thursday. Joshua Jahn, 29, of Fairview, Texas, killed one ICE detainee and injured two others after opening fire around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. Jahn died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the FBI said. Law enforcement did not provide details about the victims identities or their conditions. A preliminary investigationfound that the shooter left a collection of notes behind at his home, giving some apparent insight into his thinking. In the notes, Jahn expressed negative views of ICE as well as the federal government, said Nancy Larson, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, at a press conference. Jahn also wrote that he had acted alone in the attack, and wanted to maximize lethality against ICE agents. open image in gallery Joshua Jahn, 29, of Fairview, Texas, killed one ICE detainee and injured two others after opening fire around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. Jahn died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound ( Collin County Sheriff; Getty Images ) He hoped his actions would give ICE agents real terror of being gunned down, Larson said. He hoped his actions would terrorize ICE employees and interfere with their work which he called human trafficking. Officials said Jahn spent time pre-planning the attack by researching the ICE facility and tracking agents using an app. The shooter drove to the Dallas facility with a large ladder on top of his car, which allowed him to reach the roof of a nearby building, law enforcement said. He used a legally-obtained 8-mm bolt-action rifle to open fire, spraying bullets across the building and transport vehicles. Some of the shell casings left behind were scrawled with ANTI-ICE, according to officials. Joseph Rothrock, special agent in charge of the FBIs Dallas field office, said the shooter left notes acknowledging his attack could harm other people aside from ICE agents which is ultimately what the outcome was. open image in gallery The shooter, 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, sprayed gunfire across the ICE building in Dallas. Bullet holes can be seen in a window ( @TriciaOhio via REUTERS ) open image in gallery Some of the shell casings left behind were scrawled with ANTI-ICE, according to officials ( X/@FBIDirectorKash ) Marcos Charles, executive associate director for ICE removals, condemned the shooting and blamed violent rhetoric and harmful lies coming from social media and community leaders in other states for inciting the attack. Charles also directed some blame at the media for amplifying ICEs locations and making them easier targets. President Donald Trump and other members of the administration have, similarly, blamed rhetoric from liberals who oppose Trumps immigration policies as the main reason for the recent string of violent attacks. After the Dallas ICE facility shooting, Vice President JD Vance said the administration was confident the shooter was a violent left-wing extremist. However, during Thursdays press conference, officials said there was no evidence Jahn was a member of a certain group or entity and that he did not mention any other government agency in his notes other than ICE. Officials declined to comment on whether or not Jahn had a specific, personal connection to ICE or immigration in general. The FBI is encouraging anyone with information to come forward. 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 man who murdered a woman during a gas station robbery will be put to death in Alabama with nitrogen gas. The execution of Geoffrey Todd West, 50, is scheduled for Thursday night at south Alabamas William C. Holman Correctional Facility. West was convicted of capital murder for the 1997 shooting of 33-year-old Margaret Parrish Berry. Berrys son, Will, has said he has forgiven West and has urged the states governor to commute the killers sentence to life in prison. Another execution will be carried out Thursday in Texas, by lethal injection, in an unrelated case. Berry, a mother of two, was shot while lying on the floor behind the counter at Harolds Chevron in Etowah County on March 28, 1997. Prosecutors said the store clerk was killed to ensure there was no witness left behind. Court records state that $250 was taken from a cookie can that held the stores money. West's girlfriend agreed to testify against him in exchange for a 35-year sentence for her role in the robbery and killing. open image in gallery Geoffrey West will be put to death Thursday evening ( Alabama Department of Corrections ) A jury convicted West of capital murder during a robbery and voted 10-2 to recommend a death sentence a recommendation accepted by the judge. Etowah County Circuit Judge William Cardwell said at the 1999 sentencing that he found it difficult to order the execution of a young man but said the killing was "intentional, carried out execution-style. So very sorry West does not deny he killed Margaret Berry. He said at 50 that he struggles to understand what he did at 21. He and his girlfriend were desperate for cash and went to the store where he once worked to rob it. Theres not a day that goes by that I dont regret it and wish that I could take that back," West said. He wants to apologize to Berry's family. Im so very sorry for the hurt that Ive caused you all. Im so very sorry for what Ive taken away from you, and I hope and pray you forgive me, West said of what he wants to tell Berrys family. A plea from victims son One of Berrys sons urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to halt the execution and let West serve the rest of his life in prison. Will Berry said he has forgiven West. He said that he believes forgiveness is what his mother would want. I dont want this man to die. Vengeance isnt for the state. Its for the Lord, Will Berry said. Berry on Tuesday joined death penalty opponents at a vigil outside the Alabama Capitol. He helped delivered a petition to Ivey's office asking that the execution be halted. open image in gallery Berrys son Will has urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to halt the execution ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Ivey replied in a Sept. 11 letter to Berry that she appreciated his belief, but she said Alabama law imposes death as punishment for the most egregious forms of murder. As governor, it is my solemn duty to carry out these laws, Ivey wrote. Ivey has commuted one death sentence during her eight years in office. The Republican governor wrote in the letter that she did so only because of questions about the persons guilt. West and Will Berry exchanged letters. The two men had asked to be able to meet ahead of the Thursday night execution. But the state denied the request for security reasons. Nitrogen gas West will be executed by nitrogen gas. The method involves strapping a gas mask to the face and forcing the inmate to breathe pure nitrogen gas, thus depriving the person of the oxygen needed to stay alive. Nitrogen is an inert gas that makes up 78% of the Earth's atmosphere and is harmless when mixed with adequate oxygen. After Alabama lawmakers in 2018 authorized nitrogen gas as an execution method, the Alabama Department of Corrections gave death row prisoners a brief window to name their preferred execution method. West was one several dozen inmates in 2018 who picked nitrogen. However, at the time the state had not developed procedures for using it, and it was unclear when that would happen. Alabama carried out the nation's first nitrogen gas execution in 2024. Nationally, six people have now been executed using nitrogen gas five in Alabama and one in Louisiana. Lethal injection remains Alabama's primary execution method. 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 Rap mogul Sean Combs will be back in court Thursday for a crucial hearing that could help to decide how long he will stay in prison. The musician, known as Diddy, is awaiting sentence on two prostitution-related charges, for which he was convicted in July. He will have spent nearly 13 months in jail when he is sentenced on October 3. On Thursday, Judge Arun Subramanian plans to listen to arguments from lawyers on points of law that could help him decide a sentence for the Bad Boy Records founder. In court papers submitted this week, his lawyers argued that he should be sentenced to no more than 14 months in prison. With credit for good behavior, that would mean he would be released immediately. In their submission, Combs' lawyers argued that a jury sent a loud message to the judge by exonerating him of the most serious charges. Diddy, pictured in 2022, faces up to 10 years in prison for the charges on which he was found guilty ( AP ) Put simply, the jury has spoken. Its verdict represents an affirmative indication of innocence, the lawyers said. He has served over a year in one of the most notorious jails in America yet has made the most of that punishment. It is time for Mr. Combs to go home to his family, so he can continue his treatment and try to make the most of the next chapter of his extraordinary life, they added. Prosecutors have suggested that they believe he should spend at least several more years behind bars, although they have not submitted their sentencing recommendations to the judge yet. The counts he was found guilty of carry a punishment of up to 10 years in prison. The judge has signaled that he, too, is leaning toward a substantial amount of prison time, twice refusing to grant bail since the jury returned its verdict, citing Combs' history of violence. Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges that could have led to a life sentence, but convicted of arranging interstate travel for people engaged in prostitution. Prosecutors said he arranged for paid sexual encounters between male sex workers and his girlfriends, some of whom testified about being beaten, kicked and choked by Combs. 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 In less than a week, police have pulled five bodies from Houston area bayous grim discoveries that have rattled residents and fueled rumors of a serial killer. But authorities insist that is not the case. Houston Mayor John Whitmire held a news conference this week where he shut down rumors circulating on social media and urged the public to rely on facts rather than online theories. We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas, Whitmire said. Let me say again that there is no evidence that there is a serial killer loose on the streets of Houston. If there was, you would hear it from me first. open image in gallery Houston Mayor John Whitmire held a news conference Wednesday where he shut down rumors of a serial in parts of Texas. ( Fox26 ) On September 15, the body of 20-year-old University of Houston student Jade Sage McKissic was found in Brays Bayou after being missing for four days. Her death drew an immediate outpouring of grief from her peers. That same day, another body was recovered from Greens Bayou. By the end of the week, three more were found in the White Oak and Buffalo bayous. Their identities have not been revealed. The mayor acknowledged that Houstons homeless population, many of whom live near bayous, are sometimes among the deceased recovered there. Alcohol use, mental health issues and accidents are also factors, he said. Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. confirmed the five bodies were pulled from the bayous between September 15 and September 20, but emphasized their deaths are not linked. The investigation into these incidents is pending the determination of the [Medical Examiners] office, Diaz said. For us, agency rumors stir fear and anxiety in our community. Its important to rely on verified information and investigations. Still, conspiracy theories have spread across social media. Some Instagram users claim police are hiding evidence of foul play, while others point to misleading posts that falsely tie the deaths to a serial killer. Even after police stated that they do not suspect foul play in McKissic's death, several Instagram users questioned it. BS!!! one Instagram commenter wrote of police posts, Houston Public Media reported. Another added: Something aint adding up. open image in gallery Police Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. confirmed the five bodies were pulled from the bayous between September 15 and September 20, but emphasized they are not linked ( Fox26 ) open image in gallery On September 15, the body of 20-year-old University of Houston student Jade Sage McKissic was found in Brays Bayou after being missing for four days ( Texas Center for the Missing ) While the rumors swirl, McKissics friends and classmates focused on remembering her life as hundreds gathered at the University of Houstons Lynn Eusan Park for a vigil Monday, where balloons were released into the sky after prayers and dancing. I loved her energy, said Laila Deshotel, who met McKissic in high school theater, told Houston Public Media. Her energy was amazing to be around. She has a beautiful soul, and it hurts that shes gone. It does. But I know shes in a much better place now. Friends described McKissic as a creative force who loved to dance, support her peers, and bring people together. They ended the vigil with a line dance in her honor. Officials warn the public to avoid Houstons bayous, where currents and debris can be deadly, particularly after storms, citing strong currents and hidden debris. 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 Texas mother is furious after learning that the man accused of killing her 16-year-old daughter is set to take a plea deal in court on Thursday. Lizbeth Medina, a cheerleader at Edna High School and an aspiring nurse, was found dead in the bathtub by her mother at their family home on December 5, 2023. The 16-year-old was a loving, kind, and goofy teenager, her mother, Jacqueline Medina, told The Independent. Police arrested and charged Rafael Govea Romero with capital murder. Romero, who is from Mexico, was also placed on an ICE detainer because of an expired visa. His trial was set to start later this year, but Jacqueline says prosecutors in Jackson County have now offered him a plea deal that would result in two life sentences with the possibility of parole after 30 years. While parole may never happen, Jacqueline said the possibility still concerns her. Hearing this plea deal made me understand that we can just throw it out, throw any case out, just give a plea deallike if it was nothing, she told The Independent. open image in gallery Lizbeth Medina, 16, was found dead in her home nearly two years ago. Now, her family is furious that her suspected killer is expected to take a plea deal on Thursday ( Ana Medina ) Romeros next hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning, during which he is expected to plead guilty, his attorneys told KPRC 2. Lizbeths family has planned a prayer vigil in her honor before the hearing, Lizbeth wasn't just a name that everybody's hearing, Jacqueline said. She was a person. She was my daughter. She was my everything, my world. Lizbeths mother says she didnt feel comfortable with the plea deal Jacqueline first heard about the plea deal on Monday, she says. Jacqueline and her attorney then tried to meet with Assistant District Attorney Stephen Tyler and District Attorney Pam Guenther on Wednesday, but she claims they both refused to see her. The Jackson County District Attorneys Office did not respond to The Independents multiple requests for comment. Romeros defense team declined to comment ahead of Thursdays hearing. One of his attorneys, Ross Reifel, did confirm details of the plea deal to KPRC 2. Tyler seems to have been vocal about the case online, however. The family noticed that Tyler, who identified himself as lead prosecutor, left several Facebook comments underneath a local news report about the plea deal on Tuesday. In one comment, he responded to a user arguing in favor of the death penalty. open image in gallery Lizbeth Medina was a 'loving' and 'goofy' teenager who aspired to be a nurse, her mother said ( Ana Medina ) He wrote: I work within the available resources to obtain what is the best outcome for the state. Would you agree to pay more taxes for capital defense and prosecution, or forego school or road improvements? We are talking several millions of local dollars from arrest to grave. Whats the marginal benefit compared to increase cost? I dont decide on budget and resource allocation, but someone must. We can hope they are a good steward of public resources, he added. Jacqueline said Tylers post about the cost of her daughters case really hurt her. Now I'm feeling like you guys are not fully prosecuting and going to trial because of, maybe, we don't have the funds, Jacqueline said. Its very disheartening. Elsewhere on the Facebook thread, Tyler commented that he met with Jacqueline for over an hour and she agreed with the sentencing recommendation and was comfortable with the outcome. Jacqueline told The Independent that Tylers characterization of their conversation wasnt accurate. She spoke with Tyler about the plea deal, but said she didnt feel comfortable with the arrangement. Not one moment did they say, Are you okay with this? Should we proceed? No, everything was done, Jacqueline said. Reifel told KPRC 2 that the state, defense and victims family all agreed to the plea deal. Lizbeth remembered as a loving person and focused student Lizbeth was an ambitious high school student who was very focused on her future and had aspirations of becoming a nurse, Jacqueline said. She also did her friends eyelashes and nails to earn money on the side, Jacqueline recalled. open image in gallery Lizbeth Medina and her mom went to a college event shortly before she died ( Ana Medina ) She had a list, and I wish I had those for you to see, she said. She also wanted to go into real estate at the same time. Jacqueline said she took Lizbeth to a college event shortly before her death. Lizbeth had a very loving, beautiful soul and worked hard to help her mom, her aunt, Ana Medina, said. She was a very responsible young lady who did very well with kids, she added. Jacqueline described Lizbeth as her best friend: Our little motto was, You and I against the world. It's a daily battle without her, because I'm kind of on my own now, although I do believe she's with me in spirit, she said. Editors note: This story was published before Rafael Govea Romero pleaded guilty in court on Thursday morning. Hell now serve two life sentences for murder and aggravated robbery and another 20-year sentence for burglary, which will be served after the two life sentences. Under Texas law, Romero will be considered for parole after 30 years, but this does not mean the parole board will choose to release him, his attorney, Chris Isles, said. District Attorney Pam Guenthers office released a statement on Thursday afternoon, confirming prosecutors discussed the plea deal with all parties. This was the only offer ever discussed or conveyed and was discussed with all parties for over six months, the statement said. The Jackson County Criminal District Attorneys Office takes all crime seriously, particularly crime against persons, and especially murder. Any media reports to the contrary were at best premature. 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 Oregon police have re-arrested a murder suspect who was mistakenly released from prison last week. Ty Anthony Sage, 26, was charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery for his alleged role in the shooting of a 15-year-old. Sage posted bail of $5,000 on September 22, last week, before vanishing from the Multnomah County Detention Center, just outside Portland. Following his disappearance, the local sheriffs office admitted he should not have been released. open image in gallery Ty Anthony Sage was rearrested after he was mistakenly released on bail for a murder charge ( Multnomah County Sheriff's Office ) Cops rearrested Sage around 1 pm yesterday at a gas station in Florence, which is over 170 miles from the jail. "This individual should not have been released, "We hold the ultimate responsibility for a person's release. In this case, we fell short. But we are committed to do everything we can to restore community trust and confidence in our organization, said Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O'Donnell. Sage was initially arrested on May 20 in connection with the shooting of Lowgunn Ivey, 15, on December 4, 2021. He admitted to police that he had intended to rob Ivey and later told a court that the incident was never supposed to go down like that. Now, the sheriff hopes that Iveys family can have justice. "Lowgunn's family deserved better. As Multnomah County's sheriff, I am committed to making sure this does not happen again, that we learn from our mistakes, and that Lowgunn's family can have justice, she said. ODonnell confirmed that no employees at Multnomah County Detention Center had been placed on leave, as she believed that they acted in good faith based on the information available to them. open image in gallery Sage was being held at Multnomah County Detention Center before vanishing and being rearrested 170 miles away ( Google ) Iveys mother, Jodie Ramsey, told ABC Portland affiliate KATU that Sages escape had left her completely on edge. I dont have any hope, I mean, once they finally caught him and they had him in custody, I had all the hope in the world. I was hopeful, I was completely hopeful. Now that he is no longer in custody, I have 100% doubts, she told Fox12 in a separate interview before Sage was re-arrested. According to court documents, Iveys shooting was the result of an alleged drug and gun sale. Ramsey said that her son didnt care about his life at the time, since he was struggling to cope with his fathers suicide. Sages alleged accomplice, Kevin Rivas-Ramirez, 26, was also arrested in May 2025. He remains in police custody. When I found out the indictments went out, and when I found out the first one got arrested and the second one got arrested in the same week, I was really happy. So Ive been waiting for this for a while. Its been kind of a rough road, Ramsey said at the time of the arrests. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged on Wednesday that the international community, especially the Global South, should raise a stronger voice of justice, and jointly oppose bullying and hegemony in the face of rising unilateralism and protectionism. In his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Li also called on the world community to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all countries. He warned that at present, some unilateralist and protectionist practices are undermining the world economy and seriously hindering the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The world should take more concrete actions, join hands to strengthen global development cooperation, safeguard free trade and economic globalization, and bolster common development and prosperity, he added. 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 New York woman has been charged with drugging four men, three of whom died, in a series of planned attacks that saw her steal their phones, sneakers, clothes, and money, authorities have said. Tabitha Bundrick, 38, is accused of carrying out the series of attacks between April 2023 and February 2024, which prosecutors have said were part of a calculated and callous scheme to target victims across upper Manhattan. Bundrick has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder, robbery, burglary, and assault. This callous behavior allegedly led to the deaths of three people. As alleged, each incident was calculated: Tabitha Bundrick knowingly provided fentanyl-laced drugs to incapacitate her victims so she could steal their personal belongings. As a result of our long-term investigation, she is now facing significant charges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. open image in gallery This callous behavior allegedly led to the deaths of three people. As alleged, each incident was calculated: Tabitha Bundrick knowingly provided fentanyl-laced drugs to incapacitate her victims so she could steal their personal belongings, DA Alvin Bragg, shown here, said in a statement this week ( AP ) I want to be very clear to those who think they can get away with drugging and robbing unsuspecting victims: working with our law enforcement partners, we will uncover and prosecute this conduct, he added. Bundrick's defense attorney told the court she is not the cold-hearted individual or calculated killer, as characterized by the prosecution, and that she has mental health issues and has been the victim of child sexual abuse. The prosecution outlined a timeline detailing how Bundrick allegedly committed a string of similar offences. In the first incident, on 30 April 2023, it is alleged that Bundrick approached two men in Washington Heights, initially posing as a soap vendor before offering sex in exchange for money. She then led them to an apartment on West 159th Street, which she broke into. Once inside, Bundrick allegedly provided the pair with what she claimed was cocaine, but prosecutors say was a substance laced with fentanyl. open image in gallery Bundrick is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with three counts of murder in the second degree, four counts of robbery in the first degree, two counts of burglary in the second degree, and one count of assault in the second degree ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The following morning, one of the men awoke to find his 42-year-old companion dead. He reportedly had no memory of the events and discovered that his phone and other personal belongings were missing. Prosecutors say Bundrick later used the stolen phone to make calls. Five months later, on September 27, 2023, Bundrick allegedly met a 39-year-old man and returned with him to his apartment on West 158th Street. According to prosecutors, she gave him the same cocktail of drugs. Three days later, the victims brother found his body, with several items reported missing from the home, including his phone. In the third incident, on 25 February 2024, prosecutors allege Bundrick followed 34-year-old Abrihan Fernandez to his apartment on West 144th Street after a brief conversation outside. Once inside, she again allegedly provided drugs containing fentanyl. Over the next few hours, Bundrick reportedly entered and exited the building multiple times, rigging the door to allow easier access. She is accused of removing several large bags from the apartment, including Fernandezs backpack, and transporting them by cab to her own home. Fernandezs credit card was used repeatedly over the following days. open image in gallery Bundrick is currently serving time here, on New York Citys infamous Rikers Island, on drug charges ( AP ) Bundrick was arrested on 5 March initially only on robbery charges- when, during a search of her apartment, investigators recovered four pairs of the victims sneakers. Bundrick is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with three counts of murder in the second degree, four counts of robbery in the first degree, two counts of burglary in the second degree, and one count of assault in the second degree. She is already serving 13 years in prison for the drug offences relating to the case, and following her court appearance, was remanded to Rikers Island. In a prison pen pals profile, Bundrick describes herself as looking for someone to get to know me, accept me for who I am. I love working out, making fashion pieces, watching scary movies, and spending time reading and advancing myself academically. Im super funny, loving, caring, and outgoing. She faces 25 years if found guilty of the new list of charges. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- World leaders turned their attention to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, urging an immediate ceasefire on Wednesday, the second day of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In his speech at the UNGA, Kenyan President William Ruto expressed a grave concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, calling for a permanent ceasefire and unconditional release of hostages. He also called for launching a credible political process through which the vision of a two-state solution can be realized to enable Israel and Palestine to "live side by side, in peace and in security." Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali condemned the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and urged an immediate, unconditional release of all hostages, while saying Israel's actions have long shattered any pretense of legitimate self-defense. "This is (a) war crime," said the president, as "what we are witnessing is not warfare, but mass extermination -- a systematic slaughter and displacement of Palestinian men, women, and children." Spanish King Don Felipe VI said his country is pained by the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza. "We, therefore, cry out, we implore, we demand: stop this massacre now. No more deaths," he said. While condemning the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, he demanded that "the Israeli government fully uphold international humanitarian law throughout Gaza and the West Bank." "The dignity of the human being is non-negotiable," he added, describing a rules-based world as "the best defense against the law of the strongest." "What has unfolded in Gaza has crossed all red lines," said Estonian President Alar Karis, calling for a comprehensive political process, with the goal of achieving two states, to end the cycle of violence. Civilians in Gaza are experiencing immense suffering, said Finnish President Alexander Stubb. "The deepening humanitarian crisis has reached unbearable levels and represents a failure of the international system," he said, demanding an immediate ceasefire, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages. Representatives from UN member states, including some 150 heads of state and government, are gathering in New York this week to address major global issues during the UNGA general debate, which began on Tuesday and will conclude on Monday. Siren Gold is making waves at its Langdons antimony-gold project, in New Zealands Paparoa goldfield in the South Island, after recent fieldwork unearthed high-grade gold and antimony assays to spotlight a historic mining hub last worked in the 1950s. Open-pit channel sampling at the Langdons antimony reef returned a standout 38.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 5.7 per cent antimony over 0.8 metres within a shear zone packed with disseminated arsenopyrite and stibnite lenses. Siren Gold is mapping and sampling the companys Langdons open-cut mine and surrounding historic workings in New Zealands South Island and has identified bonanza-grade gold and antimony. Mullock samples from below the collapsed No.2 adit, hit an impressive 37.8g/t gold and a hefty 20.9 per cent antimony, while a mullock dump near the No.2 shaft delivered 10.8g/t gold and 9.5 per cent antimony. The results echo earlier bonanza grades from January last year, including 506g/t gold and 6 per cent antimony from mullock samples and rock chip results up to 10.9g/t gold and 9.3 per cent antimony, confirming the projects high-grade potential. Hot Chili has fired up the diamond drill rigs at its emerging La Verde copper-gold porphyry discovery in Chiles Atacama region, as copper prices swell and exploration heats up in the heartland of copper production. Sitting just 30 kilometres south of the companys planned Costa Fuego copper-gold processing plant, La Verde is shaping up as a hefty addition to Hot Chilis Chilean portfolio. A diamond drill rig working at Hot Chilis La Verde copper-gold discovery in Chiles Atacama region. It already has a diamond rig churning away on double shifts at the recent discovery, chasing deeper high-grade zones after a cracking copper-gold result from its first-pass reverse circulation program last December. The earlier effort mapped out a 1000-metre by 750m footprint with copper grades well above 0.2 per cent, stretching more than 400m deep. Advertisement Review Eating outNowra The dumplings from this South Coast food truck are a must-try on your next road trip Hidden behind a Nowra pawn shop, Fatty Dumpling serves the kind of Chinese street food youd expect to find in cyberpunk Chongqing, rather than in regional NSW. Bianca Hrovat September 28, 2025 Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 1 / 9 Weiqing Elvina Yang serves some of the best dumplings youve ever tasted. Janie Barrett 2 / 9 Zhong dumplings. Supplied 3 / 9 Supplied 4 / 9 Mums beef soup noodles. Supplied 5 / 9 Supplied 6 / 9 China burger. Supplied 7 / 9 Supplied 8 / 9 Barbara noodles (wan za mian). Janie Barrett 9 / 9 Supplied Previous Slide Next Slide Chinese$$$$ Do you remember the last time you were on a road trip, your stomach clawing with hunger, and you succumbed to a lukewarm pie at the nearest servo? It felt a bit bleak, didnt it, parking beneath the fluorescent lights to rip open the plastic wrapping? Fighting to keep the gelatinous meat from oozing onto your lap. As you drive south through the Shoalhaven region and enter Nowra, the Princes Highway becomes a smorgasbord of sad pies and fast food outlets. Its one chain after another, and nothing to indicate that, at a fairy-lit concrete lot behind a pawn shop, theres a food truck serving some of the best dumplings youve ever had the pleasure of eating. Weiqing Elvina Yang in her food truck Fatty Dumpling, Janie Barrett Advertisement This is Fatty Dumpling, where owner-cook Weiqing Elvina Yang serves the kind of street food youre far more likely to find in Chongqing the cyberpunk megacity in Chinas mountainous south-west than in regional NSW. Its rich, warming and gloriously textural stuff: silky dumplings glossed in chilli oil; slow-braised spiced pork served tongguan roujiamo-style in a crisp golden bun made of layered, laminated dough; and beef soup noodles, tightly coiled in a pool of garlic-heavy red Sichuan heat. For Yang, this is the taste of home. It was the comfort food she turned to during the COVID pandemic, when international borders closed and the couple of days shed planned to stay in Shoalhaven turned into a couple of years. Ive always loved food Chinese food, my hometowns food but there was nothing like [that] around Shoalhaven, Yang says. But first, she had to learn how to cook. Advertisement Yang, who formerly worked in sales, crowdsourced her first zhong dumpling recipe over phone calls with her grandparents (and friends grandparents) back home in Zunyi, in Guizhou province. The dish originated more than a century ago in Chengdu, the capital of neighbouring Sichuan, and it was the first dish on the menu when Fatty Dumpling launched as a pop-up market stall in 2023. I had to experiment because [the ingredients] here were so different, but eventually, I was able to combine everything I learned and develop my own recipe, Yang says. I invited all of my friends to try it because I wanted to create flavours that were not just authentic, but also approachable. Zhong dumplings. The dumplings are delicate crescent moons filled with minced pork, boiled and served with a deep red sauce part chilli oil and part sweet soy, pulsing with garlic and spice. Theres an undercurrent of heat, more pleasant hum than scream, that compels you to keep eating, and eating, until somehow your plate is empty and, damn, maybe you should have ordered eight dumplings instead of five. Advertisement Im not their only fan. By 2024, Fatty Dumpling became so popular that Yang went all in, leasing and transforming an empty lot in Nowras industrial precinct into a sun-beaten oasis, with a shiny silver trailer, potted cacti and an eclectic collection of weather-worn furniture, shaded by striped umbrellas and illuminated with string lights. Its a casual, seat-yourself affair with counter service and a small selection of canned soft drinks. Ive always loved food Chinese food, my hometowns food but there was nothing like [that] around Shoalhaven. Weiqing Elvina Yang Yang mostly works alone, sound-tracked by funk music on a Bluetooth speaker. She takes orders, cooks food, and shouts directions at customers: You have to mix it! she tells a woman, starting on a bowl of Mums beef noodle soup. Thats the only way you can taste all the flavours! Mums beef noodle soup doesnt come from Yangs mother, it should be said. In 2024, she returned to China for a research trip to Chongqing, navigating the citys vertical sprawl to find the best noodle shop. I met a gentleman [Pang Shifu] who had been in this little shop for over 40 years, and I stayed there for a few days while he taught me his signature dishes his mums beef noodle soup and his [wan za mian] noodles, with all the secret ingredients, Yang says. Advertisement Barbara noodles. The wan za mian are sold at Fatty Dumpling as Barbara noodles and theyre deliciously easy to enjoy: thin wheat noodles ladled with velvety yellow peas, sesame seeds, and brothy minced pork, balanced by bright, just-steamed greens and spring onions. The bowl is light, earthy and creamy all the elements of a bestseller, as Yang predicted. What she didnt predict was the effect cooking would have on her. Its been one year since Fatty Dumpling opened its permanent home, and in that time, shes developed a community of customers, regulars and close friends. Food is connection. I didnt grow up in Australia, I grew up in China, and Im proud of where I come from, Yang says. I wanted to give people the opportunity to know what authentic Chinese food is because thats my food. When I see them eat my food and smile, it makes me so happy. It makes me feel accepted by locals, and accepted by this place. Thats really important to me. Advertisement Three other places to eat in Nowra and surrounds Hyper Hyper Coffee A rustic shed made of corrugated iron, where both locals and visitors queue for house-roasted coffee made on vintage Italian espresso machines. Try the Portuguese tarts, flaky and fresh, or head next door for brekkie at Punch the Ploughman. 85 North Street, Nowra, hyperhypercoffee.com.au Black Cede Gunyah Order the strawberry gum scones with native jam and whipped cream for morning tea at this bush food cafe led by First Nations women. Its a beautiful space to spend some time, and you can pick up Indigenous spices for home cooking. 39A/43 Kinghorne Street, Nowra, blakcede.com.au Ramox Cafe Located inside the visually stunning grounds of Bundanon Art Museum, Ramox serves a creative take on seasonal Shoalhaven produce. The fried Tilba halloumi with pickled rhubarb, green olive and fennel is quite special with a glass of natural sparkling from Orange winery Tamburlaine. 170 Riversdale Road, Illaroo, bundanon.com.au Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant cant pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Former Liberal MP Michael Sukkar has stepped back into the private sector after being booted from parliament at the last election, joining home builder Simonds Group as a non-executive director. The 44-year-old started his career as a tax lawyer at law firm Ashurst, but has made the switch to the ASX-listed home builder, supposedly after learning the tricks of the trade as housing minister in the Morrison government. Former MP Michael Sukkar has stepped back into the private sector after Mays election defeat. Credit: Eamon Gallagher Sukkars political career was cut short earlier this year when he lost the seat of Deakin to Labors Matt Gregg off the back of a nationwide swing towards the government. In a statement to the ASX last month, Simonds boss Rhett Simonds praised the former minister for the wealth of expertise in government policy as well as his comprehensive understanding of housing policy. A major residential development in Perths northern suburbs has copped a fine from the federal government after endangered black cockatoo habitat within the site was cut down, in breach of its environmental approval plan. An excavation company, working for developer Peet, was fined $19,800 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act for removing hectares of habitat Peet had agreed to retain as part of its plans for a new housing estate in Eglinton. This gif shows the recent clearing that occurred in Eglinton between December 2024 and February 2025. Credit: Australian Conservation Foundation But the Australian Conservation Foundation is concerned the relatively small fine and current environment laws meant developers could clear land and sell it for much more than the penalty. An urgent overhaul of those laws will be fast-tracked into parliament this year, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urging new Environment Minister Murray Watt to deliver a revamped version before December six months earlier than originally planned. A Perth grandmother has lost her appeal to overturn a six-year drug trafficking sentence after a Japanese court on Thursday announced its findings in the 59-year-olds last bid for freedom. Donna Nelson was arrested at Narita Airport, 50 kilometres west of Tokyo, in January 2023 after customs officials found about two kilograms of methamphetamine in a suitcase she was carrying. Perth grandmother Donna Nelson. Nelson has maintained she was the victim of a Nigerian scam and that her online lover Kelly had arranged for her to bring the suitcase from Laos because he told her he was a fashion designer in Japan, and he wanted to sell the case in one of his shops. While finding her guilty on drug trafficking charges last December, the Japanese judge did concede she had been taken advantage of. BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Defense on Thursday urged the Philippines to immediately stop provocative actions in the South China Sea, after Philippine vessels intruded into China's territorial waters earlier this month. Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang made the remarks in response to a media query regarding the incident, in which over 10 Philippine public vessels illegally entered the waters of China's Huangyan Dao before being expelled by the China Coast Guard. Zhang stressed that Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. It lies beyond the limits of Philippine territory, as defined by a series of international treaties. The Philippine side has repeatedly conducted provocative actions that infringed upon China's sovereignty, and created tensions in the South China Sea. It is a real troublemaker and a saboteur to peace. We warn the Philippine side to immediately stop any provocative acts before it's too late, he said. China will continue to take resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Zhang said. A quirk in icares workers compensation policy has cost a Newcastle-based NDIS provider more than $800,000 in additional premiums since late 2017, with thousands of unknowing businesses also potentially facing inflated insurance fees. State insurer icares date rationalisation policy saw Includa hit with a $1.1 million insurance bill, $822,000 higher than the company estimates it should have been and about 270 per cent more than it would have been if the first year of operation was factored in. Mitchell Jones estimates his disability support company Includa has overpaid its icare premiums by more than $800,000 since being established because of a policy quirk of the insurer. Credit: Wolter Peeters Date rationalisation occurs when policies end dates are aligned with the end of the month to make it easier for businesses reporting payroll. During budget estimates in early September, icare revealed 500 employers were affected by date rationalisation each year. Includa co-founder and director Mitchell Jones has spent years fighting icare and the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) over what he argues is an injustice. With the policy hidden within one document, he believes a significant number of employers could have been affected. A lifeguard funding spat that could leave popular western suburbs beaches unpatrolled this summer has prompted a co-ordinated pushback from councils who warn lives are at risk. Hobsons Bay Council this week committed to fighting a request from Life Saving Victoria to pay an $88,101 contribution to lifeguard patrols at Altona and Williamstown beaches this summer a service it says it has never paid for. Williamstown beach in February this year. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui Paid lifeguards have previously been funded by Life Saving Victoria through grants received from the state government. But Life Saving Victoria has warned that without the councils financial support, it wont provide a paid lifeguard service at all for Williamstown beach, and will reduce the number of days it patrols Altona beach. At 141, 141A and 143 Victoria Street, the founder of wealth management firm Fat Prophets, Angus Geddes, has been trying to develop three heritage terraces a former registered boarding house, a backpackers hostel and a once-affordable housing site into private residential dwellings. Hes seeking a review of the City of Sydneys refusal of his plans. Everything is shot in those buildings, theyre past their use-by date and are on the cusp of falling down, Geddes said. I understand about the need for affordable housing, but the council cant afford to maintain these houses; they cant have their cake and eat it too. It requires a lot of money. The former home of housing activist Juanita Nielsen in Victoria Street, Kings Cross. Credit: Edwina Pickles Its important to preserve the fabric of the heritage architecture of the area and return the facades to how they looked 120 years ago and thats what were trying to do. Theres a separate stoush going on at 117 Victoria Street, where developer Ceerose successfully appealed, at the NSW Land & Environment Court (LEC), a City of Sydney refusal to demolish an older-style affordable unit block of 45 units and in its place build 25 larger and more expensive dwellings. The council now has a policy of refusing any development that reduces the number of homes on a site by 15 per cent or more. Ceerose assistant development manager Andrew Doueihi said the development would deliver seven brand-new affordable housing apartments out of the 25. These will be targeted towards local key workers and managed by an independent housing provider, he said. The new contemporary homes will replace the existing building, which is no longer compliant with current building codes, and lacks contemporary fire safety and security amenities. Loading Victoria Street is the same street where Juanita Nielsen campaigned against developers plans to demolish the historic terraces to make way for high-rise towers of luxury apartments. Then theres an application approved by the LEC for a low-cost 40-unit building at nearby 51-57 Bayswater Road to be replaced by one block of just 12 luxury three-bedroom apartments, as well as the long-running fight over The Chimes on Macleay Street with its 80 units, set to be replaced by 35. Another recent LEC decision allowed for a decrease to the number of apartments from 28 to 20 in buildings on a site at Billyard and Onslow avenues. There are certain developments where we can provide affordable housing options and other boutique ones where we cant, said Luke Berry, director of developer Third.i Group, which is working on the Bayswater Road project. But also we need to unlock housing for people who want to sell [their apartments] and upsize or downsize and go into more suitable housing. Meanwhile, plans have been submitted for the heart of Kings Cross by fund manager Salter Brothers, redeveloping the Holiday Inn Potts Point, opposite Kings Cross railway station, into a new One Kings Cross precinct, including a 35- to 40-storey tower with 250 to 300 apartments with 5 per cent for affordable housing. A spokesman for Salter Brothers said: The proposal submitted to the Housing Delivery Authority and selected to proceed under the HDA pathway has a mixture of public benefits there is 5 per cent on-site key worker housing; over a third of the site dedicated to public spaces, laneways and connections; and Salter Brothers is funding all works associated with the new Kings Cross Station entry (to the west of Victoria Street) and concourse connection from Brougham Street. Newly elected City of Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Miller said the 5 per cent was the tiniest compensation for being allowed more space and height, and the contribution to affordable housing should be much closer to 15 per cent. With a state-significant development, affordable housing is also defined as 75 per cent below the market rate, which is a very wishy-washy figure, when we say it should be 30 per cent of someones income, and in perpetuity rather than five to 15 years, Miller said. In practice, this isnt policed either. It could be someones mates being put in there for a discount, as its not administered by an outside agency. I think if Juanita Nielsen was around now, she would be shocked and dismayed at the way this struggle for affordable housing has gone. Loading Mark Skelsey, the author of a recent book about Nielsen, Views To Die For: Murder, Anarchy and the Battle for Sydneys Future, said that it was clear that inner Sydney councils and the LEC were becoming increasingly active in their use of their powers to resist applications to replace low-cost existing housing with more expensive residences. But it is fitting that Victoria Street in Potts Point, where there were such ferocious battles 50 years ago about destruction of existing affordable housing, is now the centre of new conflict about the same issue, he said. More than 24 hours later, Optus chief executive Stephen Rue would be fronting cameras at a hastily convened press conference, visibly strained. Optus corporate affairs chief, Felicity Ross, had sent a text message to Wells chief of staff minutes beforehand: Please give me a call when you get this re a major issue. Thanks. Rue told reporters that 600 emergency calls not 10 had gone unanswered. The air went out of the room as he revealed the fatal consequences. I have been advised that during the process of conducting welfare checks, three of the Triple Zero calls involved households where a person tragically passed away, he told reporters. I extend my deepest condolences to their families and friends, and I promise that we will fully co-operate with any and all investigations. He admitted his company had failed to detect that emergency calls were not connecting. There were no alarms, no automated red flags. Instead, Rue and other executives realised the severity of the failure only at 1.30pm on September 18 almost 12 hours after calls started to fail. By then, the damage was irreversible. The full timeline, for Optus and for the affected families, is devastating. Triple Zero calls started failing on September 18 at 2.17am in Western Australia while the firewall update was under way. At 9am, two customers called Optus overseas call centres to complain they could not connect to emergency services. Those calls were not escalated. Rue later admitted Optus had 3600 offshore call centre staff and just 250 in Australia, but declined to say exactly where the missed calls were answered. Optus has 3600 offshore call centre staff and just 250 in Australia. Credit: Getty Images At 11.30am, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman received a complaint from a person who could not get onto Triple Zero, which five minutes later was referred to Optus. At 1.30pm, a customer reached out to Optus directly, followed 20 minutes later by South Australia Police and the ambulance service, who reported connection problems. Rue, who was at Optus Macquarie Park headquarters in Sydney, was pulled out of a meeting and told the details. The firewall update was halted. At 11.20pm, Optus told WA Police that 26 calls had failed to connect, describing it as a minor outage. The next day, the scale of the catastrophe grew, but the public remained unaware. By 3.40pm on Friday, September 19, Optus told Wells the true number was 100. At 4pm, the tally jumped to 600. By then, three deaths had been confirmed: an eight-week-old boy in Gawler West, SA, a 68-year-old woman in Queenstown, SA, and a 74-year-old man in Willetton, WA. At 5.45pm, arriving 15 minutes late, Rue faced the nation. It was the first time the public had heard about the outage. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, blindsided, erupted an hour later. I have not witnessed such incompetence from an Australian corporation in respect to communications worse than this, he said. SA Premier Peter Malinauskas. Credit: AAPIMAGE By Saturday, September 20, Rue conceded Optus call centres had been informed as early as 9am on Thursday, September 18. He apologised for late notifications to premiers and committed to appointing an independent reviewer. Later that day, WA Police confirmed a fourth person, a 49-year-old man from Kensington in Perth, had died after failing to connect to Triple Zero. On Sunday, September 21, SA Police said the death of the eight-week-old baby was unlikely to be linked to the outage, after his grandmother quickly borrowed another phone to call emergency services, revising the death toll to three. Later that afternoon, Rue ordered an immediate halt to all further network changes. By Monday morning, the Australian Communications and Media Authority confirmed it was investigating, and an incensed Wells, who postponed a trip to New York City, declared Optus would be held accountable. Loading The parallels with the November 2023 Optus outage were inescapable. That nationwide outage left more than 2000 Australians without access to emergency services. Optus was fined $12 million in 2024, and Rue himself assured regulators and the public it would not happen again. Now, less than two years later, it has. Outages happen, and they happen regularly. But Optus executives have again provided a masterclass in mismanagement and, ultimately, tragic incompetence, in events that have variously been described as disgraceful, devastating and, in the words of its own chief executive, unacceptable. Optus owner Singtels top boss, chief executive Yuen Kuan Moon, will touch down in Sydney on Monday to attend an Optus board meeting where he is expected to answer questions about whether under-investment left emergency communications exposed. Wells has also demanded a face-to-face meeting. What makes this disaster particularly galling is how preventable it was. Optus had successfully completed identical upgrades in the past. The protocols existed; the safeguards were in place. But this time, the network engineers, working across Sydney and Chennai, India, simply didnt follow them. Rue has dismissed claims that the outage was linked to staff shortages or the offshore location of call centres, and declined to say whether Nokia which runs Optus Chennai call centre bore any responsibility. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh are among those asking whether Rue should be replaced. But Rue, the accountant-turned-chief executive, will hold onto his job. Until now, his reputation had been one of sure-handed, quiet diligence. A man comfortable with a challenge, which is the reason he told people privately he had taken on the Optus job. The last week has tested those limits. There are no words that can express how sorry I am, he told reporters. Singtel chief executive Yuen Kuan Moon. Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images Internally at Optus, staff have been sending Rue messages of support. Soon after the incident, he held an all-staff video meeting to talk through the companys response. An executive at a rival telco, who wished to remain anonymous, says firing Rue would solve nothing. Optus future depends on how willing Singtel is to dig deep, invest, and let Stephen get on with the job. Rue has steadily surrounded himself with familiar faces over the past year. His corporate affairs chief, Felicity Ross, is a long-time ally as is Kathy Lipari, a News Corp veteran. Jane McNamara, a long-time NBN Co corporate affairs and crisis management executive under Rue, is also shortly joining Optus. Critics say that despite the executive turnover, the company is suffering from the same defensive corporate culture, some of which it has inherited from its Singapore paymasters. And some key personnel have remained at Optus helm through the scandals, including chief financial officer Michael Venter and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian. Trust repair is a long, hard road, says QUT trust expert Dr Shannon Colville. One-off apologies are not enough. Sustained action and leadership accountability are what matter. Loading Questions are now turning to Singtel, which cut investment in the Australian mobile network by $237 million last year. Singtel is 51 per cent owned by investment giant Temasek, which is fully owned by the Singapore government. Singtel wholly owns Optus. The Optus board, meeting daily since the outage, has commissioned corporate veteran Kerry Schott to lead an independent review. Schott will examine the technical failures, operational management of Triple Zero calls, and adherence or lack thereof to policies and legislation. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has kicked off its own investigation into whether Optus broke strict rules on emergency access. What has occurred is clearly unacceptable I particularly express my deep condolences to the families and friends of the four people who passed away, Optus chairman John Arthur said on Wednesday. The review will report before years end and be made public. There are also now deeper, more existential questions about whether Singtel is the right owner for Optus going forward. Singtel faced those queries during its past mass outage and cyberattack, and the chorus will now grow louder. The incident has again highlighted cultural differences: Singapores distinctive approach of hierarchical management, risk aversion and formality may have contributed to a lack of communication with the government and customers. Privately, Rue says that he insisted on reporting to a local board rather than directly to the Singtel board as was the case previously as a condition of taking on the CEO role. Singtel has publicly assured its long-term commitment to Optus, but privately was in advanced discussions to sell a significant stake in the business to Canadian private equity giant Brookfield as recently as 2024, in talks that eventually broke down. Singtel has owned Optus since 2001. Helen Bird, a governance expert at Swinburne University, says Optus repeated failures highlight the risks of running an Australian essential service as a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapores Singtel. A lot of decisions about resourcing and risk management are left to Singapore, she said. Its that absence of responsibility on the ground that really makes the difficulties. She says that local ownership could drive stronger accountability, though ultimately, what matters is governance. It doesnt honestly matter who owns it. Theyve got to provide appropriate governance and risk management because they are supplying an essential service. Communications Minister Anika Wells and Australian Communications Media Authority chair Nerida OLoughlin address the media in Brisbane on Monday morning. Credit: Nine Some changes are certain: a new Triple Zero watchdog, which is being fast tracked by Wells office. Optus will also pay heftier fines than the $12 million it doled out after its 2023 outage. TPG and Telstra are now reviewing their own processes. There are small but growing calls for Optus to have conditions imposed upon its telecommunications carrier licence or for it to be revoked altogether in what would be the most severe outcome for Optus. The telco this week was also ordered to pay a $100 million fine for what the Federal Courts Justice Patrick OSullivan described as appalling conduct, including selling phone plans to people with mental disabilities and people suffering from financial hardship, and then setting debt collectors onto those customers when they didnt pay up. Former competition tsar Alan Fels says Optus licence should be reviewed. Three huge failures ... there is something wrong with the company, he told the ABC. Amid those protestations, there remains a widespread insistence across the sector that a healthy and robust Optus remains critical for Australias telecommunications industry and long-term competition. An estimated 250,000 to 300,000 customers ditched Optus after its last outage, and the battered telco is certain to bleed customers again now. Telecommunications industry commentator Mark Gregory stresses that Australia cannot afford to see Optus diminished, despite public frustration. He says he doubts Singtel will sell Optus, given its strategic importance. Its important to have a number of companies offering telecommunications products and services to provide competition and to potentially lower costs, he says. We have three major mobile carriers, and over time weve seen Telstras dominance diminish. That leads to a more competitive environment. Without a strong challenger brand, Gregory warns, Telstra will likely regain lost ground, particularly in SA, WA and the Northern Territory, where the outage hit and where Optus and Vodafone had been building market share. This type of event will really reverse that trend for a period of time. Blair, the prime minister of the UK from 1997 to 2007, swept Labour into power after years of Conservative rule by promising a third way for his government and aiming to hold the centre in national politics without shifting too far to the left on the economy and social policies. But he provoked strong criticism from his own side of politics when he took Britain into the war in the Middle East alongside the US and Australia under prime minister John Howard in Iraq in 2003. Albanese shakes hands with Australian high commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith, as the visitors are greeted by dignitaries on arrival. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is joining the summit in London with a message to fellow leaders about protecting national borders and security. This will include a policy announcement on the launch of a digital ID for all workers seen as a way to prevent illegal workers and discourage asylum seekers from coming to the UK by boat across the English Channel. There is no doubt that for years, left-wing parties, including my own, did shy away from peoples concerns around illegal immigration, Sir Keir wrote in Londons The Telegraph on Friday, ahead of the summit. It has been too easy for people to enter the country, work in the shadow economy and remain illegally. His message is that the government must convince voters it stands for patriotic national renewal while avoiding what he calls the toxic policies of the populist right. That parallels a call from Albanese earlier this year for what he termed a progressive patriotism that aims for social cohesion. Albanese and his fiancee, Jodie Haydon, are expected to have a private dinner with Starmer and his wife, Victoria, as well as Carney and Frederiksen. The conference comes days after Albanese met Trump in New York and secured formal talks to be held in Washington next month, easing months of doubt about the strength of the security alliance and the personal relationship between the leaders. Albanese is in London for formal talks with Starmer and a meeting with King Charles this weekend, before he speaks at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool a rare move for an Australian leader. Carney has also said he will meet Albanese, as well as others, while in the UK. The pair met in June when Carney hosted the G7 summit in Alberta. Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney speaking with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Two-State Solution Conference in the United Nations General Assembly. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer The Global Progress Action Summit in London features leaders and policy advocates from 40 countries. Speakers include senior Democrats such as Illinois Governor Jay JB Pritzker and former US transport secretary Pete Buttigieg, both named as possible candidates to challenge Trumps political movement at the presidential election in 2028. It is organised by Labour Together, a key group within the Labour Party that backs Starmer, along with the Centre for American Progress Action Fund in the US and the Institute for Public Policy Research in the UK. Senior British ministers due to attend include Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Defence Secretary John Healey. Albanese has strong contacts in the Labour Party after years of informal talks with leaders, including Starmer, and his success at the May federal election is likely to hold lessons for them when they have lost support in the polls under pressure from the Conservatives and Reform UK. Loading Starmer is facing direct pressure from a Labour leadership aspirant, Manchester mayor and former MP Andy Burnham, who has criticised the governments performance and said MPs were calling him to say he should challenge for the top job. The welcome for Albanese from the political left will contrast with the cooler response to the prime minister from parts of the Trump administration, where officials want him to lift defence spending and have put the AUKUS submarine pact under review. Trump used his address to the United Nations this week to dismiss climate change as a con job and warn leaders they were ruining their countries with high migration. In a sharp contrast with the US president, Albanese called climate change an existential threat in his address in New York and is seeking support to bring the UNs annual climate summit to Australia and the Pacific Islands next year. While Trump strongly criticised the UN and wants staff charged for a failure of an escalator when he was on his way to his address, Albanese is aligned with progressive leaders who back the global forum. If the United Nations steps back, we all lose ground, he said in his address to the General Assembly in New York. Albanese is believed to be the first sitting Australian prime minister to speak at the Labour conference, which is a major event for the party and the scene of dozens of speaking sessions about progressive politics. 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 From the moment the Russian pilots entered Estonian airspace, they were pursued by NATOs most advanced fighter jets. Two Italian F-35s Ghost 1 and Ghost 2 had launched an interception mission from an airbase 50 kilometres outside the capital Tallinn. For an instant, the course of world affairs rested on the shoulders of five men three Russians and two Italians who were not in radio contact with each other. The Italians began the routine of an aerial intercept, rocking their wings from side to side. In reply, the Russians rocked theirs back. Then one of the pilots raised his hand and gave a friendly wave. For the next 12 minutes, the Italian pilots trailed the Russians all the way to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad an unprecedented length of time for an incursion into NATO airspace. Advertisement This time, the manoeuvre was carried out peacefully, and NATO fighters were not forced to fire at the three Russian MiG-31s, themselves armed with air-to-air missiles. But the potential flashpoint has sparked days of intense discussion inside NATO over when, where and how they might pull the trigger. Loading We are really proud of how we react every time, said Lieutenant Colonel Gaetano Farina, the commander of the Italian air task force for NATOs Baltic Eagle III mission in Estonia. NATO polices the airspace of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, none of which possess fighter jets. This was the seventh time Farinas pilots have been scrambled since the rotation began on August 1, but on every occasion until now, the interceptions have taken place over international waters. The latest incident came in a fortnight in which Vladimir Putin launched a spate of operations designed to probe NATOs ability to defend its borders: a barrage of drones was fired into Poland, airports in Oslo and Copenhagen had to close due to unattributed drones, and, ahead of this weekends election in Moldova, Moscow is hinting at an invasion. Advertisement In Article 4 consultations triggered at NATO by the Estonian government over violation of its airspace, the question was asked: What if Russian jets do it again? And what if, this time, they push us even harder? Loading In the past 10 years, Russia has violated Estonian airspace at least 40 times once by a jet flying Putin to Helsinki for a 2018 meeting with Donald Trump. But those breaches have tended to involve corner-cutting around the uninhabited Vaindloo island just north of Estonia by lone, old aircraft. This time, three heavy fighters flew at least eight kilometres into Estonian airspace. Although the Russians followed the internationally agreed order of an intercept, they did not alter their course or steer out of Estonian airspace. Relaxed response Advertisement On the return to base, there was no Top Gun-style whooping and hollering from the Italian pilots. Its our job, said Farina, a tall, chiselled figure who once led Italys equivalent of the Red Arrows. The men were relaxed. The same cannot be said for the inhabitants of Stenbock House, Estonias government complex in Tallinn, nor the Western leaders working the phones in response to the news. 2015: Turkish F-16s shoot down a Russian fighter after it strayed into Turkish airspace. Credit: Haberturk TV When a Russian fighter jet entered Turkish airspace in 2015, it was shot down within 17 seconds. As soon as the Italian F-35s were back in their hangars, some began to ask why the blatant violation of NATO territory had not met with the same response. Others questioned whether the Russian pilots had strayed from their flight paths by mistake. I cannot say, maybe it could happen with an old jet, said Farina. The Estonian government does not assess that the situation merited a kinetic reply one, after all, which could lead to far more explosive results in the small nation on the eastern Baltic coast that shares a 294-kilometre border with Russia. Advertisement The Russian jets were not heading towards the Estonian mainland, nor were they armed with missiles that could blow up targets on the ground. Ultimately, the decision on whether to pull the trigger lies with NATO and the governments that deploy their military forces to its missions. Natos rules of engagement are classified. But when governments in countries such as Italy, the UK or Sweden provide jets to NATO, they are permitted to apply caveats on their use. The MiG-31 first flew in the 1980s - latest versions have been adapted to fire Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Credit: Russian Defence Ministry That might mean that one chooses to act more cautiously than another. On Friday, the NATO response was directed by a German general in charge of the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in the small German town of Uedem. Overall command remains largely reliant on the US and its appointment of General Alexus Grynkewich, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Hodge-podge system Advertisement Copenhagen: Denmarks Aalborg Airport, used for commercial and military flights, was closed due to drones in its airspace, police said early on Thursday, two days after the countrys main Copenhagen Airport was shut over drone sightings that raised European security concerns. Danish police said the drones followed a similar pattern to the ones that had halted flights at Copenhagen Airport for four hours earlier this week. Denmark described that incident as the most serious attack yet on its critical infrastructure and linked it to a series of suspected Russian drone incursions and other disruptions across Europe. Danish police patrol at Copenhagen Airport on Monday. Credit: AP Police said they had also received reports of drones in other parts of the country on Wednesday evening, including near a military base housing Danish F-16 and F-35 fighter aircraft. The closure of Aalborg Airport also affected Denmarks armed forces because of its dual use as a military base, police added. The Danish military said it was assisting local and national police with the investigation, but declined to provide further comment. New York: US President Donald Trump warned against energising right-wing activists and raised the spectre of retaliatory attacks against the left as he blamed progressives and Democrats for the latest act of political violence to divide the country. A detainee was killed, and two others were wounded, when a gunman opened fire at an immigration detention centre in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday. The shooter, whom officials have identified as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, then fatally shot himself. FBI agents investigate the crime scene near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas, Texas. Credit: AP Investigators on Thursday (Friday AEST) said they recovered a collection of notes from Jahns home that showed he harboured a deep hatred of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, deliberately targeted ICE agents at the facility, and did not mean to hurt the detainees. What he did is the very definition of terrorism, said Nancy Larson, the acting US attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Accidental harm to detainees at the facility was a tragic irony, she said. Przewalski's horses are pictured in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) A Przewalski's horse foal is pictured in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) Przewalski's horses are pictured in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) A Przewalski's horse foal is pictured in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows Przewalski's horses drinking water in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) Staff members check the daily life of Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve, in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) Staff members check feces of the Przewalski's horses in the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Sept. 24, 2025. The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province covers an area of approximately 660,000 hectares, featuring a diverse ecosystem including wetlands, grasslands, forests and Gobi deserts, which makes it an experimental zone for the wild release of the Przewalski's horses. The Przewalski's horse is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and is under first-class national protection. Once extinct in China due to excessive poaching and environmental degradation, the Przewalski's horses were reintroduced to the country from Britain, Germany and the United States starting in the mid-1980s, and were raised in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province. Przewalski's horses have adapted well to the environment at the West Lake Reserve, where their population totals 212 at present. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Annalena Baerbock, president of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China supports building a more effective and pragmatic United Nations through reform efforts to enhance its quality and performance, said Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday. Li made the remarks in his meeting with Annalena Baerbock, president of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on the sidelines of the UNGA general debate. He also expressed China's firm commitment to upholding the authority and the role of the United Nations. As the world has entered into a new period of turbulence and transformation with mounting instability and uncertainty, the role of the United Nations has become increasingly crucial, said Li. Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping has solemnly put forward the Global Governance Initiative recently, Li said the move aims to support the United Nations in playing its due role in global affairs and encourage countries to work more closely and better cope with the challenges of the times via the United Nations and other multilateral mechanisms. China stands ready to enhance coordination and communication with the United Nations and all parties involved in a joint effort to implement the Global Governance Initiative, push for building a more just and equitable global governance system, and work towards a community with a shared future for humanity, said the Chinese premier. Li called on the United Nations to make advances in all the three pillar areas of peace, development and human rights in a balanced manner, and focus more on the development agenda. He said the United Nations should enhance global governance in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, cyberspace, the polar regions and outer space, while taking into account the legitimate propositions and demands of the vast number of developing countries. Noting the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, Li said that China believes Baerbock and the United Nations will continue to uphold the one-China principle. For her part, Baerbock said China has always been a firm and strong supporter of the United Nations and has played a leading role in promoting global development and addressing global challenges. The four global initiatives proposed by President Xi are highly consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, she said, voicing hope of working with China around the theme of this year's UNGA -- "Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights" -- to deepen cooperation in the three pillars, especially in the field of development and jointly advance the cause of world peace and development. As UNGA Resolution 2758 is unambiguous, Baerbock said, the 80th session of the UNGA will firmly adhere to the one-China principle. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Annalena Baerbock, president of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) 4 killed, 80 injured in Ladakh statehood protests People protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule in Leh on Wednesday. (PTI) LEH : Administration imposed restrictions in Leh after protesters pelted stones at police, torched some vehicles, vandalised and torched the BJP office and tried to torch the Secretariat of the Leh Hill Development Council THE statehood for Ladakh movement descended into violence, arson and street clashes here on Wednesday, leaving four people dead and at least 80 injured, including 40 police personnel, officials said. As the sun set on what is arguably the worst day of violence since 1989 in the cold desert region, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk called off his fortnight-long hunger strike to press for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh, while authorities clamped curfew in the Leh district. Groups of youths, indulging in arson and vandalism, targeted the headquarters of the BJP and the Hill Council and set ablaze vehicles. Police and paramilitary forces, deployed in strength across the town, lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control, the officials said. With at least six of those injured in a critical condition, there are fears the death toll could go up. The Centre alleged that the mob violence was guided by the provocative statements of activist Wangchuk, and certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the Government and Ladakhi groups. In a statement, the Union Home Ministry said barring a few unfortunate incidents that happened early on Wednesday, the situation was brought under control by 4 pm and asked everyone not to circulate old and provocative videos in the media and social media. The Government stands committed to the aspiration of the people of Ladakh by providing adequate constitutional safeguards, the statement said. The Home Ministry said the hunger strike was started by Wangchuk on September 10, pressing the demand for Ladakhs inclusion in the Sixth schedule and statehood. It is well known that the Government of India has been actively engaged with the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance. Series of meetings were held with them through formal channel of High Powered Committee (HPC) as well as sub-committee and multiple informal meetings with leaders, the statement said. However, certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made under HPC and have been trying to sabotage the dialogue process, it said. The next meeting of the High Powered Committee has been scheduled on October 6, while meetings are also planned on 25th and 26th September with the leaders from Ladakh. Terming the events as heart-wrenching, Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta said everyone has the right to speak up in a peaceful manner in a democratic system, but what happened today was not spontaneous and was the result of a conspiracy. We will not spare those people who have spoiled the atmosphere here. Violence in Ladakh smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics, personal gains: Sources: THE violence in Ladakh smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains, but the youth are not to be blamed, Government sources said. Ladakh and its youth are paying a huge price for the narrow politics played by certain individuals and the personal ambitions of activist Sonam Wangchuk, they claimed. The youth of Ladakh who indulged in violence were misled, caught up in a sinister plot for political and personal gain, the sources said, adding the Central Government stands committed to the welfare and empowerment of Ladakhi people and stands with the youth. The sources said the Congress leaders made statements that almost sounded like instructions for pelting stones, bandhs and arson. Why were they so ready? The entire episode smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains, a source said. The situation in Ladakh didnt spiral on its own and was engineered deliberately, they said. The BJP alleged that the violence was a part of the Congress nefarious design to create situations in the country similar to Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines. Today in Ladakh, an attempt was made to portray some protests as being led by Gen Z but when an investigation was carried out, it was found that this was not a Gen Z protest but actually a Congress protest, BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters in Delhi. The fast was to push the Centre to resume dialogue in support of their four-point demand - statehood, extension of the Sixth Schedule, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil and reservation for employment. Addressing an online press conference, Wangchuk said the fact that Tsering Angchuk (72) and Tashi Dolma (60) were taken to a hospital was most likely the immediate trigger for the violent protest. With the situation worsening rapidly, he stepped in with an appeal and an announcement that he was cutting short the fast. I request the youth of Ladakh to stop the violence forthwith as it only causes harm to our cause and further deteriorates the situation. We do not want instability in Ladakh and the country, he told his supporters. Teargas shells were heard in the backdrop. This is the saddest day for Ladakh and for myself personally because the path we are treading for the last five years was peaceful We held hunger strikes on five occasions and walked from Leh to Delhi, but today we are seeing our message of peace failing because of the incidents of violence and arson, Wangchuk said. He also appealed to the administration to stop firing teargas shells and urged the Government to be more sensitive. We are ending our fast immediately the aim of the hunger strike is not fulfilled if our youth lose their lives. It is time to carry forward the dialogue with a cool mind. We will keep our agitation non-violent and I also want to ask the Government to listen to our message of peace when the message of peace is ignored, such a situation arises, he said. The situation is the outcome of frustration among the youth because they have been kept away from jobs, Wangchuk said, adding that there is no democracy in Ladakh and the Sixth Schedule promise made to the public has not been fulfilled either. The Constitutions Sixth Schedule, meant for the tribal population of the four northeast states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam, makes special provisions in terms of governance, powers of the President and the Governor, type of local bodies, alternate judicial mechanisms and financial powers exercised through autonomous councils. A fresh round of talks was scheduled between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh representatives, comprising members of the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), on October 6. The two bodies have been jointly spearheading an agitation over the past four years in support of their demands and have held several rounds of talks with the Government in the past. Tension had been building up since Tuesday evening. Responding to the protest call, Leh town shut down today, and large crowds assembled at the NDS memorial ground and later took out a march through the streets of the town, chanting slogans in support of the Sixth Schedule and statehood, officials said. Groups of youth set ablaze a security vehicle and some more, and also targeted the BJP office. They set fire to furniture and papers within the complex and one of the buildings. After nearly four months of stalled talks, the Centre on September 20 extended an invitation to the LAB and KDA for the talks - 10 days after Wangchuk began the hunger strike. Former MP and LAB chairperson Thupstan Chhewang, who had resigned from the body after the last round of talks on May 27, has returned to the helm and is likely to lead the joint delegation during the negotiations. The Congress opted out of the LAB after some constituents expressed the view that the LAB delegation should be non-political in view of the Leh Hill Council elections next month. JOIN Violence in Ladakh smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics, personal gains: NEW DELHI, Sept 24 (PTI) THE violence in Ladakh smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains, but the youth are not to be blamed, Government sources said here on Wednesday. Ladakh and its youth are paying a huge price for the narrow politics played by certain individuals and the personal ambitions of activist Sonam Wangchuk, they claimed. The youth of Ladakh who indulged in violence were misled, caught up in a sinister plot for political and personal gain, the sources said, adding the Central Government stands committed to the welfare and empowerment of Ladakhi people and stands with the youth. The sources said the Congress leaders made statements that almost sounded like instructions for pelting stones, bandhs and arson. Why were they so ready? The entire episode smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains, a source said. The situation in Ladakh didnt spiral on its own and was engineered deliberately, they said. Referring to the October 6 meeting of the High Powered Committee with the ABL and KDA to discuss all issues concerning the Union Territory, the sources said the Central Government has also agreed on the new members for HPC as proposed by the ABL. The sources said the Central Government is considering advancing the October 6 meeting to September 25-26. In fact, the Centre has always been ready for talks and, on an earlier occasion, talks were proposed on 25th July which did not receive a positive response, they said. Even when the talks are lined up with an open mind, violence was provoked for whose benefit? the sources questioned. Sonam Wangchuck has long hinted at wanting an Arab Spring-style protest in Ladakh. His references to Gen Z protests in Nepal now seem like a blueprint. Has he used the platform for his personal issues to hide certain irregularities which are coming to light now? the sources said. Air firing accused Faizan alias Machhli arrested, pistol recovered Police officers addressing the media. (Inset) Faizan Ali alias Machhli Staff Reporter : Kotwali and Talaiya police joint team nabs accused with pistol; over 10 cases were registered earlier The Kotwali Police have arrested Faizan Ali alias Machhli, who was absconding after an incident of aerial firing on Tuesday. A dessi pistol used in the crime has also been recovered. The accused will be presented before the court. The incident came to light after the victim, Danish Baig, lodged a complaint at Kotwali Police Station. According to the report, on Tuesday night around 1:15 am, he was sitting in front of his house with his brother, Sarik Baig and friend, Farhan. Faizan Machhli arrived at the location on an Activa scooter with two other individuals. Faizan immediately began verbally abusing them over a money dispute. Sarik Baig had reportedly lent Faizan Rs 1,50,000 approximately four to five months ago. When the three men tried to stop Faizan from hurling abuses, he allegedly pulled a pistol from his waistband and fired a shot into the air. Fearing for their lives, Danish, Sarik, and Farhan fled the scene. In the ensuing chaos, Danish sustained injuries to his left ear and knee after falling, while Sarik suffered bleeding injuries to both his knees. As Faizan was leaving, he reportedly threatened the victims, saying, If you ever ask me for money again, I will kill you. The entire incident was witnessed by several people. Joint Police Team Nabs Accused: Taking the gravity of the incident into consideration, a joint team from Kotwali and Talaiya Police Stations was formed under the instructions of senior police officials. The team took swift action and successfully apprehended the absconding accused, Faizan Ali Khan alias Machhli (son of Anwar Ali Khan, age 32, resident of Jogipura, Budhwara, Bhopal) on Wednesday. Police Commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra confirmed the arrest of Faizan Ali Khan (32) and noted that the accused has a history of serious offences. Extensive Criminal Record: The arrested accused, Faizan Ali Khan alias Machhli, has an extensive criminal record. More than 10 cases have been registered against him under various sections at Talaiya, Aishbagh, Nishatpura, and Kohefiza Police Stations. These cases include charges of assault, criminal intimidation, offences under the Arms Act, and other serious crimes. Backbone of IAFs combat fleet MiG-21 fighter jets to retire tomorrow Indian Air Force MiG-21 aircraft during rehearsals ahead of the MiG-21 Operational Flying Culmination Ceremony at Chandigarh Air Force Station on Wednesday. (PTI) CHANDIGARH : Air Chief Marshal A P Singh will fly the last sortie of the Squadron with the call sign Badal 3 THE legendary Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets, which have been the backbone of Indian Air Forces combat fleet for over six decades, are finally set to retire from the IAF at a decommissioning event in Chandigarh, where the iconic aircraft was first inducted over six decades ago. The official culmination of MiG-21 operations is set for September 26 with a ceremonial flypast and decommissioning event, marking the closure of a historic chapter in Indias air power. The last of the MiG-21 jets, belonging to number 23 Squadron nicknamed Panthers, will be given a farewell at the decommissioning ceremony at the Chandigarh Air Force station. On Friday, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, will fly the last sortie of the Squadron with the call sign Badal 3. Dilbagh Singh, who became the IAF chief in 1981, had led the first MiG-21 Squadron here in 1963. In a recent post on X about the retiring Mig-21s, the IAF said, Six decades of service, countless tales of courage, a warhorse that carried pride of a nation into the skies. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, will be among those present on the occasion here on Friday. Further, as per the tentative programme, six former IAF chiefs A Y Tipnis, S Krishnaswamy, S P Tyagi, P V Naik, B S Dhanoa and R K S Bhadauria will also attend the Fridays ceremony in Chandigarh. Officials from the Defence Ministry, Defence Research and Development Organisation and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will also be present. A full dress rehearsal for this ceremony was held at the IAF station here on Wednesday. Upon landing, the six MiG-21 jets, belonging to number 23 Squadron, taking part in the flypast ceremony on Friday, will be given a water cannon salute and among the pilots will be Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, who also flew in the full dress rehearsal on Wednesday. The Jaguar and the Tejas aircraft will also be part of the ceremony. Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments. It has been designed to undertake air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles. The MiG-21 fighter jets used to be the mainstay of the IAF for a long period of time. After its first induction, the IAF procured over 870 MiG-21s to boost its overall combat prowess. The supersonic jets were the dominant platforms during 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. The aircraft also played a key role in the 1999 Kargil conflict as well as 2019 Balakot airstrikes. However, the IAFs workhorse, the MiG-21 aircrafts, were also involved in multiple crashes in the last six decades, with spotlight many times being on the safety record of the ageing fleet of the Soviet-origin aircraft. The Fridays ceremony will commence with the arrival of the chief guest Rajnath Singh followed by a spectacular display by IAFs elite skydiving team Akash Ganga, who will skydive from a height of 8,000 feet. This will be succeeded by majestic flypast of MiG-21 aircraft accompanied by precision of the air warrior drill team and an aerial salute. The fighter pilots will be flying MiG-21s in the three-aircraft Badal formation and the four-aircraft Panther formation will thunder over the skies one final time. The Surya Kiran aerobatic team will also enthral the audience with their breathtaking manoeuvres. A commemorative postal stamp will also be released on the occasion. The IAFs MiG-21 fighter jets made their last operational flights at the Nal Air Force Station in Rajasthans Bikaner, a month ahead of the formal retirement ceremony slated here on Friday. As part of the symbolic farewell, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew solo sorties of the MiG-21 from Nal on August 18-19, marking an emotional moment for the force and for generations of pilots trained on the Russian-origin fighter jet that served the force for 62 years. Hundreds moved to safety in Nanded due to flooding NANDED : HUNDREDS of people have been shifted to safer places in Nanded city of Maharashtra after several low-lying areas were inundated following heavy rains in the last few days, with Godavari and Asna rivers flowing above the danger mark, officials said on Wednesday. As the inflow into the Vishnupuri dam, which provides potable water to Nanded, rose sharply, all its 16 gates were lifted for the first time in 25 years, releasing over 2.5 lakh cusecs of water, they said. Rains have wreaked havoc over the last few days in the usually parched Marathwada region, killing at least eight persons and damaging houses and crops. Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne on Wednesday said the damage due to rainfall was more in the regions Nanded district. Godavari and Asna rivers have crossed their danger mark, which led to flooding in Nanded city and district, officials said. As water was released from the Vishnupuri dam, low-lying areas of the city, including Govardhan Ghat, Nav Ghat, Nagina Ghat, Degloor Naka, Vasrani and Mujampeth, witnessed flooding. Floodwater also entered Govardhan Ghat crematorium, Sant Dasganu Maharaj Bridge, Shani Mandir, Gadipura, Siddhanathpuri, and Chouphala localities. Hundreds of residents have been shifted to safer locations and temporary shelters, while more evacuations are expected if the water level continues to rise, the officials said, although the exact number of affected persons is yet to be known. Officials warned that the discharge of water from the Vishnupuri dam could increase to three lakh cusecs in the next few hours. Heavy inflows from upstream dams, including Jayakwadi (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Majalgaon (Beed), Siddheshwar, Khadakpurna and Lower Dudhana, are adding to the Godavaris swelling waters. The river has already breached the warning level of 351 metres and surpassed the danger mark of 354 metres, the officials said. The district administration and the Nanded Waghala City Municipal Corporation have issued alerts to villages located along the river banks, and deployed police to maintain order as several bridges and roads are now under water. The backwaters of Godavari river inundated thousands of hectares of farmland, destroying standing crops. The water level of the Asna river in the district has surged, further worsening the situation. Many connecting routes have been cut off as tributaries and streams feeding into the rivers are overflowing, the officials added. Officials of the Water Resources Department, including Executive Engineer Dattatraya Sawant, are monitoring the situation. Although rains have subsided since Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Nanded under a yellow alert, warning of more rainfall in the coming days. It has predicted thunderstorms accompanied with lightning, light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds of 30 to 40 kmph at isolated places on September 24, 25 and 26, followed by a heavy rainfall warning on September 27. Internal Smart India Hackathon 2025 begins at SAIT, Jabalpur Staff Reporter : Internal Smart India Hackathon 2025 was inaugurated at St Aloysius Institute of Technology (SAIT), Jabalpur, on Wednesday. The inaugural ceremony was organised in presence of Fr Thankachan Jose (Director, SAIT), Dr Smita Shrivastava (Principal) and Anoop Banerjee (Registrar). All heads of departments and staff members were also present to encourage and motivate students. The event was organised under the notification of Ministry of Education, Government of India, and served as a platform to identify and prepare teams for the All India Level Hackathon. Around 60 students, along with their team leaders, participated enthusiastically in this internal round. Students were given problem statements to solve, encouraging them to apply their creativity, technical knowledge, and innovative ideas. This initiative by the Ministry of Education is a commendable step to uplift students in the technical field and engage them in real-world problem-solving. The programme was coordinated by Dr Rakesh Haldekar (Coordinator, SIH) with active support from Yogesh Tiwari, Jitesh Pandey and others. The event was compered by Disha E Ramtake. The competition was judged by eminent experts Dhruv Upadhaya and Satish Soni, who praised the participants for their innovative approach and technical acumen. The Internal Hackathon at SAIT proved to be an inspiring and dynamic event, setting the stage for students to excel at the national level and contribute impactful solutions to real-world challenges. MP, Singapore forge stronger ties in industry training, green tech: CM Singapore Consul General Cheong Ming Foong presents a bouquet to Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav during a recent visit. Staff Reporter : Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav highlighted the growing partnership between Madhya Pradesh and Singapore during a recent courtesy meeting with Singapores Consul General, Cheong Ming Foong, held at Samatva Bhavan, Bhopal. The meeting underscored the commitment of both sides to deepen co-operation in key sectors including industry training, green technology, smart cities, and skill development. Dr Yadav praised landmark projects such as the Global Skill Park, which showcase successful collaboration between Madhya Pradesh and Singapore aimed at capacity building and empowering the youth. He emphasised that Singapores advanced expertise in technology, education, and skills development, combined with Madhya Pradeshs industrial strengths and rich resources, create a strong foundation for mutual growth and innovation. The Chief Minister reaffirmed the State Governments dedication to fostering an investor-friendly environment through supportive policies and efficient facilitation to accelerate bilateral projects. He expressed Madhya Pradeshs eagerness to expand co-operation with Singapore across multiple domains such as industry-integrated training programmes, international quality standards, green and sustainable technologies, smart city initiatives, and educational exchanges. Singapores Consul General Cheong Ming Foong expressed his appreciation for the collaborative spirit and expressed optimism about the prospects of joint ventures that would benefit both regions. The meeting also laid the groundwork for exploring new avenues of partnership to further enhance economic development and sustainable urban growth. BISHKEK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Kyrgyz Parliament (Jogorku Kenesh) decided to dissolve the legislature on Thursday. "At the Sept. 25 meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh, deputies reviewed and adopted a draft resolution 'On the self-dissolution of the 7th convocation of the Jogorku Kenesh,'" reported the Parliament's press service. The draft resolution was introduced by Member of Parliament Ulan Primov, representing an initiative group of 32 lawmakers. "The interval between two important political events -- presidential and parliamentary elections -- is a short period of time; therefore, in order to strengthen the political system and stability in the country, the initiative group proposes that the parliament voluntarily relinquish its powers," he said. The proposal received strong support, with 84 deputies voting in favor. Local media reported that Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu said Thursday that, in line with all procedures, early parliamentary elections of the country's Parliament should be held on Nov. 30 this year. According to the Kyrgyz Constitution, the Jogorku Kenesh is a unicameral legislature of 90 members with a five-year term. Under the original schedule, the parliamentary election was set for November 2026 and the presidential election for January 2027. Top intelligence official robbed in VVIP Colony; five suspects detained Rising theft and snatching incidents in Bhopal highlighted by The Hitavada in CityLine on Wednesday. Staff Reporter : Swift police action recovers one phone, investigation into high-profile theft on A major security scare has erupted in Bhopal as the capital of Madhya Pradesh, after the Inspector General (IG) of Intelligence, Dr Ashish, was mugged by bike-borne assailants in the citys most exclusive VVIP area, Char Imli Colony. The robbers snatched two mobile phones from the high-ranking officer, one of which contained sensitive and confidential data related to state security and intelligence, causing a massive upheaval within the police department. Police Commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra confirmed the incident, stating that on Tuesday night, IG Dr Ashish was out for a walk with his wife near his official residence when he was targeted. Three assailants on a motorcycle ambushed the officer and snatched both his mobile phones. During the scuffle, one phone was dropped by the robbers and later recovered, though it was damaged. The other phone was stolen. The theft immediately put the police machinery into high gear due to the sensitive contents of the stolen device. The phone reportedly contained critical information regarding law and order, security and intelligence across the entire State. Following the incident, the Cyber Crime Branch and local police teams immediately launched a joint investigation. 12-Hour Police Operation Leads to Arrests: Umesh Tiwari, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Habibganj, stated that police teams acted swiftly, scrutinising CCTV footage to identify the suspects. Following an intense, overnight search operation, five suspects have been detained for questioning. The police have successfully recovered one of the stolen mobile phones near a factory in the Kolar area, where the miscreants had abandoned it while fleeing. Commissioner Mishra assured the press that the recovered mobile phone was undamaged and had not been tampered with. He expressed confidence that the main culprits would be apprehended shortly. Incident Puts Police Functioning Under Scrutiny: The high-profile crime, occurring against an IG-level officer in a colony widely regarded as Bhopals most secure, the residence of several top state officials and ministers, has raised serious questions about the efficacy of police operations and security in the city. The incident underscores recent concerns raised by The Hitavada regarding the rising number of theft and snatching incidents across the city. TRUMPS RANT THE raving and ranting of United States President Mr. Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was essentially a show of reckless bravado with a message to the world that it should fend for itself as America is going ahead with its own vision (read illusion). The broadside by Mr. Trump at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly came with the threat to the UN itself that the US was better equipped to deal with conflicts and the UN had failed in doing its job. The one-hour rant of Mr. Trump has again killed the idea of collective action on global issues which should make the world think seriously on finding newer alternatives. Mr. Trumps rhetoric again targetted India as he held the country responsible for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The US Presidents direct allegation that India and China are primary funders of the war by continuing to purchase Russian oil came as the latest bluster to upend international relations for the sake of winning a power game. This has remained the US line for some time to pressure India for a trade agreement on Mr. Trumps terms. India has so far successfully resisted the pressure though it has kept trade talks going by maintaining its stand on certain issues. Despite the 50 per cent tariffs imposed on Indian exports in the US, India has kept its cool with its own mechanism without giving in to Mr. Trumps unjust demands. Mr. Trumps frustration was palpable on the Indian position during his hour-long speech at the UNGA. However, it is highly unlikely that India would yield to all this dirty drama. Neither has India stopped purchase of oil from Russia nor has it made concessions on critical sectors during the fresh trade talks with American negotiators. India will continue to play hard-ball with the American President and the world must now get used to the blusters of the frustrated Mr. Trump. The world has also realised that the maverick style of Mr. Trump would only lead to destruction of global institutions and all good projects aimed at securing humanity. The UNGA speech by the US President confirmed that he was out to scuttle all the collective work on serious threats. His dismissal of climate change as one of the biggest con jobs in the world was a statement full of madness for which entire human society, including the Americans, would suffer. The reality of climate change cannot be swept aside as a figment of someones imagination. Every country in the world is experiencing the harsh side of climate change as cities and towns are grappling with rising temperatures, extreme weather events and melting glaciers. Floods are taking away swathes of land and untold human lives each day. Countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the African nations are staring at a huge crisis as natural disasters are hitting them at an alarming pace. The threat is real but Mr. Trump is calling it a a con job. It should be a warning signal for the international community as it looks to strengthen collective plans to fight climate change. There seems a method in the madness Mr. Trump is unleashing at global platforms. He has obliterated the fine line of statesmanship and has turned public discourse into a blabber full of indecent remarks. Far from it being a candour, Mr. Trumps uncontrolled ranting is turning into a cantankerous cacophony of a disillusioned person. The behaviour does not befit the President of the worlds most powerful nation. He is causing a major embarrassment to the people back home with his foolish blabber. His policies are already causing tremendous consternation even among his ardent supporters. The tariff bomb is set to cause more damage to the American economy. Now, by rejecting the idea of multilateralism, Mr. Trump is isolating America. The reality of choosing a wrong person will soon dawn upon the US voters. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, in New York, the United States, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday expressed hope that Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation will play a role in the continued deepening of exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States for more practical results. Li made the remarks in his meeting with Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. Li expressed his appreciation for Gates and the foundation for their long-term commitment to global poverty reduction, health service, development and philanthropy. Noting that in recent years, China has made tremendous achievements in health care and established the world's largest disease control and medical service system, Li said China has also actively participated in global development cooperation. China is ready to expand cooperation with the foundation by carrying out more cooperative projects across the entire health chain globally and actively engaging in trilateral and multilateral cooperation with developing countries to better benefit people and make greater contributions to global development, said the Chinese premier. Li expressed his hope that the foundation will continue to strengthen cooperation with relevant Chinese departments and local partners, leverage platforms such as the Global Health Drug Discovery Institute in Beijing and the Shanghai Center of Excellence for Global Health and Development, to implement cooperative projects. The sound and stable development of China-U.S. relations benefits not only the two countries but the world at large, Li noted. With mounting global challenges, he urged both countries to maintain close cooperation, strengthen and improve global governance, and jointly promote global stability, development and prosperity. For his part, Gates said that China's achievements in areas such as scientific and technological innovation, artificial intelligence, medical and health care, as well as poverty reduction in recent years have drawn worldwide attention. He said the foundation looks forward to further strengthening its relations with China and conducting more substantive cooperation in the field of global health, and especially in developing countries, so as to jointly advance the cause of global development. Calling the U.S.-China ties one of the most important bilateral relations in the world today, Gates pledged that both he and the foundation will make active efforts to promote closer communication and cooperation between the two countries and jointly address global challenges. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, in New York, the United States, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) PALO ALTO, the United States, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's sudden proclamation last weekend imposing a 100,000-U.S.-dollar fee on new H-1B visa applications has generated intense debate across the technology sector in the country. H-1B is one of the most common work visas in the United States. It is issued to skilled foreign workers typically for a duration of three years, which may be extended for a maximum of six years. Silicon Valley companies are the program's biggest users, according to data collected by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on employers who had the most H-1B visas approved every year. In fiscal year 2025, the top companies sponsoring new H-1B visas include Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google. Mixed reactions were reported across Silicon Valley. While leading corporations there hailed the change as a refinement of America's talent pipeline, startups and service firms warned of crippling fallout. Meanwhile, immigrant workers reported immediate hardship, and analysts predicted that Indians would suffer the greatest loss of opportunity. Under the new rule that took effect on Sunday, companies must pay 100,000 dollars per H-1B petition, a steep increase over the previous 1,500-dollar charge. The White House insisted the policy targets program abuse and reserves visas for only the highest-value roles. Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings on Sunday called the change "a great solution." "It will mean H1-B is used just for very high-value jobs, which will mean no lottery needed, and more certainty for those jobs," he wrote in a post on social platform X. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Monday said: "Immigration is really important to our company and is really important to our nation's future, and I'm glad to see President Trump making the moves he's making." OpenAI chief Sam Altman, who was interviewed by the CNBC news channel with Huang together on Monday, said: "We need to get the smartest people in the country, and streamlining that process and also sort of aligning financial incentives seems good to me." By contrast, startup founders and their investors sounded the alarm. Selin Kocalar, chief operating officer of the AI compliance startup Delve, worried about the financial challenges startups face, noting that "as a startup, financial resources are always limited." "So you can't go out and spend a bunch of money or have that kind of luxury that you'd see at a bigger company," she was quoted as saying by The New York Times on Tuesday. Desmond Lim, CEO and co-founder of human resources, payroll and hiring platform Workstream, told CNBC Tuesday that the fee would be too high to justify for early-stage companies like his, complicating recruitment strategies. He said all of his San Francisco-based startup's H1-B applications were rejected over the past year, which was "very disappointing" as he tried to secure some top engineering talent. Some venture capitalists warned that startups may have no choice but to move jobs to other countries, such as Canada, rather than shoulder the prohibitive cost -- a shift that could undercut U.S. innovation and investment. Y Combinator partner Garry Tan criticized the new H-1B visa fee policy as "kneecapping startups" and "a massive gift to every overseas tech hub," predicting Singapore, London and Toronto will compete to lure talent barred from entering the United States. In 2019, the USCIS estimated that there were over 580,000 H-1B visa holders in the United States. India's giant information-technology service sector stands to bear the heaviest brunt. U.S. government data showed that Indians received 71 percent of H-1B approvals in fiscal year 2024. Industry observers suggested that escalating visa fees may force service firms such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and Wipro to reconsider their U.S. operations or pass costs on to U.S. customers, potentially raising project prices and straining longstanding client relationships. The international response has been swift. Canadian media and immigration consultants have noted an uptick in interest in the country's Global Talent Stream program, with some speculating that more highly skilled foreign workers may be attracted to Canada in search of friendlier immigration rules. "While President Trump announced late last week that it will make it harder to bring talent to the U.S., we want to make it easier to bring talent to the UK," UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said Tuesday. Some Indian media outlets have discussed the possibility of a partial "reverse brain drain," with professionals considering opportunities at home or in local technology firms. NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Thursday that China is ready to work with Cyprus to continue to expand the scale and optimize the structure of bilateral trade, and explore the potential for cooperation in emerging fields. Li made the remarks in his meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. VILNIUS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's parliament on Thursday approved the 20th government, a coalition formed by the Social Democrats, Nemunas Dawn, and the political group of the Farmers and Greens Union and the Christian Families Alliance. The new Cabinet's program was adopted with 80 votes in favor, 40 against, and two abstentions. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene and the ministers were sworn in shortly after the vote and assumed office immediately. "With this government program, we are clearly declaring that we want a stronger public sector, that we want to listen to communities, promote social dialogue and solve problems through dialogue," Ruginiene told parliament. "We want to invest more in defense, which we have already demonstrated and will continue to demonstrate. We want a strong social foundation for every resident, we want wages to rise, our seniors to live with dignity and vulnerable people to have much better lives." The program commits to raising defense spending to 5 percent of GDP and pledges no new taxes during the term, except for a planned financial stability levy on banks, details of which remain under discussion. It also includes a freeze on diesel excise hikes, while excise duties on tobacco, e-cigarettes, and alcohol will increase at a faster pace. The new ruling coalition, which commands 82 of the 141 parliamentary seats, was formed in August following the resignation of former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas. BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce announced on Thursday that it has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of carya illinoensis originating from Mexico and the United States. The investigation became effective on Thursday, the ministry said in a statement. Evidence has shown that Mexico and the United States have engaged in the dumping of carya illinoensis exports to China, causing substantial harm to China's domestic industry, a spokesperson for the ministry said in response to a media query. Chinese authorities will conduct the investigation in accordance with the law, fully safeguarding the rights of all stakeholders, and will make an objective and impartial decision based on the investigation results, the spokesperson said. The probe is expected to conclude by Sept. 25, 2026, with a possible six-month extension under special circumstances, according to the ministry. MOSCOW, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday reaffirmed their shared interest in seeking peaceful solutions to the Ukraine crisis, said the Russian Foreign Ministry. The two top diplomats met in New York on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, said the ministry. Lavrov reiterated Russia's readiness to adhere to the course outlined by the two countries' leaders in Alaska, including coordination with Washington on addressing the root causes of the conflict. He voiced opposition to what he described as proposals from Kiev and some European capitals that could prolong the crisis. The meeting also addressed broader bilateral issues, with both sides stressing the importance of restoring political and public contacts, leveraging the momentum set by the presidents of Russia and the United States to advance normalization of relations. They also emphasized the need to resume regular operations of diplomatic missions. The two sides agreed to continue constructive dialogue between their foreign policy agencies, said the ministry. On Aug. 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump met in Alaska. They gave a positive assessment of the meeting, but no agreement was reached on issues such as a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. Zheng Zhihong, minister counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, speaks during a training course on energy management for the food processing sector in Myanmar, in Yangon, Myanmar, Sept. 25, 2025. The course, funded by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, kicked off here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) YANGON, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A training course on energy management for the food processing sector in Myanmar, funded by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, kicked off here on Thursday. Speaking at the opening event, Zheng Zhihong, minister counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, expressed China's willingness to share its experience in energy conservation and efficiency improvement with Myanmar, jointly pursue a path of green, low-carbon, and sustainable economic and social development, and promote the steady and long-term development of a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. In his video speech, Myanmar's Union Minister for Industry Charlie Than expressed gratitude for the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund's support, stating that the project is highly aligned with Myanmar's needs and will contribute to Myanmar's green industrial development. Nearly 100 people, including Director-General of the Directorate of Industrial Collaboration U Mya Oo and representatives from food processing companies, attended the event. The two-day training course will feature lectures by experts from China. Participants are pictured during a training course on energy management for the food processing sector in Myanmar, in Yangon, Myanmar, Sept. 25, 2025. The course, funded by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, kicked off here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Preparing for home visit of Th Muivah Date set on October 22 | Fifteen years is a pretty long time and a child born in 2010 would be getting ready to appear for her High School Leaving Certificate Examination (HSLC) now and the socio-political reality of Manipur too has undergone many changes. Back then it was the Congress which was at the helm of affairs both in New Delhi and at Imphal. Back then supremo of the NSCN (IM) Thuingaleng Muivah was 15 years younger. The planned visit to his home village at Somdal did not fructify back in 2010 and this time the script should run somewhat differently. What was Manipur back in 2010 is vastly different from the Manipur of 2025 and there have been changes. Back in 2010, the June 18, 2001 uproar against the ceasefire without territorial limits clause of the Bangkok Declaration of June 14, 2001 was fresher in the minds of the people but this is 2025 and much water has flowed down the Imphal river since then. And 2010 is better understood in the context of what unfolded in 2001 and this is where it becomes important for Manipur and India to understand that the June 18, 2001 uproar was against the Bangkok Declaration of June 14, 2001 and it was not against any community. Offices of political parties were targeted and so was the State Assembly, which is today known as the Old Assembly complex. The protests went on for days and situation calmed down only when the phrase ceasefire without territorial limits was scrapped from the Bangkok Declaration and the intense protest was always against the decision of the Government and not against any community. Obviously tension was high but it never got reduced to an exercise of targeting any community either at Imphal or at any of the Naga dominated districts such as Ukhrul and Senapati. Something very different from what happened at Churachandpur on May 3, 2023. A rally christened Tribal Solidarity March, taken out ostensibly against the ruling of the High Court of Manipur, which just asked the Government to Manipur to send the ethnographic and socio-economic report of the Meiteis to the Ministry of Union Tribal Affairs, got reduced to an exercise of targeting the Meiteis at Churachandpur and Torbung. Imphal retaliated only late in the evening of May 3, 2023 and The Sangai Express had repeatedly recalled that it was in the evening of the said date that a former Kuki MLA dropped in at the office of this newspaper to inquire about something not at all related to the mayhem that was happening at Churachandpur. It is against this reality that Th Muivah is scheduled to visit his native village on October 22. Already in the winter of his life, it is only right that the rebel leader who has spent the better part of his life in the jungles, is given the welcome he deserves at his birthplace. The need for a final pact, the process for which started back in 1997, will surely hang heavy in the air as he lands at Somdal village and it is against this fact that Manipur will tune in to listen what he has got to say. And it stands that the message he brings will be awaited with hope and expectations by some, while for others it could be a case of trepidation. Not surprising for this is what happens when one is a man having led a bloody movement of insurrection for his people. Come October 22 and it could mean so many things to different people. To some it will be hailed as the day that the rebel leader is able to visit his birthplace after years of waging a bush war against India while to others it could be a case of an indigenous son of the soil returning home in the winter of his life. And when one talks about indigeneity, The Sangai Express still remembers his proclamation during a one to one meeting at Camp Hebron some time in 2005 that it is only the Nagas and the Meiteis who are indigenous to Manipur. For a place which has been ravaged by a state of conflict for more than two years, understanding the nuances of the term indigenous has become important and very crucial. JERUSALEM, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- A drone launched from Yemen struck the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat on Wednesday evening, injuring at least 20 people, two of them seriously, according to Israel's emergency medical service and the military. Israel's national ambulance service, Magen David Adom, said the two badly wounded victims, both in their 60s, suffered severe limb injuries. Another man was moderately injured when shrapnel hit his upper body, while the remaining casualties sustained lighter wounds, mostly from shrapnel and bruising. The drone exploded in the city center, in a tourist district near the Club Hotel, a large beachfront complex, according to Kan, the state-owned broadcaster. Kan also reported that Israel's air defense system attempted twice to intercept the drone but failed. The strike came during Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, when Eilat is typically crowded with Israeli vacationers. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have repeatedly targeted Eilat with drones and missiles since Israel's war in Gaza began. Last week, a drone struck the entrance to a hotel in the city, causing property damage but no injuries. The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for Wednesday's strike. But the group has regularly targeted Red Sea shipping and Israeli territory, citing support for Palestinians in Gaza. Israel has responded with airstrikes on Houthi-controlled Yemen, most recently last week, against military infrastructure at the port of Hodeida. Last month, an Israeli strike on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, killed the Houthi government's prime minister and several other senior officials. Israel described that strike as the start of a broader campaign against the group's leadership. TEHRAN, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday dismissed a move by France, Britain and Germany to reinstate United Nations sanctions on Tehran, saying it lacked "international legitimacy," state news agency IRNA reported. Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Pezeshkian criticized the European powers' decision last month to trigger the "snapback" mechanism under the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The UN Security Council last week failed to adopt a resolution to extend sanctions relief for Iran, clearing the way for sanctions to return later this month. Pezeshkian said the Europeans had "failed to honor their commitments over the past decade" and were now acting "under Washington's pressure and coercion." He accused them of seeking to "destroy" the JCPOA, which he noted they once hailed as "the biggest achievement of multilateral diplomacy." He reiterated that Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and would not do so, citing a religious decree by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran signed the JCPOA in 2015 with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The United States withdrew in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, prompting Tehran to scale back its commitments. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the central delegation, together with Chen Xiaojiang, secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the CPC, unveil a congratulatory plaque bearing words by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, during a souvenir presentation ceremony in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Sept. 25, 2025. The central delegation, currently in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for events celebrating the 70th anniversary of the autonomous region's founding, on Thursday presented souvenirs to the autonomous region. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) URUMQI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The central delegation, currently in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for events celebrating the 70th anniversary of the autonomous region's founding, on Thursday presented souvenirs to the autonomous region. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and head of the delegation, attended the souvenir presentation ceremony. The delegation presented a congratulatory plaque bearing words by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee -- "Foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and build a modern socialist Xinjiang." The delegation also presented "Zhonghua Tongxin Zun," tin-bronze vessels that symbolize the solidarity of people of all ethnic groups of China. Other gifts included titanium alloy thermos cups, enamel teapots, ECG machines, blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters, astronomical telescopes, trolley speakers, washing machines and microwave ovens. DUBAI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese self-driving company Pony.ai showcased its latest robotaxi and autonomous driving technologies this week at the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport, part of the emirate's plan to make a quarter of urban trips driverless by 2030. The congress, held from Wednesday to Thursday at the Dubai World Trade Center under the theme "Redefining Mobility: The Path to Autonomy", brought together policymakers, industry executives, and innovators. The company's interactive booth attracted wide attention as delegates expressed strong interest in the company's full-stack self-driving technologies and its planned commercial deployment in Dubai. Pony.ai, which holds a local testing permit, has begun pilot operations in designated areas and aims to launch commercial driverless services in 2026 as part of Dubai's public transport system. "Dubai's robust transport infrastructure, supportive policies, and public acceptance of emerging technologies give us confidence in accelerating large-scale adoption of autonomous driving," co-founder and CEO James Peng said. Earlier this year, the company partnered with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority to advance Level 4 autonomous driving technology into the city's transportation system to improve efficiency. * The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, held in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, marked the first time the meeting was convened in Asia. * The congress produced two landmark outcome documents: the Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan for UNESCO's MAB Programme and its World Network of Biosphere Reserves (2026-2035), and the Hangzhou Declaration. * China has remained a key participant in global ecological conservation, relentlessly exploring innovative approaches to biodiversity protection and ecosystem management. HANGZHOU, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Two landmark outcome documents were adopted at the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, charting the course for the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme over the next decade. The congress, held in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, from Sept. 22 to 25, marked the first time the meeting was convened in Asia. Every 10 years or so, UNESCO hosts the event to shape the future of biosphere reserves worldwide. During the conference, some 4,000 delegates from over 150 countries and regions gathered under the theme "Shaping a Sustainable Future for People and Nature" to explore strategies for protecting biosphere reserves and advancing sustainable development. China formally joined the MAB Programme in 1973 and established a national committee for the program five years later. To date, 34 nature reserves in China have been designated as UNESCO biosphere reserves, placing the country first in Asia in terms of total number of such reserves. Tourists view gulls during a boat ride at Cuihu Park in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo) STRATEGIC ROADMAP The congress produced two landmark outcome documents: the Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan for UNESCO's MAB Programme and its World Network of Biosphere Reserves (2026-2035), and the Hangzhou Declaration. "Together, these offer a clear roadmap for strengthening the MAB Programme worldwide and reaffirm biosphere reserves as learning sites for sustainable development," said Antonio Abreu, secretary of UNESCO's MAB Programme. The Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan is a practical document that provides philosophy and vision, and promotes concrete actions. These specific actions will strengthen the World Network of Biosphere Reserves as learning laboratories for sustainability, he said. Among the priorities are enhancing biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration; strengthening climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies; empowering local communities through green livelihoods and equitable benefit sharing; expanding education and research opportunities within biosphere reserves, and improving governance, monitoring and international cooperation across the modern network, Abreu said. The Hangzhou Declaration encourages all UNESCO member states to establish MAB National Committees and set up biosphere reserves, particularly in key biodiversity areas, transboundary regions and marine environments. It encourages UNESCO member states to strengthen the application of advanced technologies and digital tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to develop a robust monitoring, open-access database, evaluation and learning framework. An aerial drone photo taken on July 16, 2024 shows the scenery of a grassland in West Ujimqin Banner of Xilingol League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) He Hongping, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), pledged that China, as the host country, will translate the Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan into concrete actions. China will share its insights on ecological civilization and advance tangible cooperation with international partners, dedicating its unique strengths and wisdom to the global community of life. UNESCO officials urged to enhance global solidarity and cooperation to tackle global challenges through concrete actions and advance ecological conservation alongside economic and social development. Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO director-general, spoke highly of China's achievements in ecological and environmental protection, as well as its contributions to global environmental governance. Participants also lauded the ecological harmony in Hangzhou, an epitome of how China balances economic development with ecological and environmental protection. "It is inspiring to see nature connected with the skyscrapers and other highly developed buildings here," said Olesya Sapozhnikova, lead consultant of the International Organizations Division at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation. "There is a lot of experience we could learn from China." Ouyang Zhiyun, a researcher at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, speaks during the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 22, 2025. The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves kicked off here on Monday and will last till Sept. 25. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi) CHINA EXPERIENCE, TECHNOLOGIES China drew huge attention at the event as many sub-forums focused on the country's experience in ecological and biodiversity protection. China has remained a key participant in global ecological conservation, relentlessly exploring innovative approaches to biodiversity protection and ecosystem management. Technologies such as big data, remote sensing and AI can be integrated into a cohesive technological framework. This synthesis enables more effective support for protecting sustainable livelihoods and ecosystems, said Guo Huadong, a CAS academician and director of the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage under the auspices of UNESCO. Nature reserves and parks across the country have been using a wide range of technologies to protect the ecosystems and biodiversity. In Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China, the Xilingol Grassland National Nature Reserve has developed a smart monitoring platform that integrates data from satellites, drones, ground sensors and subsoil monitoring. In Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, scientists have developed passive acoustic monitoring devices that capture real-time underwater signals to track the endangered Yangtze finless porpoise. At Cuihu Park in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, researchers installed high-definition, 360-degree rotatable cameras that monitor bird activity around the clock. Currently, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, driven by rapid breakthroughs in fields like AI and biotechnology, offering favorable conditions for jointly addressing global ecological challenges, said Hou Jianguo, president of the CAS. Tourists visit Tianmu Mountain scenic spot in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 4, 2021. (Photo by Hu Jianhuan/Xinhua) Many participants believe they could draw from China's experience by using new technologies for ecological protection. China is so much ahead as the country patrols its reserves with drones and live trackers, said Ann Frida Nandutu, monitoring and evaluation consultant of the World Bank and UN. "I have learnt a lot from this gathering because there is a lot to take back to Africa, especially my country, Uganda." Gabriela Martinez, individual specialist, Natural Sciences Sector at UNESCO Ecuador Office, said he has noticed how powerful and useful AI is in ecological conservation in China. "We should have this futuristic view to live together in harmony with nature," he told Xinhua. UNESCO launched the MAB Programme in 1971 to promote the sustainable management of biodiversity and human-nature interactions. It operates through the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, which includes 759 biosphere reserves across 136 countries. (Video reporters: Liu Mingxiang; video editors: Zhang Yichi, Zhu Cong, Li Ziwei) remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, the United States, Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Thursday that China is ready to work with Cyprus to continue to expand the scale and optimize the structure of bilateral trade, and explore the potential for cooperation in emerging fields. Li made the remarks in his meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. Despite that China and Cyprus are geographically distant, their friendly exchanges have a long history, Li said. Next year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and the fifth anniversary of their strategic partnership, ushering in new opportunities for the further deepening and development of bilateral cooperation, he said. Li pledged China's readiness to work with Cyprus to carry forward their traditional friendship, strengthen high-level exchanges, uphold mutual respect, mutual trust, openness and cooperation, and push bilateral relations to new heights, so as to achieve more practical outcomes and bring more benefits to the two peoples. Noting that China understands and supports Cyprus in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, Li said his country appreciates Cyprus for adhering to the one-China principle. China is willing to work with Cyprus to further align their development strategies, and better leverage mechanisms such as the joint economic and trade committee, Li said. He also expressed China's readiness to deepen and solidify cooperation in shipping, tap the potential for cooperation in emerging fields such as clean energy, as well as enhance exchanges in education, culture, youth and on local levels, so as to better achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. China is willing to import more high-quality agricultural and food products from Cyprus, Li said, urging the Cypriot side to continue to foster a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment, and provide more policy support for business cooperation between the two countries. Noting that the current international situation is marked by changes and turbulence, Li said China is willing to work closely with Cyprus in multilateral coordination, jointly practice true multilateralism, safeguard and promote free trade, and push for a more just and equitable global governance system. China welcomes the Cypriot side to actively participate in the Global Governance Initiative, he said. Li also expressed hope that Cyprus will continue to play a significant role in promoting the European Union (EU) to adhere to a rational and practical policy toward China, and in maintaining the right direction of the development of China-EU relations. For his part, Christodoulides said that Cyprus-China relations are founded on mutual understanding and mutual support. Cyprus firmly adheres to the one-China policy and highly values the strategic partnership between the two countries, he said. Cyprus looks forward to enhancing high-level exchanges with China, consolidating bilateral friendship and mutual trust, deepening cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, investment, agriculture and sports, and strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he said. The president said Cyprus will assume the rotating presidency of the EU in the first half of next year and will actively promote dialogue and cooperation between the EU and China. Cyprus is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with China, uphold the authority of the UN Charter and international law, defend multilateralism, and jointly address challenges, he added. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, the United States, Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) Tata Motors shares plunged on Thursday morning, reflecting investor anxiety after news broke about the ongoing cyberattack that crippled its British subsidiary, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). Shares of Tata Motors on the National Stock Exchange opened at Rs 669.90 and quickly fell, closing at Rs 655.30 apiecea sharp loss of over 3 per cent compared to yesterday. What's driving the Tata Motors stock down? The catalyst for this sudden selloff is the extended production shutdown at JLRs key UK factories, which began after hackers infiltrated the companys IT systems at the end of August. With production now on pause till at least October 1, Tata Motors faces mounting uncertainty over lost vehicle sales and delays to new launches. But the biggest blow came from new reports suggesting JLR could be facing as much as a 2 billion financial hit from the cyberattack. This amount is even more than JLRs total profit for last year, making the losses especially hard to stomach for Tata Motors shareholders. Reports also suggest that the company may not have any insurance to shield itself from the fallout. Tata Motors biggest loser in Nifty Investors rushed to exit the stock today, making Tata Motors the biggest loser on the Nifty 50 index. The stock saw heavy volumes and was noted to have underperformed the broader market. With JLR contributing about 70 per cent of Tata Motors revenues, the parent companys fortunes are closely tied to its UK arms recovery. Analysts warn that continued delays at JLR not only mean daily financial lossesestimated near 50 million per daybut also risk severe disruption in the supply chain, lost market share, and possible layoffs, which all feed into the bearish sentiment around Tata Motors. Whats next for Tata Motors stock? Tata Motors is now squarely in the market spotlight. If JLR can resume production as planned on October 1 and contain the damage, it may stem further declines in the stock. But any more setbacks, especially confirmation of the huge uninsured losses, could push Tata Motors shares even lower. For now, Tata Motors investors are bracing for more volatility, hoping for a swift resolution and recovery at JLRbut with every passing day of silence from the assembly lines, confidence remains shaken, and the stock reflects that uncertainty. The defence ministry, on Thursday, signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A, including 68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters, for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Rs 62,370 crore contract, under the Buy (India-IDDM) category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, also covers associated equipment for the 4.5-generation, indigenously-developed multirole fighter jets. The delivery of these fighter aircraft, featuring advanced avionics, AESA radar, electronic warfare capabilities, and mid-air refuelling, will begin during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years. The aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64 per cent, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous LCA Mk1A contract that was signed in 2021, the defence ministry said in a release. ALSO READ: India's fifth-generation fighter AMCA latest update: L&T partners with BEL to deliver next-gen tech for aircraft "The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives," the ministry said. The acquisition of the fighter jets is in line with the governments thrust on indigenisation, the ministry said, adding that the LCA Mk1A is the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and manufactured fighter aircraft and will serve as a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the IAF. The project is being supported by a vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in the manufacture of detailed components. The production is expected to generate close to 11,750 direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of six years, giving a major boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem, the ministry added. The legendary, supersonic Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets, which have been the backbone of the Indian Air Force's combat fleet for over six decades, are set to retire on Friday. Inducted into the service in 1963, the MiG-21 quickly became Indian Air Force's first supersonic jet and the backbone of its combat fleet. over the years, the Indian Air Force procured over 870 MiG-21s. Originally designed as a high-altitude interceptor, the MiG-21 was rapidly adapted by the IAF for various roles and duties, including ground attack, reconnaissance, and close air support. The fighter jets were the dominant platforms during the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. They also played a major role in the 1999 Kargil conflict as well as the 2019 Balakot airstrikes. The last of the MiG-21 jets, belonging to No. 23 Squadron of the Indian Air Force, nicknamed 'Panthers', will be given a farewell at the decommissioning ceremony at the Chandigarh Air Force station, where the first MiG-21 aircraft was inducted into service in 1963. The official culmination of MiG-21 operations will begin with a ceremonial flypast and decommissioning event. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh will fly the last sortie of the Squadron with the call sign 'Badal 3'. Upon landing, the six MiG-21 jets will be given a water cannon salute, and among the pilots will be Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, who also flew in the full dress rehearsal on Wednesday. Guests at the event Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, will be among those present on the occasion. As per the tentative programme, six former IAF chiefsA.Y. Tipnis, S. Krishnaswamy, S.P. Tyagi, P.V. Naik, B.S. Dhanoa and R.K.S Bhadauriawill also attend the Friday's ceremony. Officials from the Defence Ministry, Defence Research and Development Organisation and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will also be present. Last operational flights The MiG-21 fighter jets made their last operational flights at the Nal Air Force Station in Rajasthan's Bikaner in August. As part of the symbolic farewell, Air Chief Marshal Singh flew solo sorties of the MiG-21 from Nal on August 18 and 19. This marked an emotional moment for the force and for generations of pilots trained on the Russian-origin fighter jets that has been serving the nation for over six decades. Paracetamolbetter known in Indian households as Crocin or Dolo-650is among the most trusted medicines for fever, headaches, and everyday body aches. It is cheap, easily available, and widely prescribed across the country. For millions of Indians, especially pregnant women who have limited safe pain-relief options, it is a lifeline. But a new controversy brewing in the US threatens to cast a shadow on this humble tablet. President Donald Trump has asked doctors not to prescribe paracetamol to pregnant women, citing unproven links with autism. His Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.a vocal vaccine skeptichas gone further, calling for a warning label on the drug. Indian doctors are alarmed. There is no conclusive evidence that paracetamol causes autism. To demonise it is scientifically unsound and socially dangerous, said Dr Ramesh Shah, a practicing family physician in suburban Mumbai. A basic internet search shows that India is one of the largest consumers of paracetamol in the world. From rural health centres to urban pharmacies, it is the go-to drug for fever management. As per reports, during the Covid-19 pandemic, sales of Dolo-650 became so widespread that it even sparked memes about how every household had a strip tucked away. Doctors whom THE WEEK spoke to said that if misinformation around paracetamol spreads globally, India could face two challenges - one that expectant mothers may avoid the medicine altogether and two, that regulators in India may come under pressure to restrict paracetamol use. While the former could leave pregnant women vulnerable to untreated fevers, the latter could undermine trust in essential, affordable medicines at a time when Indias public health system is already overstretched. Public health experts note that the Trump-Kennedy campaign against paracetamol mirrors the anti-vaccine rhetoric that has hurt immunisation drives worldwide. It is the same anti-science playbooksow doubt, confuse the public, and politicise health, says an infectious diseases specialist in Delhi. India, which runs one of the largest immunisation programmes in the world, has already seen how misinformation such as WhatsApp rumours about polio or Covid vaccines can derail public trust. The paracetamol scare could be the next battlefront, says Dr Shah. The fallout is not just medical but also economic. India is among the top producers of paracetamol formulations, with a robust domestic pharmaceutical industry that supplies to Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. Any dent in confidence could hit exports and add to pressure on Indian drugmakers already dealing with pricing controls and quality scrutiny. "At its core, the debate isnt about paracetamol aloneits about how politics in the US can ripple into Indias health ecosystem. When one of the most powerful countries in the world questions a common medicine without strong evidence, it risks global mistrust that India cannot afford," asks activist Kamayani Mahabal of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan. For millions of Indians, paracetamol offers basic relief and its effectiveness has been proven time and again, not withstanding political rhetoric. Wipro chairman Azim Premji has turned down Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's proposal for vehicular access through the IT firm's Sarjapur campus, citing contractual constraints. However, the entrepreneur has vowed to offer financial and technical assistance to find a long-term solution to address Bengaluru's traffic woes. Responding to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's letter, Premji said "urgent and effective measures" are indeed required to address the traffic situation in Bengaluru, "particularly along the Outer Ring Road, being an export-oriented economic hub." There you go - Azim Premji turns down the request citing legal, regulatory issues including SEZ rules@ajayrotti @chandrarsrikant https://t.co/mY10X69U1I pic.twitter.com/onCZZqLEoW Jaynam Shah (@jaynamshah) September 25, 2025 Turning down Siddaramaiah's suggestion of allowing vehicular access through Wipro's Sarjapur campus, Premji, citing legal challenges, noted the campus was "exclusive private property owned by a listed company not intended for public thoroughfare". "Sarjapur campus is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) providing services to global customers, our contractual conditions mandate stringent, non-negotiable access control norms for governance and compliance. Moreover, public vehicular movement through a private property would not be effective as a sustainable, long-term solution," the IT firm's head said. Noting there is no single point solution or a silver bullet to resolve Bengaluru's traffic challenges, Premji said, "We believe the most effective path forward is to commission a comprehensive, scientific study led by an entity with world-class expertise in urban transport management. Such an exercise would allow us to develop a holistic roadmap of effective solutions that are implementable in the short, medium, and long term. To demonstrate our commitment to being a part of the solution, Wipro will be pleased to engage in this process and underwrite a significant portion of the cost for this expert study." In a recent letter to Premji, the Karnataka chief minister suggested that allowing vehicular access through Wipro's Sarjapur campus could ease traffic movement on the Outer Ring Road. In his letter, Siddaramaiah said allowing vehicles through Wipro's campus could reduce congestion on adjoining stretches of the ORR by nearly 30 per cent during peak hours. The Centre, which accused activist Sonam Wangchuk of provoking the mob violence in Ladakh, cancelled the FCRA licence of Wangchuk-led Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL). According to media reports, the funding for SECMOL was cancelled by the government, citing multiple violations under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). A CBI probe has also been launched against his organisation. The move comes even as Wangchuk called the home ministry's charge that he instigated the recent violent protests in Ladakh a "scapegoat tactic" intended to avoid dealing with the core problems of the Himalayan region. "I had received a notice about a CBI inquiry stating that your organisation received foreign funding even when it did not have FCRA. We did not get FCRA because we don't want funds from abroad. United Nations team wanted to take our Passive Solar Heated Building to Afghanistan, and for this, they gave us a fee. We also got fees with tax from Switzerland and Italy organisations for supplying knowledge to them about our artificial glaciers...We are getting I-T summons," he said. #WATCH | Leh, Ladakh | Over CBI probe on his institute for alleged FCRA violation, Activist Sonam Wangchuk says, "In the series of witch hunting, yesterday's events were the last and all blame was put on Sonam Wangchuk." "A day later (after Leh protests), the Home Ministry of pic.twitter.com/YtRscAPnx7 ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2025 The Centre had alleged that the mob violence was guided by the "provocative statements" of Wangchuk, and certain "politically motivated" individuals were not happy with the progress made in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the government and Ladakhi groups. In a statement, the Union home ministry said barring a few unfortunate incidents that happened early on Wednesday, the situation was brought under control by 4 pm and asked everyone not to circulate old and provocative videos in the media and social media. "It is well known that the government of India has been actively engaged with the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance. Series of meetings were held with them through formal channel of High Powered Committee (HPC) as well as sub-committee and multiple informal meetings with leaders," the statement. Reacting to the home ministry's charges, Wangchuk said he is prepared to be arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA). "To say it was instigated by me, or sometimes by Congress, is to find a scapegoat, rather than addressing the core of the problem, and this will lead us nowhere. "They may be clever in making somebody else a scapegoat, but they are not wise. At this time, we all need wisdom rather than 'cleverness' because youths are already frustrated," Wangchuk told news agency PTI. After Wednesdays violent protests that left four people dead and many others injured in Leh, both the Centre and Ladakh leaders have indicated their readiness for talks on the pending demands of Ladakh to restore peace in the strategic border region. This was stated by senior Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) leader Thupstan Chhewang in Leh today after visiting the hospital to meet those injured in Wednesdays clashes. The LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) represent the political and religious bodies of Leh and Kargil. Its delegates have held talks with the High-Powered Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, regarding Ladakhs demands since 2023, after the region was separated from Jammu and Kashmir and granted Union territory status. Apart from protection of land, jobs, and culture, the key demands of LAB and KDA are statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh. Significant headway has been made on most demands except statehood and the Sixth Schedule. The Centre has expressed willingness to extend those provisions of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh that apply to it, but has rejected the demand for statehood. The last round of talks between LAB and KDA delegates was held on May 27. The delay in further talks raised anxiety and huge anger in Ladakh, especially among the youth. Speaking to reporters after his hospital visit, Chhewang said the situation was tense but calm. He called for restraint and dialogue with the Centre. He said a meeting of LAB and KDA representatives with officials in Delhi had been scheduled for Thursday, but was delayed after the violence. We have signalled that six of our representatives are ready to attend a meeting urgently, he said. If it is held quickly, it will help restore normalcy. Chhewang also hinted that the last rites of those killed may be postponed until internal consultations are complete. Because of yesterdays events and the four deaths, we will confer within the Apex Body before finalising funeral arrangements, he said. He said four of the injured were in serious condition, while one has been shifted to AIIMS, Delhi. He said those with minor or moderate injuries had already undergone treatment and praised the hospital staff for preventing further casualties through swift action. Chhewang, who met hospital officials alongside other LAB members, said the LAB had come to pay respects to the martyrs and check on the condition of the injured. He criticised what he called unnecessary harassment of people visiting the injured in hospital. The former two-time Member of Parliament appealed to people, especially the youth, to stay calm. He said some shortcomings on the part of the leadership might have contributed to yesterdays incident. Shops in Leh remained closed for a second day on Thursday, with Section 144 restrictions continuing in both Leh and Kargil districts to prevent gatherings of more than five people. Streets in Leh wore a deserted look, with heavy deployment of police and CRPF personnel. In Kargil too, a complete shutdown was observed, with the KDA demanding a probe into the killings when police opened fire during the protest. KDA leaders Asgar Karbalai, Sajad Kargili, and MP from Ladakh, Haneefa Jan, held a press conference expressing solidarity with the families of the deceased. They are our heroes and they will live forever, said Karbalai. They have died for the cause of Ladakh. A year after the murder of the Bahujan Samaj Partys state leader K. Armstrong, and a series of arrests by the CBCID in the case, the murder probe has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Looked at as a rare intervention, the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered the transfer of the murder probe to the CBI, criticising the police for not investigating the case properly. The court called it a miserable failure on the part of the police in investigating the case. Justice P. Velmurugan of the Madras High Court, while allowing a petition filed by Armstrongs brother K. Immanuvel, transferred the case to the CBI, stating that the police did not adhere to even the basic requirements in investigating a murder case. In July, while hearing the case, the court asked the police why they did not even conduct an identification parade despite having many eye-witnesses to the crime. The plan to murder Armstrong and the investigation The killing of Armstrong, 52, a Dalit leader, by a gang of six men with weapons on July 5, 2024, has left behind several questions on the mystery surrounding his life and death. Hours after Armstrong was hacked to death near his house in north Chennai, a group of eight men walked into the Annanagar K4 police station and surrendered themselves. They said that they were behind the brutal murder and narrated a story as proof for the killing. The reason was revenge and gang rivalry. Though their version seemed to be enough proof for the killing of Armstrong, further investigation into the case led to further suspicion and a detailed probe. Three months after the murder, the police investigation team made a slew of arrests and a few encounters. The Tamil Nadu police on October 3 submitted a 5000-page chargesheet naming Nagendran as A1, Sambo Senthil as A2 and Aswathaman as A3. The police, by then, had arrested 28 accused in the murder case, while one other accused was killed in a police encounter. According to the charge sheet, the murderers conspired meticulously and made elaborate arrangements to source, transport and store the weapons used in the killing of Armstrong. It took months for the conspirators to execute the murder, as per the chargesheet. But before the charge sheet was filed, the police, during the investigation, sources say, suspected three separate motives for Armstrongs murder. But the police denied that there was a political motive and conspiracy behind the murder, as alleged by the BSP. As per the charge sheet, Armstrong was killed by an eight-member armed gang in the presence of his brother K. Veeramani, driver Abdul Kani, real estate broker Balaji and building construction workers Mohanraj and Suresh at Perambur. The prime accused in the case, as per the police investigation, is convict Nagendran, who was undergoing incarceration at Vellore Central Prison in another murder case. The police had completed the investigation in the case, and the charge sheet named at least 30 individuals. But Armstrongs brother Immanuvel argued in the court that he was not satisfied with the probe by the local police. Though K. Veeramani, one of the eyewitnesses and the brother of Armstrong, said that he could identify the accused, the police relied on CCTV footage and did not conduct even an identification parade, for which the court came down heavily during a hearing in July this year. But the prosecution argued that the police had acted professionally and had issued Red Corner notices to the accused Sambo Senthil, who is absconding abroad. But hearing the plea, Justice Velmurugan said, The acquittals in India often stemmed from investigative flaws rather than lack of evidence, and Armstrongs case is a classic example. The ruling, however, marks a rare intervention by a court in an ongoing murder trial, which can bring a bad reputation for the Greater Chennai police. The Union Home Ministry has held Sonam Wangchuk, a climate activist and educator, responsible for the violence in Leh that left four protesters dead and dozens injured. In a statement, the ministry claimed Wangchuks provocative statements were responsible for inflaming passions among the youth in Ladakh over the demand for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule. Violence broke out in Leh on Wednesday after the health condition of two people, who were part of a 35-day hunger strike led by Wangchuk since September 10, deteriorated, leading to their hospitalisation. #WATCH | Leh, Ladakh: A massive protest by the people of Ladakh demanding statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule turned into clashes with police in Leh. pic.twitter.com/VM3ICMkl4K ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2025 The development led to protests by the youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), representing political and religious bodies of Leh and Kargil, has been holding talks with the High-Powered Committee (HPC) of the Ministry of Home Affairs under Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai. The protesters have been demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh, after the region was separated from Jammu and Kashmir and granted Union Territory status on August 5, 2019. Wangchuk had cautioned the Centre to hold talks immediately in view of the ongoing hunger strike, saying a 16-day gap was too long for them to wait. He had warned that the youth were getting impatient with the Centres approach and hoped that nothing untoward would happen to bring an "embarrassment for India. Last time, when the Centre wanted to hold talks with Ladakh leaders, a special plane was sent to Leh to carry them to Delhi immediately. This time, a 16-day delay, in the middle of a hunger strike, was too long a time for those on hunger strike, Wangchuk said at a press conference in Leh. #WATCH | Leh, Ladakh: BJP Office in Leh set on fire during a massive protest by the people of Ladakh demanding statehoothe d and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule turned into clashes with Police. https://t.co/yQTyrMUK7q pic.twitter.com/x4VqkV8tdd ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2025 Soon after the death of protesters and unrest in Leh, Wangchuk called off his hunger strike and appealed for calm. He stressed that no hunger strike succeeds if lives are lost in violence. According to the ministry, despite appeals from several leaders to end the protest, Wangchuk continued the hunger strike while making provocative references to Arab Spring-style uprisings and Gen Z protests in Nepal. The ministry said that on Wednesday, around 11:30 am, a mob influenced by Wangchuks speeches set fire to a political party office, the office of the Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) in Leh, and a police vehicle, injuring over 30 police and CRPF personnel. It said the security forces opened fire in self-defence, leading to casualties. It is clear that the mob was guided by Wangchuk through his provocative statements. Incidentally, amidst these developments, he called off his hunger strike, the ministry said in its statement. The ministry said the situation was brought under control by 4 pm. It appealed to people not to circulate old or provocative videos on the media and social media. It said the Government of India has been actively engaging with LAB and KDA through the High-Powered Committee (HPC), a sub-committee, and multiple informal channels. The ministry listed key achievements of this dialogue process, including raising the Scheduled Tribe reservation in Ladakh from 45 per cent to 84 per cent, granting one-third reservation for women in the hill council, declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages, and beginning the recruitment process for 1,800 posts. It accused certain politically motivated individuals of trying to sabotage the dialogue process, despite more meetings of the HPC already being scheduled on September 25, September 26 and October 6. The government stands committed to the aspirations of the people of Ladakh by providing adequate constitutional safeguards, the ministry said. Chinese Premier Li Qiang poses for a group photo with participants before his meeting with friendly organizations in the United States prior to their meeting on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, the United States, Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Thursday that looking into the future, China and the United States need to find the right way to get along in the new era. Li made the remarks when meeting with friendly organizations in the United States, including representatives from the U.S.-China Business Council, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as scholars and business leaders, on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. China-U.S. relations are the most important bilateral relations in the world, Li said, and the two countries can and should be partners and friends. Looking back at history, friendly exchanges between China and the United States have been the mainstream and the general trend, Li said. As Chinese President Xi Jinping has pointed out, the broad Pacific Ocean is vast enough to embrace both China and the United States, as well as other countries, Li said. As the world's two major countries, China and the United States should respect each other, coexist in peace, pursue win-win cooperation, and achieve common prosperity through mutual success, he said. Economic and trade relations are an important component of bilateral ties, Li said. Given their distinct market structures and highly complementary industrial structures, as well as their significant roles in global industrial chains, closer economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States will mutually benefit the two countries and the world as a whole, Li said. Li said that China has the confidence and ability to maintain stable and healthy economic development, and create more opportunities for enterprises from all over the world, including U.S. companies. No matter how the external environment changes, China will do its utmost to provide greater certainty for the development of foreign businesses, Li added. The Chinese premier stressed that China will always work with the U.S. side to jointly promote the stabilization and improvement of China-U.S. economic and trade ties, on the basis of equality, respect, and mutual benefit, while upholding a constructive and responsible attitude. In the meantime, China will always focus on development and promote the steady growth of its own economy, said Li. As China's economy has a unique and stable operating mechanism, with market potential and innovation momentum being rapidly unleashed, and economic vitality continuously increasing, it will present enormous and foreseeable development opportunities for businesses, he said. Li added that China will always honor its commitments and unswervingly expand opening up, continuously relax market access, and expand imports. China will actively respond to foreign businesses' concerns and offer help to resolve practical difficulties, so as to ensure that foreign businesses feel at ease when operating and developing in China. Li stressed that as the foundation of the China-U.S. relationship lies in grassroots connections, its sound development requires the joint efforts of the people from both countries. He expressed hope that people from all walks of life in the United States will take more positive actions to enhance mutual understanding between the two countries, expand practical cooperation in various fields, and make greater contributions to promoting the development of both countries and enhancing their friendship. The U.S. participants at the meeting said that China has made admirable achievements in economic growth, technological innovation, social development and other fields in recent years. Noting that U.S.-China relations concern both countries and the wider world, they also expressed hope that the two countries will maintain high-level exchanges, expand dialogues in various fields, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and develop long-term and stable U.S.-China relations, so as to inject more certainty into the international community. The U.S. business community expressed optimism about China's economic development prospects and its willingness to continue expanding investment in China to play the role of a bridge to promote bilateral cooperation and enhance mutual understanding. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with friendly organizations in the United States on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, the United States, Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) The First Information Report (FIR) filed against Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, aka Swami Parthasarathy, has accused him of sending lewd texts and setting up secret cameras inside the girls hostel under the guise of providing security. According to the FIR, he would also force female students to visit his room late at night and invite them to accompany him on trips abroad. Swami Parthasarathy was the director of Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management in Vasant Kunj, an institute run by Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, in Karnataka's Sringeri. The Peetham has since snapped all ties with the accused, who is on the run. Delhi: Police have booked Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati alias Parth Sarathy in a sexual harassment case after testimonies of about 17 women; investigation also uncovered his car with forged diplomatic plates. He is absconding (Visuals of SRISIIM Research Foundation) pic.twitter.com/rYhUQyNBg8 IANS (@ians_india) September 24, 2025 Over 17 students who filed a complaint against Swami Parthasarathy said they were threatened with suspension or expulsion when they raised objections about the lewd messages. They were told that their degrees and important academic documents would be withheld. If they complied with his demands, the students were promised opportunities to pursue careers abroad and travel. The accused wielded such influence within the institute that the female students were afraid to openly protest. The FIR further said that the footage from the secret cameras has since been deliberately deleted. The police are yet to find the DVR of the institute's CCTV. It also accuses Associate Dean Shwetha of aiding his misconduct by forcing the female students to accept Swami's sexual advances. She, along with other staffers, allegedly kept an eye on the girl students and used to check their phones for text messages from Swami Parthasarathy, so as to ensure they did not take screenshots of these. When they complained, some teachers also advised the girls to remain silent. The police have examined the phones of approximately 50 students and sent the deleted material to the Technical Investigation Agency (IFSO). As normalcy returns to Ladakh, which saw the protest for statehood descend into violence and arson killing four, allegations have surfaced that the unrest was fueled by youths frustration but by "political motives." The protest for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh, led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, turned violent after agitators indulged in arson and vandalism, setting ablaze the BJP office and the Hill Council. The Union Home Ministry claimed Wangchuks provocative statements, where he mentioned GenZ protest and Arab spring, were responsible for this. Now, the BJP has alleged that the person who started the violence was Congress Councilor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag. According to BJP MP Sambit Patra, Tsepag is the main instigator. Today, in Ladakh, attempts were made to portray some protests as being led by Gen Z. However, when investigated, it was discovered that these protests were not led by Gen Z, but by Congress. Congress councillor Stanzing Tsepang is the councillor from the Upper Leh ward, Patra said. He's Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, He's CONgress Councillor from Upper Leh Ward. He's leading & instigating mob, creating vi0ence in Ladakh, even setting the BJP office on fire. Bast@rd Sonam Wangchuk calls it GenZ revolt. Who else wanted GenZ to come on streets & protest? So pic.twitter.com/4eakOjUw9V BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) September 24, 2025 Numerous photos have surfaced of him and his workers instigating the violence. He can also be seen marching towards the BJP office with a weapon in his hand. He is instigating the mob and targeting the BJP office, Patra added. Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid also hinted at political conspiracy, stating the timing of the violence was also dubious as the talks between the Centre and the Ladakh leadership were scheduled for September 25 and October 6. Despite this, the situation turned violent, Vaid told ANI. Vaid cited Sonam Wangchuk's previous comments in which he compared the Ladakh conflict to Nepal's Generation Z protests. Consider Sonam Wangchuk's Arab Spring remarks. He praises Generation Z's overthrow of the Nepal government. This appears to be a deeply ingrained conspiracy. Strict action should be taken. He should be booked under the Public Safety Act and charged with inciting violence," Vaid added. Also read: Sonam Wangchuk's 'provocative' remarks led to Ladakh violence: MHA Sonam Wangchuks response BAST@RD SONAM WANGCHUK COMES TO DEFEND CONgress! On CONgress Councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag's alleged part in Ladakh vi0ence- "CONgress doesn't have influence here to manage to get 5000 'youth' on roads...he was angry as 2 protesters from his village were hospitalised..." pic.twitter.com/mqVoBSQLTf BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) September 24, 2025 Wangchuk claims the violence was fuelled by the BJPs U-turns on promises the party had made in 2020 and youth unemployment in the region. He condemned the violence but called it out of the blue and very organic and triggered by the worsening health of fellow hunger strikers. He dismissed claims that the protests were politically motivated, adding that the youth were frustrated because they had been jobless for the last five years, with almost no job opportunities at higher levels. Besides, democracy has been curtailed. Their demands have been unmet, he said. He said the Congress party was not competent enough for one of theirs to call 5,000 people. That would be too much credit for their influence, Wangchuk said. The appearance of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly last night marked a landmark moment in international diplomacy, symbolising Syrias return to the global community after nearly six decades of isolation. His visit, the first by a Syrian head of state since Noureddine Attasi addressed the UN in 1967, was also al-Sharaas high-stakes debut as a world leader, marked by an intriguing mix of political transformation, urgent reconstruction demands and unresolved internal divisions. Al-Sharaa came to power after leading a lightning insurgent offensive that ended the Assad familys rule last December. His challenge now is to project the image of a statesman while managing delicate regional diplomacy and asserting authority at home. His transformation from insurgent commander to president is striking. Known earlier by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani while serving as the former head of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), he had once been affiliated with al-Qaida and carried a US bounty of $10 million. In New York, however, he abandoned military fatigues for a tailored suit and embarked on what observers described as a carefully crafted charm offensive. His standing has been strengthened by high-level American engagement. He held meetings with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following an earlier encounter with Trump in Saudi Arabia in May. At the time, Trump described him as a tough and attractive figure, signalling Washingtons support and paving the way for historic sanctions relief. Senior US officials have acknowledged privately that they see al-Sharaa as the best available option to prevent Syria sliding back into civil war, admitting there is no alternative plan. In his UNGA speech, al-Sharaa focused on projecting the image of what he called the new Syria and addressing the countrys battered economy. He declared that Syria was reclaiming its rightful place in the world after six decades of dictatorship. A central element of his agenda is the push to remove sanctions, especially those imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019. He argued that such measures shackle the Syrian people and that lifting them is essential for recovery. He also promised to dismantle the Captagon drug trade, a multi-billion-dollar industry developed under the Assad regime to circumvent sanctions. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in his speech at the UNGA, the first by a Syrian president since 1967: pic.twitter.com/gTTYb32N47 SRD (@SyriaRetold) September 24, 2025 Yet, the spotlight on New York also underscored Syrias volatile internal situation. Despite al-Sharaas promises of inclusivity, key minority groups remain worried as on the ground, his former colleagues from the HTS wield actual power. Sectarian violence has broken out since the fall of the old regime, with atrocities reported against Alawite and Druze communities in the coastal region and in Sweida province, leaving hundreds dead. Protests outside the UN highlighted this division. While some Syrians abroad hailed the end of dictatorship and a chance to turn the page, others denounced him as a former al-Qaida member unfit for leadership. On transitional justice, al-Sharaa announced that Syria had formed fact-finding missions and invited the UN to investigate killings that occurred this year. He pledged to hold perpetrators accountable, but scepticism persists inside the country. Many Syrians complain of a lack of transparency, noting that the government has avoided providing public updates until investigations are concluded, which they see as a tactic to delay justice. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, met with Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a supporter of fully lifting sanctions on Syria, along with her delegation, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UNGA. pic.twitter.com/J1RzCo6K0m Levant24 (@Levant_24_) September 22, 2025 Al-Sharaa also addressed relations with Israel. He criticised Israeli policies and military actions, claiming they undermined international support for Syria. He called for a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement and said security negotiations were underway. At the same time, he dismissed the possibility of Syria joining the US-backed Abraham Accords, citing Israeli airstrikes and the ongoing war in Gaza. He argued that Syria, as Israels neighbour, had suffered numerous incursions and therefore could not contemplate normalisation. Another source of tension lies in efforts to consolidate state authority. Al-Sharaa insisted that the state must maintain a monopoly on arms and pressed both the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Druze National Guard to integrate into the national army. But integration has stalled, particularly with the SDF, raising the risk of renewed conflict or even a proxy war. He urged Washington to act as guarantor in any arrangement involving Israel. Although al-Sharaas debut at the UN was successful in capitalising on the international desire for stability in Syria, without genuine efforts to address territorial divisions, sectarian violence, the fraught issue of transitional justice and the desperate needs of a population still recovering from years of war and economic collapse, Syrias fragile new beginning could quickly unravel. The Sun is not just a source of light and heat; it constantly releases charged particles known as solar wind. This solar wind flows outward in all directions, forming a protective bubble around our solar system called the heliosphere. The solar wind is usually steady, but sometimes it turns violent in the form of solar storms. A solar storm is a sudden burst of powerful energy and high-speed particles caused by solar flares or coronal mass ejections, which can damage satellites, disrupt power grids, interfere with communication systems, and even threaten astronauts in space. To guard against such dangers, two special space missions will now work together: Indias Aditya-L1 and Americas brand-new IMAP probe, which launched on September 24, 2025. These missions are like twin sentinels watching over Earth, helping us understand and prepare for space weather. Indias Aditya-L1, launched by ISRO on September 2, 2023, is the nations first mission to study the Sun. Instead of flying close to the Sun, it is positioned at a special location called L1, about 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. At this point, the gravity of Earth and the Sun balance each other, giving Aditya an uninterrupted view of our star around the clock. Aditya carries seven scientific instruments, much like a hospitals diagnostic tools for a patient. Its main camera blocks the Suns central glare to capture images of the glowing corona, the outermost layer visible during eclipses. Other instruments measure the speed and direction of solar wind, monitor ultraviolet radiation, and track magnetic fields around the Sun. Since it arrived at L1, Aditya has been sending back valuable data. In February 2025, ISRO released its second batch of discoveries. By March, Aditya had captured stunning images of solar flares, which are giant explosions on the Suns surface. In August 2025, it began full-scale studies of solar particles, strengthening our ability to predict and prepare for solar storms. This work is not only for research but also for protecting daily life on Earth, since solar storms can cause blackouts and put astronauts at risk. NASAs Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, or IMAP, plays a different but equally important role. Weighing 900 kilograms and carrying ten advanced instruments, IMAP focuses on what happens to the solar wind when it travels billions of miles and reaches the far edge of our solar system. "Think of IMAP as a space detective that creates three-dimensional maps of how the heliosphere changes shape and strength. It studies high-energy particles, measures interstellar dust, and tracks the flow of space radiation. IMAP will reach the same L1 point by January 2026. Once there, it will provide a 30-minute early warning about harmful radiation heading towards Earth, a crucial time window that allows satellites, power grids, and even future Mars missions to prepare and protect themselves," explained space analyst Girish Linganna. Together, Aditya-L1 and IMAP form a powerful partnership. Aditya studies solar storms right at their source, while IMAP follows how those storms spread across the solar system. This teamwork can be compared to healthcare: one doctor examines the heart closely, while another checks how blood circulates through the body. If Aditya spots a dangerous solar flare, IMAP can track its effects across billions of kilometres, improving the accuracy of space weather forecasts. This is important because solar storms can cause real damage, such as the 2024 storm that disrupted power grids in Sweden while creating brilliant auroras in the sky. "What makes IMAP different from Aditya is its ability to look beyond the Suns surroundings and explore the very edges of the solar system where solar wind meets interstellar space. IMAP can even catch and study tiny dust particles from other star systems, revealing their chemical makeup. It will also create all-sky maps of how the heliosphere bends and ripples, similar to watching the surface of a soap bubble change shape in slow motion. These studies help us understand how well our solar system protects us from dangerous cosmic radiation coming from the galaxy," added Linganna. Experts point out that this is not a competition between India and the United States but a collaboration that combines strengths. Aditya-L1 was built at a cost of under Rs 600 crores, showing that India can achieve remarkable results with cost-effective engineering. NASAs IMAP, costing about $225 million, brings advanced technology and instruments. Scientists from Bengaluru to Houston are now sharing data and knowledge, proving that space research is stronger when countries work together rather than separately. "For India, this collaboration is especially important. Our economy, technology, and daily lives are becoming more dependent on satellites and digital systems, from GPS navigation to mobile networks and digital payments. Solar storms can easily disrupt these systems. The data from Aditya-L1 and IMAP gives us the power to prepare. Power companies can shut down sensitive equipment before a storm hits, airlines can reroute flights to avoid high radiation, and satellite operators can switch spacecraft into safe mode. This reduces the risk of widespread damage and saves both lives and money", pointed out Linganna. Looking ahead, when IMAP unfolds its solar panels and begins working alongside Aditya, both missions will act like twin shields protecting Earth. This is more than science; it is about safeguarding our digital and space-connected future. From ISROs mission control in Bengaluru to NASAs laboratories in Houston, this partnership shows that international cooperation in space benefits all of humanity. Together, these two sentinels watching the Sun and solar wind are not just exploring space but also protecting our planet, one solar storm at a time. Amid the bid to mourn the legacy of Charlie Kirk by renaming a road in Florida as Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway, reports emerged about alleged conservative efforts to print a new US currency with Kirks image on it. Two Republican lawmakers told Fox News Digital that they plan to introduce legislation to honor Kirk by printing his image and name on nearly half a million new silver dollar coins. The legislation will seek the US Treasury to print 400,000 silver dollar coins with Kirk's face on them, Republican Representatives August Pfluger of Texas and Abraham Hamadeh of Arizona told Fox News. Besides Kirks face, the coins would include the message, "Well done, good and faithful servant," imprinted on it. They would be minted with the year 2026 and his full name, "Charles James Kirk," on them, they added. Pfluger described Kirk as a conservative titan in his email to Newsweek, adding that the coin would make Charlie the youngest American ever immortalized on legal U.S. currency. This is a fitting honor that cements his extraordinary legacy alongside presidents and founding fathers who shaped our republic, Pfluger added. Pfluger added that the coins' final design would be selected by the Treasury Secretary in consultation with President Donald Trump. The currency bill will move through the usual legislative process to get it passed. As per the US law, the image of a living person cannot be used on U.S. currency. If passed, Kirk would be passed among several historical figures, including Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, and Susan B. Anthony, among others. This is besides the efforts by GOP lawmakers to offer legislation to award Kirk congressional medals and honor him with a day of remembrance. Jimmy Kimmel returned and how! The host of the late-night show returned to ABC after a week-long suspension to a rousing welcome, resulting in the shows highest ratings in a decade. According to Disney-owned ABC, nearly 6.3 million people tuned in to the broadcast on television, compared to the regular 1.4 to 1.8 million viewers. This is besides the viewership from streaming services, which goes to around 15 million people. ABC says more than 26 million people watched Kimmel's return on social media, including YouTube. This is despite many ABC stations in Washington, Seattle, Nashville, and St. Louis deciding not to air the show after Nexstar and Sinclair corporations refused to bring Kimmel back. The show was yanked off the air for nearly a week after Kimmel commented about activist Charlie Kirks suspected killer. Kimmel said MAGA gang was desperately trying to characterise the suspect as anything other than one of them. Kimmel also accused the Trump supporters of attempting to score political points from the assassination. BREAKING: JIMMY KIMMEL DOES IT AGAIN. I dont know how, but his second monologue is just as good -if not better- than the first. Trump aint sleeping tonight. The irony? Trump just made Kimmel even bigger, louder, and more powerful. pic.twitter.com/79mX8e6nz8 CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) September 25, 2025 On his emotional comeback, Kimmel addressed the controversy, stating it was not his intention to make light of the murder of a young man. Taking a dig at Trump, Kimmel said, Our leader celebrates people losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke." He choked back tears to add, This show is not important. Whats important is that we live in a country that allows us to have a show like this. Meanwhile, there are reports that Disney is steeling itself for potential retaliation from Trump after it decided to bring back "Jimmy Kimmel Live!". Trump-aligned FCC chairman Brendan Carr called it the sickest conduct possible and suggested that the FCC could move to revoke ABC affiliate licenses. Trump also hinted that he could take legal action against ABC over the decision to air Kimmel. Disney had anticipated that the administration could go after the broadcast TV licenses it has, though it believes it has a strong legal footing to fight back, according to Bloomberg. Amid report revealing that Lance Twiggs has left his apartment amid backlash of his boyfriend allegedly killing Charlie Kirk, details about the transgender youth has emerged. ALSO READ: 'Serious daddy issues': Expert says Tyler Robinson wasn't afraid of killing Charlie Kirk, but what scared him was his father's reaction Lance Twiggs, 22, was a straight A student and a piano prodigy. He studied at Utah Tech Success Academy, which has an accelerated program for high school students who take college-level courses and earn an associates' degree. This is Lance Twiggs, the transgender roommate of Tyler Robinson, who provided law enforcement with incriminating text messages helpful to the investigation. pic.twitter.com/v9KmtLzIzC pic.twitter.com/jC3sCer4kt Americano (@moraltreason) September 13, 2025 "Everything Ive heard about him, he was a great kid. He was nice. He worked hard," Ben Kaufman, superintendent of Twiggs high school, told New York Post. ALSO READ: FACT CHECK: Truth about Charlie Kirk's wife Erika nee Frantzve working for Trump's beauty pageant He explained that the academy caters to "students who are bored through school and want to excel". However, his life changed when his Mormon parents kicked him out of his house during junior year as he was being problematic and disrespectful, according to a relative quoted by Fox News. They also claimed that Twiggs was alcoholic and addicted to drugs and online gaming. ALSO READ: Tyler Robinson's texts to Lance Twiggs, mystery plane and more: Chilling theories by online sleuths get FBI attention Another family member said Twiggs became more radical. "He hates conservatives and Christians. He hated us. He was not raised that way, but he, over the years, has become really detached [and] been radicalized," they told Fox News. Twiggs's friend Braylon Nielsen, 19, revealed that her family took him in after he was kicked out. She dismissed "drug abuse" allegations as spiteful gossip, saying the actual reason for kicking him out was that he rejected Mormonism. ALSO READ: Why is Mauser 98 rifle used by Tyler Robinson is untraceable? Charlie Kirk killer knew it was impossible to track "It was on and off. He was bouncing couches. He would live with us for a few months, but didnt like taking up our couch. He would crash with friends," she told New York Post. "He had straight As. He was very hardworking, not a big partier [] He just took care of people." Twiggs was not charged with any crimes in connection with Charlie Kirk killing and has cooperated with the investigators in probing Tyler Robinson's involvement. Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby revealed that Lance Twiggs was in a "safe space very far away from St George" as he needed "to lay low for a long time". Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic delivers a speech during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Rui) by Xinhua writer Xia Lin UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- World leaders have voiced their support for the unifying function of the United Nations since the General Debate of the 80th UN General Assembly kicked off on Tuesday, as the world body is nearing its 80th anniversary on Oct. 24, with honors and pains, as well as division in recent times, all the way along its establishment. "The United Nations remains relevant, especially in these times of deep global uncertainty and crisis. It continues to be the only forum where all nations -- large and small -- have a seat and a voice," said President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo on Thursday. He stressed the importance of its related organizations and agencies, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund and the United Nations Development Programme, noting that such agencies provide treatment, education, vaccines and food, and protect millions while contributing to the fight against poverty. Also on Thursday, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic said that "despite its imperfections, the United Nations remains the only global institution where every nation has a seat and a voice and where international law remains the basis for international legitimacy." Reflecting on the UN's founding, he noted that Montenegro was "born from the ashes of the Second World War." Cities like Warsaw, Berlin and Podgorica were devastated, yet leaders "looked to the future," believing "that light could emerge from darkness and that solidarity could triumph over despair." Without the UN, "much of our collective progress" would not exist. Milatovic added that with multilateralism "being tested like never before" by conflict, "a wave of human rights violations," polarization and disinformation, the UN remains "indispensable" in a fragile world, a foundation to be defended and renewed. Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, vice president of Equatorial Guinea, said that 80 years ago, the founding states established this organization, aspiring to build a multilateral system based on cooperation, respect for international law and the dignity of human beings. He praised the UN for its achievements in preventing conflicts, supporting decolonization and advancing human rights, but cautioned that this anniversary "must serve as an opportunity for critical self-reflection." TACKLING CHALLENGES On Wednesday, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, crown prince of Kuwait, reiterated that any threat against a UN Security Council member is one against all member states, while spotlighting the recent "dangerous military escalations and expansion of conflicts." In particular, he condemned the "brutal Israeli aggression against Qatar." Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima told the General Debate that "the chaos that shadows our world is a reminder that we cannot afford the luxury of inaction." While some have grown disillusioned with multilateralism, he reaffirmed that "existing structures are not set in stone," urging "real change, change that works, and change that is seen to work." Shettima outlined four priorities: debt relief and access to trade and finance, fair benefit from minerals, closing the digital divide, and reforming global governance. "None of us can achieve a peaceful world in isolation," he said, adding that "a renewed commitment to multilateralism, not as a slogan but as an article of faith, remains our surest path forward." Also on Wednesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic sent a clear message about the United Nations by affirming that the world body must not become "a stage where giants wrestle while smaller countries hold their breath," but "a round table where every seat counts." He emphasized that nations of the Global South are too often treated as chess pieces, even though they can be conveners and guarantors of cooperation. Serbia's engagement with partners is grounded in sovereignty, territorial integrity and respect for dialogue over division. While addressing deep divisions within and between societies, Vucic warned of the dangers posed by eroded moral values, disinformation, and politically motivated violence. UNFRIENDLY VOICES As its 80th birthday approaches, the United Nations still struggles to tackle various challenges, and not all voices are friendly and serve to unify a divided world. U.S. President Donald Trump spent the better part of an hour on Tuesday during the General Debate scolding the UN General Assembly, saying the UN was useless and that other countries were "going to hell." "I may disagree with it sometimes, but I am so behind it," Trump said of the UN. Still, his administration has clawed back 1 billion U.S. dollars in funding for the organization and has informed the U.S. Congress of its intent to slash another 1 billion dollars, adding to a funding shortfall. It has also withdrawn the United States from several UN agencies and the Paris Agreement. The New York Times reported that "when world leaders converge on New York City this week for the annual gathering of the UN General Assembly, the organization will be observing its 80th anniversary. But the mood is far from celebratory, as wars rage around the world, a budget crisis looms, and questions abound about whether the U.N. is even relevant anymore." "Year after year, UN officials and world leaders use the annual gathering to put forth lofty ideas and offer elaborate road maps for change. But tangible progress remains stubbornly elusive," it noted. Against all these odds, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres repeatedly stressed the significance of safeguarding the unifying role of the world body in ever-changing and demanding circumstances. "In a world where threats leap borders, isolation is an illusion. No country can stop a pandemic alone. No army can halt rising temperatures. No algorithm can rebuild trust once it is broken," said the UN chief. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud delivers a speech during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Chief of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi delivers a speech during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Chief of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi delivers a speech during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud delivers a speech during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic delivers a speech during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Bolivian President Luis Arce delivers a speech during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 25, 2025. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) BISSAU, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday donated a batch of sanitation equipment to Bissau, the capital city. The donation includes 12 sanitation motorcycles and 100 sets of uniforms for sanitation workers. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau Yang Renhuo said that as the gateway linking Guinea-Bissau to the outside world, Bissau's urban environment is vital to the city's sustainable development and serves as a concentrated reflection of the country's image. The donation, he noted, will help improve the city's sanitation capacity and overall environment. The Chinese Embassy stands ready to deepen cooperation with the Bissau city government in environmental sanitation and urban sustainability, and to contribute to building a cleaner, more beautiful, and more sustainable Bissau, Yang added. Bissau Mayor Jose Medina Lobato and other officials were present at the ceremony. Lobato expressed sincere gratitude to the Chinese Embassy for its generous assistance, saying the Bissau municipal government will make good use of the materials to continuously improve the city's outlook. ALGIERS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian army killed six terrorists during a counter-terrorism operation on Tuesday in Tebessa province, about 700 km east of Algiers, the Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday. The operation, conducted in the country's Fifth Military Region, also led to the seizure of six Kalashnikov rifles, according to the ministry's statement. During a visit to the region, Chief of Staff of the People's National Army, Said Chanegriha, praised the operation as a "heroic act" and conveyed President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's congratulations to the troops. He called for continued efforts to protect "the security of the nation and its citizens" and to combat the remnants of terrorism "with determination, pride, and devotion to this sacred duty." The Algerian army frequently conducts sweep operations in the mountains and forests of northern Algeria, long a stronghold of armed groups that posed a major security threat during the 1990s. Students from the Confucius Institute perform a traditional Chinese dance during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at the Chinese Cultural Center of Benin in Cotonou, Benin, Sept. 24, 2025. A Mid-Autumn Festival celebration was held at the Chinese Cultural Center of Benin on Wednesday. The event, featuring a photo exhibition, mooncake tasting, dance and acrobatic performances, attracted 180 guests from various circles. (Photo by Seraphin Zounyekpe/Xinhua) Local artists perform acrobatic stunts during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at the Chinese Cultural Center of Benin in Cotonou, Benin, Sept. 24, 2025. A Mid-Autumn Festival celebration was held at the Chinese Cultural Center of Benin on Wednesday. The event, featuring a photo exhibition, mooncake tasting, dance and acrobatic performances, attracted 180 guests from various circles. (Photo by Seraphin Zounyekpe/Xinhua) A local artist performs an acrobatic stunt during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at the Chinese Cultural Center of Benin in Cotonou, Benin, Sept. 24, 2025. A Mid-Autumn Festival celebration was held at the Chinese Cultural Center of Benin on Wednesday. The event, featuring a photo exhibition, mooncake tasting, dance and acrobatic performances, attracted 180 guests from various circles. (Photo by Seraphin Zounyekpe/Xinhua) The guv wants their new facility . . . Here's a note featuring federal push back . . . "The company had previously operated the facility but stopped housing detainees in 2021. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to reopen the facility as a location to house immigration detainees. However, CoreCivic ran into a roadblock with city officials, who said the company needed to obtain a special use permit." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . DOJ files 'Statement of Interest' backing CoreCivic ICE facility in Leavenworth The U.S. Department of Justice filed a "Statement of Interest" Tuesday in an ongoing federal lawsuit over plans to open a detention facility for immigration detainees in Leavenworth. This week denizens of a local faith community shared their traditions and perspective with Kansas City's senior elected leader. We'll link to mainstream coverage further down in this post BUT we think this presser speaks more clearly than any reporter ever could . . . And TKC wanted to post this note if only to reflect the broad diversity of opinion in Kansas City regarding a conflict with global implications. Check-it . . . 80 Jews and allies hold Tashlich ritual-action near Rep. Cleaver's Kansas City office to protest Congressman's inaction as Israels genocide in Gaza intensifies Calling for justice for Gaza, Jewish constituents of U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver with Jewish Voice for Peace KC, and allies, held a tashlich ritual-action Wednesday evening across the street from the Congressmans District Office to demand he co-sponsor the Block the Bombs Act. Kansas City, MO (September 24, 2025) More than 80 Jews and allies with Jewish Voice for Peace Kansas City held a Tashlich ritual-action on Wednesday, the second day of Rosh Hashanah, speaking out against the U.S.-backed, Israeli genocide in Gaza happening in their name and calling on U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II to act to block the bombs. "As a Jew, as an American, and as a human it is my moral responsibility to stand against the genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli government that is being funded with my tax dollars. I am sad and enraged, to still be here in 2025, urging Representative Emanuel Cleaver to do the right thing and stop arming Israel, says Michael Wolfe, a leader with Jewish Voice for Peace Kansas City. The group gathered across the street from Cleavers Kansas City District Office on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to demand the Congressman divest from death by co-sponsoring the Block the Bombs Act HR 3565, which would stop transfers of some of the worst weapons - bombs, tank rounds, artillery ammunition - Israel is using to destroy Gaza and attack, starve and displace its people. Protesters in attendance sang, rallied and tossed oats into Brush Creek to symbolically repent for and release all that makes us complicit in genocide. Tashlich, which means to cast off, is a Jewish ritual performed on the Jewish New Year. In this moment of collective and communal atonement, we hold that the U.S. government is responsible for collaborating in Israels atrocities in Gaza, including the killing of at least 20,000 children. The 3-page Block the Bombs Act is a critical step toward stopping the flow of weapons to Israel, saving lives and resisting the increasingly authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. Yet on Labor Day, when organizers with JVP KC spoke with Cleaver on camera and asked him to co-sponsor the legislation, the congressman replied that he hadnt read the bill and didnt even know it had been introduced. This was the fourth time JVP KC had spoken with Cleaver or his office about the bill since it was introduced in June. The legislation now has 51 co-sponsors as of Sept. 24, including Rep. Jamie Raskin - a Jewish Member of Congress from Maryland - and most recently Reps. Jill Tokuda, Maxine Dexter, Melanie Stansbury, Teresa Leger Fernandez and Dwight Evans. For two years, Israel has committed genocide in Gaza in the name of Jewish safety and using our tax dollars as Americans - a genocide confirmed on Sept. 17 by UN investigators. For 76 years, the Israeli government has created a state built on illegal occupation, apartheid, and Jewish supremacy. These High Holidays, we pray this new year sees the end of the genocide and ushers in a future of Palestinian freedom. Jewish Voice for Peace KC invited Cleaver to the Tashlich, though staff said he is in D.C. We left an empty chair for him as a symbol of his absence on the Block the Bombs Act and still urge him to join us, his constituents, in saying, Enough is enough. Jewish Voice for Peace Kansas City is part of a coalition that is fighting Gov. Kehoe and the Missouri legislatures illegal redrawing of Kansas Citys Congressional district under the direction of the authoritarian Trump regime. This blatant power grab is an unprecedented, unconstitutional scheme to rig Missouri's political system in favor of an elite few; all the more reason that Cleaver should use the power he has today to sign on to legislation that would block the flow of bombs to Israel. The forces that want to throw away our voice and rip apart our communities here in Kansas City are the same ones that want to rip apart Palestinian communities in Gaza, said Jack Goldstein, an organizer with JVP KC. In that spirit, Cleaver is our representative in Congress. He can demonstrate that the people of Kansas City are with the people of Gaza and take action in the new year while he still has a chance. ### Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Like it or not for #TBT . . . SHE COULD WIN and reverse 93 years of history given that Kansas hasn't elected a Democratic Party candidate to the Senate since 1932. And/or . . . This bit of Beltway political gossip is just good fun intended to "inspire" some interest in flyover country politics that's typically ignored by most voters. Check-it . . . "The Republican supermajority in the Kansas legislature is getting ready to hold a special session to gerrymander Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids 3rd Congressional District, Punchbowl News reports. Davids, though, is now signaling that such a remap could motivate her to run for the U.S. Senate next year. "Punchbowl writes that if GOP mapmakers transform her light blue seat in the Kansas City suburbs into a heavily Republican bastion, Davids "could choose to challenge" Sen. Roger Marshall." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Morning Digest: Kansas Democrat may run for Senate if GOP gerrymanders her seat Rep. Sharice Davids would be the most prominent Democrat to run in a state where Republicans haven't lost a Senate race in nearly a century This one is just for TKC's worsening sense of nostalgia as we share the aftermath of a Missouri scam and claim on "the King of rock n' roll" castle . . . Wherein Elvis was RUMORED to have slept with his mom well into adulthood. Check-it . . . "U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. sentenced Lisa Jeanine Findley in federal court in Memphis to four years and nine months behind bars, plus an additional three years of probation. Findley, 54, declined to speak on her own behalf during the hearing." More deets . . . "(She) posed as three different people allegedly involved with the fake lender, fabricated loan documents and published a fraudulent foreclosure notice in a Memphis newspaper announcing the auction of Graceland in May 2024, prosecutors said. A judge stopped the sale after Presleys granddaughter sued. "Experts were baffled by the attempt to sell off one of the most storied pieces of real estate in the country using names, emails and documents that were quickly suspected to be phony." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Thank you for signing up! Youll soon be getting your Toronto scoop in your inbox. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page. Downtown Tampas First Skyscraper Welcomes Guests with Elevated Culinary Experiences and Bottomless Bubbles (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED STATES - September 25th, 2025 - Tampa Bay, FLA (September 24th, 2025) TAMPA, FL The Dan, the acclaimed restaurant within the storied Hotel Flor in Downtown Tampa, proudly announces the launch of its weekend brunch beginning Saturday, September 13th, along with all-new lunch and dinner menus that celebrate the vibrant flavors of Tampa Bay. With its refined yet approachable atmosphere, The Dan invites locals, visitors, and hotel guests alike to gather for unforgettable dining moments, whether a spirited weekend brunch, a relaxed business lunch, or an elegant evening dinner. Weekend Brunch Reimagined At the heart of the launch is an artfully curated brunch experience designed by Executive Chef Jason Revell. Guests can indulge in bottomless bubbles and a menu that fuses chef-driven creativity with timeless classics. Highlights include: Steak & Egg Benedict, a bold 10-ounce ribeye with medium poached egg, English muffin, hollandaise, ham, breakfast potatoes, and fresh citrus. Smoked Salmon Bagel, layered with smoked salmon, avocado, pickled onion, capers, and hard-boiled egg atop an everything bagel. Belgian Waffle, a sweet indulgence crowned with whipped cream, powdered sugar, strawberries, and maple syrup. From savory signatures to sweet indulgences, every dish is designed to make weekends at The Dan extraordinary. Lunch & Dinner with Distinction The Dans reimagined lunch and dinner menus elevate the downtown dining landscape with chef-inspired entrees, seasonal specialties, and fresh daily cuts of meat and seafood, expertly butchered in-house. Guests will enjoy pairings with hand-crafted cocktails, curated wines, and local craft beers, all served in a setting that blends sophistication with warmth. A Destination Dining Experience in the Heart of Tampa Situated in Tampas first skyscraper, The Dan embodies the citys heritage and energy while offering an inviting, contemporary dining destination. Whether its a celebratory brunch, a power lunch, or an evening with friends, The Dan is redefining what it means to dine downtown. Follow @thedantampa on social media or visit Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown to explore menus and make reservations. ### BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan Fuad Muradov met with a Turkish delegation, including the rectors of universities in the Eastern Anatolia region and the head of the Igdir Azerbaijan House, a source in the committee told Trend. Warmly welcoming the guests, Muradov noted that the friendly relations between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkiye further strengthen the existing ties between peoples and nations, and stimulate joint activities in all areas. Information was provided on the positive results of the projects implemented by the committee, especially the projects and meetings held in Eastern Anatolia, and the importance of effective cooperation with universities, training and revealing scientists was discussed. Recalling the idea expressed by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his historic speech at the 5th Victory Congress of World Azerbaijanis held in Shusha, "Of course, all of usAzerbaijanis living in Azerbaijanwant Azerbaijanis living abroad to be in close contact with their historical homeland," said the committee chairman. He spotlighted the projects implemented in connection with Azerbaijanis originally from Western Azerbaijan, currently living in Eastern Anatolia, and meetings with them. Thanking for the warm welcome, the guests expressed their satisfaction with being in Azerbaijan, that this visit was of great importance to them, expressed their gratitude for the support shown to the visit, and briefed on the advantages of being carriers of the same language, religion, and culture. Rectors of various universities said that Azerbaijanis living in the Eastern Anatolia region have made great contributions to Turkish science and culture, and have become an integral part of society without being subjected to any assimilation. Members of the delegation emphasized the importance of the projects and meetings implemented to date, and stressed the importance of continuing fruitful partnership. The meeting exchanged views on the creation of a unified diaspora of Turkic-speaking states, further strengthening the "soft power" of Azerbaijan and Turkiye, the intensification of the relations of the diaspora committee with Azerbaijanis living in Turkiye, the implementation of joint projects with universities, and boosting the interest of Azerbaijanis living in Eastern Anatolia in higher education. During the visit of the committee chairman to the Kars and Igdir regions, he met with the Azerbaijani community there, as well as officials from both regions, as well as visited Kars Qafqaz University, and got acquainted closely with the teaching and student staff of the university. In addition, the meeting recalled that the committee regularly holds mass events in conjunction with diaspora organizations in Turkiye on the January 20 tragedy, the Khojaly genocide and other important days of Azerbaijan, and organizes large concert programs on the occasion of holidays in various cities. The meeting emphasized that thousands of Azerbaijanis, as well as representatives of Turks and other peoples who love Azerbaijan, participated in those events. Besides, the meeting pointed out that a forum of Azerbaijani youth living in Eastern Anatolia is planned in the near future. The guests were told about the successful activities of the Igdir Azerbaijan House and learned that the 31 Azerbaijani Houses in 20 countries in total are an important platform that creates new opportunities for strengthening the unity of Azerbaijanis living abroad, preserving their native language and national customs and traditions. To note, that the delegation includes the head of the Igdir Azerbaijan House Ziya Zakir Acar, the rector of Igdir University Ekrem Gurel, the rector of Kars Qafqaz University Husnu Kapu, the rector of Artvin Coruh University Ibrahim Aydn, the rector of Agri Ibrahim Chechen University Ilhami Gulcin, the rector of Bolu Izzet Abant Baysal University Mustafa Alisarli, the rector of Erzurum Technical University Bulent Cakmak, the rector of Van Yuzuncu Yil University Hamdullah Sevli, the rector of Ardahan University Ozturk Emiroglu. During the several-day visit to Azerbaijan, the Turkish delegation is also expected to visit various regions of Karabakh and meet with the staff of Garabagh University, one of the region's prestigious higher education institutions. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has congratulated Peter Mutharika on his election as Malawi's president-elect. On Wednesday, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) announced that the country's former president Mutharika won the presidential election with 56.8 percent of the vote, securing a decisive lead over incumbent Lazarus Chakwera in the Sept. 16 presidential election. In a statement issued late Wednesday, the AUC chairperson congratulated the president-elect on a "landmark election," and lauded the southern African country for practicing a "credible democratic process." Youssouf also applauded Chakwera "for gracefully conceding defeat" even before the official results were announced by the MEC. He commended the people of Malawi for their "enthusiastic, peaceful, and orderly engagement in this credible democratic process across the election cycle," and acknowledged former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn for his role as head of the Joint AU-COMESA Election Observation Mission to Malawi. Mutharika, contesting on the Democratic Progressive Party ticket, secured nearly 3.04 million votes in the 17-candidate race, while Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party garnered around 1.77 million votes, according to the MEC. The 85-year-old president-elect, who previously served from 2014 to 2020, will return to office with former MEC Chairperson Jane Ansah as his vice president. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Foreign Minister Tete Antonio of Angola on the margins of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. The sides discussed advancing AzerbaijanAngola relations through political consultations, as well as strengthening cooperation in trade, economy, and humanitarian fields. Azerbaijan reaffirmed its commitment to expanding partnerships across Africa. Following the meeting, the ministers signed the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Angola on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with his counterpart, the Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Dr. Abdulallatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, on the margins of the high-level week of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. The ministers discussed the current state and future prospects of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bahrain, as well as regional and international developments. Following the meeting, the ministers signed the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain on the exemption of visa requirements for holders of Diplomatic Passports. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. China's direct investments to Azerbaijan amounted to $942.3 million from 1995 through the first half of 2025, Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev said during a reception in Baku, Trend reports. "Total investments from Azerbaijan into China reached $2.1 billion, of which $1.9 billion was allocated through the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ). According to the deputy prime minister, in recent years, Azerbaijan has been pulling out all the stops to push a green energy agenda, with China being one of its ace partners in this endeavor. Azerbaijans reliance on Chinas innovative technological potential in implementing its green energy strategy confirms the strategic importance of our partnership in this area, Mustafayev emphasized. He also pointed out the forging of sister-city ties between a handful of cities in Azerbaijan and China. In particular, during President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyevs visit to China in April, an agreement was signed to establish sister-city ties between Nakhchivan and Urumqi. There are strong opportunities for further expanding interregional cooperation. Realizing this potential will contribute to deepening ties across trade and economy, transport and transit, humanitarian collaboration, and other key areas, the deputy prime minister added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Roberto Alvarez, Minister of Foreign Aairs of the Dominican Republic, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Trend The talks focused on strengthening political dialogue, boosting trade and tourism flows, and exploring new areas of cooperation. The need to enhance cooperation within international organizations was highlighted. Ministers signed the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Dominican Republic on exemption of visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and service/official passports. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, the Azerbaijan's MFA wrote on its X page, Trend reports. Ministers stressed the importance of enhancing Azerbaijan-Estonia dialogue through political consultations & reciprocal visits, and highlighted opportunities for expanding bilateral ties. Foreign Minister Bayramov provided an update on Azerbaijans regional peacebuilding efforts, including the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process and the outcomes of Washington Summit. Both sides reaffirmed their readiness to deepen cooperation within bilateral and multilateral frameworks, including the UN and other international platforms. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov attended the Transatlantic Dinner hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry wrote on its X page, Trend reports. It was noted that Azerbaijans participation at this important event reflects its commitment and recognition as a reliable partner in fostering cooperation, strengthening regional peace and security. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia joined their counterparts from the EU, NATO member states, and several partner countries at the 2025 Transatlantic Dinner hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trend reports. The gathering also included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, and the foreign ministers of Switzerland and Ukraine. According to the U.S. State Department, the meeting underscored the importance of the transatlantic partnership in promoting peace and prosperity. "The Secretary emphasized the Presidents achievement in setting Armenia and Azerbaijan on a path towards a lasting peace," said Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott. The meeting also addressed global security priorities, including cooperation to promote stability in the Middle East and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The past year has been historic for bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom, UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Fergus Auld said during the First Azerbaijani-British Political Dialogue held at ADA University, Trend reports. The diplomat emphasized the significance of last year's first-ever visit to Azerbaijan by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "We have established the first ever position of resident defense attache at the embassy. I participated in the meeting of our Intergovernmental Commission together with Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and a large Azerbaijani delegation. I also met with Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev at the World Education Forum in London," he said. According to Auld, another important event was the conclusion of the first deal with the support of UK Export Finance in Azerbaijan - the supply of flight simulators for Silk Way Airlines. There are many achievements we can be proud of. But I continue to seek new horizons and opportunities that we can realize together, the diplomat emphasized. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Sahiba Gafarova, held a phone conversation with the chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, on September 25, the parliamentary press service told Trend. According to information, the sides expressed satisfaction with the successful development of strategic relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan based on the principles of friendship and brotherhood. The conversation highlighted the significant role of President Ilham Aliyevs visits to Pakistan, visits of Pakistani prime ministers to Azerbaijan, and the signed agreements in deepening bilateral ties. The officials noted that, in line with the spirit of relations between the two friendly and brotherly countries, productive cooperation has also been established between the parliaments. They emphasized that their legislative bodies maintain close collaboration both bilaterally and within international parliamentary organizations. During the phone call, the sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. President Ilham Aliyevs recent visit to the U.S. underscored Azerbaijans growing influence in international politics and its emergence as a strategic global actor. Numerous high-level meetings during the visit, many initiated by the counterpart side, demonstrated the increasing interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan and reinforced the countrys relevance on the global stage. These meetings went beyond formal diplomacy, emphasizing Azerbaijans role in regional stability, peace initiatives, energy security, and global partnerships. The Azerbaijan-Armenia framework peace agreement, signed in Washington this August 2025, received broad international support during the visit and was recognized as a historic achievement. The positive reaction of other countries to this initiative underscored Azerbaijans position as not just a regional but a global peace promoter. U.S. President Donald Trumps favorable remarks about President Aliyev highlighted the mutual trust established between the two leaders, reflecting a bipartisan approach in U.S. political circles toward collaboration with Azerbaijan. Meetings in New York with major U.S. and European investment firms further reinforced Azerbaijans status as a strategic energy partner. The recognition of Azerbaijani gas exports as an alternative source for the European Union strengthens the countrys weight in global energy markets. Azerbaijans cooperation with the United Nations (UN) is built on historical and strategic foundations. Since joining in 1992, the country has become an active initiator within the UN, a humanitarian donor, and a host for global events. President Ilham Aliyevs speeches at the UN General Assembly in 2004, 2010, and 2017, along with chairing the Security Council in 2012, demonstrate Azerbaijans active role in global security architecture. The country has also earned international trust through support to over 140 nations, participation in COP29, the 2016 Global Forum, and vaccine equity initiatives during the pandemic. A statement by the UN Secretary-General on August 9, 2025, highlighted the agreement signed between President Ilham Aliyev and the Prime Minister of Armenia under the watch of U.S. President Donald Trump as a crucial step for regional stability. Azerbaijans initiative on missing persons further demonstrates its commitment to both its citizens and international humanitarian law. The countrys enforcement of Security Council resolutions regarding Armenias occupation illustrates a practical and legal response to double standards in the international system. Continuing its successful collaboration with the UN, Baku is set to host the 13th session of the World Cities Forum in 2026, showcasing its sustainable urban development, environmental protection, and urbanization policies at a global level. President Ilham Aliyevs U.S. visit was not merely a diplomatic event; it reaffirmed Azerbaijans model of cooperation with major powers, its real contribution to regional peace, its central role in global energy security, and its status as a proactive, initiative-driven state in international platforms. Azerbaijan is no longer on the periphery of the international system but is moving toward its center, actively shaping its design. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel SYDNEY, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The second China Commodity Fair Australia was kicked off at the International Convention Center Sydney on Thursday. The three-day exhibition brings together nearly 200 Chinese enterprises from provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across China. Within a 5,000-square-meter exhibition space, the exhibits span a wide spectrum of categories, ranging from household goods and home appliances to consumer electronics, aiming to provide a practical platform to strengthen economic and trade cooperation between China and Australia. In a congratulatory letter to this year's event, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian stated that China and Australia enjoy close economic and trade relations. Cooperation in consumer products not only constitutes an important part of bilateral trade, but also serves as a bridge that enhances exchanges and mutual trust between their peoples. Xiao was confident that through the fair, high-quality products from China would better meet the diverse needs of Australian consumers, while also creating favorable conditions and new opportunities for Australian businesses to better understand and engage with the Chinese market. Andrew Robb, former Australian minister of trade, investment and tourism, said in an interview that bilateral trade has maintained strong momentum since the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. He noted that both countries have many high-quality products, and said the next step should be to establish and deepen commercial connections and enhance mutual understanding. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN Headquarters today, Trend reports. The President of Azerbaijan first signed the UN book of distinguished guests. Following this, President Ilham Aliyev and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres posed together for photographs. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. An informal meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was held under the Chairmanship of Azerbaijan as part of the High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York today, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend. During the meeting, the foreign ministers and other high-level representatives of CICA Member States discussed the progress achieved since Azerbaijan assumed the Chairmanship of CICA in December 2024, as well as exchanged views on current regional and international developments. In his opening speech as Chair of the CICA Council of Foreign Ministers, Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized the strategic priorities set by Azerbaijans Chairmanship, particularly in the areas of connectivity, digitalization, and sustainability. He also elaborated on the efforts made toward CICAs institutional development and its transformation into a full-fledged international organization. Bayramov also drew attention to the importance of Azerbaijan's key initiatives, including the flagship initiative of the establishment of the CICA Women's Council and the progress made towards the establishment of the CICA Finance Summit. He also highlighted the successful organization of the CICA Business Council and Business Forum, as well as the 13th CICA Think Tank Forum, all held in Azerbaijan. The Foreign Minister further underscored the importance of Azerbaijans flagship initiatives, such as the establishment of the CICA Womens Council and the creation of the CICA Finance Summit. The meeting noted that the establishment of these new advisory bodies will strengthen thematic cooperation among member states. The CICA Secretary General and heads of delegations of member states delivered remarks, praising Azerbaijans Chairmanship for its exemplary leadership, forward-looking vision, and strong commitment to strengthening the organization. The member states highlighted the role of the Chairmanship in advancing CICAs institutionalization and fostering result-oriented cooperation. They expressed their appreciation for Azerbaijans initiatives, stating that such efforts greatly contribute to enhancing CICAs effectiveness as a platform for dialogue, trust-building, and multilateral cooperation across Asia. The meeting concluded with the adoption of important decisions, including the formal establishment of the CICA Finance Summit and the CICA Womens Council as two new advisory bodies within the framework of the organization. The council also adopted statements marking the 80th anniversaries of the end of World War II and the establishment of the UN. Through these declarations, member states honored the historic sacrifices made in the victory of World War II and reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of multilateralism. They emphasized the role of the CICA as a platform for dialogue, confidence-building and cooperation in promoting peace, security and sustainable development in Asia and beyond. The Ministerial Council Statement highly appreciated the efforts of the Azerbaijani CICA Chairmanship. To recall, since December 2024, Azerbaijan has been Chairing CICA, the largest regional platform in Asia, comprising 28 member states. Continuing its strong record of leadership in multilateral formats, Azerbaijans Chairmanship has declared the promotion of dialogue and result-oriented cooperation across the CICA region as a top priority, under the motto A Stronger CICA: Connectivity, Digitalization, and Sustainable Development in Asia. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev shared his views on peace negotiations with Armenia during his speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. The head of state said: We proposed five basic principles rooted in international law, we tabled the proposal for a Peace Treaty. Then we initiated a negotiation process on its draft text, which lasted from October 2022 to summer 2025. Despite several attempts to derail the process, the negotiations produced positive results, as they were conducted on a strict bilateral basis, free from any kind of external interference. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The recent Washington Summit has also signaled a new phase in Azerbaijan-US relations, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during his speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. The head of state noted: Together with President Donald Trump, we signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments regarding the establishment of a Strategic Working Group to develop a Charter on strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States. It opens new horizons for partnership in political, economic, energy, regional connectivity, defense, security, and other fields. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The waiver by President Trump of the sanctions imposed on Azerbaijan in 1992, in the form of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, is a historic step as well, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during his speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. The head of state emphasized that the permanent removal of Section 907 by the US Congress would eliminate a legacy of double standards and help strengthen trust and cooperation at a time when Azerbaijan is contributing to global security and stability. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Overall, the agreements reached during my August visit to the United States carry historic significance, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during his speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. The head of state expressed his gratitude to US President Donald Trump for opening a new chapter in Azerbaijan-US relations, for his decision to elevate the ties to the level of strategic partnership, and for his support to the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. During the occupation period, Armenia levelled to the ground hundreds of our cities and villages, deliberately destroyed 65 mosques. This was the policy of Armenia, which was ruled by war criminals for almost 30 years, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during his speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. We are rebuilding villages and cities razed to the ground. Under the Great Return Program, already more than 50,000 people live, work, and study in the liberated territories, the head of state said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. On September 25, Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, met with Ales Musar, husband of the Slovenian President, in New York, at the latters request. During the meeting, Ales Musar provided information about the activities of the ITF Enhancing Human Security, a humanitarian non-profit organization established by the Slovenian government in 1998 to support mine victims. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, drew attention to the mine problem facing Azerbaijan. She noted that mines pose a serious obstacle to the large-scale restoration and reconstruction efforts in Azerbaijans liberated territories and to the process of returning former internally displaced persons to their homeland under the Great Return Program. Despite this, she highlighted that Azerbaijan is conducting extensive humanitarian demining operations, providing support to mine victims, and implementing awareness-raising measures regarding the dangers of explosive ordnance. During the conversation, they exchanged views on the global water scarcity issue and the decreasing water levels in the Caspian Sea, with the significance of the Bled Water Forum held in Slovenia also being discussed. The meeting included discussions on opportunities for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Slovenia in these areas. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Back in 2022, at the Summit of the Caspian Littoral States, I raised the issue of environmental degradation of the Caspian Sea. Today situation is much worse. Caspian Sea is shrinking rapidly. The main reason is not climate change, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during his speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. The Head of State noted that joint efforts of littoral states are needed to stop ecological catastrophe with unpredictable consequences. Azerbaijan also is ready to cooperation closely with the UN to tackle this problem. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan is proud of its global humanitarian assistance efforts. We are providing aid to countries affected by natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during his speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports. Azerbaijan contributed to the COVID-19 response, donating and financing protective equipment, medical devices, and vaccines to over 80 countries in need, the head of state emphasized. PHNOM PENH, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's three-day traditional Pchum Ben festival ended, with 2.14 million people traveling to various tourist destinations across the kingdom, said a Ministry of Tourism report on Thursday. Of the number, 24,443 were foreign visitors, the report said. The most popular attractions during the holiday were Siem Reap, Battambang, Preah Sihanouk, Kampong Cham, and Kampong Chhnang provinces, the report added. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the celebrations of the Pchum Ben festival were vital to preserve and promote Cambodia's beautiful culture, tradition and customs for younger generations. Pchum Ben festival, or the Ancestor's Day, from Sunday to Tuesday, was the second-largest celebration in the Southeast Asian country after the lunar New Year in April. During the festival, Buddhists visited pagodas, offering food, drinks, incense sticks, candles and some money to monks to dedicate to their relatives and loved ones, who had passed away. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The open court hearing session regarding criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of ArmeniaArayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Gukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and otherswho are accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power, and numerous other crimes, resulting from Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on September 25, Trend reports. The court session held at the Baku Military Court, presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and composed of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (with reserve judge Gunel Samadova), provided each accused person with a translator in their native language, as well as representation for their defense. The accused persons, their defenders, a portion of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors defending the state prosecution, participated in the session. At the beginning of the session, accused person Levon Mnatsakanyan addressed the court, expressing his desire to familiarize himself with the protocols of several previous sessions and requesting the creation of appropriate conditions. The presiding judge informed Mnatsakanyan that conditions would be provided for him to review the session protocols with the assistance of a translator. The court session continued with the examination of an interview given by Manvel Grigoryan, former deputy minister of defense of Armenia, as evidence in the criminal case. Sent from Armenia to occupy Azerbaijani territories, M. Grigoryan spoke in the interview about crimes committed in Azerbaijan's sovereign territories, including in Aghkand, as well as sabotage operations, based on instructions received from Armenia. We would stir up hostility in schools so that they would fight and beat each other. In Hadrut and Khankendi, there was leadership cooperating with us, and from Armenia, they were in direct contact with us 24 hours a day, Grigoryan stated. He mentioned that a group of young people and women from Yerevan came to Azerbaijani territories and began working as school teachers, adding: They cooperated with us. They taught classes during the day, and at night, they stood guard with us. In other words, they were already soldiers at night. Then, through these young teachers, we began using 14-15-year-old teenagers as soldiers. Because it was easier to work with children at that agethe same 14-15-year-olds I mentioned, 90 percent of them still serve in the army to this day, even as generals and other high-ranking officerswe started drawing them to our side, to the base. We would give them serious weapons, teach them what we knew, and conduct exercises. In the interview, Grigoryan also spoke about the involvement of Armenia's former presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan in the occupation of Azerbaijani territories at the time. He stated that high-ranking military personnel, generals, and colonels from Armenia were sent to Azerbaijan's then-occupied territories to establish military units. He named one of the generals as Artusha, who came from Gumru. From Armenia, they could bring us automaticswhatever could be transported by helicopter in general, he added. Grigoryan also confessed to the killing of Azerbaijanis and the plundering of villages, stating: We began capturing the Turks (Azerbaijanis ed.) villages. We would enter, destroy the villages, and devastate them. Grigoryan also spoke about being the commander of a brigade belonging to the Armenian armed forces. He stated that in connection with this, he was summoned to Armenia and sent to Azerbaijans then-occupied territories on the order of Defense Minister Vazgen Manukyan. After that, they occupied 47 villages in Azerbaijans Fizuli district. Subsequently, a series of documents related to the criminal case were announced in court. These included documents regarding the shelling of Ashagi Askipara and other villages in the Gazakh district on June 8, 1992; the raid on a military units settlement on February 29, 1992, and the seizure of weapons and ammunition from the military unit; the artillery shelling of Beylagan city on December 16, 1993; and the occupation of Khankendi city and the Karkijahan settlement. Additionally, documents were announced concerning the forced displacement (deportation) of the population from their residential areas as a result of the occupation of the Shusha district, Khankendi city, Khojavend, Khojaly, Aghdara, Lachin, Kalbajar, Fizuli, Gubadli, Jabrayil, Aghdam, and Zangilan districts by the Armenian armed forces. Furthermore, documents were announced regarding the cruel treatment and torture of captured servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and civilians and other persons protected by international humanitarian law; the graves of unknown martyrs buried during the First Karabakh War; the handover of the remains of persons missing during the First Karabakh War in Shusha city; and the discovery of a mass grave in the Edilli village of the Khojavend district. Other announced documents related to the killing of Azerbaijanis, inflicting injuries, attempts to kill, and other crimes. Along with the documents, a series of photographs were also displayed. The court proceedings will continue on September 26. Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state - including the aforementioned criminal association - on the territory of Azerbaijan, in violation of domestic and international legal norms. These crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations, through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized management; as well as under strict control and under the leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others. The following individuals - Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan - are being charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, and waging a war of aggression); Article 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection); Article 103 (genocide); Article 105 (extermination of the population); Article 106 (enslavement); Article 107 (deportation or forced displacement of population); Article 109 (persecution); Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons); Article 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law); Article 113 (torture); Article 114 (mercenary service); Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare); Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict); Article 118 (military robbery); Article 120 (intentional murder); Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship); Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1 (financing terrorism); Article 218 (creation of a criminal organization); Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and devices); Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security); Article 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure); Article 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state); Article 279 (creation of armed groups not provided for by law); and additional articles. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The open court hearing regarding the criminal cases of citizens of the Republic of ArmeniaArayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and othersaccused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of an aggressive war, genocide, violation of war laws and customs, terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure and retention of power, and numerous other crimes resulting from Armenias military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on September 25, Trend reports. The trial, held at the Baku Military Court under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Agayev, with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova), ensured that all accused persons were provided with translators in their preferred language and defense lawyers. The session was attended by the accused, their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors defending the states charges. The court hearing continued with the examination of documents. It was mentioned that the court will study the documents on a case-by-case basis. The court proceedings will continue on September 26. Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state - including the aforementioned criminal association - on the territory of Azerbaijan, in violation of domestic and international legal norms. These crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations, through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized management; as well as under strict control and under the leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others. The following individuals - Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan - are being charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, and waging a war of aggression); Article 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection); Article 103 (genocide); Article 105 (extermination of the population); Article 106 (enslavement); Article 107 (deportation or forced displacement of population); Article 109 (persecution); Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons); Article 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law); Article 113 (torture); Article 114 (mercenary service); Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare); Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict); Article 118 (military robbery); Article 120 (intentional murder); Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship); Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1 (financing terrorism); Article 218 (creation of a criminal organization); Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and devices); Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security); Article 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure); Article 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state); Article 279 (creation of armed groups not provided for by law); and additional articles. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan has released new data on the human toll of mines and cluster munitions in the country, Trend reports. The information is included in a report by the Azerbaijan Campaign Against Mines Public Union on the issue of cluster munitions. The term cluster munition victims refers to all individuals killed, physically injured, psychologically affected, economically harmed, socially isolated, or significantly restricted in exercising their rights as a result of cluster munitions. This includes those directly impacted, their family members, and affected communities. According to the report, research conducted under the project identified 233 civilians as cluster munition victims from various regions during the 1992-2025 period, including Fuzuli, Barda, Goranboy, Beylagan, Aghdam, Tartar, Yevlakh, Kalbajar, Gabala, and Shusha, as well as from the cities of Baku, Ganja, and Mingachevir. During cluster munition incidents, 51 people were killed, including eight children (five girls, three boys) and 13 women, while 182 were injured, including 34 children (18 girls, 16 boys) and 47 women. The youngest victim was five years old, and the oldest was 78. Additionally, 21 military personnel were affected by cluster munitions, of whom two were killed and 19 were injured. A total of 15 mine incidents resulted in 20 casualties, from January through July 2025, with no fatalities reported. These explosions occurred in Aghdam, Aghdara, Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Goranboy, Kalbajar, Gazakh, Khojaly, and Khojavend districts. Among the victims, three were children and youths, including one woman and 19 men, injured by explosive ordnance. Mine incidents killed 70 people, including 55 civilians, and injured 332, including 160 civilians from November 2020 through July 2025. Twelve of these were cluster munition victims. Since 1991, more than 3,400 people have been affected by mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), including 600 fatalities and 2,812 injuries. Victims include 38 women and 362 children, and youths. During the recent Second Karabakh War, 131 people, and 12 subsequently, were identified as victims of cluster munitions, totaling 143. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Nazarbayev University intends to expand its partnership with Azerbaijani universities, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Planning and Budget at Nazarbayev University, Aida Sagintayeva said on the sidelines of the Eurasian Universities Summit in Baku, Trend reports. We visited ADA University and were impressed by its development. We have common ground - conducting research on topics relevant to the entire region, developing human capital, training specialists, new educational programs, and supporting young talent, she said. Sagintayeva noted that cooperation with Azerbaijani universities is being considered in three areas: joint research, student and teacher exchanges, and participation in international projects. Kazakh students are very interested in studying in Azerbaijan to learn about the level of teaching and scientific research. I think it would also be useful for Azerbaijani students to study here. It is important for teachers to exchange experiences, she stressed. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor recalled that Nazarbayev University already cooperates with Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University and implements exchange programs with ADA University. According to Sagintayeva, other universities in Kazakhstan are also interested in partnering with Azerbaijani universities. When we return, we will definitely talk about the summit and the universities we met with. If there is interest, we are ready to establish contacts and cooperation, she concluded. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Military personnel of the State Service for Special Communications and Information Security of Azerbaijan have been awarded the Medal "For Military Services", Trend reports. The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the relevant decree. According to the decree, the service's personnel was awarded for their distinction in the performance of their official duties. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The 2025 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix has taken the cake as the most-watched race ever in the United States, Baku City Circuit Operations Company told Trend. U.S. broadcaster ESPN, which has the keys to the Formula 1 kingdom, has seen viewer interest hit the roof like never before. The main race, held on September 21, attracted nearly 1.1 million viewers during the live broadcast, setting a new record for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on American television. The race hit the airwaves bright and early in the morning U.S. time. The previous record was established in 2021 with a whopping 970,000 viewers, while in 2024, the audience dipped to 865,000, showing that the tide has turned. Overall, the average TV audience for Formula 1 races in 2025 across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC has reached 1.4 million viewers setting a new all-time high for Formula 1 broadcasting in the U.S. The last record stood at 1.21 million back in 2022. The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix rolled into town from September 19 to 21. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen claimed victory in the race. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. A series of captivating performances have been staged in the historic heart of Baku Icherisheher as part of the Nasimi Festival of Poetry, Arts and Spirituality, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, with the support of ICESCO, Trend reports. To kick things off, right by the 15th-century Mausoleum of Seyid Yahya Bakuvi, a real gem of medieval Azerbaijani architecture and decorative art, nestled in the courtyard of the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, and framed by the ancient walls of Icherisheher, the performance "Mast-i Darvish" took center stage, drawing inspiration from Nasimis ghazal "Mast". The script was written by poet and author Ilgar Fahmi, while the production was directed and led by Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Bahruz Vagifoghlu, who also composed the original synthesized music. The ancient alleys and stone archways of the old city sprang to life, dancing to the tune of the poet's breath for a fleeting hour. Nasimis ghazals rang out like a bell, weaving a tapestry of thought that suggested man is but a drop in the ocean of the Divine, carving out a niche in the grand scheme of things, with a purpose to fulfill upon stepping into this world. The powerful premiere hit the ground running, leaving the audience over the moon with their enthusiastic ovations. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation organizes a wide range of cultural events - literary, musical, theatrical - and the Nasimi Festival holds special significance in promoting the ancient legacy of this great poet. This particular ghazal is actually little known; its rarely encountered. Our Peoples Artist Jahangir Novruzov discovered it and proposed bringing it to the stage. Based on a script by Ilgar Fahmi, and with the involvement of actors from the State Pantomime Theatre, we created this piece, or rather, not just a play - more of a ritual performance, a spiritual act because this is a work of the soul, a breath of spirituality. We sincerely hope for more such events, so that not only we, but the audience - our people - can be nourished by this spirit, Vagifoghlu said. According to him, this oeuvre occupies a pivotal position within the trajectory of his creative praxis. Such characters cant be just created. If a role resonates with your soul, it finds you itself. Previously, I prepared a production called Gil, where I embodied the character of Muhammad Fuzuli. Today, its Nasimi. All these figures were Sufis, great minds. They belong to the same spiritual element, the same breath. Today, we were able to gather people attuned to this energy, and pass it on to the audience. If after the show the audience doesnt want to leave, if they embrace us, take photos, and you see lightness and joy on their faces - it means that spirit was with us, it passed through us to them, bringing bright energy, he added. Later on, in the Bayil Rocks area, the project "Eshg-i nur" (Love of Light) was unveiled - an exhibition and mystical journey woven around three threads: love, light, and symbol. The installation was a feast for the eyes, showcasing a cornucopia of visual artworks, vibrant living displays, and multimedia presentations brought to life by more than 20 budding artists. Here, love isnt just a feather in the cap of emotion; its a spiritual calling, a divine magnet that pulls at the very heartstrings of existence. The projects author and curator is Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Sabina Shikhlinskaya. The series of presentations continued with "Unveiling the Word", a performance by choreographer Lenay Seyidalizade, exploring the image of a person who carries truth within his body: his skin may be stripped away, but the word remains. Nazrin Mammadova cooked up a delightful blend of Nasimis ghazals, mixing in mugham and electronic music to whip up a modern spiritual soundscape that hits all the right notes. The curtain will fall on the Nasimi Festival at the Ateshgah Fire Temple, a gem of historical-architectural significance. The "Savalan" group is set to roll out the red carpet for a night steeped in spirit and mystery, paying homage to the timeless legacy of the illustrious poet Nasimi. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 24. At the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a meeting was held between Deputy Chair of the Council of Ministers of BiH and Minister of Defense Zukan Helez and a delegation of the United Kingdom Parliament, Trend reports. The delegation consisted of Paul Waugh, Reg Pula, and Philippe Lefevre. Minister Helez welcomed the guests, emphasizing that the presence of parliamentarians from one of the worlds most influential democratic states testifies to the shared commitment to building stable and long-term relations between our countries. During the meeting, discussions focused on joint projects and initiatives contributing to the strengthening of the defence system of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Special attention was given to the appointment of Mrs. Holly Campbell-Stevens as Special Advisor for Defence Reform, as well as cooperation on drafting a new implementation plan for the 20252028 period within the framework of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) initiative. Support from the United Kingdom in the area of human security was also discussed, including the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for training and the renovation of a facility at the Mika Bosnic barracks in Manjaca for the needs of the Peace Support Operations Training Centre (PSOTC). Continuous UK assistance was highlighted, especially through its role as the lead nation in the AIRMEDEVAC (air medical evacuation) project, as well as within NATOs Defence Capacity Building Initiative (DCBI). The great importance of UK support in the field of education was underlined, as many cadets and members of the Armed Forces of BiH have graduated from prestigious military academies and schools in the UK, with new participants already enrolled. Minister Helez informed the guests that the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of BiH continue to implement the Development and Modernisation Plan of the Armed Forces of BiH 20172027, along with activities under the Reform Programme and the Planning and Review Process (PARP), with a total estimated value of 2530 million euros. Minister Zukan Helez also briefed the UK Parliament delegation on the malign influence of the Russian Federation at various levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He stressed that this influence is reflected in political, economic, and security segments, highlighting the importance of continuous international support and cooperation in strengthening the resilience of state institutions and preserving the countrys stability. Such visits are not just formal meetings, they are proof that Bosnia and Herzegovina has sincere and reliable friends who understand our strategic importance, but also our potential as a stable and secure partner within the Euro-Atlantic community, Minister Helez emphasized. In his remarks, Paul Waugh praised the contribution of the Armed Forces of BiH to international missions, with a special focus on their engagement in Afghanistan, underlining their professionalism, dedication, and efficiency. He also reiterated the United Kingdoms full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stressing the importance of international cooperation in maintaining regional stability. Waugh particularly voiced strong support for initiatives aimed at reducing the malign influence of the Russian Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, underlining the importance of joint efforts to strengthen the resilience of the state and its institutions. At the end of the meeting, Minister Helez thanked the members of the delegation for their visit and the UKs continuous support in strengthening Bosnia and Herzegovinas defence capacities. Their visit represents a strong message of support to Bosnia and Herzegovina and a confirmation of the excellent bilateral relations our country enjoys with the United Kingdom. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The Minister of National Defense of Greece, Nikos Dendias, was present as a Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) was signed by Deputy Minister of Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis and Deputy Minister of National Defense Thanasis Davakis, Trend reports. The decision establishes a comprehensive framework for psychological and psychometric evaluation of personnel performing critical security duties on the railway. The JMD, signed during a special event in the Ioannis Kapodistrias hall of the Ministry of National Defense, was established in cooperation with the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, represented by Deputy Minister for Fiscal Policy, Thanos Petralias. It will be implemented under the responsibility of Hellenic Railways Single-Member S.A. (S.E.M.A.E.) with the decisive contribution and expertise of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA). The assessments include psychometric tests evaluating memory, attention, concentration, and communication; psychomotor tests assessing reaction speed and coordination; as well as behavior and personality evaluations, with an emphasis on emotional control and responsibility. Additionally, interviews with specialized psychologists are planned. The decision provides for different categories of evaluation: selective, during recruitment; initial, at the start of service; periodic, at regular intervals; and extraordinary, when special needs or circumstances arise. A transitional implementation is foreseen, starting with a pilot assessment of 60 employees, and the decision takes effect from its publication in the Government Gazette. The process is carried out by Special Committees for Professional Suitability (EEC), which include military personnel, representatives of S.E.M.A.E., and a member of ASEP (Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection). GEETHA is responsible for the continuous adaptation and updating of the psychometric tests, ensuring their quality and reliability. At the same time, full protection of personal data is guaranteed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 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. This photo taken on Sept. 25, 2025 shows a school of Australian Mado in a temperate kelp forest in Narooma, Australia. (Photo by Chloe Hayes /Handout via Xinhua) CANBERRA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have developed a new method combining environmental DNA (eDNA) with visual surveys to track tropical fish species migrating into cooler waters as oceans warm due to climate change. They surveyed fish communities along 2,000 km of Australia's east coast, from the tropical reefs of the Great Barrier Reef to the temperate kelp forests of the state of New South Wales to test how well eDNA can reveal species on the move, according to a statement released Thursday by Australia's University of Adelaide (UoA). Researchers have traditionally relied upon visual surveys to monitor these migrations, but that alone does not capture the full picture, leading to an underestimation of migration rates, it said. "Climate change has already caused more than 12,000 species to shift their homes across land, freshwater and the sea," said UoA researcher Chloe Hayes, lead author of a study on the new approach. In the ocean, some tropical fish had moved into temperate reefs to seek cooler waters, particularly along the east coast of Australia, one of the fastest warming marine regions on Earth, Hayes said. "New coral and fish species arrive in Sydney's oceans every year, and this is expected to increase with future climate change," said study co-author Professor David Booth from Australia's University of Technology Sydney. Hayes drew on forensic science by using eDNA, which captures traces like mucus, scales, and waste that fish leave behind in seawater. "Every organism leaves behind traces of itself in its environment -- fish shed mucus, scales and waste, all of which contain DNA. By collecting and filtering samples of seawater, we can extract this DNA and identify the species that have lived in a particular area," said Hayes, whose study was published in Diversity and Distributions. "Just as detectives solve crimes by analyzing fingerprints or hair left at a scene, ecologists can build a picture of marine life from the genetic fingerprints floating invisibly in the ocean," said Project leader Professor Ivan Nagelkerken from the University of Adelaide. The study detected tropical species in temperate ecosystems that had never been recorded there before, including surgeonfish, parrotfish and cryptic species such as porcupinefish and squirrelfish that "divers are most likely to miss," Hayes said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Kazakhstan is working to lower its dependence on Russia by increasing oil shipments through alternative routes, Julien Mathonniere, an economist at Energy Intelligence Group, said at the "Caspian and Central Asia Refining, Petrochemicals, Trading, and Logistics" event in Baku, Trend reports. Kazakhstan is striving to reduce its reliance on Russia by boosting shipments via the Caspian Sea and aims to ease its growing dependence on its northern neighbor, he noted. Mathonniere added that diversification efforts are underway across all countries in the region. In Kazakhstan, there is a push to increase oil exports through the BakuTbilisiCeyhan (BTC) pipeline from the current level of around 1.5 million tons to a potential 20 million tons in the future. Oil transport along this route is expected to grow from 1.4 million tons in 2024 to 1.7 million tons in 2025, he added. The expert also highlighted the increasing importance of the Middle Corridor. Kazakhstan is enhancing its railway infrastructure to become a key transit hub between China and Europe, potentially bypassing traditional routes through Russia. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 25. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with the support of the Kazakhstan Agency for International Development (KazAID), has delivered a large shipment of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan by rail, Trend reports via KazAID. A total of 26 railcars carrying 272 tons and 728 kilograms of humanitarian cargo arrived in Afghanistan. The shipment included tents, sugar, blankets, canned meat, and flour. Kazakhstan consistently advocates for the development of good-neighborly relations and remains committed to supporting stability in the region. Earlier, in April 2025, Kazakhstan also sent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. That shipment, delivered by air, included medicines, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment, with a total weight of 3 tons and 396 kilograms. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. bp has finalized the investment decision for its Shafag solar project, marking the companys first foray into solar energy in Azerbaijan and the first initiative under its 30-year strategic partnership with the country, Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, Vice President of Communications and External Relations for bp in the Caspian region, Trend reports. Speaking at the 1st Azerbaijan-Britain Political Dialogue at ADA University, Aslanbayli explained the significance of the bp Shafag solar project We are proud that this project will be implemented in territories recently liberated from occupation in Azerbaijan. This gives the project not only commercial and engineering significance but also national importance, he said. The project is expected to generate approximately 240 megawatts of solar power. Under a special agreement with the government of Azerbaijan, this electricity will feed into the national energy system. In return, an equivalent amount of energy will be delivered from other parts of the grid to the Sangachal terminal, supporting bps oil and gas operations and those of our partners, the VP explained. Aslanbayli also highlighted the projects innovative nature. This, in my view, is the best energy transition story I have ever heard. Not just because it is our project, but because a traditional energy company in a country with a rich oil and gas heritage is reinvesting part of its hydrocarbon revenue into solar energy. This solar power, in turn, is used to decarbonize the very oil and gas facilities that made the investment possible. As a result, operational emissions at the Sangachal terminal will be reduced by 50 percent over its lifetime," he concluded. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The UK remains one of Azerbaijans closest partners in attracting investments, stimulating economic growth, and supporting sustainable development, said Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, Vice President of bp for Communications and External Affairs in the Caspian Region, Trend reports. Speaking at the First Azerbaijan-Britain Political Dialogue at ADA University, Aslanbayli emphasized the importance of the companys long-term collaboration with Azerbaijan. We are proud of our 30-year history in Azerbaijan, but we look to the future with equal confidence. Our focus is not only on the successful completion of current oil and gas projects but also on creating new opportunities in renewable energy, green transformation, and the energy transition, he said. The VP added that bps partnership with Azerbaijan has become a key part of the companys British identity in the country. For us, it is an honor to be part of this journey. We are proud to continue contributing to the strengthening of Azerbaijan-Britain relations. It is particularly inspiring to see growing interest among Azerbaijani youth in green energy and sustainable development. This is a path toward a cleaner, safer, and more reliable future, Aslanbayli concluded. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) have signed a 3-year cooperation roadmap covering the 2025-2028 period, Trend reports via the EAEU Commission. According to the report, the roadmap was signed in Moscow on August 24 by Irans Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade, Seyed Mohammad Atabek, and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Atabek said the roadmap establishes the overall framework for trade and economic cooperation between Iran and the five EAEU member states. The document aims to implement the free trade agreement more effectively and to further develop trade ties between the parties. Atabek noted that the signing of this document, along with the execution of other agreements, will enhance cooperation in infrastructure, logistics, road, maritime, customs, and digital trade sectors. Slepnev added that since the implementation of the free trade agreement between Iran and the EAEU, trade turnover has increased by around 16 percent, with further growth expected by the end of the year. The free trade agreement was originally signed in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 25, 2023, and trade turnover is projected to reach between $18-20 billion within 5 to 7 years following the agreements entry into force. On March 15, 2025, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced the implementation of the free trade agreement law across various sectors in Iran. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan has received over $30 billion in British investments since gaining independence, Azerbaijani MP Sevinj Fataliyeva said during the 1st Azerbaijan-Britain Political Dialogue at ADA University, Trend reports. Our cooperation goes far beyond the energy sector. It spans renewable energy, environmental protection, education, and human capital development. Together, we address global challenges such as climate change, security, and sustainable development, she noted. Fataliyeva emphasized that British investments have provided a significant boost to Azerbaijans economic growth and laid the foundation for enduring bilateral cooperation. Fatalieva highlighted the UKs expertise in renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, and smart environmental solutions as particularly valuable. These early investments demonstrated confidence in Azerbaijans potential and a clear expression of solidarity. Today, our relationship has reached a qualitatively new level, recently being officially elevated to a strategic partnership, she added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The growth of Azerbaijani companies on the London Stock Exchange is expected to be a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, Lord Aamer Sarfraz, a member of the UK House of Lords, said at the 1st Azerbaijan-Britain Political Dialogue at ADA University, Trend reports. "It would also be appropriate to establish an Azerbaijani-British fintech sandbox, similar to those we have with other countries, where fintech companies could safely test new products and technologies in both nations," he said. Sarfraz emphasized Azerbaijans unique advantage. "Your country has something we do not - a sovereign fund. In the United Kingdom, such funds do not exist. Even if UK government representatives wanted to encourage companies to invest in Azerbaijan, they could only propose and facilitate it, not mandate it. At the same time, the UK remains a global hub for sovereign funds: the first such fund was established here, and every major international fund has a presence in the country," he said. Sharfraza also highlighted the potential for joint investments. "It would be wonderful to see more large holdings acting as co-investors alongside British companies entering Azerbaijan, and vice versa," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 25. Kazakhstan launched a nationwide contest for the best name for the country's first nuclear power plant today at 12:00 p.m. local time, Trend reports via the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to information, every citizen can participate via the eGov Mobile app. The poll is being conducted via the eGov Mobile application. A banner titled Come up with a name for the NPP (nuclear power plant) is displayed on the main page, and users have received push notifications announcing the start of the competition. The goal of the initiative is to select a name for the future power plant that reflects its historical, cultural, and national significance. To participate, users need to: Select a language (Kazakh or Russian); Propose their own name; Optionally provide a brief explanation of its meaning; Confirm that they have read and understood the official contest rules. Submissions will be accepted until 11:59 PM Astana time on October 10, 2025. The contest rules can be found on the official website of the Atomic Energy Agency and the agencys social media accounts. All citizens are encouraged to contribute to the countrys energy history by proposing a name for Kazakhstans first nuclear power plant, the announcement states. The contest committee includes representatives of the public, the creative industry, as well as experts in nuclear energy, philology, and history. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Prices for RON-92 and diesel fuel in Kazakhstan are significantly lower than in neighboring countries, which creates a number of problems for the domestic market, Rassul Abdukhalilov, CEO of the Kazakh company RV-Oil&Gas, said at the Caspian and Central Asia - Refining, Petrochemicals, Trade and Logistics event in Baku, Trend reports. According to him, the significant price gap encourages the illegal export of fuels and lubricants outside the country. According to the Kazakhstan Financial Monitoring Agency, between 10,000 and 50,000 tons are illegally exported from the country every month. As a result, the domestic market is experiencing an additional deficit, which has to be made up for by imports from the Russian Federation, Abdukhalilov said. SYDNEY, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- China leads the others as the most influential partner to Southeast Asian countries, according to a new data project report published on Thursday by an Australian think tank. The Southeast Asia Influence Index, which was published by Sydney-based independent think tank the Lowy Institute, measured the relative importance of 10 external partners to 11 countries in Southeast Asia. China was ranked as the most influential partner to the region overall followed by the United States, Japan and Australia. It concluded that China is the leading partner for six out of the eleven individual countries -- Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The United States was identified as the leading partner for the Philippines and Singapore, but the authors said its influence in the region is likely to erode as a result of the Donald Trump administration's global policies, including tariffs, foreign aid cuts and international student visa restrictions. The importance of the relationship between the external partners and Southeast Asian nations was measured based on economic ties, defense networks, cultural influence, diplomatic relationships and regional engagement. The report found that China has the deepest economic relationships, the most diplomatic influence and the greatest regional engagement in Southeast Asia as well as the second-most cultural influence. "Its primary strength lies in economic relationships, supported by consistent diplomacy across Southeast Asia: China is the top international destination for Southeast Asian leaders and foreign ministers," the report said. Malaysia was ranked as the most influential country among Southeast Asian nations, followed by Singapore and Indonesia. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The opening ceremony of the 1st Azerbaijan-UK Policy Dialogue was held at ADA University on September 25, organized by the Institute for Development and Diplomacy (IDD). Organized in partnership with the British-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce and bp, the event brought together more than 50 distinguished experts. Participants included members of parliament, senior government officials, researchers from universities and think tanks, media specialists, and independent experts. The two-day event will focus on Azerbaijan-UK bilateral relations and strategic partnership in a changing global order, regional security, cooperation, and foreign policy priorities in the South Caucasus, energy cooperation and economic diversification, and public diplomacy through education, science, and innovation. The dialogue will foster mutual understanding and practical cooperation on regional and global challenges. The opening ceremony was addressed by Dr. Fariz Ismailzade, Vice-Rector of ADA University and Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Mr. Fergus Auld, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Mr. Bakhtiyar Aslanbeyli, Vice President for the Caspian Region of bp. The first panel of the program, dedicated to the topic Azerbaijan-United Kingdom Bilateral Relations and Strategic Partnership in a Changing Global Order, was attended by Lord Aamer Sarfraz, Members of the House of Lords of the UK Parliament, Mr. David Duguid, Former MP of UK Parliament, and then by Mr. Samad Seyidov and Ms. Sevinj Fataliyeva, Members of the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan. During the first day of the program, participants, Sir Liam Fox, Chairman of the UK Abraham Accords Group, Prof. Emma Edhem, Alderman of The City of London Corporation, Rehman Chishti, Former MP of UK Parliament and Former Foreign Office Minister, and Dr. Matthew Offord, Former MP of UK Parliament, noted the importance of developing a strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom, strengthening bilateral relations, and exploring new cooperation opportunities. Uzbekistan sees rapid growth in joint ventures across ECO Photo: The Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan Uzbekistan is strengthening its economic ties within the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), highlighting significant growth in trade and joint ventures. In a recent meeting with ECO leadership, Uzbek officials discussed new initiatives to boost trade, investment, and regional cooperation, underscoring the countrys active role in shaping economic integration across the region. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan is emerging as one of the promising markets for battery energy storage systems (BESS), said Engel Tastan, Country Manager of Chinas GoodWe for Turkiye and Central Asia, Trend reports. Speaking at the Azerbaijan and Central Asia Green Energy Week 2025 in Baku, Tastan stressed that before diving into the deep end with BESS, investors usually keep their ear to the ground regarding the stability and capacity of the electricity grid, not to mention the government regulations that throw a lifeline to solar and wind projects. If production is high and the grid is stable, this becomes one of the key factors positively influencing investors decisions. Every investor assesses the grids condition, capacity, and load level before taking a step, he noted. The GoodWe representative underlined that Azerbaijan stands out as a prospective BESS market. However, at the initial stage, the government should ensure legal and institutional support for solar and wind energy projects. The best approach is for the government to consult with international experts in this field, as experience from different markets helps establish the most effective rules to build investor confidence. Once the investment phase in solar and wind projects is complete, the implementation of BESS for grid balancing and other needs can be discussed, he explained. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Georgia, strategically located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, plays a key role in ensuring stable and reliable energy transit in the region, the countrys Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Inga Phaladze, said at the Aspen Energy Summit in Bucharest, Romania, Trend reports. According to the Ministry, she participated in a panel discussion focused on geopolitics and energy security. Today, energy security is no longer merely a regional issue, but a global necessity, Phaladze emphasized, highlighting Georgias growing contribution to European energy security over the past decades. The deputy minister outlined Georgias energy policy priorities, with particular emphasis on the development of green energy. Georgia is rich in renewable resources. Their utilization is critical for the countrys energy security. At the same time, our goal is to actively participate in supplying energy resources to both our region and Europe, she said. Phaladze also highlighted the underwater power cable project across the Black Sea, which is expected to strengthen Georgias energy partnerships with the European Union and other countries in the region. During the forum, the deputy minister met with executives from the Romanian energy company Transelectrica to discuss collaboration on the Black Sea cable project. She also attended the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between Georgias National Energy and Water Regulatory Commission and Romanias National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE). The summit was also attended by David Narmania, Chairman of Georgias National Energy and Water Regulatory Commission; Zviad Gachechiladze, Board Member of the Georgian State Electrosystem; and Tamar Beruchashvili, Georgias Ambassador to Romania. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Representatives from Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia will gather in Baku next month to examine the expansion of freight transportation through the International North-South Transport Corridor, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh stated, Trend reports. During her visit to construction works on the Rasht-Astara railway in Irans northern Gilan Province, Sadegh noted that important agreements are expected to be signed during the trilateral meeting. Sadegh explained that the International North-South Transport Corridor creates a direct rail route from India to the Persian Gulf, through Azerbaijan and Russia to Europe, and even has the potential to positively influence East-West corridors. She highlighted that in Iran, special focus is being placed on building the RashtAstara railway, which will stretch for 160 kilometers. Over the past year, the government has intensified efforts, purchasing the land for 80 kilometers of the route. Of this, 30 kilometers have been handed over to the Russian side for research, with further land transfers expected in the coming weeks to allow technical operations to begin. She added that the land acquisition process will be completed by the end of the Iranian year (March 20, 2026), ensuring that the territory will be ready for construction. The meeting in Baku is of great importance. It will result in key decisions on transit and freight cooperation between Iran and its neighboring countries, Sadegh emphasized. The minister emphasized the considerable prospects of cargo transportation through the Caspian Sea and Irans Caspian port, highlighting the synergistic relationship between rail and maritime corridors, which can markedly enhance Irans stake in the regional transit landscape. The foundation for the North-South transport corridor was laid based on an intergovernmental agreement between Russia, Iran, and India dated September 12, 2000. In total, this agreement has been ratified by several countries (the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Bulgaria, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Turkiye, and Ukraine). The purpose of creating the corridor is to reduce the delivery time of goods from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe (the delivery time along the current route is more than 6 weeks, while the North-South route is expected to take three weeks). As part of the corridor, the Qazvin-Rasht railway (175 km) was put into operation on March 6, 2019, connecting the Azerbaijani railways with the Iranian railway network. The Rasht-Astara railway is to be built on Iranian territory. The North-South Corridor has three directions in Iran. The eastern direction is Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries, the middle direction is Russia and other countries via the Caspian Sea, and the western direction is Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries. On May 17, 2023, Russia and Iran signed an agreement on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway in the province of Gilan, located in northern Iran. Nine stations will be built on the Rasht-Astara railway line, which will be about 163 km long. The completion of this railway will improve the North-South international corridor and connect Iran's railway network with the Caucasus, Russia, and Northern Europe. According to the agreement, Russia is expected to allocate 1.6 billion euros for the construction of this railway. The construction and completion of the railway is planned within 48 months. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. A broad meeting was held at the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Ali Asadov with the participation of government members on September 25, the Cabinet of Ministers told Trend. The meeting focused on the draft state and consolidated budgets for the year 2026 and the following 3-year indicators, as well as the concept and forecast indicators for economic and social development during the same period. According to the cabinet, in line with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan On the Budget System, the draft state and consolidated budgets for 2026 and the subsequent 3 years, along with the socio-economic development forecasts, were submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by the relevant institutions. The drafts were reviewed at the meeting. Opening the session with a keynote speech, Prime Minister Ali Asadov provided detailed information on the main parameters of next years state budget. Presentations were also delivered by Minister of Finance Sahil Babayev on the draft state and consolidated budgets, Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov on the concept and forecasts for economic and social development, and Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Anar Aliyev on the budgets of the State Social Protection Fund and the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Prime Minister Ali Asadov then outlined the key tasks and priorities ahead for the government. Following the meeting, it was decided to submit the draft documents on the 2026 state and consolidated budgets, along with the socio-economic development concept and forecasts, to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in accordance with Article 12 of the Law On the Budget System. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. A delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Shahin Mustafayev, visited the port in Bandar Abbas, an important part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, during an official trip to Iran, on September 24, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers told Trend. The Cabinet reported that the delegation checked out the port facilities and went over its infrastructure. Saeed Rasouli, Vice-Minister for Roads and Urban Development of Iran, delivered a detailed presentation on the port and provided information about its operations. Possible avenues for cooperation were also discussed during the meeting. As part of the visit to Bandar Abbas, Mustafayev held talks with the Governor of Hormozgan Province Mohammad Ashouri Taziani, during which the sides exchanged views on expanding cooperation opportunities. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel IFC, DAVR-BANK sign loan agreement to support small businesses in Uzbekistan IFC and DAVR-BANK have signed a loan agreement to expand access to finance for micro and small enterprises in Uzbekistan, with a particular focus on women-led businesses. The partnership aims to unlock growth, support entrepreneurship, and strengthen the countrys private sector by addressing critical financing gaps for underserved business owners. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 25. At the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, a roundtable was held with the participation of Deputy Minister Ilzat Kasimov and Zhao Ai, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the China Economic System Reform Research Association, who headed the Chinese delegation to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation, Trend reports. The gathering was further graced by high-ranking officials from prominent Chinese enterprises and esteemed institutions. The stakeholders concentrated on leveraging capital influx and bolstering innovative ventures within the sectors of industrial development and infrastructural enhancement. Specific focus was directed towards establishing optimal parameters for the execution of collaborative initiatives designed to enhance pivotal sectors of the economic landscape. At the conclusion of the talks, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic partnership, fostering long-term and mutually beneficial relations, and deepening the bonds of friendship between Uzbekistan and the Peoples Republic of China. Meanwhile, bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and China continues to grow rapidly. In the previous fiscal year, trade exceeded $14 billion, reflecting a 23 percent increase since the beginning of 2025. This robust growth highlights the deepening economic ties between the two countries and underscores Chinas role as one of Uzbekistans most important and reliable partners. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending a 40 million euro loan to Kervan Gda, a leading soft confectionery producer in Turkiye, to advance the companys transition toward a greener and more inclusive business model, Trend reports. The financing package allocates 10 million euros for new automation, efficiency, and maintenance projects, 15 million euros to refinance short-term debt linked to recent renewable energy investments, and 15 million euros to support working capital, helping to strengthen the companys financial stability. The project also focuses on inclusivity through the launch of a digital operator school, an internship programme with local universities, and childcare solutions to improve gender inclusion and work-life balance. On the environmental side, investments in solar energy and recyclable, certified packaging materials are expected to reduce emissions, enhance resource efficiency, and promote circular economy practices. Natalia Zhukova, EBRD Head of Food and Agribusiness, said the partnership will further enhance the companys financial competitiveness while accelerating progress on climate goals. Kervan Gda CEO Devrim Klcoglu added that the support strengthens our foundations and provides the resources to accelerate our sustainability and inclusive goals, ensuring that our growth benefits both our employees and the wider community. Since 2009, the EBRD has committed more than 22 billion euros across 499 projects and trade finance limits in Turkiye, with the majority directed toward the private sector. By Qabil Ashirov In the ever-evolving global economic landscape, Azerbaijan stands at a pivotal moment. The recent 1st Azerbaijan International Investment Forum in Baku has illuminated the countrys potential to attract foreign investment, particularly from China, signaling a new chapter in economic diversification and strategic development. According to Xe Chenwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese Association for Overseas Enterprises Development, twenty companies from twelve Chinese provinces attended the forum, nearly all representing the private sector. Their interest in investing in Azerbaijan is more than symbolicit is a tangible commitment that could reshape the countrys economic trajectory. For decades, Azerbaijans economy has been closely linked to the oil and gas sector. While this resource has provided substantial revenue and geopolitical leverage, reliance on a single sector poses risks, especially in a world increasingly attuned to sustainable energy and technological innovation. The participation of Chinese companies in Azerbaijan represents a strategic opportunity to diversify the economy, directing capital into other production sectors, transportation logistics across the Caspian, and green energy initiatives. This is a critical juncture for Baku: by attracting foreign investors with a clear vision for diversification, the nation can build resilience against global market fluctuations while fostering sustainable growth. Investment forums like the one held in Baku provide more than a venue for discussionthey are catalysts for transformation. They create a platform where policymakers, business leaders, and international stakeholders can engage in dialogue, share expertise, and identify mutually beneficial opportunities. The fact that the forum drew participants not only from China but also from Europe underscores Azerbaijans emerging role as a nexus for regional and international economic cooperation. Such forums signal to the global community that Azerbaijan is open for business, ready to implement reforms, and committed to integrating into the broader network of international trade and investment. The potential benefits of Chinese investment extend beyond mere capital inflow. Firstly, investment can generate new employment opportunities, particularly in sectors outside the traditional oil domain. This has social implications, potentially reducing unemployment and raising living standards. Secondly, partnerships with Chinese enterprises can facilitate technology transfer and managerial expertise, equipping local companies with the skills and know-how to compete on an international level. For a country seeking to modernize its industrial base, these knowledge exchanges are invaluable. Moreover, prioritizing sectors such as Caspian transport logistics and renewable energy aligns Azerbaijan with global trends. As climate change concerns shape international policy, investing in green energy projects not only positions Azerbaijan as a responsible actor but also creates opportunities for long-term, sustainable development. Renewable energy projects can reduce dependence on fossil fuels, diversify energy sources, and contribute to a more resilient national economy. At the same time, enhancing Caspian transport infrastructure strengthens Azerbaijans strategic position as a hub connecting Europe and Asia, facilitating trade and regional integration. Critically, the presence of Chinese private-sector investors is particularly significant. Private enterprises often operate with greater agility and innovation than state entities, bringing efficiency, competitiveness, and a results-oriented approach. Their interest indicates confidence in Azerbaijans economic environment and regulatory framework. For the Azerbaijani government, this is both an opportunity and a challenge: to maintain an investment climate conducive to long-term partnerships, it must continue to ensure transparency, enforce the rule of law, and offer incentives that align with investor expectations. In the broader geopolitical context, Chinas engagement in Azerbaijan has implications beyond economics. It strengthens bilateral ties, promotes cultural and educational exchanges, and positions Azerbaijan as a key player in regional development initiatives. This multi-dimensional cooperation can pave the way for enhanced diplomatic relations, creating a network of trust that supports not only business but also political and strategic collaboration. Ultimately, the forum and the commitments expressed by Chinese companies signal a hopeful trajectory for Azerbaijan. By leveraging foreign investment strategically, focusing on diversification, and embracing sustainable development, the country can transcend the limitations of resource dependence. The challenge lies in translating interest into concrete projects that generate measurable economic and social benefits. If managed effectively, Azerbaijan stands to gain not only financial capital but also the expertise, infrastructure, and global connections necessary to thrive in the 21st century. Chinas growing investment interest is more than a business opportunityit is a strategic moment for Azerbaijan to redefine its economic future. By embracing this potential with vision and prudence, Baku can foster an era of innovation, inclusivity, and long-term prosperity. The path ahead requires careful planning and bold leadership, but the foundations for a diversified and resilient economy are firmly in place. Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook is interviewed by Xinhua in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sept. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng) KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The establishment of Zhengzhou-Kuala Lumpur "Air Silk Road" has strengthened the logistics and trade bond between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, and is expected to accelerate economic growth in the coming years, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook has said. Through the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport-Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) "twin hub" initiative, Malaysia will be better positioned to leverage its role as China's second-largest trade partner in ASEAN by becoming a key regional transshipment hub, Loke told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview. "What's important right now is that we want to make KLIA (a transshipment) hub, not just for Malaysia-based products or products coming from Malaysia to China, but also for the wider ASEAN region," Loke explained. "For example, any e-commerce products coming from China for the ASEAN market can be consolidated in Kuala Lumpur and then distributed from KLIA to the rest of ASEAN," he added. "This cooperation model, driven by shared development goals, positions air logistics as an engine for trade flows, industrial integration, and cultural exchanges. It serves not only as an accelerator for bilateral trade but also as a crucial bridge for building a closer ASEAN-China cooperation and promoting regional economic integration," he said. Loke also noted that the close cooperation between Malaysia and China has optimized the movement of goods by streamlining logistics and improving cargo handling, with the twin hub model significantly enhancing trade efficiency. "This critical cooperation highlights the advantages of the 'dual hub' model," Loke added. "Thanks to Zhengzhou Airport's 'green channel' and 'zero-wait' customs clearance policies, Malaysian durians can enter the Chinese market efficiently. Meanwhile, Chinese cross-border e-commerce goods are also rapidly being exported to Southeast Asia, gradually forming a two-way model of 'durians entering China, e-commerce going global.'" "Transportation time has been shortened, costs have been reduced, and freight has become faster and more economical. The benefits for consumers are equally significant, as they can enjoy a wider selection of products, including perishables like fruits and seafood, delivered fresher and more reliably," he said. Looking ahead, Loke said that both sides will further expand route sharing and capacity coordination, steadily increasing passenger and cargo flights on the Zhengzhou-Kuala Lumpur route to establish a stable and sustainable air corridor. "ASEAN must seize this opportunity. This is why I encourage our logistics companies, especially local airlines and ground handling companies, to be more proactive in connecting with partners in the ASEAN region, consolidating more ASEAN products for export to China," he said. Loke expressed his full confidence that over the next five years, bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and China will achieve leapfrog development and trade flows will increase exponentially. "Malaysia's goal is not only to strengthen bilateral trade with China, but also to serve as a gateway to ASEAN, promoting economic and trade exchanges between ASEAN and China," he added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan's total oil imports reached 6.2 million tons as of July 1, 2025, said Ilham Shaban, head of the Caspian Barrel Oil Research Center, Trend reports. Speaking at the Caspian and Central Asia Refining, Petrochemicals, Trade and Logistics event in Baku, Shaban pointed out that Azerbaijan has been in the oil game since 2016, with Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan holding the cards as the primary suppliers. He pointed out that oil imports hit the scales at 728,000 tons from January through June 2025, a far cry from the 1.8 million tons in 2024, 1.9 million tons in 2023, 673,000 tons in 2022, 89.7 thousand tons in 2021, 180,000 tons in 2020, and 167,500 tons back in 2016. Shaban added that in the near future, global turbulence will continue to affect the economies of Caspian countries. While all states in the region remain oil producers, as he stated, their refining capacities differ, and some countries rely on fuel imports. He emphasized that the green agenda hasnt taken off as a priority for the region, and trade in petroleum products is set to pick up. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Official information source of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 25. The Board of Directors of Kazakh Tourism Development Ltd. has approved the updated master plan for the Almaty Superski project, aimed at developing ski tourism, Trend reports via the press service of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. CEO of Kazakh Tourism Development Ltd. Yerzhan Yerkinbayev presented the updated master plan for the Almaty Superski resort, which was developed in collaboration with the internationally renowned company Pas Grau International (PGI). The project incorporates modern technologies for ski equipment production, satellite data for analyzing climate and terrain conditions, and the introduction of green standards. It is based on global best practices applied at more than 120 resorts worldwide, the information reads. Moreover, Joan Viladomat, President of PGI, emphasized the importance of the selected site, which is located near a major metropolitan area. This proximity ensures a stable flow of tourists and will allow the resort to become a regional leader from its early years of operation. According to him, the presence of well-developed urban infrastructure - hotels, restaurants, and transportation - will reduce the need for extensive development directly on the resort site. Olzhas Bektenov highlighted the importance of adhering to environmental standards during the construction process. He stressed that the project must be implemented strictly in accordance with national and international laws, with minimal environmental impact and a strong focus on preserving the natural balance of the region. Following the meeting, the master plan was approved by the Board of Directors and will serve as the foundation for preparing a feasibility study and project cost documentation. The Almaty Superski project is expected to become a major driver of tourism development in Kazakhstan, providing new opportunities for both residents and visitors, and contributing to national goals for economic diversification. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Uzbekistan GTL exported around 300,000 tons of diesel fuel, with 200,000 tons delivered to European countries through the Middle Corridor in 2023-2024, said Bakhtiyar Aybergenov, a sales specialist at Uzbekistan GTL, Trend reports. Speaking at the Caspian and Central Asia Oil Refining, Petrochemicals, Trade and Logistics event in Baku, Aybergenov noted that agreements between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan allowed the use of the Middle Corridor, enabling the plant to export diesel fuel to Europe and the United States. Aybergenov highlighted that the plant exported 200,000 tons of naphtha during the reporting period, generating $250 million in revenue. He added that when production started at Uzbekistan GTL, diesel fuel prices on the local market ranged from $1,450-$1,500 per ton. Following the commissioning of the second production line and full-scale operation of the plant, prices naturally declined in line with market dynamics, now standing at approximately $920-$950 per ton. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. An analysis of the condition of heating boiler systems is being carried out in cooperation with companies from Germany and Denmark, with solutions being proposed and a legal framework currently under development, Founder and CEO of Energazer LLC Suleyman Majidli said during the Green Energy Week 2025: Azerbaijan and Central Asia event held in Baku, Trend reports. Azerbaijan is working with the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to enhance the energy efficiency of heating systems. As part of its technical assistance projects, ADB has allocated a grant of $1.1 million for heating infrastructure. In partnership with German and Danish companies, we are conducting assessments of existing boiler systems, proposing solutions, and drafting the necessary legal basis, Majidli noted. The head of the company also recalled that by Presidential Decree dated March 1, 2024, the Energy Efficiency Fund was established. Both the public and private sectors, including companies like ours, are working to ensure that this fund is used more effectively and transparently. Our objectives are clear, but their implementation requires a well-defined structure and planning, especially at the initial stage, he explained. Majidli also brought up ongoing and planned projects in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan. We won a tender issued by the Ministry of Energy a year ago. As part of that tender, we were selected to conduct energy audits in residential buildings and industrial facilities. Data was collected from 40 high-energy-consuming factories, and in-depth model audits were carried out at seven of them. These revealed significant energy efficiency potential. Currently, the company is working on two major projects. One is a cogeneration project, also in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy. The other focuses on the decarbonization of heating systems, integration of renewable energy sources, and technical support, with financing provided by ADB," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 25. The 33rd meeting of the Coordination Committee on the operation of the TurkmenistanUzbekistanKazakhstanChina (TUKC) gas pipeline was held in Kazakhstan's Almaty, gathering more than 90 representatives from key regional energy companies, including CNPC, PetroChina, Turkmengaz, Uztransgaz, and JSC NC QazaqGaz, Trend reports via QazaqGaz. During the meeting, the parties discussed issues related to gas transportation, modernization of compressor stations, and the implementation of intelligent management systems. In addition, a project was presented to create an Expert Committee on Oil and Gas Pipelines within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Moreover, Alibek Zhamauov, Chairman of the Management Board of QazaqGaz, emphasized the strategic importance of the pipeline for Central Asian countries and China. The project strengthens regional cooperation and energy security, he said, and the outcomes of the meeting will give new momentum to joint efforts and become a solid foundation for future collaboration. The session concluded with the signing of a final protocol and a ceremonial flag handover. The next meeting of the Coordination Committee will be held in China. The TurkmenistanUzbekistanKazakhstanChina gas pipeline is a strategic energy project launched in 2009, supplying Turkmen gas to China. The pipeline spans over 9,000 km in length and has reached an annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas. The project has significantly strengthened the energy partnership between Central Asia and China, and plans are underway to expand it with a fourth branch. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan is preparing for an energy audit under the Energy Efficiency Law, Sustainable Finance Specialist at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Leyla Huseynli said at the "Green Energy Week 2025: Azerbaijan and Central Asia" event in Baku, Trend reports. According to her, the Azerbaijani Law on Energy Efficiency brings the issue of energy auditing to the agenda, which necessitates the study of methodologies, training of personnel and raising awareness among end users. She underscored that Azerbaijan has enacted a legislative framework pertaining to Energy Efficiency, with supplementary regulations and methodologies presently in the pipeline, evolving from this foundational statute. Baseline energy performance benchmarks are currently established. The regulatory body will mandate the execution of comprehensive energy assessments. To optimize the efficacy of these audits, it is imperative to possess a robust comprehension of the underlying methodology, allocate adequate internal resources, and effectively communicate to end users the advantages of adhering to the minimum energy efficiency standards, Huseynli articulated. She articulated that Azerbaijan is on the cusp of achieving complete alignment with these stipulations, and entities that have preemptively embraced the standards will be positioned as frontrunners in this domain. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan is demonstrating a rapid transition from the traditional oil and gas sector to the use of renewable energy sources, the senior energy specialist at the World Bank Group, Florian Kitt said, Trend reports. He made the remark at the World Bank Group, at the Azerbaijan and Central Asia Green Energy Week in Baku. The country has already commissioned solar and wind power plants and plans to export green energy to Europe in the future, he added. Will be updated BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan and countries in the region should more actively coordinate rules for exporting green energy and develop joint investment projects to enter European energy markets, the senior energy specialist at the World Bank Group, Florian Kitt said, Trend reports. He made the remark at the World Bank Group, at the Azerbaijan and Central Asia Green Energy Week in Baku. According to him, the first step is to develop the regionalization of energy markets, particularly in the electricity sector. "There have already been positive changes in this direction: Georgia is a member of the European Energy Community, and Azerbaijan plans to complete the full separation of functions in the electricity sector by 2028. Today, we are mainly talking about bilateral agreements on electricity exports. But in order to create a system similar to the single market of the European Union, serious harmonization of rules and regulations will be required," Kitt noted. He recalled that Azerbaijan already has experience connecting to Turkey's power grid, which is linked to the European market, having fulfilled a number of requirements in this area. In addition, joint planning and investment are important. In this context, Azerbaijan, together with Georgia, Romania, and Hungary, has initiated the creation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) in Romania to develop a green energy port, Kitt added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Azerbaijan needs to identify new centers of electricity consumption, Florian Kitt, Senior Energy Specialist of the World Bank (WB), said at the Azerbaijan and Central Asia Green Energy Week 2025 in Baku, Trend reports. At present, the Azerbaijani electricity market is experiencing an oversupply, which slows the sectors development. The country already has significant generating capacity. Therefore, it is essential to establish new centers of consumption to enable the construction of new power plants based on renewable energy sources. Recently, Azerbaijan launched a very large gas-fired power plant. In my view, the key issue today is finding export markets for electricity, Kitt noted. He stressed that in order to access European markets, Azerbaijan must align its energy sector regulations with the requirements of the European Union (EU). The government is already taking steps in this direction and is holding active consultations with partners, including the International Energy Agency, to find optimal solutions, the World Bank expert added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel PHNOM PENH, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A "Qingdao Night" cultural performance was held here on Thursday, aiming at promoting the China-Cambodia Tourism Year 2025 and the tourism potential of the eastern Chinese coastal city of Qingdao in Shandong Province. During the two-hour show, a variety of artistic performances were presented by Chinese artists, drawing hearty rounds of applause from the audience. The event also featured a photography exhibition showcasing Qingdao's natural attractions like the scenic Laoshan Mountain and beautiful beaches, as well as historical sites. Speaking at the event, Long Ponnasirivath, a secretary of state at Cambodia's Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, said it was the first cultural show and photography exhibition organized by Qingdao in Cambodia. "The event today provides a good opportunity for Cambodian people to gain better insight into the ancient culture, tradition, custom, and civilization of China's Shandong Province," he said. Hor Sarun, a secretary of state at Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism, said the event clearly reflected high attention paid by both countries to further deepening bilateral ties in culture and tourism. "This event definitely gives support to the Cambodia-China Tourism Year 2025," he said. "It will also inject fresh impetus into the iron-clad Cambodia-China friendship and the construction of an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era." According to Sarun, Cambodia received a total of 785,000 Chinese tourists during the January-August period of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 45.7 percent. "We hope that Cambodia will attract more than 1 million Chinese tourists in the entirety of 2025," he said. "In this sense, the future of Cambodia's tourism sector is inseparable from the inflows of Chinese tourists and investors." BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Joint action plans and strategies are vital for advancing cross-border cooperation in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, particularly in energy and climate initiatives, as well as for implementing projects such as the Black Sea underwater cables, said Omar Tsereteli, Deputy Head of the Department for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Trend reports. Speaking at the Azerbaijan and Central Asia Green Energy Week 2025 in Baku, Tsereteli emphasized that strategies, roadmaps, and action plans should not be developed by each country separately but must be coordinated among them. Only in this way can we define priority projects and achieve the goals set by international development organizations. These tasks cannot be accomplished by one country alone. Joint work is essential, he noted. Tsereteli also highlights the South Caucasus potential for regional cooperation. Our partnership with Azerbaijan is a good example. Projects such as the Black Sea underwater cable can become flagship initiatives. If we strengthen and expand this trend, including in the field of green hydrogen, we will not only develop the energy sector but also export electricity to Europe. Tsereteli added that energy and climate plans, low-carbon development strategies, and nationally determined contributions (NDCs) should not remain only on paper. We must move toward their practical implementation together. This will be another important step in deepening cross-border cooperation, he stated. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The World Bank and Azerbaijan are collaborating on a major project aimed at strengthening the countrys electricity distribution and transmission system, Florian Kitt, Senior Energy Specialist at the World Bank Group (WBG), told Trend. Speaking on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan and Central Asia Green Energy Week 2025 in Baku, Kitt noted that the initiative is currently focused on laying the foundation for a more robust energy infrastructure. At this stage, we are concentrating on this direction. In the future, the World Bank will look to the Azerbaijani government for priority areas where the country requires our funding, he said. Kitt emphasized that the World Bank, as an international public financial institution, works based on the requests of its member countries. Azerbaijan is a member of the World Bank and represented on the Board of Directors in Washington. We are waiting for the government to identify priority directions and jointly decide where funding should be allocated. On our side, we provide technical assistance to help identify the most important projects in the energy transition, he added. He also highlighted the importance of coordination with other financial institutions. In addition to the World Bank, there are institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. We aim to work more actively together to increase financing and remove bureaucratic barriers that can sometimes slow the process. Our goal is to act faster and more effectively, Kitt said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The World Bank is considering projects to modernize the distribution system in Azerbaijan, the Senior Specialist at the World Bank's Energy Group, Florian Kitt told Trend. He made the remark on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan and Central Asia Green Energy Week in Baku. Projects are being considered to strengthen the distribution system, a significant part of which was built during the Soviet period and needs large-scale investment, he said. According to him, given the growing number of electric vehicles and small distributed energy sources, the modernization of the grid is necessary for stable reception of variable loads and reliable electricity supply. He said that joint work is currently underway with the state-owned company Azerenergy to expand the electricity transmission network, in particular on the Navai substation (500/330 kV) project and related high-voltage infrastructure. This project remains one of the priorities for the coming years. AzerEnerji is a highly competent company with excellent construction experience. We learn a lot from each other, the bank representative noted. In addition, the World Bank intends to intensify cooperation with the Azerbaijani government and agencies responsible for the development of renewable energy. Among the promising areas is the development of geothermal energy, on which joint research has already been presented and possible pilot projects are being discussed," Kitt concluded. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. A conference on The Caspian and Central Asia Refining, Petrochemicals, Trade, and Logistics has been held in Baku, Trend reports. According to information, the event is organized by Confidence Information Services. The following topics are planned for discussion: Macroeconomic and geopolitical factors shaping the energy market in the Caspian region and Central Asia, The state of the global bunker market and prospects for its development, Fuel market indicators in the Caspian region and Central Asia: production, supply destinations, and pricing in the region, Azerbaijan's decisive role in oil and gas transportation through the Middle Corridor, Liberalization of Kazakhstan's fuel market: challenges and prospects for Central Asia, and others. Speaking at the event, Julien Mathonniere, an economist at Energy Intelligence Group, said that Kazakhstan is working to lower its dependence on Russia by increasing oil shipments through alternative routes. In Kazakhstan, there is a push to increase oil exports through the BakuTbilisiCeyhan (BTC) pipeline from the current level of around 1.5 million tons to a potential 20 million tons in the future. Oil transport along this route is expected to grow from 1.4 million tons in 2024 to 1.7 million tons in 2025, Mathonniere explained. He also highlighted the increasing importance of the Middle Corridor. Kazakhstan is enhancing its railway infrastructure to become a key transit hub between China and Europe, potentially bypassing traditional routes through Russia. The Director of the Marine Bunker Exchange (MABUX) Sergey Ivanov noted that in the first half of 2025, Turkish ports saw a decline in demand for bunker fuel. According to Ivanov, demand for bunker fuel fell by 16 percent in Turkiye, 12 percent in New York, 11 percent in Russia, 10 percent in Fujairah, and three percent in Gibraltar. At the same time, demand for bunker fuel grew by 22 percent in Panama, nine percent in West Africa, eight percent in South Africa, and four percent in Los Angeles, he added. Chief Editor for Commodity Markets and Energy News at the Moscow Bureau of Thomson Reuters Alexander Yershov said that the transit hub of the Caspians major hydrocarbon suppliers will continue to develop and gain greater independence as its transit capabilities expand. According to Yershov, the Caspian region is witnessing stable and independent development. One of the most prominent examples of this, he said, is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline - the regions largest - which operates independently of Russian resources. Yershov pointed out that the BTC pipeline is a major and self-sufficient infrastructure project, well-integrated into the regions oil supply system. Rassul Abdukhalilov, CEO of the Kazakh company RV-Oil&Gas, said that free pricing of fuel in Kazakhstan is expected to help reduce the illegal outflow of fuels and lubricants from the country, stabilize supply markets, and reduce shortages. "This will also create an additional incentive for the development of exchange trading and the expansion of the network of petrol stations in remote regions. Regarding the impact on the regional market, deregulation is expected to lead to a gradual price alignment with neighboring countries," he also said. According to him, this will catalyze an increase in market arbitrage opportunities within transboundary zones. Proximal territories adjacent to Russian hydrocarbon processing facilities will perceive them as pivotal suppliers, and conversely, those facilities will regard these regions as integral consumers. "Consequently, we can anticipate a reallocation of resource streams based on a substitution framework: for instance, hydrocarbons and lubricants originating from Russia will be directed towards northern Kazakhstan, whereas petroleum products from Kazakhstan will be channeled to Central Asian markets. This initiative will optimize supply chain expenditures and, as a result, lower both wholesale and retail pricing structures across Central Asia," Abdukhalilov elucidated. He observed that Kazakhstan executed a deregulation of the pricing mechanisms for gasoline and diesel in February of the current fiscal year. This represents a pivotal milestone in the trajectory of systemic market transformations for the nation. Concurrently, the pricing dynamics of fuel in Kazakhstan exhibit a comparative advantage, positioning it as the most economical in relation to adjacent nations. This scenario engenders a myriad of challenges, notably the illicit transference of fuel across borders. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 25. Acting President of Myanmar and Chairman of the State Administration Council Min Aung Hlaing will arrive in Astana for an official visit, Trend reports. The visit is expected to be conducted on September 27, the office of the President of Kazakhstan announced. High-level talks are scheduled at the presidential palace, where the two sides will discuss areas of bilateral cooperation. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 25. Italian President Sergio Mattarella will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Trend reports. As the office of the president of Kazakhstan announced, the visit is scheduled for September 29-30. During the visit, the two leaders will hold talks to explore opportunities for strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and cultural and humanitarian areas. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The Eurasian Universities Summit will continue next year in Kazakhstan, Phil Beattie, Director of Global Engagement at Times Higher Education (THE), said during the summit in Baku, Trend reports. "The Eurasian Universities Summit will be held at the K. I. Satpayev Kazakh National Research Technical University," Beattie said. The above summit in Baku aggregated stakeholders from premier academic institutions, thought leaders, and global entities to deliberate on the trajectories for the advancement of tertiary education and collaborative research initiatives within the region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 25. On September 24, as part of the High-Level Week events of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov held talks with President of the Portuguese Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the press service of the President of Kyrgyzstan says, Trend reports. According to the information, issues of deepening cooperation, as well as key aspects of the international agenda, were discussed during the meeting. "President Sadyr Japarov expressed interest in developing and improving multifaceted cooperation. In turn, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed his readiness for dialogue. He noted that Portugal is prepared to support initiatives aimed at strengthening international security and expressed interest in deepening cooperation within multilateral international organizations. The parties expressed confidence in the further strengthening of political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries," the report says. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. On September 24, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the press service of the President of Kyrgyzstan says, Trend reports. Before the meeting, the President of Kyrgyzstan signed the UN Book of Distinguished Visitors. Antonio Guterres reportedly expressed satisfaction with the meeting and noted Kyrgyzstan's rapid development, emphasizing the country's role in ensuring peace and stability in Central Asia. "In turn, President Sadyr Japarov congratulated the Secretary-General and staff of the Organization on the 80th anniversary of its founding. He emphasized that Kyrgyzstan, as a full member of the UN, is consistently committed to the goals and principles enshrined in the Charter and aims to actively engage with the international community in addressing pressing global challenges such as climate change, poverty, conflict, and inequality. In addition, the President invited Antonio Guterres to participate in the SCO+ summit, which will be held in the fall of 2026 in Bishkek as part of Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship of the SCO," the reports says. The UN Secretary-General expressed gratitude for the invitation and expressed his readiness to participate in the event. The parties also confirmed their mutual commitment to strengthening their partnership and joint efforts to ensure peace, stability, sustainable development, and the protection of human rights. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, speaking at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, noted that preserving mountain ecosystems is the shared responsibility of all states, the presidential press service says, Trend reports. He emphasized Kyrgyzstan's commitment to the climate agenda and announced the adoption of a new national contribution, which calls for a 16% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and a 44% reduction with international support. To this end, the country is implementing renewable energy projects, including the construction of the Kambar-Ata-1 hydroelectric power station. Japarov proposed exchanging part of the country's foreign debt for funding green initiatives, announced the creation of a Climate Trust Fund, and invited investors to support environmental projects. The President of Kyrgyzstan called on countries to join the Declaration on Climate, Mountains, and Glaciers, noting that melting glaciers and ecosystem degradation threaten billions of people. The President assured that Kyrgyzstan will continue to actively participate in international climate negotiations. MELBOURNE, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Australian island state of Tasmania early Thursday morning. Geoscience Australia reported that the earthquake was recorded near the man-made Lake Pedder, 100 km west of the state capital of Hobart, at a depth of 14 km at 6:38 a.m. on Thursday (2038 GMT on Wednesday). Over 100 people, mostly in Hobart and surrounding areas, reported feeling the tremor to Geoscience Australia. As of 8:30 a.m., there had been no reports of damage or injuries. Tobias Staal, a geophysicist from the University of Tasmania, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television that it was a fairly significant seismic event for the state. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, September 25. Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedow met with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa during his visit to the United States, Trend reports. The sides highlighted the friendly nature of Turkmen-Portuguese relations, based on equality and mutual respect, and expressed their readiness to further develop cooperation and leverage existing potential. Both presidents noted that Turkmenistan and Portugal regularly support each others initiatives on the international stage, including within the United Nations. In this context, President Berdimuhamedow referenced the UN General Assemblys decision to designate 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust and invited President Rebelo de Sousa to an international forum in Ashgabat on December 12. President Rebelo de Sousa thanked his Turkmen counterpart for the invitation and praised Turkmenistans policy of positive neutrality, saying it strengthens the countrys international standing. The meeting concluded with both leaders expressing confidence in the continued development of bilateral relations and wishing each other success. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, September 25. Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov met with Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Trend reports. The leaders highlighted the high level of political dialogue and mutual understanding between the two countries, emphasizing the importance of both bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including within the United Nations. They noted the alignment of Turkmenistans and Austrias foreign policy approaches, both grounded in principles of neutrality. Trade and economic ties were a key focus of the discussion. Austrian companies have traditionally supplied machinery and equipment to Turkmenistan across various sectors, and the Turkmen-Austrian Commission was described as a vital tool for unlocking partnership potential. Cultural and humanitarian cooperation was also underscored, including the organization of Viennese balls in Turkmenistan and participation of musicians in joint projects and festivals. President Berdimuhamedov invited President Van der Bellen to attend the international forum in Ashgabat on December 12, 2025, marking the 30th anniversary of Turkmen neutrality and the International Year of Peace and Trust. The Austrian leader accepted the invitation, noting the significance of Turkmenistans peaceful foreign policy for the global community. The meeting concluded with the leaders exchanging well-wishes for health, success, and prosperity for the peoples of both nations. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, September 25. President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedow met with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Trend reports. The leaders discussed the development of bilateral cooperation, highlighting the expansion of ties based on mutual respect and neutrality, which contributes to international stability. Key areas of potential collaboration include finance, pharmaceuticals, green energy, and cultural-humanitarian exchanges. President Berdimuhamedow invited Keller-Sutter to the International Forum in Ashgabat on December 12, marking the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistans permanent neutrality and the International Year of Peace and Trust. The Swiss President thanked him for the invitation and emphasized the importance of Ashgabats initiatives in promoting dialogue and humanitarian cooperation. The meeting concluded with both leaders exchanging warm wishes. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. A comprehensive resolution on Irans nuclear program is possible if the interests of all sides are safeguarded and the principle of justice is upheld, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X page, Trend reports. Pezeshkian wrote that during his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, they exchanged views on the positions of both sides. Discussions focused on addressing Europes concerns while ensuring guarantees for Irans interests. The Iranian president also noted that the two countries reached an agreement on resolving issues related to prisoners. Masoud Pezeshkian is currently in New York to attend the session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has decided to reinstate sanctions against Iran that were suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal. The decision was supported by the U.S., the UK, France, and Germany. If Iran and European leaders fail to reach a new agreement, the sanctions will be reimposed starting September 26. On July 20, 2015, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2231, which annulled six previous resolutions against Iran and lifted wide-ranging sanctions connected to its nuclear program. Under Articles 36 and 37 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if a member state files a complaint over another partys violation of the deal, a review process begins. If the issue is not resolved, the complainant can escalate it to the UN Security Council. Should the Council accept the complaint against Iran, international sanctions may be reactivated, and the Council may even authorize military action against Iran. Meanwhile, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Iran in November 2018 over its nuclear program. These measures targeted Irans oil exports as well as more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Iran believes that diplomacy is the only way to eliminate distrust, the country's President Masoud Pezeshkian said during a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in New York, Trend reports. According to Pezeshkian, distrust toward Western countries emerged because the United States and European nations failed to honor their commitments and because Iran was attacked while nuclear program negotiations were still underway. Pezeshkian stated that the current Iranian government is focused on expanding cooperation with the world. However, the process of strengthening ties with European countries has not advanced as the government envisioned. At present, the European trio has pushed for the implementation phase of the so-called Snapback mechanism, which foresees the reinstatement of United Nations (UN) Security Council sanctions against Iran. "Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons. We see no obstacle to taking transparent steps in this regard, the president added. The president further noted that the most effective solution for strengthening international relations is to avoid unipolarity and to promote multilateralism. He emphasized that international organizations, especially the UN, must take responsible steps to ensure and maintain peace and stability. For his part, Finnish President Alexander Stubb underlined that diplomacy and mutual understanding are the only means of resolving global challenges. There is a real need for genuine multilateralism in the world, he said. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has decided to reinstate sanctions against Iran that were suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal. The decision was supported by the U.S., the UK, France, and Germany. If Iran and European leaders fail to reach a new agreement, the sanctions will be reimposed starting September 26. On July 20, 2015, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2231, which annulled six previous resolutions against Iran and lifted wide-ranging sanctions connected to its nuclear program. Under Articles 36 and 37 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if a member state files a complaint over another partys violation of the deal, a review process begins. If the issue is not resolved, the complainant can escalate it to the UN Security Council. Should the Council accept the complaint against Iran, international sanctions may be reactivated, and the Council may even authorize military action against Iran. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Iran is ready to verify the peaceful nature of its nuclear program in full compliance with international law and its sovereign rights, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said during a meeting with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter in New York, Trend reports. Pezeshkian stated that Iran welcomes the resolution of issues surrounding its nuclear program through diplomacy and negotiations. Naturally, if the so-called "Snapback" mechanism, which envisions the reactivation of United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions against Iran, is triggered, then negotiations will become meaningless. The Iranian leader stressed that Tehran seeks to elevate relations with Switzerland and expand cooperation, noting that both countries share a common goal of promoting peace globally. For her part, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter emphasized that Switzerland views positively any constructive engagement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). She highlighted her countrys belief that diplomacy remains the best path to overcoming challenges and strengthening international relations. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has decided to reinstate sanctions against Iran that were suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal. The decision was supported by the U.S., the UK, France, and Germany. If Iran and European leaders fail to reach a new agreement, the sanctions will be reimposed starting September 26. On July 20, 2015, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2231, which annulled six previous resolutions against Iran and lifted wide-ranging sanctions connected to its nuclear program. Under Articles 36 and 37 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if a member state files a complaint over another partys violation of the deal, a review process begins. If the issue is not resolved, the complainant can escalate it to the UN Security Council. Should the Council accept the complaint against Iran, international sanctions may be reactivated, and the Council may even authorize military action against Iran. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Iran is prepared to demonstrate that claims and circumstances surrounding its nuclear program are incorrect and to take transparent steps in cooperation with the international community, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, Trend reports. Speaking at a meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa in New York, Pezeshkian emphasized that the parties responsible for the current situation regarding Irans nuclear program are those who left the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and failed to fulfill their commitments. Iran has never pursued the development of nuclear weapons, he stressed. The Iranian president added that Iran has never supported war or escalation. Iran advocates constructive and sincere relations and is ready to engage in negotiations to remove obstacles and resolve disputes, he said. European Council President Antonio Costa noted that the European Union (EU) is interested in strengthening relations with Iran and underlined the importance of resolving issues through dialogue and mutual understanding. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has decided to reinstate sanctions against Iran that were suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal. The decision was supported by the U.S., the UK, France, and Germany. If Iran and European leaders fail to reach a new agreement, the sanctions will be reimposed starting September 26. On July 20, 2015, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2231, which annulled six previous resolutions against Iran and lifted wide-ranging sanctions connected to its nuclear program. Under Articles 36 and 37 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if a member state files a complaint over another partys violation of the deal, a review process begins. If the issue is not resolved, the complainant can escalate it to the UN Security Council. Should the Council accept the complaint against Iran, international sanctions may be reactivated, and the Council may even authorize military action against Iran. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot discussed issues related to Iran's nuclear program in New York, Trend reports via Iran's MFA. According to the information, the ministers met after the recent meeting between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and French President Emmanuel Macron. At the meeting, the sides exchanged views on diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing the activation of the Snapback mechanism, which provides for the restoration of sanctions against Iran lifted by the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has decided to reinstate sanctions against Iran that were frozen after the 2015 nuclear deal. This decision was supported by the US, the UK, France, and Germany. If the leaders of Iran and Europe fail to reach a new agreement, the sanctions will be reinstated on September 26. The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2231 on July 20, 2015. This resolution led to the lifting of six previous resolutions against Iran and the imposition of broad sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program. According to Articles 36 and 37 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, if one party to the plan complains about a violation of the plan by another party, various stages are initiated. If these stages are unsuccessful, the complaining party may raise the issue with the UN Security Council. If a complaint against Iran is filed and accepted by the UN Security Council, international sanctions against Iran may be reinstated. In addition, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action authorizes members of the UN Security Council to take military action against Iran. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Iran is set to construct a large-scale nuclear power plant in its southern Hormozgan Province, with the Iran-Hormuz Atomic Energy Station (AES) complex designed to reach a capacity of 5,000 megawatts, Irans Vice President and head of the Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, told reporters, Trend reports. Eslami emphasized that the project represents a significant step toward achieving the objectives outlined in the countrys nuclear industry strategy. He noted that Iran and Russia maintain close cooperation on nuclear power construction, a partnership that the country aims to further strengthen. The project also aligns with Irans strategic roadmap extending to 2040. The VP added that two agreements have been signed between Iran and Russia, one of which focuses on the construction of small modular reactor (SMR) stations. Building SMRs alongside large-scale nuclear plants, particularly those with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, is a major step for the countrys development, Eslami concluded. On September 24, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and Russias Rosatom signed an agreement in Moscow on cooperation in constructing SMR stations in Iran. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel LONDON, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- A family of three has arrived in Britain as the first people under the government's "one in, one out" agreement with France, the Home Office announced on Wednesday. The arrival of the family, including a child, came after the removal of the first four migrants from Britain to France as part of the year-long scheme. "This is a clear message to people-smuggling gangs that illegal entry into the UK will not be tolerated," said a Home Office spokesperson. "We will continue to detain and remove those who arrive by small boat." The "one in, one out" scheme was announced in July by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron during the latter's state visit to Britain. Under the treaty, migrants arriving in Britain via small boats will be detained and returned to France. In exchange, Britain will accept the same number of individuals who arrive via a newly established legal route. Entry will be limited to those who meet strict eligibility criteria and have not previously attempted illegal crossings. Last week, an Indian national was the first person to be removed from Britain under the scheme, followed days later by three other people of other nationalities. More than 30,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, according to data from the Home Office. It remains unclear how many of them will be sent back and whether the new scheme will serve as a strong deterrent. Illegal immigration is one of the hardest issues facing the British government, sparking a wave of protests across the country since summer this year. Registration open for 2025 Alaska Invasive Species Workshop Photo by Laura Weingartner Attendees at the 2024 Alaska Invasive Species Workshop, held in Fairbanks, participate in the Biggest Invasive Species Geek contest, a favorite activity at the annual event. The 2025 Alaska Invasive Species Workshop, a forum for land and invasive species managers and scientists to discuss current issues, will be held Oct. 28-30 in Anchorage. The workshop is a collaboration of the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service. The workshop offers expert presentations about emerging invasive species science and management issues, highlights outreach efforts and offers training for new and experienced invasive species managers. Topics include elodea, knotweeds, European green crabs, northern pike and invasive chokecherries. This years theme is Invasive Species at a Crossroads: Challenges, Choices, Changes. Sessions will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the Clarion Suites Downtown, 1110 W. 8th Ave., Anchorage. In-person and virtual options are offered. The in-person cost is $160, and registration for the virtual option is $60. Zoom links will be available in October. For updates and to register for the workshop, visit the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership website or https://bit.ly/AKISP_workshop2025. For more information, contact Gino Graziano at gagraziano@alaska.edu or 907-786-6315. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris at amnorris2@alaska.edu or 907-474-7120. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to amnorris2@alaska.edu. This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agricultures National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 065-26 LJUBLJANA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Slovenian government on Thursday declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persona non grata. "The government unanimously adopted the decree (against Netanyahu)," the government said in a statement following its regular session, noting that the decision sends "a clear message to the State of Israel that Slovenia expects consistent respect for the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law." The government recalled that the International Court of Justice ruled in July 2024 that several Israeli policies breached international humanitarian law. Thursday's move comes two months after Slovenia declared Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich personae non gratae. Slovenia, currently a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, officially recognized the State of Palestine in June 2024 and has repeatedly called for peace in Gaza. New Fellowship Launches to Help End Organ Shortage Crisis The A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) and the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) are proud to announce the selection of Martin Carrasco as recipient of the inaugural Mickey Dale Family Foundation Endowed Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in Bioengineering. This new fellowship, made possible through the Mickey Dale Family Foundation, supports UMCP and UMSOMs shared mission to revolutionize organ transplantation and bring the world closer to a future where no one waits for an organ. As a second-year PhD student in bioengineering, Carrasco brings both technical expertise and fresh perspective to this role. Two-Channel Kidney Bioreactor Design His work with John P. Fisher, PhD, chair of the Fischell Department of Bioengineering and Distinguished University Professor at UMCP, focuses on developing a two-chamber kidney bioreactor, a small-scale device designed to culture kidney-specific cells in a biomimetic environment. This system helps mature kidney cells to more closely resemble their natural function inside the body, a step critical to advancing tissue engineering applications and eventually creating viable kidney constructs for transplantation. Carrasco will be co-advised by Fisher and Raphael P.H. Meier, MD, PhD, associate professor of surgery at UMSOM and liver, kidney, and pancreas transplant surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center. This fellowship is an investment in the future of transplantation science, Fisher said. By empowering young researchers like Martin, were building the foundation for innovations that will not only advance the science of organ engineering but also directly improve patient care. Martins work exemplifies the collaborative spirit between engineering and medicine that is essential to eliminating the transplant waiting list. On the clinical side, Carrasco will collaborate with Meier, whose research explores the use of mesenchymal stem cells to treat organ failure. Carrascos bioreactor platform could one day be adapted to precondition stem cells for use in therapies targeting end-stage kidney disease, building on Meiers work with liver and pancreas applications. As bioengineers, its easy to get lost in the benchwork and forget that the ultimate goal is to help patients, Carrasco said. Translational projects like these are a reminder of that. Id encourage students not to be afraid of entering a space theyre unfamiliar with. Sometimes the best opportunities come from trying something new. The Mickey Dale Distinguished Fellowship was created to support innovative research at the intersection of engineering and medicine, including efforts to improve organ preservation, develop new transplantation techniques, and explore regenerative medicine solutions such as 3D-printed organs and stem cell therapies. I am very excited about the opportunity to leverage the excellence in bioengineering at College Park and combine it with our expertise in transplant science at the University of Maryland School of Medicine to develop forefront techniques in organ preservation, regenerative medicine, and transplantation, with the ultimate goal of benefiting patients here in Maryland, Meier said. The fellowship is part of a larger vision by the Mickey Dale Family Foundation, which was established to honor the life and legacy of Mickey Dale by advancing education and life-saving research. Over two decades of giving have focused on supporting students and innovative programs at UMCP, culminating in this new effort to end the organ shortage crisis. Our mission is urgent and focused on ending the organ shortage crisis, said Jennifer Dale of the Mickey Dale Family Foundation. The University of Maryland is perfectly positioned to lead this charge, combining world-class bioengineering and medical expertise to create real solutions that save lives. In addition to funding the fellowship, the Mickey Dale Family Foundation will support an ongoing symposium series hosted by UMCP and UMSOM. The symposium will bring together experts, clinicians, researchers, and students to share the latest advances in organ transplantation research, inspire collaboration, and attract more partners to this life-saving mission. The Mickey Dale Fellowship highlights the partnership between UMCP and UMSOM to improve health care and patient outcomes by uniting engineering, computer science, and medicine. The two institutions also are the proud home of the Edward and Jennifer St. John Center for Translational Engineering and Medicine, where researchers address pressing health challenges and drive innovations that improve lives. For more information about the Mickey Dale Family Foundation and its mission to eliminate the organ waiting list, visit mickeydalefamilyfoundation.com. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Court imposes A$150,000 penalty on ABC for sacking Journo over Gaza post The Federal Court of Australia has asked the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to pay A$150,000 to a journalist whom it had sacked over social media post highlighting Israeli crimes Thursday September 25, 2025 9:59 PM , ummid.com News Network Sydney: The Federal Court of Australia has asked the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to pay A$150,000 to a journalist whom it had sacked over social media post highlighting Israeli crimes. Antoinette Lattouf, a senior journalist and presenter, was removed by the ABC in December 2023 from her position as a host on a popular radio show for sharing a social media post highlighting the Israeli crimes committed against the Palestinians in Gaza. In a suit filed against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in January 2024 , Antoinette Lattouf sought a public apology, compensation and a return to her on-air role. In her defence, Antoinette Lattouf also said the same post was shared by others working with ABC. However, she was singled out for action on the basis of her race. Following the suit, Lattouf was awarded A$70,000 in damages. The broadcaster also publicly apologised to Lattouf, saying it also failed its staff and audiences. But on Wednesday September 24, 2025, Justice Darryl Rangiah said the "substantial" extra sum was needed to ensure the ABC learned its lesson, according to BBC. HRW Post on Instagram Lattouf's post was originally shared on Instagram by Human Rights Watch (HRW). "The Israeli government is using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza. This is a war crime", the HRW had wrote tagging a video. Lattouf's removal had sparked a nationwide outrage. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) too had expressed concern to ABC Chair Ita Buttrose, calling Antoinette Lattouf's removal from her job troubling that their factual material was deemed controversial, potentially impacting Australian journalism. It was also later revealed that Lattouf's removal was a co-ordinated effort by a group called 'Lawyers for Israel'. "The ABC let down the Australian public badly when it abjectly surrendered the rights of its employee... to appease a lobby group," Justice Rangiah said on Wednesday. "The public scrutiny the ABC has faced must surely have brought home to the ABC the unacceptability of its contravening conduct. Nevertheless, I consider that substantial penalties are necessary to ensure that the message is received and heeded", he added. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic MOSCOW, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Ukrainian drone attempted to attack the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant-2 (NPP-2) in the town of Kurchatov in Russia's Kursk region, regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said Thursday. The drone hit one of the buildings under construction at the plant site, Khinshtein said. He added that the structure was damaged by shrapnel, but there was no fire risk. No casualties were reported, and the Kursk NPP-2 continues to operate normally, he said. Radiation levels are within normal limits at the Kursk NPP, the press service of the plant said later. The Kursk NPP-2, located near the Russia-Ukraine border, is a major energy project under construction to replace the aging Kursk NPP. OSLO, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Denmark's Aalborg Airport shut its airspace late Wednesday after drones were observed near the facility, prompting the diversion of several inbound flights, according to local police. North Jutland Police said on X that "drones have been observed in the vicinity of Aalborg Airport and the airspace is closed," adding that officers are on site to investigate. Authorities have not announced suspects or a motive in the incident, and the investigation is ongoing. Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 said three arriving flights had been diverted to other airports after the shutdown. The incident comes amid heightened concern over drone activity in Scandinavian airspace this week. On Monday evening, Copenhagen Kastrup Airport was closed for four hours after multiple drone sightings, disrupting scores of flights, while Norwegian authorities temporarily halted operations in Oslo Gardermoen Airport on Tuesday morning for three hours. In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the incident in Copenhagen Airport was "a serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure." The incident should be viewed within the broader context of hybrid threats across Europe, she added. ASHLAND, Ore. (Sept. 25, 2025) Southern Oregon University (SOU) will eliminate 10 bachelor's degree programs, 1 graduate program, and multiple minors, while laying off 18 employees, under a sweeping restructuring plan approved by the university's Board of Trustees. The cuts come amid ongoing financial stress, declining enrollment, and a declared state of financial exigency. Officials say the reductions are part of a strategy to stabilize SOU's finances over the coming years. Through voluntary retirements, the elimination of vacant positions, and funding shifts to external sources, the university expects to remove roughly three dozen jobs overall. In a 7-2 vote, trustees adopted the plan, which envisions reducing SOU's annual educational budget by more than $10 million over four years. The institution also plans to narrow its academic scope: after the cuts, it will offer 30 majors and 19 minors aligned with workforce demand. Financial Pressures and History of Cuts SOU has grappled with long-term challenges. Full-time equivalent enrollment fell nearly 22% from 4,108 students in 2015 to 3,209 in 2024. Though Oregon's state budget increased higher education funding modestly for 202527, SOU says such allocations do not keep up with rising personnel costs and fixed obligations. Earlier in 2025, the university declared financial exigency a condition allowing more aggressive cuts outside standard procedures under collective bargaining agreements. President Rick Bailey said the decision was necessary to enable "transformative" changes. According to internal documents, the university had been directed to find $5 million in savings for the 2026 fiscal yearan amount later deemed insufficient. Under the approved plan, the university will eliminate majors including mathematics, chemistry, international studies, Spanish, and more. Some programs originally considered for elimination such as creative writing and economics will continue under modified curricula or be re-evaluated later. Reactions & Risks Some trustees and faculty opposed the cuts. Board member Hala Schepmann, chair of the chemistry and physics department, called the plan "the nuclear option," warning the reductions would erode foundational academic strength. Trustee Barry Thalden, who voted against the plan, cautioned that cuts of this magnitude threaten student retention and institutional reputation. Students and community stakeholders have expressed concern that the reductions will accelerate a decline in program diversity and push away prospective students. The university pledged to support displaced students in continuing their academic paths. Broader Trends & Implications SOU's restructuring is emblematic of wider pressures confronting regional public universities: shrinking enrollment, constrained state support, rising costs, and increased federal oversight of grant funding. As institutions weigh core identity against sustainability, some are narrowing academic scope or pivoting toward workforce-aligned majors. Whether SOU's bold move will stabilize its finances or precipitate further decline remains to be seen. What is clear is that the university is attempting a hard reset: fewer programs, leaner operations, and a sharper focus on what it can sustain. VILNIUS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda signed a decree on Thursday approving the country's new full cabinet, the Baltic News Service reported. The decree updated an earlier one signed on Sept. 9 to include Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas, Environment Minister Kastytis Zuromskas, and Culture Minister Ignotas Adomavicius, according to the report. Zuromskas and Adomavicius were nominated by Nemunas Dawn party, while Vaiciunas was put forward by the Social Democrats under a ministry swap deal. The move came ahead of a parliament vote slated for later Thursday on a government program proposed by Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene. The cabinet will be sworn in once the program is approved. Former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas stepped down on Aug. 4, triggering the automatic resignation of the entire cabinet. The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, Nemunas Dawn, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Christian Families Alliance signed an agreement in late August to form a new ruling coalition. SOFIA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- A delegation led by Yang Wanming, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, concluded a five-day visit to Romania and Bulgaria on Thursday, with both sides pledging to enhance friendship and deepen cooperation. During the visit, Yang held meetings with officials from the governments, parliaments and friendship organizations of both countries. He also attended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of a conference on urban and regional cooperation, which coincided with the 10th anniversary of a cooperation document on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) between China and Bulgaria. All parties expressed their commitment to implementing the important consensus reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders of Romania and Bulgaria, while working to enhance people-to-people friendship, deepen practical cooperation, strengthen cultural and youth exchanges, and contribute to the continuous development of China-Central and Eastern European countries relations. MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian Tu-95MS long-range bombers completed a planned patrol mission over the neutral waters of the Bering and Okhotsk Seas, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday. The flight lasted more than 14 hours, during which the aircraft were escorted by Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets, the ministry said in a statement. At certain stages of the mission, the Russian aircraft were accompanied by fighter jets from foreign countries, it added. Four Russian warplanes were detected flying near Alaska on Wednesday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a press release on Thursday. NORAD detected and tracked two Tu-95s and two Su-35s operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, NORAD said. "The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace," NORAD said, noting that the Russian activity occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat. An air defense identification zone begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security. It's the ninth time this year NORAD has reported such an incident involving Russian aircraft flying near Alaska, according to its website. World's first 2,000-volt PV certification base inaugurated in China's Hainan Xinhua) 09:09, September 25, 2025 HAIKOU, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The world's first 2,000-volt photovoltaic (PV) empirical certification base was inaugurated in the city of Wenchang in south China's island province of Hainan, marking a significant breakthrough in high-voltage PV technology validation. The base, which was constructed and is being operated by Datang Hainan Energy Development Co., Ltd., was unveiled during a related seminar co-hosted by the China Quality Certification Center in the provincial capital of Haikou on Tuesday. Equipped with full-cycle data collection and systematic performance-evaluation capabilities, the facility aims to address the lack of unified standards for the promotion of high-voltage technologies like 2,000-volt systems in the PV industry. As a future direction for large-scale ground power stations, 2,000-volt PV technology reduces cable usage and lowers electricity costs compared to traditional 1,500-volt systems. However, its long-term operational stability, device compatibility and adaptability to extreme environments require authoritative empirical support. Zhang Junbao, general manager of Datang Hainan Energy Development, emphasized that empirical PV research bridges the gap between laboratory theory and practical power-station value. The company will leverage its clean energy advantages in Hainan to promote the safe, reliable application of 2,000-volt systems in high-temperature, high-humidity and high-salt-spray environments. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing) By Akbar Novruz Azerbaijan continues to solidify its standing on the international stage as the countrys leadership engages with the worlds top decision-makers at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Bringing together more than 150 heads of state and government, this years assembly, themed Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights, has placed Azerbaijan prominently in global discussions on diplomacy, development, and security. Throughout the assembly, President Aliyevs schedule has been filled with high-level meetings, each initiated at the request of foreign counterpartsa testament to the respect and recognition he commands worldwide. Leaders of influential nations and heads of major global corporations are eager to engage directly with him, highlighting Azerbaijans strategic importance as a regional leader and global partner. One notable moment came during a dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he praised Azerbaijans commitment to achieving peace with Armenia. Reflecting on the decades-long conflict, Trump said: Twenty-two years you said you were there, right? Twenty-two years. And for twenty-two years you were at warYou did a miracle, Mr. President. Thank you. President Aliyev confirmed: Even moreover 30 years. Trump emphasized the courage and vision behind resolving the long-standing conflict: I dont know if we can implement it as fast as your plan. All those years, it took courage to achieve this. And its really because of you and your new friend. Really goodNo shooting? No, nothing? To which President Aliyev responded: No, no. Everything is finished on August 8. Trump concluded with praise for Azerbaijans leadership and the impact of its achievements: Im very proud of you. Good. Great jobThink of it all those millions of people in your countries, and youre leading your country and youre leading the world. President Aliyev also met with the Iraqi President, who congratulated Azerbaijan on its achievements in regional peace and expressed keen interest in expanding bilateral cooperation in energy, tourism, and other sectors. These discussions demonstrate how Azerbaijans foresighted policies have positioned the country as a hub for energy, logistics, and regional connectivity, attracting attention from global leaders eager to explore partnerships. Moreover, meetings with the world's leading financial giants highlight our country's economic stability, rising prestige, and recognition as a dependable partner for financial centers. The fact that other meetings during the UN General Assembly were scheduled at the request of the other side further demonstrates the growth of Azerbaijani President's international influence. Azerbaijan, which once sought justice at the UN platform, now claims the role of a peace advocate and influencer on the global stage. This represents a restoration of historical justice and a clear victory for Azerbaijan's political resolve and national strength. With more than 150 heads of state and government attending the UN session, not every leader can command such visibility. Yet from the moment President Aliyev arrived, he has remained a focal point for the international community. This prominence underscores Azerbaijans transformation under his leadership into a global player, recognized for its stability, strategic importance, and proactive engagement in global affairs. First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva has also taken an active role, participating in high-level discussions and initiatives, reflecting the inclusive and multifaceted approach of Azerbaijans diplomatic engagement. President Aliyevs attention to global challenges, including climate change and human development, further highlights the countrys commitment to contributing meaningfully to the international agenda. It is precisely through these steadfast policies, strategic vision, and consistent international engagement that Azerbaijans voice continues to resonate from the highest tribunes, reinforcing the nations status as a key player on the world stage. It is also important to highlight one point here: the credibility of the UN. The organization, considered one of the greatest achievements in human history, has long been marked by its incompetence. Azerbaijan is one of the countries affected by this problem. Recently, it managed to resolve its Garabagh issue primarily through its own political vision, without any involvement from the UN. Unfortunately, not every country can be fortunate and capable in such matters. Azerbaijan has suffered from this "incompetence" for years, and now even the world's leading powers are recognizing this issue. As noted earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that he had managed to end seven conflicts within seven months, all without any support from the United Nations. His remarks highlight a prevailing view that even the worlds superpowers do not consider the UN an effective tool for maintaining peace. Currently, the UN has largely turned into a forum for debate where grand speeches are made, but no substantial decisions are reached. The root of the problem lies not only in its bureaucracy and slow processes, but also in the structure of the Security Council; the veto power held by its five permanent members hampers any meaningful action. As a result, the UN is often caught in geopolitical rivalries, with its missions and resolutions manipulated by those in power. Consequently, victims of aggression, such as Azerbaijan, find themselves forced to seek justice independently. The UNs failure to halt the genocide in Rwanda, prevent the tragedy in Srebrenica and Gaza, resolve the ongoing war in Syria, or control aggression in various regions illustrates a fundamental crisis within the Organization. Azerbaijans experience vividly exemplifies this reality: a nation that relied on international law and its own capabilities to achieve justice. This situation also raises an urgent question for the global community regarding the future of the UN. If the Organization is unable to enforce its own decisions, if its resolutions are merely words on paper, and if aggressors face no consequences while victims must defend themselves alone then the structure must reformulate itself in significant reforms. KIEV, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that U.S. President Donald Trump has given Ukraine the green light to carry out retaliatory strikes against Russia, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Thursday. "If they attack our energy, President Trump supports that we can respond on energy," Zelensky said in an interview with U.S. online media outlet Axios. Trump had said the same about Russian drone factories and missile sites, he said, emphasizing that Ukraine will not target civilian areas. Zelensky noted that Ukraine has drones capable of striking deep into Russia and that if the country receives additional long-range weapons from the United States, it will use them. The Ukrainian leader also said he is prepared to organize elections if a ceasefire is reached. Asked whether he would consider his job complete once hostilities subsided, Zelensky said his goal "is to end the war, not to continue running for office." Opposition round on Meloni over criticism of flotilla. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni came under fire on Wednesday from Italy's centre-left opposition after she criticised a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza as dangerous and irresponsible. Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) general assembly in New York, Meloni expressed her "total condemnation" of an overnight drone attack on boats travelling as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, in international waters off Greece. Earlier on Wednesday Italy's defence minister Guido Crosetto deployed a navy ship to offer assistance to Italian citizens travelling as part of the humanitarian mission. Calling for "responsibility", Meloni singled out the four Italian opposition MPs on board the flotilla "who, I remind you, are paid to work in the institutions, not to force the institutions to work for them". The prime minister claimed the flotilla was aimed at creating problems for her right-wing government, telling reporters: "There's no need to risk your safety by entering a war zone to deliver aid to Gaza that the Italian government could have delivered in a matter of hours". Reaction Her comments triggered an angry response from Italy's opposition, with centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) leader Elly Schlein saying: "To Meloni, who says it's irresponsible to use Gaza to attack the government, I say that it's irresponsible to have dragged Italy along with Netanyahu's positions." Speaking later that evening on Italian TV programme Realpolitik, Schlein said it was "clear" who was behind the drone attack, stating that Israel has "threatened the activists, saying they would treat them like terrorists". "It's a deliberate attack on Italy. And Meloni is not only silent, but she's attacking the activists instead of protecting them" - Schlein charged - "The flotilla activists are respecting international humanitarian law, which has been trampled on by the Israeli government, and they're doing what European governments should have done", adding: "The only thing that's illegal is that blockade." Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Movimento 5 Stelle, said in a social media post that he was left "speechless" at the prime minister's "grave statements". Conte accused Meloni of attacking those "who are mobilising against the genocide in Gaza and those who are being attacked on boats flying the Italian flag in international waters - people who, faced with government indifference and inaction, have taken action to say stop to the massacre of 20,000 children and to a starving Palestinian people". Francesco Boccia, PD group leader in the senate, branded Meloni's remarks "agitated and uncoordinated". "The flotilla is not sailing in a war zone but in international waters. It's a humanitarian mission" - Boccia said - "We're not the irresponsible ones, but those who refuse to recognise the State of Palestine, as over 150 other governments have already done, are irresponsible, so as not to disturb Trump and the Israeli government." Nicola Fratoianni of the Green and Left Alliance (AVS) addressed Meloni directly: "Have you noticed that in Gaza and Palestine, it isn't a war that's underway, but a genocide, ethnic cleansing and deportation?". Following her remarks to journalists in New York, Meloni addressed the UN later on Wednesday, reiterating that in order for Italy to recognise the State of Palestine, there must be "two essential preconditions: the release of all Israeli hostages and Hamas's renunciation of any role in the government of Palestine", adding: "Because those who unleashed the conflict cannot be rewarded." Photo credit: Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.com. Throughout the years, the Italian lifestyle seen through the eyes of tourists formed stereotypes which categorized the nature and customs of the average Italian. Italy is one of the most fascinating countries in the world attracting tourists to explore its culture through food, traditions, art, architecture, and its strong relationship with the past seen through the beautiful landscapes. The Italians themselves are a reason to visit the Mediterranean peninsula, as they attract visitors with their concept of the good life and good food, also called dolce vita. Throughout the years, the Italian lifestyle seen through the eyes of tourists formed stereotypes which categorized the nature and customs of the average Italian. This ultimately created a character that foreigners associate with when thinking about the country. Stereotypes are in fact created through the categorization of a social group that share socially significant characteristics such as race, social status, cultural background, or religion. The formation of the stereotypical Italian figure in modern society was contributed by their representation in movies, as in Roman Holiday (1953), the figure of the average Italian was seen as romantic, passionate, and adventurous, given by the setting of the story, while in The Godfather (1972), the figure changed into being associated with corruption and the Mafia. Furthermore, the Italian territory is so vast that even within its regions there are stereotypes, as the North is seen as hard-working, very active and focused on business, while the South is often seen as lazy, inefficient, poor, uneducated, and only engaged in agriculture. Therefore, stereotypes can be positive and negative, creating a prejudice for the ones who havent experienced the culture themselves and often limiting the opportunities of social groups to demonstrate their true nature ultimately defying the stereotypes. The best way to understand whether certain Italian stereotypes are true or not is to travel and fully experience this beautiful culture firsthand. In the meantime, lets explore 10 of the most common Italian stereotypes that characterize the foreign representation of this population. 1) Italians eat pasta and pizza every day Statistically, the average Italian eats around 23.5kg of pasta every year, making Italy the first pasta producer and consumer in Europe. On the other hand, all the pizzerias in Italy combined make 1 and a half billion pizzas every year, underlining the vital role of this dish for Italy. However, after a few hours in Italy youll realize that Italian cuisine is much more complex , as each region has its own specialties and families hand down traditional recipes from generation to generation. Italy also offers a wide variety of street foods and is home to more than 350 Michelin star restaurants. It is therefore very difficult for Italians to limit themselves to eating only pasta and pizza every day. 2) Italians speak with their hands (gestures) This is one of the most common Italian stereotypes and may be one of the truest. In fact, Italians often use their hands to reinforce a concept and meaning of the words that could be said instead. According to an article published by the New York Times, there are approximately 250 gestures that Italians use to communicate with each other, emphasizing their intentions and establishing a widespread body language. 3) Italians drive crazy and mostly on Vespas There are many cliches linked to the chaotic Italian traffic and the prestigious cars, emphasized by their representation in movies like Roman Holiday, with the iconic Vespa. This stereotype refers to the fact that Italians dont know how to drive , as they either drive too fast or too slowly, depending on the situation. A fairly common quote states that In Milan, traffic lights are indications. In Rome, they are suggestions. In Naples, they are nothing more than Christmas decorations." 4) Italians are obsessed with fashion Italians are often seen as well dressed, attentive to detail and lovers of fashion. It is no coincidence that Italian fashion and the Made in Italy are well known and appreciated in the world, as Versace, Prada, Valentino, Armani, Moschino have marked the history of fashion. Shopping in Italy attracts many foreigners, and the Made in Italy is a sign of quality craftsmanship. 5) All Italians are connected to the Mafia Unfortunately, many Italians are often thought to be linked with the Mafia , a criminal organization composed of people engaged in illegal, secret, and lasting activities, which impose their will by illegal and violent means. However, this stereotype was formed throughout history due to the Mafia presence in Italy as well as its representation in the film The Godfather (1972) directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The Mafia has always been present in southern Italy, but unfortunately it is found, in various forms, also throughout the peninsula. 6) Italians are very attached to their mothers In Italy, there is the stereotype of the sons being very attached to their mothers, living in their parents house until they are 30 years old. In fact, when the mother is overly protective, she is called chioccia meaning hen, while the overly attached son is called mammone meaning mammas boy. This may be the case for some, but not for all Italians under 30 who decide to move out and start working, achieving their independence. However, there is a great truth behind the cliche of Italians attached to their mothers and it is that for Italians, the family is important. 7) All Italians are creative and artists Italians are considered very creative due to influential figures such as Leonardo Da Vinci , Michelangelo, Botticelli, Caravaggio , or Dante . Italy is also filled with poets, architects, sculptors, painters, writers, artisans, inventors, and its museums and churches are among the richest. This could be the reason why they are often associated with creativity, but it could also be because they enjoy living the dolce vita, which gives them more time to think and create. 8) Italians are always late This can vary a lot from person to person, as more people are more attentive to time and tend to be very punctual, while others prefer to take it easy and stop for a smoke or a coffee break before the appointment, ultimately showing up habitually late. On the streets you will notice that some people walk at a relatively leisurely pace while others will have a fast pace. 9) Italians love coffee (Espresso) The coffee ritual is a must in Italy, even several times during the day. Italians drink it for breakfast with the family in the classic moka machine and after lunch at the bar with colleagues. In fact, most Italians drink coffee to face the day's commitments, but it is also a great way to spend time and chat with friends. Italians will often say Lets go for a coffee! as an invitation to hangout and talk about the latest news in their lives. 10) Italians are impulsive and passionate Finally, Italians are often considered to be romantic lovers that arent scared of showing affection in public, as they are confident and often accept the displaying of a kiss to their loved ones in front of strangers. The stereotypical Italian romanticism also includes the man who brings you flowers, that cares about you very much and that buys you many gifts as well as inviting you on a date and offering you dinner. However, Italians are also known for infidelity, as in the movies the stereotype of the couple that often fights because of betrayal became widespread in the Italian culture. Now that youve explored how stereotypes are formed as well as some of the most common Italian stereotypes, you will see that categorizing social groups through shared characteristics only partly reflects the nature of a population and sometimes constructs false prejudices that impact their representation to foreign societies. For this reason, stereotypes can only provide an over simplified version of a group and shouldnt be used for classifying individuals in their entirety. The only way to evaluate whether some of the previously listed stereotypes somewhat reflect the true Italian nature is to travel without prejudices and spend as much time as possible within the community. Ph: Nadezhda Kharitonova / Shutterstock.com Fair Seas, the coalition of leading environmental organisations and networks, has drawn a line in the sand to highlight how time is running out to protect Irelands marine environment. Waterford visual artist Sean Corcoran has etched a giant 200-foot hourglass in the sand at Kilmurrin beach to raise awareness for the protection of Ireland's marine environment. The giant artwork was completed after it was announced that it will be the middle of next year before any Marine Protected Area (MPA) legislation is passed into law. The long-awaited legislation, which has been promised since July 2023, is necessary for Ireland to meet its commitments to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030, representatives from Fair Seas have said. The Fair Seas campaign is led by a coalition of Irelands leading environmental non-governmental organisations and networks Dr Donal Griffin, Fair Seas Campaign Manager said, The confirmation this week that the government needs the remainder of 2025 to make a decision as to what the best legislative route is to introduce Marine Protected Areas is entirely at odds with the urgency with which we need to be approaching this issue. "Every month that goes by means its more difficult to reach our internationally agreed target of designating 30% of our seas as MPAs by 2030. Meanwhile, fish stocks are declining dramatically with many marine ecosystems on the verge of collapse. If we are to address this slide, and help restore our seas to good health again, we need the legal basis that new national MPA legislation provides." Advertisement BusinessBanking & financeWhite collar crime The New York lawyer defending three of Americas most notorious figures Bob Van Voris September 26, 2025 4:22am 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 In the coming months, three of Americas most high-profile convicted figures music producer Sean Diddy Combs, crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried and hedge fund founder Bill Hwang will be appealing their cases. Theyre all pinning their hopes on the same lawyer. New York appeals specialist Alexandra Shapiro has emerged as the last-chance counsel for wealthy clients staring down decades in prison. Shes arguing all three cases, among others a testament to her reputation to pry open even the tightest convictions. Defence attorneys for Sean Diddy Combs, including from left, Brian Steel, Alexandra Shapiro, Marc Agnifilo and Teny Garagos and Xavier Donaldson, far right, line up for a group photo outside Manhattan federal court after Sean Diddy Combs was denied bail after being convicted of prostitution-related offenses but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges, in July in New York. AP Shapiro has compiled a win record thats the envy of the citys biggest law firms. And given the long odds against getting out from under a criminal conviction, her tally of successes in white-collar crime has made her the go-to for clients challenging insider trading, securities fraud, price fixing and other Wall Street-based charges. She has the premier criminal appeals practice in the country, said Sean Hecker, a white-collar defence lawyer with Hecker Fink in New York. Im not even sure who has the second best. Advertisement The 61-year-old lawyer has argued appeals throughout the country, including at the US Supreme Court, where she once clerked for former Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But its Shapiros victories in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, the Manhattan-based tribunal that reviews federal cases from New York, Connecticut and Vermont, thats attracted the attention of prominent financial executives. Related Article Superannuation Macquarie to fully compensate Shield Master Fund victims By the time Shapiro meets them, her clients are often at their lowest ebb. They arrive stripped of careers, reputations and, in many cases, the support of friends and family. Their claims of innocence have already been rejected by 12 jurors and a trial judge. She steps in during the critical limbo period where last hope remains, searching for the cracks in a case and the story that might persuade a panel of judges to reconsider. Im looking for issues that might resonate, that we might win, Shapiro said in an interview at her Manhattan office. But I think Im looking at it also from a big-picture perspective. What is a compelling story I can tell about this case? Is there an injustice here? Shapiro notified a judge in New York on Wednesday that she has also signed on to defend Charlie Javice, the entrepreneur who was found guilty in March of defrauding JPMorgan Chase & Co in the 2021 sale of her online student-finance start-up, Frank, for $US175 million ($265 million). Javice is awaiting sentencing in the case. Advertisement Outside the financial world, Shapiro recently agreed to represent actor and director Justin Baldoni in defending sexual harassment and retaliation claims by actress Blake Lively. On Thursday (Friday AEST) she will be in court on behalf of Combs, the recording artist and producer who was convicted in July on two prostitution-related charges tied to his sexual freak-offs involving girlfriends and paid male escorts. Sam Bankman-Frieds downfall undermined his widely publicised earning to give approach to philanthropy. Bloomberg Shapiro will try to persuade the trial judge to throw out the convictions, arguing that the star is the only person ever convicted of the charges without making money, having sex with the alleged prostitutes or intending to commit sexual assault, sex trafficking or sex with a minor. Even with a very good attorney, convicted defendants face discouraging odds. Out of 3336 trial convictions in the Second Circuit from 2000 to 2024, just 122 3.7 per cent resulted in complete reversals, according to Richard Levitt, a New York lawyer who tracks them. Of 98 criminal appeals last year, not a single defendant was fully cleared. Shapiro wins much more often. Just this summer, she won full reversals for two convicted clients. One was from the 2017 fraud conviction of former HSBC Holdings global foreign exchange head Mark Johnson, who served a two-year prison sentence for front-running a $US3.5 billion client order. Advertisement Johnson was impressed by Shapiros quick grasp of the nuances of financial markets. He remembered other lawyers looking at him with a certain cynicism assuming he was being untruthful or didnt understand the case. She was probing for the truth rather than trying to trip me up, he said. And she stuck to her guns on that for eight years now. I think that is probably her single biggest attribute. Attorney Alexandra Shapiro arrives at the Manhattan Federal Court during the Sean Diddy Combs trial on May 22, 2025 in New York City. Getty Images Prestigious background Shapiro entered the rarefied ranks of the legal elite early in her career. After attending Williams College and Columbia Law School, she won a prestigious clerkship with the federal appeals court for Washington before taking an even more prestigious clerkship on the US Supreme Court. She clerked for Ginsburg just after the justice had been seated on the court. Advertisement In that first year, the new justice invited Shapiro and her three other clerks to dinner at her home, cooked by her husband, and took them on another occasion to the opera. Ginsburg went on to officiate Shapiros 1996 wedding to Jonathan Bach, a criminal and civil trial lawyer. After her clerkship, Shapiro joined the US Attorneys office in Manhattan, where she quickly stood out in a class of what then-colleague Joanna Hendon calls high-strung, overachieving 29-year-olds. The two later worked on cases together as defence lawyers and became friends. Related Article Exclusive Crime The stockbroker, the underworld and a plane full of cocaine: The colourful life of Timothy Clark We were not close in the office, because I was just completely intimidated by her, said Hendon, who is now a top white-collar defence lawyer in New York. She was so smart. Shapiro left the US Attorneys office for private practice with the law firm Latham & Watkins. In 2009, she co-founded a litigation boutique with former Columbia Law classmate Cynthia Arato. Shapiros husband joined six years ago, and the firm of Shapiro Arato Bach now has 14 lawyers. Advertisement The firms relatively small size gives everyone a sense of a shared mission and is less likely to raise conflicts among different clients, Shapiro said. And it gives her more flexibility to choose her cases. If theres an interesting case, the client doesnt have that much money, you can do it anyway, she said. In many of her cases, however, money is at the very centre of focus. Johnson was the first to be criminally tried in a probe of alleged bid-rigging in the global currency markets. A UK citizen, he was arrested at New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2016 while taking his 15-year-old son back home to England. I always believed that what I had done was fair as well as commonplace and that it was basically a witch hunt for a banker, Johnson said. Advertisement He was convicted after a trial in Brooklyn, New York, of one count of conspiracy and eight of wire fraud, and later sentenced to two years in prison. Johnson said he met Shapiro about a week after the verdict. She went on to argue his appeal, losing in front of a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit. She said later that the injustice of the case kept her up at night. Sean Diddy Combs is facing allegations of rape, assault and sex trafficking. AP The setback inspired her to write a novel, Presumed Guilty, about a high-flying hedge fund executive whose life is turned upside down when an innocent work email gets her charged with obstructing justice. Drawn from Shapiros experiences as a defence lawyer, the book paints a convincing picture of a wealthy defendant wrongly caught up in the criminal system and the resulting damage to her career, family and peace of mind. Just as Johnson was nearing the end of his sentence, Shapiro helped win a unanimous Supreme Court ruling in a separate public corruption case that invalidated a legal theory used in his case. In July, the Second Circuit threw out Johnsons conviction, ruling he may have served time for behaviour that simply is not illegal. Johnson said he knew Shapiro was bothered by his case and quite passionate about ensuring that justice was done one day. Advertisement Im almost more pleased for her than I am for myself, he said jokingly. While arguing in front of judges is the most visible part of pursuing an appeal, Shapiro calls such appearances a little blip in time. Bill Hwang, founder of Archegos Capital Management, arrives at federal court in New York in 2024 AP It seems like 95 per cent of the time the judges minds are made up before they get to the argument, she said. So its all really in the process of reviewing the record and writing the briefs. She typically works with a small group combing through the trial record to find three or four issues things that went wrong or were unfair. They could include issues the appeals court hasnt ruled on yet, a bad jury instruction or rulings on evidence that unfairly prejudiced the jury. She prides herself on her brief writing, working toward clear expression and simplifying her points. Advertisement On argument day, Shapiro arrives an hour early, sits in the courthouse cafeteria and reviews her notes. When she steps up to the podium, she brings a folder with bullet points written on Post-It notes that she says she never looks at. Loading Coming appeals Shapiro will argue Bankman-Frieds appeal on November 4, seeking to reverse a conviction and 25-year prison term for what prosecutors called the biggest fraud in cryptos short history with his FTX exchange. Hwang, fighting a conviction last year for fraud and market manipulation in the collapse of his $US36 billion family office Archegos Capital Management, is awaiting a schedule for submitting written arguments. First up is Combs. Shapiro worked as a member of his all-star legal team during his trial, which resulted in a not guilty verdict on the most serious charges against him, sex trafficking and racketeering. In a filing with the trial judge, Shapiro gave a preview of arguments she will be making in court on Thursday asking him to undo the prostitution conviction. Advertisement Related Article Courts The 31-year-old accused of conning a Wall Street giant in $US175m deal Mr Combss amateur porn, like many other adult films, was creative, intricate, and highly choreographed, Shapiro wrote in the post-trial brief. The videos accordingly have expressive content and are protected by the First Amendment. Shapiro was brought on to Combs case early to help appeal when the judge denied the star bail. She spent late nights with the rest of the team, helping to map a strategy for the trial, said Teny Geragos, one of Combs attorneys. She called Shapiro the most talented lawyer she has ever worked with. Shes a fighter, day in and day out, Geragos said. And she really brings the energy to the team in order to make sure that we are fighting back every single day as to every single issue of importance. Bloomberg The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: White collar crime For subscribers NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. state of California and Brazil have announced an expanded partnership to scale up cooperation on climate, clean energy, cutting pollution, and job-creating climate opportunities. California Governor Gavin Newsom met with Brazilian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva in New York on Tuesday. The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on climate change, including protecting forests, reducing greenhouse gas and air pollution, and enhancing livelihoods across the world's forests, Newsom's office said in a press release. "By strengthening our partnership with Brazil, California is reaffirming a simple truth: global challenges require global cooperation," said Newsom. "This couldn't be more true as we look forward to the UN's Global Climate Conference that Brazil is hosting later this year." Silva said partnerships with subnational governments, such as the MoU signed with the state of California, are essential to ensure that climate action continues to move forward in the United States, for the benefit of its own population and all of humanity. "This commitment will support Brazil and California to achieve their climate neutrality goals by 2050 and 2045, respectively," she noted. Police are asking for help to find two stolen cars that were taken from houses in Perths north overnight. The stolen cars. WA Police It is alleged two men with machetes broke into a house on Soham Way in Butler, and tole a white Toyota Corolla sedan. About 10 minutes later, a car was used to ram a garage door on Millom Street in Butler and the two men - still armed with machetes - went inside the house. Police say they threatened a woman at house and tried to get into her bedroom before running from the area on foot. Around 5.50am, police said they received a report three men were trying to get into a house on Jutland Rise in Ocean Reef, before leaving on foot. Then about 10 minutes later, police say the four men tried again at a new house in Tarolinta Gardens in Ocean Reef. Only one of the men had a machete. They got into the house and struck the female resident with the machetes handle before stealing a blue BMW 4 Series car. The woman suffered a laceration. At each incident, the unknown males were described as wearing dark clothing with balaclavas, a police spokesperson said. Anyone who sights either of the stolen motor vehicles is advised not to approach, but to contact police immediately. Advertisement Updated WorldEuropeForeign relations After meeting Trump, Albanese veers left David Crowe Updated September 26, 2025 4:17pm ,first published September 26, 2025 2:00am 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 London: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has joined like-minded leaders in dismissing the politics of grievance from conservative parties, as they gathered at a major summit in London that aimed to set a course for progressive governments on challenges ranging from migration to social unrest and national security. A whos who of the political left joined Albanese at the gathering, which features key critics of US President Donald Trump although few at the summit mentioned the American leader by name. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon arrive at London Stansted Airport in the UK. Dominic Lorrimer Albanese joined UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on stage at the summit alongside their counterparts Mark Carney of Canada and Kristrun Frostadottir of Iceland, issuing a common message about countering the populist right by focusing on practical policies. Starmer, the only one of the group to mention Trump by name, warned that the world Advertisement Carney expressed a similar view by saying that nostalgia is not a strategy and that progressive parties should accept the world has changed. Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Pedro Sanchez of Spain Albanese and Blair met at Stoke Lodge, the Australian high commissioners residence in London, for private talks lasting about 30 minutes, ahead of the arrival at the conference of prime ministers. They were due to be joined at the summit by other progressive politicians such as former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern and some of Trumps most prominent American rivals. In brief remarks before their talks, Blair asked Albanese about this weeks United Nations meetings in New York, and Albanese thanked Blair for his message of congratulations after this years federal election. View post on X Advertisement Blair, the prime minister of the UK from 1997 to 2007, swept Labour into power after years of Conservative rule by promising a third way for his government and aiming to hold the centre in national politics without shifting too far to the left on the economy and social policies. But he provoked strong criticism from his own side of politics when he took Britain into the war in the Middle East alongside the US and Australia under prime minister John Howard in Iraq in 2003. Albanese shakes hands with Australian high commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith, as the visitors are greeted by dignitaries on arrival. Dominic Lorrimer UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is joining the summit in London with a message to fellow leaders about protecting national borders and security. This will include a policy announcement on the launch of a digital ID for all workers seen as a way to prevent illegal workers and discourage asylum seekers from coming to the UK by boat across the English Channel. There is no doubt that for years, left-wing parties, including my own, did shy away from peoples concerns around illegal immigration, Sir Keir wrote in Londons The Telegraph on Friday, ahead of the summit. It has been too easy for people to enter the country, work in the shadow economy and remain illegally. Advertisement His message is that the government must convince voters it stands for patriotic national renewal while avoiding what he calls the toxic policies of the populist right. That parallels a call from Albanese earlier this year for what he termed a progressive patriotism that aims for social cohesion. Loading Albanese and his fiancee, Jodie Haydon, are expected to have a private dinner with Starmer and his wife, Victoria, as well as Carney and Frederiksen. The conference comes days after Albanese met Trump in New York and secured formal talks to be held in Washington next month, easing months of doubt about the strength of the security alliance and the personal relationship between the leaders. Advertisement Albanese is in London for formal talks with Starmer and a meeting with King Charles this weekend, before he speaks at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool a rare move for an Australian leader. Carney has also said he will meet Albanese, as well as others, while in the UK. The pair met in June when Carney hosted the G7 summit in Alberta. Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney speaking with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Two-State Solution Conference in the United Nations General Assembly. Dominic Lorrimer The Global Progress Action Summit in London features leaders and policy advocates from 40 countries. Speakers include senior Democrats such as Illinois Governor Jay JB Pritzker and former US transport secretary Pete Buttigieg, both named as possible candidates to challenge Trumps political movement at the presidential election in 2028. It is organised by Labour Together, a key group within the Labour Party that backs Starmer, along with the Centre for American Progress Action Fund in the US and the Institute for Public Policy Research in the UK. Advertisement Senior British ministers due to attend include Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Defence Secretary John Healey. Albanese has strong contacts in the Labour Party after years of informal talks with leaders, including Starmer, and his success at the May federal election is likely to hold lessons for them when they have lost support in the polls under pressure from the Conservatives and Reform UK. Related Article AUKUS This is an active battle: Experts lay out whats at risk if AUKUS delayed Starmer is facing direct pressure from a Labour leadership aspirant, Manchester mayor and former MP Andy Burnham, who has criticised the governments performance and said MPs were calling him to say he should challenge for the top job. The welcome for Albanese from the political left will contrast with the cooler response to the prime minister from parts of the Trump administration, where officials want him to lift defence spending and have put the AUKUS submarine pact under review. Advertisement Trump used his address to the United Nations this week to dismiss climate change as a con job and warn leaders they were ruining their countries with high migration. In a sharp contrast with the US president, Albanese called climate change an existential threat in his address in New York and is seeking support to bring the UNs annual climate summit to Australia and the Pacific Islands next year. While Trump strongly criticised the UN and wants staff charged for a failure of an escalator when he was on his way to his address, Albanese is aligned with progressive leaders who back the global forum. If the United Nations steps back, we all lose ground, he said in his address to the General Assembly in New York. Albanese is believed to be the first sitting Australian prime minister to speak at the Labour conference, which is a major event for the party and the scene of dozens of speaking sessions about progressive politics. Advertisement 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. Advertisement Analysis WorldEuropeRussia-Ukraine war Why the final words of Trumps Russia rant are the ones that count David Crowe September 25, 2025 4:14am 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 105 View all comments London: Donald Trump added a revealing flourish to his sudden reversal on Ukraine in his remarks at the United Nations this week, when he heaped scorn on Russia as a weak power a paper tiger that could lose the war. Good luck to all! the US president wrote at the end of a social media post that seemed like a total backflip on everything he has said for months about Ukraine losing ground. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump spoke at the United Nations this week. AP This came after a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky where Trump said NATO forces should shoot down Russian jets that violated allied airspace another apparent sign he is toughening his stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Moscow, meanwhile, dismissed Trumps description of Russia as a paper tiger that had been fighting aimlessly. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: Russia isnt a tiger, its more associated with a bear. There are no paper bears. Russia is a real bear. Advertisement Anyone following Trump will know that you get whiplash just keeping up with his twists and turns. It can be like watching the players and the ball on a squash court: left, right, up, down, forward, back. It is hard to remember where the ball was two or three moves ago. Thats why the final flourish is one to remember. Good luck to all? Trump seems to be losing interest in the game. He has opinions about who might win, but does not feel invested in the outcome. Yes, the presidents casual remarks and social media posts make instant news. But the way to keep the score with Trump is to track the facts. First, he exaggerates Ukraines strength. While the international support for Ukraine is helping it fight, it is not enough to make it win. Trump is part of this equation because US aid for Ukraine has basically stopped since his inauguration. Advertisement There was a surge in US funding in the final months of last year, says the Kiel Institute in its regular monitor, and then a little in January. Then there was nothing. It is true that weapons are still being shipped from US companies, but they are now funded by Europe. Under Trump, support from the US has shrunk. Related Article Analysis World politics Mad in the morning, loyal in the afternoon: Trumps day of mixed messages A second fact is that Europe has done more of the heavy lifting in helping Ukraine and this is entirely logical since Europe has more at stake. The same dataset from the Kiel Institute shows that Europe has delivered or pledged 257 billion ($458 billion) from February 2022 to June 2025. The US has delivered 115 billion, with a small additional amount pledged and yet to be delivered. While Trump talks about Ukraine winning with European support, he does nothing to make this happen. When he says NATO should shoot down Russian jets, for instance, he only offers a vague indication of American support. It depends on the circumstances, he says. NATO is weakened by constant uncertainty about American support. The options for the US and Europe are dangerous because the best way to neutralise Russian attacks is to send NATO forces to shoot down missiles and drones a direct intervention the allies have avoided. The more likely alternative is that Europe will have to fund Ukraine in a long war of attrition in the hope that Russia halts under economic and military pressure. Advertisement A third fact is that Trump has talked about peace deals without a measurable outcome. His new assessment continues this pattern, rather than embarking on a new approach. He likes to set deadlines and offer his opinion about the war, but the timetables slip. Asked this week if he could trust Putin, he said: Ill let you know in about a month from now, OK? Events prove that Trump almost always chooses delay over decision. A fourth key fact suggests that, so far at least, Trumps words do not have the effect he imagines. The numbers show that Putin has intensified his missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, regardless of the words from the White House. The tally from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies reveals the surge in missile and drone strikes this year. Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Tuesday. AP For deterrence to work, leaders must show they intend to use serious power to enforce their pronouncements. The facts show that Putin is undeterred. The fifth fact is that Trump has delayed bringing any new pressure to bear to change this dynamic. He has avoided new economic sanctions on Russia. He has punished India for buying Russian oil, but appears unwilling to do anything about China for its oil purchases and financial support for the war. Instead, he is busy negotiating a business transaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping over the future of TikTok. This tells Putin and Xi about Trumps priorities. Advertisement Zelensky has welcomed Trumps new rhetoric, while the Kremlin has complained about it. Perhaps this week will be remembered for a dramatic shift in US strategy. Related Article Russia-Ukraine war NATO raises alert over Russian jets. Trump says shoot them down But here is another fact. Russia has made substantial gains in the war on the ground. The Institute for the Study of War estimates Russian forces control 70 per cent of Donetsk. It controls large parts of eastern Ukraine as well as Crimea. History documents the challenge in turning the tide against Russia, a nation with an immense land mass and more than 140 million people. Despite this history, Trump claimed Ukraine could not only win back its territory but could maybe even go further than that to gain ground. He seemed to support Ukraine, but it was mainly for show. And he exaggerated. This can only deepen the doubts about his judgement. Is Trump really suggesting that Ukraine tries to gain Russian territory? That would only bring more death to both sides and make a peace deal with Putin more difficult. A settlement worth the name has to be achievable and durable. Advertisement If Trumps purpose was to frighten Putin into walking to a negotiating table, the results should be visible in the near future. But those results look improbable for a simple reason: all the facts show that Putin judges Trump by his actions, not his words. So should we all. Rescuers work at a building destroyed during a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Monday. 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. LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- NASA launched three new space weather missions on Wednesday, sending them on a million-mile journey to study the Sun's influence on Earth and its space environment. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time (1130 GMT) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in the U.S. state of Florida, carrying the trio of spacecraft. NASA later confirmed that all three missions were successfully deployed and are now en route to their destination at the first Earth-Sun Lagrange point, located about 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from Earth toward the Sun. The three missions are NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, NASA's Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 spacecraft of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Each mission will focus on different aspects of the solar wind and space weather, according to NASA. Data collected will improve scientific understanding of the Sun's impact on Earth's habitability, help map our place in the solar system, and enhance efforts to safeguard satellites, astronauts and airline crews from harmful space weather effects, NASA said. Around two-thirds of 2,600 drug seizures in maritime shipping containers across 2023 and 2024 were found to have some level of internal conspirator support somewhere in the supply chain. That is the standout fact from WCOs Report on infiltration of maritime cargo supply chains that set the stage for the Global Conference on a collective response to safeguarding maritime supply chains from criminal threats, held at the WCO in Brussels. To identify innovative mitigation strategies to this pervasive threat, the WCOs Supply Chain Integrity Project collaborated with the World Shipping Council (WSC) and the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) to organize a conference bringing together over 70 stakeholders from the Customs and law enforcement community, governments and the maritime cargo industry to reinforce international cooperation in this highly dynamic domain. The conference offered contemporary insights into the tactics used by criminals to exploit vulnerabilities in legitimate maritime trade systems to move illicit goods. Participants heard firsthand from representatives of Customs, exporters, ocean carriers and maritime port authorities about the measures they take to protect their staff, assets, operations, reputation and society as a whole. A presentation from the Smart Container Alliance offered a look into modern smart security devices and how they contribute to safe and secure containerized cargo movements. Additionally, the Asociation de Exportadores de Banano del Ecuador (AEBE) gave a presentation on the farm to port security measures being taken by their members to protect banana shipments from narcotics contamination. Panelists highlighted the need for all organizations, both government and private sector, in the maritime supply chain to recognize the deep threat organized crime poses, regardless of their role, size and location. They also stressed the need to collaborate and that establishing a continuous dialogue between supply chain actors and law enforcement bodies across borders would enable parties to jointly learn from the others operations and needs, creating opportunities for improving their respective operational models. Approaches to make such partnerships work and lessons learned from existing initiatives were presented. Multiple speakers pointed to the need for specific discussions between enforcement agencies and industry on the identification and expedited sharing of data that will bring additional value for targeting contaminated and compromised containers. Joint post-incident analysis and regular coordination meetings to share information on emerging issues and concerns were mentioned as best practices. On the theme of best practices, the conference also saw the WCO and IAPH published their updated joint Guidelines on Cooperation Between Customs and Port Authorities, including WSC input. Ocean carriers, exporters, ports representatives and the Federation of European Private Port Companies & Terminals (FEPORT) also discussed limitations of some of the measures they are taking, such as staff protection, background checks or termination procedures, and the need for governments support to enhance their efficiency. Participants were reminded that the WCO recently adopted the Guideline on Customs Responses to Industry Referrals which calls for single points of contact in Customs agencies, timely feedback to referrers, and regular post incident analysis. These are concrete steps that help convert referrals into learning and better prevention without compromising investigations or the efficient flow of commerce that is critical to our economies. As a next step, the WCO invited participants to put forward proposals or suggestions in line with a central and re-occurring conference theme of enhancing the public-private partnership and fostering resilient cargo supply chains through information and data exchange. The WCOs Supply Chain Integrity Project will present a summary of the conference and proposals received to the next WCO Enforcement Committee in March 2026, with a view to further enhance the capacity of Customs administrations and deepen the collaboration with all stakeholders seeking to preserve the safety and security of the worlds increasingly vulnerable cargo supply chains. The overlook is named after Chris Campbell, who lived along the park and used it nearly every day. After scrambling to account for workers with H-1B visas such as whether they are currently in the US companies are relieved that the Trump administrations pivot to charge $100,000 for applications doesnt apply to current visa holders. The White House clarified the changes this week, explaining that the new, dramatically higher fee will go into effect next year. Before that, companies were bracing for the worst JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told the media that the change caught them off guard. Visas are critical for firms, like JPMorgan Chase, that move many workers around the globe, he noted. The fee change is expected to steeply reduce the number of applications for H-1B visas, the charges for which are currently just $215, not including legal costs and other fees. Companies will likely reserve applications in the lottery-style system for highly skilled, highly compensated workers. Only as many as 85,000 H-1B visas are approved per year. Imposing new H-1B fees will have a significant financial impact on asset management firms. Firms like Fidelity employed nearly 1,800 H-1B workers from 2022 to 2024, Nicole Gunara, principal immigration attorney at Manifest Law, said in a statement. At a projected cost of about $100,000 per worker over three years, these requirements translate into over $180 million dollars in additional cost for these companies. READ ALSO: ETF Filings on Hold Amid Government Shutdown and State Street Adds Junk Bond Rungs to Laddered ETF Series Power Users The firms with the highest numbers of approved H-1B visas are in the tech sector, but financial services, including major asset managers, also benefit extensively from the program. Goldman Sachs, for example, has more than 1,000 H-1B visas approved for workers in fiscal 2025, government data show. And its likely that the companies with the deepest pockets will be able to handle the costs, with the forthcoming fee being a roadblock to smaller and midsize firms, lawyers told ETF Upside. Across the financial services industry, hiring will be more selective in regards to which roles get H-1B filings, said Michelle Abeckjerr, managing partner at Abjeckjerr Immigration Law. Applications will likely be limited to only senior, high value or hard-to-fill technical or quantitative roles that justify the cost. Its unclear how the positions break down, as the data readily available from the government are high level. Global asset managers often seek regional expertise for investment strategies, for example, but many of the jobs are tech-related. Massie on Thursday was wrapping up a two-day swing through his district alongside Paul, who has endorsed the congressman and shares Massie's libertarian leanings. You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. Chilton Trust, a New York-based trust bank, family office and wealth manager with $9 billion in assets under management, has named the former head of PNC Private Bank as its CEO and president. Jennifer Lee will lead the firm as it seeks to continue growing assets among high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations, endowments and institutions. She succeeds Interim President Peter Kim, who will return to his previous roles as general counsel and chief compliance officer. Kim took the part-time post after former CEO and President Pepper Anderson abruptly stepped down in May 2024. Pepper had held the role for about five years after taking it from a managing director post with J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. Chilton Trust did not respond to a request for comment on why Anderson stepped down. Lee, meanwhile, has about 30 years of private wealth experience. At PNC, she led client acquisition and retention in North America, and before that, worked in the wealth management space at Wells Fargo Private Bank, Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs. Richard Lockwood Chilton Jr. founded Chilton Trust in 2010 and remains chairman. In March, the firm announced the addition of five financial advisors. Leesville, LA (71446) Today Areas of patchy fog early. A mix of clouds and sun. High 73F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming foggy and damp after midnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. By Cillian Sherlock, PA The board overseeing Dublin Airport should be sacked instead of DAA chief Kenny Jacobs, Ryanairs Michael OLeary has said. Mr OLeary made the suggestion as he also took swipes at the do-nothing Government of Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris in a lengthy press conference to launch the airlines winter schedule on Thursday. The comments come amid a reported rift between the DAA board and Mr Jacobs, which could see him receive an exit package of up to 1.2 million. Mr OLeary said it would be more cost-effective to remove the board and keep the chief executive in his post. Mr Jacobs previously worked as Ryanairs chief marketing officer. If it was me, I'd fire the board. That would require a Government with a spine, or a Government in this country that's capable of making decisions, and we do not have a Government that does Michael O'Leary Asked if he would welcome him back to Ryanair, Mr OLeary said: No, no, no. The DAA are going to blow 1.2 million buying him off by paying out his contract for the next two or three years. Then they are going to replace him with someone else making 1.2 million over that period as well. He added, If it was me, Id fire the board. That would require a Government with a spine, or a Government in this country thats capable of making decisions, and we do not have a Government that does. Mr OLeary said there was no point in having the change of chief executive and hypothesised that it would be certainly cheaper to fire the board. He said he was not a great fan of what Mr Jacobs had done in his role as chief executive of the DAA, in particular the proposals to spend 200 million on an underground cargo tunnel at Dublin Airport. He added: Hes a very able executive. I would have no trouble in recommending him to any company on the sales or the commercial side. Mr OLeary said Ryanair was not in the habit of bringing people back to the organisation, adding it didnt work out well in the past. The airline boss also criticised senior Government figures, planning and environmental authorities, residents in communities near Dublin Airport and the Israeli government. Mr OLeary, who donned a blue Santa suit with an exaggerated belly as part of the press event, criticised Mr Martin and Mr Harris for swanning around New York and getting their photo taken for the UN high-level week. He compared them to movie characters Dumb and Dumber, dubbing the leadership duo as slow and slower. He said the Government was not taking swift enough action in lifting the traffic cap at Dublin Airport, further blaming morons in An Coimisiun Pleanala and Nimbys living nearby for restricting growth. Mr OLeary criticised loonies at the Environmental Protection Agency as well as bureaucratic bulls**t out of Transport Minister Darragh OBrien and his Department of Failure. He hypothesised that US President Donald Trump would be antagonised by the landing-hour restrictions on American airlines landing at Dublin Airport and would retaliate by blocking Aer Lingus access to New York. He said that would spur the Government to change the traffic restrictions at Dublin Airport within 24 hours. Meanwhile, he said Ryanair had given Israeli authorities until next Tuesday to guarantee it would keep low-cost charges if its flights were moved to the high-cost terminal and that it will have all its slots back next year. He said if this did not happen, the airline would not be returning to operation in Israel, adding: Frankly, it wouldnt cost me much of a thought. Mr OLeary unveiled Ryanairs winter schedule with 96 routes, including one new route to Moroccos winter sun capital of Rabat as well as extra frequencies on 28 other routes, like Birmingham, Budapest, Krakow, Milan and Valencia. Stephen Maguire A man who allegedly used Snapchat and WhatsApp to communicate with a child for sexual purposes in Co Donegal is to face further charges. The man, who is in his 20s, has been in custody since being arrested in the Letterkenny area in July. He appeared again at Letterkenny District Court by videolink on Thursday for directions in the case from the Director of Public Prosecutions. However, Garda Sergeant Maurice Doyle told the court there are now further charges to be brought against the accused man. He asked for the case to be adjourned and requested a body warrant to ensure the man was in court in person on October 6th for the new charges. The man cannot be named for legal reasons. The man was arrested in the Letterkenny area in July and was found in possession of five condoms, while other sexual paraphernalia was found in a property. It follows allegations against the accused man, which were widely shared on social media. The man was charged by detectives in Donegal at 4.07pm on Wednesday, July 16th. The man was charged that, between July 10th, 2025 and July 15th, 2025, both dates inclusive, within the State, did by means of information and communication technology, namely Snapchat and WhatsApp, communicate with another person for the purpose of facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under the age of 17. The charge is contrary to Section 8 (1) of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. An Garda Siochana objected to bail when he first appeared in court in mid-July. He said there was quite a lot of strong evidence in the matter. Sergeant Collins said that detectives had obtained copies of conversations between the accused man and what was described as a fictional child, who he believed was 13 years of age on Snapchat and WhatsApp. The man, with an address in the Dublin area, had booked an apartment in Letterkenny for a number of days. Gardai also seized other items and documents from the mans vehicle. Sergeant Collins previously told the court that there were concerns that the defendant would attempt to flee the jurisdiction and not make himself available to be dealt with by the law. He said there were concerns that, if released on bail, the man could commit further offences of a similar nature. The man has no previous convictions and has never been before the court on other matters. The mans solicitor, Mr Rory OBrien, told the court that his client has a first-class honours degree from an Irish university. Until recently, the man was in active employment, but is now unemployed. The court heard that the accused man would have no difficulty in handing his passport to the authorities. Mr OBrien told Judge Eiteain Cunningham that bail could be considered with conditions attached. Sergeant Collins said that evidence has been put to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the form of information obtained from the accuseds phone and said that this is very strong evidence of his communication with what he thought to be a 13-year-old female. Judge Cunningham said that she had carefully listened to the evidence and submissions. She said that the accused has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. However, Judge Cunningham found the prosecution to have established a likelihood of the accused trying to evade justice. The man has been in custody since and has appeared at Letterkenny District Court on a number of occasions. Under new law introduced in 2024, persons charged with such offences are entitled to anonymity until they are convicted or the restriction is otherwise lifted by a Court. Judge Cunningham previously directed that a publication order should remain at this time. Judge Ciaran Liddy adjourned the case until October 6th and granted a body warrant so the accused can be produced in court for further charges. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. Mayos flagship business support series, Mayo Ideas Month, launched its 2025 programme at iHub ATU Castlebar last week. During the month of October, Mayo Ideas Month presents a series of idea generation, entrepreneurship and business events hosted by the enterprise development agencies and organisations in County Mayo. Topical, practical and relevant events take place around the county addressing core challenges and business fundamentals relevant to organisations of all sizes. Each one has high quality and interesting speakers. The lineup for this years Mayo Ideas Month is exceptional," said John Magee, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Mayo. The programme offers a range of 13 events covering everything from AI to exploring export markets. Owners of every type of business will find details of relevant and beneficial events on our website. Some of the key events in the calendar include Digital West in ATU on Friday, October 10th, which has become a key event in the West of Irelands business and digital calendar. This years theme Digital Horizons: Behaviours, Marketing, Transformation will explore how technology continues to reshape industries, consumer behaviour, and the future of marketing. Media personality and business guru Norah Casey, Norah Casey will deliver the keynote speech at National Womens Enterprise Day in Breaffy House Hotel on Thursday, October 16th. Its a very full morning of engaging presentations followed by a networking lunch. Anyone interested in AI should mark their diary for the West X West AI Summit in the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on the same day. Booking is open for businesses keen to secure their spot at Meet Mayo, the dynamic networking event at Ballinrobe Racecourse on Friday, October 17th. The first Mayo Circular Economy Conference takes place in the Great National Hotel, Ballina on Friday, October 24th. This is a significant new event exploring how circular economy principles and social enterprise can power sustainable development and social impact in rural Ireland. This is just a flavour of the events on offer. The events are carefully planned to help businesses at all different life stages from start-ups to scaling mature enterprises. Business owners and managers are encouraged to check out the programme and register through the website www.mayoideasmonth.ie. Mayo Ideas Month is organised by LEO Mayo, Enterprise Ireland, Udaras na Gaeltachta, WestBIC, ATU iHub Mayo, South West Mayo Development Company, Mayo North East Leader Partnership and Regional Skills West. Full details for all events are available on the website. Follow Mayo Ideas Month on social media. Standing slumped under an American flag hung from a lamp-post, the clown looked as if he had died inside. The scattered passersby ignored him and his forlorn bucket of balloons. His impassive white face and painted smile hid real thoughts as he stared at the sparse street in front of the closed retail stores. A rainbow-coloured wig and a few half-tied balloon shapes told of an optimistic start to the morning. But now it was past lunchtime and the day had not lived up to his plan - Santa Monica having little interest in his street performance. My wife and I visited the 'Pearl of the Pacific' back on May 25th and were immediately struck by how empty and off the resort felt. In what should have been a bright, busy crowded pedestrian thoroughfare, there were too many closed shops, too few people and a sketchy atmosphere with litter, dirt and decline, which an out-of-tune street karaoke could not dispel. Everywhere, there was evidence of people living rough, with not a few of them - who were clearly experiencing mental episodes - wandering the streets. One bare-chested young man holding a stick, aggressively shouted at people near a fountain before drifting down a side street while three young teens ran out of a shop, laughing excitedly having clearly taken something, but nobody followed. The clown watched them disappear from view before slowly sitting down with a mountain dew soda. Time to go. Some weeks later, on August 31st, a restaurant worker was eating his Sunday lunch at Santa Monica pier when a homeless man ran up behind him and stabbed him multiple times in the back before fleeing. Many of the online messages of support called for the removal of non-local homeless people from Santa Monica and agreed that We dont need to allow these people in our community out of a misguided/false sense of compassion. There was universal consensus that the city had become too dangerous for both residents and tourists, epitomised by the loss of its Nordstrom shop. The retail giant is believed to have closed its clothing store on August 26th because of safety and crime issues in a district once known as a signature destination for shopping and dining... and a clown with balloons. Such attacks are not unique to this city. The shocking video of the killing on August 22nd of Iryna Zarutska as she sat on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, revealed her truly senseless, random and avoidable murder. The suspect has a long history of serious mental illness and criminal violence but had been allowed liberty by authorities while awaiting charges. Donald Trump raged that the young Ukrainian refugee was slaughtered by a deranged monster and demanded law and order reform including an end to lenient bail terms to end this madness. Phil Brock recently discussed Irynas tragic story. His views on homeless crime is from a politician not afraid to speak his mind. While positions on Santa Monica City Council are officially non-partisan, the talent agent and former city mayor resoundingly calls himself a Democrat. Yet, his leftist detractors point to the large number of Republican officials who endorsed his 2024 re-election campaign and his July 2023 appearance on Fox News after he had an altercation with a homeless person on the city promenade. Brock sees the decline of his beloved Santa Monica as partly due to extreme progressives in such groups as the Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR) a powerful, long-standing political organisation in Santa Monica that advocates for tenant protections and affordable housing. It is clear who the sellouts are, Brock appealed to voters in September last year. The SMRR and pseudo-democratic ticket have sold out our safety and security and allowed the Promenade to deteriorate for almost a decade by being unwilling to own up to the economic disaster that was brewing in our city and reigning in homelessness. "Its no longer 'WOKE' time in the city we love. It is time to have compassionate accountability toward the homeless who inhabit our streets, parks, and alleys. There is no longer time to ignore the needs of our residents and businesses to have a safe environment. Ask yourself if SMRRs policies have made you safer..." Brock's online musings on the decline of Santa Monica have garnered much support while he has called out woke politicians and officials who he sees as determined to hamstring efforts to revitalise the city, most recently forcing the resignation of popular Chief Batista, while also overseeing the near-bankruptcy of the municipality. In the latter case, the long failure of city authorities to stop the activities of a child abuser in an outreach programme where police officers and city employees volunteered their time to mentor children has resulted in over 200 young victims at a cost of a staggering $229 million in compensation. Batistas resignation reveals a lot about Santa Monica itself. Brock and his supporters may be best represented by Arthur Jeons copious and critical letters to local media. The founder of the Compassion Prison Project and co-founder of Global Animal Foundation is passionate in his advocacy for Santa Monica and condemns those who believe that all these thousands of addicts and criminals need are free needles and a lollipop. He sees out-of-touch progressives dominating the City council with their luxury beliefs, because they are not the victims of crime we living near downtown experience. Jeons most recent letter on August 30th to the Santa Monica Observer (and shared by Brock) claimed that social justice warriors trying to right every wrong as if they were living in the year 1970 have finally ousted the modernising police chief who had been revitalising the local force from a low morale basebecause he wasnt DEI enough. They tied his hands with false claims of police brutality and ended police patrols as it made some residents feel uncomfortableeven as the city was overrun with criminals, encampments, and people sleeping and defecating on a daily basis. He also sees public transport as having brought these groups from downtown L.A. to the beach. Figure out the train problem with L.A. county so we can stanch the never-ending influx of the criminal, the crazy, and the addicted (nothing will change until you do). Its well known that homeless people ride for free on public transport so why wouldnt they take advantage of the extension of the light rail line to Santa Monica in 2016? The Democrats run California and effectively run Santa Monica. Thus, these social problems are laid at their door irrespective of what Donald Trump, MAGA or the Republicans get up to elsewhere. The continuous failure to solve issues of poverty, crime, drug use and mental health problems among the vast number of homeless people in Los Angles will only see more people turn to support Trump. Irrespective of the merits of progressive policies of the political left, few worry about policing gender pronouns when random acts of murder affect their communities. As Arthur Jeon warns, shaming people into performative woke labelling such as using the term unhoused residents for homeless people only seeks to further alienate locals, as evidenced by self-identified liberals supporting Republican crime policies on Phil Brocks Facebook page. As the sad clown with the rainbow-coloured wig and painted smile in Santa Monica understands, delusional optimism will eventually get a reality check. These days, investors, founders, analysts, and tech loyalists cant stop talking up how artificial intelligence will radically remake the future of work. But a new study suggests that while AI might have some amazing future uses, at the moment, its not doing much good to anyone. Most Read from Fast Company In a State of AI in Business 2025 report, researchers at MIT Media Lab found that despite enterprise investments of as much as $40 billion in generative AI, 95% of organizations have seen no return on their investment so far. Just 5% of integrated AI pilots are extracting millions in value, while the vast majority remain stuck with no measurable P&L [profit and loss] impact, the report reads. This divide does not seem to be driven by model quality or regulation, but seems to be determined by approach. Tools like OpenAIs Chat GPT and Microsofts Copilot have been widely tested, with more than 80% of organizations either exploring them or using them in pilot programs. But while these tools boost individual productivity, when it comes to overall P&L, theres very little measurable impact, the study found. Enterprise-level AI systems arent doing a lot to impress either. While 60% of the enterprise companies that the researchers spoke with said they evaluated these tools, only 20% made it as far as the pilot stage. And just 5% took those to a full production model. A lack of contextual learning, brittle workflows, and misalignment with day-to-day operations were cited as the chief reasons the tools were rejected. The slop problem Behavioral researcher BetterUp Labs, in collaboration with the Stanford Social Media Lab, says it has identified one possible reason enterprise companies are rejecting AI: slop. Employees, the two labs say, are using AI tools to create low-effort, passable-looking work. Theyve taken to calling this workslopwell-formatted slides, reports, summaries, or code that might seem helpful at first, but that ultimately prove to be incomplete or missing context, shifting the burden of work to someone else. Of 1,150 U.S.-based full-time employees across industries, 40% report having received workslop in the last month, the groups wrote. Employees who have encountered workslop estimate that an average of 15.4% of the content they receive at work qualifies. Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. Charly Bass-Davis moved to Wilmington, Delaware, when she was 10 years old. At the time, there were thriving businesses and a solid sense of community. However, her neighborhood began to decline as housing prices rose, leaving many homes vacant. A former laborer and restaurateur, she decided to make a change by joining the Jumpstart Wilmington program, which trains and finances local residents to revitalize their communities. Now, she runs her own business, Steel Development, which renovates and sells homes to lower-income buyers. Must Read We have that power and that community union that it takes to uplift and revitalize an entire system, she told 6abc Philadelphia. Even if you dont have Bass-Davis pitching in to revamp your city, there are other paths to affordable housing and investing in real estate. Co-buying with family or friends Bass-Daviss business model banks on the community to make housing more affordable. Consider researching similar avenues that you may be able to access within your own community. The Federal Reserves latest numbers show that the median sales price of a home is $410,800. If you plan to put a 20% down payment on a home the traditional amount then youd need to have more than $80,000 on hand. A survey by JW Surety Bonds found that 13% of Americans recently purchased a home with a non-romantic partner, such as a sibling, friend, or parent, as 25% of those buyers couldn't afford a home on their own. Read more: Here are the 7 top habits of quietly wealthy Americans how many do you follow? More real estate alternatives Crowdfunding real estate: like co-buying, but for investors Crowdfunding and co-buying share similarities for investors, as both involve pooling resources to acquire property or assets that might be out of reach individually. First National Realty Partners (FNRP) leverages this collaborative approach, allowing accredited investors to invest in institutional quality necessity-backed real estate. The private equity firm has partnered with some of the largest retail and grocery chains in the country, such as Walmart, Whole Foods, Kroger, and CVS. AI infrastructure stocks grab headlines, but not every company rides the same wave. Giants like Nvidia (NVDA) and Amazon (AMZN) fuel the AI boom, yet a handful of niche players stand to benefit disproportionately if GPU demand keeps climbing. One of those fast-rising contenders is CoreWeave (CRWV), a GPU-as-a-service provider thats drawing bullish attention from Wall Street. Recently, Raymond James launched coverage with an Outperform and a $130 target, and Citizens just bumped its stance to Market Outperform, setting a bold $180 price target that implies roughly 50% upside from current levels. Analysts point to a fresh $6.3 billion order arrangement with Nvidia, a path to $20 billion in ARR by 2027, and a booming GPU-as-a-service market that could swell into the hundreds of billions. More News from Barchart For investors hunting high-growth exposure to the AI cloud layer, CoreWeaves founder-led team, hyperscaler partnerships, and scalable GPU stack make it a name worth watching. About CRWV Stock Valued at $65 billion by market cap, CoreWeave is a fast-growing neocloud provider specializing in GPU-as-a-service for AI workloads. Backed by exclusive partnerships with Nvidia, it delivers cutting-edge compute capacity faster than traditional hyperscalers. With strategic acquisitions, global data center expansion, and deep ties to enterprises and governments, CoreWeave is positioning itself as a critical backbone of next-generation AI infrastructure. CoreWeaves stock has been among the markets top performers in 2025. Since its March IPO, CRWV has roughly tripled, up about 200% year-to-date (YTD), as investors bet on its AI cloud platform. That surge came despite a summer pullback that saw CRWV fall roughly 50% from its June highs. CoreWeaves valuation is a subject of debate. On a forward basis, the stock trades at roughly 1012 times 2025 revenue, lower than peers like Palantir (PLTR), but reflecting its rapid growth and cash burn. Its price-to-sales (P/S) multiple is actually below Nvidias and Palantirs, while its growth rate is much higher. Citi notes that its 6 times 2027 revenue and 22 times 2027 EBIT multiples are well below legacy cloud peers. Critics argue the current market cap (in the tens of billions) implies very long-term growth, given CoreWeaves losses and high debt. Palantir (PLTR) shares are up about 1.6% on Tuesday after a senior Bank of America analyst, Mariana Perez Mora, issued a bullish note in favor of the AI-enabled data analytics company. BofAs constructive call arrives only a day after the United Kingdom signed a billion-dollar contract with PLTR aimed at accelerating military decision-making, planning, and targeting. More News from Barchart At the time of writing, Palantir stock is up some 180% versus its year-to-date low set in mid-January. www.barchart.com Commercial Traction to Push Palantir Stock Up Further Moras bullish stance on PLTR stock is anchored mostly in the companys accelerating commercial traction, particularly following its AIPCon 8 event on Sept. 4. In her research note, the Bank of America analyst highlighted Palantirs ontology architecture and forward deployed engineers (FDEs) as key differentiators, describing them as the secret sauce driving momentum. The integration of agentic AI capabilities is enabling Palantir Technologies to scale this unique skillset across more use cases, empowering engineers and clients alike, she added. Mora believes this will drive demand for Palantirs operating system as more enterprises choose to buy rather than build artificial intelligence infrastructure. She projects PLTRs commercial sales to surpass $10 billion by the end of this decade. Government Sales Remain a Tailwind for PLTR Shares The second pillar of BofAs optimism stems from Palantirs expanding government footprint. PLTR recently secured its first billion-dollar contract outside the U.S., which built on its existing ties with UKs National Health Service (NHS) and Ministry of Defence (MOD), indicating rising demand among allies. Moreover, the companys Maven Smart System has grown eightfold in the US since early 2024 and was selected by NATO to enhance battlefield intelligence. Mariana Perez Mora believes other nations will also adopt Maven for its interoperability and data governance, potentially driving Palantir shares up to $215 over the next 12 months. She projects the firms government sales to exceed $8 billion by 2030. The Quiet Heroes of Sudan Film Screening and Panel Discussion The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) and Wits University will host the screening The Quiet Heroes of Sudan on Sudans emergency Response Room. CAPSI launches US$128,000 youth competition Is academic research moving into the world of digital content - reels, carousels and stories - to stay relevant and connect with todays youth? The Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI Africa), based at Wits Business School, is a pan-African hub for research, teaching, and convening on philanthropy and social investment. Established within Wits University, CAPSI Africa plays a central role in generating knowledge, engaging stakeholders, and shaping debates on development and giving across the continent. One of its most ambitious undertakings to date is a landmark study on dignified and fulfilling work for Africas youth. The project brings together 17 autonomous researchers and institutions from across the continent to examine how the nonprofit sector contributes to creating meaningful employment opportunities for young people. It is the first comprehensive review of its kind, highlighting trends, evidence gaps, and policy directions, while amplifying the voices and agency of youth themselves. To extend this research beyond academia, CAPSI Africa has launched the Pan-African Youth Competition. The initiative challenges youth-led teams and organisations (ages 1835) to transform the studys findings into creative, accessible, and shareable outputs from digital stories to reels, podcasts, and campaigns that can inform and inspire their peers. The aim is to make complex research relatable, mobilise young audiences, and spark action. The competition carries a total prize of US$128,000, with US$32,000 awarded to one winning team from each region: Southern, East, North, and West Africa. In addition to funding, winners will receive mentorship, visibility, and platforms to showcase their work across the continent. Professor Bhekinkosi Moyo, Director of CAPSI Africa, explains: This competition provides African youth with resources and a platform to tell stories that matter in their own voices. Its not just about research findings, but about shaping narratives, sparking creativity, and influencing policy across Africa. Applications close on Wednesday, 15 October 2025. For young creatives, this is more than a prize, its an opportunity to shape the future of work narratives in Africa. Read more about the research here: https://capsi.co.za/research-reports/ Apply to the competition here: https://capsi.co.za/call-for-competition/ Landmark agreement to make HIV prevention tool lenacapavir affordable in LMICs Unitaid, CHAI, and Wits RHI agreement with Dr. Reddys to make revolutionary injectable available at a cost of US$40 a year in 120 LMICs starting in 2027. Under a new partnership announced on 24 September 2025 between Dr. Reddys Laboratories and Unitaid, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and Wits RHI, lenacapavir will be available in 120 low- and middle-income countries at a cost of US$40, starting in 2027. Originally developed by Gilead Sciences, lenacapavir is a twice-yearly injection that has shown exceptional effectiveness in preventing HIV. Since 2010, coordinated global efforts have reduced new HIV infections by 40 percent, but UNAIDS data show 1.3 million new infections occurred in 2024. This long-acting injectable could transform HIV prevention for millions of people who struggle with daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills. Moreover, the agreement now brings the price of the injectable on par with oral PrEP, a key condition for uptake in low- and middle-income countries. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency provided regulatory approvals in record time. With Unitaids support, the World Health Organization followed suit, issuing a global recommendation for lenacapavir in July. Todays agreement, brokered by CHAI and Unitaid, provides Dr. Reddys with financial, technical, and regulatory support to deliver affordable, quality-assured generic versions of lenacapavir to low- and middle-income countries by 2027, following regulatory approval. That is just less than two years after the regulatory approval of Gileads product in high-income countries. Without strategic interventions like this, making new medicines widely available in low- and middle-income countries often takes a decade or more. This Unitaid-backed deal is part of a multi-partner, multi-supplier strategy to build a competitive and sustainable market for long-acting HIV prevention. In parallel, the Gates Foundation have secured a separate agreement with another licensed manufacturer, Hetero ensuring affordable options, reliable supply, and long-term impact for communities worldwide. Securing a US$40 price for the twice-yearly lenacapavir injection for PrEP is a historic breakthrough that proves the most advanced tools can be made affordable from the very start. This directly answers the calls from countries and communities to make lenacapavir as affordable as oral PrEP said Unitaids Executive Director Dr. Philippe Duneton. This is exactly the kind of impact Unitaid was created to deliver. Just as we did with dolutegravir, which became the most widely used HIV treatment worldwide, we are working with partners to ensure lenacapavir will be within reach for millions who need it most. The ability to protect someone for six months with a single injection, at the same cost as the currently available daily pills, is truly transformational, said President Bill Clinton, Board Chair and Co-Founder of CHAI. This partnership marks a remarkable breakthrough and a fundamental shift in whats possible for HIV prevention. And Im humbled that CHAI can play its part not only confronting the epidemic but helping give the world a genuine chance to end it. Our partnership for lenacapavir is a significant step in our mission to enhance global patient access and affordability to innovative treatment in the fight against HIV. The development and planned supply of a high-quality, affordable generic version of lenacapavir represents a crucial advancement in the prevention of HIV, said Deepak Sapra, Chief Executive Officer of API and Services at Dr. Reddys Laboratories. This partnership combines our deep science and market expertise with our partners technical, financial and regulatory strengths. It reinforces our commitment to address the needs of underserved populations, in keeping with our ambitious goal to impact 1.5 billion patients by 2030, globally. "Generic manufacture of lenacapavir is essential to ensure this breakthrough HIV prevention option is not limited to a privileged few, said Professor Saiqa Mullick, Director of Implementation Science at Wits RHI, University of the Witwatersrand. By driving prices down and securing sustainable supply, generics will make six-monthly PrEP a real choice for the millions of people in great need in low- and middle-income countries. In October 2024, Gilead granted voluntary licenses to six generic manufacturers, including Dr. Reddys, to supply this product across 120 low- and middle-income countries. Efforts have also been underway to increase access in the period before generics become available. This includes a landmark commitment from PEPFAR, and Global Fund with support from the Childrens Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), to procure lenacapavir for prevention for up to 2 million people in LMICs, as reconfirmed by the Global Fund in July 2025 and PEPFAR in September 2025. Commenting on the agreements, Kate Hampton, CEO of CIFF, said: The deals announced today on generics represent a major step forward on a sustainable pathway toward ending the HIV epidemic. They build on the funding CIFF and others have committed towards large-scale procurement of lenacapavir, and complementary investments at every stage of the value chain. Together, through multiple interventions, partners are helping foster a competitive market, so that access to lenacapavir is affordable and reliable, for all those who need it." Background on the agreement Todays agreement brings the cost of the injection to US$40 per person per year. The lenacapavir prevention regimen also requires an initial oral dose when starting the regimen two tablets to be taken on the day of the first injection and two tablets to be taken on the following day, to ensure protective levels of the drug are reached quickly. As part of the agreement, the price of the oral course will cost no more than US$17, supporting affordability of the full regimen. Dr. Reddys is now positioned among the first generic suppliers to come to market, helping establish the competitive landscape essential for long-term success. Multiple suppliers create competition that keeps prices low, safeguards against supply disruptions, and gives countries procurement flexibility critical factors for scaling up access effectively. "For too long, low-income countries have waited years for access to breakthrough medicines, said Buddy Shah, CEO of CHAI. This deal changes that by 2027, a nearly 100% effective HIV prevention tool will be affordable and available at the same time globally. It's a new model for how innovation reaches those who need it most." This pricing breakthrough is part of Unitaids broader strategy to integrate lenacapavir into HIV prevention programs. The organization is supporting policy and regulatory processes while working with communities and health systems in early adopter countries to ensure rapid, effective uptake. Unitaid is also supporting real-world research through Wits RHI and Fiotec in South Africa and Brazil to answer key implementation questions about integrating lenacapavir into national HIV programs, and developing new investments to support decentralized, community-based delivery approaches across sub-Saharan Africa. While Gileads voluntary licenses are an important step forward, they still do not extend to all countries in need. Unitaid remains committed to addressing access barriers in countries not covered by the existing agreements. About Unitaid Unitaid saves lives by making new health products affordable and available in low- and middle-income countries. Collaborating with partners, Unitaid identifies innovative treatments, tackles market barriers, and quickly delivers solutions to those in need. Since 2006, Unitaid has unlocked over 100 health products, addressing HIV, TB, malaria, womens and childrens health, and pandemic preparedness. Every year, these products benefit more than 300 million people. Unitaid is a hosted partnership of the World Health Organization. www.unitaid.org About CHAI The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and improving health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries by enabling the government and private sector to strengthen and sustain quality health systems. For more information, please visit: www.clintonhealthaccess.org About Wits RHI Wits RHI, is a research institute of the University of the Witwatersrand, established in 1994 by Professor Helen Rees to support South Africas newly democratic government in shaping national health policies, has grown into a leading African research and implementation institute with a global reputation for innovation and responsiveness to health challenges. With a 30-year track record in investigator-led and consortia studies, Wits RHI excels in policy development and implementation across diverse populations and all phases of clinical trials. Its multidisciplinary approach integrates research, technical assistance, advocacy, and health systems strengthening to deliver impactful solutions in infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases, maternal and family health, antimicrobial resistance, and climate-related health crises. The Institute applies rigorous epidemiological and qualitative methods to identify health problems, generate evidence, and evaluate interventions in real-world settings. Its work spans vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and modelling, with a focus on HIV, TB, STIs, COVID-19, influenza, Mpox, Rotavirus, and outbreak pathogens including Poxviruses, Ebola, and Yellow Fever. www.wrhi.ac.za About Dr. Reddys Laboratories Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. (BSE: 500124, NSE: DRREDDY, NYSE: RDY, NSEIFSC: DRREDDY) is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Hyderabad, India. Established in 1984, we are committed to providing access to affordable and innovative medicines. Driven by our purpose of Good Health Cant Wait, we offer a portfolio of products and services including APIs, generics, branded generics, biosimilars and OTC. Our major therapeutic areas of focus are gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, diabetology, oncology, pain management and dermatology. Our major markets include USA, India, Russia & CIS countries, China, Brazil and Europe. As a company with a history of deep science that has led to several industry firsts, we continue to plan ahead and invest in businesses of the future. As an early adopter of sustainability and ESG actions, we released our first Sustainability Report in 2004. Our current ESG goals aim to set the bar high in environmental stewardship; access and affordability for patients; diversity; and governance. For more information, log on to: www.drreddys.com Weather Alert ...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Very cold wind chills as low as 30 below expected. * WHERE...Oneida, Vilas, Florence, Forest, Northern Marinette County, Northern Oconto County, Southern Marinette County, and Southern Oconto County Counties. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to 10 AM CST Saturday. * IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 30 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. && By Scott Murdoch SYDNEY (Reuters) -The Australian Securities Exchange must make "foundational changes" to its governance, culture and risk management after last year's trading settlement failure, the country's central bank said on Wednesday. The Reserve Bank of Australia also warned ASX's clearing and settlement units still fall short of key regulatory standards and pledged to monitor progress closely. The central bank, which has oversight of the clearing and settlement systems, said in a statement following its investigation into the settlement failures it would consider further regulatory responses if ASX did not improve. The RBA's criticism underscores the growing regulatory pressure on ASX, by far Australia's biggest equity market operator, to ensure the stability of essential financial systems. "ASX is not currently meeting the regulators' expectations for an operator of critical national infrastructure," said RBA Assistant Governor (Financial System) Brad Jones. "Resilient and secure clearing and settlement facilities are crucial to the stability of the Australian financial system." ASX needed to improve its risk transformation plan and conduct a review of its business continuity and contingency arrangements in its clearing and settlement division, the RBA said. The ASX handled an average of 2.56 million equity trades over 21 trading days in August, according to Reuters calculations based on exchange data. The average daily cash market trading value in the ASX's past financial year was A$6.1 billion ($4.04 billion), the company's full-year results showed. ASX shares were 0.8% lower when the RBA's statement was published and fell further afterward, ending the day down 1.17%. The overall S&P/ASX200 declined 0.9%. The ASX came under fire in December after deferring a day's worth of trading settlements following a breakdown in its Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS). "We are acutely aware ASX must accelerate our progress to rebuild trust with our regulators, particularly following the disappointing incidents of the past year," ASX Chief Executive Helen Lofthouse said in a statement. Lofthouse added ASX is focused on contingency arrangements for CHESS and has completed some code fixes and memory increases to improve its resiliency. In June, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission appointed an expert panel to investigate ASX's governance and risk management practices that is due to deliver its findings by March. By Akbar Novruz Azerbaijan should better integrate its energy grid planning with generation planning to advance its renewable energy transition, World Bank Group senior energy specialist Florian Kitt said at the "Green Energy Week - 2025: Azerbaijan and Central Asia" event in Baku. Furthermore, in order to move faster with the unbundling process of the electricity sector, very detailed studies and calculations should be carried out on the generation cost, transmission cost and possible sales markets for this energy, Kitt noted. He stressed that such steps would help create incentives for the private sector to invest in Azerbaijan and require a fair balance between large state-owned companies and new market entrants. According to the World Bank expert, it is important to create conditions that encourage private investors to consider opportunities in the country with greater interest. We were very pleased with the results of the country's first renewable energy auction. We believe that this direction needs to be expanded and deepened so that the government can fully exploit the potential for price reductions and truly obtain the best offers and the most favorable tariffs, Kitt added. (Reuters) -Bank of Montreal has recently launched a process to sell some of its U.S. branches with about $6 billion in deposits, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Canadian lender is weighing a sale of certain locations it wants to exit. BMO has been looking to pull back from states including Wyoming and the Dakotas, according to the report. The branches could be sold together or in clusters, the report said, adding that the plans were not final and may not result in a deal. BMO declined to respond to a Reuters request for comment. In 2023, BMO completed the acquisition of BNP Paribas' U.S. unit, Bank of the West, for $16.3 billion, in its biggest deal ever, giving it exposure to nearly 2 million customers, about 500 retail branches, and commercial and wealth offices across the Midwest and Western United States. Lenders often sell or close overlapping locations following major acquisitions, as customers increasingly shift to online and mobile banking. (Reporting by Prakhar Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) By Alban Kacher (Reuters) -Belgium's top administrative court on Wednesday rejected Alstom's request to suspend national rail operator SNCB's decision to name CAF as the preferred supplier for its AM30 train contract. "The Council of State estimates, after an interim review, that none of the criticisms made by the company challenging the legality of this appointment decision were serious," it said in a statement. CAF was appointed as the preferred bidder against French trainmaker Alstom and Siemens of Germany at the end of February. In April, the court suspended the order following Alstom's appeal against the decision. "We are disappointed by this decision and by the fact that our arguments have not been taken into account. We do not wish to communicate further on this subject," Alstom said in an emailed response to Reuters. The order plays a crucial role in determining the future of Alstom's Bruges facility, which faces the threat of restructuring and possible closure. SNCB's tender, the biggest the company has placed, consists of a first batch valued at 1.7 billion euros ($2 billion), with optional batches potentially bringing the total contract value to 5 billion euros. Earlier this month, the Council rejected Siemens' separate appeal against SNCB's decision. ($1 = 0.8518 euros) (Reporting by Alban Kacher; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Indias largest IT company, has initiated the biggest retrenchment in its history, eliminating around 12,000 jobs roughly 2 percent of its global workforce. Trade union sources and media reports indicate the real number could be even higher. These cuts come at a time when TCS is posting profits of over 120 billion rupees ($US 1.3 billion) every quarter, with profit margins near 20 percent. On August 19, IT workers held protests outside TCS offices across India, including in Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad. While limited and organised with the support of a union with the ties to the Stalinist-led Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the protests were significant, indicating that a section of IT workers is increasingly recognizing the need for collective action and identifying themselves as part of the working class. Long isolated behind corporate gates and branded middle class by the media and their employers, IT workers are entering on the path of class struggle. Protest held in Chennai on August 19 against TRS's mass layoffs [Photo: X/UNITE] The protests revealed a deep undercurrent of anger at TCSs readiness to strip workers, who have often endured great hardship to acquire their skills, of their livelihoods and the IT giants ruthless pursuit of profit. However, the leaders of UNITE (the Union of IT and ITES Employees) ensured these actions remained token, channelling militancy into safe, symbolic demonstrations, and appeals to the pro-big business state authorities to intervene on the workers behalf. The attack on IT workers is bound up with global pressures. The global IT giants such as TCS and its rivals Accenture, IBM, Amazon Web Services, and other multinationals are competing for billion-dollar contracts in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud services. They slash jobs to increase their profits while offering competitive bids to their global clients. Moreover, this assault is deepened by international tensions, above all Washingtons trade war. The Trump administration, which has already hit Indias merchandise exports with punitive 50 percent tariffs, is threatening to similarly impose tariffs on services, including Indian IT services. The United States is the largest market for Indian outsourcing firms. Companies like TCS and Infosys have responded to these pressures by squeezing workers to produce greater profits through longer hours and wage suppression, and by using AI to eliminate jobs. Far from being an Indian peculiarity, this is part of a global corporate offensive. Oracle in the United States and other giants in Europe have carried out similar mass cuts. On the other hand, the wealth of Oracles CEO and prominent Trump-supporter Larry Ellison rose by $100 billion in a single day earlier this month, making him the worlds richest man. The assault on IT workers is not confined to retrenchments of existing staff. Hiring across the sector is collapsing. Recent reports show a 23 percent dip in overall recruitment, with the six largest IT firms, including TCS and Infosys, taking on only 3,800 employees in a recent quartera staggering 72 percent fall compared to the previous period. Between July and August, tech hiring fell another 10 percent, with just 43,000 job openings nationwide, down nearly a quarter from the same time in 2024 and over 40 percent from 2022. The companies are not expanding but consolidating, backfilling only essential positions while forcing higher utilisation rates from remaining staff. This hiring freeze has devastating implications for young graduates. Analysts estimate that IT firms will hire 150,000 fewer workers than projected in the second half of 2025. The promise of secure, mass white-collar employment in IT is collapsing, while companies simultaneously boast of investments in AI, machine learning, and cloud projects. The result is a brutal contradiction: tens of thousands of jobs destroyed or withheld, while demand is redirected only to narrow layers of niche talent. Further blighting the prospects of Indian IT graduates is the Trump administrations plans to restrict and impose a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas, as part of its incitement of American First chauvinism and xenophobia. AI and automation, extraordinary advances of human knowledge, are increasingly being deployed as weapons against workers, across all industries, including the IT and IT-enabled services sectors. Algorithms are used to decide who is useful and who is disposable. Monitoring software records every keystroke, and tasks are fragmented into easily duplicable units in order to slash costsin a process that has been dubbed digital Taylorism. The corporate talk of efficiency translates into a brutal attack on IT workers. Workers are told, Resign or we will give you bad feedback, thereby threatening to make it still more difficult for the targeted worker to find employment elsewhere. A common tactic is laying off experienced, better-paid workers to replace them with newer employees earning significantly smaller salaries. After announcing the mass job cuts, TCS announced the lowest salary hikes in four years, averaging between 4.5 and 7 percent. At the same time, CEO K. Krithivasan took home an annual pay package worth 265 million rupees or US $3.18 million, some 330 times the median salary at TRS. Such realities demonstrate the naked truth of capitalism: loyalty and decades of experience mean nothing, while executives and shareholders grow ever richer. Infosys, another large Indian IT conglomerate, has pursued the same course. Earlier this year, it quietly dismissed hundreds of trainees. Its founder, Narayana Murthy, recently called for the imposition of a seventy-hour work week to boost national productivity. In Karnataka, the Congress-led state government moved to extend working hours in Bengalurus tech sector, bending to corporate lobbies and openly siding with big business. Whether led by the Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress Party, or various regional parties, Indias governments at the Centre and in the states all defend alike the profits of the IT corporations against the rights of workers. Viral stories of workers resigning in search of work-life balance reveal the depth of dissatisfaction. Even the mainstream press, a mouthpiece for corporate interests, now acknowledges that many IT workers are discussing unionisation. The isolation of IT workers is beginning to crack. The participation of some IT employees in the July 9, 2025 all-India general strike was taken in defiance of their long-standing separation and despite the lack of organizational support from the union apparatuses. It revealed both workers militancy and their potential to unite with other sections of the working class on an independent basis. The Stalinist-led unions, tied to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India, play a critical role in suppressing resistance both industrially and politically. For decades, these organisations have isolated and betrayed strikes in every sectorfrom heavy industry to government servicewhile politically shackling the working class to the capitalist parties. When in power in states like West Bengal and Kerala, the Stalinist CPM and CPI have carried out privatisations and imposed austerity. In West Bengal, as part of their self-avowed pro-investor policies, the CPM-led Left Front government illegalized strike by IT and ITES workers. Nationally, in the name of fighting the far-right BJP, they support the Congress-led INDIA alliance, which offers the ruling class a right-wing alternative if the Modi government should falter. One that would be no less committed to the Indo-US military-strategic alliance and intensifying worker-exploitation through austerity, privatization, and the promotion of precarious contract-labour employment. IT workers are increasingly realizing that they are not much different from assembly line workers in manufacturing who have long faced arbitrary firings and brutal working conditions. The problems of IT workers can only be addressed through the development of class strugglethe building of an independent industrial and political movement of the working class. The path forward cannot rely on appeals to the bourgeois law courts or governments, regulatory reforms, or following the existing union apparatus. To wage this struggle, IT workers must organize independently, fighting for demands that directly challenge the dictatorship of capital: *No layoffs and no forced resignations. *An end to coercive appraisal systems and victimisation. *The conversion of all contract jobs into permanent positions. *The transformation of the IT giants into public enterprises under workers control as part of a democratically planned socialist economy directed toward fulfilling human needs, not private profit. This requires building rank-and-file committees in every IT office, independent of the political parties and unions of the capitalist class and linking up with other sections of the working class internationally. The crisis facing IT workers, highlighted by the layoffs and the collapse of hiring, reveals that capitalism can offer only insecurity, constant surveillance, and extended hours. The resistance of IT workers will succeed only if it is given a conscious, international, and socialist leadership. How did the American Civil War end? According to the schoolbook version, the war ended on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, when Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia and Ulysses S. Grant paroled his adversarys army with their horses and his officers their handguns. But as Michael Vorenberg notes in his book Lincolns Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War (Knopf, 2025), this end datepromoted among others by proponents of the Lost Causeis misleading. Vorenberg, a professor at Brown University, is the author of several historical works focused on the political struggle for emancipation of slavery, including The Emancipation Proclamation: A Brief History with Documents and Final Freedom: The Civil War, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Thirteenth Amendment. His latest work begins by pulling on the thread of a seemingly technical legal question relating to calculating soldiers pensions until it unravels into a great historical question with vast contemporary political implications. After Appomattox At the time, Lees surrender on April 9 did not definitively signal that the war was over. While a blow to the Confederacy, the terms of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia did not address the political basis for the wars end, and Grant well knew he lacked the authority to discuss terms that only the civil leadership in Washington could set. In his autobiography, Grant recalls that he met with Lee the following day under flag of truce, and that Lee said to me that the South was a big country and that we might have to march over it three or four times before the war entirely ended, but that we would now be able to do it as they could no longer resist us. Lincoln's Peace [Photo: Penguin Random House] The Southern leadership, for its part, initially pledged to fight on after learning of Lees surrender. General Joseph E. Johnstons Army of Tennessee had been evading General Sherman through North Carolina for weeks, and Lee had refused Grants request that the former use his authority to press the remaining Southern armies to surrender. Indeed, as Vorenberg explains, battles and skirmishes continued for weeks as elements within the Confederacy attempted a last-ditch effort to cut a deal with French Emperor of Mexico, Maximilian, and preserve slavery in at least far-flung parts of the American South. And five days after Appomattox, the executive branch of the federal government was decapitated: Lincoln was dead. On April 18, Johnston and Sherman met outside Durham, North Carolina to discuss potential surrender of Johnstons army. As Voerenberg explains, the treaty proposed by Johnston would disband all Confederate armies and restore civil government to the South. But the federal government would recognize the governments of the seceded states so long as the legislatures and leaders there pledged loyalty of the Union. If competing bodies claimed to be the true government of a state, the US Supreme Court would resolve the conflict. Jefferson Davis learned of the terms and wrote his wife Varina that they freed the South from wanton humiliation. He wrote Johnston on April 24 that he approved the terms. In Washington, War Secretary Edwin Stanton, who represented the left-wing of now-President Johnsons cabinet, learned of the proposed terms in the middle of the night on April 21. He immediately convened an emergency cabinet meeting. If the terms of the Sherman-Johnston agreement (or anything like them) were accepted, Stanton feared it would lead the states to reestablish slavery. If the Southern states were introduced back into the Union, their governments would count toward the total number of states required to ratify the Civil War Amendmentsthe 13th Amendment abolishing slavery (which in April 1865 had not yet been ratified by the states) and the 14th and 15th Amendments. Together these three amendments consummated what James McPherson has termed the Second American Revolution. Whether and how to integrate the seceded states Lincolns position as to the process of what would become known as Reconstruction had been borrowed from a phrase from his prairie days, urging that the North let em up easy like a victorious wrestler, now that the fighting was drawing to a close. Lincoln expressed to military leaders that he would make no complaints if the leadership of the Confederacy managed to escape through their lines and out of the country. His position seemed to contradict the claim he had made in his Second Inaugural Address, proclaiming that every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword. Northern public opinion clamored to hang Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree. Radical Republicans like Thaddeus Stevens in the House and Charles Sumner in the Senate argued that the Southern states must be kept under military rule until the Slaveocracy was crushed and expropriated. Their conception was that the states had committed legal suicide, and that the Constitutions guarantee of a republican form of government meant the federal governmentand Congress specificallyhad the constitutional obligation to impose conditions on the Southern states before they could be reintegrated into the national body politic. Thaddeus Stevens In an 1863 article Senator Sumner published anonymously in The Atlantic, he explained eloquently, When a state fails to maintain a republican government it ceases to be a constitutional state. As a result, there is nothing in the storehouse of peace, and there is nothing in the arsenal of war, which [Congress] may not employ Vorenberg notes that on May 9, 1865, President Johnson issued two declarations, one recognizing as legitimate the pro-Union governments of Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas, and another placing the entire South under the control of the president, with the US Army having control over civilian matters. But fighting continued after the date of this proclamation. Meanwhile, Jefferson Davis was attempting to escape to Mexico or Cuba, while Confederate Armies led by Nathan Bedford Forrest (future leader of the KKK) and Edmund Kirby Smith pledged to fight on with some tens of thousands of soldiers, largely located west of the Mississippi. Though Davis was ignominiously captured and the fighting began to peter out in late 1865, 1866 brought the specter of horrific anti-black and anti-Republican violence, combined with President Johnsons about-face toward the forces of extreme reaction in the South. While the 13th Amendment was ratified by the requisite three-fourths of state legislatures in December 1865 (counting the loyal governments of South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia), the 14th Amendment was passed by Congress in June 1866 and transmitted to the states for ratification that same month. In May and July 1866, riots against freed blacks took place in Memphis and New Orleans, respectively, killing between 70 and 250 people and underscoring the ongoing danger of political reaction, spurred on by the Democratic Party. Vorenberg notes that on August 20, 1866, three weeks after the New Orleans massacre, Johnson issued a declaration proclaiming the insurrection is at an end and that Peace, order, tranquility, and civil authority now exist in and throughout the whole of the United States of America. Though the wars fighting had ended, the 14th Amendment had yet to be ratified as the president forged an alliance with the defeated Slaveocracy. The Civil War Amendments and Reconstruction Actthe political culmination of military conquest To Vorenberg, the answer to the question of when the war ended, as a political matter, appears to lie in the passage of the Reconstruction Act in March 1867, which specified that states would remain under military rule unless and until they ratified the 14th Amendment, provided freed Black males the right to vote, and barred insurrectionists from obtaining public office. While Vorenberg notes that The Reconstruction Act did not settle all or even most of the end-of-war questions, he states that it did provide clear answers to two of the questions at least. First, it resolved who was in charge of the war: Congress, not the president. Second, it specified when the war would be over. It would happen on the day that all of the former states of the Confederacy were represented in Congress. In other words, when all of the once rebellious states had met the conditions imposed on them by the Reconstruction Act, the war would end. This is correct in the following sense: The political tasks of the American Civil Warthe second bourgeois revolutionculminated in the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, achieved with the aid of the Reconstruction Act. The notion that Congress could set terms for the reintroduction of states into the union based on Sumners and Stevens theory of state suicide was a critical element of this legal codification of the battlefield achievements of the Union army. Had abolition, congressional enforcement power, equal protection, birthright citizenship and male suffrage been left as acts of Congress, they would have been subject to repeal by a simple majority of future congresses. Vorenbergs epilogue, however, descends into ambiguity in a way that undermines the otherwise important content of his study. He retreats into academic abstractions, noting that the movement to rethink the temporal and spatial boundaries of the Civil War is gaining ground. He refers to far-right, Reconstruction-era violence against freed African Americans with a comparison to contemporary imperialist wars that misses the mark entirely: There is little consensus on what this phase should rightly be calleda war of Reconstruction? a war against insurgency? a war of occupation?or how long it lasted. It is no coincidence that the debates echo those over the proper names and dates of the recent US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As always, the present shapes the past. So will the future. We are not done asking the question: When was the civil war over? This leaves the door open to the position (a favorite among middle class radicals and proponents of identity politics) that the political aims of the war were left unresolved, that even if slavery was legally abolished, the tasks of the bourgeois revolution are incomplete. But if this is true, it follows that there is a faction of the American ruling class with progressive tasks left to accomplish. But every contemporary issue, from the genocide of the people of Palestine and escalating global war to skyrocketing social inequality, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Trump administrations efforts to establish a dictatorship, shows that there is no genuine opposition to the destruction of democracy from any faction of the ruling class. Unlike in the 1860s, there is no progressive political representative of American capitalism. A key political lesson must be drawn from this historic fact: The task of defending the democratic and egalitarian essence of the American Revolution and Civil War falls to the working class. Marx understood this as early as 1865. As he wrote to Lincoln on behalf of the First International that year: The workingmen of Europe feel sure that, as the American War of Independence initiated a new era of ascendancy for the middle class, so the American Antislavery War will do for the working classes. Nikos Michaloliakos, the leader of the fascist Golden Dawn political party speaks during a pre-election rally, in Athens, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015. [AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis] A little under two weeks ago, on September 12 , the Greek fascist Nikos Michaloliakos was released early from prison into home detention. The Court of Appeal in Lamia granted his application for release on health grounds. The notorious leader of the Greek neo-Nazi party Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn) had been sentenced in 2020 to 13 years and six months in prison after his party was classified as a criminal organisation. The Holocaust denier and admirer of Hitler bears responsibility for numerous acts of violence against left-wingers and migrants. Having served not even half his sentence, he may now serve the remainder under house arrest in his hometown of Pefki, north-east of Athens. Refugees, by contrast, are monitored with electronic ankle tags since the latest tightening of the asylum law and are thrown into prison if they are denied asylum. One can be certain the neo-Nazis will eagerly assist the police in tracking down and violently arresting these desperate people. As early as May 2024, Michaloliakos had been conditionally released for the first time but had to return to prison after a month because he continued to spread his fascist agitation in online articles. Since there was a suspicion he might commit further offences, his continued imprisonment was ordered. The renewed release of Michaloliakos sends an unmistakable message: neo-Nazis who terrorise workers and refugees need not fear spending years behind bars. On the contrary, the fascists are needed. The faster the social crisis in Greece intensifies, and strikes and protests challenge the government under the right-wing New Democracy (ND), the more strongly the ruling class will rely on far-right forces and goon squads to divide and suppress the working class. This dangerous logic can be observed across the world, especially in the United States under the fascist Donald Trump and in Britain under the Starmer government. The timing of Michaloliakos release was also chosen deliberately. It took place almost simultaneously with the twelfth anniversary of the murder of the left-wing hip-hop musician Pavlos Fyssas. On September 18, 2013, in the working-class district of Keratsini, a suburb of Piraeus, Fyssas was attacked by a group of neo-Nazis and stabbed to death by a member of Golden Dawn. The murder sparked major protests against the fascist threat. As the online newspaper ThePressProject reports, lawyers for the Fyssas family condemned the decision to release Michaloliakos as scandalous and warned: The message is clear: preferential treatment for crimes of the extreme right and of National Socialism [Nazism]. The criminal organisation has not been eliminated; it continues to exist. The victims mother, Magda Fissa, also voiced her anger at the outcome of the court proceedings to the broadcaster SKAI: So this is justice. The fascists out [of jail], those practising solidarity in. The murder of Fyssas was the climax of the right-wing terror carried out by Golden Dawns thugs during the years of economic crisis. Two further attacks at the time caused outrage and were examined in the court case against the party: In June 2012, a far-right mob attacked four Egyptian fishermen in the early hours at their lodgings in Perama, a suburb of the port city of Piraeus. Shouting racist slogans, they beat the workers with truncheons and iron bars, seriously injuring several victims. In September 2013, a few days before the murder of Fyssas, two armed neo-Nazi squads attacked trade unionists of the Stalinist organisation PAME in Athens; nine injured had to be treated in hospital. Michaloliakos founded the Nazi organisation Golden Dawn in 1980 and has led it ever since. Hitler salutes, torchlit marches, the Horst Wessel Song and Nazi literature are part of its standard repertoire. Prospective members must read Hitlers Mein Kampf and Goebbels writings. Its political and ideological roots go back to the anti-communist Metaxas dictatorship of the 1930s and the Greek military junta of 19671974. As the WSWS has shown, there are close links between Golden Dawn and the Greek state, particularly among police and military circles. It is no coincidence that the party gained influence during the Greek financial and debt crisis from 2009/2010. It was systematically promoted politically, received large donations from business, and was given media attention. When Greek governmentsunder ND, the social-democratic PASOK and the pseudo-left Syriza (Coalition of the Radical Left)enforced the European Unions and International Monetary Funds austerity diktats with merciless severity, democratic rights were simultaneously curtailed and authoritarian structures strengthened to suppress ongoing resistance by workers to wage and pension cuts. In this situation, Golden Dawn proved highly useful to the ruling elite, terrorising workers and refugees with its incitement and paramilitary units. Golden Dawns breakthrough came when the far-right party Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) was included in the technocratic government in 2011 at the suggestion of EU representatives. This stepunprecedented since the end of the military juntamade far-right positions respectable again. While LAOS discredited itself, Golden Dawns fascists entered parliament for the first time in the May 2012 electionswith 6.97 percent of the vote and 21 seats. In the 2014 European election they even won 9.3 percent and became the third strongest force. Golden Dawns most important stronghold is within the police. In the 2012 elections, over half of Greek police officers voted for the neo-Nazis. Police continue to work hand in glove with the far-right. Their motorcycle units are notorious for carrying out assaults on refugees and demonstrators. In both the Fyssas murder and the attack on the trade unionists, police officers were, according to witness statements, nearby but did not intervene. In the trial against Golden Dawn, which began in 2015, the obvious collusion of the police with the neo-Nazis was indeed raised in evidence, but had no legal consequences. Instead, the myth was spread that the state was now taking serious action against the fascists. The trial ended in 2020 with the conviction of all 68 defendants for murder, membership of a criminal organisation, grievous bodily harm, or unlawful possession of weapons. They received prison sentences of between five and 13 years. The murderer of Fyssas, Giorgos Roupakias, was sentenced to life imprisonment. The early release of Michaloliakos exposes the role of Syriza and other pseudo-left organisations, which five years ago hailed the verdict against Golden Dawn as a milestone and a turning point for the struggles of the working class. Now Syriza laments that the early release contravenes the democratic convictions of the Greek population and the fundamental principles of the rule of law. It is time, it says, for democratic parties, social movements, collectives and all democratic citizens to intensify their struggle against fascism in all its forms and against fascist practices. From the mouth of the party that itself formed a governing coalition in 2015 with the ultra-right ANEL (Independent Greeks) and, with its policy of social butchery, strengthened the far-right, this statement represents nothing but scorn and hypocrisy. At the same time, Syriza fuels the dangerous illusionby appealing to the rule of law and democratic partiesthat one can rely on the judiciary and the capitalist parties in the fight against the fascists. The WSWS warned, after the 2020 court judgement, against the pseudo-lefts jubilation: These assessments are not only naive, but politically criminal. They disarm the working class in the face of the fascist threat that has by no means been banished following the ruling against Chrysi Avgi. Samaras and Mitsotakis have not transformed themselves into anti-fascists and broken blood ties with the Nazis, but have rather embraced their policies. Indeed, the ruling ND party, in office since Syrizas defeat in 2019, has implemented the far-rights programme ever more openly and aggressively. It has hollowed out the welfare state, attacked fundamental workers rights such as the right to strike, criminalised refugees and driven them to their deaths, spread nationalist incitement, and massively intensified military rearmament. Moreover, in recent years ND has taken several far-right figures into its ranks and elevated them to high positions, including three ministers who were formerly members of the far-right LAOS party and make no secret of their fascist and anti-migrant positions: Adonis Georgiadis, currently health minister; Makis Voridis, migration minister until June of this year; and his successor Thanos Plevris, formerly health minister and now migration minister. The neo-Nazi thugs have by no means disappeared or been politically defeated. Michaloliakos erstwhile right-hand man, the fascist Ilias Kasidiaris, founded a new neo-Nazi formation from prison in 2020 (National PartyThe Greeks). When his participation in the 2023 elections was banned by court ruling, he gave his full backing to the far-right Spartiates, who entered parliament with 12 seats. The parliamentary group had to dissolve this summer due to allegations of voter fraud, which does not change the fact that the neo-Nazis stand ready as paramilitary goon squads. The imprisonmentand now the early releaseof fascists is, for the rulers, a tactical question, as the WSWS has explained: If the Hitler admirer Michaloliakos and his closest associates must now spend several years behind bars, after they were given state sanction to assault refugees, terrorise workers, and murder left-wing activists, this is above all for tactical reasons. The government fears that the mounting opposition towards the Nazis could become a threat to bourgeois rule itself. The decision to let their fascist bloodhounds loose against workers and immigrants, keep them on a tight leash to intimidate opposition, or temporarily detain them has always been a tactical consideration for the ruling class based solely on considerations of expediency. In Germany, the SA, the paramilitary arm of the Nazis, was banned as late as April 1932 because there was a risk that an armed confrontation with the working class would have resulted in the victory of the workers. Just nine months later, the ruling class entrusted Hitler with the leadership of the government and granted him dictatorial powers. This warning applies today more than evernot only to Greece but equally to Germany, France, Britain and the United States. Anyone who truly wants to combat the influence of fascists like Nikos Michaloliakos and his neo-Nazi gangs must not look to the state, nor to pseudo-left parties like Syriza, nor to the Antifa actions of anarchists. The far-right can only be halted if the cause of fascism is abolished: the capitalist system. This political struggle requires the international unification of the working class in its own revolutionary partythe International Committee of the Fourth International. A National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) members meeting at Western Sydney University (WSU) last Thursday revealed widespread anger and dismay over the elimination of hundreds of jobs, with many staff members being forced to compete against each other for reclassified positions. Western Sydney University The meeting also demonstrated how far union officials are going to trap university workers in the sham consultation processes in enterprise bargaining agreements (EBAs) and oppose any unified fight against the estimated 4,000 job losses throughout Australias 39 public universities. During the meeting, the fraud of WSUs change proposal consultation became glaring. Many people reported receiving demeaning treatment and being forced to reapply for their jobs. Multiple Q&A sessions in different faculties and departments had proved to be an insult, with questions unanswered and management refusing to provide responses. There were multiple stories in the online meeting and the zoom chat about the trauma being created by the arbitrary process, with managements dictates sometimes changing in the middle of the three-week token consultation period, reversing previous assurances of individual job security. In a typical comment, one member said the process was flawed. Another spoke about the psychologically unsafe conditions being created by the uncertainty and stress. Others said people feared making submissions because they anticipated management retribution. Nevertheless, NTEU branch president David Burchell implored members to just keep sending feedback to the union so it could make final change consultation submissions before managements deadline last Friday. This is under conditions where around 750 positions and roles have been disestablished, but only about 300 corresponding roles proposed in the new WSU structure. About a third of the workforce, especially professional staff members, are being affected. This disaster is the result of the NTEUs own advice to management to impose its cuts via voluntary redundancies and the cosmetic change process in the union-management EBAs. A previous online meeting of WSU NTEU members on July 3 voted by 99 percent for stoppages of up to 24 hours and by 78 percent for indefinite strikes against managements cost-cutting plans. But the NTEU officials kept this vote tied to seeking to negotiate another EBA with WSU management, which could take months, and opposed a call by WSU Rank-and-File Committee member Michael Head for a unified campaign across the universities. Last month, the NTEU and the other main campus union, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), struck a deal with WSU vice chancellor George Williams to halt any plans for industrial action, in return for management utilising the EBA change process to achieve its cost-cutting target. Williams reported that this deal was the result of constructive conversations with the two unions. On August 14, the NTEUs Burchell enthusiastically hailed the pact. In an email to NTEU members, Burchell said he was pleased to report that an element of decency and stability has been imposed on what has been a chaotic process. As the WSU Rank-and-File Committee warned, by decency and stability, Burchell meant a process for achieving managements jobs cut target without any industrial action. Burchell said NTEU representatives had met with Williams in an effort to avert potential industrial disputation over the change process. In other words, the unions focus was on preventing any industrial action. This was a signal of a partnership with management to stifle opposition to the job destruction at WSU and nationally. On September 9, assured of the unions cooperation, Williams dismissed their last-minute requests to halt and restart the change process, the fraud of which had become increasingly obvious to WSU workers. He insisted that management was on track to rapidly issue its final change plans by October 3. At last Thursdays members meeting, NTEU senior industrial officer Joshua Garva backed Burchell, declaring that it was important to enforce good EBA conditions. In reality, the EBA Organisational Change clauses offer little or no protection against retrenchments. Management only has to assert that the work of a targeted staff member is no longer required or can be accommodated within the workloads of remaining staff. The EBAs provide for a spill and fill competition between employees for any vacancies. Clause 46.33 of the NTEUs academic EBA at WSU states: If there are 2 or more eligible Employees being considered for placement in a suitable new or vacant position in the new structure, placement will be determined using a merit-based selection process. Burchell said the NTEU was placing the dispute in the hands of the Fair Work Commission (FWC), the federal Labor governments pro-employer industrial tribunal. That is a well-worn means of unions tying workers up in the capitalist courts, further blocking industrial action. Garva claimed that the union had achieved a huge victory at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra by forcing the resignation of its vice chancellor. But ANUs replacement interim vice chancellor stated that management had already achieved its job cutting target, making further forced retrenchments unnecessary. Nearly 1,100 staff have been forced out since last year. Garvas claim was just as false as the NTEUs earlier boast of securing a reprieve from the looming 400 job cuts at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) after SafeWork NSW initially ordered a pause to prevent psychological harm. SafeWork NSW reversed that pause within days, giving a green light for a sped-up timeline of job destruction. The job elimination at WSU is typical of what is happening under the Albanese Labor government throughout the university sector. The government is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on the military, including via the AUKUS pact against China, while intensifying the financial pressure on the universities to restructure to align with the underlying war agenda and other national priorities set out in last years Universities Accord report. That financial pressure includes slashing international student enrolments and continuing the previous Liberal-National governments Job-ready Graduates scheme that hiked the cost of three-year humanities degrees to more than $50,000, while cutting the funding to universities for delivering them. From January 1, each universitys funding will be tied to a mission-based compact with the governments new Australian Tertiary Education Commission to contribute to national priorities. Led by Williams and Chancellor Jennifer Westacott, a former Business Council of Australia CEO, WSU management is seeking to meet Labors demands through a Western 2030 Strategic Plan. University staff and students have to break out of the union straitjacket by forming rank-and-file committees (RFCs), independent of the unions, to fight for their educational and financial needs, not the dictates of the Labor government, the financial markets and the war machine. RFCs can link up with workers everywhere and with Educators Rank-and-File Committee in the US, where the Trump administration is demolishing public education, through the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). As outlined at an online public meeting last month, the WSU and Macquarie University Rank-and-File Committees are calling for a unified campaign throughout the working class against the job cuts and pro-corporate, pro-military reshaping of tertiary education. We say: Halt and reverse the thousands of job cuts and the resulting sky-rocketing workloads. Stop the cuts to international student enrolments. Free first-class education for all students instead of channelling billions of dollars into preparations for US-led wars. This is part of the broader struggle for a socialist perspective, against capitalism itself and its agenda of war and attacks on the working class. We urge staff and students to contact us to take up this essential fight, via the Committee for Public Education (CFPE), the educators rank-and-file network. Contact the CFPE: Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/commforpubliceducation Twitter: CFPE_Australia Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will depart the US tomorrow, without having held a formal meeting with President Donald Trump. During his visit to New York, Albanese joined with several other countries in an utterly hypocritical recognition of a Palestine they are helping to ethnically cleanse. He sought to drum up business investment from Wall Street speculators and delivered his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses the UN General Assembly in New York, September 24, 2025. [Photo: UN Photo] Whatever Albanese may now say, it was clear enough that those engagements came a distant second to the real purpose of the visit, which was to meet with Trump. After the US leader effectively stood Albanese up at the June G7 summit, departing Canada before a scheduled meeting, Albanese and Australian officials declared that there would be another opportunity in New York in September. But it was not to be. Albanese is the only leader of a close US ally not to have had a formal meeting with Trump since the latter won the US presidential election last November. That is increasingly a topic of discussion in Australian domestic politics, prompting handwringing over the state of the US-Australian alliance. As if to ensure that Albanese did not leave entirely empty handed, the White House announced that a meeting would be held in Washington on October 20. Based on past experience, though, theres no guarantee that it will not be cancelled before then. And even if it is not, Albanese will be compelled to make a previously unscheduled trip to the US, amid a series of regional summits in Asia. At a dinner on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Albanese was able to take a selfie with Trump, which he rapidly posted to social media. Whatever the erratic functioning of Trumps White House, it is fairly evident that pressure is being placed on Albaneses Labor government. That has been publicly indicated, with unprecedented demands from senior US officials that Australia massively increase its military spending, above already record levels, and give even greater commitments to participate in a US-led conflict with China than it already has. In the lead-up to the visit, Labor was clearly desperate to meet what it perceived to be the conditions for securing a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Albanese. In late August, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles made a sudden and unexplained visit to Washington, where he not only met with his US counterparts but also with key Trump insiders, such as White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Only upon Marles return did the press report that the trip had been an effort to smooth the way for a meeting between Trump and Albanese. Marles was deployed because of his reputation as a militarist figure with close ties to the military-intelligence apparatus. Then, in the weeks immediately preceding Albaneses departure for New York, he and Marles made announcements aimed at demonstrating they were pressing ahead with an anti-China build-up. That included unveiling a new fleet of ghost shark marine drones, which are capable of firing missiles, and pledging the first $12 billion of a broader commitment to transform Perth, the capital of Western Australia, into a naval hub at the service of the US military. At the same time, Albanese sought to demonstrate his governments role in the broader regional drive against China. He tried, and failed, to ram through defence agreements with Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, which would have committed them to a permanent military relationship with Australia and given Canberra scope to block the Pacific Island countries from entering into relationships with China. The treaties were not signed, with prominent political figures in both countries correctly noting that Australias neo-colonial pacts would undermine their sovereignty. Whether the setback in the Pacific played a role in Trumps latest snub of Albanese is not clear. But the fact that the pressure remains on his Labor government points to the scale of the US demands upon its allies. Labor has already increased defence spending to more than $50 billion annually. It is equipping all branches of the military with strike capabilities, especially missiles. Under the AUKUS pact with the US and the UK, Labor has committed to spending a staggering $368 billion to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. As part of that, it is subsidising the American military ship-building sector to the tune of several billion dollars, with Marles already having handed over more than half a billion dollars in an arrangement that has the character of tribute. But US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth publicly demanded earlier this year that US allies in the Indo-Pacific increase their defence spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product, in the context of Washingtons aggression against Beijing. He even set an immediate target for Australia of 3.5 percent, far above the current level of just over 2 percent and equating to tens of billions more a year than is already spent. The exact contents of the backroom demands and the extent of the arm-twisting are not known. But it is clear that the Labor government is desperate to retain AUKUS, which is under review by the Trump administration, and to deepen its already intimate partnership with an American imperialism that is at war with the world. As part of that, the Labor government is helping to normalise the undeniably fascistic and anti-democratic rule of Trump. Albanese and his Foreign Minister Penny Wong sat through Trumps hour-long diatribe at the UN General Assembly this week. Trump frenetically denounced any, even nominal, action to address climate change. He declared that Europe was being overrun by immigrants and insisted that its governments begin the same sort of mass roundups that he is carrying out in America. And he proclaimed the right of American imperialism to enforce its interests everywhere, in contempt of even a semblance of international law and diplomatic norms. Albanese told the media he was pleased to have been able to sit through Trumps Hitler-esque rant. Pressed on the torrent of reaction that had spewed forth from Trump, Albanese would not differ with the fascist leader on a single issue, blandly noting that what was said at the UN was consistent with what Trump had said before. Albaneses own address to the General Assembly had a groveling character. He pushed the case for Australia to be admitted as an observer to the UN Security Council. His speech contained hymns of praise to the United Nations, together with warnings of mounting conflicts and uncertainty. He made it clear where Australia stood in those conflicts. Having desperately fawned over the leader of an American imperialism that is on a war path, Albanese denounced Russia for its role in the US-NATO instigated conflict in Ukraine. He boasted of his governments expulsion of the Iranian ambassador last month, on the basis of unsubstantiated and utterly improbable accusations that that country played a role in murky acts of antisemitic vandalism in Australia. While calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East, Albanese said nothing about Israels mass slaughter of the Palestinians or its explicit aim of ethnically cleansing Gaza. His only explicit reference to the besieged Strip was to declare that the terrorists of Hamashave no role in Gazas future. In his pathetic attempts to secure a meeting with the gangster in the White House and his alignment with the global US war drive on every front, Albanese summed up Australias role as a grasping middle-order imperialist power. Law enforcement agents look around the roof of an apartment building near the scene of a shooting at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. [AP Photo/Julio Cortez] Early Wednesday morning, a sniper from a rooftop fired multiple rounds at immigrants being transferred at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Dallas, Texas. As of this writing at least one detained immigrant has been killed and two others are seriously injured. So far, the names of the immigrants killed/injured have not been released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Mexican Consulate General in Dallas confirmed that one of those critically injured is from Mexico. The killing of at least one immigrant on Wednesday marks at least the 16th killing of a person while in the custody of the immigration Gestapo this year. Police claim the shooter, 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, took his own life with the rifle used in the attack as police were closing in on him. Reports indicate that Jahn did not have a violent history but was previously arrested in Collin County, Texas in 2015 for a marijuana possession charge. Police claim to have also recovered Jahns car, a blue Toyota Corolla. On the rear passenger panel of the vehicle, a paper map of the continental United States was affixed. The map featured large black blots across much of the country and was captioned: Radioactive fallout from nuclear detonations have passed over these areas more than 2x since 1951. A vehicle with a sign posted on the side was searched by cops near the scene of a shooting at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. [AP Photo/Julio Cortez] As of this writing, no motive has been advanced to explain the shooting. While only immigrants were injured or killed, it is unclear if Jahn was targeting immigrants or ICE agents. Photos indicate multiple rounds were fired not only at the van carrying the immigrants but also at the building itself. While there is still much not known about the shooter or his motives, this has not prevented the Trump administration and Republicans from seizing on the killing of immigrants to attack their political opponents and advance their fascist political agenda. Similar to the shooting of fascist political operative Charlie Kirk, the Dallas attack is being used by the ruling class to attack the democratic rights of everyone. Less than two hours after the attack began, FBI Director Kash Patel claimed there was an idealogical [sic] motive behind this attack. Patel posted a picture of five cartridges on the wet pavement. On one the cartridges the phrase ANTI-ICE was written in a blue marker. It is unclear if Jahn wrote this message. ANTI-ICE is a not a popular slogan used by opponents of ICE or Trumps mass deportation operation. In an interview with Reuters, Jason Jahn, Joshuas brother, said Joshua was not interested in politics and did not express either anti-ICE or anti-immigration views. Jason said he had never once heard him talk about ICE and was shocked by the alleged inscription on the bullets. Less than two weeks ago, following the killing of Charlie Kirk, Republicans claimed one of the bullets inscribed by the shooter indicated clear antifascist ideology. Once the full text on the cartridge was revealed, however, it was confirmed that the shooter was not motivated by antifascist politics but was instead referencing a popular video game. The New York Times reported that Jahn had an extensive online record, including two Reddit accounts where he talked about video games, cars, South Park and marijuana. The Times reported that Jahn lived with his parents in a far north Dallas suburb as recently as a few months ago. Following the attack, local news captured FBI agents outside the Dallas-area home, as well as a home tied to Jahns family in Durant, Oklahoma on Wednesday afternoon. The Associated Press reported that a spokesperson for Collin College in McKinney, Texas confirmed that a person named Joshua Jahn took classes at the school various times between 2013 and 2018. The AP also reported that in 2017, Jahn worked at a legal marijuana farm in Washington as a harvester. Ryan Sanderson, owner of the farm, told the AP, Hes a young kid a thousand miles from home, didnt really seem to have any direction, living out of his car at such a young age. Sanderson did not recall Jahn being that abnormal. He didnt seem to fight with anyone or cause trouble. He kept his head down and stayed working. Sanderson told the AP he tried to keep Jahn on the farm longer because he felt bad for him. While no clear motive has emerged, this has not prevented Republicans, including President Donald Trump, from designating the killer as a politically motivated left-wing extremist. On his social media account Trump fumed: This is despicable! The Brave Men and Women of ICE are just trying to do their jobs, and remove the WORST of the WORST Criminals out of our Country, but they are facing an unprecedented increase in threats, violence, and attacks by Deranged Radical Leftists. This violence is the result of the Radical Left Democrats constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to Nazis. The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirks assassination, must be stopped. ICE Officers, and other Brave Members of Law Enforcement, are under grave threat. We have already declared ANTIFA a Terrorist Organization, and I will be signing an Executive Order this week to dismantle these Domestic Terrorism Networks. I AM CALLING ON ALL DEMOCRATS TO STOP THIS RHETORIC AGAINST ICE AND AMERICAS LAW ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT NOW! The Trump Administration is fully committed to backing Law Enforcement, Strong Borders, securing our Homeland, deporting Violent Illegal Criminals, and fully rooting out the Left Wing Domestic Terrorism that is terrorizing our Country. Thank you for your attention to this matter! On X, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted roughly an hour after the attack began that there were multiple injuries and fatalities without clarifying that none of those injured were police agents. She added: While we dont know motive yet, we know that our ICE law enforcement is facing unprecedented violence against them. It must stop. In a Fox News appearance following the shooting, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Patricia McLaughlin said it was incumbent on Democrats, including Gavin Newsom, AOC, Hakeem Jeffries, to tone down the rhetoric, which she said was directly contributing to the violence against our law enforcement. Speaking in front of a black police urban assault vehicle in Concord, North Carolina, Vice President JD Vance claimed the shooter was a violent left-wing extremist and that there is some evidence that we have thats not yet public but we know this person was politically motivated, they were politically motivated to go after law enforcement. They were politically motivated to go after people who were enforcing our border. And I think that is the most disgusting thing. Hours after this speech was given, neither Vance nor law enforcement have produced any corroborating evidence that the shooter was part of a left-wing group or had a particular disdain for police. This did not prevent Vance from blaming left-wing opponents of the Trump-Vance administration: If you want to stop political violence, stop attacking our law enforcement as the gestapo. If you want to stop political violence stop telling your supporters that everybody who disagrees with you is a Nazi. In 2016, before he excised what little was left of his ability to speak a truth (and before he became a political figure in the Republican Party), Vance publicly and privately characterized Trump as Americas Hitler. In a follow-up interview with NewsNation, Vance again asserted without evidence, We do feel pretty confident that this was a left-wing motivated political attack. Following this shooting and Kirks assassination, Vance said, I think, in particular, my Democrat colleagues need to ask some very hard questions about why it is that folks from their side of the political aisle seem to be engaged in these politically motivated attacks. Vance called on Democrats to police some of the violent rhetoric on their side. ICE agents are widely hated not because of Democratic Party rhetoric, which is non-existent or effusive in praise of ICE and the police, but because broad sections of the population, who still support democratic rights, including the right to asylum, are outraged over the daily attacks on workers and their families. Millions of people in the US, including workers and students, are hostile to the heavily armed, masked thugs kidnapping their co-workers, friends and family members. And they suspect that these forces will soon be turned against them the moment they resist the increasingly fascist Trump regime and the criminal financial oligarchy he represents. The police, including immigration agents, do not exist to protect the working class but to wage war on working class families and workers. Far from trying to tone down the rhetoric, Trump administration officials and the official DHS social media accounts regularly post fascistic content glorifying their criminal operations while dehumanizing immigrants. A video posted on X by DHS on September 22 compares immigrants to Pokemon cards, using the song, Catch em all, set to violent imagery of federal agents blowing open doors and placing people in chains. Following the post, DHS began posting Pokemon-style cards featuring immigrants taken by the agency along with their alleged crimes. As of September 7, over 58,000 people were being held in ICE concentration camps across the country. Over 70 percent of those held have no criminal record. Those kidnapped by ICE are forced to languish for weeks if not months in hellish concentration camps where they are routinely denied medical care and legal advice. While the government claims those kidnapped by immigration Gestapo are the criminals, in reality, workers and students, such as Rumeysa Ozturk, Mahmoud Khalil and Momadou Taal have been targeted for deportation for the crime of voicing opposition to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Ford Dearborn Truck Plant workers The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) demands an end to the intrusive searches of workers at Ford plants in Michigan and other states and the immediate reinstatement of every worker fired or suspended for refusing to have their personal belongings combed through by Ford security personnel. According to workers at the Dearborn Truck Plant, the unannounced searches have increased in recent weeks. Over the past few days, there have been multiple suspensions and terminations of workers who refused to be searched, including the two-week suspension of a worker with 25 to 30 years and no previous disciplinary issues. Many workers are demanding to know why United Auto Workers Local 600 officials, including Shop Chairman Nick Kotolis, have said and done nothing to protect them. In fact, the UAW bureaucracy has enthusiastically repeated company lies that the searches are to protect the safety of workers. No thinking worker believes this. First, workers were told the searches were needed to rid the factories of drugs and guns. But such supposed concerns about workers safety come from a profit-hungry corporation that subjects workers to physical and mental abuse every day. The excuse has now been shifted to theft preventionas if workers are squirreling away parts to build F-150s at home like some old Johnny Cash song! In reality, Ford lost $570 million due to recalls last quarter and another $800 million because of Trumps tariffs. There is only one reason for these intrusive searches: to intimidate workers and assert the unchallenged dictatorship of management. To corporate management and their cronies in the UAW bureaucracy, once a worker walks through the factory gates, they forfeit their constitutional rights. Rank-and-file workers in the auto industry and every sector must oppose the attack on Ford workers, said Will Lehman, a Mack Trucks worker and leader of the IWA-RFC. That means upholding the principle that An injury to one is an injury to all! and demanding the immediate reinstatement of all victimized workers, with full back pay, and a halt to these police state-style searches. He continued, Fords executives have been emboldened to trample over the rights of workers by Trumps deployment of ICE Gestapo agents to raid workplaces, including Hyundais EV battery plant in Georgia, and the military occupations of Los Angeles and Washington D.C. They have also been encouraged by the craven cowardice and complicity of UAW President Shawn Fain and the rest of the UAW apparatus with the Trump administration. In every factory and workplace, workers must build rank-and-file committees, controlled democratically by workers themselves, to discuss a strategy and prepare for collective action to defend democratic rights. A critical fight against dictatorship involves the fight to expand the democratic control of the workplace and end the corporate dictatorship enforced by both corporate-controlled parties and their cronies in the UAW bureaucracy. Workers should remember that their cherished rights were never attained without mass collective struggle, often in the face of the violent resistance of the corporate bosses, their police, judges and politicians. This was particularly true at Ford. In the early decades of the 20th century, the Ford Sociology Department regularly conducted intrusive, unannounced searches of workers homes and investigations into their private lives. This was to ensure that Ford workers, most of whom were highly exploited immigrants, adopted a lifestyle of sobriety, Christian virtue and American values, as Henry Ford defined it. Those who failed these home inspections were denied the much vaunted $5-a-day wage and told they had six months to adopt the right lifestyles or be terminated and starve. This is how Henry Ford, the worlds richest man and an avid admirer of the Nazis, lorded over his industrial slaves. It was only through the mass struggles of workers, led by socialists and left-wing militants, and the martyrdom of countless workers, including the 1932 Hunger Marchers, that workers finally smashed Fords network of industrial spies and thugs and won UAW recognition in 1941. There is much similarity with Trump and his government of oligarchs. The major difference is Ford does not have to rely on thugs like Harry Bennett and his servicemen. Today, they have the UAW bureaucrats to do their dirty work. Just 11 days after Trumps inauguration, on January 31, Ford brought in local police with dogs into the Michigan Assembly Plant. In February, the raids were expanded to the historic Ford Rouge Complex, with police and K-9 units sent into the Dearborn Truck and Rouge Electric Vehicle plants. The UAW bureaucracy supported these actions by Fords newly established Global Security Task Force. Scott Elliott, the UAW local president at the Michigan Assembly Plant, boasted that union officials would be working with the task forces safety monitors, i.e., undercover agents and industrial spies, being sent into every Ford plant in the US. In opposition to this, the Ford Workers Rank-and-File Committee issued a statement on February 16, titled, No police, no dogs, no undercover agents in our factories! Build rank-and-file committees in every plant! The statement read in part: No matter what the bureaucrats from Solidarity House or the locals say, we do not give up our constitutional rights when we walk into the plant. Under the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution, enacted into law in 1792 and upheld ever since, no agency of government, no company nor individual has the right to conduct unreasonable searches and seizures of our property or our persons, no matter where they may occur. The committee demanded no police in the plants, an end to ICE raids, and the building of rank-and-file committees in every plant to fight job cuts, restore pensions and defend democratic rights. This statement and others were read and circulated by thousands of workers, forcing Ford to temporarily back off. But over the last month, the provocative searches resumed, and workers who uphold their rights have been threatened with disciplinary action. Ford has now moved to make an example of these workers. In this they are following the playbook of Trump, who has exploited the killing of right-wing ideologue Charlie Kirk to demand the firing of anyone critical of his dictatorial policies, from Jimmy Kimmel to teachers, airline workers and others. These victimizations are also a preemptive strike. Ford and UAW officials know that workers will resist the job cuts and other sacrifices that management will be demanding in the coming months amid growing signs of recession and the transformation of US industry for war. The company is conducting a world-wide cost-cutting campaign, including slashing 2,900 jobs two weeks ago in Cologne, Germany, as it moves to close Fords largest European plant. That is why the fight to reinstate victimized workers and halt the searches will be a critical part of mobilizing the industrial power of workers against fascism and dictatorship. To support the fight to reinstate victimized workers and halt the police state-style searches, fill out the form below. Jacobin conference, September 13, 2025 Jacobin magazine, the most prominent publication linked to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), held a conference in New York City under the banner Socialism in Our Time on September 13 to mark its 15th anniversary. The event, which drew around 200 participants, epitomized the moods of pessimism, demoralization, and political paralysis promoted by the DSA to serve a specific political function: to channel opposition to inequality and war back behind the Democratic Party, of which the DSA is a faction. Throughout the course of the 10-hour gathering, Jacobin offered scarcely any appraisal of the political situation in the United States. Instead of clarifying the scale of the crisis or outlining a perspective for struggle, the conference sought to cultivate resignation and lower expectations. Jacobin on the extraordinary stability of capitalism The conferences disconnect from the political and social crisis in the United States was epitomized in a panel titled, Is there a social democratic road to socialism? In his opening remarks, Jacobin contributor Paul Heideman dismissed the idea that crises in capitalism create opportunities for socialist revolution, declaring, It turns out that the social structure of capitalism is actually not very unstable. Its actually quite stable. Democratic capitalism in particular is an extraordinarily stable social system, viewed in the long run of human history, Heideman declared. State collapse of the kind that was necessary for the Russian Revolution, for the Chinese Revolution, is all but unheard of in democratic capitalist societies. Heidamans statement about the extraordinary stability of democratic capitalism, which went unchallenged, came as the Trump administration was preparing to exploit the killing of Charlie Kirk in order to sanctify a fascist agitator as a national hero, criminalize opposition and dismantle the last remnants of constitutional government. No panelists addressed the significance of the Trump administrationits deployment of the military in US cities, fascistic campaign against immigrants and open rejection of constitutional limitsor the deeper processes driving the collapse of democratic rule: unprecedented inequality, Americas declining global position, massive debt, the breakdown of postwar alliances and the acceleration of war, including genocide in Gaza and conflict between nuclear-armed powers. On its pages, Jacobin carries out a continuous cover-up of the Trump administrations actions. It has published nothing on the fascist rally held over the weekend as a memorial for Kirk. The reality of dictatorship must be denied because Jacobin is irreconcilably opposed to what flows from this reality: the necessity for a revolutionary response. For the upper-middle-class layers that dominate Jacobin, the impossibility of socialism, infused with utter complacency, is an absolute premise of their politics. In the opening session, Jacobin co-founder Bhaskar Sunkara joked that when he first joined the DSA it felt like the end of the movement. His DSA mentor, David Duhalde, recalled the prevailing outlook as one of no alternative to neoliberalism. The subsequent growth of the DSA, they explained, was largely a happy accident of Bernie Sanders labeling himself a democratic socialist and nearly winning the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, though Duhalde stressed that the DSAs integration into the Sanders campaign allowed them to capitalize on opposition once Trump took office. In a later panel, Jacobin editor Micah Uetricht admitted that he could not even imagine DSA member Zohran Mamdani winning the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City, until the moment Andrew Cuomo finally conceded. Perhaps the clearest expression of the prevailing outlook that day came from Jacobin and Left Notes writer Neal Meyer, who told the audience: I apologize to the organizers of the conference who gave the conference a very optimistic title, Socialism in Our Time. I think the gist of what were all saying is that the title should actually be something like, Socialism at Some Point in the Future, Question Mark. We probably wouldnt get as many people here, but it might have been more intellectually honest. Later in the discussion, Meyer returned to the theme that socialism is a distant, unattainable goal. We dont know how many hundreds of years might go by until we enter into a different economic order, he said. The notion that socialism lies centuries in the future, if it comes at all, did not prevent Jacobin from convening a panel titled, The Blueprint: Socialism after Capitalism. Panelist Ben Burgis defended the drawing up of such utopian schemes, even if never realized, as a way to persuade people of socialisms desirability. Yet even in this exercise, the panelists could not imagine socialism beyond the framework of minor reforms, relying on the tools that Keynesianism gave us. The combination of these two seemingly contradictory ideasthat socialism is off the table for the foreseeable future and that it is nonetheless necessary to draw up a plan for socialismis not unique to Jacobin and follows a definite logic. WSWS International Editorial Board Chairman David North, in a polemic written two years before Jacobins founding, explained: The task of the Marxist movement was not to spur the workers on with the mirage of an illusory utopia, but, rather to develop, within the advanced sections of the working class, a scientific understanding of history as a law-governed process, a knowledge of the capitalist mode of production and the social relations to which it gives rise, and an insight into the real nature of the present crisis and its world-historical implications... This conception is opposed by those who see no basis for socialism in the objective conditions created by capitalism itself, who have been demoralized by the experience of defeats and setbacks, and who neither understand the nature of the capitalist crisis nor perceive the revolutionary potential of the working class... Jacobin, which advertised its conference with a poster of Karl Marx, is in fact bitterly hostile to Marxism, particularly to its founders insistence that the working class organize itself independently of all factions of the bourgeoisie. For Jacobin and the DSA, there is no crisis of capitalism and therefore no objective basis for socialism, and certainly no need to mobilize the working class in opposition to the Democratic Party and the ruling class. The Democratic Party politics of the Mamdani campaign This role of channeling leftward-moving sentiment into the dead end of the Democratic Party was most clearly expressed in the panel titled, Municipal Socialism and Its Limits: The Mamdani Moment in New York City. With Zohran Mamdani poised to become mayor of New York in November, the DSA will likely have one of its own leading the largest city in the country and the center of global finance capital. Mamdani won support on pledges to confront the affordability crisis and on the popular rejection of the pro-corporate Democratic establishment and its capitulation to Trump. But since securing the Democratic nomination in June, he has gone out of his way to reassure the party leadership and the corporate and financial elite that he can be trusted to serve their interestsa clear indication of what is to come in January and beyond. The unstated premise of the Jacobin panel was acceptance of the central fraud of Mamdanis campaign, that the Democratic Party can be transformed into a vehicle for the working class, while justifying Mamdanis capitulations on the grounds of the supposed weakness of the left. Jacobin contributor and labor studies academic Eric Blanc said that, ideally, the DSA would have spent decades building up a base before taking executive power. In the present circumstances, however, the task is to reverse engineer a mass movement, with Mamdani providing the impulse for a mass movement, which in turn would give Mamdani the political room to enact his agenda. The aim of such a mobilization, Blanc said, would be to pressure the Democratic Party establishment: Unless theyre worried about getting voted out of office, they wont implement these policies and vote on his [Mamdanis] agenda. The need to restrain growing opposition was a common theme of the panel, underscoring Jacobins treacherous political role. Uetricht declared that we need a left that is mature enough to not turn on Mamdani after the election. Karen Narefsky, chief of staff for New York State Assemblymember and DSA member Phara Souffrant Forrest, stressed that its imperative for us to figure out how to handle big conflicts and tensions between our elected officials and organizations like the DSA. She added, The response cannot just be to shitpost on Twitter. It doesnt work. We cant squander this moment. The DSA and Jacobin are consciously working to block workers and youth from drawing the necessary political conclusions. They insist there is no viable break with the Democratic Party, even as, in Narefskys words, it is an existential question that Mamdani not succeed for the party establishment. For the Democrats, Mamdanis role is to channel opposition behind the Democratic Party; Jacobin and the DSA present this as proof there is still room for a political struggle within the party. This is a total fraud that must be repudiated. Jacobins program is tailored at every point to the interests of the affluent upper middle class. Its perspective is to chain workers and youth to the Democratic Party, paralyze opposition and ensure that no genuine struggle against capitalism and dictatorship develops. As the Socialist Equality Party statement on Saturday stressed, The Democrats, the unions and the media cultivate the myth of an all-powerful government while insisting that nothing can be done. This is a lie. What is lacking is not mass opposition but, rather, a political strategy to guide and organize the struggle against Trumps assault on democratic rights Our program is not for the pessimists, the skeptics and the demoralized, but for the fighters among workers, students, youth, professionals, artists and intellectuals. There is no time to lose. A mass protest in Lima on Sunday against the Boluarte government [Photo: ANDINA/Eddy Ramos] Union leaders have ended a 14-day indefinite strike involving 60,000 workers of EsSalud, Perus public healthcare agency, after reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion (MTPE). The agreement includes improvements in working conditions, budget increases, and provisions for collective bargaining, according to La Republica. However, the business newspaper Gestion highlighted concerns raised during the protests, such as shortages of medicines, non-functional medical equipment, and poor infrastructure, which are not adequately addressed. The language used promises anti-corruption measures. Still, it lacks substance, raising concerns about the credibility of President Dina Boluartes government and the right-wing political parties, especially Alianza Para el Progreso (APP), which support her in Congress, of fulfilling the signed agreement. Since the strike began on September 9, doctors, nurses and technicians have denounced the prevailing corruption within the administrative body of EsSalud. Notably, without consulting the membership, the agreement omitted the major call for the resignation of EsSalud President Segundo Acho, which was considered a non-negotiable demand for ending the strike. Amid allegations of mismanagement and corruption, Acho has faced criticism for his lack of qualifications and his connections to Cesar Acuna, a right-wing populist multimillionaire and founding leader of APP. Recent reports indicate that Health Minister Cesar Vasquez, also a member of APP and subordinate to Acuna, awarded lucrative hospital construction contracts to companies that appear to be mere fronts. Union representatives have also accused Segundo Acho of appointing officials without relevant healthcare experience and of favoring individuals based on their connections to APP. Acuna had previously fought state regulation of private universities and is now targeting the health sector. Throughout the strike, union leaders expressed concerns over potential privatization of certain services linked to corruption in management. The strikers demanded action against problematic agreements with private companies totaling over 4 billion soles (approximately US$1.15 billion), but the agreement with the MTPE leaves this demand unanswered. The end of the strike brings relief to tens of thousands of EsSalud affiliates where medical appointments, including surgeries, were delayed. Union leaders had emphasized the fight for better services for the 13 million members of the public health system, but this critical issue receives little attention in the signed agreement. The EsSalud strike and the resurgence of class struggle in Peru The EsSalud strike is part of a resurgence of class struggle in Peru, particularly among public sector workers who are demanding that previously made promises be fulfilled. Additionally, university students have started street protestsresulting in clashes with policeagainst the recently passed Law No. 32123, which requires students over the age of 18 to join and pay into a pension system. Many students, already unable to meet expenses due to the ongoing economic crisis, oppose this mandate. The majority of the 13 million Peruvians served by EsSalud are from the working and middle classesboth professionals and non-professionalswho rely on EsSalud for their families healthcare. In contrast, wealthier families tend to opt for more expensive private health insurance. EsSalud has become a significant target for corrupt politicians and entrepreneurs seeking to enrich themselves. With annual funding of about 17.477 billion soles (approximately US$5 billion) from member contributions, many exploit the system by diverting these funds to private contracts instead of investing in necessary medical equipment. The origins of the recent strike can be traced to the actions of current and past governments that uphold the neoliberal principles of the 1993 Constitution, which was imposed after the coup by then-President Alberto Fujimori in April 1992. The Fujimori Constitution was designed to favor both national and international capital by establishing a free-market economy, neglecting to provide adequate funding for institutions like EsSalud. It also promoted privatization and limited collective bargaining. While Fujimori claimed to respect labor rights, the Constitution introduced the concept of labor flexibility, leading to labor outsourcing and a fragmented workforce. Currently, around 7 million informal workers in Micro and Small Enterprises (MYPES) earn an average wage that is only 76 percent of the Minimum Living Wage (1,130 soles per month, US$3,875 per year), which is barely sufficient for survival. Why is this important? Recent struggles are raising the demand for collective negotiations, which may bring them into conflict with the 1993 Constitution. For the ruling class, the Fujimori Constitution is the holy grail. Any attempt to change it would detonate a fierce class war. Clashes with police During the 14-day strike, confrontations occurred between police and EsSalud workers on Salaverry Avenue, in front of the Ministries of Labor and Health (Minsa). Police used teargas to disperse workers who broke through barricades, and multiple arrests were reported. The indefinite strike saw other government employees and Lima Municipality workers staging marches to voice their demands, highlighting a rising struggle against the bourgeois state. There has been growing conflict over a collective agreement for 9,500 workers that was signed in early 2025 following mediation by the Ministry of Labor and Fentramip. Implementation of a new salary scale for Public Ministry workers has been postponed since March. On September 16, tens of thousands of CAS (Administrative Services Contract, a state labor regime for contract workers in the public sector) workers occupied Abancay Avenue, demanding collective bargaining. One protester stated, The state is abusing municipal workers. We need materials to perform our jobs effectively. The worker emphasized the necessity for unity among global workers. Minsa healthcare workers are also demanding benefits. With over 18,000 members and plans for 23,000 CAS employees by 2026, both Minsa and EsSalud are facing mismanagement and shortages. Protests are tied to earlier agreements from 2018 regarding bonuses and administrative staff reevaluation. Union leaders feared an escalation in the class struggle The union leadership shut down the strike as it became apparent that its continuation would lead to a confrontation with the bourgeois state. The Ministry of Labor declared the strike unlawful, warning of potential dismissals for those who failed to return to work. Although emergency services were operational, securing appointments became increasingly challenging, causing public anxiety. The dictatorial government of President Dina Boluarte signaled its aim of exploiting delays in medical treatment as a pretext to declare a state of emergency and deploy the military against healthcare workers and silence their demands for an end to corruption and theft at EsSalud. Boluartes government, along with its corrupt allies in Congress, attempted to blame and intimidate strikers. Boluartes disapproval rating exceeds 80 percent nationwide. Known as Dina Asesina [Murderer], her order to shoot protesters after she took power in December 2022following a CIA-supported coup against democratically elected President Pedro Castilloresulted in 49 deaths, including eight youth. The lifting of the EsSalud healthcare workers strike coincided with Boluartes speech at the UN General Assembly, where her remarks echoed the reactionary views of fascistic US President Donald Trump. She claimed her government was stable, while defending the recently passed amnesty for military personnel who carried out massive human rights violations during Perus dirty war. Boluartes alignment with Trump signals an escalation of the attacks on the working class. Over the past year, public transportation organizations staged 10 successful one-day strikes against citizen insecurity caused by extortionist mafias. These actions revealed a growing militancy among workers, peasants and youth to fight against the hated Boluarte regime. Their main demand was the repeal of Law 32108, which protects these corrupt entities and their political allies, but Congress ignored their calls. The growing movement of strikes and protests can advance only on the basis of a socialist program to overthrow the rule of the Peruvian bourgeoisie and its foreign partners in mining, petroleum, agribusiness and infrastructure. The parallels between Boluartes perspective and Trumps show that the struggle confronting the working class is a global one. The EsSalud and transportation strikes are significant steps toward uniting the Peruvian working class and forging unity with the international working class to confront the common enemycapitalism in crisis. The energy demand from data centers is expected to double by 2028, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. But the US power grid, full of aging infrastructure, years-long connection queues, and decades of stagnant industrial development, is largely unequipped to handle that demand today. Much of the answer may lie in "off-grid" power, in which data centers get energy directly from their own sources instead of waiting years to be plugged into the grid. And natural gas is positioned to meet a large share of this demand. "We're focused on directly powering data center facilities so that they don't have to wait for these multiyear grid expansions that, unfortunately, is what it takes in the United States," Chad Zamarin, CEO of pipeline operator Williams Companies, said at a conference in August. Shares of Expand Energy (EXE), the country's largest natural gas producer, are up more than 24% over the past year. Shares of fellow producers EQT Corporation (EQT) and Range Resources (RRC) are up more than 40% and more than 13%, respectively, while Williams Companies (WMB) is up more than 32%. Off-grid power can come from a variety of sources. In March 2024, Talen Energy (TLN) agreed to provide AWS (AMZN) with more than 1.9 gigawatts of energy from its nuclear Susquehanna Steam Electric Station to power a data center next to the plant. And other Big Tech players have promised to find renewable energy sources, like nuclear or solar power, for their AI ambitions. But these projects can take decades to bring on line, whereas a natural gas plant can take around five years, according to Morgan Stanley. And some of these plants are already on line. "Any market in the United States that has any significant renewables, the only reason why it works is because we've got natural gas capacity that picks up the slack when the sun sets and the wind slows down," Williams Companies' chief Zamarin said at a conference in September. And natural gas is already abundant in the US, cleaner than coal, and cheaper and faster to develop than nuclear power. In February, natural gas producer Energy Transfer (ET) signed an agreement with the data center operator CloudBurst to provide 1.2 gigawatts of off-grid power for a data center outside San Marcos, Texas. In September, asset manager Blackstone (BX) purchased a natural gas plant in Pennsylvania for more than $1 billion in a bet on future demand. The world's biggest tech companies are also looking to broker deals for natural gas. In December 2024, Meta (META) began work on a more than 2,000-acre site in Richland Parish, Louisiana, where it will spend $10 billion on a massive data center. When the Texas-based subprime auto lender Tricolor Holdings filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal posed the question as to whether it could be a canary in a subprime debt mine. New automobiles parked at the Port Newark Container Terminal in Newark, N.J., on March 27, 2025. [AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey] This week it was revealed that the US auto company, First Brands, involved in the manufacture of parts and highly dependent on debt, is facing bankruptcy with its creditors involved to the tune of billions of dollars. They include the private credit firm Jeffries and the Chicago-based UBS OConnor. A report in the Financial Times on Tuesday noted: The speed with which First Brands finances have deteriorated has shocked debt investors, who were already unnerved by the sudden collapse into bankruptcy of US subprime car lender Tricolor Holdings. The FT said the company had borrowed nearly $6 billion in private loans and has billions more in financing linked to its customer and supplier invoices, much of which is not reflected in its official debt figures. The total figure for the companys debt may be as much as $10 billion. Problems first emerged last month when First Brands reported that it had stopped a planned refinancing operation because investors had raised concerns about its financial reporting, with one person involved telling the FT that attempts to revive it were dead. First Brands used a method known as factoring, in which a company sells outstanding customer invoices to banks and investors to raise cash. It was also involved in a technique called reverse factoring, in which an investor pays the companys suppliers and then collects the money from it later. Such operations are generally not included in the companys published accounts and are considered to be off balance sheet. The Ohio-based First Brands is a privately owned firm and is involved in the selling of auto parts including windscreen wipers, water filters and fuel pumps. Over the past five years it has grown rapidly through what the rating agency Moodys called earlier this year an aggressive financial policy of pursuing fully debt financed acquisitions of other companies. It is not as yet entirely clear how and why the financial problems have emerged so rapidly but the pressure on the auto and auto parts industry flowing from the Trump tariff hikes and the decline in spending by less well-off sections of the population are no doubt factors. The two auto industry bankruptcies within the space of a month have drawn attention to the role of private equity firms in providing finance for mid-sized and highly leveraged companies which are unable to obtain funding for riskier ventures from the banks. The private equity firms are drawn into such financing because of the higher rate of return it brings. A single collapse may have been able to be dismissed as a one-off event but two in the space of just two weeks points to deepening problems in the credit market. Major banks, including JP Morgan Chase and Fifth Third, have been caught up in the collapse of Tricolor and are set to lose hundreds of millions of dollars. One investor in Tricolor said the collapse of the company was one of the worst things Ive ever seen in the asset-backed securities market. In a comment to the FT, another raised the question of how JPMorgan had missed the potential problems at Tricolor. Thats the shocking part of it. JP Morgan is one of the most sophisticated lenders in the entire world. How the hell could they have missed this? Moreover, the problems in private credit have been developing in plain sight. Earlier this year a report on the private credit system carried out by Moodys in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a former top adviser to the Treasury warned that it was so intertwined with the banking systems that it could be a locus of contagion in a future financial crisis. This is because while the banks have been constrained by tighter regulations in the wake of the 2008 crisis, they lend money to hedge funds and other private credit providers which then provide the finance for riskier ventures. The report found that private credit funds were enmeshed with the banks and this created linkages that introduced modes of systemic stress. The opaqueness of the private credit system and their role in making the financial network more densely interconnected mean they could disproportionately amplify a future crisis. The official position of financial authorities is that the regulations introduced after 2008 have made the banks more secure and guard against a repetition of those events. But this could very much be the case of generals fighting the last war because the financial landscape has changed markedly over the past decade and a half with private credit playing a much greater role in lending. Todays network of interconnections in the financial system is more distributed, with a denser web of connections than it had pre-crisis, when the system operated more a like a hub and spoke model with banks at the centre of the network, the report said. It found that banks are increasingly involved private credit and other non-bank financial institutions through partnerships, fund financing and structured risk transfers that allow them to maintain economic exposure to credit markets while shifting assets off balance sheet. In another report issued in May, economists at the Boston branch of the Federal Reserve came to the same conclusions about increased risk. They said that the banks were exposed to a new channel of risks by providing finance to non-bank organisations that were making loans to companies. Banks extensive links to the private credit market could be a concern because those links indirectly expose banks to the traditionally higher risks associated with private credit loans, it said. Rules set in place after the 2008 crisis sought to discourage banks from lending to highly leveraged companies that had difficulties servicing their debts. Banks then started to lend to private credit funds which made the loans. The rating agency Fitch has reported that loans to non-bank financial institutions, which include private credit funds, had increased to $1.2 trillion at the end of March, a 20 percent increase in a year. Financial regulators are concerned over this increase because as numerous reports, including from the International Monetary Fund, have made clear, they have little knowledge of, let alone control over, the activities of private credit funds and their connections to the major banks, describing these links as opaque. The tremors in financial markets over the failure of two highly leveraged companies in the space of just a couple of weeks is an indication that the type of turmoil warned of could assume even larger proportions. Yunqing Jian, Sanilac County Jail. At a hearing in Detroit on September 18, Yunqing Jian, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Michigan (U-Mich), entered a plea of not guilty to politically motivated federal charges. Jian faces a vicious state campaign that has seen the 33-year-old plant biologist incarcerated without bail for over three months and branded an agroterrorist and spy for the Chinese Communist Party. The court, while accepting her not guilty plea, simultaneously scheduled her next appearance on November 13 for both a plea hearing and a sentencing hearing. This seemingly contradictory scheduling is a procedural indication of the immense pressure being brought to bear on Jian to capitulate. The court is evidently proceeding on the assumption that the ordeal of indefinite pre-trial detention will force her to accept a plea deal. Jian was re-arraigned on a new criminal information after prosecutors dropped a visa fraud charge while proceeding with charges of conspiracy, smuggling, and making false statements, which carry a potential 25-year prison term. Her alleged crime is conspiring to transport samples of a common plant fungus for scientific research. The scheduling of a plea hearing and sentencing on the same day is a feature of the American plea-bargaining system, which resolves over 90 percent of federal criminal cases without a trial. A defendants formal plea is not guilty until they change it in open court. The courts calendar, however, is a weapon in the states psychological campaign to secure the change of plea. Typically, in a felony case, a significant gap of a month or more separates a guilty plea from sentencing. This allows for a Presentence Investigation Report (PSR) to be prepared by probation officers. The defense must be given this report at least 35 days before sentencing, a right that can only be relinquished if the defendant waives it. By scheduling both events for November 13, the court signals its expectation that Jian will not only plead guilty or no contest but will also waive her right to the standard pre-sentencing review, expediting her own conviction. The choice presented to Jian is capitulating to a pre-arranged deal versus the prospect of remaining in jail to fight a trial where she faces decades in prison. Whatever her choice, the essential objectives of this witch-hunt have already been accomplished: the destruction of a young scientists career, the terrorizing of Chinese students and researchers across the country, and the reinforcement of the anti-China war drive. The states case against Jian is a political fabrication built on xenophobia and war propaganda, not scientific reality. After her arrest in June, the Department of Justice (DOJ) unleashed a propaganda campaign, with US Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. declaring her alleged actions to trigger the gravest national security concerns. FBI Director Kash Patel claimed the case was a a sobering reminder that the CCP is working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply, which would have grave consequences, putting American lives and our economy at serious risk. This narrative is a deliberate lie. The fungus at the center of the case, Fusarium graminearum, is a common plant pathogen already widespread throughout the world and the United States. Caitilyn Allen, a plant pathologist and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, told the World Socialist Web Site: Fusarium graminearum would not be an effective agroterrorism agent because this crop pathogen is already widely established across the US It has been here for over 100 years. It causes diseases called head blight or scab on wheat and barley, but growers have good tools to manage these diseases. These tools include disease-resistant crop varieties developed by research in labs like the one where Dr. Jian worked at the University of Michigan. The smuggling charge is a distortion, criminalizing a routine practice of international scientific collaboration. Professor Tom Sharkey, a plant pathologist and professor emeritus at Michigan State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explained: In science we are expected to make all raw data and all organisms needed to recreate results that are published freely available. Breaking rules about getting permission before transferring materials is a minor infraction Smuggling is a gross exaggeration of what is alleged. The evidence that Jian is a CCP operative is equally fraudulent, based on a standard annual self-assessment form found on her laptop. This is a bureaucratic document required of tens of thousands of Chinese academics who receive state scholarships for study abroad. The frame-up of Jian is not an isolated incident but follows a well-established playbook for the political persecution of scientists of Chinese descent. The immediate precursor was the case of Chengxuan Han, a 28-year-old Ph.D. candidate arrested just days after Jian for transporting common, non-hazardous biological materials for her research. Han was subjected to the same template: held without bail for three months at the same jail as Jian and vilified with racist smears, with the DOJ referring to her as an alien from Wuhan to associate her with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Wuhan Lab Lie. She pleaded no contest on August 19. When her case came to sentencing on September 10, however, the governments fear-mongering narrative collapsed. US District Judge Matthew Leitman stated from the bench, This is not a case of smuggling in some sort of virus or a crop-destroying something or other From what I can tell, this material was not a threat at all. Judge Leitman sentenced Han to time served and released her, whereupon the government immediately deported her back to China. The government is fully aware that its case against Jian is just as baseless as its case against Han. The states strategy is to use the immense punitive power of the pre-trial processthe denial of bail and months of incarcerationto secure a conviction on lesser charges. The historical archetype for these frame-ups is the 1999 persecution of Dr. Wen Ho Lee. A nuclear physicist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lee was targeted through racial profiling and became the subject of a state-led witch-hunt accusing him of giving China the secrets to the W-88 nuclear warhead. The central tactic was coercive pre-trial punishment. He was held for nine months in solitary confinement without bail, deemed a clear and present danger. Ultimately, Lee was released after pleading guilty to a single felony count of mishandling data, with 58 other counts dropped. The case concluded with an extraordinary apology from the presiding federal judge, James A. Parker, who told Lee: I sincerely apologize to you, Dr. Lee, for the unfair manner in which you were held in custody by the executive branch. The only organization at U-Mich that has waged a principled political struggle in defense of Yunqing Jian and Chengxuan Han from the outset is the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the youth and student movement of the Socialist Equality Party. The IYSSE has demanded the immediate and unconditional dropping of all charges and denounced the cases as politically motivated frame-ups designed to fuel the US war drive against China and impose Trumps fascistic, war-mongering ideology on college campuses. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake imposed essential service orders on the state-owned Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) effective from Sunday midnight to suppress the weeks-long struggle of CEB workers against restructuring and in defence of their jobs and conditions. CEB workers protesting in front of head office in Colombo on September 17, 2025. On Tuesday, his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National Peoples Power (JVP/NPP) government cancelled leave for all CEB workers until further noticea move aimed at blocking any sick-note stoppage. According to Sundays gazette notification issued by Dissanayake, all electricity supply services are declared essential. This anti-democratic measure allows the government to ban industrial action by electricity workers. Non-compliance can lead to a summary magistrates trial, with guilty individuals facing two to five years of rigorous imprisonment, a fine between 2,000 rupees and 5,000 rupees, or both. Campaigning for such industrial action is also an offence, punishable by the same penalties. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) calls on all sections of the working class to condemn the JVP/NPP governments repressive measures against CEB workers, and urges everyone to stand in their defence. Since September 4, some 20,000 CEB workers have been involved in a work-to-rule campaign against restructuring as part of the IMF austerity program. On September 1718, workers joined a sick-note campaign and held powerful protests outside the CEB head office in Colombo. Leaders of the Joint Alliance of CEB Trade Unions (JACEBTU), which have called the current limited action, initially boasted that they would not comply with the essential service order. They declared the unions would intensify their campaign if the authorities failed to provide satisfactory solutions to their demands. However, the CEB union bureaucrats did a rapid about-face and bowed down to the governments orders. Yesterday evening, JACEBTU announced that it had decided to temporarily suspend a scheduled strike for today, citing the offer of a meeting with the government labour commissioner and a meeting with the country representative of the International Labour Organisation. Only the ongoing work-to-rule campaign will continue. The CEB union leaders only called those limited actions to contain widespread anger among workers over the governments refusal to protect their rights, including their jobs. The unions, however, have deliberately kept CEB workers isolated and refused to mobilise other workers to defend them against government repression, thus leaving them more vulnerable to the governments attacks. Dissanayakes new moves to suppress the CEB workers struggle has the support of the entire political establishment. Yesterday, the parliament approved the presidents essential service order without debate as the leaders of all parliamentary parties had given their approval the previous day. Last week Power and Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody declared that any CEB worker who did not agree to the restructuring could resign under the voluntary retirement scheme. On September 17, President Dissanayake warned CEB workers that no one would be allowed to obstruct the governments progressive economic transformationin other words, the IMFs harsh austerity agenda. Just one year after coming to power, Dissanayake has declared war on electricity workers. This is a warning to all workers, who are being pushed into struggle by the governments implementation of the IMF diktats. The presidents invocation of the essential services act is a declaration of war against the working class as a whole. The JVP/NPP government came to power last year under conditions of deep economic and political crisis by exploiting the immense popular opposition to the traditional parties of bourgeois rule. It put forward a raft of election promises claiming it would renegotiate the terms of the countrys IMF bailout loan, protect democracy and improve the living conditions of the masses. Once in office, Dissanayake quickly tore up his pledges including to renegotiate the IMFs terms. As well as state repression, the government is using the unions against CEB employees. On September 22, the JVP-controlled Ceylon Electricity Workers Union (CEWU) distributed a leaflet titled What will happen to the Electricity Board. It denounced the struggle of CEB workers as a conspiracy by defeated, corrupt political groups and defended CEBs restructuring as a means to eliminate corruption and fraud. The CEWU leaflet concealed the fact that the governments restructuring is fully in line with IMF directives to divide the CEB into four companies, paving the way for their eventual privatisation. Workers jobs, salaries and working conditions will be slashed to boost profits. The SEP urges all workers to oppose the governments attempt to demonise CEB workers and to see their struggle as inspiration to oppose the relentless attacks on their democratic and social rights. The government is not fighting corruption but carrying out the IMFs orders, including the decision to raise electricity tariffs further by 7 percent. There are two main reasons why the Dissanayake government is attacking CEB workers. Firstly, the government is strictly bound by IMF directives and faces being denied the next instalment of the IMF loan if it fails to fully carry them out. Secondly, Dissanayake fears that if the CEB struggle continues it will encourage other sections of workers to oppose the IMF austerity measures that are devastating living standards. The JVP trade unions have a history of sabotaging and betraying workers struggles including in the CEB. In 1996, for instance, the government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga used the essential services act to crush a strike by CEB workers against privatisation and to rectify salary anomalies. The JVP trade union leaders declared that the strike would help the opposition UNP, and scabbed. Many of its members, however, joined the strike. Now a similar smear is being used to justify the JVP/governments repression: that the CEB industrial action is a conspiracy by old defeated and corrupted politicians. Just prior to last years presidential election, top JVP union leader Lal Lantha insisted that the JVP unions suppress all industrial action as it would hamper the partys election campaign. Now a minister in the government, Lal Lantha and other JVP leaders branded strikes against the IMFs austerity as a threat to economic recoveryin reality, a threat to corporate profits and Sri Lankan capitalism. The decision by the other CEB unions to capitulate to the governments essential service orders once again demonstrates their treacherous role in sabotaging a genuine struggle to defend the basic social and democratic rights of workers. All of these pro-capitalist unions support the IMF-dictated restructuring of the CEB, like the opposition parties with which many of them are affiliated. Their appeal is for negotiations on how the restructuring is implemented. The SEP calls on CEB workers to take matters into their own hands and form action committees, independent from the union bureaucracies and bourgeois parties, at every CEB workplace. Only in that way can workers democratically discuss and implement a genuine industrial and political campaign to fight for their interests. CEB workers need to turn to other sections of the working class facing similar attacks for support and to prepare a joint struggle against the governments ruthless implementation of austerity measures. Workers and the poor cannot defend their basic rights within the framework of the capitalist system. The declaration of war by the Dissanayake government against the CEB workers highlights the need for the unified political movement of the working classSinhala, Tamil and Muslimbased on a socialist perspective. This must include the nationalisation of the major corporations, banks and plantations under workers democratic control, and the bringing to power of a workers and peasants government to implement such measures. We call on workers and youth who want to fight for this perspective to join the SEP. Birkenstock Holding plc (NYSE: BIRK) shares traded higher on Thursday after the footwear maker reaffirmed its outlook and projected stronger-than-expected fiscal 2025 revenue. The upbeat guidance contrasts with the companys third-quarter results, when it beat earnings expectations but missed revenue forecasts and still reaffirmed annual sales of $2.254 billion. Despite the revenue miss, analysts are maintaining an Outperform rating with a price forecast of $70, suggesting confidence in the companys long-term outlook. Also Read: Birkenstock CEO Says Well-Positioned To Navigate Tariffs, Reaffirms Outlook Birkenstock announced during an investor meeting at its Munich headquarters that it now expects to generate at least 2.09 billion euros (~$2.25 billion) in fiscal 2025 revenue, topping its prior range. The shoemaker also projected fourth-quarter sales of at least 520 million euros, an increase of 14% on a reported basis and 18% in constant currency. Despite currency headwinds, it maintained an adjusted EBITDA margin forecast of 31.3% to 31.8%. Acquisition Near Dresden Birkenstock signed an agreement on Sept. 23 to purchase a production and logistics facility near Dresden for 18 million euros. The site spans 78,000 square meters of developed space and another 80,000 square meters of land, secured at 240 euros per square meter after the prior owners bankruptcy. The property will be operational by fiscal 2027 and initially support sandal, clog, and footbed production, expanding the companys ability to meet global demand. The acquisition underscores the companys effort to expand capacity across Europe. Price Action: At last check Thursday, BIRK shares were trading higher by 4.76% to $47.50 premarket. Read Next: Photo by Cineberg via Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Birkenstock Promises Bigger 2025 Sales originally appeared on Benzinga.com 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. how to buy usdt cover. Photo by BeInCrypto Tether, the worlds largest stablecoin issuer by market share, has announced that it will align with the US stablecoin regulation known as the GENIUS Act. The new regulatory framework will apply to both of Tethers stablecoin offerings: the widely used USDT and its newer, US.-asset-backed counterpart, USAT. USDT to Comply with GENIUS Act Bo Hines, Tethers US Operations Lead, confirmed the move during a press conference held Tuesday at the Korea Blockchain Week (KBW2025) in Seoul. "I believe that both USDT and USAT will meet the same compliance standards outlined in the GENIUS Act," Hines said at the conference. BeInCrypto was present at the event, where Hines suggested that compliance with the GENIUS Act positions Tether to work more closely with US financial institutions and regulators going forward. Tether recently launched a new stablecoin brand, USAT, separate from its well-known USDT. The company stated that it launched USAT in response to the US government's enactment of the GENIUS Act. This is a comprehensive stablecoin regulation. Following the launch, Tether appointed Hines, a former Executive Director of the White House's Digital Asset Advisory Committee, to lead its US operations. This has led to speculation that USAT is intended for US use, while USDT will remain for the rest of the world. USDT has previously faced regulatory challenges in various countries. For instance, it was effectively expelled from Europe after the MiCA law took effect. Bo Hines Speaking at the KBW2025 Event. Source: Factblock However, Tether rejects this speculation. Hines predicted that USDT will also comply with the GENIUS Act, citing the law's reciprocity clause. He stated, "We expect the US to apply reciprocity to Tether International." Article 18 of the GENIUS Act includes a reciprocity clause, which allows stablecoin issuers from countries with regulatory frameworks similar to the US to distribute stablecoins within the United States. Hines also urged other countries, including South Korea, to adopt the US regulatory model. "I want to advise other regulatory frameworks, including Korea, to follow what the US has laid out," he said. "We are very proud of what we have built... this is a clear and strong framework that we are continuing to innovate with through various technological endeavors," Hines added. This story was originally published on Manufacturing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Manufacturing Dive newsletter. Boeing workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 at the companys St. Louis area plants are still waiting for the plane maker to officially respond to their pre-ratified strike settlement, the union said in a virtual press conference Tuesday. Dan Gillian, Boeing Air Dominance VP, general manager and senior St. Louis site executive, said last week that the company would not accept it. While Boeing has not formally responded to the proposal, the union is not taking the companys silence as a rejection, Jody Bennett, IAMs resident general VP, said at the press conference. Im absolutely waiting for them to give me a formal response, and thats the normal procedure, Bennett said. In an unattributed statement on Tuesday, the company said that it has remained open to constructive talks within the boundaries of our landmark offer for Midwest manufacturing. Boeing also stated that the union has a selective memory, as Bennett originally supported the companys initial offer in July. Boeing declined to comment further on the proposed strike settlement and the negotiations. The strike proposal is modeled after another IAM strike at packaging manufacturer Eatons facilities in Highland and Troy, Illinois, Bennett said. Approximately 400 workers represented by IAM Local 660 began a strike in October 2024 that lasted a month after the union came up with a contract proposal based on what the employees want. Eaton accepted the offer. If the union doesnt receive an official response, IAM is prepared to meet with Boeing on any days that theyll provide us to get face to face, Bennett added. However, he said the reason talks have not resumed was due to Boeings unwillingness to come and meet. Thatll stand until the end, but we're not going to bargain against ourselves, Bennett said. The members accepted what we put before them. So in my mind, until they come back with something else, that's exactly where we're at, but the ball remains in their court. Boeing workers at the St. Louis-area facilities are seeking a deal comparable to what other plant workers at the companys commercial aircraft facilities on the West Coast and in South Carolina have received, leading to employee expectations that the company set, Bennett said. IAM Districts 751 and W24 held a 53-day strike at Boeings commercial airplane facilities, leading to a deal that included a wage increase and a lump sum into employees 401(k)s. The deal also led to a wage increase and retention bonus at Boeings non-union represented 787 Dreamliner plant in South Carolina. Rachel Reeves, pictured at Glasswater Locks, is expected to implement widespread tax rises in her autumn Budget - Jonathan Brady/Reuters The boss of B&Q owner Kingfisher has warned Rachel Reeves that a looming property tax raid will unfairly impact high street stores. Thierry Garnier, the chief executive of Kingfisher, has hit out at the Chancellors planned overhaul of business rates over fears it will benefit online sellers at the expense of larger bricks and mortar retailers. He said that plans to increase business rates for department stores, supermarkets and large out-of-town shops will leave many retailers unable to compete. Mr Garnier said: Some of the large online retailers are paying limited tax in this country, and they are investing massively in technology. We cant invest the same amount of money because we have to pay more tax. We are not on the same level playing field as online retailers. Mr Garnier, who also oversees Screwfix, said Kingfisher is braced for a higher tax bill owing to Ms Reevess business rates shake-up. Overall, the company has around 1,100 stores across the UK. He said: You can understand that the Government is in a difficult situation. But business rates are a very unfair tax that penalises brick and mortar stores. Wider struggles for business It comes as Ms Reeves seeks to raise tens of billions of pounds to plug a black hole in the public finances, with many economists predicting widespread tax rises in her autumn Budget. This could include yet more levies on companies, which are also struggling with higher costs and reduced demand. New figures from ratings agency S&P Global show that companies margins hit their lowest levels since the 2009 global financial crisis in the wake of Ms Reevess Budget tax raid last year. Increases in the minimum wage and employer National Insurance rates have forced companies to cut jobs, S&P said, as weak consumer demand prevents bosses from raising prices. With margins eroded and output per hour barely above the pre-pandemic level in 2024, firms are no longer able to absorb rising labour costs, S&P said. Companies are still awaiting the full details of any proposed reforms to business rates. However, the British Retail Consortium has estimated that the changes, which will increase the surcharge on larger properties, will hit around 4,000 high street stores. Labour initially said the overhaul would be designed to level the playing field between the high street and online giants, raising the level of tax that companies need to pay on large warehouses to lower rates for high street stores. Yet analysis suggests that retailers with high-street stores are likely to bear the brunt of the changes. Like in any college town, walk into a cafe and students will be hard at work on their laptops. However, in Iowa City, those laptops might hold the first draft of a future bestseller or an award-winning collection. The National Book Awards, presented by the National Book Foundation, is one of the United States' most prestigious literary honors, annually awarding prizes in five categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young people's literature, and translated literature. Preceding the award show, a longlist and shortlist of finalists are announced. The longlist, announced by The New Yorker on Sept. 12, features four University of Iowa graduates up for a National Book Award: Angela Flournoy, Kevin Moffett, Joy Williams and Yiyun Li. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is what to know about the authors and their work: Angela Flournoy's latest, "The Wilderness," is on the longlist for the National Book Award in fiction. Angela Flournoy, "The Wilderness" Flournoy attended the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop after attending the University of Southern California. During her time at the Workshop, Flournoy began working on her debut novel, "The Turner House," which was shortlisted for the National Book Award for fiction in 2015. "The Turner House" won the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award from Virginia Commonwealth University's MFA in Creative Writing program, and was featured on The New York Times list "100 Notable Books of 2015." Now, Flournoy's latest, "The Wilderness," follows a group of five millennial Black women and their friendship and coming-of-age moments, beginning in their early 20s in 2008. Shifting perspectives from each character, Flournoy captures the group as they aim to find balance in their careers, marriages, motherhood, or through the wilderness when life seems most confusing. More: No ringing in the school year: Iowa's cell phone classroom ban is law. Will it help kids? Kevin Moffett's debut novel, "Only Son," is on the longlist for the National Book Award in fiction. Kevin Moffett, "Only Son" Originally from Daytona Beach, Florida, Moffett earned his MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop in 2005. Moffett is the author of two story collections and "The Silent History." His writing has been awarded the National Magazine Award for Fiction and the Nelson Algren Literary Award. Now, Moffett is an assistant professor of creative writing and director of the Literary Prose Writing Concentration at the University of Virginia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moffett's debut novel, "Only Son," landed on the longlist. The story unfolds over multigenerational timelines, as a man discovers his late father's travel journal 25 years after his father's death. The central character and his son retrace his father's steps to embark on their own journey. More: As 30hop rapidly expands, Coralville remains 'our mothership' for restaurant's founders Joy Williams' "The Pelican Child" is on the longlist for the National Book Award in fiction. Joy Williams, "The Pelican Child" Williams is the author of five novels and four collections of stories, earning an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop in 1965. After leaving the program, she wrote her first novel, "State of Grace," which was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction in 1974. Williams' 2002 release, "The Quick and the Dead," was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Williams' latest, "The Pelican Child," will be released in November and is a sharp 11-short story collection with a cast of characters trying to make sense of the world and the people around them, while simultaneously wreaking real and imagined harm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Five Iowa City women named Women to Watch in dining from the Iowa Restaurant Association Yiyun Li's memoir, "Things in Nature Merely Grow," is on the longlist for the National Book Award in nonfiction. Yiyun Li, "Things in Nature Merely Grow" Li first earned a master of science in immunology at the University of Iowa in 2000. During her PhD program in immunology, she left to pursue writing and later returned to the University of Iowa. In 2005, she earned a master of fine arts in English from the Nonfiction Writing Program. Li is the author of several award-winning fiction and non-fiction works, including the short story collection "Wednesday's Child," which was a finalist for the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. Her latest nonfiction piece, "Things in Nature Merely Grow," follows Li remembering the lives of her two sons, Vincent and James, who both died by suicide only a few years apart. The memoir crosses swords with loss and grief while choosing to embrace radical acceptance. More: Vote for the Iowa City Press-Citizen Student of the Week: Sept. 22-25 The Old Capitol building pictured at the Pentacrest on the University of Iowa campus Wednesday, July 31, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. Other University of Iowa connections to the National Book Awards The 2025 longlist is not the first time an alum from the University of Iowa has been up for a National Book Award. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024 alone, m.s. RedCherries, who graduated from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, received a shortlist nod in poetry for "mother." Deborah Jackson Taffa, who earned an MFA in 2013 from the UI Nonfiction Writing Program, was shortlisted in the nonfiction writing category for her memoir, "Whiskey Tender." Although not a graduate from the University of Iowa, Kaveh Akbar, professor and director of the undergraduate English and creative writing major, was noted on the shortlist in fiction for his novel, "Martyr!" On the longlist in 2024, Tony Tulathimutte, who graduated from the Writers' Workshop in 2012, received a fiction nod for "Rejection," and Elizabeth Willis, a faculty member in the Iowa Writers' Workshop, was also on the longlist for "Liontaming in America." Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_ This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Four UI alums make the longlist for the 2025 National Book Awards Grand Theft Auto is the impetus behind a new American history course at University of Tennessee, Knoxville thats certain to draw nationwide attention from prospective students. Close-minded naysayers might argue that the wildly popular Rockstar Games franchise is, on its face, an unlikely choice for the collegiate experience. Professor Tore Olsson, however, has made it clear that his upcoming course is designed to give students an examination of the major social, cultural, political, and economic transformations that remade the United States since Ronald Reagans election in 1980 through the lens of GTA. Below, we take a closer look. Grand Theft Auto-inspired course coming to Tennessee COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what's next. Buy. Collect. Obsess. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olssons course, set for Spring 2026, carries the title Grand Theft America: U.S. History since 1980 through the GTA Video Games. In a recent interview with Wesley Yin-Poole for IGN, the professor detailed his vision, revealing the fictional representation of the U.S. featured in the video game franchise will be used as a framing device for a serious history class. Per Olsson, the aim is for students who take the course to never look at these games, or modern America, the same again. Im the professor whos been teaching and writing about American history through Red Dead Redemption. Im thrilled to announce my new Spring 26 class @UTK, HIST 150, "Grand Theft America: US History since 1980 through the GTA Video Games." Full interview: https://t.co/2H6BVJA2vC Tore Olsson (@ToreCarlOlsson) September 19, 2025 Professor previously taught course inspired by Red Dead Redemption In the past, Olsson has used Red Dead Redemption in his course work, all part of a larger strategy to make serious history accessible and relevant to a wide audience. He has also written about the topic, publishing the book Red Deads History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and Americas Violent Past in 2024. The incomparable Roger Clark (@rclark98) narrates from my new book RED DEADS HISTORY, out on 8/6. Join us on a journey through the real American history portrayed in the RDR games! In hardcover, e-book, or audiobook at all major retailers. @MacmillanAudio @StMartinsPress pic.twitter.com/urfYz8lOIW Tore Olsson (@ToreCarlOlsson) August 2, 2024 As we told you back in May, a great tragedy befell GTA fans when Rockstar announced that GTA VI, previously expected this year, wouldnt arrive until May 26, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception, a Rockstar rep said at the time. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve. We look forward to sharing more information with you soon. Days after the announcement, Rockstar made an effort to ease fans pain by rolling out a new trailer. Related News Rockstar Games Eases Pain of 'Grand Theft Auto VI' 2026 Delay With New Trailer , New 'GTA VI' Trailer Introduces Fans to Long-Awaited Continuation of 'Grand Theft Auto' (UPDATE) , 'Grand Theft Auto VI' Hype Reportedly Propels Latest Trailer to Nearly Half a Billion Views in a Day Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related News LeBron James Breaks Down Biggest Memes: International Women's Day, Ain't That Our Ball, Deluxe LP iShowSpeed Asks to Speak to a Therapist During 35-Day USA Tour: I Feel Alone COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what's next. Buy. Collect. Obsess. Making Culture Pop. Find the latest entertainment news and the best in music, pop culture, sneakers, style and original shows. Keanu Reeves and his artist girlfriend, Alexandra Grant, are going strong after nearly a decade together. The couple went public with their relationship at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles in November 2019, though they first met in 2009. Their romantic connection reportedly grew out of Grant collaborating with Reeves on a series of art and literary projects, including the Matrix stars books, Ode to Happiness and Shadows. Grant has only rarely spoken publicly about dating Reeves, though she did admit to British Vogue in 2020 that their first red carpet appearance made huge waves in her social circle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think every single person I knew called me in the first week of November, and thats fascinating, she joked. But the question Ive been asking in all of this is: What is the opportunity for good? Keanu Reeves and Alexandra Grants Relationship Timeline: From Colleagues to Companions The Matrix star previously dated actress Jennifer Syme, who died in a car accident in 2001, and model China Chow. He has also admitted to once having a crush on his Speed costar Sandra Bullock. Keep scrolling for more information on Grants career and her long-term relationship with Reeves. 1. Grant Is Well-Known in the Art World The California College of the Arts graduate who has called pop art pioneer R.B. Kitaj one of her biggest influences had her first solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in L.A. in 2007. Since then, she has collaborated on countless exhibitions in the L.A. area. She is best known for examining language through painting, sculpting, drawing and other art forms. Her exhibition Born to Love was showcased at the Lowell Ryan Projects gallery in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grant was an adjunct professor at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, for several years. She has also worked as an MFA mentor at the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon, and Syracuse University in New York. She served as the Vermont Studio Centers visiting artist in 2019. Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures In September 2023, Grant said it was crucial that she had her own career established before beginning a high-profile relationship with Reeves. The good news about falling in love as an adult is that I had built my own career by the time that my relationship had begun, she told People. I feel very confident in the relationship on the red carpet. I feel confident on it alone. It's interdependent and independent in the best ways." 2. Grant Is a Philanthropist In 2008, the Ohio native founded the grantLOVE project, which produces and sells original artworks to benefit artist projects and nonprofit organizations. She has also worked with the childhood education groups Heart of Los Angeles and the Lamar Foundation, Project Angel Food which provides meals for vulnerable people in the L.A. area and The Union for Contemporary Art. 3. Grant Has Known Reeves Since 2009 The now-couple met at a dinner party in 2009. Grant went on to provide the illustrations for Reeves 2011 and 2016 books, Ode to Happiness and Shadows, respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together with artist Jessica Fleischmann, Grant and Reeves formed their own publishing company, X Artists' Books, in L.A. in 2017. X Artists has published books across a wide variety of genres and even has a curated subscription option that brings together authors and artists to interrogate the social, political, ecological, and cultural systems that weave throughout the world. Keanu Reeves and Girlfriend Alexandra Grant Share a Kiss During Rare Red Carpet Date at 2024 MOCA Gala Grants own material has featured in the XAB Subscription sets, in addition to published works from contemporary artist Vincent Valdez, French playwright Helene Cixous and dancer Blondell Cummings, among many others. 4. Grant and Reeves Bonded Over Motorcycles Reeves is an avid fan of motorcycles, having launched his own ARCH Motorcycle Company in 2011 to create custom bikes. Reeves was reportedly very hands-on in developing the manufacturers two models: the KRGT-1 and Method143. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As it turned out, Reeves found a kindred spirit in Grant when it came to his favorite hobby. Alexandra actually rode motorcycles and can ride, Reeves confirmed to E! News in 2022. We have been on a couple of trips together on the motorcycle. We have enjoyed it! 5. Grant and Reeves Both Denied Wedding Rumors Rumors swirled that the couple tied the knot over the summer in 2025, though both Grant and Reeves quickly shut down the speculation. The John Wick actors spokesperson confirmed to E! News that the marriage rumors are not true, adding definitively: They are not married. Grant also debunked the speculation in September 2025 by sharing a photo of the pair kissing via Instagram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a real photo. Not an engagement photo or an AI wedding announcement... simply a kiss, she wrote. PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Grant clarified that the photo was taken shortly after Reeves interviewed artist James Turrell for his Roku series, Visionaries. I'm sharing [the photo] here to say thank you to everyone for the congratulations on our wedding. Except we didnt get married, she explained. Good news is much needed these days, but it's still fake news, so be careful out there! Megyn Kelly slammed feminist website Jezebel and online shop Etsy over an article suggesting witches cursed Charlie Kirk. The journalist claimed on her show that it left the late activist's widow, Erika Kirk, "rattled." On her "SiriusXM show," Megyn Kelly condemned the website for seemingly tormenting Charlie Kirk's family, demanding apologies and calling for Jezebel's closure. Megyn Kelly Claims Erika Kirk Was Shaken By The Witchcraft Story Instagram | Erika Lane Kirk Kelly has alleged that Erika Kirk, the widow of slain conservative figure Charlie Kirk, was left "genuinely rattled" after reading a piece in Jezebel that described hiring a witch to curse her husband. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The article, published on September 8 without a byline, appeared just two days before Charlie was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Jezebel initially kept the piece up with a note, distancing itself from the killing, but eventually removed the piece after mounting pressure. However, Kelly argued on her SiriusXM program Tuesday that the harm was already done, claiming Erika and her family had seen the article and been disturbed by it. The former Fox News host admitted she debated whether to discuss the story at all, calling it "out of left field," but ultimately felt compelled to address it in order to hold the outlet publicly accountable. The Author Of The 'Curse' Article Didn't Want To Cause Charlie Kirk' Harm' Instagram | Erika Kirk With apparent disdain, Kelly recapped the Jezebel piece in detail, emphasizing the publication's name with disgust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the TV personality, the anonymous author had reached out to self-described witches on Etsy about placing a hex on the Turning Point USA founder, framing it as a petty act of mischief. As reported by The Blast, the writer described wanting to punish what they called a "far-right misogynist with a bad haircut," but insisted the intent was not to call on "dark forces to cause him harm." We Paid Some Etsy Witches to Curse Charlie Kirk https://t.co/1zjr6QycWd Jezebel (@Jezebel) September 8, 2025 Instead, the curses listed included trivial annoyances: "I just want him to wake up every morning with an inexplicable zit. I want his podcast microphone to malfunction every time he hits record. I want his blue blazers to suddenly all be one size too small. I want one of his socks to always be sliding down his foot. I want his thumb to grow too big to tweet. To ruin his day with the collective feminist power of the Etsy coven would be my life's greatest joy." Megyn Kelly Condemns Jezebel's 'Vile' Witchcraft Article: 'Why Torture A Christian Believing Family?' Annabelle Gordon - CNP / MEGA Kelly explained that she returned to the story weeks after Charlie's killing for a reason: she wanted the public and the teams at Jezebel and Etsy to understand the fallout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Erika and Charlie Kirk heard about these curses, and that news genuinely rattled Erika, in particular," she said. "She knew Christian teaching on the subject, she loved Charlie, absolutely, and she was scared when she heard of the curses Jezebel had culled up." Delivering a blistering condemnation, the journalist raged: "Why torture a family like this, a Christian believing family?" She continued, "Why do this vile thing to a young couple, parents to two babies living in accordance with the gospel, deeply in love, and yes, political, but doing nothing other than speaking publicly about their views and their desires to make other people's lives better?" The Journalist Demands A Public Apology Over The 'Curse' Article MEGA Kelly, during her rant, slammed the website, saying the people behind it should be publicly identified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Who would do such a vile thing? Jezebel, that's who, and unbelievably, Etsy. And the people behind this evil should be called out," she said, per The Independent. Kelly demanded that both outlets issue a full and public apology to Erika for introducing such distress during what turned out to be her husband's final days. She went further, insisting Jezebel should shut down entirely and reveal the writer responsible, while Etsy should "stick to crafts and jewelry" instead of providing space for peddlers of black magic. Megyn Kelly Criticizes Jimmy Kimmel's Return, Claims Conservatives Face Cancellation And Even Death MEGA Kelly also blasted ABC for reinstating Jimmy Kimmel after his suspension over a monologue about Charlie, saying she does not "pity" the comedian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimmel, 57, returned to "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday night following his brief suspension. Kelly criticized Disney's decision to bring him back, arguing, "When you're a leftist, you don't really get canceled, unlike those on the right who are getting canceled and even killed," referencing Charlie's assassination. On his return, Kimmel delivered an emotional message to Charlie's widow, Erika, but stopped short of apologizing to MAGA supporters for his earlier remarks accusing them of "desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it." Just like countless other celebrities, Danica Patrick had a lot to say about Jimmy Kimmel returning to late-night TV this week. Last week, ABC pulled "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" from its daily programming. That's because Kimmel made a questionable remark about the person who murdered Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. He said: "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA [Make America Great Again] gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it." Some people thought Kimmel was fired for good. On Monday, however, ABC announced that "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" would return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During this Tuesday's opening monologue, Kimmel walked back his comments about Kirk. It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man, Kimmel said. I dont think the murderer represents anyone. This is a sick person who believed violence was the answer and it isnt ever. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 19: Jimmy Kimmel poses at the opening night celebration for the Huey Lewis & The News musical "The Heart of Rock and Roll" at The James Earl Jones Theater on April 19, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage)Bruce Glikas/Getty Images Kimmel also commended Erika Kirk for forgiving Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect accused of killing her husband. "Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him. That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it was," Kimmel said, via Detroit Free Press. "That's it. A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply. It touches many and if there's anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that and not this." Danica Patrick chimes in. Before Kimmel returned to the spotlight, Patrick went on social media to share her two cents on this situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former NASCAR driver made it clear that she's not a fan of Kimmel, but she's fine with ABC's decision to put his show back on air. "Totally fine. An employer has a choice to hire and fire and run a business. I dont think he is as funny as he used to be, but that little problem will take care of itself in time. He will either start making real jokes and not stupid distasteful emotional jabs or he wont," Patrick wrote on Instagram, via Daily Express U.S. "When I raced I never talked about politics and religion, I understood the unspoken agreement to be PC. All that is ever at play, is money. And you better believe if its not flowing, something goes. Clock is ticking again." May 26, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; NBC Sports commentator Danica Patrick during a delay to the Indycar Series 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsMark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images. Patrick hasn't commented on Kimmel's monologue. She did, however, comment on Kirk's death. His mission to bring conservative values into high schools and colleges helped make being a republican cool again in the youth. He was able to take a rally and turn it into a high energy fun party! He was able to take his vision and passion and turn it into reality, Patrick said following his death. Its in times like these that we have to look at humanity and ask why these things happen and then the most important question..what do we do next? I dont have the answer. But I know its not fight fire with fire, even though anger is a dominant emotion. We need an answer that will change the world forever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, Patrick said she got into politics because of Kirk. There's no doubt they developed a special bond. If Kimmel takes a dig at Kirk in the coming days, there's no question Patrick will clap back at him. This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the Trending section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Fans believe Madelyn Cline is living out a modern fairytale ever since her dating rumors with the Prince of Greece surfaced. The Outer Banks star has been linked to Constantine Alexios after the two were spotted strolling through New York City together, and fans cant keep calm about the possible royal romance. It is a crossover of Hollywood glamour and royal intrigue, leading to enthusiasm among supporters. Madelyn Cline and Greek Princes dating rumors has internet thrilled they out here making fairytales real while im still stuck swiping on me who don't even look like their pics ? Zoey ?? (@zoeycyberkitty) September 24, 2025 Madelyn Cline and Prince of Greece Constantine Alexios are sparking dating rumors after being reportedly seen on Madison Avenue. The pair was laughing and completely at ease with one another. An eyewitness described the scene to Deuxmoi, Yes they were like giggling and in sweats his shaved head and made eye contact with her. The sighting has led to speculation that the actor may have found something unexpected with a European royal. On social media, fans could not stop gushing. A fan on X (formerly Twitter) joked, they out here making fairytales real while im still stuck swiping on men who dont even look like their pics. Another quipped about the idea of Clines royal title, saying, princess madelyn cline yep that has a nice ring to it. Others simply celebrated the pairing, with one of them tweeting, Finally a man she deserves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reddit users were equally charmed. One user wrote, Ok hold on I just googled him and hes cute good for you Madelyn. Meanwhile, another chimed in, Good for her! Theyre both hot! For many fans, the match is one out of a fairytale. Neither Madelyn Cline nor Constantine Alexios, the Prince of Greece, has commented on the dating rumors. Moreover, the depth of their connection is unclear. However, the photos and eyewitness accounts have been more than enough to fuel excitement across the internet. Hence, whether or not romance is in the cards, Cline and the prince have already captured the imagination of those watching. Originally reported by Ishika Mishra on Reality Tea. The post Fans Call Madelyn Cline Princess After Dating Rumors With a Greek Prince appeared first on Mandatory. Prince Harry and Meghan Markles marriage is reportedly in danger after his visit to the United Kingdom. The Duke of Sussex had a series of events to attend in his homeland, including the reunion with his father, King Charles. It appeared that he was being taken back to the life in the country that he had left behind. Now, a source has claimed that this might affect the princes marriage of seven years. Prince Harry and Meghan Markles marriage wobbly after his UK visit, says source As per Stars source, Prince Harry and Meghan Markles marriage is in trouble after the formers U.K. visit. His recent trip to his home country suggests he is being pulled back to the life he and Markle left after resigning as working royals. A source told the outlet, Harrys been talking about spending more time in the U.K., possibly having a second home base there. Additionally, he is considering returning for good. This has reportedly left the Duchess of Sussex shocked. She is surprised her husband would even consider moving back to Britain. This is especially after everything theyve been through and how much work theyve done to rebuild their lives in America. The source stated the couple seemingly want different things. However, this isnt a good sign for their marriage. Additionally, the source stated that the 41-year-old duke can be quite stubborn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other hand, Markle isnt one to back down either. The source continued, If this disagreement cant be resolved, people around them fear it could lead to some explosive fights and maybe even divorce. Nevertheless, Harry still has a long way to go to make amends with his family. While this year, he had talked about focusing on his father, this is what the duchess feared would happen. She doesnt wish to return to England, and the source said she is upset. Markle doesnt want her husband to take their kids to the U.K. where they arent safe. The couple have a sheltered life, good schools, friends, protection in the U.S. The source concluded, Meghan has already put her foot down to going back to a family that treated her so abominably. The post Prince Harrys Current Focus Likely Wont Save His Marriage, Source Claims appeared first on Reality Tea. In the wake of Robert Redfords death, the FBI is bringing renewed attention to a murder that once drew headlines for its connection to the legendary actor. In 1983, Redford was in the midst of filming The Natural when his daughter Shauna Redfords college boyfriend Sid Wells was gunned down in his Boulder, Colorado apartment. The suspect in the shocking murder has never been caught, prompting the FBIs Denver Field Office to issue a new plea for information about the wanted man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, Redford sought justice for Wells, not only stopping production on The Natural to attend his funeral but also calling Boulders District Attorney decades later to thank him for continuing to pursue the case. How is murder victim Sid Wells linked to Robert Redford? At the time of the murder, Redfords daughter and Wells, an aspiring journalist, were both students at the University of Colorado Boulder. The relationship took a tragic turn on August 1, 1983, when police officers responded to an incident at Wells apartment complex and, according to the FBI, found the 22-year-old lying on the living room floor, with a gunshot wound to his head. Suspicion soon fell to Wells roommate Thayne Smika, who police believed owed Wells $300 for rent, revealing a possible motive for the deadly shooting, per KUSA. For more true crime: Why "Scared" Iowa Woman Said She "Had No Choice" But to Shoot Her Boyfriend to Death Inside the Unsettling Death of Ellen Greenberg: How 20 Stab Wounds Were Declared a Suicide Untangling the Death of 15-Year-Old Celeste Rivas, Found in Singer D4vd's Tesla Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors at the apartment complex told police they heard a loud noise less than an hour before the body was discovered by Wells brother, who had just returned from a camping trip, according to an arrest warrant in the case obtained by People. Why was Thayne Smika a suspect in Sid Wells death? Once inside the apartment, police discovered a note Smika left behind, saying that hed gone home to visit his parents and would be back in a few days. When officers went to the home to inform him of Wells death, he told police that was there to get a perm and do his laundry. Authorities found that story suspicious, however, because they learned hed had a hair appointment one week earlier. The apartment complex where he lived also had its own laundry facilities, according to the warrant. Smika pointed to another possible suspect, who he alleged had been stealing cocaine from Wells, police said. However, that man denied having any involvement in the crime and had a firm alibi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police also spoke to Smikas friends who described him as the one with a drug habit. At the time of the murder, they said he was struggling with financial issues and had allegedly been known to carry out thefts and scams, according to the warrant. One of the friends interviewed also alleged that Smika had confessed to the murder during a night of drinking, authorities said. Thayne Alan Smika, 1983 photo (left) and age-progressed drawing Where is Thayne Smika today? Smika was arrested, but the district attorney dropped the charges after concluding there was not enough evidence to tie him to the case. Smika disappeared not long after. In 1986, his car was found abandoned in Beverly Hills, California, with a stolen license plate on it, per the FBI, but his current whereabouts remain unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal warrant for his arrest was issued in connection to the crime on Dec. 13, 2010 as part of a renewed effort to solve the case. Former Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett told KUSA that Redford had personally called him to thank him for continuing to investigate the case. According to Garnett, We had a brief, but very cordial conversation in which he thanked me and the Boulder Police and my office for continuing to pay attention to the case and work towards getting a warrant eventually. In the wake of the tragedy, Redford not only attended the funeral, but also paid for private security to protect Wells family as police tried to piece together the crime. RELATED: Where is Death Row Confidential's William "Bill" Noguera Now? I certainly got the impression, both from my understanding of the case and from that conversation and some other things, that this was more than just a casual dating relationship, that Mr. Wells and Robert Redford's daughter were pretty serious about each other, Garnett said. I thought [the call] was a positive reflection of Robert Redford's concern about his daughter and about this young man who'd lost his life very tragically. Redford died Sept. 16, 2025. He was 89 years old. The next day, the FBIs Denver Field office posted the new plea for information on Smikas whereabouts on X. The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to his current whereabouts. The string quartet's achingly beautiful version of "Hallelujah" echoed through the expansive, empty concert hall. Confused, Lydia Fielder, the 3 p.m. weekday anchor for WSMV-Channel 4, scanned the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Her boyfriend, Christian comedian John Crist, said they were going to an awards show that night. So where were the fans? The TV cameras? Why were there vases filled with gorgeous white flowers and a giant heart-shaped floral arrangement, and what's with that table of champagne and sparkling grape juice? (Crist has been sober for six years.) Christian comedian John Crist proposed to his four-year girlfriend, WSMV-Channel 4 anchor/reporter Lydia Fielder, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville on Aug. 22, 2025. Fielder figured it out when she saw "JOHN + LYDIA" in giant letters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When I finally looked at John," Fielder said, "he was already crying." Crist, a Nashville-based comic with more than 4 million social media followers and a "Tonight Show" debut earlier this year, captured national media attention with his lavish, surprise proposal in August. So how does a local TV anchor/reporter meet a nationally-touring comedian anyway? Was she really surprised on proposal night? And what kind of adventures has the couple had since meeting? His fiancee shared her perspective on the magical night and the history of their four-year relationship the two first met four years ago when she went to see him perform in an Arkansas comedy club in an email exchange with The Tennessean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The headlines: Four years ago in Walmart Town USA.... "We met at one of his shows at a small comedy club called The Grove in Lowell, Arkansas, and decided to give dating a try in early 2022," Fielder said. The day comedian John Crist met Lydia Fielder, then a reporter for a northwest Arkansas TV station, on Nov. 12, 2021, at The Grove comedy club in Lowell, Arkansas, where Crist was performing. "Our relationship started in a very unconventional way. Instead of dating in the same city and later navigating long distance, we began our relationship already living apart me working as a news reporter in my hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, [home of Walmart's international headquarters] and John touring as a comedian based in Nashville." So how did the long-distance thing go? "We saw each other every other week, lived on nightly FaceTimes, and learned how to sync two very different schedules. At the time, I worked the morning shift 3 a.m. to noon so when my alarm went off at 1:45 a.m. to get ready for work, Id often FaceTime John, who was just winding down after a show in some city across the country," Fielder wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was a wild, upside-down way to get to know each other, but it worked. When my news contract ended after those seven months in 2022, we were both ready to be in the same city. John suggested I apply for jobs in Nashville and I did, landing a role as weekend anchor at WSMV. Three years later, Ive never been happier, in both my job and my relationship." Red carpets and Razorbacks "Looking back, our dating years have been one adventure after another skydiving, turning John into an Arkansas Razorback fan, traveling on his tour dates whenever Im not working, even driving NASCAR racecars," Fielder wrote. Comedian John Crist and WSMV-Channel 4 anchor/reporter Lydia Fielder in bald caps to go see bald rapper/actor/pop star Pitbull Oct. 9, 2022, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville "Weve hopped from concerts to vacations in Montana, planned surprise parties for each other, celebrated milestones like Johns 'Tonight Show' debut, and even shared red carpets together sometimes with me interviewing him. Its been a whirlwind of insanely fun moments, and I wouldnt trade a single one. "Perhaps the best adventure of all is knowing this is just the beginning." The fake awards show Aug. 22 "For me, it was a typical Friday evening, me rushing home from work at 6 p.m. to make it to the event I thought we were attending by 7:30," she wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "During the short ride to the symphony center, I noticed John seemed nervous, which made me nervous for him. I even started quizzing him about whether he was ready to give the welcome speech and how much hed actually practiced. He assured me he was prepared. Christian comedian John Crist proposed to his longtime girlfriend, WSMV-Channel 4 anchor/reporter Lydia Fielder, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville on Aug. 22, 2025. "When we pulled up to the side stage, Johns tour manager, David, was there, as he often is for Johns big events. He led us through a door and down a hallway, spinning a whole story about where our table was, who was inside, and how the evenings program would flow. "But when he opened the door to the hall, I immediately noticed it was far too quiet for a banquet full of people. Still, it didnt tip me off. Instead, I was mortified, convinced we were walking in late and everyone was staring at us. At that moment, John turned, grabbed my hand, and led me inside." 'The movie moment every girl dreams of' "The whole scene was the movie moment every girl dreams of," Fielder wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Many women dream their whole lives about how it will happen, and when it was finally happening for me, I just wanted to slow everything down so it wouldnt be over too quickly. My brain couldnt catch up with what my heart was experiencing. "I was still halfway convinced I was about to sit down for a banquet. I even stalled near the doorway while John tried to get me to walk toward the center of the room. I knew the second I moved forward, it would all fly by. Christian comedian John Crist hugs his longtime girlfriend, WSMV-Channel 4 anchor/reporter Lydia Fielder, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville on Aug. 22, 2025, after proposing to her. "Eventually, we walked to the middle of the room, in front of a heart-shaped arch made of flowers. John got down on one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I almost forgot to actually say 'yes'! "After he put the ring on my finger, he pointed out that the quartet was playing 'Steady Love' by Ben Rector, the song thats meant the most to our relationship. They followed with 'Goodness of God' by Bethel Music, the song that was playing when John first told me he loved me. We prayed and worshipped together while the strings played it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And then, to my surprise, they ended with the theme from 'How to Train Your Dragon.' John knows how much I love that movie, and the score had moved us both deeply when we saw it together just a month earlier. A riverfront horn blast and pink party hats after the proposal "We quickly toasted the bubbles (in custom flutes that said 'THE CRISTS') as John and the photographer ushered me outside under the guise of 'taking pictures across the bridge before the sun sets.' As we posed by the riverbank with the Nashville skyline behind us, I suddenly heard a horn blast followed by cheers. "I turned to see the Pontoon Saloon, packed with our friends and family from all over the country, sailing toward us. Thats when the tears really came. How had John pulled this off without me catching wind of anything? Comedian John Crist and WSMV-Channel 4 anchor/reporter Lydia Fielder at the Top of the Rock attraction in Branson, Missouri, on July 18, 2024, to celebrate Fielder's birthday. "We climbed aboard and spent the next couple of hours cruising the Cumberland, hugging everyone, and soaking in the celebration as a playlist of my favorite songs played in the background. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "With help from his tour manager and assistant, John had completely transformed the boat: white tablecloths, floral arrangements, framed photo memories, hors doeuvres, and even a heart-shaped 'Just Engaged' cake. He thought of everything, down to the custom light-pink koozies and party hats he had made as favors." You asked Nate Bargatze's wife, Laura, what to wear to the fake awards show? "Yes, she definitely helped. Looking back, I thought it was a little strange how invested she was in my outfit choices. She kept shutting down my safer options and insisted I dress up more." What's next? "Were taking some time to enjoy simply being engaged and to pray about when to have the wedding, likely within a year. People frequently ask if we want a big or small wedding. I tell them John has seven siblings, most of whom are married, so even if we kept it only to our immediate families, that would already include nearly 30 people. At that point, we might as well go big! "When I was a little girl, I could never picture exactly who Id marry. But Im pretty sure a comic never made the list. Yet here we are: a news anchor and a touring comedian planning a wedding. What are the odds? Comedian John Crist kisses his longtime girlfriend, WSMV-Channel 4 anchor/reporter Lydia Fielder, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville on Aug. 22, 2025, just after proposing to her there. "One of us is supposed to stay neutral and unbiased, while the other makes a living ruffling feathers for laughs. Still, I couldnt feel more blessed to marry John a man who sees the world with empathy, fairness, and wisdom. And somehow, [he] manages to crack the exact joke we need to bring us back down to earth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All along, our mantra has been to simply 'take the next right step.' Now, that path has led us here to marriage and I couldnt be more certain its the right step for us." Reach Brad Schmitt at brad@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How John Crist and Channel 4 anchor Lydia Fielder met and fell in love This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Capital One Financial is cutting about 382 jobs at Discover Financial Services Chicago-area headquarters, the bank told the state last week. Capital One said in a Sept. 15 notice to the state, related to the Illinois Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, that the cuts were announced that day and will occur in phases. The first are expected to occur Nov. 17, with 366 employees being let go, and the last in early March 2026. When we first announced the acquisition of Discover, we acknowledged that combining two companies would bring with it some difficult choices and changes, a Capital One spokesperson said Tuesday. After careful consideration, we announced a decision to eliminate some roles as part of our continued integration efforts. Dive Insight: Job cuts affect Discover employees holding 215 different job titles, McLean, Virginia-based Capital One said. Of that group, about 200 work at the Riverwoods, Illinois location, while 18 work remotely in Illinois and 165 work remotely in other states but report to Discovers Riverwoods location. A wide range of roles were affected, although none are customer-facing roles. Among those affected is Discovers chief marketing officer, according to the WARN letter. The WARN letter didnt name CMO Jennifer Murillo, but shes identified as Discovers marketing chief on her LinkedIn profile; Murillo has been with Discover for more than 26 years. The Capital One spokesperson declined to specify the share of Discovers overall workforce that was affected by the cuts. The Riverwoods location isnt closing and business operations will continue there, Capital One said in the WARN letter. Our focus right now is on fully supporting our colleagues impacted by this change, the company spokesperson said. We provided at least 60 days of notice to impacted employees, and we are providing comprehensive career transition support, including enhanced severance, benefits, and outplacement resources. The integration-related cuts follow the shuttering of Discover Home Loans, which Capital One said in July it was winding down after conducting a strategic review. That move led to 215 jobs being eliminated, according to a separate WARN letter submitted to the state of Illinois on Aug. 14. Those job cuts were announced Aug. 14, with the first separations occurring Oct. 17 and the last in May 2026. Bhutan has chosen I, The Song, directed by Dechen Roder, as its submission for the international feature film category at the 98th Academy Awards, marking another significant step for the small Himalayan nations emerging cinema. The selection follows the films dominant performance at Bhutans National Film Awards, where it achieved a near clean sweep, winning most major categories including best film, director, screenplay and acting honors. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement In I, The Song, a school teacher travels to the south of Bhutan in search of her doppelganger to save her job and reputation. As she becomes entangled in her lookalikes life, she realizes she might be the only one to solve her doppelgangers disappearance as well as recover a stolen sacred song. The film had its world premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where Roder won best director, and its Asia premiere at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa. The cast includes Tandin Bidha, Jimmie Wangyal Tshering, Tshering Dorji, Sonam Lhamo and Dorji Wangdi. This selection represents Bhutans fourth official submission to the Academy Awards since the kingdom began participating in 1999. Previous entries include The Cup (1999), Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2020), and The Monk and The Gun (2023). Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom became Bhutans first film to receive an Oscar nomination. The selection was made by a committee organized through BICMA (Bhutan Information and Communications Media Authority), the countrys main film supporting agency. The Oscar submission committee itself was established relatively recently in Bhutan, as the country previously lacked formal procedures for Academy Award submissions. Advertisement Advertisement Were super thrilled to be given this show of support from the committee, said Roder. Of course our Oscars journey likely peaks here, since we have zero budget for campaigns or anything now. Still we are honored and thrilled with the seal of recognition from our own country. I, The Song received several international grants, including funding from Visions sud est, MPA APSA Film Fund, Sorfond, WCF Europe, CNC ACM, Ciclic, and Mibac. The film is produced by Roder for Dakinny Productions (Bhutan) and Johann Chapelan for Girelle Production (France), with multiple international co-producers including companies from Norway, Taiwan, Italy, and France, alongside local co-producer Samuh, Bhutans first streaming platform. The production had no executive producers or equity investors. Award-winning filmmaker and Academy member Arun Bhattarai, who served on Bhutans selection committee, praised the choice: I, The Song touched me in a personal way. Dechen has a gift for blending the real and the mysterious, and through that she tells a story that feels deeply Bhutanese. Fellow committee member Thaye Lam Tshering added: This film touches on a very current state of our world the going viral economy/reality, how the digital affects reality. The film also showcases plenty of Bhutans unique culture and tradition. Advertisement Advertisement Producer Johann Chapelan said: Today, as womens rights and fundamental human freedoms are eroded by the rising tide of conservatism and bellicism across the world, this film stands as a reminder of cinemas power to affirm human dignity. Roder expressed hope that the recognition would inspire the broader Bhutanese film community: I hope this recognition gives our own filmmakers a small push of encouragement and inspiration and also creates a small visibility in the global landscape for Bhutanese art/independent films. Diversion is handling international sales for I, The Song. The Oscar international feature shortlist will be announced on Dec. 16 and the final five nominees will be announced on Jan. 22. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hallmark Channel fans may be trading in their Christmas trees for palm trees! The uber-popular networkwhich is widely known for its feel-good holiday filmshas announced a new Fiji-based romantic comedy movie starring fan favorite actors Lacey Chabert and Ian Harding. On Wednesday, September 24, Hallmark Channel shared the exciting news via a lighthearted post on Instagram that featured a video of the two stars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the clip, a lively Chabert, 42, smiles at the camera and reveals the news as Harding, 39, humorously sleeps in the background. "Hi, it's Lacey Chabert! I'm so excited to share with you that I just finishing filming a movie with Ian Harding," the Mean Girls alum said. "We filmed in Fiji. This is such a fun and funny and romantic movie, and I cannot wait to share it with you, early 2026 on Hallmark Channel," she continued, in part. Fans filled the comments section with positivity and praise, with one writing, "YES A NEW LACEY CHABERT HALLMARK MOVIE!!!!! I AM SO THERE!!!!!!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Can't wait for the new movie. She is the Queen of Hallmark," another said. "Oh my goodness!! So excited," a third commented. "Yes! What a lovely pairing! Can't wait to see your new movie! 2026 can't come fast enough. But first let's have ourselves soon a merry little Christmas with the lovely Christmas movies adding up to the already existing joyful anticipation of Christmas," a fourth enthusiastic fan expressed. "You are so beautiful. Cannot wait for this one!!!!!!" a fifth wrote. "Can't wait! You are both favorites of mine!" a sixth commented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So excited for this new movie!!" another said. Other well-known Hallmark Channel faces also shared kind words in the comments section. "You look STUNNING," Candace Cameron Bure said of Chabert. "I just wanna be wherever you are!!!!" Jennifer Aspen wrote. Though Chabert disclosed an "early 2026" debut, she did not reveal the upcoming film's exact premiere date. At this time, the title of the project is also unknown. What Other Hallmark Movies Star Lacey Chabert and Ian Harding? Though Chabert and Harding have yet to star in a Hallmark Channel movie together (until now), both actors have been featured in the network's films separately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Chabert, some of these include the Wedding Veil trilogy, Haul Out the Holy, Haul Out the Holy: Lit Up, Christmas Waltz, and Love on Safari. She is also set to star in the upcoming Halloween film, Haul Out the Halloween, which will premiere on Saturday, October 11, at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. Harding has starred in the movies Ghosts of Christmas Always and The Magic of Lemon Drops. The Pretty Little Liars alum was also featured in the Hallmark limited series Holidazed and is set to star in the upcoming Hallmark+ series, Ripple. Ripple is scheduled to premiere in 2025, though the exact date is yet to be announced. This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The night Shawn James sold out an 1,100-cap room in Sao Paulo, he realized what many artists who venture south of the U.S. eventually learn: Latin America doesnt just welcome you, it takes you in completely. It was the biggest show of my career, James says. We sold out and it was just mind-blowing to me. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James, the self-described 38-year-old underdog troubadour from Chicagos South Side, has made a name for himself crisscrossing the United States with his own brand of gothic Americana. He had been trying to carve out a path in the U.S. the hard way: self-released records, DIY tours, and a following that first found him in dive bars and basements. Then came a break: In 2016, his song Through the Valley was featured in the trailer for The Last of Us Part II video game, and resurfaced in HBOs hit adaptation earlier this year. That exposure brought James an unlikely audience. Fans across Latin America latched onto his music, excavated his catalog, and flooded his comment sections for years with messages like Come to Brazil! Ultimately, that momentum led James to stepping onto the stage in Sao Paulos Carioca Club last October as the headliner, facing down his largest crowd ever. James breakthrough in Brazil is part of a broader shift. For decades, the United States has been the center of the touring universe: the biggest market, the most lucrative venues. Yet the center of gravity is shifting. For international artists, the U.S. has become one of the most expensive and unpredictable places to tour. Bloated visa fees, endless delays, and snap border denials can sink a run before it starts. A growing number of artists and promoters are looking past the U.S. as they chase the next wave of touring growth, and live-music growth is now being outpaced by markets outside of the U.S. nowhere more dramatically than in Latin America. Latin Americas role in the touring economy is hardly new. The region has hosted some of the most iconic concerts in history: The Rolling Stones 1995 Voodoo Lounge tour drew more than 100,000 people in Rio de Janeiro; Madonnas Sticky & Sweet tour shattered records in Buenos Aires in 2008. And for generations, stadiums in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Sao Paulo have been permanent fixtures on the routing maps of the biggest artists alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clearest example of this is Live Nation, the largest concert promoter on the planet, which is betting biggest on Latin America. On July 29, the company announced it would drop $646 million to boost its stake in OCESA Mexicos live events behemoth giving Live Nation a controlling 75 percent share of the third-largest concert promoter in the world, according to Billboard. The deal doesnt just expand Live Nations global footprint; it locks Mexico into place as the centerpiece of its Latin American strategy, turning the region into a proving ground for the companys next era of dominance. According to their 2024 annual report, foreign exchange swings shaved $235 million off the companys revenue, with the majority of that impact coming from Latin American currencies particularly the Mexican peso and Brazilian real. In plain terms, that means that Live Nations business in Mexico, Brazil, and the broader region, even in its early stages, is already so large that its balance sheet moves with the peso and real. Live Nations expansion in Latin America has been fast and deliberate. In 2021, it paid over $400 million for a controlling stake in OCESA, Mexicos live-events giant, then boosted its share to 75 percent with another $646 million four years later. By 2023, it had moved into Colombia, buying Bogotas Paramo Presenta the force behind Estereo Picnic, Baum, and Knotfest and backing new venues like a 40,000-seat stadium in Bogota, a refurbished Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, and Calis 15,000-cap Arena Canaveralejo. Next up: Brazil, a market twice Mexicos size and still largely untapped. But what is happening in Latin America isnt about one companys strategy; its about a region signaling its arrival on the global stage. A Prototype for a Post-American Touring Economy To be quite honest, this is a new model, says Omar Garcia, an agent with CAA whose roster includes global heavyweights like Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin. Latin America looks like the next frontier for us. If you can break Mexico, then break the U.S., thats really all you need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garcia points to Fuerza Regida as a proof of concept: The Southern California group, who could not be reached for comment, broke out stateside, but big wins have come in Latin America, including a 2023 tour that grossed $35 million, capped by a sold-out night at L.A.s BMO Stadium, and this year, a massive 65,000-strong crowd in Mexico City, bigger than the last Super Bowl. This fall, Kendrick Lamar will take his Grand National Tour through Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, pulling in Argentine duo CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso as openers. Indie-rocks St. Vincent has folded Mexico City, Santiago, and Buenos Aires into her world tour routing, while The Hives are joining My Chemical Romances 2026 Latin America run. Even younger crossover acts like the Marias are leaning into the circuit, plugging into festivals and city stops once seen as add-ons but now treated as essential anchors of their global strategy. I mean, take a look at the lineups for Lollapalooza Brazil, Lollapalooza Argentina, Lollapalooza Chile, says Garcia. Look three or four lines down and youll see mid-tier artists making moves early. This spring, artists like Tate McRae, Teddy Swims, and Benson Boone all took the plunge, playing every stop on the Lollapalooza circuit across South America. They werent the headliners drawing the massive fonts, but they didnt need to be. The crowds were already there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The demand is certainly there and very real, says Russell Brantley, an agent with Los Angeles talent agency 33 & West who represents Shawn James. And one big reason for that is a rise in streaming in all these countries, along with greater access to technology. The region has turned into one of the fastest-growing music markets on the planet, racking up 15 straight years of revenue gains and clocking a 22.5 percent jump in 2024 alone, according to a report by IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry). Mexico just muscled its way into the worlds top-ten music markets for the first time, with concert attendance more than tripling since 2019, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, Brazil posted 21.7 percent growth the strongest among the worlds top ten. Only the Middle East and North Africa region is outgrowing Latin America when it comes to recorded music revenue growth, meaning this region is fast becoming the industrys primary growth engine. What Shawn James experienced didnt come from corporate machinery or a carefully engineered global tour. It came from something simpler: a direct connection between his songs and the people of Latin America. Latin America isnt just a playground for the giants, but a proving ground where independent musicians can find explosive audiences, sell out venues, and build careers in ways the increasingly costly and saturated U.S. circuit can no longer guarantee. If Im playing a giant market that I think should get what I do and it never grows, then Im at the point in my life, Im like, Well if you dont want me, Im not coming, James says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The moment he knew Latin America wanted him happened in 2022, when a local restaurateur with a music venue in Sao Paulo invited James to come perform at his club that held around 200 people. They put up tickets and they sold out within five minutes, James says. So we added two more dates, and they both sold out too. Hours before doors opened, fans were already lined up around the block. Some cried when they spotted him, telling him his songs had carried them through their darkest moments. Teenagers showed up with their parents after driving six hours from another state. Others who couldnt get tickets stood on the sidewalk to hear what they could from outside. James has now done three tours in Latin America, and seen on the ground what the industry measures in numbers: the regions surge isnt just about revenue; its about hunger. More streaming data than ever before has illuminated growing demand that was already there. Now, the industry is building infrastructure around it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same passion that packed James shows is fueling opportunities for newcomers willing to make the leap, and the industry is now steering clients south with the understanding that the demand will meet them there. Get down there early, Garcia says. Even if you dont have a following yet, it will grow. This story is part of our Nuevos Futuros series celebrating Latin music and Latin heritage. Read more here. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Press French electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre has announced his first ever live show in Uzbekistan. He will play Registan Square in Samarkand, on November 1. The event is being held in collaboration with the Uzbekistan Culture Development Foundation as Samarkand hosts the 43rd UNESCO General Conference, a historic gathering of all member states outside Paris for the first time in four decades, reinforcing the citys role as a global centre of dialogue and creativity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Samarkand has long been a crossroads of cultures," says Jarre, a longstanding UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. "Performing at Registan Square is a unique honour, and I hope this concert reflects the spirit of exchange and creativity the city represents. Jarre is, of course, no stranger to massive outdoor shows. In 1979, Jarre performed to a record-breaking audience of more than a million people at the Place de la Concorde on Bastille Day, a record he has since broken three times. He famously played in China in 1981, in Houston to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Texas in 1986 and in London's Docklands in 1988. More recently, he performed a concert in the Hall Of Mirrors in Versailles to celebrate the 400 years of the palace. Get tickets. Jurors handed hip-hop producer Metro Boomin a decisive win at his civil sexual-assault trial in Los Angeles on Thursday. After only about an hour of deliberation, the panel of five men and three women unanimously found that plaintiff Vanessa LeMaistre had failed to prove her claims that the influential musician, born Leland T. Wayne, had raped her at a Southern California hotel in 2016. Wayne was found not liable on all four causes of action. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im blessed. Im relieved, Wayne told Rolling Stone as he exited the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. I never thought I would ever have to do anything like that. Im just relieved. Its a burden lifted off my back. Ill just get back to my family and continue to do the great things that I strive to do. Im blessed. Im relieved, Metro Boomin tells Rolling Stone after jury finds him not liable at civil sexual assault trial Its a burden lifted off my back" pic.twitter.com/XJXZwyA3MF Nancy Dillon (@Nancy__Dillon) September 25, 2025 LeMaistre declined to comment, but her lead lawyer, Michael J. Willemin, said she will continue pursuing her pending mistrial motions based on various errors and the admission of certain evidence and the exclusion of certain evidence during the trial. Well be pursuing both of those motions for a mistrial and eventually an appeal. This is far from the end of this case, Willemin said. The evidence wasnt there, a male juror said as he left the courthouse. A lot of it was just testimony or talking about it. There was no substantial This is what happened. There were no dates recollected correctly. She didnt remember a lot. That was also the issue. In her lawsuit filed last October, LeMaistre alleged that she blacked out after ingesting some Xanax and drinking alcohol given to her by Wayne at a recording-studio session. She claimed she later woke up in a strange hotel room and was drifting in and out of consciousness as Wayne was having sex with her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the witness stand, Wayne vehemently denied the allegations, saying there was no way in the world he assaulted LeMaistre. He said the sex was consensual, and the first time he heard LeMaistre was accusing him of anything was when she brought her lawsuit nine years later. This whole lawsuit was born out of a drug den in Peru. In the jungle, Waynes defense lawyer, Justin H. Sanders, said in his closing argument. This case is preposterous. During the three-day trial, jurors saw a handwritten note that LeMaistre wrote during a 2024 trip to Peru, where she engaged in an extended Ayahuasca ceremony, a spiritual ritual involving the ingestion of a psychoactive plant used by indigenous cultures in the Amazon. Titled Plan Ayahuasca Gave Me, LeMaistre wrote that she intended to blow the whistle on Metro Boomin and publish her date rape allegations in a post on social media. Were asking for 3.4 million to 3.7 million, she wrote in her sometimes admittedly illegible handwriting. P.S. I am a medium. Sanders said the notes from Peru were disturbing and not credible. She talks to dead people in her mind, he argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his own closing argument, Willemin said his client is the daughter of Haitian immigrants who has suffered an ungodly amount of trauma in her life. He said shortly before she met Wayne, she lost her nine-month-old son. She was grieving and not interested in a sexual relationship when she visited Wayne at the studio that night, he said. She has beliefs that I dont have, maybe people in this court dont have. But that doesnt mean she wasnt sexually assaulted, Willemin said. Some of those beliefs are less than traditional, maybe hard to understand. But the question is, when she [testified], did you believe her? Because if you did, [everything else] is just noise. LeMaistre testified over two days on Tuesday and Wednesday. She was the only witness called by her side. The writer and self-described shaman, who was 30 when she first met a 22-year-old Wayne in Las Vegas in 2016, testified that she spoke about the alleged assault with a mental-health professional she was seeing at a treatment center called Prototypes in the fall of 2016. She later discussed it with professionals again when she called a pair of rape hotlines in 2024, she told jurors. Having lost my son, and the defendant assaulting me, have been the two, by far, worst things Ive ever experienced in my life. It has been excruciatingly painful, LeMaistre testified. This stole the past nine years of my life. I havent been able to have any healthy relationships. I want to get married one day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once LeMaistre rested her case, Wayne testified in his own defense, taking the stand as his fellow Atlanta artist Young Thug watched from the gallery. Im just here to support him, Young Thug told Rolling Stone as he walked into the courthouse Wednesday. Hes a longtime friend. Wayne, 32, told jurors that he found it preposterous that LeMaistre had accused him of raping her without a condom. He testified that they actually had sexual relations on two occasions, and that she clearly consented both times. I really dont know where to start. This is crazy. I cant even believe Im up here doing this right now, he said of his testimony. For her to accuse me of something like this, its something I could never fathom. I cant even say what I think should happen to people who rape people. Wayne testified that he lost his mother to domestic abuse and believes sexual abusers should be tortured and killed. During a fierce cross-examination by Sanders, LeMaistre defended her handwritten notes. Asked where she got the $3.4 million to $3.7 million range that she described, she said those were the numbers given to me during the Ayahuasca ceremony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With eight jurors listening intently, LeMaistre said that when she first heard the Wayne-produced song Rap Saved Me in 2017, she believed the lyrics were about her. In the chorus, artists 21 Savage and Offset rap, She took a Xanny, then she fainted. Im from the gutter, aint no changing. From the gutter, rap saved me. She drive me crazy, have my baby. In his closing argument, LeMaistres lawyer said it was far too big a coincidence that a song produced by [Wayne] literally recounted what happened the night of the sexual assault. But in his sworn testimony, Wayne told jurors that he didnt pen the lyrics or even suggest them to his collaborators. Sanders urged the jurors to consider the evidence. He focused on the fact that LeMaistre was the only witness for her case. No single person has been brought into this case to support her allegations, Sanders said. Where are all the therapists she claims she told this to? Was that ever explained to you? He then focused on LeMaistres medical records from 2016, after the disputed hotel encounter with Wayne. The Planned Parenthood records said LeMaistre had denied experiencing any instances of coercion. Later, on Feb. 10, 2025, LeMaistre asked Planned Parenthood to amend the records and remove her denial of coercion. This is called trying to pull a fast one, Sanders argued Thursday in his closing. In this case, Ms. LeMaistre is lying about everything. She did not prove her case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After hugging his lawyers in the courtroom, Wayne told Rolling Stone he was grateful Young Thug showed up to support him on Wednesday. It meant a lot. Hes a close friend of mine. Hes my brother. I was there for his trial, he was there for mine, he said. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Everyone knows Boston, but if you're looking to visit a Massachusetts town that's off the beaten path, WorldAtlas made a list of the eight most underrated towns in the state. The Bay State is home to countless beach towns, lush wooded areas, and eccentric, artsy communities that don't receive as much attention as Salem or Nantucket might. "These small towns are rich with personality, offering scenic landscapes, unique attractions, tight-knit communities, and cultural depth," WorldAtlas said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Check if your town made it on this year's "Most Underrated Towns in Massachusetts" list by WorldAtlas. Rockport Essex County This North Shore seaside town tends to be passed up for Gloucester or the outer Cape, but it "offers an extraordinary blend of natural beauty, cultural depth, and small-town tranquility," WorldAtlas said. Notable highlights are Halibut Point State Park, art galleries around Bearskin Neck, and Rockport's signature red fishing shack, Motif No. 1. Rockport, Massachusetts, USA downtown and harbor view at dusk. Great Barrington Berkshire County This town in the Berkshires is often bypassed for Stockbridge and Lenox, but it "possesses a dynamic blend of artistic flair, natural beauty, and community spirit," WorldAtlas said. Downtown, you can find cafes, bookstores, art galleries, and boutique shops. You can also catch a play at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Shelburne Falls Franklin County WorldAtlas called Shelburne Falls an "enchanting village," often eclipsed by Pioneer Valley or the Berkshires. Highlights include the Flower Bridge, a decommissioned trolley bridge covered in bright plants, as well as several artisan galleries and glassblowing studios. You can view the glacial potholes along the Deerfield River or visit the Heath Fair agricultural festival. Deerfield River in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, USA. Ipswich Essex County Typically overlooked by tourists focused on Salem and Newburyport, Ipswich is "rich in colonial and maritime history," WorldAtlas said. It's one of the oldest towns in the U.S., and has several ornate 17th-century homes to look at. Highlights include the Crane Estate, the Ipswich River, and Crane Beach. Deerfield Franklin County Historic Deerfield is a "beautifully preserved colonial village that provides a living history experience unlike anywhere else in New England," although it is often bypassed for Concord or Plymouth, WorldAtlas said. The town boasts restored 18th- and 19th-century homes, a history museum, and areas to hike, river raft, mountain bike, and cross-country ski. Orleans Barnstable County Typically overlooked by tourists in place of Chatham or Provincetown, Orleans is an "ideal place for those seeking natural beauty and serenity without the tourist crush," WorldAtlas said. The Cape Cod town's highlights include bookstores, art galleries, locally owned restaurants, Arts Week, and the Cherry Blossom Festival. Orleans also offers easy access to Nauset and Skaket beaches. Early morning aerial view looking north along Nauset Beach in Orleans of the surf whipped up by Hurricane Erin, far to the south of Cape Cod. Later in the morning, the lifeguard stands were taken down and moved further up the beach which was closed to swimming because of heavy surf and rip tides. Photo taken on August 21, 2025 North Adams Berkshire County This northern Berkshires town has a "rugged post-industrial beauty and a thriving arts scene," according to WorldAtlas. North Adams is home to the contemporary art museum MASS MoCA, and the town hosts an annual community celebration with cafes, galleries, and creative workspaces. You can also hike and ski the nearby hills, including Mount Greylock. Hingham Plymouth County The South Shore town of Hingham has a "quiet charm and refined character" that "offer visitors a perfect blend of history and nature," WorldAtlas said. Although it gets bypassed for more well-known Cape Cod towns, it has a walkable harbor, historic Main Street, and colonial architecture worth seeing. Highlights include the Derby Academy and the World's End park. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 8 'underrated' Massachusetts towns you should visit without the crowds David Doran This story is part of Conde Nast Travelers Bright Ideas in Travel 2025. Read the full list here. Chuu! I calledthe Mongolian version of giddy up, but the half-wild horse I sat upon either didnt understand or didnt like my American accent. I was with horse wrangler Bundhorol Dolgor and his ten-year-old daughter, Urantuya, on an endless, windswept steppe in Mongolia, some 45 miles from the nearest paved road. On my third chuu, some inflection in my voice clearly resonated, and suddenly we were off, moving at a fast, short-stepping gait that nearly unseated me. Urantuya, wearing a clay-red deel tunic and a wind-battered cap, was giggling at me as she rode her own horse. In her hand was a whip with a handle that looked like bone, though she had no need to use it. These horses liked to move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I traveled to Mongolia in August 2025 to see some of the countrys most beautiful, wild spacesland where many of the countrys nomadic herders, like Bundhorol and his daughter, still roam. Roughly one-third of the countrys entire populationwhich in itself is sparse, since Mongolia is twice the size of Texas with a population of just 3.5 millionis nomadic. These communities move at least two to three times per year, corralling sheep, goats, horses, camels, and occasionally, yaks. Nomadism is an integral part of Mongolias ancestral identity, but as weather and international markets fluctuate, so does the appeal of this challenging lifestyle. When prices for meat, wool, and cashmere are high, nomads with hundreds of livestock can reap significant profit. Its not uncommon for nomadic families to own apartments in the capital of Ulaanbaatar, and send their children to universities. But harsh environmental realities can flip a nomadic familys fortunes overnight, from severe drought to the dreaded dzud winters, in which temperatures can drop to -50 degrees Fahrenheit. And when the prices for animal products dip, things become even harder. Meanwhile, Mongolias tourism industry has offered a strong source of economic growth. This year marked a turning point in the already rapt attention of international travelers keen to visit Mongolia. In May, United Airlines launched a new flight route to Chinggis Khaan International Airport via Tokyo, making it the first US airline to operate regular flights to Mongolia; the year prior, in October, the Eagle Hunter Cultural Center opened as a permanent space where traditional heritage, wildlife conservation, and tourism could overlap. Because of the increasing visitor numbers, many tour operators are now looking into expanding the shoulder season. During a moment of change like this, theres a potentially valuable opportunity for the tourism industry to help to preserve nomadic traditions and the natural environmentif the players involved are respectful of community values and wishes. Nomadic Expeditions, one of the longest running tour operators in Mongolia, with accommodations in the Bayan-Olgii province and the Gobi Desert, maintains ongoing relationships with some 15 nomadic families to foster respectful exchanges with visitors to the region. In activities from eagle hunting and felt making to camel riding, travelers can learn about traditional nomadic life, and the partners are paid fairly for their time and expertise. But founder and CEO Jalsa Urubshurow makes it clear that nomads are not overly reliant on tourism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think its accurate to say that tourism helps support the survival of Mongolias nomadism, he tells me one evening in Ulaanbaatar. Nomads are extremely resilient. This culture has survived thousands of years. Were lucky enough to witness and learn from it. Changing times are an inarguable fact, though, especially as younger generations of nomads find themselves reluctant to commit to this harsh way of life, with many opting to pursue a university-level education. A half-hours drive from Nomadic Expeditions Three Eagle Camp, over bites of dried aaruul cheese curds and sips of milk tea, I met 17-year old Myagmarsuren Batmunkh, who, when shes not milking goats and watching sheep, plans to study forensic science in college. Some nomads have found a middle ground through working in tourism, like Bundhorol the horse wrangler. He previously owned large herds of livestock, including hundreds of horsesshort, bright-eyed creatures with coats as varied and tempers as flighty as mustangs. But with his children either headed to university or still quite young, he pivoted to working part-time with Nomadic Expeditions, which has allowed him to manage a smaller number of animals. Along with the lifestyle itself, specific regional aspects of nomadic culture have become at risk, such as eagle hunting in the western reaches of Mongolia. The tradition is threatened by climate change, mining, and the shift to modern, more sedentary lifestyles. Wild golden eagles, meanwhile, have to navigate dangers from growing human infrastructure and shrinking habitats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After 35 years of working in a theatre production company, Turginbek Ajken forewent a typical retirement route and instead took up traditional eagle hunting. He now works part-time at the new Eagle Hunter Cultural Center, in the western Bayan-Olgii province. Turginbek is a member of the Kazakh community, a traditionally nomadic ethnic group that has been, along with other nomadic peoples, hunting with golden eagles for more than 3,500 years. In his work with the center, he shares the processes and intricacies of eagle-hunting to visitors, along with its culturaland, at times deeply personalroots. When I was a little boy, I would go eagle hunting with my fatherthis coat and all the equipment Im wearing right now is from him, Turginbek told me outside the center, which is built as a rounded ger, or yurt. In the distance, the golden Altai Mountains stood more than 13,000 feet into the air, as surreally steep as CGI imaginings. As he spoke, Ajken stroked the shining brown feathers of his golden eagle, Tirnek. It gives me such a feeling of pride that Im keeping the old tradition. Our ancestors used to live this wayand were still doing it today. While the Golden Eagle Festival, which takes place over two weeks in the same region each fall, has garnered much coverage for its celebration of this UNESCO-recognized heritage, the new center is a year-round establishment where travelers can participate in eagle hunting workshops, learn about Mongolian horsemanship, shop for regional arts and textiles, and arrange overnight homestays in the area. In addition to hosting visitors, the center also serves as a community gathering space and the headquarters of the Kazakh Falconry Association, which supports traditional falconry in Mongolia along with healthy populations of wild eagles. One of the associations current efforts, for example, is to create a modern database of registered, licensed eagle hunters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our responsibility is to keep the balance, the centers director, Atai Ayatkhan, told me as we stood next to a case exhibiting hand-hewn biyalai, thick falconry gloves made from deerskin. Future generations of eagle hunters are decreasing. We want to train and educate them. We want to build research and data about Mongolias eagle populations, and welcome young wildlife researchers. And we want to show this traditional sport to locals and foreigners alike. Balance is a key word as the lives of Mongolias nomads and travelers continue to overlap. An hours drive outside Ulaanbaatar, Hustai National Park is the home of 311 Przewalski's horses, an animal that went extinct in the wild but was reintroduced to this land in 1992. Park manager Batzaya Batchuluun, who grew up in a nomadic family not far from the capital, told me about the careful negotiating of maintaining a healthy park, which also hosts species like Pallas cats and gray wolves, while collaborating with the nomadic families that graze their livestock nearby. Occasionally, as the weather dictates, these families will move their animals through the parks fenceless boundaries. But rather than reprimand them, Batzaya and his team prioritize educating the young children of nomadic families about the value of the ecosystem, the incredible animals that live there, and the importance of maintaining a thriving place for travelers to visit. Working with the nomadic families around us is key, Batzaya tells me after Id spent a morning peering through my binoculars at Przewalski's horses and dramatically-plumed bearded vultures. We want to foster future biologists and guides amongst the nomads who were born and raised here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many travelers, including myself, visit Mongolia specifically in order to experience these uniquely wild places. As tourism to the country continues to grow in importance, operators have the opportunityand responsibilityto help maintain this careful balance of the new and old, of sharing beauty and preserving it. It is because of these authentic, collaborative efforts playing out quietly in the background that I was able to spend an afternoon with Bundhorol and Urantuya not thinking about any of these things, the ceaseless flow of travel and change. Instead, I focused on my own balance as the horses strong legs moved smartly beneath me. Taking in the endless steppe, I felt that singular combination of adrenaline and awe wash over me, the jingle of tack mingling with the whip of the wind. Moments later, a light, spitting rain started to fall. I looked at Bundhorol and Urantuya, who were both grinning at meneither spoke a word of English. Bundhorol motioned to the direction of camp questioningly, then in the opposite direction, out into the empty grass. I paused, then jerked my head to the latter. We turned and kept riding, horses snorting, into the Land of the Blue Sky. Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler Trending Travel Destinations Cinnabon represents mall culture indulgence, with that famous cinnamon-sugar scent enveloping you before you even set sights on the kiosk. Since opening its first shop in the SeaTac mall in Seattle, Washington in 1985, the chain has spread across the U.S. and abroad embedding itself in food courts, gas stations, and travel hubs as a reliable purveyor of cream cheese frosting and nostalgia. But, according to the franchise website, if you live in Maine or Vermont, you won't be able to find that familiar pastry in your local mall or rest stop. It's not that New Englanders don't like Cinnabon the regional bakeries just have their own strong traditions. For instance, the similar but sweetly different sticky buns are the tradition in Pennsylvania, while virtually anything maple-glazed can be found Vermont, and whoopie pies reign supreme across Maine. In some ways, those homegrown desserts already fill the niche that a Cinnabon would occupy. From a franchise perspective, rural populations and smaller mall footprints make expansion into those areas less of a priority, especially compared to the high-traffic airports or big-box centers in more densely populated states. Read more: 11 Once-Popular Desserts That No One Eats Anymore Cinnabons, cinnabons everywhere and not a bite to eat box of Cinnabon pastries - Cinnabon/Instagram So what does it mean to live in a Cinnabon desert? For locals, probably not much especially considering the fact that residents can still get Cinnabon products at grocery stores. The brand sells frozen buns and at-home baking kits in stores across the country, including Vermont and Maine. It's also worth noting that, apart from all of the other varieties of sweet pastries locals can find from small businesses, cross-border Cinnabon fixes aren't far away -- New Hampshire and Massachusetts both have locations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With locations in all of the other 48 states -- including Alaska, the state that ranks last for fast food in America Cinnabon is one of the most recognizable dessert brands in the world. Its rolls have been licensed into grocery store freezer aisles and even coffee creamers, so the absence of physical shops in two states amidst its near-country-wide-coverage feels strangely pointed. What's interesting is how exceptions like these sharpen the sense of ubiquity. The fact that you expect to see a Cinnabon almost anywhere is part of its successful commercial, and cultural impact. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Cathie Wood, chief of Ark Investment Management, usually targets U.S. tech companies. But she occasionally turns to overseas bets to balance her portfolio. Thats what she just did, buying into two popular Chinese tech stocks that have been surging over the past month. 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. 24, the flagship Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) is up nearly 45% year-to-date, far outpacing the S&P 500s 12.9% 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. 24, the Ark Innovation ETF has delivered a five-year annualized return of negative 0.53%, while the S&P 500 has an annualized return of 17.1% over the same period. Over the past 12 months through Sept. 23, the Ark Innovation ETF saw about $1.2 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. Hong Kong. Katmandu. Venice. And now Litchfield County. Those are all vacation destinations that have been featured in The New York Times' popular "36 Hours" travel series, with the northwest Connecticut county joining the list with an itinerary published on Thursday packed with hikes, outdoor dining and covered bridges. The Times spotlighted the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, as well as the Kent Barns and the upscale Ore Hill restaurant among more than a dozen recommendations for visitors to the region. Agnolotti (left) and Rock Cobble beef tartare from Ore Hill in Kent, photographed Dec. 15, 2023. (Lisa Nichols/ For Hearst Connecticut Media) "Bucolic and sparsely populated, Litchfield County, in Connecticut's northwestern corner, is less trodden than the Catskills, Hudson Valley or "out East," on Long Island, with nary a big box store or traffic jam in sight," the Times wrote. "While unspoiled nature, agriculture and slower pastimes like hiking, camping and antiquing are draws, its small villages and artistic enclaves are increasingly home to chic shops, modern galleries and, as of this past year, new hotels." Kent Falls State Park in Kent on Oct. 16, 2023. (Patrick Sikes / For Hearst Connecticut Media) The Times' itinerary, which is written for readers looking for a weekend getaway - it begins on a Friday evening and ends at noon on Sunday - keeps visitors largely outdoors, with a Friday afternoon stroll along the boardwalk trails of the White Memorial Conservation Center, a Saturday split between touring local farms and beehives and chasing waterfalls in Kent State Falls Park, before ending with a Sunday morning hike beside the Housitonic River on the Appalachian Trail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For visitors looking more for cultural amenities than rugged natural beauty, the Times' guide offers the Kent Barns complex, which has separate studios focused on photography, pop-art and sculpture, as well as shopping for "high-quality" and "refined" home goods in New Preston. Customers placing orders at Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam on July 15, 2021. (Lisa Nichols) As in all its travel guides, the New York-newspaper provides more options than a reader's stomach could easily handle. In addition to Ore Hill, the paper suggests West Cornwall's The Pink House, scoops of ice cream at Arethusa Farm in Bantam, and "outstanding" pastries at Cornwall Market. "Whether dining on fresh trout or immersing yourself in art, there are miles and miles to explore," the Times wrote of the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Litchfield County is not the only Connecticut vacation destination to get the "36 Hours" treatment, as the Times also published a guide to visiting New Haven back in October 2012. The Times feature is just the latest in a month of national and international attention for Litchfield County's natural beauty and vacation potential. Earlier this week, the New York Post tapped the region as an "off the grid" fall foliage hotspot. Travel + Leisure included it on a list of fall road trip locales with "stunning scenery" and the Times of London wrote that Litchfield offered a "bucolic" countryside retreat. Sep. 24ALDEN One man was shot and killed and two others were injured Wednesday evening after what the Freeborn County Sheriff's Office has described as a "disturbance" in rural Alden. Sheriff Ryan Shea said a 45-year-old man reportedly received two gunshot wounds to the chest and was transported by Freeborn Ambulance to Alden, where he was stabilized and then taken by Mayo helicopter to Rochester. He died from his injuries shortly before 8 p.m. One other adult male and one adult female were transported by ground ambulance to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea for non-life-threatening injuries and were in stable condition. Shea said their injuries were not from a gun and did not appear to be from a sharp object such as a knife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement were called to a residence, at 23480 630th Ave., northwest of Alden, at 5:12 p.m. for a report that a person was shot. The Sheriff's Office, along with the Minnesota State Patrol, responded to the scene, along with ambulances from Alden, Wells and Freeborn. The incident took place outside of the house. Shea said the adult male and female who were taken to the Albert Lea hospital were residents of the home. One other adult male was also detained for questioning and later released, he said. All of the individuals are related. Shea said the Sheriff's Office is familiar with issues with the family, but he never expects to get dispatched to a shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension crime scene team has been called in to assist. The investigation is ongoing, and the Sheriff's Office states more information is expected to be released on Thursday. PANAMA CITY Florida State University will bolster its nursing and health education efforts thanks to a landmark $10 million gift from The Fairholme Foundation. According to an FSU press release, issued Sept. 22, this is the largest ever given to the FSU College of Nursing. "This landmark philanthropic gift the largest-ever to the College of Nursing will help FSU expand nursing innovation and its undergraduate nursing program to the universitys Panama City campus with the goal of elevating the quality of health care in Northwest Florida, while addressing a critical nursing shortage in the region," the release says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among other things, the gift will create undergraduate scholarship opportunities for students from Bay, Walton and Gulf counties who want to pursue nursing in those counties. Also: "In addition to the Berkowitz gift, FSU plans to invest its own resources to renovate space, secure equipment, and hire faculty and staff for the nursing program to establish a presence in Panama City," the release says. At the FSU College of Nursing, we are boldly rising to lead the future of health care from pioneering digital health and smart home innovations to expanding access to high-quality nursing education across Florida, Jing Wang, dean of the FSU College of Nursing, said in the release. This historic gift empowers us to bring that vision to Northwest Florida, preparing exceptional nurses while advancing innovative care models that will shape the health of our communities for generations to come." Berkowitz is founder and chief investment officer of Fairholme Capital Management and president and a director of Fairholme Funds, Inc. He and his wife, Tracey, co-chair The Fairholme Foundation, according to the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This extraordinary gift is a true investment in the future of Panama City, Randy Hanna, dean of FSU Panama City, said in the release. It opens doors for our students, empowering them to pursue nursing careers right here at home and equipping them with the skills and support to serve and strengthen health care in our community. Donations: St. Joe Foundation is donating $194K to help three programs at FSU Panama City Earlier this year, FSU announced plans to build a care hospital in Panama City Beach under the FSU Health name. The construction of the new Panama City Beach hospital is set to begin soon, with a targeted opening date in 2028. "This gift builds on that progress by ensuring that talented students from our region can train, stay and serve right here at home, expanding access to care and strengthening the health of our communities for generations to come, Jorge Gonzalez, president and CEO of The St. Joe Company and member of the FSU Board of Trustees, said in the release. This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City campus benefits from $10M gift to FSU College of Nursing Sep. 25Two people were hurt Wednesday after they encountered a brown bear on a trail in the Exit Glacier area near Seward, Alaska State Troopers said. The attack occurred at around 6:40 p.m. about a quarter-mile from the trailhead parking lot, according to troopers spokesperson Tess Williams. Troopers in an online statement said a hospital notified them just after 9 p.m. that two people in the emergency room had been attacked by a brown bear. Both people "had to fight off the bear," troopers said. The two adults suffered injuries described as not life-threatening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hikers reported seeing just one bear, Williams said in an email. The incident occurred near an area where the Exit Glacier and Harding Icefield trails join, she said. The hikers did not have bear spray. The pair "self-transported" to the local hospital and were in stable condition on Thursday, according to a statement released by the National Park Service. The Exit Glacier trail is part of Kenai Fjords National Park. The park's superintendent and local troopers responded and closed the trail at the trailhead on Wednesday, the park service said. On Thursday, park officials said they closed the boundary gate at the Resurrection River to limit access while an investigation into the bear incident continues. Trails at Exit Glacier and the Kenai Fjords National Park gate on Herman Leirer Road will be closed until further notice, they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The park service said Kenai Fjords officials are investigating the incident in conjunction with troopers and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Troopers recommended people avoid the area. The park posts warnings to the public to practice bear safety measures like carrying bear spray, talking loudly and hiking in groups. Dogs are prohibited on trails to avoid stressing wildlife. The attack marks the fourth reported bear mauling since a woman was hurt in an attack on a popular Anchorage trail in July. None have resulted in fatalities. A man was mauled on an Eagle River trail in late July. Most recently, a jogger was attacked and seriously injured as she left her Kenai Peninsula home for a run in late August. Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A shooting at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Wednesday left one detainee dead and two critically wounded. The gunman, Joshua Jahn, 29, also died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as law enforcement approached him, law enforcement said. His parents live in Fairview just north of Dallas, and his current address is believed to be in Durant, Okla., CBS News in Dallas reported. The shooting took place at about 6:40 a.m. CDT near Dallas Love Field airport, the Dallas Police Department said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said that a sniper armed with a rifle on a nearby roof shot at the ICE facility. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were transported to the hospital with gunshot wounds, authorities said. Rounds found near the shooter were marked with messages that are in opposition to ICE. An image of the rounds provided by the Department of Homeland Security show scribbling on five bullets. Legible writing on one reads "ANTI-ICE." It's unclear whether any other shooters were involved. President Donald Trump weighed in 10 hours after the shooting. "It has now been revealed the deranged shooter wrote 'Anti-ICE' on his shell casings," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This is despicable! The Brave Men and Women of ICE are just trying to do their jobs, and remove the 'WORST of the WORST' Criminals out of our Country, but they are facing an unprecedented increase in threats, violence, and attacks by Deranged Radical Leftists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This violence is the result of the Radical Left Democrats constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to 'Nazis,'" he added. "The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, must be stopped. We have already declared ANTIFA a Terrorist Organization, and I will be signing an Executive Order this week to dismantle these Domestic Terrorism Networks. I AM CALLING ON ALL DEMOCRATS TO STOP THIS RHETORIC AGAINST ICE AND AMERICA'S LAW ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT NOW! Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Concord, N.C., blamed politicians, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and left-leaning media outlets. "When the left-wing media lies about what [ICE is] doing, what they're doing is encouraging crazy people to go and commit violence," Vance said. "You don't have to agree with Donald Trump's immigration policies. But if your political rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you can go straight to hell." Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas, a Democrat representing the area where the ICE facility is located, criticized the rhetoric from Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He posted on X that they "are already exploiting this tragedy to stoke fear, division and anger. That is shameful. In this moment of grief, what our community needs are leaders who will bring people together, not tear us further apart. "As we mourn, we must also lower the temperature of our politics. Stoking the flames of fear and anger only makes tragedies like this more likely. Now is the time to meet this moment with unity, compassion, and steady leadership." The shooting happened while detainees were in the process of boarding a bus to Laredo and ultimately to nearby Mexico. Fernando Dubove, a Dallas immigration attorney, told KGNS-TV he suspects the gunman knew about the daily routine and would have had a clear shot for when the transfer occurred. Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, said none of those injured were law enforcement officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KXAS-TV in Dallas reported that no ICE officials were injured in the shooting, although local and federal leaders called attention to increased threats of violence against immigration officials amid a rise in raids and arrests. Local police shut down parts of nearby Interstate 35E during rush-hour traffic, the Texas Department of Transportation said. Special Agent in Charge Joe Rothrock said it is being investigated as "an act of targeted violence." On X, FBI Director Kash Patel posted photos of rounds found near the shooter, and wrote: "These despicable, politically motivated attacks against law enforcement are not a one-off. We are only miles from Prarieland, Texas where just two months ago an individual ambushed a separate ICE facility targeting their officers. It has to end and the FBI and our partners will lead these investigative efforts to see to it that those who target our law enforcement are pursued and brought to the fullest extent of justice." This morning just before 7am local time, an individual fired multiple rounds at a Dallas, Texas ICE facility, killing one, wounding several others, before taking his own life. FBI, DHS, ATF are on the ground with Dallas PD and state authorities. While the investigation is... pic.twitter.com/SMOyxiKLqA FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 24, 2025 "This assassination will NOT slow our arrest, detention, & deportation of illegal immigrants," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with the CBS station in Dallas, KTVT-TV, Abbott said: "Any loss of life is bad, but this is an assault now. Not just on ICE agents. This is an assault on the federal government simply trying to enforce the law. This is unacceptable. Unacceptable to see these multiple high number of attacks on ICE on law enforcement. It's an attack against our country itself." Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called for prayers for the victims of the "heinous" shooting. "We will continue to do everything in our power to combat the alarming increase of targeted attacks against ICE and all law enforcement by evil, twisted individuals," he posted on X. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed Paxton's call for prayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While we don't know the motive yet, we know that our ICE law enforcement is facing unprecedented violence against them. It must stop," she said on X. Shane Reynolds, who brought a man from his church to an immigration hearing, described the situation as he was waiting for him on a bench outside. "Running out into the open parking lot just seemed like a bad idea," he told CNN. "I said a prayer. I looked around to try to assess our options, which there weren't a whole lot." Reynolds said he heard six to 10 gunshots. According to the DHS, the facility was the target of a bomb threat. The suspect, Bratton Dean Wilkinson, 36, arrived at its entrance the evening of Aug. 25, claiming to have a bomb in his backpack and a detonator on his wrist. He was ultimately taken into police custody and charged with making terroristic threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The men and women of ICE are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer," Noem said in a statement Wednesday. "Like everyone else, we just want to go home to our families at night. The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop." PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Earlier this year Kathlene Kelley walked into a shop called Bee & Company along Northwest 23rd in Portland. She said she had no intention of buying any of their skin care products, but left with more than $5,000 in charges across two credit cards. When I got the receipt, it said no refunds. I felt sick, she told KOIN 6 News in May. I thought how at my age at 67 years old could I let someone so take advantage of me? How did I let that happen? And I felt ashamed. Kelley described feeling pressured to buy products just so she could leave the store, which caused a painful financial loss. She now realizes she is one of many women who have experienced this. Bee & Company in the Clackamas Town Center, May 2025 (KOIN) Kathlene Kelley was one of the many shoppers who told KOIN 6 News they were victimized by high-pressure sales tactics from area skincare retailers, May 2025 (KOIN) I understand how embarrassed they must feel, how intimidated they must feel in coming forward, she said. And I would tell them to share their story, be brave enough, and to tell their friends. Spread the word so that the people they care about know to stay away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kathlene Kelley was one of the women who spoke with KOIN 6 News about what they called predatory skin care sales tactics throughout the Portland metro area. KOIN 6 News took Kelleys story to a person who goes by the name Avi, the owner of Bee & Company. Our reporter accompanied Kelley, and Avi agreed to give her a full refund of $5,100. In a statement, Avi said: At Bee & Co, our customers come first. Were committed to going above and beyond to ensure everyone feels valued and supported. Kathlene Kelley hadnt contacted us before, but as soon as we spoke with her, we took action right away to make things right. She received a full refund, and we handled everything with care and professionalism just like we do for every customer. We stand by our mission to create positive experiences and deliver service our customers can truly rely on. The associate (at the store) was businesslike, cordial, she said. The transaction was made quickly. Done and over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelley said shes going to take her refund and put it right where it belongs in my savings. Kathlene Kelley, May 2025 (KOIN) She said she regained a sense of relief and closure. Im feeling a whole world better now, just a whole world better, she told KOIN 6 News. You have really helped me so much, and I thank you very much. The latest The Bee & Company on NW 23rd is now: Tua Pelle. When KOIN 6 News visited, there were Bee & Company soaps, honey and the same expensive creams that Kathlene Kelley was sold. The original owner of the store did not return our requests asking for comment. The Better Business Bureau said theyre having issues confirming who the owners are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We found that the company had rebranded it to Tua Pelle, as well, said Dene Joubert, senior investigations manager at the BBB. We looked at the Oregon Secretary of State and neither Bee & Co. or Tua Pelle, have registered their trade names or business names with the Oregon Secretary of State. So theyre not transparent about who the ownership is, which is a requirement of doing business in the state of Oregon. Bee & Company soaps seen in the window at Tua Pelle, which took over the location on NW 23rd in Portland, September 2025 (KOIN) Tua Pelle took over the Bee & Company location on NW 23rd in Portland, September 2025 (KOIN) The Bee & Company store in the Clackamas Town Center is closed and empty, September 2025 (KOIN) The Bee & Company store in the Clackamas Town Center is closed and empty, September 2025 (KOIN) Next, KOIN 6 News confirmed the Bee & Company location at Clackamas Town Center has closed since our investigative report. Mall management has not yet returned multiple emails seeking comment about the closure. The Better Business Bureau said it is investigating a new complaint from Bryn Nguyen, who first received skincare services at Green Spa in Washington Square Mall, which later closed after complaints about predatory practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following a complaint in October, emails KOIN 6 News obtained show Washington Square Mall chose not to renew Green Spas lease. The owner/operator of Washington Square Mall, Macerich, told KOIN 6 News, We can confirm the tenant is no longer at the pif the same products, the same employees, if nothing has changed, but the name and the fact that theyre not registered with the Secretary of State, we havent seen a new LLC registered new officers, a new company, then yes, we would consider that the same store until proven otherwise.roperty. Were not able to provide comments regarding tenant leases. Nguyen said she was under the impression the Green Spa store was getting remodeled. She told KOIN 6 News that Green Spa employees called, notifying her that they transferred her services to Bee & Co. in Northwest Portland. She, like many women weve spoken to, said she was never notified about the strict no refund policy. Im now stuck paying off credit debt of over $9,000, she said. This company, its parent company, and its affiliates use high pressure and predatory sales tactics to get their customers to purchase their products. They are very savvy at what they do and will do anything to manipulate their sales policy verbally in order to lock you into a purchase. Only after a the purchase is made does the customer realize that they lied about their claims and policies forcing the customer to be out hundreds, if not thousandsin my caseof dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Joubert said the company is responding to consumers who are filing complaints addressing their concerns and some consumers have received full or partial refunds. Consumers can read the complaints and the companys response on the BBB Profile. The best way to make a difference when theres nefarious, unethical, bad business practices going on is to report it, Joubert said. It takes more than one person coming forward to make a difference. The difference occurs when more than 15, 20 people come forward to say the same thing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Stillwater Public Schools recognized eight high school students named as semi-finalists for the National Merit Scholarship, according to a Sept. 10 district press release. Those students included Alexander Kearns-Shook, Alex Kidangathazhe, Yejoon (Aiden) Kim, Jonathan Ku, William Lin, Katherine Liu, Caleb Wieman and Stephan Zhang. We are extremely proud of these Stillwater High School Pioneers and their remarkable accomplishments, said SHS Principal Walter Howell in a statement. This recognition not only reflects their dedication and hard work but also the support of their families, teachers from their early years on and peers who have helped them along the way. These students represent the very best of Stillwater, and we are excited to see the opportunities that await them as they continue in this competition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Merit Scholarship Corporation named a total of 16,000 semifinalists from its annual NMSC program. Over 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, the SPS release reads. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. Semifinalists have to complete requirements to advance as a finalist. The district said about 95% of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters also congratulated all Oklahoma students who were recognized as National Merit Scholars, and highlighted their dedication, hard work, and academic excellence in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He noted the National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes the top students across the country based on their exceptional academic achievement, PSAT/NMSQT performance and commitment to success. Walters said the 2026 honorees this year are an example of the strength of the states schools, teachers, and families who support them. These students represent the very best of Oklahoma, Walters said. Their commitment to learning and their pursuit of excellence make us all proud. They are not only leaders in the classroom, but also future leaders for our state and nation. A couple of years ago, Gabriel Metcalf was charged with a federal felony because he stepped onto the sidewalk in front of his house in Billings, Montana, while holding a shotgun. Metcalf, who had armed himself because of a dispute with a neighbor who was subject to a restraining order, was not violating state law. But because Metcalf lives across the street from an elementary school, prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana argued, he had violated the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA). Metcalf argued that the GFSZA, which bans gun possession on public property within 1,000 feet of a primary or secondary school, violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms. This week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit sidestepped that issue, instead overturning Metcalf's conviction on the grounds that he arguably qualified for an exception to the GFSZA. That law exempts anyone who is "licensed" to publicly carry a gun within school zones, provided "law enforcement authoritiesverify that the individual is qualified under law to receive the license." But Montana is one of 29 states that allow adults to carry guns without a permit, provided they are not legally disqualified from owning them. Although state legislators explicitly said residents who meet those criteria should be considered "licensed" within the meaning of the GFSZA, federal prosecutors disagreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Watters sided with the government, saying Metcalf did not qualify as "licensed" under the GFSZA. She also ruled that the statute is constitutional because it is "consistent with this Nation's historial tradition of firearm regulation"the Second Amendment test established by the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assoiation v. Bruen. The 9th Circuit's decision in United States v. Metcalf does not address the latter issue. But two members of the three-judge panel concluded that Watters should have dismissed Metcalf's indictment because his understanding of "licensed" was plausible. "The parties do not dispute that Metcalf holds a license pursuant to Montana Code section 45-8-360," Judge Lawrence VanDyke, a Donald Trump appointee, notes in an opinion joined by Judge John B. Owens, who was nominated by Barack Obama. "Instead, they dispute whether Montana's procedure for issuing this license complied with the [GFSZA's] requirements." Based on "the traditional tools of statutory interpretation, Metcalf has offered at least a plausible reading of the exception" for "licensed" gun owners, VanDyke says. "When we factor in the canon of constitutional avoidance and the rule of lenity, Metcalf lacked the appropriate notice to be convicted of violating the Gun-Free School Zones Act. Affirming Metcalf's conviction would be inconsistent with the principles of fair notice and of not punishing innocent conduct." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Metcalf "argued both here and in the district court that he is covered by the state or local license exception because Montana has 'verified that any individual who is not prohibited under the laws of Montana or who has not been convicted of a violent felony crime is qualified to receive a license to carry a firearm within a school zone,'" VanDyke notes. "In response, the government has argued both here and below that the Montana statute 'does not require that law enforcement authorities of the state verify that the individual meets those qualifications before obtaining a license,' so 'the Montana provision does not meet the federal requirements for the exemption to apply' and 'Metcalf's firearms possession was not exempted.'" Although the latter view is "the better reading of the statute," VanDyke says, "we do not agree that this reading is the only plausible reading or that the statute is unambiguous." The government, he notes, seems to assume that law enforcement agencies can "verify" that someone qualifies for a license only by conducting a background check. Yet "dictionary definitions of 'verify' explain" that the word can also mean "assert, affirm, or confirm, as true or certain." Under that broader definition, VanDyke writes, "Montana has in some sense 'verif[ied]' that Metcalf is qualified to hold a license by 'assert[ing]' that individuals are deemed to hold a license if they meet certain minimum qualifications. Thus, a subsequent 'licensing process' may not be necessary for the state to 'verify' that an individual is qualified under state law to hold a license." VanDyke also notes that GFSZA is part of a broader statute that generally "defer[s] to state determinations and state findings when concluding whether the [elements of] federal offenses and exceptions are satisfied." He says "Metcalf's reading of the license exception is consistent with Congress's repeated deference to states' findings and laws" in the surrounding statutory text. And he notes that the Supreme Court has said "federal courts should avoid interfering with state governments' internal decisions under the guise of statutory interpretation" unless Congress has made "a clear statement to the contrary." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only prior federal appeals court decision addressing the meaning of "licensed" under the GFSZA likewise lends support to Metcalf's reading of the law, VanDyke says. In the 2000 case United States v. Tait, the government argued that an Alabama pistol license did not count under the GSFZA because the state did not require local licensing authorities to conduct a background check. The 11th Circuit rejected that argument. Although "the Alabama law is extremely lenient," the appeals court said, "it is nonetheless the only pertinent law. Alabama has chosen its laws, and these are the laws which determine whether the federal statute's exception applies." The 11th Circuit concluded that "Alabama is free to set forth its own licensing requirements, and Congress chose to defer to those licensing requirements." VanDyke argues that siding with Metcalf is also consistent with the constitutional avoidance doctrine, which says courts should strive to avoid constitutional questions unless addressing them is necessary to resolve a case. In this case, he says, "the statute is susceptible to at least two plausible interpretations," one of which raises "serious questions" under the Second Amendment. VanDyke also invokes the rule of lenity, which urges courts to favor defendants when interpreting ambiguous criminal laws. That rule aims to ensure that people are not convicted unless they had fair notice of conduct that could lead to their arrest and prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Metcalf "was informed by local authorities that it was permissible for him to be armed and that by possessing his firearm he was not violating the law," VanDyke notes. "Metcalf then initiated a conversation with federal authorities, during which he expressed concerns about his interactions with the local officials and explained 'how he has researched the law pertaining to firearms' and 'went to great lengths to articulate that he follows the law.'" State law informed Metcalf that he was "licensed and verified by the state of Montana within the meaning of the provisions regarding individual licensure and verification in the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act." And "before the district court's decision in this case," VanDyke notes, "there was no court decision that could have put Metcalf on notice that the license the legislature conferred upon him was, in fact, invalid to comply with federal law. Given these facts, we cannot say that Metcalf received the 'fair warningin language that the common world will understand,' with which the rule of lenity is concerned." For similar reasons, VanDyke says, Metcalf's prosecution was inconsistent with "the presumption in favor of scienter"i.e., a culpable state of mind. That presumption, he notes, "reflects the basic principle that 'wrongdoing must be conscious to be criminal.'" Dissenting Judge Mary Schroeder, a Jimmy Carter appointee, criticizes the majority's "tortured application of lenity and scienter principles." Since "this statute is not ambiguous," she says, the rule of lenity does not apply. She adds that scienter requires nothing more than Metcalf's "knowledge of facts constituting the elements of the crime," as opposed to "knowledge that the conduct violates a criminal statute." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schroeder says the majority "essentially agrees" with Watters that Metcalf's prosecution was consistent with the Second Amendment. To the contrary, the other two judges explicitly avoided that issue. But they did note that Metcalf's convinction "'raise[s] serious constitutional problems,' or at least 'serious questions,' under the Second Amendment." The Supreme Court has said schools themselves qualify as "sensitive places" where guns can be banned without violating the Second Amendment. But that does not necessarily mean zones extending a fifth of a mile in every direction from school grounds fall into the same category. Because schools are scattered throughout communities across the country, those zones cover a lot of territory. In most cities, it would be difficult for someone to travel without traversing one or more of them. The 9th Circuit's resolution of Metcalf's case leaves open the question of whether that situation is consistent with the right to bear arms that the Supreme Court upheld in Bruen. The post The 9th Circuit Overturns a Man's Conviction for Holding a Shotgun on the Sidewalk in Front of His House appeared first on Reason.com. You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. Cetera Financial has partnered with an investment bank specializing in the sale of small businesses to provide the firms services to its roughly 12,000 financial advisors across affiliation models. Cornerstone Business Services, a Green Bay, Wisc.-based investment bank focused on family and privately-held companies, will now be part of Ceteras service offerings. The goal is for Cornerstone to help advisors with valuations and sales for small business owner clients and engage in discussions with their clients well before any sale would occur. This marks another move by the San Diego-based broker/dealer network to offer services that will draw advisors to their affiliation models in a competitive market for talent. Recently, Cetera announced a partnership with Wealth.com, an estate planning technology company, and added alternative investment model portfolios to its lineup for advisors. Access to small business merger and acquisition services for clients is also becoming popular among advisors seeking to differentiate their practice. Earlier this year, Merchant Investment Management took a stake in a valuation services firm that works with RIAs both in and out of Merchants network of firms. The firm did not disclose how much it invested in the Columbus, Ohio-based WR Valuation. Also on Tuesday, financial planning software firm RightCapital launched a new product for advisors working with small business owners. The Shelton, Conn.-based firm said advisors can use the software to help small business clients consider cash flows, assets and liabilities, and model out sale strategies. With these new capabilities, advisors can provide business owners with greater clarity into their financial future and ensure they are on the right path to achieve their goals, Shuang Chen, co-founder and CEO of RightCapital, said in a statement. Another firm, RISR, secured pre-seed funding in 2024 for a platform that helps financial advisors engage with and analyze small businesses for clients. And Capitaliz, an Australian-based startup that entered the U.S. market a few years ago, offers predictive analytics to help advisors determine the monetary impact improvements and investments can make to a business before a sale. Cetera, for its part, sees its advisors leveraging Cornerstones expertise for a sales process in a way that will sync with their investment advice and adjacent tax and estate services. Our most value-added service is to do meaningful tax and estate planning before a sale takes place, said Scott Baker, Ceteras head of high-net-worth solutions, in a statement. Cetera already has an advanced planning team to work with clients looking to sell their business in the near term, and otherwise, it touts advisors who can put together a long-term business plan. A man who murdered a woman during a gas station robbery will be put to death in Alabama with nitrogen gas. The execution of Geoffrey Todd West, 50, is scheduled for Thursday night at south Alabamas William C. Holman Correctional Facility. West was convicted of capital murder for the 1997 shooting of 33-year-old Margaret Parrish Berry. Berrys son, Will, has said he has forgiven West and has urged the states governor to commute the killers sentence to life in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another execution will be carried out Thursday in Texas, by lethal injection, in an unrelated case. Berry, a mother of two, was shot while lying on the floor behind the counter at Harolds Chevron in Etowah County on March 28, 1997. Prosecutors said the store clerk was killed to ensure there was no witness left behind. Court records state that $250 was taken from a cookie can that held the stores money. West's girlfriend agreed to testify against him in exchange for a 35-year sentence for her role in the robbery and killing. Geoffrey West will be put to death Thursday evening (Alabama Department of Corrections) A jury convicted West of capital murder during a robbery and voted 10-2 to recommend a death sentence a recommendation accepted by the judge. Etowah County Circuit Judge William Cardwell said at the 1999 sentencing that he found it difficult to order the execution of a young man but said the killing was "intentional, carried out execution-style. So very sorry West does not deny he killed Margaret Berry. He said at 50 that he struggles to understand what he did at 21. He and his girlfriend were desperate for cash and went to the store where he once worked to rob it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres not a day that goes by that I dont regret it and wish that I could take that back," West said. He wants to apologize to Berry's family. Im so very sorry for the hurt that Ive caused you all. Im so very sorry for what Ive taken away from you, and I hope and pray you forgive me, West said of what he wants to tell Berrys family. A plea from victims son One of Berrys sons urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to halt the execution and let West serve the rest of his life in prison. Will Berry said he has forgiven West. He said that he believes forgiveness is what his mother would want. I dont want this man to die. Vengeance isnt for the state. Its for the Lord, Will Berry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Berry on Tuesday joined death penalty opponents at a vigil outside the Alabama Capitol. He helped delivered a petition to Ivey's office asking that the execution be halted. Berrys son Will has urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to halt the execution (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Ivey replied in a Sept. 11 letter to Berry that she appreciated his belief, but she said Alabama law imposes death as punishment for the most egregious forms of murder. As governor, it is my solemn duty to carry out these laws, Ivey wrote. Ivey has commuted one death sentence during her eight years in office. The Republican governor wrote in the letter that she did so only because of questions about the persons guilt. West and Will Berry exchanged letters. The two men had asked to be able to meet ahead of the Thursday night execution. But the state denied the request for security reasons. Nitrogen gas West will be executed by nitrogen gas. The method involves strapping a gas mask to the face and forcing the inmate to breathe pure nitrogen gas, thus depriving the person of the oxygen needed to stay alive. Nitrogen is an inert gas that makes up 78% of the Earth's atmosphere and is harmless when mixed with adequate oxygen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Alabama lawmakers in 2018 authorized nitrogen gas as an execution method, the Alabama Department of Corrections gave death row prisoners a brief window to name their preferred execution method. West was one several dozen inmates in 2018 who picked nitrogen. However, at the time the state had not developed procedures for using it, and it was unclear when that would happen. Alabama carried out the nation's first nitrogen gas execution in 2024. Nationally, six people have now been executed using nitrogen gas five in Alabama and one in Louisiana. Lethal injection remains Alabama's primary execution method. A 19-year-old man was arrested last week after authorities say they discovered he had made social media threats hours before at least 1,000 students and community members attended the Charlie Kirk vigil at the University of Texas at San Antonio campus. Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was killed Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. ALSO READ: Students, supporters turn UTSA vigil for Charlie Kirk into call to action Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Xaelyn Dunbar was arrested and charged with terroristic threat by intentionally and knowingly threatening to commit violence, placing persons in fear of imminent serious bodily injury, court records show. He is currently housed at the Bexar County jail with a bail set at $40,000, records show. On Sept. 15, the day of Kirk's vigil, a captain with UTSA's Police Department informed the San Antonio Police Department of a Facebook message thread involving Dunbar, according to an arrest affidavit. The message thread was flagged by the Southwest Texas Fusion Center, an interagency intelligence-gathering hub managed by SAPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dunbar's messages were found on the feed for the San Antonio Young Republicans' Facebook account regarding Kirk's vigil that was planned for later that evening, the affidavit states. According to the affidavit, Dunbar allegedly commented, "This is a disgrace and I can tell you right now ima make sure this won't be a good nor comforting vigil yall watch and see." He continued by saying, "Ima make this (a) movieme and my truck." When questioned by another user about what he meant, Dunbar replied, "You'll see (tomorrow) I wouldn't advise tryna stop a Ford 250 Diesel truck. (I will) show yall how much Charlie really means." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ ALSO: TEA reviewing 180 complaints against Texas teachers for Charlie Kirk comments Shortly after 7 p.m., SAPD and Universal City Police Department officers went to Dunbar's residence at the Sagebrush Apartments on the Northeast Side, according to the affidavit. Officers began speaking with Dunbar, who immediately stated that he knew why officers came to his apartment. Dunbar confessed to posting the comments on Facebook, and he agreed that his comments could be interpreted as "threatening in nature," according to the affidavit, but he told officers he saw it as a joke. "(Dunbar) stated he was from the younger generation, being dumb and he saw this as clowning around," the affidavit states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officers quickly reminded Dunbar that he was no longer a kid. In response, he stated that even if he were 19 years old, that doesn't mean he won't still act like a kid. Officers asked Dunbar if posting his comments was worth being criminally charged, he responded by saying, "if that's what it takes, I did what I did and I can take the consequences," the affidavit states. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill speaks during a criminal justice and mental health symposium on Sep. 24, 2025. (Alixel Cabrera/Utah News Dispatch) Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill still remembers one of the most difficult calls of his time as a public prosecutor. It was an elderly woman with a severely mentally ill adult child. Without access to many resources and feeling increasingly exhausted as she and her husband got older, she asked an unimaginable question what felonies could her son commit to get help from the countys mental health court? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That experience reminded me, early on, the impact of mental illness, not only on families and loved ones, but how broken our institutional support had been, Gill said during a criminal justice and mental health symposium on Wednesday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The largest mental health facilities in the U.S. are New York Citys Rikers Island, Twin Towers Jail in Los Angeles and Cook County Jail in Chicago, demonstrating that the criminal justice system is a critical mental health provider, Gill said. There is a disproportionate presence of people with mental illnesses in jail, compared to the general population, Gill said. And nearly 25% of all police shootings involve an encounter with a mentally ill person but thats a number he said he may contest, since in his experience overseeing reviews of over 150 officer-involved shootings in the last 15 years, Gill believes that percentage has been higher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this scenario, and with underfunded mental health centers and a reliance on low-level courts to manage mentally ill offenders, Gill said the state needs to think about the resources it puts forward for the federally-proposed expansion of civil commitment. Utah is already studying ways to increase its number of civil commitment beds, with a proposal to add over 300 beds to the states new homeless services campus in northwest Salt Lake City, a measure that could be a step for the states response to Trump administrations controversial Ending Crime And Disorder On Americas Streets order. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has also called for a mental health expansion in the state, arguing there should be more resources for patients who are killing themselves slowly on our streets. With the lack of infrastructure to serve this population, it should come as no surprise that many patients who have lost shelter and access to medications may drink in excess or use illicit drugs, Gill said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The criminalization of public health issues became our norm. You and I would not criminalize somebody with heart disease, you and I would not criminalize somebody for having diabetes, Gills said. Unfortunately, mental illness, driven by shame, stigma and fear, continues to be criminalized, even today. Let us know what you think... Added to that, city justice courts, which handle low-level offenses like public intoxication, trespassing, disorderly conduct and camping, among others, dont have the resources to address the complexity of individuals with mental illnesses either, Gill said. Missing a court appearance, for example, could escalate a case, overwhelming the mentally ill population with a cycle of warrant after warrant. I think we need to recognize and acknowledge that systemic failure, Gill said. And please, when I say this, I am not trying to blame anyone. Im just trying to share an observation, because if we do not honestly make an observation, we will never be in a place to effectuate the change that I know that all of you and all of us talk about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The county has also signed a contract with the Leifman Group a consulting firm led by Steven Leifman, a retired judge who has developed substantial criminal justice reforms for people experiencing mental illness in Miami Dade County to identify gaps in Salt Lakes system. We really are focused on this work. And Ill tell you, Ive worked on it every day. Keeps me up at night. My brain is constantly thinking about it because I dont like the outcomes that were seeing. And I also know that criminal justice is not the space where we want people to land, Kelly Colopy, director of the Salt Lake County Human Services Department said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A new public charter high school is rolling out the red carpet for students, bringing together traditional academics and hands-on film experience. The Louisiana Academy of Production (LAAP) is set to open in August 2026 and will be among only four high schools nationwide launching as fully integrated film and production schools. Students will take their core classes while also learning the art and business of filmmaking. Were one of four high schools nationwide that are launching as integrated film and production high schools, said Fallon Buckner Ward, Executive Director of LAAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Registration opens Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, for current 8th graders. Only 75 to 90 spots will be available for the inaugural class. To be eligible, students must be entering the 9th grade at the beginning of the 20262027 school year. The school is tuition-free and aims to create a direct pipeline between students and Louisianas booming film industry. When movies come to a city, when industries come to a city, theyre not bringing those behind-the-scenes workers with them. Theyre looking for those workers through the local unions to be able to supply that workforce right here at home, Ward said. With a partnership at Celtic Studios, students will learn on professional sets and connect with local production companies and news outlets for internship opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connecting with different entities like our news outlets or local production agencies where we can say, Hey, we want to provide an internship opportunity for our students, Ward said. School leaders said LAAP will empower young people with real-world skills while strengthening Baton Rouges role in the creative economy. When that economic boom happens, well have industry career professionals here ready to work, Ward said. With limited spots available, Ward encourages families to apply early. 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. Ladakh, a high-altitude cold desert region in the Himalayas that has been at the heart of recent India-China tensions, was rocked on Wednesday by violent Gen Z-led protests as youth torched the regional office of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As protesters, including students, clashed with the police in Leh, the regional capital, at least four of them were killed and dozens were injured, protest coordinators told Al Jazeera, following additional deployment of the armed forces. Authorities said dozens of security forces were also injured in the clashes. For the past six years, thousands of people in Ladakh, led by local civic bodies, have taken out peaceful marches and gone on hunger strikes demanding greater constitutional safeguards and statehood from India, which has governed the region federally since 2019. They want the power to elect a local government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, however, groups of disillusioned youth broke with those peaceful protests, said Sonam Wangchuk, an educator who has been spearheading a series of hunger strikes. It was an outburst of youth, a kind of Gen-Z revolution, that brought them on streets, Wangchuk said in a video statement, referring to recent uprisings in South Asian countries, including in Nepal earlier this month, that led to the overthrow of the government of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. So, whats happening in Ladakh? What are their demands? How did the Himalayan region get to this point? And why does the crisis in Ladakh matter so much? Smoke rises from a police vehicle that was torched by the demonstrators near the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Leh on September 24, 2025. Indian police clashed with hundreds of protesters demanding greater autonomy in the Himalayan territory of Ladakh, leaving several people injured, authorities said [Tsewang Rigzin /AFP] What triggered clashes in Ladakh? On Wednesday morning, a hunger strike by local Ladakhi activists, led by the Ladakh Apex Body, an amalgam of socio-religious and political organisations, entered its 15th day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two activists, aged 62 and 71, had been hospitalised the previous evening after two weeks of hunger strike, leading to a call by organisers for a local shutdown. The protesters were also angry with the Modi government for delaying talks with them. These issues led the youth to believe that peace is not working, Wangchuk said on Wednesday evening in a virtual press meeting, during which he appeared frail. Then the youth-led groups broke away from the protest site in Leh at the Martyrs Memorial Park and moved towards local official buildings and a BJP office, raising slogans, leading to clashes with the police. Four were killed and another remains critical, while dozens were injured. This is the bloodiest day in the history of Ladakh. They martyred our young people the general public who were on the streets to support the demands of the strike, said Jigmat Paljor, the coordinator of the apex body behind the hunger strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The people were tired of fake promises for five years by the government, and people were filled with anger, Paljor told Al Jazeera. Amid the violence, he said, his organisation withdrew the hunger strike, calling for peace. In a statement, Indias home ministry said that clashes with an unruly mob had left more than 30 forces personnel injured and that police had to resort to firing in self-defence, leading to some casualties. The government said that it was clear that the mob was incited by [Wangchuk], adding that the educator was misleading the people through his provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal. Wangchuk has been warning that youth sentiments could turn to violence if the government does not pay heed to the demands of peaceful protesters but insists he has never advocated violence himself. What do protesters want? In 2019, the Modi government unilaterally stripped the semi-autonomous status and statehood that Indian-administered Kashmir had previously enjoyed under the Indian constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state had three regions the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley, the Hindu-majority Jammu, and Ladakh, where Muslims and Buddhists each form about 40 percent of the population. Then, the Modi government divided the former state into two territories: Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature, and Ladakh without one. While both are federally governed and neither has the powers of other states in India, Jammu and Kashmirs legislature at least allows its population to elect local leaders who can represent their concerns and voice them to New Delhi. Ladakh, locals argue, doesnt even have that. Kashmir is a disputed region between India, Pakistan and China the three nuclear-armed neighbours each control a part. India claims all of it, and Pakistan claims all except the part held by China, its ally. Indian-administered Kashmir borders Pakistan on the west, and Ladakh shares a 1,600km (994-mile) border with China on the east. Since the end of statehood, Ladakhis have found themselves under the rule of bureaucrats. More than 90 percent of the regions population is listed as Scheduled Tribes. That status has prompted a demand for Ladakh to be included under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which provides autonomous administrative and governance structures to regions where recognised Indigenous communities dominate the population. There are currently 10 regions in Indias northeastern states that are listed under the schedule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the Modi government has so far resisted both statehood and the protections of the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh. The separation of Jammu and Kashmir from Ladakh has meant that it is harder for Ladakhis to find work in Jammu and Kashmir, where most jobs in the previously unified region were. Since 2019, residents have also accused the Indian government of not putting in place clear policies for hiring in public sector jobs. [The young protesters] are unemployed for five years, and Ladakh is not being granted [constitutional] protections, Wangchuk said on Wednesday. This is the recipe of social unrest in society: keep youth unemployed and then snatch their democratic rights. Ladakh has a 97 percent literacy rate, well above Indias national average of about 80 percent. But a 2023 survey found that 26.5 percent of Ladakhs graduates are unemployed double the national average. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the anger tipped over. Whats happening in Ladakh is horrific, said Siddiq Wahid, an academic and political analyst from Leh. It is scary to see Ladakh sort of pushed to this edge. In the last six years, Ladakhis have realised the dangers that their identity faces, he said, adding that the people have been adamant about the need to retrieve their rights since they were snatched away six years ago. The youth anger is a particularly worrisome angle because theyre impatient. Theyve been waiting for a resolution for years, said Wahid. Now, they are frustrated because they dont see a future for themselves. An Indian security officer stands guard near the Siachen base camp road, in Ladakhs remote Warshi village [Sharafat Ali/Reuters] Have there been protests earlier in Ladakh? Yes. Since the abrogation of the regions semi-autonomous status and the removal of statehood, several local civic groups have staged protest marches and at times, gone on hunger strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wangchuk, the educator, has led five hunger strikes in the last three years, demanding constitutional protections for Ladakh. He is also the most well-known face of the protests in Ladakh having a wider reach due to his past sustainability innovations. Wangchuks life has also inspired a Bollywood blockbuster movie that has gained legions of fans in China. The site of the hunger strike, the Martyrs Memorial Park, is also dedicated to three Ladakhis who were killed in August 1989 in a firing incident during protests. At the time, the protests were over anger about perceived Kashmiri dominance in the unified state that Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir belonged to. The site also honours two other protesters who were killed in January 1981 during an agitation demanding Scheduled Tribe status for Ladakhis. But Wednesdays protest marked the deadliest day in Ladakhs political history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sajad Kargili, a civil member of a committee constituted by the Modi government to speak with the protesting activists, said that the violence in Ladakh highlights the frustration of our youth. The government needs to understand that there are young people here who are angry and not opting to sit on a hunger strike, Kargili said. The Modi government should not turn its back on these calls. Military tankers carrying fuel move towards forward areas in the Ladakh region, on September 15, 2020 [Danish Siddiqui/Reuters] Why Ladakh is so significant Ladakh sits at Indias Himalayan frontier, bordering China. The region also connects to vital mountain passes, airfields, and supply routes that are critical for Indias military in the event of a conflict with China. In 2020, the Indian and Chinese forces clashed in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), following a Chinese incursion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 20 Indian forces personnel were killed alongside four Chinese. The confrontation triggered the mobilisation of tens of thousands of troops on both sides, with heavy weaponry and infrastructure being rushed to high-altitude posts. Since then, Ladakh has remained the nerve centre of India-China border tensions. Multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks have led to a thaw since late last year. Now, Wahid, the political analyst, said that the Modi governments actions in 2019 are returning to haunt India with a new threat in Ladakh an internal one. Indian authorities, he pointed out, have long had to deal with Kashmir as a centre of discontent. Now, they have Ladakh to contend with, too. Sep. 24Search crews on Wednesday recovered the body of a Wyoming man who went missing in Flathead Lake earlier this summer. The remains of James Dominguez, 58, were found in an area north of Matterhorn Point, according to Lake County Sheriff Don Bell. Dominguez, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was presumed drowned on July 15 after a specialized rowboat he was in capsized during a strong rain and windstorm. He was training for an ocean-rowing competition aboard a high-tech, two-person boat called Cosimo, the Lake County Leader reported. Two members of the three-person crew, Jayme Linker and Neil Lomas, were rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment of hypothermia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A friend of the family told the online news outlet County17.com that the group issued a Mayday distress call around 6 a.m. near Wild Horse Island after the boat capsized. Linker and Lomas were tethered to the vessel, but Dominguez was not. According to the report, the friend said one of them attempted to reach out with a rope, but Dominguez was beyond their reach due to the weather. The body was transported to the state medical examiner's office for an autopsy, Bell said. According to oarwardbound.com, Dominguez was a retired law enforcement officer and military veteran who "has spent his life embracing discipline, resilience and extreme challenges." The trio's journey was scheduled to begin in November, with Linker and Dominguez rowing across the Atlantic from Morocco to Houston. The second leg would cross the Pacific from California to Australia, and the third would navigate the Indian Ocean to Africa, covering 16,000 miles in total. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bell credited Ralston Underwater Search and Recovery of Idaho for assisting in the recovery effort. Other assisting agencies included Lake County Search and Rescue, the Flathead County Sheriff's Office and Dive Team/Search and Rescue, Two Bear Air, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office and Search and Rescue, and the Kootenai County, Idaho, Sheriff's Office. "The Lake County Sheriff's Office wishes to express our gratitude to the many volunteers and other agencies that assisted us in this months-long search," Bell said. NEW YORK China pledged Wednesday to cut its world-leading levels of climate pollution by up to 10 percent during the next decade one day after U.S. President Donald Trump urged global leaders to abandon the effort to halt the Earth's rising temperatures. The move, announced virtually by Chinese President Xi Jinping, also includes plans for increasing electric vehicles sales and ramping up wind and solar power, which Xi said he aimed to grow six times over 2020 levels. That projection, while low according to Chinas current trajectory, dwarfs the amount of renewable energy produced in the U.S., and seems to contradict Trumps assertion Tuesday that China doesn't use the wind turbines being made in its own industrial plants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi said the transition to cleaner energy is the trend of our time. In a nod to the U.S., he added, while some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused on the right direction. These targets represent China's best efforts based on the requirements of the Paris Agreement, Xi said, referring to the 2015 climate pact. Meeting these targets requires both painstaking efforts by China itself, and a supportive and open international environment. Under the terms of the Paris Agreement, countries are required to submit new emission-cutting plans every five years that should be stronger than the previous targets. Instead, Trump has moved to exit Paris for a second time. Xis message of rising determination to stem pollution contrasts with Trumps remarks made a day earlier on the same stage at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. There, Trump denounced the effort to stem climate change as a "hoax" and a "con job," and told nations they would lose the global energy race by pursuing wind and solar over fossil fuels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you don't get away from the green energy scam, your country is going to fail," Trump told the assembled leaders, while asserting falsely that China foists wind turbines on the world while not using them at home. Those windmills are so pathetic and so bad, Trump said Tuesday. And most of them are built in China and I give China a lot of credit. They build them, but they have very few wind farms. So why is it that they build them and they send them all over the world, but they barely use them? In fact, China has installed vast amounts of wind power over the past decade. In just the first five months of this year it added 46 gigawatts of new wind energy, enough to power more than 30 million homes. During the same period, Trumps government has frozen permits for several wind farms proposed or under construction in the Atlantic, where the U.S. has a small fraction of offshore turbines compared with China. Chinas support for global climate efforts is notable, said Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute. That is a sharp contrast with not only the lack of attention on climate change [globally], but, you know, active backtracking climate policies here in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Chinas pledge falls short of what many nations and scientists say is needed to avoid the dangerous effects of climate change. Last year, the U.S. under then-President Joe Biden had pushed China to cut its carbon emissions 30 percent in order to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius from preindustrial levels. That makes Chinas goal of cutting emissions 7 to 10 percent look modest, though the pledge also said the country would be "striving to do better." A higher number was unrealistic given the receding pressure from the U.S. under Trump and other countries, said Joanna Lewis, an energy and environment professor at Georgetown University and long-time China watcher. Given the time were in and the political realities in the U.S., China could put forward a relatively modest target and still be viewed as taking climate change seriously, Lewis said. Many countries and observers were hoping that with the U.S. out of the picture, China would step up and take on a global leadership role, Lewis noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This target doesnt really do that, she said. But it was announced by China's president, the country is still in the Paris Agreement, and it kicked off the tone at a climate summit where dozens of other leaders stood up and also pledged to do more. Some green groups were more critical. "Even for those with tempered expectations, whats presented today still falls short, Yao Zhe, global policy adviser at Greenpeace East Asia, said in a statement. This 2035 target offers little assurance to keep our planet safe, but whats hopeful is that the actual decarbonization of Chinas economy is likely to exceed its target on paper. Chinas new climate plan is its first absolute emissions target, covering all greenhouse gases and all sectors of its economy. Chinas previous goal was to peak emissions by 2030 and zero them out by 2060. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though some believe the countrys emissions may already have peaked or are set to, the goal of cutting them 7 percent to 10 percent by 2035 is from peak levels, which Xi didnt clarify. [Thats] problematic because it still leaves the door open for near-term increases in emissions, said Lauri Myllyvirta, co-founder of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. It also creates an incentive for firms and local governments to increase emissions in the coming years, thereby weakening the target. Even as China builds renewables at a record-breaking pace, it continues to add coal-fired power a resource it possesses in abundance to meet rising energy demand from its 1.4 billion people. It is also surpassing the rest of the world in manufacturing and exporting clean energy technologies, which could help other developing countries meet their own climate pledges. It's a highly conservative set of targets that provides little clarity on China's actual emissions pathway over the next decade, as the clean energy boom will enable the country to achieve much more, Myllyvirta said. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Members of both South Dakota Corn Association and the South Dakota Soybean Association say farmers can expect a harder time selling their produce and might lead to them selling at a loss. Republican US. Sen. John Thune also commented on what could come next for farmers, hinting at some government funds that could be heading their way. One thing both organizations are both pointing to for causing pain in the market for farmers is the ongoing trade dispute with China, with them both saying that China is typically one of the states largest buyers of both corn and soybeans. With that option gone, there is now a large gap in the market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local bookstore, donations save Festival of Books Kevin Deinert, President of SD Soybeans, said while there are other countries that have supplemented the market for soybeans, its not to the extent of previous years. China has been absent from the US market; typically, they come in and buy a fair amount of soybeans here in August, September, October for the new crop year, Deinert said. Thats been a challenging thing, especially here in the northern United States, where a lot of our soybeans exit through the Pacific Northwest into that Asian market. DaNita Murray, Executive Director for South Dakota Corn, said while corn exports to China are fairly significant, it isnt our biggest market, but still a sizable one nonetheless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have no corn sales to China and since they are not the largest export markets of yellow number two corn, were probably not sitting in as bad a spot on exports as our counterparts over in soybean land, Murray said. But that said, China in the past has taken corn and they have not since the tariff war. Murray added about half of South Dakotas corn goes into ethanol with the other half being split between exports and feed for animals. Soybeans are set to enter the market starting as soon as next week, with soybeans typically harvested late September. Corn is still a couple of weeks out with the harvest expected sometime in October. Thune said in an interview with KELOLAND News that what farmers need right now is more markets and more demand for their products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a brand new soybean processing plant right here in the Mitchell area that is going to take in a lot of soybeans from this area, but we are going to produce a lot of soybeans this year, Thune said. We are going to have record yields, I think, throughout a lot of South Dakota and not a lot of places to go with those soybeans. Thune added farmers could be seeing some payments to compensate for the loss of markets over the past few years. We have done it before, after the end of last year we did some payments to farmers, we did it several years ago in the form of what they call a market facilitation payment. Its payments to compensate for the loss of markets, Thune said. There is no substitute for markets. You want trade deals and farmers want to be able to sell their products. 25-year-old state offender dies in prison Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is from Iowa, posted on social media: Farmers VERY upset abt Argentina selling soybeans to China right after USA bail out Still ZERO USA soybeans sold to China. Meanwhile China is still hitting the USA w 20% retaliatory tariff NEED CHINA TRADE DEAL NOW farmers need markets 2boost farm economy. Murray said it was not a possibility that some farmers will be selling at a loss, but a certainty. We have negative margins for commodities, certainly soy right now, Murray said. That all affects what either what youre paid for your crop in the end once you get it off the ground or what you have to put into it to store it and to move and fill and buy those bags so or put up new sealed bins so it all impacts that. I fear that we are in negative territory, how bad that looks right now, I think were gonna know more by early winter. Deinert said in the short term, the stockpile of produce could lead to some problems for farmers and ranchers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we dont have that many purchases in the market, such as China or other countries, we end up having an overflow of soybeans in the market locally, Deinert said. That puts stress on our storage capacity here in South Dakota and also puts a stress on the local elevators or some of the major elevators being able to export in a timely fashion. Murray added corn farmers are facing record-high input costs this year. Be it seed, fertilizer, crop protection tools, you name it, those inputs are at all-time highs. Some of them, you place that next to softening price for corn here at least recently based on factors like the tariff war and other things like demand there likely could be record corn in several corn states this year, Murray said. Deinert said hes hopeful farmers can regain some market share, be it in China or other markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its gonna be hard and we know the road ahead is gonna be hard, but, were farmers, were optimistic, and hopefully we can come through this on the other side well, Deinert said. Hopefully we can see some of those people be retained and hopefully some generations be retained 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 KELOLAND.com. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) The crash of a small plane in southwestern Brazil killed four people including Chinese landscape architect and urban planner Yu Kongjian, Brazilian authorities said Wednesday. The accident happened late Tuesday during a landing attempt at a large farm about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the municipality of Aquidauana in Mato Grosso do Sul state, firefighters said. Yu, who was known for promoting ecologically sound development, was traveling with two Brazilian documentary makers, Luiz Fernando Feres da Cunha Ferraz and Rubens Crispim Jr., who were making a film about the Pantanal wetlands. All three were killed along with pilot Marcelo Pereira de Barros, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yu was know for developing the concept of sponge cities, with infrastructure that can absorb rainwater to mitigate flood risks and improve the urban climate. In times of climate change," Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrote on social media, Yu became a global reference with his sponge cities, which unite quality of life and environmental protection. Yu argued that by creating large spaces to hold water in city centers, such as parks and ponds, extreme rainfall can be absorbed, helping prevent floods. The idea is widely cited in Chinese urban planning, and in recent years Yu worked on projects in other countries including Saudi Arabia and Thailand. He was known for his notable contributions to sustainable urbanism, the preservation of biodiversity, and the protection of the planet, Brazils Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said on X, adding that Yus legacy will continue to inspire those dedicated to ecological cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yu founded the College of Architecture and Landscape at Peking University, one of Chinas most prestigious universities. The university did not respond a request for comment. The military fire department in Aquidauana was called at around 8:10 p.m. local time on Tuesday to respond to a plane crash, firefighters said. A search and rescue operation lasted approximately nine hours. Yu and the filmmakers were part of a team producing a documentary about the worlds largest tropical wetlands. The Pantanal, fed by tributaries of the Paraguay River and mostly located in Brazil, is a biodiversity hotspot and a popular destination for tourists to see jaguars, macaws, caimans, capybaras and migratory birds in the wild. In an interview with The Associated Press in 2022, Yu criticized much of Asias modern infrastructure for being built on ideas imported from Europe, which he said are ill-fitted to the monsoon climate that prevails over much of the continent. ___ Fu Ting contributed to this report from Washington D.C. and Mauricio Savarese from Sao Paulo. By Laman Ismayilova The "Unity Through Diversity" Ethnocultural Festival has been held in ?tefan cel Mare Central Park in Chi?in?u, Moldova, Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijan State Committee on Work with Diaspora. Azerbaijan was represented at the event by the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Moldova. At the Azerbaijani booth, rich examples of national heritage were showcased, including carpets, traditional ornaments and household items, samples of national cuisine, and a photo exhibition dedicated to Moldova-Azerbaijan relations. The Azerbaijani booth was visited by the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, Director General of the Bureau of Interethnic Relations, Veaceslav Rabe?chi, and Ilie Ceban, Acting Mayor of Chi?in?u. They were provided with detailed information about the activities of the Azerbaijani diaspora, the exhibited artifacts, and Azerbaijans cultural heritage. National dances performed by students of the "Khari Bulbul" weekend school received great appreciation from the audience. It should be noted that the festival, held annually on the third Sunday of September, brings together various nations and ethnic groups to present their national cultures, traditions, music and dances, cuisines, and examples of folk art to the public. The FTX Recovery Trust has sued the Bitcoin miner Genesis Digital Assets to recover $1.15 billion that it claims the bankrupt crypto exchange's co-founder, Sam Bankman-Fried "SBF," had fraudulently transferred, Bloomberg Law reported on Sep. 23. SBF commingled and misappropriated assets from the FTX business mostly from customer deposits at the FTX.com crypto exchange and transferred those funds to Genesis Digital, its affiliates, and its co-founders Rashit Makhat and Marco Krohn, the FTX trust has claimed. The trust filed the complaint in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on Sep. 22. Genesis Digital's political connections in Kazakhstan When China banned crypto mining in 2021, the mining community moved to Kazakhstan. Though it put pressure on its electric grid, a Bitcoin mining firm based in the country called Genesis Digital benefitted from inexpensive energy due to its political connections to the then-president Nursultan Nazarbayev, the trust's complaint alleged. Related: What is Bitcoin mining? Explained But the introduction of a new crypto mining tax, power rationing, and unrest over energy prices led to Nazarbayev's resignation which hurt Genesis Digital. The Bitcoin mining firm was forced to raise funds to expand in the U.S. and that's when SBF used funds from his personal hedge fund, Alameda Research LLC, to invest in Genesis Digital at outrageously inflated prices between August 2021 and April 2022, the complaint said. Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried arrives for a bail hearing at Manhattan Federal Court on August 11, 2023 in New York City. Alameda Research didn't receive a reasonably equivalent value for its $1.15 billion investment, the FTX Trust made the claim. It further alleged that there were several red flags at Genesis Digital, like no interest from other investors, unaudited and unsigned financial records, and allegations of money laundering and tax evasion, but SBF chose to ignore them. More News: One of SBF's 'most reckless' investments After the investment, Genesis Digitals founders cashed out of a failing company and SBF got richer, the complaint alleged. Makhat and Krohn sold personal shares worth $550.9 million directly to Alameda, the complaint added. Related: Explained: Types of Bitcoin mining Genesis Digital stands as one of Bankman-Frieds most reckless investments with commingled and misappropriated funds, the FTX Trust's complaint remarked. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) The head of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) joined Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday to sign a new agreement delegating certain licensing and inspection authorities to the states Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). The delegation of those authorities is intended to streamline oversight and reduce costs for the many Connecticut businesses using radioactive materials in medicine, industry and academic research. Applications range from PET scans and radiation treatment to roadway inspections. Lamont, McKee hold press conference on continuation of Revolution Wind project in Connecticut, Rhode Island Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is part of our overall effort to help streamline our permitting and licensing process, make them more efficient and improve the business climate here in our state, Katie Dykes, the head of DEEP, said. The chairman of the NRC has signed similar agreements with 39 other states, each time citing the expertise of local regulators. You know your people better than we do and they know you, so theres that trust factor there thats built in, David Wright, the NRC chair, said. Lamont says Revolution Wind project set to resume after federal court ruling The regulatory agreement announced on Thursday does not include the NRCs oversight of commercial atomic energy plants like the Millstone Nuclear Power Station, nor does it delegate the regulation of spent nuclear fuel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, discussions of the Millstone station were still front of mind for the governor, who is keen on expanding the plants capacity as part of a wide-ranging effort to rein in skyrocketing electricity costs. Millstone is about 40% of our power, Lamont said. Weve got some additional capacity there, if we can work things out more carbon-free, always-on baseload power. Connecticuts top Republicans endorse Ryan Fazio in his campaign for governor Interest in nuclear energy has rebounded in recent years, with policymakers on both sides of the aisle recognizing the technology as one of the most reliable ways to increase generation capacity without emitting carbon dioxide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would be good for Connecticut to add more capacity at Millstone in the long run, State Sen. Ryan Fazio, a candidate for governor and leading GOP voice in the effort to cut the states energy costs, said. The question is, when is the technological development going to be there to expand nuclear capacity at an affordable rate? That question is likely to be answered over the course of several years, as federal regulators and the private sector work to bring a new generation of nuclear reactor designs into the commercial mainstream. Being among the first states to deploy those new reactors is a priority for both Lamont and Fazio who could wind up opposite each other on next years gubernatorial ballot. Alongside efforts to promote nuclear technology, Lamont has also been making overtures, in public and private, for federal help to bring more natural gas into Connecticut. The motivation for expanding the supply of natural gas is the same as it is for nuclear. More energy supply will help lower costs. Natural gas is considered one of the more affordable and expedient options for a state that has been burdened by high costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In private meetings with Trump administration officials, Lamont has floated the expansion of infrastructure that pipes natural gas to Connecticut from Pennsylvania. That collaboration stands in stark contrast to the many legal and political fights between the state and federal administrations. It has also angered environmental activists who oppose the expanded use of natural gas. Lamont does not appear to be dissuaded by those political conflicts. On several occasions, the Trump administrations energy secretary has recounted Lamonts enthusiasm for gas expansion. One of the first people I met in the new job was the governor Democratic governor of Connecticut, Chris Wright, the energy secretary, said at the recent Energy Imperatives Summit. Secretary Wright described how Lamont pulled up a chair right next to me and said, We need cheap gas in Connecticut.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wright said Lamont lamented how Connecticuts energy supply challenges have hurt the states business environment. He said Lamont asked him, Dont they have cheap gas in Pennsylvania? Of course, he knew the answer, Wright said. The answer is just a pipeline from Pennsylvania to Connecticut to bring gas there. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Oklahoma Catholics are sharing memories of a leader who shepherded the faithful through the tragedy of the Oklahoma City bombing, helped prepare the church to welcome rising numbers of Hispanics, and who began the cause for canonization for an Okarche priest who was martyred for his faith while serving in Guatemala. The ministry of the Most Rev. Eusebius J. Beltran, archbishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, was recently discussed by those who knew him as they shared memories and considered aspects of his legacy. Beltran died on Sept. 12, at age 91. The Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, current archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, said Beltran was a good shepherd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He served as a bishop in Oklahoma for many years, both as bishop in the Diocese of Tulsa and here in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City." Beltran was born on Aug. 31, 1934, in Ashley, Pennsylvania. He was one of eight children and one of four to chose the religious life. He and one of his brothers became priests, while two of his sisters became religious women, according to his obituary. More: Priest in Oklahoma City archdiocese remembered as 'beautiful example of faith' Beltran's family moved to Georgia in the 1950s. He was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1960. He was appointed bishop in February 1978 by Saint Paul VI and was ordained and installed as the second bishop of Tulsa in April 1978 at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He served as bishop of Tulsa for 15 years before being appointed archbishop of Oklahoma City in 1992. The archdiocese encompasses two thirds of Oklahoma. Beltran was installed as Oklahoma City archbishop in January 1993 at the Civic Center in downtown Oklahoma City. He served in that role for 18 years, submitting his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI in August 2009 once he reached the age of 75, as required by Roman Catholic Church law. His retirement became effective in December 2010, when he assumed the title of apostolic administrator until 2011, when he became archbishop emeritus. The Rev. Don Wolf said perhaps the most significant aspect of Beltran's legacy is his commitment to pursuing the cause for canonization for the Rev. Stanley Rother, an Archdiocese of Oklahoma City priest who was murdered by unknown assailants in 1981 while serving the church in Guatemala. Wolf, who is a cousin of Rother's, currently serves as pastor of Sacred Heart Church at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. "The earliest he could, he did and he did it in a big way," Wolf said of Beltran decision to take the initative regarding Rother's cause. "I think it's probably going to be the largest and longest lasting of all the initiatives he undertook here in the archdiocese. He was very intent on that." Beltran began the cause for canonization for Rother in 2007, which included three years of research and interviews, and thousands of documents were sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Most of us will not see this to its successful completion," he told The Oklahoman at the time. "The church is slow in these matters because it is thorough and we are dealing here with the spiritual realm, which is timeless. However, if we did not take the initiative to proceed now, the cause might never go forward." Ten years later, Pope Francis declared Rother the first U.S. martyr, which lead to his beatification at a ceremony in 2017 in downtown Oklahoma City. Beltran served as principal concelebrant at the ceremony where Rother became the first U.S.-born priest to be beatified. Rother is currently on the path to Roman Catholic sainthood. More: Oklahoma priest dies after falling through church ceiling, community mourns 'kind, holy man' Wolf said Beltran also welcomed priests from India to serve in the Oklahoma City Archdiocese and over the years, he also welcomed priests from Africa and Spanish-speaking countries, as well. Wolf said Beltran also began encouraging priests to learn Spanish as he realized that Oklahoma was becoming home to more and more Hispanics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monsignor Rick Stansberry, pastor of Our Lady's Cathedral, said Beltran would also be remembered for his involvement with the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Stansberry said Beltran participated in civil rights marches in Georgia, and also took part in the well-known marches in Selma, Alabama, participating in the marches organized by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his delegates. "The tension in the country was just tremendous at the that time," Beltran told The Oklahoman in 2005. The archbishop recalled getting off a bus in the Deep South and seeing "colored" entrances at restaurents, gasoline stations and other places. "When I first witnessed that, I was horrified," he said. Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen, OSB, with St. Gregory's Abbey, said Beltran always struck him as "quietly strong." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To me, Archbishop Beltran was a consummate pastoral leader," Stasyszen said. "His role and his use of authority was always looking toward the good of the other." Stasyszen said Beltran was noted for shephereding the Catholic faithful through the tragedy of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. The abbot said it was Beltran who commissioned the art piece called Jesus Wept that is located on the grounds of St. Joseph Old Cathedral, across from the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. Mass of Christian burial for Beltran is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, 700 SE 89. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Funeral Mass set for OKC archbishop The Most Rev. Eusebius J. Beltran Drones have flown over multiple airports across Denmark, including two used by the military, in what officials have called a hybrid attack. The incidents, which occurred on Wednesday, two days after a drone attack forced Copenhagen airport to shut, were a systematic and hybrid operation by a professional actor, Denmarks defence minister said on Thursday. Troels Lund Poulsen told a press conference: There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones. Mr Lund Poulsen said there is no evidence to suggest Russian involvement as of yet, adding that the drones were launched locally. It is unclear where the unmanned aircraft were deployed from, but they have not come from a long distance, he said. A light moves in the sky over Aalborg, amid reports of drone sightings that led to the citys airport being closed - Morten Skov/Reuters The defence minister said a decision was made not to shoot down the drones for the safety of the population. After the latest provocation, Alexey Meshkov, the Russian ambassador to France, said shooting down a Russian jet in Nato airspace would be an act of war. He said: You know, there are many Nato planes that violate Russian airspace, deliberately or not, but it happens quite often. They are not shot down afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite officials being careful not to point the finger at Moscow, Denmark has raised the issue with Nato and could invoke Article 4 to convene an emergency meeting of allies. Demark will be involved in a meeting of countries on the EUs eastern flank on Friday to assess how to deter Russian aggression with a so-called drone wall. European security concerns have spiralled following recent Russian drone incursions into Poland and Romania, and the violation of Estonias airspace by Moscows fighter jets. Peter Hummelgaard, Denmarks justice minister, said the armed forces were looking to acquire enhanced capabilities to detect and neutralise drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: The goal with this kind of hybrid attack is to create fear and divisions, and make us scared. The Danish police has raised the crisis level in the country for the second time this week. The unidentified drones were spotted at Denmarks airports in Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg and at the Skrydstrup air base before leaving on their own late on Wednesday, police said. Aalborg airport, one of the countrys biggest after Copenhagen, was shut down before reopening several hours later. The countrys armed forces were affected as Aalborg airport is used as a military base. Not possible to take down drones Speaking about the incident in Aalborg, North Jutland chief police inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said: It was not possible to take down the drones, which flew over a very large area over a couple of hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skrydstrup in Southern Jutland is also the base for Denmarks F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. Police said they could not specify the type of drones or if they were the same as the ones that flew over Copenhagen airport on Monday. It is too early to say what the goal of the drones is and who is the actor behind, a police official said. Unidentified drones flew close to Copenhagen and Oslos airports, the two busiest in the Nordic region, on Monday night, forcing both to close and leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Mette Frederiksen, Denmarks prime minister, on Tuesday described the Copenhagen incident as the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is part of the development we have recently observed with other drone attacks, airspace violations, and cyberattacks targeting European airports, Ms Frederiksen said. Denmark is investigating whether the drones that shut down Copenhagen incident on Monday were launched by Russia-linked ships, a theory also under scrutiny in Germany after drone sightings near its military bases and other critical infrastructure. The countries are working together to determine whether the incidents are connected. Danish police said a capable operator was behind the alleged attack. Europe is on high alert after a large-scale drone incursion into Poland earlier this month that prompted Nato to deploy warplanes to shoot them down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 19 drones entered Warsaws airspace on the night of Sept 9 to Sept 10, four of which were downed in the first direct engagement between Nato and Moscow. Days later, three Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace, sparking frantic Nato discussions over what the alliances reaction should be and how far Russia intends to go. EU and Nato officials have argued that Russia is deliberately trying to probe European defences and test its response. A hole in our preparedness Peter Viggo Jakobsen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College, said that the incidents show that Denmark, a Nato and EU member, does not have the capacity to respond to the intrusions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a hole in our preparedness, he told Reuters, adding that he believes Russia is behind the provocations. The Russians... are doing what theyve been really good at for a long time: theyre going right to the edge of what would trigger a military response from Nato, but not over it, he said. Moscow has denied being behind the Copenhagen incident, and rejected accusations from the governments of Poland, Estonia and Romania over drones or airspace violations by fighter jets. Denmark last week announced it will acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, citing the need to be able to hit distant targets as Russia would pose a threat for years to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russias ambassador to Copenhagen, Vladimir Barbin, had called the statement pure madness. Meanwhile, US fighter jets were forced to intercept four Russian warplanes flying near Alaska, marking the third time this month Moscows aircraft have flown close to American soil. The North American Aerospace Defence Command said it detected and tracked two Tu-95s and two Su-35s operating in Alaskas air defence zone late on Wednesday. The possible provocation came after Donald Trump said that Nato countries should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace. 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. Nearly 2 million people in southern China were evacuated as a powerful typhoon hurtled into one of the worlds most densely populated coasts, having already unleashed deadly flooding in Taiwan. Ragasa brought finance hub Hong Kong and swathes of southern China to a standstill on Wednesday, after barreling through remote islands in the Philippines and mountainous regions of Taiwan. It began to lose strength and was downgraded to a severe tropical storm in the early hours of Thursday morning, local time, but not before leaving a trail of damage triggering landslides, flooding and huge waves in Chinas Guangdong province, home to massive cities like Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the storm expected to keep moving westward on Thursday, some train services in southern China have been suspended, while the countrys central government has earmarked around $49 million for relief efforts, according to state media. Schools, factories and transport services were initially shut down in about a dozen cities, but some distant from the landfall location prepared to resume work as winds weakened. In Taiwan, at least 14 people died and 31 others were still missing Thursday after a natural dam holding back a recently formed lake collapsed a day earlier, unleashing 68 million tons of water and flooding the nearby Guangfu township. Officials had revised the death toll down on Thursday, saying there had been some double counting in earlier numbers provided. Videos from the town, in the mountainous eastern Hualien county, show a torrent of water rushing through the streets, with cars swept away and residents sheltering on higher floors as the lower levels of their homes become inundated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Debris from a landslide in July had formed the natural dam, and authorities had been warning for weeks the remote lake could overflow by October. At a news conference on Wednesday, officials said assessments showed it wasnt feasible to dredge, siphon or otherwise remove the dam barrier - so they opted to monitor the situation instead. Before Ragasa hit, authorities said they had issued multiple warnings and evacuation advisories to residents who could be impacted if the lake overflowed. Damaged cars lie piled up in mud, following flooding brought by Super Typhoon Ragasa in Hualien, Taiwan, September 24, 2025. - Ann Wang/Reuters A large bridge in Hualien was also washed away by the rush of water following the collapse of the natural dam. Ragasa is expected to continue to deteriorate over China, bringing heavy rain, and ultimately dissipate over Vietnam on Friday. Southern China battered The Philippines, Taiwan and southern China experience multiple typhoons annually, but the human-caused climate crisis has made storms more unpredictable and extreme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illustrating this new reality, videos circulating on Chinese social media showed uprooted trees and shattered windows in Yangjiang, where Ragasa made landfall on Wednesday afternoon with the equivalent strength of a Category 3 hurricane. A man clears branches along the road amid torrential rain triggered by Typhoon Ragasa, the 18th typhoon of the year, in Yangjiang, China, on September 24, 2025. - China News Service/Getty Images Further footage showed severe flooding in Zhuhai, a coastal city neighboring Macao. Residents of seaside high-rises were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday afternoon, according to state media, with many taking refuge with relatives, checking in to hotels or moving to temporary government shelters like school gyms. One longtime resident, who relocated with her family to a school gymnasium, told local outlet Hongxing News it was the first time in her three decades living in Zhuhai that she had ever been evacuated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A further 1.89 million people were evacuated from Chinas southern Guangdong province by Tuesday night, ahead of the storms arrival, according to the provincial emergency management department. As the storm approached the international finance hub of Hong Kong early Wednesday, it brought lashing winds that felled trees and ripped scaffolding off buildings. Video circulating on social media showed storm surges shattering the glass doors of the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, a luxury seaside resort, with huge waves gushing into the lobby and sweeping people off their feet. In a statement to CNN, the hotel said no injuries were reported and that the government had immediately mobilized resources to respond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photos and video from Macao showed waist-deep water flooding the streets of the tourism and gambling hub, often dubbed the most densely populated city on earth. Footage from Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong, showed massive waves crashing into a coastal park Tuesday night, with winds reaching 181.44 kilometers per hour (112.4 mph). Strong track record of preparing for typhoons Though southern China is highly populated, with tens of millions potentially impacted by the storm, its also well prepared. Here, cities are frequently in storm paths and have developed sophisticated infrastructure to combat weather-related dangers including a vast $3.8 billion drainage network that has saved Hong Kong from floods that decades ago routinely cost lives and caused widespread destruction. Fallen branches lie on the ground amid strong wind and rain, as Typhoon Ragasa approached Shenzhen on Wednesday. - Go Nakamura/Reuters A person braves strong wind and rain as Typhoon Ragasa approaches in Shenzhen on Wednesday. - Go Nakamura/Reuters This year has been particularly stormy. Hong Kong typically experiences about six typhoons annually, but Ragasa marks the ninth typhoon so far this year, according to the City University of Hong Kong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Climate change is making storms of this scale not only more common but more powerful too, according to Johnny Chan, an atmospheric scientist at the Asia-Pacific Typhoon Collaborative Research Centre. Because of global warming, you will have more moisture in the atmosphere and (the) water temperature is also high, therefore once the storm develops, it has more energy, said Chan. He warned cities in Asia would need to continually update their building codes to handle stronger winds, higher sea levels and more intense typhoons. Most of the building codes were designed based on the past data, but the past data would not be accurate anymore for the future, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cleanup efforts are now underway in the Philippines where the typhoon had been the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane when it struck northern parts of the country on Monday. Two men negotiate a landslide after Typhoon Ragasa in Uyugan, Batanes province, northern Philippines on September 23, 2025. (Justine Mark Pillie Fajardo/AP) At least seven fishermen were killed after a boat overturned off the coast off Luzon on Monday, according to the state-run Philippine Information Agency. Another storm, called Opong, is now intensifying in the Philippines in the aftermath of Ragasa, and typhoon season still has many months left. Samra Zulfaqar, Dhruv Tikekar, Nectar Gan, Chris Lau, Fred He, Mary Gilbert and Catherine Nicholls contributed reporting For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A subsidiary of a beloved Texas-based grocer, H-E-B Mexico's Senderos location, is facing heavy backlash after a store contract worker died due to an alleged prank gone wrong, local reports say. According to a Thursday report from El Sol de la Laguna, 47-year-old H-E-B Mexico store cleaner Carlos Gurrola Arguijo - also known as "El Papayita" - died after ingesting a beverage that was allegedly laced with a "a solvent or toxic substance." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The toxin, which reportedly caused chemical burns to his lungs, trachea and respiratory tract, was allegedly introduced to his usual container of Electrolit. The incident, which allegedly unfolded Aug. 30 inside H-E-B Mexico's Senderos location, might have involved workplace bullying, according to El Sol de la Laguna. Arguijo's sister, Alejandra Gurrola Arguijo, said her brother was a victim of repeated abuse from "colleagues." Alejandra told the local news outlet in Spanish that H-E-B Mexico store workers "used to slash his bike tires and threaten him. We don't understand why they treated him that way. All he did was work and help our parents." ALSO READ: Jimmy Kimmel lauds Ted Cruz's 'free speech' stance after short suspension over Charlie Kirk comments Arguijo's family reportedly filed a Sept. 3 complaint to the Laguna I Delegation of the Coahuila Prosecutor's Office regarding the incident, which has sparked investigations with state and local authorities. According to the complaint, Arguijo allegedly ingested the contaminated beverage at around 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 30, but did not receive medical attention until approximately 6 p.m. that day, El Sol de la Laguna reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The local outlet also reported that according to the complaint, "The contaminated container was immediately discarded by the cleaning company manager, making it impossible to definitively identify the chemical that caused the injuries." "HEB distanced itself from the situation, arguing that he was not a direct employee, while Multiservicios Rocasa SA of CV has not assumed any responsibility, even going so far, according to those close to him, as to suggest that the worker attempted suicide," the local report said. ALSO READ: Watch: Giant 'ball of flame' streaks across San Antonio sky, caught on video The incident has ignited outrage on social media as people have called for an H-E-B boycott in the wake of Aguijo's death. Additionally, a Facebook page with nearly 8,000 followers has been launched to demand justice for the deceased worker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, H-E-B Mexico stated it was working closely with authorities to investigate the incident. "At H-E-B, we express our deepest condolences for the passing of Mr. Carlos Gurrola Aguijo, affectionately known as 'Papayita,' a beloved member of the Laguna community," representatives wrote. "We stand with his family in respect and solidarity during this difficult time. We understand and respect the voice of the community that gathered in front of our store. We fully share their demand for justice and reiterate our commitment to ensuring that the facts are clarified with complete transparency." ALSO READ: 'I am going to kill the chief of police': Man arrested, accused of death threats According to a Monday statement from Carlos Rangel, the head of the Laguna I Delegation of the Attorney General's Office of the State of Coahuila, authorities reviewed surveillance footage and found "no evidence of criminal intent in the worker's death," La Region Voz de la Provincia reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We now have a complete account of the facts," Rangel said. "There is no evidence of a criminal offense." H-E-B officials in Texas issued their own statement addressing Arguijo's death. "We offer our condolences to the family and friends of Carlos Gurrola Arguijo, who was beloved throughout the community," they wrote. "H-E-B has been speaking with his family and cooperating fully with the authorities during the investigation." The death of an inmate at an Ohio jail is now being investigated as a homicide, according to our CBS affiliate WOIO-19 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Tasha Grant, 39, died while in the custody of the Cuyahoga County Jail in May. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On May 2, Grant was transported to an area hospital for an emergency related to a preexisting condition, WOIO-19 reported. She died at the hospital on May 5. Grant died from physical restraint in the setting of congestive heart failure, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office website. A spokesperson with Cuyahoga County couldnt provide additional details on the incident as it is an open homicide investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] After 30 years as an accountant, Michelle Bowe retired and took a bold, calculated leap of faith with buying a food truck that, just two years later, ranks among Delawares best in 2025. "My son said, 'You're always cooking. Start a food truck,' " said Bowe, of New Castle, the owner of Sherylz Food Truck. "It blew up faster than I would've ever imagined." But Bowe hasnt stopped crunching numbers. Now shes adding up ways share the goodwill she's received from her successful food truck by serving free hot meals to the homeless at Fort Christina Park in Wilmington noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The menu will feature hot dogs, fried chicken and fries. The event is expected to attract around 100 people. A few weeks ago, Bowe volunteered at the same park where Northside 4 Life hosted an event serving and clothing about 100 people in need. She chose Fort Christina Park to give out free meals because its near Wilmingtons Sunday Breakfast Mission, which is a place where many homeless individuals gather for support. Sherylz Food Truck plans to feed 100 homeless in Delaware Sherylz Food Truck recently finished as one of the top nine finalists in the Delaware Food Truck Frenzy contest. The food truck will serve the needy at Fort Christina Park in Wilmington from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 27. Sharing food with others is something Bowes been doing long before launching her food truck in 2023. When her son Stephen was about 5, she hosted a birthday party that was jumping with food and family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was such a hit that it became a yearly event called "Family Fun Day" at Banning Park in Wilmington, drawing around 150 people. The gathering typically features all kinds of BBQ, a seafood boil, games and even a mechanical bull. "We go [all] out. We spend a lot of money, and we don't ask for nothing in return," Bowe said "Family Fun Day" has been on hiatus for several years after the pandemic struck. But recently Stephen told his mom they can do a similar event if "we can use the truck to cook the food and just do it for the homeless," Bowe explained. Stephen, 34, a Delaware State University grad, keeps a winter tradition alive with fellow Hornets where they spend their own money to buy clothes for the homeless, Bowe shared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fighting against hunger in Delaware: The Needy Family Fund Delaware food truck 'took off' after first event Her path to starting her food truck is unique. Bowe reluctantly retired from accounting in 2022 after the company she worked for headed in a different direction and gave her a severance package, she said. "I took the money and invested in a business of my own," Bowe explained. Since Bowe already was a cooking machine, her son talked her into buying a food truck that cost about $65,000, she said. Her first event was in Dover in 2023. It was a corporate event for the Playtex company where the business held a summer appreciation day for employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bowe's food truck was hit with long lines and happy customers who began spreading the word about her business. "That's where it took off," Bowe said. "My phone started ringing." Bowe stays busy year-round and has done a lot of corporate events for clients like Proctor & Gamble. Last year, she said an army of customers swamped her when she worked the Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight concert at the Freeman Arts Pavilion near Selbyville. Sip on this law: Can I take home unfinished wine from a Delaware restaurant? "People missed the concert not to get out of the line," she recalled. "My daughter came to me and she said, 'Mom, did you see the line?' It just wrapped and wrapped and wrapped." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Out of 40 competitors, Sherylz Food Truck was recently voted by Delaware Online readers as one of the ninth best in the state in the Delaware Food Truck Frenzy Contest. 'We want to bless somebody' Bowe's kitchen is based out of the Herman M. Holloway, Sr. campus of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services at 1901 N. Dupont Highway, near New Castle. But she often cruises around the state for events. This weekend she'll cruise to Fort Christina Park where her son and daughter Elyona will help her serve the homeless. While life hasn't been a cakewalk for Bowe, she cant deny giving back to others tastes sweet on her lips. "We're blessed and we want to bless somebody else." Where will Sherlyz Food Truck feed the homeless? The event will be held at Fort Christina Park in Wilmington (1110 E 7th St, Wilmington) from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 27. For more info, visit facebook.com/p/Sherylz-Food-Truck or call (302) 266-1166. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware food truck plans to feed 100 homeless in Wilmington park Denmark has reached out to NATO and the EU after it was forced to close Aalborg airport and placed three other airports on alert on Thursday as unauthorised drones conducted what authorities described as coordinated attacks. Copenhagen was considering whether to trigger the alliance's Article 4, in what was a hybrid attack involving a "systematic approach" carried out by professionals in flying drones near critical infrastructure, Danish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said at a press conference on Thursday. Authorisation was given to shoot down the drones in case of future incidents, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are going to find the people who are behind this," Lund Poulsen said. "We have various military capabilities that can help defend Denmark, F-35 and our frigates," he added. However, Lund Poulsen further stated that Denmark is lacking in tools needed to address the threat that is "here to stay" and it does not have a ground-based air defence system, which the government decided to purchase this month. It would still not be fully effective in fighting the type of drone that appeared above Denmark on Thursday, he added. "There is no single capacity that will make this go away." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We need to have a wide range of tools to combat what comes our way, whether it's missiles or drones," said Lund Poulsen. Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup airports were all affected overnight on Thursday. The Aalborg airport, located in northern Denmark and one of the countrys largest, was closed, the Danish police announced. The drones disrupting its operations left the area after about three hours, according to reports. The North Jutland Police released a statement saying they were closely monitoring the situation at Aalborg, but could not indicate the number of drones involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unauthorised drone incursion over Denmark follows similar incidents at Copenhagen and Oslo airports that officials suspect may involve Russian interference. Copenhagen and Oslo airports also targeted On Monday evening, the Copenhagen airport was affected by a similar incident, which raised security concerns about possible Russian involvement. Authorities said the drones at Aalborg followed a similar pattern to the ones that had halted flights at Copenhagen. The drone attack affected the Danish armed forces and was categorised as "the most serious attack yet on Denmark's infrastructure" by the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities in Norway also shut the airspace at Oslo airport for three hours on Monday evening due to possible danger from unauthorised drone activity. "The drones that halted flights at Copenhagen airport were part of a pattern of persistent contestation at our borders," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday. Although Norwegian and Danish authorities are working together on the Copenhagen and Oslo incidents, their investigation has not yet established a connection, Norway's Foreign Minister said on Wednesday. Commercial drones are generally not capable of taking off and flying near airports, as these areas are designated as "no-fly zones" in their GPS software. Europe is on high alert Europe has been on high alert after several NATO members reported airspace violations by Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Estonia and Poland triggered Article 4 to request consultations with other NATO allies regarding such incursions in separate incidents. Romania, another NATO member, also reported a breach by Russian drones in its airspace. Russia denied violating Estonia's airspace, while it insisted the Polish incursion was not deliberate. However, it did not comment on the Romania incident. After meeting on Tuesday, NATO issued a statement condemning Russia's actions and warned that it would use "all necessary military and non-military tools" to defend itself. "Russia bears full responsibility for these actions, which are escalatory, risk miscalculation, and endanger lives. They must stop," the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are a defensive alliance, yes, but we are not naive, so we see what is happening," NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte noted. On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, US President Donald Trump suggested that NATO member states should shoot down Russian planes breaching their airspace. COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Denmark reported to NATO allies that unspecified "state actors" were responsible for drone incursions that shut two airports, Latvia's foreign minister told Reuters on Thursday, but Danish officials said it was still unclear who was behind the incidents. The incursions forced Aalborg airport, used for commercial and military flights, to shut for three hours, while Billund airport, Denmark's second-largest, was closed for an hour, police said. Both reopened on Thursday morning. "The Danish government said it's a state activity that operates it," Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze said in an interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Danish Defence Intelligence Service chief Thomas Ahrenkiel said at a Thursday evening news conference it was still unclear who was behind the incidents and declined to say if a state actor was suspected. However, Finn Borch, head of Denmark's national security and intelligence service, told reporters at the news conference that Russian covert activity poses a security threat. "The risk of Russian espionage is high. The same goes for the risk of Russian sabotage. We have seen that elsewhere in Europe, and it applies here at home as well," Borch said. Russia's embassy in Copenhagen on Thursday rejected as "absurd" speculation that Moscow was involved in the Danish incursions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Denmark's defence minister earlier said the overnight drone sorties were hybrid attacks, combining military and covert tactics, and were aimed at spreading fear. The incident on Thursday, the second this week in Denmark alone, is part of what some European officials see as a pattern of Russian disruption that has exposed the vulnerability of European airspace at a time of high tensions between Moscow and NATO. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen linked the drone incident that shut Copenhagen airport late on Monday to suspected Russian drone activities across Europe, without providing evidence. DRONES SEEN FLYING OVER THE NORTH SEA Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Latvian minister said Denmark's allies were waiting for further analysis from Copenhagen. But the incursions have demonstrated "we all have to invest in counter-drone capability," she said. In Thursday's incursions in Denmark, drones were also seen near Esbjerg and Sonderborg airports, as well as Skrydstrup airbase, home to Denmark's F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, and over a military facility in Holstebro, police confirmed. They are all located in the western Jutland region. Civil rescue company Esvagt told Reuters its vessels had observed late on Wednesday what appeared to be drones flying over the North Sea. Local police received a report about drones near North Sea oil fields, state broadcaster DR reported. "This shows at least that we do not have the capacity at present to prevent the intrusion of drones over our airports," said Peter Viggo Jakobsen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College. "This is a hole in our preparedness." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danish police said they had increased their presence at the affected airports and other critical infrastructure. The incursions come after Denmark this year boosted its military budget to address acute shortcomings. Last week, it announced plans to acquire long-range precision weapons, while its decision to host Ukrainian missile fuel production near the Skrydstrup airbase has drawn criticism from Russia. SORTIES SEEM 'SYSTEMATIC', SAYS DEFENCE MINISTER Poland shot down suspected Russian drones in its airspace on September 10. Danish authorities said on Thursday they decided not to take down any of the drones in their airspace for safety reasons, despite the disruption caused to air traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It certainly does not look like a coincidence. It looks systematic. This is what I would define as a hybrid attack," Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told a press conference. Denmark has not yet decided whether to invoke NATO's Article 4, which allows members to request consultations over any security concerns, Poulsen added. Poland invoked the article after downing the drones, as did Estonia after Russian military jets violated its airspace for 12 minutes on September 19. Danish opposition lawmaker Pelle Dragsted of the Red-Green Alliance said on X that the government showed "no control over the most basic thing: Defence of our own vulnerable infrastructure." Danish analyst Jakobsen agreed with suspicions that Moscow was behind the drone incursions. He said Russia excelled at "going right to the edge of what would trigger a military response from NATO, but not over it." (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, Stine Jacobsen, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Maria Laguna, Sren Sirich Jeppesen, Anna Ringstrom and Terje Solsvik; Additional reporting by John Irish and Gwladys Fouche; Writing by Anne Kauranen; Editing by Gareth Jones and Cynthia Osterman) Denmark is considering activating NATO's Article 4 after unidentified drones repeatedly entered its airspace, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Sept. 25. Danish authorities closed the airspace over Aalborg Airport on the evening of Sept. 24 following multiple reports of mysterious drones in the area, regional police said. The airport is near Aalborg Air Station, which hosts Denmark's C-130 Hercules and CL-604 Challenger transport aircraft. Drones were also seen near Skrydstrup Air Base, where Danish F-16 fighter jets are stationed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident comes only two days after Denmark reported a mysterious drone incursion on Sept. 22. In Aalborg, flights were diverted from Copenhagen and Karup after drones were reported at around 9:44 p.m. local time. Authorities have not determined the number or origin of the drones. Poulsen said no suspects have been identified, but stressed that the activity appeared deliberate. "It certainly doesn't look like a coincidence, but looks systematic," he said. "Everything indicates that it is a professional actor." "In addition to Article 4, there are other things that can be done through NATO," he said. "It is quite obvious that something must be done in a NATO context, also in relation to capabilities." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The minister added that there is no evidence directly linking the drones to Russia, though he suggested they could be part of efforts to undermine Denmark's support for Ukraine. Article 4 allows NATO member states to request consultations with allies if they perceive a threat to their security, without automatically triggering a military response. It was recently invoked by Poland after a Russian drone incursion on Sept. 10, and by Estonia following violations of its airspace by Russian jets. Since 1949, NATO's Article 4 has been invoked seven times. Poland first used it in 2014 over Russia's occupation of Crimea and invasion of Donbas, and again in 2022 with allies following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the latest drone incident must be viewed in the context of recent cyberattacks against European airports and Russian aerial incursions inside NATO territory. "I cannot rule out that it is Russia," Frederiksen said. "We have seen drones over Poland that should not have been there. We have seen activity in Romania. We have seen violations of Estonian airspace." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed suggestions of Russian involvement as "unfounded." Recent Russian airspace violations have challenged NATO protocols on interceptions, escalation, and collective defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Poland and Estonia invoked NATO's Article 4 following violations of their airspace. The alliance launched the operation Eastern Sentry in response to the incursion in Poland. Speaking alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky at the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 23, U.S. President Donald Trump said he believed NATO countries should shoot down Russian drones that invade their territory. Officials in Poland and Estonia welcomed the recommendation. On Sept. 10, Poland became the first NATO member to directly engage Russian military assets during the full-scale war in Ukraine when it downed multiple drones over its territory. Read also: Ukraines message to Europe: You are under threat from Russia. We can help Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (Corrects to add missing currency symbol in the first paragraph) (Reuters) -U.S. energy major Chevron said on Thursday it was expecting to take a hit of $200 million to $400 million in the third quarter related to the Hess deal. Chevron closed its $55 billion acquisition of Hess in July after winning a landmark legal battle against larger rival Exxon Mobil to gain access to the largest oil discovery in decades. Excluding severance charges and other costs related to the deal, adjusted earnings are expected to be between $50 million and $150 million in the quarter. The U.S. energy major also expects the deal to add $1 billion to $1.25 billion to its capital spending for the current quarter. During the third quarter, the newly added assets from Hess were expected to produce about 450,000 to 500,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, including downtime. Chevron's second-quarter global production totalled 3.4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. The acquisition was part of the biggest wave of consolidation in the oil industry in over 20 years and was a strategic counter to Exxon's own blockbuster deal and growing position in the Permian. However, the deal, first announced in October 2023, went through a drawn-out dispute over Hess's 30% stake in Guyana's Stabroek block, the most attractive asset in its portfolio. Chevron is also in the midst of laying off up to 20% of its global workforce, has faced a rise in safety issues, and its operations in Venezuela have been caught in a geopolitical crossfire. (Reporting by Vallari Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva) Handwritten notes left behind by the man who shot at a Dallas ICE field office on Wednesday indicated hatred for the federal government and led investigators to believe he intended to target ICE personnel and property, even though all three victims were detainees. The tragic irony for his evil plot here is that it was a detainee who was killed and two other detainees that were injured during the attack, said Nancy Larson, acting US attorney for the Northern District of Texas. The shooter, whose plan appeared to be months in the making, fired indiscriminately at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility from the roof of another building, FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph Rothrock said on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A collection of crude notes that included a game plan of the attack and target areas at the facility were found at the suspects home, Larson said. His words were definitively anti-ICE, Larson said, adding, He also hoped his actions would give ICE agents real terror of being gunned down. What he did is the very definition of terrorism. The shooter was found dead at the scene, and no ICE agents or other law enforcement personnel were injured. The attack was at least the fourth instance of violence or a threat at an ICE or Customs and Border Protection facility in Texas this year. ICE has faced strong resistance as it enforces President Donald Trumps directive to escalate migrant detentions nationwide, resulting in protests, arrests of citizens and pervasive fear among migrant communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what we know about the investigation, the victims and the suspect: Joshua Jahn, the man suspected of shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas on Wednesday, appears in a police booking mugshot taken April 6, 2016, by the Collin County Sheriff's Office. - Collin County Sheriffs Office/Reuters Shooter planned extensively, officials say The shooter, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, has been identified by investigators as Joshua Jahn, 29, from Fairview, Texas, Larson said. He was a US citizen. He appears to have acted alone when he drove to a building neighboring the ICE facility and likely used a large ladder to position himself on the roof, Larson said. Jahn was seen driving with the ladder on his car at about 3 a.m., hours before the attack, she added. The shooting began at about 6:30 a.m. and bullets sprayed the length of the building, the windows and law enforcement vans that were in the sally port area of the ICE facility, the prosecutor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gunshots slicing through the air from above sent visitors running for cover or peering out of their cars to investigate some worried for family members inside the facility. ICE and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ran to assist the injured detainees while the shooting was still ongoing, authorities said. When Dallas police arrived at the scene, they found the shooters body and some bullets on the roof, one of which was labeled ANTI ICE, Larson said. The gun, an 8mm bolt-action rifle, was obtained legally by the suspect in August, Rothrock said. FBI Director Kash Patel posted a photo to social media that he says shows unspent shell casings engraved with the phrase ANTI ICE" which are connected to the shooting at an Dallas ICE facility on Wednesday morning. - from FBI Director Kash Patel Evidence so far indicates a high degree of pre-attack planning, and it appears the shooter conducted extensive research on ICE, ballistics and the September 10 sniper shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X. Notes laid out targeted game plan Loose notes found during a search of the shooters home provide the clearest motivation investigators have found for the attack, Rothrock said, and other evidence suggests he positioned himself strategically for the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its clear from these notes that he was targeting ICE agents and ICE personnel, Larson said. He had also researched the ICE facility and searched how to track ICE agents locations, Rothrock said. He added, He knew with a high likelihood ICE detainees would be transported that morning in the exact location where he was facing from his perch on a nearby rooftop. Larson detailed several revelations found in the notes: In one note, the shooter wrote, Yes, it was just me and my brain. The notes provided a game plan of the attack and target areas at the facility. The attacker referred to ICE employees as people showing up to collect a dirty paycheck. Larson added: He wrote that he intended to maximize lethality against ICE personnel and to maximize property damage at the facility. He hoped to minimize any collateral damage or injury to the detainees and any other innocent people. It seems that he did not intend to kill the detainees or harm them, Larson said. The writings suggest he hoped the shooting would terrorize ICE employees and interfere with their work, which he called human trafficking. The notes indicate he did not expect to survive the attack, Rothrock added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attacker also wrote, good luck with the digital footprint, Larson said, noting that investigators believe this means he wiped data from his devices. In addition to the shooters writings, Patel laid out multiple pieces of evidence that show the attack was premeditated, including records that he searched for information on ballistics and videos of Charlie Kirks assassination, as well as a downloaded document titled Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, which contained a list of DHS facilities. Law enforcement personnel investigate the scene of a shooting at an ICE field office in Dallas. - Jeffrey McWhorter/Reuters Investigators spent much of Wednesday scouring the scene of the shooting for evidence, with a CNN team recording video of authorities searching a Toyota at an office building near the field office. One side of the car displayed a United States map with the words Radioactive fallout from nuclear detonations have passed over these areas more than 2x since 1951. It is not immediately clear what connection the vehicle has to the shooting investigation. Victims were detained migrants When the victims were shot, they were in a van at the facilitys fortified sallyport, a controlled entry point commonly found in prisons and on military bases, DHS said. This is an area where agents typically will bring in detainees, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons told Fox News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victims have not been publicly identified, but ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan told Fox all three were in the county illegally and had been arrested. They were awaiting transfer to a longer-term facility, he said. One of the injured detainees is a Mexican national, according to a statement from Mexicos Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry said the head of its North American Unit expressed concern for the wounded Mexican national and requested clarification of the shootings events and unrestricted access to the person, the statement reads. The other detainees remain safe. They are victims as well of this violent crime, and they are people that we are actively interviewing as part of our investigation, Rothrock said. What is the suspects background? Jahn does not appear to have affiliations with specific groups or entities, nor did his writings mention government agencies other than ICE, Larson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jahn had lived in a Dallas suburb and was charged a decade ago with delivering marijuana, according to court records. In 2016, when he was 19, Jahn was charged with delivering more than one-fourth of an ounce of marijuana, according to Collin County court records. He pleaded guilty and the case against him was deferred, with Jahn being placed on probation. The charge is classified in Texas law as a state jail felony, the least severe type of felony in the state. In late 2017, Jahn drove cross-country to work a minimum-wage job harvesting marijuana for several months, Ryan Sanderson, owner of a legal cannabis farm in Washington state, told The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes a young kid, a thousand miles from home, didnt really seem to have any direction, living out of his car at such a young age, Sanderson told the AP. A Joshua Jahn studied at Collin College in the Dallas suburb of McKinney at various times between 2013 and 2018, a school spokesperson told the AP via email. Jahn voted in the Democratic primary in March 2020 and hasnt voted since then in Collin County, according to records provided to CNN by the county Elections Department. Voters in Texas dont declare a political party when registering to vote but choose a partys ballot when voting in primaries. Law enforcement agents look around the roof of a building near the scene of a shooting at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas on Wednesday. - Julio Cortez/AP Who is detained at the facility? On any given day, people detained by ICE are processed at the agencys field office in Dallas a rectangular, brick building tucked between a busy highway, several law offices and a luxury apartment complex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detainees are typically held at the field office for a short time during processing before they are transferred to a detention center, according to a former senior ICE official. The building contains three or four holding cells, the official said. More than 8,000 detainees have been temporarily held at the facility over the first six months of the Trump administration, according to a CNN analysis of ICE data obtained by the Deportation Data Project, a research group associated with the UC Berkeley School of Law. On average, detainees stayed about 14 hours in the Dallas office, according to the data, which runs through late July. ICE has kept detainees for days or longer in some hold rooms around the country, CNN reported earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A longstanding ICE policy restricted the agency from keeping detainees in hold rooms for more than 12 hours, but the agency amended that in June to allow stays of up to 72 hours in hold room facilities like the Dallas field office. People who were detained at the facility have been moved to a different Texas detention center to complete processing, according to George Rodriguez, an immigration attorney and ICE liaison for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said agencies will continue to arrest, detain, and deport any individuals in this country illegally without interruption. This story has been updated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNNs Dakin Andone, Chris Boyette, Casey Tolan, Curt Devine, Maureen Chowdhury, Alisha Ebrahimji, Elise Hammond, Graham Hurley, Holmes Lybrand, Tori B. Powell, Taylor Romine, Aditi Sangal and Cindy Von Quednow contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com At least 48 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to Palestinian reports. According to hospital reports, 12 Palestinians were killed in Gaza City, in the north of the coastal territory, where Israel has launched an offensive despite warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe. Many more are said to have died in the centre and south of the devastated Strip, according to local hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military said it killed a terrorist involved in the October 7 attacks, in the Al-Shati refugee neighbourhood in Gaza City. The attacks, led by the Islamist group Hamas, were the trigger for the war in Gaza, in which more than 65,000 Palestinians are reported to have died. Israeli forces found weapons and stolen aid supplies on a site used by Hamas, the military said. It published a picture showing several aid packages, including one from the United Arab Emirates, and a basket containing several tins of food. Israel accuses Hamas of stealing humanitarian aid. The Israeli air force attacked more than 170 targets across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. According to military spokesman Effie Defrin, five divisions are currently deployed in the territory, three of them in the city of Gaza. A division usually consists of 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Sep. 24Dwight D. Eisenhower was president when Bernie Armstrong last got inside a P-51 Mustang and "danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings." "It's a pretty day for flying," he said following a 20-minute flight around Albuquerque on a sunny Wednesday morning. The 99-year-old Cerrillos resident last sat inside the plane when he was in the Air Force during the Korean War. "It was a fast airplane," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, Armstrong said he has been wanting to get back inside the P-51. Thanks to his family and a traveling World War II plane show, Armstrong was able to fulfill his yearslong dream, a month shy of his 100th birthday. "This is what he really wanted to do," his son Blane Armstrong said. "This was the one thing he wanted for his 100th birthday. He just loved the airplane." 'Makes my heart so happy' In 1943, Bernie Armstrong was a 17-year-old high school student in Big Rapids, Michigan, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps (now the U.S. Air Force) during World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I wanted to get out of high school early," he said. Armstrong flew 8-hour missions escorting B-29s out of Iwo Jima, Japan. During the Korean War, he also escorted bombers in the P-51, his daughter Mary Medina said. Each time Armstrong flew, he said he "wondered if I was going to come back." After leaving the Air Force as a major, Armstrong and his family moved to New Mexico, where he flew for charter companies out of Gallup and Farmington. Medina said part of his duties included transporting Dine children to hospitals. She said Armstrong later became a chief pilot for the state of New Mexico before retiring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he had one thing left to do. "Even though he was a pilot all of his life," Blane Armstrong said, "he always wanted to fly the P-51 again." Bernie Armstrong would get another opportunity. 'Where are the keys?' On Sunday, Armstrong's granddaughter, Amber Gibson, said her husband found out about a tour involving two World War II planes the P-51 "Gunfighter" and the B-29 Superfortress "Doc" at Cutter Aviation in Albuquerque. "He sent them an email explaining who grandpa was his military background and they emailed Mikey back right away and asked if we could have him here," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bernie Armstrong came to Cutter Aviation on Tuesday to look at the P-51. The pilot, Joe Shetterly, asked if the family would be OK with Armstrong going on a flight, she said. "We were like, 'Of course,'" she said. "Like, this is his dream. And so, we asked grandpa and he was like, 'Well, yeah.'" On Wednesday morning, Armstrong came ready to go. "We would ask him, 'Are you nervous?'" Medina said. "Nope." "Are you excited?" "Nope." "Then the minute we got there," Medina said, "he was like, 'OK, where are the keys?'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Armstrong went inside the P-51, his family took photos and started to cheer. Those cheers grew louder as the plane accelerated down the runway and began its ascent. Medina and Gibson hugged and cried as the plane flew toward the Sandia Mountains. "It's something I never thought I'd get to see happen," Gibson said. "And knowing this was one thing he wanted to cross off his bucket list just makes my heart so happy, so full. I'm so happy for him." While family members embraced, Shetterly said he and Armstrong "'danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings,' as the poem goes, and chased around the clouds and (it) put a big smile on his face." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And you can just see he was in another place and another time," he said. About 20 minutes later, the "Gunfighter" landed. As Shetterly and Armstrong got out, he said Armstrong told him how to operate the plane during the flight. "He didn't need me," Shetterly said. Armstrong's family came up and posed for pictures with their hero in front of the plane. "I was very happy for him and proud of him because it was something he wanted for such a long time and it was nice he could accomplish it," Medina said. Hours after the flight, Medina said, Armstrong told her he was "ready to go do it again." Denmark said drones were spotted near an airbase for F-16s and F-35s as part of a professional "hybrid attack." Drones were also seen at airports, leading to their temporary closure. The incidents, which were not blamed on a specific actor, follow repeated Russian violations of NATO airspace this month. Amid what it described as a "hybrid attack," NATO ally Denmark said drones were spotted near an airbase housing F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. Drones also disrupted airports across the country. Danish officials reported drone sightings near multiple airports Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, with the military saying it saw drones at "several military installations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those bases was the Skrydstrup airbase, which houses Denmark's fourth-generation F-16s and fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighters, the latter being among the most advanced combat airpower available in the NATO arsenal. Drones led to the shutdown of Denmark's Aalborg Airport, used for both commercial and military flights, for three hours. Billund Airport was down for an hour. Drones were also seen near the Esbjerg and Sonderborg airports. The incident came days after drones interrupted operations at Copenhagen airport. A Danish F-16 aircraft at Skrydstrup Air Base. BO AMSTRUP/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images Denmark blamed no specific actor, but it did characterize it as a deliberate kind of attack. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that "everything points to this being the work of a professional actor" and said "this is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones." He said there was no immediate evidence that Russia was responsible. Police are investigating further. Peter Hummelgaard, Denmark's justice minister, said the motivation behind the recent attacks is "to create fear" and create division, saying no options are being ruled out for who is responsible. NATO's already on edge The drone incidents in Denmark come at a time when NATO is already on edge due to recent Russian incursions, both with drones and fighter aircraft. Officials and experts suspect Russia is engaging in a shadow war, testing alliance defenses and responses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian drones violated NATO ally Poland's airspace earlier this month and were shot down by NATO jets, temporarily stopping an airport's operations. Russia said the drones were not there intentionally, saying they veered off course, but Poland's defense minister categorically rejected the claim and instead described it as a deliberate targeting of its sovereign airspace. And then last week, Estonia reported that three Russian MiG-31 interceptor aircraft violated its airspace, staying for 12 minutes. Moscow said it never entered Estonian airspace. MiG-31 Russian Ministry of Defense And then Denmark's Copenhagen airport closed on Monday due to drones. Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said she could not rule out Russia being responsible for that, calling it "the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date." She said motives could be "to disrupt and create unrest, to cause concern, to see how far you can go and test the limits." Russia called it a "staged provocation" and denied any involvement. Defenses and responses Recent events have sparked new concerns across NATO about how to defend airspaces from new and old threats, a concern already weighing heavily on the alliance from watching how Russia is fighting in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That war, in which Russia has launched huge drone and missile barrages into Ukraine, has shown NATO that it needs significantly more ground-based air defenses, something that has not been prioritized since the end of the Cold War. The conflict, among other incidents, has also shown a need for strong, appropriate defenses against the threat of drones, which can be obtained cheaply and employed for reconnaissance and strike purposes against high-value targets. The low price point makes using expensive air-to-air missiles problematic, and some inexpensive electronic warfare solutions can't be effectively employed in civilian areas, a challenge with certain kinetic options as well. Michael Hyldgaard, Denmark's chief of defence, said the drones seen on Wednesday and Thursday were not shot down to keep the population safe. Poulsen also said that the military is able to shoot down the drones, but added there isn't a direct military threat against Denmark that requires doing so. Recent events have, however, sparked new discussions about shooting down perceived threats within NATO airspace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lithuania's parliament passed a law that authorized its armed forces to shoot down any drones that unlawfully enter its airspace, regardless of whether they directly pose a threat. Poland's prime minister said that his country would shoot down a threatening aerial object that violates its airspace. And NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said alliance members could target any Russian combat aircraft that enter NATO airspace. Others, like Sweden, have also issued warnings. A key challenge for NATO, though, is showing strength without risking possibly unnecessary escalation. Hybrid attacks, or gray zone aggression, only complicate things further. Many countries say they are constantly fighting Russian hybrid threats, like cyber attacks, assassination attempts, interference in democracy, and signal jamming real threats that are not traditionally met with a hard power response. Amid debates on how to properly respond to these challenges, the frequency of incidents has been on the rise. Hummelgaard, while not pointing at Russia for the recent incident, said the hybrid threats Denmark is seeing are "here to stay," saying there have been "deeply worrying incidents across Europe." Read the original article on Business Insider Dairy cows stand on a carousel as they are milked at Riverviews Campbell Dairy in Wilkin County, Minnesota, on July 10, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) A North Dakota agency has approved a permit for what could become the largest dairy in state history a 25,000-cow milking operation in Traill County. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality is issuing the permit for Riverview Dairy at a site near the Red River southeast of Hillsboro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Riverview, based in Morris, Minnesota, plans to build two large dairies on the North Dakota side of the Red River that could quadruple the number of dairy cows in the state. North Dakotas dairy industry has been dwindling for decades. Riverview had already obtained an environmental permit for a 12,500-cow dairy north of Wahpeton in Richland County. Riverview still needs permits from the North Dakota Department of Water Resources to supply the dairies with the large amounts of water the dairies need. Riverview says its cows need 20 to 30 gallons of water per cow each day. That would equal at least 700,000 gallons of water per day for the Traill County site. The environmental permit reviewed such things as Riverviews plans for storing manure from the cows and applying it to farm fields near the dairy as fertilizer. According to the permit, the dairy would produce about 143.3 million gallons of manure each year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A news release from the Department of Environmental Quality said Riverview identified sufficient cropland acres to apply the manure. But because of public concerns, the agency will continue to analyze the 100-year floodplain near the Traill County dairy. No fields in the floodplain were approved for manure application. Riverview said Thursday it hopes to begin moving dirt at the site this fall, with construction taking about two years. It has already started dirt work in Richland County. From left, Mary Haroldson, Sarah Waldron Feld and Cameron Gilley of the Department of Environmental Quality, listen to comments at an open house event for Riverview Dairy in Hillsboro, North Dakota, on April 3, 2025. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) In the news release, the Department of Environmental Quality said the agency is committed to protecting the environment and public health. During the construction phase, staff will conduct regular facility inspections to ensure full compliance with all permit conditions. Once the operation begins, inspections will occur at least annually to verify continued adherence to permit requirements, the agency said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some environmental groups such as North Dakota-based Dakota Resource Council and others based in Manitoba, Canada, have expressed concerns about the potential for pollution from the dairies into the north-flowing Red River. In submitted comments, the Dakota Resource Council said the failure to regulate Herberg Dairy in a manner that prevents water pollution will harm human health, wildlife, and North Dakotas outdoor recreational economy. It also said the dairy will add to the cost of cleaning up Red River water for cities downstream that use the river as a drinking water source, such as Grand Forks and Grafton. Canadian groups have expressed concerns about pollution in the Red River contributing to algae bloom on Lake Winnipeg, which the river drains into. Riverview, which operates several large dairies in western Minnesota, refers to the Traill County site as Herberg Dairy, named for the township it will be in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our dairies are designed to meet or exceed strict environmental standards, reflecting our commitment to caring for land, water, animals, and people, Riverview said in an emailed statement. We are also committed to being a good neighbor and community partner. The Traill County dairy would create about 100 jobs and the Richland Dairy 45 to 50 jobs, according to Riverview. Jim Murphy, executive director of the Traill County Economic Development Commission, called the permit approval great news for Hillsboro and Traill County but said housing workers will be a challenge. We dont have much for housing in town, so thats a solution we will need to work on over the next 18 months, Murphy said in an interview with the Hillsboro Banner. Milking machines are attached to the udders of dairy cows that stand on a carousel at Riverviews Campbell Dairy in Wilkin County, Minnesota, on July 10, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) Riverview provides housing on site for some of its workers who milk cows around the clock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Riverview filed for its permit for the Herberg Dairy, the Department of Environmental Quality held a public hearing in Hillsboro in May, with many of the comments in support. That included Darin Johnson, the mayor of Halstad, Minnesota, a town on the Red River that is closer to the dairy site than Hillsboro. He has visited a Riverview Dairy and said hes impressed with its risk management and manure handling methods. I really believe the manure is liquid gold that is going to help our soils and help our crops, Johnson said at the hearing. This story was updated with additional information from the permit. North Dakota Monitor Deputy Editor Jeff Beach jbeach@northdakotamonitor.com. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Eric Trump has claimed he was in the room when President Trump ended two of the seven wars he takes credit for ending. Ive literally been in that office, the First Son claimed on Real Americas Voice Wednesday. I was in that office for one conversation where he literally stopped a war. In fact, I was in the office recently where he stopped another one. Trump Jr. was attempting to provide a first-hand testimony for why his father deserves the Nobel Peace Prize andperhaps more ambitiouslya spot on Mount Rushmore. In 2020, during his first presidency, the National Park Service warned there is no space to add a new face to Mount Rushmore. Eric stated there would be a Eric, 41, serves as the vice president of the Trump Organization and does not have a position in the United States government or a security clearanceraising questions about why he was present during conversations with consequences for national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere pointed out the unintentional admission on X Wednesday afternoon, tweeting, The presidents son, who said in December there will obviously be a very large wall between anything having to do with our company and anything to do with government, says he was in the Oval Office when the president literally stopped a war. Eric gave that quote to Reuters in December." The Daily Beast has reached out to Eric Trump and the White House asking which wars Eric was referring to and why he was present during the meetings. His father has however been bragging about ending wars, claiming seven successes at the latest count. During his speech to the UN on Tuesday, the President said he ended wars between Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan. Eric attended Charlie Kirk's memorial with his father last Sunday. / Carlos Barria / REUTERS He has also repeatedly flubbed which wars he has solved, including claiming that Armenia had been at war with Cambodia, despite being 4,000 miles apart. It was just starting, and it was a bad one. Think of that, he said last weekend to the American Cornerstone Institutes Founders Dinner in a rambling speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putting aside wars which did not exist, his claims to have stopped seven wars is at the very least open to contention. A CNN factcheck found that Egypt and Ethiopia are not actually at war; Rwanda and the DRC are still very much in conflict; and Serbia and Kosovos relationship is mediated by the European Union. Additionally, his persistent claim to have solved the India-Pakistan conflict has prompted a cold war with Indias prime minister, Narendra Modi, who has insisted that clashes between the two had ended without American intervention. Claims that he witnessed Trump bringing peace are not the only eyebrow-raising comments by his second, who said that murdered conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was like a second son to the president. Eric Trump, however, already had that title: He is the second-oldest of Trumps three sons. After more than a decade of construction and multiple reservoir fillings, Ethiopia officially inaugurated its massive hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile earlier this month. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is the largest dam in Africa, with a total price tag of around $5 billion. Ethiopias leadership has portrayed the GERD as a profound symbol of national pride. Speaking at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the project, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has increasingly embraced a nationalistic policy agenda, compared the GERDs completion to the 1896 Battle of Adwa, when the Ethiopian Empire successfully repelled an invasion by Italian forces. Abiy likely hopes the project will instill his fellow Ethiopians with a sense of patriotism as the country struggles with an economic crisis amid a slow recovery from the brutal Tigray war that ended in 2022. In addition to its political symbolism, the dam also provides Ethiopia with new economic leverage. The GERD began generating power in 2022 when its first turbine came online; now that the dam is at full capacity, it is expected to generate around 15,700 gigawatt-hours annually and up to $1 billion in power export revenue. That could be transformative for Ethiopians, some 44 percent of whom still lack access to electricity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Abiy emphasized in a July 2025 speech that Ethiopias rise will not come at the expense of downstream states, the GERD has consistently raised alarms in neighboring Sudan and Egypt. Cairo long resisted dam development on the Nile, which accounts for 97 percent of its fresh water. In 1979, then-President Anwar Sadat even stated that the only matter that could take Egypt to war again is water. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Egypts current leader, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has similarly declared the GERD to be a matter of life and death. Following the dams inauguration, Cairo lodged a complaint at the U.N. Security Council, denouncing Ethiopias unilateral filling and operation of the dam as both a violation of international law and a breach of previous commitments. One of Egypts leading complaints is that Ethiopia has acted outside the spirit of the 2015 Declaration of Principles, a nonbinding agreement under which Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to equitable and reasonable use of Nile waters and to cooperate on rules for filling and operating the GERD. However, subsequent negotiations under the auspices of that deal broke down, and Ethiopia pressed ahead with filling the dams reservoir unilaterally. The issue is further complicated by the fact that neither Egypt nor Ethiopia has ratified the 1997 U.N. Watercourses Convention, which seeks to balance equitable utilization of water resources with a no significant harm principle for downstream states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Egypt has good reason to worry, given it already faces per capita freshwater availability of just 510 cubic meters annually, far below the U.N.s water scarcity threshold of 1,000 cubic meters. While consecutive years of above-average rainfall in the early 2020s allowed Ethiopia to fill the dams reservoirs without significantly restricting the flow to downstream states, Cairo fears that Ethiopia could withhold its water supply during any future period of prolonged drought. The chances of a direct military conflict between Ethiopia and Egypt over the dam are slim, but low-grade clashes could erupt in the form of a proxy fight. In addition to anxiety over water insecurity, there are political concerns. Sisi fears that failure to counter the dam could damage his domestic credibility, especially amid growing discontent over his management of the Egyptian economy. His calls to resist the GERD also echo Cairos longstanding position that it has a rightful claim to direct the Niles management, rooted in successive treaties and Egypts erstwhile position as the foremost regional power. In that sense, the GERD represents a new geopolitical reality that Egypt is struggling to adjust to. For Sudan, the outlook is mixed, especially with its own leverage reduced by the countrys ongoing, brutal civil war. Khartoum has at times recognized the potential benefits of the dam, such as more predictable river flows and improved flood control during rainy seasons. One recent study found that the GERDs sediment trapping could extend the lifespan of Sudans Roseires reservoir, itself crucial to meeting demands for irrigation, hydropower and drinking water. On the other hand, poorly coordinated water releases could reduce nutrient flows to Sudans soils, harming the rivers natural systems and reducing its ecological health. That said, environmental experts are confident that the risks posed by the GERD can be managed. A December 2024 peer-reviewed study found that with effective coordination, the GERD could meet Ethiopias energy goals without exacerbating water shortages for Egypt, even in drought conditions. This points to the potential for compromise, but only if the countries involved can formalize and adhere to a binding agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Egypt, such a deal could even bring indirect benefits. Much of its water loss occurs through evaporation at Lake Nasser, behind the Aswan High Dam. Coordinated releases from the GERD may, in theory, help optimize water management, turning a zero-sum conflict into an opportunity. But this requires trust and a willingness from Egypt to accept that its unilateral dominance over Nile waters is no longer tenable. For now, tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia make a binding treaty unlikely. Egypt has sought to rally support from its neighbors, including Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia, with Sisi making state visits to each nation prior to the GERDs completion. These states have their own frictions with Ethiopia, so Sisi may hope to isolate Abiy by rallying them to his side. Such a strategy carries risk, in that it may harden Abiys already hawkish stance while diminishing the chances of a negotiated resolution. Past efforts at diplomacy have made only halting progress. The U.S. has tried to mediate the issue in the past, most recently in late 2019, but the talks collapsed as Ethiopia felt Washington was siding with Egypt. Mediation efforts by the African Union, backed by the European Union and United Nations, also faltered after Ethiopia rejected a proposal for binding and enforceable rules, particularly after Addis Ababa reiterated its past commitment to a nonbinding agreement. There is potential for China to play a role, particularly as it shows more willingness to mediate global disputes. Both Egypt and Ethiopia are now members of BRICS, which gives Beijing an interest and a common forum for shepherding the two sides toward an agreement. At the same time, Beijing wouldnt exactly be a neutral arbiter, as its banks have invested heavily in Ethiopia, including around $1.2 billion for the GERDs electricity supply infrastructure. If China does play a role, it will likely be modest, perhaps nudging Egypt to temper its historical claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chances of a direct military conflict between Ethiopia and Egypt are slim, but low-grade clashes could erupt in the form of a proxy fight, as Egypt has recently increased its security cooperation with neighboring Somalia, sparking statements of concern from Addis Ababa. For example, Egypt has agreed to contribute troops to the AUs support mission aimed at combating extremist groups operating in Somalia, to which Ethiopia is also a major contributor of forces. What the GERD illustrates most of all is the enduring risk of disputes over water in an era of climate stress. While it has so far proven elusive, a durable settlement will ultimately depend on a shared willingness between Ethiopia and Egypt to uphold international law, build trust and forge compromise. Without that, the dispute will almost certainly continue to be a flashpoint for the region. Jonathan Fenton-Harvey is a British analyst and journalist whose work has focused largely on Gulf Cooperation Council affairs, as well as geopolitical and economic issues pertaining to the wider Middle East and Indo-Pacific. He has worked with or written for a wide range of think tanks and publications based in the U.S., the U.K. and the Middle East. The post Ethiopias New Megadam Inflames Regional Tensions appeared first on World Politics Review. By Trevor Hunnicutt and Saeed Shah WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the White House on Thursday, a Trump administration official told Reuters on Wednesday, with the meeting coming weeks after the two countries agreed to a trade deal. U.S.-Pakistan ties have warmed in recent months under Trump after Washington had for years viewed Pakistan's rival India as a counter to China's influence in Asia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington's relations with New Delhi have been tested under the Republican leader over issues such as visa hurdles for Indians, high tariff rates imposed by Trump on goods from India and Trump's repeated claims that he brokered an India-Pakistan ceasefire in May after the South Asian neighbors engaged in their latest hostilities. The United States and Pakistan announced a trade deal on July 31 with a 19% tariff rate imposed by Washington. Trump is yet to reach a trade deal with India. Officials and analysts have noted that after tensions with Washington, New Delhi is recalibrating relations with China as a hedge. Trump welcomed Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir earlier this year, the first time a U.S. president hosted the head of Pakistan's army - widely regarded as the most powerful figure in the country - at the White House, unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're working through a number of issues when it comes to counter-terrorism, when it comes to economic and trade ties," a senior State Department official told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday when asked about Pakistan. "And so the president remains focused on advancing U.S. interests in the region, that includes through engaging with Pakistan and their government leaders," the official said. When asked about frictions with India, the official said Trump believed in being frank about frustrations in ties but the relationship was strong. Washington viewed New Delhi as a good friend and partner and believed their relationship would define the 21st century, the official said. They added that Washington had been working on planning for a summit of the Quad grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the United States that India had been expected to hold in November. That would happen, "if not this year, early next year," the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pakistan has backed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, although Islamabad has condemned U.S. ally Israel's bombardments in Gaza, Qatar and Iran. Sharif was part of a meeting Trump had on Tuesday with leaders of many Muslim-majority countries where the U.S. president discussed Israel's assault on Gaza. Washington says the U.S. shared peace proposals with leaders from those countries in the meeting held on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Kanishka Singh and Saeed Shah; additional reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo and David Brunnstrom;Editing by Ross Colvin, Kim Coghill, Diane Craft and Saad Sayeed) From semiconductors to artificial intelligence and robotics, more mainland Chinese technology firms plan to list in Hong Kong, which would serve as their launch pad to expand overseas and transform into global businesses. Some of the mainland firms currently looking to list in the city include China Micro Semicon (Shenzhen), Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing and Mech-Mind Robotics Technologies. The increased interest from mainland tech firms to list in Hong Kong reflects how the city regained its status as the world's largest market for initial public offerings (IPOs) this year. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. "The Hong Kong market has had a strong rally this year, with international investors chasing mainland technology companies, particularly semiconductor, AI and robotics companies," said Tom Chan Pak-lam, permanent honorary president of the Institute of Securities Dealers, an industry body for brokers. "This trend will continue as Hong Kong is an international financial centre and a connector between China and the world," he said. "It is natural for mainland technology companies to use Hong Kong as a platform to go global." As of Friday, some 60 companies had collectively raised US$18.5 billion in Hong Kong, a 158 per cent increase from the previous year. That surge enabled the city to reclaim its status as the world's largest IPO market in terms of funds raised for the first time since 2019, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group. Chinese semiconductor companies are eyeing Hong Kong as a base to raise funds and pursue international expansion. Photo: Shutterstock alt=Chinese semiconductor companies are eyeing Hong Kong as a base to raise funds and pursue international expansion. Photo: Shutterstock> China Micro Semicon, which designs chips for smart household products, on Tuesday filed a listing application to the main board of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing. The firm went public on Shanghai's Star Market in 2022. "We intend to leverage Hong Kong's strategic position as a gateway to international markets - along with its robust research-and-development ecosystem and abundant talent pool - to build a regional base supporting our global expansion," the company's filing said. The Shenzhen-based company planned to use part of the funds it expected to raise to establish a global operations and research and development centre in Hong Kong, according to its filing. UPDATE : WEDNESDAY, 7 :10 a.m. Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said this morning that they have authorized the use of federal funds to help the state of Hawaii combat the Holomua Fire on Maui, which led to emergency evacuations Tuesday and burned more than 200 acres. FEMA Region 9 officials in Oakland, Calif, said in a news release that the state had requested a Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Holomua fire near Paia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said that at the time of the request, the wildfire was threatening about 364 Paia-area homes and had forced mandatory evacuations for about 1, 672 people. The grant will provide federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs, including expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization, and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire, FEMA said. The Maui Emergency Management Agency lifted the evacuation order about 6 p.m. Tuesday as the Maui Fire Department officials reported that the blazes progress has been stopped. Hawaiian Electric officials said late Tuesday night that power had been restored to most of the 492 customers in Paia after a circuit was de-energized at the request of the Maui Fire Department due to firefighting efforts earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TUESDAY, 6 :30 p.m. The Maui Emergency Management Agency has lifted all evacuation orders and warnings for the Holomua wildfire near Paia, officials said just after 6 p.m. However, advisories remain in effect due to smoke impacts, officials said. As of about 5 :30 p.m., Maui Fire Department officials estimated that the fire had burned 300 acres but said the blazes progress has been stopped. Evacuation sites that opened this afternoon are now being closed, officials said. Authorities ask non-local traffic to continue to avoid Paia and said the following roads remain closed :Baldwin Avenue from Paia Gym to Haliimaile Road.Holomua Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hawaii Department of Education said Pa ia Elementary School will be closed Wednesday because of impacts from the wildfire. The DOE said the campus was without power tonight at the request of the Maui Fire Department to assist MFDs response efforts in the area. Earlier today, Hawaiian Electric Co. officials said 497 customers were without power in the Paia area at the request of MFD. 5 :30 p.m. Hawaiian Electric Co. officials said 497 customers remain without power in the Paia area this evening. In a social media post, the company said that power was turned off for customers at the request of the Maui Fire Department because of the wildfire that has burned over 100 acres and had led to emergency evacuation orders. The company said the outage was not a Public Safety Power Shutoff, or PSPS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4 :40 p.m. As of 4 :30 p.m., the American Red Cross on Maui has opened emergency evacuation sites at Haliimaile and Pukalanis Hannibal Tavares community centers as a wildfire near Paia has grown to 100 acres. Makawaos Eddie Tam and Haiku community centers are still being prepped and have not opened yet, they said. The wildfire was about four acres when it was reported at about 1 :30 p.m. near Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenue, officials said. As of about 4 :30, it was reported to be over 100 acres. There are multiple road closures and authorities ask non-local traffic to avoid Paia. The updated closures include :Baldwin Avenue at Makawao Union Church ;Baldwin Avenue at Haliimaile Road ;Hana Highway at Baldwin Avenue ;Hana Highway at Holomua Road ;Paia-bound lane of North Firebreak Road ;And Hana Highway, Paia-bound lane, at Haleakala Highway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4 :15 p.m. The American Red Cross on Maui is setting up emergency evacuation sites at Haliimaile, Makawaos Eddie Tam, Pukalanis Hannibal Tavares and Haiku community centers due to a wildfire near Paia this afternoon. Maui officials said residents under evacuation orders should bring food, water and supplies to the centers. Pets should be leashed and in crates, they said. The wildfire was about four acres when it was reported at about 1 :30 p.m. near Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenue, officials said. At about 2 :09 p.m., the Maui Emergency Management Agency issued evacuation orders and warnings for multiple areas in Paia due to smoke and proximity to the Holomua fire, officials said. There was no updated acreage report or containment estimate as of about 3 :30 p.m., officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are several road closures and authorities ask non-local traffic to avoid Paia. The closures include :Baldwin Avenue from Paia Elementary School to Holomua Road ;Hana Highway Paia-bound lane at Haleakala Highway ;And Baldwin Avenue at Haliimaile. Officials said the Maui Fire Department has two helicopters, a battalion chief, four engines, one tanker, along with other assets, responding. Multiple private dozers, tankers and other assets are also responding, they said. A Maui County Community Budget Meeting that was scheduled for tonight at Paia Community Center has been canceled. MEMA is fully activated and its call center can be reached at (808 ) 270-7285, officials said. Specific zone locations and orders can be found on the. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE A brushfire in Paia on Maui has prompted evacuation orders as of this afternoon, according to Maui Emergency Management Agency. The fire was reported at 1 :30 p.m. in the area of Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenues. At about 2 :09 p.m., MEMA issued evacuation orders, as well warnings, for multiple areas of Paia due to smoke and proximity to the fire. Specific zone locations and orders can be found on the. Parts of Baldwin and Holomua remain closed due to firefighting efforts. Motorists are asked to avoid the area. At this time, MEMA did not have brush fire size estimates or further details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement See more : 11 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 ? . UPDATE (Sept. 24, 8:30 p.m.): On Wednesday evening, MSNBC learned that the Justice Department's plan to indict James Comey encountered a last-minute roadblock earlier this week, when line prosecutors presented President Trump's newly installed U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia with a memo suggesting their case against the former FBI director is too weak to pursue. Two sources familiar with the case said the memo explained why prosecutors lack sufficient evidence to convince a grand jury to indict Comey, but U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan can overrule their recommendation. This development was first reported by ABC News. Federal prosecutors are expected to seek an indictment of former FBI Director James Comey in the coming days, after the top prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia who opposed bringing charges recently resigned under pressure from President Donald Trump, three sources familiar with the matter told MSNBC. Prosecutors are rushing against the clock, before the statute of limitations involving one charge believed to be central to the case expires within the week. Comey famously refused to pledge his loyalty to Trump during his first administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The full extent of the charges being prepared is unclear, but the sources believe at least one element of the indictment if it goes forward will accuse him of lying to Congress in his testimony on Sept. 30, 2020, about whether he authorized a leak of information. The five-year statute of limitations on that charge would lapse Tuesday. Comeys lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office declined to comment. The same U.S. attorneys office is also investigating mortgage fraud allegations against New York Attorney General Letitia James. Two people familiar with the matter told MSNBC they believe James will be charged in that case, but they were not certain of the timing. The sources described a fluid situation that could change for any number of reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, was forced out last week after it became clear he opposed bringing the case against James, according to multiple people familiar with the matter who were granted anonymity to speak freely about the sensitive matter. Siebert was also not in favor of charging Comey, two people familiar with the matter said. The new U.S. attorney, sworn in this week, is Lindsey Halligan, a former Trump defense lawyer and White House lawyer who has never been a prosecutor. Among the elements being examined in the Comey case, the sources say, is an exchange he had with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about the FBIs investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia on 2016 election interference. Comey testifies via videoconference at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington in 2020. (Stefani Reynolds / Pool / AFP - Getty Images file) Cruz reprised a question Comey had been asked by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa: Have you ever authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about the Trump investigation or the Clinton administration? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz said Andrew McCabe, who was the deputy director under Comey, had leaked information to The Wall Street Journal about the FBIs investigation into the Clinton Foundation at Comeys direction. Comey answered: I can only speak to my testimony. I stand by the testimony you summarized that I gave in May of 2017. People familiar with the matter said investigators have asked witnesses whether Comey lied when he said he did not authorize leaks to the media, such as when McCabe told the Journal about Clinton Foundation investigations. An independent investigation by the Justice Department inspector general concluded that Comey did not authorize the release of the information and that FBI rules allowed McCabe, as deputy director, to speak to the news media without authorization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump fired Comey as FBI director in 2017 after Comey declined to pledge his loyalty, according to Comeys sworn account. Trump has called for Comeys prosecution for years. Most recently, on Saturday on Truth Social, he lobbed a complaint directly at his attorney general, Pam Bondi, saying: What about Comey, Adam Shifty Schiff, Leticia??? Theyre all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done. Trump added: Lindsey Halligan is a really good lawyer, and likes you, a lot. We cant delay any longer, its killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!! This article was originally published on MSNBC.com As wildlife managers experiment with different ways to haze predators like wolves and bears, drones have emerged as one of the key tools theyre reaching for. In the eyes of one former grizzly bear manager, they are the tool for finding bears and moving them away from a specific area. This would include college campuses, according to an article published Wednesday by the University of Montana. With a drone you can basically lead them exactly where you want them to go, Wesley Sarmento, who worked as a grizzly bear manager before starting his Ph.D track at UM, explains in the article. During his time with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Sarmento experimented a fair bit with drones as aversive conditioning tools. He concluded in one study, published in January, that when it came to scaring bears, drones outperformed dogs and other traditional hazing techniques (like cracker shells and other projectiles) on the prairies of North-Central Montana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: The Newest Tool for Hazing Wolves? Scarlett Johanssons Voice Drones are also very effective at locating and detecting bears. Using infrared heat-sensing and other thermal imaging technology, a drone pilot can easily find a bear even in a dense forest or other heavy cover. When I was a bear manager, I always had a drone with me, Sarmento says. Its become that essential. He and other researchers think drones could also be effective in more urban settings like the UM campus in Missoula, which had seven confirmed black bear sightings in 2024 alone, according to the school. Flying a drone toward a bear can be more effective and precise than other methods, such as shooting rubber bullets, and there is less risk of injury to both bears and humans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sarmento is now leading a drone development project at the University along with Jermey Crowley, who directs the schools Autonomous Aerial Systems Office. The idea, according to UM, is to design a drone that uses artificial intelligence to quickly identify the animal species. A trained drone pilot operating the craft would then fly it to move that critter safely out of the area. The drones would also have built-in speakers that could emit targeted sounds to make predators uneasy. Part of the appeal of drones as hazing tools, however, is that the whirring sound of the rotors is already scary enough for most bears. The drones sound mimics the buzzing of a swarm of bees, Crowley says, of which bears already have an instinctive fear. As part of their ongoing research, Sarmento and Crowley are looking at how drones could be used to haze other wildlife species like deer and elk. Working in UMs experimental forest, theyve been analyzing how different animals respond to drones. The goal is to redirect critters effectively without overly stressing them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: Drones Could Revolutionize How Hunters Recover Lost Deer If Theyre Not Banned First The other hope is that, over time, drones can serve as more proactive wildlife management tools. A bear, for example, will associate the negative experience of being chased away by a drone with the distinctive sound of a swarm of bees. In theory, that bear would eventually learn to stay away from those areas. By Nivedita Balu TORONTO (Reuters) -Canadian federal police charged a former Royal Bank of Canada employee in Ottawa with allegedly accessing banking profiles of senior political leaders, including Prime Minister Mark Carney. The accused, Ibrahim El-Hakim, was charged with fraud, unauthorized use of a computer, identity theft and trafficking in identity information, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said on Wednesday. RCMP opened an investigation in early July following a complaint from RBC, the country's biggest bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement El-Hakim was allegedly using the bank's internal IT systems to access personal information without authorization and committed fraud by sharing the information, RCMP said. El-Hakim, 23, was allegedly lured by a scheme on social media platform Telegram that paid him C$500 ($360) for each order to extend credit lines or other activities, according to La Presse, which first reported the news. El-Hakim and his legal representative did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. An RBC spokesperson said El-Hakim was no longer employed at the bank. "We can share that we independently identified unauthorized system access, took immediate action to engage authorities... We worked closely with law enforcement to support their investigation," the RBC spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Since the investigation involves the Prime Minister of Canada, it has been assigned to the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team," RCMP said, declining to comment on whether El-Hakim was part of a criminal organization. RCMP's investigation did not show that there was any threat to the prime minister's safety or to national security in this case, it said. El-Hakim was arrested on July 10 and released on a promise to appear with conditions. Further charges may be laid, RCMP said. Canada is preparing for an audit by Paris-based global financial crime watchdog Financial Action Task Force in November, which will include an assessment of the country's systems in place to reduce financial crime. ($1 = 1.3892 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Jamie Freed) The leaders of six countries, including France, have moved to recognise Palestinian statehood at a high-level summit ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York. Alongside France, which co-convened the meeting with Saudi Arabia on Monday in New York, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco said they were recognising a Palestinian state. Leaders from Australia, Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom, which formally made the move to recognise Palestine a day earlier, also spoke at the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have gathered here because the time has come, Macron said at the summit convened to revive the long-delayed two-state solution to end the Israel-Palestine conflict. It falls on us, this responsibility, to do everything in our power to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, Macron said. Today, I declare that France recognises the state of Palestine, he said. The additional countries recognising Palestine now join some 147 of the 193 UN member states that had already formally recognised Palestinian statehood as of April this year. With more than 80 percent of the international community now recognising the state of Palestine, diplomatic pressure has ramped up on Israel as it continues its genocidal war on Gaza, where more than 65,300 Palestinians have been killed and the has been enclave turned into rubble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spain, Norway and Ireland recognised Palestinian statehood last year, with Madrid also imposing sanctions on Israel for its war on Gaza. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told the summit on Monday that a two-state solution was not possible when the population of one of those two states is the victim of a genocide. The Palestinian people are being annihilated, [so] in the name of reason, in the name of international law and in the name of human dignity, we have to stop this slaughter, Sanchez said. Macron, in his speech to the summit, also outlined a framework for the creation of a renewed Palestinian Authority. The post-war framework envisages an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) that would assist in preparing the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take over governance in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PA President Mahmoud Abbas commended the countries that had recognised Palestine. He made his statement to the conference by video because he was denied a visa by the administration of US President Donald Trump to attend the UNGA this week. We call on those that have not yet done so to do so to follow suit, Abbas said, adding that the PA also demanded support for Palestines full membership in the United Nations. Israel and the US, which are becoming increasingly isolated internationally on the issue, boycotted the summit, with Israels UN ambassador, Danny Danon, describing the event as a circus. Although the vast majority of UN member states now recognise Palestinian statehood, new UN member states must have the support of the UN Security Council, where the US has used its veto to block Palestine from becoming a full UN member state. A right, not a reward Speaking at the summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his support for the two-state solution, framing it as the only viable path towards peace after years of failed negotiations and ongoing violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guterres said that statehood for Palestinians is a right, not a reward, rejecting US and Israeli claims that it was a reward for Hamas. Saudi Arabias foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, thanked Macron and the UN chief for their efforts towards a two-state solution, which he said is the only way to achieve just and lasting peace. He said the conference comes at a time when the Israeli occupation authorities continue their aggression and their brutal crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel also continues its violations in the West Bank, and its repeated attacks on Arab and Muslim countries, with the most recent attack on Qatar, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These actions underline Israels insistence on continuing aggressive practices that threaten regional and international peace and stability and undermine efforts of peace in the region, he added. The US, Israels closest ally, has criticised Western governments for their recognition of Palestine, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier saying that the move will embolden [Hamas] and make it harder to end the war. On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US President Donald Trump believes the countries recognition of Palestine is a reward to Hamas. A momentum building up Sultan Barakat, a professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, said that Palestinian recognition goes beyond symbolism, and represents some real, practical support to the cause of Palestine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palestine is expected to top the agenda of the UNGA, to be attended by more than 140 world leaders this week. Reporting from UN headquarters in New York, Al Jazeeras Hashem Ahelbarra said that there is a momentum building for UN leaders to discuss a two-state solution, which envisions a sovereign Palestinian state living side by side with Israel. The only problem they face is that establishing a viable Palestinian state is something that requires a nod from the US administration, which does not seem to be willing to go down that path, he said. For many European leaders, this is not a symbolic gesture, but an attempt to try and push for a new political order to prevail in the near future. They say they have leverage that they are ultimately going to use to put an end to the war in Gaza, he added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that he would not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state. Last September, the UNGA passed a resolution calling on Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territory within a year. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Need a safe way to dispose of medical records or financial statements that contain information that could be used to steal your identity? Theres an upcoming shredding event. One Nevada Credit Union will hold a free community shred day on Thursday, October 2, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Green Valley branch located at 1090 W. Sunset Road in Henderson. Papers that need to be shredded should be free of binders, large clips, or other non-paper items. The papers will be shredded onsite. One Nevada Credit Union will hold a Shred Day on Oct. 2, 2025. (Credit: One Nevada Credit Union) Shred Day is a simple but important way for the community to protect their personal information while also helping those in need, said Lisa Jansen, Assistant Vice President of Community Engagement. Were proud to partner with Three Square Food Bank to support their mission of ending hunger in Southern Nevada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the event is free, One Nevada is accepting cash contributions and non-perishable food donations for the Three Square Food Bank. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Reuters) -Crypto giant Tether is in talks to raise as much as $20 billion in a private placement that could value the El Salvador-based firm at about $500 billion, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. The company is seeking $15 billion to $20 billion for roughly a 3% stake, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Still, the figures were top-end targets and eventual numbers could end up significantly lower, with the valuation of the company depending on the stake offered, the report added. Tether's chief executive, Paolo Ardoino, said in a post on X that the company is evaluating a raise from a selected group of high-profile key investors, without disclosing any further details. Tether's USDT stablecoin, which is pegged to the U.S. dollar, has a market capitalization of about $173 billion, according to data from CoinGecko. Tether has solidified its position as a dominant player in the stablecoin market, offering cryptocurrencies pegged to traditional currencies to minimize price volatility and enable seamless transactions between digital assets. In August, the firm appointed former White House crypto policy executive Bo Hines as a strategic adviser to bolster its expansion in the United States, where crypto companies have benefited from President Donald Trump's favorable stance on digital currencies. The company recently unveiled plans to launch a U.S.-based stablecoin, called USAT, designed for U.S. residents. Rival stablecoin firm Circle went public in the United States through a blockbuster IPO in June. (Reporting by Prakhar Srivastava in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Angela Christy; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi and Alan Barona) LEBANON A woman who was born and raised in Willimantic has been named teacher of the year for Lebanon Public Schools. Lisa Gamache, who has been teaching at the elementary school for over three decades, has spent many years working in different grade levels. The veteran teacher, who is in her 32nd year, has taught first, second and third grade, while also spending 10 years in the looping program. The looping program is designed to guide students into the next grade level, but with the same teacher. This year, Gamache looped with her students in first grade and followed them to second grade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During this looping program, Gamache has served as a team leader and has contributed for many years to the Student Support Team. She has also mentored numerous new teachers and student teachers. Gamache has also been a driving force behind initiatives like LES Family Reading Night and other literacy activities. She is also a Seesaw Certified Educator, a digital learning platform she introduced to LES. Teaching is about more than just classroom management and mastery of skills, Gamache said. Its about making connections with students and their families making sure each child knows they are a valued and important part of our classroom and school community. Gamache is no stranger to the district, having been named District Teacher of the Year 20 years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this point in my teaching journey, Ive had the privilege of touching the lives of over 400 students and families, Gamache said. Without a doubt, those connections are what Im most proud of. Gamache graduated from Windham High School, followed by a degree in psychology and a teaching certification from Eastern Connecticut State University. She also holds a masters in reading and language arts, also from Eastern Connecticut State University. Lebanon Superintendent of Schools Andrew Gonzalez said Gamache exemplifies everything they strive for in the district dedication, innovation and a deep commitment to student growth. Her instructional excellence and deep understanding of early childhood development have helped shape generations of learners, Gonzalez said. Beyond the classroom, Lisa is a quiet but powerful leader. She leads by example mentoring colleagues, embracing innovation and consistently putting students at the center of every decision. Gonzalez added the recognition as District Teacher of the Year is a celebration of not only the impact on her students, but the lasting influence she has had on peers, school culture and the future of teaching in Lebanon. As mysterious drones whirred over Danish and Norwegian airports, the need for Europe to confront a new and alarming form of Russian air aggression became more urgent than ever. The attacks did indeed have the hallmarks of Moscows increasingly varied hybrid war in Europe. But cancelled flights for thousands of passengers were a taste of the misery and chaos that increasingly sophisticated drone warfare could bring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe is already scrambling for ways to protect its skies, with a drone wall at the top of the shopping list and due to be discussed by leaders on Friday. Officials will be keen to gain commitments on exactly how a line of air defence systems, radars and cameras could be pulled together to deter or shoot down Russian drone swarms. But theres one problem: Hungary, one of Russias closest allies within the bloc, will not be taking part, meaning the hugely ambitious project could risk having a 96,000 sq km hole in the middle of it. b' 2809 There is a gaping hole in Europe\'s drone defences ' EU security experts said the decision presents a major dilemma for Brussels as it scrambles to draw up new defence plans that could block attacks such as the Russian drone swarm against Poland on Sept 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One expert warned the drone wall could turn out to be a modern Maginot Line, especially if it is not backed up by far tougher actions against Russia such as a willingness to shoot down drones before they enter Nato and EU airspace. The infamous Maginot Line a vast stretch of French bunkers, machine gun placements, state-of-the-art troop garrisons, and minefields along Frances borders with Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Belgium was supposed to guarantee protection from possible German invasion. But when Hitlers troops launched their assault on France in 1940, they simply bypassed the Maginot Line and invaded via the Ardennes Forest and Belgium. It is now known as a metaphor for defence systems, which appear impressive but have fundamental flaws. b' ' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week, at least seven EU member states, including several that share borders with Russia and Belarus, will hold their first detailed, joint discussion on building the drone wall. They include Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, as well as Ukraine, which has been forced to become a global leader in drone defences since Russias 2022 invasion. But there is no sign of Hungary taking part, despite the central European nation sharing a land border with Ukraine, which makes it highly vulnerable to Russian air aggression. Some sources in Brussels have suggested in a sign of a deepening distrust in Hungary that this is because the country has become too Kremlin-friendly under Viktor Orban, the prime minister. Viktor Orban, Hungarys prime minister, has grown close to Vladimir Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 - VIVIEN CHER BENKO Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Mr Orban has grown much closer to Moscow, with Budapest repeatedly blocking EU sanctions and statements that are critical of Vladimir Putins regime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Mr Orban, who has described his Russian counterpart as a fair partner, Hungary has also resisted calls to ban cheap Russian energy while Peter Szijjarto, its foreign minister, has visited Russia at least 13 times since 2022. Now, in a further sign of Hungary becoming a pariah within the EU because of its Russia policies, it has emerged that Budapest will not take part in the drone-wall project and experts have said this could be a major flaw. Without Hungary, the EUs drone wall would effectively be a Maginot Line in the sky, Jessica Berlin, a senior fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, told The Telegraph. The proposed EU drone wall would be an additional component of European air defence, but is no replacement for a comprehensive strategy to counter the threat from Russia, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spending billions on a drone wall whilst not providing sufficient support to Ukraine or inflicting maximum damage on Russias economic war machine would be a declaration of strategic surrender. Ukraine has become a global leader in drone defences since the war began - Yevhen Titov European security experts also warned that Mr Orban may even decide to block the entire drone-wall project in the hope of pleasing Putin. Whether it relates to military decisions in the EU, such as strengthening air defences, or sanctioning Russia, Hungary of course is of great concern because it might use its veto to block such decisions, said Carlo Masala, the former deputy director of Natos Defence College in Rome. We are already seeing the long-term consequences of Hungarys ideological affinity towards Russia, added Mr Masala, the author of If Russia Wins, which outlines a worst-case scenario where Russia defeats Ukraine and then invades Nato member Estonia in 2028. One is that the big decisions are being taken outside the EU framework, by coalitions of the willing, to avoid a Hungarian veto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The EUs first meeting about the drone wall is due to be held via video conference on Friday, and there is genuine excitement among some EU officials that its a step towards the bloc getting tougher on Russia. This is not just a meeting to look nice on paper, said one source. Member states are really waking up to [the need for a drone wall] and, absolutely, the more member states we have, the better. The Telegraph approached Hungary for comment this week about its lack of participation in the drone wall, but did not receive a response. Slovakia, another EU member that is considered uncomfortably close to Moscow, was initially not invited to Fridays drone-wall meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was apparently because of concerns that the country has become too Kremlin-friendly under Robert Fico, the prime minister and former bodybuilder who has compared the presence of German Nato air defences in Slovakia to Nazi occupation. But The Telegraph understands that, in a sudden shift this week, Slovakia is now expected to take part in the meeting, after protests from Slovakian officials who felt they were being unfairly excluded. One key topic under discussion will be what exactly the drone wall should consist of. EU officials currently envisage a multi-layered drone defence system which features radio frequency detectors, cameras, radar and an air defence system capable of disabling drone swarms. Copenhagen Airport was shut down this week following a suspected Russian drone incursion - Steven Knap British-made drones will form part of the wall, the Defence Secretary revealed on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UKs drone-building programme with Ukraine, codenamed Project Octopus, will see interceptor drones built in British factories within weeks and deployed to deter Russian aggression. One system that will reportedly be part of the drone wall is a jointly developed Latvian-Estonian project called Eirshield. The system is said to rely on artificial intelligence to identify drones, which means it could be fully automated. Agris Kipurs, a co-founder of one of the defence companies involved, said the system uses warheads which can travel up to 200km per hour to take down enemy drones. But Europes start-up tech industry, which is increasingly moving towards defence projects, has also shown great interest in getting involved in the drone wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Europeans, we need to be united, said Karl Rosander, a drone technology expert and chief executive of Nordic Air Defence, a Swedish drone defence system provider. We are not yet ready for the scale [of Russias drone forces] if war comes. But overall, Europes biggest problem could be speed. As fewer than 10 EU member states meet for their drone wall meeting on Friday, some critics will say it is akin to closing the stable door after the horse has bolted with drone incursions already happening deep inside EU territory, such as in Denmark. Its about speed, speed, speed, added Mr Rosander. It makes me crazy when I think about this. We have to change. 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. Germany is set to ramp up its air defence to protect against drone incursions amid an increase in hybrid attacks launched by Russia, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Thursday. Pointing to recent "violations of the airspace of our European neighbours," drone overflights and cyberattacks, Dobrindt told lawmakers gathered in the lower house to discuss the 2026 budget that "the threat is omnipresent." As a result, Germany will "rearm" in terms of drone defence, the minister said, announcing a reform of the Air Security Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NATO warned Russia on Tuesday that it would use "all necessary military and non-military tools" to ward off threats after several incidents in recent weeks which saw Russian jets or drones entering the airspace of NATO members. NATO allies met for consultations in Brussels after three Russian fighter jets entered Estonian airspace last week, and a large number of Russian drones penetrated Polish airspace earlier in the month. Romania has also recorded a Russian drone entering its airspace this month. Russia has denied the airspace violations. Early on Thursday, Denmark said drones spotted over several Danish airports overnight were part of a "hybrid attack" that Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen described as likely orchestrated by a professional actor - without attributing the incidents to Russia, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It came only two days after the sighting of several larger drones had led to a four-hour closure of Copenhagen Airport on Monday, one of Scandinavia's most important hubs. Around 100 flights were cancelled, and tens of thousands of passengers were affected. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Monday's incidents "the most severe attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is in favour of using some 140 billion ($163.5 billion) in frozen Russian assets in Europe to provide an interest-free loan to Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. "That loan would only be repaid once Russia has compensated Ukraine for the damage it has caused during this war," Merz writes in the article. The step would free EU member states from funding a large part of support for Ukraine needed in the near future themselves, according to the chancellor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Under Merz's proposal, the loan would first be guaranteed by member states before being collateralised using money from the EUs next long-term budget in 2028," the Financial Times reported. The funds could secure Ukraine's defence capabilities for several years, according to the chancellor, who said he intends to raise the proposal at next week's informal EU summit in Copenhagen. "Now is the moment to apply an effective lever that will disrupt the Russian presidents cynical game of buying time and bring him to the negotiating table," Merz said. According to the European Commission, around 200 billion in assets of the Russian Central Bank has been frozen in the European Union due to Russian invasion of Ukraine. The interest generated by those assets is already being used to fund weapons and ammunition for Ukraine. German defence contractor Rheinmetall is planning a new ammunition factory in Latvia, the Baltic country and the company announced on Thursday. Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, and Rheinmetall chief executive Armin Papperger signed a memorandum of understanding over the deal in the German city of Hamburg. The factory is to be operated by a joint venture between Rheinmetall (51%) and the Latvian State Defence Corporation (49%). It will produce 155-millimetre calibre artillery ammunition for the Latvian army, its partners, and for export. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Latvia is a member of both the NATO defence alliance and the European Union. Construction of the factory is scheduled to begin next spring, with production set to start around a year later, Rheinmetall announced. The company says the investment will amount to around 275 million ($325 million). Papperger estimated the production capacity at 60,000 to 80,000 shells per year. The plan is to create 150 new jobs. The factory is similar in design and size to the ammunition factory in neighbouring Lithuania, which is due to start construction in a few weeks. Silina described the memorandum of understanding as a clear step towards strengthening security and developing the defence industry. "Through its partnership with Rheinmetall, Latvia is not only strengthening its national defence, but also contributing to security of supply in Europe, strengthening industrial capacity and promoting economic growth," said Silina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rheinmetall chief Papperger said his company is currently building 13 factories across Europe. "On the one hand, this is part of our risk management strategy, and on the other, we naturally want all countries to participate." He added that it is strategically important to have different plants and that it is crucial for Eastern Europe and the Baltic states in particular to have their own defence capabilities. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Thursday that he intends to sign House Bill 1 on Sunday. This would put into law the new congressional maps for the state. After a thorough bill review process with our team, I am prepared to officially sign the Missouri First Map into law, Gov. Kehoe said in a news release. Missouris conservative, common-sense values should be truly represented at all levels of government, and the Missouri First Map delivers just that. We appreciate the work of legislators in the General Assembly in getting this bill to my desk, as well as passing critically needed IP reform to give Missouri voters the opportunity to protect our Constitution at the ballot box. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kehoe defends redistricting, will sign new map soon On Aug. 29, Gov. Kehoe convened the General Assembly for a special session to enact legislation establishing updated congressional districts for the state and amending the states initiative petition process. On Sept. 12, the General Assembly agreed to and passed the Missouri First Map in House Bill 1 and the Protect Missouri Voters amendment in House Joint Resolution 3. The Senate vote of 21 to 11 sent the redistricting plan to Gov. Kehoe, who plans to sign the bill into law this weekend. Missouri is the third state to take up mid-decade redistricting in an emerging national battle for partisan advantage ahead of the midterm elections. Republican lawmakers in Texas passed a new U.S. House map last month aimed at helping their party win five additional seats. Democratic lawmakers in California countered with their own redistricting plan aimed at winning five more seats, but it still needs voter approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each seat could be critical, because Democrats need to gain just three seats to win control of the House, which would allow them to obstruct President Trumps agenda and launch investigations into him. Trump is trying to stave off a historic trend in which the presidents party typically loses seats in midterm elections. Proposed congressional map could reshape representation in KC and beyond Republicans currently hold six of Missouris eight U.S. House seats. The proposed congressional map could reshape representation in Kansas City and beyond. Missouris revised map targets a seat held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver by shaving off portions of his Kansas City district and stretching the rest of it into Republican-heavy rural areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan reduces the number of Black and minority residents in Cleavers district, partly by creating a dividing line along a street that Cleaver said had been a historical segregation line between Black and white residents. The Associated Press 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 FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. ATHENS (Reuters) -Greece plans to extradite former politician and businessman Vladimir Plahotniuc to Moldova on Thursday to face charges over a $1 billion theft from the banking system, days before the country holds a sensitive election, the Moldovan government and a Greek legal source said. A Greek court in August ruled in favour of the extradition in the case known as the "theft of the century" in Moldova, but the Greek justice ministry had briefly paused the move, irritating Moldova's pro-European government which has pledged to fight corruption and has accused Moscow of election meddling. "Even if he (Plahotniuc) hopes that after the elections Moldova will fall into the hands of Russia and he will be able to come home freely, the institutions must bring him home in handcuffs," Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said in a September 17 statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plahotniuc has denied any wrongdoing, saying allegations against him were based on "slander and political hatred." EXTRADITION EXPECTED ON THURSDAY Plahotniuc is the chief suspect in connection with the disappearance in 2014 of $1 billion - a sum which then equalled roughly 12% of Moldova's GDP. Before fleeing Moldova in 2019, he was the leader of the Democratic party, part of the governing coalition in 2016-2019 and served as deputy speaker of parliament. While in office, he wielded great influence over institutions. He is expected to leave Greece on Thursday morning, a Greek legal source said. Documents reviewed by Reuters show the ministry approved his return to Moldova late last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Moldovan government confirmed Plahotniuc's expected arrival on Thursday. In 2023, the EU imposed sanctions on Plahotniuc and six others for actions that it said destabilised and undermined the territorial integrity of Moldova and fellow ex-Soviet state Ukraine. According to Greek police, Plahotniuc, 59, has lived in 22 countries since 2023. They arrested him at Athens airport after he had boarded a plane to Dubai, acting on an Interpol notice which states that he held 16 passports, including from Romania, Mexico and Russia. Russia, which says it wants Plahotniuc extradited there to face drugs-related charges, denies interfering in Moldova's affairs. (Additional reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Renee Maltezou; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Ros Russell) GREECE, N.Y. (WROC) The Greece Police Department is offering residents the chance to help protect their community without becoming full-time officers. The town is known for large celebrations like the Food Truck Rodeo and summer concert series. With events drawing big crowds, Greece police are seeking volunteers to assist with safety. The Special Police Unit is made up of everyday residents who volunteer their time to help during parades, festivals, and road closures. Duties include traffic control, crowd management, and parking enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents say the extra help is reassuring. I think its great that theyre reaching out to the community and getting their assistance, said Susan Eisenberg, a Greece resident. It just makes you feel more like a community. Were a very large area, and theres not enough help like that. It would be very good to have extra people. Robert Wegman, a former officer, said volunteer units ease the burden on police. Police shouldnt be doing anything but the exceptional things that have to be done by police, he said. We should be having other volunteers doing things like barking-dog complaints and neighbor troubles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael DiCataldo, chief of the Special Police Unit, said its an opportunity for people with a passion for service but no path into law enforcement. Ive always enjoyed serving the town of Greece, he said. I was looking to get into law enforcement when I was younger, then I took over the family business. It was still a desire I wanted to have, so I kept with the unit and made it to the rank of chief. I always like to give back to the community. Volunteers complete 180 hours at the training academy, where they learn defensive tactics, criminal procedure law, and fundamentals of policing. With the unit at its minimum staffing level, leaders say they need all the volunteers they can get. To learn more about the duties and requirements for the Special Police Unit, 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 RochesterFirst. Italy and Spain have ordered their warships to defend Greta Thunbergs flotilla after the Gaza aid boats were targeted in a third suspected drone strike. Italys defence minister redirected the navy vessel towards the aid boats during the overnight attack near the coast of Greece. Spain later said it would send a navy ship to assist the flotilla as it made the rest of its journey to Gaza. The latest incident raises the prospect that a warship could shoot down drones, risking escalation with whoever was behind the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has not taken responsibility, but Italys foreign minister has demanded that it guarantee the safety of those on the flotilla, ordering the Italian embassy in Tel Aviv to gather information. The Italian government is examining all options to avoid further offensive actions against the flotillas vessels, in the wake of the overnight drone attack, sources from the Italian foreign ministry said, according to Ansa, Italys national news agency. Meanwhile, Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, said a ship with all necessary means would accompany the flotilla on the final stretch of its journey. The government of Spain demands that international law be complied with and that the right of its citizens to navigate the Mediterranean under safe conditions be respected, Mr Sanchez said on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tomorrow, a maritime action vessel equipped with all necessary means will set sail from Cartagena in case it is necessary to assist the flotilla and carry out any rescue. Spain has been one of Israels most vocal critics over the war in Gaza, with Mr Sanchez frequently accusing the country of genocide. On Tuesday, King Felipe begged Israel to stop the massacre and end its abhorrent acts in Gaza but stopped short of accusing them of genocide. Ms Thunbergs Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) claimed on Tuesday that Israeli military drones had jammed its communications and were playing Abbas Lay All Your Love On Me through the ships speakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source on the flotilla told The Telegraph that 11 explosive devices were identified, as well as two chemical devices emitting irritating substances. Maria Elena Delia, the Italian spokesman for the flotilla, said the drones were an attack on three countries after boats from Italy, the UK and Poland were struck. She added: Our boats were repeatedly attacked by military drones. They struck us with unknown but irritating substances, with sound bombs, and even with drones that deliberately damaged the masts of several vessels. Ms Thunbergs flotilla, made up of 51 vessels, set sail from Barcelona in late August to break the illegal siege of Gaza. By Tuesday night, it was off the coast of Greece. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guido Crosetto, Italys defence minister, said one can only express the harshest condemnation at the attack. He will report to parliament on the attack on Thursday. In a democracy, demonstrations and forms of protest must be protected when they take place in compliance with the norms of international law and without recourse to violence, Mr Crosetto said. Yasemin Acar, a German member of the flotilla, said the crews had seen 15 to 16 drones: Theyre jamming our radio. We dont know where this is coming from, the sound, but other vessels are experiencing the same thing. One video posted by the flotillas official Instagram page showed an explosion. Credit: Instagram/globalsumudflotilla Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another video posted by the same page, Thiago Avilo, a Brazilian activist, said boats had been targeted with drones throwing devices just before another explosion was heard in the background. The projectiles were believed to be stun grenades, according to an activist on board the vessel Family Gaza City. On one of the boats is Annalisa Corrado, an Italian MEP from the centre-Left Democratic Party. It was a horrible night, we were attacked for more than three hours, she said in a video message. We began to hear sound bombs going off and one bomb in particular exploded very close to our boat while the sails of other boats were damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was great anger because they attacked us in international waters, added Ms Corrado. One of the lead boats in the flotilla is said to be carrying three Britons, as well as aid workers from Ireland and two journalists. Activists on board identified a flash-bang device, designed to disorient and cause panic without inflicting serious injury. The flotilla is five days away from the so-called interception zone that is 200 miles off the coast of Gaza. An explosion that was seen near one of the vessels - Instagram Mr Avilo said: As far as Im aware there has never been an intervention [of this scale] with flotilla boats in international waters so far from Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can only draw one sensible conclusion from the choice of Abba: that the state of Israel delights in making a mockery of international law. It also reveals the extent to which Israel has become accustomed to enacting rogue violence. Earlier this month, the GSF claimed it was attacked by drones across two days while stationed in Tunisia. None of the passengers or crew were harmed during those incidents, organisers said. Footage from the first attack showed a fireball streaking through the sky seconds before landing on one of the vessels. Witnesses said a drone had been hovering overhead before the strike. A day later, activists were filmed shouting fire as an object crashed on the deck before erupting into a ball of flames. Analysts told The Telegraph the devices were probably incendiary or smoke grenades, rather than lethal munitions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Tunisian authorities said the claims had no basis in truth. Those on board the flotilla were convinced that Israel was responsible for the attack. Israel said on Monday that it would not allow the flotilla to reach Gaza, after it had already blocked two previous attempts by activists to reach Gaza by sea. In June, Israeli forces boarded a boat carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and detained the 12 activists on board, including Ms Thunberg. Israeli authorities escorted the activists to the port of Ashdod before deporting them from the country. Israeli authorities have characterised the attempts to sail aid to Gaza as publicity stunts that offered no real humanitarian assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Israels foreign ministry said: We have another proposal for the Hamas-Sumud flotilla: if this is not about provocation and serving Hamas, you are welcome to unload any aid you might have at any port in a nearby country outside Israel, from which it can be transferred peacefully to Gaza. Israel will not allow vessels to enter an active combat zone and will not allow the breach of a lawful naval blockade. Is this about aid or about provocation? Sources from the Italian foreign ministry, according to Ansa, Italys national news agency, said: The Italian government is examining all options to avoid further offensive actions against the flotillas vessels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Giorgia Meloni criticised those travelling in the flotilla. She said: All this is gratuitous, dangerous, irresponsible. Theres no need to risk your safety by entering a war zone to deliver aid to Gaza that the Italian government could have delivered in a matter of hours. I call everyone to responsibility, especially Italian parliamentarians. Ms Meloni proposed to mediate a deal that would see the aid delivered to Cyprus, where it would then be transferred to Gaza. Meanwhile, Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, said a ship with all necessary means would accompany the flotilla on the final stretch of its journey. 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. Twenty people were injured, two of them seriously, in a drone attack in the city of Eilat in southern Israel, rescue workers said on Wednesday. Israel's army said that the drone had come from Yemen and crashed. The Houthi militia later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had carried out a precision military operation targeting Israeli positions in the Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat) area. According to a statement, aired by the Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV channel, the operation used two drones to strike specific enemy targets and successfully achieved its objectives. The statement added that Israeli interception systems failed to intercept the drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This marks the second such operation in the past 24 hours. On Tuesday, the drone corps of the Yemeni Armed Forces, as the Houthis call their military, carried out another attack with multiple drones targeting Israeli positions in Umm al-Rashrash and Beersheba. The Yemen-based Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked targets in Israel with missiles and drones in the past two years in solidarity with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. In return, Israel, which is waging war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has attacked targets 2,000 kilometres away in Yemen which it says are linked to Houthi military activities. In their statement, the Houthis paid tribute to "all steadfast fighters stationed in the Gaza Strip," praising their sacrifices and heroism in defending the Palestinian people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement emphasized Yemen's continued support for Palestine, saying: "We continue from beloved Yemen with you and alongside you with all our capabilities, and we will not stop, God willing, until the aggression against you ceases and the siege is lifted." It framed the attacks as a response to Israeli "mass extermination" and the "escalation" in Gaza, describing the drone strikes as part of a broader effort to defend Palestinians. Two Hungarian Gripen fighter jets intercepted five Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Sept. 25, NATO Air Command reported. The news follows a string of tense incidents involving Russian aircraft, including several breaches of NATO countries' airspace and the downing of Russian drones over Poland. The Russian warplanes including three MiG-31s, a Su-30, and a Su-35 flew over the Baltic Sea near Latvian airspace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hungarian Gripen fighter jets took off from the Siauliai air base in Lithuania to intercept the Russian aircraft. "Hungary demonstrates the alliances commitment to protecting and safeguarding the Baltics and the eastern flank," the statement read. Two Gripen fighters on @NATO Baltic #AirPolicing scrambled on 25 Sep from Siauliai in response to a Su-30, Su-35 and 3x MiG-31 flying close to airspace demonstrates the Alliances commitment to protecting and safeguarding the Baltics and the eastern flank pic.twitter.com/EMG035s0qm NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) September 25, 2025 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, broadly seen as one of the most Kremlin-friendly leaders in NATO, has sought to distance his country from the mounting tensions, connecting the Russian incursion into Poland to Warsaw's support for Ukraine. NATO has called upon Russia to refrain from escalatory actions, saying they "risk miscalculation and endanger lives." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier today, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced it had detected two Russian Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighter jets near Alaska on Sept. 24. On Sept. 19, three Russian MiG-31s entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland near the island of Vaindlo, roughly 81 kilometers (50 miles) from Helsinki. It was the first such violation of Estonian airspace involving multiple fighter jets. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said any decision to shoot down Russian aircraft violating allied airspace would depend on the specific threat level, adding that in Estonias case, the incident did not pose a direct threat to the alliances security. Read also: Ukraines message to Europe: You are under threat from Russia. We can help Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. U.S immigration agents have arrested another prominent Haitian businessman, the latest member of Haitis private sector to either be detained on U.S. soil or have their entry to the United States denied. Dimitri Vorbe, a former independent power provider in Haiti who ran afoul of slain President Jovenel Moise when the leader targeted the businessmans company as part of a campaign against the countrys so-called oligarchs, was arrested outside his Miami home on Tuesday afternoon. Department of Homeland Security records show him being held at the Krome North Detention Center. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to an inquiry from the Miami Herald asking on what grounds Vorbe, who has an ongoing immigration case and had an upcoming hearing, was detained. Vorbe has been in the U.S. since January 2020 and has Temporary Protected Status. He has a legal case pending before an immigration judge, who has repeatedly rescheduled his hearing without explanation, sources told the Miami Herald. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X, the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, published a photo of Vorbe with the word DETAINED written across it. The Department of State determined that Vorbes presence or activities in the United States would have potential serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States, providing a basis for the charge of removability, the post said. Specifically, officials determined that he engaged in a campaign of violence and gang support that contributed to Haitis destabilization. U.S. authorities did not offer any proof to back up their claim. The arrest of Vorbe, a member of one of Haitis politically and economically powerful families, comes two months after that of businessman and one-time Haiti presidential hopeful Pierre Reginald Boulos, who was detained by federal agents in Palm Beach County on an immigration violation and accusations of supporting Haitis terrorists gangs. It also comes on the heels of a growing list of visa cancellations of members of Haitis economic elite by the Trump administration. In recent weeks, businessmen have either been denied boarding on U.S.-bound flights or entry into the U.S. after arriving at Miami International Airport. The U.S. doesnt comment on visa cancellations, but members of Haitis private sector are frequently accused of being complicit in the countrys surging gang violence and fueling corruption. Businessmen who have been targeted have said they were not told why they were being denied entry into the U.S., only that their visas had been canceled. In some cases, they were held for as long as 20 hours in a room at MIA, where they were interrogated by customs agents about their business dealings and wealth, and asked about other prominent members of Haitis economic elite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The singling out of Haitis elite comes as the State Department tries to address the countrys escalating violence and political paralysis. Like Boulos, Vorbe has been in the U.S. during Haitis most recent crisis. His family owned the countrys biggest supplier of energy before it was seized by the Haitian goverment and has also secured major government projects for road construction, housing and other infrastructure projects. While various members of the family have supported different Haitian leaders, Vorbes opposition to the party of former President Michel Martelly put him at odds with several officials in that administration and eventually with Moise. This is the second time that Vorbe has been targeted by federal agents. In August 2020, he was arrested by ICE agents at his Florida residence during a targeted enforcement operation, on allegations that he had overstayed his time in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arrest was announced on social media days before it actually happened, and days after Moise had met in the Dominican Republic with Trumps secretary of state. During his immigration hearing, Vorbes attorney presented paperwork showing that an extension for a stay in the U.S. had been filed. Since then, U.S. authorities have had possession of his Haitian passport while his case has been making its way through immigration court. At the time of the first ICE arrest, Vorbe, a former confidant of late President Rene Preval, was in a public fight with Moise after the president targeted his company Societe Generale dEnergie SA. The Haitian president publicly railed against the company and blamed it for Haitis energy woes. At one point, the Haitian government sent police to the homes of Vorbe and other company officials, while seeking their arrest and that of other former government officials who worked on the companys 2005 contract with the government. Miami Herald staff writer Jay Weaver contributed to this report. Before deer hunters take the field this fall for Michigan's archery season, they need to be aware of changes to deer hunting regulations that took effect on Aug. 1, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says. The DNR's 2025 deer hunting preview suggests this years harvest could be strong, as it was in 2024, but there is the potential for lower deer numbers in high-snowfall areas of the U.P., and the ongoing EHD outbreak in the southern Lower Peninsula, and the devastating March 2025 ice storm in the northern Lower Peninsula could affect hunters as well. "Overall, the 2024 deer season was a pretty good one, with hunter participation and deer harvest all generally steady or increasing from the prior year," said Brent Rudolph, the deer, elk and moose management specialist for the DNRs Wildlife Division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What to know about the upcoming archery and firearm deer seasons. 2025-26 Michigan deer hunting season dates Dates for 2025-26 deer hunting seasons in Michigan: Liberty (youth) hunt : Sept. 13-14 Early antlerless firearm : Sept. 20-21 Independence hunt : Oct. 16-19 Archery : Oct. 1 to Nov. 14, and Dec. 1 to Jan. 1, 2026 Extended Archery: Through Jan. 31, 2026, for select counties: Huron, Kent, Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland, Sanilac, St. Clair (except DMU 174), Tuscola, Washtenaw and Wayne. Regular firearm : Nov. 15-30 Muzzleloading: Dec. 5-14 Late antlerless firearm: Dec. 15 to Jan. 1, 2026, on private and public lands in Lower Peninsula DMUs (excluding 115, 145 and 245). Extended late antlerless firearm: Jan. 2-11, 2026 Hunters can call 517-284-9453 for assistance What new regulations are in effect? A number of new regulations will be in effect during the upcoming hunting season. Among them: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Late antlerless firearm season has been expanded to Jan. 11, 2026, in certain counties. The early and late antlerless firearm seasons are open on public and private lands in open deer management units. During the muzzleloading deer season, hunters in zones 2 and 3 may use any firearm that is legal for the zone. Changes to antlerless harvest during the early and late archery seasons in the Upper Peninsula have been implemented. Deer harvest reporting remains mandatory, according to a report from the DNR. Deer hunting numbers in 2024 were strong A report from the Michigan DNR shows for all 2024 seasons combined, 532,926 people hunted deer, which was 1% greater than the year before. Data shows 604,088 people purchased a license in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the DNR's deer harvest reporting site, hunters claimed 299,478 deer for all 2024 seasons. As of Sept. 25, hunters have taken 21,215 deer in 2025, more than half 11,800 through deer damage permits. Another 5,200 were killed during the youth/Liberty hunt and 3,400 during the early antlerless firearm season. How much does a deer hunting license cost? Deer license costs vary based on age and residency. Youth 9-and-under licenses range from no cost to $7.50. Youth 10-to-16 licenses range from no cost to $40 for a combo license. Resident 16-to-64 licenses range from $11 to $76, plus other fees. Resident 65-plus licenses $5 to $48, plus other fees. Nonresident 17-and-older licenses are $151 to $266, plus other fees. Where can I buy a Michigan deer hunting license? The easiest way to purchase hunting licenses in Michigan is online through the DNR website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some retailers also sell licenses. How is the ice storm impacting hunters? The DNR says the historic ice storm earlier this year that left thousands of residents cold without power, also left snapped trees and broken branches throughout northern Michigan, despite cleanup efforts. Backcountry tracks might remain inaccessible and hunting areas might look different to hunters, the DNR says. Where can I find hunting lands near me? Generally, you can hunt on land you own if it meets safety regulations. You also can hunt on other private land, with permission. You can find places to hunt by going to Michigan.gov/MiHunt. Some state parks allow hunting, but national wildlife refuges are closed to hunting unless expressly permitted. What is Epizootic hemorrhagic disease? EHD is a viral, sometimes fatal, disease that affects white-tailed deer in late summer and early fall. Infected deer with EHD often seek water to lower their body temperature and rehydrate. Where has EHD been confirmed in Michigan? EHD has been confirmed in eight counties this year as of mid-September: Calhoun, Cass, Eaton, Jackson, Lenawee, Mecosta, Van Buren and Washtenaw. EHD will likely emerge in additional southern Lower Peninsula counties until a good frost can kill off the midges that transmit the virus, Rudolph said. Can I eat venison from areas affected by EHD? Officials don't recommend consuming any meat from animals that are visibly sick, but healthy deer harvested from areas where EHD has been present are still safe to eat, the DNR says. Symptoms of EHD in deer Visible symptoms of EHD in deer include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Appearing lethargic, disoriented, lame or unresponsive Animals may show bloody discharge from the nose and mouth, a swollen or blue-tinged tongue, and swelling of the eyelids and around the neck or head. How to report sick or dead deer If you suspect you have found a deer that has contracted or died from EHD, submit a Diseased Wildlife report through the DNRs Eyes in the Field online system. Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan 2025 deer harvest could be affected by ice storm, disease. Hunting dates, licenses Staff-Sergeant Chalachew Shimon Demalash was killed in battle while fighting in the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced on Thursday. St.-Sgt. Chalachew Shimon Demalash was killed in battle while fighting in Gaza City, the IDF announced on Thursday. Demalash, 21, from Beersheba, served in the 932nd Battalion of the Nahal Brigade. He was on guard duty at a fortified IDF outpost on the outskirts of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in northern Gaza City when a Hamas sniper fired upon his position and seriously injured him, Maariv reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A medical team attempted to provide treatment to Demalash at the scene, but were forced to declare him dead, Maariv noted. Army Radio noted that other IDF soldiers stationed at the outpost, aided by the air force, launched searches for the sniper to no avail. Soldiers from the IDF's Nahal Brigade operate in the Zeitoun nighborhood in northern Gaza, Septemeber 7. 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) According to the IDF's tally, the death of St.-Sgt. Demalash raises the total of soldiers killed on or since October 7 to 912. Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed his condolences to the Demalash family in a X/Twitter post on Thursday morning. "The entire State of Israel honors his heroism and embraces his family during these difficult moments. Together with all the heroic soldiers of the IDF, we will continue to fight until the return of all the hostages and the defeat of our enemies," Katz wrote. Five other IDF soldiers fallen in past week Maj. Shahar Netanel Bozaglo, 27, from Migdal Haemek, was killed in battle while fighting in the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bozaglo served in the 77th Battalion of the Armored Corps 7th Brigade. Four IDF soldiers were killed and three were wounded in Rafah when their Hummer transport vehicle ran over an improvised explosive around 9:15 a.m. last Thursday morning. The soldiers were named as Major Omri Chai Ben Moshe, 26, from Tzafriya, Lieutenant Ron Arieli, 20, from Hadera, Lieutenant Eitan Avner Ben Itzhak, 22, from Har Brakha, and Lieutenant Eran Shelem, 23, from Ramat Yohanan. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. "We have just delivered a powerful strike on numerous terrorist targets of the Houthi terror organization in Sanaa as part of Operation 'Pass the Parcel,'" Katz wrote. The IAF undertook its largest and farthest strikes against Yemens Houthis on Thursday afternoon in response to recent attacks on Eilat. Twenty IAF fighter jets flew 2,200 kilometers some targets in Yemen are only 1,800 km. away and dropped more than 65 munitions, the IDF reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past, attacks have relied on as many as 50 or as few as 20 munitions. There were seven different targets, including five Houthi military bases and two large weapons storage sites, relating to drones, ballistic missiles, and other items, the IDF said. This was the IAFs 15th attack against the Houthis. lang="iw" dir="rtl"> ' " ". , " ', ' " ". - pic.twitter.com/On1v3anGHT Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) September 25, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X/Twitter: We have just delivered a powerful strike on numerous terrorist targets of the Houthi terror organization in Sanaa as part of Operation Pass the Parcel. As I promised [on Wednesday], those who harm us will be harmed sevenfold. Among the targets struck were the Houthis General Staff control headquarters, security and intelligence facilities, the headquarters of their military propaganda unit, and other military camps where weapons and personnel were located, the IDF said. The IDF published videos and photos of the headquarters and military camps that were hit, detailing the impact on the Houthis. Houthi drones strike Eilat Despite Katzs statement, 15 prior attacks by Israel, including a recent attack that killed many of the Houthis leading civilian cabinet ministers, have failed to deter the Houthis from firing on Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IAF strikes on the capital city of Sanaa followed multiple Houthi drone strikes in Eilat, including the one on Wednesday evening that hit a hotel and wounded 48 civilians. A preliminary probe had found two errors that had led to the Houthis drone penetrating Israels air defenses, the IDF said Thursday night. One error was that the drone was not picked up on radar as early as it should have been. Even after that point, there were two attempts to shoot it down, which failed, and there were unspecified errors during the attempts to shoot them down, which have now been corrected, the IDF said. It was unclear if the second error was correctable or whether the air-defense staff were less prepared because they had less time to fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin warned Eilat residents to pay attention to warning sirens. Some of those who were harmed on Wednesday had failed to do, he said. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday condemned the drone attack in Eilat and reaffirmed US support for Israel. Despite lectures at the UN, the United States will never compromise on supporting Israel against violent terrorists obsessed with its destruction, he wrote on X. Another U.S. government shutdown is looming unless Congress approves a short-term funding resolution or up to a dozen full-year funding bills before the end of September. A short-term funding resolution is the most likely option to keep the federal government open when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, but there was little movement as of Sept. 24 among Congressional leaders to discuss a compromise, USA TODAY reported. Funding bills require a minimum of 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, where Republicans hold 53 of the 100 seats and a potential tiebreaking vote from Vice President J.D. Vance. If the federal government were to shut down Oct. 1, the impact on Fort Collins and the surrounding area would be significant, leaving hundreds if not thousands of local employees with the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies without a paycheck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not clear what the direct impact to public lands overseen by those agencies would be. The National Park Service's press office and Rocky Mountain National Park spokesperson Kyle Patterson, in separate emails Sept. 24, referred the Coloradoan to the agency's March 2024 contingency plans for a potential lapse in appropriations." More: Are Trump's cuts at CSU blown out of proportion? Data analysis may surprise you In general, National Park Service sites will be closed during the period of a lapse in appropriations, that plan reads. The means that the majority of National Park sites will be closed completely to public access. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It goes on to note that areas that by their nature are physically accessible to the public will face significantly reduced visitor services. Accordingly, the public will be encouraged not to visit. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis told the Coloradoan that he would urge the federal government to keep the state's national parks open and staffed or "create avenues for the state to assist in keeping parks open and protected," in a Sept. 24. statement through spokesperson Shelby Wieman. "Rocky Mountain National Park is a major draw for visitors from around the world," Polis said. "If Congress does not fund the federal government, I urge the Administration to prioritize the operations of the national parks that so many people love and are a huge economic driver for our rural communities, especially during leaf peeping season. Here in Colorado, we are evaluating all options and are a willing partner if needed to use limited State funds to keep our biggest park fully operational if necessary. U.S. Forest Service lands have remained open to the public during previous government shutdowns, according to previous Coloradoan reporting, but facilities, including restrooms, and services have been closed. There was no immediate response Sept. 24 to an email to the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grasslands media office about impacts of a government shutdown, and the U.S. Forest Services national press desk wrote that there may be a delay in its response due to the high volume of requests it receives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employees of the National Weather Service and dozens of other government agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration, law enforcement, firefighting agencies and U.S. Postal Service, are deemed essential and would continue to work, as they have done during previous government shutdowns, according to previous reporting by USA TODAY. Some employees, however, would not receive their regular paychecks and would be working with the expectation that Congress would authorize back pay for that work, if and when a temporary spending bill to keep the government open were approved. Workers designated as nonessential would be furloughed and not allowed to work or be paid until the government reopens. A breakdown compiled by Reuters provides details on which government workers are designated as essential and nonessential. National Weather Service forecasters and other employees "who support the creation and delivery of NWS products and services are considered essential employees," spokesperson Erica Grow Cei told the Coloradoan in an April 25 email. "In the event of a government shutdown, NWS products, warnings and watches will continue to be issued as normal and will not be affected." Those essential employees, Cei wrote, "will be paid for the work they do during a government shutdown." Spokespersons for U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet and U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, whose district includes Fort Collins, Rocky Mountain National Park and large portions of the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests, did not immediately respond to emails sent Sept. 24 about potential impacts of a government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not clear how many U.S. government employees live and/or work in Fort Collins or Larimer County. About 800,000 federal employees went without pay for 35 days during the longest-ever U.S. government shutdown in 2018 and 2019. Here are some answers to some common questions about a government shutdown, as reported previously by USA TODAY. When is the government shutdown deadline? Current funding expires at midnight EDT on Sept. 30, the end of the U.S. governments 2025 fiscal year. If a funding bill is not passed, then the government will see itself forced to furlough thousands of federal workers and reduce federal services. What happens to Social Security and Medicare? Both retirement and disability benefits proceed without interruptions. Medicare and Medicare benefits also continue, but some delays could be seen due to a government shutdown. What happens to veterans benefits and food assistance during a shutdown? Similarly to Social Security, veterans continue to receive their benefits and medical care. Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will also continue, though there could be minor disruptions. Does the military shut down during a government shutdown? All active-duty U.S. military personnel stay on the job, but about half of the Pentagons 800,000 civilian employees could face furloughs. Another part of the military that would stay on the job would be the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees nuclear weapons. How a government shutdown impacts borders and Homeland Security Border Patrol and immigration enforcement agents will continue working. However, local governments will not receive new aid for migrant shelters. Airport security and operations during a government shutdown Airport security screeners and air traffic controllers will remain on duty, but new hires and some major infrastructure projects could face delays. Absenteeism, as seen in previous shutdowns, might impact airport operations. What happens to Congressional pay? Lawmakers will continue to receive paychecks during a shutdown, while staffers will be furloughed, though essential personnel will still work. A government shutdown's impact on the White House During past shutdowns, the White House furloughed a significant portion of its staff. Essential offices, like the National Security Council, will continue operating, while others will be scaled back. The presidents salary remains unaffected by a shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USA TODAY reporters Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Jeremy Yurow contributed to this report. Coloradoan reporter Kelly Lyell can be reached at KellyLyell@coloradoan.com. Follow him on x.com/KellyLyell, threads.net/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: What happens in Colorado during a government shutdown RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) Irynas Law is now headed to the governors desk. State Republican lawmakers pushed the tough on crime bill after the stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train last month. CBS 17 spoke with Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman at her offices at the justice center in Raleigh on Wednesday. There are some good things in this bill that I think will help in some ways, Freeman said. Would it have prevented what happened there in Charlotte? Personally, I dont think so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: NC Senate approves Irynas Law bill, focus on pre-trial norms and mental health The bill, in part, takes away the cashless bail option for many offenses. I think we will certainly see the jail population go up, Freeman said. Its hard to know at this point to what degree they go up. I think a lot of the people that this bill covers, certainly in a jurisdiction like mine, were already getting secure bonds. Its difficult to say exactly how much of that needle is going to move. Looking at local data, the Wake County Sheriffs Office said between the Hammond Road Detention Center and Public Safety Center, they are nearly 97-percent full this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Durham County, the sheriffs office said on Wednesday, the jail was about 60-percent full. SEE ALSO: NC lawmakers approve crime bill after deadly, brutal Charlotte stabbing; measure now heads to governor The bill would make it mandatory for judges to require a mental health evaluation if the suspect faces a violent offense and theyve been involuntarily committed at some point during the three years prior. The judge would also order one if theres reason to believe the defendant is a danger to themselves or others. The state of North Carolina right now is paying for capacity evaluations, Freeman said. I think a major challenge we have seen playing out in our courts is the backlog at Central Regional Hospital. That is something that has been brought to the law and to the legislature is attention. Its something that those of us in the system are well aware of. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quite frankly, there are not enough mental health beds currently in the state, she continued. A lot of those people stay in jail awaiting those evaluations or are awaiting the opportunity to be transferred to a hospital for treatment. Overall, Freeman said she is hoping to see more resources for mental health. A main focus of this effort needs to be funding for mental health services, she said. We need a real commitment to finding and standing up places where individuals who have severe and persistent mental illness can be safely taken care of. Freeman also noted the section of the bill that would restart the death penalty in North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am concerned the provisions will throw us, at least temporarily, into a little bit more of a period of chaos until we figure out exactly what an approved type of carrying out the death penalty is going to be, she said. I think what victims want and what victims need is finality, a sense of justice and finality. t would be my hope that we not resort to things such as firing squad executions and gas chambers, Freeman continued. Frankly, I believe those things are beneath the dignity of the state. CBS 17 reached out to the offices of the two lawmakers who introduced the bill to see if they have any estimates on what it would cost to enforce these changes in the bill. Were waiting on a response. CBS 17s Mary Smith is an Investigative Reporter focused on Digging Deeper and Getting Answers. If you have a story that needs investigating, send an email to Investigates@cbs17.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 CBS17.com. India and China, recently seen moving towards rapprochement after years of strained ties, held separate meetings with Global South countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, highlighting a quiet rivalry for leadership of the developing world. The world's two most-populous countries had been expected to present a united front as global trade and multilateralism face increasing headwinds under US President Donald Trump's second term. Instead, their parallel diplomacy shows a persistent competition for influence. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who chaired Beijing's Global Development Initiative event at the UNGA on Tuesday, urged all countries to work together and called on the developed world to pay greater attention to the needs of developing nations. 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. He also announced that China would no longer claim the special treatment reserved for developing countries in World Trade Organization negotiations, opening the door for the kind of reforms that Trump and other US leaders have been demanding. By contrast, India, in what it described as a high-level gathering of "like-minded" Global South countries, emphasised south-south trade and tech cooperation, advocating for diversified supply chains to avoid dependence on any single supplier or market. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, seen at an event last week, praised China's decision to no longer seek special treatment for developing nations. Photo: EPA alt=Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, seen at an event last week, praised China's decision to no longer seek special treatment for developing nations. Photo: EPA> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Delhi also continued to position itself as a democratic alternative to China, noting that even multilateralism had presented "a very disappointing prospect" for addressing the challenges of the developing world. "As a responsible major developing country, China will not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future World Trade Organization negotiations," Qiang said at the event, which saw UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director general of the World Trade Organization, in attendance. Leaders of countries including Pakistan, Iraq, Nigeria and Angola, as well as ministerial-level officials from more than 30 countries, were also present. Claiming developing nation status gives countries extra benefits at the WTO, such as more time to implement agreements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue of special treatment to China has been raised by the US repeatedly and became a barrier to the two nations agreeing on reforming the global trade forum, with Trump in 2019 saying that "the United States has never accepted China's claim to developing-country status". Okonjo-Iweala posted on social media, calling Beijing's decision "a culmination of many years of hard work and I want to applaud China's leadership on this issue". Qiang, in his speech, urged developed countries "to fulfil their obligations, give more consideration to the needs of developing countries and actively address unbalanced and inadequate development." He said that with unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, "we must remain committed to development, dedicate all our efforts to it and work together to make the pie bigger". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qiang announced that over the next five years, under the Global Development Initiative first proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2021, China will carry out 2,000 more small-scale livelihood projects in developing countries and work with partner nations and the World Health Organization on additional health projects. China will also keep funding the WTO's "China Program" to help the world's least developed countries join the global trading system. Headed by its top diplomat, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India's event brought together representatives from some 20 countries, including Cuba, the Maldives, Nigeria, Indonesia, Singapore and Jamaica. He highlighted the challenges facing the Global South, including conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, extreme climate events and volatility in trade. Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar meets with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Photo: AP alt=Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar meets with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Photo: AP> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Indian foreign minister called for "fair and transparent economic practices that democratise production and enhance economic security", adding that a "stable" environment for "balanced and sustainable economic interactions" includes "more South-South trade, investment and technology collaborations". Jaishankar also emphasised the importance of "resilient, reliable and shorter supply chains that would reduce dependence on any single supplier or any single market" as one of the broad principles in a united approach towards world affairs. His remarks signalled that there has been no change in how India views the perceived China threat, particularly regarding Beijing's role as a manufacturing hub and its giant leaps in technological development. India was among the first countries to ban the social media app TikTok, which remains active in the US, and has also blocked Chinese investment in certain strategic sectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two nations share a long-standing Himalayan border dispute, which erupted in a deadly clash in 2021 that left at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead. In recent weeks, however, as both faced hefty US tariffs under Trump, the countries appeared to edge closer diplomatically. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited New Delhi, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen engaging in a candid conversation with Xi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin in August. However, New Delhi continues to show aversion to China-led global and regional initiatives. The two neighbours are also members of the Brics bloc, a group of 10 Global South economies including Iran, Russia, South Africa, Brazil, Ethiopia and Egypt, among others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement India and China have not shared a unified vision within Brics, with tensions emerging over the bloc's planned expansion in 2024. India is also a member of the Quad security dialogue with the US, Australia and Japan, aimed at countering China's influence in the Indo-Pacific. Recently, Trump's nominee for US envoy to India, Sergio Gor, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that New Delhi has been on "our side on various issues within" Brics. "Brazil, China have pushed for years to move away from the US dollar. India has been the stopgap for that," he noted. 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. Binance founder Changpeng CZ Zhao has denied reports that his family office, YZi Labs, is preparing to raise outside capital. Zhao issued the rebuttal on X on Monday, calling a Financial Times article on the matter completely false and filled with made-up info and negative narratives. The FT report had suggested that YZi Labs, which was established in January to manage Zhaos personal wealth, was considering opening its $10 billion investment vehicle to external backers in the future. Citing comments from YZi Labs chief executive Ella Zhang, the newspaper said the firm could become an external fund once it had matured its internal capabilities. Zhang was quoted as saying there was steady interest from outside investors and that bringing in new capital would represent a huge responsibility. YZi Labs Operates Independently, Has Not Sought External Capital, Says Zhao In response, Zhao said that YZi Labs has never prepared a pitch deck, held a demo, or engaged in fundraising discussions since its rebranding earlier this year. He also rejected the claim that the company was spun out of Binance, insisting it operates independently. As far as I know: YZiLabs is not raising external fund, Zhao wrote. There has been no demo, no requests, no discussions. Zhao further pushed back on the FTs characterization of his U.S. legal settlement, in which he pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act. He said the case concerned failure to maintain an adequate anti-money laundering program and should not be equated with money laundering violations, as the report had framed it. YZi Labs currently manages Zhaos capital along with funds from a small circle of early Binance executives, including co-founder Yi He. The firm invests mainly in cryptocurrency start-ups but has also backed projects in artificial intelligence and biotechnology. In 2022, it briefly accepted around $300 million from outside investors before returning part of that money. The FT report noted that if YZi Labs eventually admitted U.S. investors, the firm would face heightened regulatory oversight, particularly as policymakers in Washington signal a more accommodative approach to digital assets. Zhao, however, emphasized that no such move is under way. He also criticized the media outlet for what he described as misleading coverage, adding that he had declined an invitation for a lunch interview, which was later attended by Zhang. It was a trap! he wrote on X. At present, YZi Labs employs a 12-person team focused on long-term investment horizons rather than short-term returns. Fifth generation Hamilton County farmer Rodney Rulon not only grows thousands of acres of corn and soy but is now cultivating a new approach to protecting the White River. Working in concert with The Nature Conservancy, Rulon has adapted his farming methods to prevent pollutants from seeping into the river. The river has a long history of pollution thanks to industrial and residential development, and The Nature Conservancy is working with farmers like Rulon to clean up the water from Indiana to Louisiana. A range of pollutants from fecal bacteria to industrial chemicals dirty the water, damaging the river's biological integrity. The situation has prompted agencies like Indianas Department of Health to issue advisories against eating fish caught there and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to warn people from coming into full-body contact with the river water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new partnership between farmers and advocates will let agriculture prosper while protecting one of Indiana's largest watersheds. White River pollution dates back a while as in more than a century. A headline in the Sept. 14, 1916, Indianapolis News notes, River Devoid of Natural Fish Life, and the story describes the White River as a malodorous, septic stream due to the stench of sewage emanating from the water. The pollutants have changed but not the problem. So The Nature Conservancy in Indiana is focusing on teaching farmers ways to keep nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous in the soil and out of the waters. Methods like cover crops and no-till practices can hold sediments and nutrients in place, said Mike Dunn, TNCs director of freshwater conservation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farmers dont want to be losing topsoil, Dunn said, So we are figuring out how to make them profitable, prosperous and productive. Keeping the soil and nutrients on farmland can help reduce the cost of growing crops at the same time that it also reduces the pollution feeding into the White River. And that pollution can flow into other tributaries, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico, renamed Gulf of America by the U.S. government. When those nutrients collect, they can cause harmful algal blooms that deplete oxygen from the water and form dead zones where it is impossible for aquatic life to survive. Although changing practices can save farmers money in the long term, many farmers fear change, thinking it could risk their livelihood, said Joe Schmees, freshwater strategy manager with the Conservancy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To that end, The Nature Conservancy works to help farmers figure out how to implement and pay for the projects. The United States Department of Agriculture and other governmental entities have cost-share funding programs to help some farmers. But through the TNC, Rulon, who oversees 6,000 acres of corn and soybean fields north of Noblesville in Arcadia, found a private source of funding to implement a series of edge-of-field practices to limit the amount of nutrient runoff. The cost of these projects is funded through the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust the same group that funds IndyStars environmental coverage like this story. Rulon and the TNC have transformed portions of the farm into educational projects to raise awareness of how these practices can work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One project consists of a bioreactor that diverts water from the fields to filter out nutrients. It doesnt look like much from the surface, but about four feet underground near one of Rulons fields is a large pit filled with wood chips. The water drains from the field and into the pit. There is a reaction there that basically captures that nitrate and ties it up in the wood chips, Rulon said. Then, depending on flow, maybe 10 to 20 years or so down the road, you have to dig it up and just put new wood chips in. So it's fairly low maintenance. The wood chips are typically a hardwood, mostly oak, since softer woods like pine degrade much more rapidly. Sourcing the chips can be a bit tricky, Rulon said, but hes had luck at cabinet factories and sawmills. Once the chips can no longer hold any more nutrients and are removed from the pit, he puts them out into a field and recycles them as fertilizers. In a separate field a country block away from the bioreactor, Rulon and TNC installed a second project that also filters out nutrients but uses a different tactic. Most farm fields have open drainage ditches alongside them to capture runoff. In Rulons field, a parallel drain runs alongside the open ditch. The drain is covered with dirt so it's not visible from above ground, but it runs about 600 feet long between two soybean fields. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A control structure close to the middle of the drain connects to a computer back in Rulons office. This transmits data so Rulon and his farmhands can track how much water is entering the drain; he can control the flow so his fields dont flood or over drain. As the water enters the drain, gravity begins pulling it through the soil into the open ditch. That soil barrier soaks up the nutrients from the water, preventing them from entering the White River watershed. Rulon said he embraced the concept when The Nature Conservancy asked him if he would be an early adopter. We're planning on being here for a long time, and it's in our benefit to take care of the soil and improve the soil, Rulon said. A lot of what I've been doing in recent history is looking at this next generation coming on and thinking how can we improve it and leave the farm better for them, rather than leave the soil in a degraded condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social or X @karlstartswithk. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Farmers protect Indiana's water quality with these techniques INDIANTOWN Property taxes here likely will rise despite the tentative decision by the Village Council Sept. 11 to keep the tax rate at 1.8 mills for 2025-2026 fiscal year. Property taxes can go up even when officials keep the tax rate flat if real estate property values rise, which occurred in Indiantown over the past year, according to the Martin County Property Appraiser's Office. Taxable value of all property in the village real estate and tangible personal property combined fell 4.2% last year to $2.3 billion, which could lead to lower taxes for some. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fall in the taxable value of property was due to a drop in the value of equipment Florida Power & Light Co. maintains at a storage facility in Indiantown, explained Karl Andersson, chief deputy at the Property Appraiser's Office. "The average homeowner will likely see an increase in taxes to the village since their values increased on average," Andersson added. "We cant say that all of them will increase because there are many individual factors" that contribute to the calculation. "The total tax bill is comprised of nine other taxing authorities," Andersson said, "so whether their total tax bill is higher or lower than last year would also depend on what all of the other taxing authorities finalize this year." If the School Board lowered its tax rate, he said, that may offset an increase by another taxing authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Property values as of Jan. 1, 2025, which are computed from 2024 data, are used to compute taxes in the 2025-26 fiscal year. The Betty Mae Tiger Jumper historical marker at the corner of Warfield Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue in Indiantown. Betty Mae Tiger Jumper was born in Indiantown on April 27, 1923 where she lived for about 14 years. Jumper went on to become one of the first Seminoles to graduate with a high school diploma and was the first female chief of the Florida Seminole tribe. The owner of a $400,000 home would pay $720 in property tax for 2025-2026, if the value of the home remain unchanged from last year. But a large enough increase in the home's value would mean an increase in taxes for the coming fiscal year, even though the tax rate stayed the same. Property values went up in every municipality in Martin County last year except Indiantown, according to the Property Appraiser's Office. The Village Council is to make the final decision on the tax rate and the budget Sept. 25. Indiantown budget Indiantown's general fund budget is tentatively set at $7,989,710, down from $8,455,350 this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the total budget is projected to be $41.9 million, due in part to tens of millions of dollars received from the state for construction of water and wastewater infrastructure and road and drainage improvements. The total budget is up $11.3 million from last year. The Village Council is also proposing to add one part-time position to its payroll, according to village documents. The person would work as an administrative assistant in the Parks and Recreation Department. That would give the village the equivalent of 42.5 full-time employees. Opinion: Treasure Coast still in crisis? Can we learn from 2005 landmark report? | Opinion More on Brightline: County forced to reapply for Brightline grant after Feds rescind opportunity Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Multiple vacant positions have been frozen and defunded in FY2025-2026," village documents say, so the village can cover basic operating costs and the cost of matching grants. Keith Burbank is TCPalm's watchdog reporter covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com and at 720-288-6882. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Property tax rate in Indiantown may stay the same as last year BANDUNG, Indonesia (AP) Indonesias government was facing calls on Thursday to suspend President Prabowo Subianto s multi-billion-dollar free meals program after thousands of school pupils fell ill in an food poisoning outbreak. Television reports showed hospital wards filled with children, with some crying in pain and clutching their stomachs, while police and health workers carried away other victims in ambulances, vans and trucks. The Free Nutritious Meal program was started in January with the aim of fighting malnutrition by feeding nearly 90 million children and pregnant women. The initiative, which is expected to cost $28 billion through 2029, delivers on a campaign promise by Subianto, who was elected last year, which has more than 282 million people and Southeast Asias largest economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Nutrition Agency recorded about 1,376 cases of school-linked food poisoning cases between January and the end of June. The number of students affected rose to 4,711 this week, with more than 1,000 victims reported in hardest hit West Java province alone. Agency chief Dadan Hindayana said kitchens with poisoning cases had been suspended and local governments had set up task forces of nutritionists and health workers to supervise the free meals. The total number of food poisonings was only 4,711 portions out of 1 billion portions cooked during the 9-month program," Hindayana said. "Of course this can still be improved. Muhammad Qodari, head of the Presidential Staff Office, said Thursday that several government institutions have identified more than 5,000 food poisoning victims linked to the school meals program. The Ministry of Health recorded 5,207 cases, and the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency reported 5,320, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dedi Mulyadi, the governor of West Java, said more than 470 students fell sick in Bandung on Monday after eating the free lunches, and three more outbreaks were reported on Wednesday in the Sukabumi region, affecting at least 580 children. Several hundreds of sick children were also reported from other areas in the province on Thursday, bringing the total victims to at least 1,775. He said students suffering from the disease complained of shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness and severe stomach pain. The Center for Indonesias Strategic Development Initiatives said the latest data suggests the number of reported cases represent a tip of the iceberg. Diah Saminarsih, chief executive of the non-profit organization, said: The true number of cases is suspected to be significantly higher as many are reluctant to report what really happened. We call to suspend the program due to health concern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network, a watchdog group, said the free meals program had failed. We call on President Prabowo Subianto to temporarily halt the free meal program and conduct a thorough evaluation, said Ubaid Matraji, the group coordinator. Child safety must be placed above the governments political goals. Mulyadi said: We must evaluate those running the programs that have caused health concerns and traumatize of children. At this time, ensuring children are well cared for is our priority. We are also facing on how to deal with the students trauma after eating the food. ___ Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia After thousands of Iowa City residents turned out for a nationwide day of protest in June against President Donald Trumps administration, another protest, part of a national movement, is slated for Iowa City in October. Protests are planned to take place on Oct. 18, with 1,500 events throughout the United States already established, according to advocacy group Fight for a Union. The No Kings demonstration in Iowa City is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, along Iowa Avenue near the Pentacrest. A full lineup of speakers has not yet been released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event will bring the community together for a powerful rally demanding transparency, justice, and accountability," according to a news release from Indivisible, the event organizer. More: Which Iowa universities rank the best in 2026? University of Iowa drops from top 100 What are the No Kings protests? Indivisible, a nonprofit coalition of political action groups, is organizing the No Kings protests. Indivisible said it is organizing to reject corrupt, authoritarian politics. The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we dont have kings, and we wont back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty, Indivisible said in a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Coralville advances license plate reader guidelines amid public privacy concerns Organizers have stated that the protests are intended to be nonviolent and have discouraged bringing any kind of weapon. In a news release from organizers, the national protest is calling on Congress and the Department of Justice to unseal the Epstein files, end elite immunity, and honor the dignity of survivors. People gather for the No Kings protest June 14, 2025 in downtown Iowa City, Iowa. Where are No Kings protests being held in Iowa? Iowa Citys protest is one of thousands scheduled nationally, and one of the 18 planned in Iowa. Some events take place in private locations, so visit the No Kings Day website for times and additional details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No Kings Day protests in Iowa are planned in the following cities: Ames Ankeny Burlington Clinton Davenport Decorah Des Moines Dubuque Independence Indianola Iowa City Keokuk Manchester Perry Vinton Waterloo Washington Waverly Des Moines Register reporter Cooper Worth contributed to this article. Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_ This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City to participate in national 'No Kings' protest in October DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran has begun rebuilding missile-production sites targeted by Israel during its 12-day war in June, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press show, but a key component is likely still missing the large mixers needed to produce solid fuel for the weapons. Reconstituting the missile program is crucial for the Islamic Republic, which believes another round of war with Israel may happen. The missiles are one of Irans few military deterrents after the war decimated its air defense systems something that Tehran long has insisted will never be included in negotiations with the West. Missile experts told AP that obtaining the mixers is a goal for Tehran, particularly as it prepares for possible United Nations sanctions to be reimposed on the country later this month. The sanctions would penalize any development of the missile program, among other measures. In an address to the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed the Israeli attacks and the separate U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites for dealing a grievous blow to peace negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Known as planetary mixers, the machines feature blades that revolve around a central point, like orbiting planets, and offer better mixing action than other types of equipment. Iran could purchase them from China, where experts and U.S. officials say they've purchased missile fuel ingredients and other components in the past. "If theyre able to reacquire some key things like planetary mixers, then that infrastructure is still there and ready to get rolling again, said Sam Lair, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies who studied Iranian missile sites. Iran's mission to the United Nations did not respond to questions about the country's efforts to rebuild its missile program. Israeli war targeted solid-fuel missile sites Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Solid-fuel missiles can be fired faster than those using liquid fuel, which must be loaded just before launch. That speed can make the difference between launching a missile and having it destroyed in a launcher something that happened during the war with Israel. Iran has solid-fuel missile manufacturing bases at Khojir and Parchin, two sites just outside Tehran, as well as at Shahroud, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) northeast of the capital. Even before the most recent war, all of those sites came under Israeli attack in October 2024 during hostilities between the countries. Attacks during the war in June appeared aimed at destroying buildings that housed the mixers, which are needed to ensure the missile fuel is evenly combined, according to experts. Other sites struck by Israel included manufacturing facilities that likely could be used to make the mixers. Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC taken this month and analyzed by AP show construction at both the Parchin and Shahroud facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Parchin, mixing buildings appear to be under repair, Lair said, and similar rebuilding is happening at Shahroud involving mixing buildings and other structures. The speed at which Iran is rebuilding shows the importance Tehran puts on its missile program. Iran's bombed nuclear sites so far have not seen the same level of activity. During the war, Iran fired 574 ballistic missiles at Israel, according to the Washington-based Jewish Institute for National Security of America, which has a close relationship with the Israeli military. In two exchanges of fire before the war, Iran launched another 330 missiles, the think tank said. The Israeli military had estimated Iran's total arsenal at around 2,500 missiles, meaning that over a third of its missiles were fired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the war, Iran was on track to be able to produce more than 200 solid-fuel missiles a month, said Carl Parkin, a summer fellow at the James Martin Center. That drew Israeli strikes to missile-building facilities. Israels targeting indicates that they believed mixing was a bottleneck in Irans missile production, he said. If Iran is able to overcome their mixing limitations, theyll have all the casting capacity that they need to start producing at high volumes again. The Israeli military declined to respond to questions over its strategy. Iran's defense minister, Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, recently claimed Tehran now has new missiles with more advanced warheads. The 12-day war with Israel has altered some of our priorities," he said on Aug. 22. "We are now focused on producing military equipment with higher precision and greater operational capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese mixers seen at Syria missile site affiliated with Iran Iran may choose to rely on China to obtain mixers and the chemicals to make solid fuel. Such chemicals may have caused a massive explosion in April that killed at least 70 people at a port in Iran. Iran still has not explained the blast, which happened as its diplomats met with Americans in Oman over its nuclear program. Just days after the explosion, the U.S. State Department sanctioned Chinese firms it said provided the Islamic Republic with ballistic missile propellant ingredients. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard likely supplied a planetary mixer to an underground ballistic missile construction facility in Syria near the town of Masyaf, some 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of the capital, Damascus, near the Lebanese border. Footage released by the Israeli military months after the September 2024 raid on the facility showed the mixer, which bore a resemblance to others sold online by Chinese firms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran's president and military officials visited Beijing earlier this month for China's Victory Day parade. Iran's government has provided no detailed readout on what Pezeshkian said to Chinese President Xi Jinping, and China's state-run media offered no indications that Tehran asked for help. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, asked about possibly supplying Tehran mixers and fuel ingredients, told AP that Beijing is willing to continue leveraging its influence to contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East. China supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and national dignity, the ministry said. At the same time, China is deeply concerned about the continued escalation of tensions in the Middle East. Can Kasapoglu, a senior fellow with the Washington-based Hudson Institute, said Beijing could supply guidance systems and microprocessors as well for Iran's ballistic missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Iran uses its relationship with China to bolster its disruptive military capabilities, the 12-day war could be a mere speed bump for the Iranian regime, rather than a decisive defeat, he wrote. Lair, the analyst, said if Iran restarts its production at prewar levels, the sheer number of missiles produced will make it harder for the Israelis to preemptively destroy them or shoot them down. They are clearly very invested in their missile program, and I dont think that theyre going to negotiate it away, ever," he said. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/ The Delaware-born Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant chain closed all 16 of its locations Sept. 25, two weeks after shuttering its original Newark location and two others in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It is also filing for bankruptcy, according to an email sent to employees. An email sent to customers around 9:45 a.m. Sept. 25 was titled "Iron Hill is permanently closed." "After many wonderful years serving our communities, all Iron Hill locations have closed. It has been our pleasure to serve you, and we are deeply grateful for your support, friendship, and loyalty over the years," it read. "We sincerely hope to return in the future, and when we do, we promise to welcome you with open arms." A sign announcing the closure of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant hangs on the door of the Wilmington location on the Riverfront on the morning of Sept. 25, 2025. Employees receive 'heavy heart' email The email to employees broke the news this way: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Dear Team, I hope this message finds you well. It is with a heavy heart that I must announce the closure of all our restaurant locations effective immediately. Due to ongoing financial challenges, the company has made the difficult decision to file for bankruptcy and, regrettably, will be permanently closing its doors. "We understand that this news is coming with limited notice; however, we have been working diligently behind the scenes to secure new sources of funding and explore alternative solutions to avoid this situation. Communicating the financial challenges to the Team ahead of time would have compromised our ability to secure the additional funding needed. "This decision was not made lightly, and we understand the impact it will have on each of you. We are committed to supporting our team members during this transition and will provide information regarding final paychecks, benefits, and resources for finding new employment." Jake Nowicki, an employee of Iron Hill for about 13 years, said he was taken by surprise by the Sept. 25 closing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When you find out 10 minutes before your shift, it's completely disheartening for a company that you spent a lot of time dedicating your emotions and commitment to the customers," Nowicki said as he stood outside the Wilmington Riverfront location. "I think we deserved a little bit more." "This company went corporate a couple years ago, and ever since that happened, the corporation has just dissolved any hope of emotional integrity," Nowicki said. Iron Hill, which was founded nearly 29 years ago on Newark's Main Street by Mark Edelson, Kevin Finn and Kevin Davies, had two remaining locations in Delaware: Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach. The other restaurants now closed were in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and South Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While portions of the company have been sold to outside investors over the years, founders Edelson, Finn and Davies all remained as board members. No advance warning for employees Employees learned of the chain's demise the same day as the announcement, just like Sept. 10 when employees at Iron Hill's Newark, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, and Voorhees, New Jersey, were notified they had lost their jobs. A man who didnt want his name used stood in the rain outside of the Wilmington Riverfront Iron Hill restaurant on the morning of Sept. 25. The man, who said he was a dishwasher at the restaurant for the past 1 years, said he didnt know the restaurant was closed until he showed up for work. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant's Wilmington Riverfront location on the morning of Sept. 25, 2025. The door was locked. Five minutes later, the head chef came out and said, Were done, the man said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Craving food news?: Sign up for Patricia Talorico's Delaware Eats newsletter Is this true? he asked a reporter. I was working yesterday and they didnt say anything. The Wilmington Riverfront location received a more than $1 million makeover to its interior in 2019. Iron Hill founders had once said it was one of their most profitable restaurants. At the time of the abrupt closings, Iron Hill spokeswoman Danielle Guzzetta told Delaware Online/The News Journal that "those in good standing were offered the opportunity to continue their careers at any of the 16 locations (including the two nearby) that remain open." Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Newark abruptly closed its doors for good on Sept. 10, 2025. It also closed two other locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Signs suggest visits to still-operating sites in Wilmington and West Chester, Pennsylvania. She added, "The company believes a significant number of Team Members will take advantage of these openings. Iron Hills priority is to keep as many Team Members as possible within the Iron Hill family." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fifteen days later, those locations met the same fate. Subscribe to the Delaware Eats newsletter After Newark closure, CEO said company would continue to strengthen its brand When the Newark location closed, the shock rippled through nearly three decades' worth of customers. Stephanie Sweet, who had her first date with future husband Rob at Newark's Iron Hill location in 2000, told Delaware Online/The News Journal that she was not only upset with the loss of an important piece of their shared history, but also the way the employees were treated with same-day notice of the closure. "That's one of the saddest parts of this story. These people worked there for years. They were family. I can't imagine how they must feel," she said. "Hearing this news was like saying goodbye to a friend." Mark Kirke was announced as the new chief executive officer of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant Thursday, Jan. 28, 2025. Mark Kirke, who had previously worked at the Florida restaurant chain TooJay's and with P.F. Chang's, was named the CEO of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in January 2025, according to Nation's Restaurant News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said in the Sept. 10 closure statement that closing the three Iron Hill locations at the time was "part of the companys ongoing efforts to adapt to a changing business landscape while focusing on strengthening its long-term growth and success." Kirke claimed the company, which has expanded to open restaurants in Georgia and South Carolina in recent years, would continue to evolve and strengthen its brand. Food helped fuel Iron Hill, best known for beer Signs on the doors and windows of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant on East Main Street in downtown Newark say on Sept. 11 that the restaurant has closed permanently. The Iron Hill in Newark was the chain's first restaurant. It operated for 29 years. Iron Hill came a year after a trio of Delaware craft beer pioneers got their start with brewpubs, including Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Rehoboth Beach, Stewart's Brewing Co. in Bear and Brandywine Brewing Co. in Greenville. In 2016, Finn reflected on Iron Hill's opening to Delaware Online/The News Journal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Iron Hill's food not the beer that has won stacks of medals at Great American Beer Festival is what made the original location a success. After all, Main Street in Newark didn't have any of the more upscale dining options it has today, like Caffe Gelato, Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen and Taverna. Back then, dive bars and sticky floors were a lot more common than slick dining rooms and buffed hardwood floors. Even though it was located in the heart of the University of Delaware's campus, Iron Hill didn't draw from the undergraduate population. Instead, residents, professors and graduate students flocked in search of finer food options. "We hit our mark in terms of selling beer, but it really exploded on the food side. We did double the food sales we expected," Finn said at the time. "I still remember the first day we opened and we had a line of college kids out the door. They came in and right away they knew it wasn't a place for undergrads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are nationally and internationally recognized for our beer, but what brings people back is the food. That's what really sets us apart." Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant locations closed Sept. 25 Delaware Wilmington, 620 Justison St. Rehoboth Beach, 19815 Coastal Highway Goodbye: Iron Hill Restaurant & Brewery abruptly closes flagship Newark site & 2 other locations Permanently closed: Iconic Wilmington restaurant Gallucio's abruptly closes after nearly 55 years Pennsylvania West Chester, 3 W. Gay St. Philadelphia, 1150 Market St. Media, 30 E. State St. Newtown, 2920 S. Eagle Road Exton, 260 Eagleview Blvd. Hershey, 101 W. Chocolate Ave. Huntingdon Valley, 785 Huntingdon Pike Lancaster, 781 Harrisburg Pike Lehigh Valley, 950 Lehigh Lifestyle Center North Whales, 1460 Bethlehem Pike Mark Edelson, Kevin Davies and Kevin Finn (left to right) at Newark's Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in 1997. New Jersey Maple Shade, 124 E. Kings Highway Georgia Atlanta, 1224 Hammond Drive South Carolina Columbia, 945 Sabal St. Greenville: 741 Haywood Road Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patricia Talorico writes about food and restaurants. You can find her on Instagram,X and Facebook. Email ptalorico@delawareonline.com. Sign up for her Delaware Eats newsletter. Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier). (This story has been updated to add new information, and to correct an inaccuracy. Iron Hill locations were in South Carolina.) This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant files for bankruptcy, closes locations Amid Israels devastating war against Hamas in Gaza and its diplomatic rift with multiple countries at the United Nations this week, the last development one would expect is another Arab country, perhaps two, to be standing on the cusp of a historic agreement with Israel. But that is exactly what is happening. Syria and Israel are reportedly close to finalizing a bilateral security agreement. Its not yet a done deal and it wouldnt be a full-fledged normalization of diplomatic relations, as with the Abraham Accords that Israel signed with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, among others, in 2020. But even the much more limited deal under discussion is arguably more significant than those pacts. Thats because the Abraham Accords involved countries that were not at war with Israel and did not border it. By contrast, Syria and Israel are still technically at war with each other, and their shared border remains militarized and explosive. A de-escalation would be a truly welcome prospect, one that, despite the raging conflict in Gaza, would represent a step toward a much more stable Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, the agreement may also eventually involve Lebanon, which had been under the control of Hezbollah for decades until Israel crushed the Iran-linked groups military wing last year. Hezbollahs defanging reshaped Lebanons political landscape, opening the door to a potential agreement between the two neighboring states. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. But the focus now is on Syria, historically a major player in the Middle East. Hezbollah fighters, along with Russian forces, initially helped save former dictator Bashar al-Assad during Syrias 13-year civil war, which started in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings. But when Hezbollah was decimated last year by Israel, it weakened Assad, leaving his hollowed-out army alone to fend off the mainly jihadist armed insurgents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government forces were no match for the Syrian rebels, who overthrew the regime in a lightning offensive late last year. Their leader, interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has vowed to create an inclusive Syria. Amid feverish diplomatic activity, Syrian officials say that vow includes even exiled Syrian Jews. While in New York this week to attend the United Nations General Assembly, al-Sharaa met with some of those Syrian Jews, along with several hundred other U.S.-based Syrians. Those who attended were left with a very positive impression, describing the encounter as emotional and inspiring. Even more notably, the founding editor of The Times of Israel recently traveled to Damascus with a delegation of American Jews. He was the only Israeli in the group but said he experienced no hostility. In meetings with the Foreign Ministry, he was introduced to, among others, an official whose job is to deal with matters affecting the Jewish community, including issues of property confiscations. Syria once had an enormous Jewish community dating to biblical times, though it all but disappeared after waves of expulsions and targeted repression. Some exiles and their descendants are now considering what was until recently unthinkablereturning to help rebuild their historic home. Israel and Syria have fought several wars. The last all-out conflict erupted in October 1973, when Syria and Egypt launched a surprise pincer attack on Israel, from the north and the south, respectively. Known in Israel as the Yom Kippur War, it ended with a ceasefire and disengagement agreementnot even an armistice and certainly not a peace deal. Egypt went on to make peace with Israel, signing the Camp David Accords under U.S. auspices in 1978, and normalized relations in 1980. Syria technically remains at war with Israel. Even as it keeps fighting in Gaza, there is a not-too-distant prospect that Israel may find itself at peace with all the countries on its borders for the first time since its founding in 1948. That frozen status continued during more than five decades of brutal rule under the Assad dynasty in Damascus. But even after the collapse of the dictatorship last year, any path to peace seemed far-fetched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just after Assad fled to Russia in December, Israel launched a wave of bombings to destroy Syrias chemical weapons stocks and other heavy armaments that could be used against it. The concern was that the radical jihadists that drove Assad out might eventually turn their guns south, toward Israel. Israeli ground forces also occupied part of a U.N.-monitored buffer zone within Syria, where they have constructed military bases while forcibly displacing residents, according to a report from Human Rights Watch. Israel claims its operations in southern Syria are meant to protect its citizens and are in accordance with international law. When elements of the new Syrian government forces and other militias extrajudicially executed members of Syrias Druze minority in July, the Druze community in Israel asked the Israeli government, with which it has strong relations, to help. Israel intervened yet again, bombing the Defense Ministry and other government targets in Damascus. It has continued to conduct airstrikes inside Syria. Behind the scenes, however, things were moving fast. In May, al-Sharaa revealed there were indirect talks between the two countries. On June 30, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced that Israel was interested in establishing formal diplomatic relations with Syria and Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just last week, Axios Barak Ravid reported that Israel had presented Syria with a formal proposal for a detailed security agreement, including a demilitarized zone between southwest Damascus and the Israeli border, though these are maximalist demands on the part off Israel. Knotty issuesnotably the status of the Golan Heights, much of which were captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day Warare not on the table. Israelis consider the Golan, which provides a clear view of Israeli territory below, to be indispensable strategic territory. Israel annexed the part of it that it occupies in 1981, though only the United States recognizes it as part of Israel. Syrians say its theirs and want it back. Israelis say that will not happen. The subject is not being broached for now. Instead, the two countries are trying to design a peaceful modus vivendi. Al-Sharaa said last week that a security agreement could become reality within days. And The Times of Israel, citing a senior U.S. official, reported that the deal is 99 percent ready. Only the timing of the announcement and domestic considerations in Syria are left to sort out, per the report. The reaction of the Syrian public to the news of a deal with Israel will reveal a lot about the state of mind in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al-Sharaa says hes not prepared to consider full normalization yet. He wants Israel to return all the territory it has occupied since December and for Israel to respect Syrian airspace and sovereignty. He also wants to prevent an escalation that could get out of hand. For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that negotiators have made progress with both Syria and Lebanon. He added that for Israel, its successful offensive against Hezbollah had created the possibility for peace with our neighbors to the north, even if that was still a vision for the future. What used to be the Arab-Israeli conflict is becoming circumscribed into a Palestinian-Israeli conflict, one that has become increasingly deadly and intractable. But even as it keeps fighting in Gaza, there is a not-too-distant prospect that Israel may find itself at peace with all the countries on its borders for the first time since its founding in 1948. Frida Ghitis is WPRs senior columnist and a contributor to CNN and The Washington Post. Her WPR column appears every Thursday. You can follow her on Twitter and Threads at @fridaghitis. The post Israel and Syria Inch Closer to a Modus Vivendi appeared first on World Politics Review. Israel on Thursday launched a series of airstrikes in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia, local residents said, the latest in a military escalation between the two sides. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted the Houthis' military facilities in Sana'a, including the militia's general staff command headquarters. Eyewitnesses told dpa the strikes had resulted in powerful explosions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthi-affiliated TV al-Masirah reported an "Israeli aggression" targeted Sana'a, without giving details. The attack coincided with a televised address by the militia's leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi. The hits come a day after a drone attack claimed by the Houthis in the city of Eilat in southern Israel, injured 20 people, according to rescue workers. Since the start of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have been regularly attacking Israel with missiles and drones in support of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement. Israel, in turn, repeatedly targets sites in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. (Reuters) -Analytics firm Databricks said on Thursday it has partnered with OpenAI to integrate the ChatGPT maker's artificial intelligence models into its platforms for enterprise customers. As part of the agreement, OpenAI's AI models will be built directly into Databricks' cloud platform for enterprise data and analytics, as well as its flagship product, Agent Bricks, which helps customers create, test and scale AI apps and agents. The partnership is expected to generate $100 million in revenue, Databricks said. OpenAI has been expanding beyond Microsoft Azure, its long-standing cloud partner, to accelerate growth of its enterprise business and drive broader adoption of its AI tools among corporate customers. For Databricks, the latest deal gives it an edge in the enterprise AI race over listed rival Snowflake, which is still in the early stages of developing its AI capabilities. "We're seeing overwhelming demand from enterprise customers looking to build AI apps and agents on their data, tailored to their unique business needs," Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi said. GPT-5 will be a flagship model to more than 20,000 enterprise customers of Databricks, it said. The deal builds on the companies' existing partnership, under which OpenAI leverages Databricks to process AI data, enhancing its products and improving the ChatGPT experience. Databricks was also one of the first to host gpt-oss, OpenAI's open-weight language models, which excel in advanced reasoning. The San Francisco-based company closed a $1 billion funding round earlier this month, securing a valuation of $100 billion, which made it one of the most valuable private companies in the world. (Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru and Krystal Hu in New York; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar) TOKYO (AP) A Japanese court on Thursday dismissed an appeal by an Australian woman who said she was tricked into smuggling drugs by a man she hoped to marry, allowing a six-year prison sentence issued by a lower court to stand. The Tokyo High Court said Donna Nelson, 59, from Perth, Australia, was guilty of violating the stimulants control and customs laws. The Chiba District Court in December sentenced her to six years in prison and a fine of 1 million yen ($6,725). Nelson was arrested at Japans Narita International Airport, near Tokyo, on Jan. 3, 2023, after customs officials found about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of amphetamines, a stimulant, hidden under a false bottom in a suitcase she was carrying as checked luggage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nelson has told the court she was unaware of the drugs hidden in the suitcase and that she was carrying it for a man she hoped to marry. The man, called Kelly, whom she met online in 2020, told her he was the Nigerian owner of a fashion business. In 2023, he paid her to travel to Japan via Laos, and asked her to collect dress samples from an acquaintance in the Southeast Asian country. She was supposed to meet him in Japan but he never showed up. On Thursday, presiding Judge Takeshi Irie dismissed Nelson's defense lawyers' request for her acquittal and argument that she was a romance scam victim with no awareness or intent of drug trafficking for profit. The judge said Nelson was fully capable and had time to think and realize that something was wrong with the man's request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nelson, wearing a dark blue suit and seated in front of the judge, listened to the sentencing quietly, at times shaking her head. The judge said she has 14 days to decide whether to appeal to the top court. One of Nelson's daughters, Kristal Hilaire, said her mother has not made a decision. Listening to the sentencing was hard, Hilaire said after the verdict. I felt it was wrong ... At times I didnt really want to hear it. I had been so hopeful that this was going to be the end. Its very tiring to keep fighting this fight. I just thought we all would be able to rest and be going home with her. IMPACT-se studied 294 textbooks from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordans national school curriculum. Jordans educational curriculum has become increasingly antisemitic and anti-Israel, according to the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se), an Israeli nonprofit that monitors the content of school textbooks. One of Jordans new textbooks even justifies the October 7 massacre, IMPACT-se said in its latest report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IMPACT-se studied 294 textbooks from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordans national school curriculum that were approved for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. The topics include Islamic Education, Arabic Language, Social Studies, National and Civic Education, History, and Geography. Overall, Jordanian curriculum falls short of meeting UNESCO-derived standards of peace and tolerance in education, IMPACT-se said in its report. Despite recent comprehensive curriculum reform in which many textbooks were replaced or modified, jihad, lessons on martyrdom, Zionist aggression, and Jewish corruption remain in the curriculum, the report said. In January 2024, three months after the October 7 massacre, Jordan introduced a new Grade 10 National and Civic Education textbook that downplayed and legitimized the Hamas attack. It also undermined Jordans peace treaty with Israel, which it referred to as the Enemy and called its communities colonies and citizens settlers, IMPACT-se reported. A Jordanian flag flies as people stand at the Roman Temple of Hercules during their visit to the Amman Citadel, an ancient Roman landmark, in Amman, Jordan August 17, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY) While the passage was reportedly removed from the textbooks a month later, the official website of the National Center for Curriculum Development retains the passage on its website. Jews and antisemitism Jews are often depicted in a negative way in the Jordanian curriculum, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, from Grade 6, Islamic textbooks covering the life of Muhammad include hateful messages when referencing Jews and associate Jewish characters with disloyalty or hostile behavior. The theme of Jewish betrayal is apparent through much of the educational material, the report said. A section titled The Jews Betrayal teaches that Jews regularly violated agreements and conspired against Muhammad, merging multiple separate incidents into a single narrative depicting Jewish treachery and hostility. According to the teachers guide, The Jews always breached agreements and violated treaties. In several Islamic Education textbooks, students are told that treachery and violation of agreements are Jews natural qualities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Grade 9 lesson says Jews share characteristics with the Hypocrites, chief among which is lying. IMPACT-se also found prominent use of economic antisemitic tropes, such as passages on Jews controlling the economy of Medina through exploitation. The modern persecution of Jews is also notably ignored, the report said. IMPACT-se found that a lesson about WWII in a History Grade 10 textbook failed to mention the Holocaust and other Nazi atrocities. The text says Nazism was a racist political movement... espousing enmity to democracy, supremacy of the Germanic race and its right to lead the world, but it omits any reference to the atrocities perpetrated by Nazi Germany during the war. Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict The Jordanian curriculum portrays Israel as an illegitimate, expansionist enemy, justifies violence against it, and erases its existence from maps and historical narratives, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zionism is additionally depicted as a racist, colonial conspiracy, IMPACT-se reported. The hostages taken captive from Israel during the October 7 massacre are described as settlers living in Israeli colonies which surround the Gaza Strip, which IMPACT-se says implies they are legitimate targets for violence. Maps and geographical descriptions erase Israel and label internationally recognized (pre-1967) Israeli territory as Palestinian. For example, official border crossings with Israel are labeled as crossings between Jordan and Palestine. Jordans peace agreement with Israel is barely acknowledged, appearing only in passing in two textbooks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the current curriculum still takes an anti-Israeli stance, some inflammatory content regarding Israel was removed as a part of the replacement of older textbooks, the report said. One passage that was removed compared Zionism to Nazism and Fascism by listing them as the most prominent extremist movements of the previous century, it said. Jihad and martyrdom IMPACT-se found that violent interpretations of jihad prevail in Jordanian textbooks, with significant emphasis on militant jihad. In several instances, textbook authors discuss jihad with the implicit assumption of a violent interpretation, especially within the context of war, IMPACT-se reported. However, some textbooks impose limitations on violent jihad by linking it to state-organized warfare, it said. Additionally, martyrdom and death in battle are glorified and painted in religious terms in both Islamic Education and Arabic Language textbooks, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While on the surface, Jordanian textbooks seemingly continue to advocate for the values of peace, tolerance, religious moderation and equality, they simultaneously exclude both Jewish people and Israel from the application of these values, targeting both groups with hateful messaging while offering no representation of their perspectives, the report said. This approach impedes accurate understanding of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and risks cultivating contempt and fear of the other, IMPACT-se concluded. A 29-year-old North Texas man has been identified as the suspect who opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas on Wednesday morning, killing one detainee and critically injuring two others before taking his own life, officials said. Joshua Jahn died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after firing a rifle at the ICE Field Office building from a nearby rooftop, authorities have said. He was publicly identified by several senior law enforcement officials, according to KXAS-TV. Federal authorities earlier in the day had said two detainees were killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jahn was most recently connected with an address in Durant, Oklahoma, but has also lived in Collin County in North Texas, according to public records. Law enforcement officers on Wednesday searched two homes in Fairview, Texas, and in Durant that are believed to be connected to the suspect. Twenty-nine-year-old North Texas man Joshua Jahn has been identified as the shooter who opened fire on a Dallas ICE facility early Wednesday, killing one detainee and injuring two others, officials say. FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joe Rothrock and other officials speaking at a news conference late Wednesday morning would not reveal any details about the victims, but they confirmed no officers were hurt. Mexican government officials said that one of the critically injured victims is a Mexican citizen. The victims names have not been released. Rothrock said that investigators found messages on at least one bullet casing near the shooters body that were anti-ICE in nature. FBI Director Kash Patel wrote in a post on X, While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack. ... One of the unspent shell casings recovered was engraved with the phrase ANTI ICE. FBI agents were seen outside the home of Dallas ICE shooting suspect Joshua Jahns parents in Fairview, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon, and police were blocking the street. The suspects older brother, Noah Jahn, told KXAS that Joshua Jahn didnt have strong feelings about ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I didnt think he was politically interested, Noah Jahn said. He wasnt interested in politics on either side as far as I knew. Records show Joshua Jahn was registered to vote as an independent in Oklahoma. FBI agents investigate the scene where a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility occurred in Dallas on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. Two friends of Jahns told ABC News they have not seen him in about 10 years but his interests in high school were mainly internet culture and video games. When people would start talking about politics, he was the first one to say, Guys, shut up, can we just play Halo or something? one friend said. One of the childhood friends told ABC that Jahn ironically posted an internet meme that showed a man in front of a Soviet flag an image that was still recently visible on a social media profile that appeared to belong to him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not a political thing, the friend told ABC. Its just being on the computer too much. Joshua knew how to use a rifle, but hes not a marksman, thats for sure, Noah Jahn told NBC News before authorities publicly identified his brother as the gunman. More on the Dallas ICE shooting: Who is Joshua Jahn? Dallas ICE shooting suspect identified This isn't first attack on ICE in Texas US Rep. Veasey: Abbotts ICE shooting comments sickening. How local leaders are reacting [Get our breaking news alerts. ] Joshua Jahn pleaded guilty to delivery of marijuana between the amount of 1/4 of an ounce and 5 pounds in Texas in 2016, according to public records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers grew up in Allen, Texas. Joshua used to do coding work but recently has been unemployed, Noah Jahn told NBC News. The University of Texas at Dallas confirmed in a statement that Jahn briefly attended the school more than 10 years ago. In the Fairview neighborhood where members of Jahns family live, one resident 24-year-old Sloane Mordecai told reporters that theyve been great neighbors. Mordecai said Joshua is a few years older than her and she didnt know him well, but, Ive had lovely interactions with their family, so Im so horrified to hear about all this. At the press conference, Rothrock said the FBI, Dallas police and ICE are investigating the shooting as an act of targeted violence. FBI Director Kash Patel said that one of the unspent shell casings recovered at the scene of the Dallas ICE facility shooting had the phrase ANTI ICE written on it. This vile attack was motivated by hatred for ICE, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. Our prayers are with the families of those killed and our ICE law enforcement. ... For months, weve been warning politicians and the media to tone down their rhetoric about ICE law enforcement before someone was killed. This shooting must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric about ICE has consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dallas police and other law enforcement officers responded to the ICE office, located at 8101 N. Stemmons Freeway near I-35E, about 6:30 a.m. ICE officials released a statement saying that a sniper began firing indiscriminately at the building, including at a transport van in the sallyport which the victims were inside. Jahn was found dead on the roof of a nearby immigration attorneys office, authorities said. More top stories from our newsroom: ICE detainee killed in Dallas shooting; dead sniper identified Mom says school failed family after teacher choked 2 kids Husband fatally stabs wife while out on bond, Arlington cops say [Get our breaking news alerts.] Staff writer Emerson Clarridge contributed to this report. Gov. Brian Kemp's office has released a statement regarding the relationship between Georgia and South Korea after the raid at the megasite Sept. 4. In the weeks following a major immigration raid at the Hyundai megasite near Savannah, Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp has expressed his desire to maintain the state's business relationships with South Korea and plans to proceed with a previously arranged plan to visit the country in October. A Korean Air Boeing 747-8I from Seoul, to repatriate hundreds of South Korean workers who were detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG battery plant under construction in the US state of Georgia last week, is seen in the cargo area of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 10, 2025. While no official time has been given for the return flight, the operation was the largest single-site raid conducted under US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, according to an investigating agent. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage / AFP) (Photo by ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images) More: Kemp's office says planned trip to South Korea is not reaction to recent Hyundai site raid Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Georgia has always worked to maintain a strong relationship with the Republic of Korea and Korean partners like Hyundai, stretching back 40 years to the establishment of Georgias trade office in Seoul. We are thankful they are reiterating their commitment to adhere to all state and federal laws, just as we remain committed to not allowing this unfortunate incident to undo the decades of mutually beneficial partnerships weve built together," reads a statement from a spokesperson from Gov. Kemp's office. Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama, called the raid the "largest single site enforcement operation in the history of homeland security investigations." Gov. Brian Kemp inks the Hyundai deal during a ceremony in May 2022. Kemp's office said they are looking forward to completion of the battery plant at the megasite, which is also home to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, the state's largest economic project-to-date. "As President Trump has also noted, our relationships with the government and businesses of Korea stand on a firm foundation, and we will move forward in building on that foundation," the statement from Kemp's office reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As previously reported by Capitol Beat News Service's Ty Tagami, for the third time as governor, Kemp will be visiting South Korea and Japan next month "to strengthen economic ties" at the Southeast U.S./Japan Association (SEUS-Japan) Joint Meeting. State and federal agencies swarmed the megasite Sept. 4, where they detained 475 workers who investigators said were undocumented or did not have clearance to work in the United States. More than 300 South Korean nationals flew home sent home Sept. 11. South Korean nationals were teaching and installing equipment vital to the success of the battery plant, according to Trip Tollison, president and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority. Nearly 500 workers are now leaving the state as a result of this raid, said State legislator Dexter Sharper, a Democrat from Valdosta. Many were not only employees, but also trainers passing along high-tech skills to Georgia citizensknowledge critical to keeping the state competitive in the global economy. But this is not just about workers being removed. Georgia is losing jobs, knowledge and investment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ellabell resident Ella Moore said she feels the raid that took place earlier this month will not be the last. Something needs to be done about immigration, said Moore. Somebody had to hire those people. You can't hire that many people and not know something is wrong. So I think they should be held accountable." In a separate interview, Sharper went into further detail regarding immigration policies, pointing to the need for more reform as it pertains to work visas. "The ideal situation is to have the Department of Labor do a compliance check to see how everybody's looking on their visas, said Sharper. If it looks like theyve expired, they can extend it and talk about what needs to be done, [all within the letter of the law]. Even though that part is a federal process, we need to have some oversight at the state level. I don't think it would be a major problem that in the Georgia Department of Labor, we had a database that correlates with the federal database for visas in our state. Then we could also be alerted 30 days before the visa expires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharper has called on Georgia leaders to consider holding a special session to outline better communication between Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE and the state government. Georgia cannot afford to lose more jobs and knowledge because of poor communication, he said in a press release. We must act now to protect our workers, our industries and our future. Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com. Ty Tagami of Capitol Beat News Service contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: State legislator Dexter Sharper shares concerns over Hyundai raid By Doyinsola Oladipo NEW YORK (Reuters) -Kenya's President William Ruto said on Wednesday his country expects to sign a trade deal with the United States by year-end and that he will be pushing Washington to extend its duty-free agreement with Africa for at least five years. Ruto will be meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later on Wednesday to discuss the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), he said in an interview on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York. The 25-year-old act grants qualifying African nations duty-free access to the U.S. market and is due to expire this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I will be asking him for the U.S. to consider seriously renewing and extending AGOA for at least a minimum of five years, because it is a platform that connects Africa and the U.S. in a very fundamental way, and it can go a long way in solving some of the trade deficits and challenges that exist at the moment," Ruto said. Ruto said he believes the U.S. administration has increased its appreciation for AGOA. A bipartisan effort to secure a further extension to AGOA last year did not get a vote in Congress. President Donald Trump's return to the White House in January, with his tariff-driven trade policy, has further cast doubt on an extension. "AGOA gives both Africa and the U.S. the best chance to expand and deepen trade," Ruto said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ACCESS TO US MARKETS The U.S. and Kenya have made "good progress" on a bilateral trade agreement, Ruto said, adding that he expects to sign a deal before the end of 2025. In April, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Kenyan goods. Kenya is looking for access to the U.S. market for its apparel, textile and agricultural products including tea, coffee and avocados. Ruto wants to explore new areas including mining and fishing. If a deal is reached, it would be the first of its kind between a sub-Saharan African nation and Washington. Ruto said Kenya has robust trade agreements with several partners, including China which has removed all tariffs from the East African country's agricultural products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have a trade deficit in favor of China, but the one for the U.S. is fairly balanced, so we are still looking at avenues on how to balance trade with all our trading partners." CONFLICTS IN THE DRC AND HAITI On the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ruto said a proposal has been made for the U.S., Qatar, the East African Community and the South African Development Community to come together next month to discuss the situation. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi said on Monday that a U.S.-mediated peace deal signed with Rwanda in June has not calmed fighting in the country's east. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier on Wednesday, Ruto told the U.N. General Assembly that while Kenya had stepped up in Haiti to lead an international force to combat armed gangs, the world had not shown up for the Caribbean nation and the mission lacked logistical support. "We need more numbers," Ruto told Reuters. "We need more logistics, we need more equipment, and we need more financial support to be able to carry this through." Armed gangs have taken control of almost all of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince in a conflict that has forced some 1.3 million people from their homes, and fueled famine-level hunger. (Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Richard Chang and Lincoln Feast.) When sheriff's officials and family members spoke with Samuel Ericksen about the photo of a gun he texted to a woman he met on a dating app, they noticed some red flags in his behavior. After a 20-minute conversation on the patio of his family home in Anderson Township on Aug. 8, a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy told Ericksen's parents their son was being evasive and overly eager to please. "I'm not an expert," Deputy William Woltermann is heard saying on body camera footage, "but I'm in my 35th year doing this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Something's not right." As they waited for a crisis counselor to arrive, Susan Ericksen told deputies her 26-year-old son lied to her about owning a gun. It was uncharacteristic of him, she said. He was private about his life, sure, but he'd never given her a minute's trouble. She questioned whether her son should be held at a psychiatric facility. Samuel Ericksen said he had no mental health diagnoses. He was feeling overwhelmed from stress at work, he said, but he wasn't suicidal. After a 10-minute conversation with a crisis counselor, he took a business card and said he'd consider reaching out for therapy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twenty-three days later, Cincinnati police said Ericksen shot and killed four young adults, including himself, at a Mount Washington apartment building on Beacon Street with the same model of gun he told officials he recently bought. Ericksen killed the woman he texted the photo to Eden Adugna, 22 along with her sister Feven Adugna, 20, and Bemnet Deresse, 27, before turning the gun on himself. Why couldn't officials take Ericksen's gun? Cincinnati police attended a vigil on Beacon Street in Mount Washington to mourn the loss of Bemnet Deresse and sisters Eden and Feven Adugna after they were fatally shot at an apartment complex Aug. 31. "He had no history of violence. He had no mental health issues. He seemed to have it all together," said Samuel Ericksen's mom in a statement to The Enquirer. "How this happened I do not know and I do not understand." Despite Susan Ericksen's suggestion her son be hospitalized, he wasn't. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The only way we can commit somebody is if they state that they're suicidal or they can't take care of their own well-being," Woltermann told Susan Ericksen. "But it sounds like obviously he can." While involuntary commitment requires a court hearing, Ohio law also allows police to request a psychiatric evaluation and 72-hour hospital hold for people who pose a danger to themselves or others. Eden Adugna said Samuel Ericksen sent her a photo of a gun on Aug. 3. She called police five days later after waking up from a nap to his suicidal text, according to audio from the Cincinnati Police Department. "I have scheduled this message to send for after I'm dead so you don't have to worry about me anymore," Eden Adugna read to a Cincinnati police operator. "I'm sorry that I care so much about you." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement to The Enquirer that it lacked the legal authority to take Ericksen's gun because he was not under arrest and had no legal restrictions. The gun stayed in his parents' house where he lived, now locked in his parents' gun safe, according to body camera footage. Ericksen told officials he bought a Taurus TX 22 handgun. Cincinnati police said Ericksen used the same model in the Aug. 31 shooting. "I wanted something that'd be easy shooting at the range," Samuel Ericksen told a deputy, "and that's what the guy at the gun store told me." Can police take your gun in Ohio? Candles were lit and balloons were released at a vigil in memory of Bemnet Deresse and sisters Eden and Feven Adugna after they were fatally shot Aug. 31. Ohio is not one of the 21 states with laws allowing government officials to temporarily remove guns from those who may pose a threat to themselves and others, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy group that aims to reduce gun violence through reform, research and education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine promoted the Buckeye State's own so-called "red flag" law as part of a package following 2019 a mass shooting, but the law didn't pass. Despite 2023 polling showing popular approval from Ohioans, the state has distanced itself from red flag laws. Ohio's Attorney General Dave Yost joined 18 other states in opposing federal efforts to promote red flag laws in 2024. The solution to gun violence is not more bureaucracy," Yost said in a statement, "and it is certainly not parting otherwise law-abiding men and women from their right to self-defense. In a statement, Alison Shih, senior counsel for the Everytown, said Ohios lack of gun safety laws "is leaving law enforcement powerless when it comes to preventing a mass tragedy even when perpetrators show warning signs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seeking a restraining order makes it possible for someone to have their gun taken by the courts, according to Amber Malott, vice president of programming for Women Helping Women, a group that works to reduce gender-based violence. However, the process is slow and requires individuals to see a potential abuser one more time face-to-face. Eden Adugna did not have a protection order against Samuel Ericksen, according to a review of Hamilton County court records. Who did Samuel Ericksen kill? Community members brought flowers, stuffed animals and photos of the three young adults killed in the Aug. 31 shooting. Eden Adugna, Feven Adugna and Bemnet Deresse were all members of Cincinnati's small Ethiopian community. Each had budding professional and academic careers. Tizita Adugna, aunt to Eden and Feven, said their mother was killed by their father when the sisters were 7 and 9 years old. Tizita Adugna said she raised the sisters alongside their grandmother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Adugna sisters moved to the United States from Ethiopia with dreams of becoming doctors, said Tizita Adugna. They worked at Good Samaritan Hospital before they were killed. Bemnet Deresse, who studied biology and engineering at the University of Cincinnati, had just started a job as a quality engineer in Louisville. At a vigil, coworkers and friends spoke about his constant willingness to help and kind demeanor. Community leader Araya Amsalu, who helped coordinate a vigil following the shooting, said knowing Eden had gone to law enforcement about Ericksen before made the shooting feel even more cruel. "She didn't get the protection she deserves," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Cupelli is a breaking news reporter for The Enquirer. You can email him at mcupelli@enquirer.com and follow his work on X @MatthewCupelli. If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Despite red flags, officers couldn't take gun from man who killed 3 PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) Kosovo's acting prime minister on Wednesday called on the international community not to consider Serbia a normal state until it hands over those responsible for a deadly incursion by heavily armed Serb gunmen in 2023. Albin Kurti visited the grave of Afrim Bunjaku, a police officer shot dead in the gunfight in Banjska. The attack also left three Serb gunmen dead. Kosovo has accused Serbia of involvement, a claim that Belgrade has denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kurti said the incursion was an aggressive and terrorist attack" funded and supported by Belgrade officials and President Aleksandar Vucic. We call on the international actors not to consider Serbia a normal state as long as it doesnt hand over its criminals," he said. Prosecutors have charged 45 people, alleging they were trying to break away the Serb-majority municipalities in the northern part of Kosovo and join Serbia proper. Only three Serb defendants were arrested and were present at the trial that started last year. They pleaded not guilty to charges of violating constitutional and legal order, terror activities, funding terrorism and money laundering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Among those charged in absentia was Milan Radoicic, a politician and wealthy businessman with ties to Serbias ruling populist party and Vucic. Serbia briefly detained Radoicic, who had fled back there after the shooting. Radoicic denied charges of criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of weapons and explosives and grave acts against public safety, but admitted he was part of the paramilitary group involved in the gunfight. He was released. Radoicic is under U.S. and British sanctions for his alleged criminal activity. Serbia said that Radoicic and his group acted on their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Serbias independent media have reported that Radoicics men were deployed to intimidate anti-government protesters at almost daily rallies challenging Vucics firm rule in the country. In Belgrade, right-wing supporters displayed nationalist banners and torches at a vigil on Tuesday evening honoring the three Serb paramilitaries who were killed in the clash in Banjska, and calling them heroes. Similar vigils were held in other towns. European Union and U.S. officials have demanded that Serbia bring the perpetrators to justice. On Wednesday the British and German embassies urged Serbian authorities to act on the matter as soon as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Relations between Serbia and its former breakaway province remain tense. Talks facilitated by Brussels seem to have stalled while Belgrade is confronted with continuous anti-government protests. In Kosovo, the Parliament's political deadlock has hampered the creation of a new Cabinet. Kosovo was a Serbian province until NATOs 78-day bombing campaign in 1999 ended a war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo, which left about 13,000 dead, mainly ethnic Albanians, and pushed Serbian forces out. Kosovo proclaimed independence in 2008. It is recognized by most countries but not by Serbia and its close allies, Russia and China. ___ Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Jovana Gec contributed from Belgrade. The head of Donald Trumps Department of Homeland Security was pressed this week by a CNN host on whether it was her view that one of Americas two main political parties amounted to a terrorist group and couldnt bring herself to refute that position. Kristi Noem was interviewed by CNNs Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday and asked about the broader administrations response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, where law enforcement says a sniper who allegedly stated he was angered by Kirks right-wing views killed the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder earlier this month. Noem was asked by Collins about comments from senior White House aide Stephen Miller, who vowed to go even further and crack down on left-wing organizations with the power of the federal government. Miller declared after Kirks death that there was a vast domestic terror movement active on the American left and went further, suggesting it was the entire Democratic Party: The Democrat Party is not a political party. It is a domestic extremist organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pressed repeatedly whether she believed that characterization was accurate, Noem would not give a direct answer. As the DHS secretary, would you say that Democrats are a domestic extremist organization? Yes or no? Collins asked Noem at one point, who responded: I think their views are extreme and dont align with the American people at all. Kristi Noem refused to answer whether she believed the Democratic Party should be criminalized and labeled an extremist group (CNN - The Source) I just think the question is, would you label them a domestic extremist organization as Stephen Miller did? Collins asked at another point. I would love to see these Democrats denounce these criminals, these individuals that are out there trafficking drugs and trafficking our children, raping our girls and boys and selling them, and people that are committing criminal acts, robbing and murdering individuals. I havent seen these Democrats do that, and they should. Noem responded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the wake of the shooting the administration has become engulfed in a new battle over First Amendment rights as supporters of the president, including some with direct ties to Trump, launched campaigns aimed at identifying and publicly shaming private citizens who reacted a variety of emotions ranging from disinterest to outright glee at news of Kirks murder. In particular, Attorney General Pam Bondi was caught up in controversy after she suggested that the administration would begin a crackdown on hate speech, something that is protected under the First Amendment so long as it does not incite violence. She later walked back that pledge under pressure. Millers suggestion that the entire Democratic Party could be criminalized as a domestic extremist organization would effectively end American democracy if actually achieved. Though any attempt to do so would almost certainly be defeated by court challenges, the suggestion of criminalizing Americas sole well-established political opposition is a tacit admission from Miller, at least, that he does not believe dissent of MAGA should be legal. The president is unlikely to go as far as Miller would like, and instead is reportedly planning an executive order declaring anti-facsist groups aligned with the Antifa ideology as extremist groups and direct greater federal surveillance of such organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats roundly denounced Kirks murder but have split over demands from the GOP to memorialize the far-right speaker in Congress and elsewhere. Many progressives highlighted racist and misogynistic views espoused by Kirk as part of his political activism after his death, including Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota whose effort to repudiate Kirks beliefs was subsequently targeted in the House of Representatives by an unsuccessful Republican censure bid. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new Las Vegas temple, which was previously signaled for an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court. During a morning event, golden shovels were used to signify the next step for the Lone Mountain Nevada Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The event was presided over by Michael Dunn, an LDS Church official. Guide the hands that will shape stone, wood, glass and steel, that the beauty and craftsmanship of this temple may reflect the divine truths that will be taught within its walls, he said during a dedicatory prayer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lone Mountain location will be the fourth in Nevada and the second for the Las Vegas valley. Plans for the new site call for a 3-story structure on nearly 20 acres near Hickman Avenue and North Grand Canyon Drive. The project was unanimously approved by the Las Vegas City Council, and has been the subject of a legal battle, which was signaled for appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court after a district court judge sided with the city and the LDS Church. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new Las Vegas temple which was previously signaled for appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court. (Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) A groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new Las Vegas temple which was previously signaled for appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court. (Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) A groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new Las Vegas temple which was previously signaled for appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court. (Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Proposed LDS Temple in Las Vegas (LDS Church) Some Lone Mountain residents pointed to existing restrictions on height and developed acreage, but city staff disagreed with an existing interlocal agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The planned Lone Mountain LDS temple will not be as high or as bright as originally planned. On Feb. 5, a light ordinance for several Las Vegas communities was amended to limit the temperature, timing, and height of lighting. There are also no plans for an Angel Moroni on the steeple of the temple. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DHL is hiring hundreds of customs experts to help businesses navigate unprecedented trade turbulence that is upending supply chains even as the integrated logistics giant expects a more muted peak shipping season this fall. A barrage of constantly changing U.S. tariff policies has whipsawed freight markets, with shippers fast-forwarding overseas orders to beat tariff deadlines, then reducing imports because inventories are high, and looking to find suppliers outside China where average U.S. tariffs are 58%. The May 2 cancellation of the de minimis rule, a duty-free exemption for low-value parcels, also sharply reduced airfreight for e-commerce shipments. In a video briefing for journalists on Monday, DHL executives said they are working overtime helping customers deal with the rising cost, complexity and uncertainty associated with the changing tariff landscape. For a small business owner, it can be overwhelming. So weve got to be ready to help them mitigate some of these impacts by having advanced customs services, looking at things like foreign trade zones and specialized brokerage options. We have to help them manage the timing of when they owe duty and taxes, how theyre moving inventory around and positioning it for U.S. delivery as its coming in, said Greg Hewitt, CEO of DHL Express U.S. DHL Express has added more than 680 customs, finance and customer service specialists this year to help small businesses, especially those used to filing minimal documentation for de minimis shipments and who now must submit a formal entry along with import taxes and fees for the first time, manage new compliance requirements, Hewitt said. The extra staff are needed because workloads for customs clearance have increased and DHL doesnt want service levels to drop off. Having a strong customs broker operation is a competitive advantage in this volatile trade environment, Hewitt stressed. DHLs Express division, which specializes in time-definite cross-border air transport and delivery, has seen volumes from China and Hong Kong to the United States drop about 30% year over year. The drop has been partially offset by growth from countries like Vietnam, India, Malaysia and Mexico, he said. With the decline in inbound volume, DHL Express has also right-sized its U.S. operations by reducing the number of daily ground delivery routes to minimize costs and wont hire as many seasonal workers for the holiday rush, the U.S. chief said. DHL Express international volumes to the U.S. normally jump 40% to 50% in the peak season from prior quarters, but this year the division only expects a 20% to 25% sequential lift in business, Hewitt said. At least 22 people were wounded when a drone fired from Yemen struck the southern Israeli city of Eilat on Wednesday, local medics said. A statement from the Israeli military confirmed that the drone "fell in the area of Eilat" on the Red Sea coast after air defences failed to intercept it. It wasn't immediately clear if the injured were hurt by the drone or an interceptor. "The public is requested to continue to follow the Home Front Commands defensive guidelines and further guidelines issued," the IDF said in a post on Telegram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Magen David Adom emergency medical service said two people had been seriously injured while others sustained only minor injuries. Police in Eilat said bomb disposal experts were examining the nature of the drone and advised the public to stay away from the crash site and to avoid touching any remnants that could contain explosives. Two Yemeni men inspect the rubble of a house that was destroyed in Israeli air strikes in Sanaa, 13 September, 2025 - AP Photo The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have regularly fired drones and missiles at Israel since the start of the war in Gaza, in what they say are solidarity attacks with the Palestinians. The Houthis also began targeting ships in the important Red Sea maritime trade corridor in November 2023 that it believed were linked to Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shipping through the Red Sea has reportedly halved since the start of the Houthi attacks, with a number of companies, such as Maersk, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd, temporarily stopping the transit of their shipping containers through the conflict zone, requiring vessels to take longer and more costly detours around South Africa. The vast majority of the fire directed at Israel has been intercepted or fallen in open areas without wounding anyone. Related Israel and the United States have also carried out retaliatory air strikes on Yemen, targeting Houthi infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, 31 Yemeni journalists were reportedly killed in Israeli strikes on Sanaa. And late last month, Israel killed the Houthis Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi in an air strike on the capital Sanaa. The group promised "vengeance" for his death and the deaths of almost half of his cabinet. LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Tonights Hometown Heroes are gearing up for an auction thats been raising money for nearly 50 years. The Brethren Disaster Auction will be held at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center this Friday and Saturday. The auction began 48 years ago in 1977, and it has raised nearly $20 million for victims of natural disasters in the United States and around the world. Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now ICYMI: Top 5 Stories of the Week There will be quilt auctions, basket auctions, and even auctions just for kids. Attendees can also expect arts and crafts, a farmers market, and homemade food. Click here for a full schedule of 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 ABC27. The Lebanon County Prothonotary's office will hold another Passport Acceptance Day Saturday, Oct. 25, for residents looking to apply for a passport. The prothonotary's office, located that the Lebanon County Municipal Building in Room 104, will be open from 8 a.m. until noon. This is the sixth time the office has hosted a passport day on the weekend for residents. Prothonotary Barbara Smith said with the holidays approaching, the department is expecting a lot of people will take advantage of the offices services Oct. 25. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Last time we have 10 employees, (and) we processed 196 passports and assisted with 16 renewals," she said. " We had 212 people, which totaled 53 people per hour. Our total was $7,970, so it was a very profitable day." The Lebanon County Prothonotary's office will hold another Passport Acceptance Day Saturday, Oct. 25, for residents looking to apply for a passport. The office, located that the Lebanon County Municipal Building in Room 104, will be open from 8 a.m. till noon. The Lebanon County Sheriff's Office will also be open on Oct. 25 for security purposes to the building, and the office staff will be processing applications for the Pennsylvania license to carry firearms permit. All residents applying for a passport must appear in person, and bring the following: A passport application, which is available in the prothonotary's office, filled out in black ink. An original birth certificate, which includes parents' names and a raised seal, or a naturalization certificate. An old passport if it has been expired five years or longer. A driver's license or identification card. Children 15 years and younger need both parents to be present with photo ID, while children who are 16 or 17 need one present to be present with photo ID. Bring or obtain a passport photo, which can be obtained at the prothonotary's office for a $10 fee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following fees apply, and are payable to the U.S. Department of State in the form of a check or money order (cash is not accepted): A passport book for residents 16 years and older is $130, a passport card is $30. A passport book for residents 15 years and younger is $100, and a passport card is $15. There is also $35 processing fee for each application, which is payable to the prothonotary's office. Smith said these fees may be cash, check or money order, and processing fees for multiple passports may be combined into one payment. There is no processing fee for active or retired military personnel. The processing time for a new passport is 4 to 6 weeks, according to officials. Residents can pay an additional $60 fee for the expedite service, in which a new passport can be processed in 2 to 4 weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents with questions about Passport Acceptance Day, or questions about obtaining a passport, can contact the Lebanon County Prothonotary's Office at 717-228-4418. Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth. This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Passport Acceptance Day returns to the Lebanon County offices Oct. 25 BAMAKO, Mali (AP) Mali's ruling junta has declared an end to counterterrorism cooperation with France and expelled five French Embassy employees, according to a confidential letter seen by The Associated Press on Thursday, amid diplomatic tensions between the countries. A note dated Sept. 17 from Mali's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the French Embassy in the capital, Bamako, said the five staff had been declared personae non grata and announced the cessation of all international cooperation in the fight against terrorism." The ministry note did not give a reason for the embassy expulsions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A French diplomatic source told the AP that the move by Mali was in response to France's decision last week to expel two Malian intelligence services officers working at Malis embassy in Paris and suspending counterterrorism cooperation. Diplomatic tensions have been growing recently between France and Mali following the arrest in August of a French intelligence services officer working at the embassy in Bamako. Malian authorities had accused the French national of attempting to organize a coup with the help of several members of Malis military, including two army generals, who were also arrested around the same time. Mali, along with neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, has long battled an insurgency by armed militants, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following two military coups, the ruling junta expelled French troops and instead turned to Russia for security assistance. But the security situation remains precarious, and attacks from extremist groups linked with al-Qaida intensified in recent months. Despite the departure of French troops, France and Mali's intelligence services had continued cooperating on counterterrorism. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A man wanted for a murder in Vermont was arrested during a routine speeding stop in Chautauqua County early Wednesday morning, according to New York State Police. Police pulled over 25-year-old Terrene Biggs of Warren, Mich. around 2:35 a.m. on I-90 in the Town of Portland where he was observed speeding. Police found that Biggs had a warrant for an alleged April murder in Rutland, Vt., according to WIVBs sister station WVNY/WFFF, as well as for an alleged assault in Florida. In addition, he was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance by New York State Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was transported to the Chautauqua County Jail and will be held there pending extradition to Vermont. Latest Local News Aidan Joly was named News 4s Digital Executive Producer in 2025. He has been on staff since 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. 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 News 4 Buffalo. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's August restrictions on arms exports to Israel resulted in no deliveries being approved in the first five weeks after the decision. According to a response from the Economy Ministry to a parliamentary inquiry from The Left party lawmaker Ulrich Thoden, between August 8, the day Merz announced the restrictions, and September 12, no approvals were granted. The government said each case was assessed individually, taking foreign and security policy concerns and legal requirements into account, while reaffirming its commitment to Israel's protection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz imposed the temporary halt on exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza conflict, signalling a shift in Germany's Israel policy amid increasingly aggressive Israeli operations in Gaza. Previously, Berlin had criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government but had avoided sanctions. Following the attack by Palestinian militant organization Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, the German government had initially increased arms exports, approving deliveries worth nearly 500 million ($588 million) under former chancellor Olaf Scholz. Under Merz, military exports continued briefly, with 3.99 million approved in his first five weeks. Netanyahu criticized the partial export halt, accusing Germany of rewarding Hamas for its attacks. The Left party has called for a full halt to all arms exports to Israel and an end to military cooperation, warning the government risks complicity in violations of international law against Palestinian civilians. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico president Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday she had sent diplomatic notes to Washington over the deaths of two migrants in the U.S., a man shot by a federal immigration agent and a second one who died in hospital after being detained. Speaking in a morning press conference, Sheinbaum said a Mexican man had died in a U.S. hospital on Tuesday, adding this was "presumably the product of a detention." She did not share the man's name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We sent a diplomatic note on this case asking all the investigations be carried out, and that if there is a responsibility of violation of human rights, that it be sanctioned," Sheinbaum said. She said had also sent another diplomatic note over the death of Silverio Villegas, a man from Michoacan state, who was fatally shot by an immigration enforcement agent in a Chicago suburb earlier this month. Villegas was pulled over and eventually shot by an unidentified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on September 12, just after dropping off his two children at a nearby elementary school and daycare center. (Reporting by Sarah Morland and Ana Isabel Martinez; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Governor Mike Kehoe will sign House Bill 1, Missouris new congressional redistricting plan, on Sunday, September 28. The law will reshape the states political landscape. On August 29, Kehoe called lawmakers back to Jefferson City to approve updated congressional districts and make changes to the states initiative petition process. The legislature passed the Missouri First Map on September 12, splitting Kansas Citys 5th District into three Republican-leaning districts. The bill also included a proposed constitutional amendment, House Joint Resolution 3, dubbed the Protect Missouri Voters amendment. Three dead after crash closes I-55 south of Festus Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Missouris conservative, common-sense values should be truly represented at all levels of government, and the Missouri First Map delivers just that, states Governor Kehoe. The redistricting has drawn significant opposition. Critics argue the new 5th District, which stretches nearly 200 miles from the Missouri-Kansas border to Hermann, dilutes Democratic influence in Kansas City. Opponents have mobilized with an initiative petition drive that has drawn thousands of volunteers statewide. Kehoe has defended the plan as both legal and a truer representation of Missouri than the map approved three years ago. Still, the political and legal challenges ahead are expected to be centered in Kansas City and St. Louis, where Democrats argue the map undermines fair representation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Industrial stocks have quietly become this years biggest winners, and most investors dont even realize it. While everyones been talking about tech and artificial intelligence (AI), the companies that actually build the infrastructure for our economy have been crushing it. Fidelitys industrial fund managers said this sector is the top performer of 2025 so far, and they dont think the partys over. Heres why these stocks are surging and which ones Fidelity is betting on. Check Out: Self-Made Millionaires Suggest 5 Stocks You Should Never Sell Read Next: Here's the Minimum Salary Required To Be Considered Upper Class in 2025 Why Industrial Stocks Are Having Their Moment Three major trends are driving industrial stocks higher, according to Fidelitys research. First, some companies are bringing manufacturing back to the United States, which means more demand for factory equipment and construction services. Second, the AI boom isnt just about software. It also needs massive physical infrastructure. Every data center requires backup power systems, climate control and electrical equipment that industrial companies provide. Third, aerospace and defense spending has ramped up significantly. This sector alone makes up about 25% of the industrials category and has jumped 32% this year. Clayton Pfannenstiel, who manages Fidelitys Select Industrials Portfolio, said industrial companies have an inside position on the biggest economic trends happening right now. See More: Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Bought Over $73 Million in Shares of This Tech Company Heres Why The AI Infrastructure Play Most People Miss When people think about AI investing, they usually focus on chip companies like Nvidia. But Pfannenstiel said the real money might be in the companies that build what AI needs to function. Building a data center requires industrial assets such as a reliable source of backup power, advanced climate-control systems and substantial electrical equipment, he explained. This creates huge demand for companies that most people have never heard of but that are essential to making AI work in the real world. Fidelitys Top Industrial Stock Picks Based on Fidelitys Select Industrials Portfolio holdings, here are the companies the fund manager is most confident about: GE Aerospace makes up 7.7% of the portfolio and has benefited from the recovery in air travel. The company builds jet engines and aircraft systems, and airlines are finally replacing planes they delayed buying during the pandemic. GE Vernova represents 7.6% of holdings and focuses on power generation equipment. As data centers and industrial facilities need more electricity, Vernovas turbines and power systems become more valuable. A Missouri woman has been sentenced to serve more than four years in prison after she attempted to steal Graceland from Elvis Presleys family. Lisa Jeanine Findley was accused of posing as a bogus investor while claiming rights to Graceland. The historic landmark in Memphis, Tennessee, draws more than half a million visitors a year, and Presley notably lived on the estate until he died in 1977 after suffering a heart attack. Findley, who has gone by many other names throughout her criminal career, was sentenced to a 57-month prison term and three years of probation during the Tuesday, September 23, court hearing in Memphis, according to NBC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She began her attempt to steal Graceland by pretending to be executive Kurt Naussany, who she claimed ran a company that doesnt exist. In July 2023, she began emailing lawyers for Presleys granddaughter, Riley Keough, after she was named the sole trustee and owner of Graceland following the death of her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, in January 2023. Teen Arrested for Allegedly Hacking Into Several Las Vegas Casinos, $100 Million in Losses While pretending to be Naussany, Findley, 54, demanded she be paid for a $3.8 million loan she claimed Lisa Marie took out in 2018 and put up Graceland as collateral. Naussany Investments filed papers asserting its rights to the home, explaining that they planned to unload the property in a foreclosure sale. However, it was found that none of the claims made by Naussany Investments were true. According to NBC News, it was discovered that documents with the signatures of Lisa Marie Presley and a Florida notary were forged. The case continued until May 2024, when Keough, 36, sued to stop the foreclosure and insisted the deal was a scam. A judge ultimately shut the whole case down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As reporters began investigating the origin of the con, it was discovered that Findley was the mastermind behind the scam. NBC News first reported that Findley was involved in June 2024, and she was arrested eight weeks later on charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Traveler Found With Skull, Other Human Remains at Tampa International Airport Findley agreed to a plea deal in February 2025, in which she admitted to being guilty of mail fraud. Meanwhile, prosecutors agreed to drop the second charge. Weeks before her sentencing, Findley and her defense lawyer asked for leniency by arguing that she did not go through with the fraudulent claim and never made any money off of the scam. This outrageously concocted scheme was, to quote Marvin Gaye, doomed from the start, Findleys court-appointed public defender, Tyrone Paylor, wrote in the court filing, per NBC News. CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) The leader of Moldovas pro-European ruling party is blunt about the stakes in Sundays tense parliamentary election: a continued path toward the European Union or a country brought back under Russias orbit. The results of these elections will define the countrys future not just for the next four years, but for many, many years ahead, Igor Grosu, the president of the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity, or PAS, told The Associated Press on Thursday in the capital, Chisinau. The party he leads has held a strong parliamentary majority since 2021, but risks losing it in Sundays vote to elect a new 101-seat legislature, with no other viable pro-European alternatives on the ballot but several Russia-friendly ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grosu, who is also the speaker of parliament, said Sundays vote is no longer just a choice between East and West, but a choice between peace and war. Peace means the EU, and war means Russia," he said. Things have become very stark, very simplified. These are existential elections, at a crossroads, he added. "Theres no middle path, no middle option. Allegations of Russian interference The outcome of Sundays high-stakes election could at least in part depend on how effective Russias alleged hybrid war to undermine support for PAS has been in favor of political forces that would slow down or potentially derail Moldovas EU path. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand this, our opponents understand this, and by opponents, I dont just mean internal ones, Grosu said. I mean the Russian Federation and all the criminals and propagandists gathered around it The stakes are very high. Grosu's party has campaigned on a pledge to continue Moldovas path toward EU membership by signing an accession treaty by 2028, doubling incomes, modernizing infrastructure, and fighting corruption. The PAS leaders comments come a day after Moldovas Prime Minister Dorin Recean warned that Russia is spending hundreds of millions of euros to take power in Chisinau to affect the outcome of Sundays vote, describing it as a siege on our country. The alleged schemes include a large-scale vote-buying operation, more than 1,000 cyberattacks on critical government infrastructure so far this year, a plan to incite riots around Sundays election and a sprawling disinformation campaign online to sway voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moscow has repeatedly denied meddling in Moldova. In a statement Thursday, Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed allegations of Russian interference in Moldovas elections as anti-Russian and unsubstantiated. We see that Moldovan officials Russophobic attacks are neither understood nor supported by the Moldovan people, said spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Moldovan authorities have intensified their crackdown in recent months. This week, 74 people were detained during 250 raids as part of an investigation into an alleged Russia-backed plan to incite mass riots and destabilize the country. One was detained over the financing of a political party allegedly linked to Russia through cryptocurrencies. UK warns of Russian interference Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Britains Defense Ministry also issued a statement saying that Russia is almost certainly conducting an extensive interference campaign in Moldova ahead of the election. Should the ruling party win a majority of seats in the election, Russian-backed information actors will almost certainly promote narratives undermining the integrity of the election, the statement read. Sundays vote will also be held less than a year after Moldovans voted narrowly in favor of securing the countrys EU path, the same day pro-Western President Maia Sandu won a second term in a presidential vote. But those votes were also overshadowed by widespread claims of Russian interference and a massive vote-buying scheme, which Moscow denied. Grosu says that Moldovan authorities are better prepared for Sundays vote to counter the alleged interference campaign, but that it is an uphill battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, Russia has enormous resources: financial, human, logistical, and intelligence that it uses, he said. But I believe in the determination and mobilization spirit of Moldovans, at home and in the diaspora. Opposition wants to normalize Russia ties A key opponent of PAS in Sundays election is the Russia-friendly Patriotic Electoral Bloc, or BEP, a grouping of four political parties. The bloc has campaigned on promising good relations with the EU and normalizing ties with Russia, "permanent neutrality" and a state that serves the people, not officials. On Thursday, the Chisinau Court of Appeal granted a request from the justice ministry to restrict the Heart of Moldova party's activities for 12 months, which was part of the BEP. The court's decision came after searches earlier this month on party members that led to allegations of voter bribery, illegal party financing, and money laundering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Irina Vlah, leader of the Heart of Moldova, called the move a blatant political ploy to allegedly silence her party. For four weeks straight, weve been subjected to attacks vile, dirty, cynical, she wrote on Facebook. But if PAS is hoping to intimidate or break us, theyre sorely mistaken. It is unclear whether the decision can be appealed or how it will affect the election. The court's decision came the same day Vlah was banned from entering Poland, Latvia, and Estonia. Polands Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the five-year ban was for helping the Russian Federation interfere in the preparations for the parliamentary elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on Thursday, Vladimir Plahotniuc, a fugitive Moldovan oligarch implicated in a $1 billion bank fraud who fled Moldova in 2019, was extradited from Greece after being detained there in July. The one who handcuffed an entire country through intimidation, fabricated cases, illegal takeover of businesses, and enrichment at the expense of the people is now brought in handcuffs before the justice system of Moldova, Prime Minister Recean said in a post on Facebook. After 4 years, we see that the criminals no longer control Moldova. ____ Katie Marie Davies contributed to this report from Manchester, U.K. The memorial service is held for conservative political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at an event during his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) A national free speech watchdog is calling for a Montana State University-Northern professor to return to work after she was placed on a leave of absence following social media comments critical of Charlie Kirk. The issue in Havre highlights the conservative firestorm over how people talked about the late right-wing influencers career. A movement immediately following Kirks death sought to expose those who spoke in ways they perceived to be negative of the influencer, which was fanned by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and got late night host Jimmy Kimmel suspended from his show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kirk, who was 31 at the time of his death, was a controversial right-wing influencer noted for his reach among young people and as a passionate defender of free speech. High-profile right-wing influencers targeted Montanans for social media posts they made in the days that followed Kirks death. This has led to threats against people and businesses across the state as well as suspended a professor. Samantha Balemba-Brownlee, an associate professor at MSU-Northern in criminal justice, was put on leave by the school earlier this month following comments she made on Facebook critical of Kirk. This led to a letter in her defense from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression to MSU-Northern last week. Balemba-Brownlees comments were also included in the letter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not condoning violence, but maybe people are sick of the garbage he spews, perhaps? they read in part. She also wrote, He was a misogynistic, racist, homophobic, xenophobic ahole. He spread hate. He harmed society. He cut down women at every turn. No, I do not mourn the man. And Update: He died. Aw shucks. Thoughts and prayers. The organization sent the letter to Greg Kegel, the schools Chancellor, on Sept. 17, asking for a response by Sept. 23. MSU-Northern did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the state board of regents said they do not comment on personnel matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If MSUN chooses to ignore its free speech obligations and punish protected faculty speech, it will open the door to censorship of countless views on campus and chill others from sharing their opinions, the letter reads. Both of these outcomes are unacceptable at an institution bound by the First Amendment. The letter also added that any criticism of Balemba-Brownlees comments was also protected speech. To be sure, this principle does not shield Balemba-Brownlee from every consequence of her speech including criticism by other students, faculty, or the broader community, the letter reads. Criticism is a form of the more speech, the remedy that the First Amendment prefers over censorship. But MSUNs obligations under the First Amendment limit the types of consequences it may impose, and investigating faculty for their protected expression clearly violates that commitment. Much of the issue was stirred up on social media and Balemba-Brownlee received death threats, Lee Newspapers reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the immediate aftermath of Kirks death, conservatives especially online influencers began to track negative or perceived bad-taste comments made about Kirks life. One of the biggest names was Chaya Raichik, who posts online as Libs of TikTok and boasts 4.4 million followers on X. Raichik posted about Balemba-Brownlee on Sept. 17. Samantha is allegedly not even a U.S. citizen! Raichik wrote in a post that showed the Facebook comments and reached more than a half million views. Her visa should be REVOKED @StateDept @SecRubio We do not want foreigners who justify m*rder in our country! Raichiks claim could not be verified. Balemba-Brownlee did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An hour before her MSU-Northern tweet, Raichik posted about a Billings teacher, Dan Johnson. Raichik posted a screenshot of a Facebook post from Johnson. Charlie Kirks death is literally chickens coming home to roost. Rouse me for something worth anyones time, reads the screenshot of a post, purportedly written by Johnson. Raichik tagged the Billings school district in her post. Inquiries to the Billings Public Schools sent by the Daily Montanan went unreturned. Johnson did not immediately return an emailed request for comment. The social media whiplash against criticism of Kirk in Montana was not limited to teachers, state employees were targeted too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In yet another post, Raichik went after an employee of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Keith Leathers is a Child Support Investigator for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Raichik wrote. He reportedly posted He was a white nationalist. He isnt worth remembering. Our tax dollars pay his salary. Whats @DPHHSMTdoing about this? The DPHHS did not immediately return a request for comment. When reached, Leathers said he was not sure if he was cleared to speak to a reporter. Raichiks DPHHS post got more than 200,000 views and quoted a post from a local far-right news source, the Missoula Sentinel. In a post on its website, the Sentinel collected more than a dozen screenshots from various people in Montana criticizing Kirk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Businesses in the state were targeted too, including Five on Black in Missoula and a coffee shop in Bozeman. An account with nearly 70,000 followers, posting with the handle @Missus_Massacre posted about both Montana businesses. Those posts spread over the right-wing social mediasphere, with one quoted by former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani that included the Bozeman coffee shops phone number. In Missoula, a Five on Black employee shared a meme laughing at Kirks death, leading to backlash. The Missus_Massacre account posted a screenshot of the employees post, and included the name as well as the addresses and phone numbers for both Five on Black locations. That post was seen more than 400,000 times and Five on Blacks owner, Tom Snyder, responded on X, saying he had a direct and difficult conversation with the employee, but would not be firing him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snyder then spoke to threats that had followed. My staff and I have been flooded with angry calls, hateful emails, racial slurs sent to my personal email, and hundreds of one-star reviews, Snyder wrote. Young employees, both right leaning and left leaning, feel nervous coming into work, worried someone will come in angry or threatening. A 20-year-old employee cannot be expected to field hundreds of abusive calls. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte addressed negative comments of Kirk in a statement on X. He also brought up a 2023 law that prohibits employees from being fired for social media posts. Its disgusting to see people using their freedom of speech to celebrate Charlie Kirks murder on social media and further divide our country, Gianfortes statement reads. I swore an oath to uphold the laws of Montana and our Constitution, including the freedom of speech, regardless of how vile it is. Satellite footage has shown that Iran is rebuilding aspects of its ballistic missile program. How threatening is that, and how soon might it be a problem? While most of the focus from the June Israel-Iran War was on the Islamic Republics nuclear program, there was a jump in attention on the ballistic missile threat. Tehrans ballistic missiles killed almost 30 Israelis, wounded thousands, and damaged over 10,000 buildings and residences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Satellite footage has shown that Iran is rebuilding aspects of its ballistic missile program. How threatening is that, and how soon might it be a problem? First of all, after the nuclear program, the other reason Israel said it struck the Islamic Republic in June was that the ayatollahs were racing from their 2,500 ballistic missile arsenal to an increase of 8,800 around mid-2027, and over 10,000 by 2028. Jerusalem feared such an arsenal could overwhelm Israels missile shield. Currently, Iran is rebuilding many ballistic missile facilities, but the big focus is on planetary mixers the large mixers needed to produce solid fuel for the weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These machines have blades that revolve around a central point, like orbiting planets, and lead to better mixing results than other kinds of equipment that could also be used. Russia-China cooperation with Iran There are concerns that Iran will buy new mixers from China, with US officials and others having already accused Beijing of previously selling missile fuel ingredients and other ballistic missile components to Iran. Big questions have been asked recently about the elevation of cooperation between Russia, along with China, in helping Iran rebuild aspects of its ability to threaten Israel. The Jerusalem Post has exclusively reported that Mossad Director David Barnea would say that China and Russia must think 10 times about helping Iran. His view is that the Mossad and Israel have declared to the entire world the incredible supremacy Israel has in the air against their missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Based on this, the Mossad is not that sure that so many nations will look to help the Islamic Republic. Barnea thinks that these countries will need to take into account that, like Russias weapons this past June, their weapons will fail, the Post has learned. After that, their systems will be thought of as being weak against Israeli capabilities. Pressed on reports that China is already gambling more on Iran, the Mossad would double down and warn the Chinese to think 1,000 times because their systems can be attacked if Iran uses them. Clearly, Israel is keeping a close eye on this issue. Probably there is a preference at this stage for covert action against Iranian efforts to rebuild the ballistic missile program, but now that Israel has shown it can strike Tehrans key weapons programs with devastating effect, the IDF may be more willing to throw the dice a second time, even if the threat has not yet fully materialized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of this brings into focus the importance of preventing Iran from developing a viable air force that can compete with the IDF. Until now, Irans air force has been a disaster, mostly having been produced before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, as no one would sell the Islamic Republic aircraft. However, an Iranian parliament member has now claimed that Russia sent a group ofMiG-29 aircraft to Tehran. These aircraft would not be a game changer, as it is also inferior to Israels F-35 and some of its other fighters. However, it could provide Iran with some additional real resistance to future Israeli airstrikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, if Moscow did give Iran these new MiG aircraft, it might also be considering giving Iran its Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, which are more advanced than many of Israels aircraft, other than the F-35. While these developments are of significant concern, there are also signs that this could be a public relations exercise more than a major change in weapons transfers. Iran said in January that it had received Su-35 aircraft, and none of them fought against Israeli aircraft this past June. Whether Iran lied and never received the Su-35s or whether they were not ready to use them and risk them being shot down, it seems that Iranian announcements about Russian aircraft do not necessarily translate into an immediate threat, and sometimes mean close to nothing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, the devil is in the details. Either the rebuilding of the ballistic missiles or the transfer of serious fighter jets could be a major threat to Israel, but all of this could also be mere attempts to deter and intimidate the Jewish state. Attorney General Liz Murrill. (Matthew Perschall for Louisiana Illuminator) Louisianas Liz Murrill and 16 other Republican state attorneys general have signed a letter to college administrators warning them not to impose a tax on free speech by asking student organizations to pay high security fees for controversial speakers. The letter, led by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, said that in the wake of the shooting death of ultra-conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University earlier this month, reports have circulated that colleges have used his death as justification to shut down free speech with exorbitant security fees. The letter did not cite any specific examples. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorneys general referred to prohibitive security fees as the assassins veto, a play on the hecklers veto, a phenomenon in which a controversial speakers right to free speech is curtailed by an overwhelming negative response. We trust that you will continue to take steps to keep your campuses safe, the attorneys general wrote. And we also trust that you wont use safety as a pretext to silence debate, at a time when it is sorely needed. Kirk, 31, was known for holding events at universities across the country where he engaged in debate with students. Though he was successful in mobilizing young people to support conservative causes, Kirk was a controversial figure for his often inflammatory comments about race, sexuality and religion. His events often sparked outrage from students with opposing viewpoints. Kirks appearance at Utah Valley was the first stop on a tour that would have included an Oct. 27 visit to LSU. Turning Point USA, the conservative student organization Kirk founded, has announced the tour would go on without Kirk. The LSU stop will feature Gov. Jeff Landry and Allie Beth Stuckey, a conservative Christian podcaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colleges and universities have at times struggled to balance their obligations to protect free speech with their duty to student safety. Universities often have small campus police departments that are stretched thin when high-profile, controversial speakers come to campus. The AGs letter asks schools to confirm their facility use and security fee policies are viewpoint neutral and asks them to develop standards for applying fees. There should be clear protocols for event approval and protecting speakers, ensuring security is the responsibility of the institution rather than a financial barrier on disfavored speech, the letter reads. Courts have held that exorbitant security fees can violate the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees a right to free speech. A fee is especially dubious if its applied based on the content of the speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, a federal judge last year blocked the University of New Mexico from requiring the schools chapter of Turning Point to pay a $5,400 security fee to host a campus event featuring anti-transgender activist Riley Gaines. The AGs warned in their letter they would investigate all complaints made to their offices alleging universities are curtailing speech. Murrill and Bird were joined on the letter by Steve Marshall of Alabama, Stephen Cox of Alaska, Tim Griffin of Arkansas, James Utheimer of Florida, Chris Carr of Georgia, Todd Rokita of Indiana, Kris Kobach of Kansas, Andrew Bailey of Missouri, Austin Knudsen of Montana, Mike Hilgers of Nebraska, Gentner Drummond of Oklahoma, Alan Wilson of South Carolina, Marty Jackley of South Dakota, Ken Paxton of Texas and Derek Brown of Utah. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE [Source] A Texas man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to hate crime charges for allegedly threatening New York State Assemblyman and New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani with death. The allegations: Jeremy Fistel, 44, is accused of sending Mamdani threats through various channels between June and July. In one voicemail message dated June 11, he allegedly told the Uganda-born Indian American official, Hey Zohran, you should go back to fucking Uganda before someone shoots you in the fucking head and gets rid of your whole fucking family, too. You piece of shit Muslims dont belong here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall, Fistel faces four counts of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, four counts of making a terroristic threat, seven counts of second degree aggravated harassment as a hate crime and seven counts of second degree aggravated harassment. A conviction on the top charge could land him up to 15 years in prison. About the suspect: So far, little is known about Fistel, who resides in Plano. Investigators say he blocked his caller ID during the threatening calls and used his personal email account for written messages. His lawyer reportedly cited free speech rights and criticized prosecutors for seriously overcharging this case. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, however, emphasized the gravity of the case: Let me be very clear we take threats of violence against any office holder extremely seriously and there is no room for hate or bigotry in our political discourse. Trending on NextShark: Native Hawaiian group aims to buy back ancestral land Meanwhile, the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) applauded the arrest, with Executive Director Afaf Nasher declaring, No public servant or any individual should be subjected to Islamophobic harassment or violence simply for serving their community or for being who they are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamdanis response: Fistels prosecution comes as Mamdani receives Gov. Kathy Hochuls endorsement. In a statement, his campaign thanked prosecutors while noting that such incidents demonstrate a broader climate of hate that has no place in our city. Mamdani also assured supporters of his safety, vowing, We cannot and will not be intimidated by racism, Islamophobia and hate. Security protocols were enhanced following the threats, with incumbent Mayor Eric Adams confirming Mamdani now has a full police detail while criticizing him for spending his life bashing the NYPD. Fistel, who is currently out on bail, is set to return to court on Nov. 19. Trending on NextShark: Buttigieg disputes sexual orientation concerns after Harris revelation This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Trump, Xi to meet in South Korea next month Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! NATO allies are divided over whether the alliance should make it a policy to shoot down Russian jets that violate NATOs airspace, with some countries including the US, Poland and Baltic nations signaling that future violations should be met with force, while others, including Germany, urge more restraint. The issue came to a head during an emergency meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Tuesday, which was called by Estonia after three Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace last week for 12 minutes. Representatives from several countries, including Poland and Estonia, wanted the joint statement following the meeting to make clear that any additional violations by Russia, including from manned aircraft, would be met with force, according to two NATO officials familiar with the discussions something that NATO has the authority to do if necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Germany and some southern European countries pushed to remove that language from the statement, the NATO officials said, worrying it was too escalatory. Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna delivers a statement at a Security Council emergency meeting to discuss Russian fighter jet incursions into NATO member Estonia's airspace at United Nations (UN) as world leaders arrive for the 80th session of the UNs General Assembly (UNGA) on September 22, 2025 in New York City. - Spencer Platt/Getty Images The top US general for Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, who serves as NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, also gave pause to some countries in the meeting when he said the Russian incursion into Estonia was likely accidental given Russian pilots inexperience and insufficient training, CNN has reported. The final statement, endorsed by all 32 member nations, landed somewhere in the middle. NATO and Allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions. We will continue to respond in the manner, timing, and domain of our choosing, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The episode underscores how difficult it will be to get consensus on the issue, officials said, even as Russia has continued to push the boundaries of its attacks against Ukraine which have repeatedly veered into NATO territory and the deployment of its military assets near Europe. Even President Donald Trump, who has long tried to give Russia the benefit of the doubt, weighed in on Tuesday, saying Yes, I do, when asked if he thinks NATO should shoot down Russian planes that violate its airspace. You have been warned In the last two weeks alone, Russia launched as many as 21 drones at Poland, some of which were shot down by NATO fighter jets; a Russian attack drone flew into Romania; three Russian jets flew over Estonia without permission and with their transponders turned off; and a Russian military aircraft flew low over a German Navy frigate in the Baltic Sea last weekend, Germanys defense minister Boris Pistorius revealed on Wednesday. Firefighters work on the destroyed roof of a house, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine, with some being shot down by Poland with the backing from its NATO allies, in Wyryki-Wola, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland, September 10, 2025. - Kacper Pempel/Reuters Norway also announced on Monday that Russia had violated its airspace three times this year alone twice over the sea near Vard in Norways far northeast, and once over an uninhabited area in the northeastern county of Finnmark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is still unclear whether all of those incidents were intentional. NATO, US and European officials are still examining the possibility that the drone incursion into Poland, for example, was the result of Ukrainian electronic jamming that veered them off course, CNN has reported. Another NATO official told CNN that they dont view Trumps comments as a push by the US president for NATO to shift its policy, and argued that NATO should not do so. Its his hot take of the hour, the official said of Trumps remark. On our part, weve responded to the incursions with competence, meanwhile on Russias part, its incompetence. So why would we shoot them down? But for several NATO countries, particularly those on the eastern flank of the alliance closest to Russia, the intention is not what mattersthey believe Moscow needs to face consequences for its increasingly reckless and dangerous behavior. Poland's Secretary of State Marcin Bosacki addresses delegates during a Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security at U.N. headquarters in New York City, September 12, 2025. - Jeenah Moon/Reuters If another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission - deliberately or by mistake - and gets shot down, and the wreckage falls on NATO territory, please dont come here to whine about it, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said on Monday during an emergency meeting at the United Nations. You have been warned. Prudence is not cowardice Czech President Petr Pavel also said on Tuesday that we must respond appropriately, including possibly shooting down Russian aircraft. What has happened in recent days in Poland and Estonia, and what has been happening in Ukraine for four years now, concerns us all. If we dont stick together, sooner or later it will happen to us too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A senior NATO official told CNN he believes Russia is probing weak points in NATOs defenses and collecting information on how far the alliance is willing to go to protect its airspace, a concern that Germanys defense minister Boris Pistorius echoed on Tuesday. Headquarters of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. - Simon Wohlfahrt/Bloomberg/Getty Images The incursion of Russian drones and warplanes deep in Polish and Estonian airspace and the overflight of a German frigate in the Baltic Sea within a few days make it clear that Russia is literally testing borders, including of NATO states, with increasing frequency and intensity, Pistorius said. But Pistorius also pushed back strongly against getting drawn into Russias escalation trap and urging calm in NATOs response. Frivolous demands to bring something down from the sky are unhelpful, Pistorius said on Wednesday. Prudence is not cowardice, but rather responsibility toward your own country and toward peace in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finnish President Alexander Stubb similarly urged caution, advising allies on Tuesday in an interview with Bloomberg not to overreact but be firm enough, because the only thing Russia understands is power. A higher risk of escalation Grynkewich, the commander of US European Command who is dual-hatted as NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told French newspaper Le Monde on Wednesday that shooting down a fighter jet is much riskier than taking down a drone. Its a much easier decision to shoot down an unmanned drone that comes into the airspace, he said. We do have to take into account factors like: where is it, whats underneath it when we shoot it down, what is the risk to the population of engaging it and what is it threatening. NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus G. Grynkewich during a press conference on the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on September 12, 2025. - Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP/Getty Images But shooting down manned aircraft like fighter jets clearly carries a higher risk of escalation if theres an engagement that kills someone on either side, Grynkewich said. I can say that if theres a bona fide threat from any kind of item in the air, manned or unmanned, etc., were ready to take whatever action is necessary to defend our populations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grynkewich acknowledged the varying approaches within NATO on this issue, telling Le Monde that each nation within the alliance has different expectations of when and how NATO assets should intervene. Some countries like Poland want a very broad application of NATO assets to engage possible threats, he said, but other nations make different judgments. We work with them on what are the parameters [in which] they would want us to engage, and when would they want to take national action versus NATO action, Grynkewich said. So its not the same in every nation, but we work very closely with them to make sure that we limit the number of restrictions as much as possible, because that gives us the most tactical flexibility. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has assured Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of the alliance's solidarity following drone incidents at Danish airports. The situation is being taken "very seriously," Rutte wrote on the X social network after a conversation with Frederiksen. He added that the allies were working together to ensure "the safety and security of our critical infrastructure." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frederiksen later stated that Denmark and NATO had agreed to work together to "ensure safety and security." She said she had spoken with Rutte about the "serious situation" in Denmark. The Danish government says it had experienced a "hybrid attack" following renewed drone sightings at several airports in the country. Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said at a joint press conference with Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard in Copenhagen that it seems a "professional" was behind the attack, though it is still unclear who that might have been. Slovenia, an EU member state which last year recognized a Palestinian state, imposed an arms embargo on Israel in August and introduced a ban on imports of goods produced in Palestinian territories. Slovenia on Thursday imposed a travel ban on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a government statement, after last year officially recognizing Palestine and in July banning two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers. "With this action, Slovenia confirms its commitment to international law, the universal values of human rights, and a principled and consistent foreign policy," Neva Grasic, the Secretary of State at the Foreign Ministry, said, according to the government's X account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EU member Slovenia imposed an arms embargo on Israel in August and introduced a ban on imports of goods produced in the West Bank. Grasic said the government acted against Netanyahu because he stands accused by the International Court of Justice of committing war crimes in Gaza. "The public is aware that proceedings are underway against him for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity," Grasic said. A pro-Palestinian activist is wrapped in an image depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu behind bars as demonstrators march towards the Slovenian Prime Minister's Office, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, August 6, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/BORUT ZIVULOVIC) "With this decision, the government is sending a clear message to the state of Israel that Slovenia expects consistent compliance with the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law," she added. Slovenia calls for ceasefire in Gaza The tiny Alpine country, along with other European countries, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza and increased aid deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, the government imposed an embargo on exports, imports, and transit of arms to and from Israel, two weeks after it declared Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich persona non grata over "genocidal statements" and incitement of violence against Palestinians. In August, Slovenia introduced a ban on imports of goods produced in the West Bank and approved an additional aid package for Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday that negotiations on a security agreement with neighbouring Syria are under way. The statement said the prerequisites for an agreement are the demilitarization of the border region in south-western Syria and the protection of the Druze religious minority, which Israel considers an ally. Netanyahu had already hinted at the talks a few days ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The negotiations have been conducted in secret for months. Syrian sources said the country's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with an Israeli delegation in Paris in August. Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa also confirmed that negotiations were being held, but he emphasized that an agreement would not mean normalization with Israel. The negotiations are aimed at regulating the presence of Syrian and Israeli troops and security forces in the border area. Israel wants to prevent Iran-backed militias or armed Islamist groups that are hostile to Israel from settling in the area. Since a rebel alliance ousted longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad last December, the Israeli military has attacked targets in Syria hundreds of times. According to Israel, these attacks have destroyed weapons depots and military equipment. Israel and Syria have been officially at war since 1948 and no peace treaty has ever been signed. The Golan Heights, which Israel occupied in 1967 and annexed in 1981, are a key point of contention. PGIM, an investment management company, released its PGIM Jennison Health Sciences Fund second-quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Equities in the second quarter of 2025 experienced significant volatility, as the steep sell-off that initiated at the beginning of the quarter ultimately led to a strong recovery. The S&P 1500 Health Care Index declined 6.9% in the second quarter, underperforming the S&P 500s 10.9% return. Health care providers & services, life sciences tools & services, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals underperformed the Index in the quarter. While healthcare technology and medtech gained in the quarter. In June, the S&P 1500 Health Care Index (the Index) gained 1.9%, lagging the S&P 500, which advanced 5.1%. In addition, please check the funds top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025. In its second-quarter 2025 investor letter, PGIM Jennison Health Sciences Fund highlighted stocks such as Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY). Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The one-month return of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) was 0.56%, and its shares lost 19.05% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On September 24, 2025, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) stock closed at $741.85 per share, with a market capitalization of $660.42 billion. PGIM Jennison Health Sciences Fund stated the following regarding Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) in its second quarter 2025 investor letter: Donald Trumps handpicked U.S. attorney in Virginia is planning to ask a grand jury in the coming days to indict former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly lying to Congress, despite prosecutors and investigators determining there was insufficient evidence to charge him, sources with direct knowledge of the probe told ABC News. Earlier this week, prosecutors presented Lindsey Halligan -- Trumps former personal attorney whom he appointed to lead the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia -- with a detailed memo recommending that she decline to bring perjury and obstruction charges against Comey, the sources familiar with the memo said. A monthslong investigation into Comey by DOJ prosecutors failed to establish probable cause of a crime -- meaning that not only would they be unable to secure a conviction of Comey by proving the claims beyond a reasonable doubt, but that they couldnt reach a significantly lower standard to secure an indictment, the sources said. Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this June 8, 2017 file photo, former FBI Director James Comey testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Washington D.C. US attorney resigns amid pressure from Trump after sources say he refused to charge NY AG Letitia James Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Justice Department guidelines , prosecutors are generally barred from bringing charges unless they can prove a defendant will "more likely than not be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by an unbiased trier of fact and that the conviction will be upheld on appeal." Despite their recommendations, Halligan -- who has never prosecuted a criminal case in her career as an insurance lawyer -- plans to present evidence to a grand jury before the statute of limitations for the alleged offense expires next week, the sources said. Comey's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Halligans apparent plan to seek charges against Comey follows a clear directive from Trump, who over the weekend directly called for prosecutions against Comey, Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Nothing is being done. What about Comey, Adam Shifty Schiff, and Leticia???" Trump wrote in a social media post on Saturday evening, directly addressing Attorney General Pam Bondi. "We cant delay any longer, its killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!" Jacquelyn Martin/AP, FILE - PHOTO: Lindsey Halligan, special assistant to the president, speaks with a reporter outside of the White House, Aug. 20, 2025. Trump says he is appointing Lindsey Halligan, one of his former attorneys, to lead key prosecutor's office According to sources, Halligans deputy -- a prosecutor who was briefly assigned to lead the office just a day before Trump appointed Halligan to the high-profile position -- has also expressed reservations about bringing the politically charged case. Halligan has been spotted at DOJ headquarters in Washington, D.C., at least twice this week for meetings which, in part, centered around the Comey matter, sources said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States Attorneys office in the Eastern District of Virginia -- which prosecutes the bulk of the countrys national security cases -- has been thrown into tumult amid Trumps campaign to push for prosecutions of his political adversaries. Trump officials pressuring federal prosecutors to bring criminal charges against NY AG Letitia James: Sources Erik Siebert, Trumps previous nominee to the position, resigned from the office after sources said he refused to bring charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James over unfounded allegations of mortgage fraud. Trump later claimed he "fired" Siebert and quickly installed Halligan into the position, as he continued to make unprecedented calls for the speedy prosecution of his political foes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I just want people to act, they have to act, and we want to act fast," Trump said on Saturday. "They were ruthless and vicious. I was impeached twice. I was indicted five times. It turned out to be a fake deal. And we have to act fast, one way or the other, one way or the other: they're guilty, they're not guilty. We have to act fast. If they're not guilty, that's fine. If they are guilty, or if they should be charged, they should be judged. And we have to do it now." The government could shut down in less than a week. Here's what you need to know Trump has long criticized Comey, who briefly served as the director of the FBI during Trumps first term but was fired over his handling of an investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. The Department of Justice launched an investigation into Comey earlier this year after FBI Director Kash Patel claimed to discover "burn bags" containing sensitive documents at the FBI headquarters related to the Russia probe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, CIA Director John Ratcliffe released a review that concluded the 2016 intelligence assessment over alleged collusion was conducted through an atypical & corrupt process under the politically charged environments of Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan. When asked about the probe in July, Trump told reporters he believes Brennan and Comey are "truly bad people and dishonest people." "I will tell you, I think they're very dishonest people. I think they're crooked as hell. And, maybe they have to pay a price for that," Trump said. Comey and Brennan have both stood by the integrity of the 2016 intelligence assessment, arguing its findings on Russia's interference in the election were bolstered by bipartisan congressional investigations as well as former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation on ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign. Most Connecticut residents were unable to join the 6.2 million Americans who watched the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Tuesday night as Nexstar, which owns ABC affiliate station WTNH, continues to preempt the late-night show. In response, the Connecticut Citizen Action Group held a protest Thursday afternoon outside the WTNH news station in New Haven, decrying Nexstar's decision as "censorship, media consolidation and (a) threat to free speech and democracy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some 35 people were at the protest Thursday, many loudly chanting "Shame!" and were joined by motorists who honked their horns. State Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, was in attendance and asked for the attorney general to look into whether WTNH and its parent company, which is in the process of buying Fox 61's parent company Tegna, are violating the state's Antitrust Act. Lesser said Nexstar's action to not broadcast "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was in bad faith. "We saw a bald-faced threat from Brendan Carr, the head of the FCC, to Nexstar, the owner of WTNH, which is in the process of trying to buy Tegna, the owner of WTIC Box 61 in Hartford," Lesser said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you don't like what Jimmy Kimmel has to say, change the channel," Lesser added. "But it is not the White House's job, it is not the FCC's job to tell us who we're allowed to see on TV, it is an abuse of the First Amendment, and it is not a question of Nexstar being the victim here. Because they are flatly violating the rules." The protest began at noon outside the WTNH station on Elm Street. Some of those in attendance carried signs reading "free speech," "censorship is unAmerican" and a former WTNH employee carried a placard that read"Nexstar = Death Star to free speech." The former employee declined to comment. Nexstar's ongoing decision to preempt Kimmel's show came due to remarks the veteran late-night host made last week about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University earlier this month. Kimmel said that many Trump supporters were "desperately trying to characterize" the shooter as separate from their political movement and later mocked a video clip that showed President Trump deflecting from a question about Kirk to discuss ongoing renovations to the White House ballroom. Trump-appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr reacted harshly to Kimmel's statements, threatening to revoke ABC's broadcast license as a result. Ultimately, Nexstar and Sinclar were the first networks to act, announcing their plans to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Sept. 17, before Walt Disney-owned ABC announced that it would indefinitely suspend Kimmel's program hours later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ABC announced Monday that the show would return after discussions with Kimmel's team and representatives from the network, but Nexstar and Sinclair have remained firm in their decision to preempt the show. Notably, Nexstar recently announced its plans to acquire Tegna, a broadcast company that is the largest group owner of NBC-affiliated stations. The $6.2 billion deal would require the approval of the FCC, which is scheduled to vote on the merger in one week. Connecticut Citizen Action Group representative Liz Dupont-Diehl said the group organized the demonstration in one day to protest Nexstar's action. Dupont-Diehl said the group was motivated by an "ostensibly free press bowing to government pressure." "That's what motivated all of us," she said. "We want to call it out." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. Kaitlyn Shake, D-Stratford, agreed and said she wanted to come to New Haven for this. "It's important when there's something like this and there's a call to action we all have to participate in order to keep our democracy alive," she said. Lesser also said Nexstar is trying to circumvent "long-standing FCC rules." He said the rules say no media company should own more than 39% of the stations in a given market. "And what the Trump administration and what Commissioner Carr said is, never mind that, don't worry about the rules, because we can waive the rules when we like the people who are going to break the rules, and we will enforce the rules when we don't like it,'" he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lesser said he worries Nexstar pulled Kimmel to help get the merger approved. "But if they use it for Kimmel on this thing, what's the next thing they're going to use that for?" he said. Alder Eli Sabin who represents the 7th ward said he felt the FCC's move is part of the Trump administration's efforts "to rig the economy for wealthy folks and they don't want anybody to be able to criticize them, they don't want people to pay attention." "And that's how this starts," he added. "They try to get unfriendly reporters off the air, they try to sue reporters and newspapers for defamation just for reporting the truth. And we have to fight back." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Linda Pancoast, of New Haven, said she joined the protest to defend the right of free speech. "I'm also against corporate monopolies governing our right to hear what we want to hear and say what we want to say," she said. Hannah Lieterman, of New Haven, said she feels people in Connecticut have generally been "insulated" from the effects of the Trump administration. "But this is a direct effect," she said. "I don't watch Jimmy Kimmel, but people have the right to." Gaye Hyre, from West Haven, said she contacted a major advertiser on WTNH, Jordan's Furniture in New Haven, to tell them she will no longer shop there then until they pull their ads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And I just wanted to make it plain that no one in my family will be buying furniture from him anymore until he makes it known that he does not like the fact that they're censoring our content," Hyre said. "Nobody has to turn Kimmel on if they don't want to." Similar protests have been held around the country as Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcasting Co., which together own 70 of the 250 ABC affiliate stations nationwide, continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live, which can be seen on this CTInsider interactive map. In recent days, Irving, Texas, which is home to one of Nexstar's corporate offices, San Francisco, Columbus and Seattle are among the media markets that have seen notable demonstrations. Jimmy Kimmel Live! typically airs at 11:35 p.m., according to the ABC website. The schedule on WTNH's website shows that on Wednesday News 8 at 11 continued into Kimmel's slot, followed by CT Buzz, which "offers viewers a glimpse into what Connecticut has to offer, including trending lifestyle and entertainment news," according to the station's website. In September 2025, a rumor circulated on social media that Erika Kirk, the CEO of the nonprofit Turning Point USA, was involved in child trafficking through a charitable project in Romania. The rumor emerged after her husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was shot dead on Sept. 10, 2025. The rumors concerned Erika Kirk's "Romanian Angels" initiative, part of her nonprofit organization Everyday Heroes Like You. The initiative's stated purpose was to support children in Romanian orphanages by sending them letters and gifts and by arranging visits from members of the U.S. military. There was no evidence the trafficking allegation was true. Newspaper articles about child trafficking in Romania that internet users shared as alleged evidence did not contain any mention of Erika Kirk or her organization. Likewise, materials from the Romanian Angels initiative that circulated online as alleged evidence did not contain any indication that the initiative was involved in trafficking or relocating any children. We reached out to Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA for more information about Erika Kirk's work in Romania and the veracity of the claim and will update this story if we hear more. Over email, the Romanian organization United Hands Romania confirmed they had worked with Erika Kirk and that they were unaware of any allegations against her. In September 2025, a rumor circulated on social media alleging that Erika Kirk (nee Frantzve), the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was involved in child trafficking through a charitable project in Romania. The claim spread online after Charlie Kirk's assassination and Erika Kirk's appointment as CEO of Turning Point USA, the nonprofit organization her husband co-founded. For instance, one Threads user wrote (archived) on Sept. 22: In 2011 Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie, had a "ministry" in Romania that worked with the U.S. government, until Romania told her ministry to leave. Go research why. I'll give you a hint. Epstein and Trump. Her ministry was accused of trafficking children from the village. - don't believe me, do your research. (Threads user @shantalfleur_) "Did ya'll know Erika Kirk is banned from Romania because her Evangelical group was accused of trafficking children out of Romanian villages? Birds of a feather I suppose," read another X post (archived) that reached more than 4.6 million views. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar claims spread on several social media platforms, such as Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok, as well as on online forums. Snopes readers emailed and searched our website for information about the claim. However, no credible evidence supports the claim that Erika Kirk or her nonprofit organization, Everyday Heroes Like You, was involved in child trafficking in Romania. Had the allegation been true, it is highly likely that it would have been documented by reputable media outlets, government agencies or human rights organizations none of which have reported any such connection. What's more, reports from Romanian-language media, archived versions of the organization's website and Erika Kirk's own social media posts indicated that the organization focused on delivering holiday gifts to children in Romanian orphanages, in collaboration with U.S. military personnel and local partners. A review of Romanian court records and reputable media sources revealed no indication of criminal activity linked to the charity. Additionally, there was no credible evidence that Erika Kirk was ever banned or expelled from Romania. We reached out to Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA to ask if they were aware of the trafficking allegations and whether she was ever asked to leave Romania, as well as for more details about her involvement with Romanian organizations and the U.S. military. We will update this article if we receive a response. What we know about 'Romanian Angels' According to archived versions of the organization's now-defunct website, Erika Kirk (then Frantzve) founded Everyday Heroes Like You, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, in 2006 and incorporated it the following year. The website said the organization aimed to support and promote other charitable initiatives across the U.S. and abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The oldest archived version of the page dated to 2011 (see screenshot below): (everydayheroeslikeyou.com via WaybackMachine) One of the featured initiatives on the website was "Romanian Angels," a project focused on supporting children in Romanian orphanages. A 2016 archived version of the website described the initiative as follows: "The Romanian Angels project brings the American heart to each child during the holiday season through personalized letters and gifts." The site further explained that in August 2012, Everyday Heroes Like You visited the Black Sea Air Support Team in Constanta, Romania, and partnered with the U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps to visit "various hospitals and orphanages." Following these visits, according to the website, the organization established a partnership with the Antonio Placement Center, an orphanage in Constanta. (www.everydayheroeslikeyou.com via WaybackMachine) The website also redirected to a 2023 YouTube video on the "Romanian Angels" project, which was also hosted on Erika Kirk's Vimeo profile. An archived 2020 version of the Everyday Heroes Like You website featured numerous photos from the project, several of which later circulated on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initiative was also covered by local Romanian media. In a 2015 article, the newspaper ZIUA de Constanta reported on the project, noting that Kirk "has been promoting the 'everyday heroes' model for several years in the countries she travels to, and her reliable helpers are the American military who want to get involved in the communities of the host countries whenever they have this opportunity." It continued (translated via Google Translate): The "Every Day Heroes Like You" organization, through Erika Lane Frantzve, brought, three years ago, a little joy to the eyes of children with cancer hospitalized in the Constanta County Emergency Hospital. The organization's volunteers, together with those of the United Hands Romania Association, cheered up the children hospitalized in the hospital through educational and entertaining activities, and their locker rooms were filled with many gifts. The article also said that Everyday Heroes Like You "visited the 'Antonio' Placement Center in Constanta, with the support of the United Hands Romania Association." The report made no mention of adoption, trafficking or any allegations against the organization. According to Oana Prisecariu, vice president of United Hands Romania, the organization collaborated with Erika Kirk personally, not through another nonprofit or organization. "She came to Constanta with her mother for a couple days and then left. A year later she sent a shipping transport of gifts for these same children at Antonio's. This was the only collaborations we had with her," Prisecariu said over email, adding that all activities were approved by the local child protection authorities and were documented and supervised by the center's staff. She added that the organization had not received any negative reports about Erika Kirk. The Every Day Heroes Like You Instagram account was last active in 2017. Kirk also shared multiple posts on her social media mentioning the "Romanian Angels" initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between 2012 and 2015, Kirk shared at least 10 Instagram posts directly mentioning or referring to her project in Romania. "God, grant me the serenity. This is my little angel Roxana from the Romanian orphanage in Constanta," she wrote in one 2012 Instagram post. An April 2015 post read, "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and I could say, 'used everything you gave me.'" In September 2025, some social media users recirculated some of these posts that featured photos of Romanian children as alleged evidence of child trafficking, despite the fact that the images did not depict any criminal activity and were originally posted in the context of publicly promoted charitable work. Debunking alleged evidence Apart from the photographs of Romanian children, social media users spreading the rumor shared a range of alleged evidence, such as screenshots of news articles. However, none of these sources substantiated the claim that Erika Kirk was involved in child trafficking. (Instagram users @freelightwarrior and @davidawakening) For example, some social media users circulated a screenshot of a BBC article headlined "Sex trafficking: Children groomed in Romania sent to UK." While the article discussed the issue of trafficking networks operating in Romania, it made no mention of Kirk or her organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, some who spread the claim cited a 2001 Haaretz article, headlined "Romania Probes Israeli Adoption Agency Link in Organ Trafficking," that stated that Romanian authorities were "looking into possible links between Israeli adoption agencies and an illegal global conspiracy to sell organs for transplants." However, that article also contained no reference to Kirk or her nonprofit, which had not yet been established at the time. Another article cited in support of the rumor was "London's Met Police help bust child trafficking gang in Romania," published by the human rights organization Anti-Slavery International in 2010. While the article reported on anti-trafficking operations in Romania, it did not mention Kirk or the "Romanian Angels" project. Some social media posts also claimed that Kirk was a "casting director," citing information from her personal website, mrserikakirk.com. However, there was no evidence that this title was connected to any illegal activity or to her charity work in Romania. Out-of-context material Some of the material featuring Erika Kirk that social media users shared online was authentic but taken out of context. One example was a poster circulated as supposed evidence of child trafficking. A reverse image search using TinEye showed the image had been publicly available online since at least Sept. 23, 2013, and was originally hosted on a now-defunct GoFundMe page. (gofundme.com via TinEye) The same image also appeared in archived versions of the Everyday Heroes Like You website from 2012 and 2013. Featuring a headline reading "JOIN THE MOVEMENT: Change the life of a Romanian Orphan this Holiday Season," the poster invited donors to "adopt a boy/girl" by choosing a child from a list and fulfilling their holiday gift wishes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the language included the word "adopt," in context it was clearly meant in a metaphorical sense, referring to gift sponsorship, not legal adoption. The poster contained no evidence of child trafficking and did not support the allegations being circulated on social media. Another piece of alleged evidence was a PDF flyer and an article published in December 2013 by Arizona Foothills Magazine, promoting the "Romanian Angels" initiative. (Google search) The flyer encouraged readers to "adopt" a Romanian orphan, a term yet again used metaphorically to refer to donating gifts to a child in need. It stated: Through the Romanian Angels program, it is possible to "adopt" an incredible Romanian orphan. In adopting your orphan, you will commit to donating the desired holiday presents for your child. There are still a few children left who have not been adopted. This is your opportunity to make an impact on a child's life. (www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com) Although the word "adopt" appeared in quotation marks early in the text, a later sentence read: "To adopt a child, simply type your name next to the child on the google spreadsheet below, and they will get in touch with you on details for dropping off your present." While this wording omitted quotation marks, the context made it clear the campaign was referring to a gift sponsorship model, not legal adoption or child relocation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The "Romanian Angels" initiatives was also featured on the magazine's website in an interview with Kirk, titled, "AZ Giving Spotlight: Erika Frantzve of Everyday Heroes Like You." All in all, the rumor was baseless Fact-checking organization LeadStories also investigated and this rumor and found no evidence it was true. "A review of Romanian court records and media reports by Lead Stories' Romanian staff found only positive mentions of the charities' work," the organization wrote, explaining that "no relevant cases in a search of Romania's national justice portal." In fact, searching for Erika Kirk's maiden name in the Romanian courts' portal returned no results. In a similar tone, BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh posted on X that the story was "totally made up." (X user @Shayan86) All in all, the allegation that Kirk was involved in child trafficking in Romania through her "Romanian Angels" initiative was baseless, and there was no evidence that she had participated in any criminal activity in the country. The organization's work is documented as a charitable project for Romanian orphans and in collaboration with American military volunteers and local charities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was not the first rumor about Erika Kirk we investigated. For example, we also looked into a claim that she had raised millions of dollars from an online fundraiser in the wake of her husband's death despite already being a multimillionaire. Sources: - YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeuIbmKtzNg. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. Andreen, Caitie. "Romanian Angel:" AZFoothills.Com, https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/extra-extra/news/6073-romanian-angel-qadoptq-a-child.html. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. Editorial. "AZ Giving Spotlight: Erika Frantzve of Everyday Heroes Like You." AZFoothills.Com, https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/features/az-giving/6169--az-giving-spotlight-erika-frantzve-of-everyday-heroes-like-you.html. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "ERIKA FRANTZVE | Sparknotes on E." MRS ERIKA KIRK, https://www.mrserikakirk.com/about. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. Fact Check: No Evidence Erika Kirk's "Romanian Angels" Evangelical Ministry Was Accused Of Trafficking Children Or Banned From Romania | Lead Stories. 23 Sep. 2025, https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2025/09/fact-check-no-evidene-erika-kirk-charity-romanian-angels-was-accused-of-trafficking-children.html. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Feverydayheroeslikeyou%2F&is_from_rle. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. "PROCLAIM x BIBLEin365." PROCLAIMxBIBLEin365, https://www.proclaim365.com. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reid, Tim. "Erika Kirk Named CEO of Turning Point USA after Husband's Murder." Reuters, 19 Sep. 2025. United States. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/erika-kirk-named-ceo-turning-point-usa-after-husbands-murder-2025-09-18/. Reznick, Ran. "Romania Probes Israeli Adoption Agency Link in Organ Trafficking." Haaretz, 12 Dec. 2001. Haaretz, https://www.haaretz.com/2001-12-12/ty-article/romania-probes-israeli-adoption-agency-link-in-organ-trafficking/0000017f-f097-dc28-a17f-fcb77dc50000. Romanian Angels. vimeo.com, https://vimeo.com/68093438. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. Sex Trafficking: Children Groomed in Romania Sent to UK. www.bbc.com, https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-60091717. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Voluntarii United Hands Romania si militarii americani, alaturi de copiii Centrului de Plasament "Antonio" (galerie foto)." ZIUA de Constanta, 19 Jun. 2015, https://www.ziuaconstanta.ro/stiri/actualitate/voluntarii-united-hands-romania-si-militarii-americani-alaturi-de-copiii-centrului-de-plasament-antonio-552397.html. "Was Erika Kirk's 'Romanian Angels' Ministry Accused of Child Trafficking? Here's the Truth on New TPUSA CEO." Hindustan Times, 22 Sep. 2025, https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/was-erika-kirks-romanian-angels-ministry-accused-of-child-trafficking-heres-the-truth-on-new-tpusa-ceo-101758499054695.html. Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025. Updates: Sep. 29, 2025: This article was updated to include a response from United Hands Romania confirming their work with Erika Kirk. A storm damaged apartment complex in a landscape scarred by Hurricane Helene on March 24, 2025 near Swannanoa, North Carolina. Communities in western North Carolina continue the recovery process. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) Its been one year since Hurricane Helene first hit Western North Carolina on Sept. 27, 2024. With so many recovery needs still yet to be addressed and so little help from the federal government, its time for the state legislature to pass a budget that prioritizes people and stops cutting taxes. Helene caused an immense amount of damage in a mountainous region that is not usually prone to hurricanes and flooding. All told, its estimated that the storm caused $60 billion in damage in Western NC, making Helene the costliest storm to ever hit our state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past year, important strides have been made to repair public roads and infrastructure, restore utilities, and expedite the process of rebuilding homes. Yet even still, as of September 2025, the combined funding for recovery from federal, state, and private sources is only about $15 billion. This means that 75 percent of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene remains unaddressed one year later. Neither the federal nor state government has taken seriously the recovery needs of Western North Carolinians. During past major hurricanes in the country, the federal government has typically covered between 40 and 50 percent of the total damage. For the costliest hurricanes like Katrina (2005), Sandy (2012), and Maria (2017), the federal government has covered about 75 percent of the billions in damage. In contrast, to date, the federal government has covered about 9 percent of the total damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. On Sept. 15, 2025, Governor Stein issued a renewed request of $13.5 billion in federal funding for Helene recovery. If granted, this would make a significant contribution toward addressing the outstanding $45 billion in damage that remains unaddressed. However, even in the optimistic scenario where Governor Steins request for the $13.5 billion in new appropriations is granted in full, were still left with over $31 billion in outstanding damages about half of all the damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With so much damage that still needs to be addressed and the expectation that these sorts of extreme climate disasters will continue, one would figure that state lawmakers would be getting serious about ensuring that we have the funding that we need to recover fully from Hurricane Helene and prepare for the next major disaster. Its all the more so critical in light of the actions being taken by the current federal administration, including sweeping staffing cuts at FEMA, cuts to essential FEMA programs, and the push to increase the responsibility of states in responding to climate disasters. Instead, our state budget writers are pushing ahead with unpopular tax cuts for profitable corporations and the ultra-wealthy that will cost our state billions in revenue that is urgently needed to respond to community needs. When fully phased in, for example, the Senates proposed tax cuts would mean over $10 billion per year in lost revenue compared to todays tax rates. Meanwhile, the House and Senates continued commitment to eliminating the corporate income tax will enrich out-of-state corporate executives and shareholders while doing nothing to help everyday North Carolinians like you and me. This is money that could be used to address the many outstanding needs in Western North Carolina. Rather than giving handouts to those who dont need them, we could instead: Address Unmet Housing Needs: Provide housing stabilization services to those who are unhoused and rental and mortgage assistance to the hundreds of thousands of disaster survivors struggling to cover the cost of housing and are now facing the prospect of eviction, foreclosure, or displacement. Support Small Businesses: Provide grants or forgivable loans for small businesses who lost the entirety of their revenue during the peak 2024 tourism season and who are still facing steep losses due to the lack of demand created by the storm. The insufficient direct support for small businesses in Western NC is exacerbating the difficulty of local economic recovery, impacting business owners, employees, and local governments alike. Support Struggling Workers: Provide workers who have had their hours reduced or lost their jobs with employment opportunities funded by the state that contribute to the recovery effort. Support Local Governments: Provide local governments with the funding that they need to restore the public infrastructure in their communities so that they dont have to take our costly loans. Invest in Resilient Infrastructure: Prioritize resilience in the rebuilding effort so that we build back better in face of future storms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, there is also no shortage of other, non-disaster related needs that we need tax revenue to address, like ensuring that all North Carolinas have quality health care, that families have access to child care, and that everyone in the state has food on their table. State budget writers need to wake up to the reality that now is not the time to cut taxes. The people of North Carolina know this, but our elected representatives seem to have missed the memo. Alex Campbell is a public policy analyst with the NC Budget & Tax Center. A year after Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina dumping as much as 30 inches of rain and felling thousands of trees countless homes still suffer from leaky roofs, mold and mildew, and rotting floors. All that damage doesn't just threaten residents comfort, health, and safety. Unless its resolved, low-income households cant access free energy-efficiency retrofits that could save them hundreds of dollars each year on their utility bills. Now, North Carolina plans to solve that problem by allocating $10 million to urgent home repair in the region. Officials in the administration of Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, hope the funds will aid more than 575 households in the counties most devastated by Helene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This effort is going to increase western North Carolinas sound and efficient housing stock, reduce energy costs for the most vulnerable families and individuals, and make homes safer and more comfortable, Julie Woosley, director of the State Energy Office, said in a statement. Drawing on a disaster-relief package passed by lawmakers in the early aftermath of Helene, the home-repair monies will be distributed to a regional government entity and nine community action agencies that implement the federal Weatherization Assistance Program. Established nearly a half century ago, the weatherization initiative is aimed at families below certain annual income thresholds; for example, a family of four must earn about $60,000 or less to qualify. The programs services including sealing leaks around doors and windows, adding insulation, and improving appliance efficiency benefit hundreds of North Carolina households each year, lowering their utility bills by up to $300. But the Weatherization Assistance Program only scratches the surface of need for the energy burdened. Because its funds are restricted to minor repairs and mostly cant be used for major ones such as roof replacement, about one in five families nationwide are deferred from receiving benefits, according to a survey by the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Of those, 40% never get weatherized at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats why the newly announced money for western North Carolina households is so vital, said Claire Williamson, energy policy advocate at the North Carolina Justice Center: It will unlock assistance for households that have previously been unable to access weatherization aid. It's not only helping families recovering from Hurricane Helene, Williamson said, but also helping these families not be burdened by rising energy costs. To be sure, there are several existing efforts to bridge the gap for households that need energy-efficiency retrofits as well as major repairs. Some municipalities have their own fix-it programs, Williamson said, as does the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. For Duke Energy customers, Williamsons group helped win $16 million for urgent home fixes financed by shareholders. But the predominant utility doesnt serve the states farthest-flung counties, including some heavily hit by Helene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its fantastic that pre-weatherization dollars can be used for people who are members of electric cooperatives, she said. Otherwise, these households are getting left behind. The $10 million announcement from the State Energy Office comes at a crucial time for weatherization efforts statewide. In 2021, the program got a $90 million boost from the federal bipartisan infrastructure law funding not yet swept up in the Trump administrations assault on clean energy and energy efficiency. After months of planning, the Stein administration says those funds will be deployed starting in January and spent by the end of the decade, with hopes of serving around 2,000 households annually. The plan includes up to $12.6 million for major health and safety repairs. It's such a great sign that the state is dedicating funds to this issue, Williamson said. When homes are more efficient, it helps benefit the rest of North Carolina, she added. Theyre lowering energy use and lowering their impact on the grid. Editors note: The following story is for mature audiences and contains potentially strong, inappropriate language. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) The arrest of an 18-year-old from North Carolina is reportedly linked to controversial posters featuring Charlie Kirk that circulated on the University of Louisville campus. Michael Tedder, 18, of Advance, North Carolina, was arrested two days after the conservative political activist was assassinated at a student event at a Utah university. His arrest came on the heels of a call for assistance in a University of Louisville Police Department investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED | North Carolina 18-year-old allegedly made threats to Kentucky university Following Kirks death, posters depicting his assassination emerged on campus with the caption, debate this. In a statement to the school newspaper, a university spokesperson said that the posters had been removed and the incident was under investigation. According to an arrest warrant, the university had received a threatening phone call that investigators traced back to Tedders home in Davie County. Hello, yes, I was just calling to let you guys know you are in deep [expletive] danger if you dont take down those posters mocking Charlie Kirk, Tedder allegedly told school officials, per court documents. Your school will see [expletive] hell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the call transcript, he referenced using an AR and AK-style rifles. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Either you take it down or it will be a [expletive] massacre of the likes you have never seen in your life, he allegedly said. Tedder was arrested and charged with communicating a threat of mass violence on educational property. He remains in the Davie County Jail on a $250,000 bond. A hearing was set for 9 a.m. on Sept. 25. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nicholas Gage, who came to Worcester from Greece as an "immigrant kid who didn't know English at the age of 10," and has gone on to become an award-winning journalist and author, was presented with Greece's highest civilian award by the Greek Prime Minister at an event in New York City Sept. 24. Gage, who now lives in North Grafton, may be best known as the author of the 1983 acclaimed memoir "Eleni" about his mother, who was executed by leftist guerillas in their village of Lia in Greece after managing to have her children escape and Gage's search for the truth about what happened. The memoir was made into a well-regarded movie. At a lunch attended by 250 Greek-American leaders from all over the U.S. at the Union League Club of New York Sept. 24, Gage received the Order of the Phoenix Presidential Medal, the highest civilian award given by Greece for meritorious service to the nation. The award was presented by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more than 50 years, Nicholas Gage has promoted Greece as a journalist and author in eloquently rendered books and articles," Mitsotakis said. "He writes about Greece, one magazine noted , 'with his heart and eyes wide open' describing not only the beauty of its landscape and its matchless achievements but also the suffering and sacrifices of its people, as he did in his searing memoir, 'Eleni,' which a reviewer called 'one of the rare books in which the power of art recreates the full historical truth.' Gage said, "To be recognized by Greece holds a special meaning for me because when I fled my war-torn village as a 9-year-old boy, my mother told me to throw a black stone behind me as a pledge never to return to the world that had given her so much pain and would claim her life. It is the only vow to her that I have not kept and Ill tell you why. As I grew up and read about the history and culture of Greece and went back to see its marvels up close, I was amazed by how such a little country created so much beauty, such amazing art and such profound ideas including democracy that provided the very basis on which the U.S. was founded." Born Nikos Gatzoyiannis, Gage's earliest years were spent in the Greek village of Lia with his loving mother, Eleni, and four sisters while his father had left to find work in the United States, settling in Worcester. The Greek Civil War brought the leftist guerrillas to Lia, who would announce a plan to remove young children from the village and send them to camps in sympathetic countries such as Albania where they would be "fed and educated as Communists." His mother had other ideas. Although one daughter had already been conscripted, Eleni arranged for Nikos and three of his sisters to escape. Eleni was subsequently arrested by the guerrillas. Nikos was in a refugee camp when he found out his mother had been executed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicholas Gage, as he would become known, and three of his sisters met up with their father in Worcester. The fourth sister joined them there a few months later. In an earlier interview with Worcester Magazine, Gage recalled that at the then Chandler Junior High School, "a middle school English teacher took an interest (in) me and set me on a course that became my entire life." The teacher, Marjorie Hurd, had Gage write an essay about what happened to his family in Greece. Without him knowing that she would do it, Hurd published the essay in the school newspaper and also submitted the essay to a contest sponsored by the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The essay won a medal, the first of many awards Gage has received for his writing. Gage graduated from the former Classical High School in Worcester, Boston University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. In 1963 he was a winner of the 1963 William Randolph Hearst Foundation Journalism Awards and received the award from President John F. Kennedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While a student at Boston University, Gage worked at The Evening Gazette in Worcester, which would later merge with the Worcester Telegram (both with the same owners) to become the Telegram & Gazette. Gage became an investigative journalist with The Wall Street Journal and New York Times. He wrote about the Mafia, was the first reporter to listen to the Nixon tapes, and wrote a story about Vice President Spiro Agnew that led to his resignation. In 1977, at Gage's suggestion, The New York Times sent him to Greece, where he was responsible for covering several countries including Iran. He had the last interview with the Shah of Iran before he fled the revolution there. Through it all, Gage has said his main intersest was finding details of what happened to his mother. Through interviews and travel, Gage finally came face to face with the man who had ordered Eleni's execution, Achilleas Lykas, known in Lia as Katis. As Gage relates in "Eleni," on meeting Katis, Gage had an opportunity to kill him for revenge for having his mother killed. Gage had a concealed gun and later found Katis alone and fast asleep. But he could not do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My mother's love, the primary impulse of her life, still binds us together, often surrounding me like a tangible presence. Summoning the hate necessary to kill Lykas would have severed that bridge connecting us and destroyed the part of me that is most like Eleni," Gage writes. The book "Eleni" was published in 1983. The movie "Eleni" with John Malkovich as Nicholas Gage and Kate Nelligan as Eleni was released in 1985. Gage's other books include "A Place for Us," a memoir about adjusting to life in Worcester and the United States, and "Greek Fire: The Story of Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis." Mitsotakis said "Mr. Gages service to Greece has not been limited only to his articulate pen. He has advocated for Greek causes, advised several Greek Prime Ministers, organized art exhibitions to promote Greek culture , established a scholarship fund for Greek students in memory of his mother at Boston University and helped promote the development of his native region, Epiros. It is appropriate then, indeed well overdue, that his native land recognize his achievements and contributions with Greeces highest civilian award. " Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gage said "his whole family" was at the event "to cheer me on" wife Joan, son Christos, daughters Eleni and Marina, granddaughter Amalia, and grandson Nikos. "Despite the anguish and terror at the beginning of my life in Greece, I approach the end of it filled with optimism that the Greek people, both in Greece and abroad, will amaze the world in the future as they have done in the past, Gage said. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: North Grafton 'Eleni' author Nicholas Gage gets Greece's highest award North Korea has enriched up to two tonnes of uranium enough to build 47 nuclear bombs, according to South Korean estimates. Pyongyang is already thought to have 50 nuclear warheads. If it was able to build more than 40 more bombs, it would possess more nuclear weapons than Israel, which is estimated to have 90. Chung Dong-young, South Koreas unification minister, warned the Norths 2,000kg stockpile is enough to make an enormous number of nuclear weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seouls intelligence service believes the uranium is highly enriched at a purity of 90 per cent or higher. This concentration is termed weapons-grade as it can be turned into plutonium, the key material used to produce nuclear warheads. The bomb dropped at Nagasaki in the Second World War contained 6kg of plutonium. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, 42kg of highly enriched uranium is needed to make one nuclear weapon. A 2,000kg stockpile would therefore be enough for roughly 47 nuclear bombs. North Korea currently possesses the lowest number of nuclear weapons among the known nuclear-armed countries. Russia has the most, with over 5,500 warheads, followed by the US with 5,044, then China, France, the UK, Pakistan, India and Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement b' 0606 North Korea\'s Arsenal ' Kim Jong-un, North Koreas leader, has recently vowed to accelerate the countrys nuclear programme, which is estimated to be producing 15 to 20 nuclear weapons each year. Americas bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities plants reportedly built with North Korean help is said to have reinforced Pyongyangs determination to strengthen its own deterrent. The secretive state has also been testing increasingly powerful longer-range ballistic missiles that could viably threaten the US mainland. Satellite research also revealed a hidden missile base, 17 miles from the Chinese border, that could be used to launch missiles intended to strike America. Kim Jong-un appears to be strengthening North Koreas nuclear deterrent - KCNA Mr Chung said stopping North Koreas nuclear development is an urgent matter, but argued that sanctions will not be effective and the only solution lies in a summit between Kim and Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, Kim condemned what he called Americas absurd obsession with insisting North Korea give up its nuclear arsenal. Mr Trump signalled he is willing to meet with Kim, but the North Korean leader said he would only resume a dialogue if his country is recognised as a permanent nuclear power. North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and is under rafts of UN sanctions over its banned weapons programmes. It had never publicly disclosed details of its uranium enrichment facilities until last September. It is believed to operate up to four such facilities, including one at its Yongbyon nuclear site. Recent reports suggest there is ongoing building work in Yongbyon, in a possible sign of its expanding operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, it was also reported that Vladimir Putin had supplied nuclear submarine reactor technology to North Korea as a reward for supporting Russias war in Ukraine. Pyongyangs current arsenal of missiles have the capability to strike targets thousands of miles away, but nuclear submarines would allow them to be sent across the globe, and hide from satellites. 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. Despite improving statewide test scores, Connecticut education advocates say declining national proficiency rates reflect persistent issues among students in the state as well. In another sign that students have yet to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal testing data released this month shows that high school students across the United States have lost ground in math and reading. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest results from the National Assessment of Education Progress, also known as "the Nation's Report Card," show math and reading scores among 12th graders and science scores among eighth graders dropped to historic lows in 2024. { "__type": "devHubFreeformEmbed", "__id": "Datawrapper", "__fallbackImage": "https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/b1fBJ/mobile.png", "__data": { "datawrapper_id": "b1fBJ" } } And while individual state scores for those grades and subjects were not included in the recent release, some state education advocates say trends present in the national data mirror the challenges in Connecticut schools, as longstanding achievement gaps remain and students across the state struggle to reach prepandemic levels. Achievement gaps in Connecticut and national test scores The latest national results come as state officials touted Connecticut student performance in statewide assessments, as recently released state data showed that English, math and science scores improved across all student groups in the state in the 2024-25 school year for the first time in a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "On first blush and from a distance, there is reason to celebrate - when the rest of the country's numbers are declining, in Connecticut, we're holding steady," said Steven Hernandez, executive director of ConnCAN, a statewide education advocacy organization. In addition, Connecticut fourth and eighth grade students bested national proficiency ratings across the board in 2024, according to the state's NAEP results released in January. "We can look at the overall trends, which can be pessimistic to dire across the country, but we like to look at the light as well," Hernandez said. "Connecticut is exemplary for what happens when you invest in education for kids. When the resources are there, we statistically trend among the highest-performing students in the country." But that wasn't the case for all students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In Connecticut, what we have done effectively is underscored the fact that for children with resources, educational opportunities will flow, and for children who lack those resources ... those opportunities will be missed," Hernandez said. "So, for me, it is not a cause to celebrate when it comes to closing achievement gaps." Previously released federal test score data shows Connecticut having some of the largest proficiency gaps between students in the nation, particularly between white students and their Black and Hispanic peers. And the latest nationwide NAEP scores illustrate a widening gap between the lowest- and highest-performing students, while Connecticut's own recent statewide test scores also showed persistent achievement disparities in race and socioeconomic status despite overall improvement. Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, said a "have and have-not dynamic" has long been fundamental to Connecticut's public education system, and continued to manifest itself in the state's test scores. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We rest on our laurels a lot and talk about how great we are comparatively," she said. But Dias and other advocates have emphasized that it is important to take a deeper look at statewide performance levels to see disparities, as high needs, lower-income students are still falling behind. "I worry about Connecticut's general sense that we're at the top, because we don't want children of color and the poor to be left behind," Hernandez said. Implications for Connecticut 12th graders The most recent federal data does not specifically show how 12th grade and eighth grade students in each state performed on the NAEP in 2024, making it difficult for education officials and advocates to say exactly how Connecticut might measure up nationwide in those specific subjects and grade levels. NAEP and state assessments are both used to measure the academic progress of students, but the NAEP uses the same framework across the nation to measure what students know and can do in various subjects. State assessments are developed and administered according to each state's standards, and vary in content so that direct state-to-state comparisons are not possible, according to the NAEP website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dias said Connecticut students' improved performance on the 2024-25 statewide assessments provided "a good sense that Connecticut is moving in the right direction," and she was hopeful that their scores on the national assessments would reflect similar improvement. At the same time, NAEP data for Connecticut 12th graders has not been released in more than a decade, and the latest national scores were still "distressing," Dias said. "It's not a good sign," she said. "We need to take a good hard look at what is the cause of that." Hernandez also saw cause for concern. "I am not as optimistic when it comes to our 12th graders," he said. "Our 12th graders have gone through a lot in the past few years. ... When you look at not only the trend of disconnected youth in the state of Connecticut ... when you look at our graduation rates for children of color and the poor, and when you look at college readiness, it's difficult to stay optimistic." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dias said one of her main worries was that Connecticut's persistent chronic absenteeism numbers would translate to a decline in 12th graders' performance. While chronic absenteeism rates improved in the 2024-25 school year, they are still not at prepandemic levels, state data shows. And student absenteeism in high school also remains higher than in other grades. "One of the things that we know to be absolutely true, is that children who aren't in school struggle with learning. That's just a fundamental fact of life," Dias said. "So I am concerned that that chronic absenteeism number will be a strong kind of predictor of student outcomes in testing in some cases." In the meantime, Hernandez said he hoped the state would continue to invest in closing those opportunity and achievement gaps throughout the nation as it also worked toward full pandemic recovery. "I hope that we continue to not only hold steady, but then have the trend go even higher for those children that have lacked an opportunity historically in Connecticut," he said. By Qabil Ashirov Azerbaijans Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population and Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia, Sahil Babayev, held a meeting with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabi?, who is on an official visit to Baku with a parliamentary delegation, Azernews reports, citing the ministry. The ministry noted that the discussions centered on strengthening the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Serbia, the implementation of joint projects, expanding mutual investment opportunities, and exploring prospects for future cooperation. Minister Babayev emphasized Azerbaijans commitment to deepening strategic ties with Serbia across all sectors. He highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and the Intergovernmental Commission as key platforms for advancing bilateral relations. He noted that at the 8th session of the Commission, held in Baku in July last year, several important initiatives were put forward, while the 9th session is scheduled to take place in Belgrade this October. The meeting underscored the growth of economic ties, with bilateral trade turnover increasing by 16.7 percent in 2024 to reach $190.3 million. Both sides stressed that cooperation in energy, infrastructure, aviation, agriculture, and cultural-humanitarian spheres offers broad opportunities for mutually beneficial projects. For her part, Speaker Brnabi? underlined the high level of relations between Serbia and Azerbaijan, noting that the partnership is based on trust and friendship. While welcoming the positive trend in trade and economic ties, she pointed out that current figures do not reflect the full potential of bilateral cooperation or match the level of political relations between the two countries. She added that there is significant room to expand cooperation further. Brnabi? also highlighted the interest of Azerbaijani investors in Serbias real estate, agriculture, and other sectors, signaling a readiness to facilitate greater economic engagement. The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is reviving a push to ban a hiring practice she says is discriminatory, unfair, and has no connection to job performance. Alongside Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Warren reintroduced a bill on Sept. 15 that would prohibit employers from using credit reports to screen job applicants. Credit Checks Shut Out Qualified Workers, Warren Says Nobody should be discriminated against and miss out on a job opportunity because of their financial history, Warren told The Guardian recently. The bill would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act and bar employers from requesting or using consumer credit reports when making hiring decisions. It would also block credit reporting agencies from providing those reports to employers. Using a job applicants credit history to deny employment is not just unfair, it also makes no sense, Cohen said in a statement. Don't Miss: According to Warrens office, credit checks are disproportionately used to disqualify people of color and women from job opportunities. Warren argued that the current job market is already being damaged by the Trump administrations policies and that credit-based hiring decisions only make things worse. While the Trump administration tanks the labor market, our bill prohibits employers from using credit scores in their hiring process so that everyone can have a fair chance, Warren told The Guardian. Versions of the bill have circulated since the 2008 financial crisis, when many Americans took on more debt or experienced credit damage due to job loss and economic instability. The latest effort comes as half of U.S. employers still rely on credit checks for at least some positions, according to a 2021 HR.com survey. Trending: 7 Million Gamers Already Trust Gameflip With Their Digital Assets Now You Can Own a Stake in the Platform No Score, Still Judged While employers cant see an applicants actual credit score, they can review credit history, including account balances, payment records, and bankruptcies, which can still be used to make hiring decisions. Credit scores are an inaccurate way to predict future job performance or ability, Cohen said. We should be making the job application process fairer so people can succeed with good jobs, not adding obstacles to prevent them from being hired. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, employers can legally run credit checks if they get written permission from the applicant. However, several states and cities, including California, New York City, and Illinois, have already restricted or banned the practice for most roles. Still, federal law has yet to catch up. U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 404 crew interdicts a suspicious vessel approximately 17 miles northeast of Silva, Venezuela, on July 11, 2025. The crew of the Royal Netherlands Navy offshore patrol vessel Friesland assisted the interdiction, resulting in the seizure of approximately 9,088 pounds of marijuana. (U.S. Coast Guard photo) I once sat next to my Air Force three-star general boss in an otherwise empty auditorium in Montgomery, Alabama, listening to two junior officers rehearse a briefing on U.S. space security efforts. At the time, I was the Air War College resident civilian space expert. The two officers tag teaming on statements about U.S. defensive programs also spoke about offensive efforts aimed at particular countries. I leaned over and asked the general if we were at war with these countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Good question, he whispered back. ARE WE AT WAR? he then shouted out to the briefers. One firmly answered yes. The other said no. The general was understandably taken aback. Seems like we ought to have that figured out before going on the offensive, he replied. This happened nearly 30 years ago. But the general could very well make the same common sense statement today, relevant to three U.S. military attacks in the Caribbean that could trigger a war with Venezuela. The first took place on Sept. 2 when the U.S. military carried out an airstrike against a civilian speedboat the Trump administration said was carrying drugs in international waters off Venezuela, killing 11 people. Then on Sept. 15, a strike on another boat killed three people. A third strike on Sept.19 killed three more people. In each instance, President Donald Trump stated the attacks were against narco-terrorists, members of the Tren de Aragua cartel, on their way to the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhode Islands Democratic U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has spoken out against what he calls the illegality of the assaults, calling them reckless, unauthorized operations that could drag our nation into a conflict we did not choose. Reed pointed out that miscalculation on anyones part during or after the attacks could have triggered a war. Californias Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff further stated that blowing up boats without any legal justification risks dragging the United States into another war and provoking unjustified hostilities against our own citizens. Questions regarding the illegality of the attacks stem from both international and domestic law. International law allows attacks on a naval vessel in international waters during an armed conflict, which did not apply in this instance, and in peacetime if the vessel is suspected of engaging in terrorist activity, or posing a threat regarding weapons of mass destruction. Where drugs are involved, vessels are subject to seizure as part of law enforcement efforts. Using the U.S. military to blow up suspected drug trafficking vessels without any proof of who or what was aboard, offered either before or after the strikes, extends beyond allowable circumstances. The Trump Administration has justified the attacks as necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. Preventing and deterring drugs from reaching American shores has been and must continue to be a national imperative. But the U.S. drug crisis and it is a crisis is not only or even primarily one of supply. The global market is lucrative, and dealers could and would go elsewhere were it not for high demand in the United States. Addressing the demand problem is also an issue worthy of immediate and holistic though largely unattended government action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Domestically, questions have been raised regarding whether the attacks were a potential overreach of executive authority, both because the U.S. military was used as law enforcement and because Congress is authorized to take the nation into war, not the president. According to the U.S. War Powers Resolution, passed in 1973 to check presidential ability to conduct military actions without Congressional consent during the Vietnam War, the president is required to consult with Congress before introducing the nations armed forces into hostilities. This happened nearly 30 years ago. But the general could very well make the same common sense statement today, relevant to three U.S. military attacks in the Caribbean that could trigger a war with Venezuela. Congress was not involved in decision making prior to the attacks, nor provided much information or transparency regarding the rationale afterwards. After the first two attacks, Democratic Sens. Schiff of California and Tim Kaine of Virginia introduced a joint resolution under the War Powers Act to block the U.S. military from engaging in hostilities with certain nonstate actors without congressional authorization, to little avail. Kentucky Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, a libertarian with a long history of questioning executive overreach, has argued the U.S. cant simply kill people suspected of wrongdoing without due process. The recklessness of the actions raises the question of whether the Trump administration was deliberately trying to provoke a military response from Venezuela as an excuse for expanded U.S. military action. During Trumps first term in office, tensions between the United States and Venezuela reached a point where he asked advisers about invasion as an option. He was strongly advised against it. Trump reportedly has said that invading Venezuela would be cool. Then in March 2025, less restrained in muscle-flexing than during his first term, Trump issued an executive order levying a 25% tariff on countries that directly or indirectly imported Venezuelan oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oil. The United States has a history of getting into long wars with unanticipated and unintended consequences over oil. The number one customer for Venezuelan oil is China. Choking Venezuelan oil hurts China. The U.S. starting a war with Venezuela would have even further direct implications for China. China already voiced its support for Venezuela after the first two attacks, warning the U.S. against bullying. Like the renaming of the Defense Department to the Department of War, picking a fight with Venezuela seems at least in part another chest-thumping shot at China. Starting a war for the administration to flex its political and military muscles would not be cool from any perspective because it puts American blood and treasure at risk. If we are not at war and Congress has not authorized such then these illegal, provocative, political-theater attacks must stop. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX At a conference of the Western Governors Association at Idaho National Laboratory this week, regulators, members of the nuclear industry, government scientists and politicians welcomed what could be a renaissance in nuclear energy. But amid all the enthusiasm, there was one clear message that policymakers will have to heed: There arent enough people to get the work done, particularly but not only in the government agencies working to regulate nuclear energy. INL Director John Wagner said he was a bit shellshocked by talk of a nuclear renaissance, having seen several come and go over his career without materializing. But this time, he said, is different. The boom isnt being led by government incentives but by private-sector demand. Wagner noted that after five decades with no new reactors built in the region, ground was being broken on two at INL and one nearby in Wyoming. Things are very, very different now, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The underlying driver of this projected boom is an enormous spike in electrical demand for data centers, particularly for artificial intelligence, an enormous consumer of electricity. Utilities are at a loss about how they are going to meet this demand growth, Wagner said. Youre seeing urgency come out of that sector. Big nuclear hopes Idaho Gov. Brad Little and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox emphasized how abundant energy produced by new nuclear reactors could solve a host of problems in the West. Ramping up desalination in large cities on the West Coast could seriously reduce demand on rivers. If we could get California desalinating water, it would solve the Colorado River problem overnight, Cox said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Electrical shortages have led to brownouts and blackouts in some cities around the West during times of high demand, and AI could lead to a quick additional 30% demand, Little said. Theres not a utility in the United States that knows where theyre going to get that 30%, Little said. Nuclear technology is relatively clean when compared to other ways of generating electricity, and its also relatively safe. That makes it a uniquely attractive form of electric generation, both to replace more dangerous and polluting forms of power like coal and natural gas, and to offer new sources of electricity. But none of that is new. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trick is going to make this one a meaningful and lasting renaissance instead of some of the false starts in the past, said Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner Bradley Crowell. The renaissance that never was The history of nuclear reactor construction is mostly quite old. A burst of reactor construction that began in the late 1970s tapered off to nothing in the late 1980s. There is a pretty strong case to be made that the end of the nuclear construction era was due, in significant part, to changes in the regulatory regime following the Three Mile Island meltdown. Things went deadly quiet until the early 2000s, the last time there was talk of a nuclear renaissance. Everyone at the conference pretty much agreed on the end date: March 11, 2011, when an earthquake and then a tidal wave hit the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, resulting in a major release of radioactive contaminants. No deaths have been attributed to the radiation release, which is probably the thing you remember most about Fukushima, while around 20,000 people were killed directly by the earthquake and tidal wave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But because of the unique fear nuclear accidents tend to generate, what followed was a sharp decline in nuclear generation, particularly in Asia and Europe, and a period of stagnation in North America. Another nuclear push But as concerns about climate change have continued to mount, bipartisan support for nuclear energy has been growing. A new mission statement which states the NRCs job is enabling the safe and secure use and deployment of civilian nuclear energy, was part of the bipartisan Advance Act, signed into law by former President Joe Biden. President Donald Trump has likewise supported quicker nuclear deployment through Executive Order 14300, hailed as a major advance by those in attendance. But the raft of recent cuts across the federal government from the roving DOGE firings to budget cuts have hit nuclear regulators, as well. A consistent emphasis from those at the conference was that a nuclear renaissance will require an adequate workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats workforce both for trades, scientists, engineers, etc. in the private sector theres not enough there; theyre hiring actively and on the government side, at (the Department of Energy) and the NRC, we have serious current workforce shortcomings that are going to be exacerbated going forward and are going to be a real struggle, NRC Commissioner Crowell said. The NRC is under a hiring freeze, as has been most of the federal government for nearing 10 months, after Trump repeatedly extended it. Two of the five seats on the board of the nuclear regulatory commission (which, as Utility Dive noted, requires three members for a quorum) are also currently vacant after Trump fired Commissioner Christopher Hanson without cause. So as it stands, one person gets sick, and no votes can be taken. All this comes at a time when the demands on regulators reviewing potential reactors are growing rapidly, both because theres a push to build new reactors and because theres been a burst of reactor design innovation. Most reactors around the country are large light water reactors. While many individual reactors of this kind have unique individual considerations, this renaissance has been driven by a flurry of advanced reactor designs many of which, like Oklos sodium-cooled fast reactor, which broke ground this week, are based on old technology but have not seen widespread commercial deployment in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And regulation is something you want to get right. When regulation fails The Fukushima disaster the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl and the only other nuclear accident to reach Level 7 was preventable but not prevented, as a number of post-facto reviews concluded. Had the plants owner, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), and Japans regulator, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), followed international best practices and standards, it is conceivable that they would have predicted the possibility of the plant being struck by a massive tsunami, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace concluded. The plant would have withstood the tsunami had its design previously been upgraded in accordance with state-of-the-art safety approaches. And Idaho and the Intermountain West have had no shortage of fishy nuclear energy schemes, from the merely unserious to the out-and-out fraudulent. This isnt a case where you can just sweep the regulators aside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want a nuclear renaissance, you want regulation and review to be efficient, but you also want it to work. Fukushima led to such pervasive antinuclear sentiment that France, long a world leader in nuclear energy, for a time set its sights on closing plants. Japan went from generating nearly a third of its electricity with nuclear to none a few years later (accompanied by a surge in its carbon footprint). The consequences of failing to prevent an accident are the likely end of this renaissance. So if you want a nuclear renaissance and I do youre going to need a whole lot more highly skilled and motivated people working in these regulatory agencies. You want them to catch real safety concerns and have them addressed in meaningful ways. And you want them to do it fast so costs dont spiral and projects dont fold. Cutting government is easy. Send people their walking papers, and its done. The paychecks stop and the work doesnt get done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making government efficient is much harder and more serious work, and it requires standing up to the administration in meaningful ways. The question is: Is that a task that nuclear advocates in government, like U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, are equal to? Bryan Clark is an opinion writer with the Idaho Statesman. DEKLE BEACH, Fla. Sheila Blue sits on a picnic table underneath a house on 24-foot stilts. If she looks to her left, she sees the marsh at low tide. Its mid-morning, and a blue heron stands ankle deep in the water and surveys the horizon while wind ripples the surface of the Gulf. But if she looks up, she sees the wind flutter the exposed blankets of pink fiberglass insulation. Almost a year after Hurricane Helene made landfall in this small northeast Florida Gulf Coast community, she still lives in her home on Good Times Drive, even though it needs a lot of work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They thought I couldnt do that, and I said a lot of people that are fancy ladies probably couldnt, because its not all fancy fixed up, she said. But I have water, sewer and power. I can go to bed in my bed, I can flush my toilet, I can cook. She lost everything in 1993: her first home, which was located on the same spot, in the "No Name Storm" or the "Storm of the Century; her belongings and her pets; and her mother, sister-in-law, and nephew, who drowned when the tropical cyclone hit the beach in the middle of the night. Thankfully, no one in Taylor County died in Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that battered the area with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour. Its a silver lining often repeated among residents, especially when they compare the impact in Florida to North Carolina, where 86 people died in the storm. But that doesnt erase their frustration with insurance companies, struggles with building permits, the slow tourist season or elected officials they say have been absent. More than 350 homes were destroyed in the storm, which thundered through Keaton Beach only 13 months after Hurricane Idalia, a Category 3 hurricane. Many residents have moved away and for sale signs sit in front of empty lots with only concrete pilings to show there once was a home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just feel like weve been totally forgotten, said Mandy Adams. Shelia Blue, a Dekle Beach resident, sits at a picnic table under her waterfront home as she reflects on what life is like nearly one year after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida. 'The depression is real' Five days before the one year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Adams was moving new furniture into her home. Adams and her husband have been living in a camper down the road that their friends let them use. The past year has seen constant phone calls, battles with insurance companies and waiting for building permits. Its just crazy that one person has the same insurance as the other, and then the other people who have the same insurance arent getting anything, Adams said. Its just frustrating. When Helene hit, it was the third hurricane to make landfall in Taylor County in 13 months. While Idalia in 2023 was a Category 3 and Debby, which hit in late July 2024, was a Category 1, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the damage from Helene was more extensive than those two hurricanes combined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Adams home on Keaton Beach was their primary residence. While their flood insurance paid out, theyve had to hire an attorney to help fight for their wind claim. Mandy Adams reflects on the hardships endured over the past year by those who reside in Keaton Beach, Florida after Hurricane Helene destroyed the landscape of the community. Luckily for the Adamses, the money from the flood insurance is helping them rebuild, she said. Many coastal residents didnt have property insurance at all, including Blue. Some pay day by day or month by month for repairs. Others have nailed plywood over their windows or have decided just to tear the rest of their house down. Near the Adams residence, theres a home with no front door, no facade. Looking in means staring straight into a gutted kitchen, with wooden cabinet doors missing and items still on the shelves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network, spoke to Adams, she was waiting for someone to install new cabinets and countertops in her kitchen. Her walls were freshly painted, a color called sea salt. She said it took a long time to get the permits from the county for repairs, and other residents of Keaton Beach have complained about the long wait times for permits, even with cash in hand from their insurance companies. The comparison of a Keaton Beach home destroyed by Hurricane Helene with images taken nearly a year apart. Taylor County Administrator LaWanda Pemberton said every application for a permit is considered on a case-by-case basis. Taylor County is one of 29 fiscally constrained counties in Florida. While the county did have additional resources after the storm, those contracts ended after six months. The county has one building inspector, one building official, one permit technician and two part-time code enforcement workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres things coming back, its just coming back on a smaller scale because of it being a rural community, Adams said. After her new gray sectional couch was dropped off, she tipped the delivery men and described the improvements made to her home. They took away a side door, or as she put it, another place where water could get in. New furniture, fresh paint and flooring gets the Adams family one step closer into living full-time in their Keaton Beach home, nearly a year after Hurricane Helene damaged Floridas Nature Coast. She doesnt want anything sentimental in her house right now because she saw how much some of her neighbors lost. I think the depression is real, I think the PTSD of another storm this year was real, Adams said. I dont want to put anything that I care about back. I just want stuff thats replaceable, nothing that has meaning. 'Just check on us' In the immediate aftermath of the storm, then-President Joe Biden visited the damaged portions of the Big Bend coast and to meet with the affected communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams said all his visit did was delay the restoration work for four to six hours. She does credit two GOP lawmakers, Sen. Corey Simon and Rep. Jason Shoaf, for helping get the canals and roadways cleared. By March, more than 134,000 cubic yards of debris had been removed from Taylor County. Even so, theres still trash in the canal, in the marsh and the forest. Sheet metal, wood, doors, chairs and other debris are stuck on trees, hanging in the same way they did a year ago. She hasnt seen DeSantis in a year, either. Maybe hes planning on coming a year after, I havent heard about it, she said. It would be nice for somebody to just kind of show face every once in a while, just check on us. Stephanie Weldon, a resident of Keaton Beach and the owner of the Trading Post in Keaton Beach, reflects on the hardships she and her neighbors have endured over the last year after Hurricane Helene destroyed the small waterfront community. Stephanie Weldon, owner of the Keaton Beach Trading Post and several rental properties on the coast, said residents who have stayed have formed a Keaton family and have come to rely on each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weldon wasnt the only business owner who lost her storefront: Jared and Monica Hunt, owners of Keaton Beach Bums, not only lost their convenience store, their home was damaged, too. The couple and their son stayed in the same campground as Weldon. We had family dinners, we had a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree because their son is 2 years old, and were not going to not let him have a Christmas, Weldon said. A group of Keaton Beach residents call each other their Keaton family after becoming close and relying on each other over the past year while recovering from Hurricane Helene. She also bought matching pajamas. When it was picture time, nobody complained, she said. Weldon said she hadnt seen any elected officials at Keaton Beach since the hype of the storm died down and all the news trucks went home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the beginning, they came and heard our stories, and that was about it, she said. Weldon and her husband replaced the rental homes lost in the storm with tiny homes as a way to keep hosting, but on a much smaller scale. Even so, renters said they wanted to come and help, she said. We had one guest that just wanted to bring whatever, and they did fried chicken and all the fixings and even made homemade ice cream, she said. They brought us 300 gallons of gas, they had water, anything and everything. Recently members of the Keaton family had a meeting. They each asked each other: Are we staying, or are we getting out of here? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were all here to stay, Weldon said. Ana Goni-Lessan is a watchdog reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network. Email her at agonilessan@tallahassee.com This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: A year after Hurricane Helene, some Florida residents feel forgotten The idea of a grand bargain with Beijing that trades Taiwans autonomy for stability is seductive. It promises to defuse the Indo-Pacifics most volatile flash point before a crisis erupts. But its a dangerous illusion. In her Sept. 15 New York Times essay, Heres How Trump Can Prevent a War Over Taiwan, Jennifer Kavanagh argued that Washington should accept China as the regional hegemon and cut a sweeping security-economic deal, even if that forces Taiwan toward unification. The claim is that peace and prosperity would follow. That premise misreads both Chinas trajectory and Taiwans choice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When U.S. leaders in the late 20th century affirmed that any cross-Strait settlement must be peaceful and voluntary, they did so with an implicit hope that China would liberalize and converge with the norms that anchor the U.S.-led order. Nearly 50 years later, the opposite has happened. Under Xi Jinpings banner of national rejuvenation, the Chinese Communist Party has tightened one-party control, narrowed space for civil society and pressed expansive territorial claims. Taiwans story is the mirror image. Twenty-three million people built a world-class economy and a resilient democracy by pairing technological excellence with open debate and free exchange. Subordinating that success to the dictates of an authoritarian system holds no appeal, especially after the unraveling of Hong Kongs one country, two systems the very template once marketed to Taiwan. If Beijing wouldnt keep that promise for Hong Kong, why would it honor it for Taiwan? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another claim holds that because coercive unification is relentless, accommodation is the only responsible course. History suggests the opposite: Accommodating coercion invites more of it. Trading away a smaller democracys rights doesnt remove a grievance; it validates the tactic. If Washington were to sacrifice Taiwan, allies would read it as a retreat from core commitments. Japan and South Korea would hedge; others would cut separate deals. The region would grow more brittle, not more peaceful. Nor would a bargain reliably safeguard American prosperity. Taiwan sits at the center of global semiconductor production. Moving it into Beijings orbit would concentrate, not diversify, risk, placing the worlds most advanced chips and manufacturing know-how under the political leverage of an authoritarian state. The right answer is to accelerate friend-shoring and guardrails for critical technologies, not entrust the digital backbone to unenforceable promises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some argue the U.S. is ill-prepared for war with a formidable Peoples Liberation Army and thus must reach a deal now. That confuses deterrence with defeatism. The point is not to fight it is to prevent war by making the costs of aggression unmistakably high and the benefits uncertain. That means assisting Taiwan in developing an asymmetric defense that is both affordable and credible, and that possesses the capacity to deter, endure and prevail. It also means tightening coordination with allies, replenishing U.S. munitions stockpiles, rebuilding defense manufacturing, expanding access agreements and, together with Europe and key Asian partners, clarifying the contours of a sanctions regime that would follow any attempted seizure of Taiwan. None of this is escalatory; all of it is stabilizing. De-risking the two largest economies should proceed in parallel: Diversify supply chains, protect critical technologies, maintain targeted export controls and keep channels open for crisis communications and practical cooperation where interests overlap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dialogue on military de-confliction, climate and public health is prudent. Using Taiwans fate as a bargaining chip is not. Two points follow. First, the people most affected by any deal are Taiwanese. They repeatedly elect leaders who defend their democracy and prefer the status quo, not absorption. Washington should not presume to decide their future over their heads. Second, a durable peace needs both a balance of power and a balance of expectations. Beijing must understand that coercion will fail. Washington must deter, reassure and communicate without compromising its principles. A responsible policy rests on three lines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortify deterrence (asymmetric deliveries and training for Taiwan, stronger regional posture, coordinated economic consequences with allies) De-risk dependencies (expand chip production with trusted partners, protect intellectual property, guardrails for dual-use technologies, diversify energy and critical minerals) Keep channels open (crisis hotlines and rules of the road at sea and in the air, practical military-to-military contacts and narrow, verifiable agreements where interests align). None of this guarantees harmony. But it is far more credible than sacrificing a democracy to satisfy an autocracys ambitions. Peace built on coercion is not peace; it is a pause that rewards the very behavior the U.S. seeks to deter. Americas strength has never come from trading away the rights of free people to buy time. It comes from aligning power with principle, and from the quiet confidence that a rules-based order, however imperfect, is worth defending. The surest way to keep peace in the Taiwan Strait is not to abandon democracy, but to make aggression unthinkable and dialogue inevitable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holmes Liao previously served as a distinguished adjunct lecturer at Taiwans War College and is the founder of Taiwan Advocacy , an organization dedicated to Taiwans security. He can be reached at holmes.liao@hotmail.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 The Hill. An Orlando man has been sentenced to federal prison for lying to investigators about a designated foreign terrorist organization. The Justice Department says Islam Doci, 47, was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Doci pleaded guilty in October 2024 to making false statements to the FBI during questioning abouy the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to evidence and the plea agreement, Doci promoted ISIS propaganda online, communicated with ISIS members, sent money overseas in support of ISIS, and facilitated the provision of money by others to ISIS. The Justice Department says Doci celebrated the killing of Americans and likened providing money and other support to ISIS to being at war. Prosecutors say he lied about these activities during two interviews with the FBI. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Panama Citys Neighborhood Stabilization Program was never meant to last forever. But now city leaders are asking what happens when it ends. The program began in the wake of the 2008 housing crash, with the city acquiring 25 homes from HUD, part of a larger effort to stabilize housing markets across the country. Unlike most grant-funded programs, this one didnt stop after construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city still owns and manages most of these homes. There is a concern that was expressed by a commissioner that we need to look at the management of the program and to look at what the program is costing us, Panama City Commissioner Janice Lucas said. According to the citys report, the program has operated at a loss of nearly 100 thousand dollars this year, largely due to rising maintenance costs. But the program is operating on more than two million in its reserves. The only thing the city pays for is the directors salary and benefits. Many residents and leaders say the program is working and is essential to the community, praising the director herself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To me, that says that we have a program that is functioning well under the director, Sheila Ware, and her staff, who are also charged with running our other fed and state housing programs. So that staff of four does a lot with a little bit, Lucas said. The conversation led to leaders asking a bigger question: what role will the city have in solving or at least addressing the affordable housing crisis? This is an opportunity for the city to talk about the housing programs that we have for affordability and how to continue them beyond the 2032 timeline for NSP, Lucas said. There is a finite amount of money for that particular program. So, we need to have a conversation and have a conversation internally first. What do we want that to look like long-term? What do we want that to transition to, and what does it look like, kind of beyond the resources that we have for that particular program? Panama City City Manager Jonathan Hayes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city will have a workshop on the issue in late October or early November. City officials say the goal of the public workshop is to address the citys long-term approach to affordable housing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nicolas Sarkozys political legacy hangs in the balance as French judges prepare to deliver their verdict in the 'Libya cash' trial over the funding of his 2007 presidential campaign. France is bracing for courtroom drama this Thursday as judges deliver their verdict on whether former president Nicolas Sarkozy pocketed millions in illegal campaign financing from late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Its the climax of a saga that has mixed politics, international intrigue and now in a twist worthy of a thriller the sudden death of Sarkozys most persistent accuser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling could mark another watershed moment in Sarkozys turbulent post-presidential years. Now 70, the former conservative leader has already chalked up two convictions, both under appeal, and even lost Frances highest accolade the Legion of Honour. But this case is different, as it goes to the very heart of how he won power in 2007. French ex-president Sarkozy stripped of Legion of Honour Millions in cash? Prosecutors say Sarkozy and his close circle struck a secret pact with Kadhafi back in 2005. In return for campaign support, France would help the Libyan leader rehabilitate his international reputation after years of pariah status following the Lockerbie and Niger airline bombings of the late 1980s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prosecution claims up to 5 million in cash was funnelled to Sarkozys team ahead of the 2007 vote, stuffed into suitcases and delivered via Franco-Lebanese middleman Ziad Takieddine. The businessman, long a thorn in Sarkozys side, repeated the allegations for years before spectacularly backtracking in 2020, only to change his story again later. In a dramatic coincidence, Takieddine died of cardiac arrest in Beirut on Tuesday at the age of 75. He had been in prison in northern Lebanon over an unrelated financial dispute. His sudden death leaves prosecutors without their star witness, though the case still rests on testimony from seven former Libyan officials, bank transfers, Sarkozy allies trips to Tripoli and the handwritten notebooks of Libyas late oil minister Shukri Ghanem found drowned in the Danube in 2012. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ex-president Sarkozy to wear electronic tag as court upholds corruption conviction Fight to the end Sarkozy has always insisted there was not a single Libyan cent in his campaign coffers. Writing recently in Le Figaro, he pledged: It will take as long as it takes, but I will fight to the end to prove my innocence. He is expected in court on Thursday to hear the verdict. Prosecutors have asked for a seven-year prison sentence, though even if convicted, he is likely to appeal immediately. Few expect the former president to be carted off to jail any time soon. Alongside Sarkozy, 11 others are in the dock, including his former right-hand man Claude Gueant, campaign finance chief Eric Woerth and ex-minister Brice Hortefeux. All deny any wrongdoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bygmalion, Libya, Bismuth: the trials and tribulations of Nicolas Sarkozy A litany of trials Legal troubles have dogged Sarkozy since leaving office in 2012. He became Frances first post-war president actually sentenced to serve jail time when handed a one-year term for corruption in 2021, although he served it at home with an electronic tag before conditional release. He also picked up another conviction in the so-called Bygmalion affair over overspending in his 2012 re-election campaign. An appeals court last year confirmed the ruling but reduced his sentence to six months in prison and six suspended another decision he is now contesting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For all the legal blows, Sarkozy has retained a surprising degree of clout on the French right. Nicknamed the hyper-president for his restless style in office, he remains a regular guest at the Elysee, offering counsel to Emmanuel Macron, and still draws admiration from conservative voters nostalgic for his combative flair. Bruni-Sarkozy charged with witness tampering in cash for husband's campaign case A political legacy at stake Whatever the verdict, Sarkozys legacy hangs in the balance. His critics argue his career has been permanently overshadowed by courtrooms and corruption claims. His supporters see a relentless witch-hunt designed to sideline one of the rights most formidable figures. Thursdays decision will not be the final act, however, with multiple appeals already pending even a case involving his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy over alleged witness tampering Sarkozys battles with the French justice system look set to continue. In this article, we will be taking a look at the 10 Best Pharma Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. Zoetis Inc. is one of them. Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) continues to strengthen its position as a global leader in animal health, with steady growth and expanding innovation. The company develops medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics for both livestock and companion animals, and its diverse product portfolio has driven consistent revenue gains of about 4.2% year over year. The corporations financial resilience is underscored by a strong return on equity above 55%, free cash flow exceeding $2.2 billion, and a dividend yield of roughly 1.3%, supported by a conservative payout ratio. A key development for Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) is its collaboration with Blacksmith Medicines to advance new antibiotics aimed at combating antimicrobial resistance in veterinary care, positioning the company at the forefront of a growing global challenge. At the same time, Zoetis is expanding in the companion animal market with innovative treatments. In September 2025, its arthritis therapy for cats, Portela (relfovetmab), received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency, reflecting the businesss commitment to addressing unmet needs in pet health. EMA Gives Positive Opinion on Zoetis Inc. (ZTS) Cat Arthritis Therapy, Portela Financially, Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) has outperformed expectations, posting quarterly earnings per share of $1.76, above the $1.62 estimate, and setting full-year guidance at $6.30$6.40. While we acknowledge the potential of ZTS 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: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy NOW Disclosure: None. Azzam had consumed on social media, including on the Telegram app, Hamas-related content. Amin Hassan Abdel Kader Azzam, 22, from Taiba, was indicted on Thursday for planning to kidnap an IDF soldier specifically to use them as leverage to force Israel to end the war in Gaza. This kidnapping plan became the focal point of the indictment. He was arrested on August 24 and was charged with the preparation to commit an act of terrorism namely, kidnapping for the purpose of murder or extortion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Azzam had consumed on social media, including on the Telegram app, Hamas-related content or material by users aligning themselves with the terrorist group. Specifically, Azzam found his way to the official Telegram group of Hamass military wing, the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades. Hamas was designated a terrorist organization by the State of Israel in 1989, two years after its founding. In the Hamas-led cross-border massacre attack on October 7, terrorists killed 1,200 people, wounded about 5,200, and kidnapped 251, mostly civilians, taking them to the Gaza Strip. Hamas terrorists in Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip. February 4, 2025. (credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90) Israel then launched a war against Hamas, which, according to Gazan health authorities, which the terrorist group governs, has killed over 65,000 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The terrorist organization continues to hold 48 hostages as bargaining chips to demand the end of the war and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave. Hamas's Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades Telegram group includes official announcements by Hamas. Azzam expressed in interrogations his murderous ideological outlook, and his sincere wish to kidnap a soldier, the indictment reads. He had also taken paintball sessions as a form of military training and to enhance his readiness with weapons. With the war raging, Azzam thereby decided that he would plan to kidnap soldiers to be used as a bargaining chip against Israel and to force it to end the war in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To start, around June, Azzam downloaded a book containing Hamass philosophies to his phone, which explains its war tactics, among other things. He had also planned to enlist others in his scheme, specifically to acquire weapons to carry it out. To acquire the weapons, Azzam contacted a man named Ahmed Kassem. He spoke to Kassem about the situation in Gaza and explained his view that what is necessary to counter it is an act against Jews. All of these conversations were carried out face-to-face, while the phones of both men were switched off. Kassem encouraged Azzam in his mission, and in July, Azzam shared his plan with Kassem, asking him to provide the necessary weapons. He agreed and explained that he would be able to deliver the guns only in parts and that Azzam would have to construct them himself. It is permissible in Islam to kidnap soldiers, Azzam understands Also in July, Azzam inquired about a religious justification for his plan. He reached out to a man called Suleiman Jabali and asked if, according to Islam, it is allowed to kidnap people to be used as bargaining chips. The indictment says that Azzam understood from Jabalis answer that it is forbidden to kidnap civilians, but is permissible to kidnap soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around this time, Azzam approached another man, Waseem Masarwa, and invited him to join in the planned terrorist kidnapping. Azzam understood that he was enthusiastic and even offered to recruit another person for the job. Azzam met Kassem one more time in August, and Kassem said he was looking into the possibility of acquiring a gun or an assault rifle. He then informed Masarwa that he was set to receive the weapon parts soon so that they could proceed with the plan. Closer to his arrest date, Azzam ordered an Internet radio set and a tactical vest. WARSAW (Reuters) -Poland has banned pro-Russian Moldovan politician Irina Vlah from its territory for five years, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, accusing her of helping Moscow interfere in Moldova's parliamentary elections. Moldova holds a high-stakes parliamentary election on Sunday that could determine the fate of its bid to join the European Union, amid what officials have described as a Russian campaign to sway the vote and sabotage the EU accession plan. Poland has been a staunch supporter of Moldova joining the EU, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited Chisinau alongside French and German leaders in August in a show of support for pro-Western President Maia Sandu and her allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Irina Vlah, a Moldovan politician who is assisting the Russian Federation in interfering with preparations for the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova, will be banned from entering the territory of the Republic of Poland," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The Russian Federation is interfering in an unprecedented and illegal manner in political processes, including, in particular, preparations for the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova." Moscow denies meddling in Moldova's affairs and says Chisinau is stoking anti-Russian sentiment for political purposes. Vlah is the leader of the Heart of Moldova Republican Party and one of the leaders of the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc. Canada and Lithuania have already banned Vlah from their territory. (Reporting by Alan Charlish; editing by Philippa Fletcher) JAMAICA, Queens (PIX11) The New York Police Department is asking for public assistance to identify a woman wanted in connection with an assault of an MTA employee in August, according to authorities. Officials said a 60-year-old male bus driver of a Q60 bus was pepper-sprayed at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica at 3:50 p.m. on Aug. 23. More Local News According to police, a woman wearing a multicolored tank top and white pants allegedly got on the bus, became irate, pepper-sprayed the man and fled the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man was treated at the scene for irritation and pain, officials said. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) A Providence man is facing drug and gun charges following a Rhode Island State Police investigation. Joel Garcia (Courtesy: RI State Police) Joel Garcia, 47, was arrested after police executed court-authorized search warrants at his Portland Street home and an apartment on Dresser Street. Investigators seized 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 2.3 kilograms of cocaine and 147 grams of methamphetamine, according to police, as well as a loaded gun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garcia is accused of using the apartment to store, package and distribute the drugs. He is charged with possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm, among several others. (Courtesy: RI State Police) Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking 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 WPRI.com. Search and rescue crews cleared thousands of fallen trees and evacuated stranded residents on Thursday as tropical storm Ragasa weakened and moved toward Vietnam, leaving at least 24 dead across Taiwan and the Philippines after battering southern China as the year's strongest cyclone. The storm pushed west along the southern Chinese coast after battering the Guangdong province and Hong Kong on Wednesday. Ragasa, which was downgraded from a super typhoon to a storm in the meantime, peaked on Monday, when it reached maximum winds of 265 kph, making it the strongest cyclone of the year so far. By Thursday, these winds weakened to 65kph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm brought heavy rainfall and fierce winds, flooding streets and uprooting hundreds of trees. In the Guangdong city of Yangjiang, over 10,000 trees were damaged, and emergency crews used excavators to clear toppled trees, local media reported. In the city of Zhuhai, teams used inflatable boats to navigate flooded streets and rescue stranded residents. Water flooded some first-floor homes in older neighbourhoods, while many residents had sought refuge on higher floors of their homes. In Hong Kong, businesses reopened and flights resumed again after roughly 1,000 had been disrupted, which affected 140,000 passengers. Also in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, activities halted earlier in the week gradually returned to normal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related In Taiwan, torrential rain on Tuesday caused a barrier lake to overflow in Guangfu Township in eastern Taiwan's Hualien County, resulting in the collapse of a bridge and flooding the region's roads. Authorities on Thursday revised the death toll from 17 to 14 due to repeated records. At least 10 deaths were reported in the Philippines, including seven fishermen who drowned when huge waves and fierce winds overturned their boat in Cagayan province. Two fishermen remained missing on Thursday. ROCK HILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A Rock Hill drug trafficker has been sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. Sean Demetrius Goins was allegedly the leader of a drug trafficking organization that spanned from Rock Hill to Columbia. The investigation revealed that Goins sold fentanyl or possessed with the intent to sell it on eight occasions. After his arrest in May 2023, federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration located four firearms, miscellaneous rounds of ammunition, two kilogram presses, 1,365 grams of fentanyl, and 494 grams of cocaine. Two of the firearms had previously been reported as stolen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goins was ultimately held responsible for 11,475 grams of fentanyl, 495 grams of cocaine, and 29 grams of fentanyl analogue. He had previously been convicted in the Middle District of Pennsylvania for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, for which he received a 20-year sentence. He also had a prior felony conviction from 2020 for assault with a dangerous weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, and habitual offender. Goins was sentenced to 245 months in prison, to be followed by an eight-year term of court-ordered supervision. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Two Russian satellites are shadowing satellites used by German armed forces, the countrys defence minister has said. Boris Pistorius said Russian Luch Olymp surveillance satellites were trailing Germanys Intelsat satellites, which are also used by other governments. He questioned the purely peaceful nature of Moscows behaviour and warned that Berlin had come close to real threat scenarios. A German source told The Telegraph they have not yet raised the issue to Nato as a genuine threat, but it comes at a time of heightened tensions between Moscow and the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Airports across Norway and Denmark were closed this week by drones that experts suspect were sent by Russia. In recent weeks, their fighter jets also entered Nato airspace and attack drones flew into Poland in a test to Nato. Mr Pistorius said satellites were now tracking German equipment in space at a conference in Berlin, where he unveiled new investment in space defences. Russia and China have expanded their capabilities for warfare in space rapidly over the past years, he said. They can disrupt satellite operations, blind satellites, manipulate or kinetically destroy them. He called for talks on how to develop offensive capabilities to keep equipment safe in space. Russias behaviour, especially in space, poses a fundamental threat to us all. It is a threat we can no longer ignore, he said. German defence minister Boris Pistorius said Russias behaviour in space poses a fundamental threat to us all - John MacDougall/AFP He also warned that Russia could deploy nuclear weapons in space, announcing that Berlin would invest 35 billion (30.5bn) in space-related defence projects by 2030, including in offensive capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: We must also be able to deter in space in order to be defensible. Satellite networks today are an Achilles heel of modern societies, Mr Pistorius said in a speech at the German industrys third Space Congress in Berlin. Whoever attacks them paralyses entire nations. Mr Pistorius pointed to a Russian cyberattack on the ViaSat satellite network before Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in Feb 2022. The move affected the control of around 6,000 wind turbines in Germany, Defense News reported. Russias Luch Olymp satellites, launched in 2014 and 2023, were built for Russias ministry of defence and FSB spy service and have long faced accusations of eavesdropping on other countries equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aldoria, a French startup, said it had observed one satellite performing a sudden close approach to equipment in geostationary orbit in May last year. Last year, a Russian killer satellite was detected launching a mysterious object near a US spacecraft. It comes amid growing concerns about escalatory tactics by Russia, primarily using drones, against Nato countries. According to a report in August by PBS, the US public broadcaster, Russia is also suspected to be developing a special nuclear weapon which could instantly take out all satellites at low-orbit around the earth. Citing national security officials, PBS said the devices nuclear component would be used to fry the electronics of satellites within its range. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are an estimated 12,000 military and civilian satellites surrounding the earth at various orbits. Alexander Dobrindt, Germanys interior minister, warned on Thursday that Europe was in a drone arms race as the country launched a three-day exercise dubbed Red Storm Bravo in the northern city of Hamburg. Mr Dobrindt, citing hybrid threats and increasing aggression from Russia, said Berlin was strengthening its operational capabilities by developing drone defence systems. We are engaged in an arms race between the threat posed by drones and the means to counter them, he said, citing recent incidents in Poland, Romania, Denmark and Norway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helsing, a German defence startup, unveiled a new combat drone on Thursday, as Europe races to catch up with production against the backdrop of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, warned on Wednesday that it would be cheaper to stop Vladimir Putin now than enter the worlds most dangerous arms race. Stopping now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead, he told the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It is not the first time that Germany has publicly rebuked Russia over reckless or aggressive activity in space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, the German government said it was very concerned after Russia destroyed one of its satellites during a missile test. The test created a cloud of debris which the International Space Station was forced to take evasive action to avoid, leading to protests from the US. Historically, Germany has been hugely dependent on Russian space expertise due to East Germany being a former satellite state of the Soviet Union, the GDR. German experts say this created a dependency on Russian space equipment and expertise which Berlin has only relatively recently tried to shrug off. We had become very dependent on foreign partners in the past. For example, we relied heavily, and for a very long time, on cooperation with Russia, which thank God ended after the war of aggression against Ukraine, Matthias Wachter, a space expert at the BDI [German Industrial Federation] told German MPs during a 2024 defence committee hearing. It is also the latest example of a top German official issuing an unusually frank assessment about Russias aggression towards the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Pistorius, who also served as defence minister in the previous government led by Olaf Scholz, has warned that Germany needs to be ready for war with Russia by 2029. He has also stressed that Putins aggression in Ukraine will not stop at Kyivs borders, hinting at German fears that Moscow could attack a Nato member state in the near future to seize territory. Germany on Thursday proposed a 140bn (122bn) loan to purchase weapons for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets. The proposal by Friedrich Merz, Germanys chancellor, marks a stark about-turn in Berlins past resistance to tapping seized Russian cash to fund Kyivs defence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His scheme would use almost 200bn in assets held by Belgiums Euroclear, and is designed to avoid calling into question property rights. That loan would only be repaid once Russia has compensated Ukraine for the damage it has caused during this war, Mr Merz said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Russia has extended its ban on petrol and diesel exports until the end of the year due to fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday. "The measure helps us further secure the domestic market with oil products," Novak said, according to the Interfax news agency, while acknowledging that the country is facing a fuel deficit. Ukraine has targeted fuel depots and refineries as part of its defensive campaign against Russia's ongoing invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shortages have already led to noticeably higher pump prices. Russia initially imposed the fuel export ban in March to stabilize domestic supply, though the restrictions have also cost the government revenue crucial for its war effort. Novak said the ban applies to all market participants with the exception of intergovernmental agreements. Russian petrol stations have begun limiting fuel availability. According to the newspaper Kommersant, the number of stations selling petrol fell by 360, or 2.6%, over the past two months, with shortages especially acute in the countrys south. Petrol production has dropped by roughly 10%. CHISINAU, Moldova Russian-controlled politicians, troll farms, cyberattacks, vote-buying, and coordinated violence As Moldovans will head to the polls this Sunday, Russia has doubled down on its longstanding aim to gain hold of the country of 2.6 million. The ruling pro-European PAS party, founded by President Maia Sandu, is likely to come first with around 30-40 percent, according to a number of polls. It may fall just short of a parliamentary majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The main opposition, the Kremlin-aligned Patriotic Bloc, is aiming at around 13-20 percent of the votes. The bloc unites the country's Socialist and Communist parties and is led by a flurry of former top officials ex-President Igor Dodon, ex-President Vladimir Voronin, former Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, and the former governor of the southern autonomous region Gagauzia, Irina Vlah, recently sanctioned by Canada and Ukraine. Despite the Kremlin-aligned bloc lacking the capacity to outright win the election, it's who comes in third and potentially fourth place that will count. Eyeing third place is Renato Usatii's populist Our Party with an estimated 5-10 percent of the votes. The former mayor of the northern town of Balti, Usatii, gained a fortune through business dealings with the Russian state railways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using vivid, vulgar speech, Usatii often makes headlines by sharing information few have access to, but which does not always prove right. He boycotted Moldova's EU membership constitutional referendum last autumn, which passed with a 50.33 percent margin, or 10,000 votes. Usatii's third-place competitor is the newly created Alternative Bloc. Leader of the Our Party political party Renato Usatii' is applauded by supporters at the end of an electoral meeting outside the Moldovan Parliament in Chisinau, Moldova, on Oct. 18, 2024. (Daniel Mihailescu / AFP via Getty Images) A person stands near a tent advertising the Patriotic Block political alliance, the text reads in Russian We believe in Moldova! in Ungheni, Moldova, on Sept. 24, 2025. (Daniel Mihailescu / AFP via Getty Images) Declaring themselves pro-European, the Alternative Bloc is led by Chisinau's Mayor Ion Ceban, banned by Romania from entering the Schengen Area for security reasons. Other party leaders include Voronin's former advisor Mark Tkaciuc, Dodon's former Prime Minister Ion Chicu, who also boycotted Moldova's EU referendum, and the former Prosecutor General Aleksandr Stoianoglo, who competed against Maia Sandu in the country's 2024 presidential elections, and gained 44.65 percent of the vote. Stoianoglo was supported by the Russian-financed vote-buying scheme. "They do not believe in Russia. They do not believe in Europe. They believe only in money." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike individual parties, which require five percent to pass the threshold, blocs would be required to gain at least seven percent of the popular vote to enter parliament, a number that the Alternative Bloc is just short of, according to polls. The bloc has also printed stamped ballot papers, an illegal act according to the Central Electoral Commission. While the Alternative said this was done for publicity reasons, the police accused them of trying to implement the "carousel" vote fraud scheme, whereby one person enters the polling station with a filled ballot paper, dropping it in the box, and takes out an empty one, handing it to the next person. Days before the election, around 20 to 30 percent of the population remain undecided on whom to support. According to sociologist Vadim Pistrinciuc, these people may have both pro-European views in largely pro-Russian areas like Gagauzia and keep quiet, or be among those who were open to receiving money for their votes in the past. On Sept. 22, President Sandu gave a national address, in which she warned that "the Kremlin is pouring hundreds of millions of euros to buy hundreds of thousands of votes on both banks of the Dniester (Nistru) River and abroad. People are intoxicated daily with lies. Hundreds of individuals are paid to provoke disorder, violence, and spread fear." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Sandu, the Kremlin's local accomplices are not ideologically driven. "They do not believe in Russia. They do not believe in Europe. They believe only in money," Sandu said. On the same day, Moldovan police, intelligence, and prosecution held a joint press conference, where they announced they arrested 74 people, confiscating weapons and munitions. Moldovan President Maia Sandu gives a press conference at the presidential palace in Chisinau, Moldova, on Aug. 27, 2025. (Kay Nietfeld / Picture Alliance via Getty Images) The detainees were part of the network coordinated by Ilan Shor, the Moldovan oligarch who fled the country prior to being charged for fraud. Shor is believed to reside in Moscow. More than 100 people have been trained by Russia's GRU officers in Serbia to organise mass violence, Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service Chief Alexandru Musteta said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement conducted hundreds of searches across the country, confiscating the equivalent of over five million euros. "We are not talking about hybrid warfare any longer but a multidimensional war tested in a relatively small and not very rich country whose capacity cannot compare to Russia," Pistrinciuc from the Moldovan think-tank IPIS told the Kyiv Independent. According to him, these intensive attacks aim not only to block Moldova's EU integration process but also to "destroy Moldova as an (independent) state." "If a foreign power can hijack a third to half of the votes, we are no longer talking about a state. Moldova is one of the few post-Soviet states in which elections have mattered. They are the stepping stones of the Republic of Moldova. Russia wants to prove that our institutions are not strong enough and our citizens not vigilant enough." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While cleavages between citizens with different views have grown, Moldovans have proven to be resilient so far, according to Pistrinciuc. Part of the resilience has come from investigative journalists. Several undercover investigations from national and local media platforms such as Ziarul de Garda, NordNews, CuSens, but also the BBC, have infiltrated Russian troll farms in Moldova and shown their inner workings. The farms' declared purpose is to instill fear and panic, Russian-linked coordinators admitted on camera. Hundreds of Moldovans were thus trained and paid to spread anti-EU, anti-government, Kremlin-aligned narratives via online content, as well as manipulative opinion polls done over the phone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab, until Sept. 18, these networks produced just under 30,000 posts gaining more than 55 million views. Read also: Ukraines message to Europe: You are under threat from Russia. We can help "The Russian propaganda machine is more disciplined," journalist Dumitru Pelin from the Moldovan platform NordNews told the Kyiv Independent. "What we cut out of our investigation is that Russians made a very detailed feasibility study about the incomes people have, the attention they lack," he added The northern region, where Pelin lives and works, has been particularly targeted by Russian propaganda, he said. Meanwhile, according to the journalist, "central authorities, busy with governing the country, communicated more sporadically with these citizens." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We also have the ethnic vote," Pelin added, referring to the fact that according to opinion polls, ethnic minorities in Moldova tend to speak Russian a Soviet-era heritage and share Kremlin narratives. A large part of the country's population knows Russian as a primary or secondary language. Pelin himself comes from a mixed family: his mother is Ukrainian, and his father is Romanian Moldovan. They spoke Russian at home, but Pelin attended a Romanian language school. He said his case is not unique: more and more Russian speakers send their children to Romanian language schools. A caricature on a billboard shows Russian President Vladimir Putin pulling the ropes of fugitives Ilan Shor (R) and Vladimir Plahotniuc (L), with the caption They ask for your vote, in Ungheni, Moldova, on Sept. 24, 2025. (Daniel Mihailescu / AFP via Getty Images) "This region is slowly changing into a pro-European area," Pelin added. "We need to work with poorly informed citizens." Another key voting group in the upcoming parliamentary elections is Moldova's one-million-people-strong diaspora, one of Russia's primary targets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until now, the diaspora has overwhelmingly voted for pro-European candidates and parties. But in recent months, advertorials on social media promised Moldovans abroad between 250 and 400 euros for "event management" and observing elections; the money would be given in cash, and one requirement is to know the "Moldovan" language, the Soviet way of calling the Romanian language spoken in Moldova. This shows that Russia's network "is also extensive in European countries," Pistrinciuc said. Another country closely watching the upcoming elections in Moldova is Ukraine. Russia has long controlled Transnistria, a breakaway region on Moldova's eastern border with Ukraine. Experts say Moscow is also eyeing taking political control of Chisinau. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia's control over Moldova's government "would open new opportunities to destabilise southern Ukraine," Pistrinciuc added. "The volume of resources thrown into this process shows that Russia sees these elections as a historic battle for the future of Moldova," he added. "The equation is simple: the better-off Moldovans are, the more they distance themselves from the past Russian influence." Read also: Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova too, Zelensky warns amid rising Russian influence Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Nine European banks plan a MiCA-regulated euro stablecoin by 2026, aiming to rival USD tokens as ECBs digital euro stalls. | Credit: Getty Images. Key Takeaways Nine leading European banks have formed a consortium to launch a euro-backed stablecoin. The project is designed as a counterweight to the dominance of U.S. dollar stablecoins. The stablecoin is planned for release in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approval. Europes biggest financial institutions are taking the stablecoin industry into their own hands. Nine major banks from across the continent are forming a joint venture to issue a fully MiCA-compliant euro stablecoin by 2026, aiming to establish a regulated standard for digital payments as the European Central Banks (ECB) digital euro project continues to stall. Consortium Seeks Dutch License The group includes ING, Banca Sella, KBC, Danske Bank, DekaBank, UniCredit, SEB, CaixaBank, and Raiffeisen Bank International, representing eight countries and a mix of retail, corporate, and cooperative lenders. Together, they have incorporated a new entity in the Netherlands and are applying for an electronic money institution (EMI) license from De Nederlandsche Bank. If approved, the stablecoin will be backed 1:1 with euro reserves held in segregated accounts and invested in low-risk, liquid assets. The consortium says it will leverage blockchain for transparency, programmability, and instant settlement, while ensuring compliance with MiCAs stringent requirements for reserve management, redemption rights, and disclosure. Rivals to USD Stablecoins The euro stablecoin is expected to directly challenge the growing dominance of dollar-backed stablecoins, which currently account for the lions share of global stablecoin volume. With U.S. regulation now clearing the way for stablecoin issuers, European banks are looking to defend the euros role in the global economy. The project also underscores growing frustration with the ECBs slow rollout of its digital euro. While policymakers have committed to the initiative, executives such as Piero Cipollone of the ECBs board have indicated that a functioning digital euro may not arrive before 2029. Bridging Banks and Blockchain By moving ahead with their own tokenized euro, the banks aim to provide a private-sector complementand potential testbedfor Europes eventual CBDC. Analysts say it could also give European businesses and consumers earlier access to programmable money in a fully regulated framework, closing the gap with faster-moving markets like the U.S. and Asia. If successful, the consortiums euro stablecoin would mark one of the most ambitious attempts yet to fuse traditional finance with blockchain, accelerating Europes push toward a hybrid system of public and private digital money. The post Europe's Banking Giants Eye Euro Stablecoin by 2026, Filling Void Left by Lagging Digital Euro appeared first on ccn.com. Credit: Nato From the moment the Russian pilots entered Estonian airspace, they were pursued by Natos most advanced fighter jets. Two Italian F-35s, Ghost 1 and Ghost 2, had launched an interception mission from an air base 50km outside of the capital Tallinn. For an instant, the course of world affairs rested on the shoulders of five men three Russians and two Italians who were not in radio contact with each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Italians began the routine of an aerial intercept, rocking their wings from side to side. In reply, the Russians rocked theirs back. Then one of the pilots raised his hand and gave a friendly wave. A Russian MIG-31 fighter jet above the Baltic Sea after violating Estonian airspace - Forsvarsmakten/handout/AFP via Getty Images For the next 12 minutes, the Italian pilots trailed the Russians all the way to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad an unprecedented length of time for an incursion into Nato airspace. This time, the manoeuvre was carried out peacefully and Nato fighters were not forced to fire at the three Russian MiG-31s, themselves armed with air-to-air missiles. But the potential flashpoint has sparked days of intense discussion inside Nato over when, where and how they might pull the trigger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are really proud of how we react every time, said Lieutenant Colonel Gaetano Farina, the commander of the Italian air task force stationed at Amari air base under Nato command. Lieutenant Colonel Gaetano Farina Nato polices the airspace of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, none of which possess fighter jets. Since the Italian rotation began on Aug 1, Lt Col Farinas men have scrambled seven times, but on every occasion until now the interceptions have taken place over international waters. The latest incident came in a fortnight in which Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, launched a spate of operations designed to probe Natos ability to defend its borders: a barrage of drones was fired into Poland; airports in Oslo and Copenhagen had to close due to unattributed drones; and, ahead of this weekends election in Moldova, Moscow is hinting at an invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement b' Russia\'s drone strikes in Poland ' In the Article 4 consultations triggered at Nato by the Estonian government over the violation of its airspace, the question was asked: what if their jets do it again? And what if, this time, they push us even harder? In the past 10 years Russia has violated Estonian airspace at least 40 times once by a jet flying Putin to Helsinki for a 2018 meeting with Donald Trump. But those breaches have tended to involve corner-cutting around the uninhabited Vaindloo island just north of Estonia by lone, old aircraft. This time, three heavy fighters flew at least five miles into Estonian airspace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And although the Russians followed the internationally agreed order of an intercept, they did not alter their course or steer out of Estonian airspace. Vladimir Putin (R) and Donald Trump in Helsinki, Finland, July 16 2018 - Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Relaxed response On the return to base, there was no Top Gun-style whooping and hollering from the Italian pilots. Its our job, said Lt Col Farina, a tall, chiselled figure who once led Italys equivalent of the Red Arrows. The men were relaxed. The same cannot be said for the inhabitants of Stenbock House, Estonias government complex in Tallinn, nor the Western leaders working the phones in response to the news. When a Russian fighter jet entered Turkish airspace in 2015, it was shot down within 17 seconds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As soon as the Italian F-35s were back in their hangars, some began to ask why the blatant violation of Nato territory had not met with the same response. Others questioned whether the Russian pilots had strayed from their flight paths by mistake. I cannot say, maybe it could happen with an old jet, said Lt Col Farina. b' 2509 Nato\'s F35 jet and Russia\'s MiG31 ' The Estonian government does not assess that the situation merited a kinetic reply one, after all, which could lead to far more explosive results in the small nation on the eastern Baltic coast that shares a 183-mile border with Russia. The Russian jets were not heading towards the Estonian mainland, nor were they armed with missiles that could blow up targets on the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, however, the decision on whether to pull the trigger lies with Nato and the governments who supply their military forces to its missions. Natos rules of engagement are classified. But when governments in countries such as Italy, the UK or Sweden provide jets to Nato, they are permitted to apply caveats on their use. That might mean that one chooses to act more cautiously than another. On Friday, the Nato response was directed by a German general in charge of the Combined Air Operations Centre (Caoc) in the small German town of Uedem. Overall command remains largely reliant on the US and its appointment of General Alexus G Grynkewich, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Hodgepodge system Effective on Friday, the system remains a hodgepodge. It is unclear under what exact circumstances a Russian fighter can be shot down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If a pilot feels their life is threatened say, a Russian jet has locked on to their craft then they are empowered to shoot. But in more nuanced situations, final decision-making authority lies with the national government providing the aircraft to Nato. Days of negotiation at the North Atlantic Council, Natos decision-making body, will have analysed if that leaves Estonia vulnerable. Perhaps our systems need to be clarified and pre-agreed, said Eerik-Niiles Kross, an Estonian MP and the countrys former intelligence director. A Polish F-35 at Amari air base Russia is constantly trying to push boundaries, a source connected to the British military with experience in Estonia told The Telegraph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The escalation means that Britain, which stations around 1,000 troops in the country, needs to make sure that any force that the UK is prepared to deploy has got the right equipment and lethality to be able to defend itself and provide a robust element for the defence of Estonia. In a joint declaration on Tuesday, Nato warned Russia that it was prepared to use all military tools to counter invasions of its airspace, without setting clear red lines for when they might do so. The trouble is that if Nato issues specific threats it has to back them up, said Ed Arnold, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London. It is not beyond Putin to send his pilots on a quasi-suicide mission to goad Nato into a provocation that he can then spin and at the same time cause frictions within the alliance, Mr Arnold added. Vast military build-up At the lighter end, that might mean dogfights, claims of victimhood and more drone barrages. But Estonia is also undertaking a vast military build-up to make it an unappetising target for Russia, which absorbed the nation into the Soviet Union in 1940. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Near the eastern border, tank ditches are under construction. The government is purchasing large amounts of long-range missiles, ammunition and advanced air-defence systems, including the Iris-T, which will arrive by the end of the year. Until 2029, Estonias annual military spending will average 5.4 per cent of GDP, the highest figure in the Nato alliance. But it will not purchase fighter jets, Hanno Pevkur, the defence minister, said this week. If it did, it would have the sovereign right to use its own planes to shoot down Russian jets whatever Natos views on the matter. Without such aircraft, the decision to carry out air-to-air kills will remain in Natos hands. A Samp-T air defense battery at Amari air base - Erlend Staub/R-Lend ou Tallinns immediate decision to call for Article 4 consultations might lead you to assume that we are worried or concerned, said Jonatan Vseviov, the secretary general of Estonias foreign ministry. We are not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are absolutely confident in our ability, together with our allies, to defend Nato and the European Union here in this region. Barely any Russian troops are stationed in the border regions of Leningrad and Pskov. Theyre all stuck in Ukraine, said Mr Vseviov, with a smile. Instead, Tallinn expects more grey-zone-style threats, like the blimp flown across the river towards the Estonian city of Narva, or the removal of buoys in its midst that mark the border line. In Narva, Russian propaganda bombards the local, largely ethnic Russian population, thanks to the deliberate extension of Moscows radio and TV networks. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one senior official in the Estonian government said the crisis had upsides for Tallinn. It is pressing for the relaxation of various rules and regulations that will speed up its re-arming process. And it has called for an increased Nato presence within its borders. Several Russian pilots were laid to rest under graves marked with the tail wings of Soviet aircraft Visiting Amari air base on Wednesday, Guido Crosetto, Italys defence minister, announced that Italy will extend its deployment there for another month. For the first time, this mission includes the use of an advanced Samp/T air-defence battery, able to shoot down targets at a range of 150km. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the right thing in the right moment, said an Italian military official, standing next to the missile launcher as gunfire echoed from a nearby Estonian firing range. While they wait for the next incursion, the Italian F-35 pilots train constantly. The alarm sounds. The technicians run to the jets and the pilots jump on board. The system runs like clockwork, said Lt Col Farina. And in the woods near Amari lies a warning to the Russian president. Under graves marked with the tail wings of Soviet aircraft, several Russian pilots have been laid to rest. They fell during the 50 years when Russia occupied Estonia, during which time it built the base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others, yet, may follow suit. 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. Russian troops have withdrawn from Belarus following the conclusion of the Zapad-2025 (West-2025) joint exercises, although Ukraine's defence forces continue to monitor the border closely, as Belarus maintains its support for Russias aggression. Source: Colonel Andrii Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service, during the national joint 24/7 newscast Quote from Demchenko: "Overall, even though the active phase of the Belarus-Russia exercises has concluded, this front remains a security priority for us, and the threat from Belarusian territory has not diminished. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of now, we are not observing the Russian forces or equipment that participated in these joint exercises on Belarusian territory. They have returned to Russia. But again, since Belarus continues to support the terrorist country in the war waged against our country, we must remain vigilant. However, fortunately, no activity is currently being observed near our border, along the direction of our border on Belarusian territory." Details: Demchenko noted that Ukraines objective remains the same: to keep strengthening defensive capabilities along the border. This involves reinforcing and fortifying positions from Volyn to Chernihiv oblasts as well as laying mines in the most vulnerable areas to prevent any incursions from Belarus. Background: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Zapad exercises in Belarus were conducted on 12-16 September at training grounds located deep within the country or in its eastern regions. Despite this, NATO had maintained heightened vigilance during the exercises. Several countries had closed their borders with Russia during this period. On 15 September, it became known that Moscow and Minsk had expanded the geography of the Zapad-2025 exercises to Russias Kaliningrad Oblast, located deep within Western Europe. On the last day of the exercises, during a visit to the Mulino training ground, Putin boasted that overall 100,000 service members had been involved in Zapad-2025 across 41 land and naval ranges, 333 aircraft, around 250 ships and 10,000 units of equipment. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ryanair revealed that two of its flight attendants needed medical assistance following a flight with severe turbulence on September 21. FlightAware detailed that Ryanair Flight 4615 arrived on schedule at Palma de Mallorca, Spains Son Sant Joan Airport (PMI) at 9:36 p.m. local time. However, the airline disclosed to PEOPLE that the aircraft experienced some air turbulence prior to landing. A Ryanair representative further said that the captain called ahead for medical assistance for two cabin crew and the aircraft landed normally. The flight left on time from Vitoria Airport (VIT) in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain on the countrys mainland at 8:22 p.m. No passenger injuries were reported, and its unclear to what extent the cabin crew members were injured. What Else Is There To Know About The Turbulence On Ryanair Flight 4615? According to the U.S. Sun, shortly before landing, the aggressive turbulence caused one of the flight attendants to be launched toward the aircrafts ceiling. Meanwhile, a service trolley reportedly collided with another cabin crew member, resulting in an injury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were reportedly around 180 passengers on board. The two Ryanair workers were reportedly conducting safety checks on the plane ahead of landing when the turbulence took place, caused by a storm front. How Can Travelers Stay Safe When Flying? Despite flight turbulence often making headlines, experts say flying is still the safest mode of transportation. The Federal Aviation Administration notes that turbulence unexpected air movement can be created by many different conditions, including atmospheric pressure, jet streams, air around mountains, cold or warm weather fronts, or thunderstorms. For safety, the authority recommends keeping seatbelts fastened throughout the flight and following the cabin crews instructions at all times. Additionally, those on board should read and listen to any safety briefings and follow the rules for carry-on items. The post Ryanair Flight In Spain With Severe Turbulence Results In Two Cabin Crew Needing Medical Assistance appeared first on Travel Noire. It is arguably the bitterest irony in modern French political history. Nicolas Sarkozy, the president who led Europes charge to topple Muammar Gaddafi, has been convicted of conspiring to accept tens of millions of euros from the late Libyan dictator. Now, with a Paris court sentencing him to five years in jail for criminal conspiracy, though acquitting him on the more explosive counts of corruption and illegal campaign financing, the drama of Sarkozys rise and fall has entered its most damning chapter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The verdict, delivered on Thursday, is without precedent in the Fifth Republic. No French head of state has ever before been convicted of criminal conspiracy linked to foreign influence. No modern French president has spent time in prison. The last was Philippe Petain, the head of Frances Nazi collaborationist Vichy regime. For Sarkozy, it is no doubt the final nail in a reputation already punctured by convictions for influence-peddling and illegal wire-tapping. For France, it raises uncomfortable questions about the nature of power, diplomacy, and the Faustian pacts struck in the corridors of the Elysee. The Sarkozy-Gaddafi saga began in almost theatrical circumstances. In December 2007, only months after his presidential triumph for a five-year term, Sarkozy welcomed the Libyan strongman to Paris on a full state visit. Gaddafi, always keen to cultivate eccentricity, pitched his Bedouin tent on the manicured lawns of the Hotel de Marigny, a stones throw from the Elysee Palace, his female bodyguards keeping a careful watch. On a 2007 visit to Paris, Gaddafi had a Bedouin tent pitched on the lawns of the Hotel de Marigny - STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP via Getty Images To the horror of many in France and beyond, the dictator accused of suppressing dissent and sponsoring terror attacks, including the 1988 Lockerbie bombings in Scotland and UTA Flight 772 in 1989 over Niger that killed hundreds, was treated as an honoured guest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sarkozy justified the red-carpet treatment as an act of engagement, a way of drawing Libya back into the international fold. It followed hard on the heels of another high-profile gesture: his then-wife, Cecilia, had flown to Tripoli only months earlier to negotiate the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor condemned to death on trumped-up charges of infecting Libyan children with HIV. That mission, hailed at the time as a humanitarian breakthrough, gave the new president instant diplomatic laurels. Yet critics later argued it also opened the door to a cosy, transactional relationship with Gaddafi, one that soon deepened through defence contracts and, prosecutors would allege, illicit campaign financing. What the public did not know was that prosecutors would later allege that Sarkozys successful presidential campaign had been bankrolled in part by Gaddafis regime. According to testimony from intermediaries and intelligence memos first reported by Mediapart, the investigative website, as much as 50m in illicit cash was funnelled into Sarkozys coffers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Little wonder, then, that after the verdict, his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, pulled the foam windscreen off Mediaparts microphone and dropped it on the floor. According to the prosecutors, Sarkozys aides promised to drop a French warrant against Gaddafis brother-in-law, Abdullah al-Senussi, who was convicted in his absence by a Paris court of orchestrating the UTA bombing, in which 170 people died. Sarkozy has always denied the charges, dismissing the documents as forgeries and the witnesses as fantasists. The case was haunted by mysterious turns: the death of Shukri Ghanem, Libyas former oil minister, a key witness, whose body was found in the Danube in 2012 after he drowned of natural causes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then there was the passing this week of Ziad Takieddine, the Franco-Lebanese businessman who claimed to have delivered suitcases of cash stuffed with millions of euros to Sarkozys circle, only to change his tune at least twice. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy squeezes a foam Mediapart microphone as her husbands lawyers speak to the press after his trial - Lafargue Raphael/ABACA/Shutterstock Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy now faces a separate trial for seeking to get Takieddine, an uncle of Amal Clooney, the British lawyer married to George Clooney, to retract in another case destined to cause her clan yet more ignominy. The courts decision to convict Sarkozy of criminal conspiracy while clearing him of the other charges reflects the ambiguity of the evidence. Judges accepted that Sarkozy engaged in a covert pact with Libyan actors, one that crossed the line into criminality. But they stopped short of finding that he directly pocketed cash or deliberately flouted campaign laws. For prosecutors, it is nonetheless a major victory, particularly given the bombshell prison term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, Nathalie Gavarino, the presiding judge, was unequivocal when pronouncing a guilty verdict for criminal conspiracy. You exploited your ministerial position to prepare high-level corruption, she read. Such acts were exceptionally grave and likely to undermine citizens faith in the institutions of the Republic. The conspiracy count recognises that Sarkozy was at the centre of a clandestine network of influence, blurring statecraft with self-interest. If he had merely courted Gaddafi, the story would have been scandal enough. But history added a bitter twist. By 2011, the Arab Spring had engulfed North Africa, and Libya teetered on the brink of civil war. Sarkozy was among the first Western leaders to demand intervention. French jets spearheaded the Nato bombing campaign, ostensibly to protect civilians from Gaddafis wrath. For many, it was Sarkozys attempt to recast himself as a champion of liberty. Gaddafi pictured in May 2011, a few months before his death - EPA The campaign culminated in Gaddafis downfall and grisly death in Sirte. Rebels captured him. Grainy footage showed his bloodied body in the dust. Nato denied direct involvement, but reports circulated that French agents had provided the intelligence that sealed his fate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thus, the man now convicted of conspiring in a plot to take Gaddafis millions became the man who, more than any other Western leader, hastened his destruction. It is a contradiction almost Shakespearean in scale: beneficiary turned betrayer, patron turned executioner. For the families of the 170 victims of the UTA bombing, who confronted the court with their grief, the moral dimensions cut deepest. What did they do with our dead? one daughter asked bitterly. Daniele Klein, who lost her brother on the flight, called Sarkozys alleged dealings with Gaddafi an unworthiness without name. The wreckage of UTA Flight 772, which was downed in a terror attack that claimed the lives of 170 people - AFP via Getty Images Sarkozy looked at his shoes as the court was asked whether it was morally acceptable for a democratic government to engage with a regime accused of sponsoring terrorism in ways that might trade or diminish the memory of its victims. Politically, Sarkozy once dreamed of returning to the Elysee. Few believed he would attempt a comeback, but he has remained influential in French politics, even receiving a call from Sebastien Lecornu, Emmanuel Macrons new prime minister, a few days ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His enduring image as the godfather of the French Right is unlikely to survive this latest blow, however. Laurent Wauquiez, parliamentary leader of the Republicans, the party Sarkozy once championed, offered his personal support and friendship, but others remained tight-lipped. They have turned the page. Given how the convictions are piling up, they would do well to do so, said Yael Goosz, a political analyst. The sentence will make uncomfortable reading for another front-line French politician, the National Rallys Marine Le Pen, who is appealing a five-year ban from running for elected office after a recent embezzlement conviction over fake EU jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a mealy-mouthed response, the presidential hopeful said that the provisional enforcement of sentences by certain courts represents a great danger, in view of the fundamental principles of our law, foremost among which is the presumption of innocence. In other words, politicians should not be provisionally banned or imprisoned until all their appeals have been exhausted. For France, the case is not just about one man. It is about how the Republic conducts itself on the world stage. Sarkozys downfall underscores the risks of personalised diplomacy, the temptation to blur the line between realpolitik and personal ambition. It also sharpens the debate over the Libyan intervention itself. If the architect of that war was himself compromised by ties to Gaddafi, what does that say about the purity of Frances motives? Was it humanitarian zeal, or the ruthless logic of a man seeking to erase a benefactor turned liability? As Le Monde put it dryly: The bombings did not help the recovery of the regimes archives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will also likely spark fresh questions over the wisdom of Britains engagement in the Libya operation during David Camerons prime ministerial term. 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. DENVER (KDVR) The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado filed a new lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to learn more about the federal agencys plans to expand immigration detention across Colorado and Wyoming. The ACLU of Colorado said the lawsuit comes after ICE allegedly did not comply with a Freedom of Information Act request that sought details of the agencys plans to grow detention facilities in Colorado. FOX31 asked ICE for comment on the lawsuit and was told the agency will not provide any comment on ongoing or pending litigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frisco Mexican restaurant remains closed after HSI operation last week In April, the nonprofit filed a lawsuit against ICE to obtain publicly requestable documents about plans to expand detention space across Colorado and Wyoming. In July, the ACLU of Colorado shared documents from ICE showing six potential locations for ICE detention facilities in Colorado, as well as information relevant to each site. In late August, the nonprofit shared newly updated documents from ICE showing plans to expand how many immigration detention beds are available in Colorado. The ACLU of Colorado said that documents initially received were improperly redacted, and that less-redacted versions were received in August. Already, our previous requests and subsequent lawsuit have revealed how ICE may spend some of its record $45 billion budget intended for immigration detention, said Tim Macdonald, ACLU of Colorado legal director. We will continue to press ICE for more transparency and accountability as it rushes to reopen abandoned facilities to separate more families, lock up more workers, and intimidate more people with actions that strain due process and human decency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One location that has garnered attention is the Hudson Correctional Facility, which FOX31 reported in August is expected to be opened by ICE by the end of 2025. According to the documents from ICE, the facility can hold 1,256 people with day rooms that purport to offer additional bunk space. The documents also show that the facility has 37 acres adjacent to its current location and has already received a conditional use permit for a 1,000-bed expansion. Free on Your TV New FOX31+ App for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV Documents shared by the ACLU of Colorado show that the facility was in advanced talks with operators in February 2025. The facility is owned by Highlands REIT and leased by The Geo Group through 2020. The Geo Group is also contracted by ICE to run its Aurora detention facility. The ACLU of Colorado said it is seeking to raise awareness of ICEs expansion plans and the agencys long history of detaining people in brutal and substandard conditions. The nonprofit said it is calling on leaders to join it in denouncing this insidious expansion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX31 obtained a letter from a teenager detained at the ICE facility in Aurora, operated by The Geo Group. The teen called the conditions a nightmare and described how she was given soggy, wet food, and that the guards attitude toward her changed when they learned she spoke English. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The week of the UN General Assembly is always a chaotic one in New York City, often synonymous with two words for locals: gridlock traffic. But this years global event was especially momentous being the 80th session and anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. The noteworthy occasion saw a greater influx of world leaders, including G7 nation presidents, than usual. The UN Headquarters on the east side of Manhattan also welcomed far more royals in 2025 than the General Assembly gets in an average year as well, with some monarchs speaking in public forums and on the assembly floor. Here, a glance at all of the royal appearances during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week: Photo credit: Patrick van Katwijk - Getty Images Queen Maxima and Princess Amalia of the Netherlands have been on a whirlwind tour of both Washington D.C. and New York City this week, giving Hollands future monarch a great deal of diplomatic education over the last few days. The pair attended the opening session of the General Assembly along with Queen Silvia of Sweden. (King Carl Gustaf of Sweden is also in attendance this week at the UN although not pictured here.) Photo credit: Patrick van Katwijk - Getty Images The Dutch royals also met with Muhammad Yunus, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize and Bangladesh's interim leader one year after mass protests toppled the countrys previous regime. Photo credit: Patrick van Katwijk - Getty Images Queen Mathilde of Belgium sat with Queen Maxima and Princess Amalia while at United Nations General Assembly. Photo credit: TONY BEHAR - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Queen Mathilde of Belgium addressed the General Assembly during the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on womens rights, noting there has been some progress made but there is a lot of work to be done. Photo credit: Courtesy of the Royal Hashemite Court Queen Rania of Jordan also spoke about the Beijing Declaration on Tuesday , calling for the UN to act more decisively against violations of humanitarian laws, remarking that womens rights cannot be filtered through the lens of political expediency. The Jordanian queen, dressed in a silk Balenciaga midi dress , also attended a reception hosted by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in midtown Manhattan. Photo credit: Michael M. Santiago - Getty Images King Felipe of Spain also addressed the UN Floor on Wednesday, emphasizing the continuing need for the international organization. To believe in the United Nations is to firmly believe in the universality of the principles and values enshrined in its Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the King said, in Spanish. It means avoiding the temptation to modulate them with particularisms, relativism, and exceptions, because the dignity of the human being is non-negotiable. Photo credit: Patrick van Katwijk - Getty Images Queen Maxima is also the UN secretary-generals special advocate for financial health. She and her daughter attended the Bloomberg Global Forum at the Plaza Hotel, seen here with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. Photo credit: ANGELA WEISS - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prince Albert spoke on Thursday, with Monaco joining France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Malta in formally recognizing Palestinian statehood this week. In his speech , Albert reaffirmed the principalitys traditional position in favor of a balanced approach to the conflict, defending two inalienable rights: Israels right to live in security within secure and recognised borders, and the Palestinian peoples right to a sovereign, viable and democratic state. You Might Also Like Sen. Mike Klimesh, joined by Sens. Annette Sweeney, left, and Sarah Trone Garriott, right heard public comments on a bill related to pharmacy benefits managers Feb. 5, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, was elected Wednesday to serve as Iowa Senate majority leader, taking over the role from Sen. Jack Whitver. Republicans, who hold a 33-17 majority in the Iowa Senate, met Wednesday and elected Klimesh to take on the top Senate leadership job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Klimesh was first elected to the Senate in 2020 and defeated Democratic challenger Brian Bruening in the 2024 general election. Previously, he served as mayor of Spillville for 22 years, in addition to having worked as plant manager for Graphics, Inc. in Calmar. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In the 2025 legislative session, Klimesh was chairman for the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, in addition to serving as vice chair for the Local Government Committee and for the Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee. Whitver announced Sept. 16 that he was retiring from the leadership position, which he has held since 2018, and would not seek reelection in 2026. The 45-year-old Grimes resident was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2024, and has said treatment was ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement Wednesday, Klimesh thanked Whitver for his time leading the Senate GOP caucus. Leading a deep and talented group of senators is an honor, and with that honor comes a great responsibility, Klimesh said. I want to thank Jack for his years of service, his exceptional example as a leader, and most of all for his friendship. I cant imagine anyone leaving behind bigger shoes to fill. As leader, Klimesh said he looks forward to continuing to implement our agenda to reduce taxes, making it more affordable to live in Iowa, reduce barriers to work and invest in this state, expand the economy, and return Iowa schools to their status as the best in the country. Gov. Kim Reynolds congratulated Klimesh in a statement Wednesday. Sen. Klimeshs influence in the senate has steadily grown over the last four years, and Im confident in his ability to successfully lead the Senate, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I look forward to working with him in the upcoming legislative session to further our conservative agenda and build upon our years of success, Reynolds said. Iowa Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, also congratulated Klimesh Wednesday, while thanking Whitver for his service in the Legislature. I am hopeful that we can find ways to work together to deliver for and truly improve the lives of all Iowans in the bipartisan manner they expect from us, Weiner said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Welcome back to Foreign Policys Situation Report, where we are at the midway point of a packed UNGA week. Alright, heres whats on tap for the day: Ahmed al-Sharaa introduces himself to the world, U.S. political violence in the spotlight, and a couple of celebrity encounters. Sharaas Successful PR Tour Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaas speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday was extraordinary for an array of reasons. The Syrian leader is a former al Qaeda insurgent who previously fought the United States in Iraq, where he spent time in the infamous U.S.-run Camp Bucca prison. And until last December, he had a $10 million bounty on his head. Sharaa is also the first Syrian leader to participate in UNGA since 1967and he spoke before the global body even as he remains under U.N. sanctions related to terrorism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syria is reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world, Sharaa said in his speech, calling for any remaining sanctions on his country to be lifted. Sharaas remarkable journey from jihadi to world leader has been a major topic of conversation at UNGA. Many are still skeptical that hes the best choice to lead Syria forward after a long and devastating civil war. Since an offensive spearheaded by the rebel group he led successfully overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December, there have been concerns about sectarian violence and targeting of religious minorities. Sharaa used his UNGA speech as an opportunity to reassure his doubters that he is committed to opening a new chapter in Syrias history defined by peace, tolerance, and cooperation with the international community. Syria has now transformed from an exporter of crises to an opportunity for peace, he said. I guarantee that we will bring to justice everyone found responsible for bloodshed. Sharaa also said he was committed to dialogue. UNGA has been Sharaas chance to pitch himself to the world, and he has not wasted the momenteven sitting down for a chat with retired U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, who oversaw Sharaas imprisonment in Iraq while commanding U.S. forces in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maya Ungar, a U.N. analyst at the International Crisis Group who has been on the ground at UNGA, told SitRep that Sharaa has had a very convincing PR run for the past week with some of his biggest detractors. Ungar said Sharaas speech on Wednesday was really meant to, without a shadow of a doubt, shut down some of the concerns that his detractors have about engagement with Syria and was designed to attract and reach out to potentially new investors and new companies to be paying attention to him. The speech was also about introducing the new Syria to the broader international community, she said. This was Sharaas chance to brush off his suit and cut his beard a bit shorter and show up to UNGA to say, I am the new president of Syria, and I should be treated as such, not as my background. Sharaas presence has also been an emotional moment for some members of the local Syrian diaspora, who have flocked to the U.N. security barricades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have huge amounts of the community who are out as close as they can get to the barriers, Ungar said. I was out with them to see what the mood and attitude was like about an hour ago, just before Sharaa started speaking. And there were tears. There was a sense of excitement, a sense of disbelief, that this time has finally come where Syria can turn over a new leaf. Sharaa in his speech also slammed Israel for the airstrikes it has conducted in Syria, which comes as the United States pushes for a de-escalation agreement between the two countries. The tone and the weight with which he talked about Israel in his speech shows that we still have a bit of a way to go in terms of reaching such an agreement, Ungar said, emphasizing that the development of this relationship is a space to watch closely. Elephant in the Room U.S. political violence takes center stage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and at least one other world leader addressed recent political violence in the United Statesparticularly the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirkin their speeches at UNGA on Wednesday. Their remarks highlighted how this issue is among the many elephants in the room as world leaders and diplomats gather at the U.N. headquarters in New York City this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yesterday, President Trump stood right here in this hall, and God saved him from a murder attempt during the campaign. A shot was fired from a rifle, and just a fraction of an inch saved his life. Just days ago, the president, along with hundreds of thousands of Americans, honored the memory of Charlie Kirk. Sadly, his life was cut short by a bulletonce again, violence with a rifle in hand, Zelensky said. Zelensky also mentioned the recent killing of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman who was fatally stabbed in North Carolina. She was brutally killed with a knife here in America, the very country where she was seeking refuge from Russias war, he said. Later in the day, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also mentioned Kirk in his address to UNGA. Vucic said Kirk was savagely assassinated because his alleged killer did not like his ideas. Though the suspect allegedly sent a text message that said hed had enough of Kirks hatred, much remains unknown about the suspected gunman and his political ideology, and the investigation is ongoing. Day 3 of UNGA also coincided with yet another instance of violence in the United States that appears to have been politically motivated, though details are still emerging. In the latest incident, a person shot and killed at least one migrant detainee and critically injured two others at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Texas. Joe Rothrock, the special agent in charge of the FBIs Dallas office, said the attack was targeted violence and that rounds found near the shooterwho died of a self-inflicted gun woundcontained messages that were anti-ICE in nature. No law enforcement personnel were injured in the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.N. Tidbits Visa issues. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke at UNGA on Wednesday, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held meetings in New York. But Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh didnt make it to the gathering because the United States did not issue him a visa, according to a spokesperson for the Iranian mission to the U.N. The U.S. State Department declined to comment on why his visa wasnt issued, citing visa record confidentiality. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will also address UNGA via videoconference on Thursday after the Trump administration denied visas to him and some other Palestinian officials. Celeb spotting. Its not just diplomats who make their way to UNGAthe gathering and its side events also bring a host of celebrities. Last year, SitRep spotted actors Meryl Streep, Edward Norton, and Matt Damon at the confab. This week, we walked past actor Amber Valletta (of Hitch and Transporter 2 fame), who was named a U.N. Environment Program goodwill ambassador on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we found ourselves in a room with musician-turned-tech entrepreneur will.i.am, who is an ambassador for the U.N. tech agency, the International Telecommunication Union. That agency is partnering with Google to start a $1 million artificial intelligence and robotics training program for students in five African countries. This is the last time humans will look to older humans for wisdom, the Black Eyed Peas co-founder told a small group of reporters. That aint happening in 2040, bro. Its going to be looking to some machine for wisdom. This is it, for us to get it right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hot Mic Aside from his rambling UNGA address on Tuesday (the longest-ever U.N. speech by a U.S. president), Trump made news by suddenly reversing his policy on the Russia-Ukraine war and saying Ukraine could win back all of its territoryand maybe even take some of Russias. As leaders, particularly those in Europe, process what that vibe shift might mean for them, European Union foreign-policy chief Kaja Kallas sat down with FPs Ravi Agrawal hours after Trumps social media announcement. I met with the Ukrainians after their meeting with President Trump. They were very, very happy. Its been a good day, she said. Asked what might have prompted Trumps shift, she said: Maybe he got the data about how the Russian economy is doing and how they are actually not winning this war. Maybe New York has positive effects on him. Kallass native Estonia, which accused Russia of violating its airspace last week, also reacted to another part of Trumps statement that NATO countries should shoot down those planes in the future. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin only understands the language of strength, and thats exactly the language Trump spoke yesterday, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Were Watching on Thursday 9 a.m. General debate begins, and Abbas addresses UNGA virtually after being denied a U.S. visa. An UNGA high-level meeting on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being is expected to take place. Editor's note: Follow the latest updates on the Dallas ICE facility shooting for Friday, Sept. 26. DALLAS The man who fatally shot one detainee at an immigration facility in Dallas and wounded two others had "specifically intended to kill ICE agents," officials said on Sept. 25, citing a trove of writings retrieved from the alleged shooter's home. Nancy Larson, acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, said 29-year-old Joshua Jahn left behind handwritten notes in which he described a "game plan of the attack" and a desire to give ICE agents "real terror." Larson said Jahn also wished to "minimize any collateral damage or injury to the detainees." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The tragic irony for his evil plot here is that it was a detainee who was killed and two other detainees that were injured," she said, adding that authorities believe Jahn acted alone. Law enforcement personnel respond at the scene of a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas, September 24, 2025. Law enforcement personnel gather at the scene of a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas, September 24, 2025. Law enforcement personnel respond at the scene of a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas, September 24, 2025. A law enforcement officer walks near the scene of a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas, September 24, 2025. Mayor of Dallas Eric Johnson (R) speaks during a press conference following a shooting at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Dallas, Texas, on September 24, 2025. One person was killed and two wounded in a shooting on Wednesday at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in the US city of Dallas, officials said. US Senator Ted Cruz, Republican from Texas speaks during a press conference following a shooting at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Dallas, Texas, on September 24, 2025. One person was killed and two wounded in a shooting on Wednesday at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in the US city of Dallas, officials said. Multiple people shot at Dallas ICE facility. See the response in Texas 1 of 6 Law enforcement personnel respond at the scene of a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas, September 24, 2025. The latest information comes a day after Jahn allegedly fired at the facility from a nearby rooftop before turning a gun on himself. Authorities say Jahn was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. Near his body, investigators located an unspent shell casing with the phrase "ANTI-ICE" written on it, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. It was the latest shooting to stir a tense national debate over political rhetoric and acts of violence. Two weeks earlier, conservative activist and President Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk was killed with a single shot during a speaking event at a Utah university. "This is wrong. Politically motivated violence is wrong," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Department: Dallas ICE gunman wanted to inspire 'real terror' What did Joshua Jahn's writings say? Larson said that Jahn, in his notes, expressed "hatred for the federal government" and a wish to "terrorize ICE employees and interfere with their work, which he called human trafficking." "This, what he did, is the very definition of terrorism," Larson said. Patel said investigators recovered a handwritten note reading, "Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, 'is there a sniper with AP (armor piercing) rounds on that roof?'" Larson added that Jahn claimed full responsibility for the attack, writing: "Yes, it was just me and my brain." She added that investigators believe the shooter acted alone and did not find evidence of "membership in any specific group or entity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his writings, Jahn did not mention any specific government agency other than ICE, Larson said. Jahn also allegedly wrote "good luck with the digital footprint," which authorities are taking to mean Jahn deleted evidence from his devices, according to Larson. Candles are lit at a vigil in Texas for the victims of an attack on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. One detainee was killed and two were critically wounded in the shooting. Advocates call for information on victims About 25 people showed up to a candlelight vigil just outside Parkland Hospital, where the two detainees injured in the shooting were recovering from their wounds. Members of several advocacy groups voiced a growing complaint within Dallas' immigrant community: That the federal government is not releasing any details about or scarcely acknowledging the person slain and two others who were critically injured in the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We want to get in touch with the families, we want to provide them direct community support and make sure theyre getting that support," said Flaka Martinez, an organizer with Vecinos Unidos, an immigrant advocacy group. "If they cant even acknowledge and identify the people who were the true victims in this situation, we cant believe anything they say about what happened," she said. Rick Jervis 'Theyre living in fear' Emily Castillo, 43, a sociologist and volunteer with Vecinos Unidos, said some immigrant families havent heard from their loved ones who were recently swept up in ICE raids and still dont know if they were victims of the recent attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre living in fear that their family member is the person who was killed or their family member is a person who is a victim, she said. Its undue trauma and undue fear thats being projected onto family members because theres no system of transparency and checks and balances. One attendee, who asked to be identified only as Onyx, for fear of retribution from ICE, lit votive candles and waved around the scented smoke of an herbal mix of bay leaf and motherwort, in a ceremony she called a limpieza, or cleansing. "Helps with the energy," she said. "Its been pretty heavy lately." Rick Jervis FBI says suspect engaged in 'high degree' of planning Joseph Rothrock, special agent in charge of the Dallas FBI field office, described the "significant, high degree of pre-attack planning" that preceded the deadly shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rothrock said Jahn searched for information about the ICE facility and how to track the location of ICE agents. "He knew with a high likelihood that ICE detainees would be transported that morning in the exact location where he was facing from his perch on a nearby rooftop," Rothrock said. Patel shared on X that the shooter allegedly downloaded a document containing a list of Department of Homeland Security facilities, searched for apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents, sought ballistics information and looked into video footage of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The FBI said the gunman fired at transport vehicles carrying ICE personnel, federal agents, and detainees, firing multiple shots into the windows of the office building where ICE employees were working. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rothrock described the gun used in the attack as an 8mm bolt-action rifle that Jahn legally purchased in August. What to know about the facility targeted in the attack Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem identified the targeted facility as a "processing facility," a type of Immigration and Customs Enforcement site playing an increasing role in the White Houses immigration enforcement crackdown, according to experts. Processing or holding centers serve as sites for agents to register detainees and hold them overnight if necessary. Over 10,000 people have gone through the facility in Dallas so far during fiscal year 2025, according to data shared with USA TODAY by the Transactional Records Access Clearing House, a research group that tracks immigration enforcement data. Data shows that immigration authorities are using the sites as temporary detainment sites more frequently, although detainees are not supposed to be held at the centers for over 72 hours, Long said. On average, 45 people were held at the facility overnight in July, compared to just one per night during fiscal year 2024, according to info Longs group obtained via the Freedom of Information Act. At its max, the Dallas site can hold 103 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long, who co-founded the immigration enforcement data group in 1989, said the site is one of just many around the country that play an underappreciated role in deportation proceedings: "This is happening all around," said Long, "and more and more so as more people are getting picked up." How did the suspect get on the roof? Larson said authorities believe Jahn used a ladder to access the rooftop from which he launched his attack. She said the suspect was seen driving with a "large ladder" on his car around 3 a.m. on the morning of the shooting. The gunfire began ringing out around 6:30 a.m. local time, officials said. Did the gunman work alone? Multiple officials said Jahn is believed to have acted alone. Jahn in his writings, claimed full responsibility for the shooting, Larson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added that investigators did not find evidence of "membership in any specific group or entity." In his writings, Jahn did not mention any specific government agency other than ICE, Larson said. Security ramped up at ICE facilities across the US The Department of Homeland Security said it plans to beef up safety protocols at ICE facilities across the country following the fatal shooting in Dallas. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blasted the rising violence against ICE agents. In a statement to USA TODAY, she cited "unprecedented acts of violence against ICE law enforcement, including bomb threats, cars being used a weapons, rocks and Molotov cocktails thrown at officers, and doxing online of officers' families." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McLaughlin didnt provide additional details regarding the new security tactics. Federal facilities are often already guarded and screened by security officers. They're also typically surrounded by fencing, cameras, and other security measures. Lauren Villagran 'Safety should be a priority': Amid ICE attacks, worries about getting caught in the crosshairs White House targets ICE notification app, developer responds White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted a popular app that flags sightings of immigration officers following reports that the alleged shooter in Dallas had previously used the program, known as ICEBlock. ICEBlocks developer Joshua Aaron defended the service in an interview with USA TODAY in the wake of the shooting. He called the theory that reported sightings of ICE officers led directly to this weeks shooting "insanity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of this month the app has 1.1 million active users, Aaron said. He compared the app to Waze, which flags speeding enforcement by police. Aaron said hes yet to receive any communication from the government. I have an amazing legal team, and it makes no sense for them to try to do anything to shut it down, Aaron said. So that leaves them with these performative statements and trying to bully me. Nick Penzenstadler More: ICEBlock app blamed for violence aimed at immigration officers How did the shooting at the Dallas ICE facility unfold? According to a City of Dallas database of active police calls, 38 police units responded to a 6:38 a.m. call for assistance at 8100 N. Stemmons Freeway, where the local ICE facility is located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said a shooter up on a nearby rooftop fired "indiscriminately" at the building and a van holding the detainees in a sally port. Three detainees were shot, with one killed and two in critical condition, the Department of Homeland Security said. Among the victims of the shooting was a Mexican national who was left "seriously injured," the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Anti-ICE messages found on rounds Patel said an "initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack." He posted images on X of ammunition located at the scene, including one inscribed with the phrase "ANTI ICE." The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of targeted violence, said Joseph Rothrock, special agent in charge of the Dallas FBI field office. "This is just the most recent example of this type of attack," he said. Officials condemn violence against ICE amid string of incidents Government officials in the aftermath of the shooting said that attacks against the immigration agency "must stop." "Our ICE law enforcement is facing unprecedented violence against them," Homeland Security Secretary Noem said. "It must stop." In July, an immigration facility near the Dallas-Fort Worth area was attacked in a shooting that wounded a local police officer. Immigration facilities nationwide have been the site of protests, which at times have turned violent with clashes breaking out between federal officers and demonstrators. Last month, the Dallas field office issued a shelter-in-place order after a man approached the building and claimed to have an explosive device in his backpack, officials said. Republicans, including Vice President JD Vanc,e have pointed to liberal rhetoric as fueling violent attacks. A study earlier this month by the libertarian think tank Cato Institute found terrorists motivated by extreme right-leaning ideology killed six times more people than those on the opposite side of the political spectrum between 1975 and Sept. 10 of this year. Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas and Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FBI says suspect in ICE shooting engaged in 'high degree' of planning BRISTOL - Six people were injured when a CTtransit bus crashed into a light pole in a parking lot on Lake Avenue Wednesday morning, officials say. Connecticut State Police said in a report that the bus was travelling in the Lake Avenue commuter lot when it struck the light pole at about 10:45 a.m. Police said six people were injured, with five of them being transported to area hospitals and one being treated on-scene. All of the injuries were listed as minor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bus driver was found at fault for the collision and issued an infraction for an improper turn, police said, adding the bus had to be towed from the scene due to heavy front-end damage. Earlier in the afternoon Bristol police Lt. Patrick Krajewski said officers responded to the crash, and determined it had taken place in a commuter parking lot. He said Connecticut State Police were called to investigate. A spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Transportation said the bus hit a light pole. Singapore-based food-and-drinks group Fraser and Neave has named former FrieslandCampina executive Rahul Colaco as its new CEO. Colaco will take the helm on Wednesday (1 October), joining from Thai drinks giant Thai Beverage. The 51-year-old succeeds Hui Choon Kit, who has worked at Fraser and Neave for 25 years and has been CEO since 2022. Fraser and Neave chairman Koh Poh Tiong said: Rahul is a seasoned leader with a strong track-record in building brands, driving growth and delivering results across diverse markets. The board is confident that he will lead F&N into its next phase of growth, building on our strong foundations and seizing opportunities in a dynamic operating environment. Colaco worked for FrieslandCampina from 2009 to 2019, rising to become president of the Dutch dairy groups business in China. He joined Thai Beverage in 2020 and, for the last year, has been the international spirits chief at the Old Pulteney whisky maker. Colaco, who also spent five years at Unilever earlier in his career, said: It is an honour to be entrusted with the leadership of F&N, a company with such a rich heritage and strong portfolio of brands. Fraser and Neave, which owns brands including Nutri Soy soya milk and 100 Plus isotonic drinks, has a financial year that runs to the end of September. In the 12 months to 30 September 2024, the company generated S$2.16bn (US$1.68bn), up 3% on a year earlier. Profit after tax increased 6.8% to S$219.1m. The group, which also has interests in printing and publishing, said all its food and drinks businesses grew during the 12-month period. In August, Fraser and Neave published a trading update for the first nine months of the financial year that is coming to an end in five days. Revenue grew 9.7% to S$1.77bn amid growing sales from its food and drinks arm. Profit after tax fell 6.4% to S$169.5m, with lower earnings from soft drinks a factor. Koh added: On behalf of the board, I would like to extend our thanks and deep appreciation to Choon Kit for his contributions and leadership. Over the past 25 years, he has served F&N with full dedication and successfully steered the group through a dynamic business environment. Hui, who is retiring, said: It has been a privilege to lead F&N and to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team. Together, we have navigated challenges and seized opportunities to strengthen the group. I am proud of what we have accomplished and I am confident that under Rahuls leadership, the group will continue to achieve even greater success. "Ex-FrieslandCampina exec named new Fraser and Neave CEO" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) Slovenia on Thursday said it was banning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from entering the European Union country to underscore its defense of international law. The decision was linked to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against the Israeli prime minister, Foreign Ministry official Neva Grasic said, according to the official STA news agency. The EU nation of some 2 million people, which recognized a Palestinian state last year, has been a vocal critic of Israeli actions in Gaza and Thursdays move against Netanyahu was apparently designed to underscore the countrys policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slovenia already had barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country and imposed an arms embargo on Israel. All countries that are bound by the international court, including Slovenia, must not recognize the situation resulting from Israels illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, and must not offer any support in maintaining this situation, she added. The Slovenian government said on X that the decision sends a clear message to the state of Israel that Slovenia expects consistent respect for the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law. By doing so, Slovenia confirms its commitment to international law, universal values of human rights and a principled and consistent foreign policy, the government added. Afghan migrant DG Usama holidaying in Band-e-Amir in summer 2024 An Afghan granted asylum after arriving in the UK on a small boat took an eight-week holiday in the country from which he had fled. The Home Office is investigating the migrants alleged holiday exploits which he revealed on social media posts from Afghanistan before he flew back to the UK via Dubai. Officials said his refugee status in Britain was being reviewed and, if his holiday is proven, he could be hauled in to explain the trip. Government guidelines prohibit asylum seekers or those allowed to stay after making a claim from returning to their home country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man, whose case was first exposed by The Sun, uses the name DG Usama and filmed himself arriving in the UK in 2022. He later posted videos of his return plane trip from his home city, writing alongside the video: Back to UK. He entered the UK on a packed dinghy in April 2022, one of 2,143 migrants who crossed that month. In a 16-second clip posted to his followers, he posed in a headscarf with a red life-jacket issued by a people smuggler. He panned the camera to show others waving and pointing as they crossed from Calais. DG Usama during his channel crossing He wrote in the videos caption: Alhamdulillah [praise be to God] now I am in UK. The migrant then posted a second video, set to techno music, showing his craft being rescued by an RNLI boat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout 2023 the man posted videos from UK landmarks including Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Brighton beach and the white cliffs of Dover. It is unclear when he won asylum but it was between April 2022 and his apparent holiday in summer 2024. DG Usama pictured by Tower Bridge, London - DGUsama/TikTok He told UK officials he could not return to his Taliban-controlled homeland because it was too dangerous. In September 2024, Mr Usama posted a video from his apparent July-August break. A series of six videos shows a convoy of Lexus and Toyota cars on a road trip around Takhar, in north-west Afghanistan. He also posted a 30-second clip from Band-e Amir, a natural park dubbed the nations Blue Heart. Set in the Hindu Kush mountains, the Unesco-nominated site has six lakes formed by natural dams and is known for its crystal-clear waters. It attracts nearly 200,000 visitors a year. Mr Usama posed aboard an orange raft with an outboard motor available to hire for around 1.50 an hour. Swan-shaped pedalos can also be hired at the beauty spot. Mr Usama was filmed brushing his hand against the water and captioned his video with love hearts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He filmed his return to the UK, including a picture from his plane window as it prepared to land in Dubai, followed by a clip from inside the citys airport. Mr Usama also posed wearing Emirates-branded headphones aboard the flight back to London. Dubai Airport runs daily flights to both Kabul and the UK. A week later, he posted again from Rotherhithe, south-east London proving he had returned to Britain. Mr Usama has also shared videos of Paris, Calais and Annecy in France. He also posted from Switzerland and Bulgaria, where he was involved in pro-Afghanistan marches in 2021, as Kabul was falling to the Taliban. Breach of Home Office rules A Home Office rulebook states that those with a valid refugee travel document can usually travel to all countries except the country youre from [and] any country you sought asylum from. Officials say the rules prevent abuse of the system, though last month whistleblowers claimed other Afghans brought to the UK after the evacuation of Kabul have also returned there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Home Office spokeswoman said: Whilst we do not comment on individual cases, where there is evidence of someone holding protection status returning to their country of origin, it will trigger a review of their status. Official Foreign Office advice for Afghanistan tells Brits they must not go there as the security situation is volatile. Mr Usama declined to comment to The Sun. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said: Illegal migrants like this must be laughing at how naive the Government are. He should never have been allowed back into the UK after he apparently holidayed in Afghanistan. If Germany are regularly removing illegal migrants from Afghanistan back home, why arent we? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nine Afghans have been returned to the country since the Taliban took power in 2021, according to data released under freedom of information laws in May. However, guidance for Home Office caseworkers on Afghanistan has been amended in the past year to say that the Taliban would not have a significant interest in the vast majority of failed asylum seekers returned by the UK. This has meant thousands of asylum seekers from Afghanistan have had their applications for refugee protection in the UK rejected, compared with fewer than 100 previously. The grant rate for asylum has fallen from 99 per cent in 2023 to just 47 per cent in the last quarter of 2024. In the last quarter of 2023, 98.5 per cent of Afghan asylum seekers were granted leave to remain, with only 48 claims refused, compared with 4,697 granted. The grant rate fell to just 47 per cent in the last quarter of 2024, with more than 2,050 Afghans having their asylum claims refused compared to 1,859 granted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some 32,190 asylum seekers have crossed the Channel in 2025, just below the record for this point in a 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. A Fort Hood sergeant convicted in April of nearly 30 crimes including rape, kidnapping, burglary and robbery died in his prison cell on Friday. Sgt. Greville Clarke, 32, who was sentenced to 112 years in prison without parole, was found unresponsive in his cell in the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, according to an emailed statement from Maj. Travis Shaw, an Army spokesperson. The statement did not include a cause of death. Leavenworth emergency services attempted to resuscitate Clarke, but he was pronounced deceased, Shaw said. The Armys Criminal Investigation Division is investigating Clarkes death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stars and Stripes first reported his death on Wednesday. Between 2021 and 2022, Clarke broke into several womens barracks rooms at Fort Hood, threatening them with a knife or firearm, and tying many of them up, Stripes reported. He went on to sexually assault or rape two women, and strangled one with a lamp cord. Top Stories This Week News Air Force to roll out major boot camp changes early next month By Jeff Schogol News Army cutting 6,500 aviation jobs as it moves toward drones By Patty Nieberg News Army approves $1,550 monthly bonus for some warrant officers By Drew F. Lawrence He was convicted of 29 crimes by a military judge and sentenced to life in prison, forfeiture of pay, a dishonorable discharge and demotion to private. He served only about five months of his life sentence before he died. No deaths since 2019 have occurred at [the] United States Disciplinary Barrack until the aforementioned incident, Shaw, the spokesperson, added. Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said there is no possibility of Egyptian and Ethiopian peacekeepers clashing in his country, amid a bitter rivalry between the two regional heavyweights. Egyptian troops are set to arrive in the nation soon as part of the African Union Somalia peacekeeping mission (AUSSOM), which also includes Ethiopian soldiers. Egypt's participation in the new mission has angered Ethiopia, with the two countries locked in a long-running diplomatic dispute over the control of the Nile River waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Mohamud told the BBC that there will be no "proxy war" between Egypt and Ethiopia on Somali soil. "Since the two countries' armies are not close to each other in Somalia, there is no chance of conflict," he said in an interview, adding that their troops would be stationed hundreds of kilometres apart. "I see no reason why Egypt wants to disturb Ethiopia. I also see no reason why Ethiopia wants to disturb the Egyptian peacekeeping forces in Somalia," he added. FILE - African Union peacekeepers in Mogadishu, Somalia Sunday, May 15, 2022. - Farah Abdi Warsameh/Copyright 2022 The AP. All rights reserved. Somalia's federal government has been supported by an African Union peacekeeping mission since 2007 in fighting the Islamic extremist group al-Shabaab, which has ties with al-Qaida and is behind deadly attacks in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That mission concluded in December 2024 and was replaced this year by AUSSOM. Cairo's offer last year to contribute troops to the mission following the delivery of weapons and ammunition to Somalia as part of a security pact triggered a significant backlash from Addis Ababa, which has had major rifts with both Egypt and Somalia. A war Trump ended? The tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt concern the former's construction of a dam on the Blue Nile, a key tributary of the Nile River. Cairo fears it will have a devastating effect on water and irrigation supplies in Egypt unless Addis Ababa takes its needs into account. Meanwhile, the dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia is over the breakaway region of Somaliland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland last year to lease land along its coastline to establish a marine force base. In return, Ethiopia would become the first country to formally recognise Somalilands independence. Somalia says the deal infringes on its sovereignty and territory. Related Amid heightened tensions last year, Somalia had said Ethiopian soldiers would not be part of the new African Union peacekeeping mission in the country. Yet the two nations later reached an agreement on the presence of Ethiopian peacekeepers in Somalia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the new arrangement, AUSSOM will consist of about 11,900 personnel, including soldiers, police, and civilian staff. Uganda will contribute 4,500 troops, Ethiopia 2,500, Djibouti 1,520, Kenya 1,410, and Egypt 1,091, according to local media reports. President Donald Trump addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, at U.N. headquarters. - AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis The rift between Egypt and Ethiopia came under the global spotlight on Tuesday when US President Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly that it was one of the "seven unendable wars" that he had ended in a period of just seven months. Trump's claim which he has repeatedly made once again raised eyebrows, as regional observers and analysts pointed out that Egypt and Ethiopia are not at war and that their diplomatic dispute remains unresolved. President of the Southern Transitional Council Aidaros al-Zubaidi told UAE state media that he supports a two state solution between both Israel and Palestine, and in Yemen. An independent South Yemen would join the Abraham Accords and establish relations with Israel, according to Aidaros al-Zubaidi, a senior Yemeni official who opposes the Houthis. He made his remarks in an interview with The National, a UAE-based English-language newspaper, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zubaidi is president of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a South Yemen separatist movement; and deputy chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, the anti-Houthi government. Before the Israel-Hamas War started, the STC was advancing towards joining the Abraham Accords, he said. When we have our southern state, we will make our own decisions, and I believe we will be part of these accords, he added. The Abraham Accords will be essential for stability if Gaza and Palestine regain their rights, Zubaidi said. President of the anti-Houthi Southern Transitional Council Aidaros al-Zubaidi pictured in 2020. (credit: Aboodalyazedi/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS) Zubaidi supports two-state solution for Israel, Palestine, and Yemen. He also affirmed his support for a two-state solution, both in Yemen and in seeing a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Self-determination is a right, Zubaidi said. All people have the right to determine their future. South Yemen was independent from 1967 until unification in 1990 under the socialist Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen. This historical precedent meant independence for South Yemen would not be unusual nor impossible, Zubaidi told The National. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Its been more than a century since a few of the citys first Greek immigrants bought land and started the St. George Orthodox Church. To those parishioners, the church in Greece was just something the family did on Sundays. Here, it became their touchstone and the most important link to home. For people like Michael Komis, who came to the U.S. from Greece in 1979, its still that way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the Greeks here, he tells us, everything revolves around the church. When St. George opened a new sanctuary on North Pennsylvania Ave. in 1984, they brought a bake sale tradition with them, then made it much bigger. Current Father John Tsaris, whose own father loved a sweet dessert called kataifi, the church festival and its tastes of home have become a staple for everyone in the congregation. He continues, and, actually, since Covid, its gotten bigger still. Greek hospitality involves food and lots of it. previous More Great State Stories After church on Sunday, it was all-hands-on-deck as tray after tray of treats like baklava, pasta flora, dolmades, and a spicy cookie called melomakarona rolled out of the kitchen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre made with a lot of butter, sugar, and Greek love, says one church baker. In a small side room, Stacia Vrentas presides over the foods she grew up with: pasticcio noodles, grape leaves, and egg lemon soup. I have so many favorite things, she laughs, I cannot pick out just one. She and her late husband operated this tiny Greek store outpost for years during the annual festival. She insists, You dont see these things in a regular grocery store. Food and drink, music and dance, the annual St. George Greek Festival might have started with a few cookies sold to neighbors. What it grew into was a grand gesture of gratitude. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to express our appreciation to the City of Oklahoma City, says Mr. Komis, for supporting us for so many years. The 39th St. George Greek Festival takes place Friday, September 26, through Sunday, September 28. For more information and tickets, click here or visit their Facebook page here. Great State is sponsored by True Sky Credit Union Follow Galens Great State adventures on social media! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Sir Keir Starmers decision to recognise a Palestinian state rewards Hamas for carrying out the worst terrorist atrocity in Israels history. The Prime Minister is sending a clear signal to other terror groups that they, too, can expect to be rewarded for committing extreme acts of violence. We have come a long way from the constant cycle of Islamist-inspired terrorist attacks that challenged the security and stability of the Western alliance in the decade following the September 11 attacks. The uncompromising response mounted by the West in which the UK military and intelligence services played a prominent role ultimately succeeded in destroying the threat posed by al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The relentless military campaigns in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria contributed significantly to the erosion of the ability of these and other Islamist groups to conduct their campaign of carnage on the streets of Britain and its allies, other factors also played their role. Among these was the cardinal principle, one dating back to the Thatcher/Reagan era, that terrorists should never be rewarded for committing acts of violence. The decision taken by Starmer, as well as France, Canada, Australia and Portugal, to recognise Palestine at this weeks UN General Assembly completely undermines the core underlying principles that have negated the global terrorist threat in recent decades. Starmer might believe, as he stated at the weekend, that recognising a Palestinian state will provide a better future for Israelis and Palestinians, but his gesture is far more likely to engender yet another wave of Islamist-inspired terrorist attacks, both against Israel and its allies in the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If, as Hamass terrorist leadership is claiming, the decision by Starmer and co to recognise Palestine was taken as a direct result of the October 7 attacks, it will inevitably persuade other terror groups that they, too, can expect to be rewarded for committing acts of extreme violence. Security officials are especially concerned about the possibility of an upsurge in attacks against synagogues and Jewish centres in the UK and Europe carried out by Islamist groups seeking to pressure Starmer and his allies into making even greater concessions on the Palestine issue such as allowing Hamas a say in the creation of a Palestinian state, if and when that ever happens. For the moment, Starmer is sticking to his position that Hamas can have no future, no role in government, no role in security in a Palestinian state. But would that remain his position if Hamas emerged victorious in a fresh round of Palestinian elections, an outcome that remains a distinct possibility given the movements expanding influence in the Palestinian political arena? Hamas itself is certainly showing no inclination to mend its ways. One of its first acts after declaring victory following Starmers recognition announcement was to conduct the summary public executions of three Palestinian men accused of collaborating with Israel in a public square in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starmer has also had a rude awakening about the cold reality of dealing with the Palestinians after he was obliged to ask the Palestinian Authority, which is supposed to be the Palestinians more moderate political representation, to stop paying terrorists to attack Israelis. Until recently, the Authority has been operating a pay to slay policy of funding payments to families of Palestinian martyrs who are killed or incarcerated for attacking Israelis. Did the Prime Minister secure agreement from Palestinian leaders on this and other troubling issues, such as the routine use of anti-Semitic textbooks in Palestinian schools, before rushing to recognise a Palestinian state? Irrespective of whether US secretary of state Marco Rubios claim that Starmers move was prompted by domestic political pressure fuelled by high levels of immigration is valid, there is little doubt that his decision has been greeted with derision by the Trump administration. Perhaps the most damning comment was Rubios observation that the move undertaken by Starmer and other Western leaders was largely irrelevant, as they were unlikely to play any role in any future negotiations on creating a Palestinian state. He also insisted that the recognition had undermined US diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the 40 or so Israeli hostages still held by the terror group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starmers recognition pledge has not improved the prospects of a peaceful resolution of the Israel-Palestinian issue. But it has certainly merely increased the likelihood of more Islamist-inspired violence, both against Israel and the West. 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. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley speaks to reporters about a smoke shop sting operation conducted over the summer at a press conference in Sioux Falls on Sept. 24, 2025. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) SIOUX FALLS A state-spanning sting operation in June drew indictments for the owners of five smoke shops in South Dakota this week, according to Attorney General Marty Jackley. The indictments, issued between Sept. 16 and Tuesday, were the result of targeted purchases of products marketed as legal in stores in Aberdeen, Sioux Falls, Pierre and Rapid City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities suspected the products some made using hemp-derived but chemically modified ingredients, others made with chemicals marketed as magic mushrooms contained illegal compounds or were sold for the express purpose of intoxication. Every one of the five shops where we did buys had illegal drugs, Jackley said. Only one shop owner was indicted on felony charges. In that case, originating with a purchase at Masterpiece Smoke Shop in Pierre, the owner is alleged to have sold felony amounts of marijuana that had been marketed as legal hemp. That charge was tied to pre-rolled Thumpers joints, according to court documents. That owner is also alleged to have sold a product called Legal Magic Mushrooms that allegedly contain a controlled substance called psilocin. The owner also faces a felony charge of distributing drugs in a drug-free zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other shops targeted were All the Smoke in Aberdeen, Puff City in Sioux Falls, Blazin Aces Smokes and Vape in Sioux Falls, and ZyGlam Smoke Shop in Rapid City. The charges in those cases are misdemeanors. Jackley announced the indictments at the Law Enforcement Center in Sioux Falls, flanked by officials from multiple agencies on one side and posters showing a package of magic mushroom chocolates on the other. Many of the products sold by smoke shops across South Dakota are marketed as being derived from hemp and therefore legal under the 2018 federal farm bill, but Jackley said the packaging makes clear that these are not agricultural products. Theyre clearly packaged for kids, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers in South Dakota passed a bill in 2024 to bar the sale but not the possession of products whose hemp-based intoxicants are chemically modified. That crime is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine. Local police in Rapid City conducted a compliance check targeting businesses suspected of selling modified hemp earlier this year. As of Wednesday, the Pennington County States Attorneys Office was still waiting on lab test results for the products purchased from eight shops in that operation. In early August, Sioux Falls Police Department spokesman Aaron Benson told South Dakota Searchlight that his department had sent warning letters to smoke shops, conducted compliance checks, and intends to continue doing so. Of the four shop owners indicted for misdemeanors in the statewide sting, three face the modified hemp charge. Another shop owner was charged with the sale of industrial hemp for smoking. All four misdemeanor indictments include charges for selling a product for the purposes of intoxication, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Two Syracuse University students face hate crimes charges after authorities say one of them tossed a bag of pork into Jewish fraternity house during a Rosh Hashanah celebration. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house, where members had gathered to mark the Jewish New Year, according to the New York school's chief student experience officer, Allen Groves. One of the two men charged is accused of entering the home and tossing in a clear plastic bag of pork against an interior wall, splattering the contents there and on the floor, university police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man then fled the home and got into a vehicle driven by another man. The two, both 18, were soon captured and have been charged with burglary as a hate crime and criminal nuisance. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said the hate crime charge came about because it happened on a Jewish holiday at a historically Jewish fraternity. This incident is not a foolish college prank and will not be treated as such, Fitzpatrick said. It will be treated for what it is, a crime directed against a group of Jewish students enjoying a celebratory dinner and seemingly secure in their residence." Groves said the two men have been referred to the universitys Office of Community Standards for potential disciplinary action under the school's Student Conduct Code. Tonights incident, as reported to us, is abhorrent, shocking to the conscience and violates our core value of being a place that is truly welcoming to all, Groves said in a statement posted on the university's website. It will not be tolerated at Syracuse University. Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaas debut at the United Nations this week was met with fascination, excitement and optimism, even as Syrias road to fully joining the international community is fraught with pitfalls. On Wednesday, al-Sharaa became the first Syrian head of state to address the U.N. General Assembly in nearly 60 years, presenting his new government as triumphing over a murderous dictatorship, but needing global support to rebuild after decades of repression and violence. Syria has transformed from an exporter of crisis to an opportunity for peace, for Syria and the region, the interim president said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al-Sharaas historic trip to New York underscored his own transformation from militant to statesman, after leading the revolution to oust longtime Syrian strongman Bashar Assad in December. I think right now, Syria is the country of the hour. Ahmed al-Sharaa is the man of the hour, said Kenneth Pollack, vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute (MEI). The think tank, which is based in Washington, D.C., hosted al-Sharaa for an invitation-only panel discussion in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday, drawing nearly 300 people, exceeding the capacity of the venue. The day before, al-Sharaa had filled the main stage at the Concordia Summit at the Sheraton Hotel in Times Square. Dozens of attendees watched from the overflow room to hear firsthand how a man once jailed by American forces in Iraq for his membership in al Qaeda had become the revolutionary hero of his country. What a leader needs is optimism, a deep belief that you are defending a noble cause, al-Sharaa, speaking softly in Arabic, said in conversation with Ret. Gen. David Petraeus, the former CIA director who had commanded U.S. forces in Iraq. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While al-Sharaa technically remains a designated terrorist in the U.S., both former President Biden and President Trump have moved toward engagement. In December, Biden withdrew a $10 million bounty for al-Sharaas arrest, and Trump announced in May he would move to lift all U.S. sanctions on Syria. The Trump administration has also moved to lift the terrorist designation on al-Sharaas militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Al-Sharaas main message to audiences in New York was that he is determined to bring Syria back into the international community after 60 years of isolation. But he warned progress is nearly impossible if wide-ranging U.S. sanctions, under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, are not fully lifted. By law, Trump is only allowed to waive the sanctions six months at a time. Advocates argue a full repeal is necessary to give businesses confidence to invest in the long term. The Caesar law that was pushed by the American Congress on the former regime, because it had tortured and violated human rights on its people, it had committed many violations against the Syrian people, but this is the former regime, al-Sharaa said at the Concordia Summit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the past. So, therefore, these sanctions have to be lifted. Some groups are arguing any sanctions relief should be paired with safeguards. Any easing should be conditioned on measurable commitments, the Alawites Association of the United States, a group of Alawite Syrians in the U.S. advocating for minorities in Syria, said in a statement. The group listed the need for protection and representation for minorities, peaceful relations in the region, ending support for terrorist actors, removing foreign fighters from state institutions, investigating and prosecuting human rights abuses and defeating ISIS and other terrorist groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We recognize the symbolic importance of Syrias return to the U.N. stage after decades of absence. However, words must be measured against deeds, especially regarding the protection of ethno-religious communities, including Alawites, Druze, Kurds and Christians, the group said. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) is at the forefront of the movement in Congress to repeal Caesar sanctions, likely to be included in the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which is expected to be passed in December. While advocates for repeal are raising alarm that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is seeking to keep Caesar in place, Shaheen told The Hill last week that a bipartisan agreement had been reached. Al-Sharaa tempered expectations around the pace of repairing his country. He was pressed on how he would ensure security in a country traumatized by nearly 14 years of civil war, decades of repression and recent outbursts of devastating sectarian violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of my friends that went back to Syria, they were a little bit concerned about security. They say the whole area is still not stable, said Reham Sannoufi, 52, who traveled from her home in Canada to attend the MEI event with the Syrian leader. As a Syrian, we are extremely excited about the new phase that the country is going to go through. We know that its coming out of huge damage, and nobody should expect that its going to be fixed overnight. It takes time. Sannoufis excitement at seeing the president matched the energy in the room at the MEI event, which was made up of high-level business executives in the Syrian diaspora community, veteran diplomats, Middle East policy professionals and journalists. While the conversation was not allowed to be recorded, one woman was seen holding up her phone to transmit al-Sharaas remarks through Facetime, with excited faces, young and old, seen on the screen gathered around the camera. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hind Kabawat, appointed by al-Sharaa as Syrias minister of social affairs and labor, and the only woman in the Cabinet, accompanied the Syrian delegation in New York and told The Hill that the trip is one of victory for their revolution. Were here to send a message of love, about friendship, that Syria, were inclusive, we want to have a new beginning, she said. She reinforced the need for sanctions relief to help a population in which 90 percent of Syrians are living below the poverty line. Lifting sanctions would help all segments of the Syrian people from all their religions and ethnic groups to live in peace, Kabawat said. Because civil peace needs economic stability, economic stability can be when you lift the sanctions, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With backing from the U.S., al-Sharaa is trying to establish ties with Israel as the ultimate symbol of transformation, moving beyond the armistice from the 1973 war between the two countries, and ending its reputation as a haven for terrorist groups that Israel views as a threat. Speaking from Damascus last week, al-Sharaa told reporters a border deal with Israel could be announced within days. But in New York on Tuesday, he accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of stalling. We said that Syria is not going to pose any threat to any country, including Israel, he said at the MEI panel. We are scared from Israel. We are worried from Israel. Its not the other way around. In the meantime, the Syrian leader said hes not closing the door on relations with any countries, including U.S. adversaries like Russia which aided Assad in bombing and killing civilians in Syria and Iran, which used the country as a transit corridor to arm Hezbollah in Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes down to Iran and Hezbollah and Russia, in general the nation has to work in a strategic manner and it should not be one of reaction, al-Sharaa said at the Concordia Summit. Syrian sovereignty will take priority, and its stability and its security. On that we build partnerships with different countries around the world, he continued. Syria needs reform, needs rebuilding and that rebuilding will take a long time. Therefore, it is important to keep calm and stable relationships with the international community and the regional community as well. Al-Sharaa further addressed his plans for building a representative and inclusive government, with respect for, and protection of, religious and ethnic minorities, and holding perpetrators of crimes under the Assad regime to account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are going at a really fast speed in comparison to what really took place in Iraq or what happened in other nations like Germany [after World War II] and also the French. They needed many long years after the French Revolution to reach stability, he said. In comparison to these experiences, we are going at a fast speed, he said, adding that preparations are underway for parliamentary elections, but he noted the transitional period for the government is expected to last five years. Pollack, of the MEI, described al-Sharaas appearance in New York as a remarkable opportunity to convince skeptics and reassure supporters that he is the man to transform Syria. It may be that there will be more opportunities like this in the future, none of us can say for sure, he added. But the real danger, of course, is that this may be the only moment when hes got the chance to do so. When youve got a moment like this, you dont want to squander it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Krystal Hu (Reuters) -AI cloud provider CoreWeave has expanded its partnership with OpenAI in a new deal worth up to $6.5 billion, bringing the total value of their agreements to $22.4 billion, the latest in a series of billion-dollar deals OpenAI has signed to secure computational power. The agreement marks the third major expansion of the partnership between the two companies this year. The company behind ChatGPT struck an initial cloud deal with CoreWeave in March worth up to $11.9 billion, followed by a $4 billion addon in May. The latest addition shows the deepening relationship between the two companies as OpenAI seeks multiple partners to help with an unprecedented data-center buildout to meet its growing computational demands. The announcement follows major updates to OpenAIs infrastructure project "Stargate". OpenAI said Tuesday it will open three new sites with Oracle, its cloud partner with a $300 billion deal over the next few years, and build two additional data centers with SoftBank. CoreWeave shares rose as much as 6% in early trading before paring gains to trade flat. Reuters was first to report the news. In an interview with Reuters, CEO Michael Intrator reiterated the continued AI infrastructure demand he is seeing from clients. The market is incredibly behind on its ability to deliver the infrastructure that's being demanded. As an industry, we continue to underestimate the demand for things, Intrator said. He also described the expanded contract with OpenAI as a sign that CoreWeave is diversifying its revenue away from Microsoft, which was once OpenAI's exclusive infrastructure provider and accounted for 60% of CoreWeaves revenue in 2024. The opportunity to go about diversifying our clients with some really wonderful, well-known, creditworthy customers is very exciting. When I think about this quarter, this is the quarter of diversification for us," he added. OpenAI has said Stargate aims to secure a total of 10 gigawatts of capacity through an investment that could reach $500 billion. "The combined capacity from these five new sitesalong with our flagship site in Abilene, Texas, and ongoing projects with CoreWeavebrings Stargate to nearly 7 gigawatts of planned capacity and over $400 billion in investment over the next three years," OpenAI said in a blog post. The wave of agreements underscores the convergence of interests among major tech companies developing advanced AI and raises questions about "circular" financing across the industry and whether capital will continue to flow. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, US, September 24, 2025. (photo credit: REUTERS/JEENAH MOON) The mere fact that a government changed and transitioned from a dictatorship to a fledgling, struggling democracy, however, isnt usually enough to get star power at the UN. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa spoke at the UN General Assembly this week. He has become the star of the meetings on the sidelines of the UN. In some ways, this makes sense because he represents how Syria is coming in from the cold after decades in which it was often seen as a pariah in the international community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High-level Syrian officials had not visited Washington or New York in decades. This has all changed now. The mere fact that a government changed and transitioned from a dictatorship to a fledgling, struggling democracy, however, isnt usually enough to get star power at the UN. First of all, the UN is not primarily composed of democracies, so being a new young leader isnt particularly interesting to some of the member states. Secondly, leaders come and go. So, why is Sharaa different? Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends the 80th United Nations General Assembly, at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, US, September 23, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/JEENAH MOON) Many Arab states and other countries feel that Sharaa represents a new form of leader, one that people want to meet. One of the highlights of his trip to New York was a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They met at UN headquarters on the sidelines of the General Assembly. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and members of the official delegation attended the meeting, according to Syrian state media. The Zelensky meeting is important, being that both countries have suffered under Russian attacks. Russia backed the former Assad regime, and Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Russia's Syria intervention emboldened Putin in Ukraine In fact, Russias decision to intervene in Syria in 2015 may have paved the way for Russian President Vladimir Putins more aggressive stance on Ukraine. Once Moscow believed it was winning in Syria, it felt it could do the same in Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine initially in 2014 to pry loose Crimea and two provinces in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. As such, the Russian aggression in Ukraine and Syria has been linked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharaa has held many other important meetings. He met with the Turkish delegation. He met with US President Donald Trump, which was their second meeting this year after Saudi Arabia brought the two men together in the spring. He also met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Its clear that Sharaa has a presence, and that everyone seems to want to meet him. This illustrates how hungry many countries were for new leadership in Syria. Syria had plunged the Middle East into chaos during its civil war from 2011-2023. The civil war created a power vacuum, and ISIS emerged in that vacuum. ISIS then took over part of Syria and Iraq in 2014, committing a genocide of the Yazidi people in Iraq that year. Russia and Iran intervened in Syria. Israel also did, and the US sent troops to fight ISIS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Middle Eastern countries felt their foundations shake because of the intervention of countries in Syria and the rise of extremism. They were happy to contain ISIS and then see it defeated. The Assad regime had created a weak state that invited other states to take over parts of Syria. This represented a low point for the Arab world because it meant that most Arab states were no longer masters of their destiny. The shift in Syria comes at a time when many Arab states also feel a shift in their fortunes. As such, Sharaa and his trip to the US may represent a new era for these countries. For that reason, he has achieved star power in New York. Taiwan on Thursday revised the death toll from Tuesday's barrier lake overflow, triggered by heavy rains from Typhoon Ragasa, lowering the figure from 17 to 14 after duplicate cases had been mistakenly counted. According to the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC), 22 people remain missing in affected areas. The disaster in Hualien County's mountains has left at least 54 injured. In hard-hit Guangfu Township, large-scale search operations continued on Thursday, with some areas still under floodwaters as high as a full story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, rescuers freed a six-year-old girl who was trapped on a roof beam after floodwaters swept through her home. Authorities said the girl had been placed there by two elderly caregivers to keep her safe, but the two caregivers have since been reported missing. On Thursday, President Lai Ching-te toured disaster-hit areas, pledging to do everything possible to find those still missing. Lai also ordered authorities to restore the levees damaged by the barrier lake's dark, muddy waters within a month. During Wednesday's rescue operations, local reports said that animals buried in mud, including puppies, were also saved. The government has set up a disaster relief fund, with many officials donating their salaries. Meanwhile, authorities continued to monitor the barrier lake's water level and the risk of further overflow, with drone operations planned as weather permits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Matai'an Creek Barrier Lake, formed after an earlier typhoon in July, measured 200 metres high and held 91 million tons of water - roughly 36,400 standard swimming pools. On Thursday, it dropped to 95 metres with 13 million tons remaining. More than 8,000 villagers had already been evacuated earlier in the week as Typhoon Ragasa approached. By Danial Azhar and Rozanna Latiff KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - The United States expects to finalise trade deals with more Southeast Asian countries in the coming months, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said during a meeting with regional counterparts on Wednesday. Greer was speaking in Kuala Lumpur at the start of a meeting with economic ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, amid concerns within the export-reliant bloc over the impact of U.S. tariffs on their economies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tariff rates have been set at 19% and 20% for most of the region. Laos and Myanmar have been hit with a 40% rate, while Singapore has a 10% tariff. Greer said talks with respective countries on the levies have been progressing well, resulting in some deals being announced while others will be finalised "in the coming months or even weeks, for some." ASEAN WARNS OF SLOWER TRADE IN 2025 The United States has said it had reached agreements with Indonesia and Vietnam on tariffs, though the countries say they are still finalising terms. Vietnam, the world's sixth-largest exporter to the United States, risks losing $25 billion annually as a result of the 20% tariff imposed on its goods, which would make it the worst-hit economy in the region, according to estimates released by the United Nations Development Programme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a joint statement dated on Tuesday, ASEAN economic ministers noted "adverse impact and uncertainty" arising from the tariff landscape and warned of slower regional trade performance in the second half of 2025, due to the front-loading of exports ahead of the tariffs' imposition in the earlier part of the year. The ministers also expressed concern over rising protectionism and unilateral trade measures, which they say "pose significant risks to the multilateral trading system and the stability of global supply chains". US SEEKS 'BALANCED AND RECIPROCAL' TRADE In his remarks, Greer said the United States welcomed trade with ASEAN but it must be "balanced and reciprocal". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We believe that there are many areas where our interests align, and we can work together to achieve shared goals of bringing reciprocity and balance to the global trading system," he said. Wednesday marked Greer's first meeting with the ASEAN bloc, whose members have largely engaged in separate negotiations with the United States on the issue of tariffs. But the grouping may be driven to take a more unified position amid risks of steeper sectoral tariffs on industries such as semiconductors, a significant contributor to economies like Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. U.S. President Donald Trump said last month he would set a tariff of about 100% on semiconductors, but it would not apply to companies that are manufacturing in the United States or have committed to do so. (Reporting by Danial Azhar and Rozanna Latiff; Editing by John Mair and David Stanway: Editing by Sharon Singleton) A Tazewell County sheriff's deputy was injured early Thursday morning after he was involved in a crash with a pickup truck along Illinois Route 29. According to the Tazewell County Sheriff's Office, the crash occurred around 5:42 a.m., with the deputy parked in the southbound lane of Route 29 in rural Green Valley with his emergency lights on. The pickup truck, which was also carrying an animal trailer, was traveling north at the time and collided with the deputy's vehicle. The deputy was transported to Carle Health Pekin Hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured, and the animals in the trailer were unharmed in the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois State Police are continuing to investigate the accident. "We are thankful that our deputy's injuries were minor and that no other serious injuries occurred," Tazewell County Sheriff Jeffrey Lower said in a statement. "We appreciate the quick actions of first responders and the cooperation of the Illinois State Police as they investigate this incident." More: These factors contributed to the closing of a Peoria institution This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Sheriff's deputy injured in Tazewell County crash The move is the latest example of the Trump administration seeking direct government ownership in Nevadas critical minerals industry as the administration looks to strengthen its position in both domestic production and global supply chains. (Lithium Americas video screengrab) The Trump administration is seeking an equity stake in Lithium Americas as it renegotiates the companys $2.26 billion federal loan for the Thacker Pass mine project in Nevada. Reuters reported on Tuesday the White House is requesting as much as a 10% stake in the Canada-based mining company in exchange for a modification to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) loan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thacker Pass, a massive proposed mine in Humboldt County near the Nevada-Oregon border, is expected to become one of the largest sources of lithium in North America once operational. The project is a joint venture between Lithium Americas and General Motors. Lithium Americas confirmed on Wednesday it was in discussions with the DOE and General Motors over the Thacker Pass loan, adding the company is working towards a mutually agreeable resolution. Tim Crowley, vice president of government and external affairs for Lithium Americas, said in an email Wednesday that the company cannot comment on the details of its discussions with the DOE and General Motors, but expects to provide an update in the future. The negotiations revolved around a modification sought by Lithium Americas and General Motors that would allow a longer repayment period for the loan after Lithium Americas missed conditions necessary for the first disbursement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In exchange for their minor modification, our minor modification was essentially for the administration to have some equity in the deal to create a cash buffer and eliminate some risk for taxpayers we want some equity on behalf of taxpayers, a White House official told Axios. While Lithium Americas has offered to provide the U.S. government an equity stake in exchange for the loan, General Motors is proving to be a tougher sell, according to Reuters. General Motors invested $650 million in the mine, securing a 38% stake in the project. Under the agreement, the car company has the right to buy during the first stage of lithium production but not an obligation to do so which became a sticking point for the White House. According to the Reuters report, the White House is now asking General Motors to commit to purchasing the mines lithium. The report said Trump officials are also asking General Motors to give up control over some parts of the project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House said the request for an equity position was driven by concerns Lithium Americas would struggle to repay the loan given low lithium carbonate prices created by softer demand and an oversupply of the battery metal globally. The price of lithium carbonate has fallen more than 80% since its peak in 2022, reshaping market dynamics including in Nevada. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence said the price fell from nearly $80,000 per tonne globally in December 2022 to about $10,000 per tonne this September. Analysts do not expect lithium prices to rally significantly any time soon. The Trump administrations interest in an equity position with Lithium Americas seemed to be well received by investors. Lithium Americas stock price more than doubled at one point following the reports of the U.S. stake. The move is the latest example of the Trump administration seeking direct government ownership in Nevadas critical minerals industry as the administration looks to strengthen its position in both domestic production and global supply chains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Defense took a 15% equity stake in Las Vegas-based rare earth miner MP Materials in July, making the federal government the largest shareholder in the company. Nevada officials have said they expect more investment from the federal government in the states mineral supply chain, especially from the DOE and the Department of Defense. There is movement within the federal government to support critical minerals and mining and processing as a whole, said Tom Burns, the director of the Governors Office of Economic Development (GOED), during a lithium summit last week. I think youll see that in Nevada, Burns said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has sought a government stake in other critical mineral and semiconductor companies. In June, the Trump administration approved US Steels takeover by Japans Nippon Steel in exchange for the federal government owning a majority control of the companys shares. Last month, the federal government also announced it would take a 10% stake in Intel in an effort to help boost semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. The federal government also said it would allow Nvidia and AMD to sell their chips to China in exchange for a 15% cut of the revenues on those sales. Cells at the South Dakota State Penitentiary. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Corrections) Three inmates died on three consecutive days at the South Dakota State Penitentiary this week, continuing an uptick in deaths within the states prison system. The week began with the Monday death of 57-year-old Keith McLain in the penitentiarys Jameson Annex. A press release from the Department of Corrections said McLain died by apparent suicide. He was found unresponsive in his cell, the release said, and taken to a Sioux Falls hospital, where he died. Deaths in DOC custody, by fiscal year 2018: 12 2019: 10 2020: 14 2021: 14 2022: 11 2023: 11 2024: 14 2025: 19 2026 (July-Sept): 6 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, inmate Kaleb Lukkes, 25, was found unresponsive in his South Dakota State Penitentiary cell. This death is being aggressively investigated in collaboration with the Division of Criminal Investigation and the DOC Office of the Inspector General, Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko said in a statement to South Dakota Searchlight. Lukkes died on the same day lawmakers and Gov. Larry Rhoden met for a special legislative session at the Capitol in Pierre and approved a plan to build a 1,500-bed, $650 million mens prison in northeast Sioux Falls. On Wednesday, 64-year-old Frank Twiggs died in a comfort care setting at the Jameson Annex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A request for a response to the deaths sent to spokespeople for Rhoden was not immediately returned Thursday. South Dakota tracks inmate deaths by state fiscal years, which run from July 1 through June 30. The three deaths this week bring the number of deaths for fiscal year 2026 to six, consistent with a recent uptick for in-custody deaths. The department says there were 19 in-custody deaths during the fiscal year that ended June 30. Thats the highest fiscal year tally since at least 2018. Since the beginning of the 2025 calendar year, 18 men have died in South Dakota prisons, at least four by suicide. Another three men died from drug overdoses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney General Marty Jackley announced charges in drug distribution cases tied to those deaths earlier this summer, and announced charges last week against a separate set of defendants including one former correctional officer for their alleged roles in a drug smuggling ring. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Welcome to Foreign Policys South Asia Brief. The highlights this week: U.S. President Donald Trump escalates a demand that the Taliban hand over Bagram Airfield, South Asian leaders arrive in New York City for the U.N. General Assemblywith a notable exception, and India implements large tax cuts. Sign up to receive South Asia Brief in your inbox every Wednesday. Trumps Bagram Airfield Gambit Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump escalated a demand that he has made of the Taliban ever since the start of his second term. He warned in a Truth Social post that if the Taliban regime doesnt return Bagram Airfielda key U.S. military base during the war in Afghanistanto the United States, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everything about Trumps demandthe timing, the justification, and now the threatis hard to make sense of. The Taliban reject the presence of foreign military forces on Afghan soil. While the regime has proved willing to make concessions to Washington to gain legitimacy, including the release of U.S. hostages, the Bagram issue is a red line. The Taliban rejected Trumps demand on Sunday. The timing of Trumps statement was strange. U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler and former U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad recently made their second trip to Kabul since Trump took office to discuss prisoner releases with Taliban leaders. These talks are sensitive; with the threat, Trump risks botching what is arguably the administrations chief policy priority in Afghanistan. Trumps stated reason for wanting Bagram in U.S. hands is the bases close proximity to Chinese nuclear weapons facilities. But it seems that returning U.S. personnel to the base after more than four years would imperil U.S. interests. After all, Beijing could view the retaking of the base as a provocation, inviting possible retaliation. There is also a broader irony: Chinas own footprint in Afghanistan is relatively light, mainly because of terrorism concerns. There is probably an unstated reason why Trump seeks Bagram: wanting a position from which to monitor the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K). The Afghanistan-based affiliate of the Islamic State increasingly poses a global threat, including a few foiled plots in the United States, according to U.S. officials. (Still, given indications of the groups growing clout beyond Afghanistan, U.S. counterterrorism might be better focused elsewhere.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For its part, the Talibanwhich has sought to curb IS-K with aggressive ground operationswould say that the United States could keep an eye on the threat by reopening its embassy in Kabul. The need to monitor terrorism concerns was a likely motivation for several countries, including India, to maintain a diplomatic presence on the ground after the Taliban takeover in 2021. It is unlikely that the United States would reopen its embassy, but it does have open channels with the Taliban, resulting in periodic meetings in Qatar and a few others in Kabul. These open channels give Washington other opportunities, such as testing the viability of gaining influence over Afghan critical minerals. The U.S. intelligence community may also have informal links with the Taliban to discuss shared IS-K concerns. Its unclear whether Trumps latest threat is a bluff or something more, though his repeated calls for Bagram Airfield suggest that he genuinely wants it. The most extreme scenarios could include staging a very risky military takeover of the base or even destroying it. Either plan could risk the loss of Afghan and American lives, set back talks on prisoners, and cost Trump politically. So Trump is making a demand that the Taliban will likely never accept, while seemingly ignoring policy options that would better address U.S. strategic and security concerns in Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Were Following South Asia at UNGA. Some of the regions top leaders arrived in New York City this week for the high-level week of the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA). Pakistan, serving a two-year term as a nonpermanent member on the U.N. Security Council, will likely use the meetings to build on efforts to focus global attention on the Kashmir dispute. Pakistani media has reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Washington on Thursday to meet Trump. Meanwhile, interim Bangladeshi leader and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus will spend a long time at the U.N. He left for New York on Monday and is expected to remain until Oct. 2. With elections scheduled in Bangladesh for February, this will be Yunuss last UNGA visit as leader. He will want to draw on his star power one more time to highlight urgent challenges facing his country, including the Rohingya refugee crisis. Other top South Asian leaders at UNGA include Sri Lankas Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is attending for the first time as president. Its unclear if the regions newest leader, interim Nepali Prime Minister Sushila Karki, will be present this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a notable absence; External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is at UNGA instead. This means that there is no opportunity for Modi and Trump to clear the air, as their relationship has suffered fresh blows in recent days. However, on Monday, Jaishankar met separately with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sergio Gor, the Trump administrations newly appointed special envoy for South Asia. India implements large tax cuts. Many Indian staplesincluding milk, bread, lifesaving drugs, and medical insurancebecame tax free on Monday, part of a broader goods and services tax overhaul. Taxes on small cars, televisions, and air conditioners will fall from 28 percent to 18 percent, among other reductions. Modi announced the latest moves in an address to the nation on Sunday; they are meant in part to help Indians withstand the shock of 50 percent U.S. tariffs. But the tax reductions could also help address sluggish household consumption rates, especially in urban areas. Along with unemployment, these consumption woes have been a persistent economic challenge. These rates account for more than half of Indias total GDP. Still, economists also worry that the tax cuts could slash Indian government revenue by about $5.4 billion this year. There is likely a political angle. Indias festival season is approaching, a time when families ramp up their spending. New Delhi likely hopes that the tax cuts will boost consumption as well as reducing stress among the public about their spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact. The landmark Pakistan-Saudi Arabia mutual defense pact announced last week was likely mostly motivated by strategic issues in the Middle East, not South Asia. But the deal is fraught with significance for India, given its own close relationship with Saudi Arabiaand the fact that India would be the most likely country to attack Pakistan in the future. An Indian attack on Pakistan still isnt very likely to provoke a Saudi military response, but the new pact may push Riyadh to call for de-escalation more quickly than it has in the past. Taken alongside Pakistans alliances with other key powersChina and Turkey, plus warming ties with the United Statesthe agreement will also prompt concern within the Indian strategic community. The broader implications for New Delhis relationship with Riyadh are unclear, though CNBC reported that Saudi oil exports to Indiaa critical component of the bilateral relationshipshould not be affected. Since it stopped importing Iranian oil due to U.S. pressure, India has increased energy cooperation with Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies in recent years. One can expect India to seek some high-level engagements with senior Saudi officials, perhaps as early as this week during UNGA meetings, to get more clarity about what the new defense pact means for India, from the Saudi perspective. New Delhi has said little publicly, though last week, it advised Riyadh to consider mutual interests and sensitivities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FPs Most Read This Week The End of Development by Adam Tooze Americas Infuriating and Irreplaceable Role at the U.N. by Richard Gowan Trump Is Learning Geopolitics in Real Time by Suzanne Nossel Under the Radar Pakistans national human rights council said it was deeply shocked by reports of a number of civilians, including children killed by Pakistani airstrikes on Monday in the Tirah area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the border with Afghanistan. Some journalists posted more information on social media, including one report on X indicating that around 25 people, mostly women and children, were killed in strikes on five homes. Local residents held a sit-in on Monday in protest. Pakistani officials say that an explosion of militants bomb-making materials caused the deaths; this doesnt track with local accountsincluding comments from policethat point to an aerial assault. Pakistani security forces have intensified operations against militants along the border with Afghanistan amid attacks against soldiers by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). But Pakistans military often uses scorched-earth tactics in the border region, invariably causing civilian casualties and stoking local anger among Pashtun communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another risk for civilian and military leaders is that this reported tragedy could be politically damaging. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is run by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Provincial leaders, along with other senior PTI leaders, have wasted no time in criticizing the incident and the security forces that they say were behind it. If PTI is able to mobilize protests in the province that target national leadership, it could damage the goodwill that the Pakistani government and military regained from the broader public after Pakistan fended off Indian attacks during their May conflict. Sept. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will discuss a potential arms deal, lifting sanctions against Turkey and Middle East peace while meeting on Thursday. Trump and Erdogan are meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, which will include discussions regarding Erdogan's desire to purchase F-16 and F-35 fighter aircraft and Patriot surface-to-air missile systems, they told media before their closed-door meeting. "We do a lot of trade with Turkey, and we're going to do some more," Trump told media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said a deal for F-16s is likely and a deal for F-35s and the Patriot missiles could be made. "I think he'll be successful," Trump said of Erdogan's effort to secure a deal for F-35 fighters. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan arrives at the White House to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI Turkey also wants to buy 200 commercial aircraft, the BBC reported. The presidents said they are friends and highly respectful of one another, which should make it easier to reach agreements on the many issues that they will discuss. President Donald Trump and many cabinet members convened with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, ahead of discussions on trade, Middle East peace and other matters. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI They also will discuss matters in Gaza and the Middle East, potential assistance for the Greek Orthodox Church and ending the war in Ukraine. Trump said he wants Turkey to stop buying Russian oil and is prepared to lift existing sanctions against Turkey for that nation's past purchase of Russian arms. Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan holds a bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade and military agreements. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI The president also said they will discuss tariffs and securing the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said about 20 hostages likely are living and estimated about 38 likely are dead, many of them young boys. Following his meeting with Erdogan, the president also is scheduled to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday. U.S. and Pakistani officials in July secured a trade agreement to lower tariffs between the two nations. The U.S. also agreed to help Pakistan develop its oil reserves. When many foreign leaders meet Donald Trump, they go into damage-limitation mode, hoping they will be spared punitive tariffs or a dressing-down by the US president. Not so Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, who heads to Washington on Thursday hoping to right what he sees as a historical wrong, while bolstering his nations military capabilities in the process. Its six years since Ankara was booted out of the F-35 programme after procuring a Russian missile system, leaving it out in the cold while other US allies acquired some of the most advanced fighter jets in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two countries now appear to be edging closer to a deal that would see Turkey return to the fold and spell disaster for Israel. However, some in Washington told The Telegraph they are concerned that such a move could upset a delicate balance of power in the Middle East. Israel, with its rancorous relationship with Turkey spiralling ever downwards, is lobbying furiously against the move that officials worry could challenge its bid for greater influence over Syria and beyond. If Mr Trump wants to strike an agreement with Mr Erdogan, he will have to overcome hostility in Congress where Israel has its allies and fair share of critics over authoritarian Erdogan. Washington expelled Ankara from the F-35 programme in 2019 after the latters acquisition of the Russian S-400 long-range air defence system, raising concerns that it could expose their highly classified fighter jets to intelligence gathering by Moscow. Mr Erdogan is keen to have use of the F-35 fighter jets, after Turkey was expelled from the programme in 2019 - Getty Images/Tayfun Coskun At the time, Turkey was keen to boost its air defence capabilities given its proximity to neighbouring conflicts in Iraq and Syria. When other options fell through, Ankara turned to the S-400. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Erdogan has not forgotten the slight and readmission to the F-35 programme will be the most controversial item on his wish list when he steps into the White House on Thursday. He has had some support from the US side: Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey, reportedly believes the issue could be resolved by the end of the year. We are working on many trade and military deals with the [Turkish] president, including the large-scale purchase of Boeing aircraft, a major F-16 Deal, and a continuation of the F-35 talks, which we expect to conclude positively, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform recently. President Erdogan and I have always had a very good relationship, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump has long boasted of his friendship with autocrats, but even among that select crowd he seems to have particularly enjoyed the company of Mr Erdogan. According to accounts of his first term, he would banter with his Turkish counterpart, calling him the sultan. People think he loves [Vladimir] Putin, Steve Bannon, Mr Trumps former White House chief strategist, once recalled. Erdogan is the one he loves. Erdogan is the one he loves Mr Trump is a fan of the Turkish president That relationship now appears to be paving the way for a multi-billion dollar deal between both countries. Last week, Bloomberg reported that Boeing and Lockheed Martin are poised to win aircraft orders from Turkey for as many as 250 commercial planes in addition to F-35 and F-16 fighter jets. Ankara has also recently ended tariffs it imposed on the US in 2018, and has not retaliated against Mr Trumps move this year to impose 15 per cent tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However honeyed the diplomatic strategy, Mr Erdogan has been publicly blunt about what he wants to secure from his meeting with the US president on Thursday. I dont think its very becoming of strategic partnership and I dont think its the right way to go, he told Fox News, the presidents favourite TV channel, on Tuesday evening. We expect that the United States will also do what it needs to do, both about F-35s and also the issue of F-16s and their production, maintenance. At the same time, the Turkish leader suggested relations between Turkey and the US, particularly their defence industries, would greatly improve following his sit-down in the White House. This would have been music to the ears of a deal-hungry US president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official who works as a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said he believed Mr Trump would take a geopolitical setback in return for a deal. The last delivery of F-35 jets to Turkey was in 2018 before Ankaras expulsion a year later - Anadolu Turkey wants to have F-35s and Trump and Tom Barrack want business deals in exchange, he told The Telegraph. For short-term gain we are gambling with the future of regional security. Turkeys strategy of maintaining ties with everyone as a way to maintain stability at home has made it hard for outsiders to understand where its true loyalties lie, though sceptics abound, given Mr Erdogans increasingly authoritarian rule over 22 years in power. There are growing worries that Israel may seek to target Turkey, as bilateral relations have soured significantly since the Gaza war erupted in Oct 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israels recent strike in Doha against leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group it is battling in Gaza, has worsened those concerns. Turkey, unlike its Nato allies, does not consider Hamas a terrorist organisation, with the groups officials routinely visiting the country. Turkey and Israel are also jockeying for greater influence in Syria, where a new government installed after the Assad regime fell last December, and staunchly backed by Ankara has struggled to consolidate power given fractious sectarian divisions that have led to bloodshed. In recent years, Mr Erdogan has also engaged in sabre-rattling against Greece over a military build-up on the Greek Aegean islands. We can come down suddenly one night when the time comes, he said in 2022, warning his ballistic missiles could hit Athens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ankara, which has occupied a third of Cyprus since an invasion in the 1970s, has also warned of dangerous consequences if the island seeks to bolster its air defences. Many influential voices in the US, including in Washington, are therefore nervous about the consequences in the Middle East of handing over a fleet of elite fighter jets over to the Turkish president. Under Erdogans Islamist rule, Ankara is a destabilising force cosy with Hamas, flirtatious with Moscow and aggressive toward Americas real allies, read a New York Post opinion column this week, urging Mr Trump not to reward the Turkish leaders treachery. The disquiet goes even further afield: Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, reportedly lobbied Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, against readmitting Turkey to the F-35 programme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement b' ' We are gambling the future of regional security. Were gambling Israels security. Were gambling Greeces security. Were gambling Cyprus security. We should not be doing this, Mr Rubin said. Who might Turkey in the future use the F 35 against? Is it more likely to use the F-35 against Russia or against Israel? And if you cant answer that question, then they shouldnt be getting the F-35. Members of Congress, outraged at Turkey enjoying the benefits of a US alliance and Nato membership while buying a Russian S-400, barred Ankara from receiving F-35s under the National Defence Authorisation Act while maintaining the missile system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Possible compromises that have been floated include Turkey transferring its S-400 to Syria, ensuring it is not integrated with Nato systems, or locking them away in sealed depots. In any case, it means Mr Trump will have to overcome concerns from lawmakers to transfer F-35s to Turkey if and when he strikes a deal with Mr Erdogan. As recently as this week, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress warned the president to proceed very carefully, arguing that Turkeys possession of the S-400 would endanger US military secrets. Rewarding Erdogans government without meaningful changes in behavior would set a dangerous precedent and weaken the credibility of US foreign policy, they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The space for an F-35 deal, with opposition both domestic and abroad, appears to be narrow. At the same time, both Mr Trump and his Turkish counterpart now look like they want Turkey back in the F-35 programme. And both men are used to getting their own way Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) -Major U.S. electric utility Exelon plans to step up its push to own power plants in its Mid-Atlantic service area next year, where electricity bills are spiking in the face of rising demand and new supplies are slow to be added, CEO Calvin Butler told Reuters this week. Exelon's effort comes as PJM Interconnection, the country's largest grid providing electricity to over 65 million people in the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic, faces supply shortfalls amid surging demand from data centers and the electrification of industries like transportation. Chicago-based Exelon said in July that it was considering its options for building and owning regulated power generation, which electric utilities are legally barred from in about half of U.S. states. In those states, regulated utilities generally own power lines, while independent power producers own and operate power plants to diversify market power, which can help prevent anti-competitive behavior. Butler said allowing electric utilities like Exelon to build new regulated power supplies, which is currently barred by state laws in much of PJM's territory, would ease the grid's power crunch and bring down prices. Regulated power generation in the region where Exelon operates would require a series of changes to state law, which Butler said his company is laying the groundwork for by talking to lawmakers and governors ahead of next year's lawmaking meetings. "I believe the 2026 legislative sessions are going to be an opportunity for us," Butler told Reuters at a meeting in New York on Monday. "We're going to be advocating for it." About half of U.S. states are considered deregulated, generally, meaning that electric utilities that own transmission and distribution lines cannot also own regulated power generation. The deregulation effort began in the 1990s in response to rising electricity costs. As power bills rise again, some of the 13 states in PJM, like Maryland and New Jersey, have considered amending their laws to allow regulated power generation. "I'm one of the staunchest supporters for competitive markets when they work, but we are seeing that the competitive marketplace in PJM is not working," Butler said. U.S. power demand is forecast to hit record highs this year and next, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. FIGHTING RISING BILLS If allowed by the states, Butler said he would seek to build community solar in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, which he said would reduce power bills. UNITED NATIONS President Donald Trump bragged to the United Nations this week about his singular capacity to end some of the worlds toughest conflicts, all largely without the help of the organization or any other country. But wars in Ukraine and Gaza are grinding on without any clear end, despite his promises to quickly end both. Meetings at the U.N. have highlighted how allied governments are pressing to maintain fragile coalitions on those wars without Washington as the convener it once was. And Trumps reiteration that he ended seven wars rang hollow at the world body, where member states made clear theyre still very much engaged in disputes the U.S. president has claimed to solve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The feeling among many foreign diplomats gathered in Turtle Bay this week is that Trump is often more interested in declaring victory than focusing on the unsexy diplomatic slog it takes to achieve it a problem when U.S. support is key to negotiating the end to many conflicts. For the countries actually mired in conflict, the struggle to keep his attention is existential. Even Trumps surprisingly full-throated backing of Ukraine on Tuesday, while very welcome, was met with a dose of skepticism by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I can't tell you that President Trump will do everything that we want or what we need. I don't know, he told reporters. Trumps plan to solve the Russia-Ukraine war was to use his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin to win concessions. That hasnt happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump's goodwill doesn't seem to have made an impact [on Putin], which is regrettable, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in an interview. We cheered President Trump on his peace efforts. But unfortunately, it has not yet brought results. And as Trumps push to bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war has stalled, other world leaders have banded together both to exert influence on the U.S. president and make joint stands. A number of top allies joined together in recent days to recognize a Palestinian state and French President Emmanuel Macron convened a meeting of states taking that step Monday at the U.N. Trump and his team presented their plan for how Gaza would be governed and reconstructed once the fighting ends to a group of Arab and Muslim leaders in New York, including a promise that Israel wouldnt annex the West Bank, a plan for an international trusteeship for Gaza of Arab and Muslim countries and an Arab-led international security force, according to a person familiar with the meeting, granted anonymity to discuss ongoing diplomatic talks. But the plan does not include proposals for how to address the immediate challenge of getting Israel and Hamas to stop fighting. While most leaders are quick to praise Trump publicly, privately they are frustrated with the gridlock on their most important security challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The one thing Trump wants from his second term is to get the Nobel Peace Prize. He is green with envy because Obama got it. But only results count and for the moment he is taking one step forward, three steps back, an ally of Macron said, giving the general impression inside the French government. The person was granted anonymity to speak candidly about a close partner. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has forged a close relationship with Trump but is known to be confrontational on the world stage, lamented to Fox News this week that Trump had not followed through on his promises to end those wars early in his presidency. Mr. Trump, you might remember said I will finish the Russia-Ukraine war. Did it end? It still goes on. Similarly, he said, I will finish the war in Gaza. Did it end? No. That means once we start analyzing the issue, there are prices to pay. Erdogan said. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D.-N.H.), who was in New York meeting with world leaders on the sidelines of the General Assembly, argued Trump could be making a bigger difference with more deft diplomacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We haven't seen any results, really, Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview. What we've seen is a failure to use some of the tools at his disposal to bring Putin to the table, to force Putin to the table, to get some agreement from [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. Trump officials are generally brushing aside the criticism from the assemblage of world leaders and diplomats. President Trump has done more for peace than everyone present at the U.N. combined, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said. He has ended seven wars since taking office including decadeslong conflicts that many world leaders have tried to resolve but failed. Only this president could have accomplished so much for global stability because he has effectively Made America Strong Again. Whatever world leaders may say, they remain dependent on the U.S., administration officials say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These people go out and say what they want to say, but at the end of the day when they want something done, they come they want to come to the White House, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday in a Fox News interview.They all come to the White House, they all want to speak to President Trump, they all want President Trump to fix it. At least three leaders are making a pilgrimage to the White House following their appearances at the United Nations. Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are meeting with Trump in Washington on Thursday. Netanyahu visits Monday. Diplomats here have accepted that the U.S. is still the most important ally to have despite any private reservations and many feel their meetings this week with Trump and his team have been largely positive. Their public differences havent interfered. Trump and his team have mostly greeted the global effort to recognize a Palestinian state with a shrug. Trump spent only one day at the gathering here, but some of his top lieutenants have remained in New York continuing to tout what they have described as a strong peacemaking record and casting doubt on the multilateral system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that record is undermined not just by ongoing fighting in Ukraine and Gaza, but by the state of the other seven conflicts he claims to have ended. Trump has scored some results, but he is also claiming victory in arenas where fighting and violence are ongoing, or in situations where no actual war exists. In some areas, he has declared victory without addressing many of the most sensitive details. Speeches and discussions at the United Nations this week are highlighting Trumps exaggerations. Trump convened the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House in August where they signed a joint declaration aimed at ending four decades of conflict over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. But it was more of an economic partnership than a full fledged peace deal. Their foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the General Assembly this week and agreed to continue their dialogue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also hosted the leaders of Congo and Rwanda in June at the White House, where they signed a deal that created a new security coordination plan and commitments to stop fighting. But one of the main parties to the conflict, the M23 armed group, was not a part of that meeting and violence continues to rage in eastern Congo. Congo's president, Felix Tshisekedi, addressed the violence in his Tuesday address to the U.N. He pointed to the Trump initiative and called on Rwanda to use its influence with M23 to meet its terms. He said a real peace would take place only if the parties actually implement the details. Trump has also claimed credit for averting fresh fighting between Serbia and Kosovo, though they have not had active conflict since the late 1990s. Trump told reporters in June that he prevented a new conflict from breaking out. "They were going to have a big-time war, and we stopped it. We stopped it because of trade, he said, without providing any additional details. In his U.N. General Assembly speech, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic referred to Kosovo as an inseparable part of Serbia, calling it the main pillar of Serbias identity, culture and spiritual heritage. One Kosovar news outlet described his comments as propaganda against Kosovo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the remaining four peace deals Trump claims are also disputed in one way or another. Egypt and Ethiopia are not at war, but Trump says he has solved a long-running dispute over a dam in Ethiopia. There are peace efforts, but theyve stalled, and dont directly involve the U.S. Trump said he helped end a 10-day nuclear standoff between India and Pakistan. India denied a U.S. role and Trump has drawn closer to Pakistan as a result and slapped tariffs on India, cratering ties with one of the U.S.s most important allies, although Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have begun to improve things. Trumps diplomacy did help stop fighting between Thailand and Cambodia after Bangkok launched airstrikes on Cambodia in July and the country responded with artillery fire. He threatened to abandon trade talks with both nations if they did not stop, which worked. Malaysia was also a key mediator between the countries, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Trumps team brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after Israel bombed Irans nuclear sites. But that happened only after the U.S. joined the fray and also attacked Irans nuclear program. Irans leader, Masoud Pezeshkian, slammed the U.S. and Israel in his U.N. address on Wednesday and blamed their attacks for dealing a grievous blow to nuclear talks. Netanyahu, who is due to address the General Assembly on Friday, frequently rails against the threat Iran poses to Israel. Hes expected to repeat the message in his speech. The Israeli prime minister, who has continued to press the military campaign in Gaza despite the outcry from many in the West, is one of a small group of close U.S. allies who say they have nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Clea Caulcutt and Daniella Cheslow contributed to this report. Former FBI Director James Comey, who has been the target of Donald Trumps attacks for years, could face criminal charges in the next few days for allegedly lying to Congress. Trump and his MAGA conspiracy theorist followers have long maligned Comey as a leader of the governments deep state. The report that the former FBI boss might be indicted came days after the president raged in a Truth Social post that Comey hadnt been charged despite being guilty as hell. Former FBI Director James Comey was sworn in before he testified in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on his past relationship with President Donald Trump, and his role in the Russian interference investigation, in the Senate Hart building on Capitol Hill, on Thursday, June 8, 2017. / NurPhoto via Getty Images It followed the decision by U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert to resign because he was reportedly under pressure to indict Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Trump hired one of his former personal lawyers, Lindsey Halligan, as acting U.S. Attorney for the district. Now, according to MSNBC, federal prosecutors are nearing a decision to indict Comey, 64, who headed the bureau from 2013 until his termination in 2017. Former FBI Director James Comey, for years the target of President Trumps ire, is expected to be indicted in the coming days in the Eastern District of Virginia, where a prosecutor who opposed bringing the case was recently fired, three sources familiar with the matter told Ken Dilanian (@DilanianMSNBC) September 24, 2025 Comey was fired by Trump, who was angered by his handling of the Russiagate conspiracy, early in his first term. The criminal probe has centered on claims that Comey made false statements during the September 2020 testimony he made about alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Comey is adamant that he was truthful under oath, and he has not been charged with any crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Comey faced backlash in May after posting an image on social media of seashells spelling out the numbers 86 47, which Republicans attacked as a threat to Trump. The number 86 can sometimes be used as a way of saying something is being discarded or thrown away. Comey denied the post meant anything sinister. James Comey faced an angry backlash after posting an image that Republicans claimed was a threat to Trump. / Instagram/James Comey Trump also accused Comey of leaking memos to the media about their conversations while he was FBI chief. A Department of Justice Inspector Generals report said later that Comey violated agency policy by leaking the information. Perhaps never in the history of our Country has someone been more thoroughly disgraced and excoriated than James Comey in the just released Inspector Generals Report. He should be ashamed of himself! Trump posted at the time. By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, rejecting calls from some far-right politicians in Israel who want to extend sovereignty over the area and snuff out hopes for a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced some pressure from allies to annex the West Bank, prompting alarm among Arab leaders, some of whom met on Tuesday with Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It's not going to happen," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "There's been enough. It's time to stop now," he said. France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal are among the countries that have recognized a Palestinian state in the last few days, in part to help keep the possibility of a two-state solution alive. Israel has condemned the moves. Trump made the comments as Netanyahu was arriving in New York to deliver an address to the United Nations on Friday. Netanyahu's office said the prime minister would wait until he returns to Israel to address Trump's remark.Israeli settlements have grown in size and number since Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war. They stretch deep into the territory with a system of roads and other infrastructure under Israeli control, further slicing up the land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A widely condemned Israeli settlement plan known as the E1 project, which would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, received final approval in August. It will cut across land that the Palestinians seek for a state. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, an ultra-nationalist in the ruling right-wing coalition that keeps Netanyahu in power, said at the time that a Palestinian state is "being erased from the table." Arab and Muslim countries warned Trump during a meeting earlier this week about the grave consequences of any annexation of the West Bank -- a message the U.S. president "understands very well," according to Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud. About 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in a move not recognized by most countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel refuses to cede control of the West Bank, a position it says has been reinforced since Hamas stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. About 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, are still being held. Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the area and saying the settlements provide strategic depth and security. GAZA DEAL TALKS While international leaders gather at the United Nations in New York, the U.S. presented a 21-point Middle East peace plan in a bid to end the nearly two-year-long war in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was shared with leaders and officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan on Tuesday, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump, who remains Israel's staunchest ally on the world stage, said that he spoke with representatives from Middle Eastern nations and Netanyahu on Thursday and that a deal on Gaza could happen soon. "We want the hostages back, we want the bodies back and we want to have peace in that region. So we had some very good talks," he said. Israel has drawn global condemnation over its war in Gaza, which is nearing the two-year mark with no ceasefire in sight. The conflict has caused major destruction and killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A global hunger monitor says part of the territory is suffering from famine. On the ground, Israeli forces advanced deeper into Gaza City on Thursday and Israeli strikes killed at least 19 people across Gaza, local health authorities said. International efforts are also continuing to send assistance to help civilians as Israel appears increasingly isolated. Italy and Spain on Thursday deployed naval ships to assist an international aid flotilla that has come under drone attack while trying to deliver aid to Gaza. The Global Sumud Flotilla is using about 50 civilian boats to try to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, Steve Holland and Michelle Nichols; writing by Costas Pitas; Editing by Franklin Paul, Caitlin Webber, Diane Craft and Saad Sayeed) US President Donald Trump held talks with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday and signalled that Washington might soon lift its hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara. During Trump's first term, the US removed Turkey from its flagship F-35 fighter jet programme after Turkey, a NATO ally, purchased an air defence system from Russia. US officials worried that Turkey's use of the S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump started his two-hour meeting with Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be found during the leaders' talks. "He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and we're going to come to a conclusion. You'll know by the end of the day," Trump said. The president added to Erdogan, "And I think youll be successful with buying the things" you would "like to buy." US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting in the Oval Office, 25 September, 2025 - AP Photo The president, in a brief exchange with reporters as he bid farewell to Erdogan, called it a "good meeting" but did not offer further details. It was Erdogan's first trip to the White House since 2019. They forged what Trump described as a "very good relationship" during his first White House term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the years, US officials have cited concerns about Turkey's human rights record under Erdogan and the country's ties with Russia. Tensions between Turkey and Israel, another important American ally, over Gaza and Syria have made relations difficult with Turkey at times. In remarks to reporters, Trump focused his concerns on Turkey's continued economic relationship with Russia. Turkey has been one of the biggest buyers of Russian fossil fuel since the European Union announced in early 2023 it would boycott most Russian seaborne oil. People light flares during a protest called by main opposition Republican People's Party outside the City Hall in Istanbul, 1 July, 2025 - AP Photo Since January 2023, Ankara has purchased more than $90 billion (77 billion) in Russian oil, coal and natural gas. Only China and India have bought more from Russia in that period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia," Trump said of Erdogan. Trump added that Erdogan is respected by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "I think he could have a big influence if he wants to," Trump said. The push on Erdogan to become more engaged in pressuring Putin comes after Trump earlier this week said he believed Ukraine could win back all the territory it has lost to Russia in the war. Related Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a dramatic shift from Trump's repeated calls for Kyiv to make territorial concessions to end the fighting. Erdogan has made clear he is eager to see the suspension on F-35s lifted, telling Trump that he came prepared to "thoroughly discuss" the issue. The Turkish president was even blunter in a television interview this week. "I don't think it's very becoming of strategic partnership and I don't think its the right way to go," he said in an interview on Fox News Channel's "Special Report with Bret Baier." Past reluctance to engage with Turkey Democratic President Joe Biden's administration kept Erdogan, who has served as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, at an arm's length during Biden's four years in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reluctance to engage deeply was borne out of Turkey's record of democratic backsliding as well as Ankara's close ties to Moscow. Opposition parties and human rights organisations have accused Erdogan of undermining democracy and curbing freedom of expression during his more than two decades in power. International observers say that baseless investigations and prosecutions of human rights activists, journalists, opposition politicians and others remain a persistent problem in Turkey. Trump sees Erdogan as a critical partner and credible intermediary in his effort to find ends to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Former US President Joe Biden greets Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO summit in Washington, 10 July, 2024 - AP Photo The Republican's administration is also largely in sync with Turkey's approach to Syria as both nations piece together their posture toward the once isolated country after the fall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and European leaders have followed Erdogan in embracing Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who once commanded a rebel group that was designated a foreign terrorist organisation. Trump also said that Erdogan deserves credit for backing the rebel forces that ousted al-Assad from Syria. "I think President Erdogan is the one responsible for Syria, for the successful fight in ridding Syria of its past leader," Trump said. "He doesn't take the responsibility, but it's actually a great achievement." SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (AP) Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has enlisted help from a key ally, Sen. Rand Paul, as the maverick congressman tries to fend off President Donald Trump's threats to oust him from Congress. Massie is running headlong into his toughest political fight as a super PAC launched by Donald Trump aides attacks him and he awaits a potential challenge from someone backed by the president. Massie has drawn the president's wrath for opposing him on budget and foreign policy issues but is betting that Kentuckians will embrace his independent streak despite Trump's popularity in the Bluegrass State. Massie on Thursday wrapped up a two-day swing through his district alongside Paul, who has endorsed the congressman and shares Massie's libertarian leanings. Massie says Paul's endorsement offers "a counterbalance to Donald Trumps presumed endorsement for somebody else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to an overflow crowd at a Shelbyville distillery, Massie defiantly said the attack ads against him arent going to change my mind at all." "Im doubling down, he said. Massie poked fun at himself and Trump, at one point impersonating the president's voice when recounting a conversation between them. The congressman added that "hes probably the best president weve had in my lifetime. But if I think hes wrong on policy, or if I think one of his cabinet members has misled him on policy, and they want us to vote on something I will speak up if I dont think its following the Constitution, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greg Hunt, a Massie supporter at the event, said he likes that independent streak. Upsetting the apple cart is, in my opinion, not a bad thing, Hunt said. I would like to see a little more cohesion within the party, but I don't want group think, either. So I'm glad that he stands up and voices his opinion. Accustomed to winning by lopsided margins, Massie became the first Republican incumbent in Congress to be targeted for defeat by Trump and his political team in the 2026 midterm elections. Kentucky's primaries take place in May. Whoever wins the Republican nomination will be heavily favored in the November general election in a district last represented by a Democrat two decades ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Massie and Paul have reputations for standing up to party leaders in Washington, a dynamic that Paul said puts them in good standing with voters back home. I think there's a difference between Kentucky and D.C., Paul said Wednesday. 'Oh, Thomas Massie or Rand Paul are unpopular in D.C.' Well, that's why we're popular at home because people aren't very happy with what's going on in Washington. So far, a handful of candidates besides Massie have filed with the Federal Election Commission for the campaign in Kentucky's 4th District though none has received the backing of Trump or his political operation. Trump aides are in no rush to put their firepower behind a candidate and see no reason to give Massie an opponent to attack for months, according to a Trump political adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the internal dynamics of the race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Massie has said he intends to file for reelection but also has openly talked about running for the Senate instead of his congressional seat. That would be contingent on former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron dropping his own Senate bid and running for Massie's seat, an option Cameron's campaign has rejected. Paul on Thursday expressed his own doubt about such a scenario for Massie, saying: I dont think hes going to get in the Senate race. I think hes going to stay in the House race." Paul said Massie would have a big lead against anyone joining the House race. The rallies that we've had, all the support from the state legislators, to me shows that it will be very hard to run against him, the senator said. Massie's rocky relationship with Trump Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Massie's up-and-down relationship with Trump took another plunge this year. The congressman opposed the massive tax breaks and spending cuts package that Trump calls beautiful" but Massie says will grow the national debt and hurt the economy. Massie drew Trump's wrath for saying the president lacked authority to attack Irans nuclear sites without congressional approval. And Massie has been at the forefront of efforts to force the public release of case files on the sex trafficking probe into the late Jeffrey Epstein. Trump unleashed on Massie this summer on his social media platform. Thomas Massie, the worst Republican Congressman, and an almost guaranteed NO VOTE each and every time, is an Embarrassment to Kentucky. Hes lazy, slow moving, and totally disingenuous - A real loser! Never has anything positive to add. Looking for someone good to run against this guy, someone I can Endorse and vigorously campaign for! Massie said there's more at stake than his own future the role of Congress to check presidential powers without fear of retribution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This race is a referendum on whether somebody can be independent within the Republican Party," Massie said in an interview. And a lot of my colleagues are watching this race. They ask me every week how its going." He said Trump's attacks on him are intended to keep his Republican colleagues in line. The battle for bucks takes off Bracing for a strong primary challenge, Massie has ramped up fundraising. He's averaged a half-million dollars in donations per quarter this year, he said, amassing more in a quarter than he typically raised in two years. The MIT-educated Massie entered Congress in 2012. He represents a conservative district stretching across northern Kentucky that includes rural and suburban voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Massie's reputation as a contrarian willing to buck GOP leaders goes back years. In 2020, during Trump's first term, he tried to stall a COVID-19 relief package. Trump berated him then as a third rate Grandstander who should be tossed from the GOP. The smackdown was a bump in the road for Massie, who cruised to reelection. In 2022, Trump endorsed Massie, calling him a Conservative Warrior and a first-rate Defender of the Constitution. People remember that, and they know that sometimes people get on his bad side and sometimes theyre on his good side, Massie said. Massie unleashes a preemptive attack In the same interview, Massie found a way to attack a candidate who remains hypothetical at this point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If they try to recruit a candidate whos politically aware, politically astute and they have existing political capital and name ID, theyre not willing to risk it on the long odds of beating me," Massie said. "And then if you find a candidate who doesnt have any political capital and hasnt been paying attention, theyre probably not a very good candidate. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in New York contributed reporting. Donald Trump privately assured Arab leaders he would not allow Benjamin Netanyahu to annex the West Bank, according to reports. The US president, in conversations with Arab and Muslim leaders at the United Nations, said he would not permit Israel to take over the territory off the River Jordan, which is governed by the Palestinian Authority. Senior Israeli ministers, angered by Britain and other countries moving to recognise a Palestinian state, have called for the immediate annexation of the West Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Mr Trump presented a white paper to the leaders of eight Arab and Muslim countries outlining his administrations plans to end the war in Gaza, sources told Politico. This is said to have included a pledge to block any annexation attempt of the West Bank, along with other details on its governance and post-war security. Arab leaders, angered by Mr Trumps continued support of Mr Netanyahu almost two years into Israels military operation in Gaza, warned him the Israeli prime minister was endangering one of the presidents signature diplomatic wins. Demonstrators holding Palestinian flags stage a protest to thank countries that recognise Palestine - Anadolu An Israeli incursion into the West Bank would likely lead to the collapse of the Abraham Accords, the agreement from Mr Trumps first term which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those relations have been strained by claims of Israel committing genocide and sparking a famine in Gaza, which its leadership has consistently denied. Mr Trump told reporters that his meeting with the Arab and Muslim leaders was his most important of the day, but left without divulging details of the discussion to reporters. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, said he was pleased with the results of the sit-down, which he described as fruitful, and said a joint declaration would later be published on their agreements. In an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday, Mr Erdogan accused Mr Netanyahu of killing tens of thousands with this genocide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel is using this power without mercy, from age seven to 70, children, women, the elderly they have no mercy, he told American viewers, while insisting that Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, was a resistance movement. The decision by Britain, Canada, Australia and other countries to recognise a Palestinian state has revived calls in Israel by nationalists to annex the West Bank. Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister, called for the territory to be immediately taken over, saying: The days when the UK and other countries determined our future are over. The British mandate [over Palestine] has ended. Itamar Ben-Gvir, another Right-wing politician, called for the complete dismantling of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. 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. ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (WFRV) Two Wisconsin men were arrested early Thursday after a police chase ended in a head-on collision with a squad car. According to the St. Francis Police Department, an officer attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 2400 block of East Howard Avenue in St. Francis. The stop was initiated because the vehicles registered owner, a 46-year-old Milwaukee man, had a revoked drivers license and a warrant with the Manitowoc County Sheriffs Office related to a prior OWI arrest. Wisconsin Planned Parenthood pauses abortions amid federal Medicaid funding cut Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said the vehicle did not stop and instead entered Highway 794 from East Howard Avenue, prompting a pursuit. The chase continued to South Carferry Drive, where the suspect vehicle briefly stopped at the gated entrance on the south end of Jones Island in Milwaukee. The driver then attempted a U-turn to escape, striking a St. Francis squad car head-on. The crash caused significant damage and disabled the suspect vehicle. With assistance from the Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office, officers arrested both the driver and his 42-year-old passenger without further incident. No officers were hurt. Case of highly pathogenic avian influenza confirmed in commercial poultry flock in Wisconsin Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pursuit covered about 2.5 miles. The driver was booked into the Milwaukee County Jail. Recommended charges include: Operating while intoxicated, second offense Fleeing or eluding an officer Second-degree recklessly endangering safety Possession of methamphetamine Possession of drug paraphernalia Bail jumping (two counts) DNR urges Wisconsinites to buy local firewood to prevent spread of invasive species The passenger was wanted on an outstanding warrant with the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office and was turned over to deputies at the scene. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Fourteen people are dead and 124 missing after a super typhoon barrelling across Asia burst a mountain lakes banks. Super Typhoon Ragasa had already killed three people in the Philippines before hitting Taiwans east, where more than 600mm of rain swamped waterways and engulfed Guangfu on Tuesday. The typhoon moved north-west towards southern China as the search for survivors continued on Wednesday, with phenomenal swells and hurricane level winds reported in Hong Kong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Playgrounds were submerged in water and people ran for cover as trees and street signs fell onto roads. A resident shops inside a supermarket covered with mud in the Guangfu district of Hualien following the bursting of the barrier lake - AFP Water inundated Guangfu after the banks of a lake burst - AFP At the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, a waterfront resort, waves cracked the windows before a man was swept across the lobby floor. Authorities said 56 people in Hong Kong had been admitted to hospital with injuries by midday Wednesday (5am BST), the South China Morning Post reported. Credit: Facebook/Bosco Chu Gusts of 192km/hr blew across Ngong Ping in Lantau, the largest of Hong Kongs islands, according to the governments weather service, which noted powerful winds and flooding was expected to continue even as Ragasa moved away towards mainland China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The typhoon named after the Filipino word to describe a violent surge is expected to make landfall in Guangdong, in Chinas south, where more than two million people have been evacuated. Ragasa has started to depart from Hong Kong, but its associated hurricane force winds are still affecting the southwestern part of the territory occasionally, the Hong Kong Observatory said in its Wednesday morning update as it issued its highest typhoon warning. Members of the public should be on high alert and beware of destructive winds. Seas will be phenomenal with swells. Soldiers found innovative ways to deliver supplies to people trapped in apartments during floods in eastern Taiwan - Ann Wang Firemen worked to remove an uprooted tree in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning - TOMMY WANG By 9am local time (2am BST), sea levels around Hong Kong had risen an average of 3m and were still rising, and expected to peak by noon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities told residents in the worst-hit areas to remain in shelters, while schools stayed closed. Emirates, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa warned of cancellations and delays on Tuesday night, with about 600 flights grounded including services from London. Search for survivors In Hualien, the worst-impacted county in Taiwan, hundreds of people remained stranded after the overflowing lake submerged bridges and roads, unleashing a tsunami-like torrent that gushed through a village in Taiwan. An estimated 15.4 million tonnes of water was released, in what some geologists described as a tsunami from the mountains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Postman Hsieh Chien-tung also said the water hit like a tsunami. He was able to flee to the second floor of the post office just in time. Later, he got home to find his car had been swept into his living-room. b' 2309 Typhoon Ragasa ' Parts of the region, which is home to about 320,000 people, were still being rebuilt after being devastated in April 2024 by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake, the largest to hit Taiwan in 25 years. At least 19 people died and more than 1,100 were injured by that quake and its 1,400 aftershocks. Fire officials said all the dead and missing after the typhoon this week were in the rural township of Guangfu which is made up of 14 small villages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wang Tse-an reported chaotic scenes in his village of Dama, home to about 1,000 people, as supplies could not be delivered while the water had cut off towns. There are mud and rocks everywhere, Mr Wang, the village chief, told Reuters. Some flooding has subsided but some remains. More than 7,000 people were evacuated across Taiwan when Ragasa hit. Part of the bridge over Mataian Creek in Hualien was damaged - AFP Army soldiers in tanks delivered supplies to typhoon-hit residents in Hualien - Ann Wang About 5,200 people, more than half of Guangfus population, sought shelter on the higher floors of their own homes while most of the rest left to stay with their families, official data showed. The government estimated the barrier lake contained 91 million tonnes of water, the equivalent of a major reservoir in southern Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lake which had been formed by the movement of rock and soil during past landslides in the region overflowed to release about 60 million tonnes of water, the government said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The job market is tough for employees of all ages and experience levels right now. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in August was 4.3%, the highest it's been since late 2021. However, for older workers who have higher salary and title expectations and who face roadblocks like ageism or being overqualified, the job hunt can be even harder. As a result, a growing number are turning to self-employment, Business Insider reports. Don't Miss: DJ Perdue is one of them. After losing his job as a Walmart manager, the 50-year-old says he spent a year and a half applying to ten or more jobs a day. Eventually, he decided to take matters into his own hands and opened Teeny Town, an indoor playspace for kids in Union City, California. "I had to do something," he told Business Insider. "And it was something I had always wanted to do." Rick J. Sanchez has had a similar experience. The 49-year-old spent years climbing the ladder, starting in hardware and software sales before opening an Allstate practice and then moving on to business development and startup consultation roles. Trending: Backed by $300M+ in Assets and Microsoft's Climate Fund, Farmland LP Opens Vital Farmland III to Accredited Investors When he eventually decided he wanted to return to a more traditional career path, he found it was harder than he'd anticipated to land a job. "You cant put founder or president or board chair of anything on your resume and get a call back, he told the outlet. So, after a year and a half of job hunting, he launched his own PR and crisis communication firm called Mentratik. "Weve only been in existence for about a year, he says.But it sure beats pounding the pavement looking for work every day. Sallie Griffiths spent decades working as a C-suite leader, building business development teams and training relators. When she was laid off in 2024, she noticed that many of the opportunities that would have once been open to her no longer were, thanks to her age and experience levels. See Also: The ECG Hasn't Changed in 100 Years This AI Upgrade Could Help Detect Heart Disease Years Earlier So she took a full-time role at a franchise, which came with a massive pay cut and has forced her to think creatively about how to make ends meet. Right now, Im spinning about five different plates at any given time, she told Business Insider. U.S. fighter jets were scrambled Wednesday to identify and intercept four Russian warplanes flying near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a statement. NORAD said two Russian Tu-95 long-range strategic bombers and two Su-35 fighter jets were flying in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which is international airspace that abuts U.S. and Canadian sovereign airspace. NORAD responded Wednesday by sending an E-3 early warning and control aircraft, along with four F-16s and four KC-135 tanker planes, "to positively identify and intercept" the Russian aircraft in the Alaskan ADIZ. A Russian Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber flies over Moscow, accompanied by fighter jets, during a rehearsal for the Victory Day parade in Russia's capital, in a May 7, 2022 file photo. / Credit: Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency/Getty NORAD said Russian military activity in the ADIZ is common and not considered a threat, but it was the latest in a series of flights by Russian aircraft seen by many as testing the preparedness of U.S. and allied NATO nations. It came as officials in Denmark continued investigating still-unattributed, large drones that flew close to Copenhagen Airport on Tuesday and Wednesday, disrupting traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danish police have said the drones were operated by a "capable actor." European nations have been on alert amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Russian drones were shot down by Polish and allied NATO warplanes after crossing into Polish airspace on Sept. 9. Ten days later, Estonia said several Russian fighter jets entered its airspace. The Russian planes entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on Wednesday about one month after a very similar incident, which also saw the U.S. scramble fighter jets for an interception. In late August, NORAD said it had detected and surveilled a Russian military reconnaissance aircraft inside the ADIZ after intercepting the same type of spy plane over the region three times in the preceding days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September 2024, NORAD posted dramatic video of a Russian jet flying "within just a few feet" of NORAD aircraft off the coast of Alaska. At the time, a U.S. general said the conduct of the jet's crew was "unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all." The ADIZ is "a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security," NORAD said. None of the situations thus far has resulted in Russian warplanes entering U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. Trump slams Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV on ABC Trump blasts U.N. during General Assembly address Dr. Lucky Sekhon on Trump's announcement about Tylenol and autism The warring factions in Sudan are nearing direct talks as their catastrophic two-year conflict reaches a battlefield impasse, Donald Trumps senior Africa adviser has said. America is holding discussions with both the Sudanese military and their paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) adversaries to set the groundwork for negotiations, Massad Boulos said at the United Nations in New York. The status quo is such that nobody has the upper hand so theyre both ready to talk, he told Bloomberg. Hopefully we should be able to announce something very soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Years of diplomatic efforts have so far failed to halt a war that has shattered the country and triggered the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. However a proposal earlier this month from America, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt for an immediate three-month truce to be followed by a permanent ceasefire is being seen as a potential breakthrough. The agreement of the UAE, who have been accused of supporting the RSF, is seen as particularly important, diplomatic sources said. The UAE says it categorically rejects claims it is supporting either side. Donald Trump and Massad Boulos, his senior Africa adviser - AP Calls for a humanitarian pause have also increased at this weeks United Nations General Assembly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking after closed door talks on the crisis at the UN, Yvette Cooper, newly appointed Foreign Secretary, told the Telegraph: The scale of the man-made crisis in Sudan is staggering. Millions have been displaced, famine has been declared in Darfur, and countless women and girls are facing the constant threat of sexual violence. For far too long, the warring parties have shown blatant disregard for international humanitarian law. She said a UN fact-finding mission had found both sides were committing war crimes including torture and starvation, while rape was being used as a weapon. Aid workers say the most severe crisis is in the besieged city of El Fasher, where more than a quarter of a million civilians are trapped and bombarded by RSF forces in the armys last remaining holdout in Darfur. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Cooper said: Most urgently, the people of El Fasher - hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in desperate conditions - need an immediate humanitarian pause, as called for by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The warring factions must commit to this pause and return to negotiations, and all other parties with influence over them must urge them to do so. Mr Boulos said he was hopeful that humanitarian aid would soon be able to enter El Fasher. In this case, the RSF, weve been talking to them, and weve agreed on a way to allow this humanitarian aid to go in. So its taking shape as we speak, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sudans war erupted in April 2023 and, after more than two years of fighting for territorial control, the army holds the north, east and centre, including the capital Khartoum and Port Sudan. The RSF controls much of the south and nearly all of Darfur, where it has set up a rival administration based in the city of Nyala. Analysts warn that if current front lines stabilise, Sudan could face de facto partition, risking a prolonged, Libya-style fragmentation with rival administrations controlling separate zones. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security 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. GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) Hurricane Helene hammered several counties in East Tennessee a year ago. In Cocke County, the Pigeon and French Broad rivers flooded to unprecedented levels, and in Greene County, the Nolichucky River swept away homes. Gary Mooneyham had lived in his home since 2017, and it wasnt in a flood zone. He said that as the Nolichucky River rose on September 27, heavy rains fell overnight and into the morning, becoming a violent torrent never seen before. The decorated Vietnam veteran has spent the last year believing someone would help him rebuild, but it never happened. Tires, propane tanks and a cow: Douglas Lake cleanup complete one year after Hurricane Helene Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four-foot-high weeds hide all traces of what was once Mooneyhams property outside of Greeneville. A year ago, Helene washed away everything from his place. The only thing left was debris from his home tangled in a tree. It gives me an empty feeling, right in the gut, said Mooneyham. [It was] my piece of heaven. It was my final resting place. Mooneyhams two-bedroom home, purchased with a VA Loan eight years ago, was carried away. His neighbors house across Bill Mauk Road went down the Nolichucky River, too, on September 27. You see that right there, thats a sewage tank. There was a house sitting right here. A three- or four-bedroom house. I saw that baby teeter-totter before floating away, said Mooneyham. The foundation of Mooneyhams place was all that remained after the water receded. There was nothing left of his little peace of heaven where there was once a tree-lined area along Bill Mauk Road. Homes disappeared as the raging river swept them away. The storm took everything with it, as he told us six months ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was woods. There were campsites. The road went right through here, said Mooneyham. Tennessee announces new work requirements for adults receiving SNAP benefits Bill Mauk Road has been restored over the past 12 months. A few of his neighbors have had their homes rebuilt, but the structures are higher off the ground. Mooneyham was trusting in federal assistance to help him build a new house. I needed my place back, my own home back. But nobody could see that, said Mooneyham. Farm Bureau, his homeowners insurance, denied his claim, saying the policy excludes water damage. I told them well, I wasnt in the flood zone. The flood zone is over there. I am over here. It was supposed to stop right down there, said Mooneyham. They dont give VA loans on flood property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mooneyham stopped making monthly payments to Freedom Mortgage last year. He owed $85,000 on the property, but it was just a patch of dirt. It was sold at auction for $24,500 three months ago. They even contacted Veterans Affairs a couple of times, trying to make Veterans Affairs make me pay my mortgage payment. I said, I aint got nothing here to pay for. I said, What am I going to pay for dirt?, said Mooneyham. Mooneyham has yet to find a permanent place to call home over the last 12 months. Today, he lives in a tiny one-room cabin in the woods outside of Greeneville. The few clothes in his closet are new, and so are his boots. Nothing survived the storm except for his 10-year-old truck, which he escaped in, and a pagoda that hes had since leaving Vietnam, 50-some years ago. This hurricane put a strain on everyone, psychologically. How about you? asked Don Dare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, Don, tell you the truth. Im surprised I dealt with it as well as I have, said Mooneyham. A 100 percent disabled veteran, he earned two Bronze Stars for Valor and a Purple Heart in Vietnam. Mooneyham said he didnt want a handout, just a fair shake. I think the mortgage company and insurance company should have helped me rebuild my home and left me where I was, said Mooneyham. Food insecurity up 33% in East Tennessee as Second Harvest seeks community help He asked several community agencies to help him rebuild on his property before the mortgage company foreclosed, but nothing materialized. Still, the place haunts him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It bothers me to go out there, said Mooneyham. Mooneyham is going to hang in there, though, living in the little cabin in the woods that he rents. Well, I aint got no choice, were trained to do that, said Mooneyham. Mooneyham did get a disaster relief check from FEMA, but it didnt go far, he said. Especially when he fled with only the clothes on his back and his truck. While he receives VA benefits for his disability, Mooneyham estimates his loss at well over $120,000. One of his disabilities is PTSD, which he suffered from combat in Vietnam. Hes thankful for what he does have. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. The federal governments push on immigration enforcement has not had a major impact on the population of the Vigo County Jail. Currently, five ICE holds are in the Vigo jail, but Vigo County Sheriff Derek Fell said all of them are being held on local charges, as well, Fell said. So we dont have any holds that are just for a ICE hold. Two current ICE holds have been charged with dealing cocaine, Fell said, while the others have been charged with peddling methamphetamines, child molestation and murder, all felonies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff said that when someone is booked in on any charge, the officer who enacts their arrest enters their name into a database, which notifies the county when an individual is an ICE hold. Weve always done our job if we come across individuals, we notify federal authorities if theyre on an ICE hold, Fell said. Its up to [ICE] if they want to come get them. In years past, typically they wouldnt, so wed deal with their local charges and any discipline they got here, then they would be released. Because the local ICE holds are incarcerated because of their local charges, they are not affecting the Vigo County Jails overcrowding, which has been a factor the countys had to deal with since the opening of this relatively new jail, which opened in November 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Next door in Clay County, a portion of the jail doubles as one of the major U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers in the Midwest, and the ICE has already funneled more than 3,000 men and women through the jail, paying the county $85 for each day it holds an immigration detainee, according to the Indianapolis Star. The Star reported the jail in Brazil was generating a profit for the county by holding inmates from other agencies long before the Trump administrations aggressive push , having partnered with federal immigration for more than a decade. State inmates A bigger variable when it comes to the Vigo County Jail population are state inmates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Indiana Department of Correction transports state inmates to the Vigo County Jail at an unpredictable rate, Fell said. Numbers fluctuate, he said. On any given day, we might have 10 or 15 DOC holds. Weve had up to 50 or 60 at different times, but it varies. He estimated the average number is between 20 and 30. For the jails use, IDOC currently owes Vigo County $335,456 for incarcerating convicted inmates from July 2024 through now, Fell said. That money doesnt go to us (the sheriffs department), it goes to the countys general fund, he added. DOC spokesperson Annie Goeller told the Indiana Capital Chronicle that Indiana county disbursements would come in a single distribution this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They pay us per inmate per day and its a monthly fee, Fell said. While the daily fee was once $37.50, he added, Effective July 1, 2025, the rate changed to $42 per inmate per day. Monthly fees owed Vigo County by the DOC range from $12,000-$15,000, the sheriff said, with the highest coming in September 2024, when the county jail was owed $42,000. The crowding issue Construction of the new jail was hastened by a federal lawsuit, in which the county admitted overcrowding and conditions at the old jail just off the intersection of Third Street and Wabash Avenue amounted to a violation of prisoners' constitutional rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, as then-Sheriff John Plasse predicted, the new jail at Honey Creek Drive was at capacity on the day it opened. Jail overcrowding is an issue and has been an issue for a number of years, Fell conceded. Its frustrating that the jail was built to the size that it was, but its what we have to work with. We can only have 80% capacity due to state and federal guidelines. Currently, the Vigo jails bed count stands at 495, but Fell noted, According to the state jail inspectors, there are only 432 that meet jail standards. If theres not a writing surface in the cell, then that doesnt qualify as a bed for a long term. That leaves 432 beds that meet standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And keeping those beds at 80% capacity translates to about 345 or 346 people that can be housed in the Vigo facility on a daily basis, meaning that 50 Vigo inmates are currently in other counties. So, just as DOC is paying Vigo County to house its inmates, the county must pay other counties when their inmates are incarcerated there. Typically, Fell said, Vigo County pays other counties $30,000 to $50,000 a month. In 2024, Vigo County paid $690,000 to send inmates to other counties jails, Fell said. Working on the problem In an effort to thin the jail population, the sheriffs office has implemented the RISE program Reinvestment Initiative to Support and Educate which is financed through a grant from the Vigo County Health Department to lower recidivism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In RISE, people who may have had substance issues in the past become mentors for inmates and help to reintroduce them to society mentors help inmates get drivers licenses, insurance, jobs and housing out of jail. As RISE has only been practiced for a year, Fell said, Its hard to see a full impact its probably going to take two or three or four years before you see what impact it has on recidivism. The sheriff is also re-implementing the Explorer program for kids around sixth-grade level, which he called a junior police academy, a little more detailed and personalized. The Explorer program teaches students about law enforcement procedures and allows them to sit in a squad vehicle. The hope is that by introducing kids to the system in this fashion, they will not be entering the system by other means. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple arms of the county among them the sheriffs office, the judiciary, the Board of Commissioners and the County Council are working on the problem. The county is planning a new work release/diversion center, costs for which have been estimated between $15 million and $30 million. Vigo County still submits regular reports to U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson, who accepted a settlement in the 2016 class-action lawsuit but who retained jurisdiction for the purpose of monitoring the Vigo County jail situation. The sheriff said he knows the problem is a knotty one, and he has no illusions that jail crowding or high recidivism rates will go away soon. There are people who commit crimes who need to spend some time in jail, he said. There are people who need to go to prison. Thats an unfortunate part of the world we live in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, there are people who make mistakes who can be rehabilitated, he added. If we hypothetically [reach out to] 150 inmates in six months, and we positively impact 12 to me, thats a win. Thats 12 people whose lives youve positively changed, and who hopefully youll never see in your jail again. Mark Fitton of the Tribune-Star also contributed to this report. A Southern California man with cerebral palsy used his iPhone to record his frustration as a delivery robot continuously swerved into the path of his mobility scooter before suddenly braking, resulting in a bot-on-chair collision. He had no clue the explosive impact the video would have. Mark Chaney, a disability advocate, said he shared the video of the Sept. 12 collision in West Hollywood to raise awareness about challenges faced by people with disabilities and hold the company accountable for the robot's behavior. Less than two weeks later, it has received more than 26 million views on TikTok and Instagram combined, generating fierce backlash against the company that created the bot as well as hateful attacks against Chaney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Serve Robotics has drawn criticism for the behavior of the robot and the danger posed to people using scooters or wheelchairs. The collision took place within days of another incident where a Serve robot was recorded blocking the pathway of an activated LAFD truck in Hollywood. Chaney, for his part, has been accused of staging the incident for the sake of a lawsuit. Some online commenters have declared themselves "team robot" while others have made disparaging remarks about his disability. "There's been a lot of online hate, which is to be expected when you go viral," he said. "But, you know, the death threats are not great." Despite the attacks, he stands by his decision to speak out, saying it is important the company be held accountable for its design and works to ensure people with disabilities can safely share the pavement with delivery robots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The way that it moved just seemed really intentional," he said. "Everywhere that I moved, it blocks, and then it literally went across the sidewalk to cut me off." Serve Robotics said in a statement that its robots are designed and tested to safely navigate around mobility devices such as wheelchairs and to avoid being an impediment to people with disabilities. "We regret when we do not live up to that," the company stated. "After examining this incident, we learned that our safety system designed to predict pedestrians' intentions and yield right of way instead caused the robot to impede their way," the company stated. "Within moments, the robot came to a full stop in response to sensing a pedestrian in close proximity, which is considered its fail-safe state." Read more: We may not have flying cars, but more food delivery bots are coming to L.A. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That full stop caused Chaney to slam into the robot as he was accelerating in an effort to navigate around it. He said his chair has been malfunctioning since the collision. The company stated that it is continuously working to improve robots' navigational skills and would be implementing improvements in response to this incident. Chaney said he would continue to use his platform to advocate for people with disabilities even though the response to the video had been disturbing and draining. "I'm on the robots side," reads a comment with more than 2,900 likes on a video of the incident shared by KTLA News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "MAN COLLIDES (on purpose) WITH DELIVERY ROBOT," reads another comment with more than 1,800 likes on the same post. "He's in the wrong here and maybe looking for a payout," reads a third comment with more than 1,600 likes. Chaney has pushed back on accusations that he is seeking money from the video. "I didn't do this to sue someone," he said. "I just wanted to get from one place to another on a public space, safely and unimpeded." He said he was especially aggravated by the robot's behavior because he was already experiencing a lot of pain that day due to medical issues. Chaney uses crutches to walk short distances and his mobility scooter to travel longer distances because of his cerebral palsy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments on Chaney's TikTok account have, for the most part, been more sympathetic to him. There, many people have focused criticism on the company. "Taxpayers pay for those sidewalks," a comment with more than 7,300 likes reads. "They shouldn't be getting used by corporations to make money while impeding foot traffic." "That's insane, post the company's name so they're held accountable," a comment with more than 4,400 likes reads. Chaney said he asked the company to create an accessibility council to try to address concerns about how their robots interact with people with mobility challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think this is really important for the future of AI and the disability landscape," he said. "This presents an opportunity to really tackle a problem head on, make some positive change." Food service delivery robots were first sighted on Los Angeles' sidewalks in late 2018, when companies like Serve started to operate their devices. They became more popular during the pandemic as people took advantage of the human-contact-free delivery service. Currently, multiple companies such as Serve, Coco and Starship operate robots in various parts of metropolitan Los Angeles with plans for more bots underway. 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. Illinois could start turning homes and businesses into virtual power plants with solar-powered batteries aiding the grid, under a bill that has been gaining momentum in the state legislature. In Puerto Rico, Vermont, California, Texas, and other states, virtual power plants have helped the grid survive spikes in demand, avoiding outages or the need to fire up gas-fueled peaker plants, and saving consumers money. Illinois is among the areas expecting electricity demand to grow rapidly because of new data centers; meanwhile, the state is mandated to phase out fossil-fuel generation by 2045, and residential and commercial solar have boomed thanks to state incentive programs. If those solar arrays were paired with batteries, they could provide crucial clean power to the grid during high demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HB 4120, an ambitious bill that Illinois lawmakers may consider during an October veto session, would create a basic virtual power plant (VPP) program while mandating that the states two largest utilities ComEd and Ameren propose their own VPP programs by 2027. The bills plan would offer a rebate to customers who purchase a battery, if they agree to let the battery be tapped for several hours a day during the summer months, when air conditioners drive up electricity use. The Illinois proposal is less nuanced and comprehensive than VPP programs in other states. For example, in Vermont, Green Mountain Power subsidizes the purchase of batteries, which the utility can then tap while also controlling customers smart thermostats, EV chargers, and water heaters whenever the grid is stressed. But stakeholders in the solar and energy storage industry say Illinois proposal is an important first step, opening the door for more ambitious VPP services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A utility may want a program to address 'emergency calls' to reduce peak load, or deal with a winter peaking issue, or address locational capacity constraints, said Amy Heart, senior vice president of public policy at Sunrun, a national company that has invested heavily in Illinois solar and that runs VPPs in Puerto Rico, California, and other places. There is an official pathway and timeline for all of this. Building momentum Energy players in Illinois have been talking seriously about VPPs for several years, during negotiations over what has now become HB 4120. The legislation would incentivize the construction of large-scale energy storage in Illinois, through procurement by the state power agency. VPPs, meanwhile, would provide a decentralized form of storage. Under the bills VPP program, residential customers would get a rebate of $300 per kilowatt-hour on the capacity of the battery they purchase, and then receive at least $10 per kilowatt during scheduled dispatches from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays in June, July, August, and September for a five-year period. Its sort of a set-it and forget-it' program, said Heart. Illinois residents already receive a rebate for the same amount when they purchase a battery, but with the new rules, consumers would need to participate in the VPP program to qualify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All community solar projects with storage would be required to participate in the VPP program, dispatching from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ComEd, which serves northern Illinois, and Ameren, which serves most of the rest of the state, could petition the Illinois Commerce Commission for permission to tap the batteries on a different schedule, for no more than two or three hours a day over 80 days each year. The basic program would not help with peak demand during unscheduled times like unexpectedly hot fall weather. But at least utilities would be guaranteed power during the scheduled peaks, said Heart. People wanted to move quickly, on getting a VPP program in the legislation, she added. You avoid delays [caused by] trying to make this perfect. Industry is talking about how we need stability; nonprofits, ratepayer advocates, utilities, [and] labor are all talking about why we need these investments. Illinois, like many states, has demand-response programs that are often considered part of virtual power plants, helping people reduce their energy use during peak demand. And ComEd has already proposed a VPP program to state regulators. But legislation is crucial for VPPs to really take off, to ensure that programs feature robust participation, innovation by aggregators, and a wide range of benefits, said Samarth Medakkar, policy principal for Advanced Energy United, a national trade association of power, transportation, and software companies focused on clean energy. Illinois bill would permit third-party aggregators to manage VPP deployment, a common setup in other states wherein a company, like Virtual Peaker in Vermont, coordinates battery deployment and demand response for the customer and utility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ComEd and Ameren would be required to file reports by the end of 2028 detailing how many people have enrolled in the VPP program and its effects on energy supply. By the end of 2027, the companies would have to file proposals for their own VPP programs, which the state regulatory commission must approve by the close of 2028. Those programs would need to include higher incentives for low- to moderate-income customers, community-driven community solar projects, and areas targeted for equity investments in Illinois existing energy laws. VPPs have a huge potential in a state like Illinois, where there are already many capable devices like smart thermostats and solar systems which can pair with storage increasing in number at a rate we can accelerate, said Medakkar. Saving customers money with VPPs An analysis conducted by clean-energy think tank RMI found that VPPs could meet most of the expected new demand in Illinois, providing a crucial bridge while more clean-power generation and transmission lines are built. The report notes that the state will need around 3.9 gigawatts of new generation or energy savings by 2029, as demand grows and old fossil-fueled plants retire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VPPs could satisfy about three-quarters of that need, the analysis says, if they account for 10% of electricity used during peak demand times by tapping batteries and dialing down customers energy consumption. Plus, it takes much less time to set up a VPP than to build a new traditional power plant. VPPs can be deployed in as little as six months, nearly three years quicker than the median deployment timelines for utility-scale batteries and natural gas plants, notes the RMI report, which was produced for Advanced Energy United to inform the legislative process. The analysis determined that VPPs would save the average Illinois customer $34 a year by reducing the amount of expensive capacity that utilities would have to purchase in the auctions run by regional grid operators. ComEds customers especially are seeing their bills skyrocket due to record-high capacity costs in the PJM regional market. Theres great untapped potential in demand-response and VPP-type products, said Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board, which advocates for Illinois electric and gas customers. Its disappointing we havent seen more opportunities of this sort take root here. But maybe now, with the spiraling energy prices, policymakers will finally see that these are programs that can bring real benefit not just to those who directly participate but to everybody. By Jeff Mason, Steve Holland and Tuvan Gumrukcu WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump said on Thursday he believes Turkey will agree to his request to stop purchasing Russian oil and that he may lift U.S. sanctions on Ankara so it can buy advanced American F-35 jets. Trump told reporters after his two hours of talks with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan that their meeting was "very conclusive" on a variety of issues but offered no further details about an announcement he said would be made later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has been pressing European nations to stop purchases of Russian oil in exchange for his agreement to impose tough sanctions on Moscow to try to dry up funding for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Frustrated by Russia's refusal to halt the fighting, Trump this week in a major shift said it was possible Ukraine could reclaim all the territory it has lost to Russia. Asked if Turkey will stop purchasing Russian oil, Trump sounded confident. "I believe he will stop it, yeah. You know why? Because he can buy it from a lot of other people," Trump said of Erdogan. Two other European nations, Hungary and Slovakia, also buy Russian oil. Trump seemed to give them a pass, saying they have limited ability to get energy elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ANKARA HOPING FOR CLOSER US TIES UNDER TRUMP Erdogan came to the White House for his first visit in about six years seeking Trump's approval to lift U.S. sanctions to allow for purchases of F-35 fighters. Seated side by side in the Oval Office, Trump called Erdogan a "very tough man" and said they remained friends while his predecessor Joe Biden was in office. Biden kept Turkey at arm's length partly over what he saw as the fellow NATO member's close ties with Russia. Ankara is keen to leverage the friendly personal relationship with Trump to further national interests and take advantage of a U.S. administration eager to make deals in return for big-ticket arms and trade agreements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump and Erdogan took questions from reporters during their meeting, Trump sounded willing to make a deal to sell the F-35s. "I think he'll be successful in buying the things that he wants to buy," Trump said. Trump also said he could lift sanctions against Turkey "very soon," and that "if we have a good meeting, almost immediately." Trump and Erdogan - both seen as increasingly autocratic by their critics at home - had a checkered relationship during the Republican president's first term. But since Trump's return to the White House, their interests have aligned on Syria - the source of the biggest bilateral strain in the past - where the U.S. and Turkey now both strongly back the central government. US SANCTIONS BLOCK F-35 SALES Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A warming trend in ties has renewed Turkish hopes that Trump and Erdogan, who have exchanged mutual praise, can find a way around U.S. sanctions imposed by Trump himself in 2020 over Turkey's acquisition of Russian S-400 missile defenses. That, in turn, could pave the way for Ankara to buy Lockheed Martin's advanced F-35 fighter jets, for which it was both a buyer and manufacturer until it was barred over the S-400s. Erdogan had said the defense industry, including the topic of F-35s and ongoing negotiations over 40 F-16 jets Ankara also wants, would be a focus of the meeting, along with regional wars, energy and trade. Turkey, NATO's second-largest army, wants to ramp up air power to counter what it sees as growing threats in the Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, where it neighbours Russia and Ukraine. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara, Jonathan Spicer and Daren Butler in Istanbul, and Mike Stone in Washington; Writing by Steve Holland; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk, Deepa Babington and Diane Craft) Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Editor's note: These remarks were provided Tuesday at the Thirty-Ninth International Security Conference: Challenges and Opportunities for the ROK-U.S. Alliance, jointly presented by the Hudson Institute and the Council on Korea-U.S. Security Studies. For more than 70 years, the Korean peninsula has remained divided, an unnatural separation described in paragraph 60 of the 1953 Armistice as the unresolved "Korea question." For decades, United States and alliance policy has centered on deterrence and denuclearization. But today, we face a new reality. Kim Jong Un has abandoned even the pretense of peaceful unification, declared South Korea his "main enemy" and tied his regime's survival to nuclear weapons, repression and fear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This moment calls for strategic clarity. It is time to adopt a One Korea Policy, a policy rooted in moral truth, strategic necessity and the shared values of the Republic of Korea and the United States. What is a One Korea policy? A One Korea policy begins with a simple recognition: There is only one Korea and one Korean people. The division of the peninsula is not natural, not permanent and not legitimate. It exists solely because of the will of the Kim family regime to rule a Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State, which maintains power through blackmail diplomacy, crimes against humanity and nuclear coercion. Just as the United States adopted a "One China" policy, we must now declare openly: North Korea is not the permanent future of the Korean people. The Republic of Korea, a resilient democracy and global pivotal state, is the sole legitimate guardian of Korean identity and destiny. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The acceptable, durable political arrangement we seek is clear: a secure, stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, liberal constitutional Korea -- what we call the United Republic of Korea, or U-ROK. Why do we need a One Korea policy now? Kim Jong Un has crossed the Rubicon. His abandonment of peaceful unification and branding of South Korea as the "enemy" is not an act of strength, but a confession of weakness. It reveals desperation and fear of his own people, as they awaken to the possibility of freedom and the prosperity that exists in the South. For too long, our policies have been reactive, a constant cycle of responding to Pyongyang's provocations, hoping for engagement, and settling for management, never resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The absence of a clear vision has allowed strategic paralysis to set in. Some claim unification is a fantasy, that the Korean people no longer desire it, or that it's only a Korean problem. These views are not just mistaken, they are dangerous. They blind policymakers to the root causes of nuclear threats, instability and humanitarian tragedy. The only path that truly resolves these crises, rather than perpetuating them, is a One Korea policy. How does a One Korea policy support ROK-U.S. Alliance strategy? The One Korea Policy strengthens, not undermines, the alliance. It does so in two ways: Clarifies strategic purpose: For decades, denuclearization was our stated goal, but we now know Kim will never negotiate away his nuclear weapons. A One Korea policy reframes the alliance mission: unification first, then denuclearization. Only a unified Korea can end the nuclear threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anchors a "two-plus-three strategy." The alliance rests on two enduring pillars: strong military deterrence to prevent war and strategic strangulation through sanctions and pressure to constrain the regime. But these alone are not enough. We must add the three new pillars: A human rights-up-front approach that empowers Koreans in the North to claim their universal rights. Just as President Reagan did with the Soviets, we must always place human rights on the agenda. A comprehensive information and influence campaign to break Pyongyang's monopoly on information and propaganda. Support for the Korean people on both sides of the DMZ as they solve the Korea question and pursue freedom. Builds moral and political legitimacy By declaring unification as our shared objective, the ROK-U.S. alliance speaks not just to governments, but to people, Koreans in the North yearning for freedom, Koreans in the South seeking peace, and allies who support democratic values worldwide. It makes clear that our struggle is not against a people, but against a regime that holds them hostage. Countering opposition: End policy paralysis Let's be clear: it is the naysayers who dismiss unification, cling to failed engagement policies, and urge arms control with a cult-like crime family regime that have perpetuated instability. Every other strategy has been tried and has failed. No negotiation has moved Pyongyang off its nuclear path. Denuclearization is unattainable as long as Kim rules north Korea. The refusal to imagine and strive for a united future is what stops progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement History shows us that change can come from within -- from the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the collapse of the USSR to the end of apartheid, civil society and international solidarity will defeat entrenched tyranny. The Korean peninsula is no different. It is time to reject pessimistic thinking and embrace a vision that matches the courage and aspirations of the Korean people. Call to action: for policymakers and civil society Governments alone cannot achieve this goal. Civil society, scholars, defectors, diaspora, human rights activists and free citizens in Korea and abroad must lead, pressuring governments to adopt One Korea as doctrine, not just sentiment. We must consistently reframe every discussion of peninsula security toward unification as the only real solution. The alliance must empower Korean escapee voices, break the regime's information monopoly and organize international solidarity. Legislatures should pass resolutions affirming One Korea. Diaspora communities must launch campaigns to keep unification on the agenda in Seoul, Washington and global capitals. Conclusion: One Korea, one future Kim Jong Un's new policy should mark the end of our misguided illusions. We must meet this moment not with resignation, but with resolve. A One Korea policy is a moral and strategic necessity. It is the pathway to peace, justice, and liberty, a united Republic of Korea (U-ROK). If you can only take away one thing from this presentation, please embrace these14 words: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Unification first, then denuclearization, the path to unification is through information and human rights." David Maxwell is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces colonel who has spent more than 30 years in the Asia Pacific region. He specializes in Northeast Asian security affairs and irregular, unconventional and political warfare. He is vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and a senior fellow at the Global Peace Foundation, where he focuses on a free and unified Korea. After he retired, he became associate director of the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He is on the board of directors of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and the OSS Society and is the editor at large for the Small Wars Journal. By Pete Schroeder WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Reserve's top regulatory official said Thursday that bank agencies are poised to unveil a more industry-friendly version of contentious capital rules known as "Basel III Endgame" by the end of 2025 or early 2026. Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the central bank is actively working with colleagues at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on a re-proposal of that rule, which would implement global standards on how banks should measure their risk and assign capital accordingly. Under the Biden administration, the Fed and other regulators attempted to advance a version of the rule that would have significantly increased capital requirements at large banks. But that effort was ultimately scrapped amid intense opposition from the banking industry, as firms called the hikes unjustified. Now, regulators tapped by President Donald Trump, including Bowman, are looking to craft a rule that is more responsive to industry concerns and likely will result in a much lighter capital impact on banks. Speaking at a conference hosted by Georgetown University, Bowman said regulators need to consider "rightsizing" several capital requirements imposed on larger banks following the 2008 financial crisis, and argued the post-crisis framework is due for reconsideration. "We have a good perspective on whats been working and what could be improved," she said. Bowman is leading an effort among bank regulators to reconsider a host of bank requirements, as well as overhaul how government examiners monitor banks and order fixes. However, she framed the effort not as a weakening of rules, but rather a reconsideration to ensure they are as effective and efficient as possible. I dont think that just trying to make sure that all of our regulations work well together and are transparent and we can hold our banks accountable as well as our supervisors accountable is a lighter touch," she said. Its not my expectation that well have fewer requirements, or that you know that capital will go down as a result of the work that were doing, necessarily, but we want to make sure that all of our requirements work together." (Reporting by Pete Schroeder; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Nick Zieminski) Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich says Donald Trumps blatant use of the presidency as a personal cash machine is pushing the country down a dangerous path. Trump, 79, has never been wealthier: Since taking office in January, his fortune has surged by billions, reaching $7.3 billion as of September, according to Forbes. Among the presidents many new revenue streams, none has been more lucrative than his various schemes peddling crypto. In May, he pushed his $TRUMP meme coin at a secretive dinner, where those who invested the most in the cryptocurrency were granted access to the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is pure corruption, Reich, 79, told The Daily Beast Podcasts Joanna Coles. Lets not beat around the bush. When history is written about this administration, one of the first lines and the first paragraph is going to be about the extraordinary payoffs that were made to Donald Trump, Reich said. And crypto has opened the floodgates to that kind of currying of favor. It is a scandal. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. Reich, who served in the Clinton Cabinet, said the Securities and Exchange Commission should be scrutinizing Trump, who has also accepted a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar, where he maintains personal business interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Reich dismissed the regulators chair, Paul Atkins, as a Trump lapdog, noting reports that Atkins himself holds millions in crypto-related assets. Robert Reich served as labor secretary under Bill Clinton and later taught as a professor of public policy at UC Berkeley, where he led the popular course Wealth and Poverty on inequality in America. / CBS Photo Archive / Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images When reached for comment, an SEC spokesperson told the Daily Beast, As part of the Senate confirmation process, Chairman Atkins financial holdings were thoroughly reviewed by both the SECs Ethics Office and the Office of Government Ethics. The Chairman has fully complied with all of the divestiture requirements set forth in his Ethics Agreement, and has scrupulously complied with applicable obligations. He does not own crypto-related assets. Partisan attacks will not deter the Chairman and his colleagues from working to deliver on President Trumps goal to secure American economic leadership. Reich also argued that the country is experiencing a failure of the leadership class, noting that fear has descended on business figures, media moguls, university presidents, and religious leaders. Apple CEO Tim Cook displays an engraved glass disc he presented to Trump at the White House. / Win McNamee / Win McNamee/Getty Images Youve got a lot of people who have shown absolutely no courageor even worse theyre competing to kiss Trumps derriere, said Reich. Case in point: the tech lord dinner at the White House earlier this month, where Silicon Valley billionairesincluding Metas Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and Apple CEO Tim Cooklavished praise upon the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reich told Coles he witnessed similar dinners during his own White House tenure. The difference under Trump, he said, is that business leaders fear earning this presidents wrath because hes such an authoritarian and hes so unpredictable. Reich predicted that sycophancy and appeasement will ultimately backfire on business leaders, because Trump will come back asking for more. And the problem is, as long as he is able to divide and conquer, then everybody really becomes much, much weaker, said Reich, who taught as a professor of public policy at UC Berkeley until his recent retirement, which was documented in the film The Last Class. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have helmed the family's crypto empire and other businesses since their father returned to office. The Trumps opened a new golf resort in Scotland in July. / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Reich warned that while the Constitution may provide bulwarks against a rogue government, the nation doesnt have a foolproof set of mechanisms to guard those constitutional guarantees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, he says, the leadership class of people in positions of responsibility has thus far failed to push back against the presidents assaults on ethical and democratic norms. Qatar's $400 million Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet gift to Trump has been decried as blatant corruption. / Joe Raedle/Getty Images Reich, who has long sounded the alarm on Americas growing wealth inequality, said the concentration of wealth at the very top means corporate executives may lack motivation to challenge the divider-in-chief. They are people who have a lot at stake. And if I were being very cynical... Im not sure they have a deep dedication to democracy, Reich said. I wish they had more backbone... This is a time where everybody in this country who has any degree of responsibility must exercise real courage. History is not going to be kind to these people if they dont. New episodes of The Daily Beast Podcast are released every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Follow our new feed on your favorite podcast platform at beast.pub/dailybeastpod and subscribe on YouTube to watch full episodes. On September 10, 2025, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska presented oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska v. United States Department of the Army. The hearing marked the Tribes appeal of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginias August 2024 dismissal of its lawsuit under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The case seeks to secure the return of the remains of two Winnebago children, Samuel Gilbert and Edward Hensley, who are buried at the Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery. The District Court had ruled that NAGPRA did not apply to the remains of children who died at Carlisle and were interred there. In its appeal, the Winnebago Tribe argued that both the purpose and plain language of NAGPRA require the repatriation of Samuel and Edward to their Tribal homeland. NARF Staff Attorney Beth Margaret Wright urged the appellate court to reverse the lower courts decision, stating: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The District Court should be reversed. NAGPRAs purpose is to provide Indian Tribes with a statutory right to bring home the remains of their own citizens from places they do not belong. NAGPRA provides Indian Tribes additional rights to ensure repatriation is tailored to the unique needs of Indian Tribes. During oral argument, Winnebagos counsel described the historical mistreatment of the childrens remains. After Samuel and Edward died at Carlisle, the U.S. government buried them without notice toor consent fromtheir families or the Tribe. In 1927, the Army relocated the children's remains from their original burial site to the current location at Carlisle Cemetery. That process involved excavating the remains, placing them haphazardly into boxes, and reinterring themagain without notice or consent. Wright explained that NAGPRA not only mandates the return of Native American human remains to Tribal communities, but also acknowledges the long history of disrespect and improper control by federal agencies and institutions. These actions, she emphasized, denied Tribes the dignity of burying their relatives in accordance with their cultural and spiritual traditions. The Winnebago Tribe now seeks to bring Samuel and Edward homemore than 125 years after their deathsto provide them with the proper burials they were unjustly denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 Two Michigan politicians called "online upstarts" are among the most influential political personalities on the internet, according to Wired magazine. Among the politicians highlighted by the technology news outlet, are Flint native Amir Hassan, 39, who's running as a Republican in Michigan's 8th District, and Mallory McMorrow, 38, a Royal Oak Democrat and state senator who's running for an open U.S. Senate seat in 2026. The 2025 Political Power Users list "The 22 Very Online Upstarts Changing the Face of Politics" includes creators, podcasters and pundits who, Wired says, will blow up the next electoral era, as President Donald Trump has done in this era. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A new generation of political talent is muscling its way onto the scene, armed with new ways of connecting with the masses and original visions of the country they want to live in," the Wired article reads. What to know about the rankings: How were individuals categorized? The new politicians are divided into eight categories, including: The Digital Natives, Democrats and Progressives who know how to mobilize an online audience. The MAGA Babies, the youngest members of Trump world who have mixed traditional and new media. The Heterodox Republicans, a new coalition on the right who are trying to prove that the GOP's base can be even broader. The category includes Hassan. The Mutiny On The Left , a growing group of Democrats who have challenged what they call their party's fecklessness. From Viral Hits To Political Stars, Democrats who grew up online who have been able to sustain viral fame, turning it into fundraising and organizing prowess. The category includes McMorrow. The Texas Corner, Progressive Democrats from Texas who threaten to shift the state blue. The Connectors : The faces you see the least, connecting politician bosses with podcasters. Exported To Europe: A far-right coalition who are using their clout to remake politics in Europe. Who made the most influential list? The most influential names in politics, according to Wired.com include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chi Osse, city council member, New York City Deja Foxx, digital strategist, Arizona Manny Rutinel, state representative, Colorado Anna Paulina Luna, U.S. representative, Florida Brett Cooper, media personality, Nashville Natalie Winters, political commentator, Washington, D.C. Mayra Flores, congressional candidate, southern Texas Amir Hassan, political candidate, Michigan Saikat Chakrabarti, political adviser and congressional candidate, Bay Area, California Omar Fateh, state senator, Minnesota Brandon Scott, mayor, Baltimore Mallory McMorrow, state Senate majority whip, Michigan Zach Wahls, state senator, Iowa Isaiah Martin, U.S. House candidate, Houston James Talarico, state representative, Austin Alex Bruesewitz, political adviser, Washington, D.C. CJ Pearson, influencer, Washington, D.C. Andrew Schulz, comedian and podcaster, New York Jordan Bardella, National Rally president, France Andrea Stroppa, Elon Musk fanboy, Italy Who is Amir Hassan? Wired said of the Heterdox Republicans, "The coalition that helped elect Barack Obama twice college-educated, young, Black, and Latino voters cracked in 2016 and fractured completely in 2024. Now a new slate of candidates on the right are trying to prove that its not just Trump who can broaden the GOPs base." Hassan, who served in the U.S. Navy and in federal law enforcement, doesn't appear to have any previous electoral experience, reports from the Detroit Free Press show. On July 14, he announced he's running as a Republican to challenge first-term U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, of Bay City, saying Democratic representation has contributed to the region's decline. Navy veteran and Flint native Amir Hassan is running as a Republican in Michigan's 8th Congressional District in 2026. "Where I'm from, we're raised to think Democrats are the good guys," Amir Hassan says in a 2-minute-long video posted on social media platform X. "We've been held culturally hostage for over half a century. But look around. Flint is what happens when your vote is taken for granted." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan's 8th District covers the cities of Flint, Saginaw, Bay City and Midland. According to Hassan's website, after attending Bethune-Cookman University in Florida, he joined the Navy in 2006, serving in Italy and as a watch commander at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He later served as an intelligence analyst, went to John Jay School of Criminal Justice in New York and worked in federal law enforcement. Who is Mallory McMorrow? Wired said "It used to be a predictable arc for those who wanted to climb the Democratic Party ranks: Spend a few terms on the back benches of Congress or in a state Legislature, gain some seniority, get a leadership role on a good committee, and then, maybe, you could say you had arrived. Now a whole host of Democrats who grew up online have been able to sustain viral fame and turn it into fundraising and organizing prowess." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMorrow, who flipped a GOP district in 2018, went viral for a speech she made in 2022, as she defended herself from unfounded allegations from other legislators. Once an industrial designer who moved to the state years ago after making regular vacation visits, said she has "never lived anywhere else that has so much going for it. ... And as I look into 2026, we have to have a positive vision." McMorrow is running in one of the most competitive races of the 2025 midterms that includes former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, of White Lake, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, of Birmingham, and former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed, according to Ballotpedia. Adam Hollier, left, director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, speaks to state Sen. Mallory McMorrow before Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivers her "What's Next" address that outlines her legislative priorities for the fall at the Lansing Shuffle in Lansing on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. "Yes, we're going to be very critical of Donald Trump and (senior adviser) Elon Musk because I firmly believe that people did not vote for the chaos that we are seeing them unleash," she said to the Free Press earlier this year. "But that's also not enough. ... We want to lay out a vision of building what's next, acknowledging that the status quo did not work for people and it's on us to build something new." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMorrow, serves as the Senate majority whip, the first woman in state history to hold the position, as the chair of the Economic Community Development Committee and vice chair of the Oversight Committee. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame and lives in Royal Oak. Detroit Free Press staff writer Todd Spangler contributed reporting. Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Democrat, Republican among most influential voices on the internet, Wired ranking says. A woman whose body was found by a road in Spain two decades ago has been identified following an international police campaign. Russian citizen Liudmila Zavada was discovered on 3 July 2005 in Viladecans, near Barcelona, dressed in a pink top, pink trousers and pink shoes, said global police agency Interpol in a statement Thursday. She had been dead for less than 24 hours at the time, and Spanish police said the cause of death was suspicious as evidence suggested her body had been moved in the 12 hours prior to it being discovered. Interpol named Zavada's case "The woman in pink." - Interpol After failing to identify the remains, Spanish police submitted the case to Interpols Identify Me campaign, which was launched in 2023 and aims to identify more than 40 women found dead in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain in recent decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the campaign, Interpol shared biometric records of the cases with its 196 member countries, which turned up a match with fingerprints held in Turkeys national database. The match with Zavada, who was 31 when she died, was then confirmed through DNA analysis involving one of her close relatives, said Interpol. After 20 years, an unknown woman has been given back her name. Each successful identification brings fresh hope to the families and friends of missing persons and creates new leads for investigators, said Interpol secretary general Valdecy Urquiza in the statement. Through global cooperation and by connecting police around the world, were helping more families find the answers theyve been waiting for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the third successful case solved by the Identify Me campaign. The first involved a British woman named Rita Roberts, who was murdered in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1992. Roberts family recognized her tattoo after seeing media coverage of the campaign. The second involved Ainoha Izaga Ibieta Lima, a 33-year-old woman from Paraguay whose body was found in a shed on a farm in Spain in2018. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com At least 22 people were injured, including two seriously, after a drone fired from Yemen hit the city of Eilat in southern Israel on the Red Sea coast on Wednesday, Israeli officials said. Video and images from emergency responders and the Israeli military appear to show the drone landing near stores and restaurants. The drone was fired during the final hours of the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which marks the Jewish new year. The Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly launched drones and ballistic missiles at Eilat and other areas in southern Israel, but these launches are frequently intercepted. Its unclear how Wednesdays drone penetrated Israels air defenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interception attempts were made, and search and rescue teams are operating in the area where the report was received regarding the impact, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. Many of those who were injured in the attack suffered shrapnel from the explosion, according to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israels emergency response service. A 60-year-old man who was seriously injured was struck by shrapnel in his limbs, while a seriously injured 26-year-old man suffered shrapnel wounds to his chest, MDA said. One other person suffered moderate injuries, MDA said. The IDF said in a separate statement that its troops are assisting in evacuating civilians from the area and providing initial medical care. An IDF helicopter was dispatched and is currently assisting in evacuating injured individuals from the scene, it added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthi militant group in Yemen later claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it a qualitative military operation. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to revenge against Houthis following the attack on the city. The Houthi terrorists refuse to learn from Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza and they will learn the hard way, Katz said in a statement. Whoever harms Israel will be harmed sevenfold, Katz added. Earlier in September, a drone launched from Yemen by Houthi rebels hit the arrivals hall at Ramon Airport in southern Israel on Sunday, the Israeli military and the Israel Airports Authority said. No sirens were sounded, the IDF said, since the drone was identified but not classified as hostile. An extensive investigation was expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Israels war with Hamas in Gaza began in October 2023, the country has come under fire from missiles and drones from the Houthis in Yemen, who claim to strike Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians. Israel has carried out waves of strikes targeting Houthi military facilities and civilian infrastructure the IDF says is used by the Houthis. But the long-range exchange of fire has escalated recently. In late August, Yemens Houthi rebels vowed to take revenge for the killing of their prime minister and other political leaders by Israeli airstrikes earlier that month. Israel struck the Houthis after the Iran-backed rebels fired a new type of missile at Israel. The Israeli military said it struck a military site where the presidential palace is located, as well as two power plants and a fuel storage site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthis confirmed Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi was killed in a strike on the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which also left others seriously wounded. Al-Rahawi is the most senior figure in the Iran-backed Houthis to be killed in Israelis campaign against the group. This is a developing story. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG) is one of the 13 Best Fortune 500 Dividend Stocks to Invest In. With its Q2 2025 EPS and revenue beating the analyst estimates, the company announces the closing of the Encino acquisition. Following a Strong Second Quarter, EOG Completes the Encino Acquisition EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG)s Adjusted EPS of $2.32, as well as the revenue of $5.48 billion for the second quarter of 2025, exceeded the analyst expectations as per the Q2 results released on August 8, 2025. Additionally, the company generated nearly $1 billion in free cash flow, which was largely deployed for shareholder returns, particularly through a $600 million share repurchase. In the report, the company also announced the closing of the acquisition of Encino, the largest volume producer of oil in Ohios Utica shale. Relatively, the companys Chairman and CEO, Ezra Yacob, made the following statement. The expansion of our portfolio through the Encino acquisition, our entry into Bahrain and the UAE, as well as strong exploration progress across our domestic portfolio and in Trinidad, has significantly enhanced our industry-leading asset base. EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG)s dividend yield of 3.38% further enhances its positive outlook in the market among investors seeking a Fortune 500 company for a steady income. Headquartered in Texas, EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG) is an American independent energy company. Founded in 1999, it is one of the largest crude oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the U.S. The company focuses on horizontal drilling and multi-basin operations to find and develop oil and natural gas reserves. While we acknowledge the potential of EOG 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: 11 Best Performing IPOs in the Last 2 Years and 12 Jim Cramer Stock Picks this Week Disclosure. None. LONDON Stephanie Phair, best known to the fashion industry for her role as the chair of the British Fashion Council between 2018 and 2022, has been named a senior adviser at L Catterton, the LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton-backed private equity firm. In this role, Phair will apply her operating expertise and knowledge across consumer categories to support L Cattertons portfolio companies globally, the firm said. More from WWD Phair, who attended the Edeline Lee spring 2026 fashion show last weekend in London, most recently served as the group president of Farfetch and executive chair of New Guards Group until May 2024. She made her first foray into e-commerce in 2005 with Portero, the pre-owned luxury marketplace. She was later named president of The Outnet, which she launched in 2009, and she also sat on the executive board of Net-a-porter Group from 2009 to 2015. Earlier in her career she held roles in communications, marketing, and business development and worked at American Vogue on initiatives such as the launch of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and the annual Metropolitan Costume Institute Gala. In 2018, she succeeded Natalie Massenet as chair of the BFC. During her tenure she worked closely with former BFC chief executive officer Caroline Rush helping the British fashion sector navigate Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. She was recognized with the OBE, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, in the Queens Birthday Honours List, for services to fashion and technology, in 2022. Phair has been an adviser for venture capital firm Felix Capital since 2016, and she served on the board Moncler between 2016 and 2022. This past January, she also took up the role of executive chairman at Invisible Dynamics, a brand consultancy firm founded by Oli Walsh with clients including Phoebe Philo, Theory, Gap, Beyond Yoga and Nike. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By Akbar Novruz The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia attended a Transatlantic dinner hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The event brought together counterparts from the European Union and NATO member states, as well as the foreign ministers of Switzerland and Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaya Kallas were also present. According to the US State Department, the discussions underlined the role of the transatlantic partnership in strengthening peace and prosperity. The Secretary of State noted the Presidents achievements in advancing Armenia and Azerbaijan on the path to long-term peace, said Tommy Pigott, the First Deputy Press Secretary. The meeting also covered broader global security issues, including stability in West Asia and efforts to prevent Iran from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons. Chicos and its sister brands have a new leader. The womenswear retailer owned by the KnitWell Group has named Trish Donnelly division chief executive officer. Most recently president of The Row, Donnelly will oversee all product and customer-facing functions for the Chicos, Soma and White House Black Market brands, while also leading the day-to-day operations of KnitWell Groups Fort Myers campus in Florida. More from WWD The last person to hold the position was Molly Langenstein, who exited the company in January 2024 after it was acquired by the KnitWell Group for $1 billion. Since then, Lizanne Kindler, executive chair and CEO of KnitWell Group, has been overseeing the division. Over the course of her career, Donnelly also served as CEO of Calvin Klein Global and PVH North America. She also spent seven years at Urban Outfitters, ultimately rising to global CEO of the Urban Outfitters Group and held senior leadership roles at Steven Alan, J.Crew, Cole Haan and Ralph Lauren. Trish is an exceptional leader with a proven record of success and is widely respected for uniting teams around a shared vision and for delivering results, Kindler said. Her passion for retail and dedication to customers are truly unmatched. We are excited for the impact we know she and our talented associates will create together. Donnelly added that Chicos, Soma and White House Black Market are iconic American brands within a portfolio of some of the most recognized womens fashion retailers worldwide. The opportunities ahead are extraordinary, and I look forward to partnering with the teams to write the next chapter of growth and success for our brands. In addition to the nameplates that Donnelly will oversee, KnitWell, which is owned by the private equity firm Sycamore Partners, owns Ann Taylor, Haven Well Within, Lane Bryant, Loft and Talbots. All told, the company has sales of more than $6 billion and operates 2,800 stores targeting women over the age of 35. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) has released an update on the September 8 mud rush at its Grasberg Block Cave mine in Indonesia that killed two workers and left five still unaccounted for. The company said teams continue to work nonstop to clear debris and reach areas where the missing workers were last located. Authorities in Indonesia are overseeing the search while a formal investigation is underway. Richard C. Adkerson, chairman, and Kathleen Quirk, president and CEO, expressed condolences to the families affected and praised the emergency crews responding at the site. The executives recently visited the mine to meet with workers and relatives. Also Read: Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) Stock Falls As 7 Workers Trapped In Indonesia Mine About 800,000 metric tons of wet material surged through multiple levels of the mine, damaging infrastructure and halting development work. Operations in the Grasberg district remain suspended. An independent investigation team, including outside experts, is expected to complete its review by the end of 2025. Production Outlook The mine represents a significant portion of Freeport's reserves and projected copper and gold production. The company expects third-quarter sales to come in lower than guidance, down about 4% for copper and 6% for gold. Preliminary assessments suggest 2026 production could be 35% below prior estimates, with a phased restart beginning in mid-2025 and full output not expected until 2027. Financial Implications Freeport has declared force majeure with customers and will pursue claims under property and business interruption insurance policies. Coverage extends up to $1 billion, though underground incidents are capped at $700 million after a $500 million deductible. Shares of Freeport dropped after the update as investors weighed the disruption and delays. Analysts pointed to concerns over lost output and the longer path to recovery as reasons for why Freeport-McMoRan stock is sliding Wednesday. Dividend Separately, the board approved a dividend of 15 cents per share, payable November 3 to shareholders of record on October 15. Price Action: FCX shares are trading lower by 9.70% at 440.96 at the last check on Wednesday. Read Next: Photo via Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below. Lingnan: Beauty Beyond Borders | On September 23, before Typhoon Ragasas arrival, a stunning sunset glow painted the skies of Foshan, Guangdong, dyeing them in vivid orange and red. #SplendidLingnan 923 According to Dr Vishnukant, IGP CID (Security), Hanif Khans activities were found suspicious after we detected his constant contact with the Pakistani intelligence agency through social media. Pakistans batting faltered at a crucial moment in the Asia Cup 2025 as they managed only 135 for 8 against Bangladesh in their Super Four clash in Abu Dhabi on September 25. With a spot in the final on the line, the innings turned out to be a test of survival rather than dominance. A Delhi court granted bail to businessman Samir Modi, brother of former IPL chief Lalit Modi, in an alleged rape case. The Saket Court allowed Modi to be released on a bail bond of Rs 5 lakh, ensuring his presence in future trial proceedings. French officials are investigating whether Nissan's European arm honoured supplier payments on time and have requested detailed financial records for 2024, Reuters has reported. According to the news agency, a letter dated 19 August from the competition division of the French economy ministry notified Nissan Automotive Europe of the review, saying it formed part of a wider initiative to ensure firms settle supplier invoices promptly. The correspondence indicates authorities intend to carry out an inspection at Nissans regional headquarters in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, near Paris, on 7 October. The inquiry arrives as Nissan implements a global restructuring intended to cut $3.4bn in costs and restore growth. In a recent move, the company said it would centralise its design operations, closing studios in San Diego and Sao Paulo. However, the Japanese auto giant has not been accused of any misconduct, the report said. According to the letter, Nissan Europe must provide accounting and payment documents for the period 1 January to 31 December 2024, along with other materials, ahead of the planned inspection. The company was warned it could face administrative sanctions, including fines, if breaches are identified. French law requires firms to pay suppliers within 60 days of an invoice; breaches can attract penalties of up to 2m ($2.36m). The ministrys correspondence did not identify which suppliers might be affected or how many are involved. In June, Reuters reported that Nissan had offered some suppliers in the EU and the UK the option of higher payments in exchange for accepting delayed settlement, a measure that would alleviate short-term cash pressures for the carmaker. Nissan Automotive Europe told Reuters it had received a request for information from a French authority about payments made from its European headquarters, but did not elaborate. A spokesman for the competition department of the economy ministry declined to comment to Reuters. The investigation is the latest problem for Nissan. Japanese regulators last year found the company had underpaid dozens of suppliers by around Y3bn ($20m) over two years. The company reimbursed the amounts before that probe became public, and Japanese authorities advised it to strengthen oversight of supplier payments. The European Commission has warned that late payments can place heavy strain on small and medium-sized businesses, increasing the risk of job losses and insolvency. It estimates roughly a quarter of bankruptcies in the EU are linked to late payments. "French authorities probing Nissan Europe over supplier payment practices" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. August is only bringing shocking news for Pakistan... Pakistanis are so sad that they are not celebrating their Independence Day on 14th August and here across the border Pakistan is getting such pictures and news from India that its The sorrow is increasing more and more. Before August 15, the Indian Army has given a triple shock. Badhir News is a special section of Zee News for deaf people which is specially designed by keeping deaf people in mind only. This brings you the latest news updates every afternoon. The FTX Recovery Trust is suing Bitcoin mining company Genesis Digital Assets and its co-founders in an attempt to retrieve $1.15 billion it claims was mismanaged by disgraced ex-FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. In a lawsuit filed Monday, the collapsed crypto exchange's new management said that the Bankman-Fried bought shares of the Bitcoin miner with commingled customer funds at "outrageously inflated prices." The FTX exchange collapsed in November 2022 due to Bankman-Fried's criminal mismanagement of the company. It is now being led by a restructuring team to recover money for former customers. "Genesis Digital Assets stands as one of Bankman-Fried's most reckless investments with commingled and misappropriated funds," Monday's lawsuit read. It added that Bankman-Fried bought shares of Genesis Digital Assets via FTX's sister company, Alameda Research, using "commingled and misappropriated funds, including those deposited by FTX.com exchange customers." Former FTX Legal Advisors Move to Dismiss Lawsuit, Claiming No Knowledge of Fraud "Bankman-Fried's purchases were archetypical fraudulent transfers," the lawsuit alleged. "In 2021, Bankman-Fried had everything to gain and nothing to lose from the GDA transactions. "Although Bankman-Fried paid for the GDA shares using commingled and misappropriated funds, including those deposited by FTX.com exchange customers, he personally stood to benefit from the acquisition because the GDA shares he acquired were held by Alameda, of which Bankman-Fried was a 90% owner." Genesis Digital Assets declined to comment when Decrypt reached out. The Bitcoin miner was based in Kazakhstan when Bankman-Fried invested in it, but now has data centers in the U.S. and Europe. It is headquartered in Dubai, UAE. Bankman-Fried was arrested, charged and later jailed for defrauding customers out of billions of dollars. He is now serving a 25-year jail sentence in a Southern California prison after a jury found him guilty in November 2023 on seven charges. Bankman-Fried, criminally mismanaged the exchange with top associates, mainly by using customer cash to cover risky bets made by Alameda Research. John J. Ray III, the highly-experienced lawyer tasked with recovering FTX customers' missing investments, said FTX's collapse surpassed the high-profile bankruptcy of energy company Enron in the early 2000s. The FTX Recovery Trust has taken legal action against Genesis Digital Assets and several people linked to the company. Theyre asking the court to help recover around $1.15 billion that they believe was transferred under suspicious circumstances. The lawsuit is being handled in the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware and is tied to the ongoing fallout from the collapse of FTX. What the Trust Claims Happened According to the filing, Sam Bankman-Fried used money from Alameda Research, his hedge fund, to invest in Genesis Digital. But the prices he paid were far higher than what the company was actually worth, according to the trust. The purchases took place between August 2021 and April 2022. The money, they say, came straight from user funds on FTX.com. The complaint specifically names Genesis Digitals founders, Rashit Makhat and Marco Krohn. Warning Signs Were There The lawsuit points out that there were several signs suggesting the deal was risky. For one, Kazakhstans electricity grid was already under strain from Bitcoin miners moving there after Chinas ban, and Genesis Digital was heavily involved in the region. On top of that, the companys financial records werent audited. Reports also linked them to possible tax issues and money laundering concerns. Despite all this, the investment moved ahead. Within a short time, the companys valuation jumped from $3.25 billion to as high as $12.2 billion, which raised eyebrows even inside the company. One board member reportedly called the rise insane and off market. DISCOVER: 9+ Best High-Risk, High-Reward Crypto to Buy in Founders Allegedly Cashed Out The trust says Genesis Digitals founders sold about $551 million worth of their own shares to Alameda during a time when FTXs financial health was already falling apart. According to the complaint, this was done at the expense of FTX users, and the shares were priced far above what they should have been. The lawsuit claims this was a way for the founders to exit a sinking company while taking advantage of misused customer funds. DISCOVER: Next 1000X Crypto: 10+ Crypto Tokens That Can Hit 1000x in Why Its a Big Deal This is one part of a larger effort to get back lost money after FTXs dramatic collapse in 2022. The trusts job is to track down questionable deals and try to return those funds to the people and organizations that are still owed money. A win in this case could put a big chunk of that cash back on the table for creditors who have been waiting for answers and repayment. What Comes Next The next steps depend on how Genesis Digital and the named parties respond. They might fight the claims in court or try to settle. Either way, the outcome could set a major precedent for how crypto-related fraud is handled in bankruptcy cases. Other companies and regulators will likely be watching closely, especially if the court finds that these types of inflated deals can be unwound. The results could have ripple effects on how deals are made and evaluated in the crypto space going forward. Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) ranks among the best hot AI stocks to buy right now. While maintaining its Buy rating on Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN), Guggenheim reduced its price target from $335 to $305 on September 17. According to the firm, the average projections for the companys revenue growth in the fiscal first quarter of 2026 were too lofty. 360b / Shutterstock.com Even if the full-year 2026 estimate meets Street revenue expectations, Guggenheim cautioned investors regarding how they could interpret potentially weak fiscal first quarter 2026 earnings. Guggenheim mostly attributed peer multiple compression for the price target cut, rather than a shift in the firms long-term outlook for the technology and consulting services provider. Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN), based in Dublin, Ireland, is a multinational professional services firm specializing in IT consulting, digital transformation, and management solutions. Accentures emphasis on AI, particularly GenAI, is seen as a key long-term growth driver. While we acknowledge the potential of ACN 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 Best Magic Formula Stocks for 2025 and 10 Best Retirement Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Hyundai Motor Company has resumed exports to Canada from its US operations in the last two months, after shipments were halted at the height of the trade dispute between the two North American neighbours following Canadas announcement in April that it would impose retaliatory 25% tariffs on US imports. This was in response to similar tariffs announced by the US in March. According to local reports, Hyundais Alabama plant exported almost 1,900 vehicles to Canada in August, in line with average monthly export volumes last year and up from 450 units in July, after shipments were halted in May. While the two countries so far have failed to resolve their trade dispute, Hyundai decided to resume exports to Canada as part of its inventory optimization, according to a source close to the company. Canadas Prime Minister, Mark Carney, previously stated that while Canada has withdrawn retaliatory tariffs on most US products, tariffs on automobiles, steel, and aluminum will be maintained at the current rate of 25%. Hyundais sales in Canada, including its Genesis brand, rose by 20% year-on-year to 13,610 units in August, in part due to the resumption of exports from the US. The US-made Tucson was the companys best-selling model in Canada last month with 3,450 deliveries, according to reports, which was 59% higher than the same month last year. To minimize the impact of the higher tariffs on its sales in the region, Hyundai said it plans to switch Tucson production for sale in Canada to its Mexican plant, while production of the model for sale in the US will be shifted from Mexico to its Alabama plant. "Hyundai resumes US exports to Canada" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. Iran has long taken enormous pride in its ability to side-step the sanctions against oil exports imposed by the West. As its then-Foreign Minister, Mohammad Zarif, stated in December 2018 at the Doha Forum: If there is an art that we have perfected in Iran, [that] we can teach to others for a price, it is the art of evading sanctions. It is Iraq that has been the pivotal enabler of this, from the beginning of the process to the end, as analysed in depth in my new book on the new global oil market order . At the start of the process, sanctioned Iranian oil is labelled as non-sanctioned Iraqi oil by dint of the fact that several of both neighbouring countries oil production comes from oil fields that sit atop the same oil reservoirs. These shared fields include Irans Azadegan (the same reservoir as Iraqs huge Majnoon site), Yadavaran (Iraqs Sinbad), Azar (Iraqs Badra), Naft Shahr (Iraqs Naft Khana), Dehloran (Iraqs Abu Ghurab), West Paydar (Iraqs Fakka), and Arvand (Iraqs South Abu Ghurab). From the point when it is re-branded to Iraqi oil, Iranian oil then needs to be shipped where it is required, which is still mainly China. Irans own former Petroleum Minister, Bijan Zanganeh, publicly highlighted how this is done in 2020. He said: What we export is not under Irans name -- the documents are changed over and over, as well as [the] specifications. A further layer of obfuscation is undertaken when the oil cargoes are at sea, such as tankers disabling of the automatic identification system on ships that carry Iranian oil rebranded as Iraqi -- this makes tracking such vessels extremely difficult. Compounding this particularly useful for oil being moved to China -- is the common practice of at-sea or just-outside-port transfers of Iranian oil onto tankers flying the flags of a local Asian country, with Malaysia and Indonesia having long been favoured by Iran and Iraq in this regard. Iraq has long been the key instrument through which Iran has been able to generate economy-supporting revenue from oil exports around the world, despite intense sanctions against it doing so. Last week, the general manager of Iraqs State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), Ali Nazar al-Satari, said that the monopoly state oil marketer is in talks with Omans OQ Trading to build an oil pipeline between the two countries. This potentially opens another extremely valuable mechanism by which Iran can circumvent sanctions, so additionally keeping it away from the negotiating table that might circumvent its nuclear weapons ambitions. Story Continues Related: Norwegian Offshore Oil and Gas Production Surges Past Expectations Iraqs plan with Oman has further benefits for Iran. One of these is that it offers unfettered sea routes directly out from the Gulf of Oman and into the Arabian Sea from which it can head East to China, or West to Africa, and then North into Europe. This bypasses any potential trouble or scrutiny from the West associated with the Persian Gulf and the tangential Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, part of the Iraq-Oman deal being mooted is oil storage capacity in a country that remains unsanctioned by the U.S. or its allies, at a time when they are looking to ramp up sanctions on countries seen as complicit in enabling Iran to continue with its energy exports. Iraqs choice of Oman (in consultation, no doubt, with Iran, and probably China) also appears to signal the intention of making the Sultanate a major operating hub for Iran and China in a world in which the U.S,. especially, is looking to dramatically increase sanctions against Iran. This is because Iran and Oman have long had plans currently delayed due to sanctions pressures for a potentially game-changing 192-kilometre 36-inch gas pipeline running along the bed of the Oman Sea at depths of up to 1,340 metres from Kuhmobarak port in Iran to Sohar Port in Oman. In the early part of the planned project, this undersea gas pipeline would be the second part of a 200-kilometre 56-inch land pipeline running from Rudan to Mobarak Mount in Irans southern Hormozgan province. The aim of this part of the project up to Irans delivery of its gas to Oman would be for Tehran to utilise Muscats liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility at Qalhat. As the worlds second-largest gas reserves holder (after Russia), Iran has long seen monetising this in LNG form as key to its next phase of energy (and economic) expansion. That said, once the first phase is complete, the second phase was always intended to be the expansion of deliveries of Iranian gas to Oman, which would then move it on to wherever it could be sold. Irans LNG plan involving Oman was also part of the broader co-operation deal made between Tehran and Muscat in 2013, extended in scope in 2014, and fully ratified in August 2015, as analysed in depth in my new book on the new global oil market order. It was centred on the Sultanates importing at least 10 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year (bcm/y) from Iran for 25 years. The deal was to have begun in 2017, valued at roughly US$60 billion at that time. The target was then changed to 43 bcm/y to be imported for 15 years, and then finally altered to at least 28 bcm/y for a minimum period of 15 years. The timing of this Iraq deal with Oman also appears well judged by Tehran, as Washington has in recent weeks increased sanctions on Baghdad. A notable recent example came in April, with the No Iranian Energy Act introduced to U.S. lawmakers. As highlighted by the Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Congressman August Pfluger, this legislation is part of President Donald Trumps maximum pressure campaign against Irans leaders. [These] are the worlds most dangerous state sponsors of terrorism, [and] the Iranian regime is not just a threat, its leaders are a genocidal death cult, he said. The proposed Act will sanction the importation of Iranian natural gas to Iraq, which has for many years formed the foundation of the countrys domestic power sector. Indeed, gas and electricity imports from Iran has historically comprised around 40% of all Iraqs energy needs. An adjunct piece of legislation the Iran Waiver Rescissions Act -- would permanently freeze Iranian-sanctioned assets everywhere, including Iraq, and prohibit any standing or future U.S. President from using any waiver authority to lift the sanctions. This step-up in action also includes the key backer of Iran and Iraq China some of whose trading firms were included in the U.S. State Departments latest announcement on Iran-related sanctions. Specifically, it said that it would impose sanctions on 20 entities it believes are engaged in trading Iranian oil and petrochemical products, including Chinas Zhoushan Jinrun Petroleum Transfer Co., an oil terminal in the greater Zhoushan port area. In an extremely similar tone and wording to Brian E. Nelsons comments on sanctions imposed on Hong Kong entities in 2023, the Department said: The Iranian regime continues to fuel conflict in the Middle East to fund its destabilizing activities, [and] Today, the United States is taking action to stem the flow of revenue that the regime uses to support terrorism abroad, as well as to oppress its own people. Zhoushan Jinrun was highlighted by the State Department is for: knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. The port is the fourth of Chinas to be sanctioned by Washington in recent weeks, following similar actions against Huaying Huizhou Daya Bay Petrochemical Terminal Storage in March, Guangsha Zhoushan in April, and Dongying Port in May. Read this article on OilPrice.com Even Meta, despite building its own infrastructure, signed a $10 billion deal with Google Cloud while planning $600 billion in U.S. infrastructure spending through 2028. The Trump administrations $500 billion Stargate project, involving SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle, adds another layer to these interlocking partnerships. The Nvidia-OpenAI deal exemplifies the scale of consolidation sweeping AI infrastructure. Microsofts original $1 billion OpenAI investment has grown to nearly $14 billion. Amazon followed with $8 billion in Anthropic investments, securing deep hardware customizations that essentially tailor AI training to work better with Amazons infrastructure. Oracle has emerged as a surprise winner, too, landing a $30 billion cloud deal with OpenAI and then securing a jaw-dropping $300 billion five-year commitment starting in 2027. Asked what percentage of Google Clouds revenue comes from AI companies, he offers instead that AI is resetting the cloud market, and Google Cloud is leading the way, especially with startups. Its a story deSouza likes to tell in numbers. In a conversation with this editor , he notes several times that nine out of the top 10 AI labs use Googles infrastructure. He also says that nearly all generative AI unicorns run on Google Cloud, that 60% of all GenAI startups worldwide have chosen Google as their cloud provider, and that the company has lined up $58 billion in new revenue commitments over the next two years, which represents more than double its current annual run rate. Francis deSouza, its COO, has seen the AI revolution from multiple vantage points. As the former CEO of genomics giant Illumina, he watched machine learning transform drug discovery. As co-founder of a two-year-old AI alignment startup, Synth Labs, he has grappled with the safety challenges of increasingly powerful models. Now, having joined the C-suite at Google Cloud in January, hes orchestrating a massive wager on AIs second wave. Meanwhile, Google Cloud is placing a different bet entirely. While the industrys biggest players cement ever-tighter partnerships, Google Cloud is hell-bent on capturing the next generation of AI companies before they become too big to court. The $100 billion partnership between Nvidia and OpenAI, announced Monday, represents for now the latest mega-deal reshaping the AI infrastructure landscape. The agreement involves nonvoting shares tied to massive chip purchases and enough computing power for more than 5 million U.S. households, deepening the relationship between two of AIs most powerful players. Story Continues These gigantic deals might seem threatening for Google, given the partnerships that companies like OpenAI and Nvidia appear to be cementing elsewhere. In fact, it looks a lot like Google is being cut out of some frenzied dealmaking. Image Credits:Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto / Getty Images But the corporate behemoth isnt exactly sitting on its hands. Instead, Google Cloud is signing smaller companies like Lovable and Windsurf what deSouza calls the next generation of companies coming up as primary computing partners without major up-front investments. The approach reflects both opportunity and necessity. In a market where companies can go from being a startup to being a multibillion-dollar company in a very short period of time, as deSouza puts it, capturing future unicorns before they mature could prove more valuable than fighting over todays giants. The strategy extends beyond simple customer acquisition. Google offers AI startups $350,000 in cloud credits, access to its technical teams, and go-to-market support through its marketplace. Google Cloud also provides what deSouza describes as a no compromise AI stack from chips to models to applications with an open ethos that gives customers choice at every layer. Companies love the fact that they can get access to our AI stack, they can get access to our teams to understand where our technologies are going, deSouza says during our interview. They also love that theyre getting access to enterprise-grade Google class infrastructure. Googles infrastructure play got even more ambitious recently, with reporting revealing the companys behind-the-scenes maneuvering to expand its custom AI chip business. According to The Information, Google has struck deals to place its tensor processing units (TPUs) in other cloud providers data centers for the first time, including an agreement with London-based Fluidstack that includes up to $3.2 billion in financial backing for a New York facility. Competing directly with AI companies while simultaneously providing them infrastructure requires finesse. Google Cloud provides TPU chips to OpenAI and hosts Anthropics Claude model through its Vertex AI platform, even as its own Gemini models compete head-to-head with both. (Google Clouds parent company, Alphabet, also owns a 14% stake in Anthropic, per New York Times court documents obtained earlier this year, though when asked directly about Googles financial relationship with Anthropic, deSouza calls the relationship a multi-layered partnership, then quickly redirects me to Google Clouds model marketplace, noting that customers can access various foundation models.) But if Google is trying to be Switzerland while advancing its own agenda, it has had plenty of practice. The approach has roots in Googles open source contributions, from Kubernetes to the foundational Attention Is All You Need paper that enabled the transformer architecture underlying most modern AI. More recently, Google published an open source protocol called Agent2Agent (A2A) for interagent communication in an attempt to demonstrate its continued commitment to openness even in competitive areas. We have made the explicit choice over the years to be open at every layer of the stack, and we know that this means companies can absolutely take our technology and use it to build a competitor at the next layer, deSouza acknowledges. Thats been happening for decades. Thats something we are okay with. Google Clouds courtship of startups comes at a particularly interesting moment. Just this month, federal judge Amit Mehta delivered a nuanced ruling in the governments five-year-old search monopoly case, attempting to curb Googles dominance without hampering its AI ambitions. While Google avoided the Justice Departments most severe proposed penalties, including the forced divestment of its Chrome browser, the ruling underscored regulatory concerns about the company leveraging its search monopoly to dominate AI. Critics are worried, understandably, that Googles vast trove of search data provides an unfair advantage in developing AI systems and that the company could deploy the same monopolistic tactics that secured its search dominance. In conversation, deSouza is focused on far more positive outcomes. I think we have an opportunity to fundamentally understand some of the major diseases that today we just dont have a good understanding of, deSouza says, for example, outlining a vision where Google Cloud helps power research into Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and climate technologies. We want to work very hard to make sure that we are pioneering the technologies that will enable that work. Critics may not easily be assuaged. By positioning itself as an open platform that empowers rather than controls the next generation of AI companies, Google Cloud may be showing regulators that it fosters competition rather than stifles it, all while forging relationships with startups that might help Googles case if regulators ramp up pressure. For our full chat with deSouza, check out this weeks StrictlyVC Download podcast; a new episode comes out every Tuesday. Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) is set to report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday, September 25, with investor focus squarely on its outlook for fiscal 2026, particularly AI and cloud-related revenue. Bank of America expects the company to issue its usual conservative guidance for the year ahead, in line with past practice. AI and cloud demand is projected to remain a key growth driver in fiscal 2026, while other end markets are anticipated to stay flat or decline. Analyst Ruplu Bhattacharya reaffirmed a Buy rating on the stock with a price forecast of $245, based on an estimated calendar 2026 earnings of $11.69 per share, implying a multiple of 21 times. Also Read: Jabil Stock Nears Key Timing Zone: Is A Peak Forming? Bhattacharya highlighted Jabils large-scale operations, manageable tariff risks with pass-through capabilities, robust capital return programs, improving margins, and strong cash flow generation as key drivers supporting the outlook. For fiscal 2026, the analyst models $30.8 billion in revenue, a 5.6% operating margin, and $10.94 EPS, broadly in line with Street estimates of $30.7 billion, 5.6%, and $10.87. AI-related revenue is projected to rise 25% year-over-year to $10.5 billion, up from $8.5 billion in fiscal 2025. The bank stated that Jabil is likely to guide conservatively, projecting AI revenue growth in a narrower range of $1.0-1.5 billion, or $9.5-10.0 billion for fiscal year 2026. The companys new North Carolina facility, a $500 million investment, is set to begin production in mid-2026, which will push fiscal 2026 capital expenditures to approximately $540 million, or 1.8% of revenue. Furthermore, Jabils CEO, Mike Dastoor, met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July to discuss a new facility in Gujarat, India. This site will focus on supporting the cloud, computing, storage, networking, and semiconductor markets. For fiscal year 2026, the analyst projects that Jabils revenue from the automotive and renewable energy segments will decline year-over-year, although the company could experience some short-term gains before energy tax credits expire at the end of the year. Healthcare revenue is expected to remain largely flat, with Jabils facility for GLP-1 drugs in Croatia currently idle, representing a modest 1020 basis point drag on operating margin; the facility is anticipated to become operational in fiscal 2027. The analyst notes that ongoing efforts to pursue deals similar to those with Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) could provide additional upside. Digital commerce revenue is forecasted to rise year-over-year, while connected living revenue is expected to see a decline. He used to be more Armenian than the Armenians themselves, but now the French president is more Palestinian than the Palestinians themselves. Indeed, to those who have been following Macron not long ago, it may even seem that the French president is genuinely worried about the fate of the Palestinians. Naive. After all, a few years ago, Macron was just as ardently embracing Netanyahu as he is now fiercely criticizing him. Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. When a caller asked about the stock during the lightning round, Cramer stated: Alright, now I gotta tell you, Accentures come down enough. It hit a 52-week low. I mean, how bad could it really be? It hit a 52-week low today. I dont think its that bad. The only thing I would change is that when you do, when you put it in spell check, it always goes to CAN instead of ACN. But thats not really their fault. I think that at 18 times earnings, Im willing to pull the trigger, Accenture, and thats the first time Ive said that because I have really disliked the stock. Pixabay/Public Domain Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) delivers consulting, technology, operations, and digital services, including AI, automation, security, and software engineering. In addition, the company designs and produces robotics and hardware solutions. It serves clients across industries such as finance, healthcare, consumer goods, energy, and technology. While we acknowledge the potential of ACN 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: 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. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) is one of the relatively cheap S&P 500 stocks Jim Cramer talked about. Cramer highlighted that the stock is cheaper than the S&P, as he commented: Then theres American Express, which just released a refreshed platinum card, you might have gotten it this weekend, that Im sure will be a hit, especially with millennials and Gen Z. AMEX should have 12.6% earnings growth next year, just barely better than the market. And dont be surprised if the actual earnings growth surprises to the upside. At the same time, its selling for less than 20 times next years numbers. Thats a bit cheaper than the overall S&P. Photo by Adam Nowakowski on Unsplash American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) is an integrated payments firm that provides credit and charge cards, banking and financing products, along with merchant services, fraud prevention, and loyalty programs. Additionally, the company offers travel, lifestyle, and expense management solutions for consumers, businesses, and corporations. When a caller showed concern about the companys stock during the September 5 episode, Cramer replied: Oh my god, I think Steve, Im going to have to, I dont like to come out against our viewers, but Im going to have to be a hundred percent against you on this. I think Steve Squeri is a remarkable executive, and I am harsh. I am hard-pressed to criticize a company that hit an all-time high on this very day. So Im saying [buy, buy, buy]. While we acknowledge the potential of AXP 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: 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. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. A caller inquired about the impact of stablecoins and blockchain competition on the recent stock decline. Cramer replied: Okay youre right in my wheelhouse. Let me tell you, youre right in my wheelhouse. Thats whats called the opportunity. These different little entities, and they are very little, have created the opportunity that you need to be able to get in Visa at a good price. Periodically, you get it at a good price, and when you do, pull the trigger. Photo by Adam Nowakowski on Unsplash Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is a payment technology company that runs VisaNet to process transactions and provides credit, debit, and prepaid products along with digital payment services. The company also provides cross-border and business payment solutions, fraud prevention, analytics, and consulting. Cramer discussed the stock upon inquiry by a caller in a June episode. He commented: Okay, this is a very hard question because Visa and MasterCard are valued much more highly, I think, than American Express in terms of PE multiple. I want American Express of these three, and Ill tell you why. I think Americas Express has got this younger demographic that is really exciting and not really built into the price-to-earnings multiple. That said, look, these are all great companies I met with Mastercards management this week. I talked with Visas management. Youre not going to go wrong owning any one of these companies. Theyre three of the best companies in America. While we acknowledge the potential of V 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: 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. Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) is one of the relatively cheap S&P 500 stocks Jim Cramer talked about. Cramer discussed the companys growth and valuation, as he commented: Finally, Ive got a utility that made the final cut, and its called Entergy. Thats a New Orleans-based utility, weve profiled them many times, with a service area spanning from Mississippi to Texas. Entergy has a number of things going for it, from Metas construction of a massive $10 billion data center in Louisiana to the ongoing build-out of liquified natural gas export facilities. Its growing a little faster than the average stock in the S&P with a slightly lower price to earnings multiple. nicholas-cappello-Wb63zqJ5gnE-unsplash Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) produces and distributes electricity and natural gas, generating power from gas, nuclear, coal, hydro, and solar sources. When a caller inquired about the stock during a July episode, Cramer replied: Man, Ill tell you, ETRs had such a run. I know it can go higher, but it, I mean you know, Meta likes it and everything. Im going to say right here, [dont buy, dont buy]. While we acknowledge the potential of ETR 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: 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. In this article, we will be taking a look at the 10 Best Pharma Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. Johnson & Johnson is one of them. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), a global healthcare leader, continues to strengthen its pharmaceuticals and immunology portfolio while delivering strong stock performance in 2025. This month, the company received FDA approval for a subcutaneous induction regimen of Tremfya (guselkumab) to treat adults with ulcerative colitis. As the first and only IL-23 inhibitor with a fully subcutaneous regimen, Tremfya achieved significant clinical remission and endoscopic improvement in Phase 3 trials. JNJ is also launching a head-to-head trial comparing Tremfya to AbbVies Skyrizi in Crohns disease, underscoring its commitment to expanding in immunology. In Europe, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) reported progress for nipocalimab, an investigational FcRn blocker for antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis in both adults and adolescents. Pending European Commission approval, it could become the first treatment of its kind, supported by compelling late-stage trial data. The business also expanded its oncology portfolio with FDA approval of a new drug delivery system for bladder cancer, offering patients a potential alternative to surgery and reinforcing its position in cancer innovation. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Gains FDA Nod for Subcutaneous Tremfya in Ulcerative Colitis On the financial front, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)s shares are up 20% year-to-date, boosted by pharmaceutical growth and easing legal risks compared to previous years. Still, the company continues to navigate ongoing talc-related litigation, with settlements and court proceedings drawing attention. While we acknowledge the potential of JNJ 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: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy NOW Disclosure: None. We recently published Wall Street Analysts Like These 10 Stocks. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is one of the stocks analysts were recently talking about. Josh Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, explained in a latest program on CNBC why he likes Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ). Brown said the companys upcoming quarterly report next month could be a big catalyst. The general idea is that if and when a stock breaks out from a typical range that its been stuck in, in this case like 5 years, the move could be extraordinary if it had been trapped in that range for a really long time. So theres an old adage on Wall Street, the bigger the base, the higher in space, Brown said. So this is a big base and J&J the company is in the midst of a massive transition thats been underway for years under a relatively new CEO and they have a couple of key goals and they are executing on those goals. They wanted to become a pure play healthcare company. And they are fully focused on innovative medicines which is oncology, immunology, neuroscience and medtech. So surgical robots, cardiovascular devices, orthopedics and thats what the business now is. I think taking a step back from gigantic M&A and the types of deals that distract management and really just doing fill-in deals where it makes sense. This strategy is now being rewarded on Wall Street with the stock price working in July. They issued guidance for the rest of the year and had a lot of great news to share, a lot of milestones. The next earnings report is not until October 14th. I think the stock bides its time just under those old highs until we get that October 14th report and that could be the big catalyst. Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash Mar Vista U.S. Quality Premier Strategy stated the following regarding Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) in its second quarter 2025 investor letter: Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) declined 7% during the quarter amid a broad selloff in healthcare which led to the sectors worst relative performance in twenty-five years. Proposed regulatory changes and tariffs impacting drug prices, research and development investments, manufacturing and insurance coverage all converged to create uncertainty for the sector. JNJ also suffered a setback to put talc liabilities behind them when a Texas court ruled the companys bankruptcy strategy was not allowed. The company will return to litigating lawsuits in the courts, where the company has won 15 out of 16 cases. While we acknowledge the potential of JNJ 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. Eli Lilly and Company has announced plans to invest $6.5bn in an active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) manufacturing facility at Generation Park in Houston, in the US state of Texas. The new facility will produce APIs for small-molecule medicines, including those targeting oncology, cardiometabolic health, immunology and neuroscience. It will create 615 permanent jobs, including positions for scientists, engineers, lab technicians and operations personnel. The construction phase will generate 4,000 jobs. The new manufacturing facility, scheduled to be operational by 2030, will expand Lilly's domestic production capabilities in the US. Lilly chair and CEO David Ricks stated: Our new Houston site will enhance Lilly's ability to manufacture orforglipron at scale and, if approved, help fulfil the medicine's potential as a metabolic health treatment for tens of millions of people worldwide who prefer the ease of a pill that can be taken without food and water restrictions. This significant US investment and onshoring of our API production capabilities will ensure faster, more secure access to orforglipron and to other life-changing medicines of the future. Lilly selected Generation Park from more than 300 locations based on its local incentives, workforce potential and business-friendly environment. The Houston facility is the companys eighth manufacturing site in the US announced since 2020 and the second of four new sites planned for 2025. It will primarily produce orforglipron, an oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, planned for regulatory submission in obesity treatment by December. Lilly plans to implement advanced technologies, including AI, machine learning and digital automation, to optimise operations and ensure consistency. The company will partner with local universities and plans to invest in educational initiatives to nurture a skilled workforce in Texas. Lilly expects the site to have a substantial economic impact on the Houston area. It is estimated to generate up to four dollars for every dollar spent in local economic activity. Each manufacturing job is expected to create additional employment in sectors such as supply chain and logistics. Lilly recently confirmed Goochland County, Virginia, as the site for its first dedicated API and drug product facility, part of a $5bn investment in bioconjugate and monoclonal antibody production. "Lilly to invest $6.5bn in API manufacturing facility in Texas" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Looking for ways to enhance your skills in a rapidly changing work environment? This could help. LinkedIn has launched a new LinkedIn Learning Career Hub, which is designed to help guide professionals through industry-relevant updates and skills, in order to ensure that theyre on the right track to achieve their career goals. As you can see in this example screen LinkedIns Career Hub will provide an easy way for both companies and employees to maximize their learning, based on industry trends and needs within the organization. The new Career Hub includes three key pathways for training and development: Trending Skills insights will help organizations understand the skills that their employees have, so they can identify gaps, and track emerging trends across industries. It combines internal data from employee LinkedIn profiles with external benchmarks to support smarter learning and talent decisions. Internal Mobility, meanwhile, is focused on employees, and aims to help connect employees with internal career opportunities. LinkedIn will highlight the skills needed for these roles and suggests relevant courses users can take to enhance their skills. Which then leads to Role Guides, which will provide more in-depth information on how employees can upskill and align their capacity with relevant roles. This feature brings together LinkedIn's data and insights, quality content, and talent expertise to equip you with next steps to build skills for specific roles at your company. As you can see in this example, LinkedIns Career Hub will show you career opportunities and pathways within your organization, while Role Guides will give you more insight into the skills required, and how your current skills match up. That will then point you to relevant courses, with a specific focus on AI upskilling, and ensuring that members are maximizing their understanding of how AI tools are changing their workplace. Indeed, LinkedIn has also unlocked 34 AI courses, and 4 AI Skill Pathways, within LinkedIn Learning through to November 22nd, giving more users the opportunity to enhance their knowledge on this aspect. Its also published a new centralized overview of AI tools for varying purpose, based on usage among LinkedIn members. Because as you might expect, LinkedIn has seen a massive increase in interest in AI-based skills and roles, as more and more industries look to jump aboard the AI train. By Arunima Kumar and Purvi Agarwal (Reuters) -Shares of Lithium Americas closed at $8.32 after jumping nearly 90% on Wednesday after Reuters reported that the Trump administration is seeking up to a 10% stake in the miner, in the latest sign of Washington's intervention into industries it considers critical to national security. Late Tuesday, Reuters cited two people familiar with the talks who said the administration is considering the stake as part of negotiations over a $2.26 billion Department of Energy loan for the company's Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada, the largest planned lithium mine in the Western Hemisphere. Canada-based Lithium Americas said on Wednesday it was in discussions with the U.S. energy department and General Motors over the Thacker Pass loan. The move underscores President Donald Trump's increasing use of direct government ownership to steer strategic sectors and curb reliance on China, which dominates refining of many critical minerals. China produces over 40,000 metric tons of lithium annually, ranking third after Australia and Chile, but dominates refining, processing more than 75% of the world's lithium into battery-grade material. TD Cowen analysts said a government stake would lend credence to the Thacker Pass project completion and expansion to multiple phases with perhaps enhanced economics. The project is seen as a linchpin in building a domestic supply chain part of Washington's long-standing drive to boost U.S. production of lithium, a metal used to make batteries for electric vehicles and other electronics. The Trump administration recently moved to take a stake in chipmaker Intel following a deal that would make the Department of Defense the largest shareholder in rare earths MP Materials. Jefferies said the administration's preference for equity stakes, viewed as lower political cost than tax increases, can support financing, corporate profits, and favorable returns on invested capital. Lithium Americas' Canadian and U.S.-listed shares were both up about 97% at C$8.37 and $6.03, respectively. The company had a market value of roughly $1.46 billion as of last close on the New York Stock Exchange. OFFTAKE AGREEMENTS KEY GM, which invested $625 million in the mine last year for a 38% stake, has the right to buy all of the project's lithium from its first phase and a portion from the second phase for 20 years, although Trump officials are now seeking a guarantee that GM will buy the metal, according to the sources. NBCFM Research analyst Mohamed Sidibe said the MP Materials-DoD model shows how government equity, long-term offtake, and price support can derisk strategic projects. MILAN Amping up its presence in the contract sector with special projects for luxury and hotels is at the top of the list for Rubellis joint chief executive officers. On Monday, the Venice-based firm known for its hand-loomed soprarizzo, or chiseled, silk velvet, said 94-year-old textile heir and entrepreneur Alessandro Favaretto Rubelli, a lawyer who has led his familys company into a modern era and into markets worldwide since 1955, passed control of the firm to his two sons, Nicolo and Andrea Favaretto Rubelli. More from WWD Alessandro, the great-grandson of the companys founder Lorenzo, who started the company in 1889, remains honorary president of the firm. The two brothers will serve as joint co-CEOs. Nicolo, who has served alone as CEO for 20 years, will have direct oversight of sales, marketing and collection development, while Andrea will work alongside him and be responsible for production, purchasing, logistics and IT. Were really passionate about our legacy and we feel like its our duty to continue this mission, Nicolo told WWD, adding that the sixth generation of the Rubelli family includes three grandsons who are still too young to join the company and have been encouraged to succeed in other fields. The company is currently on the lookout for external independent board members. His son-in-law Marco Frizziero is now chairman of the board and has joined the firms new five-member board. Alessandros son Lorenzo Favaretto Rubelli and Paolo Zanatta, an accountant and non-family member, are also on the board. Management is currently working on finalizing its 2026 to 2028 strategic plan of which creation, production and distribution of high-quality furnishing fabrics and wall coverings remains at the core. Milan- and Rotterdam-based design studio Formafantasma is currently the creative director of the two main brands, Rubelli and niche brand Kieffer, which are primarily produced at the companys weaving mill in Como. Formafantasma, which was founded by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, has worked with design brands such as Flos and Bitossi and fashion and jewelry brands like Max Mara and Bulgari. With the addition to residential, the plan envisions a significant strengthening of the contract sector, particularly in luxury and hotels; as well as the addition of new roles to support the CEOs to ensure strong governance, the company stated. Rubellis home division was launched in 2015, and has built a rapport with Italian designers over the decades under the elder Rubellis direction. In more recent years, the house has worked with the likes of interior designer Marco Piva, architectural designer Cristina Celestino, photographer Brigitte Niedermair, and American architect Peter Marino. The latter created three-silk damask fabrics in 2019 that echoed the work of 16th-century painter Titian. The late Gio Ponti designed the houses Punteggiato velvet, which remains a successful component of its fabric lineup. In an interview with WWD in October, Alessandro told WWD that he studied law and never expected to enter the family business, but shortly after entering the firm, he fell in love with fabric. He would find that his law degree was crucial in propelling the fabled firm into a modern era. It was very important because with this I was able to lead the company and do many things so, yes, so being a lawyer was definitely very interesting for me. The plan all along, he said, was to pass the baton to the next generation and keep its legacy in the family. We absolutely want to keep the company in the family. Weve had a lot of offers to buy at least a part of the company but we decided that the company is good as is. Nicolo echoed this, saying the firm is open but not actively looking for outside investors. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has challenged former presidents Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan to a debate. The former do not tire of accusing the current head of government of dragging Armenia into the war. And these accusations, of course, sound very stupid and once again confirm that the nationalists want to rewrite the history of the Karabakh conflict and start it on September 27, 2020. But Pashinyan, apparently, is not going to allow them to do this. The Armenian Prime Minister stated: "Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan constantly claim that I dragged Armenia into the war. Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, well, if it was me who dragged Armenia into the war, then what was an 18-year-old soldier of the Republic of Armenia doing outside the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia in 2018? - Pashinyan asked a question. - Listen, if you brought victory to the people, can you explain why, starting in 1996, you rigged the elections? How could the people not choose the leaders who brought them victory? How? And the people did not choose you because, contrary to the supposedly paid analysts, "national" and "honored" artists, the mothers who feed Armenia and the patriarchal fathers who stand behind them silently and judiciously understood that you did not bring victory, but dragged Armenia into an abyss from which there is no way out," stated Nikol Pashinyan. Adding, "Now tell me, are you coming to the debate or not?" You can bring Ktrich, Samo, Gevorg and Vazgen with you. We can organize the debate in my former cell at the Yerevan Center (SIZO), so that it would be convenient for all of you." Pashinyan has long been inviting opponents to an open discussion, but they shy away. Robert Kocharyan prefers to answer him in an interview with the media and wants the audience to perceive him as a sophisticated aristocrat from politics who does not want to humiliate his dignity by discussing with everyone there. Serzh Sargsyan is waiting for instructions from Kocharyan. He does not show up at mass gatherings now and only reminds himself of himself by appeals on one occasion or another. He's afraid of something. And he has a lot to be afraid of. As folk wisdom says, "the dog knows whose meat he ate." Serge came to power when the occupation of his neighbor's territories was already rapidly dragging Armenia to the bottom. At first, Kocharyan was still trying to make a good face, relying on personal relations with Moscow, but Sargsyan did not have this tool either. He got a country without sovereignty and with a defeated statehood. The people hated him. Basically, the people hated the Karabakh clan from the very beginning, and when things got really bad, Kocharyan retreated into the shadows, exposing Sargsyan to a hail of rotten tomatoes instead. Serge had no chance against Pashinyan. The Armenians wanted to get rid of the Karabakh bloodsuckers so much that they were ready to follow anyone. And they were very lucky that it was this politician who was ahead of the crowd, and not another scoundrel who would benefit from instability in the region. As for Ter-Petrosyan, his case is special. Kocharyan and Sargsyan are war criminals, half-wits who moved to field commanders from the Lenin Komsomol and intoxicated by the opportunity to slaughter, plunder and destroy with impunity. But they were not the ideologists. They were simply following in the footsteps of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who, first as head of the Supreme Council and then as President of Armenia, sanctioned all the crimes of Armenians against the Azerbaijani people. A video recording of Ter-Petrosyan's speech at the constituent assembly of the terrorist Yerkrap, which had been hidden from prying eyes for thirty years, recently got online and added color to the image of the first president of Armenia. Even Karabakh criminals did not allow themselves to do this on public platforms. It was an outright cynical Nazism without admixtures. And this figure, under whose leadership the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous population of Armenia and the military aggression against the neighbor were carried out, accuses Pashinyan today of dragging the republic into the war? The Prime Minister's associates, fending off these attacks, advise the public to turn to the events of the late 80s of the last century. Armenia was drawn into the war by the processes that began then. Levon Ter-Petrosyan probably forgot that it was he who blessed Miatsum at the official level, and it was under him that decisions were made that became a kind of verdict for Armenia. In order not to be unfounded, let's turn to the witnesses of those events. Sokhbet Mammadov is an Armenian scholar, head of the Irevan Analytical Center. He is a refugee from Armenia, one of the last Azerbaijanis to leave Yerevan. Levon Ter-Petrosyan has no moral right to accuse Pashinyan of anything. The Karabakh clan should also keep quiet, but Ter-Petrosyan stood at the origins and the main blame for all the troubles of Armenia lies primarily on him, Mammadov said. Details from the Azerbaijani expert: "I still remember that session of the Supreme Council of Armenia. On December 1, 1989, I was still in Yerevan and watched it live on TV. It was a very difficult and dangerous time. By December, there was practically no Azerbaijani population left in Armenia, with the exception of a few residents of the village of Nyvedi in the Meghri region. As for Yerevan, several families, including ours, stayed here for one reason or another. By that time, the Karabakh Committee, of which the future first President of Armenia was a member, had already seized power in Armenia, and Levon Ter-Petrosyan was sitting in the chair of the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR. The meetings of the legislative body were broadcast live on television. Intoxicated by the idea of "miatsuma," the speakers added fuel to the fire, telling "about great Armenia," "historical injustice" against their people, about the "bitter fate" of Karabakh Armenians under the rule of Azerbaijan, and other tall tales. Listening to all this heresy was unbearable. And so, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who was chairing the meeting, took out a piece of paper from his pocket, as they say now, threw it epically on the table with the words: "Everything is said here!", and impressively strode out of the hall, along the way picturesquely removing the collar of the trench (bandage) from his neck. I don't remember why he was wearing it, and it doesn't matter. That piece of paper was a draft resolution of the Supreme Court "On the reunification of the Armenian SSR and Nagorno-Karabakh." The audience cheered and unanimously approved the project. Words cannot express what feelings I felt at that moment. In short, pain, anger, disappointment and fear for the lives of relatives. Today, Ter-Petrosyan and the Karabakh kodla are running away from debates with Pashinyan because they have caused so much trouble that ordinary citizens do not want to see or hear them. Levon Ter-Petrosyan launched a war against Azerbaijan. Under his rule, about 250,000 thousand Azerbaijanis were forced to become refugees and find refuge in the Azerbaijan SSR. It was a deliberate policy of "Armenia without Turks," which Ter-Petrosyan proudly stated at a meeting with Yerkrap thugs, noting that Armenians had been living with this idea for 600 years. He is also to blame for bringing the Karabakh clan led by Robert Kocharian and Sergik Sargsyan to power. And I think everyone already knows how much the Armenians hate this clan. So, the former have nothing to stand up to Nikola Vovaevich in a direct debate. Therefore, they chose a different path - through the mouth of paid pseudo-analysts and from the pages of controlled media, they try to throw mud at Pashinyan and accuse him of betraying the national interests of the Armenian people. I would like to hope that prudence will prevail and the Armenian people will not succumb to these tricks, because, like us, they no longer want war. In conclusion, I would like to pay tribute to the course that the Prime Minister of Armenia has recently chosen. If Pashinyan manages to bring it to an end, he can rightfully be called the Armenian Adenauer." Parnassus Investments, an investment management company, released the Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund second quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Fund (Investor Shares) returned 13.29% (net of fees) in the quarter, compared to the Russell Midcap Growth Indexs 18.20% return. Stock selection in the Industrials and Information Technology sectors negatively impacted the performance, while holdings in the Financials sector contributed. In addition, please check the funds top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025. In its second-quarter 2025 investor letter, Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund highlighted stocks such as Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC). Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) engages in the research, development, manufacturing, and distribution of eye care products. The one-month return of Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) was -5.59%, and its shares lost 24.30% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On September 24, 2025, Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) stock closed at $75.00 per share, with a market capitalization of $37.352 billion. Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund stated the following regarding Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) in its second quarter 2025 investor letter: "Within Health Care, we initiated a position in Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC), a market leader in the eye care industry. We expect its culture of innovation will enable the company to accelerate market share gains and revenue growth during our investment horizon. Alcon is a dominant player in the eye care industry. The company operates in a strong, durable category, and ALCs product launches should enable them to continue to gain market share and experience accelerating growth." Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. According to our database, 34 hedge fund portfolios held Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) at the end of the second quarter, down from 40 in the previous quarter. In the second quarter of 2025, Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) reported sales of $2.6 billion, representing an increase of 3% versus prior year. While we acknowledge the potential of Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) 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. In another article, we covered Alcon Inc. (NYSE:ALC) and shared the list of best medical stocks to buy according to analysts. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q2 2025 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is one of the 13 Best Fortune 500 Dividend Stocks to Invest In. Following a decline in revenue in the second quarter of 2025, the company received the FDA approval for KEYTRUDA QLEX injection. Merck Gains FDA Approval for KEYTRUDA QLEX and Supports Dividend Appeal Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) reported an Adjusted EPS of $2.13 for the second quarter of 2025. The reported value surpasses the $2.03 consensus, projecting a positive perception towards its operational efficiency. However, worldwide sales of $15.8 billion slightly missed expectations and declined 2% year-over-year. The decline was attributed to a drop in Gardasil sales in China. Meanwhile, the sales of the blockbuster oncology drug KEYTRUDA surged by 9% to $8.0 billion. Additionally, on September 19, 2025, the company announced receiving the U.S. FDA approval for KEYTRUDA QLEX injection for subcutaneous administration in adults across most solid tumor indications for KEYTRUDA. Dr. J. Thaddeus Beck, oncologist and Medical Director of the Highlands Clinical Trials Office, made the following statement with respect to the approval. This approval is significant for patients and health care providers like me who have been using immunotherapies for years to treat certain cancers Supported by the new approvals, the company further attracts investor interest by offering a dividend yield of 4%. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is a global healthcare company specializing in the development and production of prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal health products. Founded in 1891, the company is known for its research-driven approach to tackling some of the worlds most challenging diseases. It operates from its headquarters located in New Jersey. While we acknowledge the potential of MRK 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: 11 Best Performing IPOs in the Last 2 Years and 12 Jim Cramer Stock Picks this Week Disclosure. None. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS) has secured a significant majority stake in Mediobanca, with 86.3% of shares committed by investors during a recently concluded tender offer period. The tender period reopened from 16 to 22 September, as per the Borsa Italiana filing. The commitment of shares followed an initial tender period that concluded on 8 September, leaving BMPS with a 62.3% holding. The unsolicited bid by BMPS to take over Mediobanca was commenced in January. The transaction is set to be finalised on 29 September 2025, when the payment for the shares will be made, coinciding with the transfer of share ownership to BMPS. Following the acquisition, BMPS is said to reorganise the board of Mediobanca, which will be a clear indicator of the future direction of the combined entity, reported Bloomberg. Media reports suggest that the Mediobanca's long-standing CEO Alberto Nagel stepped down recently. In a previous strategic move, Mediobanca attempted to acquire Banca Generali from Generali to bolster its wealth management services. Despite a substantial offer of 6.3bn, the bid was rejected by Mediobanca shareholders in the last month, amidst the takeover bid from BMPS. Commenting on the blocked acquisition, Alberto Nagel has defined the failed bid as a missed opportunity for expansion, highlighting the potential benefits it could have brought to both Mediobanca and Italy's financial sector. "Monte dei Paschi di Siena secures 86.3% of stake in Mediobanca " was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. By Blake Brittain (Reuters) -Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI has sued rival OpenAI in California federal court for allegedly stealing its trade secrets to gain an unfair advantage in the race to develop AI technology. The lawsuit filed Wednesday said that OpenAI was engaged in a "deeply troubling pattern" of hiring away former xAI employees to gain access to trade secrets related to its AI chatbot Grok. "OpenAI is targeting those individuals with knowledge of xAIs key technologies and business plansincluding xAIs source code and its operational advantages in launching data centersthen inducing those employees to breach their confidentiality and other obligations to xAI through unlawful means," the lawsuit said. An OpenAI spokesperson denied the allegations in a statement on Thursday and called the lawsuit "the latest chapter in Mr. Musks ongoing harassment" against the company. xAI said it discovered the alleged campaign to undermine the company after bringing allegations of trade secret theft against former engineer Xuechen Li, who it has accused of taking confidential information to the ChatGPT maker in a separate lawsuit. Li has not yet responded to the allegations. xAI has separately sued Apple in federal court for allegedly conspiring with OpenAI to suppress rival platforms. Apple has not yet responded to the lawsuit. Musk is also suing OpenAI over its conversion to a for-profit company, while OpenAI has countersued Musk for harassment. xAI's new lawsuit is part of a broader legal battle between Musk and OpenAI, which he co-founded, and underscores a high-stakes race in Silicon Valley to hire AI-related talent and gain market share in the burgeoning industry. According to the complaint, OpenAI hired away former company engineer Jimmy Fraiture and an unnamed senior finance executive in addition to Li in order to obtain xAI trade secrets. Fraiture, who is not a defendant in the complaint, could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Deepa Babington) Nike (NKE) stock has underperformed terribly since peaking in late 2021. It has closed in the red for three years and is in the red this year as well. However, the stock has a healthy dividend yield of over 2.2% and is on track to become a Dividend Aristocrat. Let's explore the sustainability of Nike's dividend and examine whether the stock is a buy. www.barchart.com Nike Could Be the Next Dividend Aristocrat Nike was never known for its dividends for good reasons. The company characterizes itself as a growth company, and investors dont really expect such companies to even match the average S&P 500 Index ($SPX) constituents dividend yield, let alone beat it. More News from Barchart However, despite the several headwinds that the sneaker giant is facing, it has increased shareholder payouts, which have catapulted its dividend yield to over 2.2%. In fact, it has increased its dividends for 23 consecutive years, and repeating the feat for two more years will make it a Dividend Aristocrat. The companys dividend growth has been an impressive 10.3% over the last five years, while the 10-year CAGR is just over 11%. However, the dividend growth has tapered down, and earlier this year, it increased its dividend by 8%. Nikes earnings have taken a beating amid slowing sales. At the same time, it has been increasing its dividends, which has led to a rise in its payout ratio, which has surged above 70%. The payout multiples are high for comfort, considering the fact that Nike is still looking to invest in its business and is not among those names whose business has saturated, and the best thing they can do with free cash flows is to return them to shareholders. Notably, last fiscal year, Nikes cash actually decreased as shareholder payouts, capital expenditures, and bond repayments more than offset its operating cash flows. Will Nike Cut Its Dividend? Nike increased its dividends over the last two years despite its profits falling. Analysts expect the companys net income to decline by over 22% in the current fiscal year but are modeling a 54% rise in the next fiscal year. www.barchart.com I expect Nike to increase its dividends modestly when it takes a call on payouts early next year. Companies usually cut dividends when the going gets really tough, as these are perceived as a negative by the market. Nike increased its dividends even during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and while the company is currently facing challenges, these are not as severe as in 2008 and 2020. Europe Leads in the Number of Crypto-Friendly Banks. Photo by BeInCrypto Nine major European lenders, including ING, UniCredit, CaixaBank, KBC, Danske Bank, DekaBank, Banca Sella, SEB, and Raiffeisen Bank International, have announced a consortium to issue a euro-denominated stablecoin. The initiative will operate under the EUs Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). Banks Form Dutch Consortium for Euro Stablecoin The group has formed a Dutch-based company that will apply for an e-money license supervised by the Dutch Central Bank. The stablecoin is expected to be issued in the second half of 2026. Subject to regulatory approval, a CEO will be appointed. The token is designed to provide instant, low-cost transactions, 24/7 cross-border payments, programmable settlement, and applications in digital assets and supply chain management. Banks may also offer wallets and custody services. Strategic Context, Market Share, and Expert Views The consortium seeks to create a European alternative to US dollar stablecoins, which dominate over 99% of the global market. The European Central Bank has warned that MiCA may be too lenient, while the European Commission is preparing to loosen rules, raising tension with regulators. EU officials have also warned that unchecked US tokens could undermine euro stability. Competition is rising. Societe Generales Forge has already launched a euro stablecoin on Stellar and recently listed its dollar-pegged USDCV on Bullish Europe. According to CoinGecko data, the euro stablecoin market remains fragmented: EURC controls 47%, STASIS EURO 26%, and CoinVertible 9%. The combined capitalization is still below 350 million, highlighting its small scale relative to dollar-based tokens. MiCA is promising, but the framework remains incomplete, especially on cross-border issuance, an expert told BeInCrypto in February. Another BeInCrypto analysis found that despite new projects, euro-denominated stablecoins remain marginal. In an ECB blog, senior adviser Jurgen Schaaf wrote that "European monetary sovereignty and financial stability could erode" without a strategic response. He added that the disruption also offers an opportunity for the euro to emerge stronger. ECB President Christine Lagarde has called for stricter oversight of non-EU issuers, tying the debate to Europes digital euro push as the US advances its GENIUS Act legislation. Nordic Aqua Partners (NOAP) has sold a minority stake in its China subsidiary to local investors as the business seeks to scale output of farmed Atlantic salmon. Oslo-listed NOAP said it has received 300m yuan ($42.1m) in return for a 20% interest in Nordic Aqua (Ningbo) Co. to help fund the completion of the second stage of its land-based salmon-farming operation in the city of Ningbo. The finance, from two unnamed Chinese investors, will also support phase three of the project, the plans for which will be finalised next year. Phase one has already been completed with the first salmon harvest successfully executed in April last year. The plan is to increase annual output from a predicted 8,000 tonnes to 20,000 tonnes at Nordic Aqua (Ningbo), which was set up by the parent company in 2018. NOAP said in a statement today (25 September) that pre-engineering assessments for phase three will be completed next year with the aim to start construction late in 2026 or early in 2027. In an accompanying first-half results announcement today, NOAP said the first harvest from the stage three farming project is expected in 2029. The company added the investment will bolster Nordic Aqua Ningbos position as the leading onshore RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture System) and land-based Atlantic salmon platform in China - uniquely positioned to meet the countrys demand for safe, sustainable, and locally produced protein. NOAPs CEO Ragnar Joensen said: This marks a major strategic milestone for Nordic Aqua. Our long-standing collaboration with the Chinese institutions goes back to the very beginning of Nordic Aqua Ningbo. The introduction of two respected entities as strategic minority partners represents a natural evolution of that cooperation. In the longer term, NOAP said it will evaluate the option of a public listing in China or Hong Kong via an IPO for Nordic Aqua Ningbo. That would, the company said, provide a de-risked path to cash flow scale, operational leverage, and long-term value creation in the worlds largest and fastest-growing seafood market. Reflecting the initial stages of the Nordic Aqua Ningbo project, the parent group posted a first-half net loss of 14.35m (-$16.84m), widening from a 1.71m loss a year earlier. Revenue was up 58% at 7.39m. The salmon harvest, still from phase one, was 955 tonnes, up from 523 tonnes a year earlier. Operating EBITDA remained in the red to the tune of 1.27m, compared to a corresponding loss of 1.98m. EBIT was reported as a 6.6m loss versus an almost 2m loss. "Nordic Aqua Partners receives Chinese investment for farmed Atlantic salmon" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talks with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press) Nvidia plans to invest $100 billion in OpenAI, giving the ChatGPT maker a huge war chest to build data centers with the chip maker's chips. OpenAI will gain access to millions of Nvidia chips in the coming years. Everything starts with compute, Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, said in a joint news release. Compute infrastructure will be the basis for the economy of the future, and we will utilize what were building with Nvidia to both create new AI breakthroughs and empower people and businesses. For OpenAI, the $100-billion investment will trickle in progressively as each gigawatt of the 10 planned gigawatts of power needed for the data centers is deployed. The first gigawatt data center is scheduled to go online in the second half of 2026. This investment and infrastructure partnership mark the next leap forward deploying 10 gigawatts to power the next era of intelligence, Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia, said in a news release. Globally, companies are expected to spend $375 billion on artificial intelligence infrastructure in 2025. Nvidias graphics processing units underlie most modern AI data centers. This makes its chips a critical commodity in the AI boom and has propelled it to the forefront of global geopolitics. Read more: Intel shares soar as Nvidia embrace brings it into the AI boom Nvidia has become a puppet master of the AI ecosystem. In the last year, the company has been at the center of several big-ticket deals, including a $250-million investment in CoreWeave, a cloud service provider that rents Nvidia GPUs. Soon after the investment, CoreWeave signed a $6.3-billion deal with the chip maker, ensuring any unsold cloud computing capacity will be purchased by Nvidia. Last week, Nvidia picked up a $5-billion stake in its ailing rival Intel to develop data center and PC products. The same week, Nscale, another London-based cloud service provider that uses Nvidia chips, received a $500 - million investment from Nvidia, which was followed by a $2.7 - billion commitment to develop AI infrastructure in the U.K. Critics are concerned that this could be an example of circular financing, in which a company invests in its biggest customers who then use the money to buy the investor's products. The concern is that this could lead to an overestimation of demand for Nvidia's chips. Nvidia bulls see the $100-billion investment in OpenAI as another sign of the massive unmet demand for AI as companies and countries race to deploy computing infrastructure. We believe the Street is underestimating demand in this 4th Industrial Revolution, said Dan Ives, senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities. We believe this is a multiplier impact as Nvidia is investing in Big Techs future and for every $1 Jensen puts into Nvidia, they will get $8 to $10 of revenue over the coming years. Nvidia is the "king" of the artificial intelligence boom. But if AI is just a bubble, it is in Nvidia's best interest to keep it going strong for as long as possible. Another company at the center of this bubble is OpenAI. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitted in his August interview with The Verge that he thinks we are in an AI bubble: The internet was a really big deal. People got overexcited. Are we in a phase where investors as a whole are overexcited about AI? My opinion is yes. Altman isn't the only big tech CEO who acknowledged the possibility that we are in an AI bubble. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed this in the interview on the ACCESS podcast: I do think that there's definitely a possibility, at least empirically, based on past large infrastructure buildouts and how they led to bubbles, that something like that would happen here. Nvidia's latest move suggests that if we are in a bubble, the company is doing everything to keep it from bursting. OpenAI needs about $800 billion for its two biggest deals.Image source: TheStreet/Shutterstock Nvidia makes a 10GW datacenter deal with OpenAI OpenAI and Nvidia (NVDA) revealed their non-binding agreement to deploy at least 10 gigawatts of Nvidia systems for OpenAI's AI infrastructure. Nvidia said it will invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI as the new Nvidia systems are deployed. The first stage, based on the Nvidia Vera Rubin platform, is expected to come online in the second half of 2026. Nvidia will start investing in OpenAI once the deal is completed, with an initial investment of $10 billion. Then, OpenAI can use the money to buy Nvidia's chips, reported Reuters. More Nvidia: Google, Meta, and ByteDance are working on, or already have, custom non-Nvidia AI accelerators, and recently, OpenAI joined the pack. Broadcom has a $10 billion contract with OpenAI to build custom AI accelerators for them. The Nvidia-OpenAI deal could trigger an antitrust probe, as it potentially solidifies Nvidia's chip monopoly. However, that's less likely under the current U.S. government administration. Other issues make this deal questionable, though. OpenAI does not have the money for the deal In 2024, OpenAI estimated it would lose approximately $5 billion on $3.7 billion in revenue. The company's annual recurring revenue is expected to surpass $20 billion this year, but according to CNBC, OpenAI is still losing money. Bloomberg reported in March that the company is expected to hit revenue of $125 billion in 2029 and will not be cash-flow positive before then. RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -Exxon Mobil, Brazilian state-run Petrobras and oil services provider TechnipFMC petitioned the country's antitrust regulator Cade to intervene in a merger between energy contractors Subsea7 and Saipem, public documents seen by Reuters show. In filings submitted on Thursday, the firms said the merger between Norway's Subsea7 and Italy's Saipem would bring a level of concentration in the subsea oil and gas services market that could drive up costs and curb competition. The firms want Cade to block the merger or impose remedies to preserve competition in Brazil, such as asset sales, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Cade provided no additional information beyond what is in the public case file. Petrobras, Exxon, TechnipFMC, Saipem and Subsea7 did not immediately comment on the matter. The combined group, to be renamed Saipem7, will have an order backlog of 43 billion euros ($50.6 billion), revenue of about 21 billion euros and core earnings of more than 2 billion euros, the companies said in a statement in July. The deal is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, the companies said. In its filing with Cade, Petrobras said the transaction would impact the company, as it relies on the firms for its core business. Exxon said the deal would lead to a high concentration of contractors offering subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines, or SURF projects, reducing competition and customer choice. TechnipFMC, a rival services provider, said the deal would limit the ability of other players to compete. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama Writing by Fabio Teixeira) Azerbaijans role as a regional energy and transport hub, and its potential to strengthen US strategic interests in the South Caucasus, were highlighted in a recent Forbes article by Wesley Alexander Hill. Azernews presents an adapted version of the analysis. The article notes that the US-brokered deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan in August represents a major diplomatic breakthrough, ending decades of conflict over Garabagh. Analysts point out that the peace agreement, coupled with the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), opens new opportunities for trade, investment, and regional stability. Hill emphasizes that Azerbaijans strategic position along the Caspian and its role as a transit corridor for energy and goods from Central Asia to Europethe Middle Corridormakes it a key partner for Washington. He stresses that US foreign policy toward Baku is constrained by Section 907 of the 1992 Freedom Support Act, which limits direct aid to Azerbaijan. Section 907 has outlived its usefulness, the article states. It actively hampers Americas strategic, economic, and diplomatic interests in the South Caucasus and beyond. The article further highlights Azerbaijans independent foreign policy, balancing relations with both Russia and Iran, maintaining a pro-Western outlook, and deepening ties with Israel. Azerbaijans cooperation with Israel in defence, energy, and agriculture, as well as its openness to supporting the Abraham Accords, signals its potential as a stabilizing regional actor. Energy security remains central to Azerbaijans strategic value. The Southern Gas Corridor delivers Caspian gas to Southern Europe, bypassing Russia and Iran, while the Middle Corridor facilitates the transit of Kazakh oil and other Central Asian resources to Western markets. Hill notes that Europes efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy amplify Azerbaijans importance. The article warns that failure by the US to actively engage could leave space for China, which is already investing in Azerbaijan through the Belt and Road Initiative. Americas indecision in selling advanced military equipment has forced Azerbaijan to turn to Chinese and Pakistani suppliers, Hill notes. The piece concludes that repealing Section 907 is not about endorsing all Azerbaijani decisions, but about recognising Baku as a partner whose cooperation supports US strategic and economic interests. Hill argues that doing so would enhance trade, strengthen regional stability, and send a clear signal about Americas reliability to its allies. Larry Ellison has roughly doubled his wealth this year to nearly $400 billion. The Oracle cofounder's net worth exceeds Bank of America's $385 billion market value. Ellison's fortune has grown thanks to Oracle stock jumping 97% this year on AI optimism. Larry Ellison is about twice as rich now than at the start of the year, and is personally worth more than Bank of America. The Oracle cofounder's fortune grew by an unmatched $195 billion in 2025, reaching $388 billion at Monday's close, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. That figure exceeds the $385 billion market value of Bank of America, which generated over $100 billion of revenue and $27 billion of net income last year, and ranks among the world's 30 most valuable public companies. Ellison, Oracle's chairman and tech chief, is the world's second-wealthiest person after Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who's worth $452 billion. Ellison is more than $100 billion richer than Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos, who rank third and fourth on the rich list with fortunes of $269 billion and $250 billion, respectively. Ellison owns about 41% of Oracle's stock, which has soared 97% this year to record highs. Investors expect Oracle to play a critical role in building the infrastructure needed to power the AI boom. Oracle's contract backlog grew by over 350% year on year last quarter to $455 billion, as it struck huge deals with AI giants such as ChatGPT maker OpenAI. CEO Safra Catz projected the company's cloud infrastructure revenue would rise 14-fold from around $10 billion last financial year to $144 billion in the year ending May 2030 a sum that's about 2.5 times Oracle's total revenue of $57 billion last financial year. Ellison's net worth has roughly quintupled within the past three years, as Oracle's shares have climbed from under $70 to $328 at Monday's close. The billionaire, who lives on a Hawaiian island, also bought about 1.6% of Tesla before joining the board of Musk's EV maker in December 2018. The holding is worth over $20 billion today if he still has it. He stepped down in 2022 and no longer has to disclose his stake. Read the original article on Business Insider Bitcoin-focused Latin American company OranjeBTC is set to go public on Brazils B3 exchange in early October with more than $400 million in BTC reserves, making it Brazils largest publicly-traded bitcoin treasury firm. The move, confirmed by local news outlet Brazil Journal and at Mercado Bitcoins DAC 2025 conference, will see it go public via a reverse merger with Intergraus, a prep-course provider already listed on the exchange. Once the transaction closes, Oranje will assume Intergraus public listing with a roughly 85% free float. Oranje holds 3,650 bitcoin, roughly six times more than Brazilian fintech Meliuz, the only other major publicly-traded bitcoin treasury firm in the country. The sum would rank Oranje among the top 25 corporate bitcoin holders globally, and the company aims to expand that reserve aggressively, according to local media. Backing the venture are high-profile crypto investors including Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, bitcoin pioneer Adam Back, trading platform FalconX, and Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego. Institutional players like Off the Chain Capital and ParaFi Capital also participated in the initial round, the report added. Alongside its treasury play, Oranje plans to launch a financial education platform focused on bitcoin and crypto, using Intergraus existing infrastructure. A major beneficiary of the new iPhone launch is sliding under the radar. His company, Luxshare Precision, started out making phone cords, and now makes full devices. It's doing so well with Apple that the likes of OpenAI are now knocking, pushing shares higher. You probably don't who Wang Laisheng is. He's a billionaire, but he doesn't have that top-level name-brand recognition like a Musk or Bezos. He's not snatching headlines every day. Even if you're unfamiliar, chances are you've used one of his products. In fact, you're probably using one right now. Wang is the cofounder and vice chairman of Luxshare Precision Industry, a China-based manufacturer that originally made cables and accessories for Apple products before getting the bump up to start assembling the company's golden goose: phones. He's had a great week in the market, with his fortune jumping significantly in the days since the launch of the iPhone 17 a period that's seen Luxshare stock spike 32%. Shares are listed on China's Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and the company is reportedly eyeing a Hong Kong listing this year. According to Forbes data, Wang's net worth is now $14.3 billion. That's up from $9 billion as of last Thursday's close, before the iPhone 17 launch. He added $788 million to his net worth on Wednesday alone as Luxshare stock rose another 7%. Luxshare was asked by Apple last week to boost its daily production of the iPhone 17 by around 40%, according to a report from The Information on Sept. 19, the same day the new iPhone went on sale. This added to the positive momentum of the product launch. Another bullish driver has materialized over the same timeframe, with The Information also reporting that Luxshare signed a deal with OpenAI to produce a consumer AI device. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Steven Tseng sees this as a positive sign for the long-term health of Luxshare, saying it "could be a fresh, long-term growth driver and diversify the company's revenue stream beyond Apple." Moral of the story: if you do a job well for Apple, then other tech titans will eventually come knocking. And if Luxshare continues growing as expected, so will Wang's wealth. Read the original article on Business Insider PEAC Solutions has announced two senior appointments to support the expansion of its technology financing operations in the UK. Jordan Lisle has joined the newly established technology team as its lead. He brings experience from roles at BMW, HP, Apple, Microsoft and TD Synnex. Lisle said he was delighted to be joining PEAC Solutions at such a pivotal time and highlighted the companys recent acquisition of Topi as an exciting step forward as it prepares to introduce its capabilities to the UK market. He added that PEAC already had a strong reputation for being proactive, efficient and easy to work with. Jordan Lisle Paul Fletcher Commenting on Lisles appointment, Alexia Mann, Divisional Director at PEAC Solutions, said it demonstrates our commitment to the technology financing landscape and that the company looks forward to growing our offering and delivering added value for our partners and customers. Paul Fletcher has also joined the business as Channel Tech Manager, bringing more than 20 years of experience in IT and automotive leasing, including at Lombard, CF Corporate and TD Synnex Tech as a Service. Fletcher said PEACs values align perfectly with how I like to work with both customers and colleagues and described the company as providing an excellent foundation to grow our technology funding offering in the UK. Welcoming Fletcher, Mann noted that his breadth of experience brings a valuable perspective to how we establish and deliver our technology strategy and expressed confidence in the impact he will make for our partners and customers. PEAC Solutions is a multinational asset finance platform operating across the UK, Europe and the US. "PEAC Solutions expands UK tech team with two senior appointments" was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand. Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) is one of the 13 Best Fortune 500 Dividend Stocks to Invest In. Following solid second quarter results, the company acquires the remaining 50% interest in WRB Refining and announces $2 billion Notes offering. Phillips 66 Expands Refining Capacity and Strengthens Dividend Outlook Following Q2 Beat On July 25, 2025, Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) reported a strong Q2 2025, with Adjusted EPS of $2.38 and revenues of $33.5 billion, both beating the analyst consensus estimates. The beat was largely owing to its Refining segment, which saw adjusted pre-tax earnings of $392 million, up from $302 million in Q2 of the previous year. The companys Marketing & Specialties segment also witnessed growth from improved fuel margins. Later, on September 9, 2025, the company entered an agreement to acquire the remaining 50% interest in WRB Refining from Cenovus Energy for $1.4 billion in cash. With this move, the company anticipates an increase in its refining capacity, adding approximately 250,000 barrels per day. Also, on September 16, 2025, the company announced entering into a Terms Agreement for a public offering of $2 billion in junior subordinated notes. The agreement includes Series A and Series B notes due in 2056. With these new developments projecting a stable financial position, Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) offers a 3.61% dividend yield, returning value to its shareholders. Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX), founded in 2012 and headquartered in Texas, is a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company. The company is a spin-off from ConocoPhillips, and its business operations comprise refining, midstream, chemicals, and marketing and specialties. While we acknowledge the potential of PSX 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: 11 Best Performing IPOs in the Last 2 Years and 12 Jim Cramer Stock Picks this Week Disclosure. None. The single biggest concern in New York this week will be power prices, not carbon emissions, workforce capabilities, or even geopolitical uncertainty. The rising price of power and the resulting outcry from customers and regulators are the top-of-mind issues for everyone in attendance. Electricity prices, particularly in high-demand, fast-growing markets like Northern Virginia, Central Texas, and parts of the Pacific Northwest, have soared. The causes are well-known: capacity constraints, transmission bottlenecks, and an aging grid, all of which have been exacerbated by years of static load growth that has suddenly exploded. However, in recent weeks, the tone has shifted, as regional concerns have continued to build into a national conversation. As one podcast stated, electricity is the new price of eggs, indicating the universal nature of the issue. Predictably, finger-pointing has already begun. Utilities are wary of being seen as the culprit and blame excessive federal and local regulation. Grid operators are warning of a capacity shortfall, pointing to supply chain challenges, aging equipment, and climate-driven storm events. And politiciansmany of whom once celebrated data centers as economic winsare now signaling concern over rising bills and equity impacts, particularly with an election year looming. For AI developers and hyperscalers, this isn't just a budgeting issue. Its existential. Compute forecasts for 2026 and beyond, which rely on massive additions of powerdozens of gigawattsflowing into already-congested regions; many of the biggest companies in the world have staked their sky-high stock prices on it. A change in seasons is unlikely to bring any relief, as a report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association predicts a 7% increase in winter power billseven amid recent federal cuts to LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program). Thus, expect affordability to be the primary starting point for conversations and pronouncements across the board, with the primary players citing the numerous efforts already launched to address the issue, including flexible capacity, local grants, charitable programs, and diversifying the energy mix. This week, the energy world convenes in New York for the United Nations Climate Week. The gathering will encompass the most vital sectors of the U.S. economy at presenttechnology firms and utilities will be well-represented, along with a host of consultants, suppliers, experts, and academics, who consistently attend these events. UN Climate Week mirrors another widespread gathering, CERAWeek in Houston, Texas, which is also a gathering place, as founder Daniel Yergin describes it. In March, a palpable sense of optimism was evident throughout the George R. Brown Convention Center, with the newly minted Trump administration eager to remove regulatory impediments from the energy sector, while offering full-throated support for the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. Technology companies and utilities were anxious to discuss their growing partnerships, while oil and gas majors began discussing openly how they would participate in the challenge of powering AI. Shift the scene several months forward, and attitudes are still largely bullish, but significant challenges loom on the horizon amidst the endless cavalcade of panel conversations, networking opportunities, and other familiar milieus that accompany the gathering of so many powerful and wide-reaching sectors. Story Continues Communities Express Concerns Simultaneously, communities nationwide are beginning to push back against new data center developments, citing power affordability, as well as worries about water use and noise issues. While blaming data centers for the increase in power costs is understandable, its also largely flawed, and demonstrates a recurring challenge across the energy sectorcustomers are familiar with the equipment and processes involved, but dont truly understand how it all works. Hence, theres a massive opportunity for the data center industry and its supporters to help customers and local regulators understand the critical role they already play in daily lifehelping regulate everything from radio communications for schools and public safety organizations to distributing text messages and enabling video calls at home. While AI data centers present different challenges, they also serve as the infrastructure on which AI will run; success on both sides will lie in mitigating cost and resource impacts amidst the ongoing buildout. Despite these challenges, a host of innovations are emerging to address issues ranging from water use to ambient noise and power consumption. Additionally, the need for data center construction and expansion has supercharged industries, like nuclear and geothermal, as the endless appetite for new energy has made investments in emerging industries move from theoretical to fully realizedwith the federal government increasingly clearing the way. Even as these technologies take time to develop, battery storage investment and technologies are surgingthanks to their perfect sweet spot between providing additional energy and integrating into existing grid infrastructure. Fossil Fuel Companies Loom At CERAWeek, both Chevron and Exxon expressed interest in helping alleviate the AI-driven power crunch. Their inherent advantages are cleara deep understanding of how to build massive projects on time and on budget, a capable workforce that could move from the oilfield to helping oversee the energy side of data centers, and across their holdings, a host of open land, natural gas reserves, and growing pipeline capacity. Additionally, it has been well documented that much of the easy oil in the Permian Basin and elsewhere has already been extracted. With multiple CEOs pointing to either plateauing or declining production in the region, recent speculation has centered on the Permian as the next great boom area for data centersakin to what has already happened in Northern Virginia. The comparison makes senseproduced water from fracking operations could cool the centers, theres no shortage of land, and the Texas government is always willing to help the energy business. Yet again, however, its the lack of power infrastructure in the area that could hinder further developmenta dynamic well-documented by Rice Universitys Baker Institute in a recent paper. New York Climate Week may not be the exact setting. Still, given the market incentive, expressed interest, and capability of the oil and gas industry to play a significant role, it seems prudent to expect an announcement along these lines very soon. Its unsurprising that the challenge around powering the AI revolution has grown more complicated since March. Press releases and photo opportunities are easybuilding a generation of infrastructure akin to the modern transcontinental railroad is hard. Regardless, expect the energy and technology sectors to continue full speed ahead. Given the importance of winning the AI race globally, failure is not an option. Joe Brettell serves as Partner, Strategic Engagement for Prosody Consulting. When not attending New York Climate Week, he resides in Houston, Texas. www.prosodyconsulting.com. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has taken RACQ Insurance to court, alleging the insurer provided customers with misleading premium comparisons. The practice, which spanned more than five years, potentially distorted customers' perceptions of their policy renewals. Between September 2019 and December 2024, more than 570,000 renewal documents from RACQ Insurance, part of Insurance Australia Group, were sent out with what the ASIC claims were inflated "last period premium" figures. These figures often did not reflect discounts or policy changes that had reduced customers' actual premiums, leading to a misrepresentation of premium increases. ASIC deputy chair Sarah Court said: During a cost-of-living crisis, we believe RACQ misled thousands of customers by including false comparison pricing in their renewal documents. Not only do we allege RACQ broke the law, but it was also put on notice by its customers, who complained that the last period premium amount was misleading, yet RACQ did little about it for more than five years. In one instance, an RACQ customer's renewal notice indicated a marginal 1.5% premium increase, from $6,930.55 to $7,033.57. However, the customer had previously paid $5,024.18, meaning the new premium was actually a 40% hike. The ASIC contends that RACQ was aware of the misleading information as customer complaints surfaced just two days after the practice began. The alleged conduct spanned various types of insurance including home, car, caravan, boat and pet cover. The ASIC is seeking court declarations, civil penalties and publicity orders. Responding to the allegations, RACQ revealed that it had self-reported the issue after a media enquiry in 2024. In a statement, the insurer said: We acknowledge ASICs proceedings and will be working through this process to finalise the matter. Earlier this month, Insurance Australia Group concluded its acquisition of RACQ's insurance underwriting business. "RACQ faces court over misleading premiums in Australia " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Billionaire investor and founder of Bridgewater Associates, Ray Dalio, has issued a stark warning about the economic future. He appeared in a podcast with Steven Bartlett, titled very, very dark times, and warned of an uncertain future for major Western economies, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Ray Dalio Helps Investors Navigate Uncertainty Citing unsustainable debt levels, deep internal political divisions, and rising geopolitical conflict, Dalio stressed that his own success was built on navigating such volatility, stating that learning to "diversify his bets was the ultimate key. Trending: Would you have invested in eBay or Uber early? The same backers are betting on this vacation home platform at just $2.90 per share. In a recent podcast interview, the former hedge fund manager, who divested his remaining stake and stepped down from Bridgewaters board, was blunt about his pessimism, responding with a simple "No" when asked if he was optimistic about the future of either the U.S. or the UK. He characterized the U.S. as playing a "risky game," pointing specifically to its mounting financial liabilities. "If I go down my list, it definitely has this uh debt money economy problem," Dalio explained, identifying it as one of the primary forces driving the nation toward a precarious future. A Smart Rabbit Has Three Holes To navigate the impending uncertainty, Dalio urged individuals to prioritize financial and geographical flexibility. He shared a Chinese proverb to illustrate his point about diversification beyond a simple stock portfolio. "A smart rabbit has three holes," he said, explaining it means having the ability to "move to the better place and get out of the place that's a terrible place." See Also: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it? He cautioned against traditional advice that limits this flexibility, such as tying up too much capital in a primary residence, noting that the "ability to move capital matters." A key tenet of this strategy is maintaining liquidity and mobility. The ultimate goal of this allocation strategy, he explains, is to "dramatically reduce my risk without reducing my returns," a principle he credits as being fundamental to his success. What Made Dalio Cautious With Diversification? Dalio revealed that this philosophy was forged in the aftermath of a devastating market miscalculation early in his career. XRP, the native token of XRP Ledger, developed by the fintech firm Ripple, has been down nearly 10% since Sept 19. While the token briefly surged on Sept. 23, after Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced his wedding. However, the token soon tanked on Sept 24 after briefly reaching $2.99. While XRP is currently down nearly 2%, at $2.82, Coinglass data reveals that around $8.28 million worth of XRP has been long over the last day. Resistance is located near the $3.20$3.30 zone, and support is found around the $2.60 price point. However, momentum has cooled since the July rally, with the MACD now hovering near a bearish crossover. If XRP maintains a position above $2.60, a period of consolidation may result in a retest of $3.00. More news: While XRP's price action is relatively down, Garlinghouse has praised the XRP community. Retweeting or resharing a video of the XRP Seoul 2025 event that took place on Sep 21, the CEO wrote: "One thing you know about the XRP community anywhere in the world they show up in force!" Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse.Getty Images XRP's utility increases At the XRP Seoul event, Midas and Interop Labs introduced mXRP, a mechanism that channels dormant XRP supply into yield-bearing structures, offering 8% returns, as per reports. This adds to the growing list of utilities that XRP has as a token. Apart from this, some of the key utilities of the XRP token are: On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), which is used by financial institutions to instantly bridge fiat currencies, thereby reducing their dependence on pre-funded nostro accounts. Powers minting and trading of NFTs on the XRP Ledger. Can be staked, lent, or utilized as collateral on decentralized platforms to facilitate borrowing and yield generation. XRP is also used as a transactional asset designed to facilitate financial settlement, scalability, and speed. On Sep 23. Ripple partnered with Securitize to develop a smart contract that allows investors holding BlackRock's tokenized money (BUIDL) or VanEck's tokenized fund (VBILL) to exchange their fund tokens for RLUSD (Ripple USD) at any time. While not directly related to XRP, they both fall under the same ecosystem of Ripple. Related: What are tokenized stocks? Explained This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Business News section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Ripple, XRP. Photo by BeInCrypto Ripple and Securitize announced a smart contract. It lets holders of BlackRocks BUIDL and VanEcks VBILL tokenized Treasury funds redeem shares for Ripple USD (RLUSD). The feature creates a regulated off-ramp that works 24/7. It gives institutional investors instant settlement and programmable liquidity. Ripple and Securitize enable institutional off-ramp BlackRock launched the USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) in March 2024. It surpassed $1 billion in assets within its first year. VanEck introduced the Treasury Fund (VBILL) in May 2025 on Avalanche, BNB Chain, Ethereum, and Solana. Ripple said BUIDL redemptions are live, and VBILL will follow in the coming days. Jack McDonald, Ripples senior vice president of stablecoins, said the option to redeem shares for RLUSD is a natural next step in bridging traditional finance with crypto. RLUSD adoption broadens beyond US institutions Securitize framed the integration as RLUSDs first use on its regulated platform. The platform manages more than $4 billion in tokenized assets under SEC oversight. Carlos Domingo, Securitizes chief executive, said the deal enables real-time settlement and programmable liquidity across compliant products. Ripple chose BNY Mellon to hold RLUSD reserves. Issued under a New York Department of Financial Services trust charter, RLUSD is backed one-to-one by cash and Treasurys. Assets stay segregated and subject to attestations. Analysts note that pairing NYDFS oversight with SEC-linked platforms shows the growing overlapand at times tensionbetween state and federal rules in the US. Brad Garlinghouse said redemptions now run on Ethereum, with XRP Ledger support expected soon. Ripple launched RLUSD in late 2024. Since then, the stablecoin has passed $700 million in market capitalization. It also joined Ripples cross-border payments network and gained traction in decentralized finance pools. Ripple partnered with DBS and Franklin Templeton in Singapore to add RLUSD to asset management. It expanded access in Africa to support remittances and payments. The firm also planned a 2026 launch in Japan with SBI under Financial Services Agency rules. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that China's trade with Russia is in line with World Trade Organization rules and that they are "not targeted at any third party". His remarks follow claims made by United States President Donald Trump, who accused China, among other nations, of helping to finance Russia's war against Ukraine by continuing to buy Russian energy. Guo added that Beijing's trade with Moscow "should not be subject to interference or influence" and stressed that China will take necessary measures to protect its interests. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also suggested that China "could compel Moscow to end the invasion," alleging that, without China, "Russia is nothing." Guo commented that China's position on the war has remained unchanged from the start and that Beijing continues to insist on "mediating peace and promoting talks." Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (SWKS), based in Irvine, California, is a global designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, especially for wireless communication, RF front-end modules, and other key components for smartphones, 5G infrastructure, automotive, and other connected applications. Its market capitalization currently stands at around $12.3 billion. Companies with a market cap of $10 billion or more are typically recognized as large-cap stocks, a classification that reflects their financial heft, robust performance, and global market presence. Skyworks Solutions comfortably falls into this category, underscoring its consistent performance, innovation capabilities, and strategic positioning in the global market. More News from Barchart However, the chip company pulled back 19.9% from its 52-week high of $101.50, achieved last year. Shares of Skyworks have surged 12.3% over the past three months, compared to the Technology Select Sector SPDR Funds (XLK) 15.4% rise over the same time frame. www.barchart.com SWKS stock has been caught in a drag while the broader tech sector sprinted ahead over the longer term as well. The chip stock is down 8.4% on a year-to-date (YTD) basis, lagging behind XLKs 20.5% rise. Moreover, SWKS has plunged 17.2% over the past 52 weeks, compared to XLKs 26.2% climb over the same time frame. SWKS spent much of the past year in bearish momentum, stuck under its 200-day and mostly under its 50-day moving averages. Through spring and early summer, action looked mixed brief pops but no real strength. Recently, though, momentum has turned bullish, with the stock breaking above both moving averages, signaling a possible shift after a long stretch of underperformance. www.barchart.com Skyworks Solutions has experienced a notable decline in its stock price over the past year, primarily due to intensified competition in its smartphone business. The company had earlier announced a projected 20% to 25% reduction in its component supply to Apple Inc. (AAPL) for the iPhone 17 series. This shift is expected to significantly impact revenue in fiscal 2026, raising concerns about its profitability and growth prospects. Malaysian clean energy company Solarvest Holdings has signed a joint investment framework agreement with global investment company Brookfield for the development, construction, and operation of at least 1.5GW of utility-scale solar and battery energy storage (BES) projects in Malaysia. The projects will be delivered over the next three to five years, stated Solarvest. The move marks Brookfield's inaugural investment in Malaysia through its Catalytic Transition Fund, aimed at fostering decarbonisation in emerging markets. Solarvest executive director Davis Chong said: By combining our proven expertise and innovation with our partners strong global network and financial strength, we are uniquely positioned to deliver impactful renewable energy solutions that will drive Malaysias decarbonisation agenda in line with the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR). Beyond Malaysia, this collaboration also enables us to expand our regional footprint, meeting the growing demand for sustainable power. Together, we aim to create lasting value by advancing clean energy adoption, strengthening energy security, and supporting the regions journey towards carbon neutrality. For each project under the partnership, a special-purpose vehicle will be formed. Solarvest will hold a majority stake of 51% while Brookfield will own the remaining 49%, reported The Edge Malaysia, citing Chong from a press conference. The role of Solarvest will be to develop and implement the projects, whereas Brookfield will be responsible for securing offtakers and facilitating financing arrangements. The partnership's aim is to undertake projects falling under the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme, a programme which enables domestic businesses to purchase renewable energy directly from producers via the national grid. Financing strategies for the projects will be determined individually, taking into account various methods such as borrowing, internal reserves, sukuk (Islamic bonds) issuance, and potential cash calls. Brookfield's renewable power portfolio exceeds 270GW under operational and developmental capacity globally while Solarvests portfolio has over 2.3GW of solar photovoltaic projects in Malaysia. Brookfield renewable power and transition for Asia-Pacific head Daniel Cheng said: Malaysia is emerging as a regional leader in clean energy, underpinned by ambitious national targets and surging demand from both utilities and corporates given the countrys growing role as a hub for data centres and semiconductor manufacturing. Brookfield is committed to deploying significant capital into Malaysia where these strong market fundamentals align with our capabilities to deliver power and decarbonisation solutions to large corporates, hyperscalers and other key customers globally. COCO sells coconut water, sparkling water, coconut milk, and oil products in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East through it brands Vita Coco, Runa, and Ever & Ever. Its second-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings report showed $169 million in revenue (Vita Coco Coconut Water sales rose 25%), diluted per-share earnings of $0.38 ($0.36 expected), and $167 million in cash. Its no wonder COCO shares are up 43% in the last year and they could rise more. MoneyFlows data shows how Big Money investors are again betting heavily on the stock. Big Money Drinking Up Vita Coco Institutional volumes reveal plenty. In the last year, COCO has enjoyed strong investor demand, which we believe to be institutional support. Each green bar signals unusually large volumes in COCO shares. They reflect our proprietary inflow signal, pushing the stock higher: Source: www.moneyflows.com Plenty of staples names are under accumulation right now. But theres a powerful fundamental story happening with Vita Coco. Vita Coco Fundamental Analysis Institutional support and a healthy fundamental backdrop make this company worth investigating. As you can see, COCO has had strong sales and earnings growth: 3-year sales growth rate (+10.9%) 3-year EPS growth rate (+149.9%) Source: FactSet Also, EPS is estimated to ramp higher this year by +16.6%. Now it makes sense why the stock has been generating Big Money interest. COCO has a track record of strong financial performance. Marrying great fundamentals with MoneyFlows software has found some big winning stocks over the long term. Vita Coco has become a top-rated stock at MoneyFlows. That means the stock has unusual buy pressure and growing fundamentals. We have a ranking process that showcases stocks like this on a weekly basis. Its seen 10 outlier inflow signals since 2023, rising 57% since the first one. The blue bars below show when COCO was a top pick on the Outlier 20 reportBig Money is a buyer: Source: www.moneyflows.com Tracking unusual volumes reveals the power of money flows. This is a trait that most outlier stocks exhibitthe best of the best. Big Money demand drives stocks upward. Vita Coco Price Prediction The COCO action isnt new at all. Big Money buying in the shares is signaling to take notice. Given the historical gains in share price and strong fundamentals, this stock could be worth a spot in a diversified portfolio. Disclosure: the author holds no position in COCO at the time of publication. If you are a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) or are a serious investor, take your investing to the next level and follow our free weekly MoneyFlows insights. Stablecoin giant Tether Holdings is hoping to raise up to $20 billion in a private placement that could give the company a monetary value of up to $500 billion, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing two unnamed sources. The valuation would cast the issuer of USDT, the world's largest stablecoin, into the ranks of artificial intelligence developer OpenAI and Elon Musk's space transport company SpaceX, which received similar valuations. El Salvador-based Tether is aiming to raise $15-$20 billion for an approximate 3% stake, Bloomberg reported, although an additional source said that the range was a goal and could be much lower. The sources said discussions were in the initial stages and that the deal could change. The announcement is the latest evidence of the rising significance of stablecoins, a result of the friendlier political and regulatory environment in the U.S. under the Trump administration, including the Genius Act greenlighting the issuance and trading of stablecoins. During a White House visit in July shortly before the passage of the legislation, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, told Decrypt of the firm's plans to create USAT, a U.S.-specific stablecoin catering to different use cases than USDT, the companys flagship stablecoin. In September, the company named Bo Hines, former executive director of the White Houses digital assets working group, to serve as USAT's CEO. Tether Coming to America: Reveals 'US-Regulated' USAT Stablecoin, With Its Own CEO Earlier in the summer, stablecoin rival Circle listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock's debut outpaced those of tech behemoths Meta, Robinhood, and Airbnb, nearly quadrupling its initial offer price of $31. The company currently has a valuation above $30 billion, according to Yahoo Finance data. Tether has a market cap of $172 billion, more than double Circle's $74 billion value, according to crypto data provider CoinGecko. On Tuesday at a conference in Seoul, Hines said during an interview that Tether has no plans to raise money, Bloomberg reported. The deal would involve new shares, not current investors selling their equity. Investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald is serving as the lead adviser. In recent weeks, potential investors have received access to a data room as they consider their participation, the publication reported, which added that a deal is expected to close by year's end. According to its own attestation in July, Tether issued $20 billion in USDT through the first six months of the year and generated a net profit of $5.7 billion over this period, including $4.9 billion in its second quarter alone. The firm counts Bitcoin and gold among its holdings. Starbucks (SBUX) announced plans to close unprofitable locations and cut corporate jobs as CEO Brian Niccol focuses on the company's turnaround plan. In a letter posted to its blog and sent to employees on Thursday, Niccol shared that the company plans to reduce its store count by roughly 1% in Canada and the US this fiscal year. By year-end, the total company-operated and licensed stores across the US and Canada will be nearly 18,300. As of Q3, there were 18,842 locations in North America. Starbucks will also eliminate 900 non-retail roles and close open positions as part of a $1 billion restructuring effort. The memo said employees will be notified on Sept. 26 and be offered "severance and support packages including benefits extensions." "We will continue to carefully manage costs and stay focused on the key areas that drive long-term growth," Niccol wrote. This comes after the company laid off 1,100 employees earlier this year. Niccol said the company plans to use the savings to invest in its stores by adding more customer service employees. Other investments include new coffeehouse designs and innovations. Corporate employees, including support partners and people managers, are now required to come to the office four days a week starting Sept. 29, Niccol said in July. Sept. 9 marked one year for Niccol at the helm of the company, which continues to face turbulent times. In its latest quarterly results, Starbucks posted its sixth straight quarterly drop in US same-store sales. US same-store sales fell 2%, in line with the prior quarter's drop but less than the 2.5% drop that had been forecast. That was driven lower by a 4% decline in comparable transactions. Wall Street expected a sharper 4.5% decline. In the earnings call, Niccol pointed to plans to reassess the store portfolio. "We identified coffeehouses where were unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we dont see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed," Niccol said. Starbucks plans to invest in 1,000 locations over the next 12 months to double down on the cozy coffeehouse atmosphere as it moves away from pick-up-focused customer experiences. Starbucks customer Madison Flotteron was told today that her local Starbucks on Columbus and 67th in New York City was closing as soon as tomorrow. (Credit: Instagram @milesbymadi) Customers turned to social media to share that their local Starbucks will close as soon as Saturday, while employees shared information on a Reddit thread about which Starbucks locations were closing and whether they were unionized. One store closure that created buzz is the shuttering of Starbucks' Reserve Roastery in its hometown of Seattle, which was a unionized location. Seattle content creator John Cortes, known as Corteezyy on TikTok, posted about the closure on Thursday with a video that now has more than 500,000 views. More cost-cutting is on the way to Starbucks. The coffeehouse chain plans to lay off 900 corporate workers and shut down an undisclosed number of stores across North America as part of its ongoing turnaround plan . The company announced the moves, which will cost about $1 billion for severance payments, lease exits and other store closure costs, in a message to employees Thursday. All corporate employees were asked to work from home for the remainder of the week, with layoff notifications set to occur on Friday. These steps are to reinforce what we see is working and prioritize our resources against them, CEO Brian Niccol said in a message to employees Thursday. It's part of an ongoing overhaul plan initiated by Niccol, designed to raise profits and make Starbucks a regular part of customers' lives once more. In addition to the layoffs, many open and unfilled positions will also be eliminated, Niccol said. The store closings come as more than 1,000 Starbucks stores are in the midst of a makeover , which is expected to last through the end of 2026 and will cost approximately $150,000 per store. The changes include more wood paneling and gentler lighting. The company says its aiming for a welcoming environment "where people want to gather. Think of it as a living room outside your home." Stores that will be shut down were seemingly judged to be poor candidates for those upgrades. The company did not say how many stores it plans to close, nor give any locations that would be impacted. The number of company-operated stores, Niccol said, would decline by 1% by the end of Starbucks Fiscal Year, even when accounting for recent store openings. During the review, we identified coffeehouses where were unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we dont see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed, Niccol wrote. Starbucks has reported six consecutive quarters of same-store sales declines. To lure customers back, the company has rolled out a series of changes reviving policies and habits that havent been seen since before the pandemic. Workers now once again hand write customers names on the cups with a Sharpie and the chain is offering free refills on some for here orders, a perk that was previously restricted to its loyalty-program members. Some menu items were also cut to expedite service. Milk and sugar stations are making a return as well, which will not only let people prepare their coffee just how they want it, but will lighten the load for baristas and should result in quicker turnaround times for getting drinks. Cheng Xin / Getty Images Starbucks is closing several U.S. and Canadian locations. Key Takeaways Starbucks is closing dozens of outposts it says won't mesh with a turnaround strategy it launched last September. The company is also laying off 900 white-collar employees so it can cut costs and put resources toward "key areas that drive long-term growth," CEO Brian Niccol said. A year into its turnaround attempt, Starbucks says its strategy wont work in dozens of its locationswhich are now set to close. Starbucks (SBUX) is shutting cafes where it's unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect or make the finances work, CEO Brian Niccol said in a letter Thursday that was published online. The Seattle-based coffee chain will end its fiscal year in the coming days with 18,300 American and Canadian outposts, 1% fewer than a year earlier, the letter said, though it expects to finish the coming year with more. Starbucks is also laying off 900 non-retail employees to cut costs and put resources toward key areas that drive long-term growth, Niccol said. Niccol last year announced Back to Starbucks, an attempt to improve sales by making cafes a more enticing place to spend time and money. Starbucks sought to serve to-go customers within four minutes and bring order to cafe lines. Cafes would also become more inviting due to new seating, the return of ceramic dishes and free refills, the company said. Why This Matters For Starbucks Investors A recovery at Starbucks may take some time, given that the company is cutting costs to sustain its new approach one year in. Starbucks is betting customers long for the days when cafes functioned as a place to hang out, but competitors have found success with models focused on drive-thrus and quick turnover. Niccol said there are signs the strategy is working. Customers visited revamped stores more and stayed longer, he wrote. Transactions and sales have grown at locations where Starbucks assigned more staff during busy periods, he said. Still, same-store sales have been negative and store earnings have fallen year-over-year for the past six quarters, according to Visible Alpha. Starbucks has also recently struggled in China, where it is considering selling a stake in the business. Investors welcomed Niccol's appointment to the CEO job. Shares shot up 22% when the company announced his hiring last August. Many were optimistic he would help Starbucks mount a comeback, as he did at Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) in the wake of an e coli outbreak. Expectations appear to have been tempered. Shares of Starbucks remain above where they were before Niccol took over, but they have fallen nearly 13% over the past year and about 9% in 2025. Read the original article on Investopedia "By asking these owners to pay their fair share, Rhode Island can generate much-needed revenue and prevent cuts to essential services like healthcare and education," Kallman said. Lawmakers are leveraging this new tax to try and address the housing affordability crisis. Rhode Island Senator Meghan Kallman told Newsweek [3] that Rhode Islands current tax system is upside-down. Rhode Islands newly enacted levy on second homes, dubbed the Taylor Swift Tax [1] because of the pop stars Watch Hill beach house, which is valued at nearly $30 million [2], went into effect this summer. Swift bought the lavish abode in 2013 for $17.75 million when she was just 23 years old. Heres what these new taxes do, whos affected, and how buyers and second-home owners are already responding. Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake heres what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how The second home tax or Taylor Swift Tax is pitched as a solution to widening housing inequality and strained state budgets. However, high-end real estate agents and some economists warn that this could discourage spending in local communities, drive away affluent homeowners and even reduce housing supply in the long run. A growing number of states are targeting vacation homes with new taxes that aim to raise revenue and level the housing playing field, but not without backlash. First it was Rhode Island. Now its spreading to Montana, Massachusetts and beyond. Vacation home buyers should be aware of new and proposed taxes that could significantly increase long-term ownership costs. Montana and California have implemented their own second-home or mansion tax policies, with others considering similar moves, meaning it could be a good time for HNWIs to look at their real estate portfolios using advisorial services like Range . This could also encourage those with capital on hand to invest in real estate as an alternative asset through platforms like First National Realty Partners or Arrived . Critics say the taxes may backfire by reducing home sales and pushing buyers to other states. Rhode Islands Taylor Swift Tax adds new surcharges on second homes over $1 million, part of a wave of similar taxes across the U.S. Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. Story Continues The new surcharge applies to non-primary residences valued at over $1 million. For any home not occupied for at least 183 days a year, the state now charges $2.50 per $500 in assessed value above the $1 million mark. Thats in addition to existing property taxes. For example, Swifts Watch Hill home carried estimated property taxes of about $203,000 in 2024. The new fee would add around another $145,000 annually, raising her total property tax bill to roughly $348,000. Real estate agents argue this unfairly penalizes part-time residents who already pay local taxes but dont rely heavily on services like schools, police or sanitation. They also point out that these residents can sometimes be big spenders in local communities. These are people who just come here for the summer, spend their money and pay their fair share of taxes, Donna Krueger-Simmons, a sales agent with Mott & Chace Sothebys International in Watch Hill, told CNBC [4]. Theyre getting penalized just because they also live somewhere else. In Swifts case, this change amounts to a 42% increase in her property taxes on her Watch Hill home. For some high earners, a change like this could raise the question of whether their money is being well spent, and if a second home is really worth the effort. One alternative to paying a $145,000 increase in taxes is to invest the money in another sector of real estate instead. For instance, you could invest in commercial real estate with First National Realty Partners, which helps accredited individual investors with a minimum investment of $50,000 access institutional-quality commercial investments all without the legwork of finding deals themselves. FNRP has relationships with the nations largest essential-needs brands, such as Kroger, Walmart and Whole Foods. And since these retailers provide necessities, they tend to still perform well during tough times. Everyone needs groceries, after all. If FNRP sounds like a better way of spending your money than on property taxes, you can engage with their experts, explore available deals and easily make an allocation, all in FNRPs personalized portal. Read more: Here are the 7 top habits of quietly wealthy Americans how many do you follow? Why states are targeting vacation homes States with budget shortfalls see high-value second homes as an opportunity. These properties are typically owned by out-of-state buyers, require fewer public services and can generate significant tax revenue. As home prices soar, resentment is mounting in local communities where full-time residents are being priced out. The combination of tight budgets and growing housing inequality has led to these new policies aimed at what lawmakers see as under-taxed wealth. For example, Montana recently passed a tiered property tax plan that increases rates for second homes and short-term rentals while lowering rates for full-time residents. Properties worth more than four times the states median home price could see tax rates rise to 1.9%, compared to a base rate of 0.76%. The Montana Department of Revenue expects the changes, which take effect in 2026, to raise second-home tax bills by an average of 68%. Valerie Johnson, a broker with PureWest Christies in Bozeman, says the changes wont just affect newcomers. These are small businesses for many people, she explained, referring to long-time locals who rent out investment properties. If youre interested in the vacation rental market, but want to hedge your bets against changes to tax law, you could try investing in real estate with shares of vacation homes or rental properties through Arrived. Backed by world-class investors, including Jeff Bezos, Arrived helps you invest in this market without having to manage touchy tenants or midnight maintenance calls, all while potentially earning a passive income stream. To get started, simply browse through Arriveds selection of vetted properties, each hand-picked for their appreciation potential and income generation. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100, potentially earning quarterly dividends. Will the taxes really work? Economists are divided. Manish Bhatt, a senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation, says the approach may be politically popular but is risky long-term as these kinds of taxes rarely make for sound or broad-based tax policy. Bhatt says that concerns around taxes, could cause people to make a decision to buy in another nearby state. Theres also evidence that higher taxes reduce home sales, and by extension, local revenue. When Los Angeles passed a mansion tax in 2022 on home sales over $5 million, officials expected to raise up to $1.1 billion a year. But as of September 2025, the tax has only generated $830 million, according to the Los Angeles Housing Department [5]. However, Los Angeles recently announced that $316.6 million from this fund will be used to help build affordable housing by waiving some developer costs, based on a separate LAHD report from Sept. 5 [6]. Los Angeles needs to build 456,000 new units before the end of 2029 to comply with state law. If you own a second home, or are thinking about buying one especially in high-end vacation markets its worth considering: New local or state tax surcharges on non-primary residences Higher real estate transfer or conveyance taxes Changing property tax brackets tied to occupancy or assessed value Future proposals that may emerge in nearby states under budget pressure Suffice to say, Swift isnt the only high-net-worth individual who could be impacted by these changes to tax law whether in Rhode Island or beyond. If youre an HNWI and want to get ahead on managing your real estate, you could collaborate with the wealth management experts at Range who work exclusively with households making at least $300,000 a year or individuals making $250,000. Through a strategic partnership with Engineered Tax Services, Range members receive free cost segmentation analysis and discounted cost segmentation studies. Range advisors will then use the study as part of a member's tax planning and strategy. Cost segmentation shortens depreciation timelines from the standard 27.539 years down to just 515 years allowing you to claim significantly larger tax deductions sooner and keep more money in your pocket. Note that only investment properties qualify for segmentation studies. However, Range offers a wide variety of financial services tailored to those with a high net worth not just real estate. And the best part? Range offers users flat-fee pricing and 0% AUM on advisorial services. Book a complimentary demo today to see if Range is right for you, and your money. What to read next Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now. At Moneywise, we consider it our responsibility to produce accurate and trustworthy content people can rely on to inform their financial decisions. We rely on vetted sources such as government data, financial records and expert interviews and highlight credible third-party reporting when appropriate. We are committed to transparency and accountability, correcting errors openly and adhering to the best practices of the journalism industry. For more details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines. [1]. The National Law Review. New Rhode Island Tax on Non-Owner-Occupied Properties Assessed at $1 Million or More [2]. Zillow. Zillow, Zestimate for 16 Bluff Ave, Westerly, RI 02891 [3]. Newsweek. Rhode Island Considers Taylor Swift Tax [4]. CNBC. Rhode Islands Taylor Swift Tax on vacation homes of the wealthy is spreading to other states [5]. Los Angeles Housing Department. ULA Revenue [6]. Los Angeles Housing Department. Homes for LA: 2025 Affordable Housing NOFA Program Regulations and Term Sheets Notice of Funding Availability This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Ed Miliband was told by Future Energy Networks in a letter that the surge in interest in gas was due to 15-year wait times - Chris J Ratcliffe/Bloomberg Tech bosses are scrambling to hook their data centres to Britains gas network because of delays connecting to the electricity grid, energy suppliers have warned. Gas networks report a rising number of connection requests from energy-hungry data centres amid a surge in AI demands, with 86 enquiries received in the last year alone. In a letter to Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, the trade group Future Energy Networks stated that the surge in interest in gas was because of uncertainty and bottlenecks, leading to 15-year wait times to be connected to the electricity grid. Connecting to gas typically took between six months and a year, while building a gas power plant also typically takes one to two years. The rise in requests suggests many tech companies may now power their data centres using gas instead of drawing power from the grid. That could prove embarrassing for the Government, which has vowed to dramatically cut Britains carbon emissions to deliver a 95pc clean electricity system by 2030. Future Energy Networks represents National Gas, which owns and operates the national gas transmission system, and the four gas distribution network companies: Cadent Gas, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities. In the letter, seen by The Telegraph, the group warns that meeting the Governments target of having six gigawatts of data centre capacity by 2030 already looks challenging but that planning delays and grid constraints pose significant hurdles. Companies are telling us they cannot connect to the electricity network quickly enough and so require our world-class infrastructure as the only option to meet the scale and pace of their demand, the letter says. Given AIs strategic importance to the UK economy, energy planning must be grounded in realistic demand projections and make full use of the available resources. The flood of interest has emerged after tech giants, including Google and Microsoft, pledged to invest billions of pounds on building data centres in the UK during Donald Trumps state visit. Jensen Huang, the chief executive of chip giant Nvidia, also warned that Britain would likely need gas to power the new wave of data centres. There is going to be a lot of motivation and incentives to want to bring more power to bear, he said, while accompanying Mr Trump during his state visit. Sustainable power like nuclear, wind, and solar but I am also hoping that gas turbines are going to also contribute. Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia, warned that Britain would likely require gas to power the new wave of data centres - Chris J Ratcliffe/Shutterstock Tech companies have repeatedly made pledges to invest in green energy, but those commitments are being tested by the race for AI dominance. Boxed Beef : Back on September 8, the US president reportedly said he would bring down the price of beef. While this individual has in the past proclaimed himself to be the greatest of a number of things (president, military mind, virologist, meteorologist, etc.), I have not heard him award himself the title of Greatest Economist. Or maybe I just missed it. Still, since his proclamation, the US boxed beef markets have been freefalling. On Friday, September 5, USDA reported the choice price at $410.76, already down $5.25 from its record high of $416.01 on Tuesday, September 3, while select was reported at $385.19, down $4.81 from its record peak of $390.00 from Friday, August 29. As of Monday, September 22, the markets had plummeted to $381.39 and $362.09 respectively. This undoubtedly proofs the US president has absolute power over markets, right? Just like those individuals controlling Russia, China, and North Korea. My friend in the industry sent me a message early Tuesday morning that began with, Something to mix up the muddy waters of the feeder complex. He went on to report higher cash feeder indexes from Monday afternoon, all while the feeder cattle futures market, as well as live cattle, closed higher despite continued commercial selling. Recall from Mondays close that back-month feeders finished the $9.25 daily limit higher, expanding Tuesdays daily limit to $13.75 and live cattle futures to $10.75. By definition, a conundrum is a difficult and complicated problem, one admitting of no satisfactory solution. It is also defined as a riddle in which a fanciful question is answered by a pun. Whenever the subject comes up, Im reminded of Winston Churchills famous quote describing Russia as a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. In other words, Churchill viewed an alliance with Russia as a conundrum, but for now, though, lets focus on the complicated problem that is the cattle markets. Long-term investment money could look to roll out of cattle, after a profitable ride over the past five years or so, into other markets showing potential. Story Continues Maybe not. Remember, US boxed beef prices are reported daily by USDA, an organization run by one of the presidents biggest cheerleaders, Ag Secretary Rollins. It doesnt take much imagination to see daily boxed beef prices are intentionally being reported lower, even if the reality at the meat counter shows the opposite. In this day and age in the United States reality doesnt mean much, even with a reality television personality on the throne. Cash Prices: For as long as I can remember, Ive talked about how livestock futures are driven by their respective underlying cash markets. This is as it should be. It brings back memories of all those analysts, myself included back in the day, who would pompously talk to all who will listen about their technical analysis of the livestock markets. All while those who live and breathe the industry laugh and shake their heads. As I would later openly admit, those who know easily recognize those who dont. The Live Cattle Cash Index (LEY00) has moved from a low daily close of $92.00 on July 1, 2020, to a recent high daily close of $242.00 on September 8, 2025 (recognize that date?). The past couple weeks have seen the Index slip a couple dollars, last reported at $240 on Friday, September 19. Similarly, the National Feeder Cattle Index (GFY00) has risen from a low daily price of $114.23 on April 15, to a high of $367.03 on September 5, 2025. Yes, the feeder index has taken a breather of late, slipping to $358.78 on Friday, September 19, but it could be premature to say its all over for cash cattle. Why? Because of something the US president is unfamiliar with, the simple economic Law of Supply and Demand. This tells us that market price, in this case the cash indexes, is the price where quantities demanded equal quantities available. Hence the phrase, equilibrium price. To put it simply, the US cattle supply is not in an expansion phase meaning quantities demanded continue to outpace available supplies. There are two ways the US president can actually increase supplies in relation to demand: One is creating more cattle himself, the other is to crush demand for US beef. Those arguing he cant do this need only look at the US soybean market for proof that he can. Watson: The algorithm driven investment industry recognized early the changing supply and demand situation in the US cattle market and adjusted their futures positions accordingly. According to CFTC Commitments of Traders reports, noncommercial interests held long futures of only 67,700 contracts on June 16, 2020, as part of a net-long futures position of 24,000 contracts. While there has been and ebb and flow of these positions, the general trend has been for an increase in both long and net-long futures. As of this past January Watson reportedly held long futures of 202,150 contracts putting the net-long futures position near 123,300 contracts. As we know by applying Newtons First Law of Motion to markets, a trending market will stay in that trend until acted upon by an outside force, with that outside force usually noncommercial activity. The latest Commitments of Traders report showed funds had cut their net-long futures position to 101,726 contracts as of Tuesday, September 16, including long futures of 180,326 contracts. This could be an early indication that long-term investors are losing interest in cattle, possibly looking at rolling money over to the corn market based on the bullish longer-term fundamental picture pained by the May-July futures spread. Ive said for a number of months we need to be careful with the cattle market, now more than ever. On the date of publication, Darin Newsom 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 By Qabil Ashirov Baku is currently hosting the Azerbaijan & Central Asia Green Energy Week 2025, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and international experts to discuss the future of renewable energy in the region. The event features keynote addresses from Florian Kitt, Senior Energy Specialist at the World Bank Group; Omar Tsereteli, Deputy Head of Georgias Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Developments Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources Department; Rena Humbatova, Deputy Director of Azerbaijans Renewable Energy Sources Agency; and Elchin Tarquluyev, Solar and Wind Energy Specialist at SOCAR Green. Other representatives of major energy companies are also participating. The discussions focus on accelerating the energy transition in Azerbaijan and Central Asia, shaping policies, attracting investment, and strengthening regional cooperation. Delegates are also examining Azerbaijans national energy strategy leading up to 2050, alongside the growing role of SOCAR Green in advancing renewable energy projects across the region. The Green Energy Week is expected to serve as a platform for fostering cross-border collaboration and mobilizing resources to meet ambitious climate and sustainability goals. The US Government is reportedly negotiating for up to a 10% equity stake in Lithium Americas as part of a renegotiation of the company's $2.26bn ($C3.14bn) loan from the US Department of Energy for the Thacker Pass lithium project. The proposed investment is the most recent instance of the Trump administration's direct involvement in the US economy. This intervention mirrors previous actions taken with Intel, MP Materials and other US technology and minerals companies, aimed at bolstering industries deemed essential for national security, reported Reuters. The Thacker Pass mine, expected to be the largest lithium source in the Western Hemisphere by 2028, is seen as crucial to establishing a domestic supply chain for lithium. This project, located 25 miles (40km) south of Nevada's border with Oregon, has the potential to reduce US dependency on Chinese lithium. Lithium is primarily used in rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries powering consumer electronics, electric vehicles (EVs) and grid-scale energy storage systems. The US currently produces less than 5,000 tonnes (t) of lithium annually, whereas Thacker Pass aims to produce 40,000t in its initial phase. According to Reuters, the equity proposal emerged amid discussions to reassess the loan terms due to concerns about low lithium prices driven by Chinese overproduction. In response, the company offered no-cost warrants equivalent to 510% of its common shares. General Motors (GM), which invested $625m for a 38% stake in the mine, holds rights to purchase all lithium from the first phase and a portion from the second phase for two decades. However, Trump officials are seeking assurances that GM will commit to these purchases. Additionally, there are efforts to have GM transfer some project control to the government. "US Government seeks up to 10% stake in Thacker Pass lithium project" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The US and UK are deepening their cooperation around financial activities, prompting celebration from crypto industry players. On Monday, UK finance minister Rachel Reeves and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent established the Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future, which aims to enhance collaboration on capital markets, digital assets, and other financial activities. This is an opportunity for two of the largest trade partners to sync on regulations, and unlock crypto for a host of uses, Mike Maloney, CEO of Incyt, a New York-based firm that provides trading software and Bitcoin miner financing, told DL News. The news comes amid a flurry of initiatives announced as part of President Donald Trumps state visit to the UK last week. Since Trump took office in January, the US has prioritised regulating the crypto industry. The government passed landmark stablecoin legislation in July. So far, crypto regulation in the US has received broad support across the political spectrum, and is viewed favourably by the industry. UK lawmakers and regulators have been slower to offer a clear steer on digital assets. In recent weeks, the Financial Conduct Authority has opened a consultation on crypto rules, while a parliamentary group is working to bring crypto back to the forefront of the legislative process after a long hiatus. This task force could be the moment where the UK moves from consultation to action, Anil Oncu, CEO of Bitpace, a London-based fintech focusing on crypto payments, told DL News. In the US, regulatory clarity and political momentum have created the conditions for innovation to flourish, particularly around stablecoins and crypto infrastructure, Oncu said. That has given businesses and investors the confidence they need to commit at scale. Special Relationship The new taskforce will explore ways the US and the UK can collaborate on digital assets while legislation and regulatory regimes are still developing. It also aims to improve links between capital markets, enhancing competitiveness and reducing burdens for firms raising capital. The hope is that the cooperation could standardise financial and crypto regulations between the two nations, driving innovation and opening up new pools of capital. The cooperation is a throwback to the so-called Special Relationship between the US and the UK that is often used to describe political and diplomatic relations between the two nations and its leaders. The Special Relationship defined US-UK relations in the 1990s and early 2000s, but it has cooled off in recent years. | Credit: Getty Images. Key Takeaways A court in Vietnam sentenced over 40 people for an illicit online crypto gambling operation worth $3.8 billion. The gang used illicit websites to allow users to convert dong into tokens like Ethereum for gambling use. The sites reached up to 20,000 users and 25 million accounts. Forty-three people have been jailed by a Vietnamese court for their involvement in a $3.8 billion online illicit crypto gambling ring. The criminal group reportedly used millions of illegally obtained funds to purchase luxury cars and real estate. Forty-three People Charged On Thursday, Sept. 25, state media reported that the leaders of the ring, four Vietnamese siblings, had been charged with organised online gambling between 2020 and 2021. The four siblings were jailed between eight and 13 years, according to the Ho Chi Minh Citys Law newspaper. Thirty-nine different people were also charged and sentenced to three to ten years. The newspaper reported that Vietnamese police were also looking to arrest an Indian man, who is thought to be the rings mastermind. Vietnam Crypto Gambling Ring The criminal gang created and operated websites for investments using crypto, which remains illegal in Vietnam, reports stated. Users of the websites were able to convert Vietnamese dong into digital tokens, such as Ethereum, and transfer them for use in online gambling. The websites reportedly had up to 20,000 users with around 25 million accounts at its highest point. Some users were offered commissions to bring other users to gambling sites via Telegram and other social media channels. Telegram Blocked In June, Vietnam blocked Telegram after authorities cracked down on what it said were signs of law violation across the platform, Reuters reported. The Vietnamese government said up to 68 per cent of 9,600 channels on Telegram contained poisonous and bad information, as well as cases suspected of being related to terrorism. Vietnam accused Telegram of failing to remove and block information that violates its laws. The country also claimed that authorities found many groups with tens of thousands of participants were created by opposition and reactionary subjects spreading anti-government documents. The post Vietnam Jails 43 in $3.8B Crypto Gambling Ring appeared first on ccn.com. Key Points Cryptocurrencies, known for boom and bust volatility, can dramatically outperform stocks. Does XRP have what it takes for sustainable success? 10 stocks we like better than XRP Long-term investing is the key to sustainable returns in financial markets because it smooths out the volatility to allow an asset's fundamental story to play out. This concept is crucial for crypto because of its extreme volatility. Let's dig deeper into the pros and cons of an asset like XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) to see what the next three years might have in store. A blue chip cryptocurrency It has been 16 years since Bitcoin launched the cryptocurrency industry. Since then, market participants have had plenty of time to analyze the long-term performance of these assets. Some interesting trends have emerged. For starters, there is a clear difference between the performance of large blue chip cryptocurrencies, which tend to slowly gain value over time, compared to the more speculative side of the market, which often booms and busts with no clear long-term growth trend. With its market cap of $171 billion, XRP is the fourth-largest cryptocurrency, behind Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether (with which it often trades places). Its size and age (XRP was founded in 2012) will give it more brand recognition and trust compared to the sea of newer assets, even if they outperform its raw technical capabilities. A focus on real-world utility Cryptocurrencies are notoriously hard to value because, unlike a stock or bond, they aren't attached to real-world businesses with revenue or profit. XRP's development team, Ripple Labs, has worked to maximize its project's potential for real-world utility. Historically, it has focused on disrupting the international payments market, where XRP tokens can be used as a bridge currency between different fiat currencies. For example, suppose you want to send U.S. dollars to Japan. In that case, you can use dollars to buy XRP and use it to purchase Japanese yen, bypassing costly intermediaries like bank wires or money transfer platforms like Western Union and MoneyGram. Although most cryptocurrencies can fill this role, XRP stands out because of its name recognition and extremely low fee of just 0.00001 XRP token per transaction. Image source: Getty Images. Ripple Labs has worked to further integrate itself into the fintech landscape with a new dollar-pegged stablecoin called RLUSD, which has attracted interest from mainstream financial institutions like Singapore's DBS Bank, which plans to use the asset to offer clients crypto lending products. While RLUSD is distinct from XRP, both assets use the same blockchain ledger, which means adoption of RLUSD could boost demand for XRP (for paying transaction fees on the network). A spokesperson from Shell tells Offshore Technology: As the EV charging industry is still nascent, we are continuously learning and adapting our EV growth strategy to market conditions. For example, we are focusing on our own retail sites in Europe where we can also leverage our convenience retail strengths. Ravindra Puranik, oil and gas analyst at GlobalData, explains that oil companies know they must adapt to electrification. The oil and gas industry is undergoing notable transformation in response to the electrification of the transport sector One of the most notable strategies is the investment in EV charging stations. This aligns well with existing assets, namely fuel stations, allowing companies to leverage their established infrastructure to support the transition to electric mobility, he explains. Cross-sector, global analysis indicates that while demand for oil and gas will eventually begin to fall, it hasnt reached its peak yet, and portfolio diversification is still in the early stages. According to the IEAs Stated Policies Scenario which calculates the impact of already-enacted policies oil and gas demand will peak in the next four years , before facing a steady decline. However, this decline could become more drastic if all currently announced government pledges are successfully enacted. Not all markets are equal, however, and investors are prioritising the regions supporting the most economic potential. The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is a particularly attractive investment opportunity, offering investors the benefits of growing populations, developing economies, and the need for affordable and reliable energy sources. Elsewhere, Europe is seeing a slowdown in investment as regulatory uncertainty and a recent period of slow sales have knocked investor confidence. Several major players are already working to stay ahead of the curve and remain relevant in a clean energy future. As the transport sector becomes a diminishing custom base, companies including bp, Indian Oil, PetroChina, Shell, Sinopec and TotalEnergies are among those investing in EV charging infrastructure to meet a new gap in the market. Fuel demand from cars and vans accounted for more than 25% of the worlds oil use in 2023, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which also predicts that EVs will displace more than five million barrels of road fuel per day by 2030. This is good news for the climate and for international carbon emissions targets, but for oil and gas companies, there is a serious call for diversification. Electric vehicles (EVs) are an established cornerstone of the energy transition, with their increasing global adoption chipping away at a significant share of oil demand. Story Continues EV charging infrastructure appears a logical electrification strategy for oil companies, not only because of leverageable infrastructure but because the market is ripe too. GlobalData forecasts that EVs will account for nearly 50% of all global light vehicle sales by 2035 and that hybrid and electric vehicle sales will experience a compound annual growth rate of 6.7% between 2025 and 2037. With EVs comes a need for EV charging infrastructure and the market was already estimated to be worth $32.26bn in 2024, with this figure projected to grow to $125.39bn by 2030. Noting that EV demand is already shaping the strategies of oil producers, Puranik says: Several oil marketing companies have ventured into this market through acquisitions and collaborations with EV mobility providers. Oil majors Shell and TotalEnergies presently have the most diverse networks with more than 70,000 charge points installed around the world. The diverging global picture: Why APAC is more appealing than the West Speaking to Offshore Technology, Frankie Mayo, senior UK analyst at global energy think tank Ember, explains that the needs of each region are different. The electrification of the global economy is just around the corner but requires abundant clean power and electricity networks ready for the challenge, he says. The transition is place-specific; for example, it will look different in developing countries, which can avoid decades of fossil fuel infrastructure and instead jump ahead to electrified alternatives. GlobalData figures identify diverging regional trends in EV sales figures, forecasting that the disparity will increase between APAC and the West. EVs currently make up 42% of auto sales in APAC, but this figure will reach 77% by 2037, with continued growth expected. Meanwhile, in Europe, EVs currently make up around 58% of auto sales, and this will jump to 99% by 2037. Set to reach 91% by 2030, the future of the European EV market future is defined by a plateau. Of the expected development of the APAC market, GlobalData energy transition analyst Clarice Brambilla explains: I expect to see continued growth in EV production volume, especially in China, India, South East Asia and possibly Oceania. I also expect to see increasing affordability, including smaller, lower-cost EV models targeting mass market consumers, rather than just premium segments. She says of the Western market: There is evidence of a modest rollback or at least slowing of EV investment in parts of the Western market such as Europe and the US, although it is less a reversal than a cooling from peak expectations. In Europe in particular, battery giga-factory plans have been delayed or scaled back, in part because of high costs, competition (often from lower-cost Asian producers), supply chain constraints and weaker-than-expected consumer uptake in some segments. However, battery-electric vehicle sales are still projected to grow strongly across the EU, driven by ambitious targets and strong policy support. On the other hand, in the US, regulatory uncertainty under the Trump administration and changing incentive regimes are dampening investment momentum. While the US looks a less reliable investment destination for diversifying oil companies, the APAC market needs EV charging infrastructure and, as a region, offers investors a series of advantages including emerging economies and governments looking to secure affordable and reliable energy sources for growing populations. Significantly, populations in the APAC region are experiencing some of the most rapidly increasing disposable incomes in the world, with cities in India and South East Asia leading growth in household incomes. Brian Peers, global head of sustainable transport and fuels at HSBC, previously commented on the opportunity this presents, noting that as incomes rise across Asia-Pacific over the coming decades, car ownership is set to increase, with Asia forecasted to account for over 60% of the 115 million EVs sold worldwide over the next five years. The increased sale and production of EVs may present many opportunities across the value chain, including battery manufacturing, the roll-out of charging infrastructure and financing solutions for consumers. Oil companies EV infrastructure investments are not linear APAC-based oil companies are investing in EV infrastructure, with Chinese companies leading the charge. Beijing-based Sinopec reported it had built 3,874 charging stations in 2023 and Chinese media outlet CNR reported that the country had 16.7 million EV charging units at the end of July. Figures from December 2024 showed that Sinopec, Indian Oil and Shell owned the largest number of EV charging stations globally, with 9,051, 7,863 and 3,063 each, respectively, (based on the number of retail forecourts, rather than charge points). Elsewhere in APAC, Indian oil marketing companies Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum have also invested heavily in EV charging infrastructure. Reports for the 202324 period detailed 15,797 EV charging stations installed across the three. Oil companies undoubtedly have a strong APAC presence, but the story is not so linear among European players. European oil companies are reducing investment in EV charging infrastructure but retain that Western markets are central to their strategies around electrification preparedness. For example, London-based Shell transferred its Shell Recharge Solutions home and workplace chargers to 50five in December 2024 and discontinued its Shell Sky software a month later. The company also lowered its emissions reduction target for 2030 from 20% to 1520% and dropped its 2035 emissions goal. Yet a spokesperson explains: The majority of Shells investment in EV charging is currently prioritised towards seven leading markets for EV adoption China, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, the UK and the US. This is because these seven markets represent the most material opportunities from the context of advanced pace of electrification, existing competitive advantages and mobility value pool. Ultimately, Brambilla concludes that, while the picture is complex, EV investment is leaning in favour of APAC. APAC continues to show strong momentum, she says. In many APAC markets subsidies, regulatory backing, and cost advantages make investment more attractive, so there remains a relative shift in attention toward the region. Elsewhere, bp has increased its oil and gas investment, while reducing its annual investment in its EV charging arm BP Pulse, cutting 10% of jobs and withdrawing from eight of the 12 countries it was operating in. What survives still retains a Western focus and bp says: Our aim is to provide high-powered on-the-go charging in markets with the strongest growth in EVs: China, the UK, Germany and the US. "Why Big Oil has its eye on APACs EV charging market " was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The global crypto market is in the red again, falling 2.2% over the past 24 hours to $3.91 trillion, according to the latest market data. Total crypto trading volume is up slightly at $178.5 billion, but price action remains largely negative across major assets. TLDR: Crypto market sees red, with 9 of the top 10 coins down in the past 24 hours; BTC at $111,401 and ETH at $4,001; Trumps UN pledge to block West Bank occupation eases short-term geopolitical risks; Fear & Greed Index rises slightly to 41 but remains near fear zone; BTC spot ETFs see $241M in inflows led by IBIT and ARKB, pushing cumulative inflows to $57.49B; ETH spot ETFs record $79.36M in outflows, with FETH and ETHA posting biggest redemptions; Nine top European banks unite to launch a euro stablecoin by 2026 under MiCA rules; Analysts say market is waiting for stronger macro signals before new positioning. Crypto Winners & Losers At the time of writing, nine of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap are posting daily losses. Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $111,488, down 1.4% on the day and 3.6% over the past week. Ethereum (ETH) is down 4.2% in 24 hours to $4,006.79, one of the steeper drops among top coins. Solana (SOL) leads the losses, dropping 5.2% on the day and over 8% on the week, now priced at $201.23. Dogecoin (DOGE) also saw a sharp decline, falling 4.9% to $0.2312. BNB (BNB) is the only major coin showing green, barely up 0.1% to $987.30, despite a 7-day decline of nearly 3%. Among trending tokens, Aster is down 12.4%, while Undeads Games and Hyperliquid have also slipped. On the upside, APEX leads the days top gainers with an 80.4% surge, followed by PunkStrategy (+32.5%) and Concordium (+8.9%). Despite isolated gains among small caps, the broader market remains under pressure as major assets retrace gains made earlier this month. Traders are watching for signs of stabilization or deeper corrections as macro and regulatory factors weigh on sentiment. Meanwhile, Ethereums dip below $4,000 triggered a massive liquidation, with wallet 0xa523 losing their entire 9,152 ETH long position worth $36.4 million. The wipeout brings their total losses to over $45.3 million, leaving the account with less than $500,000 remaining. Trumps West Bank Pledge Eases Middle East Risk, BTC Eyes Key Levels Bitunix analysts say market sentiment stabilized briefly after former US President Donald Trump reportedly assured Arab leaders at the UN General Assembly that he would block any Israeli annexation of the West Bank. The move is being interpreted as a temporary geopolitical de-escalation, described as a red light to Israel, and arrives amid renewed calls for Palestinian state recognition. Key Points Reuters reports that the U.S. government may take a 10% stake in Lithium Americas stock. Shares of the Canadian lithium miner nearly doubled on the news. Lithium Americas is a start-up that won't begin producing lithium for years. 10 stocks we like better than Lithium Americas Lithium Americas (NYSE: LAC) stock soared 90.9% through 10 a.m. ET this morning after Reuters reported the start-up miner of lithium for electric car batteries may be in line for a big investment from the U.S. government. Image source: Getty Images. Lithium Americas + the United States of America The U.S. government wants to "renegotiate" a $2.3 billion loan to Lithium Americas to help the latter get its Thacker Pass lithium mine up and running, says Reuters. In exchange for the funds, the Trump administration apparently wants a 10% stake in the miner. General Motors (NYSE: GM) invested $625 million in the mine (which is technically a Lithium Americas subsidiary) last year, in exchange for a 38% stake in it, and for the right to buy some or all of the next 20 years' worth of lithium extracted from the mine. It's unclear if the Trump administration plans to convert its loan into payment for the 10% stake, or if Lithium Americas will be expected to simply hand over 10% of its shares as a condition of winning the loan. Is Lithium Americas stock a buy? A couple of points are worth touching upon here. First, this deal is both unconfirmed and surprising, if true, because it seems this is the first time the Trump administration has tried to gain an equity stake in a foreign company. (Lithium Americas is a Canadian company based in Vancouver!) I wonder if the Canadian government might have something to say about that. Second, and just as important to investors, Lithium Americas is a start-up with no revenue, and no plan to begin producing lithium before 2028, at which point President Trump will be preparing to leave office. Bear that in mind as you consider whether you want to invest in this news. Should you buy stock in Lithium Americas right now? Before you buy stock in Lithium Americas, 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 Lithium Americas 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 $657,110!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,093,751!* You dont need a financial expert to tell you that saving money is essential. From retirement to a rainy day, you need money stored up to get you through the hard times and the good times and everything in between. But without clear guidance on how to save, many people still default to simply letting it sit without a strategy. Learn More: Heres How Much of Your Paycheck You Should Save Each Month, According to an Expert Find Out: 3 Advanced Investing Moves Experts Use to Minimize Taxes and Help Boost Returns Fortunately, experts like Jeff Rose, CFP, founder of Good Financial Cents, are here to give you more in-depth information about how to save strategically. Every day, he helps clients identify their goals and choose the accounts and products most likely to help those savings grow. GOBankingRates caught up with the author, entrepreneur and Iraq combat veteran as part of our Top 100 Money Experts series to learn more about smart saving. Need Your Money To Do a Job? Try a High-Yield Savings Account Even casual savers know they need an emergency fund. But parking that money in a regular savings account is simply allowing your money to stagnate. A high-yield savings account earns interest over time, so your money grows while it waits to be used. But Rose said other kinds of savings can also live in an high-yield savings account. Saving up for a car? A college fund? A down payment on a home? Youll want that money to earn interest and, most importantly, be accessible quickly. Other vehicles dont always offer that kind of liquidity. If the cash has a job to do within the next three years cover an emergency, fund a down payment, pay tuition it belongs in a high-yield savings account, he said. Market fluctuations over such a short window can erase gains right when you need the money, so safety and liquidity win out. Rose has seen clients learn this lesson the hard way including one who suddenly needed college funds during a market slide. Since then, hes advised clients to keep anything with a near-term deadline in a high-yield savings account with ample liquidity. For You: Multi-Millionaire Says Timing the Market is Impossible Heres What You Should Do Instead Feeling Stable Financially? Time To Invest If the high-yield savings account is a great place to store money you may need in the short term, a disciplined investing plan is your first major step toward building long-term wealth. However, Rose advises waiting to invest until youve cleared a few hurdles. Is your emergency fund locked and loaded with three to six months of expenses (more if youre self-employed)? Are you carrying high-interest debt that could erase your progress faster than investments can compound? Key Points It's continuing a program to supply a key European ally. Ukraine has received a set of its Edge Autonomy's drone. 10 stocks we like better than Redwire Although Redwire (NYSE: RDW) often gets most noticed as a space company these days, it's also active in the defense industry. It was this side of the company that made the headlines on Tuesday, in a development that ultimately pushed its share price almost 14% higher that trading session. This looked quite good when compared to the S&P 500 index's 0.6% slide. More equipment for Ukraine That morning, Redwire announced that its Edge Autonomy subsidiary had completed a fresh delivery of drones to Ukraine, for use in that country's war against Russia. The Ukraine Armed Forces received a set of Penguin uncrewed aerial systems (UASes). Image source: Getty Images. Edge Autonomy has been supplying such craft since the start of the conflict in early 2022, Redwire said. The Penguin UASes are used for a variety of purposes, such as target acquisition and reconnaissance. Drones such as these have played an increasingly crucial role in the war, and are actively and frequently used by both sides. In the press release touting the latest delivery, Redwire quoted the president of Edge Autonomy, Steve Adlich, as saying, "We have a well-established presence in the Baltics and are heavily invested in the region, which has uniquely positioned us to understand and support Ukraine's mission for freedom and autonomy." He added, "We look forward to continuing to strengthen our ties in Ukraine and across Europe." Three years and counting Redwire didn't provide the financial details of the latest Penguin delivery; nevertheless, investors were cheered by the fact that a long-running program shows no sign of fading. Also encouraging was Adlich's pronouncement that Ukraine and the broader European market -- which should see increased levels of defense spending -- will remain on the company's radar. Should you invest $1,000 in Redwire right now? Before you buy stock in Redwire, 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 Redwire 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 $661,910!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,125,504!* Chinese Premier meets Canadian PM in New York as China, Canada eye improvement of ties 09:09, September 25, 2025 By Xu Keyue ( Global Times Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in New York, the United States, Sept. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who is in New York to attend the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday local time. Li said China is willing to make more active and practical efforts with Canada to promote further improvement of bilateral relations, Xinhua reported on Wednesday. Analysts believed the meeting suggests that China-Canada ties are seeing positive signals. Li called on both sides to steadily steer their ties onto a track of healthy, stable and sustainable development, Xinhua reported. According to the report, Li said that recently, China and Canada have been promoting the improvement and development of bilateral relations in a practical and constructive manner, which has been widely welcomed by all sectors in both countries. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the meeting came as Carney has sought to ease tensions with the Asian superpower that flared up under his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. US protectionism has brought Canada's need to diversify trading relationships into sharp focus, the report noted. The Chinese premier said that China hopes the Canadian side can adopt a correct perception of China, and respect each other's core interests and major concerns to cement the political foundation for the development of bilateral cooperation and ties, Xinhua reported. This meeting sends positive signals that international multilateral frameworks can serve as a critical platform for strategic cooperation between China and Canada, acting as a key driver for stabilizing and advancing bilateral relations, Huang Zhong, deputy dean of the Academy of International and Regional Studies at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Lu Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly provided a valuable opportunity which China used to convey confidence in the bilateral relations and to reaffirm the mutually beneficial nature of the China-Canada relationship. "The key lies in whether Canada can resist third-party interference and avoid undermining China-Canada relations to appease another country," Lu said. Huang believes that under significant and mounting pressure from Washington toward Ottawa, anti-China voices within Canadian politics have been subdued, while calls for cooperation with China are growing. "More Canadian thinkers recognize the vast potential for collaboration with China and are unwilling to let Canada-China relations be hijacked by Washington," Huang said. Lu noted that tensions on China-Canada relations primarily stem from external interference, but there are no fundamental or irreconcilable contradictions between the two countries. Economically, the two countries have strong complementary structures, and trade relations are balanced and healthy, Lu emphasized. According to Xinhua, Li said at the meeting that China has long been Canada's second-largest trading partner, and bilateral trade has seen rapid growth since the beginning of this year. He stressed that China is ready to work with Canada to maintain and develop the positive momentum, while addressing each other's economic and trade concerns through dialogue and consultation. He expressed the hope that Canada will provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies in Canada, Xinhua reported. Reuters reported on Wednesday that Carney said he had "constructive" trade talks with Li and expects the dialogue to deepen over time, as both countries seek to navigate a way out of a tariff conflict. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that to advance "Canada's interests on trade and other issues," Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand plans to meet with her counterparts in China and India in the coming weeks. Lu expects that if the visit happens, the Canadian side can gain a deeper understanding of China's foreign policy, particularly its efforts and achievements in addressing global affairs such as climate change. This will open new avenues for practical cooperation in economic and trade fields between the two countries. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) By Qabil Ashirov Regional countries must step up efforts to align export rules for renewable energy and jointly develop investment projects to access European energy markets, Florian Kitt, Senior Energy Specialist at the World Bank Group, said during his remarks at the Azerbaijan & Central Asia Green Energy Week 2025 in Baku. According to Kitt, the first step toward this goal should be the development of regionalized energy markets, particularly in the electricity sector. "There are already positive developments in this direction: Georgia is a member of the European Energy Community, and Azerbaijan plans to complete full unbundling in its power sector by 2028. At present, electricity exports are largely governed by bilateral agreements. However, to create a system similar to the EU single market, much deeper harmonization of rules and standards will be required," he said. Kitt reminded participants that Azerbaijan already has experience integrating with Turkiyes energy system, which is connected to the European market, and has fulfilled a number of requirements in that process. He also stressed the importance of joint planning and cross-border investments. "In this context, Azerbaijan has taken the initiative, together with Georgia, Romania, and Hungary, to establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the development of a green energy port in Romania," Kitt added. The discussions form part of a wider push to accelerate regional cooperation on renewables, seen as essential for meeting Europes growing demand for green electricity while supporting energy transition goals across the Caspian and Central Asia. Key Points Reuters reports the U.S. government may take a 10% stake in Lithium Americas. That stock nearly doubled when the news broke, and investors are hoping for something similar from Standard Lithium stock. 10 stocks we like better than Standard Lithium Lithium Americas (NYSE: LAC) stock exploded Wednesday morning after Reuters reported that the start-up miner of lithium for electric car batteries may be in line for a big investment from the U.S. government. No sooner had this happened than Standard Lithium (NYSEMKT: SLI), a completely different lithium miner, saw its stock jump too -- up 18.5% through 11:05 a.m. ET. The two stocks are not the same...but the reason they're rising is. Image source: Getty Images. What Reuters said about Lithium Americas The U.S. government plans to "renegotiate" a $2.3 billion loan to Lithium Americas, says Reuters, requiring the company to hand over a 10% stake in exchange for the loan. Investors love the idea, probably presuming it will make Lithium Americas, if not "too big to fail," then perhaps too important for the government to allow it to fail. This, in a nutshell, is why they're bidding up Lithium Americas stock. But why are they bidding up Standard Lithium stock as well? I'm hypothesizing here, but presumably the reason is they're assuming the same logic underlying a U.S. investment in Lithium Americas (to secure America's supply of lithium) might lead to a similar government investment in Standard Lithium. Is Standard Lithium stock a buy? It's not the craziest theory I've ever heard. Both companies are based in Canada, but Lithium Americas' big Thacker Pass mine is located in Nevada, while Standard Lithium's operations are run out of Arkansas. They both have substantial U.S. ties. It makes sense the U.S. government might want a piece of them both. Lithium Americas is expected to begin producing revenue a year sooner than Standard Lithium, though, in 2027 instead of 2028, making it a marginally better bet. Both businesses are still years away from becoming viable, and it's unclear how profitable they might become. Caveat investor. Should you invest $1,000 in Standard Lithium right now? Before you buy stock in Standard Lithium, 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 Standard Lithium 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 $657,110!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,093,751!* We recently published 10 Stocks Stealing Wall Streets Spotlight. YPF Sociedad Anonima (NYSE:YPF) is one of the top performers on Monday. YPF Sociedad Anonima (NYSE:YPF) snapped a three-day losing streak on Monday, climbing 12.78 percent to finish at $26.92 apiece, as investors cheered the US Treasurys financial lifeline to Argentina. YPF Sociedad Anonima (NYSE:YPF), an energy company based in Argentina, has been trading lower alongside the overall Argentine markets over the past few weeks as the country faces economic turmoil YPF Sociedad (YPF) Ends Losing Streak as US Pledges Lifeline to Ailing Argentina Copyright: Elnur / 123RF Stock Photo Investors took heart from news that the US Treasury was in the works for a large and forceful intervention to support Argentina amid the countrys severe market volatility, part of which would see Washingtons purchase of Argentinas currency or sovereign debt by a fund controlled by the US Treasury. Were sending a message that if you do the right thing, if you follow good policies, that if youre aligned with the values of the United Stateswe are willing to provide assistance when things move out of equilibrium, Washington was quoted as saying in comments to reporters. A meeting between US President Donald Trump and Argentinas leader, Javier Milei, is expected to occur on Tuesday to discuss options. While we acknowledge the potential of YPF 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. KYIV (Reuters) -President Volodymyr Zelenskiy outlined Ukraine's plans to boost drone exports and expand tech partnerships as he met the top management of a host of leading U.S. businesses, his office said on Thursday. Exports of Ukraine's weapons have been restricted since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022, with everything rolling off the production line diverted to the national defence effort. "Our country has a strong drone manufacturing industry and more than 300 technology companies. I think this is a new direction for our business and economy in the future," Zelenskiy said in a statement. "I think this year we will open up exports of our new technologies only to those countries that we can count on," he added. Zelenskiy met with representatives of companies including Amazon, Bank of America, Chemours, Citi, CRH, Fairfax, GE Vernova, Hogan Lovells, Jacobs, JPMorgan Chase, Lazard, Logistics Plus, Marsh McLennan, TechMet and Westinghouse, his office said. Some of the companies already operate or invest in Ukraine. Zelenskiy said that Kyiv was ready to open up new sectors for partnerships and investments. UKRAINE'S DRONE OUTPUT SOARS Ukraine's domestic weapons production and its drone output in particular have increased massively during the war, with hundreds of firms manufacturing millions of drones that have been tested on the battlefield. Zelenskiy said Ukraine planned to establish export platforms in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As the government seeks to prop up its war-devastated economy, Kyiv is keen to strengthen its ties with the U.S. and has been wooing American businesses with potential investment opportunities. Earlier this month, Ukraine and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation launched a joint fund with $150 million investment that is part of Kyiv's minerals deal with Washington, first signed in April. Ukrainian officials said Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko is planning to visit the United States at the end of the month for more detailed talks with U.S. businesses. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Olena Harmash; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Zijin Gold International has delayed the closing of its US$3.2 billion initial public offering (IPO) - the second-largest in Hong Kong this year - to Thursday noon, a day later than previously scheduled, because of the impact of Super Typhoon Ragasa. "As there is a tropical cyclone warning signal No 8 or above in force, and due to extreme conditions caused by the bad weather ... the expected timetable of the global offering as set out in the prospectus and the formal notice will be accordingly postponed," the company said in a stock exchange filing on Wednesday. Share allocation results would now be revealed on Monday instead of Friday, and the stock would debut on September 30 instead of September 29, the Chinese mining giant said. Similarly, Shenzhen Hipine Precision Technology, a gold-case watchmaker aiming to raise up to HK$313.76 million (US$40 million) via its IPO, will delay its book close by a business day to Thursday and its trading debut to Tuesday, the company said. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the highest-level No 10 typhoon signal on Wednesday morning, as hurricane-force winds and heavy rain brought traffic and business to a standstill. The weather forecaster indicated that the No 10 signal would remain in force for some time. While Hong Kong abolished its long-standing rule requiring the stock market to close during a No 8 or higher typhoon warning last September, companies still have the discretion to alter their share offering timelines due to adverse weather. Floods hit the Hong Kong residential neighbourhood of Heng Fa Chuen on Wednesday. Photo: AP alt=Floods hit the Hong Kong residential neighbourhood of Heng Fa Chuen on Wednesday. Photo: AP> Zijin Gold's IPO has garnered significant interest from retail investors, who borrowed HK$409.77 billion from 12 major brokers as of Wednesday morning - 164 times the retail tranche offering of HK$2.5 billion, according to data from Futu Securities. The firm's international placement for institutional investors, totalling HK$22.48 billion, was completed with a positive response, according to brokers familiar with the deal. Zijin Gold has secured 29 cornerstone investors, who have subscribed to a combined HK$12.47 billion worth of shares. They include Singapore's wealth fund GIC, private equity firm Hillhouse and multinational investment companies BlackRock and Schroders. A wholly owned subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group, Zijin Gold aims to raise HK$24.98 billion from its IPO, which began on Friday. The firm is offering 349 million shares at HK$71.59 each, with retail investors granted access to 10 per cent of those shares, while the remainder is allocated to international institutional investors. By Qabil Ashirov The number of personnel and equipment mobilized for mine clearance operations in Azerbaijan has been disclosed, Azernews informs, citing a report of the Azerbaijan Campaign Against Mines (ACAM) addressing the cluster munition issue. The report details the deployment of operational teams across various agencies and organizations. ANAMA (Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action) contributed 1,857 personnel, the Ministry of Defense deployed 197, the Ministry of Emergency Situations assigned 48, and the State Border Service provided 45. Additionally, 333 personnel from local commercial companies and 118 from the International Eurasian Press Fund participated in mine clearance activities. During operations, a number of specialized resources were used. Mine detection dogs included 135 from ANAMA, 9 from the Ministry of Defense, 6 from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and 46 from local commercial companies. Meanwhile, mechanical equipment consisted of 56 machines within ANAMA, 19 with the Ministry of Defense, 4 with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and 10 operated by local commercial companies. The data presented in the report covers operations up to July 31, 2025, reflecting ongoing efforts to safely remove mines and unexploded ordnance from affected areas. Peak communications consumers body, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has issued a blistering attack on the Australian telecommunications industry in the wake of the recent Optus emergency services outage. The Australian Federal Court has handed down a $100 million fine for Optus after it engaged in unconscionable conduct in sales practices that harmed more than 400 customers. Despite the massive fine, however, ACCAN has called for an end to self-regulation of the industry, saying that harmful practices within the telecoms sector remain ongoing. The Federal Court today found that Optus senior management knew, or ought to have known, about the systemic failures that enabled this conduct. This cannot continue, ACCAN chief executive Carol Bennett said. Despite todays action, over the last 6 months we found that 22% of people across the two waves of our Tracker have felt pressured to purchase a more expensive contract than they wanted. "This post-dates the action taken by the ACCC against Optus. Today a punishment has been handed out, but this data indicates that harmful practices are still ongoing. "This will not change until sales practices are properly regulated. Fundamentally, the Telecommunications Act must be brought out of 1997 and reformed to put the interests of telco customers before the profits of the telco industry. "The Act still promotes the greatest practicable use of industry selfregulation - an approach which has failed consumers time and time again." ACCAN said that its research has revealed that trust in Australias telecommunications sector continues to fall, with consumers continuing to report poor sales practices at alarmingly high levels. "The findings precede last weeks Optus outage which caused more than 600 people to lose access to Triple Zero emergency services across three states," ACCAN said. "They come from the second tranche of ACCANs Consumer Sentiment Tracker, a new research initiative that captures the lived experiences of Australian communications consumers." Results from the ACCAN research show that a large percentage of users simply don't trust their telecoms operator: 43% of consumers do not trust their mobile or home internet provider to act in their best interest. 47% do not trust their provider to recommend the best plan to suit their needs, rather than the most expensive. 48% do not trust their provider to work to keep costs low. The ACCAN research also found evidence that poor sales practices remain entrenched across the mobile services industry: 21% of consumers said they felt pressured to purchase a more expensive contract than they wanted. 30% reported that the coverage they receive is different to what they were told. 42% experienced unexpected changes to their contract. ACCAN's Bennett said the results paint a concerning picture of an industry that needs to repair consumer trust. These figures will come as no surprise to many Australians who have experienced pushy sales tactics, bill shock, or services that dont deliver what was promised," Bennett said. ACCAN says the new research strengthens the case for urgent reform of the Telecommunications Act 1997 and an end to the era of industry self-regulation. For too long, consumers have received vital protections through a weak industry-drafted Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code, Bennett said. The data demonstrates that customers are feeling pressure to purchase pricey and unnecessary products, which is no surprise given that sales practices are self-regulated under the industry code. COMPANY NEWS: Informatica (NYSE: INFA), a leader in enterprise AI-powered cloud data management, announced that Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., a global leader in transportation equipment manufacturing, has chosen to implement Informaticas AI-powered Master Data Management (MDM) solution as part of the customers digital transformation strategy. Yamaha Motor was faced with challenges of managing extensive and complex data and siloed systems across its manufacturing and business operations in different global locations. Furthermore, Yamaha Motors global ERP systems required the unification of data standards and data harmonisation from instances and contents which differ from region to region, and the inability to share the same master data to each group companys ERP systems and business systems further hindered operational efficiency of the businesses. To overcome the challenges, Yamaha Motor is implementing Informatica's industry-leading multidomain MDM SaaS solution, powered by Informaticas CLAIRE AI engine, to streamline, centralise, and automate cross-domain and cross-departmental data assets for a comprehensive, contextualized 360-degree view. This implementation helps enable the organisation to boost productivity, accelerate data discovery, and deliver high-quality, consistent and accurate data for trusted insights. "With the implementation of Informatica's MDM, Yamaha Motor is creating an interface platform that seamlessly connects each regions ERP systems with our proprietary scratch systems, enabling trusted master data management on a global scale, said Toyoto Ono, Chief General Manager, IT Centre at Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. This platform enhances decision-making, forecasting and reporting processes, while driving productivity improvements and cost efficiencies through the effective ERP system deployment and maintenance. It represents a vital step in establishing a robust foundation to support our sustainable business growth and strengthen organisational resilience. Taito Kozawa, Country Manager and Vice President of Informatica Japan says, We are very pleased to partner with Yamaha Motor as they modernise their global data management infrastructure. Together, we are supporting their goal to strengthen data-driven decision-making and accelerate AI and digital transformation. As many organisations in Japan pursue similar initiatives, we remain committed to working with our customers to help them realise meaningful business values through our AI-powered platform and capabilities. Lenovo has announced new IT infrastructure solutions tailored to help small and medium businesses (SMBs) easily deploy, scale and leverage modern IT in the era of AI. Lenovo says the solutions are designed to accelerate growth and innovation from day one with pre-tested and validated bundles of servers, software and consumption-based pricing options that help growing businesses move faster from decision to deployment - and featuring guided setup and built-in security, the solutions help businesses quickly modernise outdated infrastructure to prepare for todays AI-powered workplace while delivering insights to anywhere that business happens. In todays fast-moving IT landscape, SMBs face increasing pressure to adopt AI and stay competitive with limited resources, needing technology that is both powerful and practical, notes Lenovo, adding that businesses need the right IT foundation that helps them adapt and pivot for not only today, but also for the future. Lenovo offers an SMB-first approach with scalable solutions that are easy to adopt, powerful out of the box and focused on delivering immediate value." Lenovo also reports: SMBs face a challenging and competitive landscape today, with many struggling to modernise IT while keeping costs under control. Lenovo is helping these businesses stay current with solutions that remove traditional barriers of complexity and expense, said Sumir Bhatia, President, Asia Pacific, Infrastructure Solutions Group, Lenovo. Our SMB portfolio simplifies the way businesses acquire, deploy, and manage IT, accelerating innovation and operational efficiency from day one. By providing AI-ready, enterprise-grade technology that is flexible, secure, and easy to adopt, we are giving SMBs the tools to compete and grow with confidence in todays AI-driven era. Business Solutions Designed for Today and Ready for Tomorrow Lenovos pre-tested and validated bundles are designed to deliver enterprise performance and reliability for SMBs without the complexity. Combining the industrys most reliable servers with leading industry partners, these solutions make it easy to tap next generation IT for lower costs and faster results, with no custom builds, no guesswork and no specialised teams required. Lenovo offers multiple pre-tested bundles, including the following: Business Ready Infrastructure in a Box: Scale confidently with proven designs and simplified IT with Hyper-V Ready Node solutions built on the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR635 V3 or Lenovo ThinkSystem SR630 V4, validated with Windows Server 2025 Hyper-V and imaged with Windows Admin Console enabled. Scale confidently with proven designs and simplified IT with Hyper-V Ready Node solutions built on the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR635 V3 or Lenovo ThinkSystem SR630 V4, validated with Windows Server 2025 Hyper-V and imaged with Windows Admin Console enabled. AI Edge-Ready Node : Run modern apps anywhere business happens with the cost-effective Lenovo ThinkEdge SE100, powered by Scale Computing HyperCore for lightweight and on-demand edge deployments., making enterprise-grade edge computing easy to adopt and manage for smaller teams. : Run modern apps anywhere business happens with the cost-effective Lenovo ThinkEdge SE100, powered by Scale Computing HyperCore for lightweight and on-demand edge deployments., making enterprise-grade edge computing easy to adopt and manage for smaller teams. Business Protection in a Box: Safeguard critical data and workloads with Lenovo ThinkSystem SR650 V3 supporting up to 55 VMs; Lenovo ThinkSystem SR630 V3 + ThinkSystem Storage Arrays supporting up to 140 VMs. Kumar Mitra, Executive Director, CAP & ANZ, Infrastructure Solutions Group, Lenovo, added, SMBs are the backbone of Australia's digital economy, yet AI adoption remains low, leaving many at a disadvantage. Lenovos new SMB-ready solutions are designed to address this gap. Whether it is our Business Ready Infrastructure in a Box for simplified IT, AI Edge-Ready Node for modern applications anywhere, or Business Protection in a Box to safeguard critical workloads, these pre-tested, scalable, and secure solutions with flexible consumption options help SMBs modernise efficiently and unlock AI-driven growth without the complexity or cost of building IT from scratch. Lenovo gives businesses a streamlined and easy-to-manage experience from set up to daily operations with Lenovo XClarity One, a protected cloud portal with AI-driven visibility, control, and preventative maintenance to cut downtime and operating costs. For data protection, Lenovo integrates Veeam to safeguard workloads against ransomware and failures, and with near-instant recovery, SMBs can restore critical operations in minutes, without needing a large IT staff. Additionally, Lenovo simplifies business transformation with validated AI configurations that provide a proven roadmap and eliminate the need to build AI from scratch. The new solutions deliver results fast, with use cases ranging from that enhances security to customer insights that fuel revenue growth. Flexible IT Consumption Without the Extra Costs Lenovo is transforming IT consumption for SMBs with TruScale Infrastructure as-a-Service (IaaS). With leasing, subscriptions, and consumption-based pricing, TruScale gives businesses the flexibility to pay only for what they need and scale services to fit exact requirements, simplifying control, support, and integration while avoiding extra costs. Customers report up to 30% faster rollouts, accelerating the path from purchase to productivity. Closer to home in AP, Malaysia, Microtree Sdn Bhd (M3) used TruScale to expand its portfolio with new as-a-service offerings such as Backup-as-a-Service. By leveraging Lenovos flexible model, M3 avoided large upfront spend, brought solutions to market faster, and unlocked growth with SMBs. TruScale allows precise scaling without overpaying, becoming more than a solution, its a strategic advantage that accelerates operational agility. Explore how Lenovo is providing future-ready infrastructure that expands possibilities at https://www.lenovo.com/businesssolutions. About Lenovo Lenovo is a US$69 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #196 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the worlds largest PC company with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services. Lenovos continued investment in world-changing innovation is building a more equitable, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub. Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) today announced it has been voted #1 by Fast Company for Best Workplaces for Innovators. Motorola Solutions was selected for its leadership in developing purpose-built AI that automates tasks and augments human attention, helping people detect, respond, verify and resolve safety and security threats. Fast Company honoured Motorola Solutions for Assist, its AI assistant designed for the high-stakes environment of public safety. Every 911 call, of which over 240 million are placed in the U.S. each year, triggers the rapid flow of critical, sometimes disparate, information into the public safety command centre. Dispatchers must remain calm during a caller's worst moments, rapidly cross-checking details, locating first responders and providing critical support until help arrives. Motorola Solutions Assist is purpose-built for these high-stress, high-stakes situations, enabling dispatchers to focus on critical tasks and providing responders in the field with verified, tailored information for faster, more cohesive teamwork to help save lives. At Motorola Solutions, were not just building software; were architecting the future of safety to make a real impact when it matters most, said Mahesh Saptharishi, executive vice president and chief technology officer, Motorola Solutions. This recognition underscores our commitment to fostering a culture where groundbreaking ideas and purpose-built AI can thrive, building on our long history of working with emergency responders to develop lifesaving technologies that fit seamlessly into their workflows. Over the last decade, Motorola Solutions has invested approximately US$18 billion in organic R&D and acquisitions, including investments to advance AI applications across its portfolio of public safety and enterprise security solutions. The company is committed to responsible technology design, development and use, highlighted by its AI labels - a first for public safety and enterprise security products - providing clear, concise information about how AI is used across its technologies. AI has the potential to transform our ability to help save lives, said Mindi Bartee, PSAP education manager, Greater Harris County 911 Emergency Network. When theres an emergency, it takes multiple departments working together cohesively to coordinate a quick and appropriate response. Assist gives us the information we need to work with higher efficiency, accuracy and speed. Fast Company reviews over a thousand applications for its annual prestigious recognition, honouring the top 100 companies creating groundbreaking products and building a culture where innovation can thrive. GUEST OPINION: The modern hacker is just as likely to be a teenager working from the Australian or US suburbs as a state sponsored operative working in North Korea or Russia, according to Googles John Hultquist. The Google executive, who as chief analyst at the Threat Intelligence Group is the companys top cyber security expert, said that while the popular idea of the hacker is someone working from outside a western country the reality is that increasingly they are working from within. The recent hack targeting Qantas, which attacked the airlines Manila contact centre, saw the personal data of nearly six million customers compromised and was believed to be the work of a hacker group called Scattered Spider, which had attacked other airlines in the past. Speaking at a recent Google event in Sydney, Hultquist said there is no concrete evidence that Scattered Spider was responsible for the Qantas attack, although he said it had all the hallmarks of the group. Scattered Spider attacked casinos in 2023, then turned their attention to the UK retail sector, and then hit insurance and now airlines. One of the remarkable things about Scattered Spider, said Hultquist, is that they are likely to be a group of teenagers, many of them under 18, based in the US, UK and Australia all part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance countries. This is a coalition of very young English speaking kids who have coalesced around chat rooms, and theyve been involved in everything from sextortion and SIM swapping and ransomware, he said. They are making tens of millions of dollars from it in crypto currency. Hultquist said one of the issues around prosecuting these groups is that, very deliberately, many of the main operatives are minors. They recognise the value of grooming and recruiting children, because they potentially dont have to worry about law enforcement repercussions, he said. The other reason is that they can take jobs in places like phone stores, and get the access that the group needs, so there is a pipeline of kids coming into this space. While the teenagers from Scattered Spider do their thing, Hultquist also said state actors are continually busy infiltrating companies and government agencies. They are not necessarily spying or stealing, but understanding how to gain access so that, if they deem it necessary, they can disable critical infrastructure such as air traffic control and energy generation. It is a 21st century version of the Cold War being played out continually in the cyber realm. Hultquist cites some recent victories for the white hats in their battle against hackers, and mentions the case of Arizona woman Christina Chapman, jailed for eight months in July, who operated a laptop farm for North Korea. She was sent laptops, ultimately 90 of them, each of which ran under a distinct user profile and were accessed by remote actors in North Korea. The laptops enabled the scammers to appear that they were located in the US, and from there they wormed their way into the heart of some of the companies in the Fortune 500, stealing the identities of almost 70 people and generating over US$17m for the North Korean Government. The point of the story is that this is a model which the state sanctioned North Korean hackers are seeking to deploy around the developed world, including in Australia and New Zealand. Hultquist said that the scammers are so prolific that they are among the worlds biggest holders of crypto currency, and are funding a large part of their countrys nuclear weapons program. Its great news for the United States that they caught this person, but its bad news for everyone else, because if theyre feeling the heat in the United States, you know they will move their operations to wherever else, he said. We can see them pushing into other areas such as Europe, Australasia, and Asia to carry this stuff out because its a very successful money maker. COMPANY NEWS: King returns to leading managed services provider as large telcos fail to deliver on service capabilities and retreat back to core offerings Macquarie Telecom, part of Macquarie Technology Group (ASX: MAQ), has today announced the appointment of Mike King as National Director of Sales. In the role, King will drive business, sales, and marketing, while nurturing Macquaries growth and strengthening its position as Australias most trusted MSP in connectivity, cloud, and cyber, supported by an expanding base of Australian businesses. King brings more than 20 years experience managing sales in the Australian telecoms and cloud market. He most recently was Head of Enterprise and Government Sales with TPG Telecom since 2021 and Director Northern Region Sales for NTT Communications ICT Solutions from 2015-2018. His prior roles at Macquarie include State Sales Manager NSW from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2018-2021. He also spent his first 10 years in the industry as Sales Manager at Optus. King says larger telcos are continuing to fall short of customers expectations. Retreating back from services customers have become reliant on, while Macquarie has doubled down our efforts and invested in these areas. Many large telcos continue to overcharge and underdeliver. This will only worsen as the big players favour their core offerings while abandoning the products and services customers have long relied on, he said. Macquarie is stepping up as a challenger to set the market straight and doubling down on SD-WAN, SASE, cyber security, and cloud to deliver real customer value. Macquarie has always solved complex customer challenges. Were set apart by the strength and capability of our people and comprehensive managed technology solutions from security to cloud, to telco, all under one roof which present distinct advantages to the market. The role will focus on telecoms, cloud services, cyber security, and data centre services, with King working closely with the other branches of Macquarie Technology to drive growth right across the business. Macquarie Technology Group is a very stable and secure business allowing us to make intelligent decisions in a planned and disciplined manner. Invest for growth, in cloud computing, cyber, and data centres. Those business units are driving the market and transforming the industry as we know it. King is bringing back shared learnings and lived experiences from his time with other companies in the telecoms and managed services space. Businesses move at lightning speed, managing constant waves of change. As a managed service provider learning how to lead the market and operate at speed and scale is critical in delivering exceptional customer outcomes. People join organisations because they feel it's a vehicle that can enable their careers and deliver customer value. I think the opportunities to learn and grow with Macquarie is exciting for anyone in the industry. King will work closely with Macquarie Telecom head and group executive, Luke Clifton, who said his return comes at an important time for the business. Mikes track record speaks volumes, and he truly embodies the qualities Macquarie is renowned for. He knows the business inside out, and the business knows him, making this a natural fit, Clifton said. Mike brings the depth of experience needed to help guide Macquarie into its next chapter of growth and bring great new talent into the company. Were eager to see the impact Mike will make, combining passion with creative, outside-the-box thinking. His positive and supportive approach will undoubtedly be felt in every interaction he has with employees, customers, and partners. We have an incredible team and innovative offerings to take to market, and I cant wait to see Mike inspire customers to make the bold move they know they deserve and will transform their business. (Photo by Miyuki Takiguchi) Tsukimi, or moon-viewing, is one of many Japanese customs for celebrating the fall season, and to wish for a rich harvest and prosperity for the coming year. It is also one of the most favored settings for declarations of love. Every year in the late summer and early fall, there are two opportunities for tsukimi and the dates vary by year. This year, you can see the stunning harvest moon on Oct. 6 and Nov. 2. According to the old lunar calendar, the jugo-ya and jusan-ya moons fall on the 15th night of August and the 13th night of September, or Oct. 6 and Nov. 2 on the Gregorian calendar. During tsukimi, the custom is to set out special dango dumplings and other round-shaped seasonal foods, along with sake and sprigs of susuki grass in a sort of make-shift shrine. This display is arranged on a porch or in a corridor in plain view of the moon. Other tsukimi foods include taro root, soybeans, chestnuts and persimmons. (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan) (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan) Several other customs may be observed, depending on your location. As a kind of pre-harvest-fest activity, for example, the sprigs of susuki grass, which represent rice, are sometimes hung from the eaves of a home to ward off illness after an evening of moon viewing. One old custom, slightly reminiscent of trick-or-treat in the States, encourages children to go around the neighborhood stealing the dumplings and other offerings on the tables. The stolen offerings are considered to have been accepted by the moon, thus the more stolen, the better. In Okinawa, the light of the harvest moon was once used to divine households fortunes for the coming year in some areas. Locals would make rice cakes with sweet beans called fuchagi, offer them to the moon, then climb a nearby hill to survey their village by moonlight. It was said that residents of homes that appeared dark would be prosperous, while those whose houses appeared bright would be less fortunate. Tsukimi sounds like the perfect activity to wrap up a busy summer and enjoy the incoming fall season. Take a moment on Oct. 6 to enjoy the beautiful moon and try some of the tasty seasonal treats youre sure to find at your local grocery store. As a founder in digital mental health, Ive watched our industry celebrate reaching $8.34 billion in valuation while systematically failing 40 percent of the population. This isnt just a moral failure, its a $20 billion market opportunity thats being ignored because of cultural blindness. For physicians trying to refer diverse patients to digital mental health resources, the options are frustratingly inadequate. With the total U.S. behavioral health market valued at over $87 billion, the 40 percent of the population composed of racial and ethnic minorities represents a proportional market of over $34 billion. By failing to engage this demographic, current digital platforms are leaving a conservatively estimated $20 billion untapped market on the table for competitors who can effectively address their needs. The illusion of scale: a crisis of exclusion Mental health diagnoses and treatment quality often differ for racial and ethnic minorities. For instance, African Americans experiencing an affective disorder are more frequently misdiagnosed with schizophrenia compared to white patients. Hispanics are also diagnosed with affective disorders more often than whites, though this gap narrows when factors like income and care setting are considered. Furthermore, both African Americans and Hispanics are less likely than whites to receive guideline-recommended care for conditions like depression and anxiety. Given these deep-rooted systemic failures, its clear that a one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate. Yet, this is precisely the model most digital solutions follow. A striking example is the case of Tessa, an AI chatbot rolled out by the National Eating Disorders Association, which had to be taken offline after it was found to be giving harmful advice. Given these systemic failures, it is no surprise that current digital solutions, marketed as universally accessible, are being met with a resounding vote of no-confidence from the fastest-growing demographics in the country. The reason is simple: they were never built for them. The health system impact: understanding the downstream effects When patients have behavioral health conditions alongside physical illnesses, their health care spending can triple compared to those with the same physical disease alone. This financial impact is most severe for patients with expensive conditions like chronic pain, heart disease, and diabetes, where over half also have a co-existing behavioral health disorder. For health systems, this cultural gap translates directly into operational and financial challenges. When digital mental health tools fail to engage diverse populations effectively, the consequences cascade through the entire care continuum: Emergency department utilization: Culturally inappropriate or inaccessible mental health resources often result in delayed care, leading to crisis-level presentations in emergency departments, the most expensive point of intervention. Culturally inappropriate or inaccessible mental health resources often result in delayed care, leading to crisis-level presentations in emergency departments, the most expensive point of intervention. Readmission rates: Without culturally aligned follow-up care and digital support tools, diverse patient populations experience higher readmission rates, directly impacting value-based care metrics and reimbursement models. Without culturally aligned follow-up care and digital support tools, diverse patient populations experience higher readmission rates, directly impacting value-based care metrics and reimbursement models. Population health management: Health systems serving diverse communities struggle to meet population health goals when their digital tools fail to engage significant portions of their patient base. The fallacy of the universal user: a product-level failure Todays mental health apps are engineered upon a flawed assumption that a single, western-centric model of care is universally applicable. This fallacy manifests in product design that is, at best, ineffective and, at worst, alienating. Popular platforms default to mindfulness exercises, ignoring that meditation can be foreign or even uncomfortable within many cultural frameworks. AI chatbots, trained on homogenous data sets, deploy overly familiar language that violates cultural norms of respect or adopt patronizing tones that infantilize users. This isnt merely a user experience issue; it is an algorithmic malpractice that inherits and scales long-standing biases from traditional care. For example, it is a well-documented disparity that Black and Latino children presenting with symptoms of depression are more likely to be misdiagnosed by clinicians with conduct disorder, while white children with identical symptoms are correctly identified for depression-focused interventions. This historical inequity is now being replicated and scaled by digital platforms, becoming an algorithmic bias that perpetuates systemic bias. The result is an epidemic of churn. Subscription rates for major platforms are declining, with the steepest drops among minority users. This is not a market correction; it is a product failure driven by profound cultural incompetence. The ironclad business case for cultural competence For clinicians, this means their digital referral options fail the very patients who need them most, forcing providers to manage complex cases without adequate support tools. For boards and investors, it is a direct and escalating threat to growth and profitability. The business risks are stark and quantifiable: The collapsing addressable market: By failing to serve minority populations, companies are voluntarily forfeiting access to the most significant growth engine in the American economy. While fighting for scraps of a shrinking, homogenous user base, they ignore a conservatively projected $20 billion addressable market that is actively seeking solutions. By failing to serve minority populations, companies are voluntarily forfeiting access to the most significant growth engine in the American economy. While fighting for scraps of a shrinking, homogenous user base, they ignore a conservatively projected $20 billion addressable market that is actively seeking solutions. Patient dropout crisis: When users do not feel seen, respected, or understood by a platform, the inevitable results are plummeting engagement rates and a dramatic increase in dropouts. These users will not remain paying customers, a dynamic that is a death sentence in subscription-based care. When users do not feel seen, respected, or understood by a platform, the inevitable results are plummeting engagement rates and a dramatic increase in dropouts. These users will not remain paying customers, a dynamic that is a death sentence in subscription-based care. The erosion of trust and efficacy: Poor cultural fit correlates directly with poor clinical outcomes. Platforms that cannot demonstrate effectiveness across diverse populations will fail to secure lucrative partnerships with health systems, lose out on reimbursement pathways, and fatally undermine the evidence base required for long-term viability. The path forward: from translation to true intelligence The organizations that successfully integrate cultural intelligence into their digital mental health platforms will not merely capture market share; they will help define the future of digital health delivery. By 2030, minority populations will represent nearly half of the U.S. market. Early movers who build culturally adaptive technology will establish strong foundations of community trust and develop proprietary insights that create lasting market leadership. Solving this demands a fundamental re-architecting of digital mental health around a core of deep cultural intelligence which we broke into two imperatives. The first imperative is building Adaptive Therapeutic Frameworks. AI must be trained to recognize that an individualistic, self-focused approach may be counterproductive in a collectivist culture that values family and community harmony. The technology must shift from static protocols to dynamic systems that tailor entire therapeutic journeys to a users cultural context. The second is embedding Deep Clinical Integration. Development teams must include culturally competent psychologists not as consultants, but as core architects. This is about integrating mission-critical expertise on how trauma is expressed in different communities, how help is sought, and how a therapeutic alliance is built when mistrust is the baseline. Next-generation AI architectures must incorporate cultural intelligence from the ground up, ensuring their platform adapts its therapeutic approach and not just its language, while maintaining clinical rigor and evidence-based practices. Conclusion: aligning mission with market opportunity The question for health system leaders isnt whether to invest in cultural intelligence, but how quickly they can integrate it. With minority populations approaching half the U.S. market by 2030, the $20 billion opportunity belongs to those who recognize cultural competence not as a nice-to-have, but as the core technological imperative that will determine who thrives and who becomes obsolete. ADVERTISEMENT Ronke Lawal is the founder of Wolfe, a neuroadaptive AI platform engineering resilience at the synaptic level. From Bain & Companys social impact and private equity practices to leading finance at tech startups, her three-year journey revealed a $20 billion blind spot in digital mental health: cultural incompetence at scale. Now both building and coding Wolfes AI architecture, Ronke combines her business acumen with self-taught engineering skills to tackle what she calls algorithmic malpractice in mental health care. Her work focuses on computational neuroscience applications that predict crises seventy-two hours before symptoms emerge and reverse trauma through precision-timed interventions. Currently an MBA candidate at the University of Notre Dames Mendoza College of Business, Ronke writes on AI, neuroscience, and health care equity. Her insights on cultural intelligence in digital health have been featured in KevinMD and discussed on major health care platforms. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Her most recent publication is The End of the Unmeasured Mind: How AI-Driven Outcome Tracking is Eradicating the Data Desert in Mental Healthcare. Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Physician leader Janet A. Jokela discusses its article Collective action as a path to patient-centered care. The piece reflects on the evolution of physician unions since the 1980s, beginning with housestaff associations focused on scut work and duty hours, through the Libby Zion case that transformed resident supervision, to todays growing movement of resident and employed physician unions across major institutions. The article explains how administrative burdens, loss of professional autonomy, and physician burnout have fueled interest in collective action not to abandon patients, but to protect their care. Key insights from ACPs policy paper Empowering Physicians through Collective Action include the need to ensure physicians have a voice in governance, safeguard them from retaliation, and prioritize patient access to safe, affordable, high-quality care. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of why collective empowerment may ultimately strengthen both physician well-being and the patient-physician relationship. 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 expertise, and 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 back Janet A. Jokela. Shes an infectious disease physician and former treasurer of the American College of Physicians. Todays KevinMD article is Collective action as a path to patient-centered care. Janet, welcome back to the show. Janet A. Jokela: Thanks so much, Kevin. Im glad to be here. Kevin Pho: All right. So tell us what this latest article is about. ADVERTISEMENT Janet A. Jokela: Yeah, ACP came out with a new position paper earlier this year about collective action, and it just made me reflect on my experience as a resident when I was in a union at that time, and also the current landscape, like why physician unions and resident unions are popping up all over the place. So, thats where this came from. Kevin Pho: So I think we had talked about this before. I also trained at Boston Medical Center, and you were talking about your experience as an intern at the old Boston City Hospital. I remember when I was training there, we were one of the few places that had a resident union. So during that time, I think that collective action back in 1987 when you were an intern, that was a relatively uncommon thing, right? Janet A. Jokela: Oh, I think so. I came from Minnesota, from Minneapolis. I matched at Boston City and there I went, landed there in the big city, if you will, and they just said, Oh, youre a member of the union. I was like, OK. I wasnt really sure what that meant. But at that time I was really focused on, I need to learn everything to take the best possible care I can of my patients. I was interested in the Red Sox; they hadnt won a World Series yet, and I was into Fenway Park, the Red Sox, and whatnot. Anyway, I was just trying to learn everything about what was going on, including the union. At that time, it seemed like most of the efforts of the union were things like decreasing the amount of scut work that the residents were doing. So it was things like difficult blood draws, or at that time we were accompanying patients from the emergency room to the floors as interns. It was the interns job to push patients through the tunnels and get them up to the floor. So my recollection is those were the kinds of things the union was focused on then. Kevin Pho: From what you remember, how successful was the union in terms of protecting the rights of the interns and residents? Janet A. Jokela: I think they were doing the best they could with the tools they had at the time. Were we still tasked with going to the patients who no one else could get their blood? Yes. Were the interns still pushing patients through the corridors? Well, yes. But I think there were other things that they were working on too that perhaps I wasnt as familiar with, like whether residents are considered students or employees. And at that time the decision was made that residents are actually employees, theyre not students, so they can belong to a union. So there were some fundamental things that were going on that I just wasnt aware of. But there were a lot of other important things, I think, that were going on behind the scenes. Kevin Pho: Today the concept of collective action is gaining traction within the physician community. I have a lot of articles on KevinMD saying that physicians should unionize. I live just outside of Boston, so we both know the primary care physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital have unionized. So tell us now, what are some of the common issues that are fueling this new wave? Janet A. Jokela: Right. Thats a really important question and I think it speaks to the rationale behind why physician unions are popping up. I think a lot of it gets back to the sense of burnout and moral injury, and also the fact that the landscape has changed. The majority of physicians now are employed compared to in the past. So many times these employing organizations may not be quite in alignment with an individual physicians professional ethics and professional values, and then these things clash. I think people feel like they have nowhere to go. Theyre a little bit stuck and they need some help to sort this out and to provide better care for their patients and ultimately respect the values that they were trained to have. Kevin Pho: So traditionally theres been a belief that physicians should not engage in work stoppages. Certainly that is a way that these collective actions can assert themselves. How is todays discussion reframing that concern? Janet A. Jokela: Yeah, thats an important question. I urge everyone to take a look at the article. There are a lot of details in there and a lot of in-depth review of the literature and where we are today. And there are eight separate recommendations. So with that, theres a lot of nuance in this and a lot of rethinking physician unions. Absolutely. I mean, Ive heard it, youve heard it, Im sure, things like, Unions are bad. Dont join the union. You dont want to be in a position where you abandon your patients. Thats not what this article is talking about. This article is talking about a new avenue and a new approach to unions so that ultimately patient care would benefit and physicians would benefit. Its in the goal of upholding our professional values where the union can be focused, and thats an exciting development. Kevin Pho: So give us a sneak peek for those who havent read the article. You said there are some new ideas, some new approaches. Just give us a synopsis about what some of those new ideas are. Janet A. Jokela: So for instance, with collective action, meaning unionizing and perhaps including the full range of activities, like perhaps a work stoppage, that would be a last resort. That said, there are places that have engaged in that. But for instance, if there are some physicians who might be involved in that for a short period of time, there might be other physicians who would cover for them so that patient care would not be adversely impacted. I think the key piece is that patient care and our patients are prioritized as the primary thing and our primary motivation and focus, which is super important. And I think that guides everything else. So any actions or negotiations or mediation would really revolve around, Hey, this is good for patient care. This is good for retaining your physician workforce. And thats really important because if you dont have physicians, patients arent going to get care in the big picture, in the long run. So, those are some of the things that this paper touches on. Kevin Pho: You mentioned that todays landscape, especially for primary care physicians, has changed where the majority of primary care physicians are now employed and sometimes, as in the Massachusetts General case, they often feel powerless. What makes this group particularly vulnerable? Janet A. Jokela: Yeah, theyre young, theyre early in their careers, theyre just out of medical school, theyre residents, and as we all know, it is so easy for residents to be in an incredibly vulnerable position. So we dont want residents to be in a position where theyre taken advantage of in any way, shape, or form. So even things like earning a livable wage, if you will, is really important, especially in a big, expensive city like Boston or San Francisco or wherever they might be. Thats critical. And even having avenues for childcare, how is a busy resident supposed to navigate that if theres no easily accessible childcare right there for the residents? I like to think of the residents as the canaries in the coal mine. They see whats going on in the hospital and they know where the pressure points are and what the problems are. So for instance, if theres some equipment or something else that they know patients need, they can advocate for that, and collective action is one way for them to better advocate for that, and in many ways also to help them to feel like someones paying attention and really listening to them. Kevin Pho: So obviously youve been involved with organized medicine for a long time. Now youre in a senior position, and Ive talked to physicians from across the country for many years as well. But how about those physicians who may not be in our positions, and they may not be accustomed and know whats going on. Tell us the type of questions they need to ask themselves when theyre considering whether its right for them to join a union or not. What kind of questions or issues should they consider? Janet A. Jokela: Yeah, great question. An important question. One is to talk to colleagues, talk to their immediate colleagues, and get a sense from them as well. Am I the only one feeling this way? Or are other people frustrated that the time allotted for new patients has been cut from this to that? And thats just not enough time to take really good care of new patients. There are those kinds of issues. I think keeping the patient experience and patient care as a central focus is critically important. And if ones colleagues are in agreement or getting a sense that this is just wrong, I mean, like it starts to feel like this is just morally wrong. We cant do this, its just wrong. And then if it comes down to either making a career change or having to leave or quit or whatever, or come on, lets do what weve been trained to do and advocate for patients. I think that can make the difference. Kevin Pho: So I know that our nursing colleagues as a profession have been more strongly associated with unionized action historically, and the concept of unions has been relatively new within the physician profession. Is there anything that we can learn from our nursing colleagues when it comes to collective action? Janet A. Jokela: Yeah, theres certainly been a lot more attention paid to nurses unions and nurses strikes and things like that. Again, this paper in particular and ACP is not calling for strikes, that physicians should go out on strikes. That said, there may be avenues of collaboration with nurses and nursing unions, but I think that would probably be very dependent upon the local dynamics, on the local scenarios, and local colleagues and all of that. So there may be some things that we can learn from our nursing colleagues and there may be some things that we can do together. Its probably very regionally dependent in terms of what those might be. But yeah, the nurses unions have been in existence for a long time. Kevin Pho: One of the things that you touch upon in your article is the concept of retaliation. So talk more about that and what kind of things that physicians should consider if joining collective action or joining a union. Is there anything that they should be on the watch for when it comes to retaliation? Janet A. Jokela: Oh, thats so important. It is just really important. Im really proud of the ACP, where theyre saying thats one of their recommendations in this paper, that physicians essentially should not be retaliated against, period. And I think it may help people in the trenches that if theyre exploring this or considering this for themselves, if they can point to the ACP paper to whoever is in charge that, Look, these are important considerations, as far as important criteria that we will uphold and we will honor as we go forward in this. And I think too, that was one reason why ACP wanted to write this paper and get this out, because we know the landscape has changed. And again, there are people, residents, and physicians joining unions in pockets around the country. Its important for them, especially to provide some guidance and a stamp of approval, if you will, that this is important for patient care and for the survival of our profession. So thats why its important. Its not the professional guild of old where were just protecting physicians interests. No, this is about protecting our professional integrity and protecting our professional ethics. Kevin Pho: Were talking to Janet Jokela, an infectious disease physician and former treasurer of the American College of Physicians. Todays KevinMD article is Collective action as a path to patient-centered care. Janet, what do you see as the future when it comes to collective action among the physician community? Janet A. Jokela: I think it gives us hope. I think it gives us a sense of optimism and hope that there is a path forward, that this is important. And as long as physicians remain employed, there may be discrepancies between what the employer expects and wants and between what the physicians know is important and what were obligated to do. So I think the collective action avenue provides an opportunity to bring these groups closer together so that we can be enabled to provide the care that we know how to do, and we know is important to do. Kevin Pho: And finally, lets end with some take-home messages for the KevinMD audience. Janet A. Jokela: Sure. Thank you, Kevin. Again, the landscape has changed and a majority of physicians these days are employed, and collective action provides an avenue to help better align our professional ethics and our professional commitments with the employers, thinking about what should happen and how things should be organized, if you will, in the practice. Kevin Pho: Janet, thank you again for sharing your perspective and insight. Thanks again for coming back on the show. Janet A. Jokela: Thanks so much, Kevin. Im glad to be here. With over 270 active drug shortages and growing global instability, the United States must protect itself from a worsening crisis in cancer care. The fragile supply of generic chemotherapy drugs like cisplatin, which is important for treating bladder, lung, and testicular cancer, could collapse if geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan escalate further. To preserve this diminishing supply, the U.S. must reduce its overreliance on Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing and diversify its sourcing to avoid the inevitable patient suffering. The U.S. reliance on Indian drug manufacturers The U.S. pays only about twenty percent of total prescription spending on generics mostly manufactured in places like India. Yet these drugs account for over ninety percent of prescriptions. Our reliance on these low-price generics, however, makes our pharmaceutical supply chain acutely vulnerable to disruptions such as geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan. Drug shortages in the U.S. are not new, but they are increasingly dangerous. These shortages can delay care, increase costs, contribute to medication errors, and force patients to rely on unfamiliar substitutes. Generic chemotherapy agents are most vulnerable. So why do we not just make generics in the U.S.? In 2019, the CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals stated, Nobody is making money on generics in the U.S. Manufacturers face razor-thin margins, high labor costs, and regulatory overhead. Competing with Indias low prices is nearly impossible without significant government support. As a result, U.S. firms have little incentive to produce drugs like cisplatin domestically, even if they are essential for patient care. Instead to maintain profitability, many pharmaceutical firms outsource production to countries with lower labor and operational costs. Indian manufacturers benefit from economies of scale. Hubs in cities like Hyderabad allow for high-volume production and streamlined processes, reducing per-unit costs. This specialization has made India indispensable to the global drug supply, but dangerously central to U.S. pharmaceutical stability. Current political instability of India and its potential effects Tensions between India and Pakistan date back to 1947, when the partition of British India created two separate states: India, with a Hindu majority, and Pakistan, with a Muslim majority. Disputes over the culturally and strategically significant region of Jammu and Kashmir have led to multiple conflicts, most notably in 1965 and 1971, and were further destabilized by the introduction of nuclear weapons into both countries arsenals. The most recent flashpoint occurred on April 22, 2025, when militants killed twenty-five Indian nationals and one Nepalese tourist in Kashmir. Since the attack, trade routes have narrowed, border tensions have flared, and diplomatic relations have turned. While we can only predict the effects political instability on supply trade, history has shown the influence of supply trade disruptions. In 2023, Intas Pharmaceuticals suspended production of cisplatin at its Western India facility. With only four major global manufacturers of the drug, U.S. oncologists scrambled to find alternatives. The shortage revealed how brittle the system really is and how quickly it can collapse. When political instability disrupts trade, pharmaceutical supply chains suffer affecting U.S. consumers. Manufacturing priorities can shift inward, with countries focusing on domestic needs during times of conflict. This nationalism results in export restrictions or tariffs on critical drugs. Although designed to stabilize a local economy or assert political strength, these policies can inadvertently cripple the global supply chain for vital medications like cisplatin. The U.S., heavily dependent on imports of generic cancer drugs especially from India, becomes a collateral victim of conflict thousands of miles away. Consequences and solutions to supply trade disruptions The consequences of this inaction are clear. Drug shortages remain stubbornly high, and tensions between India and Pakistan show no signs of dissolving. A 2023 study in European Journal of Operational Research modeled how export bans could lead to global shortages. The findings were clear: Pharmaceutical firms that planned ahead were better able to mitigate supply chain risks. Governments that supported domestic capacity could buffer the fallout. The most effective strategy was one that used multiple variables such as regulation, trade policy, supply and demand, manufacturing capacity, and geopolitical risk within a comprehensive preparedness framework. The U.S. cannot afford to treat global drug supply chains as stable or resilient. With new political and military risks rising in South Asia, particularly between India and Pakistan, America must treat access to cisplatin, and other generic cancer drugs, as a national security issue. We must plan now to protect patients later. Adwait Chafale is a medical student. (Image by Seoul Metropolitan Government) Seoul is putting safety at the forefront as the 2025 Seoul World Fireworks Festival is set to light up the skies over Yeouido Hangang Park on Saturday, September 27. With over one million spectators expected, city officials have unveiled a comprehensive plan covering safety, transportation, and crowd management. Compared to last year, the city has increased safety personnel by 13 percent, forming a joint command center with police, fire services, local districts, and festival organizer Hanwha Group. CCTV monitoring and a dedicated safety app will track crowd density in real time. On September 26, government agencies will conduct a joint inspection to ensure readiness. Traffic restrictions will be strict. Yeouidong-ro will be closed from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm, with 19 bus routes diverted. Subway Lines 5 and 9 will add 18 and 62 trains respectively, though Yeouinaru Station may bypass passengers during peak congestion. Bike rentals and access across bridges like Mapo and Hangang will also be limited. To improve comfort, 90 temporary toilets, extra trash bins, and six medical stations will be installed, with over 1,200 volunteers assisting in cleanup. Police will deploy 2,500 officers for safety and traffic management, while fire and rescue units will remain on standby. This years theme, Light Up Together, will feature fireworks by teams from Korea, Italy, and Canada. The festival will also stream live on Seouls YouTube channel, with synchronized music available via the Orange Play app. City officials urge visitors to follow staff instructions and prioritize safety throughout the event. Comparta este articulo Lex Ashton Canedo, the man accused of killing a 16-year-old at CCH Sur, had homicidal thoughts for some time according to the diagnosis made by the psychology specialist at the Traumatology hospital in the south, where he has been hospitalized since Monday, September 22. The 19-year-old told specialists from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) that he has suffered harassment (bullying) throughout his schooling and that at the beginning of last year he suffered from depression; La Silla Rota obtained the diagnosis that was performed on him Tuesday, hours after committing the crime. Loading Although he received treatment at UNAM, his depression deepened when he was diagnosed with kidney stones in August 2024. Upon learning he had that condition he went through moments of sadness, discouragement and hopelessness. During the interview with the specialists, Lex Ashton was handcuffed to the hospital bed. The young man said that in July he completed his three-year period as a high school student, although he still has some subjects left to pass. ALSO READ: Fuel theft network in Profeco reached an Interior Ministry official During the conversation, the specialist reports that Ashton shows slowness in forming ideas and also slowness in speech. The specialist also found that he has difficulties expressing or perceiving his own emotions and those of others. I was inspired by what happens in the United States Although he was no longer regularly enrolled, on Monday he went to the Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades campus intending to attack whoever he found. I was inspired by what happens in the United States, he said, apparently referring to attacks carried out at schools in that country, such as what happened in Uvalde, Texas (2022); Sandy Hook, Connecticut (2021); and Columbine, Colorado (1999), among others. That Monday, he left his house intending to kill several people and attacked Jesus, a 16-year-old teen he did not know. His desire was to kill more, but he could not because of the intervention of a CCH employee, he acknowledged. ALSO READ: Profeco allied with CJNG in fuel theft and extortion network According to information obtained by reporter Antonio Nieto, on Monday Lexs mother saw him leave for the CCH carrying a guadana (it was likely a piolet, a tool used by climbers to hold onto rocks that has one pointed end and another similar to a hammer). She called 911 to warn, but no one stopped the young man. Lonely and angry La Silla Rota revealed that Lex posted messages in WhatsApp groups and pages like Reddit where people who identify as incels (acronym for involuntary celibates) participate. Im sick of this world, never in my fucking life have I received the love of a woman and honestly it hurts, it hurts to know that the chads can enjoy the folds and I cant. Chads are popular young men with sexual experience, while incels are guys who for one reason or another cant establish a romantic or sexual relationship with a woman. According to investigations by the Research Police, Lex posted this kind of messages in groups such as Farmacia Curincels, which implies a combination between curifeo, that is, an unattractive guy who also has a caustic sense of humor that pushes people away, and an incel. But you know what, Im not planning to go alone, Im going to get back at those bitches and everyone will see it on the news, Lexton wrote in Farmacia Curincels. On Monday, September 22 he left his home dressed in black, hooded, with cans of pepper spray, two knives and a guadana. djh Comparta este articulo The Mexico City Health Department on Wednesday updated the death toll from the explosion of a gas truck on Sep. 10. According to the latest update from the capital's government, the accident left 30 dead, 15 hospitalized, and 39 injured, who have already been discharged from hospitals following the accident in the Iztapalapa district. Loading The most recent death was a 21-year-old woman admitted to the Victoriano de la Fuente Narvaez Hospital. The explosion, one of the most serious in the city's recent history, occurred when a tanker truck with a capacity of 49,500 liters overturned and exploded on Calzada Ignacio Zaragoza, near the Puente de la Concordia bridge in Iztapalapa. Among the injured is a two-year-old girl who survived after being protected by her grandmother, who died on Saturday from burns covering more than 90 percent of her body. On Monday, the girl was transferred to Shriners Hospitals for Children in Galveston, Texas, after sustaining burns covering 25 percent of her body. The death of the gas truck driver, who authorities accuse of causing the accident by driving at excessive speed, was reported last week. However, surveillance camera footage from the area released on Wednesday by Mexican media shows the vehicle traveling at a moderate speed before the explosion. Foto: Cuartoscuro UNETE A NUESTRO CANAL DE WHATSAPP. EL PODER DE LA INFORMACION EN LA PALMA DE TU MANO SIGUENOS EN EL SHOWCASE DE LA SILLA ROTA DE GOOGLE NEWS gph From Assyrian Palace to Monastery to Mosque: History of the Tomb of Jonah Mosul, Iraq -- The abuses of authoritarian regimes across the Middle East extend far beyond the displacement and persecution of indigenous communities such as the Assyrian people. These regimes have also stripped them of their identity, heritage, and ancient history -- rewriting and distorting it in ways that erase their cultural legacy. Much like the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul -- constructed more than 1,500 years ago, later converted into a mosque during the Ottoman era, and most recently by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- Iraq holds striking examples of cultural erasure. Among the most notable is the Monastery of Mar Jonah in Mosul. Originally a Chaldean Christian site, the monastery was renamed in the 10th century with an Islamic designation honoring the Prophet Jonah. Today it sits atop Tell al-Tawbah, the "Hill of Repentance." Yet researchers have found evidence that the Jonah after whom the monastery was named may not have been the biblical prophet (known in Islam as Yunus), but rather a monk who lived in the late 4th century AD. In his Biographies of the Patriarchs of the Church of the East, Chaldean Patriarch Mar Louis Raphael Sako noted that the tomb of Hananishu the Lame lies within the Monastery of Mar Jonah in Mosul. Regarding its conversion into a mosque, Patriarch Sako explained: When the Arabs conquered Nineveh -- then known as the 'Fortress of Crossing' -- in the latter half of the 7th century under Rab'i ibn al-Afkal al-Anzi, they settled several Muslim Arab tribes there. Although the majority of the city's inhabitants were Eastern Christians, the Monastery of Mar Jonah, situated on Tell al-Tawba near Nineveh's walls, was converted into a mosque for Muslims and renamed the Mosque of the Prophet Yunus. Despite this well-documented history, the Iraqi government has taken no steps to restore the rights of the Assyrian people, even though Mosul has long been regarded as one of their strongholds. Activists argue that the state has remained inactive, often citing the mass flight of Christians following the Islamic State's (ISIS) occupation of the city in 2014 as justification for its neglect. Ironically, it was ISIS itself that unintentionally revealed parts of the city's ancient past. When the terrorist group blew up Tell al-Tawbah, they uncovered the ruins of an Assyrian palace dating back to the 6th century BC, built by King Esarhaddon, son of Sennacherib. More recently, the discovery of a winged bull and other artifacts confirmed that the site and monastery were historically tied to the Assyrian peoples. The very name Jonah underscores this connection. "Jonah" is the Syriac form of the Hebrew Yona, meaning "dove." In Islamic tradition, he is referred to as Yunus and nicknamed Dhu al-Nun, a phrase also derived from Syriac meaning "the fish," referencing the whale in which the prophet is said to have remained for three days. For many, these layers of history highlight both the richness of Mosul's past and the tragic consequences of cultural erasure -- where sacred sites are rebranded, heritage is stripped away, and the memory of entire peoples risks crumbling into silence. > < 23:55 Gurugram cop suspended for stalking woman, accessing personal info A woman from Gurugram has accused a police constable of stalking her and obtaining her personal information by tracing her car's license plate, police said on Friday. According to police, the accused constable also sent her a request on Instagram. Following the woman's complaint, an FIR was... Read more > 23:39 Goa BJP leader booked for 'threatening' activist A `non-cognisable' case was registered on Friday against BJP leader Mahanand Assnodkar at Porvorim in Goa for allegedly threatening a social activist. Swapnesh Sherlekar, the complainant, alleged that Assnodkar called him on Thursday night, and threatened him over a video circulating on... Read more > 23:15 Zubeen death: Assam CID summons witnesses Assam police's CID on Friday issued notices to people who were present or aware of the events leading to singer Zubeen Garg's death in Singapore, asking them to appear before its officers within 10 days, a senior official said. He added that the Special Investigating Team (SIT), formed by... Read more > 22:59 Maha rains: Educational institutions shut on Sat in Nanded, Latur File image Authorities in Nanded and Latur have declared holiday for all educational institutions on Saturday after an 'orange' alert was issued for heavy rains, an official said. The order to keep educational institutions closed was issued by Nanded Collector Rahul Kardile and Latur Collector Varsha... Read more > 22:47 NIA attaches immovable properties of terror operative in Kashmir File image The National Investigation Agency on Friday attached immovable properties of a Hizbul Mujahideen terror operative involved in supplying arms and ammunition to active members of the banned outfit for promoting terrorist activities in Kashmir.On the orders of the NIA special court in Jammu, the... Read more > 22:18 'Deal that will end the war': Trump on Gaza conflict US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) expressed confidence that a breakthrough was imminent in efforts to end the Gaza conflict. Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump said, It's looking like we have a deal on Gaza. I think it's a deal that will get the... Read more > 22:03 Man throws acid on teacher in Sambhal, arrested A man has been arrested following an encounter for allegedly throwing acid on a teacher here, police said on Friday. A woman was also arrested in the case, the police said, adding that she has been identified as Jahanvi alias Archana. According to the police, the accused was identified... Read more > 21:41 Six workers killed as steel plant's roof collapses in Raipur File image Six workers were killed and six others were injured after the roof of a structure collapsed at a private steel plant in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur on Friday, police said.According to officials, the incident occurred at the Siltara industrial area.Raipur SP Lal Umed Singh told ANI that police... Read more > 21:31 Zoologists to assess rodent outbreak in Mizoram Teams of Zoologists from Pachhunga University College (PUC) in Aizawl will study and assess the current outbreak of rodents, sources in PUC said. Led by Prof Lalramliana, two teams from the Zoology department of PUC set out on Thursday to visit the affected villages, while one team set out... Read more > 21:04 'Doctor Who' actor Noel Clarke arrested in London Actor Noel Clarke/Image courtesy X Actor Noel Clarke, best known for his roles in Doctor Who and Kidulthood, has reportedly been arrested in London.According to reports from Deadline, multiple reports suggested that Clarke was arrested at his family home in Kensington on Thursday. Metropolitan Police officers are also... Read more > 20:55 Indian missing after falling overboard cargo vessel near Maldives found dead The man who fell into the sea from an Indian vessel anchored near the Maldives capital has been found dead on Friday, authorities confirmed here. According to the Maldives National Defence Force, the man's body was recovered in the southern waters of K Feydhoofinolhu by the MNDF Coast Guard... Read more > 20:44 AFSPA extended in parts of Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal File image The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was on Friday extended for six months in entire Manipur, except the jurisdiction of 13 police stations, in view of the prevailing law and order situation there. The AFSPA, under which a particular state or some areas are declared disturbed, has also been... Read more > 20:41 Karnataka govt proposes 2% cess on movie tickets, TV channels The Karnataka government has proposed levying a 2 percent cess on movie tickets and subscription fee of television entertainment channels to fund welfare schemes for cine and cultural activists, according to draft rules notified by the labour department. The draft rules have been framed... Read more > 20:24 Last rites of Kannada novelist SL Bhyrappa held with full state honours The last rites of renowned Kannada novelist and philosopher S L Bhyrappa were performed here on Friday with full state honours, following his death due to cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Wednesday. He was 94. The cremation took place near the foot of Chamundi Hill,... Read more > 19:43 Rupee rises 4 paise to close at 88.72 against US dollar The rupee rebounded from its all-time low to close 4 paise higher at 88.72 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, tracking a weak greenback against major currencies overseas and a drop in global crude oil prices. Unabated foreign capital outflows and risk-off sentiment in the... Read more > 19:10 India, US eye quick trade agreement, to continue talks India and the US have decided to continue negotiations for early conclusion of a mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement, the Commerce Ministry said on Friday. The statement was issued after the return of the Indian official delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal... Read more > 18:50 Tremor of 2.2 magnitude recorded in Latur village; no damage to property A tremor of 2.2 magnitude was recorded in Borwati village in Latur district at around 6:30am on Friday though there was no report of anyone getting hurt or damage to property, an official said. The New Delhi-based National Centre for Seismology has confirmed the development and called it a... Read more > 18:33 HC to hear Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah case on Oct 9 The Allahabad high court on Friday fixed October 9 for the next hearing in the Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah mosque dispute at Mathura. The controversy is related to Mughal emperor Aurangazeb-era Shahi Idgah mosque at Mathura which is alleged to have been built after demolishing a... Read more > 18:02 Police, locals clash outside Bareilly mosque File image An announcement postponing a proposed demonstration in support of the 'I Love Muhammad' campaign by Maulana Tauqeer Raza, local cleric and chief of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, led to a clash between a large crowd and police outside a mosque in Bareilly on Friday.The police said large crowds holding... Read more > 18:00 Five-year-old boy killed in leopard attack in Maha's Gondia A five-year-old boy was mauled to death by a leopard in a village in Maharashtra's Gondia district, a forest official said on Friday. The incident occurred in Sanjaynagar village of Arjuni Morgaon tehsil under the jurisdiction of Gothangaon forest range in the early hours of Thursday, the... Read more > 17:53 Attack on democracy: AAP slams Centre over Wangchuk's arrest Activist Sonam Wangchuk/ANI Photo The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday criticised the BJP-led central government over the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk by the Ladakh police, calling it an attack on democracy and people's rights. Wangchuk was taken into custody on Friday, two days after violent protests in Ladakh over... Read more > 17:39 HC notice to actor-politician Vijay over TVK party flag TVK leader Vijay/File image The Madras high court on Friday issued notice to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay on an appeal filed by the Chennai-based trust Thondai Mandala Saandror Dharma Paribalana Sabai, challenging an order of a single judge that declined to restrain TVK from using its party flag. A... Read more > 17:14 Forex reserves drop by $396 mln to $702.57 bn India's forex reserves dropped by $396 million to $702.57 billion for the week ended September 19, according to the RBI data. In the previous reporting week, the overall reserves had jumped by $4.698 billion to $702.966 billion. For the week ended September 19, foreign currency assets,... Read more > 16:54 Silver surges Rs 1,900 to hit new high Silver prices surged Rs 1,900 to hit a fresh high of Rs 1,41,900 per kilogram while gold rose by Rs 330 in the national capital on Friday amid heavy demand from stockists during the ongoing festival season, according to the All India Sarafa Association. Gold prices advanced, with 99.9 per... Read more > 16:45 Sensex, Nifty tank nearly 1% on selling in pharma, IT shares Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled nearly 1 per cent on Friday, marking their sixth consecutive day of decline, following heavy selling in pharma and IT shares as US President Donald Trump announced 100 per cent duties on pharmaceutical drugs from next month. The 30-share BSE... Read more > 16:43 HC directs parties not to share Sunjay Kapur's property papers Delhi High Court on Friday barred all parties involved in the dispute over late Sunjay Kapur's property not to share details, including those of his personal assets and liabilities, with the media. Justice Jyoti Singh passed the directions and said, A copy of the 'will' be supplied to the... Read more > 16:41 Delhi banega Khalistan: Khalistani terrorist on bail threatens India, Doval Khalistani separatist Inderjeet Singh Gosal, associated with the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has threatened India shortly after being released on bail in Canada. Gosal secured bail from the Ontario Central East Correctional Centre within a week and appeared in a video recorded outside the... Read more > 16:34 MEA says Modi did NOT call Putin MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal: We have seen the statement by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This statement is factually incorrect and entirely... Read more > 16:28 Rauf, Farhan complete ICC hearing; sanctions likely The ICC hearing of Pakistan cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for allegedly provocative actions during the Asia Cup game against India was completed in Dubai on Friday and sanctions are likely for some of the gestures, according to tournament sources. It is learnt that Rauf is... Read more > 16:26 'Sonam Wangchuk had no role in violence' The Apex Body Leh, which is leading the agitation for statehood for Ladakh, stated on Friday that their protest is peaceful and that the violence on September 24 was triggered when a section of the youth got out of control. Addressing a press conference in Leh, the Apex Body denied activist... Read more > 16:25 University of Oxford honours N Chandrasekaran Somerville College, University of Oxford has elected Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, as a Foundation Fellow of Somerville College. A Foundation Fellowship is the highest honour conferred by Somerville College for philanthropy. Chandra, as he is popularly called was... Read more > 16:13 Up to 30% tax savings from GST 2.0 for households: FICCI Indian households are set to benefit from tax savings of up to 27 to 30 per cent under the new GST 2.0 regime, according to a report released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (FICCI... Read more > 16:10 Charges against Wangchuk unclear Update: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested Friday by a police party here, two days after violent protests by supporters of the movement for statehood and extension of Sixth Schedule of Constitution left four persons dead and 90 others injured, officials said. Wangchuk was taken... Read more > 16:01 Sonam Wangchuk arrested Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk arrested by Ladakh police team led by DGP S D Singh Jamwal. Internet services have been suspended in Leh.Protests for statehood turned violent in Leh town on Wednesday, leaving four people dead and 90 others injured.At least 50 people have been detained so far in... Read more > 15:28 India-US trade talks end but no agreement yet A high-level Indian delegation, led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during a recent visit to the United States (US), engaged in a series of productive discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral trade deal and investment ties between the two countries, the Commerce and Industry... Read more > 15:05 Teen on bail for double murder stabs boy to death Illustration: Dominic Xavier A teenager, out on bail recently in a double murder case, allegedly stabbed a 15-year-old boy to death in northeast Delhi's Seelampur. He has been apprehended, police said on Friday. The juvenile, aged around 13 to 14 years old, was recently released on bail three to four months back in a... Read more > 14:45 Have fond memories of flying MiG-21: Shubhanshu At the decommission ceremony of the MiG-21, Indian Astronaut and IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla says, I am feeling fantastic today. I spent a considerable amount of time with the MiG-21 and cherish many fond memories of it. I'm so glad to be here today, seeing the aircraft I grew up with... Read more > 14:39 A body, a wallet, and a blind murder solved Illustration: Dominic Xavier It was a textbook blind murder with scarce clues, no witnesses and no apparent motive. Investigators had literally nothing to go by when called upon to solve the killing of an e-rickshaw driver, eventually traced to a schoolboy. A month later, police apprehended a Class 11 student who... Read more > 14:28 Usain Bolt Lights Up Mumbai Usain Bolt. File pic The world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, lit up Mumbai as part of his India visit with DreamSetGo, India's first premium bespoke sports experiences and travel platform. The visit also marked the launch of Dream Icons, DreamSetGo's signature IP that brings the world's greatest sporting legends... Read more > 14:24 Tata Capital IPO To Raise Up To Rs 17,500 Cr Tata Capital's initial public offering (IPO) -- one of the most anticipated of the year -- is expected to hit the market in the first half of October, slightly later than the regulatory deadline of September.The delay was due to the merger approval of Tata Motors Finance from the National Company... Read more > 14:23 30% of children age 5-9 have high triglycerides in India Representational image Over a third of India's children aged 5-9 could be having high triglycerides, with Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and northeastern states showing highest prevalence, according to a government report. Over 67 per cent of children in West Bengal, 64 per cent in Sikkim, 55 per cent in Nagaland,... Read more > 13:42 PM tells Bihar's women: Ensure RJD+ don't win in polls Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the RJD, stating that under its rule, women of Bihar suffered immensely, while calling upon them to ensure that the Lalu Prasad-led party and its allies never returned to power in the eastern state. Modi was virtually... Read more > 13:25 Why SC wants body of top Maoist commander preserved The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Chhattisgarh police to preserve the body of top Maoist commander Katha Ramchandra Reddy, who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in Narayanpur district. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and AG Masih said the body shall not be buried or cremated... Read more > 12:47 Mikoyan-Gurevich-21 jets proof of Indo-Russia ties: Rajnath The legendary Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jets, the the backbone of the Indian Air Force's combat fleet for more than six decades, streaked through Indian skies for the last time on Friday -- its final adieu edged in history and many a remembrance.The sun shone bright, the skies cloudless and... Read more > 12:40 Customer Support, Service Major Issues Across Fintechs: RBI Customer support and service are major concerns about fintechs across sectors, said a report by the Reserve Bank of India on Thursday.Unresponsive support, inadequate grievance resolution and limited customer care contact channels are key concerns about such companies, it said.'Topic modelling... Read more > 12:34 Homebound Review: Highly Recommended In the slot of rural poor, there are those who struggle to pull themselves out of crumbling hovels, and there are the Jamtara-like bunch who turn to crime. Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound is about the former, whose quest for respect and dignity is thwarted because they are... Read more > 12:27 Amit Shah prays to Ma Durga for new govt in Bengal Mamata Banerjee at a puja pandal Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the Durga Puja pandal of Santosh Mitra Square here, and said he prayed to the goddess that post the 2026 West Bengal assembly polls, there is a new government which restores the state's lost 'Sonar Bangla' glory. Shah said Bengal should... Read more > 12:18 Crops in 2 lakh hectares of land damaged in Marathwada Recent floods caused by heavy rains have damaged crops on 2.26 lakh hectares of land across 363 villages in Dharashiv district of Maharashtra's Marathwada region, an official said on Friday. Nearly 2 lakh farmers in the district have suffered the crop losses, he said. Excess rainfall and... Read more > 12:10 SC dismisses plea seeking ban on Salman Rushdie's book The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking a direction to ban Salman Rushdie's controversial novel The Satanic Verses. The plea came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta. The counsel appearing for the petitioners referred to the... Read more > 12:05 'Inventor, teacher Wangchuk harassed by cheap politics' Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday condemned the accusations against Sonam Wangchuk, and took a jibe at the Central government stating that it was using its entire machinery for harassing the person who was thinking about the country's progress. In a post on... Read more > 11:58 HC questions Wankhede over maintainability of plea against web series The Delhi High Court on Friday questioned IRS officer and former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede over maintainability of his defamation suit against actor Shahrukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan owned Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix for allegedly maligning his reputation in their series... Read more > 11:45 Curfew remains in force for third day in Leh town A home ministry team held a series of meetings in Leh to review the overall security situation as curfew remained in force for the third consecutive day in Leh town on Friday, officials said. No untoward incident was reported from anywhere, officials said. The curfew was clamped in the town... Read more > 11:35 65% Of MGNREGA Funds Earmarked For Water-Stressed Blocks The ministry of rural development, together with the ministry of Jal Shakti, has launched a joint initiative to earmark around 65 per cent of annual Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) funds for water conservation activities in 'over-exploited' blocks across the... Read more > 11:25 Goodbye! Rajnath, service chiefs at MiG-21 decommissioning Defence minister Rajnath Singh attends the decommissioning ceremony of the Indian Air Force's MiG-21 fighter aircraft fleet. CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, COAS Gen Upendra Dwivedi, and CNS Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi also present. The decommissioning ceremony of the Indian Air Force's MiG-21 fighter... Read more > 11:06 Farewell MiG-21. Flying Legend, IAF's Soul The MiG-21's sharp silhouette and supersonic roar will live on in the memories of those who flew it, those who maintained it, and those who watched it streak across the sky as a symbol of India's strength, asserts IAF veteran Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd). Read the column here. Read more > 11:02 'Trump's 100% tariff on pharma won't impact generic meds' Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) on Friday said US President Donald Trump's move to impose 100 per cent import tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs from October 1 will impact only patented and branded products, not generic medicines. Reacting to the development, IPA Secretary General... Read more > 10:48 Marathwada flood: Ajit Pawar asks CM, HM, PM for aid On floods in Marathwada, Maharashtra DCM Ajit Pawar says, Yesterday also I was in that area, and it was still raining. Many people who had taken shelter in unsafe places were being shifted to safer locations. Along with the Army and NDRF, airlift support was also being used. The entire... Read more > 10:23 Pharma stocks drag Sensex down after 100% tariffs Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Friday dragged by pharma stocks and relentless foreign fund outflows. US H-1B visa fee concerns and a weak trend in global markets also added to the bearish trend in domestic equities. Investor attention will squarely be... Read more > 10:11 India's Russian oil buys: Biden was tolerant, Trump... India had a good relationship with Biden-led US The Trump administration's aggressive stance against India's purchases of Russian oil marks a stark departure from the Biden era's pragmatic tolerance, potentially jeopardising bilateral trade negotiations and raising questions about Washington's reliability as a partner for New Delhi, according... Read more > 10:06 Skoda's Octavia Set For Oct Launch File pic Skoda Auto India plans to bring back its high-end sedan Octavia RS to the Indian market next month, shifting gears after the success of its compact SUV, Kylaq.Octavia RS pre-bookings start October 6 and deliveries are expected by November 6. The company will import around 100 units this year... Read more > 09:45 No processions, rally, march orders continue in Leh Prohibitions under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, continue to be imposed in Leh following the September 24 violence on amid the demands for statehood for Ladakh and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.Assembly of five or more persons is banned in the... Read more > 09:34 India's $30 billion pharma exports jittery after 100% tariff United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday that his administration will impose a 100 per cent tariff on branded and patented pharmaceutical products beginning October 1, 2025, unless the manufacturing companies establish production facilities in the United States.The Indian... Read more > 09:27 RBI Mandates Stronger 2-Factor Authentication The Reserve Bank of India has mandated two-factor authentication for all types of digital payments in the country starting from April 1, 2026, with a view of strengthening the security of transactions. According to the RBI, at least one form of authentication for a transaction is required to... Read more > 09:16 US getting closer to Pakistan because...: Expert The United States is deepening ties with Pakistan primarily to secure closer military access, which positions American assets nearer to its adversaries, such as China and Iran, according to Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago, Paul... Read more > 08:40 Trump-Sharif meet: White House yet to release official photo US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) hosted the Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Asim Munir at the Oval Office in Washington, DC.However, there appears to be a cloud over the meeting with the White House failing to release any official pictures... Read more > 08:24 Shehbaz Sharif, Asim Munir meet Trump at White House Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir met United States President Donald Trump in the White House.Sharif is in the US for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly and will address the General Debate from the UNGA podium on Friday.He made a brief visit... Read more > 01:27 Engineering student stabbed to death during birthday party in Maha's Beed A 22-year-old engineering student was stabbed to death on Thursday evening following an altercation during a birthday celebration in Beed city, a police official said. He identified the victim as Yash Devendra Dhaka, adding the incident took place at 8:30pm in the bustling Mane Complex... Read more > 01:27 Engineering student stabbed to death during birthday party in Maha's Beed A 22-year-old engineering student was stabbed to death on Thursday evening following an altercation during a birthday celebration in Beed city, a police official said. He identified the victim as Yash Devendra Dhaka, adding the incident took place at 8:30pm in the bustling Mane Complex... Read more > 00:39 HC stays arrest of alleged Pak citizen teaching in school in UP's Bareilly The Allahabad high court has stayed the arrest of an alleged Pakistani citizen, who is teaching in a primary school in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly since 2015. The order was passed on Wednesday by a bench comprising justices Siddhartha Varma and Abdul Shahid on a writ petition filed by Shumaila... Read more > Trump Is Right, Christians Are Threatened Across the Globe Assyrians attend a Christmas mass at the Virgin Mary Syriac Orthodox Church in Diyarbakir, Turkey, in 2022. ( Sertac Kayar/Reuters) When President Trump told the United Nations on Tuesday that Christianity is "the most persecuted religion on the planet," he put blunt words to a grim reality known to millions across the world. The president was correct to highlight the state of Christian persecution worldwide, from criminalization for basic Christian expression in liberal democracies to imprisonment and threat of death under hostile regimes. While we must be careful not to conflate the plight of Christians in the West with those facing the regular threat of death in other parts of the world, the facts are clear: Christian persecution is a universal phenomenon. Start in Finland. Long-standing parliamentarian Paivi Rasanen is entering her seventh year of criminal prosecution following a Bible-verse post expressing her Christian view on marriage and sexuality. Two courts cleared her entirely, yet the state prosecutor pressed on, and now the Supreme Court of Finland will hear the case on October 30. When a Western democracy keeps a grandmother and civil servant in court for seven years over Christian speech, we know that something foundational is eroding -- the freedom to articulate our basic religious convictions. In Britain, Army veteran Adam Smith-Connor was criminally convicted for the "offense" of silently praying for his deceased son near an abortion facility in the south of England. His appeal is currently pending with the legal support of ADF International. The U.S. Department of State highlighted the abortion facility "buffer zones" under which Smith-Connor was convicted as an "egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty." Cross the Atlantic and the pattern persists. In Canada, Jim Demers -- criminally convicted in the 1990s for standing silently with a pro-life sign -- still awaits justice for his peaceful expression rooted in Christian principles. Demers, with the legal support of ADF International, has appealed his case to the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, where he awaits a judgment any day now that, ideally, will affirm his right to freely share his faith-based beliefs. Then there is the raw edge of persecution, where the consequence is not a fine, but a cell, and often the very real threat of death. Consider Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, a Yemeni Christian refugee imprisoned in Egypt for three years for hosting a Facebook group for Christian converts. After international pressure, he was freed earlier this year, but his case paints a vivid picture of the persecution facing Egypt's Christians. Nigeria demonstrates with tragic clarity what happens when the policing of expression metastasizes into violence with impunity. Year after year, Nigeria leads the world in Christians killed for their faith -- horrific statistics that should command urgent international attention. This week, the Supreme Court of Nigeria will hear a case on Kano State's draconian blasphemy laws in the north of the country. These laws perpetuate societal tensions, including vigilante death threats and mob violence, by targeting religious minorities accused of speaking against Islam. The case before the Supreme Court is that of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a Sufi Muslim, accused of blasphemy toward Mohammed. With this case, the court has the opportunity to strike down northern Nigeria's blasphemy-law regime, and in so doing, pave the way for peace for Nigeria's millions of religious minorities, including Christians. In Turkey, the number of Christians has diminished from 20 percent to 0.2 percent of the population in the past 100 years. In recent years, the government has targeted foreign Christian workers despite their lawful and often decades-long residence in Turkey. Between 2020 and 2023, the Turkish government placed entry bans on or expelled at least 160 foreign workers and their families under fake terrorism designations. New entry bans are being issued all the time, and 15 of these cases are pending before the European Court of Human Rights. Pastor Youssef Ourahmane is one of the leading figures in Algeria's Evangelical protestant church. Since 2019, 43 Evangelical churches have been forcibly closed by the state, leaving only one with its doors open today. Pastor Youssef received a sentence of two years in prison and a substantial fine for the crime of "illegal worship." His appeal is pending before the Supreme Court of Algeria. In a climate of overarching persecution, Pakistani Christian girls face the compounded human rights violations of forced marriage and forced conversion, ripped away from their families and forced to marry Muslim men while the law turns a blind eye. More than 1,000 girls from religious minorities are forced into conversion and marriage every year in the country. Christians are systematically targeted in Nicaragua by the Ortega regime. Eleven pastors and ministry leaders from Puerta de la Montana were imprisoned for eight months and ordered to pay millions in fines for sharing the gospel in the country. Released last September, they are now bringing their case before the Inter-American Commission in an effort to end religious persecution in the country. And this is just a snapshot of our moment. In every corner of the world, Christians are being punished and persecuted simply for living out their beliefs -- and all of society loses out as a result. But none of this is inevitable. International law and the laws of almost every country robustly protect our fundamental freedoms. In every one of these cases, the law can be re-anchored to fulfill its basic duty -- ensuring equal protection before the law for every person and the fundamental freedom to seek, speak, and live the truth. President Trump's provocation to the U.N. was clarifying. Religious freedom is not a special plea for Christians. Protect it robustly, and societies flourish. Let it decay, and no one is safe. We must work toward a world where the inherent dignity of every person is championed and all life is valued, where marriage, families, and communities thrive, and the good news of the Christian message resounds across the globe. For this to happen, we must recommit to putting an end to Christian persecution everywhere. Annabelle Mae McDonnell was visibly emotional after being crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Globe 2025, a moment that showed her journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the nights winners. Now, McDonnell is ready to conquer the global stage as she competes in Miss Globe 2025 in Tirana, Albania. Radiant in a plunge-front, bare-midriff red maxi dress, the 25-year-old self-made woman met with members of the media during her sendoff held at Gateway Mall 2 in Araneta City. - Advertisement - Im happy to represent the country for the second time, and Im just as excited as I was the very first time when I competed in Miss Charm. I think that now I can definitely be more confident and more relaxed, enough to trust in myself, with the great training I had under Aces and Queens, said the Consular and Diplomatic Affairs graduate from Iligan City. McDonnell, who began working at a young age selling bread and other goods to help support her family, draws from her own experience to use her platform in championing childrens rights, including their right to quality education, health, and nutrition, and to live free from abuse, discrimination, and violence. The beauty queen continues to volunteer for the Save the Children Philippines non-government organization, which helps underprivileged children reach their full potential through education and support. In Albania, McDonnell wants to showcase Filipino culture through the many beautiful textiles from the different regions in the country to gain more exposure in the international market. She intends to use Philippine textiles in her wardrobe and national costume. After her first runner-up placement in Miss Charm 2023, McDonnell has set her eyes on winning the countrys third Miss Globe title after Anne Colis in 2015 and Maureen Montagne in 2021. * * * ALV Talent Circuit president Arnold Vegafria (third from the right) is recognized as Exemplary National Pageant Director alongside Filipina beauty queens ALV Pageant Circle Queens honored at 3rd Gawad Dangal Filipino Awards Five Filipina beauty queens who brought pride to the country were honored at the Third Gawad Dangal Filipino Awards held Friday night at Teatrino Promenade in Greenhills, San Juan City. Miss Grand International 2024 Christine Juliane Opiaza, Universal Woman 2024 Maria Gigante, and Face of Beauty International 2024 Jeanne Isabelle Belisano received the Most Empowered Woman in Pageantry award. Miss World Asia 2025 Krishnah Gravidez was named Empowered Beauty Titlist of the Year, while Reina Hispanoamericana 2025 Deanna Marie Mate was recognized as Outstanding Beauty Queen of the Year. Arnold Vegafria, president of ALV Talent Circuit and national director of Miss World Philippines, was cited as Exemplary National Pageant Director and Outstanding Pageantry Leader, while Miss World Philippines earned the title of Most Outstanding Pageant of the Year. * * * Miss Asia Pacific International Philippines 2025 Anita Rose Gomez looks forward to competing on the global stage as the pageant kicks off in Manila Miss Asia Pacific International 2025 kicks off in Manila Philippine bet Anita Rose Gomez looks forward to playing host and building lasting friendships with her fellow candidates from around the world as they compete in the Miss Asia Pacific International 2025 pageant, which kicked off in Manila yesterday and will culminate in the finals in Cebu City on Oct. 8. Gomez, a 24-year-old model and graduate with a degree in customs administration, is aiming to become the sixth Filipina to wear the MAPI crown since the pageants inception as Miss Asia Quest in 1965. Gomez is competing on her platform of helping the indigenous community in her hometown of Subic, Zambales, through her Para Kay Juan at Juana outreach program, which she founded with the help of the teachers of Kolehiyo ng Subic and the Municipality of Subic. The National Costume Competition is set for tomorrow (Saturday), and on Sept. 30 (Tuesday), the candidates will travel to Cebu for a series of preliminary activities and tourism events showcasing the culture, heritage, and warmth of the Queen City of the South. King Mohammed VI launched on Wednesday in Casablanca construction works of several major railway projects worth over $ 2.2 billion to modernize urban mobility, enhance regional rail transport and reduce carbon emissions. These projects are part of comprehensive program designed to support the steady development of the railway sector, following the launch, in April of the Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line (430 km). It also seeks to develop regional connections between Kenitra and Casablanca, improve mobility within the urban areas of Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech and foster a new national railway industry ecosystem. This integrated program reflects the Sovereigns enlightened vision to enhance the national railway network and aligns with the Kingdoms strategy spearheaded by the Monarch for sustainable development and deployment of low-carbon mobility solutions for commuters. The projects, financed 70% by the National Railways Office and 30% by the region, include the construction of three major new-generation stations, the establishment of 10 new local metropolitan train stations, the upgrade and adaptation of 5 existing stations for these local trains, the creation of 260 km of new railway lines, the construction and widening of 50 civil engineering structures, the building of 2 technical centers (Zenata and Nouaceur) and 5 maintenance workshops, as well as the acquisition of 48 new trains for local and regional services. These initiatives aim to develop a sustainable regional transport system, strengthen daily mobility for passengers, contribute to socio-economic development and urban planning, and support the Kingdoms national objectives for 2030. Regarding the three major new-generation stations, they will be integrated, high-performance structures offering enhanced territorial connectivity. One such project is the Casablanca-South Station. Its construction works were launched Wednesday by the King at the Hay Hassani district. With an investment of over $ 77 million, this project involves building a new facility equipped with cutting-edge technology meeting international standards for safety, security, and service quality. With an annual capacity of 12 million passengers, the future Casablanca-Sud station will have 6 platforms and 10 tracks to accommodate the Al Boraq high-speed trains, long-distance trains, local metropolitan trains, regional trains, and the Aero-Express train, which will serve Mohammed V Airport from Casa-Port station every 15 minutes. It will also feature 20,000 m of outdoor facilities and a 700-space parking lot. Designed to handle growing passenger flows and foster a dynamic business district, the Casablanca-South Station will offer seamless connections to the tram, high-service buses, regular buses, and taxis, making it a strategic intermodal hub. The second new-generation station is the Hassan II Grand Stadium station in Benslimane, which, with investments of about $ 50 million, will be able to accommodate up to 12 million passengers per year during the operational phase. There is also the new station at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, which will cost $ 33 million and will have a capacity of 5 million passengers per year. These three major new-generation stations will be completed within 24 months. As for the new metropolitan commuter train stations, they will help improve mobility in Casablanca and the surrounding region through the new commuter rail service that will be launched by 2030, offering a frequency of up to one train every 7.5 minutes. Three main lines, covering a total of 92 km, will be developed, providing efficient connections between the main urban and suburban centers, while ensuring access to strategic sites such as the Hassan II stadium and Mohammed V International Airport. Ten new stations will be built for $ 69 million, guaranteeing comfort, accessibility and efficiency for travellers. These are Mohammedia Faculties, Zenata, Sidi Bernoussi, Ain Sbaa, Hay Mohammadi,Ville Nouvelle, Mers Sultan, Oasis, Sidi Maarouf and Nouaceur. The existing stations will also be modernized to fully integrate the metropolitan commuter train. It should be noted that, once the commuter trains are in service, 150,000 passengers will be transported daily on the three lines. In addition to the three local metropolitan train lines, an airport express service will directly connect Casa-Port station to Mohammed V International Airport with shuttles running every 15 minutes. Similarly, the regional train service will be reinforced on the El Jadida and Settat lines with shuttles running every 30 minutes. To meet regional and local mobility needs, there are plans to purchase 48 railcars with a capacity of over 1,000 seats that operate at a speed of 160 km/h, at a cost of $ 772 million (excluding tax). South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem, selected to supply these trains, will set up a factory in the country, which will be part of the railway ecosystem and a benchmark site designed to meet future national needs and thus contribute to the realization of medium-term export ambitions. All these integrated projects will benefit local communities in terms of job creation, safety, and environmental protection, while helping to improve citizens living conditions and create added value. Moroccos commitment to the African energy sector was highlighted on Tuesday in New York during the Africa Energy Forum (AEF), held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Speaking at the opening of this high-level event, organized by the Atlantic Council, Moroccos Ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, stressed that the Kingdoms commitment, both determined and action-oriented, is rooted in the vision of King Mohammed VI. Citing the large-scale Atlantic African gas pipeline project as an example, the diplomat emphasized the importance of embedding energy initiatives within a perspective of regional integration and solidarity. This project, he underlined, reflects the shared determination of Morocco and Nigeria to build a more united, stronger, and more integrated Africa. It is not only about transporting gas but about transmitting energy in the noblest senseenergy that fuels growth, connects peoples, and builds bridges between continents, the diplomat said. Amrani also noted that this project is a symbol of effective SouthSouth partnerships, based on trust, solidarity, and shared responsibility. It is within this framework of tangible cooperation that Africa must assert its unity and strength. With the technical and environmental studies now completed, the project is entering a new phase involving the upcoming establishment of a specialized entity to oversee its implementation. The diplomat, who highlighted the geostrategic dimension of this initiative, underlined that Morocco, by virtue of its position and commitment, stands as a natural gateway to the Atlantic. Thanks to its structuring projects, Morocco positions itself as an advanced energy corridor between Africa and Europe, he stated, noting that this is a trajectory that illustrates the Kingdoms ability to combine political vision, innovation, and cooperation to build an integrated, prosperous, and forward-looking Africa. Regarding the continents energy future, the ambassador explained that it depends on Africas ability to transform its resources into a true driver of inclusive development. Energy, when conceived in an inclusive logic, becomes the foundation of positive change. It powers industry, stimulates innovation, creates jobs, and, above all, it changes the lives of millions of Africans, the diplomat said. Two opposition groups in South Sudan the National Salvation Front (NAS) and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) claimed on Wednesday, September 24 that their joint forces had seized a strategic army garrison in Western Equatoria State following a dawn assault. In a joint statement, the groups said they captured the Kadiba garrison in Mundri East County in retaliation for what they described as ongoing incursions, harassment, and looting of civilians by government forces. They alleged that 13 soldiers from the South Sudan Peoples Defense Forces (SSPDF) were killed in the attack, and circulated a video showing fighters celebrating near captured weaponry, including an armored personnel carrier. Local officials confirmed the attack but said the situation remained fluid. Mundri East County Commissioner John Henry Ngalamu stated that casualty figures could not yet be verified, while Western Equatoria State Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Phillip Madut Tong called for an investigation. The SSPDF has not commented on the incident. The assault follows the recent alliance between NAS, led by Gen. Thomas Cirillo, and SPLA-IO, whose leader, First Vice President Riek Machar, remains under house arrest in Juba. The development coincides with Machars ongoing trial alongside seven co-accused in the capital, further highlighting the fragility of South Sudans 2018 peace agreement. 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: MultiverSeg enables users to rapidly segment new datasets. Credit: arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2412.15058 Annotating regions of interest in medical images, a process known as segmentation, is often one of the first steps clinical researchers take when running a new study involving biomedical images. For instance, to determine how the size of the brain's hippocampus changes as patients age, the scientist first outlines each hippocampus in a series of brain scans. For many structures and image types, this is often a manual process that can be extremely time-consuming, especially if the regions being studied are challenging to delineate. To streamline the process, MIT researchers developed an artificial intelligence-based system that enables a researcher to rapidly segment new biomedical imaging datasets by clicking, scribbling, and drawing boxes on the images. This new AI model uses these interactions to predict the segmentation. As the user marks additional images, the number of interactions they need to perform decreases, eventually dropping to zero. The model can then segment each new image accurately without user input. It can do this because the model's architecture has been specially designed to use information from images it has already segmented to make new predictions. Unlike other medical image segmentation models, this system allows the user to segment an entire dataset without repeating their work for each image. In addition, the interactive tool does not require a presegmented image dataset for training, so users don't need machine-learning expertise or extensive computational resources. They can use the system for a new segmentation task without retraining the model. In the long run, this tool could accelerate studies of new treatment methods and reduce the cost of clinical trials and medical research. It could also be used by physicians to improve the efficiency of clinical applications, such as radiation treatment planning. "Many scientists might only have time to segment a few images per day for their research because manual image segmentation is so time-consuming. "Our hope is that this system will enable new science by allowing clinical researchers to conduct studies they were prohibited from doing before because of the lack of an efficient tool," says Hallee Wong, an electrical engineering and computer science graduate student and lead author of a paper on this new tool posted to the arXiv preprint server. She is joined on the paper by Jose Javier Gonzalez Ortiz Ph.D. '24; John Guttag, the Dugald C. Jackson Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering; and senior author Adrian Dalca, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and MGH, and a research scientist in the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). The research will be presented at the International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV 2025) held Oct. 1923 in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Streamlining segmentation There are primarily two methods researchers use to segment new sets of medical images. With interactive segmentation, they input an image into an AI system and use an interface to mark areas of interest. The model predicts the segmentation based on those interactions. A tool previously developed by the MIT researchers, ScribblePrompt, allows users to do this, but they must repeat the process for each new image. Another approach is to develop a task-specific AI model to automatically segment the images. This approach requires the user to manually segment hundreds of images to create a dataset, and then train a machine-learning model. That model predicts the segmentation for a new image. But the user must start the complex, machine-learning-based process from scratch for each new task, and there is no way to correct the model if it makes a mistake. This new system, MultiverSeg, combines the best of each approach. It predicts a segmentation for a new image based on user interactions, like scribbles, but also keeps each segmented image in a context set that it refers to later. When the user uploads a new image and marks areas of interest, the model draws on the examples in its context set to make a more accurate prediction, with less user input. The researchers designed the model's architecture to use a context set of any size, so the user doesn't need to have a certain number of images. This gives MultiverSeg the flexibility to be used in a range of applications. "At some point, for many tasks, you shouldn't need to provide any interactions. If you have enough examples in the context set, the model can accurately predict the segmentation on its own," Wong says. The researchers carefully engineered and trained the model on a diverse collection of biomedical imaging data to ensure it had the ability to incrementally improve its predictions based on user input. The user doesn't need to retrain or customize the model for their data. To use MultiverSeg for a new task, one can upload a new medical image and start marking it. When the researchers compared MultiverSeg to state-of-the-art tools for in-context and interactive image segmentation, it outperformed each baseline. Fewer clicks, better results Unlike these other tools, MultiverSeg requires less user input with each image. By the ninth new image, it needed only two clicks from the user to generate a segmentation more accurate than a model designed specifically for the task. For some image types, like X-rays, the user might only need to segment one or two images manually before the model becomes accurate enough to make predictions on its own. The tool's interactivity also enables the user to make corrections to the model's prediction, iterating until it reaches the desired level of accuracy. Compared to the researchers' previous system, MultiverSeg reached 90% accuracy with roughly 2/3 the number of scribbles and 3/4 the number of clicks. "With MultiverSeg, users can always provide more interactions to refine the AI predictions. This still dramatically accelerates the process because it is usually faster to correct something that exists than to start from scratch," Wong says. Moving forward, the researchers want to test this tool in real-world situations with clinical collaborators and improve it based on user feedback. They also want to enable MultiverSeg to segment 3D biomedical images. More information Hallee E. Wong et al, MultiverSeg: Scalable Interactive Segmentation of Biomedical Imaging Datasets with In-Context Guidance, arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2412.15058 Journal information: arXiv Key medical concepts Diagnostic Imaging Hippocampus This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. 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 United States President Donald Trump this week claimed children should not be vaccinated against hepatitis B until they are 12 years old, rather than at birth. He also said the viral liver infection was a sexually transmitted disease. The claims came amid a slew of other statements on autism, paracetamol and vaccines which medical experts have warned are not grounded in evidence. So, what does the evidence say about hepatitis B? And why is it important to give babies the vaccine from birth? What is hepatitis B? Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. The infection can be chronic (long-term) and puts the infected person at high risk of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. Hepatitis B virus can be spread through contact with infected body fluids. This includes blood, saliva, vaginal fluids and semen. So yes, as Trump suggested, hepatitis B can be sexually transmitted. But that's not the only way to get infected. Importantly, the virus can also pass from a mother to her baby via the birth canal during childbirth. If a newborn is exposed to hepatitis B at birth, there's a 90% chance they'll develop chronic infection. Over a lifetime, about 1 in 4 of those who have chronic infection will die from liver disease or liver cancer. In countries where hepatitis B is widespread, the virus is most commonly passed from mother to child at birth, or from an infected child to an uninfected child during the first five years of life. There is no cure, meaning a hepatitis B infection is for life. Fortunately, we have a highly effective vaccine that can prevent against infection. Most effective hours after birth The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends children receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Since 2000, this has also been the standard recommendation for all infants in Australiaideally within 24 hours of birthas part of our National Immunization Program. If a pregnant woman tests positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)meaning she has a chronic infectionher infant should ideally receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within four hours of birth. This will be administered together with the hepatitis B immunoglobulin, a medicine that contains antibodies to hepatitis B. Hepatitis B vaccine alone is estimated to be 75% effective at preventing infection during childbirth, while the vaccine and immunoglobulin together are 95% effective. This birth dose of the vaccine, followed by three follow-up doses at two, four and six months, provides long-term protection for at least 20 years. Protection lasts well into adolescence and adulthood, when behaviors such as sexual activity or injecting drug use can increase the risk of contracting the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B vaccine is effective Globally, 117 countries have introduced a dose of hepatitis B vaccine to newborns within the first 24 hours of life. This means millions of infants have safely received the vaccine at birth. Vaccination of Australian newborns is high. For example, in 2023, 92% of babies in New South Wales received the hepatitis B birth dose. This rate has been relatively stable, between 92% and 95%, since 2007. The impact of universal vaccination has been striking. Since Australia introduced free infant hepatitis B immunization, newly acquired infections dropped by two thirds between 2000 and 2019. Between 2014 and 2023, this program has supported a 60% decline in hepatitis B cases in people aged under 20. Hepatitis B vaccination has been the cornerstone of controlling the disease for decades and has brought the US within reach of eliminating hepatitis B infections, which Australia is also aiming for by 2030. Hepatitis B vaccine is safe The baby may experience minor side effects following vaccination, including pain, redness or swelling at the injection site. These usually last no more than a couple of days. Sometimes a small lump appears that may last a few weeks. Delaying can be dangerous Delaying the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine is not recommended because: The virus is silent and common. In Australia, about 0.9% of people live with chronic hepatitis B and almost one-third don't know they're infected. While transmission often happens during labor and delivery, babies can also pick it up later from household contact. Vaccination at birth and in infancy can protect against this type of transmission, known as horizontal transmission. In Australia, about 0.9% of people live with chronic hepatitis B and almost one-third don't know they're infected. While transmission often happens during labor and delivery, babies can also pick it up later from household contact. Vaccination at birth and in infancy can protect against this type of transmission, known as horizontal transmission. Screening isn't perfect. Hepatitis B screening is recommended for all pregnant women, to help prevent newborns developing chronic hepatitis B from infection at birth. A woman may be referred to an infectious disease specialist and/or recommended anti-viral medication during pregnancy. However, not all mothers are tested during pregnancy. Even if they are, infection can occur after testing or be missed entirely. So the birth dose acts as an important safety net. In a nutshell Evidence shows vaccinating babies at birth is one of the safest, most effective and accessible ways to protect children against a lifetime of hepatitis B infectionand other complications that can lead to preventable deaths. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. 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: In this photo provided by Doctors Without Borders, men stand outside an Ebola treatment center in the remote Bulape Health Zone, Kasai province, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Sept 7, 2025, that was set up following the outbreak of the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus. Credit: MSF via AP As a deadly new Ebola outbreak kills dozens in southern Congo, health authorities and organizations are sounding the alarm, warning they lack the funds and resources to mount an effective response to the crisis. The World Health Organization said Wednesday that 57 cases and 35 deaths have been reported since the outbreak was announced by Congolese authorities on Sept. 4. The fatality rate is over 61%. It is the first Ebola outbreak in 18 years in Kasai province, a remote part of Congo characterized by its poor road networks. It is located more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the nation's capital of Kinshasa. "We urgently need our partners and donors to step up and support this lifesaving response to ensure we can contain the outbreak quickly and protect the most vulnerable communities," said Susan Nzisa Mbalu, head of communications for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Africa, IFRC. Earlier this week, the IFRC said it is appealing for 20 million Swiss francs ($25 million) to help contain the outbreak and aiming to reach 965,000 people with urgent assistance. It warned that health facilities are overwhelmed and lack the resources to provide care, with clean water and protective equipment running critically low. According to the IFRC, the only treatment centre in the Bulape health zone, where the epicenter of the outbreak has been declared and the majority of cases are concentrated, is already at 119% capacity. Health officials are particularly concerned about the impact of U.S. funding cuts, especially since the U.S. has a history of supporting Congo's past Ebola outbreaks, including a 2021 effort when the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, provided up to $11.5 million to support efforts across Africa. IFRC's Nzisa Mbalu said it is still early to fully assess the level of donor support for the Ebola response, adding that the organization has so far allocated 1.75 million swiss francs ($2.2 million) in emergency funds to respond to the outbreak. Despite the absence of USAID, Mathias Mossoko, the Ebola Response Coordinator in Bulape, said that the U.S. government has provided "some small support," though he could not provide specific details. WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told the AP on Thursday that the organization's only current funding for the outbreak response is a $2 million emergency fund and around $2.3 million from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Gavi vaccine alliance. In this photo provided by Doctors Without Borders, a man wearing protective clothing stands outside an Ebola treatment center in the remote Bulape Health Zone, Kasai province, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Sept 7, 2025, that was set up following the outbreak of the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus. Credit: MSF via AP That is far below the WHO's projected cost of around $20 million to respond to the outbreak over the next three months. "Without immediate support, gaps in operations will persist, jeopardizing efforts to contain the outbreak and protect vulnerable communities," Jasarevic said. The Congolese authorities' current national response plan is estimated at $78 million. Treating Ebola demands "enormous resources," even for a single patient, said Jean Paul Mbantshi, the chief medical officer of the Bulape health zone. He said the zone desperately needs ambulances to transport patients from remote areas to the hospital before they become highly contagious. Health workers also require more protective equipment, medicine, and additional vaccines. "All this costs money, we need more support," Mbantshi said. According to the WHO, just 1,740 people in three health zones of Kasai provinceBulape, Bulambae and Mwekahave been vaccinated as of Sept. 21. The Bulape zone alone has a population of more than 212,000, according to 2020 figures from the United Nations. WHO said the vaccination campaign has not been implemented as fast as desired because of logistical challenges. A lack of storage infrastructure in Bulape, for instance, has forced officials to transport vaccines in small batches, causing delays. Amitie Bukidi, chief medical officer of the Mweka health zone, said the response is still in the early stages, with the majority of cases occurring outside of health centers. "We would like to expand our community outreach, especially by raising awareness among opinion leaders, to reach farmers who are hardest to reach," Bukidi said, adding that his team needs motorcycles to reach remote, hard to access areas. "The need is still very great," he said. "If USAID were to be involved, that would be good." 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Gleevec, a cancer drug first approved for sale in 2001, has dramatically changed the lives of people with chronic myeloid leukemia. This form of cancer was once regarded as very difficult to combat, but survival rates of patients who respond to Gleevec now resemble that of the population at large. Gleevec is also a medicine developed with the help of federally funded research. That support helped scientists better understand how to create drugs targeting the BCR-ABL oncoprotein, the cancer-causing protein behind chronic myeloid leukemia. A new study co-authored by MIT researchers quantifies how many such examples of drug development exist. The current administration is proposing a 40% budget reduction to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which sponsors a significant portion of biomedical research. The study finds that over 50% of small-molecule drug patents this century cite at least one piece of NIH-backed research that would likely be vulnerable to that potential level of funding change. "What we found was quite striking," says MIT economist Danielle Li, co-author of a newly published paper outlining the study's results. "More than half of the drugs approved by the FDA since 2000 are connected to NIH research that would likely have been cut under a 40% budget reduction." Or, as the researchers write in the paper, "We found extensive connections between medical advances and research that was funded by grants that would have been cut if the NIH budget was sharply reduced." The paper, titled "What if NIH funding had been 40% smaller?" is published as a Policy Article in the journal Science. The authors are Pierre Azoulay, the China Program Professor of International Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management; Matthew Clancy, an economist with the group Open Philanthropy; Li, the David Sarnoff Professor of Management of Technology at MIT Sloan; and Bhaven N. Sampat, an economist at Johns Hopkins University. Biomedical researchers at both MIT and Johns Hopkins could be affected by adjustments to NIH funding. To conduct the study, the researchers leveraged the fact that the NIH uses priority lists to determine which projects get funded. That makes it possible to discern which projects were in the lower 40% of NIH-backed projects, priority-wise, for a given time period. The researchers call these "at-risk" pieces of research. Applying these data from 1980 through 2007, the scholars examined the patents of the New Molecular Entitiesdrugs with a new active ingredientapproved by the Food and Drug Administration since 2000. There is typically a time interval between academic research and subsequent related drug development. The study focuses on small-molecule drugscompact organic compounds, often taken orally as medicinewhereas NIH funding supports a wider range of advancements in medicine generally. Based on how many of these FDA-approved small-molecule medicines were linked to at-risk research from the prior period, the researchers estimated what kinds of consequences a 40% cut in funding would have generated going forward. The study distinguishes between two types of links new drugs have to NIH funding. Some drug patents have what the researchers call "direct" links to new NIH-backed projects that generated new findings relevant to the development of those particular drugs. Other patents have "indirect " links to the NIH, when they cite prior NIH-funded studies that contributed to the overall body of knowledge used in drug development. The analysis finds that 40 of the FDA-approved medications have direct links to new NIH-supported studies cited in the patentsor 7.1%. Of these, 14 patents cite at-risk pieces of NIH research. When it comes to indirect links, of the 557 drugs approved by the FDA from 2000 to 2023, the study found that 59.4% have a patent citing at least one NIH-supported research publication. Moreover, 51.4% cite at least one NIH-funded study from the at-risk category of projects. "The indirect connection is where we see the real breadth of NIH's impact," Li says. "What the NIH does is fund research that forms the scientific foundation upon which companies and other drug developers build." As the researchers emphasize in the paper, there are many nuances involved in the study. A single citation of an NIH-funded study could appear in a patent for a variety of reasons, and does not necessarily mean "that the drug in question could never have been developed in its absence," as they write in the paper. To reckon with this, the study also analyzes how many patents had at least 25% of their citations fall in the category of at-risk NIH-backed research. By this metric, they found that 65 of the 557 FDA-approved drugs, or 11.7%, met the threshold. On the other hand, as the researchers state in the paper, it is possible the study "understates the extent to which medical advances are connected to NIH research." For one thing, as the study's endpoint for examining NIH data is 2007, there could have been more recent pieces of research informing medications that have already received FDA approval. The study does not quantify "second-order connections," in which NIH-supported findings may have led to additional research that directly led to drug development. Again, NIH funding also supports a broad range of studies beyond the type examined in the current paper. It is also likely, the scholars suggest, that NIH cuts would curtail the careers of many promising scientists, and in so doing slow down medical progress. For a variety of these reasons, in addition to the core data itself, the scholars say the study indicates how broadly NIH-backed research has helped advance medicine. "The worry is that these kinds of deep cuts to the NIH risk that foundation and therefore endanger the development of medicines that might be used to treat us, or our kids and grandkids, 20 years from now," Li says. Azoulay and Sampat have received past NIH funding. They also serve on an NIH working group about the empirical analysis of scientific enterprise. More information Pierre Azoulay, What if the NIH had been 40% smaller?, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.aeb1564. Journal information: Science Key medical concepts Imatinib Chronic Myeloid Leukemia This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. 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: RDNE Stock project from Pexels Health care workers in emergency departments (EDs) face frequent violence from agitated patients, according to a study published in Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM). The study, titled "Prevalence of violence against health care workers among agitated patients in an urban emergency department," was presented at the SAEM Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, in May 2024. It provides one of the most detailed prospective looks at workplace violence in the ED and highlights the risks faced daily by health care workers. Researchers analyzed data from two prospective studies of patients treated in a dedicated ED unit for intoxication. Agitation was defined using the altered mental status scale, where scores range from 4 (coma) to +4 (most agitated). Trained observers stationed in the ED 24/7 documented incidents of verbal abuse, threats, and violent acts. These observations were then compared against formal hospital reports to assess underreporting. From 17,873 encounters screened, researchers found that one in five encounters with agitated patients involved assaultincluding threats or violent actswhile nearly two in five involved verbal abuse. Most incidents were linked to alcohol or drug intoxication. Yet, the study revealed that these events are significantly underreported, with fewer than 1% of verbal abuse cases and just over half of violent acts formally reported to hospitals. The study highlights the frequent, yet underreported, occurrence of verbal abuse, threats, and violent acts in EDs. The findings underscore the urgent need for better reporting systems and stronger protections for frontline staff. More information Samuel A. Boes et al, Prevalence of violence against health care workers among agitated patients in an urban emergency department, Academic Emergency Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1111/acem.70045 Journal information: Academic Emergency Medicine Provided by Society for Academic Emergency Medicine 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: Jacob Anthon demonstrates the use of an FDA-cleared device that uses a combination of airflow temperature, speed, and direction to kill lice and eggs at Lice Clinics of America in Sugar Land, Texas, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi Children have returned to school and are bringing home stories about the things they learned and the friends they made. But some parents are concerned they could also be bringing home a tiny nuisancelice. Though schools are not the only place transmission occurs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says head lice infestations in the U.S. are most common among preschool and elementary-age children. Since the middle of August when students began returning to school, more people have searched Google for information about the blood-sucking parasites and are seeking answers to common questions about how to prevent and treat infestations, according to Google Trends. The CDC estimates there are up to 12 million head lice infestations annually in the U.S. infecting children between 3 to 11 years old. Experts say there is a lot of misinformation about lice. Here are the experts' answers to commonly asked questions: How do you know if your child has lice? Head lice are parasitic insects that feed on human blood, but they are difficult to find because they are very small, move quickly and avoid light. The hallmark symptom that indicates there might be an infestation is new and onset itching of the scalp, said Dr. Danilo C. Del Campo, a dermatologist in Chicago and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. Jacob Anthon demonstrates the use of an FDA-cleared device that uses a combination of airflow temperature, speed, and direction to kill lice and eggs at Lice Clinics of America in Sugar Land, Texas, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi The eggs, commonly called nits, can be yellow, brown or tan and look like tiny seeds, but when hatched will appear clear, experts say. An infestation can often be confused with dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. Becky Boudreau, a head lice technician in New Hampshire, says because lice are most active at night, parents may notice their children scratching more then or not sleeping well. She said it may take longer to recognize a lice infestation in children who have a high pain tolerance or are less reactive to insect bites. There is no set number of lice that would classify as an infestation, either you have lice, or you don't, experts say. What are my treatment options? Treatments to get rid of the insects include medication and specialists who use different methods to manually remove the eggs and adult lice. Depending on the age and temperament of the child, access to clinics or technicians, the cost and the severity of the infestation, including any sensitivities, will determine the most appropriate treatment option. Many people hire nit pickers or visit clinics because they don't want to handle the insects, Boudreau said. Jacob Anthon demonstrates the use of an FDA-cleared device that uses a combination of airflow temperature, speed, and direction to kill lice and eggs at Lice Clinics of America in Sugar Land, Texas, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi "It is still successful, but it is time consuming," said Boudreau, who became a head lice technician about six years ago after her child had an infestation. Dr. Krista Lauer, national medical director for Lice Clinics of America, says their clinics have become another option. They use an FDA-cleared medical device that uses a combination of airflow temperature, speed and direction to kill lice and their eggs. Technicians consider children's heat sensitivity or restlessness, but for the treatment to be successful, they must use the device in a specific pattern before combing out the dead debris and using a washable topical substance, she said. Boudreau, who uses shampoo, olive oil and a special comb to assist in combing out the insects, says many of the over-the-counter kits "are designed to fail" and often require multiple uses for this reason. Guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology Association recommend retreating for any product that can be bought without a prescription, and that no approved method can kill lice and their eggs during the first treatment. As long as people are using products, like shampoos, as indicated on their labels they should be OK, said Del Campo, who is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology. He emphasized that many of these products have been tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Some of those products include benzyl alcohol lotion which only kills lice and not the eggs, ivermectin lotion, malathion lotion, and lindane shampoo which can be toxic if used incorrectly. But he said many dermatologists don't jump to using the lice combs or other procedure-based treatments because it often takes a lot of time and energy for parents, requires multiple applications and is not consistent across hair types. Instead, he said there are "effective over-the-counter medications that require no prescription, require no doctor guidance and are a wonderful first step for parents." There is no scientific evidence that home remedies like smothering hair with oil, mayonnaise or something occlusive can kill lice or their eggs, experts say. Jacob Anthon demonstrates the use of an FDA-cleared device that uses a combination of airflow temperature, speed, and direction to kill lice and eggs at Lice Clinics of America in Sugar Land, Texas, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi What can you do to manage an infestation? Adult lice can live for about 30 days on their hosts' heads. However, experts say they will die within two days if they fall off a person and cannot feed. Their eggs can take up to nine days to hatch and from there another seven days to mature into adult lice. Lice cannot hop, jump or fly and are mostly spread through head-to-head contact where the parasites can crawl from one host to another, experts say. The CDC suggests machine wash and dry clothing, don't use infected hair products, furniture or toys, and clean where infested people were. But their guidance also says it is less likely that lice could be spread through used products. "Most of the jobs I get called to are in my families' homes and I can't get these bugs home quick enough from a job to take their pictures or study them because they die so quickly without the heat and blood from their hosts," Boudreau said. Jacob Anthon demonstrates the use of an FDA-cleared device that uses a combination of airflow temperature, speed, and direction to kill lice and eggs at Lice Clinics of America in Sugar Land, Texas, on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi Can my child go to school with lice? Students with head lice infestation do not need to be sent home early from school, the CDC says. Students can go home at the end of the day and return to class once beginning treatment. Experts say successful treatments will kill crawling lice but that nits might still be present. Del Campo said parents need to be advocates for their children because there are many outdated school policies forcing them to miss more school than they need to, including requiring all eggs to be removed before returning to class, which he says is not necessary. "Lice are not dangerous. They don't spread disease. There's no medical reason to remove a child immediately from a classroom," he said. "By the time lice are noticed, they've often been present for weeksnot days or even hours." He says it is likely that adults have some level of trauma from dealing with lice when they were children and when there were fewer effective treatments, and misconceptions about the parasites often add to the stigma and accompanying embarrassment affected people might feel. "What people went through and are carrying with them is understandably miserable, but it is very different today," he said, adding that lice are not associated with hygiene, disease or economic status. Key medical concepts Dermatitis, Seborrheic 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: One of the largest measles outbreaks in decades is spreading along the Arizona-Utah border, with dozens of confirmed cases among unvaccinated children. Southwest Utah has reported 27 cases so far, nearly all in unvaccinated school-age children, local health officials said. Neighboring Mohave County, Arizona, has 42 confirmed cases, including one child who has been hospitalized. "This is the highest number of cases we have seen since the 1990s," the Arizona Department of Health Services said. Experts said the outbreak owes to low vaccination rates. In Washington County, Utah, about 79% of kindergartners are protected against measlesfar below the 95% level needed for herd immunity. At one school in Mohave County, 7.7% of kindergartners were vaccinated last school year, NBC News reported. "I've worked for this health department for about 18 years, and we've never seen a case of measles that I know of up until this point," David Heaton, a spokesman for the Southwest Utah Public Health Department, told NBC News. "We are just at that low rate of (vaccine) uptake that does leave us open for this kind of an outbreak," he added. Measles is one of the world's most contagious viruses. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and rash, and the infection can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling and even death, the Mayo Clinic says. And cases are climbing. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has logged 1,514 cases and 40 outbreaks so far in 2025, the most in more than 30 years. In all of last year, 16 outbreaks were reported. "This is exactly what you expect to see when you have a highly infectious vaccine-preventable disease drop into a community with low vaccination rates, almost inevitable," Dr. Bob England, a former Arizona public health official, told NBC News. Federal health leaders are urging families to get vaccinated. "I encourage parents to vaccinate their children. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles but also contribute to community immunity," Jim O'Neil, acting CDC director, said. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the current measles situation. Key medical concepts Measles Vaccination Encephalitis Pneumonia 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved. 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: Core parameter determination and Hb-related node reconstruction results. Credit: Han Xin A research team from the Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (AIOFM), the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with the Hefei Cancer Hospital of CAS, has developed a new method to accurately measure hemoglobin levels in blood using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Their study, published in Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, demonstrates how this method can greatly improve the reliability and accuracy of blood analysis with NIRS. NIRS is valued for its convenience, non-invasiveness, and sensitivity. However, in whole-blood testing, the weak absorption features of hemoglobin (Hb) are often masked by strong water absorption, sample scattering, and instrument noise, which limits quantitative accuracy. To overcome this problem, the team created an integrated processing and feature retrieval method that combines Wavelet PacketFuzzy Shrinkage denoising (WPT-FS) with the Whale Optimization Algorithm. "We use 'fuzzy shrinkage' technique to remove noise from the signal, and the whale optimization algorithm to find the key parts of the signal that show hemoglobin," explained Prof. Han Xin, who led the team. This approach first applies an adaptive "fuzzy shrinkage" threshold function to remove noise across multiple scales while preserving meaningful spectral information. Then, using swarm intelligence, the algorithm searches for optimal feature node combinations in the high-dimensional node space to reconstruct Hb-rich spectral features. Finally, Partial Least Squares (PLS) modeling is used to complete the quantitative analysis. Tested on 106 whole-blood samples, the method significantly reduced background noise and achieved a root mean square error of prediction of 2.0409 and a prediction coefficient of determination (R_P) of 0.9746. Further data augmentation experiments also confirmed the model's robustness under more heterogeneous data distributions, achieving an average percentage error of about 1.7%. According to the team, this work provides a reliable tool for noninvasive and accurate blood analysis, and could support future medical diagnostics and health monitoring. More information Renjie Fang et al, Hemoglobin feature extraction based on wavelet packet-fuzzy shrinkage denoising model for improving the accuracy of whole blood NIRS quantitative analysis, Biomedical Signal Processing and Control (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2025.108550 Key medical concepts Hemoglobins 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: A pregnant woman holds her head as she experiences morning sickness at work. Credit: Elizabeth Kivowitz/UCLA Newsroom UCLA researchers have uncovered a link between "morning sickness" symptoms and the body's natural, but complex, inflammatory response to biological and bodily changes during pregnancy. According to the National Institutes of Health, up to 80% of early-stage pregnant mothers experience some nausea, vomiting and aversions to certain foods and smells. While uncomfortable, these symptoms are not typically a sign that anything is wrong with the health of the mother or the developing fetus, but rather an indication of a delicate balance unique to pregnant women. "During pregnancy, a mother's immune system faces a tricky challenge: it has to protect both her and the fetus from infection, but without accidentally attacking the fetus, whose genetic identity is half-foreign because it is half derived from the father. Normally, the immune system attacks anything that seems foreign, so in pregnancy, it has to carefully adjust to keep the fetus safe while still defending against infection," said UCLA anthropology professor Molly Fox. Fox is the corresponding author of the study "Of scents and cytokines: How olfactory and food aversions relate to nausea and immunomodulation in early pregnancy," recently published in the journal Evolution, Medicine & Public Health. The researchers believe that this delicate balance, which protects mother and fetus, is achieved by a unique mix of inflammatory responses. They function to prevent the mother's body from rejecting the fetus, alongside adaptive behavioral mechanisms, like nausea, that encourage the mother to avoid foods that are potentially harmful, especially in the first and second trimesters when the fetus is most vulnerable. "Nausea, vomiting or aversions to foods or smells are not indications that something is going wrong for the mother or the fetus. It's likely an indication that everything is moving along normally, and a reflection of the body's healthy and helpful immune response," said UCLA anthropology professor and paper co-author Daniel Fessler. Methodology and findings For the study, the UCLA-led team of anthropologists and epidemiologists collected and analyzed blood samples to measure immune system molecules called cytokines. Cytokines are proteins that send signals to help the body launch a quick defense against sickness and regulate inflammation. Participants also filled out questionnaires that asked about morning sickness-related symptoms and food and smell aversions during the early stages of pregnancy. The participants were 58 Latina women in Southern California who were followed beginning in early pregnancy through the postpartum. Sixty-four percent of study participants experienced odor or food aversions, primarily to tobacco smoke and meat. Sixty-seven percent reported nausea and 66% experienced vomiting. The study team measured cytokines that promote inflammation (pro-inflammatory) as well as cytokines that suppress inflammation (anti-inflammatory). They found that women who experienced an aversion to tobacco smoke showed a noticeable shift toward a more inflammatory response. Food aversions, nausea and vomiting were also associated with a more pro-inflammatory immune balance. Natural selection? The correlation is consistent with researchers' theory that these symptoms may be part of an evolutionary adaptation that helps pregnant mothers' bodies minimize exposure to harmful substances, though the study's authors caution that the evidence is not definitive and more research is needed. They emphasized that the study allowed the team to look at both human biological and behavioral responses during pregnancy. "In many mammals, the fetal compartment has barriers separating it from the mother's blood supply, where her immune cells are. But in humans, we have a unique setupfetal cells are bathed in maternal blood. Humans have the most invasive of all placentas, burrowing deep into maternal tissue. So humans need unique strategies to prevent the mother's immune system from attacking the fetus," said Fox. These immunological changes may induce nausea, which in turn encourages food avoidance that might act as an additional layer of protection, according to the researchers. "Nowadays, you will see labels on packages of ground beef or soft cheese that warn pregnant women to be cautious about these products because of the risks of foodborne illness during pregnancy. Aversions to certain odors and foods, and nausea and even vomiting, appear to be evolution's way of achieving that same objective," said Fessler. Practical implications The researchers, including first author Dayoon Kwon, who just completed her Ph.D. in epidemiology at UCLA (and is now a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford), said that the study could help bolster recognition that nausea and vomiting are normal symptoms with biological underpinnings associated with healthy pregnancies. The study's results could help in paving the way for common-sense workplace accommodations, such as more efficient deployment of health care benefits and other helpful resources to reduce stigma, excessive absences and lost productivity. They also encourage other researchers to continue to look into the questions raised by the study, to not only explore the evolutionary questions, but to work toward providing clinicians with non- or low-invasive measures of prognoses. More information Of scents and cytokines: how olfactory and food aversions relate to nausea and immunomodulation in early pregnancy, Evolution, Medicine & Public Health (2025). DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoaf016. academic.oup.com/emph/advance- emph/eoaf016/8262795 Key medical concepts Cytokines Inflammatory Response Placenta 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: In their research, Brittany Hansen and Julia Burger from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine have found that parents trust RSV immunization to protect newborns, despite hesitancy toward COVID-19 and flu shots. Credit: Ryan S. Brandenberg When a new immunization to protect newborns from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) became available in late 2023, pediatricians at Temple University Hospital noted an unusually strong early interest from parents. That enthusiasm stood in clear contrast to the hesitation many of the same families expressed toward the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. A new study published in BMC Pediatrics by researchers from Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine reveals why parents saw RSV as a more immediate and severe threat to their infants. Their choice to immunize their newborns was driven primarily by trust in their pediatricians' recommendations. The findings highlight a powerful combination: parents' instinct to protect their newborns and the critical importance of doctors building meaningful, transparent relationships with familiesenough to overcome the doubts that undermined other vaccines. RSV concerns outweigh doubts "Parents consistently told us they wanted to do everything possible to protect their babies from RSV, which they see as a serious and frightening illness," said Brittany Hansen, associate professor of clinical pediatrics and study co-author. "By contrast, many felt the COVID-19 and flu vaccines weren't effective, since they knew people who got vaccinated and still got sick." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants, putting tens of thousands of children in the U.S. in the hospital each year. The new preventive option, Beyfortus (nirsevimab), protects infants through their first RSV season with a single injection of antibodies. Unlike older RSV preventives, which were only available to high-risk infants, the 2023 immunization opened access to nearly all newborns. How trust shapes action The timing was unique. Within just a few years, parents faced two newly available preventive treatments for their children: one for COVID-19 and one for RSV. "It's probably the only time in our careers we'll see two brand-new immunizations introduced so close together," said Julia Burger, associate professor of clinical pediatrics and study co-author. "Parents' reactions to them were like night and day, and we wanted to understand why." To do that, the Temple team interviewed 25 parents whose newborns received the RSV immunization during its first season of availability. The team also included Brian Tuohy, assistant professor of urban health and population science, and medical student Joshua Somers. The researchers expected social media and political views to shape parents' choices. Instead, trust in pediatricians turned out to be the decisive factor. "We went into this thinking social media was driving the decision, but that wasn't what we found," Hansen said. "Over and over, parents told us: 'My provider recommended it.' That trust in their doctor was the main reason." Somers, who conducted many of the interviews, said that process revealed just how much parents wanted to put faith in the health care system, even when they had broader doubts. "Building rapport and relationships with patients is where trust is generated," Somers said. "I learned to let conversations breatheeven to sit with silencebecause parents often shared their most thoughtful insights in those moments. It showed me how much people want to trust, if you give them the space." Tuohy, a sociologist, played a pivotal role by pushing the team to challenge their assumptions. Somers recalled how Tuohy often encouraged the group to slow down and ask foundational questions that shaped the study's design. Misunderstanding what 'success' means The study also revealed that many families misunderstood how immunizations work. Some equated success with complete protectionnever catching the virusand questioned the value of flu or COVID-19 shots when vaccinated people still became ill. "An immunization can still be successful if it keeps your child out of the hospital, even if they do get the illness," Burger explained. "Helping families reframe what immunization success looks like could improve uptake beyond RSV." Looking ahead For Burger and Hansen, who have spent years caring for families in North Philadelphia, the study reinforced the importance of long-term provider relationships in pediatric care. "These conversations are so much easier when you know the family and they know you," Hansen said. "Parents understand that your recommendations are about helping their child thrive." The team hopes to build on this work by studying families who decline immunizations, to better understand both "yes" and "no" decision-making. "At a time when trust in medicine is sometimes strained, this research was encouraging," Burger said. "It shows that parents still trust their doctors and that trust can make all the difference." More information Joshua Somers et al, Newborn RSV immunization rates and reasons compared to family COVID-19 and influenza immunization status, BMC Pediatrics (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s12887-025-05889-x Journal information: BMC Pediatrics 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: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain This week, the Trump administration announced that it was taking "bold action" to address the "epidemic" of autism spectrum disorderstarting with a new safety label on Tylenol and other acetaminophen products that suggests a link to autism. The scientific evidence for doing so is weak, researchers said. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said federal officials "will be uncompromising and relentless in our search for answers" and that they soon would be "closely examining" the role of vaccines, whose alleged link to autism has been widely discredited. Kennedy has long argued that rising diagnoses among U.S. children must mean more exposure to some outside influence: a drug, a chemical, a toxin, a vaccine. "One of the things that I think that we need to move away from today is this ideology that ... the autism prevalence increase, the relentless increases, are simply artifacts of better diagnoses, better recognition or changing diagnostic criteria," Kennedy said in April. Kennedy is correct that autism spectrum disorder rates have risen steadily in the U.S. since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control began tracking them, from one in 150 8-year-olds in 2000, to one in 31 in 2022, the most recent year for which numbers are available. But physicians, researchers and psychologists say it is impossible to interpret this increase without acknowledging two essential facts: The diagnostic definition of autism has greatly expanded to include a much broader range of human behaviors, and we look for it more often than we used to. "People haven't changed that much," said Alan Gerber, a pediatric neuropsychologist at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., "but how we talk about them, how we describe them, how we categorize them has actually changed a lot over the years." Defining 'autism' The term "autism" first appeared in the scientific literature around World War II, when two psychiatrists in different countries independently chose that word to describe two different groups of children. In 1938, Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger used it to describe child patients at his Vienna clinic who were verbal, often fluently so, with unusual social behaviors and at-times obsessive focus on very specific subjects. Five years later, U.S. psychiatrist Leo Kanner published a paper about a group of children at his clinic at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore who were socially withdrawn, rigid in their thinking and extremely sensitive to stimuli like bright lights or loud noises. Most also had limited verbal language ability. Both Asperger and Kanner chose the same word to describe these overlapping behaviors: autism. (They borrowed the term from an earlier psychiatrist's description of extreme social withdrawal in schizophrenic patients.) This doesn't mean children never acted this way before. It was just the first time doctors started using that word to describe a particular set of child behaviors. For the next few decades, many children who exhibited what we understand today to be autistic traits were labeled as having conditions that have ceased to exist as formal diagnoses, like "mental retardation," "childhood psychosis" or "schizophrenia, childhood type." Autism debuted as its own diagnosis in the 1980 third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the American Psychiatric Assn."s diagnostic bible. It described an autistic child as one who, by the age of 2, showed impaired communication, unusual responses to their environment and a lack of interest in other people. As the decades went on, the DSM definition of autism broadened. The fourth edition, published in 1994, named additional behaviors: impaired relationships, struggles with nonverbal communication and speech patterns different from those of non-autistic, or neurotypical, peers. It also included a typo that would turn out to be a crucial driver of diagnoses, wrote cultural anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker in his book "Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism." The DSM's printed definition of autism included any child who displayed impairments in social interaction, communication "or" behavior. It was supposed to say social interaction, communication "and" behavior. The error went uncorrected for six years, and the impact appeared profound. In 1995, an estimated one in every 500 children was diagnosed with autism. By 2000, when the CDC formally began tracking diagnoses (and the text was corrected), it was one in every 150. Reaching underserved communities In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended for the first time that all children be screened for autism between the ages of 18 and 24 months as part of their regular checkups. Prior to that, autism was diagnosed somewhat haphazardly. Not all pediatricians were familiar with the earliest indicators or used the same criteria to determine whether a child should be further evaluated. Then in 2013, the fifth edition of the DSM took what had previously been four separate conditionsautistic disorder, Asperger's disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorderand collapsed them all into a single diagnosis: autism spectrum disorder. The diagnostic criteria for ASD included a broad range of social, communication and sensory interpretation differences that, crucially, could be identified at any time in a child's life. The term was no longer limited only to children whose development lagged noticeably behind that of their peers. Since that definition was adopted, U.S. schools have become more proactive about referring a greater range of children for neurodevelopmental evaluations. The new DSM language also helped educators and clinicians better understand what was keeping some kids in disadvantaged communities from thriving. "In the past, [autism was] referred to as a 'white child's disability," because you found so few Black and brown children being identified," said Shanter Alexander, an assistant professor of school psychology at Howard University. Children of color who struggled with things like behavioral disruptions, attention deficits or language delays, she said, were often diagnosed with intellectual disabilities or behavioral disorders. In a sign that things have shifted, the most recent CDC survey for the first time found a higher prevalence of autism in kids of color than in white children: 3.66%, 3.82% and 3.30% for Black, Asian and Latino children, respectively, compared with 2.77% of white children. "A lot of people think, 'Oh, no, what does this mean? This is terrible.' But it's actually really positive. It means that we have been better at diagnosing Latino children [and] other groups too," said Kristina Lopez, an associate professor at Arizona State University who studies autism in underserved communities. The severity issue An autism diagnosis today can apply to people who are able to graduate from college, hold professional positions and speak eloquently about their autism, as well as people who require 24-hour care and are not able to speak at all. It includes people who were diagnosed when they were toddlers developing at a noticeably different pace from their peers, and people who embraced a diagnosis of autism in adulthood as the best description of how they relate to the world. Diagnoses for U.S. adults ages 26 to 34 alone increased by 450% between 2011 and 2022, according to one large study published in 2024 in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Kennedy was not correct when he said in April that "most cases now are severe." A 2016 review of CDC data found that approximately 26.7% of 8-year-olds with autism had what some advocates refer to as "profound autism," the end of the spectrum that often includes seriously disabling behaviors such as seizures, self-injurious behavior and intellectual disability. The rate of children with profound autism has remained virtually unchanged since the CDC started tracking it, said Maureen Durkin, a professor of population health science and pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Indeed, the highest rate of new diagnoses has been among children with mild limitations, she said. For many researchers and advocates, the Trump administration's focus on autism has provoked mixed emotions. Many have lobbied for years for more attention for this condition and the people whose lives it affects. Now it has arrived, thanks to an administration that has played up false information while cutting support for science. "They have attempted to panic the public with the notion of an autism epidemic as a threat to the nation, when no such epidemic actually existsrather, more people are being diagnosed with autism today because we have broader diagnostic criteria and do a better job detecting it," said Colin Killick, executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. "It is high time that this administration stops spreading misinformation about autism, and starts enacting policies that would actually benefit our community." 2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Heat and constant exposure to toxic metals and metalloids can be a dangerous combination for the kidneys of agricultural workers, a new University of Arizona study found. Researchers at the U of A Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health studied a group of farm workers over a summer and found that high levels of arsenic, cadmium and chromium in the urine were linked to increased signs of kidney injury. They also discovered that greater amounts of uranium in the urine were linked with lower kidney function. The excessive summer heat of the Sonoran Desert worsened the impact of arsenic and cadmium on kidney health. The results underscore the need for greater attention to the potential health risks to those working in extreme heat environments. They also point to more careful consideration of workplace policies to reduce such risks. A team led by postdoctoral fellow Rietta Wagoner, former doctoral student Nicolas Lopez-Galvez, now at San Diego State University, and Melissa Furlong, assistant professor of environmental health sciences, reported its findings in Environmental Research. "We're seeing an increase in kidney disease in young people who lack typical risk factors, especially in hotter regions," Wagoner said. "There is evidence that heat, pesticides and metal exposures each play a role, and especially that heat is making potentially toxic exposures worse. Each has been studied individually, but little research has examined a combination of factors. This study is an attempt to answer questions." In 2019, Wagoner, Lopez-Galvez and their team studied 77 agricultural workers who traveled seasonally from southern Mexico to a grape farm near the Arizona-Sonora border. The workers arrived in February and March, at the beginning of the grape season, and stayed until the end of summer. Twenty office workers participated as a comparison group. The researchers administered surveys, collected daily urine and blood samples, and measured heat stress twice a day with inner ear temperatures and heart rates during the workday and at rest breaks. Estimates of kidney function were determined by age, creatinine levels in blood samples, and a marker of kidney injury called urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, a protein that appears in the kidneys within hours of damage. Metal exposure in the urine and hydration levels were also assessed. Wagoner and the team measured exposure to potential toxic metals and metalloids such as arsenic, cadmium and uranium while also factoring in the strain of excessive heat on the workers' bodies. "When we looked at heat in combination with metals and metalloids, we found heat especially exacerbated the effects of the metals arsenic and cadmium on the kidney," Wagoner said. "In other words, together, the effects were worse." When it comes to heat-related illness and kidney injury, prevention is key, Wagoner said. "We recommend mandatory periodic breaks and rest built into the workday," she said. "Provide water, electrolyte replacement and have restrooms nearby. Also, allow the workers time to get used to the conditions." Wagoner said it is also important to understand the potential sources of metal exposures. She noted that workers drink well water in this region where uranium and arsenic are found in the soil. Cadmium is in cigarettes and alcohol, while lead can be on pottery. "If we can implement prevention measures early on," she said, "we can prevent longer-term issues." More information Rietta S. Wagoner et al, Longitudinal associations and interactions of heat and metal(loid) exposure with kidney outcomes in Mexican agricultural workers, Environmental Research (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122533 Journal information: Environmental Research Key medical concepts LCN2 Gene 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: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain "There's no downside to avoiding Tylenol or acetaminophen use while pregnant," President Donald Trump on Sept. 22, 2025, in a press conference. Obstetricians have long advised their pregnant patients that Tylenol is the safest option to reduce fever or pain. President Donald Trump stood before a national audience on Sept. 22 and contradicted that. "Don't take Tylenol," Trump said during an hourlong White House press conference that included his leading health appointees. "There's no downside. Don't take it. You'll be uncomfortable. It won't be as easy, maybe, but don't take it. If you're pregnant, don't take Tylenol." His advice has no clear basis in research and contradicts long-standing science and medical guidance. And there are downsides to avoiding acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, when it is needed. Untreated fever during pregnancy can harm a mom and baby, medical experts warn. Untreated pain is a drawback, too. Trump's advice is based on the unproven idea that acetaminophen use during pregnancy increases a child's risk of autisma stance that he and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the longtime anti-vaccine activist who is now Trump's Health and Human Services secretary, touted throughout the announcement. Although some studies have found that children exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy were more likely to have autism symptoms or be diagnosed with autism, other studies found no such association. Association is not the same as causation. That means that research showing an association between Tylenol and autism doesn't mean the medication caused autism. The Food and Drug Administration's Sept. 22 press release on the topic said as much. "It is important to note that while an association between acetaminophen and neurological conditions has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature," it said. "It is also noted that acetaminophen is the only over-the-counter drug approved for use to treat fevers during pregnancy, and high fevers in pregnant women can pose a risk to their children." The White House declined to provide data showing there are no downsides to avoiding Tylenol use. It provided a statement from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in which she cited "a connection" between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism as the reason for the guidance. "The Trump Administration does not believe popping more pills is always the answer for better health," Leavitt said. Leavitt also shared on the social platform X a statement from Andrea Baccarelli, dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who said his research "found evidence of an association" between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Baccarelli warned of the risks of high fever and advocated for cautious acetaminophen use during pregnancynot blanket avoidance. The risks of untreated fever during pregnancy Maternal and prenatal care groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, support the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. They reiterated this support in response to Trump's remarks. There's good reason for that: Acetaminophen is one of few safe options pregnant patients have to treat fever and manage pain. Trump acknowledged this during the press conference. "Sadly, the first question: What can you take instead?" he said. "There's not an alternative." He said that other medicines such as aspirin and Advil "are absolutely proven bad." In 2020, the FDA advised that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, which include common pain relievers such as Advil (also known as ibuprofen), Aleve (or naproxen), and aspirin shouldn't be used during pregnancy after 20 weeks of gestation. Those medications aren't recommended during pregnancy because they could harm fetal development, Salena Zanotti, a Cleveland Clinic obstetrician and gynecologist, said this year. Untreated fevers during pregnancy come with their own risks. In ACOG's Sept. 22 statement, Steven Fleischman, the association's president, said the Trump administration's anti-Tylenol advice sends a "harmful and confusing message" to pregnant patients. "Maternal fever, headaches as an early sign of preeclampsia, and pain are all managed with the therapeutic use of acetaminophen, making acetaminophen essential to the people who need it," Fleischman said. Christopher Zahn, ACOG's chief of clinical practice, said pregnant patients should talk with their doctors about the benefits and risks of available treatments. Avoiding treating medical conditions that call for acetaminophen is "far more dangerous than theoretical concerns based on inconclusive reviews of conflicting science," Zahn said. Similarly, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine said that untreated fever and pain during pregnancy carry "significant maternal and infant health risks." "Untreated fever, particularly in the first trimester, increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and premature birth, and untreated pain can lead to maternal depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure," it said. Research on these risks goes back more than a decade: A 2014 Pediatrics review of available evidence on fevers during pregnancy found "substantial evidence" that maternal fever might negatively affect fetal health in the short and long term, including increasing the risks of neural tube defects, congenital heart defects, and oral clefts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also says that fever during pregnancy has been linked to adverse outcomes including birth defects. MotherToBaby, a nonprofit that provides information about the benefits and risks of medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, warns that a fever-caused increase in body temperature during early pregnancy carries risks, including a small chance for birth defects. Some studies also found that fevers are associated with increased chances of a child having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or autism. Kenvue, Tylenol's parent company, said acetaminophen is "the safest pain reliever" option available throughout pregnancy. "Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives," the company's statement said. "High fevers and pain are widely recognized as potential risks to a pregnancy if left untreated." Tylenol, responding to the news attention on Instagram, cited the ACOG position on acetaminophen use during pregnancy and highlighted a section of the Tylenol label that encourages people who are pregnant or breastfeeding to talk to a health professional. "Your doctor is the best person to advise whether taking medication is right for you based on your specific health needs," the video said. Trump said "there's no downside" to avoiding Tylenol use during pregnancy. Researchers have long documented health risks associated with untreated fevers during pregnancy. They can lead to an increased risk of birth defects and other pregnancy complications, particularly in the first trimester. Untreated pain can lead to maternal depression and anxiety. These risks outweigh conflicting research into possible links between the drug and autism, according to maternal and fetal health organizations. Doctors and researchers have found acetaminophen to be a safe pain and fever reducer during pregnancy. By comparison, other over-the-counter pain relievers come with documented risks, making Tylenol one of the only options available to pregnant mothers. Key medical concepts Acetaminophen Fever Congenital Abnormalities 2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels When the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met, confusion filled the room. Members admitted they didn't know what they were voting on, first rejecting a combined measles-mumps-rubella-chickenpox vaccine for young toddlers, then voting to keep it funded minutes later. The next day, they reversed themselves on the funding. Now Jim O'Neill, the deputy health and human services secretary and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's acting director (a lawyer, not a doctor), must sign off. The panel's recommendations matter, because insurers and federal programs rely on them, but they are not binding. States can follow the recommendations, or not. In the West, California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii have joined forces in the West Coast Health Alliance. Their first move was to issue joint recommendations on COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines, going further than ACIP. "Public health should never be a patchwork of politics," said Sejal Hathi, Oregon's state health director. California's health director, Erica Pan, described the goal as "demonstrating unity around science and values" while reducing public confusion. The bloc is also exploring coordinated lab testing, data sharing, and even group purchasing. "Our intent is to restore trust in science and safeguard people's freedom to protect themselves and their families without endless barriers," Hathi said. In the Northeast, New York and its neighbors created the Northeast Public Health Collaborative. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul called it a rebuke to Washington, D.C."s retreat from science. "Every resident will have access to the COVID vaccine, no exceptions," she said in a statement. The group has already gone beyond vaccines. After the CDC disbanded its infection-control advisory body, the Northeast states created their own return-to-work rules. Work groups now span vaccines, labs, emergency preparedness, and surveillance. "Infectious diseases don't respect borders," said Connecticut's health commissioner, Manisha Juthani. "We had to move in the same direction to protect our residents." The two blocs are in regular contact. "We communicate every day," Hathi said. "We can't just sit by while federal agencies are hollowed out," said acting New York City health commissioner Michelle Morse. "Public health is local, and we have to act like it." State leaders describe their coalitions as filling a vacuum left by Washington, D.C. "You would think emerging from a pandemic, we would be embracing public health, but the federal government was heading in the opposite direction," said James McDonald, New York state health commissioner. Massachusetts commissioner Robbie Goldstein added, "The federal government has historically been the entity that held us all together. In January of this year, that tradition seemed to be going away." Boston University law professor Matt Motta summarized the dilemma: "States are taking matters into their own hands, sometimes to expand access to vaccines, sometimes to roll it back. That's technically how the system works, but it risks inefficiency and confusion." Public health law has long tilted toward the states. "If there was a public health issue, we'd say it's for the states," said Wendy Parmet of the Northeastern University School of Law. States have mandated vaccines since the 1800s. Federal agencies can approve vaccines and fund programs, but they cannot force mandates except in very specific circumstances (e.g., federal employees). UC Law-San Francisco's Dorit Reiss agreed with Parmet: "Public health authority resides primarily with the states. Recommendations are recommendations." ACIP's votes matter for coverage rules and insurance mandates, but states are free to diverge. That divergence is already widening. Florida, led by Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, is moving to eliminate childhood vaccine requirements altogethera first-in-the-nation step. Georgetown Law's Larry Gostin warned this could reopen century-old battles dating to Jacobson v. Massachusetts (1905), when the Supreme Court upheld state vaccine mandates for public safety. Health leaders warn that competing systems risk causing confusion and costing lives. "Federal silence creates a vacuum, and states either step up together or splinter apart," Hathi said. Pan added that "without federal credibility, we're left improvising." McDonald cautioned that partisan divides could grow sharper. And Morse said that "blue and red states could each go their own way, leaving the public even more divided." Gostin put it bluntly: "That risks confusion, inefficiency, and ultimately lives." This state-by-state tug-of-war is not new. In the 1800s, local boards of health fought cholera with sewers and sanitation when federal authority was absent. In the 1950s, states organized mass polio clinics, with uneven uptake until federal funding smoothed disparities. During the COVID pandemic, Trump White House response coordinator Deborah Birx saw firsthand the limits of federal power. She visited 44 states, urging governors to adopt masks, closures, and vaccines. "I was trying to get them to tailor responses to their populations, not just follow generic federal guidance," she later recalled. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once said that states are "laboratories of democracy," where leaders could test out new ideas without putting the whole country at risk. But diseases don't follow state lines. A virus that starts in Tallahassee could spread to Times Square by the next morning. Today, states have become laboratories of public health. Each state is experimentingsome expanding protections, others cutting them back. And those choices could, for better or worse, affect us all. 2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain USC researchers have found evidence of threadworm (Strongyloides stercoralis) in South Carolina in two different studies. Their research, which was published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, was led by School of Medicine Columbia's Matthew Haldeman and epidemiology professor Melissa Nolan and was conducted in USC's Institute of Infectious Disease Translational Research. "Threadworms are parasitic roundworms that affect up to one-third of the global population and can spread to animals such as dogs and cattle as well," Nolan says. "They typically thrive in impoverished countries where residents have limited access to clean water and sanitation, so you wouldn't expect to find cases of it in the United States." "Threadworm infections are particularly concerning for children because of their ability to cause chronic malnutrition and anemia, reduced cognitive functioning, and poor educational achievement," adds Haldeman, who completed a USC Family Medicine-Global Health Fellowship Program, which included a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, in 2019. "Its spread is not only more likely to impact low-income populations, but these symptoms are also more likely to exacerbate the cycle of poverty that contributes to community-wide infections in the first place." With complementary backgrounds in global health and infectious diseases that disproportionately affect low-resource populations, Haldeman and Nolan teamed up to determine whether this highly contagious disease has been lurking undetected in the Palmetto state. Though thought to have been eradicated decades ago, their research shows that threadworms continue to flourish, particularly in the Appalachian Mountain Range and across the southeastern U.S. In the absence of robust monitoring programs, like the one Nolan established in partnership with the SC Department of Public Health to monitor the presence and spread of tick-borne illnesses, the status of threadworm has remained largely unknown until recently. The last formal assessment of threadworm among South Carolina residents took place in 1972, and only a handful of monitoring efforts have taken place elsewhere in the country. In the first part of the two-pronged study, the researchers examined the medical records from the state's largest health system over a five-year period. The second part analyzed frozen serum samples previously obtained through Nolan's ALL-IN project. Based on this state-wide sample, USC researchers found 5% of study participants were either recently or currently infected with threadworm. They were especially surprised to learn that nearly a third of the infections were believed to have been acquired locally, with 85% of impacted residents reporting no recent travel history. "This research provides concrete evidence that serves as a contemporary reminder to public health and medical providers who serve the southern United States' vulnerable populations that neglected infections are still occurring, and we have a long way to go to mitigate and eliminate these forgotten diseases," Nolan says. "Future studies are needed to eliminate this chronic parasite that can exacerbate cognitive and physical disabilities and hinder one's upward economic mobility." More information Matthew S. Haldeman et al, Evidence of Autochthonous Human Strongyloides stercoralis in South Carolina, The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2025). DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.25-0209 Journal information: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 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: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Women who miss their first mammogram run a higher risk of being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and dying from the disease. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in BMJ. Since the early 1990s, women in Sweden have been offered regular mammograms, which has contributed to a decrease in breast cancer mortality. Despite this, a significant proportion choose not to attend their first examination. The researchers behind the new study wanted to investigate the long-term consequences of this. The study is based on data from the Swedish mammography screening program and national health registries, and covers almost 433,000 women in Stockholm between 1991 and 2020, with follow-up for up to 25 years. The results show that 32% of all women who were invited to their first screening declined. These women were also less likely to participate in future examinations, which often led to a later diagnosis and poorer prognosis. "Skipping the first mammogram is a strong indicator of who is at risk of late detection and higher mortality. Our results show that missing the first mammogram is not just a one-time choice, but often marks the beginning of a long-term pattern of not attending check-ups," says the study's first author, Ziyan Ma, a doctoral student at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet. When women who skipped their first screening were later diagnosed with breast cancer, the disease was more often detected at a more advanced stage. The risk of developing stage III cancer was approximately 1.5 times higher, and for stage IV, the risk was as much as 3.6 times higher compared to those who participated in the first mammogram. Over a 25-year follow-up period, almost 1% of those who did not participate had died of breast cancer, compared with 0.7% among the participantsa difference that corresponds to a 40% higher risk of dying from the disease. However, the total proportion of women who developed breast cancer was almost the same in both groups, approximately 7.7%. According to the researchers, this shows that the increased mortality is mainly due to delayed detection rather than more cases of the disease. "Family history is a well-known, unchangeable risk factor for breast cancer. Our study shows that missing the very first screening examination carries a similar mortality riskbut unlike family history, this is a behavior that we can change," says the study's last author, Kamila Czene, professor at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet. "Since over 30% of women skip their first screening, increased participation could save many lives. Since this group can be identified early, decades before deaths occur, health care providers have a chance to intervene with reminders or support to encourage participation." More information First mammography screening participation and breast cancer incidence and mortality in the subsequent 25 years: population-based cohort study, BMJ (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2025-085029 Zhen-qiang Ma, Participation in early mammography screening, BMJ (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.r1893 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Key medical concepts Breast Carcinomas Mammography " " With rising housing costs, we don't blame you for looking at more affordable places to live. Sean Pavone / Shutterstock If your blood pressure is creeping up with your constant rent increases, you're not alone. With the rising cost of everything from groceries to gas, more Americans are looking for relief in the form of cheaper zip codes. The least expensive states to live in offer a break on everything from housing costs to health care spending, often far below the national average. Advertisement According to data from the Council for Community and Economic Research and the Tax Foundation, these states offer the lowest cost of living indexes in the country. Here's where your money stretches the furthest. China unveils two-year plan to boost building materials sector Xinhua) 09:11, September 25, 2025 BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday made public a plan for the steady growth of its building materials industry during the 2025-2026 period, setting a goal for the green building materials sector to exceed a revenue of 300 billion yuan (about 42.2 billion U.S. dollars) by 2026. The plan was released by six government departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and outlines goals to consolidate recovery, improve profitability and strengthen technological innovation. It includes the further expansion of the scale of the green building materials and advanced inorganic non-metallic materials industries. It also includes plans for deepened industrial cooperation with Belt and Road countries, the cultivation of high-level international cooperation, and encouragement for building materials products, technologies and standards to go global. China will enhance its price monitoring of key building materials, release its industry prosperity index regularly, and guide expectations to ensure the stable, orderly development of the sector. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing) When Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced last week that Phase 3 of the Mumbai Metro 3 Aqua Line will be inaugurated on September 30 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it appeared to be a hurry-up message to those working on the showpiece underground project. While the running of the trains itself was yet to be cleared by the safety commissioner, Fadnaviss message was clear: The line had to be ready for the PM by September 30. The project had missed several deadlines and the powers that be were keen to flag it off before the BMC elections. Now, it is clear the inauguration will not happen on the said date. The real reason differs according to who you ask. Sources close to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the Urban Development ministry, say work is incomplete and there was no hope of meeting the tight deadline set by Fadnavis thanks to unexpected rains. Camp Fadnavis, on the other hand, maintains that the PMs schedule did not allow for a September 30 inauguration in Mumbai. CMO sources told Mirror the inauguration has been rescheduled as the PM was already slated to visit Mumbai for a fintech mega event on October 8 or 9, during which he can also inaugurate the project. Whatever might be the truth, officials of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) are heaving a huge sigh of relief. An MMRCL source told Mumbai Mirror: We would never have met the deadline. Sources told Mirror that the Prime Ministers Office was of the opinion that if the project was not fully ready to be thrown open to the public, there was no point in the PM inaugurating it. Mirror sent detailed questions of the projects readiness, but an MMRDA spokesperson did not respond till press time. Mumbais other showpiece project, the Coastal Road was inaugurated in a hurry, according to critics, and then was operationalised in phases, inconveniencing motorists. According to MMRCL sources, a team of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (which operates and maintains Line 3) was scheduled to visit Mumbai to review the preparedness of the project on September 19. This was first postponed to September 20, and eventually, the inspection happened on September 23. Based on what they saw, the Delhi team was sure that the project should not be inaugurated on September 30. Now, the team will review the preparedness again on September 29. All this while, MMRCL officials had several back-up plans ready. One was to not operationalise the Kalbadevi and Girgaon stations, which required the most work. If the political powers insisted on a September 30 inaugurations, they were prepared to run services by skipping these two stations. Second was the number of entry-exit points. Officials were racing against time to ensure that each station had at least one useable entry-exit point. Third, they were ready for the PM top inaugurate it on September 30, and then throw it open to the public on October 2. We would never have been able to operationalise all four entry-exit points by the deadline, said a source working on the project. And to be 100 per cent complete, this project will take another six months if all goes well. Inputs by Faizan Khan United States (US) President Donald Trump on Monday warned pregnant women against using acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, suggesting a connection between the widely used medication and autism. Dont take Tylenol, dont take it, Trump said. Fight like hell not to take it. He repeated the dont take Tylenol refrain or slight variations of that at least 10 times during a wide-ranging White House briefing that also touched on vaccines and obesity medications, as well as the promise of a decades-old drug that could become the first treatment for the underlying causes of autism. He acknowledged that his advice, which is largely unproven, represents his personal views. Heres what science and medical experts have to say about his words. Whats Tylenol and how is it used? Tylenol is a brand name for the drug called acetaminophen, known outside the US as paracetamol. One of the worlds most widely used over-the-counter medications, it is taken for temporary pain relief or to reduce fever. Tylenol executives met Trump administration officials in recent weeks to discuss the federal effort to investigate the role of acetaminophen in autism. There are more than 600 other medications that contain acetaminophen, according to the FDA. Over-the-counter cough and cold medication, flu treatments, pain relievers and fever reducers, some allergy medicines and sleep aids can contain acetaminophen. The recent interest in acetaminophen accelerated by anti-vaccine, right-wing and MAHA influencers was sparked by a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study, led by researcher Diddier Prada of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and colleagues at Harvards T.H. Chan School of Public Health, involved a review of 46 previously published epidemiological studies. Of these, 27 reported links between use of the medication by pregnant women and an increased risk of autism or ADHD in their children, nine showed no link and four indicated protective effects. The higher-quality studies were more likely to show a connection. The findings, Prada emphasised, do not prove a causal link. We show that acetaminophen is associated with a higher risk, but not causing it. Those are very different things, he said. Some scientists interviewed pointed out that there are also strong studies including one very large one published in the journal JAMA in 2024 that appear to disprove a link. That study investigated the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and childrens risk of autism, ADHD and intellectual disability in nearly 2.5 million children in Sweden. One of the co-authors, Brian Lee, a professor of epidemiology at Drexel Universitys Dornsife School of Public Health, said that while researchers initially found a small statistical association using standard methods, that association completely went away when they conducted a sibling analysis examining children born to the same mother. At the news conference on Monday, Trump said there was no downside in not taking Tylenol, and he repeatedly warned pregnant women to only use the medication if they had a high fever or felt they cant tough it out. If there is a link between acetaminophen and autism, its still unclear whether the risk comes from the drug itself or from the underlying conditions such as fever, pain or inflammation that lead people to use it. Doctors also worry that if a fever isnt treated it could create stress on the fetus. Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, the past president of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and professor of maternal-fetal medicine at UC San Diego Health Sciences, said the concerns about autism and Tylenol have overshadowed well-established risks of untreated fevers in pregnancy. If you dont take Tylenol when you have a fever, especially in the first trimester, we know that can be detrimental to the fetus, Gyamfi-Bannerman said. Suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to rely on this beneficial medicine during pregnancy, a statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said. Cuba has no money for Tylenol Trump also made some unsubstantiated comments about Cuba, saying: Theres a rumour and I dont know if its so or not that Cuba, they dont have Tylenol because they dont have the money for Tylenol, and they have virtually no autism. The Caribbean island nation has faced a deepening public health crisis in recent years, including medicine shortages, which Cuban officials have partially attributed to years of US sanctions. The CDC advises travellers to Cuba to bring with them medication such as over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen. A 2017 paper published in MEDICC Review cited estimates from Cubas Ministry of Public Health that 1 in 2,500 Cuban children had been diagnosed with autism though the ministry said the figure was likely an undercount. A letter from the FDA that is being sent out to doctors clearly states that theres no clear causal link. However, it continues, in the spirit of patient safety and prudent medicine clinicians should consider minimising use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for routine low-grade fevers. What do other countries say? Health officials in the United Kingdom swiftly rejected Trumps advice. Wes Streeting, Britains health secretary, said that Britons should not pay any attention whatsoever to what Trump says about medicine. Britains health care regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, released a statement on Tuesday confirming that taking paracetamol during pregnancy remains safe and there is no evidence it causes autism in children. The European Medicines Agency said in a statement on Tuesday that there was no new evidence that would require changes to their guidance on using paracetamol. Kenvue, which owns Tylenol, stated: We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers. The facts are that over a decade of rigorous research, endorsed by leading medical professionals and global health regulators, confirms there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism. We will continue to explore all options to protect the health of American women and children. Between time is just a ticking clock and without emotions, time is just a ticking clockthe quotes he writes on a board at the opening and closing of his show, Andrea Fedi portrays a lifetime of emotions. Known by his stage name Katastrofa clown, Fedi who hails from Livorno, Italy, is touring India with The Room of Memories, a one-man silent theatre cum magic show for children from September 20 to October 4. After stops in Hyderabad and Pune, the show will reach Mumbai this week, before Fedi takes it to Bengaluru. The Room of Memories follows the story of an old man revisiting memories of his past. Fedi strings together elements like puppets, bubbles, balloons, magic, and comedy to bring this playful performance to life. These simple things of the past when combined with imagination, can create a world full of joy and wonder, the 45-year-old shares. The travelling clown Fedi has been performing for nearly two decades. Over the years, he has crafted five wordless shows, including Katastrofa Show, Bubble Show, and Crazy Animals, touring 25 countries across four continents. His work has taken him to major international events, including the European Games 2019 in Minsk, Belarus, and the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in 2022. These are satisfactions that repay the hard work, which is difficult to see when one comes to watch a show, he says. The Room of Memories is a relatively new production, first staged only three years ago. Put together in less than a week, Fedi went about refining it over time. I like creating new things and constantly challenging myself, he explains. The play is set in an old room filled with dusty trunks and abandoned suitcases. Inside them are toys, marionettes, hats, soap bubbles, and other bits and pieces from the past that Fedi uses one by one to evoke moments of emotion. The 75-minute show takes audiences of all ages on a gentle, nostalgic journey back to their childhood. The idea came from realising how often we live without stopping to reflect, and only much later do we truly make sense of the life weve lived, Fedi explains. He performed the show in Visakhapatnam in July last year, before Gems Kids Club decided to bring him back. I have not seen much of India yet, but I liked the little I have seen so far. The audiences here are fantastic, he says. More than just comedy Fedis love for performing began earlyhe first started out by putting on shows for his parents, then at the theatre where he recited William Shakespeare. But over time, he realised he no longer wanted to pursue anything serious; he wanted to entertain people instead. That is when I began studying clowning, he says. At first on my own, then through workshops with some of the greatest clowns, such as those at Cirque du Soleil [a Canadian circus production company]. When asked about his pseudonym Katastrofa, he quips, It does not have a precise meaning, and that is exactly why it represents me, because like all clowns, my clown is always a real mess. Katastrofa in Croatian means catastrophe. Andrea is one person, Katastrofa is another, he adds. To him, clowning is more than just comedy; it is about stirring the emotions people carry inside and bringing them to the surface. When I perform, I do not only want the audience to laugh; I want them to feel. Sometimes, through a silly fall that reminds them of their childhood clumsiness; sometimes through a tender moment with my puppet where I look lost and lonely, and the children whisper, Dont worry, youll be alright, Fedi says. It is important for the show to leave an emotion behind, good or bad. While Fedi is currently working on two new shows, he hopes The Room of Memories will continue to tour globally for years to come. Life is beautiful but has a deadline. Time should not be wasted. It should be lived to the fullest, with all its emotions, he concludes. The show will be held at St Andrews Auditorium on September 27 and 28. To book: gemskidsclub.com Each year, thousands of individuals donate millions of dollars to Emory, often through smaller annual gifts. These donors also provide books for the libraries, fund public lectures and art around campus, and make robust financial aid for students possible. But the Emory community rarely has the chance to say, Your gift matters, or Thank you for changing lives at Emory. The tenth annual EmoryThanks Week, taking place Sept. 29-Oct. 3, is the perfect opportunity to do just that. An art installation by Atlanta artist Lacey Longino will help remind passersby that gratitude is being celebrated and recognized across campus (and it will also serve as a perfect photo backdrop). For a tangible way to get involved, any member of the Emory community can stop by multiple stations, including one on the Oxford College campus, on Tuesday, Sept. 30, and Wednesday, Oct. 1, to write a note, take photos or jump into videos to share their gratitude with Emory supporters. Messages of gratitude for Emory supporters can also be shared on social media using #EmoryThanks. EmoryThanks stations will be available at the following locations: Tuesday, Sept. 30: Rollins Plaza by the Grace Crum Rollins Building, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Robert W. Woodruff Library, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Candler School of Theology, Room CST 360, 12-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1: Emory Law, Omeed Malik 06L Student Commons, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. School of Nursing, Plaza Level of the 1520 Clifton Building, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Oxford College Dining Hall, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wonderful Wednesday, Asbury Circle, 12-2 p.m. All schools and colleges will host EmoryThanks tables during Wonderful Wednesday; many other divisions and programs (such as Emory Campus Life and the Carlos Museum) will also participate. Cant make either of those dates? Goizueta Business School is also hosting an EmoryThanks station from 4-6 p.m. on Patterson Green, Thursday, Oct. 16. For more information regarding EmoryThanks, email Ciara Laughlin, senior associate director of donor relations. 'Pro actor' blamed as drones hit more Danish airports The scene at Aalborg Airport after drones were detected on Thursday. Photo: AFP Drone flights that caused Danish airports to close on two nights this week were a systematic and hybrid operation by a "professional actor," the country's defence minister said on Thursday. "There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time. This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones," Troels Lund Poulsen said. Drones flew over multiple airports across Denmark and caused one of them to close for hours, police said on Thursday after a similar incident this week prompted Copenhagen airport to shut. The latest incidents in Danish skies follow similar events in Poland and Romania and the violation by Russian fighter jets of Estonia's airspace, which have raised tensions in light of the Russia-Ukraine war. Drones were spotted at Denmark's airports in Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg and at the Skrydstrup air base before leaving on their own, police said. Aalborg airport, located in northern Denmark and one of the country's biggest after Copenhagen, was shut down before reopening hours later. "It was not possible to take down the drones, which flew over a very large area over a couple of hours," North Jutland chief police inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said about the incident in Aalborg. "At this time, we have not apprehended the drone operators either," he added in a statement. South Jutland police said they had "received several reports of drone activity at the airports in Esbjerg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup" late on Wednesday. The Esbjerg and Sonderborg airports were not closed because no flights were scheduled there until Thursday morning. Police there said the drones "flew with lights and were observed from the ground, but it has not yet been clarified what type of drones they are... or what the motive is." An investigation was underway with the Danish intelligence service and the armed forces to "clarify the circumstances", police said. The probe comes days after police said several large drones flew over Copenhagen airport, shutting the facility for hours. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday described the Copenhagen incident as the "most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure" to date. "This is part of the development we have recently observed with other drone attacks, airspace violations, and cyberattacks targeting European airports," Frederiksen said. Moscow has denied being involved in that incident, and rejected accusations from the governments of Poland, Estonia and Romania over drones or airspace violations by fighter jets. This week's drone incidents follow Denmark announcing it will acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, citing the need to be able to hit distant targets as Russia would pose a threat "for years to come". Moscow's ambassador to Copenhagen, Vladimir Barbin, had called the statement "pure madness". (AFP) India will require a threefold increase in its primary energy supply to nearly 35,000 TWh by 2047 in order to achieve its vision of becoming a developed economy, according to a new report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and EY. The report highlights the urgent need for a massive forty-fold scale-up of non-fossil energy sources, which would be crucial to meeting two-thirds of the projected energy demand sustainably. The report, Eigenvectors of Net Zero Energy Transition: Pathways to Viksit Bharat 2047, frames India's net-zero ambitions as a multidimensional challenge balancing energy security, affordability, competitiveness, and sustainability. With a projected USD 30 trillion GDP and 1.5 billion population by 2047, the analysis underscores both the scale of the opportunity and the risks that must be managed. India has already crossed a major milestone in its energy transition, achieving 50 per cent non-fossil power capacity in 2025, five years ahead of its 2030 target. The EY-CII report outlines key challenges and requirements for India to achieve its goal of becoming a developed economy by 2047. It projects that the country's primary energy demand will rise sharply to around 35,000 TWh (approximately 3,000 Mtoe), necessitating a forty-fold increase in clean energy supply to meet two-thirds of this demand sustainably. To ensure economic stability, the report stresses that the energy cost share (ECS) must be maintained below 10-11 per cent of GDP. It also highlights the growing health and environmental risks associated with PM2.5 air pollution, calling for integrated policies across health, energy, and environment sectors. Additionally, with low-carbon technology imports already accounting for 0.21 per cent of GDP in FY25, the report emphasises the urgent need to strengthen domestic manufacturing to reduce reliance on foreign technologies. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry, said, "India stands at a defining moment in its energy transition journey, having crossed 50 per cent non-fossil capacity five years ahead of its NDCs, a testament to its ambition and ability to balance sustainability with growth."The report also calls for legal clarity on permissible private sector activities in nuclear power and fuel cycle, and strengthening of nuclear-grade supply chains through quality assurance and vendor development. It also asks the government to involve the private sector in a defined framework for Bharat Small Reactors. The findings of the report show that India's primary energy supply must triple by 2047, while non-fossil capacity must expand forty-fold to ensure two-thirds of demand is met through clean sources. With energy consumption expected to surge alongside economic growth, the report warns that energy affordability and supply security will be as critical as decarbonization. The report calls for a shift from fragmented, target-driven planning to integrated, risk-informed policymaking. By balancing affordability, security, sustainability, and competitiveness, India can transform its energy transition into a driver of economic growth, social well-being, and global leadership. (ANI) Marking the 11th anniversary of the landmark "Make in India initiative", Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal reflected on the program's transformative impact on India's manufacturing landscape, adding that the vision has transformed India into a global manufacturing powerhouse. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, the Make in India initiative was envisioned to revive the nation's industrial base and turn the country into a global manufacturing hub. Eleven years on, Goyal stated that this vision has "transformed India into a global manufacturing powerhouse." "Today, I am proud to say that this vision has transformed India into a global manufacturing powerhouse. In these years, record FDI inflows, vast improvements in ease of doing business, our rise as the second-largest mobile manufacturer globally, soaring exports, and expanding defence production, all showcase how far we have come," Goyal added in his X post. A cornerstone of this industrial revival has been the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, which Goyal credited for generating massive investments and job creation across multiple sectors. He also highlighted India's thriving startup ecosystem, driven by the energy of young and women entrepreneurs, which has positioned the country as the world's third-largest innovation hub. "The journey has been made possible because of the collective effort of our industry, MSMEs, startups, entrepreneurs, and every citizen who carries the spirit of Swadeshi in their heart," Goyal stated, underscoring the grassroots strength behind the movement. Goyal expressed confidence that the next phase of Make in India will write a new chapter, one of global leadership through a self-reliant (Aatmanirbhar) and developed (Viksit) Bharat. The initiative was conceived during a period when India's economic growth had sharply declined, and the country faced critical challenges in sustaining its development trajectory. 'Make in India' was designed to transform India into a global hub for design and manufacturing. Its core objectives were to facilitate investment, encourage innovation, and develop world-class infrastructure. As one of the pioneering 'Vocal for Local' initiatives, it sought not only to boost India's manufacturing capabilities but also to showcase its industrial potential on a global stage. The initiative's focus on developing a robust manufacturing sector promises to elevate India's economic trajectory and generate employment opportunities for its vast young workforce. Now, with the "Make in India 2.0" phase encompassing 27 sectors, the program continues to drive forward with significant achievements and renewed vigour, reinforcing India's position as a major player in the global manufacturing landscape. (ANI) PRNewswire Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 25: In a majority of Alzheimer's patients, early diagnosis remains a major challenge. Cognitive issues that surface in the initial stages such as memory lapses, mood swings, irritability, and disorientation are often mistaken for hormonal fluctuations, poor sleep, or everyday stress. By the time more distinct symptoms such as delays in emotional perception begin to appear, a significant portion of the brain has already been affected, making treatment and care far more challenging for doctors, patients and their caregivers. This World Alzheimer's Day, doctors, patients and their caregivers gathered for an insightful workshop organized by Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road in partnership with ARDSI and Roche Diagnostics India. This World Alzheimer's Day 2025, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road decided to address these challenges, by organizing a workshop, under the banner of the #MemoryVault campaign. The initiative which was set up in collaboration with the Alzheimer's & Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) with support from Roche Diagnostics India, aimed to raise awareness on Alzheimer's disease by bringing patients, caregivers and doctors under one roof. The interactive session began with caregivers sharing valuable insights into the patient's journey, from the challenges of an early diagnosis to the hardships they face on a daily basis. This was followed by brain games, a "memory tree" installation, and cognitive activities designed to promote brain health and encourage proactive strategies for early intervention and management. The discussion highlighted how timely diagnosis is particularly difficult, given the overwhelming influx of information circulated on mass social media platforms like WhatsApp and search engines like Google, which frequently mislead patients into misinterpreting their symptoms. Caregivers were advised to keep patients mentally engaged, as frequent mental stimulation through activities like art, music and reading can help maintain cognitive function. While caring for patients undergoing long-term cognitive decline can take an emotional toll on caregivers, being empathetic and patient goes a long way in ensuring their comfort and well-being. This is where support groups come into picture. The discussion focused on the vital role that support groups play in offering a safe space for caregivers to share experiences and explore strategies to manage the anxiety and depression that many of them go through. Besides patients and caregivers, Alzheimer's disease affects the entire family, including children. Breaking the news of the illness with love and understanding can therefore help families cope with the emotional burden while fostering a supportive and compassionate environment. "At Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, 60% of all dementia patients that we have seen have Alzheimer's disease. More than 70% of them come to us with a symptom duration of 2-3 years," said Dr. Pramod Krishnan, HOD & Consultant - Neurology Epileptology & Sleep Medicine, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road Bengaluru. "Early identification of Alzheimer's symptoms leads to early diagnosis and using accurate investigations like CSF biomarkers is the key to initiating suitable therapies and lifestyle modifications necessary to slow down the disease and improve a patient's quality of life," he added. "ARDSI's single-minded focus is to spread awareness on cognitive issues like Alzheimer's," said Renu Vohra, Chairperson, ARDSI. "The Memory Health Day workshop was designed to enhance understanding of early signs, emphasize the importance of timely diagnosis, and provide structured resources for effective management. We are on a mission to ensure no one faces Alzheimer's in isolation." The event garnered around 60 members across the city, serving as a vital platform to raise awareness and empower caregivers to provide better support for Alzheimer's patients. For more information, please visit: https://www.manipalhospitals.com/oldairportroad/doctors/dr-pramod-krishnan-hod-consultant-neurology-epileptology-sleep-medicine-specialist/ Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2780979/World_Alzheimer_Day.jpgPhoto: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2780980/Manipal_Hospital_Workshop.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL New Delhi [India], September 25: From the wind-swept plateaus of Nimar to the fertile plains of Malwa, agriculture is the lifeblood of Madhya Pradesh. Yet, despite its enormous potential, many of the State's farmers still contend with fragmented data, delayed advice, and inefficient linkages between policy and field. Imagine transforming that scenario, not by patches or pilot projects, but through a sweeping, digitally native ecosystem that connects every farmer, every field, every decision. Dexian India offers such a vision. This article examines how Dexian India's digital transformation capabilities can aid the Madhya Pradesh Government in accelerating its journey toward self-reliance ("AtmaNirbhar"), empowering farmers with precision, insight, transparency, and resilience. The Current Landscape: Strong Foundations with Room to Grow Madhya Pradesh stands as a frontrunner in Indian agriculture, ranking second in food grain production and third in horticulture and spices, powered by its 11 agro-climatic zones and diverse soils. At the national level, the Digital Agriculture Mission (2,817 crore, September 2024) is building robust Digital Public Infrastructure through AgriStack, the Krishi Decision Support System, and statewide soil mapping. Progress is evident; by August 2025, 70 million farmers nationwide will hold digital IDs, including 8.7 million in Madhya Pradesh. The Digital Crop Survey has already covered 23.5 crore plots across 492 districts. These milestones highlight vision and scale. Yet, advancing digital profiling, predictive advisories, and efficient market systems will be vital to translating infrastructure into higher farmer incomes and agricultural resilience. Dexian India's Digital Transformation: Capabilities That Matter Dexian India brings together several capabilities that directly respond to these gaps: * Geo-referenced farm and land profiles: Mapping every plot with soil health parameters, water availability, and past crop patterns. * Predictive advisory engines: Combining weather, pest/disease risk, and input price predictions to advise farmers before problems arise. * Digital IDs & Crop Survey integration: Helping stitch together farmer registration, crop census, and soil mapping data in a unified dashboard. * Real-time market linkages: Enabling transparent mandi (market) info, license/licensing systems, and payment tracking, to reduce transactional friction. * Remote sensing and GIS tools: For crop health monitoring, early warning of stress, efficient irrigation, and yield forecasting. * Mobile-first, local-language interfaces: Including voice assistants or SMS, to reach small and marginal farmers who may not be tech-savvy. How Dexian India Can Help Madhya Pradesh Accelerate Its Digital Agriculture Agenda Here is how the synergy between MP's objectives and Dexian India's capabilities can be concretely leveraged: 1. Enhancing the Farmer Registry & Plot Profiling With DAM pushing for 11 crore farmer IDs by FY 2026-27, Dexian can help ensure Madhya Pradesh's registrations not only meet numeric targets but also become rich, multidimensional profiles. Soil profiles, land ownership/tenant status, and cropping histories are all integrated. This ensures state policies, subsidies, and extension services reach the right beneficiaries with precision. "We believe that identity without insight is incomplete. Dexian's goal is not just to count farmers, but to truly understand each field, its soil, its challenges, its opportunities," says Venkat Lakshminarasimha, Executive Director - Solutions, India & Middle East. 2. Predictive Advisory & Early Warning Systems Using weather forecasts, satellite imagery, and pest/disease models, Dexian can build a decision support system that warns farmers before calamities, such as heat stress, pest invasion, or water shortage, rather than reacting post-loss. This will enhance resilience, minimize input wastage, and safeguard farmers' incomes. 3. Strengthening Market Access & Transparency A report notes that over 11.357 million market licenses have been issued via the state's E-License system, of which 9.4 million by traders. Dexian can partner with the State to enhance such systems, ensuring payments are digitally recorded, enforcing transparency in weighing and grading, and enabling farmers to make informed decisions on where and when to sell. 4. Soil Fertility & Profile Mapping DAM includes soil profile mapping for the entire country. MP, with its varied soils, will benefit from Dexian's remote sensing + ground-truthing to build soil fertility maps, enabling site-specific fertilizer recommendations, reducing cost and environmental harm. 5. Digital Crop Survey & Data Accuracy Digital Crop Survey is large in scale: over 23.5 crore plots surveyed in Rabi 2024-25. Dexian can assist in ensuring accuracy through satellite/RGB imaging, machine learning verification, reducing human error, and improving data timeliness. 6. Capacity Building & Extension Working with Krishi Vigyan Kendras, local extension officers, Dexian can provide capacity building in using digital dashboards, mobile apps, and remote sensing outputs, so that technology reaches the last mile. "Digital transformation must walk hand in hand with capacity-building; when farmers and field officers see and trust the output, adoption follows," emphasizes Venkat Lakshminarasimha. Overcoming Barriers Through Smart Digital Solutions Certainly, digitizing agriculture at scale involves obstacles: * Data gaps: missing or incorrect land records, identity mismatches. Dexian's geo-referenced mapping and data cleaning tools can help reconcile these. * Connectivity constraints: rural internet and mobile network gaps. Dexian can design offline-first apps and SMS/voice-based advisory support. * Trust & adoption: farmers may distrust digital outputs or resist new practices. Dexian's model includes pilot programs, demonstration plots, and trusted local agents. * Interoperability: multiple government systems (state + central) need to interoperate. Dexian supports open standards, APIs, and adherence to DPI and AgriStack norms. Building Strong Foundations with Digital Innovation Madhya Pradesh's progress can be accelerated with a partner that understands how to integrate data, technology, and on-the-ground realities into a cohesive ecosystem. Dexian India brings precisely this expertise, drawing from its success in building BIHAN. This platform transformed agricultural governance in Bihar by enabling the implementation of 10 new policies and improving the lives of over 20 million farmers. Looking Ahead: A Roadmap for AtmaNirbhar Agriculture in Madhya Pradesh To realize this vision, a suggested plan of action for the Madhya Pradesh Government, in collaboration with Dexian India, could include: 1. Audit & Enrichment of Farmer Registry - engage Dexian to assess the quality of existing digital IDs, fill missing attributes (soil, cropping history, tenancy), and cross-link land records. 2. Deploy Krishi Decision Support Pilot in Select Agro-Climatic Zones - launch in say, three diverse zones (e.g., Malwa, Vindhya, Bundelkhand) to deliver predictive advisories and yield forecasts. 3. Scale Soil & Water Mapping - use remote sensing + ground sensors to build detailed soil fertility, moisture, and topography maps. 4. Integrate Market License Systems and Payment Tracking - strengthen E-License, mandi payment systems, enabling faster, traceable, digital payments. 5. Strengthen Extension Through Digital Tools - equip KVKs and extension officers with apps, dashboards, local-language content, and feedback loops. 6. Monitor & Evaluate via Digital Dashboards - real-time metrics on coverage, yield, input use, income, adoption rates; publicly visible or internally used by the State. A Shared Future of Self-Reliance and Farmer Prosperity Madhya Pradesh stands at the threshold of agricultural transformation. With its agro-ecological diversity, strong farmer base, and national support through the Digital Agriculture Mission, the State is poised for change. What matters now is ensuring digital agriculture is actionable, farmer-centric, and measurable. Dexian India, though not yet a formal partner, offers precisely the expertise required: geo-digital farm profiling, predictive advisory engines, soil and crop analytics, transparent market systems, and farmer capacity building. As Venkat Lakshminarasimha notes, "Our ambition is to see every farmer confident in using digital insight." With aligned policies and capable partners like Dexian, Madhya Pradesh can transcend promises and achieve AtmaNirbhar agriculture, sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. About the Author: Venkat Lakshminarasimha - Executive Director, Solutions - India & Middle East at Dexian India Venkat Lakshminarasimha, Head of Solutions for India and the Middle East at Dexian India, is a distinguished leader in business and product management. His expertise in digital transformation spans IT enterprises, government bodies, and the AgriTech sectors. Venkat is adept at converting complex client needs into innovative, actionable solutions through a consultative approach. His close collaboration with clients on software development, product launches, and lifecycle management ensures smooth transitions and long-term success. Under Venkat's leadership, Dexian's Managed Services have expanded globally, with him overseeing hundreds of engineers across the US, the Middle East, and India in pioneering digital transformation and cognitive projects. He has been instrumental in establishing Centers of Excellence in data science, AI/ML, and AR/VR, showcasing his dedication to advancing engineering talent and fostering innovation. Venkat's visionary leadership continues to drive excellence and growth in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) The solar power energy that is effectively wasted due to insufficient transmission capacity in South Korea has exceeded the combined output of three 1-gigawatt (GW)-class nuclear reactors over the past three years, data showed on Wednesday, as per a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business Newspaper Korea. Critics point out that without grid expansion, increasing solar installations will not lead to substantial power supply. According to data obtained by the office of Representative Kang Seung-kyoo of the main opposition People Power Party from Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) on Wednesday, the capacity of solar power facilities that were unable to connect to the grid due to lack of transmission capacity in the country reached 3.3 GW from January 2023 to August 2025. The capacity of solar power facilities awaiting grid connection, which was only 764 megawatts (MW) in 2023, also surged to 2.2 GW in 2024. The number of pending connection applications also tripled from 4,602 in 2023 to 13,867 in 2024.In 2025 to date, 275 MW of capacity and 1,653 cases remain waiting. This is due to transmission grid saturation in the country. Generally, power producers operating solar facilities predict how much electricity they will generate going forward and apply to KEPCO for permission to connect to the grid so they can deliver electricity. KEPCO then grants approval for connection based on available transmission grid capacity.However, as the grid has recently reached saturation, unconnected solar facilities have rapidly increased, leading to mounting grid-connection queues. By region, the backlog was overwhelmingly concentrated in Jeolla Province.In South Jeolla Province, 803 MW of solar capacity piled up over three years, while North Jeolla Province accumulated 1 GW. Combined, Jeolla Province accounted for more than half of the total waiting capacity. Critics warned that the government's 100 GW solar power by 2030 target, promoted by Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan, will be unattainable without significant grid expansion. This is because even if solar power facilities increase, actual power generation and supply will be difficult without a sufficient transmission grid. KEPCO has pledged to significantly expand and reinforce transmission networks.However, the outlook is not favourable, with many transmission line construction projects facing delays due to resident opposition. At least seven transmission line construction projects have had their timelines extended in 2025.The 154-kilovolt (kV) Seochungju branch line project was pushed back 38 months from its original target, while the 345 kV Dongducheon CC-Yangju transmission line project was delayed by 24 months. This is due to residents' concerns about electromagnetic waves and declining property values.The power authorities and government are currently pinning hopes on the Special Act on Expanding National Core Power Grids, enacted in March 2025. The law includes measures to improve local acceptance, such as an additional 50 percent in subsidies for residents near large-scale transmission and substation facilities, and simplified procedures for public hearings. The authorities also plan to reclaim "grid-squatting" capacity - where companies reserve grid access without actual generation projects - and reallocate it to waiting solar operators. Kang noted that expanding solar supply without being able to connect to the grid amounts to a 'policy fraud'. (ANI) Carl Pei, CEO and co-founder of the consumer technology brand Nothing, met with Union Minister for Railways and Communications, Ashwini Vaishnaw, to discuss the company's ambitious plans to strengthen its presence in India and contribute significantly to the country's tech ecosystem. Sharing the details in a social media post, X, Pei wrote, "We discussed our journey with Nothing and our plans to establish CMF as a subsidiary headquartered in India - building it into the country's first truly global consumer tech brand. Built from India, to the world. With our end-to-end capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to bring this vision to life." "As part of this, I'm excited to announce our new manufacturing joint venture with Optiemus, one of India's leading technology manufacturers - a key milestone in making this vision a reality. Through this JV, we plan to invest over USD 100M and create more than 1,800 jobs in India over the next three years," the post further added. After the meeting, Pei lauded the government's Make in India initiative and described Minister Vaishnaw as a driving force behind India's thriving technology sector. "There is no doubt; India will play a key role in shaping the future of the global smartphone industry," Pei said. Pei shared insights into Nothing's journey and announced plans to establish CMF as a subsidiary headquartered in India. A significant milestone in this strategy is Nothing's new manufacturing joint venture with Optiemus Electronics, one of India's leading technology manufacturers. The joint venture will enable Nothing to localise production, ensuring better supply chain management and faster innovation cycles. Smartphone exports in August 2025 increased by 39 per cent year-on-year, countering claims of a decline, and cautioned against drawing inferences from month-on-month comparisons without context, the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) said. ICEA reported that exports increased from USD 1.09 billion in August 2024 to approximately USD 1.53 billion in August 2025, with shipments to the United States more than doubling. Exports to the US increased by 148 per cent to USD 965 million in August 2025, compared to USD 388 million in August 2024. India's mobile phone exports have surged 127 times in a decade, and they grew from Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 2 lakh crore, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, informed Lok Sabha in July. (ANI) The Women Inspiring Network (WIN) brought together global leaders during Climate Week New York 2025 alongside the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), as the WIN Lounge emerged as a platform for conversations on sustainability, innovation, business and culture, as per a press release. The event, curated by WIN founder Stuti Jalan, hosted over 50 leaders from more than 20 countries. The day began with a keynote session delivered by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, as well as Minister of State for Education. He emphasised the importance of skilling for India's future workforce. "The future of skills, technology, and industry is not a distant vision--it is already here. What we need now is to prepare ourselves and harness this disruption for inclusive and sustainable growth. The Indian industry must take real ownership of skills development, co-creating from curriculum to protocols, so that together we can bridge the skill gap and empower India's workforce for the future. Platforms like the WIN Lounge are doing just that--curating conversations that matter and creating spaces where ideas turn into action," he said. Throughout the day, the WIN Lounge hosted 10 panel discussions on various issues, including clean energy, sustainability in culture, capital markets and climate action, plastic pollution in humans, gender and climate, women in wealth, and climate legacy. The speaker list featured leaders from various sectors, including technology, finance, law, fashion, nonprofits, and academia. Among them were Karen Quintos, former CCO and CMO at Dell Technologies; Maggie Liu from Microsoft; Elizabeth Yee of the Rockefeller Foundation; Ajaita Shah of Frontier Markets; and Amanda Ellis from the ASU Global Futures Lab. Reflecting on the Lounge, Stuti Jalan said, "Women Inspiring Network, WIN Lounge has become a platform where diverse global voices meet to create real solutions. From our inaugural WIN Lounges at Davos to Cannes, India, and now New York, we have completed the circuit, building bridges across continents. Shaping a sustainable future, we are optimistic that we will discover valuable new ways to improve and accelerate sustainability strategies and implementation. I acknowledge and express gratitude for the support from our partners, Pillsbury, Trend Micro, Frontier Markets and Masimo." WIN also recorded special podcast episodes featuring Geetha Murali, CEO at Room to Read, and Kathy Diaz, Chief People Officer at Cognizant, to extend the discussions beyond the event. Jalan further said, "We were privileged to kick start the WIN Lounge with Hon'ble Minister Jayant Chaudhary's fireside on India 2047: People Powering a Green Future. His vision for Viksit Bharat underscored how India's journey to 2047 can inspire global pathways toward a sustainable and inclusive future." WIN also announced that its journey will continue to Horasis in Brazil, Newsweek in London, and Davos again in 2026. (ANI) New Delhi [India], September 25: SoftTech Engineers is set to host the NIRMANA 100 - Innovation Convergence on September 25, 2025, at SoftTech Towers, Baner, Pune. The event will convene policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and innovators to accelerate the future of India's Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO) sector. NIRMANA 100 is a high-impact, 100-day accelerator program created to empower startups with mentorship, strategic market access, and investor alignment. The program focuses on six priority themes, including Generative AI for design workflows, open BIM collaboration, AR/VR for field operations, sustainable construction materials, AI-driven site intelligence, and digital twins for net-zero infrastructure. At Innovation Convergence, the current cohort of startups--Visnet AI, Vanya Concrete Technologies, Trace Resource, Vavetek AI, MProcure, Techillusions, Logiclens, GriHub, and Redevelopment Bazaar--will showcase solutions spanning AI-powered inspections, sustainable building technologies, digital procurement, immersive property visualisation, and smart surveillance. The agenda will feature an inaugural address by policy leaders, startup pitches, panel discussions with industry and government stakeholders, investor roundtables, and expert-led mentor sessions. Networking opportunities will further enable cross-collaboration among founders, investors, and ecosystem partners. Notable dignitaries include senior government representatives from Invest India, Ex-Chief Secretary UP, Technocrat from Ease of Doing Business, investors from Indian Angel Network, Pune Angels, Pentathalon Ventures, and Suvan Ventures and a few more alongside academic and industry leaders from IIT-Bombay, NiCMAR University and Lodha Group "With NIRMANA 100, we are not just fostering innovation--we are building a collaborative ecosystem that will transform how India designs, builds, and manages its infrastructure. The Innovation Convergence is a reflection of our commitment to empower startups and bring together the best of policy, industry, and technology for a sustainable AECO future," said Mr Vijay Gupta, MD and CEO, SoftTech Engineers. Positioned as a national platform where policy, industry, and innovation converge, NIRMANA 100 - Innovation Convergence is set to be a defining moment in advancing transformative solutions for India's AECO sector. Website: https://softtechglobal.com/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) As Durga Puja 2025 is just around the corner, the air in Kolkata is already charged with excitement. Every year, the city's pandals push the limits of creativity, and this year is no different. One pandal that's already making headlines is the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja, which has chosen a deeply patriotic theme: Operation Sindoor. The pandal has been designed to honour the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces. From the terrorist attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir to the success of Operation Sindoor, the visuals recreate scenes of sacrifice, courage, and victory. Step inside, and it feels like you've entered a battlefield. Models of military weapons, such as the BrahMos missile and S-400 systems, add to the powerful effect, making the pandal not just a place of worship, but also a reminder of national pride. Sajal Ghosh, General Secretary of the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja Committee and BJP Councillor, explained the vision behind the theme, stating that the idea was to awaken a sense of "patriotism in people's hearts." While speaking to ANI, Ghosh said, "The idea behind creating this pandal is simple -- to awaken a sense of patriotism in people's hearts. Operation Sindoor is the voice of every Indian's heart. It showcased the dignity and strength of our armed forces, and how they destroyed the enemy and protected our nation. Through this pandal, we wanted to bring that bravery alive for everyone to see." The festive fervour in Kolkata is once again marked by the creativity and thematic depth of its iconic Durga Puja pandals. This year, several pandals across the city are exploring themes rooted in artificial intelligence, environmental concerns, and evolving family dynamics, sparking reflection alongside celebration. The Hindu festival of Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a yearly celebration that honours the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over Mahishasur. Hindu mythology holds that the goddess comes to her earthly abode at this time to bless her devotees. The significance of Durga Puja extends beyond religion and is revered as a celebration of compassion, brotherhood, humanity, art, and culture. From the reverberation of 'dhaak' and new clothes to delicious food, there remains a merry mood during these days. (ANI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the new GST reforms, stating that the changes have brought happiness to everyone, from buyers to sellers. He credited the reforms for a noticeable reduction in the prices of goods and said people are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the positive impact. Speaking after visiting Maharajganj market, the busiest and largest marketplace in Agartala, CM Saha said, "India can be the best in the world in terms of economy in the future." He elaborated that the new GST reforms were announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi and came into effect on September 22 this year. "Today, I visited Maharajganj market, the largest in the state, to check the implementation of this new system. I spoke to both traders and buyers and learned about their reactions to the work done by the Prime Minister. It was evident that there was a happy atmosphere due to the reduction in the prices of goods. For this, people expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister," CM Manik Saha said. The Chief Minister also recalled that there were many types of taxes earlier. "When goods left the factory, tax had to be paid. There was road tax, VAT, and additional taxes when moving goods from one state to another. When all these were combined, GST was introduced -- but it created a lot of commotion at the time," he added. He further explained that the GST system has now been simplified from five tax slabs to just two slabs, making it easier for everyone. "It has now been simplified from five slabs to two slabs. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated tax reform, the opposition said that the country would be ruined and that the economy would collapse. But in the end, we have seen that the Indian economy has moved from 11th place to 4th place globally," CM Saha said. He highlighted the Prime Minister's vision for a "Viksit Bharat" (developed India) by 2047 and added that by 2050 or later, India may become the best economy in the world. Meanwhile, the GST reforms, approved during the 56th GST Council meeting earlier this month, came into effect on Monday (September 22). The previous four-rate system has been replaced by a streamlined two-slab structure of 5 per cent and 18 per cent, with a separate 40 per cent slab retained for luxury and sin goods. (ANI) YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday reiterated that the coalition government in Andhra Pradesh has acquired an unprecedented anti-incumbency factor in a short span, with widespread public dissatisfaction over alleged cheating of all sections of people, rampant corruption, nepotism, and deterioration in law and order. Addressing the party's extended meeting, Jagan Mohan Reddy asserted that the coalition has failed on multiple fronts and is resorting to vindictive politics. He assured party cadre and leaders that a "digital book" will record all instances of harassment, and the party will settle accounts in the coming days. The meeting was attended by MLAs, MLCs, coordinators of Parliament and Assembly constituencies, district presidents, and regional coordinators. Speaking on key issues, Jagan Mohan Reddy highlighted that sectors such as medical, education, agriculture, and law and order have suffered significantly under the coalition government, leaving people vexed within just 15 months of its tenure. He criticised the government for failing to fulfil poll promises, including those under the "Super Six" agenda, whose success celebrations turned out to be a "flop show," further irking the public who feel cheated. Jagan Mohan Reddy also pointed out three major promises, unemployment stipend, Stri Nidhi scheme, and pensions for women below 50 years, which have been abandoned, sparking resentment among various communities. All systems are being manipulated by systems and collusion between the government and middlemen, who profit from urea shortages, selling it at a premium while farmers continue to struggle. "Such things did not happen during the YSRCP regime," he said. The former Chief Minister accused coalition leader Chandrababu Naidu of implying that rice should be used solely for ethanol production, noting that no other crop apart from paddy receives Minimum Support Price (MSP). "During our regime, we spent Rs 7,800 crore on price stabilisation," he said. Jagan Mohan Reddy also criticised neglect of public health, pointing out that the coalition government spends only Rs 450 crore annually on healthcare. He highlighted the ongoing privatisation of medical colleges, whereas his administration had planned medical colleges in every district to support poor patients and regulate private hospital exploitation. Addressing the issue of Amaravati's development, he questioned the coalition's allocation of just Rs 5,000 crore against a projected need of Rs 1 lakh crore and expressed doubts about the necessity for another 50,000 acres for the city, questioning why medical college investments are lacking. He accused the government of rampant corruption involving land, liquor, gravel, quartz, and power purchase agreements (PPAs), which allow power to be bought at Rs 4.50 per unit. "In all these deals, the government is not generating revenue, but prices are rising as money goes into the pockets of those in power. During our term, we earned Rs 750 crore annually from sand revenue," he added. Jagan Mohan Reddy emphasised that the party will continue supporting its leaders and cadre. "With 40 per cent vote share, we are a force to reckon with," he said, urging all committees to be formed by December 15 and promising identity cards to members. Wings representing students, women, youth, Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, farmers, and social media will be established. He introduced the digital book as a portal and Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) for lodging complaints, available at digitalbook.weysrcp.com and via IVRS at 040-49171718. "Today it may be a red book; in the days to come, it will be a digital book," he added. (ANI) Delhi Minister Ashish Sood visited the Kalkaji Temple early Thursday morning to offer prayers on the fourth day of the ongoing Shardiya Navratri celebrations. Speaking to ANI, Delhi Minister Ashish Sood said, "...I prayed for the good health of the people of Delhi by offering prayers at Kalkaji Temple on the holy occasion of Navratri..." The fourth day of Navratri holds special significance and is dedicated to Goddess Kushmanda, one of the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga. Devotees thronged temples across the country to offer prayers and participate in rituals. In the national capital, a large number of devotees also gathered at the Jhandewalan Temple, where the morning aarti was performed amid chants of bhajans and devotional songs. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prayed to Goddess Chandraghanta on the third day of Navratri. Sharing a video on X, the Prime Minister posted, "The third day of Navratri is dedicated to the worship of Mother Chandraghanta, the symbol of peace, courage, and fearlessness." "May the blessings of Devi Ma infuse positivity into everyone's life. May her grace bring happiness, prosperity, and good fortune to my family members across the country--this is my prayer," the PM added. Meanwhile, the festive fervour continues across other parts of the country. In Jammu and Kashmir, devotees flocked to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in large numbers on the third day of Navratri. Despite long queues, pilgrims remained upbeat as the yatra resumed after being suspended for 22 days due to heavy rains and landslides. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the local administration have made special arrangements to ensure smooth darshan and facilitate the increasing footfall of pilgrims during the nine-day celebrations. In Gujarat, large community gatherings and cultural performances are central to the observance, attracting thousands of devotees and performers. The festive fervour in Kolkata is also marked by the creativity and thematic depth of its iconic Durga Puja pandals. This year, several pandals across the city are exploring themes rooted in artificial intelligence, environmental concerns, and evolving family dynamics, sparking reflection alongside celebration. Navratri, also known as Shardiya Navratri, is a vibrant and widely celebrated Hindu festival observed across India. The nine-night festival, held during the lunar month of Ashwin, is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine avatars, each symbolising distinct qualities such as power, wisdom, and compassion. The celebrations are marked by daily prayers, fasting, devotional songs, and energetic traditional dance forms such as Garba and Dandiya Raas. (ANI) The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to file an affidavit placing on record the consequential order issued after the Centre approved a six-month extension in service for Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena on March 28. The direction came from a division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Ranjan Sharma, while hearing a batch of petitions, including a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Atul Sharma, questioning the legality of Saxena's extension and the associated vigilance clearance. During the hearing, senior counsel Shrawan Dogra, appearing for Saxena, referred to Rule 16 of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958. He emphasised that such recommendations must come from the state government with full justification and in the public interest. Following this, the Advocate General sought time to place a specific affidavit on record. Earlier, on September 6, the Union Government informed the court that Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had formally recommended a six-month service extension for Saxena, who was originally scheduled to retire on March 31. Based on this recommendation, the Centre approved the extension. Meanwhile, In a related development, the Additional Solicitor General informed the court that the file notings pertaining to the service extension, sought by the court, have been dispatched from New Delhi and are expected to arrive by September 25. Taking into account the upcoming Dussehra holidays, the bench directed that the record be submitted to the Registrar General. A photocopy of the documents will be retained in a sealed cover, while the original will be returned to the concerned official. Prabodh Saxena, a 1990-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, had publicly announced the extension during his farewell dinner hosted by the Himachal Pradesh IAS Officers' Association on March 28. (ANI) Project Cheetah, India's ambitious initiative to reintroduce the world's fastest land animal, is set for a major boost by the year-end. Negotiations are underway with Botswana, Namibia and Kenya to translocate 8-10 cheetahs from each country. At present, India has 27 cheetahs, including 11 translocated from South Africa and Namibia in two batches, and 16 born in India. The flagship Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh remains the core hub, covering 748 sq km of inviolate habitat within a larger 3,500 sq km cheetah-compatible landscape. Officials said around 15 cheetahs are currently free-ranging in Kuno. To accommodate future arrivals, two additional release sites have been identified: Banni grasslands in Gujarat and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Both sites were chosen keeping in mind the climatic similarity with southern Africa, from where the cats are sourced. Survival rates at Kuno have been encouraging. The cub survival rate stands at 61.05%, far above the global average of 40%, a crucial milestone for a species prone to high infant mortality. Adult cheetahs have shown equal resilience, with an 85.71% survival rate in the project's second year. Launched in September 2022 with the first batch from Namibia, Project Cheetah aims to establish a self-sustaining population in India, where the species went extinct in 1952. With fresh translocations and new habitats in the pipeline, officials say the project is entering a critical second phase of expansion and consolidation. Meanwhile, on September 18, a female cheetah named Dheera was introduced into the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary situated in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district, the second introduction site under the project, an official release read. Around 7.5 years old, Cheetah Dheera was translocated from Kuno National Park in a specially designed air-conditioned vehicle, completing a seven-hour journey under the close supervision of veterinary experts, field staff, and senior forest officials. "The operation began at dawn in Kuno National Park, where the veterinary team, field staff, and senior officials of the Forest Department meticulously supervised every stage of the translocation. Dheera, calm yet alert inside her transport crate, undertook a 7-hour journey in a specially designed, air-conditioned vehicle, ensuring her comfort and health throughout the trip. At around 2:00 pm, the convoy arrived at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary," the statement read. (ANI) Severe waterlogging was witnessed in parts of Kolkata amid heavy rainfall across the city. The downpour disrupted traffic movement in multiple areas and caused inconvenience to the citizens as well. This morning, visuals from Kolkata's Bhawanipore area showed people walking through waterlogged roads. On Wednesday, heavy rainfall in Northern Park, Bhawanipur, caused waterlogging at the Durga Puja pandals in the city. Meanwhile, amid flooding in Kolkata, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stated on Wednesday that he had cancelled his visit to the city. In a post on X, Tharoor also expressed grief over the loss of lives due to the disaster in Eastern India City. "Saddened to hear about the devastating floods, the loss of life, flooded streets and homes, stranded cars& buses, and worse, in Kolkata. I was to speak there today and tomorrow, but have cancelled my visit in the circumstances and am nursing a sore throat at home instead. My best wishes to the City of Joy for a speedy recovery from its current distress," Tharoor posted on X. Earlier on Wednesday, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi expressed concerns over the devastation caused by flooding in West Bengal's Kolkata, and urged the state and central government to help restore normalcy. Gandhi paid condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones and urged Congress workers to extend support. "My thoughts are with the people of Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal as they endure the devastation caused by incessant rainfall and flooding. Heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. I urge Congress workers to extend all possible support, and request State & Central Govts to act swiftly to help restore normalcy," Gandhi posted on X. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for each of the kin of the deceased who lost their lives due to an electrocution incident following the heavy rainfall triggered by a cloudburst. Banerjee added that the state government will also ensure employment is provided to the next of kin. CM Banerjee further added that the water levels in Kolkata had receded significantly following floods in the city. "Water levels have receded significantly, although the Ganga experienced substantial flooding. Except for a few low-lying areas, most of the water has drained. Nature is beyond our control. For those who tragically lost their lives due to electrocution yesterday (September 23), the State Government will provide Rs 2 lakh to their families. While money cannot replace lives, we will also ensure that employment is provided to the next of kin, even if CESC fails to do so," the Chief Minister. (ANI) The India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) said smartphone exports in August 2025 increased by 39 per cent year-on-year, countering claims of a decline, and cautioned against drawing inferences from month-on-month comparisons without context. ICEA reported that exports increased from USD 1.09 billion in August 2024 to approximately USD 1.53 billion in August 2025, with shipments to the United States more than doubling. Exports to the US increased by 148 per cent to USD 965 million in August 2025, compared to USD 388 million in August 2024. "Every export sector has its particular nuances based on multiple factors. Oversimplification of trade data, and worse, inferences based on monthly comparisons, are misleading and avoidable. It's important that subject matter experts are consulted before drawing sector-specific conclusions," said ICEA Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo. ICEA added that August and September are traditionally low-export months due to upcoming new launches, plant retrofitting, and increased domestic demand during festivals. However, overall smartphone exports in the first five months of FY26 touched a record Rs 1 lakh crore (USD 11.7 billion), a 55 per cent increase from USD 7.6 billion in the same period of FY25. The association noted that smartphones have been India's best-performing export sector over the last five years under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, rising to become the country's largest export by HS code in FY25. Earlier in August, it was reported that India had overtaken China in smartphone exports to the United States, marking a major milestone in the country's manufacturing journey according to research firm Canalys. Schemes such as Make in India and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) have played a key role in reshaping the electronics sector. A statement from the Press Information Bureau said, "As a result of schemes like Make in India and PLI, India is now moving at a new pace in those industrial sectors in which it was never even considered a key manufacturer before. According to a report by research firm Canalys, in the second quarter of this calendar year, i.e., April-June, India has also overtaken China in terms of smartphones exported to the US." According to the report, the share of Made in India smartphones in US imports climbed to 44 per cent during April-June 2025, a sharp rise from 13 per cent in the same quarter of 2024. At the same time, China's share dropped from 61 per cent a year earlier to just 25 per cent in the same period. (ANI) Aishwarya Sharma, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police for the South East district, among the 25 arrested individuals, 13 were women and 12 were men who had been communicating with people in Bangladesh using an application. The police will soon deport the arrested to Bangladesh. Earlier, the police had detained two illegal Bangladeshi immigrants identified as Shishir Hubert Rozario (35) from Dhanun village in Ghazipur district and Mohd Tauhidur Rahman (33) from Khondokar Para village in Cox Bazar. A fresh deportation was initiated in coordination with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Delhi. According to the release, secret information was received by the team regarding some illegal Bangladeshi migrants seeking accommodation in Mahipalpur. Acting swiftly on this input, the team approached the suspected individuals, asked for identification documents, and conducted a thorough enquiry. Both illegal migrants failed to produce any valid documents and admitted to being illegal Bangladeshi migrants who had entered India more than 11 years ago, and their visas had expired. After thorough verification and enquiry, the necessary legal formalities were completed, leading to the initiation of their deportation through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), New Delhi. On September 11, the Delhi team of Operations Cell on Thursday detained four illegal Bangladeshi migrants, including three women, from the Kapashera area. The detained migrants have been identified as Farjana Akter, a resident of Dhaka; Nazma Begum, a resident of Jessore; Resma Aktar, a resident of Palpara; and Orko Khan, a resident of Kotwali Jessore. According to police, information was received by Head Constable (HC) Sundar Singh regarding some illegal Bangladeshi female migrants roaming in the Kapashera area. Acting on this input, the team reached the spot, approached the suspected individuals, and asked for identification documents. During the enquiry, the four failed to produce valid documents. (ANI) A herd of 42 elephants, comprising three newborn elephants, entered a rural area in Bokaro, causing damage to crops and panic among locals. Forest Officer Sandeep Shinde said that strict vigilance measures, including two Quick Response Teams (QRTs), had been implemented in Barkipunnu and Patrawal to spread awareness among the people. Shinde further appealed to people to avoid roaming around in the evening. "Currently, a large herd (of elephants) is in Bokaro. The herd, comprising 42 elephants, including three newborn elephants, migrated from Ramgarh... Therefore, we have implemented strict vigilance measures for the past 3 days. For this purpose, we have two QRTs (Quick Response Teams), one stationed in Barkipunnu and one in Patrawal. Through them, awareness is being spread among the people there via the music system... People are advised not to go out in the evening, nor should they go to the forest before dawn... QRTs are trying to push the elephants back into the forest.. Our HaatiApp and forest officials are providing updates to the people," Shinde told reporters. In another similar incident reported a month ago in Chhattisgarh, a herd of four wild elephants destroyed Chhattisgarh's Marwahi forest division by damaging houses and triggered panic and fear among the local villagers. Marwahi forest ranger Ramesh Kumar said, "In the last seven days, elephants damaged 15-16 houses and also harmed crops... The assessment of the damaged houses is still ongoing, and a team is monitoring the movement of the elephants... They are doing this due to food scarcity..." Locals in the affected area complained that Marwahi Beat guards did nothing and issued no early warnings. Dhanesh Prajapati, a resident of the affected area, narrated the event and said, "Yesterday, elephants came at 8:30 pm and destroyed my house. Family members are worried. Where will we go in the rainy season? Marwahi Beat guards are not doing anything; they just roam here and there in the vehicle. No early warning was given..." Locals also claimed that the animals had been separated from a larger group. A local, Subadhra Prajapati, said, "An elephant damaged 2-3 houses here. Someone mentioned that four elephants got separated from the herd, and one of them is now living alone, roaming around, and causing damage. The elephant came suddenly yesterday, which is why my house was damaged... There is nothing to eat or drink here. We are so afraid that we cannot sleep all night..." (ANI) Legal Adviser of Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, Haji Ghulam Mustafa, on Thursday condemned the violence during Ladakh protests, and said that their protests over the past five years have been peaceful and that the government has been cooperative throughout. Mustafa also called for clarity on who ordered the police firing. Speaking to ANI, Haji Ghulam Mustafa said, "It should not be seen in black and white. What happened yesterday is quite complicated. But at the same time, we condemn the violence that took place yesterday. We think it is quite unfortunate how the properties were damaged and the people got out of control. Nobody had any idea what these people were going to do. For the last 5 years, we have been demanding and protesting in a very peaceful manner." "We follow the Gandhian way, it has all been very peaceful, and the Government has been very cooperative. We have had multiple talks with the Government. I do not understand who gave the orders to shoot people," he added. Mustafa said that Ladakh is a peaceful region and should not be associated with violence or protests. "We do not want to be known for violence and protest." "All our protests and talks with the Government have been very peaceful till now, and we want to continue with that. We are a border area and for the last 70 years we have fought with the enemies Pakistan and China. Whoever has shot people should be held accountable for killing people in cold blood," Mustafa said while demanding a probe into it. Authorities in Leh have imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, following protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh that turned violent, leading to clashes with the police. According to an order from the District Magistrate, an assembly of five or more persons is banned in the district; no procession, rally or march is to be carried out without prior written approval in Leh. People of Ladakh have been demanding the inclusion of the Union Territory in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution contains Article 244(2) and 275(1), which reads, "Provisions as to the Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram." (ANI) As the 'Make in India' initiative marks 11 years of success, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday lauded the centre for its achievements in indigenous defence production. "The world is a witness to India's defence manufacturing strength today! Guided by the vision of PM Narendra Modi, the nation has scripted landmark achievements in indigenous defence production, reflecting the success of the Make In India initiative," Goyal posted on X. Meanwhile, India today sucessfully launch the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system, which is designed to cover a range of up to 2,000 km. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the concerned agencies on the launch. "India has carried out the successful launch of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. This next generation missile is designed to cover a range up to 2000 km and is equipped with various advanced features," Singh posted on X. The Defence Minister asserted that the success of the flight test has put India in the group of selected nations that have developed "canisterised launch system from on the move rail network". "Congratulations to DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and the Armed Forces on successful test of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. This successful flight," Singh said. "The first-of-its-kind launch carried out today from specially designed Rail based Mobile Launcher, has the capability to move on Rail network without any pre-conditions that allows User to have a cross country mobility and launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility," he added. Earlier on Tuesday, Rajnath Singh highlighted that India's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat was not merely to manufacture for its own needs, but to develop capabilities that allow India to become a credible source of advanced technology and high-quality products for the world. Singh and his Moroccan counterpart Abdelatif Loudyi jointly inaugurated Tata Advanced Systems Limited's (TASL) state-of-the-art defence manufacturing facility in Berrechid, Morocco, on Tuesday. Rajnath Singh described the occasion as a historic moment in the evolving strategic partnership between India and Morocco. Spread over 20,000 square metres, the facility will undertake production of the indigenously developed Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8, jointly designed by TASL and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). "For India, this initiative reflects the spirit of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat.' A self-reliant India, which is also an active and responsible player at the global level. The goal of our self-reliant India is not only to manufacture for its own needs but to create an ecosystem where India becomes a credible source of advanced technology and high-quality products for the world," Singh said. "For India, self-reliance does not mean isolation rather, we aim to develop strategic autonomy under self-reliance. We want to develop such capabilities that allow us to independently protect our nation while also maintaining engagement with global partners," he added. (ANI) Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday praised the agencies involved in the successful test of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. "Congratulate DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and Armed forces on the successful test of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. Successful testing from a specially designed Rail based Mobile Launcher takes India to a select group of countries which have this capability," Patnaik posted on X. India today successfully launched the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a rail-based Mobile launcher system, which is designed to cover a range of up to 2,000 km. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the concerned agencies on the launch. "India has carried out the successful launch of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. This next generation missile is designed to cover a range up to 2000 km and is equipped with various advanced features," Singh posted on X. The Defence Minister asserted that the success of the flight test has put India in the group of selected nations that have developed "canisterised launch system from on the move rail network". "Congratulations to DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and the Armed Forces on successful test of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. This successful flight," Singh said. "The first-of-its-kind launch carried out today from specially designed Rail based Mobile Launcher, has the capability to move on Rail network without any pre-conditions that allows User to have a cross country mobility and launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility," he added. Earlier on Tuesday, Rajnath Singh highlighted that India's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat was not merely to manufacture for its own needs, but to develop capabilities that allow India to become a credible source of advanced technology and high-quality products for the world. Singh and his Moroccan counterpart Abdelatif Loudyi jointly inaugurated Tata Advanced Systems Limited's (TASL) state-of-the-art defence manufacturing facility in Berrechid, Morocco, on Tuesday. Rajnath Singh described the occasion as a historic moment in the evolving strategic partnership between India and Morocco. Spread over 20,000 square metres, the facility will undertake production of the indigenously developed Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8, jointly designed by TASL and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). "For India, this initiative reflects the spirit of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat.' A self-reliant India, which is also an active and responsible player at the global level. The goal of our self-reliant India is not only to manufacture for its own needs but to create an ecosystem where India becomes a credible source of advanced technology and high-quality products for the world," Singh said. "For India, self-reliance does not mean isolation rather, we aim to develop strategic autonomy under self-reliance. We want to develop such capabilities that allow us to independently protect our nation while also maintaining engagement with global partners," he added. (ANI) Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday announced the release of 'Most Backward Justice Manifesto,' to strengthen the backward communities and maximise their participation. In a post on social media X, Gandhi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of lying and having diversionary conspiracies, contradictory to his party's commitment to ensuring full rights for the backward, Dalit, tribal, and minority communities. He further wrote in his social media post that the Congress party aimed to increase access to education for the backward communities. https://x.com/RahulGandhi/status/1971083937146601475 "No matter how many lies and diversionary conspiracies the BJP may hatch, we are committed to ensuring full rights for the most backward, Dalit, tribal, minority, and backward communities. In Bihar, to strengthen the most backward community and increase their participation, we have made concrete promises in the 'Most Backward Justice Manifesto'. Education is the greatest means of progress for these communities, so there are special resolutions to increase their access in this sector" - the post read. Further, the Congress leader wrote that reservations would be implemented in private colleges and universities and half of the reserved seats in private schools would go to the SC/ST/ OBC/ and EBC children, further assuring that unjust practices like that of "Not Found Suitable," would also be brought to an end. Rahul Gandhi guaranteed social justice and equitable development for the backward communities. "Now reservation will also be implemented in private colleges and universities, half of the reserved seats in private schools will go to SC/ST/OBC/EBC children, and unjust practices like "Not Found Suitable" in appointments will be ended. This is not just about education, but the fight for equality and dignity for the most backward. This is the true guarantee of social justice and equitable development," the post read. Congress MP Priyanka Vadra also said that the INDIA bloc had released a 10-point resolution for the Extremely Backward Class (EBC), promising measures such as a new law against atrocities on their community, higher reservation in local bodies, and special benefits in education, housing, and government contracts if the bloc comes to power in Bihar. At the 'Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp' event in Patna, Rahul Gandhi assured that the INDIA bloc would carry out all ten commitments if it formed the government in Bihar. (ANI) Patnaik stated that trade and commerce by sea contribute to the growth of the global economy. "Seaborne trade and commerce keep global economy moving. On World Maritime Day, let's join hands to promote sustainable shipping and celebrate Odisha's glorious maritime legacy. For centuries, Kalinga served as the subcontinent's window to the eastern seas as seafarers of this land sailed to distant countries to bring in prosperity," Patnaik posted on X. Meanwhile, the Union cabinet on Wednesday approved Rs 69,725 crore package to revitalise India's shipbuilding and maritime sector. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that it will further India's vision of global leadership in trade and commerce while creating job opportunities for the youth. "A big day for India's maritime sector. The Rs 69,725 crore boost to shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem approved by Modi will heavylift India's vision of global leadership in trade and commerce. The initiative will also create plenty of job opportunities for our youth," Shah posted on X. Meanwhile, Patnaik praised the agencies involved in the successful test of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile. "Congratulate DRDO, Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and Armed forces on the successful test of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. Successful testing from a specially designed Rail based Mobile Launcher takes India to a select group of countries which have this capability," Patnaik posted on X. India today successfully launched the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a rail-based Mobile launcher system, which is designed to cover a range of up to 2,000 km. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the concerned agencies on the launch. "India has carried out the successful launch of Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a Rail based Mobile launcher system. This next generation missile is designed to cover a range up to 2000 km and is equipped with various advanced features," Singh posted on X. (ANI) Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said India's decision not to deploy the Air Force during the 1962 conflict with China denied the Army a critical advantage, as air support could have slowed the Chinese offensive, and given troops more time to prepare, an approach considered escalatory at the time but practical under modern operational doctrine. Speaking at the release of the revised edition of (late) Lieutenant General S.P.P. Thorat's autobiography, From Reveille to Retreat, in Pune, Gen Chauhan said, "I think Gen Thorat had in mind the use of the air force, which the government did not permit. They would have had a significant advantage during the 1962 conflict, shorter turnaround times, a favourable geography and the ability to bring maximum payloads to bear with maximum weight on the enemy. The use of the air force would have slowed the Chinese offensive considerably, if not stymied it completely. This would have given the army much more time to prepare. In those days, I think, use of air force was considered escalatory. This is actually no longer true, and Op Sindoor is an apt example of this." The CDS also shared a request by Thorat to share his views on two issues: foreign policy and the use of the air force in 1962. "To comment on the adequacy or inadequacy of a forward policy at this time is slightly difficult. Our views will be coloured due to many reasons, like geography has changed entirely, and so has geopolitics. The security situation has changed. Force levels have changed. The type of warfare itself has changed," he observed. Further, Gen Chauhan said that the forward policy should not have been applied uniformly to Ladakh and the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA). "All I can say is that the forward policy should not have been applied uniformly to Ladakh and NEFA. The two regions had very different histories of the dispute, a different security context and entirely different terrain. In Ladakh, China had already occupied much of Indian territory, whereas in NEFA, the legitimacy of India's claim was stronger. To equate the two and pursue identical policies was, in my view, a bit flawed," he added. Calling Thorat's book a reflection on strategy, leadership and service, the CDS said, "From Reveille to Retreat' is not simply an autobiography. It sheds light on the decisions of the past, critiques them with honesty and draws lessons that largely remain relevant today." (ANI) The Chief Minister garlanded a statue of Deendayal Upadhyaya at Gandhi Road in the city. Later, Dhami also paid floral tributes at Deendayal Park and honoured his memory at his residence by offering flowers to the portrait of the Jana Sangh leader. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dhami said, "Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya dedicated his life to the upliftment of the underprivileged, the poor, and the marginalised sections of society. His teachings and ideals continue to inspire us even today." The Chief Minister further added, "Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's philosophy and the concept of Antyodaya serve as guiding principles for the state's development policies. The state government is consistently working to ensure that the benefits of central and state schemes reach the last person in society." BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh, Rajya Sabha MP and State BJP President Mahendra Bhatt, MLA Khajan Das, and other public representatives were also present during the programme. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-1968), a prominent political thinker, economist, and leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, is remembered for his philosophy of Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manav Darshan). He led the Bharatiya Jana Sangh from 1953 to 1968 and became its president in December 1967. A dedicated organiser and leader, Upadhyaya also pioneered the monthly magazine Rashtra Dharma, the weekly Panchajanya, and the daily Swadesh. His thoughts on integral humanism, social justice, and self-reliance continue to guide the BJP in its mission to serve the nation. His 109th birth anniversary provided an opportunity for leaders across the country to reaffirm their commitment to his ideals and honour his enduring legacy in Indian politics. (ANI) The Uttarakhand government has suspended KN Tiwari, Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Haridwar, after prima facie "negligence" were found in the conduct of the graduate-level examination. During the graduate-level examination conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) on September 21, a candidate at the Haridwar exam centre, Adarsh Bal Sadan Inter College, allegedly took photos of 12 questions from the question paper on a mobile phone and sent them outside. Following the recommendation of the Commission's Secretary for action against the center's Sector Magistrate, KN Tiwari, the state government has suspended him with immediate effect. The order, citing a letter from the UKSSSC Secretary, noted that despite the deployment of district-level officers and staff, the incident highlighted alleged "negligence in supervision and a lack of sensitivity towards duty", which has raised doubts about the integrity of the exam. Tiwari, who was posted as Sector Magistrate for the concerned examination centre, was held prima facie responsible for negligence in supervision. The order stated that he did not remain sensitive towards his work responsibilities, leading to his suspension with immediate effect. He has been attached to the Commissioner, Rural Development Office, Pauri, until further orders. "KN Tiwari, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, Haridwar is hereby suspended with immediate effect and attached to the Commissioner, Rural Development Office, Pauri till further orders," the order read. Earlier on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that no one guilty will be spared in the alleged paper leak of the UKSSSC exam question paper. His remarks followed the arrest of Khalid Malik, the main accused in the alleged paper leak of the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) exam question paper.CM Dhami further said that the state government has a policy of zero tolerance towards such matters and will not let anybody play with the future of youth. Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said, "The future of youth will not be allowed to be played with. Action will be taken against whoever is found to be guilty. We have a zero-tolerance policy...More than 100 cheating mafia members are already behind bars...One accused has been arrested here. All agencies are investigating it. All decisions will be taken that are right and in the interest of students." On Tuesday, Uttarakhand Police arrested Khalid Malik, the main accused in the alleged paper leak of the UKSSSC exam question paper. Before this, the police had also arrested his sister. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the Indian Armed Forces aspire to achieve self-reliance and aim to reduce external dependence, and the government is committed to developing a robust defence infrastructure in line with this vision. The Prime Minister, who inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show 2025 in Greater Noida, noted that Uttar Pradesh is playing a significant role in boosting the indigenous defence production. He mentioned that the production of AK-203 rifles will soon commence at a factory established in collaboration with Russia. "Our armed forces aspire to achieve self-reliance and minimise dependence on external sources. To this end, we are dedicated to developing a robust defence infrastructure within India, with a strong emphasis on ensuring that every component is proudly 'Made in India'. To support this vision, we are fostering a thriving ecosystem, with Uttar Pradesh playing a pivotal role in this initiative. In line with these efforts, the production of AK-203 rifles will soon commence in a factory established with assistance from Russia," PM Modi said. He added that a Defence Corridor is being developed in UP, where manufacturing of BrahMos missiles and other weapon systems has already begun. The trade show, under the theme 'Ultimate Sourcing Begins Here', is being held from September 25 to 29. The trade show has three core objectives- innovation, integration, and internationalisation. A three-pronged buyer strategy is targeting international buyers, domestic Business-to-business (B2B) buyers and domestic Business-to-Consumer (B2C) buyers, providing opportunities for exporters, small businesses, and consumers alike. UPITS-2025 is highlighting the state's diverse craft traditions, modern industries, robust MSMEs, and emerging entrepreneurs on a single platform. PM Modi also highlighted the benefits of the GST reforms. He said that there will be significant monthly savings for ordinary families. He slammed Congress over its criticism of GST reform campaign. "To hide their pre-2014 failures, Congress and its allies are lying to the people. We have increased the income and savings of the people of India. We are not going to stop here. As we continue to strengthen our economy, we will continue to reduce taxes. The process of GST reforms will go on continuously," he said. Congress has said that Narendra Modi had opposed the GST taxation model when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. "From 2006-2014, for eight years, only one CM opposed the GST, and that CM became the Prime Minister in 2014 and took a U-turn and emerged as a messiah of GST in 2017," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said earlier. BJP has said that Congress-led government's rule was marked by "only talks and no work", and the party was resorting to "lies". (ANI) The Delhi High Court issued a notice on a plea of former AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal. He has challenged his conviction in the Doctor's suicide case. He is seeking the quashing of his conviction. He was convicted along with the other two convicted in February 2024. Justice Amit Mahajan issued a notice to the Delhi Police and sought a reply to the petition. The matter is listed on November 3 for a hearing. Jarwal has challenged his conviction in a case of abetting a doctor to commit suicide. The trial court had convicted Jarwal and two others in this case in February 2024. An FIR was lodged at the Neb Sarai police station in 2020 for abetting Dr Rajendra Singh. Senior advocate N Hariharan alongwith advocate Siddharth Yadav, appeared for Prakash Jarwal. This matter is pending for arguments on sentence before the Rouse Avenue court. In this matter, the petition of Kapil Nagar is pending before the bench of Justice Mahajan. The court had also asked the trial court not to hear the arguments on sentence. The High Court has already quashed the case and conviction against convicted Harish Jarwal. The Rouse Avenue court on February 28, 2024, convicted then AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal and his associate Kapil Nagar for abetting a doctor to commit suicide. They have also been held guilty of the offence of criminal conspiracy for extortion and threat to the deceased Rajender Singh. The deceased was a doctor and was engaged in water supply through tankers. Special Judge MK Nagpal had held Prakash Jarwal and Kapil Nagar guilty of the offences of abetment to suicide, extortion, attempted extortion, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy for extortion. They were held guilty under section 506 (Criminal Intimidation to Kill), Part 2, under which the maximum punishment is upto seven years. The third accused, Harish Jarwal, was convicted for the offence of criminal intimidation. The court had said that the prosecution had been successful in proving the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. On November 11, 2021, the court had framed charges against Prakash Jarwal, Kapil Nagar and Harish in different sections of the IPC. The court had said that the offences under Section 120 B IPC read with Sections 386 (punishment for extortion), 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and offences under Section 384 read with Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) IPC, Section 386 read with Section 120 B IPC and Section 506 read with Section 120 B IPC and also under 306/34 IPC are prima facie made out against the accused Prakash Jarwal and Kapil Nagar. The accused, Harish, was discharged for the offence under Sections 306 and 386 IPC, but he was charged for the offence under Section 506 IPC by the court. An FIR was registered on the basis of the complaint of 18.04.2020 filed by Hemant Singh, wherein he had stated that his father, the late Rajender Singh, had been doing the work of supplying water through tankers since 2005. Delhi Jal Board had never harassed his father. However, since the accused, Prakash Jarwal, had won and become MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party, he and one Kapil Nagar, who worked with him, and others started harassing his father for money regularly, he alleged. It was alleged that the accused, Kapil Nagar, at the instance of the accused, Prakash Jarwal, used to take a monthly amount and give it to the accused, Prakash Jarwal. The accused, Prakash Jarwal, was a member of the Delhi Jal Board, and without taking the monthly amount, he did not allow the plying of their tankers with Jal Board. The complainant had stated that if his father did not pay the monthly amount to the accused, Prakash Jarwal, he used to threaten his father and also threatened to destroy him. His father used to regularly give lakhs of rupees to the accused Prakash Jarwal, who was harassing his father forcibly and mentally. His father had written about the same in a diary. When his father opposed the giving of the monthly amount, his tankers were removed from the Delhi Jal Board, about which his father made a complaint to the Executive Engineer, Delhi Jal Board, GK-I, on 09.04.2020. It was also stated that the father of the complainant had pleaded with the accused, Prakash Jarwal, several times not to harass him, as he was a heart patient, but the accused, Prakash Jarwal, did not listen and kept harassing his father continuously, of which they also had a phone recording. It was further stated that the accused Prakash Jarwal used his power to get the payment of the deceased stopped. The father of the complainant had written about the mental harassment in his diary, and he had also mentioned the amount given to accused Prakash Jarwal in the diary which amount was taken forcibly. It was alleged that due to the exploitation and pressure, the deceased used to remain troubled and used to write about the instances in his diary. It was also alleged that the father of the complainant had sold his ancestral land and taken a loan on the jewellery of his wife, for which they also had a receipt, and at the instance of the accused, Prakash Jarwal, had given the money to Kapil Nagar. (ANI) The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd's (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (4X700 MW) worth around Rs 42,000 crore in line with his commitment to transform India's power sector to ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable power supply. It will be one of the largest nuclear plants in the country, supplying reliable base load energy, and will strengthen India's position in environmental stewardship and the evolving nuclear energy landscape. Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project comprises four indigenous 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors with advanced safety features, designed and developed by NPCIL. It is part of India's broader "fleet mode" initiative, where ten identical 700 MW reactors are being built across India under uniform design and procurement plans. The project will bring in cost efficiencies, faster deployment, and consolidated operational expertise. The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of green energy projects worth around Rs 19,210 crore in Rajasthan. He will inaugurate solar projects at Phalodi, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Sikar among others. He will also lay the foundation stone of the solar project at Bikaner. The projects will significantly contribute to India's clean energy capacity, generating substantial amounts of green power while preventing millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Earlier, PM Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Thursday paid floral tributes in Banswara district to Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary. Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show-2025 at Greater Noida. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister welcomed traders, investors, entrepreneurs, and young participants attending the UP International Trade Show. He expressed happiness that over 2,200 exhibitors are showcasing their products and services at the event. (ANI) After inaugurating multiple development projects in Rajasthan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that a new chapter in India's electricity-generating capabilities had been written, and each state in the country would be given equal importance. Addressing a public rally in Banswara, Prime Minister Modi said, "Nine forms of Shakti are worshipped during Navratri. And today, an event associated with 'Urja Shakti', which means electricity generation, is being held. A new chapter of India's electricity-generating capabilities is being written... Electricity projects worth Rs 90,000 crore were launched today... Every state is being given importance..." "On the fourth day of Navratri, I had the opportunity to come to Banswara, the land of Mata Tripura Sundari... I bow down to Mata Tripura Sundari and Maa Mahi..." PM Modi said. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth over Rs 1,22,100 crore, jointly undertaken by the central and state governments, at Banswara in Rajasthan. The Prime Minister flagged off three trains: Vande Bharat Express Train between Bikaner and Delhi Cantt, Vande Bharat Express Train between Jodhpur and Delhi Cantt, and Udaipur City - Chandigarh Express. PM Modi also interacted with beneficiaries of the 'PM-KUSUM' project from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, in Banswara district. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd's (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (4X700 MW) worth around Rs 42,000 crore in line with his commitment to transform India's power sector to ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable power supply. It will be one of the largest nuclear plants in the country, supplying reliable base load energy, and will strengthen India's position in environmental stewardship and the evolving nuclear energy landscape. Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project comprises four indigenous 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors with advanced safety features, designed and developed by NPCIL. It is part of India's broader "fleet mode" initiative, where ten identical 700 MW reactors are being built across India under uniform design and procurement plans. The project will bring in cost efficiencies, faster deployment, and consolidated operational expertise. The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of green energy projects worth around Rs 19,210 crore in Rajasthan. He will inaugurate solar projects at Phalodi, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Sikar among others. He will also lay the foundation stone of the solar project at Bikaner. The projects will significantly contribute to India's clean energy capacity, generating substantial amounts of green power while preventing millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Earlier, PM Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma paid floral tributes in Banswara district to Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary. Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show-2025 at Greater Noida. (ANI) Alongside Pradhan, BJP leaders CR Paatil, who is the party's Gujarat unit chief, and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya have been named co-incharges for Bihar. Former Tripura Chief Minister and currently MP from Tripura West, Biplab Kumar Deb, has been named co-incharge to manage party affairs in West Bengal. The leadership move comes as the state heads toward crucial assembly elections next year. The Bihar elections are expected to be held later this year, in October or November; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet announced an official date. While the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD(U), and LJP, aims to continue its tenure in Bihar, the INDIA bloc, comprising the RJD, Congress, and left parties, seeks to oust Nitish Kumar. In the current Bihar Assembly of 243 members, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) consists of 131 with the BJP having 80 MLAs, JD(U)-45, HAM(S)-4, with the support of 2 Independent Candidates. The Opposition's INDIA Bloc has a strength of 111 members with RJD leading with 77 MLAs, Congress-19, CPI(ML)-11, CPI(M)-2 and CPI-2. On the other hand, the rivalry between the BJP and TMC had been intensifying ahead of the upcoming assembly election, which is scheduled to be held in 2026 (ANI) "Whenever PM Modi visits Rajasthan, he gives a gift to the state. Today, projects worth over crores were inaugurated by him in the state. The PM also gave appointment letters to the youth. So far, we have issued appointment letters to 51,000 youth. We are making a tourism circuit revolving around Rana Pratap," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth over Rs 1,22,100 crore, jointly undertaken by the central and state governments, in Banswara, Rajasthan. The Prime Minister flagged off three trains: Vande Bharat Express Train between Bikaner and Delhi Cantt, Vande Bharat Express Train between Jodhpur and Delhi Cantt, and Udaipur City - Chandigarh Express. PM Modi also interacted with beneficiaries of the 'PM-KUSUM' project from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, in Banswara district. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd's (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (4X700 MW) worth around Rs 42,000 crore in line with his commitment to transform India's power sector to ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable power supply. It will be one of the largest nuclear plants in the country, supplying reliable base load energy, and will strengthen India's position in environmental stewardship and the evolving nuclear energy landscape. Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project comprises four indigenous 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors with advanced safety features, designed and developed by NPCIL. It is part of India's broader "fleet mode" initiative, where ten identical 700 MW reactors are being built across India under uniform design and procurement plans. The project will bring in cost efficiencies, faster deployment, and consolidated operational expertise. The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of green energy projects worth around Rs 19,210 crore in Rajasthan. (ANI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday inaugurated the Durga Puja pandal at Alipore Bodyguard Lines in Kolkata, praising the police for their dedication during festivals and disasters. She highlighted their service, including setting up relief camps and community kitchens, and announced the naming of a new ambulance as "Sebashree." CM Banerjee also expressed her desire for more women in the police force, recalled past efforts to address waterlogging in the area, and urged people to ignore negativity. Addressing the event, she said, "I want to tell my police family that the world cannot run without you. During any festival, you hardly get time at home. In every disaster, you are the first to step in, and despite that, nobody hears complaints from you. Salute to all of you, and salute to my police family. I have seen during many disasters that the police set up relief camps, community kitchen centres, and do so much service work. Even from their own funds, the bodyguard line has brought an ambulance. They asked me to give it a name, so I thought of one and named it "Sebashree." The way you have highlighted Jagannath Dham during this Puja, despite being busy with so much work, and still managing to create such a theme, makes you the best." CM Banerjee emphasised increasing women's representation in the police force and recalled her efforts to address waterlogging in the area during her tenure as an MP from Jadavpur. "In the coming days, I want to see more women's forces in the police. When I was the MP from Jadavpur, I used to come to the Bodyguard Line by boat to see the waterlogging. There used to be a lot of water here, but after many complaints, when we came to power, this place was restructured. Even though I gave instructions, Bobby (Mayor Firhad Hakim) and all of you together have beautified this place. There are always some people who only want to spread negativity and criticism. Do not listen to them. Even I face abuses every day, but still, I continue to work relentlessly," she said. Banerjee also stressed communal harmony and respect for all languages, expressing concern over the disrespect shown to Bengali. She announced plans for a world-class "Durgangan" project, with land and approvals already secured, set to be constructed within two years. "I believe in communal harmony. I respect all religions, languages, and communities. But when our own language is disrespected, it hurts my heart. Just as we have recognised languages like Rajbanshi and Hindi, I expect equal respect for our own language as well. Within the next two years, we will build a Durgangan, which will be world-class, similar to Jagannath Dham. The land has been identified, cabinet approval has been given, and the trust has also been formed. Now we are waiting for its construction to begin," she said. (ANI) As part of the Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 Campaign, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti held a cleanliness drive at Kalindi Kunj Ghat near Okhla Barrage in New Delhi on Thursday. Themed "Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath," the shramdaan highlighted the power of collective action and consistent efforts for a cleaner, greener environment. Union Minister CR Patil, Minister of State V Somanna, and officials from the Jal Shakti Ministry and NMCG joined the drive, underscoring that lasting change begins when leaders and citizens work together. Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, said, "On the occasion of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay's birth anniversary, a cleanliness campaign has been launched. Under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Minister of Delhi, and the Chief Minister of Haryana, we are working to clean the Yamuna River wherever pollution exists. Our effort is not only to remove the existing pollution but also to prevent further contamination. Significant progress has already been made. Until recently, the river was hardly visible due to the heavy flow of polluted discharge, but today the Yamuna is clearly seen again. To achieve this, the Ministry has drawn up short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans, and work has already begun on each of these fronts. I am confident that, in line with your expectations and those of the people of our country, we will soon see the Yamuna flowing clean once more". V. Somanna, Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Jal Shakti, highlighted that "This campaign should take place. There should also be other campaigns at home. The Ganga should be as clean as the Yamuna. Last week, I went to Ganga Nagar and Yamuna Nagar. How is it there? I came to see. That is why this is a very good initiative. Our departments and officers, together, under Modi ji's message and our leaders' and C.R. Pandey's guidance, are carrying out this very good work". The drive saw enthusiastic participation from citizens, students, NGOs, and community groups, turning the campaign into a true people's movement for cleanliness and conservation. Ashok KK Meena, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, "We are here today to celebrate Swachhotsav 2025, which is observed throughout the country from 17th September to 2nd October. Cleanliness should be ensured across the nation. Along with the ongoing program, on the 25th, from 8 to 9 a.m., a one-hour, one-day campaign on cleanliness is being held. In this regard, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Namami Ganga, and the Ministry of Jal Shakti have brought their self-help groups here and launched a cleanliness campaign. Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director General of NMCG ,said, "We celebrate 15 days as a festival of cleanliness. During this time, we work to raise public awareness and also carry out direct cleaning activities. As you may have heard during the oath ceremony, the Prime Minister has set a target for every individual to contribute a few hours each week to this Cleanliness Drive. The idea is to spread this message as widely as possible. The central goal of this programme is to make people more aware of the river and its importance". The Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 drive reaffirmed the nation's collective commitment to rejuvenating rivers across India. Through sustained efforts, NMCG is leading the mission to revive the Ganga, Yamuna, and other rivers, blending awareness with action. With citizens, leaders, and institutions joining hands, the campaign embodies a people's movement, inspiring lasting change for cleaner rivers and a healthier future. (ANI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday dismissed claims of widespread "Hindi imposition" in Maharashtra, saying isolated incidents should not be sensationalised and highlighting Mumbai's tradition of inclusivity. Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Thackeray said, "You can't control every sporadic incident, when someone gets angry at someone else over abuse. There will be a natural reaction, if at all. It's a sporadic reaction." Questioning the selective focus of public discourse, he added, "Why don't you show the incidents where people from Mumbai or Marathi people have been denied a house because they are non-vegetarians? They're told that they're 'dirty' because they eat meat and fish." Highlighting Mumbai's inclusive character, Thackeray said the city has always welcomed people from across India. "People come here with dreams and become big. There is no problem in that. And that is not despite Shiv Sena being here. That is because the Shiv Sena (UBT) has always been here supporting those dreams," he stated. Framing the issue as one of cultural preservation, he concluded, "This is about protecting the people of Maharashtra, the astitwa (existence) of Mumbai and Maharashtra, against the forces trying to demolish it." On the allegation of being a Nepo Kid, "I am very proud to have the bloodline of my family and the value it holds. My great-grandfather fought against untouchability, child marriage, casteism and all sorts of social evils. My grandfather fought for the nation and this state, and now my father is fighting for its principles. I am very proud of what I am. Out of all my cousins who have not chosen to pursue a career in politics, I have always aspired to be in politics." On being asked about the recent remarks of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the backdrop of the Nepal protest, Thackeray linked such incidents to broader issues in the country, including "unemployment, polarisation, [and] inequality." (ANI) Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi on Thursday slammed the FIR lodged against the 'I love Muhammad' row and emphasised that the FIR should not have been registered over this incident. Speaking to mediapersons, Azmi asserted that the act of displaying such posters was not wrong. He also claimed that it is normal to display such posters during Eid. "This is not wrong because all religions display such posters, but when Muslims do it, an FIR was lodged against them. When the FIR was filed, not only Muslims but also all secular people declared, 'I love Muhammad'. This caused a stir worldwide. So the government started all this and took action. I believe it is normal to display such posters during Eid, and there should not have been an FIR against it." said Azmi. The Samajwadi leader also said that, irrespective of their religion, people tend to display posters of their God during their festivals. "'I love Muhammad' was not written forcibly. Whenever there is a festival of any religion, whether Christian, Sikh, or Hindu, people display posters of their God. So, when Eid came, Muslims also put up posters with the slogan 'I love Muhammad,' asserted Azmi. The controversy reportedly started on September 4 in Rawatpur, Kanpur, during the Barawafat (Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi) procession, when a group displayed a banner reading 'I Love Muhammad' along the procession route, which led to objections from Hindu group. Azmi also spoke about Shah Rukh Khan receiving the National Award and raised questions about the BJP's motives behind this decision, emphasising that regardless of their intentions, they would not be fulfilled. However, he also praised the actor, referring to him as the "Badshah" of the industry and noting that he is admired by people worldwide. "Shah Rukh Khan is considered the 'Badshah' of the film industry, and people worldwide admire him. However, I believe that whether it is the BJP or Congress, those who award him with certain intentions in mind are unlikely to see their hopes fulfilled. Shah Rukh Khan will never politicise such matters, and I am not sure what the BJP's motives are behind awarding him. Nevertheless, if he receives a national award, it is his right... BJP do politics in everything... They give credit for everything to PM Modi..." After over 30 years in the film industry, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan finally received his first National Film Award for Best Actor. On Tuesday, SRK was honoured with the National Film Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role by President Droupadi Murmu at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. SRK received the award for his performance in Atlee's directorial 'Jawan', which was released in theatres in September 2023. He shares the National Film Award for Best Actor with Vikrant Massey, who got the honour for '12th Fail'. (ANI) The much-publicised "Mega DSC" recruitment drive by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, with YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Employees and Pensioners Wing President Nalamarru Chandrasekhar Reddy calling it a "Mega Betrayal" of unemployed youth and state employees. Speaking at a press conference held at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, Chandrasekhar Reddy accused the TDP-led coalition government of reneging on its pre-election promise to fill 25,000 teacher posts. "Instead of delivering on their commitment, the notification included only 16,341 posts--of which over 6,000 were already sanctioned under the previous YSRCP government. This is not a mega recruitment; it's a mega deception," he said. He further alleged that the government had delayed the recruitment process for over 16 months, only to now showcase a routine hiring drive as a historic achievement. "The appointment letter distribution event held in Velagapudi was nothing but a PR exercise. These jobs are not gifts from Naidu--they are the rights of the deserving candidates," Reddy added. Drawing comparisons, he noted that during YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure, over 1.37 lakh jobs were filled within just four months, without any fanfare or theatrics. "What we're seeing now is a government more interested in self-promotion than genuine governance," he remarked. Reddy also raised serious concerns about the transparency of the recruitment process, citing instances where selected candidates were later informed they had not qualified. "This only proves that even the merit list was not handled properly," he said, accusing the Naidu government of politicising both recruitment and transfers. Turning to employee welfare, the YSRCP leader said the government had failed to fulfil key promises, including implementation of the Pay Revision Commission (PRC), clearing DA arrears, settling retirement benefits, and renewing employee health cards. "Over 30,000 crore in dues are pending, yet the Chief Minister shows no urgency or empathy. Instead, he is targeting staff appointed during the previous regime, particularly those in village and ward secretariats," Reddy charged. Issuing a stern warning, he declared that employees and pensioners would launch statewide agitations if their demands were not met before the upcoming Dasara festival. "We are left with no choice. The government must act now or face the consequences of ignoring its own workforce," he said. As the political heat intensifies over the DSC controversy, the opposition appears poised to mobilise public sentiment, framing the recruitment drive not as a milestone but as a missed opportunity clouded by broken promises and bureaucratic mishandling. (ANI) Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday responded to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by his organisation, stating that it did not seek foreign funding because it had no intention of "begging from foreign countries." Wangchuk's comments followed the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) probe into his organisation over the alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). While speaking to ANI, Wangchuk clarified the nature of the funds, emphasising that they were "not foreign donations" but fees for services rendered. "A day later (after Leh protests), the Home Ministry of India issued a press release naming Sonam Wangchuk in it and blaming him... I had received a notice about a CBI inquiry stating that your organisation received foreign funding even when it did not have an FCRA. We did not get FCRA because we don't want funds from abroad," Wangchuk said. He further explained that the organisation had received fees from foreign entities "in exchange for sharing knowledge" about their innovative projects. "The United Nations team wanted to take our Passive Solar Heated Building to Afghanistan, and for this, they gave us a fee. We also got fees with tax from Swiss and Italian organisations for supplying knowledge to them about our artificial glaciers," he added. Wangchuk also confirmed that his organisation was under scrutiny from the Income Tax department, with a summons issued in relation to the foreign transactions. He expressed frustration over what he termed a "witch hunt," saying that the recent developments were the latest chapter in a series of attacks targeting him personally. "We are getting I-T summons. In the series of witch hunting, yesterday's events were the last and all blame was put on Sonam Wangchuk," he stated. Earlier, the Home Ministry pinned the blame for Wednesday's violent protests in Leh over the implementation of the 6th schedule on Wangchuk. The MHA is a statement that said, "Activist Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike on September 10, demanding the 6th Schedule and statehood for Ladakh. It is well known that the Government of India has been actively engaged with the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance on the same issues. A series of meetings was held with them through the formal channels of the High-Powered Committee, as well as the Sub-committee, and multiple informal meetings with leaders." "The process of dialogue through this mechanism has yielded phenomenal results by increasing reservations for the Ladakh scheduled tribe from 45% to 84%, providing 1/3 women's reservations in the councils and declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages. With this process, the recruitment of 1800 posts was also commenced. However, certain politically motivated individuals were unhappy with the progress made under HPC and have been attempting to sabotage the dialogue process," the MHA further said. The MHA stated that in spite of many leaders urging to call off the hunger strike, Wangchuk continued with the hunger strike and misled the people through provocative mentions of Arab Spring-style protests and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday cancelled the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licence of innovator and education reformist Sonam Wangchuk's Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) over alleged violations of the act. The cancellation means the Leh-based institute will no longer be able to receive or utilise foreign funding. Officials said the decision followed a review of compliance records as Wangchuk, during Financial Year 2021-22, deposited Rs 3.5 lakh into the FCRA account of the association in violation of section 17 of the Act.(ANI) India is on track to finalise a significant deal with the US aerospace firm General Electric (GE) worth around USD 1 billion for 113 F404-IN20 fighter jet engines, amid ongoing trade negotiations with America. Speaking with ANI, Dr DK Sunil, HAL Chairman and Managing Director, said that the agreement is expected to be inked by October this year, with negotiations at an advanced stage. Regarding the contract for the 113 follow-on GE-404 engines, the HAL chief told ANI, "We expect to sign it in October. The contract will be worth more than 1 billion. The contract negotiations are done, and the price is finalised. We are only going through the contract details, and we have to sign. Now that this main contract is signed, in October, we will sign the contract with GE for 113 engines..." HAL has concluded negotiations for 113 engines with General Electric, awaiting contract signing. The order includes 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seat trainers, with deliveries starting in 2027-28 and completing over six years. HAL aims to deliver the first aircraft by October, with three already ready pending final trials, and plans to complete 180 aircraft by 2032-33. "Three aircraft are ready as of now. We need to do the final trials. We expect to complete those trials in October. I think we should be able to deliver by October," said Dr Sunil on being asked when the first of the aircraft will be delivered as MoD signs a contract with HAL. Regarding MoD signing a contract with HAL for procurement of 97 LCA Mk1A aircraft for IAF, HAL Chairman & Managing Director Dr DK Sunil said, "... By financial year 2032-33, we will finish all the 180 aircraft. That is the target..." The F404-IN20 engines will power India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A, with HAL having already secured a contract for 99 engines for the initial 83 Tejas jets ordered by the Indian Air Force. HAL is negotiating an 80% technology transfer for GE's F414 engines, aimed at powering the advanced LCA Mk2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), aligning with India's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. This deal underscores India's push for defense indigenization and reducing dependency on foreign suppliers. Dr. Sunil sees no tariff-related impact on GE discussions; LCA Mk2 designed around GE414 engine, strengthening India-US defense ties, with collaborations in aerospace and technology transfer. The deal is expected to boost HAL's manufacturing capabilities and support India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is poised for significant growth with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signing a 62,370 crore contract for 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday. This contract marks a significant milestone in India's pursuit of self-reliance in defense manufacturing, embodying the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, reflecting India's commitment to defense indigenization under the 'Buy (India-IDDM)' category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020. LCA Mk1A features 70% indigenous content, including advanced systems like UTTAM AESA Radar. Significant job generation expected, with 50% material content sourced from Indian private sector, boosting indigenous supply chains. HAL has built 10 aircraft, with 11th ready; GE committed to engine supplies. Tejas Mk1A is a multi-role fighter designed for air defense, maritime reconnaissance, and strike roles, replacing aging MiG-21 fighters. HAL is pushing for 80% technology transfer from GE for the F414 engine, crucial for future projects like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). (ANI) As part of the nationwide voluntary Swachhata drive 'Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath', the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thurday organised a cleanliness activity along the roadside boundary of Nirman Bhawan and the Ministry of External Affairs building in New Delhi. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the drive commenced at 8:00 AM with enthusiastic participation from officials and staff of the Ministry. Union Minister of State Prataprao Jadhav joined the Shramdaan and inspired officers and employees by personally engaging in the cleanliness activities. His presence reinforced the message of collective responsibility towards hygiene and sanitation in public spaces. The initiative formed a part of the ongoing Swachhata hi Seva campaign, which seeks to foster community participation and citizen action for a cleaner and healthier India. Employees from across divisions and sections of the Ministry actively participated, contributing to the spirit of this nationwide movement. The Union Health Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to the vision of a Swachh Bharat, emphasising that sustained citizen engagement and collective effort are vital for achieving a clean, healthy, and sustainable future. Earlier today, Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister JP Nadda participated in a cleanliness drive organised under the ongoing Sewa Pakhwada initiative, and urged citizens to participate in the 'Swachhta Hi Seva' campaign to build a "clean and green" India." "On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, at the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I participated in the 'Swachhta Hi Seva (SHS) - 2025' campaign under the 'Seva Pakhwada' in New Delhi," Nadda, who is also the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national president, posted on X. "I urge every citizen to actively participate in this campaign and contribute to building a clean, healthy, and green India for all," he added. (ANI) Union Minister for Textiles Giriraj Singh on Thursday congratulated Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit on his return to active service in the Indian Army. In the X post, Singh said, "Congratulations, Col. Purohit, on being back in uniform. The Govt stands firmly with patriots who serve the nation with courage and integrity." Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, one of the accused, was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. The Mumbai NIA court on July 31 acquitted all seven accused of being involved in the 2008 blasts in Malegaon, with the court saying the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt. After the acquittal, Col. Purohit received a grand welcome in Pune. Expressing gratitude, Purohit told reporters, "They always wanted to welcome me. But I had said that till such time as I get completely acquitted from the case, I will not be able to give you that kind of happiness. So, this time, when the Court gave this judgement, they said that they are going to welcome me. I had no heart to say that I will not be able to make it. I am grateful." The Malegaon blast tragedy took place on September 29, 2008, in which six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya. Seven accused, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni, are charged under the UAPA, Arms Act and others. The 2008 Malegaon blast case was transferred to the NIA in 2011 from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). After a 17-year-long wait and examination of hundreds of witnesses, the NIA special court acquitted all seven people accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Arms Act and all other charges. (ANI) The Telangana Excise Department's special drive against illicit liquor in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts has yielded significant results. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Prohibition & Excise, Rangareddy district, enforcement officials registered 105 cases during special raids from September 15-30, seizing approximately 2,290 liquor bottles (around 1,700 litres) and 3,000 kg of black jaggery used for illicit liquor production. The total value of the seized liquor is estimated to be around Rs 1 crore. P Dasaratha, Deputy Commissioner of Prohibition & Excise, Rangareddy district, speaking to ANI, stated that enforcement officials conducted a special drive from September 15 to 30 in Hyderabad and Rangareddy. "During this period, 105 cases were registered, and approximately 2,290 liquor bottles (around 1,700 litres) were seized, along with 3,000 kg of black jaggery used for illicit liquor production. The total value of the seized liquor is around Rs 1 crore," he said. He further said that most of the liquor was being imported illegally from Goa, Delhi and Haryana. "STF task force teams were formed. The Rangareddy enforcement team and Hyderabad enforcement teams were formed. Nearly 50 teams are working in this special drive. This is affecting public health," he further said. The official appealed to the public to refrain from transporting and consuming non-duty-paid liquor, emphasising the importance of safeguarding public health. Earlier in a series of surprise raids conducted last month, the Excise Department, under the leadership of Paderu Excise CI Acharya, targeted multiple areas within Hukumpeta Mandal of Alluri district in Andhra Pradesh, cracking down on illicit liquor (sara) (toddy) brewing units, an official statement said. Excise and Enforcement teams, along with Hukumpeta police, jointly conducted the raids near Raatuluputtu village in the Thigalavalasa Panchayat of Hukumpeta Mandal. During the raids, officials seized and destroyed approximately 5,000 litres of jaggery wash prepared for brewing illicit liquor, along with a quantity of already brewed sara. (ANI) The Bombay High Court has quashed the Bank of India's decision declaring Jet Airways owner Naresh Goyal's account as "fraud". The order issued by Justice R. I. Chagla has also quashed all consequent actions of having declared Goyal's account as fraudulent, which includes reporting to any Central agency. Goyal had moved a plea in the Bombay High Court, challenging Bank of India's decision to classify Jet Airways' borrower's account owned by Naresh Goyal as fraudulent. "Such classification is violative of the principles of natural justice and arbitrary, as it was done without giving Goyal any opportunity of being heard", the pleas stated. The plea also contends that the 'fraud' classification leads to restraining the borrower, Jet Airways and its former directors (including Goyal) from accessing institutional finance. It also jeopardises the future business prospects of both the company and its directors, the plea adds. On December 30, 2024, the Bank of India issued a show-cause notice to Goyal, terming the Jet Airways account as fraudulent. On 14 January 2025, Goyal submitted a reply to the first show-cause notice, denying the allegations and specifically requesting that the Bank provide all material relevant to the fraud declaration process, including the Forensic Audit Report (FAR) and its Addendum. Goyal, in his reply, pointed out that the FAR dated 7 May 2020 had exonerated Jet Airways (JIL) and Goyal, finding no conclusive evidence of fraud. Based on this, the Joint Lenders Forum had, in its meeting on 8 May 2020, decided not to take any action against Goyal. Thus, Goyal had also sought a copy of the Competent Authority's order/classification decision and minutes of any meeting that led to the reconsideration of JIL's account despite the FAR's findings. However, Goyal received no response from the Bank. Over six months later, on 1 July 2025, the Bank issued a second show-cause notice, which was substantively identical to the first. It cited the FAR dated 7 May 2020 and the Addendum FAR dated 10 February 2021 as the basis for classifying JIL's account as fraud under the RBI Master Direction and provided these documents to Goyal for his response. However, the Bank again failed to furnish the specific information earlier requested by Goyal in his letter dated 14 January 2025. "By refusing their disclosure, while simultaneously relying upon them, Respondent No.1 (Bank of India) had deliberately withheld material documents and is acting in gross breach of natural justice and in direct violation of the statutory mandate contained under the 2024 Master Directions", the plea argues. Thus, Goyal, on the basis of the grounds mentioned above, sought the quashing of the 'fraud' declaration made by Bank of India. The Court, after hearing submissions, quashed the said declaration and all consequent actions attached to the said declaration, including reporting to any investigating agency. Senior Advocate Sharan Jagtiani and Advocate Pranjal Agarwal appeared for Naresh Goyal. Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud appeared for Bank of India. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Central government seeking its response on a plea seeking a ban on the import of cheap 'yellow peas' as an alternative to pulses (Dal). A bench led by Justice Surya Kant agreed to examine the plea, noting that consumers' health cannot be compromised in this regard. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, raised serious concerns about the impact of unrestricted imports of yellow peas, a cheap substitute for pulses like Toor (Arhar), Urad, and Moong, on both the health of consumers and the livelihoods of Indian farmers. He contended that the continued import of such substitutes is undermining domestic production and pushing farmers into distress. "Lives and livelihoods of dal farmers are at stake," Bhushan told the Court, pointing out that the import of yellow peas at nearly Rs 35/kg is severely undercutting the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for pulses, which currently stands at around Rs 85/kg. This disparity, he argued, is making it impossible for Indian farmers to compete, store their produce, or recover their costs. Referring to a report of the Committee on Agricultural Prices and recent recommendations made by NITI Aayog (September 2025, page 485), Bhushan emphasised that while imports can provide temporary relief, they cannot serve as a sustainable alternative to boosting domestic production. "Over-reliance on imports has its limitations. The government must prioritise increasing the production of key pulses like Toor, Urad, and Moong," he said. The bench questioned whether yellow peas could be grown domestically and expressed concern over the larger policy of allowing free imports without assessing their long-term consequences. "Just as the unrestricted import of cheap edible oils had suppressed prices of soybean and other oilseeds, we may be repeating the same mistake with pulses," the Court observed. Justice Kant remarked that ultimately, the market dynamics may end up favouring traders and importers, while pushing farmers to the brink. "We have to ensure the end result does not harm the consumer", the court added. The Court also asked about the potential health impact of consuming yellow peas as a substitute for traditional dals. Bhushan responded, stating that the substitute could have adverse effects, though a detailed scientific analysis would be required. He further submitted that even the Union Agriculture Minister had written to the Centre, cautioning against the policy of allowing free import of yellow pulses and highlighting the growing distress among pulse farmers, some of whom are reportedly being driven to suicide. The Court, taking note of the submissions, issued notice to the Centre and directed that the matter be listed for further hearing on a later date. "Issue notice, returnable on [to be specified date]," the bench ordered. (ANI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday addressed the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan AICC Observers' Meeting, emphasising the party's commitment to grassroots strengthening and people-centric ideals. He underscored the collective resolve to expand the Congress organisation's reach to every village, city, and home. In his Facebook post, Gandhi stated, " Today, at the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan AICC Observers' Meeting, we strengthened our collective resolve to take the Congress organisation to every village, every city, every home. We are determined to carry forward the people-centric legacy of our party: stronger at the grassroots, driven by service, united in our vision for India, and unwavering in our duty to protect our democracy and Constitution." Meanwhile, earlier today, ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced the release of the 'Most Backward Justice Manifesto' to strengthen the backward communities and maximise their participation. In a post on social media X, Gandhi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of lying and having diversionary conspiracies, contradictory to his party's commitment to ensuring full rights for the backward, Dalit, tribal, and minority communities. He further wrote in his social media post that the Congress party aimed to increase access to education for the backward communities. "No matter how many lies and diversionary conspiracies the BJP may hatch, we are committed to ensuring full rights for the most backward, Dalit, tribal, minority, and backward communities. In Bihar, to strengthen the most backward community and increase their participation, we have made concrete promises in the 'Most Backward Justice Manifesto'. Education is the greatest means of progress for these communities, so there are special resolutions to increase their access in this sector," the post read. Further, the Congress leader wrote that reservations would be implemented in private colleges and universities, and half of the reserved seats in private schools would go to the SC/ST/OBC/ and EBC children, further assuring that unjust practices like that of "Not Found Suitable" would also be brought to an end. Rahul Gandhi promised social justice and equitable development for underprivileged communities. "Now, reservation will also be implemented in private colleges and universities, half of the reserved seats in private schools will go to SC/ST/OBC/EBC children, and unjust practices like "Not Found Suitable" in appointments will end. This is not just about education, but the fight for equality and dignity for the most backward. This is the true guarantee of social justice and equitable development," the post read. (ANI) Former MP and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Margani Bharat came down heavily on the TDP-led coalition government, accusing it of converting Andhra Pradesh into a police state by unleashing a wave of illegal arrests against social media activists. He revealed that in just one year, 282 activists were arrested, 822 were served notices, and 86 were jailed under fabricated charges. "The government cannot tolerate questions on its failures. Instead of accountability, it is choking voices through intimidation and fake cases," Margani Bharat said. He cited examples, including the arrest of Tharak Pratap Reddy in Guntur, where police slapped BNS sections meant for criminals, kidnappers, and dacoits on a young activist. "Savindra Reddy was arrested despite High Court warnings to the police against illegal detentions, showing the contempt this government has for the judiciary. Similarly, activist Bhargav was targeted, and even family members like Preeti, sister of activist Bharat Chandra, were unlawfully detained to pressure them. This is nothing but state-sponsored terror against citizens who dare to speak," he said. Bharat also condemned the humiliation of Dalit activist Pulisagar in Rajahmundry, who was abused and locked in a cell for posting about flood damages. He recalled how officials like GST Assistant Commissioner Subhash Chandra Bose and RTC conductor Kusuma Kumari were punished for simple social media posts. Bharat slammed TDP MLA Balakrishna's abusive remarks against YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the Assembly. "His language was indecent, his behavior disgraceful. With his conduct, even a breath analyzer seems necessary before he enters the House," he mocked. He further attacked Chandrababu Naidu and Lokesh, saying, "The Red Book is now their Constitution. Police are being used as TDP workers, raiding YSRCP leaders' houses at midnight and shielding ruling-party rowdies." Ridiculing the so-called Super Six Success celebrations, Bharat said, "It is not success but a super fail. The coalition has collapsed on its welfare promises. Naidu and Pawan Kalyan will soon pay the price for this undemocratic rule." (ANI) JAKARTA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia and Canada officially signed the Indonesia-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA-CEPA) in Ottawa on Wednesday local time, with the deal expected to take effect in 2026, according to a statement released by the Indonesian Presidential Secretariat on Thursday. The agreement was signed by the trade ministers of both nations, witnessed by visiting Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. "I am very pleased to be here for the signing of the CEPA, and I believe this will be a historic moment. It will prove to be a significant milestone," said Prabowo in the statement. Under the ICA-CEPA framework, Canada will eliminate 90.5 percent of import tariffs on Indonesian products, while Indonesia will liberalize 85.8 percent of its tariff lines. The Indonesian government projects that the agreement could raise national exports to Canada to 11.8 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, while contributing an additional 0.12 percent to gross domestic product and boosting investment by 0.38 percent. Carney highlighted Indonesia's importance as the world's fourth most populous country, Canada's largest export market in Southeast Asia, and its 18th largest globally. "Canada and Indonesia are unlocking major new economic opportunities together. Our new trade agreement is a game-changer for our workers and businesses, opening new markets and driving more investment between our growing economies," Carney said. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday said that without the development of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), the development of the state is not possible, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working with firm determination for the overall development of Janajati brothers and sisters. CM Saha said that as a result, smiles are spreading among the Janajati people of the state, and they are blessing them wholeheartedly. The Tripura CM said this while welcoming 920 voters from 230 families, who all joined the Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Paritosh Debbarma at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan. "Today is a historic day. People should take the right decision at the right time. We have seen how Janajati people were used in the name of politics, and we must work to free them from such dirty politics. When I see Janajati people, I see that they don't smile. But it is our responsibility to make them smile. Earlier, no Prime Minister worked for the Janajati. But the work started under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, he started working for their development and progress. He always said that we must think about the last person in society, and we are working in this direction to provide all benefits to the people," said CM Saha. He said that today, after these joinings, the BJP's strength will increase further. "The number of people joining is massive. The present government has been working to develop the Janajati people, and we must ensure that they receive all necessary support. Paritosh Debbarma, ex-Zonal Chairman of Tipra Motha, founder member, and Dhalai district in charge of Youth Tipra Federation, is joining the BJP as he understands that without a national party, the development of the state and nation is not possible. People have faith in this BJP government. Seven Janajati people have been awarded the Padma Shri award. This is not for votes, but we know how to give respect to others," he said. CM Saha also informed that ignoring TTAADC would make the development of the state impossible, as around 68 per cent of the area falls under TTAADC. "We have given Rs 860 crores to the district council and more. We have never deprived TTAADC. Earlier, nobody thought about the Ujjayanta Palace. But after we came, we developed it to showcase the history of Tripura and its royal family. We are maintaining traditions. We feel proud that our Maharajas have worked for Tripura. We have given due respect to the Maharajas of Tripura, which the earlier government never did. We have deployed TCS-equivalent officials to implement schemes for the Janajati people properly. We have also increased the honorarium of the Samajpatis," added CM Saha. BJP State President Rajib Bhattacharya, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikas Debbarma, General Secretary Bipin Debbarma, and President of Janajati Morcha Parimal Debbarma were present. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will embark on a two-day tour of Bihar on September 26-27 and will hold several meetings and address party workers. On September 26, Shah will start the day with a closed-door meeting with BJP workers in Bettiah as part of a zone meeting. The review meetings for Dehri-on-Sone and Begusarai zones were concluded by Amit Shah on September 18. Later, he will attend a crucial meeting with BJP office bearers at the party office in Patna, where Bihar party leaders, secretaries and organisational members from different states, assigned to work on elections in Bihar, will be present. Dharmendra Pradhan, the newly appointed Bihar election in-charge, will also be present at the meeting, a party source told ANI.. On September 27, Amit Shah will attend a zone meeting with party workers in Sarayranjan, and after that, he will address the mass party workers gathering in Forbesganj. Amit Shah's visit aims to energise party workers and impart winning strategies ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. The Bihar BJP unit has divided the state into five zones, and Shah's outreach is aimed at strengthening the party's presence across multiple regions ahead of the polls..Amit Shah's visit seeks to energise party workers and impart winning strategies ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. Earlier today, speaking with the media, Pradhan said, "Under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar, we have been in power for the last 20 years. With the support, vision, and leadership of the Prime Minister and the leadership of Nitish Kumar, the people of Bihar will give us the opportunity to serve them again." The Bihar elections are expected to be held later this year, in October or November; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet announced an official date. (ANI) Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Secretary Adv. T.J. Isaac has been announced as the President of Wayanad District Congress Committee, following the resignation of N D Appachan. The resignation comes amidst a series of controversies that have hit the Congress's district unit, including severe factionalism in the district politics, and mounting suicides of three party members. In December 2024, its former treasurer, NM Vijayan and his son died by suicide. Recently, another Congress leader and Mullankolli Grama Panchayat member, Jose Nelledam, found death in a pond on September 12. The AICC leadership's intervention also failed to deliver any results, as it was alleged that Vijayan and his son committed suicide due to financial obligations that he had incurred for the party. Vijayan's family openly came against the party because the party did not help the family after his death. Vijayan's family met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the issue last week. The party leadership was trying to solve the problems, and a meeting was also held when Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi were in Wayanad. According to party sources, the leadership directed the district committee to resolve the issues as soon as possible. As part of the process, the KPCC repaid the bank loan of the former KPCC treasurer, which amounts to approximately 60 lakhs rupees. Meanwhile, N.D. Apapachan's statement, given to an English media outlet, also made the leadership unhappy. In an interview, Apapachan stated that he is not aware of Priyanka Gandhi's week-long visit to the constituency, stating that the MP's office alone makes the decisions. Furthermore, recently, party workers reportedly manhandled Apapachan in the meeting held in Mullankolly. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha praised the growth of the real estate sector over the decades in the AIFORERA Governing Council Meeting on Thursday. In the meeting, Sinha emphasised that India's real estate sector will become the backbone of the economy in the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The sector is expected to contribute 18% to the country's GDP. "The way the real estate sector has progressed in the past few decades, it can be said that this sector will become the backbone of the economy in the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and will potentially contribute to the GDP by 18%..." said the Lt governor. The Jammu and Kashmir LG also stated that there will be significant growth in the sector in the coming times. "And it is believed by the consultancy firms that there will be huge growth in the sector in the coming times..." added Sinha. Meanwhile, the Lieutenant Governor of the union territory also attended the launch of the Atal Sarthi Programme of the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, which was held at the Convocation Complex of the University of Kashmir. During the programme, Sinha emphasised that Atal Tinkering Labs are becoming a new means of exploring new discoveries and enhancing self-confidence among youth. "Atal Tinkering Labs are providing innovation and technology to the knowledge power... It is becoming a means of exploring new discoveries and self-confidence for the youth..." said Manoj Sinha. Meanwhile, an Indo-Australian delegation led by Sajid N. Saiyed, Chairman of the Bharat CSR Network met Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and presented a series of proposed Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives aimed at sustainable development in the region. During the meeting, the delegation proposed several impactful projects for Jammu and Kashmir, including the establishment of ten Smart Villages, the setting up of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Labs, a Waste-to-Wealth programme to promote sustainability, Water Remediation Projects, the construction of Community Centres, and rehabilitation support for flood victims, as per an official release. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha welcomed the proposals and lauded the delegation's commitment to community empowerment and inclusive development. (ANI) The Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan undertook a two-day visit to Andhra Pradesh on 24th and 25th September 2025, engaging in a series of cultural and spiritual programmes in Vijayawada and Tirumala, according to an official statement from the Vice President's Secretariat. This was his first official visit to a state after assuming office as Vice President. On 24th September, the CP Radhakrishnan began his state visit with a darshan at the Kanak Durga Temple in Vijayawada, where he offered prayers for the well-being and prosperity of the nation. Later, he attended the Vijayawada Utsav 2025 at Punnamy Ghat as the Chief Guest. In his address, the Vice-President highlighted the significance of Navratri as a celebration of feminine divinity and women's empowerment. He praised the cultural richness of Andhra Pradesh and acknowledged the state's achievements in agriculture, information technology, innovation, and inclusive development. The Vice-President expressed his appreciation for the warmth and spirit of the people of Vijayawada. On 25th September, CP Radhakrishnan visited the sacred Tirumala Temple and had darshan of Lord Venkateswara, praying for the well-being of all citizens. He later inaugurated the newly constructed Pilgrim Amenities Centre (PAC) 'Venkatadri Nilayam' at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Tirumala, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, Ministers, senior officials, and other dignitaries. The 'Venkatadri Nilayam' is a five-storied modern facility designed to serve thousands of devotees visiting the shrine daily. Each floor comprises six spacious halls, with the inaugurated level featuring four dormitories and two Bal Mundan halls. A total of 600 lockers have been installed in the building, with 150 lockers in each dormitory to ensure safe custody of devotees' belongings. The complex is equipped with ten lifts and six staircases to facilitate smooth movement across floors. The basement floor houses a Prashadam Hall with a seating capacity of approximately 500 devotees. Additionally, the facility includes a medical centre with one doctor, a pharmacy, and four beds to address basic healthcare needs. The inauguration of 'Venkatadri Nilayam' marks a significant milestone in TTD's commitment to enhancing pilgrim services, combining spiritual sanctity with modern infrastructure and convenience. Before concluding his engagements, the Vice-President also visited the revered Padmavathi Temple in Tiruchanoor and offered prayers to Goddess Padmavathi, seeking blessings for the peace and prosperity of the nation. (ANI) Congress leader Supriya Shrinate slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swadeshi' remarks on Thursday. Speaking to ANI, Shrinate stated that PM Narendra Modi promotes Swadeshi, yet most of his items are made abroad. "PM Narendra Modi talks about Swadeshi, but from top to bottom, he is immersed in foreign things. If we talk about his spectacles, he is of Italian-Bulgarian descent. His pen is Germany's Mobla, his watch is Swiss Mavado, and his shoes are Kenneth Cole's from America. The vehicles in which he drives are not Indian vehicles; they are BMW and Mercedes. The aircraft in which he flies is American," said Shrinate. The Congress leader claimed that all the children of PM Modi's ministers are studying in prominent foreign universities and questioned why the government does not call them back to the country. "There is another limit to hypocrisy, and that limit is that all the people around Modi, all his ministers, all their children study in big foreign universities, they are settled there, they are making big money there. Call all of them back to India. Tell them to come to India and cooperate in Swadeshi," said Shrinate. Moreover, Shrinate also asserted that all the ministers are settled in foreign countries. "All the people around you are settled in foreign countries. The way you dress, the way you fly, the things you use are all foreign. And you talk about Swadeshi. Talking about Swadeshi looks very bad from your mouth, and your own dialogue comes. Remember, there is a limit to hypocrisy, Mr Modi," said Shrinate. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the need to enhance indigenous production across various sectors. He stated that the government is fully committed to supporting all stakeholders in this effort. PM Modi highlighted that India must prioritise becoming a 'Swadeshi' economy as it moves forward on its path of development. "The government is putting a strong emphasis on Make in India manufacturing. We want everything from chip to ship to be manufactured in India; for this, we are focusing on your ease of doing business. The government abolished more than 40,000 compliances, and more than a thousand laws were decriminalised. We are standing with you shoulder-to-shoulder," said PM Modi while addressing the business fraternity and the traders present at the event. Addressing a gathering at the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show-2025, he further demanded that there should be no compromise on the products being produced indigenously. "Every citizen is adopting Swadeshi, 'Garv se kaho hum swadeshi hai', our traders will have to proudly adopt this mantra." (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Kolkata today, where he is scheduled to attend several events, including inaugurating a Durga Puja pandal and visiting the Kalighat Temple, before commencing his two-day visit to Bihar on September 26-27. In Kolkata, Shah will inaugurate the Durga Puja pandal of the Santosh Mitra Square Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity in north Kolkata. Organised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Sajal Ghosh, the pandal has adopted a patriotic theme titled 'Operation Sindoor', dedicated to honouring the bravery and sacrifices of the Indian Armed Forces. The pandal showcases recreated visuals of incidents such as the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the subsequent success of Operation Sindoor. Visitors can witness life-sized models of military equipment, including the BrahMos missile and S-400 systems. The display aims to evoke a sense of national pride and reverence for the armed forces. Speaking to ANI, Sajal Ghosh, General Secretary of the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja Committee, said, "The idea behind creating this pandal is simple -- to awaken a sense of patriotism in people's hearts. Operation Sindoor is the voice of every Indian's heart. It showcased the dignity and strength of our armed forces, and how they destroyed the enemy and protected our nation. Through this pandal, we wanted to bring that bravery alive for everyone to see." Following this, the Union Home Minister will visit the Kalighat Temple in south Kolkata to offer prayers. Later in the day, Shah will travel to Bihar to begin a two-day tour, during which he will participate in multiple organisational meetings aimed at preparing the party for the upcoming Assembly elections. On September 26, Shah is scheduled to hold a closed-door meeting with BJP workers in Bettiah. This is part of a series of review meetings, with earlier ones for Dehri-on-Sone and Begusarai zones already conducted on September 18. Subsequently, he will attend a high-level strategy meeting at the BJP state office in Patna. The meeting will include Bihar BJP leaders, state secretaries, and organisational members from other states assigned to oversee the election campaign in Bihar. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, recently appointed as the BJP's election in-charge for Bihar, will also be present, a party source told ANI. On September 27, Shah will participate in another zonal meeting with party workers in Sarayranjan, followed by addressing a large public gathering of party workers in Forbesganj. Amit Shah's visit is aimed at energising party workers and finalising election strategies ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. The BJP's state unit has divided Bihar into five zones to ensure region-specific outreach and mobilisation. Earlier, on Thursday, while speaking to the media, Dharmendra Pradhan said, "Under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar, we have been in power for the last 20 years. With the support, vision, and leadership of the Prime Minister and the leadership of Nitish Kumar, the people of Bihar will give us the opportunity to serve them again." The Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be held later this year, likely in October or November. However, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is yet to officially announce the dates. (ANI) The Maharashtra state government on Thursday submitted a detailed memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) to support farmers who have suffered massive losses due to heavy rainfall across the region. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis shared the update on his X handle, stating, "A detailed memorandum was submitted today to our leader, the country's Home Minister, Hon. Amitbhai Shah, regarding the heavy rainfall in Maharashtra and the massive losses incurred by farmers due to it. Through this memorandum, a request was made for substantial assistance from the NDRF to the farmers affected by the natural disaster in Maharashtra. #Maharashtra #MaharashtraFloods" Earlier in the week, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured affected farmers of possible relief and support in flood-hit areas of Marathwada. He confirmed that state ministers and officials are maintaining close coordination with district authorities and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to manage the ongoing situation. Speaking about the crisis, Shinde said, "Regarding the flood situation in Marathwada, I am in contact with all district officials and the NDRF rescue team. Farmers have suffered significant losses. Currently, helping farmers is the responsibility of our government. Our Chief Minister and all ministers are going to personally assess the situation. People should receive immediate assistance. Whenever farmers have faced crises, the government has always stood by them. Efforts will be made to compensate for the losses before Diwali." Government sources confirmed that Maharashtra has announced a Rs 1,339 crore assistance package for farmers whose crops were damaged due to heavy rains between June and August 2025. The panchnamas (official damage reports) for crops damaged by heavy rains during June-August have already been filed, and affected farmers are receiving aid. However, panchnamas for crops damaged by the current rainfall in Marathwada are yet to be completed. According to a government order, the relief funds will be directly transferred to farmers' bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT), ensuring speedy and transparent assistance. (ANI) The United States and India are working through a period of diplomatic friction amid what appears to be a pattern of mixed signals from Washington that has created an increasingly "hot and cold" dynamic in one of America's most strategically important relationships. A senior State Department official has acknowledged "turbulence" in the relationship but stressed that US-India ties remain "on a positive trajectory" despite President Donald Trump's public expressions of frustration. The admission comes when ANI questioned how India interprets the seemingly contradictory messages emanating from Washington, where officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasise the strategic importance of the partnership while simultaneously imposing trade restrictions and publicly criticising New Delhi's policies. Presidential Transparency "The President is not shy about when he is frustrated with countries. You'll see it on Truth Social. This is one of the most transparent administrations in history," the official said, referring to Trump's characteristic directness on social media platforms. Despite this frank communication style, the administration maintains that India remains "a good friend and as a partner, and as really a partner of the future." High-Level Diplomatic Activity The importance both nations place on their relationship is evident in the frequency of high-level engagements. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's first official act after taking office was to meet with the Quad grouping--comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia--followed immediately by bilateral talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first foreign leaders to visit the White House after Trump's inauguration, meeting the President in the Oval Office within two weeks, the official added. "When you step back from this brief moment, and look at the relationship, it is really on a positive trajectory, and it's only expanding," the official noted. Trade and Energy Challenges The current tensions centre primarily on trade disputes, with the Trump administration imposing additional tariffs on India over various commercial issues. Officials have also pressed India to reduce its energy imports from Russia as part of broader efforts to restrict Moscow's revenue streams during the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking about External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on September 22, 2025, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly High-level Week, the official confirmed the Russian oil issue was discussed. "The Russian oil issue was absolutely discussed as it's discussed in every single engagement we have," the official said. "He's been clear with our European partners. He's been clear with India." While no specific commitments were disclosed from recent discussions, the administration continues to raise the matter in diplomatic exchanges. Personal Diplomacy The personal relationship between Trump and Modi appears to remain strong. The two leaders held what officials described as an "incredibly positive" phone conversation last week on Modi's 75th birthday. The Trump administration is preparing to nominate Trump's close aide Sergio Gor as ambassador to New Delhi, who is described as "one of the closest people to the president," underlining the significance placed on the bilateral relationship. Future Engagement Plans Officials suggested that further meetings between Trump and Modi are likely, with one noting, "I'm sure you'll see the two meet. They have a very, very positive relationship." Plans are also underway for a Quad Summit involving the four Indo-Pacific partners, potentially scheduled for later this year or early 2026. The current diplomatic tensions reflect the complex nature of US-India relations, where strategic partnership goals must be balanced against specific policy disagreements. While Trump's direct communication style has created some friction, both sides appear committed to maintaining and expanding their cooperation. The frequency of high-level meetings and the priority given to India in the new administration's diplomatic calendar suggest that Washington views the relationship as too important to be derailed by current disputes. (ANI) French President Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday, during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), urged Iran to immediately release three French citizens held under harsh conditions and stressed that Tehran must comply with its nuclear obligations. https://x.com/emmanuelmacron/status/1970902605476905322?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw In a post on social media platform X, Macron wrote, "I met with Iranian President @drpezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. First and foremost, I reiterated my demand: Cecile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and Lennart Monterlos -- state hostages arbitrarily detained in Iran under inhumane conditions -- must be released immediately." He emphasised France's firm stance, stating, "France never abandons its children. Our position is clear: Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons." Macron further addressed the issue of Iran's nuclear non-compliance, announcing coordinated action with Germany and the United Kingdom. "In light of Iran's failure to comply with its nuclear obligations, together with Germany and the United Kingdom, we have decided to trigger the Snapback mechanism, allowing sanctions to be reimposed on Iran," he stated. Highlighting the urgency for renewed negotiations, Macron said, "I once again made clear to the Iranian President the demands on which we will not compromise: full access for IAEA inspectors in Iran, transparency regarding enriched material stockpiles, and the immediate resumption of negotiations." "An agreement remains possible. Only a few hours are left. It is up to Iran to respond to the legitimate conditions we have set. For the security of the region, for the stability of the world," he added. Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly's annual General Debate continued into its second day on Wednesday (local time), with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivering brief remarks that ended with a pointed appeal to the UN for action. Zelenskyy stressed that while the G7 and G20 play important roles, ultimate responsibility lies with the entire UN membership. (ANI) Cardi B "wouldnt change a thing" about her appearance. Cardi B wouldn't change her appearance if she could The 32-year-old rap star has undergone various cosmetic surgeries over the years, and Cardi insists she's happy with how she currently looks. She said on the Call Her Daddy podcast: "I look at myself in the mirror and its like I really wouldnt change a thing. "Maybe I would like my butt to be smaller, but its like I said, its really hard for my butt to be smaller." Cardi insists having a butt reduction is more difficult than most people imagine. As a result, she doesn't have any plans to go under the knife again. The rapper - who previously confessed to having had liposuction, teeth veneers and a breast augmentation - said: "Im not going to put myself in that position again because you dont like my body. Im comfortable. "I learned to live with it. I dont get no complaints [from] nobody and it is what it is." Cardi is one of the best-selling artists in the world, but she previously claimed to have been happier before she found fame. The Bodak Yellow hitmaker doesn't have any money worries these days, yet Cardi admitted that she's less happy than she used to be. The rapper - who worked as a stripper before finding success in the music business - told CR Fashion Book magazine: "One positive thing is that, my family, whatever they want, they get. Everything that I want to buy, I can get. I dont have to worry so much about my future. "One negative thing is that, even though Im happy, I feel like I was a little bit happier two or three years ago when I had less money. "I had less people who had opinions about my life. I felt like my life was mine. Now I feel like I dont even own my life. I feel like the world owns me. Its crazy because I never been the type of person to ever really care about anything. I never had to censor myself. Now I feel like everybody is so sensitive, and its sad." United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday expressed strong admiration for India and said Washington is keen to expand energy cooperation with New Delhi in areas including natural gas, coal, nuclear energy, and clean cooking fuels. "I am a huge fan of India. We love India. We look forward to more energy trade, more interactions back and forth with India," Wright said while addressing a press conference at the New York Foreign Press Centre. He acknowledged the geopolitical challenges India faces, particularly in relation to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and linked it to the global energy trade. "India is caught up in the middle of another issue. President Trump's greatest passion is peace in the world...The Russian war in Ukraine, of course, is brutal. We all want to see it come to an end. But where does the sanctioned Russian oil go? It goes to China, India, and Turkiye, and that helps Russia fund that war. The friction on that issue," he said. Wright stressed that despite there are differences between Washington and New Delhi over the issue of Russian oil imports, the United States remains committed to strengthening energy ties with India. "We want to bring that war to an end, I believe the Indians want to bring that war to an end, and we want to expand our energy cooperation with India in natural gas, coal, nuclear, clean cooking fuels, liquid petroleum gas...We want nothing more than more trade and energy cooperation with India," he said. He also called on India to reconsider its oil imports from Russia, emphasising that the United States does not intend to punish India but seeks to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In response to a question from ANI on India-Russia oil trade, Wright said, "There are lots of oil exporters in the world. India doesn't need to buy Russian oil. India buys Russian oil because it is cheaper. Nobody wants to buy Russian oil; they have to sell it at a discount. India has decided to make the trade-off to buy cheaper oil and look the other way, which is giving money to a guy who's murdering thousands of people every week." "We wish India would work with us to buy (oil). You can buy oil from every nation on earth, except Russian oil. That's our position. America has oil to sell, so does everybody else. We don't want to punish India. We want to end the war, and we want to grow our relations with India," he added (ANI) The US State Department's Hindustani Spokesperson, Margaret MacLeod, on Thursday underlined Washington's stance on H-1B visas and reiterated concerns over continued trade with Russia, particularly in the context of oil imports, amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. "H-1B is a policy to prioritise investment in the American IT sector. We want to invest in American citizens, first and foremost, in training them." She also addressed the issue of purchasing oil from Russia, linking it to the war in Ukraine. "You also mentioned buying oil from Russia. US President Trump clearly stated that he wants to end the war between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible, so that no more lives are lost, and as long as Russia makes income by exporting oil, these economic resources will be used to purchase weapons. That's why America wants to minimise trade with Russia," she said. She further referred to US President Donald Trump's address at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), stating that the country's diplomatic focus remains anchored on key principles, "peace, sovereignty, and independence." "The US government is focusing on three priorities this year. We're focusing on peace, sovereignty, and independence, and we believe that these principles are not only the foundation of the United Nations' founding charter but also the foundation of a prosperous, stable, and peaceful world," she said. "At times, over these 80 years, the United Nations has drifted away from this primary objective. We aim to collaborate with other member states to make the United Nations a more accountable, equitable organisation," she added. Meanwhile, President Trump, during his hour-long speech at the General Debate of the UNGA, accused China and India of being the "primary funders" of the Ukraine war through their continued purchase of Russian oil. "China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil," Trump said. The remarks came amid global discussions dominated by various conflicts, including the war in Ukraine. Trump's comments also follow his administration's recent decision to raise tariffs on India's imports of Russian oil. The additional 25 per cent levy imposed by the US pushed the total tariff on Indian goods to 50 per cent, one of the highest globally. (ANI) It has been announced that the flight was diverted to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after a passenger suffered a stroke during the journey. The plane, which was carrying 80 passengers, is expected to take off for Israel within the next hour. (ANI/TPS) United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright called on India to reconsider its oil imports from Russia, emphasising that the US does not intend to punish India, but aims to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Addressing a press conference at the New York Foreign Press Centre, Wright made the remarks in response to ANI's query on India's continued oil trade with Russia. "There are lots of oil exporters in the world. India doesn't need to buy Russian oil. India buys Russian oil because it is cheaper. Nobody wants to buy Russian oil; they have to sell it at a discount. India has decided to make the trade-off to buy cheaper oil and look the other way, which is giving money to a guy who's murdering thousands of people every week," Wright told ANI. Wright clarified the US position, stating, "We wish India would work with us to buy (oil). You can buy oil from every nation on earth, except Russian oil. That's our position. America has oil to sell, so does everybody else. We don't want to punish India. We want to end the war, and we want to grow our relations with India." On engaging with Indian leadership, Wright said he met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the inauguration night and initiated a dialogue on future cooperation. "I met the Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar on the inauguration night and began a dialogue about cooperation and the future pathway between our countries. Russia trying to find peace in Ukraine is a sticky thing. We are both within the cabinet in the United States and with our allies, trying to find the most creative ways to bring this war to an end," he said. Wright emphasised the priority of ending the conflict while strengthening US-India ties. "President (Trump) wants nothing more than this war to end, and it would have the additional benefit of removing a source of friction. I am all in on energy and trade cooperation with India. There's a bright future there, but somehow we have to figure out how to work together to put the maximum pressure to bring the war to an end," he said. In August 2025, the Trump administration imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, raising the total tariff burden to 50 per cent, due to India's continued oil imports from Russia. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticised the move, terming it "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable", and reiterated that India's energy policy is governed by market dynamics and its need to ensure affordable energy access for its 1.4 billion citizens. "The United States has targeted India's oil imports from Russia. We have already made clear our position... our imports are based on market factors and aimed at ensuring energy security for 1.4 billion Indians," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. Earlier, many US officials targeted India over the purchase of Russian oil, with Peter Navarro, Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing, accusing India of profiteering from Russian oil in his latest slew of remarks, alongside alleging that India's tariffs cost "Americans' jobs." Navarro has repeatedly taken jibes at India in recent times. From calling it a "laundromat for the Kremlin", to the castiest jibes such as "Brahmins are profiteering" from the conflict in Russia. Further, the White House Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett said that Trump and the trade team are "disappointed" with India's continued imports of Russian crude oil, but hoped for positive developments. Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly described India as America's "most tariffed partner," calling the trade relationship a "totally one-sided disaster." (ANI) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) detected one Chinese military vessel and five naval vessels around its territorial waters as of 6 am on Thursday (local time). The ministry stated that 1 out of 1 sorties entered Taiwan's northern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In a post on X, the MND said, "1 sorties of PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 1 out of 1 sorties entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded." Earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan detected a Chinese military vessel around its territorial waters as of 6 am on Wednesday (local time). In a post on X, the MND said, "1 PLAN vessel operating around #Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe." The frequent incursions and maritime operations reflect rising tensions between Taiwan and China, a relationship long fraught with geopolitical strain. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), governs itself independently with its own distinct political and economic systems. However, China continues to claim Taiwan as part of its territory under the "One China" principle, insisting there is only one China with its capital in Beijing. The dispute's roots trace back to the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when the ROC government fled to Taiwan after the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, took control of mainland China. Since then, Beijing has maintained its goal of reunification, using military, diplomatic, and economic means to apply pressure on Taiwan and diminish its international space. Despite these efforts, Taiwan maintains its de facto independence, backed by strong public support, and continues to assert its sovereignty amid ongoing external pressures. The MND regularly monitors and publicly reports such military movements to ensure transparency and national security awareness. (ANI) South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump's address at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, describing it as "extremely undiplomatic" and reflective of the lack of progress in India-US relations, which has seen its fair share of friction, particularly due to Washington's imposition of additional 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, bringing the total to 50 per cent, in response to New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil. Speaking to ANI on Wednesday (local time), Kugelman highlighted Trump's repeated claims that India is supporting Russia's war efforts in Ukraine as particularly jarring, especially coming shortly after a phone call between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the US President wished the Prime Minister on his 75th birthday and referred to him as a "friend". "It was extremely undiplomatic. It was a time seemingly rambling. Didn't appear to make much sense. But there were several things that stood out, and one of them was his decision to once again blame India for sponsoring Russia's war in Ukraine. This comes not long after he had his brief phone call with Prime Minister Modi to wish him a happy birthday. So, to me, that takeaway, among others, was that we have not yet seen a reset in the US-India relationship," Kugelman said. On Tuesday, Trump, during his UNGA address, accused India and China of being the "primary funders" of the Ukraine war through their continued purchase of Russian oil. "China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil," Trump said in his over an hour-long speech at the General Debate of the UNGA. Speaking on the recent moves by several Western nations to formally recognise the State of Palestine, Kugelman urged caution against overinterpreting the development. "What we're seeing now is a reaction by some countries in the West to do something that many of Israel's rivals wish they had done a long time ago. So I wouldn't actually overstate the significance of this recent move to recognise the state of Palestine," he stated. Earlier, many Western nations, including France, the UK, Canada, Portugal and Australia, formally recognised the state of Palestine, calling the decision a "defeat for Hamas". The move had seen significant backlash from Trump, who described the decision as a "reward to Hamas". Addressing the protracted Russia-Ukraine war, Kugelman noted the persistent diplomatic stalemate. "It's just been so much back and forth for the last few months. We had that big push from the Trump administration to get Russia to stop fighting. It hasn't really worked. But I think it's encouraging that you have Zelenskyy saying that he's ready to talk, and clearly that's something that Trump wants to do," he said. Kugelman acknowledged Trump's goal of mediating a ceasefire or comprehensive peace accord but expressed scepticism about Russia's intentions. "It continues to be one of his core foreign policy goals to try to mediate some type of end of the war or at least some type of ceasefire. It seems like now he's looking for a comprehensive peace accord, and we'll see what happens over these days here in New York if you can have some of these top leaders start discussing more prospects for beginning some type of peace process. Though I'm not optimistic, I really don't think Russia has any intention of stopping fighting anytime soon," he added. The high-level debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) commenced on Tuesday in New York, with global leaders giving addresses on pressing global issues. Discussions were dominated by the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, along with the growing Western recognition of Palestinian statehood. This year's theme is "Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights." (ANI) The recent strengthening of US-Pakistan ties has emerged as a significant "tension point" in India-US relations, according to South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman, particularly in light of recent geopolitical frictions between Washington and New Delhi. Speaking to ANI on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Kugelman noted that while India has long accepted the US-Pakistan friendship, including military aspects, the rapid resurgence has amplified existing frictions. "As we know, India quite some time ago accepted the fact that the US and Pakistan would have a friendly relationship, including a friendly military relationship. This resurgence in US-Pakistan ties has become a tension point in US-India relations, just because there are so many other bad things happening in US-India relations and also the US-Pakistan relationship has really strengthened very quickly in very big ways," Kugelman said. He pointed to the expected visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump as a key indicator of the relationship's momentum, while also referring to the role of Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir in strengthening the relationship. "If it is true that Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif goes to Washington to meet with President Trump, that would be the latest indication of just how far this relationship has come... Honestly, after the meeting between President Trump and Field Marshal Munir, anything that comes after that would not be as significant, given how powerful Munir is," Kugelman added. Kugelman also weighed in on the recently announced mutual defence pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, calling it a "game changer" for regional security dynamics and a development that India will be watching closely. While he noted that Saudi Arabia is unlikely to let its defence pact with Pakistan undermine its growing partnership with India, the agreement formally places Pakistan within the security framework of the Middle East, a region vital to India's strategic interests. "It's a game changer. I think that it's significant for India in the sense that India has a very close relationship with Saudi Arabia and also, given the history of relations between India and Pakistan, there certainly is a chance that sometime in the future, India will attack Pakistan. Because of these terrorism concerns and the past precedent, it's a mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan," he explained. "Saudi Arabia has a strong relationship with India. It's not going to let this pact get in the way of Saudi-India relations. But with the fact that Pakistan now has a formal institutionalised alliance with Saudi Arabia, even as it continues to pursue its very strong partnerships with China and Turkey and other Arab Gulf states, as well as this resurgence in ties with the US, Pakistan has been able to resurrect and fortify a lot of its alliances and I think that poses some new challenges for India," Kugelman added. The analyst, however, acknowledged India's strong geopolitical position, noting its partnerships with Europe, Israel, key Middle Eastern players, and Russia. "As this has formally enshrined Pakistan in the security architecture of the Middle East, it is important for India, given how important the Middle East is to India's own strategic interests," he concluded. Last week, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a "Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement", pledging that any aggression against either nation would be treated as an attack on both. According to a joint statement issued following the visit, "This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieving security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both." Hours after the announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a response stating that it would closely study the pact's implications for India's national security and regional and global stability. In a statement, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that New Delhi acknowledges the formalisation of what it described as a "long-standing arrangement" between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, while noting that it would closely examine its potential ramifications. Jaiswal further emphasised that India's national security remains paramount in light of this development. "We have seen reports of the signing of a strategic mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The Government was aware that this development, which formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries, had been under consideration. We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability. The Government remains committed to protecting India's national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains," the statement from the MEA read. (ANI) US President Donald Trump has alleged a "triple sabotage" at the United Nations headquarters during and prior to his address at the 80th session of the General Assembly, claiming an escalator malfunction, teleprompter failure, and audio issues were deliberate acts to undermine him. In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump demanded an immediate investigation and stated that the Secret Service is already involved, urging the preservation of security tapes. "A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday -- Not one, not two, but three very sinister events!" Trump wrote, detailing the incidents. He described how the escalator to the main speaking floor "came to a screeching halt" while carrying him and First Lady Melania Trump, nearly causing them to fall "face first" onto sharp steel steps. "It was only that we were each holding the handrail tightly or, it would have been a disaster. This was absolutely sabotage, as noted by a day's earlier 'post' in The London Times that said UN workers 'joked about turning off an escalator.' The people that did it should be arrested!" his post added. Trump recounted proceeding to his speech without a working teleprompter for the first 15 minutes, improvising until it "kicked in", and later learning that the auditorium's sound system was "completely off", leaving world leaders unable to hear him without interpreters' earpieces. "The first person I saw at the conclusion of the Speech was Melania, who was sitting right up front. I said, 'How did I do?' And she said, 'I couldn't hear a word you said.' This wasn't a coincidence; this was triple sabotage at the UN," the US President fumed in his post. Trump announced he is sending a copy of his statement to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, calling for an "immediate investigation" and criticising the organisation. He specifically mentioned saving security tapes of the escalator, including the emergency stop button. "No wonder the United Nations hasn't been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do. All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved," his post further read. The UN spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, earlier had issued a statement, pushing back against the claims, stating that a videographer from the US delegation may have inadvertently triggered the escalator's safety mechanism by travelling backward up it. "In an effort to document their arrival, a videographer from the US delegation stepped on to the escalator ahead of the President and First Lady. As the videographer, who was traveling backwards up the escalator reached the top , the First Lady, followed by President Trump, each mounted the steps at the bottom. At that moment (9:50am), the escalator came to a stop. Our technician, who was at the location, reset the escalator as soon as the delegation had climbed up to the second floor. A subsequent investigation, including a readout of the machine's central processing unit, indicated that the escalator had stopped after a built-in safety mechanism on the comb step was triggered at the top of the escalator. The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing. The videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function described above," the statement read. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted the Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in New York, highlighting the progress of a 12-point action plan outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the FIPIC-III Summit. The meeting, held on Wednesday (local time) on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, underscored India's role as a development partner to Pacific Island nations, with a focus on health, technology, capacity building, and training. In a post on X, Jaishankar expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "Delighted to host the FIPIC Foreign Ministers Meeting today in New York. Glad to note that the 12-point action plan announced by PM Narendra Modi at the FIPIC-III Summit is progressing well. India and Pacific Island countries are development partners. Our agenda is people-centric and focused on health, technology, capacity building and training." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1970897575705268380 Jaishankar also engaged in bilateral discussions with several Pacific Island leaders on the margins of the FMM. He described a "good conversation" with Tonga Prime Minister Aisake Valu Eke and expressed pleasure in meeting Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1970901844114182500 https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1970902710577660227 He also noted a "nice" interaction with Palau's Minister of State, Gustav Aitaro, a "warm exchange of words" with Tuvalu's Foreign Minister, Paulson Panapa, and was "glad" to meet Marshall Islands' Foreign Minister, Kalani Kaneko, reinforcing India's commitment to deepening ties with the region. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1970903815596671281 https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1970909092735746309 https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1970909294972502401 Beyond the FIPIC engagements, Jaishankar held productive talks with the Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos. "Always great meeting FM Constantinos Kombos of Cyprus. Reviewed the progress in bilateral ties since the successful visit of PM Narendra Modi. Appreciate his insights on developments in Europe. Reaffirmed support for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Cyprus Question in accordance with the agreed UN framework and the relevant UNSC resolutions. Look forward to welcoming him in India soon," Jaishankar posted on X. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1970976940933906884 Kombos reciprocated, saying, "Always a distinct pleasure to meet with India's Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar. Discussion focused on further steps of the Cyprus-India strategic partnership, pertinent international issues, and the priorities of the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. Grateful for India's long-standing principled support on the Cyprus Issue and its upholding of international law. Looking forward to my visit to India soon." Jaishankar also met Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, emphasising a forward-looking approach to bilateral relations. "Delighted to meet Juan Ramon de la Fuente, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, in New York today. We agreed to build on our recent exchanges and create a fresh roadmap for strengthening our bilateral ties," he noted. (ANI) Soldiers conduct barrier-breaching training China Military Online) 10:21, September 25, 2025 A soldier assigned to a regiment under the Chinese PLA Xinjiang Military Command operates a bulldozer to repair roads during a barrier-breaching training exercise on September 17, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wu Weiheng) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Lisa Marie Presley was scared Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige was "out to get her", according to her mother Priscilla. Lisa Marie Presley was 'scared' by the Church of Scientology, claims her mother Priscilla The late daughter of Priscilla and Elvis Presley is said to have left the church around 2013 and confronted him at the church's Florida headquarters after spending years investigating them. As reported by Page Six, in her new memoir Softly, As I Leave You Priscilla has claimed: "Her misgivings reached a crisis [when David] disconnected from his father [Ron Miscavige] and put him in the equivalent of a Scientology prison at a secluded location in the San Bernardino Mountains "Lisa had had enough. Fearless and angry, my daughter walked into the eye of the storm and confronted David directly. "She told him with great anger and passion just how she felt about him disconnecting from his father. Lisa was never subtle when she was angry. Priscilla has alleged "the aftermath was frightening for" her Lisa Marie, who died aged 54 in 2023. She continued: "She called me from Florida after her visit to headquarters and said, Mom, Im so scared. I gave it to David, and now theyre following me. "'There are black limos parked outside my house and following me around. This is real. This is what they do. A representative for Scientology has described Priscilla's account as "false", arguing that Lisa Marie didn't share the story in her own memoir. In a statement to Page Six, they alleged: "Before her passing, Lisa Marie came to the Church and apologized for any previous upsets, explaining that she had been misled and betrayed by others, including Ron Miscavige. She said she had been impaired by drugs and wished to make amends." The spokesperson claimed the church tried to help the Presley family through "years of struggle". They added: "Far from distancing Priscilla from her family, every effort was made to help her mend and strengthen those relationships. The transgender community, supported by civil society activists, staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club to denounce the brutal killings of three transgender persons and to demand immediate justice. The demonstration was organised under the banner "Justice for the Khwaja Sira Community", as reported by The Express Tribune. According to The Express Tribune, the protest was led by prominent transgender leaders, including Chandni Shah, Dr Sarah Gul, Advocate Nisha Rao, Kami Choudhry, and Bandia Rana. Members of the Awami Workers Party also participated, raising concerns about the growing vulnerability of the transgender population. Protesters appealed to both federal and provincial governments to ensure safety for the community and to apprehend those responsible for the murders. Speaking at the rally, Bandia Rana, chairperson of Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA), emphasised that the transgender community had no option but to stage peaceful demonstrations to draw attention to its plight. She stated that targeted killings are becoming alarmingly frequent, with similar protests already being held in Hyderabad and Sukkur over the recent spate of murders. Rana added that the community's demands for protection and inclusion continue to be ignored. Rana also highlighted that many transgender persons remain unemployed and systematically excluded from government jobs. This marginalisation, she said, forces a large number of them into begging as a means of survival. She further pointed out that the community suffers from a lack of access to basic public services while simultaneously enduring malicious propaganda campaigns aimed at discrediting them, as reported by The Express Tribune. The protest concluded with a strong call for urgent government action. Protest leaders warned that silence and negligence on the part of the state would only embolden perpetrators of violence. The participants vowed to continue their struggle until justice is secured for the victims and equality is extended to all members of the Khwaja Sira community, as cited by The Express Tribune. (ANI) The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on two Indian nationals- Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh- along with an India-based online pharmacy, KS International Traders, for their roles in supplying hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to victims across the United States. The action, announced on Wednesday, targets the growing threat of illegal online pharmacies contributing to the US opioid crisis. "The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two Indian nationals, Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh, for their role in collectively supplying hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills filled with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to victims across the United States. OFAC is also designating one India-based online pharmacy for its role in these criminal operations," a statement from the department read. "Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison," said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K Hurley. "Treasury will continue to advance President Trump's commitment to Make America Fentanyl Free by targeting drug traffickers," Hurley said. According to the Department of Treasury, Sayyed and Shaikh collaborated with narcotics traffickers in the Dominican Republic and the US to market counterfeit pills as legitimate pharmaceutical products, such as Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax, which were instead filled with dangerous substances like fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and methamphetamine. The duo used encrypted messaging platforms to conduct their illegal operations. Both were previously indicted in September 2024 by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York on narcotics-related charges. "Based in India, Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed (Sayyed) and Khizar Mohammed Iqbal Shaikh (Shaikh) worked with Dominican Republic- and U.S.-based narcotics traffickers to sell counterfeit pills to Americans. Sayyed and Shaikh marketed and sold these pills as discounted, legitimate pharmaceutical products, which were instead filled with illicit drugs like fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine. Both Sayyed and Shaikh have used encrypted messaging platforms to conduct their illegal business and market their product to victims," the statement read. According to the statement, Shaikh, the owner of KS International Traders, also known as KS Pharmacy, continued operating the online pharmacy despite the indictment. The Treasury highlighted the role of illegal online pharmacies, including those based in India, in fuelling the fentanyl crisis by supplying counterfeit pills and precursor chemicals to the US and Mexican cartels. These operations deceive consumers into believing they are purchasing safe medications, exacerbating the opioid overdose epidemic, which remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45, as per the Treasury Department. The sanctions target individuals and entities contributing to the international proliferation of illicit drugs. As a result, all property of Sayyed, Shaikh, and KS International Traders in the US or under US control is blocked, and transactions involving them are prohibited unless authorised by OFAC. Violations could lead to civil or criminal penalties. The action was coordinated with the Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, and the US Postal Inspection Service. The Treasury noted that the US and India continue to collaborate under the US-India Drug Policy Framework to combat drug trafficking and its global impact. On October 4, 2024, the DEA issued a warning about the surge in illegal online pharmacies, underscoring the dangers of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine. (ANI) A former chairman of the Baloch Students Organisation (Pajjar) was among two people killed during an early morning raid by Pakistani security forces in Chagai district's Dalbandin region, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, the operation, which began around 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, lasted nearly three hours and involved heavy gunfire and explosions. Residents said that they were awakened by continuous firing between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., suggesting a fierce confrontation between security personnel and those inside the targeted house. Authorities confirmed that Zubair Baloch, the former head of BSO-Pajjar, and another individual named Nasir were killed in the clash. Officials said the raid was launched following intelligence reports indicating the presence of armed men in the area. A third person, identified as Jahanzaib, was reportedly arrested during the operation and remains in custody. According to security sources, the deceased allegedly opened fire on the forces, triggering a heavy exchange of bullets. Officials also claimed that Zubair Baloch shot himself during the clash. Zubair Baloch was a known figure in Baloch politics. After his role as chairman of the BSO-Pajjar, he pursued a legal career while continuing to participate in political circles. His death is likely to fuel fresh debate about Pakistan's security operations in Balochistan, where allegations of extrajudicial killings and suppression of political voices are frequently raised, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post. The situation in Balochistan has long been marked by tensions between the state and nationalist groups, with security agencies insisting that such raids are essential for countering militancy. Rights activists argue that these actions often target political leaders and students, undermining peaceful political engagement. His detention is expected to draw further scrutiny from political and human rights groups across the province, as cited by The Balochistan Post. (ANI) Human Rights in China has released its latest weekly brief, illustrating China's tightening grip on dissent, surveillance, and digital control, which has drawn fresh scrutiny amid a series of developments in the country's worsening human rights climate. At the centre of global concern is the case of Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer turned citizen journalist, who was sentenced to an additional four years in prison in Shanghai. Zhang first came to international attention in 2020 when she documented the realities of Wuhan's COVID-19 lockdown, capturing overwhelmed hospitals and severe shortages at a time when state media offered only scripted narratives. Her independent reporting led to a four-year sentence for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", during which her health deteriorated from hunger strikes. Zhang was re-arrested within months for refusing to remain silent. Authorities accused her of tarnishing China's image through social media posts. Observers were barred from her trial, and it remains uncertain whether she received legal counsel. The UN Human Rights Office called the conviction "deeply disturbing" and urged her immediate and unconditional release. HRIC also highlighted Beijing's expanding legal and cyber apparatus. China's official law database has been overhauled with new features, while updated cybersecurity reporting rules effective November 1 require incidents to be graded by severity, reflecting an increasingly broad definition of online threats. Adding to these measures, China introduced the world's prototype "Satellite Internet Firewall", equipped with AI-driven monitoring and decoy systems designed to filter vast volumes of data. At the same time, regulators imposed sanctions on popular platforms Weibo and Kuaishou for promoting "undesirable" celebrity content. Concerns over transnational repression also intensified. Nine independent UN experts have demanded answers from Beijing regarding the cross-border harassment of activists and minorities who fled China. In the United States, dissident Yuanjun Tang admitted to spying on pro-democracy groups on behalf of Beijing's authorities. Inside China, the crackdown on civil society continued. Human rights advocate Zhang Yadi (Tara), known for championing Tibetan rights, was detained in Changsha on charges of "inciting separatism". Meanwhile, news emerged that Tibetan monk Dhargye, arrested in Lhasa in 2021, has never been released. Reports also pointed to mounting pressure on feminist networks and tighter control over religious leaders amid Beijing's emphasis on political loyalty. In Hong Kong, divisions between citizens and state power widened. The legislature rejected a same-sex marriage bill despite significant public backing, while Chief Executive John Lee vowed to intensify the national security crackdown. A man marking the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary with "6436" graffiti received a one-year probation order. Beijing sought to manage global narratives. Foreign delegations were invited to Xinjiang in carefully choreographed visits aimed at downplaying accusations of Uyghur persecution. In Tibet, military veterans have been stationed in schools and kindergartens, raising fears of militarisation. Internationally, China renewed threats against Taiwan, invited Afghanistan to join the Belt and Road Initiative, and pledged deeper integration between Hong Kong and the mainland. Global responses reflected growing unease. Taiwan issued a new civil defence handbook to prepare citizens for emergencies, while a U.S. congressional delegation visited China for the first time since 2019, focusing on military cooperation. Together, these developments paint a picture of a government using law, technology, and international pressure to consolidate power while silencing independent voices, such as Zhang Zhan, whose courage continues to symbolise the fight for truth in the face of authoritarian control. (ANI) The protesters of Mand have alleged that Pakistani security forces and state-backed groups are employing intimidation and arrests to stifle peaceful protests against alleged extrajudicial killings of Baloch youth, as reported by Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, a demonstration organised by the Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) was held in response to the killing of three young men: Izhar, son of Mullah Mujeeb; Mullah Bahram Baloch; and Jalal, son of Haji Yar Muhammad. Locals said that the three were killed within hours of each other in what they described as targeted attacks by militias allegedly backed by state authorities, often referred to as "Death Squads". During the protest, Mullah Rashid accused authorities of committing "Baloch genocide." he was later summoned to a military facility, tortured, and coerced into recording a confession video before being released, only to be rearrested shortly afterwards by local police on reported orders from intelligence agencies. Another protest participant, schoolteacher Saima Sarwar, also faced retaliation; she was summoned to her principal's office, Rahima, the sister of former federal minister Zubaida Jalal and dismissed from her position without prior notice or legal process. Family members of other demonstrators said they were directly threatened or called to military camps, where they were warned to prevent their children from joining such protests. Some were allegedly cautioned that continued participation in political gatherings could lead to enforced disappearance, as reported by The Balochistan Post. These actions are part of a broader attempt by the state to silence dissenting voices and deter criticism of Pakistani forces in Balochistan. Human rights advocates warn that the crackdown could further deepen tensions in the province, eroding trust in state institutions and fuelling unrest. Such measures against peaceful protestors underscore ongoing concerns over human rights abuses in Balochistan and raise urgent questions about the freedom of expression and political activism in the region, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post. (ANI) Australia has raised serious concerns over human rights violations in Tibet and condemned any interference in the selection of the next Dalai Lama at the ongoing 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), according to a report by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). According to CTA, Australia's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Her Excellency Clare Walsh, delivered the country's statement at the session, highlighting continued restrictions on Tibetans and their cultural freedoms. The statement emphasised that governments should adhere to international law and norms, noting that "Governments should not interfere in the selection of religious leaders, including the Dalai Lama." Canberra's position follows a series of domestic parliamentary discussions earlier this month. During Tibet Lobby Day in Canberra, several Australian MPs and senators publicly criticised Beijing's planned interference in the Dalai Lama succession. Australian Senator for Victoria, Steph Hodgins-May, told the Senate that the succession of the Dalai Lama is a sacred tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and urged Australians to take a principled stand against Chinese interference. Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim further highlighted Beijing's ongoing efforts to control Tibetans' spiritual and cultural life, asserting that "any Dalai Lama appointed by the Chinese government has no legitimacy" and describing such interference as unacceptable. These remarks serve as a strong signal of international support for Tibetan religious autonomy, as highlighted by CTA. In the House of Representatives, Susan Templeman MP reiterated the government's stance that no external power should influence the appointment of religious leaders. She emphasised that such successions must follow established religious norms and practices, noting, "That is the case for the next Dalai Lama, although we know that this one is planning a very long life." Australia's interventions at the UNHRC reflect growing global concern over China's control of Tibet's religious and cultural affairs. (ANI) Spain and Italy have sent naval vessels into the Mediterranean to protect the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which is carrying aid towards Gaza, Al Jazeera reported. Italy confirmed on Thursday it was sending a second ship, while Spain said its navy would also join the mission. The announcement came after the flotilla came under a drone attack in international waters while en route to deliver aid to Gaza. Rome had already deployed a frigate following the attack, according to Al Jazeera. "We have sent one ship and another is on its way, ready for any eventuality," Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told the lower house of parliament. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his country's navy would act alongside Italy. Speaking to reporters in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Sanchez said international law must be upheld and the rights of citizens from 45 nations participating in the aid mission should be safeguarded. "The government of Spain demands that international law be complied with and that the right of its citizens to navigate the Mediterranean under safe conditions be respected," Sanchez said. "Tomorrow we will dispatch a naval vessel from Cartagena with all necessary resources in case it is necessary to assist the flotilla and carry out a rescue operation." Activists said Israeli drones and aircraft carried out a wave of attacks on Wednesday night, targeting multiple vessels. Flotilla organisers described it as "an alarmingly dangerous escalation." According to passengers, low-flying drones dropped flashbang-type explosives and other "unidentified objects" on and near boats. Deliberate radio jamming also disrupted communication among the ships, Al Jazeera reported. Following the incident, the Italian navy said a frigate would be sent to assist in any rescue operations, with Crosetto condemning the attacks. Two Italian opposition lawmakers are among those on board the flotilla, which organisers said now includes nearly 50 civilian boats carrying aid supplies. Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stressed that "Italian citizens, along with members of parliament and MEPs," are in the flotilla. The group also includes human rights activists, lawyers, journalists, and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. "To ensure their safety, the foreign ministry had already notified Israeli authorities that any operation entrusted to Israeli forces must be conducted in compliance with international law and the principle of absolute caution," the ministry said. "Minister Tajani has asked the Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv to gather information and to reiterate its previous request to the Israeli government to guarantee the absolute protection of the personnel on board," it added. In a statement, the GSF said Israeli intimidation attempts would not succeed and urged UN member states attending the UNGA to put the attacks on the agenda. "This mission is about Gaza, it isn't about us. And no risks that we could take could even come close to the risks the Palestinians are facing every day," one participant said in a video call from on board. However, Crosetto urged the flotilla to avoid entering Gaza's territorial waters. He suggested activists accept Italy's proposal to hand over the aid to the Catholic Church in Gaza for distribution. "We cannot guarantee the safety of our fellow citizens if they enter the territorial waters of other countries," he warned, as reported by Al Jazeera. (ANI) Former Ambassador and international economic affairs expert V S Seshadri delivered a lecture on "International Trade Law: Challenges and Outlook" at the India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER) in Goa. The event was organised as part of the Ministry of External Affairs' Distinguished Lecture Series, according to a release by IIULER. In his lecture at the main auditorium of the Bar Council of India-run law school, Seshadri, a former IFS officer who served as India's Ambassador to Slovenia and Myanmar and held key diplomatic posts in the US, Iran, Thailand, and Belgium, examined the turbulence in the international trade landscape. He discussed in detail the foundational principles of international trade under the WTO, the diverging trade strategies of the world's three major players - the United States, the European Union, and China - who together account for approximately 42 per cent of global merchandise trade, and the implications for India. He also addressed the challenges and potential responses, as well as the way forward. As per the release, Seshadri elaborated on the uncertainty and unpredictability caused by the unstable tariff policies introduced during the tenure of US President Donald Trump. He spoke of the growing geopolitical rift between the West and Russia, particularly over the Ukraine conflict, which has resulted in sanctions. He further examined the rising global economic profile of China, its non-market policies, extensive subsidies, and the weaponisation of its dominance in key sectors, all of which are contributing to fractures in the global trading system. While discussing unilateralism by the United States, Seshadri noted that under Trump's first term, such measures were primarily targeted at China and focused on tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium. President Joe Biden, he said, retained many of these measures but worked more closely with allies and partners, including India. In contrast, under Trump's second term, the US has significantly expanded its use of unilateral measures, using tariffs as a tool of leverage even against Free Trade Agreement partners. The concept of "reciprocal tariffs" is being deployed not only to reduce trade deficits, rebalance trade, and boost domestic manufacturing but also to pursue broader goals such as economic security, curbing immigration, combatting drug trafficking, and penalising buyers of Russian oil. These actions are being undertaken under emergency powers provided by US laws such as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act or justified on "national security" grounds under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act, often in an arbitrary manner. According to IIULER, Seshadri also highlighted certain patterns in bilateral deals imposed by the US on its trade partners. These include requirements for the partner country to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers for US imports, commit to purchases of US energy, agricultural goods, and defence equipment, invest in US manufacturing, and provide US companies access to local resources. In return, the US merely agrees to roll back some of its previously elevated tariffs by a few percentage points. "Despite that, the US under Trump-2 has imposed additional duties on national security grounds - including on autos and auto parts, and most recently on copper - with proposals to extend such tariffs to sectors like pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and critical minerals. This undermines the predictability and stability that are essential for global trade, as well as the long-standing practice of 'less than full reciprocity' traditionally extended to developing country partners," Seshadri said, as per the statement. He cited comments by former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and the current USTR Jamieson Greer, who advocate for a policy of "trade rebalancing" and a "two-tier" global trade system. Seshadri also referred to the ongoing legal challenge in the United States questioning the president's authority to impose tariffs as part of emergency economic measures. He described it as "the most consequential trade case," noting that both the Court of International Trade and the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit have ruled against these tariffs. The case is currently before the US Supreme Court, with a verdict expected by the end of the year. Turning to China, he remarked that while the country presents itself as a proponent of inclusive globalisation, its actions tell a different story. He accused China of pursuing economic primacy and technological dominance through a model that includes creating excess production capacity, capturing overseas market share, fostering dependency, imposing debt traps, and weaponising these dependencies when needed. Discussing the European Union's approach, Seshadri said the EU generally supports multilateralism and adherence to WTO rules but has also raised protectionist barriers through regulatory mechanisms - most notably the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism - whose WTO compatibility remains untested. On India's approach, he stated that while India strongly supports multilateralism and largely complies with WTO rules, its global trade share remains a modest 2.3 per cent, limiting its leverage in shaping global trade norms. India's growing trade imbalance with China is a key concern, especially as China increasingly weaponises its dominance in critical sectors like rare earth minerals, magnets, and high-tech machinery. He commended India's four-pronged strategy to reduce vulnerable dependencies: blocking risk-laden investments, technologies, and apps; strengthening indigenous manufacturing and competitiveness through Production-Linked Incentives; forging supply chain partnerships with trusted allies; and expanding India's FTA portfolio with select trade partners, including the EU. Without naming Pakistan directly, Seshadri pointed out that a neighbouring country has chosen a self-destructive path by surrendering its natural and other resources to the US under the guise of a bilateral trade agreement, according to IIULER. (ANI) Taipei [Taiwan] Sep 25 (ANI) The Taipei District Court on Thursday handed down prison terms to four former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members convicted of leaking classified information to China, in one of the most high-profile espionage cases in recent years, as reported by Focus Taiwan. According to Focus Taiwan, the court ruling, Huang Chu-jung, a former aide to DPP New Taipei Councillor Lee Yu-tien, received a 10-year sentence. Ho Jen-chieh, who previously served as an assistant to National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu when he was foreign minister, was sentenced to eight years and two months. Chiu Shih-yuan, ex-deputy head of the DPP's Taiwan Institute of Democracy, was given six years and two months, while Wu Shang-yu, a former Presidential Office advisor, was sentenced to four years. Huang and Chiu were also convicted of money laundering, with fines of NT$1 million (US$32,872) and NT$50,000, respectively, which may be commuted to community service. Focus Taiwan noted that the court found Huang had obtained classified documents from Ho and relayed them to Chinese intelligence through encrypted software. He also instructed Chiu to gather information from Wu, further compromising Taiwan's foreign affairs. Prosecutors revealed that Huang and Chiu profited NT$6.08 million and NT$2.22 million in illegal gains, laundered into Taiwan through businesspeople frequently travelling across the Taiwan Strait. The court criticised the four men, stating that as party members and public officials, they were expected to uphold loyalty to the nation, but instead undermined Taiwan's already fragile diplomatic standing and abetted China's hostile agenda. While Chiu and Wu admitted guilt, Chiu returned all illicit profits; Huang and Ho continued to deny wrongdoing. The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office, which had sought harsher penalties, including up to 18 years for Huang, said it will review whether to appeal after receiving the full verdict, as cited by Focus Taiwan. (ANI) Residents of Kabul's District 6 have complained of prolonged power outages, saying they receive electricity for only six hours a day, Tolo News reported. Latifi, a resident of the area, said: "Sometimes at night, the electricity comes at 9 PM until midnight, then it cuts off; it returns in the morning and then goes again." Another resident, Mohammad Saleh Sharifi, raised concerns over the rising cost of power. "When electricity is billed monthly, it becomes very expensive. Previously, we used to pay 1,000 Afghanis for two months, but now it's 1,200 Afghanis for just one month," he said. Other residents stressed that their daily activities are heavily dependent on electricity and warned that the outages were worsening both their economic and household challenges. They urged the Breshna company to take immediate steps to address the situation, according to Tolo News. Asadullah, another Kabul resident, explained: "It usually creates a lot of challenges; because most people's work, especially in apartment blocks, like water supply and other matters, is 50 to 80 percent dependent on electricity." Noorullah, a pharmacy student, added: "The weather is hot, and there's no electricity. I study in pharmacy school, and when it's time for my lessons, there's no power. We ask Breshna to increase the electricity supply time." Responding to the complaints, Mohammad Sadiq Haqparast, spokesperson for the Breshna company, said: "Currently, we have between 350 to 400 megawatts of electricity in Kabul, while the actual need of the city is 650 to 700 megawatts." According to Tolo News, investments in power projects have increased in recent months, but it remains uncertain how much these efforts will ease the electricity shortage in Kabul. (ANI) Jessica Chastain is "not aligned" with Apple TV+ on the decision to delay The Savant. Jessica Chastain has responded to The Savant being postponed The 48-year-old actress has responded after the streaming giant decided to postpone her upcoming thriller, which followers an investigator trying to prevent domestic extremism. In a lengthy statement on X, she wrote: "I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple. Theyve been incredible collaborators and I deeply respect their team. "That said, I wanted to reach out and let you know that were not aligned on the decision to pause the release of The Savant." The decision to delay the release of the series came after the death of right wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed during a college campus event in Utah on September 10. Jessica continued: "In the last five years since weve been making the show, weve seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States." As well as a "kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer", The star also referenced the "January 6th attack on the Capitol", assassination attempts on President Donald Trump, other acts of political violence, and "over 300 school shootings across this country". She added: These incidents, though far from encompassing the full range of violence witnessed in the United States, illustrate a broader mindset that crosses the political spectrum and must be confronted. "Ive never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasnt so relevant, unfortunately it is. "The Savant is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever." Although Jessica is able to "respect" Apple for deciding the timing isn't right for the show, she hopes viewers don't have to wait too long. She said: "While I respect Apples decision to pause the release for now, I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon. "Until then, Im wishing safety and strength for everyone, and Ill let you know if and when The Savant is released." Apple has not confirmed a timeline for the delayed release. A spokesperson for the streamer told Deadline: After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, speaking at the High-Level Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), urged world leaders to act urgently on Gaza, calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian relief for Palestinians. "Somalia remains deeply concerned by the continued suffering of the Palestinian people, the ongoing violence," Mohamud told delegates on Thursday during the third day of the General Debate. "The displacement and deprivation faced in the occupied territories, including Gaza, demand our collective conscience and urgent action," he said. "We call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and renewed commitment towards the two-state solution as the only viable path for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East today." Alongside his Gaza appeal, Mohamud highlighted the challenges faced by fragile states worldwide. He pointed to World Bank figures showing that 39 countries, including Somalia, are listed as "fragile and conflict-affected," underscoring the urgency of global development support. "Over 30 member states of the UN today, including my country, Somalia, are classified as a fragile and conflict-affected because of both conflict and social and institutional fragility," he said. "When you add the vulnerability stemming from climate change, this number is frighteningly higher," Mohamud added, stressing the intersection of conflict and environmental risks. He also presented Somalia's progress as an example of what can be achieved with international backing. He described Somalia as "evidence that multilateralism and global solidarity can make the world a better, safer and progressive place." Mohamud was the first speaker of the day, followed by Montenegro's President Jakov Milatovic. Later, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to address the Assembly by video after being denied a US visa to attend in person. The day's list of speakers also includes leaders from Ghana, the Philippines, Kuwait and Italy. Much of this week's debate has been dominated by the war in Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while other leaders have addressed themes such as climate change, political violence and calls for greater African representation on the UN Security Council. (ANI) The recent Pahalgam massacre echoed at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), where Indian social leader Dr SN Sharma, CEO of Rajasthan Samgrah Kalyan Sansthan, appealed for stronger global action against cross-border terrorism. Addressing the 60th session of the UNHRC, Sharma condemned terrorism as a fundamental assault on human dignity and international peace. He invoked the April 22, 2025, attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, where 26 innocent civilians were massacred in a targeted assault on pilgrims and tourists. "Terrorism is not only an attack on national sovereignty," Sharma said, addressing the Council President. "It is a direct assault on humanity, human dignity, and the very values enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The peaceful valleys of Pahalgam were shattered not by a random act, but by a systematic campaign of transnational militancy designed to spread fear and sabotage stability, he added. Sharma underlined that the Pahalgam tragedy is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader global pattern of extremist violence. From Mumbai and Pulwama to Paris and Manchester, he said, the footprints of transnational militancy show that terrorism cannot be treated merely as a bilateral security issue. Instead, it represents a global human rights crisis requiring a unified and principled international response. Calling for collective resolve, Sharma concluded: "The world must respond with principled unity. Let history record not our silence, but our resolve." Earlier, prominent Kashmiri human rights activist and survivor of terrorism, Tasleema Akhter, delivered an appeal to the international community, recounting her own childhood tragedy and the continuing suffering of countless families in Jammu and Kashmir at the hands of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Speaking as both a human rights activist and a daughter of Kashmir, she recalled the harrowing events of April 11, 1999, when, at the age of eleven, she saw her father and elder brother abducted by a nexus of local militants and Pakistan-backed terrorists. While her father was released in a tortured state, her brother endured seven days of captivity, a trauma that forced the family to abandon their ancestral home. "From that moment, my childhood was stolen forever," she stated. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking at the annual Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Online panel discussion in New York on the theme 'The Heart of Development: Aid, Trade & Technology', called for South-South cooperation amid global uncertainty. He shared insightful perspectives on navigating global uncertainty, highlighting four key trends: interconnected growth drivers of self-reliance, technology adoption, multipolarity, and South-South cooperation, which are mutually reinforcing and shaping a new global landscape; evolving global workforce by adapting to contemporary needs, reflecting shifts in skills, mobility, and digital capabilities. He also highlighted resilient trade pathways to overcome tariff and non-tariff barriers, leveraging physical and digital efficiencies to forge new priorities and flows, and adaptive trade arrangements. Emphasising the trends that will define the future, he said: "Self-reliance, technology, multi-polarity and South-South cooperation all reinforce each other." Building on this theme, Jaishankar highlighted the changing nature of employment worldwide, noting: "Emergence of a global workforce that will adjust to contemporary requirements." He further turned to the subject of trade, pointing to how economies will adapt in the face of challenges. "Trade finding a way to overcome tariff and non-tariff barriers, creating new priorities and flows and leveraging physical and digital efficiencies," he stated. He also underlined the evolution of global frameworks in response to new realities. "New trade arrangements and understandings driven by new concerns and compulsions," he said. The minister later shared these observations in a post on X, linking them to the wider conversations taking place during the UNGA week in New York. In the same context of global workforce and trade challenges, the Executive Director of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) America, Dhruva Jaishankar, on Tuesday (local time) said that both Indian and US-based companies had expressed concern over the sufficient availability of skilled talent for their jobs in the wake of recent hikes in H-1B visa fees by the Trump administration. Speaking to ANI, Jaishankar highlighted the challenges posed by evolving US immigration policies while emphasising India's respect for sovereign decisions. "India was conscious of the fact that for any country, the immigration regime tended to be a sovereign matter, including India's. In that sense, it was really up to every government to design its visa policies," Jaishankar said. He noted that "industry had raised some concerns about whether it was able to get sufficient talent for jobs, including India-based MNCs, but also US-based companies as well." Expanding on the possible long-term implications, Jaishankar cautioned against potential restrictions, referencing a dip in US favourability in India following Operation Sindoor, and urged consideration of these dynamics beyond immediate political priorities. "Before Operation Sindoor, the negative opinion of the US in India was actually quite low. Now it was unclear whether, in the long term, more and more conditions and restrictions would be placed. That was obviously not something weighing on the Trump administration's mind, but it was something to consider," the ORF America Executive Director said. (ANI) Nepal's interim government Prime Minister announced on Thursday that preliminary preparations for the parliamentary election of March 5 are underway, calling everyone to exercise their franchise. Addressing the nation from her office at Singhadurbar on Thursday evening, the first interim female Prime Minister of Nepal, Sushila Karki, called on all the citizens of Nepal to participate in the parliamentary election. "To find a way out of this complex situation, the government has already started preliminary work for the general election by holding the election in a free, fair and fear-free environment by March 5, after discussing with the Election Commission officials the necessary manpower, budget, election materials, security and legal arrangements. The existing election law has been amended through an ordinance to provide voting rights to the younger generation who have reached the age of 18 and to extend the voter list," the interim Prime Minister Karki announced in her address. Calling all the voters scattered across the nation, the Nepali Prime Minister called on everyone to exercise their electoral rights for the change that the youth have demanded. Nepal, on September 8, saw the bloodiest day in history when police killed 21 protesting students and youths while protesting in front of the parliament during the anti-corruption movement and against the social media ban. The following day, 39 people died, of whom fifteen had died of burns. A total of 74 deaths have been recorded to date since the violence. The postmortem report of those killed in police firing in Kathmandu Valley states death due to bullet injuries to the head and chest. During the protest, police are only allowed to fire on the protestors below the knee to control the situation. Karki was sworn into the post of interim Prime Minister by President Ram Chandra Paudel on September 12. Immediately after being appointed as the interim Prime Minister, Karki recommended that the President dissolve the parliament and call for elections on March 5, 2026. "I would like to call on all Nepali sisters and brothers to participate enthusiastically in the upcoming elections of the House of Representatives and to select qualified people's representatives who can represent the aspirations of the youth for change. I also call on all political parties, civil society, the media and all relevant stakeholders to actively participate in the successful conduct of free, fearless and fair elections. A peaceful environment is essential for the conduct of the elections. Therefore, I request all sisters and brothers residing in all geographical areas of the country to maintain a peaceful environment with patience," the interim Prime Minister said in Thursday's address. At a time when some Gen Z protesters have been demanding a directly elected executive system, the Prime Minister, in her address to the nation on Thursday, made it clear that such a shift cannot be undertaken by her government. "Since the issues raised by the Gen-Z generation during the movement, including the amendment of Nepal's constitution and governance system, are beyond the purview of the current interim government, I would like to urge the general Nepali people, including the young generation, who are in favor of change, to participate in the upcoming elections and amend the constitution through the constitutional process," Karki clarified. Furthermore, addressing the demand for transparency and accountability by the Gen-Z protestors who brought down the regime of KP Sharma Oli, the interim Prime Minister also pledged investigations into corruption cases of the past. In her address, Karki assured that past corruption would be thoroughly examined. "The current government has received clear information in this short time regarding the corruption that has taken place in the past. Therefore, it will conduct the necessary investigation and take action against the guilty. The relevant government agencies have already started investigating the cash amount that was found to be abnormal when the private houses of individuals were vandalised and set on fire during the protests," Karki said. (ANI) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly via video link after the Trump administration denied visas to him and his delegation, delivered a sharp condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza, describing them as war crimes and crimes against humanity. "What Israel is carrying out is not merely an aggression. It is a war crime and a crime against humanity that is both documented and monitored, and it will be recorded in history books and the pages of international conscience as one of the most horrific chapters of humanitarian tragedy in the 20th and 21st centuries," Abbas said. In his address, Abbas said Palestinians in Gaza have been suffering under devastating conditions. "I speak to you today after almost two years in which our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement," he noted. He further accused Israeli forces of carrying out atrocities that caused widespread casualties. "That genocide has been waged by the Israeli occupation forces in which they killed and injured more than 220,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are unarmed children, women and the elderly," he added. Abbas's remarks came on the third day of the UNGA General Debate, where the Gaza war has been a central theme for many leaders. In the same session, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also appealed for urgent international action. "Somalia remains deeply concerned by the continued suffering of the Palestinian people, the ongoing violence," he told delegates. "The displacement and deprivation faced in the occupied territories, including Gaza, demand our collective conscience and urgent action," Mohamud said. "We call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and renewed commitment towards the two-state solution as the only viable path for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East today," he said. Alongside his appeal on Gaza, Mohamud drew attention to the broader struggles of fragile states. Referring to World Bank figures, he pointed out that 39 countries, including Somalia, are listed as "fragile and conflict-affected." "Over 30 member states of the UN today, including my country, Somalia, are classified as fragile and conflict-affected because of both conflict and social and institutional fragility," he said. "When you add the vulnerability stemming from climate change, this number is frighteningly higher." Highlighting Somalia's recovery with international support, Mohamud called his country "evidence that multilateralism and global solidarity can make the world a better, safer and progressive place." (ANI) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who addressed the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly via video link after being denied a US visa, launched a scathing attack on Israel, accusing it of war crimes, illegal settlements and violations of international law. Turning to the situation in the West Bank, Abbas said, "The extremist Israeli government continues to implement its settlement disease through illegal settlement expansion and developing projects for annexing settlements." He specifically referred to Israel's latest E1 settlement plan, warning that it "would divide the West Bank into two parts and would isolate occupied Jerusalem from its surroundings and would undermine the option of the two-state solution, in a blatant violation of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions." The Palestinian Authority leader also rejected remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advocating for a "greater Israel." Abbas said, "We reject and completely deplore" such calls, stressing that they involve "expanding into sovereign Arab states in addition to the brutal attack against the sisterly State of Qatar." Describing the move as dangerous, Abbas called the attack "an escalation and a grave and blatant violation of international law." He further drew attention to the rise in settler violence across Palestinian territories. "They burn homes and fields, they uproot trees and attack villages, and attack unarmed Palestinian civilians," Abbas told the assembly. "In fact, they kill them in broad daylight under the protection of the Israeli occupation army," he added. The Palestinian leader also accused Israel of targeting religious heritage sites. He said mosques, churches and cemeteries in Jerusalem, Hebron and Gaza have been attacked, calling it "a blatant violation of the historic status quo and in a clear violation of the provisions of international law." These remarks came against the backdrop of one of the world's longest and most violent disputes -- the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, whose roots go back more than a century. The struggle has been marked by repeated wars between Israel and Arab nations, as well as uprisings known as intifadas against Israeli occupation, often followed by reprisals and crackdowns. The consequences of this protracted dispute over land, borders, and rights remain unresolved and continue to shape the region, most recently reflected in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. (ANI) At the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), an event titled "Victims of Terror", jointly organised by the Shivi Development Society (SDS) and the People's Cultural Centre (PECUC), was held to honour victims and survivors of terrorism. The gathering aimed to raise awareness about the human cost of terrorism, highlight Pakistan's role in supporting cross-border terror in Jammu and Kashmir, and advocate for enhanced rights and recognition for affected communities. The event drew human rights activists, journalists, academicians, and NGO representatives, who were urged to step up efforts to combat terrorism in the region. Political and social activist Shenaz Ganai has said that her homeland of Jammu and Kashmir has been the victim of a sustained and deliberate campaign of terrorism for more than three decades, with Pakistan being the only architect of this violence. Ganai said that terrorism is not homegrown but is being exported from across the border. "The only architect of this campaign is Pakistan, unfortunately," she said. Drawing a comparison between the two countries, Ganai said, "There is no conflict between unequals. India is a democracy where institutions function under law, whereas Pakistan is a military state which only sponsors and trains terrorists." Ganai highlighted that ordinary men, women, children, pilgrims, and tourists are killed in Jammu and Kashmir, not by spontaneous rebels but by members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and The Resistance Front (TRF). She further underlined that these organisations are not unknown actors but are already registered as terrorist groups by the United Nations, the United States, and India. Ganai concluded by saying that there can be no symmetry between a state defending its people and a state manufacturing and sponsoring terrorism. Advocate Vishva Ranjan Pandita, representing the Kashmiri Pandit community, detailed the genocide and forced exodus suffered by his community due to targeted killings and mass violence. "Although the issue of Kashmiri Pandits has been addressed and discussed within the country for a long time, at international forums like the United Nations, I think it has been missing. That is why we are here, to let people and the world know what happened to the Kashmiri Pandits in 1990, and to burst the narratives of Pakistan," Pandita stated. "We want to request the world community to direct Pakistan to stop aiding and abetting terror, to stop the terror activities they are doing in India and in our state of Jammu and Kashmir, and also direct Pakistan to dismantle its terror infrastructure completely," he added. Speaking on behalf of the Sikh community, activist Harleen Kaur recounted the targeted violence against her community, designed to disrupt peace and social cohesion in Kashmir. She attributed these attacks to Pakistan-backed terror groups and highlighted the region's progress in security, infrastructure, women's empowerment, and tourism, crediting both government initiatives and local resilience. Kaur emphasised that these achievements reflect the collective strength of communities against terrorism and expressed confidence that efforts to divide Kashmiris would ultimately fail. (ANI) On the third day of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the world body via video link, following the Trump administration's refusal to issue visas to him and his delegation. In his remarks, Abbas made it clear that he does not endorse the actions of Hamas during the October 7 assault on Israel. "Despite all what our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on the seventh of October," he said, adding that the killing of civilians and the taking of hostages does "not represent the Palestinian people, nor do they represent their just struggle for freedom and independence." Abbas reaffirmed that the Gaza Strip remains a central part of the Palestinian state. "We have affirmed, and we will continue to affirm, that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the state of Palestine, and that we are ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security there," he stated. Rejecting any role for Hamas in the future government, Abbas insisted, "Hamas will not have a role to play in governance," stressing that armed groups must disarm. "Hamas and other factions will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian National Authority as part of a process to build the institutions of one state, one law and one legal security force. We reiterate that we do not want an armed state. Ladies and gentlemen, our wounds are deep and our calamity is great." Abbas also turned attention to the broader Palestinian struggle, noting, "Seven million Palestinians are still living the tragedies of the Nakba and displacement since 1948." He said the people of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza continue to endure "the tragedies of the Israeli aggression and occupation for decades," citing years of "occupation, killing, arrests and settlement and the theft of money, property and lands." Highlighting global inaction, Abbas pointed out, "More than a thousand resolutions at the United Nations, not one of them was implemented. There have been many efforts, many international initiatives, without reaching an end to this tragic situation that the Palestinian people are living under the yoke of occupation." He reminded the Assembly that the Palestinian authorities had adhered to the Oslo Accords. "We restructured our institutions, and we amended our national charter, and we rejected violence and terrorism and we adopted a culture of peace," Abbas said. "We made all our efforts to build the institutions of a modern Palestinian state that lives side by side in peace and security with Israel, but Israel did not adhere to signed agreements and has worked systematically on undermining them." Expressing gratitude to those who have supported Palestine, Abbas said, "I share my appreciation for all the peoples and organisations around the world who protested in support of the rights of the Palestinian people to freedom and independence and to stop the war, destruction and starvation." He stressed that support for Palestine should not be conflated with prejudice: "We reject confusing the solidarity with the Palestinian cause and the issue of anti-Semitism, which is something that we reject based on our values and principles within the framework of welcoming the outcomes of the International Conference for Peace." Abbas then outlined a set of urgent demands, beginning with "the need for an immediate and permanent end to the war in Gaza" and the unconditional entry of humanitarian aid through the United Nations, including UNRWA. He called for "the release of all hostages and prisoners on both sides," the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and an end to settlement activity, annexation attempts, and settler violence. He proposed that the Palestinian Authority take administrative responsibility for Gaza, under Arab and international supervision, to protect civilians and connect governance with the West Bank. He emphasised the importance of ensuring that "residents of the Gaza Strip remain on their lands without displacement" and called for a recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza and the West Bank. Abbas demanded that Israel release Palestinian tax revenues "unjustly" withheld and lift the economic blockade on Palestinian areas. He further urged international support for governmental reforms and pledged to "conduct presidential and parliamentary elections within a year after the end of the war," noting that a committee is already drafting a temporary constitution. He signalled willingness to cooperate internationally: "Palestine is ready to work with Trump, Saudi Arabia, France, the UN and all partners to implement the peace plan that was approved in the conference that was held on September 22 in a way that would lead towards a just peace and regional cooperation." Closing his address with an appeal to Palestinians everywhere, Abbas said, "No matter how much our wounds bleed and no matter how long this suffering lasts, it will not break our will to live and survive. The dawn of freedom will emerge, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our skies as a symbol of dignity, steadfastness and being free from the yoke of occupation. Palestine is ours. Jerusalem is the jewel of our heart and our eternal capital. We will not leave our homeland." "We will not leave our lands. Our people will remain rooted like the olive trees. Firm as the rocks, we will rise from under the rubble to rebuild and send from our blessed and holy land a message of hope and the sound of truth and right and build the bridges of a just peace for the people of our region and the entire world," he concluded. (ANI) The interim government of Nepal has appealed for donations to reconstruct public and government infrastructure damaged during the Gen-Z protest of September 8 and 9. In a press conference on Thursday, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Kulman Ghising publicly announced the establishment of a high-level committee and a dedicated fund to facilitate the reconstruction. The move aims to provide necessary financial resources for repair, rehabilitation, and economic restoration following widespread destruction. "During the Gen-Z movement of Bhadra 23 and 24, 2082 (September 8 and 9), the physical infrastructure of the nation was set on fire and vandalised, causing great loss of property and lives. With the aim of assessing and reconstructing such damage to physical infrastructure, the Government of Nepal, in accordance with the decision of the Council of Ministers dated 2082/06/05, has approved and implemented the Physical Infrastructure Reconstruction Committee (Formation) Order, 2082. The said formation order has constituted a committee named Physical Infrastructure Reconstruction," Kulman Ghising, the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, announced. As per the minister, the fund will support reconstruction, repair, economic revival, relief, and rehabilitation programs. Due to the significant structural damage caused by arson and vandalism during the Gen-Z movement, the government has called for immediate financial resources for reconstruction, repair, relief, and rehabilitation. "This committee will formulate and approve the reconstruction action plan for the physical structures damaged by the movement. This committee will also approve the programs to be spent from the fund. Similarly, this committee will also regularly monitor and supervise the programs. This formation order mentions that the Ministry of Urban Development will have a secretariat and staff management. The formation order has made provision for a fund for the reconstruction, rehabilitation, relief and rehabilitation of the physical structures damaged by the movement," Ghising said. The committee's term is initially one year, with a possible six-month extension if required. During the Gen-Z protests on September 9, several key government offices, including Singha Durbar, the President's Office, and the Supreme Court, were damaged by violent groups. For this purpose, a dedicated fund will be created to finance the rebuilding effort. Contributions will come from the federal, provincial, and local governments, as well as donations from individuals in Nepal and abroad. The fund may also receive in-kind or financial assistance from foreign governments, international organisations, donor agencies, and corporate social responsibility programs, with prior approval from the Finance Ministry required for any foreign or international support. Funds will be used to restore damaged infrastructure, purchase essential equipment, furniture, and machinery, and support recovery, relief, and rehabilitation programs. The interim government, led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki, has formed a five-member committee for reconstruction, headed by Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal. The Home Minister and the Minister for Urban Development are also its members. The committee is responsible for preparing and approving the action plan for the reconstruction of physical structures damaged during the Gen-Z movement. It will approve the program, along with the amount of money to be spent from the fund, and will also assign responsibilities to the authorities for the reconstruction of damaged structures. The Finance Ministry stated that the committee will be responsible for operating the fund and monitoring programs operated with it. This initiative marks a significant step toward restoring infrastructure damaged during the protests, while also encouraging national and international support for Nepal's reconstruction efforts. Government and private sectors are assessing the damage and destruction inflicted during the Gen-Z movement that could amount to over NRs 200 billion. "Regarding the details of the damage, we are currently assessing the financial damage that has been incurred. We just have preliminary assessments about the number of infrastructures that have been damaged permanently and those which can be repaired and brought to use. Final estimation is yet to be prepared, but tentatively we have estimated the damage to be above one kharba (One Trillion)," Ghising said as he held the press conference alongside Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal. According to records with the Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA), a total of 1,984 claims have been filed as of Thursday, with almost all of them linked to private businesses and properties. With public structures uninsured, companies are spared from additional exposure except for government vehicles under third-party liability coverage. Some insurers are facing unprecedented pressure. Oriental Insurance, a private insurance company, has received claims worth NRs 5.147 billion alone. Another private insurance company, Siddhartha Premier Insurance, has received 258 claims totalling NRs 4.93 billion, while Shikhar Insurance faces 366 claims amounting to NRs 2.39 billion. The losses have also impacted the government-owned Nepal Reinsurance Company (NRIC), which now carries liabilities of NRs 11.77 billion from 14 non-life insurers. Among its biggest burdens are reinsurance provisions linked to some of the country's most prominent institutions and businesses. These include Bhat-bhateni Superstore, Kantipur Media Group, Ullens School, CG Impex, United Distributors, the looting of 18 kg of gold from Rastriya Banijya Bank's New Baneshwor branch, as well as claims from Pokhara-based Bagaicha Hotel and Hotel Sarobar. (ANI) United States President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said he wanted Turkey to stop buying oil from Russia as the war in Ukraine continues. He made the remark during his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House. "I would like him to stop buying any oil from Russia, as Russia continues its rampage in Ukraine, and they have been fighting. They have lost millions of lives already, and for what, disgraceful," Trump told reporters. He added that Moscow's economy was in a "terrible" state and accused President Vladimir Putin of prolonging the war unnecessarily. Erdogan did not directly respond to the remark on Russian oil but underlined his commitment to strengthening Turkish-American ties. Trump, however, emphasised that the Turkish leader could play a significant role in shaping the situation. "They really respect Erdogan. I do, and I think he could have a big influence, if he wants to. Right now, he's very neutral. He likes being neutral. So do I, like being neutral. But he's somebody that, if he got involved, the best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia," Trump further said. The US President also expressed frustration over Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, noting that despite recent bombardments, Moscow had gained "almost no land" and called them "paper tiger." "With all of the heavy bombardment over the last two weeks, they've gained almost no land," Trump said. "And I'm not going to ever call anybody a paper tiger, but Russia spent millions and millions of dollars in bombs, missiles, ammunition and lives, their lives, and they've gained virtually no land." Earlier this week, Trump referred to Russia as a "paper tiger" on his Truth Social account. He wrote, "Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years, a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like "a paper tiger." After that, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov countered that "Russia is not a tiger. Russia is more associated with a bear. Paper bears do not exist, and Russia is a real bear," reported CNN. Trump further added that he would like to see Erdogan help bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table. "I can tell you that President Erdogan is very respected by both of them, everybody respects Erdogan," he said. "I think he could have a big influence if he wants to." The US President also noted that talks were continuing on a possible ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. "We had a great meeting the other day at UNGA, as you know, and I think we're close to getting some kind of a deal done," he said, adding that securing the release of hostages remained a priority. Trump is also scheduled to meet Pakistan's Prime Minister later in the day as part of a series of bilateral engagements. (ANI) Stanley Tucci has teamed up with N.Peal for a new cashmere collection. Stanley Tucci has launched a new fashion range The 64-year-old actor - who has been busy on set reprising his role as Nigel Kipling in the Devil Wears Prada sequel - has collaborate with the luxury brand on a new 13-piece range described as "a sartorial tribute to the joy of wanderlust". Tucci told WWD: "As a boy, the idea of international travel was thrilling to me. Movies like North by Northwest epitomised the Golden Age of Travel, when the journey was just as exciting and luxurious as the destination. "That sense of adventure is something that has always stayed with me. Since then, travel has become a huge part of my life, and this collection was inspired by the kind of pieces I always reach for when I travel: reliable, timeless and beautifully made. The exact pieces N.Peal excels at making. The collection uses Italian fabrics in a range of colours including pebble crey, olive and chocolate brown "with accents of Tucci Orange". A navy utility jacket costs $1,950, with a knit blazer priced at $895, and a waterproof merino wool field jacket at $2,450. At the other end of the scale, a waistcoast is available for $475. With a wide range of pieces, Tucci isn't sure how to choose a favourite. He added: "[It] depends on the occasion and the weather. It was important to me when we were designing the collection that we designed a collection that is versatile and timeless. "So I hope when people buy a piece from this collection and wear it, that theyll feel, first of all, how beautifully its made and that the materials are of the highest quality, but also that they should hopefully feel casual and elegant at the same time. Meanwhile, N.Peal CEO Adam Holdsworth explained why bringing Tucci on board to help design the collection was an easy decision. He said: "Hes such a stylish, elegant man so we got in touch with his agent, who happened to be a customer of the brand. "But more importantly, Stanley loved the idea and he loved the brand. So we moved forward. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev at the World Food India 2025 and said they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, fertilizers and food processing. "Happy to meet Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev at the World Food India 2025. We discussed ways to strengthen our win-win cooperation in agriculture, fertilizers and food processing," the Prime Minister said in a post on X. A PMO release said Dmitry Patrushev called on PM Modi. "They exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in agriculture, fertilizers, food processing and other areas of mutual interest," it said. PM Modi conveyed his warm greetings to President Vladimir Putin and said that he looked forward to welcoming him to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. The Prime Minister addressed a gathering during the World Food India 2025 and highlighted that global investors--especially those in the food sector--are looking towards India with great optimism. "India possesses a triple strength of diversity, demand, and scale," he said. He said India produces every type of grain, fruit, and vegetable, and this diversity makes the country uniquely positioned in the global landscape. He noted that every hundred kilometers, the cuisine and its flavors change, reflecting India's rich culinary variety. The Prime Minister underscored that this strong domestic demand gives India a competitive edge and makes it a preferred destination for investors. "India is operating at an unprecedented and extraordinary scale. In the past ten years, 25 crore people have overcome poverty and are now part of the neo middle class--India's most energetic and aspirational segment," he said. He emphasized that India's talented youth are innovating across sectors, and the food sector is no exception. "India is now the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem, with many start-ups working in food and agriculture," he said, pointing out that technologies like AI, e-commerce, drones, and apps are being integrated into the sector, transforming supply chains, retail, and processing methods. He affirmed that India offers diversity, demand, and innovation--all key factors that make it the most attractive destination for investment. Reiterating his message from the Red Fort, the Prime Minister declared that this is the right time to invest and expand in India. The 2025 edition of World Food India is being held from September 25 to 28 in Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. It will showcase India's strengths in the food processing sector, food sustainability and the production of nutritious and organic food. At World Food India, credit linked support of over Rs 770 crore will be provided to around 26,000 beneficiaries for micro projects in food processing sector worth over Rs 2,510 crore under Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme. World Food India will include CEO roundtables, technical sessions, exhibitions, and multiple business interactions including B2B (business-to-business), B2G (business-to-government), and G2G (government-to-government) meetings. It is showcasing 21 exhibiting countries, including France, Germany, Iran, Australia, South Korea, Denmark, Italy, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Belgium, Tanzania, Eritrea, Cyprus, Afghanistan, China, and the USA, along with 150 international participants. World Food India will also have multiple thematic sessions covering a wide range of topics including India as a Global Food Processing Hub, Sustainability and Net Zero in Food Processing, Frontiers in Food Processing, India's Pet Food Industry, Processed Foods for Nutrition and Health, Plant-Based Foods, Nutraceuticals, Specialty Foods. (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel] September 25 (ANI/TPS): An Israeli-American dual citizen was arrested in Israel this month on suspicion of carrying out espionage activities on behalf of Iranian intelligence, the Israeli authorities announced on Thursday. According to the Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), 49-year-old Yaakov Perel, who lived in Morocco in recent years, is accused of conducting information-gathering missions targeting Israeli public figures and citizens at the direction of Tehran. Investigators said the probe revealed that as early as 2017, while living in Morocco, Perel contacted the Iranian embassy in Rabat to request asylum for himself and his family. After receiving no response, he continued to engage with Iranian-affiliated platforms online. During 2023, he reportedly published articles on Iranian news channels via Telegram that were critical of Israel and Zionism. According to the Shin Bet, Perel's cooperation with Iranian officials intensified after he published a supportive article following the January 2025 funeral of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Israel killed the long-time Hezbollah leader in a Beirut airstrike in September 2024. "Following the publication of this article, he received a contact from an Iranian official who offered him cooperation, and Perel agreed," the statement said. Before returning to Israel, Perel allegedly attempted to recruit others in Israel and abroad to assist in intelligence-gathering efforts. When these attempts failed, he reportedly returned himself in July 2025 after renewing his Israeli passport. "Shortly after his arrival in Israel, he began carrying out a variety of security missions under the guidance of Iranian intelligence officials, while passing on information about Israeli public figures and citizens, including former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir," the statement said. Perel is also accused of photographing and filming streets and public areas in Israel, receiving payment in cryptocurrency for his activities. Investigators stressed that he acted fully aware of the potential harm to Israel's security, motivated by ideological opposition to Zionism. An indictment is expected to be filed in the Tel Aviv District Court in the coming days. The Shin Bet and Israel Police said the case highlights "the enormous efforts of Iranian intelligence agencies to recruit Israeli citizens in Israel and abroad in order to promote intelligence gathering and terrorist activities." They added, "The acts attributed to Perel are of particular gravity, as while the State of Israel is at war in several sectors, an Israeli citizen is acting for the enemy from abroad and subsequently from within Israel. We will continue to work to detect and thwart terrorist and espionage activities in Israel and abroad, and to bring to justice all those involved in this activity." More than 30 Israelis have been charged with espionage on behalf of Iran in 2025. Israeli Police spokesperson Dean Elsdunne recently told The Press Service of Israel that after agents make contact with an Israeli, "It starts out slowly, with small jobs, and slowly the money increases, and they are asked to do more severe crimes as time goes on." In most cases, spies are first asked to spray specific graffiti messages. Assignments often escalate to hanging flyers, starting fires, then taking photos of shopping malls, infrastructure, bases or the homes of Israeli figures. In some cases, they are asked to kill someone. Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites on June 13, citing intelligence that Tehran had reached "a point of no return" in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. According to Israeli defense officials, Iran has developed the capacity to rapidly enrich uranium and assemble nuclear bombs, with sufficient fissile material for up to 15 weapons. Israeli intelligence also exposed a covert program to complete all components of a nuclear device. The strikes marked a dramatic escalation in what officials describe as a broader Iranian strategy combining nuclear development, missile proliferation, and proxy warfare aimed at Israel's destruction. During 12 days of fighting, Iranian missile strikes killed 28 Israelis and injured over 3,000. (ANI/TPS) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the Second G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New York on Thursday, underlined the need for global unity against terrorism and called for urgent reforms in multilateral institutions, including the United Nations. "A persistent threat to development is that perennial disruptor of peace - terrorism. It is imperative that the world display neither tolerance nor accommodation to terrorist activities. Given the extensive networking amongst terrorists, those who act against them on any front actually render a larger service to the international community as a whole," Jaishankar said without naming Pakistan. Highlighting the multiple crises confronting the global order, the minister pointed to the failures of existing multilateral frameworks. "As we confront conflict, economic pressures and terrorism, the limitations of multilateralism and the United Nations in particular are visible. The need for reforming multilateralism has never been greater," he noted. Jaishankar also urged the grouping to take greater responsibility amid global turbulence. "Colleagues, the international situation is today both politically and economically volatile. We, as members of G20 have a particular responsibility to strengthen its stability and give it a more positive direction. That is best done by undertaking dialogue and diplomacy, by firmly combating terrorism and by appreciating the need for stronger energy and economic security," he said. His remarks at the G20 forum came against the backdrop of his earlier warning on July 1, when he had made it clear that India would not bow to threats or indirect coercion. On that occasion, he said India is "not going to yield to nuclear blackmail," stressing that New Delhi would no longer accept terrorists being used as proxies while the governments that support and finance them go unpunished. He had further asserted that terrorists will be treated with "no impunity" and that India "will do what needs to be done to defend its people." "We are not going to yield to nuclear blackmail that you know there could be escalation, and therefore we should not do anything," Jaishankar said in an interview to Newsweek in Manhattan. The External Affairs Minister's remarks came nearly two months after the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which 26 people were killed. Jaishankar called it an "act of warfare" aimed at destroying tourism in Kashmir, which he said was the mainstay of the economy. He stated that India, after the Pahalgam attack, decided that it could not allow terrorists to function with impunity. Asked about India's message to global powers and international institutions on cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan, he said, "This morning, I was at an exhibition on terrorism at the United Nations, and this was something which our embassy, our mission to the UN, had organised and the reason we did that, we had a number of ambassadors from other countries who were there as well is because we believe that terrorism is actually a threat to everybody, that no country should use it as an instrument to further its policies because at the end of the day it comes back to bite everyone." "If we take the view that one terrorist act or one terrorist organization or one sponsor of terrorism is justified here or you give them a free pass or you underplay it, it can easily happen, in fact, it does happen in other situations. The message to the world has to be that there should be zero tolerance for terrorism, that there should be no circumstances, no excuse, no justification, under which you would allow, support, finance, sponsor terrorist acts." "Now in our particular case, we've unfortunately had an experience of this. The experience has been very very intense for the last four decades but actually started from the time of our independence. If you see within a few months of our independence, terrorists were sent into Kashmir again with this idea that they are proxies and they are tribal invaders and then soon enough the Pakistani army followed," Jaishankar said. "We have battled terrorism really intensively for the last four decades and and we've had some horrific cases. Everybody would remember the Mumbai attack and where really a major global metropolis was for a few days really sort of brought to a standstill with attacks on a scale which could not be contemplated and with particularly targeted foreigners especially of this country. And we've had an attack on our parliament, our parliament meeting in session, with the intent of taking lawmakers and the people governing India hostage at that time. That it was foiled was a different matter but do look at the dangerous intent and the risks inherent in this," the External Affairs Minister said. He said, "We have had a string of these attacks and we've now reached a point, and I think in many ways the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22nd, this sentiment in India that look enough is enough that we are because you know the Pahalgam was meant, I mean it was an act of economic warfare. It was meant to destroy tourism in Kashmir which was the mainstay of the economy. It was also meant to provoke religious violence because people were asked to identify their faith before they were killed. We decided that we cannot let terrorists function with impunity, the idea that they're on that side of the border and that therefore sort of prevents retribution, I think is a proposition that needs to be challenged and that is what we did." "So, now bear in mind these are not people you know who operate in secret, I mean these are terrorist organizations who have the equivalent of the corporate headquarters in the populated towns of Pakistan everybody knows what what is the headquarters of organization A and organization B and those are actually the buildings, the headquarters that we destroyed," he told Newsweek. Emphasising India's stance on dealing with terrorism, Jaishankar said, "We are very clear, there will be no impunity for terrorists that we will not deal with them any longer as proxies and spare the government which supports and finances and in many ways motivates them." Jaishankar emphasized that India will not be deterred by the threat of nuclear weapons when it comes to responding to cross-border attacks. "We will not allow nuclear blackmail to prevent us from responding because we've also heard this for too long that you know you are both nuclear countries therefore the other guy will come and do horrible things but you mustn't do anything because it gets the world worried. Now we're not going to fall for that you know if he's going to come and do things we are going to go there and also you know hit the people who did this. So, no yielding to nuclear blackmail, no impunity to terrorists, no more free pass that they are proxies and we will do what we have to do to defend our people," Jaishankar said. On April 22, terrorists attacked tourists at the Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam and killed 25 Indian nationals and one from Nepal, leaving several others injured. In response to the Pahalgam attack, the Indian Armed Forces carried out targeted strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. On April 24, India also announced a series of measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the shutdown of the only operational land border crossing at Attari and the downgrading of diplomatic ties. (ANI) Danish Ambassador to India, Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, on Thursday reiterated Denmark's strong push for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union, describing it as a "win-win" opportunity for both sides. Speaking to ANI, the Ambassador emphasised the importance of concluding the proposed FTA, stating that both India and the EU stand to benefit significantly from greater economic integration. "We will push very hard for the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between India and Denmark. It will be a win-win for both the EU and India. The two economies have so much to offer each other. I remain hopeful, but of course, it requires willingness to compromise on both sides and I feel it's there," Kristensen said. He further noted that bilateral ties between India and Denmark are currently at their strongest, firmly rooted in the Green Strategic Partnership that was launched in 2020. "The India-Denmark relations have never been better. We are solidly grounded in our green strategic partnership. We hope in the years to come to further develop that in depth and broaden the scope to the benefit of both countries," he said. Outlining the future roadmap for cooperation, the Ambassador said that the focus would be on strengthening existing collaborations in clean energy and climate-related sectors, while exploring opportunities in new areas. "The whole idea is to double down on some of the green priorities we already have in the existing partnership and also expand the partnership to new areas to the benefit of both countries. We hope to accomplish that within the next year or so," Kristensen added. The Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark was launched in 2020 and centres around cooperation in renewable energy, environment-friendly technologies, water management, sustainable urban development, and low-carbon growth. Kristensen's remarks come at a time when discussions around an India-EU Free Trade Agreement are gaining momentum, with both sides expressing interest in further expanding cooperation in the coming years. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted India's deepening engagement with the countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA) and underscored key areas of collaboration, including trade and digital payments, during the India-SICA Foreign Minister's Meeting. Speaking at the India-SICA Foreign Minister's Meeting in New York, Jaishankar expressed optimism about the growing interest of Indian companies to invest in SICA economies, especially in agriculture, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and information technology sectors. He noted, "We are very encouraged by the growing interest of Indian companies to invest in SICA countries, in SICA economies, particularly in agriculture, in renewable energy, in pharmaceuticals, and in IT." The Minister underscored India's commitment to fostering closer economic ties with SICA countries and emphasised collaboration in key sectors vital for sustainable growth in the region. A significant part of India's digital transformation has been the success of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a system that has revolutionised cashless transactions. "At the same time, our payments, digital payments interface, called the UPI, we've actually had great success in ensuring a seamless, real-time, and secure method of transferring funds. Today, more than half of the world's cashless payments take place in India because of this," Jaishankar remarked. He further added that UPI, being a low-cost, high-efficiency system, could be adapted to the economies of SICA countries to enhance their payment ecosystems. "We would be very happy to work with SICA partners to see how this digital payments system can be applied to your economies if there is such interest," he said. Over the past decade, India's relations with SICA countries have seen a marked improvement, and Jaishankar acknowledged this growing cooperation. "Over the past decade, India's engagement with SICA has deepened significantly. We have had high-level visits that demonstrate a commitment to closer ties with Central America," he said. While acknowledging the challenges of the current geopolitical and economic climate, Jaishankar expressed his desire to visit the region in the near future. He mentioned, "I have myself been to Panama and the Dominican Republic. I intended to visit the region this year. Unfortunately, a lot of our attention has gone to trade-related concerns, which are understandable in the current situation. But I certainly look forward to doing so next year." He also referred to the visits of his deputy, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, to multiple SICA countries, including the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, and Nicaragua, reflecting India's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties. "But my deputy, Pabitra Margherita, has visited the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, and Nicaragua in the last two years...I will be coming to you, too. These reflect our growing partnership and our commitment to advancing cooperation across multiple domains," he said. Futher, Jaishnkar highlighted that India views SICA as a key partner in the context of South-South cooperation, an approach that recognises the shared challenges faced by countries in the Global South. Jaishankar pointed out, "India regards SICA as a key partner in the framework of South-South cooperation. Our countries face similar challenges of development, poverty alleviation, and climate change, and we can address these more effectively if we address them together." He described the meeting as an "opportunity to exchange perspectives on development." "Today's meeting gives us an opportunity to exchange perspectives on our development, on our view of the world and on the possibility of cooperation between us," he affirmed. The minister also referred to the Mechanism for Political Dialogue and Cooperation, established in 2023, which reinforced the mutual desire to deepen collaboration. "At our last meeting of the Mechanism for Political Dialogue and Cooperation, which was held in Panama City in April 2023, we reaffirmed the value of our partnership and agreed on the need to deepen cooperation," Jaishankar said. https://x.com/drsjaishankar/status/1971274247042732342?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw On the sidelines of the India-SICA Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Jaishankar met with Panama's Foreign Minister, Javier Martinez-Acha "Good to meet FM @javierachapmaof Panama on the sidelines of the India-SICA FMM. Discussed our bilateral ties and cooperation in multilateral fora," Jaishankar wrote on X. https://x.com/drsjaishankar/status/1971272957201654039?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw Sharing another post, Jaishankar wrote, "Delighted to co-host the India-SICA Foreign Minister's Meeting along with FM @javierachapma of Panama in New York today." "SICA is a key partner in our framework of South-South cooperation. Building on the momentum of the 2023 dialogue in Panama City, we look forward to advancing collaboration in digital transformation, renewable energy, food and health security and climate action," the post added. He also engaged with several foreign officials, including Guatemala's Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez, Costa Rica's Foreign Minister Arnoldo Andre Tinoco, Australia's Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong, Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, and Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1971287266640507330 Earlier, Jaishankar also spoke at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting hosted by South Africa on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80). He stressed the responsibility of G20 members to strengthen global stability through dialogue, diplomacy, and combating terrorism, alongside enhancing energy and economic security. "Highlighted that in a politically & economically volatile international situation, G20 members have a particular responsibility to strengthen its stability and give it a more positive direction," Jaishankar wrote on X. "Can be best done by: undertaking dialogue and diplomacy, firmly combating terrorism and appreciating the need for stronger energy and economic security," the post added. (ANI) US President Donald Trump highlighted the upcoming visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a Field Marshal to the White House, both of whom he described as "great leaders." Speaking with the reporters at the Oval Office, Trump said, "We have a great leader coming, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Field Marshal. Field Marshal is a very great guy, and so is the Prime Minister, both, and they're coming, and they may be in this room right now." According to the White House's public schedule, Trump is set to engage in a closed-door session with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Oval Office. Sharif will arrive in Washington after attending the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York. On September 23, Sharif also had an informal exchange with Trump following a meeting between the US President and leaders of eight Islamic-Arab countries, which also included Pakistan. "Informal exchange followed the dialogue between President Trump and leaders of eight Islamic-Arab countries, including Pakistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar joined President Donald Trump in the discussion," the Pakistan Foreign Minister stated in a post on X. During the interaction, Trump also expressed strong dissatisfaction with Russia's actions under President Vladimir Putin, especially regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. "I'm very dissatisfied with what Russia is doing and what President Putin is doing. I haven't liked it at all. He's killing people for no reason whatsoever, and they are doing very poorly, considering they have put it all on the line," Trump said, referring to the situation in Ukraine. He further criticised Russia's military strategy and economic condition, stating, "Their economy is going to hell. They're bombing the hell out of everything, and they're picking up very little territory, if any. In fact, they're losing some." Trump added that Russia's prolonged involvement in the conflict had tarnished its global reputation. "I think it's been very bad for the reputation of Russia. This war should have been over. If this were our war, we would have had it over in one, and they're getting into their 4th year," he said. Trump expressed disappointment in Putin's leadership, saying, "So now I'm very disappointed in President Putin." (ANI) OSAKA, Sep 25 (News On Japan) - Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Prince and Princess Akishino, began his visit to the Osaka-Kansai Expo on September 24th, marking his first solo official public engagement. After arriving in Osaka, he toured the Japan Pavilion, where he listened to an explanation of microbially degradable plastic. Showing strong interest, he asked, "What happens to it in the end as it breaks down?" He later remarked, "I feel I have been shown how Japans technological capabilities will shape the future." Hisahito also stopped by the Belgian Pavilion during his tour. Having recently reached adulthood, this marks the first time he has undertaken a regional engagement on his own. On September 25th, he is scheduled to join Prince Akishino, who serves as Honorary President of the Expo, to tour the venue together as father and son. Source: BIZ The guitar Liam Gallagher destroyed on the night Oasis split up is going up for sale. Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 Guitar destroyed by Liam Gallagher goes up for auction Noel Gallaghers 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 guitar which frontman Liam wielded during a backstage bust-up between the siblings at their final concert in Paris in 2009 before their 15-year estrangement is expected to fetch between 250,000 and 500,000 ($330,000$660,000) as part of Propstore's Music Memorabilia Auction. Taking place in London on October 23 and 24, the sale also includes the Takamine FP460SC acoustic guitar which was used to record Britpop classic Wonderwall. It has a pre-sale estimate of 200,000 to 400,000 ($264,000 - $528,000). Zak Starkey, former drummer for Oasis, commented: I'm extremely proud of my work with Oasis and being able to give fans the opportunity to purchase genuine memorabilia in Propstore's music auction is a way of them being able to share the journey and power Mantra Of The Cosmos into new and unknown universes! In celebration of the Supersonic band's Live '25 reunion tour, more than 100 other Oasis items will also go under the hammer. A pair of John Lennons tinted prescription glasses worn during his Lost Weekend in Los Angeles, an 18-month period between 1973 and 1975 which saw him separate from his wife Yoko Ono, party hard and record three albums are also set to hit the auction block with a pre-sale estimate of 150,000300,000 ($198,000$396,000). Items previously owned by Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, David Bowie and more are also part of the massive sale. Mark Hochman, Propstores Music Specialist, commented: Propstores auction is a celebration of music history, with guitars that shaped the sound of a generation, handwritten lyrics that capture the first spark of legendary songs, and personal items that offer a glimpse into the lives of the worlds greatest music artists. From John Lennons unmistakable glasses to Noel Gallaghers iconic guitars, these are not just collectables; theyre cultural touchstones that have inspired millions. The Oasis online auction is a particular highlight, perfectly timed with the bands return to the stage, and offering fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own a tangible piece of their enduring story. The two-day Music Memorabilia Auction will begin at 7am PDT / 3pm BST each day. The first day of the auction features in-room bidding open to the public at The Cumberland Hotel on October 23. The second day, on October 24, will be an online-only Oasis celebration. Global online, absentee, and telephone bids will be accepted throughout the event. Registration is now open, and the full catalogue is available to view and bid on at https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/460. TOKYO, Sep 25 (News On Japan) - Japan counts only eight unicorns -- unlisted startups valued at over 150 billion yen -- compared with 690 in the United States, and has yet to produce a single 'hectocorn,' the term for companies worth more than 100 billion dollars such as ByteDances TikTok, OpenAI, or SpaceX. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will revise its investment contract guidelines by the end of September to allow mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as an explicit exit option alongside initial public offerings (IPOs). Traditionally, Japanese venture capital firms have required startups to pursue IPOs as their primary path, which has shaped the countrys startup ecosystem. Akiyo Iriyama, a professor at Waseda University specializing in corporate strategy, explained that while startups worldwide generally exit through either IPOs or M&A, Japan has long relied almost exclusively on IPOs. In contrast, more than 90 percent of US startups are acquired through M&A, with IPOs accounting for less than 10 percent. The result, Iriyama noted, is that Japanese startups often go public at much smaller valuationssometimes as low as a few billion yen in market capitalizationlong before reaching unicorn scale. This explains in part why Japan has so few unicorns compared with the US, where startups often raise multiple funding rounds and delay IPOs until valuations reach 1 trillion yen or more. One structural reason is the ease of listing in Japan. The Tokyo Stock Exchange has historically maintained lenient conditions, enabling relatively young startups with modest valuations to go public. While this system has provided early returns to founders and investors, it has also led to the phenomenon known as IPO goalstartups going public early and then stalling in growth. Many founders, after securing wealth through IPOs, lose incentive to aggressively scale their companies. The upcoming guideline revision is designed to shift this dynamic by encouraging M&A as a viable alternative. Iriyama stressed that while IPOs are not inherently negativehaving produced visible role models for aspiring entrepreneursJapan needs more pathways to sustain growth beyond early listing. If listing requirements remain too easy, startups stop growing at an early stage, he said, arguing for stricter standards and more diversified exit strategies. Another factor is funding scale. Japanese venture capital tends to offer smaller amounts with shorter investment horizons, often pushing startups to list quickly. By contrast, in the US startups may raise round after round, sometimes even through Series H, without listing. To compete globally, Japanese startups require not only longer-term domestic capital but also greater inflows of overseas investment. Iriyama expressed cautious optimism, noting that foreign venture capital funds have previously invested in Japan at a much larger scale, often with one extra zero compared with domestic firms. Such capital could enable the growth of deep-tech companies requiring years of development. However, he also warned that overseas funds can be quick to pull back when markets turn. Foreign investors can bring in large amounts of capital, but their exit can be just as fast, he said, recalling a period when international funds rapidly withdrew from Japan. As the government pushes reforms and venture capital practices evolve, the central question remains whether Japan can foster startups that not only go public but also scale into the kind of global giants increasingly defining the modern economy. Source: BIZ HOKKAIDO, Sep 26 (News On Japan) - A 10-vehicle collision on Route 36 in Eniwa, Hokkaido, on Thursday morning left two people injured and set off a dramatic police pursuit, as the driver suspected of causing the crash abandoned his car and fled on foot before being arrested several kilometers away. Police identified the suspect as Tomohiro Imakita, a 33-year-old part-time worker from Eniwa City, who allegedly caused the chain collision by recklessly driving and crashing into multiple cars near the roadside rest area Hana Road Eniwa. After abandoning his car, Imakita fled on foot, escaping about three kilometers from the crash site before entering a factory premises. Security camera footage later captured Imakita running through the factory grounds with several officers in pursuit. About 30 seconds after being cornered, he was subdued and arrested on the spot for trespassing. Police suspect he was responsible for initiating the accident by driving erratically. The pursuit and arrest took place roughly two and a half hours after the collision, with footage showing officers finally tackling the suspect from behind. Investigators said Imakita has remained silent during questioning. Source: TBS Moroccos exports to the European Union are unlikely to face significant disruption in the short term following the implementation of the EUs Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), according to the countrys Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE). The CBAM, which comes into force on January 1, 2026, is designed to equalize the carbon cost of imported goods with those produced within the EU, aiming to prevent environmental dumping. Exporters will be required to pay a carbon price equivalent to EU emissions quotas. Speaking at a press conference in Rabat on Wednesday, CESE President Abdelkader Amara said only 3.7% of Moroccos exports to the EU are currently affected, with fertilizers accounting for 2.9%. In the short term, the impact of CBAM remains relatively limited, he said. However, the council warned that a future expansion of the mechanisms scope could threaten the competitiveness of key sectors such as automotive, agriculture, aerospace, and tourism, which are deeply integrated into European value chains. Amara called for proactive measures to turn the challenge into an opportunity for accelerating Moroccos transition to a low-carbon economy. The CESE recommended the creation of a national coordination mechanism for CBAM, involving all relevant institutions, and a dedicated support fund for small and medium-sized exporters. The fund would help finance industrial modernization, decarbonization efforts, and carbon footprint reduction. The council also emphasized the need to train specialists in carbon accounting and certification through universities and vocational programs. Among its priorities, the CESE highlighted the importance of expanding access to competitively priced renewable energy, particularly medium-voltage electricity, to help Moroccan industries lower their carbon emissions and maintain access to European markets. EastEnders star Lacey Turner has loved being reunited with Jake Wood. Lacey Turner has enjoyed working with Jake Wood The 53-year-old actor - who plays Max Branning - has recently returned to the BBC soap, and Lacey has relished the experience of working with Jake once again. Lacey told the BBC: "I love working with Jake, I always have. "Its amazing that you can just pick up where you left off, and its always interesting to watch them both together because theres always something sizzling underneath for both of them. So, you can play so much in little things such as looks. "Its rare to have a story that has that much history, and that is still being played out today, but thats the beauty of shows like EastEnders. "Its lovely that we can pick and choose those little moments." Michelle Ryan has also returned to the soap in recent times, and Lacey has loved working with the 41-year-old actress, who plays Zoe Slater. Lacey said: "I love Zoe and Stacey together. When they were younger, all they did was argue and wind each other up, and that hasnt changed!" Asked about the experience of working with Michelle, Lacey added: "It has just been the best to work with Michelle again. Shes amazing, and I love Zoe and Stacey together." Earlier this month, Jake revealed that his EastEnders comeback triggers "drama and chaos" in Albert Square. The actor said: "I knew that Michelle was coming back really pleased that she was coming back and she wasn't being recast ... iconic character. And I think it's really interesting to have Max in the mix; it makes everything so much more complicated. I do return for a little bit. It's quite soon before my sort of permanent return, and there's lots of drama and chaos to issue." Jake has enjoyed working with Michelle on their storyline. He said: "[The flashback storyline] works really well. You get a lot of exposition, a lot of the explanation of the relationship, so by the time Max turns up proper, there's already an established relationship between the two of them. It's just been a joy." In the evolving architecture of global alliances, the MoroccoIndia relationship stands out as a model of pragmatic diplomacy backed by concrete win-win projects and cooperation notably in the fields of defense, industry, and farming. Once distant players on opposite sides of Cold War-era ideological divides, the two nations have, over the past two decades, forged a dynamic partnership. Historically, relations were strained. In 1985, Indias recognition of the so-called Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (RASD) reflected a geopolitical posture shaped by non-aligned solidarity and Algerian influence. That decision, made under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, froze diplomatic engagement with Morocco for nearly two decades. The thaw began in 2000, when then Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahman El Youssoufi visited New Delhi and successfully lobbied for the withdrawal of Indias recognition of the RASD. This diplomatic breakthrough paved the way for a new chapter, culminating in a strategic partnership signed in 2015 between King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since then, bilateral ties have deepened across multiple sectors. Morocco has become a critical supplier of phosphates to India, which relies heavily on Moroccan fertilizers to sustain its agricultural output. In 2024, India imported nearly $958 million worth of fertilizers from Morocco, making it the largest component of bilateral trade. Overall trade between the two countries reached $2.55 billion in 2025, up from $2.4 billion the previous year. Indian exports to Morocco, ranging from pharmaceuticals and automotive components to textiles and electronics, have grown by more than 100% over the past two years. The partnership is no longer limited to commodities. In September 2025, Indias Defense Minister Rajnath Singh visited Morocco to inaugurate Tata Advanced Systems Maroc (TASM) in Berrechid. This marks the first Indian defense manufacturing facility on the African continent. The plant will produce WhAP 88 armored vehicles, jointly developed by Tata and Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), for Moroccos Royal Armed Forces and regional export markets. This investment signals Indias confidence in Moroccos industrial capabilities and its strategic positioning as a gateway to both Africa and Europe. India now views Morocco as a stable, forward-looking partner in a volatile region. Morocco, in turn, sees India as a source of innovation, investment, and strategic diversification. This convergence reflects a shared commitment to South-South cooperation, industrial sovereignty, and geopolitical balance. Morocco will host the first Conference on Victims of Terrorism in Africa in December 2-3, 2025. The announcement was made by Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita during the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism held in New York on the sidelines of UN General Assembly. The Rabat conference will be organized in coordination with UN Office on Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT). It seeks to raise awareness of the international community on the situation of African victims and the need to support their rehabilitation and recovery from psychological trauma. If African victims of terrorism are provided the necessary psychological and financial support, they can become powerful voices against radicalization and extremism, said Mr. Bourita. He voiced Moroccos commitment to promoting the rights and protecting victims of terrorism in Africa which accounts for nearly 60% of the worlds victims. The minister praised the efforts of the Friends of Victims of Terrorism Group which has contributed to advancing the international agenda for victims and strengthening the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Africa is the continent which suffers most from terrorism, said the minister, stressing the need for institutionalized mechanisms tailored to African continent to address efficiently the needs of victims of terrorism and their communities. Most victims of terrorism are innocent citizens who find themselves at the wrong place and at the wrong time, randomly targeted in brutal attacks. The lives of survivors, and those of their families, can be irrevocably changed. Many victims take years to recover physically from their injuries or come to terms with their losses. Without help, the trauma can be a lifelong sentence. Victims of terrorism often require long-term, multi-dimensional support, including physical, psychological, and social assistance, to recover and reintegrate into society. British fintech giant Revolut is in advanced negotiations with Bank Al-Maghrib as it seeks to establish a strategic foothold in Morocco, potentially positioning the country as its continental base for expansion across Africa. Speaking to reporters, governor of Moroccos central bank Abdellatif Jouahri said the institution held technical meetings with Revoluts representatives in June and August. Revoluts executive leadership is expected to travel to Rabat in October to formally present its operational blueprint to the Moroccan central bank, he said. The move signals the companys growing interest in the region and its ambition to tap into underserved markets. Medias24 reported earlier that Revolut has already begun laying the groundwork for its Moroccan entry, including the appointment of Amine Berrada, a former executive at Uber, the World Bank, and Bpifrance, as its Country Head. The Moroccan central bank has made it clear that any licensing approval will be contingent on strict regulatory criteria. The central bank is expected to assess Revoluts proposal based on its industrial viability, contribution to the national economy, international experience, and alignment with Moroccos financial stability objectives. Revolut, currently valued at $65 billion, aims to address gaps in Moroccos banking infrastructure and offer innovative financial solutions tailored to local consumer needs. Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita met on Wednesday in New York with his peers from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad on the Royal initiative offering Atlantic access to these African landlocked countries. During this follow-up meeting, convened on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, the four African diplomats said the Royal initiative enjoys strong regional, continental and international support. They also voiced their determination to start carrying out the priority projects recommended by the national task force of participating countries. The North African Kingdom is pushing forward this strategic keystone project to transform the economies of the Sahel region, speed up regional integration and generate shared growth, stability and progress. Morocco has already built a road to connect the country to those of the Sahel. It is accelerating the construction of the Dakhla Atlantic port, $1,26 billion logistic hub, to enable Sahel countries to export raw materials, mineralsand import goods, machinery, equipment The Atlantic Port of Dakhla is designed to connect Africa to the rest of the world and revolutionize global supply chains by 2028. Moroccos Tanger Med port is gaining prominence as a key transshipment hub linking Asia, Europe, and Africa, as global trade routes shift under the pressure of geopolitical tensions, energy transition, and rising protectionism. The ports operational efficiency and growing connectivity are positioning the Kingdom as a strategic logistics pivot at the crossroads of continents, according to the latest Review of Maritime Transport by UN agency UNCTAD. Disruptions caused by the Red Sea conflict, pandemic aftershocks, and decarbonization efforts have lengthened shipping routes, increased costs, and reshaped global supply chains. In this context, Africas maritime connectivity has grown by 10% between June 2024 and June 2025, with Morocco emerging as a standout performer. Tanger Med, ranked 5th globally in 2024 with a CPPI score of 135.8, leads the continent in port performance and continues to attract rerouted traffic from Asia and Europe, particularly via the Cape of Good Hope. The conflict in the Red Sea has extended shipping distances and increased ton-mile volumes by 6.1% in 2024, compared to a 2.2% rise in physical cargo volume. This shift benefits strategically located African ports like Tanger Med, which is capturing a growing share of transshipment traffic and reinforcing its role as a major logistics hub. Tanger Meds success is underpinned by sustained investment in infrastructure, digitalization, and integrated logistics zones. The port has implemented advanced customs coordination and digital single-window systems, which the World Bank identifies as key drivers of competitiveness in developing economies. However, Morocco faces new challenges as the maritime sector moves toward decarbonization. UNCTAD warns that only 8% of the global fleet currently uses alternative fuels. To remain competitive, Tanger Med will need to invest in LNG and hydrogen refueling infrastructure and promote a just transition for port workers, including greater inclusion of women, who currently represent less than 2% of handling staff. Other emerging ports such as Dakar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mersin, Port Said, and Posorja are also improving performance through automation, international partnerships, and 24/7 operations. Both UNCTAD and the World Bank stress the urgency of accelerating digital and green transitions while ensuring equitable outcomes. Heavy clashes broke out on Wednesday, September 24, in the western Libyan city of Zawiya, about 60 km west of Tripoli, between factions affiliated with the Government of National Unity (GNU). According to the Libyan News Agency, fighting erupted after the Interior Ministrys Security Threats Apparatus arrested members of the Al-Kaboutat armed group, which is linked to the Defense Ministry. The violence left at least one member of the Petroleum Facilities Guard dead and quickly spread into residential areas near the citys oil refinery, with videos on social media showing medium and heavy weapons being used. Reinforcements were deployed to main roads, including the coastal highway, which was blocked with sand barriers. The Zawiya Oil Refining Company voiced deep concern over the clashes, warning of serious threats to lives and infrastructure, and urged an immediate ceasefire. In response to the escalating violence, the citys Education Directorate suspended classes in all schools, while local authorities advised residents to remain indoors. The incident comes after a week of armed confrontations in Janzour and Sorman, underscoring the persistent instability in western Libya amid the countrys ongoing political deadlock between the Tripoli-based GNU and the eastern administration supported by Khalifa Haftars Libyan National Army. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced that, following Washingtons recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over its Sahara, the US government has decided to encourage American investment in the Southern Provinces of the Kingdom. The United States has recognized Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara, and as part of the Trump administrations global initiatives to promote economic and commercial diplomacy, we are pleased to announce that we will encourage American companies wishing to invest in this region of Morocco, Landau said in a statement to the press following a meeting on Wednesday in New York with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita. The US official also said he discussed with Bourita the excellent and long-standing ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America, emphasizing the US administrations willingness to work together with Morocco to promote prosperity, peace, and stability in the region. The integration of AI, along with advancements in drilling technologies, is unlocking broader potential for geothermal energy, which is gaining significant investment and bipartisan support due to its ability to provide 24/7 carbon-free power. Artificial Intelligence integration could seriously accelerate the arrival of a tipping point for commercial-scale geothermal energy development across the United States. While geothermal energy is abundantly available deep under our feet, finding optimal places to drill for it is no easy task. But AI could dramatically change the exploration and discovery process to make geothermal development quicker, cheaper, and more efficient. To grow as a national solution, geothermal must overcome significant technical and non-technical barriers in order to reduce cost and risk, reads a 2019 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report on geothermal resources development. The subsurface exploration required for geothermal energy is foremost among these barriers, given the expense, complexity, and risk of such activities. A Utah-based startup called Zanskar energy is currently piloting a novel AI-integrated model to overcome these barriers. The company has demonstrated repeated success in finding commercially viable locations for geothermal energy production. The first of these projects, the Lightning Dock facility in New Mexico, has proven to be the most productive pumped geothermal well in the U.S. according to Zanskars own estimation. And now, the company has announced a second deep geothermal site discovery at northern Nevadas Pumpernickel site. Our vertically-integrated, AI-native approach to geothermal development is delivering the speed to discovery and speed to development necessary to meet the new paradigm of rapid energy demand growth, Zanskar co-founder and CEO Carl Hoiland was quoted by Clean Technica. These latest deep drilling results only further confirm what weve known all along: conventional geothermal resources are far more abundant and bigger than previously believed, and are the lowest-cost route to delivering gigawatts of reliable, carbon-free, baseload power at scale. Geothermal has emerged as a promising clean energy technology that can provide 24/7 power production, unlike variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. This means that it could help to shore up energy security in an era that energy demand growth is outpacing clean energy expansion. And while geothermal has historically provided just a tiny fraction of the worlds clean energy, that could all change very quickly thanks to rapid advancements in technology. In addition to advances in exploration and modelling thanks to AI integration and other advancements, enhanced drilling technologies have unlocked much broader potential to tap into geothermal energy from almost anywhere in the world. Heat from the Earths core is theoretically accessible from anywhere, provided you can dig deep enough. And enhanced geothermal systems are finding ways to dig down deeper than ever, thanks to innovations built on technology borrowed from the oil and gas sector and even nuclear fusion. While AI is helping to revolutionize geothermal energy, its also a huge part of the reason that geothermal is gaining so much interest to begin with. While the spread of artificial intelligence ratchets up global energy demand growth projections, private and public investors are increasingly adopting an all-of-the-above approach to energy production. And in the United States, geothermal is one of the rare clean energies that has broad bipartisan support. As such, the sector is one of many cashing in on the artificial intelligence-driven power boom according to Bloomberg. If geothermal energy continues to break technological barriers while enjoying a supportive policy environment, the potential for the sector is considerable. A report released earlier this year by New York-based research firm the Rhodium Group estimates that geothermal could economically meet up to 64% of expected demand growth by the early 2030s. This marks a remarkable rate of expansion currently, geothermal energy makes up just 0.4% of the United States energy mix. However, advances in geothermal technology and policy have majorly outpaced talent generation, presenting a considerable speed bump for development. The sector is already facing a critical workforce shortage that will be greatly exacerbated by the industrys rapid projected growth. But as the sector becomes a more visible and viable employer, hopefully the next generation of engineers and geologists will start catching on. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Dianne Buswell has hit back at a troll who criticised her for taking part in Strictly Come Dancing while pregnant. Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Dianne Buswell The 36-year-old star and her 34-year-old boyfriend, YouTuber Joe Sugg, took to Instagram on September 14 to announce that they are expecting a baby boy, but she did not reveal how advanced her pregnancy is. And on September 20, during the Strictly Come Dancing launch show, it was revealed that professional dancer Dianne is paired with Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis, 66, on the hit BBC Latin and ballroom dance programme - meaning she could potentially be on the show until its finale on December 20. Now, two days before the first live show of the series on Saturday (27.09.25) night, one viewer has already commented how "uncomfortable" they feel about the professional dancer taking part in the show, whilst expecting. Dianne screenshotted the comment and posted it on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday (24.09.25). The troll wrote: "I don't want to see her dance being pregnant, it's already feeling uncomfortable, and she's only starting to show. "It's really not appropriate." Dianne did not hold back in shutting down the troll. Writing over the screenshotted comment from the troll, Dianne penned: "I can't believe in 2025 things like this are still being said." And one of Dianne's fans jumped to her defence on their Instagram Story. Writing over a repost of the professional dancer's Instagram Story, they said: "Saw @diannebuswell's story and just had to say something. "Her dancing pregnant in Strictly this year is nothing short of beautiful and magical. "Women's bodies are INCREDIBLE and I don't actually think some people realise that. "This will show all of those people who believe this weird, twisted notion that women should hide away when they're carrying a baby that women are capable of so much more and can do anything. (sic)" The fan continued: "You're inspirational and incredible. "We as a family cannot wait to watch you doing what you love and were born to do again every weekend. "And we will be cheering you on as always beautiful (sic)." Earlier this week, it was reported that Strictly Come Dancing's producers have plans in place for a replacement professional dancer if Dianne has to quit the competition due to her pregnancy. A TV insider told The Sun newspaper: "Everyone at Strictly is absolutely thrilled by Dianne and Joes news, particularly as they met and were seen falling in love during the course of the show in 2018. "This is being thought of as the first Strictly baby because never before has a professional knowingly been pregnant while dancing on the contest. "Producers have plans in place, and there are several pros who could easily step in and take over at a moments notice, because the show must go on. "On Saturday nights show, her bump was already very noticeable, though it certainly didnt seem to hold her back physically, most notably when she was lifted high on the shoulders of fellow pro Kai Widdrington as she held up the Glitterball. "The BBCs primary concern is the health and wellbeing of Dianne, and they fully intend to support her through the process with regular check-ins from the welfare team." However, the corporation did not comment on the claim. A spokesman for the BBC told the publication: "We do not comment on personal medical matters." Indian officials have warned that simultaneously cutting off oil supplies from Russia, Venezuela, and Iran could lead to a significant hike in international oil prices, a scenario the Trump Administration aims to avoid. Despite US pressure and increased tariffs, India continues to increase its imports of discounted Russian crude, citing national interests and wider price differences. India has proposed to the US Administration that it could decrease its reliance on Russian crude oil if granted permission to purchase oil from Iran and Venezuela. India could significantly reduce imports of Russian crude oil if the United States allows purchases of Iranian and Venezuelan oil, Indian officials have told the U.S. Administration this week, a source familiar with the talks told Bloomberg on Thursday. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India has relied on the discounted Russian crude banned in the West, to reduce its crude import bill. Indian refiners have significantly increased their purchases of Russian crude, making India the second-largest buyer of Russias oil, behind only China. However, the Trump Administration, facing difficult trade negotiations with India and the dragging war in Ukraine, has singled out India as a culprit for buying Russian oil. Indian officials have repeatedly said the country would continue to buy the cheap Russian oil. Officials are now telling the Trump Administrations officials that India could cut crude imports from Russia if the U.S. were to allow flows from Iran and Venezuela. Indian officials have informed U.S. representatives that cutting off all three sanctioned suppliers simultaneously Russia, Venezuela, and Iran could lead to a hike in international oil prices, according to Bloomberg sources with knowledge of the talks. The Trump Administration has been signaling since January it doesnt want to see a spike in oil prices, which would lead to a hike in gasoline prices for American consumers. Meanwhile, despite the doubled U.S. tariff on imports of Indian goods, due to the Indian imports of Russian crude, Indian refiners are set to raise their imports from Russia by between 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) and 300,000 bpd in September, or up by 10-20% compared to August volumes, according to traders and analysts. The discount of Russias flagship Urals crude blend for Indian buyers has widened to between $3 and $4 per barrel amid continued pressure from the United States on India to force it to stop buying Russian crude. India continues to buy Russian crude, also incentivized by the wider discounts compared to the minimal discounts in June and July. India will keep buying crude from Russia as it looks to cater to its interests, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said early this month as India dismissed U.S. criticism that it is profiteering from importing Russian crude. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Ship-tracking data reveals tankers signaling calls at an Indonesian port near Singapore before discharging in China, with some cargoes previously taking on Iranian oil from sanctioned vessels. Chinese customs data shows 2.7 million tons of crude from Indonesia arrived in August, a significant increase given Indonesia has been a net oil importer for over two decades. China has seen a sharp increase in crude imports from Indonesia, indicating new methods to access Iranian oil despite US sanctions. China has logged a sharp increase in crude imports from Indonesia in recent months, suggesting Beijing has found "new workarounds" to access Iranian oil despite U.S. sanctions, Bloomberg reports. Chinese customs data show 2.7 million tons of crude from Indonesia - roughly 630,000 barrels a day - arrived in August. That followed a tripling of flows in July compared with the previous month. The volumes are unusually high given Indonesia has been a net oil importer for more than two decades. Last year the country pumped about 580,000 barrels a day, most of it consumed domestically, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Local demand runs near 1.7 million barrels a day.?? China has a new conduit for its purchases of Iranian oil. "Indonesia" is the new "Malaysia." Last month, China bought 2.7 million tons (~630,000 b/d) of crude oil branded as "Indonesian" -- well above the Asian nation own production. ???? Link: https://t.co/pAv740Ry7X #OOTT pic.twitter.com/5sw7NAUAch Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) September 24, 2025 China is the worlds largest buyer of Iranian crude, which remains a vital revenue source for Tehran and offers Beijing discounted supplies. Officially, however, Beijing has reported no imports from Iran since mid-2022. Instead, Chinese customs data show purchases from Malaysia regularly exceed that countrys output. The waters off Malaysias eastern coast have become a common staging ground for ship-to-ship transfers, with cargoes rebranded before being shipped on to Chinese ports. Yet over the past two months, Chinas reported purchases from Malaysia dropped by more than 30%, while inflows from Indonesia surged. This is just part of a continuing evolution of the operators tactics, hiding what theyre doing, said Charlie Brown, a senior adviser at United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S.-based advocacy group. Theyre still doing ship-to-ship transfers in the same area off Malaysia; the basic trade pattern remains the same. Ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg point to several tankers - including the Aquaris, the Yuhan, the Pola and the Pix - signaling calls at Kabil, a port on Indonesias Batam Island near Singapore, before discharging in China. Kabil isnt linked to any crude-export facilities and lies close to Johor waters in Malaysia, a hub for maritime transfers. Chinese customs records list buyers registered in Hebei, Liaoning, Shandong and Jiangsu as importers of the Indonesian crude. Inquiries sent to Indonesias energy ministry, state-oil company PT Pertamina and Kabil port went unanswered. Local statistics show 1.3 million tons of crude petroleum shipped abroad through July, far short of the volumes reflected in Chinas August data. Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs also didnt respond to a request for comment. Among the vessels, the Aquaris signaled Kabil in May, then switched its destination to Johor waters. There, it took on Iranian cargoes from the Sorion, a tanker sanctioned by the U.S. and U.K., before discharging in June at Qingdaos Haiye terminal, which itself was sanctioned by the State Department in August. The Aquaris has since completed another such voyage and is currently en route to Kabil again. By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The oil and gas industry is in for a tough year ahead, as it must balance financial discipline, shareholder returns, and long-term investments in the sustainability of the businesswhile navigating a hypothetical glut. The warning comes from Wood Mackenzie, which said in a new report that the industry was faced with conflicting trends over the next year that would make decision-making challenging. Among these is an expectation that the market would tip into an oversupply, pressuring prices, while the demand outlook for oil over the long term brightens up, motivating more investments. Oil and gas companies are caught between competing pressures as they plan for 2026. Near-term price downside risks clash with the need to extend hydrocarbon portfolios into the next decade. Meanwhile, shareholder return of capital and balance sheet discipline will constrain reinvestment rates, Wood Mackenzies senior vice president of corporate research, Tom Ellacott, said. The executive added that investors would also influence decisions, as they continue to prioritize short-term returns over long-term investments. This last part, at least, is not unusual in the current investment environment across industries. It could, however, make life even more difficult for oil and gas companies for a while. Related: Iraq Expects Kurdistan Oil Exports to Restart This Week The glut that Wood Mackenzie analysts expect is the same glut that the International Energy Agency has been expecting for a while now. Yet that very same International Energy Agency earlier this month issued a warning on the longer-term security of global oil supply, saying the industry needed to step up investment in new production because natural depletion at mature fields was progressing faster than previously assumed. Per the report, if the industry has to maintain current levels of oil and gas production, more than 45 million barrels per day of oil and around 2,000 billion cu m of natural gas would be needed in 2050 from new conventional fields. Its worth noting that this is maintenance of current production levels, assuming demand will not rise, which is a risky assumption. Even with projects ramping up and new ones approved for development and not yet in production, a large gap still exists that would need to be filled by new conventional oil and gas projects to maintain production at current levels, although the amounts needed could be reduced if oil and gas demand were to come down, the IEA said. However, demand could just as well increase, heightening the degree of uncertainty in the industry and making long-term planning even more challengingespecially for companies with higher debt-to-equity ratios. Wood Mackenzie expects those with gearing of above 35% would prioritise resilience over long-term growth, while those with better debt positions would turn to divestments and asset acquisitions to improve the quality of their portfolio. Share buybacks will also remain on the oil industrys table as a favorite tool for making shareholders happy, although, Wood Mac notes, these tend to dry up when oil slips below $50 per barrel. Interestingly, the analytics company does not seem to factor into its analysis a scenario where prices might go up instead of down, especially now that President Trump has signaled he would be willing to step up pressure on Russia to bring a swifter end to the war in Ukraine. If prices do rise, for whatever reason, including failure of the massive 3-million-bpd glut that the IEA predicted to materialize, then the immediate outlook for the oil and gas industry becomes differentbut not too different. Companies have already demonstrated they would not return to their old ways of splurging when times were good and tightening belts when times were bad. They would likely stick to spending caution and shareholder return prioritization, regardless of prices. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Small indicators are starting to appear that ongoing confidence-building measures between Armenia and Azerbaijan are having a positive effect on efforts to conclude a lasting peace settlement. An Azerbaijani media outlet, the Report information agency, noted September 22 that Armenian and Azerbaijani judges awarded the highest scores possible to contestants from each others nation during the opening stage of the Silk Road Star vocal competition, which got underway in Kazakhstan on September 20. The mutual gesture may not seem like much, but it is worth remembering that the US rapprochement with Communist China in the early 1970s gained traction with ping-pong diplomacy. On a more substantive level, the chief of Armenias National Security Service, Andranik Simonyan, was in Baku from September 19-21 to attend a security conference and hold talks with his Azerbaijani counterparts. When journalists in Yerevan asked about the visit, Armen Grigoryan, Armenias National Security Council secretary , declined to comment, the Armenia Today outlet reported September 22. Observers in Yerevan believe Simonyan likely raised the issue of 23 Armenian nationals in Azerbaijani custody, whom the Armenian government classifies as prisoners of war who should be released. A provisional peace deal signed by Armenia and Azerbaijan does not cover the issue of the 23 prisoners. The foreign ministers of the two states met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 22, each issuing a similarly worded statement acknowledging that they exchanged ideas on possible further steps to advance the peace agenda and agreed to continue their dialogue. By Eurasianet More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Tajikistan is also trying to strengthen its ties with Turkmenistan and has invited President Berdymukhamedov to visit Dushanbe. Russia is also trying to develop Turkmenistan as a transit hub for delivering goods to South Asia and establish itself as a cultural and educational touchstone for Turkmenistan. Russia is increasing its efforts to build ties with Turkmenistan by sending various high-level delegations and signing agreements on various areas. There is no keeping the Russians away from Turkmenistan at the moment. On January 19, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin traveled to Ashgabat for a two-day visit that culminated in much effusive talk of future cooperation. Ten days after that, it was the turn of the speaker of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, to do the same. Volodin was ostensibly in town on some intra-parliamentary business. Since the Turkmen legislature is an institution of no actual significance, though, this aspect of the agenda was for show. And it wasnt much of a show either. Photo handouts of Volodin addressing the 125-member Mejlis revealed that the chamber was far from full. And many of the seat-warmers were people from the Russian delegation. Moscows real intent with these insistent overtures is to assure Ashgabat of its seriousness in cultivating ties. Russia is reviled by the West, treated with transactional wariness by the likes of China and India, and relied upon as a potentially useful ally only by outcast nations, such as Syria, Iran and North Korea. Turkmenistan looks intent on gaining honorary membership in that last group. In Ashgabat, Volodin spoke with President Serdar Berdymukhamedov about the prospects for building on a joint declaration committing to deepening Russia and Turkmenistans status as strategic partners that was signed during the latters visit to Moscow in June 2022. The strategic partnership arrangement was brought into being in October 2017. There is a Turkmen proverb that states: The finest robe is a new one, the best friend is an old one. We have been through many trials together. And today, relations between Russia and Turkmenistan, which are strategic in nature, are founded on the principles of equality, good-neighborliness and respect," Volodin told reporters. Beyond the flattery, Russia is counting on developing Turkmenistan as a transit hub for delivering goods to South Asia. Mishustin returned home to Moscow having overseen the signing of eight intergovernmental agreements covering such areas as migration control and the coordination of customs administration and phytosanitary standards. The blueprint for all that and more was laid out in the June 2022 declaration. Russia is also intent on becoming a cultural-educational touchstone for Turkmenistan. Volodin impressed on the Turkmen lawmakers who bothered to turn up that around 30,000 Turkmen nationals are studying in Russia. He continued by remarking with approval that the teaching of Russian persists in more than 70 Turkmen schools. In its feverish currying of favor, Moscow has to spread its blandishments more widely these days, now that Turkmenistan boasts an awkward tandem rule. Earlier this month, Berdymukhamedov found himself essentially demoted to co-president when his father, Gurbanguly, the former president, decided to have the Turkmen upper house of parliament scrapped and himself anointed with the bespoke title of National Leader. On January 30, Valentina Matviyenko, the chairwoman of Russias upper house of parliament, wrote to Berdymukhamedov the elder to congratulate him on this coup. Being a wise politician and far-sighted statesman with invaluable experience, you deservedly won the true love and recognition of your people, she gushed. Mishustin wrote a note along similar lines. Perhaps to compensate for Berdymukhamedov the youngers patent humiliation, the Mejlis on January 26 elected to assign him with the military rank of general. He has little legitimate claim to such a lofty post. According to the presidents reported biography, he performed his obligatory two-year military service at his fathers insistence in the early 2000s, but that may well, like much of what the Turkmen propaganda machine churns out, be a lie. Russia isnt Turkmenistans only strategic partner, as Tajikistans president strived to remind everybody on January 27. In a note dispatched to Ashgabat to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between their nations, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon talked up the patterns of mutually beneficial cooperation and invited President Berdymukhamedov (the younger) to visit Dushanbe. There is obviously great hope in these countries, which are now physically separated by some very tricky geography and politics, of one day being drawn closer. Dushanbe-based news outlet Asia-Plus reported on January 12, citing a press release from Tajikistans Transport Ministry, that the South Korean government may, for reasons very difficult to divine, be interested in investing money into financing the Tajik section of a planned Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan, or TAT, railway line. Preliminary estimates put cost of construction of this section at around $128 million, Asia-Plus cited officials as having said. Claims that the Koreans are chomping at the bit to spend their money on this undertaking are almost certainly crude misrepresentations of reality by Tajik officials. Turkmenistans Foreign Ministry announced in June that it had resumed work on installing a small segment of railroad linking their country to Afghanistan. No mention was made of Tajikistan, but that did not stop media in Dushanbe from framing this as the resumption of the TAT project. Uzbekistan too is intent on leaning more heavily on Turkmenistan. This winter it has been relying on its neighbor to the south for gas and electricity supplies. On January 25, state-owned oil and gas company Uzbekneftegaz said it plans this year to buy oil from the Turkmen subsidiary of Malaysian energy company Petronas. No projections have yet been offered as to how much oil Uzbekistan might wish to source in this way. For all that it likes to talk up its commitment to green energy, Turkmenistan has earned itself an unfortunate reputation as a polluter on a colossal scale. Data published by NASA late last year revealed that the country chugs out plumes of more than 50 tons of harmful methane gas every single hour. Scientists at NASAs Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation team put that in alarming context. The Turkmenistan sources together have a similar flow rate to the 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak, which exceeded 110,000 pounds (50,000 kilograms) per hour at times. The Los Angeles-area disaster was among the largest methane releases in U.S. history, they said. The United Nations Environment Program is hopefully trying to get Turkmenistan to clean up its act. In a training session carried out last week, UN experts pointed out that half of Turkmenistan's methane emissions could be reduced at no net cost. And the numbers are simply mind-boggling. The roughly 5 million metric tons of methane emitted by Turkmenistan in 2021 could have been converted into 77 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, the UN experts said. By comparison, over the entirety of 2021, neighboring Afghanistan used 5.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data. The dream is for Turkmenistan to turn this around, but it is not like the Berdymukhamedovs to miss an opportunity. By Eurasianet.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: TotalEnergies Venus project in Namibias Orange Basin is the kind of discovery that makes oil executives eyes light up and governments dream of windfalls. The discovery made in February 2022 was immediately recognized as one of the African continents largest in decades, with an estimated 1.5 billion barrels of light crude at 45 degrees API and 4.8 Tcf of natural gas. Expectations are high: peak output is projected at around 150,000 barrels a day and the field could remain productive for 30-40 years. The ownership structure reflects a mix of global capital and local participation, with TotalEnergies holding 45.25%, QatarEnergy 35.25%, Namibias state oil company Namcor 10%, and UK-based Impact Oil & Gas 9.5%. For Namibia, which had no prior large-scale oil production, Venus represents a massive turning point. By 2030, it could increase the countrys GDP by as much as 20%. Yet the promise of Venus is inseparable from its challenges. The field is situated in ultra-deep water, 3,000 meters below the surface and 300 kilometres from shore. This alone places it among the most technically demanding offshore projects in the world. The associated gas adds another layer of complexity, becoming a major point of disagreement that stalls the negotiation process. Namibia wants Venus gas production to be shipped onshore to boost power generation across the country, whilst TotalEnergies development concept is to reinject the gas into the reservoir to maintain pressure, given the low permeability of rocks. For Windhoek, this is about more than energy it is about securing long-term revenues and establishing a foundation for domestic power generation. For TotalEnergies, it raises costs and risks in a project already on the edge of commercial viability. Related: Russian Refinery Hits Spark Diesel Rush, Funds Load Up TotalEnergies has already adjusted its production profile to reflect Namibian realities. The company initially proposed a more aggressive development strategy with peak output of 200,000 barrels a day, but it has since revised that figure downward to 150,000 b/d. This reassessment is likely tied to the companys broader strategy of prioritizing value over volume, aiming to sustain the production plateau for seven to eight years rather than pursuing rapid early gains (see chart). It also reflects an understanding of the strategic context: following Shells withdrawal, TotalEnergies is effectively the only major operator left in Namibia. Any future infrastructure whether a potential LNG terminal on the coast, pipelines, or other facilities will fall largely on its shoulders. Extending the production lifetime therefore helps ensure that such capital-intensive investments can generate returns over a longer period. This tension defines the negotiations now underway. Namibias new president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has placed the issue directly under her control, creating a petroleum unit in the presidency to oversee talks. The concern is clear: the country does not want to replicate Guyanas experience, where ExxonMobils 1999 production-sharing contract left the government with a royalty rate of just 2%, a deal exemplifying the downsides of nascent oil producers seeking to lure Western majors to develop their prospective resources. Namibia is determined to avoid what it views as an alarming precedent, and TotalEnergies faces a less agreeable counterpart at the negotiating table. CEO Patrick Pouyanne has said that the 2029 target for first oil can only be met if a final investment decision is reached by the end of this year. With negotiations still unresolved, that timetable already looks difficult to achieve. Project economics are another source of debate. TotalEnergies has indicated a breakeven price of $20 per barrel, but this appears more a negotiation tactic than a realistic cost assessment. Comparable deepwater projects mostly trend around $35 per barrel. ExxonMobils operations in Guyana, at water depths of around 1,700 meters, and Petrobras Brazilian pre-salt fields, around 2,000 meters, illustrate this rule. Venus, at water depths surpassing 3,000 meters (and total depth of 6,300 meters) also happens to wield a high gas-to-oil ratio, rendering its development even more difficult. Without precise data on the gas content of Venus productive reservoir, it is difficult to design reinjection and processing capacity, making cost projections uncertain. Analysts warn that if gas proves more abundant than expected, reinjection could reduce net returns significantly. The cautionary example of Shell demonstrates these risks. In early 2025, Shell announced a $400 million write-down on its PEL 39 license offshore Namibia, relinquishing its Jonker, Graff and Enigma prospects. The London-based energy major concluded that poor reservoir quality and high gas content made the finds sub-commercial. Shells exit illustrates that not all discoveries in the Orange Basin can be developed at scale, and Venus, despite its huge promise, is not immune to the same geological and economic constraints. Even so, Namibia is positioning itself as a new energy hub. Beyond oil, the government has advanced a $10 billion green hydrogen project with German investors, due to begin production in 202728. The African nations concurrent pivot into non-fossil energies highlights its strategy of diversification, with Venus as the anchor but not the sole pillar. For TotalEnergies, Venus reflects both the scale and the risks of its African strategy. Africa now accounts for half of the companys operated production and commands the largest share of its exploration budget. Growth targets are centered on LNG and offshore oil in Namibia, Angola, and Gabon. But the Namibian project illustrates the uncertainties that come with frontier exploration. The companys withdrawal from South Africa in 2025, after its offshore license off the Cape coast was rescinded amid political and environmental challenges, demonstrates how fragile (and erratic) operating conditions can be in the region. Geopolitics adds yet another dimension. China has already established itself as Namibias largest foreign investor in uranium mining and is active in renewables and infrastructure. The African Energy Chamber recently opened a Shanghai office to facilitate Chinese participation in energy projects, signaling a deliberate pivot for the entirety of the continent. For TotalEnergies, this introduces a strategic risk: delays and disagreements with respective governments could give competitors a chance to expand their footprint, diluting the French companys long-term position in Africa. Venus therefore, stands as both an extraordinary opportunity and a profound test. On paper, it could deliver considerable growth to TotalEnergies cash flow by 2030 and redefine Namibias economic trajectory. In practice, the project must overcome extreme technical challenges, negotiate fiscal terms that balance investor returns with national expectations, and navigate a shifting geopolitical environment. If agreements on gas, revenues, and infrastructure can be struck soon, Venus could emerge as one of the defining oil projects of the decade. If not, it risks becoming another example of how frontier energy opportunities, no matter how vast, can stall under the weight of cost, politics, and competition. By Natalia Katona for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Canadian energy infrastructure company, TC Energy Corp. (NYSE:TRP), has unveiled plans to invest $8.5 billion over the next five years in U.S. power projects, banking on predictions of a 45 billion cubic feet per day increase in natural gas demand to meet surging power demand. According to TC Energy CEO Francois Poirier, gas-fired generation will power the ongoing AI build-out, adding that his company has a footprint in eight of the ten largest U.S. electric utilities. Its all about energy--and natural gas is going to be the backbone, Poirier said in an interview. Poirier says favorable policies by the Trump administration will make it easier for the company to achieve its lofty goal, saying that time spent on permitting and construction could be cut in half. The energy executive has predicted that U.S. LNG exports will double from the current 12 bcf/d to 24 bcf/d over the next 10 years. Back in May, Poirier reaffirmed TC Energys capital expenditure guidance of $5.5 billion to $6 billion in the current year, and said it remains on track to place assets worth $8.5 billion into service in 2025. TC Energy reported that its projects are tracking ~15% below budget. Related: Dallas Fed Survey Shows Weakened Oil & Gas Activity Outlook TC Energy is not the only organization that has predicted robust growth in U.S. natural gas demand. Last year, Morgan Stanley predicted that the U.S. natural gas market is entering a new growth cycle thanks to the advent of AI data centers, clean energy manufacturing and the cryptocurrencies boom. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) global electricity demand increased by 4.3% in 2024, up from 2.5% growth recorded in 2023. Meanwhile, S&P Global Commodity Insights recently predicted that natural gas will be the only fossil fuel that will increase its share in the energy mix of the United States, China, and India by 2050, even as oil and coal usage decline globally. S&P Global has projected that renewables will supply 20% of global energy by 2050, up from just 4% currently. By 2050, gas shall be the only fossil fuel with a potential increase in the energy mix for the US, China, and India, the report stated. The analysts note that coal-to-gas substitution has been driving the energy transition in the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia while India has been lagging here. Indias energy mix remains heavily skewed towards fossil fuels, with oil and gas accounting for 77% of primary energy use while renewables contribute just 2%. However, S&P Global has predicted that fossil fuels share in Indias energy mix will fall to 66% by 2050, while renewables will rise to 16%. India will mainly use natural gas as a transition fuel during this period, as a more flexible and cleaner alternative to coal. But its not all tailwinds. Some warn that gas-powered generation could soon face significant headwinds due to manufacturing constraints. According to Wood Mackenzie, the gas turbine market could face "turbo lag" from 2025-2040 due to rising costs, manufacturing constraints and competition from renewables. WoodMac notes that global orders of gas turbines jumped 32%Y/Y in 2025, driven by projections for a big load growth from AI. electrification and hydrogen production. However, the global data and analytics provider has warned that rising capital costs coupled with power prices below the cost of new gas generation could alter this trajectory, particularly in the United States. High costs of imported gas are likely to remain the main challenge for Asia despite the regions strong power demand growth, while decarbonization goals will limit growth in Europe. "While power markets will require natural gas-fired power as part of the energy transition through 2040, gas's role will have limits," said David Brown, Director of Energy Transition Research at Wood Mackenzie. "High fuel costs in some regions, rising construction costs, and continued cost declines for renewables and energy storage will constrain gas's growth potential." Nevertheless, WoodMac remains bullish about natural gas power generation, predicting that the global sector will add 890 GW of new gas-fired generation capacity through 2040. The U.S. and China are expected to lead the charge, accounting for a combined 47% of global annual additions while India, Southeast Asia and the EU will account for the rest. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com European leaders said Iran has not done enough yet to fend off so-called snapback sanctions related to Tehran's nuclear program as a deadline looms, although the sides agreed to continue talking while the clock ticks down. On September 24, French President Emmanuel Macron, after meeting with Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian, told Tehran there was still time to reach an agreement despite the tight timeframe. "An agreement remains possible. Only a few hours are left. It's up to Iran to respond to the legitimate conditions we have raised," Macron wrote on X. Among the demands of the West, Marcon said, are full access of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors in Iran; transparency regarding enriched material stockpiles; and immediate resumption of negotiations. For his part, Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly that Iran will never seek to build a nuclear bomb. A day earlier, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said after meeting with Iran's foreign minister that "diplomacy has a chance. The deadlines are running, and let's see. We need to see some real action also on the Iranian side." A day before Macron's meeting with Pezeshkian, the foreign ministers of France, Britain, and Germany -- known as the European 3 (E3) -- along with Kallas held talks with their Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that "it must be clear to everyone that, after all of Iran's delaying tactics, the possibilities and chances of reaching a diplomatic solution before sanctions are triggered are extremely slim." After the September 23 session, a French diplomatic source told Reuters that talks will continue to "explore all possibilities to the fullest" to avoid the reimposition of UN sanctions. Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "In light of the unjustified and illegal move to begin reinstating the UN Security Councils sanctions, some ideas and proposals for continuing diplomacy were raised during the meeting, and it was agreed that consultations will continue." The E3 on August 28 initiated a 30-day process to reimpose the sanctions, a period that would end on September 27. The European nations accuse Iran of failing to abide by a landmark 2015 deal the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- with world powers aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon in return for an easing of sanctions. Iran started to roll back its commitments after President Donald Trump, in his first term, withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions against Tehran. Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency in July in response to the US and Israeli bombing of its key nuclear sites in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. One of the conditions that the E3 had set to delay the process was for Tehran to resume full cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog before the end of August. The sanctions related to the nuclear deal and other issues have severely damaged the Iranian economy and often led to street unrest amid rising prices and shortages of crucial goods and energy supplies. They have also stymied Iranian industry as important sectors have been cut off from replacement parts and other resources. UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told Reuters there were "intense" conversations between him, Iran, European powers, and the United States in an effort to reach a settlement. Tehran has remained defiant in the face of Western pressure concerning its nuclear program and uranium enrichment procedures. Steve Witkoff, Trump's special roving envoy who had previously negotiated with Tehran, on September 24 said he was still in touch with Iran, signaling a possible easing of tensions. "I think that we have no desire to hurt [the Iranians]. We have a desire, however, to either realize a permanent solution and negotiate around snapbacks...[or] then snapbacks will be what they are. They're the right medicine," Witkoff said. "We're talking to them. And why wouldn't we? We talk to everybody. As well we should. That's the job. Our job is to solve things, he told a conference in New York. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected possible negotiations with Washington on the issue while being threatened by the West. "Under the current circumstances, negotiations with the US government are of no benefit to our national interest," the cleric said in a speech broadcast by Iranian state TV on September 23. Khamenei accused Trump of not wanting to hold genuine talks, pointing to the US demand that Tehran completely cease uranium enrichment or limit the range of its missiles. "This is not a negotiation, this is a dictate," Khamenei said. However, Reuters quoted an unidentified "Iranian insider" as saying that "several messages have been conveyed to Washington for resumption of talks via mediators in the past weeks, but Americans have not responded." Pezeshkian -- considered to be a moderate by many observers but with limited powers -- on September 23 said he favors dialogue in international relations. "But you cannot negotiate with someone who wants to demonstrate power, tyrannize, destroy, and cause harm," he added, without mentioning names. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Two detainees were killed and another critically injured after a sniper opened fire on a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas on Wednesday. The suspected gunman, positioned on a rooftop near the compound, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as federal agents closed in, according to law enforcement sources. The incident unfolded early Wednesday at the ICE field office located at 8101 North Stemmons Freeway, prompting a massive emergency response and temporary closure of northbound lanes on Interstate 35E. A Targeted Attack from Above Police sources confirmed that the shooter was armed with a rifle and had stationed himself on a rooftop adjacent to the ICE facility. It remains unclear whether the building was connected to legal offices or other commercial tenants. Authorities are investigating whether the sniper had a direct line of sight into the ICE compound or targeted individuals at random. According to Fox 4 News, three people were shot during the attack, all believed to be in ICE custody. Two were pronounced dead at the scene, while the third remains in critical condition. The identities of the victims have not yet been released. The suspect, described as a white male, reportedly took his own life with a gunshot to the head as federal agents approached his position. Emergency Response and Road Closures The shooting triggered a swift and large-scale response from local and federal law enforcement. Dozens of police units and ambulances converged on the scene, and traffic cameras captured heavy emergency activity in the area. Northbound lanes of I-35E were closed at Inwood Road for several hours as investigators secured the perimeter. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the ICE facility was placed on lockdown and that additional security measures are being implemented across similar sites nationwide. Motive Remains Unclear Authorities have yet to determine a motive for the attack. Investigators are exploring whether the shooter had any personal or ideological connection to immigration enforcement or the detainees involved. No manifesto or communication has been recovered at this stage. According to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the shooter acted alone, though initial reports suggested the possibility of multiple suspects. Police are continuing to review surveillance footage and interview witnesses. There was a shooting this morning at the Dallas @ICEgov Detention Facility. Details are still emerging but we can confirm there were multiple injuries and fatalities. The shooter is deceased by a self-inflicted gun shot wound. While we dont know motive yet, we know that our Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) September 24, 2025 Recent Security Concerns The shooting comes less than a month after a bomb threat was reported at the same Dallas ICE facility, which also houses Enforcement and Removal Operations. That incident, on 25 August, led to a temporary evacuation, but no explosives were found. Security experts have raised concerns about the vulnerability of immigration facilities, particularly in politically charged climates. The Dallas attack is likely to reignite debates over the safety of detainees and staff at federal detention centres. Community Reaction and Federal Response Local organisations and civil rights advocates have expressed concern following the Dallas ICE facility shooting, though no formal statements have yet been issued. Federal officials have confirmed that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are jointly leading the investigation, with support from the Dallas Police and ICE's internal affairs. Authorities say additional security measures are being deployed across similar facilities to prevent further incidents. As of Wednesday afternoon, the ICE facility remains under heightened security, with federal and local authorities working to identify the victims and confirm the shooter's background. Dallas Police urged anyone with information to contact investigators. Originally published on IBTimes UK On 9 September, Israel attacked Qatar, a U.S. ally that was hosting a Hamas delegation that was considering a peace proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump. Israel killed three low-ranking officials, a child of a delegation member, and a Qatari security officer. The targeted officials survived. The White House claimed Trump wasnt notified in advance by Israel and learned of the attack from the Pentagon, though Israeli sources claim he was notified in advance. Trump ordered his crisis negotiator, Steve Witkoff to alert Doha, but Witkoffs call came too late. The attack and Trumps casual reaction underlined what Al-Akhbar called The Myth of US Guarantees and highlighted a world where some American allies are more equal than others. In the Middle East, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Qatar, and Tunisia are Major Non-NATO Allies which used to mean something. America isnt leaving the Middle East, but the first order of business for its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) allies is how to de-risk the American relationship and work towards strategic diversification. First, find new partners. The U.S. stood aside when Israel attacked Qatar, so the tens of billions of dollars to U.S. defense contractors, and the free use of military bases, were for nothing when it counted, so the region should supplement the U.S. relationship. Related: Iraq Expects Kurdistan Oil Exports to Restart This Week We saw the first instance with the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defense pact that makes Islamabads nuclear capabilities available to the kingdom, and other petrostates may soon follow suit. Pakistan is the P in CPEC, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Beijings US$65 billion regional connectivity project. China is already Pakistans top arms supplier, so the defense pact will provide Islamabad with access to Chinese technology and Saudi money. On an ironic note, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was a staunch opponent of communism, and a successor, Fahd, carried forward that policy and supported the Afghan mujahedin in their fight against the Soviet forces. The current (de facto) ruler of the kingdom, Muhammad bin Salman, is now in an alliance with Chinas Communist Party, though at a remove, via Pakistan. And in 2024, Saudi Arabia accounted for almost 10% of China's total crude oil imports, making it a leading supplier to Beijing. Other potential partners are China, Russia, Turkey, and Egypt. Russia is busy now, but China will welcome the opportunity to fill a vacuum. Beijing is cautious in military engagements (an early test will come in Iran, also after Israeli attacks) but it is the worlds technology leader and is known to the regions leaders for its Belt and Road Initiative investments, particularly the Digital Silk Road, which integrates Artificial Intelligence and new technologies. And unlike the U.S. or Europe, Beijing takes a hands off approach to local governance and social models. China is run by communists, but it isnt exporting communism. The new U.S. National Defense Strategy may emphasize the security of the western hemisphere with less emphasis on Russia and the China threat. If the Trump administration is taking its eyes off China, the Middle East is not far behind, though the U.S. will keep its commitment to provide for Israels defense. Everyone else is on their own. In response to the Israeli attack, Turkey and Egypt held their first naval exercises in 13 years; Egypt has revived the idea of the Arab NATO; Iran has called for an Islamic NATO; and Hezbollah has made a peaceful overture to Saudi Arabia. Interesting times, indeed. In early 2025, Egypt hosted the Eagles of Civilization 2025, the largest Sino-Egyptian bilateral military exercise ever, and coming just months ahead of the Bright Star 25 exercises with the U.S. and NATO countries. Egypt is already hedging and the GCC members may decide Cairo is taking a prudent path. Second, take a Make or Buy decision. The Gulf countries have been big customers for U.S. military goods ever since the Shah of Iran saved the American Grumman Aerospace Corporation and the F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft. The countries should diversify their defense purchases and consider making more items locally, using the Americans defense offset obligations to fund local technology manufacturing capability with the goal of becoming subcontractors to the American prime contractors. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, in 2022 U.S. defense contractors reported entering into 27 new offset agreements with 13 countries valued at $5.88 billion. A big piece of that obligation is with Gulf countries and it would be an excellent way to prime the pump for local manufacturing and supply chain surety. Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and EDGE Group (United Arab Emirates) - the latter recently sponsored the Make it in the Emirates forum can be the kernel of a stronger local defense industrial base. Turkey is a potential partner as its drones have performed well in Ukraine and the ANKA-3 stealth drone and TALAY sea-skimming drone may bring new capabilities to the region. Iran and the GCC are improving relations, most notably by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, though engagement hiccupped when Iran attacked the U.S. airbase at al-Udeid, Qatar. This may be the time for the Gulf Arabs to maintain the momentum of engagement, though any technology transfer with Iran will be used by the U.S. as justification to blunt economic growth by sanctioning GCC companies. Sanctions on domestic production will make the GCC more reliant on the U.S. contractors, who will throw in a price hike, to boot. The Gulf countries should demand 100% supply chain visibility from the U.S. vendors so they know what they are buying and from whom, though it is likely the U.S. has installed backdoors for surveillance and disabled any ability to defend against Israeli aircraft or missiles. If the Gulf countries buy more Chinese gear, the Chinese will also be snooping, but at least they wont be buying from a vendor that will limit their ability for self-defense. Last, sponsor a regional air defense net. The Persian Gulf is home to some of the world's most strategically valuable infrastructure, such as oil export terminals; liquefied natural gas facilities; petrochemical plants; major ports and maritime hubs, such as Jebel Ali Port (UAE) and King Abdulaziz Port (Saudi Arabia); strategic maritime corridors, such as the Strait of Hormuz; airspace corridors used by airlines flying between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East; major air hubs at Doha and Dubai; and road and rail links and Special Economic Zones. And China has a wide array of air defense systems for strategic and long-range targets, mid-range and tactical engagements, for short-range & point defense, and counter-drone defense. The Gulf countries (this includes Iran) should assume that Israel will attack again, and the Americans wont stop Israel or alert them. China relies on the Gulf for a significant amount of hydrocarbons. Iran provides about 1.4 million barrels per day of oil to China, and Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait also supply China. Tehran is defiant in the face of snapback sanctions by France, Germany, and the UK and has vowed to continue sending oil to China. The region needs new partners, and it may be time for China to take a more active role in protecting its energy lifeline while it dilutes American influence in the worlds key energy hub. China may find it is pushing on an open door. By James Durso for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com In a shock development, U.S. President Donald Trump decertified Colombia as a partner in the decades-long drug war for the first time since 1997. This is a monumental blow for the historically close relationship between Colombia and the United States. The White House declared Colombia failed demonstrably to meet obligations imposed by international counternarcotics agreements. This is indicative of the antagonistic relationship between Colombias first-ever leftist President, Gustavo Petro, and the Trump administration. It bodes poorly for Bogota at a time of heightened regional tensions, with U.S. warships intercepting vessels off Venezuela, and a worsening fiscal crisis. This event is pressurizing an already embattled President Petro, himself a former leftist rebel, who, since taking office in August 2022, has faced several serious controversies. Among the most pressing is soaring cocaine production. Colombia is the worlds largest producer of the narcotic, accounting for around two-thirds of the global cocaine supply. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), global cocaine supply hit a record 3,708 tons during 2023, primarily driven by a 34% year-over-year increase in the volume of land under illicit coca cultivation in Colombia. Coca leaf contains the alkaloid, which, through various processes, is eventually transformed into cocaine hydrochloride. Estimates vary, but on average, 140 kilograms of coca leaf is required to produce one kilogram of coca paste, an intermediary product which is the first step in manufacturing cocaine hydrochloride. For this reason, projections of coca leaf yields in Colombia keep soaring, rising by 50% year over year for 2023. Without such a massive hike in coca leaf cultivation in Colombia, global cocaine supply growth is limited because of the tremendous quantity of coca leaf required. Coca cultivation began surging ever higher after Bogota ended aerial fumigation in 2015 over concerns about environmental damage, the destruction of legitimate crops, and damage to human health. President Petros 2023 decision to cease the forced eradication of coca plants while shifting enforcement to cocaine interdiction and the dismantling of trafficking groups allowed coca cultivation to flourish. It is the surge in coca cultivation that especially attracted President Trumps ire. He went on to state in a Presidential Determination submitted to Congress (later published by the U.S. Department of State): Under President Petros leadership, coca cultivation and cocaine production have reached record highs while Colombias government failed to meet even its own vastly reduced coca eradication goals, undermining years of mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries against narco-terrorists. The volatile and antagonistic relationship between the two presidents is further evident when President Trump asserts: The failure of Colombia to meet its drug control obligations over the past year rests solely with its political leadership. President Trump even labeled President Petro as erratic and ineffectual. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a long-time harsh critic of leftist regimes in Latin America, further said: Colombia has been a great partner historically. Unfortunately, they have a president now that, in addition to being erratic, has not been a very good partner when it comes to taking on the drug cartels". In a tweet on X, the State Department declared: Under Petros misguided leadership, coca cultivation & cocaine production in Colombia has increased to historic levels. It is clear from those statements that the White House blames President Petro and his administration for Colombias failure to stem the flow of cocaine. In response, Colombias leftist leader lashed out at the United States, going on the offensive against the White House. President Petro accused Washington of seeking to involve itself directly in Colombian politics and appoint a puppet president who would kneel to U.S. interests. Colombias leader went on to say he considered decertification: an injustice, a profound rudeness against the country that has shed the most blood so that the society of the United States and Europe does not consume so much cocaine. And an insult, obviously, to my personal life, because if any political leader, after Luis Carlos Galan, has fought against drug trafficking, it has been me." Colombias president also gave the order not to acquire any more U.S. weapons, confirmed in an interview with Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, who told local broadcaster Blu Radio: "What the president meant is that in the future no weapons will be purchased from the United States. It is not that military aid or cooperation already received is discarded, it is only forward," President Petros frustration is easily understood. Colombia and its people have borne the bloody brunt of Washingtons multi-decade war on drugs. This is further complicated by the U.S. being the worlds largest consumer of cocaine. As Washingtons war on drugs intensified during the late 1980s, with immense cocaine profits flooding Colombia, the multidimensional asymmetric war spiraled out of control. Illegal armed groups, including leftist guerrillas, drug cartels, and right-wing paramilitaries, fought to control parts of the cocaine supply chain with sales of the narcotic financing their operations. Some illicit groups like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization from 1997 to 2021, controlled coca cultivation, manufactured coca paste, and administered trafficking routes. Others, including the Medellin and Cali cartels, specialized in converting paste purchased outside of Colombia into cocaine, which was shipped to the U.S. and Europe. Indeed, it is soaring cocaine use in developed nations, particularly the United States, the worlds largest consumer of the narcotic, which for at least five decades drove booming demand for cocaine and is responsible for financing Colombias bloody multidimensional civil war. Colombias Truth Commission, established as part of the 2016 peace accord between the government and FARC, found 450,000 Colombians, mostly civilians, were killed between 1985 and 2018. A further estimated 210,000 people were forcibly disappeared, and another 752,964 were displaced during the multiparty asymmetric conflict fueled by incalculable cocaine profits. In a heavy blow for counternarcotics operations, a month before the White House decertified Colombia, 13 police agents were killed while eradicating coca. Their helicopter crashed in northeastern Antioquia after being struck by a drone operated by FARC dissidents, guerrillas who refuted the 2016 peace accord and refused to demobilize. There are fears that decertification, along with the escalating war of words and hostile relationship between the White House and Casa Narino (Colombias presidential residence), will sharply impact Colombia. Decertification can be accompanied by sanctions and a reduction in U.S. aid as well as other punitive measures, although Washington has applied a waiver for Colombia. As a result, the Andean country is protected from punitive measures, with decertification a symbolic disciplinary measure designed to gain greater compliance. Colombia, however, is the largest recipient of U.S. aid in Latin America, with the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) estimating receipt of a whopping $14.2 billion in assistance from Washington between 2000 to 2024. While the threat of cuts because of decertification are off the table, President Trump slashed aid funding across the board upon taking office. For this reason, there is considerable uncertainty about how much aid Colombia will receive. WOLA anticipates a reduction for 2025 of as much as 75% but is unable to provide actual figures. According to U.S. government data, by August 22, 2025, Colombia had received $205 million of aid, less than half of the $584.5 million received during 2024. Such a sharp reduction in U.S. aid, which is tipped to fall to low levels not seen since the 1980s, is occurring at a delicate juncture for the cash-strapped Petro administration. Bogota is on the cusp of a fiscal crisis with financial obligations reaching a boiling point. plummeting revenue and higher spending, particularly for security after a marked increase in violence, is causing Colombias budget deficit to blow out to levels not seen since the 2020 pandemic. This forced the finance ministry to lift its 2025 fiscal deficit projection from 5.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) to 7.1%. To combat this fiscal squeeze, President Petro suspended the fiscal rule, implemented in 2011 to establish a debt ceiling to ensure financial stability, and is seeking Congressional approval to raise $6.54 billion through tax hikes. This includes a higher value-added tax (VAT) on petroleum derivative products and placing a 1% levy on the sale of coal, oil, and natural gas. Decertification, even without the imposition of punitive measures including sanctions and aid cuts, will complicate Bogotas financial affairs. Colombias cost of debt will rise because of decertification. This, along with open hostility between Washington and Bogota, makes lending to the strife-torn country a riskier undertaking for financiers, especially with all three major global rating agencies recently downgrading Colombias credit rating. These events will further weigh on already declining foreign investment, which has fallen sharply since President Petro took office. Central bank data shows 2024 foreign direct investment totaled $14 billion, a 19% decrease from $16.8 billion for 2023 and 13% less than the $16.2 billion received a decade earlier. Colombias oil patch is among the hardest hit. A ban on new oil contracts, coupled with tax hikes and rising lawlessness, triggered by soaring cocaine production in regions where petroleum operations are located, is deterring investment. This is responsible for Big Oil bailing on Colombia. Foreign hydrocarbon investment for 2024 fell by a stunning 25% year over year to $2.3 billion. This is responsible for Colombias oil production being stuck in a death spiral with no end in sight. This is only worsening with decertification and the risks posed by growing violence associated with rising cocaine production. By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Seven indigenous communities in the Amazon have spoken out against a plan by the Ecuadorian government to open up oil and gas exploration at 49 blocks that could bring in a total of $47 billion, the Associated Press has reported, adding that environmentalists are also protesting government plans. Per the government itself, the hydrocarbon roadmap would modernize the countrys oil industry and boost foreign investments, helping Ecuador increase its output of oil and gas. Opponents, however, claim the plan encroaches on their ancestral lands and goes against the Ecuadorian constitution, which features protection stipulations for these lands. The government is pushing ahead with plans to auction 18 oil blocks in our ancestral territories without free, prior and informed consent. That is a constitutional and international right the state is violating, one representative of the indigenous communities said, as quoted by the AP. The current Ecuadorian government has taken a pro-oil stance, which is hardly surprising given that the countrys biggest export commodity is oil. However, production has been declining despite efforts by previous administrations as well to draw more foreign capital to the local industry. Indigenous community and environmentalist protests are one reason for investors reluctance and another is the frequent disruption of production due to problems with the countrys pipeline network. This year, in July alone, production was disrupted twice because of soil erosion that prompted the temporary shutdown of the two pipelines that carry crude from Ecuadors fields to export terminals. The first July suspension cut Ecuadors crude output by an estimated 133,000 barrels per day, based on Petroecuador data, placing fresh strain on the countrys oil-dependent economy. Ecuador produced about 464,000 bpd on average in 2024, according to official statistics. The new government that came into power in 2023 is relying on a boost of oil production to shore up Ecuadors finances, and on a similar boost in mining investment. Both, however, have already come under fire from activists, one of whom said it plainly: Indigenous resistance, civil society mobilization, and growing international pressure will continue to expose these projects as illegitimate, unlawful, and unfinanceable. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Iraq expects crude oil exports from the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan via pipeline to Turkey to resume this week, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has told Bloomberg in an interview. Oil exports from Kurdistan have been halted for two and a half years, after they were shut in in March 2023 due to a dispute over who should authorize the Kurdish exports. Despite some breakthroughs in negotiations in recent months, the disagreements have continued. The restart of exports to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan will take place most likely this week, following a breakthrough in discussions for an agreement between the federal government, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and the oil companies operating in Kurdistan, the official said. Initially, about 230,000 barrels per day (bpd) from Kurdistan will be exported, and this volume to rise up to 500,000 bpd with new investments to increase production, the Iraqi minister told Bloomberg. Eight oil companies operating fields in Kurdistan have reached an agreement with the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government that would enable the restart of exports from the region. This framework, once signed and implemented, should allow exports to restart in the coming days, while providing a path toward longer-term arrangements, the association of oil producers in Kurdistan said. The companies involved in the agreement represent 90% of oil production in the northern Iraqi region, the New Arab reported, noting two companies have not signed off on the deal yet. Norwegian DNO ASA and British Genel Energy have refused to sign a deal until the Kurdistan Regional Government provides guarantees that they will receive the money it owes them. The suspension of oil flows in 2023 has cost Iraq and Kurdistan some $26 billion in lost oil income, the KRGs head of foreign relations told media earlier this month. Additional supply from Kurdistan is set to hit the oil market at a time when analysts, forecasters, and traders expect oversupply to start building with the end of the peak summer demand season. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Eight oil companies operating fields in the northern Iraqi region of Kurdistan have reached an agreement with the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government that would enable the restart of exports from the region. This framework, once signed and implemented, should allow exports to restart in the coming days, while providing a path toward longer-term arrangements, the association of oil producers in Kurdistan said. The companies involved in the agreement represent 90% of oil production in the northern Iraqi region, the New Arab reported, noting two companies have not signed off on the deal yet. Kurdistan exported around 400,000 barrels daily of crude until the spring of 2023, when flows along the pipeline to Turkey were suspended amid a dispute between the governments in Baghdad and Ankara. The dispute took close to three years to resolve, but then the Iraqi government had to strike a deal with the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government. The KRG, for its part, had to provide assurances to oil field operators that they would receive the money the government owes them in unpaid royalties. Norwegian DNO and British Genel Energy have refused to sign any deal until the Kurdistan Regional Government provides guarantees that they will receive the money it owes them. The total in arrears that the KRG owes local oilfield operators comes in at some $1 billion, of which $300 million is payable to DNO. The regional government and the oil field operators will meet a month after the restart of exports to discuss the mechanism of the payment settlements. The suspension of oil flows in 2023 has cost Iraq and Kurdistan some $26 billion in losses, the KRGs head of foreign relations told media earlier this month. When restarted, exports would be flowing at lower rates, at some 230,000 barrels daily. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Russia will extend the ban on gasoline exports and introduce a ban on non-producers to export diesel by the end of the year, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday. We will soon extend the ban on gasoline exports until the end of the year, and will also ban non-producers from exporting diesel fuel, also until the end of the year, Russian news agency Interfax quoted Novak as telling reporters in Moscow. This will allow us to supply the domestic market with additional volumes of petroleum products, Russias top oil official added. Currently, Russia is seeing a slight shortage of petroleum products, which the authorities try to cover with reserves, as they have always done, Novak was quoted as saying. The extension of the gasoline export ban and the introduction of a diesel export ban for trading companies is not surprising, as fuel shortages have emerged amid intensified Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries and other energy infrastructure. At the end of August, Russia extended the gasoline ban until September 30, 2025, for producers, and until October 31 for non-fuel-producing traders. Now the government plans another extension of the ban enacted in March 2025 by the end of the year, and a ban on diesel exports for non-fuel-producing traders. Meanwhile, shortages of some fuel grades have emerged in the country, traders and retailers tell Reuters, as Ukraines attacks are curbing refining capacity. The drone hits on some of Russias biggest refineries slashed refining processing rates by one fifth on certain days. There isnt a run on pump stations in the country, but some popular gasoline grades are not available everywhere, according to Reuters. Russia has not commented on the extent of the damage done by Ukrainian drones, but various reports have said that at least 10 refineries have been targeted with drones by Ukraine, and some of them have sustained damages and had to temporarily halt crude intake. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Donald Trump used Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans White House visit Thursday to send a pointed message: stop buying Russian oil and gas. The meeting, Erdogans first in Washington in six years, underscored a thaw in relations between NATOs two largest armies outside the U.S., but it also revealed Trumps transactional approach to diplomacy. Seated in the Oval Office, Trump praised Erdogan as a very tough man who could help bring Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky to the negotiating table. He stressed that Turkeys neutrality gave it unique sway, but said the best thing Erdogan could do now was cut Russian energy imports. Id like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine, Trump told reporters. Turkey has been one of Moscows most important outlets since Western sanctions hit Russias exports. In January 2025, Ankara accounted for roughly 25% of Russias oil product sales, well ahead of China and Brazil at 11% each, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Trump made clear he wants that flow shut off. At the same time, the U.S. president dangled carrots. Trump signaled he was open to easing sanctions on Ankara and revisiting arms sales. He said the U.S. could consider letting Turkey back into the F-35 program, from which it was kicked out in 2020 over its purchase of Russian S-400 defenses. Officials are also drafting language for possible deals on F-16s and Boeing aircraft. The two leaders are aligned on Syria but remain split on Israel, with Erdogan denouncing Gaza strikes as genocide. Still, both Trump and Erdogan emphasized a warmer chapter ahead. If we have a good meeting, almost immediately sanctions could be eased, Trump said. For Erdogan, the message was clear: Washington wants Ankaras help isolating Moscowand the price could be new jets and trade. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Park Guk Jae, the author of the original web novel of "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty," has made a public statement in response to increasing criticism about the historical accuracy of the drama as well as perceived Chinese cultural influence. According to KBiZoom, Park responded to the controversy on September 19, rallying to the defense of scenes that viewers argued misled into distorting major points of Joseon history. He relied on "Five Rites of the National Dynasty," a 1474 protocol book, as the historical precedent for the disputed sequences. The most contentious scenes include the fictional Yeonhui-gun, played by Lee Chae-min, bowing and sitting next to a Ming envoy. These scenes generated heated viewer criticism. One critic of the depiction, in writing, said, "No matter how powerful the Ming dynasty was, an envoy was still just a guest. Records like the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty clearly state that envoys knelt before the king when presenting decrees." Another referred to another record and stated, "According to the Annals of King Sejong, the king sat on the throne while envoys were seated below him. This is far from historical fact." As per AllKpop, the series has also been criticized for its heavy usage of Mandarin. Some audience members mentioned the balance of languages in recent shows. One of the viewers pointed out, Episode 8 felt more like a Chinese drama, with more Mandarin than Korean," and there were others asking if production was funded by China. Their reaction after tasting the food is so extra #BonAppetitYourMajestyEp8#BonAppetitYourMajesty pic.twitter.com/AhVJQ5RfBf K | kdrama/ Bon Appetit (@iamparkbella) September 14, 2025 Park defended the dramatization in response. According to him, "Five Rites of the National Dynasty specifies that the envoy should sit to the east and the king to the west. In Confucian tradition, the east is ranked higher than the west. Since Ming envoys represented the emperor, their rank was considered higher than that of the Joseon king." Speaking to the controversy of bowing, Park went on to say, "According to the text, it was customary for the king to bow first to the envoy. This was not a matter of sovereignty, but an international protocol." He highlighted the historical basis of the drama, saying the text on the protocol was composed less than 30 years before the period the show was set in. "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty," featuring Im YoonA and Lee Chae-min, is an adaptation of "Surviving as Yeonsan-gun's Chef." Ratings hit a high of 15.4% (Nielsen Korea), but the controversy has fueled further discussion about balancing creative freedom with historical accuracy. 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: Different types of microplastics including fibers, fragments, sheets, and beads were identified under a stereomicroscope, and their composition was determined using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. This morphological diversity highlights the complexity of microplastic contamination in the studied ecosystem. Credit: Ahsaan Ali, CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Microplastics are a growing problem worldwide. They disrupt ecosystems and contribute to adverse effects, like metabolic disorders, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and developmental toxicity in the bodies of various organisms as they spread upward through the food web. This is particularly worrisome when considering species that are already endangered, like the Indus River dolphin (Platanista minor), which is listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Indus River dolphin is native to the Indus River in Pakistan, although a small population is also found in India. The Indus River is known to be one of the most polluted rivers in the world, containing high amounts of plastic waste, which is likely to be ingested by Indus River dolphins and their prey. A group of scientists took the opportunity to analyze the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of five deceased Indus River dolphins that had been stranded between 2019 and 2022 in order to assess the level of microplastics in their bodies. The study was recently published in the journal PLOS One. No prior studies had assessed levels of microplastic contamination in the Indus River dolphin. The team counted the extracted microplastics and characterized them by shape, size, color, and polymer type using FT-IR spectroscopy. They then determined the polymer hazard index (H), based on the toxicity of the polymers, to assess the level of risk for the dolphins. All five dolphins showed microplastic contamination, with an average of 286.4109.1 microplastic pieces per individualhigher averages than any previous microplastic study revealed in other cetacean species. They found that 94.76% of the microplastics were fibers, mostly blue or transparent in color, and mostly between 5 mm and 300 m in size. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) accounted for 58.16% of the polymers found. The plastics found in the study reportedly represent a medium (Level III) to high (Level IV) ecological risk for the dolphins. The study authors say, "Polymers emanate from plastic ropes, fishing nets, plastic bottles and bags, and agricultural runoff, suggesting their accumulation by intensive anthropogenic interventions. The detection of identical polymers in both prey fishes and IRD guts suggests trophic transfer and indicates that local prey species are primary vectors for IRD exposure. "Microplastics are transferred up the food chain, and IRDs, as apex predators, accumulate them along with additives including bisphenols and phthalates, which are proven to be endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Frequent ingestion of PET, PVC, PE, and related polymers may cause digestive dysfunction, oxidative stress, immune disruption, and reproductive toxicity, collectively threatening the health, survival, and resilience of IRD populations." The study highlights the threat of continued overuse of plastics and the growing ubiquity of microplastics in everything from freshwater to fish and higher level predators. The study authors note the urgent need for reducing plastic pollution in freshwater habitats through conservation, monitoring, and management strategies. Written for you by our author Krystal Kasal, edited by Gaby Clark, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you. More information: Ahsaan Ali et al, First characterization and risk assessment of microplastics in the endangered Indus River dolphin (Platanista minor): Implications for conservation strategies, PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330253 Journal information: PLoS ONE 2025 Science X Network 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: Sampling locations of the sequenced Indonesian cattle and Bali cattle. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62692-z In Indonesia, cattle are not just cattle. The large island-nation houses a variety of different breeds, locally preferred for their unique set of physical attributes and strongly linked to culture and ceremonies. There is even a distinct species of domesticated bovine here, namely the Bali cattle, a domesticated version of the wild banteng. Little is known about the history of cattle in this archipelago, which is positioned at a crossroad between major historical trading empires and cultures, notably India and China. Local cattle are known to carry genetic ancestry from both zebu cattle and banteng, but their proportions and which genes derive from each ancestral species remain unknown. It is also not known when, why and how this mixing took place. A new study led by researchers from University of Copenhagen and IPB University sheds light on these questions by generating the first whole-genome data from Indonesian cattle, including six local breeds and several populations of Bali cattle. The study has been published in Nature Communications. "We were quite surprised to find that cattle were most likely not introduced from India, which was a significant cultural and mercantile influence around the era of Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms at the beginning of Indonesia's historical period, but rather from mainland Southeast Asia. These mainland cattle were coming into Indonesia via at least two different waves, one into Sumatra and one into Java," says Sabhrina Gita Aninta, a postdoc involved in the study from the Department of Biology. "This knowledge redefines our understanding of the cultural and maritime links in Asia around the start of the Common Era and suggests that Southeast Asia had more internal connectivity than previously believed." Discovering a hybrid cattle breed The researchers also investigated which parts of the individual Indonesian cattle genomes originate from a zebu and which from a banteng. "We found that different breeds have different amounts of banteng genetics, with one breedthe Madurahaving up to 36% of banteng ancestry. This makes the Madura effectively a hybrid between two different species, and totally unique in the world. Due to this high amount of banteng genetics, Madura cattle are also the most genetically diverse cattle in the world. They carry more than 3.5 million new genetic variants that are currently unknown to cattle geneticists around the globe," says Associate Professor Rasmus Heller from UCPH, lead author on the study. If the function of these new genetic resources can be cataloged, they could help genetically improve cattle elsewhere by modern breeding techniques. For example, some of these genetic variants could have a positive impact on disease resistance, productivity under tropical conditions, or even greenhouse gas emissions. All of which would be immensely beneficial to the environment and to economies, as the cattle population in the tropics is predicted to grow substantially to feed a growing demand. "Our results also help us understand which genetic variants can be introduced from other bovine species into cattle, by presenting us with a valuable 'natural experiment' running over about 1,500 years, and showcasing which banteng variants have been retained, and which have been removed by natural selection in the admixed Indonesian cattle," says Sabhrina. 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. Understudied cattle can hold solutions to global problems These results are of immense significance for Indonesiathey provide the first whole-genome data from a severely understudied and highly unique cattle system. Cattle genomics in Europe, India, China, the Americas and even Africa have been studied quite extensively, but Southeast Asian cattle have so far been omitted. "With these data and results in hand, we have formed a baseline for future genomic studies on Indonesian cattle and answered many open questions about how the different breeds came to be what they are. I have no doubt that these findings will be the starting point for much fascinating research on Indonesian cattle and showcase how understudied local cattle can hold the key to important global questions," says Professor Bambang Purwantara from IPB University, a co-author on the study. More information: Wang, X., et al. The genetic diversity of Indonesian cattle has been shaped by multiple introductions and adaptive introgression, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62692-z Journal information: Nature Communications Address by His Excellency Anura Kumara Disanayaka, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka at the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations 24 September 2025 Theme: Better together: 80 Years and more for Peace, Development and Human Rights Madam President, Mr General Secretary, honoured invitees, distinguished delegates, Allow me, Madam Annalena Baerbock, to begin by offering my warmest congratulations to you on being elected President of the 80th Session of this organization, formed with the noble aim of bringing about a just and lasting peace among the nations of the world. I would also like to use this opportunity to express my countrys appreciation to His Excellency Philemon Yang for his exceptional leadership during the 79th Session. We are gathered here today to chart the future path of this organisation, which has worked tirelessly for eight decades to bring about a world of peace. Its my honor to address this august Assembly for the first time as the President of Sri Lanka. As representatives of nations, we all bear the responsibility to work towards fulfilling the aspirations of our people. The decisions we make now will impact people across the world and play a decisive role in the future of this planet, our common home. Distinguished delegates, Poverty, a tragedy as old as human civilization, has plagued humankind in its journey through time. For centuries, countries across the world have faced this painful and relentless struggle. Poverty and the problems stemming from it cast an oppressive shadow on our future. This Assembly must pay special attention to eradicate extreme poverty. I believe our conscience dictates us to do so. Poverty is a terrible enemy with many faces. Even as we are gathered here, in the countries we represent, including my own, children are suffering from hunger. A childs right to education is an internationally accepted basic right. This right is enshrined in the constitutions of most of our nations. Yet, across the world, poverty has denied this right to hundreds of thousands of children. In a world which boasts of its technological advances, how can there be children without access to education? Education is the foundation of every great nation. It is the most vital factor deciding ones future. We firmly believe that investment in education is an investment in global progress. Many developing countries are constrained in their struggle against poverty by indebtedness. Low income countries allocate twice as much towards debt servicing, than on education or healthcare. Our people and our countries are mired in debt traps. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development pledges to leave no one behind and to reach the last, first. The Agenda acknowledges the most critical challenge before the world is the challenge to end extreme poverty. I would also like to recall the decisions taken at the Global Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995. However, wars and political upheavals and the Covid pandemic have obstructed the fulfilment of these hopeful agendas. I propose to you that the time has come for us to accept inequality and poverty as a global catastrophe, and act accordingly. Madam president, esteemed guests, Drugs, and organised crimes linked to drugs have become a serious concern to the world. This has been acknowledged in the World Drug Report 2025 published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. It is a complex issue affecting millions of people globally. The market for drugs and related criminal organizations give rise to myriad issues. Drug cartels are turning entire States into their hunting grounds. Drugs pose a major threat to global health and global politics, and inevitably affect global well-being. While Sri Lanka is taking effective steps to address this challenge, I respectfully request all of you to join in the effort to implement the global agenda on drugs and crime. I bring to your notice the need to implement the law strictly against these drug traffickers, prevent them from taking refuge, and set up rehabilitation centres to address those affected. Madam President, honoured guests, We regard corruption as an epidemic; causing widespread harm to broad swathes of society. We believe corruption to be an obstruction to development, a threat to democracy and global well-being, and a cause of poverty. Let me remind you that Fighting corruption is dangerous. But not fighting it presents even graver risks. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 was a remarkable victory for the people of the world. The various achievements of human civilization were not attained overnight. They were all results of unwavering efforts and sacrifices. The struggle against corruption is a difficult one. But we must take the necessary steps. The first step we take might be difficult. But if we take that courageous first step, a thousand will follow. That is what I believe. Madam President, delegates, I represent a small island of nearly 22 million people. Sri Lankas population is about 0.28% of the global population. It is true that we are small in size and in numbers. Yet we have begun our determined struggle against corruption for the benefit of future generations of our country and the world. I propose that rooting out the rot of corruption should become an integral part of the culture of all UN member nations. Madam President, esteemed guests, I feel confident that all of you will join me in condemning war. There is no nation in the world that desires war. The result of war is a tragedy wherever it happens. Even now, many countries of the world are experiencing the pain of that tragedy. As a country that suffered through a three-decade long war, we are keenly aware of its futility. No one who sees the pain and the suffering of parents, spouses, and children of the victims of war would ever dream of another. We have witnessed these painful sights with our own eyes. Even as suffering caused by conflict has reached unprecedented levels, the international community has being reduced to mere bystanders. Opportunistic power politics has turned the lives of children and innocent civilians into a game. No one has the right to inflict pain and suffering on another to enhance ones own power. The duty of a leader is not to destroy lives, but to protect them. We are deeply distressed by the ongoing catastrophe in Gaza, which has been turned into an open-air prison full of pain and suffering, echoing with the cries of children and innocent civilians. The United Nations and all related parties must continue to work towards an immediate ceasefire, enable adequate humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and ensure the release of hostages of all parties. We recognise Palestinian peoples inalienable right to their own State. We also believe that legal, security, and humanitarian concerns of Israeli and Palestinian people need to be acknowledged. Sri Lanka reiterates the importance of the early implementation of the UN General Assembly resolutions regarding a two-state solution on the basis of the 1967 borders. The time has come for the international community to stop being a mere spectator, and to act decisively to end the suffering of millions. Religious extremism and racism have been major causes of wars and conflicts bringing suffering to millions of people. Although a century has passed since the abolition of slavery, the poison of racism still lingers in many places. Extremist and racist ideas are as deadly as epidemics. We must ask ourselves how these extremist and racist ideas survive, like sparks under the ashes, in a world that has witnessed so many advances on so many levels. I believe that we must awaken our conscience to oppose racism and religious extremism in protection of human rights and freedoms. We must be brave enough to speak up for peace. A countrys honour and character rests in its fight for peace. We must move towards the practice of resolving problems not through violence but through our shared humane values. In a world where millions of children die of hunger, we spend billions on weapons. When tens of millions die of inadequate health facilities, hundreds of millions are spent on futile wars. While hundreds of thousands of children are denied the right to an education, millions are spent on invading anothers land. If every inch of this world can be turned into peaceful communities, what a wonderful world would that be! I propose that all of us who are gathered here become envoys of peace, committed to transforming our world into a collection of peaceful communities. As a country that suffered the horrors of war for decades, where loved ones still weep in remembrance of their beloved, we have a duty to make this heartfelt proposal. We hope our country will not have to experience the horrors of war ever again. We invite the world to witness the miracle of a land without wars, a land of peace and beauty. The people of our country opted for a united Sri Lankan nation based on a new political culture. My government is deeply committed to fulfilling that mandate. Honoured invitees, I would like to remind you that during the last election, the people of Sri Lanka decided in favour of a centuries old dream. An inclusive legislature was born of that decision, reflecting the ethnic and religious diversity of the country, a Parliament in which women and vulnerable communities were elected in historic numbers, including Sri Lankas first visually-impaired parliamentarian. We are committed to ensuring equal rights and opportunities for all our citizens. We have also demonstrated by example, that parliamentarians are there to serve the people. We believe that the duty of legislators is to develop the country, not to enrich themselves. In the Global Democracy Index 2025, Sri Lanka advanced up 15 places. This is a major accomplishment, within a short time. We strive to move forward to reach the top tier someday soon. Madam President, distinguished guests, Our people have chosen light over darkness. They gave their approval to realise the vision of A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life. To fulfil this historic mandate, we have focused on creating an administration free of corruption, on eradicating poverty, digitalization, and a clean country. We also place great emphasis on healthcare and education. We are moving towards these goals step-by-step. Madam President, distinguished delegates, Digital democracy is one of our aims. Ensuring that every person in every nation can enjoy the opportunities and benefits presented by the digital age is a global challenge. If we succeed in our task, we will be able to open doors to technology, accelerate development, and strengthen governance. If we fail, technology will turn into yet another force deepening inequality, insecurity and injustice. The digital divide between States is stark. An even greater gap is being created in relation to artificial intelligence. Sri Lanka and many other developing nations are facing challenges in using AI as a development tool due to inadequate infrastructure. I invite the international community to work together to remove AI technological inequalities. To fund such efforts, we need cooperation and partnership. I present to this Assembly a proposal to set up a neutral sovereign Artificial Intelligence Zone in Sri Lanka, centred on a green AI data centre, a special economic zone, and a data system facility for partner nations. Distinguished guests, During the last several decades, Sri Lanka has demonstrated its commitment to international peace and security through active engagement in disarmament efforts at the global stage. We want to work collaboratively with the United Nations and member states to ensure sustainable peace and collective security through multilateral efforts. We also want to play a greater role in peacekeeping efforts that prioritize the protection of vulnerable groups and promote the fundamental values of the UN Charter. A renewed commitment to peace and justice is essential if we are to progress in realizing the undertakings on development and human rights. Madam President, invitees, We must build a new and a better world, a world which respects the dignity of humankind. You, who are members of this Assembly, must be the architects of that better world. As President Harry Truman said, on the occasion of founding the United Nations, In your hands rests our future. We must act, not in fear or under compulsion, but with hope of a better, more secure world. Today we must commit ourselves not to lead the world to another disaster, but to make it a better place for the next generation. I have dreams and expectations for my country. You have dreams and expectations for your countries. My dream is to ensure a happy and prosperous life for my citizens. I believe that you have the same dream for yours. We must strive to realize these dreams not in competition with each other, but by moving forward hand in hand. Peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet that is the UN motto. Let us become the healers of that world. Thank You. 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: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Penn State Professor of German and Linguistics Michael Putnam has spent a good part of his career thinking about language attrition, or "language loss," among bi- and multilingual speakers. Now, it's the basis of his latest book. Putnam and David Natvig, associate professor of Nordic linguistics at the University of Stavanger in Norway, are the authors of the new book, "An Introduction to Language Attrition: Linguistic, Social, and Cognitive Perspectives." Published by Routledge, the book provides readers with a forward-looking overview of the diverse body of research examining why speakers of two or more languages can undergo a loss of proficiency in their first or additional languages. It is geared to advanced students and researchers of theoretical and applied linguistics, bilingualism and heritage linguistics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, education and various other fields, according to Putnam, director of graduate studies in the College of the Liberal Arts' Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literature, director of the Program in Linguistics, associate director of the Center for Language Science and director of the Max Kade German-American Research Institute. Putnam explained that language attrition has been researched for years, but predominantly from the perspective of pathological conditions like stroke or aphasia. "The point of this book is two-fold," he said. "First, to highlight that research on 'language loss' also occurs in non-pathological settings. Second, to better understand what's going on here, my co-author and I demonstrate that a multifaceted approach is necessary." That approach, Putnam said, would take into account "social settings, lexical and grammatical constraints, and cognitive processing of information," the three strands of language attrition that he and Natvig explore in-depth in the book. Progress has been made in these three areas, he said, but the research has largely been carried out in silos separate from one another. Those researching language loss from a sociolinguistic perspective look at how a second language begins to encroach on a first language in a specific social domain. "For instance, you emigrate to a country and the language of the home and the neighborhood and the church community is going to remain the language you came with," Putnam said. "But the workplace, the school, the newspapers, the television, the radioover time you're going to have more of these types of settings where you're not going to be able to use the first language and the second language is omnipresent. Eventually, more and more elements of the second language creep in." Then there are scholars like Putnam who specialize in a language's structural properties. "The effects of that are not completely uniform across the board," he said. "Sound systems, i.e. phonology, and sentence structure, i.e. syntax, are much less vulnerable to attrition compared to morphology, i.e. the way words are built, and lexicon, i.e. the way words are stored in short and long memory. That to me was surprising. Why is that? What does that tell us about the way language is represented in the mind?" Meanwhile, cognitive neuroscience researchers have in recent years made strides of their own with language loss. They're examining how attrition is occurring "in real time and milliseconds" using eye tracking and brain waves, said Putnam, who in January will become the new co-editor of Language, the flagship journal of the Linguistic Society of America. 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 they're starting to see, which is fascinating, is that at the millisecond level, there seems to be a change in processing when language attrition is occurring," he said. "There seem to be certain electric spikes when a native speaker encounters a lexical item that's surprising, like, for instance, "I like to drink my coffee with socks." You see a spike with the verb ending. With people undergoing attrition, you see they don't have the same level of the spike. It's happening at a subconscious level. These folks are showing the beginning of what attrition might be." While attrition is very real, it doesn't mean that the person is outright losing their ability to speak the language in question, Putnam said. Rather, it's that they just cannot actively retrieve what they need in the moment, or they are eventually able to, but with some difficulty. The hope moving forward is to integrate all three of these strands into a multipronged approach to combating language loss, Putnam said. "Why don't we just try to talk about language attrition as a phenomenon of the dynamic life of bilinguals and multilinguals, and in this state, things are unstable, but what happens to get the system to stabilize again?" Putnam said. "How much time do we need for various elements of grammar to be restabilized and get things relearned? These are the questions that should be asked. If we know more about attrition, what's the fast track to get people back there? Because if we knew more, it could be a better return on investment." Indeed, this more unified approach could have an important societal impact, shape independent and collaborative research, and improve pedagogy, Putnam said. He's confident he and other Penn State faculty members will play a big role in carrying out this work. "This stands to have a cost-benefit analysis for students who invest timeand moneyin learning languages," Putnam said. "We stand to learn more about what's more readily retained longer and what might be more vulnerable to loss and decay over time. And this research will continue to focus on heritage and endangered languages, aiding students and researchers alike in efforts to retain and preserve them." More information: Michael T. Putnam et al, An Introduction to Language Attrition, (2025). DOI: 10.4324/9781003174424 Journal information: Language 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: VLA images demonstrating the non-detection of persistent radio emission at the FRB 20250316A position across different bands and epochs. Credit: The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ae0324 The most sensitive search to date for a persistent radio source associated with an extremely bright, non-repeating fast radio burst (FRB) has yielded no results, significantly narrowing the range of possible explanations for these mysterious cosmic phenomena. A joint research team from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the University of Science and Technology of China used the Very Large Array to search for potential persistent radio emission from FRB 20250316A, one of the brightest non-repeating bursts ever detected. The results, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, provide a stringent upper limit yet on persistent radio emission from a non-repeating FRB. Fast radio bursts are among the most energetic phenomena in the universe, releasing as much energy in milliseconds as the sun produces in days. Since their discovery more than a decade ago, astronomers have identified two distinct classes: repeating bursts that flash multiple times from the same location, and non-repeating bursts that appear only once. A key question is whether these different types arise from fundamentally different physical processes. One major clue lies in whether FRB sources are associated with persistent radio emission between bursts. Some repeating FRBs exhibit such persistent sources, which could indicate ongoing activity in their local environment. However, for non-repeating FRBs, this question has largely remained unanswered due to the extreme sensitivity required for detection. FRB 20250316A provided an ideal test case. The burst was both exceptionally bright and relatively nearby, enabling the search for even the faintest persistent emission. Using observations taken within one month of the burst, the researchers achieved unprecedented sensitivity, thus setting an upper limit of 2.8 micro Jansky (1 sigma) at 15 GHz, consistent with independent observations by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) Collaboration at 9.9 GHz about two months after burst. "This non-detection is actually an interesting result," said Prof. An Tao, first author of the study. "We can now rule out several theoretical models that predict bright, persistent radio sources around non-repeating FRBs. The environment appears much 'cleaner' than some theories suggested." Specifically, the findings eliminate magnetarnebula models, a leading explanation for some repeating FRBs, as a viable option for this non-repeating burst. Instead, they favor scenarios such as neutron star mergers or giant flares from more evolved, isolated magnetars, which occur in low-density environments unlikely to produce long-lasting radio emission. This work represents a crucial step towards understanding whether repeating and non-repeating FRBs arise from distinct physical mechanisms, a question that has important implications for our understanding of extreme physics in the universe. As larger samples of FRBs are discovered and studied with increasing precision, astronomers are moving closer to solving one of modern astrophysics' most intriguing puzzles. More information: Tao An et al, A Deep VLA Search for a Persistent Radio Counterpart to the One-off FRB 20250316A, The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ae0324 Journal information: Astrophysical Journal Letters 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: Problems reported with different toilet systems. Credit: Nature Water (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00508-6 An international study on container-based sanitation (CBS) systems has found that this portable toilet option significantly improves the quality of life for people living in urban slums in Kenya, Peru and South Africa. CBS systems use sealed, portable toilet containers that are collected, emptied, and cleaned regularly as part of a subscription-based service. Unlike traditional sanitation solutions that require heavy infrastructure, CBS offers a flexible and practical alternative for densely populated urban areas. The study, co-authored by Bangor University and Cranfield University, has been published in Nature Water and could pave the way for CBS to be used more widely. While container-based sanitation is not a permanent replacement for sewered systems, it represents a transformative interim solution for improving health, dignity, and quality of life in the world's most vulnerable urban communities. Dr. Alison Parker, Reader in International Water and Sanitation at Cranfield University, who led the project, said, "It has been a huge privilege to work with such dedicated researchers from around the world to reveal the potential that CBS has to provide a safe toilet for the billions of people that don't have one. Access to safe sanitation and hygiene is one of the most basic human needs for health and well-being, so the importance of services like this can't be overstated." Quality of life improved by CBS Researchers used smartphone-based surveys to regularly collect data on sanitation and health from users of CBS systems. They closely tracked the experiences of residents over time, providing one of the most detailed looks yet at CBS services in urban slums. The key findings include: CBS users reported significantly fewer problems with their toilets compared to non-CBS users. Satisfaction with CBS services was high across multiple components, including collection and cleaning. Improved servicing of CBS systems was directly linked to higher sanitation quality of life for residents. Lead author Dr. Ben Exton, Research Assistant at Bangor University, explained, "Working with such a rich dataset of hundreds of participants, surveyed regularly over a year across three countries, we demonstrate that container-based sanitationespecially when well servicedcan meaningfully improve sanitation-related quality of life for people living in informal settlements." Co-author Simon Willcock, Principal Research Scientist at Rothamsted Research, and Professor of Sustainability at Bangor University said, "The study also revealed important differences between countries. In Kenya and Peru, where CBS toilets are provided through social enterprises supported by grants, users reported fewer problems and higher satisfaction compared to South Africa, where CBS toilets are provided free at scale by local authorities." Remi Kaupp, Executive Director, Container Based Sanitation Alliance, commented, "I am delighted to see the results of this long-term, rigorous and multi-country study, which has shown an excellent way to understand how sanitation users really perceive their service. "Besides highlighting the crucial role that container-based sanitation plays in ensuring continuous access in informal settlements, the study also shows the importance of professional sanitation operators to ensure residents enjoy uninterrupted and safe essential services." More information: Assessing the role of servicing in enhancing sanitation-related quality of life among container-based sanitation users, Nature Water (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00508-6. Journal information: Nature Water 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: Eleonora Saccon. Credit: NIOZ Salt intrusion is a growing concern worldwide. Eleonora Saccon, who completed a master's degree in climate change ecology in her native Italy, studied the effects of salty surface water at the NIOZ branch in Zeeland. "Seawater is flowing further and further into the rivers. This happens during storm surges and when rivers supply less fresh water during prolonged droughts. For example, during westerly storms, seawater can flow kilometers into the Rotterdam Waterway," says Saccon. In addition to Dutch dikes and dunes, coastal and riverine wetlands protect this country from flooding from the sea or rivers. These wetlands can be tidal marshes and floodplain forests. Saccon studied both these types of wetlands in relation to salinization. "All tidal marshes in the Netherlands flood twice per day. While upstream along the river, where tides are not present, the wetlands along the rivers are flooded occasionally only during river floods. These areas not only protect against flooding, but also purify the water and store much carbon, which helps to mitigate the effects of climate change." Salinization of freshwater wetlands could throw a spanner in the works. Within the NWO project SALTISolutions, Saccon investigated two nature-based solutions that can help keep tidal marshes effective even in the face of salinization. The three landscape types that were simulated. Credit: NIOZ White willow and black alder In containers in which she varied the salt concentration, she investigated the salt tolerance of two tree species: black alder and white willow. "Traditionally, these wetlands were willow plantations. In the past, people used wood from this fast-growing species to reinforce dikes," says Saccon. Before people started replacing natural forests with willow plantations around the 14th century, black alders were quite common in floodplain forests. These trees proved to be more resistant to salt than the planted willows. Saccon tested salt concentration and salt stress duration and the effect of seasonality on salt stress. "Is a salt intrusion event in summer more damaging than a salt intrusion event in winter? In my containers, I exposed the two species to periods of saltier water for a year. Temporary salt intrusion in winter is not a problem to either species. If it lasted longer, the alders simply sprouted again after a winter of salt water, but the willows were in bad condition. Willows suffer and die after temporary salt intrusion in spring and summer, while alders resprouted." So, should we plant black alders en masse? "No, what we need is a variety of trees, forbs, grasses, shrubs That way, you create a resilient system. Otherwise, a drought or an alder disease could wipe out an entire forest in one go." Fractal shapes in the landscape For both tree species, temporary salt intrusion is not a problem if the area is refreshed afterwards. Saccon investigated the refreshing capacity of shape structures in the soil. "In a salt marsh such as the drowned land of Saeftinge in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, you can see a whole system of meandering creeks from above. A kind of fractal shape that branches out into smaller and smaller sections. Water flows in quickly, but also flows back again quickly as soon as this is possible. So much silt is deposited here that this place, where a village once drowned, is now the highest point in Zeeland, dikes and dunes excluded." You would want to achieve this in more places with land subsidence. In many places in Europe, space is being made for rivers by opening the dike to allow the water to flood the area behind it. They often place new dikes behind or reinforce existing ones. "This managed realignment is often flat land that was formerly agricultural land. Sometimes straight channels are dug into it." Due to the increasing salinization of rivers, it is important that such landscapes allow salt water that flows into the area during storms or droughts to flow back quickly. Otherwise, the plants will suffer. Resilient, adaptive landscape Using computer simulations, Saccon compared how different types of landscape collect water and allow it to flow back into the river. She compared a flat area with straight channels in it, a willow plantation with straight rows of willows and a natural creek landscape. "The naturally developed marsh landscape proved to be the most effective, having the shortest duration of salt intrusion of all landscapes," says Saccon. Unfortunately, there are also practical objections to creating the optimal circumstances. "Such a landscape also takes up a lot of space, which is often not available. Every piece of land is already being used." Also, creating an ingenious creek landscape is not easy, maybe even impossible. "The clay soil is tough and unyielding. The best solution is really to combat salinization by slowing down climate change and raising the groundwater level." 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: Scenario analysis of microbial carbon pump efficacy and its application strategies for sustainable soil carbon management. Credit: Zhu Xuefeng, from Soil Biology and Biochemistry (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109950 A research team from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a novel framework to evaluate the soil microbial carbon pump (MCP), offering new insights into long-term carbon sequestration and sustainable soil management. The study, led by Drs. Liang Chao and Zhu Xuefeng, was published in Soil Biology and Biochemistry. Soil carbon turnover and stabilization are central topics in biogeochemistry, influencing both soil health and climate regulation. Advances in soil research technologies and theoretical approaches in recent years have reshaped the scientific understanding of how soil organic matter is formed and stabilized. The concept of the microbial carbon pump is fundamental to this emerging consensus and emphasizes the role of microbial residues, known as microbial necromass, in forming stable soil organic carbon (SOC). Although research on the MCP's contribution to SOC has grown rapidly, direct evaluation of its carbon sequestration function has lagged behind. Building on a three-phase framework (Reaction, Behavior, and Effect), the researchers concentrated on the long-term "Effect" phase of the MCP. They introduced a key indicator called MCP efficacy, which quantifies the degree of synchrony or asynchrony between changes in microbial necromass and SOC levels. For clarity, synchrony refers to situations where microbial residues and SOC increase or decrease at comparable rates, while asynchrony highlights mismatched changes between the two processes. They then developed a comprehensive evaluation system capturing 13 possible scenarios of relative change between microbial necromass and SOC. Their findings suggest that simply measuring whether SOC increases can be misleading. For example, SOC gains dominated by unstable, easily decomposed carbon may not ensure long-term climate benefits. By contrast, SOC accumulation driven by microbial residues points to a more resilient and disturbance-resistant carbon pool. According to the framework, a positive MCP efficacy (greater than zero) indicates stronger contribution of microbial necromass to SOC, reflecting higher carbon pool stability. Negative MCP efficacy (less than zero) indicates either a faster turnover of microbial residues or an increasing proportion of non-microbial carbon sources, which could threaten the stability of the soil carbon pool. The study reveals the importance of evaluating the quantity and stability of soil carbon in management practices. By distinguishing between stable and unstable forms of carbon accumulation, the MCP-based system provides practical guidance for policymakers and land managers. It enables the rapid evaluation of soil carbon practices to ensure long-term sequestration, which ultimately contributes to climate mitigation and sustainable agriculture. The researchers emphasized that this results-oriented evaluation bridges the gap between theory and practice, enabling more precise soil carbon management strategies. Their contribution offers timely tools for enhancing carbon sinks during global efforts to combat climate change. More information: Xuefeng Zhu et al, Quantifying asynchrony between microbial necromass and soil organic carbon for sustainable soil carbon management, Soil Biology and Biochemistry (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109950 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: Utah State University Utah State University's Space Dynamics Laboratory has released open-source software to detect potentially harmful shooting stars, called bolidesbright meteors that explode as they enter Earth's atmosphere. The software can be downloaded from GitHub. "Shooting stars, or meteors, have always fascinated people. Cultures across the world have assigned significance to shooting stars as they tried to explain the phenomenology," said Eric McKinney, an SDL algorithm engineer and a StarFall developer. "Some explanations border on supernatural and have entered folklore as carriers of traveling souls, omens of good or bad fortune, portents of change, or even tears from the gods, but there can be real and significant implications on Earth from some of these impactors." Scientists have long known that shooting stars are meteors traveling through Earth's atmosphere. Meteors that reach a minimum apparent magnitude of -4, at least as bright as Venus, the brightest planet in the night sky, and explode in the atmosphere are known as bolides. Bolide explosions have caused terrestrial damage. "In February 2013, a bolide over Chelyabinsk, Russia, released an estimated blast yield of 400 to 500 kilotons of TNT, damaged buildings, and injured approximately 1,500 people. In terms of raw energy release, the atomic bombs dropped during World War II had yields between 13 and 21 kilotons of TNT," explained Tyson Johnson, SDL's StarFall program manager. "Rapid detection, characterization, and notification of these natural Earth impactors is therefore vitally important." In 2019, scientists discovered that data captured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) instrument onboard the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) could be processed to detect bolides. SDL, with support from NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, has created StarFall, a near real-time bolide detection software suite. SDL's software ingests GLM data and applies anomaly detection algorithms to distinguish between bolide events and the many lightning detections GLM was originally designed to characterize. The GLM sensor takes 500 images of Earth every second, and StarFall analyzes the meteors' light curves, or changes in brightness over time, as they pass through the atmosphere. StarFall software is now available as open source. Scientists and the public can deploy StarFall to receive alerts and view estimated times, approximate locations, and total energy releases for bolide entries. Fellow researchers may also contribute to the source code to extend StarFall's current capabilities and derive additional functionality. 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: In this photo provided by Joan Heblack, a flyer warning of an aggressive squirrel is taped up in San Rafael, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. Credit: Joan Heblack via AP Residents of a San Francisco Bay Area city are on the lookout for an aggressive squirrel that has sent at least two people to the emergency room for medical treatment. Joan Heblack told ABC affiliate KGO-TV that she was walking in the Lucas Valley neighborhood of San Rafael when a squirrel seemingly came out of nowhere and attacked her leg, clawing and biting. "It clamped onto my leg. The tail was flying up here. I was like, 'Get it off me, get off me!'," Heblack said. Isabel Campoy also said she was attacked while walking in the same area. The squirrel launched itself from the ground to her face and wound up on her arm, leaving it bloody, she said. Both women went to the emergency room, the TV station reported in its Monday story. Flyers have now been posted, warning residents that the squirrel is no joke and that more than five people have been attacked by a "very mean squirrel" that "comes out of nowhere." Lisa Bloch with Marin Humane says they have had no reports of squirrel attacks since mid-September. If the squirrel crops up again, the nonprofit will coordinate with the state to remove the animal, she said. "We've seen this kind of behavior before," she said. "It's almost always because someone has been feeding the animal." The good thing is that squirrels are not vectors for rabies. She says people should never feed wildlife. San Rafael is in Marin County, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of San Francisco . 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Field tests with the Tumbleweed Science Testbed in a quarry in Maastricht in April 2025. Credit: Team Tumbleweed/Sas Schilten A swarm of spherical rovers, blown by the wind like tumbleweeds, could enable large-scale and low-cost exploration of the Martian surface, according to results presented at the Joint Meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress and the Division for Planetary Sciences (EPSC-DPS) 2025. Recent experiments in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel and field tests in a quarry demonstrate that the rovers could be set in motion and navigate over various terrains in conditions analogous to those found on Mars. Tumbleweed rovers are lightweight, 5-meter-diameter spherical robots designed to harness the power of Martian winds for mobility. Swarms of the rovers could spread across the red planet, autonomously gathering environmental data and providing an unprecedented, simultaneous view of atmospheric and surface processes from different locations on Mars. A final, stationary phase would involve collapsing the rovers into permanent measurement stations dotted around the surface of Mars, providing long-term scientific measurements and potential infrastructure for future missions. "Recent wind-tunnel and field campaigns have been a turning point in the Tumbleweed rover's development," said James Kingsnorth, Head of Science at Team Tumbleweed, who presented the results at EPSC-DPS2025 in Helsinki. "We now have experimental validation that Tumbleweed rovers could indeed operate and collect scientific data on Mars." In July 2025, Team Tumbleweed conducted a week-long experimental campaign, supported by Europlanet, at Aarhus University's Planetary Environment Facility. Using scaled prototypes with 30-, 40- and 50-centimeter diameters, the team carried out static and dynamic tests in a wind tunnel with a variety of wind speeds and ground surfaces under a low atmospheric pressure of 17 millibars. Field tests with the Tumbleweed Science Testbed in a quarry in Maastricht in April 2025. Credit: Team Tumbleweed/Sas Schilten Field tests with the Tumbleweed Science Testbed in a quarry in Maastricht in April 2025. Credit: Team Tumbleweed/Sas Schilten Results showed that wind speeds of 910 meters per second were sufficient to set the rover in motion over a range of Mars-like terrains, including smooth and rough surfaces, sand, pebbles and boulder fields. Onboard instruments successfully recorded data during the tumbling and the rover's behavior matched fluid-dynamics modeling, validating simulations. The scale-model prototypes were able to climb up a slope of 11.5 degrees in the chamberequivalent to approximately 30 degrees on Marsdemonstrating that the rover could traverse even unfavorable slopes. "Experiments with the prototypes in the Aarhus Wind Tunnel have provided big insights into how Tumbleweed rovers would operate on Mars," said Mario Joao Carvalho de Pinto Balsemao, Team Tumbleweed's Mission Scientist, who led the experimental campaign. "The results are conservative, as the weights of the scaled prototypes used in the experiments are exaggerated compared to the real thing, so the threshold wind speeds for setting the rovers rolling could be even less." Near-surface winds on Mars are currently not well understood due to the relatively sparse data collection. While data from rovers and landers on the surface show average wind speeds are generally in single digits, wind-generated vibrations recorded by NASA's Insight mission over more than two Martian years, as well as measurements gathered during the flights of the Ingenuity helicopter, show that higher wind-speeds can occur near the surface quite frequently. "Data from Insight suggests that in Mars's northern hemisphere during summer, daytime wind speeds are characterized by a wide distribution and are positively skewed toward higher wind speeds of around 10 meters per second, and while the nights are calmer, speeds of more 10 meters per second can sometimes be reached," said Balsemao. "The results from Aarhus support our modeling, which shows that an average Tumbleweed roverfollowing the daily shifts and day-night cycles of the windcould travel about 422 kilometers over 100 Martian sols, with an average overall speed of about 0.36 kilometers per hour. In favorable conditions, the maximum range could be as much as 2,800 kilometers." Team Tumbleweed with scaled prototype rovers at the wind tunnel at Aarhus. Credit: Team Tumbleweed. Scaled prototype Tumbleweed Rover in the wind tunnel at Aarhus. Credit: Team Tumbleweed/Aarhus University. Back in April, a 2.7-meter-diameter rover prototype, the Tumbleweed Science Testbed, was deployed in field tests in an inactive quarry in Maastricht in the Netherlands. The rover's modular payload bay carried a suite of off-the-shelf sensors including a camera, a magnetometer, an inertial measurement unit and a GPS. These experiments confirmed that the platform could successfully gather and process environmental data in real time while tumbling over natural terrain. 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. The organization behind the rovers, Team Tumbleweed, is an interdisciplinary group of young, entrepreneurial scientists. With main branches in Vienna in Austria and Delft in the Netherlands, Team Tumbleweed brings together people from over 20 countries. The next steps for the team will include integrating more sophisticated instruments into the Tumbleweed Science Testbed payload, including radiation sensors, soil probes and dust sensors, refining the rover's dynamics models, and scaling up the platform to higher technology readiness levels (TRLs). A further field campaign will take place in the Atacama Desert, Chile, in November, during which at least two Science Testbed rovers will carry instruments supplied by researchers from external partner organizations and will test swarm coordination strategies in Mars-like environments. More information: James Kingsnorth et al, Preliminary Feasibility Assessment of the Tumbleweed Rover Platform and Mission using the AU Planetary Environment Facility, EPSC Abstracts (2025). DOI: 10.5194/epsc-dps2025-1775 Provided by Europlanet 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: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Negative stereotypes about construction workers could be costing lives on building sites, according to new international research led in collaboration with Charles Darwin University (CDU). The study, published in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, found that construction workers who feel their jobs are devalued or looked down upon by society are significantly less likely to follow safety procedures or participate in safety programs. Surveying 243 construction workers in China, researchers discovered that perceptions of construction work as "dirty" or "low-status" created a sense of occupational identity threat (a feeling that one's work is devalued or disrespected), undermining pride in professional identity. This threat, according to researchers, reduced workers' motivation to engage in safe practices and eroded their commitment to workplace safety. Lead author and Huaibei Normal University Lecturer Zhaobiao Zong said the findings highlight a hidden psychological factor behind workplace safety. "When workers sense that society undervalues their role, it undermines their identity, erodes pride and self-esteem, and ultimately reduces their willingness to follow safety behaviors," Dr. Zong said. The research identifies a powerful protective factor in self-compassion, with workers who practiced self-kindness and mindfulness far less impacted by stigma and more likely to maintain safe behaviors on site. Dr. Zong said the results point to clear strategies for industry leaders and policymakers. "We need to challenge negative stereotypes about construction work and promote its social value, strengthen workers' sense of identity through recognition and supportive workplace cultures, and incorporate well-being and resilience training into safety programs," he said. "By doing so, we not only protect workers' mental health but also create safer worksites." CDU Senior Lecturer in Business Dr. Tianyi Long said the findings have direct implications for Australia. "The construction sector has some of the highest accident rates in the world, including here in Australia. "This research shows that how workers feel about their jobs, and how they believe others see them, can directly influence safety on site. By building a culture of respect and self-compassion, we can improve well-being, reduce accidents and ultimately, save lives." More information: Zhaobiao Zong et al, Relationship between Perceived Occupational Stigma and Safety Behavior of Construction Workers: Moderated Mediation Model, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (2025). DOI: 10.1061/jcemd4.coeng-16099 China's decision not to seek new special treatment at WTO shows its commitment, says delegate Xinhua) 10:22, September 25, 2025 GENEVA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese delegate to the World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Wednesday that China's decision not to seek new special and differential treatment (SDT) in current and future negotiations at the WTO demonstrates the commitment of a major developing country. Li Yihong, charge d'affaires of the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO, made the remarks at a press briefing. During a high-level meeting on the Global Development Initiative on the sidelines of the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced that as a responsible major developing country, China will not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future WTO negotiations. Briefing the press, the Chinese envoy to WTO said this announcement from the Chinese side against the backdrop of the current challenging global situation underscores China's firm stance in supporting the multilateral trading system through concrete actions. "It will inject positive energy into advancing WTO current discussions, especially the reform of the global economic governance system," she said. At the same time, Li emphasized that this does not involve any change to China's status as a developing country, whether within the WTO framework or in any other context. "China has always been a member of the Global South and will always be a part of the developing world," Li said. Li pointed out that the announcement has no implication for and does not prejudice China's rights in other international fora. The senior delegate said it pertains only to China not seeking new SDT provisions in current and future WTO negotiations, and does not affect China's rights under the SDT provisions of existing WTO agreements. It is a decision made by China with respect to itself, Li said. "With respect to other developing countries, China will continue to stand with and speak for them, and firmly uphold their legitimate rights and interests, including their rights to ask for SDT," she added. The WTO agreements contain SDT provisions that give developing countries special rights and allow other members to treat them more favorably. These provisions include longer time periods for implementing agreements and commitments, as well as measures to increase trading opportunities for these countries, among others. Also on Wednesday, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed China's announcement, calling it "a pivotal moment for the WTO." "China's decision reflects a commitment to a more balanced and equitable global trading system," said Okonjo-Iweala, adding that it sends a strong signal of support for WTO reform. "This move will undoubtedly energize discussions and help us work toward a more agile and effective organization for the 21st century," Okonjo-Iweala said. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) New York, US (PANA) - Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, has said that by modernising the African Peace and Security Architecture and fostering collective leadership, the continent can chart a path toward a more peaceful and prosperous Africa DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's oil sales to China would continue even if U.N. sanctions, are reimposed under a so-called snapback mechanism, Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on Wednesday, as Iran and European powers struggle to reach a deal to avert the sanctions. The foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany - the so-called E3 - along with the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas - held talks with their Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday to try and find a solution. On August 28, the E3 launched a 30-day process to reimpose U.N. sanctions, accusing Tehran of failing to abide by a 2015 deal with world powers aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon. Sanctions will be triggered on September 27 if no deal is struck. The Europeans are demanding that Iran restore access for U.N. nuclear inspectors to its most sensitive nuclear facilities, address concerns about its stock of enriched uranium, and engage in talks with the United States. Asked about oil sales to China after potential snapback sanctions, Paknejad said: "They will continue, we have no problem." The triggering of the snapback mechanism won't add "new burdensome restrictions" on Iran's oil sales, he added. "In the last years, we have faced such severe restrictions from the unjust and unilateral U.S. sanctions that, in practice, [U.N. sanctions] won't add much to this situation," Paknejad said. In 2024, China accounted for nearly four-fifths of Iranian oil exports, according to data from analytics firm Kpler. (Reporting by Elwely Elwelly, Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Alexandra Hudson) Government environmental sector meets with Greenpeace Mexico to discuss Yucatan Peninsula Riviera Maya, Q.R. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) met with Greenpeace to discuss the rainforest. The two sides met Tuesday to talk about the conservation of the Mayan rainforest and land use planning in the Yucatan Peninsula. Yucatan Peninsula rainforest is being illegally cleared for agriculture and real estate developments. Semarnat (Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales) reported that a meeting was held Tuesday with the management team of Greenpeace Mexico in which the environmental organizations concerns about the environmental impacts in the Mayan rainforest and the need for better land management on the Yucatan Peninsula were addressed. At the meeting, Semarnat public officials explained that the land use planning process in Tulum is being updated and that significant progress has been made with the land use planning in Bacalar, Benito Juarez, Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos. They emphasized the importance of working in coordination with the states to identify irregular settlements and shared that the level of scrutiny of environmental impact permits has been increased with a preventive approach. Regarding wildlife, Semarnat reported on a project with the Global Environment Facility that is underway and seeks to promote the coexistence of three emblematic animal species in Mexico, particularly the jaguar in the Yucatan Peninsula. Also participating was the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa), who stated that it maintains ongoing inspection and surveillance efforts in the Yucatan Peninsula. From inspections, the following, they reported, include 64 illegal real estate developments closed of which 31 are in Yucatan, two in Campeche and 31 in Quintana Roo. On September 18, municipal authorities in Puerto Morelos closed eight more illegal real estate developments. An inter-institutional roundtable against illegal logging in Quintana Roo to curb deforestation caused by agroindustrial expansion has been created and the total and definitive closure of the Peninsular Livestock Pig Farm. Profepa has filed criminal charges against 13 Yucatan Peninsula Mennonite communities for illegally clearing land for agroindustrial expansion. Inspection visits to pig farms in 20 municipalities in the state of Yucatan led to eight criminal cases against the farms. Profepa says they are working on the design and implementation of a comprehensive strategy to address the socio-environmental problems generated by the swine industry. Permanent inspection and surveillance actions to curb illegal occupations and changes in land use in forested areas of the Yucatan Peninsula, among others. Over 2,500 hectares of rainforest has been illegally cleared in Quintana Roo between June and August of this year. Similarly, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) reported that there are 39 Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) on the Yucatan Peninsula, which are constantly monitored and followed up. Additionally, as part of long-term efforts, it highlighted that in August a historic agreement was signed between Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize for the creation of the Great Mayan Forest Biocultural Corridor (CBGSM), which protects 5.7 million hectares for the benefit of more than 7,000 species, 200 at risk, 50 priority species and 250 endemic to Mexico. An agreement was signed between Mexico, Guatemala and Belize for the creation of the Great Mayan Forest Biocultural Corridor. The National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC) highlighted the community surveillance work they are doing in the area and the assessments they are preparing on the use of pesticides and genetically modified organisms. Likewise, the National Forestry Commission (Conafor) stated that funding has been provided for forest management in the Campeche and Quintana Roo regions, and that they recently began working with municipalities in the region on fire management. Payaps grown in the state of Quintana Roo. The National Water Commission (Conagua) also stated that it will strengthen monitoring of water quality from pig farms. In response, Greenpeace recognized the institutional openness and proposed the creation of thematic working groups with the participation of authorities from all three levels of government, academia, local communities, and social organizations, not only as consultees but also as active agents in the design and implementation of solutions. Mexicos environmental sector met with Greenpeace Mexico Tuesday. A second meeting is planned for the first week of November to consolidate concrete agreements. The Mexican governments environmental sector reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of the Mayan Rainforest and its full openness to dialogue with communities and social organizations. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan National Oil Company (NOC) on Wednesday presented its strategic vision aimed at increasing production, developing renewable energy and petrochemical projects, reduce emissions and support sustainable development programmes and national capacity building Profepa wins Tulum real estate legal battle and becomes custodian of Adamar condo project in Bahia Soliman Tulum, Q.R. A Tulum real estate condo project has been seized by federal authorities who are now its legal custodians. On Tuesday, the Federal Attorneys Office for Environmental Protection was granted permission by a criminal judge to seize condominium project Adamar. The ruling was made after a complaint was filed with the Attorney Generals Office of Quintana Roo. The compalint was filed by Profepa (Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection) against the property located in Tankah IV, Bahia de Soliman for building without environmental permits. The condo project was shut down earlier this summer after a federal inspection. In August, a judge ruled the construction illegal and ordered Profepa (Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente) to return the land to its original state. The August 14 ruling was made after, on four occasions, the real estate project had been shut down by Profepa inspectors for a lack of permits. On September 23, a criminal judge in Tulum ruled in favor of Profepa, who have seized the building which could result in it being demolished. A criminal judge in Tulum ruled in favor of the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) to seize the property known as Adamar. This property is located in Tankah IV, Bahia de Soliman, Municipality of Tulum, Quintana Roo, Profepa said in a statement Wednesday. The complaint was filed by Profepa on July 16 against the legal entity Desarrollos Tulum Dieciseis, SAPI de CV, commercially known as Condominio Adamar, for acts that could constitute crimes against property, public administration, urban development, and the environment, as provided for in various articles of the Penal Code of the state of Quintana Roo. In a hearing held on September 23, the criminal judge ruled that the request submitted by the Prosecutors Office, with the participation of Profepa as the complainant and victim, was admissible, acknowledging the existence of sufficient evidence to authorize the immediate seizure of the property. With this measure, the State Attorney Generals Office (FGE) proceeded to execute the seizure, designating Profepa as the custodian of the property. This will ensure the propertys protection and allow for the continuation of the corresponding investigations. The seizure means the company involved will not be able to continue construction work while administrative and criminal responsibilities are determined. The developers of this condominium began construction work without the corresponding federal environmental authorization and continued said work despite the closures imposed on them at various times, which is why their actions were contrary to environmental regulations and state and federal laws, resulting in various administrative violations and offenses against biodiversity. Profepa reaffirms its commitment to protecting natural resources and enforcing the law, and will continue working in coordination with state and federal authorities to follow up on this case, as well as to address any proceedings arising from these actions. Scientists have long been bothered by the idea that the universe had a beginning. But are the new hypotheses being put forward really better science or just wishful thinking? In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:14 ______________________________________________________ Pretty much ever since, physicists, too, have been divided about how the universe beganand what happened before it began. In 1927, Belgian Catholic priest and theoretical physicist Georges Lemaitre drew upon Albert Einsteins theory of general relativity to hypothesize a universe that began with a single point, a so-called primordial atom, before expanding to its present size. Two years later, American astronomer Edwin Hubble lent further support to this hypothesis when he observed that distant galaxies were rapidly receding from Earth in nearly all directions. Fast-forward three decades, and in 1965 Bell Labs scientists Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson discovered cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, the predicted afterglow of energy remaining from the initial Big Bang, further cementing Lemaitres hypothesis into what we now call the Big Bang Theory. Penzias and Wilson were later awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery. How did this all work? Combine evidence of a long-ago explosion with evidence of a universe thats now expanding, and it didnt take scientists long to figure they could rewind the cosmic VCR tape to see how things must have gotten started. Reverse the expansion and all of time and space shrinks back to a cosmic pinprick that exploded into existence 13.8 billion years ago. Importantly, nothing lay on the other side of that pinprick. Nothing existed before it, because there was no before, before time began. And so the theory was proved: The universe is not infinite and eternal (as scientists had previously presumed). Both time and space had a beginning and, for lack of a better title, that beginning was the Big Bang. Or was it? In Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins, University of Waterloo (Canada) physics and astronomy professor Niayesh Afshordi and (British) Royal Astronomical Society member Phil Halper lay out a series of alternative hypotheses that aim to disrupt what the public understands as the Big Bang theory (which the authors deride alternately as a creation myth and a bedtime story) and to replace it with something else. Picture a classic ice cream conebig gob of ice cream on one end, narrowing down to a point on the other. Up until recently, explain the authors, thats how scientists generally agreed a timeline of the universes lifespan might look in picture form. Everything you see up in the sky today is the ice cream, and the Big Bang sits down there at the tip of the cone, in the form of an infinitely dense singularity. There are, however, a few problems with this theoryquestions that no ones been able to answer yetand its for this reason that Afshordi and Halper assert that almost no cosmologists believe in the singularity anymore. (In the book, its not always 100% clear which author is speaking, so from this point on Ill simply refer to them collectively as the authors). What are these objections? For one, the ice cream we see today looks a bit too uniform in both temperature and density in every direction to be easily explained. (Cosmologists call this the horizon problem.) At the same time, the authors complain that the ice creams not completely uniform, possessing imperfections, regions where the CMB is slightly warmer or cooler than average, as well as places where matter was able to clump together to form galaxies, solar systems, and even our own Earth. As a non-science-major reader, these objections sound contradictory to me, and the authors arent crystal clear on why theyre a huge problembut clearly, they bug astrophysicists to no end! Moreover, the universes geometry seems flat, in the sense that its neither spherical nor saddle shaped. A spherical universe, the authors explain, should collapse back to its original pinpoint, whereas a saddle-shaped universe would stretch out to a point of infinite sparsity. Our universe, in contrast, seems almost perfectly flat such that it can expand forever while maintaining a certain level of density. Again, the unlikeliness of such flatness happening by accident and the level of fine-tuning that would be required to make this happen disturbs scientists greatly. Enough so, in fact, that theyve come up with quite a number of hypotheses to explain why the Big Bang Theory, as most non-science people now understand it, probably isnt the correct way of understanding the universe at all. In the process, theyve not only undermined the God hypothesisa presumed happy side effect of the authors expressed antipathy toward creation myths. Theyve also revived the ancient idea that the universe may not have had a beginning at all and may instead be infinite in both time and space. So what are these hypotheses? The authors spend the bulk of the book laying out and explaining a whole laundry list of ideas, along with biographical details of the scientists proposing themmany of whom are known to the authors personally. Perhaps the best known (to non-scientists) of these hypotheses is string theory, which posits that familiar particles such as protons and electrons that we all learned about in high school science class are actually just manifestations of quantum strings vibrating at different frequencies. String theory in turn has its own new manifestations, including one in which one-dimensional strings are replaced by higher (two or more) dimensional branes, and another in which strings can be gases, leading to such convoluted concepts as a quasi-static oven of thermal strings that cool down when compressed. If concepts like that makes your brain hurt, dont be upset. The authors themselves complain that certain academic papers describing string gas theory take the form of a series of conjectures in one paper, with a promise to prove them in the next. (A promise that, it almost goes without saying, never quite delivers). Not to be discouraged, the authors plunge ahead to list multiple hypotheses even stranger to behold: branes that collide to form universes (although where the branes came from before there was a universe to hold them isnt clear). Quantum loops to replace cosmic strings (because strings themselves were perhaps too simple a concept) to make up the fabric of space-time. Cyclical universes that expand and shrink eternally. A universe thats just the visible two-dimensional depiction of the inside of a black hole. A multiverse in which universes bubble up continually. Quantum particles that pop into existence, then inflate to become entire universes. (At this point one feels compelled to quote Ant-Man: Do you guys just put the word quantum in front of everything?) No idea is too crazy, too novel, or too difficult to prove experimentally to be undeserving of mention, up to and including the idea of changing the (generally agreed to be immutable) speed of light itself. All this to avoid the conclusion that our universe had a beginning, and that there might have been a time when time was notnor space, either. Curiously, all the hypotheses the authors describe share the common element of disputing that the universe had a truly Big Bang momenta time when time and space began to exist and when some cause caused the effect that we call our universe today. Whats really interesting, though, is that each of these supposed improvements upon the original Big Bang Theory also attempt to return cosmology to an earlier view of the universe: While opinions differed as to whether the universe remained static or was cyclical, undergoing periods of death and rebirth, ancient philosophers from India to Persia to Greece generally all agreed that the universe had always existed. It was only as Greek civilization eventually went into decline and Christianity began to dominate the Western world, explain the authors, that the new cosmology of creation ex nihilo took hold. Some believed this universe was created static and eternally old. It took another 2,000 years or so for science (in the form of Einstein, Lemaitre, Hubble, Penzias, and Wilson) to conclude otherwise: that the universe began young and has been growing ever since. Whether this new gaggle of cosmological hypotheses will undo that work and reveal a newer, truer nature of the universe remains to be seen, and will depend largely on whether they can be proved by making testable predictions that pan out as they largely have not been. In the meantime, caution the authors, we must be wary of misplaced confidence, because while certainty is seductive it is not appropriate at the frontiers of science. As a lay reader of the book, I admit I found this a bit disappointing. Inappropriate or not, when I open up a science book, I expect to find the scientists providing some clear answers. And in their absence, I was mostly left wondering why anyone would esteem these new ideas of what came before the Big Bang as better than the Big Bang Theory they seek to replace. Dont expect the scientists proposing the ideas, however, to easily concede that their hypotheses might not really be any better than Big Bang Classic. As the authors of Battle of the Big Bang quip, whether their ideas work out or not: Cosmologists are often wrong, but never in doubt. Benghazi, Libya (PANA) - The Committee on Defence and National Security of the Libyan Parliament reviewed in a meeting with officials the Division of Security Institutions of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the conclusions of the previous meetings and examined the security situation in Tripoli and in the west of the country New York, US (PANA) - For the first time, mental health care will be a focus of an official meeting of the General Assembly on Thursday 25 September At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea and Foreign Minister of the DPRK Choe Son Hui will visit China from September 27 to 30. CCTV: At the general debate of the 80th UNGA session that opened this week, leaders of most countries in their speeches supported the UNs central role, but we also heard some cacophony coming from certain countries. Whats Chinas comment? Guo Jiakun: As the most universal, representative and authoritative international inter-governmental organization in the world, the UN has played an irreplaceable role in upholding world peace and security, and advancing socioeconomic development over the past 80 years. At the general debate of the 80th UNGA session, the vast majority of countries spoke up for defending multilateralism and supporting the role of the UN, which represents the worlds prevailing consensus and shared aspiration. The world lacks order not because the UN is outdated, but exactly because the purposes and principles of the UN Charter are being breached and distorted. The major crises and challenges that have emerged in recent years keep reminding us that to address the issues of today, the role of the UN must be strengthened, not undermined, and its stature must be upheld, not replaced. For the UN to play its role, the key lies in solidarity and cooperation among all member states, major countries in particular, who should put the common interest of the international community first, observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, make objective and just judgements based on international law and basic norms governing international relations and play a positive and constructive role. As a founding member of the UN and permanent member of the UN Security Council, China fully participates in the UNs work in various fields, undertakes international obligations willingly and firmly defends multilateralism. Earlier this month, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), and elaborated on the principles, method and path to follow for the reform and improvement of global governance. The core tenets of the GGI are consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The initiative reaffirms the need for safeguarding the international system with the UN as its core. It is a vote of confidence in the UN and in multilateralism. As we mark the 80th anniversary of the UN, China stands ready to continue working with all parties to stay committed to the founding mission of the UN, revitalize the organizations authority and vitality under new circumstances and make it an important platform for countries to enhance dialogue and cooperation, coordinate joint actions and respond to global challenges. CCTV: On September 24, New York time, President Xi Jinping delivered video remarks at the United Nations Climate Summit and announced Chinas new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Could you share more details on that? Guo Jiakun: President Xi Jinping delivered video remarks at the United Nations Climate Summit. He called on all parties to firm up confidence, live up to responsibilities, and deepen cooperation, and announced Chinas new NDCs, which shows Chinas commitment to multilateralism and support to the UN. This is the first time that China put forward an absolute emissions reduction target, which covers economy-wide emissions from all greenhouse gases. Chinas resolve and action to tackle climate change is rock-solid. China is a top country in terms of the will, effort and effectiveness of honoring our emission reduction pledge. China will continue to follow the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and implement the NDCs with utmost efforts. As President Xi Jinping stressed, meeting these targets requires both painstaking efforts by China itself and a supportive and open international environment. China stands ready to work with all parties to jointly promote international cooperation on climate response, work for the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, and assist the global green and low-carbon transition. Reuters: Lin Chia-lung is in New York having events on the sidelines of the general debate of the UN General Assembly. Whats Chinas comment? Guo Jiakun: We noted relevant media reports. By letting Lin Chia-lung visit New York during the UNGA session, the U.S. provides a public stage for the provocation of Taiwan independence separatists, which amounts to gross interference in Chinas internal affairs and serious violation of the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques. It sends a gravely wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatist forces. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes it. The DPP authorities sent Lin Chia-lung to New York during the UNGA session to interact with so-called diplomatic allies and certain U.S. politicians, and make opportunist attempts wherever possible with a political scheme light as day to solicit foreign support for Taiwan independence, including from the U.S. We would like to make it clear to the DPP authorities and those bent on separatism that no good will come of their unjust cause and any provocation aimed at Taiwan independence will inevitably backfire. Our message to the very few countries still maintaining so-called diplomatic ties with Taiwan: do not be manipulated and used again and again by Taiwan independence forces. It is time to see that the one-China principle is where the arc of history bends and public opinion trends. Tying themselves to the Taiwan independence bandwagon will not get them anywhere. There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory, and the government of the Peoples Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The abiding commitment of the international community to the one-China principle is unshakable. Nothing will stop China from complete reunification. AFP: The ROK said today that the DPRK possesses up to two tonnes of highly enriched uranium, enough to build a large number of nuclear weapons. As the DPRKs neighbor, whats Chinas comment? Guo Jiakun: To keep the Korean Peninsula peaceful and stable and promote the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue is in the interest of all parties. We hope relevant parties will face squarely the root cause and crux of the issue, stick to the goal of political settlement, and make an effort to deescalate the situation and uphold regional peace. AFP: The celebrated Chinese architect Yu Kongjian lost his life yesterday in a plane crash in Brazil. Whats Chinas comment? Guo Jiakun: We extend deep condolences over the passing of Professor Yu Kongjian. Our heart goes out to his family. Chinas Embassy in Brazil will continue to assist in handling relevant matters. Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping President of the Peoples Republic of China At the United Nations Climate Summit September 24, 2025 Your Excellency Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Your Excellency President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Colleagues, This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, a pivotal year for countries to submit their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Global climate governance is entering a key stage. I wish to share with you three points. First, we must firm up confidence. Green and low-carbon transition is the trend of our time. While some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused on the right direction, remain unwavering in confidence, unremitting in actions and unrelenting in intensity, and push for formulation and delivery on NDCs, with a view to providing more positive energy to the cooperation on global climate governance. Second, we must live up to responsibilities. In the course of global green transition, fairness and equity should be upheld and the right to development of developing countries fully respected. The transition should serve to narrow rather than widen the North-South gap. Countries need to honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, whereby developed countries should take the lead in fulfilling emission reduction obligations and provide more financial and technological support to developing countries. Third, we must deepen cooperation. The world now faces a huge demand for green development. It is important that countries strengthen international coordination in green technologies and industries to address the shortfall in green production capacity and ensure free flow of quality green products globally, so that the benefits of green development can reach all corners of the world. Colleagues, Let me take this opportunity to announce Chinas new NDCs as follows: China will, by 2035, reduce economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by 7% to 10% from peak levels, striving to do better; increase the share of non-fossil fuels in total energy consumption to over 30%; expand the installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels, striving to bring the total to 3,600 gigawatts; scale up the total forest stock volume to over 24 billion cubic meters; make new energy vehicles the mainstream in the sales of new vehicles; expand the National Carbon Emissions Trading Market to cover major high-emission sectors; and basically establish a climate adaptive society. These targets represent Chinas best efforts based on the requirements of the Paris Agreement. Meeting these targets requires both painstaking efforts by China itself and a supportive and open international environment. We have the resolve and confidence to deliver on our commitments. Colleagues, Great visions require concrete actions. Climate response is an urgent yet long-term task. Lets all step up our actions to realize the beautiful vision of harmony between man and nature, and preserve planet Earththe place we call home. Thank you. Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here. Dear Care and Feeding, My wife and I have a 4-year-old son, Henry, who has Type I Diabetes. My wife wants to homeschool Henry next year because she fears that an emergency will happen at school. She would have to quit her job in order to homeschool him, and the resulting loss of income would make it impossible to remain in our high-cost area, which has excellent public schools. Managing Henrys condition has been a journey for us, but denying him the opportunity to have a normal school experience and develop relationships with his peers seems incredibly harmful to me. Our son is going to have to learn how to exist in the world with his condition. We know other families with diabetic kids, and they arent keeping their kids out of school. What can I do to convince my wife that Henry needs to be able to spread his wings? Burst the Bubble Dear Burst the Bubble, I agree with you that it would be best for Henry to be able to go to school, make friends, learn from many different teachers, and have the most typical school experience he can. I say this as the parent of one disabled kid and another who has a chronic illness, both of whom are students in our local school system. Though you might be frustrated with your wife, youll have an easier time talking with her about this if you try to understand her worries over sending Henry to school. The two of you can discuss specific scenarios youre both worried about, and what Henrys teacher or the school nurse would need to know and do in order to help him in those situations. Talk through what you, as his parents, would do in an emergency. And consider how youd talk about this with Henry, before he starts schoolnot to scare him, but to make sure he knows that both you and people at school will be working together to keep him safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think it will also be very importantand maybe reassuringto talk with some of the other parents you know who are raising diabetic kids and sending them to school every day. They are a great resource, since theyre already going through this. They can share what its been like for their children, and how they have communicated with the schools about their kids medical needs. Based on his medical diagnosis, Henry should be eligible for a 504 plan, which means that his school will not only be made aware of what he needs in order to access the same educational opportunities as his peers; the school will also be legally required to meet those needs. His 504 can include accommodations like making sure he can eat or drink or have his blood sugar checked at any time while hes at school, and ensuring that school staff are specifically instructed and trained in how to administer needed medications or treatment. The American Diabetes Association has a sample 504 plan here (Henrys could be different, of course; youd tailor it to his individual needs). Advertisement Henry isnt in school yet, I know, but public school systems evaluate kids as young as 3 for eligibility. Its best to submit a request in writing as opposed to making a phone call. Be ready to provide a letter from Henrys doctor and any relevant medical records. There can be a wait for evaluations, so I would try to put a request in as soon as youre readydont wait for the summer before Henry starts kindergarten if you can help it. Advertisement In case you share this response with your wife, I just want to tell her that while I absolutely believe it is important for Henry to go to school with his peers if at all possible, I do understand her anxiety. I know how worrisome it can be sending kids with disabilities and complex medical needs to school. But Henry wont be the first student the school has had who lives with a serious health condition. There are many diabetic students and many more disabled/chronically ill students of all ages, in your school system and every other, who are able to access the education they are legally entitled to. Before you as parents rule out the possibility for Henry, at least be sure youve done all you can to learn about what could make it possible. Nicole More Parenting Advice From Slate My son is 6. Among other things, he loves fairies, unicorns, stories about girls, and the color pink. Good for him, right? My son and my daughter have both been brought up to know that everything is for everyone. Only trouble is the other kids havent been brought up that way. The other night my son couldnt sleep because he really wants to read a unicorn book at school but doesnt want his friends to laugh at him. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Out of all the scary moments for the future of health and well-being in the United States, the nations president standing up and telling pregnant women to tough it out and forgo Tylenol during pregnancy because he believes that the drug causes autism was one of the scariest. Dont take Tylenol, Donald Trump said in a White House briefing. Dont take it. Fight like hell not to take it. He also announced that the Food and Drug Administration would be telling doctors to warn women about alleged autism risks tied to acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, and questioned the standard childhood vaccination schedule, arguing that it was too much liquid to be injecting into infants. Much of this seems to be coming from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose department will also be conducting research into the root causes of autisman effort that will spend millions of taxpayer dollars not just on legitimate areas of inquiry like environmental and genetic factors, but on those that have been extensively researched and repeatedly debunked, like vaccines. There is no real evidence tying Tylenol in pregnancy to autism in children. One major study found a small correlation between Tylenol use and autism, but it also found that the correlation disappeared when genetics were taken into account. And acetaminophen is the one painkiller approved for use during pregnancy. Telling women not to use it means not only telling women to suffer, but encouraging them to suffer through conditions, like fever, that we know for sure can be damaging or even deadly for the fetus and the pregnant woman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major medical groups have overwhelmingly pushed back on Trumps claims about Tylenol and pregnancy. But the damage has been doneand this administration seems intent on continuing to steamroll over medical advice and norms that have saved millions of lives. Yes, the administration has made a small carve-out for Tylenol use in the case of severe fever. But the vast majority of Americans are not watching White House press briefings or digging into the details. What they hear are the top lines. And here, the top line is Dont use Tylenol if youre pregnant. This is what many women will internalize, and they will behave accordingly. I report on these issues, and I can see how even I might question whether to take Tylenol during a pregnancynot because I think the president is correct, but because Better safe than sorry dictates so many of the choices pregnant women make, and what if? Advertisement The problem with that, though, is not just that women will have to tough it out and suffer unnecessarily, although thats not nothing. Its that, as American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists President Steven J. Fleischman said in a statement, the conditions people use acetaminophen to treat during pregnancy are far more dangerous than any theoretical risks and can create severe morbidity and mortality for the pregnant person and the fetus. Advertisement In the name of preventing autism, pregnant women may rely on the presidents advice and do serious damage to themselves or their babies. Even if you are someone who pays a bit more attention and has a more sophisticated understanding of medical science than the presidentsomeone who, say, realizes that vaccination schedules are about more than putting too much liquid into babiespregnancy is a fraught time in which women are encouraged to be maximally cautious. It can feel as if everything is off limits, and the stakes are high: If theres even a small risk of hurting your baby, why would you do it? But there are tiny risks in a long list of things. A glass of wine might consign your child to a lifetime of fetal alcohol syndrome. Taking the wrong kind of medicine might damage their brain. Tuna could give them mercury poisoning. Too much coffee and theyll be stunted. A turkey sandwich could cause a miscarriage. And dont even think about the things you cant control, like air pollution. Advertisement Advertisement Pregnant women are, in other words, primed to be exceedingly cautious, then to blame themselves if something goes wrong. Economist and writer Emily Oster has created an entire cottage industry of books and an online community dedicated to examining the research behind common medical advice and breaking down the actual odds of a particular act having a particular outcome. She has let an entire generation of pregnant women know that its OK to have a second cup of coffee or a sip of wine, and her books are must-reads for anyone who wants a break from the pregnancy fearmongering. And feminists have increasingly pushed back on the treatment of pregnant women as mere vessels for babies, incubators whose desires, lives, and pain need not be taken into account. For the past few years, it has felt as if, finally, pregnant women are beginning to be treated as people whose needs also matter, independent of the fetus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This administration is going in the opposite direction: Based on little more than association and amateur theorizing, the White House is guilting and terrifying women during an exceptionally vulnerable time. It is perhaps not a coincidence that this bad medical advice, which may even make pregnancy more dangerous, comes from the same pro-life president who appointed judges who took abortion rights from American women by overturning Roe v. Wadea decision that has led to horrifying mistreatment of pregnant patients and several totally preventable deaths. It turns out that applying ideology instead of science-based medicine to the complexities of pregnancy and the human body results in a lot of suffering, including death. This latest Tylenol advice seems like a continuation down this unscientific and deeply misogynistic path. Doctors, liberals, and even some Republicans are pushing back on this new broadside against vaccines and common medications like Tylenol. Unfortunately, though, we seem headed toward a scenario in which not only are vaccines politically polarized, but so is autism. Conservatives like Trump and political chameleons like RFK Jr. are the ones who have stigmatized vaccines, much to the detriment of Americans health. And theyre now doing the same to autism, talking about it as though its the worst possible outcome for a child; the broader right seems to be fixating on autism almost as much as is RFK Jr., for whom the condition has been a decadeslong obsession. Liberals have to respond to this dismantling of public health and this scaremongering about autistic people. But they also run the risk of overcorrecting and losing our credibility by arguing that trying to find autisms cause (or causes) and either prevent or treat it is ableist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The truth is that novel diseases and disorders are scary, and humans have always sought explanations for them that veer solidly into the ridiculous. In past times (and still in some parts of the world), the culprit might have been identified as witchcraft, sorcery, or punishment from an angry God. When polio was surging, blame was placed on everything from cats to Italians to blueberries. One prominent doctor, who also crusaded against carbohydrates (you might call him an early MAHA adherent), claimed a correlation between sugar consumption and polio; ice cream sales dropped. We desperately and rightly want to keep bad things from happening, so we often identify what seems to be causal patterns. This is why the scientific method is so crucial: It aims to strip out what seems to be and to zero in, through repeated testing and careful control of other variables, on what actually is. What the scientific method cant do, though, is make moral claims about right and wrong. And that seems to be where this debate is headed. Already, many progressives are arguing against not just this administrations profoundly unscientific advice on Tylenol and vaccines, but the very premise that autism needs a cure or prevention at all. Treating autism as a problem that needs fixing, some claim, is eugenics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trying to find a treatment or cure for psychological disorders like schizophrenia does not mean that people with schizophrenia lack dignity or personhood. Trying to find a cause or cure for, say, intersex conditions does not mean that people who are intersex are less worthy than those who are not. It does mean that human beings have long sought to prevent or diminish suffering, as we should. I suspect that most Americans would indeed like to prevent autism in their children if they could, and would be interested in determining the conditions root causesand not because they see autistic people as subhuman or in need of elimination. Progressives can fight the stigma against autismthe assumptions the public makes about autistic people, the kind of blame that gets assigned to the parents of autistic childrenand press for a more open society that meets the needs of neurodivergent populations without arguing that there is no downside at all to profound autism beyond the social circumstances within which the condition exists. Advertisement Advertisement Medicine is increasingly a polarized issue thanks to the right. The left shouldnt turn research into autism into the same. Related From Slate Something Republicans Understand About the American Psyche That Democrats Dont Read More What we know about autism can help alleviate some of the stigma that the right seems intent on placing on the shoulders of mothers, and it may point to better outcomes for everyone, especially autistic people. Genetics seems to be the big driver, reinforcing the argument that autism is a normal human variation and there is no Big Pharma bogeyman at the heart of this issue. That people are having children at older ages seems to be a factor, and environmental degradation, including air pollution, may also have an effectsomething it would be useful to recognize with more research, as pollution is actually a solvable problem. Its also clear that exploding rates of autism are spurred in large part by more-expansive definitions of the condition and loosened-up diagnostic criteria. Many of the very people arguing on behalf of autistic populations would not have been diagnosed as autistic a generation ago. The criteria is now so broad that the same psychiatrist who led the diagnostic expansion now argues that although the results have been overwhelmingly positive in getting autistic people much-needed services, we should be concerned about the increasing tendency to mislabel socially awkward behavior as autistic. Advertisement Advertisement In other words, we shouldnt take RFK Jr.s fearmongering at face value and adopt his seeming position that the average autistic person is highly disabled or somehow living a worse life than a neurotypical person. But we also shouldnt assume that every autistic person is a version of Elon Musk, a socially awkward prodigy with a few charming or useful special interests. This expanded criteria makes discussions about curing or preventing autism incredibly fraught, because the label autism spectrum disorder is now such a big tent. Autistic people have long argued that they dont need to be cured: Their autism is not a disorder so much as an integral part of who they are. And theyre rightbut given the breadth of the spectrum, they may not represent all of it. Theyre right that neurodivergence is part of the human condition; human societies should create systems that enable all of us to thrive. But not all autistic people can speak out about their lives and desires; many are profoundly disabled, unable to speak, use the toilet, or ever live independently. That doesnt make their lives any less valuable, any more than a person whose polio infection left them using a wheelchair was less valuable as a result of challenged mobility. And there is an ocean of distance between This is a condition that causes significant suffering for some people who have it, so we should figure out what is causing it, how to treat it, and how to prevent it and We should get rid of autistic people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liberals have long prided ourselves on holding an ideology of nuance and rejecting demagoguery. But our era of political polarization and political capture by extremists does not allow for much of that. Thats how weve ended up in a position of arguing about not only whether Tylenol causes autism, but whether we should even care what might. If progressives go down this route, we may wind up fomenting even deeper distrust with a public that might be skeptical of RFK Jr.s claims about vaccines and Tylenol but will find it flat-out absurd to argue that there is no problem with 1 in 31 American children being diagnosed with autism, even if only a minority of them are living with conditions severe enough to require around-the-clock care for the rest of their lives. This is indeed a terrifying moment for all of us who care about human health and well-being and who would like our fellow citizens to take health advice from the experts, not conspiracy-minded crackpots who have improbably stumbled their way into power. Most Americans do still vaccinate their children. Most do prefer that reputable public health entities make science-based recommendations. And that means that liberals have the upper hand here: We are the ones who want more medical research, who want a healthier society, who have a proven track record of fighting the big corporations that harm our health. The key here will be to stick to our principles and stick to the science, rather than polarizing ourselves into irrelevance in reaction to the bad actors currently in the White House. Camp Mystic leaders announced plans for a reopening in the summer of 2026 following the deadly flooding that killed 25 young girls and two counselors. Officials wrote an email to parents, saying that Camp Mystic Cypress Lake will once again be open next year. This is a part of the property that was not associated with any deaths or injuries during the recent incident. Camp Mystic's Potential Reopening Camp Mystic Guadalupe, which is the camp's original setting, has operated for almost 100 years before the flooding. It is an area that was associated with the deaths of young girls and counselors. This part will not reopen next year due to the "devastating damage" that it experienced. In the same message announcing the reopening of the camp, officials said that they were planning how to rebuild the original part as well. They said that their planning and procedures will reflect the "catastrophic 1,000-year weather event that occurred on July 4," according to the Express News. Read more: Parents of Camp Mystic Flooding Victims Call on Officials To Implement Better Safety Measures Officials noted that their plans will comply with the new requirements of the new camp safety legislation that was passed by the Texas legislature this summer. The message comes as the camp is supposedly "finalizing plans" for children who previously went to Camp Mystic Guadalupe to attend Camp Mystic Cypress Lake next summer. The plans for a reopening come as camp officials have received widespread criticism following the tragic flooding due to the location of the cabins, the safety instructions given to guests and counselors, and questions about whether the camp's owners and operators properly monitored weather alerts and warnings before and during the incident. Met With Widespread Criticism The email that camp officials sent said, "We are not only rebuilding cabins and trails, but also a place where laughter, friendship, and spiritual growth will continue to flourish." They noted that they will be mindful of what they have lost while they work to finalize their plans, the Texas Tribune reported. The camp officials' message of plans to reopen was met with criticism from some family members of the victims. It comes as one child, eight-year-old Cile Steward, is still missing since the July 4 flooding. Blake Bonner, the father of nine-year-old Lila Bonner, who lost her life during the flood, said that the families of the victims were not consulted regarding the plans to reopen the camp. On the other hand, Cile's mother, Cici Steward, said that Camp Mystic failed their daughters, as per the New York Times. First mare. First foal. First foal through the Alberta Standardbred yearling sale. First winner. First stakes winner. I cant beat the start Ive had, said breeder and track veterinarian Jordan Cook after that foal, Ruler Of Dragons, won the first division of the Alberta Sires Stakes Rising Star for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Lacombes Track On 2. Thats a lot of firsts. Im over the moon, said Cook. It couldnt go any better. Its a dream. Why did she get into breeding Standardbreds? Because Im crazy, laughed Cook. It started with Lady Neigh Neigh and now I have four broodmares. Seriously, I really enjoy it. Im trying to bring in nice mares and keep the nice mares here. Im really passionate about it. Ive always really enjoyed the breeding side. By one of Albertas top stallions, Custard The Dragon, and out of Lady Neigh Neigh, Ruler of Dragons won the Rising Star division on resolve, resilience and fortitude. I lost my voice screaming, said Cook after Hello Dragon hooked wheels with Ruler Of Dragons in mid-stretch, was passed and somehow came back on to win by a neck. We got stopped cold, said Jamie Gray, Ruler Of Dragon's trainer/driver and co-owner. I had to unhook wheels and he still came back to win. I was turned sideways for a while. Hes got a lot of guts, said Gray, of the winning mile in 1:58. I chased him and he dug back in. I didnt actually think I was going to win, but he got there. Now four-for-four with three stakes wins, Ruler Of Dragons also won the $97,000 Century Casinos Pace -- in a career-best 1:55.4 -- and a $25,000 division of the Norm Kennedy Memorial. His purchase price is already paid, said Gray. Weve got a free horse. He also won his maiden and his qualifier; Ruler Of Dragons loves to win, said Gray. Hes a tough, little bugger. He also loves to eat red -- not black -- liquorice Twizzle sticks. His nickname is "Twiz." Purchased for $36,000 at last years Alberta Standardbred Horse Association Yearling Sale, Ruler Of Dragons has earned $77,850 in his first four starts. He is now owned by Rick Mowles J J J Stable, Paul Sanders and Gray. Rick has owned horses for a long time; Paul just recently, said Gray. They both absolutely love horse racing and we need that. They own horses in Ontario, British Columbia and now Alberta. Gray said, There are a lot of nice colts this year. Its going to be a tough year. Cook said the $36,000 purchase price was a little more than he expected. "He was Lady Neigh Neighs first foal, he was an early [11] hip number; the first Custard The Dragon yearling up for sale and hes pretty small. But his conformation is perfect. You dont have to be big to pace fast. His legs move as fast as Lady Neigh Neigh and she was a big mare." Hes just a wee guy, agreed Gray, who had a great meet at Century Downs that wrapped up last month, led by the phenomenal sophomore filly Custard Dolce, a winner of six of her nine starts and $168,348. Ruler Of Dragons is not big at all, but hes got a big heart and a big stride. He likes to win. Hes easy to train; very smart, said Gray, who took over the driving from Phil Giesbrecht, who hurt his knee. Then theres the aforementioned breeding. Hes by Custard The Dragon and out of Lady Neigh Neigh, said Cook. Custard The Dragon is one of Albertas top sires; Lady Neigh Neigh was one of Albertas top mares. Lady Neigh Neigh won 22 races -- including divisions of the Emerald Filly Stakes, Jim Rogers Memorial and Moores Mile as well as an elimination and the final of the Penny Bath Memorial (at Fraser Downs) -- and just shy of $200,000. Ruler Of Dragons is the spitting image of Lady Neigh Neigh, said Cook, who purchased Lady Neigh Neigh from Chris Lancaster after the mares racing days were over -- specifically for a broodmare. I cant wait until he races at Century Mile on a big track with a long stretch, said Cook, who now already owns four broodmares and is on the verge of buying a fifth. Cook will be represented at this years ASHA Yearling Sale this Sunday, Sept 28 by a half sister to Ruler Of Dragons, by Vertical Horizon, another top Alberta sire. Harness racing returns to Century Mile on Friday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Sept. 27 at 6:15 p.m. (MDT). Highlights of the meet are the Alberta Sires Stakes Super Finals on Nov. 8, the Century Casinos Filly Pace and Western Canada Pacing Derby on Oct. 11 and the second annual Harness The Hope charity event in partnership with the Alberta Cancer Foundation on Oct. 25. We are excited to be back racing at Century Mile, said Nancy Retzlaff, Executive Director of the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association (ASHA). Our horse population is the strongest its been in a while. The long stretch and big track are appreciated by many and make for some exciting racing. The other division of the Rising Star on Saturday was taken spectacularly by The Great Shark in 1:54.3, equalling his Track On 2 track record for two-year-olds and there appeared to be lots left in the tank. Trained by Brinsley Brooking Lutz, The Great Shark is owned by breeder Michelle Danroth and Brent Grundy. He has now won three in a row. There were also three divisions of the Starlet for two-year-old pacing fillies. The first division was won by B A Dragon. With the same owners as Ruler of Dragons, B A Dragon won in 1:58.1. The second division went to Mystery Shooter in 1:56 by 5-1/2 lengths. Mystery Shooter is trained, driven and co-owned by Nathan Sobey, partners with Archie Benekos, Diane Bertrand and Robert Gilhesby. The third division was taken by Anything Goes in 1:57.4 by half a length for her first win. Anything Goes is owned by Todd Teolis and trained and driven by Logan Gillis. (With files from Curtis Stock / thehorses.com) Horse Racing New Brunswick will host The Maritimer Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Connell Park Raceway in Woodstock, N.B. With two eliminations and a final all contested the same day, The Maritimer is one of the most unique races in the Maritimes. Each elimination heat in races four and five carry a purse $8,530 with a final worth $11,370 in the eighth race. The lucrative stakes will include a total of 10 fillies chasing the title. In the first elimination, Tobins Dream is listed as the 7-5 morning line favourite with Mark Haig catch-driving for trainer Kevin McLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford, P.E.I. A two-time stakes winner this year, the Stonebridge Terror-Putnam MacKenzie filly has earned nearly $45,000 in her sophomore campaign. The Ron Matheson-trained Isle Bea Wickedwon and Gilles Barrieau will have rail control. Lady Hess is the 1-1 morning line favourite in the second elimination for trainer Jamie Smith with John Davidson getting the call to drive. Owned by Groupof7 Stable of Charlottetown, P.E.I., the Heston Blue Chip-Abes Lady filly captured the Dawn Bremner Memorial Stakes a week ago in 1:56 at Connell Park Raceway. Another Matheson contender, N.B. Breeders Stakes winner My Happy Place, drew inside with Barrieau set to drive. Saturday will also feature the annual Rod Goguen Memorial for a purse of $6,000 and a competitive group of five pacers, including New Brunswick-owned House Edge Hanover for the tandem of Barrieau and Matheson. Owned by Everett Hanson of Maugerville, N.B., the four-year-old Betting Line-Hug A Dragoness gelding comes off a win at Red Shores Charlottetown over Preferred standouts Twin B Tuffenuff and Bee Two Bee. The 6-5 morning line favourite will leave from the outside post five. Four of the five starters are New Brunswick-owned with Saulsbrook Ian the only outside entry in the field from post three with Clare MacDonald driving the Jamie Smith trainee for P.E.I. connections. Trained by Ellen Stevenson, Nuttin But Finesse and Mike Downey have the inside post advantage and comes off a win in Woodstock last week. A $4,630 division of the Atlantic Aged Mares Pacing Series is also carded as a non-wagering race with two distaffers entered. Post time on Saturday is 1 p.m. (ADT). As always, admission and parking are free at Connell Park Raceway and wagering is available at regular outlets and on-site. To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodstock Connell Park. (With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick) HEFEI, China, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2025 World Manufacturing Convention opened on September 20, bringing together a broad international audience in Hefei, Anhui province. Participants from around the world, representing a wide spectrum of industries and backgrounds, were united by a shared goal: to advance the global manufacturing sector through open collaboration. A key takeaway from the event was the strong consensus on a dual foundation for the industry's future: relentless technological progress and deepened international cooperation. Christian Wulff, Honorary Chairman of the Global Alliance of SMEs, emphasized this theme, stating, "The remarkable ascent of Anhui province serves as a powerful testament to how openness, innovation, and deeper collaboration remain timeless drivers of success in industrial development." Collaboration is not only becoming easier but also more essential. Christoph Ahlhaus, President of the German Federal Association of SMEs, offered a vivid example: a precision parts maker based in rural Germany can now connect directly with electric vehicle manufacturers in Hefei. Using augmented reality (AR), German engineers can perform real-time equipment debugging "on-site" at factories thousands of miles away. "Companies in Germany and Anhuiand across Chinaare no longer just buyers and sellers; they have become innovation partners," Ahlhaus noted, highlighting the deepening integration of global industrial and supply chains. Chinese firms are actively embracing this shift. In a keynote address, Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Holding Group, shared the automaker's global expansion experience. Chery's evolution from a local company in Wuhu to a global player mirrors the broader narrative of Chinese manufacturing: steadily transcending borders and integrating worldwide resources through open cooperation. The convention delivered a clear message for navigating this era of technological revolution and industrial transformation: success hinges on practical cooperation. To seize the opportunities for sustainable growth, stakeholders must strengthen collaboration in key manufacturing sectors and dismantle barriers to the flow of technology, talent, and data, promoting deeper integration of industry, academia, research, and application. As the event came to a close, the spirit of open cooperationforged through handshakes and dialogueis poised to remain a driving force, steering global manufacturing toward a more integrated and prosperous future. SOURCE 2025 World Manufacturing Convention 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: AI-generated image Students who plan to use ChatGPT to write their college admissions essays should think twice: Artificial intelligence tools write highly generic personal narratives, even when prompted to write from the perspective of someone with a certain race or gender. Researchers in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science compared 30,000 college application essays written by humans to ones written by eight popular large language models (LLMs), AI models that process and generate text, like ChatGPT. Even when they specified a person's race, gender and geographic location in the prompt, the models spit out highly uniform text that was easy to distinguish from actual human writing. "The admissions essay is an opportunity for applicants to offer a glimpse into who they are, beyond all the structured information on the application form," said Rene Kizilcec, associate professor of information science in Cornell Bowers and senior author of the new study. "Tools like ChatGPT can give solid feedback on writing and are likely a good idea for weak writers. But asking for a full draft will yield a generic essay that just does not sound like any real applicant." The findings emphasize how difficult it is to adapt an LLM's writing style, making them a poor choice for writing with high stakes, the researchers said. First author Jinsook Lee, a doctoral student in the field of information science, will present the paper, "Poor Alignment and Steerability of Large Language Models: Evidence from College Admission Essays," on Oct. 10 at the 2025 Conference on Language Modeling in Montreal. The findings are published on the arXiv preprint server. College application essays provide students an opportunity to show off their unique personality and feature their background and experiences. "You want to sound as much like yourselfand only yourselfas possible," said co-author AJ Alvero, assistant research professor in information science and sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences and with the Center for Data Science for Enterprise and Society. "With AI tools, students might be shooting themselves in the foot inadvertently." It's unknown how many high school students use AI in their college applications, but a report from foundry10, an education research organization, estimates about 30% are using these tools to write essays. Using college admissions essays written in the three years before ChatGPT was released in November 2022, researchers made comparisons between each human essay and texts generated by eight LLMs, developed by OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic and Mistral, in response to the same essay question. They also prompted the LLMs to write a second essay, this time with specific characteristicsfor example, an Asian woman from Salinas, California, whose parents both have college degreesthat matched the original essay writer. Their analysis showed that, instead of providing engaging narratives, the AI models tended to simply repeat keywords from the prompt, and listed personal details in a formulaic way. For example, ChatGPT wrote, "Growing up in Lexington, South Carolina, with my Asian heritage, I often felt like a bridge between two cultures. My parents, both college graduates, emphasized the importance of education and hard work." The researchers were surprised to see that prompting the model to sound like a specific person sometimes actually made it sound less human. In response to an essay question asking students to share a background, identity or interest that was vital to their application, ChatGPT started with, "When I was eight years old, I was given a small, deconstructed robot kit for my birthday. It was a simple contraption, with wires, motors and a basic circuit board. Yet, for me, it was the beginning of a journey into the world of engineering that has shaped my identity and future aspirations." But when ChatGPT had additional personal information, the essay began, "Growing up in Rabat, Morocco, I have always been acutely aware of the intricate tapestry of my heritage. As a biracial individual with a Black mother and a white father, my identity has been a powerful lens through which I view the world and an integral part of my journey." Researchers were also surprised by how easily they could identify essays written by LLMs. When they trained an AI model to differentiate between human- and AI-written essays, it worked with near-perfect accuracy. This finding suggests that, if they are looking, universities and colleges can likely identify essays that are primarily AI-generated. Schools' policies governing the use of AI in college applications differ, but overall, Lee advises high school students to use their own ideas to brainstorm and write the first draft, and, if allowed, use AI only to refine and proofread. Applying to college can be stressful, but Lee remembers her own essay-writing positively. "It was a great opportunity to look back on my life and my background," she said. "I think it was the first experience for me to be really reflective." More information: Jinsook Lee et al, Poor Alignment and Steerability of Large Language Models: Evidence from College Admission Essays, arXiv (2025). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2503.20062 Journal information: arXiv 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: Instead of a filter that divides light into three color channels, University of Utah engineers have developed a diffractive element that divides it into 25. Credit: University of Utah A traditional digital camera splits an image into three channelsred, green and bluemirroring how the human eye perceives color. But those are just three discrete points along a continuous spectrum of wavelengths. Specialized "spectral" cameras go further by sequentially capturing dozens, or even hundreds, of these divisions across the spectrum. This process is slow, however, meaning that hyperspectral cameras can only take still images, or videos with very low frame rates, or frames per second (fps). But what if a high-fps video camera could capture dozens of wavelengths at once, revealing details invisible to the naked eye? Now, researchers at the University of Utah's John and Marcia Price College of Engineering have developed a new way of taking a high-definition snapshot that encodes spectral data into images, much like a traditional camera encodes color. Instead of a filter that divides light into three color channels, their specialized filter divides it into 25. Each pixel stores compressed spectral information along with its spatial information, which computer algorithms can later reconstruct into a "cube" of 25 separate imageseach representing a distinct slice of the visible spectrum. This instantaneous encoding enables the researchers' camera systemsmall enough to fit into a cellphoneto take high-definition video, and the compressed nature of the component images opens up new real-world applications. A study demonstrating the camera was led by Research Assistant Professor Apratim Majumder and Professor Rajesh Menon, both in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. The results are reported in the journal Optica. The camera's design represents a leap forward in how spectral data can be captured. "We introduce a compact camera that captures both color and fine spectral details in a single snapshot, producing a 'spectral fingerprint' for every pixel," Menon said. Hyperspectral cameras have long been used in agriculture, astronomy and medicine, where subtle differences in color can make a big difference. But these cameras have historically been bulky, expensive and limited to still images. "When we started out on this research, our intention was to demonstrate a compact, fast, megapixel resolution hyperspectral camera, able to record highly compressed spatial-spectral information from scenes at video-rates, which did not exist," Majumder said. The Utah team's breakthrough lies in how it captures and processes the data. The key component is a diffractive element that is placed directly over the camera's sensor. It's the element's repeating nanoscale patterns that diffract incoming light and encodes both spatial and spectral information for each pixel on the sensor. By encoding the scene into a single, compact two-dimensional image rather than a massive three-dimensional data cube, the camera makes hyperspectral imaging faster and more efficient. "One of the primary advantages of our camera is its ability to capture the spatial-spectral information in a highly compressed two-dimensional image instead of a three-dimensional data cube and use sophisticated computer algorithms to extract the full data cube at a later point," Majumder explained. "This allows for fast, highly compressed data capture." The streamlined approach also cuts costs dramatically. "Our camera costs many times less, is very compact and captures data much faster than most available commercial hyperspectral cameras," Majumder said. "We have also shown the ability to post-process the data as per the need of the application and implement different classifiers suited to different fields such as agriculture, astronomy and bio-imaging." Data storage is another advantage. "Satellites would have trouble beaming down full image cubes, but since we extract the cubes in post-processing, the original files are much smaller," Majumder added. To demonstrate the camera's capabilities, the researchers tried three real-world applications: telling different types of tissue apart in a surgical scene; predicting the age of strawberries as they decayed over time; and mimicking a series of spectral filters that are used in astronomy. The current prototype takes images at just over one megapixel in size and can break them down into 25 separate wavelengths across the spectrum. But the team is already working on improvements. "This work demonstrates a first snapshot megapixel hyperspectral camera," Majumder said. "Next, we are developing a more improved version of the camera that will allow us to capture images at a larger image size and increased number of wavelength channels, while also making the nano-structured diffractive element much simpler in design." By making hyperspectral imaging cheaper, faster, and more compact, the U engineers have opened the door for technologies that could change the way we see the world and uncover details hidden across the spectrum. More information: Apratim Majumder et al, High-definition (HD) snapshot diffractive computational spectral imaging and inferencing, Optica (2025). DOI: 10.1364/optica.559279 Journal information: Optica 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: Tara Winstead from Pexels Hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting banking customers could be unknowingly slapped with a fraud marker without even knowing about it. Financial crime expert Jeremy Asher reveals in his new comprehensive book about the devastating toll that ordinary and, crucially, innocent, people can suffer when wrongly labeled as being linked with fraud. With university students returning to campuses this week, Asher warns that they are particularly vulnerable to fraud due to financial inexperience. The rampant growth in fraud-related crime means that two in five criminal offenses are fraud-related, costing the UK economy billions each year. In response, a public-private defense system has been developed, but a vital part of it involves issuing so-called fraud markers onto individuals and their accounts where a potentially fraudulent transaction or application has been made. But ordinary banking customers risk being incorrectly labeled with fraud markers, and often only find out when problems with their accounts emerge or requests for loans or credit fail. This punishment can occur even if a third-party makes an error on an individual's behalf, or even if a criminal sets up a fake business using someone else's real identity. What's more, trying to get fraud markers removed can push people to the brink, with some even considering ending their own lives. Huge problem Around 2 million fraud markers were in effect in 2022 via Cifas, the Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System, one of the main systems through which fraud markers are delivered. In-depth research by Asher reveals that in 2022 Cifas itself upheld nearly 17% of the 868 requests to remove its markers, which he believes could mean several hundred thousand markers have been "incorrectly loaded and are unfair." The impact on individuals can be significant, with Asher stating that many of his clients seldom discuss the issue publicly even if they have successfully had fraud markers removed. That's because of the social stigma they fear due to being the subject of a fraud marker. Several case studies in Asher's book bring to life the stress and hardship caused when fraud markers are incorrectly loaded against people. Issues range from difficulties securing finance through to a heart-wrenching example of a female victim of domestic abuse, whose repeated efforts to prove her innocence continually fell on deaf ears. "Her mental health declined and following a desperate call from her in which I was left in no doubt that she was about to attempt suicide I called the police who thankfully went to her immediate assistance," Asher says. "She did not have the stomach to take her appeal further." Easy come, difficult go A significant issue with fraud markers is how easily they can be applied but how difficult, or sometimes even impossible, they are to have removed. Asher states that many of the cases he takes on for people wrongly given fraud markers "would not have come to my attention had a criminal standard of proof been applied and thorough investigations taken place." He criticizes the move to lower the standard of proof that organizations need to jump, likening it to reducing it to a civil level even though the victim is essentially being accused of a criminal offense. "[Fraud markers] are akin to the type of fixed penalty notices that are imposed in the criminal justice system, such as by the police in relation to minor motoring offenses," Asher said. "However, there are important distinctions, not least that fraud markers are issued without notice, they are secretive, and there is no right to judicial oversight at the time a marker is loaded." Asher notes that while a speeding driver can challenge the evidence, accept the proposed penalty, seek an alternative penalty (like a speed awareness course) or ask a court to decide their guilt, the recipient of a fraud marker is offered no such routes. "The punishment aspect of fraud markers is through the subject being barred from obtaining mainstream credit and banking facilities or by having to pay a premium should they be lucky enough to find an organization willing to accept the higher risk posed," Asher added. Post Office parallels Trying to appeal a fraud marker is 'anything but straightforward," according to Asher, who notes the injustices against 'genuinely innocent' people is likely to be wider than that caused by the Post Office Horizon scandal. In an echo of the Post Office saga, organizations that load fraud markers are essentially the notional judge, jury and executioner. "The concept of fair banking is more concerned with ensuring that the products and services offered by financial organizations are fair," Asher states. "As demonstrated, fraud markers are loaded and policed by private organizations, with some organizations paying little regard to common notions of justice and fairness. "Their decisions can be unfair, cruel even. I am concerned at the level of injustice I see every day." The book contains information about how the various databases operate, and explains how and why they were developed to help combat the rise of fraud and money laundering in the UK. More information: Jeremy Asher, Fraud Markers, De-banking, and Financial Crime, (2025). DOI: 10.4324/9781003588542 We are investing in cutting-edge production technology and sustainable solutions that support farmers around the world. Post this The new facilities include a state-of-the-art machining hall for manufacturing Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) components and cylinder heads for AGCO Power's latest CORE engine. The expanded remanufacturing area increases the plant's capacity to produce remanufactured engines. AGCO Power is part of AGCO Corporation. The Linnavuori plant manufactures engines for AGCO's world leading tractor brands Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra. AGCO's Global Center of Expertise in Finland "This machining investment strengthens Linnavuori's role as AGCO's global center of expertise for engines. We are investing in cutting-edge production technology and sustainable solutions that support farmers around the world," says Kelvin Bennett, Senior Vice President of Engineering at AGCO. Linnavuori, already Finland's largest transmission gear manufacturing site by volume, has expanded its capacity with the addition of 5,600 square meters of new production space. Remanufacturing Circular Economy in Practice for Over Half a Century Stefan Caspari, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and Business Effectiveness at AGCO, emphasizes that the remanufacturing expansion supports the company's long-term strategy and Farmer First approach. "Farmers value total cost of ownership. This expansion enables AGCO to better support them not only with new equipment investments but also with maintaining existing machinery through more cost-effective remanufacturing solutions," Caspari says. AGCO Power has been refurbishing engines for over 50 years, with systematic remanufacturing starting in 1990. Today, over 1,000 engines are remanufactured annually, and with the new facilities, the maximum capacity will reach 2,500 engines per year. "Remanufactured engines extend the lifespan of machines and allow up to 80% of the engine's mass to be reused, including all cast iron components. This results in a much lower carbon footprint compared to manufacturing a new engine," explains Jussi Rinne, Director of Quality and Aftermarket. In addition to remanufactured engines, Linnavuori also produces gas engine blocks and marine engines. New investments support the development of sustainable power generation In 2024, AGCO Power also opened a clean energy laboratory in Linnavuori, where future lower carbon engine technologies are researched and tested. The newly completed machining hall and remanufacturing expansion complement the Linnavuori site, strengthening AGCO Power's position in sustainable power generation solutions. Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra are registered trademarks of AGCO. AGCO Power is a trademark of AGCO. About AGCO AGCO (NYSE: AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology. AGCO delivers value to farmers and OEM customers through its differentiated brand portfolio including leading brands Fendt, Massey Ferguson, PTx and Valtra. AGCO's full line of equipment, smart farming solutions and services helps farmers sustainably feed our world. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA, AGCO had net sales of approximately $11.7 billion in 2024. For more information, visit www.agcocorp.com. About AGCO Power AGCO Power is one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of engines for off-road machines. We produce engines for well-known tractor brands such as Fendt, Valtra, and Massey Ferguson. In addition to these, AGCO Power engines are used in other work machines, including forestry equipment. Production facilities are located in Finland, China, Brazil, and Argentina. The Linnavuori plant has been operating for over 80 years and is a subsidiary of AGCO Corporation. SOURCE AGCO Corporation 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). ABU DHABI, UAE, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, organised by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) as part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week (ADAW), will convene global leaders to define the next chapter of smart and autonomous mobility. The summit will take place at the Vehicle Dynamic Area, Yas Marina Circuit on 10 November 2025 and it will mark the start of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week (10-15 November 2025). The programme will cover critical sector topics including: the convergence of air, land and sea for integrated urban mobility; the real-world deployment and scale-up of smart mobility models across public transport; global standards in AI governance and public trust of autonomous technologies; cross-sector collaboration to advance autonomy through industry integration; the future of flying in cities; AI-driven decision making; and designing industrial applications and deployment at scale for smart ports and cities. Summit attendees will also discuss the future of scaling innovation, investment and impact, outlining investment and commercialisation pathways for technology, sustainability, and the talent needed to deliver it. Running from 10-15 November, ADAW will host a series of autonomous events throughout the week. DRIFTx (10-12 November) will showcase smart and autonomous mobility solutions across land, sea, air and robotics in a live, interactive exhibition. RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2025, hosted by Khalifa University and held for the first time in the MENA region, will run from 10-15 November, and will bring together top international teams to compete in AI-driven autonomous robotics challenges. ADAW will conclude on 15 November with the second edition of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), a motorsport display demonstrating the cutting edge of autonomous racing technology. Organised by ASPIRE and Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), the event will feature a US$2.25 million prize pool attended by elite research teams from 10 countries. The hosting of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week highlights Abu Dhabi's commitment to fostering a competitive, collaborative and innovation-driven ecosystem that enhances efficiency, connectivity and quality of life through the safe, sustainable deployment of autonomous technologies. About the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) Established in 2024, the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) is responsible for setting the strategic direction of Abu Dhabi's smart and autonomous technologies sector. Driving policy, regulation, investment, and innovation through collaboration with government entities, global innovators, and industry stakeholders, SASC is shaping a world-class ecosystem that positions Abu Dhabi at the forefront of future technologies and as a leading global hub for intelligent mobility and autonomous systems. About Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week (ADAW) is the emirate's flagship platform for advancing smart mobility and autonomous systems across land, sea, air, and industry. Organised by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), the inaugural edition brings together global industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, and investors to connect, collaborate, and accelerate the future of autonomous technology. Commencing with the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, the week's flagship event for high-level dialogue and partnerships, the programme is further strengthened by initiatives such as DRIFTx, RoboCup Asia-Pacific (RCAP 2025) and Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), reinforcing Abu Dhabi's role as a global hub for innovation, investment, and the safe, sustainable deployment of autonomous technologies. US Embassy Port of Spain Acting Public Affairs officer Leo Page-Blau receives a haircut from Kelvin Willams, one of the formerly incarcerated who will be working at the Foreign Exchange barbershop. LAVAL, QC, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ("Couche-Tard") (TSX: ATD) announced today that it has priced a private debt offering of US dollar denominated senior unsecured notes with an aggregate principal amount of US$1.2 billion, consisting of two tranches of notes (the "US$ Notes"), and that it has priced a private debt offering of Canadian dollar denominated senior unsecured notes with an aggregate principal amount of Cdn.$500 million (the "Cdn.$ Notes" and, together with the US$ Notes, the "Notes"): US$700 million aggregate principal amount of 4.148% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2028 aggregate principal amount of 4.148% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2028 US$500 million aggregate principal amount of 5.077% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2035 aggregate principal amount of 5.077% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2035 Cdn. $500 million aggregate principal amount of 3.864% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2032 The offering of the US$ Notes is expected to close on or about September 29, 2025 and the offering of the Cdn.$ Notes is expected to close on or about September 26, 2025, in both cases, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Couche-Tard intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes to repay indebtedness under its U.S. commercial paper program. The Notes will be direct unsecured obligations of Couche-Tard and will rank pari passu with all other current and future senior unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of Couche-Tard and will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by certain of Couche-Tard's wholly-owned subsidiaries who are guarantors under Couche-Tard's senior credit facilities. The US$ Notes will be offered in the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in accordance with the exemption from registration set forth in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in accordance with the exemption from registration set forth in Regulation S under the Securities Act. The US$ Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws and foreign securities laws. The issuance and sale of the Notes have not been, and will not be, qualified under the securities laws of any province or territory of Canada and, accordingly, the offer and sale of the Notes in Canada will be made in the provinces of Canada on a basis which is exempt from the prospectus requirements of such securities laws, and the Cdn.$ Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States. The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, nor shall there be any sales of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Couche-Tard is a global leader in convenience and mobility, operating in 29 countries and territories, with close to 17,300 stores, of which approximately 13,200 offer road transportation fuel. With its well-known Couche-Tard and Circle K banners, it is one of the largest independent convenience store operators in the United States and it is a leader in the convenience store industry and road transportation fuel retail in Canada, Scandinavia, the Baltics, Belgium, as well as in Ireland. It also has an important presence in Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, as well as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of People's Republic of China. Approximately 149,500 people are employed throughout its network. Forward-Looking Statement Certain statements set forth in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation, including those with respect to the closing of the offering of the Notes and the use of proceeds therefrom. Positive or negative verbs such as "believe", "can", "shall", "intend", "expect", "estimate", "assume", and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated in or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projection. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between Couche-Tard's actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include the effects of the integration of acquired businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies, ongoing military conflicts, fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate variations, Couche-Tard's ability to consummate the offering of the Notes on the expected terms, the intended use of proceeds thereof and potential changes in market conditions and such other risks as described in detail from time to time in the reports filed by Couche-Tard with securities authorities in Canada. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release. SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.